Zhang Xuehua is     1     artist of paper cutting, who works attentively in her workshop in Ma’anshan city, east China’s Anhui Province. As she turns the paper, her scissors fly and a paper-cut work is “born”.

    2     (normal), paper cutting craftsmen first draw patterns on paper and then cut them into outlines, but Zhang has a special     3    (capable) to cut without sketching (画素描) patterns ahead of time. She can turn a piece of paper the size of a handkerchief     4     a lifelike paper cutting work in less than one minute. Her works show a mixture of paper cutting styles in northern and southern China.

Zhang     5    (learn) the craft from her grandmother. “In the beginning, I was not able to cut well, but in time I could create little frogs, butterflies, flowers and other works,” Zhang said. “Paper cutting created countless beautiful childhood     6    (memory) for me. ”

The walls of Zhang’s studio are covered with work, large and small, with subjects     7    (range) from the twelve zodiac signs to daily items. The work Zhang remains proudest of is the Folk Girl series,     8     now sits in the National Art Museum of China’s permanent collection.     9    (carry) forward the traditional craft of paper cutting, Zhang often offers paper cutting classes for free at residential communities, schools and museums, well     10    (recognize) by young people who want to understand the living heritage.

Hotpot has a long history of over 1,000 years in China. It used to     1     (favor) only in winter, but recently hotpot has been appearing on tables all year round.

    2     the delicious flavor, there are two other important reasons for the Chinese to like hotpot. First, it is a great way     3    (socialize) — people gather around the pot, chatting, eating, drinking     4     having fun. Second, hotpot is a healthy meal. Boiling is better than frying, with bone nutrients     5     (release) into the soup. In addition, eating hot pot can warm the body in winter, and increase perspiration (排汗) to help cool the body in summer. Some seasonings (作料) used in hotpots can help relieve some minor     6    (illness) like colds, blocked sinuses and headaches.

Chongqi ng Hotpot is the staple dish of the city. Hotpot restaurants in Chongqi ng are everywhere — if you look up on the street you are in, chances are that you     7    (stand) exactly near a hotpot restaurant.

    8    (usual), the taste of food can reflect the attitude and ‘status of life there. As a    9     (symbol) food in Chongqing, it reflects that people there have the sense of integrity and embrace the diversified culture. Almost everything     10     is eatable can be cooked in hotpot, so eating hotpot is a must when you come to Chongqing!

6 . China has named the nation’s first Mars rover (火星车) Zhu Rong. For all of us, Zhu Rong is a well-suited name.

In an ancient Chinese story, Zhu Rong had the face of a man and the body of an animal. H rode on two dragons.

When he had a big fight with Gong Gong, the god of water, Zhu Rong won. But after the fight, the human world came into complete darkness. Then he brought fire from heaven to the world.

“Zhu Rong is regarded as the earliest god of fire in traditional Chinese culture,” a space official said. “The first Mars rover was named Zhu Rong. The name symbolizes light and hope for space exploration in our country, and means to guide humans to continue exploration.”

After leaving the earth last summer, Zhu Rong circled Mars for several months and landed on it in May. In recent years, our country has sent up the world’s first quantum satellite (量子卫星), and Chang’e-4 has made a soft landing on the moon. We have made great progress in space technology and will soon start building our own space station.

Chinese calligraphy (书法) is an art form that    1    (involve) the skilled and deliberate use of brush and ink to create beautiful and expressive characters.

The origins of Chinese calligraphy can be traced back thousands of years to the Shang Dynasty, making it one of the     2     (old) continuous artistic traditions in the world. Its evolution is accompanied with the development of the Chinese writing system,     3     consists of thousands of characters, each with its own artistic structure and stroke order (笔顺).

Calligraphy in China    4    (regard) as one of the highest forms of artistic expression. It is not only a means of communication     5     a way to develop one’s character, discipline, and spirituality. The practice of calligraphy requires     6    (patient), concentration, and a deep understanding of the balance between empty space and solid forms.

Different styles of calligraphy have emerged throughout history, each with its own distinct characteristics and artistic conventions. The most famous    7    (style) include regular script (kaishu), running script (xingshu), cursive script (caoshu), and seal script (zhuanshu).

Chinese calligraphy has a profound influence     8     other art forms, such as     9    (paint), poetry, and seal carving. It is often considered as an important part of the Chinese traditional culture, where scholars and artists would gather in a     10    (culture) salon to appreciate and discuss calligraphic works.

10 . The Chong Yang Festival has a history of over 2,000 years. It comes on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, so it is called the Double Ninth Festival.

There are many kinds of activities on the Chong Yang Festival. It is a time when it’s getting cold, so Chinese people make the festival a time for sending winter clothes for the dead family members. Because autumn has a clear sky and fresh air, it is a very good time to climb a mountain. Climbing a mountain has been the tradition of the Chong Yang Festival since the Western Han Dynasty. Also, it is good for our health. On the Chong Yang Festival, people also eat Chong Yang cakes, enjoy chrysanthemum(菊花) flowers, and drink chrysanthemum wine.

Today, the Chong Yang Festival has got its new meaning —a day for showing respect to the old. On the festival day, people show their respect, care and love to old people, and they also do lots of things to help the old. Many parks, communities and organizations plan the activities for old people, such as an autumn trip, singing songs or sending presents to them. We hope the old are happy and stay healthy by taking part in these activities. Many young people accompany(陪伴) the old on outings, or make some delicious food for them.