As Brillat-Savarin put it, you are what you eat. Many people relate this saying to healthy eating. In fact, Brillat-Savarin was referring to our     1    (personal), character and culture.

Prior to coming to China, I ate Chinese food that     2     (change) to suit American tastes. For example, the most popular Chinese dish in America is General Tso’s chicken,     3     can’t tell us much about the Chinese. Instead, it does tell us a lot about Americans.

Fortunately, I had a chance     4     (experience) authentic Chinese food in person. In a Sichuan restaurant, we enjoyed     5     entirely new taste: Sichuan peppercorns. What impressed me most was the friendship offered to us. In Shandong, I found the fact that family is important to the people there, for families get together to make     6     (dumpling) on major festivals. In Xinjiang, people     7     (traditional) wandered the open range on horses, leading to their     8     (roast) meat over an open fire. Everywhere, the food was as varied as the people. However, what is always true     9     (be) that Chinese people everywhere show friendship and kindness.

In a word, Chinese culture is a good illustration     10     the saying “You are what you eat.” Culture and cuisine go hand in hand, and if you do not experience one, you can never really know the other.

5 . Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, begins this year on Dec 7 and ends on Dec 20, marking the start of the season. It begins when the sun reaches the celestial longitude (天文经度) of 255° and ends when it reaches 270°     1    , so it is named Major Snow.

By the start of Major Snow, most of China has already seen the start of winter.     2    . At this time of year, the snow gradually settles in the Yellow River Basin. In far north there is heavy snow; while in the south, it is mild with less rainfall.

    3    . Snow adds warmth and wetness to the winter wheat, preventing dry air in winter. It can also store and lock in water needed for the following year, and it kills off bacteria and pests which decreases the risk of disease.

During Major Snow, people often eat jujube cakes, made from red jujube dates (枣) which are rich in vitamin C, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients.     4    . Jujube dates not only replenish (补充) the spleen and stomach, but also protect the liver, increase muscle strength, and are said to be anti-aging. Because of their affordable price and high nutritional content, jujube cakes are popular all over China at this time of year.

In some areas, cured meats become a specialty product, as a way to store meat over the winter months. As the saying goes, small snow seals the ground, heavy snow seals the river.     5    .

Major Snow is an excellent season for people to replenish their bodies. There is another saying, “Replenishing your body in winter means you will be strong enough to fight a tiger in early spring.”

6 . At the top of a hill called Mount Lee in Los Angeles on the west coast of the USA is a very famous sign, recognizable to people around the world. My job is to look after this sign.     1     The first film was made there in 1907 and by 1912, at least 15 independent studios could be found making films around town.

In the 1940s, TV started to become popular and some Hollywood film studios closed, but then TV companies moved in and took them over. Modern Hollywood was born.     2     If one of them ever fell down I would have to put it back up at exactly the same angle. They follow the shape of Mount Lee and this is part of their fame.

I am responsible for maintaining and protecting the sign.     3     When I first arrived in 1989, security was pretty low-tech-we put up a fence around the sign to stop people messing with it. But people just jumped over the fence. The back of the sign was black with graffiti(涂鸦)there was wire across it, but they still got through. So I decided to improve the effectiveness of the security.

Now we have motion-detectors and cameras. Everything goes via the internet to a dedicated surveillance(监控)team watching various structures around the city. Even so, people still try to climb over the barrier, mostly innocent tourists surprised that you can’t walk right up to the sign. But they can get a closer look on one of my regular tours.

    4     They want to light the sign, paint it pink, or cover it in something to promote their product. You’ll get a really enthusiastic marketing executive call up, terribly excited because they think they’re the first person to think of this or that idea. They mostly get turned down. That’s because we don’t like to change the image and we hope it will have the same significance for generations to come.

China is known as a state of etiquette (礼仪) and ceremonies. Take the example of an interesting story. Once upon a time, a man went on a long tour     1     (visit) his friend with a swan as a gift. But it escaped from the cage on the way and in his effort to catch it, he caught nothing but a feather. When his friend received this unexpected gift—the swan feather, he was     2     (deep) moved by the sincerity (真诚). Later, the saying “the gift is nothing much, but it is the thought     3     counts,” was spread far and wide.

Gifts are regarded as an important part to show politeness in China.     4     is appropriate to give gifts on     5     (occasion) such as festivals and birthdays. If you are invited     6     a family party, small gifts like wine, tea or candies are welcomed. Also fruit, cookies, and flowers are a safe     7     (choose).

Chinese used to cup one hand in the other before the chest as a salute (致敬). This tradition, nowadays seldom     8     (follow) except in the Spring Festival, has a history of more than 2000 years. Shaking hands, which should be firm and brief but not too strong,     9     (consider) formal greeting behavior in China.

If you follow the usual rules of etiquette in China, there is no need to worry about the cultural barriers, for the warm and friendly Chinese will try their best to respect your customs when     10     (communicate).

9 . Throughout our lives, we have been told to take care of our physical health. But what is often ignored is mental health. That’s why World Mental Health Day was created.     1    .

●When is World Mental Health Day?

World Mental Health Day is on October 10th. Though there is one specific date for it, it is often times celebrated and observed over the course of a week.     2    , it allows more people to know about the importance of mental health and it educates the public about the “why”, “how”, and “what” of mental health.

●What is the history of World Mental Health Day?

    3    . When it first started, the day had no theme, but instead was an excuse for medical workers to educate the public on what was not always openly discussed — what mental health is and the issues that surround it. Mental health affects everything from our emotional state to our physical state, and everything in between. In the first few years, organizers usually hosted a global live broadcast, leading to live telephone participation from all over the world.

●    4    ?

You can volunteer in or donate some money to mental health services to improve the livelihoods of people struggling with mental illnesses. Besides, too often we are too busy to slow down and take a breath. If you take a mental health day, you are giving yourself the space to grow and take care of your mental health. Lastly, you should check on your friends. Go for a walk with them or have an extended phone conversation if you are far away.     5    .