The dragon, a famous beast born from fantasy,     1     (exercise) a hold on people’s imagination over centuries. In traditional Chinese culture, a dragon is a symbol of luck, power and high status. They can cause weather changes and bring rainfall to the fields     2     (ensure) rich harvests. Therefore, to symbolize their power, ancient Chinese emperors decorated their clothes     3     dragon patterns. Many Chinese view the dragon as a national symbol,     4     (proud) referring to themselves as “descendants of the dragon”.

The Qinming Festival, originating from the Hanshi Day, is an opportunity for people     1    (remember) and honor their ancestors at tombs. And it became a festival in 732. Then observance (纪念) of Qingming found a firm place     2    Chinese culture and continued for over 2500 years. The Qingming Festival is a time     3     the sun shines brightly, trees and grass become green and nature is again lively. Since ancient times, people     4     (follow) the custom of Spring Outings.

What is culture shock? When he first visited the US, Mr Li was confused on a bus. He offered his seat to an elderly man, but the man seemed     1    (annoy) and refused to take the seat. Later Mr. Li’s American friends explained to him that in the US it is not advisable, and even offensive, to offer your seat to elderly people. This is very different from China, where people     2    (encourage) to do so. From the example we can see that culture shock is the feeling of confusion and anxiety when you encounter     3    (situation) where the cultural norms (标准) in your culture no longer apply.

Today, the Palace Museum has one of the most significant collections of timepieces in the world,     1     mainly originated from Europe and China. With objects ranging from small pocket watches to clocks over one metre in height, each of these     2     (require) its own unique method of restoration. Given the complexity of the work and the lack of necessary materials, this means that each expert can work on a maximum of two large pieces a year. But, through their painstaking     3     (effort), Wang Jin and his students do more than repair the clocks—they bring them back to life.

A harvest festival is an annual celebration. It usually    1    (occur) around the time of the main harvest. Chinese Mid-autumn Festival is one of the most widely celebrated harvest festivals in the world.The festival     2    (celebrate) on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. For the Chinese, the festival indicates family reunion. Chinese people celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with many traditional    3    (activity), such as guessing lantern riddles, appreciating the moon and having delicious moon cakes.