Besides water, tea is the most popular drink in the world. It is said that tea was invented accidentally by a Chinese ruler,     1     was called Shen Nong. Lu Yu, “the sage of tea (茶圣)”,     2    (write) the first book about tea. It is believed that tea     3     (send) to Korea and Japan during the 6th and 7th centuries. In the 17th century, tea was introduced to Europe. The tea trade from China     4     Western countries took place in the 19th century.

There are many     5     (type) of Chinese tea, such as green tea, white tea, oolong tea, yellow tea, dark tea and black tea, each of which has     6     (it) own different color, scent, and taste. Many provinces have their special types of tea,     7     (actual), such as the West Lake Longjing Tea in Zhejiang Province, the Wuyi Rock Tea in Fujian Province and the Pu’er Tea in Yunnan Province.

It is a     8     (tradition) etiquette (礼节) to serve guests with tea. The gongfu tea is perhaps the most representative tea ceremony in China. The preparation can involve over 10 different tools, containing more than 20 steps.

Do you enjoy     9    (drink) tea? Choose a type of Chinese tea     10     enjoy it with your friends.

As early as a thousand years ago in Kaifeng, China, there were a group of people, in their unique way,    1     (present) art and beauty    2    (exquisite)(精美的). Such craft is known    3    Bian embroidery(刺绣). It is now recognized as a state-level intangible cultural heritage. Bian embroidery    4    (characterize) by simplicity and serenity(宁静), which is considered     5    unique form of artistic    6    (express) of the Song Dynasty. The purest natural colors and delicate stitches (针法) make the embroidery look vivid like a painting if not bring it to life. For each piece of work, embroiderers would integrate many elements into it including fine art, literature and philosophy. The re-creation of the first volume of the work Along the River during the Qingming Festival is the work of    7    (experience) Bian embroiderers(刺绣工) who have long observed the    8    (origin) work Qingming Festival and objects.

    9    took over 20 embroiderers a year working around the clock to complete such a masterpiece. The millennium-old craft still has its charm today. It goes beyond the time, bringing out the fine texture of painting. It can also be a treasure    10    one holds dear.

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.

“China is a major country in the world and at the center of many developments. To study China and its language can broaden children’s minds and improve    1     (they) career prospects,” says Joan Deslandes, head teacher of Kingsford Community School in East London.

She    2     (make) the remarks at the prize-giving ceremony at London’s Chinatown for the winners of the Chinese proficiency (水平) competitions for primary- and secondary-level students. Altogether, nearly 500 British students participated in the two competitions     3     (hold) earlier this year online.

Around 140 students and teachers from 17 schools were present at the event earlier this month. They interspersed (点缀) the prize-giving ceremony with     4     (performance), including Chinese songs, traditional dances and musical instruments.

“And those were just the small number of students     5     won the competition, but behind them there are many schools     6     (teach) Chinese, and a lot of enthusiasm about having Chinese as    7     language option in this country, says Joan.

“China is playing an important part in the    8    (globe) vision. We need to equip the children     9    all the skills to stay connected as they grow up. That involves language and cultural understanding. And in terms of prospects for employability, knowing the Chinese language and being able to communicate    10     (efficient) with people from China can only benefit the young people of this country,“ she adds.

East China’s Jiangsu Province is     1     land of abundance (富饶). It is home to several UNESCO world heritages sites, including the Classical Gardens of Suzhou, the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing and part of the Grand Canal.

As the     2     (tradition) tea processing techniques and their associated social practices in China     3     (add) to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Nov 29, 2022, tea culture in Jiangsu Province attracts attention again.

Fuchun teahouse lies     4     a hutong in Yangzhou of Jiangsu Province. Although it is not located in the very heart of the city, its reputation persuades many customers into     5     (come) in groups.

    6     (found) in 1885, Fuchun teahouse was a flower shop and     7     (become) a place for people     8     (drink) tea then. It started to offer     9     (variety) of delicate pastries (甜点) until the owner introduced them,     10     not only perfectly matched the Chinese tea, but also represented a kind of artistry from the kitchen. Fuchun pastry craft was listed in the national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Zhejiang province, home to an impressive number of folk artists, has many types of folk art. Rooted in life experiences, they contribute     1     (huge) to enriching people’s cultural life.

In the village of Dongyuan, Wenzhou, the ancient Chinese    2     (invent) of wooden movable type printing is marching forward, which    3     (date) back to the Yuan dynasty. Today people in Rui’an still print the family-tree books in this way,    4    (follow) the previous printing tips. And traditionally, people in Zhejiang update the family trees every 30 years. It indicates the Chinese     5     (people) deep-rooted sense of family and love for their homeland. Another interesting art form is    6     the Zhang family in Nichu village of Cangnan county has taken and perfected for seven generations. It is about     7     (create) all kinds of artifacts with rice flour and has been added to the provincial intangible cultural heritage list. Besides, in the early 1990s, there emerged private museums,    8     were among the first nationwide. Compared with other provinces, they are also     9    (large) in number, and have bigger impact. Now, Yinzhou District in Ningbo, known     10     the “Museum District”, is home to 30 private museums.