Known as a “voice catcher” in his social circle, 38-year-old Long Qing is working to record dialects and     1     (nature)sounds in danger of fading away as a result of urbanization.

The native of Changsha, Hunan province, has     2     acute appreciation for sounds and voices, and his previous job as an audio editor may help explain his gift     3     some degree.

Whenever he has spare time, Long wanders the city’s old streets     4    (listen)for sounds that are unique to Changsha. Now a self-employed sound designer, Long has a number of     5    (recording) of Changsha dialects. In Remix Changsha, Long has mixed different voices and sounds, such as the sound of stinky tofu in oil and people reciting the names of Changsha landmarks. “All these sounds allow listeners to     6    (real)feel Changsha, ”he said.

Long Qing     7    (work) to preserve Changsha’s aural culture and create many audio pieces     8    (post) online since 2013. He also organized activities to teach the public about the very sounds     9     need to preserve. He hopes that in the future, more people, especially teenagers, will develop a     10    (sharp)sense of aural art and even create new sounds of their own.

It is no secret that China has an incredibly rich, complex and ancient history and culture. My first     1    (expose) to Chinese culture came totally by chance. At 8, I walked into a bookshop and picked a book from one of the     2    (shelf). Nevertheless, the book turned out to be the “Tao Te Ching, “ a deeply philosophical book of Taoism. As     3     8-year-old, the book’s content was obviously lost on me, but it provided me with an early connection to a profound philosophical tradition by     4     I am still influenced today.

At school I began studying Chinese. My interest in the language developed early on,     5    (combine) my love of travelling with my love of meeting new people. I am lucky enough to have lived in China for three years. It was a good opportunity for me to experience the     6    (nation) diverse customs and traditions.

Culture and food are closely connected and perhaps nowhere else can this be seen more clearly     7     in China. In recent years there     8    (be) a rise in restaurants offering a variety of foods here. I have introduced many of my friends to Chinese history and culture through a     9    (share) love of food.

It is safe to say that my journey has only just begun. These first steps are only a drop in the ocean of lifelong learning, but as the Chinese philosopher Laozi said, “A journey of a thousand miles    10    (begin) with a single step. ”

China is widely known for its ancient civilization     1     has continued all the way through into modern times. One of the main     2     (factor) for this has been the Chinese writing system.

    3     the beginning, written Chinese was a picture-based language. Symbols     4     (carve) on animal bones and shells. By the Shang Dynasty, these symbols had become a well-developed writing system. It was a time when people were divided geographically,     5     (lead) to many varieties of dialects and characters. With the seven major states united by Qinshihuang, the writing system, which was of great     6     (important) in connecting the Chinese people and culture, began to develop in one direction. Even today, Chinese people can still communicate    7     (free) in writing wherever they live or whatever dialects they speak.

Written Chinese has also become     8     important means to connect China’s present with its past. With time going by, Chinese characters gradually developed into an art form,     9     (know) as Chinese calligraphy. Today, an increasing number of international students are beginning to appreciate China’s culture and history through this     10     (amaze) language.

Chinese New Year is a     1     (celebrate) marking the end of the winter season and the beginning of spring. This is why decorating the house with plants, fruits and flowers     2     (carry) special significance. They represent the earth     3     (come) back to life and best wishes for new beginnings.

These are some of the most popular in many parts of the country:

Oranges: Orange trees are more     4     decoration; they are a symbol of good fortune and wealth. They are regarded as great gifts and you see them quite often     5     (decorate) with red envelopes and messages of good fortune.

Bamboo: Chinese love their “Lucky Bamboo” plants and you will see them often in their homes and office.     6     (certain) during the holiday period, this plant is     7     must. Bamboo plants are related     8     health, abundance and a happy home. They are easy     9     (care) for and make great presents.

Branches of Plum Blossoms (梅花): The     10     (beauty) long branches covered with pink-colored buds make fantastic decorations. The plum trees are the first to flower even as the snow is melting . They represent the promise of spring and a renewal of life.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the Palace Museum and Huawei signed a cooperation agreement on March 15. The two sides will set     1     example to 5G use.

The Palace Museum received more than 17 million visitors in 2019,     2     (make) it the most visited museum in the world. In the past 20 years, an office information network covering the whole museum     3     (build) gradually. The museum has developed an App,     4     provides an in-depth explanation of cultural relic information and cultural services. Also, the museum has researched on the     5     (apply) of VR, AR, AI in museums.

The signing of the agreement marks a new chapter in the strategic cooperation between the Palace Museum and Huawei Technologies Co. So, Huawei will make efforts     6    (speed) up the intelligent construction of the Palace Museum.

“The 600-year-old Palace Museum has never been so close     7     science and technology.” Shan Jixiang said     8     (proud), former director of the Palace Museum.

Shan shared many ideas about the 5G Palace Museum. With the help of advanced technology,     9     is expected that in the future, audiences around the world will be able to experience and visit the Palace Museum, whether it is a field trip or a virtual tour. Also, the use of AI technology provides a     10     (broad) platform and stronger knowledge support for cultural relics among young people.

The Silk Road was a network of ancient trade routes that extended from East Asia all the way to the Mediterranean. A key section of the extensive Silk Road network is the Chang’an-Tianshan corridor(走廊),    1    stretches over a distance of around 5,000 kilometres,     2    (cover) a total of 8,700 kilometres of trade routes.

The corridor began to develop in the 2nd century BC.     3    (assign) by the emperor, the ambassador Zhang Qian    4    (journey) from Chang’an to Central Asia, seeking to build bridges between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions. Following Zhang’s efforts, trade routes took shape and relationships    5    (strength) between the major powers of the time, with the routes network reaching as far as the Roman Empire. The network expanded    6     (gradual), playing an important role in world history between 6^th and 14^th century,     7     it remained in use until the 16th century.

At the initial stage of the Silk Road development, silk was the main item in the trade list thanks to    8    (it) light weight and high value. In addition to trade exchange, the network served    9    a bridge for cultural exchange which shaped the evolution of science, art, technology and many other areas in societies. In the modern age, through the Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road is once again connecting the    10     (country) along the ancient trade routes and promoting the exchanges of different civilizations.