Thanks for you letter. Sounds like you had a good Christmas. Ours     1    (be)pretty good, too. Joan arrived just after breakfast and we went for a long walk in the morning. By the time we got home Mark     2     (cook)us a wonderful dinner. We just sat in front of the TV during the afternoon watching old films. Then, around midnight     3     we were just going to bed, Louise phoned form Australia to say “hallo”. She says she’s hoping to come to see us next Christmas.

The Dragon Boat Festival, also called the Duan Wu Festival,     1     (celebrate) in the     2     (five) month according to the Chinese calendar. For thousands of years, the festival has been marked by     3     (eat) zongzi, a kind of glutinous rice (糯米) wrapped to form a pyramid using bamboo or reed leaves, and racing dragon boats. To hold the dragon-boat races is in memory of Qu Yuan, one of the greatest     4     (poet) in China.

Developed by Confucius during the Spring and Autumn Period, Confucianism is a philosophical and ethical system, which has become an     1    (influence) part. Today, mottos from Confucianism are frequently used by foreign officials in their speeches or talks. People around   the globe can   have   access     2    Confucianism in Confucius Institutes and   Chinese     Culture   Centers     abroad.   Up     to   now,   China     3     (open) about 500 Confucius Institutes in 140 countries and regions, introducing China by opening training classes, building libraries, and holding cultural activities.

The history of the Lantern Festival could be traced back to the Han Dynasty, and the celebrations were gradually enriched, expanded and settled in succeeding dynasties. But from the very beginning, lanterns was an indispensable part of the day. Long before the electrical lights     1     (invent), the streets in ancient Chinese cities were illuminated by various colorful lanterns.     2     (dress) in their most beautiful clothes, the ancient Chinese would swarm the streets, where dancers and musicians would gather as fireworks were lit and lanterns displayed.

5 . Dough figurine(捏面人), also known as dough modelling, is a kind of Chinese folk art. It is     1    (simple) made but of high artistic value. It     2    (record) as early as the Han Dynasty. Dough craftsman draws materials based on the required. After a repetition of rubbing, twisting and lifting     3    hand, and poking, cutting, and carving by bamboo knife, the craftsman     4    (shape) the body and the face of the figurine gradually. Dressed up with hair accessories and clothes, all of a sudden, a vivid artistic figurine comes to life.