When Zhang Lingshan was a child, she would watch the Chinese period drama Palace on television, attracted by the characters’ ancient clothing. She didn’t know what these beautiful clothes     1     (call)—only that they were from some     2     (distance) past. “They looked fairy-like, dreamy,” she said. “I was     3     (complete) drawn by the beauty of these clothes, and then eventually came to understand the culture of Hanfu, and I liked it more and more.”

Now aged nineteen and     4     (live) in Beijing, Zhang is     5     member of China’s growing “hanfu movement”—a renaissance (复兴) of the ancient clothing traditionally worn by ethnic-majority Han Chinese before the Qing dynasty. Tight-knit Hanfu communities and university clubs often meet for themed activities. Zhang and her friends sometimes visit places with ancient architecture, like Beijing’s Forbidden City,     6     emperors once lived, to take     7    (photo) in costume and post them on social media. They have more than 20,000 fans who often ask them     8     more pictures.

Nowadays, Hanfu is seen as a way     9     (celebrate) Chinese culture and improve national self-esteem. In the past few years, Hanfu clubs and social media platforms     10     (help) to bring the Han clothing back under the spotlight. “It’s the confidence of the younger people, the confidence of the country,” said Christine Tsui, a fashion columnist and researcher in Shanghai.

Bright and     1       (color) pictures describing Chinese landscapes and cultural activities     like lion dancing and paper-cutting     2       (attract) hundreds of     3       (visit) on the opening day of the 2019 Ottawa Travel and Vacation Show on Saturday.

At 200 square meters, the Chinese booth( 展 台 )was the    4     (large) exhibition area at the Shaw Center in Ottawa. The     5     (beautiful) decorated booth,     6     (establish) by the Toronto   Office of the Chinese Ministry   of Culture and Tourism,   was    7     eye-catching   highlight of two-day show,    8     brought together nearly 300 exhibitors from more than100 countries and regions across Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Director Yang Wenting of the Toronto Office of the Chinese ministry told the Xinhua News Agency that China booth    9     (design) to promote "Beautiful China Beyond Imagination."

    10       present, there are nearly 200 flights a week between China and Canada, flying to       15 cities in China. The annual Ottawa Travel and vacation show is a platform for travel agencies and industries to interact and network.

The term Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”. It is the last day of the carnival festivities before Lent (大斋期). The next day is Ash Wednesday,     1     marks the beginning of Lent. Over time, Mardi Gras has come to represent the entire carnival period. One of the biggest     2    (celebrate) takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The French were holding masked balls and costume parties in New Orleans as early as 1718. When the Spanish government     3    (rise) to power, parties were banned. After the Spanish rule ended, people could once again attend parties and hide their identities banned masks.

In 1857, a group of men formed a secret society     4     (call) the Mystick Krewe of Comus. They wanted to save Mardi Gras with proper planning and management.     5    , they planned the first Mardi Gras parade. Next, the Krewe of Rex was formed     6     (celebrate) the arrival of visiting royalty from Russia. Because America did not have royalty, the men in Rex created their own “king for a day”,     7     (secret) choosing one of their members to be the king of the carnival. This idea quickly took     8     with other Mardi Gras krewes.

Since then, many other secret societies     9     (establish) in New Orleans. Because the krewes pay for all of the parades, Mardi Gras has been called the “Greatest Free Show on Earth.” It’s no wonder     10     the celebration can attract millions of visitors every year.

Decorating with Plants, Fruits and Flowers for Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is a     1     (celebrate) marking the end of the winter season and the beginning of spring. This is why decorating 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 make great gifts and you see them many times     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 a must. Bamboo plants are associated     7     health, abundance and a happy home. They are easy     8     (care) for and make great presents.

Branches of Plum Blossoms (梅花): The     9     (beauty) long branches covered with pink-colored buds (蓓蕾) make fantastic decorations. The plum trees are     10       first to flower even as the snow is melting(融化). They represent the promise of spring and a renewal of life.

5 . If you read a newspaper or listen to a newscast recently, you may hear or read a strange word, “staycation”. Staycation is     1     new word the American press is using     2     (describe) vacation very close to your own home,     3     simply staying at home during your vacation. It is a combination (合成) of the words “stay” and “vacation”.

According to many news reports, these staycations are very popular among American families this year. Why? The high price of gasoline for cars and airplanes has made it very costly for Americans to travel     4     (compare) to past years. When you combine this with the weak American dollar, it all adds up to people deciding to stay close to home     5     their traditional summer vacations. Without doubt, some places are more     6     (interest) to “stay at home” than others. And if you live in a very small town, well, you may just want to skip your vacation and save your time up to next year.

Everything is increasingly     7     (expense) nowadays, and let’s face it --- a vacation just may not be in your plan this year. You don’t have to give up family fun just because you can’t get away; instead, follow my tips for an     8     (economy) staycation filled with old favorites and new adventures! Staycations have     9    (achieve) high popularity in modern society in which     10     (employ) levels and gas prices are high.