Siheyuan is a special type of building found in China that represents the country’s rich traditions. These buildings     1     (exist) around for a very long time and are mainly located in the northern parts of China. Exploring a Siheyuan allows you     2     (step) back in time and experience the peace and history of ancient China.

Siheyuan has     3     unique layout with a square courtyard in the middle,     4     (surround) by buildings on all four sides. This design provides privacy for the people living there and shows a balance     5     human-made structures and nature.

The main entrance of a Siheyuan     6     (usual) faces south, and the most important rooms are positioned in the north. The courtyards are often decorated with beautiful gardens, plants, and fancy stone carvings,     7     show how much the Chinese appreciate nature and beauty.

Beyond its physical form, Siheyuan represents the Chinese     8     (tradition) way of life and family values. In these buildings, extended families live together,     9     the courtyard becomes a gathering place for family members. This helps to strengthen family bonds and maintain connections between different     10     (generation).

I attended the Naadam Festival in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region this year. The festival,     1     includes horse racing, wrestling and archery, falls on the     2     (four) day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar, usually     3     (last) for three days.

I went to the games early with my friend   and found that many people     4     (make) preparations for the events. I was told that the festival had been popular with Mongolians for     5     (century). After the opening ceremony, the wrestling competition began,     6     (follow) by the archery and my favourite horse races.     7     my surprise, the riders were all children and I was concerned about their     8     (safe). My friend told me not     9     (worry) as they had been riding horses all their lives. Then I began to understand what “Horses are at the heart of Mongolian culture” meant.

Having been back home, I felt really tired,     10    it was worthwhile to celebrate the festival with my friend.

The most difficult thing about celebrating the Spring Festival in     1     big city is finding a restaurant that is open. Almost all the shops close for a week or two, as workers and proprietors (业主) return to their hometowns     2     (celebrate) with their families. Cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen,     3     half or more of the population moves in from elsewhere, are ghost towns.     4     (lucky), I like Lanzhou beef noodles; those shops mostly stay open.

In the countryside, it is completely opposite. Two years ago, a friend, Robin    5    (invite) me to celebrate the Spring Festival at his family’s home in Baichi village     6    the north of central China’s Henan province.The village residents were friendly and somewhat    7     (surprise) to see a foreigner. Much food    8     (eat) and beer was drunk at neighbors’   homes at supper. Without doubt, the drinking experience was unique. Almost everyone who came to Robin’s home brought a bottle of baüju or rice wine with them. Long     9     (table) were put in two rooms of the house, and each was covered with food.    10     your glass was empty, it would be filled quickly; if it was full, you’d better empty it!

If you are really interested in music, you’ve probably heard of the Bestival Music Festival. It     1     (take) place every September on the Isle of Wight, the UK. As it is at the end of summer, people think it’s their last chance     2     (have) fun before going back to boring work.

In order to get to the campsite of the Bestival, you have to take a boat called ferry,     3     is always crowded with happy festival lovers. After you arrive at the campsite, you can put     4     your tent. There people talk with each other     5     (open).

The festival lasts four days. During that time, you forget all your     6     (worry) and problems, just like living in a dream. And you’ll find     7     really hard to come back to “reality” after that.

I took part in the Bestival with my friends last year. It was so exciting and we all lost     8     (we) in the beautiful music. We Are Family     9     (sing) by Sister Sledge was my favorite. I’m really looking forward to     10     (join) in it for a second time.

China is known as a state of etiquette (礼仪) and ceremonies. Take the example of an interesting story. Once upon a time, a man went on a long tour     1     (visit) his friend with a swan as a gift. But it escaped from the cage on the way and in his effort to catch it, he caught nothing but a feather. When his friend received this unexpected gift—the swan feather, he was     2     (deep) moved by the sincerity (真诚). Later, the saying “the gift is nothing much, but it is the thought     3     counts,” was spread far and wide.

Gifts are regarded as an important part to show politeness in China.     4     is appropriate to give gifts on     5     (occasion) such as festivals and birthdays. If you are invited     6     a family party, small gifts like wine, tea or candies are welcomed. Also fruit, cookies, and flowers are a safe     7     (choose).

Chinese used to cup one hand in the other before the chest as a salute (致敬). This tradition, nowadays seldom     8     (follow) except in the Spring Festival, has a history of more than 2000 years. Shaking hands, which should be firm and brief but not too strong,     9     (consider) formal greeting behavior in China.

If you follow the usual rules of etiquette in China, there is no need to worry about the cultural barriers, for the warm and friendly Chinese will try their best to respect your customs when     10     (communicate).

The Qingming was the most important festival of the year    1     ancient times and a spring outing was the most important part of the Qingming custom. Therefore, it was the major theme for poetry and paintings.

Of all the ancient    2     (poem) about the Qingming, the one by the Tang poet Du Mu is well-known and has come down to the present day. It goes    3     (rough) like this: The Qingming’s day is a rainy day, and people with a    4     (break) heart are back and forth on the way. May I ask where I can find a wine shop? The shepherd kid, pointing afar,     5     (say) there you can find the best. This is    6     vivid description of the mood you feel on the Qingming Festival.

The Song    7     (art) Zhang Zeduan’s painting “Qingming Scroll”   (《清明上河图》) is a masterpiece of art,     8     describes what happens on both banks of the Bian River on the Qingming Festival. There are a crowd of people from all walks of life, some    9     (take) carriages, others sitting in sedans(轿子), on    10     (they) way to the suburbs (郊区) for spring outings. When you look at the picture you feel like part of it.

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms (节气). Start of Autumn (立秋), the 13th solar term of the year, begins this year on Aug 7th     1     ends on Aug 22nd. Start of Autumn reflects the end of summer and the     2     (begin) of autumn. In China, the 24 solar terms were created     3     (thousand) of years ago to guide agricultural production. And solar term culture is still useful today to guide people’s     4     (life).

Although Start of Autumn indicates (表明) the start of autumn, hot weather will not come to     5     end. The period of hot days after Start of Autumn     6     (call) “Autumn Tiger”. Start of Autumn is a big solar term for farmers. It is time     7     (gather) crops. There is a saying. “     8       it rains on the day of the Start of Autumn, a good harvest is expected.”

In Shandong province, people make dumplings during the Start of Autumn     9     are a traditional Chinese food. On the day of Start of Autumn, senior members will stand in the middle of the hall     10     pray with family for the harvest in autumn. Most of the families will eat dumplings together on Start of Autumn day.