China has always been famous    1    being a “State of Etiquette（礼仪）”.According to historical documents, as early as 2,600 years ago, this nation has already established a thorough set of dining etiquette.

A famous Russian writer, Anton Chekhov, once invited a Chinese man    2    （have）a drink in a bar.Chekhov said, “Before drinking, he held the cup with his hands and presented to me and the bar owner and waiters,     3    （say）'qing（please）'.This is the custom of China.They are not like us to finish it in one drink,     4    to prefer to drink by taking a small amount at    5    time.With every sip（一小口）, he    6    （eat）some food.Afterwards, he handed me some Chinese    7    （coin）to show gratitude.This is a rather interestingly polite nationality...” This was the most valuable opinion of a Chinese person    8    was given by a foreigner two centuries ago.Chinese traditional dinner procedures used to be long and dealt with    9    （serious）; the    10    （important）the occasion was, the more complex the procedures were.

The main reason     1     China’s ancient civilisation has continued all the way through into modern times has been the Chinese writing system. At the beginning, written Chinese was a picture-based language, which     2    （date）back several thousand years to the use of longgu.

Symbols     3    （carve）on animals bones and shells by ancient Chinese people. Over the years, there was     4     time when the Chinese people were divided geographically,     5    （lead）to many varieties of dialects and characters. Emperor Qinshihuang united the seven major states     6     one unified country, making the Chinese writing system begin to develop in one direction. It was of great     7    （important）in uniting the Chinese people and culture. People in modern times can read the classic     8    （work）written by Chinese in ancient times. Nowadays, Chinese calligraphy has become an important part of Chinese culture. As China plays a greater role in     9    （globe）affairs, a large number of international students are beginning to appreciate China’s culture and history through this     10    （amaze）language.

Li Bai and his romantic poetry

Li Bai's love of reading and travelling from an early age contributed to his romantic style. He started studying the classics     1     he was only five years old, and was reading ancient philosophers of different schools at the age of ten, including Confucianism and Taoism. By reading books of all kinds, from legends to historical stories, he     2     (familiar) himself with classical Chinese culture, and more     3    (important), he acquired the wisdom of previous generations.

    4     (drive) by a burning desire for adventure and travel, Li Bai left home and started to travel around in his early twenties. His footsteps covered almost     5     whole country. During his travels, he visited famous mountains and great rivers,     6     (encounter) different customs and practices. These travelling experiences also nourished his love of nature and inspired him     7     (write) numerous poems in the romantic style.

Li Bai's romantic style was also deeply rooted in the social and historical context in which he lived. Li Bai grew up in the most     8     (glory) period of the Tang Dynasty, a time of economic boom and social     9    (stable). This open and tolerant atmosphere allowed Li Bai the liberty to develop a free and unconstrained personality,     10    , in turn, had a huge impact on his poetic production.

The winter solstice(also called Dongzhi) occurs when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt(倾斜) away from the Sun. Although the winter solstice    1    (it) lasts only a moment, the term sometimes refers to the day on     2    it happens. The date of the winter solstice    3    (vary) from year to year, and can fall anywhere    4    December 20 and December 23. It was very important because the people were economically dependent on monitoring the progress of the seasons. It’s when the sun reaches its    5    (far) southward point for the year. At this solstice, the Northern Hemisphere(半球) has its longest night of the year.

Since the 18th century, the term “midwinter” has sometimes been used with the winter solstice, although it carries other meanings as well.    6    (tradition), in many regions, the winter solstice    7    (see) as the middle of winter, but in some countries and calendars, it marks the    8    (begin) of winter.

As most are aware, daylight hours grow shorter as the winter solstice approaches, and begin to slowly    9    (length)afterward. For people living in the southern hemisphere, the South Pole is pointing towards the Sun,    10    (make) it summertime “Down Under”. And regardless of where you live, the solstice happens at the same moment for everyone on the planet.

There are places on earth that     1    ( puzzle) scientists in the past centuries and have been the subject of much discussion around the world.

Two of the most fascinating places are Easter Island and Stonehenge. Lying in the South Pacific, Easter Island is one of the most isolated places on earth and is famous for the large stone monoliths (巨石)that line its coast. Shaped like human heads, these structures,     2     were carved by ancient people, range in     3    ( high) from about 3. 5 to 12 meters. Today, about 600 stones remain. On the opposite side of the world stands Stonehenge. This ancient English site is a collection of large stones arranged     4     two circles, one inside the other. Although only ruins of the original formation exist today, archaeologists believe that the inner circle of bluestones, each     5    ( weigh ) about 4 tons, was built first. The giant stones that form the outer circle,     6    ( know) as sarsen (砂岩)stones, each weigh as much as 50 tons!

Scientists     7    ( current) believe that early Polynesians residents carved     8     island's monoliths—believed to be religious symbols—from volcanic rock, then pulled them to their different     9    ( location ) . And the enormous stones at Stonehenge     10    ( transport) from places around the country—some up to 240 miles away. Scientists consider this a remarkable achievement, for heavy lifting equipment used in modern construction was not available at that time.

People will connect to their cultural group through similar food patterns. Immigrants often use food as    1     means of keeping their identity. People from different backgrounds eat different food. The areas     2     families live influence food likes and dislikes.

Food items themselves have meaning     3     (attach) to them. In many Western countries, a box of chocolate would be viewed as an appropriate gift. The receiver of the gift would react     4     (different) to a gift of cabbages or carrots. In other countries, however, chocolate might be a less appropriate gift.

Nations or countries are often linked     5     certain food. For example, many people think of Italy when eating pizza. Some families in the United States prefer to eat meat and potatoes. Grits (粗玉米粉)    6     (eat) by families in the southern United States.

    7     (region) food habits do exist, but they also change over time. Families move to other locations,     8     (bring) their food preferences with them. They may use some local     9     (ingredient) to try their old recipes, or experiment with new recipes. Because people and food are mobile, trying to define a country's culture by what they eat is often     10     (accurate).

The Palace Museum,     1     is also known as the Forbidden City, is a much-visited and much-photographed tourist attraction. This Chinese palace     2     a history of about 600 years receives millions of visits every year and lots of TV programs     3     (show) the place in recent years.

However, it still has secrets, and a new program     4     (design) to explore those unknown areas and the stories within is set to show the palace in a new light. The variety show, Shang Xin Le Gu Gong, broadcast its first episode (一集) on Beijing TV and online streaming media site, iQyi.com, on November 9, which won wide acceptance from audiences and     5     (think) highly of on Douban.com. “It brings many elements together, and everything in the show is     6     (perfect) matched and turns out amazing,” said     7     online user. “It brings me the thrill I felt when I stepped into the Palace Museum for the first time.”

In each one-hour-long episode, the actors and actresses switch between playing guides and historical figures     8     (include) emperors and royal family members of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). They explore areas that are still not     9     (access) to the public and the stories surrounding them. In the show, the actors and actresses are also joined by designers who will create     10     (product) based on what they see. The most popular ones, based on an online vote, are to be turned into souvenirs for sale.

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 completely drawn by the beauty of these clothes, and then     3     (eventual) came to understand the culture of Hanfu, and I liked it more and more."

Now aged nineteen     4     living in Beijing, Zhang is a member of China's growing "hanfu movement"-a renaissance(复兴)of the ancient clothing traditionally worn by ethnic-majority Han Chinese before     5     Qing dynasty. Tight-knit Hanfu communities and university clubs often meet up for themed     6     (activity). Zhang and her friends sometimes visit places with ancient architecture, like Beijing's Forbidden City,     7     emperors once lived, to take photos in costume and post them on social media.

Nowadays, Hanfu is seen as a way     8     (celebrate) Chinese culture and improve national self-esteem. In the past few years, Hanfu clubs and social media platforms     9     (help) bring the Han clothing hack under the spotlight. "It's the confidence of the younger people, the confidence of the country," said Christine Tsui, a fashion columnist and researcher     10     (base) in Shanghai.