Language is the best approach to    1    ( understand) a country. We know that language is a bridge for people to communicate. Chinese is one of the most beautiful languages in the world as well as    2    most-spoken one.

The beauty of Chinese language lies in its form, structure and rhythm. Every sound, stroke, word and sentence have their own stories. In the process of learning Chinese，I hope you will learn to appreciate the Chinese language and its profound cultural heritage. Some foreign friends say that Chinese is difficult    3    ( learn). It shows that those who learn Chinese have great courage and    4    ( wise).

Only after learning Chinese will you know the meaning    5    ( contain) in the Chinese characters. For example, the Chinese character “人”which means “people” consists    6     two supporting strokes, showing people need to support each other. The Chinese character “大”which means “big or great” is like the Chinese character“人”opening arms. This means people opening arms are of great vision. The Chinese character“天”is like “人”standing against the sky. That’s the reason    7    it has the meaning of “sky”. The Chinese character“信”means “trust”. Its left side is “人” and the right side “言” which means “words”. When the two parts    8    ( put) together, it means people keeping their words win trust. You can understand the philosophy at first glance.

There are many    9    ( example) like this. There is no other language in the world that can create so much beauty with just two thousand    10    ( common) used characters. When you try to learn Chinese，you will feel China, understand China better, and even fall in love with China.

5 . In ancient times, Chinese used plant leaves or bird feathers as a fan during the summer time. This was the earliest form of the fan. The first real fan was made back in the era of Yao and Shun period thousands of years ago. Since then, Chinese-made fans have become a vital part of Chinese art and culture. At the beginning, the fan functioned as a tool to generate a current of air in the hot weather. Now electric fans such as ceiling fans and other technological breakthroughs have taken the place.

Long ago, fans caught the attention of ancient Chinese artists by chance. Thereafter, a unique fan art gradually took shape in the history of Chinese culture. Fan art usually includes Chinese calligraphy, paintings, or poems on the sectors（扇区）. Special skills are needed to write or paint on them.

Due to its history and partly because of its unique shape, Chinese would soon develop the tradition of using fans as ornaments（装饰品）. Fans are made in different sizes and different colors to meet the needs of each request. Other Chinese ornaments, such as the Chinese knot, the green jade, and the Spring Festival picture, are often combined in each design.

The value of fans depends mainly on the materials used and the level of craftsmanship that is involved during the process. Feather, paper, jade, bamboo and silk have all been used as ideal materials to make fans. Ancient Chinese even made iron fans to serve as deadly weapons（武器）in Chinese martial arts. Fans made by famous craftsmen are often characterized by pretty designs and detailed workmanship, and thus become favorites of collectors. Fans with masterpiece fine art like calligraphy or paintings are even more valuable.

In late March, Chinese archaeologists announced major new discoveries at the legendary Sanxingdui Ruins site located on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, helping shed light on the     1     (culture) origins of the Chinese nation. After sleeping for 3,000 years, the “awakening” of these relics has shocked the world.

Archaeologists have found six new sacrificial pits and unearthed more than 500 items     2     (date) back about 3, 000 years at the Sanxingdui Ruins, the National Cultural Heritage Administration announced in Chengdu, Sichuan Province in southwest China.

The site of Sanxingdui, located in the city of Guanghan, 40 km from Chengdu, is recognized as one of the most important archaeological     3     (site) in the world for its vast size and rich contents.

The site was first discovered in 1929 by Yan Daocheng, a villager     4     accidentally uncovered jade and stone artworks when digging a ditch, and archaeological excavation     5     (continue) ever since. During this period, generations of archaeologists have worked     6     the discovery and research of the Sanxingdui culture. The remnants are believed to belong to Shu Kingdom, dating back at least 4, 800 years and     7     (last) over 2,000 years.

Lei Yu,     8     researcher at the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, said the recent discoveries     9     (far) confirm the theory that the pits were used for sacrificial purposes,     10     many of the items found had been smashed and burned before being buried.

Archaeologists also say the new discoveries show the Shu civilization was part of the ancient Chinese civilization.

The tradition of eating pumpkin during Mid-Autumn Festival started with poor people living south of     1     Yangtze River.     2     is said that a long time ago, a girl     3     (name) Huang Hua who came from a poor family, lived with her     4     (terrible) ill parents who were unable     5     feed and clothe themselves.     6     August 15 on the lunar calendar of one year, she took home two pumpkins and     7     (prepare) them for her parents,     8     health was fully restored after     9     (eat) the pumpkin.

The tradition has been handed down for     10     (generation) and eating pumpkin on Mid-Autumn Festival night is believed to bring people good health.

The Fire gathering festival returns to an unidentified place somewhere in the Sussex countryside this May. The ticket price is a very agreeable 40, an amount that the organisers promise covers only the costs of staging the event. As well as the night-club singers and dancers and circus performers, you can expect live performances from local stars. If this looks like it might be right for you, you'd be well advised to book your ticket soon; the event has sold out every year since its beginning four years ago.

Sheep Music started life as a garden party and has developed into a full-scale(全面的)community event. Even though the advertising has always been limited to word of mouth, the huge number of people two years ago left organisers worried that the large crowds could ruin the festival's family feel. Luckily July sees the return of this brilliant party. The climax(高潮) comes in the shape of Saturday night's full- scale parade that you just would not expect to happen in the otherwise sleepy Welsh borders.

Ten years on and The Big Chill could very well be close to becoming a big pop festival like Glastonbury. That said, the many thousands in attendance are still able to relax in the beautiful Eastnor deer park and listen to plenty of music that would otherwise pass them by. Families have always been given a warm welcome and it's fair to say that The Big Chill is probably the most child-friendly of all the medium-sized festivals. If you've never been, you should certainly go.

Although only a year old this summer, Summer Sundae has quickly inspired the imaginations of Leicesteks music lovers. Last year's event was a success, noted by more than a few mentions at the UK Festival Awards. It is set in the impressive grounds of De Montfort Hall. Although the performers are still to be confirmed, the cabins(小屋) are sure to be there. These small buildings are made from wood and carpets, storage space, and can fit a family for the night.

Along the River During the Qingming Festival is a painting     1     the Song Dynasty artist Zhang Zeduan(1085-1145 ). The painting is 25.5 centimetres in     2     ( high ) and 5.25 metres long. The countryside and the crowded city are the two main parts in the picture, with the river     3    ( run ) through the entire length. The right part is the rural area of the city. There are crop fields and rural folk. A country path broadens into a road and     4     ( join ) with the city road. The left half is the urban area,     5    eventually leads to the city center. Many economic activities can be seen in this area. Zhang Zeduan’s painting is celebrated as     6    most famous work of art from the Song Dynasty. However, there are copies of the famous painting. An early copy, generally     7    ( consider ) to be the most similar to the original, was made by Zhao Mengfu during the Yuan Dynasty. Another known remake(新版)    8    ( paint ) during the Ming Dynasty. This copy has a length of 6.7 metres,     9    ( long ) than the original. Another version by five Qing Dynasty court painters was presented to the Qianlong Emperor on January 15, 1737. This version was.    10     (late) moved, along with many other handicrafts, to the National Palace Museum in Taipei in 1949.