Tea is consumed around the world more than any other drink except water. Originating in China, tea has long established     1    (it) as the national drink of this country.

A century before the birth of Christ, tea     2     (describe) in Chinese texts as a health drink that made one live     3     (long). Today, it is still being regarded as such. Both green tea and black tea are claimed to be effective for     4     (prevent) cancer, heart disease, and many other deadly diseases. There is only one point     5     people need to be aware of when they drink tea—it should not be drunk along with meals.

Tea, a popular drink in China and many other countries,     6    (be) carefully prepared according to local customs.

The Chinese put loose tea in teapots, add boiling water, and serve it in teacups. The strong tea from China’s Fujian Province is drunk in tiny cups before dinner. Lighter tea with jasmine (茉莉), rose or other     7     (flower), usually served after dinner, is special to China’s Changjiang River regions.

Many English people, travelling away from home, feel     8    a loss if their favourite teabags are not available. Afternoon tea in England is still a time­honored tradition. It’s a good opportunity for people to socialize or discuss business matters.

In Japan, a tea ceremony is often held while people are drinking tea. The ceremony, usually     9    (hold) in a teahouse, dates back to the 16th century. Guests follow strict rules set up then and the tea used is powdered green tea. Though still practiced today, the ceremony may not be as popular     10     it used to be.

Chinese food and the differences between Chinese and Western diets are both things that cause the    1    (curious) of most people who visit China. Moreover, when    2    (travel) through China, you'll most likely pick up on a few differences in the way of eating food. For example, soup in the West     3    (enjoy) generally as an appetizer (开胃菜) at the start of a meal, while the Chinese prefer to enjoy their soup at the end of a meal.

You might also notice some distinct differences in meal preparation and cooking techniques. Therefore, cooking classes are becoming an    4    (increasing) popular activity among those interested in learning more about China's culture through its cuisine. If you're looking to take it a step    5    (far), keep an eye out for cooking classes    6    (hold) by residents in their own homes.

    7    it comes to traditional Chinese games, the Chinese have always been sociable people. Despite the country's super technological advancement and the increasing popularity of personal electronic devices. the majority of Chinese would rather spend time socializing with others than sit alone at home. From popular board games like Go (围棋) and Chinese chess to kids' games like Chinese jump rope, China offers    8    (vary) options to keep people busy. Most locals are more than happy to share their traditions    9    foreign visitors, so don't be shy to ask the next time you go for    10    walk through the park!

5 . Suddenly one Sunday in August, the streets are filled with color. A group of bands and dancers makes its way slowly through the city. Every evening, crowds of people walk up to the top of the Royal Mile, looking forward to a show of military music. On every shop window and noticeboard, posters have appeared, advertising everything from poetry readings to children’s theatre, art exhibitions to concerts. It’s festival (节日的，欢乐的) time.

From its beginning in 1947, the Edinburgh International Festival (the “official” festival) has become a world-famous cultural event. The city turns into a huge arts centre, with its music, drama, dance and exhibitions, all by artists of international fame (名声). Every year more than twenty nations perform to audiences from all over the world in theaters, halls, schools, churches and the streets of the city. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo adds to the choice of entertainment (娱乐), with its marching and military bands in Edinburgh Castle.

The Festival Fringe (the “unofficial” festival) is the biggest event of its kind in the world, with more than 900 shows to choose from and over 6,000 writers and performers taking part. It gives people a first-class opportunity to see many works performed for the first time—several of which go on to give successful performances elsewhere.

The Film Festival gives fans an opportunity to widen their knowledge of films. And to show that there is something for everyone, the Jazz Festival has become very popular in recent years. You can hear the very best of music all over the city at this time.

There is no more exciting place to be than in Edinburgh at festival time!

The kite is believed to have originated (起源) in China. Since its     1     (invent), there have been many changes to the kite by various cultures around the world. The kite you probably flew as a kid looks     2     bit different from the ancient Chinese kites and even the kites of modern China.

Kites     3     (create) in the early Warring States Period by Mozi and Lu Ban. Kites were often made     4     (look) like the shapes of birds.     5     (main), they were used for military purposes. The first Chinese kites were used for measuring distances,     6     was useful information for moving large armies across     7     (difficulty) areas. They were also used to calculate (计算) and record wind readings and provided a unique form of communication similar     8     ship flags at sea.

Chinese kites usually represent symbolic creatures as well as legendary figures. Some have whistles designed to make unique sounds while     9     (fly). We can divide them into two types: large and small kites. In size they can range between 4 centimeters     10     75 meters across. Today, you will see people flying small kites with children in many Chinese parks. You can also see adults flying the larger kites and using more advanced methods with larger ropes to support the great size.

Youngsters are unwilling to learn ancient skills needed to produce the     1     (tradition) pens used in calligraphy. In the workshop of the Wang Yipin Brush Pen Store in Huzhou, 29-year-old Shi Wangli brushes goat fur in water with an ox horn comb (牛角梳子)    2     (select) appropriate hairs to make a Chinese brush pen.

Her hands are immersed (浸泡) in water for at least eight hours a day, in both summer and winter. The selection of the hairs     3     (be) one of the most important steps of the making a quality brush pen and the work cannot    4     (perform) by a machine.

Shi is the     5     (young) pen technician in the entire city of Huzhou. These days, few young people are willing to undertake such     6     difficult job.

Xu Jianfeng, general manager of the store, worries that the thousand-year-old techniques for making the Huzhou brush pens,     7     no young people are willing to learn, will be lost. “If the Huzhou brush pen dies, an important part of Chinese culture will die with it,” he said.

    8     (locate) in the north of Zhejiang Province, Huzhou has been home to brush pen-making for thousands of years. In ancient China, an excellent Huzhou brush pen was the representative of social status and was the aspiration of all men of     9     (letter). In Chinese history, brush pens served     10     an essential tool for cultural heritage (文化遗产).

8 . You might think that simple things like saying hello and goodbye are the same in every culture. Think again!

Shaking hands to say hello or goodbye was a Western custom at first.     1    

Traditionally, the Chinese custom for greeting was to hold one’s hands together and nod their head a little.

Japanese people greet each other by bowing.When greeting an older or more important person, it is usual to bow lower and for longer.    2     But only men did it.

People in European countries such as Italy often greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks (脸颊). Even men greet each other like this.    3    

Eskimos, a group of people living in the very cold northern areas of North America, greet each other by lightly rubbing their noses together.    4     Often, Eskimos only leave their eyes and noses uncovered. And the rest of their bodies are covered with warm clothing and their hands with gloves.

When you’re not sure what the customs are in a new country, there’s one greeting that is the same all over the world: a smile.    5    

10 . Sites of cultural heritage(遗产) often carry a large degree of value. Famous World Heritage Sites like the Pyramids of Giza or the Forbidden City in Beijing are truly impressive.     1     And they also show what the human mind and human culture are capable(有能力的) of.

However, cultural relics(遗迹) are more than just valuable in art—they tell a story of human history. Everything that makes up our society (our values, our language, our traditions, our way of life, etc.) comes from our ancestors.     2     This is extremely valuable because it provides us with a way to understand different cultures round the world and how they join each other. It offers chances for us to learn from the past and develop a better future.

    3     Some relics were stolen from museums in Bagdad and the Iraq War caused great damage （破坏）to parts of the ancient city of Babylon. These acts are hugely harmful to the international society.     4    

So it is important to set an international rule to be followed during a war in order to greatly reduce the harms to cultural relics.     5     In order to better protect cultural relics, the law must be used in all situations even though in certain cases, a war can be won more easily by attacking common people.