Believe it or not, a group of US teens could perform The Mermaid, a classical Chinese play for children, fully in Chinese. The 15 US teens,     1     (age) between 12 and 17, stood out from more than 200 children and spent almost two years     2     (practise), according to Chen Suhan, director and producer of the play’s US version. The show’s success is thanks     3     the China-US Youth Theater Exchange Program. The program combines theater and Chinese language learning to promote language education and youth     4     (exchange) between China and the US. “All the kids     5     (work) so hard over the last two years, and I feel so proud to see their amazing performance,” Chen said. For American teens, coming to China to perform a Chinese play is     6     unforgettable experience. “Theater for children and young people     7     (be) a ‘world language’ that enables children of different countries and race     8     (communicate) without words. Theater for children and young people is the seed of innocence,       9     (kind) and beauty. It is also the seed of love, culture and friendship     10     brings beauty,” remarked Feng Li, president of China National Theater for Children.

Featuring a dynamic story of the legendary dragon’s descendants, the 2023 Dragon Festival returned to Toronto with culture, food and new lion dance     1    (competition) two years after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The three-day festival from Sept 1 to 3 in Toronto’s Nathan Philips Square featured     2     range of activities. Dragon and lion dances, acrobatics, Chinese folk music, waist drum dances, tai chi, martial arts on water and ethnic music     3     (perform) by Canadian and Chinese artists.

“We hope the festival     4     (far) demonstrates the important position of Chinese culture in Canada’s multiculturalism.” Zhang Jian, chairman of the CACPA, said. “This vivid and interesting picture highlights the cross-culture value of the festival beyond national borders, and     5     (encourage) people to deeply explore the connections     6     different countries and cultures.”

As a symbol in traditional Chinese Culture, the dragon symbolizes happiness and luck,     7     reflects the creative talents, wisdom and perseverance of Chinese descendants.

Visitors also tasted delicious Chinese and Asian street food, while     8     (watch) an improvised reflection water show presented by Chinese Canadian communities.

“The performing and shows are     9    (amaze). I am impressed with the splendid 5,000 years history of China.” visitor James Taylor told China Daily. “From diverse culture presentations to delicious food, my family and I find all our favorites here,” Annie Kelly,     10     was accompanied by her husband and two children, said.

Tibetan New Year, also known as Losar, is the most important festival in Tibet. “Lo” symbolizes year while “sar” stands for new. It is celebrated for 15 days,     1     (typical) falling in February or March. In 2023, Tibetan New Year fell     2     Feb 21. This festive season is a time of renewal and optimism, marking     3     start of the Tibetan lunar calendar. The celebrations include a range of customs and     4     (tradition) which reflect the unique culture and identity of the Tibetan people.

Before the arrival of the New Year, Tibetans engage in     5     (clean) their homes and surroundings. This practice is to get rid of any negativity or bad luck     6     might have existed in the past year. They also make offerings to the gods and ancestors     7     (seek) good wishes and blessings for the next year.

Decorating homes and public places     8     (be) a common custom during the Tibetan New Year. Houses are decorated with bright     9     colorful flags, while the streets are lined with lanterns and colorful decorations. In addition, people also decorate     10     (they) clothes with complicated patterns.

4 . Benefiting from the growing popularity of social media and a craze for traditional culture, hanfu, a traditional style of clothing once worn by the Han people, has enjoyed a fresh lease of life thanks to a new wave of young Chinese devotees, including Liu and Yang.

The 1980s-born rocket scientist Liu is also a cofounder of a hanfu community in Beijing called Hua Yan Hui. The community was founded in 2011 following a hanfu revival movement that emerged from the desire to express national identity and growing cultural confidence. “At first, people who wore hanfu in public felt occasionally uneasy, including me, while more passers-by asked about their clothing style”, says Liu. It was not the looks from others but her limited knowledge on the traditional Chinese clothing that had terrified her.

Another person, Yang Kunning, was born in the 1990s and works in public relations. She is fond of sharing her love for hanfu online. She opened an account on the video-sharing platform Bilibili and posted videos featuring herself wearing the traditional attire. Thousands of comments and likes pour into her channel as viewers find her videos attractive and creative — blending traditional culture with modern dance movements.

“Social media has made hanfu culture popular in China and abroad, which contributes to the rapid development of China’s economy” says Yang. The hanfu market in China was estimated to reach 12.54 billion yuan ($1.81 billion) in 2022 and is expected to rise to 19.11 billion yuan by 2025, according to research firm iMedia Research.

“It will be a rewarding experience to participate in events in the Forbidden City and other historical palaces in the capital city,” says Yang. She believes that classics will never go out of style as the popularity of sprouts increases around the world.

Owing to     1     (it) location in the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand was one of the last     2     (country) to be discovered by humans. Although the majority of the current population     3     (be) of European descent(血统), it was the ethnic group(少数民族)known as the Maori     4     were the first to settle there. Nowadays, both past and present Maori culture can be found all over the country.

Maori arts and crafts are world-renowned(闻名的)and very popular     5     tourists. The Waka is a traditional canoe that has been skillfully craved out of a tree trunk, with beautiful carvings     6     (add) to show tribal history and culture. A large war canoe could be up to 40 meters long and hold up to 80 people. Visitors to Maori historic buildings can see     7     (beautiful) carved wooden architecture. In addition, there are countless smaller objects and masks that     8     (make) to honour ancestors or legends.

There is so much more for visitors to discover about Maori culture. It is     9     essential part of     10     makes New Zealand the modern country that it is: a multicultural country that is forever evolving in new and interesting ways.