1 . On the rocky beach, Shiwak butchers the seal with precision, turning the water red as crow flew overhead. As a boy, he learned to hunt and fish with his father and grandfather, who had learned from their elders. It is also how Shiwak learned the core Inuit (因纽特人的) values of taking only what is needed, sharing, sustainability and respect for nature—values he is passing down to his children.

Shiwak has hunted for years in the waters of Lake Melville, close to the Inuit community of Rigolet in Nunatsiavut, an autonomous area in Canada. But while traditional knowledge has allowed Inuit to survive in this severe environment for a long time, the climatic conditions are changing quickly. Since 1950, Nunatsiavut has lost 40 days of ground snow a year. Its sea ice is disappearing faster than anywhere in the Canadian Arctic. By November, the shoreline would usually be covered in ice, and people would be putting away their boats and dusting off their snowmobiles. In his lifetime, Shiwak has witnessed the winters becoming warmer, wetter, and shorter.

There is very little local people can do about that: although the region is roughly the size of the Republic of Ireland, Nunatsiavut’s population is less than 3,000, spread among five small towns. What they can do, however, is working to protect what they have. That’s why Nunatsiavut is partnering with the Canadian government to co-develop the world’s first Inuit protected area. Built on Inuit values and culture, this new type of conservation area would allow local people to continue traditional practices of hunting and fishing.

“Just that we’re small doesn’t mean we can’t do something,” says James Goudie, deputy minister of lands and natural resources in the Nunatsiavut government. “We can show the world that a small region can protect a massive amount of biodiversity.” The Inuit protected area would only cover about a third of Nunatsiavut’s offshore waters, but the region is home to important populations of fish, the breeding grounds for many migratory birds, and the habitat of Arctic marine mammals.

2 . The National Heritage Responders is a volunteer network of around 100 experts in cultural heritage conservation from around Puerto Rico. They assist individuals and institutions in figuring out how to save important objects and buildings after disasters. Their crisis hotline has been busier than ever in recent years because of more frequent and severe weather brought on by climate change. In 2023, there have been around 70 calls so far, up from fewer than 10 in 2008, when the hotline first appeared.

Ann Frellsen, the Atlanta-based book and paper conservator, is a longtime heritage responder volunteer with more than three decades of experience in helping out cultural institutions after disasters. She was among those sent to Puerto Rico over several visits starting a couple of months after two hurricanes hit it in 2017.

After providing initial support via the phone, Frellsen and her team came in to help La Casa del Libro and other local institutions in crisis with equipment, supplies and advice. In fact, much of the advice the hotline provides is via phone or video-chat; volunteers are sent out into the field in certain cases, on an as-needed basis.

“There were no stoplights and signs on the highways because they’d all been blown away,” Frellsen said. She added that figuring out how to reach the more than 20 institutions that needed assistance in Puerto Rico was challenging—not to mention the on-the-job hazards.

When Frellsen isn’t heading into disaster zones to help save artifacts (文物) from fires, hurricanes and floods, she trains others in the heritage conservation field to do the same. Some of the participants may eventually take the test to become National Heritage Responders. But at this moment, they are deep in a hands-on training exercise, based on an imaginary situation cooked up by Frellsen and her co-trainers.

3 . Australia Day, on 26 January, is in memory of the day in 1788 when Captain Arthur Phillip, commander of the First Fleet of 11 British ships, arrived at Sydney Cove to mark the birth of the colony (殖民). Every year, many in this nation of 24 million people gather on beaches and around barbeques to celebrate. From boats competitions, camel races, to outdoor concerts, Australians mark a public holiday more popularly treated as a late summer festival than the serious national day its founders intended it to be — a unifying celebration of the good fortune of being Australian and the values that unite the nation: freedom, independence, a fair go, mateship.

However, not all Australians feel the same about the day. Recently there has been much controversy over the correctness of celebrating on this date. Native Australians, in particular, have long referred to this date as "Invasion (入侵) Day" or "National Day of Mourning (哀悼)" in protest of the arrival of the British peoples. They mourn their ancestors who suffered and died during colonization. There has even been a growing push to change the date of the national celebration, a move popular with younger Australians but less so with older generations.

In response to the protests, the Australian government has recognized the traditional owners of the lands on which Australia Day activities take place, in the hope that Australians from all backgrounds come together to celebrate Australia as a multicultural society. "Our desire is that Australia Day is a time for inclusion, as well as an opportunity for greater understanding," one officer from The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts said.

On the day of Longtaitou, people traditionally go get their first haircut for good luck. As an important traditional festival in folk culture, the customs of the Longtaitou vary     1     (different) from the north to the south.

In the north, there are several customs related to agricultural production. The festival     2     (celebrate) around the time of “Jingzhe”, the third of the 24 Solar Terms, a time     3     all creatures become active and diseases tend to arise, posing a threat to crops. Therefore, people perform the rituals of yinlong, which literally means “summoning the dragon”,    4     (drive) away pests and ensure the safety of people.

In some areas of Northeast China, people knock on the beams (梁) of their houses     5     long sticks on the morning of the day of Longtaitou. The ritual is called qiaolongtou, or “knocking on the dragon’s head”,     6     (intend) to awaken the dragon and ensure peace for the community.

    7     it is in the north or the south, the cultural connotations of Longtaitou cannot be simply divided into worship of the dragon or the earth spirit based on geography. It is through the     8     (integrate) and evolution over generations that the festival has gradually formed     9     unique set of customs and significance.

The diverse culture and rich history of such traditional festival customs show the country’s ancient     10     (wise), respect for nature and good wishes for life.

Horse-face skirt, also known as “horse-faced pleated (有褶的) skirt”, is one of the main skirt     1     (style) of ancient Chinese women. It is not only a kind of clothing, but also a treasure of Chinese culture. Originating in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the horse-face skirt     2     (grow) popular during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) due to     3     (it) functionality and aesthetic (美学的) style. During the Ming Dynasty, deeply pleated versions of the skirt were     4     (extreme) popular. After the development of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the horse-face skirt has gradually become     5     unique dress style.

Today, designers skillfully combine traditional elements with modern design     6     (create) an amazing fashion work, which makes the horse-face skirt shine with new vitality. Wearing a horse-face skirt, as if stepping     7     the time tunnel of thousands of years, we can feel the ancient and mysterious charm. It carries the memory of history     8     conveys the feelings of the nation. In the eyes of experts and fashion industry insiders, traditional Chinese clothing,     9     (represent) by the horse-face skirt, is a significant symbol of Chinese civilization     10     has influenced western fashion for many years. Let’s enjoy the charm of horse-face skirt together, pass on the elegance of the treasure, and dazzle the world.