1 . In recent years China has made great efforts to make the best use of local conditions to help rural residents boost their incomes. Let’s have a look at some regional products that have helped to revive (振兴) the rural economy. Maybe here is one project that appeals to you.

Woodblock printing

With a history of more than 1, 000 years, woodblock printing was adopted by ancient Chinese as a way to keep written records. The process is very complicated, including painting, engraving (雕刻) on a woodblock and printing. Sibao town in Fujian province is famous for the preservation of traditional Chinese woodblock printing. The town now has 50 ancient bookshops and many cultural relics. It also invited tourists and students to learn from artisans.

Bark paintings

Bark paintings, a form of intangible cultural heritage of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, is made from bark chippings scaling off white birch trees. The painting has helped many villagers overcome poverty in White Wolf town, as the town is rich in forest resources and making such paintings is environmentally friendly and also beneficial by providing employment for some locals.

Handicraft weaving and tie-dyeing

Experiencing traditional handicraft dyeing and weaving techniques is a special cultural and creative endeavor in Pingtian village of Sidu town in Lishui, East China's Zhejiang province. It is also an effort to protect and carry forward traditional handicraft intangible cultural heritage. All the dyes used are produced from plants and tea leaves in the mountains around the village.

Oilpaper umbrella

Oilpaper umbrella is a kind of traditional Chinese handicraft made of bamboo and paper coated in the oil of the tung nut for waterproofing. It has been around for at least 1, 000 years and was eventually adopted in other parts of the planet. Both ceremonial and practical, the oilpaper umbrella was used on rainy days, as well as during many ceremonies and festivals.

Ten foreigners received China Reform Friendship Medals in December 18, 2018 for their outstanding contributions to our country reform and opening-up over the past 40 years. They are given the medals at a grand gathering in Beijing celebrating the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up.

Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, praised of the medal winners as “old friends of the Chinese people” while read a statement from the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

Wang said the 10 foreigners significant helped promote exchanges and cooperation among China and the rest of the world but were deeply involved in China’s reform and opening-up process.

7 . Bringing goods into the UK

You are allowed to bring some goods for personal use without paying tax or duty.

You can bring goods from EU countries without being charged tax or duty if they are:

● transported by yourself; ● a gift or for personal use; ● bought with tax and duty included.

You can bring alcohol and tobacco from EU countries without restriction but an inquiry(调查) might be required depending on the amount of your goods.

You will be free of duty or tax on certain amounts of goods brought from outside the EU, as long as they are for your own use. Any goods that are beyond your allowance should be declared.

Alcohol & tobacco allowance:

Allowance for other goods:

The maximum value of other goods you can bring is £390. Any single item that is worth more than the allowance will be charged duty or tax on its full value.

The rate of duty or tax on items above the allowance is:

● 2.5% for goods worth up to £630;

● decided by the type of goods worth above £630 — check by calling the VAT, Customs.

Goods banned include:

● illegal drugs; ● offensive weapons; ● endangered animal and plant species;

● meat and dairy(乳制的) products from most non-EU countries.

Food and plant products restricted include:

● products containing pests and diseases; ● products grown outside the EU;

● products not for your own use.

8 . About one hundred years ago many educated people learned and spoke French when they met people from other countries.Today most people speak English when they meet foreigners.     1     There are more people who speak English as a second language than people who speak English as a first language.Why is this?

    2     One of them is that English has become the language of business.Another important reason is that popular American culture(like movies，music，and McDonald’s)has quickly spread throughout the world.    3    

Is it good that English has spread to all parts of the world so quickly?     4     It’s important to have a language that the people of the earth have in common.Our world has become very global and we need to communicate with one another.On the other hand，English is a fairly complicated language to learn and it brings its culture with it.Do we really need that?

Scientists have already tried to create an artificial language that isn’t too difficult and doesn’t include any one group’s culture. It is called Esperanto.    5     Maybe the popularity of English won’t last that long either.Who knows? There are more people in the world who speak Chinese than any other language.Maybe someday Chinese will be the new international language.

Hotel guests in China might no     1    (long) have to worry about waiting in line to check in. At the Alibaba’s futuristic hotels, guests can scan their IDs, take a photo and input personal details using a machine to check.     2     (they) in. The smart equipment will then provide a room key card after the information     3     (check). The process will take less than a minute, according to company. Targeting only Chinese customers for now, the new service will be     4     (gradual) expanded globally. The rapid growth of mobile usage and mobile payment adoption can show     5     convenient people’s life, is becoming in China.

Alibaba isn’t the only company     6     introduces high-tech hotels. Smart LYZ, a Shenzhen-based company which focused     7     developing AI technology and smart hotels, opened the first ever fully automated (自动化) hotel in Chengdu, Sichuan, back in January.     8     (travel) can book a room through Smart LYZ’s WeChat website, check in through a facial recognition machine, unlock the door with a     9     (give) passcode or through its mobile app and finally, check out by pressing a button on the app. The AI Smart Room will undoubtedly be extremely attractive for guests,     10     (create) the way for a new level of modernization and consumers’ satisfaction.

10 . As an international body charged with the mission of keeping world peace and development, the United Nations cannot operate without financial support from its member countries. And as a firm defender of multilateralism (多边主义) and a beneficiary of globalization, China knows how important it is to safeguard the current world order in which the UN plays an important role. China is aware how important it is that it does its bit to ensure the UN can accomplish its missions, and knows that this is a responsibility it must undertake for the benefit of all.

And Chinese people can take pride in the fact that the country has overtaken Japan to be the second-largest contributor to the UN regular budget. Since how much a country pays to the regular budget of the United Nations is a standard on how powerful the country is, at least financially. It is therefore natural that China’s contribution to the UN budget should rise from 2.05 percent in 2005 to 12.01 percent this year. That hike is an indicator of what the country has achieved over the past 13 years. With the country’s further development, there is no doubt that its financial contribution to the UN will continue to rise. China will pay as it should.

However, the more money a country pays, the more responsibility it shoulders and more say it is entitled to enjoy as a major player on the world stage. But the reality is that the rights and international standing China enjoys are still disproportional (不相称的) to what it does for the UN and its contribution to the development of the world economy. As a responsible member of the international community, China is struggling for reform of the UN and the global governance system so they are more effective and representative of the international community as a whole.

Although peace and development remain the themes of the times, uncertainty and instability are on the rise. With this in mind, all countries should make combined efforts to deepen understanding, increase trust and promote cooperation. China is committed to building a community with a shared future for humanity and will continue to work with the UN to realize that vision.