1 . Long long ago, there was a man and his wife who worked for a wise man. One day, the wise man pointed to a big box in his living room and said, “There’s only one thing you mustn’t do: Don’t open the __________.” After saying this, he left home.   

The woman said to her husband, “There must be __________ expensive in the box. Let’s open it, shall we?” Her husband didn’t want to __________ it, but the woman wouldn’t give up.

A few days later, the woman made a decision to find out what was in the box. Before her husband could stop her, she opened the box and __________ it, expecting something expensive in it. However, there was nothing in the box. She was very __________. She tried hard to close the box, __________ she couldn’t do that.

That evening, the wise man __________ back. When he got home, he found that the box was open. He was very angry and he asked the woman and her __________ to leave his home at once. “But there was nothing __________ the box,” the woman said. “We haven’t taken anything at all.” The wise man shouted, “The box is not important. Now I know that I can’t believe in you. That’s what is __________!”

This story tells us the importance of being honest.

4 . If you are a party animal in Guangxi, join us to explore some of the popular festivals in Liuzhou.

Temple Fair Day

It is believed to be the oldest and the largest temple fair day celebrated in Fengshan, Liuzhou. It is an event known to easily attract more than 30,000 people to take part in the parades. It is a day for enjoying temple wishes, dancing to non-stop ethnic songs, and tasting lots of local dishes.

Time: February       Price: Free

March 3rd Festival

This is an annual event that takes place every March in Sanjiang county. The festival features a lot of ethnic minority homemade food. You can also expect to enjoy live ethnic music and dances performed by famous local dancers.

Time: March 3rd       Price: 3 RMB

Liuzhou Marathon Festival

This event started more than 10 years ago. Currently, it is an attractive weekend that sees attendance go way past 12,000 people. During the festival, participants take part in exciting activities, with the major ones like funny marathon, and food sales.

Time: April            Price: 12 RMB

Dragon Boat Show

Longtan park is usually the place of Dragon Boat Show—a festival for boating lovers that occurs in May. It is the largest dragon boat show in Liuzhou. A great deal of people will be there at that time. Welcome to join the show.

Time: May            Price: 5 RMB

I know you are interested in Chinese traditional culture.

Yours,

Li Hua

6 . Mrs. Ball had a son. His name was Mick. She _______ him very much and as he was not a _______ child, she was always afraid that he might be ill, so she used to take him to see the best _______ in the town four times a year to be _______.

During one of these years, the doctor gave Mick all kinds of tests and then said to him, “Have you had any _______ with your nose or ears recently?” Mick _______ for a second and then answered, “Yes, I have.”

Mrs. Ball was very _______. “But I’m sure you have never told me that, Mick!” She said worriedly. “Oh, really?” Said the doctor _______. “And what trouble have you with your nose and ears, my boy?” “Well,” answered Mick, “I always have trouble with them when I’m _______ my sweater off, because the ________ is very tight.”

7 . More and more people like bicycling and it is no surprise. It is fun, healthy and good for the environment. Maybe that’s why there are 1.4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no oil cost!

Get on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood. You may discover something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. You can bike to work and benefit from the enjoyable exercise without polluting the environment. You don’t even have to ride all the way.

Folding bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. A folding bike can be packed in a suitcase. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information by getting on airline websites. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travelers.

Health Benefits of Bicycling:

It helps to prevent heart diseases.

Bicycling helps to control your weight.

A15-minute bike ride to and from work three times a week burns off five kilos of fat in a year.

Bicycling can improve your mood (心情).

Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident.

Bicycling is healthier than driving.