In November 2023, China launched a three-year action plan to promote the use of bamboo as a replacement     1     plastic. Actually, I’ve been using bamboo products more often over the years.

The look and feel of bamboo are absolutely above and beyond plastic,     2     there must be more positive aspects to bamboo other than just aesthetics (美学). When compared to    3     (healthy) plastic, bamboo is a highly renewable, natural material that is biodegradable (可生物降解的) and     4     (become) the “green gold” of modern times in recent years because it has so many good qualities.     5     (live) in a time when most of our homes are filled with plastic, I think it’s time     6     (wake) up to the green alternative and realize     7     (it) full potential as a planet protector.

This super-powered plant is actually a grass and looks like a weed in terms of     8     quickly it can grow and where it can live. The production costs of bamboo are     9     (extreme) low due to the easy availability of this material, and it requires almost zero adjustment when people produce bamboo products. From household objects to decorative settings, the quantity of uses bamboo has     10     (go) beyond our wildest dreams and I’d love to see it becoming more popular as time goes on.

Recently, Ma Xiaohui, a famous Chinese erhu     1     (perform) and composer with the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, held     2     erhu concert with the theme of “Erhu Holding Hands with the World, New Music Trend, New Cultural Tour” in the Delegates’ Room at the UN headquarters in New York City.

Attendees from different backgrounds and participants in the World Madam Global Awards Ceremony were     3     (deep) moved by the unique charm of traditional Chinese musical instruments     4     (display) during the concert.

The concert began     5     the song “Woman Flower”. In the first movement, “Seven Colors of Erhu, Walking with Beauty, Colorful Silk Road,” melodies from Chinese and Western songs created an “ink painting” of the Silk Road.

In the next three     6     (movement), a classical repertoire (曲目) including “Butterfly Lovers”, “Thoughts on a Silent Night”     7     “The Spirit of My Erhu” attracted the audience. Next     8     (come) the theme song from the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”,     9     beautifully celebrated the classic dialogue between erhu and cello (大提琴).

“This beautiful and     10     (inspire) concert wonderfully mixed classical, Chinese, and cross-cultural themes. It was a feast (盛宴) for the ears and souls,” multimedia artist Ranjit Bhatnagar said.

Some people might be of the opinion that heritages    1     (be) not necessary in the modern world. Maybe for some people they aren’t, but for most of us, being able to explore our heritages gives us many    2     (benefit).

Personal heritages can serve as connection with our past. For example, we might have some of the toys that belonged    3    our ancestors. As a part of our families’ heritages, they are important because they tell us where we come from.

It is true that knowing our personal heritage doesn’t    4     (full) define us. However, it can help us find our starting point in life. It can even help us find out the direction in which we wish to go. For example, if we happen to have people in our families    5    have done great things, we might find that we want to further    6     (they) achievements.

Understanding the cultural heritages, such as homegrown music styles, widely    7     (celebrate) festivals and unique cooking methods, allows us    8     (identify) with other communities that have a similar background. Cultural heritages can actually provide us with a sense of belonging and unity within a group. In a sense, the more globalized the world becomes,    9    more important it is not to lose forever these    10     (tradition) roots (根).

Carved out of a rocky hill, the Temple of the Rising Sun had showed the power of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh to the Nubian people in the Upper Nile. Over time, the great temple and the smaller buildings became     1     (cover) in sand for centuries, until     2     (they) rediscovery in 1813.

But just over a century later, the southernmost relics of this ancient human civilization were threatened     3     the rising waters of the Nile following the construction (建造) of the Aswan High Dam. The construction of the Dam was meant to develop agriculture (农业) as well as economy, and led to a global debate     4     has appeared on the front pages of every newspaper in     5     world ever since: Why should people care for ancient stones and buildings when so many people need food?

In an attempt     6     (save) the temples of Egypt, UNESCO said that humanity does not have to sacrifice (牺牲) the past to develop economy in the present. Cultural heritage sites help us understand who we are     7     also mean massive opportunities for development.

The race against time     8     (begin) in 1964, when experts from different    9     (nation) started working together. The whole site was     10     (careful) cut into large blocks, lifted and moved to a new location 65 metres higher and 200 metres back from the river, preserving it for future generations.

Located in the northeast of Zhaoping County, around 200 km away from Guilin, Huangyao Ancient Town boasts a rich history     1     (span) almost 1,000 years. Renowned as one of Guangxi’s most-visited tourist spots, this charming town showcases the region’s characteristic karst landscapes and abundant water resources, offering numerous expansive caves for     2     (explore).

Huangyao Ancient Town, with its thousand-year-old legacy, features majestic mountains     3     (dot) with caves, unique folk houses, delicate pavilions and temples, ancient trees, and stone pathways. Siting amidst steep mountains, the town’s strategic location not only makes it easy     4     (hold) but also poses challenges for potential attackers. As a result, Huangyao has been isolated from the outside world, allowing for the preservation of valuable relics, some of     5     include writings and paintings by distinguished Chinese scholars like Han Yu,       6     poet from the Tang Dynasty, and Liu Zongbiao, a man of letters of Qing Dynasty. Thanks to its isolation, many buildings in Huangyao still remain     7     (changed) in their architectural styles from the Ming and Qing eras. Traditional festivals and customs     8     (observe) for centuries, adding an authentic cultural touch to the town.

A visit     9     Huangyao would be incomplete without sampling its signature local delicacy, Huangyao tofu. This treat coupled with fermented (发酵的) black soybeans, exclusively crafted within the town,     10     (offer) a unique flavor that can’t be missed.