China plans to expand its space station to six modules(舱)from three in coming years, a researcher at the China Academy of Space Technology said on Wednesday.

The space station will play     1     important role as “space home port”,     2     (provide) an alternative platform for near-Earth missions as the International Space Station (ISS) nears the end of its lifespan(寿命). The ISS     3     (expect) to be decommissioned (退役) after 2030. The lifetime of the Chinese space station will be more than 15 years. It is longer than the 10 years the country     4     (previous) announced.

China’s self-built space station, also     5     (know) as Tiangong, or Sky Palace in Chinese, has been     6     full operation since late 2022. And it hosts a maximum of three astronaut s at an orbital altitude of up to 450 kilometers.

It will have a weight of 180 tonnes after expansion, about 40 percent of the mass of the ISS,     7     has been in orbit for over two decades.

Regarding the expansion, another module is also in the plan. Other plans, including the development of large space telescopes, 3D printers, intelligent robots     8     a warning system, are also underway.

Chinese state media said last year that China would be matchless as the ISS was approaching     9     (retire), and added that China had been requested by several countries     10     (send) their astronauts to the Chinese station.

A birthday surprise is not easy     1    (come) by for 90-year-old Wong, having lived through the majority of the length and breadth of human experience, but dressing up in traditional Chinese hanfu this year came     2     a welcome treat.

For a group birthday party this year, Wong and her friends decided to dress up in the ancient Chinese clothes and get their     3    (photo) taken. Almost all guests made a point of saying they would like to do it again with their grandchildren and other friends and relatives.

Li Na, vice-chairwoman of the Chinese Culture and Hong Kong Hanfu Association, said this response was     4    (type). She told China Daily that hanfu is gaining appeal and     5    (recognize) in Hong Kong among people of different age groups, and that her association is growing day by day. “At first, we only had a dozen or so pieces of hanfu,     6     would be kept at home and taken out when they were needed. Now, we have over 100 pieces and need to rent a warehouse for storage,” she said.

    7    (drive) by a passion for ancient Chinese history and culture, Li, as     8     office worker, became committed to promoting and organizing hanfu-related activities after finishing her day job.

“The promotion of hanfu     9    (become) easier in recent years. With exposure growing on social media platforms, more and more people are interested and willing to learn about it,” Li said     10    (gentle).

Millions of bus passengers will enjoy cleaner, safer     1     more comfortable journeys as the government invests (投资) a further £143 million to roll out almost a thousand new zero emission (排放) buses in England. The new     2     (serve) is expected to have a marked impact on the future of the country.

The funding comes from the     3     (two) round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programme, which will see new electric buses in towns, villages and     4     (city) across England, including the most rural parts of the country, many of which will get zero emission buses for the first time. Thanks to the ZEBRA programme, no other European country     5     (record) as many electric buses in 2023 as the UK, with zero emission buses accounting     6     almost half of all new large buses introduced last year.

Today’s investment follows over £270 million to 16 local transport authorities (LTAs)     7     (lead) the total government support to cover 41 LTAs.     8     (make) sure more parts of England benefit from better buses and green technology, particularly rural areas     9     the journey towards decarbonising (碳减排) buses is in     10     (it) early stages, the government has put the first £40 million into rural communities.

A pair of scissors, a piece of paper, and a pair of dexterous (灵巧的) hands. That’s     1     is needed to create delicate works of paper-cuttings.

    2    (originate) in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, this ancient form of art has not only survived through generations but has also become     3     important part of Chinese culture. It is often associated with the     4     (celebrate) of the Spring Festival, where complex patterns of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals     5     (create) to bring good luck and fortune for the new year.

The art of paper-cuttings goes beyond mere craftsmanship. It is a form of expression deeply     6    (root) in Chinese history and tradition. Artists, without the need for any drawn draft, use their imagination to create     7    (variety) patterns and images with scissors and burins. Animals, flowers, mythological and historical figures are meticulously (细致地) cut and carved, each carrying its own symbolism and meanings.

Today, paper-cuttings continue to decorate Chinese homes,     8    (especial) during the Spring Festival. The windows and walls come alive with vibrant patterns and scenes of family reunions and temple fairs. It serves     9     a reminder of the rich cultural heritage that the Chinese people cherish     10     pass down from one generation to another.

The “Reminiscing Jiangnan (忆江南)-Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Arts Exhibition” kicked off at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday.

The exhibition,     1     aim is to promote cultural exchanges between China and Australia, is co-hosted by China Cultural Center Sydney and other agencies. It is held     2     (mark) the 10th anniversary (周年纪念) of the establishment of the China-Australia strategic partnership. The 10-day exhibition will showcase     3     selected collection of Jinshan peasant (农民) paintings at the China Cultural Center in Sydney. The works often feature a wide range of striking colors and     4     (diversity) elements from traditional arts.

    5     (list) as Shanghai’s intangible cultural heritage, the art of Jinshan peasant painting     6     (exhibit) in many nations and regions across the world over the past decade. This time, painter Li Yuan presented his work themed on Sydney’s landmarks     7     a gift to David van Nunen, president of the Australian Watercolor Institute.

Themed “Reminiscing Jiangnan”, the exhibition expresses the     8     (expect) to further promote the exchange and understanding of civilizations between the two nations. “It’s obvious that the people of both nations share a deep enthusiasm for life. I’m     9     (true) delighted to participate in this extraordinary cultural exchange,” said David van Nunen.

In particular, the City Walk Shanghai series albums were displayed at the opening ceremony,     10     (show) Shanghai’s innovation and convenience.

On Sept. 28th, 2023, Fuzhou-Xiamen high-speed railway was opened. This intelligent high-speed railway turns the southeastern coastal city groups     1     the “Golden tourism area”.

The 277-kilometer-long railway line starts in Fuzhou and passes through the cities of Putian, Quanzhou, Xiamen, and ends at the Zhangzhou Station. It     2     (travel) at the design speed of 350 kilometers per hour.

The train is     3     model of modern technology. Each carriage has every element(元素)that the most advanced high-speed train has. For example, the Beidou System, the convenient services, and the     4     (comfort) seats.

The railway connects Fuzhou and Xiamen,    5     are both important in Fujian Province, in just 55 minutes. The railway integrates(融合) the entire process’ design, construction and operation,    6     (result) in an all-round “3D digital Fuzhou-Xiamen high-speed railway”.

The working staff successfully solved all the     7     (difficulty) of building this railway over the bay(海湾). This marks another milestone     8     (achieve) by China in intelligent railway technology following the success of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway and the Beijing-Xiong’ an intercity railway. This line will     9     (great) encourage the exchanges of people alongside and promote the     10     (develop) of local economy and society.

A deliveryman who jumped off a bridge to save a drowning woman in June in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province,     1    (award)a first-class merit citation (一等功)on November 13.

The honor is the     2    (high)that the Hangzhou government bestows (授予) on people who have acted bravely without considering their own safety.

Peng Qinglin, a 31-year-old from Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province,     3    (deliver) his first order of the day at that time along Xixing Bridge when he heard a call for help. Without much hesitation, he jumped off the 12-meter-high bridge     4     crosses the iconic Qiantang River. before swimming to the drowning woman and dragging her to safety.

A video capturing (拍摄) Peng’s heroics went popular     5     instant it appeared on Chinese social media,     6    (make)him get much attention from the public.

“There are plenty of unsung     7    (hero) in Hangzhou,” said Peng. “I just happened to be the one who got noticed.”

For his     8    (brave) and selflessness, Hangzhou police authorities earlier gave Peng the title of “Good Samaritan” and a cash prize of 30,000 yuan.     9     addition, the delivery company that Peng works for gave him a cash award of 50,000 yuan as well as the opportunity     10    (study) in college for free.

Peng’s courageousness is quite touching and more people will learn from him and extend a helping hand when others need it.

China Before China,     1     eight-episode documentary that tells stories of the origins and early development of Chinese civilization based on archaeological findings, is airing now.

The documentary     2     (start) from the Qin and Han dynasties and then traces key points at the dawn of Chinese civilization. The overall narration of the work remains clear, logical and     3     (accurate) conveys the sites and relics. “    4     we want to explore are the characteristics of Chinese civilization and its spirit transmitted through our blood, from which we can trace the cultural genes that make us the Chinese people,” says Jin Ruiguo, chief supervisor of the documentary.

The crew spent months     5     (examine) archeological reports and articles. For instance, they explored the     6     (symbol) meaning of dragon through dragon-shaped artefacts. To make this brief history of early Chinese civilization work, the production team filmed 230 domestic sites and museums, and these video clips will also be screened at 18-museums     7     (involve). Based on the information, they used digital technology     8     (bring)-ancient architecture and cities back to life, and invited actors to re-create scenes of daily life. All of this provides the audience     9     a direct and visual idea of the long past. It vividly illustrates the process of historical development, which is the ultimate goal of historical research and archaeological     10     (explore).

The Hangzhou Asian Games,     1     are the first carbon-neutral Asiad in history, are set to deliver a legacy (遗产) with long-term benefits for the host city and beyond, according to the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC).

Sustainability (持续性) has been     2     (large) integrated into all aspects of the planning and operations of the Games — from     3     (construct)to transportation and energy sources, right through to ensuring minimal waste. Green energy is used to power all venues (场地). Methanol fuels the main flame of the Games, electric     4     (vehicle) transport athletes and media between venues, a recyclable water cleaning system is put     5     use in the swimming pools,     6     a rain retention system (蓄雨系统) operates at all venues. From the beginning of the preparations, HAGOC learned about green efforts from all over the world, including some Chinese cities. They realized that a green Games should not only be     7     concept, but also a commitment and an action that is sustainable, and set a trend for     8     (lead) an environmentally friendly living.

    9     (achieve) these goals, HAGOC launched an extensive carbon-offset program that encourage the public to help the Games achieve a negative carbon footprint. Since the preparations for the Asiad began, more than 200 million people from all sectors of society     10     (respond) to the call for a “Green Asian Games” and participated in green initiatives for the event.

Stephen Koss was a math teacher in a New York high school near Manhattan's Chinatown. About a fourth of his students were Chinese. One day, some of them asked him if he would like to be the advisor of their Asian Culture Club since according to the school's rules, a new club must have a teacher taking     1     (responsible) for it. Stephen said yes, and that yes changed his life.

He became interested in Chinese history and culture and began to listen to Chinese songs, watch Chinese movies, and read Chinese books. The students noticed this and advised him     2     (visit) China. Finally, in the summer of 2001, Stephen Koss     3     (arrive) in China. He visited all the prime tourist     4     (destination) : Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, and the other big cities. But he thought Suzhou was the most     5     (impress) one. In Suzhou, people talked to him when he walked in the streets, introducing themselves. He recalled that experience: “They were very open     6     foreigners.”

Stephen traveled between China and America, spending the summers in Suzhou,     7     opened a new world for Stephen. He visited historical sites, guest-taught at a local high school, and watched the local opera. He went beyond Suzhou,     8     (explore) the countryside on his bike and visiting the water towns in the region— ancient towns known for their rivers, bridges and canals (运河) .     9     (eventual) , Stephen decided to stay in Suzhou and he became     10     Suzhou local.