It was the Dragon Boat Festival. Shiny white tents lined the waterfront,     1     (provide) shade and refreshments for dragon boat paddlers (桨手) from all over California,     2     gathered around the Castaic Lake for a festive competition.

Giggling kids raced cheerfully along the lakeside beach, with     3     (they) parents enjoying the shady picnic areas under the trees along the shore. “It’s a great day out,” said Paul Lin, co-founder of Castaic’s own Dragon Eyes team.

Dragon boat racing has been going on for thousands of years in China,     4     (initial) conducted in honor of the poet Qu Yuan, as a way     5     (honor) his legacy and spirit.

In the race, a drummer     6     (use) a large traditional wooden drum to keep the paddlers on the beat,     7     a steersman in the back keeps them in their lane.

Lin said a friend got him     8     (involve) in dragon boat racing over a decade ago. In 2018, they decided to host their own festival. “There’s something really special to be learned from our dragon boat motto: One Boat, One Beat,” he said. “Paddlers come from all walks of life and that kind of     9     (close) with people is nowhere else to be seen.”

“We really want to help expand people’s awareness and grow the sport,” said Lin. “We’re hoping one day it will become     10     Olympic sport.”

The silver jewelry     1    (produce) by the Miao ethnic group has been key to driving rural development in Taijiang County,     2     area located in the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (自治州) of Guizhou Province.

The jewelry is a magnificent treasure of Miao culture,     3    (present) delicate silver jewels and traditional craftsmanship. The Miao ethnic group     4    (keep) the tradition of decorating themselves with handmade silver ornaments for over 400 years. In May 2011, the silver forging skill of the Miao ethnic group     5    (recognize) and included in the third group of national intangible cultural heritage list.

Driven by the     6    (popular) of ethnic festivals and people’s growing interest in silver jewelry, the local tourism industry has enjoyed a boost in recent years. To     7    (far) encourage development, Taijiang County has focused on developing the ethnic folk handicraft industry, aiming to enhance the promotion of traditional Mia o silver jewelry, create more job opportunities     8     boost regional tourism. By the end of 2021, there were 102 local enterprises devoted to making silver jewelry,     9     total output value reached more than 100 million yuan ($13.68 million). This significant growth in the silver jewelry industry has laid a strong foundation for the county     10    (promote) rural revitalization.

Over the past many years, we     1     (spare) no effort at work overtime, thus ignoring our family life. We spend time with people     2    we have nothing    3    common with, and attend social activities we have no interest in or     4     (curious) about. We always find ourselves    5    (live) our lives in the way that pleases others and intend to make ourselves impressive to others instead of being ourselves. In fact, most of us only think about ourselves a little and rarely give ourselves     6     second thought, as a result of which, we often end up behaving     7     (happy) and out of place.

In view of this, it’s time to think about ourselves, our own family, and start creating a lifestyle that     8     (reflect) our own likes and dislikes. We’d better think it over next time when     9    (require) to work extra hours. Trying to be a loving parent or good friend    10     (be) very likely to give us far more pleasure and a feeling of security, connection and belonging.

People gathered at the US National Zoo to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the     1     (arrive) of the first pandas from China. “Pandaversary” was the main event of a six-month series of events arranged by the zoo.

Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing arrived 50 years ago,     2     was one of the most meaningful     3     (outcome) of President Richard Nixons significant visit to China in 1972. Now, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their youngest cub, Xiao Qi Ji,     4    (be) in the zoo. Their other cubs, Bao Bao and Bei Bei, were returned to China several years ago.

Pandas are the symbol     5     friendships. Fifty years of cooperation between the United States and China on panda conservation     6    (accomplish) truly remarkable achievements. The panda is no longer an     7    (endanger) species. The Chinese Ambassador to the United States thanked the zoo for making Washington a wonderful home for pandas. “And     8     successful story of panda conservation is a very good example of China and the United States, so that we can cooperate to work together, not only in the area of panda conservation, but we can achieve more in other areas     9    (benefit) our two peoples,” said he. “So I wish pandas lived a happy life forever in DC, and we are looking forward to     10    (far) cooperation.”

Recently, the “city walk” has been gaining popularity among residents and tourists around China. On social platform Xiaohongshu, data shows that the number of city walk-related topic posts     1     (increase) by 700 percent over the past three months.

A city walk is a form of urban tourism originating in the UK. Unlike traditional sightseeing,     2     aims to hit famous attractions and commercial center, city walk is about “roaming”(漫步)around a city on foot, soaking up the atmosphere and     3     (explore) unusual things that even a resident of the city might not have noticed before. Such walks generally avoid famous scenic spots and shopping centers, and take you to places where you can have real interactions with the local people, eat at small     4     authentic restaurants, and gain a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the city. City walkers are a cast of people who possess strong     5     (curious). They are eager to engage with the city they are visiting or reside in their own way. City walkers usually find     6     a better way to feel the texture and listen to the breath of a place by “roaming” on foot. They seek pleasure more through connection than consumption, which indicates a great passion for culture. For example, in Chongqing, if you don’t take a walk, you can hardly experience the unique geographical charm of the mountainous city. City walks allow people to see the scenery and uncover the     7     (hide) knowledge.

The appeal of a city walk lies     8     the young generation’s changing attitude toward life — pursuing quality leisure time while being occupied with demanding workloads and limited time for exploration. While roaming along the road, you can entirely focus on     9     (you) and listen to your inner voice and care for what you feel. Just like Oscar Wilde once said, “To love oneself is the beginning of     10     lifelong romance.”

Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, is the economic and     1    (culture) center of southwest China. It is linked by rail with all of China ’s major cities. Its rail link with Hanoi（河内）    2    (establish) in1901.

Kunming ’s mild climate makes it     3     good place to visit any time of the year.     4       it can be hot and humid in summer, it has cool, dry winters. The climate here is great for flowers, with more than 400 varieties    5    (plant) here. The camellia(山茶花) is the city ’s official flower. The city is also known for its green parks, such as Cuihu (Green Lake) Park with its waterways and winding paths. Younger     6    (tourist) may enjoy a visit to Daguan Park because of its food stalls.

In addition to its own charms, Kunming serves     7     a base from which people can explore the culture of ethnic groups in the area. The best known     8    (be）the Dai , Bai and Naxi. People can also visit the Yunnan Stone Forest, which has been     9    (universal) known as “the first wonder of the world” since the Ming Dynasty. The stone forest is located 120 km from Kunming,     10     (feature）impressive rock formations.

Every year, high school students aged 15-19 from all around the world make a huge     1     (decide). They leave their home and go to another country     2     (study) for up to a year. An exchange year     3     (know) as a time when new experiences educate students about a     4     (difference) way of life. Sometimes there will be difficulties and bad moments, but those are the moments when the students grow the most.

“An exchange year isn’t a year in your life; it is a life in a year,” said Isabela, an 18-year-old exchange student from Brazil. Isabela has been living in Saint Joseph this year. Her year didn’t start     5     (exact) the way she was hoping. She had trouble making     6     (friend) and she couldn’t connect with her host family.

“I had the     7     (bad) and the best time here. The beginning was terrible. I didn’t open up and no one talked to me. I was even ready to go home before the year ended,” she said.

When the year 2020 started, Isabela changed her host family and     8     (give) the U.S one more chance. She also changed her attitude. Now she has a great relationship with her host parents and has a lot of friends. She is enjoying her time.

Exchange students grow a lot during their exchange year and they see the world     9     a new way. They will have difficulties they need to overcome by     10     (they) but they will go back to their home more mature and independent.