Horse-face skirt, also known as “horse-faced pleated (有褶的) skirt”, is one of the main skirt     1     (style) of ancient Chinese women. It is not only a kind of clothing, but also a treasure of Chinese culture. Originating in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the horse-face skirt     2     (grow) popular during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) due to     3     (it) functionality and aesthetic (美学的) style. During the Ming Dynasty, deeply pleated versions of the skirt were     4     (extreme) popular. After the development of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the horse-face skirt has gradually become     5     unique dress style.

Today, designers skillfully combine traditional elements with modern design     6     (create) an amazing fashion work, which makes the horse-face skirt shine with new vitality. Wearing a horse-face skirt, as if stepping     7     the time tunnel of thousands of years, we can feel the ancient and mysterious charm. It carries the memory of history     8     conveys the feelings of the nation. In the eyes of experts and fashion industry insiders, traditional Chinese clothing,     9     (represent) by the horse-face skirt, is a significant symbol of Chinese civilization     10     has influenced western fashion for many years. Let’s enjoy the charm of horse-face skirt together, pass on the elegance of the treasure, and dazzle the world.

Having brought visitors from around the world for a day of    1     (explore) in Dalian, the international tour ship “Zuiderdam” docked (停靠) at the Dalian Port on Sunday morning.

It is the first large international tour ship    2     (visit) a northern Chinese city. This visit is also a milestone for Dalian, which is establishing itself as an     3     (impress) international coastal tourism destination. The “Zuiderdam” is part of the Holland America Cruise Line fleet，    4    just several days ago accommodated 2,013 passengers and crew members from 47 countries and regions to Dalian for a day of activities before departing for     5     (it) next destination, Tianjin.

In Dalian, the tourists visited     6    home of a local girl named Liang Qianshuo in Zhongshan district. She and two of her friends warmly welcomed the guests and spoke with them in English,    7     (provide) a unique and personal experience of Chinese hospitality (好客). One American tourist, David Burke    8    came to China for the first time, expressed his surprise at the modernity of China and felt delighted in interacting with ordinary Chinese people and children. Thus, he did long     9    more such cultural exchanges in the near future. The tourists also got to wander in the Tiger Beach Ocean Park, interact with local families. visit famous landmarks and explore several tourist attractions, making them     10     (aware) of the passage of time.

Nowadays, many kids enjoy eating junk food, even though it is not good for their health. Many people have started     1     (realize) how serious this issue is. However, junk food     2     (remain) popular because it tastes good. Some     3     (kid) think it is a sign of     4     (free) to choose what they want, while others find junk food convenient,     5     (especial) when they do not have time for a proper meal.

Eating too much junk food can lead to several health problems. This includes obesity and other diseases     6     (cause) by a lack of essential nutrients. The most common problems are weight gain and malnutrition (营养不良). Moreover, unhealthy eating habits can also be     7     waste of money and may lead to serious long-term health problems.

We all know that eating unhealthy food does harm     8     our bodies. In order to maintain good health,     9     is important to eat balanced and healthy meals. Please consider choosing     10     (healthy) food options for a better lifestyle.

Dazhai, a village     1     (surround) by mountains on all sides in Guangxi's Longsheng autonomous county of various ethnic groups, which boasts around 66 square kilometers of terraced (梯田形的) fields that have been cultivated for around 2,300 years,     2     (attract) tens of thousands of visitors every year. Its terraced fields follow     3     landform of the mountains, at heights ranging from 300 to 1,200 meters above sea level. So far, from swiftly flowing river valleys to mist-covered mountains, dense forests and steep cliffs, wherever there is water and soil, terraces     4     (dig).

Those in Dazhai are important     5     (representative) of Longji terracing, a well-known type of terrace that can be found all over the county. The highest tier (层) has more than 1,100 levels,     6     (wind) from the foot of the mountain to the top, creating a magnificent landscape     7     resembles a staircase to the clouds. The largest terrace is no more than an acre     8     size, while the smallest only accommodates a handful of rice seedlings (秧苗).

Longji terraces are based on an environmental practice that focuses on harmony between humans and nature     9     the dynamic balance of forests and fields. They are not just beautiful landscapes but also carriers of Zhuang and Yao culture.

Longji terraces are an important model of ancient Chinese water     10     (manage) and agricultural civilization that has been passed down to the present day. Visitors can appreciate the way the Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups have farmed the terraces and how ancestral farming methods have been preserved.

The National Healthcare Security Administration said on Monday that the coverage of China’s basic medical insurance is stabilized at over 95percent. It also said that the quality     1     the system had continuously improved.

Data from the administration show that from 2003 to 2023, the government’s     2     (contribute) to basic medical insurance for rural and non-working urban residents rose faster than the personal part,     3     offers further support for low-income households and other people in need.     4     (specific), if an ordinary resident is insured continuously from 2003 to 2023, the individual contribution is 2,640 yuan (about 371. 9 U. S. dollars),     5     (account) for about 30 percent of the total insurance expenses.

Throughout the years, a total of 744     6     (drug) have been added into the medical insurance catalog, and more than 80 percent of innovative drugs can     7     (include) within two years after entering the market. Currently, the compensation rate for inpatient medical bills     8     (cover) by basic medical insurance for rural and non-working urban residents is about 70 percent. In 2023, individuals     9     (pay) 349.7 billion yuan of the total insurance expenses of basic medical insurance for rural and non-working urban residents, while the government subsidy (补贴) was nearly 697.8 billion yuan. In this year’s government work report, the government committed to improve medical services with     10     patient-centered approach.

Over the course of the recent global pandemic, humans grew familiar     1     the idea of social distancing. A research team wondered     2     oceanic species engage in a similar practice. To find out, they ventured to the shores of the Dutch Wadden Sea to study seal (海豹) behavior.

The researchers noted that two main     3     (type) of seals frequent the shores－harbor seals and gray seals. In surveys of the area, the team noted that gray seals tend     4     (stay) away from the shore, while harbor seals prefer to keep close to the water. They also found that harbor seals keep nearly twice as much distance between one another than gray seals do.

The researchers noted that harbor seals tend to fall victim to distemper (瘟热) outbreaks — they     5     (face) two major outbreaks over the past three decades, each of     6     led to major drops in their numbers. Gray seals have not been nearly as     7     (severe) impacted because they generally survive such infections.

The research team suggests that the reason why the harbor seals keep their distance     8     (be) that they are practicing a form of social distancing as     9     way to reduce the chances of infection during outbreaks. Their findings could have     10     (significant) for other animals that practice similar behavior in light of climate change.

The Mogao Grottoes, a world-renowned     1     (culture) heritage site in Dunhuang, contains 735 caves and more than 45,000 square meters of murals. Their preservation could not have been done     2     the dedication of countless guardians across     3     (generation). Among them, Fan Jinshi, former president of the Dunhuang Academy, is an illustrative one.

Fan first trekked all the way to Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in July 1963 shortly after     4     (graduate) from college. She kept a dream to protect the national cultural heritage     5     remained there for more than 50 years. Over the past decades, she     6     (put) down roots in the desert, as if her life and Dunhuang’s have blended into one. Thus she has become known as “Daughter of Dunhuang”.

Fan has made outstanding contributions to the cause of “protecting, studying and carrying forward” Dunhuang Grottoes through her work. She was the first     7     (suggest) the “Digital Dunhuang” concept in the late 1980s to preserve the murals,     8     (paint) sculptures and historical data in Dunhuang Caves permanently. She also     9     (active) promoted the popularization of the Dunhuang culture.

Now, 85-year-old Fan Jinshi,     10     still works very hard to protect and manage the caves, is as busy as ever, “I’ve done all I could for Dunhuang,” she says.

China’s “ice city” Harbin in Northeast Heilongjiang Province has definitely become a tourism hotspot,     1    （attract） millions of tourists from home and abroad. Beyond the attraction of ice and snow tourism, the lesser-known     2    （diverse） and rich cultures of local ethnic（民族的） minority groups have also been brought under the spotlight.

At the tourist-packed Central Street, a street famous     3     its Western architecture during different times in downtown Harbin, a group of Aoluguya Ewenki（敖鲁古雅鄂温克民族） people     4    （dress） in their ethnic costumes with seven reindeer（驯鹿） are singing their     5    （tradition） songs while walking down the street. Tourists crowd around them,     6    （excited） taking photos and videos.

The Aoluguya Ewenki is the only ethnic group in China     7     raises reindeer. According to media reports, sometimes people confuse the Ewenki people with the Oroqen people, one of     8     smallest ethnic groups in China. The Aoluguya Ewenki decided to take advantage of the opportunity of Harbin’s booming tourism industry     9    （show） their unique culture and identity to visitors from all over the country.

Since the Aoluguya Ewenki people’s public appearance, more and more local ethnic minority groups     10    （do） the same, with some from other parts of the nation even journeying to Harbin. “If you want to see China’s rich multi-ethnic cultures, you should come to Harbin now,” netizens state encouragingly on social media.

Last year, I had the chance to study at a British secondary school as an exchange student. I stayed with     1     lovely host family and went to school with their son, Daniel. We were both     2     year ten and we got on well.

The British school day     3     (begin) at 9 a. m. and ends at 4 p. m. Students usually have to learn nine subjects at secondary school. Every student must study English, Maths and the Science     4     (subject): Biology, Chemistry and Physics. They can also choose     5     (study) other subjects, such as History, Art and Business.

The classes are different from those in China. Each teacher has their own classroom with the students     6     (move) around for every lesson. I enjoyed most of the classes, but some of them were quite challenging. With the teacher’s help, I made a clock in the Technology classes. I like it so much     7     I still use it as my alarm!

However, learning English was a great challenge for me. There were a lot of difficult English words,     8     (especial) in Geography and Biology. Class discussion is very important in the UK, but sometimes I wasn’t able to express     9     (me). Fortunately, my teachers and classmates were always     10     (friend) and helpful. My language skills improved over time.

What is the secret of the charm of Yunnan Province? Beautiful scenery, rare plants and flowers, local specialties? These are all part of the answer,     1    they are definitely not everything.

Yunnan boasts not only fabulous natural landscapes, but also fascinating ethnic customs. Among the 25 ethnic groups of Yunnan, the Yi people have    2    unique culture, which over thousands of years     3    (develop) into colourful customs with distinctive features.

The Yi people adore tigers, fire and the colour black. Many festivals have developed from the ceremonies for     4    (worship) these objects. The Torch Festival is the most widely celebrated, with a very strong    5    (religion) element.

The Yi people, who call    6    (they) the “fire nationality”, think fire possesses a superhuman power which can drive away evil and frighten off ghosts.

During the festival, at the entrance to the villages, a grand “torch tower”, made of pine branches and dry firewood and    7    (stand) more than 20 meters high, is decorated with fresh flowers and fruits.

After dinner, as darkness casts its shadow, young and old rush    8    (enthusiastic) to the “torch tower” square.     9    such a brilliant night, all the participants are intoxicated(陶醉的) by the grand spectacle and the atmosphere of celebration.     10     (dress) in splendid costumes, young men and women sing and dance hand in hand around the bonfire to express their gratitude for a life of plenty and good wishes for the coming year.