The high-profile China-Laos Railway opened to international passengers on Thursday, showing how the Belt and Road Initiative （BRI） is a win-win situation. The D887 train,     1     （depart）from Kunming, Yunnan province, at 8: 08 am and arrived at Vientiane, capital of Laos, at 6: 38 pm.

It is the first international cross-border passenger train service that China has put into operation since the COVID-19 pandemic. "The service not only     2    （far） facilitates the flow of people and trade between: China and Laos,     3     promotes the recovery of tourism and other     4     （industry）, and brings vitality to the development between these two countries." said Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a news conference on Thursday, "It is a model project of China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations （ASEAN） countries working on the BRI and promoting     5    （region） economic integration. "

According to a World Bank estimate, the gross domestic product in Laos will be increased     6     21 percent as a result of the construction and operation of the China-Laos Railway.     7     will also create more jobs for Lao people.

This year     8    （mark） the tenth anniversary of the BRI.     9    （promote） the initiative, China will continue to cooperate with ASEAN members,     10    （benefit） two billion people in the region.

Suodiu is an unusual type of Chinese street food that consists of small river stones stir-fried (被煸炒) with a mixture of ingredients (配料) . The practice involves sucking (吮吸) on the stones and then     1     (throw) them away.

Suodiu is believed to have been invented hundreds of years ago by boatmen     2     would prepare the dish when they became stranded in the middle of a river     3     any real food while delivering goods.     4     (comfort) their stomachs, they would stir-fry some river pebbles (鹅卵石) and then suck the flavor from them.

The traditional dish     5     (pass) down through several generations, and today, roadside cooking in China sometimes showcases Suodiu.

A series of videos showing the preparation of Suodiu has recently gone viral on Xiaohongshu, a social media platform, exciting the    6     (curious) of millions of people. It wasn’t just the uniqueness of the dish that interested viewers, but also the high price per serving, considering there is hardly any edible content in it. However, it’s important to note that river pebbles are used because they     7     (supposed) acquire the flavor of seafood over time. Thus, when sucking on them while eating Suodiu, one can experience the taste of fish     8     (combine) with various ingredients.

“Do I have to return the pebbles to you     9     I finish?” one person asked in one of the viral videos, to which the cook replied, “Take them home as     10     happy remembrance.”

Lately, the popularity of ice and snow tourism in Harbin has exploded. Harbin is famous for its rich ice and snow resources. This winter, the city     1     (open) three ice and snow-themed parks and created more than 100 related activities to promote the     2     (develop) of winter tourism, culture, fashion and sports.

Travelers from the south of China make up a large part of the tourism crowd. They can     3     (summarize) in four characteristics: a light-colored down jacket, a lovely small hat,     4    suitcase in hand and shyness in public bath houses.

Southerners are less prepared for the cold. Some     5    (individual) online are providing these southerners     6     practical suggestions, emphasizing the need for clothing     7     protects them from the freezing outdoor temperatures while ensuring they don’t sweat profusely indoors.

In order to     8     (effective) meet tourist demands, Harbin has extended the operating hours of buses and subways recently. According to an announcement from the Harbin government, the ice and snow season in Harbin will continue until the end of March 2024. For travelers trying to avoid peak periods, it’s advisable     9     (plan) visits after New Year’s Day and Spring Festival, when tourist traffic is at     10    (it) peak.

An International Business “Made in China”

Dominik, a 34-year-old Polish man, founded his own international logistics (物流) company Hao Duo Huo — meaning “lots of goods” in Chinese — in Wuhan, Hubei province.

“The first time I came to China was in 1997,” said Dominik. “Seeing the abundant opportunities in China, I decided to have my university education here.”     1    (influence) by his parents, Dominik chose to study international trade in Wuhan in 2009.

After     2    (complete) his undergraduate studies, Dominik went to Shenzhen to begin a career in trade. It was there that he first encountered the field     3     logistics. “Poland is an important transit (中转) country for the China-Europe Railway Express, and Poland’s logistics system has been developing. I should seize such a good opportunity,” said Dominik as he     4    (mention) the reasons to start his own business.

In April 2021, he     5    (formal) established Hao Duo Huo in Wuhan, a city with     6     good geographical position. Not only is it one of the starting     7    (point) for the China-Europe Railway Express, but it’s also home to many universities that can supply high-quality talent.

Explaining     8     he chose this business name, Dominik shared two main reasons: “The first is that I want my company     9    (have) lots of goods to sell. And second, China offers many quality products, and I want to deliver     10     (they) to every corner of the world, spreading joy and convenience to more people.”

Zhang Zeduan's Qingming Scroll is a masterwork of Chinese art    1     (consist) of three main sections, the    2     (combine) of which gives the viewer an idea of what life was like for the people of Bianjing.

Zhang used his    3     (amaze) precise brushwork to provide people with a comprehensive look at life during the Northern Song Dynasty in the painting, from    4     we can know about the 12th-century Chinese customs, clothing, transportation methods, business practices, and    5     wide range of buildings. However, some critics suggest that the painting    6     (actual) exposes serious political and social problems.

Zhang's timeless scroll is one of the examples of realism in the history of Chinese paintings, whose value is down    7     its representation of daily life as well as it great scale, artistic quality and attention to detail. With the Qingming Scroll, Zhang made great contributions to Chinese art and    8     (have) a great effect on generations of future artists. The last time it was on display, crowds waited for a long time just to see the famous painting with    9     (they) own eyes. People's enthusiasm about the Qingming Scroll clearly shows the power of this    10     (history) piece of art.

Chinese painting is also called traditional Chinese painting. As     1     important part of traditional Chinese culture, it has a long history and fine traditions in the field of art in the world.

    2     (draw) a Chinese painting, you need a writing brush, ink, xuan paper, and ink stone. Especially, xuan paper, is the best tool for Chinese painting     3     it allows the writing brush, wet with Chinese ink and held in a well-trained hand to move freely on it.

There are three main     4    (subject) of Chinese painting: human figures，landscapes (风景) , and birds and flowers. For example, the painting     5     ladies, the painting of mountains, and the painting of insects and fish. Figure painting became highly     6     (develop) during the Tang dynasty, and landscape painting reached its     7     (high) during the Song dynasty.

There are two main techniques in Chinese painting.     8     is gongbi often referred to as “fine-line” painting. This style of painting pays close attention to details. It’s often     9     (use) to draw people or animals. The other is freehand style, referred to as “xieyi”. It pays more attention to     10     (express) an artist’s feelings. It is often used in landscape paintings.

Chinese paintings do not try to draw the outlooking of a subject, but its nature or character. Every area of the painting is interesting to the eye.

“He is a fool who cannot be angry, but he is really a wise man     1     won’t.” The habit of keeping pleasant is indeed better     2     an income of a million dollars a year. The life without cheerfulness is like the severe winter without     3     sun. We all love cheerful company,     4     we tend to forget that cheerfulness is a habit which can be developed by all.

We find     5     very difficult to be happy when we are in sorrow. It requires great courage. We should never forget that to be cheerful when it is not easy shows greatness. Thorns(荆棘) may be in     6     (we) way, but how happy the conqueror’s(征服者) song is!

The perfection of cheerfulness     7     (lie) in the happy frame of mind(愉悦的心情). It is displayed in good temper and kind behavior. It comes     8     (main) from personal goodness and from belief in the goodness of others. It can make people see the glory in the grass and the sunshine on the flower. It encourages happy thoughts, and lives in an atmosphere of peace. It costs nothing, and yet it is     9     (value). It blesses its possessor(祝福它的拥有者) and affords a large measure of enjoyment to others. To light up others’ heart, one’s own heart must     10     (light) first.