“Cold the iron chains spanning over the Dadu River,” Chairman Mao Zedong wrote in a poem, describing the do-or-die battle which took place on the Luding Bridge. The Bridge,     1     (measure) 103.67 meters in length and 3 meters in width, is located in Sichuan Province, which was     2     (original) built in 1705 during the Qing Dynasty. Near the Luding Bridge considered a historical landmark    3     (stand) a museum, in front of which there is a bronze statue of the soldiers whose spirit makes the bridge a household name.

Over 80 years ago, the bridge was crucial to the survival of the CPC-led Red Army during the Long March because if the soldiers had failed to dash through the Luding Bridge then, the Red Army might have been wiped out. Upon their     4     (arrive), the Red Army found only thirteen heavy iron chains    5     (leave) across the river. With no time to waste, one by one the Red soldiers ventured forward to risk their lives and of those who offered    6     (they), thirty were chosen. Though several soldiers fell into     7    fast-flowing river,the others crawled along the wood boards they had laid until they finally took control of the east bank .

Probably never before had people seen fighters like these-men for whom soldiering was not just a rice bowl,     8    a mission. They astonishingly accomplished    9     seemed like a task impossible and their    10    (courage) spirit will always stick in our mind.

The Peasants (II)

At noon they hoe up weeds;

Their sweat drips on the soil.

Who knows the rice that feeds

Is the fruit of hard toil!

Food is a necessity for survival. But do you know how much work goes into producing it? The poem The Peasants (II),     1     (write) by Li Shen, a Tang Dynasty poet, shows     2     (we) the hardship of the peasants.

The first two lines describe a common scene     3     peasants are working their lands at noon with the sun     4     (hang) high in the sky, sweat dripping. In the last two lines, the poet     5     (direct) points out that the rice we eat is the fruit of peasants’ hard work.

Simple as the poem is in its language, it is profound in the theme, reminding people     6     the significance of treasuring food. According to the FAO, an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food, or one-third of     7     total food produced for human consumption, is wasted globally each year. Therefore, it’s highly suggested that every grain of rice     8     (value). In China, we have adopted a law on food waste     9     (offer) legal backing to the country’s efforts which not only safeguard food security     10     promote the traditional virtue of thrift (节俭) as well.

Next time you want to throw away food, please think twice.

Wildlife protection is     1     global issue, as illegal hunting and habitat loss continue to threaten the balance of ecosystems (生态系统). The decrease in species has caused concerns among individuals and organizations all over the world.     2     (recognize) the serious need for actions, people are making efforts to raise awareness to fight     3     these harmful practices.

To deal with the threats faced by wildlife, building reserves and habitats plays an important role. These areas provide a safe place for various species to survive, allowing     4     (they) to live and grow without the effect of human activities. By     5     (create) these protected spaces, we can ensure the     6     (preserve) of their natural habitats and protect their populations for future generations to enjoy. However, the challenge     7     (lie) in keeping the balance between conservation and economic development. Practical practices, such as responsible tourism and the promotion of environment-friendly industries, can create income without doing harm to the well-being of wildlife and their habitats. By carrying out these practical practices, we can develop a     8     (harmony) relationship between human activities and the natural world.

    9     (true), wildlife protection is a necessary issue     10     requires efforts from governments, organizations, and individuals. By rising awareness and applying stricter management, we can reduce the threats faced by endangered species.

Recently, Chinese social media platforms have been discussing about “Zibo barbecue”,    1     (name) after the city Zibo    2     industrial city in Shandong Province.

Not long ago, a group of college students documented their Zibo barbecue trip on Douyin and son the city’s    3     (taste) and affordable barbecue started to catch peoples’ eyes on the internet. Since then, mouth-watering images showing a typical Zibo-style barbecue     4     (dominate) Weibo and Xiaohongshu, gaining more than 113 million views. Must-go restaurant maps were drawn up, and barbecue-themed high-speed train services and special bus routes     5     (establish) to make the small city more accessible to tourists from all over the country.

The city’s other attractions, such as the Haidai building, a    6     (beautiful) designed bookstore, also gained     7     (popular) thanks to visitors who want to make the most of their Zibo trip. According to data from Meituan, accommodation bookings in Zibo have increased     8    800% compared to 2019.

Zibo is one of the Chinese cities     9     have become a tourist hotpot with the help of social media. Its sudden rise inspired the hashtag (话题标签) “I speak for the specialties of my hometown” on Weibo. Under the hashtag, netizen post about their cities’ unique dishes,    10     (hope) their hometown may be the next Zibo.

A total of 16 Chinese and Italian volunteers, wearing Hanfu, an ancient clothing     1    (traditional) worn by ethnic-majority Han Chinese,    2     (participate) in a parade launched in Venice on Feb. 17, 2023.

The clothing, transported from the Suzhou Silk Museum, was themed of Han, Tang, Song and Ming     3     (dynasty) respectively and well displayed Jiangnan culture and world-known Suzhou silk.

The show attracted lots of young people, most of     4     decided to participate in this initiative, thinking it could be a way to get even     5     (close) to Chinese culture.

The 24-year-old Irene Di Maio,     6     (major) in Chinese in Venice, went to Suzhou to attend a dragon boat festival five years ago. “The event was amazing, especially the part from Suzhou, a city I loved very much. This time I would like     7    (know) more about Hanfu.”

In addition to the clothing show, visitors can also enjoy a series of Chinese cultural activities, including the performance of guzheng,    8     traditional Chinese musical instrument, Hanfu try-ons and calligraphy demonstrations.

Suzhou, considered by the Italian explorer Marco Polo in the 13th century     9    “the Venice of the East”, became a sister city to Venice in 1980, and since then multiple activities of mutual historical and cultural exchange     10     (carry) forward.