The Chinese Qipao, a traditional dress for Chinese women, has long been popular for its unique status as a symbol of elegance. Its origin     1     (date) back to the 17th century during the Qing Dynasty.

The Qipao was     2     (initial), a loose- fitting and modest dress that covered most of the body. In the 1920s,     3     (influence) by Western styles, it underwent a major     4     (transform) and became popular among the young and fashionable women in Shanghai. The Qipao became more fitted and body - hugging, with a lower collar and     5     (narrow) sleeves (袖子) , and came in a variety of colors and fabrics, reflecting the individuality and creativity of the wearers.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the Qipao became more standardized and simplified. Usually, it     6     (fashion) out of plain or printed silk or cotton .

The modern style emerged in the 1980s and onward,     7     the Qipao was reinvented by designers and artists who adopted new materials, patterns and cuts. It often featured     8     films, fashion shows, TV shows, and other media.

Today,     9     (own) a Chinese Qipao seems like     10     must for every woman who loves fashion and culture. A Qipao is not just a dress; it is a piece of art that tells a story of China’s history and identity.

Arriving in Beijing as a 20-year-old from Germany, I find my hobby skateboarding to be a connection with this     1     ( familiar) city.

The skateboarding community in Beijing has taken me by surprise. The first thing that    2     (catch) my eye was a beautiful backside flip (后翻) done by Yang Li, a Beijing skater,     3     had started a well-known skating business. Yang was just as welcoming and free-spirited     4     any skaters I'd met in Europe. It's this     5     (share) passion for skateboarding that brings this community together across the globe.

Even those outside the skateboarding community showed curiosity and passion for the sport, which fascinated me. Passersby, especially elders and young children, often stopped to watch us skate, with some even     6     (dare) to try it out for themselves. This openness and     7     (eager) for exploration were refreshing for me, and it provided a wonderful opportunity for cultural exchanges.

Reflecting on the history of skateboarding in China,     8     is clear that the sport     9     (come) a long way since its introduction. Originally viewed as a strange and somewhat dangerous activity, skateboarding has slowly gained (获得) acceptance and popularity,     10     (mirror) global trends and the changing cultural landscape of China.

Oceans cover about 70 percent of the Earths’ surface, yet even today their depths remain largely unexplored. Scientists estimate between 90 and 95 percent of the deep sea remains     1     (mystery). The deep sea is     2     (true) the planet’s final frontier.

The term “deep sea” doesn’t have     3     same meaning to everyone. To fishermen, the deep sea is any part of the ocean beyond the relatively shallow continental shelf. To scientists, the deep sea is the lowest part of the ocean, located below the thermocline (温跃层)     4     heating and cooling effects from sunlight stop     5     (have) an effect, and above the sea floor. This is the part of the ocean     6     (deep) than 1,800 meters.

It’s difficult     7     (research) the depths because they are permanently dark, extremely cold and     8     high pressure. From the time of Pliny until the end of the 19th century, people believed the deep sea was a lifeless wasteland. Modern scientists recognize the deep sea as the largest habitat on the planet. Special tools     9     (develop) by humans over the past few decades to explore this cold and dark environment. Deep sea exploration involves multiple     10     (discipline), such as oceanography, biology, geography, archaeology, and engineering.

On Nov.30 1835, Samuel Clemens was welcomed into the world. Little did his parents know, their son Samuel would one day     1     (know) as Mark Twain — one of the most     2     (fame) writers in America. In 1839, the Clemens family moved several     3     (mile) east to the town of Hannibal,     4     was a growing port city that     5     (lie) along the bank of the Mississippi. Samuel’s father was a judge and he built two-story frame house. As a youngster, Samuel was kept indoors because of poor health. However,     6     the age of 19, he seemed to recover and joined     7     rest of children in the town outside. He then attended a private school in Hannibal.     8     (unfortunate), his father died of illness when Samuel was 12. Later, Samuel left school and     9     (become) a printer and editorial assistant. It was then that young Samuel found he enjoyed     10     (write).

Memory loss has to be one of our biggest     1     (fear). Names, words, facts and faces — nothing is spared.       2     (lucky), research has shown that it is possible to train the brain to protect our memories.

    3     (challenge) your brain could be one way of preserving your memories — through the value of commercial brain training app is debatable; some experiments seems to show that while people may become a master of the games on     4     (they) screen, the improvements fail to transfer to daily life. But other, more traditional activities — like learning a musical instrument or a second language — do seem to have some     5     (protect) benefits, at least on short-term memory. Ideally, it is probably best     6     (keep) your brain active throughout your life, well before you begin to approach old age.

Exercise and a healthy diet are also thought to offer some protection against memory loss. So can     7     active social life — since regular contact with other people is also thought to excite our brains. Ensuring that you regularly get a good might’s sleep     8     (help) too.

Of course, nothing can guarantee health and vitality in old age     9     these few simple measures might give you the best possible chances     10     protecting your mind as you age.