Have you ever seen a honeybee in the winter? Most people in temperate (温和的) climates     1     (probable) have not. When temperatures in the winter drop below 10℃, honeybees, without blankets, fires,     2     adjustable thermostats (恒温器), return to     3     (they) hives, forming a winter cluster for warmth — sort of like a giant three-month slumber party in the winter.

The fate of the hive     4     (depend) on how sufficiently the winter population has prepared for the cold.     5     (keep) warm and survive, the honeybee swarm (蜂群) must have a strong population of winter-ready bees, plentiful stores of honey to eat, and a secure hive. A successful winter cluster is made up of a generation of bees,     6     have a longer lifespan (寿命) to last the whole winter.

The social world of honeybees is normally divided into three     7     (variety): workers, drones, and queens.     8    , the male drones die off in the winter,     9     (leave) only the female workers and the queen. To maintain a survivable heat, the all-female swarm of bees crowds together tightly to form the winter cluster, with the queen at the warmest place, the     10     (centre) section of the group, and the workers shaking around.

The golden snub-nosed monkey is     1     unique species found only in the mountainous forests of central and southwestern China. These monkeys get their common names from their golden-orange fur and snub noses.

The golden snub-nosed monkey is a large primate (灵长类动物), with males    2     (weigh) up to 25 kilos and females around 15 kilos. They have a thick coat of fur that helps them adapt     3     the cold, mountainous environment. Their diet     4     (consist) mainly of leaves, flowers and fruits. The monkey is also known for its playful nature,   often     5     (see) swinging from branches and playing with each other.

Unfortunately, the golden snub-nosed monkey is facing numerous threats to its    6     (survive). Habitat loss due to deforestation and agriculture has     7     (significant) reduced the monkeys’ living space. Additionally, hunting for their fur and body parts poses a constant threat to these     8     (endanger) creatures.

In recent years, conversation efforts have been made to protect the golden snub-nosed monkey and its habitat. Many protected areas have been established in their range, including nature reserves and national parks,     9     provide safe shelters for the monkeys.

The golden snub-nosed monkey is not only a symbol of China's rich biodiversity, but an essential part of the ecosystem. Their conservation is, without doubt, of vital     10     (important).

The famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven did not inherit much musical talent from his ancestors, according to a new study. Researchers say the findings are a good example of how     1     (we) DNA doesn’t determine what talents will be developed in life.

The researchers examined Beethoven’s DNA using a hair sample     2     (collect) during a separate study last year. Their goal was to explore his genetic predisposition(倾向) for music,     3     is closely tied to musical ability.     4     (do) this, they compared Beethoven’s DNA with that of nearly 14,500 other individuals in database. With his genetic information, they calculated a polygenic(多基因的) score     5     a sign of his predisposition for musical talent.

“Interestingly, Beethoven, one of the     6     (well-known) musicians in history, had an unremarkable score for general musicality —     7     (rank) around the top 10% of people based on modern samples,” said Tara Henechowicz from the team.

The authors who published the study in Current Biology said it would be wrong to conclude that Beethoven had little talent, but it does highlight the problems in making predictions based     8     (pure) on DNA.

“The mismatch between the DNA-based forecast and Beethoven’s musical genius     9     (provide) a valuable teaching moment because it demonstrates that DNA tests cannot give us a final answer about     10     a given child will end up being musically gifted,” said Ms. Henechowicz.

“With your fingers crossed, inhale; then slowly lift your arms above your head.” Lu Jing, 66, is demonstrating a Ba Duan Jin exercise in a video she posted on the Douyin video app. As one of a handful of high-level professionals in China, Lu     1     (teach) Ba Duan Jin since 2005. Each morning from 7 to 8:30, she organizes offline exercise sessions, attracting many a     2     (participate) every day.

Ba Duan Jin is     3     easy-to-learn indoor exercise     4     (consist) of a sequence of eight qigong movements that strengthen the muscles, improve circulation and respiration, and boost the immune system. Such health benefits appeal     5     Lu’s followers aged 16 to 70. “Losing weight is difficult for women at my age, but my ‘love handles’ have gone!” one says. “I need to be     6     (high) concentrated on the coordination of my movements and breathing so I feel     7     (liberate) from anxiety,” says another.

Lu is keen     8     (collect) feedback from viewers and interact with experienced practitioners. In Lu’s opinion, Ba Duan Jin is not a rigid fitness regime. It’s important to listen to people’s responses, so that the traditional exercise can     9     (tailor) to meet modern people’s needs. That is     10     we truly inherit the treasure of Chinese culture.

Little Women is a classic novel by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868. The story follows the     1     (life) of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—as they grow up during the Civil War era in the United States.

The March family,     2     (consist) of their mother, Marmee, and their four daughters, lives     3     modest life in a small town. Each sister has her own unique personality and dreams: Meg wants to be a lady, Jo wishes to be a writer, Beth is content     4     her simple life and loves music, and Amy strives to become a painter and a socialite (社会名流).

Throughout the story, the sisters     5     (face) with various challenges and learn     6     (value) life lessons. They support each other, grow stronger and form strong bonds of sisterhood. Jo's writing career takes off, Meg finds love, Beth contracts a serious illness and passes away     7     (fortunate), and Amy gains     8     (recognise) and popularity for her paintings.

The novel captures the essence of family, love, dreams and the persistence of the human spirit. It highlights the importance of sisterhood and the support system within a family, and inspires readers     9     (pursue) their dreams with courage and determination. Little Women remains a timeless classic,     10     appeals to readers of all ages.

Though Peking Opera and English don’t     1     (normal) go together, they fit together like a dream. They have made up the best     2     (moment) of my life.

After     3     (win) a prize at the age of 10, I went on to win the Silver Award for the National Children’s Peking Opera Contest on CCTV Channel 11. I delivered     4     impressive performance of qingyi, the graceful female role in     5     (tradition) Chinese drama. It was by singing Peking Opera in English     6     I won the judges over and got into the final round of the     7     (compete).

I’m proud that Peking Opera and English come together in my life,     8     brings me the dream to introduce Chinese culture to the world by performing Peking Opera in English. With this dream in my heart, singing Peking Opera in English, I     9     (participate) in the 2019 National Star of Outlook English Contest, and won the first prize.

In the coming days, I’ll keep working hard on Peking Opera and English     10     (realize)my dream of performing Peking Opera in English across the world.

Taoism (Daoism) is one of China’s best-known religions. It’s an ancient tradition of philosophy that reflects a deep-rooted Chinese worldview. But what exactly is Tao? We visited the largest Taoist establishment in Beijing, the Baiyun Temple,     1     (find) out more.

Zhong Daosong is a Taoist master at Baiyun Temple. “The Tao, or the Way, is the approach in tune with the flow of Nature.     2     different counties and various regions have their own cultures, if we pursue harmony between humanity and nature, there will be no friction-and no     3     (violent).” said Zhong.

Taoism is China’s native religion.     4     is evident in its best-known symbol, the circle of yin and yang, it’s also a religion of unity and opposites. This represents two fundamentally opposite forces in     5     universe: light and dark, male and female, hot and cold.

“The supreme good is like water, which benefits all of creation without trying to compete     6     it” That’s a very famous sentence     7     (note) by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu in Tao Te Ching, the ancient Taoist text, over 2,000 years ago. This philosophy     8     (fascinate) and inspired people in China, as well as those in many Asian countries and more recently in the West, over the course of many centuries. “The culture of Taoism is universal without any barriers,     9     (promote) cultural exchanges and mutual learning. The reason why western people like Taoism so much is mainly because Taoism has no boundaries.” Taoism has become increasingly     10     (influence) around the world.