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.

Every early morning in Southwest China’s Chongqing, there is a common scene at the city’s Rail Transit Line 4: A group of farmers     1     (shoulder) vegetables for sale are busy riding on the subway to downtown.

Nicknamed “packbasket special line”, the second phase of the subway line, connecting Shichuan town to the city center, has     2     total length of 32.8 kilometers and 15 stations. It     3     (provide) local farmers near the town with a wider channel for selling their produce since its opening.

Every morning around 6 o’clock, the entrance and exit of the Shichuan Town station of the line are     4     (crowd) with these special commuters (上下班往返的人)     5     baskets are filled with fresh seasonal vegetables. It took them more than one hour     6     (reach) the city before the opening of the line as they had to take several buses. Now, by taking the subway, they can get there in less than 30 minutes     7     any difficulty. The opening of this subway line not only saves money for the farmers but also time, bringing great     8     (convenient) to them.

To facilitate the farmers, the station, which was supposed to open at 6:15, now opens five minutes earlier every day. The staff members     9     (arrange) at the station also assist as much as possible: guiding them to     10     (efficient) enter the station in order and to use the elevators, and helping them with the baskets.

One cannot help but wonder     1     the man was holding, when looking up to the famous bronze standing man, in Sanxingdui,       2     archaeological (考古) site located in Sichuan province.

    3     the numerous bronze statues there, this giant standing bronze figure,     4    (measure) 260.8 centimeters in height, is the “highest” ruler. People argue over just about all     5    (aspect) of him, from identity and dragon-patterned clothing, to delicate headpiece. Yet nothing has aroused more interest than     6    (he) gestures. With arms raised in midair and fingers of both hands circled to form a hole in the middle, the man     7    (doubt) was holding something, something that is likely to have been lost or rotted away after countless years.

But what was it?

“It’s a gold scepter (权杖),” says Hu Jialin, who is behind a well-researched     8    (exhibit) at Shanghai Museum, which takes a deeper look at the myths of Sanxingdui.

The reason is simple: just a month before the unearthing of the bronze man, a 1.42-meter-long gold scepter was found at the same site, made up of a layer of gold foil (金箔) wrapped around a wooden stick.     9     initially mistaken for a belt as the wooden part long rotted away, this gold scepter     10    (prove) to be one of the biggest of its kind found in China and beyond.

Spring rolls, those crispy delights of golden pastry (油酥面团), featuring a mix     1     finely chopped vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and sometimes meat, are among the most popular     2     (choice) for a quick and tasty snack. The rolls are fried to a perfect crunch and are     3     (typical) eaten when hot. To eat one, you have to decide     4     to dip it in a sweet and sour sauce first, adding an extra layer of flavor, or to enjoy it on     5     (it) own, letting the roll’s own taste shine through. While spring rolls     6     (serve) in many places, the classic version can be found in the busy street markets,     7     they are made fresh on the spot and provided straight from the fryer. Good spring rolls have a light crust, allowing them     8     (pick) up easily without breaking or becoming unpleasantly wet. The filling is carefully seasoned     9     (guarantee) a harmonious blend of tastes and textures (口感).

No matter where I get them, one is rarely enough, but two or three might be too much, so I am always left     10     (look) forward to my next spring roll experience.

The Well That Changed The World

There used to be some problems in many developing African countries,     1     which how to get enough drinking water was the largest. Ryan, a six-year-old Canadian schoolboy, had difficulty     2     (believe) it, because there were quite a few drinking fountains in his small school. “Life is easy for me, but hard for them,” he thought     3     himself, “why don’t I help?”

    4     (determine) to build a well in Africa for them, he tried and managed to earn 70 dollars in a few months. However, he     5     (tell) he needed to make at least 2,000 dollars to have a well dug in Africa. He then started to ask     6     could donate money in his school and neighborhood for help. Only in a few months, he raised 2,000 pounds, with which a well was built near a primary school in Uganda. The local people were too grateful for what he     7     (do) for them and invited him to visit.

On arriving there, Ryan was struck by the     8     (surprise) poor life they lived. But all the students were always wearing a big smile on their faces. Nervous though he was on the first few days, what he saw filled him with     9     (warm) soon.

Today, more and more people joined him,     10     this makes it possible to build more wells. Tens of thousands of people in Africa have benefited.

Some of the most famous and successful people in history battled self-doubt.     1     fact, some held this feeling throughout their entire lives, even after their work had been held in high regard by     2     public. Here       3     (be) two famous people from history who struggled with self-doubt.

John Steinbeck

Even the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author John Steinbeck felt uncomfortable about the praise he got for his work. He wrote in his diary: “I am not a writer. I’ve been fooling       4     (I) and other people.” His famous realistic novel The Grapes of Wrath      5     (help) land him the Pulitzer Prize in 1940.

Michelangelo

World-renowned Italian Renaissance artist,     6     (sculpt) and architect Michelangelo doubted his abilities before he created his famous painting, The Last Judgement, in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.

The beginning of Michelangelo’s career consisted mostly of sculptures,     7     helped spread his name throughout Italy. However, Pope Julius II asked Michelangelo     8     (paint) the wall of the Sistine Chapel. In response, Michelangelo refused at first,     9     (say) that he was not a painter.    10     (final), he accepted the Pope’s request and spent four years on the painting.