Bicycles have long been     1    (use) for transportation in China. Cycling     2     can be done individually as well     3     in groups has     4    (large) been free from restrictions.

But recently, cycling-the activity or sport of riding a bicycle for exercise-     5    (become) popular among the country’s urban middle class. The pandemic has played     6     part in cycling’s growing popularity as officials moved quickly to close some businesses,     7    (include) gymnasiums.

“With the pandemic... it seems to be the only way for us     8    (run) away from the terrible city life...” a cyclist Yang Lan said, adding, “What you are investing in is     9    (you) own body and a very good workout habit.” Increasing demand and worldwide supply chain problems mean that people wanting to buy bicycles must wait     10    (week) or months to get one.

Ma Mian Qun, also     1     (know) as “Ma Mian Zhe Qun (horse face pleats (褶) skirt) ”, is a kind of traditional Chinese dress. The question of why the dress     2     (name) Ma Mian Qun has always been puzzling. What’s the relationship between the animal’s name and the skirt? In fact, “Ma Mian” is a kind of structure used for defense in the city wall system.

But     3     its name is really related to the city wall is still a question to be confirmed. All the books about Ma Mian Qun, whether they are related to costumes, operas     4     cultural relics, only show that the smooth surface without pleats in the middle is called “Ma Mian”, but there is no     5     (far) explanation for the source of “Ma Mian”.

The Chinese Horse Face Skirt shows     6     unique structural design that pairs practicality with elegance. Its form-fitting waistband transforms into an A-line shape, characterized by a series of pleats that expand outward,     7     (offer) a glimpse of the wearer’s grace with every step.

The Horse Face Skirt, with its deep historical roots, has successfully transitioned into modern fashion, where it serves     8     a bridge between the past and present. In today’s fashion landscape,     9     (design) frequently draw inspiration from the Horse Face Skirt,     10     (skillful) weaving its traditional elements with a modern twist, which thereby broadens its appeal to a contemporary audience.

China drives world renewables capacity addition in 2023

China was the major driving force behind the world’s rapid     1     (expand) of renewable power generation capacity last year, which grew by 50 percent to 510 gigawatts, the International Energy Agency said.

    2     (drive) by rapid growth in China, renewable energy capacity surged globally last year, generating green power faster than at any time during the last few decades. China, which has become     3     dominant force in the field of renewable energy,     4     (see) its position further consolidate in the next five years, as lower costs make utility-scale solar power generation more attractive compared to coal and gas power generation.     5     (additional), China has outlined and clarified regulations for green power certificates,     6     will bring additional income for solar and wind energy developers, and further accelerate its renewable energy development.

China’s installed capacity of renewable energy exceeded 1.45 billion kilowatts in 2023,     7     (account) for more than 50 percent of the country’s total installed power generation capacity. Power generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar now accounts for more than 15 percent of China's total electricity consumption.

China has several advantages that others do not possess, including the ability     8     (approve) and build transmission grids and renewable energy projects     9     (efficient) and finance projects more easily thanks    10     policy priorities.

Hangzhou is a city lying in Zhejiang Province, eastern China.     1     (be) an important southern stop of the Grand Canal that goes to Beijing, the city of Hangzhou is just     2     wonder and must-see scenic place to tourists.

As one of China’s seven ancient     3     (capital), Hangzhou has a history of more than two thousand years. It     4     (describe) by Italian traveler Marco Polo as the finest and most luxurious city in the world. The large number of scenic areas in Hangzhou can satisfy everyone’s     5     (curious). The West Lake scenic area,     6     contains over 60 cultural relic sites and several attractions of natural beauty, is no doubt the most famous. Taking a walk by the lake, you’ll feel the     7     (peace) atmosphere of the city and better understand its time-honored fame as “Heaven on Earth”.

Traveling to Hangzhou is also a chance     8     (experience) the happy and relaxing lifestyles of local people and enjoy delicious Hangzhou’s dishes, like the Beggar’s Chicken, West Lake Fish and Dongpo Pork. At night, the city     9     (have) much to offer. Choosing a tea-house overlooking the West Lake for a pleasant chat over a cup of tea is sure to make you feel     10     (total) relaxed and refreshed.

Nanjing is a city that has played an important role in Chinese history for thousands of years. Nanjing     1     (name) the capital city first in 229 AD during the Three Kingdoms period. It has been a capital city many times. It’s a place that is relatively unknown     2     foreigners yet very popular with local tourists.

When Dave and I got the chance     3     (travel) to it, we jumped at it. We hadn’t known anything about Nanjing before going, but hearing that it was a popular destination from Shanghai, we were excited to explore it. It turns out that Nanjing is one of our favourite     4     (place) to visit in China.

We first went to Nanjing Niushoushan Cultural Park. A trolley (电车) took us to the top of the mountain     5     we could view the immaculate(圣洁的) Buddhist Palace that was built into the side of the mountain.     6     (open) in 2015, it is an example that proves the traditional and the modern can co-exist.

But soon we     7     (realize) that a real treat was inside the palace when we took the escalator (自动扶梯) 6 stories underground to see the Thousand-Buddha Hall. With a height of 28 metres, the golden hall is     8     (impress).

We highly recommend     9     (take) a full day to explore the Niushoushan Cultural Park to visit all the sites on the mountains. And do remember visiting the Usnisa Palace is     10    must.

A collection of tombs dating from the Han Dynasty to the Six Dynasties period were discovered in Wulong District of Southwest China’s Chongqing. The tomb dating back     1     the Western Han Dynasty was the most important among them, and more than 600 precious     2     (culture) relics such as lacquerware (漆器), wood ware, bamboo ware, pottery and bronze ware were unearthed from it. Due to     3     (fill) with water, the tomb remained undisturbed and unharmed, and the funerary objects were well-preserved.

What is exciting about this     4     (discover) is not just the large number of unearthed artifacts but also the list of burial items that indicate a precise record of burial,     5     has been verified as 193 BC,     6     (provide) clarity on the tomb’s date. A piece of unearthed jade ware shows the important position of the tomb owner. The list of burial items found in the tomb is complete and     7     (clear) records the name, quantity and size of the funerary objects.

The tomb     8     (contain) the largest quantity of lacquered wood and bamboo ware ever found at one time in the upper     9     (reach) of the Yangtze River. Based on publicly available information, it is also the earliest tomb of the Western Han Dynasty found in China with     10     clear recorded year.

Chopsticks are one of the world’s oldest and simplest utensils (用具).     1     (use) by about one-fifth of the world’s population, especially in East and Southeast Asia, chopsticks     2    (come) from China at least 5, 000 to 7, 000 years ago, people think.

Chopsticks are believed to have been used    3     a cooking utensil rather than eating utensils. The increasing use of fire and the     4     (develop) of various cooking methods led to the need for cooking utensils to avoid injuries. While spoons once were preferred, people gradually like chopsticks over time because they could easily pick up    5     variety of food such as noodles, dumplings and sticky rice. Their shape and material vary by area and intended use. In China, where people often eat in     6     (group) around a large table, chopsticks generally have a square body, rounded ends and are long enough to reach food from a distance     7     (convenient). Japanese chopsticks tend to be thinner to pick small bones out of fish. Korean chopsticks,     8     generally are made of metal, have a flat body and are used with spoons during meals.

Today, chopsticks    9     (sell) at most Asian supermarkets and online. The most common types are made of wood or bamboo, costing between $5     10     $10 for several pairs.

Hua Tuo was a famous physician in the later years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He is     1     (wide) known as the first doctor in traditional Chinese medicine to invent some anesthetic (麻醉的) herbal formulas and the first surgeon to conduct abdominal (腹部的) operations. Hua also created     2    set of therapeutic qigong exercises called Wuqinxi,    3     imitate the movement of tiger, deer, bear, ape and bird, and are still popular today.

Hua later appeared in many     4     (legend) stories. One of them is about how Hua did surgery on Guan Yu, a famous general of the Kingdom of Shu, without using any anesthetic.

According to the story, after Guan’s right arm    5     (wound) in a battle by a poisonous arrow, he invited Hua to help treat the wound. First, Hua wanted the general    6     (take) his anesthetic. The general laughed and sad that it was unnecessary since he was not afraid     7     pain. So, without applying any anesthetic, Hua used a scalpel (手术刀) to cut off the poisoned flesh from Guan’s arm and then scraped the affected bones while the general calmly played chess.    8     (listen) to the sound of bone scraping, the onlookers’ faces turned pale,    9    the general never uttered a single sound of discomfort throughout the operation.

This popular story shows both the doctor’s exceptional skill and the rare    10     (brave) of the general.

Huang Xiaoling is     1     expert in polychrome porcelain (多色瓷器). She enjoys creating porcelain works, which allows her to maintain her innovative spirit.

From childhood, Huang enjoyed visiting the porcelain factory where her father worked. She loved to draw designs,     2     (especial) flowers and birds. By the age of 12, she could design small porcelain objects. She regularly communicated with the great     3     (master) of the factory who passed on the key techniques to her.

As an adult, when she was out of work, she didn’t give up and followed her teacher to Shanghai to try her luck. The trip opened new perspectives for her as she discovered the high demand for porcelain.    4     her head full of inspiring new ideas, she returned to her hometown to found the Liquanyao porcelain company with former colleagues. Her     5     (strong) lies in her mastery of craft techniques. In 2003, she     6     (win) a silver medal at a competition in Beijing,     7     was a turning point not only for herself but also for Liling porcelain. The porcelain products became known to the general public. The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics boosted business.

Porcelain-making in Liling     8     (date) back to the Han Dynasty. It developed at the end of the Qing Dynasty, when polychrome porcelain was introduced in 1908. A porcelain vase won gold at the Panamaific International Exposition in 1915,     9     (make) it known worldwide.

Huang’s mission is not limited to the continuation of polychrome porcelain; she is also actively promoting this art.“    10     it doesn’t make us millionaires, working in the porcelain industry allows us to have a comfortable life while preserving the skills and culture of our ancestors,” Huang said.

African students who participated in a Chinese agricultural development program have returned to their home countries, aiming to use     1     they’ve learned to help local farmers increase grain yields.

In the Science and Technology Backyard program, which     2     (launch) in 2009 at China Agricultural University in Beijing, students conducted research in experimental fields in rural areas while using their     3     (acquire) knowledge to help Chinese farmers. Phiri, one student from Malawi in Africa, expected hopefully, “We are well on our way to establishing successful STBs,     4     purpose is to empower the farmers of Malawi with the knowledge and tools they need     5     (shape) their agricultural futures.” Due to poor soil quality and a lack of modern agricultural technologies, the yield for Malawi’s main crop, maize, is     6     (relative) low. Many farmers are not growing enough food to sustain     7     (they).

Phiri and other African students, together with their teachers often engaged in conversations with farmers in the fields. Jiao Xiaoqiang,     8     associate professor in charge of the program, said such     9     (engage) is very necessary. “The core of the project lies     10     bringing technicians and farmers together. Only by truly participating in this process and understanding how to spread technology to farmers can they make a real impact when they return to Africa.”