When people think of China, silk is among the first things that pop into their mind. The best place in China     1     (discover) the wonder of silk is the city of Suzhou. 90 % of the genuine-silk trade in the world comes from China,     2     one third of the silk products exported from China is from Suzhou. It was in this place     3    some of the first silk embroideries (刺绣) were born. Suzhou Silk can be made     4       a great many products, the most common being clothing and scarves.

Silk is a natural protein fiber. The protein fiber of silk consists mainly of fibroin,     5     protein produced by certain insects to generate cocoons.

Chinese legend gives the title Goddess of Silk to Leizu, wife of the mythical Yellow Emperor in about 3000 BC. She     6       (credit) with the introduction of silkworm ever since. During the Western Han Dynasty, the Emperor assigned special envoys, like Zhang Qian,     7     (routine) to the Western Regions, which facilitated the     8     (form) of the Silk Road.

Silk is the symbol of     9     (distinguish) ancient Chinese culture and the old silk industry formed one of the most splendid chapters in the history of the Chinese culture, remarkably     10     (contribute) to the development of the world civilization.

The lion dance is a traditional Chinese dance performed on big occasions for good luck and prosperity, as     1     is believed that the lion symbolizes power and wisdom. Also, the lion dance is a way     2     (create) a festive atmosphere and bring happiness.

Chinese lion dances     3     (perform) by two “dancers” in a lion costume. Accompanied by the music of beating drums, lion dancers imitate a lion’s various movements or demonstrate martial arts’ agility (敏捷) ,     4     (depend) on the style.

Before the Han Dynasty, only a few lions had reached the Central Plains from the western area of ancient China due to the Silk Road trade. At that time, people imitated the     5     (appear) and actions of the newly arrived lions in a performance,     6     developed into the lion dance in the Three Kingdoms period and then became popular     7     the rise of Buddhism. In the Tang Dynasty, the lion dance was one of the court dances. After that, the lion dance became a custom during the Spring Festival.

The lion dance is     8     excellent example of Chinese folk culture, which has spread across the world with Chinese immigration. Up to now, overseas Chinese in Europe, America, etc.     9     (establish) many lion dance clubs, performing on Chinese festivals or big occasions,     10     (particular) Chinese New Year.

On March 31, the Eiffel Tower celebrated its 130th anniversary since it opened.     1    (original) planned to last only 20 years, the people of Paris wisely decided to keep it standing,    2     (recognize) its importance. Millions of people     3     (visit) the tower so far, according to its official website.

The tower was created by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel and was first intended as the main entrance     4     the 1889 World’s Fair. It was built in a little over two years and faced criticism from some locals initially. However, it quickly captured the attention of fair visitors, attracting more than two million people. It also had a     5     (practice) use as a radio antenna during World War I.

Visitors today can choose to climb 1,665 steps or take one of the original elevator cars    6     (reach) the top. At the top of the tower,     7     the tower’s administrative office is located, guests can enjoy a drink at the champagne bar on the top floor.

Today, the Eiffel Tower is a symbol of France, representing a feeling of pride and thankfulness. It is a global icon that can bring together people from different     8    (background). The tower is not only     9     popular tourist destination but also a widely recognized symbol, a     10     (believe) held by many who appreciate its enduring charm.

Early risers are people who naturally wake up early in the morning. Their body clock causes them to get up     1     most of us are still in deep sleep. Researchers at the University of California said early risers could have some     2     (share) DNA from Neanderthals — our ancestors who lived over 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals lived in the     3     (north) parts of Europe and Asia. They woke up earlier to hunt for or gather food as the sun rose. Researcher Dr. Tony Capra said, “At higher latitudes (纬度) it is     4    (benefit) to have a body clock that is better able to anticipate and adapt to the     5     (change) seasonal light levels.” He added, “Having a ‘faster’ body clock makes individuals more likely to rise early.”

Scientists have spent a long time looking at     6     some people are early birds, while others are night owls. They looked at     7     medical database with genetic information of hundreds of thousands of people. Their research found more examples of Neanderthal DNA existed in the early risers. However,     8     is likely that the Neanderthal gene is not so strong in many people. The effect of the Neanderthal DNA may     9     (weaken) over the past centuries. Our modern lifestyles mean many of us prefer sleeping in     10     leaving the comfort of our bed. Nevertheless, it may still be true that the early bird catches the worm.

Tai Hang, a modern-looking neighborhood in Hong Kong, is home to the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance,a folk art form that    1    (perform)during the Mid-Autumn Festival for over 100 years.    2    started as a way to rid this fishing village of bad luck has become a cultural treasure.

The dragon is about 70 meters long and weighs more than 200 pounds,with its body     3     (wrap) with pearl grass.More than 70,000 incense sticks(香柱)are lit and strung along the dragon’s back and head to make the“fire”of the fire dragon.At the festival,hundreds of people work    4    turn to parade the burning dragon through the streets of Tai Hang.The     5    (strong)man among the group has    6    honor of supporting the 30-kilogram head. Dozens of performers    7    (move)the dragon smoothly up and down through the air attract rounds of cheers and    8    (applaud)from surrounding crowds.

The inheritors of the dragon dance have set up workshops to demonstrate various aspects of the traditional art from the making techniques to    9    (base)dance skills.In June, 2022,the Hong Kong Tai Hang Fire Dragon Museum was opened    10    (inspire)more people to learn more about this traditional dance culture.

After four days of wonderful performances, the 7th China Quanzhou International Puppet Festival     1     (come) to an end on December 12 in 2023 in Quanzhou, south China’s Fujian Province. The festival,     2     was held in the hometown of Chinese string (线) puppetry (木偶制作艺术), showed the high-level skills of Quanzhou’s puppetry artists, leaving audiences     3     (amaze).

In China, string puppetry is     4     important form of traditional theater that originated in Quanzhou during the Han Dynasty.     5     (actual), having been passed down over thousands of years, more than 700 traditional plays about folk beliefs and customs have been protected.

Each puppet is equipped with 8 to 16 strings, while more complex performances may require up to 36 strings. The strings     6     (divide) into several groups according to human movements, and all the actions are controlled by the hands of the puppetry artists.

To master string puppetry, skilled     7     (way) to perform puppets are not enough. Puppeteers also need to have rich life experiences     8     (understand) the emotional world of the characters to help bring the puppets to life.

On May 20, 2006, Quanzhou string puppetry was added     9     the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list (非物质文化遗产名录).

As the hometown of string puppetry, Quanzhou was also the first city in China to hold an international puppet festival and succeeded in     10     (host) six sessions in 1986, 1990, 2000, 2015, 2017 and 2019.