Weiqi, an ancient strategic game,     1     (date) back over 4,000 years. It involves black and white stones     2     (place) on a board, with the aim of surrounding the opponent’s pieces. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the game     3     (spread) to Korea and Japan, where it gained great popularity. In Korea, it was known as baduk,     4     in Japan it was called igo or go. Despite its popularity     5     East Asia, it was only introduced to the West in the late 19th century through Japan. Accordingly, most non-Chinese know the game by its Japanese name and use Japanese terms to play it.     6     (distinguish) it from the English verb “go”, the game is often capitalized as “Go”.

Though Go looks quite simple, it is actually one of the most complicated games. In fact, there are so many possible moves in Go     7     a whole new field of mathematics has been created just to describe the game. While this shows     8     level of thinking skills that Go players must have to become champions, it also shows the difficulties involved in creating a computer program that can play the game well. Meanwhile, top Go players like Ke Jie have been excited by AlphaGo’s     9     (innovate) strategies, opening up whole new worlds of     10     (possibility) in the game of Go. Nowadays, many Go players now use AI programs like AlphaGo to help them improve their playing skills.

China ramps up space ambitions with record launch schedule

China has ambitious plans for its space industry in 2024, with     1     (approximate) 100 launch missions scheduled, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), the nation’s leading space contractor. The announcement of this record-high number of launch plans     2     (make) during a news conference in Beijing on Monday.

CASC will be responsible for nearly 70% of the planned missions,     3     (arrange) over 290 spacecrafts into orbit, said Ma Tao, deputy head of the company’s space program planning department. Notable spaceflights for the year include two     4     (crew) journeys and two unmanned missions to the Tiangong space station.

Experts highlight that     5     (significant) mission in 2024 will be Chang’e 6, tasked with bringing back     6     first-ever samples from the little-known far side of the moon. The majority of planned     7     (launch) will be conducted by CASC’s Long March rocket family, with additional ones by the company’s secondary rocket series named Smart Dragon, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp’s Kuaizhou fleet, and several models from private companies.

In 2023, China was the second-ranking country in terms of launch numbers, having carried     8     67 rocket launching missions, with 47 conducted by the Long March rocket family, all of     9     were successful.

The company laid     10     (emphasize) on its contionuous efforts in the research, development and construction of over 200 spacecrafts to be launched in the coming years.

Chengde Mountain Resort

Chengde Mountain Resort lies in the north of Chengde City, Hebei Province in the north of China and covers an area of 5,640,000 square meters. First     1     (build) in the 42nd year during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, the whole construction of Chengde Mountain Resort     2     (last) a total of about 90 years. The resort is mainly composed of Palace Zone and Garden Scenery Zone.

Located in the south part of the resort, Palace Zone comprises rows of buildings in a perfect layout,     3     look like those in the Forbidden City in Beijing.     4     buildings fall into four groups: Central Palace, Pine and Crane Studio, Valleys and Pines, and East Palace.

Garden Scenery Zone is divided into the lake area, the plain area and the mountain area.     5     (lie) in the west and north of the plain area, the mountain area has an area of 4,435,000 square meters, accounting for four     6     (five) of the total area of the resort. The towering peaks seem as if they are natural blockades preventing the bitter wind from entering the zone and that seems to be     7     the weather here is regulated.

Unlike other royal gardens, Chengde Mountain Resort is a perfect     8     (combine) of quintessence of both the south and north gardens that follow the natural terrain and suit measures to conditions of mountains and waters for construction. It is an outcome of inheriting (继承) and     9     (far) expanding the architectural philosophy of Chinese classical gardens. It is a milestone of pride in Chinese garden history and a masterwork of Chinese classical garden art, claimed     10     the largest existing royal garden in the world.

Zhang Daqian was one of the best-known Chinese artists of the twentieth century. He grew up in a small village in China     1     he developed a passion for painting. However, his parents did not     2     (particular) support his interest in art, believing that it would not lead to a     3     (promise) future. Despite their     4     (object), Zhang Daqian continued to go after his dream, often setting aside some time from his chores     5     (practice) painting.

As Zhang Daqian grew older, his talent became even more obvious. One day, a famous painter visited Zhang’s village and     6     (amaze) by his works. So he offered to take him on as his pupil.

    7     the guidance of the master painter, Zhang Daqian made great progress. Eventually, he became     8     master painter in his own right, known throughout China for his vivid landscapes and portraits (肖像).     9     (influence) by Western painting techniques as well, Zhang’s work used a style that was both traditional and modern.

In his lifetime, he was the mentor (导师) to many other young artists,     10     (give) his knowledge and techniques to the next generation.

China’s long history, vast territory and rich culture     1     (give) birth to the distinctive Chinese cuisine art so far. With several thousand years of creative efforts, Chinese cuisine has become     2     (increase) popular among more and more overseas gourmets (美食家).

Originated from different regions and ethnic groups of China, Chinese cuisine can     3     (divide) into many categories.     4     (root) in the traditional Chinese philosophy, Chinese food represents the harmony and balance of nature, not only satisfy     5     gourmet’s appetite, but also preserve people’s health.

For most of foreign travellers, Chinese cuisines are equal to Sichuan Hot Pot, Peking Roast Duck, Kung Pao Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork... These are all tasteful and popular     6     (dish) in China, however, the real Chinese cuisines are far more beyond that.

With vast territory and abundant resources, Chinese people have developed diverse cuisines based     7     different regions, weathers and raw materials. Generally, there are over a dozen of regional cuisines in China, among     8     the most popular ones are called Eight Famous Cuisines. Except regional cuisines, ethnic foods, such as Tibet food and food in Minority areas, have their own unique flavours and features. Local snacks, though not formal meals, win     9     (it) position among all kinds of people. Chengdu and Xi’an are famous for their snacks, and some people travel to these cities just     10     (taste) the local snacks!

On the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (高原), the Sanjiangyuan Region, which has the     1     (impress) landscape and various wildlife, is home to the headwaters (上游) of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers,     2     is thus known as Asia’s “water tower”. The Sanjiangyuan Region is not only the source of splendid rivers, but also an important habitat for species on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. In the past few decades, the delicate ecological environment     3     (preserve) silently by the locals.

Little known to the outsiders, Jianzuo Village, located near the headwaters of the Lancang River, is the first community on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau to lead a zero-waste life. People gave up using plastic products     4     (protect) the water and soil in the Sanjiangyuan Region. In 2017, local people made use of floors, doors and windows     5     (desert) in the Yushu earthquake to build     6     zero-waste environmental protection school.     7     makes the school unique is that the insides are decorated with recycled things and second-hand furniture. And every old object has a special story. The zero-waste school also     8     (remind) the local people of the beauty of traditional culture. As the “zero-waste dream” comes true, people who have lived     9     generations on the plateau have also regained their cultural     10     (confident).

The popularity of ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River, such as Zhouzhuang and Wuzhen, has aroused a nationwide trend in the construction of ancient towns. Lin Peng, the director of China’s Institute of Ancient Cities and Cultural Studies, pointed     1     that there are more than 2,800 developed or developing ancient towns in our country,     2     is definitely the highest number globally.

In ancient towns,     3     immersive (沉浸式) experience being mentioned here is historical and cultural characteristics — the “ancient” of ancient towns. Apart from visible “special buildings”, characteristics also include invisible “culture”. Tourists in ancient towns want to see the living     4     (condition) of local people, feel the vitality of town life, try characteristic local snacks     5     (influence) by geography and folk customs, and understand how long history     6     (shape) local culture. Out of modern fast-paced work and life, tourists want to awaken their inner softness with a slow-moving ancient town.

Touring ancient towns is for recreation, relaxation, and pleasure,     7     if all the ancient towns in different places are the same and cannot find their own     8     (unique), then ancient town tourism will     9     (eventual) decline. Let every ancient town become a unique historical imprint (印记), so that tourists can find their “poetry and distance” while     10     (wander) through the ancient towns. This is the soul that ancient towns need to regain.

Heritage professionals     1     (stress) the role of technology in the protection of cultural heritage at this year’s first deputies’ passage interview on March 5, 2024, just before the second session of the 14th National People’s Congress.

Despite progress     2     (make) in the protection of the Yungang Grottoes, protection with greater use of technology is still     3     they need, said Hang Kan, a deputy to the 14th National People’s Congress, who is also a researcher with the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

According     4     Hang, the Yungang Grottoes from the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) had a huge cost in human, material and financial resources. A consolidation (整合) project on the     5     (danger) rock bodies was carried out for decades and ended in recent years. But the protection efforts may     6     (destroy) as the grottoes were carved in a Jurassic sandstone formation with complex geological conditions, and are threatened by weathering and water leakage.

He mentioned two technological     7     (measure) adopted in the protection of the grottoes were awarded at national-level scientific conferences, and they will intensify technological investment in the research of cave deterioration and     8     (develop) of protective materials in future work.

“Yungang Grottoes are a treasure of traditional Chinese culture,” said Hang. “We will give priority to protection and add more technological measures     9     (protect) them. We will continue to promote the research, display and utilization of the grottoes, do     10     good job in the inheritance of the cultural heritage so that more people can feel the charm of traditional culture.”

What comes to your mind when you think of Beijing? The Forbidden City? Tian’anmen Square? The Temple of Heaven? All these famous landmarks     1     (locate) along the central axis (中轴线). As the best-preserved core area of the old city of Beijing, the central axis is now under     2     (consider) for UNESCO’s World Heritage status.

The central axis refers     3     the “line” that separates the eastern and western parts of Beijing. At 7.8 kilometers long, it runs from Yongding Gate in the south to the Bell Tower and Drum Tower in the north. Construction began in the Yuan Dynasty, and continued during the Ming and Qing     4     (dynasty).

The central axis, like the backbone of Beijing,     5     (smart) organized the palaces, temples, markets and streets in ancient times. It shows the traditional Chinese concept of     6    (respect) the center. This stressed the     7     (important) of imperial power, as the royal palace would be in the central spot. Other important buildings were placed around it. It also shows traditional Chinese ideas like harmony between man and nature and following order. It runs from the south to the north, the same as the direction of a meridian (子午线). The ritual (礼乐) culture     8     started from the Zhou Dynasty stressed balance, symmetry (对称) and order. There are lots of symmetric buildings along the axis. The Forbidden City is the most well-known palace     9     (build) along the central axis.

The central axis is more than     10     material relic. It is also a continuation of the traditional Chinese city layout concept.

Yunnan has adopted artificial intelligence (AI) to carry out most routine inspections at 621 power substations (变电站), replacing the need for human workers. The AI inspection, powered by cameras, drones (无人机) and walking robots,     1     (be) capable of completing a task in     2     (little) than five minutes, down from the five hours     3     (require) by human workers.

Yunnan, a major     4     (produce) of hydropower and other forms of clean electricity, has 1, 937 power substations of 35 kilovolts (千伏) or above, many of     5     are located in mountainous areas. Access to nearly half of     6     substations requires travel of more than three hours by road.

AI-powered automatic inspections are expected     7     (free) human workers from lengthy road travels, greatly reducing costs. The China Southern Power Grid has planned to promote AI inspections from the experimental areas     8     the rest of the substations in the province over the next two years.

China is increasingly turning to artificial intelligence, especially robotic technologies to tackle the     9     (short) of technicians in remote mountainous areas. Last year, the mountainous province of Guizhou also started using robots to inspect the power substations that are     10     (easy) influenced by extreme weather conditions.