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.

Chengdu is a nice lively city with a busy street life which people always find amusing. If you are traveling to Chengdu with children, a stop at one of the Giant Pnda Reserves will be     1     you must try. But that’s not all there is to see for children.

Kids will also enjoy     2    (take) a walk around ancient Jin Li Street, with its colorful market atmosphere, temples, the river and bridges. Stop at the teahouses, enjoy the markets, and try some    3    (taste) Sichuan dishes. Just around     4     corner you will find all sorts of Tibetan clothes and cultural objects, different from the usual souvenirs     5    (find) throughout China.

In addition, Chengdu can     6    (use) as a base for many one-day hikes in Sichuan Province. Besides the Giant Pandas,     7     the city is well-known for, there will be plenty to keep the kids busy in this area.     8    (certain), it is worth staying for a few days if you have the time.

Chengdu is also considered the gateway for travel into Tibet. Sichuan Province itself has a large Tibetan population and offers plenty     9     opportunities for interacting with minority cultures. Children can enjoy and learn from these     10    (encounter) here.

Three hundred years ago, merchants from Shanxi Province started a daring journey along the ancient tea road, spanning over 10,000 kilometers     1     (introduce) Chinese tea flavors to the world. Unknowingly, they also brought back foreign glassware craftsmanship,     2     developed successfully in Qixian county.

There     3     (be) 53 glassware production companies in Qixian at present, making over 8,000 product     4     (variety). Last year, they produced 250,000 metric tons of glassware products valued     5     an estimated 2.3 billion yuan. Its success results from skilled craftsmanship and automation.

The workers’ attention to detail and artistic talent make Qixian’s glassware stand out in a highly     6     (compete) global market. Yet, there is the twin challenge of limited output and high production expenses.

Qixian assigns high-end and personalized creations to skilled craftsmen and leaves     7     (simple) and standardization to the precision of machines. This approach maintains product quality, meets market needs, and preserves     8     unique core that sets them apart.

The jourmey to transform Qixian’ s glassware companies into time-honored brands may be a     9     (wind) path, but the persistence and innovation the businesses possess will help them get there     10     (eventual), said Li Jiansheng, chairman of Qixian Honghai Glass Co Ltd.

On 10 January, I     1     (invite) by Nadim, whose sister got married. The wedding ceremony took place in a brightly     2     (decorate) hotel room.

According     3     tradition, the bride was wearing an eye-catching red silk sari and guests were dressed up formally. A few     4     (tradition) customs made a deep     5     (impress) on me. One was the bridegroom's entrance on     6    beautiful white horse. The couple joined hands and walked around a small fire     7     showed their determination     8    (support) each other. Although I was not good at dancing, I had a good time. Then, on 26 February, I flew to Brazil to attend the Rio Carnival. Luckily, I arrived just in time—the show was about to begin when I took my place in the merry crowd. The crowds waited     9    (excited). Then the dancers started twisting. The air was filled with the smell of roasted meat. Even as I lay in bed that evening, the bright colours and lively music were still swimming all around     10     (I).