2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The cute “auspicious rabbit” (吉祥兔) figure    1     the first mascot for the “Happy Chinese New Year” celebrations, has arguably been    2    international star. It travelled overseas to various countries, leaping into countless hearts worldwide.    3     (follow) the rabbit’s phenomenal success, the ministry launched the 2024 “Happy Chinese New Year” mascot for the Year of the Dragon global celebrations in Beijing on Oct 7, 2023.

“JiXiang Long”,     4     (literal) lucky dragon, the mascot features a gesture of a smiley face with flame-shaped eyebrows and a gold ingot-shaped(元宝形状) nose. Its body    5     (cover) by yellow and red flame patterns.

Gao Zheng, director-general of the ministry’s Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation, unveiled the mascot alongside UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Tan Dun. “Dragon is the only animal    6    does not actually exist in the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. The holy animal is a(n)    7     (separate) part of the Chinese civilization, representing our hope for and pursuit of peace, joy, and good luck,” said Lin Cunzhen, the lead designer of the mascot.    8     (come) up with a design that combined the holiness of the divine creature and adorableness    9    (require) for a mascot, she and her team pooled the wisdom of archaeologists, art historians, artists, and designers. They also interviewed people of various age groups to learn about the    10    (prefer) of a dragon mascot. Aside from being widely featured in the 2024 “Happy Chinese New Year” celebrations at home and abroad, “JiXiang Long” will be developed into a host of cultural creative products, ranging from stationery to souvenir statues.

The English word “garden” gives an entirely wrong idea of the Chinese yuan, for “garden” suggests a lawn and an infinite       1       (vary) of flowers, altogether too prim (呆板的) and tidy to suit Chinese taste. The Chinese yuan suggests first of all a wild landscape, perhaps better arranged and more artistically       2     (plan) than nature, but still a bit of nature itself, with trees, creeks, and flowers. Dotted in this natural landscape are the human structures like pavilions and long winding corridors, so       3       (perfect) belonging to the scenery as to become a whole with it. The Chinese garden       4       (characterize) by studied disorderliness. There are no even-cut bushes or symmetric (对称的) rows lining avenues as if in battle formation.

No Chinese mansion allows an outsider       5       (look) through theiron gates at along drive, for that would be against the principle of concealment.       6       (face) the   gate, we see a small courtyard giving no idea of the expansiveness of space inside, and leading one step by step into newer views, in       7       continual series of surprises and astonishments. With wooden framework       8       (bear) most of the weight of the house, windows, doors and walls are not restricted to certain locations. The essential idea of interior (室内的) decoration is the beauty of simplicity. Home designs are not something fancy we buy from a first-class firm. What distinguishes a home       9       a public building is the personal touch that we give it. It is only when the spirit of leisure and loving care exists       10       living at home can become an art and a pleasure.

Adaptation from My Country and My People by LinYutang

On Saturday, an activity to experience farming culture     1     (hold) in Temple of Agriculture in Beijing.

As     2     important ritual architectural complex near the central axis (中心轴) of Beijing, the temple used to be a place for emperors of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911)     3     (dynasty) to perform sacrifices in the hope for good harvests, and     4     (have) become a witness of China’s farming civilization.

    5     (organize) by the Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum, the activity this time included a ceremony to start harvest, scholars’     6     (introduce) of 24 solar terms and Temple of Agriculture, and an experience activity in     7     people were invited to reap crops with their own hands.

The activity aims to make more people understand the humanistic spirit of     8     (respect) and valuing agriculture, revering nature and seeking harmonious coexistence     9     human and nature, and feel the profoundness of traditional Chinese farming culture and the wisdom and hard work of the Chinese people.

The activity helps people     10     (well) understand traditional farming culture in China.

In 2008, an intercity high-speed train pulled out of Beijing South Station, showing China’s rail network stepped into a new fast-moving period. Over the past decade, the country has added over 35,000 kilometers     1     its high-speed rail (HSR) network, with the total length that goes far beyond the rest of the world combined.

The HSR is by far the world’s     2    (big) network of its type and China was also the first country with a GDP per capita (人均国民生产总值) below $7,000     3    (invest) in developing an HSR network.

Looking back, a key milestone for China’s HSR development was the     4    (approve) of the Medium-and Long-Term Railway Plan (MLTRP) in 2004,     5     the low speed of the existing railway limited competitiveness in passenger transport.

Though construction     6    (push) forward under technology agreements with developed countries like Germany and France in the beginning, China quickly adapted and improved the designs for local use. Based on the previous experience     7    (accumulate) in this field, China has also developed international standards for HSR equipment.

The original intention for the project was to     8    (large) the capacity (容量) of the country’s overloaded network and improve passenger services. But thanks to many spillover (外溢)     9    (benefit), it has improved regional and provincial connectivity, serving as     10     great help to China’s economic development.

A music concert “Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems” jointly performed by iSING! Suzhou and the Philadelphia Orchestra was staged at Kimmel Performing Arts Center in Philadelphia on Jan. 6.

Another concert featuring Tang poetry was    1    (successful) held at the Lincoln Center in New York on Jan. 7. Fifteen iSING! Suzhou singers from 10 countries led by Liao Guomin performed songs    2    (write) by young composers from 6 countries. The songs included many well-known    3    (poem) from the Tang Dynasty, such    4    Luo Binwang’s Singing of Goose and Li Bai’s Quiet Thoughts by Night.

The iSING! Suzhou International Young Artists Festival    5    (set) up in Suzhou in 2014 as China’s first international vocal (声乐) art festival. Over    6     past eight years, the festival has attracted outstanding young singers from all over the world, spread    7    promoted Chinese and classical music, and enhanced cultural exchanges between China and the West, becoming a cultural card for Suzhou to go    8    (globe).

The performances were also held to commemorate(纪念) the    9     (fifty) anniversary of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s China tour in 1973. The Philadelphia Orchestra, as the first American orchestra    10    (visit) China, bridged the two nations in the field of culture.

In 1998, an eco-museum was established in Suojia Miao, Yi and Hui Township, China’s Guizhou Province. Consisting of 12 villages, including Gaoxing Village, the eco-museum is different from traditional ones. It isn’t enclosed by walls and    1     it showcases is more than various collections.

Xiong Shaozhen, a 77-year-old resident of Gaoxing Village, weaves every day with a loom (织布机) in a wooden house, her daughter-in-law busy    2    ( learn )the craft from her．“The costumes, language, music and even the way of production of the local community are all living     3    (significance) exhibits,” said Luo Gang, head of the museum.

A decade ago,Gaoxing Village    4    (list) in a traditional Chinese villages catalog (目录).However,Luo found there were few looms left in the village.He    5    (apply) for a budget from relevant departments and invited professional craftsmen to produce looms for the villagers. He asked each villager that received the machine    6    (use)it and train an inheritor (继承者) of the local weaving technique. In addition, most of the old folk houses with their    7    (roof) made of straw needed regular replacement and Luo had their original appearance     8    (restore).

There are 25 such eco-museums in the province, which are in line     9     sustainable development principles. Not only do they guide villagers to perform independent-management and activate their passion for preserving their traditional cultures, but they create more jobs and give     10    boost to local tourism.