On Nov.30 1835, Samuel Clemens was welcomed into the world. Little did his parents know, their son Samuel would one day     1     (know) as Mark Twain — one of the most     2     (fame) writers in America. In 1839, the Clemens family moved several     3     (mile) east to the town of Hannibal,     4     was a growing port city that     5     (lie) along the bank of the Mississippi. Samuel’s father was a judge and he built two-story frame house. As a youngster, Samuel was kept indoors because of poor health. However,     6     the age of 19, he seemed to recover and joined     7     rest of children in the town outside. He then attended a private school in Hannibal.     8     (unfortunate), his father died of illness when Samuel was 12. Later, Samuel left school and     9     (become) a printer and editorial assistant. It was then that young Samuel found he enjoyed     10     (write).

Every now and then, I think about a conversation I had many years ago with one of my professors about travel. He was saying how important it was to explore beyond a few main tourist     1     (place). “You don’t even have to travel long distances,” he said. “Just two blocks away, and you’re in a     2     (complete) different world.” It is the “just two blocks away” part that has stayed in my mind for so long.

While     3     (create) my book, Criss Cross, I told the story in both conventional and unconventional ways. It felt authentic and heartfelt. I sent photos of my model with the different versions of the story     4     my editor, and waited for her to say, “What on earth are you doing?” When she didn’t answer me, I took it as a Yes, which enhanced my     5     (confident) in a creative decision.

When the medal     6     (award) to Criss Cross, it was an even     7     (big) Yes. The committee said, “Go to make books with beauty, meaning and humor that come from your heart. Tell the stories in the way they want     8     (tell). So many paths are waiting for you.”

When I think about     9     the medal has meant to me, it encourages me to be brave. It’s a spirit which I hope will encourage the readers of my books when they explore the world — just exploring two blocks away, you’ ll definitely find     10     wonderful world.

During the 2023 Lanzhou International Marathon, all eyes were on the elderly couple—Hu Yingfu, 86, and his wife Wang Zhangmin, 77. Many doubted their ability to finish the race,     1     Hu completed the half marathon in two hours and twenty minutes.

Against initial struggles, Hu found a way to motivate himself by counting electric poles while running. “The distance between each electric pole is 50 meters. I run as fast as I can, passing a dozen or so poles.” said Hu.     2     (gradua), his endurance improved, along with his physical condition.

The couple’s love for running started as a way     3     (improve) their fitness, but it quickly became a passion, They participated in a national athletics event     4     the elderly in 2004,     5     (mark) their first-ever national competition. To their surprise, Wang achieved     6     impressive result—the fourth place.

Since then, the elderly couple have become regular     7     (participate) in national athletics events, consistently winning medals, and they     8     (recognize) as well-known figures in the running community.

With a     9     (combine) age of 163, the couple have participated in over 100 marathon races nationwide, whose impact has motivated     10     (count) young individuals to become part of the running community.

“Cold the iron chains spanning over the Dadu River,” Chairman Mao Zedong wrote in a poem, describing the do-or-die battle which took place on the Luding Bridge. The Bridge,     1     (measure) 103.67 meters in length and 3 meters in width, is located in Sichuan Province, which was     2     (original) built in 1705 during the Qing Dynasty. Near the Luding Bridge considered a historical landmark    3     (stand) a museum, in front of which there is a bronze statue of the soldiers whose spirit makes the bridge a household name.

Over 80 years ago, the bridge was crucial to the survival of the CPC-led Red Army during the Long March because if the soldiers had failed to dash through the Luding Bridge then, the Red Army might have been wiped out. Upon their     4     (arrive), the Red Army found only thirteen heavy iron chains    5     (leave) across the river. With no time to waste, one by one the Red soldiers ventured forward to risk their lives and of those who offered    6     (they), thirty were chosen. Though several soldiers fell into     7    fast-flowing river,the others crawled along the wood boards they had laid until they finally took control of the east bank .

Probably never before had people seen fighters like these-men for whom soldiering was not just a rice bowl,     8    a mission. They astonishingly accomplished    9     seemed like a task impossible and their    10    (courage) spirit will always stick in our mind.

CRRC, a leading manufacturer of railway vehicles globally, has officially unveiled its latest addition to the intercity smart train family — the Cinova 2.0, at    1     event held in Qingdao, China. This significant milestone marks the     2     (begin) of a new era in intercity rail travel, as the train represents a leap forward in terms of technology and passenger comfort.

The train was independently developed and manufactured by CRRC. What sets the Cinova 2.0 apart from its predecessors (前代产品) is the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) and digital twins. These technologies provide intelligent solutions that enhance the safety,     3     (efficient), and promising passenger experience of the train.

The ADAS, for instance,     4     (utility) a suite of sensors and cameras to provide the driver with real-time information about the train's surroundings and operating conditions. This allows for safer and    5     (smooth) navigation, even in complex urban environments. Meanwhile, the digital twins technology creates a virtual replica (复制品) of the train and its operating environment,     6     can be used to simulate various scenarios (情景) and test new operational strategies,    7     affecting the actual train.

The new model is an    8     (upgrade) version of the Cinova 1.0 intercity train, which featured characteristics suited for intercity operations such as fast start and stop times, efficient boarding and a large capacity. The Cinova 2.0 has these same design qualities while also integrating intelligent    9     (technology) like 5G, big data and cloud computing. This intelligent train, with its advanced technologies and exceptional performance, is ready to    10     (revolution) the way people travel between cities, making it safer, more efficient, and more sustainable.

Memory loss has to be one of our biggest     1     (fear). Names, words, facts and faces — nothing is spared.       2     (lucky), research has shown that it is possible to train the brain to protect our memories.

    3     (challenge) your brain could be one way of preserving your memories — through the value of commercial brain training app is debatable; some experiments seems to show that while people may become a master of the games on     4     (they) screen, the improvements fail to transfer to daily life. But other, more traditional activities — like learning a musical instrument or a second language — do seem to have some     5     (protect) benefits, at least on short-term memory. Ideally, it is probably best     6     (keep) your brain active throughout your life, well before you begin to approach old age.

Exercise and a healthy diet are also thought to offer some protection against memory loss. So can     7     active social life — since regular contact with other people is also thought to excite our brains. Ensuring that you regularly get a good might’s sleep     8     (help) too.

Of course, nothing can guarantee health and vitality in old age     9     these few simple measures might give you the best possible chances     10     protecting your mind as you age.

The Year of the Dragon comes with inspiration for creativity and the power to bring big ideas     1    life.

Designer Wang Zijian’s Dragon Out of Water, a creative tea infuser (泡茶器),shines on the wall at the exhibition of the winning works of the 2024 Global Zodiac Design Competition at the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center.     2     (it) cute dragon design and special function are bound to appeal to young consumers. “It’s     3    unique product, and we expect a positive response from young customers,” Wang told Beijing Review.

The item belongs to China Chic, or guochao, also     4     (know) as “national wave”,    5    refers to products of all sorts including traditional Chinese cultural elements. These products    6     (embrace) by the country’s younger generations in recent years. According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, Gen Z    7     (account) for 74 percent of consumers of China Chic goods in 2022, and the search volume of China Chic products has increased five times over the past decade.

As a young designer, Wang hopes     8     (capture) young consumers with his creative interpretation of dragons. “I’ve been    9    (thorough) studying the dragon’s historical connotations (言外之意) and the     10     (psychology) characteristics of Gen Z consumers,” the 34-year-old designer told Beijing Review.

For London’s Chinese community, Chinese New Year is a huge event.     1     Chinese New Year, people make sure their houses are clean and tidy, buy new clothes and have their hair cut,     2     (bring) good luck for the new year.

London has the biggest     3     (celebrate) and festivities outside of Asia. Hundreds of thousands of people go to watch the parade from the West End to Trafalgar Square,     4     includes traditional lion and dragon dances. The exact date of Chinese New Year     5     (change) every year because it is calculated according to lunar and solar calendars.

For young Chinese people     6     (study) in the UK, web conferencing is     7     brilliant way of joining big family festivities back home. Those missing home might also cook karaoke, another popular way of celebrating. The festivities are not as noisy as back home, traditional Chinese dumplings for     8     (they) friends in Britain or organize an evening of they say, where loud firecrackers were     9     (traditional) used to frighten away a terrifying monster called the Nian, and the special red envelopes of money from relatives may have to travel farther to the UK. But as people come together to enjoy the festivities, there is still a festive atmosphere     10     (fill) with plenty of excitement, happiness and warmth.

Shadow puppetry—also called shadow play—     1     (get) its start thousands of years ago in China and India. This unique form of storytelling is the     2     (old) type of puppetry in the world so far.

    3     is placed between a light and a screen is a vividly—shaped shadow puppet. Moving it creates the illusion(错觉) of a moving image on the screen.     4     experienced puppeteer can make figures appear to walk, fight and dance.

The first shadow puppets were likely made out of animal hides (兽皮). Their strength and     5     (flexible) allowed the puppeteer to move the puppet easily to create the desired effects. Today, a wide variety of materials are accessible     6     people. You might see shadow puppets made out of paper, plastic, wood or cloth. There’s no end to how creative puppeteers can be when     7     (make) puppets.

Shadow puppets are usually constructed in     8     (whole) separate pieces that are then put together with strings or wires. The strings or wires are usually attached to long rods (杆) that the puppeteer will use     9     (control) the movement of the puppet.

Although shadow puppets can be very creative and elaborate, they also can be very simple. With little       10     no experience, a classroom can put on a simple shadow play with little expense and just a little time.

Grocery store design is a carefully crafted art from both psychological and marketing standpoints, according to Reeves Connelly,     1     studied architectural design at the Pratt Institute. He explained there is a reason why fruit and vegetables are often located at the front of the store, “You’ll grab them first and then     2     (hope) feel less guilty about buying junk food later on.” Meanwhile, essential items such as milk and eggs     3     (place) at the back of the store to ensure customers walk through other aisles with many unhealthy options, potentially     4     (increase) the likelihood of impulse purchases.

There’s also a reason why you often feel lost in local supermarkets. They move things around. Reeves explained, “They are well aware that these strategies become less effective after you visit the store a few times, so they’ll regularly move the     5     (produce) to different aisles to confuse you. The practice is not limited to     6     specific store but is employed across     7     (vary) retail chains.”

“Their little tricks always work on me,” one regular shopper admitted, “I walk in to get three things and end     8     spending $300,” he said. On the other hand, some shoppers are proud to declare they have never fallen into the trap. “That’s why I always keep a shopping list on     9     (I),” another shopper shared.” “I’ve started having my groceries     10     (deliver),” he added.