A farming-themed reality show has taken Chinese social media by storm. The show,     1     (name) Become a Farmer, highlights the importance of agriculture in Chinese culture. Many young urbanites (城市居民), however, may be unfamiliar     2     the word “farming”.     3     (bridge) this gap, the 50-episode program invites 10 young men from diverse backgrounds to experience life on the farmland. This show aims to provide insights into farming     4     (activity) and modern agricultural production.

Yang Changling, chief director of     5     program, said it intends to show farming through a documentary approach. By sharing these young people’s experiences and personal growth stories, it hopes to deepen the audience’s understanding of agriculture and raise the     6     (aware) of food security.

Wu Han, the producer, said the show aims to promote traditional Chinese farming culture while     7     (strengthen) communication between urban and rural residents (居民).     8     (additional), cast members document their experiences through vlogs,     9     contents vary from building a hen house to digging up fresh bamboo shoots.

In one vlog, 27-year-old Jiang Dunhao recalled helping with the birth of lambs, writing on Weibo: “A newborn lamb struggled to stand, but after resting, it gathered its strength and finally     10     (rise).”

Become a Farmer has emerged (为人所知) as an influential show that not only entertains but also educates, which has becomes a hit.

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).

In the spring of 1924, Indian poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore began a three-month visit to China at the     1     (invite) of Cai Yuanpei.

Tagore’s first stop was Shanghai and he was     2     (warm) welcomed. He explored the busy Nanjing Road, a lively combination (结合) of Eastern and Western cultures. Next, Tagore traveled to Beijing, the ancient capital of China. He     3     (visit) the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall, and was impressed by their historical significance. Tagore also went to the picturesque city of Suzhou,     4     he was amazed by the beauty of the gardens. He meditated (沉思) to the sound of the bells at Hanshan Temple and poems in the peaceful setting of the Humble Administrator’s Garden. In Nanjing, he gave     5     lecture at Southeast University, joining in discussions with Chinese intellectuals.

Tagore’s tour of China included visits to cities such as Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Guangzhou. He met with     6     (artist), scholars and political leaders, sharing his insights into culture, education, and spirituality. And many valuable photos     7     (take) at that time and have been preserved to this day.

Tagore’s visit to China was not only a cultural exchange     8     also a testament (证明) to the friendship between India and China. His lectures and writings had a long-lasting impact     9     Chinese thought and culture,     10     (strengthen) the connections between the two countries and inspiring generations to come.

Not far away from     1     Tang Yin was born, a special exhibition (展览) featuring the original paintings and calligraphy of the famous master from the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644) was held in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province in April, 2024.

In the exhibition showing the works of Tang, one particular painting stood out as the centerpiece— “two sparrows (麻雀) on a tree”. The masterpiece (杰作) shows the     2     (peace) beauty of spring.

    3     (remember) the 500th anniversary (周年纪念) of Tang’s passing, the Suzhou Bay Museum specially held this exhibition, marking the masterpiece’s     4    (one) public exhibition since 2010.

“It’s considered     5     treasure of our museum, and rightly so. Fewer than 200     6     (piece) by Tang Yin are known to exist. Among these, the works describing flowers and birds are especially valuable, with only two such paintings confirmed to be in     7     (exist) today,” said Ru Yuelai, director of the Suzhou Bay Museum. According to the museum, this masterpiece     8     (find) in the late 1970s once again. It reflects the skills of Song Dynasty (960—1279) artists.

Tang, better known by his name Bohu, was famous     9     his great talents in painting, calligraphy. and poetry. His works     10     (main) reflect the beauty of “Jiangnan”, the attractive region south of the Yangtze River where he was living.

It’d be hard to look at pictures of Fenghuang Ancient Town without feeling drawn to the place. Lying in the southwest of Hunan province, the scenic town     1     (regard) as one of China’s most attractive places.

Fenghuang Ancient Town is     2    exceptionally well-preserved ancient town and it features unique ethnic(民族的) languages, customs, arts and many     3     (impress) architectural remains of Ming and Qing styles. The careful     4     (select) of the town site, layout (布局) planning and construction have made wonderful use of the mountain landscape and the water flow    5     (create) a harmonious relationship between human residence and nature. Over 200 ancient residential buildings, some 20 large or small streets and ancient town gate towers are well preserved there. They have given a full display of the intelligence and wisdom of those ancient    6     (architect).

Another element    7    makes Fenghuang unique is its ethnic makeup. Many local residents, both historically and in the present, belong to either the Miao or, Tujia minority. As such, the local architecture, like the typical stilt houses (吊脚楼)    8    (be) unique within China.

Fenghuang Ancient Town has also received modern additions. Every night, the town’s buildings are    9    (beautiful) lit it up, with tourists wandering through the streets    10     fun.

According to historical records, the well-known historian Sima Guang from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) used a part of a round wood     1     his pillow throughout his life. This unique pillow had an unusual function.     2     Sima Guang moved a little during his sleep, his head would slide down off the pillow, causing him to wake up     3     (immediate) and continue his studies. This particular type of pillow came to be known as an “alarm pillow”.

The Chinese word for “pillow”, zhentou,     4     (believe) to be created by Cao Cao, a famous strategist and ruler during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). One night, while Cao Cao was reading in his tent and     5     (become) sleepy, there was no extra space useful to place several books stored in wooden     6     (box). In response (回应), a servant momentarily placed the books at one side of the bed, upon     7     Cao Cao fell asleep quickly, experiencing a deep and restful sleep.     8     (impress) by the comfort provided by this short-term arrangement, the servant then created a padded (有垫的) headrest using soft materials, copying     9     shape of the wooden box that held the books. When Cao Cao asked about the name of this new item, the servant referred to it as “headrest bedding”. Cao Cao     10     (late) named it zhentou, and from that point on, the use of pillows became popular among the common people.

Beijing film festival announces winners of Tiantan awards, and director Long Fei receives the Best Feature Film award for Gold or Shit.

The 14th Beijing International Film Festival was held     1     Friday night, announcing the winners of its top honor, the Tiantan Award, during     2     (it) closing ceremony.

Among the three Chinese films nominated in the final     3     (select), director Long Fei’s Gold or Shit, a comedy describing a down-and-out man’s unwelcomed return to his hometown,     4     (sweep) three awards: Best Feature Film, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Screenplay.

Director Long said,     5     (actual), he had felt stressed before finishing shooting, but now he was greatly     6     (encourage) after receiving such an honor. Huang Jia, the scriptwriter of Gold or Shit, shared     7     interesting behind-the-scenes story, telling the experiences of raising money, being advised to cast non-famous performers, but later being surprised     8     (learn) investors (投资方) had convinced stars Hu Ge and Gao Yuanyuan to play the     9     (lead) characters.

The movie marks actor Hu’s first attempt into comedy after two decades in the acting industry. Hu quoted a line from the film, where a character says “It’s always shining if it’s gold”, to express his excitement about the movie,     10     overcame many obstacles as the script came to life.

Chinese food has taken the world by storm. Today, Chinese food has almost become a way of life, with fried rice, noodles, and so on making their way to the favorite food list of many people. Nowadays, there are many restaurants worldwide     1     (serve) Chinese food. And it is not just in restaurants     2     Chinese food is popular. Chinese food can also be widely found in roadside stalls (货摊).

You may wonder why Chinese food is so popular. The main root (根, 根源) of the answer first lies     3     the fact that Chinese food offers different kinds of     4     (dish). Another key reason is that Chinese food tastes very good. And most people just can’t refuse     5     Besides, Chinese food has a long history and is a complex food category (种类), containing years of the Chinese people’s     6     (wise). Last but not least, Chinese food is     7     (general) cheap and healthy, which also leads to many people making a decision     8     (try) Chinese food.

Because of its popularity, Chinese food has become a     9     (value) tool that makes China known to the world. With more people learning about China, in turn, Chinese food     10     (appreciate) by more people in the long run.

Tai chi is a Chinese martial art often practised with the purpose of     1     (improve) health. The practice forms of tai chi are well known for relaxing, circular movements that work in harmony with breath regulation (调节). It can not only keep your mind calm     2     also make your body strong. As you focus on your breathing and movements, your mind can clear itself of its worries,     3     does your whole body good,

    4     (influence) by Taoist and Confucian thoughts, and the ideas of traditional Chinese medicine, the practice has developed into several styles,     5     (usual) named after a master, such as Chen-style and Yang-style.

Chen Bin, one of the     6     (master) of the Chen-style tai chi, has been practising the martial art since he     7     (be) six years old. More than two decades of practice has made him a master. “One’s understanding of tai chi can develop when the practice continues. As one’s experience grows, it becomes much     8     (easy) to understand its cultural meaning,” Chen Bing explains.

Tai chi has taught Chen Bing     9     (stay) calm during life’s ups and downs, and to learn about the world with     10     open mind. Moreover, the martial art encourages using gentleness to get over toughness, and making use of weakness to win strength through one’s self-awareness, which shows the wisdom of Taoism.

On the occasion of the Year of the Dragon, the Tongliang Dragon Dance is certainly one of the most evocative (引起共鸣的) and atmospheric performances staged at     1     number of celebrations.

Tongliang Dragon Dance is a dance art form that began in the Tongliang District of southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. The district expects to make use of the dragon culture     2    (improve) people’s understanding of Chinese traditional culture through continued innovation and development.

The dragon prop (道具)    3    (use) in the Tongliang Dragon Dance is made up of 24 sections, representing the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar. Depending on the occasion and other specific requirements, the     4    (long) of the dragon can extend to over 50 or even 100 sections. During grand celebrations, up to nine huge dragons can     5    (see) dancing together.

“Tongliang is the home of the dragon dance, and the Tongliang Dragon Dance, during its long tradition, has evolved into more than 20 different     6    (variety),” said Zong Heyun, director of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center in Tongliang District.

As one of the first national intangible cultural heritages, the Tongliang Dragon Dance     7    (gain)widespread fame in recent years, and it has     8    (usual) appeared the stage of China Media Group.

The Tongliang Dragon Dance has not only featured in major domestic (国内的) celebrations such     9     the 35th, 50th, 60th and 70th National Day celebrations, and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, but it has also been performed in more than 300 cultural exchanges in over 30 countries and regions,     10     brings this unique dance to a wider global audience.