The Silk Road is neither an actual road nor a single route. It instead refers to a trade network which     1     (date) from the Han dynasty of China. German geographer and traveler Ferdinand first used the term “silk road” in 1877 C.E.     2     (describe) the well-traveled pathway of goods between Europe and East Asia. Although the trade network is commonly referred to     3     the Silk Road, some historians favor the term Silk Routes because it better reflects the many paths     4     (take) by traders.

One of the most     5     (influence) travelers of the Silk Road was Marco Polo. He traveled with his father to China when he was just 17. Upon his return, he wrote about his adventures,     6     (make) him and the routes he traveled famous.

From China, merchants carried silk to Europe, where it was well received by the nobility and wealthy people.     7     traveled together with silk from Asia were jade, porcelain, tea and spices. In exchange, horses, glassware, textiles and manufactured goods traveled eastward.

The significance of the Silk Road to human history has received widespread     8     (recognize). Towns along     9     routes grew into multicultural cities. The exchange of information gave rise to new technologies and innovations     10     would change the world. Today, parts of the Silk Road are listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Fans of Chinese culture in Malta can now learn all about hanfu thanks to a new cultural platform     1    (name) the “Hanfu Costume Society” that was launched at the island's China Cultural Center on Friday.

“The platform     2     (expect) to promote cultural exchange between China and Malta and showcase the     3     (rich) of traditional culture.” Yuan Yuan, director of the China Cultural Center, said at the launch event.

Hanfu is known     4     its unique design and cultural significance. The historical form of dress has been rediscovered by young Chinese,     5     choose to wear it more and more.

Yu Cheng, who has lived in Malta for nearly five years, has decided to share her collection of hanfu whenever the China Cultural Center hosts     6     hanfu-themed activity. Her passion for traditional clothing led her to include styles     7     (date) back to the Western Han, the Tang, the Song, and the Ming Dynasties in her collection. Wearing hanfu has made her life more     8    (grace). When she goes out, she wears different outfits     9     (specific) designed for different occasions, unavoidably attracting admiration.

“Gradually, more and more people realize that traditional Chinese clothing is rich and beautiful,” she says. “I desire     10     (contribute) with my efforts to preserving traditional Chinese culture.”

Confucius and Chinese Philosophy

    1     (bear) in 551 BC, Confucius has made the greatest contribution to Chinese culture in history.     2     he was raised in a poor family, he visited famous scholars and learned a lot. He developed his thoughts into a system of philosophy,    3     (know) as Confucianism, which emphasized (注重) self-cultivation,     4     (harmony) relationships with each other, and showed respect for the elderly. Friends should be honest   to each other.     5     (rule) should make an effort to provide a happy life for people. Meanwhile, he was a great teacher     6     devoted himself to     7     (promote) education for ordinary people. He travelled around to publicize (宣传) his political thinking but failed. But he never gave up. Over the last 2000 years, his philosophy     8     (continue) to influence China as well as     9     rest of the world. He     10     (consider) as the symbol of oriental (东方的) culture as well.

Dragons, a famous     1     (imagine) beast, are often present in stories in the west and east. In both cultures, dragons are generally recognized as massive creatures capable of flight. They have great power and are often associated with magical     2     (ability).

However, due to their different cultural roots and images, there     3     (be) significant differences in the way dragons are regarded in the west and east,     4     (particular) in China. Chinese dragons look like snakes, and have four claws (爪) and no wings. They often have features of other animals,     5     (include) carp (鲤鱼), tigers, and eagles. In the contrast, Western dragons look like huge lizards (蜥蜴) with big claws and large bat-like wings, and are often shown with spines or rough scales.

In traditional Chinese culture, a dragon is     6     symbol of luck, power and high status. They can cause weather changes and bring rainfall to the fields to ensure rich harvests. They are considered divine (神圣的) creatures,     7     hold an important position as the head of the four spirits. Therefore, to symbolize their power, ancient Chinese emperors decorated their clothes with dragon patterns. These clothes are known as dragon robes.

Many Chinese view the dragon as a national symbol, proudly referring to     8     (they) as “descendants (后裔) of the dragon”. In the west, however, a dragon symbolizes an evil creature that spreads violence and terror throughout the land. They     9     (believe) to be transformed by the devil, with the ability     10     (breathe) fire or spit poison. Many western tales show dragons being defeated and killed to protect people from danger.

As we all know, festivals     1     (celebrate) all around the world and they have     2     wide range of origins, such as the seasons of the year, religions, famous figures, and important events. Of all the     3     (tradition) festivals, the harvest festival,     4     takes place after all the crops have been gathered in, can be found in almost every culture. People celebrate     5     (show) that they are grateful for the year’s supply of food. Customs play a significant role     6     festivals, but sometimes they can change over time.

With the     7     (develop) of modern society and the spread of new ideas, some traditions may fade away and others may be established. Festivals are becoming more and more commercial, with businesses     8     (take) advantage of the celebrations. Festivals reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life.     9     you study festivals carefully, you may be surprised to find that different cultures     10     (actual) have a lot in common after all.

The Spring Equinox (春分)     1     (signal) the equal length of the day and night time.     2     the day of the Spring Equinox, the sun is     3     (direct) above the equator. After the equinox, the sun moves northwards,     4     (result) in gradually longer day time in the Northern Hemisphere and longer night in the Southern Hemisphere.

Standing     5     egg upright is a popular game across the country during the Spring Equinox. It is an old custom     6     dates back to 4,000 years ago. People practice this tradition     7     (celebrate) the coming of spring. It is believed that     8     some one can make it stand, he will have good luck in the future.

As the Spring Equinox comes, farm work starts and both the farmers and the cattle start to become busy. Farmers will reward cattle with sticky rice balls to express their     9     (grateful).     10    , people will also make sacrifice to birds, to thank them for bringing signals for farm work and to ask them not to eat grains later in the year.

Qing Ming is     1    (popular) associated with Jie Zizhui,     2     lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C. It is said that Jie saved his starving lord’s life by serving a piece of his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small country, he invited his faithful follower to join him.     3    , Jie declined his invitation,     4    (prefer) to lead a simple life with his mother in the mountains.

Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set fire to the forest. To his disappointment, Jie chose to remain where he was and was burnt to death.     5    (memorize) Jie, the lord ordered all fires in every home be put out     6     the anniversary (周年纪念日) of Jie’s death. Thus began the “cold food feast”, a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit.

The “cold food” festival occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and     7    (consider) as part of the Qing Ming festival. As time passes, the Qing Ming festival has replaced the “cold food” festival. Whatever practice is observed, the basic observation of Qing Ming is to re-member one’s elders by making     8     special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even     9    (meaningful), some time should be spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributions of their ancestors. One of the most important     10    (activity) on this day is to sweep graves to honor ancestors, dead relatives and friends.