Wushu, the Chinese martial art form known as kungfu in the West, is a     1     (value) cultural heritage of Chinese people and contribution to human civilization.

Wushu, often     2     (use) in the form of combat (搏斗), consists of several different kinds of movements. The Chinese people’s determination to win and strong characteristics     3     (reflect) in the intense body combat.

Wushu reflects the character of Chinese people and they apply their unique understanding of theory and principle to combat. It differs from European and American boxing. Wushu is a particular balance between external and inbuilt values,     4     not only shows the beauty of one’s figure, but also the meaning of profound     5     (elegant). Apart from simple combat techniques, martial arts are rooted     6     Chinese philosophy, containing ancient Chinese philosophers’ understanding of life and the universe.

Wushu, which aims to improve health and self-defense,     7     (begin) by promoting one’s moral character. The martial art movements are     8     (physical) demonstrated while internal thoughts are static (静态的). Like still waters, peace and quiet is considered     9     highest level of martial arts.

Having survived the difficult situations of life while     10     (maintain) all of its strength and vitality, Wushu is even believed to be the model of Chinese traditional culture and national spirit.

Wing Chun is a southern Chinese kung fu style descends from Shaolin Kung Fu. It has the distinction of having been founded by two women, Ng Mui and Yim Wing-chun.

The Wing Chun style is known for placing     1     (emphasize) on technique rather than strength. This style also calls for practitioners to stay relaxed while     2    (fight), allowing them to achieve a kind of softness or flexibility. This relaxed flexibility gives Wing Chun fighter     3     special kind of strength that allows them to bend, not break, just like bamboo.   

Legend has it that Wing Chun founder Ng Mui was living at Shaolin Temple     4     it was attacked and destroyed by Qing dynasty forcers. Surviving the attack, she escaped     5     the border area between Yunnan and Sichuan. There she met a young woman     6     (name)Yim Wing-chun, who     7     (final) became one of her top students. She taught Yim an improved version of Shaolin Kung Fu, known as Wing Chun now. This new martial art     8     (spread) and grown into different branches over the past two hundred years.

Ip Man, featured in the eponymous (同名的) hit films,     9    (be) a notable practitioner of Wing Chun style martial arts. He also taught the Wing Chun style to his student, Bruce Lee, who would go on to act in the beloved Hong Kong kung fu movies     10     helped make Chinese martial arts famous around the world.

Once celebrated as “the sport of kings”, polo (马球), a unique sport with ancient roots,     1     (play) on horseback with a ball. Its exact origins remain uncertain,     2     one early version of this sport emerged in ancient Persia (modern Iran) around the 6th century BC.

Different cultures developed similar games and, over time, polo evolved     3     the sport we know today. It also has a deep historical connection with ancient China, as     4     (show) through the discovery of numerous artifacts, including murals (壁画), stone carvings, mirrors and paintings.

During the 1930s, the modern version of the sport enjoyed a period of     5     (popular) , with polo grounds established in cities with foreign populations like Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Qingdao.

Polo’s noble and warrior-like characteristics have won it many     6     (passion) players, and among them is Jackie Wang. She and her family     7     (spend) the past three years researching and writing Polo in China, a book that documents the lengthy history of the sport in China.

Published by the Cultural Relics Press, the book gives a detailed introduction to polo in China, with photos of artifacts and events, and an engaging storyline     8     brings the sport to life.

As     9     combination of historical reference and artistic representation, the book serves both as an academic work and a general interest publication,     10     (contribute) to the study of polo in China while sharing the sport’s charm through its design and presentation.

Guqin is a traditional musical instrument. It     1     (exist) for over 3,000 years and represents China’s foremost solo musical instrument tradition.     2     (describe) in early literary sources and confirmed by archaeological finds, this ancient instrument is inseparable     3     Chinese intellectual history. Guqin playing developed as an art form practised by noblemen and     4     (scholar) in intimate settings, and was therefore never intended for public performance. Furthermore, along with calligraphy, painting and weiqi, guqin was one of the four arts, which Chinese were expected     5     (master) in ancient times. According to tradition, twenty years of training were required to attain proficiency.

Its music     6     (list) as an intangible cultural heritage in 2008, which helped unlock the passion of many to learn     7     ancient instrument. Jian was one of them. His interest in the instrument grew after he listened to an album by a famous guqin master. Jian started playing the instrument in his     8     (fifty) and embarked on a journey to look for collectible items across China. To his disappointment, he quickly discovered that many collectors lacked the ability to play guqin themselves, resulting in many being stored away in warehouses. He even came across some of the instruments lying in a state of utter damage,     9     pained him deeply.

With the aim of preserving and utilizing (利用) the centuries-old relics more     10     (effective), Jian began learning how to restore the instrument under the guidance of a guqin repair expert.

This year marks the 92nd anniversary of the September 18 Incident.

On September 18, 1931, Japanese troops     1    (blow) up a section of the railway in Shenyang and accused the Chinese military of doing     2    . Using the explosion as a pretext (借口), Japanese forces attacked the Beidaying garrison (卫戍部队)and bombarded (轰炸) Shenyang on the same night,     3    (launch) a full-scale invasion (侵略) of northeast China. During the incident, Chinese troops at the Beidaying garrison were given a no-resistance order and withdrew     4     fighting.

The incident marked     5     beginning of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and was a prelude to the world’s anti-fascist war. This Monday, a bell-tolling ceremony is being held at the 9.18 Historical Museum in Shenyang to pay tribute to the people       6     lost their life in the 14-year war.

The 14-year Japanese invasion resulted in over 35 million victims among Chinese troops and civilians. By commemorating the September 18 Incident, the Chinese people reaffirm (重申) their     7    (commit) to never forget this dark chapter in history and prevent it being repeated.

The commemorations serve as a reminder for the Chinese people     8    (keep) dark days in mind. History has    9     (repeat) shown that invasions and wars are rarely     10    (success), and although evidence might be covered up, justice eventually prevails (占上风).

Rice, commonly planted in many countries, serves     1     a major source of food for more than half of the global population.

People in ancient China     2     (begin) growing wild rice, learning how to cultivate rice in fields and improve its quality.     3     is widely believed that the cultivation (种植) of rice originated in China’s Yangtze River basin, around 13,500 to 8,200 years ago. Since then, rice     4     (pass) around the world through migration and trade.

Around 4,000 to 3,000 BC, rice was introduced to Southeast Asia, and during the Middle Ages people from India and southern Europe got to know the plant and took it home. Currently, half of the world’s population consumes rice,     5     (primary) in Asia, Southern Europe, and certain tropical regions in America and Africa. Over time,     6     (variety) of rice were developed to suit different regions and preferences. There are different rice dishes     7     (find) all over the world, including paellas, sushi, the bibimbap, risotto and jambalaya.

Today, rice plays a vital role in feeding billions of people while food     8     (short) is a worldwide problem. China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of rice. Yuan Longping, a renowned Chinese scientist     9     devoted his life to developing high-yielding rice, made significant contributions to improving rice quality and meeting the     10     (rise) demand for food around the world.

During the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games, athletes from around the world have been exploring acupuncture (针灸). a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This practice     1     (be) an important part of Chinese healthcare system for centuries.

TCM, which includes acupuncture, herbal therapy, massage, Tai Chi, and Qigong remains     2     essential component of China’s medical system and has gained increasing     3     (recognize) on a global scale. Not only is it popular among the Chinese population, but it is also gaining interest in Western societies,     4     has led to increased investments in professional TCM services.

While China places significant emphasis     5     the integration of TCM with modern biomedicine, it is also becoming more popular worldwide. Although some medical professionals are     6     (doubt) about the far-reaching effects of TCM, the practice     7     (accept) as a fundamental aspect of global healthcare.

TCM has been recognized for the potential benefits, particularly when     8     (use) alongside with modern medicine, which has resulted in its increasing integration into modern healthcare systems. Despite its ancient Chinese origins, TCM’s principles and practices have a global influence currently, with experts     9     (offer) their special skills across the world.

As research into TCM continues to advance and more individuals embrace it for their healthcare needs, the field is     10     (definite) to grow.

In the spring of 1944, the Allied powers in World War Ⅱ took the fight against Nazi into the fifth year.     1    (plan) for months or even years, the D-Day called “Operation Overlord” was designed     2    (free) north-west Europe from German occupation. After waiting for the perfect combination of weather, moon and tides, the date for the start of Operation Overlord     3    (set) for June 6, 1944.

With General Eisenhower’s encouraging words     4    (ring) in their ears, Allied soldiers prepared for     5     would become known as D-Day. The Allied invasion     6    (stretch) across five beaches code-named “Utah”, “Omaha”, “Gold”, “Juno” and “Sword”. The fiercest fighting was at Omaha Beach. Countless Allied soldiers gave their lives on D-Day in violent attacks. Even though they were     7     the terrible cost of human life, the D-Day landings were     8     success and were considered     9    (wide) as the beginning of the end of World War Ⅱ. By the end of August 1944, the Allies had reached the River Seine. Paris was liberated.

Seventy years later, people including     10    (survive) came together for memorial ceremonies in honour of those who fought and died on D-Day.