Jiangsu, known for its unique blend of innovation and preservation, is a true treasure. I was     1     (incredible) fortunate to journey through the cities of Suzhou and Nanjing, both of which left me fascinated with their true impressiveness and eagerly     2     (long) to explore further.

My first stop was Suzhou.     3     (engage) myself in the local industrial atmosphere, I chose a hotel in the “industrial park”,     4     the coexistence of advanced manufacturing and natural beauty was most evident, as it was situated on the edge of a scenic lake, embraced by a vibrant landscape. As I adventured into the heart of the city, the Old Town’s ancient waterways led me on an     5     (explore) of history, and the classical gardens offered a glimpse into a     6     (story) past. However, what truly amazed me was the “energy of Suzhou” represented by its people who have enormous respect for their city’s time-honored history as well as     7     innovative eye on the future.

Actually, the mindset of modernization with deep respect for the past isn’t only unique to Suzhou     8     an indicative factor of Nanjing. High-rises decorate the city’s skyline, creating a distinct contrast     9     the ancient neighborhoods, temples, and buildings that     10     (occupy) previously by people. I never anticipated my expectations would be blown out of the water by “A tale of two cities”.

A seminar (研讨会) was held in Beijing recently. According to its report, the Chinese TV series     1    (adapt) of Liu Cixin’s Three-Body Problem, the first Asian novel to win the Hugo Award, has gained popularity overseas.

Statistics show that     2     series has gained a rating of 7.9 out of 10 on the foreign review company IMDb and has accumulated 5 million views on YouTube, one of the     3    (popular) video platforms in the world.

Gao Changli, director-general of the TV drama department at the National Radio and Television Administration, said that the drama contains a lot of thoughts and knowledge     4    (inspire) by China’s traditional philosophy and culture,     5    (offer) a distinctive edge for homegrown tales in the world’s sci-fi landscape. He also mentioned that the drama has been     6     preparation and production for seven years and has done a good job of bringing to life the typical     7    (scene) described in the novel.

Producers have also revealed that currently they     8    (produce) Three-Body Ⅱ: The Dark Forest,     9     is the second episode in Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy. Meanwhile, more quality works will be produced to     10    (positive) publicize Chinese culture in the overseas markets.

During China’s dynastic period, emperors planned the city of Beijing     1     arranged the residential areas according to social classes. The term “hutong”,     2     (original)meaning “water well” in Mongolian, appeared first during the Yuan Dynasty.

In the Ming Dynasty, the center was the Forbidden City,     3     (surround)in concentric(同心的)circles by the Inner City and Outer City. Citizens of higher social classes     4     (permit)to live closer to the center of the circles. The large siheyuan of these high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen often     5     (feature)beautifully carved and painted roof beams and pillars(柱子). The hutongs they formed were orderly, lined by     6     (space)homes and walled gardens. Farther from the center lived the commoners and laborers. Their siheyuan were far smaller in scale and     7     (simple)in design and decoration, and the hutongs were narrower.

Hutongs represent an important cultural element of the city of Beijing. Thanks to Beijing’s long history     8     capital of China, almost every hutong has its stories, and some are even associated with historic     9     (event). In contrast to the court life and upper-class culture represented by the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven, the hutongs reflect     10     culture of grassroots Beijingers.

With about half of the vast country covered in wilderness, China is the world’s third most species-rich country. Therefore, China’s     1    (achieve) in biodiversity conservation and wilderness protection are important to the future of global biodiversity conservation.

The vital biodiversity,     2    (combine) with a large population, has led the government to reconsider its protected area system and transform some wilderness areas such as the rainforest in Hainan     3    formal national parks. The new national park system will make it more practical     4    (preserve) habitats and species. The aim is to preserve biodiversity and ensure a     5    (harmony) relation between humans and nature.

The national parks cross China’s vast ecosystems, from the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in the south     6    the Hainan gibbon—a critically endangered species lives, the Giant Panda National Park, the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, the Wuyi Mountain National Park to the Sanjiangyuan National Park on the Qinghai-Tibet Platau—    7    source of the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the Lancang River. The diversity of species and habitats under protection     8    (reflect) in these parks’ names.

The national parks are open to all. Visitors can make reservations online in advance     9    book on the spot. They should acquire a little local knowledge to get     10     (they) ready for the amazing trip and maximize their enjoyment.

Tiger-themed sculpture exhibit kicks off online

To greet the Chinese Year of the Tiger,     1     falls on Feb 1, the first online exhibition of painted sculptures featuring images of tiger, one of the 12 Chinese zodiac（黄道带）animal signs,     2     ( launch ) on social media platform WeChat on Jan 26, 2022.

Running through the Lunar New Year holiday, the exhibition displayed more than 400 painted sculptures singled out from about 1,300     3     ( entry ), created by both     4     ( experience ) and emerging Chinese artists from across the country.

Tiger has long been a favorite subject for artistic creation as the Chinese zodiac animal sign is believed     5     ( represent ) such qualities as bravery, dignity, justice and loyalty.

“ In my view, the participating artists have tried their best to bring     6     life the tiger in their head, with a wide     7     ( vary ) of subject matters, materials and styles, ” Xu Jianguo,     8     art professor with the Tsinghua University and a key organizer of the exhibition, told the media.

The exhibition is designed “ not only to show respect for the time-honored shengxiao culture in China     9     also to send an artistic well-wishing to Chinese people     10     ( live ) in different parts of the world, ” Xu added.

I remember the last time I had to choose between optimism and fear, between fight and flight. It was right after 9/11. I had     1     (baby) and I wanted to pack them up and flee to some safer place.

The very act of     2     (have) a child is an optimistic bid on the future. You learn that it’s your job to tell these little creatures that everything’s going to be O.K.,     3     all evidence to the contrary. To do that, you have to find your own way toward hope — there’s no better insincerity detector than a little kid. So you say to     4     (you): Yes, my kids will be able to make a good life in a     5     (peace) place. Yes, there’s still time for the nations of the earth     6     (get) it together; and yes, their history will lean towards justice. Then, for the next 20 years, the world challenges that daring optimism. So time and again you must find it within yourself to choose hope — not for yourself     7     for them. You look for the helpers. Or do your best to be a helper, rather than get     8     (drag) down into despair (绝望).

My kids are big now. Grown, but not yet     9     charge of the world they live in. So we     10     (define) these times together. The two of them will have to discover their own well of optimism.

As a child, Obaida Omar    1     (narrow) escaped the enemy’s invasion of her native Afghanistan, walking for weeks through the mountains. Now a mother of three and Islamic Center of Rochester board member, Omar provided first-hand experience of what it means to be a child made     2     (home) by war as the keynote speaker at the “Dinner for Peace”     3     (host) by the Student Association for the Development of Arab Cultural Awareness last Saturday.

About 250 guests attended the dinner, the proceeds(收益) of     4     will go to education for children affected by the Middle Eastern refugee crisis.

“Children did not create this conflict,     5     they are its greatest victims,” said Alanoud Alzaid, the group’s president, who gave the opening speech at the dinner. “Tonight we have raised roughly $3,000 in profit, which means over 1,000 children can get the education they deserve,” he said. “    6     you, tonight would not have been possible.”

    7     (entertain) the audience, the Yellow Jackets kicked the night off with a     8     (select) of lively songs. The Sihir belly(肚皮) dancing group also performed, with pride and authority in their costumes of shining gold and bright coral colors.

“We     9     (plan) this for two months now. It feels wonderful to see such an amazing turnout. It brings back the human element, making you remember that we’re all the same.” said Gabby Stillman, an     10     (eleven) grader.

On the whole, the dinner was a success. The audience was also full of praise.