On the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (高原), the Sanjiangyuan Region, which has the     1     (impress) landscape and various wildlife, is home to the headwaters (上游) of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers,     2     is thus known as Asia’s “water tower”. The Sanjiangyuan Region is not only the source of splendid rivers, but also an important habitat for species on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. In the past few decades, the delicate ecological environment     3     (preserve) silently by the locals.

Little known to the outsiders, Jianzuo Village, located near the headwaters of the Lancang River, is the first community on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau to lead a zero-waste life. People gave up using plastic products     4     (protect) the water and soil in the Sanjiangyuan Region. In 2017, local people made use of floors, doors and windows     5     (desert) in the Yushu earthquake to build     6     zero-waste environmental protection school.     7     makes the school unique is that the insides are decorated with recycled things and second-hand furniture. And every old object has a special story. The zero-waste school also     8     (remind) the local people of the beauty of traditional culture. As the “zero-waste dream” comes true, people who have lived     9     generations on the plateau have also regained their cultural     10     (confident).

The third season of the music show Infinite and Beyond concluded recently on a video-streaming platform. The program brought together a diverse group of singers, involving various age groups,     1    （perform）classic Chinese pop music pieces.

These classic pop songs     2    （recognize）as the peak of creative achievement     3     their respective eras. They not only reflect the     4    （high）level of musical craftsmanship at the time but also leave an enduring impact, becoming     5    （influence）pieces of Chinese pop music.     6     is evident that the decision to reinterpret these songs on a music show is an intentional effort to show the history of Chinese pop music.

From December 2023 to February 2024, the program     7    （present） six concerts and six themed singing competitions.     8    （cover）a range of topics including self-discovery, love and daily life, the music show aimed to exhibit different     9    （aspect）of Chinese pop music. Through this exploration, it sought to arouse the shared memories and emotions of the Chinese people, creating collective experiences     10     produced everlasting memories with audiences.

A zipper runs along a 40-centimeter-tall porcelain vase, with its top slightly open.The art piece, not     1     (original) designed that way, has been repaired by Nie Chao.     2     repaired vase won Nie the new talent award at the Baihe Cup, an art and craft design and imovation competition, where more than 3,000 pieces or sets of work were shown.The competition    3     (hold) during the second edition of the China Arts and Crafts Expo in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, in September 2021.

As the     4     (five) generation inheritor of his family's ceramic-repair skills, Nie has devoted himself to better preserving them, as well as     5     (bring) traditional Chinese engraving skills and modern art designs to the mix. Nie's father and grandfather were focused on fixing porcelain items to restore their functionality. Nie has taken it a step further as he tries to make the repaired items look even    6     (good). For example, when mending the    7     (break) cover of a teacup, Nie could have just added a couple of metal staples(订书机) to reconnect the broken parts,     8       he decided to create a bamboo pattern on it.

Nie says handmade things have one advantage    9    mass-produced items, in that each is unique. Mending ceramics not only restores the     10     (appear) and functionality of a ware but also preserves its historical and cultural value.

In 2002, during renovation of the Forbidden City, a special mounting paper was discovered at the back of a landscape painting.     1    (base) on the remaining paper samples, the restorers found the paper was made of mulberry (桑树) bar k which is extremely tough and full of strength.

    2     (originate) in the Han Dynasty, mulberry paper was more than 300 years earlier than Cai Lun’s improved paper making technology,     3     was also a messenger on the ancient Silk Road. It has become an important     4     (carry) of exchanges between the ancient Central Plains and surrounding areas, China and Asian and European countries.

    5     the emergence of modern paper industry products, mulberry paper has gradually withdrawn from people’s daily life due to     6     (it) pure hand-made and low output. However, the renovation of the Forbidden City made artists become aware that the role of mulberry paper in traditional painting and calligraphy creation     7    restoration could not be replaced by modern machine products. In 2006, the production technology of Uygur mulberry paper     8     (list) in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and the scientific value, humanistic value and     9     (history) research value of mulberry paper were valued. Nowadays, more young people are coming back to their hometowns     10     (learn) the art of making mulberry paper and to pass on this craft.

In a reality television series that I’ve been watching recently, I came across Chinese face mask changing,     1     performers are able to change the face masks that they are wearing within the blink of     2     eye. Performers are able to change about 10 masks within 20 seconds without the use of their hands. All they do is to turn their head or sweep their arms around. They are also able to perform in places close to their audience,     3     (leave) them spellbound and curious afterwards. I found it so fascinating that I     4     (dig) deeper into its history, and I wanted to share my newfound knowledge with you all.

    5     (invent) over 300 years ago during the Qing Dynasty, the art of face mask changing is deeply rooted within Chinese culture. The changing of     6     (face) make-ups and colors reflects a     7     (character) mood—red representing anger and black extreme fury.

And there are three basic techniques of face-changing, including wiping the face, blowing the face     8     pulling the face. Besides, it is said that the precise technique that is used to change masks is a     9     (close) guarded secret. The secret has been passed down within theatre families     10     generation to generation.

The world is full of wonders, and they become more wonderful when science looks at them. Scientists have uncovered some secrets behind these wonders. And     1     (honor) their efforts, the Pineapple Science Award has been created, shining a light on the parts of our lives that are easy to ignore.

The award recognizes     2     (amuse) scientific research. It was in 2012     3     (original) initiated by the Zhejiang Science and Technology Museum and Guokr.com, China’s leading popular science website. The awards     4     (divide) into 10 categories, mathematics, biology, psychology, just to name a few.

The prize for outstanding biological achievement     5     (go) to Lars Chittka in 2023. Chittka found that bumblebees enjoy rolling around wooden balls, which suggests that insects interact with objects as     6     form of play, like humans. Chittka hoped that “the work raises awareness about the many alien minds that surround us”. “I am more than pleased to accept this award. All science is a kind of playful, exploratory activity.” Chittka added, “I would be very happy if the visibility of this award gets more people interested in our work,     7     I would be proud if this leads to     8     (far) participation.”

The awards not only attract public attention and give scientific research more     9     (expose). They are also intended to build a platform to help the younger generations establish an interest in science. One winner said, “Science is critical for all. After obtaining more scientific knowledge, one can easily tell false advertising, passed off as science,     10     the truth.”

In a heartwarming turn of events, giant panda Fubao has finally returned home to China. Fubao was born in South Korea in July 2020 and quickly gained a     1    (mass) following due to its lovely appearance and appealing personality.

The journey to bring Fubao back to China was a long and challenging one, but it was made possible through the     2    (cooperate) of both Chinese and South Korean authorities. On April 3, Fubao boarded a plane from South Korea and arrived safely in Chengdu, China,     3     it belongs. There, it was greeted by a group of fans who were     4    (eager) waiting for its arrival.

Fans of Fubao have been visiting the Everland theme park in South Kore a every month to catch sight of     5     beloved panda. The Chinese media has been closely following Fubao’s journey back to China, with many netizens     6    (express) their excitement and happiness. Some have even gone so far as to set up advertisements     7     (welcome) Fubao back home.

Fubao will now be able to live in its natural habitat,     8    (surround) by other pandas and receiving the care and attention it     9    (deserve) . A special quarantine (隔离) area has been set up for Fubao at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where it can adjust     10     its new surroundings.

Beneath an orange tent along East 32nd Street Saturday morning, warmly dressed locals     1     (deliver) pies, filled with everything from nuts to apples and cheese, to be judged in the first-ever Great Waverly Pie Contest. After thorough evaluations based on taste,     2     (present) , and number of ingredients (原料) , a sweet pie by Matt Maxion and a savory (香草的) pie by Garrick Houston took top     3     (honor) .

“My mother’s family is from the Louisiana-Texas border, so I grew up eating jambalaya (什锦饭) ,” explained Houston. Drawing inspiration from his mother’s jambalaya recipe, Garrick Houston made his pie that contained ingredients like sausage, olive oil, and bell peppers     4     (source) from local farmers’ markets. “I    5     (live) in Maryland for four years when I was young. So I wanted to combine my past,     6     is my filling, with my present home,” Houston said.

    7     (similar), Maxion, who moved to Baltimore from California about a year ago, got inspiration for his prize-winning creation—with ingredients including the Southeast Asian plant pandan—from his Filipino hometown. With     8     help from local farmers and VMart Pilipino Store in Nottingham, he credited his successful pie     9     lots of planning and a willingness to lean into the process.

The organizer Martha Lucius was excited     10     (see) the new neighborhood competition come to life, saying, “It’s been great to see all of the excitement.”

Chinese scientists have started a scientific expedition to the Mount Qomolangma.     1     total of 170 scientists have begun to do research on water, ecology and human activity, aiming     2     (reveal) the mechanism of environmental change and optimize the ecological security barrier system on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

    3     (label) as the roof of the world and water tower of Asia, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is an essential ecological security barrier in China. It is also a natural laboratory for     4     (conduct) research on the evolution of Earth and life, and the relationship between man and Earth.     5     an important part of the research, the ongoing expedition is     6     (particular) important to the study of the impact of climatic and environmental changes in the Mount Qomolangma region on other parts of the world.

The expedition focuses on major scientific     7     (issue), such as how the extreme high-altitude environment of the Mount Qomolangma changes under the influence of global warming, according to Yao Tandong,     8     is the team leader. “The expedition has realized the     9     (transform) from ‘I want to conquer you’ to ‘I want to understand you’, achieved the application of new technologies and resulted in important international influence,” he said. So far, many scientific achievements     10     (make).