As China’s catering (餐饮) income reaches record highs, new trends are developing that combine ancient and modern elements. This comes among the noticeable growth of trends like guochao,       1     features modern designs mixed with Chinese cultural elements. Guochao has now found     2     (it) way into dim sum, a traditional food.

Beijing’s time-honored dim sum brand Daoxiangcun, founded in 1895,     3     (become) quite popular among young people in recent years. At Location Zero, a renewed Daoxiangcun store, the counter is filled     4     all kinds of Chinese pastries (糕点) .

The pipa cake, shaped like the traditional Chinese musical instrument, the     5     (delicate) made “paper cuttings” square pastry, and the “jade cabbage” pastry all draw     6     (inspire) from elements of traditional Chinese culture.

Among the new products, the cloisonne cake, like a gourd-shaped (葫芦形) vase, is a special product jointly    7     (launch) by Beijing Daoxiangcun and the Beijing Cloisonne Factory. The gourd shape symbolizes blessings and prosperity (繁荣) , showing the unique beauty of traditional craftsmanship.

With the rapid development of live-streaming e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce, innovations in Chinese dim sum     8     (product) are speeding up. Data from Tianyancha,     9     online query (查询) platform for company information, shows that there are currently over 25, 000 enterprises related to Chinese dim sum.

Chinese dim sum, with its characteristic of being low in sugar and fat, is gradually becoming a new favorite     10     is welcoming new opportunities, gradually moving towards healthier and more diversified channels of development.

Chengdu is a nice lively city with a busy street life which people always find amusing. If you are traveling to Chengdu with children, a stop at one of the Giant Pnda Reserves will be     1     you must try. But that’s not all there is to see for children.

Kids will also enjoy     2    (take) a walk around ancient Jin Li Street, with its colorful market atmosphere, temples, the river and bridges. Stop at the teahouses, enjoy the markets, and try some    3    (taste) Sichuan dishes. Just around     4     corner you will find all sorts of Tibetan clothes and cultural objects, different from the usual souvenirs     5    (find) throughout China.

In addition, Chengdu can     6    (use) as a base for many one-day hikes in Sichuan Province. Besides the Giant Pandas,     7     the city is well-known for, there will be plenty to keep the kids busy in this area.     8    (certain), it is worth staying for a few days if you have the time.

Chengdu is also considered the gateway for travel into Tibet. Sichuan Province itself has a large Tibetan population and offers plenty     9     opportunities for interacting with minority cultures. Children can enjoy and learn from these     10    (encounter) here.

Walking through his neighborhood supermarket in Australia,     1     packs of Chinese sauerkraut (酸菜) line the shelves, Huang Xiqing feels like he’s shopping in his hometown of Shenyang in Liaoning province. “The sauerkraut soup tastes just like home,” says the 45-year-old Chinese living in Canberra,     2     (sound) a little homesick.

Chinese sauerkraut, a pickle which     3     (make) of Chinese cabbage, is a traditional specialty of the northeastern region and is now sold around the country     4     exported overseas. Chinese cabbage has gained     5     (popular) with ordinary household, because it is cheap and can be stored for a relatively long period of time.

During the last decades, Chinese businessmen have set     6     several sauerkraut companies. Among them, the Xinmin agricultural product company of the Heilongjiang Cuihua Group has sold its Chinese sauerkraut not only     7     (domestic), but also to countries including Canada, Japan and the United States. When people were making purchases for Spring Festival, sales of Chinese sauerkraut on Douyin increased more than10-fold,     8     (compare) to the previous year.

But for Huang, Chinese sauerkraut is an everlasting link to home. “Although I have tried delicacies from across     9     globe. Chinese sauerkraut is still one of my     10     (favourite), and reminds me of my hometown,” Huang says.

Chinese opera, has a rich history dating back thousands of years. There are various types of Chinese opera, each with its own unique characteristics and traditions. Kunqu Opera, for example,     1     (consider) an old form of Chinese opera, characterized by its elegant lyrics and beautiful melodies. Peking Opera, another famous type, is noted     2     its colorful costumes, facial makeup and movements.

One of the     3     (remarkable) features of Chinese opera is its integration (融合) of singing, dancing, acting, and acrobatics. The singing in Chinese opera is an impressive aspect. In addition to singing,     4     fascinates people most is actors’ dance and acrobatics. These     5     (performance) require years of training and dedication, making Chinese opera actors true masters of their craft.

The stories     6     (tell) through Chinese opera are often drawn from historical events, legends and folklore. These narratives not only entertain but also educate,     7     (pass) down cultural values and moral lessons from generation to generation. The themes of loyalty, bravery and filial piety (孝) are repeated, which promotes social harmony and moral behavior.

In     8    (conclude), Chinese opera is a treasured art form     9     (deep) rooted in Chinese culture. Whether you’re a fan of theater     10     simply interested in Chinese culture, Chinese opera is definitely worth exploring.

Beloved as they may be, many Chinese dishes only show up on family tables once a year,     1     (mark) holidays or seasonal observances. When the Qingming Festival approaches each spring, qingtuan, a sweet, jade-coloured treat begins to appear in supermarkets     2    bakeries all over the country

“In Chinese culture, it’s really important to always honour and remember your ancestors,” said Lillian Luk,     3     founder of the London pop-up Shanghai Supper Club. During the Qingming Festival people all over China go on trips to their deceased loved ones’ burial sites    4     ( sweep) the graves, burn incense and present offerings.

    5     (make) with glutinous rice flour, qingtuan dough is emerald-green because of the addition of mugwort (艾草). “Mugwort also gives the qingtuan a nice medicinal benefit. It’s meant to    6     (low) blood pressure,” said Luk, who now makes and sells the green    7     (treat) at her pop-up restaurant when the Qingming Festival rolls around.

In recent years, Luk     8     (notice) qingtuan evolving. She’s seen all sorts of novel versions pop up, from dumplings dyed green with matcha (抹茶) instead of mugwort,     9     ones filled with custard or sweet potato. Luk acknowledges the value of unexpected flavour options—seeing her children become excited and curious about foods from their culture. “Somehow, I have kind of woven this thread     10     ties my kids to my heritage, unintentionally,” said Luk.

Since last year a fascinating new phenomenon     1     (sweep) through major cities across China — the explosive rise of night schools catering to young professionals. Usually with one class a week, these schools offer short learning courses regarding     2     (subject) from dancing to vocal training, from traditional handicrafts, beauty, and fitness classes, to wine tasting and vlog filming, and the list of possibilities for new learning experiences is seemingly     3     (limit).

The pacesetter has been the Shanghai Night School, which offers 12 classes     4     (lead) by masters in their fields for only 500RMB ($70). When Shanghai’s autumn 2023 semester enrollment began, a striking number of students, approximately 650, 000,    5    (immediate) flooded on to the registration website. Soon the trend     6     (follow) by some major cities like Beijing, Xi’an, and Shenzhen, which launched their own distinctive night schools.

These night schools do not just provide standard academic content,     7     are tapping into the personal passions and unfulfilled dreams of China’s urban youth. Yang Song, a student at Shanghai Night School, said, “I have many hobbies and I want to learn all the things     8     I didn’t take the time to learn when I was studying in the past.”

For ambitious yet overworked urban professionals, these schools also promise self-cultivation, community bonding, and most importantly, a happy environment     9     (lack) in the irregular workplaces, which seems to offer an escape     10     the burnout workplaces, even only for a few hours each week.

Of all the 24 solar terms, Clear and Bright is the only one, the first day of     1     is also a traditional Chinese festival, Qingming Festival or Tomb-Sweeping Day. The words “clear” and “bright” describe the weather during this period. Temperatures begin to rise and rainfall increases,    2    (make)it a crucial time for plowing and sowing in the spring.

Cleaning the tombs and paying respect to the dead     3     offerings are the two important practices to remember late relatives. Weeds around the tomb are cleared away and fresh soil     4    (add)to show care for the dead. As trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines     5    (bright), everything return s to life. It is a fine time to appreciate the beauty of nature. This custom can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770—476BC)and Warring States Period (475—221BC). Flying kites is     6     activity favored by many Chinese during Tomb-Sweeping Day.     7     makes flying kites during this day special is that people cut the string while the kite is in the sky     8     ( let )it fly free. It is said that this brings good luck and that various     9     (disease)can be chased away by doing this.

In many parts of China, eating eggs during Tomb-Sweeping Day is also important. The Chinese folk     10    (believe)is that eating an egg on Tomb-Sweeping Day will bring good health all year. Today, people believe that eating eggs on Tomb-Sweeping Day will bring success.

When Zhao Shuxian started working at an art and craft factory in 1973, the then 19-year-old was given the job of     1     (master) the time-honored craft of making “velvet” flowers from silk. His goal was to be promoted to the designer’s workshop     2     he would be able to make whatever he wanted, and earn a     3     (good) living. Today, Zhao is recognized as one of the few seasoned     4     (make) of this ornament (装饰).

The practice of wearing velvet flowers     5     (believe) to date back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). They were sent to palaces during the reign of Wu Zetian,     6     they became a popular hair embellishment (点缀) for women serving at the court.

“It was common for court ladies     7     (decorate) their hair with flowers,” Zhao says. “But fresh flowers are not available all year around, so     8     (gradual) fabric flowers became a substitute.” Velvet flowers are called ronghua in Mandarin, a homophone for the characters meaning “prosperity”. Wearing them as     9     blessing became popular at wedding ceremonies, Lunar New Year, and Mid-Autumn Festival. Today, Zhao’s customers, who come from all over the world, wear his flowers both as an everyday item and     10     special occasions.

China has launched six improvement plans to boost a flagship high-quality grain project. The plans,     1     involve green storage, brand promotion, quality tracking, mechanization, emergency supply and food loss     2    (reduce), are expected to ensure sustainable national food security.

The green storage plan     3    (propose) building new high-standard granaries (谷仓) and improving warehouses. A system to measure and control grain conditions should     4    (establish), while the ability to clean grain is expected     5    (improve).

The quality and brand improvement plan said that     6     2025, the supply of high quality food will be more abundant, and the amount of high quality grain will see     7     annual increase of 10 percent. The country will cultivate more grain and oil brands with increasing market competitiveness.

The online and offline grain markets, which include emergency supply     8    (center) and staple kitchens, should be improved to progress from “eating enough” to “eating     9    (health) diet”.

The plan aims to improve quality and safety inspection and monitoring by using big data, the internet of things and other information technologies, further     10    (ensure) authenticity and accuracy.

On October 14th, the Times Square in New York     1     (take) over by the full-screen poster of the “2023 Tianfu Book Fair”!

The 2023 Tianfu Book Fair,     2     (title) “Mutual Learning Among Cultures Amid Fragrance of Books”, showcased a range of outstanding Chinese publications, making their way overseas. The International Pavilion was a highlight, displaying over 1,000 types and       3     (approximate) 6,500 copies of original literature, children’s books, and picture books in English, Japanese, and other languages. Plus the Harry Potter Pop-up Store,     4     had been stealing the show, offered readers     5     immersive experience with the complete Harry Potter series and official merchandise.

But wait, there’s more! A series of exciting cultural     6     (activity) were also lined up. Guests could attend cultural lectures     7     the three Su scholars’ culture, try their hand at panda-themed traditional Chinese painting and witness a face-changing performance of Chinese Sichuan opera. This fair was not just about books: it was an excellent chance that allowed overseas readers to discover the charm of Sichuan culture     8     the richness of traditional Chinese culture. It was a powerful showcase of Chinese culture, making the trustworthy, lovable, and     9     (respect) image of China more real and tangible than ever before. In the future, China will make every effort     10     (spread) excellent traditional Chinese culture.