When it comes to ancient civilizations, most people think of the Greeks and Romans. It’s understandable as both     1     (shape) modern society in some way so far, whether it be their social, cultural, or political influences. However, dozens of civilizations had been around long     2     the Greeks and Romans, the lesser-known Jiahu people     3     (include).

The Jiahu settlement is located in the central plain of ancient China,     4     area known today as the Henan Province. The people created the country’s oldest recognized civilization. The area is rich in artifacts,     5     (make) it an archaeologist’s dream. Apart from the usual finds, people have uncovered records of the earliest examples of Chinese writing and proof     6     they were producers of the world’s oldest wine. Another remarkable discoveries was the oldest working bone flutes (长笛).     7     (typical) carved from the wing bone of a crane, they were most likely used in special ceremonies. Rough weaving tools and bone needles also     8     (unearth) from the site, indicating that Jiahu residents may have possessed basic weaving and sewing skills 8,500 years ago.

The settlement’s end came around 5700 BCE when the nearby rivers overflowed and flooded the area. It is assumed that the Jiahu people left their home     9     (settle) elsewhere, even though there is no indication as to     10     that might have been.

What brilliance will it have when a shell encounters a craftsman? It can transform from an ordinary shell to a     1     (fine) carved artwork in a master craftsman’s hands,     2     combination of nature’s wonderful power and delicate craftsmanship.

Chinese people have a long relationship with shells. Around 17,000 years ago, the Upper Cave Man     3     (hang) shells as decorations. After the Shang Dynasty, shells served as currency. During the Qin and Han dynasties,     4     people began to pursue a more colorful life, craftsmen carved simple patterns of birds and beasts on shells and inset them in utensils, desks and chairs. This process of carving and insetting     5     (call) “Luo Dian” was formed.

    6     the inheritance and development by generations of craftsmen, shell carving has drawn inspiration and got new motivation from ivory, jade, wood-carving and Chinese painting. Picked from rivers, lakes and seas, shells     7     (select), painted, carved, and then turned into complicated handicrafts.

Skillful craftsmen have created     8     (vary) shell carvings, shining with natural texture and human     9     (wise). As the fruit of the ocean and human craftsmanship, each shell carving carries ancient culture and modern civilization,     10     (tell) timeless stories of the relationship between humans and the sea.

With his wrinkled fingers, Wang Qiming put traditional makeup on the faces of young performers before dawn, making final preparations for the shehuo parade.

The shehuo parade, a time-honored performance enjoying widespread     1     (popular) in rural areas across China,     2     (date) back to about 2, 000 years when sacrificial activities were performed to pray for a good harvest. Later on, as dancing and singing became part of the parade, it developed into a folk custom     3     (stage) during the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival     4     (remove) bad luck and bring a fresh start in the new year.

Wangmazui is in Longxian county, previously known     5     Long Zhou, which is famous for shehuo parades     6     (feature) authentic and inclusive performances and simple yet delicate facial makeup. The county     7    (name) the hometown of shehuo performances by the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association in 2013.

More than 100 shehuo festivities are held in Longxian every year, each of     8     involves dozens or hundreds of villagers. Participants usually perform on horses     9     pickup trucks, showing different performances including stilt (高跷) dances and land boats.

Wang, 65, has clear     10     (memory) of the annual performances when he was a child. “My family has been engaged in shehuo performances for generations,” he said. “I started to watch the show in my childhood, and now I join them by making face-painting.

Recently, 16 Chinese online novels have been added to the collection of the British Library.     1     (cover) themes of science fiction, history, reality and fantasy, these works are considered the classics of Chinese online literature from the past 20 years.

The library usually selects works     2     (base) on their popularity or by considering an item’s value. Readers can check the information about the 16 books on the library’s website, and borrow printed     3     (copy). As one of the current key parts of mass cultural consumption,     4     began with “fast food” romanced, fantasies and mysteries, the Chinese online literature industry has received increasing     5     (recognize) from home and abroad.

One of the 16 novels, Happiness in Palm tells a story about love and delicacies (美食) in ancient times. The author created a     6     (represent) heroine who was tough and intelligent, facing up to hardships with courage, perseverance and optimism. “It’s     7     surprise to me that online fiction can be added to the collection of a foreign library.     8     feels like the path of online novel writing is becoming much     9     (wide)” the writer says.

Great Power, Heavy Industry tells of how China’s manufacturing industries     10     (grow) stronger in recent decades, and foreign readers can learn about the Chinese system and culture behind the country’s swift economic development, getting to know China better in the process.

Albert Einstein, perhaps the greatest scientists in modern physies is considered one of the smartest men who ever lived. Einstein was not only a genius bat also a     1    (courage) figure loved by many people.

Einstein was born in Germany on 14 March 1879.At 16,he tried to enter university in Switzerland, but failed due to his low scores in     2     general part of the entrance exam. despite     3    (obtain) the exceptional scores in maths and physics. After studying for another year, he managed to pass the exam,    4    (enter) university in 1896 and graduating in 1900.

    5    (make) a living, he took up a position in the Swiss patent office. Out of a strong passion     6     knowledge, he continued to study there and earned a doctorate in physics in 1905.Then he published four extraordinary physics papers and     7    (gradual) became famous throughout the world. In 1922, he     8    (award) the Nobel Prize for physics. But circumstances changed in 1933,     9     Hitler came to power in Germany. As a Jewish, he had to flee Germany. Finally, he took a job as a     10    (research) at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Following that, he continued to make great achievements in physics and mathematics.

China has detailed measures to boost its climate change monitoring and risk prevention capabilities, marking a significant step forward in the country’s efforts     1     (enhance) its climate resilience(气候适应性) .

The country will seek to build a climate-resilient society     2     climate change monitoring and early warning capability will reach an advanced level globally and the climate risk management and prevention system will     3     basic mature, according to the national climate change adaptation strategy 2035, jointly     4     (publish) by 17 departments including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

The first time China     5     (issue) a national climate change adaptation strategy, China took measures to prevent and control major climate-related disaster risks     6     an effective manner, and greatly improved the technical and standard system for adapting to climate change. Since then, positive results     7     (achieve) in improving adaptation to climate change in key regions and industries.

As the global climate     8     (far) warms, the long-term unfavorable effects and extreme weather events brought about by climate change will pose     9     increasingly serious threat to China’s economic development. The document underlined measures to improve climate change monitoring and forecasting services, enhance assessment of climate change impacts and risks, and     10     (strength) disaster prevention.

In recent days, a primary school principal     1    (become) an Internet celebrity for doing a special dance during a morning exercise routine with his students.

Every morning, 40-year-old principal Zhang Pengfei would lead about 700 pupils on the playground in a “ghost shuffle” routine—    2     dance that includes contemporary jazz     3    (step) with heel, toe and arm movements.

The brave headmaster thought the fun and     4    (energy) exercise routine would better encourage students     5    (get) active instead of being addicted to playing on their mobile phones.

“I thought we need a change     6     the students have been losing interest in doing the broadcast callisthenics routine(广播体操),” Zhang told Southern Metropolis News.

The dedicated principal said he came     7     a group of people doing the ghost shuffle routine at a public plaza last summer. “I     8    (think) the dance would be great for kids,” he said. “The music is full of energy and it really gets the happy feeling     9    (flow).” So he introduced the dance routine to all of his students. “Now the students aren’t     10    (constant) on their phones anymore!” the proud headmaster told reporters.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games opening ceremony was held on February 4, 2022, the same day as “Lichun”, or “Beginning of Spring”—the first of 24 solar terms on China’s lunar calendar (阴历)—    1     (represent) the organizers’ wish for friends around the world to welcome a new spring together.

At 8 p.m. on the big screen of the National Stadium, the countdown of the Chinese “24 Solar Terms” was being played,     2     (accompany) by the imagery of changing seasons, showing how the Chinese     3     (observe) and lived with nature and the world since ancient times. Featuring Chinese festival culture     4     a technology-enhanced visual spectacle (景象), a fantastic ceremony took the world’s breath away as the opening of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games     5     (declare), making the Chinese capital the first city in the world to host both Summer and Winter     6     (edition) of the Olympics. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach expressed his gratitude towards China     7     making the Winter Olympic Games happen in a safe way for everyone. The ceremony was characterized by engaging with the general public and     8     (diverse), with some performers coming from schools and grassroots arts groups, and teenagers accounted for 95% of the performers at the ceremony.

“This ceremony is equally     9     (impress) as the one in 2008,” Exarchos, CEO of OBS, said.     10     the Winter Olympics show is the Chinese people’s confidence, pride, love and affection for the people of the world—our great philosophy and values.

A helper to a composer (作曲家) makes the composer’s work     1     ( easy ). Composers, especially those who work on music, require lots of additional labor     2     ( complete ) their job. Most employ (雇用) a small team that works out of their home or professional studio. In this team, the composer’s helper is the most important member who     3     ( do ) whatever is necessary to support the composer.

It usually falls to the composer’s helper to keep the studio running     4     ( smooth ). This might mean updating audio software, organizing files, etc. Ambitious helpers should expect early mornings, and late nights, especially when a deadline     5     ( approach ).

    6     ( work ) as a composer’s helper is considered the first step toward a career as a composer. Most helpers     7     ( treat ) as employees first, with the expectation that they will create     8     developed team.

The position of a helper is fairly unlikely to be advertised     9     traditional job websites. It might be a matter of creating a position rather than finding one. An excellent composer’s helper should reach out to an experienced composer     10     work he appreciates and improve the composer s process.

Grain Buds, or Xiaoman, the     1     (eight) of the 24 solar terms of a year, usually falls on May 21,marking the     2     (arrive) of hot summer and downpours.

Just like its English name “ Grain Buds”, Xiaoman is a period of time when the grains are about to ripen but are not quite there yet,     3     is also referred to as the waterfall in the southern area of China. If the rainfall is sufficient, the following season of rice planting     4     (guarantee). When it arrives, rainfall increases across the country and temperature     5     (gap) between north and south narrow. During the period, waves of wheat are bright, pomegranate are red as fires, and lotus buds stand upright,     6     (create) a charming early summer scene.

The flavor (气味) for this period of time combines sweet and bitterness. Cherry with sweet and juicy taste is     7     (definite) the best choice for the beginning of summer. Bitter herbs, rich in diversified vitamins and mineral substances, are     8     must during the summer period.

Xiaoman, always used     9     a metaphor for the best state of life in Chinese culture,     10     (indicate) we should maintain a constant state of balance in the character and attitude towards life.