The Tigris River and the Euphrates River are two of the most significant rivers in the Middle East     1     define Mesopotamia, the ancient land between the rivers. They shaped the civilizations that flourished along their banks and have been essential     2    (source)of water for agriculture, transportation and trade.

The Tigris River originates in the Taurus Mountains of eastern Turkey and flows southeast through Iraq before joining the Euphrates River     3    (form)the Shatt al-Arab which then empties into the Persian Gulf. The river has a     4    (long)of about 1,900 kilometres.

In ancient times, the Tigris River served as     5     lifeline for different groups of people,     6    (include)Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians and Persians. Cities like Baghdad and Mosul     7    (situate)along its banks. The river provided water for irrigation, enabling the cultivation of crops such as wheat, barley and dates. It also facilitated trade routes, connecting ancient Mesopotamian cities and     8    (great)improving the exchange of goods and ideas. Similar     9     the Tigris River, the Euphrates River played a crucial role in the development of ancient civilizations.

Both rivers     10    (face)challenges in recent times. Dams, diversions(分水渠)and water projects have been constructed along their courses, impacting the flow and availability of water downstream.

Staying up late may work well for business professionals or     1    (lawyer), but a new study suggests it can be harmful for students. High school students     2     stay up late see their test scores fall behind their more well-rested classmates.

The study,     3    (perform) by researchers at University of California, Berkeley, examined survey data from over 2,700 volunteers, whose ages ranged from thirteen       4     seventeen in the United States. Thirty percent of them admitted to bedtimes past 11:30 pm during the school year. Following the data, these night owls(夜猫子)     5    (see) their grades slip when compared to other students. Additionally, these teens who didn’t get enough sleep also reported a     6    (high)rate of emotional problems.

The silver lining is that the study shows     7     easy solution to some teens’ problems: get more sleep. Teens facing emotional problems or depression could attempt       8    (adjust) their sleep cycles before turning to stronger measure for     9    (relieve). Compared to doctors’ bills and medication, going to bed earlier can be simple r and more cost- effective.

Doctors recommend 9 hours of sleep every night for teens. Parents should make     10     a rule to turn off their children’s smart phones and laptops when the sun goes down. Now more than ever, a good night’s sleep can make the difference.

At noon, the Tongxin Cafeteria near the Jing'an Temple downtown has a line that demonstrates its multi-generational     1     （popular）. The menu,     2     over 60 dishes served daily, caters to (迎合) all kinds of tastes.

“     3     （compare）with food ordered for lunch online, this place is much better,” said Chen Luo,     4     accountant from a nearby office building. Chen, who lives alone, formerly depended     5     （heavy）on delivered meals ordered online until her parents raised concerns about the nutritional value. The nearby community canteen is a perfect solution.

Originally, these cafeterias, once known as “senior canteens”,     6     （establish）to provide healthy meals at     7     （afford）prices to older folks who might not be getting enough nutrition at home. From 2019 to 2021, the Shanghai government set a goal of building 200 new community canteens,     8     （bring）the total at the end of last year to 1, 608.

The manager of a local community canteen, said the prices of the dishes were 20 percent     9     （low）than current market rates because of the government assistance.

So popular have some community cafeterias become     10     they appear on WeChat and other lifestyle sharing platforms.

Porcelain (瓷器) is a material made from well-chosen porcelain clay through a series of technological     1     (process) like mixing, molding, drying and firing. Although porcelain developed from pottery, it is superior in both practical     2     artistic terms. Perhaps that is     3     it gradually replaced pottery in history.

The     4     (early) porcelain, commonly called “primitive porcelain”, appeared during the Shang Dynasty. But the first porcelain in real sense was not produced until the-Eastern Han Dynasty. Later with the processing techniques     5     (mature) all the way, famous kilns (窑), including what are known as the “Five, Great Kilns”, emerge     6     quantity during the Song Dynasty. In the Yuan Dynasty, Jingdezhen, the Capital of Porcelain, produced blue and white porcelain which later became the     7     (represent) of porcelain. Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty is classical, graceful, delicate and splendid, thus becoming superb goods popular at home and abroad.

Porcelain is the creative fruit of     8     working people of ancient China. Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, porcelain     9     (export) worldwide: It promotes economic and cultural exchange between China and the outside world, and     10     (dramatic) influences the traditional culture and lifestyle of people from other countries.

On the occasion of the Year of the Dragon, the Tongliang Dragon Dance is certainly one of the most evocative (引起共鸣的) and atmospheric performances staged at     1     number of celebrations.

Tongliang Dragon Dance is a dance art form that began in the Tongliang District of southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. The district expects to make use of the dragon culture     2    (improve) people’s understanding of Chinese traditional culture through continued innovation and development.

The dragon prop (道具)    3    (use) in the Tongliang Dragon Dance is made up of 24 sections, representing the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar. Depending on the occasion and other specific requirements, the     4    (long) of the dragon can extend to over 50 or even 100 sections. During grand celebrations, up to nine huge dragons can     5    (see) dancing together.

“Tongliang is the home of the dragon dance, and the Tongliang Dragon Dance, during its long tradition, has evolved into more than 20 different     6    (variety),” said Zong Heyun, director of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center in Tongliang District.

As one of the first national intangible cultural heritages, the Tongliang Dragon Dance     7    (gain)widespread fame in recent years, and it has     8    (usual) appeared the stage of China Media Group.

The Tongliang Dragon Dance has not only featured in major domestic (国内的) celebrations such     9     the 35th, 50th, 60th and 70th National Day celebrations, and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, but it has also been performed in more than 300 cultural exchanges in over 30 countries and regions,     10     brings this unique dance to a wider global audience.

Scientists have discovered the remains of     1     appears to be an ancient sheep-drawn chariot (战车) near the famous Terracotta Army in the western tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The main structure of the chariot has likely rotted (腐烂) away after     2     (spend) more than 2,000 years in the ground but researchers did find a row of six sheep skeletons (骨架) wearing attachments used for pulling a chariot, so they     3     (infer) this was a sheep-drawn chariot.

Horse-drawn chariots were common in ancient China, but a sheep-drawn chariot is     4     extremely rare find. The founder of the Western Jin Dynasty, Emperor Wu, or Sima Yan, who ruled from 266 to 290CE, is said     5     (ride) in a sheep-drawn carriage around his palace complex every night and would sleep wherever the sheep stopped. Researchers hope laboratory     6     (analyze) on the western tomb’s burial chamber, which is currently underway, will help them determine who was buried there.

In addition to the six-sheep chariot, scientists unearthed a four-wheeled     7     (wood) chariot, probably drawn by horses,     8     (equip) with a fancy umbrella. It is the oldest of     9     (it) type ever found. They also found a wealth of iron tools and weapons, providing new insight     10     the period when iron tools first began to appear.

More young people are trying their hand at farming the soil. Guo Lan, 29, works in a vegetable greenhouse on his organic farm     1     (locate) in the suburban district of Hefei, East China’s Anhui province. It is the eighth time this summer that Guo has failed to grow vegetables     2    using chemicals. Despite trying various homemade pest solutions, such as plant ash and mixtures of pepper and alcohol, the vegetable     3     (leaf) were still being eaten by insects. “I will not give up     4     (try),” the 29-year-old accountant-turned-farmer says. He is determined to turn his farm into     5     organic one, cultivating fruits and vegetables with the same flavors as those from his childhood memories.

“Growing tasty and healthy food     6     (be) my dream since I was a teenager. I know     7     challenging it can be, but if you take the soil     8     (serious), I believe it will pay off,” Guo says. He adds that farming is not a business that can make quick money, but for him, it has become an uplifting activity that brings back memories of spending time on the farm with     9     (he) parents as a child. Guo’s passion for organic farming and commitment to producing healthy food will surely inspire more young people to explore     10     (sustain) agriculture.

The oldest art forms in China are music and dance. Music played     1     important role in ancient China. In ancient times, bronze (铜) bells were instruments of official ceremonies. A bronze bell set from a tomb in the ancient state of Zeng in Hubei Province, contains 64 bells,each of     2     produces two distinct, tuned strike notes. More than 120 instruments     3     (dig)out of the same tomb. Music and related ceremonies managed     4     (provide) a structure for activities in the courts of rulers at all levels at that time.

Theatre, once the most important popular art form in China, remains important for some people. However, in recent years, its popularity     5     (fall) compared to television dramas, especially serials.

Chinese theatre originated in early religious dances,     6     (perform) at festivals for various reasons, such as preparing for harvest, hunting, or warfare. Yuan dramas-or operas, as they are more     7     (accurate ) called-consisted     8     songs and dances organized around plots on historical or contemporary themes. The operas were performed in special theatres, with elegant     9     (costume) and decorated stages. From Yuan drama, later     10     (region) forms developed, including contemporary Peking opera.

As cities continue expanding, it is becoming more important than ever to find ways to create sustainable and livable cities. Biophilic design (生物亲和设计), an approach that has gained great attention in recent years, is thought to be     1     (work). This approach seeks to incorporate elements of nature into the built environment,     2     aim is to improve the health of citizens and create more sustainable urban spaces.

Biophilic design     3     (root) in the idea that humans have a natural connection to nature and that incorporating natural elements into our surroundings can have     4     positive impact on our health. It recognizes that spending time in nature has been demonstrated     5     (reduce) stress and increase overall happiness.

One way to include biophilic design elements in urban environments is through the use of natural materials. Instead of relying on artificial materials that result     6     various problems, like plastic, biophilic design encourages the use of materials     7     (source) from nature, like wood or stone. These material create a more     8     (visual) attractive environment and produce a sense of connection to the natural world.

Another key element of biophilic design involves adding plants to the built environment     9     by bringing plants into urban spaces, biophilic design establishes a more calming environment. According to many studies, the     10     (expose) to green can increase productivity and promote health.

The 2023 Chinese Bridge Calligraphy and Painting Contest lasted for six months,     1     (attract) 1, 084 contestants from 86 countries     2     a total of 1, 146 calligraphy and painting works.

According to experts, the award winning calligraphy works this year mirrored many Chinese classic elements with more     3     (expressive) and creativity, compared to the winners of last year's contest,

“I feel honored to be the judge again and also     4     (delight) to find that the entries for this year have been such a breakthrough. From their progress, you can     5     (definite) see the authors must have spent a lot of time and energy learning traditional Chinese culture, ” commented one of the judges.

At the closing ceremony, Zhang Bo, professor from Beijing Language and Culture University, gave high praise of the achievement of overseas Chinese teaching,     6     played a significant role in cultural exchanges. He said the quality of the entries resulted from the contestants' years of study, as well as     7     guidance and assistance of overseas Chinese teaching behind them.

The experts suggested watching the videos about the contestants on the website. “Through these videos, we can see their daily practice and creation process,     8     we can also feel their understanding and love for Chinese culture from their introductions. The creative process of calligraphy and painting     9     (have) a visual appreciation similar to dance. It is our hope that these videos     10     (share) on social media will encourage more people to develop a love for Chinese culture.”