Baiyang Lake, also known as Lake Baiyangdian, is located in the Xiong’an New Area of Baoding. As the largest freshwater lake in North China, it has gained     1     (recognize) as the “Pearl of North China” due to its breathtaking scenery and unique ecological functions. It is referred to     2     the Kidney of North China.

The old Chinese movie “Zhang Ga, the Soldier Boy” is famous for the lake     3     Zhang Ga lived. With the beautiful lotus, flourishing reeds and plenty of fish. Lake Baiyangdian is     4     (precise) like that lake.

    5     (serve) as a crucial waterway, Baiyangdian Lake occupies an import ant location in the ancient basin of the North China Plain. Throughout the Northern Song Dynasty, the imperial court continually     6     (expand) the marshlands, resulting in the formation of a winding “Water Great Wall.” Over time, Baiyangdian Lake     7     (remain) steadfast (不变的) in fulfilling crucial ecological roles from storing floodwater to regulating the climate.

However, the lake almost dried out because of climate change from 1983 to 1988. Local governments launched 26 rehabilitation projects in 2005     8     (restore) and improve Lake Baiyangdian’s ecological environment. Now, the beauty of Lake Baiyangdian resembles the one     9     (describe) in “Zhang Ga, the Soldier Boy”, attracting visitors who hope to take     10     glance at the vivid lotus, flourishing reeds and the clear lake water.

Although parks of all sizes and types exist at any level, the national parks, in particular, tend     1     (catch) our attention because of their large size and variety. They are     2     (treasure) of American heritage (遗产). How did the national park system come about? On a cool, starry night in mid-September 1870, four men relaxed before a campfire along the Firehole River in     3     is now northwestern Wyoming. They     4    (be) part of a 15-member exploring party that had spent almost five awesome weeks in witness of the natural beauties there.

What should     5    (do) with such a beautiful place? They wondered out loud. This area, with     6     (it) unique and breathtaking natural beauty, must be well preserved     7     all people of the nation to enjoy — as a national park. They all agreed and vowed (承诺) to promote the idea at the     8     (complete) of their journey. Their promotional work paid off. Two years later, 18 years before Wyoming became a state, Yellowstone became the first national park in the United States and the world. Yellowstone was the     9     (large) United States national park — 2.2 million acres — until Wrangell-Saint Elias in southern Alaska,     10     became a national monument in 1978, took the honors as a national park in 1980 with 12.3 million acres.

The horse ranks seventh of all the animals in the Chinese zodiac (生肖). People born in the Year of the Horse are extremely lively, active and     1     (energy). Horses love to be in a crowd, and they can usually     2     (see) in such occasions as concerts, theaters, meetings, sporting occasions, and parties.     3     a sense of humor, horses are masters of talkers, and they are very comfortable     4     (get) along with, for they have the ability of instantly putting people at ease.

Sometimes, the horse is a little self-centered,     5     it doesn’t mean that he will not be interested in any problems except his own.     6    (basic), horse people are very healthy, most likely because they hold     7     positive attitude towards life.

Jobs     8     (involve) communicating with others attract horse people most. Horse people dislike taking orders. They love to take center stage and always delight     9    (audience)everywhere.

They are right there with you before you have had the chance to finish     10     you are saying. They are on to the thought in your mind even before you just have expressed it. All these guarantee their popularity and a large number of friends.

In the ancient Shuowen Dictionary, trust is defined as a combination of sincerity and reliability,     1     (emphasize) the importance of keeping one’s word. This concept was     2     (deep) valued in ancient China, with many proverbs highlighting the significance of integrity in personal and professional relationships. CaoCao, the     3     (rule) of the Wei state during the Three Kingdoms period, embodied (体现) this spirit of trustworthiness, which played a crucial role in his ability     4     (draw) numerous heroes to his side.

During the Three Kingdoms era, a time     5     (mark) by division and conflict among the states of Wei, Shu, and Wu, loyalty was a prized yet rare commodity (商品). Cao Cao’s relationship     6     Guan Yu shows his understanding of trust and respect as foundational     7     (element) of leadership. After capturing Xu Province, Cao Cao encountered Guan Yu. Guan Yu’s surrender (投降) to Cao Cao, under the condition     8     he would leave once he learned of Liu Bei’s whereabouts, presented     9     unique challenge. Cao Cao’s acceptance of these terms, and his subsequent efforts to win over Guan Yu, demonstrate a strategic approach to leadership that     10     (value) talent and honours personal loyalty.

With a history of 600 years, Kunqu Opera,    1     (bear) in the region of Kunshan in today's Suzhou, Jiangsu province, is considered China’s oldest opera form and one of the most     2     (influence) theatrical traditions.    3     many traditional art forms, it was also once on the edge of extinction.

In 2001, Kunqu Opera was listed as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, which helped the ancient art form to receive more protection     4     contributed to its revival. Yang Fengyi, artistic director and head of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theater,     5     (travel) with her performers to the UNESCO headquarters to witness the historic moment.

Kunqu Opera has distinguished     6     (it) by the virtuosity (精湛技巧) of its rhythmic patterns and its pieces are     7     (close) linked with Chinese literature. In 2003, the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theater worked with Chinese -American writer Kenneth Hsienyung Pai     8     (produce) the “youth version” of a Kunqu Opera production, The Peony Pavilion,     9     classic Ming Dynasty play by playwright Tang Xianzu. Since its premiere in Taiwan in 2004, this version has clocked in about 400     10     (perform), attracting a growing young audience, who consider the art form to be deep, elegant and complicated.

Hong Kong’s tiny Tai Hang district is usually one of the city’s     1     (quiet) places. But every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the neighborhood comes alive with the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance.

    2     (list) as China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance began in 1880,     3     the neighborhood was attacked by a deadly disease on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to the legend, a fortune teller suggested that the villagers perform a fire dragon dance for three days and three nights during the upcoming full moon. To their     4     (amaze), the disease disappeared     5     (short) after the dance. Since then, this tradition has been carried on every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The 67-metre fire dragon will wind through the streets of Tai Hang, like it did over a century ago with over 300     6     (performer) , 70,000 incense sticks (焚香), and lots of firecrackers.

Dragon dance leader Chan Tak-fai, who has been organizing the event for the past 20 years, first got involved     7     a child. “I grew up     8     (watch) all the elder makers—there were three on Sun Chun Street where I lived—create the fire dragon every year. I was able to learn and later teach young Tai Hangers,” says Tak-fai, now 70. “Back then, we always     9     (gather) in the street as there was no air-conditioning and it was cooler outside. That created     10     great sense of community.”

On October 26, China launched the Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship, and the three astronauts aboard would be sent to stay in orbit for about six months on a space station mission. The Shenzhou-17 crew has     1     youngest lineup since the     2    (construct) of China’s Tiangong space station started.

They would perform     3     (variety) of in-orbit space science and application payload tests and experiments, Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA, announced     4     (formal) at a press conference. They would carry     5     extravehicular (舱外) activities, set up extravehicular payloads and conduct space station maintenance and other tasks.

The Shenzhou-17 astronauts would do extravehicular experimental maintenance for the first time,     6     is a very challenging task, Lin added.

With space debris (碎片) increasing, its impact on long-term operating spacecraft is unavoidable, Lin said. “Through initial inspections, we     7     (find) that the solar wings of the space station had been hit by tiny space particles (粒子) several times,     8     (cause) minor damages. ”

“We already took this into consideration in the design stage, though. At present, all functionality and performance indicators of the space station meet requirements,” he added. The astronauts also had the intention     9     (assess) the functioning and performance of the space station and would test the coordination and compatibility of ground support centers in performing space station operation and management tasks,     10     (aim) at further improving the operating efficiency and fault correction capability of the space station.

As a centuries-old art form, the popularity of Yingge dance on the streets of London during the Spring Festival was     1     success in terms of traditional Chinese folk art sailing overseas.

Literally     2     (translate) as the “Songs of Heroes” dance, Yingge dance is a 300-year-old folk dance that originated from the Chaoshan area of South China’s Guangdong Province. Dressed in colorful costumes,     3     (energy) performers wave wooden sticks in their hands in orderly formations while dancing to the music.

Based     4     the stories of the 108 Heroes of Liangshan Mountain from the classic novel Outlaw’s of the Marsh, this is a folk art     5     (combine) a variety of forms, from martial arts and Chinese operas to dance.

With its high compatibility (共存) with various art forms and years of inheritance and innovation, this Chaoshan-born dance art has spread to neighboring countries and     6     (region) in the last century.

Yingge dance     7     (bring) to Thailand by Chinese immigrants around a century ago, where it took off     8     expanded to over 10 provinces. For now, this traditional Chinese dance is     9     (wide) known by its inheritance among the younger generations who have     10     (enthusiastic) in practicing kung fu, and trying dragon and lion dances as well as being on the wind of social media.

Wild lands across Africa are home to many rare, threatened, and endangered species. Having recognized their extraordinary value and     1     (preserve) their ecological wealth, the UNESCO classified some of these sites     2     World Heritage sites. Unfortunately, the ecological integrity of many significant landscapes is under the influence of human activity.

Let’s take the example of Ethionia’s Simien Mountains National Park. In 1996 when it entered the list of World Heritage In Danger,    3     increasing number of human settlements around the park over the years,    4     (couple) with unsustainable farming practies and overgrazing (过度放牧), had worsened the conditions of all-important wildlife habitats. Marked by the significant population decline of some species, the future of this park     5    (hang) in the balance.

However, in 2017, the park made history with its     6     (remove) from the list. a significant and remarkable achievement of the Government of Ethiopia. By then various efforts     7     (devote) to achieving this. In 2003, the Government reestablished the limits of the park, adding the Mekeserya and Limalimo Wildlife Reserves.    8     (effect) community-driven conservation strategies are instrumental in preventing further ecological loss. The authorities have developed a grazing strategy     9     aim is to greatly reduce the grazing pressure on the park. Plus, alternative livelihoods through tourism assisted communities     10     (great) in developing conservation-friendly economies in the landscape.