Valentine’s Day in China

It is really difficult to know the exact time    1     Western Valentine’s Day was introduced into China. However, Western Valentine’s Day is     2     (wide) celebrated in urban areas where there are a lot of commercial events, especially in big cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Valentine’s Day is not so popular in small towns, small     3     (city) and the countryside.  

So far, Chinese people    4     (accept) the tradition of Westerners’ celebrating Valentine’s Day, such as     5     (exchange) gifts, having a romantic dinner, watching a movie in the evening or even registering a marriage if Valentine’s Day falls on a workday.  

On this day, larger amounts of chocolate will be on sale in supermarkets,    6     compared with the case in the ordinary days, cinemas will be much     7     (busy) and the price of flowers can also be a lot higher. Many restaurants will have special menus, especially those in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. If you want to have a smooth     8     (celebrate) on Valentine’s Day, remember     9     (make) reservations as far in advance as you can.  

Chinese people have also made some changes to the Western way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. For some couples, the husband may prepare a hearty dinner or buy a fancy gift     10     his wife on this day to show his gratitude.

A small town in England is teaching the world that it is important     1    (grow) your own food. Any open space     2    (use) to grow fruit and vegetables. There are apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, cabbages and carrots, here and there. Everyone can pick them     3     free. Eight years ago, a woman named Pam in Todmorden dug up her rose garden. She planted vegetables, knocked down the garden walls and put up a sign     4    (say), “Help yourself.” Today, Pam has     5    (complete) changed the town. A new town has been born,     6     is called “Incredible Edible Todmorden”. Pam explained why she thought the idea was popular. “It’s possible and positive. Many people know we have to change,     7     how we do that is a question.” So one day, she gathered all the     8    (villager) together. They decided to do something     9    (differ) at once. They didn’t write reports. They didn’t ask for permission. They just did it. Only a short time later, Todmorden　    10    (become) a big garden of fruit and vegetables. In Todmorden, there is a motto: If you eat, you are in. But that’s not all. There are more than 700 edible towns popping up around the world, from Canada to Mali. People there think about food and protect the environment at the same time.

Does the Internet help or harm friendships? Different people have different opinions. Robert thinks talking online is no replacement for face⁃to⁃face contact. Communicating through a screen makes     1     more difficult for children to concentrate or show kindness to others. Social skills enable children     2       (develop)lifelong friendships. What’s more, the Internet     3     (make) people self⁃centred. They are only concerned with their online popularity. He also thinks friendships are built on the basis of trust. Going online can be particularly dangerous for people who are easily     4     (influence) by others.  

But Cathy holds the opposite opinion. She thinks the Internet makes communication more     5     (convenience) and more fun. People can keep in touch     6     friends wherever they are or whatever they are doing. There are also so many online tools people can use to be creative. In     7     (add), online communication can     8     (actual) bring people closer to each other. Whoever needs help can immediately get some useful     9     (suggestion) or information from all over the world,     10     makes friends feel loved and cared for.

I     1     (be) always full of confidence about Hamlet before I saw The Revenge of Prince Zidan — the Peking Opera version of Hamlet. First, the opera brought a     2     (complete) new sound to my Western ears, beginning with an orchestra playing traditional Chinese instruments, one of     3     was an instrument with two strings     4     (call) jinghu. Then, I was surprised when the main characters came on stage. The costumes and masks were     5     (amaze). Although the     6     (perform) sang in Chinese, the music, exaggerated movements and mime helped get the meanings     7     the audience. The voices sounded really unique. So high were some of the female voices     8     I was sure they could break glass! And the stage was really simple.     9     (use) some special techniques, the opera had transformed a small stage into the whole universe. What I liked most was how the characters moved on stage. It was so dazzling and energetic that I wasn’t sure if the characters were performers     10     athletes! Feeling the strong emotions of love, anger, fear and grief in the performance. I could easily recognise the theme of Hamlet.