Piyingxi, or Chinese shadow puppetry is a traditional opera art among Chinese people. According to historical records, shadow puppetry originated     1     Western Han Dynasty and became popular in Ming & Qing.

Shadow puppetry is an art with a perfect     2     (combine) of light, image, sound and color. In lamp light, the shadow puppet looks crystalline (似水晶的) and graceful, with the cut-out parts brighter than     3     rest.

The performers hold joysticks in their hands that they grab, grind, roll, and press     4     (create) flowing motions, which is exactly     5     the ancient called “a million soldiers in two hands.” In addition to images, performers tell their stories in the locally popular tone with musicians     6     (play) instruments in the background.

The coloring is also an     7     (amaze) step in making a shadow figure. The favorite colors are the pure ones, most of     8     are red, green and black in practice, as yellow is the original color of the skins, and the light leaked through the cut-outs is     9     (natural) white.

The harmonious co-existence of sounds, colors, light and shadow     10     (make) shadow puppetry a colorful addition to people’s leisure time.

A tea bag is a small, porous packet that contains     1     (dry) plant material, which, when soaked in hot water, helps to make tea. Tea bags are     2     (general) made of filter paper.

Tea bags range from a square or rectangular shape to a tetrahedral (四面体的) and even circular shape. There’s typically     3     small string attached to each tea bag with a paper label at the top.

Tea bags     4     (use) since the 8th century — in the era of the Tang dynasty. In those days, paper was folded and sewn into square bags so that tea flavors could be preserved for a long time,     5     (lay) the foundation for modern tea bags.

The modern version of tea bags first appeared in the Western World as early as 1903. Commercially, however, tea bags made their appearance around 1908,     6     coffee importer Thomas Sullivan shipped his silk tea bags all over the world. Those tea bags were supposed     7     (tear) before use, and their loose contents were then poured into hot water to brew tea.

However, people found that it was more convenient to brew tea     8     the tea leaves still enclosed in the bags. Since dipping tea bags into water didn’t seem to cause any change in the taste, people gradually did away with the practice of     9     (remove) the tea bag, and started dipping it directly into hot water instead.

It’s generally advised to not squeeze a tea bag soaked in hot water. When you squeeze a tea bag, more tannins (鞣质) are released into the liquid. The result of this is that the drink becomes too bitter, or     10     some call it, “too strong”.

    1     (get) to know a little bit about British history will help you understand what these different names—the United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain England—mean. In the 16th century, the nearby country of Wales     2     (join) to the Kingdom of England. Later, Scotland and then Ireland was added. Although the four countries have some differences, they use the same flag,     3     (know) as the Union Jack, as well as share the same currency and military    4     (defend).

Originally unearthed in the late 1920s, the Sanxingdui Ruins have been regarded as one of the world’s greatest archaeological     1     (finding) of the 20th century. In July this year, a     2     (new) completed exhibition hall at the world-famous Sanxingdui Museum opened in Guanghan, Sichuan Province.

    3     (cover) an area of nearly 55,000 square meters, the exhibition hall is now the largest single exhibition building showcasing the cultural relics     4     (dig) from historical sites in southwest China. The new hall     5     (hold) more than 1,500 cultural items, with 600 of them on show for the first time.

One iconic (标志性的) exhibit is the four-meter-tall bronze sacred tree,     6     takes up the central position in the new hall. And it makes a much     7     (strong) visual impression than it did in the old hall. The bronze altar (青铜神坛) that was discovered last year is also     8     impressive piece of artwork. It is made up of three parts and shows ancient sacrificial (献祭的) scenes.

Divided into three themed areas, the exhibition hall makes use of a range of new technologies     9     (celebrate) the cultural features and social development of the Shu civilization. It also shows China’s latest achievements     10     archaeological research.

Chang’an Tower, also known as the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, is an architectural wonder     1     (locate) in Xi’an, China. With its rich historical significance and stunning beauty, this ancient tower stands as a masterpiece of China’s cultural heritage.

    2     (original) built during the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century, Chang’an Tower served as a Buddhist pagoda, housing Buddhist materials that the monk Xuanzang brought from India. Its construction     3    (order) by Emperor Gaozong to promote Buddhism and facilitate (使……便利) the translation of Buddhist scriptures (佛经)     4     Chinese.

Rising to a     5     (high) of 64 meters, the square-shaped, thirteen-storey tower showcases the splendid craftsmanship of ancient Chinese craftsmen, each storey of     6     exhibits unique architectural features,     7     (reflect) the cultural influences of the time. Visitors can go up the internal staircase to the top for magnificent     8     (view) of the city. Surrounding the pagoda, the serene gardens and the Da Ci’en Temple offer a peaceful retreat as well.

Whether it is for experiencing a piece of history     9     exploring cultural wonders, Chang’an Tower is     10     essential destination for those exploring China’s vast historical landscape.

Located in Changping District, Beijing, Juyongguan is of great military importance since ancient times. The two strategic     1     (pass) in the south and north are respectively named “South Pass” and “Juyongguan”. Grand mountains surround Juyongguan; an 18km long valley, commonly known as “Guangou”,     2     (stretch) right across the middle. In Juyongguan, clear streams belt, green mountains overlap, flowers and trees bloom, and birds sing. Owing to the beautiful scenery, Juyongguan has been honored     3     “Juyong Diecui” and one of the “Eight Great Sights of Beijing”.

In the center of stylobate (柱座), there arranges the doorway through     4     people, carriages and horses can all pass. Cloud Terrace at Juyongguan is a large-scale fine work of stone carving,     5     (construct) in Yuan Dynasty.     6     (initial), there were 3 white pagodas (宝塔). Unfortunately, they     7     (destroy) at the turning of Yuan and Ming Dynasty. Subsequently, “Tai’an Temple” was constructed on the stylobate. However, in the 41^st year of Kangxi Reign in Qing Dynasty (1702), the temple suffered from fire,     8     (leave) Cloud Terrace alone.

An overall repair was conducted to architectures in Juyongguan in 1992, restoring     9     (it) former grandness. The     10     (nature) landscape of Juyongguan surroundings is very attractive. Ever since Mingchang Year of Jin Dynasty, “Juyong Diecui” has been listed into “Eight Great Sights of Beijing”.