Tangshan started to revive itself and get back up on its feet. With strong support from the government and the tireless     1     of the city’s people, a new Tangshan was built upon the earthquake     2    . The new city has become a home to more than seven million people, with great improvements in transportation, industry, and environment. Tangshan city has proved to China and the rest of the world that in times of disaster, people must unify and show the     3     to stay positive and rebuild for a brighter future.

The Renaissance (from the 14th to the 17th century)

New ideas and values gradually replaced old ones from the Middle Ages. As a result, painters c    1     less on religious themes. They began to a    2     a more humanistic attitude to life. An important b    3     during this period was the use of perspective by Masaccio. I    4     painters such as Leonardo da Vince, Michelangelo, and Raphael built upon Giotto and Masaccio’s innovations to produce some of the greatest art that Europe had ever seen.

Another innovation was the use of oil paints. With their deep colors and realism, some of the best oil paintings look like photographs. While painters as early as Da Vinci had used oil, this technique reached its h    5     with Rembrandt, who gained a r    6     as a master of shadow and light.

In subject matter, the emphasis increasingly s    7     from religious themes to people and the world around us. Kings, n    8    , and people of high rank wanted to p    9     accurate pictures of themselves and the people they loved. Others wanted paintings showing important historical events or stories from mythology. Finally, most c    10     wanted paintings that were beautiful and interesting to look at.

The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England — many people are confused by what these different names mean. So what is the difference between them, if any?     1     to know a little bit about British history will help you solve this puzzle.

In the 16th century, the     2     country of Wales was joined to the Kingdom of England. Later, in the 18th century, the country Scotland was joined to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. In the 19th century, the Kingdom of Ireland was added to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.     3    , in the 20th century, the southern part of Ireland broke away from the UK, which     4     in the full name we have today: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Most people just use the shortened name: “the United Kingdom” or “the UK”. People from the UK are called “British”, which means the UK is also often     5     to as Britain or Great Britain.

The four countries that     6     to the United Kingdom work together in some areas. They use the same flag, known as the Union Jack, as well as share the same currency and    7         8    . However, they also have some differences. For example, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all have different education systems and    9     systems. They also have their own     10    , like their own national days and national dishes. And they even have their own football teams for competitions like the World Cup!

China is w    1     known for its ancient c    2     which has continued all the way through into modern t    3    , despite the many ups and downs in its history. There are many reasons why this has been possible, but one of the main f    4     has been, the Chinese w    5     system.

At the b    6    , written Chinese was a picture-based l    7     . It d    8     back several thousand years to the use of longgu-animal bones and shells on which s    9     were c    10     by ancient Chinese people. Some of the ancient symbols can still be seen in today’s hanzi.