Wang Anshi （1021 - 1086）, a poet and reformer of Song Dynasty, is still remembered after a long period of time. This year marked the 1, 000th anniversary of Wang’s birthday. To commemorate the occasion, China Post    1    （issue）a collection of stamps in December（2021）.

When he was young, Wang became familiar    2    the hardships of the peasants. After he passed the imperial civil service exams and became     3     official, Wang wanted to change their conditions and initiated a series of reforms.

He implemented new laws to ease farmers’ burdens, loaned grain to farmers and allowed them to repay their debts after the autumn harvest. He attached great importance to    4    （train）talents in different fields, for example, in laws.     5    （unlucky）, these policies harmed the interests of the upper classes and his reforms eventually failed.

Wang’s     6    （brave） to innovate has inspired many people. The former Chinese Premier Wen: Jiabao- quoted Wang in his speech: A true reformer should fear neither strange astronomical    7    （phenomenon）nor comments.

US politician Henry A. Wallace had a book    8    （record）Wang’s reform policies. When the Unitech States faced sudden economic depression during the Roosevelt administration of the 1930s, Wallace applied Wang’s economic principles and helped the country get through the crisis successfully.

During his lifetime, Wang    9    （pen）more than 1, 000 poems. Often short and plainspoken, these poems contain profound topics,     10    won him wide acclaim（称赞）both at home and abroad.

The Grand Canal of China was first dug in 486 BC, and well developed through the late 6th to early 10th century. From the late 13th until 19th century, with the highest section built and the overall length     1    (shorten), the Canal was turned into a main passage between northern     2     southern China as well as the economic lifeline of the country. Consisting of the Sui and Tang Grand Canal, the Jing-Hang Grand Canal and the Zhedong Canal, the Canal     3    (stretch) over 2, 700 kilometers, crossing eight provincial-level administrative regions and     4    (link) five major water systems. The Grand Canal also connects with the Eurasian Silk Road to the west and extends the water trade route to the east.

The Grand Canal was     5     notable achievement of the ancient Chinese people. Its connection of the political and economic centers played a     6    (centre) role in the political unity, economic     7    (grow) and cultural prosperity of China, and contributed to the livelihood, exchanges and integration of the population along its route.

The Grand Canal     8    (announce) by the State Council as one of the seventh batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level in March, 2013 and registered     9     the UNSECO World Heritage List in June, 2014. This large-scale, living cultural heritage spreads like a huge dragon across the vast territory of China,     10    (it) ripples shining golden scales (鳞片) in the new age.