Chinese food and the differences between Chinese and Western diets are both things that cause the     1     (curious) of most people who visit China. Moreover, when    2    (travel) through China, you'll most likely pick up on a few differences in the way of eating food. For example, soup in the West     3     (enjoy) generally as an appetizer (开胃菜) at the start of a meal, while the Chinese prefer to enjoy their soup at the end of a meal.

You might also notice some distinct differences in meal preparation and cooking techniques. Therefore, cooking classes are becoming an     4     (increasing) popular activity among those interested in learning more about China’s culture through its cuisine. If you’re looking to take it a step     5    (far), keep an eye out for cooking classes     6    (hold) by residents in their own homes.

When it comes to traditional Chinese games, the Chinese have always been sociable people. Despite the fact     7     the country has made super technological advancement and gained increasing popularity in personal electronic devices,     8     majority of Chinese would rather spend time socializing with others than sit alone at home. From popular board games like Go (围棋) and Chinese chess to kids’ games like Chinese jump rope, China offers     9    (vary) options to keep people busy. Most locals are more than happy to share their traditions    10    foreign visitors, so don’t be shy to ask the next time you go for a walk through the park!

Zoos are some of the most     1    (delight)places children, and even adults    2    all ages love to visit. Zoos are more than just a place of entertainment and education for people, but also a place    3    animals are kept in safe enclosures. Zoos allow us to enjoy    4    (view) animals, or we would have to make a trip to Africa to view them.

My first trip to the zoo    5    (be) years ago during an elementary school trip. That was the first time I     6    (find) myself close to wild animals like tigers, lions, giraffes and zebras, The last time I visited the zoo was about a year back when I took my kids there. Children especially are interested in such animals on display and in terms of     7    (education) value, I would say that the trip was worth every minute    8    (spend). However, there are some of us who feel that animals shouldn't be kept in enclosures is     9    form of cruelty. But looking at it from another perspective, the same animals may not survive this far had they been left on their own in the wilderness because of the     10    (present) of their enemies.

6 . The hula hoop(呼啦圈) can date back to around 1000 BC. Originally, the hula hoop was made of dried grapevines(葡萄藤).     1     Although first played for this simple game, the hula hoop has been enjoyed by adults and children for centuries. Various nations worldwide independently created and used it for entertainment purposes throughout history.

    2     Sometimes these hoops were also used for military and battle practice. Between 800 and 1500 AD, Native Americans used the hoops as moving targets in order to practice throwing spears and other weapons. Even the British army had a game named “kill the hoop”. However, this practice is not common today.

The more modern version of the hula hoop, which is spun around the waist, was first invented in the 1950s. A plastic hoop created by California’s Wham-O toy company had sold nearly 100 million hula hoops by 1960.     3    

Throughout the United States, the hula hoop craze was large and diverse. But by 1980 the use of hula hoops had begun rapidly fading.     4     In both of the countries, circuses and gymnasts took up hula hoping as part of their performances.

Eventually, the hula hoop was introduced into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1999, showing its important place within the entertainment and children’s toy industries.     5     However, methodical and structural advances have allowed for the introduction of hula hoops into various modern entertainment venues for adults as well.

7 . In the mid-1990s, Tom Bissell taught English as a volunteer in Uzbekistan. He left after seven months, physically broken and having lost his mind. A few years later, still attracted to the country, he returned to Uzbekistan to write an article about the disappearance of the Aral Sea.

His visit, however, ended up involving a lot more than that. Hence this book, Chasing the Sea: Lost Among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia, which talks about a road trip from Tashkent to Karakalpakstan, where millions of lives have been destroyed by the slow drying up of the sea. It is the story of an American travelling to a strange land, and of the people he meets on his way: Rustam, his translator, a lovely 24-year-old who picked up his colorful English in California, Oleg and Natasha, his hosts in Tashkent, and a string of foreign aid workers.

This is a quick look at life in Uzbekistan, made of friendliness and warmth, but also its darker side of society. In Samarkand, Mr Bissell admires the architectural wonders, while on his way to Bukhara he gets a taste of police methods when suspected of drug dealing. In Ferghana, he attends a mountain funeral(葬礼)followed by a strange drinking party. And in Karakalpakstan, he is saddened by the dust storms, diseases and fishing boats stuck miles from the sea.

Mr Bissell skillfully organizes historical insights and cultural references, making his tale a well-rounded picture of Uzbekistan, seen from Western eyes. His judgment and references are decidedly American, as well as his delicate stomach. As the author explains, this is neither a travel nor a history book, or even a piece of reportage. Whatever it is, the result is a fine and vivid description of the purest of Central Asian traditions.

8 . A friend of mine is a musician. He _________ seems to be learning new tunes, new _________, and new ways of making music in cool ways. At the weekends, he _________ to go into Central Park in the center of Nagoya during the daytime where lots of bands _________. Some of these bands are really good, but some of them are quite _________. One of the reasons why my friend likes _________ all the bands is that they are _________! And as he says to me, ''_________ expensive things don't necessarily mean that they're good, free things don't necessarily mean they have no _________. You have to listen and look yourself and ____________ what is valuable for you. And ____________, as you listen and look, you may learn different things.''

So my friend goes to the ____________ every week when the weather is fine, and he says he learns ____________ from every single band! When he watches and listens to the really good bands, he learns new concertos (协奏曲) from the ____________ and cool rhythms from the drummers. I guess that it's not ____________ that you can learn a lot by watching ____________ performers. But what really ____________ me are my friend's words — ''You can learn by watching and listening to the bad performers, too. When I watch a bad performer, I think to myself-wow, that's another thing that I'm going to ____________.''

So my friend makes ____________ by learning from both good and bad performers. And he says he also finds ____________ and pleasure in learning and improving in ways that he never even imagined!

9 . Camping has a long history in Australia. The country has a long history about it, which is a way of life for people in that country. Although that way of life has mostly died out in the modern country, we must take care to remember it.

There is a long tradition. When gold was first discovered and people came from around the world to find their fortune, many could not afford to stay in a hotel and nor would there have been enough, so they all brought tents （帐篷）and set them up next to their little goldfield. Many people alive in Australia today are born from those people who spent large parts of their lives intents. And it seems to have stayed with us all the way to modern Australia.

In summer, the nation's camping grounds are packed（挤满）with families on holidays. It is a great experience for a kid to lie in a tent where he or she can hear all the sounds of nature. It's a place where they can learn skills like making a fire, cooking and swimming in the water, which they will use for their whole lives.

Of course, things have changed a lot from the early days of camping, when you would carry everything you need on your back. Now there are all kinds of equipment to take with you, from solar panels（太阳能板）for your electric razor（电动剃须刀）to an outdoor shower. In fact, many campsites you see around the country are so decorated that you have to wonder why they are bothered to leave the house at all.

10 . Go fly a kite

Learning how to fly a kite is simple and flying kites can be a fun form of exercise.

Of course, the first thing you need is a kite and a ball of string (线).     1     Then wait for a windy day.

When the perfect day arrives, find an open space, such as field.     2    

Before flying your kite, find out which way the wind is blowing.     3     To begin flying your kite, stand with your back to the wind and hold the kite up so the wind can catch it. If the day is not very windy, you may need to get your kite started by running.

    4     At the same time, walk backwards a few steps to keep the string tight. Now that your kite is up in the air, you can decide how long to fly it and how high you want it to go.

    5     Slowly wind up (卷起) the string. Try not to pull your kite in too fast or it may crash (坠落).

Flying kite is a great way to spend a windy afternoon. If you follow these steps carefully, you will have something more fun to do than sitting inside and watching TV. So on the next windy day, get up off the sofa. Go fly a kite!