“Since late July, there have been large-scale and high-intensity high temperatures in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River due to an    1    (normal) strong subtropical high pressure system in the western Pacific,” Chen Tao said. “    2     (base) on our analysis, the system will continue and high temperatures will persist in those regions for the coming two weeks.”

Chen Lijuan, chief forecaster at the National Climate Center said, high temperatures     3    (stay) in many parts of southern China since June. “While this year’s duration of regional high temperatures is set to break the record and become the    4    (hot) year since 1961,” she said. Shanghai,    5    entered its 41st day of temperatures above 35℃ on Sunday, has experienced six days with high temperatures above 40℃ this summer. The city’s temperature hit 40.9℃ on July 13,    6    (equal) the highest temperature in Shanghai since records began in 1873.

Affected by the high temperatures, some areas in the Sichuan basin and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River have already experienced drought and may continue or get     7    (bad), said Chen Tao. The high temperature weather has a certain unfavorable impact     8    agricultural production in the southern region, and continuous high temperatures are not     9    (benefit) to the     10    (grow) and development of some crops.

Last night’s fall of snow here was an     1    （event). I was nearly as excited about it this morning     2     the children. It is the first fall we     3     （have）here this winter. The first fall of snow is     4     an event but it is a     5     （magic）event. The very secrecy and     6     （quiet）of the thing makes it more magical.

When I got up this morning the world was a cold place     7     dead white and pale blues. An hour or two later everything was a cold sparkle of white and blue. The world had     8     （complete）changed again. The snow is falling heavily,     9     great soft flakes,     10     you can hardly see anything.

Shuang Jiang or The Frost’s Descent is the     1    (eighteen) of 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar. It is the last solar term of autumn,     2     the weather becomes much colder     3     before and frost begins to appear ,and marks the transition from autumn to winter. It means that the winter is about     4    (enter). The Frost’s Descent usually     5    (fall) on October 23 or 24, but this year it begins on October 23. The solar term, ”Shaung Jiang”, reflects the large change in temperature between day and night and at     6    same time the weather is getting colder. The moisture in the air is also beginning to turn to frost. The autumn harvest is also coming to a close, and the year’s worth of hard work     7    (final) sees reward.

As Frost’s Descent comes, the world     8    (fill) with the atmosphere of late autumn. At this time, most of the harvesting work is already completed in northern China and     9    (farmer) are finally able to rest. Even the most cold-resistant crops can no longer grow, thus it is time to stock up for winter. Although in the south, the harvest is still continuing. As     10    (record) in ancient Chinese books, the Frost’s Descent refers to the time of year when frost starts to creep across China, dew becoming icy thanks to plummeting temperatures.

A sandstorm from Mongolia swept through northern areas of China on Monday and    1    (lead) to the suspension of classes at schools and flight cancellations. The sandstorm was the strongest in nearly a decade,     2    (affect) 12 provincial-level regions in northern China, according to the National Meteorological Center.

“At least nine people     3    （kill）in a heavy dust in Mongolia over the weekend”, the country's National Emergency Management Agency said. The airport in Manzhouli was also     4    (serious) affected and closed     5    safety reasons at noon on Monday, according to the city's authorities. As of 4:40 pm, Beijing Capital International Airport canceled 46 flights     6     Beijing Daxing International Airport canceled eight flights due to the sandstorm, according to the airports. Beijing Meteorological Service weather forecasters, some     7    ( influence) persons in this field, had an     8    (argue) over the sandstorm .The capital's educational authority has advised all schools and educational institutions    9    (stop) outdoor activities.

"Temperatures in Mongolia and northwestern China remained 5 to 8 C higher than the same period of normal years. Little rain in the region caused the dry conditions,     10     contributed to the sandy and dusty weather", Zhang said.

One day at The Dubai Mall, a workmate warned that a sandstorm was going on and suggested not going out. I didn't know    1     a sandstorm looked like and I told him I wanted to go out just to see it for myself. I received an    2     (astonish) look because he thought I was crazy to even want to see a sandstorm. I decided to go to the bus stop to ride a bus that would take me home. Another workmate joined me as he    3     (head) towards the same street as I was. We stepped    4     The Dubai Mall with our faces    5     (cover) in order to protect ourselves from the sandstorm.

On the way, the wind became much    6     (strong), which covered the city in a thick, brown-yellow dust. I could hardly keep my eyes open. It was really dangerous and frightening because there were so many cars on the road and it was already dark. At that moment, I would rather I    7     (not go) out.

    8     (fortune), the storm stopped afterwards. This was the first time I    9     (be) in a sandstorm in Dubai and I don’t ever want to be in    10     again.

China's national observatory on Monday issued a yellow alert for sandstorms in the northern part of the country. “    1    （start）from Monday to 8 a. m. Tuesday, affected by cold fronts and heavy winds, floating sand and dust       2    （expect）to sweep parts of several northern provinces and the city of Beijing,”     3    （forecast）the NMC.

Some regions in Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Shanxi were hit by strong sandstorms. The capital Beijing was enveloped in yellow dust     4     Monday morning with visibility at less than 1 km,     5     followed an official yellow warning for the sandstorm. The sandstorm is the strongest and the most sweeping     6     in nearly a decade. Remote sensing images of dust in northern China show the dust from Mongolia     7    （gradual）traveled south with the airflow.

This wave of sandstorms is a result of the combined       8    （effect）of cold air and cyclones from Mongolia. “The combined action of the Mongolian cyclone and the cold high     9    （press）provided a strong impetus（动力）for the sandstorm,” said Zhang Bihui,     10     senior engineer with the NMC.