2 . Lixia, the Beginning of Summer

Lixia, also called the Beginning of Summer, is the 7th out of the 24 solar terms in China, which happens usually on May 5, 6 or 7.    1     People used to regard the day as the start of significant increase of temperature and thunderstorms. This day also marks the beginning of the peak season for the growth of plants. Lixia is not an official day that is celebrated by the public. It is just a sign to show the coming of hot summer so as to let people pay attention to keep away from hot weather.

Lixia egg is one of the typical foods. People use black tea leaves or walnut shells to boil eggs till they turn dark red.     2    , therefore, eating red eggs on this day symbolizes a kind of protection of heart and also provides people with enough strength to survive the coming hot summer days. Children usually hang nettings over their neck and put eggs in the netting. Playing with eggs can help children stay away from summer fever.     3    , which was very popular in the old days. People use red, yellow, black, green beans and peas, together with sticky rice to make a bowl of five-color rice. This color-rich rice will bring people good harvests in the summer.

Weighing people is traditional custom which dates from the Three Kingdoms Period.     4    , if the child was heavier than the previous year, it meant the child was becoming healthier and parents wouldn't have any worries for the hot summer.

After Lixia, the temperature is gradually rising and hot weather can be strain on your heart. As a result, people may easily feel tired during summer days. Having good rests becomes very important. Do not take up violent sports but do some slow activities.     5    . Besides, eating more fruits and vegetables and less hot and dry food can help tonify（滋补）your liver and kidneys.

3 . Every year, I circle the first day of spring on our calendar. In this way, it won't slip by_______. I'm not sure why _________ the calendar to announce spring's arrival, since it has so little bearing on the matter. Spring comes when it's good and ready; sometimes well before its _________day, sometime well after.

For years, spring in our town was _________ by Leon and Jo Martin, who owned the Dairy Queen. Every year, they would _________ the words “Now Hiring” on their sign. I would walk past to see Leon and Jo Martin _________ for their spring opening. It was as _________ an indication of spring as any calendar, and after the Dairy Queen was sold to an out-of-town outfit who kept it _________ all year round, it threw off our towns' circadian rhythms（昼夜节律）._________, when Johnston's grocery store __________ selling snowplows and starts selling lawn mowers（割草机） that's a pretty good __________ winter's grip（抓紧，把手，柄） has loosened.

But let us suppose Johnston's store ignores its duty and we are left __________ of spring's arrival. We would then have to look and see whether Bill Edd, our town's plumber（水暖工），was wearing coat.__________ the first leaf dries up and falls to the ground in autumn, Bill __________his brown Carhartt coat and doesn't remove it until next spring. I've known Bill since we were very young, so I am well acquainted with his __________.

Summer is over, but there’s no reason to be upset as that means autumn is upon us, arguably the     1     (good) season of the year.

Beijing’s autumn is extremely short, so parks around the city fill up fast with people coming to see the season’s sight—a show of changing     2     (color) as the trees turn from dark green to deep red. There are plenty of places in the city center     3     (catch) the golden Gingko leaves, but I’m heading just outside of the Fifth Ring Road to see the season on     4     larger scale.

Despite parks like Xiangshan getting so busy     5     you need tickets a week in advance, there are still areas well-known and     6     _ (frequent) visited by the Beijing crowds, and Baiwangshan, one of such places,     7     (locate) 3km from the Summer Palace to the city’s North West. It offers hiking tails and beautiful views of the city and     8     (surround) forests.

I love coming to Beijing’s parks at this time of year because I can always enjoy     9     (I), bathing in the last of the good weather and golden colors. You never know     10     you’re going to find around every corner.