Cold Food Festival is a    1     (tradition) Chinese holiday celebrated before Qingming Festival, which usually falls    2     April 4 or 5.

Legend has it that Chong’er, a prince of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period, experienced many hardships while he moved around the warring states. Once, when the prince suffered from     3     (starve), Jie Zitui, offered him food. Later, when Chong’er became the duke of Jin, he ordered a search for Jie who had gone into hiding in the remote mountains with his mother. The duke wanted Jie    4     ( serve) as one of his ministers. Contrary to    5     many people might assume, Jie, who preferred living a simple life in the Mianshan Mountain to     6     (become) a politician, refused the duke’s invitation. Chong’er ordered the mountain to be burned down to force Jie out of hiding.     7     (fortune), Jie did not give in and the fire ended up killing him and his mother. Feeling extremely sorry, Chong’er required that the setting of fire    8     (forbid) on the anniversary of Jie’s death. This meant all food was eaten cold. Therefore the festival is thus named.

Mianshan Mountain,     9     the tragedy happened, is now a famous tourist destination in Shanxi Province. In many areas of Shanxi, locals still remember this tradition.     10     cold food is not the only choice for people during the celebration, the practices of making typical cold dishes for the event have been preserved.

The Titanic was the largest and     1    (advance) passenger ship of its day. It was considered unsinkable. But on 14th April 1912, on     2    (it) maiden voyage (首航) from England to New York, the ship     3    (strike) an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank shortly after midnight. Of the 2,223 people on board, 1,517 drowned.

So why did so many people die in the tragedy? Firstly, the Titanic’s owners fitted the ship     4     only 20 lifeboats. They believed any more would spoil the     5    (appear) of the ship. But this meant there were only enough lifeboats for 1,178 passengers. Secondly, while     6    (load) the lifeboats, the crew observed the “women and children first” rule. This was     7    old custom that said women and children should be saved before men. Because at first men weren’t allowed in the lifeboats, many boats were lowered only half full.     8    the lifeboats had been full, another 500 people might have been saved. In the end, 74% of women passengers survived, but only 20% of men. And many of the men     9    survived were branded as cowards (懦夫) when they got home.

The wreck (残骸) of the Titanic     10    (find) in 1985. It lies about four kilometres below the surface of the water at the bottom of the ocean.

5 . “They tell me that you’d like to make a statue of me — is that correct, Miss Vinnie Ream?”

The deep, gentle voice helped calm the nervous girl. Asking a favor of the President of the United States was no casual matter, especially for a seventeen-year-old girl.

“Yes, sir,” she replied, her dark eyes meeting his. “I wouldn’t have dared to ask you, but my teacher, Mr. Mills, says I am ready. I plan to make it in an admirable manner.”

President Lincoln smiled.“Painters, sculptors — they’ve all tried to make the best of this ordinary face, but I’m afraid there’s not much hope. What did you have in mind, Miss Ream? A bust (半身像)?”

Before Vinnie could say yes, the President hurried on, a shade of apology in his voice. “Of course — I shouldn’t have asked. A full-length pose would be much too big a project for a young woman your size.”

Vinnie’s face turned red. She realized she looked like a child, with her tiny figure. “Small does not mean weak, sir,” she defended herself. “I was born in the country of Wisconsin. I’ve driven teams of horses and carried water. Making a full-length clay (黏土) figure would not exhaust my strength — and that is what I intend to do!”

The President’s eyes, brightened at her show of spirit. “Sorry, madam, I have underestimated you as I didn’t know your background.”

But his smile faded as he rubbed his beard with bony fingers, in thought. “Miss Ream,” he sighed, “I’d like to let you do it, but as you know, we are in the middle of a war. How could I possibly take the time to pose for a sculpture now? I hardly have a minute to myself.”

Vinnie glanced around and noted the size of his office. “I work quickly,” she said. Her voice was soft but confident as she pointed to the corner near the windows. “If I were to bring my clay here and work for three hours every afternoon, I could complete most of the project while you are at your desk.”

The President seemed to consider her idea seriously. He got up and shook Vinnie’s hand warmly, “I’ve heard that you are a talented young woman, and I have found you charming and intelligent as well. I cannot make my decision immediately, but you will hear from me soon.”

The very next day, Vinnie received an invitation from the President.

8 . Looking around your city, it may be hard to imagine that there might be a time when it will disappear. But that's exactly what happened to these communities.

Hashima Island, Japan

Hashima Island was formerly one of the most populated cities in the world. The 6 hectare island provided jobs to more than 5000 people, many of whom made their living at the island's underwater coal mines. When the mines were closed, Hashima Island was abandoned.

Consonno, Italy

Consonno was a tiny town with a population of less than 300 and roots dating back to the middle ages. Then Mario Bagno came along and decided to turn the area into the Las Vegas of Italy. He knocked down nearly every building. Then landslide struck, burying the access road and the project was never finished. Today, Consonno has been abandoned.

Eastern Settlement, Greenland

Eastern Settlement in Greenland isn't just an abandoned city, it's also a mystery. Once the most populated area in Greenland, the area was abandoned and no one knows why. The last known writings from the area applied to a wedding in 1408 and offered no clues. It remains one of many ancient mysteries researchers can^,t explain.

Troy, Turkey

Troy was regarded immortal （不朽的）in Homer's epic poem, The Iliad. For many years, the Troy of Ancient Greece was merely the stuff of legend but in the 1800s its location was discovered in what is now Turkey. The site contains layers of ruins archaeologists are still studying.

In advance of the Allied landings at Normandy, the British planned the aerial bombing of the Amiens Prison in northwest France.

On February 18, 1944, 18 of the legendary Mosquito fighter-bombers (蚊式轰炸机) carried out the plan     1     (free) the 700 French Resistance members     2     (lock) up there. The weather that day was so bad that one of the pilots thought     3     a tough task it was . However, the group still     4     (fly) across the English Channel at just 15 meters above the waves, though five had to turn back due to radio and engine problems. Now down to 13 planes, Group Captain Charles Pickard carried on     5     the raid.

At 12:01 pm, the bombers attacked the prison wall to allow the prisoners     6     route of escape. They went on to destroy the blocks where German officers were standing guard, many of     7     were killed or wounded. Two Mosquitos also attacked the nearby train station,     8     (buy) the prisoners time while the German soldiers were distracted. Only two aircraft were lost in the attack. While 258 prisoners escaped, 102     9     (kill) in the raid and another 155 were caught and kept as prisoners. Even today the sheer skill and courage shown by the Mosquito pilots are considered to be     10     (true) admirable.

10 . On June 16, 2020, Virginia governor Ralph Northam made an announcement. The state would move to recognize June 19, or Juneteenth, as a paid state holiday. The next day, New York governor Andrew Cuomo tweeted that he' d do the same in his state. This makes Virginia and New York the latest states to officially honor Juneteenth. Now, at least 45 out of 50 states, plus Washington, D. C., recognize Juneteenth. “We became independent in 1776. Every year as a nation, we mark the Fourth of July Independence Day," Northam said during a press conference. “But that freedom we celebrate did not include everyone.

Learning more about the holiday means going back in history to the Civil War. On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation ( 解放黑人奴隶宣言). His speech declared freedom for enslaved people. The Civil War ended more than two years later，in April 1865. The Union won. But there were many enslaved people who had not been told of this. On June 19, Union soldiers told crowds in Galveston, Texas, that the state' s 250 ,000 enslaved people were free. They were among the last to find out. The day became known as Juneteenth, which refers to June and 19th and is sometimes called Emancipation Day. Over the years, as black people from Galveston moved to different cities, the celebration spread slowly. And in the 1960s, the civil rights movement brought a really wider awareness of Juneteenth because it broke out all over the country.

It's believed that such a holiday helps educate people about what happened in the past. Sheila Jackson Lee represents Texas in the US House of Representatives. Earlier this week, she introduced a bill to Congress, which asks for national recognition of the holiday. Juneteenth has been celebrated in a variety of ways people can choose from. Usually, there are community gatherings, cookouts, and festivals.