The skin is {#blank#}1{#/blank#} essential part of your body and its {#blank#}2{#/blank#} organ. You have three {#blank#}3{#/blank#} of skin which act as a barrier {#blank#}4{#/blank#} disease, poisons and the sun's harmful rays. The {#blank#}5{#/blank#} of your skin are also very {#blank#}6{#/blank#}: it keeps you warm or cool; it prevents your body from {#blank#}7{#/blank#} too much water; it is where you feel cold, heat or pain it gives you your sense of {#blank#}8{#/blank#}. So you can imagine, if your skin gets {#blank#}9{#/blank#} it can be very serious. First aid is a very important first step in the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} of burns.

China's Tea Villages

    In most Chinese tea villages, March is the time of year in which locals start to pick and process tea. The{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (usual) quiet villages suddenly become busy centers of activity, as people take out special tools and prepare{#blank#}2{#/blank#}tea processing. In some villages, local residents hold traditional ceremonies,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(thank) heaven for its blessing. The price of tea{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(pick) in March is extremely high because{#blank#}5{#/blank#}is fresh, tender and contains multiple trace elements.

    China{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (be) famous for tea production since ancient times. Of the goods transported and traded along {#blank#}7{#/blank#} Old Silk Road linking China to the Middle East and Europe, the importance of tea was matched only by silk. China produces Oolong, black, green, white, yellow{#blank#}8{#/blank#} dark (post-fermented) tea. The Oolong, green and black{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (vary) are most notable for their high quality.

Most of China s tea villages are found in remote mountainous areas in the country's south and southwest,{#blank#}10{#/blank#}the beautiful scenery is often hidden under clouds.

    Wang Wei and Wang Kun are brothers and sisters. They have dreamed of {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(take) a great bike trip. It was Wang Wei {#blank#}2{#/blank#} first had the idea to cycle along the Mekong River and finally they{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(ride) bicycles to travel along the river, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} source is in Qinghai Province. When it enters Southeast Asia, it travels slowly through hills and low valleys and the plains {#blank#}5{#/blank#} rice grows. Despite the {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(difficult), Wang Kun and Wang Wei were {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(determination) to begin their journey at {#blank#}8{#/blank#} altitude of more than 5,000 metres in Qinghai Province. During their journey, they enjoyed the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (continue) change of the weather. At last they reached Dali in Yunnan, where Dao Wei and Yu Hang joined them. The four of them went on {#blank#}10{#/blank#}their great bike trip.

    Today, Mount Qomolangma's peak is not a lonely place any more. Over 3500 people have{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (successful) climbed the mountain over the past years. Meanwhile, climbers have complained about{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(wait) for hours in the bottlenecks.

    In fact, the dangerous{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(crowd) aren't the only problem. All those climbers need {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(bring) a lot of gear (装置) and much of them ends up being left on the mountains becoming the world's{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (tall) rubbish dump.

    But the good news is{#blank#}6{#/blank#} some mountaineers are overtaking it to clean up Qomolangma. Mountaineers Paul and Eberhard are part of Eco Everest Expedition which has been cleaning up rubbish since 2008.So far they{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(collect)over 13 tons of garbage.

    Some of that rubbish is even being used for{#blank#}8{#/blank#} higher purpose. As part of the Mount Everest 8844 Art Project, a group of 15 artists Nepal collected 1.5 tons of garbage. They've changed the cans and oxygen tanks into74 piece of art that have are exhibited{#blank#}9{#/blank#}Nepal's capital. Part of the profit from sales{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (be) available for the Everest Pakeers Association which has helped ole rubbish of the mountain.

Why was the ox chosen to be one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs (生肖)?

Centuries ago, most people earned their living {#blank#}1{#/blank#} farming. The ox was used to help plow, cultivate and carry heavy goods.

The ox has long had a significant place in Chinese culture. Ancient Chinese poets and writers frequently {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(describe) the ox in literature. In the Classic of Poetry, the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, the animal was mentioned in 9 out of the 305 {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(piece).

The ox is considered a symbol of diligence and earnestness in Chinese culture. To this day, the phrase "the spirit of ox" still refers to conquering anything{#blank#}4{#/blank#}may present itself as an obstacle. The spirit is highly praised and many people follow {#blank#}5{#/blank#}as their work ethic. When someone achieves a great {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (accomplish) through hard work, people often use "niu", {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(mean) "awesome", to describe him or her.

Oxen seldom bully the weak or fear the strong. They work hard and make sacrifices. This is reflected in the poem Self-mockery{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (write) by Lu Xun, which praises the ox's attitude of {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (serve) without complaining.

So naturally, those who were born in the Year of the Ox are often expected to be hardworking, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (rely) and loyal.