When I was young, my parents and I {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(move) to New York from China. Although we now live in the US, we follow the customs and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (tradition) of China. I have learned to speak several languages, English {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (include). I eat all kinds of foods and celebrate different holidays {#blank#}4{#/blank#} have something to do with culture.

    However, there {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(be) many disadvantages of being part of two cultures. Sometimes, speaking a language at home {#blank#}6{#/blank#} speaking another language in school can get confusing. Sometimes, I have trouble {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (express) my thoughts in English because they don't understand me well. Sometimes, my culture does make me feel far away from others because I feel too {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (difference).

    I am closer to the culture of China than that of the US. I don't listen to English music as {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(frequent) as I listen to Chinese music. Therefore, I feel very far away {#blank#}10{#/blank#} my friends when I don't know what song they talking about.

    A girl {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(name)Dina was born in California in 1932. After {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(graduate) from university in 1954, she worked at a children's hospital in Kentucky for several years. However, her interest in animals inspired her {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (take)her first step towards her future work. In 1966, she went to Africa to study rare mountain gorillas

Even though some of the gorillas were quite dangerous, this didn't not discourage her. She showed great {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (devote) to her work and loved to tell people about gorillas. Dina was an outgoing and kind person and had the ability to gain valuable data about their lives by becoming a {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(company)to them. She wrote a book about the gorillas she had lived {#blank#}6{#/blank#} It is thanks to her research {#blank#}7{#/blank#}we now know more about mountain gorillas. Her love for the gorillas teaches people about dangers these animals {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(face)with. Now they are protected by governments and various organizations. {#blank#}9{#/blank#}her work, there would be very few mountain gorillas left today. She has received world's {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(famous)around the world and is now regarded as one of the heroes of the 20^th century.

    China has splendid culture with a long history. Chinese opera is one of the{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(old) dramatic art forms in the world. During the Tang Dynasty, the Emperor Taizong established an opera school {#blank#}2{#/blank#}the poetic name Liyuan (Pear Garden).Since the Yuan Dynasty, encouraged by court officials and emperors, it{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(become)a traditional art form. During the Qing Dynasty, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}became fashionable among ordinary people. Performances{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(watch) in tearooms, restaurants, and even on temporary stages.

    It developed from folk songs, dance, talking, antimasque（滑稽戏）and especially distinctive dialectical music. Gradually it combined music, art and literature into one performance on the stage.{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(accompany) by traditional musical instruments, actors present unique melodies which may sound strange to{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(foreign)as well as beautifully written dialogues, which are of high literary{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(valuable).These dialogues also promoted the development of distinct literary styles, such as Zaju in the Yuan Dynasty. For Chinese, especially older folks,{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(listen) to this kind of opera occasionally is {#blank#}10{#/blank#}real pleasure.

    Students at a primary school in Hangzhou had their first class{#blank#}1{#/blank#}March 1st on movable type. This is{#blank#}2{#/blank#} ancient Chinese printing system.

    The West Lake Primary School in Zhejiang Province introduced the course at the beginning of this new term. So far, the school{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(invite) an expert in Chinese characters culture to the campus,{#blank#}4{#/blank#}major responsibility is to teach students how to use the ancient printing technology. Students attend lectures on the history of movable type along with {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(interest) classes on typesetting and printing. They then print their own document, {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(apply) the knowledge they've learned. One student printed her{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(new) written essay "Whether the traditional red envelopes kids receive belong to them or their parents?"{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(know) as one of the four great inventions of ancient China, movable type printing {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(invent) by Bi Sheng in the 1040s during the Song  Dynasty, and it is the world's first system of movable type printing.

    The school said the course is aimed at improving the students' awareness of Chinese characters and their {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(appreciate) of Chinese culture.