The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival with great significance, which is on the 15^th of the first lunar month, marking the end of New Year celebrations. Here are several things you should know about the Lantern Festival.

    The Origins of Chinese lanterns

    The origins of Chinese lanterns date back to the Stone Age. The coming of the Bronze Age saw the development of various kinds of lanterns, of which palace lanterns were the most fascinating{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Various lantern festivals became a hit during the Sui Dynasty, and during the Southern Song Dynasty, the custom of writing riddles on lantern arose. During the Qing Dynasty, magnificent exhibitions of lanterns were held in the capital city.

    Eating small dumpling balls

    Just as the name implies, an important part of the Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Festival, is to eat small dumpling balls made of sticky rice flour. We call these balls Yuan Xiao, or Tang Yuan.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}The dumpling symbolizes family unity, completeness and happiness.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When it comes to the Lantern Festival, “Guessing lantern riddles” is an essential component. Lantern owners will write riddles on a piece of paper and post them on the lanterns in advance. If visitore can answer the riddles, they will get a little gift.

    Watching fireworks

    At night, in addition to lighted lanterns, fireworks form a grand scene. Most families save some fireworks from the Spring Festival and set them off during the Lantern Festival.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Dragon dance

    The dragon dance is often performed during the Chinese New Year period.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}They are believed to bring good luck to people, therefore the longer the dragon in the dance, the more luck it will bring to the community.

A. Guessing lantern riddles

B. Chinese dragons are a symbol of China.

C. The ways of celebrating the Lantern Festival

D. Obviously, they get the name from the festival.

E. All the Chinese people like watching dragon dance.

F. Later, decorative lanterns came to be used in festivals.

G. Some local governments will even organize a fireworks display.

    Basic first aid is a very valuable skill to have when going on a camping trip.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Cuts. With small cuts, you want to be careful to keep the area of the wound clean to avoid possible infection.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If the cut has not stopped bleeding, raise the wounded area above the heart and place pressure on the area to stop the bleeding.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} The bandage should be held in place with tape, but should not be too tight.

    Blisters. Blisters can turn a fun walk in the woods into a terrible experience.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Change your bandage and socks and keep the blistered area clean. Make sure that you pack different size bandages and first aid cream.

    Sprains. If you've got a heavy pack on your shoulders, it can be very easy to twist your ankles. Walking sticks can be a traveler's friend.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}A good ACE bandage should be packed in case of a sprained ankle. This can help fix the sprained area until you can get medical attention.

    After seeing the above dangers and treatments, it's also helpful to pack a small basic first aid kit for your trip. Make sure that you include items that are unique to you and fit your environment (bleeding, bruise, snake bite, etc.).

A. Cover the wound with a dry, clean bandage.

B. Wear comfortable shoes and socks during the trips.

C. They can help you keep balance on rough areas.

D. Treat the cut with first aid cream to prevent infection.

E. Below is a brief list of less-severe injuries that you can prepare for.

F. Blisters are an open wound and can get infected if not cared for.

G. Some climates can be very hot during the day and very cool at night.

    Did you know that money is not worth the paper it is printed on? Money is really just a symbol.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Long ago, people did not use money. They made or grew food, clothes, and other things they needed. Later, people started trading. They would trade what they made to someone else in order to get different foods and goods. To trade like this is to barter（物物交换）.

    The barter system was a good system. Bakers could trade bread for wheat. Weavers could trade cloth for meat. Trading not just let people work at certain jobs.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    But one problem with bartering was that not everyone agreed on prices. People had to work out a price each time they wanted to trade. Another problem was that the goods might be too heavy to carry. What if the cow farmer wanted to trade a cow for a horse with the horse farmer? They would have to carry their animals with them.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} What if the cow farmer wanted to trade a cow for a chicken? A cow is worth more than a chicken. The farmer should get “change.” But how can you make change from a cow?

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} People used to use all kinds of small things for money. They used shells, beads, feathers, seeds, and even salt. A group of people would decide the worth of a kind of shell. Other kinds of shells would be worth more or less. Then people had money that was worth a certain amount. It was easy to carry. It was easy to make change.

    With time going by, we finally have the money that we use today.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. This is where money comes in.

B. That means it stands for something else.

C. They made clothes from wool from their sheep.

D. Bartering did not have a way to make change, either.

E. It also gave people a way to buy things they needed.

F. With money, we don't have to travel with chickens, cows, or clay pots!

G. When people traded, they no longer had to make everything they needed.

Gardening 380 Kilometers above Earth

    Astronauts have to go through physical, psychological, and technical training. They also go through training in how to care for plants. These “astronaut gardeners” share their work and living space with plants.

    Taking seeds and plants along on a trip isn't a new idea. As space trips become longer, it will be necessary to grow food in space. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Because of this, it's not practical to send everything needed for a long journey, only to be used once and thrown away.

    Plants can serve many uses on a space journey. They can provide more fresh things. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Also, plants can help to make air quality better because they produce oxygen. They can improve the quality of the air inside the spacecraft—the only air the astronauts can breathe.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Due to the lack of gravity in space, the oxygen that the plants produce stays around the plants. This can actually kill them, so fans are needed to circulate the air. Without gravity, roots don't “know” to grow down, leaves don't “know” to grow up, and water doesn't easily travel up the roots to the leaves. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Besides, soil is too heavy to send to space, and special liquid gels (胶) are used to help plant growth.

    Scientists are also working on the plants themselves. They are trying to make plants grow more rapidly and grow with less water and light in space, and they are looking for ways to make plants more resistant to disease. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Imagine that deserts may one day provide lots of fresh food for local people, saving transportation costs. Similarly, plants that are resistant to disease could provide an important food supply. With the world's population now at seven billion (十亿) people, our astronaut gardeners may help discover ways to feed those billions.

A. Every plant grown in space must have several uses.

B. However, there are challenges with growing plants in space.

C. Such methods may result in improvements back here on Earth.

D. The cost of taking anything into space is about $22,000 per kilogram.

E. Specialized containers are being developed to help the plants grow correctly.

F. Astronauts will welcome the addition of fruits and vegetables to their diet of dry foods.

G. Currently all oxygen is taken aboard in tanks and then caught again so it can be reused.

    Recently, crazy rich Asians are posting photos of themselves facing down and surrounded by luxury goods in a new trend sweeping social media.

    Falling down in public is embarrassing for most people. However, the new social media craze(时尚)called the "Falling Stars Challenge" has turned falling into something fun to do.

    The craze began in Russia. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Items like handbags, accessories (配饰) and cash were spread out on the ground around them in the photos. People shared these photos to show off their wealth.

    The craze soon became popular around the world. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} People are using it to show off their hobbies and professional talent. The items in their pictures show what they do for a living and what they have achieved in their lives.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, students fall down on textbooks and test papers. Police officers fall in front of their police cars with handcuffs (手铐) in their hands. Famous people are also taking the challenge. Writer Liu Tong took a fall with dozens of copies of his new book.

    More than 1.08 million Chinese have taken this challenge on Sina Weibo. Their pictures have been viewed more than 2.22 billion times. Internet users also comment on these posts. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} One Weibo user wrote: "This shows the positive energy of fighting and working hard. Applause for these young people!"

    However, some also think the craze is just another example of a successful internet meme (网络爆红). {#blank#}5{#/blank#} What do you think? Will you try this challenge?

A. They think people are just imitating others.

B. Most of them speak highly of the craze.

C. However, in China, it is taking on a new meaning.

D. The challenge is particularly popular among young people.

E. The biggest reason for the success of the challenge is simple.

F. People from all walks of life are taking part in it.

G. People posted pictures of themselves faking a fall.

For centuries Antarctica has attracted people from around the world. Explorers sought to travel there. Scientists have studied weather, wildlife, and geology there for decades. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In the last few decades, though, scientists have reported that the ice is melting.

 {#blank#}2{#/blank#} That's a difficult question to answer. The loss of ice in Antarctica has not been linear (直线的). That means it isn't a steady decrease. In fact, the rate of melting can vary greatly from year to year. Still, scientists warn that the continent's ice sheet is shrinking.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Climate change is warming the world's oceans and affecting the currents (洋流) of the Earth's oceans. These currents are bringing more warm water to Antarctica than ever recorded.

Today, the planet is warming at a rate that alarms scientists. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The effects of such a rise could cause major problems. It will increase flooding, especially in areas near shores. A large rise in sea level could even make some regions uninhabitable. This could cause millions around the world to become climate refugees (难民).

Can humans stop Antarctica from melting? Probably not — but experts do believe people can slow the process. How can you help? Pay attention to your carbon footprint. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Only changes on a large, global scale (范围) can truly make a difference to Antarctica.

A. How quickly is Antarctica melting?

B. Is human activity contributing to the melting of Antarctica's ice?

C. The ice of Antarctica is the result of thousands of years of snow.

D. West Antarctica is the region most affected by these warm waters.

E. Talk with your family about ways to reduce your use of fossil fuels.

F. If this continues, melting ice could lead to a serious rise in sea level.

G. Experts say the melting of Antarctica's ice sheet is caused by rising temperatures.