Each different part of China has its own special forms of traditional art. These usually try to show the things{#blank#}1{#/blank#}are important in life, such as love, beauty and family. The most common things, from paper to clay to bamboo, are turned into objects of beauty.

    According to Chinese history, sky lanterns were first used by Zhuge Kongming. He sent them out {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(ask)for help when in trouble. Today, sky lanterns are used at festivals and other celebrations. They{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(make) of bamboo and covered with paper. When the lanterns are lit, they slowly rise into the air like small hot-air balloons for all to see. They are seen as bright symbols of{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (happy) and good wishes.

    Paper cutting{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(be)around for over 1500 years. Paper cutting sounds very easy{#blank#}6{#/blank#}it can be difficult to do. The paper, usually red, is folded before it is cut with scissors. The Most common pictures are flowers, animals, and things about Chinese history. During the Spring Festival, they are put on windows, doors and walls{#blank#}7{#/blank#}symbols of wishes for good luck and a happy new year.

    Chinese clay art is famous because the clay pieces are so small but they look very real. The pieces are usually cute children or lively characters from a Chinese fairy tale or historical story. The pieces are{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(careful)shaped by hand from a very special kind of clay and then allowed to air-dry. After{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(dry) they are fired at a very high heat. They are then polished and painted. It takes several weeks{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(complete)everything. These small pieces of clay art show the love that all Chinese people have for life and beauty.

    Moon cakes are the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (popular) food during the Mid-Autumn Festival. We can see different {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (kind) of moon cakes in stores and in the markets as the festival comes. But do you know that people living south of the Yangtze River {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (follow) the tradition of eating pumpkins(南瓜) during the festival? In ancient times, poor families chose to eat pumpkins during the Mid-Autumn Festival because they couldn't {#blank#}4{#/blank#} to buy moon cakes. The tradition has been passed down, and it's believed that eating pumpkins on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival can bring people good {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (healthy). {#blank#}6{#/blank#} interesting story says that a very poor family, a couple with their daughter, lived at the foot of the South Mountain. The old couple were {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (serious) ill for lack of food. The daughter found a strange melon(瓜) one day {#blank#}8{#/blank#} she was working in the fields near the mountain. She brought the melon home and {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (cook) for her parents.

    Surprisingly, her parents recovered(恢复健康) {#blank#}10{#/blank#} eating the melon. Because the melon was picked near the South Mountain, it was named "south melon".

    Tina woke up at midnight.  She saw something dive towards the ground. The next morning Tina mentioned it {#blank#}1{#/blank#}her brother Tom. They decided {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  (explore) after school. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 6 p. m., they reached the forest. They heard some voices {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (speak) a strange language. There was an alien standing next to a long spaceship. The children were {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (frighten). Suddenly another alien appeared from the bushes in front {#blank#}6{#/blank#} them. The children ran {#blank#}7{#/blank#}in fear. The next morning the children told their parents about the strange {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(creature), but their dad refused

    {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(believe) them. Tina and Tom spread their wings and {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(fly) to school together. Their dad looked at the piece of paper with the strange marks written by Tom. It said "EARTH".

    Tom is a middle school student. He is in Grade 7 now. He {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(live)with his parents . His home is near the school. He {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(come) to our school one month ago, so he was a little shy. It's difficult for him {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(make) friends. So Mr. Wang asks Jack and I to help him. Look, we {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(play) happily on the playground and we all enjoy {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(study) together, too .

    Yesterday we {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(go) shopping. Tom wanted to buy a T-shirt. Jack and I would like {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(buy)sports shoes. We went to a store. The things in it {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(be) very expensive. Jack bought a pair of sports shoes. They cost him ＄258 . I didn't have so much money. So I {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(not buy) it. Then we went to another store .Clothes in the store were cheaper than those in the first one. Tom bought a green T-shirt and I bought a pair of sports shoes. They {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(cost) us just about 100 yuan. Finally, we went home happily.