How long have you not written a character?

    Popular TV program National Chinese Characters Contest has brought people's attention back to written Chinese.

    The{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(compete)is the Chinese version of a classic word game American Spelling Bee. Pupils{#blank#}2{#/blank#}usually come from the fifth or sixth grade,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (divide)into different teams and try to write down every word according to Its pronunciation.

    In less than two hours, the contestants need to solve dozens of questions{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(concern) error- prone(容易出错的) characters. Many students keep up with the show. They refer to{#blank#}5{#/blank#}as “the interesting Chinese lessons on TV”. Teachers and parents are also happy to see that children can learn and have fun at the same time.

    The program has gone beyond the circle of primary school students. “It is {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(surprising) instructive. I have corrected a lot of my own mistakes by watching the show,” said{#blank#}7{#/blank#}adult viewer.

    Guan Zhengwen, chief director of the show, considers written Chinese{#blank#}8{#/blank#}the root of China‘s{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(culture)heritage, “TV shows on Chinese language mean more than just a trend,” he said. “Mass media need to seek innovation(创新) in order to preserve our culture, We hope that National Chinese Characters Contest will get more people{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(brush)up our written language.”

    Few people would even think of beginning a new job at the age of 76, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} one of America's most famous artists just did that. Anna Mary Robertson, better {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (know) as “Grandma Moses”, turned to painting because she was too old to work on her farm.

    Grandma Moses was crazy about painting soon after she picked it up and worked hard at it. She painted {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(careful) and her works were nice. She first painted only to please {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(she) and then began to sell her works {#blank#}5{#/blank#} a little money. In 1993, a collector, Louis Caldor happened {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (see) several of Grandma Morse' works {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(hang) in a shop. He liked them, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (buy) them at once, and set out to look for more. Caldor held a show to introduce the works of Grandma Moses to other artists. Grandma Moses, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} was world famous, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (die) on December 13, 1961, at the age of 101.

    With the amazing development in China, all China's major cities have good transport networks. There are the tour buses, mini buses, taxis, as well as public buses.

    Buses in Chinese towns are always {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (crowd). The fare depends on distance, and is payable to the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (conduct) of buses.

    A taxi is often {#blank#}3{#/blank#} most convenient means of travel in the city. They are available at airports, railway stations and hotels and even in urban areas. The total fare depends on the starting meter price, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} can range from 5 to 12 yuan, and the distance. Extra fees{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (charge) for waiting and low speed driving during traffic jams. If you take a taxi after 11 pm, a 20 percent surcharge {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (apply) over the basic fare.

    The minibus is a compromise between the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (relative) expensive taxis and full public transport. Their charge is a little more than that of the bus, about 2 yuan or more {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (depend) on distance, but it is very convenient, because it can stop {#blank#}9{#/blank#} any point you want along the route.

    Tour buses, normally {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (equip) with air conditioning and TV, are managed by travel agencies, hotels and airports and provided for short tours. A tour guide is usually present on such buses.

    The Chinese Culture Center in Paris, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(locate) in downtown areas opposite the celebrated historic sites of Grand Palais and Petit Palais across the Seine River, {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(sit) next to a large number of grand handsome and elegant classical architectures that have witnessed the evolution of Paris at {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (vary) historical stages. It conforms to(符合) the status of China, a great power with {#blank#}4{#/blank#} lasting civilization of several thousand years in the East, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (set) the Chinese Cultural Center in this exact place.

    The amazing progress in {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (smooth) selecting the site for the Chinese Culture Center and putting it into {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (operate) in downtown Paris in such a short period was due to high priority of the Chinese government and constructive cooperation of the French party. Wu Jianmin, Chinese ambassador to France,  said {#blank#}8{#/blank#}excitement, "We have our own cultural center in Paris at last, {#blank#}9{#/blank#}we have eventually realized the long cherished wish of my predecessor(前任) in the Chinese embassy." Hou Xianghua, the first director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris, said the center will stick to its "non-governmental" nature and greet people from all {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (walk) of life, in addition to serving the mainstream society.

Cathy: Stan, do you have a minute?

Stan: Oh, hi, Cathy. What's up?

Cathy: Well, I am really {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (disappoint) with the situation in the office.

Stan: I am not in that very often. It is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} noisy that I can't work.

Cathy: Yeah. I {#blank#}3{#/blank#} have finished my papers yesterday, but Jack kept {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (ask) his students to come in and out.

Stan:  Has anybody spoken to him about it?

Cathy: No, not yet. So we should come up with an idea {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(stop) him doing that kind of things.

Stan: Yeah. I am not able to do my work and {#blank#}6{#/blank#} are you.

Cathy: Could we ask for a kind of meeting room? When teachers have to talk with their students, they could use the meeting room instead {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the office. You know, there is {#blank#}8{#/blank#} room down the hall.

Stan: You mean that little storage room? Oh, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} would be too small.

Cathy: Are you sure? With those things taken out, it might be {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (big) than it looks.

Stan: Good idea.