In Chinese culture, each year is related to{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Chinese animal according to the 12-year cycle. 2018 is an Earth Dog Year. People born during the year of dog {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (believe) to take after some of the animal's characteristics, such as loyalty, patience, and reliability.

    Zodiac(黄道) theory also relates to Chinese elemental theory, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}associates the 12 animals with one of five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The five elements {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (combine) with the 12 zodiac signs produce a 60-year cycle. Zodiac animals have both fixed and non-fixed elements attached {#blank#}5{#/blank#}them. For example, the dog (as well as the dragon, ox, and goat) is always associated with the earth element.{#blank#}6{#/blank#} the year of 2018 is considered an earth year according to the Chinese solar calendar, those born in 2018 are considered earth dogs, which carry characteristics like being communicative and responsible at work. Though dogs are{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (general) associated with earth, those born during the metal dog year are believed to be conservative and{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (caution) in nature. As Dogs are not good at communication, {#blank#}9{#/blank#}is difficult for them to convey their thoughts to others. Therefore, Dogs tend to leave others with the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (impress) that they have a stubborn personality, but they are indeed loyal to their families and friends.

    When digging outside the city walls, researchers {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (discover) thirty to forty bodies lying one on top of another. They had been murdered.

    The men dug with great care, trying not to disturb the {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(evident) of what had happened. Everyone was curious {#blank#}3{#/blank#}why all these people had been killed at the same time. Was it just {#blank#}4{#/blank#} coincidence?

    Deep in the ground below the bodies, they found a tomb {#blank#}5{#/blank#} was made of stone. It contained many valuable things, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (include) much gold and many jewels. Inside it lay the body of a man that was {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (good) preserved. It was clear that the man had been a king, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} explained why the other bodies were there. The workers who had built the tomb were killed shortly after the king {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (die). That was because they wanted to keep the tomb a secret, and to make {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (they) companions for him in death.

    Confucius（孔子） is honored {#blank#}1{#/blank#} setting the tone for much traditional Chinese music for thousands of years. He{#blank#}2{#/blank#}（think） to be a music teacher and a {#blank#}3{#/blank#} （talent） musician who was able to play several instruments expertly. Perhaps for other people around the world, music was meant mainly for amusement. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} during the time of the Zhou Dynasty about 500BC, music had an important role in making society stable.

    How music was used and performed is expressed in several main Confucian books. Confucius taught that {#blank#}5{#/blank#}（educate） somebody, you should start with poems, emphasize ceremonies, and finish with music.

    Musical knowledge was {#blank#}6{#/blank#} matter of higher learning. It is said that he thought of the six most important {#blank#}7{#/blank#}（subject） to study, ranking music higher than the other five necessary subjects like writing and mathematics.

    Music was so important because the ideal society was to be governed by ritual （礼制） functions, but not by law. In a culture {#blank#}8{#/blank#} people function according to ritual, music is used to help govern them. So music wasn't really {#blank#}9{#/blank#}（entertain）, but a means for musicians to accomplish political and social goals. Music is {#blank#}10{#/blank#}（eventual） a means for social happiness.

    The Palace Museum, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (know)as the Forbidden City, welcomed {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (it)17 millionth visitor on December 13, becoming the museum with the most visitors in the world. The number of visitors has continued growing since it {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (reach)the milestone with 10 million in 2009. There is {#blank#}4{#/blank#} increase of 6.25％from last year in the number of visitors. Although the Palace Museum has limited daily visitors {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (protect)the ancient architecture, the number of off-season visitors has grown {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (steady)this year. Over the last decade, the museum has produced more than 10, 000 cultural items {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (range) from notebooks to lipsticks.

    The official Weibo account of the Palace Museum, with more than 6 million followers, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} keeps showing the palace's charm of four seasons by posting beautiful {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (photo) regularly, plays all important role in interacting with the young people and promoting the museum. The fundamental reason why the Palace Museum has become so popular among young people is that it strikes the right balance between preserving history {#blank#}10{#/blank#} providing many interesting interactive displays.

    Recently, I feel upset for I have a strange neighbor. She lives in a house with {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (dust) curtains {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (hang) before dirty windows. I don't know if it is because she has no friend {#blank#}3{#/blank#} she has developed the habit of setting down a series of facts she has gone through in her diary.

    She seldom goes outdoors.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}, one day I happened {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (meet) her when she was walking the dog in the park at dusk. She looked tired and I wondered {#blank#}6{#/blank#}she was experiencing. She was much {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (concern) about my new novel. It was the first time in a year that I {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (communicate) with her face to face. We didn't stop talking until the sky was{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (entire) dark. We had got to go home immediately because a thunder storm was {#blank#}10{#/blank#} its way!