China's Tea Villages

    In most Chinese tea villages, March is the time of year in {#blank#}1{#/blank#} locals start to pick and process tea. The usually quiet villages suddenly become busy centers of activity, as people take out special tools and prepare {#blank#}2{#/blank#} tea processing. In some villages, local residents hold traditional ceremonies,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (thank) heaven for its blessing. The price of tea {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(pick) in March is extremely high because {#blank#}5{#/blank#}is fresh, tender and contains multiple trace elements.

    China {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(be) famous for tea production since ancient times. Of the goods transported and traded along {#blank#}7{#/blank#}Old Silk Road linking China to the Middle East and Europe, the importance of tea was matched only by silk. China produces Oolong, black, green, white, yellow {#blank#}8{#/blank#}dark (aka post-fermented) tea. The Oolong, green and black {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(vary)are most notable for their high quality.

    Most of China's tea villages are found in remote mountainous areas in the country's south and southwest,{#blank#}10{#/blank#} the beautiful scenery is often hidden under clouds.

    Many people may think the Forbidden City, or the Palace Museum as it's also called, is{#blank#}1{#/blank#} old-fashioned museum{#blank#}2{#/blank#} in recent years, the museum has been working hard {#blank#}3{#/blank#}（promote） Chinese cultural heritage among young people.

    The museum's online store now offers special cultural and creative {#blank#}4{#/blank#}（product）. For example, in 2014, it started to make T-shirts that look like an emperor's coat. It also sold earphones that look like the necklaces {#blank#}5{#/blank#}（wear） by ancient officials.

    The museum has also launched an app called A Day of an Emperor. When using{#blank#}6{#/blank#}people are taught about a regular day in the life of an emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Last year, a documentary titled Masters in the Forbidden City {#blank#}7{#/blank#}（become） popular online. The documentary is about the people {#blank#}8{#/blank#} job is to repair the relics in the museum. Many of these workers are young, and some are even {#blank#}9{#/blank#} their 20s.

    Some other museums across the country, such as the National Museum of China{#blank#}10{#/blank#}（inspire） by the Palace Museum's efforts in the past five years and are working on similar projects of their own.

    Last fall, Florida State football player, Travis Rudolph, made headlines. When he visited a middle school, he didn't hesitate {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (eat) lunch with Bo Paske, who often eats alone in his school cafeteria. Bo Paske is a young boy with autism-a mental condition in {#blank#}2{#/blank#} a person is unable to communicate or form relationships {#blank#}3{#/blank#} others.

    Soon Rudolph's action {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (pay) off, and he was just signed to the National Football League by the New York Giants though he had not been selected by any team before. Now Rudolph and Paske still keep in touch and {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (develop) a heartwarming friendship so far. Paske and his mother were even invited to a large party {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (hold) by Rudolph in West Palm Beach to celebrate the Giants' signing announcement.

    "We're all {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (extreme) happy for him," Bo's mother, Leah Paske, told NBC's Today. "We spent the whole Saturday hanging out with everyone to wait for the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (encourage) moment. And when we finally got {#blank#}9{#/blank#} news that evening that he had been signed, we were there for the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (celebrate) as well. When he made sure that he was going to the Giants, he was completely excited."

    Sugar sculpture blowing is {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Chinese folk art where artists blow and sculpt hot sugar to create 3D {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (figure). The finished sculptures not only look good，but also have a good taste, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (make) them popular among children.

    The main raw material for sugar sculpture blowing is malt sugar (麦芽糖).The malt sugar {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (use) in sculpture blowing has to be heated to high temperatures. It can only be used after several steps, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} include the sorting and cooking of the malt sugar followed by the firing and melting of it.

    Sugar sculpture blowing is {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(careful) made. It can be divided {#blank#}7{#/blank#} two methods—one uses molds (模子)；the other does not，and involves sugar figures taking shape through a combination of blowing air into the processed malt sugar and the artist's flexible hand skills.

    The complex process may explain why there are fewer people making sugar sculpture. To protect and promote this {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (tradition) craftsmanship, the government of Hebei Province founded a sugar figure art {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(organise) in 2011. Now it {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (consist) of over 90 artists recognized as the inheritors (继承人)of the technique.

Though new term had begun for weeks, the new girl Molly still remained 1 around her classmates. Now she was sitting at the picnic table alone. She seemed unsure of what to do or say, yet I could see her eyes longing for 2 .

Brianna, the class clown, was standing near the playground making the other students laugh, as usual. "Brianna, Molly looks awfully 3 . Would you invite her to join us?" I said.

Brianna sighed. I could tell that she was 4 to do what I was asking of her, but I also knew she was so sweet and kind. I had specifically 5 her for this task. She looked at her friends, then at Molly.

Knowing this choice was 6 her, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a D-buck, our class currency(货币). I needed to 7 her cooperation.

"Here, I'll 8 you for your time."

She offered an insincere smile, grasped the green paper, and headed off.

I watched closely as the girls talked. When they finally walked back together, I sighed with 9 .

A minute later, Brianna came back and handed me the D-buck.

"I shouldn't keep this." Her eyes fell to her feet, 10 radiating from her quiet voice. "I don't want Molly to think I only went to get her so I could earn a D-buck. She's my friend."

Then Brianna skipped back to amuse her classmates again, and who laughed for the first time that week? Molly.

Four Stories in Life

A real doll

I've worked at an amusement park and when another Barbara joined the team, I changed my name tag(标签) from "Barb" to "Barbie". It was funny to see how kids reacted to my name differently. "Is she really a Barbie?" they asked. I changed it at another job, too, and began answering the phone, "This is Barbie. How can I help you?" Ninety percent of callers now respond, "Barbie, can you tell me..?" Pronouncing that long "e" sound forces your mouth into a smile. But I've found the smile is usually returned voluntarily.

—Barbie Bosco Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Rice twice as nice

We replaced rice with cauliflower(花椰菜) rice. There's not much of a difference in taste, and it cooks in minutes, and is a vegetable instead of empty carbs(精制碳水化合物).

—Michelle Byrd Marlton, New Jersey

Happy wife, happy life

Early in our marriage, my husband would come home feeling tired after work, and I'd be tired due to looking after the kids. We were both tired and bad-tempered, and we often ended up arguing. It got to a point where I worried we were on the verge(边缘)of divorce. The day I realized it, I asked myself, "Am I the person I would want to come home to?"

I began greeting him with a smile and kiss instead of complaining about my day. He'd smile back and we'd talk calmly. We still have our differences, but one small change in attitude saved our marriage forever.

—Annabelle Wallis, Pennsylvania

Our "Spoonland" and "Forkland"

We presort silverware in the dishwasher. It takes no extra time to load and makes emptying much easier. We always smile when our kids, now adults, introduce friends to "Spoonland" and "Forkland".

—Kathleen Luck, Ohio