The Long March 5 Y3 is China's strongest rocket.

    China's biggest and most powerful carrier (运载) rocket roared (轰鸣) into space on Dec 27, 2019. The Long March 5 kicked off its mission (任务) at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan.

    The 57-meter-tall rocket, known as the Long March 5 Y3, is the tallest, strongest and most technologically sophisticated (技术复杂的) rocket in China. Since it is much bigger than China's other Long March rockets, people call it "Fat 5". The rocket is able to carry spacecraft (航天器) weighing up to 25 tons – roughly the weight of 16 midsize cars – into low-Earth orbit (近地轨道), China Daily reported. This payload capacity (有效载荷) is about 2.5 times greater than that of any other Chinese rocket.

    During the December launch, the Long March 5 successfully sent the Shijian 20 experimental satellite into orbit. At more than 8 tons, it is the heaviest and most advanced communications (通信) satellite built by China.

    The launch also tested key technologies that will be used to take the Chang'e 5 probe (探测器) to the moon, according to the China National Space Administration.

    The success of the Long March 5 launch washard-earned. The rocket's first launch was carried out in November 2016 at the Wenchang center. A second mission took place in July 2017 at the same site, but failed to send a satellite into orbit. According to project leaders, in the two years since that failure, the rocket's research team held more than 600 seminars (研讨会) and carried out at least 1,000 experiments and tests to improve the rocket.

    "Compared with the Long March 5 Y2 that was used in the failed second mission, the new one has about 200 technical improvements, including changes to the engine design," Li Dong, the rocket's chief designer (总设计师), said to China Daily.

    The future missions of the Long March 5 will include a trip to Mars, taking back moon samples (样本), and placing parts of a manned (载人的) space station into orbit. 

ABite of China

Are you aneating-lover? Do you want to eat every delicious food in the world? Then do youwatch the popular programA Bite of China?It's a TV program on Chinese delicious food which has been produced by CCTV. Isthere any holiday that isn't celebrated with special festival food? Here are severaltraditional Chinese foods:

Noodles are a symbolof long life in Chinese culture. They are as much a part of Chinese birthdaycelebration as a birthday cake with its candles lit in many western countries.Since noodles mean long life, it is considered very unlucky to cut it off.

Although westernerssometimes may be very sorry to see fish lying on the plate, in China a wholefish is a symbol of richness. In fact, at a party it is a tradition to servethe whole fish last, pointed towards the most valued guest. Fish also has aspecial meaning because the Chinese word for fish, yu, sounds like the word for richness or plenty, and it isbelieved that eating fish will help your wishes come true in the year to come.

A very popular dishduring the Dragon Boat Festival is Zongzi. This tasty dish is made of rice dumplingswith meat, peanuts or other delicious food in bamboo leaves. The tradition ofZongzi is meant to remind us of a great man, Qu Yuan in Chinese history.

While travelling to big cities in the world, you will see statues (雕像) of {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(thousand) of characters standing in the streets. Do you believe that they are actually real people working {#blank#}2{#/blank#} street artists? They often cover themselves {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (complete) with paint. They have to stand still and keep eyes open for several {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (hour). Street artists need to be strong-minded and patient. It is not {#blank#}5{#/blank#} easy job, but there's plenty of fun for them.

Yorge is one of {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(famous) street artists in Brazil. He stands out thanks to his partner, a cute dog named Jaspe. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} Yorge goes to work, Jaspe rests on his arm and keeps still as long as she can. Most people are surprised by {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (they) perfect work together. However, the pair once got into trouble. Some animal lovers thought that his dog was made {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(give) a performance in the street by Yorge. In fact, Yorge never trained Jaspe at all.

So far the performance of living statues {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(become) a street art. Now it is really popular in many large cities around the world.

The {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (three) year of junior high school was hard and busy. You may not have enough sleep. As we all know, being short of sleep is bad for health. What's more, experts have found that it could let you have trouble {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) friends. 

A study of a Tsinghua University research team showed people {#blank#}3{#/blank#} don't get enough sleep can be less willing to make friends. They are too tired {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (go) out. 

The researchers did a survey about 100 middle school students. When they had a good sleep at night, they {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (can) talk to strangers easily. While when they stayed up late, all of them wanted to be {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (lone) in the next day. 

Dr. Song, the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (lead) of the team, said, "The less sleep you get, the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (few) friends you will make. At the same time, people may think you are strange and stay away {#blank#}9{#/blank#} you. This can make you {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (feel) lonely and cause you to sleep even less."

So if you want to be {#blank#}11{#/blank#} good health and make more friends, sleeping well may help. "After a good sleep, you will be more clever and outgoing." Dr. Song said.

Good morning, everyone! Nice to meet you in China. I'm an American girl(美国女孩).My first name Gina and Smith is my last name. My telephone number is eight five eight six seven eight eight. This is my good friend. She is a Chinese girl. Her name is Sun Mei. Her telephone number is eight six seven four zero two nine. 

What's that in English? Oh, yes, it's a CD. It's Sun Mei's CD. She likes (喜欢)music very much. 

What's your name, my friend? Please tell me.

In ancient China, when friends or relatives were separating, they would pick a willow twig（柳条） and give it to the person who was leaving and wished for him {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. In Chinese, the word for "willow" has the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} pronunciation as the word for "stay". 

Many Chinese poets liked writing about willows in their works. One of the most famous {#blank#}3{#/blank#} is A Farewell Song（《送元二使安西》）by Wang Wei. It reads, 

No dust is raised on the road met with morning rain,

The willows by the hotel{#blank#}4{#/blank#} so fresh and green.

I invite you to drink a cup of wine again,

West of the Sunny Pass no more friends will be seen.

Nowadays, willow twigs can also be seen in modern art. There was an amazing {#blank#}5{#/blank#} about willow twigs. 365 people were {#blank#}6{#/blank#} willow twigs in their hands on the green stage. At the same time, an ancient painting of weeping willows appeared on the LED screen. The setting of 365 people stood for 365 days, and the colour green meant the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} of spring. The performance was{#blank#}8{#/blank#} praised by the audience. " I was totally attracted by {#blank#}9{#/blank#} Chinese culture, " one of them said. 

In short, giving a willow twig to a person is not saying goodbye {#blank#}10{#/blank#} asking him to stay. {#blank#}11{#/blank#} is the beauty of Chinese culture.