According to Zheng Jun, Qinqiang opera is similar {#blank#}1{#/blank#} rock' n 'roll in many ways, and the latter is therefore the modern day Qinqiang. Rock concerts,{#blank#}2{#/blank#} star the common people, take place by the city wall on a daily basis.

    Qinqiang opera {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (call) the “living fossil” of Chinese opera,the forefather of several   operas inChina.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (Spread) to Henan, it developed into Yu opera. Judging even by today's standards, Qinqiang opera counts as the {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(early) Chinese rock music. The spirit of modern rock' n 'roll{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (seem) to come from it.

    The number of Qinqiang opera amateur {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(club) in Xi'an is uncertain. At places like the City Wall Park and the South gate, you can spot groups of people enjoying the opera. Known or unknown to the group, any Qinqiang lover is welcome to sing a piece {#blank#}8{#/blank#}justsit down and listen. The singer presents excellent voice and emotions while the audiences get {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(excite) by the tunes. Standing among {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(they), you could feel the cultural pulse of this city.

    Not all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences.

   Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} will help people forget bad memories. The pill is {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(design)to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(possible) erase (抹去) the effect of painful memories.

   In November, experts tested a drug on people in the U.S. and France. The drug stops the body from {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(release) chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far, the research {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(suggest) that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that memories are wiped out. They are not sure to the degree people's memories are affected.

   The research has caused a great deal of {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(argue). Some think it is {#blank#}7{#/blank#}bad idea, while others support it. Supporters say it could lead to pills which prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer {#blank#}8{#/blank#}terrible memories. {#blank#}9{#/blank#}, those who are against the research say that maybe the pills can change people's memories and changing memories is very {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(danger) because memories give us our identity.

    The "One Belt One Road" strategy(策略) proposed by President Xi Jinping has drawn public attention to {#blank#}1{#/blank#} oldest and longest trade route-Silk Road．The term in a narrow sense refers to an ancient overland trade route {#blank#}2{#/blank#} （form） in the Western Han Dynasty．This route stretched 4, 350 miles from Chang's an to western China，central Asia and even to Europe, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} （enable） theses regions to have better communications in diplomacy（外交），business and culture．

    China was the first country in the world to breed silkworms and produce silk fabric．This craft skill reached a {#blank#}4{#/blank#} （fair） advanced level in the Zhou Dynasty．As a major export to Europe， "silk" was used to name this great route by a German geographer．China's silk{#blank#}5{#/blank#} （introduce） into western countries through this old trade route．People were {#blank#}6{#/blank#} （familiar）with his product at the beginning，and made many guesses at {#blank#}7{#/blank#} it was produced．According to the record， the idea that silk was picked from trees was widely accepted by folks in Europe．

    {#blank#}8{#/blank#} （garment服装）made of this fabric were always best sellers，and were considered a social status symbol．Ever the gorgeous Egyptian queen，Cleopatra，was also a big fan of the silk．This fascination led {#blank#}9{#/blank#} an increasing demand for this product，and promoted the {#blank#}10{#/blank#}（develop） of this trading route．

    When the Spanish explorer Cortez reached Mexico in the sixteenth century, he found people there using a drink {#blank#}1{#/blank#} was called chocolate. It tasted quite strong because it had pepper in it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) it taste better, the Spanish added sugar. When chocolate first came to Europe in the seventeenth century, people {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (start) to drink it with milk, instead of water. Nowadays, tons of chocolate {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (deliver) to factories, where they are turned into many popular sweets and cakes.

    You may like reading novels for fun. But you need to get organized {#blank#}1{#/blank#} you are reading a novel for school. Here {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(be) a few tips.

    First, pay attention to characters. What do they do in the novel? What do they want? Everything {#blank#}3{#/blank#} is about a character can help us to understand him, from his {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(appear) to the kind of food he eats.

    Besides, the order of the story and the plot are {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(equal) important. Make sure that as you read, you make {#blank#}6{#/blank#} quick note of what happens in each chapter. This will help you bring the things you have noticed about the character, setting, language and so on together. It's also an enormous help for you to retell the story after you have read it.

Next, themes. They are ideas that a novel explores. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} is a must to get the hang of the theme if you want to fully appreciate the novel. Perhaps love is a major theme, or justice, or {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(survive).

Furthermore, novels are made up {#blank#}9{#/blank#} language. Writers use language in a special way {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (make) their novels work. They may use metaphors, invent symbols, or show different characters' personalities through their speech styles.

    A phenomenon known as "in-need-of-praise" has taken Chinese social media by storm. Users can now join a chat group on WeChat or QQ, where they will{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(praise) and gain encouragement from others — for a price. The "in-need-of-praise" chat groups are a reflection of Chinese culture{#blank#}2{#/blank#}values modesty and humility (谦逊), leading many people to often cover their true emotions. In Chinese culture,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(open) seeking and giving praise is uncommon. The trend seemed to have started with a chat group on the platform Douban four years ago. Since March many other chat groups{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(become) popular, especially among young people. For them, gaining recognition from peers is more important than getting approval from older generations. They can feel{#blank#}5{#/blank#}sense of belonging and gain praise in these chat groups, which is{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(benefit) to their mental health. It's also an outlet for users to show{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(kind) and support each other. Life pressure can be big enough, so we need to be surrounded by warm {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (word), or even some blind confidence. But anyone{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(receive) or giving praise in such groups should be cautious. The biggest risk is the constant focus on the "false self," which makes {#blank#}10{#/blank#}harder to see the "true self".