When I was an international student in China, I was lucky to experience Chinese New Year. The build-up was exciting as everywhere {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(decorate) with red.

Some fellow students and I decided to travel from Xi'an to Guilin for the festival. Travel during that time is quite{#blank#}2{#/blank#} adventure—many people journey home {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (see) their families and everywhere is very busy. On the eve of New Year, we watched the CCTV New Year's Gala. Although we didn't really understand everything, it was good to be lost {#blank#}4{#/blank#}the atmosphere(气氛) of the occasion! At New Year, families make{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(taste) dumplings together as part of the celebrations. On New Year's Day, and for several weeks afterwards, you can hear firecrackers and fireworks everywhere, and the air{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(smell) strongly of dynamite(火药) and smoke. This was adventurous for us!

    Being in China during New Year somewhat meant{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(lonely) though it was a great experience. I can{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(absolute) explain it with how international students in the UK might feel at Christmas if{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(have) no loved ones around them. Overall, my first Chinese New Year was an amazing experience{#blank#}10{#/blank#}I will never forget.

    The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year, is the most important {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(tradition) festival in China, which falls in late January or early February.

    The historical reason for beginning the New Year in such a time is{#blank#}2{#/blank#} it is the time between autumn harvest and spring plowing and planting. In other words, it is the time for rest, relaxation and celebration after a year's hard work.

    Except this practical reason for celebrating the Spring Festival, a popular Chinese legend offers another {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (explain), which is {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (general) accepted in China. In ancient times, a devil called “Nian” that lived under the sea would attack people once a year on the eve of the New Year. It jumped out from the sea and attacked villages{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (eat) people, animals and plants. As they could no longer bear Nian's cruel persecution（迫害）, the villagers gathered {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (discuss) how to deal with Nian and some people suggested that the devil was afraid of loud noises, red color and flame. So people {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (light) firecrackers and fireworks, put up red couplets on{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (they) gates and beat drums to drive Nian away. The idea worked{#blank#}9{#/blank#}Nian ran away.

    Since ever, the custom and tradition of celebrating the Spring Festival has formed and the practices of putting up red couplets on gates, setting {#blank#}10{#/blank#} firecrackers and fireworks, etc. have been passed down.

    Every four years, millions of people gather in summer {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(watch) soccer games. This year, the World Cup kicked off on June 14 in Russia.

    Specially prepared for the most exciting sporting event, Live It Up, the official World Cup song, was released on May 25. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(perform) by US artists Nicky Jam, Will Smith, and Albanian singer Era Istref, the song has a line that goes, "One life, live it up,  because we got one life."

    With a great melody(旋律)and attractive lyrics, the song stands for "the {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(excite), the celebration and the unity {#blank#}4{#/blank#} people all over the world would share during the 2018 World Cup". In fact, the relationship between soccer and music {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (grow) stronger and stronger since the first official World Cup song came out in 1966. As a newspaper The Telegraph said, "Listening to inspiring music encourages people to take more risks."

    One of the greatest soccer {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (coach), Giovanni Trapattoni, even believes that listening to music can teach players great lessons. "It is the intervals(中间休息), speed, and rhythm {#blank#}7{#/blank#} help you learn the logical skills you need to read a game." he said.

{#blank#}8{#/blank#}（actual）, the right music can make all the difference. As Colombian musician Juanes said, soccer and music have a lot {#blank#}9{#/blank#} common. "You need your feet for soccer and you need words for music, but they make us think of one and {#blank#}10{#/blank#} same thing— passion."

    Yesterday was a crazy day. I felt very tired {#blank#}1{#/blank#}I had a ton of work stuff going on. Then I got {#blank#}2{#/blank#}message from one of my teammates. It said, “We want to let you know that there are people who see and {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(true) appreciate all your hard work.” This meant more to {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(I) than anything else in a long while. And it made me think that maybe I need to set time aside {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(tell)the people in my life how much I appreciate what they did. Say “thank you” to the guy behind the counter, telling him that you appreciate how hard he {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(work); tell your daughter that you are proud of her {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(perform)at school; tell your mom that you notice how much she does {#blank#}8{#/blank#}the family. Sometimes when a long time goes by without {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(recognize) for the good we do, we start to get upset, but a simple statement of appreciation could make us become {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(energy )again for a good long time.

Linqing City is connected to Beijing, over 400 kilometers away, through its tribute(贡品) bricks. Linqing tribute bricks, or Gong Bricks, were transported to the country's capital through the Grand Canal for the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (construct) of historical buildings like the Forbidden City. Local people call the type of brick a legend {#blank#}2{#/blank#} flows from the Grand Canal. This "legend" {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(list) as an example of national cultural heritage on June 14, 2008.

Linqing sits at the confluence (交汇处) of the Weihe River and the Grand Canal, making transportation very {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(convenience) .

During the Ming and Qing (1368-1912) dynasties, Linqing was a large important city {#blank#}5{#/blank#}a population of over one million. Linging tribute bricks earned their reputation during the Ming Dynasty, when they were {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(wide) used for imperial buildings. Apart from the transport links, the quality of the brick is one factor to make {#blank#}7{#/blank#}famous.

The "Lianhua" soil in Linging is {#blank#}8{#/blank#}ideal raw material for bricks. The city is located in the plain of the Yellow River. So when the Yellow River floods, there will always be a layer of fine sandy soil {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(cover) the local soil. Over time, a layer of sandy soil and a layer of clay will form an overlapping structure, known as "Lianhua". Linging tribute bricks {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(make) of this soil will not be out of shape easily.