We think that life in Chinese high school is an adventure in which we have to survive mountains of homework and all kinds of exams. Yet would it be {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(surprise) if I tell you that high school life in the US is almost as stressful and demanding

 {#blank#}2{#/blank#}it is in China?

       In US high school, everything must {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(record) into your studying document, including your grades on quizzes, tests and final examinations. Failing

 {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(turn) in your homework on time will directly affect your grade for a certain course. Perhaps completely different from {#blank#}5{#/blank#}we used to think of theUS high school students, they pay great attention to {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(they) academic performance in order that they can get into a distinguished university.

       Like university students, US high school students have the {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(free) to choose the courses that most interest them. Even a ninth-grader can sit {#blank#}8{#/blank#}the same classroom as 12th-graders. But this also {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(mean) he orshe has to work very hard, because the teacher will not treat him or her {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (different).

—No, it's so {#blank#}1{#/blank#} that I cannot even get close to it.

—No one can get along well with him. He is ready to find fault {#blank#}1{#/blank#} others.

    Do you have any idea of New Year paintings?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (know) as “paper paintings” and “painted pictures”, New Year paintings are a special art form in Chinese folk culture. Without New Year paintings, our traditional Chinese folk culture would be much less {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(color). The paintings get such a name because they are {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(most) posted during the Chinese New Year holiday for {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(decorate) and they are also accepted as a symbol of New Year's greetings.

    New Year paintings appeared around the Tang dynasty, replacing the previous door pictures believed to be able to protect the residents and drive away ghosts. In the Song dynasty the New Year paintings{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (create) on a large scale(规模){#blank#}6{#/blank#} the printing techniques improving, the content and forms of New Year paintings became various. The development of the paintings matured in the Ming and Qing dynasties,{#blank#}7{#/blank#} the art hit its heyday (全盛期).

    There are many {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(tradition) printing methods of New Year paintings,{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (include) woodblock printing, stone-block printing, offset printing, watercolor painting, etc.{#blank#}10{#/blank#} is reported, woodblock-printed New Year paintings are the most popular and interesting ones, according to a recent survey.