Beijing's {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (forbid)City—traditionally off-limits at night for anyone except emperors—was lit up with lanterns after dark Tuesday as China {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (celebrate)the end of the Lunar New Year holiday.

    The palace complex, home to Chinese emperors for five centuries, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (usual)closes by 5 p.m. though some distinguished guests have been taken {#blank#}4{#/blank#} after dark on occasion. It was opened at night for the first time since its rebirth as the Palace Museum 94 years ago.

    The palace walls were brightened with red Chinese lanterns—designed to recreate the {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(feel)of the royal court of old—and {#blank#}6{#/blank#} light show lit up the complex while the China National Traditional Orchestra and the Peking Opera performed. An image of a treasured picture called “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was beamed onto the palace roof.

    People rushed to get free {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (ticket)online, for the rare night-time opening, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} were snapped up within minutes.

    “Creativity makes the 600-year-old palace younger and draws traditional culture{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(close)to the public, ”said the People's Daily. The Palace Museum is now on a campaign {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(attract)even more visitors.

    Eating soil can produce more effective results{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(compare) to eating slimming pills, claimed researchers from an Australian university. China Press{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(report)that researchers from the University of South Australia were looking for a way to improve the body's absorption towards medication to prevent mental illness.

    They{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(accident)found out that soil does not only attract fat, it could also stop fat from being absorbed into the body and round{#blank#}4{#/blank#}digestive system. Meanwhile, other researchers carried out an experiment by{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(separate)mice into two groups--one group{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(give) slimming pills and the other group with soil.

    After two weeks, the weight of the mice{#blank#}7{#/blank#}ate soil decreased obviously. This was the basis for claims that eating soil might make it{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(easy) for the body to excrete(排泄) fat than taking slimming pills.

    However, they {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(test)to see if eating soil is safe for the body{#blank#}10{#/blank#}if it could cause any side effects in the past few months.

    To me, the most beautiful thing is the ocean. It is beautiful because it has a calming effect. When {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (listen) to the sound of the waves, I feel peaceful. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the age of 10, I went to the beach for the first time. With my feet in the water, I felt totally relaxed, and the sound of the ocean really {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (comfort) me. From then on, I often dream of floating in the ocean, feeling carefree.

    Many of the earth's plants and animals have already{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(die) out, and a hundred species become {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(endanger) every day. If nothing is done, we may find ourselves{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (lonely) on the earth.

    Wild animals live in the{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (forest) which are being destroyed by people. As{#blank#}5{#/blank#} result, the animals are {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(lose) their habitats. Without the trees, the animals are short of food. And many animals are dying out because of pollution.

    I suggest that measures should be taken {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(protect) wildlife. The government should keep people {#blank#}8{#/blank#}destroying forests and shut down the factories {#blank#}9{#/blank#} pollute rivers and air, I think more wildlife reserves should also be {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(build).