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

    New Year paintings {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(appear) around the Tang dynasty, replacing the previous door pictures believed to be able to protect the residents and drive away ghosts. The New Year paintings {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(belong) to the Song dynasty were created on a large scale. With the advancement of printing technology, the content and forms of New Year paintings became {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(vary). The development of the paintings matured in the Ming and Qing dynasties, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the art hit its heyday(全盛期).

    Traditional printing {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(method) of New Year paintings include woodblock printing, stone-block printing, offset(胶印) printing, traditional Chinese painting, watercolor painting and sketches etc. Woodblock-printed New Year paintings are the most popular and interesting {#blank#}10{#/blank#}, according to a recent survey.

    We high school students do have some growing pains,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} we can get rid of them correctly and wisely. First, some of us are upset {#blank#}2{#/blank#} their body styles and looks. It's unnecessary and it's not important at all. We needn't care about it. It is one's inner beauty{#blank#}3{#/blank#} matters. Second, we sometimes seem to be misunderstood by our teachers, parents and classmates.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (face) with this, we can find {#blank#}5{#/blank#} proper time to have a heart-to-heart talk with them, trying to remove the{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(understand). Some of us have fewer in ends. I think being open-minded and friendly{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (do) you good. Third, we may fall behind others,{#blank#}8{#/blank#} makes us stressed. Actually we can encourage {#blank#}9{#/blank#} to work efficiently, full of determination. Lastly, some of us don't have much pocket money, so they feel unhappy. Isn't it strange? So long as we have some, that's enough. And we can learn {#blank#}10{#/blank#}to spend money.

    One day a young man was walking along the road {#blank#}1{#/blank#} he heard a cry. It seemed to be coming from underneath a bridge. As he approached the bridge, the sound got {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (loud) and then he saw {#blank#}3{#/blank#} pitiful sight. There, lying in the muddy riverbed was a little dog about two months old, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} front legs were tightly tied with ropes. It had wounds on its head and {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (cover) with mud.

    The young man wanted to help the dog, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} as he approached, the dog started to bark. The young man did not give up. He sat down and started {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (gentle) talking to the dog. It took a long time but eventually the dog {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (stop) barking and the man was able to touch it. The young man carried the dog home, cared for its wounds, and gave it food and water. Even with all of this, the dog was still {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (friend) every time the young man approached. But the young man did not give up. Weeks went by and the man continued attending to the dog. Then one day, as the young man approached, the dog wagged its tail.

    It was consistent love and kindness {#blank#}10{#/blank#} won a lifelong friendship of loyalty.

    Chinese-American community groups are preparing to hold their second annual International Confucius Cultural Festival（孔子文化节）on Sept, 28 in Flushing Queens, New York City's easternmost borough.

    The event serves not only {#blank#}1{#/blank#} a spectacular ceremony to memorize the world-famous Chinese philosopher, but a chance {#blank#}2{#/blank#}celebrate) Chinese culture together with other local communities, said Wang Lizhi, president of America East Shandong Association( AESA). Co-sponsored by AESA, America East Shandong Chamber of Commerce and Confucius Education Foundation Inc, the festival {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (feature) recitation of the “Di Zi Gui,” literally translated as "Standards for being a Good Pupil and Child," a book {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (write) based on Confucius' teachings that emphasize the {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (base) necessities for being a good person and guidelines for {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (live)in harmony with others, as well as Chinese traditional dances, Shan-dong folk music and photo exhibitions.

    The groups hosted the{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (one) International Confucius Cultural Festival in flushing on Sept. 28 Last year to celebrate the 2,568th anniversary of the birth of Confucius (551 BC -479 BC). Confucius was {#blank#}8{#/blank#} extraordinary educator and philosopher, and founded Confucianism. It was he {#blank#}9{#/blank#} first set up private schools and received students from every walk of life without {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (consider) of their social status.

The English word "dinner" used to refer to breakfast. It comes from the Old French word "disnar", {#blank#}1{#/blank#} in fact means "breakfast".

So {#blank#}2{#/blank#} did this word come to have a different meaning? {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (tradition), dinner (what we now refer to as breakfast) was the first meal of the day, eaten around noon. It also happened to be the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (big) meal of the day, with a lighter meal coming later {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (know) as supper.

Today many people find {#blank#}6{#/blank#} strange that the biggest meal of the day once centered around noon, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} it made great sense at that time. Artificial lighting such as oil lamps and candles were expensive, and provided weak light at best. So people went to sleep at sundown, because it's difficult {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (work) and eat in the dark. The last meal of the day was a rushed affair, a quick snack before the lights went out.

Eventually, more meals {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (add) to the day. This meant that people were eating smaller meals before the bigger meal. So the word that once {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (refer) to our first meal, now refers to our last. However, it is true that in many Western cultures dinner still remains the biggest meal of the day.