In much of Asia, especially the so-called “rice-bowl” cultures of China, Japan, Korea, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Vietnam, food is usually eaten with chopsticks.

    Chopsticks are usually two long, thin pieces of wood or bamboo. They can also be made of plastic, animal bone or metal. Sometimes chopsticks are quite artistic. Truly elegant chopsticks might {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) of gold and silver with Chinese characters. Skilled workers also combine various hardwoods and metal {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (create) special design.

    The Chinese have used chopsticks for five thousand years. People probably cooked their food in large pots, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (use) twigs(树枝) to remove it. Over time, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the population grew, people began cutting food into small pieces so it would cook more quickly. Food in small pieces could be eaten easily with twigs which {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (gradual) turned into chopsticks.

    Some people think that the great Chinese scholar Confucius, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} lived from roughly 551 to 479 B.C., influenced the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (develop) of chopsticks. Confucius believed knives would remind people of killings and {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (be) too violent for use at the table.

    Chopsticks are not used everywhere in Asia. In India, for example, most people traditionally eat {#blank#}10{#/blank#} their hands.

    No one knows exactly how the earth began, as it {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(happen) so long ago. However, according to a {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(wide) accepted theory, the universe began with a “Big Bang” that threw matter {#blank#}3{#/blank#}all directions. After that, atoms began to form and combine to create stars and other {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(body). For several billion years after the “Big Bang”, the earth was still jus {#blank#}5{#/blank#}cloud of dust. What it was to become was uncertain {#blank#}6{#/blank#}between 4.5 and 3.8 billion years ago when the dust settled into a solid globe. The earth became so {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(violence) that it was not clear {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the shape would last or not. It exploded loudly with fire and rock. They were in time {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(produce) carbon, nitrogen, water vapour and other gases, which were to make the earth's atmosphere. What is even{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(important) is that as the earth cooled down, water began to appear on its surface.

    The Dragon Boat Festival is a {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(tradition) holiday that commemorates the life and death of the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan.

    It is a day when many people eat zongzi and race dragon boats. In ancient  China,  the festival {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (celebrate) as "Poets' Day" in honor of Qu Yuan,  {#blank#}3{#/blank#} was known as China's first poet.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} is commonly believed that the local people began {#blank#}5{#/blank#} tradition of throwing sacrificial cooked rice into the river for Qu Yuan, while others hoped that the rice would prevent Qu Yuan's body from being eaten by the fishes in the river. At first, the locals decided {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (make) zongzi in hopes that it would sink into the river and reach Qu Yuan's body. However, the tradition of wrapping the rice in bamboo {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (leaf) to make zongzi began the following year.

    A dragon boat, usually made of wood to various designs and sizes, is a human-powered boat. They often have brightly decorated designs that range anywhere from 40 feet in length {#blank#}8{#/blank#} 100 feet, with the front end shaped like open-mouthed dragons, and the back end with a scaly tail. The boat can have up to 80 rowers to power the boat, {#blank#}9{#/blank#}depend) on the length. A sacred ceremony is performed before any competition in order to "bring the boat to life" by painting the eyes. The first team {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (gain) a flag at the end of the course wins the race.

    President Xi Jinping {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(take) his place on the Tian'anmen Rostrum(观礼台)on Oct l at a grand celebration marking{#blank#}2{#/blank#}70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China Xi, the first top Chinese leader born after 1949, is leading the country through wind and waves. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}a brighter future in a new era. China aims to {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(basic) achieve socialist modernization by 2035 and build {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(it) into a modern socialist country by the middle of the country, Xi has said China today is closer than ever before to {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(nation) rejuvenation(复兴), {#blank#}7{#/blank#} is part of the founding mission of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

    Meanwhile, China is increasingly connected to the world. In 2015,Xi took the podium（讲台）at the UN, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (discuss)"a community with a shared future for all mankind". He explained that the desired world would be one that is safe，prosperous, open, inclusive and beautiful.

    The Belt and Road Initiative, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (propose)by Xi, shows the kind of international relations envisioned(构想)by him-mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation. "The CPC regards making a greater {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(contribute)to humanity as its mission, "Xi said.