Known as "paper paintings" and "painted pictures", New Year paintings are also a {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (specially) art form in Chinese folk culture. The paintings are {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (call) "New Year paintings" because they are mostly put up {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the New Year holiday for decoration.

    New Year paintings appeared around the Tang, Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, New ear paintings {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (create) on a small scale(规模). Year after year, there are more {#blank#}5{#/blank#}more New Year paintings.

    New Year paintings show people's best{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(wish) for the future.  Every Spring Festival, almost all Chinese families put up two New Year paintings on {#blank#}7{#/blank#} front door. New Year paintings show the changes in the history of China.

    Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings,{#blank#}8{#/blank#}ancient town in Tianjin, have a history of over 400 years. They show the characteristics(特征) of both wood {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (cut)  and Chinese painting. They are about {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(day) life and old stories. In the 2010 World Expo, Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings were shown to the whole world.

    Malala Yousafzai, 19, is a Pakistani youth activist. She is the {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(young)person in the world ever to be named United Nations(U.N.)Messenger(信使）of Peace. The United Nations is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} international organization, which is meant to encourage {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(country)to work together on different opinions without the use of war. Yousafzai has {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(glad) accepted the role of working for girls' education. Usually, a messenger {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(stay) in the position(职位)for three years. "If {#blank#}6{#/blank#}want to see your future bright, you have to start working now and not wait {#blank#}7{#/blank#} anyone else," she said at the acceptance meeting in New York. In 2012, Yousafzai was nearly killed by the Taliban because she worked hard {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(get) the same education for young girls in Pakistan. But later her condition improved. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} a brave girl! Since then Yousafzai {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(become) a symbol for peace and girls' right to receive an education.

    Since her husband died, Mrs. Jackson {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(live) alone in her big old house. The house was bought by her husband almost fifty years ago. For the sake of safety, her daughter has tried hard to ask her to sell the house {#blank#}2{#/blank#}buy a new and small one in the town .But Mrs. Jackson doesn't like the idea. She says that she has to look after her {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(husband) old house. But these days, she often hears of stories about unknown people{#blank#}4{#/blank#}steal things around here.

    That was{#blank#}5{#/blank#}cold day before Christmas Eve. Around four o'clock in the afternoon, Mrs. Jackson was enjoying the Christmas music {#blank#}6{#/blank#}someone knocked at the door. She heard the sound hut didn't move. Another knock. Who could it be? Mrs. Jackson was a bit afraid. She decided not to answer the door but kept {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(wait).

    One minute another minute and yet another minute, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(something) happened and no more knocks. She walked quietly to the door, and listened. She heard nothing but the wind outside. She {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(slow) unfastened(打开) the door and watched through the crack(缝隙). She then gave a surprised cry and threw the door wide open! At the door, she saw a tail, beautiful Christmas tree! Under the tree was a Christmas card with these {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(word):

    Merry Christmas!

    Your new neighbor

    "How are you?" It's a question that seems simple, but {#blank#}1{#/blank#}can really make people feel very strange.

    Last month, Alina Simone wrote in the New York Times about the {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(difficult) that Russians have with this question. The same question, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Russian language and culture, is always answered in a negative(负面的) way. In Russia, when asked "How are you?", people usually complain(抱怨) about health, weather or things that {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(happen) recently. So when they're asked, they don't know what to do.

    In English speaking countries, "How are you?" has one standard answer: "Fine, and you?" That's because it is {#blank#}5{#/blank#}about getting information but a greeting. {#blank#}6{#/blank#}an English speaking friend really wants to know what's going on in your life, he/she is more likely to ask："what have you been up to?" or "what's new?"

    But I understand why people are so {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(surprise) about it. When we learn second languages, we have to learn rules for using words as much as words themselves. {#blank#}8{#/blank#}can you learn those rules? {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(watch) English-language TV shows is a good place to start. If you can, try to make an English-speaking friend or pen pal and talk to him/her {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(direct).

    So how are you?