Papercutting is a kind of the traditional folk art in China. Papercutting has a long history of about 1,500 years. Let's learn something about papercutting.

    Wonderful meanings

    Papercutting has some wonderful meanings. Some papercutting means happiness and good luck. In the Spring Festival, people paste(粘贴) "Fu" on doors or windows. At a wedding, people paste "Xi".

    The largest Chinese papercutting

    The largest papercutting was made by Gao Xiaodong. It has an area of about 456 square meters. It is as large as a basketball court.

    Why is it red?

    In the old times of China, people think highly of the sun. Red was the color of the sun. They always regarded red as the symbol of hope and life. Now, we can also see red everywhere in China. The walls of old palaces are red. Lanterns are red. Weddings are always full of red things, too.

    Black papercutting in Shanzhou

    Much of the papercutting is red. But papercutting in Shanzhou, Henan Province is black. Black is the best color there. Shanzhou is a dry place. People make black papercutting and wish for rain.

We're still in Ireland. We 1 in Dublin four days ago. My sister and I liked it a lot— it was great —we weren't bored at all. Then yesterday, after lunch, Dad hired (租) a car and we travelled to the west of Ireland—it didn't 2 very long, just about two and a half hours, but that was a bit 3 .

However, after two hours, Dad 4 to us and said, "We've got a surprise for you. Tonight, our hotel is a castle (城堡). How exciting!" "A joke, right?" " 5 !" We didn't think he was serious, but he 6 !

At the 7  of the journey, we stopped outside a real castle. A nice lady 8  us and started to show us around. What an amazing place! Can you believe that we 9  fifty stone steps to get to the living room? 

The castle is over 600 years old, but. it had 10 we needed. There was a 11 for our parents and we each had a bedroom. too. But I didn't sleep very well last night-I was so excited to be in a real castle!

This morning we had breakfast and then we climbed up to the 12  of the castle. We were amazed at the beautiful countryside around us. Then it started to rain and there was a 13  rainbow-I love rainbows! 

The place was so great and we didn't want to 14 . This afternoon we want to go to Limerick, so we're packing our bags again! 15 it be as good as a castle? Let's see.

Do you know Gui Haichao? He is the first astronaut with glasses. In May 2023，Gui Haichao joined the Shenzhou 16 mission （太空飞行任务）.After five months，he successfully came back from space.

Gui Haichao is from a small town in Yunnan，China. His parents are farmers. He has a dream.He likes looking at the sky. He has two idols （偶像）.They are Qian Xuesen and Yang Liwei. He wants to be an astronaut like Yang Liwei.

To make his dream come true，he always works hard and tries his best to learn.  His teachers and classmates all think he's very hard-working. Every morning，he is the first student to get to the classroom. Every evening，he is the last one to leave. He is good at Maths，and he thinks a healthy body is important，too. So he often runs and rides a bike at the weekend.

Gui Haichao is a hero（英雄）.He is the pride （骄傲） of Chinese people.

My friends have different interests. Lily has a {#blank#}1{#/blank#} voice. Singing has become her hobby. She often sings Karaoke and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} many music videos every day. John likes watching {#blank#}3{#/blank#} in nature. He also reads books about them. Many people are interested in {#blank#}4{#/blank#} model planes. Bobby is one of them. He thinks it is fun and relaxing. All in all, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} can make our life colourful and bring us knowledge. 

 Old Mother Wind was talking with the Tall Tree in the forest, "I' ve just passed by the grass, and there I saw the Best Thing in the world. "

Bobby Mouse happened to sit under the tree and heard those1 . "The Best Thing in the world — what can that be?" he 2 "Well, it must be a lot of delicious nuts! I' ll go and find it. " Then Bobby Mouse ran 3 the grass. 

 He was running so4 that he didn't see Peter Rabbit until Peter Rabbit jumped out and asked, "5 are you going in such a hurry?"

"To find the Best Thing in the world, " Bobby Mouse answered. 

"The Best Thing in the world? I really6 eating carrots. That must be lots of carrots. I' ll go and join7 . " Peter Rabbit said to Bobby Mouse and ran after him. 

 Before long, they met Johnny Chuck, who asked the 8 question as Peter Rabbit just did. 

"To find the Best Thing in the world! Would you like to join us?" they shouted. 

"The Best Thing in the world?" said Johnny Chuck. "9 is more enjoyable than my own little home, the warm sunshine and the beautiful blue sky. I will 10 go with you!" So he stayed at home and played among the flowers with Old Mother Wind happily. 

 When Bobby Mouse and Peter Rabbit finally reached the grass, they had run far and fast all day long and still they didn't find the Best Thing in the world. When the 11 came, they started going back home. Now they didn't hurry in the dark12 they were very tired and hungry. 

 They came across Old Mother Wind halfway home. 

"Did you13 the Best Thing in the world?" asked Old Mother Wind. 

"No!" Their 14 sounded very sad. 

"Johnny Chuck has it, " she said. "It is being15 with the things you have. The Best Thing in the World is just around you. "

 Have you ever decided what you want to do when you were a little child? Sounds impossible, but I did it.

 When I was in third grade, I watched a special video. I still 1 the video, because the details(细节) of the video 2 influenced me. And since then, I have known what I wanted to do with 3 life.

 As a result, I4 what I wanted to be at nine, and I made it happen. Seems easy, right? Not quite! The road was difficult. I did my studies--university, then a PhD.5 along the way I was told many things: I was too young. wasn't qualified(具备资格). I should get married and have6 . I also needed money so I asked for six grants(拨款): The first 7 replies I got said no. Six months later, the last reply came. This time it was yes.8 , I could start my own research.

 Today,I'm9 to work as an archeologist(考古学家). That makes me have a sense of pride. I study the lives of people who lived in ancient Egypt. It's an exciting 10 . The feeling of holding a piece of history is an amazing feeling. I feel rather 11 .

 For anyone thinking about his 12 , I would say: Never give up. If you want to do something, keep trying. If people say"no" to you, don't give up, and use that- - it will 13 you. At the beginning, it hurts. But the next no hurts a little less. It makes you 14 and actually helps you. Second, focus on your dreams. You don't have to follow15 . If they say something has never been done, make it happen.