The Peony Culture Festival of Luoyang
Spring is time for people to go out and see blossoming flowers. Luoyang in Henan, China is famous for peonies, the city's official flower. The city's annual Peony Culture Festival begins in early April and lasts till early May. Peonies are in full bloom during the event, which was first held in 1983.
You can go to the Luoyang National Peony Garden. The peonies there are known for their rich colors and long florescence. Don't miss the 1,600-year-old "Peony King"!
Chinese Language Day
Chinese is one of the six official working languages of the United Nations. The LIN has set different days for these languages to promote their uses. It holds exhibitions, shows and other activities. In 2010, the first Chinese Language Day was held on Nov. 12. But since 2011, it has been held on April 20. The date is close to Grain Rain, one of the 24 solar terms. It means "rain of millet". People celebrate Grain Rain to remember Cangjie, a mythical character. Many people believe that Cangjie was the first person to write Chinese characters. When he did this, it rained millet and saved people from hunger.
China Astronautics Day
On April 24, 1970, China's first man-made Earth satellite — Dongfanghong I — went into space. It was a big step for China's space program. In 2016, the government set April 24 as China Astronautics Day. Many events are held across the country to celebrate this special day. For example, astronauts and scientists will give talks to students. Some cities will hold exhibitions about space development.
Last year, China had big plans for its space program. On December 8, it launched its second lunar rover（月球车）as part of the Chang'e 4 space mission, which landed on the far side of the moon.
I decided to ski to the North Pole. It was after I saw an advertisement in a newspaper looking for people to join a team to ski 350 miles to the North Pole. Back in 1996, there had never been a woman from the UK who had accomplished this challenge. I wondered what it would be like to survive in temperatures cold enough to freeze your flesh in seconds, so I sent off for the application form.
The application form full of pictures of male explores arrived. The words "Are you man enough for the ultimate（极限的）challenge?" made me angry and even more determined to get on the team.
Over 500 individuals applied for a place in the team, and the selection process included physical and psychological tests designed to pick the best group. In one test, there was a huge rope ladder we had to climb, and I froze at the top because I have a fear of heights. I thought my hopes were fading as most other applicants sailed past, leaving me behind. But two others helped me over, and later I found out that the organizers were not looking for amazing individuals, but great team players, and this moment had shown them who would take care of others in the team.
I had revealed（显示）my weakness, and in a place like the Arctic, you have to be yourself, as there is nowhere to hide. These personalities of asking for help and showing weakness are necessary for women to master.
I realized that by being myself, I could succeed. I was selected for the team. I realized that I could achieve more than I ever imagined — more importantly, by sharing my story with others, I could inspire them to take a step into the new world and reveal more of their abilities.
We've heard of robots and AI（Artificial Intelligence）taking human jobs, but I bet mayors（市长）don't really think their jobs can be threatened any time soon. They were wrong, and the AI running for the mayor of a Tokyo district was clear proof of that.
AI can't legally nm for high-ranking public management positions yet, but one mayoral candidate from Tama City, Tokyo, intended to maximize the use of artificial intelligence in running city affairs. He was running his campaign （竞选运动） as "AI Mayor". Basically, he was suggesting replacing human public officials with AI and having them collect city data and create fair and balanced policies that will benefit everyone.
"For the first time in the world, AI will run in an election," human candidate Michihito Matsuda announced on Twitter. "Artificial Intelligence will change Toma City. With the birth of an AI Mayor, we will conduct balanced politics."
The AI Mayor was campaigning very much like its human competitors. Posters were shown all over Tama City and campaign trucks were blaring out（大声鸣响）promises of an AI utopia （乌托邦）and asking for support.
Some people called Michihito Matsuda's campaign a stunt （噱头）, as a human would still be the one legally in charge. However, others said that they were excited about the future of AI running things in the background, adding that it had to be a better choice.
There is more of a connection between food and culture than you may think. On an individual level, we grow up eating the food of our culture. It becomes a part of who we are. Many associate food from our childhood with warm feelings and good memories and it ties us to our families, holding a special and personal value for us. Food from our family often becomes the comfort food we seek as adults in times of frustration and stress.
On a large scale, traditional food is an important part of culture. It also operates as an expression of culture identity. Immigrants bring it wherever they go, and it is a symbol of pride for their culture and means of coping with homesickness.
Many immigrants open their own restaurants and serve traditional dishes. However, the food does not remain exactly the same. Some materials needed to make traditional dishes may not be readily available, so the taste and flavor can be different from what they would prepare in their home countries. Additionally, immigrants do not only sell dishes to people from the same countries as them, but to people from different countries. Therefore, they have to make small changes about the original dishes to cater to a wider range of customers. Those changes can create new flavors that still keep the cultural significance of the dishes.
We should embrace our heritage（传统）through our culture's food but also become more informed about other cultures by trying their food. It is important to remember that each dish has a special place in the culture to which it belongs, and is special to those who prepare it. Food is a window into culture, and it should be treated as such.
Can creativity be taught? That's a question without a simple yes or no answer. Creativity may not be able to be taught directly, but what you can get better at is frequently targeting at the circumstances of life which bring up the greatest chances for true creative expression. , but more like something which manifests （显现） itself inside those who learn to develop it and create the right conditions for it.
Limit your selection of tools to only the most vital. . You'll be sharper than someone who merely fights with a larger set of tools.
Learn how to be resourceful. . Creativity is not just about creating something new but making old things work better as well. Think of crazy possibilities as well as practical ones. You might find inspiration for a workable solution in one of your ideas.
Don't listen to feedback （反馈） and keep following your own path. The problem of asking for feedback is that the feedback will be given according to the person's past experience. Others will unconsciously push you in a direction that they see as best. . Just don't let criticism （even the constructing type） destroy your creativity during the creative process.
. Routines are positive if they strengthen a healthy creative consciousness and negative if they destroy that. The key is to discover a creative routine that puts you in a more creative mindset.
A. Creativity is not like a lightning strike
B. Having a routine is actually not a bad idea
C. You can literally do anything you like with them
D. Resourcefulness is about making the most of what you have to work with
E. The more limited your set of tools is, the more creative the output will be
F. This is done with good intentions, but it actually hurts your natural creativity
G. While breaking your routine once in a while to force new ways of thinking is good
On Dec. 6, Kelsey Zwick boarded Flight 588 from Orlando to Philly with Lucy, one of her 11-month-old twin daughters. Lucy was born 11 weeks prematurely （早产）and 1 from severe lung disease as a result of a complication （并发症） of that. The brave baby girl was on oxygen 2 until recently. Today, Lucy needs oxygen at night and while 3— one small good deed reminded Zwick how "4" she and her husband, Yuri, truly are.
"To the 5 in 2D. I don't know you, but I imagine you saw us 6. I was pushing a stroller （婴儿车）, had a diaper （尿布） bag on my arm and also 7 an oxygen machine for my daughter," Zwick wrote on her Facebook post. "We 8 the plane, sat down in our window seat and made 9 to those around us about having to sit by my yelling-but-happy baby. The flight attendant came over and told me a gentleman was waiting to 10 seats," she wrote. "You were giving up your comfortable, first-class seat to us. Not able to 11 tears, I cried my way up the 12 while my daughter Lucy 13! She felt it in her bones too... real, pure, goodness. I smiled and thanked you as we switched but didn't get to 14 you properly," the mom continued.
"So… thank you. Not just for the seat itself but for 15. For seeing us and realizing that maybe things are not 16 easy. For deciding you wanted to show a random act of 17 to us. I can't wait to tell Lucy someday. In the meantime... we will pay it 18."
Zwick's story touched the hearts of many, giving rise to 19 comments on the post that has since been 20 over 164,000 times.
My mom was a nurse and often took me along to visit the （family） she was caring for, including one who had a series of strokes （中风） and was bedridden. One afternoon Mom told me that we needed to visit the woman （give）her medications, and that we would stop at a store the way. I thought we would stop at a drugstore, but we pulled up to a shopping mall.
My mom （head） to the perfume（香水）counter and bought the most expensive bottle they offered. She also bought a beautiful nightdress. When I asked her who they were for, she said they were for her patient. She （far） explained although this woman was old and bedridden, she was still a lady, and old deserved to be treated with respect and grace. When （care） for someone, we should look past the disability or the illness and look into the soul of the human, so we can connect them with sympathy. I soon realized that my mom's greatest （strong）was taking care of those who cannot advocate for （they） and need trustworthy care providers. That's I wanted to become a doctor.
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下面划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
When I was very young, I stayed at my hometown with my grandma. She was a diligent woman. She likes to grow vegetables or takes care of all the houseworks. Though my parents often ask her to quit the work, my grandma never listen. She takes that she does as her great joy. I understand her because I see her smile and satisfied with life. Several months before, my father bought for her a new smartphone. And during the Spring Festival, I instructed her on how email and use the Internet. Aside from emailing, she thinks it feels greatly to talk to their grandchildren on WeChat.
