A city’s name can often indicate its status in a nation’s history. Nanjing, meaning “southern capital city” literally in Chinese, could claim such an influential 【小题1】 (identify) in history.

The city, now capital of East China’s Jiangsu Province, was once 【小题2】 (global) considered to have 【小题3】 urban history of 2,500 years, a new archaeological research rewrites that. It was founded more than 3,100 years ago when an ancient city named Changgan was recently excavated (发掘).

“【小题4】 (date) from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, archaeologists found that the city’s walls were protected by trenches, 【小题5】is a universally acknowledged indicator of a defensive system 【小题6】 (adopt) by ancient cities,” says Chen Dahai, head of the archaeological excavation team. “In the history of the ancient system, trenches 【小题7】 (appear) before the walls were constructed. They were built around the living area 【小题8】 (prevent) floods and defend against enemies,” he added.

The latest archaeological findings may reshape the city’s history, with 【小题9】 (it) appearance tracing back to more than 3,100 years ago. Wang Wei, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Archaeology Department, recognizes the discovery 【小题10】 a remarkable archaeological finding in tracing the Nanjing’s origins.

Based on the Chinese zodiac (十二生肖), 2023 is the year of the rabbit. The Chinese zodiac has   【小题1】 continuous cycle of 12 years. Each year is represented by a zodiac animal. It 【小题2】(base) on astrology (占星术) and was used as a way to count years in the Chinese lunar calendar in ancient times. The rabbit【小题3】(rank) fourth in this 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac animals. The 12 zodiac animals are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

According 【小题4】 Chinese astrology, each zodiac year is associated with one of the five 【小题5】 (element): metal, wood, water, fire or earth. 2023 is the year of the water rabbit. A water rabbit year comes every 60 years. The year of the rabbit 2023 is a very 【小题6】(peace) year welcomed with open arms. We need to retreat to a quiet and peaceful place in order 【小题7】(heal) our wounds and wind down after all we had to endure the previous year. It is a time 【小题8】 we have to keep ourselves in check and not become lazy.

The Chinese horoscope (星象) tells us that the year of the rabbit will be calm and at peace. In Chinese culture, the rabbit is thought to be the 【小题9】(lucky) animal of the 12 animals of the zodiac. It signifies 【小题10】 (forgive), grace and beauty.

Lei Haiwei, a 37-year-old fast food courier (快递员) from Hunan Province, got first place in a televised Chinese poetry knowledge competition. He beat other 【小题1】 (compete), including a master’s degree graduate from Beijing University, in the third season of the Chinese Poetry Conference on CCTV 【小题2】 April 4, 2018.

“My interest in ancient poems began as early as I was six years old. My father hoped I would grow up to be a man 【小题3】 keeps the mountains, rivers, lakes and seas in mind,” the courier said.

In 2001, 【小题4】 young man found a job in Shanghai and began to read books 【小题5】 (relate) to ancient poems at bookstores or libraries in his spare time. The young man also developed a habit of reciting poems he liked and 【小题6】 (write) them down after returning home.

【小题7】 Lei works as a fast food courier in Hangzhou later, his love for poems never died. Even on his 【小题8】 (busy) work days, he used any available moment to recite poems. “For example, I am used to reciting poems when I wait for food at restaurants, and traffic lights on my way 【小题9】 (deliver) food. Reciting poems not only enriches my knowledge, but also makes my job less boring. As for my future plan, I 【小题10】 (stick) to reading and reciting poems,” Lei said.