An unprecedented year for hope

At the end of each year lexicographers(词典编纂者)at the Oxford English Dictionary try to find a word that can successfully【小题1】 the spirit of the year. The year of 2020 was no【小题2】. It was, however, exceptional for any number of other reasons, the spread of the coronavirus in【小题3】. The OED lexicographers ended up unable to choose one single term that could fully capture the tumultuous(纷乱的)nature of the year. In the end, they took the unprecedented step of choosing a list of words, including COVID-19, lockdown, and Black Lives Matter.

Something that was not【小题4】, however, in this rather negative list of items, was one thing that could successfully resonate with(引起共鸣)us all. It was perhaps not until the final day of 2020, in the most unlikely of places, that I think we have finally hit on the right word. The place in question had been made a no-go zone for much of the year to stop the【小题5】 of the coronavirus.

On 31 December, a movie was【小题6】 in Chinese cinemas to widespread praise from both critics and audiences. A Little Red Flower brought audiences to tears with the telling of the tragic story of a young man called Wei Yihang. Suffering from advanced brain cancer, and faced with all the risks of a coming operation, Yihang has lost hope. Witnessing the emotional fracturing(破裂)of his family and everything that he holds dear, Yihang considers suicide. He comes to realize, however, that he is not alone in his【小题7】, as he finds himself in a support group of others trapped in the hospital cancer ward. A young lady there, never beaten by her own fears of her possible death, helps Yihang find the courage to face his fears and doubts and to hope for a better tomorrow.

A Little Red Flower did what few films could have achieved during such a dark and tumultuous time in history. It shows that, even in the darkest of times, there【小题8】 ever-ready the seed of hope. We only need to find the strength of light inside ourselves to bring it to flower.

So as lexicographers debated their word(s)of the year, I have chosen instead to see what has defined us as human beings: resilience(抗逆力), something we all need in the face of great adversity. We see this【小题9】 in the work of our nurses, doctors and first responders; in the efforts of our scientists to find vaccines and cures in these unprecedented times; and in the【小题10】 hope, for a better future, in the hearts of ordinary people.

The Relationship Between Language and Culture

When we learn a new language, it doesn't specifically involve only the alphabets, the word arrangements and rules of grammar. It also involves the specific society 【小题1】, values and beliefs. So, while learning or teaching a language, it is very much important to understand the【小题2】 background of language.

What is the relationship between language and culture?

Let's take an example of the words we use and how we use them on a 【小题3】 basis. All of us learn those words with the help of people around us, that's language. But the way we use those words is our culture.

Every word we speak is an example of the beliefs, values and its origins. For instance, Japan was an 【小题4】 society. So we can see lots of phrases in Japanese concerning to the nature and climate.

In Korea, 【小题5】, the term called "our"is mostly used due to their collectivism culture rather than individualism. The phrases using the term "our " are very popular due to the culture they follow. This shows that the culture has a huge influence on the language we speak.

The differences between two cultures are reflected perfectly in their 【小题6】. It is important to understand people who grew up with an entirely different 【小题7】 of values and beliefs.

When we grow up in a society, we learn the glances, gestures and the pattern of voice and style of communication of that society to 【小题8】 what we want to say or do. These techniques of 【小题9】 are often learned mostly by imitating and observing people that is part of both the language as well as culture.

So, how deep is your understanding of the languages you have learned? Do you just 【小题10】 their definitions or translations, or do you really understand what they mean and what their implications are?

The Chinese writing system is one of the   【小题1】 that have helped the Chinese culture survive. At the beginning, written Chinese was a picture-based language. The   【小题2】 were carved on the animal bones and shells. Over the years, there were many 【小题3】of dialects. The Chinese writing system is   【小题4】as an important part of culture. Today, as China plays a greater role in 【小题5】affairs, many students begin to learn China’s culture through Chinese.