Wednesday marks “Chu Shu” or the “End of Heat”, the 14th of the 24 Solar Terms recorded by the ancient Chinese people in their lunar calendar. It is a busy harvest season for farmers and also a time to express thanks for blessings 【小题1】 (receive).

Most areas across the Chinese territory will cool down during the period of time started with “Chu Shu”, and even people living in southern part of the country, after【小题2】(grill) for months, could finally take a breath of relief. The weather during this period of time【小题3】(note) by the large temperature swings between days and nights, so carrying an additional coat is advisable. Signs of the autumn could also be seen everywhere, with leaves starting to fall, grass and trees【小题4】(begin) to wither.

Contrast to the bleak atmosphere【小题5】(be) the scenes of the field, where crops are starting to ripen. What is more meaningful to the farmers this solar term is【小题6】the raining season in most parts of China will soon end. Grand celebrations could be seen【小题7】(annual) in Xiangshan county of east China’s Zhejiang Province, the South China Sea as well as other coastal areas. Outing with friends and families and enjoying the clear weather are【小题8】must on the routine of “Chu Shu” weekend.

Taken【小题9】the fifth great invention of China, the solar terms show the【小题10】(wise) of Chinese people to live according to the rhythm of the seasons.

The Double Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese calendar. In Chinese folklore, the number nine is 【小题1】 largest number, homophonic (谐音的) to the Chinese word jiu, 【小题2】 means “health and longevity (长寿)”. The Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly, which 【小题3】 (be) in effect since 2013, clearly states that every year’ s Double Ninth Festival is a legal festival for senior citizens.

【小题4】 (climb) mountains was a custom to pray for blessings on the day in ancient times. Nowadays, the custom has 【小题5】 (gradual) mixed with some other outdoor exercises, including tai chi, qigong and square dancing. People would also admire the 【小题6】 (beautiful) of chrysanthemums (菊花), drink wine 【小题7】 eat Chongyang cakes on that day. Chrysanthemums symbolize longevity. So, people pick fresh chrysanthemums 【小题8】 (make) chrysanthemum wine every year during the festival, which the ancients regarded as an auspicious (吉祥的) wine for clearing away heat detoxifying (排毒) and prolonging life. The Chongyang cake is a festive cake, usually made of flour, brown sugar, fruits and nuts, meaning “making steady progress”.

Though people today don’t observe all the traditional 【小题9】 (custom), it’ s still the festival to respect the elders. Thanks to social care from their surroundings, the Double Ninth Festival is gaining 【小题10】 (popular), and a growing number of seniors have begun to pay more attention to their later years.

In China, the history of people planting and using bamboo can date back to as far as 7,000 years ago. As early as the Shang Dynasty, bamboo was being used in ancient people’s daily lives. It was used for food, clothing, housing, transportation, 【小题1】(music) instruments and even weapons.

The application of bamboo in science and technology is thrilling. In 251 BC, Li Bing, in Sichuan, 【小题2】(lead) the local people in building the Dujiang Weirs, the first irrigation network in the world, in which bamboo played 【小题3】 important role. The world’s oldest water pipe was also made of bamboo. During the Han Dynasty, the people in Sichuan 【小题4】(successful) sank a 1,600-meter-deep well with thick bamboo 【小题5】(rope). This technology did not spread to Europe until the 19th century, and it was by using the technology 【小题6】 the Americans drilled the first oil well in Pennsylvania in 1859.

In Chinese culture, bamboo is well-known 【小题7】 one of the “four gentlemen” in plants. To many distinguished men, bamboo is a symbol of goodness and honesty. It is always closely 【小题8】(relate) to people of positive spirits. Bamboo culture contributes to encouraging people 【小题9】 are positive and brave to hold on when 【小题10】(face) tough situations.