Our junior high school life is coming to an end. So my classmates and I decided to make a special 1 for our own favorite teacher in the ceramics（陶艺）class.
After being dried for a long time in the fire, our gifts for teachers were2 . Chen Hui took them out of the kin（窑）. CRASH（碎裂声）! His cup, Xiao Yao's3 , and my heart broke into pieces all over the floor.
"My elephant lost her trunk（象鼻）!" Xiao Yao shouted. "My heart is broken!" I4 almost at the same time.
"I'm so sorry!" Chen Hui said.
"Bring5 to the repair station," said Xiao Yao, "Let's see what we can do with some magic glue." We tried many times,6 the magic glue worked only on Chen Hui's cup. The trunk and the heart were in too many broken bits to put back together.
"Now my elephant has a short nose instead of a trunk," said Xiao Yao, "It7 like a little dog with big ears. And it's8 lovely! Let's call it doglephant!"
"A cute doglephant! Cool! You just turned the accident into a happy one!" I said. And right then, I knew9 to do. Maybe I could make a mosaic（镶嵌画）by using the pieces of my broken heart.
When it was all done, everyone thought it was pretty cool. Yes, my present didn't turn out the way I'd planned, but it turned out even10 !
When people talk to each other, write letters or make phone calls, words of the spoken form or the written form can send any messages they want to pass on.
But besides words, do you know any other ways you can use to communicate with people? Rich expressions on your face can be one of them. A smile on your face shows that you are happy. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad or excited. Body languages can do the same job. When you put your hand up in class, the teacher knows that you want to say something or you may have some questions to ask. You shake your head from side to side and people know you are saying "no" or disagree to others' requirements. When you nod, people will understand that you are saying "yes" or agree to others' opinions or suggestions.
Other forms can also carry different messages. For example, a sign at the bus stop gives passengers instructions on which bus to take. Sound from the school bell tells the students and the teachers when to begin or end a class. Music and films also convey the feelings and ideas of the musicians and the directors. So next time when you see a piece of art or listen to some music, take it as communication with its creator and try to get the meaning behind it.
The traditional Chinese skill of turning bamboo into beautiful pieces of tools and furniture has got much attention on the short video platform（平台）Tik Tok (Douyin). Skilled bamboo weavers（编织工人）are showing how they work —cutting, weaving, burning and boiling.
"That's amazing!" A Tik Tok user from America wrote after watching the videos. These skills are seen as a magic Chinese power in foreigners' eyes.
Pan Yunfeng, 51, is from Lin'an in Zhejiang Province. He makes pot brushes and bamboo umbrellas and puts the videos on Tik Tok. With over 5 million followers on Douyin, he has become popular among netizens abroad.
Bamboo weaving art began 2,000 years ago. In 2008, it was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage（非物质文化遗产）. Now, the popularity of bamboo art on Tik Tok has opened a window for foreign netizens（网民）to understand Chinese culture better.
A. He started learning the skills at an early age.
B. What's more amazing is that workers do it simply by hand.
C. These skills are very amazing.
D. They have got thousands of likes.
E. It has become an important part of traditional Chinese culture.
Eye contact
Eye contact means looking into another person's eyes. This is a very important part of body language. It can be the key to communication. Eye contact can show feelings such as friendliness, interest and understanding.
In Western countries, using eye contact in conversations is very important. If you do not use eye contact, Westerners may think that you are not listening. And if you look away, they may also think that you are lying.
However, in many Asian countries, looking down when talking with an older person, like a teacher or a parent, is polite. These differences can cause problems. For example, an Asian person might look down while listening to a Western speaker. The Western speaker might think this person is not interested in what he or she is saying.
Not using eye contact can cause problems, but using too much is not polite either. In many countries, watching other people, especially strangers, for a long time is impolite. This may make them feel nervous.
Lily (come) from a very poor family in New York. When she was sixteen years old, her mother died. Her father couldn't support her, so she became (home). Sometimes she stayed with friends, but sometimes she spent all night in the underground. With the help of a kind teacher, she finished high school in just two years and went to Harvard University. Now she gives (speech) about her experiences. Her story (make) into a popular film.
Ark is from a small country in Africa. When he was six years old, he and some other young boys ran away from home because of war. They walked for (hundred) of kilometres to find (safe). During the journey, some of his friends died because they had no food. Ark (final) made it to another country. He wrote a book and told people about his story. The money from the books (go) to help people of his country.
Shadow puppet plays
Every Saturday, Wang Weifang puts on a play with his friends in a smalltown near Xi'an. The audience can hear them, but they cannot see them. That is (A)____ they are putting on a shadow puppet play.
Shadow puppets are made of hard leather. The leather is cut out in the shape of a person, an animal or an object. Each puppet is painted in bright colours and put on a stick. Some puppets have movable arms and legs. During a shadow puppet play, Wang stands behind a white screen (B)____ lights behind it.
The audience sit in front of the screen. Wang and his friends hold the puppets very (C)close to the screen so the audience can see the puppets' shadows clearly. Then they move the puppets around and do the voices of the different characters.Shadow puppet plays are an ancient Chinese art.
(D)Now with TV and films, shadow puppet plays are not as popular as before. Wang and his friends often work very hard for little money, but they do not (E)mind. (F)他们想让这种传统的艺术形式存活下去。
