A. It's impolite to arrive late. B. But don't leave at once after the meal. C. Could you give me a hand? D. What rules do they have in America? E. But I'm a bit nervous. F. You're supposed to leave before the meal. |
The writing brush can be used to draw the pictures on painted potteries (陶瓷). It is soft because it is mainly made of hair of animals. Those made of wool are called yanghao and those made of the weasel's (鼬) tail hair are called langhao. The brushes of the best quality made in Xuancheng, a city in southeastern Anhui Province, were only supplied to emperors in the past. |
The ink stick is the pigment (颜料) used in writing and painting. It is produced in Huizhou, Anhui Province. It has a history of a thousand years. It is mainly made out of pine soot (松烟) and 20 other materials. Then they are glued together and pressed into the shape of a chocolate bar and left to dry. |
Xuan Paper is among the four great inventions in ancient China. It was named after its place of origin (起源) — Xuanzhou, Anhui Province. It has a history of over a thousand years. The famous Xuan Paper appeared in the Sui and Tang dynasties. |
The ink stone was already very popular in the Han Dynasty. It is used to grind (研磨) the ink stick into powder which will be mixed with water. Among the Four Ink Stone, the She ink stone from Shexian in Anhui used to be regarded as one of the most famous ink stones in China. |
A. Listening carefully can improve my listening ability. B. I watch English movies on weekends. C. Reading aloud helps me remember. D. I can learn the new while reviewing the old. E. Practice makes perfect. |
Dear David, How's everything going? As your birthday is coming soon, I've prepared a (1) for you. It's a Chinese painting "Bamboo", which I specially (2) for you. In Chinese culture, bamboo carries many best wishes and excellent qualities. On the one hand, it stands straight and stays green all year round. So it's always (3) of energy. I wish you as strong and energetic as a bamboo. On the other hand, it is hard outside but hollow (空的) inside. (4) someone is compared to a bamboo, he is usually considered to be strong-willed and modest (谦虚的). All in all, bamboo is the symbol (5) a real gentleman. I hope you like the painting and wish you a happy birthday. Yours, Li Hua |