1. She said exactly what she thought, without thinking about the __________________________. 

2. In general, shyness is a personality ________ that is partly biological and partly environmental. 

3. International travel has grown to the point that many hotels find it necessary to employ ____________ staff members. 

4. I can only ________ the uncommon behavior of the strangers I meet to my being a foreigner.

5. I have ______________________ my social media contacts into family, close friends, and work colleagues. 

6. The city hopes historic districts will _______ a sense of community, which can be lacking in young and fast-growing places.

7. Laughing at the same joke would help us to show __________ with others, and this may be why it is especially infectious. 

8. Once you graduate from school, you’ll start to feel fierce ______________ as you compete for a good job.

（consequence / consequences,  trait, multilingual, ascribe, 

categorized / categorised,  foster,  affiliation, rivalry/rivalries)

When you meet some foreigners for the first time, they may guess that you are Chinese by some apparent characteristics: the color of your skin, the food you like to eat, or the language you speak. They may also ask about your country, family, occupation, etc. All those traits help shape your identity. When your mutual understanding deepens, they will identify some traits in you that are common among Chinese people – for example, being hard-working, family-minded, and frugal. Such qualities together form the national identity of Chinese people, and not surprisingly, they can be traced back to ancient Chinese philosophies and traditions. 

The most influential Chinese philosophical thoughts are found in Confucianism, which believes that a true gentleman practices the Five Constant Virtues (五常) when handling his relationships with other people. These five virtues are ren (仁), yi (义), li (礼), zhi (智), xin (信). 

Simply put, “仁” is to love others. Its English equivalent can be benevolence (仁慈，仁爱), love, altruism (利他 主义，无私), kindness, charity, compassion (同情；怜悯), humanity, perfect virtue, or goodness. “义” can be described as righteousness (正义；正直) and justice. It signifies what is right. “礼” refers to the way things should be done appropriately. It is the proper conduct that helps to develop the superior person. “智” denotes practical wisdom, that is, the innate knowledge by which one judges right and wrong, good and evil. “信” can be interpreted as honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, faithfulness, or sincerity. 

In addition to the Five Constant Virtues, there are five other virtues that a true gentleman should embody, according to the Confucianism. They are wen (温), liang (良), gong (恭), jian (俭), rang (让). Together they are called “五德” in Chinese. “温” means gentle, easy-going, or cordial (热诚的；友好的); “良” – kind-hearted or upright; “恭” – courteous (谦恭的，恭敬有礼的); “俭” – frugal or restrained; “让” – humble or magnanimous (宽宏大量的，慷慨的). 

Actually, these traditional virtues are also reflected in some well-known Chinese idioms and teachings. Here are several examples: “精忠报国” (Be loyal and serve the country.) reflects patriotism; “大公无私” (Give no thought to self.) – selflessness; “乐善好施” (Be always glad to give to charities.) – benevolence; “一诺千金” (Honoring a promise carries the weight of gold.) – trustworthiness. 

These ancient Chinese philosophical thoughts, virtues, and beliefs have served as the fundamental principles of ethics and have influenced the Chinese society for more than 2,000 years. 

Now we are living in the 21st century. You may wonder if they are still relevant in contemporary China. What are the most prominent traits and qualities that define the modern Chinese people, especially when China has become one of the leading players on the international stage, and Chinese people are making their due contributions to this impressive feat?

 To know the top qualities that best describe Chinese people in modern times, China Daily conducted an extensive survey in May 2019, using major multimedia channels at home and abroad such as Sina Weibo and Twitter. Among the terms that could define the traits and qualities of Chinese people, the top ones picked by nearly 10,000 interviewees, both Chinese and foreigners, included “disciplined,” “patriotic,” “family-minded,” “industrious,” “innovative,” “virtuous,” “frugal,” “realistic,” and “pragmatic.” The poll also showed that “adherence to discipline” and “collectivism” were among the foremost Chinese qualities. 

Generally speaking, the interviewees believed that China is a nation that changes with the times, but certain qualities about Chinese people are timeless. 

 Among those traits and qualities, innovativeness is a remarkable one. Thanks to the spirit of innovation, Chinese people have accomplished a lot, making major advances in a wide array of fields, including hybrid rice production, 5G technology, intelligent manufacturing, the Chang’e-5 lunar mission and Tianwen-1 Mars mission, to name but a few. It is true that our attitudes and views are evolving with the times, but some qualities and traits are deeply rooted in our culture and value system. They are flowing in our blood and are passed down from generation to generation. They form our common background and bind us together as a family and a nation. They constitute an indispensable part of the core socialist values as well. Nurtured by these virtues and values, we Chinese people from all walks of life will continue to strive for the prosperity and sustainable development of China. It is no doubt that you have an important role to play in this laudable endeavor. 

Words and expressions 

benevolence n. 仁慈，仁爱 altruism n. 利他主义，无私 

compassion n. 同情，怜悯 righteousness n. 正义，正直 

cordial adj. 热诚的，友好的 courteous adj. 谦恭的，恭敬有礼的  

magnanimous adj. 宽宏大量的，慷慨的 patriotic adj. 爱国的 

pragmatic adj. 讲求实际的，务实的 adherence n. 坚持，坚守 

collectivism n. 集体主义 hybrid n. 杂交植物，杂交动物 

laudable adj. 值得称颂的