阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

I have always loved reading books that were written hundreds or even thousands of years ago. These are the literature classics (文学经典), and they ____1____ (be) of lasting value. For example, The Iliad, written almost three thousand years ago, tells us about the good and bad qualities (品质) of human nature; that is to say, we can be heroic and silly at ____2____ same time.

China has ____3____ (it) own long history of classical literature that dates back to the “Four Books and Five Classics”. These books ____4____ (write) before the Qin Dynasty. No one was considered educated unless they had read these classics. Even today, students are encouraged ____5____ (read) The Analects of Confucius (《论语》).

There are also ____6____ (new) classics than those above, such as Journey to the West and A Dream of Red Mansions. Still, many people don’t want to read them ____7____ they are long and have complex plots (复杂的情节). But they are great ____8____ (story) which also show the goodness and weakness of human nature.

Are you interested ____9____ learning more about the classics? Just reading some of them will give you a better understanding of the basis (基础) of culture then. They will also help you better understand yourself and others. ____10____ (slow) but surely, you will fall in love with them.