Hiking through Greece

When it comes to hiking, Greece has something for every kind of walker. Here' s our pick of Greece's best hikes.

●Mt Ohi summit hike, Evia

8 kilometers, three to four hours

Mt Ohi, Evia's third-highest peak, is surrounded (环绕)by mysterious ancient dragon houses: 7th century BC architecture, made from rocks weighing several tons. It's possible to stay overnight at the 1,000-meter-hieh hotel then hike up Mt Ohi to catch the sunrise, which makes for a magical experience.

●Hike to the Tomb of Kleobolus, Rhodes

5 kilometers, two hours

An easy, enjoyable 5-kilometer round-trip hike escapes Lindos to reach the Tomb of Kleobolus. Starting alongside Car Park 1 above the main beach, the route ends at a rocky hill topped by a circular (圆形)tomb actually built during the 2nd century BC.

●Samaria Gorge (峡谷), Crete

16 kilometers, four hours

The hike begins at Xyloskalo and ends in the coastal village of Agia Roumeli. It' s especially beautiful in April and May, when wildflowers brighten the route. There's an undeniable raw beauty to Samaria, where vertical (垂直的)walls high up to 500 meters and are just 3.5 meters apart at the narrowest point.

●Delphi to Kirra Walk, Central Greece

14 kilometers, three to four hours

This 14-kilometer downhill hike follows a centuries-old pathway from historic Delphi to the ancient port of Kirra. Skirting the village of Crissa, it goes to the gulf (海湾)through Greece's largest olive garden. After your hiking, you can return to Delphi by bus.

In June 2020, a minute — long video where a young ballet student dancing in the rain began popular on the Internet.

The popularity of the video has attracted people' s attention on the unlikely story of a ballet school in a poor small town of Lagos, Nigeria: the Leap of Dance School. Set up in 2017, the school has changed the lives of its students, providing them a place to dance and to dream. And in the last few months, it has inspired influential people in ballet to lend a hand. Seemingly overnight, a world of chances has opened up. The students have received invitations to attend famous schools and companies overseas, and the school has received lots of donations, which helps them build a proper space and a real dance floor.

For now, the Leap of Dance School is housed at the home of its founder, Daniel Owoseni Ajala. Every day after school, Mr Ajala's 12 students walk to his apartment, where he pushes aside his furniture (家具) to leave a space to dance.

When Mr Ajala, 29, set up Leap of Dance three years ago, he had only a dream: to open a ballet school for students who were serious about learning the art form and possibly being a professional dancer one day.

As a child, Mr Ajala became crazy about ballet after watching Save the Last Dance. The 2001 movie tells about a young ballet dancer who overcomes all kinds of difficulties and finally achieves her dream.

Mr Ajala taught himself by watching lessons and professional companies on YouTube; he also signed up for a few crash courses in ballet which take a very short period at a local dance center. And so the Leap of Dance school was born.

Power walking, also referred to as speed walking, is an aerobic (有氧的) activity that can be done just about anywhere or anytime. An individual (个人) who participates in the activity travels at a pace that is faster than walking but slower than jogging.

A proper technique when power walking includes taking small but quick pace and landing on the heels (足跟), with toes aimed at a 45-degree angle (角度) from the ground. Speed is produced by flexibility, not long pace. With each step, the walker rolls his or her feet forward and thrusts (猛推) from the toes to start a new step. This thrust gives a walker more force and power. With each step, the walker keeps his or her arms bent at a 90-degree angle while keeping a closed fist and making a curved move from the waist to the chest. The walker repeats the move while allowing his or her arms to swing, which helps to keep a light pace and uses more calories.

The aerobic activity provides many benefits (好处) for walkers. Power walking helps tone and build up muscles and burn calories. It can also help to control an individual’s weight and can enhance the immune system. The activity improves physical fitness, which may help lower the risk or injury; it also lowers stress levels, and can help provide a comfortable night’s sleep. Walking can also improve the cardiovascular system.

Before beginning the aerobic activity, an individual should check with his or her doctor. A walker should also make sure he or she has comfortable fitting shoes before engaging in walking. Shoes that are light and flexible can prevent soreness and tingling in the feet and toes. A beginner will often walk up to 30 minutes, while a person more advanced in the technique can engage in the activity for up to an hour.

It is said that we are made of everything that surrounds us, which affects you in every possible way, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The surrounding things and people who have more good power will affect you in a positive way.     12     Here are a list of things that you can do to improve your surroundings and meanwhile improve your emotional and mental health.

It’s important to decorate (装饰) your own personal space again. You can change old furniture in your room and decide what to include in the working areas where you spend most of your time.     13    

To make your surroundings more cheerful and exciting, the best thing you can do is add a lot of colours to your home. You can select a new colour for your walls.     14     These small things can greatly affect your environment and, in turn, your feelings.

Now, change is not only about adding in but also separating yourself from the worn-out or unnecessary things. They do gather a lot of negativity into them. The clustering of objects creates a depressing kind of atmosphere surrounding you.     15     You will immediately feel more organized and refreshed.

    16     Therefore, it’s a wonderful idea to include some indoor plants into your home to add some positive atmosphere to it. Not only can green plants and flowers purify the air, but they can bring luck into your life. They are really like one of the best investments you can make in your health and mental peace.

It was raining hard. The bus I took finally reached the bus stop near my school. I got off the bus hurriedly but to find that I couldn't ______ from the rain because I left my umbrella behind at home.

Though my school was just on the opposite side of the road, I would ______ get all wet. There was no ______ that the rain would stop and I couldn't wait. I was about to run across the road when an old woman appeared and asked me to ______ an umbrella with her. I gladly accepted the ______ .

We walked side by side ______ because she walked with a small limp. I soon found that she started to get wet because she tried to protect my schoolbag from being wet. I politely asked her to ______ herself more. "If it hadn't been for the schoolbag, I would have run without a(n) ______ ." said I. She laughed and said, "You will be ______ in such a heavy rain. No need to worry! I'm glad to help." I thanked her when we finally came to our ______ .

As I walked into school, I ______ and saw her ______ in the heavy rain with great difficulty. Just at that moment, I thought of my grandmother in heaven, who used to walk me to school in such ______ weather was deeply ______ by what the old woman did. She could devote her time and care to a complete stranger! It was just because of these kind people that our world was becoming more and more beautiful! I ______ that I would do whatever I can to help those in need in future!

The Forbidden City, the Palace Museum, which     32     （be）once the Chinese imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties（1368-1911）, lies in the city center of Beijing. It is the     33     （large）, best-preserved ancient timber-built palace complex in the world.

Built between 1406 and 1420, the Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors and their families. It acted     34     the ceremonial and political center of ancient Chinese government throughout 500 years.

Rectangular in shape, the Forbidden City,     35     covers an area of 72 hectares, is not only an enormous architectural masterpiece, but also a museum housing a unique collection of 1.8 million pieces of art, including ancient calligraphy works, Chinese     36     （painting）and ancient books.

As     37     popular tourist site, the Forbidden City is the world's most visited museum. And it is possible     38     （visit）the Forbidden City and appreciate the precious     39     （culture）heritage of China in half to one day. You     40     （recommend）to tour the major palaces along the central axis； if you have interest in     41     （explore）more on the west and east wings, a whole day would be enough for a thorough visit.