Shakespeare’s Birthplace is a half-timbered house in Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England,     1     it is believed that William Shakespeare was born and spent his childhood years. There are     2     (variety) views concerning the origin of the building, which possibly dates back to the 15th century, but more likely     3     (build) in mid-16th century. The house itself is simple and not outstanding architecturally, but it has become one of the most popular visitor attractions. In its     4     (construct), local oak trees and blue-grey stone were used, with the large fireplaces     5     (make) of an unusual combination of early brick and stone.

The birthplace recreates an extraordinary picture of family life at     6     time of Shakespeare complete with period furnishings, a glass window, and a glove making shop     7     (belong) lo William Shakespeare’s father. The walled garden at the back of the house has been     8     (special) planted with flowers and herbs that would have been known in Shakespeare’s time. Now, it becomes a small museum, which     9     in the charge of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. It’s been referred to     10     “a mecca (热门地方) for all lovers of literature”.

A new subway station in Moscow     1     features a number of Chinese design elements will soon become another landmark for Sino-Russian friendship and     2     (cooperate). The station as well as the other two on the southwestern section of the Moscow Metro     3     (stand) on the third transfer line of the city’s subway system.

    4     (show) respect for the Chinese constructors and friendship between China and Russia, Chinese-style designs have been adopted for the platform at the new station. The lamps     5     (decorate) with auspicious clouds, while the ceiling is in the form of a Chinese checkerboard.

According to Chen Zhuang, one of the designers, the style     6     (adopt) for the new station is “unique and consistent”, while the overall concept is modern, with geometric patterns and lines forming the main section. Design and aesthetic standards in China and Russia differ greatly, as Russia has     7     (large) inherited those of the former Soviet Union, but China’s design philosophy is based more on traditional elements. Combining the different standards of the two countries is one of the toughest     8     (task). “The Chinese-style platform is just     9     small part of the design, and we have to do more work and communicate     10     (far) on the subway structure, and other functions in underground construction,” he said.

On the southern bank of the Yamuna River, Northern India, the Taj Mahal is distinguished as the finest example of Mughal     1     (architect), a mixture of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles. The Taj, one of the great     2     (milestone) in the history in India, was chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

It was built by the emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Building     3     (incredible) lasted from about 1632 to 1643. More than 20,000 workers were employed from India, Persia, the Ottoman Empire, and Europe. The five principal elements of the     4     (splendour) buildings — main gateway, garden, mosque, jawab, and mausoleum — were designed according to Mughal building practice,     5     allowed no addition or alteration.

Shah Jahan had originally intended to build another mausoleum across the river     6     (house) his own remains, the two structures to be connected by a bridge,     7     he was removed from power by his son Aurangzeb, and imprisoned for the rest of his life in Agra Fort on the right bank of the Yamuna River.

In the last few decades, the Taj Mahal     8     (preserve) well. Two major restorations were carried out in the 20th century under the direction of the     9     (special), Lord Curzon.

The fact     10     the Taj Mahal is the most significant Indo-Islamic architectural achievement has come into the view of the world.