What do the Summer Palace, Yuanmingyuan and the Chengde Mountain Resort all have in common? They were all built by members of the same family——the Lei family.

For seven generations, the Lei family     1    (peaceful)dominated imperial architecture. Their designs were admirable varying from grand buildings     2     public works, such as roads and dams. So incredible was their skill     3     many of their buildings survived earthquakes and remained     4    (stand)over hundreds of years.

The Lei family were also pioneering engineers,     5     used a grid system to plan their projects in minute detail. They took careful notes and made models of their projects, many of which     6    (survive)to this day and are registered     7     part of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme.

In addition to their     8    (architecture)achievements, the Lei family showed diligence and humility. Each generation conscientiously learnt their craft and undertook ambitious projects, many of which took years to complete. Yet they did not seek fame, and even today, their great works are associated more with the imperial court than with     9    (they).

With their remarkable skills, innovation, diligence and humility, the Lei family leave behind their buildings and the legacy that true craftwork is     10     treasure that can last beyond a lifetime.

Beijing’s Forbidden City is a place full of wonders. From its thousands of rooms to its many beautiful artifacts, it’s no wonder it is one of China’s most popular scenic     1     (spot). But even more than 600 years after it     2     (build), it’s still managing to serve up surprises.

The Forbidden City draws visitors because of its rich history and     3     (culture) significance, but perhaps it should add one more thing to its list of attractions: earthquake shelter. While most structures aren’t made     4     (survive) natural disasters, the Forbidden City seems to withstand anything.

To show how strong the ancient Chinese architecture really is,     5     model of one of the Forbidden City’s palaces was put to the test. It survived a simulated (模拟的) earthquake of 9.5 on the Richter scale—equal to the     6     (large) ever-recorded quake. Instead of falling apart, the model was just moved gently during the test.

According to experts, the key     7     the Forbidden City’s strength, as well as other ancient Chinese structures,     8     (lie) in dougong (斗拱)—a centuries-old building method invented in China. Ancient Chinese craftsmen created structures     9     were both enduring (耐用) and elegant,     10     (show) their advanced understanding of mathematics, architecture, materials, and structural science.

The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape has long been regarded as a wonder of ancient engineering. The water system in Australia    1     (build) more than 6, 000 years ago—long before even the Egyptian pyramids took shape.

Ancient inhabitants of the region made the system of channels and dams as an    2    (extraordinary) complex trap for the eels(鳗鱼) that locals depended on for food. Budj Bim was recognized as    3    World Heritage site today, but few suspected the system ran so far and so deep.

In fact, it took a disaster for Budj Bim    4    (reveal) itself in all its former glory. Bushfires,    5    (spark) by record temperatures and lasting drought, have burned away the thick leaves covering the water system,    6    (allow) the full scale of Budj Bim to emerge from the flames.

The Egyptian pyramids were made with materials that were plentiful nearby, and    7    was Budj Bim. It was made with the area’s most ready resource: volcanic rock. Those building blocks came from the lava of a now-inactive volcano,    8     the ancient people used to redirect waters from Lake Condah—waters heavy with eels.

Now the Aboriginals still call parts of the area home, and their population    9    (decline) dramatically since Europeans arrived on the continent. But their    10    (achievement) stand the test of time—even if it took a tragedy to reveal them. It’s an important acknowledgement of the work their ancestors have done.