Jing dezhen is known as the “Porcelain Capital” (瓷都). It began to make pottery (陶器) during the Han Dynasty(206 BC-AD 220) and porcelain about 1,700 years ago.

The city of Jing dezhen has been famous for its porcelain     1     the Song Dynasty(960-1279). Under the rule of Emperor Zhenzong, the city got the name Jing dezhen. At the     2     (begin) of the Yuan Dynasty, the city started making porcelain for the government. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, porcelain from Jing dezhen     3     (travel) to many places around the world.

Jing dezhen porcelain has many styles. They include elegant blue, white, and colorful porcelain. Jing dezhen has over 30,000     4     (art), including 5,000 foreigners, living in the city. These people are known as Jingpiao and foreigners as yangjingpiao. They make     5     living by selling porcelain. For them, the small city’s low cost of living and artistic culture make it a dream place. As a result, they are able to live in this city     6     (peace).

Japanese ceramist (陶艺家) Takeshi Yasuda and his wife     7     (stay) in the city for seventeen years. Jing dezhen is not only their workplace, but also their     8     (two) home. In Yasuda’s eyes, foreigners chose     9     (come) to Jing dezhen because they can learn high-level skills. Plus, precious materials and tools in Jing dezhen can turn their ideas into artworks.

“The future of Jing dezhen will be     10     (bright) as it is building cultural confidence at a higher and more international level,” said Yasuda.

Visit Istanbul (伊斯坦布尔)

Have you given any thought to your next holiday? Istanbul should be at the t    1     of your list of cities to visit next! Istanbul, Turkey, is the world’s 20th largest city and Europe’s largest city. It’s on a piece of land in the shape of a horn(喇叭), known as the Golden Horn.

Istanbul is one of the world’s most interesting cities. In human history, Istanbul is important because the city l    2     in both Europe and in Asia. It was the easiest road for people to go from Europe to Asia. Like Xi’an, it was one of the m    3     cities on the Silk Road. Since 1461, Asians have taken their silk, tea and spices to Istanbul to sell to Europeans. They had a famous market at the Grand Bazaar, which is the most visited p    4     in the world today.

Imagine waking up in the middle of Istanbul. You’ll find many of the world’s most famous sights. You can walk to the Hagia Sofia, a church that was the world’s largest for over 1,000 years b    5     it was turned into a mosque (清真寺). Across the street is the Blue Mosque. Underground, you’ll find Roman-made “cisterns” (tanks to store water). These are part of the city’s freshwater system. Walk over to the Kumkapi district and have delicious fish that is s    6     in 50 seafood restaurants.

Istanbul is only 9 hours from Shanghai and Beijing. That’s h    7     a long journey! Flights leave daily, so don’t waste time—plan your trip to Istanbul soon!

5 . Do you like beautiful scenery(风景)? Then you will love New Zealand. It is in the     1     (east)part of the Pacific Ocean, across the sea from its nearest neighbour, Australia.

New Zealand has three official(官方的)languages—English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language. English is the most     2     (wide)used language in this country. Maori     3     (teach)in some schools.

New Zealand has two main islands, the North Island and the South Island. Wellington, the capital city, and Auckland, the country’s     4     (large)city,     5     (lie)on the North Island. Auckland is known as the “City of Sails” because many people in the city own sailing boats. The South Island is famous for its high mountains and beautiful Milford Sound.

There are many     6     (attraction)for visitors on the two islands. Have you     7     (hear)of Sky Tower? It’s a 328-metre-tall tower on the North Island. You can climb to the top of it and enjoy the natural landscape. Travel south to Rotorua. There are natural hot springs(温泉)here, which are perfect for bathing and     8     (relax). On the South Island, you can visit Queenstown and enjoy different kinds of adventure activities. Take a trip to Milford Sound     9     (see)its high waterfalls pouring down the mountains. The scenery in New Zealand is amazing! If you’re travel lovers, New Zealand can always meet your     10     (need)!

“In the first year, it was just a small village. In the     1     (two) year, it became a busy     2     . In the third year, it had grown into a big city. This is how Chengdu, my hometown got its name.

Marco Polo described Chengdu as a “powerful city”. A French traveller, Goodelman     3     (call) it the “Oriental Paris(东方巴黎)”. It’s a good place to live.

The city is famous     4     the delicious food—hot pot, noodles, beef, duck and tofu—as well as the spicy flavour of     5     (it) food. In 2010, UNESCO named Chengdu as a “World Food Capital”.

But Chengdu isn’t all about food. The city also has lots of culture, Chengdu is     6     old city. During the Three Kingdoms Period, it was the     7     city of Shu Han. The city’s cultural legacy(文化遗产) includes poems,     8     (paint), silk and many historical sites.

And finally don’t forget the city’s lovely pandas that you can seldom see in other     9     (city).

This is my hometown, a powerful city.     10     to Chengdu!