Xiamen, lying in Fujian Province, is a famous coastal city. As far as I’m concerned, Xiamen is very clean and pretty. In that city, we can enjoy the clear sky, the beautiful sea,     1     green tropical plants. As Xiamen is in the southeast of China and close to the sea, it’s neither too cold in winter     2     too hot in summer. The best seasons to go to Xiamen     3    (be) both spring and summer. Besides, there are some famous tourist    4    (site) in Xiamen. And the most beautiful scenic spot is Gulangyu Island. We can visit foreign architectures, nice gardens, beautiful parks, and     5    (tradition) museums there. Once we are in Xiamen, we can’t miss going to Gulangyu Island, or we won’t have     6     good time.

However, in recent years, Xiamen has become a lot     7    (much) modern than it used to be. Nowadays, more and more skyscrapers and shopping malls     8    (build), which make Xiamen a wonderful city for sightseeing and shopping. So I     9    (eager) wish to spend my summer holiday there next time.

Next year if I have enough time and money, I plan     10    (have) a nice sightseeing tour in Xiamen with my close friends. I hope we can spend the happiest time together there.

China has many famed explorers. There was Zhang Qian,     1     traveled into Central Asia,     2     (open) corridors of trade that became the Silk Road. Zheng He was a great mariner in the 15th century. Yet these voyages     3     (undertake) under the direction of governments Xu Xiake was different.

Born in 1587, Xu Xiake grew up in a rich family. Yet he rejected the     4     （comfort) life to travel the lost world of imperial China. As one of the greatest land explorers, Xu Xiake is said     5     (travel) thousands of miles of Chinese mountains and rivers on foot in his lifetime. The written work of Xu Xiake's travel records and diaries contains some 404, 000 Chinese characters,     6     enormous work for a single author of his time. It mixes     7     (detail) of geography, botany and local history with the ratings of the Ming Dynasty lodgings (住宿).

“On the surface, Xu's travel can neither be classified as great affairs of state     8     great undertakings that changed the course of history.” writes the cultural historian Zheng Peikai. “Xu traveled to satisfy his own     9    (curious) — he traveled for the sake of traveling.”

Xu Xiake traveled across China for 34 years. Perhaps his     10    (great) journey was his last. At age 50, he traveled to the tropical frontiers of Yunnan. Hundreds of years later, we follow. Naturally, he is the father of Chinese backpacking.

Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park in Gansu is the best representative of China’s colorful Danxia landform. With a wide     1     (various) of landforms, this enormous park covers     2     area of 510 square kilometres.     3     (extend) along the northern part of Qilian Mountain in west China, it was said to be part of The Great Silk Road. At one time, Marco Polo arrived in China through this area.     4     (former) a provincial park and scenic area, it     5     (become) a national geopark in November 2011.

The site is characterized by amazing landforms, including     6     (drama) natural towers, deep valleys and impressive waterfalls. These landscapes have helped to conserve broad-leaved evergreen forests, and host many flowers and plants, about 400 of     7     are considered to be rare or     8     (threaten).

The most representative spots in the park such as the Seven-color Screen and the Colorful Sunset look like a rainbow hanging in the distance. However, scenes are totally different on the edge of the hills. The colors there turn into yellow and grey like shells in the sun. Scenes are even more breathtaking     9     sunrise and sunset when lights and shadows     10     (cast) on the hills paint this region with unique beauty.

In ancient times, all roads     1     (lead) from the outside to Sichuan were referred to as the Shu Path, including those from Shaanxi and Gansu.

Surrounded by mountains, Sichuan, called Shu in ancient times, was known for its inaccessibility. That became widely known partly due to a line from Chinese poet Li Bai,     2     reads “Traveling on the Shu Path is as difficult as climbing to heaven”. The most famous section of the Shu Path is about 600 kilometers long. It starts at Chengdu, and then passes Deyang and Guangyuan in Sichuan before ending in Hanzhong in Shaanxi. The     3     (construct) of the section started around 316 BC. It was on such     4     (danger) mountains that Li Bai was inspired     5     (mention) it.

When builders approached the Mingyue Gorge in Guangyuan, they found     6     impossible to continue because of high cliffs (悬崖). So they dug three levels of holes in the rock, and put in wooden beams. The upper beams were     7     (complete) covered by planks (木板) to form a road for people to walk on. The plank road     8     (rebuild) many times during wars. Now part of it has been restored to allow visitors to admire the man-made wonder.

The Sword Gate Pass, a towering V-shaped mountain pass—the one that gave rise     9     a household idiom, “One man at the pass keeps 10,000 men at bay”—witnessed countless battles during the Three Kingdoms and     10     (be) a tourist attraction now in the Guangyuan section of the Shu Path.

8 . As one of the city’s most popular free outdoor events, the Cape Town Carnival is a multicultural celebration which focuses on social inclusion and bridging the divide between the diverse communities of the Western Cape and specifically Cape Town. It’s a celebration of the many diverse cultures which makes Cape Town stand out from the most world-famous cities. The carnival is considered a community participation event by the Western Cape Government and draws bigger crowds each year.

The event serves a platform for local performance groups, designers, musicians and artists to showcase their talents to the world. Every year, it may create over 1, 000 part-time jobs. The long-term vision, however, is to create more programmes focusing on skills development, thus permanently employing people. Since 2010 when the carnival was held on Long Street, it has become the festival of the year, and has grown from 17, 000 spectators to as many as 55, 000. This year, the carnival will be held on the Fan Walk in Green Point.

And its theme is Mother City, Mother Nature, exploring two of Cape Town’s greatest assets, its natural beauty and its people. The festival will showcase what makes the Mother City one of the most unique cities in the world. Over 2, 000 shining costumed performers and musicians will take to Cape Town’s Fan Walk, entertaining viewers with floats (花车) and dynamic dance routines. The parade (游行) will be followed by a grand street party, showcasing some of South Africa’s hottest musical talent.

Fans and tourists are encouraged to join in the street festivities anytime from 16: 00, when it will turn into a pedestrian walkway with 2km of food stands and festive hospitality (好客) areas. Later in the evening Cape Town will up the pace with the most appealing and festive open air party, the Cape Town Carnival Street Party! This Culture Comer: A Glimpse of Cape Town, was contributed by Marilyn Steward. I’m Rich Claymount. Stay tuned and see you next time.

10 . The Best US National Parks You’ve Never Heard of

Dry Tortugas National Park

Located 70 miles west of Key West, this group of seven islands is a great destination to enjoy some of Florida’s nature. The islands are composed of coral reefs (珊瑚礁) and sand, and they are famous for the birds and sea life. Tourists can also enjoy Fort Jefferson, which dates back to the 19th century.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is divided into two units, a northern unit and a southern unit. Between the two sections, this park gives tourists the opportunity to experience some of North Dakota’s unique scenery, including the Badlands, canyons (峡谷) and more. The hiking trails (小径) allow tourists to see some of this country’s natural wonders and amazing wildlife.

Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale is one of the special parks in the US. The island is only accessible by boat. Once there, you can enjoy the unique wilderness that has been protected in a special way. The island has a beautiful coast that can be explored by boat. You can also explore the island by hiking its many trails. Another unique feature of the island is the ships that have been destroyed at sea.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Guadalupe Mountains National Park extends from the low desert to the high mountains. Tourists to this park can enjoy over 80 miles of trails throughout the park, which travel through canyons, woodlands, springs, mountainous wilderness and more. It is also home to the Salt Basin Dunes, which are an amazing windswept landscape.