2 . Must-See Destinations in 2024

Are you ready to explore the world in 2024? Whether you dream of sailing down famous European rivers or exploring unique places, our list of must-see destinations is here to inspire your travels.

Throw yourself into the rich culture and history of Spain. From the sunny beaches of Tenerife to the Moorish architecture (建筑物) of Andalucía, there’s so much to explore in this lively country. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) city of La Laguna and become amazed at the beauty of Cordoba, Seville, and La Alhambra, or relax on a beach holiday to Majorca or Tenerife.

Despite its size, Montenegro has beautiful beaches, rich history, and a breathtaking channel. Experience the beauty of the Montenegrin coast — Dalmatia’s jewel (宝石) is the UNESCO World Heritage listed oasis of Dubrovnik, famously praised by Lord Bryon as The Pearl of the Adriatic.

Discover the beauty that is Dubrovnik. Explore the 16th-century city’s defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Sail along Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, where attractive villages and beautiful towns like Pula, Rovinj, and Poreč are just waiting to be explored...

Explore the wonders of South Africa, from the Garden Route’s nature reserves to the thrill of a Safari drive in the Kariega Game Reserve. Discover the different plants and animals while searching for the “Big Five” on an unforgettable South Africa holiday.

With over 25 years of experience creating holidays for the curious, Travel Department ensures that your journey is in good hands. Plus as a trusted Reader’s Digest Travel partner, you can get special deals when you travel with them across lots of different 2024 holidays. If you want to know more information, please click here.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The ecological environment in the Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China’s Qinghai Province         1     (continue) to improve since the establishment of the national park in 2021, with water conservation capacity increasing by more than 6 percent annually, according to a newly    2    (release) report on the park’s development.

The park delivers over 60 billion cubic meters of high-quality freshwater downstream every year,    3     the grassland coverage and grass yield in the park have increased by over 11 percent and 30 percent    4     (respective), according to the report.

    5    (locate) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Sanjiangyuan region serves as the headwaters for the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, and is known as the “Water Tower of Asia”. In 2021, the Sanjiangyuan National Park, along with other four parks,     6     (list) as China’s first batch of national parks. The park has a total area of 190,700 square km, with an average altitude (海拔) of 4,700 meters.

According to Losang Tsering,     7    is an engineer of the Sanjiangyuan National Park Administration, the park has prioritized ecological restoration over the years,     8     (focus) on ecosystems such as glaciers and snow-capped mountains, high-altitude grasslands and meadows.

The Sanjiangyuan region is a typical    9    (represent) of the alpine (高山的) ecosystem and serves    10    an alpine biological germplasm bank, making it a crucial ecological security barrier in China.

6 . Are you a fan of outdoor adventures? Do you enjoy scenic views to relax? Look no further, as the following destinations offer all that and more.

Athabasca Falls

Alberta, Canada

Water from the Canadian Rockies flows down into the waterfalls of Jasper National Park, creating a flow with wild energy. The falls are wheelchairs accessible, with a paved path taking admirers to a number of viewpoints. If visitors leave the path, they can explore both the upper and lower regions of the trail.

Akaka Falls Trail

Hakalau, Hawaii

A short half-mile hike is big on sights and low on hard activity. The well-kept ring like trail guide visitors around to see a number of waterfalls, including the 442-foot main attraction, and beautiful local flora (植物群) among the famous landscape. Though there are no hills to climb, there are a number of stairways to go.

Nugget Falls

Juneau, Alaska

Located in Tongass National Forest about 12 miles from Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier has produced Nugget Falls, a fan-like waterfall that leads into a lake. A series of short hikes allows for different views of the waterfall and icy surrounds, which are also known for frequent brown bear sightings.

Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Valley, California

Yosemite National Park is one of the oldest national parks in America and home to the fifth tallest waterfall in the world. Hikers can reach it by taking a 1-mile trail from the lodge or the 7.2-mile round-trip Yosemite Falls Trail route. Late spring is best, with the highest water flow. In the winter, the temperatures dip below freezing. A park admission fee applies.

The Qiaoxi Historical and Cultural Block in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, is perfect for visitors     1     (experience) China’s rich culture. The area is known     2     “Qiaoxi,” which means to the west of a bridge. Because its     3     (locate) is on the western side of Hangzhou’s famous Gongchen Bridge, an ancient structure     4     (lay) across the Grand Canal.

Once a busy market for local trade in ancient times and     5     industrial area in modern times, the Qiaoxi Block has now become a tourism district. Visitors can enjoy Chinese culture up close through a blend (混合) of     6     (tradition) business trade, scenic spots and residential areas. It is also a place     7     several museums meet together, including the China Knives, Scissors and Swords Museum, the China Umbrella Museum, and the China Fan Museum and so on.

    8     (walk) along the street, visitors can encounter street performances featuring local folk arts, or take their children to a Chinese medicine workshop,     9     try their hand at gaining cultural heritage skills at the Handicraft Dynamic Museum.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal     10     (list) on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014, where the two heritage sites of the Gongchen Bridge and the Qiaoxi Historical and Cultural Block were included in the project as well.

Placed among the busy streets of Washington, D. C. is a large public garden that many Americans have never heard of. The U. S. National Arboretum (植物园) includes     1     collection of flowering plants called azaleas, a field of native plants named ferns, and flowering trees in the dogwood tree area. The garden     2     (establish) by Congress in 1927. It plays a leading part in researching and developing plants like trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses.

Government scientists are in charge of the 180-hectare area. Their main goal is     3    (strengthen) the U. S. economy by making sure an important kind of agriculture,     4     (call) the nursery industry, continues to perform well. The most recent numbers from the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that the ornamental and landscape plant industry creates billions of founds in sales each year.

The arboretum is home to one of the     5     (large) collections of preserved seeds in the world. The National Arboretum Herbarium (植物标本)     6     (house) around 700,000 ex-ample seeds. They include seeds from plants that the USDA considers as     7    (economical) important. Scientists collect many genetically different seeds within a kind of plant from both native and non-native plants. The reason     8     collecting that data is that scientists protect plants from harmful situations like climate change, changed environments, or other new and possible risks.

While the scientists do their work, the public     9     (explore) plants is free to visit the arboretum. Though many people may not know it, the arboretum has had a hand in developing a number of plants     10     are part of American landscaping.