1 . Northern California holds a special place in the hearts of all hikers who have experienced this special portion of the country. Read on to choose your best potential hike.

Lassen Peak Trail

Don’t let the distance fool you. The 5-mile round-trip Lassen Peak Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park is hot and rocky, not suitable for people in poor health, especially with weak hearts. Hikers will gain a very great height as they reach the top of Lassen Peak. Though Mount Lassen last erupted in the 20th century, the volcano here is still technically active.

Yosemite Falls Trail

The hike along Yosemite Falls Trail offers amazing views of the falls and the surrounding valley. The falls are nothing short of breathtaking as they rise more than 2,000 feet above the valley floor, making it the highest falls in North America. Come here in the spring months to relax and see them.

Stout Memorial Grove (小树林) Trail

This trail is an absolute favorite among photographers thanks to its simple accessibility and the flat grove of well-lit precious redwoods. It also features bright green plants, fallen trunks and plenty of spots to relax among tall old trees. Although this hike is short, it usually doesn’t get too busy. Arrive early to secure a space as parking is limited.

Founders’ Grove Nature Trail

Located in Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Southern Humboldt County, the trail takes visitors to one of the most beloved valuable coastal redwood groves in California. The famed Avenue of Giants cuts through the grove at the center of an easy half-mile-long loop that’s well-marked and well-maintained, perfect for families and hiking beginners.

Mount Fuji seems to be losing its World Heritage status and becoming the victim of over-tourism. The scenic spot was listed as a world heritage site in 2013.     1    , a jump in the number of tourists climbing the majestic mountain is     2     (threat) that listing. With so many visitors     3     (head) towards those trails, Japan is experiencing a post-covid tourist boom. Mt. Fuji is so popular in Japan that many Japanese hope to climb it at least once in their lives.     4     considerable number of climbers is causing environmental damage on the slopes. Litter is left across the volcanic ash, and large parking lots have been constructed to accommodate tourists.

A local official told reporters that: “Fuji is faced     5     a real crisis. Tourism has become uncontrollable, and we fear that Mt. Fuji will soon become an unattractive place     6     nobody would want to go climbing.” He added: “Fuji is screaming in pain. We can’t just wait for improvement; we need to tackle over-tourism now.” The mountain’s fifth base station     7     (witness) a 50 percent rise in visitors since 2013, with about four million visitors this summer. Another headache for local authorities is “bullet climbers”, people who have an     8     (intend) to ascend and descend Fuji in 24 hours. They risk getting altitude sickness and hypothermia.     9     (fortunate), the official climbing season ended on Sunday, preventing Fuji from     10     (far) damage.

3 . Having grown up in northern Arizona with the immortal Grand Canyon and the iron red plateaus of Sedona in my backyard, I believed that the southwestern state is home to the most beautiful landscapes on the planet. Towering mountain titans, a cozy valley and an infinite blue sky promised fantastic potential for exploration. For me, no newly discovered sights or foreign landscapes can compare with its beauty.

That is, until I was invited to explore Guizhou province by the China Storyteller Partnerships Tour. Had someone vividly described how beautiful Guizhou can be in poetic detail, they would not have done it exactly. There is no substitute for seeing with one’s own eyes. I will attempt to do so.

During my trip around the city of Xingyi, in Guizhou, I saw the artwork of the Bouyei ethnic group. They use dyes produced from local plants to make clothing of striking blues and greens. Local elders still practice weaving with artful wooden machines and pass that tradition on to their grandchildren.

My father used to drag my brothers and me on yearly fishing trips around Arizona. We would compete to catch the largest fish, and in the mornings, Dad would cook us a basic breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast. I sat in a small boat in the middle of the lake, with fishing pole moving slowly in my impatient hands, and held my bored tongue while my father attempted to share with me the whispers of the wind, a fish dancing on the surface of the lake or the majesty of a hawk hunting for prey overhead. On my trip to Guizhou I had the opportunity to paddle on Wanfeng lake. At one point I rested, floating at the center of the lake, listening to the spaces between silence and taking in the surrounding karst (喀斯特) mountains. I thought about my childhood, and wished I had listened more closely to my father while fishing.

I’ve lived away from Arizona for 10 long years, carving my own destiny in China. I’ve managed to build myself a family, a career, a livelihood, and various projects. I feel as though I have everything that I need. For a moment, in Guizhou, I felt home.

Marrakech (马拉喀什) is the fourth largest city in Morocco and has a rich architectural heritage. However, an earthquake in September caused serious damage     1     some of them in the city.

The Medina district, the old cultural center of Marrakech, was one of them.     2     (add) to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1985, the district is enclosed by 900-year-old walls built of red sandstone that once     3     (defend) the city against danger. However, large parts of these walls were damaged in the earthquake and long sections now show deep cracks     4     other parts have collapsed.

Apart from ancient walls, Morocco World News reported that the city’s Kharbouch Mosque (清真寺) was almost     5     (entire) destroyed. Before the earthquake, it was a cultural center for the city     6     dancers and storytellers performed. A local resident     7     (tell) The New Arab that the mosque dates back to the 17th century.

After visiting Marrakech     8     (follow) the destruction, Eric Falt, an officer at UNESCO, stressed that it was necessary to immediately plan for the     9     (construct) of damaged cultural assets (资产). The earthquake’s impact on Marrakech’s cultural heritage     10     (expect) to be a long-term challenge that will require careful restoration efforts, noted Morocco World News.

The chimes (钟声) of Big Ben are recognised by almost everyone in Britain, and by     1     (million) of people all over the world.

The name “Big Ben” is generally used     2     (refer) to the big clock tower itself; but in reality, “Big Ben” is just the name of the biggest bell in the tower, the bell that chimes on the hour.

The famous clock tower     3     (build) in the 1850s, after the Houses of Parliament burned down. The original “Big Ben” bell weighed 16 tons, and was made in the north of England. However, after it had reached London, it cracked. A new Big Ben bell,     4     (weigh) about 13.5 tons, was made to take the place of it. This bell was put in place in 1859.

Since then, there have been several incidents. Once the clock stopped when a pot of paint got stuck between     5     (it) hands. And in 1976, the clock stopped for 26 days,     6     a part of the mechanism broke.

Between 1983     7     1985, the clock tower was     8    (complete) cleaned and repaired; but thirty years later, engineers thought that the tower and the clock were both in need of immediate repairs. The work began in 2017, and Big Ben will finally begin     9     new life in the year 2022.

At night, the clock faces are lit up from inside. Originally they were lit up by gas lamps; then, for most of the twentieth century,     10     electricity. Now the faces are lit up by “green” low-energy light bulbs.

Shanghai, lying in the subtropical zone of monsoon (季风) climate in East Asia,     1     (enjoy) a humid weather with four     2     (remark) seasons in a year. April 1st marks the beginning of spring, lasting 65 days to end up     3     a rise in temperature in June. Summer calls on June 5th and finishes on the 22nd of September, while autumn falls every 23rd of September to wind up at the 26th day of November, totaling 65 days. Winter visits the land of Shanghai on November 27th, extending     4     period of 125 days to end on the last day of next March. So it features a shorter spring and autumn but a longer summer and winter. Though hot in summer and cooler in autumn, it is     5     (relative) cold in winter in Shanghai, but snow is rare. The continual monsoon rain,     6     comes in the middle of June, usually lasts 20 to 30 days to end in the middle of July,     7     (witness) an amount of rain of around 250 millimeters. Storms frequently occur between July and September, a season often     8     (affect) by typhoon activity. Shanghai     9     (locate) in the east coast of the mid-latitude land mass; therefore, warm and cold air-current is a frequent     10     (visit). So it features a changeable weather with drought and flood, influencing the agriculture and life of the people here.