2 . The best UK hidden beaches for the perfect holiday

If you’re considering where to go at Easter or other holidays and searching for some family holiday ideas, why not make the most of your time off by planning a trip to one of Britain’s best beaches? Escape the bank holiday crowds, take a trip to one of these more secluded (僻静的)spots and make some wonderful memories on your own private piece of coastline.

Charming coves at Nanjizal Beach

Cornwall is known for having some of the best beaches in the UK. However, across peak times such as the Easter holidays, they can become overrun with holidaymakers.

Nanjizal Beach is usually very quiet, apart from those walkers who have made the hike on the coastal path from either Porthgwarra, Lands End or Sennen Cove. There are numerous coves to discover and the ruins of an old watermill too. If all of that walking has made you warm, it’s also a great spot for swimming, with inviting shallow water.

Don’t forget to pack a picnic though, as not only will you want to spend some time soaking in the salty sea air, it’s also a long walk back to the car.

Beautiful beaches at Rhu Point

With its white sands and crystal blue waters, Rhu Point might make you think that you’re in the Caribbean, rather than the west coast of Scotland, a wonderfully remote beach. It is simply attractive at low tide, and offers beautiful views once you arrive at the sandy shore. The walk to get there is also just as pretty; if the day is clear, there are some wonderful views over to the Isle of Skye.

Apart from some great rock pools nestling within the rocky outcrops (露出地面的部分), you can also collect shells which are common on the shoreline. If you’re looking for an Easter holiday getaway on a remote beach in a beautiful part of the country, this is a wonderful option.

The Amazon rainforest, the largest rainforest in the world, plays     1     significant role in maintaining the fine balance of the Earth’s ecosystem. The Amazon rainforest crosses into eight countries,     2     (include) Brazil and Peru, and one overseas region of France, all on the South American continent. With an area of around 6 million square kilometres, the Amazon rainforest is more than half the size of China.

The Amazon River is close to 6,400 kilometres in     3     (long), which supports many different ecosystems, giving the area one in ten known species in the world living here. Of the 390,000 plant species known to us, more than 40,000 can     4     (find) in the Amazon. The forest’s different levels support an     5     (believe) variety of wildlife. Each level of the forest forms its own little world, home to different kinds of living things. More than 1,3000 species of birds and over 400 species of     6     (mammal) hide among the jungle’s plant life.     7     a significant number of jaguars survive here, they are only one element of this forest’s food chain.

The Amazon rainforest breathes life     8     the planet by fixing carbon and producing over 20 per cent of all the Earth’s oxygen, thus known as the “lungs of the planet”. Moreover, the Amazon rainforest is a treasure house of species     9     can be used for food or medicine. Yet there is one major danger to the Amazon rainforest: human beings. Over the past 50 years, about 17 percent of the rainforest     10     (disappear) due to human activities such as agriculture and cattle farming.

The word hutong was borrowed from the Mongolian word to mean, “water well”, about 700 years ago. Later it referred to a place     1     people live. Hutong we see today are made up of small lanes     2     (form) by walls of siheyuan. They were built during     3     Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

When the People’s Republic of China     4     (found) in 1949, there were more than 3,000 hutong. Most of the city’s population lived in this traditional housing.

    5     with the modernization of the city in the 1980s and early 1990s, many hutong were pulled down to build     6     (road), skyscrapers and modern houses. The government has     7     (ultimate) recognized the importance of hutong as Chinese cultural heritage. In 2002, Beijing listed 40 protected historical zones and increased its efforts to restore some key relics and older streets in the city. Nearly 500 hutong     8     (survive) so far.

Hutong that still exist are like oases (绿洲) of calm surrounded by the     9     (noise) city. Walking through them, it is common     10     (see) groups of elderly citizens sitting together playing cards, mahjong or Chinese chess. In the early mornings and evenings, they gather to practice traditional forms of exercise such as taijiquan as well as dancing and singing folk songs or Peking Opera. Hutong have become a museum of Beijing’s folk customs and history.

Located in the northwest of Hunan Province, about 300 kilometers away from Changsha, capital of Hunan, Zhangjiajie,     1     covers a total area of 9,563 square kilometers,     2    (be) a tourist city for its unique natural scenery and abundant tourism resources. Zhangjiajie was awarded the title of “World Geological Park” in 2004. Actually, Zhangjiajie,     3    (honor) as “the most fantastic mountain under heaven” and “a walking Chinese landscape painting”, is also     4    (wide) praised as “an enlarged potted landscaping” “a mini fairyland” and “a maze (迷宫) of nature”,     5    (attract) a growing number of tourists at home and abroad.

Since it     6    (discover) in the 1980s, tourism industry has become the leading industry in Zhangjiajie, which has stimulated the     7    (develop) of other industries related to tourism. At the same time, ecotourism has been developed rapidly in Zhangjiajie. When you come to Zhangjiajie, you can fully appreciate     8    (it) magnificent natural scenery and experience appealing folk custom as well as other thrilling tourist activities, and you will be deeply impressed     9     what is performed by the minorities there.

It must be an exciting, joyful and     10    (forget) tour to Zhangjiajie.

7 . France has the most beautiful castles throughout Europe. Here are some of the best French castles to visit. You’ll surely want to visit one of them during your travels in France. Have a look and enjoy!

Versailles Castle

The Versailles Castle is about 20km southwest of Paris. When the castle was built, Versailles was a small village. Today, however, it is a famous area in Paris. The castle was originally built as a small hunting lodge (乡间小屋) for Louis XIII in the 1620s.Years later, he made it bigger. Later, Louis ⅩⅣ also made it larger, making it one of the largest palaces of the world.

Chambord Castle

The Chambord Castle is one of the largest castles around the world. It sits in the Loire Valley. Being at the heart of Europe’s largest enclosed wooded park, Chambord, it was built for King Francis I to serve as a hunting lodge. It is one of the most well-known castles in the world because of its French Renaissance (文艺复兴) unique building.

Chenonceau Castle

As one of the most famous castles in the Loire Valley, the castle was built during the 11th century on the River Cher. It was passed through many hands. The castle was not destroyed during the French Revolution because it was the only bridge across the river for many miles.

Chantilly Castle

This historic castle sits in the town of Chantilly, France. This beautiful castle is made up of two buildings: the Petit Château built around 1560 for Anne de Montmorency, and the Grand Château which was destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in the 1870s. There are many interesting pieces of 17th century history concerning the castle. Every two years a fireworks competition is held in the castle gardens.

Mount Emei,World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site in China,     1     (locate)in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, is an area of striking scenic beauty,famous for     2     (it)high mountain and thick vegetation.It is also a place of spiritual and cultural significance, in    3     there are important architecture and     4    (collection) of cultural artworks, including sculpture,beautiful painting and writing,and other traditional artistic works. Besides Emei Mountain is known    5     one of the holy mountains of China.

The Leshan Giant Buddha, lying at the eastern foot of Mount Emei,     6     (carve)out of a hillside with special skills in the 8th century.The human element has been integrated into it.     7    (face)the confluence(汇流处)of Minjiang, Dadu River and Qingyi River,the 71-meter-tall Giant Buddha of Leshan is one of the most important cultural treasures of China.

Mount Emei with its natural and cultural values well interconnected is attracting    8     large number of tourists in the world. Aiming     9    (enjoy) the beauty of nature and culture, they are brave to climb it through thick and thin.When some of them reach the top of the mountain, they are so happy that they feel all the effort is     10    ( high)worthwhile.

Not only is Canada a broad and beautiful country stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean,     1     it is also one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world with distinct cultures.

There is great diversity in geography in Canada. To the east of the Pacific coast rise the grand Rocky Mountains,     2     are home to high peaks and deep valleys. One truly unique scenic spot in Canada is the mighty Niagara Falls with water     3    (rush) over its edge. Besides its geographical diversity, Canada’s many rural areas and urban centers reflect the diversity of its residents. It is thought     4     some of Canada’s earliest settlers crossed the Bering Strait by means of a land bridge. The first Europeans also started     5    (settle) in some of the eastern provinces centuries ago. About one out of five people in Canada’s population is foreign-born. Therefore, this ethnic variety     6    (bring) about cultural diversity. You can participate     7     the celebrations of the Chinese New Year, or you may take tea in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver. As you are     8    (expose) to diverse cultures, you may feel transported through time and space.

From the towering mountain peaks to the     9    (deep) of the forests to the urban centers, Canada’s geographical wonders, ethnic groups and their cultures make it     10     unique place to live and visit.