1 . The Grand Canal, a large waterway that first connected north and south China over 1400 years ago, is shorter than it once was, but it is still the longest man-made river in the world.

The original Canal system began around the year 605. China’s emperor realized that he needed a better way to feed his army. Specifically, he needed a way to move food quickly from China’s southern rice-growing region to the country’s north. Thus, he spent 6 years on construction of the first section of the Grand Canal, connecting existing canals, lakes and rivers. However, by 1127, parts had begun to worsen. In 1279, Kublai Khan began to repair and create a more direct north-south route to and from Beijing.

The Grand Canal was also an important cultural channel. Soldiers, merchants and artists transported ideas, regional foods and cultural practices from one part of China to another. It is said that Peking duck and the Pecking opera were both brought north via the canal. Even today, the country’s watery highway plays an important economic role in China. In addition, local governments, eager to increase tourism and real estate (房地产) development, are beautifying areas along the Canal.

This development comes at a price, though. In Yangzhou, the city government has torn down almost all of the older Canal-side buildings. Farther south in the cities of Zhenjiang, Wuxi and Hangzhou, the situation is similar. “Traditionally, we talk about eighteen main cities on the Grand Canal, and each had something unique and special about it.” explains Zhou Xihua, the director of the Grand Canal museum. “But now many of these cities are all the same: a thousand people with one face.”

In 2005 a group of citizens proposed that the historic Grand Canal be made a UNESCO world heritage site. The status would protect both the waterway and architecture around it. “Every generation wants the next generation to understand it, to look at its monuments.” said Zhu Bingren, an artist who cowrote this proposal. UNESCO status was officially granted in 2014. The hope now is that the grand Canal, one of the world’s great engineering accomplishments, will continue to link north and south China for centuries to come.

Qiyuan Garden is a classical type private garden     1     (locate) in Wuyuan Township of Haiyan County in Zhejiang Province. It is one of the top ten gardens in China. The old name of it is Feng’s Garden. During the Qing Dynasty,     2     owner of the Garden, Feng Zuanzhai, settled here.

The layout of the whole garden expresses the     3     (harmony) manner between water and mountains. The garden has a large area of water     4     it is dotted with a few constructions. The entrance of the garden is on the west side. In the middle of the garden is the flower hall with bridges in front. The     5     (flow) water goes around the hall to the north, and by the other side of the pool in front of the hall     6     (be) artificial hills. The layout of the garden is similar     7     the structure of the Humble Administrator Garden in Suzhou. The garden has various     8     (attract) with fancy names such as Butterfly Drops into Greens and the Setting Sun on the Lotus Pool. Pathways here consist of waterways, mountain holes, underground tunnels and fly-over beams (飞梁),     9     will bring you to a dreamland. Beautiful gloriettes (亭子) are evenly distributed in the garden     10     (provide) a place for relaxation.

4 . World Heritage sites in China

Now, China has 56 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Ancient City of Ping Yao

Built more than 2,700 years ago, the Ancient City of Ping Yao is the best preserved ancient Han Chinese city. It gives insight into the ancient prosperous business pioneers, who established the first banks in China during Ming and Qing dynasties (14th-20th centuries).

The city was listed as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO on December 3, 1997.

Classical Gardens of Suzhou

Suzhou, a city in East China’s Jiangsu province, is famous for its classical gardens. Built between the Northern Song Dynasty and the late Qing Dynasty (11-19th century), the classical gardens of Suzhou feature miniature rocks, hills and elegant pavilions set amidst murmuring waters. The classical gardens of Suzhou were added onto the list on December 4, 1997.

Ancient Villages in southern Anhui—Xidi and Hongcun

Located in southern Anhui, Xidi and Hongcun belong to the category of architectural complexes, with a high historical and artistic value.

The villages represent the architectural features of the Huizhou-style residential houses in the period of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Xidi and Hongcun were added onto the list on November 30, 2000.

Fujian Tulou

Located in East China’s Fujian province, the 46 multi-storey earthen houses were built on a base of stone for defense purposes. The architectural arts of the Fujian Tulou can be traced back nearly 1,000 years, and their design incorporates the tradition of feng shui. Tulou was added onto the list on July 6, 2008.

For more information about the world heritage sites in China, please click the link below.

Antarctica: the Last Continent

Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. It’s also the     1    (dry). With very little rainfall, Antarctica is technically a desert. Covering about 14 million square kilometers around the South Pole, it is the     2    (five) largest continent in the world. Antarctica holds about 90 per cent of the world’s ice, with most of its fresh water in a frozen state. Almost all of its surface     3    (cover) by a vast ice sheet. Strong winds     4    (drive) by gravity blow from the pole to the coastline, while other winds blow round the coast. It is difficult to imagine     5     more unwelcoming place.

Yet Antarctica is home to a variety of wildlife that has adapted     6     its extreme conditions. There are different types of penguins, flying birds, seals and whales. Most animals survive thanks to     7    (they) fat,     8     protects them from the cold. But the long Antarctic winter night, as well as the extreme cold and lack of rainfall, means that only a few primitive plants can grow.

Today, scientists from many countries travel to Antarctica     9    (study) its resources. In 1959,an agreement was signed by twelve countries, and since then many more countries have joined. The countries discuss     10    (topic) together, such as scientific cooperation and protecting the environment. They are committed to making sure that Antarctica should not become the scene or object of international conflict.

Long ago in Ancient China, there was a mythical figure     1     (know) as Shennong. Not only did Shennong bring agriculture and the use of herbal medicine to China, but he also invented     2     (agriculture) tools and techniques, and the Chinese calendar with its 24 solar terms.

It is said that the home town of Shennong was a forest in Hubei Province, which today is called “Shennongjia”. This beautiful and diverse region covers     3     area of 3,253 square kilometers of north-west Hubei Province. It gives shelter to over 1000 species of medicinal plants, many of     4     are rare and unique to Shennongjia. Here mountain slopes     5     (cover) with trees and some of them grow up to 40 meters tall. In summer, pink and violet flowers lend splashes of color. These are some of     6     (it) most breathtaking landscapes. The magnificent Shennong Peak rises to 3,105 meters above sea level.

Banbiyan is famous for its stone forest, as well as its bamboo forests and grasslands that flood with     7     (flower). The stone forests of Fengjingya stand     8     a background of green mountains that reaches as far as the eye can see. When it rains, the tops of these mountains look like islands     9     (float) on a sea of clouds. Come to Shennongjia     10     (enjoy) its beauty and the legend.

Antarctica is a place of extremes. It is the coldest, highest, driest and windiest continent on Earth. Antarctica is a continent     1     (cover) by an inland ice sheet up to 4.8km thick,     2     (hold) about 90% of the world’s fresh water. The ice sheet is     3     heavy that it has pushed the land below sea level in places.

The South Pole is 1, 235km from the closest coastline and is located high on the polar plateau (高原) (height 2, 800m). Here it may be as cold as - 75℃ , but the world’s     4     (low) temperature record is from an even more remote Antarctic station, Vostok,     5     recorded a temperature of -89℃.

Only about 0.4% of the surface of Antarctica is free     6     snow and ice. The tops of mountains stick up through the ice — the highest is Mount Vinson, 4,900m above sea level.

Over the past few decades, Britain     7     (play) a major role in the exploration and study of Antarctica. Captain James Cook was the first person     8     (cross) the Antarctic circle in     9     1770s. Later explorations involved searching for commercial (商业的) opportunities, usually hunting for seals or whales. At the start of the twentieth century,     10    (explore) Scott and Shackleton made scientific explorations, a tradition which continues to the present.