The Grand Canal, a great man-made project completed in ancient China, has witnessed Chinese history spanning over 2,500 years. On June 22, 2014, it     1    (include) on the World Cultural Heritage List.

Over a thousand years, the Grand Canal has been meandering (蜿蜒) through eight provinces and cities along     2     (it) course of 3,200 kilometers and connecting five major rivers, which     3    (be) the longest and oldest canal in the world. It is a precious heritage     4    (pass) down to us by our ancestors.

In modern times, as     5     result of social unrest, climate change, economic change and other impacts, the Grand Canal has been troubled by a series of problems such as river channel cutoff, water     6    (pollute), and water ecological damage. It was once the Chinese people’s dream that the Grand Canal could be restored to the past glory.

    7     the beginning of the new era, many places along the Grand Canal have launched ecological restoration projects. While maintaining the original form of the river course, they have focused on scientific protection and cultural heritage,     8    (highlight) the cultural, historical and ecological value of the Grand Canal.

On April 28, 2022, the Grand Canal was refilled with water for the first time in a century, after a 14-day water-supply project. With     9    (far) development of the project, the Grand Canal has gradually restored the past shipping capacity. Boat tours     10     cargo transportation have become available along the course. The “Golden Waterway” turns clean and lively again.

Located in Northwest China’s Gansu Province, the Bingling Temple World Heritage Tourist Area     1     (cover) 150 square kilometers. It is home to the Stone Grottoes (石窟) of Bingling Temple (a component of the World Heritage of the Silk Road).

With magnificent natural scenery civilization, the tourist area lies along     2     may be the most charming section of the upper reaches (上游) of the Yellow River. Thanks to     3     (it) places of interest integrating ancient and modern culture, the Bingling Temple World Heritage Tourist Area has become     4     good place for ecological     5     (tourist), science education, and leisurely vacations.

    6     the largest stone grottoes in Gansu Province, the Bingling Temple Grottoes are a world cultural heritage with a history which stretches back more than 1,600 years ago.     7     (particular)，the earliest of China’s well-preserved statue inscription (题词) during the Western Qin State     8     (discover) in the No. 169 grotto. This grottoes inscription, statues, and murals (壁画) provide     9     (rely) evidence for the confirmation of the history of the Bingling Temple Grottoes and the early stone statues in China.

With the grotto murals and stone statues of different historical periods, the Bingling Temple Grottoes are believed     10     (have) historical, artistic and academic value.

When Peggy Zheng first stepped into Wangmantian Village in Anhui Province, she was amazed by     1     primitive it was.

    2     (hide) deep inside a mountainous area 40 kilometers away from the     3     (near) bus station, Wangmantian attracted Zheng, a handicraft enthusiast from Beijing, because of its fish lantern parade, a folk custom     4     (date) back more than 200 years.

“The parade is actually held every year around the Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month,     5     this year because of COVID-19 , I missed the event and didn’t get to visit the village until June,” she said.

The village still     6     (look) pretty much like it did a century ago. Ancient buildings and bridges     7     (construct) in typical Hui-style architecture, a Chinese style that has prevailed in the ancient area of Huizhou, including what is today’s Anhui.

People still live     8     (happy) in a pre-Internet era, communicating     9     other by dropping around rather than texting or using mobile phones.

“All the     10     (family) are more or less related to each other, mostly surnamed Wang,” Zheng said. “It is so safe here that the villagers don’t bother locking their doors during the day.”