Xi’an, an ancient capital of China, has secured a place among the most popular     1     (destination) for the enchanting appeal. While     2     (it) historical and cultural landmarks awe visitors, it is the varied, mouthwatering selection of snacks that     3     (true) captivates their hearts.

With its strategic location along the Silk Road, Xi’an is a melting pot of cuisine influences from far and wide, and its history of growing wheat     4     (bring) the creation of a display of flour-based dishes, with noodles taking center stage.

From the iconic biangbiang noodles to the inviting oil-splashed noodles, Xi’an’s noodle scene is a     5     (delight) journey through flavors and textures. Biangbiang noodles, are named for the “biang-ing” sound the noodles are said to make when     6     (beat) on the table as they are being formed. While the appeal of biangbiang noodles is     7     they are wide and hand-pulled, their toppings with tasty ingredients are also a highlight. Another iconic snack, roujiamo, is often referred to     8     the “Chinese hamburger”. This sandwich-like delight has a lengthy history     9     (date) back approximately 2,400 years.

Whatever you’d like to experience in Xi’an, you’ll not only have     10     taste delight, but be amazed by the wisdom of our ancestors throughout history.

2 . Amsterdam, with its scenic canals lined with picturesque, 17th-and 18th-century buildings, a major European tourist destination, is slowly collapsing.

Sinkholes are appearing in small streets, and nearly half its 1,700 bridges are unstable and need repairs. The fundamental problem is the state of the canal walls: about 125 miles of them are so broken that they are in danger of collapsing into the canals, potentially taking buildings and people with them. As a huge project to shore up the canal walls gets underway, the city is beginning to look like one huge construction site.

Like much of the Netherlands, Amsterdam lies below sea level. Built on a swamp and heavily expanded in the 17th century, the city sits on millions of wooden piles that serve as foundations. As modern life changed the city, many houses were strengthened with concrete, but the foundations of streets and canal walls were ignored. Many of the wooden piles have shifted, cracked or collapsed under the pressure, causing bridges and can al side walls to sink and crack. Water then seeps in, washing away mortar(砂浆), further hollowing out the infrastructure and creating sinkholes.

The alderman, Mr. De Vries, said that if the city had continued to ignore the problem, it would have headed straight for a catastrophe. The reconstruction will take at least 20 years and will cost 2 billion euros, perhaps even more. “These are big numbers, and work needs to take place in a very busy, closely-populated area,” Mr. De Vries said. “People live here and work here, and we usually have many tourists.”

He acknowledged that Amsterdam in the coming years would look different from its usual postcard self. Still, he insisted that tourists should not be discouraged from visiting. “We invite everyone to come and see what we are doing,” he said. “We want visitors to realize that such a magnificent city needs maintenance.”

4 . The popular documentary series Aerial China (航拍中国) recently returned to the small screen. The latest and fourth season of it gives a perspective that is both excellent and informative. As the final of the series, the new season was shot across 11 provincial-level regions and started in the spring of 2020.

“The experience from the previous three seasons makes us more capable to follow wild animals while avoiding disturbing them,” says Yu, chief director of the series. China has made great efforts to protect endangered wildlife species and their habitats in recent years, and it has become much easier to spot rare species in the wild. Taking Tibetan antelopes as an example, the plateau-based creatures were difficult to encounter in the past, but the expansion of their population and enhanced research on their living patterns have allowed the camera crew to tailor plans to follow the animals.

Most close-ups for the season were shot by photographers from helicopters or cameras installed on drones (无人机). The vital moment for a successful shot depends on the mood of the animals or how good the weather is,” Yu says. In an attempt to fully show China’s huge changes over the past decade, the documentary series consulted experts from different fields to help select the most attractive shooting sites. In the final season, Aerial China has used 73 helicopters and 320 drones to shoot footage over an area of 900,000 kilometers, and selected around 1,000 staffers. More than 30 teams were assigned to shoot in different cities for the fourth season.

The previous three seasons have been watched by 850 million TV viewers and seen online over140 million times. For fans of the series, the director says he hopes that the new season will draw a bigger audience with its unusual perspective to show them China like never seen before.

5 . The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world. This extraordinary tropical jungle is roughly the same size as 48 states in the U. S. The Amazon surrounds the Amazon River and its many tributaries. The Amazon River is the largest river in the world by volume discharged. It stretches 4, 225 miles — from the peaks of the Peruvian Andes to the beautiful beaches of Brazil.

Scientists estimate there are 390 billion trees in the Amazon Rainforest, including over 16, 000 species. The Amazon supports at least 427 mammal species, 3, 000 species of freshwater fish, over 1, 300 species of birds, 378 types of reptiles, and 400 species of amphibians. Notice how we didn’t mention any invertebrates (无脊椎动物), like insects and arachnids? That’s because the Amazon’s gargantuan population of invertebrate species climbs well into the millions. And that only includes the species we’ve identified so far!

But how does this giant ecosystem support so many diverse organisms? Scientists divide the Amazon into four ecological layers: the forest floor, the understory, the canopy and the overstory. Each layer plays an important role in the health and survival of the rainforest. The forest floor is where the rainforest finds its humble beginnings.

The roots of towering trees grow in thick, low-nutrient soil laid over a layer of volcanic rock. Without deep, rich soil, the forest floor’s tropical vegetation depends on decomposers (分解物), like bacteria, fungi (真菌) and insects. These essential organisms pull nutrients from dead organic material, like leaves, wood, and animal bodies.

Vital for nutrient cycling, vigorous mushrooms, like the scarlet cup and the veiled lady, decorate the forest floor. Some of these fungi can give out light. When the sun sets over the Amazon, these radiant mushrooms light the forest floor like magical nightlights. Very little sunlight penetrates (穿透) the upper layers of the rainforest, so the forest floor remains dark and damp year-round.

A vast region with beautiful scenery, lush plants, a lot of rivers and lakes dotted around, Hulun Buir Grassland is like a huge, green picture scroll,     1     gives you boundless views. The name Hulun Buir, which means “the land of lakes and rivers”,     2     (date) back to a legend long long ago. It is the best-preserved grassland in China     3     recognized as “The Grass Kingdom”.

With the most plentiful and excellent pastures in China, Hulun Buir Grassland also has the name The Purest Grassland     4     there is hardly any pollution there. Its animal products, like meat, milk, leather, and wool     5     (favor) by people both at home and abroad. It’s a famous tourist destination now.

With the irrigation of thousands of rivers, the grassland presents     6     (it) as a green carpet underneath the blue sky and white clouds. You can ride on camels and horses, watch wrestling and horse racing, and enjoy a bonfire party—the unique lifestyle of nomads can be     7     (full) appreciated.

The region’s location makes it warm and pleasant in the summer, while cold and     8     (snow)in the winter. During the summer, the meadows are covered with     9     blanket of multicolored wildflowers. Even in ancient times, the beautiful scenery of this place gained     10     (popular)with poets and writers and was described in their literary works.

First-time visitors to Chengdu may find it to be a city with rich cultural heritage. The emblem(标志) of a gold leaf,     1     (feature) four flying birds surrounding the sun, can be seen everywhere in the city. The emblem, which represents Chengdu,    2    (choose) as the symbol of China Cultural Heritage by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage in 2005.

After the discovery of the Sanxingdui Ruins in the city of Guanghan in 1929,    3    was believed to be one of Sichuan’s most important archaeological finds, a 3,000-year-old gold-leaf sunbird was unearthed at the Jinsha Ruins in 2001. In 2018, Chengdu made the decision     4     (become) a world cultural city. In recent years, Chengdu’s efforts to globalize have accelerated,    5     a series of major international cultural and sports activities have been held, laying the foundation for it to build     6     into a world-famous tourist city.

Chengdu’s     7     (attract) range from giant pandas     8     the poetic legacy of the Du Fu Thatched Cottage. Hidden in thick greenery, the Temple of Marquis Wu was built as     9     memorial hall in honor of Zhuge Liang and now China’s personification of loyalty and wisdom. The city also offers a museum including a cottage modelled after the poetic descriptions of Du Fu, one of China’s     10     (great) poets, emphasizing his influence on Chinese literature.

Why Go to Arches National Park

A trip to Arches National Park is like visiting another planet with thousands of natural sandstone arches, red rocks and amazing landscapes, as well as light that seems to change all the time. The way the shadows（阴影）pass through the arches makes the park particularly attractive for photographers.

Sitting 5 miles northwest of Moab, Utah, the park has 26 miles of scenic road and hikes for every level of fitness.

Best Months to Visit

The best time to visit Arches National Park is from April to May and from September to October. In summer, temperatures can go beyond 100 degrees, making exploring the park very uncomfortable. In late summer, violent storms often cause flash floods, which can be quite dangerous. Winter is a good time for sightseeing, with fewer crowds, but occasional snow and ice can make the paths wet, smooth and therefore easy to fall on. However, the visitor center is open daily.

What to Eat

There are no restaurants or hotels in Arches National Park, so you need to bring your own food or plan to eat in neighboring Moab, Utah, about 5 miles from the park entrance. There are several picnic areas in the park, so plan ahead if you want to eat with Arches as the background.

Getting Around Arches National Park

The best way to get around Arches National Park is by car. There is no public transport inside Arches National Park. Visitors can also ride bikes in the park, but there are no bike lanes or shoulders, so this is more of an option for experienced cyclists.