Imagine mountains wrapped in silver water, shining in the spring sun. Summer s    1     the mountains turn bright green with growing rice. During autumn, these same mountains are gold, and in winter they are covered in s    2     of white frost. These are the colours of the Longji Rice Terraces.

These terraces were built by the local Zhuang and Yao people. R    3     as far as the eye can see, these terraces cover tall mountains, often from the bottom to the very top.

So why did these people go     4     so much trouble to turn the entire mountains into terraces? Firstly, building the terraces meant that they could increase the areas in which they could grow rice. Secondly, the     5     terraces catch the rainwater and prevent the soil from being washed away.

But perhaps what is most significant is the way in which people have worked in     6     with nature to make these terraces and grow rice. The terraces are cleverly designed, with hundreds of waterways that     7     with each other. During the rainy season, it is along these waterways that rainwater moves down the mountains and into the terraces. The sun heats the water     8     turns it into vapour. This forms clouds from which rain falls down onto the mountain terraces once again.

Although modern technology could help produce more crops, these terraces still mean a lot to the local people for     9     traditions hold much value. Today, the Longji Rice Terraces attract thousands of visitors who come to admire this great wonder c    10     by people and nature working together.

This four-day walking tour will take you on amazing     1     through the Andes Mountains on the way to the city of Machu Picchu. After     2     your destination, you will have a day to explore and be amazed     3     this ancient city.     4     amazing is the Incas’ dry stone method of building. Inca builders cut stones to exact sizes so that nothing was needed to hold walls together other     5     the perfect fit of the stones.

2 A Land of Mountain and Ice

Sarek’s mountains used to be covered by vast sheets of ice. Around 9, 000 years ago, this ice melted, leaving behind about 100 g    1    . Soon after, reindeer began to arrive. Following the reindeer were the Sami people, who made this territory their home. G    2     here is quite difficult, so apart from the Sami very few people have ever seen Sarek. In 1909, Sarek was made a national park in order to keep the land in its n    3    state. Though the Sami are allowed to continue their traditional way of life in the park, no one else can live here, and all new development is b    4     within park boundaries. At the far side of the valley, an ancient Sami cottage is v    5    . Close by, there are a few reindeer feeding on grass.

3 Man at Peace with Nature

For hundreds of years, looking after reindeer was a way of life for the Sami. They used the reindeer’s meat for food, their bones for tools, and their skin for m    6     clothes and tents. Since reindeer were always on the move, the Sami would pick up their tents and a    7     them. Today, most Sami have houses in villages near Sarek and live a m    8     life just like their neighbours. But every spring, a small number of Sami still follow their reindeer into the valleys of Sarek, living in tents or old cottages and enjoying their t    9    . I am not a Sami, but in Sarek I’ve a    10     some of their habits. For example, this morning my breakfast is flat bread warmed over a fire, dried reindeer meat, and some sweet and sour berries that I found growing near my tent.

Sarek’s mountains used to be covered by vast sheets of ice. Around 9.000 years ago; this ice melted, leaving behind about 100 g    1    . Soon after, reindeer began to arrive. Following the reindeer were the Sami people, who made this t    2     their home. Getting here is quite difficult, so apart from the Sami very few people have ever seen Sarek. In 1909, Sarek was made a national park in order to keep the land in its n    3    state. Though the Sami are allowed to continue their traditional way of life in the park, no one else can live here, and all new development is b    4     within park boundaries. At the far side of the valley, an ancient Sami cottage is v    5    . Close by, there are a few reindeer feeding on grass.

For hundreds of years, looking after reindeer was a way of life for the Sami. They used the reindeer's meat for food, their bones for tools, and their skin for making clothes and tents. Since reindeer were always on the move, the Sami would pick up their tents and a    6    them. Today, most Sami have houses in villages near Sarek and live a m    7    life just like their neighbours. But every spring, a small number of Sami still follow their reindeer into the v    8    of Sarek, living in tents or old cottages and enjoying their traditions. I am not a Sami, but in Sarek I've a    9    some of their habits. For example, this morning my breakfast is flat bread warmed over a fire, dried reindeer meat, and some sweet and s    10    berries that I found growing near my tent.

Cusco is a popular d    1     for tourists, because of its u    2    place in the history of South America. Cusco was the capital city of the Inca E    3     which was the most powerful in South America until the 1500s. There are two especially interesting things to a    4    about the Inca civilization. The first is the roads and p    5    they built to connect their important cities. These Inca roads were made up of two north-south highways and many small roads crossing the mountains east to west. The roads were for Inca soldiers and their o    6    . Second, the Incas built wonderful cities full of amazing architecture—but there were no markets in these cities. One of the interesting questions of history is how the Incas lived without shopping!

There is so much more to learn about the interesting history and culture of the United Kingdom. Studying the history of the country will make your visit     1     more enjoyable. The capital city London is a great place to start,     2     it is an ancient port city that has a history     3     all the way back to Roman times. There are countless historic sites to explore, and lots of museums with ancient relics from all over the UK. The UK is a     4     mix of history and modern culture,     5     both new and old traditions. If you keep your eyes open, you will be surprised to find that you can see both its past and its present.

The stores in the Chinatown offer a     1     range of souvenirs, goods, and clothing. All kinds of traditional Chinese herbal medicine can be found, too, and there are Chinese tea stores,     2     visitors can taste and buy     3     of Chinese tea.

But perhaps     4     many tourists and San Franciscans treasure most about Chinatown is its food. There is Chinese food to     5     everyone’s taste, with traditional dishes from all over China.

Chinatowns are     6     important part of the diverse culture of the USA. They allow visitors who have never been to China to experience traditional Chinese culture first hand.

    1    amazing is the Incas’ dry stone method of building. Inca builders cut stones to     2    sizes so that nothing was needed to hold walls together other than the    3    fit of the stones.