On March 31, the Eiffel Tower celebrated its 130th anniversary since it opened.     1    (original) planned to last only 20 years, the people of Paris wisely decided to keep it standing,    2     (recognize) its importance. Millions of people     3     (visit) the tower so far, according to its official website.

The tower was created by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel and was first intended as the main entrance     4     the 1889 World’s Fair. It was built in a little over two years and faced criticism from some locals initially. However, it quickly captured the attention of fair visitors, attracting more than two million people. It also had a     5     (practice) use as a radio antenna during World War I.

Visitors today can choose to climb 1,665 steps or take one of the original elevator cars    6     (reach) the top. At the top of the tower,     7     the tower’s administrative office is located, guests can enjoy a drink at the champagne bar on the top floor.

Today, the Eiffel Tower is a symbol of France, representing a feeling of pride and thankfulness. It is a global icon that can bring together people from different     8    (background). The tower is not only     9     popular tourist destination but also a widely recognized symbol, a     10     (believe) held by many who appreciate its enduring charm.

Sarek’s mountains used to     1     (cover) by vast sheets of ice. Around 9,000 years ago, this ice melted,     2     (leave) behind about 100 glaciers. In 1909, Sarek was made a national park to keep the land in its    3     (nature) state.

About 5,000 years ago, to escape the cold weather, the ancestors of the Liangzhu people settled around the Taihu region     1     they built a city, making     2     both the center of their culture and spiritual belief.

The Liangzhu ancient city was composed of the palace zone, the inner city and the outer city, and there     3     (exist) the City Wall serving as a boundary between the inner and the outer. It had nine gates, with one for pedestrians and the     4     (remain) eight water gates for travelers from the canal.

A complex multi-functional water management system was constructed on the northwest outskirts of the ancient city. Taking advantage of the natural terrain (地势), the system connected numerous valleys,     5     (adjust) river levels, dredging floods and providing security for the ancient city, its water transportation and daily water needs.

Jade (玉)     6     (refer) to as a significant material embodiment (具体化) of the Liangzhu Culture. There were different patterns and styles of jade, with abundant meanings     7     (symbolic) attached to them, such as distinguishing identities and showing social statuses.

In 1936, the remains of the Liangzhu ancient City were found     8     chance and the City was gradually brought to light. Now the unearthed ruins have gained the global     9     (recognize) and workers on the Liangzhu site are committed to combining modern technology with novel cultural creativity     10     (reconstruct) the ancient Liangzhu Culture.

In Chinese history, the Yellow River is not just a river; it stands for the origins of culture and civilization. It played     1     important role in the early development of Chinese civilization.

The Chinese refer to the Yellow River as “the Mother River”. That is     2     the Yellow River was the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilizations in the Xia and Shang eras — the richest region in early Chinese history.

Two million years ago, Peking man used     3     (live) in the Yellow River Basin. Moreover, the Chinese regard yellow     4     a color of ancient origins: a symbol of the loess (黄土) land the Yellow River flows through, the emperor, the yellow skin of the Chinese, and the legendary Chinese dragon, from which the Chinese assume     5     (them) to develop.

Confucianism and Taoism were not established until the Zhou Dynasty. Centuries     6     (late),Buddhism (佛教) was successively established there. These three religions spread through the Yellow River area,     7     (keep) a balance between each other. The religious culture in the Yellow River Basin has a much     8     (long) history, however. Actually, a long time ago, the Yellow River valley     9     (give) birth to the most basic form of Chinese religion: worship (崇拜) of ancestors to pray for blessings. Ancestor worship strengthened blood     10     (tie), maintained family identity, and promoted the power struggle in the Yellow River civilization.

The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the two most important rivers. Both of     1     run through central China. Not only were these major rivers a great source of fresh water and food in ancient China, they also were the     2     (subject) of Chinese art and literature (文学).

Often, the Yellow River     3     (call) the “cradle of Chinese civilization (中华文明的摇篮)”. It is 3,395 miles long, making it the sixth     4     (long) river in the world. Early Chinese farmers built small villages along the Yellow River. The rich yellow colored earth was good for growing millet (小米). Farmers of this area also raised sheep and other animals.

The Yangtze River is south of the Yellow River and flows (流动) in the same     5     (direct) (west to east). Just     6     the Yellow River, the Yangtze played     7     important role in the development of ancient China.

Ancient Chinese farmers that lived along the Yangtze River     8     (make) full use of the warm and rainy weather to grow rice.     9     (final) the land along the Yangtze became some of the most important and     10     (product) places in all of ancient China. The Yangtze also served as a boundary between northern and southern China. It is very wide and difficult to cross. The famous Battle of Red Cliffs took place along the river.

Jiuzhai Valley. or Jiuzhaigou, is a picturesque fairyland, featuring fascinating scenery of colorful lakes, breathtaking waterfalls and mountains. People say that if there should be a wonderland on earth, Jiuzhaigou National Park must be one.

    1    (situate) in Jiuzhaigou County, Jiuzhaigou National Park is about 450 kilometres to the north of Chengdu. Roads     2    (wander) along through the valley make     3    hard for tourists to drive there. The first thing you see there is forest. Full of a sense of a primitive forest, Jiuzhai Valley is isolated from the hustle and bustle and bustle of cities. With the seasons changing, the forest presents a     4    (various) of fantastic looks. It is also    5    kingdom of water. The lakes there,     6    are surrounded by ancient trees and flowers, are crystal clear and green all year round. As the light changes and the seasons go by, the lakes take    7    different colors.

Jiuzhai Valley is    8    (particular) picturesque in autumnal colors. Warm days, cool nights, and great     9    (view) of saturated yellows, reds and greens reflecting off the blue lakes are characteristic of autumn there. Nearly half of the 720-square-kilometre Jiuzhai Valley    10    (cover) by autumn colors.