Against a backdrop of misty green forests and with its buildings on silts (桩) above the River Tuo, Fenghuang is a picturesque place to spend a day or two. Its winding alleys, lined with traditional shops and temples, lead     1     narrow wooden bridge and stepping-stones that cross the river.

Ai though the town can get     2     (extreme) busy with continual tour groups, it has managed     3     (preserve) much of its traditional architecture. Wandering off the main streets     4     (allow) you to get a sense of     5     it would have been like before the tourists began to vast and taste the local delicacies including bamboo rat, frog and snake.

Fenghuang itself does have a section of rebuilt Ming city walls     6     (run) along its river bank, but it’s the Miaojiang Great Wall     7     is the main draw here. Built in 1554, during the Ming dynasty’s defence against the Miao, the wall     8     (destroy) partly by Miao ethnic group and then rebuilt under the ding rulers, who also sought to strength eh their power through the control of China’s southern minorities. Nowadays only a section is     9     (access), but it’s still an impressive sight,     10     (offer) great views of the surrounding countryside.

The Grand Canal (大运河), the bloodline that flows through the hearts of Chinese people, has     1       history of more than 2, 500 years,     2     (consist) of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Sui and Tang Grand Canal and the Zhedong Canal. The Grand Canal, the world’s longest man-made waterway, whose construction has shaped the culture and commerce of the country,     3       (stretch) nearly 3, 200 kilometers along the east of China.

Before it was built, people in ancient China relied heavily on horses and oxen, or     4     (simple) traveled by foot to trade goods, which limited the extent     5     which goods could be traded. But the Grand Canal connected the north and the south, allowing for the     6     (expand)of trade.

In fact, the Grand Canal facilitated the transport of materials for the construction of the Forbidden City. The palace complex     7     (build) using materials from different parts of the country. Resources like the bricks     8     (fire) in Shandong and Jiangsu, and gigantic wood cut in Hunan were transported to the imperial city along the canal’s various     9     (section).

The Grand Canal not only brought prosperity to cities along the route, but also nourished the evolution of Chinese culture. It was an environment     10     people could share their experiences, traditions and culture with others. Today, the boom of the area is a scene of the past, but the spirit of openness has become part of the local culture.

After over 2,100 days of operation, the central route of the South-North Water Diversion Project,     1     (transfer) 30 billion cubic meters of water and benefitted more than 67 million people up to now. The route,     2     (send) water from the Danjiangkou Reservoir located in the upper and middle reach of the Hanjiang River to Henan, Hebei, Tianjin and Beijing, stretches a total     3     (long) of 1,432 kilometers.

When the project just kicked off, only 20 of the 42 sections     4     (evaluate) in the Danjiangkou Reservoir and its upper reaches met water quality standard, and some even failed to meet Grade V standard,     5     lowest in China’s classification. After the operation of the project, all sections have met standard. The water fetched 15 meters below the surface in the project’s reservoirs is     6     (drink).

Since the project     7     (launch) in 2005, the water sources of the project have been well protected, and sound ecological environment has been maintained. At present, the forest coverage in Henan’s Nanyang and Hubei’s Shiyan,     8     the reservoirs locate, stands at 40.5 percent and 66.7 percent, respectively. The improved ecology also lifted biodiversity. These regions are home     9     170 migrant birds and a number of valuable plants. The improved environment has led to booming local tourism, attracting numerous visitors and constantly expanding the service industry for local communities. The enhanced ecological conservation efforts not only have no impacts on local people’s livelihood, but also     10     (steady) increase their income.

Easter Island, or Rapu Nui as it is known    1    (local), is home to several hundred ancient human statues. After this remote Pacific island    2    (settle) by the Polynesians (波利尼西亚人), it remained isolated (与世隔绝) for centuries. All the resources that went into the statues, some of    3    are ten metres tall and weigh over 7,000 kilos, came from the Island itself. Yet when Dutch adventurers landed in 1722, they met a Stone Age culture.

The statues,    4    (carve) with stone tools, were transported for many kilometers to the large stone platforms, without the use of animals or wheels. The identity of the statues builders was    5    doubt until well into    6    twentieth century. Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian    7    (explore), thought the statues had been created by the people from Peru. Bestselling Swiss author Erich Daniken believed they were built by aliens. Modern science has proved that the statues builders were Polynesians, but not how they moved their    8    (creation). Local folklore (民俗) believes that the statues walked there    9    (they), while researchers have tended to assume the ancestors dragged the statues there,    10    (use) ropes and logs.

The Amber Room was considered one of the wonders of the world. It     1     (design) for the palace of Frederick I and thought highly of     2     (it) fancy style and design. The whole    3     (decorate) of the Amber Room was very splendid (富丽堂皇). Tons of amber as well as gold and jewels were used to make it, which makes it an     4     (amaze) treasure.

However, the next king of Prussia, Frederick William Ⅰ, decided to give it as     5     gift to the Russian Emperor, Peter the Great,     6     gave Prussia a troop of their best soldiers in return.

Unfortunately, during the Second World War, the Nazi Germany was     7     war with Russia. Nazis invaded Russia and some of Nazis     8     (secret) removed many objects from the Amber Room. After that, what happened to it     9    (remain) a mystery.

Recently, the Russians and Germans     10     (build) a new Amber Room at the summer palace so that they can appreciate it and remember the history.

The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Wales was linked     1     England in the 13th century. In the 17th century England and Wales were joined to Scotland,     2     (form) Great Britain.

They were united in     3     peaceful way. The southern part of Ireland was unwilling to join the English government and broke away to found its own government.

England is the     4     (large) of the four countries and for convenience it is divided     5     (rough) into three zones: the South of England, the Midlands and the North. Most of the population lives in the south, but most of the industrial cities     6     (locate) in the Midlands and the North. It is a pity that the industrial cities which were constructed in the nineteenth century do not attract     7     (visit).

London is the capital city with great historical treasures,     8     is the centre of national government and its administration. It has the oldest port, building and castle     9     (build) by the invaders. Without the historical evidence, we     10     (will) not be able to learn more about the history and culture of the UK.