The green grass and bar e rock of Macquarie Island’s landscape contrast dramatically, giving it a wild and natural beauty.

But the island’s more recent history tells     1     tragic story that began in 1810 when humans arrived on the island. In their ships they unknowingly brought rats and mice, which quickly took over the island,     2     (eat) the birds’ eggs and attacking baby birds. Cats     3     (bring) to the island to control the rats and mice.     4     (fortunate), the cats subsequently developed an appetite for the birds, too.

Meanwhile, rabbits were introduced to the island     5     a source of food for humans. Loose on the island,     6     did what rabbits do best—they multiplied rapidly and began eating the native vegetation and digging holes,     7     caused soil erosion. The exploding rabbit population     8     (provide) plentiful food for the cats, meaning that the number of cats also increased. This in turn led to     9     (much) cats hunting the birds. The end result was that parakeets, once large in number and native to the island, died out in 1891.

In 2014, Macquarie Island was declared pest-free and the island’s eco logy is finally on the road to     10     (recover).

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016, the Shennongjia Forestry District is covered by vast forest,     1     (nurture) countless species of plants and animals, as well as legends and stories     2     (pass) down through the ages.

Tourism development in the area takes a back seat to the wonders of nature. The natural environment has been largely left untouched,     3     allows visitors the opportunity to appreciate unique beauty. Visitors     4     Shennongjia can base themselves in the town of Muyu, which is the     5     (near) to all the scenic areas in the district.

The name of the district is adapted from the legendary father of Chinese herbal medicine, Shennong, who is said     6     (try) hundreds of types of herbs to heal     7     sick. The Shennongjia Museum of Natural History in Muyu provides a memorial to Shennong and     8     (display) more than 2,000 breeds of plant species.

What if you are not interested in medicinal herbs and just want some sightseeing delights? Shennongjia provides a variety of     9     (option). For example, hikers who love challenges climb the Shennong Top, a pyramid-shaped peak that is considered as the “Roof of Central China.” The climb can never be     10     (bore) with different views along the stairway: a sea of bamboo, a stone forest, and a plateau meadow(高原牧场) filled with flowers and greenery.

The Ming City Wall Ruins Park, one of the best parks in Beijing,     1     (locate) in the central area of Beijing from Chongwenmen East Street to Dongbianmen.     2     (cover) a total area of about 15.5 hectares, the park     3     (consist) of 3.3 hectares of city wall ruins and the southeast corner tower, and 12.2 hectares of green space.

The Ming Dynasty City Wall from Dongbianmen to Chongwenmen is one of the only two remaining Ming Dynasty City Walls in Beijing.     4     (historic), the Ming Dynasty City Wall is 25 kilometers long and was first built in the 17th year of the Yongle Period of the Ming Dynasty (1419 AD), and has     5     history of over 580 years. The remaining relic,     6     is about 1.5 kilometers long, used to be part of the inner city wall of Beijing. It is the     7     (long) section of the city wall remains in the city, and an important symbol of Beijing.

Using a simple design, the park highlights the beauty of the     8     (ruin) city walls. The “Old Trees and Ming Walls”, “New Charm of Ancient Buildings” and other sceneries in the park have a long history and rich connotation (含义), showing the profound     9     (culture) accumulation of Chongwenmen, which adds endless imagination     10     people’s mind.

Long ago in Ancient China, there was a mythical figure     1     (know) as Shennong. Not only did Shennong bring agriculture and the use of herbal medicine to China, but he also invented     2     (agriculture) tools and techniques, and the Chinese calendar with its 24 solar terms.

It is said that the home town of Shennong was a forest in Hubei Province, which today is called “Shennongjia”. This beautiful and diverse region covers     3     area of 3,253 square kilometers of north-west Hubei Province. It gives shelter to over 1000 species of medicinal plants, many of     4     are rare and unique to Shennongjia. Here mountain slopes     5     (cover) with trees and some of them grow up to 40 meters tall. In summer, pink and violet flowers lend splashes of color. These are some of     6     (it) most breathtaking landscapes. The magnificent Shennong Peak rises to 3,105 meters above sea level.

Banbiyan is famous for its stone forest, as well as its bamboo forests and grasslands that flood with     7     (flower). The stone forests of Fengjingya stand     8     a background of green mountains that reaches as far as the eye can see. When it rains, the tops of these mountains look like islands     9     (float) on a sea of clouds. Come to Shennongjia     10     (enjoy) its beauty and the legend.

The Baiheliang Underwater Museum,     1    (build) around the White Crane Ridge (白鹤梁) of Fuling District in Chongqing, is China’s first underwater museum. The museum is located on the Yangtze River near the Three Gorges Dam; it opened on May 18, 2009. The    2    (construct) of the museum began in 2002.

Baiheliang has been submerged (淹没) underwater since    3     building of the Three Gorges Dam. It consists     4    a stone ridge that is 1, 600 meters by 15 meters in size, which is now submerged under about 40 meters of water. Before the Three Gorges Dam was built, the ridge was only submerged during the summer and fall. The ridge and the carvings on it were only exposed and     5    (clear) visible when the water level of the Yangtze River dropped during the winter. The inscriptions (题刻)     6    (record) water data about the Yangtze River from the Tang Dynasty onward as well as    7    (poem) written calligraphically could     8    (view) by visitors.

The ridge has now been enclosed in an arch-shaped glass covering    9     is filled with water to ensure equal pressure on both sides. Two underwater passages with long moving stairways have been fixed from the riverbank, enabling museum visitors     10    (enter) and view the inscriptions and fish carvings.

There are many scenic spots in the world. Some are the best form of architecture ever built and seen. The Great Wall, Taj Mahal, the Pyramids of Egypt and Petra     1     (actual) prove the point that architecture is an age old art and profession.

Not many people know the only piece of construction that can     2     (see) from the moon is the Great Wall of China,     3     total length built in all dynasties is 21,196.18 kilometers. It is the world’s longest man made structure.

Taj Mahal is a beautiful piece of architecture of all times, which was constructed by     4     (use) materials from all over India and Asia.     5     is believed that over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. It     6     (take) the efforts of 22,000 laborers, painters, artists and stonecutters to shape Taj Mahal.

One of the best     7     (place) to experience traditional architecture is Egypt. The Pyramids of Egypt make us extremely amazed at how     8     (create) the architects in ancient times were and what efforts were made by ancient people.

Petra is another place     9     (visit) great structures. This ancient city was the capital of the Arab kingdom of the Nabateans,     10     trade center. The city is famous for water tunnels and stone structures carved in the rock.

    1    (lie) under waters across the globe are an estimated three million shipwrecks, all of     2     indicate human attempts over the centuries to explore Earth's furthest corners. While there is little land on our planet left unexplored, the vast sea bed almost     3    (remain) unknown.

Considering our limited knowledge, it's not surprising that exploration of the oceans constantly brings about discoveries in various     4    (science) fields.

First, many archaeological finds are made in shallow waters, including whole cities     5    (bury) underwater. The ruins offer precious information about the past. However, the challenges of pressure, darkness and intense cold at vast depths make     6     difficult to discover more of the past.

Amazing biological discoveries are also being made, like the barreleye living 6,000 meters below the ocean's surface. Such discoveries enable us     7    (have) a better knowledge of the capacity for life even in extreme circumstances.

Additionally, so far more new natural resources such as fire ice     8    (find) in oceans. Besides, the research conducted by China's underwater vessels helps scientists identify areas for deep-sea drilling and better understand how the sea bed was formed.

Humankind is entering a new age of oceanic discovery. Oceans will be as familiar     9     us as the land where we live through all-round international     10    (cooperate).