1     (construct) from the 5th century BC, the Grand Canal was a means of communication for the Empire for the first time in the Sui Dynasty.

Before foundation of Sui Dynasty, China had     2     (continuous) evacuated several canals,     3     had been suspended due to natural environment. Some needed to be repaired but were still navigable, but were too separated from each other to form large-scale water transport nationwide.

The establishment of Sui Dynasty     4     (declare) the end of long-lasting split situation. In 605 AD, Emperor Yang Guang, the     5     (two) emperor of Sui Dynasty, ordered excavation of the Grand Canal to meet the political,     6     (economy) and military needs of unified nation.

The Grand Canal reached a new peak in the Yuan Dynasty (13th century), providing a unified inland navigation network consisting     7     more than 2,000 km of artificial waterways, linking five of the most important river basins in China,     8     (include) the Yellow River and the Yangtze.

As     9     major means of internal communication today, it has played an important role in ensuring the prosperity and     10     (stable) of China over the ages.

Imperial Mountain Resort in Chengde used to be the resort of emperors of Qing Dynasty. Situated in the city of Chengde in northeastern Hebei Province, the resort is     1     (convenient) accessible by either train or long-distance bus. And the resort,     2     constructions started in 1703 and took 89 years to complete, is regarded as one of China’s four famous gardens.

Surrounded by lakes, forest and mountains, it is China’s     3     (large) existing imperial garden and the former summer capital of the Qing Dynasty,     4     (cover) an area of 5.64 million square meters. The size of Chengde Summer Resort is as big as that of the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace     5     (combine). The 10-km-long wall around it winds its way through plains and high mountains     6     the Great Wall.

The resort and the 12 Buddhist temples at its periphery (外围) were built during the Qing Dynasty. It served as the second political center of the Qing imperial court     7     the emperors of the early Qing Dynasty often spent their summers there, conducting state     8     (affair) and engaging in important political activities. The resort and its outer temples and palaces have made Chengde     9     famous historical and cultural city, and one of China’s leading scenic spots. The Imperial Resort     10     (list) in the directory of the world’s cultural heritages in 1994.

In 2000, Xidi and the nearby Hongcun village     1    (declare) world heritage (遗产) sites by UNESCO for their outstanding     2     (preserve) of rural architecture dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now, walking along the bluestone streets in Xidi or Hongcun, visitors can appreciate the distinctive Huizhou-style houses,     3     (feature) white walls, dark tiles (瓦片) and horse-head gables (山墙), and feel like they are immersed in a traditional Chinese ink painting.

Huizhou architecture, with its long tradition and great diversity, occupies     4     important place in Chinese architectural landscape. Since Huizhou is a     5     (mountain) area with few flat areas of land, its houses tend to be built to match the natural features.

Huizhou is famous for its stone, wood and brick carvings, which are     6     (wide) used in the decoration of local houses. In this way, native people integrate their aesthetic values and emotions     7     the buildings, making them more beautiful and educating their children through the meanings     8     (contain) in the patterns.

Features of Huizhou houses display the characteristics of local people. “If you look at the outside of a Huizhou house, it seems enclosed (封闭的) by walls,     9     the insides are open and broad. It is just like Huizhou people,     10     are often reserved toward strangers but friendly when you get to know them,” says Zhou Hu, director of Shexian’s cultural heritage administration.

In the Chinese language, Yaodong means “kiln cave”, named due to the building’s arched interior (拱形的内部), which looks like the inside of a kiln. These Yaodongs are     1     (common) found in the north central provinces of China such as Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and Henan,    2     are located on the Loess Plateau (黄土高原).

Yaodongs can be divided into different types,     3     (depend) on the topography (地形) of the     4     (region) in which they were built. For instance，where hills are available, Yaodongs may be built into the slopes (斜坡), and a hill may contain several stories of Yaodongs.

The continuous use of Yaodongs on the Loess Plateau over the millennia can perhaps be attributed to their highly economical and efficient design. When     5     comes to building materials, only the local loess soil from the plateau is required for the building of Yaodongs. Additionally, the thick earthen walls are able to keep the interior of Yaodongs cool during the summer and warm during the winter.

In the last decade, the Yaodongs     6     (bring) to the attention of scientists and researchers. These traditional dwellings (住所) have been regarded     7     an example of sustainable design. It has been considered that Yaodongs are     8     reflection of a key traditional Chinese concept — the     9     (harmony) relationship between human beings and nature. Although Yaodongs may be a unique feature of the Loess Plateau，the idea     10     (reflect) in their construction is one that people today can bear in mind.

Located in Zhongxiang City, Hubei Province, Huangxian Cave is a rare karst (喀斯特) cave     1     combines various geological wonders into the scene.

It is a long and winding cave     2     (measure) over 2, 187 yards in length. The mouth of the cave faces northwest and measures more than three hundred     3     (foot) in width. Through the long period of geological change and     4     (develop), the abundant limestone inside the cave has formed into the typical karst landscape like a heavenly world. Walking into the cave, you can find     5     (you) in a wonderland full of all sorts of rock formations. Nature is not just like a sculptor carving the stalagmites (石笋) and stalactites (钟乳石) into stone columns, stone’ curtains, stone waterfalls, stone spears and stone needles,     6     like a painter who doesn’t forget to dress them in different beautiful colors ― red, white, yellow and green. The most     7     (impress) sight is the more than two hectares of karst basins called Yun Pen. In rainy seasons, these basins     8     (fill) with water.

Through the ages, Huangxian Cave     9     (attract) countless men of letters who have left many great works. Due to its excellent landscape and rich cultural relics, it is regarded     10     a rare karst treasure in China.