Three sites in China˗˗an ancient tea-producing area, a nomadic livestock-rearing region and a rain-fed stone terrace farming system˗˗were formally recognised as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), for their unique ways of using traditional practices and knowledge while maintaining unique biodiversity and ecosystems.

An ancient tea-producing area (中国福建安溪铁观音茶文化系统)

Tea production in Anxi, Fujian, is believed to date from the 10th century, with its most famous tea, Tieguanyin, coming into    1     (exist) in the 18th century. It belongs to the Oolong tea category between green tea and black tea. Local farmers’ unique technique includes wisely managing the natural environment to guarantee the production of     2     exceptional quality tea leaf.

A Grassland nomadic system (中国内蒙古阿鲁科尔沁草原游牧系统)

The Ar Horqin grassland nomadic system in northern China’s Inner Mongolia region has a variety of ecosystems, such as forests, grasslands, wetlands, rivers with important ecological     3     (function). To adapt     4     the fragile grassland environment, the ancestors of today’s herders (牧民) adopted a typical nomadic lifestyle. By    5     (constant) moving grasslands, they ensured the protection of vegetation (植被) and full use of water resources,    6    (avoid) soil degradation (恶化) and overgrazing and bringing a steady supply of livestock products.

The Shexian Dryland Stone Terraced System (中国河北涉县旱作石堰梯田系统)

The Shexian Dryland Stone Terraced System in Hebei, is a rain-fed agricultural system dating back to the 13th century.     7     (surround) with mountains, the stone terraced fields still play an important role in making     8     possible to farm on the steep slopes. The county is well-known for corn, soybean and other agricultural and forestry products. With this variety of crops and farming techniques, local communities     9    (manage) to guarantee their food security and well-being over hundreds of years, while shaping a remarkable landscape     10     bears witness to their ability to live with their environment.

The Jiaohe Ancient City Ruins,     1     (locate)10 kilometers west of Turpan, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is the largest, oldest and best-preserved earthen architectural site in the world,     2     holds great political, cultural, historical and artistic value.

Guri Bakri, a 39-year-old conservator of the Jiaohe Ruins, starts her daily inspection at the site as usual, ensuring the safety of tourists and     3     (make) photographic records along the way. She is the third generation of Guri’s family who have been working as local cultural conservators,     4     (constant) guarding this historic site since her grandfather     5     (become) the only conservator in Jiaohe in 1961.

After graduating in 2013, Guri returned to her hometown and became one of her father’s     6     (colleague). Talking about Jiaohe, Guri said that she would always remember June 22, 2014, when the Jiaohe Ancient City Ruins     7     (name) the World Heritage Site. She was proud of her participation in the application     8     the title.

In recent years, the state cultural protection department has invested more than 100 million yuan ($ 14.8m) in the     9     (protect) of Jiaohe Ancient City Ruins. This year, Jiaohe Ancient City Ruins will take the fifth round of structural reinforcement (加固).     10     team of conservators has also expanded to 12. This old city of more than 2,000 years is gaining new energy.

For most of us, Hawaii begins to weave her spell with some little glimmer of     1     (aware).There are golden beaches, golden people , sea and surf. And somewhere between the blue skies     2     the palm trees we find ourselves     3    (attract).The Hawaiian Islands are one of     4     most beautiful places on earth. The weather is     5     (friend).The temperature     6    (range)from 60 to 90 degrees all year long. It’s a little warmer in summer, and a little     7    (cool)in winter, but every day is a beach day for somebody. There are no     8    (stranger) in Paradise. Perhaps the most beautiful part of Hawaii is the genuine warmth of people,     9     is called the spirit of Aloha. It has allowed a melting pot of cultures from all over the world     10    (find)common ground, and a new home, in this most gentle of places.

The Taj Mahal is    1    (wide) considered one of the most beautiful buildings ever    2    (create). It is not only a permanent monument to Shah Jahan’s love for his wife but also one of the long-lasting artistic    3    (achievement) of the ancient India.

The Taj Mahal’s familiar round tops are surrounded with four towers, from    4    Indians are called to pray. Each tower    5    (build) with a slight outward lean(倾斜) to protect those round tops in case one of them should fall down. Two red sandstone buildings are also set up on either side of the main building. One, to the west, is a church.    6    other is a guesthouse. All these buildings are set within a beautiful garden, complete with a huge pool to reflect the beauty of the Taj Mahal in the water.

The inside of the main building is a striking (if smallish) space that    7    (invite) some leisurely exploration.    8    the best part of any visit to the Taj Mahal should be spent looking at the building from the outside. The white stonewalls change in color to match the mood of the world outside-a phenomenon so    9    (amaze) that it should be enjoyed in    10    (variety) conditions, such as in the rosy sunrise or in the magical light of a full moon.

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

Although 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 streels     4     (allow) you to get a sense of     5     it would have been like before the tourists began to visit 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 riverbank, but it’s the Miaojiang Great Wall that is the main draw here. Built in 1554, during the Ming dynasty     7     (defend) against the Miao, the wall     8     (destroy) partly by Miao ethnic group and then rebuilt under the Qing rulers, who also sought to strengthen their power through     9     control of China’s southern minorities. Nowadays only a section is     10     (access), but it’s still an impressive sight, offering great views of the surrounding countryside.

Located in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Jiuzhaigou Valley is famous     1     its greenish-blue lakes, beautiful waterfalls, colorful forests, snow-capped peaks     2     the local Tibetan ethnic culture.

Jiuzhaigou got     3    (it) name because there are nine Tibetan villages in the valley. For centuries Tibetan people have lived in the region, but it was not officially discovered by the government until 1972. It     4    (declare) a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.

The valley is the     5    (nature) habitat for two of China’s most treasurable endangered species — the giant panda and the Sichuan takin(羚牛). You are likely to see other     6    (creature) including birds, insects and fish.

Over 80 percent of the scenic area is covered by forests. In the lower regions, there are plenty of grasses and reeds. These are quickly replaced by bamboo forests     7     in turn give way to conifers(针叶树) at the upper regions. Beyond them, snow-capped peaks of the Minshan Mountains are also very     8    (attract).

The most comfortable climate     9    (visit) Jiuzhaigou is in July. Umbrellas and wet weather clothing, as well as sun protection cream and hats are     10    (high) recommended as the weather is often changing.

Besides oceans, glacier ice is the largest source of water on earth. A glacier is a sheet of ice that moves     1    (it) under the influence of gravity. Some glaciers travel down mountains or valleys,     2     others spread across a large expanse of land.     3    (heavy) glaciated regions such as Greenland and Antarctica are called continental glaciers. These two ice sheets account     4     more than 95 percent of the earth's glacial ice. The Greenland ice is so heavy that much of the region     5    (press) below sea level so far. Smaller glaciers that occur at higher altitudes are called valley or alpine glaciers (山岳冰川). Another way of     6    (classify) glaciers is in terms of their internal temperature. In temperate glaciers, the ice within the glacier is near its melting point.

The     7    (major) of the earth's glaciers are located near the poles, though glaciers exist on all continents, including Africa and Oceania. Glaciers     8    (form) in high alpine regions generally result from cold temperatures throughout the year. The weight and pressure of ice accumulation causes glacier movement. As a glacier moves, it carves out     9     U-shaped valley similar to a riverbed, but with much steeper walls and a     10    (flat)bottom.