Xiechi Lake, also known as Yuncheng Salt Lake in China’s Shanxi Province,     1     (become) popular on social media websites in the past few years.

Now, China wants to transform that online     2     (popular) into real-life tourism. “As the Chinese ‘Dead Sea’, floating here is     3     unforgettable experience, and one you can’t find anywhere else,” reads a tourism advertisement     4     (sponsor) by the Yuncheng Salt Lake Tourism Development Company. Yuncheng Salt Lake is a sulfate (硫酸盐) lake. “If the sulfate in your water is greater than the calcium (钙), all the calcium is used up,     5     leaves you with large amounts of sulfate and you have a sulfate lake,” explains geography professor Bernie Owen. Xiechi is also a “closed basin” lake,     6     (mean) it doesn’t flow out to a river or ocean, which explains how its salt content stays so high. It is possible for salt lakes to freeze over, although not as     7     (quick) as other lakes — after all, think about what happens when we spread salt over icy roads. Saltwater freezes at     8    (low) temperatures than fresh water.

In an effort     9     (boost) Xiechi Lake’s international profile, China is reportedly taking steps to get it recognized     10     a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Beijing is a city that straddles(跨越)the divide between the ancient and the modern. It is home     1     more than 3,000 years of fascinating history, and a place     2     fully embraces the fast-paced development of modern life, with high-rise 21st-century architectural wonders standing side by side with cultural relics of the past.

This integration of styles     3     (be) strikingly typical at Zhihua Temple, built in 1444 during the rule of emperor Zhengtong. Though much smaller now than at its peak of 20,000 square meters, the temple is a somewhat     4     (hide) treasure.

    5     (remarkable), the temple museum offers a collection of remains and statues. You might even forget you’re in the 2lst century, if not for the smooth curve of the modern Galaxy Soho building looming over the mythical beasts(神兽)seated on the ridges(屋脊)of the temple roofs.

Yet     6     they belong to completely different     7     (era),   appearances and purposes, they are both equally representative of this city. Seeing the two together is a perfect example of the idea of how respecting our history, while still     8     (look)to the future, can create a truly unique cityscape.

The development of this city, which is carefully designed     9     (protect)the past while embracing the modern world,    10     (mean)there is always something new to discover here, and I could be photographing Beijing for the next 50 years and still not have scratched the surface, which is part of its beauty.

The Lion Rock mountain stands not only as one of the most famous scenic spots in Hong Kong,     1     has become a spiritual symbol representing the persistent efforts of ordinary Hong Kong people     2     (live) a better life.

The Lion Rock spirit has also     3     (deep) touched those outside Hong Kong, such as Cui Xiaodong,     4     ink artist and director of the Yan Huang Art Museum in Bejing. “The mountain stands like a giant, symbolizing the industrious and persistent spirit which, over the past decades,     5     (pull) people in Hong Kong together through hard times. It is a recollection of the youth and vigor (活力) of a generation of people in Hong Kong     6     struggled to make the city what it is today.” he says.

Cui created Lion Rock in Hong Kong, a colored ink painting. In his painting, Cui depicts (描绘) the cliffs of the Lion Rock, surrounded by blooming trees and     7     (overlook) the city’s skyscrapers. Made earlier this year, the painting is now     8     show at Greater Bay Area in the Eyes of Artists, a display marking the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The     9     (exhibit) displayed there hail (向……致敬) the ecological diversity of the area and also presents to the audience     10     (success) reformative accomplishments since 1997.

More than 500 pieces of relics    1    (discover) in recent months at the legendary Sanxingdui Ruins site in Southwest China’s Sichuan province, dazzling archaeologists with their historical value as well as the display of creativity.

The relics, discovered at the six new sacrificial pits of the ruins, include golden masks, jade and ivory artifacts and bronze wares    2    were delicately built and    3    (unique) shaped, said the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration.

The new finds bring the total number of items discovered at Sanxingdui to nearly 2,000    4    the excavation (挖掘) of No.3 to No.8 sacrificial pits began in October last year.

“The new discoveries demonstrate once again that    5    (imagine) and creativity of the ancient Chinese far surpassed    6    people today have expected,” said Tang Fei, chief of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute.

Tang added that the excavation of the new pits has entered a critical stage,    7    more items yet to be unearthed and expected to challenge the    8    (convention) wisdom of archaeologists.

Originally discovered in the late 1920s, the Sanxingdui Ruins have been referred to as one of the world’s greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century.

Located in the city of Guanghan, around 60 km from the provincial capital Chengdu, the ruins covering    9    area of 12 square km are believed to be the remains of the Shu Kingdom,    10    (date) back some 4,500 to 3,000 years.

Huangguoshu Waterfall, also called Huangguoshu or Huangguoshu Falls, is the largest waterfall in Asia and the third largest waterfall in the world.     1     (undoubted), it is Guizhou's NO.1 natural attraction. Compared     2     the amazing natural wonders — Jiuzhaigou National Forest Park in Sichuan and Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan, though Huangguoshu Waterfall is less visited by international travelers, it has     3     (it) own unique features.

Located on the Baishui River in Anshun, Guizhou (about 128 kilometers away from Guiyang,     4     capital of Guizhou), Huangguoshu National Park is centered at Huangguoshu Waterfall which is at 83 meters in width and 67 meters in     5     (high). There are altogether 18 waterfalls with various sizes. The total width of the combined waterfalls     6     (be) 101 meters. All the waterfalls form a great “family”,     7     is ranked as the largest waterfall cluster (群) in the world in the Guinness Book of World Records. Huangguoshu Waterfall is so impressive and it can     8     (view) from all angles — above, below, front, back, left and right.     9     (get) the best views and hear the deafening roar (轰鸣), travelers should visit Wang Shui Ting and the viewing platform by Rhinoceros Pool. It is a great idea to spend one day     10     (explore)Huangguoshu Waterfall from Guiyang City.

Today’s skiers are used to relying on ski lifts at resorts to take them to the top of a mountain before     1     (experience)the addictive thrill of skiing down the mountain.     2    , in some snow-covered villages in Altay prefecture (辖区) of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, it’s common in winter to see local herdsmen, with boards     3     (attach) to their feet, climb the snowy slopes without any other forms of assistance.

The pair of boards are wrapped with horsehide(马革),     4     serves a double purpose. Remarkably, the horsehide not only can provide friction (摩擦) to prevent skiers from slipping while going up, but also helps them slide more     5     (smooth)down the slopes.

According to rock carvings uncovered in the area by archaeologists, such     6     (ski) have served for around 12,000 years     7     a means of transportation for the snowfield inhabitants of Altay. The fur skiing boards gradually lost     8     (they) popularity in recent decades after paved roads linked houses to the outside world.

However, Altay plans to protect and promote its skiing culture. The local government department     9     (want) to pass its skiing tradition to future generations. The prefecture is working     10     (develop)the area as a popular destination for skiers and snowboarders. As a result, the ancient fur skiing boards and the craft of making them have found a new lease of life in modern times.