The Chinatown in San Francisco is the biggest in America, and also    1    (old). The climate is mild all year round,     2    (mean) it is always a good time to visit. Now, the    3    (major) of residents in Chinatown are still ethnic Chinese, many of whom do not speak English     4    (fluent). This allows visitors to experience a real taste of China. Most of Chinatown     5    (destroy) in the 1906 earthquake, but the city and residents rebuilt it. Visitors can spend hours just    6    (explore) the interesting sights smells, and sounds of China. The stores in the Chinatown offer    7    unique range of souvenirs, goods, and clothing. All kinds of traditional Chinese herbal medicine can be found, too, and there are Chinese tea stores,    8    visitors can taste and buy varieties of Chinese tea. But perhaps     9    many tourists and San Franciscans treasure most about Chinatown is its food. There is Chinese food to suit everyone’s taste,    10    traditional dishes from all over China.

After camping in the Redwood Forest and visiting the wine country of Napa Valley, I have to admit that it     1     (definite) feels good to be back in the San Francisco again. And what a city-a city that was able to rebuild itself after the earthquake that     2     (occur) in 1906.There are so many beautiful old buildings — many     3     (sit) on top of big hills, offering great views of the city, the ocean, and the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Mission District, one of the     4     (old) parts of the city, used to be a poor area of town,     5     it is now a centre for art, music, and food. An art movement     6     (call) the “Mission School” started here. It’s influenced by graffiti art and comic art. I walked around looking at the street art for a few hours and ate some delicious Mexican-Chinese noodles from a food truck. Many of the people living here are from Mexico or Central America. A real mix of     7     (culture)here!

In the afternoon, I headed to a local museum. There I learnt that America got California from Mexico     8     1848. In the same year, gold was discovered near San Francisco,     9     started a gold rush. Over 300,000 people came from all over the world     10     (seek) their fortune, and San Francisco quickly became a big city.

Originally constructed around 256 BC by the State of Qin as an irrigation (灌溉) and flood control system, Dujiangyan is a remarkable example of ancient engineering skill and is still     1     use today. During the Warring States period, people     2     lived along the banks of the Min River were troubled by annual flooding. Qin governor and irrigation engineer Li Bing investigated the problem     3     (thorough). He led a team     4     (construct) a levee (堤坝) to redirect a portion of the river’s flow. Then they cut a channel through Mount Yulei to discharge the extra water. After the system     5     (finish), no more floods occurred. What’s more, it made Sichuan one of the most productive agricultural     6     (region) in China because the redirected water from the Min River could be used for irrigation. If you visit Dujiangyan, you will see     7     unusual construction that resembles a fish’s mouth. This famous     8     (attract), Yuzui, together with two other important parts, namely, Feishayan and Baopingkou, was scientifically designed to control the water flow throughout the year.       9     (recognize) as a UNESCO heritage site, Dujiangyan has irrigated farms while     10     (prevent) floods for over 2,000 years.

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.