Longmen Grottoes

Set on the banks of the Yi River, 12km south of the current Luoyang City, the Longmen Grottoes are ranked first of the Four Great Grotioes in China, together with Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Yungang Grottoes in Datong and Mount Maiji Grottoes in Tianshui. They were also listed in the World Cultural Heritages and Relics by UNESCO in 2000.

    1     (Locate) between the Xiangshan Mountain and the Longmen Mountain, with the YiRiver flowing below, the Longmen Grottoes are     2     (harmony) with mountains, forests and rivers displaying a peaceful atmosphere. Viewing it at a distance, it looks like     3     natural gate, which gave it the name “Yi Que (the gate of the Yi River)”. According to legend,     4     Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty climbed on Mount Mang north of Luoyang, he was very pleased and ordered the eastern capital     5     (build) here with its palace gate opposite the Yique. Thus, it came to be named, Longmen Gate.

Longmen Gate also houses     6     (rough) 2860 stele inscriptions (碑刻), making     7     a treasure for ancient calligraphy study. In total, more than 100,000 Buddhist statues and niches     8     (carve) into the cliffs by ancient Chinese people ranging from the largest one, the Vairocana Buddha with a     9     (high) of 17.14 meters,     10     the smallest one of 2 centimeters.

Wandering in the Longmen Grottoes, one is amazed by the delicate carving skills, deep Buddhist culture and great art achievements of Chinese people.

Over the summer break, a wave of fashionably     1     (dress) young people went to Kaifeng in Central China’s Henan province to explore the city     2     was the ancient capital of eight dynasties through a trendy “Citywalk”. They     3     (eager) shared fresh perspectives and travel encounters on various social media platforms.

“Citywalk” means the act     4     walking freely along city     5     (street) free of large and heavy bags. Such a convenient form of travel has emerged as     6     popular trend among young people in China,     7     (offer) them an avenue to experience urban culture and local traditions.

“Kaifeng is one of China’s first national historical and cultural cities, boasting a deep-seated cultural heritage. It’s an ideal destination for unhurried exploration, encouraging visitors     8     (take) a leisurely pace as they step into Kaifeng’s embrace. The heart of Kaifeng’s cultural tourism     9     (lie) in the profound culture of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Through cultural tourism products with different themes, including architecture, cuisine     10     opera, we aim to help visitors gain a deeper appreciation of Kaifeng’s history and heritage,” said Wei, head of the city’s cultural, radio, film and tourism bureau.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式，并将答案填写在答题卡上。

The Silk Road,     1     connected China and the Far East with the Middle East and Europe, was a network of trade routes (线路).       2     (establish) when the Han Dynasty opened trade with the West in 130 B. C., the Silk Road routes remained in use until 1453 A. D., when the Ottoman Empire closed them   Although it     3     (be) nearly 600 years since the Silk Road was used for international trade, the routes had a lasting impact     4     trade, culture and history that resonates (引起共鸣) even today.

While the name “Silk Road” originates from the    5     (popular) of Chinese silk among tradesmen, the material was not the only important export from the East to the West. Trade along the Silk Road included fruits and vegetables, livestock, grain, leather tools, artworks, precious stones     6     metals. The greatest value of the Silk Road was the exchange of culture. Art, along with other elements of civilization like religion, philosophy, technology, language, science, as well as architecture,     7     (exchange) along these routes at that time

In 2013, China began to     8     (official) rebuild the historic Silk Route. The project opened up new trade     9     (market) for Chinese goods, giving the country the cheapest and easiest way     10     (sell) materials and goods.

China is home to 56 UNESCO World Heritage sites. With troops of naughty monkeys, large bears, all kinds of snakes, precious plants, and beautiful ancient architecture, the     1     (amaze) beauty of Fanjing Mountain in Tongren city, Guizhou province, is     2    Internet sensation (轰动).

The area’s fame     3     (reach) its peak in 2018, when Fanjing Mountain was added to the UNESCO’s Natural World Heritage List due     4     its rich biodiversity (生物多样性).

“It’s important to promote a region’s unique value from a global perspective to apply for the list, and Fanjing Mountain meets that standard,” says Rong Li, a professor from the School of Geography and Environmental Science, Guizhou Normal University, one of the experts     5     participated in the site’s application.

    6     (establish)   in 1978, Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve was aimed at protecting the area’s precious wild animals and plant species. It is an issue for such a nature reserve to balance ecological     7     (protect) and tourism development. The goal can’t     8     (achieve) without input (投入) from     9     (local), the authorities and experts.

“The     10     (success) entry into the list saw tourism to the mountain hit record numbers in 2019,” says Tao Huayuan, head of Wuling Scenic Area Management company, which is in charge of the Fanjing Mountain scenic area.