The word hutong was borrowed from the Mongolian word to mean, “water well”, about 700 years ago. Later it referred to a place     1     people live. Hutong we see today are made up of small lanes     2     (form) by walls of siheyuan. They were built during     3     Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

When the People’s Republic of China     4     (found) in 1949, there were more than 3,000 hutong. Most of the city’s population lived in this traditional housing.

    5     with the modernization of the city in the 1980s and early 1990s, many hutong were pulled down to build     6     (road), skyscrapers and modern houses. The government has     7     (ultimate) recognized the importance of hutong as Chinese cultural heritage. In 2002, Beijing listed 40 protected historical zones and increased its efforts to restore some key relics and older streets in the city. Nearly 500 hutong     8     (survive) so far.

Hutong that still exist are like oases (绿洲) of calm surrounded by the     9     (noise) city. Walking through them, it is common     10     (see) groups of elderly citizens sitting together playing cards, mahjong or Chinese chess. In the early mornings and evenings, they gather to practice traditional forms of exercise such as taijiquan as well as dancing and singing folk songs or Peking Opera. Hutong have become a museum of Beijing’s folk customs and history.

Mount Everest, which is part of China,     1     (lie) between Nepal and Tibet. On Tuesday, Nepal and China made a surprising     2     (announce) on the height of the world’s highest mountain. After years of not reaching an agreement on the mountain’s height, both sides have measured again and discovered it’s higher    3    anyone thought.

Sir George Everest, after     4     the mountain is named, was the main surveyor (测量员) of India in the mid-1800s. Radhanath Sikdar, an Indian man who worked for Mr. Everest, was the first     5     (realize) it was the highest mountain in the world. He     6     (exact) calculated the height as being 29,000 feet. But Mr. Sikdar’s boss added two feet to the height because he was afraid people wouldn’t trust     7     round number like 29,000.

But the height most people have been using for Mount Everest came from a 1955 survey     8     (conduct) by India, which put the mountain’s height at 29,029 feet   (8,848 meters) . Since that time, other attempts     9     (make) to measure the mountain, each coming up with a different result.

Last year, four surveyors from Nepal climbed Mount Everest and made new measurements, using GPS and satellite information. And in May, China sent up     10     (it) own team of surveyors, who were the only ones to climb Mount Everest this year. Working together to determine the mountain’s exact height, the two countries announced the new height: 29,031.7 feet (8,848. 86 meters).

6 . Known locally as sakura, the cherry blossoms in Japan are popular with both locals and tourists alike. For the Japanese, sakura hold much cultural and historical significance that goes deeper than their obvious beauty.     1     They are seen by many Japanese people as a reminder of the shortness of life, and a good excuse for a party.

Sakura are usually only in full bloom (盛开) for about one week.     2     The flowers are so small and round that when they eventually start to fall, it’s almost like watching snow fall from the skies.

While the cherry blossom season occurs between March and May each year, the specific time varies from region to region. Luckily, the Japanese Meteorological Corporation (JMC,日本气象厅) has done all the work.     3     The predictions aren’t just looking at the weather months in advance; it also depends heavily on temperature patterns. Depending on how the patterns change over time. the JMC will release updated forecasts with the most up-to-date information.

    4     There are a number of celebrations held in honor of the cherry blossoms’ blooming, so you’re likely to find a hanami party wherever you go. What makes up a hanami party, besides sakura viewing, is eating and drinking. Groups of people will set up camp in a park and have a picnic under the trees. Some bring home- cooked meals some make food on the go and others buy pre-prepared food.     5    

Among all the cities in China, I love my hometown best. Locating in the southwest of China, it has a mild climate and fantastic natural sceneries. It’s neither too hot or too cold and beautiful plants can be found everywhere. But it’s not the natural beauty that attracted me most. That I like best is the architecture here. Compared with other cities, there aren’t a good many of high-rise buildings here. Besides, you can find varieties of classical Chinese buildings, which remind people about the past and create relaxed atmosphere. Also, the friendly people and delicious food here adds its charm. As a local student, I really feel fortunately to live in this city.

8 . Scotland is packed with beautiful places to visit and you could honestly spend months and months exploring everything this wonderful country has to offer! Next I’m going to take you through some of the best place to visit in Scotland, based on where we have personally visited so far!

If you asked me where my favourite place to visit in all of Scotland is... I would say, Glen Coe. The whole area of Glen Coe constantly had my face in shock due to the beauty that I was witnessing1 was witnessing (亲眼看见). It’s just a stream of dramatic mountains, lakes, rugged (崎岖的) beauty and more.

Fort William is probably one of the most well-known places to visit in Scotland. It’s a popular tourist destination thanks to being home to the UK’s tallest mountain: Ben Nevis. Fort William is also the starting point for one of the world’s most famous train rides: The Jacobite. Harry Potter fans will recognize it as the Hogwarts Express, and this train ride will take you through the beautiful countryside, crossing some iconic Harry Potter filming locations such as the Dumbledore’s Grave and the Glenfinnan Viaduct!

This island feels totally different from other parts of Scotland and is truly rugged and ready! There are many hot spots to explore including the Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Glen. I even stayed on a private island with its very own lighthouse, which was one of the coolest places I’ve ever visited and one of the most romantic places stay in Scotland.

This is the largest national park in the UK so it’s another popular place to visit in Scotland and it’s no surprise why. It’s absolutely beautiful and there’s so much happening at the Cairngorms National Park! From skiing or meeting local reindeers, you’ll not go bored and you’ll be surrounded by beauty the entire time.