The Amazon rainforest, the largest rainforest in the world, plays     1     significant role in maintaining the fine balance of the Earth’s ecosystem. The Amazon rainforest crosses into eight countries,     2     (include) Brazil and Peru, and one overseas region of France, all on the South American continent. With an area of around 6 million square kilometres, the Amazon rainforest is more than half the size of China.

The Amazon River is close to 6,400 kilometres in     3     (long), which supports many different ecosystems, giving the area one in ten known species in the world living here. Of the 390,000 plant species known to us, more than 40,000 can     4     (find) in the Amazon. The forest’s different levels support an     5     (believe) variety of wildlife. Each level of the forest forms its own little world, home to different kinds of living things. More than 1,3000 species of birds and over 400 species of     6     (mammal) hide among the jungle’s plant life.     7     a significant number of jaguars survive here, they are only one element of this forest’s food chain.

The Amazon rainforest breathes life     8     the planet by fixing carbon and producing over 20 per cent of all the Earth’s oxygen, thus known as the “lungs of the planet”. Moreover, the Amazon rainforest is a treasure house of species     9     can be used for food or medicine. Yet there is one major danger to the Amazon rainforest: human beings. Over the past 50 years, about 17 percent of the rainforest     10     (disappear) due to human activities such as agriculture and cattle farming.

3 . France has the most beautiful castles throughout Europe. Here are some of the best French castles to visit. You’ll surely want to visit one of them during your travels in France. Have a look and enjoy!

Versailles Castle

The Versailles Castle is about 20km southwest of Paris. When the castle was built, Versailles was a small village. Today, however, it is a famous area in Paris. The castle was originally built as a small hunting lodge (乡间小屋) for Louis XIII in the 1620s.Years later, he made it bigger. Later, Louis ⅩⅣ also made it larger, making it one of the largest palaces of the world.

Chambord Castle

The Chambord Castle is one of the largest castles around the world. It sits in the Loire Valley. Being at the heart of Europe’s largest enclosed wooded park, Chambord, it was built for King Francis I to serve as a hunting lodge. It is one of the most well-known castles in the world because of its French Renaissance (文艺复兴) unique building.

Chenonceau Castle

As one of the most famous castles in the Loire Valley, the castle was built during the 11th century on the River Cher. It was passed through many hands. The castle was not destroyed during the French Revolution because it was the only bridge across the river for many miles.

Chantilly Castle

This historic castle sits in the town of Chantilly, France. This beautiful castle is made up of two buildings: the Petit Château built around 1560 for Anne de Montmorency, and the Grand Château which was destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in the 1870s. There are many interesting pieces of 17th century history concerning the castle. Every two years a fireworks competition is held in the castle gardens.

Beijing is a city     1     (bridge) the ancient and the modern. From Buddhist temples to museums, narrow hutong to royal palaces, it is home to more than 3,000 years of glorious history even down to its layout, with the city keeping its carefully built system of ring     2     (road).

But for all its ancient buildings, Beijing is also a place which     3     (welcome) the fast-paced development of modern life, with 21st-century architectural wonders standing side     4     side with historical buildings of the past.

It is a distinct visual contrast (反差) that shouldn’t work, but somehow these two very different worlds make a good     5     (combine). Having visited several times over the last 10 years, I was amazed by     6     co-existence of old and new, and how a city was able to keep such a rich heritage (遗产) while     7     (constant) growing. As a photographer, I have     8     (spend) the last two years recording everything I discovered.

The remarkable development of this city,     9     is consciously designed to protect the past while stepping into the modern world, means     10     is always something new to discover here, and I could be photographing Beijing for the next 50 years.