1 . We’ve collected some of the greatest royal (皇家的) palaces and castles to visit in Britain. Here are our picks.

Windsor Castle, Berkshire

Windsor Castle is the oldest castle in the world. It used to be an official accommodation for Her Majesty the Queen and was the place where the wedding of Prince Hary and Meghan Markle was held. The site of Windsor Castle was chosen and built by William in around 1070 to guard the western ways to London from a possible attack.

Open all year round to the public.

Buckingham Palace, Westminster

The official accommodation of the King and Queen and one of Britain’s most recognized historic sites, Buckingham Palace is often used for national celebrations and events. It was bought in 1761 by George II for his wife Queen Charlotte.

Buckingham Palace is open to the public during the summer months and for a limited number of tours in December, January and at Easter each year.

Kew Palace, Richmond-Upon-Thames

Sitting on the banks of the River Thames in London, Kew Palace might be the smallest of the royal palaces. With the big Kew Gardens around, the palace was built in 1631 for the London silk businessman, Samuel Fortreas.

Kew Palace is open for the summer season.

Hampton Court Palace, Surrey

Set on the edge of the River Thames, Hampton Court Palace in Surrey was a Tudor palace created by Cardinal Wlosey in the early 16th century and was once home to Henry VII over the years. There are beautiful gardens nearby and the palace was opened to the public in 1838 by Queen Victoria.

Open all year round, except 24-26 December.

Recently, Chinese social media platforms have been discussing about “Zibo barbecue”,    1     (name) after the city Zibo    2     industrial city in Shandong Province.

Not long ago, a group of college students documented their Zibo barbecue trip on Douyin and son the city’s    3     (taste) and affordable barbecue started to catch peoples’ eyes on the internet. Since then, mouth-watering images showing a typical Zibo-style barbecue     4     (dominate) Weibo and Xiaohongshu, gaining more than 113 million views. Must-go restaurant maps were drawn up, and barbecue-themed high-speed train services and special bus routes     5     (establish) to make the small city more accessible to tourists from all over the country.

The city’s other attractions, such as the Haidai building, a    6     (beautiful) designed bookstore, also gained     7     (popular) thanks to visitors who want to make the most of their Zibo trip. According to data from Meituan, accommodation bookings in Zibo have increased     8    800% compared to 2019.

Zibo is one of the Chinese cities     9     have become a tourist hotpot with the help of social media. Its sudden rise inspired the hashtag (话题标签) “I speak for the specialties of my hometown” on Weibo. Under the hashtag, netizen post about their cities’ unique dishes,    10     (hope) their hometown may be the next Zibo.

7 . Borneo is home to some of the most extraordinary wildlife. Several years ago, I decided to go there for a visit. A local person offered to be my guide, which was a great bonus for me.

One day, my guide turned off the smooth road and took me across a ________ hillside instead. We picked our way carefully when ________, a Rafflesia (大王花) popped into my view among those stones. Oh, dear! More than ________, I bent down and put my nose practically inside the flower’s core.

________, to my surprise, it was only one of the ________ during the trip.

As I ________ the end of my trip, there was still something I had yet to see. We planned to ________ most feared creature there, the saltwater crocodile, which can grow to a ________ of 6 meters or more. When we shone a flashlight towards the muddy shore, little sounds ________ in the darkness as if something unseen underwater had broken the ________ Taking a second look, we spotted two greedy ________ just above the water line. As we drew near, it ________ and we saw clearly it was a crocodile. With great caution, we neared it and finally could ________ its true dimensions. It was a baby-no more than 0. 6 meter long. Aha, whatever, I could now report to the ________ back home, who had never been to Borneo, that I had ________ a hungry crocodile in the wild and lived to tell the tale.

The world out there is so fascinating. Don’t let work run your life. Why not step outdoors and enjoy the wonders nature offers to you?

8 . A free two-hour guided walking tour is a great way to get the best out of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in a limited amount of time. They do not require scheduling except for groups of more than 10 people.

On the tour you’ll...

•See some of the Zoo^’s most interesting animals, including cheetahs (非洲猎豹), Asian elephants, Aldabra tortoises, lions and Andean bears, to name just a few.

•Have a trained guide answer your questions.

•Learn how the Zoo takes care of its animals.

•Hear first-hand how the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is working to save species.

Highlights tours are best suited for general Zoo audiences and are not designed for school groups.

Guests wishing to take a tour should meet at the front desk in the Visitor Center lobby shortly before 9:45 a.m. To schedule a group tour for more than 10 people, please call 202-633-3061.

All tours are wheelchair accessible and accommodate up to 10 people per group on weekdays and more on weekends. Access services for guided tours, including sign language interpretation, hearing assistance devices and tactile (触觉的) tours with verbal description, are available by request. Please call 202-633-3061 at least two weeks prior to your visit to request any additional accessibility services.

Snore&Roar Sleepovers (通宵派对)

Available from May through to September

Fall asleep to the sounds of howling wolves or wake up to barking sea lions when you spend the night at the Zoo! It’s the best way to see the animals after hours and have the park all to yourself. Snore& Roar Sleepovers include games, activities, a walk through the Zoo and more. Separate family and adult-only options are available.

9 . A trip to the capital wouldn't be complete without seeing the following attractions in London.

The London Eye       (Tickets from £24.50)

Explore London from above on the London Eye. Your ticket includes a 30-minute flight with breathtaking views over London as well as an amazing 4D experience. Book ahead to save money and skip most of the queues with a fast-track entry ticket.

Tower of London       (Tickets from £25)

Hear the many stories of the Tower of London on a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) tour. See the famous Crown Jewels, the White Tower and find out what it was like to be a prisoner in the Tower of London.

Kidzania London       (Tickets from £18.50)

Test out a range of professions and activities including journalism, animal care, cabin crew and tour guiding at KidZania London. Work to earn KidZos and save them for next time or spend them in the Airport Shop. Great for kids to learn and have fun.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich       (Tickets from £16)

Visit the home of time and explore outer space at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. See and stand astride the Prime Meridian line (子午线), the reference point for Greenwich Mean Time. Learn about the history of longitude (经线), touch a piece of rock from outer space, and enjoy amazing views over London.

Coronavirus information: London is currently subject to a four-week national lockdown from 5 November, which means attractions are temporarily closed. You can still book tickets in advance ready for when they reopen with social distancing and other safety measures in place. Cycle or walk to these attractions where possible.

10 . FUR, FINS & FEATHERS

Wildlife-watching can turn a day outdoors into a wide-eyed family adventure. Here are four of the best UK experiences this spring.

Ponies on Exmoor

Exmoor National Park is a haven for wildlife, with the area’s native ponies a highlight. Some animals wander around the park, and you will likely see them on four-wheel-drive vehicle adventures. For very young children, don’t miss the Exmoor Pony Center, near Dulverton, home to around 20 native ponies.

Puffins on Skomer Island

Skomer might be less than a mile off the Pembrokeshire coast but arriving on this rocky, dramatic island still feels like landing on a distant shore. During breeding season (April to early July), you can expect to spot puffins, but there’s plenty more for families to enjoy, too. However, visitor numbers are capped each day, so book your boat trip well ahead of time.

Eagles and Otters on Mull

The inner Hebridean Island of Mull has superb birdwatching certificates and a rich marine life, too. Keep your eyes on the sky for golden and white-tailed eagles — the former a Highland icon, the latter the UK’s largest bird of prey. The coast, meanwhile, is home to shy but spellbinding otters (水獭). Mull Magic offers themed wildlife tours, including the Otter Detective Walk, the Eagle Walk and Birds, Beaches & Butterflies.

Seals in Norfolk

The county’s coastline is famous for its seals, with three key locations allowing you to admire colonies from a responsible distance. Hunstanton is a good bet in the summer months, and Horsey Beach is an excellent option for seeing baby seals during the winter breeding seasons, but Blakeney Points is the best year-round choice, with both harbor and grey seals seen in large numbers. Various operators run family-friendly bout trips from nearby Morston Quay, with departures throughout the year.