1 . People of San Francisco and visitors now have a place to learn and study the largely forgotten history of Chinese workers who helped build the US’ first transcontinental (横贯大陆的) railroad.

The Chinese Railroad Workers History Center, near the southern entrance of San Francisco’s Chinatown, is expected to serve as a “gathering place” for people to learn about Chinese Americans’ heritage (遗产) in the US, according to the founder, Florence Fang, a Chinese community leader in the Bay Area. “The center’s purpose is to remember the Chinese railroad workers’ contribution to this country. The goal is to give voice to the voiceless, and the spirit is to remember the past and inspire the future,” said Fang.

The building of the Transcontinental Railroad, originally known as the Pacific Railroad, was completed on May 10, 1869．It was considered one of the most remarkable engineering achievements of the 19th century. The railroad greatly changed the nation as it not only expanded the American economy but also increased national confidence.

The Chinese workers made up more than 80 percent of the railroad workforce. “What is important to remember is the sweat and the tears and sometimes the lives of the Chinese workers who built the most treacherous, difficult part of the Transcontinental Railroad,” said California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, “Now it will go down in history along with so many other unbelievably important contributions of Chinese Americans.”

Kounalaki s and other elected officials in the state and the city joined community leaders on Wednesday at the center to commemorate the 154th anniversary of the completion of the railroad and pay tribute (致敬) to the Chinese workers.

“This center joins several other institutions in San Francisco, like the Chinese Historical Society and the Chinese Culture Center, to attract visitors and to teach Chinese American history and culture,” said Peskin, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

“It comes at a critical time for us. It comes as Chinatown and the home of San Francisco have experienced three very difficult years, Chinatown in particular, not only with the economic harm, but with the rise of Asian hate,” he said. “The center will help teach future generations and make San Francisco proud,” said Peskin. “It will help promote the economy of Chinatown.”

3 . The 187-foot-tall Tower of Pisa is famous all over the world mainly because it leans (倾斜). For many years, people believed that the tower’s designer intended it to lean. As it turns out, though, the tower’s lean is an accident caused by poor planning. The Tower of Pisa was constructed (建造) on a riverbed of sand and clay (黏土) that was not strong enough to support a building so tall and heavy.

Construction of the tower began in 1173. Because Pisa experienced several wars, the tower wasn’t completed until 1350. Only a few years after the construction started, people could see that the first three floors of the tower were already leaning. As the next three floors were added, builders purposefully built them with one side higher than the other to try to correct the lean. This resulted in the tower leaning in the opposite direction

Fortunately for the people of Pisa, the long delays (耽搁) during construction gave the structure time to settle and the ground to become compacted (结实的). This mad the foundation (地基) stronger over time, which is the main reason why the tower never fell over. For hundreds of years, the tower was indeed falling. It would lean one more inch about every 20 years. In the end, in 1990, it was closed to the public for fear that a large group of people at the top would weigh enough to make it fall down.

From 1990 to 2001, engineers from around the world helped balance the tower After several unsuccessful attempts at a solution, engineers finally came up with a plan that worked. They slowly removed ground under the high side of the tower. When they had finished, they had returned it to the position it held in about 1838—the tower had been straightened by nearly 16 inches. Except a sudden great disaster, such as a earthquake, engineers believe the tower is safe for another 300 years now.

4 . By the time Joy Ryan, a US grandma, turned 85, she had never seen the ocean or mountains. For Joy, trips to the local fishing area with her husband were about the farthest place she had ever gone, even if she loved watching the Travel Channel.

But one day Joy’s grandson, Brad Ryan, discovered that he and his grandma had a common interest in their love for traveling, when they began to visit the American great outdoors together.

Brad said, “When I learned my grandma had never seen the great wildernesses of America—deserts, mountains and oceans, I thought there was something I needed to do.” It was after taking his grandma out of Ohio on a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that he came up with the idea of visiting all the 63 US national parks with her to create inspiring memories.

Going to all the 63 US National Parks is a huge achievement even for a much younger adventurer (冒险家). Brad said his grandmother’s physical strength (体力) grew with their trips. For example, his grandma went water rafting (漂流) at 91, with class three rapids and when walking at the New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia, she broke the record by almost a decade!

It wasn’t always like this, however. Joy was so wobbly (不稳的) on her first trip, challenged by her balance. A group of college students clapped their hands when she reached the top of a path they were following.

Joy broke her age limitation (限制) and at the age of 93, she made history as the oldest living person to visit every US National Park. Joy believes it’s the mix of hopefulness, willpower, and the good health that gives her strength.

Yangshuo county, a small town     1     (locate) in Guilin city in South China’s GuangXi Zhuang autonomous region, is famous for     2     (it) unique scenery of hill and rivers, featured with the typical karst landscape.

Yangshuo keeps and displays more than twenty thousand peaks and seventeen rivers,     3     is considered as a global reference area for the Karst feature and landscapes. Seen from a distance, the mountain peaks constitute a thick forest. Seen closely, each peak is     4     (fantastic) shaped, looking like a bamboo, a sword, a warrior and even     5     elephant or a tiger.

The best way     6     (enjoy) the majestic scenery of Yangshuo is to take a cruise along the Lijiang River. The boat trip down the river offers you gorgeous views and new surprises at every bend. And travelling in Yangshuo, a     7     (tradition) Chinese painting unfolds before your eyes, displaying the highest state of Chinese natural landscape. A spot on the Lijiang River at GuiLin     8     (adopt) as the backside scenery of the 20 RMB banknote since 1999.

    9     your next trip to Yangshuo, Why don’t you bring a 20-yuan note,     10     find this splendid scenery of South China Karst?

6 . There are many reasons why people traveled far away. Some travelers may simply satisfy their curiosity. Until recently, however, did travelers start their journey for reasons other than only curiosity. The travelers’ accounts give much information on these foreign lands, local cultures and histories.

Records of foreign travel appeared soon after the invention of writing, and fragmentary (碎片) travel accounts appeared in both Mesopotamia and Egypt in ancient times. These travel accounts caught great attention from rulers desiring useful knowledge about their realms (领土). The Chinese envoy Zhang Qian was a good example.

From about 500 to 1500 CE, trade and pilgrimage (朝圣) became major causes for travel to foreign lands. While Muslim businessmen set out in search of trade opportunities and profit throughout much of the eastern part, Muslims travelled as pilgrims to Mecca to visit the holy sites of Islam. Thousands of written accounts have related their experiences.

After the 12th century, businessmen, pilgrims, and missionaries (传教士) from Europe travelled widely and left numerous travel accounts, of which Marco Polo’s description of his travels in China is the best known. European explorers, conquerors, merchants, and missionaries took center stage during the early modern era (about 1500 to 1800 CE). During this period, European printing presses printed thousands of travel accounts for readers who are curious about the larger world.

During the 19th century, European travelers made their way to the centre of Africa and America. Meanwhile, European colonial governments devoted numerous writings to the societies of their colonial subjects, particularly in Asian and African colonies they set up. By midcentury, attention was flowing also in the other direction. Aware of the military and technological strength of European and Euro-American societies, Asian travelers in particular visited Europe and the United States in hopes of discovering principles useful for their own societies. Among these travelers who made use of their overseas experiences in their own writings were the Japanese reformer Fukuzawa Yukichi and the Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen.

With the development of means of transportation, the 20th century saw explosions both in the frequency of long-distance travel and in the volume of travel writing. Mass tourism has become a major form of consumption for people. A unique form of the travel account appeared to satisfy these tourists: the guidebook, which offered advice on food, hotels, shopping, and the sights that visitors should not miss.

10 . While temperatures continue to climb, visitors are still coming to see Death Valley National Park on the California-Nevada border. The park is known as the hottest place on Earth. This past weekend, the temperatures climbed to 53.33℃. Most visitors at this time of year make it only a short distance to any area in the park before returning to the cool air in their vehicles.

Early information from the park service shows that across the nation’s 424 national parks, at least four people have died this year from heat-related causes. That includes a 65-year-old man from San Diego who was found dead at Death Valley earlier this month.

Death Valley National Park suggests visitors be careful and not have expectations of rescue. While park rangers (护林员) drive on park roads and can aid tourists in need, it is unsure that lost visitors will get help in time.

Physical activity can make the heat feel even worse and leave people exhausted. Alessia Dempster, who was visiting from Edinburgh, Scotland, said, “It’s very hot especially when there’s a gentle wind. You would think maybe that would give you some slight relief from the heat, but it just really does feel like an air blow dryer just going back in your face.”

Death Valley is a narrow area that is below sea level and surrounded by high mountains, the park service’s website says. The dry air and small plant coverage let sunlight heat up the park surface. The heat then becomes trapped in the valley.

Still, several areas in Death Valley continue to draw tourists. Badwater Basin, made up of salt flats, is considered the lowest point in all of North America. The 183-meter Ubehebe Crater dates back over 2,000 years. And Zabriskie Point is a great sunrise viewing spot.

Josh Miller, a visitor from Indianapolis who has been to 20 national parks so far, shared that feeling. “It’s hot, but the scenery is awesome,” he said.