1 . On many travelers’ lists of things to do before they die, you’ll find “See the northern lights” written down. Rightfully so these lights are one of nature’s most jaw-dropping views.

In Sweden, the northern lights usually appear from late March or early April. Your best chance of catching a glimpse of them is on cold winter nights when the sky is clear, dark with little to no moonlight, and cloudless. You need to be away from city lights and go to the countryside. For those willing to brave the cold on winter nights, here are some of the best locations.

Abisko National Park

Abisko Natinal Park is a main location. The scientifically confirmed “blue hole”, a piece of sky over the Tornetrask lake that usually remains clear despite cloudy weather nearby, gives Abisko its own microclimate (局部地区气候), which is suitable for catching the lights.

Jukkasjarvi

The village of Jukkasjarvi only has about 550 people. But don’t let the small population size fool you: Jukkasjarvi owns the world’s first ice hotel and is one of the best places to view the northern lights. The ice hotel organizes guided tours for guests to the Esrange Space Center. There you can eat at a camp outside and see the Arctic winter sky for aurora borealis (北极光). Or why not try to get closer to the northern lights and watch them through an aeroplane window? The ice hotel arranges flights for the amazing northern lights experience.

Gallivare

You can drive a snowmobile to the mountain top in Gallivare for a private light show, or head a few kilometers to nearby villages to watch those lights shining across the dark winter sky. But remember if you do get the chance to see the northern lights in person, never whistle to them. According to ancient Sumi fairy, it brings you bad luck.

2 . When my father and I traveled to Paris, Notre Dame was our first stop. But when we arrived at Notre Dame, we saw a long line outside it. Even so, we didn’t want to _______. We decided to go to the back garden of Notre Dame where there were few tourists.

Immersed in the beautiful natural scenery, we wanted to take some _______ photos. As we tried to find a photographer, a tall, slim Frenchman _______ toward us and showed us he was willing to take pictures for us.

Trying to get the perfect shot, he kept changing the _______ of the camera. However, after a few _______, he didn’t return our camera. His behavior confused us. But after a while, it became _______. He asked for 10 euros as payment before he would return our camera.

At that point, I was so angry that I _______ to argue with him. But my father stopped me and paid the money, with a (n) _______ expression on his face, the man walked away quickly to search for his next _______.

Later, my father ________ to me: There’s no such thing as a free lunch. So it’s ________ to ask for a payment after taking photos for us. But if someone offers to help you, never ________ the kindness just because of this particular event. Most acts of kindness are pure and without any ________ intention.

________, we met a lot of warm-hearted locals who guided us and lent a hand when we needed them. So just remember, we can’t throw away the ________ because of its core.

Mount Tai, a perfect combination of culture and natural landscapes, is awesome    1     (admire).     2     (locate) in central Shandong Province, Mount Tai    3     (rise) 1,545 meters above sea level. It is its highest peak Yuhuangding    4    stands over deep valleys and above other peaks. A seemingly endless flight of stone steps leads you to the Heavenly Southern Gate, where you can anticipate    5     (enjoy) spectacular views. There looking around in the distance, you will be astonished    6     (find) yourself admiring the fantastic views of beauty beyond scenery. Take    7    duration of two days, and you are bound to    8     (reward) with great scenery.

Recently, along with my parents and several     1     (journalist), I traveled to Shangri­la, a city in Yunan Province, which appeals     2     huge numbers of tourists. We first went to the Potatso National Park, which     3     (stretch) across vast forests, wetlands, lakes, meadows, and several villages. On top of its     4     (incredible) amazing scenery, the park is also famous for its rich biological diversity. At Shudu Lake, we saw horses, cows, and yaks enjoying the sunlight and eating grass contentedly. As a nature lover like me, you can imagine how blessed I felt     5    (see) the sight. For those who live in cities as we do, nothing is     6     (reward) than breathing the fresh air and     7     (wander) under this broad sky in nature.