The Xi’an City Wall is the most complete city wall that has survived China’s long history. It     1     (build) originally to protect the city     2     the Tang dynasty and has now been completely restored (修复). It is possible       3     (walk) or bike the entire 14 kilometers.

We accessed the wall through the South Gate. The wall is 12 meters high and from here you can see streams of people moving inside and outside the City Wall.

After     4     (spend) some time looking at all the defensive equipment at the wall, we decided it was time for some action and what     5     (good) than to ride on a piece of history!

We     6     (hire) our bikes from the rental place at the South Gate. My bike was old and shaky     7     did the job. It took us about 3 hours to go all     8     way around the Xi’an City Wall. Supposedly you can do it in two hours, but we stopped at the different gates and     9     (watchtower) to take pictures or just to watch the local people going about their     10     (day) routines.

4 . Last summer holiday, Aunt Emily took us to a safari park (野生动物园), not far from Liverpool.

I was very happy to go as I had never been to a safari park before. It’s a very interesting park, full of wild animals running freely.

When we got there, we bought our tickets and drove into the park. We were very excited at the thought of going to see the lions. But to get to the lions’ place we had to go through the monkeys’ land first. And that was an unforgettable experience because they climbed all over the car, ate apples and bananas, and threw all kinds of things at us. They seemed very unfriendly.

Anyway, we went on our way to the lions’ place where we had to lock ourselves in the car as we knew lions could be dangerous. A lion came up very close to us. Then it was on the bonnet (车盖). It looked calm but we felt terrified. Aunt Emily, who isn’t very brave, started to call for help. The kids started crying. Only my brother, George, stayed cool. I sounded the horn (喇叭) but nobody heard us.

In the end a guard arrived in his car, and the lion just got off our car and started smelling the guard’s hand as if nothing was the matter.

5 . Walled Cities Of The World

There are numerous historical walled cities across the world, whose walls date back several centuries. These walls were fortification (碉堡), a necessity throughout medieval eras for defense. They have been preserved as historical monuments and popular tourist attractions in the modern time.

York, England

The city of York is a medieval city situated in the north of England. Historically, the city was ruled by the Romans, Angles, and the Vikings before being incorporated as part of the Kingdom of England in 954. Located in the city are walls built in 71 AD which have been restored and extended with time.

Xi’an, China

The city of Xian is one of the oldest cities in China. It prospered economically as the eastern last station of the Silk Road. The existing walls were originally built in 770 BC and reconstructed in the 14th century under the Ming Dynasty. The walls are well preserved and are a major tourist attraction in the city.

Quebec City, Canada

Quebec City was a colonial (殖民地的) town which was fortified by the settling Europeans. The walls began to be built in 1608 under both British and French regimes (政权). A fort was constructed by the British as an additional defensive measure and remains undamaged to date. The city’s fortifications were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Mexico City, Mexico

Historically, the City of Mexico gained importance as the Aztec Capital. The Spanish then drove out the Aztecs and rebuilt it as the Spanish Capital. The walls protecting the city were built in 1521. Mexico City is also home to numerous colonial-era buildings which together with the walls are major tourist attractions in the city.

6 . Potala Palace Travel Guide

● The travel route is set strictly.

● The visiting time is limited in 1 hour.

● Watch your steps due to the high altitude.

● Bring along an overcoat as it is a bit cold in the hall.

● Oxygen bag is prohibited to be taken into the Palace.

● Smoking is prohibited and cigarettes are not allowed to be brought into the Palace

● Smartphones can be carried with you into the Palace, but please do not take photos.

● Liquid is not allowed, including mineral water, which can be purchased at the hill top.

Visitors are required to apply for free reservation tickets with identity documents, such as ID cards and passports one day in advance.

The visiting date and exact time, number of visitors and ID document numbers are printed on the reservation tickets. Those visitors who have reservation tickets should make their tickets canceled if they can’t visit the Palace for personal reasons. Otherwise, they will be forbidden to apply again within a week because their names are added to the blacklist.

On the following day, visitors should have their reservation tickets and ID documents checked and walk to the ticket office in front of the White Palace to buy the entrance tickets. Then they can start their tour after another security check.

● Take bus 13 to Yaowangshan Bus Stop.

● Take bus 8 or 17 to Baita Bus Stop.

● Take bus 2, 16 or 26 to Lazhong Bus Stop.

● Take airport shuttle to Minhangju Bus Stop.

Walking around a digital exhibit hall in Yongle Palace in Yuncheng, Shanxi province, it is difficult not to be amazed and     1     (inspire) by 3D printing, digital murals (壁画) and other exhibition projects. All this is thanks to the great effort     2     has been put into digitally preserving the Yongle Palace murals.

Yongle Palace (palace of eternal joy), one of the three biggest Taoist temples in China, is the     3     (large) of all Taoist temples     4     (remain) from the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) and was among the first national key cultural relics protection items.

In 2016 experts found that its murals were deteriorating (恶化) and that the wooden     5     (component) of the four halls were deformed and cracked, and     6     rescue operation then began.

A digital collection of murals, buildings and other movable cultural relics was created and     7     (eventual) made available to the public on the internet.

Xi Jiulong, head of the Yongle Palace mural art protection research institute, says technological intervention has helped bring life to history to help the public better understand it.

Visitors could also immerse     8     (them) in the splendid artworks and learn more about the antiquities by scanning the QR code attached     9     each item.

Over the past two years digital exhibitions of murals in Yongle Palace     10     (hold) around China to great acclaim (赞扬，称赞).

On March 31, the Eiffel Tower celebrated its 130th anniversary since it opened.     1    (original) planned to last only 20 years, the people of Paris wisely decided to keep it standing,    2     (recognize) its importance. Millions of people     3     (visit) the tower so far, according to its official website.

The tower was created by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel and was first intended as the main entrance     4     the 1889 World’s Fair. It was built in a little over two years and faced criticism from some locals initially. However, it quickly captured the attention of fair visitors, attracting more than two million people. It also had a     5     (practice) use as a radio antenna during World War I.

Visitors today can choose to climb 1,665 steps or take one of the original elevator cars    6     (reach) the top. At the top of the tower,     7     the tower’s administrative office is located, guests can enjoy a drink at the champagne bar on the top floor.

Today, the Eiffel Tower is a symbol of France, representing a feeling of pride and thankfulness. It is a global icon that can bring together people from different     8    (background). The tower is not only     9     popular tourist destination but also a widely recognized symbol, a     10     (believe) held by many who appreciate its enduring charm.