Hangzhou, located in the north of Zhejiang province, is one of the seven ancient     1     (capital) of China. As a core city of the Yangtze River Delta, Hangzhou     2     (be)one of the most prosperous cities in China for more than 1, 000 years, and is home     3     a lot of natural attractions.

The West Lake is definitely a place people can never miss when visiting Hangzhou. The lake itself cowers 6 square kilometres, and some of Hangzhou’s most famous scenic places     4     (include). You can just walk along the Nanshan and Beishan roads, take a ferry on the boat to the islands on the lake,     5     simply sit in a lakeside teahouse.

Hefang Street is where you can experience how Hangzhou     6     (look) when it was the capital of China. The emperors’ palace was once located on the street,     7     (make) it the economic and political center of the city. Most of the shops there have     8     history of more than 100 years.

The Xixi wetland is not only China’s first national wetland park, but also a natural haven from the busy city life,     9     is listed as a cultural treasure.

As UNESCO says on its     10     (office) website, “With its famous natural beauty and cultural heritage, Hangzhou has already become one of the most important tourist venues in China.”

Cave tours are one of the main attractions of Mammoth Cave National Park, allowing visitors to explore the park’s extensive underground cave system. There are several different types of tours available, ranging from beginner-friendly walks     1     physically demanding adventures.

The most popular tour is the “Historic Tour”,     2     is a 2-hour walk that takes visitors through the park’s most famous caves and tunnels. This tour     3     (offer) a glimpse into the rich cultural history of the cave, including its use by early     4     (settle) and its role as a source of saltpeter during the war of 1812.

For those looking for a more challenging experience, the ”Wild Cave Tour“ is a 6-hour adventure that takes visitors off the     5     (beat) path and into some of the park’s less-explored areas. This tour involves     6     (climb) through narrow passages, and is recommended for experienced cavers and those in good physical condition.

In addition to the     7     (tour) mentioned above, there are several other options, including a “Domes and Dripstones” tour, which shows the cave’s unique geology,     8     a “Frozen Niagara” tour, which features a splendid display of frozen waterfalls and towering stalactites (钟乳石).

No matter     9     your choice is, it is definitely a unique and unforgettable experience to visit Mammoth Cave National Park. The     10     (world) most fascinating underground landscapes will never fail you.

The 2023-24 Hohhot (呼和浩特) Ice and Snow Festival     1    (kick) off at the Mazongshan Ski Resort in Hohhot, capital city of North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Dec 22.

The festival features a series of New Year activities, the third Hohhot Happy Ice and Snow Carnival, and the Hohhot Spring Festival and Lantern Festival celebrations.

The third Hohhot Happy Ice and Snow Carnival combines North China’s culture and local customs, showcasing 80 activities,    2     (include) ice and snow architecture, ice and snow sports, artistic    3    (perform), and New Year’s markets. Additionally, Hohhot’s cultural and exhibition venues will host 57 cultural activities.

    4     (locate) in the “golden latitude belt” of ice and snow, Hohhot boasts excellent natural conditions    5    winter sports, with a winter season lasting over four    6    (month) and average temperatures ranging from -2 C to-13 C.

In recent years, Hohhot     7     (boost) its winter tourism by cultivating    8    (diversity) product offerings and launching a range of distinctive winter tourism activities.

This year, Hohhot will host the 14th National Winter Games,    9     as a result of its geographical and transportation advantages, it forms a “2-hour transportation circle” with Beijing. With the opening of the “Beijing-Hohhot” ski train, more skiing enthusiasts can come to Hohhot     10    (experience) its unique ice and snow culture.

It was a life goal of mine to explore every province in China, so when I had the opportunity to visit Henan, I quickly packed my bags, bought a train ticket, and raced     1    (see) an icon of Chinese culture, the Longmen Grottoes.

Built from 386-1130 and carved into the sides of two limestone cliffs, the Longmen Grottoes house a remarkable     2    (collect) of 100,000 ancient and marvelous Buddhist statues. Walking among these     3    (impress) statues, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of insignificance, not only     4    (physical), but in a deeper sense. As the large, wise faces of the statues,     5    (wear) by centuries of time, gazed down upon me, I experienced a humbling moment     6     invited me to look beyond my own ego and engage in sincere reflection.

As I explored the grottoes,     7     sad reality struck me: a significant number of statues had suffered damage or were missing.     8     some degree of wear and tear was expected, certain areas were noticeably absent. I sincerely hope that they can     9    (restore) to their former glory.

Until then, the statues still stand, countless and resolute, with their missing fellow statues serving     10     a reminder of the enduring spirit of Chinese culture.

I believe in experiencing other cultures to develop one’s own personal values.     1    (grow) up in many different cultures has helped me realize this. I     2    (live) in three different countries in my eighteen years of existence. While living in Saudi Arabia, I have had     3    (opportunity) to travel to a few countries     4    I have had unique experiences.

Each place has something different to offer.     5    I travel to a new place, I try to learn basic words and phrases of the native language, try the food, and meet the people. I have found this to be the best way to     6    (real) learn about the culture.

From my travels, I have learned so many things     7    myself. I don’t like to always     8    (view) as just an American, since I have lived in the US for less than half of my life. I have developed customs and values from many cultures     9    I have seen what else the world has to offer. I don’t want to just be an American known for eating fast food; I consider myself a global nomad, who likes to try all foods. I am no typical American by most standards, but a global nomad who looks for the adventure     10    (explore) cultures.

Is Canada in winter? Okay, yes, there’s more snow that you can shake a ski stick on. But that’s what makes visiting Canada in the coldest months so much fun.

Quite    1    (remarkable), winter is a perfect time to visit this vast and wonderful country,     2    (comprise) of lifeful cities on the edge of nature. There you will enjoy Canada’s many winter    3    (delight) and these surrounding natural wonders and    4    (amaze) journeys through beautiful scenery will never let you down. Out west, the snow is dry and soft. In the east    5    the altitude is lower, you can relax in a five-star hotel enjoying mouthfuls of delicious food.

Winter in Ottawa is attractive    6    you are skating or playing with the snow. Move down on an ice slide at snow mountains as you discover Canada’s capital city under    7    blanket of white. When you are in the Polar Bear Capital of the World, it is fair    8    (share) it with everybody else.Churchill ,called “The Polar Bear Capital of the World”,    9    (offer) guests the opportunity to observe polar bears in their natural habit.

    10     so many beautiful places for you to explore, pack up and set off right away!

The Abu Simbel Temples in Egypt,     1     (carve) out of the mountain rock, once sat on the west bank of the Nile River. In the 1960s, the Egyptian government started its plan to build the Aswan High Dam,     2     created what is known as Lake Nasser today. As the water from Lake Nasser     3     (rise), the Abu Simbel Temples were threatened. So a committee was quickly established then     4     (investigate) the issue and make preparations for the relocation(搬迁)of the temples. However, it was never     5     easy job, one that included cutting the temples into pieces between 3 to 20 tons in weight and putting them together in a place where they were safe     6     the water.

    7     took 20 years in total to finish the whole project. The     8     (success) relocation of the Abu Simbel temples set a good example for future rescue work of cultural relics. And it directly     9     (contribute) to the creation of the “World Heritage Trust” in 1965, and afterwards, the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites List. Such creations would in turn help prevent cultural heritage sites around the world from     10     (destroy).

Few countries have as rich of a history and civilization as Egypt, so it’s no surprise that the Grand Egyptian Museum(GEM), which     1     (expect) to open later this year, will be the largest archaeological museum in the world. It cost more than a billion dollars     2     (build) it. When finished, it will hold     3     large number of Egypt’s ancient objects, including the treasures of a king’s tomb.

The GEM, also     4     (know) as the Giza Museum, is about 2 km from the Giza Pyramids. It isn’t the only attraction drawing tourists     5     Egypt. Other new attractions include the Mummies Hall in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Cairo     6     two tombs in nearby Saqqara. One of them is Tomb of Djoser,     7     the paths are so puzzling that once you get in, it is difficult to find your way.

“Now many sites are getting improved,” says Egyptologist Nora Shawki. “Even     8     (go) to the pyramids is more convenient, with electric     9     (bus) getting you there and more dining places and better services.”

Though it suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, Egypt has a strong tourism infrastructure (基础设施), making trips here     10     (easy) than you might expect.