My parents tried to talk me out of it when they heard about my plan     1     (cycle) alone across western China.     2     I didn’t change my mind. Even though I lived in China for six years, mostly in Beijing, I really felt like I     3     (understand) very little of the country before. So I decided to go on     4     one-month journey to discover more.

China is so safe. I never had a moment     5     I found I was in danger. Wherever I went, there was always a phone signal and even mobile payment. One of the best parts of the whole experience was Chinese people. I met people from different ethnic     6     (minority) across China. I once got to attend a local wedding, and a girl even lent me a     7     (tradition) dress for the day.

The food was     8     (definite) another highlight of my journey. I tasted local food in every place I went to. My favorite was the cuisine of Sichuan, a province     9     (know) for its spicy flavors and interesting dishes. By the end of my journey, I had wanted to keep going.

If anyone had an interest in traveling in China, I would highly recommend     10     (go) by bike!

A TV series named “Blossoms Shanghai” has become one of the most talked-about topics in China. Released in both Mandarin and the Shanghai dialect in late December 2023, it     1     (show) on different platforms these days.

The series,     2     popularity is growing, is set in Shanghai in the 1990s, a period filled with opportunity and hope. It centers around a young man named A Bao who rode the wave of     3     (economy) reforms. With the development of the story, not only     4     the play attract many viewers, but also visiting the locations featured in it     5     (immediate) becomes a trend. A Bao’s long-term private room at the Peace Hotel,     6     (price) at $80 per night in the series, has become a hot-ticket item.

The ZhiZhen Yuan restaurant in the TV series gets     7     (it) inspiration from Tai Sheng Yuan, a restaurant located on Huanghe Road, which has appeared as a new hot spot for residents and tourists alike. Certain place names in the story also catch people’s imagination. “Blossoms” city-walk routes, which allow visitors     8     (check) in at locations such as Huanghe Road and the Peace Hotel, pass through places that remind people     9     old Shanghai. This unique mixture of on-screen attractiveness and real-world exploration has created a new cultural phenomenon (现象),     10     (leave) a long-lasting mark on the city’s landscape.

Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park in Gansu is the best representative of China’s colorful Danxia landform. With a wide     1     (various) of landforms, this enormous park covers     2     area of 510 square kilometres.     3     (extend) along the northern part of Qilian Mountain in west China, it was said to be part of The Great Silk Road. At one time, Marco Polo arrived in China through this area.     4     (former) a provincial park and scenic area, it     5     (become) a national geopark in November 2011.

The site is characterized by amazing landforms, including     6     (drama) natural towers, deep valleys and impressive waterfalls. These landscapes have helped to conserve broad-leaved evergreen forests, and host many flowers and plants, about 400 of     7     are considered to be rare or     8     (threaten).

The most representative spots in the park such as the Seven-color Screen and the Colorful Sunset look like a rainbow hanging in the distance. However, scenes are totally different on the edge of the hills. The colors there turn into yellow and grey like shells in the sun. Scenes are even more breathtaking     9     sunrise and sunset when lights and shadows     10     (cast) on the hills paint this region with unique beauty.

Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang province, welcomed nearly 3.05 million visitors,     1     (gain) 5.91 billion yuan of tourism income during the three-day New Year holiday.

The trend was then enlarged on social media where influencers (网红) highlighted that many “southerners”, who     2     (refer) to as “little potatoes from the south”, flooded into the city’s ski resorts and bathhouses. The phrase is associated with the     3     (remarkable) distinctive light-colored jackets and lovely hats that tourists from southern China typically wear when traveling to the north, as well as their relatively     4     (short) figure compared with local’s. Though     5     (criticize) online for being stereotypes, locals clarified that it reflected a genuine sense of goodwill and friendship.

Apart     6     the iconic Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, tourist spots introduced varieties of new attractions, such as hot balloon rides and bonfire parties. On Central Street,     7     struck the tourists most was the organized parades featuring the Oroqen (鄂伦春族),     8     ethnic minority from the region.

To facilitate the     9     (consume) of Harbin’s popular frozen pears, the city has even introduced frozen pear platters (摆盘), making it more convenient for tourists to taste the delicacy.

“You can get the incomparable snow experience and service in Harbin,     10     the temperatures can drop to -35℃,” a tourist said.

China’s newest online sensation is a pink fox called LinaBell from Shanghai Disneyland. After     1     (make) her debut (初次登台) on September 29, the life-size figure has taken the Chinese social media. Unlike other Disney     2     (character), LinaBell has never been on the big or small screen. All we know is that she met Duffy, Mickey Mouse’s teddy bear gifted to him by his sweetheart Minnie, in the forest and     3     (help) him find his way home, according to Disney’s introduction video of the character. Since her first debut, the fluffy (毛茸茸的) character     4     (win) the hearts of many visitors that were attracted by her unique personality and     5     (adore) appearance.

Footage of meet-and-greets with the pink fox are all over the Internet and LinaBell can be seen communicating     6     every visitor through expressive body language. She corrects those visitors     7     mispronounce her name, shows love for those queuing up for hours to meet her and hands out free candy.

Visitors to Shanghai Disneyland were the first people     8     (meet) LinaBell as she made her global debut from the Chinese city. As a “     9     (local) born” character, LinaBell can understand different Chinese dialects beyond that of Shanghai, and can interact with visitors from different parts of China.

Disney’s localization efforts, including the company’s IP products have resulted in its popularity in China. Shanghai Disneyland has been     10     considerable financial success compared to Paris and Hong Kong.

The Maritime Silk Road Museum of Guangdong (MSRMG) in Yangjiang, South China’s Guangdong Province, is China’s first museum to focus     1     underwater archaeology (考古学). The museum has become the home of the ancient ship, now known as the Nanhai I, and continues to tell the story of the Maritime Silk Road     2     began 800 years ago.

“Unlike many other Chinese museums that contain     3    (various) of relics, the MSRMG is dedicated to Nanhai I culture,” museum expert Li Yiyang said.

Ye Daoyang, the deputy director of MSRMG’s Underwater Archaeology and Technology Department, said that the Nanhai I will     4    (eventual) become closer and closer to people. During the excavation of the sunken ship, visitors have been able to witness the slow reveal of the ship, once     5    (reveal) only 1 meter of the hull (船体). Most importantly, the museum is     6     archaeological site that keeps people close to first-hand discoveries.

Apart from the ship itself, the museum is home to many china     7    (object). A wooden shi ding is another item unique to the museum. It was a tool     8    (use) during the Song and Yuan dynasties to measure the balance of a ship.

“The entire body of the Nanhai I     9    (display) fully to visitors soon. This is a landmark stage. Such rich underwater resources have encouraged museums like the MSRMG to improve its facilities     10    (protect) these relics while finding creative means to introduce them to the public,” Ye noted.

Usually, if you first travel to Guilin in China for the first time, you are mostly advised     1    (take) a ship to explore the wonderful Li River. By taking the ship, you can explore     2     whole river in the most relaxing way. And you needn’t worry     3     your luggage because you can take it with you all the way and avoid     4    (get) wet. Taking the ship on Li River is also the only     5    (choose) for the children less than 1.2 meters and the elderly,     6     (especial) the elders more than 70 years old, as you cannot take a bamboo raft(筏) on the Li River.

For the people     7     have already experienced the Li River cruise before, you can have a try about the bamboo rafts. You will still have an     8    (impress) and pleasing experience about Li River by taking bamboo rafts, because the rafts will also sail through the most popular Nine Horses Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal, Xingping Ancient Town, etc.

Hiking     9    (recommend) for the hiking and photography fans and also the travelers who are curious about the local lifestyle or want a unique view of Li River. When walking around the riverbank, you have     10    (much) chances to meet with local working fishermen than walking in other places of Li River.

The Shennongjia Scenic Area is divided into several parts. A must-visit site is the Shennong Peak, which    1    (belong) to the eastern range of the Daba Mountains. It is    2     (high) peak of Shennongjia, and stands 3,106. 2 meters above sea level.

Considering the high altitude of the mountain, an automobile ride    3     (require) to reach the top of the peak. While traveling up the mountain, tourists can stop at    4    29-meter-high observation tower built in 1985. It is used for fire    5    (prevent) and pest monitoring.

Almost every day of the year finds the peak hidden in a heavy layer of cloud cover, fog or mist, making it difficult for people    6     (get) a clear glimpse of its landscape. Only in summer and autumn,     7     the sky is clear and the fog has disappeared, can visitors look down from the top of the peak and see the rolling green hills, and trees of various kinds coming up from the ground.

For tourists    8    (plan) to reach the top of the peak, they must climb a line of stairs. The stone stairs    9     lead to the top of the Shennong Peak are paved with 2,999 marble steps. After one and a half hours, visitors will reach the top. The landscape on the top is different from the dense forests on the hillside and    10     the foot of the mountain.

The Forbidden City is also known as the Palace Museum. It lies in the city center of Beijing and     1     (be) once the Chinese imperial palace (皇宫) of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 -1911) . Listed as a World Heritage Site in 1987, the Forbidden City is one of the largest, best-protected ancient     2     (palace) in the world.

    3     (build) between 1406 and 1420, the Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors and their families and acted as the     4     (politics) center of ancient Chinese government throughout 500 years.     5     the Last Emperor of China left the palace, it later became a museum open to the public in 1925. Since then, the Forbidden City is no longer ‘forbidden’.

Rectangular (长方形的) in shape, the Forbidden City is     6     (terrible) large, covering an area of 72 hectares, and made up of more than 9, 000 rooms. It     7     (divide) into two parts - the Inner Court as living quarters in the north and the Outer Court     8     national affairs in the south. It is not only a great architectural masterpiece, but also a storehouse     9     (house) a unique collection of 1.8 million pieces of art. As    10     must-see in Beijing and the world’s most visited museum, it is worth spending half to one day to visit the Forbidden City and appreciate the precious cultural heritage of China.