3 . There is no better way for a foreigner to understand China and its people than firsthand experience.     1    

The experience of traveling around China has paid off handsomely, both in aspects of personal enrichment and in my ability to do my job well as an editor. When news articles mention places in China, I can often visualize(视觉化) them.

There was an article, for example, about the people of Guoliang village, built on the top of a remote cliff(悬崖) in Henan province.     2     They used hand tools to dig an amazing tunnel through hard rock to achieve that goal.

I have seen that tunnel and, having done so, acquired a vivid understanding of that incredible task. But what has stuck with me above all other memories of China was an experience at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven.

It was a pleasant summer evening, just at sunset. My wife and I were walking through the gate of the temple park to enjoy the dusky calm. Suddenly, I heard what sounded like distant voices raised in song.     3     The sound grew louder as I approached until I finally came to the source—a group of maybe 30 ordinary people gathered in a loose circle, singing joyfully.

    4     But I could follow the melody(旋律) and harmony, taking advantage of a small amount of vocal training and practice from my distant past. And so I joined in, adding my voice to help send the sound to heaven.

The Chinese people standing nearby offered smiles of welcome. It was a moment of unity. The politicians might call it a people-to-people exchange. For me, the group represented a feeling of love, like a family.

It was over all too soon, and everybody left.     5     I couldn’t help but wonder. If whole nations could sing together, wouldn’t the world be a better place?

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the specific definition of a zero energy building is an energy-efficient building     1    , on a source energy basis, the actual annual delivered energy is less than or equal     2     the on-site renewable exported energy. It harvests solar energy using panels installed on the roof. When there is     3    (sufficient) solar energy, the building will draw energy from the power grid. Over the course of the year,     4    amount of energy taken from the grid will be zero, achieving net-zero energy consumption.

Net-Zero Energy (NZE) buildings are a response to rapidly     5       (rise) energy prices and urgency to take action regarding climate change. Currently, the development of several technologies critical to the support of NZE buildings     6    (advance) rapidly, namely PV panel efficiency, appliance efficiency and increased lighting efficiency. The NZE concept can be applied not only to individual buildings but also to groups of buildings     7    (serve) by a renewable energy system.

One     8    (limit) of the NZE concept is that, at present energy consumption levels, it is very difficult to apply to single story buildings and virtually impossible to a multi-story building, unless wide site area is available for PV systems.

    9    there are difficulties in implementation, it appears that NZE marks a major shift in high-performance green buildings, which combines extreme energy conservation and efficiency with renewable energy systems     10    (produce) buildings that are energy self-sufficient.

Guilin is considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world with its blue rivers, and rolling mountains. It has a rich ethnic tradition that     1     (attract) millions of local and foreign tourists every year and has served as the     2     (culture) center of the region since over 1,000 years ago.

Guilin was at the top of my must-see list last October. I took a boat down the Lijiang River to Yangshuo. I spent roughly four hours on the boat     3     (wind) down the river. The river is so famous for its     4     (beautiful) that it’s even printed on the 20-yuan note. As I watched a water buffalo cool off in the water and fishermen float past on their bamboo rafts, I suddenly felt very far     5     (remove) from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai.

Though every place I visited was beautiful, none was more picturesque     6     Yangshuo. It’s a paradise (天堂) for anyone     7     loves nature and the great outdoors. The mountains were the main reason why I’d traveled to Guilin, so I wanted to make sure I was outside exploring as much as possible and the best way to take it all in was     8     bike.

It was difficult to avoid crowds in Guilin during the October holiday. However, I found once I headed off the beaten track, I     9     (surround) by a sense of peace and calm set against one of     10     (nature) most amazing background.

10 . More people get off the beaten track for relaxing break

Going against the tide of flocking to well-known yet generally jam-packed tourist destinations on vacation, a growing number of holidaymakers in China tend to spend their leisure time at lesser-known resorts to seek unique, relaxed holiday experiences.     1    

    2     That is what Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy said. He said popular tourist spots are always packed and often raise their prices during holidays. As people become more mature travelers, they are increasingly reluctant to follow the herd.     3     And it is a good way to vacation. According to data from online travel agencies, the number of rooms booked at hotels in less-traveled cities during the holiday was up 30 percent year-on-year. In addition, lesser-known attractions are not as “commercial” and “standardized” as developed ones and are able to offer more authentic experiences and natural encounters, according to social media posts.     4    

COVID-19 is another key factor fueling reverse tourism. As precautionary measures continue, traveling has an unpredictable quality. Travelers have no way of knowing what lies ahead before departure, be it a perfect holiday or one interrupted by a sudden outbreak.     5    

The rise of reverse tourism is not a bad thing. It means that vacationers now have more options, which brings more possibilities to the tourism market.