1 . I live in Xizhou in Yunnan Province, on the historic Tea Horse Road. I have to admit that when I first heard that Paul Salopek was going to walk the entire globe on his own two feet, I was blown away. I couldn’t imagine that there could be such an unusual person in the world.

Last May, I met Paul. He told me that it was his first time in China. He talked to me with great excitement about the history, migrations, and discoveries in my region of China. He spoke of the Shu-Yandu Dao (the Southern Silk Road), the travels of the 17th-century Chinese explorer Xu Xiake, the Tea Horse Road and the early 20th-century American botanist Joseph Rock. He also talked of Xuanzang. Paul considered many of them heroes and in a sense Chinese pioneers of slow journalism.

I decided to accompany Paul on his walk toward Yunnan. On September 28, 2021, we set out. Our days were simple: walk, eat, sleep, and repeat. We woke up at sunrise, set off in high spirits, and rested at sunset, dragging ourselves into exhausted sleep.

We met many people on the road. Some were curious, surrounding us and watching us; some gave us directions; some invited us into their home to take a rest; some spoke of the charm of their hometown. We met many beautiful souls, simple souls and warm souls. We were walking with our minds.

Together, we were impressed by the biodiversity of the Gaoligong Mountains. As I walked on ancient paths through mountains, I seemed to hear the antique voices of past travelers urging me to be careful on the road.

Looking back on the more than 200 miles I walked with Paul, I came to a realization. Walking for its own sake, while healthy and admirable, is only a small part of the benefit of moving with our feet. A deeper reward is rediscovering the world around us, shortening the distance between each other, and sharing each other’s cultures.

On our way to the house, it was raining     1     hard that we couldn’t help     2     (wonder) how long it would take     3     (get) there. It was in the middle of Pearl City.

We were first greeted with the barking by a pack of dogs, seven to be exact. They were well trained by their masters     4     had great experience with caring for these animals. Our hosts shared many of their experiences and     5     (recommend) wonderful places to eat, shop, and visit. For breakfast, we were able to eat papaya (木瓜) and other fruits from their trees in the backyard.

When they were free from work, they invited us to local events and let us know of an interesting competition to watch, together with the story behind it. They also shared     6     us many     7     (tradition) stories about Hawaii that were     8     (great) popular with tourists. On the last day of our week-long stay, we     9     (invite) to attend a private concert on a beautiful farm on the North Shore under the stars,     10     (listen) to musicians and meeting interesting locals.

5 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式，并将答案转写到答题卡上。

“Traveling to China seems like traveling to another world. Its many famous scenic attractions impressed me     1     (great),”an American said. The following is     2     he wrote on his website.

My friends and I had a family visit in Xi’an,     3     old city with a long history in China. The hosts were retired or stayed at home without a job, and they were friendly to     4     (visit) from different countries coming their homes.

We     5     (taste) the true home-cooked dishes in the home of the family that we visited. For in-homing dinner, the host would prepare a list of menus in advance (提前). Our tour guide asked     6     (we) for advice about the food, so the host would try to cook what we wanted     7     (eat) at his home. We just enjoyed the locally cooked dishes. It was quite a different and exciting experience.

Many foreigners enjoy     8     (learn) how to make Chinese dumplings. We were also     9     (offer) a general cooking class in the local family. The host taught us to make dumplings step by step with lots of patience. And we didn’t need to pay any money     10     this. Travel China Guide offers this kind of service free of charge.

The family visit in Xi’an was a good chance for us to get to know Chinese people’s daily life.

6 . Sunflower season is right around the corner. Here are several most beautiful golden fields near London.

Garsons Farm

At Garsons Farm you will find three separate sunflower fields across its 155 acres. You’ll need to purchase a crop farm pass (£4 for adults, £1 for kids) in advance and pay 99 pence per flower. This farm is also home to over 75 varieties of fruits, vegetables and plants that can be picked during your visit, but be sure to check crop availability on its website beforehand.

Hitchin Lavender Farm

This spot is most famous for its purple crops of lavender (熏衣草), but it is also home to dozens of sunflowers! You will be charged £6 for your entry to the farm, and 50 pence per stem. And for £50 you can hire a personal photographer and have your very own photos with the plants.

Cotswold Farm Park

Cotswold Farm Park was founded to help protect rare species of farm animals in 1971. You will not only find flowering sunflowers but plenty of furry four-legged friends, too. The park also contains several photo stations throughout the field. Tickets must be booked in advance and cost £7 per adult.

Broomfield Farm

This fruit farm is open every Saturday and Sunday for those who want to see sunflowers on their weekends! It produces all kinds of fruits, vegetables and flowers that you can purchase in their farm shop or pick yourself during your visit. You are allowed to bring a picnic with you and the £4 entry is taken off your “pay and weigh” bill at the end.

7 . At 12, my father decided to take me on a trip to France. I had never been out of the country before, so I was very excited. My aunt, my father and I went around with my father showing us all the unbelievable sites in Paris. None of us spoke much French but we loved the city.

We had taken the subway all over the city and were congratulating ourselves on our mastering what is honestly an excellent subway design that is pretty easy to follow. We decided to visit Versailles by train. We chatted happily along the way until my father realized we were far into the French countryside and no one around spoke English.

We reached the end of the line and felt afraid when everyone finally left the train. An old man and his grandchild noticed us and came to help. He spoke no English, so in broken French we tried to explain. When he finally understood, this great man settled his grandson and showed us to the correct train and then boarded with us.   

Later we knew the truth that there was a train transfer (转乘) and he didn’t want us to miss it. This kind man rode a train for an hour and a half out of his way to make sure that three Americans got where they wanted to be. He refused to let us pay for his ticket. He did it all with a gentle smile and patted our hands gently at the stop. Then in his quiet way, he boarded the train to return the way he had come.

What impressed me most was the man and his kindness during the amazing trip. Some Americans think the French are rude for some reason, but I always try to persuade them to change their minds with this very story.

10 . Famous modern Chinese buildings

Beijing International Airport

The first place most visitors see when they arrive in China is Beijing International Airport. The airport was built in the 1950s. It has an indoor garden, a children’s playground, and over 70 food businesses in Terminal 3 alone.

Shanghai World Financial Center

Completed in 2008, SWFC took over 10 years to complete as a result of financial shortages and construction (建造) delays. Since its completion, it has won countless architectural (建筑) awards

Tourists are welcome at SWFC’S viewing platform, which at 474 meters above ground is the world’s highest closed viewing platform.

The Water Cube

Completed in 2008, it was constructed for use during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. Now visitors can express surprise at the architecture of the building. They can enjoy the indoor atmosphere as well.

Among the offerings of the Water Cube are a restaurant and bar, a shopping area, and Water World, a family water park.

The Bird’s Nest, Beijing

It was designed mainly for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics which was completed in 2008. It can hold up to 80, 000 people and has been used for a winter theme park. Nowadays, its main income is as a tourist attraction. It draws more than 20, 000 tourists every day.

National Center for the Performing Arts

It was completed in 2007. The building is surrounded by a man-made lake, requiring guests to enter via (通过) an underground hallway. It is home to an Opera House, a Concert Hall, and a Theater.