Palaces are known for their beauty and splendor, but they offer little protection against attacks. It is easy to defend a fortress, but fortresses are not designed with the comfort of a king or queen in mind. When it comes to structures that are both     1     and well-fortified, the classic European castle is the pinnacle of design. Across the ages castles changed, developed, and eventually fell out of use, but they still command the     2     of our culture.

Castles were     3     built in England by Norman invaders in 1066. As William the Conqueror     4     through England, he fortified key positions to secure the land he had taken. The castles he built allowed the Norman lords to retreat to safety when threatened by English     5    . Castles also served as bases of operation for offensive attacks. Troops were summoned to, organized around, and deployed from castles. In this way castles served both     6     and defensive roles in military operations.

Not limited to military purposes, castles also served as offices from which the lord would administer control over his fiefdom. That is to say, the lord of the land would hold court in his castle. Those that were socially beneath the lord would come to report the affairs of the lands that they     7     and pay tribute to the lord. They would     8     disputes, handle business, feast, and enjoy festivities. In this way castles served as important social centers in medieval England. Castles also served as symbols of power. Built on prominent sites     9     the surrounding areas, castles constantly loomed in the background of many peasants’ lives and served as a daily     10     of the lord’s strength.

4 . As Ginni Bazlinton reached Antarctica, she found herself greeted by a group of little Gentoo penguins (企鹅) longing to say hello. These gentle, lovely gatekeepers welcomed her and kick-started what was to be a trip Ginni would never forget.

Ever since her childhood, Ginni, now 71, has had a deep love for travel. Throughout her career (职业) as a professional dancer, she toured in the UK, but always longed to explore further. When she retired from dancing and her sons eventually flew the nest, she decided it was time to take the plunge.

After taking a degree at Chichester University in Related Arts, Ginni began to travel the world, eventually getting work teaching English in Japan and Chile. And it was in Chile she discovered she could get last-minute cheap deals on ships going to Antarctica from the islands off Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost tip of the South American mainland. “I just decided I wanted to go,” she says. “I had no idea about what I’d find there and I wasn’t nervous, I just wanted to do it. And I wanted to do it alone as I always prefer it that way.”

In March 2008, Ginni boarded a ship with 48 passengers she’d never met before, to begin the journey towards Antarctica. “From seeing the wildlife to witnessing sunrises, the whole experience was amazing. Antarctica left an impression on me that no other place has,” Ginni says. “I remember the first time I saw a humpback whale; it just rose out of the water like some prehistoric creature and I thought it was smiling at us. You could still hear the operatic sounds it was making underwater.”

The realization that this is a precious land, to be respected by humans, was one of the biggest things that hit home to Ginni.

5 . About 20 minutes away from River Campus, one might ______ sounds of magical flights at the mysterious Mushroom House of Powder Mills Park. The private houses, seen as the landmark of Town of Perinton, show off extraordinary architectural ______ with tree-like doors and wooden sculptured, treasure-filled mosaics, and naturalistic components in both in-side and ______ .

This odd artistic ______ has gained the Mushroom House its own official website and widespread media coverage. Since the house's ______ , it has actively been covered by many media. Much like Disney's Pixie Hollow, the Mushroom House appears to be a collection of “found” parts. The ______ starts from the underground garage to the tunnel, a reminder of the University's tunnel system, appearing the outer of the Mushroom House.

The ______ tops and inner branches of the Mushroom House are in good condition, ______ to aha old mushrooms found in a backyard. But the different types of glass, with their unique shapes and materials, used to build walls of the Great Room and the master bathroom lend the inside a colorful personality. Though ______ the curved (曲线) of the ceilings in all four mushrooms create acoustics (音响效果) that its website ______ that of Carnegie Hall in New York City. ______ builders Peter Strong and William Ash ton, the four 80- ton Mush-room House were built from models on the ground. The outside Mushroom House was then ______ with works of art, including fashionable lighting and handmade bricks, hobbit-like doors, tree and ______ sculptured, sand-molded walls and ceilings, custom wood furniture, and iron failings.

These works of art were all designed and ______ by local artists. Though this seems like a dream, it ______ a sweet past.

9 . Celebrating Czech traditions

Have you ever witnessed the 300-year anniversary of a village? To me, it is so amazing that this village, named Bysicky, which is located in Bohemia in the Czech Republic, has sustained blizzards and wars for all this time, but has still kept its special charm.

Unlike transportation you’d find in Prague such as the metro or tram, the most common way to get around in the countryside is by bike, as it’s a lot more convenient. So on Saturday morning. I departed from home on a bike ride with my host family. After an 8-kilometer journey, we finally arrived at the village.

There was a road that led straight into the center of the village. Many stalls selling pizza, beer and ice cream were by the roadside. You could hear guitar music coming from the other side of the road, where an outdoor stage stood on large area of meadow.

When the performance from the guitarists finished, group of children wearing traditional costumes came on stage. As the crowd applauded loudly, the children were divided into three groups. A group of older kids playing different musical instruments stood on the left side, a group performing typical Czech dances was on the right, and a choir sang beautifully in the center.

Many of those present were relatives of the children, and we were there because my sister was a member of the dancing group. On the edge of the grassland, there were girls riding horses.

The end of the road led to a circled space, where the city hall stood in the middle, surrounded by a circle of colorful cottages. In front of the houses there were also many markets and a radio station reporting on the event.

So this is what a typical village celebration looks like, with markets food and performances from traditional Czech culture, which was quite different from festivals in big cities. Czech people value their history, so there will always be parties to celebrate a place’s existence or an important person from history. There are no high buildings in these villages, but people still like to go there to spend their weekends because of the peaceful environment. I guess that is what life really means.

The best experiences can’t be planned, so I recently traveled to San Francisco some meetings and found myself with a half day to kill. My options: The 49ers’first game of the season, against the Green Bay Packers. The America’s Cup sailing     1     . Or I could get lost.

After a horrendously long line at the car rental center, I was free. So I disappear into the fog and clouds covering the Pacific Coast Highway and     2     south with absolutely no     3     in mind.

I drove through     4     carved out of the mountains and stopped at a few state beaches; at one, I watched a wedding out on the cliffs among the crashing waves.

Back in the car, I drove toward San Gregorio, a town that you can     5     miss. I know because I drove right through it and ended up on a pine tree-bordered ribbon of asphalt that felt like it would go on forever. A few people     6     around outside the San Gregorio General Store, smoking cigarettes and talking about the motorcycles they’ve owned over the years, Inside, I found a bar with regular patrons, a guitar duo, and, of course, a full-on store. I ordered a Pacifico, grabbed a seat, and watched the guitarists jam out. Then I congratulated them, threw a couple of     7     dollars in their bucket, and walked back out into the world.

The day could have been so different: crammed into a stadium or bar half-watching sports. But this was much more     8     .Hours prior, I was on a flight with the masses, going through the motions. Then I was out on my own, having an unexpected and unrepeatable experience. I learned something on September 8: Don’t be afraid to get lost—on purpose or     9     —and have zero     10    . It will be good for you. I promise.