Mount Tai, a typical representative of the Chinese famous mountains, is a mountain with     1    long history and a special historic status. In 1982, Mount Tai was designated as the National Park of China and it     2    (list) formally in the directory of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage in 1987. It becomes a precious heritage of human beings.

Mount Tai,     3    (locate) in the east of North China Plain and the middle of Shandong Province, is known to the world for its splendid scenery. Standing out among the Shandong Hills, it is of     4    (significant) around other hills. The south of Mount Tai is     5    (high)than the north. In Mount Tai, the transportation is convenient with the Jinghu railway     6     (pass) by in the west. The distance     7     Mount Tai and Qufu City is 83.1 kilometers. Many roads and railways meet in Tai’an City,     8     just lies in the south of Mount Tai.

As a mountainous     9     (scene) spot, Mount Tai has a high value in terms of aesthetics( 美学) and science, especially the aesthetic value, which     10    (be) the foundation for Mount Tai to become a famous mountain in the history and an unparalleled heritage today.

One day I was wandering in the street when I     1     (attract) by the advertisement about the Antarctic expedition on Endurance. I had been dreaming of an expedition to the South Pole so I applied     2     a position. However, I was refused due to my age and lack of experience.

So enthusiastic was I about going along with Endurance     3     I secretly went aboard the ship with the help of my friend Bakewell. Hiding in a cupboard     4     I lived on the food he brought me, I started my expedition on Endurance. Unfortunately, I was discovered     5     (immediate) after we set off. Shackleton, the captain of the ship Endurance, was unhappy but he had no choice but     6     (offer) me a position of steward after he promised “If anyone has to be eaten, you will be the first.”     7     (assign) to be a steward, I then served three meals for the staff.

Unexpectedly, Endurance sank when     8     (approach) Antarctic. Before we abandoned the ship, Shackleton calmly asked us to rescue the most essential     9     (supply) instead of our     10    (person) belongings. We managed to survive by staying on the ice.

Despite its rapid industrialization, there are still some corners in China that have maintained its original color.

Ancient towns and villages in China are places     1     traditions are well preserved in terms of architecture, lifestyle and folk customs. All of these can be found in Huangyao Ancient Town, one of the most-visited tourist     2    (spot) in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

    3    (cover) an area of 3.6 square kilometers, Huangyao has a history of nearly 1,000 years     4     its origins dating back to the Song Dynasty. People     5    (carry) on traditional festivals and customs here for hundreds of years up to now. During Chinese Lunar New Year, over 20 traditional performances     6    (hold), including the dragon dance and suona horn show. On July 14 in the Chinese lunar calendar, residents often come to the riverbank and put lanterns into the river     7    (celebrate) Zhongyuan Jie, the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Black soybean is often added to its local food to create an     8    (extreme) distinctive flavor. When you visit, Huangyao tofu is     9     must-try local dish as it is sold only in this town.

It usually takes a day or two to tour around the old town due to its small size, but you can always stay     10    (long) to experience more of its local hospitality and culture.

In Sarek National Park above the Arctic Circle, I wake up with the wind       1     (buffet) the cloth of my tent. It is 7:30 in the morning, and I walk over to     2     edge of the mountain, watching Rapa River flowing through the valley below.

Sarek's mountains, which used to be covered by vast     3     (sheet) of ice, are home to reindeer and the Sami. The Sami lived off reindeer for hundreds of years, so they would follow their reindeer     4     the move into valleys, living in their old tents and enjoying their traditions. Today, most Sami live a modern life in villages near Sarek,     5     (mere) leaving their traditions in the mountain valleys instead.

In order to keep the land in its     6     (nature) state, Sarek was made a national park in 1909,     7     no one else can live except the Sami. Within park boundaries, all new development     8     (ban). It is hoped that the Sarek National Park will always remain as it is, natural and beautiful.

After breakfast, I set out again     9     (explore) this unique territory. Being in such a beautiful and wild place which is almost unknown to the outside makes me feel so     10     (bless) to be alive.

For centuries, Tibet has not been explored as much due to its remote    1    (locate), extreme climate and geographic environment. Since 2006, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway    2    (become) the most popular way to connect Tibet to the rest of China.    3    (know) as the “sky road” and a man-made wonder in transportation, the railway begins in Xining and ends in Lhasa. The scenery along the railway offers not only a feast for the eyes, but also    4    journey for the soul.

Qinghai Lake is the    5    (large) inland lake in China. Be it the blue sky and water, the green grassland or breathtaking landscapes-Qinghai Lake has great charms that are worth exploring. It is    6    (definite) a perfect place for bird lovers as many different kinds of birds fly here in May and June due to the mild weather.

The high peaks of the Kunlun Mountains are covered with snow and mist all year round,    7    (create) an amazing view. The geographic and severe climatic conditions have made this place a “forbidden zone for humans”, which is also a reason    8     its biodiversity.

Lhasa offers almost every aspect of Tibetan culture. If one must pick a name card for Lhasa, the Potala Palace is very likely     9    (be) the answer. No one can really say that he has visited Lhasa     10    he has been to the Potala Palace.

The 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (RAMSAR COP14) took place in Wuhan, Hubei Province in November. It was the first time that China    1    (host) this international event.    2    (know) as the kidneys (肾脏)of the Earth, wetlands are among the world’s three major ecosystems together with forests and oceans. China’s wetlands arc vast. diverse and widely distributed (分布),    3    (range) from the cold temperate zone to the hot zone. In recent years. China has been strengthening the protection and restoration of wetlands.    4    is remarkable is that more than 600 wetland nature reserves and 1.600 wetland parks have been established. China’s first law on    5    (specific) protecting wetlands took effect on June 1 this year.

Wuhan, the host city of RAMSAR COP 14. has 162,400 hectares (公顷) of wetlands, accounting    6    18. 9 per cent of its total area. In June,Wuhan    7    (award) Wetland City Accreditation by the Ramsar Convention,    8    international honor for the protection of urban wetland ecology.

Nature provides the basic conditions for human    9    (survive) and development. With a comprehensive approach to the conservation of ecosystems in place. China aims to boost their biodiversity, stability and sustainability. Wetland conservation is a crucial part of the country’s efforts to achieve    10    (it) green development goals.

Sarek National Park is a hidden natural treasure.     1     (locate) in the extreme north of Sweden, the park is described as Europe’s last wilderness. No other place in Sweden offers such awe-inspiring views     2     this wild and untouched land.

The most noted features of the park are its peaks. Several of     3     are over 2,000 meters, among which stands the second     4     (high) in Sweden, Mount Sarek. Equally splendid are its approximately 100 glaciers and broad     5     (valley) cut by fast-flowing rivers. In this undisturbed landscape, eagles fly overhead as wild animals move below. Experiencing this will be     6     (true) a memory.

Sarek holds a special importance in the world, due to not only its natural beauty, but its cultural significance for the Sami. They have lived here since centuries ago. Originally, Samis     7     (live) off reindeer, gradually forming their unique culture. Today, Sami culture is meeting the modern world in a new way. Samis are allowed     8     (continue) their traditional life in the park, so some choose to live in traditional settlement areas. They raise reindeer with modern     9     (equip), attracting a lot of visitors.

Those     10     like to look for a change and a challenge are sure to enjoy the pleasure of exploring the wild and experience original life of the Sami-people as well.

In the village of Liuke in South China’s Hainan province, houses     1    (build) with dark bricks and red windows stand quietly among tall, green coconut trees. The village’s name     2    (suggest) hospitality(好客) as its English translation is “guests stay”.

Liuke is one of the ancient villages     3    (sit) on the plains in the lower reaches of the Wanquan River in Hainan. There is a classic Chinese folk song,     4     sings in praise of the clear water of the river. Different from the rapid water currents and mountainous landscape upstream, the lower reaches of the river flows     5     (smooth).

For hundreds of years,     6    (local) built villages and townships amid rainforests along the river. Liuke village is one of them. In recent years, in answer     7     the country’s rural revitalization drive(乡村振兴运动), authorities     8    (make) efforts to attract tourists to the village with sightseeing and entertainment programs. For instance, villagers and tourists can admire the beauty of the Wanquan River along a 1.2-km-long “landscape belt”.

To attract young people, village authorities have developed programs such as riverside camping and kayaking. “The     9    (transform) of the village not only attracted tourists,     10     helped retain(留住) villagers,” says local official Wang Kelu, adding that they can earn a salary by working in the village.

African savanna elephants are the largest species of elephant and the biggest animal on land. They are easily recognized by their very large ears which allow them    1    (give) off heat—and front legs which are noticeably longer than the back legs.

African savanna elephants are found in 23 countries and live in a variety of habitats    2    open and wooded grasslands to even some deserts and forests. The largest populations    3    (be) in Southern and Eastern African countries.

African savanna elephants always can be seen within the open areas where they live, so they are well studied    4    their populations are easily estimated (估算). Each family unit is    5    (usual) made up of around 10 females and their    6    (baby). Several family units often join together to form a group in    7    there are up to several hundred members    8    (lead) by a female elephant. Due to their habitat, savanna elephants are often found eating grass in a field, but they also Cat a wide variety of plants and fruits. The situation changes    9    (depend) on the time of year; during the    10    (rain) season the elephant will feed more on grass than during the dry season.

The history of hutongs can date back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271 — 1368), when the term “hutong”,     1     (initial) meaning “water wells”, first appeared in its capital, now known as Beijing. The Yuan nobles and high-ranking army officials     2     (award) lands as their estates in the city. They built houses and courtyards, now called “Siheyuan”, which were arranged in     3     orderly way around the wells.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368 —1644), the center of Beijing was the Forbidden City, with the Inner City and Outer City     4     (surround) it. Upper class citizens were permitted to live closer     5     the center. Nobles lived to the east and west of the palace. The hutongs formed by their houses were lined by spacious homes and gardens. Farther from the palace and to its north and south     6     (be) the commoners. Their Siheyuans were far smaller in size and simpler in    7    (decorate), and the hutongs were narrower.

Nowadays, if you visit Beijing, Nanluoguxiang is a must-see. The 786-meter long south-north hutong is lined with bars, hotels and stores. There are also 8 hutongs —    8     (hide) on the east and west sides of the main lane of Nanluoguxiang as well as former residences     9     celebrities once lived.

Hutongs are the home of the Beijing    10     (local), who have a deep affection for them.