On March 31, the Eiffel Tower, one of the world’s most visited and recognizable places of interest, celebrated the 130- year anniversary (周年纪念日) of its opening.

It was only supposed to exist for 20     1     (year). Maybe Parisians decided it was     2       (easy) to just leave it in place than pull it down. It looks like they made the right choice. More than 250 million people     3     (pay) a visit to the tower so far, according to     4     (it) official website.

Designed by French Gustav Eiffel, the tower was meant     5     (serve) as the entrance to the 1889 World Fair in the     6     (begin). It took just over two years to build it. Although it is popular now, not all French people liked     7     tower when it opened. However, the visitors to the 1889 World Fair found it     8     (entertain) to visit the Eiffel Tower. Two million people visited it during the fair. It then became useful as a radio antenna (天线) during the First World War.

Tourists have a choice when they climb the tower. They can either walk 1, 665 steps to the top     9     use one of the elevator cars from 1899. Once tourists reach the top,     10     the Eiffel’s office is, they can have a drink in the tower’s top-floor champagne bar. Today, the tower stands as a symbol of France.