Yangshuo, China

                It was raining lightly when I{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(arrive) in Yangshuo just before dawn. But I didn't care. A few hours{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, I'd been at home in Hong Kong, with {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (it) choking smog. Here, the air was clean and fresh, even with the rain.

              I'd skipped nearby Guilin, a dream place for tourists seeking the limestone mountain tops and dark waters of the Li River{#blank#}4{#/blank#}are pictured by artists in so many Chinese{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (painting). Instead, I'd headed straight for Yangshuo. For those who fly to Guilin, it's only an hour away{#blank#}6{#/blank#}car and offers all the scenery of the better-known city.

             Yangshuo{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (be) really beautiful. A study of travelers {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (conduct) by the website TripAdvisor names Yangshuo as one of the top 10 destinations in the world. And the town is fast becoming a popular weekend destination for people in Asia. Abercrombie & Kent, a travel company in Hong Kong, says it{#blank#}9{#/blank#}  (regular) arranges quick getaways here for people {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (live) in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

    Johnny Carson began his work in television {#blank#}1{#/blank#}his twenties. First he worked at local stations in Nebraska. Several years {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (late), he moved to Los Angeles, California. It was “The Tonight Show”{#blank#}3{#/blank#}made Johnny Carson famous for thirty years. He became {#blank#}4{#/blank#}most popular star of American television. He {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(call) “the king of late night.” Critics said Americans from all parts of the country liked him and felt they knew him.

    He did not take his fame {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (serious). For example, when asked how he became a “star”, he answered: “I started in a gas state and I cooled.” Carson's special skill was his sense of humor. Audiences laughed at his jokes he made at the{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (begin) of his show. However, sometimes they laughed even{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(hard) at the jokes that failed. He was the most{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(power) performer (表演者) on television. Many comedians (喜剧演员) and singers became successful after{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (appear) on “The Tonight Show”.

    Dario and his mother loved their new apartment {#blank#}1{#/blank#} living room was large enough for their piano. That night, the two of them sat side by side at the piano. They played jazz music {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (celebrate) their new home. The loud music filled the room and made them feel very happy. The next morning, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, their happiness disappeared. Someone had left a note under their door during the night. One of their neighbors {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (write) to complain (抱怨) about the sound of the piano. Dario's mother asked the doorkeeper {#blank#}5{#/blank#} he knew anything about it. But he said 'no'. Later that morning, Dario suggested that they should hold a party at home and apologize {#blank#}6{#/blank#} their playing.

    They {#blank#}7{#/blank#} loved the idea. Over the next few days, they sent out {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (invite) and decorated the apartment with party lights. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (final), the day of the party arrived. The guests brought different presents. One woman even presented Dario with a book of piano music, which gave them a feeling of warmth. Dario apologized and was already looking forward to {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (practice) the new music.