Here are the suggested words or phrases to fill in the blanks:

1. **picturesque**
2. **hospitable**
3. **supportive**
4. **surrounded**
5. **peaceful**
6. **vast**
7. **well-trained**
8. **crowded**

So the completed text would read:

- "______ areas of agricultural land have become buildings now."
- "The villagers were very ______ towards anyone who passed through."
- "There is a special need for ______ teachers in today’s education."
- "This place used to be a pretty town with a ______ harbor and well-preserved buildings."
- "Sometimes our family escapes the noise of city life to enjoy the ______ atmosphere in the countryside."
- "We grew up in the countryside, ______ by the beauties of nature."
- "Children with ______ parents often do better at school than those without."
- "You can relax in the countryside because it’s so peaceful and not as ______ as the city."