Needs some Views recipes for list and exposed filters

Drupal 7 / 8: I have two Queries. I have been using Drupal since initail days of version 6. But still I find it difficult to manage a few simple things.
Query 1 : I have set of posts (with image) in Content type Article. Now how to create a views in Drupal 7 so that it shows - a list of tiltles along with image of only top article, i.e to say -- like this"
Image from Article 1
Title of Article 1
Title of Article 2
Title of Article 3
Title of Article 4 .. etc.
How to do it in views?

Query 2: My another query is about Hierarchically exposed filter in views. I have contents like nodes about different countries, nodes about different states of these different countries and nodes about cities or countries of these states.

Now suppose a viewer Seelcts from top - United State out of different countries and presses submit - it will take him to United State page

If a viewer selects United States, in the next block it will open dropdown list of different states. Now suppose a viewer selects California and then submits - then he will be taken to California page.

Again, suppose a viewer selects california - it will again open a third dropdown list of Cities/counties in California. Suppose a viewer selects Los Angeles city - then he will be taken to Los Angeles city page.

What is the best way to do it. I tinkered with many modules, including hierarchical select, SHS, client side shs, taxonomy tree, taxonomy lineage.. But somehow I could never succeed.

I have always found great drupal community very patient and helpful. I will be extremely grateful if a Drupal expert shows me some light and suggests ways to do it.