Famous for its tolerance as well as its narrow houses and broad canals, Amsterdam is undergoing a change of attitude when it comes to the millions of tourists that come to see it each year. Tolerance has reached its limits in the capital of Dutch, which is now actively urging visitors to head elsewhere.
Ellen van Loon, a partner at Dutch architectural firm OMA says, “We don’t want to turn into a Venice. While tourism earns the Dutch economy around 82 billion Euros a year, the problem we are currently facing is that Amsterdam is so loved by tourists, we just have so many coming to the city.”
Netherlands tourist officials recently took the decision to stop advertising the country as a tourist destination. Their “Perspective 2030” report, published earlier this year, stated that the focus will now be on “destination management” rather than “destination promoting”. The document also describes the country’s future strategy, acknowledging that Amsterdam’s livability will be severely influenced by “visitor overload” if action isn’t taken.
Solutions listed include working to discourage groups of visitors by either limiting or completely shutting down accommodation and entertainment products aimed at them, as well as spreading visitors to other parts of the Netherlands. Some of these measures have already come into play. Last year, the famous “I Amsterdam” sign was removed from outside the Rijksmuseum, the city’s main art gallery. The two-meter high letters have been moved to various “lesser-known neighborhoods” in a bid to entice travelers to leave the center of the city.
But will the measures being put in place be enough to save it from being damaged by its own success? Like many other locals, Van Loon fears Amsterdam has lost its uniqueness forever. “The reason tourists come here is that there’s something in the character of Amsterdam they love,” she explains. “But at a certain point, when the number of tourists is increasing and increasing, they actually kill what they loved in the first place.”
1. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 indicate?| A．Venice is suffering from overtourism. |
| B．Amsterdam doesn’t necessarily copy Venice. |
| C．Venice does more poorly than Amsterdam. |
| D．Amsterdam is more popular than Venice. |
| A．To reduce its pressure of mass visitors. |
| B．To turn the focus on destination promoting. |
| C．To promote the development of other areas. |
| D．To avoid much spending on city management. |
| A．Force | B．Persuade. | C．Inform. | D．Allow. |
| A．Positive. | B．Objective. | C．Skeptical. | D．Ambiguous. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Then comes the July, and with it are examinations; but these are soon finished and with them ends the school year. Boys and girls have nearly two months holiday before them as they leave school by train and car to return home to their fathers and mothers.
The summer holidays are the best part of the year for most children. The weather is usually good, so that one can spend most of one’s time playing in the garden or, if one lives in the country, out in the woods and fields. Even if one lives in a big town, one can usually go to the park to play.
The best place for a summer holiday, however, is the seaside. Some children are lucky enough to live near the sea, but for others who do not, a week or two at one of the big seaside towns is something which they will talk about for the whole of the following year.
In England, it is not only the rich who can take their children to the seaside; if a factory worker or a bus driver, a street cleaner or a waiter wants to take his wife and children to Southend or Margate, Blackpool or Clacton, he is usually quite able to do so.
Now, why do children like so much about the seaside? I think it is the sand, sea and sun more than any other things. Of course, there are lots of new things to see, nice things to eat, and exciting things to do, but it is the feeling of sand under one’s feet, of salt water on one’s skin, and of the warm sun on one’s skin, and of the warm sun on one’s back that make the seaside what it is.
1. Summer holidays start _______.| A．with July | B．as soon as the examinations are over |
| C．in mid----June | D．in August |
| A．by train only | B．by car |
| C．by bike | D．by either train or car |
| A．nearly three months | B．more than three months |
| C．one and a half months | D．about two months |
| A．swim in the sea | B．play with the sand |
| C．take a sunbath | D．do all of the above |
【推荐2】After finishing my teaching for a school year, I thought that I should go back to Montreal, Quebec, my hometown for a visit. My main goal was to relax in preparation for the challenges of my retirement in the coming year.
Through my stay in Montreal, I met lots of Chinese who were struggling to succeed and then led a better life in Canada.
Some travelled thousands of miles to get knowledge. When I spoke with some of them about the major barrier they had to face after they arrived in Canada, they all talked about the two official languages of Canada. But I was impressed by their ability to express their ideas while they switched between English and French.
Almost all of those people said they often felt homesick. They missed their families and friends. Though Montreal had lots of Chinese restaurants, they longed for a home-cooked meal.
I met some tourists who were trying to realize their childhood dreams of experiencing the life in a developed country. When I asked them if Montreal had lived up to their expectations, they hesitated. They said that reality never agrees with fantasies. However, they were glad to have the opportunity to visit Montreal and didn’t regret taking the trip.
Not all the Chinese people I met were happy. I once met a young lady who met a gentleman through the Internet. However, to her disappointment, he disappeared after he promised to marry her in Montreal.
I was served by another Chinese person who could not handle the challenges of studying in an English environment and ended up working in a restaurant with minimum pay.
Exploring different parts of the world, without any doubt, is an amazing experience. However, one should be realistic when it comes to leaving his hometown to set up a new life in a foreign country. One should take the time to examine the advantages and the shortcomings of the venture before they decide to chase an uncertain dream of achieving success or leading a better life.
1. The writer went to his hometown to .| A．meet his old friends | B．prepare for his retirement life |
| C．go on with his teaching | D．study a new language |
| A．food | B．homesickness |
| C．income | D．language |
| A．worried | B．cautious |
| C．neutral | D．positive |
| A．Struggling for a Better Life in Canada. |
| B．Exploring Different Parts of Canada. |
| C．Improving Life Skills in Canada. |
| D．Going to Canada—Your Ideal Destination. |
【推荐3】Peru is a country on the Pacific coast of South America. It has three main geographical areas: a narrow coastal belt; the Andes Mountains running parallel to the coast; and high, flat plains in the southeast. In the high plains area is Lake Titicaca, the highest lake in the world, on which boats can travel. Peru has abundant plants from desert grasses to vast areas of jungle.
Once the centre of the powerful and extremely wealthy Inca Empire, much of South America was governed by Spain from the sixteenth century. Peru gained its independence from Spain in 1821. The capital of Peru is Lima, which is in the north on the coast. The ancient Inca capital, Cuzco, is found high in the Andes. It is a popular tourist destination as it is close to the famous Inca ruins of the city of Machu Picchu. Cuzco is a lively city where both Indian and Spanish culture and art can be seen.
1. How many geographical parts is Peru made up of?| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．It is the highest lake in the world. | B．It is the lowest lake in the world. |
| C．It is the biggest lake in the world. | D．It is the narrowest lake in the world. |
| A．In 1800. | B．In 1821. | C．In 1835. | D．In 1879. |
【推荐1】These years, we can see more and more people like dancing in public. We call this kind of dance “Guangchangwu”.
| A．At times, they choose to go to and enjoy those places. |
| B．At times, they choose to stay away from those places. |
| C．Nowadays, about the dancing, people have different ideas. |
| D．It seemed to come into being in the 1990s. |
| E．It seemed to come into being in 2010. |
| F．It is all right for the elderly to get exercise and have fun. |
| G．But，not all people have the same idea. |
【推荐2】Influenced by their families and society, many youths are infatuated with expensive famous brands. But not every youth is as rich as a millionaire and people are getting worried about this.
According to a recent survey, one out of five pupils wears clothes of well-known brands, including a belt worth 560 Yuan, more than an ordinary worker’s salary. Among the 100 middle school students surveyed, as many as 70 own famous-brand clothes, 60 have famous-brand watches and 45 possess famous-brand bicycles. Two of them even wear over 1500 Yuan worth of suits.
Most young people who come from ordinary families will try to steal money to have better food and clothing if their parents don’t satisfy their needs. A boy named Chen even killed another boy simply for 500 Yuan and was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment.
People wonder how these teenagers can be independent in the future, while parents are calling for help from schools, governments and the society.
1. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?| A．More than 50 percent of the students surveyed possess things of famous brands. |
| B．An ordinary worker owns less than 560 Yuan each month. |
| C．Suits may cost as much as 1500 Yuan. |
| D．Young people now are as rich as millionaires. |
| A．be anxious about |
| B．be filled with a strong unreasonable feeling of love for |
| C．have a strange and unusual way of |
| D．be low in spirits; sad for |
| A．steal money for better food and clothing |
| B．kill another boy for 500 Yuan |
| C．stay in prison for nine years |
| D．ask his parents to satisfy his needs |
| A．Youths Run After Famous Brands. |
| B．Youths Should Own More Money |
| C．Youths As Rich As Millionaires |
| D．Youths Must Be Taken Good Care of |
【推荐3】Studies on the importance of sleep for health and the various effects of not having enough sleep have long been well-known. Being short of sleep can lead to poor memory and daytime sleepiness. It’s also been connected to diseases and weakens immune(免疫的)function. However, more than three-quarters of us fall asleep after 11pm and nearly a third stay up until 1am.
The concept(概念)of sleep procrastination was introduced in a 2014 study by Utrecht University in The Netherlands, which explained that it meant “failing to go to bed at the intended time, while nothing prevents a person from doing so”. If so, it will bring terrible results.
Studies have shown that “bedtime procrastination” is connected with a person’s working life during the day. “They feel out of control in their day life and the night is when they can be free,” says Dr Saliha Afridi. “It is full of things they ‘have to do’ rather than what they ‘want to do’. ” Studies have also found that increased working hours and the reduced leisure time may cause much stress and sleep procrastination. On occasion, people have trouble with feelings, concern and loneliness, so they were controlled by using social media, making them stay up late.
So how to avoid it? People should avoid thinking too much before bedtime and stay away from digital devices. Besides, taking a warm shower before bed and going to bed at the intended time are also important.
1. What’s the effect of not having enough sleep?| A．Increasing the risk of injuries. | B．Suffering from much stress. |
| C．Feeling sleepy in the daytime. | D．Losing the previous memory. |
| A．Staying up. | B．Keeping awake. | C．Getting up late. | D．Falling asleep. |
| A．A variety of hobbies. | B．Boring social activities. |
| C．Addiction to digital devices. | D．Working too many hours. |
| A．Form a good sleep habit. | B．Take regular exercise. |
| C．Listen to some soft music. | D．Surf the Internet less. |
【推荐1】The only known white giraffe in the world has been fitted with a GPS tracking device in an effort to protect him from poachers (偷猎者) in Kenya. The unique male giraffe now stands alone after a female and her calf were killed by poachers in March, 2020.
The GPS tracking device, secured to one of the animal’s horns, will give hourly updates of his location, said the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy. Rangers will be able to monitor the giraffe’s movements in the conservancy located in Garissa County, eastern Kenya.
“The giraffe’s living range has been blessed with good rains in the recent past and the abundant vegetation is a good sign for the future of the white male,” said Ahmed Noor, manager of the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy.
Noor thanked the Kenya Wildlife Service, Save Giraffes Now and the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) for their help in safeguarding wildlife species.
“Our mission is to work with communities, secure their livelihoods as well as protect the unique wildlife like the only known white giraffe,” said Antony Wandera, the senior wildlife monitoring officer at the NRT.
The male giraffe has a rare genetic trait called leucism (变白), which results in the partial loss of pigmentation (肤色) in an animal and makes it easy to spot for poachers. Unlike albinism (白化), animals with leucism continue to produce a dark pigment in their soft tissue, meaning the giraffe’s eyes are dark.
In March, 2020, the remains of two of the stunning white giraffes that lived at the Kenyan wildlife reserve were found dead, killed by poachers.
The world’s tallest land animal has lost 40％ of its population in just 30 years, the African Wildlife Foundation estimates.
1. Why do people fit the white giraffe with a GPS tracking device?| A．To entertain the white giraffe. |
| B．To find a better way to feed him. |
| C．To prevent him from being killed. |
| D．To learn more about the white giraffe. |
| A．Every day. | B．Every hour. |
| C．Every week. | D．Every two hours. |
| A．Job. | B．Dream. | C．Interest. | D．Suggestion. |
| A．The population of white giraffes is increasing. |
| B．The white giraffe has become extinct in the world. |
| C．Few organizations show interest in protecting wild animals. |
| D．The population of giraffes in the world has been decreasing. |
【推荐2】Going to a friend’s house is very exciting. You may spend time with a friend and get to see where he lives, so remember to be polite.
When to arrive:
The first thing to remember is that when a friend invites you over, you need to arrive on time. If your friend tells you to come “around 3:00”, that means you can turn up a little bit after 3:00. Usually it is a good idea to arrive at the right time, but not ahead of time.
What to bring:
Often it is also nice to bring something to your friend’s house. This could be a box of chocolates for you two to share, or maybe a movie that you can watch together. You can also bring some flowers. A little gift is a nice way to show your friend that you are excited to be at his house.
How to greet:
When you visit your friend’s house, you may also meet his parents. You should tell them who you are and they may tell you their names. As a child, I went to visit my friend Paul. I called his parents by their first names John and Mary. But now I know it is more polite to call them Mr. or Mrs. Smith. This will show them more respect and then they may tell you to call them by their first names. Another way to show respect is to call them Madam or Sir.
It is a cool thing to visit a friend's house. Be polite to your friend and your friend's parents, and you will be invited again!
1. When should you arrive if you are told to get to your friend’s house at 5:00 p.m.?| A．4:30. | B．4:50. | C．5:05. | D．5:30. |
| A．Mr. Smith. | B．John. | C．Mary. | D．Paul. |
| A．How to be a good visitor | B．How to greet people |
| C．What to bring to your friend | D．When to arrive at your friend’s house |
| A．a notice on a wall | B．a letter to a friend | C．an article in a magazine | D．a news story in a paper. |
【推荐3】Chinese ancient poetry was the heart and soul of Chinese anient literature. Poems and songs have been the means of entertainment of men from the earliest times onwards Records of Chinese ancient poetry have largely been found, from which a large amount of knowledge of ancient poetry of China can be obtained. Chinese ancient poetry was primarily written to be chanted or sung.
The poetic persona (表面形象) is a feature of classical Chinese poetry. The persona appears when the poem is written from the viewpoint of some other person. Some poems are comments on the then contemporary society and life. Images and symbolism are deeply associated with Chinese ancient poetry. Chinese ancient poems, although apparently simple in the first reading, have deeper and greater meanings when read intensively.
The earliest Chinese ancient poetry begins with The Book of Songs which is a collection of 305 poems. It was the first comprehensive compilation (辑) of Chinese ancient poems. Each poem in The Book of Songs was set to music and could be sung. Folk songs made up the most part of the book!Confucius, the great ancient philosopher, was fond of this book. It was also the accepted textbook of the Confucian school.
Chinese poetic history is extremely long and colorful. The Tang dynasty, the golden age of Chinese ancient poetry, produced many famous poems. Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty, was compiled by Heng Tang Tui Shi of the Qing dynasty. This was used for very many years to teach primary students.
Almost everything is the subject of Chinese ancient poetry including marriage, agriculture, courtship(求爱), sorrow and joys, romance, heroic deeds and so on. Generally, each poem is usually composed of lines of four, five or seven syllables. Translations of Chinese ancient poems are available in books and also online. Now these beautiful poems have attracted readers all over the world.
1. What’s the earliest Chinese poetry intended to do?| A．To record history. | B．To entertain people. |
| C．To spread knowledge. | D．To state people’s thoughts. |
| A．Modern and symbolic. | B．Imaginative but unreal. |
| C．Difficult and figurative. | D．Simple but meaningful. |
| A．It is compiled by Heng Tang Tui Shi. |
| B．It was the textbook for kids during Confucius’s childhood. |
| C．It was produced during the golden age of Chinese ancient poetry. |
| D．It includes more folk songs than other kinds of poems. |
| A．Chinese ancient poetry has limited subjects. |
| B．Every Chinese ancient poem is made up of four lines. |
| C．Chinese ancient poems win popularity overseas. |
| D．Something in Chinese ancient poems is lost in translation. |
We are fortunate that in such a large, high-pressure office we all get along so well. You are one of the people who keep the social temperature at such a comfortable setting. I don’t know anyone in the office who is better liked than you.
You can perhaps help with this. The collection of contributions towards gifts for employees’ personal-life events is becoming a little troubling. Certainly, the group sending of a gift is reasonable now and then. In the past month, however, there have been collections for two baby shower gifts, one wedding shower gift, two wedding gifts, one funeral（葬礼）remembrance, four birthday gifts, and three graduation gifts.
It’s not only the collected-from who are growing uncomfortable (and poor), but the collected-for feel uneasy receiving gifts from people who don’t know them outside the office, who wouldn’t even recognize their graduating children, their marrying daughters and sons, or their dead relatives.
This is basically a kind gesture (and one that people think well of you for), but the practice seems to have become too wide-ranging and feels improper in today’s office setting.
Thank you for understanding.
1. The underlined word “contributions” probably means ________.
| A．money | B．suggestions | C．reports | D．understanding |
| A．show more kindness. | B．discontinue the present practice |
| C．quit being the organizer for gift giving | D．know more about co-workers’ families |
| A．apology | B．sympathy | C．appreciation | D．dissatisfaction |
【推荐2】How to apply for a job successfully? When you get a job interview, it is the chance that you impress the employer and prove you really are the right person for the job. The following key points may be the important steps you can take to ensure you make a good impression from the beginning.
Be Prepared
Research the company thoroughly before the job interview. Read through the company website to gain a thorough understanding of what does its values, clients or audience and any technologies it uses. You should also Google the company and read any press releases. Note important issues or points you can discuss at the interview. Take copies of the job description with you to the interview. Don't he afraid of showing off, you can bet the other candidates won't be holding back!
Interview Questions
All this preparation work will go a long way to helping you for questions you might be asked during the interview. As well as preparing for the standard questions, you also need to come up with relevant questions to ask the interviewer about the company and your role. You may want to ask something along the lines of "What's it like to work here?", "What are the career prospects like?".
Timekeeping
Plan your route in advance and make a dry run to the interview location a few days beforehand to make sure you're clear on where you're going. Print out directions and maps from sites like Google Maps and make sure you should be there without any problems.
After the Interview
If you're unsuccessful, use it as an opportunity to improve. Ask for feedback from the interviewer.This will improve your future interview success chances; the interviewer might consider you for future vacancies (空缺)at the company based on this action alone.
1. What should you do at a job interview?| A．Recognize who is the right employer. |
| B．Find a chance to show your talent off. |
| C．Impress the employer with good behavior. |
| D．Have a good impression of the employer. |
| A．What interests you when you work? |
| B．What is the information about your clients? |
| C．What advice will you offer to the interviewees? |
| D．What is the promising future of the company? |
| A．a proper attitude can help you get a job |
| B．it is impossible to get a job at the first interview |
| C．the interviewer can help you through the back door |
| D．it is unnecessary to keep cautious about an interview |
【推荐3】I was 12 years old, and my mum had just died from cancer. My dad had a drinking problem that mum had been managing all these years - suddenly he had a good reason to drink, and no one to stop him any more. He hit the bottle hard.
I went from being quite a high achieving student to being in the bottom quarter for English. But among all this, there was my English teacher. Miss Ward, who was so supportive. She changed my world. She listened to me and engaged with me. She had me talking in front of the English class, and was always reminding me to write something for the school magazine. She’d always find the good in the stuff I wrote.
I started the #FindMissWard action after going to a class reunion. Nobody knew what had happened to her. I’d just written a book about my journey on foot around the edge of the UK to highlight the stigmas (伤痕) surrounding mental health - and I thought it would be fantastic if she came to the launch (发布会). I think about 1.3 million people saw the post asking for help finding her, and tens of thousands of people
The lovely thing was that so many people came out and said they had a “Miss Ward” too. One person on Twitter sent a message about their own Miss Ward and about five tweets later this woman said,“Here I am!” They were reunited almost instantly - it was amazing. I’m certain there’ll be lots of people who have never got round to looking for the teacher who made a lasting impact on their lives, but maybe wish they had. Luckily, we're going to be meeting up in a couple of weeks. I just want to say thank you. I feel very lucky to have had her in my life.
1. What does the underline sentence in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Drank heavily. | B．Put the bottle away. |
| C．Struck bottles strongly. | D．Hurt himself on purpose. |
| A．Honest and helpful. |
| B．Caring and humorous. |
| C．Responsible and encouraging. |
| D．Strong-willed and out-going. |
| A．Because he wanted to know what happened to Miss Ward. |
| B．Because he and his classmates missed Miss Ward so much. |
| C．Because he hoped Miss Ward could come to his book launch. |
| D．Because he suffered mental problems and Miss Ward could help him. |
| A．The author has found his Miss Ward. |
| B．Few people took part in #FindMissWard action. |
| C．Miss Ward had a lasting impact on many people. |
| D．The author's Miss Ward commented on his message. |
