The bus screamed to a stop in Nazareth, Israel. Five Australian backpackers boarded and struck up a conversation with me. They asked typical travelers’ questions — where was I going and why was I traveling alone? My plan was to travel with a friend of a friend, I explained, but when I called her that morning, she didn’t pick up and I had no other way to reach her. My stomach was in knots, but I decided to head out anyway, thinking I might run into her if I traveled to Tiberius, where we had planned to go together.
“Why don’t you travel with us?” one of the backpackers offered. They were experienced adventurers who would work for a few months, save, and then travel for as long as they could. Their current plan was to explore the Middle East and Europe in three months while working in London.
It seemed risky to travel with strangers, but my instinct said yes. For the next two weeks, I explored Israel with the backpackers and learned to trust my instincts in all types of new and interesting situations. When they hook a ride, I took the bus, but when they wanted to steal into the King David Hotel’s swimming pool, I led the way.
The world opened up to me because I chose to travel alone. I joined complete strangers, who become close friends. Years later, one couple from the backpacking group even flew from Sydney to Phoenix to be in my wedding. The trip was such a special experience that it gave me confidence in all areas of my life. Since then, I’ve backpacked alone across South Africa, sky-dived from 12,000 feet in New Zealand and even moved across the U.S. with no job lined up.
On my third day wandering in Israel with my new friends, I bumped into the woman I was supposed to meet. Though I was happy she was all right, I was grateful she hadn’t picked up the phone.
1. By “My stomach was in knots,” the author probably means she was .| A．sick of repeating routines | B．nervous of new situations |
| C．upset about the sudden change | D．sorry about the careless plan |
| A．Homeless but lighthearted. | B．Jobless and poorly educated. |
| C．Courageous but disrespectful. | D．Warmhearted and experienced. |
| A．It might cause trouble to have a swim. | B．It could add excitement to get a free ride. |
| C．She would get along with the backpackers. | D．She ought to stay away from the backpackers. |
| A．The author thought it right to travel alone. |
| B．The author became a fulltime backpack traveler. |
| C．The woman missed the call in order to travel alone. |
| D．Most of the backpackers became the author’s lifelong friends. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】MONTREAL PLANETARIUM
Step into Montreal Planetarium (天文馆) with its special design and cutting-edge exhibition rooms. Montreal Planetarium houses two exhibition rooms for two unique experiences. Each double bill, with live explanations by a science educator, takes audiences to a voyage far from planet Earth, full of impressive exhibitions and presentations!
DOUBLE FEATURE SHOWS
(AGES 7 AND UP)
Includes a presentation on tonight’s sky.
Length: 75 min
To celebrate its 5th anniversary, Montreal Planetarium is presenting original shows that have been visitor favorites since it opened.
Exhibition Room 1
CONTINUUM (宇宙无限性)
From the unlimited small to the unlimited large, a cosmic(宇宙的) expression on the connection between humankind and the Universe.
Directors: Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon
Music: Philip Glass
AURORAE(极光)
Under the sky full of stars in Yellowknife, the audiences have a front-row seat on the magical spectacle of the aurora, the Northern Lights.
Produced by: Montreal Space for Life
Director: Philippe Baylaucq and Sebastien Gauthier
Music: DJ Champion
Exhibition Room 2
COSMIC COLLISIONS(碰撞)
These sometimes-explosive encounters may have not only ended the age of the dinosaurs but also given to new stars. Come discover the forces that continue to shape our Universe.
Produced by: the American Museum of Natural History (USA), together with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, GOTO Inc, and the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum.
EXO (外来生物)
Are we alone in the Universe? As thousands of planets are being found outside our solar system, can the discovery of life elsewhere be far off? A presentation on tonight’s sky follows the show.
Produced by: Montreal Space for Life
Director: Sebastien Gauthier
1. How many exhibition rooms are there in Montreal Planetarium?| A．2. | B．3. | C．4. | D．5. |
| A．They both discover the planets outside solar system. |
| B．They are both produced by Montreal Space for Life. |
| C．They are both directed by Philippe Baylaucq. |
| D．They both give birth to new stars. |
| A．The meeting between dinosaurs changed the Universe. |
| B．The stars disappear because of the Northern Lights. |
| C．The shows last one hour and fifteen minutes. |
| D．Tonight’s presentation is before the show. |
| A．A terrible tradition. | B．An impressive view. |
| C．An ordinary response. | D．A disappointing expression. |
| A．To attract people to visit Montreal Planetarium. |
| B．To teach people some knowledge about the Earth. |
| C．To celebrate the 6th birthday of Montreal Planetarium. |
| D．To encourage six-year-old children to explore the Universe. |
【推荐2】Creative Vacation Travel Ideas
Couch Surfing
Those who are bohemians(豪放的人) at heart can travel the world and make new friends using the couch-surfing system. Couch-surfing networking sites allow travelers to research and connect with people in cities around the world who offer up their couch or guest room to strangers. Staying with the people is free of charge, though you will be expected to pay for your own food and entertainment. Most hosts will accommodate a pair of travelers, and the system is safer for inexperienced couch surfers.
Roaming African Hotel
The Shongololo Express is best described as a cruise(邮轮) on land. A fleet of air-conditioned, luxury trains transport travelers through Africa from south to north. The Express stops at prearranged locations of interests, similar to a cruise ship stopping at a port, and allows travelers a chance to get out and explore with the security of a group behind them. Meals and drinks are served on the trains, and there are common areas for socializing.
Underground Motel
Go under Down Under with a stay in the White Cliffs Underground Motel in New South Wales, Australia. The 30 guest rooms called dugouts are carved from supportive soft sandstone and ventilated(通风) with drilled vertical passages. The temperature is naturally regulated year round for a comfortable stay. The hotel includes an on-site restaurant. Guests may even request a personal tour of dugouts local citizens have built for their own homes.
Adventure Vacations
Adventure vacations are travel ideas that suit travelers who want to truly interact with the environment. The National Geographic compiles lists of the best adventure vacations around the world and also helps travelers book the vacations. You don't have to leave the country to have an adventure. The Florida Everglades, Glacier National Park in Montana, The Grand Canyon and The Gila Wilderness in Nevada are adventure vacations to suit the young and the young at heart.
1. What is one of the advantages of Couch Surfing?| A．Couch surfers can travel the world on the Internet. |
| B．Travelers need to share guest room with strangers. |
| C．Hosts will charge the guests nothing for accommodation. |
| D．The system is fit for those who have less travel experience. |
| A．The hotels offer free meal service to travelers. |
| B．Travelers are provided comfortable guest rooms. |
| C．Security staff accompanies travelers when getting out. |
| D．Guests have common areas for social events on the trip. |
| A．Couch Surfing. | B．Roaming African Hotel. |
| C．Underground Motel. | D．Adventure Vacations. |
【推荐3】Around the world, there are hundreds of cities with brightly coloured streets and incredible graffiti that help to bring the streets alive. Here are some of the most colourful streets in the world to add to your list of places to visit.
EI Caminito, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Within the La Boca neighbourhood of Buenos Aires lies EI Caminito Street. This small but colourful street has rows of homes and businesses painted in every colour imaginable. And the pretty turquoise (青绿色) and yellow paths for walkers make the street even more beautiful. Home to cafes and shops, this street is typically a hot spot for tourists.
Rainbow Row, Charleston, America
Many people claim that if you don’t visit Rainbow Row then you haven’t really been to Charleston at all The row of 13 houses, painted in pretty pale soft colours including baby blue, soft pink, lemon yellow, and green, are private houses that date back to the 1700g, Just around the corner in the same neighbourhood, you’ll find small ice cream shops, coffee shops, and independently owned stores to do some window shopping for a fun girl’s getaway weekend. .
Old Town Colmar, France
One of the most colourful areas in France is Old Town Colmar, a little village often referred to as the Little Venice of France with a history of over 1,100 years. The canal running through the center of the village is surrounded by half-wood houses of different colours. The village takes special care of the flowers that line the canal, which add to its collection of shining colours.
Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark
The harbour district of Copenhagen is one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions, with good reason — the colourful street is only less impressive than the views of the boats on the harbour. Nyhavn is home to traditional homes painted in bright colours; some have been changed into cafes and shops.
1. Which street has colourful ground?| A．Old Town Colmar. | B．EI Caminito. | C．Rainbow Row. | D．Nyhavn. |
| A．Because the canal flowing through the village. | B．Because the shining colours added to the view. |
| C．Because the houses in pretty pale soft colours. | D．Because the flowers decorating the canal. |
| A．The pretty colorful street. | B．The beautiful private houses. |
| C．The attractive cafes and shops. | D．The charming boat scene. |
【推荐1】When I was 20, my long distance friend and I were in need of a reunion after three years apart. We decided to book a holiday with a tour company to New Zealand.
Not a day of the trip went by where I didn’t have a smile on my face. Whether it’s skydiving over a volcano or jumping off the tallest building in New Zealand, I enjoyed a lot of excitement and adventure. But one thing I had never done was a tandem jump (串联跳伞). So my friend and I decided to challenge ourselves at the Canyon Swing, which was a 60-metre free fall, two people getting to stay upstanding in a protective belt.
After a few failed attempts to jump, we knew it was time to be brave. We walked slowly to the platform (跳台)，afraid to look straight down. With our throats feeling tight and hearts beating out of our chests, we finally got the courage to step off the platform.
My body tightened and I was sure my heart would explode as we fell quickly down towards the rough rocks below. Our hair flying wildly in the wind, our faces frozen in place, the view of the cliff and surrounding trees became just a blur (模糊) of greens and browns rushing past our eyes.
The fall felt both lightning quick and like a long, dull movie. For a moment that felt like forever, my mind completely emptied. I didn’t even realize I had been screaming the whole time until we were at the end of the rope, gently swinging above the clear water under us. Joyful and light headed, we just stayed there swinging and laughing with delight while our bodies shook.
It was terrifying but I truly had the time of my life!
1. What did the author go to New Zealand for?| A．Business travel. | B．Meeting a friend. |
| C．Seeking a fortune. | D．Family reunion, |
| A．The invitation from a friend. | B．The dream to drop freely, |
| C．The interest in sports. | D．The desire for self-challenge. |
| A．View in the sky. | B．Height of the fall. |
| C．Courage to take risks. | D．Tension during the jump. |
| A．Exciting and Enjoyable. | B．Scary and meaningless. |
| C．Challenging but flat. | D．Easy but exciting. |
【推荐2】For many years, Croatian-American recording artist Nenad Bach toured the world performing with famous musicians like Bono and Pavarotti. Everything came to a stop in 2010, however, when Nenad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — a progressive disease that affects a person’s movement.
“I love music,” he said. “When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2010, I didn’t know what it was. Five years later, I couldn’t even play the guitar.”
One day, a friend of Nenad’s asked him to play ping-pong with him, and Nenad said yes. The effects were immediate and positive: he woke up the next day filled with a “desire to live”, and his physical and mental issues had improved. Encouraged, he kept playing.
For months he told everyone around him about how ping-pong was helping his Parkinson’s, but his praise fell on deaf ears. Finally, he took matters into his own hands and started hosting Ping Pong Parkinson’s events at the Westchester Table Tennis Center in Pleasantville, New York. Once the events attracted enough attention, he started an organization called Ping Pong Parkinson (PPP) in March 2017.
PPP hopes to encourage people living with Parkinson’s to play ping-pong for its benefits. In addition to promoting social connectivity, PPP also says that it increases neuroplasticity (神经可塑性) which creates new neural pathways in the brain. Nenad has seen evidence of this with his own eyes many times in the past years. He said that their “facial expression changes from when they arrive until they leave. In addition, some people start walking again.”
Nenad has made spreading the word about the power of ping-pong his new life’s work! He hopes others will take up the sport and see the same improvements he’s enjoyed since the first time he picked up a paddle (乒乓球拍).
1. What happened to Nenad in 2015?| A．His disease got worse. | B．He learned to perform. |
| C．He began to play the guitar. | D．His acting journey ended. |
| A．Organizing social events. | B．Taking his mind off his work. |
| C．Setting up Ping Pong Parkinson. | D．Playing ping-pong with his friend. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Favorable. | C．Uninterested. | D．Curious. |
| A．Nenad’s fighting against Parkinson |
| B．The benefits of playing ping-pong |
| C．The severity of Parkinson’s disease |
| D．The sporting experience of Nenad |
【推荐3】A Frenchman had arrived at a small Italian town and was staying with his wife at the best hotel there. One night he went out for a walk alone. He was late and the small street was dark and lonely. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him. He turned his head and saw an Italian young man who quickly walked past him. The man was nearly out of sight when the Frenchman suddenly found that his watch was gone. He thought that it was the Italian who had taken his watch. He decided to follow him and force him to return the watch.
Soon the Frenchman caught up with the Italian. Neither of them understood the other’s language. The Frenchman showed his fist to the Italian and pointed to his watch-pocket. The Italian thought that the Frenchman was demanding his own watch. In the end the Italian gave up his watch to the Frenchman.
When he returned to the hotel the Frenchman told his wife what had happened. He was greatly surprised when his wife pointed to the watch on the table. Now he realized that by mistake he had robbed the Italian of his watch.
1. When did the Frenchman find his watch missing?| A．When he returned to the hotel. |
| B．After the Italian went by. |
| C．When he was staying at the hotel with his wife. |
| D．As soon as he arrived at the small Italian town. |
| A．Because he thought that the Italian had stolen his watch. |
| B．Because he found that the Italian’s watch was the same with his. |
| C．Because the Italian was a thief. |
| D．Because the Italian was walking too fast. |
| A．His wife had hidden the watch. |
| B．He had left the watch in the hotel. |
| C．The Italian had stolen his watch. |
| D．His wife gave the watch to the Italian. |
【推荐1】When I was in middle school, I was on a family vacation in Washington DC. I found there was a homeless man down the street.
On our final day in the city, when my parents went for an evening walk, I went out of our hotel room and ran down the street to the homeless man.
He looked at me, surely not expecting anything from a middle school girl. I asked him what he wanted to have for dinner. He replied “Bread and water”. I ran into the store and bought a big bag of bread and a bottle of water. I ran back with a smile on my face and handed the bag and the bottle to him. His smile has been in my mind ever since.
I came back to the hotel room and when my parents returned, my dad told me he had a story for me. He asked if I remembered the homeless man down the street from our hotel and I shyly nodded. He then told me a story. As they were returning from their walk, they saw the homeless man was sharing a bag full of food with other homeless people around. They were all smiling and laughing as they ate.
I smiled at my dad but I have never told him to this day the other half of the story. Till today, I still haven’t forgotten that man’s smile but I wish I had the courage to do this more often. One small kind action can begin a ripple effect (连锁反应) of kindness. So please, share a smile and do something kind for the people in need.
1. Why did the author go to Washington DC?| A．To visit her parents. | B．To go on a vacation. |
| C．To do some shopping. | D．To meet with friends. |
| A．were having a walk | B．were staying in the hotel |
| C．had gone back home | D．were in a food store |
| A．He took it home and shared it with his children. |
| B．He gave it back to the author’s parents. |
| C．He returned it to the store for some money. |
| D．He shared it with other homeless men. |
| A．homeless men usually live a happy life |
| B．the author’s father was proud of her |
| C．the author kept a secret to her parents |
| D．the author was paid back by the homeless man |
| A．help those in need | B．seek for their dreams |
| C．value what they have | D．face difficulties bravely |
【推荐2】There isn’t much doubt that one of the most influential people in my life was my grandmother Lizzie Kerns.
My brother Mike started the family custom of moving in with Granny Kerns during our high school years. I lived with her all through my senior year. She lives very close to the school, so I’d come over and eat lunch with her. On game days, I’d come over and take a nap from about four o’clock to seven-thirty, since game time was eight o’clock. I’d just go there, lie on the floor and go to sleep. Granny would come in at seven-thirty and say, “You’d better get up. You'll be playing in half an hour.” We used to shoot free throws every morning at six o'clock. One day I just wanted to sleep in. Granny woke me up and said, “Larry, those other boys are down there. You should be down there with them.” I got up and went to free throw practice.
Mark and I would be at Granny's for supper and later on, just before it was time to go to bed, Mark would say, “Mmm, some popcorn would taste good right now. Larry, what would you think about some popcorn?” Granny wouldn’t say a thing. But the next thing you knew, she’d have that pan out and you’d hear that popping sound in the kitchen.
We started moving in with her because we just didn’t have enough room. It was always a problem. After Mike started it, Mark did it for a while and then me. Later on, Eddie used to eat lunch there every day.
Granny was proud of all her grandkids. Oh, she read everything about me she could get her hands on and she knew I’d signed contracts (合同) for big money, but she never discussed it. None of us got special treatment. Granny loved all of us and that's the way it should be.
I’d have given her anything, but what she really wanted was security. Granny just wanted to know she had enough to get by. She always told me one thing, “I’m not afraid to die. When I get old and can’t do it anymore, I'm not going to be afraid to die.” That showed me a lot. Unfortunately, Granny passed away while I was writing this, so she was never able to see that I dedicated (献给) my book to her.
1. What can be inferred from paragraph 2?| A．Both Mike and the author were lazy and playful. |
| B．Granny always had a nice way of handling things. |
| C．The author preferred sleeping to playing basketball. |
| D．Granny was good at controlling her grandchildren's life. |
| A．Strict and tough. | B．Determined and fair. |
| C．Loving and considerate. | D．Optimistic and tolerant. |
| A．She didn’t take pride in the author's success. |
| B．She was trying to treat all grandchildren equally. |
| C．She didn’t know the author had made a good fortune. |
| D．She was afraid that the author would be too proud of himself. |
| A．Granny didn’t know he wrote a book. |
| B．Granny didn’t know how much she meant to him. |
| C．Granny died and couldn’t take care of him any more. |
| D．Granny couldn’t read the book written in honor of her. |
【推荐3】Nate had spent most of his seventy years in the woods. As a young man, he had the alternative of working in the city with his brother. But he decided that urban life was not for him. He preferred to isolate himself from others and find shelter in nature from the crowds and noise of the city. He was more than willing to give up such advantages as flush toilets and electric blankets for the joy of watching a sunrise illuminate the frozen pines.
Because Nate had lived alone for so long, his behavior was unpredictable. For example, one minute he’d be very quiet, and the next he’d talk about his youth. His knowledge of nature was extensive, and so I learned much from him through the years.
I will tell you an interesting story that shows how wise he was about the woods and how miserly (吝啬的) he could be with words. One evening Nate, my cousin Arthur, and I were crossing a grassland. Arthur’s interest in some little white mushrooms that were growing there led to this dialogue:
“These mushrooms look so good,” said Arthur. “Did you ever use them, Nate?”
“Yep,” said Nate. “My mom used to cook them up.”
“Great!” said Arthur. Nate’s words seemed to strengthen Arthur s desire for those mushrooms. He gathered about a hundred of them. “How did she prepare them?” he asked Nate.
“Cooked them up in sugar water.”
“Really? And then you ate them that way?”
“Ate them?” Nate was horrified. “You crazy? We used to put them in a bowl on the table to kill flies!”
1. Which can make Nate happier?| A．Working in the city. | B．Quitting flush toilets. |
| C．Using electric blankets. | D．Enjoying sunrises in the woods. |
| A．ambition | B．courage | C．knowledge | D．imagination |
| A．They were delicious. | B．Nate ate them very often. |
| C．They might be poisonous. | D．Arthur’s mother used to cook them. |
| A．Far From Nature | B．White Mushrooms | C．Nate the Woodsman | D．Advantages of Urban Life |
