【推荐2】You’re happy to let your best friend borrow your mountain bike, but would you be willing to loan it out to a total stranger if you could make some money from the arrangement?

That’s the idea behind peer-to-peer (P2P) renting, a new model concluded by sites such as eBay and Craigslist. Instead of selling an idle (闲置) thing, you loan it to people in your town, get paid a small rental fee and gel it back when the borrower’s done with it. In the past few years, almost a dozen websites have popped up promising to connect lenders and borrowers. For example, you can use GetAround to rent out your car or motorcycle, SnapGoods to rent out electronics and gadgets, ToolSpinner to rent electric drills and lawnmowers, Zaarly and Knb to rent out a little bit of everything else.

Old as it may sound, P2P renting is more high-tech than before, with websites that avoid cash for credit cards. A user creates an online listing for the item she wants to rent out, choosing her own rental fee. When someone wants the item, he keeps it on an online calendar, and the two arrange a time and place for pickup. Each site operates a little differently, but all use technology to make renting easy, safe and relatively inexpensive.

Why rent your idle things? You may not make a ton of money, but it is a good way to get some use out of idle things. The people who rent those goods are able to save thousands of dollars by renting instead of buying new.

There may be other benefits. “It brings convenience, security and adventure,” says Ali Hart, JustSharclt’s spokesperson. “But, more importantly, we’re really connecting people and building community, too.”

Get to know your neighbors and make a few dollars in the process? Sounds like a good deal.

1. What can GetAround, SnapGoods, ToolSpinner, Zaarly and Krrb possibly be?

A．the companies selling idle things

B．the websites for P2P renting

C．the special people good at P2P renting

D．the courses to teach people to do P2P renting

2. What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?

A．How credit cards are used in P2P renting.

B．Why P2P renting should be encouraged.

C．How P2P renting works online.

D．Where the lenders and borrowers meet.

3. According to Ali Hart, what’s the greatest benefit of P2P renting?

A．Making a considerable sum of money.

B．Saving money and protecting the environment. .

C．Making the Internet convenient and safe.

D．Keeping people in the community connected.

4. What might be the purpose of the passage?

A．To encourage people to do P2P renting online.

B．To teach people how to rent idle things.

C．To explain why the Internet changes our life.

D．To guide people to be fashion consumers.

【推荐3】

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A credit card is required to start your Risk-Free trial. Your card WILL NOT be charged during trial.

1. What is the function of the device mentioned in the passage?

A．To make users visible again.	B．To help users understand a miracle.
C．To make users speak again.	D．To help users communicate better.

2. Which of the following is NOT one of the features the product has?

A．Direct buying from the manufacturer can be made.

B．Free support from licensed professionals is available.

C．It can replace a smartphone for daily communication.

D．Technology makes sound control easy and convenient.

3. If you want to start a home trial, you are supposed to____________.

A．buy the product in local hearing aid stores	B．offer your credit card to start a risk-free trial
C．apply to the manufacturer for a telephone setting	D．consult the company online about the discount

【推荐1】Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage
Pinnawella is an orphanage for baby elephants that have been found abandoned in the wild.There are 60 small elephants on the site and they are fed, trained and cared for by the orphanage. If you visit Pinnawella during feeding time, you may be given the opportunity to bottle-feed an elephant during your Sri Lanka holiday. Bathing time is also popular with visitors and accompanying a baby elephant to a nearby river is a wonderful experience.
Colombo Zoo
After seeing an elephant in the wild, seeing one in the zoo may seem a little uninspiring; however this is one for the children.The Colombo Zoo is famous for its elephant shows，where six Indian elephants do all kinds of tricks，from playing the music instruments to shooting basketballs with their trunks.
Wasgamuwa National Park
Wasgamuwa National Park is located in the town of Mahiyangana, an ancient city and important site in the Buddhist religion.It is one of the best places to see wild elephants in their natural habitats(栖息地)and is closest to six other national parks.The park and nearby area also provide ample bird watching opportunities.
Yala National Park
Yala is the largest national park in Sri Lanka and home to the majority of the islands wildlife，including Indian elephants and rare leopards.Arranging a tour here is the best way to spot an elephant，and if you're particularly lucky you may also spy a leopard lying lazily around on an overhanging tree branch.
Maduruoya National Park
This Park has a huge reservoir and if you get up before sunrise，you may spot some elephants playing about in the large expanse of water. You can also ride an elephant through the dense forests, which is perhaps one of the strangest forms of transportation to use on your Sri Lanka holidays.
1. Which place should visitors go to if they want to have closer contact with elephants?

A．Maduruoya National Park

B．Wasgamuwa National Park

C．Colombo Zoo

D．Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage

2. According to the author，Colombo Zoo________.

A．actually causes harm to elephants

B．can bring pleasure to children

C．has a good way to protect elephants

D．is not inspiring at all

3. It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A．Wasgamuwa National Park is the best place to watch birds

B．Yala National Park has nothing special to watch

C．visitors can watch birds in Yala National Park

D．a leopard can climb up trees and stay there

4. What may cause the tourists' curiosity in Maduruoya National Park?

A．The huge reservoir which has a large expanse of water.

B．The beautiful and charming scene of sunrise.

C．Riding elephants through the dense forests.

D．A group of elephants playing in the water.

【推荐2】People enjoy taking trips. But what are reasons they leave home? One reason is for education. People travel because the want to broaden their horizon(视野) to learn about other people and other cultures. When people are on a trip, they get a quick look at different ways of living. Even a short look at another kind of lifestyle is an important lesson. When travelling, a person can learn directly by visiting museums and historic spots(景点). What does a tourist learn who sees the arts museums, visit the historical places and other scenic spots in Paris and shops along the River Seine? He learns about their attitudes and how they feel about business, beauty and history.

What about the traveler who goes to Hong Kong? Does he get the same information that he could get from a book? He might read that Hong Kong is a crowed that there is less than 200 square meters of space for each person. But seeing and feeling the lack of space will impress him much more.

He might read that there are nearly 200 vehicles(交通工具) for every kilometer of roadway. But the sight of so many vehicles parked along the roadside would be a much more vivid lesson. The traveler to Hong Kong will never forget the contrast（对比）: the straight vertical(垂直的) lines of tall modern buildings and the moving lines of boat that people live in.

1. Why do people leave home to travel according to the passage?

A．For education.	B．For adventure.
C．To enjoy themselves	D．To look for a different lifestyle.

2. What do we learn from the passage about Paris?

A．It has a large population

B．It has many towering building

C．There are 200 vehicles for every kilometer of roadway

D．There are many museums and palaces.

3. What impression will a traveler get of Hong Kong?

A．It has many big and beautiful parks.

B．It is a city of contrast.

C．It has many historical sites.

D．It is an important industrial center.

4. What does the passage tell us about travelling?

A．It makes our life more interesting.

B．It enables us to get first-hand knowledge..

C．It helps develop our personalities.

D．It brings about changes in our lifestyles.

【推荐3】Chinese people may not be that familiar with sports tourism, but it is one of the fastest growing parts of tourism, because an increasing number of people are expressing their curiosity in sports events during their trips even if sports are not the key reason for their travel.     1    

Sports tourism refers to tourism involving participation in or watching sports events and staying in an environment different from the usual tourist hotels or resorts.     2     At that time, people traveled to Olympia to watch or participate in Olympic races. Modern sports tourism, on the other hand, surfaced in the 1990s.

    3     There is also a lack of research to study its true potential. However, given that Chinese authorities attach great importance to people’s health, sports tourism, in many ways, can meet people’s demand for both leisure and physical activity.

Also, sports tourism will eventually promote the consumption (消费) upgrading, which will in turn lead to deeper cooperation between the tourism and cultural departments.     4     It can not only meet tourists’ demand for outdoor activities, but also deepen their understanding of the heroic deeds of the people who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

Sports tourism is a booming industry today, with an annual growth rate of about 15 percent globally.     5     The rapid growth of sports tourism will help meet people’s leisure needs and boost the high-quality development in China.

A．People are paying more attention to safety in travel.

B．The origin of sports tourism can be traced back to Ancient Greece.

C．However, sports tourism has long drawn people’s attention in China.

D．In China, however, the growth rate is 30 - 40 percent despite a slow start.

E．Marathons, hiking, cycling and camping fall in the area of sports tourism.

F．Since it just appeared not long ago, it hasn’t drawn enough attention in China.

G．For example, hiking in “red tourist destinations” has become a part of sports tourism.

【推荐1】Lonely Planet’s Middle East is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Wander at the mighty Pyramids of Giza, the last surviving ancient wonder; watch the sun set over the magic of Petra; and explore tree-lined avenues in Esfahan, Iran. All with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Middle East and begin your journey now!

Inside Lonely Planet’s Middle East:

● Colour maps and images throughout

● Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots

● Essential info at your fingertips — hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit (换乘) tips, prices

● Honest reviews for all budgets — eating, sleeping, sightseeing, shopping, hidden highlights that most guidebooks miss

● Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience — covering history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics

Coverage Includes: Egypt, Iran, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey

Book Details

ISBN: 9781786570710

Writers: Anthony Ham, Paul Clammer, Orlando Crowcroft, Mark Elliott, Anita Isalska, Jessica Lee, Virginia Maxwell, Simon Richmond, Daniel Robinson, Anthony Sattin, Dan Savery Raz, Andy Symington, Jenny Walker, Steve Waters

608 pages, 256 pages color, 90 maps | Dimensions: 128mm×197mm

Next edition due: Dec 2024

1. What information can readers get from Lonely Planet’s Middle East?

A．Black-and-white maps and images.	B．Tips from popular guidebooks.
C．Famous writers’ personal information.	D．Reviews for all budgets.

2. Lonely Planet’s Middle East probably covers the following aspects EXCEPT ________.

A．food

B．religion

C．art

D．history

3. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To appeal to us to travel to Middle East.

B．To introduce some famous attractions in Middle East.

C．To recommend a book named Middle East.

D．To teach how to discover treasures in Middle East.

【推荐2】The editor of the new Cool Camping Britain guide chooses some of his favorite new finds in England, Wales and Scotland.

Cleadale, Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides

Is this Britain’s most beautiful campsite? From the grassy point looking seaward to the mountains, it’s not hard for campers to see how the island inspired The Lord of the Rings author’s fantasy landscapes. The campsite itself is as wild and wonderful as its setting.

Open April — September, from ￡5 per tent per night.

Swattesfield, Thornham Magna, Suffolk

Deep in the wilds of north Suffolk, this seven-acre campsite has only been open for a few years, with two fields separated by a lake and surrounded by woodland. The position is perfect. It’s a great place to do nothing but get into nature. You can put up your tent in the bottom field or the woodland beyond.

Open Easter —October, from ￡10 per tent per night.

Pleasant Streams Farm, near St Austell, Cornwall

This site, by a lake, is all about simple pleasures. Located in the former mining village, it has a summerhouse（凉亭）with books and games for a rainy day. There are many animals including pigs, hens, goats and ducks on the farm and a pub just a 10- minute stroll away. There’s very little to do here, no bells and no whistles. Campfires are encouraged.

Open Easter — September, from ￡10 per tent per night.

Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Sciily

Its only campsite, Troytown, couldn’t be in a more remote position. Isolation is its greatest advantage — so bring plenty of books to read and don’t expect a phone signal. But at least one of life’s necessities is available. Lying on the hillside overlooking the bay and near the island of the Gugh, it might just win the prize for best beer garden view in England.

Open March-- October, from ￡7. 50 per tent per night,

1. Which of the following is TRUE about Cleadale, Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides?

A．It has been open for a few years.	B．A beautiful lake surrounds it.
C．It offers the longest service.	D．The rent of a tent per night is the lowest.

2. Which place can you choose if you like a simple farm life?

A．Cleadale, Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides.

B．Swattesfield, Thornham Magna, Suffolk.

C．Pleasant Streams Farm, near St Austell, Cornwall.

D．Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly.

3. In Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, you can’t ________.

A．contact others by phones	B．view the bay from the hillside
C．get everyday necessities	D．relax yourself by reading