Wanting to take a break from big city life? These hidden gems (宝石)provide a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of big cities and immerse oneself in the beauty of these lesser-known destinations.
Shirakawa-go, Japan
This picturesque village is located in the Gifu Prefecture and is known for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses. These unique buildings feature steep roofs that resemble hands in prayer, which is why Shirakawa-go was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. During wintertime, the village transforms into a winter wonderland, with the snow-covered thatched roofs creating a magical atmosphere.
Paraty, Brazil
Situated on Brazil’s Costa Verde, Paraty is a charming bayside town that offers a relaxing and laid-back atmosphere. The town is renowned for its well-preserved colonial architecture, which is beautifully complemented by palm trees and colorful boats in the harbor. Paraty is also a gateway to nearby deserted island beaches, making it a perfect destination for beach lovers and nature enthusiasts.
Old San Juan, US
As the historic heart of Puerto Rico’s capital city, Old San Juan is a treasure trove of rich history and cultural heritage. The entire area is a National Heritage Site, with its colorful buildings, cobblestone streets, and Spanish colonial architecture adding to its charm. Visitors can explore historic forts, stroll along the city walls, and indulge in delicious Puerto Rican cuisine.
Sakrisoy & Reine, Norway
These remote fishing villages are located in the Lofoten archipelago in northern Norway. Although reaching them may require some effort, the journey is worth it for the breathtaking scenery. Surrounded by majestic mountains and pristine fjords, Sakrisoy and Reine offer opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, and even witnessing the mesmerizing Northern Lights.
1. For what was Shirakawa-go selected a UNESCO World Heritage site?| A．Its rich history. | B．Its magic scent. |
| C．Its ideal community, | D．Its unique architecture. |
| A．Being the capital city. | B．Lying in the United States. |
| C．Having colonial buildings. | D．Owning industrial landscapes. |
| A．Shirakawa-go, Japan | B．Paraty, Brazil |
| C．Old San Juan, US | D．Sakrisoy &Reine, Norway |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】
Travel Ireland for your Spring Vacation! | |
| Dreamy Escape Tour Special: 6 nights/7 days $750 per person Escape to the beautiful west coast of Ireland. On our Dreamy Escape Tour you will experience traditional Irish culture while staying in old-fashioned Country House Hotels in Irish-speaking regions. This is a dreamy holiday you won't ever forget! | Irish Castles & Manors Tour 8 nights/ 9 days $1895 per person You will stay in the greatest comfort in Ireland's finest castles & manor houses. You will be treated as king or queen as you relax in beautiful old castles and Irish manors. |
| Ireland Vacation Rentals 7 nights at least Prices differ depending on property type and number of people These packages offer a low-cost choice to those wishing to spend a week or more in Ireland. Please read further for details on some of our properties. You will have a home away from home as you explore the regions of Ireland! Your personal Ireland tour guides are offered. Detailed information about your vacation is provided. | Hidden Ireland Tour Special: 6 nights/ 7 days $660 per person Our Hidden Ireland Tour takes you to the place off the beaten path and introduces the "real Ireland" to you. Find out some of Ireland's best kept secrets as you explore the rocky untouched beauty of Ireland's less traveled coastal and mountainous areas. |
| A．The hotels can meet all your needs. |
| B．They all provide people with exact time. |
| C．Personal tour guides are offered in all trips. |
| D．They are all about the travelling information to Ireland. |
| A．Irish Castles & Manors Tour. | B．Ireland Vacation Rentals. |
| C．Dreamy Escape Tour. | D．Hidden Ireland Tour. |
| A．In a fashion magazine. | B．In a shopping guide. |
| C．In an advertisement. | D．In a biography. |
【推荐2】Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne is a hotspot travel destination, and it's easy to see why with its beautiful beaches and busy city life.
Why it's a great choice: Australia as a whole is considered a safe destination for international travel, and because of that, many solo travelers go there. As an Englishspeaking country, you won't be faced with any language barriers. Melbourne is easy to get around because you can walk or bike practically anywhere!
Thailand
Thailand is great for solo travelers—perhaps because it is one of the Buddhist mindsets, which promote equality among the sexes.
Why it's a great choice: Thailand is known for its friendly atmosphere, and as a travel hotspot, there are plenty of chances to meet other likeminded travelers. Well known for being very cheap, especially in the north. A good choice if you want to get away on a budget. Thailand has a lot to offer, from the partycentral Bangkok to beautiful beaches and tropical(热带)jungle.
Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong is a great place to relax for solo travelers as it is full of “Zen moments,” such as beautiful gardens and Tai Chi classes.
Why it's a great choice: Hong Kong is regarded as one of the safest cities in the world. If you're not welltraveled, or perhaps a bit tired of things like language barriers, Hong Kong is a great place to start, as it mixes both Eastern and Western at the same time.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali is a spiritual place with yoga, spas, healthy food and beaches. The combination of friendly people and splendidly visual culture has made Bali Indonesia number one tourist attraction.
Why it's so great: You won't be the only solo traveler in Bali. Everyone is known for being extremely friendly and you're sure to meet some amazing characters along the way. As a Hindu island, Bali is the perfect place for a relaxing and spiritual retreat(静修). The Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud is fantastic—if you like monkeys, anyway.
1. What do the four places have in common according to the text?| A．They're cheap to travel around. | B．They're great for solo travelers. |
| C．They offer good spas and yoga. | D．There're no language barriers. |
| A．Melbourne, Australia. | B．Thailand. |
| C．Hong Kong, China. | D．Bali, Indonesia. |
| A．Yoga, spas, healthy food and beaches. |
| B．Friendly people and splendidly visual culture. |
| C．Meeting some amazing characters along the way. |
| D．Fantastic monkeys in the Sacred Monkey Forest. |
【推荐3】Some places in the world have strange laws. It’s important for you to know about them before going there.
Whoever likes to chew gum (口香糖) may have to leave Singapore. The government really wants to keep the city clean and will fine you for chewing gum.
Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates you’d better make sure you aren’t visiting during Ramadan (斋月). During that time you aren’t allowed to eat or drink in public. Tourists have been fined up to $275 for drinking in public.
Lovers spend so much time kissing each other goodbye at train stations that trains often start late. This law---no kissing your lover goodbye at train stations---is rather old, and isn’t in use today in France.
In Thailand it’s against the law to drive a car or motorcycle without a shirt on, no matter how hot it is. Punishments are different in different areas and can include warnings and tickets costing about $10. No joke ---the local police will stop you.
Studies in Denmark have shown that cars with their headlights on are more noticeable by other drivers than those with their headlights off. Drivers there are required to leave their headlights on even during the day, or they may face a fine up to $100.
Do you often buy things using coins? Don’t do it in Canada. The Currency Law of 1985 doesn’t allow using only coins to buy things. Even the use of the dollar-coin is limited (受限制的). The shop owner has the right to choose whether to take your coins or not.
Make sure you know about these laws before your next trip. Better safe than sorry.
1. What is mainly talked about in the text?| A．How to make your trip around the world safe. |
| B．Some strange laws you should know about for your trip. |
| C．Interesting places you can go to around the world. |
| D．Why there are strange laws in the world. |
| A．the police will play a joke on you |
| B．the police will give you tickets costing about $10 |
| C．you should wear your shirt even though it’s hot |
| D．you should always keep your headlights on |
| A．You can turn your headlights off in daytime in Denmark. |
| B．Kissing goodbye at train stations isn’t allowed in France today. |
| C．Tourists in the United Arab Emirates shouldn’t eat in public. |
| D．The Singaporean government cares a lot about its environment. |
【推荐1】An increasing number of tourists are heading to Sa Pa， Vietnam. Want to travel wise？ Here’ re some tips for you before leaving for Vietnam.
WHY GO NOW
Restaurants and hotels have been opening at a quick pace in Sa Pa， in part because a new highway connecting the nearby city of Lao Cai to Hanoi opened in 2014. But much of the national park in Sa Pa remains as wild and beautiful as ever.
GETTING THERE
Sa Pa is easily accessible by bus or train from Hanoi. Sleeper bus service takes at least six hours each way， and round － trip tickets cost about $ 40. Round － trip fares on an overnight sleeper train， eight hours each way， begin at about $ 50； a private cabin（隔间） in the train’ s sleeper car costs $ 200 for two.
NOT TO MISS
Mount Fansipan
Many travel agencies offer tours to Fansipan， Vietnam’ s highest mountain and primary attraction in Hoang Lien National Park. There’ s also a cable car（缆车） from Sa Pa to Fansipan’ s top； a round － trip costs $ 30.
Village trips
Sa Pa is famous for its minority villages. Some are connected to each other by walking or hiking paths. Several companies offer trip and homestay packages of varying lengths， prices and difficulty.
Weekend markets
The villages of Can Cau and Bac Ha， both a few hour’ s drive from Sa Pa， host weekend markets selling farm animals， produce and more.
Local dishes
In open－air restaurants around Sa Pa Lake， one popular fish is hot pot served in local salmon（三文鱼） raised in local mountain streams. Another is a plate of fried river fish called ca suoi.
1. How much will a couple pay if they choose a private cabin on the train？| A．$ 80. | B．$ 100. |
| C．$ 200. | D．$ 400. |
| A．Take a cable car free of charge. | B．Host special weekend markets. |
| C．Put up in the minority villages. | D．Enjoy a lot of delicious seafood. |
| A．To advertise a national park in Sa Pa. | B．To provide guidance on tours in Sa Pa. |
| C．To make a brief introduction to Vietnam. | D．To suggest ways of travelling in Vietnam. |
【推荐2】It was the 54th anniversary(周年)of the moon landing last year. Astronomy lovers were not the only ones that were excited about it; publishers also offered a number of books to mark the event.
Shoot for the Moon
James Donovan
Little, Brown and Company, $30m
This retelling of the space race begins with the Soviet Union's Sputnik satellite in 1957 to the historic Apollo 11 program twelve years later. The book offers details about the characters of the spacemen, engineers and others who made the U. S: space program a success.
One Giant Leap
Charles Fishman
Simon & Schuster, $29.99
Getting to the moon required a million hours of work, this book says. Accordingly, the story centers on the engineers, project managers and others who worked long and hard to get the Apollo program off the ground.
Picturing Apollo 11
J. L. Pickering and John Bisney
The University Press of Florida, $45
Packed with hundreds of photos(some are published for the first time), this book reads like a photo book of the Apollo 11 program. The photos are moments of spacemen training, as well as the excitement of lift-off, the historic landing and the return of the three men.
Apollo's Legacy
Roger D. Launius
Smithsonian Books, $27.95
A space historian examines the Apollo program in different ways; as a political machine in the Cold War and an important cultural moment. The book explores different views on the US moonshot project from scientists, politicians, the media and the public during the space race and beyond.
1. What is Shoot for the Moon mainly about?| A．The history of the space race. | B．The lift-off of two satellites. |
| C．The cooperation of different countries. | D．Humans' understanding of the moon. |
| A．James Donovan's. | B．Charles Fishman's. |
| C．J. L. Pickering and John Bisney's. | D．Roger D. Launius's. |
| A．Shoot for the Moon. | B．One Giant Leap. |
| C．Picturing Apollo 11. | D．Apollo's Legacy. |
【推荐3】Since you are applying for a visa for a short-term study in the USA, here are a few steps you should take to ensure you can do it smoothly.
You can apply for it if you
●do a short course of study in the USA, such as an English language course or a training course.
●do a short period of research as part of a degree course in the USA.
You must prove that you
●have been offered a place on a course in the USA at an accepted place of study.
●have enough money to support yourself without working or help from public funds.
●can pay for your return or onward journey.
●have permission from your parents or guardian to study in the USA if you are under 18.
You must provide
●proof of the course you're studying, for example, a letter of acceptance from the educational institution — an official headed paper; stating the course's name, duration and cost (including accommodation).
●a current passport or other valid travel identification.
●evidence that you can support yourself during your trip, for example, bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months.
●details of where you intend to stay and your travel plans.
●contact details for at least one parent or guardian in your home country if you’re under 18 years old.
You must
●apply online for a short-term study visa.
●have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre as part of your application.
●pay £97 for a 6-month visa or £186 for an 11-month visa.
You may
●be allowed to stay an extra 30 days if your total stay in the USA is no more than 6 months.
1. Who is the passage intended for?| A．A graduate to pick up a full time job in the USA. |
| B．A university professor to teach Chinese in the USA. |
| C．A high school student to have a short-term travel in the USA. |
| D．A scholar to conduct a short degree-related research in the USA. |
| A．Your previous passport. |
| B．Details of your study plans. |
| C．A proof of your parents’ support. |
| D．An official document of your target course. |
| A．It is free for a one-year study visa. |
| B．You need to apply through the Internet. |
| C．You can extend one-month stay as you please. |
| D．Your photo must be taken and submitted online. |
