1 . Whistler Travel Guide

Snow-capped peaks and powdered steeps; sparkling lakes and rushing waterfalls; challenging hiking routes and inviting restaurants — Whistler’s offerings suit every season.

Things to do

The entire town displays the ski-chic atmosphere, hosting dozens of ski and snow board competitions and festivals annually. In the warmer months, more outdoor enthusiasts come out to play. Visitors can try hiking or cycling up the mountains. While Whistler is an ideal vacation spot for the active types, other travelers can enjoy the local museums and art galleries filled within formative exhibits. Plus, there are family-friendly activities and attractions like summer concerts, along with plenty of shopping options.

When to visit

The best times to visit Whistler are from June through August and between December and March.

How to get around

The best ways to get around Whistler are on foot or by bike. Or, you can take the shuttlebuses from Whistler Village, which transport visitors to Lost Lake Park and the Marketplace. Meanwhile, having a car will allow you the freedom to explore top attractions like Whistler Train Wreck and Alexander Falls without having to spend a lot of cash on a cab.

What you need to know

●Whistler receives feet of snow each year. If you’re driving in winter, slow down and make sure to rent or come with a reliable SUV.

●Snowslides are likely to occur on Backcountry routes, so only advanced skiers should take to this off-the-map area.

●Whistler’s wilderness is home to many black and grizzly bears. Keep your distance and do not feed them.

1. What are active travelers recommended to do in Whistler?

A．Bike up the mountains.	B．Host ski competitions.
C．Go shopping at the malls.	D．Visit museum exhibitions.

2. Which of the following is the most popular among travelers?

A．Whistler Village.

B．Lost Lake Park.

C．The Marketplace.

D．Whistler Train Wreck.

3. What are travelers prohibited from doing in Whistler?

A．Driving a rented SUV.	B．Feeding grizzly bears.
C．Exploring the wilderness.	D．Skiing on Backcountry routes.

2 . Over the past 5,000 years, China has given birth to a large number of cultural heritages, Among these are the beautiful porcelain wares (瓷器) produced in Jingdezhen in East China’s Jiangxi Province. Here we explore their development and importance in today’s society.

Jingdezhen is well-known around the world for Its porcelain, It has produced porcelain since the Five Dynasties (907 ~ 960). Jingdezhen in known as the “porcelain capital” for its different kinds of porcelain wares with rich and cool styles, Of all the products, blue and white porcelain is the most famous, Such unique porcelains with the fine style have been praised as “the Treasure of China”.

Starting in the Song Dynasty (906 ~ 1279), kiln (窑) appeared in every household in every village in Jingdezhen, which was key to the establishment of its porcelain tradition.

During the Yuan Dynasty (1271~ 1368), a new technique for blue and white porcelain was invented. During the Ming (1368~ 1644) and Qing (1644~1911) dynasties, techniques for mining, painting, and firing were advanced, bringing Jingdezhen’s porcelain craftsmanship (工艺) to a historic high. At that time, the establishment of the Zhushan Imperial Kiln and the growing porcelain market overseas accelerated the development of the industry, turning Jingdezhen into a major porcelain production center.

The Republic of China (1912~1949) saw the growth of porcelain industry as well as a rise in shops and traders, which helped increase ties between Jingdezhen and other areas in China and other countries, After the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, the porcelain industry saw its development at high speed.

However, with the economic growth and the use of new technology over the last decades, the traditional porcelain production worsens. Although some traditional techniques have been preserved, a large part of them were lost. In 2006, Jingdezhen porcelain craftsmanship was listed as a national cultural heritage.

1. Why is the blue and white porcelain regarded as “the Treasure of China”?

A．For its producer.

B．For its timing.

C．For its weight.

D．For its style.

2. When did Jingdezhen’s porcelain craftsmanship reach a record high?

A．In the Five Dynasties.

B．In the Song Dynasty.

C．In the Yuan Dynasty.

D．In the Ming and Qing dynasties.

3. What does the underlined word “accelerated” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Missed out.

B．Held back.

C．Sped up.

D．Mixed with.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．The Importance of Porcelain

B．The Porcelain in Jingdezhen

C．The Rise of Porcelain Industry

D．The Economic Growth in China

3 . Lacey, 13, found a large bumblebee(大黄蜂)lying in the road while walking her dog. She picked up the bee and noticed it had a broken wing. She tried to put it on some flowers in a nearby park, but it refused to stay there and climbed back to her hand. After an hour, she gave up and headed home with the little creature.

On the way home, the bumblebee was resting on Lacey’s glasses as she went into a local shop to buy milk-shocking other shoppers. Despite many attempts to leave the insect outside, the lovely bee refused to leave Lacey’s side.

Now recovered and named Betty, it follows her everywhere. And once it even stayed with Lacey during the games with her friends at the bowling room.

During the day, Betty rests on the back of Lacey’s neck, or hides inside her clothes or flies around the living room. At night, Lacey puts Betty in a little bottle beside her bed. While there is no lid(盖子), it stays inside quietly until morning.

“I’m so happy and I love spending my time with her,” said the girl. “She’s so lovely and I love our friendship.”

The bee likes Lacey’s food, but also gets sugar water, honey and strawberry jam. Lacey also takes her bee-pal into the garden to enjoy flower honey, but as soon as the girl goes back inside, Betty is right beside her.

“It’s really lovely and so beautiful,” said her mother, Laura. “I’m also glad that Lacey has a new close friend.” Betty enjoys a touch between the wings, but stays away from the rest of the family—mom, dad and two younger brothers. “We have all the doors open a lot and she’s just never gone—I don’t know why,” said Laura.

1. What did Lacey find in the road?

A．A lost dog.

B．An injured bumblebee.

C．A girl called Betty.

D．Some beautiful flowers.

2. How did the customers feel when Lacey entered the shop?

A．Shocked.

B．Angry.

C．Delighted.

D．Excited.

3. Where does Betty stay when Lacey sleeps at night?

A．In the living room.

B．On Lacey’s glasses.

C．In a nearby park.

D．In a little bottle.

4. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．Betty loves every one of Lace’s family.

B．Betty dislikes touches from humans.

C．Laura also likes the presence of Betty.

D．Laura is worried about Lacey’s safety.

4 . Since the rise in car ownership in the 1950s, the US has started building roads in cities and across the country to provide enough room for automobiles. Houston, like many cities, is turning back the clock to make room for passers-by, cyclists and parks.

Memorial Park in Houston, Texas was halved by the Memorial Drive Highway in the1950s. It has now been reunited. The highway is still there, but the road goes underneath the 1,500-acre park.

The restoration (修复) of Memorial Park is part of a larger plan that was made after the city suffered from a serious drought. It was thought that 80 percent of the forested canopy (树冠) was dead. One of the ways to fight that was to reintroduce native plants and animals.

The city hired the landscape architectural company, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, to work with the Houston parks and the Memorial Parks Conservancy. The architects, led by Woltz, were inspired by wildlife crossings in the Northwest US and explored the possibility of using this idea in Memorial Park. Over the years, the park was cut into 20 pieces that were divided by highways, roads and parking lots. The only crossing was a 12-foot bridge.

After 10 years of planning and constructing, the Kinder Land Bridge officially opened in early February, 2023. The bridge consists of 100 acres of greenery, and while designed for people, has reconnected wildlife corridors (廊道). The reconstruction added 45 acres of native Gulf Coast prairie (草原) that’ll increase biodiversity in the park. “This project is not just about creating a passage or a bridge. This project is about ecology, it’s about biodiversity and water management. This project is a bridge into Houston’s future.” said Shellye Arnold, president of the Memorial Park Conservancy.

1. What led to the restoration of the Memorial Park?

A．A company’s suggestion.	B．A terrible natural disaster.
C．The demand from the public.	D．The recovery of native plants.

2. How did wildlife crossings in the Northwest US affect the architects?

A．They knew how to restore the Memorial Park.

B．They got the inspiration for rescuing animals.

C．They gained a sense of achievement for working.

D．They developed a new way to protect the landscape.

3. What do we know about the Kinder Land Bridge from the text?

A．It is about 12 feet in length.	B．Its aim is to save water.
C．It benefits the wild animals.	D．Its birth is a short process.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．A Highway Connects a Park in Houston

B．The Importance of Building Land Bridges

C．Efforts to Restore Parks in American Cities

D．Houston Creates a Creative Way to Restore Nature

5 . Top Four Festivals in the World

Saint Patrick’s Day, Ireland

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated anywhere in the world where there are the Irish. If you’re going to get involved, there’s no better place than Dublin. This festival runs for five days and five nights in March along with performing arts, literature, tours and food events.

Holi Festival, India

It’s also called the “festival of love” as on the full-moon day in March people get together, forgetting all types of bad feeling towards each other. You’ll mostly see Holi Festival across India and Nepal, but also in other areas with large Hindu populations. It starts by lighting a night-time bonfire (篝火)where people sing and dance. People throw coloured water and powder (粉末) to their friends and families to show love and respect.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland

One of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture in the world, the festival runs for three weeks every August throughout the Scottish capital. Artists and performers take to hundreds of stages all over the city to present shows for every taste. The Fringe is run by the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society to support and encourage the Scottish arts.

Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland

There are plenty of music festivals in Europe, but Montreux Jazz Festival held in October near the Lake Geneva is truly one of a kind and is the second-largest jazz festival in the world. It’s not just jazz, though. You’ll find broad-ranging concerts from pop to rock and blues, and best of all, most of the performances are free.

1. When does Saint Patrick’s Day take place?

A．In March.

B．In April.

C．In August.

D．In October.

2. What can you do at Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

A．Throw coloured water.	B．Taste Irish food.
C．Dance near a bonfire.	D．Watch art shows.

3. Which event will you go to if you just want to attend concerts?

A．Holi Festival.	B．Montrcux Jazz Festival.
C．Saint Patrick’s Day.	D．Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

7 . Best Sleep Music Apps

If you want to sleep better at night, trying a sleep music app might be the answer. Here are some ideal sleep music apps to choose from.

Calm

Calm is one of the most popular sleep music apps and its large library of relaxing and sleep-causing tracks is largely responsible for that. This app offers a free version, but to really take advantage of what Calm has to offer, you had better choose the paid version, which costs $ 69.99 for one year. A lifetime membership is $ 399.99.

Relax Melodies

Relax Melodies is intended to calm your mind with relaxing sound. The composer is visual and easy to use, and the Discover page gives you access to other app features, like bedtime stories and breathing exercises. Though its free version provides a great introduction to the idea of sleep music, the paid version unlocks a larger library of sounds. Consider paying for it if there're particular sounds or features that really attract you.

Headspace

Headspace is a feature-rich app designed in a simple way that makes it quick and easy to use its library of sleep-specific music. The Sleep icon at the bottom of the app is easy to identify and leads to a library of options that include Sleep Music and Sleep Radio. It's worth noting that nearly everything in Headspace's Sleep Library requires an extra subscription. Headspace costs $ 69.99 annually, or you can pay $12.99 per month.

Pzizz

Pzizz offers sleep music tracks you can use at naptime, bedtime, or to improve focus. One thing that makes Pzizz different is its voice narration（旁白）option. If you find the presence of a calming voice to be comforting or benefit from someone helping you to relax your body and mind, then Pzizz is a good choice for you. Male and female voice options are available and the voice is low and calm. It has a free version but you should pay for extra subscriptions.

1. Which app allows you to combine sleep music with breathing exercises?

A．Calm.

B．Headspace.

C．Pzizz.

D．Relax Melodies.

2. How much should you pay at least for the one-year subscription of Headspace?

A．$12.99.

B．$69.99.

C．$155.88.

D．$399.99.

3. What is special about Pzizz?

A．Its voice for narration is fixed.	B．It provides low and calm music.
C．It offers voice narration options.	D．Its focus is sleep-specific music.

8 . Best places to see wildlife in Canada

Whether you’re keen to see the mysterious spirit bears or listen to the songs of beluga whales, Canada’s varied landform offers dozens of wildlife adventures that are bound to impress you. So grab your camera and set out for a few of the best places to see Canada’s incredible wildlife.

Search for the mysterious spirit bears in the Great Bear Rainforest,British Columbia

Spirit bears are one of the most special animals found in Canada.They are a rare species protected by Canada and can only be found in the Great Bear Rainforest. which is a remote protected area mainly accessible by boat.

Listen to beluga whales sing in Churchill,Manitoba

About 136,000 beluga whales can be found here in Canadian waters in the summer.They are white in color and are nicknamed the“canaries(金丝雀)of the sea”thanks to the sounds they make, which are used to navigate.

Spot a moose (麇鹿) or two at Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

The moose are one of the most-loved species in Canada,but are surprisingly difficult to find in the wild. If you have your heart set on seeing a moose or two,head to Algonquin provincial Park in Ontario, where you might catch sight of them at dusk or dawn, especially in the spring.

Witness the monarch butterfly migration at Point Pelee National Park,Ontario

Every year thousands of monarch butterflies migrate from Canada to Mexico,where the spend the winter. One of the main points of this migration route is Point Pelee National Park in Ontario. Head there just before sunset or early in the morning for the best views

1. Which species is unique to Canada?

A．Spirit bears.	B．Beluga whales.
C．Moose.	D．Monarch butterflies.

2. What time is it most probably to spot a moose?

A．At dusk in the winter.

B．At dawn in the spring.

C．At midday in the autumn.

D．After sunset in the summer.

3. If you’re an insect lover, which attracts you best?

A．Churchill, Manitoba,

B．Algonquin Provincial Park,Ontario.

C．Point Pelee National Park,Ontario.

D．The Great Bear Rainforest,British Columbia.

9 . Volunteer Wildlife Transporters Needed!

What is a wildlife transporter?
● Wildlife transporters help get rescued sick, injured and orphaned wildlife from a rescuer, carer or vet clinic to a wildlife hospital or a wildlife carer.
● All wildlife will be securely contained for safe transport, so no handling experience is required.
What equipment do I need?
● A reliable vehicle with air-conditioning and sufficient room to place transport carriers. A standard SUV is sufficient.
● Basic rescue supplies
—Cardboard boxes of various sizes
—Plastic rescue baskets
—Pet carriers
● Other supplies
—Second-hand towels, pillowcases or other soft cloth for lining and covering transport carriers
—Notebook and pen/pencil for marking boxes and completing paperwork
—Packing/sticky tape to secure cardboard boxes and to attach paperwork to the animal’s carrier
● Specialised transport carriers
Some wildlife (such as koalas, snakes) will already be contained in a more specialised transport carrier by the rescuer and the animal will remain in that carrier for transport. You do NOT need to have these specialised carriers.
How do I get started?
● Become a Wildcare member—join online at https://wildcare.org.au/help-us/join/.
● Register for and attend a Rescue and First Aid for Wildlife workshop—all training workshops are free for members.
● Get your basic supplies ready as listed above.
● Complete the online Rescue/Transport List Application Form.
●Join the Wildcare members-only Facebook groups—Wildcare Wildlife Transport Facebook group/Wildcare Community Facebook group.
Then what?
● Keep us up to date with your contact details so we can get in touch quickly and easily.
● Keep an eye out for posts from wildlife rescuers and carers asking for assistance with transporting.
● Keep your mobile handy so you don’t miss calls for help.
1. What equipment does a volunteer wildlife transporter need to have?

A．Metal rescue baskets.	B．An air-conditioned car.
C．Some specialized carriers.	D．New towels or pillowcases.

2. What is a volunteer wildlife transporter expected to do?

A．Pay for the training workshops.	B．Ask for assistance when necessary.
C．Update their contact information in time.	D．Complete the application form with a pen.

3. What type of writing is the text?

A．A review.

B．A report.

C．A paper.

D．An advertisement.