1 . Black Valley, 63 kilometers from downtown Chongqing, is one of the best preserved natural wonders around the municipality. The national 5A-level scenic spot is a popular summer resort for sightseeing, forest adventures, outdoor camping, hunting and angling.
Located in Heishan town, Wansheng Economic Development Zone, the scenic spot spans over 103 square kilometers, 97 percent of which are covered by primitive forests. With over 110,000 negative oxygen ions in each cubic centimeter of air, it is dubbed as a natural oxygen bar and “the most beautiful healthcare-themed valley.”
Black Valley is also known as “the natural gene bank of Chongqing and Guizhou regions” for the diversity of its rare plants and wildlife, including Cathaya argyrophylla, Davidia involucrata, Trachypithecus francoisi and clouded leopards.
Scenic spot level: AAAAA
Address: Heishan town, Wansheng Economic Development Zone, 63 kilometers from downtown Chongqing Opening hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm (peak season from November to February), 9:00 am-3:00 pm (off season from March to October)
Ideal sightseeing season: from May to September
Ticket price: 60 yuan ($8.72) during off season and 100 yuan during peak season, sightseeing bus and cable not included.
Notes:
1. It is recommended that tourists start from the higher southern area for a downward journey.
2. The average temperature is 18.1 degrees.
3. It’s a good idea to experience the local folk culture of the Miao ethnic group, especially when you choose to visit in May when the traditional Caishan Festival of Miao ethnic group is celebrated.
1. What can we know about Black Valley?| A．It lies in downtown Chongqing. |
| B．Plants and wildlife are rarely seen there. |
| C．A visit there costs at most 100 yuan. |
| D．The air is very high in negative oxygen ions there. |
| A．January. | B．March. | C．May. | D．July. |
| A．Culture. | B．Travel. | C．Nature. | D．Wildlife. |
2 . The quiz tries to test non-native English speaker's vocabulary size. New results show the largest proportion of participants know 4,500 words （in the range from 4,250 to 4,749）, with the median vocabulary size of 7,826* under the influence of the following factors.
Factors
Academic performance: In class, how about your homework, study, exam, logic, etc.?
Classroom participation: In class, how much did you participate, talking and asking questions? Natural ability: In class, how much do you feel about learning English? Is it easy or difficult? Outside of class: How much do you use English in real life, learning things outside of class? Being abroad: Did you travel to English-speaking countries? How much time did you spend?
Findings
Academic performance helps, up to doubling your vocabulary size. Classroom participation matters too, giving you up to a 50% increase in vocabulary. Outside of class is the biggest difference. Students who do lots of things in English outside of class have more than twice the vocabulary of those who don't. Being abroad brings the average student from around 7,000 to 10,000 words.
Be aware that the results above are suggestive only. More research will tell.
1. What is the vocabulary size of most participants in the quiz?
| A．4,500. | B．4,250. | C．4,749 | D．7,826 |
| A．Academic performance. | B．Being abroad. |
| C．Outside class activities. | D．Classroom participation. |
| A．An English poster. | B．An English dictionary. |
| C．A notice about a quiz. | D．A survey of English learning. |
3 . Most Asian people are familiar with pickled vegetables. Chinese pickles, which vary from regions, play a very important part in Chinese daily life. Not only are Chinese pickles easy to make and keep at home, out also they are an excellent side dish. These pickles go great with a congee meal(粥). Here we’ll make the delicious Chinese pickles together.
Ingredients
◇ 1 carrot with fantastic taste and 2 cucumbers. Don’t use the regular cucumbers, which are called Garden Cucumbers, as they are too watery and pretty tasteless and have lots of seeds you have to get rid of.
◇ a Glass Jar for pickling, a teaspoon of sea salt, a cup of Rice Vinegar, a cup of Raw Sugar and 2 slices ginger.
Directions
Peel the carrot and wash the cucumbers. Slice everything into approximately 2 inch lengths by 1/4 inch thickness. Put into a large bowl with salt and shake. Let stand for at least l/2 hour. Remove squeezed water until dry as possible. Place one of the ginger slices on bottom. Pack the vegetables into your pickling jar. Put the other ginger slices on top. Mix the sugar into the vinegar in a bowl and shake until the sugar is melted. Pour over the vegetables until covered. Pour in a bit more vinegar to top up if necessary. Close jar and put in the fridge overnight.
It’s ready to eat the next day but the flavor will improve as time goes by.
Let’s call it a day. See you this time tomorrow.
1. What can we know about Chinese pickles?| A．They are a Chinese meal similar in different provinces. |
| B．They are an Asian an food easy to make but difficult to keep. |
| C．They are a side dish made with Garden Cucumbers. |
| D．They are a great match for congee meals. |
| A．Drown the vegetables with sugar and vinegar. |
| B．Cover the vegetables with ginger slices. |
| C．Squeeze the water from the vegetables. |
| D．Close the jar and put in the fridge. |
| A．A food programme. | B．A gardening broadcast. |
| C．A cooking magazine. | D．A DIY reference book. |
4 . If documentary A Bite of China presented a feast for the eyes with its appetizing images of cuisines from around the country, Aerial China, a new series that was put on CCTV on Jan. 28, offers another visual treat with its footage (镜头) of the breathtaking beauty of the country's natural landscapes.
The series has 34 episodes, each featuring a different place. The first season's episodes feature scenery from Heilongjiang, Hainan, Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Shanghai and Jiangxi. According to Beijing Daily , it took one year to film the first season, with crew using 16 helicopters and 57 drones. The total distance they covered was about 150,000 kilometers - enough to circle the earth four times.
Their efforts have paid off, however. Aerial China currently has a score of 9.4 points out of 10 on douban. com, an influential rating and review website. The majority of viewers are impressed by the amazing view of nature the show presents. From the gleaming blue of the South China Sea to the vast grassland in Xinjiang, from centuries-old city walls in Shaanxi to busy ski resorts in Heilongjiang, "every frame of this show would make a desktop wall paper," commented Beijing Daily.
But amazing views are not the only thing Aerial China wants to show to the audience. " Every footage conveys the love of our motherland," chief director Yu Le said in an interview with CCTV. “The more you know about the place where we live, the more you feel obliged to protect it. " Yu also hopes that it can bring viewers some food for thought. "It allows audiences to see the world from above with brand new perspectives. It may occur to the audience that human beings are very tiny creatures in the universe and our life is very fleeting (短暂),so we should not dwell on the worries and losses. Just think outside the routine - you'll find an enriched life."
1. What subject does Aerial China deal with?| A．Chinese cuisine. | B．Natural scenery. |
| C．Chinese festivals. | D．Geographic features. |
| A．Reviews on Aerial China from media were critical. |
| B．The crew circled the earth four times to film Aerial China. |
| C．It took a lot of money and efforts to produce Aerial China. |
| D．Most audiences were impressed by an enriched life in the show. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．National News. | C．Culture. | D．Natural Heritage. |
| A．To present views of China from above. |
| B．To reveal audience's love of our country. |
| C．To advise readers to live an enriched life. |
| D．To attract readers to a TV documentary. |
5 . The first known dress, as well as the earliest known bar and restaurant in France, were identified this week. The discoveries, reported in the journal Antiquity, provide a glimpse of what early life was like in both ancient Egypt and southern France thousands of years ago.
The garment, which dates to around 3482 BC, is known as the Tarkhan Dress, and now looks like a shabby and dirty shirt. When new, however, the linen dress would have looked fashionable even today, as researchers determined it featured a natural pale gray stripe with pleated sleeves and bodice. Its edge is missing, so the original length of the dress is unknown.
"The survival of highly perishable textiles（纺织品）in the archaeological record is exceptional（例外的）, the survival of complete, or almost complete, articles of clothing like the Tarkhan Dress is even more remarkable," Alice Stevenson, head of the University College London（UCL）Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, said in a press release.
Now that the dress' age has been confirmed, it has been named Egypt's oldest garment and is the oldest known surviving woven garment in the world. To calculate its age. Michael Dee of the University of Oxford and colleagues measured a small Sample of the dress to determine how much radiocarbon remained in the linen. Linen is especially suitable for radiocarbon dating, according to the researchers, because it is made of flax fibers that grow over a relatively short time. The dress, currently on display at the UCI.
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, features wear and tear that date back to its earliest days. The researchers believe that a young teenager or a very slim woman wore it.
A separate study in the same journal reports the discovery of a hotel in southern France. At first the researcher thought that they had found a bakery, since they determined that the site once featured three huge ovens. They later, however, found that another nearby room across from a courtyard, had furniture lining its walls.
1. Why is it difficult to determine the length of the garment?| A．Its bottom edge is gone. | B．It has broken into pieces. |
| C．Part of the bottom is missing | D．The edge of sleeves is missing. |
| A．Really in high quality. | B．Valuable and unusual. |
| C．Lasting for quite a long time | D．Being rotten or destroyed easily. |
| A．linen is especially suitable for radiocarbon dating |
| B．the dress proves to be the oldest woven one in the world |
| C．how radiocarbon in the linen is measured by the researchers |
| D．the researchers of University of Oxford knew the dress' age |
| A．TV series. | B．A book review. |
| C．A science report. | D．A fashion show. |
6 . With the sea on your doorstep, a large fleet of boats to choose from, and a team of experienced instructors, the outdoor activities centre is there just for you! Courses available:
Dinghy Sailing
Our boats are chosen carefully to provide a wide range of safe and exciting learning opportunities. Instructors will take you through the basics of rigging, launching and sailing.
Catamaran Sailing
For those with little or no experience, this course is a good introduction to this fast and exciting form of sailing. If weather condition is favourable, students should be able to handle a catamaran single-handedly during the course.
Cost for each course (age 16 years and over): £165 non residential, £180 residential
Canoeing or Kayaking
The outdoor activities centre is the ideal venue for kayaking. With the sea close at hand, our one-day course will introduce the skill of kayaking at sea. There will be an opportunity to try a variety of different canoes and kayaks and to take part in a short kayak sea journey.
Cost for one-day course: £35
Windsurfing
Our centre runs a JUNIOR WINDSURFING CLUB on Monday and Wednesday evenings during the summer season and is open to anyone up to 18 years old. Aimed at those who already have some windsurfing experience (level one certificate), this club aims to give young windsurfers the opportunity to progress within a safe and exciting environment.
Cost: £7 per session or £6 per session if four sessions are booked in advance
1. How much would it cost an adult living at the center to take both sailing courses?| A．£165. | B．£180. |
| C．£345. | D．£360. |
| A．A travel journal. | B．A sports advertisement. |
| C．A training report. | D．An exhibition guide. |
7 . A night in the African rainforest camping under the stars is just one of the many never-to-be-forgotten experiences of our latest offer to Weekly News readers.
Day 1: The 5* Victoria Falls Hotel will meet your needs during your first day in Africa after the 30 km drive from the international airport. Located only minutes from the falls, the hotel has splendid views of the breathtaking waters.
Day 2: Your night under the stars, within few minutes’ walk of the Victoria Falls. Our purpose-built campsite offers our guests a chance to feel the atmosphere of the rainforest. Your evening starts with a great barbecue cooked by our head chef, followed by a program of African music and dance. Then, as moon rises and the stars shine, you retire to your tent to sleep or to listen to the fascinating sounds of the African rainforest.
Days 3-4: The 5* Zimbabwe National Hotel will accommodate you in the heart of the Zimbabwean wilderness. By jeep from your campsite near the Falls, you arrive at midday via the Zambezi river. The hotel offers you everything you would expect from 5* luxury hotel. In the evening, enjoy our international menu, or relax in the gardens. Those who love adventure can join our specially arranged rafting trip down the Zambezi river.
Days 5-6: Arrive by helicopter at the 5* Plaza Hotel, only 20 minutes’ drive from the airport. Day 5 includes an amazing safari to see some of the world’s most unusual animals in their natural habitats. On the final day, you can make shopping trip into town.
Included in this special offer: 6 nights in 5* hotel accommodation. Depart from London Heathrow Airport. Bed and breakfast meal basis. Price (£1, 355) is per person based on two people sharing a room.
1. During Day 2, the tourists will have a chance to _________.| A．cook a barbecue | B．dance African dances |
| C．have a sleep outdoors | D．walk around the rainforest |
| A．helicopter | B．ship | C．jeep | D．raft |
| A．Day 1 | B．Day 2 | C．Day 3 | D．Day 6 |
| A．can enjoy free meals during the whole trip |
| B．have to pay extra money for a single room |
| C．should book in advance to get a discount |
| D．are required to be London locals |
| A．A travel guide. | B．A geography textbook. |
| C．A hotel advertisement. | D．An introduction to Weekly News. |
8 . Crackle is a website that lets you stream free movies and watch free TV shows on your computer, phone, and tablet. Although you'll need to sit through a few commercial breaks during the movies and shows, an awesome selection of programming, as well as a decent video quality, will have you coming back again and again.
View Crackle's Free Movies
Movies at Crackle are organized into types to help you find thrillers, comedies, action movies, Crackle original movies, dramas, crime movies, horror films, and more. You can sort the free movies alphabetically or by recently added so you can check back as often as you want to see what they've been including in their free selection.
Crackle regularly has around 100 free, full-length movies that you watch any time you want. New movies are constantly being added and retired from Crackle, so you'll always find something new to watch.
View Crackle's Free TV Shows
Like the movies section, the TV shows you can find here include many types of programs and original Crackle series that you can't find anywhere else. Crackle keeps videos during a particular time and then removes them. This means if you watch part of a movie one day, it's quite possible that it could be gone the next before you can finish it.
How to Stream Crackle Movies & TV Shows
Crackle works on lots of devices. You can follow the links above to see the movies and TV shows on your computer, but there's also a Crackle movie app so that you can stream the videos on your phone or tablet. You can download the Crackle mobile app on iOS devices, Android phones and tablets, and other devices.
1. What can be learned about Crackle from the first paragraph?| A．It inserts several advertisements during films. |
| B．It attracts more viewers due to its web design. |
| C．It charges viewers fees to enjoy all its programs. |
| D．It requires viewers to download programs to watch. |
| A．They are all produced by Crackle. | B．They are classified by time. |
| C．They are easy to find and appreciate. | D．They are kept on Crackle all the time. |
| A．An announcement. | B．An advertisement. |
| C．An art works review. | D．An official report. |
9 . An artist in Oakland, California is using his skills to help the homeless. Greg Kloehn builds very small shelters that make life on the streets a little more comfortable. The structures offer the homeless some safety and protection from bad weather. Each little house also has wheels on the bottom so it can go wherever its owner goes.
Greg Kloehn has given away at least 20 tiny houses. Several are on the roadside near an active railroad. On a recent day, Mr.Kloehn stops at one to visit Oscar Young. The two men hug. Inside his little shelter Mr.Young gets relief from cold nights on the streets. Mr.Kloehn also visits SweetPea, another friend who also lives in one of the little homes the artist built. She says it keeps her safe and protects her belongings.
In the mornings, Mr. Kloehn searches the streets for building materials. He gathers what he can and takes it to his studio. There, he puts the houses together. Empty coffee bags become roof material. A washing machine door and refrigerator part become windows. Nails,screws and the sticky glue hold all the pieces together. The artist also attaches a small electrical device to the house. The device is powered by the sun.
Some of the people living on the streets once had normal houses of their own. But some of the people say they have learned to live with less and they are thankful to that man.
Mr.Kloehn says his work is not a social project. He says he is just someone using his skills to help his homeless neighbors.
1. The following are the advantages of the small shelters EXCEPT ________.| A．saving power and energy |
| B．protecting possessions of the homeless |
| C．decorating the streets where they are |
| D．keeping the homeless safe and comfortable |
| A．Greg Kloehn has sold at least 20 tiny houses |
| B．an act of kindness has made people simple and grateful |
| C．the shelters are immovable |
| D．the government has got involved in the action |
| A．an official report |
| B．an art review |
| C．a science magazine |
| D．a news report |
| A．An artist creates homes for the homeless. |
| B．A more comfortable shelter on the streets. |
| C．A successful social project in Oakland. |
| D．An artist makes a living by designing small shelters. |
10 . The Hear Clear Go Rechargeable Digital Hearing Aid is a popular member of our rechargeable hearing aid family for a good reason: it combines great performance with incredible value! This hearing aid features advanced third-generation digital technology at an unbelievably affordable price. The Go is packed with the same key technologies that all high-end digital hearing aids share while leaving out the extra fancy bells and whistles that increase costs and require expensive adjustments. With the Go, you’ll hear clearly while saving a lot of money.
With the Go’s included charging station, you won’t have to keep buying and replacing tiny hearing aid batteries! You’ll love the lightweight design. The Go is pre-programmed for most moderate to significant hearing losses — no costly professional adjustments needed. They are shipped directly to you and will help you hear better right out of the box!
You can spend thousands for an expensive hearing aid, or you can spend just $239 for a hearing aid that is great for most hearing losses (only $199 each when you buy a pair — hear up to 3 times better than wearing just one). We are so sure you will love your hearing aids. We offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee — Risk Free if you are not satisfied for any reason. No costly professional appointments needed! With our free telecare, you can call our friendly and caring staff from the comfort and safety of your home to discuss your hearing care.
1. What do we know about the Go?| A．Its price is unbelievably low. | B．It features fancy bells and whistles. |
| C．It includes charging station and batteries. | D．It needs expensive professional adjustments. |
| A．$239. | B．$478. | C．$199. | D．$398. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A research paper. | C．A travel brochure. | D．A scientific journal. |
