1 . Yunnan offers exciting experiences of unique customs. If you are already planning to visit Yunnan, see our festival tours.
The Torch (火把) Festival
Date: July /August (days 24 to 26 of the sixth lunar month)
Location: Lijiang
It is a traditional festival among the Yi, Naxi, and Bai minority (少数民族) groups. According to the ancient rule of the Naxi people, the Torch Festival should last three days, and every family should light a big torch in front of their doors for the three days.
Recommended Tour: 3-Day Ancient Lijiang Tour
The Water Splashing (泼酒) Festival
Date: April 13 to 15
Location: Xishuangbanna
It is the most important festival observed by the Dai people of Xishuangbanna in southen Yunnan. It involves splashing water, lantern floating and other joyful activities.
Recommended tour: 6-Day Xishaungbanna Tour
The Horse Race Festival
Date: May/June (5th of the fifth lunar month)
Location: Shangri-la
Falling on the same date as the Dragon Boat Festival, it is the biggest gathering of Tibetans in Yunnan and usually lasts about 3 days. During the celebrations, traditional performances and competitions like horse racing and wrestling (摔跤) will beheld.
Recommended tour: 8-Day Yunnan Tour of the Nu River and Tengchong
The Third Month Fair of the Bai Group
Date: April /May(days 15 to 21 of the third lunar month)
Location: Dali
It is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Bai people in Dali in western Yunnan. During the March Fair, the streets of Dali Ancient Town are packed with people selling amazing minority items.
Recommended tour: 6-Day Yunnan Minorities Tour
1. What do the Torch Festival and the Water Splashing Festival have in common?| A．The date. | B．The location. |
| C．The lasting time | D．The celebratory events. |
| A．The Torch Festival. | B．The Water Splashing Festival. |
| C．The Horse Race Festival. | D．The Third Month Fair of the Bai Group. |
| A．A business research. | B．A newspaper report. |
| C．An educational magazine. | D．An advertising leaflet. |
2 . Practice doesn’t always make perfect when it comes to becoming the next Mozart, a new study suggests. Researchers compared pairs of identical twins, and found that no matter how hard one twin had practised, the other twin who had practiced much less still had an equal level of ability in certain musical skills. This may be because some aspects of musical talent are built into the genes (基因), the researchers said.
Miriam Mosey, a scientist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and her team looked at the DNA of 1,211 pairs of adult identical twins, who share almost 100 percent of their genes. Identical twins are born from the same single egg and often look very similar in appearance. They also examined the DNA of 1,358 pairs of fraternal twins (异卵双胞胎), who share an average of 50 percent of their genes. Those who played a musical instrument or sang reported how many years they practiced, and for how many hours a week.
Mosey then tested their musical abilities to see if practice had an effect on ability. She looked at how well people could tell differences in pitch (音调).
Like most people, Mosey used to think that those who put in more practice time would earn higher scores on their ability than those who practiced less. But when she compared lifetime practice scores with musical abilities between identical twins. Mosey found no relationship between the amount of practice time and her level of musical ability. Two twins could have an equal level of musical ability, no matter how much more one twin practiced compared with the other.
The researchers concluded that genetics play a larger role than practice in certain aspects of musical talent.
Mosey and her colleagues made another interesting finding :Genes may determine a person’s motivation (动机) to practice. The majority of participants who reported practicing a lot also shared a high percentage of the same genes.
1. What do you know about identical twins?| A．They often look different. |
| B．They are usually very alike. |
| C．They share same interests. |
| D．They share almost 100 percent of their genes. |
| A．Those who practice more will have higher musical ability. |
| B．Fraternal twins have more musical talent than identical twins. |
| C．Those who practice more are likely to have similar genes. |
| D．Twins may obtain similar musical ability if they practice enough. |
| A．education magazine | B．medical report |
| C．social report | D．science magazine |
3 . Over the last century, engineers all over the world have made efforts to achieve great success in bridge design.
Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge
No bridge is as long as the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in the world. The 164.8-kilometre-longbridge built in 2011 in China operates as part of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. The trip from Ningbo to Jiaxing that previously took 4.5 hours has been reduced to two, thanks to this bridge.
Rio-Niteroi Bridge
Completed in 1974, the Rio-Niteroi Bridge in Brazil is the second-longest bridge in all of Latin America connecting the cities of Rio and Niteroi across the Guanabara Bay. The Rio-Niterói Bridge is technically known as a “box-girder (箱形梁)” bridge, made of special concrete. It receives an astonishing 140,000(or more) vehicles (车辆) per day, making it better known in the world.
Hartland Covered Bridge
The Harland Covered Bridge is the world’s longest covered bridge. The 1,282-foot-long bridge was opened in 1901 and has been on Canada’s list of National Historic Sites since 1980. Although it was at first built without a roof, the bridge was capped with wooden materials during the repairs in 1921.
Jiaozhou Bay Bridge
The newly-built Jiaozhou Bay Bridgo in Chipa was named “world’s longest bridge over water” by Guinness Book of World Records in 2011, a title previously held by the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The dispute was settled when the title of “longest continuous bridge over water” was given to the causeway, with the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge receiving the title of “longest bridge over water”
1. Which bridge is famous as a busy one?| A．Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge. | B．Rio-Niteroi Bridge. |
| C．Hartland Covered Bridge | D．Jiaozhou Bay Bridge. |
| A．It is the longest bridge worldwide. | B．It is over 160 kilometers. |
| C．It has a roof. | D．It is a wooden bridge. |
| A．In America. | B．In Brazil. | C．In Canada. | D．In China. |
4 . Creative ways to change your workouts
Most people know working out is good for your health, both physical and mental.
Create a word or image with your exercise route
Runners often map routes through city streets that create a word or image, then use a GPS device to “draw” it as they run.
Join a free fitness group
Exercising can be more fun with others, so look for group fitness opportunities. Many communities offer free exercise opportunities. Fitness in the Park is a summer-long activity that has been operating in New York state for a decade. Everyone is welcome to head to one of 18 different parks.
Sure, you can run a 5 K. But why not try orienteering (定向越野赛)? This timed navigational sport requires you to use detailed maps to find orange-and-white flags that are hidden in parks or remote areas. Races involve difficult running routes
Dance
Whether you take a class or practice at home, dancing is a great way to get your body moving. Dancing doesn’t seem like exercise to a lot of people, which is why it’s always a popular choice.
| A．Hit the road. |
| B．Sign up for a new-to-you event. |
| C．Participants have ranged in age from about 10 to over 70. |
| D．But staying motivated — especially for the long term — can be a struggle. |
| E．The event is timed, so people often jog or power walk from flag to flag. |
| F．You can do the same, whether your favored exercise is running, walking or biking. |
| G．It’s also something you can do anywhere, to any kind of music, salsa, hip-hop — it all works. |
5 . 3 Most Walkable Cities in Europe
Walking on holiday is a great way to stay fit, but also to see the sights a city has to offer. Here are the three most walkable cities in Europe.
Athens, Greece
Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world. The capital of Greece ranks fifth, with a slightly longer—but very worthwhile—route of 2.1 miles between its top-rated tourist attractions.
Visitors to Athens can set off at the Acropolis, climbing to discover the ancient Parthenon that stands as a landmark to the city’s ancient legacy. Then it leads to the Acropolis Museum, with the neighbourhood of Plaka waiting to be explored in the shadow of the Acropolis. The National Archaeological Museum is also close-by.
Seville, Spain
Seville is home to some wonderful sights that are best seen when walking. Seville in Spain takes the top spot as Europe’s most walkable city, offering the shortest walking route between the top five tourist attractions.
Visitors to this charming Spanish city can explore the impressive Plaza de Espana public square, before wandering over to the UNESCO-listed palace of Real Alcazar and Seville Cathedral. After that it’s only a short trip on foot to visit the beautiful Barrio Santa Cruz neighbourhood and admire the Torre Giralda bell tower hanging above. With just 20 minutes of walking between these attractions.
Venice, Italy
Venice is famous for walkers, so it’s no surprise it ranks as the second best location for walkable city breaks. Walking is the best way to explore the bridges over the canals the city is famed for. There are endless charming alleyways to explore, as well as plenty of bridges over the canals that the city is famous for. Just under half an hour of walking here will take you on a tour of the impressive Grand Canal.
1. What’s the recommended starting point of the city walk in Athens?| A．Plaka. |
| B．The Acropolis. |
| C．The Acropolis Museum. |
| D．The National Archaeological Museum . |
| A．It offers some wonderful sights. |
| B．Visitors can explore five tourist attractions. |
| C．It makes visitors enjoy their time to the full. |
| D．Visitors can tour five tourist attractions in the shortest walking distance. |
| A．Those who are hiking during the vacation. |
| B．Those who want to find suggestions on where to travel. |
| C．Those who are looking for the best traveling destinations. |
| D．Those who usually choose walkable cities for their vacation. |
1. 第十九届亚运会于 9 月在杭州拉开帷幕，对于亚洲运动员们，这是一场互相竞技的盛会。(定语从句;compete)
2. 这一次，你会惊喜地发现大多数年轻的中国运动员外向又自信。(find+宾语+宾补;amaze)
3. 其中，全红婵用她出色的技能给我们留下了深刻的印象。(make/leave an impression on )
4. 与其他领域相比，体育比赛充满了更多的失败和受伤，但是这些运动员们永远不会失去信心。(compare with;lose heart)
5. 正如你所看见的，这场赛事不仅展现了体育精神，还促进了国家之间的文化交流。(not only... but also;exchange)
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Smooth and durable, Xuan paper is known as the “Paper of Ages”. The term Xuan paper first appeared in On Famous Paintings through the Ages, a book
The craft of making Xuan paper is
The flow of ink decides the output of Chinese art
Xuan paper has accompanied the Chinese literati for thousands of years. Unlike other forms of paper, it can not be easily damaged by time. It is this durability (耐用性) that has made the preservation of many
Papermaking is a shape of
8 . Hangzhou Asian Games are defined as a great success. For 16 days over 12,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions across Asia competed over 480 events, broke 13 world records and shared unforgettable moments in Hangzhou. It is worth mentioning that in this 19th edition of Asian Games break-dancing and e-sports made their debuts as official medal sports.
In Asia, e-sport games are more popular than traditional sport, making it the leading region for e-sports and, within Asia, China is undoubtedly the region leader as well as the largest e-sports market in the world, accounting for “34% of global industry income in that category, Asia combined takes 53%”, says Niko Partners in their market research reported by MIT Technology Review.
Within China, e-sports are run like any popular sport and have been for a long time: there are regional clubs, each with its home stadium; competitions featuring different levels of talent make it possible for the industry to evaluate the players (and also for the players to make a living); and in recent years, star players have even been marketed like celebrities, attracting crazy fan groups.
For the first time in history, the Asian Games included e-sports as medal-earning event, with over 20 countries competing in seven e-sport games making it the “highest-stakes mobile game match that’s ever been played” according to MIT Technology Review: “Of all the competitions taking place, e-sports is the only one in which arena(竞技场) tickets were sold on a lottery(抽签) basis because of skyrocketing demand. There were over 5 million lottery buyers for all the e-sports events; each had a 0.5% chance of getting a ticket.”
The reason for such popularity has been identified in the drive of the major Chinese tech companies promoting the rise of mobile gaming in China and making the e-sports more accessible to people who don’t have computers or consoles(游戏机). The popularity of e-sports is particularly intense among young people, for this reason brands like Disney or Nintendo are recruiting companies like Tencent to make their mobile games.
1. Where is this text probably taken from?| A．textbook. | B．A travel journal. | C．A science fiction. | D．A sports magazine. |
| A．Because e-sports is so popular. | B．Because the venue is not spacious. |
| C．Because it can add fun to e-sports. | D．Because it can help promote e-sports. |
| A．People’s intense interest in digitalization. |
| B．The large young population of the country. |
| C．People’s easy access to mobile games. |
| D．The government’s promotion of the sport. |
| A．The Origin of E-sports |
| B．The First Appearance of E-sports in Asian Games |
| C．The Development of E-sports |
| D．D. The Popularity of E-sports in Asia |
9 . When you go on a holiday, is your journey just an annoying inconvenience to get you there? Have you ever been too busy thinking about the next place you’re going to visit to enjoy where you are? Or do you ever return from a holiday exhausted from too much sightseeing? If so, you might want to consider slow travel.
What exactly is slow travel? It’s certainly not about doing everything at a snail’s pace or using the slowest form of transport. Instead, it’s about connecting to the local culture and the people who live there. The idea is that you experience life in any place you visit as if you were from there—if you were slow traveling, you might rent a place to stay, explore on foot or by local transport, shop in neighborhood markets and eat typical food from the area. In other words, you really get to know one or a few places rather than seeing only a little of many different places. Slow travel is a mindset —a way of thinking —it is about appreciating and making the most of every moment of your stay.
The benefits of slow travel are multiple. For a start, an important positive factor is that you’ll save money. Why? Transport, especially flights and renting a car, is one of the biggest expenses on a holiday and using alternatives brings the costs down. Also, staying in an apartment or house means you can eat in and enjoy the pleasure of local shopping. Another advantage is that you’ll meet more local people who can tell you interesting places to go and give great advice. In addition, since you won’t be sticking to a tight schedule, you’ll have time to explore in depth and make plans as you go along.
The benefits don’t end there. Slow travel is less stressful too and you get to see places that you would never have seen otherwise. Getting off the beaten track and finding unexpected treasures, such as a beautiful square or a wonderful little restaurant that aren’t in any guidebooks, are half the fun of going to new places. You’re far more likely to remember these enriching experiences for years to come than visiting yet another museum, cafe packed with tourists or city filled with sightseers, just because all the travel books say they are the best places to go. Finally, slow travel is more environmentally friendly. As a result, not only will you reduce your carbon footprint, but you’ll also promote sustainable travel.
1. How does the author introduce the topic?| A．By presenting examples. | B．By providing background. |
| C．By giving definition. | D．By asking questions. |
| A．Limited | B．Plentiful | C．Impressive | D．Unique |
| A．It is economical and flexible. | B．It is slow and inconvenient. |
| C．It is time-saving and interesting. | D．It is relaxing and green. |
| A．To compare slow travel and special forces-style travel. |
| B．To give examples of the slow travel around the world. |
| C．To introduce what slow travel is and its benefits. |
| D．To list the advantages and disadvantages of slow travel. |
1. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
| A．Wife and husband. | B．Strangers. | C．Mother and son. |
| A．On April 6th | B．On April 7th | C．On April 8th |
| A．£10. | B．£20. | C．£30. |
| A．Visit the Children’s Club. | B．Pay for the tickets now. | C．Arrive at the theatre early. |
