1 . A city can become famous and experience a significant increase in visitors due to the influence of a well-liked film or a TV drama. For audiences, stepping into the scenes and experiencing the daily lives of the characters has become a new travel trend. Over the past year, several films and TV dramas have put their shooting locations into the public spotlight.
Qingdao in Shandong province
The Wandering Earth 2, a sci-fi that explores digital life and space journey, showcases impressive sci-fi scenes.90 percent of the film was shot in different places of Qingdao city, including the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge-the world’s longest cross-sea bridge, and the TAG Art Museum. For sci-fi fans, visiting Qingdao to explore the movie’s filming locations has become a popular trend.
Jiangmen in Guangdong province
The hit show The Knockout made Jiangmen an important tourism destination. As the hometown for many overseas Chinese, the city features historical cultural street scenes and South Asian-style architecture. The city has recorded more than 3.34 million trips in the past two months, which has generated over 3.4 billion yuan of tourism income, reflecting a notable rise of 124.3 percent compared to the same period the previous year.
Ningbo Museum in Zhejiang province
The primary setting for the sci-fi TV drama Three-Body Problem, Ningbo Museum, has caught significant attention. The museum integrates regional cultural features, traditional architectural elements, and modern techniques. Following the TV show’s release, daily visitor numbers rocketed to 5,000, marking a remarkable 220 percent year-on-year increase.
Taiyuan Ancient County in Shanxi province
Full River Red, directed by Zhang Yimou, set the Taiyuan Ancient County on fire with excitement. The movie highlights the county’s complex and narrow streets. The county now draws over 40,000 tourists every day, a significant rise compared to the daily 20,000 previously. Notably, one-third of these tourists were from outside Shanxi province, according to local statistics.
1. Which place best suits visitors who appreciate buildings of foreign style?| A．Qingdao city. | B．Jiangmen city. |
| C．Ningbo Museum. | D．Taiyuan Ancient County. |
| A．Its characteristic streets. | B．Its disastrous fire. |
| C．Its increasing population. | D．Its economic growth. |
| A．Their income depends heavily on tourism. | B．Their architecture integrates different cultures. |
| C．They are famous for their historical landmarks. | D．They become a hit through films or TV dramas. |
2 . At Beaver Meadows Ranch on Red Feather Lakes, Colorado, there is a long list of outdoor winter activities for the entire family. Take a winter vacation there.
Ice FishingFor $10 a day, visitors can try their hand at ice fishing. Ice fishing is available(可提供的) from 9:30 a. m. to 4 p. m. seven days a week. You will need to bring your own ice fishing equipment because it cannot be rented. You will need to have your fishing license, too. For more about it, call 800-462-5870.
Hot Chocolate & Cookies Sleigh RidePassengers take a 15-to-20-minute sleigh ride through beautiful Colorado country. During the sleigh ride, you’ll have the experience of stopping at an old-time cabin, warming yourself by a fire and eating cookies while drinking hot chocolate. You will need to contact them at 970-231-1955 to set up a time for your sleigh ride.
Winter Horseback RidingExperience winter horseback riding while viewing the breathtaking beauty of the surrounding 840 acres where Beaver Meadows Ranch makes its home. You’ll be guided on a tour by one of the expert wranglers(牧马人) when the weather permits. One-hour rides cost $35 per person and two-hour rides cost $50. For more information, contact them at 866-881-7679 to set up your horseback riding winter activity.
Other Winter Activities InformationFor more information about Beaver Meadows Ranch, or if you’d like to book a room for an adventurous holiday, call 970-881-2450. It’s not very often you can find a one-stop adventure spot full of winter activities. Take advantage of your free time this winter season and enjoy the outdoor scenery in Colorado.
1. If you want to try ice fishing at Beaver Meadows Ranch, you can ______.| A．rent ice fishing equipment there |
| B．spend at most 6.5 hours fishing a day |
| C．be guided by experts during bad weather |
| D．take part in the activity without any permit |
| A．800-462-5870 | B．970-231-1955 |
| C．970-881-2450 | D．866-881-7679 |
| A．Fifty dollars. | B．Seventy dollars. |
| C．A hundred dollars. | D．One hundred and forty dollars. |
| A．Beaver Meadows Ranch covers 840 acres. |
| B．Expert wranglers there offer riding lessons. |
| C．You don’t need to book a room in advance. |
| D．Colorado is famous for its convenient transportation. |
| A．In the latest news. | B．In a children’s book. |
| C．In a travel guide. | D．In a sportsman’s diary. |
3 . Floor sweeping robot, also known as automatic cleaner, intelligent dust collector, robot vacuum cleaner, is a kind of intelligent household appliances, which can automatically clean the floor in the room with a certain amount of artificial intelligence. Brush sweeping and vacuum are generally used to absorb the ground sundries into their own garbage storage box, so as to complete the function of ground cleaning. Generally speaking, robots that complete cleaning, dust collection and floor cleaning are also uniformly classified as floor sweeping robots.
Recently, my family has a new member. It has a foolish name called “JoJo”. It is a “sweeping robot”, with a round, flat body, wearing a silly coat and shining like a scammony. To be honest ,I turned my back on it. It has several functions! It has a powder in its stomach. When it first sweep a lot of dust together, it will eat them all in its body. As long as it is touched gently, it will climb around on the ground and start working hard.
It has a pair of sensitive infrared “eyes”. When encountering obstacles in front, it will drop its head as fast as driving. When it feels that there is garbage around it, it will run towards the garbage and sweep it clean. Every night, when I finish my homework, there is no paper dust on the whole floor. It can also make an appointment and work regularly. After completing the task, it can find its own charger to charge, which is very powerful. Since it came to our home, it has become a good helper for our cleaning. My mother said, “this is the power of science and technology!”
Although its look is completely stupid but it have helped me a lot in cleaning. So I hope scientists can invent many capable robots like JoJo in the future.
1. Where does the sweeping robots put the garbage?| A．The trash-bin in the house. | B．Their own trash box. |
| C．Place them downstairs. | D．Hide it in JoJo’s office. |
| A．Dust collection. | B．Complete cleaning. | C．Wipe things down | D．Floor cleaning |
| A．There’s so much trash all over the place. | B．Its master request. |
| C．It’s programmed to go wrong. | D．There are plenty of dust. |
| A．Ambiguous | B．Positive. | C．Negative. | D．Objective |
4 . If you think of the jobs robots could never do, you would probably put doctors and teachers at the top of the list. It’s easy to imagine robot cleaners and factory workers, but some jobs need human connection and creativity. But are we underestimating (低估) what robots can do?
British education expert Anthony Seldon thinks so. And he even has a date for the robot takeover of the classroom: 2027.
One thing is certain, though.
Teachers all over the world are leaving because it is a difficult job and they feel overworked. Perhaps the question is not “Will robots replace teachers?” but “How can robots help teachers?” Office workers can use software to do things.
| A．Teachers can be replaced by robots. |
| B．A robot teacher is better than no teacher at all. |
| C．Teachers waste a lot of time doing non-teaching work. |
| D．He predicts robots will do the main job of transferring information. |
| E．Could there be a place for robots in education after all? |
| F．Robots can save time that teachers spend in teaching in classroom. |
| G．In some cases, they already perform better than doctors at diagnosing (诊断) illness. |
5 . Named “America’s Finest City” due to its hospitality, beauty and ideal climate, San Diego is located on the border with Mexico. The residents are so active outdoors that it is called “Sportstown, the U.S.A.”. San Diego’s 70 miles of beaches are a heaven for swimmers, surfers, divers, boaters and sunbathers. Another favourite outside activity is golf. With 100 courses (about 50 of them public), San Diego is a golfers’ paradise. Many San Diego residents came here first as tourists, who were attracted by San Diego’s sunny beaches, nearby mountains and deserts, plus the cultural delights of any big city. The world-famous San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld Adventure Park, Wild Animal Park, museums and other attractions attract visitors from around the world.
The zoo is home to some 4,000 animals, including the world’s largest group of parrots. Animals are displayed in natural settings, and there is a petting zoo for children. By contrast, the Wild Animal Park is a wildlife preserve with an area of over 2,000 acres and more than 3,000 free-roaming (自由漫步的) animals in natural habitats.
In addition to housing the zoo, Balboa Park is home to several museums and attractions, including an aerospace museum, an art and history museum, the Old Globe Theatre, science museums and even a railroad museum. Free concerts are offered frequently. Another popular attraction is the SeaWorld, a 190-acre marine park.
San Diego’s varied attractions, as well as its business climate, offer many opportunities for students to explore the local culture, meet people from around the world, and gain business experience. At San Diego State University, for example, students in the American Language Institute’s study tour program learn English both in the classroom and while sightseeing.
1. What do the residents of San Diego probably like to do?| A．Have sports outdoors. | B．Travel to other places. |
| C．Stay at home. | D．Stay outdoors all day. |
| A．Because it is more convenient to live here. |
| B．Because they are attracted by its beauty and culture. |
| C．Because they can make money from tourism here. |
| D．Because it is a quiet place to enjoy themselves. |
| A．The SeaWorld Adventure park. | B．The art and history museum. |
| C．The petting zoo. | D．The Old Globe Theatre. |
6 . Science fiction pioneer and writer Wu Yan won the National Outstanding Children’s literature Award for his latest work China Orbit. The book focuses on the development of the Chinese aerospace industry, and it was inspired by the planning and preparation for China’s first but canceled manned spacecraft, “Shuguang 1”, also known as Project 714, during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
“I collected many historical documents and stories and started writing decades ago, Wu remembered. Partly based on Wu’s own experiences in the 1970s, the book is a combination of reality and fiction, and in some ways his own memoir (传记) was added into the science fiction. This innovative and unique writing method makes the book stand out and has even stirred up a debate on how to categorize it. Is it science fiction, popular science, children’s literature, or aerospace literature?
His fellow science fiction writer Liu Cixin, author of The Three-Body Problem, sees it more deeply, and believes China Orbit is not really children’s science fiction or popular science. He thinks it is too complicated to be classed under a single category. He speaks highly of China Orbit as a unique science fiction novel that vividly shows a child’s real-life experience in a military of a specific era.
In Wu’s opinion, China is a big market for children’s science fiction, but it still lacks extraordinary works. He warned people not to try to earn quick money from it after The Three-BodyProblem frenzy (狂热) and movie blockbuster (轰动) The Wondering Earth because Chinese science fiction still has a long way to go. We need to build Chinese science fiction step by step, with an accumulation of really great works. We need to innovate, and treat it as part of building China’s new culture.
1. What is the book China Orbit mainly about?| A．The space industry in China. |
| B．The introduction to Project 714. |
| C．Stories about Chinese outstanding astronauts. |
| D．Preparations for China’s first manned spacecraft. |
| A．He organizes the writing by time. |
| B．He tells the story in the form of debate. |
| C．He focuses on creating the role of children. |
| D．He combines his personal experiences with fiction. |
| A．China Obit has great commercial value. |
| B．Chinese science movies are of poor quality. |
| C．Innovation is crucial to Chinese science fiction. |
| D．Wu Yan is disappointed at the Chinese film market. |
American Education
Things about American high school students | American high school students are very different from Chinese high school students. American students care more about their |
| American students are very | |
| They are often | |
| They must learn how to schedule their time between work, school, friends sports and, of course, fun! This type of responsibility is |
I had to wait for them to call number 63 before I could get my food.
Ivon suggested that we walk to Bayside. When we arrived, Ivon told me
After about twenty minutes, Ivon came back. He suggested
“I guess they didn’t want us next to the hotel. You can’t have people looking
1. In your opinion, is Yang Liwei a hero? Why, or why not?
2. What do you think a true hero should be like?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 . The clock rules our lives. The more we try to save time, the less time we seem to have. In every area of our lives we are doing things faster. And many of us live in towns and cities which are getting noisier and more stressful as each day passes. But now a worldwide movement, whose aim is to slow life down, has started. Its supporters are people who believe that a happier and healthier way of life is possible.
The Slow Food movement was founded the day that an Italian journalist, Carlo Petrini, saw that McDonald’s had opened a restaurant in a beautiful square in Rome. He thought it was sad that many people today live too quickly to sit down for a proper meal and only eat much fast food. He decided that he had to try to do something about it and so he started the Slow Food movement. Slow Food has become a global organization ever since and now has more than 80,000 members in 100 countries.
Slow Food also encourages people to eat local and regional food, to use local shops and markets, to eat out in small family restaurants, and to cook with traditional recipes.
The idea of Slow Cities was inspired by the Slow Food movement. The aim of Slow Cities is to improve people’s quality of life. Towns which want to become a Slow City have to reduce traffic and noise, increase the number of green areas, plant trees, build pedestrian zones, and promote local businesses and traditions. Now it has spread to other countries all over the world, from the UK to Japan and Australia. There are now 135 Slow Cities in 24 countries across the world that have been named since founding of the organization in 1999. Gao Chun County, in east China’s Jiangsu Province, is expected to be named the first “Slow City” in China next year.
“Slow Cities are about having a community life in the town,” said a local resident. “It is not ‘slow’ as in ‘stupid’. It is ‘slow’ as in the opposite of ‘worried’ and ‘stressful’.”
But not everybody is happy. For teenagers, who have to go 25km to Norwich, the nearest city, to buy CDs, living in a Slow City is not very attractive. “It’s all right here for adults,” says Lewis Cook, 16. “But if you want excitement, you have to go to Norwich. We need more things here for young people.”
1. What’s the aim of the Slow Food movement?| A．To call on people to eat out. | B．To make people enjoy cooking. |
| C．To drive McDonald’s out of Rome | D．To encourage people to slow down. |
| A．reducing traffic and noise | B．increasing the number of green areas |
| C．building more department stores | D．promoting local businesses and traditions |
| A．Slow Food was founded in 1999 | B．there is no Slow City in China now |
| C．Slow Cities are mainly in the UK | D．there are about 24 Slow Cities in the world |
| A．Satisfied. | B．Excited. | C．Happy. | D．Dissatisfied. |
| A．Slow down and you’ll move fast. | B．Time flies never to be recalled. |
| C．Eat slowly and you’ll be healthy. | D．Pay attention to the quality of life. |
