1 . UNESCO World Heritage Sites were created to celebrate and safeguard the most unique places around the world. Below are my 4 favorite UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Cinque Terre, Italy
With cars banned here, you’ll really get to feel the unique history and character of the Cinque Terre’s five centuries-old coastal villages. The breathtaking views of harbors far below the wild coastline along with the rich colors will definitely make it a memorable holiday.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious (宗教的) monument and it contains impressive remains from the Khmer Empire (9th to 15th century). The site has dozens of iconic temples like Ta Prohm (a magnificent temple ruin hidden in the jungle). Hosting more than two million visitors annually, this artistic masterpiece is a must-see site.
Petra, Jordan
Petra’s rock-cut architecture has contributed to its nickname, the Rose City, based on the color of the stone it was carved from. The delicate constructions of temples and tombs along with the remains of churches and temples are only a couple of reasons why this world-famous site is a must-visit destination.
Yellowstone National Park, USA
Yellowstone’s vast wilderness includes mountain ranges, lakes and waterfalls. One of the main reasons for tourists to visit Yellowstone is to observe the amazing wildlife like grizzly bear, bison, bighorn sheep wander the plains and valleys.
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1. Where can tourists enjoy beautiful harbor views?| A．In Cinque Terre. | B．In Angkor Wat. |
| C．In Petra. | D．In Yellowstone National Park. |
| A．Colorful stones. | B．Religious relics. |
| C．Coastal villages. | D．Amazing wildlife. |
| A．A news report. | B．A wildlife brochure. |
| C．A travel blog. | D．An economic magazine. |
2 . Born in California and representing the United States before switching to China, teenager Gu Ailing will be most likely to be one of the faces of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
The 17-year-old is a freeskier (自由式滑雪运动员) and grade-A student with an American father and Chinese mother. She grew up and still lives in the United States, but in June 2019 she made the “quite difficult” decision to compete for China. She wrote on Instagram that she was “proud of my heritage and equally proud of my American upbringings (培养)”.
As for the decision to compete on behalf of China, she said it is a “valuable opportunity to help inspire millions of young people in China where my mom was born”.
Gu graduated from a San Francisco high school last year and is focusing on her Beijing 2022 training. It is reported that she scored 1,580 points out of a maximum 1,600 in the SAT (美国大学入学考试), and has been offered a place at Stanford.
Gu started on the snow at the age of 3, was competing in national competitions at 9 and won her first World Cup event at 15. She won two gold medals and a silver for China at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland. On Jan. 30th, 2021, Gu made her debut (首次亮相) at the X Games in Aspen, Colorado and won two golds and a bronze.
“My goal is to win Olympic gold,” she told the official Olympic website. “It’s the top achievement. And that would be rewarding for all the work that I’ve done to achieve greatness in the sport.”
1. In the first paragraph, the underlined part “switching to” means in Chinese ________ .| A．打开 | B．关闭 |
| C．突变 | D．转变 |
| A．She grew up in China. | B．She is an average student. |
| C．She will graduate from a high school. | D．She decided to compete for China. |
| A．Helpful and knowledgeable. | B．Modest and hard-working. |
| C．Clever and ambitious. | D．Creative and confident. |
| A．Gu Ailing—An American Freeskier | B．Gu Ailing—A Stanford Graduate |
| C．Gu Ailing—A talented Chinese Freeskier | D．Gu Ailing—An Olympic Champion |
3 . China is one of the world’s ancient civilizations and has the earliest outstanding bronze casting technology. Here we’ve created a list of 4 museums where you can gain an in-depth understanding of Chinese bronze.
Sanxingdui Museum
Address: Sanxingdui Ruin Site, 133 Xian Road, Guanghan, Deyang, Sichuan province
Hours: Comprehensive Gallery (the first exhibition hall): 8:30-18:00; Bronze Gallery (the second exhibition hall): 8:30-18:30. Last tickets sold at 17:00. Closed on the morning of Chinese New Year’s Eve
Ticket booking: 0838-5651526
General admission: Gallery ticket 80 yuan
Note: Children shorter than 1.2m (including 1.2m) can visit the gallery free of charge. The ticket must be used on the day it is sold and authorizes one visit to each gallery.
National Museum of China
Address: East side of Tian’anmen Square, Dongcheng district, Beijing
Hours: 8:30-17:00 (no entry after 16:30)
General admission: Free (passport required for entry), Closed Mondays (except for national holidays)
E-mail: webmaster@chnmuseum.cn
Shanghai Museum
Address: 201 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu district, Shanghai
Hours: 9:00-17:00 (no entry after 16:00), Closed Mondays (except for national holidays)
E-mail: webmaster@shanghai-museum.org
General admission: free (a max of 8, 000 admitted daily)
Hunan Museum
Address: 50 Dongfeng Road, Changsha, Hunan province
Hours: 9:00-17:00 (no entry after 16:00), Closed Mondays (except for national holidays) and the eve of Chinese New Year
Tel: (+86-731) 8415833, 84475933
E-mail: web@hnmuseum.com
General admission: Free (passport required for entry)
1. Which museum should you choose for your family to visit next Monday?| A．Sanxingdui Museum | B．Hunan Museum |
| C．Shanghai Museum | D．National Museum of China |
| A．They are all free of charge. | B．They all set a deadline for entry. |
| C．They all lie in the south of China. | D．They can all be available through E-mail. |
| A．Science | B．Today’s News | C．Entertainment | D．History and Culture |
4 . You know that classics like Little Women and To Kill a Mockingbird started as novels. But you probably didn’t know that these other famous movies also came from books.
Hidden Figures
This film told the story of real-life Katherine Johnson and other female African-American mathematicians who helped drive the United States into space in the 1960s. It was actually based on a 2016 non-fiction book and the movie did boost sales of the book.
Forrest Gump
The 1994 movie which was based on the book by Winston Groom won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for the star Tom Hanks. Although the movie’s critical and box-office success gave the book a huge boost, it’s the film that made its mark on pop culture history.
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkin’s psychological thriller, about a woman on a train who thinks she sees something strange out of the window, was a huge success. But unlike the fast—paced, can’t-be-put-down quality of the novel, the movie was boring.
Field of Dreams
It’s hard to describe the plot of this movie: Ray Kinsella hears a voice telling him to build a baseball field in his Iowa cornfield, and what happens next explores the themes of lost dreams, childhood heroes, and healing the pain of the past. The 1989 movie is based on W. P. Kinsella’s 1982 original, Shoeless Joe, but cuts out some extra characters.
1. Which is the best choice for a person who loves math?| A．Hidden Figures. | B．Forrest Gump. |
| C．The Girl on the Train. | D．Field of Dreams. |
| A．Tom Hanks. | B．Winston Groom. |
| C．Paula Hawkin. | D．W. P. Kinsella. |
| A．It is a romantic comedy. | B．It presents several themes. |
| C．It shows all the figures in Shoeless Joe. | D．It was released in 1982 for the first time. |
As a player, Lang Ping brought honour and
All human societies play games. Kicking a ball can be found everywhere whether just a ball of cloth , or a skin
In China for well over 2,000 years, people played the game of“kickball”-cuju.The members were often young men from wealthy families though there were also professional kickballers whom you could stick with in your team as sleepers.
Cuju was played as entertainment at formal dinners or the
As you’d expect in a Confucian society, kickballclubs
| A．filled | B．held | C．found | D．annoyed |
| A．destination | B．speech | C．competition | D．party |
| A．were ready for | B．were tired from | C．fell in love with | D．were addicted to |
| A．warmth | B．politeness | C．curiosity | D．freedom |
| A．rude | B．pleasant | C．skillful | D．aggressive |
7 . When you set a foot outside of your door to drop trash, go to a social event or go for a walk, thoughts like “I hope I don’t see anyone I know” or “please don’t talk to me” may run through your mind. I’ve also said such things to myself. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is to talk with someone, especially someone new.
Why do we go out of our ways to avoid people? Do we think meeting new people is a waste of time? Or are we just lazy, thinking that meeting someone new really is a trouble?
Communication is the key to life. We have been told that many times. Take the past generations, like our parents, for example. They seem to take full advantage of that whole “communication” idea because they grew up talking face to face while Generation-Y grew up staring at screens. We spend hours of our days sitting on Facebook. We send messages to our friends and think about all of the things we want to say to certain people and that we don’t have the courage to do in reality.
Nowadays, we are so caught up in our little circle of friends — our comfort zone. We love it that they laugh at our jokes, understand our feelings and can read our minds. Most importantly, they know when we want to be alone. They just get us.
Holding a conversation with someone new means agreeing with things that you don’t really believe and being someone you think they want you to be — it is, as I said before, a trouble. It takes up so much energy, and at some point or another, it is too tiring.
But meeting new people is important. Life is too short, so meet all the people you can meet, make the effort to go out and laugh. Remember, every “hello” leads to a smile — and a smile is worth a lot.
1. What do we learn about the author?| A．He likes to meet someone new. |
| B．He feels stressed out lately. |
| C．He’s active in attending social events. |
| D．He used to be afraid of talking to others. |
| A．They are less confident in themselves. |
| B．They rely on the Internet to socialize. |
| C．They have difficulty in communicating. |
| D．They are unwilling to make new friends. |
| A．To stress the importance of friends. |
| B．To encourage people to meet new people. |
| C．To give tips on how to meet new people. |
| D．To display the disadvantages of Generation-Y. |
8 . Four Not-So-Scary Books for Halloween
These seasonal picks are fun to read and aren’t meant to be frightening.
Halloween Ball
By Perdita Cargill and Honor Cargill, illustrated by Katie Saunders
(Tiger Tales)
In this new Diary of an Accidental Witch series, Bea is on the planning committee for her school’s Halloween Ball. She’s excited and a little scared too. Bea wants to come up with good ideas, but she’s nervous her dad will find out about her magic powers.
Ages 9 and under
Lumber-Jackula
By Mat Heagerty, illustrated by Sam Owen
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Jack’s mom is a lumberjack, and his dad is a vampire. But Jack doesn’t want to follow in their footsteps.(He loves to dance more than anything and will have to get up a lot of courage to follow his dreams. The art in this graphic novel has many fun details.
Ages 8-12
The Pug Who Wanted to Be a Pumpkin
By Bella Swift
(Aladdin)
Peggy, a pug, is worried that going trick-or-treating with Chloe, the little girl in her family, will be scary. After all, Peggy is afraid of monsters, ghosts, and most certainly the dark. Will she be brave enough to put on her pumpkin costume and be by Chloe’s side on Halloween?
Ages 7-10
The Pumpkin War
By Cathleen Young
(Wendy Lamb Books)
In Madeline Island, Wisconsin, it’s a tradition to grow pumpkins that can be hollowed out and used as a type of paddle boat. During last year’s boat race, Sam’s pumpkin ran into Billie’s pumpkin and broke it. Billie hasn’t forgiven Sam for what happened. Will they become friends again before this year’s race?
Ages 8-12
1. Which book is recommended to five-year-old readers?
| A．Halloween Ball. | B．Lumber-Jackula. |
| C．The Pug Who Wanted to Be a Pumpkin. | D．The Pumpkin War. |
| A．Care. | B．Friendship. | C．Courage. | D．Family. |
| A．Western Festival. | B．Book Club. |
| C．Seasonal Favourites. | D．Novel Review. |
| Arriving in New York There are three airports in New York. When you arrive at one of them, you can take buses or taxis to any place in New York. | Eating Out There are many kinds of food in New York and you needn’t eat at McDonalds every day. There are good restaurants in Little Italy and Chinatown, for example. |
| Hotels There are lots of good hotels in New York. The best is The Plaza on Fifth Avenue but you don’t have to pay a lot to stay in the city. There are also lots of smaller hotels and the YMCA near Central Park is great for the young people. | Public Transport In New York, there’s a good bus and subway service. If you are planning to use the subway a lot, you should buy a subway ticket for the journey because it’s cheaper. But you don’t have to use public transport—there are lots of places you can go to on foot, such as the Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue and Central Park. The New York taxis are a part of the city experience, so you should take at least one taxi during your visit! |
| Places to See Finally, there are a lot of places to see in New York-Times Square, the Statue of Liberty. And you shouldn’t go home without climbing the Statue of Liberty to enjoy the scenery of the city. | Shopping Shopping in New York is fun. There are big shops on Fifth Avenue. They are open seven days a week. But be careful when you look at the prices, because you have to pay a special 8% tax (税) on everything you buy in New York. |
1. “The Plaza” is the name of ________ in the passage.
| A．a hotel | B．a restaurant | C．a park | D．a McDonald shop |
| A．$20.16 | B．$21.6 | C．$20 | D．$28 |
| A．You can only take buses at airport. |
| B．You must stay in the best hotel. |
| C．You had better climb the Statue of Liberty. |
| D．You have to be disappointed by shopping. |
10 . A music festival is a community event focusing on live performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme. On the list are the music festivals for fans around the world. Find your favorite now!
Field Day
January 1, 2023, Sydney
Field Day means New Year’s Day for young people in Sydney. Seen as the city’s original multi-stage party, it’s a gathering of friends coming together for a great fun-filled first day of the year. There’s an air of hope and positive energy on a perfect summer’s day.
The Envision Festival
February 27—March 6, 2023, Uvita
The Envision Festival is an annual gathering in Costa Rica that aims to provide an opportunity for different cultures to work with one another to create a better community. The festival encourages people to practice art, music, dance performances, and education. Meanwhile, our connection with nature is expected to be strengthened.
The McDowell Mountain Music Festival
March 2—4, 2023, Phoenix
The McDowell Mountain Music Festival is Phoenix’s musical celebration of community culture. Since its foundation in 2004, it has been the only 100% non-profit music festival designed to support, entertain and educate the community. The festival attracts thousands of visitors each year from around the country, and it is an opportunity to experience true culture.
The Old Settler’s Music Festival
April 20—23, 2023, Dale
The Old Settler’s Music Festival is a nationally known music festival for American music. The festival is held in the country of Texas at the height of the wild flower season. The Old Settler’s Music Festival offers great music and activities for the whole family.
1. In which city can people enjoy a fun New Year’s Day?| A．Phoenix. | B．Uvita. | C．Sydney. | D．Dale. |
| A．It encourages people to receive education. | B．It is not aimed at making money. |
| C．It provides an opportunity for friend gathering. | D．It focuses on cultural exchanges. |
| A．Field Day and the Envision Festival. |
| B．The Envision Festival and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival. |
| C．The Old Settler’s Music Festival and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival. |
| D．The Envision Festival and the Old Settler’s Music Festival. |
