1 . Top 4 Ecotourism Destinations in the World

Travelling often comes with an environmental cost一but by choosing to travel more responsibly and sustainably, you can help to reduce the negative effects of tourism. Here are four destinations that have already signed up to a more sustainable way of life.

Costa Rica

So, you want to escape? Imagine a country that’s one -quarter national park, a place where you could hike in a rainforest in the morning and surf tropical waves in the afternoon. Imagine an adventure Eden where all kinds of unique animals run before your eyes.

That country is Costa Rica Conservation has been developed here since the 1970s, with measures to protect areas, close z00S and reverse deforestation.

About 80% of the Osa Peninsula is protected; much of it is in Corcovado National Park, where visitors can follow guided trips with local groups. Activity options range from rainforest hikes to whale-watching, diving at Isla del Cano and surfing at Cabo Matapalo.

Finland

It’s a nation where 80 percent of the territory is covered by forests Meanwhile, Finland’s air and water is claimed to be the clearest.

The Finish Tourist Board has launched the Sustainable Finland programme to help visitors plan the most eco-friendly travels and engage with nature and local culture, knowing every step of their trip has been looked at from an economical, ecological, social and cultural perspective.

Bhutan

Until 1974, the Kingdom of Bhutan remained closed to tourism. Then one day, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck declared Bhutan open to visitors. Today, only those who have booked guided tours through approved travel agencies can enter Bhutan. Permits are charged at a peak- season nightly rate of ＄250 per person, which includes a 37 percent tax that goes towards improving infrastructure (基础设施) and strengthening the healthcare and the education systems. This strict policy means tourism is controlled, with local life largely untouched by its impact.

Botswana

As one of the most convenient locations to spot the “Big Five”, Botswana’s infrastructure has long been under pressure to meet the demands of the world’s safari (游猎) market. Thankfully, the team at Great Plains Safari has been taking measures to minimize impact and invest in community-based opportunities to help local villages develop. One such measure is a kids’conservation camp, where children are invited to week-long courses to learn about their surroundings, the value of conservation and the role of environmental tourism.

1. What can tourists do in Costa Rica?

A．Camp and swim.	B．Hike and hunt.
C．Watch and catch whales.	D．Dive and surf.

2. What challenge is Botswana faced with?

A．It is no longer a location to spot the “Big Five”.

B．Children don’t care about environmental tourism.

C．The government invests little in local development

D．Its infrastructure has been impacted by the safari market.

3. Of the four ecotourism destinations, which has a strict tourism policy?

A．Costa Rica

B．Finland

C．Bhutan

D．Botswana

2 . The input Dad has on my career is incomparable. My earliest memories are of Dad sitting in the kitchen playing the guitar, listening to his favourite song by his favourite singer, and encouraging his little girl to poke (戳) keys randomly on the piano. Even watching Top of the Pops, he would get so passionate about music in it. We weren’t a religious family, but there was something spiritual about Dad’s connection with music.

Music also became a source of comfort for me. I failed to do well academically at school and had no friends. Being at school consumed so much of my emotional energy. Instead of going to school to learn stuff, I felt as though I was simply trying to get people to like me. Things were better, but the only time I truly felt happy was when I was at home listening to music with Mum and Dad or writing songs on the piano —and the older I got, the more powerful music felt.

Dad was always my biggest supporter. When I started giving live performances at the local bar, he was the one who drove me there and back. Freeing up that time wasn’t easy for an actor. His job might mean three weeks in the Czech Republic or working with George Lucas on The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones in Hollywood.

Dad has been involved with some amazing stuff, but Daddy Pig is the one that’s had the biggest impact all over the world. When I was flying to Australia for my first tour, I was trying to find something to watch on the little screen and I noticed they had Peppa Pig. If I’m missing home and family, I always put it on. Daddy Pig is a fairly real version of my dad —he loves chocolate cake, he’s funny and usually breaks things when he’s trying to mend them. Mum and Dad were friends with one of the producers of the show and I often wonder if he looked at my dad and thought, “That’s him …that’s Daddy Pig.”

1. What can we learn about the author’s father?

A．He was good at writing songs.

B．He was attached to music in his soul.

C．He encouraged her to play the guitar.

D．He was passionate about watching TV series.

2. How did the author’s father support her career?

A．By picking her up in a tight schedule.

B．By doing a demanding job as an actor.

C．By watching her musical performances.

D．By giving live performances at the local bar.

3. Why did the author mention Peppa Pig?

A．It’s her favourite childhood cartoon.

B．She saw her father through Daddy Pig.

C．She took pride in this world famous cartoon.

D．It’s a cartoon about her hometown and motherland.

4. Which of the following can best describe the author’s Dad?

A．Funny and honest.	B．Strict and hardworking.
C．Famous and patient.	D．Supportive and influential.

3 . Scientists at the University of Central Florida (UCF) have created a new kind of paint that’s very light and very strong. The colors in the new paint aren’t at all like those in most paints. Instead, they’re more like the colors on a butterfly’s wings.

The colors in most paints come from pigments (色素)—small amounts of colored things mixed into the paint. For hundreds of years, humans have been blending different minerals, metals or chemicals together to produce different colors of paint. But nature has another way to create color, called “structural color”. Structural color comes from small shapes on the surfaces of things like wings or feathers. Normally, we never see the shapes that create these colors.

Researchers at Dr. Debashis Chanda’s lab at UCF weren’t really planning on making paint. They were trying to create a special mirrored surface. But they found super-tiny clumps (簇) of aluminum atoms (铝原子) on the surface. They realized that these clumps made colors when light hit them. So they turned their discovery into paint.

The new paint is so light that it could reduce the amount of fuel used by planes and cars. Normally, it takes about 500 kilograms of paint to cover a Boeing 747 airplane. It’d only take 1.3 kilograms of Dr. Chanda’s structural paint to do the same job. American Airlines once figured that cutting 30.4 kilograms from its flights could save 1,514,000 liters of fuel every year. Structural paint could save over 16 times as much.

In regular paints, pigments break down and become less bright over time. That’s not true for the new paint. “Once we paint something with structural color, it should stay for centuries,” says Dr. Chanda. Besides, the new paint doesn’t heat up like regular paint. The new paint can keep surfaces up to 16.6° Celsius cooler than normal paint.

The scientists know how to make small amounts of the new paint in the lab. Now they’re trying to figure out how to make large amounts of the paint cheaply, and hopefully, it will soon come onto the market.

1. What does the underlined word “blending” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Mixing.

B．Buying.

C．Creating.

D．Discovering.

2. How was the new paint discovered?

A．Smartly.

B．Carefully.

C．Purposefully.

D．Accidentally.

3. How does the new paint help to reduce planes’ consumption of fuel?

A．By improving their quality.	B．By making them fly faster.
C．By reducing their weight.	D．By using more pigments.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards the new paint?

A．Disapproving.

B．Positive.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Doubtful.

4 . Humans are emotional beings who experience all kinds of emotions. Living a joyful life doesn’t mean refusing painful emotions. Instead, it means developing a mindset (心态) that prefers a positive view of the world. At the same time, it means developing healthy ways to deal with difficult emotions.     1    

Joy strengthens relationships. When you have a positive attitude, you tend to approach the people in your life from a place of gratitude and love.    2     You also tend to appreciate the strengths in others, rather than focus on what you don’t like in that person.

Joy improves physical health.    3     According to a study in BMC Cancer, researchers found that happiness may protect against breast cancer. The same goes for heart disease, with a study from Psychosomatic Medicine suggesting that depression may be linked to coronary (冠状动脉) disease.

    4     According to Scientific American, happy people are open to all sorts of ideas, and people are more likely to come up with new ideas when they are in a good mood. This is because they tend to see the bigger picture, which, in turn, inspires greater imagination.

Joy creates more joy! When you surround yourself with positive people, you experience more happiness in your own life.    5     People who spend more time with cheerful friends are more likely to have a happier behavior. By spending more time with happy people, you may feel happier, which inspires even more joy in those you meet!

A．Joy promotes creativity.

B．Joy makes you more productive.

C．This helps others feel more valued.

D．In recent years, science continues to prove this.

E．Research shows that happiness spreads in social groups.

F．Here are some reasons why joy is a powerful life choice.

G．When you live joyfully, you may create better results in life.

5 . Welcome to Biscayne National Park

Biscayne is not very far from the lights and excitement of downtown Miami. But it has a very different atmosphere from the big city. Established as a national monument in 1968, Biscayne National Park includes the northern part of the world-famous Florida Keys which are low-lying islands or reefs.

Biscayne National Park

If you enjoy water, Biscayne is the park for you. You will find the threatened huge, gentle West Indian manatee, the less gentle American crocodile, several kinds of sea turtles and over 500 species of fish. Four ecosystems come together here, which is what makes the park so diverse. The blending ecosystems create ”edge communities.“

Human history

Human history at Biscayne begins more than 10, 000 years ago. Scientists say evidence of the area’s earliest people is mostly underwater now and learn about these people by examining the hills of shells they left behind. As the population grew, it divided into separate cultures. The groups began making pottery and created trade networks. These Native Americans are called the Tequesta. The Tequesta depended on the rich food source of the sea to survive. They were not centered on farming and had more time than other natives for art and religion. The reefs and rough waters made it difficult for early explorers resulting in more than 50 shipwrecks. Scuba divers today can explore six of them.

Exploring the park

Many visitors to Biscayne National Park choose to explore underwater. Guides lead snorkeling and scuba diving trips. At Boca Chita Key, visitors can explore a lighthouse, a symbol of Biscayne National Park built in the 1930s. But visitors to Biscayne National Park probably are not there to see skyscrapers and city lights. The beauty in Biscayne is quiet waters, rustling mangroves.

1. What is the feature of the ecosystem in the Biscayne National Park?

A．The different species of the animals.	B．The mixed biological communities.
C．The low-lying islands or reefs.	D．The clear and warm waters.

2. What can we know from the last two paragraphs?

A．Human history dates back to more than 50, 000 years ago.

B．The Native Americans prefer farming to fishing.

C．Biscayne is a paradise for the water sports enthusiasts.

D．Scuba divers today are to see skyscrapers and city lights.

3. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A personal diary.

B．geography textbook.

C．A A travel magazine.

D．A book review.

6 . The Twenty-three-year-old Mumbai girl Vidhi Bubna is offering India’s first and only diving grant to explore the marine ecosystem.

Vidhi’s first diving experience turned out to be a heartbreaking one. While she expected a lot of colors underwater as she had seen on TV, Vidhi came across all white corals (珊瑚), which means they are almost dead from being bleached (褪色).

“It was very sad and I just started crying after coming out of the water,” she says.

Vidhi, an economics graduate from Ashoka University, did not enjoy working with numbers and turned to writing about social issues, including women’s rights and minority issues.

As an adventure lover, Vidhi went diving to explore the underwater beauty last year. Her disappointment at seeing dying corals led to the start of Coral Warriors, anon-profit organization that aims to raise awareness of marine protection and climate change.

“Nobody knows about climate change till they see it,” Vidhi says. The Mumbai-based organisation offers India’s first and only diving grant. The grant sponsors level-one scuba diving education in any location of their choice in India. While there is no specific standard, Vidhi says the selection process is strict, choosing candidates who are passionate about climate change and seeing that they do something of their choice. Four candidates have been awarded the grant so far and the organisation hopes to find at least five people every year.

“After the candidates return, we expect them to work on a climate change project of their choice, create communities, and work to create awareness and drive action-centric projects,” she explains.

Prior to starting coral warriors, Vidhi was hosting free online workshops to spread awareness of marine biodiversity and climate change, and has reached about 5, 000 people through them.

As a next step, Vidhi is planning to work on documentaries with high-quality underwater images and videos, considering not many can afford or have the courage to go diving to see what is happening underwater.

1. How did Vidhi feel on her first diving?

A．Excited.

B．Upset.

C．Awesome.

D．Awkward.

2. Why did Vidhi set up Coral Warriors?

A．To focus more attention on social issues.

B．To further explore the underwater beauty.

C．To fuel people’s enthusiasm for adventure.

D．To make an appeal for marine conservation.

3. What are candidates expected to do?

A．To help promote people’s sense of community.

B．To choose whatever they are passionate about.

C．To meet specific and strict selection standards.

D．To undertake activities relevant to climate change.

4. What will Vidhi do to protect marine biodiversity?

A．Ahoot documentaries.	B．Tackle climate change.
C．Encourage people to dive.	D．Host free online workshops.

7 . Books teach us about truth , science , literature , friendship and the value of love and caring. Here are 4 books you should read at least once in your life.

1. Charlotte’s web by E.B. White

Charlotte’s web is a novel about a pig named wilbur and a spider named Charlotte written by American author E.B. white. It first came out in 1952, with illustrations by Garth Williams. Alive-action film version was published in 2006. White’s novel is a lesson for children and a reminder for adults of the beauty of nature and the importance of respecting every creature on this earth.

2. The Little prince by Antoine De saint-Exupery

The most-translated book in French, The Little prince is the story of a little boy who falls to Earth from a minor planet to try to understand mankind. In his travels he meets a series of strange and delightful characters. It is a fable about the foolishness of man and man’s tendency toward self-destruction, as well as the transformative power of friendship and trust.

3. The kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The kite Runneris is the story of the unlikely and complicated friendship between Amir, the son of a wealthy merchant, and Hassan, the son of his father’s servant. Hosseini brings his homeland to life for us, showing us a world of ordinary people, the enduring love of friendship, and the power of forgiveness.

4. Required Reading for All Teenagers by Douglas pagels

Much-loved for its mix of heartfelt thoughts, Required Reading for All Teenagers combines the words of Douglas pagels with the writings of famous people from the fields of sports. Now in are designed version, it is a better-than-ever source that gives parents some solid advice on parenting teenagers.

1. What do we know about charlotte’s web?

A．It was once adapted for a film.	B．It was illustrated by E.B. white.
C．It was originally released in 2006.	D．It was specially designed for kids.

2. What do The Little prince and The kite Runner both talk about?

A．Animals.

B．Friendship.

C．Forgiveness.

D．Celebrities.

3. Which book best suits those concerned about family education?

A．Charlotte’s web.	B．The Little prince.
C．The kite Runner.	D．Required Reading for All Teenagers.

8 . Things to Do in Northern Ireland This Autumn

WEE BINNIAN WALKING FESTIVAL (SEPTEMBER)

The exact dates of this annual walking festival are still to be confirmed, but if it’s similar to last year, it’ll offer a choice of ten walks and hikes around the Mourne Mountains, ranging from easier lowland routes to tough, multi-summit challenges. Evening social events are also included.

GREAT NORTH LINKS CHALLENGE (18-20 OCTOBER)

Calling all golfers. You can enter this three-day event-spread along the north coast between Ballyliffin, Portruth and Portstewart, as an individual or team of four. A perfect opportunity to play three Irish Open links courses in three days.

ARMAGH FOOD AND CIDER WEEKEND (SEPTEMBER)

A four-day feast of authentic food and artisan ciders (苹果酒) in Ireland’s “Orchard County”. This celebration is also coupled with the traditional apple harvest. You can taste local food from the country’s most inventive chefs.

OULD LAMMAS FAIR (LAST WEEK OF AUGUST)

People have been flocking to the seaside town of Ballycastle since the 17th century to celebrate this fair. Attractions include a Heavy Horse Show, horse speed events on the beach, funfair, outdoor concert and a fireworks display, as well as unique local produce and handmade arts and crafts.

1. What is the best date to arrive if you want to attend GREAT NORTH LINKS CHALLENGE?

A．17th October.

B．18th August.

C．20th October.

D．1st September.

2. What can people do at the town of Ballycastle?

A．Play golf.

B．Go hiking.

C．Watch horse races.

D．Taste apple ciders.

3. In which section of a website can we probably read this text?

A．Tourism.

B．Sports.

C．Education.

D．Arts.

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Tea is commonly considered native to Southern China. However, in a garden in Geling village in Metog county in the Tibet autonomous region, the morning air is filled with the sweet aroma of     1     (fresh) picked tea.

Tsering Yangdron, a 25-year-old Monba, one of the ethnic groups     2     live in this region, skillfully makes her way through the garden, carefully picking tender tea leaves and tossing them into a bamboo basket tied to her waist. Tea picking     3     (become) a habit for her over the past five years. After she is done, Tsering Yangdron goes back home, where she also runs a homestay. “We have come up with       4     dish of fresh tea buds fried with eggs,” she said. A kilogram of fresh tea buds       5     (sell) for 300 yuan. Once     6     (dry) and processed to make green tea, their value increases significantly.

Geling was once inaccessible as a result of the dense forests,     7     the opening of the Metog highway in 2013 significantly improved connectivity and created opportunities for economic growth. Prior to Huang Jiabin’s appointment     8     the village’s Party secretary, the tea plantation in Geling was a neglected piece of land.

“    9     (realize) the valley was suitable for growing tea, since 2018, we have improved the management of the tea plantation, introduced advanced planting techniques and provided training for     10     (village),” Huang said.

10 . Nearly half of all employees are close to “breaking point” at work due to increased stress levels. A survey of 2,000 professionals found the average working adult feels stressed for almost a third of their working day.

The mounting pressure faced in their job also contributes to five hours of lost sleep per employee every week. Checking work emails after hours, last-minute deadlines, having to do a speech or presentation and an overly demanding manager were named as some of the biggest causes of workplace stress.

It also revealed that in the average week, employees will complain about their boss for 31 minutes and their job in general for another two hours and 45 minutes. Richard Jenkins, psychologist and spokesman for well-being charity CABA, said: “Everyone will experience pressure day-to-day.”

“A level of pressure can actually make us work better, however too much pressure that rises to an unmanageable level leads to stress. The working public needs to know how to manage their pressure to avoid reaching boiling point. Some people cope by blowing off steam through physical activity like the gym or going for a run while for some, things like breathing exercises can help. Everyone will have a strategy that they find works better to help them release the pressure. Unfortunately, in many cases we don’t introduce these decompressing (减压) moments in our lives which can help release the pressure and reduce stress. Finding ways to manage your stress is essential, it is also worth addressing the root causes of your stress to try to manage the source rather than just treat the symptoms.”

The study also found seven in 10 adults have vented about their workplace to a colleague, partner, family member or friend. 46 percent of those who have felt stressed at work didn’t end up doing anything about it, hoping the problem would go away on its own. Of those who do take action, 38 percent have told their manager about it, while 51 percent have gone for a walk to cool down.

1. What is the possible result of pressure faced by workers?

A．Giving a public presentation.	B．His demanding department head.
C．Loss of about 5 hours’ sleep weekly.	D．Constantly checking email after work.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Pressure will not do you any good in your daily life.

B．It’s better to turn to medicine when one is faced with great stress.

C．Women tend to feel more pressure at work than their male colleagues.

D．Almost everybody will adopt his own way to deal with their stress in their lives.

3. What does the underlined word “vented” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．complained.

B．argued.

C．wandered.

D．asked.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards the pressure people feel at work?

A．Indifferent.

B．Objective.

C．Positive.

D．Negative.