1 . Four places to explore in northern Canada
Welcome to Canada, the land of openness. Discover True North itineraries and undeniably Canadian experiences with a coast-to-coast collection of travel packages. All you need to bring is an open mind. And maybe a light jacket. If you want to get more detailed information, please click www.travelcanada.com
Nights Under LightsFrom USD $4,995 per person
6 days/5 nights
Our Nights Under Lights multi-day tours will give you some of the best chances in the world to see and photograph the beautiful northern lights. Spend days adventuring with dog sledding tours, snow-walking, visiting local historic sites and museums and spend the evenings at our award-winning location for cultural presentations, aurora viewing and photography.
Subarctic Wonders: Exploring Churchill’s Northern LightsFrom USD $3,795 per person
5 days /4 nights
Immerse yourself in the enchanting beauty of the aurora and embark on an authentic northern lights adventure. Each evening, we journey to tranquil hideaways, far from the city lights, where the sky unfolds its awe-inspiring display. Experience the wonder of the Northern Lights in Churchill, expertly guided by our team, as you dig into the vibrant northern culture and witness nature’s breathtaking light show.
Belugas, Bears & Summer Wildlife of ChurchillFrom USD $7,895 per person
7 days /6 nights
Few of nature’s marvels match the intense aliveness of an Arctic summer. More than 3.000 of these adorable white whales gather at the mouth of the Churchill River, and our motorized rafts and kayaks put us at eye level with these often-curious aquatic lives. On the surrounding land, we frequently spot polar bears wandering or napping on the banks, their creamy coats contrasting with the rocky shoreline and dark forest.
Canada’s Premier Polar Bear AdventureFrom USD $7,495 per person
8 days/7 nights
When you’re standing on the outdoor platform of our Polar Rover, the chill Arctic air feels refreshing. But not as much as the sight of the huge polar bear strolling towards us. Sometimes they are shadows on the horizon, slowly moving on the vast expanse of icy land, in search of seals for meals. Join us for one of nature’s most wondrous wildlife encounters—no one does it better than Natural Habitat!
1. In which tour will you spend the most money each day?| A．Nights Under Lights. |
| B．Subarctic Wonders: Exploring Churchill’s Northern Lights. |
| C．Belugas, Bears & Summer Wildlife of Churchill. |
| D．Canada’s Premier Polar Bear Adventure. |
| A．Sled with dogs. | B．Enjoy the Northern Lights. |
| C．Hike on the ice. | D．Visit museums. |
| A．A geographic magazine. | B．A newspaper. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．A website. |
2 . Most Popular UK Destinations for a Staycation
Looking for a cheap stay cation to brighten up your winter? Here are the most popular destinations in the UK.
Blackpool
Whether you’re seeking the thrills of Blackpool Pleasure Beach or are keen to catch a glimpse of Blackpool Tower, the city’s most appealing attraction, the seaside town offers various amazing views. It’s no wonder the town has gained 980.8 million views on TikTok. With accommodation price £75 for a night, you’ll have a golden opportunity to enjoy Blackpool's Illuminations (彩灯) display and the Seaside Trail.
Searborough
North Yorkshire’s Scarborough sees 49,500 monthly searches and 686.4 million views on TikTok. One of the local highlights is the annual St Nicholas Fair. While a one-night stay in Scarborough costs £85, the town offers holiday-makers opportunities to experience ancient British culture at the 12th-century castle ruins.
Swansea
The Welsh town sees 27,100 monthly searches and has 622.4 million views on TikTok. Swansea’s Waterfront Wonderland brings with it the Alpine Village and various amusement attractions. Spending a night here costs just 10 pounds more than in Scarborough. But if you book a week earlier, you can get a 5 percent discount in total. With Cardiff only being an hour’s drive from Swansea, you have the perfect opportunity to catch a game of ice hockey.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth isn’t called Sunny Bournemouth for nothing, as holiday-makers can enjoy breathtaking views along the Jurassic Coast. With a World Heritage Site within its borders, it’s no surprise to see this town with the high number of views on TikTok (868.3 million). A one-night stay will cost you £105, giving you the perfect opportunity to get relaxed.
1. What is the most attractive in Blackpool?| A．Blackpool Pleasure Beach. | B．Blackpool Tower. |
| C．The Illuminations display. | D．The Seaside Trail. |
| A．£ 70. | B．£ 85. | C．£ 85.75. | D．£ 90.25. |
| A．Blackpool. | B．Swansea. | C．Scarborough. | D．Boumemouth. |
3 . In June 2015, Captain Radhika Menon found herself in charge of the oil tanker (油轮) Sampurna Swarajya, battling dangerous waves in the Bay of Bengal. Little did she know that her leadership would be put to the ultimate test in a dramatic rescue mission.
On June 22, 2015, as the storm continued violently, Second Officer Manoj Chauhan spotted a small boat adrift (漂流) off the coast of Gopalpur, Odisha. Seven fishermen injured and desperate, were losing their struggle to the unforgiving sea. The fishing boat with neither shelter nor anchor had been at sea for seven days. Chinna Rao, 40, and his companions, including a teenager, had gone into the Bay for what was supposed to be a routine fishing expedition. However, the sudden onset (发生) of a violent storm had turned their journey into a fight for survival. The boat sustained damage, and their supplies were lost as they faced the violent wind and waves.
As the fishermen held onto hope, their signals caught the attention of Captain Radhika Menon. With strong determination, she initiated a high-risk rescue operation, facing towering waves and strong winds. The urgency was obvious as the crew prepared for the challenge.
Menon strategically moved the tanker, creating a shelter from the storm. A rope was thrown out, connecting the tanker to the easily broken fishing boat. Despite the sea’s fury (猛烈), the fishermen managed to secure the line, and one by one, they were pulled to safety. The rescue, performed through rain and storm, took about 40 minutes. The seven fishermen were finally on the tanker, filled with emotion.
Sixteen months later, Menon’s bravery was recognized on a global stage. In November 2016, she received the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea. Menon, the first female captain in the Indian Merchant Navy, stated that she had merely finished her duty as a sailor.
The rescued fishermen, speaking emotionally from their homes, described Menon as a hero who had saved their lives. The rescue at sea showcased the firm courage of Captain Radhika Menon and her crew, proving that in the face of danger, true heroes emerge.
1. What happened to the seven fishermen?| A．They were in a life-or-death struggle in a violent storm. |
| B．They began a long-standing internal conflict. |
| C．They were hit violently by another boat. |
| D．They lost their boat for seven days. |
| A．She called a rescue ship. |
| B．She sent out high-frequency signals. |
| C．She fearlessly landed on the fishing boat in person. |
| D．She used a rope to connect the tanker to the fishing boat. |
| A．Skillful and creative. | B．Outgoing and demanding. |
| C．determined and courageous. | D．Brave and self-confident. |
| A．A heroic rescue | B．The impossible task |
| C．A perfect expedition | D．The violence of the sea |
4 . Unique outdoor restaurants around the world
Many things come to mind when I think of a great vacation. Remarkable scenery and delicious food are certainly on my list. Those two features can’t always be found in the same location. However, amazing views and great food are both on the menu at the following three restaurants.
The Rock, ZanzibarOn an enormous boulder (巨石) off the coast of the East African island of Zanzibar sits The Rock. The freshest seafood, much of it straight from the surrounding ocean, is always available here. At low tide (潮汐), customers can walk out to The Rock. As the water rises, though, customers must take a short boat ride to it. Once they arrive, they’re greeted by friendly staff and 360-degree views of beautiful blue-green water. The Rock, sometimes called the “floating restaurant”, is available for weddings and other small group events.
The Labasin Waterfalls Restaurant, PhilippinesStriking waterfalls sometimes have restaurants at the top. But the Labasin Waterfalls, in San Pablo City, Philippines, is different. A restaurant sits at the bottom of the falls. Guests dine on authentic (地道的) Filipino meals at bamboo tables that stand right in the water. They cool their feet in the water that flows under their tables. The surrounding jungle makes a perfect background for this one-of-a-kind dining experience.
The Grotto, ThailandThe Grotto Restaurant on Thailand’s Phra Nang Beach offers delicious food and an incredible dining experience. The restaurant is partly positioned inside a cave and partly on the beach. Guests seated toward the front look out at Happy Island in the lovely Andaman Sea. Those seated at the back enjoy an authentic cave-dining experience. Comfortable tables, which are arranged inside the cave, sit next to large stalactites (钟乳石). International food with a Thai influence is featured.
1. What can you do at The Rock?| A．Host small ceremonies. |
| B．Have meals at bamboo tables. |
| C．Cool your feet under your tables. |
| D．Go through a cave-dining experience. |
| A．They are based in hotels. |
| B．They adopt modern cooking methods. |
| C．They are surrounded by eye-catching waterfalls. |
| D．They offer both breathtaking views and delicious food. |
| A．To report. | B．To explain. | C．To analyze. | D．To introduce. |
5 . “Having the world at our fingertips” is a metaphor often used when we put our hands on information technology, like smartphones and computers. This is a good metaphor. But what is much better is how we use our hands to make things done.
Put one hand flat on a surface, palm down, and you might be able to make out the outline of 14 short bones in your thumb and fingers, in addition to 5 longer ones in your palm that are jointed to your wrist. These bones give each hand its rigid, knuckled structure. Together they’re critical components of the anatomical (解剖的) architecture that allows your hand to move. At each of your fingertips there’s an ever-growing, translucent plate of fibrous protein, otherwise known as a nail. Although they’re nice for decoration, your nails protect and enhance your sensitivity to touch, too.
Imagine squeezing a piece of paper between your thumb and index finger, for example. We use this type of forceful pad-to-pad precision grasping without thinking about it, and literally in no time. Yet it was a breakthrough in human evolution. Other primates (灵长目动物) exhibit some kinds of precision grasps in the handling and use of objects, but not with the kind of efficiency that our hand does.
With a unique combination of traits, the human hand shaped history. No question, stone tools couldn’t have become a keystone of human technology without hands that could do the job, along with a nervous (神经的) system that could regulate and coordinate the necessary signals. Even for those who have never attempted to make a spear tip or arrowhead from a rock, it’s obvious that it would require strong grasps, constant rotation and repositioning, careful strikes with another hard object. And even for those who have done so, it can be a bloody business.
Of course, the most common object that people touch nowadays is a screen. And the tap-tap-tap movement of our fingers is a unique human ability, as no other primate can move their fingers as rapidly and independently as we do. Here again, we can thank the extraordinary human brain given that normal finger tapping requires the functional integrity of different parts of our central nervous system.
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?| A．The structure of human hands. | B．The function of human hands. |
| C．The movement of human hands. | D．The number of bones in human hands. |
| A．Because they make our hands more beautiful. |
| B．Because they help us hold things more tightly. |
| C．Because they are a necessary part of the structure of our hands. |
| D．Because they protect our fingers and increase our sense of touch. |
| A．Detect. | B．Produce. | C．Integrate. | D．Interpret. |
| A．introduce the structure and function of human hands |
| B．compare the differences between human hands and primates’ hands |
| C．emphasize the importance of human hands in history and modern technology |
| D．show how the human brain contributes to the unique ability of finger tapping |
6 . Do you often dial others’ mobile phone number? Do you know China’s mobile phone has 11 digits. Why is this?
The 11 digits can be divided into three parts. Each part has a different meaning. The first three numbers tell you which mobile phone service provider you are using. For example, 135 is for China Mobile Communications Corporation (中国移动) and 188 is for China Unicom (中国联通). The fourth to the seventh digits tell you which area the number is registered (注册) in. And the last four digits are random (随机的).
The main reason for using 11 digits is that we have the largest population in the world. We once had 10 numbers. But as our population grew, there weren’t enough numbers for us to use. So we began to use 11 digits starting from 1999.
Eleven digits can be used to make billions of mobile phone numbers. That’s enough for each person to have seven or eight numbers to use.
What’s more, mobile phone numbers can be recycled. Usually, the service provider will reuse a canceled (取消的) number after three to six months. If you call a number that you haven’t contacted for a long time, you may find that its owner has changed.
Besides China, Britain and Japan also use 11-digit mobile phone numbers. But their numbers always start with 0. So they cannot create as many numbers as we can. Countries like the United States, Australia and India use phone numbers with 10 digits. Canada’s mobile phone numbers are perhaps the world’s shortest; they use seven digits.
1. The underlined word “digit” means “_______” in Chinese.| A．号码 | B．功能 | C．数字 | D．图案 |
| A．They’re randomly chosen. | B．They stand for the owner’s birthday. |
| C．They stand for the service provider. | D．They stand for the registration area. |
| A．Because China never recycles phone numbers. |
| B．Because China has the most phone service providers. |
| C．Because Chinese people like having many phone numbers. |
| D．Because China has the largest population in the world. |
| A．India. | B．Japan. | C．Canada. | D．Australia. |
| A．What China’s phone number digits stand for. |
| B．China’s mobile phone has 11 digits. |
| C．How many digits make up the longest mobile phone numbers. |
| D．The number of digits in mobile phone numbers around the world. |
7 . I often hear kids say, “I’m not a math person” or “I’m just not good at math.” These statements reflect what’s called a “fixed mindset”, which is often associated with a sense of discouragement, powerlessness and inability to improve one’s situation. A fixed mindset is extremely common in math classrooms, but with the help of teachers, students can adopt a “growth mindset”.
This means believing in their potential to acquire the skills and knowledge. In strong, productive teacher-student relationships, teachers nurture (培养) growth mindsets. And there are some key steps in building these relationships, starting with giving instruction that meets the skill levels of individual students. Besides, it’s important to give students social and emotional support, so they could develop social awareness self-management, decision-making and relationship skills.
How could teachers do these among class prep and grading duties? I believe in applying educational technologies. With the right tools, teachers can skillfully manage to individualize instruction and meet social-emotional needs.
Razzaq, a math teacher at Doherty High School, has students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and some were still learning English alongside math. The school once placed a student in her class, who hadn’t been in formal school since third grade. Students have different levels and social-emotional needs that demand attention from teachers. Sometimes they’re not aware or communicative of the areas in which they need help. Razzaq gives tests with the help of some educational platforms, which generate reports that summarize individual weak points. Then Razzaq could give instructions suiting their academic situations, making productive use of class time. She also uses technologies that provide insights into social-emotional experiences such as attentiveness and time management. The data enables her to initiate conversations that make a difference in students’ education.
More importantly, we need to examine our approach to education. Are we creating an environment where children can develop healthily? How are we satisfying the needs of our future generations? Only by knowing our vision can we decide the technology to complete the picture.
1. Which of the following problems do students often have about learning math according to the text?| A．Personal interest. | B．Low confidence. |
| C．Poor self-control. | D．Poor learning ability. |
| A．By giving an example. | B．By conducting research. |
| C．By analyzing statistical data. | D．By making some comparisons. |
| A．They encourage students to communicate. |
| B．They provide suggestions on math teaching. |
| C．They correct the mistakes students make in tests. |
| D．They give information about students’ learning situation . |
| A．A technician. | B．A psychologist. |
| C．An educationist. | D．A mathematician. |
8 . The most-visited museums in the United States
The National Museum of Natural History
It is free of charge and is open 364 days a y year. Opening its doors in 1910, the museum has a collection of over 14646 million specimens (标本) of plants, animals, rocks, human remains, and human cultural artifacts, the largest natural history collection in the world. It is also home to about 180 professional natural history scientists who focus on the study of natural and cultural history in the world.
The National Callery of Art
Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in 1937. Its collection includes many donated works of art . The Gallery’s collection of paintings , drawings, sprints, photographs, medals, and decorative arts traces (追溯) the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas and the largest mobile created by Alexander Calder.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
It is the largest art museum in America. It was s founded in 1870 with its mission to bring art and art education to Americans. The museum’s collection contains works of art dating back to the ancient Near East and ancient Egypt. It includes works of art from many European Old Masters as well as many collections of American art. The museum is home to collection of musical instruments, costumes, and decorative arts.
The Museum of Modern Art
It is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The institution was conceived (构想) in 1929. It moved to several locations in its early years, and John D. Rockefeller Jr. finally donated the land for its permanent (永久的) site. The collection includes architecture, drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, artists’ books, films, and electronic media.
1. Which museum would you go to if you are curious about Western art history?| A．The National Gallery of Art. | B．The Museum of Modern Art. |
| C．The Metropolitan Museum of Art. | D．The National Museum of Natural History. |
| A．To store works of art of different countries. | B．To satisfy people’s thirst for museums. |
| C．To make Americans learn about art. | D．To document American history. |
| A．It once changed locations for several times. | B．It was recommended by John D. Rockefeller |
| C．It has historical and natural collections. | D．It was founded in Midtown Manhattan in 1929. |
9 . Big Stuff
Do you know what is the tallest building in the world and where the tallest Ferris wheel is? Have you heard of the world’s steepest roller coaster? Have you seen the biggest monster truck? Here are some of the most huge things on Earth.
A Towering Achievement
Burj Khalifa, a tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the world’s tallest structure. The 162-story building, which opened in 2010, stands over 2,717 feet tall. Seen from above, the tower has a Y-shaped design. Its three tall, narrow wings are joined in the middle. Like the legs of a tripod (三脚架), each wing is supported by the other two.
A Wheel Winner
About 15 miles from the world’s tallest building stands the world’s tallest Ferris wheel, Ain Dubai. Also called an observation wheel, Ain Dubai stands 820 feet tall. Each of the 48 cabins can carry 40 people for spectacular views of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Before construction, support columns had to be driven 115 feet down through the earth to reach bedrock.
Extreme Ups and Downs
The world’s tallest roller coaster is Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure. At 456 feet, the peak of the ride towers over nearby Jackson, New Jersey. A 500-foot-tall crane was needed to place the final section at the top. Like many weight-bearing structures, the tower makes use of the most stable geometric (几何的) shape, the triangle.
A Monster of a Truck
Designed and built by business owner Bob Chandler, Bigfoot 5 has held the record for the world’s biggest monster truck since 1986. Other trucks, including Bigfoot models, have been designed to perform better in competitions. But Bigfoot 5 still stands above the crowd, thanks to its 10-foot-tall tires. The tires were originally designed for equipment that drives on Alaska’s snowy tundra.
1. What do Burj Khalifa and Ain Dubai have in common?| A．They have similar structures. |
| B．They are located in the same city. |
| C．They are designed by the same architect. |
| D．They are intended for visitors to overlook the views. |
| A．Ain Dubai has a Y-shaped design. | B．Other trucks perform better than Bigfoot 5. |
| C．Kingda Ka takes advantage of the triangle. | D．Burj Khalifa can carry 40 people for spectacular views. |
| A．Business. | B．Lifestyle. | C．Entertainment. | D．Advertisement. |
10 . Fresco(湿壁画) refers to painting techniques used on plaster(灰泥). Popular during the Renaissance period, especially in Italy, frescoes were usually used to decorate walls of public buildings.
The purest type of fresco painting, also known as “buon fresco”, involves mixing pigments(颜料) directly with wet plaster. The color is thus actually part of the material, rather than a coating on top of it, as is the case with “fresco a secco” or with regular painting. The colors of a buon fresco are especially vibrant and long-lasting; the Bull-Leaping Fresco in Knossos, Crete was created around the 17th-15th centuries BCE, but the colors are still clear today. However, this technique is not without its unique disadvantages. For one thing, colors look different when they are wet than when they are dry. Artists of the time typically mixed their own plaster and color mixtures, working quickly to finish a part of a mural(壁画) before the plaster dried. The mixture they created the next time might have been a slightly different shade. If you look carefully at the frescoes on the Sistine Chapel, you can see which parts must have been completed in a single session by the faint differences in colors.
Fresco a secco requires something to be added to the paint to make it stick to the dry plaster. This technique is sometimes used to repair a buon fresco that has been damaged, although the colors are generally not as bright. However, some colors actually worked better with the fresco a secco. During the Renaissance period, the available pigments for creating blue did not mix well with wet plaster; for this reason, skies, water, and blue clothing sometimes were painted as secco frescoes after the buon fresco had dried.
In 1997, the frescoes by Giotto di Bondone in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy were damaged in an earthquake. 150 restorers, of whom most are volunteers, spent five years gathering 60,000 pieces that they could find and set them back into place, much like a puzzle, although about 35 percent of the fresco remains incomplete.
1. Which of the following can replace the word “vibrant” underlined in paragraph 2?| A．Bright. | B．Simple. | C．Watery. | D．Rare. |
| A．It was in Italy that true fresco was widely used. |
| B．It is crucial to differentiate varied painting style. |
| C．It took time for painters to create their unique colors. |
| D．It was hard to create the exactly same color every time. |
| A．The disadvantages of fresco a secco. |
| B．The reasons why painters preferred blue. |
| C．The characters and uses of fresco a secco. |
| D．The similarities between the two fresco techniques. |
| A．Slow but creative. | B．Complicated and dangerous. |
| C．Discouraging but money-saving. | D．Time-consuming and laborious. |
