1 . Floating Markets in Bangkok, Thailand
One might feel as though they are entering a different world upon visiting a Thai floating market. While some countries in Asia have their own floating markets, none compare to Thailand’s, and the special experience is one you cannot miss while visiting the country.
Long-tail boats, ancient and traditional houses, and shouting vendors (商贩) are the major elements of floating markets in Bangkok. They are excellent options for experiencing the unusual culture and life of Thailand. Here are the top 8 floating markets in Bangkok, where you can experience the chaotic and charming atmosphere.
| Name | Distance from Downtown Bangkok | Open Times | Features |
| Damnoen Saduak | 80 km (50 mi) | Every day from 7 a. m. to 5 p. m | Long-tail boat cruises, remote villages, plantations |
| Amphawa | 90 km (55mi) | 11 a. m. to 9.30 p. m., Friday to Sunday | Thai food, little wooden houses, temples |
| Wat Sai | 23 km (14 mi) | 8 a. m.-6 p. m., Tuesday-Saturday | A mixture of Chinese culture and Thai culture |
| Taling Chan | 12 km (7 mi) | 8 a. m.-6 p. m., Saturday-Sunday | Temples, massages (按摩) on boats, foot massages under trees |
| Bangkhla | 100km (60 mi) | 8 a. m.-6 p. m., Saturday-Sunday | Remote countryside, charm, biking |
| Bang Nam Pheung | 20 km (12 mi) | 8: 30 a. m.-5p. m., Saturday-Sunday | Fruit, food, a nature sanctuary (避难所) |
| Bang Phli | 38 km (24 mi) | 11 a. m.-5:30 p. m., Tuesday-Saturday | Oldest, historical buildings, temples |
| Khlong Lat Mayom | 21 km (13 mi) | 7 a. m.-5p. m., Saturday—Sunday | Food, fruit, boat noodles |
1. Which floating market only opens on weekends with the shortest opening hours?
| A．Taling Chan. | B．Bang Phli. |
| C．Bang Nam Pheung. | D．Khlong Lat Mayom. |
| A．Delicious Thai food. | B．Numerous temple buildings. |
| C．Various massage services. | D．The traditional countryside life. |
| A．It is influenced by Chinese cultural elements. |
| B．Its number of open days in a week is the largest. |
| C．It is the centre of cultural exchange around the world. |
| D．It is a must-see tourist destination for Chinese tourists. |
2 . In Paris, you only need to see the Louvre, right? Wrong! There’s so much more to see in one of the world’s greatest cities for arts and culture! In this article, discover the best museums to visit in Paris.
Louis Vuitton Foundation
The architecture of this building alone makes a visit worth it. The building was designed by famous architect Frenk Gehry. There are works of art by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Ellsworth Kelly, Olafur Eliasson, Gilbert & George, Jeff Koons, and many others. The admission ticket costs€16.
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10:00 am-6:00 pm (closed Sundays)
Paris Museum of Modern Art
The museum has a few huge works of art and a ton of other eye-catchers. It is technically free to visit, but they ask for a non-mandatory (非强制性的) donation of €5 to see the permanent artworks.
Hours: Tues—Sun, 10:00 am—6:00 pm (closed Mondays)
Musée National Picasso-Paris
The museum is home to thousands of Picasso works. Unlike the Rodin Museum, which contains works from many artists, the Picasso Museum keeps its collection closely tied to the master. The admission ticket costs€14.
Hours: Tues—Fri,10:00 am—6:30 pm; Sat and Sun, 9:30 am—6:00 pm (closed Mondays)
Musée Marmottan Monet
Similar to the Picasso Museum, the Monet Museum is mostly about Monet. The museum is only what it is today thanks to Michel Monet’s famous donation of his father’s remaining works of art. Admissions will run you from€9 to€14.
Hours: Tues—Sun,10:00 am—6:00 pm, late nights on Thursdays until 9:00 pm (closed Mondays).
1. Who was the designer of Louis Vuitton Foundation?| A．Frenk Gehry. | B．Ellsworth Kelly. | C．Olafur Eliasson. | D．Jeff Koons. |
| A．€10. | B．€18. | C．€28. | D．€32. |
| A．At 6:00 pm on Monday. | B．At 9:30 am on Thursday. |
| C．At 10:00 pm on Saturday. | D．At 10:00 am on Sunday. |
3 . Campgrounds
There are two drive-in campgrounds in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Nāmakanipaio and Kulanaokuaiki.
Nāmakanipaio
Nāmakanipaio Campground is operated by Hawaii Volcanoes Lodge Company. It is a large, open grassy area with tall trees. This campground has restrooms, water, picnic tables and barbeque pits (烧烤坑). Campfires are permitted in the barbeque pits only. Maximum stay is 7 days.
Fees (费用):
There is a pay station on site. Drive-in sites-$15.00 per night
If there are more than two people in your party, you can expand to four people per site with another tent.
Weather may be cool year-round. Daytime temperature range: 60s to70s F. Nighttime temperature range: 30s to low 50s F. We suggest that you use a tent with a good rainfly (帆布篷顶) and bring warm clothing for cool days and evenings. Reservations are required.
Kulanaokuaiki
Kulanaokuaiki Campground is located about five miles down the Hilina Pali Road. The nine campsites at Kulanaokuaiki have picnic tables and tent pads (垫子), and are available on a first come, first served basis. There is NO WATER at this location. Checkout time is 11:00 a.m. Fires are NOT permitted.
Fees:
$10.00 a night per site 一 stay limit of seven consecutive (连续的) days
$5.00 a night per site for campers who hold the Interagency Senior (Golden Age) and Golden Access passes
Fees may be paid at the campground’s self-registration station.
Pets are not allowed in the campground or anywhere on Hilina Pali Road. Nighttime temperature range: high 40s to high 60s F. Daytime temperature range: high 60s to 90s F. We suggest that you use a tent with a good rainfly and bring warm clothing for cool days and evenings. Reservations are required.
1. How is Nāmakanipaio Campground different from Kulanaokuaiki Campground?| A．It offers no water. |
| B．It allows fire in the barbeque pits. |
| C．It provides an up to seven-day stay. |
| D．It has a narrower range of temperature. |
| A．$75. | B．$50. | C．$25. | D．$15. |
| A．Booking in advance. |
| B．Traveling in a group. |
| C．Bringing a windproof tent. |
| D．Taking summer clothing for hot days. |
4 . Bristol Old Vic
When the Theatre Royal (now Bristol Old Vic) was built, electricity hadn’t been discovered. For over 250 years the people who have owned, worked inside and visited the theatre have kept records about their activity. These are kept safe at the University of Bristol Theatre Collection, and you’ll discover a range of documents which record the history of the theatre, from its foundation in 1764 up until the present day. Here are some of them.
BEGINNING
In 1764 businessmen Alexander Edgar and Thomas Symons suggested building a new theatre between Baldwin Street and the back of Coopers’ Hall in King Street. The estimated cost was f2, 000 to be split among 40 subscribers, but the building work cost more than expected. Owning shares allowed them to influence decisions about the theatre.
SILVER TICKET
Each of the original Bristol Old Vic shareholders was given a silver ticket that promised sight of any performance held at the theatre. As the holders were clever businessmen, they insisted that the silver tickets could be loaned or traded. This enabled them to make some extra money but made it extremely difficult for the theatre managers to keep track of who was allowed to see shows for free.
250TH BIRTHDAY
In May 2016, the theatre celebrated its 250th birthday! As the oldest continuously-working theatre in the English-speaking world, it deserved a proper party, so Bristol-based Limbic Cinema was hired to create a film of the theatre’s historical highlights which was projected (放映) onto the theatre itself.
1. Where can you find the three mentioned documents?| A．At Baldwin Street. |
| B．At Coopers’ Hall in King Street. |
| C．At Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
| D．At the University of Bristol Theatre Collection. |
| A．By creating a film about its history. |
| B．By building Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
| C．By releasing silver ticket in memory of the birthday. |
| D．By making a film projected in theatres across England. |
| A．To compare the theatre and others. |
| B．To change people’s view on Bristol Old Vic. |
| C．To introduce some information of Bristol Old Vic. |
| D．To recommend a movie related to the theatre. |
| A．At 6:00. | B．At 6:10. | C．At 6:20. |
6 . Blowing Up Balloons with CO₂
Chemical reactions (化学反应) make for some great experiments. You can make use of the CO₂(carbon dioxide) given off by a baking soda (小苏打) and lemon juice reaction to blow up your balloon!
What you’ll need:
●Balloon ●About 40ml of water ●Soft drink bottle
●Juice from a lemon ●I teaspoon of baking soda
Instructions:
●Before you begin, make sure that you pull the balloon long to make it as easy as possible to blow up.
●Put the 40ml of water into the soft drink bottle.
●Add the baking soda and mix it with water.
●Put the lemon juice in and quickly put the balloon over the mouth of the bottle.
What’s happening?
If all goes well, then your balloon should inflate! Adding the lemon juice to the baking soda creates a chemical reaction and produces CO₂. The gas rises up and escapes (逸出) through the soft drink bottle. It doesn’t, however, escape the balloon, pushing it outwards and blowing it up.
1. Which of the following do you need for the experiment?| A．Two cups. | B．Apple juice. |
| C．250 ml water. | D．A teaspoon of baking soda. |
| A．Heat the water. | B．Drink some juice. |
| C．Blow up the balloon. | D．Pull the balloon long. |
| A．To describe an experiment. | B．To introduce a game. |
| C．To produce soft drinks. | D．To save some chemicals. |
7 . Last Friday, Britain’s Prince William announced the winners of this year’s Earthshot Prize. The prize is meant to encourage new ideas and rapid action to help protect the planet. Below are parts of this year’s prize-winning projects in each category.
Protect and Restore Nature
Kheyti won the prize for protecting and restoring nature with its “Greenhouse-in-a-box” idea. Kheyti is already working with 1, 000 farmers across India, which is one of the most climate-affected countries in the world. The company says the greenhouses allow farmers to use 90% less water and produce seven times as much food. Kheyti hopes to get its greenhouses to 50,000 farmers by 2027.
Clean Our Air
Charlot Magayi won the prize for cleaning the air. Ms. Magayi developed a stove (炉子) that uses a fuel that’s cheaper and pollutes far less than charcoal stoves. Currently, over 200,000 of her Clean Stoves are being used in Kenya.
Build a Waste-Free World
A London-based company called Notpla(for “Not Plastic”)won the prize for building a waste-free world. They’ve created a plastic substitute(替代品)from plants found in the ocean. Unlike most plastic, their products break down naturally with no microplastics. Notpla believes their products can help end the plastic pollution that’s filling landfills and polluting oceans.
Fix Our Climate
The Earthshot Prize for working toward fixing our climate went to a company called 44.01 from Oman. 44.01 has come up with a way to turn polluting carbon dioxide(CO2)into a rock called peridotite. Once the CO2 has been turned into rock, it can no longer be released into the atmosphere again. The method that 44.01 uses is fast, cheap and permanent.
1. What is the aim of the Earthshot Prize?| A．To offer practical advice on global warming. |
| B．To find solutions to the environmental problems. |
| C．To develop a strategic partnership with all parties. |
| D．To encourage literary creations of the British people. |
| A．In India. | B．In Kenya. | C．In the UK. | D．In Oman. |
| A．They want to build a waste-free world. |
| B．Their projects are directly good for farmers. |
| C．Their achievements benefit the air cleaning. |
| D．They use plants from the ocean in their products. |
8 . What your dinner photos on Instagram say about you
Posting pictures on Instagram is a modern day version of writing a journal: It’s all about creating a connection between ourselves, our lives, friends, family and the wider public.
If someone posts photos of a meal that they have just cooked, the message they’re trying to convey is that they are a capable person. For example, if someone is on a health kick, they often seek social approval. If they’ve made a really healthy meal, they will typically post it with hashtags “#” like diet or health, which tie into other people’s experiences.
There is also a growing trend of people taking photos of their food when they dine out at a restaurant.
If people are on a diet or trying to eat a bit better, they can use platforms like Instagram to track what they’ve been eating. It’s a way of motivating other people as well as holding themselves responsible, while subconsciously saying “
| A．I am willing to take risks in my diet. |
| B．There are some reasons to post photos online. |
| C．I’m the sort of person who takes care of myself. |
| D．It’s the same idea as wanting to feel part of a community. |
| E．The types of content we choose to post hold significance. |
| F．It generally implies an attempt to associate with luxury and taste. |
| G．We have a fundamental need to be part of something bigger than ourselves. |
9 . While most lifestyle and fashion magazines are full of photos of slim (苗条的) male and female models that create an unrealistic image of the human body, a fresh Japanese men’s magazine called Mr. Babe is taking an unusual approach. It is targeted at chubby men, a body type that is rarely represented in the mainstream (主流) fashion industry.
Mr. Babe describes itself as Japan’s first fashion and lifestyle magazine of chubby men, by chubby men and for chubby men. Its major goal is to increase the confidence of its readers and convince them that they can lead a happy and successful life regardless of the few extra pounds. It offers fashion tips, health advice and articles on marriage. The chief editor said, “Mr. Babe is in no way persuading men to become fat. Our message is that chubby men can be attractive by making use of what they have now.”
Norihito Kurashina was in charge of Men’s Knuckle for over 10 years before shifting completely and launching Mr. Babe. Up to now, Men’s Knuckle is still a famous magazine for young Japanese. 52-year-old Kurashina describes himself as a chubby man for 25 years.
According to the National Health and Nutrition Survey, the percentage of overweight men in Japan has been increasing gradually over the last decade, while the number of overweight women has decreased. Kurashina says the growing number of chubby men is largely due to the long working hours. In addition, they go drinking after work to relax. Naturally, they have no time, energy or money to go to the gym and keep in shape.
The chubby men in Mr. Babe magazine are not much more different than the handsome and sexy men that show up in most mainstream magazines. They are charming and well-dressed. 50, 000 copies have been printed of the first issue (发行), which has film star Jack Black on the cover. Norihito Kurashina says he is already feeling a good response from the audience and is confident of the magazine’s success.
1. What does the underlined word “chubby” in Para. 1 mean?| A．Fat. | B．Thin. | C．Ugly. | D．Tall. |
| A．Encourage more men to put on weight. |
| B．Make its readers confident in themselves. |
| C．Offer suggestions about how to lose weight. |
| D．Become the most popular magazine in Japan. |
| A．No film stars are on the cover of Mr. Babe. | B．Norihito Kurashina is not fat at all. |
| C．The future of Mr. Babe’s is bright. | D．The men in Mr. Babe dressed carelessly. |
| A．A magazine is bringing out a different charm. |
| B．People don’t read magazines anymore. |
| C．Slim male and female models are becoming more popular. |
| D．More film stars are on the cover of magazines. |
10 . It’s time to share the winners of this year’s Invent It Challenge! Here are our four winners of the first round!
Glo Zone (Ages 5-7 Individual Winner)
Kabir from California came up with this cool invention after a not-so-fun experience. He was hit by four adults on a ski trip! To make skiing and snowboarding safe for nighttime (especially for smaller kids)， he created Glo Zone，a fun glowing(发光的)rainbow umbrella that is attached to skiers’ helmets.
ProTech Helmet (Ages 11-13 Individual Winner)
Pooja from New Jersey has created a light, safe helmet designed for playing frisbee (飞盘)!She came up with the idea after getting hit right under the eye at a frisbee competition and realizing she could get blinded if it were any higher. The ProTech Helmet has a lining(衬里) made of a new technology called Spin.
Ace Attachment (Ages 8-10 Team Winner)
Levi and Albert from New York dealt with helping people with disabilities enjoy sports. The Ace Attachment makes it easier for wheelchair users to play golf. Unlike similar inventions, the Ace Attachment is easily adjustable.
Skate Shoes “DOOD” (Ages 14+ Individual Winner)
It’s the worst when you ruin your favorite pair of shoes! Fortunately, Rommel from Mexico has come up with new skate shoes. These shoes have exchangeable parts that allow pieces of the shoes to be replaced with new ones when broken instead of getting rid of the whole pair.
Cast your vote!
Which of these fantastic inventions will you choose to win the Cricket Choice Award? While they are all outstanding, only one can win the popular vote! Cast your vote here by May 16!
1. What do Kabir’s and Pooja’s inventions have in common?| A．They are new-type helmets. |
| B．They are targeted at the same sport. |
| C．They are designed for teenagers of the same age group. |
| D．They are inspired by the inventors’ experience of getting hit. |
| A．It is disability-friendly. |
| B．It features replaceable parts. |
| C．It involves a new technology called Spin. |
| D．It enables wheelchair users to enjoy sports. |
| A．A short story about young inventors. | B．An introduction to a competition. |
| C．An award voting invitation. | D．A winner announcement. |
