1 . The Best National Parks to Visit in Winter
While most parks tend to draw families in the summer and fall, there are also ideal spots for adventurous winter trips.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
The country’s oldest and best-known national park takes on an almost otherworldly atmosphere in winter: the air filled with rolling steam, the strong colors of hot springs, the surrounding white landscapes, let alone the impressive wildlife during this time, like bison, wolves, and playful red foxes. Just book a guided hiking tour to get a ranger’s perspective on the park and local people.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
With its giant red rocks and unique trees, you’ll feel like stepping onto a foreign planet as you spend hours hiking the Panorama Loop or Maze Loop. The park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, featuring virtually zero light pollution and the country’s best views of a starry sky.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
A significantly lower number of visitors in winter means you can take in unblocked views of the South Rim, and get to see the rare beauty of the Grand Canyon dusted with snow. For those adventurous and daring, it is recommended to hike the Bright Angel Trail and take the chance to see the canyon’s wintertime wildlife, including mule deer, elk, and bald eagles.
Virgin Islands National Park, St. John
Surprise! Not all wintertime national park trips need to involve snow. Virgin Islands National Park is most famous for its white-sand beaches. You can also hike inland to visit old sugar plantations, or venture out to the water to swim along with sea turtles and manta rays. You will definitely enjoy a different winter here.
1. Which park will one choose if he/she is interested in stars?| A．Yellowstone National Park. | B．Joshua Tree National Park. |
| C．Grand Canyon National Park. | D．Virgin Islands National Park. |
| A．We can have a poor view of the South Rim there. | B．It lies in an area with rolling steam and hot springs. |
| C．There is a slight decline in visitor numbers in winter. | D．The Bright Angel Trail is challenging in cold weather. |
| A．Hiking. | B．Skiing. | C．Swimming. | D．Hunting. |
2 . You can either travel or read, but either your body or your soul must be on the way. The popular saying has inspired many people to read or go sightseeing. Here are four books that you can take on your trip.
1. On the Road, 1957, by Jack Kerouac
The book is a popular spiritual guidebook about youth. The main character in the book drives across the US continent with several young people and finally reaches Mexico. After the exhausting and exciting trip, the characters in the book begin to realize the meaning of life.
2. Life Is Elsewhere, 1975, by Milan Kundera
Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said, "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains." The book describes a young artist's romantic but miserable life, about how he reads, dreams and has a relationship during his trip to Central Europe. The book invites you to deeply reflects on your current life and to honor the Czech-born writer Kundera.
3. My Name Is Red, 1998, by Orhan Pamuk
The book, a masterpiece of the Nobel Prize winner for Literature Orhan Pamuk, has been translated into more than 50 languages and published around the world. It tells a story of a young man, who was away from home for 12 years, coming back to his hometown in Istanbul. What embraces him is not only love, but a series of murder cases as well.
4. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, 2013, by Rachel Joyce
The novel tells a story of a 60-year-old man who lived a boring and unhappy life, until one day, he received his old friend's letter who got cancer. In deep shock and sorrow, he went out to send his reply letter. 627 miles in 87 days, he walked depending on one belief that “his friend can survive as long as he walks”.
1. Whose book can make you rethink your own life?| A．Jack Kerouac. | B．Milan Kundera. | C．Orhan Pamuk. | D．Rachel Joyce. |
| A．On the Road. | B．Life Is Elsewhere. |
| C．My Name Is Red. | D．The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. |
| A．He walked to keep healthy. | B．He was in deep shock and sorrow. |
| C．He expected his friend to live longer. | D．He lived a very boring and unhappy life. |
3 . New England holds some special museums. They are devoted largely or entirely to the work of just one person. And they are the artists’ birthplaces or onetime homes. Here are four examples of such museums.
Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum
The name Cyrus E. Dallin (1861-1944) might not be familiar, but several of the artist’s sculptures (雕塑) are, especially those related to Native Americans. A good example is his “Appeal to the Great Spirit” standing in front of the Museum of Fine Arts. Born in Utah, he lived in Arlington for the final four decades of his life. The museum is in the Jefferson Cutter House, an 1830 Greek styled building.
Norman Rockwell Museum
Rockwell (1894-1978) was America’s well-known artist. The museum, founded in 1969, moved into its present location, Robert A.M. Stern-designed building in 1993. Its 998 paintings and drawings are the largest single collection of Rockwell's artworks.
Kids 16 and under: free; adults: $20; the old: at a 10% discount (折扣)
Edward Gorey House
Edward Gorey (1925-2000) was an artist, but he was also an author and clothes designer. Gorey bought this 18th-century house in 1979 and lived there for the rest of his life. Edward Gorey House is also known as the Elephant House. Gorey had respect for animals. The activities of the house, from art education to exhibits, show Gorey's support of animal well-being.
Gibert Stuart Birthplace and Museum
Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828) is responsible for what may well be the most familiar work of any American artist, His drawing of George is the basis of the first president’s portrait (画像) on the dollar. Stuart painted more than a thousand portraits throughout his life.
1. What do we know about Cyrus E. Dallin?| A．He built the Jefferson Cutter House. |
| B．He lived in Arlington for half a century. |
| C．He was best known for his Greek styled sculptures. |
| D．He created famous works related to Native Americans. |
| A．$36. | B．$40. | C．$60. | D．$72. |
| A．Edward Gorey House. | B．Norman Rockwell Museum. |
| C．Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum. | D．Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum. |
4 . Travel Peru
Amazon Rainforest TourA short flight from Cusco takes you from the Andes into the Amazon rainforest. From there, you'll spend one day travelling by boat to your accommodation in the middle of the forest. You can then spend three days exploring the rainforest with a local guide and enjoying the plants and animals unique to the rainforest.
Machu Picchu TourThis four-day walking tour will take you on amazing paths through the Andes Mountains on the way to the city of Machu Picchu. After reaching your destination, you will have a day to explore and be amazed by this ancient city. Especially amazing is the Incas' dry stone method of building Inca builders cut stones to exact sizes so that nothing was needed to hold walls together other than the perfect fit of the stones.
Cusco TourSpend four days enjoying the unique Spanish and local Indian culture high in the Andes at Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th until the 16th century. Stay in a local hotel, visit the museums, admire the architecture, enjoy the excellent local food, and go shopping at the local markets.
Lake Titicaca TourEnjoy the beautiful countryside as you spend a day driving along the new highway connecting Cusco to Lake Titicaca. There, a boat will take you to stay with a local Uros family on an island for three days. Both the island and the Uros homes are made of water plants from the lake.
1. What is scheduled on Machu Picchu Tour?| A．Cutting dry stones. | B．Fixing stone walls. |
| C．Exploring the ancient city. | D．Enjoying unique animals. |
| A．Water plants. | B．Lake Titicaca. |
| C．The local island. | D．The beautiful sight. |
| A．They are in the rainforest. | B．They are on foot. |
| C．They have a local guide. | D．They last four days each. |
Still Alice In this film, we can catch a glimpse of a family’s relationships, fears, concerns and struggles. Alice, the film’s main character, copes bravely with Alzheimer’s disease: she’s the perfect example of an iron-willed woman. Julianne Moore’s amazing performance adds extra charm to this character. Not surprisingly, Julianne Moore won the 2015 Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role. |
Coco Before Chanel The movie is about a strong woman who was not afraid to defy(挑战)society and its conservative and old-fashioned morals. Some say it’s a dull and monotonous(老套的)movie, but it would be more accurate to say that it’s simply an unhurried one — a technique that makes it all the more fascinating. Audrey Tautou is graceful in the role of Chanel. |
Mona Lisa Smile This movie teaches you about dignity, courage and persistence, and the central theme is learning to have a mind of your own. Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) is a recent UCLA graduate hired to teach art history at the famous all-female Wellesley College, in 1953. Determined to confront the outdated morals of society, Katherine inspires her traditional students including Betty and Joan to challenge the lives they are expected to lead. |
Elizabeth This is a wonderful film about Elizabeth I, who was faced with the difficult task of becoming a wise and strong monarch(君主). Cate Blanchett is amazing in the role of the queen—majestic, powerful, and strong-willed—who opens a “golden age” in the history of England. Suspense, passion, betrayal, adventure—all these things are combined in this thrilling and epic movie with perfect scenes, gorgeous costumes and shocking performances by the actors. |
| A．They’re strong-willed and brave. |
| B．They’re great professional women. |
| C．They suffer from serious illnesses. |
| D．They are always challenging traditional virtues. |
| A．is mainly set in Wellesley College |
| B．is especially popular with traditional students |
| C．is a film whose theme is learning to think independently |
| D．is a dull but unhurried movie |
| A．Julianne Moore | B．Audrey Tautou |
| C．Julia Roberts | D．Cate Blanchett |
6 . Taste of Home Farmhouse Family Diners
Turn Sunday night meals into lifelong memories
By The Editors of Taste of Home
Published by Trusted Media Brands, Inc., Taste of Home
Few things bring families together like sharing a comforting homecooked meal. Creating those memories is easier, quicker and more rewarding than ever with Taste of Home Farmhouse Family Dinners.
This lovely cookbook features more than 200 recipes（食谱）perfect for special nights around the dinner table. From Roasted Chicken to Hearty Potato, the attraction of a homemade Sunday meal simply can't be beaten. You'll find all of these classic recipes in addition to a useful menu planner, table settings, time-saving tips and stories from families about their own Sunday dinners.
SELLING POINTS:
● 200 + Recipes. From classic pot pies to fried chicken, these are the mouthwatering foods that make Sunday dinners a piece of Americana. You'll find them within the pages of this beautiful book, as well as home-baked breads and biscuits,.
● Hundreds of Color Photos. Featuring the beautiful photography from Taste of Home Farmhouse Family Diners, this truly is a book you'll hand down for generations to come.
●“Serve It With…”Suggestions. Planning a Sunday dinner is simple when you follow the suggested ideas. Prepare Mom's Meat Loaf on page 107, then see the “Serve It With...” suggestion, which recommends pairing it with Garlic Mashed Potatoes from page 228.
●Sunday-Dinner Stories. Read heartwarming stories from around the dinner table shared by other home cooks.
$15 per electronic version for kindle on Amazon. 10% off for the first book when new users register.
$25 per hardcover on Amazon. 10% off for the first book when new users register.
1. You can refer to the book, if you want to________| A．clean the dining table | B．make some Chinese food |
| C．save cooking time | D．take some food photos |
| A．It allows readers to write down their own stories. |
| B．It features more than 200 heartwarming family photos. |
| C．It can provide you 200 recipes to cook delicious biscuits. |
| D．It can provide suggestions to help readers match different dishes. |
| A．$47.5. | B．$45. | C．$27. 5 | D．$28. 5. |
7 . Some people learn a foreign language because they want to communicate with the local people. Some other people are just curious about foreign cultures. Whatever your reason may be，the best foreign language software around will certainly help you pick up the language in a few weeks. You will be able to speak fluently and understand the language clearly as well.
Tell Me More
This software is widely used in U. S. schools，and it is believed to be the best foreign language learning software around the world. It offers instructions for learning Arabic，Chinese，Dutch，English，French，German，Italian，Japanese and Spanish. However，the software does not come cheap as it costs around $250.
Talk Now
If you are looking for cheaper language learning software，then this is just the suitable choice for you. This software will cost you around $40，and even though it is not as useful as Tell Me More，it is still very good software for the purpose. The disadvantage is that there is a clear lack of interactive （相互作用的） activities for users so it does not result in fluency.
Instant Immersion
This software supplies learning material for up to 35 different languages，and it is widely considered as the best software for learning Spanish as well. It will cost you around $30，and this is a very reasonable price for such a piece of highly recommended and loved language learning software. The learning courses are highly interactive，and the ever present speech recognition feature ensures that you are getting the pronunciation right when you speak.
Kid Speak
This is a kind of foreign language translation software that you can make use of，and it will cost you around $30. So it is safe to say that the level of performance will be similar to that of Talk Now. This software is designed more for the use of children for is interesting videos.
1. In learning a language ________.| A．different people have different purposes |
| B．talking with the natives is quite necessary |
| C．understanding foreign cultures is very important |
| D．using software is the most effective way |
| A．It lacks language learning methods. |
| B．It costs much more than the others. |
| C．It offers no interactive activities. |
| D．It provides no interesting videos for children. |
| A．Tell Me More | B．Talk Now |
| C．Instant Immersion | D．Kid Speak |
8 . When life takes you away from home, take technology to help guide and entertain you. Apps can help make your trip easier and more fun. Travel apps are very helpful to guide you on your trip. Some apps help you plan your trip and others help you travel.
TripIt
TripIt is a helpful app to organize travel plans. Sign up for a free account at the TripIt website and download the app to have all of your travel plans handy in one place.
TripIt will create a travel plan that will be shown in the TripIt app on your phone. No need to hunt down emails when it is time to travel. Everything will be in one place, on the TripIt app.
TripIt is free but a paid version is available that has more functions.
Google Translate
When traveling outside your home country, you may need some language help. Google Translate is an app that can help you understand a language other than your native tongue.
The Google Translate app translates between 103 different languages. Copy text into the app to see a translation. You can also handwrite text onto the screen. Use your phone’s camera to see a translation of signs. Point the lens at words to see the translation on the phone’s screen. The app works even without an Internet connection.
Google Translate is available for free.
OpenTable
OpenTable is a restaurant reservation app to help users discover and make reservations at restaurants.Search by location, cooking, reviews and prices.
OpenTable includes 31,000 restaurants around the world. Check the app to find information and make reservations within the app.
OpenTable is available free for Android and iPhone and iPad.
1. How does the app “TripIt” benefit the users?| A．It provides jobs concerning travel. |
| B．It helps them plan their trip. |
| C．It helps them sort out emails about travel. |
| D．It helps them communicate better. |
| A．Read it to the phone. |
| B．Use the Google search engine. |
| C．Refer to an e-dictionary on the phone. |
| D．See it through the phone's camera. |
| A．Book food in advance. |
| B．Deliver food to a place quickly. |
| C．Buy raw materials to produce good dishes. |
| D．Cook food according to the recipes the app provides. |
9 . On the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), red tourism has gained popularity among tourists who flood in to visit historic sites with a modern revolutionary heritage.
Jinggangshan
This is one of the most crucial and splendid chapters of history of establishing Red China as well as a unique and wonderful ecosystem, which is covered with rich forest, rugged peaks and several memorials to the Red Army. The best time to visit is between April and October, with the most temperature timing April and May when the large azaleas (杜鹃花) bloom.
Open: 8:00-17:00 (Feb. 16-Nov. 15). 8:00-16:30 (Nov. 16-Feb. 15)
Xibaipo
It is an old revolutionary base where the leadership of the Communist Party of China was stationed, drawing up the blueprint for a new country. A memorial hall was built to honor the memory of this site. The lake and the hill here add brilliance and beauty to each other and form pleasant scenery.
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 9:30-17:00 (Xibaipo Memorial Hall)
The Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall
A new exhibition is held with updated display approaches, including phantom imaging (全息影像) and oil painting, which are used to improve visitors' experiences. The exhibition shows four stages of the CPC from its establishment to its achievements.
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 8:30-18:00 (closed on Mondays)
Former Site of the Editorial Department of New Youth
New Youth started the New Culture Movement and spread the influence of the May Fourth Movement. The site was briefly based in Beijing but moved back to Shanghai in 1920 and also served as the office for the Communist Party of China Central Committee in the 1920s.
Open: Thursdays to Tuesdays 9:00 - 11:30, 13:30 - 16:30 (closed on Wednesdays)
1. Where would visitors learn more about the history of the Red Army?| A．Jinggangshan. |
| B．Xibaipo. |
| C．The Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall. |
| D．Former Site of the Editorial Department of New Youth. |
| A．It focuses on Chinese achievements in art. |
| B．It mainly advertises the coming anniversary. |
| C．It applies modernized methods to the exhibition. |
| D．It briefly introduces the rise and fall of Nanhu. |
| A．At 1:00 p.m. on Mondays. | B．At 9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays. |
| C．At 2:00 p.m. on Fridays. | D．At 5:00 p.m on Sundays. |
10 . Where to Shop in London
James Smith & Sons
Have you ever seen a nobleman with a fine walking stick or a fashionable woman with an umbrella that's definitely not one of those five-dollar bargains from New York City street? Well； you could be that person too. But you have to go to Jame Smith & Sons. They specialize in all kinds of high-quality walking sticks and umbrellas.
Harvie & Hudson
UK and Italy are two leading countries when it comes to clothing for men. And you know that it’ll cost you your wages of several months to buy a suit of clothes there. But Harvie & Hudson is fairly accessible, especially for the kind of quality you get. A worthy alternative! You can’t go wrong with two sport jackets for around £200. That's a good deal.
Hatchards
Hatchards in Piccadilly, which opened in 1797, can claim to be the oldest bookstore in the UK with around 100,000 books, and has a special section for signed first editions, and children's books. Beyond that, it offers personalized book subscription services for a very reasonable sum — you'll just need to pay additional postage for shipment to America.
The Whisky Exchange
For those who love whisky and brandy, this is the best choice, since ifs one of the city's important liquor stores. It’s possible to order bottles to be shipped to America. You're bound to find something you'll never see at home. Ifs like the Willy Wonka factory for Scotch drinkers and collectors.
1. Which of the following are provided in James Smith & Sons?| A．Bargains. |
| B．Cheap umbrellas. |
| C．Fashionable clothes. |
| D．Excellent walking sticks. |
| A．Hard to choose. |
| B．Good and cheap. |
| C．Designed for businessmen. |
| D．Covering all modern kinds. |
| A．The natives. |
| B．British visitors. |
| C．Foreign students. |
| D．American travelers. |
