1 . Take A Scenic Ride On The World’s Steepest Railway For Passengers—If You Dare!
Originally built for mining in 1878, the Scenic Railway is now a tourist ride that can take your breath away! In the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, the former mining railway became a tourist attraction in 1945. It currently holds the Guinness World Records as the steepest passenger train with the steepest railway gradient (坡度).
The gradient of 52 degrees is comfortably viewed from inside an 84-seat, glass-enclosed carriage car. The passenger car travels along on a cable-driven system of rails as it navigates the steep terrain. During the tour, passengers will see the train travel through sandstone cliffs and a rock tunnel next to Orphan Rock.
Orphan Rock was once available for trail climbing. Following rock slides in the 1950s, the trail was partially closed. The trail access was completely closed in 1974 and never reopened due to potential risks.
On the Scenic Railway, you will see stunning views from a slightly different angle than Orphan Rock. The railway is open every day of the year, making the trip along the rails every ten minutes.
Sight-seeing passengers can ride the steepest railway up from the Jamison Valley or travel on the cable car. Either option affords incredible scenic views of the Blue Mountains. The glass roof in the passenger cars allows for a fantastic view from every seat on the train.
Just take a look for yourself!
1. Where might the Scenic Railway originally lead to?| A．A mine. | B．A village. | C．A mountain. | D．A valley. |
| A．It is a rock tunnel. | B．It is out of use. |
| C．It is partially open. | D．It is a 10-minute trip. |
| A．Eco-friendly. | B．Absurd. | C．Demanding. | D．Adventurous. |
2 . Stay Safe with Sonder
As a foreign student arriving in Australia, you may feel both excited and anxious. The prospect of arriving in a new country where you may have no friends or family nearby can be discouraging, particularly the thought of what you would do if you were involved in an accident or fell seriously ill.
Sonder Australia aims to lessen that worry by providing an Australia-wide, multilingual rapid response network, available on-demand 24/7 via a mobile app. The Sonder app has following unique features. When required, Sonder can also work with Murdoch to provide further well-being support.
1. Who may the text be targeted at in Australia?
| A．Taxi drivers. | B．New settlers. |
| C．International students. | D．Travelers from abroad. |
| A．24/7 help. | B．Check on me. | C．Safety alerts. | D．Track my journey. |
| A．Facial recognition. | B．Voice interaction. |
| C．Geographical positioning. | D．Cross-platform communication. |
3 . Gabon, on the west coast of Africa, has numerous rainforests, open grasslands, white sand beaches and rushing rivers. Here are four adventures that can let you have unforgettable experiences.
The Wild Species Adventure
The site of this adventure is close to a national park, which has elephants, monkeys, leopards, red river hogs and so on. Visitors can go on a journey by jeep and have a chance to see the country’s natural beauty and different birds in a nearby reserve.
The Fishing Adventure
Gabon has some really big fish and miles of untouched coastlines, and the fishing spots are not packed, because they are wide apart. When fishing, visitors can find themselves in pleasant places, surrounded by palm trees during the adventure. Gabon’s unique lagoon (环礁湖) system provides visitors with a range of fish, all ready for you to join in the fishing contest.
The Private Island Adventure
It is difficult for visitors to find this private island on the sea on booking or a trip advisor, but it is known by locals. It offers small but comfortable rooms to rest. Visitors can try fun activities like wakeboarding and boating. During the whale season, visitors can also rent boats to take a close look at whales by following responsible viewing guidelines.
The Whale Watching Adventure
There is a great diversity of marine mammals to see in this adventure, especially whales. Some of the whales can be found at all time, while others, for example, the humpback whales, only spend a few months from July to September. In this trip, visitors can take splendid pictures of these whales playing around and jumping above the surface of the sea under safety guidance.
1. Which adventure attracts a lover of land animals most?| A．The wild species adventure. | B．The fishing adventure. |
| C．The private island adventure. | D．The whale watching adventure. |
| A．Noisy. | B．Narrow. |
| C．Uncrowded. | D．Unpleasant. |
| A．Whale watching. | B．Private trip advisors. |
| C．Cost-free water sports. | D．A photo-taking service. |
4 . In the past decade, the use of social media has grown in a way that no one could have guessed. It has turned some teenagers into celebrities (名人) and turned the famous into the infamous, overnight.
A key feature of social media, however, is its volatility. Trends come and go, disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared. So, what were the key social media trends of 2019?
Short video apps such as TikTok and its Chinese equivalent Douyin, took the world by storm. The Telegraph reported that TikTok was ranked 8th on Apple’s App Store in April. And Douyin had more than 300 million domestic monthly active users in June, CNBC said.
Why are these short videos — which are rarely longer than a few minutes — so popular? Jiang Yige, Singapore-based analyst at FengHe Fund Management, has a theory. Short videos are “just right to fill in the little gaps in our busy schedules”, he told CNBC.
These videos — apart from being very convenient — are important to teenagers because they allow them to express themselves, according to Teen Vogue.
The sense of community that users of short video apps get is another appealing feature. Liza Koshy, a user of the US app Musically who has over 2 million followers, said that she was thrilled when anyone said that her video had “inspired” him. “It’s really cool...because I think that as short video creators that’s what we all expect,” she added.
Live streaming is another feature of our social media life that now seems as natural as sunrise. It’s a pretty neat idea: You can watch anyone, anywhere, live.
However, China has taken live streaming to a whole new level. In China, more than 100 million viewers monthly watch a live streaming video. Forbes thought that a number of factors had led to the popularity of live streams. Among them is viewers’ ability to interact while remaining anonymous.
However, the boom in social media may be having side effects too. Fake news is one serious problem it arguably causes. Material shared on these platforms is often not checked for accuracy. The most basic content can be false and can sway users one way or another. We use social media all the time; that doesn’t mean that we understand the influence it is having on us. We should be mindful of both the time we spend on it and its impact on our minds.
1. The underlined word “volatility” in Paragraph 2 possibly means “being ”.| A．changeable | B．steady |
| C．promising | D．violent |
| A．they are very convenient |
| B．they help people kill time |
| C．they provide a sense of community |
| D．they allow people to express themselves |
| A．The information from social media is highly reliable. |
| B．When it comes to social media, people know short videos the best. |
| C．People can’t communicate with each other without social media. |
| D．There is still much room for social media to make improvement. |
| A．Rapid Development of Social Media |
| B．Key Social Media Trends of 2019 |
| C．Short Videos Taking the World by Storm |
| D．Live Streaming — A New Feature of Social Media |
5 . Why Subscribe to Reader’s Digest?
The world’s best-loved general-interest publication contains something for everyone. Reader’s Digest magazine is bursting with stories, articles, advice, recipes, reviews, tips, jokes and anecdotes. Each issue is small enough to fit in your handbag or pocket, but big enough to keep you entertained for weeks on end.
From regular columns packed with information to gripping (扣人心弦的) human-interest stories and helpful how-tos, our magazine offers knowledge, positivity and humour. In this month’s issue you’ll find...
An interview with Hugh Dancy:
The newest addition to the cast of Downton Abbey on New York, Law & Order, and the nostalgia (怀旧) of playing an English gentleman.
Saving the sound of the Stradivaius:
Meet the experts fighting to save the unbeatable sound of history’s greatest violins, meeting the love of her life.
Community Power:
Across the UK, communities are coming together to save their pubs, shops, and more.
If Grace Dent ruled the world:
The restaurant critic shares her manifesto (宣言) for world domination.
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Plus, make sure you always keep up to date with all of the top stories, news and promotions from Reader’s Digest by subscribing to our weekly newsletter.
1. If readers want to know about an actor, which one should they read?| A．Community Power. | B．If Grace Dent ruled the world. |
| C．An interview with Hugh Dancy. | D．Saving the sound of the Stradivaius. |
| A．£22.99. | B．£3. | C．£47.88. | D．£24.89. |
| A．A part of a fiction. | B．An introduction. | C．An advertisement. | D．A research report. |
6 . The Admission to University of Florida
The general requirements below apply to undergraduate admission to any college or division of the university. Please understand the admission to the university is selective. Only minimum requirements for admission are provided; satisfaction of these minimums does not guarantee admission.
·Online application for admission received by the Office of Admissions by the deadline.
·A satisfactory academic record. Applicants must provide a complete record of schools which they attended. Failure to declare attendance at another school could invalidate (使无效) an offer of admission and any credit or degree earned.
·Satisfactory scores on achievement or natural ability tests; the SAT, ACT or TOEFL.
·Applicants must identify a preferred term of enrollment (注册) on their application. The application may be considered and the admission may be offered to terms other than the preferred term specified on the application. Applicants who wish to change their term of entry should contact the Office of Admissions immediately.
·Access to and ongoing use of a computer is required of all students. The university expects new students and continuing students to acquire computer hardware and software appropriate to the degree program.
A Notice of Admission
When an application for admission is approved, the university will send a notice of admission for d specific term. If the student is unable to enroll for the term indicated or wishes to be considered for entrance to a different term, the Office of Admissions should be informed immediately.
1. What have to be included in the application?| A．The applicants’ education experiences. | B．The comments on University of Florida. |
| C．The preparations for natural ability tests. | D．The minimum requirements for admission. |
| A．Return their computers. | B．Change the term of enrollment. |
| C．Guarantee the satisfaction. | D．Design a notice of admission. |
| A．Technology. | B．Geography. | C．Education. | D．Entertainment. |
7 . Travel Peru
Amazon Rainforest Tour
A 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 Tour
This 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 Tour
Spend 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 Tour
Enjoy 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. If you are a wildlife addict, which tour is your best choice?| A．Cusco Tour. |
| B．Lake Titicaca Tour. |
| C．Machu Picchu Tour. |
| D．Amazon Rainforest Tour. |
| A．The ancient city. |
| B．The plants and animals. |
| C．The dry stone method of building. |
| D．The paths through the Andes Mountains. |
| A．Visitors can live in hotels. |
| B．Visitors can experience local life. |
| C．Visitors can enjoy the beautiful countryside. |
| D．Visitors can go shopping at the local markets. |
8 . From cottages surrounded by impressive gardens to days spent exploring sandy beaches and deep woods filled with wildlife, in My Family and Other Animals, English writer Gerald Durrell provided a vivid account of his family’s time on the Greek island of Corfu in the 1930s.
Come for the arresting descriptions of Corfu landscapes and stay for Durrell’s laugh-out-loud tales of his unusual family. This book, Durrell wrote humorously in the introduction, “was intended to be a nostalgic(怀旧的)account of natural history, but in the first few pages, I made the mistake of introducing my family.”
Durrell, later known for his zoo keeping and the preservation of wildlife, was just a child during his family’s five-year stay in Corfu. He is 10-year-old Gerry in the book—curious, passionate about animals and a detailed storyteller of his strange family: his imaginative elder brother Larry with his literary ambitions, lovestruck sister Margo, sporty brother Leslie and his ever-calm, loving mother.
Durrell’s attention to detail is what makes the book so winning, with every sight, sound and smell of the island brought to life. One minute you’ll be laughing as Larry’s clever literary friends walk down to the daffodil-yellow cottage, the next you’ll be catching your breath as Durrell describes swimming at night in the Ionian Sea: “Lying on my back in the silky water, staring at the sky, only moving my hands and feet slightly, I was looking at the Milky Way stretching like a silk scarf across the sky and wondering how many stars it contained.”
My Family and Other Animals is quite difficult to classify, being one part travel, one part autobiography, one part natural history, and one part comedy, with a thread of descriptive language running throughout that sometimes raises it nearly to poetry.
As a real delight to read, it’s the perfect literary escapism for any adult or older teenager who is currently walking down a tough road in life.
1. Which word best describes Durrell’s life in Corfu?| A．Diverse. | B．Busy. | C．Risky. | D．Tough. |
| A．I just introduced my family by mistake. | B．I shouldn’t have introduced my family. |
| C．I gave false information about my family. | D．I couldn’t help introducing my family. |
| A．Durrell’s rich imagination. | B．Some interesting plots of the book. |
| C．The book’s writing feature. | D．Some vivid descriptions of the island. |
| A．To share an experience. | B．To introduce a writing style. |
| C．To recommend a book. | D．To describe an unusual place. |
9 . 
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Indulge (尽情享受) in a slow-cooked meal in minutes
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With Parsley Box, we do all the preparation and hours of cooking for you. Simply pop our meals in the microwave and they are ready in less than 3 minutes. We also deliver direct to your door across the UK. That means less time cooking and shopping and more time for the things you love. Plus, our meals can be stored easily in your pantry or cupboard for up to 6 months saving you that all important fridge and freezer space, and saving money on energy costs too!
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Our new meals are sure to warm you up. We’ve taken restaurant classics like Coq Au Vin, Beef Bourguignon, Chicken Chasseur and Beef Stroganoff and made them with carefully selected cuts of meat and slow cooked the meats in rich sauces to deliver bold dishes. We’ve created an exclusive offer for you of 8 of our slow cooked meals, two portions of decadent potato dauphinoise and a FREE bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon (375ml) all for an exclusive introductory price of just £34. 99.
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1. What service can Parsley Box offer you?| A．To put your meals in the microwave. | B．To deliver meals direct to your door. |
| C．To cook meals for you in your kitchen. | D．To place the meals in your cupboard. |
| A．Carefully selected vegetable. | B．Use no sauces to cook the meat. |
| C．Cook the meats slowly with sauces. | D．Mix two portions of potato and wine. |
| A．To teach people to cook delicious meals. | B．To encourage people to order meals. |
| C．To allow people to enjoy meals free of charge. | D．To inspire people to make an advertisement. |
10 . ABOUT MUSUME
Who We Are
Musume offers contemporary Asian cuisine and fantastic sushi (寿司) in the heart of downtown Dallas within the Hall Arts district. Musume, which translates to “Daughter” in Japanese is from Rock Libations restaurant group. Musume serves lunch Monday through Friday and dinner every night of the week. Musume features the country’s largest premium saki (清酒) program with over 120 selections and also possesses the largest Japanese Whisky collection in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, which pair wonderfully with our large party menus. Operations are overseen by Josh Babb and Sean Clavir.
Private Events at Musume
Our elegant private dining room located in Dallas highly acclaimed Hall Arts District comfortably seats 15 to 50 people. From cocktail gatherings with passed starters to seated formal dinners, Musume specializes in hosting unique private events. We offer a wide variety of special event menus that are served family style with something for everyone.
Location
Hall Arts District 2330 Flora St. Suite 100
Dallas, TX 75201 (214)871-8883
Hours
Monday-Thursday:11:00 am-2:00 pm, 5:00 pm-10:00 pm.
Friday:11:00 am-2:00 pm, 5:00 pm-11:00 pm.
Saturday:5:00 pm-11:00 pm.
Sunday:5:00 pm-10:00 pm.
Welcome to book now!
1. Which can be found in the writing above?| A．Musume’s location. |
| B．Discount information. |
| C．The popularity of Musume. |
| D．The information about minimum charge. |
| A．has no choice but Japanese cuisine |
| B．has no chance to taste alcohol there |
| C．can go to Musume at noon on Sunday |
| D．can call Musume to make a reservation |
| A．A textbook. |
| B．A web page. |
| C．A leisure magazine. |
| D．A business column. |
