1 . Best cheap family vacation in the US
Yellowstone,Wyoming
No other place on earth is like Yellowstone National Park. With challenging hikes into the backcuntry as well as disabled-accessible (可到达的) wooden boardwalks, the wonders of Yellowstone re for everyone. Bring a tent and get here early to take advantage of the affordable campgrounds, seven of which are first-come, first-served and five require reservations, all with fire pits for barbecues.
Hunter Mountain, New York
Hunter Mountain is an all-year-round destination. During the summer, there are paths to hike, trails to mountain bike along, nearby streams to play in and so much open space. During the winter, it’s one of a few locations on the east coast that offers really good skiing and snowboarding runs.
Destin Harbor, Florida
Seek fun in the sun in Destin, Florida, known for its fishing spots, white sand beaches and being less expensive than other popular destinations in the stale. Family-friendly activities include boating, snorkeling, parasailing or just strolling along the Destin Harbor Boardwalk. Use the money you saved for a sunset ride on &glass-bottom boat or a high-speed racer.
Sequoia Canyon National Park, Calfornia
To really impress your kids, head to Sequoia Canyon National Park where they can meet General Grant, the second largest tree in the world. The park also boasts 240 caves, parts of the Kings River, and the towering Moro Rock. Sequoia National Park also has some of the darkest skies in the country, making it one of the best places to observe the night sky.
1. Which of the following destination is accessible to the disabled?| A．Destin Harbor. |
| B．Hunter Mountain. |
| C．Yellowstone National Park. |
| D．Sequoia Canyon National Park. |
| A．Watch the night sky for the stars. |
| B．Put up a tent on the campground. |
| C．Take a ride on the glass-bottom boat. |
| D．Have a snowboarding experience in winter. |
| A．A big tree. | B．A large stone. | C．A campground. | D．A popular stream. |
2 . Check out what’s coming soon, and what’s in development. Playbill will update these listings when new information is made available.
THE COLLABORATION at Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
The play tells a true story in New York. Fifty-six-year-old Warhol’s star is falling. Jean is the new wonder-kid taking the art world by storm. When Jean agrees to work together with Warhol on a new exhibition, it soon becomes the talk of the city. The two artists set foot on a shared journey, both artistic and deeply personal, which redraws both their worlds.
ALMOST FAMOUS at Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
Based on the 2,000 film of the same name, the musical features Pulitzer winner Kitt and a book by Crowe, who earned an Oscar award for penning the original film based on his own teenage experience. The coming-of-age story tracks a 15-year-old music fan named William who follows the emerging band Stillwater on tour.
THE PIANO LESSON at Ethel Barrymnore Theatre
The play is the fourth in Wilson’s Century Cycle, which digs into the Black experience in every decade of the 20th century. Set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District in 1936, it centers around a brother and a sister involved in a battle over a piano carved with the faces of their ancestors.
KIMBERLY AKIMBO at Booth Theatre
Kim is a bright and funny high school girl, who happens to look like a 72-year-old lady. And yet her aging disease may be the least of her problems. Forced to deal with family secrets, and possible crime charges, Kim is determined to explore happiness in a world where not even time is on her side.
1. What kind of play is THE COLLABORATION?| A．A romance. | B．A sci-fi story. | C．A fairy tale. | D．A life story. |
| A．Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. |
| B．Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. |
| C．Ethel Barrymore Theatre. |
| D．Booth Theatre. |
| A．Struggles against crime charges. |
| B．Cutting-edge film technology. |
| C．Award-winning performances. |
| D．Teenagers’ growth experiences. |
3 . Unusual Libraries Around the World
There are 2.7 million libraries spreading across the globe, and while there are many beautiful ones, there are also a number of unique ones.
Haskell Free Library and Opera House, Quebec, Canada and Vermont, US
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, a special library spanning two countries, is stationed on the border between Canada and the United States and serves people from both countries. The main entrance is on the American side, but the majority of collection of the books are in Canada. There’s even an official American-Canada borderline running right across the library’s floor.
Deichman Bjørvika, Oslo, Norway
Praised by many as a library of the future, the Deichman Bjørvika, city of Oslo’s new main library, has one hundred unread and unpublished texts. They are stored in a specially designed room lined with wood from the forest, making the library the world’s most secretive one. It witnesses different authors add their works to the collection that will not be available for reading until 2114.
Seashore Library, Qinhuangdao, China
Quietly sitting on an isolated (孤零零的) stretch of beach of Qinhuangdao in northern China, the Seashore Library has been called the world’s loneliest library. People have to walk across the sand to reach the doors. The building is designed to promote people’s connection with ocean, so the main reading room features a layered design to ensure that everyone has a good view of the sea.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt
Bíbliotheca Alexandrina is considered as a revival (复兴) of an ancient library in the Alex-andria 2,300 years ago or so. Characterized by its circular, tilting form, the building spans 160 meters in diameter (直径) and reaches up to 32 meters in height, while also diving some 12 meters into the ground.
1. What highlights the Haskell Free Library and Opera House?| A．It crosses two countries. |
| B．It is accessible only by boat. |
| C．It has the largest collection of books. |
| D．It is modeled after an ancient library. |
| A．To promote the stretching beach. |
| B．To help visitors get rid of loneliness. |
| C．To involve visitors in the natural world. |
| D．To make it the world’s loneliest library. |
| A．Haskell Free Library and Opera House. |
| B．Deichman Bjørvika. |
| C．Seashore Library. |
| D．Bibliotheca Alexandrina. |
4 . As one of the best travel agencies, we highly recommend China as your travel destination. This ancient and modern country has diverse natural beauty and splendid culture. Here are three most beautiful places in China that you should visit with us!
Guilin & Yangshuo—China’s Most Beautiful Karst Landscape (喀斯特地形)
| RECOMMENDED Guilin Tours: ■4-Day Guilin Scenic and Ethnic Discovery ■5-Day Dynamic Guilin and Yangshuo Tour ■6-Day Guilin, Yangshuo, and Longsheng Tour |
When looking for natural beauty, Yangshuo comes first in Chinese minds for its karst hills and rivers, which have inspired many poets and artists. Taking a 3-hour family-friendly hike is a good way to enjoy the Li River’s beauty. We can take you to less-crowded sites to get away from the touristy parts of Yangshuo and enjoy the painting-like scenes in peace.
The Yellow Mountains and Villages Nearby
| I RECOMMENDED Yellow Mountains Tours: 3-Day Ancient Villages and Yellow Mountains Tour 3-Day Escape to Huangshan from Shanghai or Hangzhou 4-Day Trekking in the Yellow Mountains |
The Yellow Mountains have their classic “four natural wondersn: peculiar pines (奇松), oddly-shaped rocks, seas of clouds, and hot springs. The villages around the Yellow Mountains are considered among the most beautiful villages in China. Hongcun, a set for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, was one of them. We offer tour guidance of walking or biking among these ancient villages. You may as well stay in a typical Hui-style hotel.
Zhangye’s Danxia Landscape — Rainbow Mountains
| RECOMMENDED Zhangye Tours: ■6-Day Zhangve and Dunhuang Photography Tour ■8-Day Qinghai Lake, Zhangve, and Dunhuang Tour ■11-Day Tour from Xi’an to Kashgar including Zhangye |
In China’s remote northwest, Zhangye is deeply loved by photographers due to its Danxia landscape, which is vividly named u Rainbow Mountains When the sun shines on the mountains, their colors look like an oil painting when the sun shines on the mountains, their colors look like an oil painting when the vast rocks are simply set against a pure blue sky. See it by yourself and you will fall in love with it. Do remember to register for discounted accommodations!
1. What is recommended to do in Guilin?| A．Hiking. | B．Boating. | C．Climbing mountains. | D．Admiring rocks. |
| A．Yangshuo. | B．The Yellow Mountains. | C．Zhangye. | D．All the above. |
| A．To attract tourists. | B．To sell products. | C．To offer suggestions. | D．To educate readers. |
5 . Ben Miller is a British actor, as well as a productive writer for children. Here, he shares his favorite books.
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green
I loved reading when I was little. My parents were both English teachers, and our home was full of books. Dickens was a family favorite. But the book that really fired my imagination was King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green.
Buy King Arthur and His Knight of the Round Table here
Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith
I’m a fool for a classic, and I’m so glad I finally managed to finish Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith. Put simply, its the funniest book I’ve ever read, with text by George and illustrations by Weedon.
Buy Diary of a Nobody here
Exhalation by Ted Chiang
It’s never too late to have your life changed by a book， and it happened to me again recently when I read Ted Chiang’s collection Exhalation. Story of Your Life, one of the best in it, inspired the sci-fi alien visitation classic Arrival. I love that too, but each and every piece in Exhalation is its match in imagination.
Buy Exhalation here
Ben Miller’s new book The Night We Got Stuck in a Story is available now.
* This post contains some links, so we may earn a small amount of money when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
1. Who wrote the book Ben Miller considers the most amusing?| A．Dickens. | B．Roger Lancelyn Green. | C．Ted Chiang. | D．George and Weedon Grossmith. |
| A．Fairy tale. | B．Poetry. | C．Science fiction. | D．Comics. |
| A．To advertise some books. | B．To attract new subscriptions. |
| C．To recommend a famous actor. | D．To share Miller’s reading habits. |
6 . Liu Yexi has taken Douyin by storm. As of Nov 17, the virtual idol, who performed on the social media platform on Oct 31, had only released two short videos but attracted over 5 million followers.
Different from other virtual idols, Liu is defined as a “virtual beauty vlogger”. In her first video, Liu is doing makeup with an eye brush while dressed in a traditional Chinese costume.
When she turns around, the onlookers are terrified, except one boy. Then Liu slightly brushes the boy’s eyes, allowing him to see the fantasy world in her own eyes. The internet users marveled(使...惊叹) at its storyline, science-fiction elements and special visual effects with cyberpunk style. Liang Zikang, the CEO of the production team, told China Newsweek that the team spent two months making the video.
Liu’s instant popularity online further reflects that the virtual idol industry in China has been booming. There are over 32,400 virtual idols that have opened accounts on video-sharing platform Bilibili in the past year, seeing a year-on-year rise of 40 percent, Chen Rui, the CEO of Bilibili, said in a speech.
“Compared with real idols and stars, the virtual ones seem to be more approachable for fans,” Shine News noted. Additionally, these virtual web celebrities(名人) won’t have scandals(丑闻).
As more young people are fascinated by these virtual figures, their commercial(商业的) value has been on the rise. Generally, they earn money by online concerts, livestreaming and related products. For example, Luo Tianyi, a well-known virtual singer, cooperated with livestreamer Li Jiaqi to promote goods in 2020.
Therefore, some people are wondering whether they will replace real humans. “These socalled virtual idols have real human teams to back them up and control them. They are not really virtual.” Ding Daoshi, an independent analyst in the internet sector, told the Global Times. The real virtual idol will come when artificial intelligence achieves a new level of selflearning and self-training and then interacts with others, he added.
1. What do we know about Liu Yexi?| A．She becomes an online celebrity. | B．She creates a virtual fantasy world. |
| C．Her song becomes famous overnight. | D．Her costume wins her great popularity. |
| A．Beginning. | B．Arriving. | C．Growing. | D．Falling. |
| A．Their various styles. | B．Their friendly character. |
| C．Their commercial value. | D．Their wonderful performance. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Objective. | C．Favorable. | D．Indifferent. |
7 . Here are some performances to put on in London in March, 2023:
| Mary Poppins The magical story is successfully brought to the stage with dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs. It is brilliantly adapted from the wonderful stories. Performance Time: Monday to Saturday at 7:30pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2:30pm. Address: Phoenny Theatre, Charlies Rd, London. |
| The Lion King It has been a success since 1994, telling the story of Simba and his difficult way to king. You’ll almost feel part of the story as you journey through Simba’s world. The director combined performers with special effects. It really is a fantastic singing dancing show. Performance Time: Tuesday to Saturday at 7:30pm, Saturday Sunday at 2:30pm. Address: Lycheem Theatre, Huston Street, London. |
| Back To The Future When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine, he changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past and send himself back to the future. Audience will enjoy the works by musicians! Performance Time: Only 10 March (Friday) at 3pm. Address: Adophix Theatre, Lida Street, London. |
| Frozen The exciting story of love and sisterhood is beautifully retold for the stage in the new musical. It brings together the two sisters who melted hearts across the world to cast a whole new spell over the West End. It’s moving and joyful. Performance Time: Thursday to Friday at 7pm, Saturday and Sunday at 1pm and 5:30pm. Address: Pauline Theatre, James Street, London. |
| A．Mary Poppins | B．The Lion King | C．Back To The Future | D．Frozen |
| A．Phoenny Theatre. | B．Lycheem Theatre. |
| C．Adophix Theatre. | D．Pauline Theatre. |
| A．They are all based on famous novels. |
| B．They all offer people wonderful music. |
| C．They have all won well-known awards. |
| D．They are all adapted from real-life stories. |
8 . Branding events of China Daily
Since its launch in 1981, China Daily has grown to become the nation’s leading English-language newspaper. With a combined print, online and mobile readership of more than 350 million, it serves a vital role in telling the world about China, providing valuable insight into the world’s second-largest economy. A series of branding events are conducted by China Daily to improve public diplomacy (外交) and international communication.
Vision China Lectures
A series of talks are organized by China Daily in which leading political and business figures are invited to speak and interact live with domestic and foreign audiences. The Vision China lectures focus on major issues facing China and the world, explore what China’s story means for the world, and how Chinese wisdom can help the world.
China Watch Think Tank Forum
Elites, including opinion leaders, politicians and businesspersons with expertise (专业知识) on China, discuss topics on developments and the future of China and the world in China Watch Think Tank Forum.
Asia Leadership Roundtable
The China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable provides a platform for high-level dialogue and communication among leaders and social elites in the fields of politics, business and academia in Asia.
“21st Century Cup” National English Speaking Competition
The competition is the most famous English-speaking competition in China. It is the qualifying round for students who wish to represent China in the International Public Speaking Competition in London.
TESOL China Assembly
Organized by China Daily in partnership with TESOL International Association (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), the TESOL China Assembly is a high-level international English Language Teaching (ELT) event in China. It aims to promote scholarship and cross-cultural understanding among English educators in China, and to enhance dialogue between China’s ELT professionals with their peers worldwide.
For more details, click here.
1. What’s the main purpose of China Daily?| A．To hold various branding events. |
| B．To promote interpersonal communication. |
| C．To combine print, online and mobile readership. |
| D．To help people around the globe know China better. |
| A．They involve politicians and businesspersons. |
| B．They focus on major issues facing China and the world. |
| C．They provide a platform for public dialogue and communication. |
| D．They discuss topics on developments and the future of China and the world. |
| A．A newspaper. | B．A textbook. |
| C．A website. | D．A magazine. |
9 . Lying on the north-south axis (轴线) line of Beijing City, Bell and Drum Towers were built in 1272 and rebuilt twice after two fires. In one period in history they were the time-telling center of the capital city during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties (1271-1911).
Bell Tower
The Bell Tower is 47. 9 meters high. This brick-and-stone-made building has two floors. Located on the second floor, the bell is the largest and heaviest in China. It is 7. 02 meters high, with a weight of63tons (吨). It was made of copper (铜), and you can hear its clear sound from far away.
Drum Tower
Situated 91 meters south to the bell tower, it was placed on a 4-meter-high stone and brick groundwork. It is 46. 7 meters high. It is a two-floor wooden building. There was one big drum and 24 smaller ones before, but only the big remains now.
On New Year’s Eve 1990, the bell was rung again and the drum was rung on New Year’s Eve 2001 after being silent for so long. Since then, the drum and the bell have sounded 108 times every New Year’s Eve.
How to get to Bell Drum Towers
By Subway:
1. Take Subway Line 8 and get off at Shichahai Station.
2. Take Subway Line 2 and get off at Guloudajie Station.
By Bus:
1. Take Bus 5, 60, 82, 107, 124, or 635 and get off at Gulou (Drum Tower) Station.
2. Take the Sightseeing Bus 3 and get off at Gulou (Houhai) Station.
Ticket Price: Bell Tower: CNY 15; Drum Tower: CNY 20
Ticket for both places: CNY 30
Opening Hours: 09: 00 to 17: 00
Drum Performances at the Drum Tower: 09: 30, 10: 00, 11: 30, 13: 30, 14: 30, 15: 30, 16: 45
Note: an extra performance is at 17: 15 in high season.
1. What do we know about Drum Tower?
| A．Drums are beaten every hour on the hour. |
| B．There are 8 drum performances in total in high season. |
| C．Drum Tower is a little bit higher than Bell Tower. |
| D．In all there are twenty-five old drums now. |
| A．Their tickets cost the same. | B．They are made of brick and stone. |
| C．Their heights are the same. | D．They have the same number of floors. |
| A．A historical story | B．An introduction to a building. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．An advertisement for an activity. |
10 . Four destinations for electric-bike tours across Canada
Banff by e-bike
White Mountain Adventures and Banff Cycle both launched guided e-bike tours of Canada’s first national park this summer The former’s offerings include a 50-kilometre there-and-back ride along the Bow Valley Park way and a50-km return ride along the car-free Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail. Banff Cycle, meanwhile, adds a three-hour “Banff and Bow Valley” guided trip to the mix.
Fat-biking in Yukon
This new ride from the luxurious Mount Logan EcoLodge on the Alaska Highway near Haines Junction provides an exception to the rule that Canadian e-bike tours are unavailable in winter. Equipped with oversized tires to allow riding on snow and other unstable surfaces, the electric fat bikes can be booked for two-hour guided tours that explore the wilderness bordering Kluane National Park.
Sipping and e-cycling in Niagara
Niagara Cycling Tours hosts group outings of at least four e-bike riders that range in length from 65 to more than 110 kilometres. The offerings include a two-day “Niagara Introductory Ride,” which can be customized to visit local attractions, and a new “Beers and Bikes” tour, which rides between more than a dozen craft breweries (啤酒厂).
Gardens and gouda on Vancouver Island
Based in pretty Qualicum Beach. the new Electric Bike Co. offers a three-hour “Home and Garden Tour” highlighting high-design private houses and seaside flowers; and a four-to five hour ride and ferry (轮渡) voyage to Hornby Island, home of the Helliwell and Tribune Bay provincial parks.
1. Where is this text probably taken from?| A．A sports poster. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．An academic article. | D．A geography textbook. |
| A．Banff by e-bike. |
| B．Fat-biking in Yukon. |
| C．Sipping and e-cycling in Niagara. |
| D．Gardens and gouda on Vancouver Island |
| A．Tasty beer. | B．High-design houses. |
| C．Seaside flowers. | D．Mountain scenery. |
