2 . Best Family Vacations in Europe

Barcelona

In Barcelona, Gaudf’s art work is sure to impress adults and make children feel as if they’ve wandered into a fantasy land. Similarly, the street performances surprise audiences of all ages. Plus, families can always watch the FC Barcelona team play a soccer match at Camp Nou stadium.

Paris

The Eiffel Tower is sure to delight your children, whether you choose to take a lift to the top or see it at night. Nearby Disneyland Paris, whose fairy-tale setting leaves a lasting impression on its visitors, is also a popular attraction for those with little ones.

Prague

Kids will get a kick out of seeing the bizarre Dancing House, engaging with the interactive exhibits, and exploring Prague Castle. Meanwhile, parents will love the city’s rich cultural heritage (遗产) and reasonable prices. Because of its small size, Prague is an easily walkable city, which makes it perfect for those who want to save money on transportation.

London

This city attracts visitors young and old with its London Zoo, West End theatre district, London Eye and Platform 9³/₄ at King’s Cross Station, among other sights. Many of the top attractions offer guided tours, which are excellent ways for families to learn about London's history and culture.

From playing soccer in Barcelona to touring London Eye, Europe features activities for travelers of all ages and interests. If interested , click here to know more.

1. What do Barcelona and Paris have in common?

A．They offer guided tours.

B．They are known for sports stadiums.

C．They bring children into a world of imagination.

D．They share the experience of street performance.

2. Which city is pedestrian friendly?

A．Barcelona.

B．Paris.

C．Prague.

D．London.

3. Where can the text be found?

A．On a website.

B．In a magazine.

C．In a history book.

D．In a travel journal.

3 . Christmas jobs for you

With Christmas getting more expensive year on year, it’s a time when many of us consider how we might be able to make a little extra cash over the festive period—for all the wine and cheese we want to buy, of course. Luckily, this time of the year is great for jobseekers, as thousands of temporary seasonal job roles crop up, creating a unique opportunity to earn an extra bit of cash to cover the cost of the extra food and gifts we’ll all be buying. So, if you need to boost your bank account this festive season, or just want to avoid getting into debt, here are several top Christmas jobs to consider.

Picker Packer

As a Picker Packer, you’ll be expected to pack a range of goods ready to fill the shelves for Christmas shoppers.

Location: Throughout the UK

Salary: £9.50 per hour

Ice Rink Marshall

Ice skating and winter go hand in hand. That’s where you come in. As an Ice Rink Marshall, you’ll be responsible for ensuring skaters stay safe and leave with smiles on their faces.

Location: London and Surrey

Salary: £11.21 per hour

Christmas Postal Worker/Mail Sorter

Mail increases over the Christmas period. From cards to gifts, as a Postal Worker, you’ll be responsible for delivering Chrismas parcels(and cheer)to homes across the UK. You may need a UK driving license for some roles.

Location: Throughout the UK

Salary: £12.00 per hour

Santa

Think you’ve got what it takes to imitate Saint Nick? Apply for a role as Santa. A theatrical spirit and ability to work well with children will help (along with a booming “ho, ho, ho.”).

Location: Throughout the UK

Salary: £9.60 per hour

Apply for other Christmas jobs, please click here for more information.

1. Where is a Picker Packer supposed to work?

A．On the ice.

B．In a factory.

C．In the post office.

D．In a shop.

2. Which job has the highest salary?

A．Santa.

B．Picker Packer.

C．Postal Worker.

D．Ice Rink Marshall.

3. Where is the text from?

A．On the Internet.	B．In the newspaper.
C．In a travel journal.	D．On the television.

4 . Four Best Language Learning Apps Of 2024

Innovative 101

Platform: iOS | Android

Price: Starts at $7.99 per month per language

Plus Point: New video lessons are added every week.

The app offers hundreds of short video lessons (3 to 15 minutes long) to teach you languages in an easy and fun way. All of them are recorded by real teachers with years of experience. A total of 34 languages are available with in-depth lesson notes and line-by-line reading for premium (高级的) users.

Pimsleur

Platform: iOS | Android

Price: Free | Premium subscription starts at $19.99 per language

Plus Point: There are no ads so you can learn without interruptions.

Unlike other apps, Pimsleur fits into your downtime and works in offline mode. Its inbuilt hand-free mode makes it easy to learn a new language anytime and anywhere.

Drops

Platform: iOS | Android

Price: Free for 5 minutes daily | $17.99 gets you daily 10 minutes bonus | $47.99 for unlimited time

Plus Point: It uses word puzzles and memory associations to make learning easy.

Drops also features advanced statistics. After every session, you will see a detailed report of your progress. We would suggest starting with a free version to see if you like the basic format and then move to the premium version.

LingoDeer

Platform: iOS | Android

Price: Free | Monthly subscription cost $11.99

Plus Point: Comes with detailed grammar notes and study reminders.

LingoDeer gives you an option to build a routine and environment that works for you: customize anything you want, including a background color, type of words, or the speaker’s voice.

1. Which app can be used in an environment without a network?

A．Innovative 101.

B．LingoDeer.

C．Pimsleur.

D．Drops.

2. How much is the subscription to LingoDeer for two months?

A．$11.99.

B．$19.99.

C．$23.98.

D．$47.99.

3. What do these four apps have in common?

A．They update very quickly.	B．They have the same plus point.
C．They offer free trial lessons.	D．They run on two different platforms.

5 . Here’re the best music festivals of 2024 you need tickets to.

Bonnaroo
When: June 13-16

Where: Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tenn. Bonnaroo has been a king in the festival world since 2002. This year’s headliners include Pretty Lights, Fisher and so on. The main venue（场地）, “Centeroo,” stays open 24/7, so you can jamout until the sun comes up if that’s your style. When taking a break from the music, there’re tons of activities to keep you occupied, cool off, or relax.

Coachella
When: April 12-14
Where: Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif.

The first Coachella was actually held on October 9-10, 1999. Like most festivals, fashion is a big part of the event. Headliners for Coachella 2024 include Lana Del Ray and Doja Cat. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Ultra
When: March 22-24

Where: Bayfront Park in Miami, Florida. It was first held in Miami in March, 1999. Unlike many festivals, you don’t camp on Ultra grounds and instead can book a stay at one of the nearby hotels. Who are the talented artists making an appearance? Headliners include Calvin Harris, and Afrojack, to name a few.

Hangout Fest
When: May 17-19
Where: The beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama

This three-day party came to be in 2010 and has been popular since. What’s better than your feet in the sand and live music? This year’s top performers to look out for are Odesza, and Zach Bryan. But that’s just a few names out of the long list of acts to see.

1. What is special about Bonnaroo?

A．People can hang out all night at Centeroo.

B．It’s sponsored by the local government.

C．It’s the most popular of the four festivals.

D．There’s not much going on except music.

2. Which music festival has the longest history?

A．Hangout Fest.	B．Coachella.
C．Bonnaroo.	D．Ultra.

3. What do the four festivals have in common?

A．They each last 3 days.	B．They attract famous artists.
C．They are held on the beach.	D．They are mainly for the young.

7 . Welcome to the British Museum. You can experience cultures across the world, from the past of human history to the present. Here is some information about membership which you may be interested in.

Membership allows you to discover two million years of human history and enjoy 12 months of benefits while donating to the British Museum Friends in support of the work of the Museum. From just £69 a year (with discounts for those aged under 26), membership provides:

• Free, unlimited entry to all special exhibitions, such as Burma to Myanmar and Legion: Life in the Roman Army and a coming show on the later life and work of Michelangelo.

• A special program of Members’ activities.

• Use of a special Members’ Room.

• Regular mailings including the British Museum Magazine three times a year.

• A 10% discount in the Museum’s shops, cafés and restaurants.

• Members do not need to book for the regular collection or our exhibitions. You’ll only need to show your Membership card to enter.

• We also offer a discount for those who are disabled. And this will cover a personal Membership plus a free guest to help you get access to your Membership benefits and provide you the convenience when visiting.

If you have some questions about your visit, please read the Membership FAQs page or contact us at friends@britishmuseum.org. For more information or to arrange this Membership, please contact the Membership Office and we are very happy to help further.

1. How can you get a membership?

A．By doing volunteer work.	B．By paying a sum of money.
C．By exploring human history.	D．By offering fun information.

2. What is the special benefit for a disabled member?

A．Members’ Room.	B．Regular mailings.
C．A 10% discount.	D．A free guest.

3. Where is this text probably from?

A．A website.

B．A newspaper.

C．A library book.

D．A fashion journal.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

China Before China,     1     eight-episode documentary that tells stories of the origins and early development of Chinese civilization based on archaeological findings, is airing now.

The documentary     2     (start) from the Qin and Han dynasties and then traces key points at the dawn of Chinese civilization. The overall narration of the work remains clear, logical and     3     (accurate) conveys the sites and relics. “    4     we want to explore are the characteristics of Chinese civilization and its spirit transmitted through our blood, from which we can trace the cultural genes that make us the Chinese people,” says Jin Ruiguo, chief supervisor of the documentary.

The crew spent months     5     (examine) archeological reports and articles. For instance, they explored the     6     (symbol) meaning of dragon through dragon-shaped artefacts. To make this brief history of early Chinese civilization work, the production team filmed 230 domestic sites and museums, and these video clips will also be screened at 18-museums     7     (involve). Based on the information, they used digital technology     8     (bring)-ancient architecture and cities back to life, and invited actors to re-create scenes of daily life. All of this provides the audience     9     a direct and visual idea of the long past. It vividly illustrates the process of historical development, which is the ultimate goal of historical research and archaeological     10     (explore).

9 . Discover the Huge Health Benefits of Strength Training

One of the best ways to stay fit and healthy as you age is to do strength and power training exercises. It is known that when you are in your thirties, you will begin to lose muscle mass. This loss actually contributes to achy joints, the increased risk of injury, and the “middle-age spread” we all fear. What’s more, the older you get, the faster muscle mass loses. It means that eventually, simple tasks like getting out of a chair and climbing stairs can become more difficult.

Strength training can help you build muscles, make you strong, increase your staying power and make everyday activities easier. By combining strength and power training exercises, you’ll not only get stronger, but also improve your reaction speed. As you grow older, that’s critical because it can help prevent falls. Here is a book, Strength and Power Training for All Ages, for your reference.

Common sense about fitness in the book:

·The key muscles to work for an injury-free body

·How to tell how much weight is suitable for you

·How to strengthen the bones most likely to break

·How to take pressure off your knees when walking or running

·Why you’ll want to apply heat to sore joints before you exercise

Four total body workouts in the book:

·Build bones

·Fight diseases

·Improve balance

·Strengthen muscles &Increase muscle power

Get a copy, start training, and then you’ll discover a whole new self.

1. What will happen as people age according to paragraph 1?

A．They will need less exercise.

B．They will improve reaction speed.

C．They will experience muscle loss.

D．They will have better staying power.

2. What does Strength and Power Training for All Ages mainly teach people to do?

A．Train their brains.	B．Build a sound body.
C．Treat bone diseases.	D．Cut down their weight.

3. What is the text?

A．A notice.	B．An oral folktale.
C．A scientific paper.	D．An advertisement.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What did the program say about the life in the future?

A．More time will be spent on people’s work.

B．More free time will be available to people.

C．More supermarkets will come into being.

2. What is the speakers’ attitude to the program’s opinion on shopping in the future?

A．Approving.

B．Doubtful.

C．Unclear.