What do the Summer Palace, Yuanmingyuan and the Chengde Mountain Resort all have in common? They were all built by members of the same family——the Lei family.
For seven generations, the Lei family
The Lei family were also pioneering engineers,
In addition to their
With their remarkable skills, innovation, diligence and humility, the Lei family leave behind their buildings and the legacy that true craftwork is
Ever dreamed of swimming in a lake of Coca Cola? Well, you can actually do just that at the unique Coca Cola Lagoon (湖) in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil,
Looking at the water of Lagoa da Araraquara, it’s easy to see why it is popularly known as Coca Cola Lagoon. It has the same dark color,but very different
During the summer, the shallow water of the Coca Cola Lagoon becomes very warm,
So if you’re ever in the Baia Formosa region of Rio Grande do Norte, Coca Cola Lagoon is one
As the world largest cotton consumer and the second largest producer of cotton, China has a long history of cotton cultivation. It is worth
Though Xinjiang has little rainfall, it has a large number of snow-capped mountains, from
Xinjiang is
The
The Singing Sand Mountains are situated in Dunhuang in western China. As one of the coolest natural phenomena on
Climbing to the top of the dunes is hard work, but worth it. Rent a pair of bright-orange shoe protectors or just shake your
The dunes are a tourist
The drive down the dunes is also
5 . Discover America —— California
San Francisco
Fisherman’s Wharf is a historic marketplace on the seafront with smart restaurants, shops and street performers. Visit Ghirardelli Square, home to the amazing Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop, and Pier (码头) 39, a lively marketplace with shops, restaurants and music. From here you can take a boat trip round the Bay.
Golden Gate Bridge
Connecting San Francisco and Marin County, this is the largest suspension bridge (吊桥) in the world and one of the most famous California landmarks. As you cross the 4200-foot bridge below the famous orange towers, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the entire Bay Area.
Venice Beach
This is where skateboarding started, so you must visit the famous skate park right on the beach. Also watch the bodybuilders at Muscle Beach Gym, which is where Arnold Schwarzenegger started his career.
Hollywood
You can stand in the footprints of Jonny Depp at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and then meet his wax model, along with Hugh Jackman, Lance Armstrong, and Brad and Angelina, all at Madame Tussauds Hollywood. Discover how films are made at the working movie studio at Universal Studios Hollywood, where there are also exciting park rides and shows.
Los Angeles
Have you ever wanted to record yourself? Now you can at the fascinating Grammy Museum. You can also learn how to dance like Michael Jackson, and find out about the links between blues and rap.
Disneyland
One of the most magical places in the world, Disneyland Park has hundreds of rides such as Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure, Matterhorn and Pirates of the Caribbean. A day in Disneyland is a day you will never forget!
1. At Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, tourists can ______________.A.take exciting park rides |
B.take a boat tour around the bay |
C.have a good taste of delicious chocolate |
D.enjoys a good view of the historic marketplace |
A.Venice Beach | B.Fisherman’s Wharf |
C.Disneyland Park | D.Muscle Beach Gym |
A.enjoy the famous local ice cream |
B.watch Arnold Schwarzenegger build his body |
C.learn about the connection between blues and rap |
D.have a look at the wax models of some famous people |
Hutong is
At the end of the Qing dynasty, after closed China came under the influence from abroad, many old hutongs lost
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the conditions of Hutong were improved. But
However, in the urban district of Beijing, Hutongs still occupy one third of the total area,
In this respect, we see Beijing
7 . The Four Famous Embroideries (刺绣) of China refer to the Xiang embroidery in Hunan Province, Shu embroidery in Sichuan Province, Yue embroidery in Guangdong Province and Su embroidery in Jiangsu Province.
Xiang embroidery
The earliest piece of Xiang embroidery was unearthed at the No. 1 Tomb of Mawangdui, Changsha City of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. —A.D. 220). The weaving technique was almost the same as the one used in modern times, which shows that embroidery had already existed in the Han Dynasty. In its later development, it absorbs the characteristics of traditional Chinese paintings and reaches a high artistic level. Xiang embroidery crafts include valuable works of art, as well as products for daily use.
Shu embroidery
Shu embroidery has formed its own unique characteristics: smooth, bright, neat, etc. The works choose flowers, animals, mountains, rivers and human figures as their themes. The craftsmanship of Shu embroidery involves a combination of fine art and practical uses, such as the facings of quilts, pillowcases, coats and screen covers.
Yue embroidery
Influenced by national folk art, Yue embroidered pictures are mainly of dragons and phoenixes (凤凰), and flowers and birds, with neat designs and strong, contrasting colors.
Gold-and-silk thread embroidery is widely used, even for crafts of daily use.
Su embroidery
The weaving techniques of Su embroidery are characterized by the flat surface, dense lines, even pictures and harmonious colors. Su embroidery products fall into 3 major categories: costumes, decorations for halls and crafts for daily use. Double-sided embroidery is an excellent representative of Su embroidery.
1. The unearthed embroidery at Mawangdui shows Xiang embroidery’s _______.A.time-honoured history | B.excellent designs |
C.artistic value | D.advanced techniques |
A.Xiang embroidery | B.Shu embroidery |
C.Yue embroidery | D.Su embroidery |
A.All are rooted in folk art. | B.All are valuable artworks. |
C.All share the same themes. | D.All have practical use. |
8 . There are thirty-four bridges on the Thames River in London, the following are among the most famous ones.
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognizable bridges in the World. It is the bridge in London you may see in movies and on advertising writing for London. Tower Bridge is the only Thames Bridge that can be raised. It used to be raised about 50 times a day, but nowadays it is only raised 4 to 5 times a week.
London Bridge
The construction of the first stone London Bridge started in 1176 and finished years later. Houses and shops were once built on the bridge, which made the road so narrow that it was often jammed with people, horses and carts. A ‘keep left’ rule was made in 1733 to keep the traffic moving. This became the rule of the road in Britain. In 1757 the old bridge was pulled down and a new one was built in 1831. Interestingly, that one was pulled down again in 1967 but rebuilt in Lake Havasu City, USA, as a tourist attraction. The present London Bridge was opened in 1973.
Millennium Bridge
The Millennium Bridge is a bridge for walkers. It was built to connect the Tate Modern Art Gallery to the City and St Paul’s Cathedral (圣保罗大教堂) in 2000. Thousands of people rushed to see the new bridge. Almost immediately after opening, the bridge had to be shut because of the dangerous waving caused by too many visitors. It has now been reopened. The bridge is about 320 meters, costs 16 million pounds to build and only takes walkers.
Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster and Lambeth. The present bridge, opened in 1862, is the second on the site and took the place of an earlier bridge opened in 1750. The British romantic poet, William Wordsworth, wrote a famous poem “Composed Upon Westminster Bridge” in the autumn of 1802.
Want to know more about the bridges on the Thames River? Click here www.bridgesinbritain.com.
1. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?A.The 1831 London Bridge is now in the USA. |
B.Tower Bridge is much less frequently lifted today than before. |
C.Cars and buses are not allowed to cross Millennium Bridge. |
D.Westminster Bridge is for walkers only. |
A.school report | B.website article |
C.teenage magazine | D.science fiction |
A.William Wordsworth wrote many poems of the bridges on the Thames River. |
B.Millennium Bridge wasn’t built strong enough so that it had to be pulled down and rebuilt. |
C.That all the traffic is kept left in Britain was from a rule of an old London Bridge. |
D.Tower Bridge is the symbol of London because it is the first bridge on the Thames River. |
9 . As one of the world’s leading
10 . The Nazca Lines are a series of large ancient geoglyphs (地画) in the Nazca Desert, in southern Peru. It is ranging from geometric patterns to drawings of different animals and stylized human-like forms. The ancient lines can only be truly taken in from high in the air, leaving generations puzzled as to how these precise works could have been completed long before the documented invention of human flight.
The Lines were first spotted when commercial airlines began flying across the Peruvian desert in the 1920,s. Who built them and what was their purpose? Are they roads, star pointers, maybe even a gigantic map? If the people who lived here 2,000 years ago had only a simple technology, how did they manage to construct such precise figures? Did they have a plan? These markings are like a vast puzzle.
The Nazca Lines are the most outstanding group of geoglyphs in the world. There are also huge geoglyphs in Egypt, Malta, United States (Mississippi and California), Chile, Bolivia and in other countries. But the Nazca geoglyphs, because of their numbers, characteristics, dimensions and cultural continuity as they were made and remade throughout a certain history period, form the most impressive archeological (考古学的) group.
The Nazca plain is unique for its ability to preserve the markings upon it, due to the combination of the climate (one of the driest on Earth, with only twenty minutes of rainfall per year) and the flat, stony ground which minimizes the effect of the wind at ground level. With no dust or sand to cover the plain and little rain or wind to erode (腐蚀) it, lines drawn here tend to stay drawn. These factors, combined with the existence of lighter-colored subsoil beneath the desert surface, provide a vast writing pad that is suited to the artist who wants to leave his mark eternal.
1. What can we know about the Nazca Lines from the first two paragraphs?A.They were built as a big map. |
B.They were formed by nature. |
C.They are ancient lines in caves. |
D.They are huge markings in a desert. |
A.One. | B.Two. |
C.Three. | D.Four. |
A.Because of the wind at ground level. |
B.Because of the existence of soft soil. |
C.Because of the climate and geography. |
D.Because of the thick sand on the top. |
A.Non-stop. | B.Ever-lasting. |
C.Real-life. | D.High-end. |