Detian Waterfall crosses from China to Vietnam, and joins the Ban Gioc Waterfall on the Vietnamese side. Shared by both China and Vietnam, it
This three-tier (层) waterfall is surrounded by picturesque karst peaks, sometimes a dream-like mist, and so on adding
The
During the visit, you can ride a bamboo raft
In the Chinese language, Yaodong means “kiln cave”, named due to the building’s arched interior (拱形的内部), which looks like the inside of a kiln. These Yaodongs are
Yaodongs can be divided into different types,
The continuous use of Yaodongs on the Loess Plateau over the millennia can perhaps be attributed to their highly economical and efficient design. When
In the last decade, the Yaodongs
3 . The Silk Road is arguably the most famous long-distance trade route of the ancient world. This passage connected Europe in the West with China in the East, and allowed the exchange of goods, technology, and ideas between the two civilizations. Although merchants could make huge profits travelling the road, it was not without risk.
The main Silk Road started in Chang’an (known today as Xi’an), the early Han capital. Travelers commencing their journey from this city could take a northern route that would take them across China’s northwestern provinces. After this, they would face the Gobi Desert, arguably the greatest danger of the Silk Road.
The Gobi Desert, the largest desert in Asia, consists mainly of rocky, hard earth. This feature made it easier for traders to travel across, compared to sandy deserts like the neighboring Taklamakan Desert. Like other deserts, the Gobi Desert is dry and hot, and therefore the biggest challenge travelers faced was obtaining enough water for themselves as well as for their camels.
So, rest stops were created along the route, allowing travelers to rest, eat and drink. These places also promoted the exchange of goods, and even ideas, amongst the travelers who stopped there. Usually, the rest stops were placed within a day’s journey of each other. In this way, travelers could avoid spending too much time in the desert, which would make them targets for robbers, another danger of the Silk Road.
Once through the Gobi Desert, travelers would continue their journey into Iran, Turkey, and finally Europe. While this part of the journey may have been less dangerous, it is not entirely without its perils (风险).
1. The underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refers to _________.| A．making huge profits | B．traveling the Silk Road |
| C．exchanging goods and ideas | D．connecting different civilizations |
| A．The desert’s surface was easier to walk on. |
| B．Camels for transportation were easier to find. |
| C．It was smaller and could be crossed in less time. |
| D．There were more natural water sources available. |
| A．Travelers were offered free accommodation. |
| B．They were located around the edges of the desert. |
| C．They were shared by travelers from different countries. |
| D．Exchanging goods and ideas there was entirely without risk. |
| A．The origins of the Silk Road. |
| B．The benefits of the Silk Road. |
| C．The difficulties faced by Silk Road travelers. |
| D．The cultural exchanges among Silk Road travelers. |
Mount Wutai, or Qingliang Shan, located in northeastern Shanxi province, China, is home to many of China’s most important temples. It takes its name
Mount Wutai is one of the Four Sacred Mountains in Chinese Buddhism. Each of the four mountains
Mount Wutai is also home to some of the oldest existent wooden buildings in China that
5 . To understand the effect of ice melting (融化) around the world we first have to understand what an ice sheet actually is. Covering 5.4 million square miles in Antarctica (南极洲) and 656,000 square miles in Greenland, an ice sheet is actually a huge land of ice from the Ice Age. These sheets form in areas where snow that falls in winter does not melt entirely over the summer. This ice, home to different species of animals, is now melting at a rate that cannot support the life it currently holds.
Many of these creatures rely on ice sheets as land for resting, hunting and protection, yet as the size decreases, they are forced out of their homeland in search of other land on which to live. Often this means journeys to search for food and an imbalanced ecosystem happens when different species are forced together onto the coast.
Since the 1990s, the deer population has dropped by 56 per cent—climate change has caused warmer temperatures over winter setting off rainfall instead of snow, which freezes more quickly underfoot and makes it harder to walk and search for food. In the summer, frozen layers of land melts and releases trapped diseases which bring death to animals. A similar situation has fallen on the polar bears who suffered a 40 per cent population loss between 2001—2010.
Quite apart from these problems, the threat of sea levels rising if the ice caps were to disappear is approaching. If the Greenland Ice Sheet melted, the sea level would rise around six meters, and if the Antarctic Ice Sheet melted, sea levels would rise by around 20 feet. As a matter of fact, sea levels have risen about eight inches since 1880, three of which we’ve gained over the last 25 years. This seemingly small amount has already caused dangerous flooding, loss of farmland and more deadly storms.
While we’re still a long way from losing the ice sheets all together, we’ve already lost too much and if we don’t take climate change seriously now, we will certainly hit the point of no return.
1. What is an ice sheet according to the passage?| A．It is an area where ice never melts in summer. |
| B．It is a land of ice that covers all Greenland. |
| C．It is a large area of ice that exists for centuries. |
| D．It is an ice world for animals to live on. |
| A．It makes it easier to travel to other land. |
| B．It increases the population of sea animals. |
| C．It makes their surroundings more comfortable. |
| D．It causes hunger and illness among animals. |
| A．Ice sheet will soon disappear from the Earth. |
| B．Sea levels are rising faster in recent years. |
| C．Greenland will be the first to lose all its ice. |
| D．All natural disasters happen due to sea level rise. |
| A．Effect of Melting Ice Sheets | B．Ice, Sea and Animals |
| C．Greenland and Antarctica | D．Changes of Sea Levels |
6 . Wales is home to some of the UK's most beautiful drives.Narrow lanes criss-cross the land. meaning travel can be slow-but there's no need to rush.
The Coastal WayThis route(路线）covers the entire length of Cardigan Bay, and spoils travelers with its remote beaches and charming seaside towns.
Comb the sand for fossils,shells at Aberdaron Beach,and then hit the road,heading cast toward Porthmadog. Here you can hop on a heritage steam train, a relic of the region's mining history,to give Snowdonia's skyline your undivided attention.
The Cambrian WayThe Cambrian Way, which cuts north to south through the heart of Wales, is a fantastic place, thanks to its patchwork fields, dense forests and rolling, sheep-dotted hills.
The route becomes increasingly wild and rough as it weaves north into Powys. Spend the night in Rhayader, and you'll need plenty of energy for hiking or mountain biking along the trails.
The North Wales WaySpanning Wales' short but scenic north coast, this route offers road trippers a chance to encounter Welsh history, language and culture in a splendid setting.
Head west through the uncrowded Clwydian Hills until you reach Ruthin, a little town brimming with history,where you can see its restored castle, century-spanning museum and Victorian Ruthin Gaol. Border Country
Tracing the dotted line that separates England and Wales on a map,this border-hugging route will take you to some of Wales' most underrated sites slowly, if you stick to the narrow back roads.
Starting in the border town of Chepstow in Southeast Wales,make your way northward.You can top to admire the roofless ruins of Tintern Abbey and lesser known castes Skenfrith and Grosmont
1. Which route best suits people who enjoy mountain scenery?| A．The Coastal Way. |
| B．The Cambrian Way. |
| C．The North Wales Way |
| D．Border Country. |
| A．It enables travelers to visit a castle. |
| B．It is an area of scenic beauty. |
| C．It offers a glimpse into Welsh culture. |
| D．It is a crowd-free escape from big cities. |
| A．To introduce road trips in Wales. |
| B．To introduce the Welsh landscape. |
| C．To tell about Wales' history. |
| D．To advertise Wales 'tourism industry. |
The Rio Grande is one of the most important rivers in the US. But unlike other
The river,
The Rio Grande today is mostly used
Today, the Rio Grande is a popular tourist destination. Though borders like the Rio Grande separate the US and Mexico, they are also shared spaces. The Rio Grande is therefore
8 . Stephen Warren, study leader at the University of Washington, has been on the case of the green icebergs for more than 30 years. He first took samples from one of these green hunks of ice in 1988, near the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctic. Most glacial ice occurs in shades of white to brilliant blue. The bluer the ice, the older it is. Typically, compression (压缩)from accumulating layers of snow pushes air bubbles out of the ice, reducing the scattering of white light. The compressed ice absorbs most of the light except for blue, creating the blue color seen in the hearts of icebergs and glaciers.
The green ice was similarly bubble-free, and yet it looked green instead of blue. Warren and his team soon found that the green ice came not from glaciers, but from marine ice. That's the ice from the undersides of floating ice shelves.
At first, the team thought that organic material in the marine ice was causing the green color. But further research showed that the green marine ice didn't have a higher — than — usual amount of organic impurities. Now, a new study finds that a different sort of impurity may be the root cause of the green ice. Warren and his colleagues report that the marine ice at the bottom of the Amery Ice Shelf has 500 times more iron than the glacial ice above.
This iron comes from the rocks under the Antarctic Ice Sheet, which are turned into fine powder as glaciers move over them. The icebound iron oxidizes (氧化)as it contacts seawater. The resulting iron oxide particles take on a green color when light scatters through them. When icebergs break off the larger ice shelf, they carry this iron-rich ice with them. It's like taking a package to the post office. The iceberg can deliver this iron into the ocean far away, and then melt and deliver it to other living things that can use it as a nutrient.
1. What's special about the iceberg found by Warren?| A．The iceberg was old. |
| B．The iceberg absorbed blue light. |
| C．The iceberg's heart was pure white. |
| D．The iceberg was bubble-free and green. |
| A．Impurities of marine ice. |
| B．Reflection of green plants. |
| C．Iron dust from marine ice. |
| D．Compression from layers of snow. |
| A．Deliver the package. |
| B．Bring marine life nutrients. |
| C．Oxidize the seawater. |
| D．Break off the large ice shelf. |
| A．A Study About Antarctic |
| B．The Colors of Icebergs |
| C．The Movement of the Icebergs |
| D．The Mystery of the Green Icebergs |
How do hurricanes get their names?
Names (used to identify hurricanes) aren't casual. They're named
There are six lists used in turn so one list is only used every six years - this can help avoid
“The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly
Hurricanes on the U.S. Pacific coast use
10 . Located in the southeast of Canada and with a population of approximately 6 million, Toronto is a big and beautiful city, which has developed from a relatively unknown place over the past half century to the center of culture, trade and communication in Canada.
With its colorful ethnic mix, rich history and breathtaking buildings. Toronto offers non-stop adventures to the tourists. To get a sense of how big, various and magical Toronto is, the best place to start is the CN Tower. From this point, visitors can get a bird's-eye view of the city's amazing scenery and unique geography.
In addition to being an important center of culture, trade and communication in Canada, Toronto is also a major muti-ethnic city. It is the most populous city in Canada and its citizens come from countries around the world and from different kinds of ethnic backgrounds. Every day, in most places of the city, a hundred different languages can be heard on the streets, from Hindi to Greek to French. This, perhaps, explains why former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau once said that Canada is a mosaic（嵌合体）of cultures and languages rather than a melting pot.
Street signs in Toronto are mostly in English. Weekly and daily newspapers are published in various languages, and the city hosts the successful international film festival each September. It is also home to a popular baseball team the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto has something for everyone.
Moreover, Toronto has been rated one of the most livable cities in the world by United Nations Human Settlements Programme for many years. At the same time, Toronto is one of the safest, richest cities in the world with the highest standard of living.
1. What's the purpose of the text?| A．To draw more tourists to Toronto. |
| B．To introduce something about Canada. |
| C．To introduce some famous sights of Toronto. |
| D．To tell us how Toronto develops from the past. |
| A．Toronto is in the center of Canada. |
| B．Toronto is a city with a history of half a century. |
| C．The street signs in Toronto are all written in English. |
| D．From the top of the CN Tower we can see the whole Toronto. |
| A．It's worth visiting. |
| B．It's just a common city in Canada. |
| C．There are too many foreigners in the city. |
| D．There aren't many places of interest to visit. |
| A．A personal diary. | B．A news report. |
| C．A tourist handbook. | D．A student's notebook. |
