1 . Are you a fan of outdoor adventures? Do you enjoy scenic views to relax? Look no further, as the following destinations offer all that and more.

Athabasca Falls

Alberta, Canada

Water from the Canadian Rockies flows down into the waterfalls of Jasper National Park, creating a flow with wild energy. The falls are wheelchairs accessible, with a paved path taking admirers to a number of viewpoints. If visitors leave the path, they can explore both the upper and lower regions of the trail.

Akaka Falls Trail

Hakalau, Hawaii

A short half-mile hike is big on sights and low on hard activity. The well-kept ring like trail guide visitors around to see a number of waterfalls, including the 442-foot main attraction, and beautiful local flora (植物群) among the famous landscape. Though there are no hills to climb, there are a number of stairways to go.

Nugget Falls

Juneau, Alaska

Located in Tongass National Forest about 12 miles from Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier has produced Nugget Falls, a fan-like waterfall that leads into a lake. A series of short hikes allows for different views of the waterfall and icy surrounds, which are also known for frequent brown bear sightings.

Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Valley, California

Yosemite National Park is one of the oldest national parks in America and home to the fifth tallest waterfall in the world. Hikers can reach it by taking a 1-mile trail from the lodge or the 7.2-mile round-trip Yosemite Falls Trail route. Late spring is best, with the highest water flow. In the winter, the temperatures dip below freezing. A park admission fee applies.

1. Where can visitors expect to see frequent brown bear sightings?

A．Athabasca Falls.

B．Akaka Falls Trail.

C．Nugget Falls.

D．Yosemite Falls.

2. Which season is best for visiting Yosemite Falls?

A．Winter.

B．Spring.

C．Summer.

D．Fall.

3. Where can this text probably be found?

A．In a travel magazine.

B．In a novel.

C．In a history book.

D．In a diary.

2 . 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。

Placed among the busy streets of Washington, D. C. is a large public garden that many Americans have never heard of. The U. S. National Arboretum (植物园) includes     1     collection of flowering plants called azaleas, a field of native plants named ferns, and flowering trees in the dogwood tree area. The garden     2     (establish) by Congress in 1927. It plays a leading part in researching and developing plants like trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses.

Government scientists are in charge of the 180-hectare area. Their main goal is     3    (strengthen) the U. S. economy by making sure an important kind of agriculture,     4     (call) the nursery industry, continues to perform well. The most recent numbers from the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that the ornamental and landscape plant industry creates billions of founds in sales each year.

The arboretum is home to one of the     5     (large) collections of preserved seeds in the world. The National Arboretum Herbarium (植物标本)     6     (house) around 700,000 ex-ample seeds. They include seeds from plants that the USDA considers as     7    (economical) important. Scientists collect many genetically different seeds within a kind of plant from both native and non-native plants. The reason     8     collecting that data is that scientists protect plants from harmful situations like climate change, changed environments, or other new and possible risks.

While the scientists do their work, the public     9     (explore) plants is free to visit the arboretum. Though many people may not know it, the arboretum has had a hand in developing a number of plants     10     are part of American landscaping.

3 . 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。

Stepping outside the railway station early     1     an autumn morning, visitors are met with the view of the cold air along with the water, forming a thick, soft blanket of fog(雾) over the Grand Canal, the “main street” of Venice. It’s a sight that     2    (welcome) millions of visitors from all over the world since the city became one of Europe’s economic superpowers.

Yet, the breath taking beauty     3     inspired countless painters, writers and artists over the centuries easily     4    (damage) is at risk of being lost forever. The city’s     5    (survive) is threatened(威胁) by rising water levels. The unstoppable increase in sea level has caused flooding     6    (become) the order of the day.

After 1966, the year of the worst flooding in Venice’s history, the Italian Government started a project to save the city.     7     project needing a lot of effort was carried out to protect the lowest areas from flooding. Thirty     8    (year) later, there was an agreement supported by everyone on the     9    (success) results both of the technical achievements and international cooperation(合作).

But Venice still needs attentive care. The city remains threatened on several fronts—mass tourism, the possible damage of city development     10     a large number of boats.

5 . The Best US National Parks You’ve Never Heard of

Dry Tortugas National Park

Located 70 miles west of Key West, this group of seven islands is a great destination to enjoy some of Florida’s nature. The islands are composed of coral reefs (珊瑚礁) and sand, and they are famous for the birds and sea life. Tourists can also enjoy Fort Jefferson, which dates back to the 19th century.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is divided into two units, a northern unit and a southern unit. Between the two sections, this park gives tourists the opportunity to experience some of North Dakota’s unique scenery, including the Badlands, canyons (峡谷) and more. The hiking trails (小径) allow tourists to see some of this country’s natural wonders and amazing wildlife.

Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale is one of the special parks in the US. The island is only accessible by boat. Once there, you can enjoy the unique wilderness that has been protected in a special way. The island has a beautiful coast that can be explored by boat. You can also explore the island by hiking its many trails. Another unique feature of the island is the ships that have been destroyed at sea.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Guadalupe Mountains National Park extends from the low desert to the high mountains. Tourists to this park can enjoy over 80 miles of trails throughout the park, which travel through canyons, woodlands, springs, mountainous wilderness and more. It is also home to the Salt Basin Dunes, which are an amazing windswept landscape.

1. What can tourists do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park?

A．Walk along the hiking trails.	B．Admire coral reefs.
C．Enjoy the Salt Basin Dunes.	D．See Fort Jefferson.

2. How can tourists reach Isle Royale National Park?

A．By train.

B．By car.

C．By water.

D．By air.

3. Which of the following features the windswept landscape?

A．Isle Royale National Park.	B．Dry Tortugas National Park.
C．Theodore Roosevelt National Park.	D．Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

6 . With the weight of its tall buildings, streets and people, New York City is sinking at an average rate of 1 to 2 millimetres each year, a new study says.

The sinking is called “subsidence”. That natural process happens everywhere as ground is compressed (压紧). But the study sought to estimate how the huge weight of the city itself is hurrying things along.

Over 1 million buildings are spread across five boroughs (自治区). The research team found that all those structures add up to 1. 5 trillion metric tons of concrete, metal and glass, equal to the mass of 4, 700 Empire State buildings pressing down on the Earth.

The rate of compression is different throughout the city. Midtown Manhattan’s skyscrapers are largely built on rock, which compresses very little. But some parts of Brooklyn, Queens and downtown Manhattan are on looser soil and sinking faster, the study said.

While the process is slow, parts of the city will eventually be under water. Researchers reached conclusions using satellite imaging, data modeling and mathematical calculations. It will take hundreds of years before New York becomes Venice, which is famously sinking into the Adriatic Sea. But parts of New York are more at risk. A researcher said Manhattan is at risk because of the borough’s large weight.

The ocean is rising at a similar rate that the land is sinking. So the Earth’s changing climate could speed up the process for parts of the city to go under water. Already, New York City is at risk of flooding because of large storms. Storms like Sandy in 2012 caused the ocean to expand inland and flooded neighbourhoods after a lot of rain.

New York City is not the only place sinking. San Francisco, California, is also at risk because of pressure on the ground and the area’s active earthquakes. In Indonesia, the government is preparing for a move from Jakarta, which is sinking into the Java Sea. The government is building a new capital being constructed on the higher ground of an entirely different island.

1. What is the main reason for the different compression rates in New York?

A．Different measurement methods.	B．Different geological(地质的)conditions.
C．Different building materials and styles.	D．Different climate changes and impacts.

2. What is the basic reason for Manhattan to be Venice?

A．Its huge weight.	B．Its distance to the sea.
C．Its similar position.	D．Various frequent natural disasters.

3. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?

A．To keep the reader’s attention.

B．To improve the atmosphere.

C．To show the issue is common.

D．To point out the negative effect of sinking.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．New York City Is Slowly Sinking	B．The Flavour of New York City
C．Here Comes a Future Venice	D．The Problems Caused by Dropping

7 . 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。

The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the two most important rivers. Both of     1     run through central China. Not only were these major rivers a great source of fresh water and food in ancient China, they also were the     2     (subject) of Chinese art and literature (文学).

Often, the Yellow River     3     (call) the “cradle of Chinese civilization (中华文明的摇篮)”. It is 3,395 miles long, making it the sixth     4     (long) river in the world. Early Chinese farmers built small villages along the Yellow River. The rich yellow colored earth was good for growing millet (小米). Farmers of this area also raised sheep and other animals.

The Yangtze River is south of the Yellow River and flows (流动) in the same     5     (direct) (west to east). Just     6     the Yellow River, the Yangtze played     7     important role in the development of ancient China.

Ancient Chinese farmers that lived along the Yangtze River     8     (make) full use of the warm and rainy weather to grow rice.     9     (final) the land along the Yangtze became some of the most important and     10     (product) places in all of ancient China. The Yangtze also served as a boundary between northern and southern China. It is very wide and difficult to cross. The famous Battle of Red Cliffs took place along the river.

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。

Located in Shiyan, central China’s Hubei Province, the Wudang Mountains are known for both their large ancient temples among the beautiful hills     1    Wudang martial(武术)arts.

This place often appears in various martial arts novels and films. Some scenes in the movie The Karate Kid,     2     (star) Chinese action star Jackie Chan, were shot at famous places among the mountains such as the Golden Hall and Nanyan Palace.

In December 1992,     3    ancient building complex at Wudang was listed    4    a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the religious    5    (significant) and architectural achievements of the buildings within the complex.

“The ancient building complex in Wudang represents the     6    (high)standards of Chinese art and architecture over a period of nearly 1,000 years,” the UNESCO website says.

As the birthplace of Wudang martial arts, the Wudang Mountains have become a popular site for Wudang martial artists,     7    (especial)Tai Chi practitioners from China and abroad.

As early as 2007, along with the Great Wall, the Wudang Mountains     8    (include)in the top 10 most popular scenic spots in China that Europeans want to visit.

In recent years, exchanges between Wudang and overseas countries    9    (be) on the rise, paving the way for Wudang martial arts     10    (go)abroad.