1 . The boulders (巨石) look generally unremarkable, besides the fact that they stretch up and down the ridge in a curved line. Most people who don’t know their story would probably choose to look at the sweeping view of San Jose below them instead.
The timeworn line of boulder, is part of a system of stone walls, the remains of which stretch along the East Bay Hills all the way from Grimly Peak in Berkeley to where I watched a man tie his shoes at the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve above East San Jose.
They exist only in sections, and some are better preserved than others — where I found the man, the walls are short and thick and half-sunk into the earth, hut further north at Ed R. Levin County Park in Milpitas, they remain almost perfectly assembled and stand several feet tall.
The first recorded mention of the walls is from an article in the San Francisco Chronicle from 1896. “Half a mile east of Grizzly Peak stand the remains of stone walls which have long baffled the researchers. By whom they were built, when and why is an unsolved mystery,” the article stated. The unnamed author went on to write a generally-accepted theory of the walls that they were constructed by “some long-forgotten race, possibly Aztec”.
Of course, the people who originally inhabited the hills and the land surrounding them are far from forgotten. The Ohlone people thrived in the area for thousands of years until they were largely displaced by European settlers — however, there’re no records of them constructing stone walls.
“Some of my colleagues have heard the rocks were placed there by Spanish settlers clearing their fields, and there have been speculations that it could have been part of Indigenous practice,” said Charlotte Graham, a spokesperson for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. “We’ve also heard it could be a natural occurrence.”
However, there isn’t enough evidence on the walls to be entirely certain. A study dated lichen (地衣) on the walls in Berkeley as being from 1851 to 1880, though other sections of the walls haven’t been tested, and there’re few historical accounts on their presence.
1. How may most people never hearing about the boulders react when seeing them?A.Ignore them. | B.Collect them. |
C.Post the photos of them online. | D.Report them to the government. |
A.The one along the East Bay Hills. |
B.The one near Grizzly Peak in Berkeley. |
C.The one at Ed R. Levin County Park in Milpitas. |
D.The one at the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve. |
A.Prevented. | B.Confused. | C.Annoyed. | D.Inspired. |
A.Functions of stone walls | B.Newly-found boulders |
C.The history of boulders | D.Stories behind mystery walls |
The Grand Canal is the oldest and longest man-made waterway in the world with a history of more than 2,500 years,
The canal functioned
In 2014, it was listed as
1.城市概况
2.推荐的理由(不少于 2 条)
注意:1.词数 80 词左右;2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯
Dear Tom,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
Peru, a country on the Pacific coast of South America,
English and French tourist guidebooks that introduce the popular attractions along the Yellow River were distributed (发行) on Tuesday in Yuncheng, North China’s Shanxi Province,
The Yellow River Tourism Overseas Promotion Season 2023,
During the opening ceremony, English and French guidebooks containing nine
As the second
In addition, five other routes that take tourists deep into villages along the Yellow River are included in the new guidebooks, too.
1.推荐一个城市;
2.推荐的原因;
3.祝愿旅途愉快。
注意:1.词数 80 左右;
2.可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Dear Sara,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
This four-day walking tour will take you on amazing
8 . The giant Amazon rainforest in South America has been a mystery for centuries. It holds all kinds of natural wonders. Among them in Colombia, a river stands out as “the most beautiful river” in the world.
Locally called Carnio Cristales, this special river lies in a national park. It is made up of several waterfalls, rapids, and plenty of pools. For most of the year, Canio Cristales looks like a common river: clean, green, and rocky. However, during the short period between September and November, the river explodes (迸发) with life and colour. It appears as any mix of colours including blue, green, yellow, orange, and a purplish red. So it is also known as the “River of Five Colours”.
Although at first it may appear as if some chemicals were added to the water, this rainbow river is completely natural. Cafio Cristales' colours are the result of a rare (稀有) water plant which needs sunlight to grow. The plants change colour depending on how much sunlight they receive, and the amount is decided by the height and speed of the water. Therefore, it is possible for the plants to be totally colourless if the sunlight is too hard to get. They are a delicate plant. This makes them easily damaged in the water.
Actually, the river faces some problems, including drier seasons, wildlife trouble, waste management, and budget (预算) cuts. In 2007, the park was forced to close because it was over-crowded with tourists. Now the park admits only 200 people a day and requires them to mind their behaviour.
Today, Cano Cristales still shines among Colombia's most popular natural attractions, drawing thousands of tourists every year.
1. When is the best time to visit Cafio Cristales?A.In January. | B.In March. | C.In June. | D.In October. |
A.A special plant lives in it. | B.People add chemicals to it. |
C.The water is badly polluted. | D.The weather is changeable there. |
A.Special. | B.Weak. | C.Lively. | D.Beautiful. |
A.Too many visitors. | B.The poor service. |
C.Too much rubbish. | D.The wildlife problem. |
The Old Town of Lijiang, lying in the northwest of Yunnan Province, is one of the last
The Yulong Snow Mountain to the north-west
It
10 . 4 Best Places to Travel in 2023
2023 is the year when travel returns in a big way. To get you started, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to travel in 2023. All you need to do is pick the place that appeals to you.
Copenhagen
With its fantastic houses, clean streets and colorful architecture, Copenhagen is regarded as the most livable city on the earth. Named the World Capital of Architecture for 2023, Copenhagen will offer a series of major artistic events and programs sure to delight architects and design lovers.
Bhutan
For travelers with a sense of adventure and a love of discovery, Bhutan has always been a must-go destination. In 2023, travelers can once again explore the Trans Bhutan Trail, which runs 250 miles from east to west, offering visits to the century-old communities along the journey. The trail spans (横跨)18 major bridges and national parks and connects more than 400 historic and cultural sites.
Bordeaux
The coming years will be sporty in the historical wine region of Bordeaux in France. In 2023, the city will host the Rugby World Cup, an intense and stressful game. Beyond sports, Bordeaux is one of the favorite historical cities, with more than 350 structures that are either nationally or regionally listed as historical monuments.
Namibia
Wildlife and adventure lovers looking for a unique path in African Safari trips should head straight to Namibia in 2023 — this country in southern Africa is the perfect place to travel to reconnect with nature and escape the modern stresses of life. On the wildlife front, you may see lions along with giraffes and elephants.
1. What is Copenhagen well-known for?A.The natural landscape. | B.The adventure travel. |
C.Eye-catching architecture. | D.Famous art designers. |
A.Modern communities. | B.Cultural relics. |
C.Historical wine regions. | D.National monuments. |
A.Copenhagen. | B.Bhutan. | C.Bordeaux. | D.Namibia. |