1 . Must-See Destinations in 2024

Are you ready to explore the world in 2024? Whether you dream of sailing down famous European rivers or exploring unique places, our list of must-see destinations is here to inspire your travels.

Spain

Throw yourself into the rich culture and history of Spain. From the sunny beaches of Tenerife to the Moorish architecture (建筑物) of Andalucía, there’s so much to explore in this lively country. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) city of La Laguna and become amazed at the beauty of Cordoba, Seville, and La Alhambra, or relax on a beach holiday to Majorca or Tenerife.

Montenegro

Despite its size, Montenegro has beautiful beaches, rich history, and a breathtaking channel. Experience the beauty of the Montenegrin coast — Dalmatia’s jewel (宝石) is the UNESCO World Heritage listed oasis of Dubrovnik, famously praised by Lord Bryon as The Pearl of the Adriatic.

Croatia

Discover the beauty that is Dubrovnik. Explore the 16th-century city’s defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Sail along Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, where attractive villages and beautiful towns like Pula, Rovinj, and Poreč are just waiting to be explored...

South Africa

Explore the wonders of South Africa, from the Garden Route’s nature reserves to the thrill of a Safari drive in the Kariega Game Reserve. Discover the different plants and animals while searching for the “Big Five” on an unforgettable South Africa holiday.

With over 25 years of experience creating holidays for the curious, Travel Department ensures that your journey is in good hands. Plus as a trusted Reader’s Digest Travel partner, you can get special deals when you travel with them across lots of different 2024 holidays. If you want to know more information, please click here.

1. What do Spain and Montenegro have in common?

A．They are both praised by tourists.

B．They both have world heritage cities.

C．They are known for their architectures.

D．They both own beaches and rich history.

2. Which destination will attract people who are interested in creatures?

A．Spain.	B．South Africa.
C．Montenegro.	D．Croatia.

3. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A website.	B．A guidebook.
C．A novel.	D．A magazine.

2 . Canada is a vast and diverse country that offers plenty of incredible tourist destinations. From wonderful natural landscapes to lively cities, Canada has something for every traveler. Here’s a guide to some of Canada’s top tourist destinations.

Banff National Park, Alberta

Located in the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park is a breathtaking destination known for its turquoise (绿松石) lakes, snow-covered mountains, and plentiful wildlife. Explore the landmark-Lake Louise, hike to amazing viewpoints, and spend time in the natural hot springs.

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Niagara Falls is one of the world’s most famous natural attractions. Witness the steep (陡峭的) power and beauty of the grand falls from various viewpoints. Take a boat tour, visit the Butterfly Conservatory, or enjoy the lively atmosphere of Clifton Hill.

Toronto, Ontario

As Canada’s largest city, Toronto offers an impressive experience. Discover the famous CN Tower, explore the busy neighborhoods of Kensington Market and Distillery District, and visit world-class museums such as the Royal Ontario Museum and Art Gallery of Ontario.

Whistler, British Columbia

Whistler is a well-known winter sports destination, famous for its world-class ski slopes and winter activities. In summer, enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and golfing in the impressive mountain scenery.

1. What can visitors do in Banff National Park?

A．Go boating.	B．Go skiing.
C．Appreciate waterfalls.	D．Enjoy hot springs.

2. Which destination offers all experience of lively cultural life?

A．Banff National Park, Alberta.	B．Niagara Falls, Ontario.
C．Toronto, Ontario.	D．Whistler, British Columbia.

3. In which part of a newspaper can we see the text?

A．Tourism.

B．Culture.

C．Fashion.

D．Sport.

3 . Visit the Kingdom of the Polar Bear

As winter shortens and ice melts on Hudson Bay, a mother polar bear and her two cubs face danger brought on by climate change. Following the bear family, guide Dennis Compare witnesses achievements of survival and adaptability. The two-hour TV special Kingdom of the Polar Bears airs April 22 at 8/7c on Nat Geo WILD.

Series, Book Reveal Whales’ Secrets

National Geographic Explorer Brian Skerry’s breathtaking photographs are at the heart of Secrets of the Whales. That’s the title of Skerry’s new book, on sale April 6, and the name of National Geographic’s documentary series, with filmmaker James Cameron executive producing and actor Sigourney Weaver narrating. It premieres (首映) April 22 on Disney.

Dive Into the Life of Explorer Ballard

Known for finding famous shipwrecks such as the Titanic, Robert Ballard shares not only his expeditions but also his personal challenges in a remarkable memoir. Into the Deep: An Explorer’s Life is available May 11 wherever books are sold.

Neil deGrasse Tyson Fields Cosmic Queries

Curious about your place in the universe? Cosmic Queries: Star Talk’s Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going offers the wit and wisdom of astrophysicist deGrasst Tyson and physicist James Trefil, illustrated with stellar photos. It’s available wherever books are sold.

1. Which of the following is both a book and a TV series?

A．Secrets of the Whales.	B．Kingdom of the Polar Bears.
C．Into the Deep: An Explorer’s Life.	D．Cosmic Queries.

2. Which one might appeal to a man with an adventurous spirit?

A．Secrets of the Whale.	B．Kingdom of the Polar Bears.
C．Into the Deep: An Explorer’s Life.	D．Cosmic Queries.

3. Which section of a newspaper can the text be found?

A．Education.

B．Business.

C．Health.

D．Entertainment.

5 . 阅读短文，用适当的关系代词填空。

Singapore is one of the foreign countries     1     left a deep impression on me. I had a holiday in this wonderful country last summer and I stayed there for 5 days. It is a good place for those     2     love travelling with white shoes because the streets there are extremely clean. During my stay in Singapore, I visited some famous landmarks (地标)     3     include the Merlion statue, the Singapore Zoo and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. For me, Singapore is well worth visiting. Firstly, the public transport system there is extremely satisfying. Another thing     4     attracts me a lot is its multi-cultural nature. During the five days     5     I spent in Singapore, I met lots of people     6     nationalities were different from mine. So I got the chance to practice my English by speaking with local people and other tourists. It was really fun.

6 . 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。

Recently, a new type of weather condition called atmospheric lakes has been observed, existing     1     (primary) in one particular part of the world: small, slow-moving, moisture-rich (富含水气的) pools.

This unique type of storm occurs over the western Indian Ocean and moves toward Africa. Compared with most storms     2     (create) by a vortex (漩涡), the lakes are produced by water vapor concentrations that are thick enough     3     (produce) rain. These atmospheric lakes are similar     4     atmospheric rivers, narrow bands of thick moisture. However, the new type of phenomenon is smaller and moving slower. Over the last five years, 17 atmospheric lakes lasting     5     (long) than six days have been discovered, within 10 degrees of the equator.

A team is now being put together to run a full study on the phenomenon. One of the questions the researchers will be looking at is     6     atmospheric lakes separate themselves from the river-lake patterns they form from-it’s possibly due to the overall atmospheric wind patterns. Their next step is to gather more data, including more localized and     7     (detail) readings.

    8    remains to be seen whether the concept of “atmospheric lake” can     9     (accept) widely or not. However, it is obviously an effective way to analyze various meteorological (气象的)    10     (phenomenon) and reveal their laws and possible impacts.

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。

In southern China, there is a famous road     1    (build) across Poyang Lake, which lies in the north of Jiangxi Province, China and is known as China’s second     2     (large) lake. People in China also call it “the most beautiful road under the water.”

This road is sure     3     (attract) a lot of attention towards the end of May every year. A lot of people come out of     4     (curious). The water level of the lake is so close to the surface of the road,     5     makes the view ahead broad and bright when people drive along. It’s as though they were taking a boat across the lake. The feeling is     6     (simple) wonderful!

For the next few months, this road is not above the surface    7    under the water. When the water level of Poyang Lake starts to go up, the road surface becomes unseen. However, drivers can still drive across the lake safely     8     watching the guardrails(防撞护栏) fixed on either side of the road. For thrill-seeking motorists, it’s like     9     (drive) an amphibious(水陆两栖的) super car. Then in a few days, the entire road     10     (flood) with the continuously rising water. A few months later, the road will reappear.

8 . Mount Tai, located just north of Tai’an city in East China’s Shandong Province, is a mountain of historical and cultural_________, with impressive views and beautiful natural scenery.

Among the Five Sacred Mountains (the other four are Heng Mountain of Hunan Province, Hua Mountain of Shaanxi Province, Song Mountain of Henan Province and Heng Mountain of Shanxi Province), Mount Tai is only the third highest. Why is it seen as the _________of the Five Sacred Mountains?

In absolute terms, Mount Tai cannot be considered as the highest of China’s mountains, but because it is_________ to the sea and rivers and rises abruptly from the relatively low hills and plains, its _________height is quite impressive, with a (an)_________ of over 1, 300 meters. _________, in Chinese culture east is regarded as a sacred direction, since it is where the sun and the moon rise. Therefore, Mount Tai is often regarded as the first of the Five Sacred Mountains. It is associated with sunrise, birth and_________,

Many Chinese emperors climbed to the top for enthronement (登基) or other significant ceremonies in ancient China, for they considered it to be a _________ of Chinese power given by master of nature. The earliest activities could _________to Xia Dynasty and Shang Dynasty, so it __________a good many of cultural relics and historic sites. Famous writers, poets and celebrities were attracted here and thousands of poems and __________ about Mount Tai are best-known nowadays.

Mount Tai is famous for its various stone inscriptions, which are the works of either ancient emperors or celebrities. The stone inscriptions__________ different bodies of calligraphy, and most of them are inscribed with beautiful diction, elegant writing style and __________ design. Besides historic relics, Mount Tai also boasts unique natural scenery, and it is well known for its__________. Overlapping mountains, gigantic rocks, centuries-old pines and cypresses (柏树), ever-changing clouds make Mount Tai __________with brightness and peaceful with miracle. As a result, it attracts lots of tourists from the whole world.

1.

A．evidence

B．significance

C．confidence

D．existence

2.

A．partner

B．member

C．leader

D．laggard

3.

A．close

B．far

C．remote

D．proper

4.

A．absolute

B．relative

C．real

D．perfect

5.

A．altitude

B．width

C．longitude

D．attitude

6.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Otherwise

D．Moreover

7.

A．chance

B．change

C．death

D．renewal

8.

A．gift

B．symbol

C．beginning

D．call

9.

A．look at

B．go through

C．look for

D．go back

10.

A．preserved

B．ruined

C．collected

D．hid

11.

A．newspapers

B．information

C．articles

D．advertisements

12.

A．combine

B．change

C．stop

D．increase

13.

A．exciting

B．famous

C．delicate

D．rough

14.

A．importance

B．magnificence

C．possibility

D．difference

15.

A．powerless

B．pale

C．weak

D．forceful

10 . From picture-perfect beaches to mountains, wildlife and iconic structures, New South Wales, Australia, offers plenty to enjoy. This beautiful state is located on Australia's breathtaking eastern coast. Sydney, the capital of New South Wales and Australia's most populated city, accommodates more than 5million people.

No trip to Sydney would be complete without a visit to Australia's most famous landmark, the Sydney Opera House. Its unique appearance was designed to resemble a ship's sails and its historic importance is recognized by people all over the world. The Opera House welcomes more than 8 million visitors each year, making it the country's most popular tourist spot. It is also one of the world's busiest performing arts centers, featuring more than 2,000 performances annually.

The Opera House is open 363 days a year, and admission is free. Tours are available throughout the day in seven different languages. For those who arrive hungry, Opera House restaurants offer everything from snacks to fine dining.

“Stunning natural beauty” describes the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. This wilderness area, also on the World Heritage list, is a large, mountainous region that covers 1.03 million hectares. It is home to a vast number of Australia's birds and other forms of wildlife. One of the most visited sites is the Three Sisters, named for its unique rock formations.

Off the coast of New South Wales lies a remote island called Lord Howe Island. Created by a volcano, the island is surrounded by beautiful reefs. Two mountains tower over a bay with sandy, white beaches. Visitors can enjoy beach walks, mountain hikes, water activities (above and below the water), exceptional bird watching and more. About 380 people live on it, and a maximum of 400visitors can visit at one time.

New South Wales offers its visitors an abundance of experiences to choose from and many memories that will last a lifetime.

1. How is the importance of Sydney Opera House expressed?

A．By offering supportive views.	B．By stating personal experiences.
C．By listing facts and numbers.	D．By describing its unique appearance.

2. What can we know about the Opera House?

A．It's highly recommended to bring your own food.

B．Language probably won't be a barrier during tours.

C．The admission fee is acceptable for most people.

D．It is open all year round on account of its popularity.

3. What does the underlined word “it” refer to in Paragraph 5?

A．New South Wales.

B．Lord Howe Island.

C．Blue Mountains.

D．Three Sisters.

4. What is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Unforgettable 'Tour in the Opera House.	B．Charming Places to Visit in Sydney.
C．Unique Geographical Features of Australia.	D．Striking Beauty of New South Wales.