1 . Named “America’s Finest City” due to its hospitality, beauty and ideal climate, San Diego is located on the border with Mexico. The residents are so active outdoors that it is called “Sportstown, the U.S.A.”. San Diego’s 70 miles of beaches are a heaven for swimmers, surfers, divers, boaters and sunbathers. Another favourite outside activity is golf. With 100 courses (about 50 of them public), San Diego is a golfers’ paradise. Many San Diego residents came here first as tourists, who were attracted by San Diego’s sunny beaches, nearby mountains and deserts, plus the cultural delights of any big city. The world-famous San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld Adventure Park, Wild Animal Park, museums and other attractions attract visitors from around the world.

The zoo is home to some 4,000 animals, including the world’s largest group of parrots. Animals are displayed in natural settings, and there is a petting zoo for children. By contrast, the Wild Animal Park is a wildlife preserve with an area of over 2,000 acres and more than 3,000 free-roaming (自由漫步的) animals in natural habitats.

In addition to housing the zoo, Balboa Park is home to several museums and attractions, including an aerospace museum, an art and history museum, the Old Globe Theatre, science museums and even a railroad museum. Free concerts are offered frequently. Another popular attraction is the SeaWorld, a 190-acre marine park.

San Diego’s varied attractions, as well as its business climate, offer many opportunities for students to explore the local culture, meet people from around the world, and gain business experience. At San Diego State University, for example, students in the American Language Institute’s study tour program learn English both in the classroom and while sightseeing.

1. What do the residents of San Diego probably like to do?

A．Have sports outdoors.	B．Travel to other places.
C．Stay at home.	D．Stay outdoors all day.

2. Why do many San Diego residents come to settle down here?

A．Because it is more convenient to live here.

B．Because they are attracted by its beauty and culture.

C．Because they can make money from tourism here.

D．Because it is a quiet place to enjoy themselves.

3. Which of the following most attracts children?

A．The SeaWorld Adventure park.	B．The art and history museum.
C．The petting zoo.	D．The Old Globe Theatre.

2 . If you’ve ever worried that we’ve solved all the mysteries of nature, fear not. Minnesota’s Devil’s Kettle Falls has been attracting hikers and geologists for generations. At the falls, along Lake Superior’s North shore, a river forks at a rock outcrop. While one side runs down a two-step stone bank and continues on like a normal waterfall, the other side falls into a deep hole and disappears apparently forever.

And this baffling situation only gets strange when geologists start explaining Devil’s Kettle (水壶). Consider, for instance, the sheer quantity of water pouring into the kettle every minute of every day. While the idea of some kind of broad, underground river is an exciting device in movies, the reality is that those sorts of deep caves are rare.

Another idea is that millions of years ago, a hollow lava tube may have formed beneath the falls, in the subsurface layer of rock. Over time, the theory suggests, the falling water eroded (侵蚀) the surface and fell straight down into the ancient lava tube, providing wide-open access to the floor of Lake Superior. Again, there are problems with this theory, because no lava tubes have ever been found in any of the hundreds of exposed rock beds in the area.

In February 2017, scientists said that water that disappears into the rock at Devil’s Kettle rises again in the stream below the falls. To confirm the theory, scientists plan on conducting a dye trace during a low-water flow period. They’ll pour a vegetable-based dye into the pothole and watch where the dye comes to the surface again.

“What we think is happening is that the water is going in the kettle, and coming up pretty close to immediately downstream of the falls,” Green said.

Green admits that if the dye is found below the falls like the scientists suspect, then much of the Devil’s Kettle Falls mystery will be gone. “Were there a little bit of that,” he said, “the folks would not be going to stand there and wonder. But it will still be a fascinating spot, and a beautiful spot.”

1. What is the purpose of writing the first paragraph?

A．To explain the formation of waterfalls.

B．To describe a beautiful landscape scene.

C．To introduce a mysterious natural phenomenon.

D．To recommend an unusual waterfall to readers.

2. What is the author’s attitude towards the assumption of a lava tube?

A．Supportive.

B．Curious.

C．Doubtful.

D．Indifferent.

3. How are scientists planning to confirm the 2017 theory?

A．By tracing the path of the water.

B．By controlling the direction of the stream.

C．By asking the folks to watch the surface.

D．By filling the pothole with a dye.

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

A．The mystery of Devil’s Kettle Falls

B．The discovery of Devil’s Kettle Falls

C．The disappearance of Devil’s Kettle Falls

D．The fascinating features of Devil’s Kettle Falls

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。

For those looking to escape the concrete jungle, maybe it’s time to dive into the bamboo forests of southern Sichuan.

A natural forest that people in Sichuan province tend     1     (visit) is the Southern Sichuan Bamboo Sea in Yibin. The 120-square-kilometer Bamboo Sea is the     2     (large) bamboo park in China and its average temperature seldom drops below zero degrees Celsius in winter     3     many parts of the country are covered with snow and ice.

Known as one of the country’s 10 most beautiful forests, it     4     (be) a popular tourist attraction since the Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon     5     (shoot) there in 2001.

Two years later, the bamboo forest received world-wide     6     (recognize) as a bamboo reserve in December 2003,     7     (become) the fourth tourism destination in China to be granted Green Globe 21 certification.

The Bamboo Sea covers Changning and Jiang’an, two counties under the authority of Yibin. Amazed at its vast expanse (浩瀚), Huang Tingjian,     8     poet from the Song Dynasty, described it     9     “bamboo waves”. As Huang was an     10     (influence) man, his description gave rise to the forest’s popular nickname-the Bamboo Sea.

5 . 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 Old Town of Lijiang, lying in the northwest of Yunnan Province, is one of the most     1    (fame) ancient towns in China. The architecture (建筑) of the Old Town of Lijiang is attractive for the    2     (combine) of several cultures, and its ancient water-supply system still works    3     (effective) today.

The Yulong Snow Mountain    4     (serve) as the source of the rivers and springs. This town is made up    5    three parts: Dayan Old Town, Baisha housing cluster, and Shuhe housing clusters. These settlements (定居点)     6     (surround) by water present the mixture of local cultures, folk customs and traditions over several centuries.

It    7     (design) as a town around the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. From 1253 on, the Naxi people of Lijiang developed    8    unique social system, customs and culture of their own. In the 18th century, the Qing Dynasty rulers carried out a policy of    9     (culture) interaction, and the Naxi people adopted the customs of the Tibetan peoples    10    Han peoples. Despite several earthquakes, most of the old town keeps its original structure.

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。

As the world’s longest man-made canal, the Grand Canal is a vast waterway system in the north-eastern and central-eastern plains of China,     1     (run) from Beijing in the north to Zhejiang province in the south.

The Grand Canal is a magnificent hydraulic (水利) project in human history.     2     (construct) in sections from the 5th century BC onwards, it was completed in 611 AD due to the     3     (establish) of Sui Dynasty and it reached a new peak in the Yuan Dynasty, linking five of China’s main river basins.     4     (original), it was built to transport grain and later     5     (ship) other commodities.The regions along the canal gradually developed into the trade center of China     6     it was considered as the economic artery (动脉) in ancient China. It also helped the evolution of Chinese culture     7     enhancing communication between the south and the north.

The Grand Canal represents the     8     (great) masterpiece of hydraulic engineering in the history of mankind. It is     9    outstanding example of human creativity. Still a major means of internal communication today, it     10     (play) an important role in ensuring the economic prosperity and stability of China over the ages.

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。

During the last Spring Festival, thousands of people     1     (attract) to a 2-meter-wide lane in Tong-cheng, Anhui Province. Although it was impossible to count the exact number, at least 5, 000 people visited it each day. This narrow lane,     2     (call) Liu chi Lane in Chinese, won greater     3     (popular) after the story behind it was broadcast on a CCTV show. At first glance it may seem unimportant,     4     to those who know its history, Liu chi Lane means much more than its appearance. In the early Qing Dynasty it     5     (serve) as the boundary between Zhang family and Wu family. They quarreled     6     (fierce) over which family had the right to build a wall on the dividing line. After failing     7    (make) a compromise, the Zhangs turned to Zhang Ying,     8     family member of Zhangs and also a top official in the emperor’s court. To     9     (they) surprise, Zhang Ying did not provide the support they needed. He called for his family to step back one meter from the boundary. Seeing that, the Wus agreed to move back another meter. Thus Liu chi Lane was born. The story of Liu chi Lane tells people how to get along     10     others.

9 . If you think about World Heritage Sites, you probably think of places connected with ancient art and culture, historical buildings and monuments. And of course, many of these are on the World Heritage List (WHL) (世界遗产名录). But the WHL contains a lot of sites that are not so obvious. Let’s look at a few of them.

Robben Island in South Africa

This island was used through the centuries a s a prison, a hospital and a military base. But it’s probably most famous as a maximum-security prison for political prisoners in the twentieth century. Nelson Mandela was one of its most famous residents. The WHL says it represents “the victory of democracy (民主) and freedom over oppression (压迫) and racism (种族主义).”

Borders of France and Spain

This is an area of great natural beauty and the mountains have many interesting geological formations. But it is also an area of small farm. People there still use a type of agriculture that used to be common in mountainous areas of Europe but that has almost complete disappeared in modern times.

The city of Brasilia, Brazil

Brasilia is a capital city that was created from nothing in 1956. The WHL calls it “a landmark in the history of town planning”. The different areas of the city and the buildings themselves were all designed at the same time carefully. Every part of the city shows the ideas of the planner and architect.

Simien National Park, Ethiopia

Simien National Park was one of the first sites to be listed in 1978. It is one of the highest mountainous areas in Africa, and the WHL calls it “one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world”. It is also important for its wildlife. The population of some rare animals is getting smaller and smaller.

1. Which of the following sites was listed on the WHL for its political symbol?

A．Simien National Park, Ethiopia.	B．Robben Island in South Africa.
C．Borders of France and Spain.	D．The city of Brasilia, Brazil.

2. Which of the following sites is famous for the wonderful plan of buildings?

A．Robben Island in South Africa.	B．Borders of France and Spain.
C．The city of Brasilia, Brazil.	D．Simien National Park, Ethiopia.

3. The passage mainly talks about ________.

A．the remains of ancient cultures on the WHL

B．the household heritage sites on the WHL

C．important places of art and culture

D．some of the less well-known sites on the WHL