2 . Amsterdam is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, famous for its beautiful canals, top art museums, cycling culture and so on. It is the capital city of the Netherlands and often referred to as the “Venice of the North” because of its expansive system of bridges and canals. Here are some of the key points to remember as you plan your trip to Amsterdam.

Must-See Attractions

Most visitors begin their Amsterdam adventure in the Old Centre, which is full of traditional architecture, shopping centers, and coffee shops. You’ll also want to check out Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter in the South District, which is great for shopping at the Albert Cuyp Market and having a picnic in the Vondelpark. The top museums to visit there are the Rijksmusuem, the Ann Frank House, and the Van Gogh Museum.

If You Have Time

There are several other unique districts in Amsterdam, and you should try to explore as many of them as time allows. The Canal Ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was originally built to attract wealthy home owners and is a center for celebrity spotting and nightlife today. The Plantage area has most of the city’s museums and the botanical gardens.

Money Saving Tips

●Unless you really want to see the tulips(郁金香) blooming, avoid booking between mid-March and mid-May. This is when hotel and flight prices rise.

●Look for accommodations in Amsterdam’s South District, where rates are generally cheaper than in the city center.

●Buy train tickets at the machine instead of the counter to save a bit of money.

●Instead of hiring a tour guide, hop on a canal boat. They’re inexpensive and will give you a unique point of view of the city.

Check out our homepage to view price comparisons for flights, hotels, and rental cars before you book.

1. What can be learned about Amsterdam from this passage?

A．The Van Gogh Museum lies in the South District.

B．The Canal Ring is a place to attract garden lovers.

C．The Old Centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

D．Amsterdam is called the “Venice of the North” because of its location.

2. In order to save money in Amsterdam, you can ________.

A．arrange a guided tour	B．buy train tickets at the counter
C．reserve a hotel in the South District	D．book flights between mid-March and mid-May

3. Where is the passage most probably taken from?

A．A magazine.

B．An essay.

C．A report.

D．A website.

5 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

The Longji Rice Terraces (龙脊梯田) were built by the local Zhuang and Yao people, to whom Guangxi is home. Starting in the Yuan Dynasty, work on the terraces took hundreds of years. The terraces are     1     (clever) designed, with hundreds of waterways that connect with each other. During the rainy season, it is along these waterways that rainwater     2     (move) down the mountains and into the terraces. These terraces also provide a perfect environment for birds and fish, some of which feed on insects     3     can harm the rice crops. Today the Longji Rice Terraces attract thousands of visitors who come to admire this great wonder created by people and nature working together.

6 . 语法填空

A hutong is an ancient city street typical in Beijing.     1    (surround) the Forbidden City, many were built during the Yuan, Ming and Qing     2     (dynasty). In order to establish the strongest power, emperors planned the city and arranged the residential areas.     3     center of the city Beijing was the royal palace—the Forbidden City.

At the end of the Qing dynasty, after     4     (close)China came under the influence from abroad, many old hutongs lost     5     (they) former neat arrangement.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, hutong conditions     6    (improve). But in recent years, the houses in many hutongs have been pulled     7     and replaced by modern buildings. And the hutong today is fading into the shade for     8     tourists and local people.

However, in the urban district of Beijing houses along hutongs still occupy one     9     (three) of the total area, providing housing for half population, so many hutongs     10     (survive). In this respect, we see the old in the new in Beijing as an ancient yet modern city.

7 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写一个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Amateur explorers have found what may have been the last undiscovered island on Earth. The island is round and about three quarters of a mile wide. It sits in the northern Pacific and is a place     1     it’s neither too hot nor too cold. It’s almost completely flat and rocky. The island’s only distinguishing feature is a slight hill on the eastern side. After spotting the hidden piece of land in     2    first looked like an e-map fault, the group of friends     3    (set) out in a boat to confirm what they’d found. They’re now running an online contest to name the island.

8 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Mount Tai is one of China’s most famous     1     (mountain) because it is a perfect combination of culture and natural landscapes.     2     (locate) in central Shandong Province, Mount Tai     3     (rise) 1,545 meters above sea level. Its highest peak (山峰) Yuhuangding stands over deep valleys and above other peaks. A seemingly endless flight of stone steps leads you to the Heavenly Southern Date where you look around in the distance,     4     (enjoy) the wonderful views of beauty beyond beauty and scenery beyond scenery.

9 . The Beijing Vanke-Shijinglong Ski Resortis located    1    Yanqing District,a national demonstration area for ecological construction. With Longqing Gorge to its east and Guanting Reservoir to its west, it has fresh air and an     2    (impress) environment.    3    (build) in 1999, it was the first large ski resort to be built near Beijing.In 2016,a massive renovation project     4    (start) by Vanke, the Beijing Badaling Tourism General Company, and the original Beijing Shijinglong Ski Resort.

10 . 假定你是李华。你的英国朋友Jim准备在汉语课上介绍他眼中的北京符号。他来信希望了解你心目中的北京符号。请你给他回信，内容包括：
1. 你心目中的北京符号；
2. 你的推荐理由；
3. 你的祝愿。
注意：1. 词数不少于50；

2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Dear Jim,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua