1 . The Amazon
The Amazon River, the basin of which covers 2.3 million square miles, is incredibly biodiverse with over 30,000 species of plants and 1,800 species of birds. It plays an important role in adjusting the climate in North and South America. The River and its forests are threatened by human activity, primary pollution and rapid resource depletion (损耗). The Office of the American States Department of Sustainable Development is working to manage the threats.
The Mississippi
The Mississippi rises in western Minnesota and flows south for 2,530 miles into the Gulf of Mexico. Millions of people in over 50 cities use water from the Mississippi, and the river is also used for shipping and agriculture. Hundreds of animal species, including 60% of North America’s birds, call the area around the Mississippi River home, but river pollution and shoreline habitat destruction threaten to displace them. Fortunately, many projects and organizations are devoted to its conservation.
The Danube
The Danube River begins in western Germany, flowing over 1,775 miles into the Black Sea. It spans 19 countries. The Danube features a richly diverse ecosystem, hosting 55 different species of fish. Cities across Europe use the Danube for power generation and agriculture, and there are more than 700 dams in total. Unfortunately, this river is overfished and heavily polluted. The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River was established in 1998 to manage its conservation.
The Mekong
The Mekong River is a necessary part of Southeast Asia’s landscape, culture, and economy. Also called the Lancang River, it starts in China, stretching over 2,850 miles through Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Its basin provides more than 65 million people with food, drinking water, power, and transportation. Dams and power plants are harming Mekong’s ecosystems. Organizations such as Conservation International are working to protect the river by advocating for its sustainable development.
1. Birds are affected most around________.A.The Amazon | B.The Mississippi | C.The Danube | D.The Mekong |
A.70. | B.65. | C.55. | D.50. |
A.They contribute to power production. |
B.They How through multiple countries. |
C.They are troubled by dam constructions. |
D.They are under protection of organizations. |
2 . New York City: the Big Apple
New York City is known by many nicknames (昵称)——such as “the City that Never Sleeps” or “Gotham”- but the most popular one is probably “the Big Apple. Although uses of the phrase are documented in the early 1900s, the term first became popular in the 1920s when John J. Fitz Gerald, a sports writer, started a column about horse racing called “Around the Big Apple.” However, it wasn’t until a tourism campaign in the 1970s that the nickname came to be related to New York City.
Mumbai: the City of Dreams
With an estimated population of 18. 4 million people, Mumbai is one of the most populous cities in India. Mumbai is not only the financial center of India but also the home of Bollywood, one of the most popular Indian movie industries, making this city a particularly appealing place to move to. The opportunities here are endless, which is why Mumbai is often referred to as “the City of Dreams.”
Sydney: Harbour City
Located on the southeastern coast of Australia, Sydney is a city that takes advantage of its location. Once a major port city, Sydney is sometimes called “Harbour City” in honor of this real estate. People enjoy hitting the beach to go surfing or snorkeling (浮潜), and one of the most recognizable buildings, the Sydney Opera House, is right on the harbor!
Paris: the City of Love
Whether it’s because French is considered the “language of love” or because of the romantic walks along the Seine River, Paris has distinguished itself as the “City of Love.” Paris has long attracted those with labors of love, such as writers and artists. Love can be found everywhere, from its cozy cafes to the Arts bridge, to which couples in the early 2000s attached locks to demonstrate their commitment to one another.
1. When did New York City begin to be called “the Big Apple”?A.In the 2000s. | B.In the 1970s. | C.In the 1920s. | D.In the 1900s. |
A.It offers countless chances. |
B.It favors those labors with dream. |
C.It gains popularity among the young. |
D.It makes your financial dreams come true. |
A.New York City. | B.Mumbai. | C.Sydney. | D.Paris. |
3 . The Most Breathtaking Theaters in the World
Shakespeare's Globe Theater(London, UK)
The original Globe Theater was built by Shakespeare's company in 1599, but was destroyed by fire in 1613. A replica was built in 1997 just meters from the original site. The new 857-seat structure has several modern features. It has the first and only straw roof permitted in London since the great fire of 1666.
Shakespeare's Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London; +44 20 7902 1400
Margravial Opera House(Bayreuth, Germany)
Built in 1745, the UNESCO-listed Mareravial Opera House is regarded as the finest baroque theater in Europe. The stage has a depth of 27 meters and was the largest in Europe until 1871. Much of the original materials remain, along with original structures, such as the twin staircases.
Margravial Opera House, Opernstrasse 14. Bayreuth, Germany; +49 9 21 7 59 69 22
Teatro Amazonas(Manaus, Brazil)
There can't be many theaters located in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, and the Teatro Amazonas is certainly the most breathtaking. The theater was built in 1895 and was designed by Italian architect Celestial Sacardim. Work took 15 years. largely thanks to the decision to source supplies from all over the world
Amazon Theater, Centro, Manaus, Brazil; +55 92 3622 1880
National Centre for the Performing Arts(Beijing, China)
The National Centre for the Performing Arts(NCPA), built in 2007, is an arts centre in Beijing. Designed by French architect Paul Andreu, the NCPA is the largest theatre complex(建筑群)in Asia. The NCPA includes value in both ancient traditional Chinese architecture and modern architecture. It was specially designed to improve the red walls of ancient buildings and the Great Hall of the People in order to fit in with the surroundings.
NCPA, No. 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng District, Beijing; +86 010 6655 0989
1. Where does the theatre with its longest survival time lie?A.In London. | B.In Bayreuth | C.In Manaus. | D.In Beijing |
A.Shakespeare's Globe. | B.Margravial Opera House. |
C.Teatro Amazonas. | D.National Centre for the Performing Arts. |
A.It features modern architecture. | B.It receives worldwide supplies. |
C.It is a multifunctional theatre | D.It matches its surroundings. |
4 . The Giant Panda House
It’s home to not only two giant pandas Yingying and Lele, but also many rare and cute animals such as cuddly red pandas and giant salamanders. The Panda House not only provides home to those precious creatures but also aims at educating visitors about the impact of humans on protected animals and their habitat.
Samsung Everland
It is one of the most popular theme parks in Korea. To increase the theme park capacity (容量), Samsung customers require more attractions. After site research and discussion, the reconstruction work includes Main entrance, water park entrance building, indoor spa, panda building, 4D Theater, and Kids’ rides selection. These new attractions will bring in more people and commercial opportunity to the park.
Ocean Park Hong Kong
It’s an oceanarium, animal theme park and amusement park located in the Southern District of Hong Kong. Since its opening in 1977, it has grown to a size of 870,000 square meters with around 35 attractions and rides. It has won several awards including The World’s Seventh Most Popular Amusement Park and 33rd Most visited Tourist Attractions in the World by Forbes.
Sega World Sydney
It is an indoor high-tech amusement park in Sydney, Australia, which opened in March 1997 and operated for almost 4 years. The park has 7 rides in total which employ the latest technology in multimedia, entertainment and destination attraction design. It used to be described by the media as “Australia’s Interactive Disneyland”.
1. Which of the following is in preparation for further construction?A.The Giant Panda House. | B.Samsung Everland. |
C.Sega World Sydney. | D.Ocean Park Hong Kong. |
A.It cares about wildlife animal protection. |
B.It is titled as the most popular amusement park. |
C.It is indoor with the advanced media technology. |
D.It has the rides specially designed for children. |
A.A magazine on science. | B.An advertisement for historic sites. |
C.A report about tourism. | D.A website on international attractions. |
5 . This beautiful, quiet place is covered in sunshine and has mountains all around it. Its name is Machu Picchu. It lies on top of a mountain, 8,000 feet in the tropical forest. Even in the rain and fog, it’s wonderful to walk through the ruins (废墟).
Machu Picchu is more than 500 years old. According to scholars, Machu Picchu was built for the Inca king around 1450. In the late 1800s, explorers like Antonio crossed the grounds of the ruins without knowing where he was. Machu Picchu became known to the world upon the 1911 arrival of Hiram Bingham. In 1983, Machu Picchu was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Machu Picchu is considered by many to be the most wonderful creation of the Inca Empire. It’s also full of cultural significance (意义). Its various sites and castles are connected with each other and with their environment. This is a great artistic achievement and also masterpiece of architecture. Everything is cultural and is related to each other, including the natural environment in which it is built.
Currently, Machu Picchu is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the New World; this promotes increased tourism in the area. Tourists of all nationalities travel to Peru with the intention of visiting the Lost City of the Incas. Machu Picchu is no longer quiet.
Some people in Peru hope that more tourists will come here. They think it will mean more business and money for the country. However, some worry that more visitors won’t be good for the environment. The truth is that parts of Peru are very poor, and tourists bring money to these communities. The lost city is no longer lost. The modern world is coming closer to this ancient world every day.
1. What is Machu Picchua like?A.It sits high with mountains around. |
B.It’s sunny all through the year. |
C.It’s an ancient city covered with fog. |
D.It sits at the bottom of the mountain. |
A.In 1450. | B.In the late 1800s. | C.In 1911. | D.In 1983. |
A.Its history. | B.Its design. | C.Its development. | D.Its value. |
A.He is strongly against it. | B.He thinks it’s beneficial. |
C.He is confident of its future. | D.He thinks it’s harmful. |
6 . There are around 100 tribes that live in global isolation, mostly in South America and India.
The Sentinelese(250 people)have lived on one of the Andaman Islands in Eastern India for 60, 000 years. They protect their island by fighting against people from outside. Their language is different from any other known language.
Another Andaman tribe is the Jarawa(300 people). In the past, they were independent and fought against anybody trying to make contact with them. But in 1998, the Indian govemment built a road across their land, and since then, they’ve had more contact with the outside world.
Some Amazon tribes avoid contact because of unhappy memories. The Mashco—Piro left their vegetable gardens after rubber companies killed most of their tribe at the beginning of the 20th century. Those who survived became nomadic(游牧的)and started hunting animals in the forest.
The Awa live in the Amazon forests of Brazil. Out of 350 members, 100 have no contact with the outside world. They left their villages and adopted a nomadic lifestyle around 1850 to escape attacks by Europeans. In the following years, farmers in nearby communities started cutting the trees to expand their farmland. The Awa lost most of their hunting land.
The few Amazon tribes that still exist are fighting to keep their traditional way of life.
Survival, an organization that fights for the rights of tribal people, says that uncontacted tribes are the most vulnerable(弱势的)humans on the planet and that’s why their environment should be unavailable to the rest of us.
After years of pressure, the organization got Brazil’s government to clear invaders from the Awa land. All non-Awa people are leaving so the tribe can get their forest back. But some think it’s impossible for tribes to stay isolated forever in a connected world. Contact will be made one day. So the question is:Whose choice should it be, ours or theirs?
1. What could be learnt about the Sentinelese from the text?A.They speak the same language as the Jarawa. |
B.They resist contact from the outside world. |
C.There are about 350 members in their tribe. |
D.They received help from the Indian government. |
A.To avoid being attacked by Europeans. |
B.To avoid being robbed by rubber companies. |
C.To protect their hunting land. |
D.To maintain their traditional way of life. |
A.They should fight for their rights by themselves. |
B.We should show them respect and not disturb them. |
C.It’s impossible to stay isolated from the outside world. |
D.We should help them get used to the connected world. |
A.Doubtfully. | B.Critically. | C.Indifferently. | D.Objectively. |
7 . Ecuador may have a new tourism jingle (广告歌). But they don’t want anyone to actually sing it. Indeed, the country’s latest national park is built on the belief that silence is golden. The South American country has become the first in the world to build a “quiet park” beside the Zabalo River where silence is protected like a natural resource.
There are no transport routes here. Nor residential and commercial developments. You can’t even hear the sound of power lines.
Named as Wilderness Quiet Park, the land is owned by the Cofán people of Ecuador. But hopes are high that this unique space in a world increasingly affected by noise will kickstart (启动) tourism in the region — quiet tourism, that is.
These days, it’s almost impossible to escape the human noise. And it’s a serious effect on the health of animals, including humans.
“Science has made it clear that noise pollution is not just an annoyance, it causes health loss and impacts wildlife’s ability to survive. By recognizing the Zabalo River as the world’s first quiet park, we are paving the way for many more quiet parks around the globe.” says Gordon Hempton, an ecologist and co-founder of Quiet Parks International, an organization which aims at spreading quiet across the globe.
So, what’s it actually like when nature is the only soundtrack? Here’s how Sam Goldman, a journalist, describes it: “The monkeys roar; insects buzz; and birdsong cackles …”
But the park not only gives nature a chance to find its voice. The people who own the land — the Cofán people — have long regarded themselves as caretakers of the rivers and rainforests in the region but their numbers have decreased to fewer than 2,000. Quiet Parks International will help the Cofan Nation “defend their lands and preserve their culture.”
1. What’s the purpose of this text?A.To introduce a special park. |
B.To explain a new living concept. |
C.To warn people of noise pollution. |
D.To recommend a travel destination. |
A.It vaules natural quiet much. |
B.It develops rapidly in business. |
C.It can easily get rid of the human noise. |
D.It provides tourists with various transport routes. |
A.wildlife in Ecuador are in danger of extinction |
B.noise pollution has become a serious problem |
C.the Zabalo River is the best quiet park in the world |
D.there are already many quiet parks around the globe now |
A.They care little about environmental protection. |
B.They are in need of help to protect their safety. |
C.Their numbers have decreased due to noise pollution. |
D.They have long been protecting their living surroundings. |
Hilversum is a medium-sized city between the major cities of Amsterdam and Utrecht in the Gooi area of North Holland, the Netherlands. Unlike most of the Netherlands, Hilversum is actually in a hilly area with the soil mostly consisting of sand. Once called the Garden of Amsterdam, it still attracts travelers to come over to cycle and walk through the surrounding forests. They visit it for a relaxing day off from the urban madness. For Dutch people, Hilversum is all about textile (纺织) and media industries, and modern architecture.
In history, Hilversum was largely an agricultural area. Daily life was marked by farming, sheep raising and wool production. A railway link to Amsterdam in 1874 attracted rich traders from Amsterdam to Hilversum. They build themselves large villas (别墅) in the wooded surroundings of the town. One of the families moving in was the Brenninkmeijers, currently the wealthiest family of the Netherlands. They moved in after big success in the textile industry and aided a substantial textile industry in Hilversum. But the textile boom lasted only several decades. The last factory closed in the 1960s.
The change to a media economy started in 1920, when the Nederlandse Seintoestedllen Fabriek (NSF) established a radio factory in Hiversum. Most radio stations called in the large villas in the leafy areas of the town. Television gave another push to the local economy. Hilversum became the media capital of the Netherlands, and Dutch television stars moved into the leafy neighborhoods surrounding the town.
In the early 1900s, modern architcts W.M. Dudok and J. Duiker placed hundreds of remarkable buildings in Hilversum. These modern architectural masterpieces (杰作) are so many that Hilversum almost feels like an open air museum. Dudok alone shaped most 20th century Hilversum and approximately 75 buildings still bear his unique characters. His masterpiece, Hilversum Town Hall, was built in 1928-1931. It has wide international fame and is included in many architecture textbooks. The building has a remarkable shape and looks like a combination of “blocks”. Actually, one may start his journey of modern architecture by walking or biking the W.M. Dudok Architectural Route in Hilversum.
1. Hilversum is different from most of the Netherlands in that ______.
A.it has a large population |
B.it is cut off from big cities |
C.it has many beautiful gardens |
D.it is in a hilly area with sandy soil |
A.Building a railway link to Amsterdam |
B.Helping its textile industry to develop |
C.Constructing large villas for the poor |
D.Assisting its agricultural industry |
A.a radio factory |
B.the medial capital |
C.a radio station |
D.a TV station |
A.It consists of approximately 75 buildings |
B.It looks like an open air museum in the city |
C.It is a classic example in architecture textbooks |
D.It has shaped most of 20th century Hilvesum. |