1 . Widely known as the world’s first national park, Yellowstone National Park was built on March 1, 1872. Covering 3,472 square miles, Yellowstone runs through Wyoming and into Montana and Idaho, bringing with it deep canyons, rivers, forests, hot springs, and so on. The wonder of the world attracts millions of visitors each year because of its fantastic facts.
The park has a lake named Yellowstone Lake, which is situated at 7,733 feet above sea level, making it the largest high-elevation lake in all of North America. The lake is about 20 miles long and 14 miles wide, with about 141 miles of shoreline. Each winter, Yellowstone Lake is completely covered with two-foot-thick ice.
Aside from its unique lake, there are also 290 waterfalls found throughout the park, including the famous Yellowstone River Upper and Lower Falls, which end up in an area known as the “Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River”. Visitors can view the falls from several different hiking trails (远足路径) and walkways.
With over 300 campsites and more than 900 miles of hiking trails inside the park—most of which are managed as wilderness areas—Yellowstone is the perfect destination for the most adventurous kind of outdoor enthusiast. It isn’t all difficult wilderness hiking, however, since the park also offers plenty of choices for shorter-day hikes on well-managed trails. There are even paved hikes that are wheelchair-accessible.
Also, you may see different kinds of animals along your hike in the park. Not only are there at least 67 species of mammals (哺乳动物) living in Yellowstone National Park, there are also approximately 300 species of bird and 16 species of fish. There’re at least two threatened species. The Canada lynx (猞猁) was listed as threatened in 2000, and parts of Yellowstone are still considered as the animal’s important natural home. They were found only 112 times in park history. What’s more, in 2018, the government restored (恢复) the protection to grey bears within Yellowstone.
1. How does the text mainly introduce Yellowstone Lake?| A．By listing figures. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following space order. | D．By following time order. |
| A．Its many amazing waterfalls. | B．Its endangered animal species. |
| C．Its difficult wilderness hiking trails. | D．Its wheelchair-accessible trails. |
| A．Most of the animals are endangered. | B．It’s not easy to see the Canada lynx. |
| C．There are a small number of bird species. | D．Grey bears are losing official protection. |
| A．A biology textbook. | B．A history book. |
| C．A personal diary. | D．A travel magazine. |
2 . Let’s learn about some of the most interesting abandoned settlements, from ancient ruins to modern ghost towns.
Angamuco, Mexico
The city of Angamuco in North America, built around AD 900, is thought to have had 100,000 citizens and included pyramids, road systems, vegetable gardens and ball courts. It was a major center for the Purepecha, competitors to the Aztec peoples. Both of their cultures were destroyed in the 16th century when Europeans introduced bad diseases there.
Termessos, Turkey
Alexander the Great once compared this great city — located 1,000 meters up a mountain — to an eagle's nest. And despite surrounding it in 333 BC,the failed to take it. The most famous site of this city was a Roman-style theater. The city was abandoned around 200 AD because of a big earthquake.
Gedi, Kenya
Lying on the Indian Ocean coast, among thick forests, this settlement is thought to have been founded around the 13th century. Gedi had running water and flushing toilets. Scientists have also found vases from the Ming Dynasty and Venetian glass on the site. Its abandonment several centuries later still remains a secret.
Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan
Founded around 2500 BC, this Indus Valley city had a street system and a complex drainage (排水) system. The city developed successfully, with up to 40,000 settlers living off the floodplain which was rich in good soil,and traded with Mesopotamia. However, the cause of its decline from 1900 BC still puzzles scientists today.
Priyat, Ukraine
After reactor No.4 at Chernobyl exploded in April 1986, giving off deadly radiations (放射物) into the atmosphere, several nearby settlements were moved elsewhere. Among them was Priyat, once a city built to house nuclear (核能) workers, Three decades later, this place had been repopulated by deer, wolves and other animals. You can now tour the town and get a radiation screening when you leave.
1. If you are interested in Chinese culture, you can visit________.| A．Angamuco, Mexico | B．Termessos, Turkey |
| C．Gedi, Kenya | D．Priyat, Ukraine |
| A．The advanced toilets similar to modern ones. |
| B．The benefits gained from the floodplain. |
| C．The unknown causes of the abandonment. |
| D．The same geographic characteristics. |
| A．Certain kinds of wildlife. | B．Nuclear workers. |
| C．Deadly radiations. | D．Settlers in the area. |
3 . Located in the southeast of Canada and with a population of approximately 6 million, Toronto is a big and beautiful city, which has developed from a relatively unknown place over the past half century to the center of culture, trade and communication in Canada.
With its colorful ethnic mix, rich history and breathtaking buildings. Toronto offers non-stop adventures to the tourists. To get a sense of how big, various and magical Toronto is, the best place to start is the CN Tower. From this point, visitors can get a bird's-eye view of the city's amazing scenery and unique geography.
In addition to being an important center of culture, trade and communication in Canada, Toronto is also a major muti-ethnic city. It is the most populous city in Canada and its citizens come from countries around the world and from different kinds of ethnic backgrounds. Every day, in most places of the city, a hundred different languages can be heard on the streets, from Hindi to Greek to French. This, perhaps, explains why former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau once said that Canada is a mosaic（嵌合体）of cultures and languages rather than a melting pot.
Street signs in Toronto are mostly in English. Weekly and daily newspapers are published in various languages, and the city hosts the successful international film festival each September. It is also home to a popular baseball team the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto has something for everyone.
Moreover, Toronto has been rated one of the most livable cities in the world by United Nations Human Settlements Programme for many years. At the same time, Toronto is one of the safest, richest cities in the world with the highest standard of living.
1. What's the purpose of the text?| A．To draw more tourists to Toronto. |
| B．To introduce something about Canada. |
| C．To introduce some famous sights of Toronto. |
| D．To tell us how Toronto develops from the past. |
| A．Toronto is in the center of Canada. |
| B．Toronto is a city with a history of half a century. |
| C．The street signs in Toronto are all written in English. |
| D．From the top of the CN Tower we can see the whole Toronto. |
| A．It's worth visiting. |
| B．It's just a common city in Canada. |
| C．There are too many foreigners in the city. |
| D．There aren't many places of interest to visit. |
| A．A personal diary. | B．A news report. |
| C．A tourist handbook. | D．A student's notebook. |
4 . For those looking to explore these natural wonders, all around the world there are volcanoes you can get up close to.
Vesuvius, Italy
Obviously the most famous volcano in the world, Vesuvius is considered currently dormant(休眠的), but that doesn't mean that it won't erupt at some point.Visiting Vesuvius is more about Mount Vesuvius's past, particularly the destruction of Pompeii in A.D. 79. Though the volcano.seems harmless, the destruction of Pompeii was during a dormant phase of Vesuvius as well.
Elevation(海拔): 4,203ft
White Island, New Zealand
Making headlines recently for an eruption that killed at least five people, White Island, which is uninhabited, is usually a popular tourist attraction. It is also central to New Zealander culture,playing an important role in Maori legends. To access the island, one must take a boat tour, and then one can hike.
Elevation: 1,053 ft
Kilauea, Hawaii
The most active volcano in the world is in Hawaii where volcanoes hold local cultural legends.Nearby is also the Thurston Lava Tube which can be visited, as well as the surrounding lush jungles. The volcano is located on the Big Island, so visiting other attractions, such as Honolulu is a good choice.
Elevation: 4,009 ft
Sakuraji'ma, Japan
Less than 5 miles away from the city of Kagoshima, Sakurajima erupts almost every day.
Visiting the area is very easy, with ships leaving the city every 15 mins. Once there, Visitors can take a hike or visit the observatory, which is the closest spot to safely view the eruption. The lava has created interesting produce, including the world's largest carrot and the smallest orange.
Elevation: 3,665 ft
1. Which volcano is the highest?| A．Sakurajima, Japan | B．Kilauea. Hawaii. |
| C．Vesuvius, Italy. | D．White Island. New Zealand. |
| A．They belong to New Zealand. | B．They have jungles around them. |
| C．They become headlines recently. | D．They are very important in local culture. |
| A．Taste the smallest orange. |
| B．Enj oy destruction of Pompeii. |
| C．Listen to local cultural legends. |
| D．Go to attractions of the city of Kagoshima. |
5 . Casablanca：Time Did Go By
If the Hollywood image of Casablanca is important to you, prepare for a shock from Casablanca.The city is further away from eastern romanticism (浪漫主义）than any other in Morocco，and Casablanca is a modern city — and beautiful in its own aspect.
Colony(殖民地）White
A walk around Casablanca will decide clearly that Casablanca was the place that the French colonial government gave most attention and money.The buildings are of a French version (版本）of Arabo-Andalucian architecture，white with soft lines，and often plenty of details.
The area to explore is south of Avenue des Forces Arms Royales，but of special interest is the Place des Nations Unies，which has the largest structures.
Town Market
Right in from the long Boulevard Muhammad 5, you will find the Marche Central of Casablanca.The place is a small but high-quality version of the traditional suuqs of Morocco, and everything is aiming at the needs of the locals.
The Marche Central has vegetables，meat，all kinds of sea food，as well as handicrafts (手工艺品）.Turtle soup should therefore be an option for those visiting Casablanca.
Old City
The old city of Casablanca is conveniently located — just off the main town square from where roads lead to all directions, and off the sea.But as you enter, you will see that it is not all that old after all，that the houses here often have a form and size which would have made them natural features in the new parts of many other Mococcan cities.
1. Which of the following colonial governments put most money into Casablanca?| A．Moroccan. | B．French. | C．American. | D．Arab. |
| A．Colony White. | B．Old City. | C．Town Market. | D．Casablanca Time. |
| A．Passive. | B．Appreciative. | C．Disappointed. | D．Indifferent. |
6 . Perhaps now so more than ever, it's important to take time to appreciate the beauty of our natural world. In the US, all you have to do is turn to the national parks for inspiration.
Not only do these parks offer hiking, camping and wildlife-spotting service, but they each have interesting stories to tell that make them truly unique from others designated by the National Park Service. Just check it out for yourself with these fun, fascinating facts about each national park.
Acadia
Location ： Maine
Size ： 65 square miles
Fact： Sprawling across Mount Desert Island, off the coast of eastern Maine, Acadia became the first national park east of the Mississippi River in 1929 and, today3 is still the only national park in the northeast.
American Samoa
Location ： South Pacific
Size： 21 square miles
Fact ： Located outside of the continental US, the American Samoa territory is spread out across three islands and happens to be the country's only national park in the southern hemisphere.
Arches
Location ： Utah
Size ： 119 square miles
Fact： There are more than 2,000 natural rock arches in （the appropriately named） Arches National Park, which is the biggest concentration of formations in the country.
Badlands
Location ： South Dakota
Size ： 379 square miles
Fact： At Badlands National Park, in the vast plains of South Dakota, visitors can witness a geological wonder； The rocks here are still eroding（被侵蚀）at a rate of 1 inch per year, which is a rapid rate for rocks, according to the National Park Service.
Big Bend
Location ： Texas
Size ： 1,252 square miles
Fact： At remote Big Bend National Park, geological history runs deep： Hundreds of millions of years ago, two inland seas flowed through the region, and as a result, there are thick stores of limestone and shale （页岩）throughout the park.
1. In all the national parks mentioned, visitors can experience the following except____.| A．hiking | B．swimming | C．camping | D．wildlife-spotting |
| A．Acadia | B．Arches | C．American Samoa | D．Badlands |
| A．It has ever-changing rocks. |
| B．It has large amount of limestone. |
| C．It is the only national park in the northeast. |
| D．It has a history of hundred of million years. |
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire (尖顶)• He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin，sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts (桅杆）of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices.
Before building work began, a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.
1. London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ._____
| A．its cost |
| B．its size |
| C．its shape |
| D．its height |
| A．change London’s skyline |
| B．inherit London’s tradition |
| C．imitate the Egyptian style |
| D．attract potential visitors |
| A．is only preferred by the rich |
| B．is intended for wealthy people |
| C．is far away from the poor area |
| D．is popular only with Londoners |
| A．The Shard: Cheers and Claps |
| B．The Shard: Work of a Great Architect |
| C．The Shard: New Symbol of London? |
| D．The Shard: A Change for the Better? |
8 . A high-altitude rescue team has set new standards in the Himalayas this season, performing the highest altitude rescue ever completed. On May 19th, a rescue team successfully got a mountaineer from near Camp 3 at 23,000 feet on Everest (珠穆朗玛峰). The climber named Gautam nearly reached the top but became extremely exhausted and seriously dehydrated (脱水的).
After a difficult and dangerous rescue，the team was able to successfully save Gautam’s life.
In an interview with Moro, the pilot of the rescue team, he said, "You have to be prepared, technically, physically,and also mentally (心理上).” He added, “The aim wasn’t to set a record but to save someone’s life. ”
The team has flown rescue tasks using Nepalese helicopters (直升飞机) for two years but had the idea to create a team with its own helicopter, which has been able to complete this season. The entire operation is privately financed，and according to Moro, “doesn’t cost the Italian or Nepalese tax-payer a single cent.” Moro also flies tasks for the local population for “free or at extremely reduced prices”.
Moro sees potential (潜力) for the increasing number of high altitude Himalayan rescue operations. In the future, he hopes to see more than one team , as well as a specialised team of climbers that would be able to perform rescues at altitudes and in weather condition that are impossible for helicopters.
1. What can we infer about Gautam?| A．He is a lover for mountaineering. |
| B．He lost his life on Himalayas. |
| C．He ever reached the mountain top once. |
| D．He is a leader of a rescue team. |
| A．He can operate the helicopter technically, |
| B．He is generous and helpful to people. |
| C．He makes good preparations for mountaineering. |
| D．He is potential and wealthy. |
| A．Loved by many people | B．Managed in a new way. |
| C．Supported with money. | D．Discovered by chance. |
| A．The Future of High-Altitude Rescue Team |
| B．The successful Flying Task on Himalayas. |
| C．An Interview with an Italian Famous Rescue Team Leader. |
| D．A Daring High-altitude Rescue on Everest Sets a Record. |
9 . Several things Beijingers do during wintertime
In winter, Beijing offers the city’s fun-seekers many appealing options, from royal gardens to winter resorts. Your sweet tooth and palate for fine art can also be satisfied by the abundant choices in food and art exhibitions. Here are some recommendations for you.
The Summer Palace was designed as a summer resort for the Emperor Dowager Cixi in the Qing Dynasty (1644 — 1911). Recently it has attracted thousands of tourists hoping to catch sight of the setting sun shining through the Seventeen-Arch Bridge over the frozen Kunming Lake.
Mutton hot pot with family and friends.
A weekend at Ice skating & ski resorts.
Surrounded by historical mansions and natural beauty, Shichahai is a must-go scenic area in Beijing. In winter, I he frozen lake becomes n giant ice rink (溜冰场), offering skating, sleigh riding and ice bicycles for beginners who don’t want to miss out on the fun.
Hot spring resort getaway.
It is said that a hot spring bath is good for the body and the soul.
Culture tours at museums.
Going to a museum certainly is much nicer and warmer than staying outdoors. Luckily, cultural agencies like the National Museum and the National Art Museum recently displayed several important exhibitions.
| A．Sightseeing at Summer Palace. |
| B．Add ski resorts to your list of fun. |
| C．As winter chill takes hold in Beijing, hot pot becomes more popular. |
| D．As the temperature goes down, swimming turns out to be a good choice. |
| E．No matter whether you are an experienced skier or not, you can make a perfect holiday there. |
| F．For more information, please go to the National Museum and National Art Museum websites. |
| G．For those who search for relaxation from stresses and strains, the city’s hot spring resorts are life-savers. |
10 . Bolivia has a population of three and a half million. About one tenth of the total population are white; one-fourth are mixed Indians and white; and more than half are full-blooded Indians. The government and the industries are under the control of the white people.
The Indians today live in much the same way as their ancestors. Most of them are farmers. Many work in the mines, for mining is the most important industry on Bolivia’s. Of all the mining products, tin is the most important, which makes up three-fourths of all Bolivia’s exports. The eastern slopes of the Andes, since there are very few roads there, are fertile but not highly developed. The two primary means of transportation are river boats and porters. East of the hill region is the great plains where tropical plants are grown. A serious problem for Bolivia is the transport of food from the warm regions, where it is grown, to the mountainous regions, where most of the people live.
Bolivia gained its independence from Spain about a hundred years ago. It has been slow in developing, but its rich resources promise a better future in it.
1. The majority of the Bolivian population are __________.| A．full-blooded Indians | B．mixed Indian and white |
| C．white citizens | D．all whites and mixed-blooded people |
| A．quite different from that of their ancestors | B．quite interesting |
| C．almost the same as their ancestors’ | D．very exciting |
| A．there are thick forests there | B．there are very few roads there |
| C．there are many fine mines there | D．they are not fertile enough |
| A．mining products | B．rich resources |
| C．independence from Spain | D．two primary means of transportation |
