1 . 72 hours in Beijing

Traveling to China is no longer a luxury for many foreign passport holders. The Chinese government has permitted a 72-hour visa free policy that offers access to visitors from 53 countries including the US, France and Austria. Let’s start with the capital of China, Beijing. Here’s a pick of the best in Beijing.

Mutianyu Great Wall

Your trip to Beijing isn’t really complete without seeing one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World” — the Great Wall of China. The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is by far the most well-preserved of all. Taking a one-hour bus ride, Mutianyu would be your ideal location for a half-day of hiking away from the large crowds in the city. Also, the authorities have allowed tourists to paint graffiti on a specific section of the Great Wall since 2014. The Great Wall was designated (把……定名为) a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

Summer Palace

Located in northwestern Beijing, the Summer Palace is by far the city’s most well-preserved royal park. With its huge lake and hilltop views, the palace offers you a pastoral escape into the landscape of traditional Chinese paintings. The Summer Palace was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.

798 Art Zone

This would be on the top of my list! Named after the 798 factory that was built in the 1950s, the art zone is home to various galleries, design studios, art exhibition spaces, fashionable shops and bars. You could easily spend half your day wandering around the complex, feeling the contrast of the present and the past.

Sichuan Provincial Restaurant

While in Beijing, apart from trying the city’s best-known Peking duck, the Sichuan provincial restaurant is one of places where you can enjoy regional delicious food. It offers one of China’s eight great cuisines, Sichuan Cuisine, which ranges from Mapo tofu to spicy chicken.

1. When was the Summer Palace added to the UNESCO World Heritage List?

A．In 1950.	B．In 1987.
C．In 1998.	D．In 2014.

2. Which place is the author’s first choice when visiting Beijing?

A．Mutianyu Great Wall.	B．798 Art Zone.
C．Summer Palace.	D．Sichuan Provincial Restaurant.

3. Who is the passage intended for?

A．The tourists who prefer to travel for free.

B．The foreigners to stay in Beijing for 4 days.

C．The visitors coming from every corner of China.

D．The foreigners coming to Beijing for the first time.

2 . The Silk Road is arguably the most famous long-distance trade route of the ancient world. This passage connected Europe in the West with China in the East, and allowed the exchange of goods, technology, and ideas between the two civilizations. Although merchants could make huge profits travelling the road, it was not without risk.

The main Silk Road started in Chang’an (known today as Xi’an), the early Han capital. Travelers commencing their journey from this city could take a northern route that would take them across China’s northwestern provinces. After this, they would face the Gobi Desert, arguably the greatest danger of the Silk Road.

The Gobi Desert, the largest desert in Asia, consists mainly of rocky, hard earth. This feature made it easier for traders to travel across, compared to sandy deserts like the neighboring Taklamakan Desert. Like other deserts, the Gobi Desert is dry and hot, and therefore the biggest challenge travelers faced was obtaining enough water for themselves as well as for their camels.

So, rest stops were created along the route, allowing travelers to rest, eat and drink. These places also promoted the exchange of goods, and even ideas, amongst the travelers who stopped there. Usually, the rest stops were placed within a day’s journey of each other. In this way, travelers could avoid spending too much time in the desert, which would make them targets for robbers, another danger of the Silk Road.

Once through the Gobi Desert, travelers would continue their journey into Iran, Turkey, and finally Europe. While this part of the journey may have been less dangerous, it is not entirely without its perils (风险).

1. The underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refers to _________.

A．making huge profits	B．traveling the Silk Road
C．exchanging goods and ideas	D．connecting different civilizations

2. Why was the Gobi Desert easier to cross than other deserts?

A．The desert’s surface was easier to walk on.

B．Camels for transportation were easier to find.

C．It was smaller and could be crossed in less time.

D．There were more natural water sources available.

3. What can we guess about the rest stops in the Gobi Desert?

A．Travelers were offered free accommodation.

B．They were located around the edges of the desert.

C．They were shared by travelers from different countries.

D．Exchanging goods and ideas there was entirely without risk.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The origins of the Silk Road.

B．The benefits of the Silk Road.

C．The difficulties faced by Silk Road travelers.

D．The cultural exchanges among Silk Road travelers.

3 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填写1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Windsor Castle is surrounded by a lot of green gardens in the English countryside. It looks out onto the River Thames and sits next     1     a hunting ground. It was built just outside of London     2     (protect) the capital from the enemies on the west side.

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest castle     3     (occupy) in the world. The castle has a long, rich and troubled history.     4     the castle walls could talk, they’d have many stories to tell.

Kings were born and     5     (die) here. It’s been used as the home of kings and queens for centuries. However, it was also used as a prison during the English Civil War II, the royal family     6    (secret) slept at Windsor Castle because it was safer than London’s urban areas.

Today, Windsor Castle is the private home of Queen Elizabeth II. When she doesn’t meet guests at Buckingham Palace, she goes to Windsor Castle.     7     that’s not all. Windsor Castle is open to the public. It is now one of England's most popular tourist     8     (attract). Visitors can look at some of the finest artworks,     9     (include) the paintings of Rembrandt as well as the well-kept gardens. Is there a better way to learn about England     10     to enjoy some of the country’s finest scenery?

4 . Have you ever been into a cave? If not, please follow us and explore some of the most beautiful caves from around the world!

Marble Caves

Located in the center of Lake General Carrera, the Marble Caves in Chico, Chile, are only accessible by boat. The surrounding crystal clear waters allow visitors to see the rock formations beneath them while the rock ceilings above change color(depending on the writer levels and the season). The best time to visit: during sunrise and sunset, when the sun’s rays light up the cave walls, making it an experience to remember.

Reed Flute Cave

Reed F1ute Cave known as “the Palace of Natural Arts” is located in the northwest of Guilin in southern China.The limestone cave offers a grand fairyland of stalactites(钟乳石), stone pillars, stone curtains, birds, plants and animals in fantastic shapes and colors.

Fingal’s Cave

This incredible sea cave is located on the uninhabited island of Staffa in Scotland. The cave’s size, shape, and naturally—arched(拱形的) roof combine with the waves to create strange sounds that enhance its cathedral—like atmosphere.

The Blue Grotto

The Blue Grotto is the symbol of Capri. It is a sea cave found on the coast of the island and is a well-known spot to all who visit the area. This cave is unique for its brilliant blue light which comes from two sources: the entrance to the cave and a bigger hole beneath the entrance. When viewed from inside the cave, the entrance appears as a brilliant white light just above the waterline, while the underwater hole, which is the larger source of light, provides a blue light.

1. Why is sunset the best time to visit Marble Caves?

A．Because it has enough light in it.

B．Because it has the most beautiful scenery.

C．Because it is surrounded by clear waters.

D．Because boats are only available at sunset.

2. Which cave will you go to if you want to enjoy the strange sound?

A．Reed F1ute Cave.	B．Marble Caves.
C．The Blue Grotto.	D．Fingal’s Cave.

3. What is special about the Blue Grotto?

A．C1ear waters.	B．Various birds and animals.
C．Bright blue light.	D．Strange shapes.

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。

Located in the northwest of Hunan Province, about 300 kilometers away from Changsha, capital of Hunan, Zhangjiajie,     1     covers a total area of 9,563 square kilometers, is a tourist city for its unique natural scenery and abundant tourism resources. Zhangjiajie     2    (award) the title of “World Geological Park” in 2004.     3     (actual), Zhangjiajie, honored as “the most fantastic mountain under heaven” and “a walking Chinese landscape painting”, is also widely praised as “    4     enlarged potted landscaping” “a mini fairyland” and “a maze (迷宫) of nature”, attracting a growing number of tourists     5     home and abroad.

Since it was discovered in the 1980s, tourism industry     6     (become) the leading industry in Zhangjiajie, which has stimulated the development of other industries     7     (relate) to tourism. At the same time, eco-tourism has been developed rapidly in Zhangjiajie. When you come to Zhangjiajie, you can fully appreciate     8       (it) magnificent natural scenery and experience appealing folk custom as well as other thrilling tourist     9     (activity), and you will be deeply impressed by     10     is performed by the minorities there.

It must be an exciting, joyful and unforgettable tour to Zhangjiajie.

6 . Considering Australia' s size and the fact that early settlements were far apart, Australian society is remarkably homogeneous ( 同种的). Its citizens are fundamentally prosperous and the way of life in the major cities and towns is much the same however many miles divide them__________________________.
However, there is some difference in lifestyle between city settlers and the country people. Almost 90 percent of the population lives in the fast-paced cities along the coast andhas little more than a passing familiarity with the desert. The major cities preserve images of colonial heritage, but on the whole the impression is modern, with new buildings reflecting the country' s youth. In contrast, the rural communities tend to be slow-moving and conservative. For many years, Australia was said to have "ridden on the sheep' s back" , a reference to wool being the country' s main money earner. However, it is no longer dominant (主宰的). Much of Australia' s relatively sound economy is now achieved from natural coal and wheat, and by being the largest diamond producer in the world. Newer industries such as tourism and wine making are also increasingly important. Australians are generally friendly and relaxed, with a modest sense of humor.
Yet, contrary to widespread belief, very few Australians have true prisoner origins. Within only one generation of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Australia had become a nation of immigrants. Originally coming almost entirely from the British Isles, today one in three Australians comes from elsewhere. Australia' s liberal postwar immigration policies led to a flowing of survivors from war-torn Europe. The emphasis has changed in recent years and today the majority of new immigrants are from Southeast Asia. Today Australia is a "mixture of nations" and although some racism exists, it has generally been a successful experiment and the country is reasonably proud to have one of the most harmonious multicultural communities in the world.
1. What does the writer mean by saying "It takes a sharp ear to identify regional accents." in the first paragraph?

A．Australians speak Standard English with no local accents.

B．You have to practice a lot to learn to understand the different accents.

C．The Australian regional accents are very difficult to understand indeed.

D．There is not much difference between the accents in different areas of Australia.

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Most Australians have ancestors who were prisoners.

B．The Australian economy counts on sheep exports.

C．The pace of life is different in the city and in the country.

D．The majority of people living in Australia come from Europe.

3. We can infer from the passage that ____.

A．nothing about Australia' s colonial part in modern cities can be seen by visitors

B．tourism and wine making resulted in fast development in rural communities only

C．immigrants from Europe have brought racial problems

D．Australia' s recent immigration policy encourages immigrants from Southeast Asia

4. This passage mainly focuses on Australia’s_______________.

A．society	B．economy
C．racial problems	D．history