A. double B. intense C. pressures D. stock E. agriculture F. trapped G. withdrawal H. availability I. drive J. expanding K. rising |
Throughout history, people have fought bitter wars over political ideology, national sovereignty and religious expression. How much more
Less than three percent of the planet’s
Global
A. magical B. cultural C. meets D. built E. strong F. damaged G. entrance H. views I. calendar J. ranked K. lit |
A long red bridge stretches out across water. It runs across the Golden Gate. This is not the
Welcome to San Francisco, a place famous for its beautiful parks, hilly streets and lovely beaches. But the bridge is undoubtedly the most well-known symbol of the city. Before its completion in 1937, the bridge was considered impossible to build because of the foggy weather, powerful winds, and
San Francisco
According to the census, 21 percent of the city’s population was made up of Chinese people. San Francisco’s Chinatown is the largest outside of Asia and the oldest in North America. Two traditional festivals, the Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, are the biggest events of the year on the city’s
If yellow cabs are a key part of New York city life, then the cable car is San Francisco’s equivalent. The first cable car came into public service in 1873, and the slow and noisy vehicle has been a symbol of the city ever since. The cable car network was once
Now rewind this picture 1,839 years. You are in the same seat, only you are watching classical Greek entertainment.
The city of Athens is a fun mix of the old and the new, the classic and the modern. Often a little shop is located next to the ruins of a temple, which is only a block from a large, air-conditioned hotel. The great city of 2,500 years ago is still visible today.
Ruins are the most obvious sign of ancient Athens, and the most famous of these is the Acropolis(卫城). The Acropolis is a large hill that was the center of life in Athens. On its slopes were temples, monuments, and theaters. From the top, you can see how the urban area of Athens stretches out in every direction.
On the top of the Acropolis is the Parthenon. This was once a huge temple to Athena, the city’s patron. It was first completed in 432 B.C., but has been damaged and destroyed several times. However, visitors can still see the “tricks” used in building the Parthenon. The columns along the outside lean inward, and are slightly fatter in the middle. The temple is also higher in the middle than on the sides. All these effects make the Parthenon look perfectly straight from a distance.
Only a block away from the Acropolis is the neighborhood of Plaka. The area, with its little shops and restaurants, is very popular with both tourists and locals, and is an important part of modern Athenian culture. Many great thinkers, writers, and political leaders lived in ancient Athens. The ruins of their homes and favorite spots are scattered throughout the busy port city. The hill where St. Paul addressed early Christian Athenians is located near the Acropolis. Great thinkers such as Perikles and Demosthenes spoke to the civil assemblies held at the Pnyx Hill. Today the Pnyx is an open-air theater for light and sound shows.
Tourism is very important to people who live in modern-day Athens. Thousands of people come every year to see these ruins and to tour the many museums that house artifacts from ancient times. This provides many jobs and brings money into Athens, which helps the city pay for improvements. Athenians take pride in the accomplishments of their ancestors, and people from all around the world come to admire them. By looking around the city today, we can imagine what life was like in ancient Athens.
1. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about the city of Athens?A.The culture of the city is a mixture of the old and modern. |
B.Traces of the ancient city can still be found |
C.Ruins and modern hotels co-exist in the city. |
D.All the temples are not far away from air-conditioned hotels. |
A.naughty acts | B.confusing constructing skills |
C.skillful constructing methods | D.constructing materials |
A.offering job opportunities to Athenians |
B.enriching Athenians by providing accommodation for tourists |
C.enabling Athenians to improve the infrastructures |
D.making Athenians proud of their ancestors |
A.Tourism in Athens | B.Athens: Then and Now |
C.Historic Interests in Athens | D.The Magic of Ancient Athens |
4 . Hunting to Farming Is Not Necessarily Good
A. support B. effectiveness C. expanding D. escape E. reached F. questioning G. switched H. control I. recording J. allowed K. inferring |
Shifting from hunting to farming made life 50 percent more difficult for humans, a study by Cambridge University suggests. Although farming
“For a long time, the shift from hunting to farming was assumed to represent progress, allowing people to
Previous studies suggested the adoption of farming grew up to help cope with
1.
A.A promotion of outdoor clothes. | B.An introduction of West Virginia. |
C.A weekend vacation to a famous resort. | D.A free trip to an unknown destination. |
A.Regretful. | B.Frustrating. | C.Worthwhile. | D.Comfortable. |
A.Mystery trips. | B.Outdoor adventures. | C.Social media. | D.Travel destinations. |
Shanghai—an important center of economy, technology, information and culture.
As a noted historic and culture city, Shanghai attracts millions of tourists from home and abroad
The most attractive work of architecture is no other than the Oriental Pearl TV Tower
7 . Tayka Hotel De Sal
Where: Tahua, Bolivia
How much: About $95 a night
Why it’s cool: You’ve stayed at hotels made of brick or wood, but salt? That’s something few can claim. Tayka Hotel de Sal is made totally of salt - including the beds (though you’ll sleep on regular mattresses and blankets). The hotel sits on the Salar de Uyuni, a prehistoric dried-up lake that’s the world’s biggest salt flat. Builders use the salt from the 4,633-square-mile flat to make the bricks, and glue them together with a paste of wet salt that hardens when it dries. When rain starts to dissolve the hotel, the owners just mix up more salt paste to strengthen the bricks.
Green Magic Nature Resort
Where: Vythiri, India
How much: About $240 a night
Why it’s cool: Riding a pulley (滑轮) -operated lift 86 feet to your treetop room is just the start of your adventure. As you look out of your open window - there is no glass! -you watch monkeys and birds in the rain forest canopy. Later you might test your fear of heights by crossing the handmade rope bridge to the main part of the hotel, or just sit on your bamboo bed and read. You don’t even have to come down for breakfast - the hotel will send it up on the pulley-drawn “elevator”.
Dog Bark Park Inn B&B
Where: Cottonwood, Idaho
How much: $92 a night
Why it’s cool: This doghouse isn’t just for the family pet. Sweet Willy is a 30-foot-tall dog with guest rooms in his belly. Climb the wooden stairs beside his hind leg to enter the door in his side. You can relax in the main bedroom, go up a few steps to the loft in Willy’s head, or hang out inside his nose. Although you have a full private bathroom in your quarters, there is also a toilet in the 12-foot-tall fire hydrant outside.
Gamirasu Cave Hotel
Where: Ayvali, Turkey
How much: Between $130 and $475 a night.
Why it’s cool: This is caveman cool! Experience what it was1 like 5,000 years ago, when people lived in these mountain caves formed by volcanic ash. But your stay will be much more modern. Bathrooms and electricity provide what you expect from a modern hotel, and the white volcanic ash, called tufa, keeps the rooms cool, about 65 ℉ in summer. (Don’t worry - there is heat in winter.)
1. Which of the following about Tayka Hotel de Sal is true?A.The hotel is the cheapest among the four mentioned. | B.Everything in the hotel is made of salt. |
C.The glue can prevent the rain from dissolving the hotel. | D.It is located on a prehistoric dried-up lake. |
A.The building of Dog Bark Park Inn B& | B.B. The name of a pet dog of the hotel owner. |
C.The name of the hotel. | D.The name of the hotel owner. |
A.Tayka Hotel De Sal | B.Green Magic Nature Resort |
C.Dog Bark Park Inn B&B | D.Gamirasu Cave Hotel |
8 . Washington, D.C. Bicycle Tours
Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.
Duration: 3 hours
This small group bike tour is a fantastic way to see a world-famous cherry trees with beautiful flowers of Washington, D.C. Your guide will provide a history lesson about the trees and the famous monuments where they blossom. Reserve your spot before availability — the cherry blossoms—disappear!
Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour
Duration: 3 hours (4 miles)
Join a guided bike tour and view some of the most popular monuments in Washington, D.C. Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall as your guide shares unique facts and history at each stop. Guided tour includes bike, helmet, cookies and bottled water.
Capital City Bike Tour In Washington, D.C.
Duration: 3 hours
Morning or Afternoon, this bike tour is the perfect tour for D. C. newcomers and locals looking to experience Washington, D.C. in a healthy way with minimum effort. Knowledgeable guides will entertain you with the most, interesting stories about Presidents, Congress, memorials, and parks. Comfortable bikes and a smooth tour route(路线) make cycling between the sites fun and relaxing.
Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour
Duration: 3 hours (7miles)
Join a small group bike tour for an evening of exploration in the heart of Washington, D.C. Get up close to the monuments and memorials as you bike the sites of Capitol Hill and the National Mall. Frequent stops are made for photo taking as your guide offers unique facts and history. Tour includes bike, helmet, and bottled water. All riders are equipped with reflective vests and safety lights.
1. Which tour do you need to book in advance?A.Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C. |
B.Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour. |
C.Capital City Bike Tour in Washington. |
D.Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour. |
A.Meet famous people. | B.Go to a national park. |
C.Visit well-known museums. | D.Enjoy interesting stories. |
A.City maps. | B.Cameras. |
C.Meals. | D.Safety lights. |
After World War II, the population of most large American cities decreased; however, the population in many Sun Belt cities increased. Los Angeles and Houston are cities where population shifts(转移) to and from the city reflect the changing values of American society. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, city residents(居民) became wealthier. They had more children so they needed more space. They moved out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes. They bought houses in the suburbs(郊区)。
Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults. Many, unlike their parents, want to live in the cities. They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest. Many young professionals are moving back into the city. They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there; or they just enjoy the excitement and possibilities that the city offers.
This population shift is bringing problems as well as benefits. Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent. In the 1950s, many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs; now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities.
Only a few years ago, people thought that the older American cities were dying. Some city residents now see a bright, new future. Others see only problems and conflicts. One thing is sure: many dying cities are alive again.
1. What does the author think of cities all over the world?
A.They are alive. | B.They are hopeless. |
C.They are similar. | D.They are different. |
A.Because older American cities were dying. |
B.Because they were richer and needed more space. |
C.Because cities contained the worst parts of society. |
D.Because they could hardly afford to live in the city. |
A.are faced with housing problems | B.are forced to move to the suburbs |
C.want to sell their buildings | D.need more money for daily expenses |
A.American cities are changing for the worse |
B.people have different views on American cities |
C.many people are now moving from American cities |
D.the population is decreasing in older American cities |