2 . Bangkok’s Grand Palace is the busiest tourist stop in the city. People keep coming because the Grand Palace could arguably be called the birthplace of Bangkok

How to Get to the Grand Palace

Making your own way to the Grand Palace in Bangkok is more enjoyable and rewarding. Moving around by river taxi is inexpensive. Additionally, you’ll have a good excuse to see the Chao Phraya River up close. Going by boat won’t make you caught in traffic jams. It will let you see beautiful river scenery!

People staying in the Khao San Road area may choose to walk (around 20 — 25 minutes) to the Grand Palace.

Opening Hours

The Grand Palace is open seven days a week from 8:30 a. m. until 3:30 p. m. Occasionally, the Grand Palace does actually close for official visits and state functions. However, this is rare. Don’t believe any driver who states the Grand Palace is closed. If the statement of closure is too convincing, confirm it by calling: +6626235500 ext.3100.

Entrance Fees

Considering that temples in Thailand are often free, the 500 baht (around $16) per person entrance fee at the Grand Palace is relatively expensive. Thai nationals do not have to pay. An audio tour can be rented for an additional 200 baht. Besides, human guides are available for hire. Choose an official guide rather than accepting someone’s offer on the outside.

Dress Standards at the Grand Palace

To show enough respect, you shouldn’t wear sleeveless shirts in any temple or state building in Thailand. But unlike many of the other temples, dress standards are strictly required at the Grand Palace.

Men must wear long trousers, women must cover legs to just above the knee.

Don’t wear shirts with religious themes or symbols of death on them.

You may be told outside that flip-flops (人字拖鞋) are unacceptable footwear.

1. What do you know about the river taxi to the Grand Palace?

A．It is the only way to get to the Grand Palace

B．It is difficult for visitors to jump on and off it.

C．It is safe, clean and affordable for most visitors.

D．It allows visitors to avoid traffic jams and enjoy river scenery.

2. What should visitors do if they’re told the Grand Palace is closed?

A．They’d better call to confirm the information.

B．They should call off their trips immediately.

C．They should wait until the Grand Palace reopens.

D．They should believe the statements and change the trips.

3. What can we infer from paragraph 5?

A．The Grand Palace provides an audio tour free.

B．Not all people need to buy tickets to the Grand Palace.

C．Guides outside the Grand Palace are more professional.

D．The locals always guide visitors voluntarily during the holiday season.

4. Which of the following tourists clothing meets the requirements?

A．Mr Green, from the USA, wearing flip-flops and a T-shirt.

B．Alice, 16 years old, wearing a sleeveless shirt and a miniskirt.

C．Mark, wearing a long-sleeved shirt, long trousers and sports shoes.

D．John, wearing a hat and a shirt with religious symbols.

5. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To encourage more people to visit Bangkok.

B．To introduce some palaces in Bangkok to readers.

C．To introduce some activities of the Grand Palace.

D．To provide guidance on visiting the Grand Palace.

3 . 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。

More than 500 pieces of relics    1    (discover) in recent months at the legendary Sanxingdui Ruins site in Southwest China’s Sichuan province, dazzling archaeologists with their historical value as well as the display of creativity.

The relics, discovered at the six new sacrificial pits of the ruins, include golden masks, jade and ivory artifacts and bronze wares    2    were delicately built and    3    (unique) shaped, said the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration.

The new finds bring the total number of items discovered at Sanxingdui to nearly 2,000    4    the excavation (挖掘) of No.3 to No.8 sacrificial pits began in October last year.

“The new discoveries demonstrate once again that    5    (imagine) and creativity of the ancient Chinese far surpassed    6    people today have expected,” said Tang Fei, chief of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute.

Tang added that the excavation of the new pits has entered a critical stage,    7    more items yet to be unearthed and expected to challenge the    8    (convention) wisdom of archaeologists.

Originally discovered in the late 1920s, the Sanxingdui Ruins have been referred to as one of the world’s greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century.

Located in the city of Guanghan, around 60 km from the provincial capital Chengdu, the ruins covering    9    area of 12 square km are believed to be the remains of the Shu Kingdom,    10    (date) back some 4,500 to 3,000 years.

5 . 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

2. Which of the following was designed by an Italian architect?

A．Shakespeare's Globe.	B．Margravial Opera House.
C．Teatro Amazonas.	D．National Centre for the Performing Arts.

3. How is National Centre for the Performing Arts special?

A．It features modern architecture.	B．It receives worldwide supplies.
C．It is a multifunctional theatre	D．It matches its surroundings.

6 . 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。

Originally constructed around 256 BCE by the State of Qin     1     an irrigation and flood control system, Dujiangyan is a remarkable example of ancient engineering skill and is still     2     use today.

During the Warring States period, people who lived along the banks of the Min River     3     (trouble) by annual flooding. Qin governor and irrigation engineer Li Bing investigated the problem thoroughly. He led a team     4     (construct) a levee(堤坝) to redirect a part of the river’s flow. Then they cut     5     channel through Mount Yulei to let the water flow through it. After the system was finished , no more floods     6     (occur). What’s more, it made Sichuan one of the most productive agricultural     7     (region) in China because the redirected water from the Min River could be used for irrigation. If you visit Dujiangyan, you will see an     8    (usual) construction that looks like a fish’s mouth. This famous attraction, Yuzui, together with two other important parts, namely, Feishayan and Baopingkou, was     9     (scientific) designed to control the water flow throughout the year.

    10     (recognize) as a UNESCO heritage site, Dujiangyan has irrigated farms while preventing floods for over 2,000 years.

7 . About one million years ago, the Ice Age began. The Ice Age was a long period of time in which four great glaciers (冰川) pushed southward to cover almost all the upper half of North America, and then melted away. Each glacier was a thick sheet of ice and snow that spread out from a center near what is now Hudson Bay in Canada. The winters were long, and the cool summers were too short to melt much of the ice and snow, The ever - growing sheet built up to a thickness of two miles at its center.

As all glaciers do, these great glaciers slid. They pushed down giant trees in their paths and scraped (刮, 削) the earth bare of soil. Many animals moved farther south to escape. Others stayed and were destroyed.

When winters of little snow came, the summer suns shone into the edges to the ice sheets. As the glaciers melted, rocks, soil and other things that had mixed with the ice and snow were left. New hills, lakes and rivers were formed.

The last of the great glaciers began its melting about 11000 years ago. Its melting formed the Great Lakes. These lakes are today little changed from their early sizes and shapes. The largest of the North American river systems Was also influenced by the glaciers. This is the Mississippi - Missouri - Ohio system. These rivers were miles wide a first. Through the years they settle into their present channels.

1. The main idea of this passage is ________ .

A．the Ice Age was a long period of time

B．great glaciers covered North America many years ago

C．changes in climate helped to melt the glaciers

D．how glaciers changed North America

2. The author states that all glaciers ________ .

A．are two miles thick	B．form frozen lakes
C．are a million years old	D．move and slide

3. From the information in this passage we know that ________ .

A．the sliding of glaciers are usually destructive

B．all glaciers in the world move southward

C．the Mississippi - Missouri - Ohio system is larger than it was before the ice Age

D．the Great Lakes are now smaller than they were before the ice Age

4. In the last sentence the word “their” refer to         .

A．lakes

B．rivers

C．glaciers

D．systems

8 . 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，并将答案填写在答题卡上。

The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces(梯田), in southern Yunnan, China, cover a huge 16, 603-hectare area. The terraces,     1    (know)to all of the world now, were made out of a thick forest by the Hani people. The terraces rise at different angles from a shallow 15°    2     a steep 75°, forming a wonderful landscape(景观)that     3    (be)rare in the world.

In 2003, the terraced fields were     4    (official)recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site. About 1,300 years ago, the Hani people first     5    (come)to the steep mountains. They struggled against the difficult terrain(地形), successfully creating the terraces, where they grew rice in order to make     6    (they) living. Over the past 1,300 years, the Hani people have developed a complex system of channels     7    (bring)water from the forested mountaintops. They show great appreciation for natural phenomena such as rivers, mountains, the sun, fire     8     the moon. They have also created a complete farming system     9     involves cattle, ducks, and fish and supports the     10    (produce)of red rice, the area's main crop.

The landscape changes through the year. In April the terraces are all green as rice starts to grow; in later parts of the year it is yellowish brown as the rice ripens. In February, the terraces become bare earth, with the water reflecting(反射)the sky.

9 . Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. Coral reefs support more species per unit area than any other marine (海洋的) environment, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals and hundreds of other species. Scientists estimate that there may be millions of undiscovered species living in and around reefs. This biodiversity is considered the key to finding new medicines for the 21st century. Many drugs are now being developed from coral reef animals and plants as possible cures for cancer, viruses, and other diseases.

Healthy coral reefs support fisheries as well as jobs and businesses through tourism and recreation. About half of all managed fisheries depend on coral reefs and related habitats for a part of their life cycles. The National Marine Fisheries Service estimates the commercial value of U. S. fisheries from coral reefs is over $ 100 million, Local economies receive billions of dollars from visitors to reefs through diving tours, recreational fishing trips, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses based near reef ecosystems.

Coral reef structures also buffer (缓冲) shorelines against 97 percent of the energy from waves, storms, and floods, helping to prevent loss of life, and property damage. When reefs are damaged or destroyed, the absence of this natural barrier can increase the damage to coastal communities from normal wave action and violent storms. Several million people live in U. S. coastal areas near coral reefs. Some coastal development is required to provide necessary infrastructure (基础设施) for coastal residents and the growing coastal tourism industry.

Despite their great economic and recreational value, coral reefs are severely threatened by pollution, disease, and habitat destruction. Once coral reefs are damaged, they are less able to support the many creatures that live on them and the communities near them. When a coral reef supports fewer fish, plants, and animals, it also loses value as a tourist destination.

1. Why is biodiversity important to medicines?

A．It can reduce the prices of new medicines.	B．It can help make new medicines.
C．It can be used for medicines.	D．It can be used to cure diseases.

2. How do coral reefs protect shorelines?

A．They protect people against sharks.	B．They completely avoid serious flooding.
C．They prevent people from being drowned.	D．They weaken most of the energy from waves.

3. What will happen if coral reefs are damaged?

A．Most fish will die out.	B．Coastal cities will attract fewer tourists.
C．There will be no large fish.	D．The sea will be polluted.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Importance of Diverse Ecosystems	B．The Environments of Coral Reefs
C．The Importance of Coral Reefs	D．The Value of Biodiversity

10 . 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。

The Xi’an City Wall is the most complete city wall that has survived China’s long history. It     1     (build) originally to protect the city     2     the Tang dynasty and has now been completely restored (修复). It is possible       3     (walk) or bike the entire 14 kilometers.

We accessed the wall through the South Gate. The wall is 12 meters high and from here you can see streams of people moving inside and outside the City Wall.

After     4     (spend) some time looking at all the defensive equipment at the wall, we decided it was time for some action and what     5     (good) than to ride on a piece of history!

We     6     (hire) our bikes from the rental place at the South Gate. My bike was old and shaky     7     did the job. It took us about 3 hours to go all     8     way around the Xi’an City Wall. Supposedly you can do it in two hours, but we stopped at the different gates and     9     (watchtower) to take pictures or just to watch the local people going about their     10     (day) routines.