The Dujiangyan Irrigation System is located on the Minjiang River, in the western part of the Chengdu Plain. Constructed around 256 BCE, it remains the world’s
When the annual floods of the Minjiang River caused enormous suffering, the governor Li Bing was so concerned that he made a
The Dujiangyan Irrigation System took almost a generation to complete. Since then, it
2 . From coast to coast, Canada is a beautiful country filled with an endless variety of landscapes and many well-known jewels to explore, which offers a perfect getaway option sure to suit everyone.
VANCOUVER ISLAND, BCVancouver Island is the largest island on the Pacific Coast of North America. This spectacular island offers some awesome adventures, including hiking, diving, surfing and camping. Your weekend getaway to Vancouver Island kicks off with a beautiful ferry ride. The Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay ferry passes close to the beautiful Gulf Islands and rocky coves, so keep an eye out for seals and whales! The trip by car and ferry, or bus and ferry, takes about four hours from downtown Vancouver.
WHISTLER, BCWhistler, one of the largest ski resorts in North America, is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts all year round. From powder hounds (粉雪滑雪) in winter to water sports, biking, and hiking during the summer, there is plenty to explore. In addition, Whistler was a major part of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
KELOWNA, BCKelowna is popular with tourists as it is the premier wine destination in British Columbia. Spending the day tasting the local wines and eating at some of the winery restaurants is a perfect way to enjoy a summer’s day here. Golf, hiking, biking, and boating on the lake are all popular summer activities here as well.
1. What do we know about VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC?| A．It is the largest island of North America. | B．It can be reached by train. |
| C．It is a good place for visitors to camp. | D．It was a major part of the 2010 Winter Olympics. |
| A．Hiking. | B．Biking. | C．Diving. | D．Skiing. |
| A．Research paper. | B．Travel brochure. | C．Geography textbook. | D．Travel journal. |
1. Where is Newcastle?
| A．On the River Tyne. |
| B．On the Thames. |
| C．In the north of England. |
| A．One. | B．Five. | C．Ten. |
| A．Shipbuilding. | B．Coal-mining. | C．Chemical and soap industries. |
| A．Because of the special name. |
| B．Because of the wide and beautiful countryside. |
| C．Because of the wild and nice countryside with hills and streams. |
The Grand Tang Mall in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, offers a fascinating experience that transports visitors back to the Tang Dynasty. Even after 10 p. m. on weekdays, the pedestrian area comes alive
Inspired by the glamour of the Tang Dynasty, the Grand Tang Mall continues to create new productions
Over the last two decades, one village
Thanks to
The resort has also been upgraded to offer better tourist services. Visitors do not need to line up
Next summer, Shuangfeng is going to build healthcare and study-tour centers
The resort has continued to gain popularity among
6 . The 187-foot-tall Tower of Pisa is famous all over the world mainly because it leans (倾斜). For many years, people believed that the tower’s designer intended it to lean. As it turns out, though, the tower’s lean is an accident caused by poor planning. The Tower of Pisa was constructed (建造) on a riverbed of sand and clay (黏土) that was not strong enough to support a building so tall and heavy.
Construction of the tower began in 1173. Because Pisa experienced several wars, the tower wasn’t completed until 1350. Only a few years after the construction started, people could see that the first three floors of the tower were already leaning. As the next three floors were added, builders purposefully built them with one side higher than the other to try to correct the lean. This resulted in the tower leaning in the opposite direction
Fortunately for the people of Pisa, the long delays (耽搁) during construction gave the structure time to settle and the ground to become compacted (结实的). This mad the foundation (地基) stronger over time, which is the main reason why the tower never fell over. For hundreds of years, the tower was indeed falling. It would lean one more inch about every 20 years. In the end, in 1990, it was closed to the public for fear that a large group of people at the top would weigh enough to make it fall down.
From 1990 to 2001, engineers from around the world helped balance the tower After several unsuccessful attempts at a solution, engineers finally came up with a plan that worked. They slowly removed ground under the high side of the tower. When they had finished, they had returned it to the position it held in about 1838—the tower had been straightened by nearly 16 inches. Except a sudden great disaster, such as a earthquake, engineers believe the tower is safe for another 300 years now.
1. What does the author try to explain about the Tower of Pisa in Paragraph 1?| A．Why it leans. | B．Why it was built. |
| C．Why it is famous. | D．Why it stopped leaning. |
| A．It was completed in 1173. | B．It began to be built in 1350. |
| C．It was seen leaning after 1173. | D．It was repaired every 20 years. |
| A．The special structure. | B．The timely protection. |
| C．The skill of the builders. | D．The long time of building. |
| A．When does the Tower of Pisa lean? |
| B．Is the leaning Tower of Pisa falling? |
| C．When was the leaning Tower of Pisa built? |
| D．How did the leaning Tower of Pisa get its name? |
7 . The Best Caves in The World
Hang Son Doong, Vietnam
Natural caves don’t come much larger than Hang Son Doong, close to the border between Laos and Vietnam. This cave possesses the largest cross-section of any known cave on the planet, a vast area that is difficult to describe. Supposedly, a Boeing 747 could fly through without damaging its wings, but that doesn’t really do justice to the vastness of Hang Son Doong. The stalactites (钟乳石) here are pretty massive too, with some reaching up to 80 metres.
Waitomo Caves, New Zealand
Glowworms (萤火虫) are there, as far as the eye can see. Okay, not literally, but the Waitomo Cave system on New Zealand’s North Island is best-known for the fluorescent fauna that light up the walls, giving it the not-particularly-creative but completely acceptable “Glowworm Caves” nickname. They are more accessible than other caves on this list, with rafting and adventure tours available to those looking for something a little more thrilling.
Mammoth Cave, the USA
If you have certain expectations from somewhere called “Mammoth Cave”, that is entirely understandable. Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the world’s longest known cave system, an incredible 420 miles of underground wonder. That’s twice as long as the next longest, by the way, although it isn’t unusual for the USA to go all out on such things.
Reed Flute (芦笛) Cave, China
Named after the reeds that grow outside, which are used to make flutes, obviously, the Reed Flute Cave’s walls are covered with inscriptions from centuries gone by—if evidence was needed that people have been paying attention to this place for a long old time. The inside part of the cave is also lit up by multicoloured lights, giving it a real otherworldly theme that adds weight to the nickname.
1. What is special about Hang Son Doong?| A．It was once a base of a factory. |
| B．It is the deepest cave in the world. |
| C．It has the highest stalactites in the world. |
| D．It owns the largest cross-section in the world. |
| A．Hang Son Doong. | B．Waitomo Caves. |
| C．Mammoth Cave. | D．Reed Flute Cave. |
| A．Vietnam. | B．New Zealand. | C．The USA. | D．China. |
8 . Ever since the 1960s, seismologist（地震学家）on multiple continents have detected a mysterious pulse that every 26 seconds. But in the last 60 years no one has been able to figure out what this sound actually is.
The “heartbeat of the Earth” was first recorded in 1962, by John Oliver, a researcher at the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia University. Then, in 1980, Gary Holcomb a geologist with the U. S. Geological Survey, also discovered the mysterious pulse. But for some reason, the two researchers' discoveries remained virtually unknown for over two decades, until a graduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder once again detected the "heartbeat" and decided to look into it.
Mike Ritzwoller, a seismologist at the University of Colorado, did a lot of work with his colleague, but they were never able to explain what it actually was.
One theory claims that it's caused by waves, while another states that it's due to volcanic activity. The wave theory dates back to 2011, when Garrett Euler, a graduate student at Washington University in St. Louis, tied the origin of the pulse to a part of the Gulf of Guinea called the Bight of Bonny. According to him, when waves hit the continental shelf, the pressure deforms the ocean floor, causing pulses that reflect the wave pattern. Euler's theory was believable, but not everyone was convinced by it. In 2013, Yingjie Xia, a researcher from the Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics in Wuhan, China, suggested that the source of the 26-second pulse was volcanic activity. His theory made sense as well. But neither of the two theories fully explain the pulse.
Why does the 26-second pulse only occur in the Bight of Bonny? Waves hit coastlines all over the world, and there are plenty of other regions with seismic activity, so what is so special about this place? Well, that's one question that no one has ever answered. And it's not just that it's a tough puzzle to solve, but also that seismologists don't really seem interested in it.
1. What can be inferred about the “heartbeat of the Earth” from the passage?| A．Researchers have found out exactly what it is. |
| B．It was first detected in 1962 by Gary Holcomb. |
| C．It can only be felt when you are in the Bight of Bonny. |
| D．It wasn't until the 2000s that it caught people's attention. |
| A．How these two theories came about. |
| B．An explanation of Euler's wave theory. |
| C．Two theories about what causes the pulse. |
| D．Why these two theories are not convincing enough. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Curious. | C．Anxious. | D．Amused. |
| A．Earth's Heartbeat—A Mysterious Sound |
| B．Two Theories Related to Earth's Heartbeat |
| C．Bight of Bonny—Home to Earth’s Heartbeat |
| D．The Reason Why Earth's Heartbeat Happens |
These gingko (银杏树) trees are really old, older even than the city of Xuzhou in northwest Jiangsu Province. Xuzhou, the
The home, or specifically Pizhou, quite some way to the east of Xuzhou, is situated at the “tail” of
The so-called “Pizhou Gingko Time Tunnel” shall
In Tongshan New Area, gingko trees
10 . Today, there is no list of all of the wonders of the modern world. Still, there are some interesting buildings or landmarks that are called wonders. These landmarks are easily recognized by people everywhere. Here are some of them.
The Taj Mahal
Built: AD. 1631-1648
The Taj Mahal in India is made of white marble and precious stones. About 20,000 people worked to build this giant tomb for the King’s wife.
The Great Wall of China
Built: Some sections were started around the 600 B.C but most of the Great Wall was built between 1386 and 1536. This outstanding wall is over 6,300 kilometers long and was built to keep out invaders (入侵者).
The Statue of Liberty
People everywhere recognize this statue, Inspired by the Colossus of Rhades it stands over 45 meters tall. The French gave it to the United States as a gift of friendship in 1886. It stands in New York Harbor and represents freedom.
The Great Pyramid of Giza
It is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. The pyramid was built as a tomb for the fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek) and constructed over a 20-year period concluding around 2560 B.C.
The Channel Tunnel
Built: AD.1986-1994
Three tunnels, which run mostly under the sea bed connect England and France, A high-speed train journey to Paris from London takes about three hours.
These sites and structures are just a few that are on the voting list as possibilities for the modern-day wonders of the world. Which of them would you vote for?
1. Which of the following is the youngest?| A．The Taj Mahal. | B．The Great Wall of China. |
| C．The Great Pyramid of Giza. | D．The Channel Tunnel. |
| A．France. | B．America. | C．India. | D．Egypt. |
| A．For visit. | B．For safety. | C．For transportation. | D．For hunt. |
| A．They were built as tombs. | B．They were built as gifts. |
| C．They belong to the same country. | D．They are not in use now. |
