1 . The US has countless secret swimming holes throughout most states, many of which you’ve likely never heard of unless you’re from the area.
Havasu Falls (Arizona)
This attractive waterfall in the Grand Canyon is undoubtedly a destination spot requiring a 10-mile walk to the falls. You can take a guided tour to the falls, or make it on your own. The Havasu Falls is on the Havasupai Indian Reservation, which means you’ll need to get a permit to visit — this has become increasingly difficult as more people discover this hidden place.
Hamilton Pool (Austin)
Hamilton Pool was created when an underground river’s roof fell down suddenly, exposing what is now the swimming hole and creating a 50-foot waterfall that flows over the above limestone (石灰岩). You’ll have to reserve beforehand to gain entry to the Hamilton Pool Preserve.
Chutes and Ladders (Maul)
To get to this secret swimming hole, you’ll have to grasp a rope and slide down the face of a cliff for 40 feet, and then climb down about 8 feet of lava rock to the pool. Once there, however, you’ll be glad you have made the journey. The swimming hole is on the edge of the ocean — a natural pool, you could say — with a depth that invites you to jump in without crowds of people around to watch.
Homestead Crater (Utah)
The Homestead Crater is hidden under a rock dome (穹顶) with an opening at the top that allows for sunlight and air. It was once only accessible by that top opening, but there is now easy access through a side path for visitors. Go for a swim in the beautiful mineral spring water.
1. Which of the following do you need an official written statement to visit?| A．Havasu Falls. | B．Hamilton Pool. |
| C．Chutes and Ladders. | D．Homestead Crater. |
| A．A tour guide. | B．An invitation. |
| C．More outdoor skills. | D．A reservation in advance. |
| A．They are hidden in some areas. | B．They are shaped by limestone. |
| C．They are created by local people. | D．They are accessible through a hole. |
2 . Listen carefully. Don’t answer too quickly. At least, don’t say “yes” too soon. A friend might ask, “Want to take a hike?” You should say, “Where?” If he replies “The entire Appalachian Trail (阿巴拉契亚国家步道)”，take warning. Here’s why.
The trail is one of the longest marked footpaths in the world. It starts at Springer Mountain, Georgia. It winds (蜿蜒) along the top of the mountains. It goes through 14 states. It ends at Mount Katahdin, Maine. As the crow(乌鸦)flies, this is about 2,200 miles. But when walked, the trail is 2,600 miles. If you walk nonstop, it takes about six months to walk through the trail.
Most hikers begin from Springer Mountain. They start around April 1. This is why. The snow has probably melted (融化) in the south. But there may still be snow in the north. By the time they reach Maine, the snow will have been long gone. What’s the chance of making it nonstop? Here is the data. About 1,500 people try it each year. About 300 people make it. It is a great challenge.
Careful planning is necessary. There are problems to solve. The biggest one is the weight on one’s back. Too many hikers start out with too much. Wise ones don’t carry food. They send packages to post offices along the way. There are no campfires allowed. Some shelters are near the path. But the trail is crowded. It is hard to find space. A perfect tent is necessary. And it rains a lot. Great rain gear (用具) is needed. It should be light.
Benton MacKaye founded the trail. The first section of the trail was opened in 1923. It is cared for by volunteers in each state. Do you plan to go? Read lots of books by people who’ve done it.
1. What is the example of the crow in Paragraph 2 used to show?| A．The trail’s view. | B．The trail’s height. |
| C．The trail’s danger. | D．The trail’s distance. |
| A．Only about one fifth of the hikers succeed in hiking every year. |
| B．Most hikers spend a whole year hiking the trail. |
| C．It goes through 14 mountains in all. |
| D．It is about 2,200 miles long. |
| A．Carry enough water and food. | B．Wear heavy and warm clothing. |
| C．Bring enough maps and equipment. | D．Send packages along the way ahead of time. |
| A．Advice on hiking | B．Dangers of hiking |
| C．Go hiking on the Appalachian Trail | D．Introduction of great mountains |
3 . Backpacking may not seem like the ideal way to travel and explore Singapore as the city has always appeared to appeal to luxury travelers. However, it’s more than possible to stay in a hotel in Singapore on a budget as well.
Bunc Hostel
It is located in Little India, which is full of life and is a great place to shop. It’s also a top choice if you’re looking to stay in a private room in a Singapore hostel as it offers a standard double room in addition to the dorms.
Fisher BnB
It is conveniently located just 3 km away from the Orchard Road and 1 km away from Lavender MRT Station and Farrer Park MRT Siation. It’s a good hostel in Singapore for international students and tourists. With its affordable price and top location, you can explore the city without breaking the bank.
The Buhemian Chic Hostel
If you love the atmosphere of Chinatown, The Bohemian Chic Hostel s just the right place to stay. Also called Pillows and Tosst, this stylish hostel in Singapore offers facilities like airport shuttle, free Wi-Fi, and a games room. It also provides complimentary breakfast.
Footprints Hostel
Footprints Hostel in Singapore is a terrific accommodation choice. It’s very affordable and offers a comfortable bed, complimentary breakfast, Wi Fi, and coin-operated washers and dryers. It also houses a library and a huge movie collection.
1. Which hotel is located in Chinatown?| A．Bunc Hostel. | B．Fisher BnB |
| C．The Bohemian Chic Hostel | D．Footprints Hostel. |
| A．It has a library | B．It has free WiFi |
| C．It provides breakfast. | D．It is close to an airport |
| A．Fashion | B．Tour. | C．Entertainment. | D．Science. |
Stepping outside the railway station early
Yet, the breath-taking beauty
After 1966, the year of the worst flooding in Venice’s history, the Italian Government started a project to save the city.
But Venice still needs attentive care. The city remains threatened on several fronts— mass tourism, the possible damage of city development
5 . Four Unmissable Cultural Attractions in Cambridge
Set on the east bank of the River Cam, Cambridge is surely one of England’s most traditional and famous cities, where there is a world-famous university and great writers, thinkers and scholars. It comes as no surprise that this age-old centre of learning is home to a variety of splendid museums.
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam, a museum at the University of Cambridge, houses about half a million artworks worldwide. Highlights include masterpieces by Titian and Canaletto, Anglo-Saxon jewelry (珠宝), and a wide range of priceless china, to name just a few. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Polar Museum
This small museum is based in the university’s Scott Polar Research Institute, set up by a surviving member of Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition (探险) to Antarctica. It’s packed with all manner of objects relating to polar exploration; sleeping bags, Inuit artworks and expedition diaries. The museum is open from Wednesdays to Saturdays; check the latest times before visiting.
Museum of Zoology
Celebrate the diversity of animal life at this university museum, which has some of the best natural history collections in the world. It’s home to a variety of impressive exhibits, from an almost-70-foot fin whale to an African elephant. The specimens (标本) on display cover the whole animal kingdom. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays.
Centre for Computing History
With a focus on the social and cultural impact of technology, this museum explores the incredible advances made in computing over the past few decades, as well as during the earlier days of the Information Age. It’s a great day out with children, with mobile phones, calculators, game players and old-fashioned computers all on show. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
1. What will you enjoy in Fitzwilliam Museum?| A．Valuable artworks. | B．Expedition diaries. |
| C．Animal specimens. | D．Old-fashioned computers. |
| A．On Monday. | B．On Tuesday. | C．On Friday. | D．On Sunday. |
| A．Polar Museum. | B．Museum of Zoology. |
| C．Fitzwilliam Museum. | D．Centre for Computing History. |
6 . Welcome to Los Angeles. Here are some best things to do in Los Angeles (LA) with your kids.
Fall at the Beach
Thanks to its almost perfect weather all through the year, a visit to the beach is one of the best things to do when in Los Angeles with kids. While they enjoy themselves nearby, you can simply relax and have a good rest in the sun.
Trip to Disneyland
A trip to the City of Angels with your little angels is incomplete without a visit to the Magic Kingdom. The joy they'll feel from being around all those Disney characters will light up your day, too.
Visit to the museums
If you want to turn your stay in LA into an educational one for your kids, you should visit the museums. Starting with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, or the California Science Center, or even the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena, you have many choices. I'm sure a visit to all these places will make your kids feel smarter.
Visit to the Universal Studios Hollywood
Your kids could get to see interesting things from some of the most popular movies ever. From the theme park of Jurassic Park to Wisteria Lane from the TV play Desperate Housewives, the Universal Studios Hollywood is a place that we all find wonderful.
1. The passage is written for those who ________.| A．will go on a business trip to Los Angeles |
| B．plan to have a trip to Los Angeles with their kids |
| C．want to educate their children by traveling abroad |
| D．are interested in the history and culture of Los Angeles |
| A．the Universal Studios Hollywood |
| B．the Magic Kingdom |
| C．the museums |
| D．the beach |
| A．children can learn a lot there |
| B．parents can take a rest there |
| C．it provides different sports equipment |
| D．it’s the best beach in the world |
7 . Here are some top tips for world travelers.
Travel light.
Transport sense.Don’t let go of your bags on the train.
Keep clean. It’s a good idea to wear dark clothes because they hide the dirt while white clothes attract it! Make sure you have plenty of clean underclothes and deodorant (除臭剂).
| A．Be polite. |
| B．Keep your documents safe. |
| C．You should carry a spare bag. |
| D．You don’t want to smell bad! |
| E．Keep them with you at all times. |
| F．Make sure your bag isn’t too heavy. |
| G．It’s a good idea to wear similar clothes to the local people. |
8 . When I was 25 years old, I had a big dream in my mind and lots of things in my backpack. I wanted to travel around Africa with my
It sounds
On other trips
This time, I promised myself that I would be a
| A．friend | B．pet | C．backpack | D．family |
| A．flew | B．stopped | C．danced | D．went |
| A．sure | B．excited | C．afraid | D．concerned |
| A．Certainly | B．Luckily | C．Truly | D．Sadly |
| A．knowledge | B．feeling | C．advice | D．reason |
| A．simple | B．funny | C．boring | D．foolish |
| A．remember | B．choose | C．improve | D．realize |
| A．cultures | B．parks | C．places | D．backgrounds |
| A．new | B．magic | C．large | D．interesting |
| A．answer | B．try | C．refuse | D．forget |
| A．task | B．dream | C．things | D．experience |
| A．since | B．where | C．when | D．before |
| A．tourist | B．student | C．reporter | D．businessman |
| A．picture | B．sights | C．show | D．mountain |
| A．take | B．change | C．help | D．influence |
| A．seeing | B．encouraging | C．knowing | D．teaching |
| A．backpacks | B．things | C．cities | D．flowers |
| A．wanted | B．paid | C．organized | D．broken |
| A．beautiful | B．proud | C．real | D．wise |
| A．difficult | B．successful | C．common | D．boring |
9 . A Trip to Northern Spain
DAY 1: Begin the day from Bilbao with a visit to the Guggenheim Museum where you can view European modern art. Afterwards, move onto Laguardia to visit the old city and a wine shop for a tasting. Finally continue on to Burgos to visit the Museo de la Evolucion Humana before returning to Bilbao for an evening meal together.
DAY 2: Move from Bilbao to Santander to visit the Prehistory and Archaeology Museum of Cantabria. Then enjoy a visit to the caves (洞穴) of Las Monedas and El Castillo. El Castillo has many cave paintings with a history of more than 40, 000 years old. Finally continue on to Santillana del Mar to enjoy dinner together.
DAY3: This morning, you’ll visit the old town of Santillana with many historic buildings which provide a fascinating background for exploring this town. Then you’ll visit the Cave of Altamira, where some of the cave paintings were damaged by a large number of visitors. Then you’re free before an evening meal together.
DAY 4: In the morning, you’ll visit the Cave of EI Pindal, which has 12 prehistoric paintings, some more than 33, 000 years old. Then head to the Cave of EI Buxu. Due to the size of the cave, only several people are allowed in at a time. Later in the afternoon move to Oviedo and visit the Gothic Cathedral before enjoying dinner.
1. Which place is the starting point of the whole trip?| A．Laguardia. | B．Bilbao. | C．Santander. | D．Oviedo. |
| A．Day 1. | B．Day 2. | C．Day 3. | D．Day 4. |
| A．People who love European art. |
| B．People who enjoy extreme sports. |
| C．People who do medical research. |
| D．People who love modern buildings. |
10 . They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon; on foot, on mules(骡子) or by air. We chose the first. Up early, my husband and I and our three children couldn't wait to get started. We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail.
As we set out, I was shocked at how narrow the path was. And I couldn't help noticing that the other tourists weren't like us. They had heavy backpacks, water bottles, and hats. But as usual we were dressed. As the sun rose higher, Arizona's famous heat seemed to roast us. There was no shade and our legs were aching. We decided to go back, with the girl on my back and the boys far behind. By the time we finally got back, our legs were like jelly.
The next day, after we'd had a long rest and a good breakfast, we were ready for another view of the Canyon—by air. After our last walk, this would be the easiest thing in the world.
We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon. But the smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed(翻转) the plane around, pretending he was going to hit the ground. I shouted, "STOP, TAKE US BACK!" When we finally arrived back on land, once again our legs were like jelly. We hardly spoke as we drove back.
As I said, there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon. We never tried the mules, but personally I'd suggest a fourth: buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic. That way, you can see the Canyon, without fear or tiredness.
1. Which of the following is true according to the second paragraph?| A．They made a careful preparation before the trip. |
| B．The children were more joyful than their parents. |
| C．Bright Angel Trail was not as lovely as they expected. |
| D．The summer heat prevented them from enjoying the view. |
| A．we were weak | B．we were unhappy |
| C．we were dissatisfied | D．we were disappointed |
| A．It proved to be frightening. | B．It was more comfortable. |
| C．It turned out to be exciting. | D．It made each of them tired. |
| A．experiencing the Canyon on mules would be the best way |
| B．one needs to dress less when visiting the Grand Canyon |
| C．the writer was not serious when she made the suggestion |
| D．the whole family narrowly escaped from the air accident |
