2 . London can be an expensive city to visit if you go unprepared. If you go sightseeing in London for the first time, it is suggested investing in a London Pass. The London Pass is a digital sightseeing credits package that gives you access to 80+attractions in the city with a relatively lower cost. For many attractions on the pass, there’s no need to pre-book. However, some may have limited capacity, so you’ll need to book in advance.

What do you get with The London Pass?

●Incredible savings.

●Access to more than 80 top London attractions.

●Fast entry at selected attractions and sights.

●90-day money-back guarantee.

Go to The London Pass booking page and choose a duration that suits your trip-The London Pass is available for one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or 10 consecutive days. Download the pass to your phone and plan your sightseeing tours with the app. When you get to the gate of any participating attraction, show your London Pass and head straight inside.

What are our bestsellers?

●2 Day Pass: Child £65.00 Adult £99.00

●3 Day Pass: Child £77.00 Adult £116.00

●5 Day Pass: Child £94.00 Adult £144.00

1. Why is The London Pass recommended to travelers?

A．It offers money-saving tips.	B．It helps to visit London on a budget.
C．It provides access to more attractions.	D．It promises to return money if unused.

2. What should you do before using The London Pass?

A．Sign up on the page.	B．Download the app.
C．Book your tours.	D．Update your information.

3. How much should you pay if you want 3 Day Pass for two parents and a kid?

A．£.164.

B．£263.

C．£309.

D．£382.

3 . Ancient builders across the world created structures that are still standing today, thousands of years later. Yet the concrete that makes up much of our modern world has a lifespan of around 50 to 100 years. A growing number of scientists have been studying materials from long-ago eras, hoping to uncover how they’ve held up for millennia.

Many researchers have turned to the Romans for inspiration. Starting around 200 BCE, the architects of the Roman Empire were building impressive concrete structures that have stood the test of time. Even in harbors, where seawater has been battering structures for ages, you’ll find concrete basically the way it was when it was poured 2,000 years ago. Most modern concrete starts with Portland cement, a powder made by heating limestone and clay to super-high temperatures and crushing them. That cement is mixed with water to create a chemically reactive paste. Then, blocks of material like rock and gravel are added, and the cement paste mixes them into a concrete mass. According to records from ancient architects, the Roman process was similar. The ancient builders mixed materials like burnt limestone and volcanic sand with water and gravel, creating chemical reactions to stick everything together.

In a study published earlier this year, Admir Masic, a civil and environmental engineer, proposed that this power comes from blocks of lime that are scattered throughout the Roman material instead of being mixed in evenly. Researchers used to think these blocks were a sign that the Romans weren’t mixing up their materials well enough. Instead, after analyzing concrete samples from Privernum—an ancient city outside of Rome — the scientists found that the blocks could fuel the material’s “self-healing” abilities. When cracks form, water is able to flow into the concrete, Masic explained. That water activates the leftover lime, leading to new chemical reactions that can fill in the damaged sections.

The ancient architectures suggested using extracts from local chukum and jiote trees in the lime mix. When researchers tested out the recipe, they found the resulting plaster was especially durable against physical and chemical damage.

Studies have found all kinds of natural materials mixed into structures from long ago: fruit extracts, milk, cheese curd, beer, even dung and urine. The paste that holds together some of China’s most famous structures—including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City — includes traces of sticky rice.

“Some of these ancient builders might have just gotten lucky”, said Cecilia Pesce, a materials scientist at the University of Sheffield in England, “They’d throw just about anything into their mixes, as long as it was cheap and available.”

Today’s builders can’t just copy the ancient recipes. Even though Roman concrete lasted a longtime, it couldn’t hold up heavy loads: “You couldn’t build a modern skyscraper with Roman concrete,” Cecilia said. “It would collapse.” Instead, researchers are trying to take some of the ancient material’s specialties and add them into modern mixes.

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

A．Lime blocks in Roman concrete indicate poor mixing of materials.

B．Ancient Roman concrete structures have witnessed a long history.

C．Modern builders are confused about the Roman method of construction.

D．The concrete used in modern structures has a lifespan of over 200 years.

2. What is proposed as a possible explanation for the self-healing abilities of Roman concrete?

A．The uniform mixing of lime in the concrete.

B．The use of extracts from chukum and jiote trees.

C．The addition of whatever was within reach in the mix.

D．The scattering of blocks of lime throughout the material.

3. The passage mentions that today’s builders can’t simply copy ancient recipes because ______.

A．ancient recipes were not well-documented

B．ancient materials were too expensive

C．ancient materials couldn’t hold up heavy loads

D．ancient builders used materials that are no longer available

4. According to the passage, why do some researchers believe ancient builders included various natural materials in their mixes?

A．To enhance the beauty of the structures.

B．To make the construction process more cost-effective.

C．To create structures that were resistant to chemical damage.

D．To follow ancient traditions without considering effectiveness.

4 . How to Travel to Machu Picchu

Mysterious. Brilliant. Powerful. These words describe the Inca (印加). Every year, visitors rush to the Incan citadel (堡垒) of Machu Picchu (meaning “the ancient peak”) in search of the lost civilization. But getting to this UNESCO World Heritage site isn’t cheap and easy. Here’s how to expertly navigate your way to Peru’s most famous destination.

Hiking to Machu Picchu

* The most famous way to hike to Machu Picchu is along a section of one of the Incan roads built as the empire expanded. Dozens of tour operators offer Inca Trail hikes with varying durations and levels of comfort (though all require camping).

* For those who would like a less crowded experience, there are a number of diverse hiking alternatives, one of which is around Salkantay Mountain, one of the most imposing peaks in the Peruvian Andes. Several tour companies offer the treks, but Apus Peru offers an express Salkantay trek, which shaves a day off the normal itinerary for those eager to push their physical limits on their way to Machu Picchu.

* Travelers interested in archaeology should consider the Choquequirao Trek with a Machu Picchu extension. This itinerary includes spectacular hiking in the less-traveled steep Apurimac Canyon and exploration of the Choquequirao archaeological site before heading for Machu Picchu. Note that the trail is closed in December every year for regular maintenance.

Tips for Visiting

* Getting Acclimated (适应水土): Where you`re coming from is probably much lower than Machu Picchu. We highly recommend you go to Aguas Calientes first, and spend a night getting used to it before exploring Machu Picchu. Meanwhile, avoid alcohol and physical exertion to help your body slowly adjust to the thinner air.

* Entrance tickets: If you’re traveling independently, you can buy individual entrance tickets, though you should note that you’ll be required to hire a local guide before entering the site. If you book a tour package through a travel agency, all services should be included. Moreover, all entry tickets are timed, allowing entrance on the hour, and you’re allowed to stay at the site for up to four hours.

*Bring: Water and a rain jacket, even if it looks like a beautiful sunny day. And speaking of sun, remember that the ozone layer (臭氧层) over Peru is compromised. That, combined with the elevation, makes the sun extremely strong, so wear a hat and use high SPF sunscreen.

* Don’t bring: Drones, walking sticks, trekking poles or umbrellas since they’re all prohibited at Machu Picchu. Travelers who require sticks for mobility can bring them in but only with protective rubber tips over the ends.

1. Andy is a college student majoring in archaeology. He is also a keen lover of extreme sports and a seasoned hiker eager to explore the unbeaten track. Now he is considering hiking to Machu Picchu this Christmas. Which of the following routes is he most likely to choose?

A．The Inca Trail.	B．The Apus Peru Trek.
C．The express Salkantay Trek.	D．The Choquequrao Trek.

2. Which of the following information is TRUE for travelers to Machu Piccu?

A．Vigorous exercise isn’t recommended during the hike for fear of altitude sickness.

B．Visitors should bring rain jackets or umbrellas due to the changeable weather there.

C．Visitors can enter the site anytime during the opening hours and stay for four hours.

D．Tour guide services are necessary for individual and group visitors to enter the site.

3. The underlined word “compromised” can be best replaced by ________.

A．harmed	B．strengthened
C．detected	D．lowered

6 . Earlier this year I took a trip to England and France to go see some friends. It was a wonderful trip; I really loved it. But one thing that struck me was how different these cultures are from our own. I guess this would strike any traveler because that is the first thing you notice and it is what makes travel so exciting. Of course, these cultures are also similar to ours in many respects, but it’s the differences that really stand out.

One of the things that struck me in particular was the different attitudes towards smoking. As you know, there’s a growing anti-smoking sentiment in Europe. However, when I went to England and France, I got a new perspective on this issue. People seem to smoke anywhere and everywhere, even though anti-smoking signs are all over public places. On the radio, I heard about a member of the World Cup soccer team who smoked. And people were actually saying, “Well, he should not be on the team because he’s a bad example for our children.” I think, if they want to look at bad examples for their children, they should just go out on the street, or go into the subways, or look in the mirror, even, because so many of them are smoking in very inappropriate places. I visited a restaurant buffet in London and saw an English woman scooping up the food with a lit cigarette in her hand. Smoke rising into the air. Actually, when I talked to English people later, they were pretty shocked too, and they said that smoking in a restaurant is rude even by British standards.

This did not give me a bad impression of English people. It gave me, on the contrary, a positive feeling toward American smokers. There are a lot of American smokers who will proclaim their right to smoke whenever they want, but they will follow the rules, generally, because they have consideration for nonsmokers. So this experience in Europe gave me more of a respect for this kind of smoker.

1. What surprised the writer during his trip to England and France?

A．The wonderful trip to England and France.

B．Cultural differences that he noticed during his trip.

C．Similarity between cultures stands out more than differences.

D．Growing anti-smoking views in Europe.

2. What did the speaker find in England and France about the smoking issue?

A．People discuss the smoking issue on the radio.

B．Smokers are allowed to smoke anywhere and anytime.

C．People are encouraged to smoke in inappropriate places.

D．Many smokers pay no attention to the “No Smoking” signs.

3. The word “sentiment” in the second paragraph means ______.

A．feeling

B．movement

C．offense

D．regulation

4. What kind of smokers does the speaker respect?

A．Those who are from America and Europe.	B．Those who respect others’ feelings.
C．Those who defend the right to smoke.	D．Those who set rules of smoking in public places.

7 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

The Real Cost of Travel

Mass tourism is a relatively recent phenomenon. The tourism industry     1     (take) off in the middle of the last century and it’s been growing ever since. In the last ten years especially, more and more people have been traveling to places     2     we had previously only read about or seen on television. But what kind of impact does tourism have on the planet?

A voyage to the end of the earth?

A large cruise ship (邮轮) can carry as many as 6,000 passengers and there are upwards of 50 such ships currently     3    (sail) the seas. Cruise ships dump about 90,000 tons of waste into the oceans every year. Any harmful effects of this are made even worse by the fact     4     cruises tend to visit the same places over and over again, thus concentrating the waste in specific places.

Trash on top of the world

From remote ocean habitats to the world’s highest mountain, our trash is everywhere. Though far fewer people go climbing the Himalayas than on a cruise, their impact     5    (still feel). Tourism is vital to the economy of Nepal,     6     it is to many non-industrial countries. But for decades, climbers have been abandoning their unwanted equipment on Everest. For the last few years, clean-up teams of local and international climbers have been organizing hiking trips just     7    (pick) up the waste. One group has brought over eight tons of waste down from the mountain!

When more is not better

Tourism of a different kind is causing problems in Europe. Construction on the Mediterranean coast has been     8     control for years. Beach resorts form an almost unbroken line from Gibraltar to Greece, and natural habitats have disappeared under miles of concrete. And so we pollute the sea, the land, and the air. Low-cost air travel is booming, in spite of (or perhaps     9     (help) by) economic problems. For many Europeans, low-cost flights allow them to take several short vacations a year. Yet curiously, short flights actually have a much bigger effect on climate change than long flights. So, are there    10     (damaging) ways of seeing the world? Traveling by train, for example, is a much greener way of getting around.

8 .

Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific. It is also one of the smallest countries in the world. But for those interested in adventure and sport, there is a lot to do. Some of the best snorkeling (浮潜) can be found here. Vanuatu’s islands also offer visitors two of the most exciting and dangerous activities in the world: volcano surfing and land diving. Volcano Surfing On Tanna Island, Mount Yasur rises 300 meters (1,000 feet) into the sky. It is known as the Lighthouse of the Pacific because of its regular eruptions for hundreds of years. For centuries, both island locals and visitors have climbed this mountain to visit the top. Some visitors find Yasur terrifying; others captivating. Photographers are beside themselves at the opportunity to make stunning artwork from such a special point. Recently, people have also started climbing Yasur to surf the volcano. In some ways, volcano surfing, also commonly known as ash boarding, is like surfing in the sea, but in other ways it’s very different. It was invented by an adventurer journalist named Zoltan Istvan, while on a trip to Vanuatu Islands in 2002. Volcano surfing is considered as an extreme sport and there are not many practicing it. A volcano surfer’s goal is to escape the erupting volcano — without getting hit by flying rocks! Riders hike up the volcano and slide down, sitting or standing, on a thin plywood or metal board. It’s fast, fun, and dangerous — the perfect extreme sport. Land Diving Most people are familiar with bungee jumping, but did you know bungee jumping started on Pentecost Island in Vanuatu and is almost fifteen centuries old? The original activity, called land diving, is part of a religious ceremony. A man ties tree vines (藤) to his legs. He then jumps head-first from a high tower. It originated as a rite (仪式) of passage for young men trying to prove their manhood. The idea is to jump from as high as possible, and to land as close to the ground as possible. It is also a harvest ritual. The islanders believe the higher the jumpers dive, the higher the crops will grow. Every spring, island natives (men only) still perform this amazing test of strength.

1. Which of the following can be learned from the passage?

A．Mount Yasur is a light tower on the Pacific Ocean.

B．The history of volcano surfing dates back centuries.

C．Bungee jumping grew out of land diving.

D．Land diving came to Vanuatu from another country.

2. The underlined word captivating is closest in meaning to ________.

A．distressing

B．charming

C．disappointing

D．relieving

3. Which of the following could be the best title of this passage?

A．Untouched Beauty: VANUATU	B．Volcano Adventure: VANUATU
C．Extreme Destination: VANUATU	D．Preserved Culture: VANUATU

10 . At Cleveland Bridge, in Bath, a long line of traffic is building up. Although the Georgian structure was praised for its handsome Greek Revival style by Nikolaus Pevsner, an architectural master, it was built for horses, not cars. Repairs will close the bridge for several months, causing bigger jams and more pollution in a city where air quality is already a cause of concern.

Bath is an extreme example of a tradeoff faced by much of the country. Britain has the oldest housing stock in Europe, with one in five homes more than 100 years old. Period features are prized and often protected by law. Yet as efforts to cut carbon emissions intensify, they are clashing with attempts to preserve heritage. It is a “delicate balance” says Wera Hobhouse, Bath’s MP “What is the public benefit of dealing with the climate emergency, versus protecting a heritage asset?”

Two years ago, Bath was among the first British cities to declare a “climate emergency” when it also promised to go carbon-neutral by 2030. Yet Bath also wants-and is legally required to preserve its heritage. With Roman remains and Georgian streets that spread across the Avon Valley in shades of honey and butter, the city is designated a world heritage site by UNESCO. About 60% of it is further protected by the government as a conservation area, more than 5.000 of Bath’s buildings-nearly 10% of the total-are listed as being of special architectural or historical interest, making it a criminal offence to alter them without permission.

Many of the features that make Bath’s Georgian buildings so delicate also make them leaky. Buildings of traditional construction make up 30% of Bath’s housing stock but account for 40% of domestic carbon emissions, according to the Centre for Sustainable Energy, a charity. British homes are rated for energy efficiency on a scale from A to G; most traditional buildings in the city are an F or G.

Transport is another area where climate and heritage clash. Bath’s 17t-century streets lack room for bike lanes. Joanna Wright was recently booted out of her role as Bath’s climate chief after proposing that North Road, which leads to the university, should be closed to traffic. In two years she was unable to install any on-street electric-vehicle charging points, partly because of the “nightmare" of getting permission to dig up old pavements.

All this means going carbon neutral by 2030 looks hard, but the city is at least beginning to make compromises. In March it launched the first “clean-air zone” outside London, charging drivers to enter central Bath. A trial has made 160 electric motoreycles available to hire. And local opinion seems to be shifting in favour of sustainability. “The discussion has moved dramatically towards considering the climate emergency,” says Ms. Hobhouse.

1. What problem does Bath face?

A．It is getting more and more crowded due to the repairs that are under way.

B．Its historical significance makes it hard to reform it into an eco-friendly city.

C．It refuses to admit that the climate emergency is already a cause of concern.

D．Its promise to go carbon-neutral by 2030 wins no support from the city residents.

2. The percentage mentioned in the underlined sentence (paragraph 4) is intended to _________.

A．question the validity of the A-G scale

B．highlight the long history of Bath’s buildings

C．emphasize the buildings are not energy efficient

D．illustrate the features that Bath’s buildings share

3. It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that Joanna Wright _________.

A．failed to perform her duties well

B．managed to dig up some old pavements

C．succeeded in building bike lanes in Bath

D．removed charging points from Bath’s streets

4. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Wera Hobhouse doesn’t care much about the public benefit.

B．Traditional buildings in Bath are not accessible to tourists now.

C．Local people in Bath used to favour heritage over sustainability.

D．Bath has been leading the way in constructing a carbon-neutral city.