2 . American Unique Buildings

The country’s full of awe—inspiring natural wonders, but those made by man (and woman) are equally impressive. The architect behind a design or the creation’s history or purpose are all elements that may prove particularly attractive. These following buildings are all well worth visiting.

Bradbury Building

Los Angeles

Glancing at the Bradbury Building, built in 1893, the oldest commercial building in L.A., you may say: “OK, it’s a 19th-century relic.” Step inside and you will be surprised by the light-filled Victorian court, a wonder of open—cage elevators, marble stairs, and splendid iron barriers. Its architectural history is debatable — Sumner Hunt’s designs seem to have been completed by George H. Wyman, who monitored the construction.

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

Miami

Built in 1916, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, formerly Villa Vizcaya, is the one-time winter home of businessman James Deering. On Biscayne Bay in the Coconut Grove neighborhood, the early 20th-century property features Italian Renaissance (文艺复兴) gardens, native woodlands, and a complex of historic outbuildings. The property designed by Paul Chalfin is today operated by Miami-Dade County.

Rogers Building

Orlando

The 132-year-old, Queen Anne-style structure, now housing an art gallery but a one-time home to cocktail-and-gaming clubs, was donated to the City of Orlando in 2018 earlier by Ford Kiene. The restriction that it must remain an arts and culture center for at least 20 years ensures public access for the near future.

Griffith Observatory

Los Angeles

It’s possible to see the stars at this destination that includes sweeping views of the city and the Hollywood sign, and has a planetarium (天文馆) to boot. It’s been a draw for its construction style sign its 1935 opening, with a $93 million expansion completed in 2006.

1. Which of the following places has the shortest history?

A．Bradbury Building.	B．Griffith Observatory.
C．Rogers Building.	D．Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

2. What can we learn about Rogers Building?

A．It used to be an art gallery.	B．It was expanded in 1892.
C．It was once privately owned.	D．It has been a culture center for 20 years.

3. In which column can this text probably be read?

A．Business.

B．Travel.

C．Science.

D．Education.

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。

For centuries, sunmao structures have been providing strong and lasting support for Chinese wooden architecture, large components of     1     are often pieced together using these smart structures. The sun and the mao, when     2     (join) together, support and contain the neighbouring parts. This enhances stability and adds     3     (flexible) to the architecture. Craftsmen can make and process the components in advance and assemble (组装) them quickly on site, which is     4     (incredible) simple and efficient.

In the Hemudu site,     5     (date) back around 7,000 years, hundreds of wooden components with sunmao structures have been unearthed from the remains of houses. They are the earliest known application of sunmao structures in China in wooden-frame buildings. Since the Shang and Zhou Dynasties,     6     (generation) of carpenters have produced over a hundred types of sunmao structures and a whole set of systematic methods     7     (invent), from selecting locations and choosing materials     8     structures, measurements, manufacture and assembly.

For the craftsmen who have preserved and guarded this heritage, and for the people who have lived in and among the spaces defined by it across China, sunmao structures have always been an important part of Chinese architecture. Their styles may differ,     9     they all share the same root. Chinese people’s love of nature and pursuit of     10     (harmony) coexistence also run deep within.

4 . 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。

Hangzhou is recognized as the “City of Well-Being” in China. Hangzhou made its name     1    (know) to the world in 2016 by hosting the G20 Summit. Blessed with pleasant cli- mate and few wars, Hangzhou has gradually formed     2    (it) own urban character.     3    busy Shanghai, you will slow down and relax once you are here. It seems that Hangzhou people don’t have many things to rush to in their     4    (day) life. No wonder Hangzhou is expanding    5    (annual) by 500, 000 to 600, 000 people.

The lifestyle, however, was laid down by two historical men of letters. One was Bai Juyi,     6     rebuilt the West Lake and made a new bank    7    (benefit) the locals. People love him. When it comes to him, it doesn’t sound like one is talking about a person who     8    (live) a thousand years ago. The other was Su Shi. His open-minded personality     9     diligence for his people left many much-told tales. Seemingly,     10    (mention) his name gives people joy even after a thousand years.

Surely, it will be even more brilliant in 2023 when it hosts the 19th Asian Games. Let’s look forward to it.

5 . In Switzerland, Liu Hongjia and Liu Yuxi use a drone to capture the moment when they are filming a vlog. The couple’s beautifully edited travel vlogs are proving popular on such platforms as travel website Qyer, while their personal accounts on Sina Weibo jointly have more than 810,000 followers.

In this booming era of social media, more and more “media travelers” are joining their peers online in producing creative videos of their tourism experiences. And the growing popularity of short videos in China is a trend that’s also encouraging ordinary tourists to follow suit.

When it comes to creating a hit travel vlog, the personal touch is what makes all the difference. “Filming a travel vlog is like making a documentary of your own, where you record beautiful scenery, interesting experiences and honest feelings.” Liu Hongjia says. Some people watch them to learn how to take beautiful photos, while others want to find out more about popular travel destinations. Either way, what is appealing to audiences is that the personality of the presenter comes across in the vlog. It’s like watching movies. When people like a director’s style, they will follow his new work.

To embrace the growing trend for shooting short videos in China, travel website Mafengwo started to encourage its users to post vlogs about their trips in 2018, which has now become an important part of its user-generated content.

According to Zhao Qian, head of Mafengwo’s short-video content, its users have uploaded over 2 million short videos online, covering a wide range of themes, such as food, scenic areas and hotel experiences. “For a long time, tourists often shared their trips online via photos and words. However, short videos have become the new trend because they’re bright, direct and fun. It’s also an efficient way for visitors to find information about local travel experiences,” she says.

1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?

A．To summarize the whole passage.	B．To arouse readers’ interest in tourism.
C．To introduce the topic of the whole passage.	D．To emphasize the importance of short videos.

2. How can a travel blogger make his work attractive?

A．By demonstrating his personal style	B．By following a famous director’s example.
C．By teaching people how to take good photos	D．By revealing more information about tourist spots.

3. Why does Mafengwo encourage its users to upload short videos about their trips?

A．Because short videos are bright, direct and fun.

B．Because that caters to the growing popularity of short videos.

C．Because the content of short videos is mainly generated by its users.

D．Because short videos provide information about local travel experiences.

4. How does Zhao Qian feel about short travel videos?

A．Cautious.

B．Appreciative.

C．Concerned

D．Indifferent.

6 . There are three things you can watch forever: Instagram feeds, YouTube videos and water. Among them, water is definitely something no one argues about, and there are many unusual water attractions that you can find around the world.

Bangkok Floating Markets

There are many floating markets where goods are sold from boats. While modern markets are more popular, floating markets still are a huge attraction for local tourism. Any visitors can purchase local foods and traditional handcrafted (手工的) souvenirs. Bargaining is a part of experience. So, start low and get the price you are ready to pay.

Bregenzer Festspiele

The Bregenz Festival is held every year from July to August in Vorarlberg. It has the world’s largest stage on the water. The performances are different every year but they are usually united by one theme. The decorations are very impressive and are worth seeing.

Marina Bay Stadium

This stadium was built as a temporary solution while Singapore National Stadium was rebuilt. The stadium was used for the opening and closing ceremonies during 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. It was a floating platform where the Formula One Grand Prix event was successfully held.

Archipelago Cinema

Archipelago Cinema is probably one of the world’s most scenic open-air cinemas that floats in the middle of a lake. The cinema was designed by German architect Ole Scheeren, who built it using techniques popular among local people. This cinema stage was built specially for the film festival Film on the Rocks Yao Noi.

1. What is special about Bangkok Floating Markets?

A．Local foods are free to taste.

B．Visitors can make boats by themselves.

C．Bargaining for a good price is an experience.

D．Performances on water are impressive to see.

2. Which one was used for Formula One Grand Prix event?

A．Archipelago Cinema.	B．Marina Bay Stadium.
C．Bregenzer Festspiele.	D．Bangkok Floating Markets.

3. What do Marina Bay Stadium and Archipelago Cinema have in common?

A．They both hold ceremonies every year.

B．They both used local building techniques.

C．They were both built for a special purpose.

D．They both provide visitors with sports events.

7 . In life, do you choose to take the road everyone has taken, or do you choose the path that is best for you? It might be ________ to choose what everyone has done, especially if it seemed to work for them. But is that what truly ________ for you?

On a recent hiking ________, my partner and I decided to take a popular trail in the ________ direction. This was an old, well-traveled trail that people had been hiking and biking from A to Z for years. For our own reasons, we chose to travel from Z to A. Going backwards made more sense with my ________. The trip would take several days and going backwards ________ that I would end the trip closer to the airport for my flight home.

As my partner and I walked, everyone crossing our path had something to say, “You're going the wrong way. Are you lost? Are you returning ________ you forgot something? Are you crazy? The path occasionally crossed a ________. When it did, even passing cars beeped to ________ us in the “right” direction.

Why did people only see one way? Because that's what everyone does? Because that's how it's always been done? We even ________ to talk to a Danish woman who said, “We have a(n)       ________ in my country: when you go backwards to everyone else, it's because you're avoiding something.” I couldn't believe it. We were just enjoying connecting with nature, hiking the way that best ________ us. Had we gone the “wrong” way? No. At least, not for us.

I decided to ________ the path I chose. ________, we had an amazing experience. Choosing the “wrong” path was right for me. When your inner ________ tells you something is right (or wrong), listen to it. It's your instinct. It's speaking to you for a reason and it knows, better than anyone, what's best for you.

1.

A．anxious

B．normal

C．awkward

D．impressive

2.

A．designs

B．plans

C．works

D．prepares

3.

A．race

B．test

C．project

D．trip

4.

A．opposite

B．wrong

C．common

D．accessible

5.

A．emotion

B．target

C．schedule

D．request

6.

A．supposed

B．ensured

C．provided

D．permitted

7.

A．if

B．because

C．while

D．yet

8.

A．plain

B．valley

C．trail

D．highway

9.

A．point

B．inspire

C．protect

D．support

10.

A．expected

B．stopped

C．agreed

D．hesitated

11.

A．saying

B．point

C．myth

D．spell

12.

A．instructed

B．confused

C．offered

D．suited

13.

A．show off

B．think over

C．pick out

D．stick to

14.

A．Probably

B．Hopefully

C．Eventually

D．Knowingly

15.

A．desire

B．feeling

C．voice

D．reaction

8 . Though a trip through Beijing has plenty of historical architecture to offer, the city's skyline also holds many achievements of modern design. However, Beijing has spread out its contemporary landmarks throughout the city, making it difficult for architectural enthusiasts to visit all of them. Therefore, we decided to gather them all into one place. Here is our list of Beijing's most iconic (标志性的) modern buildings:

CCTV Headquarters	The “Big Pants,“ as it is more commonly known, is one of just ten buildings in the city over 200m tall. The structure of the two leaning towers connected at the top and bottom by horizontal off-shoots (横向分支) is now so iconic that it is often used in film and television to prove the story is set in Beijing.
CITIC Tower	Standing at 528m, CITIC tower is Beijing's tallest building and the tenth tallest skyscraper in the world. The office building serves as the headquarters of CITIC Group, but the basement level will soon contain a large shopping center and subway station.
National Stadium	Better known by its nickname the "Bird's Nest”, the National Stadium is recognizable by its steel structures like a bamboo forest. The stadium, which seats an audience of 91,000, was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is also scheduled to be used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
National Centre for the Performing Arts	It's not hard to see how this theater earned the nickname of the “Giant Egg”. With an opera hall, music hall, several art exhibition halls, and restaurants, the National Centre for the Performing Arts is also the largest theater building in Asia. Besides the shape, its unique feature is that its appearance from glass to titanium (钛) and the surrounding reflection pool.

1. What's the purpose of writing this article?

A．To show how beautiful the city is.

B．To express the author's deepest love for Beijing.

C．To bring convenience to architectural fans.

D．To attract more people to come to our capital city.

2. We can find the nicknames of the following except.

A．CITIC Tower	B．National Stadium
C．CCTV Headquarters	D．National Centre for the Performing Arts

3. Which of the following statements about Beijing's modern buildings is true?

A．The "Bird's Nest” was constructed for the 2008 Winter Olympics.

B．CCTV Headquarters is one of only ten buildings in Beijing more than 200m tall.

C．National Centre for the Performing Arts is the largest theater building in the world.

D．CITIC tower is the biggest building in Beijing and the tenth tallest skyscraper worldwide.