1 . The Friend Trip: Fun Without Conflicts
Anyone who said a friend is a friend forever has clearly never experienced a group trip where you will get into trouble arguing over plans and restaurant bills.
Invite with care
“You cannot travel with everybody. All your friends are not travel friends,” says Irvin on her popular TikTok account. She suggests picking travel partners who share similar interests, and deciding ahead of time what kind of trip you will be taking—relaxation, partying or adventure.
Brainstorm as a group
Exchange the captain’s hat
Use a classic teacher’s trick to keep everyone engaged and share the planning burden: schedule a group leader to take ownership of each day’s activities.
Tracking expenses for a whole group can expose a lot of pain points. “I have seen so many friendships break down because dissatisfaction builds when one person suspects other friends are taking advantage of her financially or not pulling their weight,” says friendship coach Jackson.
| A．Prepare cash in advance |
| B．Automate the money flow |
| C．Travelling with your best friends can be a tough job. |
| D．There are countless situations where the group need to design travel routes. |
| E．Apps can help make complex calculations easy even while the trip is still underway. |
| F．Ask your friends where they want to go and what they want to do using Google Forms. |
| G．This person will be responsible for making that day’s tour plan or keeping everyone on schedule. |
2 . I recently visited California’s most-visited national park—Yosemite. Turns out, there is a lot you can do and see over a couple days. Here’s my suggested route, if you decide to make a quick weekend trip to see Yosemite’s wonders.
Day 1, Saturday
6 a. m. : Hike the Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point. The 9. 6-mile round trip will take six to eight hours with rest stops, so plan accordingly. Leave early to beat the heat and enjoy the sunrise.
Pro tip: Don’t forget to look down-the view of the valley is truly jaw-dropping.
1 p. m. : Hike to Vernal Fall. If you’re looking for lunch, a tasty and efficient spot is Curry Village Pizza Deck. Plus, your next adventure is on the Mist Trail from nearby Happy Isles for a quick 1. 6-mile round-trip visit to Vemal Fall. It’s a nice cool-down hike after your morning workout and offers easy access to year-round falls.
4 p. m. : Learn some history at Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Every national park visit requires a stop at the visitor center to learn about park’s history and main features. Here, you can check out the Yosemite Village as well, but the real secret is the free bike share program. Download the app and grab a pair of wheels here for your evening exploration.
Day 2, Sunday
6 a. m. : Drive up the picturesque Tioga Road. While your feet are recovering from yesterday’s mileage, take a leisurely drive up Tioga Road. Along the 45 miles to Tenaya Lake, take photos at the many viewpoints, but especially at Olmsted Point, which has a less-visited but very cool perspective on Half Dome. Have breakfast or lunch alongside the blue waters of Yosemite’s largest lake before heading back toward the valley.
3 p. m. : Complete your trip with a visit to Yosemite Climbing Museum in Mariposa. At a last stop, visit the charming historical town of Mariposa to check out the long-overdue Yosemite Climbing Museum opened in 2021. The famous climbing history displayed in the museum gave me a new appreciation for Yosemite, a place I can’t wait to return to.
1. Which of the following does the author suggest visiting in the morning?| A．Vernal Fall. | B．Yosemite Village. | C．Tenaya Lake. | D．Climbing Museum. |
| A．cycling for evening exploration | B．learning about park’s history |
| C．going around the Yosemite Village | D．downloading the free bike share app |
| A．Because it’s a less-visited place but with picturesque scenery. |
| B．Because it’s a place offering a better view of Half Dome. |
| C．Because it’s a rest stop for visitors to have breakfast or lunch. |
| D．Because it’s not such a place that is flooded with visitors taking photos. |
3 . The Ultimate Guide to Sussex
Sussex offers beautiful countryside, charming seaside towns and some of the best vineyards (葡萄园) in the UK. Plan your Sussex getaway with our ultimate guide.
Monk’s House
Put your National Trust membership to good use with a visit to Monk’s House purchased by Virginia and her husband Leonard Woolf in 1919. Virginia wrote many of her most celebrated works at the house, including the essay A Room of One’s Own. Admire the weather-boarded cottage’s beautiful antiques, seemingly untouched since 1969, when Leonard died.
Beachy Head
Come to Beachy Head and you’ll be greeted by one of the most splendid coastal stretches in all of Britain. It offers superb views of Eastbourne and the English Channel from 530 feet above the water. Spring through autumn are the best times to visit. Look out for the Beachy Head Marathon, which takes place every October. There’s a pay and display car park, a pub, toilet facilities and, during summer, the welcome sight of an ice-cream truck.
The Long Man of Wilmington
On the grassy ground of Windover Hill—a 235-foot figure known as the Long Man has been here for centuries. Archaeological researchers believe The Long Man of Wilmington actually dates to around the 16th century. If you’re feeling active, hike from The Long Man of Wilmington to East Sussex’s other chalk-carved figure, the Litlington White Horse.
Lewes
This town is just the right size to explore in a day, though do consider staying overnight to make good use of the local restaurants, pubs and wine bars. Lewes is one of the best places to shop in Sussex with a delightful mix of independent, antique and high street brands. If you’re visiting during summer, pack your bathers for a visit to Pells Pool, the oldest known freshwater swimming pool in the UK. You’ll need to pre-book a session.
1. In which place may visitors witness a sports event?| A．Monk’s House. | B．Beachy Head. |
| C．The Long Man of Wilmington. | D．Lewes. |
| A．Book in advance. | B．Apply for membership. |
| C．Contact a local lifeguard. | D．Learn from experienced bathers. |
| A．To introduce special exhibits in Sussex. | B．To show us where to stay in Sussex. |
| C．To tell us what to explore in Sussex. | D．To advertise the coming events in Sussex. |
4 . If you could travel in time, where would you go? Perhaps you would watch an original performance of a Shakespeare’s play in Elizabethan England? What about hanging out with Laozi in the Spring and Autumn Period? Or maybe you’d voyage far ahead of the present day to see what the future holds.
The possibility of time travel is indeed appealing. Stories exploring the subject have been around for hundreds of years. Perhaps the best known example is the science fiction novel The Time Machine, which was written by H. G. Wells and published in 1895 for the first time. It was adapted into at least two feature films of the same name, as well as two television versions, and a large number of comic book adaptations. It is generally credited with the popularization of the concept of time travel using a vehicle that allows an operator to travel purposefully and selectively. The term “time machine”, coined by Wells, is now universally used to refer to a vehicle transporting people into the far future.
But could time travel actually be possible? Some scientists say yes, in theory. They propose using cracks in time and space called “wormholes”, which could be used as shortcuts to other periods. Einstein’s theory of relativity allows time travel in extreme circumstances. And British physicist Stephen Hawking said you could travel into the future with a really fast spaceship—going at nearly the speed of light. Though building such a spaceship would of course be no simple task.
Even if you could travel into the past, there is something called the “grandfather paradox”. It asks what would happen if a time traveller were to go back in time and have his own grandfather killed for some reason, and therefore prevent himself from being born. If the time traveller wasn’t born, how would he travel back in time?
And would you really like to visit the future? In H. G. Wells’ book, the main character travels into distant time where he arrives at a beach and is attacked by giant crabs. He then voyages 30 million years into the future where the only living thing is a black object with tentacles (触角). If that’s what’s in store, maybe we are better just living in the present day after all.
1. The novel The Time Machine mentioned in Paragraph 2 aims to show .| A．people’s interest in time travel |
| B．the special features of the book |
| C．the long history of time travel |
| D．the contribution of H. G. Wells |
| A．have similarities in many ways |
| B．push the invention of the first spaceship |
| C．have proved wrong by some time travellers |
| D．suggest the possibility to invent the time machine |
| A．the traveller is prevented from meeting his grandfather |
| B．the traveller goes back in time to seek for his grandfather |
| C．the grandfather’s death makes the traveller’s birth impossible |
| D．The reunion of the traveller and his grandfather brings happiness |
| A．Unclear. | B．Skeptical. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Unconcerned. |
5 . The Walt Disney Company turns 100 years old in 2023, and the whole world will celebrate its stories, characters and imagination — but only Philly’s Franklin Institute will house Disney 100: The Exhibition.
Making its world debut (首秀) right here in Philadelphia, the exhibition takes guests behind the scenes into the magical world of Disney at what’s sure to be one of the region’s must-see exhibitions of 2023.
When to Visit
From February 18 to August 27, 2023
What to Expect
Disney 100: The Exhibition features 10 large galleries, each with a distinct theme relating to the history of the House of Mouse, celebrating the classics from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Strange World.
The Walt Disney Archives (档案馆) is displaying its treasures, including more than 250 of its “Crown Jewels”, rarely seen artworks, costumes and other memorabilia (纪念品).
Admission & Tickets
Tickets to Disney 100: The Exhibition are on sale now, and guests have several options when it comes to experiencing the Disney magic.
Folks looking to visit in the daytime (9 am to 5 pm) can buy timed tickets for $45 (adults) and $41 (children aged 3-11). The best part: General museum admission to the rest of the Franklin Institute is included in the cost.
Looking to save on tickets? Consider visiting during the exhibition’s evening hours, which run from 5 pm to 8 pm from Thursdays to Saturdays. Tickets run $25 per person and do not include admission to the rest of the museum.
For maximum flexibility, consider picking up Flex Time Tickets, which allow exhibition access for any time. These run $61 per person and must be purchased in person at the Franklin Institute or over the phone.
Location & Contact
The Franklin Institute 271N. 21st Street Philadelphia, PA 19103(215)448-1200
1. What can guests do at the exhibition?| A．Watch a new Disney movie. | B．Try on different Disney costumes. |
| C．Create artworks about Disney characters. | D．Learn about the history of the House of Mouse. |
| A．They are available at a low price. | B．They can help avoid a long wait. |
| C．They can be bought over the phone. | D．They include general museum costs. |
| A．$50. | B．$131. | C．$90. | D．$86. |
6 . Attractions for Kids with Dinosaur Fever
While there are plenty of movies and books that can teach your little one all about dinosaurs, the following children’s attractions will allow them to come face-to-face with their favorite dinosaurs and learn in an interactive, fun environment.
1. Dinosaurs Alive at Cedar Point
Sandusky, OH
See the “age of dinosaurs” come to life with interactive exhibits based on real fossil evidence. At the Dinosaurs Alive section of Cedar Point park, visitors can walk among more than 50 life-sized dinosaurs which move and roar. See these gigantic lizards (蜥蜴) up close and learn more about the most fearsome period of the earth’s history.
2. The Chicago Children’s Museum
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Children’s Museum is filled with plenty of activities for kids of all ages, but one of the coolest has to be the Dinosaur Exhibition. At this exhibit, children can spend time digging for dinosaur bones at an excavation (挖掘) site, looking at dinosaur fossils, and learning what life is like for real archaeologists (考古学家).
3. Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Pittsburgh, PA
In addition to plenty of exhibits about wildlife, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History has one of the finest dinosaur fossil collections in the world. Visitors can see experts work with real dinosaur fossils in the PaleoLab. Make sure to snap a photo in front of Dippy, the scarf-loving dinosaur guarding the front of the museum!
4. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN
From the dinosaurs exploding out of the side of the building to the fossils within, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is filled with fun things to do. Kids can touch a real T-rex bone and see reconstructed dinosaur skeletons up close.
1. Who are the attractions mainly intended for?| A．Children. | B．Parents. | C．Archaeologists. | D．Volunteers. |
| A．Dinosaurs Alive at Cedar Point. | B．The Chicago Children’s Museum. |
| C．Carnegie Museum of Natural History. | D．The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. |
| A．Touch a real T- rex bone. | B．Take a photo in front of Dippy. |
| C．See reconstructed dinosaur skeletons. | D．See experts work with fake dinosaur fossils. |
7 . When talking about traveling? Many people choose backpacking (背着背包徒步旅行) because it not only helps save a lot of money, but also gives them another kind of experience. When you are planning a backpacking adventure, the first thing to do in your opinion may be the decision on the places where you will visit. However, it is not the most important thing. Great adventures will make you face great danger. So you should not only imagine the enjoyment you will have on the trip, but also think about the possible danger you might face.
Making travel insurance (保险) is the most staple. It can make sure that you stay safe on the trip. So you should buy a backpacker travel insurance policy (保险单) before you leave. Backpacker policies are specially designed to meet your needs, by offering a high level of cover for a long time of travel. You can buy a backpacker policy from one week to two years or longer time. The backpacker insurance policy covers many activities such as swim and ski, and provides protection for these activities. So buying a backpacker travel insurance policy is very important.
It is a good idea to compare a few insurance companies before you make a decision. You should always carefully check the backpacker policy and make sure the activities you want to do are all covered by the policy.
1. The passage can interest the man who ______.| A．plans to go for a backpacking |
| B．runs a company selling sports clothes |
| C．wants to become a tour guide in the future |
| D．is too busy to have a few days off |
| A．very reasonable | B．very difficult |
| C．very important | D．very interesting |
| A．backpacking insurance policies may cover sports protection |
| B．we should find a good tour guide when backpacking |
| C．we should take part in some activities such as swim and ski |
| D．a lot of people want to spend some time backpacking |
| A．Great backpacking |
| B．Who should take a holiday? |
| C．How to be a good tour guide? |
| D．Important— backpacking insurance |
8 .
| Sydney Tower Address: 100 Market St, Sydney Phone: 02 9333 9222 Fax: 02 9333 9203 Open time: 9:00 am to 10:30 pm ( Saturdays to 11:30 pm) Ticket: $ 60 ( for an adult) $30 (for a child) Website: www. Sydneytower.com.au How to get there: train to Town Hall Station and a short walk along Market Street How to book tickets: by phone/fax or through the web Attraction: Sydney’s best views are just the beginning ! Sydney Tower takes you to the highest point above Sydney for exciting 360° views of our beautiful city. |
| A．email sydneytower@hotmail. com | B．fax 02 9333 9203 |
| C．search www. Sydneytower. com. au | D．dial 02 9333 9222 |
| A．$60 | B．$90 | C．$120 | D．$150 |
| A．after 11:30 p.m. | B．before 11:30 p.m. |
| C．at 10:30 p.m. | D．by 10:30 p.m. |
9 . Amazing West Coast Beach Houses Rent
Rockaway Beach House
Rockaway Beach, Oregon
This comfortably furnished two-bedroom, two-bath house is both kid-and dog-friendly with a path leading right down to Nedonna Beach. It’s conveniently located near Manhattan Beach State Park as well as towns such as Manzanita, Wheeler, and Nehalem that offer cafes and tourist shops. Amenities (便利设施) include a washer and dryer, ping-pong table, home office, wood-burning fireplace and smart TV.
Oceanfront Townhome
Monterey, California
This rental claims to be one of the closest homes to the water in all of Monterey. It’s limited on space—the owner notes it can accommodate up to three adults or two adults and two small children—the location is only five minutes from downtown Monterey and Fisherman’s Wharf, 10 minutes from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Pacific Grove, and 15 minutes from Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Westport Ocean Oasis
Westport, Washington
Washington state might not be the first place people think of when considering a West Coast beach trip, but vacation rentals like this one might make them think twice. A one-bedroom, one-bath, dog-friendly apartment, it offers sweeping views of the shores from its huge windows, as well as amenities like a balcony, basketball court and putting green, and TV.
Studio Beach House
Rancho Palos Verdes, California
Located just west of Long Beach, this beach rental offers amazing views and easy beach access as well as amenities like tennis and basketball courts, a playground and an outdoor bar with 50-inch TV, surround sound, a mini-fridge and hot tub. It’s also close to many destinations like golf courses, parks, and the Portuguese Bend Reserve, a nature area with hiking trails that overlook the ocean.
1. Which beach house will you choose if you are going to live in Oregon?| A．Rockaway Beach House. | B．Oceanfront Townhome. |
| C．Westport Ocean Oasis. | D．Studio Beach House. |
| A．Pacific Grove. | B．Carmel-by-the-Sea. |
| C．Fisherman’s Wharf. | D．The Monterey Bay Aquarium. |
| A．They are dog-friendly. | B．They have huge windows. |
| C．They are close to hiking trails. | D．They both offer a basketball court. |
10 . The Louvre is the most popular museum in the world. Last year, about 10 million visitors, more than 75% of whom were foreign tourists, came to the museum. About 80% of them were here for Mona Lisa-and most of them left unhappy.
According to a survey of British tourists earlier this year, Mona Lisa was voted the world’s most disappointing attraction, beating out Checkpoint Charlie, Spanish Steps, and Urinating Boy in Brussels.
If the museum thinks that it is inspiring the next generation of art lovers, it is in fact doing the opposite, thanks to the huge crowds in front of the picture. The overcrowding here was so bad that Jean-Luc Martinez, the museum’s director, has to admit, “We have to take steps to deal with the overcrowding in the coming years: new entrances and timed tickets for the museum.”
He misunderstands the problem-for the Louvre, with more gallery space than any museum on the planet, isn’t that crowed. On my last visit, the French painting wing had just a few visitors. Even Venus de Milo, perhaps the second most famous work of art in the museum, only drew a comfortable few dozen visitors. In other words, the Louvre does not have an overcrowding problem. It has a Mona Lisa problem. No other famous painting comes anywhere close to monopolizing (垄断) a museum like she does. It is time for the Louvre to admit its failure. The museum does not need new entrances or timed tickets.
Instead, it only needs to set up a moving walkway in front of Mona Lisa and let Samsung or another smartphone company to fix its cutest cameras around her. So visitors can strike a pose on the moving walkway, and download their cutest selfies (自拍像) with Mona Lisa later. I can even picture the moving walkway smoothly guiding tourists past the Mona Lisa into the gift shops, where millions of selfiers can take time to enjoy their pictures, and spend money.
It is time to set it up now since the 2024 Summer Olympics is around the comer.
1. Which was the most disappointing attraction according to the survey? ________| A．Mona Lisa. | B．Venus de Milo. | C．Spanish Steps. | D．Urinating Boy. |
| A．Amazing. | B．Practical. | C．Expensive. | D．Unworkable. |
| A．A lot of visitors stay there to appreciate it. | B．The room housing the picture is too small. |
| C．Too many visitors want to take a picture with it. | D．The ticket for the famous painting is too cheap. |
| A．To share his unpleasant visit to the Louvre. |
| B．To introduce a famous painting in a museum. |
| C．To offer a simple solution to the Mona Lisa problem. |
| D．To show the opportunity brought by the 2024 Olympics. |
