1 . Over the years I’ve spent living in Beijing, I can
As my friends and I sat together in the ski lift chair, I finally felt for the first time that I had
As the ski lift reached its
My buddies had already started making their way down the hill, and I was about to join them but suddenly fear
Not wanting to become
By the day’s end, I had relearned what it
| A．cast | B．claim | C．account | D．count |
| A．unbelievable | B．unforgettable | C．incredible | D．horrible |
| A．truly | B．initially | C．eventually | D．simply |
| A．took in | B．took up | C．brought in | D．brought up |
| A．circumstance | B．departure | C．destination | D．peak |
| A．awkwardly | B．flexibly | C．slowly | D．eagerly |
| A．blamed | B．thought | C．regretted | D．sighed |
| A．Nevertheless | B．Therefore | C．Although | D．Furthermore |
| A．stably | B．gracefully | C．gently | D．tightly |
| A．gained | B．gathered | C．swelled | D．overwhelmed |
| A．pick out | B．pick up | C．take off | D．take up |
| A．attempted | B．proceeded | C．adapted | D．managed |
| A．panicked | B．ashamed | C．discouraged | D．distracted |
| A．brought | B．meant | C．made | D．took |
| A．impossible | B．terrific | C．upset | D．scary |
2 . Whether you want a snowy or sunny winter getaway, these hotels are hot on our list of places to stay this winter.
Dive Motel &Swim Club: Nashville, TN
A former’50s motor inn, the new Dive Motel & Swim Club has been fully updated to look like the 70s. Choose to stay in one of 23 uniquely decorated rooms, each equipped with a disco ball and party switch. Book the Penthouse Suite for a private deck overlooking the pool, or become a Swim Club member and enjoy pool benefits anytime.
Hotel Joaquin: Orange Country, CA
A newcomer to coastal Orange County, Hotel Joaquin is a high-end hotel. This small-sized accommodation feels like a private beachside house, but with perfect service, well-prepared activities, fine dining and a relaxing pool. Restaurant Saline(for guests only)serves Mediterranean cuisine with a focus on fresh seafood. Even better, the hotel will pack a picnic to take to the beach—which is just steps away.
Hotel Orania: Berlin, Germany
Hotel Orania, located in the creative center of Kreuzberg, offers guests a five-star stay in recently-decorated rooms that are light and cheerful with warm wood accents and Asian influence. The restaurant specializes in a four-course meal featuring duck in each course. Catch a free concert in the hotel’s “salon” or sip a hand-crafted cocktail at the bar.
Snowpine Lodge: Alta, UT
The ski-in/ski-out Snowpine Lodge, located on the slopes of Alta Ski Resort just 40 minutes south of Salt Lake City, offers an excellent, cozy retreat. Having undergone a $50-million dollar decoration, the lodge now offers incomparable luxury and impressive facilities such as ski boot warmers, a fully stocked game room, and farm-to-table dining featuring slope views.
1. Which place best suits people who prefer Mediterranean cuisine?| A．Dive Motel & Swim Club. | B．Hotel Joaquin. |
| C．Hotel Orania. | D．Snowpine Lodge. |
| A．Warm your ski boots. |
| B．Enjoy pool benefits anytime. |
| C．Enjoy a view from a specific perspective. |
| D．Enjoy farm-to-table food. |
| A．Hotel managers. | B．Diners. | C．Sportsmen. | D．Travel lovers. |
3 . Earlier this month, I paid a visit to Baluran National Park in eastern Java with my family. This park, named after a dead volcano, is the only place in Indonesia that looks like an African savanna (热带草原). Therefore, it is called Africa in Indonesia. You can see deer, large water buffalo, small mice, peacocks, eagles, monkeys and much more animals.
When walking in the park, we really had the feeling that we were in Africa. This was mainly due to its climate. The air was hot and dry rather than warm and wet. It was completely different from what I got used to in Indonesia and I was so surprised.
In the park, you will never get bored because the whole neighborhood is full of monkeys. But thesemonkeys are rude and aggressive (好斗的). Monkeys guarded our house and wanted food. When we didn’t give them food, they would rob us of food. So each of us was offered a stick by the rangers (护林员). They taught us that when the monkeys were too aggressive we must lift the stick. And it worked perfectly.
In the late afternoon, we went for a walk to explore the area. On the way, we saw many species of trees that couldn’t be found anywhere else in Indonesia. Soon the sunset approached so we decided to go back. But darkness fell about halfway through the journey. We only had poor light from our phones. And we heard only the sounds of animals around us. It was possible that hungry animals might come close to us and take us as their dinner. We started to feel scared and quickened our steps. Just when we were about to reach our breaking point, we saw a ranger, who comforted us and led us to safety.
In the evening, we talked with the ranger about his life in Baluran. And after dinner, he invited us to fish with him at sunrise. We really had a great time in the park, and I always look forward to coming back and experiencing all the excitements again.
1. What do we learn about Baluran National Park?| A．It is a great place for wild animals. | B．It is located in the middle of Africa. |
| C．Tourists find its climate very pleasant. | D．Tourists usually visit it for its volcano. |
| A．To help them walk easily. | B．To drive away unfriendly monkeys. |
| C．To play games with monkeys. | D．To use it to give monkeys food. |
| A．The anxiety to charge their phones. | B．The desire to tell the rangers about their adventure. |
| C．The worry about being robbed at night. | D．The fear of being attacked by wild animals. |
| A．Encourage people to travel to Indonesia. |
| B．Give tips on how to visit Baluran National Park. |
| C．Share her experience at Baluran National Park. |
| D．Advertise Baluran National Park. |
4 . With spring officially here, we can look forward to fresh flowers and cherry blossoms (樱花) . Why not celebrate the end of winter with a fun spring time holiday? Here we’ve found four terrific travel packages at home and abroad.
London’s Chelsea Flower Show, $849
Every May, London hosts the world famous Chelsea Flower Show, astonishing gardens, and lively gardening displays that set the latest in garden design trends. This year, Virgin Vacations offers a six-night air-land packages priced at a sweet $849. Good for departures May 21-23, this deal covers the following costs: airfare from New York; accommodations; daily breakfast; and one full-day entrance to the Flower Show.
Spring Flowers of Amsterdam, $739
Want to watch the spring flowers in the lowlands of Holland? Amsterdam is a treat to visit at this time of year, as its numerous gardens explode with color. At just $739 for a four-night stay with airfare, at this spring escape is priced to go! Good for travel April 1—17, the deal includes airfare from New York, accommodation at a budget hotel, daily breakfast, and a local map and guide.
Cherry Blossoms in Washington D. C., $639
You don’t need to travel far for an impressive flower show! From March 31 through April 15, Washington D. C. is hosting its yearly Cherry Blossoms Festival, marking the 95th celebration of the original gift of 3, 000 cherry trees from the city of Tokyo to the people of D. C. . Several hotels are honoring the occasion with special deals: for example, Hay-Adams offers a Cherry Blossom Package at $639 with two-night accommodation, and free parking.
Tokyo Spring Fun, $949
To spot the cherry blossoms right at the source, we recommend a spring adventure to Tokyo. Now you can visit the Asia Affair Holidays special we found: a Tokyo spring special starts at just$949! This deal covers airfare from New York, five nights’ accommodations at Tokyo Hilton International, and a half-day city tour. This particular price is valid for departures April 1—30, perfectly timed for the best of cherry blossom season.
1. To which place does the travel not contain airfare?| A．Chelsea. | B．Amsterdam. | C．Washington | D．C. D. Tokyo. |
| A．the USA. | B．England. | C．Holland. | D．Japan. |
| A．Spring Flowers of Amsterdam. | B．Cherry Blossoms in Washington D. |
| C．C. Tokyo Spring Fun. | D．London’s Chelsea Flower Show. |
Mount Emei,
Three million years ago, the main part of Mount Emei
The Buddha statue of Samantabhadra,
6 . In valleys with thick plants, different-sized round and square buildings with faded yellow clay walls and wooden roofs, tulou lie in mountainous villages in Longyan, Fujian Province. There are more than 23,000 tulou in Yongding, which became well-known after 46 were given World Heritage status by UNESCO in 2008. “The structures were awarded because they are exceptional examples of a building of tradition and function demonstrating a particular type of communal living and defensive organization, and, in terms of their harmonious relationship with their environment, an outstanding example of human settlement,” UNESCO said.
The giant multi-storied tulou were built with wood and mud walls. Constructed from the 15th to 20th centuries, these massive communal homes were sited based on feng shui principles, which claim to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their environment. Tulou are also purposefully resting amid tea, tobacco, rice plantations and abundant forests of pine and bamboo.
Throughout history, tulou residents have mostly been Hakka — migrants in southern China. Population pressures created conflict between the Hakka and their neighbors, so they built their homes to double as defending. The buildings are mainly four or five stories high. The first floor serves as the kitchen, the second is used for grain storage and the upper floors act as living areas. The structures are mainly symmetrical, and their defensive features include ironclad gates, escape tunnels, narrow openings for weapons under the dark-tiled roofs, and a water well. For their defensive function, only rooms on the third floor and higher have windows, which are very small. With sufficient food, the residents could survive in the event of a lengthy conflict.
Communal living is integrity to these villages, where the closed wall design boosts social interaction. Residents gather in the courtyard for ceremonies such as ancestor worship and weddings. Tulou is such an extraordinary piece of architecture, living up to the title given by UNESCO.
1. What do we know about tulou?| A．Over 23,000 tulou were given World Heritage status. |
| B．Among 23,000 tulou, only 46 became famous globally. |
| C．They’re exceptional buildings of tradition and function. |
| D．Tulou is the most outstanding Chinese human settlement. |
| A．Escape tunnels. | B．Enough food. | C．Small windows. | D．Defensive weapons. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Unclear. | C．Negative. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．Tulou: in Harmony with Their Environments |
| B．Tulou: Different-Sized Round and Square Buildings |
| C．Tulou: Given the World Heritage Status by UNESCO in 2008 |
| D．Tulou: a Special Chinese Structure Combining Living and Defending |
Li Daiyu and Liu Qian were on a trip to Canada, a country with vast lands but
1. Where are the speakers?
| A．On a hill. | B．On a snow mountain. | C．On a volcano. |
| A．10 years ago. | B．50 years ago. | C．100 years ago. |
9 . Unusual Libraries Around the World
There are 2.7 million libraries spreading across the globe, and while there are many beautiful ones, there are also a number of unique ones.
Haskell Free Library and Opera House, Quebec, Canada and Vermont, US
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, a special library spanning two countries, is stationed on the border between Canada and the United States and serves people from both countries. The main entrance is on the American side, but the majority of collection of the books are in Canada. There’s even an official American-Canada borderline running right across the library’s floor.
Deichman Bjørvika, Oslo, Norway
Praised by many as a library of the future, the Deichman Bjørvika, city of Oslo’s new main library, has one hundred unread and unpublished texts. They are stored in a specially designed room lined with wood from the forest, making the library the world’s most secretive one. It witnesses different authors add their works to the collection that will not be available for reading until 2114.
Seashore Library, Qinhuangdao, China
Quietly sitting on an isolated (孤零零的) stretch of beach of Qinhuangdao in northern China, the Seashore Library has been called the world’s loneliest library. People have to walk across the sand to reach the doors. The building is designed to promote people’s connection with ocean, so the main reading room features a layered design to ensure that everyone has a good view of the sea.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt
Bíbliotheca Alexandrina is considered as a revival (复兴) of an ancient library in the Alex-andria 2,300 years ago or so. Characterized by its circular, tilting form, the building spans 160 meters in diameter (直径) and reaches up to 32 meters in height, while also diving some 12 meters into the ground.
1. What highlights the Haskell Free Library and Opera House?| A．It crosses two countries. |
| B．It is accessible only by boat. |
| C．It has the largest collection of books. |
| D．It is modeled after an ancient library. |
| A．To promote the stretching beach. |
| B．To help visitors get rid of loneliness. |
| C．To involve visitors in the natural world. |
| D．To make it the world’s loneliest library. |
| A．Haskell Free Library and Opera House. |
| B．Deichman Bjørvika. |
| C．Seashore Library. |
| D．Bibliotheca Alexandrina. |
10 . It’s no secret that some of the world’s best ski resorts (胜地) are found within Switzerland’s outstanding mountains. Here are some of them.
Grindelwald—Wengen
If you’re looking for a Swiss postcard ski experience, then Grindelwald is the place for you. The beautiful North Face of the Eiger towers over this pretty mountain village, which has a long history of mountain climbing and skiing. Its main ski area can be skied on the same lift ticket! There’s no better way to get up the mountain here than by train.
Opening Date: Nov. 26, 2022 Closing Date: Apr. 16, 2023
Flims Laax Falera
What pulls in skiers and snowboarders from all over the world to Flims Laax Falera are the world-class terrain (地形) parks. There’s no denying this ski resort is a big hit with freestylers, but there’s also plenty to attract skiers.
Opening Date: Nov. 28, 2022 Closing Date: Apr. 26, 2023
Engelberg
Engelberg is a rising star for a range of good reasons, but the highlight is the massive free-ride potential. The secret is most definitely out as the town fills up every year with Scandinavians in search of their dry light snow.
Opening Date: Oct.15, 2022 Closing Date: May 21, 2023
Zermatt
Zermatt is the best of Switzerland’s ski resorts. This is your resort if you have the money to afford it! Fantastic restaurants are seen all over the mountain, serving Swiss cheese hotpot and other cooking masterpieces.
Opening Date: Nov. 26, 2022 Closing Date: Apr. 30, 2023
1. Which ski resort do you choose if you enjoy mountain villages?| A．Grindelwald-Wengen. | B．Flims Laax Falera. |
| C．Engelberg. | D．Zermatt. |
| A．Its beautiful secenry. | B．Its pleasant weather. |
| C．Its terrain parks. | D．Its free admission. |
| A．Transportation. | B．Security. |
| C．Price. | D．Location. |
