1 . 假设你是李华，有一位外国笔友Harry想了解你们的首都北京，请你根据提示回复一封电子邮件。要点如下：
1. 北京的位置(中国北部)、面积(16,410多平方公里)、人口(约2200万)及历史(3,000多年)等；
2. 北京的旅游特色(历史古迹如长城、故宫the Forbidden City、颐和园the Summer Palace, 特色小吃等)；
3. 欢迎Harry来北京参观。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头、结尾已给出，不计入总数。
Dear Harry,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

5 . Travelling Economically

● Get a ride to travel destinations with friends or acquaintances (熟人). If people you know are driving to a location you would like to visit, take advantage of the opportunity to ask them for a lift. Offer to help with gas money or, if you don’t have any cash, offer a trade or service instead.     1    

● Practice safe hitchhiking to get around.    2     Ask each driver several questions before getting in the vehicle, including what their name is, where they are heading and why they are going there. Follow your gut instinct (直觉) and avoid getting into a car with anyone who gives you a bad feeling.

●    3    There are many ridesharing websites and apps that allow budget travellers to find a shared lift to their destination. These sites will also screen and identify the drivers, making the ridesharing experience safe and simple. Search for available rideshares in your area, which may vary in cost but will cost significantly less than travelling alone.

● Join a free hospitality (好客)-sharing community.     4    You will be able to chat with participating members living in the area you are travelling to and arrange accommodations before travelling. In addition to being able to sleep on someone’s couch or in their spare room, you may find someone to show you around the city.

● Camp at inexpensive campsites. Camping can be a budget-friendly activity if you find the right park or site.     5    Visit http://www.uscampgrounds.info/ for a comprehensive list of North American campgrounds, which indicates sites with a rate of $12 or less per night.

A．Get to new destinations with ridesharing services.

B．Hitchhiking is not an exact science but an art form.

C．Search online for camp sites near your travel destination.

D．Hitchhiking is a free way to travel, but you need to be cautious.

E．One of my big worries when it comes to camping is keeping everyone safe.

F．Be a polite and respectful co-traveller to show your appreciation for their generosity.

G．Find free accommodations in other cities by joining a couchsurfing community online.

6 . Travel enthusiasts fifty years ago talked about travelling to fascinating places around the world. Today the talk is about going beyond the world and the Earth. The thirst is creating a demand for space travel, giving rise to space tourism.

The space fights are not cheap - each flight into outer space costs about U.S. $20 million. Up till now, it has solely been enjoyed by a few adventurous super-ich men. To reduce the high cost of space travel for the mass market, space travel agencies now have a creative plan to offer suborbital flights, which cost much less. These joyrides will enable the tourists to reach the edge of space, which is more than 62 miles above the Earth, and allow them the experience of a few minutes of weighlessness as they gaze at the Earth below, before they return down to Earth again.

Space tourism is, however, not an environmentally friendly adventure. The black carbon emitted by the spacecraft could either raise temperatures at the poles, causing a melting of the ice or lead to rising temperatures, contributing to global warming. The emission of black carbon also causes the ozone molecules to break apart, contributing to several kilotons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Looking beyond Earth, an increase in space travel would mean that Man would not only leave his footprint in space but also his waste—space tourism can contribute to pollution of the environment of the outer space. With no current plans for waste disposal, one can only imagine clumps of litter floating around the planets.

Without doubt, space tourism opens up new exciting possibilities. With time, the price of the flights to space would become more reasonable. Increasing commercialization of space travel would also mean that a structure would be put in place for the disposal of space waste. However, with no immediate solution to counter the possible impact on climate changes and the thinning of the ozone layer, space tourism would probably prove to be yet another controversial (有争议的) venture of mankind.

1. What push space tourism to develop?

A．Investment from millionaires.	B．Talks between travel enthusiasts.
C．People’s ambition to travel.	D．Human’s travel habits and customs.

2. How do travel agencies reduce the high cost of space travel?

A．By reaching the orbit of the spaceship.

B．By cutting the distance of space travelling.

C．By allowing the people to travel alone in space.

D．By guiding travelers to gaze at the earth when landing.

3. According to the passage, what will eventually make space travel controversial?

A．The high cost of space fight.	B．Causing global warming.
C．The lack of waste disposal project.	D．Further Ozone layer build-up.

4. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．The Next Tourist Attraction: Space

B．Pros and Cons: Space Science Is on the Way

C．A Milestone in Technology: Manned Spaceship

D．A Controversial Program: Travel for the Ozone Layer.

7 . I did a crazy thing last weekend. I signed my family up for a six-mile hike out in the Yunmeng Mountains in Huairou District, Beijing.

Ever since we arrived in Beijing two years ago, my family has never walked around in any Beijing park for longer than two miles. I had signed up on Beijing Hikers’ hike several times before, but had always backed out at the last minute because of my son and husband’s protest. This time, I was not getting out of it!

When we woke up early on Saturday morning, it was raining cats and dogs. My husband turned to me and said, “Perfect hiking weather!”

But, I wasn’t backing down. If the other hikers thought that the weather was safe for hiking, then we were going! I did not regret even when our tour bus drove right into the heavy rain. Luckily, the rain stopped before we entered the mountains.

For the hike I had packed various snacks. When one treat stopped providing motivation for my 6-year-old son to put one foot in front of the other, I would turn to another to keep him moving. After I ran out of snacks, the guide cleverly asked him to look out for the red ribbons(丝带) that the Beijing Hikers use to mark the trail, and allowed him to collect them for her. This trick helped keep him moving for the first five miles of the well-kept road along the White River. However, the last mile was almost vertical(垂直的). While the kid had been moving like a snail for most of the walking part, he became a mountain goat when it came to the vertical climb. He actually led the group alongside the guide, leaving me and my husband far behind! We couldn’t even see him through the trees, and could only hear his merry voice carried by the wind.

Just then I turned to my husband and asked whether we would do it again. He replied, “I might feel much better if I were lying in bed dreaming about this hiking.”

1. What was the weather like early in the morning?

A．Rainy.

B．Cloudy.

C．Sunny.

D．Windy.

2. Which worked the best to encourage the little child?

A．The snacks.	B．The blue ribbons.
C．The easy hike.	D．The difficult climb.

3. What did the author’s husband imply in the last paragraph?

A．He loved hiking in the rain.	B．He was too sleepy to walk.
C．He preferred staying at home.	D．He didn’t have the final say.

4. What can we know about the author according to the text?

A．She is romantic.	B．She is determined.
C．She is humorous.	D．She is good at scheduling.

8 . Best Places to Visit in England

As the largest part of the United Kingdom, England is home to many great places to visit. The following destinations are some of the best.

London

Of course, most visitors to England will arrive in London. It’s home to a long list of famous sights as well as beautiful green spaces. It also houses some of the best museums on the planet, many of which are free. See the city from above by riding the London Eye or run into famous people at Madame Tussauds (杜莎夫人蜡像馆).

Liverpool

Liverpool is well known as the place that started The Beatles, though you’ll find a lot more to do there than visit The Beatles Museum. Spend time in the pubs chatting with the locals, go shopping at Liverpool One and enjoy the beaches. Art lovers will enjoy Liverpool’s excellent art sight.

Bath

Some people say Bath is England’s most beautiful small city, named for its natural hot springs that served as ancient Roman baths (浴缸) 2,000 years ago. And, today, it’s the only place in the United Kingdom where you can bathe in naturally hot, mineral-rich waters just like the Romans did long ago. Enjoy rooftop baths with wonderful views over this Georgian city, dine in award-winning restaurants and stay in romantic hotels.

Dover

Dover, located in White Cliffs Country, offers a rich history as well as peaceful countryside and a breathtaking coastline. This area has a unique place in history. You could easily spend weeks experiencing this area’s castles, like Dover Castle as well as the Secret War Time Tunnels, once used as an underground hospital.

1. What can visitors do in London?

A．Have a bath in naturally hot water.

B．Visit The Beatles Museum for free.

C．Enjoy the city’s view from the London Eye.

D．Learn about its music at Madame Tussauds.

2. Which place is well known for natural hot springs?

A．London.

B．Liverpool.

C．Bath.

D．Dover.

3. What can we know about the Secret War Time Tunnels?

A．It is in Liverpool.

B．It is a 2,000-year-old art sight.

C．It looks like Dover Castle.

D．It was an underground hospital before.

9 . Four Famous Castles In Britain

The country is abundant of castles, some ruined, and others still surviving today. They are a reminder of their either glorious or violent past. Read on for the one that interests you most.

Bodiam Castle, East Sussex

Built primarily for defence in the 14th century, the castle looks perfectly protected from the outside. You might think you could expect much of the same inside it, but sadly not. The war reduced the inside to ruins. The fairytale appearance of the castle standing within its broad moat (护城河) makes an indescribably spectacular picture.

Hever Castle, Kent

As a queen’s childhood home, it is the perfect picture-book castle. Its thick creeper-covered walls are surrounded by double channels. With large collections including portraits, paintings, furniture and treasures, it attracts a lot of tourists here. Among its collections are two private books signed by the queen herself, which are historically valuable.

Windsor Castle, Berkshire

If you want to have a better understanding of more than 900 years’ royal (王室的) life, then there really is no better place to visit than this splendid castle. It is the largest and oldest castle that is still occupied now in the world. In 1992, a fire swept through the castle, destroying 115 rooms. The repairing was completed five years later.

Tintagel Castle, Cornwall

Few places can compete with Tintagel Castle in romance and mystery. The ruins that you see today date from the 13th century, which, however, didn’t stop it to become a popular attraction. Due to the legend of King Arthur, for centuries the castle has fired writers’ and artists’ imaginations on how the heroic king’s life began here.

1. What do Bodiam Castle and Hever Castle have in common?

A．They are surrounded by water.	B．They own many art collections.
C．They were built for defence.	D．They are still lying in ruins

2. In which castle are there people living now?

A．Bodiam Castle, East Sussex.

B．Hever Castle, Kent.

C．Windsor Castle, Berkshire.

D．Tintagel Castle, Cornwall.

3. What is Tintagel Castle well-known for?

A．The childhood of a queen.

B．The legend of a great king.

C．The outstanding art works.

D．The new image after repair.

10 . Are you looking for some good places for you and your four-leg friend? Here are some for you.

Tahmoor Gorge (峡谷)

The number and quality of swimming holes in this valley immediately take us back to some of our favourite places in Kakadu national park. The only difference here is that you don’t need a four-wheel drive, so the best way togo to the gorge is walking. This pet-friendly walk follows the Bargo River through an open gorge that gradually drops to a deep gorge. It is a popular place for locals on weekends. The further you run into the gorge, the less people there are.

Sirius Cove, Mosman

Sirius Cove is one of many quietly beautiful places along the Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach walking trail (路线). The deep, U-shaped bay, with a large grassy area, is popular with picnicking families and their dogs.

Kutti Beach, Vaucluse

We heard about it from a friend, but it is so hidden that it is not easy to find the entrance. Follow Wharf Road until it dead ends at the Vaucluse Amateur Sailing Club. Go right up to the building and look left. There is a very narrow set of stairs leading to the beach. Go down the steps and open the gate at the bottom. Follow the narrow road along the wall to the sand. The best bit? It’s dog-friendly.

MacKenzies Beach, Tamarama

From whale watching hot place MacKenzies Point, follow the sloped (斜的) road to MacKenzies Beach, a dog-friendly, short-time beach that only appears every couple of years when the right combination (结合) of wind and sand on the normal rocky reef. They say you aren’t a local until you’ve seen sand at MacKenzies.

1. What do we know about Tahmoor Gorge?

A．It’s a must to drive there.

B．It’s a popular place on weekdays.

C．It’s a good way to go there on foot.

D．It’s a popular place for foreign visitors.

2. Which is the most hidden place according to the author?

A．Tahmoor Gorge.	B．Kutti Beach, Vaucluse.
C．Sirius Cove, Mosman.	D．MacKenzies Beach, Tamarama.

3. What do the four places have in common?

A．They are beside the sea.

B．They are dog-friendly.

C．They are places where whales are seen.

D．They are open to the public only on weekends.