3 . Walled Cities Of The World

There are numerous historical walled cities across the world, whose walls date back several centuries. These walls were fortification (碉堡), a necessity throughout medieval eras for defense. They have been preserved as historical monuments and popular tourist attractions in the modern time.

York, England

The city of York is a medieval city situated in the north of England. Historically, the city was ruled by the Romans, Angles, and the Vikings before being incorporated as part of the Kingdom of England in 954. Located in the city are walls built in 71 AD which have been restored and extended with time.

Xi’an, China

The city of Xian is one of the oldest cities in China. It prospered economically as the eastern last station of the Silk Road. The existing walls were originally built in 770 BC and reconstructed in the 14th century under the Ming Dynasty. The walls are well preserved and are a major tourist attraction in the city.

Quebec City, Canada

Quebec City was a colonial (殖民地的) town which was fortified by the settling Europeans. The walls began to be built in 1608 under both British and French regimes (政权). A fort was constructed by the British as an additional defensive measure and remains undamaged to date. The city’s fortifications were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Mexico City, Mexico

Historically, the City of Mexico gained importance as the Aztec Capital. The Spanish then drove out the Aztecs and rebuilt it as the Spanish Capital. The walls protecting the city were built in 1521. Mexico City is also home to numerous colonial-era buildings which together with the walls are major tourist attractions in the city.

1. Which city has walls of the longest history?

A．York, England.	B．Xi’an, China.
C．Quebec City, Canada.	D．Mexico City, Mexico.

2. What do Quebec city and Mexico city have in common?

A．They were once colonies of other countries.

B．They were once the capital of the Aztec empire.

C．Their walls were once built under British regime.

D．Their walls were once damaged after construction.

3. In which section of a magazine may this text appear?

A．Culture.

B．Entertainment.

C．Science.

D．Society

5 . Last summer, my family and I went on a road trip to the Grand Canyon. It was our first family vacation in years, and we were all ______ to spend some quality time together. We ______ our car with snacks, water, and a lot of sunscreen, and then ______ the road.

The trip was long, but we kept ourselves ______ with card games and singing along to our favourite songs. When we finally arrived at the Grand Canyon, we were ______ by the breathtaking views. We spent the next few days hiking, taking pictures, and ______ the area.

One of the highlights of the trip was when we went on a helicopter ______ of the Grand Canyon. It was a great ______, and we all felt like we were on top of the world. We took a lot of pictures and videos, and we still ______ them to this day.

As the trip came to an end, we all felt a sense of ______. We didn’t want to go back to our busy ______. We wanted to stay together and keep exploring. ______, we knew that we had to go back home.

Looking back on the trip, I realized how important it is to spend time with ______. In our busy life, we often forget to slow down and enjoy the little moments. The trip ______ me of the importance of ______ memories and cherishing (珍惜) the time we have with our loved ones.

1.

A．satisfied

B．excited

C．confused

D．annoyed

2.

A．packed up

B．cleaned up

C．pulled over

D．turned over

3.

A．followed

B．repaired

C．hit

D．filmed

4.

A．organized

B．addicted

C．challenged

D．entertained

5.

A．amazed

B．cheated

C．frightened

D．trapped

6.

A．measuring

B．designing

C．exploring

D．assessing

7.

A．experiment

B．sale

C．exhibition

D．tour

8.

A．experience

B．effort

C．regret

D．accident

9.

A．add

B．watch

C．make

D．record

10.

A．relaxation

B．sadness

C．relief

D．anger

11.

A．school

B．classes

C．life

D．neighborhoods

12.

A．Besides

B．Otherwise

C．Therefore

D．However

13.

A．family

B．strangers

C．staff

D．colleagues

14.

A．informed

B．reminded

C．warned

D．cured

15.

A．changing

B．losing

C．creating

D．recognizing

6 . 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。

Chinese products shine among Hangzhou Asian Games participants

Chinese products won the admiration of many foreign participants at the 19h Asian Games, which     1     (conclude) in Hangzhou, the capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province, on Oct. 8th.

Oksana Chusovitina,     2     48-year-old Uzbek gymnast, expressed her admiration for the training     3     (facility) and comfortable accommodations. She even inquired about where     4     (purchase) the same mattress she used in the Asian Games Village. To her delight, the mattress manufacturer gifted her one after hearing about her interest. In     5     (add) to the athletes, former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal, who came to Hangzhou to watch the Games, bought a pair of stylish sunglasses at the market. Some international athletes also visited the Wulin Night Market,     6     they bought items like handmade silver jewelry, Chinese-style hairpins     7     (feature) plum blossom patterns. Among the items was a distinctive local mask recognized     8     a traditional cultural item.

Moreover, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) continues to draw international visitors. An athlete from the UAE bought wormwood heating compress packs,     9     another packed an entire suitcase with Chinese patent medicines for his family. He explained that his mother is a TCM lover and that such medicines are     10     (fair) hard to come by overseas.

7 . While temperatures continue to climb, visitors are still coming to see Death Valley National Park on the California-Nevada border. The park is known as the hottest place on Earth. This past weekend, the temperatures climbed to 53.33℃. Most visitors at this time of year make it only a short distance to any area in the park before returning to the cool air in their vehicles.

Early information from the park service shows that across the nation’s 424 national parks, at least four people have died this year from heat-related causes. That includes a 65-year-old man from San Diego who was found dead at Death Valley earlier this month.

Death Valley National Park suggests visitors be careful and not have expectations of rescue. While park rangers (护林员) drive on park roads and can aid tourists in need, it is unsure that lost visitors will get help in time.

Physical activity can make the heat feel even worse and leave people exhausted. Alessia Dempster, who was visiting from Edinburgh, Scotland, said, “It’s very hot especially when there’s a gentle wind. You would think maybe that would give you some slight relief from the heat, but it just really does feel like an air blow dryer just going back in your face.”

Death Valley is a narrow area that is below sea level and surrounded by high mountains, the park service’s website says. The dry air and small plant coverage let sunlight heat up the park surface. The heat then becomes trapped in the valley.

Still, several areas in Death Valley continue to draw tourists. Badwater Basin, made up of salt flats, is considered the lowest point in all of North America. The 183-meter Ubehebe Crater dates back over 2,000 years. And Zabriskie Point is a great sunrise viewing spot.

Josh Miller, a visitor from Indianapolis who has been to 20 national parks so far, shared that feeling. “It’s hot, but the scenery is awesome,” he said.

1. What do most visitors do in Death Valley?

A．Cool themselves in time.	B．Do lots of physical exercises.
C．Stay away from park rangers.	D．Carry dryers with themselves.

2. Why does the author mention the 65-year-old man in paragraph 2?

A．To encourage the elderly to travel more.

B．To express admiration for mountain climbers.

C．To advise people to tour Death Valley more often.

D．To show the danger of traveling in Death Valley.

3. What does paragraph 5 mainly tell us about Death Valley?

A．Its covering area.	B．Its attractive spots.
C．The reason why it is so hot.	D．The service of its park’s website.

4. What can be inferred about Death Valley from the last two paragraphs?

A．It has a short history.	B．It is worth visiting.
C．It draws fewer and fewer tourists.	D．It is unsuitable for viewing sunrise.

8 . 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。

Xingping is an ancient town near Yangshuo, Guilin. It     1    (surround) by great examples of karst scenery. We started our tour on a     2    (sun) weekend by taking a bullet train from Guilin to Yangshuo. After we arrived at Yangshuo, we walked to the bus station on the left     3     the railway station. We     4    (take) the 10:30 bus and after about 15 minutes we got to the Xingping Ancient Town bus station. Then, we found the     5    (enter) to the old street of the ancient town.

Xingping old street is a one-kilometer-long stone street     6    (line) with old brick buildings and halls like those of many different     7    (province), as well as some homestays. After     8     short break at a coffee shop, we went ahead to our next destination. Just 5 minutes’ walk along the main road, we arrived at Xingping Wharf (码头)    9     the Xingping Cruise (乘船游) starts. Walking past the wharf and across an iron bridge, we arrived at the “Xiao Bei Cun” where we can get a wonderful view of sunset on Li River. That’s the     10    (good) view I’ve ever seen and it’s used as the background for the 20 yuan note. We enjoyed the beautiful view!

9 . Four Unique U.S. National Parks

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

This national park is the site of the longest known cave system in the world,which is really proper for a park called “Mammoth(猛犸象).” It’s the ideal place for an adventure lover, with about 400 miles of caves and tunnels to explore. One of the most popular sections to visit within the caves is called Frozen Niagara, a special part of the caves that looks like a waterfall frozen in time.

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Even though it’s one of the least-visited national parks in the country, it’s definitely one of the best national parks in Florida. There’s no accounting for Dry Tortugas National Park’s amazing beauty. Located about 70 miles from Key West, this park is made up of several islands that feature blue waters and white-sand beaches, colorful marine life, and the historic Fort(堡垒) Jefferson, one of the largest 19th-century forts in U.S. history.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

If you’re looking for interesting red and pink rocks, you can’t do better than Bryce Canyon. The national park is known for its fascinating rock formations and hoodoos(石林), as well as its starry skies at night. Some of the best places to visit in the park are the Natural Bridge, Fairyland Canyon, or any of the scenic viewpoints throughout the park.

Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

It’s the hottest and driest national park in the country, but it’s also a place of beautiful desert views and interesting natural phenomena, like the sailing stones on the Racetrack Playa. Depending on where you are in the park the climate can be extreme — it’s home to snowy mountains, dry desert, colorful flower fields, and cool lakes. You might also recognize it as the planet of Tatooine from the original Star Wars movies.

1. What can you visit in Mammoth Cave National Park?

A．Frozen Niagara.	B．Fort Jefferson.
C．Natural Bridge.	D．Fairyland Canyon.

2. Where is the least-visited national parks in the U.S.located?

A．In Kentucky.	B．In Florida.
C．In Utah.	D．In Califomia and Nevada.

3. Which park will a fan of Star Wars movies visit?

A．Mammoth Cave National Park.	B．Dry Tortugas National Park.
C．Bryce Canyon National Park.	D．Death Valley National Park.

10 . 阅读下面句子，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Jiuzhai Valley. or Jiuzhaigou, is a picturesque fairyland, featuring fascinating scenery of colorful lakes, breathtaking waterfalls and mountains. People say that if there should be a wonderland on earth, Jiuzhaigou National Park must be one.

    1    (situate) in Jiuzhaigou County, Jiuzhaigou National Park is about 450 kilometres to the north of Chengdu. Roads     2    (wander) along through the valley make     3    hard for tourists to drive there. The first thing you see there is forest. Full of a sense of a primitive forest, Jiuzhai Valley is isolated from the hustle and bustle and bustle of cities. With the seasons changing, the forest presents a     4    (various) of fantastic looks. It is also    5    kingdom of water. The lakes there,     6    are surrounded by ancient trees and flowers, are crystal clear and green all year round. As the light changes and the seasons go by, the lakes take    7    different colors.

Jiuzhai Valley is    8    (particular) picturesque in autumnal colors. Warm days, cool nights, and great     9    (view) of saturated yellows, reds and greens reflecting off the blue lakes are characteristic of autumn there. Nearly half of the 720-square-kilometre Jiuzhai Valley    10    (cover) by autumn colors.