1 . Science World
From Europe’s biggest science festival to the coolest projects, check out this month’s science events.
Edinburgh Science Festival
For two weeks every April, Scotland’s capital city Edinburgh is home to Europe’s biggest science festival. This year’s festival will have a particular focus on life forms, life cycles and how to fight climate change.
Highlights include the City Art Centre, which has been transformed into a five-floor science playground. Meanwhile, over at the National Museum of Scotland, visitors can become an immunologist (免疫学家) for the day and make their own vaccine. For those not in Edinburgh, EdSciFest on Demand is an online resource with workshops and quizzes, which will be free until 7 May. To find out more visit: sciencefestival.co.uk
Dino Kingdom
From 1-18 April, dinosaurs are coming to London’s Gunnersbury Park. At Dino Kingdom you can see life-sized models of dinosaurs. To be in with a chance of winning a family ticket to this event, send an email to competitions@science-nature.co.uk by 11: 5 9 pm on 8 April. For rules: sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk/terms
Coolest Projects
Do you have an idea for a cool tech project? Why not share it with the world by entering the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s Coolest Projects competition? You can enter either as an individual or a team. Judges will score the projects according to how cool they are, how well designed, and how usable. Registration closes on 11 May. To find out more visit: coolestprojects.org
1. Where can visitors make their own vaccine?| A．At the National Museum of Scotland. |
| B．At London’s Gunnersbury Park. |
| C．At the Raspberry Pi Foundation. |
| D．At the City Art Centre. |
| A．They must email competitions@science-nature.co.uk. |
| B．They should be a member of Dino Kingdom. |
| C．They have to be a winner of a tech project. |
| D．They need to take an online test. |
| A．8 April. | B．18 April. | C．7 May. | D．11 May. |
2 . Check out 4 strange-but-true attractions in America
Bubblegum Alley
SAN LUIS OBISPO. CALIFORNIA
Bubblegum Alley is covered from top to bottom with chewed gum, a tradition that was started mysteriously by the locals in the 1950s. Some artists even created images of funny faces and the American flag. Unhappy community members had the “masterpiece” removed twice. But the clean-up didn’t stick, and soon more gum appeared. Now the alley has more than two million pieces of gum on it.
Giant Penguin
CUT BANK, MONTANA
Bundle up when you visit this statue, because temperatures here can get as low as 47 degrees below zero. As a nod to the frosty conditions, a local businessman built the 27-foot-tall penguin out of 10 000 pounds of concrete. The creator left for warmer weather, but the statue- seven times the height of a real emperor penguin-still stands, welcoming visitors to its cold home.
Tin Family
REGENT, NORTH DAKOTA
This Tin Family appear along the Enchanted Highway, a 32-mile stretch of road displaying seven huge metal sculptures. A group of farmers constructed the family using materials such as oil tanks and wire. Tin Son is 23 feet tall, Tin Ma is 44 ft. and Tin Pa stands 45 feet tall.
Blue Whale
CATOOSA. OKLAHOMA
Not ready to dive the depths of the ocean to see a blue whale? No problem. Just visit this 80-foot-long concrete beast, which even has a side and diving board so visitors can take a swim in the pond. When the artist died,the whale fell into bad condition. Neighbors couldn’t stand to see the whale fall apart. so they fixed it and now keep it bright with blue paint.
1. Which of the flowing attractions is not popular with some of the locals?| A．Bubblegum Alley. | B．Giant Penguin. | C．Tin Family. | D．Blue Whale. |
| A．Stand up straight | B．Stop talking |
| C．Watch it from a distance | D．Put on warm clothes |
| A．Montana | B．California | C．North Dakota | D．Oklahoma |
3 . Here are just a few of the new attractions in some of our favourite places that we’re looking forward to visiting across the world.
A fairy tale (童话) first
The first stages of the H.C. Andersen House in Odense, Denmark — the hometown of the famous fairy tale writer — have opened. The museum offers a completely total experience of attractive indoor and outdoor spaces. The site will also soon be home to a kid’s space where more fairy tales will be brought to life. hcandersenshus.dk
A floating (漂浮的) flower garden
TeamLab Planets TOKYO in Toyosu, Tokyo, has shown a new Garden Area with two garden artworks. One of them invites you to get close to 13,000 live orchids (兰花). Visitors will find themselves walking through water and floating as they become one artwork with the flowers. planets.teamlab.art
Sunken (沉没的) city
Dubai landmarks haven’t just gone high, they’ve gone deep! The world’s deepest dive (潜水) pool, Deep Dive Dubai, is the latest record-breaking attraction. More than 60 metres deep, the too-cool pool includes an underwater sunken city for divers to explore on their own or with a guide. Whether you’ve never dived before or you’re an experienced diver, those aged 10 and over are welcomed. deepdivedubai.com
New York’s newest island
Park life just got a little more interesting in New York. Little Island @Pier55 is a human-built island park next to the Hudson River Park. The new public space is unlike any other in the Big Apple: visitors can take in views of the Hudson River and New York City, along with music, dance and other performances in its 687-seat theatre. littleisland.org
1. Which of the following websites may a flower lover visit?| A．hcandersenshus.dk. | B．planets.teamlab.art. |
| C．deepdivedubai.com. | D．littleisland.org. |
| A．It has set a new record. | B．It is open to adults alone. |
| C．It is designed for new divers. | D．It doesn’t allow divers to explore by themselves. |
| A．Visit a museum. | B．Buy some artworks. |
| C．Enjoy performances. | D．Learn the history of New York. |
4 . Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck Tickets
From $20.10
Lowest Price Guarantee 1 to 11 hours
See the beauty of Hong Kong from above by visiting Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck. Pre-booking admission means you’ll guarantee your entry and avoid waiting in long lines to purchase tickets. Get 360° views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong’s top landmarks. If you work up an appetite, you don’t have to leave, as there’s even a restaurant on site - Café 100 by The Ritz-Carlton.
Hong Kong International Airport Plaza Premium Lounge
From $66.19
Lowest Price Guarantee 3 to 12 hours
After arriving in Hong Kong, relax and unwind with hot showers, delicious food, and wireless Internet access before taking off on your departing flight with this Hong Kong International Airport Plaza Premium Lounge access. Customize your choice based on your layover to be sure there’s plenty of time to decompress and refresh before departure. Enjoy amenities such as hot food, beverages, wireless internet connection, and shower facilities.
Hong Kong Street Food Tour with a Local: 100% Personalized & Private
From $154.96 Price varies by group size
Lowest Price Guarantee 4 hours
Get your bearings of Kowloon and taste your away around the city on this exciting Hong Kong night markets and street food tour. Take the stress out of getting lost by having a guide to lead the way. You’ll explore small side streets and night markets in Mong Kok and learn local secrets that you wouldn’t find out about otherwise. Your guide will advise you on the best local dishes to try, and you’ll enjoy 6-8 food tastings.
Brush Calligraphy Class / Chinese Ink Painting Class
From $65.32 Price varies by group size
Lowest Price Guarantee 1 hour 30 minutes
Art Connect and Communication is an institution that integrates art creation and cultural teaching. It hopes to create more diversified products with art and provide relevant courses to different people. ART CONNECT connects life with art, and affects life with life. We provide a variety of Chinese cultural experiences and exchanges. We provide the four Chinese arts of “Qin Qi, Calligraphy and Painting”, including cultural experiences such as guzheng, Chinese chess, calligraphy, and Chinese painting, to promote Chinese culture to people from different counties.
1. What is mentioned in Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck Tickets?| A．The exact price of food. | B．Booking tickets ahead. |
| C．Getting 360° views of The Ritz-Carlton. | D．The introduction of Victoria Harbour. |
| A．One to eleven hours. | B．Three to twelve hours. |
| C．Four hours. | D．One and a half hours. |
| A．Lowest Price Guarantee. | B．Different price by group size. |
| C．Art creation and cultural teaching. | D．The best local dishes to try. |
5 . I was born in Venice, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy, and studied designing at university here. Though I have also spent time away, I have always come back because it’s my home.
In Venice, there are no roads, only canals, so you have to get around on foot or by boat. I live on a canal in the Rialto area in a house that was built in 1588 for the Muti family, who were businessmen in the silk trade. In the mid-eighteenth century, it was home to the Vezzi family, who made things like plates and bowls in fine china and became rich by sending these around the world. These businessmen’s houses in Venice are like palaces. Their owners had to have space to show off their goods, but the building also had to be an office, a factory, a store and a home. My house came into our family in 1919, when it was bought by my grandfather. He died before I was born but he was the director of a museum where I often do research on old documents. On some of these, I’ve seen notes in his handwriting, so, in a way, I met him through these documents.
Sadly, the population of Venice has dropped from 120,000 in the 1950s to about 60,000 now. This doesn’t include the thousands of tourists who come to visit. I welcome the tourists but unless something is done to stop everyday shops like bakeries from disappearing, the city will die. I want people who love the city to come here to live and work and give Venice back a life that is not just about tourism.
1. What can we learn about the family who first owned the author’s home?| A．They were china dealers. | B．They made plates and bowls. |
| C．They used to buy and sell silk. | D．They helped to build the canals. |
| A．He met his grandfather in an unusual way. |
| B．His grandfather taught him how to write. |
| C．His grandfather turned his home into a museum. |
| D．He found his grandfather’s handwriting hard to read. |
| A．It faces a difficult situation. | B．It can’t feed its population. |
| C．It needs more modern shops. | D．It has fewer tourists than before. |
1. How does the speaker feel about the trip?
| A．Boring. | B．Enjoyable. | C．Strange. |
| A．She designed a T-shirt. | B．She played in a theater. | C．She made some earrings. |
| A．Making a reasonable plan. |
| B．Doing something unexpected. |
| C．Stepping out of comfort zones. |
| A．Tips on being confident. | B．Ways to start a workshop. | C．Benefits of traveling alone. |
Located in southwest Anshun, Guizhou Province, Huangguoshu Waterfall is the largest and most wonderful group of waterfalls in China. With splendid scenery, the waterfall was included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest waterfall group in 1999. It is 77.8 meters high and 101 meters wide, with 17 smaller waterfalls.
Best time to visit: May to October
Admission: 180 yuan(March 1 to Oct. 31); 160 yuan off-season(Nov. 1 to Feb. 28)
Shigatse, Tibet
Kanas Lake, lying in a valley in the Altai Mountains, is located near the very northern tip of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous(自治的)Region. The lake is famous for its fantastic natural landscape and mysterious local legend. It is surrounded by thick layers of forest, and the color of the water changes according to different seasons, weather and depth. Kanas Nature Reserve founded in 1980 is now considered a paradise(天堂)for travelers and hikers.
Best time to visit: June, September
Admision: 150 yuan(April 1 to Oct. 31); 80 yuan of-season(Nov. 1 to March 31)
Jiuzhai Valley, Sichuan
Jiuzhai Valley in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, is a magical fairyland in nature that enchants tourists with mountains, forests, lakes, waterfalls and crowded wildlife. During autumn, colorful leaves are reflected in the clear waters. Lakes vary in color according to their depths, angles and surroundings, striking a lively contrast with the blue sky and snow-white clouds.
Best time to visit: September to October
Admission: 220 yuan(April 1 to Nov. 15); 80 yuan(Nov. 16 to March 30)
Changbai Mountain, Jilin
Changbai Mountain in southeastern Jilin Province is located on the border(边界)between China and North Korea. Considered as the most famous mountain in northeast China, Changbai Mountain has rich biodiversity(生物多样性). With an average altitude of 2,000 meters, the mountain is well-known for its snowy scenery, cool summers and many mineral springs.
Admission: 100 yuan for adults; 50 yuan for children
Hours: 8 a. m. to 4p. m.
1. Which of the places below best suits travelers and hikers?| A．Huangguoshu Waterfall. | B．Shigatse. | C．Jiuzhai Valley. | D．Changbai Mountain. |
| A．300yuan. | B．250 yuan. | C．200 yuan. | D．150 yuan. |
| A．A science magazine. | B．A travel journal. | C．A teacher's handbook. | D．A personal diary. |
8 . Among tens of thousands of castles that were created across the world in the last one thousand years, some managed to distinguish themselves by their construction style, location, use, architecture, and involvement in various historical events. Here you can learn more about some of them.
Cité de Carcassonne
Cité de Carcassonne is a castle that was used to not only provide protection to the large garrison(驻防地)which had access to impressive suite of defensive buildings, but also to provide protection to the whole city of Carcassonn. With its 52 towers and 3km of walls, Cite de Carcassonne represents one of the most celebrated castles in France.
Lichtenstein Castle
Lichtenstein Castle is one of the most scenic and beautiful castles in Germany. Created on top of the hill cliff that hosted several medieval castles, this modern work of art was built in the mid-18th century by Duke Wilhelm of Urach and famous architect Carl Alexander Heideloff.
Tower of London
Tower of London is one of the most famous castles of all time. Created during Norman Conquest of England, this military(军事的)building in London was quickly redesigned to be a royal(皇家的)house, and went through rich history that marked it as one of the best-known castles in England.
Heidelberg Castle
As a landmark of the city Heidelberg in Germany, Heidelberg Castle is today considered by historians and architects as one of the most influential castles of the 13th and 14th century Europe. It guided fashion, architecture and engineering for centuries to come, becoming important focus point of countless artists from all around Europe and the World.
1. What was Cite de Carcassonne used for?| A．Preventing enemies. | B．Housing royal family. | C．Displaying artworks. | D．Entertaining tourists. |
| A．Cite de Carcassonne. | B．Lichtenstein Castle. | C．Tower of London. | D．Heidelberg Castle. |
| A．They enjoy great fame in history. |
| B．They have very beautiful natural scenery. |
| C．They were firstly built for military purpose. |
| D．They attract countless artists around the world. |
