1 . This is the last Christmas that Faye and Matthew have spent in their house, which has already been sold. Faye and Matthew Gooding and their five young sons appear to have perfect lives. For the couple themselves, however, this “materially perfect world” was lacking in something—so now they are giving up all their possessions to travel around the world with their children. Most of their belongings have been given to their neighbors. Faye said, “It is a relief to get rid of so many possessions. Thankfully, our parents understand and support us.”
“I hesitated for a while because some friends think Faye and I are mad to give up so much. When we told the older boys, they were so excited that they were going to have so much time as a family. It made me realize the amount of toys or material possessions can’t replace time spent with our children. They’ve had to give away so many toys, bikes and books. My wife Faye was so determined to keep to our plan,” said Matthew.
They will leave this month and plan to start their travels in Sweden where they have friends. Faye said, “My older boys plot where we go next but we hope to see Europe and over two years travel as far as Japan, America, Bali and Thailand. We don’t plan to hire any tour guides. We just depend on a compass and local people to move in the right direction.”
Faye, who posts on Instagram as a mother of five boys, added, “It is a risk because we are giving up so much. I, however, even plan to quit my job after the travel. We can’t wait to spend more time with our sons without the stresses of everyday routines. We don’t know what will happen, but we do know if we didn’t do this we would always regret it.”
1. How will Faye and Matthew cover the travel costs?| A．By selling their house. | B．By doing part-time jobs. |
| C．By asking parents for help. | D．By borrowing from neighbors. |
| A．Worried | B．Excited | C．Uncertain | D．Firm |
| A．Faye | B．Matthew | C．The children | D．The tour guide |
| A．A travel guidebook | B．A life journal | C．A paper | D．A diary |
2 . Zion is among the most visited parks in the USA and is particularly crowded because many of its most popular sites sit in a narrow six-mile canyon (峡谷). Last year, about 4.3 million people visited it, up to 60 percent from a decade ago. So this year, park managers announced they were considering a first for any national park: requiring reservations (预定) for entry.
The National Park Service was created in 1916 to protect the country’s growing system of parks and monuments. Its aim is to conserve scenery and wildlife while also protecting visitor enjoyment for generations to come. For years, the lack of a reservation system for park entry associated with the spirit of adventure: Anyone could come, pretty much anytime.
But recently, both visitors and nature are suffering. Mr. Burns, who is on a team that is considering a reservation system, said some people showed up for a vacation they had planned for months, spent a day in the traffic jam and turned around. Mr. Burns said he favored a reservation policy. He recalled the days when he would jump in a car and pull up to parks across the West with no plans.
When he first came to the park in the 1980s, he wrote a letter home. “I’m living in a no-man’s-land,” he told his parents. He could hike for hours, even days, without seeing anyone, and he remembered the constantly changing light on the canyons, the brilliant green of the trees, the blue water of the Virgin River. Today, he said, when he wants to find solitude (清静), it is usually joined by the distant rumble of the shuttle bus.
“There is only one Zion National Park,” he said to those struggling to see a need for limiting access. “And it’s sacred (神圣的). Its beauty is sacred.”
1. What do we know about Zion from Paragraph 1?| A．It sits in a narrow six-mile canyon. |
| B．It has required reservations for entry. |
| C．It’s the most visited park in the USA. |
| D．More and more people pay a visit to it. |
| A．conserve scenery and wildlife |
| B．prevent visitor enjoyment forever |
| C．allow visitors to visit the parks at any time |
| D．protect the country’s system |
| A．Cautious. | B．Favorable. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．A Popular Reservation Policy |
| B．The National Park Service |
| C．Zion Requiring Reservations for Entry |
| D．Zion National Park — A Safe Place |
1. What do we know about the Burj Khalifa?
| A．It is an ancient man-made building. |
| B．It is the tallest man-made building. |
| C．It is located in the United States. |
| A．Five years. | B．Seven years. | C．Nine years. |
| A．Visit the inside of the Burj Khalifa. |
| B．Go to another scenic spot. |
| C．Take a break. |
4 . Londoners love a market. It’s the combination of eating, chatting and browsing (逛), and lovely stuff. Locals and tourists continue to rush to the capital’s best stalls (货摊) and these days there’s a huge range of markets across London. Below you’ll find the very best markets in London.
Borough Market
Next to London Bridge, this food market has existed in some forms since at least 1014. It’s now best known as a foodie’s (美食家) paradise where Londoners come to buy top-quality meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, fresh-baked bread, cakes and sweet treats, oils and vinegar, and pretty much anything else they desire. Borough Market is open Monday to Saturday, with Saturday the busiest day.
Portobello Road Market
Portobello Road Market is really five markets in one, with different sections dedicated to second-hand goods, clothing and fashion, household essentials. You’ll find the greatest range of antiques stalls on Saturdays.
Brick Lane Market
The streets of East London’s Brick Lane are lined with stalls selling anything and everything on Sundays. You can find bargain fruits and vegetables, and electrical products, but this market’s Unique Selling Point is its unpredictability: You could bag a second-hand bargain, or spend hours selecting inexpensive goods.
Broadway Market
Since being reopened in 2004, this street market has become attractive to fashion lovers. It is packed every Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm with arty students and East End creative types filling their large bags with organic groceries, vintage clothes, fresh flowers, coffee, books and unusual handmade gifts.
1. Where can you find many old and valuable things on Saturdays?| A．Brick Lane Market. | B．Broadway Market. |
| C．Portobello Road Market. | D．Borough Market. |
| A．It is open only at the weekend. |
| B．It is in East London’s Brick Lane. |
| C．It mainly sells unusual handmade gifts. |
| D．It has a history of about one thousand years. |
| A．It can appeal to fashion lovers. |
| B．It keeps open seven hours a day. |
| C．People can find many kinds of jewels. |
| D．A variety of second-hand things are on sale. |
5 . A famous magazine, Amusement Today, does a survey among park lovers every year both in the US and overseas, based on which, “Top 5 List of the Best Amusement Parks in the World” has come out as follows:
Disneyland, California
Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California, the US. More than 515 million guests have traveled to this American landmark from around the world since the park first opened to guests on July 17, 1955. The park consists of many world-famous sections, such as Main Street, Adventure land, New Orleans Square, and so on.
Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida
Magic Kingdom is a theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando opened on October 1, 1971. It is the most famous theme park in Florida. The park’s design and attractions don’t make much difference from Disneyland Park in Anaheim.
EPCOT, Disney World, Florida
EPCOT is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The park opened on October 1, 1982, and was named EPCOT Center from 1982 to 1993. It was the largest Disney theme park in the world until 1998, when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened.
DisneyMGM Studios, Florida
MGM’s streets are the home for some great moviethemed attractions with a history of less than 30 years. With the addition of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coaster, the park is now home to Disney World’s most thrilling rides.
Universal Studios, Florida
Go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and jump right into the action of your favorite movies at Universal Studios, the number one movie and TV theme park in the world.
1. Which of the following theme parks have similar attractions?| A．Disneyland & Magic Kingdom. |
| B．Disneyland & Universal Studios. |
| C．EPCOT & DisneyMGM Studios. |
| D．Magic Kingdom & Universal Studios. |
| A．Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida. |
| B．DisneyMGM Studios, Florida. |
| C．EPCOT, Disney World, Florida. |
| D．Disneyland, California. |
| A．To attract tourists to these theme parks. |
| B．To increase the sales of Amusement Today. |
| C．To introduce world’s best amusement parks. |
| D．To compare attractions in different theme parks. |
6 . Welcome to Musée Rodin
The Musée Rodin, a hidden jewel in Paris, is actually the former residence of famed 19th-century sculptor Auguste Rodin. Here you can enjoy Rodin’s emotive sculptures, including The Walking Man, The Kiss and The Thinker, among many more. In addition to the sculptures, the museum houses 8,000 of the artist’s drawings in its collection — some of those are on display. Visitors will also get to view pieces from Rodin’s personal art collection, including paintings by Van Gogh.
Another big favorite for visitors, as much of a highlight as the art, is the beautiful on-site gardens. To travelers, the gardens create a peaceful atmosphere not found at other top Parisian museums.
Transport
The Musée Rodin is just a short walk from the Varenne stop and Saint-Francois-Xavier stop, both of which lie on Metro Line 13.
Opening times
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm.
Admission charges
Admission to the museum (including the gardens and permanent and temporary exhibits) costs 13 euros (around $14) per adult and is free for kids who are 17 and younger; audio guides cost an extra 6 euros (about $6). The museum is free to visit on the first Sunday of the month from October to March.
1. What makes Musée Rodin different from other top Parisian museums?| A．On-site gardens. | B．Many sculptures. |
| C．Personal art collections. | D．Famous artists’ drawings. |
| A．At 9:00 am on Monday. | B．At 3:00 pm on Thursday. |
| C．At 7:00 pm on Friday. | D．At 8:00 am on Sunday. |
| A．€39. | B．€32. | C．€26. | D．€13. |
7 . Whether you like history or simply learning something new, these four museums are worth paying a visit to.
Tenement Museum
Located in New York, the Tenement Museum showcases the stories of the immigrants and migrants (移民) who came to America between the 1860s and the 1980s. See how they pursued the “American dream.” Their determination and endless desire to carve out a better life not only reflects the depths of the human spirit, but also how America came to be the country it is today.
National Museum of the American Indian
Located in Washington, D.C., the National Museum of the American Indian contains one of the world’s largest collections of native artifacts (手工艺品), photographs and documents. Featuring both ongoing and temporary exhibits, the museum documents many ways American Indians integrated into American history and culture.
Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson features eight galleries filled with interactive exhibits that tell the stories of black Mississippians and their fight for equality from 1945 to 1976. You’ll hear the stories of Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Vernon Dahmer, and you’ll also hear about many men, women and children who fought to be recognized as equals. Artifacts include a “colored” entrance sign, the gun used to shoot Evers, a burned cross, and a button from the 1966 March Against Fear.
The National WWII Museum
In New Orleans’ No. 1 attraction, the National WWII Museum, visitors can see why World War II was fought, explore key moments such as D-Day and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and put themselves in the shoes of those who had to make difficult decisions during the war. You even can take a 4D journey through the war in “Beyond All Boundaries.”
1. Which museum best suits visitors interested in ongoing and temporary exhibits?| A．Tenement Museum. | B．National Museum of the American Indian. |
| C．Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. | D．The National WWII Museum. |
| A．He organized the1966 March Against Fear. |
| B．He joined the army and fought in World War II. |
| C．He laid down his own life in the fight for equality. |
| D．He immigrated to the US to pursue his American dream. |
| A．To recommend people to visit the museums. |
| B．To make a comparison of the four museums. |
| C．To remind readers never to forget our past history. |
| D．To share his own experiences in visiting the museums. |
8 . Four National Parks in California
Channel Islands National Park
Channel Islands National Park includes five remarkable islands and their ocean environment, preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animals, plants, and archaeological resources.
Death Valley National Park
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley National Park a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Despite its frightening name, lush oases (绿洲) harbor tiny fish and provide shelters for wildlife and humans.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Located in the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park offers visitors the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Pacific Coast maritime history. The Park includes a magnificent fleet of historic ships, a Visitor Center, Maritime Museum, Maritime Research Center, and Aquatic Park Historic District.
Yosemite National Park
Not just a great valley, but a shrine (圣地) to human foresight. Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls when making a comparison to other national parks, and you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
1. What do Channel Islands National Park and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park have in common?| A．They both have a visitor center. |
| B．They both provide outdoor and indoor activities. |
| C．They are both famous for their natural attractions for visitors. |
| D．They both have historic significance to California. |
| A．Typical extreme temperature. | B．Deep valleys. |
| C．Spectacular waterfalls. | D．Rich and unique plants. |
| A．A history book. | B．A tourist magazine. |
| C．A novel. | D．A biography. |
9 . I. M. Pei, one of the world’s most famous building designers, died at age 102. Mr. Pei created buildings which are known and appreciated around the world. Mr. Pei’s style of architecture is called “modern” or “modernist”. This style of architecture makes use of newer building materials, such as concrete(混凝土), glass and metal. Modernist buildings are often designed with straight lines, without a lot of decorations. Modern architecture appeared at the end of the 19th century from changes in technology, engineering and building materials, and from a wish to break away from historical architectural styles and to invent something that was totally functional and new.
Mr. Pei designed many different kinds of buildings, including libraries, concert halls, office buildings, hotels, hospitals and skyscrapers. But he’s probably famous for some of his museums, like the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Perhaps Mr. Pei’s best-known building is the Pyramid he created as a new entrance to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Like many of Mr. Pei’s designs, it wasn’t all that popular at first, but over time, people came to love it. Now it is one of the main reasons why people visit the museum. Another famous building of his is the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, China. Mr. Pei said he wanted it to look a bit like bamboo.
Mr. Pei put a lot of thoughts into his designs. He studied carefully before he designed each building. For example, he didn’t like rock and roll music, but he went to rock concerts before he designed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. He read books, studied music and visited many musicians. He preferred his students or teammates who came from different cultural backgrounds.
Not all of Mr. Pei’s buildings were triumphant. The Hancock Tower in Boston is one example. The huge glass-covered skyscraper was nearly finished when the bad thing happened. Some glass began falling out of the building. They had to be replaced with plywood(胶合板) until a solution could be found. The problem was a headache and took years to fix.
1. What does Mr. Pei’s architecture look like?| A．Simple. | B．Strange. | C．Traditional. | D．Classical. |
| A．The East Building of the National Gallery of Art. |
| B．The new entrance to the Louvre Museum. |
| C．The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. |
| D．The Bank of China Tower. |
| A．To enjoy the music. | B．To meet the singers. |
| C．To ask for advice on his design. | D．To prepare himself for a design. |
| A．Unique. | B．Successful. | C．Completed. | D．Famous. |
10 . With the approaching of New Year, more and more visitors will come to China. Don’t know where you should go? Here are some places recommended for you.
Shanghai Expo Culture Park
The Shanghai Expo Culture Park will soon open its northern section to the public, in which the major attractions include a traditional garden that is similar in design to Shanghai’s famous Yuyuan Garden and a 400-meter avenue exhibiting the history of the area, while in the southern section lies a grand theater.
Macao Tower AJ Hackett Bungee Jump
The Macao Tower, 338 meters tall, is the world’s 10th highest tower, with a variety of activities, such as eating and entertainment. One of the activities which enjoy good fame is the bungee jump. The AJ Hackett Macao Tower Bungee Jump is 233 meters high, making it a Guinness World Record as the highest commercial (商业的) bungee jump in the world. Raise your arms and off you go!
Harbin’s Frozen World
For those who have never been to Harbin, there is an almost endless list of things to do. At Harbin Ice—Snow World, you can not only see the world—famous ice architecture, but also have great fun! You can have hotpot at the restaurants which are made of ice, enjoying the product of both ice and fire, go down the world’s longest ice slide (滑梯) and join in the popular Ice and Snow Electronic Music Festival to welcome 2024.
The winter is cold and the night is long, so why not go to the theatre? Harbin was listed by the United Nations as a “music city” in 2010. Harbin Grand Theater is where artistic souls defrost (化霜) a little to share their love of art.
1. Where should visitors go if they want to do extreme sports?| A．Shanghai Expo Culture Park. | B．The Macao Tower. |
| C．Shangha’s Yuyuan Garden. | D．Harbin Ice—Snow World. |
| A．Attend a famous music festival. | B．Play with both ice and fire. |
| C．Turn water into instant ice. | D．Learn to make ice architecture. |
| A．They have a high tower. | B．They have a long ice slide. |
| C．They have a grand theater. | D．They have traditional architecture. |
