The Xi’an City Wall is the most complete city wall that has survived China’s long history. It
We accessed the wall through the South Gate. The wall is 12 meters high and from here you can see streams of people moving inside and outside the City Wall.
After
We
2 . Bangkok’s Grand Palace is the busiest tourist stop in the city. People keep coming because the Grand Palace could arguably be called the birthplace of Bangkok
How to Get to the Grand Palace
Making your own way to the Grand Palace in Bangkok is more enjoyable and rewarding. Moving around by river taxi is inexpensive. Additionally, you’ll have a good excuse to see the Chao Phraya River up close. Going by boat won’t make you caught in traffic jams. It will let you see beautiful river scenery!
People staying in the Khao San Road area may choose to walk (around 20 — 25 minutes) to the Grand Palace.
Opening Hours
The Grand Palace is open seven days a week from 8:30 a. m. until 3:30 p. m. Occasionally, the Grand Palace does actually close for official visits and state functions. However, this is rare. Don’t believe any driver who states the Grand Palace is closed. If the statement of closure is too convincing, confirm it by calling: +6626235500 ext.3100.
Entrance Fees
Considering that temples in Thailand are often free, the 500 baht (around $16) per person entrance fee at the Grand Palace is relatively expensive. Thai nationals do not have to pay. An audio tour can be rented for an additional 200 baht. Besides, human guides are available for hire. Choose an official guide rather than accepting someone’s offer on the outside.
Dress Standards at the Grand Palace
To show enough respect, you shouldn’t wear sleeveless shirts in any temple or state building in Thailand. But unlike many of the other temples, dress standards are strictly required at the Grand Palace.
Men must wear long trousers, women must cover legs to just above the knee.
Don’t wear shirts with religious themes or symbols of death on them.
You may be told outside that flip-flops (人字拖鞋) are unacceptable footwear.
1. What do you know about the river taxi to the Grand Palace?| A．It is the only way to get to the Grand Palace |
| B．It is difficult for visitors to jump on and off it. |
| C．It is safe, clean and affordable for most visitors. |
| D．It allows visitors to avoid traffic jams and enjoy river scenery. |
| A．They’d better call to confirm the information. |
| B．They should call off their trips immediately. |
| C．They should wait until the Grand Palace reopens. |
| D．They should believe the statements and change the trips. |
| A．The Grand Palace provides an audio tour free. |
| B．Not all people need to buy tickets to the Grand Palace. |
| C．Guides outside the Grand Palace are more professional. |
| D．The locals always guide visitors voluntarily during the holiday season. |
| A．Mr Green, from the USA, wearing flip-flops and a T-shirt. |
| B．Alice, 16 years old, wearing a sleeveless shirt and a miniskirt. |
| C．Mark, wearing a long-sleeved shirt, long trousers and sports shoes. |
| D．John, wearing a hat and a shirt with religious symbols. |
| A．To encourage more people to visit Bangkok. |
| B．To introduce some palaces in Bangkok to readers. |
| C．To introduce some activities of the Grand Palace. |
| D．To provide guidance on visiting the Grand Palace. |
3 . As well as hosting New Zealand’s largest and most populous city, the Auckland region features many attractive, diverse places.
Central Auckland
Central Auckland is a hub of urban delights set against beautiful coastal scenery. You can take a trip up the Sky Tower, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. The adventurous can also try SkyJump-New Zealand’s highest base jump-or the incredible Sky Walk where you’ll walk around the outside of the Sky Tower for extraordinary sightseeing.
Rangitoto Island
Emerging unexpectedly from the sea some 600 years ago, Rangitoto, with its distinctive shape and superb location just off the coast, is the youngest and largest volcano in the Auckland volcanic field. The island is a favourite destination for hikers and day-trippers. Walk up to the top, and you can see the black lava caves on your way up and don’t forget to bring a torch to explore them with the kids.
Great Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island is a large island with a small population. For thousands of years, Bt has sheltered Auckland’s harbour from the continuous swells of the Pacific Ocean. The wilderness areas are home to several unique plant and bird species. Most amazingly, the community on the island is not using the public supplies of electricity, gas or water, but entirely relying on renewable solar power and collection of freshwater.
Waiheke Island
In landscape, lifestyle and experience, Waiheke is a world away. The three white sandy beaches are perfect for swimming, kayaking, or having a picnic. If you’re a walker, explore the island’s tracks which wind along cliff tops and into cool native forests. At the eastern end of the island, a walkway leads you to a system of World War Il gun emplacements (炮台) and underground tunnels.
1. Which place does an extreme sports lover probably prefer？| A．Central Auckland. | B．Rangitoto Island. |
| C．Great Barrier Island. | D．Waiheke Island. |
| A．Being located off the coast. | B．Being the least populated. |
| C．Being home to endangered species. | D．Being energy self-sufficient. |
| A．Black lava caves. | B．White sandy beaches. |
| C．Hiking tracks. | D．War-related sites. |
4 . Salvador Dali (1904-1989) was one of the most popular of modern artists. The Pompidou Centre in Paris is showing its respect and admiration for the artist and his powerful personality with an exhibition bringing together over 200 paintings, sculptures, drawings and more. Among the works and masterworks on exhibition the visitor will find the best pieces, most importantly The Persistence of Memory. There is also L’Enigme sans Fin from 1938, works on paper, objects, and projects for stage and screen and selected parts from television programmes reflecting the artist’s showman qualities.
The visitor will enter the World of Dali through an egg and is met with the beginning, the world of birth. The exhibition follows a path of time and subject with the visitor exiting through the brain.
The exhibition shows how Dali draws the viewer between two infinities (无限). “From the infinity small to the infinity large, contraction and expansion coming in and out of focus: amazing Flemish accuracy and the showy Baroque of old painting that he used in his museum-theatre in Figueras,” explains the Pompidou Centre.
The fine selection of the major works was done in close collaboration (合作) with the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain, and with contributions from other institutions like the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.
1. Which of the following best describe Dali according to Paragraph 1?| A．Optimistic. | B．Productive. |
| C．Generous. | D．Traditional. |
| A．One of his masterworks. | B．A successful screen adaptation. |
| C．An artistic creation for the stage. | D．One of the beat TV programmes. |
| A．By popularity. | B．By importance. |
| C．By size and shape. | D．By time and subject. |
| A．Artworks. | B．Projects. |
| C．Donations. | D．Documents. |
5 . The Best National Parks to Visit in Winter
While most parks tend to draw families in the summer and fall, there are also ideal spots for adventurous winter trips.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
The country’s oldest and best-known national park takes on an almost otherworldly atmosphere in winter: the air filled with rolling steam, the strong colors of hot springs, the surrounding white landscapes, let alone the impressive wildlife during this time, like bison, wolves, and playful red foxes. Just book a guided hiking tour to get a ranger’s perspective on the park and local people.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
With its giant red rocks and unique trees, you’ll feel like stepping onto a foreign planet as you spend hours hiking the Panorama Loop or Maze Loop. The park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, featuring virtually zero light pollution and the country’s best views of a starry sky.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
A significantly lower number of visitors in winter means you can take in unblocked views of the South Rim, and get to see the rare beauty of the Grand Canyon dusted with snow. For those adventurous and daring, it is recommended to hike the Bright Angel Trail and take the chance to see the canyon’s wintertime wildlife, including mule deer, elk, and bald eagles.
Virgin Islands National Park, St. John
Surprise! Not all wintertime national park trips need to involve snow. Virgin Islands National Park is most famous for its white-sand beaches. You can also hike inland to visit old sugar plantations, or venture out to the water to swim along with sea turtles and manta rays. You will definitely enjoy a different winter here.
1. Which park will one choose if he/she is interested in stars?| A．Yellowstone National Park. | B．Joshua Tree National Park. |
| C．Grand Canyon National Park. | D．Virgin Islands National Park. |
| A．We can have a poor view of the South Rim there. | B．It lies in an area with rolling steam and hot springs. |
| C．There is a slight decline in visitor numbers in winter. | D．The Bright Angel Trail is challenging in cold weather. |
| A．Hiking. | B．Skiing. | C．Swimming. | D．Hunting. |
A white winter in Beijing is nothing new. The city is
Famous places, especially with unique
My first stop was Jingshan Park. The artificial park
Next up was Xiangshan Park,
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（^），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear Lily,
I’m glad to hear that you’ll visit China this summer vacation! Knowing that you’re amazing at traditional China, I’d like to recommend my most favourite city, Suzhou to you.
Suzhou, referring as the Venice of the East, is an attractively city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province. It had been listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage. The Classical Gardens are the symbol of the city, there you can have better understanding of China. Because these gardens are not large, they’re unique to their designs. It bring together the beauty of nature, architecture and painting.
I believe you will enjoy your time in Suzhou.
Yours,
Lihua
At a table on a small terrace (露台) overlooking the Garonne River, I’ve just finished a classic southern French dish of shellfish. The restaurant seems to be one of the last on the block to appeal more
We gather at the edge of the miroir d’ eau (“water mirror”). It is a shallow pool the
After a couple of minutes, the water has flowed away,
| A．locals | B．guides | C．customers | D．neighbors |
| A．wait | B．search | C．stand | D．send |
| A．permits | B．nears | C．expands | D．advances |
| A．passengers | B．campaign | C．crowd | D．citizens |
| A．center | B．height | C．value | D．size |
| A．putting | B．filling | C．rising | D．falling |
| A．attracting | B．meaning | C．leaving | D．including |
| A．reflection | B．identity | C．gesture | D．phenomenon |
| A．incredibly | B．fortunately | C．apparently | D．precisely |
| A．turn down | B．turn up | C．switch on | D．switch off |
| A．frozen | B．identified | C．received | D．faced |
| A．Confused | B．Satisfied | C．Shocked | D．Disappointed |
| A．broad | B．narrow | C．neat | D．rocky |
| A．loaded | B．exposed | C．distributed | D．lined |
| A．highlights | B．ignores | C．dismisses | D．shifts |
9 . If you’ve ever travelled with other people, the chances are you’ve had to make compromises. When you want to get up early to watch the sunrise, for example, your friends may argue that getting enough sleep is more important. And when you want to try the different food, your friends might say it looks strange and push you to a Chinese restaurant instead.
This is probably why more people these days are choosing to travel alone. According to reports on holiday habits from the Association of British Travel Agents, the percentage of people in the UK who take trips alone has been increasing, from 6 percent in 2011, to 12 percent in 2017, and to 15 percent in 2018. Most of these people said they choose to travel alone because this allows them to “do what they want”.
In fact, travelling alone is only a part of a recent trend (趋势) of people wanting to take more time alone—or what’s called “me time”. “Imagine yourself as a full pot of water and everything else that asks for your attention is an empty glass. When you provide what is needed for them you are using up your own water supply,” Editor Nicole Lyons wrote for the mental health social network Psych Central. “But how are you refilling your pot? This is where your ‘me time’ comes in.”
However, it’s still quite a common belief that those who do things alone are losers and that they’re alone simply because they don’t have anybody to be with. But why can’t people just be enough for themselves?
The now Duchess of Sussex Rachel Meghan Markle once wrote on her blog in 2016 about how she enjoyed taking herself out to dinner and travelling alone. “It’s not easy. But it’s important,” she wrote. You should face everything and encourage yourself to move forward when the feeling of loneliness and boredom sweeps through your body and mind, according to Markle.
1. What does the underlined phrase “make compromises” probably mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Turn up. | B．Work hard. |
| C．Give in. | D．Take care. |
| A．To save more money. |
| B．To enjoy their freedom. |
| C．To calm themselves down. |
| D．To avoid troubling someone. |
| A．Explain why we need “me time”. |
| B．List some examples of “me time”. |
| C．Provide some advice for readers. |
| D．Add some background information. |
| A．A new way of travelling abroad |
| B．Me time: enjoy yourself alone |
| C．The disadvantages of travelling alone |
| D．How to find a proper partner in trips |
10 . Lonely Planet Trips
Here are some travel destinations by Lonely Planet. Reading them, you’ll be in a flash.
Bhutan
The Kingdom of Bhutan, located on the Silk Road in South Asia, claimed the No. 1 spot partly for its majestic beauty and because it had become the first fully organic nation by 2020. The kingdom has lush subtropical plains in the south and sub-alpine Himalayan mountains in the north, which include Gangkhar Puensum, Bhutan’s highest peak and is believed to be the highest unclimbed mountain in the world.
North Macedonia
If you want an alternative to Europe's more popular travel spots, North Macedonia could be for you. Its mountains and their trails are “blissfully quiet” and the locals are “unfailingly helpful” according to Lonely Planet. Among its destinations is Ohrid, a charming, old town dotted with medieval ruins and churches, lined with cobblestone streets, and overlooking Lake Ohrid.
Eswatini
The kingdom offers multitudinous climate and topography differences, and is known for its wide varieties of wild animals, which include more than 500 bird species and 107 mammal species. The nation has seven nature reserves, four frontier conservation areas and three wildlife reserves.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is beloved for many reasons, from its coffee to its epic surfing. It’s also notable for its reliance on green energy sources. In fact, 90% of its energy is created by regenerative sources such as wind and hydro. It is also one of the world’s most biodiverse countries — home to half a million species. Of course, no trip to Costa Rica is complete without a visit to the Sloth Sanctuary.
1. What can tourists appreciate in both Bhutan and North Macedonia?| A．Organic products. | B．Subtropical jungles. |
| C．Medieval architecture. | D．Mountain scenery. |
| A．Pleasant quietness. | B．Topography varieties. |
| C．Abundant wildlife. | D．Cobblestone streets. |
| A．Renewable resources. | B．Biodiverse plants. |
| C．Frontier preserves. | D．The Silk Road. |
