1 . Visit London’s most famous places of interest on one of these top London sightseeing tours. Don’t forget your camera!
Warner Bros. Studio Tour
Take the Warner Bros. Studio Tour for a lively, behind-the-scenes look at film-making. What attracts the tourists most are the sets, costumes and props from the Harry Potter film series. They can experience the British art, technology and talent that produced world-famous movies at Warner Bros. Studio Tour. (Tickets from￡63)
City Cruises Sightseeing Tours
Have a sightseeing tour on the Thames with City Cruises. Sit back, relax, and enjoy London’s top sights and attractions from the river. You can also enjoy a special lunch, dinner or an afternoon tea with a view you’ll never forget. (Tickets from ￡9.75)
Walking and Bike Tours
Spread your legs and explore London on a guided walking or bike tour. Choices include a celebrity walking tour of Notting Hill, a walk around Westminster by gaslight, a Jack the Ripper tour, a London street markets walk, and bike tours around secret attractions and royal London. (Tickets from￡10)
Houses of Parliament
Follow the same steps the Queen takes when she opens a session at the Houses of Parliament. Stand behind the Prime Minister’s seat in the House of Commons and see Cromwell’s death warrant for Charles I. Use the guided audio tour to recreate the atmosphere of government and learn about its historical significance. (Tickets from￡18.50)
1. If you are crazy about Harry Potter, you can choose .| A．Walking and Bike Tours | B．City Cruises Sightseeing Tours |
| C．Houses of Parliament | D．Warner Bros. Studio Tour |
| A．make a walking tour of Notting Hill |
| B．enjoy sights and attractions from the Thames River |
| C．see Cromwell’s death warrant for Charles I |
| D．watch world-famous movies produced at Westminster |
| A．￡19.5 | B．￡20 | C．￡37 | D．￡126 |
2 . Festivals Around the World
Saint Patrick’s Day
Time: March 17
Place: Ireland
Saint Patrick’s Day is the traditional death date of Saint Patrick. In Ireland, celebrations include parades as well as dressing in green. The limitation on eating and drinking alcohol (酒)is canceled for the day, which has resulted in the holiday’s tradition of having various foods and drinking alcohol.
San Fermin Festival
Time: July 6-14
Place: Pamplona, Spain
The most famous event during the San Fermin Festival is the Encierro, or the Running of the Bulls (公牛), where the bulls are led through the street to the bull ring by runners at 8: 00 from 7 to 14 July. The week-long celebration includes many other traditions and events—you may also find yourself covered with flour and eggs and the streets are filled with music and dancing.
Burning Man
Time: Last Monday in August until the first Monday in September
Place: Black Rock City, Nevada, USA
You are expected to bring everything you will need for that week and you won’t spend money once you’re there and will take your rubbish with you when you leave. Over 60,000 people attend every year.
Oktoberfest
Time: 16 days from late August until the first weekend of September
Place: Munich, Germany
More than 6 million people from around the world attend Oktoberfest every year and drink large amounts of beer which has been made from 6 breweries (啤酒厂) in Munich. Attendees hang out in large beer tents dressed in Bavarian costumes and there are amusement rides and traditional foods.
1. What do people do on Saint Patrick’s Day?| A．They burn Saint Patrick. | B．They put on green clothes. |
| C．They throw eggs at each other. | D．They keep away from drinking. |
| A．Oktoberfest. | B．Burning Man. |
| C．San Fermin Festival. | D．Saint Patrick’s Day. |
| A．They take place in the same months. |
| B．They provide beer from Munich. |
| C．Attendees have no chance to spend money. |
| D．They have the same number of attendees every year. |
3 . Over the last century, engineers all over the world have spared no effort to achieve the unachievable in bridge design.
Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge
No bridge is as long as the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in the world. The 164.8-kilometre-long bridge built in 2011 in China serves as part of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. The trip from Ningbo to Jiaxing that previously took 4.5 hours has been reduced to two, thanks to this bridge.
Rio-Niterói Bridge
Completed in 1974, the Rio-Niterói Bridge in Brazil is the second-longest bridge in all of Latin America connecting the cities of Rio and Niterói across the Guanabara Bay. The Rio-Niterói Bridge is technically known as a “box-girder (箱形梁)” bridge, made of special concrete. It receives an astonishing 140,000 (or more) vehicles per day.
Hartland Covered Bridge
The Hartland Covered Bridge is the world’s longest covered bridge. The 1,282-foot-long bridge was opened in 1901 and has been on Canada’s list of National Historic Sites since 1980. Although it was originally built without a roof, the bridge was capped with wooden materials during the repairs in 1921.
Jiaozhou Bay Bridge
The newly-built Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China was named “world’s longest bridge over water” by Guinness Book of World Records in 2011, a title previously held by the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The dispute was settled when the title of “longest continuous bridge over water” was given to the causeway, with the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge receiving the title of “longest bridge over water”.
1. On which of the following can trains pass?| A．Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge. |
| B．Rio-Niterói Bridge. |
| C．Hartland Covered Bridge. |
| D．Jiaozhou Bay Bridge. |
| A．It is a busy bridge. | B．It was built in 1980. |
| C．It has a roof. | D．It is a wooden bridge. |
| A．In America. | B．In Brazil. | C．In Canada. | D．In China. |
4 . Recently, the “city walk” has been gaining steam among residents and tourists around China. On social platform Xiaohongshu, data shows that the number of city walk-related topic posts has increased by 700 percent over the past three months, and the total number of interactions has increased by more than 600 percent.
A city walk is a form of urban tourism originating in the UK. Unlike traditional sightseeing, which aims to hit famous attractions and commercial center, usually by vehicles with tense schedules, city walk is about “roaming” around a city on foot, soaking up the atmosphere and finding unusual things that even a resident of the city might not have noticed before. Such walks generally avoid famous scenic spots and shopping centers, and take you to places where you can have real interactions with the local people, eat at small but authentic restaurants, and gain a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the city.
City walkers are a cast of people who possess intense curiosity. They are eager to engage with the city they are visiting or reside in their own way. By “roaming” on foot, city walkers can better feel the texture and listen to the breath of a place. They seek pleasure more through connection than consumption, which indicates a deep cultural curiosity. For example, in Chongqing, if you don’t take a walk, you can hardly experience the unique geographical charm of the mountainous city. Be it the hutong in Beijing or the Chinese parasol tree district in Shanghai; city walks allow people to see the scenery apart from the scene and uncover hidden knowledge.
The appeal of a city walk lies in the young generation’s changing attitude toward life — pursuing quality leisure time while being occupied with demanding workloads and limited time for exploration. While roaming along the road, you can entirely focus on yourself and listen to your inner voice and care for what you feel, which is a way to love yourself and benefit your mental health. Just like Oscar Wilde once said, “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
1. What do the underlined words “gaining steam” in paragraph one probably mean?| A．Raising concerns. | B．Getting outdated. | C．Causing trouble. | D．Receiving popularity. |
| A．It pursues economical tourism. |
| B．It is usually well-organized and scheduled. |
| C．It helps promote the authentic food of the destination. |
| D．It focuses on feeling the local culture by connecting the city. |
| A．They are keen to buy souvenirs. |
| B．They tend to walk as much as possible. |
| C．They have strong curiosity about the local culture. |
| D．They prefer the city landscape to the natural scenery. |
| A．Why city walk changes people’s lifestyle. |
| B．Why the young fall in love with a city walk. |
| C．How popular the city walk is among citizens. |
| D．What young people usually do during a city walk. |
1. How long does the man plan to stay in South America?
| A．About three days. | B．About one week. | C．About three weeks. |
| A．By bus. | B．By plane. | C．By ship. |
| A．His customer. | B．His friends. | C．His family. |
| A．Santiago. | B．Lima. | C．Valparaiso. |
6 . Theatres and Opera Houses
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre in St.Petersburg is considered one of the most beautiful theatres in the world. Built in the early 1800s, it was designed by architect Carlo Rossi as both a theatre and a circus. The theatre has seen some of the most famous names in classical music — including Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich.
Address: Theatre Square, 1, St.Petersburg, Russia
Phone： +7 812 326-41-41
Palais Garnier
This opera house was designed by architect Charles Garnier and completed in 1875. Decorated with sculptures and paintings, it has appeared in several films, including The Phantom of the Opera. Composer Giacom o Puccini saw his opera, Tosca, performed here, and dancer Isadora Duncan first performed on the stage in Paris.
Address: Pl.de l’Opera, 75009 Paris, France
Phone: +33 1 71 25 24 23
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
The Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, designed by Yoshinobu Ashihara, is among Asia’s largest theatres. Home to the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, the theatre opened in 1990. A notable example of modern architecture (建筑), the theatre is proud to have one of the world’s largest pipe organs!
Address: 1-chome-8-1 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0021, Japan
Phone: +81 3-5391-2111
Sydney Opera House
Located in Sydney Harbor, this popular tourist attraction is a symbol of Australia, a UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) Site, and perhaps one of the most outstanding examples of modern architecture. Designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, the Opera House was completed in 1973 and sees more than 1, 500 performances each year, ranging from opera to ballet and theatre.
Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Phone: +61 2 9250 7111
1. In which city is Palais Garnier located?| A．St.Petersburg. | B．Paris. |
| C．Tokyo. | D．Sydney. |
| A．Carlo Rossi. | B．Charles Garnier. |
| C．Yoshinobu Ashihara. | D．Jorn Utzon. |
| A．Mariinsky Theatre. | B．Palais Garnier. |
| C．Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. | D．Sydney Opera House. |
7 . Christmas Light Festivals in the UK
Festival of Light, Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire
Longleat Safari Park is celebrating its 50th anniversary (周年纪念) this year. Huge lanterns take the shape of some of the park’s animals, and there are also lots of characters in Beatrix Potter’s book, such as Peter Rabbit, Jemina Puddle-Duck and Squirrel Nutkin, to mark the 150th anniversary of the author’s birth. There is also a 20-meter-high birthday cake.
●£27.85, adult/£20.65, child/under-threes, free.
●10 Dec. to 2 Jan.
Enchanted Park, Gateshead
Enchanted Park is an interactive (交互式) walkthrough Salt well Park, just south of the town center, along a road of light with performances. The story being told is a Midwinter Night’s Tale, inspired by the 400th anniversary of Will am Shakespeare’s death. Visitors can join stories and songs with Santa, and attend decorating workshops.
●£8.00, adult/ £2.00, child/under-fours, free.
●11 Dec. to 27 Dec.
Christmas Glow, RHS Wisley, Surrey
The garden is shining with large lighted flowers. Some of the trees are bright, too. The glasshouse is decorated like a gingerbread house, and shows seasonal plants. There are lanterns around the lake. The cafe serves hot chocolate and apple juice.
●£9.90, adult/£3.60, child.
●20 Dec. to 2 Jan.
Christmas at Kew Gardens, London
Kew is a special place to visit at any time of the day or year, but the festive light show gives it a magical change, as the mile-long road through the garden is decorated with 60,000 lights. Some of the garden’s oldest and tallest trees are also beautifully lit along the way.
●£16.00, adult/£10.00, child/under-fours, free.
●24 Dec. to 2 Jan.
1. What can you do in Longleat Safari Park?| A．Decorate a large glasshouse. | B．Attend decorating workshops. |
| C．Pick some seasonal flowers. | D．Enjoy animal-shaped lanterns. |
| A．On December 10. | B．On December 20. | C．On January 2. | D．On January 24. |
| A．£19.80. | B．£27.85. | C．£32.00. | D．£42.00. |
8 . If you want to travel to a unique place to see some fall leaves, you might want to visit Mt. Koya in Japan. Koyasan is home to 117 temples(寺庙). In the fall, the Japanese maple (枫树) leaves turn deep red and orange colours. Among them are the 1,200-year-old temples and halls that were designed by Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism.
Visitors to Koyasan can spend the night at a temple. For dinner there is traditional Buddhist food called shojin-ryori. In the evening you can enjoy the gardens or relax in the baths before bed. The rooms have the paper doors typical of traditional Japanese buildings, often with a garden view. If you wake up early, there is a morning prayer(祈祷) at 6 a.m. and anyone can join before heading to breakfast.
In the centre of the temples is a cemetery(墓地). As you walk on the path you’ll see a deep well. The legend says that if you can see your face clearly in the water, you will live a long life. Further on there is a special stone which they say is as heavy as your crimes. You can try to lift it with one hand to see how heavy it is!
As you pass through the cemetery you will see some small stone men wearing bibs(围裙) and hats to keep them warm in the cold air. These are called Jizo, and they stay between Earth and the afterworld. They protect travellers, pregnant women, and also young children and babies before birth, during life, and after death. The reason they wear red bibs is because of their connection with the pronunciation of baby in Japanese.
Some of the monks at the temples speak English, and there are English-speaking guides who do tours of the cemetery, so you can practise your English on your trip.
1. What can visitors do in the temples of Koyasan?| A．Learn to make paper doors. | B．Enjoy delicious Western food. |
| C．Take a bath in the garden. | D．Join a morning prayer before breakfast. |
| A．The cemetery. | B．The path. | C．The stone. | D．The crime. |
| A．They protect people. | B．They match the temples. |
| C．They keep visitors warmer. | D．They are pronounced like “baby” in Japanese. |
| A．Temple travel on Mt. Koya. | B．Travelling in Japan. |
| C．Speaking English with monks. | D．The development of tourism in Japan. |
9 . Last summer holiday, Aunt Emily took us to a safari park (野生动物园), not far from Liverpool.
I was very happy to go as I had never been to a safari park before. It’s a very interesting park, full of wild animals running freely.
When we got there, we bought our tickets and drove into the park. We were very excited at the thought of going to see the lions. But to get to the lions’ place we had to go through the monkeys’ land first. And that was an unforgettable experience because they climbed all over the car, ate apples and bananas, and threw all kinds of things at us. They seemed very unfriendly.
Anyway, we went on our way to the lions’ place where we had to lock ourselves in the car as we knew lions could be dangerous. A lion came up very close to us. Then it was on the bonnet (车盖). It looked calm but we felt terrified. Aunt Emily, who isn’t very brave, started to call for help. The kids started crying. Only my brother, George, stayed cool. I sounded the horn (喇叭) but nobody heard us.
In the end a guard arrived in his car, and the lion just got off our car and started smelling the guard’s hand as if nothing was the matter.
1. Which animal did the author want to see the most?| A．The lions. | B．The elephants. | C．The monkeys. | D．All of them. |
| A．Because the monkeys might steal things. | B．Because they were afraid of being robbed. |
| C．Because the lions might be dangerous. | D．Because something was wrong with the car. |
| A．Excited. | B．Bored. | C．Interested | D．Scared |
| A．Aunt Emily. | B．George. | C．The guard. | D．The author. |
10 . Virginia is the hometown of George Washington, the first president of the United States. And it also a place where you can explore nature and history and learn about America and its beginnings.
Mount Vernon, Virginia
The perfect place to begin your trip is at George Washington’s beloved home, Mount Vernon, Virginia. His home has been operated as a museum since 1858 and it is kept the way it was when he lived here. Visit the museums and learn things about George Washington beyond his military (军事的)and political life, such as the fact that he opened the first distillery(酿酒厂)in the country.
Fort Hunt Park, Virginia
Fort Hunt Park is a great place to have a picnic lunch today, but in the past it has played an important part in the military history of the country. In World War II it was the site of very secret meetings.
Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, Virginia
Wetlands are an important part of the ecosystem and are beautiful, a joy to explore because of all of the plants and animals that live there. You can explore over 300 acres on foot or by canoe(独木舟), or both.
Jones Point Lighthouse, Virginia
The lighthouses(灯塔)along Chesapeake Bay are not like others that you may be familiar with, and for that reason alone, this one is well worth a visit. It was first used in 1856 and was almost torn down. Today it is a 50-acre park with bike trails and picnic tables. Come at night and see the light shine once again.
1. What can we learn from the text about George Washington’s home?| A．It was the site of very secret meetings in World War II. |
| B．It has been used as a distillery since 1858. |
| C．It remains the same as when George Washington lived there. |
| D．There are a lot of animals and plants there. |
| A．It is a place where you can explore the past on an actual working farm. |
| B．It is different from other lighthouses. |
| C．In the old days it guided the ships up the Potomac River. |
| D．It is an important part of the ecosystem. |
| A．You can explore Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve on foot or by car. |
| B．Jones Point Lighthouse played an important part in the military history of the country |
| C．George Washington opened the first distillery in the world. |
| D．If you go to Jones Point Lighthouse at night, you can see the light shine once again. |
| A．Nature. | B．Travel. | C．Medicine. | D．Health |
