1 . When I was 17, I read a magazine article about a museum called the McNay, once the home of a watercolorist named Marian McNay. She had requested the community to turn it into a museum upon her death. On a sunny Saturday, Sally and I drove over to the museum. She asked, "Do you have the address? ""No, but I'll recognize it, there was a picture in the magazine. "
"Oh, stop. There it is!”
The museum was free. We entered, excited. A group of people sitting in the hall stopped talking and stared at us.
"May I help you?" a man asked. "No, "I said. "We're fine.” Tour guides got on my nerves. What if they talked a long time about a painting you weren't that interested in? Sally had gone upstairs. The people in the hall seemed very nosy(爱窥探的), keeping their eyes on me with curiosity. What was their problem? I saw some nice sculptures in one room. Suddenly I sensed a man standing behind me. "Where do you think you are? " he asked. I turned sharply. "The McNay Art Museum!" He smiled, shaking his head. "Sorry, the McNay is on New Braunfels Street." "What’s this place?” I asked, still confused. "Well, it's our home." My heart jolted(震颤). I raced to the staircase and called out, "Sally! Come down immediately! "
"There's some really good stuff(艺术作品) up there." She stepped down, looking confused. I pushed her toward the front door, waving at the family, saying, "Sorry, please forgive us, you have a really nice place." Outside, when I told Sally what happened, she covered her mouth, laughing. She couldn't believe how long they let us look around without saying anything.
The real McNay was splendid, but we felt nervous the whole time we were there. Van Gogh, Picasso. This time, we stayed together, in case anything else unusual happened.
Thirty years later, a woman approached me in a public place. "Excuse me, did you ever enter a residence, long ago, thinking it was the McNay Museum?"
"Yes. But how do you know? We never told anyone."
"That was my home. I was a teenager sitting in the hall. Before you came over, I never realized what a beautiful place I lived in. I never felt lucky before. You thought it was a museum. My feelings about my home changed after that. I've always wanted to thank you."
1. What do we know about Marian McNay?| A．She was a painter. |
| B．She was a community leader. |
| C．She was a museum director. |
| D．She was a journalist. |
| A．She disliked people who were nosy. |
| B．She felt nervous when talking to strangers. |
| C．She knew more about art than the man. |
| D．She mistook him for a tour guide. |
| A．Puzzled. | B．Concerned. |
| C．Frightened. | D．Delighted. |
| A．The real museum lacked enough artwork to interest her. |
| B．She was too upset to spend much time at the real museum. |
| C．The McNay was disappointing compared with the house. |
| D．The event happening in the house was more significant. |
| A．People should have good taste to enjoy life. |
| B．People should spend more time with their family. |
| C．People tend to be blind to the beauty around them. |
| D．People tend to educate teenagers at a museum. |
2 . Kimberly and I had planned a trip to Europe for a long time, but we encountered some curveballs. Getting the departure time wrong, we had to
Boarding the ship, we
The week-long ship travel was full of
We still appreciated the experience. Our real passion was about the
Sometimes people are so
| A．shift | B．range | C．break | D．deliver |
| A．admitted | B．regretted | C．fancied | D．realized |
| A．towel | B．shower | C．drier | D．wardrobe |
| A．rather than | B．let alone | C．along with | D．in particular |
| A．risks | B．barriers | C．conflicts | D．adventures |
| A．islands | B．harbors | C．malls | D．decks |
| A．measures | B．consequences | C．concerns | D．expectations |
| A．emerged | B．jogged | C．returned | D．headed |
| A．journey | B．emotion | C．scenery | D．culture |
| A．vacant | B．luxurious | C．overcrowded | D．expensive |
| A．listed | B．recommended | C．canceled | D．unsettled |
| A．close | B．accustomed | C．opposed | D．accessible |
| A．fall over | B．stand out | C．set off. | D．goby |
| A．open | B．alert | C．blind | D．limited |
| A．hope | B．importunities | C．passion | D．changes |
Chengdu has dozens of new millionaires, Asia’s biggest building, and fancy new hotels. But for tourists like me, pandas are its top
So it was a great honour to be invited backstage at the not-for-profit Panda Base, where ticket money helps pay for research. I
On my recent visit, I held a lively three-month-old twin that had been rejected by
4 . 4-Day Classic Beijing Tour
The 4-day classic Beijing tour is designed for tourists who come to visit China for the first time. It covers the most popular and typical places in Beijing, fully displaying the scenery, culture, history, local lifestyles and features, food and drinks, business, etc. to you.
Day 1: Arrival in Beijing
Your guide meets you at Beijing Capital International Airport, and helps you check in at your hotel.
Enjoy Peking duck as welcome dinner.
Accommodation: Downtown Beijing
Day 2: The Great Wall & the Summer Palace
Start your day at the most famous part of the Great Wall, the Badaling Great Wall. Leave the downtown for the Great Wall at 8 am. Since it is a long drive to the Great Wall (about 2 hours' riding), have a break at the Beijing Bona Jade Museum on the way. Lunch will be enjoyed in a local restaurant. In the early afternoon come back to the city and have a sightseeing (观光) tour of the Summer Palace.
Suggested activity: Beijing opera shows (Liyuan Theatre, 19:30-20:30 every evening)
Accommodation: Downtown Beijing
Day 3: Beijing city sightseeing & the local experience
Your guide meets you at the hotel at 8 am and set out for the day's touring: Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City.
After visiting the two sites, have a break and get ready for lunch.
Hutong visit: see some traditional arts of the old Beijing, such as paper cutting and kite making, and visit a local family.
Accommodation: Downtown Beijing
Day 4: Beijing Olympic sites
Visit the Olympic sites: the Bird's Nest, the Water Cube and the Olympic Green, showing the fast developing modern China. Enjoy some free time after visiting the sites.
After lunch, it is shopping time and then the tour is over.
1. Whom is this advertisement aimed at?| A．Experts who study history and cities. |
| B．People who are interested in touring. |
| C．Kids who were born in other cities. |
| D．Foreigners who are new to China. |
| A．Visit the Summer Palace on the first day. |
| B．Go to Liyuan Theatre in the evening. |
| C．Go sightseeing in a Beijing hutong. |
| D．Live and eat downtown in Beijing. |
| A．Day 1. | B．Day 2. | C．Day 3. | D．Day 4. |
Ice and snow warm up winter tourism in Northeast China. Lately, the popularity of ice and snow tourism in Northeast China
How do you tell the southerners
Southerners are less prepared for the cold. Some individuals online are providing practical suggestions for these southerners, stressing the need for clothing that
In order to promote travel for tourists, Harbin has extended the operating
The revitalization (复苏) of abandoned properties in rural China is on the rise. Each
WuYuan Skywells Hotel in Jiangxi province, a previously neglected 300-year-old mansion, was
Similarly, by the end of 2022, designers
The Treewow Tribe in Zhejiang province
Marrying the charm of traditional Chinese designs and the
7 . Paris, the capital of France, has some attractive bridges. These are four of the most beautiful bridges in Paris: some in iconic (标志性的) places you’ve seen in the movies, and others in quiet places that you’ll delight in discovering.
Pont des ArtsConnecting the Louvre Museum to the Institut de France, the Pont des Arts, first built by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804 and reconstructed in the 1970s, is a bridge only for people walking that is beloved by tourists and locals alike. In the spring and summer months, Parisians and visitors come here for lazy picnics overlooking the Seine.
Pont MarleThis lovely but little-known bridge is a gateway between the Marais district on the right bank and a natural island on the Seine River. The current stone structure dates to around 1670, following a fire on its wooden structure that destroyed much of the original bridge and the houses that once stood on it. It has remained much the same since the 18th century, making it one of Paris’ oldest bridges.
Pont Alexandre ⅢThe Pont Alexandre Ⅲ is probably the most attractive of Paris’ many bridges. Built between 1896 and 1900, it connects the des Invalides with the gardens of the Petit Palais. It’s after dark that you can best appreciate its delicate statues and other decorative elements.
Pont NeufFirst built in 1578 by King Henry Ⅲ, Pont Neuf has seen numerous reconstructions and changes over the centuries. But it conserves its Roman-inspired arch (拱形) structures. This is a lovely bridge that offers easy and picturesque access to the left and right bank. Have some ice cream, explore the lovely riverside paths and enjoy views of Notre Dame Cathedral.
1. What is special about the Pont des Arts?| A．It has been rebuilt many times. | B．It is one of Paris’ oldest bridges. |
| C．It is a bridge only for people walking. | D．It is the most attractive bridge in Paris. |
| A．Pont des Arts. | B．Pont Marie. |
| C． Pont Alexandre Ⅲ | D．Pont Neuf. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A health magazine. |
| C．A news report. | D．A book review. |
8 . Choose Your One-Day-Tours!
Tour A - Bath &Stonehenge including entrance fees to the ancient Roman bathrooms and Stonehenge -￡37 until 26 March and ￡39 thereafter. Visit the city with over 2,000 years of history and Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent and the Costume Museum, Stonehenge is one of the world’s most famous prehistoric monuments dating back over 5,000 years.
Tour B - Oxford & Stratford including entrance fees to the University St Mary’s Church Tower and Anne Hathaway’s -￡32 until 12 March and ￡36 thereafter. Oxford: Includes a guided tour of England’s oldest university city and colleges. Look over the “city of dreaming spires(尖顶）” from St Mary‘s Church Tower. Stratford: Includes a guided tour exploring much of the Shakespeare wonder.
Tour C - Windsor Castle &Hampton Court: including entrance fees to Hampton Court Palace -￡34 until 11 March and ￡37 thereafter. Includes a guided tour of Windsor and Hampton Court, Henry VILL’s favorite palace. Free time to visit Windsor Castle(entrance fees not included).With 500 years of history, Hampton Court was once the home of four Kings and one Queen. Now this former royal palace is open to the public as a major tourist attraction. Visit the palace and its various historic gardens, which include the famous maze(迷宫) where it is easy to get lost!
Tour D –Cambridge including entrance fees to the Tower of Saint Mary the Great -￡33 until 18 March and ￡37 thereafter. Includes a guided tour of Cambridge, the famous university town, and the gardens of the 18th century.
1. Which tour will you choose if you want to see England’s oldest university city?| A．Tour A | B．Tour B |
| C．Tour C | D．Tour D |
| A．Windsor Castle & Hampton Court | B．Oxford & Stratford |
| C．Bath & Stonehenge | D．Cambridge |
| A．It used to be the home of royal families | B．It used to be a well-known maze |
| C．It is the oldest palace in Britain | D．It is a world-famous castle |
9 . Do you want to see majestic lions roaring, rare rhinos running and colorful birds flying? You’ll find this incredible display of nature in the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley.
First stop
Fly into Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. This great city is known for its fashion markets and beautiful art. And be sure to pick up some rich Kenyan coffee while you’re there! Then head for the countryside.
Plan your trip
The largest of the three lakes in the system, Lake Nakuru, is less than 175 kilometers from Nairobi. But Lakes Bogoria and Elementaita are equally worth a visit. You can stay at one of several choices of luxurious cabins in the valley. And if you sign up for a trip, be sure to put flamingos, the white and pink birds, at the top of your list.
Paradise
The Kenya Lake System is shallow and alkaline (碱性的). That means it supports vegetation such as green algae, a food source for many waterfowl. Hundreds of species of birds flourish here, using this area as a major breeding and nesting ground. Water buffalo, leopards, monkeys and the endangered Rothschild giraffe also make this area their home.
Other sights
Wildlife isn’t the only natural wonder in the Great Rift Valley. The valley marks a place where the earth is divided far below the surface. This rock separation below ground leads to noticeable features above ground. Walking around Lake Bogoria especially, you will see steam rising from hot springs.
Other activities include golfing, horseback riding and hiking. The fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down, either. The river valley is far from city lights, so many visitors gaze at the stars shining above.
If you are ready for a wildlife experience, don’t hesitate!
1. Where can you buy fashionable gifts in Kenya?| A．Nairobi. | B．Lake Nakuru. | C．Lake Bogoria. | D．Lake Elementaita. |
| A．Living in a cabin. | B．Seeing flamingos. |
| C．Visiting hot springs. | D．Gazing at shining stars. |
| A．It has countless lakes worth visiting. | B．It’s an ideal place for wildlife to live. |
| C．Its water is unsuitable for plant growth. | D．It’s famous for rich culture and history. |
1. How long did it take to get to Nanjing before?
| A．2 hours. | B．1.5 hours. | C．1 hour. |
| A．To have a trip. | B．To work as a teacher. | C．To visit a Chinese university. |
| A．On a train. | B．At a ticket office. | C．In a waiting room. |
