2 . A visit to Antarctica is much more than a holiday. Remote and undamaged, any journey there is a unique adventure you’ll find nowhere else on earth.

As you cruise in style aboard Discovery, you will gaze upon majestic, icy peaks, giant icebergs and diverse wildlife that includes whales, seals, penguins and birds. You will sail through glassy bays and have the opportunity, weather permitting, to set foot on Antarctica’s shores and volcanic beaches. On all cruises, you will get as close to nature as you would on smaller ships, while enjoying a higher class of Discovery’s 4-star comforts.

Exciting cruises aboard Discovery

No single supplement on cabins

Voyage to Antarctica
20 Days, departing 16 November 2023
From Lisbon across the Atlantic Ocean to Buenos Aires with stops in exotic settings like Funchal, Rio de Janeiro and Ushuaia
Now from £3575
Antarctica, Chile &Patagonia
18 Days, departing 16 December 2023
From Buenos Aires sail to Antarctica and depart the ship in Santiago
Now from£3145
Note: some sailings might be in reverse, from Santiago to Buenos Aires
Cape to Cape
23 Days, departing 7 February 2023
Leave from Buenos Aires and sail around Cape Horn, visit Antarctica and make your way to Cape Town, South Africa
Now from£2995
What’s included:
●All meals, entertainment and tips on board. Return flights to /from UK. Overseas transfers between airports, hotels and ship. Hotel stays in Buenos Aires and Santiago. Informative lecture programme, Landings ashore and small boat sightseeing.
●PLUS—Save an extra £500 per couple on early bookings before September 2023.

The priority of the cruises is to provide you with opportunities to learn about Antarctica’s fragile ecosystem. Lectures given by Dr. Peter Carey and his team will bring Antarctica to life. They will accompany you on your landings ashore and on small boat field trips （depending on ice and weather conditions）.

1. What activity is included on Discovery cruises?

A．Camping on the volcanic beaches.

B．Interacting with seals and penguins if possible.

C．Swimming through the waters filled with icebergs.

D．Setting foot on Antarctica’s shores if the weather allows.

2. Which month’s cruise plan offers the possibility of sailing in the opposite way?

A．February.

B．December.

C．November.

D．September.

3. A major focus of Discovery cruises is ______.

A．extending luxury hotel stays

B．small boat sightseeing and landing ashore

C．learning about the environment of Antarctica

D．providing free meals and entertainment on board

3 . The sun is setting. I’m sitting on a rock top on the Jurassic Coast with my family. We are _________ and dusty after a long day of hiking. We are on a 630-mile route plan. Our only _________ is to complete it as a family by the time the children have finished secondary school.

Out in the wild, I have _________ something magical happening. My children are _________ all the time. They are capable of _________ 10 miles a day carrying their own pack. On the trail, they don’t _________ eating simple noodles or the rain that pours down. It _________ me how they do it, waking each morning totally _________, like someone hits the reset button.

After resting, with packs returned to our _________, we set off with no real plan other than walking onwards. I love the freedom that we just walk __________ until something catches our fancy.

As I walk ahead, I reflect on why we want to be out here. Mostly, I think it’s because it slows us down and __________ us deeply in nature. It’s also turned out to be about the people we meet along the way, like the kind couple who __________ to give us a lift back, or the group of teens who __________ us to join in their game. The trail gifted us meaningful __________ with these kind strangers. So far we’ve walked 120 miles. Maybe it’ll take us several years to complete the whole thing, but I’m sure there will be much __________ waiting for us ahead.

1.

A．disappointed

B．tired

C．surprised

D．annoyed

2.

A．difficulty

B．assumption

C．goal

D．effort

3.

A．promoted

B．arranged

C．missed

D．observed

4.

A．energized

B．centralized

C．knowledgeable

D．teachable

5.

A．covering

B．planning

C．cycling

D．designing

6.

A．desire for

B．prepare for

C．complain about

D．talk about

7.

A．frightens

B．supports

C．amazes

D．disturbs

8.

A．different

B．lucky

C．impressive

D．fresh

9.

A．destinations

B．vision

C．shoulders

D．memory

10.

A．calmly

B．cautiously

C．wildly

D．aimlessly

11.

A．involves

B．traps

C．expresses

D．influences

12.

A．offered

B．challenged

C．promised

D．pretended

13.

A．refused

B．invited

C．stopped

D．expected

14.

A．lessons

B．interaction

C．comparisons

D．progress

15.

A．guidance

B．reward

C．greeting

D．pleasure

4 . Why haven’t the two speakers met recently?

A．They live in different cities.

B．The woman has been away abroad.

C．The woman was on a domestic trip.

6 . 假定你叫李华，是一名导游，你将带领一个外国旅游团游览广东省的省会广州。请你用英语写一篇发言稿简单介绍广州。
要点如下：
概括：位于中国南部；广东省的省会：全市面积超过7434平方千米；人口1500多万。
历史：拥有2000多年历史的文化名城，古代海上丝绸之路的重要港口城市
气候：温暖湿润，年平均气温大约20度。
旅游：风光旖旎，旅游资源丰富。
Ladies and gentlemen,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . Imagine living in a cool, green city alive with parks and threaded with footpaths, bike lanes and buses which transport people to shops, schools and service centers in a matter of minutes.

This fancy dream is behind the idea of the 15-minute city, where all basic needs and services are within a quarter of an hour’s reach, improving public health and lowering vehicle emissions.

Artificial intelligence could help urban planners realize that vision faster, with a new study from researchers at Tsinghua University in China demonstrating how machine learning can generate more efficient spatial layouts (空间布局) than humans can.

Automation scientist Zheng Yu and his colleagues wanted to find new solutions to improve our cities which are fast becoming blocked. They developed an AI system to tackle the tough tasks of urban planning and found it can produce urban plans that outperform human designs by about 50 percent in three aspects: access to services, green spaces and traffic levels.

Starting small, Zheng’s team tasked their model with designing the urban area only a few square kilometers in size (about 3×3 blocks). After two days of training, the AI system searched for the ideal road designs and land use to fit with the concept of the 15-minute city and local planning policies and needs.

While the AI model has some capabilities that could extend its use for planning larger urban areas, designing entire cities will be more complex. Drafting a neighborhood consisting of 4×4 blocks contains twice as many planning decisions as designing 3×3 blocks, the researchers said. But automating even a few steps in the planning process can save huge amounts of time: the AI model can compute in seconds certain tasks that take human planners between 50 to 100 minutes to work through.

Rather than AI replacing people, Zheng and his colleagues think their AI system can work as an “assistant” to urban planners, who could generate concept designs optimized (优化) by the system, and reviewed, adjusted and evaluated by human experts based on community feedback.

1. According to the text, which of the following is NOT a benefit of the “15-minute city” concept?

A．Better public health.	B．Lower vehicle emissions.
C．Decreased access to green spaces.	D．Fast and convenient service.

2. Which major issue in cities did Zheng Yu and his team want to address?

A．High levels of pollution.	B．Limited access to public services.
C．Shortage of affordable housing.	D．Rising crowding and traffic problems.

3. What can be concluded from the text about the AI model’s capabilities?

A．It can design entire cities efficiently.

B．It takes longer to train for larger urban areas.

C．It can complete tasks much faster than human planners.

D．It is limited to planning only a few square kilometers at a time.

4. What’s the best title for this passage?

A．Designing better cities with AI

B．The 15-Minute City: A Dream or Reality?

C．Improving Public Health with Greener Cities

D．The Role of Machine Learning in Urban Design

8 . To help you get out and explore, language leaning platform, Preply, has ranked Europe’s walkable cities.

Seville, Spain

Seville in Spain tops the list of Europe’s walkable cities. Visitors to this amazing Spanish city can explore the impressive Plaza de Espana public square, before wandering over to the UNESCO-listed palace of Real Alcazar and Seville Cathedral. With just 20 minutes of walking between these attractions, you can really make the most of your time here.

Venice, Italy

Venice is famous as a port city for walkers. There are endless attractive passages to explore, as well as plenty of extremely impressive bridges over the crossing canals. Just under half an hour of walking here will take you on a tour of the fantastic Grand Canal, Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s Square, Basilica and bell tower, all in only 1.3 miles.

Florence, Italy

Florence secures its place as a walkable city in Europe thanks to its wonderful display of attractions that can be explored on foot. In only 33 minutes, visitors can take in the brilliance of Florence’s top destinations. A 1.6-mile route covers the famous Uffizi Gallery and the Galleria dell’ Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Statue of David.

Athens, Greece

Visitors to Athens can begin their journey at the Acropolis, climbing to discover the ancient Parthenon, which stands as evidence for the city’s ancient heritages (遗产). The National Archaeological Museum is also close by, housing a treasure trove (宝库) of artifacts that proudly display Greece’s impressive archaeological heritage.

1. What is special about Seville?

A．It is Europe’s most walkable city.	B．It is famous for impressive canals.
C．Ancient treasures are housed there.	D．There are some wonderful attractions.

2. What can walkers do in Athens?

A．Wander around Seville Cathedral.	B．Visit the Grand Canal.
C．Explore the Uffizi Gallery.	D．Climb the Acropolis.

3. In which city can visitors appreciate the Statue of David?

A．Seville.

B．Venice.

C．Florence.

D．Athens.

9 . Creating once-in-a-lifetime moments for you is at the heart of everything we do. The following are some tour suggestions handpicked by the WILDFOOT experts.

ICELANDIC WINTER SELF-DRIVE

September to April|4 Nights; £1,529 per person.

HIGHLIGHTS

· Discover Iceland at your leisure, with included car hire and good standard   accommodation.

· Hunt for the awe-inspiring northern lights.

· Enjoy incredible landscapes, and natural wonders including waterfalls, hot springs and beautiful National Parks.

CLASSIC SPITSBERGEN EXPLORER

May to July |11 Nights; £8,200 per person.

HIGHLIGHTS

· Observe spectacular wildlife, including the iconic polar bears and whales.

· Enjoy amazing polar scenery and midnight sun.

· Experience exciting Zodiac cruises and shore excursions.

10 DAYS PANTANAL AND AMAZON

June to October|9 Nights; £6,256 per person.

HIGHLIGHTS

· Immerse yourself in the birding paradise of the Amazon Rainforest.

· Have a great chance of spotting the majestic jaguar as it patrols the banks of the Cuiaba River.

· Encounter the wonderful wildlife of the Pantanal including the Brazilian tapir, giant anteaters, capybaras, monkeys, giant river otters, caiman, anacondas and much more.

HWANGE & VICTORIA FALLS FAMILY SAFARI

November to March|11 Nights;

Adults: £3,245 per person; Children: £1,064 per person.

HIGHLIGHTS

· Start your Africa experience with a visit to the iconic Victoria Falls.

· Observe an abundance of iconic wildlife including elephants, lions, buffaloes, wild-dogs, cheetahs, a myriad of birds, and much more.

· Visit the Painted Dog Research Centre to learn about the endangered African Wild-Dog and the conservation efforts in place to protect them.

1. What is special about ICELANDIC WINTER SELF-DRIVE?

A．Northern lights.	B．Polar bears and whales.
C．Midnight sun.	D．Victoria Falls.

2. Which option is available for tourists to travel in August?

A．ICELANDIC WINTER SELF-DRIVE.

B．CLASSIC SPITSBERGEN EXPLORER.

C．10 DAYS PANTANAL AND AMAZON.

D．HWANGE & VICTORIA FALLS FAMILY SAFARI.

3. How much does it cost a couple with two children for a Family Safari?

A．£5,373.

B．£6,437.

C．£8,618.

D．£10,799.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What will the weather be like in London next week?

A．Rainy.

B．Sunny.

C．Foggy.

2. What does the hotel provide for people?

A．Toothbrushes.

B．Free breakfast.

C．Airport bus service.

3. What does the speaker remind the listeners to do in the end?

A．Bring their passports.

B．Have fish and chips.

C．Wear sunglasses.