1 . Toys for Tickets Now Underway

Boston drivers are told that the City’s popular “Toys for Tickets” campaign (运动) is now underway. All non-public safety parking tickets (罚单) issued on Boston’s streets on December 1, 2 and 3, may be paid by providing a toy of equal or greater value than the fine on the ticket.

Toys are being accepted this week through Friday, December 17, between the hours of 9 AM and 4 PM, on the second floor of Boston City Hall as well as at the Transportation Department’s Enforcement Building at 200 Frontage Road. Parking is available at the 200 Frontage Road facility. To participate in the “Toys for Tickets” program, drivers must bring the parking ticket as well as a new, non-violent, unwrapped toy of an equal or greater value than the fine. A receipt must be provided for the toy.

The “Toys for Tickets” program began in Boston 16 years ago. Last year, the campaign resulted in over $3,000 in toys being donated to local families who would not otherwise have been able to provide presents to their children on Christmas.

Boston Named #1 Digital City

Mayor announced today that the City of Boston has been ranked #1 among the most advanced digital cities in America according to the Center for Digital Government’s 10^th Annual Digital Cities Survey. The survey recognizes municipalities that successfully use technology to better serve constituents and conduct government operations.

In September, the City of Boston website was named the #1 city government website in America in the Center for Digital Government’s Best of the Web Competition. Boston is the first city to win both awards in the same year.

“I am proud of the way that we are using technology to make government more accessible to Boston’s residents, businesses and visitors,” said Mayor.  “This recognition is an honor for the Department of Innovation and Technology and the entire City of Boston.”

1. We have learnt from the passage that Boston drivers can ______.

A．pay the fine with toys	B．park the car with toys
C．get toys as gifts for parking	D．get tickets for toys donated

2. Boston has just been ranked Number One among ______.

A．World’s most advanced digital cities

B．Departments of Innovation and Technology

C．Digital Government’s Best of the Web Competition

D．Digital Government’s 10th Annual Digital Cities Survey

3. You can read the above two messages in the official website when you click “______” in the catalogue.

A．News

B．Services

C．Business

D．Government

2 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A.understanding   B.experience   C.architecture     D.fee       E.suggest       F.Egyptian G.visited       H.first-class        I.fortunately       J.online       K.artwork

No museum in the United States is as famous as the Metropolitan Museum of Art(the Met), which is filled with     1     from all over the world, including collections from Ancient Egypt and classical antiquity. Visiting “the Met” is an art     2     unlike any other, and like much in New York, it’s impossible to see all the museum has to offer in one day (or even two days, for that matter). If you’ve never been there, then you should visit its permanent collections (the first floor’s Greek and Roman art,     3    art and the second floor’s Islamic art exhibits are especially popular with travelers). If you have already     4     the Met a time or two, then plan your next trip around the semiannual exhibits by the Costume Institute, or head to The Met Cloisters, an offshoot museum that includes medieval Europe’s art and     5     located in Fort Tyron Park.

Travelers love the Met,so they call the facilities and artwork     6    . Many people     7     surfing the museum’s website to decide what you’d like to see ahead of your visit. You can also apply for a special guided tour for a more deep     8     of the museum’s content.

The museum is located at 1000 Fifth Ave., on the eastern perimeter of Central Park. You can visit the museum from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday until 9 p.m. Suggested     9     to the Met is $25 for adults, $17 for seniors and $12 for students; kids younger than 12 can enter for free with a paying adult. You can purchase tickets     10     or in person. If you are a resident of New York state or a student in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut, the admission is “pay what you wish.”

3 . Technology has blurred the boundaries between work and play, professional and personal, and career and downtime. Whether it’s a digital nomad (数字游牧民) blogging on a Bali beach or a manager checking emails on a Niseko ski lift, people are seamlessly combining work and leisure. The traditional boundary between business and personal travel is fading, giving rise to a new trend known as “bleisure travel.”

Bleisure travel extends beyond the usual practice of bringing a partner to a conference. Professionals worldwide are increasingly adding weekends or even weeks to their work trips, whether they are traveling alone, with a partner, or as a family. According to Jeanne Liu of the Global Business Travel Association, more than one in three business travelers will incorporate a leisure component into at least one of their trips this year. Contrary to expectations, this trend is not limited to entry-level employees; managers and millennials are equally likely to partake in bleisure travel.

Employers are recognizing the benefits of bleisure travel, as it contributes to travel well-being, job satisfaction, and productivity. Taking the opportunity to bring family members along or adding fun elements to a business trip reduces stress and enhances the overall experience. Australians, who face longer working hours and higher travel costs, are particularly receptive to bleisure travel. Guests at business-oriented hotels like Quest St Leonards in Sydney are increasingly opting to have their partners join them for a weekend stay or longer, rather than making quick trips back home.

Richard Tonkin, a general manager who frequently travels for work, always extends his trips to explore new destinations. He carefully researches cities and books bike tours as a way to quickly see the sights and discover places of interest. Tonkin’s wife, Enza, who works part-time, often accompanies him on these trips and explores the local area or indulges in her own activities, such as shopping or visiting galleries and restaurants.

The modern bleisure traveler is typically culturally curious and interested in local cuisine. Hotels like Quest St Leonards ensure their front office staff are knowledgeable about not only popular attractions but also hidden gems and events happening in the area. They provide guests with tailored guides that cater to their specific interests, whether it’s offbeat cafes and boutiques or trendy bars and restaurants.

The main obstacle for most business travelers considering bleisure is time. Paradoxically (自相矛盾的是), while technology enables them to work and play at the same time, it also limits their leisure time. However, as the trend continues to gain in popularity, more professionals are finding ways to strike a balance and make the most of their business trips by incorporating leisure activities.

1. Which of the following is a proper description of modern bleisure travelers?

A．They prefer to travel alone rather than with a business partner or a family member.

B．They tend to be curious about local culture and cuisine, and eager to explore the area.

C．They are more interested in attending conferences and business meetings than travelling.

D．They are more likely to be entry-level employees than company managers or millennials.

2. What can be inferred about “bleisure travel” from the passage?

A．It is primarily embraced by employees with shorter working hours and lower travel costs.

B．Limited leisure time gives professionals a chance to strike a balance between work and life.

C．Its increasing popularity suggests that professionals prioritize personal experiences over work.

D．Family members coming along the bleisure travel will have to follow their partner s schedule.

3. How do some hotels react to the rise of “bleisure travel” according to the passage?

A．They are struggling to accommodate travelers due to limited availability and high demand.

B．They are indifferent to the trend and do not offer any specific services for bleisure travelers.

C．They are discouraging bleisure travel by offering only business- oriented facilities and services.

D．They are training staff to know about local travelling information and offering tailored guides.

4. The passage mainly talks about ________.

A．the rise of digital refugees in the workforce

B．the benefits of business travel for professionals

C．the trend of combining work and leisure travel

D．the challenges of balancing work and recreation

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答小题。1.

A．Engine trouble.	B．Poor weather.
C．Tall waterfalls.	D．Tight budget.

2.

A．Amazing as well as tough.	B．Funny while incredible.
C．Disappointing but rewarding.	D．Fascinating and well-paid.

3.

A．A mechanic.	B．A photographer.
C．A travel writer.	D．A weatherman.

5 . Tips to Keep Your Personal Items Safe While Travelling

You might be surprised to hear that even in the limited space of an airplane, thefts still do occur. In a case reported, two men on board a flight were arrested after being suspected of stealing cash from fellow passengers’ mid-flight.     1     While airlines don’t advertise the fact, they’re not as rare as you may think. There are some tips to ensure you don’t become the victim of such crimes.

    2     This is especially important if you have a black, featureless bag. For example, you can sew a symbol on it or write your initials on the bag.

Keep your valuables such as cash, your ID and passport, and jewellery in a small bag that you can place under the seat in front of you. Rest your feet on your bag to make sure no one gets close to the bag.     3     It takes just a few seconds for experienced thieves to steal your bag, so never give them the opportunity by leaving it unattended.

    4     For example, you can divide your cash into three portions and keep some in your small bag, some in a pair of jeans that’s rolled up in your checked baggage, and some in your toiletries bag (化妆包). In this way, even if you lose one stash of money, you will not be left with absolutely no cash.

A．To ensure you get enough storage room, try to board the flight early.

B．Bring it with you whenever you leave your seat.

C．Thieves won’t spend too long on locked bags as it may draw attention to themselves.

D．Cases like this are known as in-flight, or mid-flight thefts.

E．Keep your cash or credit cards in different hiding places.

F．Make sure your bag is easily recognizable so thieves can’t just switch it out with a similar looking bag.

6 . Many of the world’s most famous landmarks now offer virtual tours, meaning people can visit museums, world heritage sites and other attractions from the comfort of the sofa. Such virtual travel experiences, as some experts have considered as an eco-friendly solution to the problem of overtourism, are seeing an increase in popularity. For overcrowded destinations, virtual reality experiences can help divert (使改道) some tourists, easing the burden on the location’s infrastructure (基础设施).

However, there’s a big gap between using virtual reality to “try before you buy” and treating virtual reality like the destination itself.

To start with, the technology isn’t ready yet. 360-degree virtual reality videos are usually experienced through a headset or an app. The headsets are expensive and heavy, and aren’t comfortable to wear for more than 30 minutes. The apps have none of these problems, but simply aren’t as impressive.

Limited physical feelings are another problem. The videos focus on sounds and sights but can’t do much with smell, touch, or taste, and VR experiences tend to only be a few minutes long—hardly equal to a two-week vacation in Spain. Some researchers are creating a full-body suit with enhanced sensory experiences, but it still doesn’t satisfy the deeper needs that make people travel.

What’s more, tourists on virtual tours see a world only to the extent that someone was able to film and construct it. In a virtual experience, visitors can’t choose to wander down a side street and discover a charming café—unless those options have already been programmed. It can definitely disappoint those who tend to be less directed in their explorations and more focused on new experiences and discoveries.

Virtual reality may never replace traditional travel, but it still offers possibilities. If the technology becomes advanced enough, those who are more environmentally conscious among us—especially those aiming to reduce our carbon footprint—might prefer this form of escape. Also, VR travel does bring parts of the world to people who are physically unable to visit certain landmarks.

1. The followings are the benefits brought by virtual travel experiences EXCEPT that _______.

A．people can tour some dreamed sites without dealing with lines and crowds

B．the impact of tourism on the environment can be minimized

C．people are able to explore the world without leaving home

D．the travelers’ financial burden can be relieved to some extent

2. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．The full-body suit meets the deeper needs of the tourists.

B．An expensive headset is a must for experiencing virtual tours.

C．People can only see what is constructed and programmed on virtual tours.

D．Virtual tours satisfy those who are fond of adventuring at will.

3. What is the author’s attitude towards the future of virtual tours?

A．Indifferent.

B．Pessimistic.

C．Critical.

D．Optimistic.

7 . The part of the environmental movement that draws my firm’s attention is the design of buildings. Today, thousands of people come to ________ building conferences, and the idea that buildings can be good for people and the environment will be increasingly ________ in years to come. Back in 1984 we discovered that most manufactured products for decoration weren’t designed for ________ use. The “energy-efficient” sealed commercial buildings constructed after the 1970s energy crisis ________ indoor air quality problems caused by materials such as paint, wall covering and carpet. So for 20 years, we’ve been looking for ways to make these materials ________   for people and the planet.

Home builders can now use materials, such as green paints, that release significantly ________   amounts of chemical compounds, which people believe don’t ________ the quality of the air.   ________, our basic design strategy is focused not simply on being “less bad” but on creating ________ healthful materials that can be either safely returned to the soil or ________ by industry again and again. For example, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer has already ________ a carpet that is fully and safely recyclable.

Look at it this way: no one ________ to create a building that destroy the planet. But our current industrial systems are basically causing these conditions, whether we like it or not. So   ________ of simply trying to reduce the damage, we are ________ a positive approach. We’re giving people high-quality, healthful products and an opportunity to make choices that have a ________   effect on the world. It is not just the building industry, either. Entire cities are taking these environmentally positive approaches to design, planning and building.

1.

A．commercial

B．green

C．traditional

D．simple

2.

A．efficient

B．changeable

C．influential

D．effective

3.

A．relevant

B．indoor

C．flexible

D．forward

4.

A．revealed

B．displayed

C．exhibited

D．discovered

5.

A．careful

B．comfortable

C．stable

D．safe

6.

A．reduced

B．revised

C．delayed

D．defined

7.

A．destroy

B．deny

C．dissolve

D．depress

8.

A．Anyway

B．Besides

C．Anyhow

D．However

9.

A．exactly

B．completely

C．partially

D．superficially

10.

A．restored

B．regain

C．reused

D．retain

11.

A．developed

B．stretched

C．researched

D．constructed

12.

A．sets off

B．sets about

C．sets out

D．sets up

13.

A．instead

B．because

C．out

D．regardless

14.

A．adjusting

B．adopting

C．adapting

D．admitting

15.

A．functional

B．sensible

C．beneficial

D．precious

8 . Win

The winner can go to one of these amazing places.

You can go with three friends.

You will be away for five days.

You can go anytime in January.

Your starting point is London.

All expenses paid including: travel, accommodation and food.

Sights and the city!
Paris, France
From the Eiffel Tower to Disneyland, from cafés to art galleries — there’s something for everyone in this historic but modern city!

●Accommodation: apartment with cooking facilities

●Travel from London: 2.5 hours by train

●Average January temperature:-3℃

Shopping and shows!
New York, USA
From an unforgettable show with a backstage tour to some world-famous shops and a city that never sleeps — you’ll love it!

●Accommodation: apartment with cooking facilities

●Travel from London: 7 hours by plane

●Average January temperature: -3℃

Go and get lazy!
Goa, India
A complete break from the stress of everyday life. Relax with unspoilt beaches, delicious food and perfect sunshine.

●Accommodation: beach house with cooking facilities

●Travel from London: 8 hours by train

●Average January temperature: 32℃

Spanish Spa special!
Seville, Spain
Amazing spa break with unlimited health and beauty treatments, swimming pool, beautiful scenery and delicious food!

●Accommodation: 3-star hotel

●Travel from London: 3 hours by plane

●Average January temperature: 8℃

Something for everyone!
Dubai, UAE
You stay in a huge new hotel. You go shopping in a huge new shopping centre. You sunbathe on a huge new beach. What more could you want?

●Accommodation: 5-star hotel

●Travel from London: 7 hours by plane

●Average January temperature: 25℃

1. According to the passage, the winner of the competition must ________.

A．go travelling with his/her family	B．start his/her journey from London
C．go anytime other than January	D．pay for his/her own accommodation

2. If the winner would like to escape the cold weather of January and make meals by himself, he is most likely to choose ________ as his destination.

A．Paris, France	B．New York, USA
C．Dubai, UAE	D．Goa, India

3. The passage is intended to ________.

A．promote different international tourist destinations

B．introduce some major cities around the world

C．publicize the rules of the competition

D．appeal to more competitors

9 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

The Real Cost of Travel

Mass tourism is a relatively recent phenomenon. The tourism industry     1     (take) off in the middle of the last century and it’s been growing ever since. In the last ten years especially, more and more people have been traveling to places     2     we had previously only read about or seen on television. But what kind of impact does tourism have on the planet?

A voyage to the end of the earth?

A large cruise ship (邮轮) can carry as many as 6,000 passengers and there are upwards of 50 such ships currently     3    (sail) the seas. Cruise ships dump about 90,000 tons of waste into the oceans every year. Any harmful effects of this are made even worse by the fact     4     cruises tend to visit the same places over and over again, thus concentrating the waste in specific places.

Trash on top of the world

From remote ocean habitats to the world’s highest mountain, our trash is everywhere. Though far fewer people go climbing the Himalayas than on a cruise, their impact     5    (still feel). Tourism is vital to the economy of Nepal,     6     it is to many non-industrial countries. But for decades, climbers have been abandoning their unwanted equipment on Everest. For the last few years, clean-up teams of local and international climbers have been organizing hiking trips just     7    (pick) up the waste. One group has brought over eight tons of waste down from the mountain!

When more is not better

Tourism of a different kind is causing problems in Europe. Construction on the Mediterranean coast has been     8     control for years. Beach resorts form an almost unbroken line from Gibraltar to Greece, and natural habitats have disappeared under miles of concrete. And so we pollute the sea, the land, and the air. Low-cost air travel is booming, in spite of (or perhaps     9     (help) by) economic problems. For many Europeans, low-cost flights allow them to take several short vacations a year. Yet curiously, short flights actually have a much bigger effect on climate change than long flights. So, are there    10     (damaging) ways of seeing the world? Traveling by train, for example, is a much greener way of getting around.

10 . It’s tipping towards sunset on a November afternoon and St Michael’s Mount shines on the horizon reflected in the high tide that surrounds this Comish island. As I set out along the coastal path from Penzance to Marazion, it’s a surreal view. The mount, with its collar of gold-dotted water, looks like it’s floating. The podcast I’m listening to is telling me that the mount is also surrounded by a underwater forest. This blue space was once green.

I start from behind Penzance’s railway station and the first installation is revealed just after the signal box-a trident of posts that look like sticks made by Poseidon (三叉戟) himself. Rooted in the landscape but separate from it, like other good sculpture trails, this one offers a deeper link to the landscape, a perspective that a walk alone can’t offer.

The accompanying podcast encourages listeners to follow in the footsteps of local poets, scientists and folklore experts, while a downloadable booklet suggests ways of drawing, cooking, and food hunting inspired by the forest. Until they appear on additional signs along the trail in the spring, both can be found on Newlyn Art Gallery’s website.

As I follow the trail I listen my way around the landscape hearing about its marine biodiversity, rising sea levels (again), Cornish language and pirating history.

The sticks range from driftwood benches to short posts and tall crooks. Some have metal chairs and picnic benches. Newly upgraded, the path is accessible to all. In the dusk, I’m joined on my walk by a tide of pushchairs, e-bikes, wheelchair users, runners, iovers and dog walkers.

I keep going and bob along the path ahead, and the industrial estates on my left give way to the Scots pines and rushes of the Marazion Marsh RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) reserve. Eventually I dip down into Marazion along the beach, breathing the briny air swirling in over sea wrack (海藻).

As the tide is already in, it’s too late to visit St Michael’s Mount today, so I double back for a cuppa at the Hoxton Special, a cafe 10 minutes back along the path. Just beside it is the final cluster of posts. One of them is shaped like a chair, so I sink into it and watch the sun set over the bay.

1. What does the underlined word mean in Paragraph One mean?

A．realistic

B．false

C．dreamlike

D．imaginative

2. Which of the following statement is True about the trident post mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．It was the first thing the author encountered after he set out on his journey.

B．It once belonged to the mythical character Poseidon, dominator of the sea.

C．It can hardly be spotted by visitors if they choose to walk along the trail.

D．It adds to the local landscape though not necessarily a part of it.

3. What is the author’s journey like?

A．His journey progressed under the witness of the posts along the trail.

B．The author listened to podcast all the way on his journey and took the advice it offered.

C．Throughout his journey, the author was joined by various kinds of people and beautiful scenes.

D．The whole journey was naturally picturesque without traces of industry.

4. What can be the best title of this passage?

A．Journey of Wilderness

B．Magnificent Trails

C．Arty Walk

D．Coastal Road Trips