1 . Not too hot, not too cold. Spring is the perfect time to visit Europe for ideal weather. The best European countries to visit in the spring include: France, Netherlands, Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic and so on.

France

One of the most tourist-packed countries in Europe, France offers lesser crowds and more excellent weather during the spring months. Just outside of Paris are the impressive castles and country houses of Sceaux, where the cherry blossom can easily be seen in spring.

Netherlands

The Netherlands is well-known for its vast fields of flowers, making spring a perfect time for a Dutch holiday. The tulip fields in the Noordoostpolder are a must, as well as flower fields in Flevoland and Kop van Noord-Holland. In Veluwe National Park, tourists will be rewarded with the sight of red deer eating grass. A trip to the Netherlands would, of course, be incomplete without a visit to Amsterdam. The lesser crowds and lovely weather of spring make it the perfect time to explore Amsterdam’s canals.

Slovakia

Slovakia is a wonderfully diverse country with rich cultural history and awe-inspiring natural sites. Slovak Paradise is a natural park that offers 19 nature reserves and over 350 caves. Due to its hot summers and cold winters, spring is a perfect time to explore all that Slovakia has to offer.

Romania

Romania hosts a variety of great cultural sites and lively cities, especially attractive during spring months. The Statue of King Decebalus, a 141-foot-high upper part of Decebalus carved into the side of a rock, is a wonderful attraction. Brașov Old Town is one of Europe’s most charming destinations for those looking to escape the capital city of Bucharest.

Czech Republic

Due to its impossibly preserved Gothic architecture, Prague is widely regarded as the most impressive city in Europe. As such, summertime will be characterized with crowds that can ruin the romance with which you should experience Prague. May in the Czech Republic offers perfect not-too-hot, not-too-cold weather. This makes for ideal conditions to cross Charles Bridge and tour Prague Castle.

1. If one wants to appreciate flowers, he will most probably go to ______.

A．France

B．Netherlands

C．Romania

D．Czech Republic

2. According to the passage, the best destinations for tourists interested in architecture are ______.

A．France and Romania	B．Romania and Slovakia
C．Slovakia and Czech Republic	D．France and Czech Republic

3. What can be learned about the countries mentioned in the passage?

A．They are packed with more crowds in spring than in other seasons.

B．Tourists can travel in ships when visiting Romania and Netherlands.

C．Travellers can catch sight of and feed wild animals in these countries.

D．Slovakia is an amazing place where tourists can enjoy natural beauty.

2 . Hong Kong isn’t the first place you’d expect to find a peaceful island. But in a quiet corner of Sai Kung district (西贡区), a tiny green island offers a rare glimpse into the past.

Nicknamed “Ghost Island,” Yim Tin Tsai (盐田仔) was once home to a flourishing Hakka (客家) community. They settled on the empty island and built salt pans (盐田) to earn a living. When the salt pans were shut down more than 100 years ago, most residents turned to farming and fishing.

In the 1960s, more and more families moved to other places. The last of the villagers on the island had moved abroad by the 1990s, and, in the following years, Yim Tin Tsai lay empty.

If travelers had visited Yim Tin Tsai a decade ago, they would have found nothing but overgrown weeds (野草) and crumbling houses. That’s exactly what villager Colin Chan saw when he returned to the island after 40 years. But, for him, the island represented something special — a unique side of Hong Kong’s history and culture that shouldn’t be forgotten.

“I came back here hoping to recover something I felt I had lost,” Colin said. “I found the island was in ruins and I was very sad. This is the place I grew up. This is my father’s home and his father’s home.”

In 1999, Colin was elected as village representative and began what would become a lifelong mission: to make the island come alive. Together with about 10 former villagers, Colin raised money to build a visitor center for travelers. In 2004, a charitable foundation donated funds to renovate the island’s historical chapel (小教堂). In 2005, UNESCO (联合国教科文组织) Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation honored the chapel with an award of merit (优异奖).

Motivated by this, the villagers organized a regular ferry schedule to enable travelers to reach the island, and set out to showcase the village’s unique history. They built a heritage trail, repaired Hakka ancestral homes, created a museum, and even started an organic farm that sits at the foot of the church.

1. According to the article, the Hakka community________.

A．all moved to other countries in the 1990s

B．settled on Yim Tin Tsai about 100 years ago

C．made a living by salt mining, farming and fishing on Yim Tin Tsai

D．found Yim Tin Tsai to be a fertile place when they had first arrived there

2. The word “crumbling” in paragraph 4 could probably be replaced by “______.”

A．frightened

B．broken

C．disappearing

D．decreasing

3. Which of the following is NOT a reason why Colin Chan came back to Yim Tin Tsai?

A．Because he wanted to recover the special feeling of the place where he grew up.

B．Because as village representative, he had the duty to bring the village back to life.

C．Because he didn’t want to see the hometown of his father and grandfather in ruins.

D．Because he wanted to preserve Hong Kong’s history and culture mirrored in the island.

4. We can learn from the article that _______.

A．UNESCO honored Yim Tin Tsai with an award of merit in 2005.

B．If travelers visit Yim Tin Tsai today, they will find it a lush, green island full of life.

C．Colin Chan raised money to build a museum to showcase the village’s unique history.

D．the villagers on Yim Tin Tsai want to restore the salt pans which were closed more than 100 years ago.

3 . I was dirty, smelly, hungry and somewhere beneath all that, suntanned. It was the end of an Inter-Rail (欧洲旅游火车通票) holiday. My body couldn’t take any more punishment. My mind couldn’t deal with any more foreign timetables, currencies or languages.

“Never again,” I said, as I stepped onto home ground. I said exactly the same thing the following year. And the next. All I had to do was buy one train ticket and, because I was under twenty-five years old, I could spend a whole month going anywhere I wanted in Europe. Ordinary beds are never the same once you’ve learnt to sleep in the passage of a train, the rhythm rocking you into a deep sleep.

Carrying all your possessions on your back in a rucksack (背包) makes you have a very basic approach to travel, and encourages incredible wastefulness that can lead to burning socks that have become too anti-social, and getting rid of books when finished. On the other hand, this way of looking at life is entirely in the spirit of Inter-Rail, for common sense and reasoning can be thrown out of the window along with the paperback book and the socks. All it takes to achieve this carefree attitude is one of those tickets in your hand.

Any system that enables young people to travel through countries at a rate of more than one a day must be pretty social. On that first trip, my friends and I were at first unaware of the possibilities of this type of train ticket, thinking it was just an inexpensive way of getting to and from our chosen camp-site in southern France. But the idea of non-stop travel proved too attractive, for there was always just one more country over the border, always that little bit further to go. And what did the extra miles cost us? Nothing.

We were not completely uninterested in culture. But this was a first holiday without parents, as it was for most other Inter-Railers, and in organizing our own timetable we left out everything except the most available sights. This was the chance to escape the guided tour, an opportunity to do something different. I took great pride in the fact that, in many places, all I could be bothered to see was the view from the station. We were just there to get by, and to have good time doing so. In this we were no different from most of the other Inter-Railers with whom we shared passage floors, food and water, money and music.

The excitement of travel comes from the sudden reality of somewhere that was previously just a name. It is as if the city in which you arrive never actually existed until the train pulls in at the station and you are able to see it with your own tired eyes for the first time.

1. What does the writer mean by “this way of looking at life” in Paragraph 3?

A．Worrying about your clothes.	B．Throwing unwanted things away.
C．Behaving in an anti-social way.	D．Looking after your possessions.

2. Why did the writer originally buy an Inter-Rail ticket?

A．To get to one place cheaply.	B．To meet other young people.
C．To see a lot of famous places.	D．To go on a tour of Europe.

3. What the writer liked about traveling without his parents was that_____.

A．he could see more interesting places	B．he could spend more time sightseeing
C．he could stay away from home longer	D．he could make his own decisions

4. What does “it” in the last sentence of Paragraph 6 refer to?

A．A name.

B．The city.

C．The train.

D．The station.

4 . 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. dash     B. literally     C. complex     D. locally     E. intangible     F. superior G. array     H. crafted     I. modified     J. launched     K. personalized

As pandemic measures persist, vacationing locally remains a main option for holiday

“Tailor-made trips", “staycation” and “cultural tours” have become the buzzwords describing the domestic tourism market during the recent National Day holiday, which ran from Oct 1 through Friday.

On an online platform for travel customization, a user can book a     1     itinerary with a click of a button after providing information such as place of departure, destination, travel dates and number of travelers, Xinhua News Agency reported.

“The tour customization specialist who received my order     2     a travel plan for me according to my specifications in terms of food, accommodation, transport and recreational activities,” a tourist from the eastern city of Qingdao told Xinhua. “A dedicated driver and guide were assigned to us, and any details could be     3     at my request.”

Dai Xuefeng, director of the division for tourism and leisure at the National Academy of Economic Strategy from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Xinhua: “Bespoke holidays are an inevitable result of the development of the tourism industry and of economic growth.”

Vacationing     4     remains a main option as COVID-19 precautions continue. In the week leading up to the holiday, on-demand services platform Meituan saw searches for “local tours” and “suburban attractions” surge by 440 percent week-on-week.

Suburban attractions in Beijing, such as Universal Beijing Resort and Beijing Wtown, were among the popular choices for local residents, Xinhua reported.

In the Central China province of Hubei, rural tours, fruit and vegetable picking experiences, and camping trips emerged as the top options. They were expected to take in more than 60 percent of the province’s tourist spending during the holiday week, according to Xinhua.

Zhou Qiao, a resident of Hubei’s Yichang city who vacationed at the local Bailihuang scenic area during the holiday, told Xinhua: “We booked tents in advance and took our family here to experience the wonder of watching the sunrise in the morning and counting the stars in the evening. My children loved the experience very much.”

The wide     5     of cultural events and destinations in cities drew huge numbers of urban residents during the holiday week.

Historical architectural     6     Sanfang Qixiang, which     7     means “three lanes and seven alleys”, in Fuzhou, East China’s Fujian province, entertained tourists with     8     cultural heritage-themed talent shows and Yueju Opera performances, among others.

In Shanghai, many museums     9     exhibitions, cultural activities, as well as night tours to add a(n)     10     of culture to the holiday fun, said China Central Television.

Li Xinjian, a professor at Beijing International Studies University’s School of Tourism Sciences, told Xinhua that the integration of culture and tourism highlights the cultural experiences in tourist trips, and tailor-made tours offer in-depth cultural experiences that large group tours are unable to provide.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Why do airports have to look good?

A．They represent international significance.

B．They need keep up with air travel growth.

C．They are symbols of a city’s development.

D．They are designed by well-known architects.

2. What do airports provide to meet the competition and customer demand?

A．Notice of flights’ delay.	B．Luxurious departure halls.
C．Road and rail connections.	D．Nearby shopping areas.

3. Why are airports often located far away from cities?

A．Aircraft are noisier than before.

B．Aircraft are getting larger in size.

C．Aircraft need much space to land and take off.

D．Aircraft need regular examination with engines.

6 . In a nutshell

A genuine secret garden, Heligan was lost for decades under dense undergrowth until a door to one of the walled gardens was discovered by accident in 1990. An award-winning restoration project followed and you can now explore a jungle filled with strange and marvellous plants and trees.

Best things about it

We loved imagining we were plant explorers, surrounded by towering trees and banana trees. There are rare breeds of sheep, pigs and cattle to meet, wildlife hides from which to observe nesting barn owls and other native birds and even an insect hotel to visit.

Getting there

By car, head to St Austell and take the B3273 towards Mevagissey and then follow the brown signs. The nearest railway station is St Austell, five minutes away from the gardens by the 471 bus or taxi. The gardens are linked to National Cycle Network, Route 3.

Value for money?

Yes, you can easily spend a full day here and it’s a memorable day out. Adults £14.50, students £8.50, children (5-17) £6.50, under 5s free, seniors £12.50. Family (2 adults and up to 3 children) £40. Buy a combined ticket for Heligan and the Eden Project and save 10%.

Opening hours

Gardensand estate open daily 10am-5pm (last tickets 3.30pm) from 1 October to 31 March and 10am-6pm (last tickets 4.30pm) from 1 April to 30 September. Closed on Christmas Day.

1. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Heligan once won an award for its marvellous plants and trees.

B．Those interested in wildlife will find a visit to Heligan worthwhile.

C．You can get a ticket at 4pm in February.

D．The secret garden cannot be reached by public transport.

2. How much will a family of 5, two adults aged 40 and 42 and three children aged 4, 7 and 9 pay at least if they buy a combined ticket for Heligan and the Eden Project?

A．£36.

B．£40.

C．£42.

D．48.5.

3. In which column of a newspaper can you find this passage?

A．Business Report

B．Worldwide Travel

C．Study Life

D．Miss Fashion

7 . With two locations, the Getty Villa in Malibu and the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the J. Paul Getty Museum serves a wide variety of audiences through its expanded range of exhibitions and programming in the visual arts.

Parking information

Parking is $15; $10 after 4:00 p.m. Pay once, park twice on the same day. And get same-day parking at both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa for one $15 fee.

MORE information about visiting the Getty Center and the Getty Villa

@The Getty Center See spectacular art and architecture at the top of Los Angeles. Admission is Free. Address:1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049 Open Hours: Tuesday–Friday and Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Closed Mondays Open Mondays, December 21 and 28, 2020 Parking lot opens 9:30 a.m. Holiday closures: Thanksgiving, December 25 (Christmas Day), and January 1 Food & Drinks Lunch Tuesday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Dinner Saturday 5:00–9:00 p.m. Sunday Brunch Sunday 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Closed Mondays

@ The Getty Villa Visit the ancient world of Greece and Rome. Admission is Free. An advance timed-entry ticket is required. Address 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Open Hours: Wednesday–Monday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Closed Tuesdays Open Tuesdays, December 22nd and 29, 2020 Holiday closures: Thanksgiving, December 25 (Christmas Day), and January 1 Food & Drinks Cafe at the Getty Villa Monday and Wednesday–Friday 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m. Closed Tuesdays No reservations are required for the Cafe. Menu selections are created seasonally. Wine and beer are also available. Picnic Box Lunches Enjoy your own boxed lunch and grab-and-go items at any of the Getty Villa’s public seating areas, including the Outdoor Classical Theater.

1. Mr. Larry drove to the Getty Center and the Getty Villa on December 23 (Wednesday), 2020, and enjoyed a wonderful tour there. He paid the parking fee _______ altogether.

A．$10	B．$15
C．$20	D．$30

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．The J. Paul Getty Museum is an art museum housed on two sites.

B．The Getty Villa is closed on the same holidays as the Getty Center.

C．The sale of alcohol is forbidden to people in the J. Paul Getty Museum.

D．Timed tickets must be obtained in advance in the Getty Villa.

3. People who go to the Getty Villa may _______.

A．enjoy the views overlooking Los Angeles

B．conduct the visit any time because the tickets are free

C．appreciate the arts and cultures of ancient Greece and ancient Rome

D．have lunches they bring with them anywhere inside the exhibition area

8 . A hundred years ago, the largest city in the world was London, with a population of 6.5 million. Today it is beaten by Tokyo. With barely a quarter the population of London a century ago, the Tokyo metropolitan area has since ______ to 34 million, promoting it to first place in the global city league table. Tokyo’s phenomenal growth is largely due to a single factor: migration from the countryside to the city.

This ______ migration can now be seen in scores of cities around the globe. And it has brought us to a crucial moment in human history. In 1990, most people lived in the countryside, with a little over 10 percent of the world’s population living in ______. From next year, the UN Population Division predicts that for the first time in history, more people will live in cities than in the country, and the biggest growth will be in “mega-cities,” with populations over 10 million.

The ______ of mega-cities - there are now 20 in total - has brought with it huge environmental and social problems. Cities occupy just two percent of the land surface of the Earth but consume three-quarters of the resources that are used up each year. Their residents are making ruinous ______ on soils and water supplies for food and on forests for wood and paper.

______ the world’s population to the countryside isn’t an option. Dividing up the planet into plots of land on which we could all survive self-sufficiently would create its own natural disasters, not to mention being highly unlikely to ever ______. If we are to protect what is left of nature, and meet the demand to improve the quality of living for the world’s developing nations, a new form of city living is the only option. ______, governments, planners, architects, and engineers are beginning to wake up to this idea, and are dreaming up new ways to green the mega-cities. Their approaches ______ two main principles: recycle whatever possible and remove as many cars as possible. So as well as developing energy-efficient buildings, emphasis is being placed on increasing the use of ______ and redesigning how cities are organized to integrate work and living areas into a single neighborhood, rather than ______ cities into residential, commercial, and industrial zones.

Planners and architects now agree that to improve the social and environmental condition of cities the top ______ is to cut car use. They say zero-emission cars running on electricity or burning hydrogen are not ______. What is needed is a wholesale rethink of how new cities are laid out — and how existing ones expand — to ______ the need for cars in the first place. One way of achieving this is to build cities with multiple centers where people live ______ their work in high-rise blocks that are also near public transport hubs. In parts of the world this is already taking place.

1.

A．added

B．mushroomed

C．responded

D．adapted

2.

A．out-of-date

B．rural-to-urban

C．close-to-bottom

D．on-the-site

3.

A．cities

B．migration

C．poverty

D．communities

4.

A．increase

B．advantage

C．management

D．distribution

5.

A．criticism

B．comments

C．demands

D．impressions

6.

A．Promoting

B．Relating

C．Returning

D．Introducing

7.

A．disappear

B．decrease

C．exist

D．occur

8.

A．Generally

B．Naturally

C．Previously

D．Fortunately

9.

A．rely on

B．set aside

C．result in

D．look into

10.

A．self-driving cars

B．public transport

C．green buildings

D．eco-friendly packaging

11.

A．changing

B．arranging

C．separating

D．forcing

12.

A．concern

B．secret

C．reform

D．priority

13.

A．enough

B．possible

C．common

D．scarce

14.

A．emphasize

B．minimize

C．neglect

D．consider

15.

A．eagerly for

B．far from

C．close to

D．ignorantly of

9 . The Comfort Inn, Ramsgate is a Victorian building located on the coast of the Isle of Thanet, overlooking the English Channel. Previously known as the famous San Glu Hotel, the Comfort Inn, Ramsgate is ranked 3 stars from AA and 3 stars from the London Tourism council.

It has 44 rooms consisting of single, double, twin, family and executive rooms. All rooms offer satellite TV and Internet access.

There is a well-stocked bar, and the restaurant has a menu offering traditional dishes, with a choice of tempting starters, a variety of main courses and desserts, with a pleasant and efficient waitress services. The hotel offers a friendly service with its own car park and unrestricted on-street parking nearby.

Local Points of Interest

The Comfort Inn, Ramsgate is centrally situated in a quiet location overlooking the sea. The hotel is close to the town center and only 1 km from Port Ramsgate.

For inland and overseas flights Gatwick International Airport is only 100 km. The local attractions include Championship Golf Courses, Canterbury Cathedral, and Dover Port. Dartford Tunnel is only 55 miles.

Conference & Banqueting

The Comfort Inn, Ramsgate provides excellent conference and banqueting facilities for 10 to 150 people. Special events include Christmas party nights, Christmas day lunch, Boxing Day Carvery, and our wonderful New Year’s Eve dinner and dance. In addition to the provision of food, wine, bar facilities and function rooms, the Hotel offers the following services:

• Extension of license

• Printing

• Flowers

• Toastmaster

• Bands

• Cabaret

• Cake

• Piano

• Photograph

How to Find the Comfort Inn

From the M25 highway, travelling clockwise (顺时针方向), take the M2 on to A299 and the A253 to Ramsgate, or if travelling anti-clockwise from the M25, take the M26 on to the M20, then the A249 to the M2, A299 and A 253. Once in Ramsgate, head to the harbor, then travel east until you reach the hotel.

1. What’s the purpose of the passage?

A．To recommend the Comfort Inn, Ramsgate to readers.

B．To tell readers how to get to the Comfort Inn, Ramsgate.

C．To introduce the facilities of the Comfort Inn, Ramsgate.

D．To show the convenience of Comfort Inn, Ramsgate.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that the Comfort Inn, Ramsgate ________.

A．is 55 miles to Canterbury Cathedral

B．was once the famous San Glu Hotel

C．is 1 km from the town center, Port Ramsgate

D．was built off the quiet Thanet coast in Victorian times

3. If we travel to the Comfort Inn, Ramsgate in either direction, we will have to take ________.

A．M2 and M20	B．A299 and A249
C．M25 and M26	D．M25 and M2

10 . You know it’s fun to take in the wine country sights. But have you thought about trying the heights?

Whether you’re zooming down a zip line or floating through the air in a hot-air balloon, there are quite a few ways to experience the high life in wine country.

Here are three options ranging from thrill to chill.

1. Up, up in the air: Multicolored hot-air balloons dotting a blue sky are a signature of wine country and you can be part of the picture-postcard scene. Several companies offer balloon flights, including Napa Valley Aloft, which launches from the V Marketplace in Yountville and has two alternate launching places if it’s foggy. Be aware this is a bird’s-eye view for early birds. Flights launch just after dawn when winds are calmest and temperatures lowest. Prices start at $220 for a ride in a gondola that holds up to 14 people followed by an optional $20 Champagne breakfast. Booking in advance recommended, especially in the high seasons of summer and fall.

2. Zip-n-sip: In Paso Robles, the grape-growing area along California’s Central Coast that was featured in the popular 2004 buddy movie, ”Sideways,“ Margarita Adventures has zip lines that will have you whizzing over forests, canyons and vineyards. The tour concludes with optional tastings at neighboring Ancient Peaks Winery. Tickets are $109 on weekdays, $119 on weekends and holidays, $89 for youth under 18 at all times. Details at http://www.margarita-adventures.com.

3. Glide in a gondola: For a brief but lovely time aloft, ride the aerial tram at Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga. You get a smooth ride up a tree-studded hill and are greeted at the top with a glass of wine as you begin a self-guided tour of galleries and overlooks. Finish with a wine and food pairing on the South Terrace which has sweeping views of the Napa Valley. Open Monday-Friday 10:30 a.m.—5 p.m., weekends 10 a.m.—5 p.m. Admission starts at $29, with additional fees for food pairings, and tickets can be booked through http://www.SterlingVineyards.com.

1. In which column of a magazine can you find the article?

A．Geography and People.	B．City Beats.
C．Food and Entertainment.	D．Travel.

2. What can you learn from the first option?

A．V Marketplace in Yountville is the only spot for the launch of balloon flights.

B．Viewing birds is also an important part of the flight.

C．Balloon flights will not start until the sun sets.

D．Weather plays a critical role in balloon flights.

3. Which of the following is True?

A．Booking in advance is highly recommended for all of the three options.

B．Tickets can be bought through their respective websites.

C．Tourists can have choices to taste wine in any of the options.

D．There is a special offer for children in all of the three options.