1 . With so many options for short, beautiful walks in Queenstown, you are truly spoiled for choice. Here’s a list of local picks that will help you discover the best walks around Queenstown, a walkers’ paradise, for every age and ability.
Tiki Trail
For one of the best views of Queenstown and a decent workout, climb the Tiki Trail up to the Skyline Gondola building. Starting at the base of the Gondola, the Tiki Trail winds its way steeply through trees towards the lookout at the top.
Choose to hike back to Queenstown. Or if the climb has gotten the better of you, sit back, relax and catch a ride in the Skyline Gondola.
Queenstown Gardens
The Queenstown Gardens Trail is a wheelchair-accessible trail just a few minutes from central Queenstown. The flat, easy track has spectacular views of Lake Whakatipu, Cecil Peak, and Walter Peak and the manicured gardens are beautiful year-round.
You could spend hours here exploring the rose gardens or playing disc golf. If you’re tight on time, the loop around the shore of Lake Whakatipu takes less than an hour to complete.
Arrow River Trail
Starting in historic Arrowtown, a walk along the Arrow River Trail is a must-do for any visitor to Queenstown.
The track will have you filling your camera memory, especially in autumn due to the explosion of colours on the trees. From here, you can cross the bridge and walk back along the riverside or go back the way you came. Back in Arrowtown, it’s lovely to walk along the river and amongst the trees before rejoining Arrowtown’s quaint streets to admire the café culture, discover the region’s history or grab a pint in the sunshine.
Ben Lomond Track
Ben Lomond will greet you from the moment you arrive in town. Not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced, this demanding climb is a full-day mission with a spectacular reward.
Walkers aiming for the summit should be fully equipped and allow six to eight hours, depending on the conditions. Be prepared for snow and ice above the bush line from April to November.
1. Which place is a better choice for the disabled?| A．Tiki Trail. | B．Arrow River Trail. |
| C．Queenstown Gardens. | D．Ben Lomond Track. |
| A．Appreciate the rose fragrance. | B．Experience demanding climb. |
| C．Have a bird-eye view of Queenstown. | D．Learn about the local history. |
| A．To compare things. | B．To inform readers. |
| C．To uncover the unseen. | D．To warn readers. |
2 . People of San Francisco and visitors now have a place to learn and study the largely forgotten history of Chinese workers who helped build the US’ first transcontinental (横贯大陆的) railroad.
The Chinese Railroad Workers History Center, near the southern entrance of San Francisco’s Chinatown, is expected to serve as a “gathering place” for people to learn about Chinese Americans’ heritage (遗产) in the US, according to the founder, Florence Fang, a Chinese community leader in the Bay Area. “The center’s purpose is to remember the Chinese railroad workers’ contribution to this country. The goal is to give voice to the voiceless, and the spirit is to remember the past and inspire the future,” said Fang.
The building of the Transcontinental Railroad, originally known as the Pacific Railroad, was completed on May 10, 1869．It was considered one of the most remarkable engineering achievements of the 19th century. The railroad greatly changed the nation as it not only expanded the American economy but also increased national confidence.
The Chinese workers made up more than 80 percent of the railroad workforce. “What is important to remember is the sweat and the tears and sometimes the lives of the Chinese workers who built the most treacherous, difficult part of the Transcontinental Railroad,” said California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, “Now it will go down in history along with so many other unbelievably important contributions of Chinese Americans.”
Kounalaki s and other elected officials in the state and the city joined community leaders on Wednesday at the center to commemorate the 154th anniversary of the completion of the railroad and pay tribute (致敬) to the Chinese workers.
“This center joins several other institutions in San Francisco, like the Chinese Historical Society and the Chinese Culture Center, to attract visitors and to teach Chinese American history and culture,” said Peskin, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
“It comes at a critical time for us. It comes as Chinatown and the home of San Francisco have experienced three very difficult years, Chinatown in particular, not only with the economic harm, but with the rise of Asian hate,” he said. “The center will help teach future generations and make San Francisco proud,” said Peskin. “It will help promote the economy of Chinatown.”
1. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?| A．The inspiration of designing the center. | B．The intention of opening the center. |
| C．The process of building the center. | D．The cost of building the center. |
| A．Unimportant. | B．Interesting. | C．Expensive. | D．Dangerous. |
| A．There is an increasing feeling of dislike for Asians. |
| B．The economy of Chinatown is developing at a faster speed. |
| C．Other institutions such as Chinese history and literature are being damaged. |
| D．Americans in San Francisco begin to appreciate the Chinese workers’ contributions. |
| A．A railroad transforms American history into what it is today |
| B．Chinese workers help build US’ first transcontinental railroad |
| C．San Francisco has a new center to remember Chinese railroad workers |
| D．People commemorate 154th anniversary of US’ first transcontinental railroad |
3 . While temperatures continue to climb, visitors are still coming to see Death Valley National Park on the California-Nevada border. The park is known as the hottest place on Earth. This past weekend, the temperatures climbed to 53.33℃. Most visitors at this time of year make it only a short distance to any area in the park before returning to the cool air in their vehicles.
Early information from the park service shows that across the nation’s 424 national parks, at least four people have died this year from heat-related causes. That includes a 65-year-old man from San Diego who was found dead at Death Valley earlier this month.
Death Valley National Park suggests visitors be careful and not have expectations of rescue. While park rangers (护林员) drive on park roads and can aid tourists in need, it is unsure that lost visitors will get help in time.
Physical activity can make the heat feel even worse and leave people exhausted. Alessia Dempster, who was visiting from Edinburgh, Scotland, said, “It’s very hot especially when there’s a gentle wind. You would think maybe that would give you some slight relief from the heat, but it just really does feel like an air blow dryer just going back in your face.”
Death Valley is a narrow area that is below sea level and surrounded by high mountains, the park service’s website says. The dry air and small plant coverage let sunlight heat up the park surface. The heat then becomes trapped in the valley.
Still, several areas in Death Valley continue to draw tourists. Badwater Basin, made up of salt flats, is considered the lowest point in all of North America. The 183-meter Ubehebe Crater dates back over 2,000 years. And Zabriskie Point is a great sunrise viewing spot.
Josh Miller, a visitor from Indianapolis who has been to 20 national parks so far, shared that feeling. “It’s hot, but the scenery is awesome,” he said.
1. What do most visitors do in Death Valley?| A．Cool themselves in time. | B．Do lots of physical exercises. |
| C．Stay away from park rangers. | D．Carry dryers with themselves. |
| A．To encourage the elderly to travel more. |
| B．To express admiration for mountain climbers. |
| C．To advise people to tour Death Valley more often. |
| D．To show the danger of traveling in Death Valley. |
| A．Its covering area. | B．Its attractive spots. |
| C．The reason why it is so hot. | D．The service of its park’s website. |
| A．It has a short history. | B．It is worth visiting. |
| C．It draws fewer and fewer tourists. | D．It is unsuitable for viewing sunrise. |
内容包括：时间，游览地方，所见，以及所感。
字数100左右。
(参考词汇：Dr.Sun Yat-Sen’s Mausoleum中山陵 Yuhua Mesa 雨花台 the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall南京大屠杀纪念馆 Langya Mountain琅琊山 the Oriental Pearl TV Tower东方明珠塔 the Forbidden City 故宫 the Summer Palace 颐和园 )
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5 . China has a lot to offer. Do you want to take a China tour? Here are some of our best sellers.
Tour 1 Wonders of China ( Price: $2,699 )
Beijing—Xi’an—Guilin—Yangshuo—Yangtze River—Shanghai
Suitable for those who love splendid Chinese culture, unique natural scenery and more leisure holiday. Visit Forbidden City, walk up to Great Wall, see amazing Terracotta Warriors, take cruise along Yangtze River and ride bikes along Yangshuo country.
Tour 2 Water Town and Yellow Mountains Tour ( Price: $1,409 )
Shanghai—Suzhou—Huangshan—Hangzhou—Shanghai
Suitable for those who like interesting water town traditions and amazing scenery. See gorgeous Yellow Mountains scenery and the prosperous Shanghai, visit a famous water town - Tongli, explore the classical beauty of Hangzhou and Suzhou.
Tour 3 Authentic Yunnan Discovery ( Price: $1,629 )
Kunming—Dali—Lijiang—Shangri-La
Suitable for those who are interested in minority (少数民族) culture and snow mountain. The Stone Forest, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Tiger Leaping Gorge show you the creativity of the nature and the Lijiang Ancient Townand Shangri-La show you the colorful culture of the minorities there.
Tour 4 Golden Silk Road ( Price: $1,749 )
Xi’an—Dunhuang—Turpan—Urumqi
Suitable for those who are eager to uncover the secret of the Silk Road. Listen to the stories about the ancient Silk Road and see the relics on the channel which connected the eastern and western world.
Tour 5 In Pursuit of Kungfu Tour ( Price:$1,509 )
Shanghai—Xi’an—Luoyang—Dengfeng—Beijing
Suitable for Kungfu fans who want to learn Kungfu in Shaolin Temple. Lighten your trip by learning the most authentic Chinese Kungfu at Shaolin Temple, and the Longmen Grottoesc石窟) in Luoyang help you understand the spirit of Kungfu.
1. If the tourists want to explore the beauty of the snow mountain, they would probably choose ________.| A．In Pursuit of Kungfu Tour | B．Golden Silk Road |
| C．Authentic Yunnan Discovery | D．Wonders of China |
| A．Tongli is famous for the interesting water town traditions. |
| B．Beijing and Shanghai are the two common cities in Tour 1 and Tour 2. |
| C．Tourists can experience the culture of the minorities on the Silk Road. |
| D．Kungfu fans can learn Kungfu in the Longmen Grottoes. |
| A．show visitors the importance of some cities |
| B．supply visitors with the information of some China tours |
| C．offer visitors some trip tips |
| D．tell visitors the splendid Chinese culture |
6 . Are you looking at getting away from it all? Then look no further than the best beaches in the world!
Whitehaven Beach, Queensland, Australia
Paradise（乐园）can be found at Whitehaven Beach and the Whitsundays in Australia. This is a group of islands just off the coast of Arlie Beach in Queensland and each one is absolutely breathtaking. You can only get to the Whitsundays by boat, making them all more special-it is just perfect 'in every sense of the word.
Anse Source d' Argent, La Digue, Seychelles
With sun-bleached huge stones on the shore, calm blue waters, brilliant white sands and palm trees on the beach, this beach in the middle of the Indian Ocean is straight from a fairy tale. It comes as no surprise that this is one of the most photographed beaches in the world!
Tulum Beach, Mexico
There aren’t many beaches around the world that can boast ancient ruins that date back to 564 AD on the cliffs above, but at Tulum Beach you get beauty with history. Not only are the Tulum ruins an amazing site within their own right, but the fact that the beach below is absolutely attractive really makes it a magical place to visit.
La Concha Beach, San Sebastian, Spain
La Concha Beach was recently voted as Europe’s best beach and it’s easy to see why. With wonderful weather all year round and some simply expensive restaurants, this is a beach that has it all. Also, with the cute little Spanish town of San Sebastian framed in the background, you’re never far from the action, too.
1. What do we know about the Whitsundays?| A．They’re accessible only by boat. | B．They’re connected with each other. |
| C．They all lie on Arlie Beach. | D．They are the most popular destinations. |
| A．It has fine weather. | B．It’s most appealing to magicians. |
| C．It combines history and scenery. | D．It has the longest history in the world. |
| A．Tulum Beach. | B．Anse Source d’ Argent. |
| C．Whitehaven Beach. | D．La Concha Beach. |
