1 . 4 Hotels That Will Make Your Life Easier

For the business traveler who is all about efficiency: Check out these hotels that will get you in and out with a minimum of trouble.

When you are pressed for time on a business trip, nothing can infuriate you more than a slow hotel check-in process. On your next trip, try these hotels that offer a speedier check-in process.

1. Yotel New York

The self-service kiosks (售货亭) at this high-tech New York hotel work just like the ones you’d see at an airport. There are just five-steps to register and obtain your card key. There is even a robotic luggage bellboy. You tap in the number of bags you are carrying and sizes, then wait for a robot arm to swing down and store your luggage in a locker (say, for a day trip). This also speeds up the check-in process if the first thing you need to do, like me, is heading to a series of meetings

2. Marriott Detroit Airport

Another option for business travelers in a hurry: Marriott is rolling out its mobile check-in app to 325 hotels this year, including the Marriott Detroit Airport hotel (I’ve tested the app itself but not for a real visit quite yet). Here is the basic idea: you download the iPhone or Android app. The night before, you can “check-in” virtually. When you arrive, you get an alert that the room is ready and your key, which is already tied to your reservation, is waiting for you at the desk.

3. Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

I happened to stay at this hotel recently and liked how fast the kiosk check-in works. Like the Yotel, the kiosk asks you to insert your credit card, similar to an airport terminal. The whole process took about three minutes, when I left, I was equally impressed-with the fast check-out. An agent meets you in the lobby with an ipad and asks for an email to use for a receipt. The big advantage: you never have to wait in line.

4. Radisson: LaCrosse

The Radisson is trying to make the kiosk process even faster. At a few selected hotels like the Radisson Lacrosse in Wisconsin, you use a mobile app to register and then receive a barcode by email or text. When you get the kiosk, you scan the barcode to get your key without any other steps required. It’s super fast. You can find this new check-in system at the Radisson hotels in Salt Lake City, Seattle, and Phoenix as well.

1. What does “infuriate” mean in the first paragraph?

A．interest

B．anger

C．trouble

D．mislead

2. Which two hotels offers a mobile app for customers to check in?

A．Yotel New York and Marriott Detroit Airport

B．Hyatt Regency Minneapolis and Radisson: Lacrosse

C．Marriott Detroit Airport and Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

D．Marriott Detroit Airport and Radisson: Lacrosse

3. Which hotel will send you receipt by email?

A．Yotel New York

B．Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

C．Radisson: Lacrosse

D．Marriott Detroit Airport

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．At Yotel New York, a robot will help you with all the check-in process

B．With its check-in app, you may enter your room in Marriott without a key

C．Hyatt Regency Minneapolis is close to an airport terminal.

D．The barcode you receive from Radisson contributes to the fast check-in

2 . Is there a place that you have a strong desire to visit before you are too old to travel? If so, you’re in my shoes. The following places are where I desire to visit very much and most probably your best choices.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

The region is famous for its amazing natural beauty. Many 5A scenic areas and geological(地质的)parks are located there. The park not only has natural wonders, such as strange looking peaks and a thick forest, but also rich animal and plant resources. Tourists can feel like stepping into a natural botanic(植物)garden and kingdom of animals. After visiting here, one will realize the great natural beauty of our world.

The Rainbow Mountains

These geographical(地理的)wonders look as if they were painted with a giant paintbrush. The bright colors stand obviously among the surrounding green plants. Wild as it is, these mountains are a part of our world in China’s Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park. This wild variety of color does exist in the real world. No Photoshop is necessary for the natural beauty of these mountains.

Bora bora.

This place offers the chance to live like a native Polynesian. The clear open sky and the calm waters offer you the unique opportunity to observe how the native people lead a life nearby the sea. Many holiday centers are built here and offer different tours and experiences.

The Galapagos Islands.

The islands consist of 13 volcanic(火山的)islands and six smaller islands. Although known for Darwin’s visit, they’re more attractive than you might imagine. There are 900 species of animals found on these islands. 200 of these species are specific(特有的)to the Galapagos. Most travelers come to this lovely place for the specific wildlife here.

1. What can we infer about the four places from the text?

A．They all consist of both man-made sights and natural scenery.

B．They all enable visitors to experience the local people’s life.

C．They all became well-known after some important visits.

D．They are all on the author’s list of places to travel.

2. What can visitors do in the Rainbow Mountains?

A．See beautiful rainbows.	B．Take photos of colorful plants.
C．Enjoy geographical wonders.	D．Paint pictures with giant paintbrushes.

3. Which feature(特征)of the Galapagos Islands attracts most travelers?

A．Various wildlife.

B．The volcanoes.

C．Darwin’s visit.

D．Dark green plants.

3 . Best Places to Visit in the UK

United Kingdom has long been a popular European tourist place for many because of its beautiful countryside, historic cities, top museums and outstanding theaters. Here are some of the best places to visit in the UK.

Cambridge

Cambridge is a beautiful English city located on the River Cam just north of London. As the home to one of the world’s top universities, the University of Cambridge, it has all of the cultural and entertainment choices you might expect from a college town.

Chester

Located on the River Dee in Cheshire, England, Chester is more than 2,000 years old, which means there is plenty of history, culture and architecture lasting several centuries. The ancient walls around the city are one of Chester’s biggest tourist attractions.

Stonehenge

One of the most famous sites in the world,Stonehenge consists of earthworks surrouding a circular setting of large standing stone in southwest England.It is also home to some of the most important Neolithic and Bronze Age finds and structures in the UK. It was not until 1600 BC that Stonehenge came to be completed.

Lake Distric

Located in northwest England, the Lake District is the second largest National Park in the UK. The main attractions are the lakes, mountains and hills. It is England’s famous destination for hiking and climbing.

1. What will you do in Cambridge?

A．Do various shopping.	B．Meet famous people.
C．Visit the top university.	D．Enjoy wonderful music.

2. Which destination will you choose if you want to go hiking?

A．Cambridge.

B．Chester.

C．Stonehenge.

D．Lake district.

3. What is the purpose of the test?

A．to compare four tourist attractions in the UK

B．to encourage people to have a holiday in the UK

C．to list some of the best holiday activities in the UK

D．to recommend some tourist attractions in the UK

6 . There were smiling children all the way. Clearly they knew at what time the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway, wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favourite relatives. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved.

I had always travelled to Malaysia by plane or car, so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I sighed and sat down to read my Economics.

It was not long before the train was across the causeway and in Malaysia. Johor Bahru was just another city like the city of Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight. Immediately I came alive; I decided to wave back.

From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time.

The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 p. m. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all looked beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile, I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug. I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car.

I looked forward to the return journey.

1. The author expected the train trip to be ________.

A．adventurous

B．pleasant

C．dull

D．exciting

2. What did the author remember most fondly of her train trip?

A．The friendly country people.	B．The mountains along the way.
C．The crowds of people in the streets.	D．The simple lunch served on the train.

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．People on the train were the villagers’ favorite relatives.

B．The writer spent the whole journey reading magazines.

C．The writer thought he enjoyed the train journey at last.

D．The writer’s uncle gave him a warm hug with a huge smile.

4. What can we learn from the story?

A．Comfort in travelling by train.

B．Pleasure of living in the country.

C．Reading gives people delight.

D．Smiles brighten people up.

7 . If you’ve ever travelled with other people, the chances are you’ve had to make compromises. When you want to get up early to watch the sunrise, for example, your friends may argue that getting enough sleep is more important. And when you want to try the different food, your friends might say it looks strange and push you to a Chinese restaurant instead.

This is probably why more people these days are choosing to travel alone. According to reports on holiday habits from the Association of British Travel Agents, the percentage of people in the UK who take trips alone has been increasing, from 6 percent in 2011, to 12 percent in 2017, and to 15 percent in 2018. Most of these people said they choose to travel alone because this allows them to “do what they want”.

In fact, travelling alone is only a part of a recent trend (趋势) of people wanting to take more time alone—or what’s called “me time”. “Imagine yourself as a full pot of water and everything else that asks for your attention is an empty glass. When you provide what is needed for them you are using up your own water supply,” Editor Nicole Lyons wrote for the mental health social network Psych Central. “But how are you refilling your pot? This is where your ‘me time’ comes in.”

However, it’s still quite a common belief that those who do things alone are losers and that they’re alone simply because they don’t have anybody to be with. But why can’t people just be enough for themselves?

The now Duchess of Sussex Rachel Meghan Markle once wrote on her blog in 2016 about how she enjoyed taking herself out to dinner and travelling alone. “It’s not easy. But it’s important,” she wrote. You should face everything and encourage yourself to move forward when the feeling of loneliness and boredom sweeps through your body and mind, according to Markle.

1. What does the underlined phrase “make compromises” probably mean in Paragraph 1?

A．Turn up.	B．Work hard.
C．Give in.	D．Take care.

2. Why do some people choose to travel alone?

A．To save more money.

B．To enjoy their freedom.

C．To calm themselves down.

D．To avoid troubling someone.

3. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 3?

A．Explain why we need “me time”.

B．List some examples of “me time”.

C．Provide some advice for readers.

D．Add some background information.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．A new way of travelling abroad

B．Me time: enjoy yourself alone

C．The disadvantages of travelling alone

D．How to find a proper partner in trips

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Nobody wants to be aged, but     1     it comes to visiting cities, most of us want to visit the world’s oldest cities. Luoyang is one of the oldest and most     2     (attract) cities in the world that I’d like to recommend to you.

Luoyang stands out       3     the oldest continually inhabited(有人居住的) city in Asia. The city is considered to be     4     birthplace of Chinese culture and history as well as being one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China. There       5     (be) no other city in China that has seen so many         6     (dynasty) like Luoyang.

With such a long and       7     (excite) history, Luoyang has really a lot to offer. The Longmen Grottoes, which       8     (include) on the World Heritage List in 2000, and many historic Buddhist temples constant attract tourists from all over the world. Luoyang is also famous for the White Horse Temple, the     9    (early) Buddhist temple       10     (build) in China. Are you anxious to visit the city?

10 . Are you thinking about traveling alone? You must have a million questions: Where should you go? Will there be someone to talk to?     1     And is it all right to travel alone?

In fact, traveling alone is not as scary (吓人的) as it seems. Here are some good tips.

Choose a place where you feel comfortable and safe

Truth be told, traveling alone for the first time is more about the experience than the destination.     2     It could be somewhere close to home or somewhere you’ve already been with friends.

Make a plan

Always make a plan. That way you’ll avoid worrying too much over where you’re staying, what to see and how you’re getting from A to B.

Book hotels ahead of time

    3     Besides, when you book your hotel, ask if they will send a driver to pick you up.

Talk to people

If you’re going to a touristy place like Thailand, there are lots of other people who are traveling alone.     4     They might also ask you to join them for dinner or a beer. That happens a lot.

Let someone know where you are

Your family and friends love you and probably worry about you every day, so text them and let them know what you are up to throughout your trip.     5     And in case something does happen, they’ll know where you are.

A．How do you stay safe?

B．Don’t draw attention to yourself.

C．That will make you and them feel safer.

D．The first thing you need to do is believe in yourself.

E．So make sure to choose a place that you feel comfortable with.

F．Most likely, they’ll be easy to talk to and they’ll want to communicate.

G．This can make you less nervous when you’re traveling alone for the first time.