1 . An immersive and slow-paced Citywalk is becoming trendy across China. In contrast to rushing past overcrowded tourist landmarks, the new trend has emerged as a popular alternative to explore bustling markets, ancient streets, and charming alleys at a leisurely pace.
The appeal of Citywalk caters particularly to the younger generation often caught up in demanding work schedules. As evidenced by the increasing popularity of hash tags like “City walk for vacation” on lifestyle sharing platform Xiaohong shu, with a staggering 465 million views and nearly 464, 600 engagements, the trend is truly capturing unbelievable attention.
Citywalk, or meandering through the urban landscapes, means the act of walking freely along city streets unburdened by exhaustive plans. It offers people an avenue to intimately experience urban culture and local traditions. Citywalk is not merely about sightseeing. It creates an opportunity for social interactions and deep connections with the cities. Citywalk routes are tailored to the specific interests of both out-of-town tourists and locals. For tourists, the focus is on sharing local customs and traditions, while for locals, discussions revolve around the city’s past, present, and future. The growing trend of Citywalk reflects a changing attitude towards life, embracing a warmer, more relaxed, and slower-paced lifestyle.
As Citywalk expands beyond first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, to second-and third-tier cities across the county, it brings fresh opportunities for the tourism industry, in such areas as dining, shopping, and accommodation.
Governments in Beijing and Shandong have recognized the potential of Citywalk, incorporating it into their action plans to promote cultural tourism and leisure activities. In Shanghai, public bus lines specially designed have been introduced to elevate the overall Citywalk for participants.
“By slowing down and delving into the narrow alleys, observing the lives of city residents, and immersing oneself in the context of museums and art galleries, one is entitled to embrace the pleasure of life,” said Luo Jun, a cultural tourism enthusiast.
1. What’s the main reason for the popularity of Citywalk among young people?| A．It mainly focuses on urban sightseeing. |
| B．Social media offer many tempting videos. |
| C．Busywork schedule limits the choice of people. |
| D．Conventional tourist landmarks are losing charm. |
| A．Astonishing. | B．Rewarding. | C．Embarrassing. | D．Shrinking. |
| A．An immersive route for foreigners to enjoy the alleys in Chengdu. |
| B．A holiday travel to hurriedly visit crowded landmarks in Shanghai. |
| C．A free walk including visiting museums and old towns in Qingdao. |
| D．A leisurely tour along Qiantang River to experience city transformation. |
| A．Facilities in the museums have been enhanced. |
| B．Cooperation has been strengthened among cities. |
| C．Opportunities have been offered to third-tier cities. |
| D．Specific public transportation routes have been introduced. |
China’s newest online sensation is a pink fox called LinaBell from Shanghai Disneyland. After
Footage of meet-and-greets with the pink fox are all over the Internet and LinaBell can be seen communicating
Visitors to Shanghai Disneyland were the first people
Disney’s localization efforts, including the company’s IP products have resulted in its popularity in China. Shanghai Disneyland has been
3 . With the approaching of New Year, more and more visitors will come to China. Don’t know where you should go? Here are some places recommended for you.
Shanghai Expo Culture Park
The Shanghai Expo Culture Park will soon open its northern section to the public, in which the major attractions include a traditional garden that is similar in design to Shanghai’s famous Yuyuan Garden and a 400-meter avenue exhibiting the history of the area, while in the southern section lies a grand theater.
Macao Tower AJ Hackett Bungee Jump
The Macao Tower, 338 meters tall, is the world’s 10th highest tower, with a variety of activities, such as eating and entertainment. One of the activities which enjoy good fame is the bungee jump. The AJ Hackett Macao Tower Bungee Jump is 233 meters high, making it a Guinness World Record as the highest commercial (商业的) bungee jump in the world. Raise your arms and off you go!
Harbin’s Frozen World
For those who have never been to Harbin, there is an almost endless list of things to do. At Harbin Ice—Snow World, you can not only see the world—famous ice architecture, but also have great fun! You can have hotpot at the restaurants which are made of ice, enjoying the product of both ice and fire, go down the world’s longest ice slide (滑梯) and join in the popular Ice and Snow Electronic Music Festival to welcome 2024.
The winter is cold and the night is long, so why not go to the theatre? Harbin was listed by the United Nations as a “music city” in 2010. Harbin Grand Theater is where artistic souls defrost (化霜) a little to share their love of art.
1. Where should visitors go if they want to do extreme sports?| A．Shanghai Expo Culture Park. | B．The Macao Tower. |
| C．Shangha’s Yuyuan Garden. | D．Harbin Ice—Snow World. |
| A．Attend a famous music festival. | B．Play with both ice and fire. |
| C．Turn water into instant ice. | D．Learn to make ice architecture. |
| A．They have a high tower. | B．They have a long ice slide. |
| C．They have a grand theater. | D．They have traditional architecture. |
4 . Bike Rental & Guided Tours
Welcome to Amsterdam, welcome to MacBike. You see much more from the seat of a bike! Cycling is the most economical, sustainable and fun way to explore the city, with its beautiful canals, parks, squares and countless lights. You can also bike along lovely landscapes outside of Amsterdam.
Why MacBike
MacBike has been around for almost 30 years and is the biggest bicycle rental company in Amsterdam. With over 2,500 bikes stored in our five rental shops at strategic locations, we make sure there is always a bike available for you. We offer the newest bicycles in a wide variety, including basic bikes with foot brake (刹车), bikes with hand brake and gears (排挡), bikes with child seats, and children’s bikes.
Prices
Hand Brake, Three Gears | Foot Brake, No Gears | |
1 hour | €7.50 | €5.00 |
3 hours | €11.00 | €7.50 |
1 day (24 hours) | €14.75 | €9.75 |
Each additional day | €8.00 | €6.00 |
Guided City Tours
The 2.5-hour tour covers the Gooyer Windmill, the Skinny Bridge, the Rijksmuseum, Heineken Brewery and much more. The tour departs from Dam Square every hour on the hour, starting at 1:00 pm every day. You can buy your ticket in a MacBike shop or book online.
1. What is an advantage of MacBike?| A．It gives children a discount. | B．It offers many types of bikes. |
| C．It organizes free cycle tours. | D．It has over 2,500 rental shops. |
| A．€15.75. | B．€19.50. | C．€22.75. | D．€29.50. |
| A．The Gooyer, Windmill. | B．The Skinny Bridge. |
| C．Heineken Brewery. | D．Dam Square. |
5 . Christmas is coming, and it is time to warm yourself and head out to see some festive lights. There are plenty of choices when it comes to following a light path as part of your Christmas celebrations.
Oxford Street
Oxford Street’s festive lights are a treat for the eyes this year. However you’ll have to pick your hours carefully as the lights—which we returned on at the start of November—are only on for eight hours a day this year, from 3-11 pm, in the wake of the rising energy costs the country is facing. It is expected this will reduce energy usage by up to two thirds compared to previous years, when the lights have been on for 24 hours through November and December.
Kew Garden
One of the most famous light paths of the season, Christmas at Kew offers a full-on festive experience with over 2 km of lights to walk through. Along the way you’ll have the chance to sample festive food and drink, and possibly even say hello to Santa himself.
Regent Street
Regent Street’s lights are on the theme of The Spirit Of Christmas this year, bringing golden angels to the shopping street. The lights, which cover Regent Street and the St James neighbourhoods, were turned on on November 9, and like the Oxford St lights are turned on between 3 and 11 pm.
Covent Garden
A visit to Covent Garden will certainly get you in the festive spirit this year, with the central London destination offering a whole lot of lights—from 11 am until midnight every day until January 3. Visitors can also enjoy daily snow showers as well as festive food treats and heated wine—with over 40 different varieties there.
1. Why are Oxford Street’s festive lights just on for 8 hours a day this year?| A．The public ask to turn off these lights. |
| B．The quality of these lights is not good. |
| C．The government wants to save energy |
| D．The country expects to differ from previous years. |
| A．Oxford Street. | B．Kew Gardens. | C．Regent Street. | D．Covent Garden. |
| A．Take a shower. |
| B．See snow every day. |
| C．Pick out the favourite lights. |
| D．Enjoy many different kinds of wines. |
The Shennongjia Scenic Area is divided into several parts. A must-visit site is the Shennong Peak, which
Considering the high altitude of the mountain, an automobile ride
Almost every day of the year finds the peak hidden in a heavy layer of cloud cover, fog or mist, making it difficult for people
For tourists
7 . A trip to Venice will now leave your wallet even emptier.
Earlier this year, the city announced that anyone who enters Venice and doesn’t stay overnight is set to pay a fee ranging from 3 to 10 euros, depending on factors such as advance booking and whether it’s peak season or if the city is very crowded. This rule will come into effect in January 2023.
According to The Associated Press, as mass tourism gained popularity in Venice in the mid-1960s, the number of visitors increased year by year. In 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were some 19 million day-trippers who visited the city.
As more visitors come to enjoy the charm of the Italian city, lots of Venetian residents have been forced to leave their homes. According to CNN, due to congestion(拥堵) and the increasing costs of delivering food and other goods in carless Venice,around 70 percent of Venetian residents have left the city in the past 70 years.
The government hopes the new rule could help to regulate(调节) tourism in the city and “find a balance between Venetian residents and long-term and short-term visitors”, as noted by AP. The money they collect will be used to clean up waste and maintain the heritage of the city.
Local Marco Malafante, who manages vacation rentals(租赁) in the city, also expressed his support for the move.
But a Venetian gondolier, simply called Cuba, was worried and thought the government moves would “commercialize(使商业化)” the city and disturb the lives of ordinary people.
“Entering Venice will be like entering a museum. I don’t think the measure will help the problem of transforming Venice into a Disneyland, with fake(假的) glass shops and piazza sellers replacing the old artisan(工匠) shops,” Cuba told CNN.
1. According to the new rule, what kinds of visitors to Venice will pay for a fee?| A．All visitors who come to Venice. | B．Visitors who don’t book in advance. |
| C．Visitors who visit Venice in peak season. | D．Visitors who don’t spend a night in Venice. |
| A．Heavy traffic. | B．The COVID-19 pandemic. |
| C．The rising costs of delivery. | D．Increasing numbers of visitors. |
| A．It won’t help settle the problem. | B．It could help to regulate tourism. |
| C．It will transform Venice into a Disneyland. | D．It will help maintain the heritage of the city. |
| A．Venice will restore its charm. | B．Venice will charge for day trips. |
| C．Venice will be commercialized soon. | D．Venice will balance the locals and visitors. |
Museum Day is here for one day and one day only — so you’ll need to hurry if you want to take advantage of the chance to get free Saturday admission to one of the hundreds of participating museums.
The yearly event is hosted by Smithsonian Magazine and involves museums and cultural institutions coming together to offer free admission for patrons(顾客) who would otherwise have to pay for entry.
You just need an email address to get a ticket
To get a ticket you’ll need to go to the Smithsonian Magazine website and pick which museum you want to go to. You’ll be able to search to see which museums near you are participating, and from there you just have to put in your email address and name. After that, you can download your ticket and head out for some fun.
A lot of museums are still feeling financial stress from the pandemic
The event is happening as museums are still struggling from the hits they took during the first few years of the pandemic.
The American Alliance of Museums estimated it will take years for museums to fully recover. In February, the group released survey results that detailed those financial losses.
AAM President and CEO Laura Lott noted that federal relief helped remove the threat of closure that many institutions were facing, but 2022 proved to be another painful year.
But there’s hope that a free day at the museums might spark subsequent(随后的) visits.
1. How often is Museum Day held?| A．Once a week. | B．Once a month. | C．Once a year. | D．Once a day. |
| A．To go to the nearest museum. | B．To buy Smithsonian Magazine. |
| C．To enter your email address and name. | D．To be a member of Smithsonian Magazine. |
| A．It will help people deal with stress. | B．It will make museums more famous. |
| C．It can help museums to fully recover. | D．It may attract more visitors to museums. |
9 . Before coming to Beijing, I was worried about whether or not I would have opportunities to go out for long walks and hikes. Coming from the UK, where farms, fields and parks are never too far away, I thought Beijing was a city of giant buildings that never ended, a concrete jungle without nature.
In the center of Beijing, there are public parks to explore: from Chaoyang Park in Chaoyang District to Ditan Park in Dongcheng District and to Beihai Park in Xicheng District.
Beijing, like other cities in China, is vibrant (有活力的) and full of energy as people rush around to work and have fun.
| A．I always sat alone, thinking of my hometown in Britain |
| B．One location worth visiting is the Grand Canal Forest Park |
| C．All of these locations are easily accessible by subway or taxi |
| D．People will wander in the park, buying and selling small items |
| E．I was overjoyed to find out that my expectations didn’t match reality |
| F．Although it was polluted in the past, great efforts were made to improve the local environment |
| G．But it’s also important to change to a slower pace and return to nature with public parks for people to relax |
10 . 4 Best Hikes in the UK by Train
The following four best hikes in the UK by train are recommended to try.
Name of hike: Golden Cap on the Southwest Coast PathThe nearest train station: Axminster
The Golden Cap Estate is famous for being the tallest point of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. Following the Southwest Coast Path for about 7. 5km will take you along Charmouth Beach which is famous for the many fossils (化石) found there.
Name of hike: Aber Falls in the Snowdonia National ParkThe nearest train station: Bangor
Aber Falls is an impressive 40m tall waterfall in the Snowdonia National Park. Following the 4km path through Aber Nature Reserve to reach the waterfall you will pass ancient woodlands. Additionally, you’ll be able to find a few smaller waterfalls on route.
Name of hike: Conic Hill in the Loch LomondThe nearest train station: Balloch
The Conic Hill is one of the final parts on the West Highland Way route. After going through ancient woodlands, you’ll reach the impressive view of Loch Lomond and its many islands. Covering about 5. 5km, the path begins and ends in the small village of Balmaha.
Name of hike: Loch an Eilein in the Cairngorms National ParkThe nearest train station: Aviemore
This 7.2 km walk passes Loch an Eilein and cuts through the endless ancient forest. The Loch is home to a small island and the beautiful Loch an Eilein Castle (城堡) which dates back to the 13th century. While walking, you can enjoy the sound of birdsong all around you.
1. Which place will you choose if you like natural heritage?| A．Aber Falls. | B．Golden Cap. |
| C．Conic Hill loop. . | D．Loch an Eilein loop. |
| A．Axminster. | B．Bangor. |
| C．Balloch. | D．Aviemore. |
| A．Ancient forest. | B．Several islands. |
| C．Famous castles. | D．Beautiful birds. |
