From: Selena
To: Jiang
Subject: Visit to the US
Dear Jiang,
Great to hear you’re coming to the US! I hope I can convince you to stop by and visit us in New York. There’re so many things to see and do here in the Big Apple. It would take a lifetime to list them all! But knowing you as I do, I’d suggest walking through Midtown Manhattan. It’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in the US and just can’t be missed!
Broadway district with its cafes, street performers and enormous and colorful signs really captures New York’s loud spirit! As Broadway is the heart of the American theater industry, it’s at night when it truly comes alive. Broadway is famous for its big theaters, showing Shakespeare, modern drama, dance shows or musicals-take your pick! With your love of singing and interest in amateur dramatics, I’d recommend a musical. It’s a moving and intense experience that I’m sure you would love-a bit like Peking Opera! Quite a few musicals are based on classic stories like Les Miserables or Peter Pan, and they might even inspire you to read the books, too!
My big news is that we’re all thinking about doing a big trip in China in the winter vacation. We’re looking for a combination of fun and traditional culture. Can you recommend a place of cultural highlights?
See you soon! （Fist bump! ）
Selena
1. Which place in New York did Selena recommend that Jiang should visit?
2. What is special about it?
WELCOME TO CHINATOWN!
The Chinatown in San Francisco is the biggest in America, and also the oldest. It is a very popular tourist draw that receives more visitors each year than even the Golden Gate Bridge. The climate is mild all year round, meaning it is always a good time to visit.
Historically, Chinese immigrants settled in the area during the railroad construction and gold rush period. What started as a residential area for Chinese immigrants then turned into a centre for Chinese culture. The majority of residents in Chinatown are still ethnic Chinese, many of whom do not speak English fluently. This allows visitors to experience a real taste of China.
Most of Chinatown was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake, but the city and residents rebuilt it, taking care to include lots of Chinese architecture. Traditionally, visitors enter Chinatown through the legendary Dragon Gate, which was built using materials donated from China. Other famous sites include the Tin How Temple and Bank of Canton, to name but a few. Visitors can also spend hours just exploring the interesting sights, smells, and sounds of China. Portsmouth Square is also a key site, being the centre of Chinatown. It has a long and famous history, with the author Robert Louis Stevenson having spent much time writing there. These days, the square is a great place to see traditional Chinese culture in real life, such as games of Chinese chess, and people practising tai chi.
The stores in the Chinatown offer a unique range of souvenirs, goods, and clothing. All kinds of traditional Chinese herbal medicine can be found, too, and there are Chinese tea stores, where visitors can taste and buy varieties of Chinese tea.
But perhaps what many tourists and San Franciscans treasure most about Chinatown is its food. There is Chinese food to suit everyone's taste, with traditional dishes from all over China.
Chinatowns are an important part of the diverse culture of the USA. They allow visitors who have never been to China to experience traditional Chinese culture first hand.
1. What are the famous tourist sites in the Chinatown of San Francisco?2. What else can you do there?
BEAUTIFUL IRELAND AND ITS TRADITIONS
Ireland’s beautiful countryside has always had a great influence on its people and traditions. The country has a long history of producing great writers and poets. Its beautiful countryside excites and inspires all, offering something for each of the senses. The peaceful landscape of the “Emerald Isle” and its many green counties is a true feast for the eyes, with its rolling green hills dotted with sheep and cattle. And down by the sea, the roar of the ocean waves and cries of the seabirds make up the music of the coast. On a quiet morning in the mountains, feel the sun on your skin, and breathe in the sweet scent of fresh flowers while birds greet the new day with their morning song. With all this beauty, it is not surprising that Ireland has developed strong traditions that include music, dancing, and dining. To have a chance of experiencing this, stop by a village pub and relax with a glass of wine or a local beer. Better yet, enjoy a delicious traditional Irish Beef Stew. If you’re lucky, you might be able to enjoy some traditional music and dancing, too. And if you introduce yourself to a friendly face, you are more than likely to experience local culture and customs first-hand.
2. What are the best ways to experience some Irish traditions and culture?
3. What is the meaning of “breathe in the sweet scent of fresh flowers while birds greet the new day with their morning song”?
4. What are the best ways to experience Chinese traditions and customs?
XU XIAKE’S GUILIN
It is 10 in the morning, and I am travelling by rat down the Li River. The sun is already burning hot even though it has not yet reached full strength, but a calm breeze cools my skin. So far the day is wonderful, but the purpose of my trip is not just to have fun: I am following in the footsteps of Xu Xiake(1587-1641 ), the famous Chinese travel writer and geographer. Though Xu was from Jiangsu, he spent more than 30 years travelling throughout the country, and greatly admired my destination today-Ox Gorge.
As we flow down the river, we are surrounded by steep hills sticking up into the sky — karsts, Unique among mountains, karsts were formed over thousands of years as rain drained into the acidic soil and melted the soft rock, leaving the harder rock behind. Guangxi is full of karsts, giving it some of the most interesting ——and beautiful—scenery in the world. Xu was one of the first people to make a careful study of Guilin’s karsts and their related cave systems. He, like many people today, found them fascinating.
Suddenly, our raft hits some rapids, and I find myself covered in water. I turn to my raftsman and we share a laugh. The water not only keeps us cool, but it is all part of the adventure.
What made someone like Xu spend years travelling thousands of kilometres away from home? Perhaps it’s the same reason as mine: to explore the world and to discover new things. As Xu wrote, “A great man should in the morning be at the blue sea, and in the evening at Mount Cangwu. Why should I restrict myself to one corner of the world?”
Xu was not alone. Much like today, the late Ming Dynasty was a golden age of tourism within China. People travelled hundreds of kilometres to visit temples, go mountain climbing, or explore scenery.
Yet, perhaps no one in China travelled farther or longer than Xu Xiake. At least, if anyone did they did not write about it.
When our raft reaches Ox Gorge, it proves to be every bit as beautiful as I expected-a watery heaven on earth. The raft is tied up, and then I head out to explore. That afternoon, I find a cave on the river. I wade into it and the water grows shallower, unit finally I am walking on dry land. Up ahead I see a light and hear laughter echoing off the cave walls. There is a large pool of mud, and a group of young people are jumping into it and swimming around. I run and join them. Soon, like my new friends, I am covered in gray mud from head to toe. After an hour of play, I head back out of the cave and take a swim in the river to get clean. And I wonder, when Xu Xiake came here nearly five hundred years ago, did he examine the mud like a scientist? Or did he jump in?
Of course he jumped in. You know he did.
Read the article again and answer the questions.
1. Why did the author decide to go to Guilin?
2. How are karsts and their related cave systems formed?
3. According to the author, why did Xu Xiake like to travel?
4. What did the author do in the cave?
5. Do you agree with the author that Xu Xiake probably played in the mud? Why or why not?
Imagine a world with no more wild animals: no elephants, no giraffes and no lions.
To some people, that thought is too terrible, so they are doing something about it. Being surrounded by wild animals — feeding them and caring for them — is all Tiffany Soechting has ever wanted to do all her life. And that is exactly what she does.
Soechting is the human “mother” to the 500 animals that live on her family’s wildlife farm. On the farm, she cares for creatures from every continent except Antarctica (南极洲).
Visitors get a chance not only to see these creatures there, but also to feed them, And the animals are not against that. For them, people and the special vehicles used on the farm are part of their natural environment. “When you come here, the animals are walking around freely like they would if they were in their native homeland. And you can touch them,” said Soechting. “For the most part, the majority of them were born and grew up here. But even when we bring them in — like if we bring a new male in the rest of the herd (兽群) is comfortable with what is going on.”
Tourists are not the only people to visit the farm. Many schools come for field trips all throughout the year, so it is a place of education as well as conservation. But for Soechting, the farm is simply home, and it has been for many generations.
As the animals walk peacefully around, it is easy to forget that a busy city is just a few minutes away. Tiffany Soechting and the 500 animals do not seem to give it a second thought.
1. What does Tiffany Soechting do?2. What can visitors do on Soechting’s family farm?
3. How do animals feel about the visit?
4. Apart from animal conservation, what else can people do on the farm?
5. What does the sentence “Tiffany Soechting and the 500 animals do not seem to give it a second thought” in the last paragraph mean?
I was traveling with my husband and three teenage sons, in the United States. We ordered our food at a fast-food place, and with my meal I also wanted a blueberry pie. My husband is the chatty one in the family and likes to socialize, so he started to a conversation about the place where blueberries grow with the girl. She answered, with some anxiety, “They grow on trees.”
The whole family’s jaws dropped! How could this girl not know where blueberries grow? We tried not to embarrass her, and just took the opportunity to teach her a little about how blueberries grow, on small shrubs on the ground. She seemed to appreciate learning something new. We can’t know all the same things, as you’ll see from the next thing I’m going to tell you.
In 2002 our family made a short trip to a coffee plantation. The road to the plantation was narrow filled with hairpin bends. I worried about hitting another car. We didn’t, lucky us! When we finally got to our destination, we learned a lot about the plantation and coffee production, but we didn’t see any coffee plants. Where were they? We decided to ask one of the people working there. “So where are the coffee plants? We can’t see them anywhere.”
She reached out her arm and caught a twig right next to us and explained, “This is the coffee plant and these little things will be coffee beans.” I looked around in embarrassment, as we were surrounded by coffee plants! She explained that coffee plants aren’t big and that they have to grow in the shade of other bigger plants. I appreciated her lesson.
We love our coffee, but I’m sure most of my countrymen would not be able to recognize a coffee plant among other tropical plants if asked. Our jaws can drop at different things, depending on geographical locations, at what we know and don’t know. Never take anything for granted!
1. What topic did the author’s husband discuss with the girl? (no more than 5 words)2. How do you understand the underlined part in Paragraph 2? (no more than 10 words)
3. How was the way to the coffee plantation ? (1 word)
4. What did the author learn from the worker? (no more than 15 words)
5. What inspiration do you get from the story? Please express it in your own words. (no more than 20 words)
After completing my first year of studies, I decided to relax by taking a trip through one of the most richly cultured countries in Asia: Nepal.
The first thing I noticed about Nepal was its people, kind and friendly, ready to help someone in need. I'm saying so because all of what I've witnessed between the citizens themselves, rather than how they treated me as a visitor. It is shown in the way bus conductors and passengers alike keep the bus waiting for that last passenger who is lagging behind. It is evident in how a motorist smiles and waves off a kid who runs onto the street after his ball. The people are like a hot bowl of soup on a rainy day.
The first place I visited in Nepal was the Sauraha village in the district of Chitwan. It is an amazingly peaceful place, where the people live at their own pace. It is a great area to see some of the wildlife, such as rhinos and elephants. The capital city of Kathmandu was where I spent most of my time. The city is usually very dusty, so make sure to wear a mask. Another great area in Kathmandu is the district of Thamel. Unlike most other districts, Thamel is very busy throughout the day. Out of all the places I've been to within Nepal. Pokhara is undoubtedly the best place to visit. There are a lot of fun things to try out. I've gone paragliding as well as boating in Fewa Lake, but you can also go rafting. zip flying and paramotoring.
Nepal is a very affordable destination to travel to. I traveled through the country for about two months, and spent a little over 500 US dollars. Accommodation around Nepal is inexpensive, mostly varying from about 500 to 1,500 rupees per night per person. During my stay in Kathmandu. I stayed at a great hotel for two weeks, for 300 rupees per night. which is a great deal.
In a word, Nepal is a fantastic place. Whether you're looking to relax in the wildness and peace of nature, or for an exciting new adventure, Nepal has a variety of choices to offer.
1. What does the author think of the people in Nepal? (No more than 10 words)2. Which city in Nepal is the author's favorite according to paragraph 3? (1 word)
3. What does the underlined sentence “Nepal is a very affordable destination to travel to.” in paragraph 4 mean? (No more than 15 words)
4. What is paragraph 3 mainly about? (No more than 10 words)
5. Which place do you want to visit most in the world? Give your reasons. (No more than 25 words)
8 . Recently, my husband and three kids were playing in the Mediterranean, swimming and floating in the picture-perfect sea. It was very beautiful in Majorca, Spain. The way the sun danced across the water and how the blue horizon was dotted with sailboats were such beautiful scenes. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
My husband and I always dreamed about taking our kids on a trip around the world. It was something we always wanted to do “one day”. It was one of the things we talked about when we imagined our life with the children.
Fourteen years later, we had three boys who were growing up faster by the day. It was time to make good on those plans. We spent dozens of hours discussing, researching and planning.
We had to learn how to “road school” our kids and arrange time off from work. We renewed our passports, and then packed our bags. We showed our kids the world. It was about experiencing the dozens of flights and trains and taxis together. We wanted them to learn all that we had learned ourselves, through our own travels as young adults.
But there was something more than that: What we really wanted is to slow down time. We wanted the days to last a bit longer, and the weeks to take their time. The years with our children are going too fast. We wanted to control our busy lives, and just be with our kids. We wanted a break from the daily morning timetable of making lunches, eating breakfast rushing out the door in time for school. We need a family time-out.
It was a wonderful two-month trip in Europe, full of wonderful moments. And when we looked back at our lives, I know we’ll be glad we did it. I know we’ll be happy that this is a part of the story of our family.
1. How do you understand “one day” in the 2nd paragraph? (no more than 10 words)2. How long was their trip in Europe? (no more than 5 words)
3. What does the underlined word “that” refer to? (no more than 10 words)
4. What’s the main idea of the 5th paragraph? (no more than 10 words)
5. Think about the trips you’ve taken with your parents. Do you have the similar feelings to the author? What did you learn from those trips? (no more than 25 words)
The first time I went abroad was when I went to London. It was in the summer holidays about five or six years ago and I went with my friends. The plane and train were quite expensive, so we decided to travel by coach.We left at five o'clock in the morning and the journey to London took about sixteen hours.
We stayed in London for three days, in a youth hostel（青年旅社）not far from the centre. My friends and I had a big room on the top floor.The beds were not very comfortable and the bathroom was very small but it had a wonderful view overlooking the Thames.
While we were in London we walked a lot. First, we went to see all the famous attractions: Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus,and Buckingham Palace.Then we went shopping in Oxford Street.On the last day my friends and I went to Camden Market.You can buy all kinds of jewellery and clothes there. I bought a silver ring for my sister. It was really sunny in the afternoon, so we went to watch a football game. Unfortunately, I think the ring fell out of my pocket during the game,and I had to buy another one.
I really enjoyed visiting London although the youth hostel was not perfect.Next time, I will stay at the Ritz but I will ever feel as excited as I did that first time.
1. Why did the author go to London by coach?(No more than 10 words)2. What was the advantage of the author’s room in the youth hostel?(No more than 10 words)
3. What’s the meaning of the underlined word "attractions" in Paragraph 3?(No more than5 words)
4. How many rings did the author buy?(1 word)
5. What’s your impressive journey? And what impressed you most?(No more than 25 words.)
Dressed in a dark blue waterproof jacket, outdoor shoes and a small backpack, 25-year-old Ye Tian tries to get in an abandoned coking plant (焦化厂) in Beijing.
An intern (实习生) for a German company in Beijing, Ye is among thousands of youth interested in city adventures, what they call “ urban exploration ” — “urbex” for short.
The aim of this trending hobby is to explore structures — usually abandoned ruins or hidden areas of the manmade environment.
Urban explorers are interested in these sites because they can understand cities from a different angle. Ye, for example, said he enjoyed the contrast between Beijing’s two sides.
“ Widely known scenic spots and historical sites can only reflect the bright side of the city, or what the city wants you to see,” Ye said. “ But abandoned places show you the past [that is] hidden deep in people’s memories.”
In the eyes of Pan Ran, who is in her early 30s and works in Canada, an abandoned building can also evoke the spirits of those who lived and worked there.
“ There are diaries and letters recording the owners ’ lives, ” she said. “And one time, I found a whole box of 8-millimeter videotapes of a family.”
Pan couldn’t watch the tapes at the site, as the power supply had been cut. She didn’t take them away with her either, as there is “a very important rule of urbex that you can't remove any souvenirs’ from a site”, Pan said.
While urban exploration can get people to extraordinary places that few have visited, it ’ s sometimes dangerous. Climbing up tall buildings and tip-toeing through abandoned structures can sometimes be a life-threatening affair.
Injuries and even death are not unheard of within the urbex community.
“In the beginning, I was pretty audacious and believed the riskier the places you go, the better photos you get, ” said Du Tianyu, 22. “ But that is not necessarily the case. After doing my calculations, I learned to stop when I reach the limit.”
1. According to the passage, what is Ye Tian’s hobby? (no more than 5 words)2. Why are some young people interested in places like the coking plant in Beijing?(no more than 15 words)
3. What is the important rule of urbex according to Pan Ran? (no more than 10 words)
4. What does the underlined word “audacious” probably mean in the last paragraph? (1word)
5. Would you like to take part in urbex of a city? Give your reason. (no more than 20 words)
