1 . Pre-book Rome’s top local attractions with one easy solution for skip-the-line tours in Rome.
Highlights
◆The most flexible Rome sightseeing pass available — save 30% by booking together.
◆Three fully-guided priority-access tours to the most popular sites in Rome and Vatican (梵蒂冈).
Description
When in Rome, there are certain sites you simply cannot miss. Let’s face it. It’s not every day that you have a chance to explore iconic sites such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Sistine Chapel to name a few. Check them all off your wish list with one easy sightseeing pass!
What’s included
◆Our Vatican City experience is a hand-picked comprehensive journey including entry to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Papal Crypts beneath it. We will concentrate on the grand Sistine Chapel, from its construction to the finishing touches applied by none other than Michelangelo Buonarroti. Skip-the-line access is provided at the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.
◆Enter the Colosseum in the footsteps of gladiators (角斗士) and imagine what it feel alike to be at the thrilling scene. Wander at the ancient temples and ruins of the Roman Forum while learning about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Skip-the-line access is provided at both the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
Cancellation policy
◆Tours depart rain or shine unless otherwise specified.
◆All cancellations must be received in emailing. Tours and passes will be refunded (退款) if canceled more than 24 hours before the tour start time. However, the following penalties (惩罚) apply:
For tours entering the Vatican Museums and/or the Colosseum, 30 dollars per person for each venue will not be returned.
No refunds will be made for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice or failure to arrive at the meeting point on time or to appear at all.
1. Which place do tourists have to line up to enter?| A．The Vatican Museums. | B．Sistine Chapel. |
| C．Roman Forum. | D．The Colosseum. |
| A．Email at least a day before it. |
| B．Be absent from the whole tour. |
| C．Call at least half a day before it. |
| D．Visit only the Vatican Museums. |
| A．To introduce a sightseeing schedule. |
| B．To inform visitors of safety measures. |
| C．To promote a Rome sightseeing ticket. |
| D．To explain how to cancel a sightseeing. |
2 . Top Museums to Visit in Paris
Think Paris is all about the Louvre? Think again! Dive into the vibrant art scene of the City of Light with our guide to the best museums you shouldn't miss.
Louis Vuitton Foundation
Designed by the renowned architect Frank Gehry, the Louis Vuitton Foundation is a masterpiece of modern architecture. But it's not just the building that's stunning; inside, you'll find an impressive collection featuring artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Ellsworth Kelly, and Jeff Koons, among others. Admission is €16.
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (closed Sundays)
Paris Museum of Modern Art
Located in the 16th arrondissement, the Paris Museum of Modern Art boasts an array of monumental artworks and captivating exhibits. While entry is technically free, a suggested donation of €5 helps support the museum's preservation efforts and grants access to the permanent collection.
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (closed Mondays)
Musée National Picasso-Paris
Immerse yourself in the genius of Pablo Picasso at the Musée National Picasso-Paris. Home to thousands of Picasso's works, this museum offers a comprehensive exploration of the artist's life and legacy. Admission is €14.
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 am to 6:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 am to 6:00 pm (closed Mondays)
Musée Marmottan Monet
Step into the world of Impressionism at the Musée Marmottan Monet. Devoted primarily to the works of Claude Monet, this museum houses a remarkable collection donated by Monet's son, Michel. Tickets range from €9 to €14.
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm; late nights on Thursdays until 9:00 pm (closed Mondays)
There you have it! With these top museums, you'll experience Parisian art and culture at its finest, beyond the iconic halls of the Louvre.
1. Who is the architect behind the design of the Louis Vuitton Foundation?| A．Michel Monet | B．Jean-Michel Basquiat |
| C．Olafur Eliasson | D．Frank Gehry |
| A．€10 | B．€5 | C．€20 | D．€15 |
| A．Works of Jean-Michel Basquiat | B．Sculptures by Rodin |
| C．Works of Claude Monet | D．Contemporary art installations |
3 . Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Exhibition of Shakespeare’s World
Welcome to the world-famous house where William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and where he grew up. The property (房产) remained in the ownership of Shakespeare’s family until 1806. The House has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the word , for over 250 years.
| OPENING TIMES: 20 Mar to 19 Oct Mon to Sat: 9:00am to 5:00pm Sun:9:30am to 5:00pm 20 Oct to 19Mar Mon to Sat:9:30am to 4:00pm Sun:10:00am to 4:00pm | ADMISSION: Adult £4.90 Child £2.20 Family £ 12.00(2 adults +up to 3 children) |
◆Enter though the Visitors’ Centre and see the highly-praised exhibition Shakespeare’s World, a lively and full introduction to the life and work of Shakespeare.
◆Stand in the rooms-where Shakespeare grew up.
◆Discover examples of furniture and needlework from Shakespeare’s period.
◆Enjoy the traditional (传统的) English garden, planted with trees and flowers mentioned in the poet’s works.
◎The Birthplace is within easy walking distance of all the car parks shown on the map; nearest is Windsor Street(3 minutes’ walk).
The House may present difficulties but the Visitors’ Centre, its exhibition hall, and the garden are accessible (可进入的) to wheelchair user.
◎The Shakespeare Coffee House (opposite the Birthplace).
1. How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and two children?| A．$9.80 | B．$14.20 | C．$12.0 | D．$16.40 |
| A．Behind the exhibition hall. | B．At Windsor street. |
| C．Opposite the Visitors’ Centre. | D．Near the Coffee House. |
| A．textbook | B．A news report | C．Fashion Magazine | D．A travel brochure |
4 . Slow travel is about connecting deeply with your travels. Rather than rushing from one place to another, slow travelers treat each experience as an opportunity to learn and feel more deeply to the people, culture, and food they want to explore.
Relax and enjoy
Once, a vacation provided relaxation from the stress of everyday life. But over time, we began trying to put everything we want into a checklist.
Have more memorable experiences
Meet people and actually get to know them
When you decide to take the slow travel route, you free yourself up to meet and spend time with others. You can meet locals at a park or restaurant and enjoy a conversation. Learn about the people on your food tour. You may even decide that you like someone enough to meet him/her later for lunch or a coffee.
Traveling by plane, train, and bus has a bad effect on the environment. We can transport ourselves to one location and spend more time exploring it on foot, by bike or on horseback. That’s less harmful to the planet than rushing to the next thing on the list with whatever vehicle that will get us there in a hurry.
| A．Be more eco-friendly |
| B．Experience different means of transportation |
| C．This created more stress than we were escaping |
| D．Making a checklist makes your journey more organized |
| E．Here are some reasons we think you need to try slow travel |
| F．Your communication tends to be more relaxed and more real |
| G．Maybe you’re used to jumping from one attraction after another |
5 . Do you have any travel plans for 2024? Tour agencies like Contiki in New Zealand and Booking, one of the largest online travel agencies, have provided their predictions for travel trends in 2024.
Embracing the unknown
While many people like to make a perfect plan for their trips, more travelers are interested in booking trips where the destination remains a mystery until later, according to a global study of Booking involving 27,000 travelers across 33 countries and regions. By doing it this way, they seek a chance to escape from their everyday lives and explore places that few people have been to. A majority want to go on trips without any set plans, enjoying the spontaneity (自发性). Surprisingly, 34 percent are even open to traveling with strangers.
AI travel
With the rise of AI, especially with services like ChatGPT becoming accessible to people, there’s been a growing interest in AI-assisted travel. According to Contiki, both tour companies and travelers are increasingly turning to AI. For companies, AI serves as an efficient tool to plan trips based on clients’ preferences, such as the duration of their vacation, preferred hotel types and budget. Similarly, travelers are showing a willingness to let AI select their next holiday destination, particularly if it comes with discounts on travel and hotels.
Mouth feast
Regarding food exploration, most travelers prefer experimenting with new and fresh flavors rather than sticking with familiar dishes, according to Booking’s study. They also love to discover the origins of well-known local specialties. Additionally, technology is transforming our dining experiences. A significant number of people are drawn to eating experiences that combine the physical and digital realms, using technologies like virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR). There’s also a growing curiosity in creative plant-based alternatives, such as 3D-printed vegan steaks.
Sustainable (可持续的) trip
The travel industry is ready for a sustainable revolution. According to Contiki, a substantial majority of travelers now actively look for accommodations that offer both comfort and innovative sustainability features. There’s a growing desire for natural peace even indoors, with many seeking green spaces and plants in their lodging. Adam Armstrong, CEO of Contiki, noted, “People are traveling closer to home to reduce their carbon footprint. They are using alternative transportation such as coach rides and train trips, and traveling off-season to avoid large and potentially destructive crowds. ”
1. Why do more travelers book unknown destinations for their trips?| A．To meet new friends. | B．To reduce the cost of travel. |
| C．To escape from daily routine. | D．To discover more about themselves. |
| A．Buying special local products. | B．Making videos of familiar dishes. |
| C．Learning to cook plant-based foods. | D．Mixing real and virtual experiences. |
| A．Traveling during busy seasons. | B．Using eco-friendly transportation. |
| C．Growing some green plants indoors. | D．Taking away the garbage they produce. |
6 . Welcome to “Cash Poor Points Rich”, a new travel blog dedicated to sharing experience with credit card points and miles to help you get big travel but for small spend. With the right planning and maximization of available resources, traveling as a college student may be easier than you think.
Chengdu, China
If visiting a place with happy locals is a priority for you, there’s no better city to hit than Chengdu. It is home to pandas and spicy things. Moreover, the city’s abundance of cultural and historical sights, together with its laid-back lifestyle, make itself one of the most attractive and livable large cities too. Past travelers have spent, on average, ￥158 on meals and about a quarter of that on local transportation for one day.
Con Dao, Vietnam
Tourism is picking up in Vietnam lately, where you can travel for about ¥ 100 per day if you play your cards right. Con Dao Island Nation Park, a group of dramatic tiny islands off the southern coast, is a great destination to see sea turtles and other wildlife while exploring the area on foot. Its thick jungle will give you a good chance to uncover a paradise of your own.
Zakynthos, Greece
If you’re looking for an affordable European summer beach vacation, consider Zakynthos. Food is cheap and mouthwatering. There are plenty of free things to do. although the favorite is spending time on the beautiful beaches edged by electric blue water. There are countless options for swimming in the appealing sea, along with charming villages and museums to explore.
New Orleans, U. S.
New Orleans is an incredibly unique place in the U. S., full of fascinating history, absorbing culture, delicious food, and a constantly buzzing nightlife scene. There are actually a couple of hostels in and near the French Quarter that offer reasonable accommodation rates for students.
1. Which city best suits people who like to meet cheerful natives?| A．Chengdu. | B．Con Dao. |
| C．Zakynthos. | D．New Orleans. |
| A．Countless local cultures. |
| B．Free tourist attractions. |
| C．Impressive sea views. |
| D．Large charming museums. |
| A．Parents arranging family trips. |
| B．Students exploring affordable destinations. |
| C．Elders looking for quiet destinations. |
| D．Businessmen seeking high-end hotels. |
7 . Four Unmissable Cultural Attractions in Cambridge
Set on the east bank of the River Cam, Cambridge is surely one of England’s most traditional and famous cities, where there is a world-famous university and great writers, thinkers and scholars. It comes as no surprise that this age-old centre of learning is home to a variety of splendid museums.
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam, a museum at the University of Cambridge, houses about half a million artworks worldwide. Highlights include masterpieces by Titian and Canaletto, Anglo-Saxon jewelry (珠宝), and a wide range of priceless china, to name just a few. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Polar Museum
This small museum is based in the university’s Scott Polar Research Institute, set up by a surviving member of Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition (探险) to Antarctica. It’s packed with all manner of objects relating to polar exploration; sleeping bags, Inuit artworks and expedition diaries. The museum is open from Wednesdays to Saturdays; check the latest times before visiting.
Museum of Zoology
Celebrate the diversity of animal life at this university museum, which has some of the best natural history collections in the world. It’s home to a variety of impressive exhibits, from an almost-70-foot fin whale to an African elephant. The specimens (标本) on display cover the whole animal kingdom. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays.
Centre for Computing History
With a focus on the social and cultural impact of technology, this museum explores the incredible advances made in computing over the past few decades, as well as during the earlier days of the Information Age. It’s a great day out with children, with mobile phones, calculators, game players and old-fashioned computers all on show. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
1. What will you enjoy in Fitzwilliam Museum?| A．Valuable artworks. | B．Expedition diaries. |
| C．Animal specimens. | D．Old-fashioned computers. |
| A．On Monday. | B．On Tuesday. | C．On Friday. | D．On Sunday. |
| A．Polar Museum. | B．Museum of Zoology. |
| C．Fitzwilliam Museum. | D．Centre for Computing History. |
8 . Four Top Ski Resorts (旅游胜地) in Michigan, USA
Ski Brule
In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula region sits Ski Brule, a family-friendly mountain resort offering skiing and snowboarding for all ages and abilities. The resort offers 17 ski runs and 11 lifts; the property sees 150 inches of snow each year, with snowmaking abilities as well. Ski Brule typically opens for the season in late November and remains open as long as there are good snow conditions (typically until mid-April).
Mount Bohemia
Mount Bohemia is a Michigan ski resort reserved for advanced skiers only, with steep slopes (斜坡) and exposed rock formations. There are 585 skiable acres (英亩), featuring two chairlifts and a 900-foot drop. The Keweenaw Peninsula region receives an average of 273 inches of snow each year due to the area’s lake effect.
Marquette Mountain Resort
Marquette Mountain is a four-season day resort with views of Lake Superior. Unusual for a ski resort is its focus on art, demonstrated through installations like the “Guardians of the Hill”: giant sculptures positioned at the base of the mountain, made from old railroad parts and collectively weighing in at 5 tons.
Shanty Creek Resort
Set across 5,500 acres, Shanty Creek Resort includes four distinct villages open year-round for enjoyment in northern Michigan. If you’re competitive, Schuss Mountain hosts a variety of annual ski race events; Shanty Creek also hosts the White Pine Stampede, Michigan’s oldest and longest cross-country skiing race. Past guests say that the slopes are well maintained regardless of the weather and that lift operators and staff are friendly.
1. When do skiers most probably go to Ski Brule?| A．In June. | B．In July. | C．In October. | D．In December. |
| A．Watch huge artworks. | B．Admire two famous lakes. |
| C．Meet warm-hearted villagers. | D．Participate in the White Pine Stampede. |
| A．Ski Brule. | B．Mount Bohemia. |
| C．Shanty Creek Resort. | D．Marquette Mountain Resort. |
9 . Landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom has designed a new green roof on the Rangsit Campus of Thammasat University, about 25 miles north of central Bangkok, Thailand. Her imaginative work challenges the common thinking that urbanization has a negative impact on the planet, whether flooding, excess (过度的) energy use, disrupted (扰乱) biodiversity or the heat island effect.
The 236, 806-square-foot structure, which opened in December 2019, includes a flood water management system and Asia’s largest rooftop organic farm. It combines modern landscape architecture with traditional agricultural knowledge, creating a green and friendly environment.
The green roof, containing an H-shaped landscape, looks like a futuristic hill with a brick building beneath it. The hill features a complex pattern of zigzagging terraces (之字形梯田) of planted beds, leading all the way down to the bottom. When rainwater hits the roof, it flows down the zigzags while being absorbed by the soil in the beds, The excess water is directed into four storage ponds — with a capacity of up to 3 million gallons. The process slows down the flow speed of rainwater runoff compared to a normal concrete rooftop. This keeps the area from flooding during heavy rains.
The roof’s terraces are filled with organically grown crops, including a drought tolerant variety of rice, many local vegetables and herbs. The farm can supply the canteens on campus with a large amount of rice, herbs and vegetables a year. The food waste is composted (把……制成堆肥) to fertilize the farm, and water from the storage ponds is used to water plants, creating an entirely localized and circular system.
The farm serves as an outdoor classroom and a source of local jobs, too. Farmers offer workshops on sustainable agriculture and nutrition as part of the university’s sustainability curriculum. “Students and community members are invited to participate in seasonal seeding, harvesting, and so on,” says Voraakhom. “The urban farm is training a new generation of organic farmers with real-world skills. It also promotes a sense of community.”
1. What can we say about Voraakhom’s work?| A．It’s short-lived. | B．It’s creative. |
| C．It’s demanding. | D．It’s time-consuming. |
| A．To store more water. |
| B．To plant diverse vegetables. |
| C．To slow the speed of water flow. |
| D．To make it look more attractive than other buildings. |
| A．It uses food as fertilizer. | B．It benefits the environment. |
| C．It improves students’ lifestyle. | D．It produces vegetables and fruits. |
| A．Students can learn hands-on knowledge on the farm. |
| B．Farmers working on the farm can become professors. |
| C．The farm prevents government from offering people jobs. |
| D．The farm harms the relationship between university and community. |
10 . ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK TOUR
Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) spans over 415 square miles. It contains more than 300 miles of hiking roads and one of the most amazing sights and landscapes (风景) that Colorado has to offer in summer and winter. It’s a perfect place to take a day vacation just for yourself.
Ride by the Iconic Flatirons and the City of BoulderYour tour kicks off in Boulder which is hidden in a classical little valley near the Flatirons. This community is home to over 100,000 people and features booming tech, food industries, and world-class University of Colorado.
Have a Tasty Picnic Lunch at Rocky Mountain National ParkThere’s nothing better than enjoying a meal with the Rocky Mountains in the background. With the unbelievable beauty of the area, it offers plenty of opportunities for taking photos. People have chance to see local wildlife. It’s no wonder that nearly 3 million people visit this national park every year.
Go for a Scenic Ride down Trail Ridge RoadThere’s no better way to discover the Rocky Mountains than taking a scenic (风景优美的) ride down Trail Ridge Road. Stretching for 48 miles, it gives you the chance to enjoy the Rocky Mountains in leisure.
Finish with a Ride Through Estes ParkTaking a ride through Estes Park is the best way to end this tour. This town is well known for being the main base of RMNP and provides an unbelievable view of Prospect Mountain.
1. Where does the tour begin?| A．In Boulder. | B．In Prospect Mountain. |
| C．At Trail Ridge Road. | D．In Estes Park. |
| A．Cook a meal with family. | B．Ride a horse. |
| C．Take photos. | D．Hunt wildlife. |
| A．A sports website. | B．A news report. |
| C．A travel magazine. | D．A geography textbook. |
