1 . On many travelers’ lists of things to do before they die, you’ll find “See the northern lights” written down. Rightfully so these lights are one of nature’s most jaw-dropping views.
In Sweden, the northern lights usually appear from late March or early April. Your best chance of catching a glimpse of them is on cold winter nights when the sky is clear, dark with little to no moonlight, and cloudless. You need to be away from city lights and go to the countryside. For those willing to brave the cold on winter nights, here are some of the best locations.
Abisko National Park
Abisko Natinal Park is a main location. The scientifically confirmed “blue hole”, a piece of sky over the Tornetrask lake that usually remains clear despite cloudy weather nearby, gives Abisko its own microclimate (局部地区气候), which is suitable for catching the lights.
Jukkasjarvi
The village of Jukkasjarvi only has about 550 people. But don’t let the small population size fool you: Jukkasjarvi owns the world’s first ice hotel and is one of the best places to view the northern lights. The ice hotel organizes guided tours for guests to the Esrange Space Center. There you can eat at a camp outside and see the Arctic winter sky for aurora borealis (北极光). Or why not try to get closer to the northern lights and watch them through an aeroplane window? The ice hotel arranges flights for the amazing northern lights experience.
Gallivare
You can drive a snowmobile to the mountain top in Gallivare for a private light show, or head a few kilometers to nearby villages to watch those lights shining across the dark winter sky. But remember if you do get the chance to see the northern lights in person, never whistle to them. According to ancient Sumi fairy, it brings you bad luck.
1. When are you likely to best enjoy the northern lights in Swede?A.On cold winter nights with clear sky and a little moonlight. |
B.On freezing winter nights in the rural area without moonlight or cloud. |
C.On chilly winter nights in the city center with few lights and little cloud. |
D.On winter nights when the sky is dark with little moonlight and no cloud. |
A.It has up to 550 people. |
B.It owns the world’s first hotel. |
C.It is among the best places to view the northern lights. |
D.You can eat at a camp inside and see the aurora borealis. |
A.A science report. | B.An art magazine. | C.A travel guide. | D.A botanical book. |
2 . Trip 1 One Week in The Mountains
Bring your strong shoes and warm clothes for this walk in a beautiful area of the Green Mountains. You may go hiking or have a try of rock climbing. This is also a protection area for wild animals. You can find many kinds of animals living in this area.
Time: May 8-May 14; Tel:64639818; Adult: $ 110.00; Child: $ 55.00
Trip 2 Three Days in The Country
There are many beautiful gardens. Take your camera and enjoy the wonderful sight in Hunter Valley. It is a good place for fishing and horse riding. You can also find different kinds of flowers here. This is also a great walk for bird-lovers.
Time: May 20-May 22; Tel: 63986432; Adult: $ 50.00; Child: $ 25.00
Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. It is a trip full of adventure. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the plants you will see on this trip can only be seen at night.
Time: May 16-May 18; Tel: 63875629; Adult: $ 30.00; Not for children
Trip 4 Five Day By The Sea
Wear you sun hat and enjoy wonderful sunshine all the time from morning to evening. Our hotel is next to the sea. We have our own boats too. You can swim in the sea or in the swimming pool. Every day our boat will take you to different places for swimming.
Time: May 23-May 27; Tel: 67538293; Adult: $ 80.00; Child : $ 40.00
1. Sam wants to stay in Hunter Valley with his wife, his five-year-old daughter and his seven-year-old son. How much will it cost?A.$25. | B.$50 | C.$100. | D.$150. |
A.Hiking in the mountains. | B.Fishing in the country. |
C.Watching plants at night. | D.Swimming in the sea. |
A.Trip 1. | B.Trip 2. | C.Trip 4 | D.Trip 3. |
3 . 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. |
4 . You can always see a beautiful sky at the top of the mountain, but you can’t see it before you reach the top.
Whenever the sun dropped and the blue sky came up, my father and I used to climb the mountain near my house. Walking together, my father and I used to have a lot of conversations through which I learned lessons from his experiences. He always stressed to me, “You should have objectives and capacity like the mountain.” This has largely influenced my life. Without such mountaineering opportunities, we wouldn’t have had enough time to spend together because my father was very busy himself. I believe mountaineering is really beneficial. It gave me time to talk with my father and to be in deep contemplation as well as develop my patience.
Once we climbed one of the highest mountains in our country. It was so challenging for me because I was only ten years old. During the first few hours of climbing, I enjoyed the fresh air, the birds’ singing, and the beautiful dances of butterflies; but as time passed, I got a pain in both of my legs. At that moment, I wanted to quit climbing. Actually, I hated it at that moment, but my father said to me, “You can always see a beautiful sky at the top of the mountain, but you can’t see it before you reach the top. You can always enjoy the scenes of many waterfalls, temples and countless peaks and valleys at the top of the mountain. Only there at the top, can you see all of those things, just like in life.”
At that time, I was too young to understand his words, but after that, I got new hope and confidence. Finally, I found myself standing at the top of the mountain. And there, I could see the whole of the sky, which was as clear as crystal.
1. From the passage we know that mountain-climbing was ________ for Father and Son.A.stressful | B.enjoyable | C.risky | D.challenging |
A.You can get everything you want at the top of the mountain. |
B.The sky at the top of the mountain is always as clear as crystal. |
C.Enjoy the beautiful life. |
D.Never give up halfway |
A.hated climbing mountains when he grew up |
B.could understand his father though young |
C.became a great success in his life |
D.preferred crystal to the whole sky |
A.Conversations between Father and Son. |
B.Happy childhood and mountaineering. |
C.The beautiful scenery and crystal. |
D.Reaching the top of the mountain. |
5 . Set high in the Western Ghats, Periyar National Park in Thekkady, Kerala in south India is known for its wildlife population. Periyar is one of the largest wildlife reserves in India. The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (保护区) was declared a tiger reserve in 1978. This sanctuary offers a unique opportunity to watch and photograph wild elephants at close quarters.
Fun facts
In Thekkady, one can enjoy cruise rides on the lake as well as elephant rides. Trekking is also arranged for a visit to the ancient Mangala Devi temple located inside the reserve. Jungle walks with the help of a local guide are also fun for nature lovers. One can also go for the famous Ayurveda massages and visit tea plantations (茶园) in the area.
Shopping
An eco-shop near the entrance gate of Periyar Tiger Reserve offers souvenirs, T-shirts, postcards, wildlife books,and so on, for sale. There are no big markets in Thekkady, but one can find a few colorful stalls to buy knick-knacks (小摆设). Tourists also can find good quality spices like white and green pepper, rolls of cinnamon, and so on, there. One can also enjoy the traditional banana chips that are fried in fresh coconut oil.
Where to stay and eat
Hotels are generally fully booked during winter, as the climate is cool and pleasant there. A standard room with basic facilities would cost about Rs 600. A standard room which offers 24-hour room service and laundry facilities in mid-range hotels costs about Rs l, 200. Apart from hotels, tourists can also book lovely cottages and home-stay rooms. However, the probability of finding room service in home-stay rooms is minimal (极小的). For authentic Kerala food and various vegetarian south India breakfast items, tourists can go to various restaurants.
The best time to visit
September to March is the best time to visit Thekkady and enjoy nature. Bird watchers can spot migratory birds after the rainy season and during winter months. The Periyar National Park is open from 6 a. m. to 6 p. m.
1. What can we learn about the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary from the passage?A.It is the largest wildlife reserve in India. |
B.It is located in south India. |
C.It was declared an elephant reserve in 1978. |
D.It is famous for its wide variety of wildlife. |
A.Watch and photograph wild elephants up close. |
B.Enjoy cruises on the lake and ride elephants. |
C.Walk in the jungle with a guide. |
D.Experience the famous Ayurveda massages. |
A.There are many big markets in Thekkady. |
B.You can buy good quality spices in the eco-shop. |
C.Booking a home-stay room will cost about Rs 600. |
D.Home-stay rooms may not offer room service. |
6 . Friends always ask why I, a middle-aged woman with no athletic (运动) talent (天赋), travel to perilous places — the jungles (丛林) of Thailand or Borneo, for example, where the water is often unsafe and the food risky; places with infectious diseases, poisonous snakes and the wildest animals.
I never know how to answer. Nine years ago I suffered a stroke (中风). To prevent another stroke, my doctors told me, I’d have to take dangerously high levels of blood thinner (血液稀释剂) for the rest of my life and any travel would be risky (冒险的).
I had to think about what was important to me: family, of course, and friends. But then what? No matter how many times I thought about it, I could not be happy without travel. Then I had to decide how I might manage the risk.
The first real test of my travel courage came nine months after my stroke when I joined my husband, Jack, on a business trip to China. After we’d toured the remains of a Tang dynasty temple on a high mountain, Jack wanted to ride down on a toboggan (长雪橇).
Before the stroke it would’ve seemed like fun. But now? I hesitated. My mental klaxon (高音喇叭) screamed warnings about the consequences of a cut, a fall, and a crash. Then, gaining confidence from who knew where, I lowered myself carefully into the toboggan, which marked my adventure (冒险) travel come back.
In the years since then, I’ve traveled about twenty-five percent of the time. Through it all, my lucks held out — no deadly falls, no car accidents or serious infections. For me, adventure travel is a risk worth taking. Travel broadens my world and keeps me connected to nature. What’s more, saying “yes” to travel keeps me connected to myself.
1. What does the underlined word “perilous” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?A.Energetic. | B.Dangerous. | C.Romantic | D.Famous. |
A.Do proper exercise. | B.Enjoy the rest of her life. |
C.Spend more time with her family | D.Keep away (远离) from traveling |
A.It was her last adventure. | B.She recovered (恢复) her courage (勇气) through it. |
C.She liked the beautiful scenery in China. | D.It was the most dangerous experience in her life. |
A.A business trip to China | B.Stroke, a dangerous disease |
C.How I overcame the fear of disease | D.Why I still travel to the wild |
7 . Travelling with friends can be an amazing experience where you could make lifelong memories or it could ruin your friendship.
Communicate and respect each other. Everyone has personal preferences when travelling— from getting the bed closest to the bathroom or sitting in the airplane’s window seat. But sometimes things don’t go as you like. In this case, share your requirements directly with your travel companions.
Don’t disappear. When travelling with a group — or even just one other person — you may want some alone time. That’s completely fine, but make sure your friends know where you are and have a way of contacting you.
Get off your phone. Of course, your friends will understand if you need to take a call from a family member, or in the event of a work emergency, but other than that, try to stay off your phone.
A.Give each other some space. |
B.Include at least one activity for everyone. |
C.So it’s important to make sure you and your friend(s) are on the same page. |
D.At the same time, listen to their concerns and be respectful of them. |
E.Don’t respond to less important work contact or send messages frequently. |
F.It’s especially true of travelling in foreign countries or unfamiliar places. |
G.And remember that consideration and respect go a long way. |
When the United States Congress created Yellowstone National Park, in 1872, the goal was to set aside a place where Americans could enjoy the beauty of nature for years to come. Now, 143 years later, there are hundreds of national parks across the country, and technology is changing the way people experience them. Should park visitors be able to use cell phones? Or should their use be forbidden?
“Connectivity presents a real challenge to all of us,” AI Nash said. He is a public affairs officer at Yellowstone National Park. He says cell phone service at Yellowstone is available in parts of the park. This makes it easy for visitors to share photos of their trip on social networking sites. And it’s easy for them to stay in touch with friends and family members. Cell phones are also helpful in emergencies. If a visitor is hurt or in danger, cell phones make it easier to get help.
Some say the ability to download apps that provide information about plants and animals in the park can enrich a visitor’s experience. Others say cell phones prevent people from focusing on the beauty of our national parks. In their view, cell phone towers are unpleasant, and they’d rather hear the sound of birds singing than the ring of an incoming call or the sound of an email notification (通知).
Nash says Yellowstone tries to strike a balance. “Our job is to provide understanding and enjoyment for visitors. At the same time, we aim to protect what people find special about Yellowstone. And one of those things that’s special is the ability to get away from the noise of one’s daily life.”
1. Why did the United States Congress create Yellowstone National Park? (no more than 20 words)2. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 probably mean? (no more than 15 words)
3. What’s other people’s opinion’ according to Paragraph 3? (no more than 15 words)
4. What does the fourth paragraph mainly talk about? (no more than 10 words)
5. What’s your opinion about using cellphones in public places? (no more than 30 words)
9 . A new study in the journal of Tourism Analysis shows frequent travelers are happier with their lives than people who don’t travel at all.
Chun-Chu Chen, an assistant professor at Washington State University, conducted a survey to find out why some individuals travel more frequently than others and whether or not travel and tourism experiences have a lasting effect on happiness and wellness.
The results of his analysis show individuals who pay more attention to tourism-related information and frequently discuss their travel plans with friends are more likely to go on regular vacations than those who aren’t constantly thinking about their next trip. Additionally, participants in the survey who reported regularly traveling at least 75 miles away from home also reported being about 7% happier when asked about their overall well-being than those who reported traveling very rarely or not at all.
“While things like work, family life and friends play a bigger role in overall reports of well-being. The accumulation (积累) of travel experiences’ does appear to have a small yet noticeable effect on self-reported life satisfaction,” Chen said.
Participants in the study were asked about the importance of travel in their lives, how much time they spent looking into and planning future vacations, and how many trips they went on over a year. They were also asked about their life satisfaction. Out of the 500 survey participants, a little over half reported going on more than four pleasurable trips a year. Only 7% of respondents did not take any vacations.
As travel restrictions (限制) due to COVID-19 pandemic begin to relax in the future, the research could have important effects on both tourists and the tourism industry. Based on the results of the study, Chen said travel companies, resorts and even airlines, could launch social media campaigns, such as creating signs about the scientific benefits of vacation, to spark people’s interest in discussing their opinions about travel.
1. What is the benefit of frequent travelling according to the study?A.Getting more tourism information. | B.Making more friends. |
C.Bettering tourism industry. | D.Improving one’s well-being. |
A.Why the professor carried out the study. |
B.How the participants felt about the survey. |
C.What the participants were interviewed about. |
D.What the participants panned to do in the future. |
A.Tourism industry should improve their service. |
B.The results of the study will benefit tourism industry. |
C.COVID-19 pandemic will be more serious in the future. |
D.People will live a happier life after COVID-19 pandemic. |
A.Travel more and be happier | B.Make good use of travelling |
C.Prepare for the tourism development | D.Make travel plans with friends |
For beach vacations that get you out of town and invite you and your family to dive into culture, consider a trip to Panama City. Here, you will enjoy beaches and city exploring. Book your stay at the Westin Playa Bonita, where you can book a room starting at $222 a night. There are various programs, including beach Olympics, star observation and Spanish lessons.
Jupiter, Florida
This place offers you quality time you can spend with your loved ones. Book your stay at Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa, with rates for a family of four starting at $207 a night. Here, you can shoot baskets at the basketball courts, take a dip in the pool or teach your children beach yoga.
San Diego, California
The West Coast is a great spot for cheap beach vacations, so tell your family to pack their bags for a visit to San Diego. A cheap $10 Uber ride from the airport will have you pull up at the Kona Kai Resort & Spa. Here, a family of four can stay in a Deluxe Guest Room starting at $159 per night. Your kids can practice cannonballs at the pool after a visit to the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
Kihei, Hawaii
For west coasters who are growing bored with their background, fly to the islands of Hawaii. Stay at the Aston at the Maui Banyan, with a charge of $179 a night for a family of four. Here, you’ll see some of the best sunsets of your life while your kids play in the Pacific. And if you set about cooking a fancy meal, you’ll enjoy suites that come with a full kitchen.
1. Which of the following charges you least a night?A.The Westin Playa Bonita. |
B.The Kona Kai Resort & Spa. |
C.Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa. |
D.The Aston at the Maui Banyan. |
A.Observe fantastic stars. |
B.Visit a world-famous zoo. |
C.Admire beautiful sunsets. |
D.Play some beach sports. |
A.They are all intended for family trips. |
B.They all offer rooms with a full kitchen. |
C.They all pick up visitors from the airport. |
D.They all provide basketball courts on the beach. |