1 . Many of us are familiar with the excitement of planning a vacation to an exotic destination. As the departure date approaches, anticipation builds, and the possibilities seem endless. However, upon returning home, the experience often fades quickly as we settle back into our routines. That incredible experience becomes like a dream — similar to watching a movie, but a lot more expensive. But does it have to be like this? What if it could be a transformative experience that enriches our lives?
Over 200 years ago, Mary Wollstonecraft, a philosopher and feminist, started a journey to Scandinavia during a difficult period in her life. Despite her initial intentions to win back her lover, she found comfort in documenting her travels in “Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.” Through her observations and reflections, she not only revolutionized travel writing but also healed herself emotionally.
Wollstonecraft’ s approach to travel offers valuable insights for modern-day travelers. Instead of simply sightseeing, she actively engaged with her surroundings, learning about local customs and history, and questioning her own assumptions. She embraced the unpredictability of travel, allowing herself to explore without strict plans.
Here are some goals we can construct from Wollstonecraft’s approach to travel: Try to actively know the place you are in. Observe the customs. Interact with the locals. Learn the whys behind the observation. Explore the history. Try to understand the answers in relation to what you are experiencing now. setting aside any previous assumptions. Notice how the journey is affecting you. What new insights do you have? Are your opinions and beliefs challenged? Don’t plan out every detail. Embrace uncertainty and explore.
So how do we put those goals into practice? Here is where mental models can enhance the travel experience. Exposing ourselves to diverse cultures and perspectives to broaden our worldview. Challenge confirmation bias (认知偏差) by engaging with ideas that differ from our own. Recognize that happiness and fulfillment can be achieved in various ways.
By including these principles into our travels, we can transform them from mere entertainment into profound end enriching experiences that leave a lasting impact on our lives.
1. What word best describes our feelings upon returning home from a vacation?A.Excited. | B.Inspired. | C.Disappointed. | D.Astonished. |
A.To show the transformative power of travel. |
B.To highlight the challenges of traveling alone. |
C.To emphasize the importance of documenting experiences. |
D.To prove the possibility of finding comfort in strict travel plan. |
A.The map is not the territory. | B.Travel brings love back to your life. |
C.Create your own sunshine every day. | D.Believe in miracles, trust the journey. |
A.Ignoring differing ideas to avoid bias. |
B.Limiting exposure to new perspectives. |
C.Seeking entertainment rather than enrichment. |
D.Broadening worldview through diverse cultures. |
2 . Black history museums and historic sites are thriving or growing forcefully across the South. They’re riding a wave of interest in African-American history that’s made a stunning success of the 2-year-old National Museum of African American History and Culture in the nation’s capital.
Attendance at some large museums is decreasing. Twelve of the 20 biggest U. S. museums saw flat or lower attendance from 2016 to 2017. In comparison, various activities involving black history stand out.
In Church Creek, Maryland, for example, a 1-year-old, 17-acre state-national park memorializes the place where Harriet Tubman was born and enslaved. Tubman escaped slavery and later helped many others escape, too. The park was expected to draw 75,000 visitors its first year. However, it attracted 100,000.
History professionals cite several factors for the phenomenon. The Black Lives Matter movement, conflicts over Confederate monuments, protests by NFL players and last year’s violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, also have made a difference. These activities have caused more Americans to consider how race affect them.
When the national museum opened, “We thought that might have the impact of gaining the public spotlight. Just the opposite,” said Moore, president of Charleston, South Carolina’s International African American Museum. It has jump-started more presentations of black history. “There are art museums everywhere, and there are history museums everywhere. I see it as really healthy that there will be African-American museums everywhere.”
States also are spending money to promote civil rights tourism. 14 Southern state tourism agencies in January launched a website detailing stops on what they are calling the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. The South Carolina African American Heritage Commission last year created a “Green Book” mobile app. It includes 300 historic African-American sites in South Carolina.
“Cultural tourism, or heritage tourism, is one of the fastest growing markets in the country,” said Jannie Harriot. She is the vice chairperson of the South Carolina commission. “(But) nothing that we do is limited to black people. Sometimes I think white people are more interested in our history than we are.”
1. Why does the author mention the example state-national park in paragraph 3?A.To reflect the development of the park. | B.To introduce the life of Tubman. |
C.To present the attraction of large museums. | D.To show the increased interest in black history. |
A.Favorable. | B.Indifferent. | C.Doubtful. | D.Unclear. |
A.An increased amount of money has mainly helped to preserve historic sites. |
B.Actions have been taken only by black people to promote civil rights tourism. |
C.Efforts have been made to increase tourism and attention to historic sites. |
D.Commission has done nothing to arouse the interest of black people in history. |
A.Activities Involving Black History Standing Out. |
B.Reasons for the Increased Interest in Black History. |
C.The Increased Awareness of Preserving Black History. |
D.Black History Tourism and Museums Attracting Attention. |
3 . Travel allows us to experience the world. But as we travel, we are also leaving our footprint on every place we visit. This is why culturally immersive (沉浸) travel is so important. Because the wrong kind of travel negatively affects the world. One of the reasons we started this blog was to help others travel better and feel comfortable getting off the beaten path, interacting with locals, and take you “Beyond the traditional Bucketlist”, if you will.
People who only get 2-weeks off per year are often just looking for an easy destination with a beach to relax on. This isn’t travel. This is a vacation. But “Immersive Travel” or “Cultural Travel” is an entirely new type of trip. It is about experiencing and preserving the various traditions around the world. It’s about being open to new experiences and willing to step into another’s shoes. Cultural travel is jumping in with both feet and leaving your idea about what your trip should be behind you. It’s eating local dishes and sleeping in guesthouses. It’s building genuine connections with locals. It’s learning about the history of a country and leaving your trip with a greater understanding of the place you came to see and the people who live there.
Often times in today’s age, “travelers” will visit a country just to snap some photos of the famous sights to post on Instagram or to drink the night away, or even just to relax on a tropical beach. But that kind of vacation can be harmful to the very communities you’re traveling to.
Beyond supporting the local communities and the preservation of local customs and traditions, you’ll also experience some personal benefits through cultural travels. There’s simply no way to travel this way with a closed mind. You’ll get to know different cultures intimately and understand them a lot better. You’ll also become less judgmental of others the more you travel.
1. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the first paragraph?A.To stress the negative influence of travel. |
B.To describe the importance of cultural travel. |
C.To recommend a totally different type of travel. |
D.To convey his unique feelings about cultural travel. |
A.establish close connections with the locals during the travel |
B.choose a tourist attraction for adventure and exploration |
C.show more interest in the history of a travel destination |
D.post the photos taken in the journey on the social media |
A.It is focused on studying local people's lifestyle. |
B.Its travelers should be open-minded and understanding. |
C.It is a specific way to make judgments of other cultures. |
D.Its major concern is preserving local traditions and customs. |
A.A travel brochure. | B.A blog post. |
C.A historic magazine. | D.An encyclopedia website. |
Planning a September trip to France
September is one of the very best months to visit France. Not only will you enjoy plenty of sunshine and warm weather, but the tourist season is beginning to wind down-which means cheaper airfares, lower prices at hotels, and fewer crowds.
●Go wine tasting
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The temperatures are slightly lower, but plenty of sunshine makes for perfect conditions to enjoy a barge cruise on the canals of France. With such comfortable weather and beautiful scenery at this time of year, nothing equals hanging out on the deck of a barge.
●Visit the museums
Many museums in France have extended opening hours during the summer to accommodate the extra tourists and locals. And some museums also have extended opening hours into September. Wandering around the Louvre will take you into a wonder world, where you can enjoy the world-famous art.
Besides the above, riding a bike through France’s villages is also a welcome activity for young visitors in September. You call shop for the most fashionable clothes or goods here. You can see the beautiful and fantastic scenery along the road.
A.Take a barge cruise. |
B.Enjoy the music concerts. |
C.So, don’t hesitate and start to plan your September trip to France flow! |
D.France is a beautiful country. |
E.September is the beginning of the grape harvest season in France. |
F.Going out of the Louvre, you can walk to the modern and fashionable Champs Elysees to do some shopping. |
G.If this is your first trip to France, here is some handy information to help you get started planning your vacation! |