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?
2 . Getting off the train and stepping into the places will make your trip a more memorable one than simply admiring the scenery from the window. Check out some of the can't-miss destinations along the Chinese section of the China-Laos railway.
Fuxian Lake in Yuxi
What makes the lake attractive is the possibility that a city lived under its quiet and calm surface. In the 1990s, a large number of stone remains were fond in the lake, which led to a series of underwater research. Traces (踪迹) of ancient constructions were discovered, but their origins are still unknown.
Sun-River National Park in Pu'er
The word "Pu'er" may remind many of the famous tea from Yunnan Province. Back in ancient China, this region also served as an important stop along the trade route-Tea Horse Road. This has much to do with its location. The Sun-River National Park here is highly recommended if you are looking for some fresh air and a close encounter with nature. The rainforests in the park provide habitats for over 800 animal species and 2,000 different plants.
Wild Elephant Valley in Xishuangbanna
For those wishing to interact with the giant creatures themselves, the Wild Elephant Valley is a must-visit. It will take three hours to get to Xishuangbanna from Kunming once the China-Laos railway becomes operational, and a new train station has been set up near the nature reserve, offering more accessible journeys. Extra effort has been made by the government to reduce the effect of railway construction on the local environment.
Starlight Night Market in Xishuangbanna
The Starlight Night Market, as the name suggests, offers a colorful nightlife experience. It is the best place to get to know local people's lives. The market features local food, various activities, and creative art of works by the young. This is also an area for hanging out with other travelers for shopping.
1. What mostly made Pu'er an important stop along the Tea Horse Road?| A．The national parks. | B．Its location. |
| C．Its natural resources. | D．The famous tea. |
| A．Fuxian Lake. | B．Wild Elephant Valley. |
| C．Starlight Night Market. | D．Sun-River National Park. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A novel. | C．A journal. | D．A report. |
A. Amazon Rainforest Tour
B. Machu Picchu Tour
C. Cusco Tour
D. Lake Titicaca Tour
1. Alessandro, a hiking lover, hopes to spend some days hiking while enjoying the beautiful natural scenery. |
2. Elisabeth, who has retired recently, is planning for a leisurely vacation. She hopes to visit the museums, buy something special and taste some delicious food. |
3. Mike, a well-paid photographer, has great interest in adventuring and exploration. He hopes to have an active holiday and shoot some pictures of different kinds of birds. |
4. Alfred and his girlfriend hope to have a chance to experience local people’s life, and want to go traveling by boat in a romantic way. |
4 . My husband and I just spent a week in Paris.
The place wasn’t entirely authentic, though. Unlike a normal Parisian apartment, the plumbing (水管) worked.
Parisians are different from you and me. They never look lazy or untidy. As someone noted in this paper a couple of weeks ago, they eat great food and never gain weight.
In France, quality of life is much more important than efficiency.
You can tell this by cafés life. French cafés are always crowded.
| A．Not all the customers are tourists. |
| B．The quality of life in France is equally excellent. |
| C．There was a nice kitchen and a comfortable bed. |
| D．The amazing food is mainly consumed by local farmers. |
| E．That’s not the only reason the French eat less than we do. |
| F．Our aim was to see if we could live, in some way, like real Parisians. |
| G．The food is so delicious that you don’t need much of it to make you happy. |
| [1] I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability-to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this… [2] When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a marvellous vacation trip-to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make wonderful plans: the Coloseum①, the Michelangelo② David, the gondolas③ in Venice, etc. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting. [3] After months of eager expectation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The airhostess comes in and says, “Welcome to the Netherlands.” [4] “The Netherlands?!” you say. “What do you mean, the Netherlands?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.” [5] But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in the Netherlands and there you must stay. [6] The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, awful, dirty place, full of diseases. It’s just a different place. [7] So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. [8] It’s just a place. It’s slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around and you begin to notice that the Netherlands④ …and the Netherlands has tulips⑤. The Netherlands even has Rembrandts⑥. [9] But everyone you coming and going from Italy and they’re all boasting about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned. [10] And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss. [11] But if you spend your life regretting the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about the Netherlands. | ① ② (1475~1564) Italian artist and architect ③  ④  ⑤  ⑥(1606~1669) Dutch painter |
1. The author compares her motherhood to ________.
| A．her involvement in traveling abroad |
| B．her experience with an unfamiliar task |
| C．her dream of enjoying beautiful scenery |
| D．her journey to an unplanned destination |
| A．the Netherlands has many scenic spots to visit and enjoy |
| B．the Netherlands is a country with many paintings to appreciate |
| C．a mother of a disabled child can also feel the bright side of her life |
| D．a mother who has traveled a lot can receive a special treat from her child |
| A．proud | B．anxious | C．sociable | D．sensible |
| A．beyond her endurance | B．more a gift than a loss |
| C．worthy of others’ sympathy | D．preferable to going to Italy |
6 . I have three kids and a great husband and I’m enjoying a career that I find challenging and fun. This feels like “Success” to the outside world. But there is still a voice in my heart asking if this is who I truly am. Only in silence do I hear the self and wonder who that person might be．
So I booked a trip to find out. I travelled, for the first time, without my husband or kids．I went to Iceland with a friend, who shares an appreciation for wilderness and silence．
For six days, we were immersed in wild, raw scenery and real weather—all kinds of weather. Climbing a mountain against rain and returning to a tent for a simple meal reminds you how little you actually need. And how strong it feels to be uncomfortable sometimes．
I found silence in Iceland，and time to consider the me outside of career and the me outside of kids as I shared stories with strangers．
When I stopped talking and just listened，I became more generous．I 1earned that choosing to be generous can create more space, more food and more warmth．
But I didn’t really gain any better appreciation of what I want from life or my job．I suspect the anxiety that drove me to seek silence in Iceland was losing sight of my ability to choose gratitude and joy，and to be present in the challenges I set in my career and my family．
I came home to noise，rush and love；with no less confusion on who I want to be．I know the answer isn’t waiting out there on the top of a mountain in Iceland. The answer is in front of me with every step on my own 1ife’s path, and in every choice I make．
1. Why did the author take a trip to Iceland?| A．To gain a new experience． |
| B．To enjoy family happiness． |
| C．To better understand herself． |
| D．To appreciate natural beauty． |
| A．Puzzling | B．Thrilling |
| C．Relaxing | D．Demanding |
| A．She became more positive | B．She became more energetic |
| C．She became even lonelier | D．She became more anxious |
| A．Withdraw back to nature． |
| B．Embrace reality bravely． |
| C．Travel to Iceland more often． |
| D．Pay less attention to her feelings． |
We often carry a lot of things when we’re traveling.
| A．So you’ll know what to bring. |
| B．It’s a kind of vacation, but without your parents. |
| C．Spend money from this wallet till you get to your destination. |
| D．Firstly, distribute (分开) your money if you’re traveling alone. |
| E．You can hook the key chain to your jeans or your handbag. |
| F．On short trips we take things like money, jewelry (首饰), house keys, etc. |
| G．Don’t carry it in your purse, just in case somebody is quick in stealing your purse. |
DAY 1: Arrive in Delhi
Today arrive in Delhi, the national capital of India. Upon arrival at the airport, our company representative will meet you and transfer you to the hotel for check-in.
Overnight at Delhi hotels
DAY 2: Delhi—Full-day tour(old& New Delhi tour)
Today morning have breakfast in the hotel. At 9:30, the tour guide will meet you at your hotel and later proceed for a full-day guided tour in Delhi starting with Old Delhi visiting Raj Gaht. Jama Masjid, driving past through the Red Fort. Later in New Delhi visit Humayun’s Tomb, India Gate, drive past through Parliament Street and President House and visit Qutub Minar.
Overnight at Delhi hotels
DAY 3: Delhi-Jaipur via Fitehpur Sikri(240 km/5 hours)
Today morning after breakfast. drive to Jaipur, the capita] city of Rajsthan state. Jaipur is also known as “Pink City”. En route visit Fatehpur Sikri, known as Ghost. Later continue the drive to Jaipur. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel. Evening: free at leisure for your own activities.
Optional: visits to Chokhi Dhani Village Resort(US $25 per person)
Overnight at Jaipur hotels
DAY 4：Delhi(256 km/5 hours)
Today morning after breakfast, drive back to Delhi airport. The total distance is 256 kms and you can cover it in 5 hours. Upon arrival in Delhi, board flight to onward journey.
NOTE: Price starts with US $ 215 with
●Daily breakfast and soft beverages(饮料) and packaged drinking water.
●Elephant rides at Amber Fort.
●Sunset or sunrise visits to Taj MahaL
●All entrance fees to the monuments and train tickets.
1. On which day can you visit Qutub Minar?| A．DAY 1 | B．DAY 2 |
| C．DAY 3 | D．DAY 4 |
| A．The whole journey covers 496 km |
| B．Travelers will stay in Delhi for two nights |
| C．Travelers will fly to Delhi airport on DAY 4 |
| D．Travelers will be made to buy things on DAY 3 |
| A．a sunrise visit to Taj Mahal |
| B．elephant riding at Amber Fort |
| C．visits to Chokhi Dhani Village Resort |
| D．breakfast and packaged drinking water |
