1 . 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. |
2 . “Welcome to the U.S.A.! Major Credit cards accepted!”
By the millions they are coming no longer the tired, the poor, the wretched mass longing for a better living. These are the wealthy. “We don’t have a budget,” says a biologist from Brazil, as she walks with two companions through New York City’s South Street. “We just use our credit cards.”
The U.S. has long been one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, but this year has been exceptional. First there was the World Cup, which drew thousands from every corner of the globe; then came the weakening of the U.S. dollar against major currencies. Now the U.S. still the world’s superpower, can also claim to be the world’s bargain electronics to fashion clothes to tennis rackets. Nobody undersells America. Bottom retail prices - anywhere from 30% to 70% lower than those in Europe and Asia - have attracted some 47 million visitors, who are expected to leave behind $79 billion in 1994.
That’s up from $74 billion the year before.
True, not everyone comes just for bargains. There remains an undeniable fascination in the rest of the world with all things American, nourished by Hollywood films and U.S. television series. But shopping in the U.S.A. is proving irresistible. Every week thousands arrive with empty suitcases ready to be filled; some even rent an additional hotel room to hold their purchases. The buying binge has become as important as watching Old Faithful Fountains erupt in Yellow Stone Park or sunbathing on a beach in Florida.
The U.S. has come at last to appreciate what other countries learned long ago: the pouring in of foreign tourists may not always be convenient, but it does put money in the bank. And with a trade deficit at about $130 billion and growing for the past 12 months, the U.S. needs all the deposits it can get. Compared with American tourists abroad, visitors to the U.S. stay longer and spend more money at each stop; an average of 12.2 nights and $1624 a traveler versus the Americans’ four nights and $298.
1. From what the Brazilian biologist says, we know that tourists like her ________.A.are not good at planning their expenditure |
B.simply don’t care how much they spend |
C.are reluctant to carry cash with them |
D.often spend more money than they can afford |
A.it witnessed a drop in the number of tourists to the U.S. |
B.it saw an unusually large number of tourists to the U.S. |
C.tourism was hardly affected by the weakening of the U.S. dollar that year |
D.tourists came to the U.S. for sightseeing rather than for bargains that year |
A.no other country underestimates the competitiveness of American products |
B.nobody restrains the selling of American goods |
C.nobody expects the Americans to cut the prices of their commodities |
D.no other country sells at a lower price than America |
A.the weakening if the U.S. dollar can result in trade deficits |
B.tourism can make great contributions to its economy |
C.the lower the retail prices, the greater the profits |
D.visitors to the U.S. are wealthier than U.S. tourists abroad |
3 . It could have been anywhere, my first intentionally photo-free journey, but it just happened to be Ethiopia. Photographic equipment can be a great physical burden. It may weigh anything from a few hundred grams to several kilos, depending on how seriously one approaches the business of picture-taking. Yet the real burden of photography is mental, not physical; it is the feeling of needing to take photographs, that because you have a camera you must use it.
In the first few days of camera-less travel, there are certainly moments of frustration at letting one great photograph after another go past, but having no camera, and thus being unable to take photographs, surprisingly soon stops the urge to do so. Very quickly, scenes become appreciated for what they are, rather than for the photographs they would have made.
Climbing up the western wall of the Great Rift Valley, on the way to the capital, Addis Ababa, the road emerges from a tunnel onto open, grassy plains — a small piece of uncharacteristically undomesticated countryside, with an even more uncharacteristic population of wild animals. They looked magnificent in the tearing wind, and through binoculars (双筒望远镜) they could be absorbed at leisure — theirs and mine. And thus unseen, I watched them play, free from concerns as to how close I could risk going with my camera without losing the very moment I sought to capture.
Exciting though stalking (跟踪) wild creatures can be, the photographer must obviously stalk as much out of sight as possible, thus being denied any chance of actually watching them. The photographer’s mind is effectively stopped from experiencing any more than the photographic possibilities of the scene. At eye level, the camera not only creates a physical barrier but also isolates the photographer from the joyful reality of the subject, and from everywhere else around them too. Then comes the climax, the press of the button, the pull of the trigger (快门), before more stalking, more photographs and, inevitably, the stalking too far which frightens the animals to flight. The difference between looking in order to photograph and actually seeing what is there is never more distinct than when taking pictures of animals, to the extent that the two become almost mutually exclusive. There is time only for deciding the best way to take the photograph, before addressing more practical technicalities — how to keep the minibus’s wheel out of the shot of lions, or get enough depth of field so all the flamingos (火烈鸟) on the lake are in focus at once.
1. According to the first paragraph, what is the main problem that photographers face while travelling?A.Moving their heavy equipment about |
B.Locating places to purchase batteries. |
C.Trying to get the best possible shots. |
D.Being under pressure to take photographs. |
A.conclude that the decision was unrealistic |
B.rapidly lose the desire to take any photographs |
C.come to consider previous trips as unsatisfactory |
D.appreciate the excellence of other people’s photos |
A.They were too far away to be usefully observed. |
B.They were surprisingly unaffected by the closeness of humans. |
C.They might have been enjoying the situation for more than he was. |
D.They might have become alarmed by the presence of a photographer. |
A.can cause the animals to behave aggressively towards people |
B.may become too uncomfortable to take reasonable shots |
C.may not be able to appreciate the situation fully |
D.can easily become distracted from his task |
4 . Dallas is known as a cultural center of Texas, with some of the state’s most popular attractions. While these attractions are temporarily closed, you can still wander the halls of top museums, take in the city skyline, learn a little history or check on your animal friends.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Check out the “Amaze Your Brain at Home” series to watch your favorite concepts from the Museum come to life. Explore nature and science at home and in your backyard, all while using the most common household objects and supplies. Take a 360 virtual tour of the “Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind”.
Reunion Tower GeO-Deck
You can still experience Reunion Tower from the comfort of your own home. Color the Dallas skyline, download a game sheet and get video-call ready with Zoom backgrounds. See the 360-degree panoramic (全景的) views with the Reunion Tower virtual reality app or get a live view of Dallas from EarthCam. Find all the fun on the “Visit Me Virtually” page.
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
A historic Dallas landmark, The Sixth Floor Museum is located within the former Texas School Book Depository building and keeps records of the life, death and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. You can explore the online collection to see things like an interactive motorcade map, home movies and photo galleries.
Dallas Zoo
Dallas Zoo is using this time to continue to engage, educate, inspire — and ultimately, bring a smile to your face. Chat with staff, see what the animals are up to, and find activity ideas from the Zoo’s education and conservation teams. Keep up on Facebook and the Zoo’s “Bring the Zoo to You” page.
1. What can tourists do at Reunion Tower GeO-Deck?A.Enjoy wonderful movies. | B.Learn about humans’ origin. |
C.Develop your video game app. | D.Get a good view of the whole city. |
A.Perot Museum of Nature and Science. | B.Reunion Tower GeO-Deck. |
C.The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. | D.Dallas Zoo. |
A.They are cultural centers of Dallas. |
B.They are Dallas’ virtual attractions. |
C.They are historical museums in the world. |
D.They are applications for online exploring. |
The Dancing House in Prague, Czechia, is designed by Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunić. When it was first built, it caused a big debate because of its unusual design. Those against it said the building is not suitable for the surrounding.
Before World War II, there was a 19th-century building where the Dancing House is today. Due to the damage of that building, after the war, it was decided to build a new and modern building to replace (替代) it.
The building of the Dancing House started in 1992 and completed in 1996. The house includes two main buildings. One has curved (弧形的) supporting columns (柱) with glass covered outsides.
The curved form of the building can be felt inside of the Dancing House as well. Inclined columns, metal supports and wavy walls remind visitors what a unique building they are in.
A.The project was first given to Jean Nouvel. |
B.The other is a building with the wavy form. |
C.At first no one was willing to take the project. |
D.Actually the name of the building attracts interest. |
E.Inside the building there is a restaurant, a hotel and company offices. |
F.However, today it is accepted as one of the famous buildings of Prague. |
G.Visitors can tour around the museum inside to know more about the building. |
6 . 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. |
7 . 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. |
8 . The following are four once-in-a-lifetime mountain hikes.
The Inca Trail, Peru
The Inca Trail offers a seven-day hike focusing on unique Peruvian culture. Led by our well-informed guides, you'll see some historical villages, visit an old-fashioned coffee farm, and attend a traditional offering to "Pachamama". After a long day on your feet, relax with a traditional Peruvian meal and have a night's rest in a local cottage(村舍)
The Dolomites, Italy
The On Foot Holidays' self-guided hike through the Dolomites covers the grassland of South Tyrol, the famous peaks of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and the amazing town of Cortina d'Ampezzo. You'll climb from the Falzarego Pass, cross through to the Col dei Bos and up Mt. Lagazuoi, with its network of World War I tunnels.
Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
More than 19,000 feet above sea level, Mount Kilimanjaro, an inactive volcano, is Africa's highest mountain. Climbing it is a multi-day trip through five climate zones. Duma Explorer offers several different routes(路线)up Kilimanjaro—the most popular are the seven-day Machame route, eight-day Lemosho route and a nine-day trip via the Northern Circuit. Hikes include camping equipment, meals and guides.
Chilkoot Trail, Alaska
In 1897, the Chilkoot Trail was changed from a sleepy trade route into a busy road, as part of the Gold Rush. The rush dried up within a year, but you can follow in the boomers' footsteps with Alaska Shore Hikes, through thick forest and up the Sainly Hill. Then it's a peaceful raft(木筏)ride along the Taiya River. A six-hour hike provides tourists with transportation, safety equipment and guides.
1. Which of the following is suitable for hikers without guides?A.The Inca Trail, Peru | B.The Dolomites, Italy. |
C.Chilkoot Trail. Alaska | D.Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. |
A.Chilkoot Trail used to be a busy road. |
B.Hikers will cover five climates zones in the Inca Trail. |
C.It just takes six hours to finish the Chilkoot Trail route. |
D.Hikers can visit an old-fashioned coffee farm in Mount Kilimanjaro. |
A.An encyclopedia. | B.A geography book | C.A science report. | D.A travel brochure. |
9 . Travel Peru
Amazon Rainforest TourA short flight from Cusco takes you from the Andes into the Amazon rainforest. From there, you'll spend one day travelling by boat to your accommodation in the middle of the forest. You can then spend three days exploring the rainforest with a local guide and enjoying the plants and animals unique to the rainforest.
Machu Picchu TourThis four-day walking tour will take you on amazing paths through the Andes Mountains on the way to the city of Machu Picchu. After reaching your destination, you will have a day to explore and be amazed by this ancient city. Especially amazing is the Incas' dry stone method of building Inca builders cut stones to exact sizes so that nothing was needed to hold walls together other than the perfect fit of the stones.
Cusco TourSpend four days enjoying the unique Spanish and local Indian culture high in the Andes at Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th until the 16th century. Stay in a local hotel, visit the museums, admire the architecture, enjoy the excellent local food, and go shopping at the local markets.
Lake Titicaca TourEnjoy the beautiful countryside as you spend a day driving along the new highway connecting Cusco to Lake Titicaca. There, a boat will take you to stay with a local Uros family on an island for three days. Both the island and the Uros homes are made of water plants from the lake.
1. What is scheduled on Machu Picchu Tour?A.Cutting dry stones. | B.Fixing stone walls. |
C.Exploring the ancient city. | D.Enjoying unique animals. |
A.Water plants. | B.Lake Titicaca. |
C.The local island. | D.The beautiful sight. |
A.They are in the rainforest. | B.They are on foot. |
C.They have a local guide. | D.They last four days each. |
10 . Lots of people dream of a beach vacation, but hesitate to take one because they don't want to leave a pet behind.
Find a hotel that is pet-friendly. Most hotels that accept pets will advertise themselves as pet-friendly on their websites.
Clean up after your pet. When vacationing with your pet it doesn't mean that all responsibility is gone. Picking up after it, whether that is when it goes to the bathroom or it makes a mess with its food, is still your responsibility.
Be considerate of others.
A.Protect your pet from the sun. |
B.Make sure you choose a beach that allows pets. |
C.However, there is no need to settle for a pet sitter. |
D.You never know how an animal will react in public. |
E.You could also try to stay with a friend who loves your pet. |
F.If you are unsure whether a hotel accepts pets, call it and ask. |
G.This is especially important at the beach where many people move around. |