1 . From the gardens of Iceland to the mountains of Nepal, here are four places to celebrate abundance and beauty in the natural world.
Keukenhof Gardens, the Netherlands
The Netherlands produces nearly 90% of the world's tulips, making it the unique destination for a wonderful spring experience. Cycle along the 25-mile Flower Route, where flower fields paint the countryside in bright colors. Travelers can also visit Keukenhof Gardens 16 miles southwest of Amsterdam. Considered the world's largest flower garden, Keukenhof features seven million flowering tulips from March to May.
Umm Qais, Jordan
Despite being 75% desert, Jordan's northern highlands burst with brightly colored flowers from March to May. Take a self-guided hike on one of the several ancient trails starting from the ruins of Umm Qais or hire a local guide who can offer cultural and historical context and help you identify wildflowers along the way, including Jordan's endangered national flower, the black iris.
Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina
Travelers can find a wealth of plant species in North Carolina's mountains—the most in any similarly sized area in North America. The best known may be the pink and purple rhododendrons that blanket the Blue Ridge Mountains in summer.
Numerous hiking trails leading to the amazing sights are just 30 miles from downtown Asheville. In June, travelers can take the hour-long drive from Asheville to Bakersville to enjoy the North Carolina Rhododendron Festival.
Ghorepani Poon Hill, Nepal
Travelling along the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek in spring offers breathtaking views of the country's iconic rhododendrons. March or April gives travelers the rhododendrons in full bloom, but November gives drier weather. Go with local Sherpa guides and cooks—it's part of the experience.
1. What is probably the best time to see the tulips in Keukenhof Gardens?| A．February. | B．April. | C．June. | D．November. |
| A．Jordan. | B．America. | C．Nepal. | D．The Netherlands. |
| A．They are surrounded by deserts. | B．They have the most plant species. |
| C．They offer unique ancient ruins. | D．They are known for the same flower. |
2 . Four of the Best Autumn Walks in Britain
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London
It houses the widest variety of living plants of any botanic garden (植物园) on the planet, including around 14,000 trees. Every autumn, its woodland delivers an extraordinary view of bright red and yellow as leaves of various trees begin to change. Join a guided trees tour and learn how different trees are dealing with the changing seasons.
Brechfa Forest, Abergorlech
Brechfa Forest covers some 16,000 acres in Carmarthenshire, Wales, making it easy for walkers to enjoy themselves in woodlands transformed (改变) by autumn’s finest colours. Follow the Gorlech Walk, which tracks the river Gorlech and passes Californian redwoods that become a mix of red and purple in November. After your walk, drive to Carmarthen, one of the oldest towns in Wales, for lunch.
Batsford Arboretum, Cotswolds
More than 1,300 different trees and bamboos are showcased at Batsford Arboretum, near the picture-perfect town of Moreton-in-Marsh. This private garden covers 60 acres, providing outstanding colours between late October and November. Highlights include its large areas of leaf shades ranging from red to purple. Pre-booking tickets during autumn is recommended to avoid a large number of visitors.
Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
There are over 3,800 acres of parkland to explore at Clumber Park, a beautiful place featuring Sherwood Forest that shows different and changing colours in autumn. With over 20 miles of trails (小径), there’s plenty of ground to cover, so consider bringing your bike. Keep an eye out for the park’s birds, which is a main attraction for birdwatchers.
1. What can you do at Royal Botanic Gardens?| A．Admire Sherwood Forest. | B．Join a guided trees tour. |
| C．Enjoy Moreton-in-Marsh. | D．Have lunch in an old town. |
| A．Ride a bike with friends. | B．Walk along a 20-mile trail. |
| C．Book a ticket in advance. | D．Set off early in the morning. |
| A．Clumber Park. | B．Brechfa Forest. |
| C．Batsford Arboretum. | D．Royal Botanic Gardens. |
3 . Visitor’s code of conduct
The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is a national museum and open to all. Respectful use of the space, sources, and animals ensures a safe and enriching environment for all visitors.
Banned items
The possession or use of objects that are dangerous or banned by law is not permitted during museum visits or events. Backpacks, sports bags, and purses are subject to “bag searches” at all entry points. The following items are not permitted into the museum: any object that makes noise, any animal except service animals, any dangerous item, any weapon, pocket knife, and any object considered to be suspicious (可疑的) by security personnel.
Hours
The museum is open year round. Current hours of operation are from Wednesday to Sunday, 9:10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. , including statutory (法定的) holidays, except December 25. The museum offers free admission from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please book your tickets in advance.
Admission
Adult: $12.25
Age 60+: $10.25
Youth (ages 3—17): $10.25
Member: Free
Filming and photos
The museum welcomes visitors to take either photos or video images of the museum’s animals, buildings, exhibitions, and grounds during opening hours. All photos are for personal use only, not professional. Please be respectful of the animals while using your cameras. Getting too close to get an image could cause stress to the animals and bring you into danger. For safety reasons and for the enjoyment of all visitors, all indoor photography or video recording must be done with hand-held devices only; no tripod (三脚架) or selfie sticks indoors.
Contact
Phone: 6139913044
Address: P.O. Box 9724, Station T Ottawa, ON K1G 5A3 Canada
1. What act is not permitted in the Museum?| A．Visiting the Museum with cameras. |
| B．Playing rock music on a recorder. |
| C．Going to the Museum with a guide dog. |
| D．Paying a visit to the Museum with a kid under 3. |
| A．On Tuesday at 10 a.m.. | B．On Sunday at 3 p.m.. |
| C．On National Day at 2 p.m.. | D．On Christmas Eve at 11 a.m.. |
| A．A course description. |
| B．A booklet of tour advertisement. |
| C．An introduction to foreign table manners. |
| D．A flyer of agricultural produce exhibition. |
4 . The Four Most Exotic Black Sand Beaches in the World
Papenoo Beach: Tahiti, French Polynesia
Popular with surfers, this remote black beach on Tahiti’s northern coast boasts some of the most impressive waves in the world. Here you will discover more breathtaking natural beauty of the island, with its green mountains and picturesque scenery. Not- to-be- missed sights include the spectacular waterfalls: Topatari, Puraha and Vaiharuru falls.
Lovina Beach: Indonesia
A highlight of this beach destination is visiting Kalibukbuk, one of the coastal villages along Lovina Beach, and the Kalibukbuk Buddhist temple on the beach. There is also an abundance of incredible marine and underwater life, so diving is a popular relaxation, but the main draw for beachgoers is spotting the playful bottle nosed dolphins.
Stokksnes Beach: Iceland
One of Iceland’s most dramatic landscapes is the mountain Vestrahorn on the Stokksnes peninsula in southeast Iceland. The magical setting here was featured in the Bollywood movie Dilwale. It’s a popular destination for photographers but surprisingly not a big tourist spot; this privately owned land charges a small fee to visit. You can visit the Stokksnes beach on a group Ring Road tour or a self-driving circuit of the country.
Perissa Beach: Santorini, Greece
Situated in southeastern Santorini, this unique black beach boasts crystal clear waters and the rocky Mesa Vouno mountain. For more active pursuits beyond sunbathing and swimming, visitors can rent water sports equipment for other fun activities like diving. You can also hike to the top of Mesa Vouno to visit the ancient ruins of the city of Thera.
1. Which of the following landscapes is a must for tourists in Papenoo Beach?| A．Waves. | B．Valleys. | C．Mountains. | D．Waterfalls. |
| A．Papenoo Beach. | B．Lovina Beach. |
| C．Stokksnes Beach. | D．Perissa Beach. |
| A．They are good places to hike. |
| B．Visitors can go diving for relaxation. |
| C．Both are rich in underwater life. |
| D．Tourists can visit ancient coastal villages. |
