1 . Earlier this year I took a trip to England and France to go see some friends. It was a wonderful trip; I really loved it. But one thing that struck me was how different these cultures are from our own. I guess this would strike any traveler because that is the first thing you notice and it is what makes travel so exciting. Of course, these cultures are also similar to ours in many respects, but it’s the differences that really stand out.
One of the things that struck me in particular was the different attitudes towards smoking. As you know, there’s a growing anti-smoking sentiment in Europe. However, when I went to England and France, I got a new perspective on this issue. People seem to smoke anywhere and everywhere, even though anti-smoking signs are all over public places. On the radio, I heard about a member of the World Cup soccer team who smoked. And people were actually saying, “Well, he should not be on the team because he’s a bad example for our children.” I think, if they want to look at bad examples for their children, they should just go out on the street, or go into the subways, or look in the mirror, even, because so many of them are smoking in very inappropriate places. I visited a restaurant buffet in London and saw an English woman scooping up the food with a lit cigarette in her hand. Smoke rising into the air. Actually, when I talked to English people later, they were pretty shocked too, and they said that smoking in a restaurant is rude even by British standards.
This did not give me a bad impression of English people. It gave me, on the contrary, a positive feeling toward American smokers. There are a lot of American smokers who will proclaim their right to smoke whenever they want, but they will follow the rules, generally, because they have consideration for nonsmokers. So this experience in Europe gave me more of a respect for this kind of smoker.
1. What surprised the writer during his trip to England and France?| A．The wonderful trip to England and France. |
| B．Cultural differences that he noticed during his trip. |
| C．Similarity between cultures stands out more than differences. |
| D．Growing anti-smoking views in Europe. |
| A．People discuss the smoking issue on the radio. |
| B．Smokers are allowed to smoke anywhere and anytime. |
| C．People are encouraged to smoke in inappropriate places. |
| D．Many smokers pay no attention to the “No Smoking” signs. |
| A．feeling | B．movement | C．offense | D．regulation |
| A．Those who are from America and Europe. | B．Those who respect others’ feelings. |
| C．Those who defend the right to smoke. | D．Those who set rules of smoking in public places. |
2 . Hot Air Balloon Sydney For 2, Weekend Flight
INCLUDES FULL GOURMET BREAKFAST
| Item: HO12955TA Location: Windsor Sydney Our Price: $299 (per person for groups of 2) |
·Hot Air Balloon Flight for 2 (there will be others in the balloon basket with you)
·NOTHING MORE TO PAY ON THE DAY! YOUR FULL GOURMET BREAKFAST IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE
·Travel with the Tourism Award winners with over 20 years of experience
·Float over beautiful Hawkesbury Valley
·Colour flight certificate
Experience the wonder of a Hot Air Balloon Flight for 2 people. Rising before dawn, you can join the crew in unpacking and preparing the balloon for flight — which is a spectacle in itself. After an exciting launch, you’ll drift with the wind silently over the parklands, homes and hills of the Hawkesbury region of Sydney.
Hot Air Ballooning begins in the cool, still hours of the early morning, when the air is more stable. The launch site, determined by the weather on the morning, will be in or around the beautiful Hawkesbury Valley. The adventure begins by inflating the balloon using a giant portable fan. Once the balloon starts to take shape the burner is lit, heating the air inside. The hot air inside is lighter than the cool air outside and this is what creates the lift and why it is called a Hot Air Balloon. Passengers are welcome to assist the pilot and crew with inflating the hot air balloon at the launch site, which only takes about 20 minutes.
The Hot Air Balloon Flight for 2 is both picturesque and peaceful. You hear very little sound from the awakening world below. The silence is only broken with blasts from the propane burner heating the air in your balloon to keep you cruising across the skies. Watch as the sun bursts from the horizon and paints the sky pink in a spectacular morning sunrise.
To top off the morning you’ll celebrate with a full gourmet breakfast. This adventure is for 2people. There will be other people in the balloon basket with you.
Hot Air Balloon flights take place at sunrise. The exact time of your Hot Air Balloon flight experience will vary based upon the time of year and will be sent to you upon booking.
1. Why does Hot Air Ballooning begin before dawn?| A．Tourists needn’t queue for the flight. |
| B．The air at that time is cooler and more stable. |
| C．Tourists can see the spectacular sunrise in the sky. |
| D．Travelers have to start the adventure with their stomach empty. |
①Inflate the balloon
②Heat the air inside
③Drift over the Hawkesbury region
④The balloon rises into the sky
⑤Light the burner
| A．⑤②④①③ | B．②⑤①④③ |
| C．①④⑤②③ | D．①⑤②④③ |
| A．Hot Air Ballooning takes place at a fixed time early in the morning, but the launch site may vary. |
| B．Passengers of the Hot Air Ballooning shouldn’t do anything except enjoy the spectacular view. |
| C．During the Hot Air Balloon Flight you’ll hear awakening sounds from below, besides the air blasts. |
| D．A person who has experienced the Hot Air Balloon Flight can get a color certificate. |
Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific. It is also one of the smallest countries in the world. But for those interested in adventure and sport, there is a lot to do. Some of the best snorkeling (浮潜) can be found here. Vanuatu’s islands also offer visitors two of the most exciting and dangerous activities in the world: volcano surfing and land diving. Volcano Surfing On Tanna Island, Mount Yasur rises 300 meters (1,000 feet) into the sky. It is known as the Lighthouse of the Pacific because of its regular eruptions for hundreds of years. For centuries, both island locals and visitors have climbed this mountain to visit the top. Some visitors find Yasur terrifying; others captivating. Photographers are beside themselves at the opportunity to make stunning artwork from such a special point. Recently, people have also started climbing Yasur to surf the volcano. In some ways, volcano surfing, also commonly known as ash boarding, is like surfing in the sea, but in other ways it’s very different. It was invented by an adventurer journalist named Zoltan Istvan, while on a trip to Vanuatu Islands in 2002. Volcano surfing is considered as an extreme sport and there are not many practicing it. A volcano surfer’s goal is to escape the erupting volcano — without getting hit by flying rocks! Riders hike up the volcano and slide down, sitting or standing, on a thin plywood or metal board. It’s fast, fun, and dangerous — the perfect extreme sport. Land Diving Most people are familiar with bungee jumping, but did you know bungee jumping started on Pentecost Island in Vanuatu and is almost fifteen centuries old? The original activity, called land diving, is part of a religious ceremony. A man ties tree vines (藤) to his legs. He then jumps head-first from a high tower. It originated as a rite (仪式) of passage for young men trying to prove their manhood. The idea is to jump from as high as possible, and to land as close to the ground as possible. It is also a harvest ritual. The islanders believe the higher the jumpers dive, the higher the crops will grow. Every spring, island natives (men only) still perform this amazing test of strength. |
| A．Mount Yasur is a light tower on the Pacific Ocean. |
| B．The history of volcano surfing dates back centuries. |
| C．Bungee jumping grew out of land diving. |
| D．Land diving came to Vanuatu from another country. |
| A．distressing | B．charming | C．disappointing | D．relieving |
| A．Untouched Beauty: VANUATU | B．Volcano Adventure: VANUATU |
| C．Extreme Destination: VANUATU | D．Preserved Culture: VANUATU |
4 . You may think that an underground town with 3,500 residents is something out of a science fiction film. You may not believe that such a town has shops, car parks, hotels, restaurants, cafes, swimming pools, churches, galleries, museums, cinemas, a golf course and much more. We Coober Pedy in Australia’s Outback is just such a place. Although film makers sometimes use the town as a spot for science-fiction films, it is a real community full of people who enjoy living underground.
The name Coober Pedy comes from the Aboriginal (土著的) phrase kupa piti which means ‘white man in a hole’. Miners and their families choose to live like this, hoping to get rich looking for the precious stones that Australia is famous for — opals. Living underground is the only way to shelter from the sandstorms and the high temperatures above ground, where it can be up to 50 degrees C (122F). Deep down in the town far below the desert surface, the temperature is between 19 and 20 degrees C and life is cool.
Mary Deane believes that it’s the possibility of being poor one day and rich the next that makes Coober Pedy so addictive. She and her husband Jim are among the lucky ones. They live in a luxurious home, built with money from the opals Jim has found. “Whenever people hear we live underground, they always imagine a dusty cave,” says Mary, “but they are amazed when they sit in my spotless clean kitchen eating home-made apple pie. Everyone loves our pine furniture and I have every electrical appliance money can buy in here. Whatever I need I can have and whenever I·need more space we just dig out a few more rooms! I love my home.”
However, not everything is perfect in Coober Pedy. Mary has a tiny garden that she is very proud of, but the grass is not real. Plant life is rare. Water is also five times more expensive than overground residents pay. Recycling is a way of life, so Jim usually washes his car with bath water and they have a special system to re-use the water from the dishwasher and washing machine. “We must be very careful about how we use water,” he says, “it’s not quite as precious as the opals, but it’s still very scarce!”
1. What can be learned from the passage about Coobor Pody?| A．It was originally built for science-fiction films. |
| B．It provides residents with recreational facilities. |
| C．It is losing its appeal to young people in Australia. |
| D．It was designed by Aboriginals who used to live there. |
| A．To save money and get rich one day. |
| B．To make it possible to produce opals. |
| C．To keep away from the modern way of life. |
| D．To escape from the terrible weather conditions. |
| A．they have to be economical with water |
| B．they have to spend more money on food |
| C．they cannot use some electrical appliances |
| D．they cannot grow plants in the garden |
| A．Coober Pedy: Based on Recycling |
| B．An Unimaginable Film |
| C．Underground Mining |
| D．Life Down Under |
5 . Welcome to Iceland! I hope that your trip will be pleasant and that __________ will help you during your stay. It includes very important information you might find useful for your travel and we hope you will enjoy it.
Iceland is becoming a very popular place to visit all year round and we are not surprised. The country with its spectacular, unspoiled, fragile and raw nature, hot springs, icebergs and waterfalls is a feast for the eyes both during summer and winter. Our history and culture is young compared to most other countries. We speak our own language, Icelandic, which due to the country’s isolation in the past, has been very well preserved.
Driving in Iceland can be a bit different from many other countries. We do have a number of gravel roads, single lane bridges, narrow roads, rough mountain roads with unbridged rivers, animal stock near or on the road and weather conditions can change quickly. Therefore driving in Iceland needs your full care during your stay because we want you back safe and happy.
We kindly ask you to help us improve our quality by giving us feedback on how we are doing and what we can do better. Not less importantly, we ask you to help us preserve the Icelandic nature which can be very fragile. Off-road driving is strictly forbidden and please do not litter.
In case of trouble, accident or breakdown please don’t hesitate to contact our emergency phone numbers 840-6010 for south and west Iceland, or 840-6000 for north and east Iceland or one of our many locations around the country and we will do our very best to help you to safely continue your journey.
I trust that your travel in Iceland will be comfortable and pleasant. I wish you a safe journey.
1. Which of the following statements might be most suitable for the blank in Paragraph 1?| A．our travel agency magazine | B．this newspaper article |
| C．the traffic regulations | D．police travel guides |
| A．Travelling in Iceland is only popular in summer and winter. |
| B．The country is not much visited because of its special language. |
| C．Travelers can enjoy nice food when travelling in Iceland. |
| D．A traveler can both have hot and cold experiences in Iceland. |
| A．He may have his car repaired. |
| B．He may call 840-6010 for help. |
| C．He may push his car off the road. |
| D．He may drive in the other direction. |
Clear, 69°F
My wife, Eleanor, and I took the train from Paris to Strasbourg, where we were met by our driver and guide, and the minibus which goes along with the boat. We stopped off in Barn for an hour on the way. Then we were taken to Nancy where the boat was kept.
After the other passengers arrived, we had our first dinner on the boat. After dinner we walked into downtown Nancy, a village with a large square and wooden houses.
Monday, October 6
Rained last night, cloudy in the morning, 69°F
We spent about two hours in Nancy, then sailed on the Canal de la Marne au Rhine. Kind of a lazy day, eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After dinner we watched a tape on Baccarat, which we will visit tomorrow.
It was pleasant to sit out on deck and watch the scenery go by at about 3 mph.
Tuesday, October 7
Light rain, 64°F
This morning we drove over to Baccarat and toured its museum and the church, which has this unbelievable lamp that is going on a world tour the next day. We did lots of shopping, then walked across the bridge to see a very, very modern Catholic church with special Baccarat windows.
We drove to the top of the Voges Mountains and started down the eastern side. Later we drove to Sorrenbourg to see the 13th century church at the Cordeliers. It contains the largest window by Marc Chagall - 24 feet wide by 40 feet high.
Wednesday, October 8
Cloud, 65 °F
Today we sailed from Schneckenbush to Saverne. We went through two caves, an extremely unusual part of the journey. This river scenery is very different. We were in a mountain valley with grassland on one side and a forest beginning to show some color on the other.
Thursday, October 9
Cloudy, 66°F
Our dependable minibus was waiting to load the luggage and take us to the hotel where everyone went their separate ways. Our boating days are over until next time.
1. Where did the author get off the train?| A．Paris. | B．Strasbourg. |
| C．Nancy. | D．Barn. |
| A．Monday and Tuesday. | B．Tuesday and Wednesday. |
| C．Wednesday and Thursday. | D．Monday and Wednesday. |
| A．towns | B．churches |
| C．museums | D．mountains |
7 . Inside the Rain Room
The Rain Room has arrived and local art lovers are taking notice. Is it worth the wait? Yes, I assure you it is. Once inside, visitors find a long, dark room with a high ceiling. A single bright light shines through heavy rain falling around visitors. The mist. The damp air. The noise. It feels like a mighty storm is pouring down. But the storm is inside. And visitors aren’t getting wet. Instead, visitors wander in awe, admiring the rain and the artists who created it.
The Rain Room was created to highlight the connection between humans, nature and technology. With a tracking system that senses movement and stops the rain wherever visitors move, it does just that. Light and sound produce an experience that feels both natural and foreign. The exhibit is moving on to Atlanta next month. I urge you to visit before then. It’s time to experience the Rain Room for yourself!
| Welcome to the Rain Room The Rain Room features falling water. Please be aware you may get slightly wet. However, visitors wearing raincoat will be turned away. This exhibit features advanced technology. To ensure its effectiveness, please avoid wearing dark or reflective clothing. Visitors are welcome to take photographs of the exhibit. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For the convenience of all guests, visits are limited to 10minutes. |
| A．To attract visitors to a new art exhibit. |
| B．To explain how an exhibit has been created. |
| C．To describe the technology used in the exhibit. |
| D．To promise the artists taking part in an exhibit. |
| A．To keep visitors from getting wet. |
| B．To protect the exhibit from water damage. |
| C．To time how long visitors are in the room. |
| D．To count the number of visitors in the room. |
| A．Wear a raincoat |
| B．Wear dark clothing |
| C．Leave your camera outside. |
| D．Pass through within 10 minutes. |
