1 . A lover of hiking? Then you must know the best hiking trails in some states.
Alaska: Winner Greek Trail
This northern state has many choices for hikes, and the family-friendly Winner Greek Trail pleases everyone who visits. Located 45 minutes south of Anchorage, the most popular part is Lower Winner Creek, a bike-friendly path through Alaska’s rainforest setting.
Arkansas: Lost Valley in the Buffalo River Wilderness District
You’ll see lots of pretty sights on the journey through Lost Valley in the Buffalo River Wilderness District. It’s a journey just over two miles round-trip, which means you can bring the entire family with you, plus, the first half-mile is wheelchair accessible.
Connecticut: Hike to Gillette Castle in Gillette Castle State Park
Just visiting Gillette Castle State Park, you’ll see pretty views of the Connecticut River. But following the 1.3-mile path to the medieval-looking stone castle, you’ll get to see the former home of actor William Gillette. A steam train and riverboat might also pass by as you hang around the area — riding them is a must for most visitors.
Hawaii: Makapuu Lighthouse Trail
This ocean-view state has some of the most amazing hikes in the country. But if we had to pick just one, on Hawaii’s most popular island, Oahu, the Makapu Lighthouse Trail would be it. On a two-mile trip, you’ll see wonderful sights of the island’s southeastern coastline, including the Makapuu Lighthouse with an eye-catching red roof.
1. What do Winner Greek Trail and Lost Valley in the Buffalo River Wilderness District have in common?| A．They are both wheelchair accessible. | B．They both have bike-friendly paths. |
| C．They are both suitable for family hikes. | D．They are both famous for rainforest views. |
| A．Enjoy lake views. | B．Visit a stone castle. | C．Meet famous actors. | D．Get into a lighthouse. |
| A．Lost Valley | B．Gillette Castle | C．Winner Greek Trail | D．Makapuu Lighthouse Trail |
2 . Paris is the most wooded (树木茂森的) city in Europe, and around one quarter of its area is taken up by parks, gardens and other green spaces.
Jardin des Plantes: over 28 hectares
This impressive botanical garden is home to four museums, including the Natural History Museum, which houses a variety of African animals. The gardens themselves boast thousands of species of plants. This is a lovely place to relax and explore the beautiful surroundings.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont: over 24 hectares
If you want to get off the tourist trail and hang out with true Parisians, this park is the perfect spot for a relaxing picnic or a leisurely wander. It is in the 19th district and is one of the largest parks in Paris. Cross its lake on the suspension bridge, or admire the waterfalls and attractive temples.
Jardin du Luxembourg: over 25 hectares
These beautiful gardens were first laid out in 1612 as the gardens of the Luxembourg Palace. They include a geometric (结合图形的) forest, French and English style gardens, as well as a large pond. There is so much to see and do with activities especially for children, such as slides, rides and puppet shows, as well as leisure and sporting activities for adults. The gardens are home to more than one hundred sculptures.
Le Parc de la Villette: 55 hectares
This urban cultural park is so much more than just a park as it is home to numerous music venues, exhibition spaces and cafes. It is also home to no less than 12 gardens, which all follow different themes. The Passenger Gardens, for example, which are built on what was once the sheep market, support a variety of ecosystems, demonstrating the importance of biodiversity.
1. Which green space probably suits students who are interested in botany?| A．Jardin des Plantes. | B．Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. |
| C．Jardin du Luxembourg. | D．Le Parc de la Villette. |
| A．They feature American style gardens. | B．They are favorite gardens for the French. |
| C．They house a variety of African animals. | D．They used to be royal gardens. |
| A．Visiting museums. | B．Attending concerts. |
| C．Admiring waterfalls. | D．Watching puppet shows. |
3 . Biking is an amazing family activity, but finding a route that can accommodate a wide-range of ages can be a challenge.
Lee McNeil and his family are crazy about biking. They have seven children, from 4 to 24 years old. When looking for a route, they look for enough protection from traffic, good surface condition, easy access and interesting views.
With that in mind, here are some great routes for biking with your whole family, as are suggested by McNeil.
Iron Horse Trail
This is the McNeil family’s favourite ride. The route is 26 miles and goes through the 2.1mile Snoqualmie Tunnel.
“Beautiful views, the thrill the tunnel, and places to stop and watch the rock climbers make it special,” McNeil said. “All our kids have taken their turn at braving the black tunnel bravely for the first time, which we celebrate it at the end of the ride.”
How to get there: If you prefer, check http://bit.ly/Mlt9y4 for more information.
Centennial Trail
The Centennial Trail runs for 23 miles from Snohomish to Bryant. The trail is wide and smooth, and is safe for kids as it is off the roads. A nice stop is Lake Cassidy east of Marysville. A dock on the lake is fun to explore. It also has picnic tables and washrooms for a convenient lunch time stop.
How to get there: The trail can be accessed from a number of trailheads. For a map, go to http://bit.ly/L5qCeY.
Cascade Trail
The Cascade Trail follows an abandoned Burlington Northern railroad grade for 23 miles between Sedro-Woolley and Concrete. Because it’s on a railroad grade, the slope is gentle and it makes for an easy family ride.
McNeil said it is a “beautiful ride up the Skagit Valley, with lots of places to watch wildlife along the river.”
How to get there: Go to http://bit.ly/PR4wOW to see a map showing the trail, parking areas and bus stops .
Other good choices
Snoqualmie Valley Trail: http://l.usa.gov/nWGWO
Guemes Island: http://bit.ly/LJ3RxL
Burke-Gilman Trail: http://l.usa.gov/s33li
1. We can learn from the passage that Lee McNeil ________.| A．has a large family |
| B．often travels with his family |
| C．teaches his children how to bike |
| D．spends lots of money on bike rides |
| A．Cascade Trail | B．Iron Horse Trail |
| C．Centennial Trail | D．Burke-Gilman Trail |
| A．see a small valley | B．go through a tunnel |
| C．have a picnic for lunch | D．watch the rock climbers |
| A．http://bit.ly/Mlt9y4 | B．http://bit.ly/LJ3RxL |
| C．http://bit.ly/L5qCeY | D．http://bit.ly/PR4wOW |
| A．ask people to learn from Lee McNeil |
| B．tell people how to make a family ride |
| C．introduce some routes for family rides |
| D．encourage more people to ride bikes |
4 . The Picnic Express
Gather a group of family members, loved ones and friends for a Journey with 707 Operations on “The Picnic Express” steam train to Bacchus Marsh, Choose from:
Saturday 15 January
Sunday 16 January
Saturday 22 January
Sunday 23 January
Upon arrival in Bacchus Marsh, have a picnic at Maddingley Park, enjoy the Werribee River or walk around the Bacchus Marsh township. Bacchus Marsh is beautiful at this time of the year and makes the most perfect place to share a wonderful few hours with family and friends.
The historical and picturesque Maddingley Park is best known for its community-built adventure playground; however, its huge trees along the Werribee River make it a significant natural attraction for Bacchus Marsh.
Enjoy the picnic areas and playground, set up some sporting activities or just relax and enjoy the beautiful natural environment at Maddingley Park, while our train stops at Bacchus Marsh.
Step from the train and exit the railway station area to access the beautiful park, which is just moments from the station exit. The air-conditioned train includes ordinary carriages(车厢)and compartment(隔间)carriages seating eight passengers at most in each compartment. Cafe Hudson will serve coffee, teas, cakes, and snacks, as well as beers and wine.
Timetable:
Depart(出发)Melbourne，Southern Cross station 1:20 pm
Depart Footscray Metro station 1:34 pm
Depart Caroline Springs station 1:50 pm
Arrive Bacchus Marsh station 2:30 pm
Depart Bacchus Marsh 5:00 pm
Arrive Caroline Springs 5:38 pm
Arrive Footscray 5:50 pm
Arrive Melbourne, Southern Cross 6:05 pm
Tickets:
$75 Adult; $25 Child (3-16yrs); $525 compartment of 8.
For more information on“The Picnic Express”to Bacchus Marsh and Maddingley Park, please visit https://707operations.com.au.
1. What is Maddingley Park most famous for?| A．Its large trees. | B．Its Werribee River. |
| C．Its historical buildings. | D．Its adventure playground. |
| A．It includes two kinds of carriages. |
| B．It sells visitors lunches and snacks. |
| C．It runs as often as every 15 minutes. |
| D．It stops at different stations in Bacchus Marsh. |
| A．$200 | B．$400 | C．$600 | D．$525 |
5 . You may have your favorite family spots on Long Island where you frequently take the kids. But there may be unexpected places you haven't explored yet.
Animal Exhibit
Not only will you see fish, reptiles and amphibians here, but you'll also see baby alligators and other rescued animals. Kids can also learn about science and participate in programs and workshops throughout the year. The Animal Exhibit is also a hotspot for science-themed birthday parties.
The Mattituck Strawberry Festival
The Mattituck Strawberry Festival kicks off the summer season with sweet treats and more. Long Island is known for numerous and extremely popular fairs and festivals that take place throughout the year. Other summer festivals include the Sayville SummerFest, St. Rocco's Feast, Brookhaven Fair and more. The fall season offers the largest abundance of fairs and festivals, such as the Pickle Festival, Oyster Festival, Long Island Fall Festival and many Hallo ween-themed festivals in Nassau and Suffolk.
Home Depot Kids Workshop
Does your kid enjoy making things by hand? You may want to take a trip to Home Depot Kids Workshop. Offered on the first Saturday morning of each month, workshops allow little ones to build and craft items, such as a skateboard pencil box that they can decorate and keep.
Chuck E. Cheesed
As soon as you. walk through the doors you're instantly greeted by the sounds of other kids laughing as they play arcade games to win prizes and enjoy an animatronic show. After hours of play, check out their restaurant with kid-friendly options.
1. Who is the text specially targeted at?| A．Children. | B．Tour guides. | C．Parents. | D．Students. |
| A．Spring. | B．Summer | C．Autumn. | D．Winter. |
| A．At Animal Exhibit. | B．At The Mattituck Strawberry Festival. |
| C．At Home Depot Kids Workshop. | D．At Chuck E. Cheese's. |
6 . The local transport in Liverpool City Region is convenient for visitors to go around. The following are some means of transport for you to choose from.
By Train
Merseyrail trains run frequently throughout the day across 68 stations in and around the Liverpool area. With 4 city centre underground stations, you can easily get around the city.
You can now buy tickets online. Your ticket will be emailed straight to you, so you don’t have to think about it at the station, just jump on the train and enjoy your journey!
By Bike
Liverpool is easy to get around by bike. Bike parking can be found on the Liverpool Cycle Map. If you`re arriving in Liverpool by train or ferry (渡船), bikes go free.
The CityBike bicycle hire system is also available in the city centre. Find more information at www.citybiheliverpool.co.uk.
By Bus
Bus travel in and around Liverpool is a green and convenient way to explore the destination (目的地). The bus network is run by Merseytravel, with two main city centre bus terminals (终点站) — Liverpool ONE and Queen Square.
1. How many stations do Merseyrail trains run across?| A．2. | B．4. | C．64. | D．68. |
| A．At the bus station. | B．At the ticket office. |
| C．On the Liverpool Cycle Map. | D．At the underground station. |
| A．The City Bike | B．Merseytravel | C．Liverpool ONE | D．Queen Square |
| A．Visitors in Liverpool. | B．Life in Liverpool. |
| C．Travel transport in Liverpool. | D．Fun activities in Liverpool. |
| A．A science textbook. | B．A history magazine. | C．A travel guide. | D．A news report. |
7 . I had an opportunity to teach at a five-star hotel in Nevis, a small island in the Caribbean Sea. After that, my friend Clayton and I flew into Panama City for a surfing outing at a surfing camp in the bay of Chiriqui, whose tourism is booming. To get there, we had to take my tennis bags on and off several buses and boats. After eight hours of travel we finally arrived. The camp was perfect, and the accommodations were not bad. We had an unbelievable week there!
On our return trip, when we got to the bus station, we learned that our bus had been delayed for 2. 5 hours. The sun was beating down on us.
As we walked over to the shaded area, a couple of kids started throwing rocks at me. I opened a can of tennis balls. They stopped and took an interest in the balls. I had a special racket (球拍) with me. I had the strings cut out and replaced them with a net, which is prefect for hotel teaching. I got them to throw the balls into the net. They seemed to enjoy that. Then an older boy got interested, to whom I gave another racket to hit the ball into the net of the catching racket. I showed him how to position and hold the racket. Soon, their bus arrived, and they were on their way.
But families from across the street came over and wanted their 10-minute tennis lesson，too. The other passengers waiting for the bus each got a lesson. Eventually, restaurant workers next door and the bus terminal clerk invited me to give them a lesson, too. They learnt well and were having a great time. And so was I. In what seemed like no time, our bus arrived. Satisfied with what I did, I changed my shirt, and made it back to Panama City.
1. Which can describe the bay of Chiriqui?| A．It develops depending on tourism. |
| B．It is famous for its tennis camps. |
| C．It offers cheap accommodations. |
| D．It is far away from Panama City. |
| A．To attract children. | B．To catch the rocks. |
| C．To help him to teach. | D．To hit the balls back. |
| A．Waiting for the bus. | B．Learning to play tennis. |
| C．Fighting for the shaded area. | D．Playing games with each other. |
| A．Embarrassed. | B．Confident. | C．Amazed. | D．Proud. |
8 . Holidays
Holiday News Vacancies(空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome. Reduced prices for low season. |
The Snowdonia Centre The Snowdonia Centre for young mountain climbers has a mountain climbing lesson. The beginners’ costs are ￡57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost. You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of mountain climbing adventure. |
The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking, waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another. On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home. During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play. You will visit all the places most people only dream about — from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokoy and Hong Kong. For a few thousand pounds, all you’ve ever hoped for can be yours. |
| A．Choose the holiday in Devon. | B．Go to the Snowdonia Centre. |
| C．Join the World Sea Trip of 2008. | D．Visit Acapulco and Hawaii. |
| A．It provides chances of family gatherings. | B．It provides customers with good food. |
| C．It offers a sports lesson. | D．It offers comfortable rooms. |
| A．You can have free meals on deck every day. |
| B．You can sleep on a ship and tour many places. |
| C．You will have chances to watch and act in a play. |
| D．You have to do your own packing and unpacking. |
9 . Ten years ago, I went on a vacation in Italy. After climbing up a hill for a panoramic (全景的) view of the blue sea, white buildings and green olive trees, I paused to catch my breath and then positioned myself to take the best photo of this panorama.
Unfortunately, just as I took out my camera, a woman approached from behind, and planted herself right in front of my view. Like me, this woman was here to stop, sigh and appreciate the view.
Patient as I was, after about 15 minutes, I grew frustrated. Was it too much to ask her to move so I could take just one picture of the landscape? Sure, I could have asked her, but something prevented me from doing so. She seemed so content in her observation. I didn't want to mess with that. Another 15 minutes passed and I grew bored. The woman was still there. I decided to take the photo anyway.
Now when I look at the photo, I think her presence in the photo is what makes the image interesting. The landscape, beautiful on its own, somehow comes to life and breathes because this woman is engaging with it.
This photo, with the unique beauty that unfolded before me and that woman who "ruined" it, now hangs on a wall in my bedroom. What would she think if she knew that her figure is captured and frozen on some strangers bedroom wall? A bedroom, after all, is a very private space, in which some woman I don't even know has been immortalized (使永存). In some ways, she lives in my house.
Perhaps we all live in each other's spaces. Perhaps this is what photos are for: to remind us that we all appreciate beauty, that we all share a common desire for pleasure, for connection, for something that is greater than us. That photo is a reminder, a captured moment, an unspoken conversation between two women, separated only by a thin square of glass.
1. What happened when the author was about to take a photo?| A．Her camera stopped working. | B．A friend approached from behind. |
| C．Someone asked her to leave. | D．A woman blocked her view. |
| A．losing her patience | B．enjoying herself |
| C．waiting for the sunset | D．thinking about her past |
| A．The woman's existence in the photo. | B．The perfect positioning of the camera. |
| C．The rich color of the landscape. | D．The soft sunlight that summer day. |
| A．the need to be close to nature | B．the importance of private space |
| C．the shared passion for beauty | D．the joy of the vacation in Italy |
10 . Six Best Places for ________ in Paris
| Le Closerie des Lilas This restaurant/cafe/brasserie is a true literary location. On the terrace, F. Scott Fitzgerald apparently first revealed the manuscript for The Great Gatsby to Ernest Hemingway. This spot in Montparnasse was also frequented by Paul Verlaine, Max Jacob and Henry Miller, among others. 171 Boulevard du Montparnasse |
| Les Deux Magots Located in Saint-Germain-des-Pres on the Left Bank, Les Deux Magotx gets a mention in Nabokov's novel Lolita. It was also frequented by such heavyweights as Albert Gamus, James Joyce, Bertolt Brecht and Ernest Hemingway. Even Julia Child liked the food enough to plant herself at one of its famed outdoor tables. Today, tables are occupied by tourists instead of typists, but it's worth paying a few euros for a coffee here. 6 Place Saint-Germain Des Pres |
| Pere Lachaise Cemetery Perhaps the world's most famous resting place, Pere Lachaise is the home of Marcel Proust and Oscar Wilde, among scores of other famous people buried here. Singer and 'poet' Jim Morrison is, of course, famously six feet under in this verdant (郁郁葱葱的), ambient cemetery as well. 8 Boulevard de Menilmontant |
| Polidor Ernest Hemingway, Paul Verlaine, James Joyce, Victor Hugo, Henry Miller, Arthur Rimbaud and Jack Kerouac all enjoyed classic French dishes like steak, beef Bourguignon, steak tartare, escargot, and foie gras at this sixth-arrondissement restaurant. In the 2011 Woody Allen film, Midnight in Paris, the protagonist meets Hemingway and Salvador Dali here. 41 Rue Monsieur Le Prince |
| Bar Hemingway F. Scott Fitzgerald used to put 'em back at this fashionable and expensive bar in the Ritz. Musician Cole Porter would spend hours nursing cocktails at the bar and even composed a tune or two here. And, of course, the bar's namesake. Mr Ernest Hemingway, was a regular and even likened the drinking space to heaven. He also mentions the bar in The Sun Also Rises. 15 Place Vendome |
| Shakespeare & Company Since 1951, this Left Bank bookshop has been a central meeting point for the city's English-language lovers of great literature. It's also attracted many legendary writers as well. Williams Burroughs, Anais Nin, James Baldwin, Henry Miller, Paul Auster, Martin Amis and Zadie Smith, among countless others, have shopped for books or participated in literary events here. 37 Rue de la Bucherie |
1. Your friend Jenny plans to go to Paris for travelling and she is a big fan of the famous movie director Woody Allen. Which place would you recommend that she visit?
| A．171 Boulevard du Montparnasse | B．41 Rue Monsieur Le Prince |
| C．8 Boulevard de Menilmontant | D．37 Rue de la Bucherie |
| A．Pere Lachasise Cemetery | B．Les Deux Magots |
| C．Bar Hemingway | D．Polidor |
| A．Literature Lovers | B．Experienced Tourists |
| C．Cuisine Enthusiasts | D．History Researchers |
