1 . Look at the map of Spain and point at the center. You've located the country's capital and one of Europe's most beautiful cities: Madrid. This popular destination is considered a city of contrasts with its abundant historic sites, resting in the shadows of modern skyscrapers.
History
This city of over 3 million people is proud of Western Europe's largest royal palace, and some consider it to be Madrid's most beautiful building.
Inside the Royal Palace 2,800 rooms are decorated in glory with museum-quality furniture and artworks. Tourists can tour 50 of these large and splendid rooms.
Art
The Internationally respected Prado Museum is the largest and most impressive art gallery in Spain. Opened in 1819, it is filled with works of art that feature the world's most comprehensive collection of Spanish paintings.
Shopping
Madrid has some of Europe's best shopping, and potential buyers love to look through the stores looking for bargains. But for 500 years, shoppers have gathered to an extremely large outdoor flea market known as the Rastro where they find everything from antiques to CDs.
Entertainment
No trip to Madrid is complete without seeing a performance of Spain's famous art form, flamenco. Every day, flamenco performers sing, dance or play the guitar in small cafes and grand theaters alike.
Food
Madrid has a wide variety of restaurants, but because the Spanish typically eat late at about 9 or 10 p.m., it's difficult to find good dinner food earlier. If you get hungry before then, the best solution is to try a tapas bar where light snacks are served. Be sure to try the jamon, a kind of dry-cured ham: Spain is famous for it.
1. What do we know about the Royal Palace in Madrid?A.It has 50 rooms for visit. |
B.It can hold 2, 800 people. |
C.It's been visited by 3 million people. |
D.It is thought to be the largest in Europe. |
A.For discount. |
B.For artworks. |
C.To sell various goods. |
D.To sell antiques and CDs. |
A.Having dinner earlier. |
B.Enjoying flamenco. |
C.Visiting Prado Museum. |
D.Drinking in a tapas bar. |
2 . Here are four wonderful hotels and campsites in Europe.
Ekies All Senses Resort, Chalkidiki, Greece
This could be the perfect retreat for stressed parents who need spoiling. For a start, it’s in lovely Greece, but there’s no need to take a ferry, as it’s on the mainland. With a juice bar beside the(heated)pool, open-air spa, calm beach, restaurants or meals on demand, and secret bays to explore by boat, it makes for a super-relaxed break.
·Doubles from € 88, junior suite(sleeps 4)from €138 a night, family suite(sleeps6) from €272 B&B, open late
April-October, i-escape.com
Casa Vicentina, Algarve, Portugal
For a back-to-nature feel, family-run Casa Vicentina in the Algarve is perfect. Built with ecological materials, it’s in a protected park area on a natural lake. Breakfast is a plentiful buffet-and bikes are supplied free of charge so you can go to the beach or cafes and restaurants. Accommodation is in brightly decorated rooms or larger suites complete with small kitchens.
·Rooms from €75 B&B, wonderfulland. Com
Fairy Chimney Inn, Cappadocia, Turkey
Older kids will love the fairytale landscape of Cappadocia and the excitement of staying in a cave hotel. The Fairy Chimney Inn used to be part of a cave monastery(修道院). Its rooms are beautiful and homely, with traditional decorations and the occasional reminder of the modern world. All rooms have courtyards overlooking the extraordinary landscape.
·Rooms from €55 B&B, plus 11 per child, fairychimney. Com
Casa San Gabriel, Umbria, Italy
Casa San Gabriel is a small hilltop farm where three self-catering cottages share a swimming pool, playground and barbecue. There’s added excitement for young guests in the family of alpacas(羊驼)kept on site. There are several water, wildlife and activity parks nearby, and slightly further afield a Pinocchio theme park.
·A week at II Fienile cottage (sleeps 4-6)costs from €650, B&B (low season only) from €95, casasangabriel. com
1. In the Ekies All Senses Resort, you can enjoy_______.A.a ferry journey | B.an open-air spa |
C.living in tree houses | D.dancing in the playground |
A.The Ekies All Senses Resort. | B.Casa Vicentina |
C.The Fairy Chimney Inn | D.Casa San Gabriel |
A.i-escape.com | B.wonderfulland.com |
C.fairychimney.com | D.casasangabriel.com |
Welcome to the world-famous house where William Shakespeare was born in l564 and where he grew up .The property (房产) remained in the ownership of Shakespeare’s family until 1806 .The House has welcomed visitors travelling from all over the world for over 250 years.
◆Enter through the Visitors’ Centre and see the highly-praised exhibition Shakespeare's World,a lively and full introduction to the life and work of Shakespeare.
◆Stand in the rooms where Shakespeare grew up.
◆Discover examples of furniture and needlework from
Shakespeare’s period.
◆Enjoy the traditional English garden,planted with trees and flower mentioned in the poet’s works.
The Birthplace is within easy walking distance of all the car parks shown on the map;nearest is Windsor Street(3 minutes’ Walk).
The House may present difficulties but the Visitors’ Centre,its exhibition,and the garden are accessible (可进入的)to wheelchair users.
The Shakespeare Coffee House (opposite the Birthplace).
1. How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and two children?
A.£9.80. | B.£12.00. | C.£14.20. | D.£16.40. |
A.Behind the exhibition hall. |
B.Opposite the Visitors’ Centre. |
C.At Windsor Street. |
D.Near the Coffee House. |
A.the House | B.the garden |
C.the Visitors’ Centre | D.the exhibition hall |
Hurghada—A Water Sport Paradise
With 250 hotels ranking from comfortable 3-star hotels up to 5-star accommodation, the main attraction of staying here is the activities in and on the warm waters. It has become an international center for water sports, allowing visitors to take part in surfing, sailing and deep-sea fishing. The waters are also home to a huge variety of coral and fish, making it a dream spot for diving. If all that isn’t enough, Hurghada is home to some of the world’s finest underwater gardens.
Luxor—An Open-air Museum of Ancient History
For those with an interest in Egyptian history, Luxor is an excellent place to stay and is built upon the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. If you make this the base for your Egypt holiday, you’re basically staying in an open-air museum! The modern city of Luxor has the ruins of Karnak. Across the Nile lie many more monuments, temples and tombs including the Valley of Kings and the Queens. The Nile sailing is necessary for those with an interest in the country’s ancient history.
Cairo—The Capital City
Finally, of course, there’s Cairo. It’s definitely a starting point for most of Egypt holidaymakers. Cairo offers an excellent mix of culture, art, cooking and sightseeing chances. With the famous pyramids, various temples and some fascinating museum, Cairo is a fantastic choice if you can come to the city.
1. Visitors flood to Hurghada mainly because it can offer them____________.
A.the funniest botanic gardens | B.choices of water activities |
C.a brief history of Egypt | D.the mix of culture and art |
A.Cairo | B.Luror | C.Thebes | D.Hurghada |
A.a historical document | B.a science magazine |
C.a travel guide | D.a book review |