1 . Over the last century, engineers all over the world have spared no effort to achieve the unachievable in bridge design.
Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge
No bridge is as long as the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in the world. The 164.8-kilometre-long bridge built in 2011 in China serves as part of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. The trip from Ningbo to Jiaxi ng that previously took 4．5 hours has been reduced to two, thanks to this bridge.
Rio-Niterói Bridge
Completed in 1974, the Rio-Niterói Bridge in Brazil is the second-longest bridge in all of Latin America connecting the cities of Rio and Niterói across the Guanabara Bay. The Rio-Niterói Bridge is technically known as a “box-girder (箱形梁)” bridge, made of special concrete. It receives an astonishing 140,000 (or more) vehicles per day.
Hartland Covered Bridge
The Hartland Covered Bridge is the world’s longest covered bridge. The 1,282-foot-long bridge was opened in 1901 and has been on Canada’s list of National Historic Sites since 1980． Although it was originally built without a roof, the bridge was capped with wooden materials during the repairs in 1921.
Jiaozhou Bay Bridge
The newly-built Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China was named “world’s longest bridge over water” by Guinness Book of World Records in 2011, a title previously held by the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The dispute was settled when the title of “longest continuous bridge over water” was given to the causeway, with the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge receiving the title of “longest bridge over water”.
1. What’s special about Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge?| A．It is available for high-speed trains. |
| B．It is the longest covered bridge across the world. |
| C．It receives an astonishing 140,000 vehicles every day. |
| D．It is longest continuous bridge over water. |
| A．Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge. | B．Rio-Niterói Bridge. |
| C．Hartland Covered Bridge. | D．Jiaozhou Bay Bridge. |
| A．It was once longest bridge over water. | B．It was originally built with a roof. |
| C．It is the longest bridge. | D．It is a wooden bridge over water. |
2 . Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, every trip needs a little planning. Travel planning doesn’t have to be stressful, though. Here are some simple steps for you.
Start planning in advance.
Before you do anything, you need to know how much money you will have for this travel. It is easy to overspend when you are travelling if you don’t plan ahead. So start your planning by working out how much you want to spend on transportation, food, sightseeing and hotels.
Make reservations.
Booking transportation and accommodations in advance is quite necessary. Things like flights, trains and even car rentals can be quite different depending on when and where you book them. It’s worth considering booking accommodations online. There are many reliable websites for booking hotels.
Make a tour routine.
Make your routine simple and clear. You don’t need to plan out every minute of every day.
Pack your essentials.
| A．Get ready to go. |
| B．Set a travel budget. |
| C．See your doctor for health concerns before your trip. |
| D．The longer you wait, the more expensive these will get. |
| E．The further away you want to go, the earlier you need to plan. |
| F．But schedule time for the things you really want to see and do. |
| G．No matter where you’re going, there are some necessities to take. |
3 . Some Innovative Buildings
Cube Houses (Rotterdam, Netherlands)Inspiration: Trees in a forest
Size: About one-fourth the size of a basketball court
As a popular attraction, the 38 Cube Houses are also real houses that people live in! The cubes have concrete foundations and floors with a wood-frame living space on top. The furniture is tailor-made to fit the odd angles. Architect Piet Blom designed the homes based on the idea of “living as an urban roof”.
Wonder Works (Pigeon Forge, the USA)Inspiration: A laboratory in an Italian-style villa
Size: About nine-tenths the size of a football field
Looking at the cracks in this building, you might think, Is it about to collapse? And how do they get palm trees to grow upside down? But the upside-down features are just for show. This indoor amusement park is actually pretty normal with more than 100 hands-on science exhibits and activities.
Guangzhou Opera House (Guangzhou, China)Inspiration: Erosion (侵蚀) of rocks and landscapes
Size: About 13 times the size of a football field
The Guangzhou Opera House was designed by Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid. Though nature inspired the architect, she used 21st-century construction and design methods to make her design a reality. GPS positioning and laser techniques helped shape the structure.
Bubble Palace (Cannes, France)Inspiration: “Habitology”—the idea that habitats should use nature’s curves (曲线)
Size: Almost three times the size of a basketball court
This house may look like a space settlement, but it’s really a 10-bedroom palace. Made of cave-like bubbles, it also has ponds, waterfalls, swimming pools, an outdoor theater and views of the Mediterranean Sea. Architect Antti Lovag had the bubbles built out of iron bars covered with wire web and concrete, and then coated with a mix of fiberglass and plastic.
1. Which building involves a visual trick?| A．Cube Houses. | B．Wonder Works. |
| C．Guangzhou Opera House. | D．Bubble Palace. |
| A．Trees in a forest. | B．A laboratory in a villa. |
| C．A concept on habitat. | D．A geographic phenomenon. |
| A．In China. | B．In France. | C．In Netherlands. | D．In the USA. |
4 . Four Best Beaches in Zanzibar
Zanzibar is home to some of the best beach destinations in the world. Here are our favorites.
Nungwi Beach
This beach is located in the north of the island. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Zanzibar. If you like swimming, you will really enjoy yourself here. But be careful with the tides, because they can rise very fast and catch you. If you stay until sunset, you will be able to see an attractive one.
Paje Beach
It is in the east of the island and is famous for strong tides. You can also practice water sports such as kitesurfing, because this beach is known as one of the best in the world for this activity. Don’t worry about the food, as here you will find a great variety of restaurants with local and international dishes for all tastes.
Jambiani Beach
Jambiani beach, one of the farthest beaches, is located southeast of the island. You can walk for miles to the sea, which is a real wonder, but do it when the tide goes out. It is a very quiet and uncrowded beach.
Matemwe Beach
Located on the east coast of Zanzibar, this beach is one of the longest on the island. During low tide, the water goes down 2 kilometers, and the locals take advantage of it to collect sea animals.
The beach is beautiful but yes, in this particular one, it is essential to enter the water with great care and even appropriate footwear, as there are a lot of sea urchins (海胆).
1. What can visitors do in Nungwi Beach?| A．Go kitesurfing. | B．Taste various dishes. |
| C．Have a swim. | D．Watch the wonderful sunrise. |
| A．Nungwi Beach. | B．Jambiani Beach. | C．Paje Beach. | D．Matemwe Beach. |
| A．Brave surfers. | B．Sunrise lovers. | C．Nightclub frequenters. | D．Sea animal collectors. |
5 . During the Labor Day Holiday, Zha Liguo, at our guide, enjoyed sunrises and sunsets over Huangshan. He was joined by thousands of followers who enjoyed the views on their phones in what is known as “cloud tourism”. During the holiday, Zha would begin his day with a broadcast of the sunrise at the mountaintop. He then would hike across the grand valley and wait for the sunset with his mobile phone.
Having worked in the tourism industry for two decades, Zha began experimenting with live stream in 2022. His positive attitude, engaging presentation, and high quality filming in particular, have helped him attract 700,000 followers.
Not far away from Huangshan, the Hongcun Village is also exploring new possibilities. In less than a year since the village created an official livestream account, it has gained more than 100, 000 followers.
“In addition to the landscape, we also take the audience closer to local folk customs, such as lantern making and wood carving. Compared with the traditional tour, ‘cloud tourism’ can give them a much deeper understanding of a place,” said a manager of a local tourist agency.
“Cloud tourism” has not only increased the appeal of tourist attractions in Hongcun Village but also boosted the growth of local industries. The sales of products in the scenic zone shot up in live stream shows and at present about 40 local tour guides regularly live stream. The live video streams have also cultivated (培养) a huge potential customer base. “I would love to go to Huangshan in the future,” read a message left in Zha’s live stream.
1. What did Zha do in early May?| A．He landed a job as at our guide. | B．He met followers over Huangshan. |
| C．He broadcast day breaks and night falls. | D．He shared routines of daily life online. |
| A．His quality filming. | B．His creative experiments. |
| C．His positive attitude. | D．His engaging presentation. |
| A．It draws attention for natural streams. |
| B．It is located in the valley of Huangshan. |
| C．It benefits financially from-livestream. |
| D．It explores possibilities with landscape. |
| A．Introducing some new folk customs. |
| B．Helping locals to admire the scenery. |
| C．Promoting the woodcarving techniques. |
| D．Attracting tourists to explore the site. |
6 . Trip 1: Three Days in The Country
There are many beautiful gardens. Take your camera and enjoy the wonderful sight in Hunter Valley. It is a good place for fishing and horse riding. You can also find different kinds of flowers here. This is also a great walk for bird-lovers.
Time: May 20-May 22; Tel: 63986432; Adult: $50.00; Child: $25.00
Trip 2: One Week in The Mountains
Bring your strong shoes and warm clothes for this walk in a beautiful area of the Green Mountains. You may go hiking or have a try of rock climbing. This is also a protection area for wild animals. You can find many kinds of animals living in this area.
Time: May 8-May 14; Tel: 64639818; Adult: $110.00; Child: $55.00
Trip 3: Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. It is a trip full of adventure. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the plants you will see on this trip can only be seen at night.
Time: May 16-May 18; Tel: 63875629; Adult: $30.00; Not for children
Trip 4: Five Day By The Sea
Wear you sun ha t and enjoy wonderful sunshine all the time from morning to evening. Our hotel is next to the sea. We have our own boats too. You can swim in the sea or in the swimming pool. Every day our boat will take you to different places for swimming.
Time: May 23-May 27; Tel: 67538293; Adult: $80.00; Child: $40.00
1. Which trip is advised for bird-lovers?| A．Trip 1. | B．Trip 2. |
| C．Trip 3. | D．Trip 4. |
| A．Watching special plants. |
| B．Climbing high mountains. |
| C．Wearing warm clothes. |
| D．Starting with a guide. |
| A．$30. | B．$220. |
| C．$100. | D．$160. |
7 . Did you know you can visit the Great Wall of China, see famous paintings or check in on your favourite zoo animals without leaving home? That’s good news any time. Here are some of explore-the-world-from-home ideas.
THE GREAT WALL, CHINA
This incredible landmark is a collection of walls. It’s often said it’s the only human-made structure that can be seen from the Moon but that claim was made many years before anyone had been to the Moon. Today, the Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history.
VISIT thechinaguide.com/ destination/ great-wall-of-china
CINCINNATI ZOO, US
This famous zoo is offering virtual home safaris. “We’re bringing the zoo to people who are stuck at home,” said zoo director Thane Maynard. “The goal of the daily live sessions is to provide fun and educational content to people who are staying at home.”
VISIT cincinnatizoo.org/home-safari-resources
SMITHSONIAN, US
The Smithsonian Museum and National Zoo has a large range of exhibits available to view online, including Animal Cams—live streams of their animal enclosures so you can get up close with lions, pandas, elephants and more.
VISIT si.edu/kids
MUSEE D’ORSAY, FRANCE
Take some time to study the paintings of Monet, Cezanne, and Gauguin at the Musee D’Orsay, Paris.
VISIT m.musee-orsay.fr/ en
MARS
And for a truly out-of-this-world experience from the comfort of your own home, take a virtual tour of Mars. The tour images are recorded by NASA’s Curiosity rover.
VISIT accessrmars.withgoogle.com
1. How can we describe the Great Wall according to the second paragraph?| A．Antique. | B．Tremendous. |
| C．Well-organized. | D．Popular. |
| A．They require visitors to fill out forms. |
| B．They educate people to protect animals. |
| C．They provide live streams of their paintings. |
| D．They offer visual feasts about animals. |
| A．THE GREAT WALL | B．MUSEE D’ORSAY. |
| C．MARS. | D．SMITHSONIAN. |
8 . When the spring breeze blows, blooming flowers give off pleasant scents, mixing with the smell of earth. In such a charming season, why don’t you grab your camera and snap some photos of the magnificent golden flower sea? Here’s a list of some popular places to view rapeseed flowers(油菜花) across China. It’s time to start your spring journey!
Luoping county, Yunnan provinceBest viewing period: From February to March
Boasting favorable weather and a unique ecological environment, Luoping county in Southwest China’s Yunnan province is home to the world-famous rapeseed flowers. Every year from February to March, the flowers are in full bloom, forming a beautiful and magnificent golden view.
Hanzhong, Shaanxi provinceBest viewing period: From March 20 to April 15
Located in southern Shaanxi province and with favorable weather conditions for growing rapeseed flowers, the Hanzhong Basin is a traditional planting and production base for the oilseed rape vegetable. The city of Hanzhong is home to more than 70,000 hectares of rapeseed flowers, yielding 144,000 tons of canola oil each year.
Menyuan Hui autonomous county, Qinghai provinceBest viewing period: July
Menyuan Hui autonomous county in Northwest China’s Qinghai province is a production base for the oilseed rape vegetable in northern China. Rapeseed flowers can be seen everywhere, but those growing in Menyuan look extremely magnificent. Against the blue sky of the plateau, the beautiful flower sea complements villages and distant mountains and rivers. While walking into Menyuan Hui autonomous county, you may have a feeling of crossing a natural painting.
Xinghua, Jiangsu provinceBest viewing period: April
Known as “a pearl of water town”, Xinghua in East China’s Jiangsu province has rich culture and unique scenery. From April to May, the blooming rapeseeds in Xinghua form a vast golden sea of flowers. The Qianduo area attracts tourists who ride a boat to cruise through the flower sea and are intoxicated by fragrance of the flowers.
1. What do we know about rapeseed flowers in Luoping county?| A．They can be seen everywhere. |
| B．They are the best rapeseed flowers in China. |
| C．They bloom earlier than the other three places. |
| D．They cover the largest area among the four places. |
| A．Xinghua, Jiangsu province |
| B．Hanzhong, Shaanxi province |
| C．Luoping county, Yunnan province |
| D．Menyuan Hui autonomous county, Qinghai province |
| A．They are favored by foreigners. |
| B．They share the same best view period. |
| C．They are well-known for rapeseed flowers. |
| D．They are in the southern provinces of China. |
9 . Jaw-dropping architecture isn’t new. We’re still fascinated by the Great Pyramid built 4,500 years ago! Read for more recent examples of innovative buildings constructed using modern technology.
Crooked House (Poland)
COMPLETED: 2004
With its curved (弯曲的) walls and roof, it is popular with photographers. However, staring at it for too long might make you dizzy! Inside is a typical mall and office building. A favorite feature is the Wall of Fame, with signatures from Polish celebrities (名人). It’s modeled after the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Cube Houses (Netherlands)
COMPLETED: 1984
The Cube Houses are a popular attraction, but they are also real houses that people live in! The furniture is tailor-made to fit the strange angles where the walls meet. Architect Piet Blom designed the homes based on the idea of “living as an urban roof,” with the housing above and the courtyards, shops, and even a chess museum below.
Wonder Works (US)
COMPLETED: 2006
Looking at the cracks in this building, you might think, is it about to collapse? But it’s all an illusion (幻觉). This indoor amusement park is actually pretty normal. The upside-down features are just for show. Inside are more than hands-on science exhibits and activities, including a laser-tag zone and a hurricane-force wind tunnel!
Guangzhou Opera House (China)
COMPLETED: 2010
It was designed by Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid. She said she let natural places inspire her buildings, such as this opera house on the Pearl River. She used latest construction and design methods to make her design a reality. GPS positioning and laser techniques helped shape the structure, which includes tons of steel and glass.
1. What makes Cube Houses different from the others in the list?| A．Its latest techniques. | B．Its residents inside. |
| C．Its famous signatures. | D．Its upside-down features. |
| A．Crooked House | B．Cube Houses | C．Wonder Works | D．Guangzhou Opera House |
| A．To introduce amazing architecture. | B．To advertise specifically-designed programs. |
| C．To inspire students to make innovations. | D．To urge people to protect historical buildings. |
10 . The Best Silk Road Tour
Silk Road, a business and trade route, originates from the ancient China and connects with the Asian, African and European countries. Our well-designed Silk Road tour package will never let you down.
Departure City: Shanghai
Guide & Driver: English-speaking guide, experienced driver with an air-conditioned vehicle. Meals: 12 western buffet breakfasts, 6 lunches with some being alacarte (点菜) style.
Tour Highlights:
·Must-see sights in China-Terracotta Warriors, Famen Temple, Dunhuang Mogao Caves, Maiji Caves, Jiayuguan Pass and Mutianyu Great Wall.
·Trace back to the Silk Road of 2,000 years ago & learn about the culture and history Marvel at the art treasure-Mogao Caves & enjoy an exciting camel riding in the Gobi Desert. We Guarantee 100% No Shopping Stops!
Tour Prices
Tour Prices with Luxury Hotels | ||
2-3 travelers | 4-5 travelers | 6-9 travelers |
Each person: $3700 | Each person: $3200 | Each person: $2900 |
Tour Prices with Standard Hotels | ||
2-3 travelers | 4-5 travelers | 6-9 travelers |
Each person: $3400 | Each person: $3000 | Each person: $2600 |
·Prices are per person in US Dollars.
·Any parts of the tour length, activities or hotels can be tailored to your individual interests. Are you ready to follow the footsteps of the ancients to explore this mysterious land now?
1. What will people do on the tour?| A．Appreciate the ancient heritage. | B．Ride on camels all the way. |
| C．Stay a few nights in caves. | D．Do a lot of shopping. |
| A．A Beijing businessman good at golf. | B．A Japanese model loving fashion. |
| C．A Yunnan biologist interested in birds. | D．An American student learning history. |
| A．$3400. | B．$3700. | C．$10200. | D．$11100. |
