1 . I was dirty, smelly, hungry and somewhere beneath all that, suntanned (晒黑的). It was the end of an Inter-Rail holiday. My body couldn’t take any more punishment. My mind couldn’t deal with any more foreign timetables, currencies or languages.
“Never again,” I said, as I stepped onto home ground. I said exactly the same thing the following year. And the next, all I had to do was to buy one train ticket and, because I was under twenty-five years old, I could spend a whole month going anywhere I wanted in Europe. Ordinary beds are never the same once you’ve learnt to sleep in the passage of a train, the rhythm rocking you into a deep sleep.
Carrying all your possessions on your back in a rucksack (背包) makes you have a very basic approach to travel, and encourages incredible wastefulness that can lead to burning socks that have become too anti-social, and getting rid of books when finished. On the other hand, this way of looking at life is entirely in the spirit of Inter-Rail, for common sense and reasoning can be thrown out of the window along with the paperback book and the socks. All it takes to achieve this carefree attitude is one of those tickets in your hand.
Any system that enables young people to travel through countries at a rate of more than one a day must be pretty social. On that first trip, my friends and I were at first unaware of the possibilities of this type of train ticket, thinking it was just an inexpensive way of getting to and from our chosen camp-site in southern France. But the idea of non-stop travel proved too attractive, for there was always just one more country over the border, always that little bit further to go. And what did the extra miles cost us? Nothing.
We were not completely uninterested in culture. But this was a first holiday without parents, as it was for most other Inter-Railers, and in organizing our own timetable we left out everything except the most available sights. This was the chance to escape the guided tour, an opportunity to do something different. I took great pride in the fact that, in many places, all I could be bothered to see was the view from the station. We were just there to get by, and to have good time doing so. In this we were not different from most of the other Inter-Railers with whom we shared passage floors, food and water, money and music.
The excitement of travel comes from the sudden reality of somewhere that was previously just a name. It is as if the city in which you arrive never actually existed until the train pulls in at the station and you are able to see it with your own tired eyes for the first time.
1. At the end of his first trip, the writer said “Never again” because ________.| A．he fell ill |
| B．he disliked trains |
| C．he was tired from the journey |
| D．he had lost money |
| A．Worrying about your clothes. |
| B．Throwing unwanted things away. |
| C．Behaving in an anti-social way. |
| D．Looking after your possessions. |
| A．To get to one place cheaply. |
| B．To meet other young people. |
| C．To see a lot of famous places. |
| D．To go on a tour of Europe. |
| A．he could see more interesting places |
| B．he could spend more time sightseeing |
| C．he could stay away from home longer |
| D．he could make his own decisions |
| A．A name. |
| B．The city. |
| C．The train. |
| D．The station. |
2 . Many families take their children on vacation. They will usually travel for a few days or weeks during school breaks. But Mr and Mrs Smith have planned a longer vacation with their two children. The Smith family is on a one-year trip around the world, and they planned to visit 30 countries in all. Right now, the four travelers are about halfway through their trip.
Mrs Smith says they are trying to see as much of the world as they can. Mr Smith says one of the most interesting experiences of the trip has been meeting new people. He says people have been extremely friendly, very welcoming and love their kids. Eleven-year-old Tyler says he has enjoyed learning about the people they have met. He says, “I learned in Africa that people have very different lifestyles.” His sister, Kara discovers that she likes Thai food. Mrs Smith says that the trip teaches the children a lot.
The Smiths made good preparations for the trip. They did a lot of research, choosing destinations and arranging accommodations. Mr Smith uses unpaid leave. They carry small bags filled with lightweight clothing and whatever else they need. Mrs Smith says she enjoys being able to carry everything she needs on her back. “What has become important is making unforgettable memories as a family and taking ‘those’ with us instead.” The Smiths will continue to head east for the next six months.
1. The Smith family’s trip is different from many others’ because they travel ______.| A．with their children on vacation |
| B．for a few weeks without children |
| C．during school breaks with children |
| D．around the world for a year with children |
| A．living in Africa | B．having Thai food |
| C．meeting new people | D．teaching their children |
| A．They planned to visit 11 countries. |
| B．The children learn a lot during the trip. |
| C．They enjoy different kinds of food in Africa. |
| D．They continue to head west for the next six months. |
| A．accepted new jobs | B．did much research |
| C．picked up everything | D．bought thick clothing |
| A．the breaks they take | B．the small bags they carry |
| C．the destinations they choose | D．the memories of the family |
Imagine a world with no more wild animals: no elephants, no giraffes and no lions.
To some people, that thought is too terrible, so they are doing something about it. Being surrounded by wild animals — feeding them and caring for them — is all Tiffany Soechting has ever wanted to do all her life. And that is exactly what she does.
Soechting is the human “mother” to the 500 animals that live on her family’s wildlife farm. On the farm, she cares for creatures from every continent except Antarctica (南极洲).
Visitors get a chance not only to see these creatures there, but also to feed them, And the animals are not against that. For them, people and the special vehicles used on the farm are part of their natural environment. “When you come here, the animals are walking around freely like they would if they were in their native homeland. And you can touch them,” said Soechting. “For the most part, the majority of them were born and grew up here. But even when we bring them in — like if we bring a new male in the rest of the herd (兽群) is comfortable with what is going on.”
Tourists are not the only people to visit the farm. Many schools come for field trips all throughout the year, so it is a place of education as well as conservation. But for Soechting, the farm is simply home, and it has been for many generations.
As the animals walk peacefully around, it is easy to forget that a busy city is just a few minutes away. Tiffany Soechting and the 500 animals do not seem to give it a second thought.
1. What does Tiffany Soechting do?2. What can visitors do on Soechting’s family farm?
3. How do animals feel about the visit?
4. Apart from animal conservation, what else can people do on the farm?
5. What does the sentence “Tiffany Soechting and the 500 animals do not seem to give it a second thought” in the last paragraph mean?
4 . Fallingwater is a house built over a waterfall in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s most famous architect, designed the house in 1935. It instantly became famous, and today it is a National Historic Landmark.
▷Guided House Tour
This tour features all the major rooms of the house and lasts about one hour. Photography is not permitted during this tour. The Guided House Tour allows children six-year-old and older to enjoy the house with their parents.
Adults—$$ 20. 00 with advance purchase
—$$ 23.00 when purchased on site
Youth (ages 6~12)—$$ 14.00 with advance purchase
—$$ 17.00 when purchased on site
Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, except Wednesday.
▷ In-Depth Tour
The tour is best if you desire a greater understanding of what Wright was seeking to create with his masterwork. The number of visitors on each tour is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children eight years and older may accompany adults on this tour.
$ 65.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)
Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
▷Sunset Tour
As afternoon turns to evening, the changing light allows you to see Fallingwater from an entirely new perspective. The number of visitors is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children under nine-years-old are not permitted on this tour.
$ 110.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)
July and August—Daily at 4:45 pm
▷ Brunch Tour
The guests join their guide for brunch before they leave. Children nine years and older may accompany adults on this tour. Please allow three hours total for this experience.
$ 115.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)
Saturdays & Sundays at 9:00 am
1. How much will a father and his 9-year-old boy spend if they buy the Guided House Tour tickets ahead of time?| A．$ 28 | B．$34 | C．$ 40 | D．$ 51 |
| A．Guided House Tour & In-Depth Tour |
| B．In-Depth Tour & Sunset Tour |
| C．Guided House Tour & Brunch Tour |
| D．Sunset Tour & Brunch Tour |
| A．The tickets are available on site. | B．It is not accessible in August. |
| C．It is only open for teenagers. | D．The number of visitors is limited. |
| A．Brunch Tour | B．In-Depth Tour |
| C．Sunset Tour | D．Guided House Tour |
| A．They forbid visitors taking photos. |
| B．They offer brunch free of charge. |
| C．They encourage advance booking. |
| D．They have the same price of tickets. |
5 . You should see the photo. I’m sitting in red dirt,
It was a strange choice for a holiday. I like sitting by the pool with a cola, not flies and frogs. I like being
But here’s the thing about that photo: I am smiling!
The trip sounded good when I
In Darwin we got onto a bus. It quickly became tiresome. The kids were
But later when I looked out at the large empty land, I was surprised at and moved by its
Finally we reached our
It didn’t matter. The next nine days were
On our last night, a water pipe (管子)
Indeed, it was
Yes, the coffee was bad, but I was too focused on keeping crickets off my face.
I love that photo of me in the dirt. I look messy but happy. Sometimes it’s another way of traveling. There is beautiful
| A．washing | B．wearing | C．waving | D．watching |
| A．noisy | B．busy | C．alone | D．shy |
| A．shortly | B．cautiously | C．freshly | D．clearly |
| A．signed up | B．showed up | C．stood up | D．woke up |
| A．guide | B．business | C．culture | D．resource |
| A．silent | B．encouraged | C．moody | D．excited |
| A．coldness | B．beauty | C．enthusiasm | D．emptiness |
| A．goal | B．agreement | C．destination | D．decision |
| A．killed | B．packed | C．wasted | D．booked |
| A．cut | B．expanded | C．shortened | D．broke |
| A．scared | B．complained | C．laughed | D．saddened |
| A．normal | B．strange | C．unbelievable | D．perfect |
| A．impossible | B．probable | C．easy | D．important |
| A．tested | B．stored | C．valued | D．experienced |
| A．dress | B．weather | C．scenery | D．room |
| A．For shopping. | B．For work. | C．For sightseeing. |
1. 简单介绍一下盘山；
2. 提醒他应做的准备（如：地图、衣物、食品、查询天气预报等）；
3. 希望他注意安全，享受探险的乐趣。
注意：
1. 词数不少于100；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear John,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
8 . New York City is home to some of the tallest buildings on Earth. Recently, a new skyscraper joined them. This time it’s the thinnest in the world.
After years of development, Steinway Tower is now complete. The height of the building is 435 meters. But it’s just 18 meters wide. The width-to-height ratio is 1:24. That makes the building look very thin, like a chopstick sticking up from the ground. For context (供参考), CITIC Tower, known as China Zun Tower in Beijing, stands at 528 meters, but is 84 meters wide.
You don’t need to worry that the building may break in half during a storm. According to SHoP Architects, the designer of the building, it was made with the world’s strongest concrete . However, the building may still move in strong winds. That would cause loud noises, and people inside may feel dizzy (晕眩的).
Many modern tall buildings have a secret tool inside to help them stand still. It’s called a damper (风阻尼器), usually a huge steel ball that weighs hundreds of tons. For example, the Steinway Tower has a damper of 800 tons. It swings back and forth inside the building to balance the force of the wind.
There are many people living and working in New York City. Land there is very expensive. Skyscrapers are a great choice for saving land. Meanwhile, designers wanted to make the Steinway Tower a landmark. Part of the building is the 96-year-old historic site of Steinway Hall. It was famous for concerts in the 20th century. The special design of the skyscraper may help people remember the past glory (辉煌) of Steinway Hall.
1. What do we know about the Steinway Tower?| A．It is the world’s tallest building. | B．It is a little wider than China Zun Tower. |
| C．The building work started this year. | D．No other building is as thin as it. |
| A．The breaking of the building. | B．The swinging of the building. |
| C．The sounds of strong wind. | D．The falling of the strongest concrete. |
| A．Standing near other tall buildings. | B．Weighing hundreds of tons. |
| C．Having a big steel ball inside. | D．Swinging slowly in the wind. |
| A．To save land. | B．To show off their skills. |
| C．To welcome more people. | D．To make space for landmarks. |
| A．It is a common way to build theaters. |
| B．It is partly in memory of a famous old building. |
| C．It is the same as the design of Steinway Hall. |
| D．The historic style made it famous in the 20th century. |
9 . We are so used to the beauty of trees, plants and flowers that we may even take it for granted without realizing how much inspiration it has given us. For instance, an open flower might make us think how
Nature has inspired many of the most fascinating designs around us, those in architecture included. Today, architects continue to
People whose interest is exploring the
Watching a nature documentary in which termites were constructing their nests inspired Zimbabwean architect Mick Pearce to create the Eastgate Centre. The design
The world’s first algae-powered building is in Hamburg, Germany. The
Creating buildings such as these enables us to live
| A．nearly | B．hardly | C．closely | D．narrowly |
| A．discover | B．explore | C．tend | D．support |
| A．polishes | B．shares | C．respects | D．works |
| A．relationship | B．discussion | C．balance | D．friendship |
| A．painted | B．shaped | C．sculptured | D．translated |
| A．pleased | B．disappointed | C．amazed | D．annoyed |
| A．truly | B．fiercely | C．suddenly | D．slightly |
| A．increases | B．forms | C．reduces | D．creates |
| A．fewer | B．less | C．more | D．much |
| A．surface | B．foundation | C．bottom | D．background |
| A．light | B．steam | C．radio | D．heat |
| A．keeps off | B．sticks to | C．comes up with | D．responds to |
| A．attack | B．damage | C．quality | D．amount |
| A．in need of | B．beyond control of | C．on basis of | D．in harmony with |
| A．simplest | B．mildest | C．worst | D．latest |
| A．Paris. | B．London. | C．Amsterdam. |
