1 . Four Great Waterfront Resorts (度假胜地)
Waking up near the water at these wonderful waterfront resorts must be quite an impressive experience for you.
West Oaks Resort
West Oaks Resort is just steps away from some of the best attractions in Okoboji-Arnolds Park Amusement Park, Queen’s Court shopping center, and downtown bars and restaurants. If that isn’t enough, it has a to-die-for view of sunsets, a unique experience for vacationers. The lakeside condos (公寓) in it are equipped with a kitchen, a living room, a master bedroom and an outdoor pool.
Arrowwood Resort & Conference Centre
Located between the beautiful Brooks National Golf Club and the scenic Iowa Great Lakes, Arrowwood Resort & Conference Centre in Okoboji promises a memorable getaway. Spend a day swimming outside, boating on the lake, or staying indoors to explore Water Play-land. Moreover, no trip here is complete without dining at the Minerva’s Restaurant & Bar. With several award-winning dishes, it’s the best place for steak and seafood.
Fillenwarth Beach Resort
A stay at Fillenwarth Beach Resort includes a wonderful cruise (乘船游览) aboard one of the two 49-foot, custom- made cruisers on popular West Lake Okoboji. Or set sail on your own with free access to the resort’s sailboats, rowboats, and paddleboats. The resort also provides guests with accommodations ranging from lakefront houses, studios and penthouses to a collection of cottages and apartments.
Grand Harbor Resort & Waterpark
It is the first themed indoor water park in Iowa with 25, 000 square feet of water attractions. Guests will enjoy water slides, indoor and outdoor tube rides and a water playground. When it comes to the accommodation, Grand Harbor Resort & Waterpark has plenty of rooms where you can overlook the historic town.
1. What highlights West Oaks Resort?| A．The award-wimming food. |
| B．The amazing sunset views. |
| C．The wonderful indoor activities |
| D．The convenient public transportation. |
| A．Enjoy the tasty homemade food. |
| B．Experience the unusual customs. |
| C．Go boating on West Lake Okoboji. |
| D．Have fun at the indoor water park. |
| A．West Oaks Resort. |
| B．Arrowwood Resort & Conference Centre. |
| C．Fillenwarth Beach Resort. |
| D．Grand Harbor Resort & Waterpark. |
1. What is the air like on the island?
| A．Dirty. | B．Fresh. | C．Poisonous. |
| A．Because they can look at some rare animals closely. |
| B．Because they don’t have to pay for their trip. |
| C．Because they can take in fresh air on the island. |
| A．Animals. | B．Fruits. | C．Foods. |
| A．Teacher. | B．Traveler. | C．Guide. |
3 . Parisians have always been known for their courage and enthusiasm. They are very generous and trusting. The culture of communication is well developed among the local people, as they are taught to establish contact with others from early childhood. Here in Paris it is believed that a quiet and modest (谦逊的) person will never succeed even if he or she is very talented and smart.
Visitors are advised to learn at least a bit of French before their trip. If locals see a traveler who tries to communicate using the native language, they start respecting this person and are ready to help. It is worth remembering that even fluent English will cause only a sense of contempt (蔑视) among locals.
Paris is famous for its colorful celebrations and festivals. Various interesting events take place at Christmas and on New Year’s Eve here. June 21 is the day of a famous music festival in particular—this event attracts many music lovers from different countries of the world. All day long, the squares of the city are turned into concert spots, where free concerts are performed. Bastille Day is a very interesting holiday which is celebrated annually on July 14. A beautiful military parade (阅兵) is a necessary part of Bastille Day. The first mention about this celebration was made in 1789. The holiday ends up with grand fireworks.
In early February, the city of Paris is filled with collectors of antique (古董的) cars. The exhibition of antique (复古) cars is held in the center of Porte de Versailles, where you can see antique cars and details about them as well as communicate with interesting people.
Paris can impress anyone with its cultural richness and diversity. In this magical city, something interesting happens all the time. Once in the center of the city, almost every hour you will be able to attend one event or another, moving from the art center to the concert hall, admiring the performances of street artists on the way.
1. Who will be more welcome in Paris according to the text?| A．Someone who is shy and quiet. | B．Someone who is talented and smart. |
| C．Someone who knows a little French. | D．Someone who speaks English well. |
| A．It takes place on Christmas Day. | B．It has a history of over 230 years. |
| C．It includes a lot of free concerts. | D．It ends up with a military parade. |
| A．Most Parisians are very wealthy. | B．Paris is a center of car manufacturing. |
| C．Parisians like collecting antiques. | D．Paris is a city with colourful life. |
| A．In a history book. | B．In a novel. | C．In a science report. | D．In a travel magazine. |
4 . Here we give you an introduction to several cities in the world that were lost in the past and discovered again after a long time.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a very mysterious city near the Urubamba Valley in Peru. It was discovered by the historian Hiram Bingham in 1911, and until then, no one knew of its existence. The city has special structures bordered by stone walls. It is said that the Incas built the city and it was abandoned 100 years later. The main reason is unknown, but some people believe it was due to a decreasing population.
Atlantis
It is still in debate whether this city exists in reality. The city first appeared in Plato’s fictional work in 360 BC. And since then, so many historians and scientists have been in search of the lost city. It is believed that the city sank into the Atlantic Ocean. But some say it was an island in the Mediterranean, an island in northern Europe, or even in Antarctica.
Mohenjo-Daro
Situated in the Indus Valley, the Indus Valley civilization is one of the oldest civilizations. It is believed that the science, art, trade, writing and agriculture of the city was in an advanced form and it had ordered streets and proper drainage (排水) systems. The city disappeared because of climate change. It was rediscovered in 1922.
Pompeii
The city, which is situated not far from Rome, was destroyed in AD 79 due to a volcanic eruption (火山爆发). The entire population was buried under 60 feet of ash. It had around 20,000 inhabitants at that time and the city was a quiet spot for vacation for the upper classes of Romans. After its loss, the ruins were buried and forgotten for 1700 years before being discovered.
1. Which city is possibly unreal according to the text?| A．Machu Picchu. | B．Atlantis. |
| C．Mohenjo-Daro. | D．Pompeii. |
| A．Decrease in population. | B．Climate change. |
| C．Volcanic eruption. | D．Years of war. |
| A．It used to be a popular attraction for some Romans. |
| B．Its exact position has been unknown to us so far. |
| C．It was an advanced city in terms of urban planning. |
| D．It is the most mysterious among the four cities. |
5 . Some Sightseeing Tours
Tour A: Bath & Stonehenge, £39
It includes entrance fees to the ancient Roman bathrooms and Stonehenge. Visit the city with over 2,000 years of history and Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent and the Costume Museum. Stonehenge is one of the world’s most famous monuments dating back over 4,000 years.
Tour B: Oxford & Stratford, £36
It includes entrance fees to the University St Mary’s Church Tower and Anne Hathaway’s house. Oxford: It includes a guided tour of England’s oldest university city and colleges. Look over the “city of dreaming spires (尖顶)” from St Mary’s Church Tower. Stratford: It includes a guided tour exploring much of the Shakespeare wonder.
Tour C: Windsor Castle & Hampton Court, £37
It includes entrance fees to Hampton Court Palace, a guided tour of Windsor and Hampton Court, Henry Ⅷ’s favourite palace. Free time to visit Windsor Castle (entrance fees not included). With 500 years of history, Hampton Court was once the home of four kings and one queen. Now this former royal palace is open to the public as a major tourist attraction. Visit the palace and its various historic gardens, which include the famous maze (迷宫) where it is easy to get lost!
Tour D: Cambridge, £33
It includes entrance fees to the Tower of Saint Mary the Great. It also includes a guided tour of Cambridge, the famous university town, and the gardens of the 18th century.
1. Which tour is the most expensive?| A．Tour A. | B．Tour B. | C．Tour C. | D．Tour D. |
| A．They include a free tour of a church. |
| B．They offer a chance to visit some gardens. |
| C．They include a guided tour of a university. |
| D．They encourage visitors to know Shakespeare. |
| A．Meet a king. | B．Visit a palace. | C．Build a maze. | D．Live in a castle. |
6 . As the world reopens to travelers, the planet’s national parks offer a whole lot of peace and quiet landscapes. Here, let’s find some national parks which are safe and possible to travel to.
·Croatia: Mljet National Park
Generations of vacationers have heard the song of Dubrovnik, the “Pearl of the Adriatic”. When you are bored with the tourists crowding the Old Town, particularly in the peak summer season, choose the national park located only 15 miles offshore. Blanketed in a pine forest, Mljet Island offers activities like cycling, hiking, kayaking(皮划艇) and swimming in the famous saltwater lakes.
·France: Mercantour National Park
Travel 30 miles from the Riviera and you can discover one of France’s last wild areas, a place of great biodiversity and varied landscapes. There’s a red-rock valley, the grass filled with wildflowers, villages located on sheer rock cliffs, etc. Did we mention the prehistoric rock art? A guided hike through the “Valley of Wonders” shows Bronze Age petroglyphs(岩画) carved in stone.
·Iceland: Vatnajökull National Park
Why go for one volcano when you can explore two? Vatnajökull National Park isn’t just a park. This World Heritage Site is formed by volcanic and glacial(冰川的) activities in southeastern Iceland, and covers 14 percent of the country.
·Ireland: Killarney National Park
Created in 1932 as Ireland’s first national park, Killarney is a 25,425-acre area of mountains, lakes, and woodlands. It’s a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve because of its diversity of habitat and species. The park is home to Carrauntoohil, the country’s highest mountain at 1,038.6 meters. And the forest, filled with oaks, yews, and lichens, presents Ireland’s native woodland.
1. What can tourists do on Mljet Island?| A．Play water sports. | B．Visit the Old Town. |
| C．Observe wildflowers. | D．Enjoy beautiful songs. |
| A．Mljet National Park. | B．Killarney National Park. |
| C．Mercantour National Park. | D．Vatnajökull National Park. |
| A．It is a World Heritage Site. | B．It is formed by glacial activities. |
| C．It owns Ireland’s highest mountain. | D．It gets its name from deep valleys. |
7 . Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area
The "World Wonder" and "Fairy Land on Earth" are names enjoyed by the Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area, which is famous for its colorful lakes, snow-capped mountains and valleys. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992.
Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area includes the Huanglong Valley, Mounigou Valley and so on. The major scenery is concentrated in the 3.6-kilometer long Huanglong Valley that includes snow-clad mountains and the easternmost glaciers in China. The Mounigou Valley includes Erdao Lake and Zhaga Waterfall which is the biggest calcified waterfall in China.
Attention
The average temperature is around 7°C all the year round. It is misty in the morning and evening and rainy from May to August.
How to get there
Chengdu to Huanglong
Take a bus from Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station to Songpan county, and the buses depart at 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 and 13:00. The bus fare is 109 yuan. After arrival. take a bus to Huanglong at 6:00, 7:00 or 14:00, and the bus fare is 25-29 yuan.
Jiuzhaigou to Huanglong
Visitors can hire a private car and the fare is around 400 yuan for a round trip.
Other information
Entrance Fee: 80—190 yuan
Huanglong Cable Car Ticket: 40—80 yuan
Opening Hours: 8:00—18:00
Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 day
1. What should visitors bring to have fun in Huanglong?| A．Enough water. | B．Delicious food. | C．Warm clothes. | D．Big shoes. |
| A．By plane. | B．By car. | C．By train. | D．On foot. |
| A．To compare different areas. | B．To make suggestions about trips. |
| C．To show a kind of local culture. | D．To introduce a tourist attraction. |
