1 . In Yakutia, Siberia, temperatures drop to as low as -71℃. It is actually one of the coldest places on earth. Located a few hundred miles outside the Arctic Circle, The Republic of Sakha, also known as Yakutiya or Yakut-Sakhat, is now the largest republic in Russia.
Fur(毛皮) hats and thick coats are surely required. Thick fur boots, gloves, and anything else to avoid frostbite is highly encouraged.
People of Yakutia are so used to the cold that they even have an open air market where they can shop for meat and fish. The best part is that they don’t need those huge freezers to keep the meat. Sellers remain outdoors for the entire day in the freezing winds.
And if you think there’s no way to have fun in such a tough environment, think again. They love ice fishing and ice swimming. They actually take off all their clothes and put on their swimwear before swimming in the freezing waters.
It’s so cold outside that some people don’t need freezers anymore. Pipes are left outside as well since they cannot be laid out under the ground because of the hard soil. Other people make do with blocks of ice that they cut from the rivers for free water. Toilet duties are handled outside. Just be sure to do everything quickly.
It’s not always freezing as summer can hit +40℃ though it is short and dry. It is among the coldest cities in the world. Visitors need to do a lot of research and preparations before spending a few days in Yakutia, though it certainly is an interesting place to experience!
1. What can be learned from paragraph 1?A.Yakutia is larger than Russia. |
B.Yakutia is actually the coldest place on earth. |
C.The temperature in Yakutia is always -71℃ in winter. |
D.Yakutia is located a few hundred miles outside the Arctic Circle. |
A.Frozen injury. | B.High fever. |
C.Going out. | D.Falling down because of icy road. |
A.Cut blocks of ice for water. |
B.Sell fish and meat in open air. |
C.Go ice fishing and ice swimming. |
D.Handle toilet duties outside quickly. |
A.In a science report. | B.On a tour website. |
C.In a sports magazine. | D.In an entertainment newspaper. |
2 . Breathtaking Must-See Alaskan Parks, Preserves and Landmarks
Aniakchak
National Monument & Preserve, King Salmon, AK
This frighteningly beautiful park is home to a 6-mile-wide caldera(火山喷口) formed over 3,500 years ago. Because of bad weather and rough path, however, it’s one of the least visited locations in the National Park System With only 134 recorded visits in 2014.
Alagnak
Wild River, King Salmon, AK
Take in the scenic views of the beautiful Alaska Peninsula as you go across the rough waters of the Alagnak Wild River. With an almost untouched landscape, Alagnak is home to a high number of brown bears and is famous for an abundance of prized sportfish, making it the most popular fishing destination in southwest Alaska.
Denali
National Park & Preserve, Denali Park, AK
Founded in 1917, Denali National Park (formerly Mount McKinley National Park) was the world’s first national park established to conserve wildlife. Features of the park include six million acres of untouched terrain, an abundance of wildlife such as grizzlies and caribou and the highest peak in North America at 6,193 meters: Denali.
Bering Land Bridge
National Preserve, Nome, AK
The first settlers of the Americas travelled not by boat, but by foot from modern-day Asia by way of the Bering Land Bridge. Once home to mastodons, mammoths(猛犸象) and other ice age animals, what remains of this ancient “bridge” now houses a thriving(兴旺的) Alaska population and offers insight into the day-to-day lives of prehistoric humans.
1. What will you do in Aniakchak?A.Visit and old bridge. | B.Know about caldera. |
C.Shoot many wild animals. | D.Climb the highest peak in North America. |
A.They are both right for fishing. |
B.They both include untouched areas. |
C.They are both famous for mammoths. |
D.They both offer mountain climbing equipment. |
A.Aniakchak. | B.Alagnak. |
C.Danali. | D.Bering Land Bridge. |
Visitors to Britain may experience local culture in a traditional pub. But for a stranger
Recently a team of researchers
Pub culture is designed to promote communication in a society known for its quietness. Standing at the bar for service allows you to chat with others waiting
“If you haven’t been to
4 . 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. |
5 . If you were to rate the most walkable cities in the world, what would you look for? Would it be how shaded the sidewalks are? How many benches there are along the way to your destination? Or maybe how close you are to shops or local attractions?
Well, the researchers at the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), located in New York. US, wanted to know which of the world’s cities were the best for pedestrians (行人). So, they did just that.
To determine which cities were the most walkable, they rated cities based on factors such as how close citizens were to car-free areas like public parks, how close citizens lived in relation to schools and hospitals, and how short their journeys were overall.
According to the study, they found that the most walkable cities in the world are London, Paris, Bogota and Hong Kong. Overall, London was at the top of the list, outranking (超过) nearly 1, 000 cities around the world on these key factors.
“In order to provide safety and inviting walking conditions for all city residents, it is essential to shift the balance of space in our cities away from cars, providing more travel options for people,” CEO of ITDP Heather Thompson told the magazine Cities Today. She continued, “We have so much to gain-from cleaner air to better health to stronger local economies and deeper bonds within communities, and we all need that now more than ever. ”
Unfortunately, it seems that very few cities make pedestrians a priority, though.
“Our city streets across the planet are already full of cars. If you really want to see the worst for walkability, it is the really sprawling (杂乱无序伸展的) cities of the US, ” commented Taylor Reich, a research associate at ITDP and the primary author of the guide to making cities more walkable.
So, what can cities do to make their streets friendlier for pedestrians?
“There’s no one secret sauce; there’s no one thing you can do to make a city walkable, ” Reich said. “It’s many decisions that are made at all levels from individual streets all the way up to the city design.”
1. What’s the purpose of the study?A.To call on cities to make streets more walkable. |
B.To find out the most walkable cities around the world. |
C.To investigate pedestrians’ satisfaction with city life. |
D.To explore factors impacting the walkability of cities. |
A.The amount of green space on sidewalks. |
B.Traffic and road conditions for pedestrians. |
C.The number of public services for pedestrians. |
D.Accessibility of certain destinations to pedestrians. |
A.Increasing travel choices. | B.Developing local economies. |
C.Limiting the number of cars. | D.Connecting local communities. |
A.Cars are major contributors to reduced walkability. |
B.US cities are designed to give priority to pedestrians. |
C.It is everyone’s responsibility to make a city walkable. |
D.Both small and large scale measures are required to improve walkability. |
The Silk Road was a passage for the transportation of silk in ancient times. Lots of relics (遗迹) on the road can still
The Silk Road is a long route,
If you are an
Along the Silk Road route, Xi’an and Gansu Province are
7 . The following top places that are worth visiting in China are recommended on the tourism website.
Gannan
Located in south western Gansu province and the northeast of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Gannan has both Tibetan culture and spectacular plateau (高原) landscape. With the average altitude of 3, 000 meters above sea level, you can experience Tibetan culture and enjoy the plateau scenery, grand grasslands, Tibetan villages, unique mountain peaks, and hidden wonderlands without the risk of altitude sickness in October.
Yading
Yading, a place where you can gain insight into the Tibetan minority culture, can be available via Daocheng. The golden fall colors here are splendid. The red bushes of Hongcaodi combined with the yellow leaves under the clear blue sky are believed to exhibit the colors of heaven. The temples in these mountains represent the local Buddhist culture.
Kaili
Kaili is one of the best places as a base for exploring minority cultures. In Kaili, the museum, the Sunday market, and the villages nearby with their unique culture and architecture are all worth a visit. It is said that in Kaili“grand festivals occur there every three days, while minor ones occur every day.” Autumn is a perfect season for outdoor activities, when you can enjoy the flesh air and cool weather.
Mongolia Autonomous Region
October is a great time to visit Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. At this time, travelers can go to the quiet Ejina to enjoy the wonderful scenery of the area’s unique populous Euphratica Forest (胡杨林). The particularity of its geographical position has blessed Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region with rich travel resources including plains, deserts, sparkling lakes, and massive herds of cattle and sheep. You can even experience the Mongols’ ancient sporting traditions like horse racing and wrestling.
1. What can you enjoy in the four places?A.Plateau scenery. | B.Minority cultures. |
C.Traditional sports. | D.Temple visit. |
A.Unique architecture. | B.Altitude sickness. |
C.Buddhism temples. | D.Geographical location. |
A.Summer. | B.Spring. |
C.Fall. | D.Winter. |
8 . Four Family-friendly Autumn Walks in the UK
With the coming of autumn, we have decided to make a list of autumn walks for you and the whole family. These places will include historic buildings, wonderful scenery and wildlife for all to enjoy.
Formby Nature Reserve, Liverpool
Formby is a coastal town just north of Liverpool and is luckily one of the few places in Britain where there are a large number of red squirrels(松鼠). Children will love the excitement of getting to see these cute animals. The paths are well protected, meaning they are fit for pushchairs. And dogs are allowed, too.
Hadrian's Wall, Newcastle
The 73-mile-long Hadrian's Wall was completed by the Romans in 128 AD after 6 years' building. Autumn walks along Hadrian's Wall are an excellent way to educate children on the history of the British Isles and really get up close to the styles of Roman buildings rather than just see it in a textbook!
Lyme Park, Peak District
Not only is Lyme Park home to many trees, it is also home to a group of medieval(中世纪的)red deer and a huge Edwardian country manor(庄园). This Peak District walk is quite fit for families, and along the way are playgrounds and tree houses, making sure that the little ones that you are with will never feel bored.
Lakeside Walk at Stowe, Buckinghamshire
This place is on the outskirts of London and provides people with perfect chances to escape from the busy city lifestyle. The flat and wide path around the river makes it more than fit for pushchairs or wheelchairs. This walk is short in length, meaning it is a great way to introduce any young one to walking as a hobby. The walk is great all year round.
1. Kids can learn about the buildings of ancient Rome from ________.A.a walk in Lyme Park | B.a walk along Hadrian's Wall |
C.a walk by the lakeside at Stowe | D.a walk in Formby Nature Reserve |
A.They have old manors. | B.They allow pet dogs in. |
C.They have cute animals. | D.They provide play areas for kids. |
A.It is good for a quiet and relaxed stay. | B.It is quite fit for long-walk lovers. |
C.It is a bit difficult for wheelchairs. | D.It is especially pleasant in autumn. |