1 . I live in Xizhou in Yunnan Province, on the historic Tea Horse Road. I have to admit that when I first heard that Paul Salopek was going to walk the entire globe on his own two feet, I was blown away. I couldn’t imagine that there could be such an unusual person in the world.

Last May, I met Paul. He told me that it was his first time in China. He talked to me with great excitement about the history, migrations, and discoveries in my region of China. He spoke of the Shu-Yandu Dao (the Southern Silk Road), the travels of the 17th-century Chinese explorer Xu Xiake, the Tea Horse Road and the early 20th-century American botanist Joseph Rock. He also talked of Xuanzang. Paul considered many of them heroes and in a sense Chinese pioneers of slow journalism.

I decided to accompany Paul on his walk toward Yunnan. On September 28, 2021, we set out. Our days were simple: walk, eat, sleep, and repeat. We woke up at sunrise, set off in high spirits, and rested at sunset, dragging ourselves into exhausted sleep.

We met many people on the road. Some were curious, surrounding us and watching us; some gave us directions; some invited us into their home to take a rest; some spoke of the charm of their hometown. We met many beautiful souls, simple souls and warm souls. We were walking with our minds.

Together, we were impressed by the biodiversity of the Gaoligong Mountains. As I walked on ancient paths through mountains, I seemed to hear the antique voices of past travelers urging me to be careful on the road.

Looking back on the more than 200 miles I walked with Paul, I came to a realization. Walking for its own sake, while healthy and admirable, is only a small part of the benefit of moving with our feet. A deeper reward is rediscovering the world around us, shortening the distance between each other, and sharing each other’s cultures.

1. How did the writer first respond to Paul’s travel plan?

A．Scared.	B．Puzzled.
C．Disappointed.	D．Surprised.

2. What can we learn about Paul Salopek from paragraph 2?

A．He was a western journalist.	B．He had a knowledge of China.
C．He came to China several times.	D．He was Joseph Rock’s acquaintance.

3. What does paragraph 4 tell us about the writer and Paul?

A．They honored the ancestors.	B．They set off in high spirits.
C．They satisfied the locals’ curiosity.	D．They built bonds with people.

4. What is the main purpose of the writer’s writing the text?

A．To share and reflect on a journey.	B．To suggest a new way of travel.
C．To advocate protection of biodiversity.	D．To introduce and promote Chinese culture.

2 . On October 27, 2021, my friend and I boarded the first flight of our journey from Vancouver Island, to Peru, South America.

Twenty-four hours and four airports later we landed in Cusco, Peru, a city of one million people. Coming from Vancouver Island with only 100 feet above sea level, we knew that we were now at a much higher altitude (海拔) - over 11,000 feet- and needed time to get used to the scarcer oxygen (缺氧) levels! We followed the advice of other travelers and the locals: drink lots of coca leaf tea and rest for a couple of hours before any activity.

We were soon hiking through the ruins and surrounding ancient castles of Cusco. Leaving Cusco the next day, we stopped at the Moray Ruins, which were used for farming by the Incas. Their size and unique design should be considered a lesson in historical engineering skills. This Inca site is one of the least known tourist destinations, but it’s one of the most interesting places to visit.

Arriving in the beautiful Sacred Valley, we stayed at Willka T’ika for the next week. This place is wonderful. We enjoyed delicious vegetarian meals, all made with local produce by loving Quechua people.

You can’t go to Peru without visiting historic Machu Picchu. The “road” up to the ruins is made up of an endless series of switchbacks (急转弯), resulting in cold sweats. It was worth the ride, though.

It was too soon before we were leaving Peru. We learned the unique history of Inca, Quechua culture, and the farming methods still widely practiced. The best thing we took away returning home to Vancouver Island was how simple and caring the people are and how deeply they love the earth and everyone they meet.

1. Why did the author drink lots of coca leaf tea?

A．To have a good rest.

B．To follow the local culture.

C．To feel better at a greater height.

D．To avoid getting thirsty on the way.

2. What does the author think of the Moray Ruins?

A．They’re no longer used for farming.

B．They’re known to most travel lovers.

C．They’re not as interesting as expected.

D．They’re an example of creative engineering.

3. Which can best describe the author’s trip to Machu Picchu?

A．Dangerous and tiring.

B．Risky but worthwhile.

C．Enjoyable and interesting.

D．Comfortable and wonderful.

4. How does the author’s trip to Peru influence him?

A．It encourages him to be more caring.

B．It helps him understand his own culture.

C．It teaches him to accept all the differences.

D．It allows him to experience modern farming.

5 . If you’ve ever travelled with other people, the chances are you’ve had to make compromises.When you want to get up early to watch the sunrise, for example, your friends may argue that getting enough sleep is more important.And when you want to try the different food, your friends might say it looks strange and push you to a Chinese restaurant instead.

This is probably why more people these days are choosing to travel alone.According to reports on holiday habits from the Association of British Travel Agents, the percentage of people in the UK who take trips alone has been increasing, from 6 percent in 2011, to 12 percent in 2017, and to 15 percent in 2018.Most of these people said they choose to travel alone because this allows them to “do what they want”.

In fact, travelling alone is only a part of a recent trend(趋势) of people wanting to take more time alone — or what’s called “me time”.“Imagine yourself as a full pot of water and everything else that asks for your attention is an empty glass.When you provide what is needed for them you are using up your own water supply,” editor Nicole Lyons wrote for the mental health social network Psych Central.“But how are you refilling your pot? This is where your ‘me time’ comes in.”

However, it’s still quite a common belief that those who do things alone are losers and they’re alone simply because they don’t have anybody to be with.But why can’t people just be enough for themselves?

The now Duchess of Sussex “Rachel Meghan Markle” once wrote on her blog in 2016 about how she enjoyed taking herself out to dinner and travelling alone.“It’s not easy.But it’s important, ”she wrote.You should face everything and encourage yourself to move forward when the feeling of loneliness and boredom sweeps through your body and mind, according to Markle.

1. What does the underlined phrase “make compromises” mean?

A．Turn up.

B．Work hard.

C．Give in.

D．Take care.

2. Why do some people choose to travel alone?

A．To save more money.	B．To enjoy their freedom.
C．To calm themselves down.	D．To avoid troubling someone.

3. Why are Markle’s words mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．To show the way of challenging yourself.

B．To tell the importance of travelling alone.

C．To prove the necessity of the sense of loneliness.

D．To introduce the advantage of travelling.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Me time:enjoy yourself alone	B．A new way of travelling abroad
C．Travelling alone: a better way to relax	D．A standard of finding a partner in trips