1 . Wrap up and buy a ticket on the spot or book online for London by Night Open Top Tour, which departs from Waterloo and lasts 90 minutes. Taking you through Trafalgar Square, the lights of Piccadilly Circus, past Big Ben and more, this tour is a perfect opportunity to see the capital after the sun sets, with most attractions lit up.
Schedule
Departure Times: 7:00 p. m. tour, check in at 6:45 p.m.; 8:00 p. m. tour, check in at 7:45 p. m.
Departure Point: London Eye, Belvedere Road. Tourist bus, London SE1 7NA. Look out for Jubilee Park and Garden on Belvedere Road, which is in front of the London Eye. This is where our blue buses will be waiting.
Note
English live guide will be available on this tour. Audio(音频) guides will be available in 11 languages. To see our social distancing and health and safety policy, visit www.goldentours. com/ covid-19. Customers will need to remain on the bus for the full tour. There will be no breaks during the tour. No restroom available on board. No food will be provided but you may take some by yourself. Free Wi-Fi is available. You may tip the guide for the service. We’ll no longer be providing face masks for all our guests, but you’re very welcome to wear your own mask. Buses will be cleaned thoroughly after every tour. During summer months it’ll operate in the day. You can cancel your reservation for this product up to 48 hours before departure.
1. What can be learnt about the tour?| A．It is scheduled twice a day. | B．It must be booked online. |
| C．Visitors must wear masks. | D．Its buses often leave early. |
| A．Using Wi-Fi. | B．Eating any food. |
| C．Giving guides tips. | D．Getting off the bus. |
| A．It is done in the day. | B．It cannot be cancelled. |
| C．There’re no live guides. | D．The tour time is shortened. |
2 . Some building work threatens Turkish cultural relics. Other kinds of building work save them. A hotel in Antakya shows how economic development and archaeology can coexist.
It was 2009 and Antakya, a city in southern Turkey, was developing fast. Necmi Asfuroglu, a local businessman, decided to build a hotel on the land that he had owned since the 1990s. The place was only a few hundred metres from the Grotto of St Peter, one of the world’s oldest churches.
Before building work started, a team of archaeologists was called in to examine the site. They discovered a broken vase here, a statue there, and almost everywhere colourful mosaic pieces. By the time they had finished, they had unearthed parts of what had once been the heart of Antioch, one of the biggest cities of the Roman empire.
With these discoveries, Mr. Asfuroglu’s plans went up in smoke. “We had to rethink everything,” he said. Rather than walk away from the project, he asked an Istanbul architect, Emre Arolat, to make a design that would put together a modern hotel and an archaeological museum. The building work began in 2010, but stopped again for almost two years after workers came across other cultural relics. In 2020, the museum hotel finally opened its door for business.
For Mr. Arolat, the challenge was to find an architectural language that joined the past glory of an archaeological site and the modern charm of a business hotel. For inspiration, he looked to a museum showcasing the medieval ruins of a Norwegian town. The result is a building that gives a good example of how preservation and business can profitably coexist.
From the outside, the “museum hotel” that Mr. Arolat designed looks like a steel and glass Jenga tower lying on its side and piled up with long rectangular blocks the size of shipping containers, each housing a hotel room. The interior is a huge open space crisscrossed by bridges and walkways that overlook the mosaics and ruins below. The whole building rests on over 60 columns. One entrance serves the hotel, the other the publicly accessible museum.
1. Why was it impossible to carry out Necmi Asfuroglu’s former plans?| A．The architect he turned to showed great dislike for them. |
| B．They threatened the cultural relics discovered in the site. |
| C．A team of archaeologists was called in to go against them. |
| D．They were burned to the ground before building work started. |
| A．A museum showing the ruins of a Norwegian town. |
| B．The heart of Antioch, one of the biggest Roman cities. |
| C．The cultural relics unearthed in Antakya, a Turkish city. |
| D．The Grotto of St Peter, one of the world’s oldest churches. |
| A．It is a steel and glass tower standing near the ruins. |
| B．It rests on more than 60 columns with one entrance. |
| C．Its rooms look like steel and glass shipping containers. |
| D．Inside it are bridges and walkways built over the ruins. |
| A．It is possible to mix the old and the new. |
| B．It is never too late to protect cultural relics. |
| C．It is worthwhile for history to give way to development. |
| D．It is necessary to improve society by developing economy. |
3 . Tianjin Panshan Mountain Scenic Area
Panshan Mountain is listed among the national 5A Scenic Spots and is well-known for its natural scenery, Buddhist temples, and royal gardens.
The mountain was first recorded in books from the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) and became popular in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Seventy-two temples, 13 exquisite towers, and a royal garden were built on the mountain and were well-regarded by several Chinese emperors.
The main peak of Panshan Mountain is Guayue Peak and is surrounded by other peaks including Zigai Peak to the south, Zilai Peak to the north, Jiuhua Peak to the east, and Wujian Peak to the west. The splendid pine trees, clear streams, and the grotesque stones all make Panshan Mountain Scenic Spot attractive.
Ideal sightseeing season: Early January to early March
Opening hours: 8:00—18:00
Ticket price:
1. A single ticket: 118 yuan per person (a free ticket to the Painting and Calligraphy Academy in Panshan Mountain + a ticket for Tianxia Panshan—a performance introducing Panshan’s scenery).
2. Ticket packages:
(1) 198 yuan/person (an entrance ticket + a single trip electro-mobile ticket going up to the top + a one-way cableway ticket to Wansong Temple)
(2) 168 yuan/person (an entrance ticket + a one-way cableway ticket to Wansong Temple)
(3) 178 yuan/person (an entrance ticket + a one-way cableway ticket to Guayue Peak)
3. Astudent or a senior ticket: 62 yuan per person
Address: Lianhualing village, Guanzhuang Town, Jizhou District, Tianjin.
Telephone: +86-22-29821235
Website: http://www.chinapanshan.com/index.html (Chinese)
1. What do we know about Panshan Mountain?
| A．The mountain became popular in the Han Dynasty. |
| B．It has attractive scenery and unique culture. |
| C．It is surrounded by Zigai Peak to the north and Zilai Peak to the south. |
| D．E-mail is available on its website for you to book the ticket. |
| A．In December. | B．In July. | C．In September. | D．In February. |
| A．458. | B．418. | C．398. | D．298. |
4 . For those who have never been to Harbin there’s almost an endless list of things to do. Here are several activities that have to be included.
Turning water into instant ice
One can’t go to the Ice Snow World without stopping by the Sun Island Snow Expo. After all, the former is for appreciating illuminated (照亮的) ice at night, and the latter is for checking out snow in the daytime. Tourists from the south might be astonished by the bright sunshine reflected in the snow, so don’t forget the sunscreen.
This is also a good place to toss water and watch it turn into ice instantly. Find a safe place with no one nearby, and enjoy the unique phenomenon.
Snow tubing (雪地滑轮胎) on the Songhua River
In winter, the Songhua River turns into “thousands of miles of ice” and becomes a natural ice-skating rink. The frozen river offers opportunities for many different winter activities. But make sure the ice is solid before going stomping (跺脚) in the snow.
Speeding down Yabuli Ski Resort
One place you shouldn’t miss when visiting Harbin is Yabuli Ski Resort, where you can ski down splendid snow-covered mountains. The snow is thick and moderately hard. There are junior, middle and senior ski runs. Professional staff are available to improve your skiing ability.
1. Which is a good place to enjoy a night scene?| A．The Songhua River. | B．The Ice-Snow World. |
| C．Yabuli Ski Resort. | D．The Sun Island Snow Expo. |
| A．Get professional guidance for free while skating. |
| B．Choose different routes based on their skiing ability. |
| C．Go down the world’s longest ice slide on Songhua River. |
| D．Toss water and watch it turn into ice wherever you want. |
| A．Travel. | B．Health. |
| C．Entertainment | D．Business. |
5 . The Best American National Parks to Visit for Christmas
The Christmas season can be stressful if you spend every moment cleaning, cooking, and hosting guests. Or the holidays can be a joyful celebration of beauty and peace if you plan an escape to one of America’s splendid national parks.
Yellowstone National Park
Dreaming of a white Christmas? Yellow stone, the country’s first national park, is your top choice. Your family can enjoy a quiet and private getaway（假日休闲地）at Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins. Sit by the fire with hot cocoa and look out at the vast wilderness all around you. Also you can photograph a bison and other wildlife on a winter photo safari.
Rocky Mountain National Park
If you really want to get away from it all over the holidays, plan a trip to a park less traveled in the winter. Rocky Mountain National Park is quiet and uncrowded, but the wildlife is still active. Seeing a moose（麋鹿）in its natural habitat is an experience you won’t forget. Sledding and skiing are also exciting possibilities.
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park offers a fun holiday experience for families. Families can get on the Polar Express that runs from Arizona to the South Rim of the park through early January and enjoy a pleasant ride complete with hot chocolate and cookies. When you reach the “North Pole”, Santa Claus is waiting with a gift for each child. It’s the best way for your kids to enjoy the magic of Christmas.
Virgin Islands National Park
If snow isn’t your thing, don’t worry. Virgin Islands National Park is perfect for you to escape winter. With white sandy beaches, clear blue water, and more than 800 subtropical plants, you will feel like you traveled outside the U.S. to a tropical area. Cinnamon Bay is a major spot for Christmastime visitors looking for water sports like sailing, diving, and snorkeling（浮潜）.
1. In which park can you both see animals and go skiing?| A．Yellow stone National Park. | B．Rocky Mountain National Park. |
| C．Grand Canyon National Park. | D．Virgin Islands National Park. |
| A．Art lovers. | B．Explorers. |
| C．Outdoor photographers. | D．Families with children. |
| A．Various water sports. | B．Beautiful train rides. |
| C．The quiet environment. | D．The snow-covered landscape. |
