1 . Big Ben is not the name of a man. It is the name, of a huge (庞大的) clock in London. London is the capital of England. This clock has four faces. So, no matter where you stand, you can read the time on the face of Big Ben. Each face is the size of a double-decker (双层的) bus. The hands are about four meters long. It is about the size of two people standing on top of each other. If you go to London, you may want to visit the Houses of Parliament (国会大厦). There you will find Big Ben sits at the top of the clock tower (塔) in the Houses of Parliament. Maybe you will hear it as well as see it. The huge clock makes such a loud noise. “Ding dong, ding dong,” it goes every quarter of an hour.

The clock was named after a big man. He was Sir Benjamin Hali. This man did much building work in London many years ago.

1. Big Ben is ______.

A．a double-decker bus	B．a huge clock
C．the name of Ben	D．another name of London

2. The clock strikes every ______of an hour.

A．ten minutes	B．fifteen minutes
C．thirty minutes	D．forty minutes

3. You can read the time of Big Ben ______.

A．at the top of the clock tower	B．in the Houses of Parliament
C．on the four faces of the clock	D．under the clock tower

2 . A

Personalized Day Tour in the Netherlands

Gain close insight (洞察力) into the Netherlands’ artistic works on this private walk tour from Amsterdam, led by a professional art historian. Benefit from your guide’s insider knowledge to create a fully personalized journey. Choose from a vast range of museums, galleries, and attractions across the region, such as the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery in The Hague, or Keukenhof Gardens.

Countryside Bike Tour

Cycle away from the urban noise and disappear into the countryside on this guided bike tour, which lasts about 5 hours. Visit a historical windmill, a farmhouse and a factory of Dutch styles. This enjoyable ride takes your small group along the Amstel River, past country villages and green fields dotted with cows. Learn about rural Dutch traditions and history, and finish your tour exploring Amsterdam’s parks including Vondelpark, Amsterdamse Bos and Beatrixpark.

Guided Canoe (轻舟) Adventure

Paddle through Holland’s Waterland area on a canoe from Amsterdam. With an expert guide, travel north to Waterland. Then, board a canoe and paddle around the dreamlike waterways. Enjoy the sound of birdsong and scents of wild plants, and hear about the region’s traditional way of life. Stop for a swim if the weather allows, and visit an island for a picnic of local produce. Numbers are limited to 10 for a small-group experience.

Day Trip to Bruges

Discover the charms of Bruges on this 12-hour trip from Amsterdam. As you travel by bus, learn about the history of Belgium. Explore the city of Bruges, visiting the Market Square, Town Hall, and other historic sights. Experience and learn about the amazing culture of this city, especially about the Church of Our Lady and enjoy a bit of free time before your return to the Netherlands.

1. Which trip is best for an art student?

A．Personalized Day Tour in the Netherlands.

B．Countryside Bike Tour.

C．Guided Canoe Adventure.

D．Day Trip to Bruges.

2. What is the main difference among the four trips?

A．Length of time.	B．Means of transport.
C．Place of departure.	D．Size of group.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A travel diary.	B．A guide to Bruges.
C．A history textbook.	D．A travel website.

3 . If you’re going travelling after university or as a career break, an extended period of time of unemployment can leave a gaping hole in your CV.     1     As long as you plan your trip carefully and think about what you can do, travelling can actually boost your CV and career.

Recharge you batteries

If you’ve just spent three or four years at university, or working without a break, then you’ll need to recharge your batteries. If you take time out to travel you’ll have the opportunity to think about what’s important in your life and refocus on your career.     2    

Learn a new skill

If you’re going on a round-the-world trip then you could be travelling from anywhere between a month to a year, why don’t you learn a new skill while you’re on the road?     3     All businesses and companies need candidates with a broad skill set, so look at learning another language or getting further qualifications to boost your CV.

Make contacts

When you’re backpacking and travelling, try to make contacts with people who might be useful for your career. With the rise of social media, making contacts is as simple as saying “just tweet me” or “I’ll add you on Facebook”. The contacts you make while travelling could be your avenue into a new career.     4    

Volunteer

    5     Not only will you make a difference to the community and society, but it’ll look great on your CV. With volunteering you’ll learn what it means to live and work in another country, and employers are actively encouraging it. In a survey, 63% of HR professionals said that those who have taken a constructive gap year of volunteering or working abroad had an application that stood out from the rest.

A．But don’t worry.

B．Consider the simplest way you can meet their needs.

C．It’s important to network wherever you are in the world.

D．More often than not, you’ll come home feeling refreshed and energetic.

E．Think about what employers are looking for in your industry and cater to that.

F．One of the hardest things to overcome when applying for a job is work experience.

G．Volunteering is one of the most popular activities for gap years and round-the-world trips.

4 . 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Needless to say, the trip to the Great Barrier Reef (大堡礁) was a great experience.

The first day     1     (begin) early at a dive (潜水) shop in Cairns.     2     took a few hours to get to the first reef, so we had a good chance     3     (meet) the people we’d be hanging out with.

Diving was great. Even from the surface of the water, I had a(n)     4     (wonder) view of the reef. Between the fish     5     the endless coral (珊瑚), there was something interesting and beautiful to look at in every     6     (direct). When the sun hit the reef, everything seemed even more bright and alive.

As we swam around, tons of colorful fish were diving in and out of the coral and I also saw starfish dancing in the waves as sharks swam past. I couldn’t believe how     7     (relax) I felt! Everything moved slowly. It was so enjoyable.

I still remembered that day     8     I dove deep into the Great Barrier Reef with great courage. Going diving for my last Australian adventure was the     9     (good) decision I made. If I had to describe the experience in one word, I’d say diving in the Great Barrier Reef was     10     (simple) unbelievable.

5 . Tony: Hello, Mike. The weekend is coming.     1    
Mike: Yes, I'd love to.     2    
Tony: What about the Palace Museum? There is a great show there.
Mike: That's really a wonderful place to visit.     3    
Tony: We can see fine works of art there.
Mike: That sounds great.     4    
Tony: The best way is to take the underground. It takes only 20 minutes.
Mike: All right.     5    
Tony: Shall we meet at my home at 8 am tomorrow?
Mike: OK, see you tomorrow.
Tony: See you.
A. Would you like to go on a trip with me?
B. How can we go there?
C. When and where shall we meet?
D. Then what can we do there?
E. But where shall we go?

6 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式, 并将答案填写在答题卡上。

Every weekend, many bookworms gather in Liyuan Library in Jiaojiehe village, a book sanctuary surrounded by chestnut, walnut and peach trees     1     branches are used to decorate the building.

Deep in the heart of a rocky valley on the outskirts of Beijing, the wooden library sits seemingly in    2    middle of nowhere. It     3    (design) about 11 years ago by Professor Li Xiaodong, from the School of Architecture at Tsinghua University. Decorated with 40,000 firewood sticks outside, the bookstore features 10, 000 books    4    (range) from literature to history.

The library, which opened in 2012, draws     5    (hundred) of visitors every weekend, many of whom are attracted by the design. The main framework of the bookstore is made of steel bars and the outside wall and     6    (it) roof, glass. With space for just 40 people     7     a time, visitors line up       8    (enter) the library, which only opens on weekends. Bookshelves line the reading area, as readers stand or sit on the floor and platforms.

“We have now     9    (strict) banned taking pictures inside, as some people come here just to take pictures. They even come in costumes, and that’s really disturbing,” owner Pan Xi complained. “We still want to give those who really love reading a quiet and     10    (peace) environment. ”

7 . “You can either travel or read, but either your body or soul must be on the way.”The popular saying has inspired many people to read or go sightseeing. As the summer holiday is here, are you planning a trip to relax after working so hard for a half year?

Traveling, just like reading, is a refreshing journey, and a temporary retreat (逃避) from the busy world. Here are 4 books we recommend that you take on your trip.

Destination: Central Europe

Recommended book: Life is Elsewhere, 1969, by Milan Kundera

Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said, “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” The book describes a young artist’s romantic but miserable life, about how he reads, dreams and has a relationship.

       Experience the artist’s passionate life in the book during a trip to Central Europe. The book invites you to deeply reflect on your current life.
Destination: Kenya, Africa

Recommended book: West with the Night, 1942, by Beryl Markham

This book is about a direct, stylish and engrossing story of a marvelous life well-lived. Markham described her childhood in Kenya and her experiences as a bush pilot in the 1930s—evoking (描述出) the landscape, people, and wildlife in rich detail.

Destination: Provence

Recommended book: A Year in Provence, 1989, by Peter Mayle

Provence, well-known for its lavender(薰衣草), is not only a tourist attraction, but more a symbol of a lifestyle. The book doesn’t teach you how to deal with the hardships in life, but to avoid them happily. With a cup of wine and a rocking chair, time flows slowly here. The author and his wife are living a reclusive(隐居的) life here. When you make a trip following the author’s footsteps, you may encounter him in Provence.

Destination: Istanbul, Turkey

Recommended book: My name Is Red, 1998, by Orhan Pamuk

The book, featuring a peak masterpiece of the Nobel Prize winner in Literature, Orhan Pamuk, has been translated into more than 50 languages and published around the world.

It tells a story of a young man, who has been away from home for 12 years, coming back to his hometown in Istanbul. What embraces him is not only love, but a series of murder cases as well. The book inspires people to have a deeper thinking on life.

1. If you want to explore Central Europe, whose book would you like to take on your trip?

A．Milan Kundera’s.	B．Beryl Markham’s
C．Peter Mayle’s	D．Orhan Pamuk’s

2. What is Provence famous for?

A．Lotus	B．Lavender
C．Mayle’s wife	D．Mayle’s book

3. Which book will attract people who are interested in the Nobel Prize in Literature?

A．Life Is Elsewhere	B．West with the Night
C．A Year in Provence	D．My Name Is Red

8 . ALL NEW!

REPTILE PETTING ZOO

at the Oak Park Nature Center

Kids! Are you tired of Mom or Dad dragging you to the same old petting zoos where (if you’re lucky) you might get to touch a little rabbit or goat?

Mom or Dad! Are you tired of hearing your kids complain about how animals in the same old petting zoos are boring?

Consider This:

The fact is that most mammals are boringly warm furry and come in a limited range of dull colors. Reptiles, on the other hand, are cold-blooded and covered with scale (鳞) of attractive colors, from bright green to bright red to dark purple-red. Some, like the chameleon can even CHANGE colors. Did you ever see a rabbit with scales and a purple tongue almost as long as its body? NO! In our zoo, you can see pet skink (小蜥蜴), snakes, bearded dragons and other attractive creatures! Learn what these reptiles eat and how they care for their babies, which ones live in the desert and which live in wetlands, which ones are meat-eaters and which are vegetarians, which ones are deadly poisonous and which are not.

So Remember:

If you’re bored with furry animals like rabbits...

Then the place for YOU is the Reptile Petting Zoo!

Bring the WHOLE family — Grandpa, Grandma, Cousin Irene, even baby Joe! There’s something for EVERYONE!

1. People might like the animals in a reptile petting zoo because they are ______.

A．warm and furry	B．frightening and dangerous
C．lovely and friendly	D．special and interesting

2. What can we learn from paragraph 3?

A．A trip to the zoo can be an educational experience.

B．Reptiles are quite different from mammals.

C．A visitor to the zoo can care for baby reptiles.

D．Reptiles come in a limited range of colors.

3. What you’ve read is most probably a(n) ______.

A．notice

B．advertisement

C．news report

D．book review

9 . The National Portrait Gallery is a well-known gallery in the very heart of London. It was founded in 1856 and it holds one of the largest collections of portraits in the world. Throughout the year it is home to exhibitions covering all forms of portrait art, celebrating the lives and achievements of those who have influenced British history, culture and identity. Whether you would like to see the permanent exhibitions or one of the temporary ones, there is something for art lovers at the National Portrait Gallery.

Permanent collections

The permanent collections have been split by room into the following categories:

● Tudor and Elizabethan

● Stuart and Civil War

● Georgian

● Regency

● Victorian and Elizabethan

● Twentieth century

● Contemporary displays

Opening times

Month	Day	Time
January - December	Monday - Thursday	10:00 - 18:00
	Friday	10:00 - 21:00
	Saturday - Sunday	10:00 - 18:00

Ticket prices

In general, entrance to the National Portrait Gallery is free. However, if you wish to see a particular exhibition that is not part of the permanent collection you will need to buy a ticket. For details of the prices for the different collections it is best to check the official National Portrait Gallery website: https://www.npg.org.uk.

Audio Guides

You can obtain audio guides at the entrance. They are small handheld units with small screens showing an interactive map. You can listen to up to five themed tours: Highlights, Royalty, Scientists, Celebrities and Writers. The audio guides are available in six languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Japanese.

Places to eat in the gallery

There are two options of places to eat in the National Portrait Gallery. There is a café where you can grab something quick and affordable. Alternatively there is a restaurant on the top floor of the gallery overlooking the city.

Address and contact details
National Portrait Gallery
Saint Martin’s Place
London
WC2H 0HE
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7306 0055
1. How long can you stay at most in the gallery if you visit on Friday?

A．Nearly 3 hours.

B．Nearly 11 hours.

C．Nearly 8 hours.

D．Nearly 5 hours.

2. What can you do in the gallery according to the text?

A．You can visit permanent exhibitions on Regency.	B．You can see all the temporary exhibitions for free.
C．You can give a speech about art in the entrance hall.	D．You can rent an audio guide in the language of Chinese.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To introduce the exhibitions of the gallery.	B．To describe what the gallery looks like.
C．To explain why the gallery is popular.	D．To provide a visitor’s guide to the gallery.

10 . 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.

2. Which park do you want to visit if you are a fan of rock arts?

A．Mljet National Park.	B．Killarney National Park.
C．Mercantour National Park.	D．Vatnajökull National Park.

3. What’s special about Killarney 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.