1 . 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 |
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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
2 . It’s time to put your two-wheeler to good use on these fun bike paths-each varying in distance and difficulty. Just choose one fit for you.
Paulinskill Valley Trail
Check out Paulinskill Valley Trail, filled with forests, wetlands, and small towns along this 25-mile route. While the trail is mostly flat, you can do a quick ride. You’re likely to catch sight of beautiful birds, considering more than 100 species find a home in the land near the path. Check out the trail in the fall—prime time for pretty sights.
Ala Hele Makalae
On the island of Kaui, you’ll find a bike path with lots of beachy views that’ll leave you feeling accomplished yet calm. The name translates to “The Path that Goes By Coast”, and, as you might guess, the seven-mile path hugs the shoreline. Start early enough and you’ll witness an incredible sunrise to make it even more amazing.
The Cheaha Route
This ride covers up to 126 miles, with steep climbs and extreme downhills along the way. So prepare for a thrilling ride—one that’s not necessarily for the inexperienced or those looking for an easy, casual ride. Along the route, you’ll pedal through five towns. The journey is worth it, though, because you get some of the most scenic views in the state.
The Whitefish Trail
Famous for its countless route options, whether you’re a new biker looking for smooth tracks or you have more experience and want to play around on rocky, more technical land, this bike path brings in lots of visitors. The 43-mile route offers beautiful green scenery. Around every corner, you’ll see a new amazing landscape, from glassy lakes to green mountains.
1. What do we know about Ala Hele Makalae?| A．It covers the longest distance. |
| B．It offers you a lot of beachy views. |
| C．It makes you feel nervous but satisfied. |
| D．It provides you with steep and dangerous climbs. |
| A．Ala Hele Makalae. | B．The Cheaha Route. |
| C．Paulinskill Valley Trail. | D．The Whitefish Trail. |
| A．They have a wonderful landscape. | B．Different species can be found there. |
| C．They’re fit for inexperienced bikers. | D．Various barriers are along the routes. |
3 . “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 |
| A．Lotus | B．Lavender |
| C．Mayle’s wife | D．Mayle’s book |
| A．Life Is Elsewhere | B．West with the Night |
| C．A Year in Provence | D．My Name Is Red |
Every weekend, many bookworms gather in Liyuan Library in Jiaojiehe village, a book sanctuary surrounded by chestnut, walnut and peach trees
Deep in the heart of a rocky valley on the outskirts of Beijing, the wooden library sits seemingly in
The library, which opened in 2012, draws
“We have now
5 . Anyone can book a trip, but not everyone can plan the best adventure that is affordable and fun. If you want to do it better, the places to stay in for the nights must be chosen carefully.
Check distances on a map. It's common for hotels to slightly exaggerate （夸大）their closeness to attractions around town. They will not tell you the true distance. If being close to a particular airport is important for your trip, you' d better confirm the distance on Google Map before you book a hotel.
Give up the package deals（套餐）To appeal to new guests, some hotels will offer themed package deals.
Ask about parking.
| A．Be polite to the staff. |
| B．Pay attention to difficult guests. |
| C．They are quite cheap but taste bad. |
| D．In this way you can save much money. |
| E．In a self-driving travel, parking may cost a lot. |
| F．They are attractive but may not be good value for money. |
| G．Here are some tips about hotels that we'd like to share with you. |
