1 . As a type of dwelling (住宅) in China, cave dwellings (yaodong in Chinese) still can be found in many places of China. According to official statistics, there are still 40 million people living in such dwellings in China.
As early as the New Stone Age, using a wooden framework, grass and soil, families living in the middle reaches of the Yellow River built simple shallow caves in natural earth holes in the mountains. Over 4, 000 years ago, the real caves started to be constructed, which could be related to the natural surroundings. In the areas that were popular with such dwellings, there was very thick loess (黄土). People made full use of the loess layers to create the original cave dwellings.
A cave is usually 6-8 meters long, around 3 meters wide and around 3 meters high. From the outside, it comes in the shape of an arc (拱形), which presents the ancient opinion of “Heaven is round and Ground is square”. Furniture in these caves is very simple, such as a wooden table, wooden chairs and an earth sleeping platform (kang in Chinese).
The most important and unique characteristic of a cave dwelling is that the inside of it is cool in summer and warm in winter. The natural architectural features protect the cave dwellers from being affected by the changes of the environment or weather. Besides, its creation does not damage the environment or occupy farmland. Another feature is that you will feel quite quiet inside.
In Yan’an in northern Shaanxi, a family usually has 3 to 5 caves. The middle one is the chief house, in which the grandparents or parents live. At the bottom right of each dwelling, people usually leave a small pass for their pets, such as cats or dogs, to go through. When constructing the gate for the whole yard, there is a traditional taboo that none of the caves should be in line with the gate. Otherwise, bad luck may fall upon this family.
1. What can we know about cave dwellings?| A．They were built using wood, grass, and bamboo. |
| B．They are a very popular kind of house in the world. |
| C．They have been around for about 2, 000 years. |
| D．They are usually found in areas with thick loess. |
| A．Arc-shaped. | B．Square-shaped. | C．Round-shaped. | D．Rectangular-shaped. |
| A．It is quiet inside. | B．It does not occupy farmland. |
| C．It is environmentally friendly. | D．It is warm in winter and cool in summer. |
| A．To describe the process of building traditional cave dwellings. |
| B．To introduce the unique architecture of cave dwellings to readers. |
| C．To discuss the historical and cultural significance of cave dwellings. |
| D．To explore the living conditions and lifestyles of people in cave dwellings. |
2 . 2 Days Xi’an-Luoyang Tour by Bullet Train
Tour Overview
Xi’an and Luoyang are two of the four most famous ancient capital cities in China. Taking a bullet train from Xi’an, one will arrive in Luoyang in about 2.5 hours.
Day 1: Xi’an-Luoyang by Bullet Train
AM: At around 7:00, a local driver will pick you up from the hotel. Then you’ll transfer to North Xi’an Railway Station for the bullet train to Luoyang. Upon your arrival in Luoyang, you’ll meet a local guide holding a name board.
The guide will lead you to visit the Longmen Grottoes, which is a treasure house of ancient stone-carving artworks. There are over 100 thousand stone statues along the two banks of the Yi River.
PM: After lunch. you will pay a visit to the Museum of Luoyang Eastern Zhou Royal Horse and Chariot Pits. The Eastern Zhou Dynasty is the last slavery dynasty in Chinese history. The last stop is Luoyang Museum which is a historical museum of China and houses over 1,700 cultural and historical relics in 5 showrooms.
Accommodation: Hotel booked by your own
Day 2: Luoyang-Xi’an by Bullet Train
AM: After breakfast on your own, please meet your driver and guide in the hotel at 9:00 and then drive for about 1 hour 20 minutes to Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Chinese Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Martial Arts. Here you will see the Kungfu show performed by Shaolin monks.
PM: Finish the sightseeing, you will take the bullet train back to Xi’ an. Your 2 days Xi’ an-Luoyang tour ends here.
Tour Price Per Person
Travelers | 1 Person | 2 Person | 3 Person | 4 Person | 5 Person |
Tour Price | $512 | $317 | $255 | $223 | $220 |
Travelers | 6 Person | 7 Person | 8 Person | 9 Person | 10+ Person |
Tour Price | $205 | $192 | $185 | $178 | Contact us |
| A．Xi’an. | B．Luoyang. | C．Beijing. | D．Shanghai. |
| A．Shaolin Temple. | B．Luoyang Museum. | C．Longmen Grottoes. | D．Yi River. |
| A．$317. | B．$510. | C．$512. | D．$634. |
3 . All-Inclusive Family Vacation Ideas in the US
Here are a few family vacations in the US where everything’s included.
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf and Beach Resort (度假村)—Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Located on the northeast side of the island of Puerto Rico, this resort is next to El Yunque rainforest and is home to three swimming pools featuring a waterfall. Its inclusive meal plan package includes unlimited drinks, three meals per day and use of the tennis courts.
Grand Hotel—Mackinac Island, Michigan
In the upper Midwest, a stay at the nearly all-inclusive Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island has been one of the most popular family vacation ideas in the country since its opening in 1887. The hotel is only reachable by ferry (渡轮) (no cars allowed), and offers family vacation packages that typically include meals (breakfast and dinner) and resort facilities.
Sandpiper Bay All-Inclusive Resort—Port St. Lucie, Florida
Florida’s Sandpiper Bay All-Inclusive Resort offers something for everyone in the family: many swimming pools, water sports, golf, a kids’ club and a private beach. And the resort is just two hours away from Walt Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando.
C Lazy U Ranch (牧场)—Granby, Colorado
Not far from Rocky Mountain National Park, the world-famous C Lazy U Ranch in Granby, Colorado, is an all-inclusive guest ranch that features both classic ranch activities and modern kid-friendly activities. A seasonal children’s program for ages 3 to 17 makes it an especially great pick for family vacations where the adults can use a little alone time while the kids go off and play.
1. Which resort is close to El Yunque rainforest?| A．Grand Hotel. | B．C Lazy U Ranch. |
| C．Sandpiper Bay All-Inclusive Resort. | D．Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf and Beach Resort. |
| A．By boat. | B．By car. | C．By bus. | D．By plane. |
| A．They own private beaches. | B．They offer kid-friendly services. |
| C．They have three swimming pools. | D．They are close to Walt Disney World. |
4 . Woven Wonders: Indian Textiles (纺织品) from the Parpia Collection
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) members at the Family level and above are invited to reserve tickets for an art-making activity led by a teaching artist. This edition is inspired by the exhibition—Woven Wonders: Indian Textiles from the Parpia Collection Learn the special dyeing (染色) process and bring home a naturally dyed headdress of your own as a reminder.
Introduction
This exhibition, open from 11 am to 6 pm on Saturdays, takes place in the classroom close to the Hirsch Library on the lower level of the Beck Building.
In order to reflect India’s countless regional traditions, the Parpia Collection shows the extraordinary beauty and technical diversity of Indian textiles. Ranging from folk textiles to valuable court textiles, the objects go through the 14th century to the early 20th century. The collection shows the wonders of textile arts from India throughout history with examples of hand-painted and hand-block-printed cotton and other traditional cloth crafts.
Tickets
Choose your one-hour time when you book your tickets. Activities are specially recommended for children aged 4 to 12, with adult supervision.
Woven Wonders: Indian Textiles from the Parpia Collection is organized by MFAH. Special exhibition programming is made possible by a fund. If you are a current museum member, please sign in to access your tickets. If you are not a member, join today.
1. What will people gain by participating in the exhibition?| A．A souvenir. | B．A ticket. |
| C．A collection of Indian textiles. | D．A work of the teaching artist. |
| A．It is open on weekdays. | B．It shows worldwide textile arts. |
| C．It takes place in the Hirsch Library. | D．It covers objects of several centuries. |
| A．The proof of age. | B．The student ID card. |
| C．The museum membership. | D．The artist’s signature. |
“Reverse (逆向的) tourism” has emerged (显现)
Bookings for four-and five-star hotels in less-travelled places including Linxia in Gansu province, Shizuishan in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, and Haibei in Qinghai province all increased at least 10-fold
Popular tourist spots
“The rise of reverse tourism is not a bad thing,” said an opinion piece in Zhengzhou Daily. It means that
6 . Nairobi National Park Tour
Overview
Spot free-roaming wildlife on a Nairobi National Park game drive in an open-top vehicle. An early-morning departure (出发) means cooler temperatures and the chance to see the animals when they’re most active, resting on grassy plains.
•Get a real safari experience on a half-day tour from Nairobi
•Visit a national park that’s home to rhinos, lions, giraffes, and more
•Airport drop-off option saves you a separate trip upon departure
•Convenient pickup and drop-off at Nairobi hotels
Tour Prices
Travellers | 2 - 3 travellers | 4 - 5 travellers |
Jan. - Mar., Oct. - Dec. | $59 / per person | $54 / per person |
Apr. - Jun. | $69 / per person | $64 / per person |
Jul. - Sep. | $79 / per person | $74 / per person |
What’s Included
√ | Bottled water |
√ | Local guide |
√ | Hotel pickup and drop-off |
√ | Drive in an open-roofed vehicle for game views |
Optional
$25 / per person | Boat ride |
$30 / per person | Balloon Travel |
Additional Info
•Confirmation will be received at time of booking.
•Wheelchairs are not accessible.
•Children must be accompanied by at least an adult.
•Kids under 5 must sit on laps.
•This tour will have a maximum of 15 travellers.
1. How much should a couple pay altogether if they travel in October?| A．$108. | B．$118. | C．$138. | D．$158. |
| A．Balloon rides. | B．Pickup service. |
| C．Local guide service. | D．Bottled water on the trip. |
| A．People who rely on wheelchairs. |
| B．People who love sightseeing in the city. |
| C．People who have a passion for wild animals. |
| D．People who plan a 2-day trip to Nairobi National Park. |
7 . Last summer, my family and I went on a road trip to the Grand Canyon. It was our first family vacation in years, and we were all
The trip was long, but we kept ourselves
One of the highlights of the trip was when we went on a helicopter
As the trip came to an end, we all felt a sense of
Looking back on the trip, I realized how important it is to spend time with
| A．satisfied | B．excited | C．confused | D．annoyed |
| A．packed up | B．cleaned up | C．pulled over | D．turned over |
| A．followed | B．repaired | C．hit | D．filmed |
| A．organized | B．addicted | C．challenged | D．entertained |
| A．amazed | B．cheated | C．frightened | D．trapped |
| A．measuring | B．designing | C．exploring | D．assessing |
| A．experiment | B．sale | C．exhibition | D．tour |
| A．experience | B．effort | C．regret | D．accident |
| A．add | B．watch | C．make | D．record |
| A．relaxation | B．sadness | C．relief | D．anger |
| A．school | B．classes | C．life | D．neighborhoods |
| A．Besides | B．Otherwise | C．Therefore | D．However |
| A．family | B．strangers | C．staff | D．colleagues |
| A．informed | B．reminded | C．warned | D．cured |
| A．changing | B．losing | C．creating | D．recognizing |
8 . Whether you are a fine art lover or history fan, there are a handful of museums that aresure to take your breath away and that you should visit in your lifetime.
THE STATE HERMITAGE MUSEUM, ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
The State Hermitage Museum was founded in 1764. The collections occupy a largecomplex of six historic buildings along Palace Embankment, including the Winter Palace, a former residence of Russian emperors.
Highlights: golden masterpieces from Eurasia and the Orient
THE BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
The British Museum was the first national museum to cover all fields of human knowledge. No other museum is responsible for collections of the same depth and significance.Its eightmillion objects allow us to explore the extraordinary diversity of human cultures.
Highlights: the world’s second finest collection of Egyptian antiquities(古物)outside Egypt.
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, USA
“The Met” is the largest art museum in the United States. Presenting over 5,000 years ofart from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy, the Met is always eager to bemore than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects.
Highlights: is European sculptures and American paintings
SHANGHAI MUSEUM, SHANGHAI, CHINA
Enjoying a high reputation at home and abroad, Shanghai Museum is a large gallery of more than 100,000 cultural treasures. Most significantly, the Ancient Coin Room of Silk Roadis presented with more 7000 distinctive coins to reveal the history of economic exchange be-tween China and foreign countries.
Highlights: silh paintings, ancient copper coins, pottery, jades(翡翠)
1. Which museum used to be the place where emperors once lived?| A．SHANGHAI MUSEUM. |
| B．THE BRITISH MUSEUM. |
| C．THE STATE HERMITAGE MUSEUM. |
| D．THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. |
| A．Silk paintings. | B．American paintings. |
| C．Egyptian antiquities. | D．European sculptures. |
| A．NEW YORK,USA. | B．SHANGHAI,CHINA. |
| C．ST PETERSBURG,RUSSIA. | D．LONDON,UNITED KINGDOM. |
1. 位于四川省北部；
2. 1992年被列入《世界遗产名录》；
3. 有湖泊和森林等景观。
注意：
1. 词数80 左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯
参考词汇：《世界遗产名录》The World Heritage List
Dear Robert,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
10 . Mia, 12, is now on a year-long trip with her parents and three younger brothers. Far from their home in Quebec, Canada, the family rode horses in Mongolia, kayaked in Cambodia, camped in Namibia and flew in a hot air balloon in Turkey, looking to collect as many once-in-a-lifetime memories as they could.
The memories really matter because unless science makes a breakthrough soon, three of the children will become blind, likely in adulthood. They have been diagnosed with a disease that has no effective treatment and no specific timeline as it gradually robs them of their sight.
The diagnoses came in 2015. Despite the grief, the parents were surprised to find Mia, then 7, was calm about it. She announced that she would need to start keeping her bedroom especially neat, with everything in its place. “In the future, I’ll need to know where things are,” Mia said.
“She’s finding solutions on her own,” the parents told each other. “We need to follow her lead.” And so the idea of a yearlong trip was born, one that would show the kids the world, in person and at close range – while the kids could still see it. For the next two years, the parents saved money and researched places to visit. “How we adults see the world and how kids see the world are so different.” says the mother, Edith. “It would have to be less about temples and museums and more about whatever caught their eyes.”
By the time the trip began to wind down in early 2023, the family had traveled 52,000 miles and visited 18 countries. Mia grew taller and when entering adolescence, needed more independence. Her brothers became more confident and outgoing. The kids were very aware that they had learned a lot. “There’s a lot of suffering, a lot of poverty, but lots of good and interesting things too. We should be positive.” said Mia.
1. What’s the probable function of the first paragraph?| A．To lead in the story behind. |
| B．To arouse the readers’ interest. |
| C．To provide background information. |
| D．To inform readers of a wonderful trip. |
| A．They are optimistic about the children’s disease. |
| B．They are surprised at their daughter’s creative ideas. |
| C．They are proud of their daughter’s courage to face difficulties. |
| D．They are open-minded enough to respect their children’s decision. |
| A．The details about the year-long journey. |
| B．The keen anticipation of Mia about the future. |
| C．The changes of the kids physically and mentally. |
| D．The impression Mia had of what she had experienced. |
| A．Seeing is believing. |
| B．Making the most of the vision. |
| C．Man who travels far knows more. |
| D．The eyes are the window to the soul. |
