1 . Coming into the town of Santa Catarina Palopó, in the highlands of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, the first thing you notice is the bright colors. Most of the buildings along the main street are eye-catching, deep blues and greens, dotted with red and yellow to form diverse patterns and designs.

Santa Catarina Palopó was once a sleepy town of 5, 000 people, most of them dependent on agricultural work. But as agriculture began to dry up here, poverty came. To deal with poverty and promote econ on growth through tourism, a small but creative group of laborers, artisans, domestic workers and stay-at-home moms created the Pintando Santa Catarina Palopó project.

The project aimed to paint all 850 homes and buildings in bright colors to change the hillside town into a work of art. “We wanted to paint the houses with colors and figures that represent the community” says the project’s executive director Stephany Blanco. “Families can choose designs for their house that are representative of the family.”

One of the most representative characteristics of the region is the blue huipil, a traditional blouse which has been worn commonly by local women since the 16th century. That deep sky blue was chosen the primary color-for the Pintando project, with secondary colors found in the sunsets and the nearby lake to make the design more attractive. Inspiration was also found in local culture, symbols such as volcanoes, flowers, and the national bird of Guatemala.

Each week, local artists, community members and tourists pick up paintbrushes to make buildings colorful. “At first, the idea of the project was uncertain, but now you can see a considerable difference in the town,” Melissa Whitbeck said. “The color of the buildings is believed to improve the quality-of life of the people. It uplifts the people’s mood and encourages them to be proud of their hometown.”

1. Why was the Pintando Santa Catarina project started?

A．Because of a workforce shortage.	B．Due to the poor economic conditions.
C．Thanks to the increase in population.	D．For the old-fashioned farming ways.

2. What is the project about?

A．Building family art galleries in Guatemala.	B．Creating job opportunities for local artists.
C．Developing local tourism by selling artworks.	D．Changing the town into a cultural destination.

3. What is the inspiration of the primary color for the project?

A．The surrounding volcanoes.	B．Mayan-styled butterflies.
C．A type of traditional clothing.	D．The national bird of Guatemala.

4. What is Melissa’s attitude towards the project?

A．Positive.

B．Reserved.

C．Concerned.

D．Negative.

4 . What are the speakers doing?

A．Buying a map.

B．Making a plan.

C．Looking for a hotel.

5 . This week in our national park’s journey, we explore a vast area with mountains, beaches, forests, and glaciers. Olympic National Park! It covers more than 400,000 hectares with several different ecosystems.

Elwha Valley

The Elwha Valley is in the central part of the park. It is the Olympic Peninsula’s largest watershed. A watershed is an area of land that separates waters that flow to different rivers or seas. Today, the Elwha River is the site of one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects in National Park Service history.

Hoh River Valley

The Hoh River is on the west side of the park. The river is formed from melted glacial ice on top of Mount Olympus. The river is 80 kilometers long. It empties into the Pacific Ocean. The area receives about 400 centimeters of rain each year. It is a temperate rainforest. Because of the amount of rain, many different types of plants grow in the Hoh rainforest, from mosses and ferns to huge Sitka spruce trees.

Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge is a mountain area in the northern part of the park. It is easy to enter, and provides incredible views of the Olympic Mountains. The ridge has many hiking paths. In winter, people come here to ski. They also come here to take part in other fun winter activities, like sledding and snowboarding. Hurricane Ridge usually has snow from December through the end of March. Visitors must be prepared for icy roads and severe weather.

The Coast

The westernmost part of the park is Pacific coastline. Olympic National Park has many breathtaking beaches. One of them is Rialto Beach, known for its tall seastacks while North of Rialto Beach is Hole-in-the-Wall. It is a natural arch that has been carved by the powerful sea.

1. What can you do on the west side of the park?

A．Swim in the river.	B．Learn about various plants.
C．Go hiking with your friends.	D．Walk on the beaches.

2. Which part is the most suitable for those who like winter sports?

A．Elwha Valley.	B．Hoh River Valley.
C．Hirricane Ridge.	D．Rialto Beach.

3. What do the four attractions have in common?

A．They are all very cold.	B．They are all rich in ecosystems.
C．They can all be reached easily.	D．They are all part of Olympic National Park.

7 . Food festivals are a common occurrence in the UK and take place in all sorts of places and at all sorts of times. Whatever your taste, there’s a food festival to match — no matter how specialized.

1. Meatopia

This three-day, London-based festival takes place at the end of August and is a meat lover’s paradise. In addition to a range of legally sourced meat products, from juicy burgers to tender steaks, attendees can listen to live music, watch butchery demonstrations, and attend informal meat-based workshops.

2. The National Honey Show

If you have a sweet tooth, then it could be that the National Honey Show, which started in 1921 and is the largest event of its kind, is the place for you to be. This three-day event attracts many local entries who showcase their sweet golden honey, some of which is sold globally.

3. The Orange Sauce Festival

Have you heard about a festival that is devoted only to orange sauce? Held in Cumbria, this sweet, fragrant festival has been running for 3 years. What attracts people most is a competition to find the best homemade orange sauce. There are thousands of participants from over 30 different countries across the globe, bringing their local snacks to share here.

4. The Ginger and Spice Festival

If you’d prefer something with a little more kick to it, then you could attend The Ginger (姜) and Spice Festival held in Market Drayton. Unlike other food festivals, it celebrates its town’s historic connection to Robert Clive, who returned from India with ginger. Because of this, they specialize in baking gingerbread, but also sell a range of traditional spices from mild to hot.

1. What do Meatopia and the National Honey Show have in common?

A．Both of them last for three days.	B．Both of them hold workshops.
C．Both of them originated from London.	D．Both of them have a long history.

2. If you are interested in foreign food, which festival do you like best?

A．The Meatopia.	B．The Ginger and Spice Festival.
C．The National Honey Show.	D．The Orange Sauce Festival.

3. What is special about the Ginger and Spice Festival ?

A．It has something to do with a historic figure.

B．The ginger used in the festival is from India.

C．It sells spicy food.

D．The food is cooked by Robert Clive.

9 . China is one of the world’s ancient civilizations and has the earliest outstanding bronze casting technology. Here we’ve created a list of 4 museums where you can gain an in-depth understanding of Chinese bronze.

Sanxingdui Museum

Address: Sanxingdui Ruin Site, 133 Xian Road, Guanghan, Deyang, Sichuan province

Hours: Comprehensive Gallery (the first exhibition hall): 8:30-18:00; Bronze Gallery (the second exhibition hall): 8:30-18:30. Last tickets sold at 17:00. Closed on the morning of Chinese New Year’s Eve

Ticket booking: 0838-5651526

General admission: Gallery ticket 80 yuan

Note: Children shorter than 1.2m (including 1.2m) can visit the gallery free of charge. The ticket must be used on the day it is sold and authorizes one visit to each gallery.

National Museum of China

Address: East side of Tian’anmen Square, Dongcheng district, Beijing

Hours: 8:30-17:00 (no entry after 16:30)

General admission: Free (passport required for entry), Closed Mondays (except for national holidays)

E-mail: webmaster@chnmuseum.cn

Shanghai Museum

Address: 201 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu district, Shanghai

Hours: 9:00-17:00 (no entry after 16:00), Closed Mondays (except for national holidays)

E-mail: webmaster@shanghai-museum.org

General admission: free (a max of 8, 000 admitted daily)

Hunan Museum

Address: 50 Dongfeng Road, Changsha, Hunan province

Hours:   9:00-17:00 (no entry after 16:00), Closed Mondays (except for national holidays) and the eve of Chinese New Year

Tel: (+86-731) 8415833, 84475933

E-mail: web@hnmuseum.com

General admission: Free (passport required for entry)

1. Which museum should you choose for your family to visit next Monday?

A．Sanxingdui Museum	B．Hunan Museum
C．Shanghai Museum	D．National Museum of China

2. What do these museums in this passage have in common?

A．They are all free of charge.	B．They all set a deadline for entry.
C．They all lie in the south of China.	D．They can all be available through E-mail.

3. In which part of a newspaper can you most probably read this passage?

A．Science

B．Today’s News

C．Entertainment

D．History and Culture