1 . Family-Friendly Events in January
ZooLights: Glow Wild Jan. 1-19
The Phoenix Zoo’s yearly holiday light show is on until Jan. 19, allowing families one or more opportunities to enjoy the city’s zoo, with millions of lights giving an added dimension to the festivities.
Glow Wild, 455 N. Galvin Pkwy. , Phoenix, phoenixzoo.org, $11. 95 members, $13. 95 general admission.
Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts Jan. 4-18
The Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts features the work of established and emerging artists, including those who create woodwork, metal crafts, food items, art, photography and gifts.
On Macdonald, off of Main Street in Downtown Mesa, dtmesafest.com, free admission.
Family Fun Winterfest Jan. 4
OdySea Aquarium in the Desert is hosting the third annual Family Fun Winterfest in its Desert Courtyard, featuring real snow for the kids to play in. This free event features everything from bounce houses to rides, games, snowflake crafts and face painting to go with various stands set up by local sellers, with food and other offerings for sale at the event.
9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale, odyseainthedesert.com, free.Youth Fine Arts Course Jan. 18-Mar. 7
Mesa Arts Center is hosting an eight-week youth arts course on Saturdays to teach artistic skills and knowledge through fun and challenging art classes in a wide variety of art materials, including painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture, ensuring mentally stimulating sessions for all.
Mesa Art Center, 1 E. Main St, Mesa, mesaartscenter.com, $93.1. How can you get a discounted ticket to the ZooLights show?
A.Bring a friend. | B.Get a membership. |
C.Join a tour group. | D.Book a ticket online. |
A.Have free food. | B.Take art classes. |
C.Enjoy real snow. | D.Meet local artists. |
A.ZooLights: Glow Wild. | B.Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts. |
C.Youth Fine Arts Courses. | D.Family Fun Winterfest. |
2 . I’m a hiker — “born to hike”. It does my heart and soul good to take a pack and head out on a trail (小路), especially when I’m alone and can let my mind wander where it will.
Hiking keeps your brain sharper than many other forms of exercise. As a professional writer, although I am busy with my work, I often spare some time to hike.
Hiking can increase our creativity. I’m sure I’m not alone in finding that walks in nature let my mind wander freely in creative directions.
Hiking helps strengthen a positive relationship with the natural world. Besides being good for us, hiking may also help the world around us. After all, if we stick to walking and covering longer distances, we could use cars less and reduce our carbon footprint.
So, grab a water bottle, a backpack... and head out on the trail.You won’t be sorry you did.
A.Hiking helps to keep you calm and happy |
B.Beyond that, hiking benefits our planet indirectly |
C.Following are the benefits you can get from hiking |
D.In fact, I’ve written many of my songs while hiking on a trail |
E.It’s easy for me to come up with creative ideas while sitting alone |
F.It not just makes me feel good, but also helps me keep the brain in top shape |
G.This all goes to show that hiking maybe one of the best ways to move your body |
3 . It was summer, and my dad wanted to treat me to a vacation like never before. He decided to take me on a trip to the Wild West.
We took a plane to Albuquerque, a big city in the state of New Mexico. We reached Albuquerque in the late afternoon. Uncle Paul, my dad’s friend, picked us up from the airport and drove us up to his farm in Pecos.
His wife Tina cooked us a delicious dinner and we got to know his sons Ryan and Kyle. My dad and I spent the night in the guestroom of the farm house listening to the frogs and water rolling down the river nearby. Very early in the morning, Uncle Paul woke us up to have breakfast. "The day starts at dawn on my farm," he said. After breakfast, I went to help Aunt Tina feed the chickens, while my dad went with Uncle Paul to take the sheep out to graze(吃草). I was impressed to see my dad and Uncle Paul riding horses. They looked really cool.
In the afternoon, I asked Uncle Paul if I could take a horse ride, and he said yes, as long as my dad went with me. I wasn’t going to take a horse ride by myself anyway. So, my dad and I put on our new cowboy hats, got on our horses, and headed slowly towards the mountains. "Don’t be late for supper," Uncle Paul cried, "and keep to the track so that you don’t get lost!" "OK! " my dad cried back. After a while Uncle Paul and his farm house were out of sight. It was so peaceful and quiet and the colors of the brown rocks, the deep green pine trees, and the late afternoon sun mixed to create a magic scene. It looked like a beautiful woven(编织的) blanket spread out upon the ground just for us.
Suddenly a little rabbit jumped out in front of my horse.
注意:
(1)所续写短文的词数应为l50左右;
(2)至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语:
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Paragraph 1: Suddenly a little rabbit jumped out in front of my horse. ____________
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Paragraph 2: We had no idea where we were and it was getting dark. _____________
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4 . Last summer holiday, Aunt Emily took us to a safari park (野生动物园), not far from Liverpool.
I was very happy to go as I had never been to a safari park before. It’s a very interesting park, full of wild animals running freely.
When we got there, we bought our tickets and drove into the park. We were very excited at the thought of going to see the lions. But to get to the lions’ place we had to go through the monkeys’ land first. And that was an unforgettable experience because they climbed all over the car, ate apples and bananas, and threw all kinds of things at us. They seemed very unfriendly.
Anyway, we went on our way to the lions’ place where we had to lock ourselves in the car as we knew lions could be dangerous. A lion came up very close to us. Then it was on the bonnet (车盖). It looked calm but we felt terrified. Aunt Emily, who isn’t very brave, started to call for help. The kids started crying. Only my brother, George, stayed cool. I sounded the horn (喇叭) but nobody heard us.
In the end a guard arrived in his car, and the lion just got off our car and started smelling the guard’s hand as if nothing was the matter.
1. Which animal did the author want to see the most?A.The lions. | B.The elephants. | C.The monkeys. | D.All of them. |
A.Because the monkeys might steal things. | B.Because they were afraid of being robbed. |
C.Because the lions might be dangerous. | D.Because something was wrong with the car. |
A.Excited. | B.Bored. | C.Interested | D.Scared |
A.Aunt Emily. | B.George. | C.The guard. | D.The author. |
5 . (CNN)-Shoulder season is almost here, when travel transitions from peak crowds and prices to something-hopefully-a little more mellow. Join us for our roundup of weekly travel news as well as tips for where to travel in late 2022.
Seasons in the sun
American travelers have been unleashing their pent-up wanderlust (旅游热)by arriving in Europe this summer, making the most of the strong dollar and boosting local economies in the process. And while it’s been a frustrating few months in terms of airport delays and cancellations, the travel outlook seems a little better as we head toward fall.
If you want to vacation like the Europeans do, skip the Riviera and the Amalfi Coast and check out our round-up of the continent’s lesser-visited delights, such as Portugal’s Alentejo region and Croatia’s Zadar Archipelago. And if you’ve been saving your travel time till the summer rush is over, plan your trip now with our guide to the best places to go this autumn. Cape Town and Buenos Aires are among the hottest tickets.
Taste the world
The best bits of travel are sightseeing and eating - and munching on street snacks lets you enjoy both at the same time. Asia is the undisputed king of enticing, flavorful street foods, from Hong Kong egg waffles to Japanese takoyaki. Here’s our round-up of 50 must-try delicacies.
In Africa, Ghana-based chef Fatmata Binta has been introducing Fulani nomadic food culture to people around the world through her traveling pop-up restaurant, while her charity foundation helps support rural women across West Africa. And down in Cape Town, a local creamery is experimenting with some rather bold flavors: Dare you try dried fish ice cream with Scotch bonnet chili?
Turkey drinks more tea than any other country; here’s how new brews are stirring things up. And if you’re after something a little stronger, a beer garden in North Carolina holds the world record for most beers on tap-watch here. Finally, in Ukraine, a company is selling wine rescued from a warehouse struck by a Russian missile. See how the team is fighting back after its$15 million loss.
1. Why does European tourism suffer for several months?A.Traveling is contained in Europe. | B.Dollars fall in value. |
C.Autumn sets in early. | D.Flights are delayed and cancelled. |
A.The Amalfi Coast. | B.Portugal’s Alentejo region. |
C.Cape Town. | D.North Carolina. |
A.Taste street foods. | B.Try strange ice cream. |
C.Enjoy a cup of tea. | D.Purchase strong wine. |
6 . Down House, home of Charles Darwin:
Fun fact
Charles Darwin, his wife, Emma, and their children lived at Down House for 40 years from 1838. Several rooms appear as if the family still live here: with croquet sets thrown into an under-stairs cupboard, a half-played game of backgammon on a side table and Emma’s knitting(毛线) left on a chair in the drawing room. Upstairs, an exhibition showcases Darwin’s voyage aboard HMS Beagle, including a reconstruction of his cabin. Outside, visitors can explore the sheltered gardens which Darwin used as an open-air laboratory, and the greenhouse in which he planted rare plants and devised botanical experiments.
No room at Down House escaped Darwin’s experiments. In the drawing room he once placed a jar of earthworms on the grand piano to see whether they could hear.
Getting there
A 15-minute drive from the A21/Farnborough. Free parking. The R8 bus from Orpington stops nearby (except Sundays) or the 146 bus from Bromley North and South terminates (终点站) in Downe village, half a mile from the property. The nearest railway stations are Chelsfield or Orpington, about four miles away.
Value for money?
It’s £12 (adult), £7.20 (child), or £31.30 (family with 2 adults). Under 5s go free.
Opening hours
Open daily 10am-6pm from 30 March to 30 September; daily 10 a.m. — 5 p.m. between 1 to 31 October. Opening times vary through the winter (check website for details).
Verdict(评价)
8/10. An unstuffy educational, gentle day-trip attraction with friendly, knowledgeable staff.
1. What can visitors do in Down House?A.Play the grand piano. | B.Set sail in HMS Beagle. |
C.Explore Darwin’s work and life. | D.Try food sourced from the garden. |
A.£38.40. | B.£26.20. | C.£31.30. | D.£24. |
A.It is highly thought of. | B.It charges parking fees. |
C.It has fixed opening hours. | D.It is inconveniently located. |
In the 12th century, the Southern Song Dynasty moved its capital to Lin’an. Near Lin’an, on the banks of Lake Tai is the city of Suzhou. Given its location near the capital and its
Among these gardens, the Humble Administrator’s Garden (Zhuozheng Yuan) is the largest and the most famous, and water pools take up
Since it is such a large garden, no simple description of the garden will do.
8 . The Junction Campground
The Junction Campground is a great spot for river-based camping along one of Australia’s best-known rivers, near Grafton. Paddling the beautiful Nymboida River is a great way to explore the rainforest-lined riverbanks and rocky cliffs of Nymboi-Binderay National Park.
Craigmhor Mountain Retreat
Set in 1, 000 acres of wilderness, Craigmhor is a perfect base for bush walking, mountain biking, fishing, and bird watching. Within easy driving distance of Sydney, Craigmhor is the ideal location for overseas visitors or urban people to experience the Australian bush.
The Stone Cottage
Said to be Albury’s oldest house, the Stone Cottage warmly welcomes visitors with its exposed stone walls and an open fireplace. Set well back from the street in a spacious enclosed garden (ideal for pets), the two-bedroom self-contained house is perfect for small families and couples.
Located behind the main home, the Stone Cottage’s Kitchen Cottage turns on the charm as much as the larger house. Private from the main house, the one-bedroom self-contained cottage has a veranda (游廊) which looks out over an established herb garden, ideal for couples.
Instead of asking guests to wake at a certain time for a prepared breakfast, guests of both cottages receive a selection of breakfast cuisines as they like, allowing sleep-ins and lazy mornings.
Pets are welcome.
Country Barn Retreat
Situated in a peaceful location and perfect for short stays, Elaine and John offer this amnazing self-contained two-bedroom Country Barn Retreat, overlooking rural views and surounded by lovely gardens.
Sleeping up to four adults in this comfortable cottage where you can relax by the cosy wood fire in winter.
Fully equipped kitchen. Lounge and dining area with air-conditioning and fans to keep it cool in summer. Pet friendly, however, you would need to make arrangements with Elaine or John first.
1. Where will you go if you’re a bird lover?A.The Stone Cottage. |
B.Craigmhor Mountain Retreat. |
C.The Junction Campground. |
D.Country Barn Retreat. |
A.It lacks an open fireplace. |
B.It’s building a herb garden. |
C.It has three bedrooms in all. |
D.It provides a well-prepared breakfast. |
A.Pets are allowed. |
B.Fires are forbidden. |
C.Both have a veranda. |
D.Both are near rivers. |
9 . How to prepare for a thrilling hike? Hiking needs mental and physical preparation weeks before the material day. If you’re a fan of hiking mountains. Here is a guide to help you.
Train hard and train in time
You need to train your body at least three months before the challenge.
Choose your clothes carefully
You must consider various factors before purchasing the most appropriate hiking shoes. First, mind the terrain (地形) of the hiking ground. A mild terrain will do fine with light shoes. On the other hand. A tough, hard and mountainous terrain require hardy hots to help navigate the rocky grounds.
Adequately pack your bag
Your bag is your lifeline when hiking. Water is the most essential itch when hiking. The body performs best when you hydrate frequently throughout the challenge. Carry adequate clean water and sip often.
Hiking is a refreshing way of keeping fit, having fun and building resilience.
A.Choose appropriate footwear |
B.Search for the route you will he hiking |
C.Carry a compass, a map and a gas with you |
D.Adequate water can help you be in good con lit ion |
E.create a regular schedule and be disciplined to follow it |
F.Wear appropriate clothes that allow your free movement |
G.Adequate planning will help have a fantastic experience of it |
10 . I wanted the pleasure of being in Africa again. Feeling that the place was so large that it contained many untold tales and some hope and comedy and sweetness too, I aimed to reinsert myself in the bundy, as we used to call the bush, and to wander around. There I had lived and worked, happily, almost forty years ago, in the heart of the greenest continent.
In those old undramatic days of my school teaching in the bundu, folks lived their lives on bush paths at the end of unpaved roads of red clay, in villages of grass-roofed huts. They had a new national flag, they had just gotten the vote, some had bikes, many talked about buying their first pair of shoes. They were hopeful, and, so was I, a schoolteacher living near a settlement of mud-huts among trees and fields—children shouting at play; and women bent double—most with infants on their backs—hoeing(锄地) the corn beans; and the men sitting in the shade.
The Swahili word safari means “journey”, it has nothing to do with animals, someone “on safari” is just away and unobtainable and out of touch. Out of touch in Africa was where I wanted to be. The wish to disappear sends many travellers away. If you are thoroughly sick of being kept waiting at home or at work, travel is perfect: let other people wait for a change. Travel is a sort of revenge(报复) for having been put on hold, or having to leave messages on answering machines, not knowing your party’s extension, being kept waiting all your working life. But also being kept waiting is the human condition.
Travel in the African bush can also be a sort of revenge on mobile phones and email, on telephones and the daily paper, on the aspects of globalization that allow anyone who chooses to get their hands on you. I desired to be unobtainable. I was going to Africa for the best of reasons—in a spirit of discovery—simply to disappear, to light out, with a suggestion of I dare you to try to find me.
Home had become a routine, and routine made time pass quickly. I was a sitting duck in this predictable routine: people knew when to call me, they knew when I would be at my desk. I was in such regular touch that it was like having a job, a mode of life I hated. I was sick of being called up and asked for favors, hit up for money. You stick around too long and people begin to impose their own deadlines on you.
1. What did the writer expect from his journey?A.To have a variety of enjoyable experiences. | B.To see how Africa had changed. |
C.To see impressive scenery. | D.To meet some old friend. |
A.Little was likely to change. | B.Things were likely to improve. |
C.Women would do most of the work. | D.People’s expectations were too limited. |
A.He wanted a change of activity. | B.He wanted people to be unable to contact him. |
C.His health was suffering from staying at home. | D.He had been waiting to return to Africa for long. |
A.he was boring | B.he was easy to find |
C.he is fond of ducks | D.he was always lending money |