1 . A skywell, or "tian jing", is a typical feature of a traditional home in China.
Although a skywell's size and design vary from region to region, it is always rectangular and located in the Core of a house, either
The main purpose of a skywell is to allow in light, improve ventilation (通风) and
As a(n)
Evaporated water cools hot air, a process known as evaporative cooling which is
Though existing in China for hundreds of years, in recent times they have often been forgotten by people who prefer modern
A.Parallel with | B.Different from | C.Close to | D.Symbolic of |
A.commonly | B.rarely | C.apparently | D.currently |
A.bind | B.gather | C.house | D.honor |
A.enclosed | B.separated | C.accompanied | D.replaced |
A.calming | B.refreshing | C.incoming | D.upcoming |
A.pollution | B.pressure | C.current | D.circulation |
A.promise | B.harvest | C.stop | D.process |
A.block out | B.bathe in | C.allow for | D.let out |
A.Nevertheless | B.Meanwhile | C.Similarly | D.Rather |
A.well | B.column | C.chimney | D.ceiling |
A.ideal | B.leisure | C.alternative | D.transition |
A.well-reflected | B.well-shaded | C.well-developed | D.well-organized |
A.collect | B.purify | C.drain | D.evaporate |
A.techniques | B.facilities | C.styles | D.inventions |
A.reunion | B.reminder | C.renewal | D.rearrangement |
1. When did Erden probably start his journey?
A.In 2007. | B.In 2012. | C.In 2015. |
A.He was short of money. |
B.His health condition was bad. |
C.The weather on the mountains was terrible. |
A.On foot. | B.By boat. | C.By car. |
A.Plan for more trips. | B.Study Spanish. | C.Have a rest. |
SEEING THE TRUE NORTH VIA RAIL: VANCOUVER AND THE HEART OF CANADA
Li Daiyu and her cousin Liu Qian went to Canada to visit their cousins in Halifax on the Atlantic coast. Rather than travel by commercial airline all the way, they decided to fly to Vancouver and then take the train.[1] For both of them, the thought of crossing the whole country by rail was exciting.
Before starting out, they spent a couple of days in Vancouver, seeing the sights. During their first day, as is typical of Vancouver, it rained. Despite the weather, they were able to take a boat ride out into the bay, and later visit an island that had wonderful shops selling crafts and antiques[3]. The next day was clear and mild, and they were pleased to see the beautiful mountains looking out over the city. Later, they took a pleasant hike in a forest just a short distance away.
The next morning, the two girls arose early to take the train to Lake Louise, passing through the Canadian Rockies. Seen from the train window, the mountains and forests of Canada looked massive. When the train arrived at the station, they took a taxi to Lake Louise, where the blue water literally took their breath away with its exceptional beauty. They spent the night, and then took a coach bound north through the Canadian Rockies to Jasper. Looking at the beautiful scenery, they both agreed that it was the most awesome journey they had ever taken. In addition to seeing spectacular mountain peaks and forests, one highlight of their trip was being able to see many different creatures, including deer, mountain goats, and even a grizzly bear and an eagle.
From Jasper, they caught the train towards Toronto. One of the train’s first stops was in Edmonton, the provincial capital of Alberta, the centre of Canada’s huge oil and gas drilling industry. Edmonton is freezing cold in winter, with daily temperatures averaging10℃. Since it can be too cold to go outdoors, Edmonton is home to many shopping malls. In fact, one of the largest shopping malls in North America is in Edmonton.
From Edmonton, the train headed southeast across the great Canadian Prairie. At school, Daiyu and Liu Qian had learnt that Canada’s population is only slightly over thirty-seven million. However, they did not anticipate seeing such an open country, and were truly amazed. They went through two wheat growing provinces, where they saw a bunch of farms that covered a very large area.
After another day on the train, eventually they were back in an urban area, the city of Winnipeg. From there, they travelled through the night, and woke up in Ontario — a land of forests and lakes. The train thundered on, through the rolling hills. The bushes and maple trees outside their windows were red, gold, and orange, and there was frost on the ground, confirming that autumn had arrived in Canada. Night came again, and the train turned south towards Toronto. When they woke up the next morning and pulled back the curtain, they could see the wide stretch of Lake Huron — one of the four Great Lakes on Ontario’s southern border. It was not until 9:30 a. m. that they finally reached the capital of Ontario, Toronto. All in all, their trip from Vancouver to Toronto had taken a duration of four days.
1. What’s the main idea of the text?A.The trip from Vancouver to Toronto in Canada. |
B.The beautiful scenery of Canada. |
C.Canada is a good place for shopping. |
D.Autumn is the best season in Canada. |
A.65 | B.75 |
C.85 | D.95 |
A.Because they don’t have so much money. |
B.Because they want to take the train to have a good view of Canada. |
C.The aeroplane is so fast. |
D.The distance from the west coast to the east isn't so long. |
A.In Jasper. | B.In Lake Louise. |
C.In Vancouver. | D.In Edmonton. |
A.It often rains. |
B.It is freezing cold in winter. |
C.It is often sunny. |
D.It is always like autumn. |
Vancouver | → | Seeing the |
↓ | ↓ | |
→ | blue water | |
↓ | ↓ | |
Jasper | → | Many different |
↓ | ↓ | |
→ | ||
↓ | ↓ | |
Winnipeg | → | X |
↓ | ↓ | |
Ontario | → | |
↓ | ↓ | |
→ | Capital of Ontario |
7. Analyse and translate the sentences.
①Despite the weather, they were able to take a boat ride out into the bay, and later visit an island that had wonderful shops selling crafts and antiques.
②When the train arrived at the station, they took a taxi to Lake Louise, where the bule water literally took their breath away with its exceptional beauty.
③They went through two wheat-growing provinces, where they saw a bunch of farms that covered a very large area.
4 . 3 Most Walkable Cities in Europe
Walking on holiday is a great way to stay fit, but also to see the sights a city has to offer. Here are the three most walkable cities in Europe.
Athens, Greece
Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world. The capital of Greece ranks fifth, with a slightly longer—but very worthwhile—route of 2.1 miles between its top-rated tourist attractions.
Visitors to Athens can set off at the Acropolis, climbing to discover the ancient Parthenon that stands as a landmark to the city’s ancient legacy. Then it leads to the Acropolis Museum, with the neighbourhood of Plaka waiting to be explored in the shadow of the Acropolis. The National Archaeological Museum is also close-by.
Seville, Spain
Seville is home to some wonderful sights that are best seen when walking. Seville in Spain takes the top spot as Europe’s most walkable city, offering the shortest walking route between the top five tourist attractions.
Visitors to this charming Spanish city can explore the impressive Plaza de Espana public square, before wandering over to the UNESCO-listed palace of Real Alcazar and Seville Cathedral. After that it’s only a short trip on foot to visit the beautiful Barrio Santa Cruz neighbourhood and admire the Torre Giralda bell tower hanging above. With just 20 minutes of walking between these attractions.
Venice, Italy
Venice is famous for walkers, so it’s no surprise it ranks as the second best location for walkable city breaks. Walking is the best way to explore the bridges over the canals the city is famed for. There are endless charming alleyways to explore, as well as plenty of bridges over the canals that the city is famous for. Just under half an hour of walking here will take you on a tour of the impressive Grand Canal.
1. What’s the recommended starting point of the city walk in Athens?A.Plaka. |
B.The Acropolis. |
C.The Acropolis Museum. |
D.The National Archaeological Museum . |
A.It offers some wonderful sights. |
B.Visitors can explore five tourist attractions. |
C.It makes visitors enjoy their time to the full. |
D.Visitors can tour five tourist attractions in the shortest walking distance. |
A.Those who are hiking during the vacation. |
B.Those who want to find suggestions on where to travel. |
C.Those who are looking for the best traveling destinations. |
D.Those who usually choose walkable cities for their vacation. |
SEEING THE TRUE NORTH VIA RAIL:
TORONTO AND MONTREAL
After Li Daiyu and her cousin arrived in Toronto, the largest and wealthiest city in Canada, they only had a few hours to kill before they had to proceed to the next leg of their trip to Montreal, so they went on a tour of the city. They went up the CN Tower and looked across the shores of Lake Ontario. Standing in the distance, they were astonished to see misty clouds rising from the great Niagara Falls, which is on the south side of the lake.Water from the lake flows into the Niagara River and over the falls on its way to the sea.
The girls saw hundreds of skyscrapers of glass and steel, and oldfashioned cars rolling by. As they walked north from the harbour area, Li Daiyu said, “Lin Fei, one of my mother’s old schoolmates, lives here. I should phone her and see if she’s available for dinner.”
They met Lin Fei around dusk over dinner at a restaurant in downtown Chinatown. The cousins chatted with Lin Fei, who had moved to Canada many years earlier.
“This is the largest Chinatown in Toronto. We have a few more in the Greater Toronto Area, so you can guess that there are a lot of Chinese people in Canada! Chinese people have been coming here for more than a hundred years. Therefore, we can get all kinds of great food here from all over China,” Lin Fei told them.
The train left late that night and arrived in Montreal early the next morning. At the station, in contrast to Toronto, they heard people talking in French. They were surprised to see that all the signs and advertisements were in French and many people spoke English with an accent.
“We don’t leave until this evening,” said Liu Qian. “Let’s go downtown. Old Montreal is close to the water.”
They spent the afternoon in lovely shops and visiting artists in their workplaces along St Paul Street. As they sat in a restaurant alongside the broad St Lawrence River, a young man sat down with them.
“Hello, my name is JeanPhilippe. I’m a photographer,” he said, “and I was wondering where you are from.”
The girls told him they were from China and were on a train trip across Canada. When they told him they had only one day in Montreal, he said, “That’s too bad. You owe it to yourselves to stay longer. Overall, Montreal is a city with wonderful sights and sounds. Most of us speak both English and French, and the city has unique Quebec culture and traditions. There are fantastic restaurants and clubs around, too. Here, we love good coffee, toast, and cheese. And good music, of course!”
That night the train was speeding along the St Lawrence River towards the Gulf of St Lawrence and down to the distant east coast towards the province of Nova Scotia and its largest city, Halifax. The cousins dreamt happily of the beautiful cobblestone streets, old brick buildings, and the red maple leaves of Montreal.
1. What surprised Li Daiyu and her cousin in Montreal?A.People there spoke Chinese. |
B.Many spoke French with an accent. |
C.There were many Chinatowns there. |
D.All the signs and advertisements were in French. |
A.He felt excited. | B.He felt satisfied. |
C.He felt it a pity. | D.He felt it an honor. |
A.Montreal has few high buildings. |
B.Montreal has some ancient buildings. |
C.Montreal is a modern agricultural city. |
D.Montreal is situated on the St Lawrence River. |
6 . Enjoy Fresh Air
Namba Parks, Osaka, Japan
Architects creating Namba Parks shopping mall in Osaka showed that you needn’t sacrifice (牺牲) green spaces for commercial (商业的) development.
The shopping center, built in 2003, provides eight floors of commercial space for cinemas, stores, events and restaurants.
The garden at its top begins at street level. Visitors are treated to green spaces and there is no money necessary to enjoy the simple pleasures.
Promenade Plantee, Paris, France
The space was developed on a disused railway line and runs from the Opera Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes in the city.
Around 1.5 km of the park is higher than the street, with other parts at street level, even passing through disused railway tunnels (隧道).
The project began in 1988 and finished in 1994 and the space is now home to many trees and plants, including bamboo and cherry trees.
Jurong Lake Gardens, Singapore, Singapore
Jurong Lake Gardens is a 90-hectare green space in the heart of Singapore. Although some areas are still under development, the first part opened in 2019.
The gardens were developed with nature and community in mind — with a large 2.3-hectare play area for children. The park has also developed a learning program to help educate students about biodiversity (生物多样性).
The High Line, New York, USA
You’ve probably heard of Central Park in New York. But did you know this is only the fifth largest park in New York, a city that has 180 state parks in total?
Wanting to increase its biodiversity further, city planners also created a city park known as the High Line between 2009 and 2019. This 2-kilometer public park was built on a disused railway line and is now home to over 150,000 plants and trees.
1. Why is Namba Parks special?A.It serves as a shopping center. | B.It is still under development. |
C.It is the fifth largest park in Japan. | D.It includes different parks in Osaka. |
A.They were created by architects from Singapore. |
B.They are famous for learning programs. |
C.They were private gardens at first. |
D.They are ‘on old railway lines. |
A.Namba Parks. | B.Promenade Plantee. |
C.Jurong Lake Gardens | D.The High Line. |
1. Where is the Base located?
A.10 km away from the city center. |
B.Less than 30 km from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. |
C.No.1357 Panda Road. |
A.Feeding the animals using bamboo. |
B.Chatting loudly with friends. |
C.Taking pictures for pandas without flashes. |
A.Refilling a cup of hot coffee. | B.Buying food for dinner. | C.Using an umbrella when it rains. |
A.Tourists visiting the Base. |
B.Volunteers taking care of the wild animals. |
C.Scientists doing research at the Base. |
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England—many people are confused by what these different names mean. So what is the difference between them, if any? Getting to know a little bit about British history will help you solve this puzzle.
In the 16th century, the nearby country of Wales was joined to the Kingdom of England. Later, in the 18th century, the country Scotland was joined to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. In the 19th century, the Kingdom of Ireland was added to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, in the 20th century, the southern part of Ireland broke away from the UK, which resulted in the full name we have today: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Most people just use the shortened name: “the United Kingdom” or “the UK”. People from the UK are called “British”, which means the UK is also often referred to as Britain or Great Britain.
The four countries that belong to the United Kingdom work together in some areas. They use the same flag, known as the Union Jack, as well as share the same currency and military defence. However, they also have some differences. For example, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all have different education systems and legal systems. They also have their own traditions, like their own national days and national dishes. And they even have their own football teams for competitions like the World Cup!
The United Kingdom has a long and interesting history to explore, which can help you understand much more about the country and its traditions. Almost everywhere you go in the UK, you will be surrounded by evidence of four different groups of people who took over at different times throughout history. The first group, the Romans, came in the first century. Some of their great achievements included building towns and roads. Next, the AngloSaxons arrived in the fifth century. They introduced the beginnings of the English language, and changed the way people built houses. The Vikings came in the eighth century and left behind lots of new vocabulary, as well as the names of many locations across the UK. The last group were the Normans. They conquered England after the wellknown Battle of Hastings in the 11th century. They had castles built all around England, and made changes to the legal system. The Normans were French, so many French words slowly entered into the English language.
There is so much more to learn about the interesting history and culture of the United Kingdom. Studying the history of the country will make your visit much more enjoyable. The capital city London is a great place to start, as it is an ancient port city that has a history dating all the way back to Roman times. There are countless historic sites to explore, and lots of museums with ancient relics from all over the UK. The UK is a fascinating mix of history and modern culture, with both new and old traditions. If you keep your eyes open, you will be surprised to find that you can see both its past and its present.
1. Match the main idea of each paragraphA. The four countries of the UK. B. How the UK came into being. C. The four groups of people in the history. D. Introduce the topic to the readers. E. The history and modern culture make the UK fascinating. |
2. What can help us find out the difference between some different names of the UK?
A.British languages. | B.British history. |
C.British location. | D.British education. |
A.Britain. | B.Scotland. |
C.Wales. | D.Ireland. |
A.The flag. | B.The currency. |
C.The military defence. | D.The education system. |
A.Building towns and roads. |
B.Changing the way of building houses. |
C.Leaving behind many new vocabulary. |
D.Changing the legal system. |
A.Teachers. | B.Students. |
C.Tourists. | D.Guides. |
What’s in a name | Rise a question | What is the |
Explain the question | How did the UK come into being? | |
The same and different areas | The share the same | |
The have different | ||
A long and interesting history | You will be surrounded by | |
The advantage of studying the history | Make you visit much more |
A.标出句中含有情感变化的词汇。
(1)The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England—many people are confused by what these different names mean.
(2)Getting to know a little bit about British history will help you solve this puzzle.
(3)The United Kingdom has a long and interesting history to explore, which can help you understand much more about the country and its traditions.
(4)Studying the history of the country will make your visit much more enjoyable.
B.在课文中找出表示情感变化的句子。
(1)
(2)
DUBAI — Dubai has retained its leading position in the MENA (中东和北非) region on Kearney’s Global Cities Index, ranking 23rd globally and
According to the report, prominent emerging venues around the world,
(Situation: One day Linda and George are talking about visiting Europe.)
Linda: Hello, George. What are you doing?
George: Hi, Linda.
Linda: Are you thinking of visiting Europe some day?
George: Yes, I’m looking to such a trip. Hey,
Linda: Yes. I’ve actually visited my countries in Europe; France, Germany, Italy and Austria, for example.
George: When did you go there? And
Linda: Two years ago. For over one month.
George: Did you like it?
Linda: Of course. There are many ancient churches and castles.
George: Sounds great. I decide to make a trip next October on my annual leave.
Linda: