A road trip
Out of all possible road trips, the best one is by car. You finish packing, put everything inside the car, sit inside it, buckle up, look at your friend
I love to meet the sun while driving a road trip in a car.
Spring and autumn are two seasons of the year that are perfect for a road trip. In my opinion, spring is the most inspiring time of the year,
A road trip in autumn is beautiful, too. The golden brush touches
A road trip for me is the moment of communication with nature. It is a dialogue
2 . See the Exhibitions on View Just for You
Bernd & Hilla Becher
The famous German couple Bernd and Hilla Becher (1931-2007; 1934-2015) changed the course of late 20th-century photography. Working as a rare like-minded and professional couple, they focused on a single subject: the disappearing industrial architecture of Western Europe and North America that fueled the modern time.
Fictions of Emancipation: Carpeaux Recast
Organized around a single object — the marble sculpture (雕塑) Why Born Enslaved! By French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux — Fictions of Emancipation: Carpeaux Recast is the first exhibition in the Metropolitan Museum of Art to examine Western sculpture in relation to the histories of Western slavery, colonialism, and empire.
Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color
Ancient Greek and Roman sculpture was once colorful, vividly painted and richly decorated. Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color tells the colorful backstory of polychromy — meaning “many colors” in Greek — and presents new discoveries of surviving ancient color on artworks in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s world-class collection.
Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina
Focusing on the work of African American potters (陶工) in the 19th-century American South — in dialogue with contemporary artistic responses — the exhibition presents approximately 50 objects from Old Edgefield District, South Carolina, a center of stoneware production in the decades before the Civil War.
1. What were Bernd and Hilla Becher?| A．Historians. | B．Architects. | C．Journalists. | D．Photographers. |
| A．Ancient Greek and Roman sculpture’s colors. |
| B．The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collections. |
| C．The background of Greek and Roman sculpture. |
| D．New discoveries about ancient Greek and Roman. |
| A．Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color. |
| B．Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina. |
| C．Bernd & Hilla Becher. |
| D．Fictions of Emancipation: Carpeaux Recast. |
3 . A butterfly-shaped island in the central Aegean hopes to become Greece’s first carbon-free tourist destination.Under a deal with the government, Volkswagen, a carmaker, has donated several new electric vehicles for use by Astypalea’s public services; it will sell others at cost price to its 1,200 year-round residents. In return, the government has offered more financial assistance for islanders to buy electric cars and will build a solar and wind-fuelled power plant to replace polluting generators.
Unlike other nearby islands, Astypalea is not connected to Greece’s electricity providers. With only 3,000 rooms for visitors in small hotels or flats, tourism is still low-key. Many residents make a living the old-fashioned way: raising goats, keeping bees and fishing. The island was selected for Volkswagen’s experiment after Nikos Komineas,the go-ahead mayor, contacted the transport ministry for help in finding an electric bus to try out on its rough roads.
Most islanders sound keen on the project. Mr Komineas expects the number of private cars on Astypalea to fall by a third over the next five years. Its residents, he says, will get around on electric minibuses, which will be free,linked to a mobile-phone app and available round the clock.
Some observers smell greenwashing in the project. A bid for a solar park that would generate half the island’s electricity within three years will not get under way before the tourist season ends. A single wind-fuelled engine will be set up only in 2026, assuming the licensing process goes smoothly. That is not normally the case in the Aegean, where islanders worry that tourists will go elsewhere if the view is spoiled by an engine 200 meters high. And even then, the solar and wind-fulled power unit is planned to cover only about 80% of summer demand. But it is a start.
1. Why has Volkswagen signed the deal with the government?| A．To control car prices. | B．To help generate electricity. |
| C．To promote public transport. | D．To build a zero-carbon island. |
| A．It has an aggressive leader. | B．It is out of the national electricity network. |
| C．It is a crowded tourist destination. | D．It has various goats, bees and fishes. |
| A．an island with few tourists | B．a process with little support |
| C．an engine with no polluting fuel | D．a strategy with no meaningful changes |
| A．It’s pioneering. | B．It’s practical. |
| C．It’s destructive. | D．It’s costly. |
4 . A week ago I went on a drive to explore an area of Eastern Washington that I’m not familiar with at all. It was the rolling countryside north of where I live, near the little town of Manson.
The geography here is dry but lower, wider, and full of rolling hills. The area miles intothe distance towards the East. It seemslike a very rural, mainly uninhabited (杳无人烟的) area, but actually, as you explore, you quickly realize that there are houses even in the most remote (遥远的) looking areas, little pockets of human life here and there.
I think that people who live in these areas are either retired, working remotely from home, or really need the peace and energy that the quiet countryside can give.
Driving up a lonely, winding road, suddenly there was a flash of color above that passed over the car. Of all things it was a peacock (孔雀). What on earth was it doing in this remote area? It seemed really out of place. It flew from one side of the road to the hill on the other, joining eight others that were already there, enjoying the sun. Their colors were brilliant. And yes, they seemed more comfortable in that area than in palace gardens. They are, after all, very much like pheasants (野鸡), just much more beautiful. Someone nearby must have attended them. I could only see one female; of course she wasn’t as beautiful to look at as the males. Her feather was much more like the grass and rocks of her surroundings.
These little day trips always seem to bring surprises, even in remote areas. There is always something that will prove to be unexpected.
1. How was the area that the author explored?| A．It was an area of hills near the little town of Manson. |
| B．It was dry but lower, wider, and full of visitors. |
| C．It was an area without human life existing. |
| D．It was a rural but busy area. |
| A．The sunlight. | B．A peacock. | C．The car. | D．A pheasant. |
| A．One. | B．Eight. | C．Nine. | D．Eleven. |
| A．Female peacocks are more beautiful than male ones. |
| B．They showed great interest in the car. |
| C．They suited more to palace gardens. |
| D．They must be raised by human. |
5 . Like many young people, Jessica wants to travel the globe. Unlike most of them, this 25-year-old is doing it
They’re part of a new form of the
It’s not all sightseeing. The two travelers carefully
The couple has a high
| A．indoors | B．online | C．single-handed | D．full-time |
| A．game | B．service | C．vacation | D．procedure |
| A．safe | B．busy | C．helpful | D．affordable |
| A．local | B．private | C．sharing | D．agricultural |
| A．strangers’ | B．parents’ | C．co-workers’ | D．neighbors’ |
| A．favor | B．defense | C．honor | D．absence |
| A．plan | B．explain | C．compare | D．complete |
| A．buy | B．transport | C．choose | D．please |
| A．support | B．comfort | C．control | D．attention |
| A．cooking | B．staying | C．waiting | D．studying |
| A．success | B．survival | C．growth | D．unemployment |
| A．budget | B．abilities | C．expectations | D．understanding |
| A．admiring | B．donating | C．sending | D．borrowing |
| A．clean | B．open | C．simple | D．empty |
| A．guess | B．decision | C．response | D．impression |
6 . One of the best advantages of technological advancements is the fact that it has given us so much more freedom in the way we work. That so many jobs can be done remotely means you can travel and work from anywhere you want in the world. Here are some of the best cities to live and work in.
Tallinn, Estonia
Often overlooked as a tourist destination, Tallinn has become known as Europe's next Silicon Valley. Not only that, it is absolutely amazing. The Old Town has been named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is full of Gothic architecture and lots of historical landmarks.
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is an ideal city for anyone who is crazy about wandering. It has a diverse culture, delicious and affordable food, and best of all, a low cost of living compared to other major cities. Its Neo-Renaissance architecture has made it one of Europe's most beautiful cities.
Da Nang, Vietnam
Unlike large cities like Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, Da Nang's advantage is that it is still pretty unknown to many people. That means there are fewer tourists while still providing the same attractions of a big noisy city. Enjoy the most delicious food, buy fresh coconuts on the beach, and rent a motorbike and drive over Hai Van Pass.
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is becoming popular as a co-working community, and it's clear why so many flooded into this city. With 300 days of sunshine each year, unbelievable nightlife, and delicious food, there are certainly worthwhile places to spend your time at. Lisbon has a growing tech scene but is still very leisurely.
1. What do Tallinn and Budapest have in common?| A．Their living cost is low. | B．They have beautiful architecture. |
| C．They are famous technology centers. | D．They are listed in the UNESCO World Heritage. |
| A．Estonia. | B．Vietnam. | C．Hungary. | D．Portugal. |
| A．It offers delicious food. | B．It is a quiet European city. |
| C．It is famous for beautiful scenery. | D．It enjoys sunshine most of the year. |
7 . Why Can’t People Stop Touching Museum Exhibits (展品)?
When visiting the British Museum, you can see visitors touch ancient bowls even though the museum rules say no touching is allowed. Museum guards say it’s impossible to stop people from breaking the no-touch rule.
Most museum-going is still a mainly visual (视觉的) experience for visitors to admire the artworks.
But as museums grew, the spirit no longer existed. When you’ve got 4 million visitors a year, you can hardly have every body touching something. People are awkward and likely to damage the artworks. So the rule against touching artworks makes great sense. Smaller museums still sometimes encourage visitors to touch their objects.
Why are we so unwilling to keep our hands to ourselves? Some people just want to make sure the artworks are real. But there’s a larger truth.
| A．Touch was allowed in museums at first. |
| B．It helps to show respect for the ancient artists. |
| C．You stop 100 people touching and there are 200 more. |
| D．Visitors learn more about objects from reading signs around. |
| E．You can’t really learn more about objects unless you touch them. |
| F．But the bigger ones prefer to advertise themselves as no touching. |
| G．Museums have come a long way since the time of the curiosity room. |
8 . The most attractive national parks on earth provide the most quickest way to discover how amazing the planet is. Visits to the greatest national parks in the world make you experience breathtaking natural wonders.
Arenal Volcano National Park
Anyone who has been to Arenal will probably tell you that “It's paradise”. Arenal Volcano National Park is located in the middle of Costa Rica, Central America. The park has a continuous active volcano. In fact, you can see lava pouring down its sides. Hot springs surround this volcano. Numerous hidden waterfalls and animals-filled forests also surround the volcano.
Yellowstone National Park
America's Yellowstone is a land of great things. First of all, this is the world's first natural park. It is also the continent's largest volcanic zone. Yellowstone provides home to the largest group of bison (野牛) in the world. It seems like Yellowstone shows the crème de la crème (精英) of the American west.
Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park
You are going to China, and in addition to the Great Wall, you probably need to visit a great national park. You shouldn't worry since you are pretty well covered. The Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park is more than magical. It stands among five impressive colored lakes. You will enjoy watching the fresh and clear blue sky above; while the park*s evergreen forests are full of life and energy.
Kilimanjaro National Park
You are in Tanzania again, and you probably might have known Mt. Kilimanjaro. Most of all, it is Africa's highest mountain. All enthusiastic mountaineers dream to climb to the top of it. As a result, the Kilimanjaro National Park is most popular with them. Since great grasslands and wildlife surround the mountain, your trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro becomes more fascinating and inspiring.
1. What do Arenal Volcano National Park and Yellowstone National Park have in common?| A．Their evergreen forests are lively. |
| B．They are full of great grasslands. |
| C．They have splendid volcanoes. |
| D．They are home to African wildlife. |
| A．Arenal Volcano National Park. | B．Yellowstone National Park. |
| C．Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park. | D．Kilimanjaro National Park. |
| A．Costa Rica. | B．China. |
| C．America. | D．Tanzania. |
9 . I have well travelled in Spain and visited a good number of Spanish cities. However, no city will ever quite match Cadiz, where I spent six months studying as a student.
Before that, I knew very little about Cadiz but I decided to take a risk and explore it. Well, the risk certainly paid off.
Cadiz, Europe’s oldest city, hangs off Spain’s southern coast on a peninsula (半岛), surrounded almost entirely by water. As you leave the shady streets of the historical old city and explore more of it, you are met with vast areas of the blue Atlantic Ocean and white sandy beaches, which in my opinion are some of the best in Spain!
One of the great things about Cadiz is the wonderful, rich culture of food and drink. There are little tapas (小吃) bars lining every street and most will serve tapas for around 1.50~2 euros, meaning you can try a whole variety of Andalusian dishes.
Cadiz has also come to be known as “The Singing City”. It comes from the annual carnival (狂欢节), one of the biggest in Europe. A very large number of people go to Cadiz to see it. During those ten days, Cadiz’s narrow streets are filed with the sound of singing as musical groups fight for a place in the contest, which takes place on the last Saturday of carnival. The songs perfectly show the sense of humor of the Gaditanos, who, besides being so warm and welcoming, are said to have the best sense of humor in Spain!
That is my experience of Cadiz: a wonderful, typically Andalusian city which is often overlooked but well worth a visit. I can currently living in Huelva, just a short drive from Cadiz, so please pay attention to my next sharing!
1. What dose the word “that” underlined in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Studying in Cadiz. | B．Competing in a match. |
| C．Teaching a student. | D．Becoming an explorer. |
| A．The unknown origin and long history of Cadiz. | B．The beautiful life of people living to Cadiz. |
| C．The geographic position and scenery of Cadiz. | D．The author’s complex attitude towards Cadiz. |
| A．A number of local people enjoy humorous songs. |
| B．Singing is everywhere during a big annual carnival. |
| C．Many grand carnivals attract well-known singers. |
| D．A lot of singing competitions take place each year. |
| A．A post on the Internet. | B．A geography textbook. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．A biography. |
10 . Love sugar-white sand beaches? Whether you’re looking to ski down the side of a mountain or surf in the sunshine, you’ll find the following four places in the best winter travel destination (目的地) list.
Best for: Families and water babies
The newly-built Coral Towers at the Atlantis resort (旅游胜地) in Paradise Island, Bahamas, with new next-door neighbor Marina Village, an open-air shopping and dining marketplace, are just two of the newest reasons to visit this Caribbean popular travel destination. Don’t forget about Aquaventure, the world’s largest open-air water park. With the average winter temperatures between the mid 60°F and high 70°F, it’s a perfect place to escape the cold.
Best for: Winter sports lovers
Known as “Ski City” because of its position as the gateway to “the Greatest Snow on Earth” at four of the U. S.A.’s best ski resorts — Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, and Solitude — Salt Lake City welcomes winter sports lovers all around the world. In addition to wonderful skiing and snowboarding tracks, Utah Olympic Park offers an unforgettable experience that will make you feel like an Olympian in training.
Best for: Adventurers
Iceland in the winter is simply dreamy and temperatures aren’t as cool as you might think. Plus, there’s no better time than winter to view the Northern Lights. Short winter days mean you’ll have an even greater chance to catch the magic. An increasing number of flights in and out of Reykjavik make it easier than ever to visit.
Best for: Families and theme park lovers
Whether you come for the Pro Bowl in January, the new Toy Story land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Supercharged ride at Universal Studios Florida, Orlando is yet another warm-weather destination for winter travel. The weather is at its best and the crowds are at their thinnest.
1. Which of the following is a good place for shopping?| A．Iceland. | B．Aquaventure. |
| C．Marina Village. | D．Ski City. |
| A．The new Toy Story land. | B．Sugar-white sand beaches. |
| C．An open-air dinning marketplace. | D．The magic of the Northern Lights. |
| A．Salt Lake City | B．Orlando |
| C．Reykjavik | D．Brighton |
