1 . There are some palaces in Europe that you may be interested to know about.
Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainIt takes the title of the largest European palace by floor area and it is one of the largest palaces in the world. The Royal Palace of Madrid was built in the 18th century by order of Philip V on the site of the old Alcázar fortress, a former Moorish castle. With over 135,000 square metres and 3,418 rooms, it has seeded centuries of Spanish history. It is one of the few official seats of a head of state that is open to the public.
Royal Palace of Brussels, BelgiumIt is a historic and the most wonderful building in Brussels, Belgium, next to Brussels Park. The Royal Palace of Brussels is the King’s main workplace, where he works daily with his staff. A tradition has been established since 1965 to open the Royal Palace of Brussels to the public normally from the 21 July until the beginning of September.
Pena Palace, PortugalIt is the most popular attraction in Sintra, Portugal, and the main reason why so many people visit the small mountain town less than one hour’s drive from the country’s capital city, Lisbon. The colorful palace perched upon a hill looks like something out of a fairy tale. Its yellow and bright red appearance makes Pena Palace one of the most picturesque places in Europe. The UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) site has a rich history that dates all the way back to the Middle Ages.
Palace of Venaria, ItalyIt is a former royal living places and gardens located in Venaria Reale, near Turin in the Metropolitan City of Turin of the Piedmont region in northern Italy. It is one of the largest palaces in the world. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.
1. Which palace covers the largest floor area in Europe?| A．Royal Palace of Madrid. | B．Pena Palace. |
| C．Royal Palace of Brussels. | D．Palace of Venaria. |
| A．In February. | B．In June. | C．In August. | D．In October. |
| A．They are both in Asia. |
| B．They are both small palaces. |
| C．They are both forty minutes’ drive from the capital. |
| D．They are both listed in the UNESCO World Heritage. |
Cycling is kind to the environment so it is an excellent way to take in the city. Here are 4bike-friendly cities having adopted this green mode of transport to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Montréal, Canada
Montréal has already established protected bike paths since the 1980s. BIXI is the city’s bike-sharing system with 9, 600 bikes and almost 800 stations. Cyclists can make their visit to the Tour de L’lle Montreal, a yearly bike ride where cyclists take to the streets for a day without any other vehicles being allowed on the roads.
Malmö, Sweden
Cycling in Malmö is enjoyable due to the relaxed and easy-going manner of most cyclists. The calming atmosphere makes it a great experience, even for nervous riders. A highly recommended bike route is from Ribersborg park to Limhamn Harbour, where riders can take a few good photos of the famous Oresund Bridge.
Beijing, China
In the 1970s, bicycles were the main mode of transportation for people in Beijing. However, dedicated (专用的) cycle paths for cyclists were limited. Only in May 2019, did the city launch its first specific cycle path. This achievement in cycling facility is worth a shout-out for a city with over 21 million people.
Bogota, Colombia
Bogota first introduced the concept of cycle path in 1974. The idea sees cars being banned from city roads every Sunday from 7 a.m.to 2 p.m., helping cyclists, runners and walkers exercise safely. Since then, the city has slowly but steadily expanded the program, including setting up dedicated cycle paths. As a result, Bogota now has 550km of bike paths and is the most bike-friendly city in Latin America.
1. What make(s)Montréal different from other cities?| A．A well-developed bike-sharing system. |
| B．The oldest protected bike paths. |
| C．An annual bicycle event. |
| D．The most calming effect on cyclists. |
| A．Beijing. | B．Malmö. | C．Montréal. | D．Bogota. |
| A．Improvement in cycling facility. |
| B．Shift in primary means of transportation. |
| C．Regular investment in building bicycle paths. |
| D．Multiple specific cycle paths connecting districts. |
内容包括：1. 提出邀请；
2.介绍你的旅行计划 (出行方式、参观景点等)；
3.准备建议 (提前购票、衣物准备等)；
注意：
1. 词数 100 左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯； 参考词汇：兵马俑the Terracotta Army
大雁塔 the Dayan Pagoda
大唐不夜城 the Great Tang All Day Mall
回民街 the Huis’ Street
陕西历史博物馆 Shaanxi History Museum
Dear Adam,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sincerely, Li Hua
4 . Viator, a trip advisor company, offers a variety of tourism programs near London. The following are some of its programs.
Thames River Sightseeing Cruise (乘船游览) with Afternoon Tea (Aug. 18)
While in London, you can add the moment of enjoying British tradition to an afternoon tea cruise. You can have a unique dining experience with family and friends on the Thames River. As you cruise from Tower Pier to Westminster, you can enjoy tea, freshly prepared cakes and sandwiches, and view London’s great landmarks, including the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the London Eye.
Lowest Price: $ 57. 7
Duration: 1. 5 hours
Kid-Friendly Private Tour (Aug. 20)
This tour is a private tour of the Tower of London with pre-booked admission tickets. It is specially designed for families with children, including interesting stories from over the centuries. You can enjoy a visit to the Crown Jewels, red-uniformed Beefeaters, and a stop at the Beasts of the Royal Menagerie.Lowest Price: $ 309. 35
Duration: 6 hours
Walking Tour (Aug. 22)
This action-packed walking tour covers London’s two most historic areas: the City of London and Westminster. See more than 30 sights, including the Tower of London, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and so on.
Lowest Price: $19. 35
Duration: 5 hours
Night Open-Top Bus Tour with Christmas Lights (Nov. 18)
You will see a different side of London on an open-top bus tour that discovers the best of the city’s Christmas lights. Sitting on the top deck gives you overall views of England’s capital, including top attractions such as Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Lowest Price: $ 30. 97
Duration: 2 hours
1. What can visitors enjoy during the Kid-Friendly Private Tour?| A．Freshly prepared cakes. | B．Christmas lights. |
| C．A Cruise experience. | D．Interesting stories. |
| A．1. 5 hours. | B．2 hours. | C．5 hours. | D．6 hours. |
| A．Walking Tour. |
| B．Kid-Friendly Private Tour. |
| C．Night Open-Top Bus Tour with Christmas Lights. |
| D．Thames River Sightseeing Cruise with Afternoon Tea. |
5 . Located about 10 km northeast of the city center, the Chengdu Panda Base is a popular place to see lots of pandas of different ages in what’s close to their natural habitat.
Highlights and Travel Tips
The Chengdu Panda Base is a nonprofit research and breeding (繁殖) facility for giant pandas that was originally founded in 1987 and opened to the public in 1993. The center began with a population of just six giant pandas and has since grown to more than 100 pandas.
For visitors, it is more like a nice park than a traditional zoo. The base is large and nice to walk around, since much of it is in a bamboo forest. There are also shops selling panda-related souvenirs, but the prices are usually higher than markets or shops outside the base.
Accessibility Information
While the main road is flat, the base is large, so it is better for visitors with mobility issues to ride the shuttle (往返) bus. Visitors who completely rely on wheelchairs may need help from others to guide. Most restrooms within the base are wheelchair accessible.
Opening Hours and Ticket Prices
| Opening hours | 7:30 am - 6:00 pm |
| Entrance fee | 55 CNY |
| Shuttle bus fee | 10 CNY |
| Average time for this activity | 2-3 hours |
How to Get There
It takes about a half hour and costs around 30 CNY to get to the Chengdu Panda Base from the city center by taxi. You can also get there by public bus or subway, although these routes require a few transfers.
1. What is special about the Chengdu Panda Base?| A．It offers tourists panda souvenirs. | B．It is a zoo with the features of a park. |
| C．It is the largest panda research base. | D．It has more pandas than anywhere else. |
| A．110 CNY. | B．75 CNY. | C．55 CNY. | D．45 CNY. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A news report. |
| C．An announcement. | D．An exhibition guide. |
1. 你喜欢旅行的原因；
2. 描述你的一次旅游经历和感受。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
I Like Travelling
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7 . What does Beijing’s Palace Museum look like at night? Many people don’t know the answer to this question, as it closes at around 4:30p.m in winter and 5:00p.m in summer. However, to celebrate the Lantern Festival, Beijing’s Palace Museum opened its door to the public after dark——for two nights only. That’s a first in 94 years!
Although people could get free tickets on the museum’s website, it was difficult to get a ticket. The website even stopped working for a while because too many people visited it at the same time. Zhang Zhifu, a 77-year-old woman, received a ticket from the museum as a gift. “I grew up in Beijing and I visited the Palace Museum every year, but I never got to see it at night, It is truly an honor.” She said.
In the past celebrating the Lantern Festival was a tradition for the imperial(皇帝的)family.“We want to pass the tradition on and give people more festival experience.”Said Shan Jixiong, the head of the Palace Museum. On the night of February19th,2019, about 3,000 visitors spent the Lantern Festival in the Palace Museum.
1. Beijing’s Palace Museum closes at around 4:30 p.m in________.| A．spring | B．summer | C．autumn | D．winter |
| A．one night | B．two nights | C．three nights | D．four nights |
| A．too many people visited it at the same time. |
| B．there weren’t enough tickets |
| C．the Palace Museum was too crowded |
| D．no body wanted to see the Palace Museum at night |
| A．National Day | B．the Lantern Festival | C．the Dragon Boat Festival | D．Mid-Autumn Festival |
8 . With the approaching of New Year, more and more visitors will come to China. Don’t know where you should go? Here are some places recommended for you.
Shanghai Expo Culture Park
The Shanghai Expo Culture Park will soon open its northern section to the public, in which the major attractions include a traditional garden that is similar in design to Shanghai’s famous Yuyuan Garden and a 400-meter avenue exhibiting the history of the area, while in the southern section lies a grand theater.
Macao Tower AJ Hackett Bungee Jump
The Macao Tower, 338 meters tall, is the world’s 10th highest tower, with a variety of activities, such as eating and entertainment. One of the activities which enjoy good fame is the bungee jump. The AJ Hackett Macao Tower Bungee Jump is 233 meters high, making it a Guinness World Record as the highest commercial (商业的) bungee jump in the world. Raise your arms and off you go!
Harbin’s Frozen World
For those who have never been to Harbin, there is an almost endless list of things to do. At Harbin Ice—Snow World, you can not only see the world—famous ice architecture, but also have great fun! You can have hotpot at the restaurants which are made of ice, enjoying the product of both ice and fire, go down the world’s longest ice slide (滑梯) and join in the popular Ice and Snow Electronic Music Festival to welcome 2024.
The winter is cold and the night is long, so why not go to the theatre? Harbin was listed by the United Nations as a “music city” in 2010. Harbin Grand Theater is where artistic souls defrost (化霜) a little to share their love of art.
1. Where should visitors go if they want to do extreme sports?| A．Shanghai Expo Culture Park. | B．The Macao Tower. |
| C．Shangha’s Yuyuan Garden. | D．Harbin Ice—Snow World. |
| A．Attend a famous music festival. | B．Play with both ice and fire. |
| C．Turn water into instant ice. | D．Learn to make ice architecture. |
| A．They have a high tower. | B．They have a long ice slide. |
| C．They have a grand theater. | D．They have traditional architecture. |
9 . Beijing and Xi’an 5-Day Itinerary
This itinerary is top recommended if you are the first time to China. It connects the two classic must-visit cities that allow you to learn most about Chinese civilization and late-imperial and modern-era history.
■ Day 1: Beijing (visit the Forbidden City with a hutong walking tour)
■ Day 2: Beijing (go to the Great Wall and learn about the sacrificial culture in the Temple of Heaven)
■ Day 3: Beijing (visit the famous royal garden — the Summer Palace, and take & bullet train to Xi’an)
■ Day 4: Xi’an (the Terracotta Army with a hands-on terracotta-warrior-making experience and a walking/biking experience on the City Wall)
■ Day 5: Xi’an (visit a famous pagoda and museum to learn about Chinese history)
In Beijing, discover the imperial past in the Forbidden City, which used to be the home of China’s 24 emperors. Hike on the Great Wall to see the watchtowers and majestic natural mountain views.
Stroll around old hutongs, where you could catch a glimpse of the traditional daily lifestyle of Beijing’s local people.
For a more in-depth travel experience, you could visit a local family’s home and learn some Chinese culture and philosophy of living.
The famous Terracotta Warriors is the must-visit attraction. The highlight of the visit would be a hands-on experience of making your own clay warriors. You would learn more about the making, preservation, and story behind the Terracotta Warriors.
Walk on the 600-year-old Ancient City Wall and catch a full view of the city. If time permits, the sunset time would be the best for a stunning view. For learning about Chinese history, Shannxi History Museum and Big Wild Goose Pagoda are worth visiting.
All our tours can be adjusted based on your needs. Just contact us at https://www.chinahighlights.com/travel guide/.
1. Which is the best means of transportation during the travel?| A．By bike. | B．On foot. | C．By air. | D．In a bus. |
| A．Visiting the Temple of Heaven. | B．Walking Around old hutongs. |
| C．Being a guest in a local family. | D．Producing your own soldier statues. |
| A．An architect. | B．A tour guide. |
| C．A foreign visitor. | D．A Chinese historian. |
10 . Four Unique U.S. National Parks
Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
This national park is the site of the longest known cave system in the world,which is really proper for a park called “Mammoth(猛犸象).” It’s the ideal place for an adventure lover, with about 400 miles of caves and tunnels to explore. One of the most popular sections to visit within the caves is called Frozen Niagara, a special part of the caves that looks like a waterfall frozen in time.
Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Even though it’s one of the least-visited national parks in the country, it’s definitely one of the best national parks in Florida. There’s no accounting for Dry Tortugas National Park’s amazing beauty. Located about 70 miles from Key West, this park is made up of several islands that feature blue waters and white-sand beaches, colorful marine life, and the historic Fort(堡垒) Jefferson, one of the largest 19th-century forts in U.S. history.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
If you’re looking for interesting red and pink rocks, you can’t do better than Bryce Canyon. The national park is known for its fascinating rock formations and hoodoos(石林), as well as its starry skies at night. Some of the best places to visit in the park are the Natural Bridge, Fairyland Canyon, or any of the scenic viewpoints throughout the park.
Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada
It’s the hottest and driest national park in the country, but it’s also a place of beautiful desert views and interesting natural phenomena, like the sailing stones on the Racetrack Playa. Depending on where you are in the park the climate can be extreme — it’s home to snowy mountains, dry desert, colorful flower fields, and cool lakes. You might also recognize it as the planet of Tatooine from the original Star Wars movies.
1. What can you visit in Mammoth Cave National Park?| A．Frozen Niagara. | B．Fort Jefferson. |
| C．Natural Bridge. | D．Fairyland Canyon. |
| A．In Kentucky. | B．In Florida. |
| C．In Utah. | D．In Califomia and Nevada. |
| A．Mammoth Cave National Park. | B．Dry Tortugas National Park. |
| C．Bryce Canyon National Park. | D．Death Valley National Park. |
