1 . For people who are planning a trip, a visit to a museum might not be the first thing they think of. After all, there are plenty of ways to appreciate the world’s civilization, gain exciting experiences and spend quality time with family and friends.
Museums are where people learn something new, at every age! Are you interested in something specific?
Museums support tourism. They are tourism promoters in small towns and large cities. Museums aren’t a burden on tax revenue (税收) or a separate concern from other city projects.
Museums shape communities. They have activities and exhibitions through which visitors can learn about local history. Museums are places where a shared heritage is celebrated and a collective identity is formed. They provide an interesting public space where people meet and talk to each other.
A.Museums bring out the best qualities in children. |
B.Museums often deliver kids-centered exhibitions. |
C.Instead, they generate funding and fuel employment. |
D.Then, visit a local museum to learn about that subject. |
E.Even shopping at the gift shop there is an opportunity for connection. |
F.On the contrary, they consume a small percentage of city funds annually. |
G.The fact, however, is that museums offer magical benefits in many ways. |
A skywell, or “tian jing” in Chinese, is a typical feature of a traditional home in Southern and Eastern China. They are commonly seen in homes
Since decades ago, the government
The fact that skywells still exist today shows
On March 31, the Eiffel Tower celebrated its 130th anniversary since it opened.
The tower was created by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel and was first intended as the main entrance
Visitors today can choose to climb 1,665 steps or take one of the original elevator cars
Today, the Eiffel Tower is a symbol of France, representing a feeling of pride and thankfulness. It is a global icon that can bring together people from different
Chang’an Tower, also known as the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, is an architectural wonder
Rising to a
Whether it is for experiencing a piece of history
5 . Nothing beats live music, but the venue makes a difference. When you're able to score tickets to an incredible concert in an incredible place, you won't forget the experience. Here are some of the coolest music venues from around the world. If you haven't been to any of these, you've got some traveling to do.
Red Rocks, Morrison, the United States
Red Rocks might be the most beautiful and famous venue in the United States. At 6,450 feet above sea level, Red Rocks is a geologically formed natural stage. Its massive sandstone provides a perfect stage for jam bands. If you're into the blues and jazz, you'll have no trouble finding something in line with your interests.
Meet Factory, Prague, Czech Republic
Smallest venues on this list, Meet Factory is an art gallery, theater, and music venue. The venue only accommodates 1,000 people, so you won't see any huge names come through. Still, it's a great place to see up-and-coming local acts, and if you've got an eye for contemporary art, you'll love your time here.
Arena of NÎmes, NÎmes, France
Originally built around A. D. 70, the Arena of Nimes presents concertgoers with an interesting question: Should they enjoy the music, or marvel at the architecture? The Arena is, after all, one of the world's best-preserved Roman theaters. Many major touring acts plan stops at the Arena of Nimes, especially during the venue's annual festival.
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
The Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most famous performing venues. I's also one of the most distinctive buildings in Sydney, thanks to the breathtaking design by Danish architect Utzon. It hosts about 40 events per week, so whether you're into jazz, rock, classical music, or opera, you'll find something to watch.
1. Where can you enjoy music in natural beauty?A.At Red Rocks. | B.At Meet Factory. | C.At Arena of Nimes. | D.At Sydney Opera House. |
A.It enjoys breathtaking scenery. | B.It hosts both musical and artistic events. |
C.It is the largest venue of all. | D.It is famous for contemporary music. |
A.They have a long history. | B.They are built near the sea. |
C.They accommodate thousands of people. | D.They are beautiful tourist attractions. |
6 . The 187-foot-tall Tower of Pisa is famous all over the world mainly because it leans (倾斜). For many years, people believed that the tower’s designer intended it to lean. As it turns out, though, the tower’s lean is an accident caused by poor planning. The Tower of Pisa was constructed (建造) on a riverbed of sand and clay (黏土) that was not strong enough to support a building so tall and heavy.
Construction of the tower began in 1173. Because Pisa experienced several wars, the tower wasn’t completed until 1350. Only a few years after the construction started, people could see that the first three floors of the tower were already leaning. As the next three floors were added, builders purposefully built them with one side higher than the other to try to correct the lean. This resulted in the tower leaning in the opposite direction
Fortunately for the people of Pisa, the long delays (耽搁) during construction gave the structure time to settle and the ground to become compacted (结实的). This mad the foundation (地基) stronger over time, which is the main reason why the tower never fell over. For hundreds of years, the tower was indeed falling. It would lean one more inch about every 20 years. In the end, in 1990, it was closed to the public for fear that a large group of people at the top would weigh enough to make it fall down.
From 1990 to 2001, engineers from around the world helped balance the tower After several unsuccessful attempts at a solution, engineers finally came up with a plan that worked. They slowly removed ground under the high side of the tower. When they had finished, they had returned it to the position it held in about 1838—the tower had been straightened by nearly 16 inches. Except a sudden great disaster, such as a earthquake, engineers believe the tower is safe for another 300 years now.
1. What does the author try to explain about the Tower of Pisa in Paragraph 1?A.Why it leans. | B.Why it was built. |
C.Why it is famous. | D.Why it stopped leaning. |
A.It was completed in 1173. | B.It began to be built in 1350. |
C.It was seen leaning after 1173. | D.It was repaired every 20 years. |
A.The special structure. | B.The timely protection. |
C.The skill of the builders. | D.The long time of building. |
A.When does the Tower of Pisa lean? |
B.Is the leaning Tower of Pisa falling? |
C.When was the leaning Tower of Pisa built? |
D.How did the leaning Tower of Pisa get its name? |
7 . Have you imagined spending a night in a museum? Fortunately, your fantasy may come true in the following museums.
Spy Museum | Washington, DC
The Spy Museum is entirely committed to the all-but-invisible profession and displays the largest collection of spy objects in the world! "Operation Secret Sleepover" invites a group of juniors and parents for a night of detective training, like creating a fake name, gathering intelligence, studying questioning techniques, breaking codes, hunting for a lead, and more. The next mission kicks off on Friday, September 9, 2022.
Ages: 9 to 13
Cost: $115 for general admission/$105 for members
Baseball Hall of Fame | Cooperstown, New York
Fans of America's hobbies will take the opportunity to stay a few extra nights here. Travel along the hallowed galleries; enjoy a screening in the Grandstand Theater; show your respect to honoring legendary players like Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Ted Williams. Dates sell out quickly. To secure your spot, call(607)547—0329.
Ages: 7 to 12
Cost: $50 for general admission
Milwaukee Public Museum | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Who says kids get to have all the fun? The adults-only overnight at Milwaukee Public Museum is intended for the 21+ crowd. Tickets include dinner, two drinks, snacks, special tours, films in the six-story theater, entry to the new traveling exhibit “Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed,” and continental breakfast. The next event is October 20, 2022. Registration closes two weeks prior.
Ages: 21+
Cost: $125 for general admission
Baltimore National Aquarium | Baltimore, Maryland
Ocean and shark lovers will be delighted to spend nights at BNA. Dive into the fascinating underwater world, reveal myths, and discover the importance of these incredible creatures. Join experts for a behind-the-scenes tour, interact with marine life, and watch a 4D film.
Ages: 8+
Cost: $120 for general admission | $100 for members
1. What can kids do at Operation Secret Sleepover?A.Studying hunting techniques. | B.Improving their intelligence. |
C.Changing their identity cards. | D.Trying some detective activities. |
A.Spy Museum. | B.Baseball Hall of Fame. |
C.Milwaukee Public Museum. | D.Baltimore National Aquarium. |
A.$400. | B.$420. | C.$460. | D.$480. |
8 . If you've never been to Moscow, you should go and see this fantastic city. There, you can
One of the many exciting parts
Not many people realize that Red Square's
Moscow's tourists travel to the Red Square to
A.remember | B.create | C.record | D.experience |
A.nature | B.festival | C.history | D.tradition |
A.means | B.finds | C.includes | D.requires |
A.buildings | B.streets | C.bricks | D.celebrations |
A.watered | B.covered | C.hidden | D.planted |
A.shape | B.size | C.name | D.future |
A.unknown | B.right | C.same | D.opposite |
A.public | B.main | C.central | D.only |
A.as well as | B.as soon as | C.as long as | D.as far as |
A.faces up to | B.dates back to | C.gives way to | D.looks forward to |
A.visit | B.trade | C.live | D.study |
A.museum | B.square | C.market | D.state |
A.accept | B.check | C.appreciate | D.miss |
A.creativity | B.business | C.power | D.interest |
A.car | B.friends | C.mind | D.eyes |
9 . An international design competition was held in 1955 for an art center to be built. There were 233 entries received from many countries. Danish architect Jorn Utzon won the competition with his unique design of shells that looked like sails on a boat.
The construction began on March 2, 1959 and was expected to be accomplished within 4 years. However, they quickly ran into trouble. The ground was not suitable to hold the weight of the building and huge concrete foundations (混凝土地基) had to be built. Mr Utzon had also made mistakes about how many columns (柱) would be needed to support the roof, thus making the concrete shells at the risk of falling down.
Mr Utzon figured out a new way to disperse the weight of the concrete by making each shell out of a part of a perfect globe. The 14 shells look like a single piece of concrete, but they are actually built across frames (框架) of concrete to hold them in place. They weigh as much as 15 tons each. The highest roof point of the building is 67 m above sea level — the same as a 22-storey high building.
This major correction saved the project but added one decade to the building time. The building consists mainly of two main halls, a number of smaller theaters, performance halls and other additional facilities. Both main halls are housed in relatively large sail-shaped structures, and the smaller performance halls are housed at the ground floor. In particular, the grand organ (风琴) in the concert hall is one of the world’s largest organs containing over 10,000 pipes.
The Sydney Opera House is a great success in the history of architecture. It is not only a world-famous performing arts center and the landmark of Sydney, but also recognized as one of the seven wonders of the world of the 20th century. In 2007, the Sydney Opera House was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
1. What was the difficulty when building Sydney Opera House?A.Its columns were at the risk of falling down. |
B.There was no satisfactory appearance design. |
C.The foundation couldn’t support its huge weight. |
D.No suitable site could be found for construction. |
A.Put on. | B.Spread out. | C.Cut down. | D.Look into. |
A.4 years. | B.6 years. | C.10 years. | D.14 years. |
A.Its position. | B.Its history. | C.Its general shape. | D.Its inner structure. |
10 . If you have lived in New York City for many years, like I have, the skyline becomes part of you and your daily life.
When I was invited to visit the recently completed Summit One Vanderbilt, New York’s fourth-highest tower, I wasn’t expecting much. I felt like I’d seen it all and I thought that this observation deck (观测台) would be another space for a view of the city, but nothing else.
Let me tell you something: I have never seen one like this before. It sits on top of a building on 42nd street and Vanderbilt, right next to Grand Central Station. Once you have ascended to the top floor, you step into air, which makes you feel like being at l,000 feet above ground level with its mirrored floors. Once you make your way throughout the space, you feel like New York is part of a body, and your sense of space is challenged by the reflections of the light. The reflections create endless possibilities for photos and videos, and the light changes throughout the day. I took out my camera and began to take photos, feeling a connection with the city that no other observatory has been able to give me.
Summit is something unique, an art work with architecture. It will be an observatory that will change with the city. I personally can’t wait to take photos at sunset, or when winter arrives.
1. How did the author feel when invited to visit Summit One Vanderbilt?A.Curious. | B.Happy. | C.Amazed. | D.Uninterested. |
A.Risen. | B.Turned. | C.Referred. | D.Adapted. |
A.It is the only tower in New York. |
B.It lies far from Grand Central Station. |
C.It provides a good place for taking photos. |
D.It is exactly 1, 000 feet high from the ground. |
A.To stress a point. | B.To introduce a site. | C.To raise awareness. | D.To promote tourism. |