6 . It’s never too early to get thinking about this year’s big trip.But where should you go? Well, National Geographic has revealed its“Best of the World”list for 2023,offering a few pointers as to the travel experiences over the next 12 months or so. This year’s Nat Geo list is split into four categories as follows.

Nature

Explore the biodiversity of Botswana.

Witness rewilding in the Scottish Highlands.

Go on a foodie biking tour of Slovenia.

Visit Big Bend National Park in Texas, USA.

Take part in sustainability programs in the Azores.

Culture

Head to Egypt to visit the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Watch films and down craft beers in Busan, South Korea.

Visit the International African American Museum in Charleston, USA.

See the Longmen Grottoes’ stone statues in Hunan, China.

Family

Go on an Alpine rail trip in Switzerland.

Help conserve turtle populations in Trinidad and Tobago.

Head to San Francisco, USA, for city-view campfires and urban hiking trails.

Bird-watch in Colombia.

Visit football stadiums in Manchester, UK.

Community

Take a women-led sustainable tour in the Dodecanese Islands in Greece.

Spend a long weekend on the Great Lakes in Milwaukee, USA.

Go on a new high-speed train in Laos.

Explore Black heritage in Ghana.

Okay, so it might not all be up your street — but it’s undeniably a spectacular range of stuff.You can read more on National Geographic’s official page here — and get pumped for a year of life-changing travel experiences.

1. What are you advised to do in Charleston?

A．Go on a biking tour.	B．Visit a museum.
C．Explore biodiversity.	D．Help conserve birds.

2. Which place is suitable for a long weekend break?

A．The Dodecanese Islands.

B．Trinidad and Tobago.

C．The Scottish Highlands.

D．The Great Lakes.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A website.

B．A newspaper.

C．A course plan.

D．An academic article.

7 . I cannot remember a point in my life when I desired anything other than becoming a teacher. At the beginning of my senior year in high school, I began applying to the University of Connecticut. But what I didn’t realize was how expensive my dream was. I came from a middle-class family, and it seemed as though we’d always struggled to make ends meet.

I wasn’t the smartest person in my class, not even close; but my heart was in the right place, and I was determined. I applied for every scholarship I could get my hands on. What did I have to lose? And then my guidance counselor told me about the financial aid system. I applied, but I didn’t think I would qualify for that either.

After the holidays, my friends started receiving their acceptance letters from colleges, and I eagerly anticipated mine. Finally, a letter arrived from the University of Connecticut. Feelings of fear and joy overwhelmed me when I opened the envelope with trembling hands. I had done it! I cried for a while, feeling both extremely excited and afraid. I had been working a full-time job, but that was barely enough to pay for tuition, and it was impossible for my parents to finance my education.

Months went by before a letter from the financial aid office arrived. I opened it eagerly, but it was only a letter requesting more information to process my application. This happened over and over, and my hopes kept getting shot down. Finally, a bulky envelope arrived, the one that would determine whether I could attend college. Not only was financial aid going to help me out with my expenses, but also I won two of the scholarships I had applied for! I had actually made my dream come true.

I am now a junior at the University of Connecticut, pursuing a degree in English.

1. What was the author’s main trouble in realizing her dream?

A．She lacked determination.

B．Her family was short of money.

C．She didn’t know which university to apply to.

D．Her parents disapproved of her attending university.

2. How did the author get money for her tuition fees?

A．By taking up part-time jobs.

B．By receiving her parents’ support.

C．By turning to her guidance counselor for help.

D．By applying for scholarships and financial aid .

3. Why did the financial aid office send the author the first letter?

A．To test her determination.

B．To inform her of their refusal.

C．To ask for supplemental information.

D．To check the process of her application.

4. What does the author want to convey by sharing her story?

A．Never say never.	B．More haste, less speed.
C．Aiming higher, achieving more.	D．Pride hurts, modesty benefits.

8 . If having to make a choice between reading an e-book and a printed book, which would most people choose? Some would go for an e-book while some still prefer the hard-printed book.

Undoubtedly, e-books do have benefits. Firstly, changes to an electronic publication are relatively easy to make. They are quicker to obtain. E-books are more easily updated. The printed books on many subjects can become outdated very quickly. Secondly, e-books can be easily and quickly kept up to date. You usually get far more than just the e-books. Most e-books are sold with bonuses and related information that usually do not come with the purchase of a printed book. Moreover, they take up less space. Instead of a big library, you can fit literally thousands of books on your computer. It also makes it easier to share this information with families and friends.

For nearly twenty years, additionally, futurists have been predicting the development of printed books. The conventional view has been that digital e-books are on the verge of replacing paper books. However, this has not been the case. A printed book has its advantages too. Firstly, it is an object that can be carried and used alone. It needs no electric outlet (插座), no batteries, nothing. Secondly, e-books will always require some forms of support that the printed book does not need.

I believe that the online publishing has not taken off because people want real books. What is being published online more and more are pamphlets (小册子) and things that really do not need to be in print. These are stuff that people throw away afterward. More often, people do not want to read a book on the computer. What could be better than a paper book? It lasts a long time. These books are designed to last a long time without disappearing.

To sum up, there is no denying that the printed book is still very much preferred over its digital cousins. Reading electronic publications is just not the same when it comes to books. People are still very interested in real books and notebooks.

1. What can we know about an e-book?

A．It will never be out of date.	B．It always gives you an added bonus.
C．It can deliver information quickly.	D．It has taken the place of printed books.

2. Which statement would futurists probably agree with?

A．Printed books will disappear.	B．Printed books can be used alone.
C．E-books have many restrictions.	D．E-books have no drawbacks.

3. What is one cause of the failed online publishing?

A．The low demand for book industry.	B．The expectations from people.
C．The guidance of policy.	D．The desire for the printed books.

4. What does the author think of the future of the printed book?

A．Hopeless.

B．Unpredictable.

C．Costly.

D．Promising.