1 . Tourists at the Acropolis this holiday season can walk around the ancient Greek site to see how it looked like 2,500 years ago. They will even see a collection of sculptures that were removed from the site more than 200 years ago and are now on display at the British Museum in London. All they need is a smartphone and an app called Chronos.
They can just point their phones at the Parthenon, and then the sculptures housed in London will app ear back on the temple. Other less widely known features also appear: Many of the sculptures on the Acropolis are painted in striking colors. A statue of Athena in the main hall also stands over a shallow pool of water.
“The only time I’ve seen this kind of technology before was at the dentist,” Shriya Parsotam Chitnavis, a tourist from London, said after checking out the app on a hot afternoon at the hilltop Acropolis. “I’m more of a visual person, so this app has really helped me appreciate it.”
The app employs augmented reality (AR) to place the ancient impression of the site onto the screen, matching the real-world view as you walk around the temple. The app also covers three other monuments at the Acropolis, a neighboring Roman theater and parts of the Acropolis Museum built at the foot of the hill.
Greece’s Culture Ministry is enthusiastic to adopt the AR technology. Another company, Microsoft, partnered with the ministry two years ago to launch a digital tour at ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games in southern Greece.
“The software will offer tourists a more immersive experience, allowing them to share photos and videos from museums and other sources as more content becomes digitized,” said Maria Engberg, co-author of the book Reality Media.
1. How is Shriya Parsotam Chitnavis’s reaction to the software?| A．Positive. | B．Dismissive. | C．Skeptical. | D．Scared. |
| A．The ancient Roman theater. | B．The birthplace of the Olympic Games. |
| C．Parts of the Acropolis Museum. | D．Three other monuments at the Acropolis. |
| A．Unnatural. | B．Adventurous. | C．Painful. | D．Vivid. |
| A．A tourist’s experience at the Acropolis. |
| B．A new way to restore ancient cultural sites. |
| C．A very helpful app to be introduced at the Acropolis. |
| D．The popularity of AR technologies at ancient attractions. |
2 . Here are trips near Beijing for every age, taste, and budget.
Badachu
Badachu takes its name from the eight temples that make up the area’s main attraction. Its history as a religious site goes all the way back to the Tang Dynasty（618-907AD). The first of the eight temples, Chang’an Si, is actually located right outside the park. The second temple, Lingguang Si, is Badachu’s main attraction and the only one that still has monks inside. Take the nearby chairlift（RMB 30）or continue exploring the other temples on foot.
Admission: RMB 10.
Longqing Gorge
Longqing Gorge is known for the Longqing Gorge Ice Sculpture Festival in winter and peaceful mountain views in summer. Often compared to the Yangtze River’s famous Three Gorges, Longqing Gorge also ranks favorably with Guilin’s mountain and water views. Besides sightseeing, tourists can go boating, rock climbing and horseback riding here. Baihua Dong is best avoided, as the only signs of “flowers” are made with plastics.
Admission: RMB 40.
Shang Fang Shan
As a national forest park, Shang Fang Shan is known for its diversity of plants and ancient trees that are over a thousand years old. There are nine caves in the mountain. The best-known one is called Yunshui Cave, meaning “the cave of clouds and water”.
Admission: RMB 40.
Huanghuacheng
If your idea of relaxation is losing yourself in hiking along the wild Great Wall, then Huanghuacheng, which is named after the yellow flowers that blanket the site in summer, is for you. Here you can explore the Great Wall at any time for free. The exploration starts at Jintang Lake and the moon-shaped Huanghuacheng Reservoir, which breaks the Great Wall into three sections. Huanghuacheng is also known as “Water Great Wall” because part of the wall is underwater.
1. How much should you pay if you visit the temples by chairlift in Badachu?| A．RMB 10 | B．RMB 20 | C．RMB 30 | D．RMB 40 |
| A．Go for a sculpture festival in summer. | B．Visit a cave with beautiful flowers. |
| C．Enjoy pretty mountain and water views. | D．See various plants and ancient trees. |
| A．It can be visited free of charge. | B．It is best-known for its natural beauty. |
| C．It is famous for yellow flowers in spring. | D．It offers free access to many religious sites. |
3 . Imagine taking a flying taxi to the airport, or hopping over crowded city streets at rush hour, getting where you want to go far faster than you could in a car. Believe it or not, you might be able to do these things in an electric air taxi sooner than you think.
An air taxi is a small aircraft that can carry people from place to place. Air taxis don’t need a long runway like planes do. They can go straight up and down, like a helicopter.
In June, the FAA—the government group in charge of America’s skies—agreed to allow a company called Joby Aviation to start testing their new air taxi.
Joby has been making and testing flying taxis since 2017. But this is the first time that they’re testing a taxi that’s been built in a factory. Before that, all their taxis were made by hand.
By 2025, Joby hopes to start carrying passengers for money. They’ve teamed up with Delta Air Lines to create a program to fly people from their homes to the airport. Joby also expects their air taxis to provide a ride-sharing service in the air. Just like you might use an app to order a car to pick you up, you could use an app to order an air taxi.
Compared with helicopters, Joby claims their taxis are cheaper. The company expects to charge about $3 a mile (1.6 kilometers) at first. But over time, they hope to bring the price down to less than $1 per mile.
Joby isn’t the only company to develop air taxis. Companies around the world are working on similar vehicles. France even plans to use a few air taxis in Paris during next summer’s Olympic Games.
But there’s still a lot to do before air taxis become common. For one thing, governments need to make rules about where, when, and how these taxis can fly.
Still, it seems likely that air taxis will be part of the future of travel. The FAA says, “We could see air taxis in the skies by 2024 or 2025.”
1. What do the underlined words “hopping over” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Moving below. | B．Walking across. | C．Jumping into. | D．Flying over. |
| A．They are factory-made from the start. |
| B．They were developed several years ago. |
| C．They will offer service to passengers through the FAA. |
| D．They will be used during the next Olympic Games in Paris. |
| A．Joby’s plan about air taxis. | B．The history of Joby Aviation. |
| C．Air taxi team’s service promises. | D．Instructions for using a new app. |
| A．They are more comfortable. | B．They are more intelligent. |
| C．They are cheaper. | D．They are faster. |
4 . Here are some free apps you’ll want to consider downloading.
Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts is an app worth checking out if you listen to podcasts(播客)and want to discover great podcasts and easily manage your library. Browse(浏览)podcasts by charts, networks, and categories, and then add the ones you like to play episodes on the fly and create your own playback queue.
Duolingo
Duolingo offers a variety of interactive courses in over 30 languages, from Spanish to Chinese. The app personalizes your learning experience, adjusts to your skill level, and provides exercises across speaking, listening, reading, and writing. With Duolingo, you can track your progress, set daily goals, and join a community of learners. It’s ideal for anyone looking to pick up a new language or improve their skills.
Zedge
Zedge is the app you’ll want to use to personalize your device’s ringtones, notifications, and alarm sounds. The app offers thousands of high-quality sounds that are free and easy to download. Browse through the categories or use the search function to look for a specific sound. You can set a custom(定制的)ringtone for each person in your contact list, so you always know who’s calling.
Remindee
Ever find yourself browsing through an app, only to see something you need to remind yourself of later? Remindee is a simple app that lets you create reminders from anywhere within your device, no matter what app you’re currently browsing. Just ta p the share button and then tap the Remind Me option to create a reminder. Set the date and time you want for your reminder, and you’re finished.
1. What can you do with Duolingo?| A．Learn a new language with diverse exercises. |
| B．Order food from international restaurants. |
| C．Play video games in multiple languages. |
| D．Translate documents professionally. |
| A．Chefs looking for new recipes. |
| B．People wanting to learn new languages. |
| C．Users seeking to customize device sounds. |
| D．Travelers searching for their own reminders. |
| A．Pocket Casts. | B．Duolingo. |
| C．Zedge. | D．Remindee. |
1. Why does the woman talk to the man?
| A．To ask for permission. | B．To extend an invitation. | C．To get some information. |
| A．At a museum. | B．At a food bank. | C．At an animal shelter. |
| A．By surfing the Internet. |
| B．By visiting local charities. |
| C．By calling community organizations. |
6 . There are some new inventions in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Let’s have a look.
Invention 1: A system to identify Parkinson’s diseaseThe system works by measuring a person’s breathing patterns during sleep. The researchers noted that early signs of Parkinson’s disease are not easy to discover. But the team said the experiments showed that with just one night of sleep, the AI system can correctly identify Parkinson’s disease up to 86% of the time.
Invention 2: A tool to interpret pig emotionsThe scientists developed an AI-driven algorithm to identify a series of emotions the pigs could be experiencing. The study centered on more than 7,000 audio recordings of pigs in different situations. The researchers said the tool can lead to further systems farmers can use to improve the productivity and well-being of their animals.
Invention 3: A system to identify and predict smellsThe scientists built on past research to produce a brain-like technology model to create a “principal odor map” to identify molecules related to smells. The team said such a system can be used across many different fields, including the healthcare, food and fragrance industries, The researchers reported that the system can be used to help fight one of the world’s biggest health problems--diseases spread through insects.
Invention 4: A tool to fill in missing words in ancient writingsThe tool, called Ithaca, is designed to help historians repair the writings and identify when and where they were written. The team said that when historians worked on their own, the success rate for repairing damaged inscriptions was about 25%. But when humans teamed up with Ithaca to assist in their work, the success rate jumped to 72%.
1. Which invention can help farmers increase income?| A．Invention 1. | B．Invention 2. | C．Invention 3. | D．Invention 4. |
| A．They are good for people’s health. | B．They should be used during sleep. |
| C．They can cure people of many diseases. | D．They focus on the research on smells. |
| A．By recovering their health. | B．By improving their accuracy. |
| C．By identifying their writings. | D．By stimulating their emotions. |
7 . Welcome to Musée Rodin
The Musée Rodin, a hidden jewel in Paris, is actually the former residence of famed 19th-century sculptor Auguste Rodin. Here you can enjoy Rodin’s emotive sculptures, including The Walking Man, The Kiss and The Thinker, among many more. In addition to the sculptures, the museum houses 8,000 of the artist’s drawings in its collection — some of those are on display. Visitors will also get to view pieces from Rodin’s personal art collection, including paintings by Van Gogh.
Another big favorite for visitors, as much of a highlight as the art, is the beautiful on-site gardens. To travelers, the gardens create a peaceful atmosphere not found at other top Parisian museums.
Transport
The Musée Rodin is just a short walk from the Varenne stop and Saint-Francois-Xavier stop, both of which lie on Metro Line 13.
Opening times
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm.
Admission charges
Admission to the museum (including the gardens and permanent and temporary exhibits) costs 13 euros (around $14) per adult and is free for kids who are 17 and younger; audio guides cost an extra 6 euros (about $6). The museum is free to visit on the first Sunday of the month from October to March.
1. What makes Musée Rodin different from other top Parisian museums?| A．On-site gardens. | B．Many sculptures. |
| C．Personal art collections. | D．Famous artists’ drawings. |
| A．At 9:00 am on Monday. | B．At 3:00 pm on Thursday. |
| C．At 7:00 pm on Friday. | D．At 8:00 am on Sunday. |
| A．€39. | B．€32. | C．€26. | D．€13. |
8 . Four Cool Languages
Chinese
Around 1.4 billion people speak Chinese. Chinese is a tonal (声调的) language, meaning that changing the tone of just one syllable (音节) can affect a word’s meaning. Chinese writing has ancient roots, which is thought to have developed starting around 2000 B. C.
Arabic
Over 370 million people speak Arabic. Written Arabic uses a cursive-style font (连笔) that looks more like artworks than writing. Arabic is written from right to left rather than left to right, making it different from many other languages.
English
Around 379 million people speak English as a native language. It’s an official language in a huge number of other countries.
English is the most widely spoken second language, with over a billion people speaking it as a non-native language. That means around twice as many people speak English as a second language than people who speak it as a first language.
Italian
Nearly 68 million people speak Italian. If you play music or sing, chances are that you already know a lot of Italian because many familiar musical terms are actually Italian.
Not only will learning Italian help you pick up vocabulary, but it will also help you understand the meanings of musical terms in greater depth.
1. What is a feature of Arabic?| A．It doesn’t have cursive-style fonts. | B．It helps artists with their artworks. |
| C．It is written from right to left. | D．It is closely related to music. |
| A．Arabic. | B．English. | C．Chinese. | D．Italian. |
| A．Nearly 68 million. | B．Around 370 million. |
| C．Over 379 million. | D．Around 1.4 billion. |
9 . Longmen Grottoes
As one of the three most notable Buddhist sculptures in China, the Longmen Grottoes have approximately 1,400 caves with over 100,000 statues. The grottoes were first dug and carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty. Representing the high point of Chinese stone-carving, the Longmen Grottoes are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Opening hours: 8:00 a, m. — 5:00 p. m.(Feb. 1st to Mar. 31st); 7:30 a. m. — 5:30 p. m.(Apr. 1st to Oct. 7th)
Entry: 100 yuan/adult 30% off each teen
White Horse Temple
Originally established under Emperor Ming during the Eastern Han Dynasty, White Horse Temple is the first officially-built temple in China after the introduction of Buddhism. As the cradle of Chinese Buddhism, it holds a vast collection of Buddhist statues and classic sutras. The temple is also famous for interior architecture inspired by the Buddhist styles of Thailand, India and Burma.
Opening hours: 7:30 a. m. — 7:00 p. m.
Entry: 50 yuan/person
Millennium City Park
The Millennium City Park in Kaifeng is a large-scale historical and cultural theme park which copies scenes from the famous ancient painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Visitors can watch folklore performances like those of the Song Dynasty and see reconstructions of grand imperial halls and gardens.
Opening hours: 8:30 a. m. — 6:00 p. m.(winter); 8:30 a. m. — 10:00 p.m.
Entry: 120 yuan/person(Mar. 1st to Nov. 30th); 90 yuan/person(Dec. 1st to Feb. 28/29th)
Kaifeng Prefecture
Kaifeng Prefecture was once the country’s political, economic and cultural center as well as one of the most booming cities in the world during the Northern Song Dynasty. Today, the rebuilt Kaifeng Prefecture is a scenic area built according to the architectural standards of the Song Dynasty. Visitors can read historical documents and watch performances.
Opening hours: 7:30 a. m. — 5:30 p. m.(winter); 7:00 a. m. — 7:00 p. m.
Entry: 60 yuan/person
1. How much will a parent with two teens have to pay to visit Longmen Grottoes?| A．100 yuan. | B．160 yuan. | C．240 yuan. | D．340 yuan. |
| A．Longmen Grottoes. | B．White Horse Temple. |
| C．Millennium City Park. | D．Kaifeng Prefecture. |
| A．They are tours about Chinese civilization. | B．Visitors can see ancient paintings. |
| C．They can be visited all year round. | D．The United Nations speak highly of them. |
1. How does Mårtin find the atmosphere of the art studio?
| A．Friendly. | B．Inspiring. | C．Stressful. |
| A．Meet new people. | B．Develop new skills. | C．Find a way to relax. |
| A．Ms. Thompson. | B．Ms. Brown. | C．Ms. Johnson. |
