1 . With the beautiful snow-coated landscapes, winter reveals a different world of national parks with significantly fewer crowds. Here are some of the best national parks in the US for a winter getaway.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Between October and March, Acadia National Park’s Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain on the east coast, offers hikers epic views of the first sunrise in the country. Because the roads are closed to motor vehicles during the winter, those who undertake the 3.5-mile hike from Park Loop Road are rewarded with a stunning view all to themselves. Snowmobiling in the park is another special experience for visitors.

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State

Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State is one of the oldest national parks in the US and a playground for outdoor enthusiasts in winter. Unlike other snow-crowded resorts, this park allows visitors to heartily enjoy snowmobiling, sledding and snowshoeing. Its hotel offers comfortable rooms with views of Mount Rainier, and tasty local dishes.

Denali National Park, Alaska

With its remote location and minimal light pollution, Denali National Park is an ideal place for photographers to capture the northern lights during the aurora (极光) season, between September and April. Visitors in this crowd-free park can spot wildlife such as wolves and black bears, which remain active in the winter.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico

In northern New Mexico, Chaco Culture National Historical Park holds stone great houses, which were the largest buildings in North America until the mid-18th century. Accessible for most of the winter, the park can see fewer than 10 visitors a day in colder months. Photographers can capture landscapes amid the constellations (星群) by night.

1. What experience can visitors only have in Acadia National Park?

A．The longest hiking route.

B．The earliest sunrise in USA.

C．Snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

D．Comfortable accommodation.

2. Where will photographers go if they want to shoot the northern lights?

A．Acadia National Park.

B．Mount Rainier National Park.

C．Denali National Park.

D．Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

3. What do all the four national parks have in common?

A．Snow and ice activities.

B．A chance to meet wildlife.

C．Cultural heritage sites.

D．An escape from the crowds.

3 . Welcome to the California Science Center

Here is a guide to the California Science Center.

Accessibility Services & Facilities

We are committed to breaking down any barrier to access. If you have questions about accessibility, please call us at (213) 744-2019 or contact us online or stop by our Information Desk just inside the main entrance.

Sensory & Mobility Considerations

Light, noise and crowds vary widely throughout the building. Please feel free to bring your own noise-canceling headphones or other calming items. All spaces in the center are wheelchair accessible. All floors are accessible by elevator or stairs.

● Parking & Restrooms

Accessible parking spaces are available on the three floors of the Science Center parking lot. Accessible parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking is $15 per vehicle.

All the restrooms here are wheelchair accessible. Private family style restrooms are available upon request, please see any Guest Services Host.

● Wheelchairs & Service Animals

Standard manual wheelchairs are available for free at the Information Desk, used inside the California Science Center.

Service dogs trained to do work or perform specific tasks for a guest with a disability are welcome in all of the Science Center spaces. Emotional animals and pets are not permitted.

Language & Communication Considerations
● Language Assistance

Our Bilingual (双语的) Guest Services and Education staff members wear buttons indicating languages in which they are fluent. In addition, the Information Desk offers maps in six different languages.

● Audio Guides

Audio guides in both English and Spanish are often available for special exhibits. For special exhibits with audio guides, transcripts are available at the entrance to the exhibit upon request.

Click here for more information about the center. We want every guest to participate equally in the excitement of experiencing science!

1. How many ways to inquire about accessibility in the California Science Center are mentioned?

A．3.

B．4.

C．5.

D．6.

2. What do we know about the California Science Center?

A．It is unfriendly to the disabled.	B．Its parking spaces vary in price.
C．It offers multi-language service	D．It allows emotional pets to enter.

3. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A web page.	B．A news report.
C．A science textbook.	D．An academic paper.

10 . Four Unique Festivals In Europe

Anything that exists or doesn’t exist can be the main theme of one of Europe’s festivals. Add excitement to your future travel plans with these unusual events.

Battle of the Oranges, Ivrea, Italy

Every year on the third week of February, the Italian town of Ivrea turns into a battlefield filled with oranges, where participants launch 600, 000 kilograms of oranges at each other during the historic carnival of the city. According to history, the Battle of the Oranges aimed to reconstruct a 12th-century battle between the locals and Napoleon’s royal army.

Air Guitar World Championships, Oulu, Finland

Anyone can try to play the guitar, but it takes a special talent to play an invisible guitar. Every August, musical instrument artists from all over the world flock to northern Finland, putting their best onstage “shamelessly” with their invisible instruments to compete for the event. Held in conjunction with the Oulu Music Video Festival, this contest since 1996 has been aiming to promote world peace.

Running of the Bulls, Pamplona, Spain

This internationally recognized event, which starts on July 7th, has grown massively. It originated from men using fear and excitement to hurry the process of taking cattle to market. Nowadays the event is a lot more organized, and thousands now run through a barricaded (设路障的) course being chased by a thundering herd of bulls!

Kettlewell Scarecrow (稻草人) Festival, Kettlewell, Britain

In medieval times, farmers in England would often make unique human dolls out of straw to chase away fierce animals and birds, and place them in the fields to protect the crops. Later, this tradition gradually evolved into this national farmers’ festival. For two weeks in August, a variety of activities have emerged, including the finely crafted scarecrow production, and competing for the champion in the competition.

1. Which festival has its origin related with a war in history?

A．Battle of the Oranges.	B．Air Guitar World Championships.
C．Running of the Bulls.	D．Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival.

2. What features the Air Guitar World Championships?

A．It is intended to appeal to special talents onstage.

B．Its participants perform with imaginary instruments.

C．Its participants are limited to people in northern Finland.

D．It provides participants with specially-made instruments.

3. What do the last two festivals have in common?

A．They take place at the same time.	B．They share the similar celebrations.
C．They originated from traditional practice.	D．They showed the abundance of the locals.