The best time to visit Toronto is typically in the spring (April and May) or during the fall (September to early November). At these times, you’ll likely find fewer crowds, cheaper accommodations, and the best weather for sightseeing as it is neither too hot nor too cold.
Getting AroundThe Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) makes it easy to get around the city via many buses, subway, and streetcars. Figuring out how to get where you want to go is easily done using the TTC’s convenient Trip Planner.
Travel TipWhile you may choose to base yourself near many of the city’s main landmarks, it’s also worth taking some time to explore some great neighborhoods that each offer their own unique charms, including colorful Kensington Market, the Junction, Leslieville, and Little India.
Things to DoGet a Dose of Art & Culture: The Royal Ontario Museum is Canada’s largest museum and showcases everything from art and archaeology to natural science in over 30 galleries. Or, stop by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), one of the largest art museums in North America with a collection of more than 90,000 works of art.
Take in the Views From the CN Tower: High-speed elevators send visitors to the top of the tower in just 58 seconds for full views over the city. You can even try EdgeWalk to experience a hands-free walk around the main pod of the tower, 116 stories above the ground.
Spend a Day in the Distillery District: Explore the historic Distillery District to walk casually among Victorian-era buildings on pedestrian-only cobblestone streets filled with shops, cafes, and restaurants.
1. If a tourist travels to Toronto in October, what is he likely to find?A.Free attractions. | B.Discounted hotels. |
C.Extreme weather. | D.Crowded scenic spots. |
A.Help people buy tickets. | B.Help tourists in urgent situations. |
C.Guide people to their destinations. | D.Introduce scenic spots to tourists. |
A.It is home to over 90,000 artworks. |
B.It’s noted for its Victorian-era buildings. |
C.It’s one of the largest museums in Canada. |
D.Its displays range from art to natural science. |
A.Little India. | B.EdgeWalk. | C.The Junction. | D.The Distillery District. |
A.Planning Your Trip in Toronto |
B.Some Hidden Truth about Toronto |
C.The Main Tourist Attractions in Toronto |
D.The Reasons for the Popularity of Toronto |
2 . I received a phone call from a credit card company. With the craziness of the holidays, I had missed a
A few days later, as I’m walking to
I take it inside. And I’m not going to
The agent has sent me flowers with a note of
To that
A.chance | B.payment | C.shot | D.conference |
A.embarrassed | B.tolerant | C.understanding | D.delightful |
A.motherhood | B.childhood | C.likelihood | D.neighborhood |
A.average | B.strange | C.expected | D.total |
A.hours | B.minutes | C.seconds | D.weeks |
A.reach | B.take | C.check | D.answer |
A.flower | B.food | C.snack | D.toy |
A.sent | B.posted | C.claimed | D.misdelivered |
A.account | B.postbox | C.package | D.address |
A.credit | B.name | C.resume | D.status |
A.complain | B.boast | C.lie | D.explain |
A.card | B.secret | C.item | D.article |
A.loser | B.stranger | C.winner | D.visitor |
A.appreciation | B.warning | C.apology | D.encouragement |
A.confused | B.depressed | C.touched | D.amused |
A.call | B.send | C.owe | D.assign |
A.agent | B.offer | C.case | D.manager |
A.achieved | B.spoiled | C.made | D.accomplished |
A.request | B.advise | C.demand | D.remind |
A.love | B.modesty | C.passion | D.integrity |
![](https://img.xkw.com/dksih/QBM/2023/9/25/3332588440059904/3332967016275968/STEM/979e2f8ce0c648f58d484f3bb6a98a8b.png?resizew=118)
How can I describe the wonder I felt the first time I saw my favorite painting, George Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte? I
The first thing that struck me as I
What’s more impressive, however, was the
When I approached the painting, though, its colors exploded into many more colors, showing the artist’s skill in combining colors
4 . Born and raised in Hawaii, I learned to appreciate and respect a diversity of cultures as a member of its very successful Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Most of my classmates stayed in Hawaii for college or went to schools on the West Coast, but I decided to broaden my horizons by attending Purdue University in Indiana. While there, I discovered I was a minority — something I had never experienced back home.
Being a minority for the first time, I felt like an outsider. My ideas, interests and values were constantly considered not as important as my heritage (传统). After sharing an alternate point of view, I would often hear “What do you know? You’re from Hawaii.” These responses eventually made me less enthusiastic about telling people where I was from; I had lost pride in my heritage.
That summer I went home to work for a political non-profit in Honolulu, where I discovered a love for working on laws. Slowly, my pride in my heritage came back. I came to the realization that everyone is raised differently, and the people who had previously thought little of me were so forced on their ideas of where I came from — a remote, beautiful island — that they were ignorant of my culture and the value that other views and opinions can offer.
I returned to Purdue with a newfound love for my background, I decided to share my culture with everyone I could and, after I did, I found people were more willing to hear my ideas. I changed my major to political science and decided I wanted to be a civil servant, with the goal of helping people of Asian American Pacific Islander backgrounds. I strongly believe if more AAPIs are given opportunities to expand their horizons by attending universities across America and the globe, the ignorance will go away and more voices will be heard.
1. Why did the author go to Purdue University?A.Because she was tired of life in Hawaii. |
B.Because she wanted to go out and expand her mind. |
C.Because her classmates chose to study on the West Coast. |
D.Because she was interested in the variety of cultures there. |
A.Her ability was challenged. |
B.Her identity was questioned. |
C.She was made fun of because of her accent. |
D.She was laughed at owning to her background. |
A.Being a lawyer in Indiana. | B.Being a civil servant for AAPIs. |
C.The work for a political non-profit. | D.Her major to political science. |
A.Proud. | B.Cautious. | C.Upset. | D.Depressed. |
A.Live My Minority Life | B.Overcome Culture Shock |
C.Live with Others’ Pride | D.Fit into a Different Society |
5 . In my freshman year, I asked myself, “Why am I in school?” I thought I was forced to be there, but I decided just to get along with it until I could find it
One day it finally hit me. We were studying Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in our
To feed my new-found hunger for learning, I decided that I wouldn’t be
In short, I’ve discovered that
A.lucky | B.powerful | C.believable | D.meaningful |
A.history | B.writing | C.listening | D.literature |
A.play | B.watch | C.enjoy | D.imagine |
A.afforded | B.remembered | C.promised | D.volunteered |
A.if | B.for | C.but | D.once |
A.experiment | B.competition | C.discussion | D.performance |
A.embarrassed | B.surprised | C.confused | D.worried |
A.dream | B.family | C.school | D.childhood |
A.unknown | B.unfriendly | C.unfair | D.uncomfortable |
A.often | B.never | C.ever | D.already |
A.make | B.judge | C.leave | D.discover |
A.shy | B.calm | C.curious | D.lazy |
A.prepared | B.encouraged | C.forced | D.determined |
A.goals | B.topics | C.models | D.plans |
A.ordinary | B.natural | C.valuable | D.interesting |
A.Without | B.Through | C.Except | D.Before |
A.learning | B.singing | C.speaking | D.training |
A.Instead | B.Still | C.Therefore | D.However |
A.follow | B.know | C.tell | D.accept |
A.mind | B.hope | C.name | D.life |
6 . We bought a Shamrock trailer (房车) in the fall of 2019 in anticipation (期待) of our three-month journey to Baja, Mexico. The camper (露营车) would be home base for all the fun and adventure our family, myself, my husband and our three teenagers, would have all the way.
It took three days to drive from Calgary to Las Vegas and the temperature went from negative 30 to 15 °F-a miracle! But by the time we made it to San Diego, California, we had visited two RV mechanics to fix water leaking from the water tank and a bed heater blowing up. Thankfully, while we waited for repairs, we could listen to waves lapping on the shore.
Eventually, we crossed the border into Mexico at Tijuana and pushed our way down the shore coast. While we swam, ate Mexican food and watched sunsets, the Shamrock kept throwing us surprises. We all learned to savor (尽情享受) the good moments while dealing with the bad.
Driving through Utah, our truck began making noises. The truck’s engine had completely broken, and we needed a new one. We holed up (躲) in St. George, Utah, to wait for repairs. One evening, we were heating up dinner when the oven let out a big WHUMP! The whole camper shook.
After a few weeks, we left our truck in Utah—the engine repair wasn’t going too well—and drove home to Calgary. There could not have been five travelers so happy to stay in their house for two weeks.
Eventually, we hired someone to drive our truck and the Shamrock to Calgary, but he arrived with just the truck. The camper was causing problems, and the keys got lost, so it was left in Idaho. It’s still there; we recently marked its one-and-a-half-year anniversary of storage.
This brings me to the point of this essay: For Sale: A lively 30-foot Shamrock camper. Keeps you on your toes! Sleeps five. $9,000. Pick-up is somewhere in Idaho. Bring some tools to break into it.
1. What can we learn about the author’s self-driving tour?A.The tour lasted for about one month. |
B.They drove a Shamrock all the way during the tour. |
C.Their truck stopped working when they arrived at San Diego. |
D.They enjoyed the tour despite some unexpected problems. |
A.Breakdowns. | B.Beautiful scenery. |
C.Amazing functions. | D.Quality after-sales service. |
A.Unhappy. | B.Serious. | C.Amusing. | D.Exciting. |
A.To suggest the places to travel. |
B.To advertise her Shamerock camper. |
C.To record the happy moments in life. |
D.To complain about her campers. |
7 . Mary-Jo Saunders goes to kindergarten every morning, just like many other five-year-olds in New York. Today, she is learning a poem. What is special is that it’s a Chinese poem and that she is able to recite it without an accent. Soon she is going to learn Chinese handwriting too. “Learning the world’s most spoken language might give Mary-Jo a head start in her future jobs” says her mother Alison. “I think it’s good for her to stretch herself (端尽所能) by listening to and pronouncing new sounds, as well as learning to read and. write Chinese characters.”
More and more parents in the world are sending their children to Chinese classes. Keen for their sons and daughters to succeed in lift, they see being fluent in a second or third language as an advantage. Learning Chinese is becoming so popular that the language has been included in the education systems of more than 75 countries. Over 4,000 overseas universities offer Chinese language courses and about 25 million people are learning Chinese outside China.
It is easy to understand why Chinese is becoming so popular. Learning Chinese may help people get more chances to work. China is already a global economic power, and its influence is growing. For example, there’s China’s Belt and Road Initiative (倡议), which encourages many countries along the Silk Road to work together more closely. It has created thousands of local jobs, many of which need people with a knowledge of Chinese. Another reason is that studying Chinese provides chances to explore wonderful Chinese history and culture. Adam Turner, a school head teacher in the UK, mentions this as one of the most attractive parts of the recently added Chinese course. “Students love the mystery (奥秘) of China,” he explains. “They want to know all about its traditions, dynasties and art forms. Learning Chinese helps them see life differently and increase their knowledge of the outside world.”
1. Why did the writer mention Mary-Jo Saunders’ story in paragraph 1?A.To praise Mary-Jo Saunders’ hard work in learning Chinese. |
B.To introduce a funny way of learning Chinese in New York. |
C.To stress the great difficulty of learning Chinese for foreigners. |
D.To show the growing interest in learning Chinese outside China. |
A.Telling. | B.Expecting. |
C.Requesting. | D.Advising. |
A.By listing numbers. | B.By finding excuses. |
C.By making comparisons. | D.By offering suggestions. |
A.Traveling all over the world and having fun. |
B.Doing business globally and making more money. |
C.Getting a job and a deeper understanding of China. |
D.Improving relationships with other countries. |
A.Chinese Learning: Increasing Popularity. |
B.Chinese Language: A Head Start in School. |
C.Chinese Handwriting: Traditions and Art Forms. |
D.Chinese Characters: Reading and Writing for Fun. |
8 . If you’re new to a school or you are shy or tend to not get out of your comfort zone, making new friends at school might seem like a challenge. Luckily, you can overcome that challenge by looking for people with the same interests as you and by being friendly when you meet new people. Also, participate in after-school clubs and events whenever you get the chance, since that will help you meet people outside of class!
Look for people who have the same hobbies as you.
You’re more likely to be friends with someone if you have something in common with them. Try to find clubs or groups based on your favorite hobbies, then join them to meet like-minded people. Also, pay attention to people who spend their free time doing the same things you love to do.
If you’re a passionate reader, join a book club, go to public readings, or start a conversation with someone who carries novels around with their textbooks.
Spend time around people who show kindness.
Finding someone who will treat you well and support you is more important than popularity. Avoid spending time with people who talk bad about others or put them down. Instead, look for people who invite others to sit with them at lunch, who encourage others when they speak up in class, or who are always willing to help when someone needs a hand.
Introduce yourself to new people whenever possible.
When you’re around someone you don’t know, it is not unusual to just sit there quietly, especially if you’re shy. However, you and the other person will both be more comfortable after a simple introduction. Make eye contact with the person, smile, and try to seem warm and relaxed instead of nervous or anxious. Then, break the ice by talking about whatever is going on around you.
Keep the conversation going with open-ended questions.
When you start talking to someone, try asking them questions about what they like to see what you have in common with them. However, avoid simply asking yes or no questions, since one-word answers don’t necessarily keep a conversation alive. You can ask questions about whatever you’re already talking about, or you can change the subject if you feel that ran its course.
1. Who is the passage intended for?A.Teachers. | B.Students. | C.Parents. | D.Adults. |
A.join a club to make friends |
B.approach people with lots of hobbies |
C.spend your free time meeting different people |
D.talk to people with the same interests |
A.One who enjoys the popularity. |
B.One who talks bad about others. |
C.One who wants to help you. |
D.One who always put others down. |
A.Start with a warm handshake. |
B.Make eye contact with the person. |
C.Start with a brief introduction of yourself. |
D.Start by talking about a serious topic. |
A.keep the conversation going | B.end the conversation |
C.show kindness | D.respect others |
9 . Why did humans evolve to walk upright? Perhaps because it’s just plain easier. Make that “energetically less costly,” in science-speak.
Bipedalism — walking on two feet — is one of the defining characteristics of being human, and scientists have debated for years how it came about. In the latest attempt to find an explanation, researchers trained five chimpanzees to walk on treadmill while wearing masks that allowed measurement of their oxygen consumption. The chimps were measured both while walking upright and while moving on their legs and knuckles. That measurement of the energy needed to move round was compared with similar tests on humans and the results are published in this week’s online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
It turns out that humans walking on two legs use only one quarter of the energy that chimpanzees use while knuckle-walking on four limbs. And the chimps, on average, use as much energy using two legs as they did when they used all four limbs.
However, there were differences among chimpanzees in how much energy they used, and this difference corresponded to their different gaits and anatomy. One of the chimps used less energy on two legs, one used about the same and the others used more, said David Raichlen, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona.
“What we were surprised at was the variation,” he said in telephone interview. “That was pretty exciting, because when you talk about how evolution works, variation is the bottom line, without variation there is no evolution.”
Walking, on two legs freed our arms, opening the door to manipulating the world, Raichlen said. “We think about the evolution of bipedalism as one of first events that led hominids down the path to being human.”
The research was supported by the National Science Foundation and the L. S. B. Leakey Foundation.
1. The underlined word “Bipedalism” means .A.moving sideways | B.walking upright |
C.walking on four legs | D.running fast |
A.Masks protect chimpanzees from any harm. |
B.Masks help chimpanzees walk steadily. |
C.There was heavy smoke in the room. |
D.Masks helped to measure how much oxygen chimpanzees consumed. |
A.have no idea on how human walking on two legs came about |
B.have had different views on why chimpanzees walk on four legs |
C.have had different views on how human walking on two legs came about |
D.have had similar views on how human walking on two legs came about |
A.How did chimpanzees save energy? | B.Why didn’t chimpanzees walk on two legs? |
C.David Raichlen researched into chimpanzees. | D.Different chimpanzees consume different energy. |
A.conserve energy | B.differ from other animals |
C.free their brains | D.strengthen their legs |
10 . Sometimes, we need a little help and get back to a state of mindfulness when it comes to taking care of our physical and mental health. Wellness vacations are on the rise.
■ Ketanga FitnessWhen: April 6 — 10
Where: Phoenix, Arizona
What: Sweat it out surrounded by the red rocks of Arizona’s desert. P.E. Club owner Nedra
Lopez leads a mixture of high and low intensity workouts in the mornings and evenings. During breaks, guests will have plenty of time to explore the desert. After your last workout class, you can hit the town for dinner and drinks.
■ Rksolid Retreat
When: April 15 — 22
Where: Oahu, Hawaii
What: What better excuses to relax yourself in Hawaii than a retreat led by Barry’s Bootcamp star Rebecca Kennedy? During your week-long journey to Oahu, you’ll surf, climb waterfalls, and hike the Stairway to Heaven trail. In between all those workouts, Kennedy creates a special stretch and recovery class so you won’t skip a beat next day.
■ Wellness Immersion
When: August
Where: Amanbagh, India
What: The Amanbagh hotel offers 4-21 day programs focusing on immersion courses that focus on relieving stress from people’s body. Activities include hikes overlooking beautiful gorges, yoga and meditation sessions, and meals made with organic, locally harvested produce.
■ Mile High Run Club
When: August 18 — 28
Where: Reykjavik, Iceland
What: After landing in Reykjavik, runners can work towards their best time in the annual marathon, half marathon, or 10K. After a race, you’ll soothe your muscles in the geothermal Blue Lagoon spa and hit the ground running again with guided runs through Thorsmork National Park. Do we even have to mention Skaftafell’s crazy glacier views?
1. Which vacation will you choose if you want to visit desert?
A.Rksolid Retreat. | B.Ketanga Fitness. |
C.Wellness Immersion. | D.Mile High Run Club. |
A.Go surfing. | B.Climb waterfalls. |
C.Hike the Stairway to Heaven trail. | D.Attend a special stretch and recovery class. |
A.enjoy a free hotel stay and service | B.visit Thorsmork National Park |
C.taste food made by local organic produce | D.relax muscles in a geothermal spa |
A.Men are the target vacationers. | B.They are combinations of wellness and scenery. |
C.Courses and classes are arranged during them. | D.They are available all year round. |
A.To promote marathon events. | B.To attract more tourists to America. |
C.To advertise some P.E. clubs. | D.To introduce some wellness vacations. |