1 . Ireland: The Emerald Isle
Travelling in the Republic of Ireland is like stepping into a vivid painting where lush green landscapes meet charming villages.
Dublin
Start exploring in Dublin, Ireland’s capital, which blends the old and new. The city is steeped in history, and you can enjoy its past at landmarks like Trinity College, founded in 1592. It’s home to the Book of Kells, a medieval (中世纪的) masterpiece. After that, take a walk around Dublin Castle, a symbol of Ireland’s historical power. Then head to The Temple Bar, with its cobblestone streets and lively pubs, to experience Dublin’s contemporary culture.
Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry, 1,179-kilometer circular route, showcases Ireland’s beauty. You’ll encounter green meadows, peaceful lakes and dramatic coastal cliffs. Each turn in the road reveals breathtaking views that will leave you in awe.
Cliffs of Moher
You can’t say you’ve been to Ireland if you haven’t checked out the Cliffs of Moher. These towering cliffs on the west coast rise from the Atlantic Ocean, reaching heights of over 200 meters. The sheer size of the cliffs and the roaring waves below create a fascinating and humbling experience.
Inishmore
Take a ferry to Inishmore, one of the rugged Aran Islands. Upon your arrival, you will immediately notice the hard life of the local people. At first there was no soil on the island, so over the centuries, they made their own — from seaweed and sand. Now about 2,400 kilometers of rock walls spread around the land. Take a tour or ride a bike around the island. Then enjoy an Irish coffee before heading back to the mainland.
1. What can you probably see in the Ring of Kerry?| A．Some historical landmarks and old castles of Ireland. |
| B．A circular route with views of lakes, meadows and cliffs. |
| C．The special soil made from seaweed and sand by local people. |
| D．The towering cliffs on the west coast from the Atlantic Ocean. |
| A．By plane. | B．By ferry. | C．By subway. | D．By bike. |
| A．A travel journal. | B．A research paper. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．An autobiography. |
2 . Data shows that Chinese brands are winning increasingly more consumers in recent years, especially among the younger generation. The trend is usually called “guochao”, or “Chinese fashion trend”, which has driven demand for domestic (国内的) brands and products that often include Chinese traditional culture and style.
Its main followers are millennial born between1980-1995 and Generation Z born between 1995 and 2010. Unlike the older generations who could have attachment to Western culture and brands, Chinese youth were born and raised when the country’s economy and wealth were taking off. The younger generation tends to have strong and genuine confidence in their national identity and traditional culture.
To woo young customers, these domestic names are making products with high quality and appeal by strengthening research and marketing efforts. An often-cited case is Li-Ning, China’s homegrown sportswear brand that is named after one of the nation’s most famous athletes. The company almost broke up after a failed rebranding in 2011 when it went through three years of losses after losing older customers while failing to attract younger buyers. It was not until the 2018 New York Fashion Week that the brand made its huge comeback. Its trendy look，bold use of color and traditional Chinese culture elements were showcased on the stage so that it immediately grabbed attention at home and abroad.
The trend to embrace domestic brands has spread rapidly to various sectors and products as well, from food and drinks to clothing and electronic vehicles. While many Chinese brands have been gaining significant market share at home in recent years, others are posting an increasingly stronger global presence.
In 2020, China’s tech giant Xiaomi reported its most profitable year on the back of expanded sales and global market share. Revenues (零售) from Haier Smart Home’s overseas business last year also marked an all-time high, ranking top list in global market share for major home appliance. Although some brands still face plenty of challenges ahead to meet the sophisticated needs of customers and regulations in overseas markets, most domestic products are still quite competitive in the international market.
1. What does “guochao” refer to？| A．Domestic brands’ rapid increase |
| B．Chinese brands’ growing popularity |
| C．Young generations’ craze about fashion |
| D．Chinese traditional culture’s revival |
| A．They believe that domestic products have relatively good quality. |
| B．Western brands and products are out of date to the young generations. |
| C．Older generations influence the young to favor domestic products. |
| D．The economic development enhances their belief in domestic products. |
| A．To introduce a new topic |
| B．To advertise a domestic brand |
| C．To present a convincing example |
| D．To explain a complicated concept |
| A．Chinese brands are gaining popularity both at home and abroad. |
| B．Sales of Haier Smart Home have topped the domestic market. |
| C．The future of the domestic brands in overseas market is unclear. |
| D．Many Chinese brands fail to meet the standard of overseas market. |
3 . East of England tour
Tour itinerary (行程)
Sunday 9 October: Check into our three-star hotel for the trip, Barnsdale Lodge, near Rutland Water. Enjoy a welcome dinner and talk by BBC Gardeners’ World magazine Associate Editor, David Hurrion.
Monday 10 October: First to Cottesbrooke Hall & Gardens in Northamptonshire for a gardener-led tour, plus lunch. Then to the private garden of The Old Vicarage, Burley, where owner Sandra Blaza will share her gardening passion. Later, enjoy a welcome drink, dinner and a talk by Nick Hamilton, owner of Barnsdale Gardens.
Tuesday 11 October: Barnsdale Gardens consisting of 37 gardens in many styles offer inspiration for all. Nick Hamilton will be on hand to show you round. In the afternoon we’ll visit wonderful Elton Hall in Cambridgeshire for a tour of the private gardens with the head gardener and have free time to explore the formal gardens. We’ll have dinner at the hotel.
Wednesday 12 October: Boughton House, Northamptonshire, will open exclusively (专门地) for us, starting with a two-course lunch, and a talk and Q&A with our special guest Adam Frost. After lunch, we’ll take a tour of the gardens with the head gardener.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a busy itinerary involving a great amount of walking, with little or no access to assistance. Please bear this in mind when booking this tour.
1. What do tour itineraries of Monday and Tuesday have in common?| A．They both provide dinner at the hotel. |
| B．They both include a tour of the private garden. |
| C．They both include a guided tour by Nick Hamilton. |
| D．They both offer free time to explore the formal gardens. |
| A．On October 9. | B．On October 10. | C．On October 11. | D．On October 12. |
| A．They should book the tour in person. |
| B．They are able to walk long distances. |
| C．They must bring their own travel tools. |
| D．They should have a good knowledge of gardening. |
4 . Having bright colors and greenery in our cities can make people happier and calmer, according to a recent experiment.
Researchers at the University of Lille tested how volunteers reacted to variations (变化) of a concrete (混凝土), glass and metal urban landscape. The participants walked on the spot in a laboratory wearing a VR headset with eye trackers, and researchers adjusted their surroundings, adding combinations of vegetation, as well as bright yellow and pink colors, and different patterns on the path. By tracking their blink (眨眼) rate, the researchers learned about what the volunteers were most interested in.
Researchers found the volunteers walked more slowly and their heart rate increased when they saw green vegetation in their urban setting. They also kept their heads higher, looking forward and around, instead of toward the ground. While adding and taking away color didn’t make quite as much of a difference for the participants, they were more curious and alert when colorful patterns were added to the ground they were virtually stepping on. According to Yvonne Delevoye-Turrell, a professor of cognitive psychology at the university and the lead author of this study, the results showed that the urban experience had been made more pleasurable.
The research, published in Frontiers, suggests that making some small changes to the city raises morale, even when people are experiencing them through virtual reality. “We think that the variations of human behavior obtained in virtual reality can predict the changes that would be obtained in the natural settings,” said Delevoye-Turrell.
Michal Matlon, an architecture psychologist and consultant, said: “We often don’t fully appreciate the compounding effects that enriching ordinary places with nature can have.” He added that even the smallest of changes could affect the experience of someone on their way to work, for example.
1. What did researchers try to find in their experiment?| A．What landscape interests urban people most. |
| B．What helps people adjust to new surroundings. |
| C．The effects of vegetation and color in urban settings. |
| D．The most appealing colors and patterns for urban paths. |
| A．Their hearts beat faster. |
| B．They focused on the ground. |
| C．They became nervous and alert. |
| D．They increased their walking speed. |
| A．Health. | B．Abilities. | C．Spirits. | D．Imagination. |
| A．Enriching our lives with colors. |
| B．Including nature in our daily lives. |
| C．Making regular, small changes in our lives. |
| D．Spending as much time as possible in nature. |
5 . One of the best parts of travel is always the food. Or, more specifically, the junk food. It’s a delight people are unlikely to get to experience during the pandemic. But in one corner of the internet, hungry people are keeping the joy of international snacks alive.
On SnackExchange, users trade the delights of their homeland by mail. First, you find someone on the board to swap with. You and your partner then post each other a box full of local finest processed foods, eventually uploading photos of your haul(收获) on the board for others to see.
First created in 2010, SnackExchange’s membership now totals 102,000. Most come to experience snacks they can’t find at home.
For the users who take part in snack exchanges, it’s a way to learn more about the world. For Meghan Quallick, a snack swapper from California, part of the motivation for swapping with an Australian was to get a specific item: Cadbury Black Forest bars. A co-worker of hers had eaten the chocolate bars on a trip to Australia in years past and fallen in love with them, but was then unable to source them at home. Quallick’s snack partner included 10 bars of the chocolate in her package. “To get some and bring them to her was pretty exciting,” Quallick said. “My colleague had tears in her eyes.”
Snack exchanges do come with obvious financial disadvantages. Part of the process is to agree on a budget before you swap – on average that’s around the US$40-50 mark. But you should be prepared to spend twice as much on shipping as the actual snacks. Occasionally swappers get scammed(欺骗) by partners who don’t deliver on their end of the deal.
Often, the snack exchanges are about more than just the food. Heather Clarke, a snack swapper from Melbourne says, “They’re often cultural exchanges as well. You get people going, ‘Can you tell me what this is?’” Often, users enclose(随信附上) instructions on how to best consume the snacks. Going the extra mile is in the spirit of the community.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The history of snack exchanges. |
| B．Why people love to exchange snacks. |
| C．How users exchange snacks on SnackExchange. |
| D．The influence the pandemic has on snack exchanges. |
| A．She quarreled with Quallick. |
| B．She failed to find a swapper herself. |
| C．She found the snack she ate before online. |
| D．She got what she desired to eat from Quallick. |
| A．Swappers easily get cheated. |
| B．Swappers have to spend more on shipping. |
| C．Swappers seldom find exactly what they want. |
| D．Swappers may spend more time than usual shopping. |
| A．They should be improved. |
| B．They promote cultural exchanges. |
| C．They are lacking in community spirit. |
| D．They should have detailed guides from swappers. |
6 . I am not sure how many years ago it was, but I still had a cassette player (盒式磁带放录机) at the time. I had a lot of housework. I was tired of television and was in the mood for music. I pulled out one of my favorite cassettes. It started to play but before long the music stopped. I opened the player and saw the tape in the cassette was all pulled out and twisted (扭曲的). I tried to fix it, but it was already broken beyond repair. I frowned. I didn’t want to risk another of my cassettes with a tape-eating machine, but I really wanted some music.
Then I noticed my ancient record player in the corner. I walked over and dusted it off. I pulled out an old record of my mom’s that my dad had given me after she died. I turned on the record player and gently put the record on the turntable (唱机上的转盘). “Pop!” “Crack!” went the record for a second as I put the needle(唱针) down. Then a beautiful melody from my childhood started to play. I smiled and started to do my housework. The sweet songs I grew up on touched my soul. I felt the music coming out of me. I started to sing, letting my weak voice join in joyously with the music. I even dared to dance a little while I did the dishes. I smiled and laughed. My heart was filled with happiness. And at that moment I could feel the joy of the universe all around me. “This is how life is supposed to be!”
These days all my music is on CDs. My daughter says I am behind the times. She says I should buy a cellphone and download all the music I want. But instead, I think I will dust off those old records again, put them on that record player and start to sing along.
We all have music within us just waiting to get out. Don’t let your music die within you then. Share your song with the world. And don’t forget to dance a little too.
1. Why did the author give up listening to cassettes?| A．He broke all his cassettes. |
| B．He preferred records to cassettes. |
| C．His cassettes were out of fashion. |
| D．His cassette player didn’t work well. |
| A．Upset. | B．Regretful. | C．Pleased. | D．Surprised. |
| A．Buy new records. | B．Change his record player. |
| C．Sing and dance to the music. | D．Download music to his phone. |
| A．Life with music is beautiful. |
| B．Music can inspire creativity. |
| C．Music helps strengthen family bonds. |
| D．Music helps us keep up with the times. |
7 . Camden Market
Whatever your cup of tea is, you’re bound to find something that you’re fond of at the Camden markets. The Camden markets consist of six markets in and around Camden Town, located near Camden Lock. The markets attract 100,000 tourists every weekend.
But believe it or not, the Camden markets are a relatively new addition to London, as the area surrounding Camden Lock was used primarily for agricultural purposes before the 1800s.
Camden Market Highlights
●Out of the six markets, Camden Lock Village is perhaps the most famous. This covered market is fully packed with all sorts of beautiful, handmade items.
●At Camden Lock Market you can find food stalls (货摊) offering food from all over the world, as well as handmade jewelry (珠宝), second-hand clothing, books, and other household items you won’t find anywhere else in the city.
●Check out Inverness Street Market. It may not be as big as the other Camden markets but don’t let that stop you, as here you will find a variety of specialty shops, and countless bars and restaurants.
●Camden High Street is a highly popular shopping area and is packed with independent shops, pubs, and restaurants, many of which feature some interesting designs that are worth taking a photo of. No Camden Town photo collection would be complete without a shot of the large black and orange dragon at Camden High Street.
Visiting Information
●Open: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
●Time Needed: 2.5 hours
●Price: Free
1. What do we know about the Camden markets?| A．They are new but popular. |
| B．They are open all day long. |
| C．They are far from Camden Lock. |
| D．They are for agricultural uses. |
| A．It sells second-hand jewelry. | B．It features countless local bars. |
| C．It offers unique household items. | D．It mainly sells local produce. |
| A．Camden High Street. |
| B．Camden Lock Village. |
| C．Camden Lock Market. |
| D．Inverness Street Market. |
8 . In my last semester of college in the US, I struggled with the decision to move to New York to pursue an advertising career, or to stay in Florida to be near my loved ones. While I was leaning toward the latter, everyone kept telling me if I didn't go to New York, I would never make anything of myself or my career. Those statements made my blood boil, but also made me decide to stay in Florida.
I accepted a marketing coordinator (协调员) position with Coton Colors. I knew the company was growing fast, so it felt like a great place to begin my career. In Coton Colors, I tried to establish myself. I took on basic marketing tasks like helping with small campaigns or simple design. I started undertaking more tasks and discovering things I liked and excelled in. I continued to ask for more responsibilities, and before I knew it, I was leading meetings, directing support staff and taking off in my position.
I started getting in contact with some of my New York classmates. It seemed that most of them were still assistants, running to get coffee and make copies, without getting any useful experience. Those conversations helped me realize that I was in control of my own career. I didn't need to move to a big city to become an important part of a successful team-I was already part of one. I went to the CEO and asked to create and lead an events team. After only a few months, I worked around the clock to grow this branch while also continuing to maintain my regular job duties. In the end, all of my hard work and devotion paid I have watched myself grow from an entry-level college student to a valued member of a powerful management team. I have overcome many stereotypes (刻板印象) of my generation with my hard work and positive attitude.
1. Why did the author finally decide to start her career in Florida?| A．She knew that the industry in Florida has more potential. |
| B．She wanted to prove that she could achieve success there. |
| C．She had gotten an offer from a fast-growing company there. |
| D．She was advised by many people to stay near her loved ones |
| A．Promising | B．Stressful. | C．Peaceful. | D．Well-paid. |
| A．Her talent in marketing. |
| B．Her devotion to all her tasks. |
| C．Her patience with simple designs. |
| D．Her good luck in the work. |
| A．No matter what others say, we should always have courage. |
| B．We should stay positive in spite of any difficulties that we meet. |
| C．Small cities are much better than bigger ones to begin a career in. |
| D．We can become a better self with hard work and determination. |
9 . Being bored is no fun, especially at work. But new research out of the Research School of Management at Australian National University argues that while boredom is certainly boring, it isn’t all bad. The disliked mental state can actually spark precious creativity.
The study asked 52 subjects to do a pretty boring job: sort apart a bowl of red and green beans with just one hand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, 49 other subjects — the control group — were instructed to create art projects with paper, beans and glue. Once the 30 minutes was over, each group was instructed to spend five minutes on a creative task: they had to come up with reasons why a hypothetical (假定的) person was two hours late for a meeting.
The bored group came up with not just more ideas than the control group, but more creative ideas than the control group, too. The quality and quantity of production was higher for people who were bored than those who were not. Creativity itself was measured under a standard that balanced novelty and practicality. Ideas had to fit both criteria to be considered creative.
Guiyun Park, the study’s lead author, readily admits that not every type of job permits the fun of boredom, and it can really be harmful to some important work. But for designers and anyone in a creative field, boredom is not something to fear, but to embrace. Sometimes, the best way to be productive is to expect nothing of yourself at all.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The process of the research. | B．The benefits of the research. |
| C．The reasons for the research. | D．The disadvantage of the research. |
| A．Boredom can do harm to some work. |
| B．All types of jobs can embrace boredom. |
| C．Boredom is not always something to fear. |
| D．Boredom can be favourable to art designers. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Negative. | C．Positive. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．The Role of Boredom in Increasing Productivity |
| B．The Negative Impact of Boredom on the Workplace |
| C．Why Boredom Should Be Avoided in Creative Fields |
| D．Unlocking Creativity: The Unexpected Benefit of Boredom |
10 . Every afternoon for the past 11 years, 83-year-old AI Merritt has been a reliable and cheery presence in his southeast Carlsbad neighbourhood, California.
His wife, Penny Merritt said her husband’s doctor suggested he get more exercise after he had some heart trouble about 12 years ago. When their son, Kevin brought a bike to his parents’ house, AI started to pedal around the local road and hills. At first, his rides were about five miles long, then 10 to 12 miles, and gradually the length of his outings grew due to all the social stops — from an hour to two hours.
Since 2010, Merritt has been on a personal pursuit to cycle the circumference (周长) of the earth — 24,901 miles without even leaving his own neighbourhood. As a result, over the years, he got to know many of his neighbours and send them message of love and kindness. Judy Keene, one of his neighbours, has been waving to Merritt on his daily rides for the past five years.
“He is so reliable, like clockwork. Every day I see him flying by on his bike. He is totally cheerful and takes time with everybody,” Keene said. “He inspires so many people and shows everyone how you can be in your 80s and still have a good time.”
It was not until October 24 that the old man finally realized his daily bicycle trips were as important to them as they were to him. At 3 p.m. that Sunday afternoon, nearly 200 people gathered near his home to surprise and congratulate him on the completion of his “round-the-world” adventure. As he pedaled down the hill towards his house, a roar erupted from the crowd waving international flags, hand-painted signs and Earth-shaped balloons. The outpouring of love stunned and overwhelmed Merritt.
“It’s just unbelievable. I couldn’t have imagined anything like this ever happening,” he said. Although Merritt has now accomplished his cycling goal, he has no plans to change the routine that has become the highlight of his daily life.
1. Why did old AI Merritt start to cycle?| A．He has always been an athletic person. |
| B．His son Kevin brought him a new bike. |
| C．He wanted to send love and kindness to others. |
| D．He was advised to work out for the sake of his health. |
| A．Merritt stopped to help those in need. |
| B．Merritt tried to help build stops for social use. |
| C．Merritt had interactions with his neighbours. |
| D．Merritt was stopped for some social reasons. |
| A．His trips mattered more to his neighbours than to him. |
| B．He was warmly congratulated on his completion of the plan. |
| C．He will keep on cycling on a different route as he has planned. |
| D．He accomplished his goal of cycling 24,901 miles around the earth. |
| A．Diligent and determined. | B．Optimistic and selfless. |
| C．Ambitious and romantic. | D．Kind and inspirational. |
