1 . DAY TRIP ITINERARY (行程)
After a warm reception from your tour manager at your dedicated pick-up point in London, settle in your comfortable coach as we set off on our journey towards Stonehenge. The world’s most famous prehistoric monument has inspired people to study and interpret it for centuries, yet many questions remain to be answered —about who built it, when, and why.
After visiting Stonehenge, we drive to Windsor Castle, which is home to royalty and 1,000 years of royal history. The stunning 13-acre site is the largest and oldest occupied, working castle in the world. There are many famous, must-see moments within these spectacular rooms in the castle, like the grand Waterloo Chamber and the magnificent Crimson Drawing Room.
In the early evening, we make our way towards London and proceed towards your respective drop off points and bid farewell to all friends you have made on the tour.
ESSENTIALS TO CARRY WITH YOU
We recommend you wear comfortable clothing and carry essentials such as a jacket or jumper, dry snacks, water, tissues, chargers, power bank, etc., in your handbag as access to the luggage hold is only possible until a comfort stop or arrival at your destination. Hot foods are not allowed to be carried or consumed inside the coach.
PICK-UP POINTS
Name | Address | Times |
Harrow | Outside McDonalds, 363 Station Road, Harrow, London HA1 2AW | 07:15 |
Hounslow | Outside Hounslow West Station, Bath Road, London TW3 3DH | 08:00 |
Kenton | MANTRA HOLIDAYS, 296 Kenton Road, Harrow, London HA3 8DD | 07:00 |
Click here to go through the general information and Terms & Conditions before booking and travelling.
1. How many tourist spots will the participants visit?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．the luggage hold is inaccessible when the bus is in motion |
| B．they are not allowed to be carried inside the coach |
| C．it’s convenient for you to enjoy hot foods |
| D．drivers are likely to access them |
| A．A journal. | B．A webpage. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．A magazine. |
2 . Household chores (家务活) may contribute to healthy aging, according to a study published in the journal BMJ Open. Researchers from Singapore found that regular physical activity, including tasks like dusting, scrubbing floors, and washing windows, can improve physical and mental health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and decrease falls, immobility, dependency, and mortality among older adults.
The study involved 249 participants aged 21 to 64 and 240 participants aged 65 to 90. Participants completed cognitive (认知) function tests and physical capability assessments. They were asked about their levels of physical activity, including light housework (such as dusting) and heavy housework (such as floor-scrubbing). The researchers found that older adults who engaged in high amounts of heavy housework had higher cognitive and attention scores compared to those who did low levels or no heavy housework at all. These participants also had lower sit-to-stand times and were at a lower risk of falling. Similarly, older adults who reported high levels of light housework had higher cognitive and memory scores compared to those who did low levels of such tasks.
Dr. Shiou-Liang Wee, co-author of the research, emphasized that health messaging on staying active should not only focus on recreational physical activities. He highlighted that housework is a purposeful activity performed by many older adults and is linked to sharper memory and better fall protection.
However, experts urge caution when interpreting the study’s findings. Professor Gill Livingston from University College London noted that people who are not well may be expected to do less housework, and the study did not establish a causal relationship between housework and health outcomes. Professor Charlie Foster from the University of Bristol highlighted that the study relied on self-reported levels of household chores, which may be inaccurate, and did not fully consider other factors that could influence the results. While the study suggests that household chore may have benefits for older adults’ health, further research is needed to better understand the relationship between housework and healthy aging.
1. How did the researchers measure the participants’ levels of physical activity?| A．By analyzing the participants’ daily routines. |
| B．By doing household chores with the participants. |
| C．By carrying out a test on the participants. |
| D．By listening to the participants’ spoken reports. |
| A．Household chores, heavy or light, do help. |
| B．The more housework for the elderly, the better. |
| C．The subjects are of similar age. |
| D．Light housework improves health better. |
| A．Objective. | B．Meaningless. | C．Partial. | D．Successful. |
| A．Definite limitation of a study on healthy aging. |
| B．The introduction to a study on household chores. |
| C．Housework arguments among different experts. |
| D．Possible function of household chores for healthy aging. |
3 . Hong Kong is one of the most expensive cities in the world, with its lavish food and giant shopping malls. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the city without stretching your wallet. With good planning, you can enjoy many things in Hong Kong for free.
1. Go gallery hopping and marvel at beautiful artworks
Hong Kong is home to plenty of independent art galleries that exhibit works from various artists around the world. While galleries are spread across the city, we argue that the best place to go gallery hopping is around Central and Sheung Wan.
2. Get up-close with nature at one of the scenic hiking trails
It’s easy to visualize images of Hong Kong’s breathtaking skyline when thinking of the city. But Hong Kong is also filled with thick greenery, mountains, and amazing natural landscapes. So, go hiking at any of the scenic trails the city has. For hiking beginners, the Peak trail is among the easiest and in the end, you’ll be treated to epic views of Victoria Harbour. Also perfect for newbies but a little more into nature is Dragon’s Back.
3. Step back in time at the traditional villages
Due to urbanization, Hong Kong’s traditional villages have been in massive decline throughout the years. With those still standing today, it serves as a time machine to showcase Hong Kong’s past. Among the best-preserved villages is Tsang Tai Uk. The original brick, timber, and granite materials are still well-maintained within the walls.
1. Who may find the Peak trail most fascinating?| A．Science fans. | B．Outdoor enthusiasts. |
| C．Water sports lovers. | D．Gallery goers. |
| A．Central and Sheung Wan | B．The Peak trail |
| C．Tsang Tai Uk | D．Dragon’s Back |
| A．Travelers lacking experience | B．Travelers into lavish city life |
| C．Travelers seeking local cuisine | D．Travelers on a tight budget |
4 . If sales generally feel hard to to resist, the sale in front of Aarron Schurevich was the ultimate test: new Kia Soul just like the one he’d had and loved, at a dealership he trusted, at a moment when he really needed a car. And it was priced $4,000 off more than a 20% discount. However, after he sped through paperwork and drove the car off the lot, the deal turned soul. Schurevich now jokes that he paid a tax for being a fool.
This big-ticket example shows vividly all the dynamics that play out in a sale. The discount itself often registers as a win, delivering the joy of both getting the product and the reward that we discovered something, and we’ve earned this extra thing. Thus, spotting something we’d like to buy on sale activates our brain’s reward system. Then there’s the fight in the brain between what can be described as its emotional and rational(理性的)parts. A sale lands like the thumb that tips our mental scale toward buying.
Stores, of course, know all this and try to push our buttons.
Experts say we often subconsciously believe popular things to be more valuable or more rewarding. Plus, there’s our urge to avoid loses — the fear of missing out (FOMO). So stores appeal to our crowd mentality: It’s Black Friday, ana everyone’s shopping, buying that thing you’d like. They create urgency: Your favorite car is on sale today only! And they create scarcity: Shop now while supplies last!
Stores also try various pricing tricks. “How do we make more customers go to the more expensive option? We add a decoy,” says Savannah Wei Shi, who researches pricing and decision-making. For example, picture s store shelf where a medium bag of candy sits next to a larger bag of the same candy. The medium-sized bag is much smaller than the other bag, but only slightly cheaper. It makes the big bag look like the best deal, so shoppers buy that one-the most expensive option on the shelf.
1. Why is Aarron Schurevich’s story mentioned?| A．To illustrate why we fall for a sale. | B．To present how our brains are activated. |
| C．To stress the importance of rational decision. | D．To prove the flexibility of marketing strategies. |
| A．FOMO postpones decisions. | B．Sales play on people’s fears. |
| C．Subconsciousness determines everything. | D．Scarcity promotion leads to wise purchases. |
| A．Using Pricing tricks. | B．Dealing with emergencies. |
| C．Creating scarcity. | D．Appealing to crowd mentality. |
| A．A candy. | B．A shelf. | C．A larger bag. | D．A medium bag. |
5 . Multi-City Vacation Sale
Route Ⅰ: Dublin & EdinburghIreland and Scotland may be close, but the two countries couldn’t be more different. From cosmopolitan Dublin to historic Edinburgh, experience the best of two capital cities on this 6-or 8-night extravaganza (狂欢)! See ancient texts at Trinity College, climb up the hill of Edinburgh Castle, and of course taste some of the best beer on the planet.
Route Ⅱ: Lisbon, Seville & MadridThis exciting 8-night adventure will introduce you to the fascinating cities of the Iberian Peninsula, including several UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Route Ⅲ: Central Europe Classic: Budapest, Vienna & PragueExperience three of Central Europe’s most beautiful cities on this 6-night vacation. See the two different sides of Budapest, and have a look at the palaces in Vienna.
Route Ⅳ: Ireland & ScotlandSpend 10,12 or 14 nights traveling across Ireland and Scotland. Stay in comfortable bed, have breakfasts and explore cities, the countryside and coast in your own car. This Celtic adventure is totally up to you!
ROUTES | PRICE *PER PERSON |
Dublin & Edinburgh | $1,322→$1,222 |
Lisbon, Seville & Madrid | $1,378→$1,278 |
Central Europe Classic: Budapest, Vienna & Prague | $1,499→$1,399 |
Ireland & Scotland | $1,568→$1,468 |
* Vacation is round-trip, per person, based on 2 travelers from John F Kennedy Intl(JFK). Includes airfare & airport taxes, hotels, car rental, departure transfer, tours and daily breakfast.
* $100 off per person before 02/28/2024.
1. Which route allows you to enjoy some of the world’s well-known beer?| A．Route Ⅰ. | B．Route Ⅱ. | C．Route Ⅲ. | D．Route Ⅳ. |
| A．Travelling across Ireland. | B．Exploring different cities. |
| C．Adventuring in your own vehicle. | D．Knowing more about UNESCO. |
| A．The travellers can choose how long to stay. |
| B．The travellers can enjoy a discount before a certain date. |
| C．The travellers are offered all kinds of food. |
| D．The travellers have access to completely different performances. |
6 . There is no doubt that when you receive a compliment, you feel good and when you receive a criticism, you feel upset and want to refuse it.
You shouldn’t be surprised by your reaction to the negative comment, as it’s human’s survival mechanism to avoid being criticized. Clearly, we don’t want to be seen as failures, so we’d rather shut our eyes and cover our ears than have to take any criticisms from others.
Imagine you’re learning to play the guitar, and you have just done your first public performance. Your teacher says, “You did well,” which may not be as useful in helping you improve your performance skills as “Your timing needs some work.” So I believe that criticisms are better than compliments.
No one would argue that healthy nutrition is a bad thing. However, too much food or drink — no matter how healthy they may be — can make us ill. Too many compliments take us away from our original enthusiasm of enjoying an activity. We start doing the activity only for the sake of receiving self-satisfying praise. Without the expectation of praise, our enthusiasm to complete things begins to be lost.
Launched in 2010, Microsoft KIN only lasted on the market for 48 days. It was very obvious that most 15 to 30-year-olds preferred Androids, BlackBerrys and iPhones to the Microsoft KIN. If criticism and feedback from the target group had been received while the phone was in development, Microsoft KIN could have avoided the huge embarrassment and its final failure.
Just to be clear, I’m talking about constructive criticism, which I like to think of as “healthy criticism”. The right kind of criticism is honest feedback that will benefit you. Feedback forces you to reconsider your actions and the way you work. If you use constructive criticism wisely, it can guide you away from bad practices, giving you support and courage to move forward to be a better person in the future.
1. What can we learn about compliment and criticism in Paragraph 1?| A．People’s response to them. | B．People’s ways to express them. |
| C．People’s understanding of them. | D．People’s different opinions on them. |
| A．More annoyed. | B．More satisfied. | C．Less worried. | D．Less interested. |
| A．To encourage growth. | B．To develop intelligence. |
| C．To avoid embarrassment. | D．To reduce enthusiasm. |
| A．Criticisms are better than compliments. |
| B．Constructive criticism contributes to better future. |
| C．Honest feedback comes from healthy criticism. |
| D．Enough enthusiasm is vital for further development. |
7 . Researchers in Australia have identified enzymes (酶) in the body of certain beetle larvae (甲虫幼虫) that can degrade or break down plastic. In a study published in Microbial Genomics, they write that these “superworms” could help reduce plastic waste in the future.
“Superworms are like mini recycling plants, cutting up the polysyrene (聚苯乙烯) with their mouths and then feeding it to the bacteria in their stomach,” said Chris Rinke from the University of Queensland in Australia. “The breakdown products from this reaction can then be used by other microbes to create high-value chemicals.”
In the study, scientists divided beetle larvae into three groups, feeding one group wheat bran, one polystyrene and one nothing. Over three weeks, they monitored their growth. “We found that superworms fed a diet of just polystyrene not only survived, but even had marginal weight gains,” said Rinke. “This suggests the worms can get energy from the polystyrene, most likely with the help of their stomach bacteria.”
On the other hand, the plastic-fed worms gained much less weight and were overall much less healthy than the bran-fed ones, though better off than the starvation group. After three weeks, some larvae were also set aside to grow into beetles, according to the study. About 93% of the bran-fed larvae formed adult worms, while about 67% of the plastic-fed larvae and 10% of the starved larvae formed adult worms.
The researchers investigated the superworm’s stomach bacteria to find the specific enzymes linked to plastic degradation, writes Fionna M. D. Samuels for Scientific American. The enzyme that degrades the polystyrene appears to live with the stomach bacteria, not the worm itself.
Polystyrene is one of the most common plastics used today. But it’s not very chemically reactive, and breaking it down with industrial recycling methods takes high heat. So, researchers have been looking for plastic-degrading enzymes and bacteria for years.
Further research will still need to be done to figure out how to employ these worms, bacteria and enzymes in recycling facilities.
1. What does Chris Rinke compare superworms to?| A．Small plants. | B．Beetle larvae. | C．Stomach bacteria. | D．High-value chemicals. |
| A．Few. | B．Tiny. | C．Obvious. | D．Normal. |
| A．The damage of plastic to life. |
| B．Possible causes of plastic pollution. |
| C．Researchers’ efforts over the years to recycle plastic. |
| D．The necessity of finding out a way to degrade plastic. |
| A．To report a new way to recycle plastic. | B．To call on people to reduce plastic waste. |
| C．To explain how larvae can degrade plastic. | D．To introduce the findings of a new research. |
8 . Scientists have been experimenting with playing sounds to plants since at least the 1960s, during which time they have been exposed to everything from Beethoven to Michael Jackson. Over the years, evidence that this sort of thing can have an effect has been growing. One paper, published in 2018, claimed that an Asian shrub known as the telegraph plant grew substantially larger leaves when exposed to 56 days of Buddhist music — but not if it was exposed to Western pop music or silence. Another, published last year, found that marigolds and sage plants exposed to the noise of traffic from a busy motorway suffered growth difficulty.
Plants have been evolving (进化) alongside the insects that eat them for hundreds of millions of years. With that in mind, Heidi Appel, a botanist now at the University of Houston, and Reginald Cocroft, a biologist at the University of Missouri, wondered if plants might be sensitive to the sounds made by the animals with which they most often interact. They recorded the vibrations made by certain species of caterpillars (毛毛虫) as they chewed on leaves. These vibrations are not powerful enough to produce sound waves in the air. But they are able to travel across leaves and branches, and even to neighbouring plants if their leaves touch.
They then exposed tobacco plant — the plant biologist’s version of the laboratory mouse — to the recorded vibrations while no caterpillars were actually present. Later, they put real caterpillars on the plants to see if exposure had led them to prepare for an insect attack. The results were striking. Leaves that had been exposed had significantly higher levels of defensive chemicals, making them much harder for the caterpillars to eat. Leaves that had not been exposed to vibrations showed no such response. Other sorts of vibration — caused by the wind, for instance, or other insects that do not eat leaves — had no effect.
“Now speakers with the right audio files are more often being used to warn crops to act when insects are detected but not yet widespread,” says Dr. Cocroft. “Unlike chemical pesticides, sound waves leave no dangerous chemicals.”
1. What can we learn about plants from the first paragraph?| A．They may enjoy Western music. | B．They can’t stand Buddhist music. |
| C．They can react to different sounds. | D．They can make different sounds. |
| A．Plants can make a cry for help. | B．Plants evolve alongside insects. |
| C．Plants are sensitive to the sounds. | D．Plants have been studied for years. |
| A．They can recongnize harmful vibrations. | B．They look like laboratory mice. |
| C．They can threaten the caterpillars. | D．They can release poisonous chemicals. |
| A．Disadvantages of chemical pesticides. | B．Application of the experimental results. |
| C．Interaction between plants and insects. | D．Warning system of widespread insects. |
9 . It doesn’t take a lot to make someone feel special. However, it not only makes you happy but also helps you win their friendship! So take a step forward and do something for them to make them feel special.
Praise them.
Smile. A warm smile can take away a thousand sorrows, and a loving hug can mend every broken heart. Give someone you care about a hug when they are having a bad day.
Surprise them. Remembering dates that are important to someone shows them that you care about them.
Make time. The best gift that you could give someone is your time.
| A．Make someone feel included. |
| B．Do something that they love. |
| C．This will make them feel warm inside. |
| D．It is necessary to often hang out with someone. |
| E．We promise you that it will be well appreciated. |
| F．If there is something you appreciate about them, say it to them. |
| G．Whether you throw a party or get them something, it really doesn’t matter! |
10 . Many people are aware of the beauty of a solar eclipse (日食), but are surprised to learn that lunar eclipses are often just as impressive. While a total solar eclipse lasts only for a few minutes and can be seen only in a small area of a few square kilometres, a total lunar eclipse can last for several hours and can be seen over much of the planet. Therefore, the beauty and stability of lunar eclipses make them a favourite of both amateur and professional photographers.
Lunar eclipses generally occur two or three times a year, and are possible only when the Moon is full. When we see the Moon, we are actually seeing sunlight reflect off the surface of the Moon. When the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun, however, the Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon, and a lunar eclipse occurs.
The type of lunar eclipses—total, partial, or penumbral (半影的)—that occurs depends on both how much of the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow and through which part of the shadow it passes. A penumbral eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s outer shadow. This type of eclipse is brief and frequently goes unobserved by anyone but astronomers. By contrast, total and partial eclipses occur when all or part, respectively, of the Moon passes through the umbra (本影) of the Earth. These eclipses are quite easy to see and are widely observed.
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to watch. Solar radiation that occurs during an eclipse of the sun can cause a form of burns of one’s eyes know as eclipse blindness. In fact, the only way to safely view a solar eclipse is using specially designed equipment. However, since the Moon’s light is reflected sunlight, it is completely safe to watch a lunar eclipse without any special equipment, although a pair of binoculars (双筒望远镜) can certainly help the viewer appreciate the beauty of this phenomenon.
1. What does the underlined word “stability” mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Strength. | B．Position. |
| C．Steadiness. | D．Visibility. |
| A．When the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. |
| B．When all of the Moon passes through the Earth’s umbra. |
| C．When only part of the Moon passes through the Earth’s outer shadow. |
| D．When only part of the Moon passes through the Earth’s umbra. |
| A．They are longerlasting than most solar eclipses. |
| B．They are more common than partial or total lunar eclipses. |
| C．They are the result of the shadow cast by the Moon onto the Earth. |
| D．They are more difficult to observe than other types of lunar eclipses. |
| A．Moonlight is much weaker than sunlight. |
| B．A lunar eclipse is briefer than a solar eclipse. |
| C．A lunar eclipse lasts much longer than a solar eclipse. |
| D．Special equipment can be employed to view a lunar eclipse. |
