1 . Four best day trips from Amsterdam: the ultimate travel guide

Zaanse Schans: a picture-perfect town of windmills

A trip to the Netherlands would be incomplete without seeing windmills-and there’s no better way to see them than in the historical town of Zaanse Schans. This quaint village gives visitors an accurate impression of Dutch living in the 17th and 18th centuries. From cheese and dairy factories to traditional windmills and historical museums, you’ll live, breathe, and experience the old Zaan style of living. Classic!

Travel time by car: 21 minutes

Transport fees: €4 for adults, €1.5 for children

Marken: a former island in the Zuiderzee

Residents of the town built wooden houses on artificial hills to prevent more flooding damage. To this day, these picturesque homes remain a popular cultural attraction. On your walk, you can visit the cosy town harbour or enjoy the scenic route of fields, forests, and the lakeshore.

Travel time by car: 27minutes

Transport fees: €4.5 for adults, €1.5 for children

Dordrecht: a historic trading port

Dordrecht is the oldest city in Holland (we mean the old province of Holland and not the so-called “country”!). There are plenty of cultural spots, including seven churches and several historical monuments-turned-museums.

Travel time by car; l hour and 5 minutes

Transport fees: €9.5 for adults, €2 for children (2-6 years old)

Schiedam; home to the world’s tallest windmill

While there are windmills all around the Netherlands,Schiedam has the tallest traditional windmills of all, standing at 26.6 metres. Schiedam is also known for being the Netherlands’ gin (杜松子酒) capital, with the city producing the most jenever (also known as Dutch gin) in the country. There are multiple bars museums where you can check out the production process.

Travel time by car: 55 minutes

Transport fees: €9 for adults, €3 for children

1. How much should a couple pay for a trip at least?

A．€3.

B．€8.

C．€9.

D．€9.5.

2. Which trip leads to the oldest city in Holland?

A．Zaanse Schans.	B．Marken.
C．Schiedam.	D．Dordrecht.

3. What do Zaanse Schans and Schiedam have in common?

A．They’re both islands.

B．They both produce Dutch gin.

C．They’re both featured in windmills.

D．They’re famous for wooden houses,

2 . Holidays abroad are officially back, with millions set to book a trip away this summer, To guarantee a stress-free break, use these practical tips.

Take out travel insurance as soon as you book

By not having insurance, travellers risk having to pay substantial medical or repatriation (遣送回国) costs if they fall ill or hurt themselves abroad     1     . Make sure you take out comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you book. So if something goes wrong and you can't travel, you could claim for the cost of your holiday.

    2    

With tourist areas expected to be crowded this year, many visitors will face disappointment if they don’t book attractions or restaurants in advance. Avoid long queues at busy places by making a reservation.

Invest in a translation device or app

    3    , being able to speak and clearly understand the local language will make your whole holiday experience stress free and much more enjoyable. When you want to order food, call for taxis, or communicate with the locals, a language translation device or app such as Pocketalk will help ensure your trip runs smoothly.

Be aware of potential cheats and financial tricks abroad

Unfortunately, as a traveller, you can attract the attention of criminals who see you as an easy target, so it’s important to stay alert to the possible risk of theft, cheats and other financial tricks.     4    . Do not let your credit card leave your sight when paying for things.

Prepare for delays

With large numbers of travellers expected this year,be prepared for airports, ports and stations to be extremely busy with a high chance of delays. Have a less stressful journey by allowing yourself plenty of time to check in and get through security.     5    

A．When you travel abroad

B．If you have prepared for the trip

C．Book activities and attractions in advance

D．And they may also risk a delay in treatment

E．Avoid carrying large amounts of cash when exploring

F．Make sure you have books, magazines, or games to keep you entertained

G．Forget awkward hand gestures and pointing and concentrate on making memories

3 . 阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。

One morning during the summer vacation, a teenage boy named Alex was sorting out his snacks when the wildfires not far from the place where he lived started.

Alex’s parents got the bad news from the Internet. His mother. Sofia, came up to him and showed a video of the horrible scene to him. When Alex saw the condition of the victims, his heart sank. Some had minor or serious injuries. Others lost homes and had to live in shelters temporarily. Although the government was providing relief, food couldn’t reach all the victims for a short time.

“Turn it off, Mom. The video makes me too sad,” Alex said. Sofia realized that her son, sympathetic and caring, was really concerned. They needed tq reach out. But what could they do? She felt lost,

“Why not put up a lemonade stand (柠檬水摊)?”Alex suggested. He told his parents that he wanted to have one stand, supplying lemonade and other food for free. His parents thought it was time to teach him how to help others and a good chance to provide some support for the place they loved.

Finally, Alex put up the lemonade stand with the help of his family in the disaster area. The family offered a range of items, including rice, fruit, candies, sandwiches, lemonade, fresh water and even Alex’s snacks to the stand, which the victims could help themselves to.

The great support quickly went beyond the physical lemonade stand. Alex’s good behavior soon attracted the attention of others. Neighbors first rushed to donate to the stand, making sure that there was always enough food and drink for everyone in need. The stand soon turned into a center of charitable activities and a symbol of teamwork and hope,with donations pouring in from all directions. People from all walks of life came together, united by a common goal: to help those affected by the wildfires and bring hope to their lives. Most amazingly, as word about Alex’s selfless actions further spread, more and more children were inspired to join and support the cause (事业), including his friends and their parents.

注意:
1.续写词数应为150左右:
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Alex’s friends admired him very much and tried their best to help.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Later, the children’s parents also joined the cause.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . The recent spread of “fake news” may make it seem like misinformation is a relatively modern invention. But falsehoods (假话) and wild claims have been part of human culture for about as long as it’s existed. This is because misinformation originates with, and is spread by, fellow humans.

When you’ve ever had to communicate an important, but complex, issue to a general audience, you may have a sea of the most reliable data, the most elegant PowerPoint slides and the full backing of every famous expert in the relevant field. And yet, you can still be less persuasive than someone whose entire argument is: “A guy I met down the pub told me something different.”

In a perfectly sensible, logical world, someone who is loosely connected with a certain field or industry wouldn’t have the same influence as actual data, or the leading experts in the field. But humans aren’t perfectly sensible, logical creatures and neither is the world we live in.

The ability to think rationally and analytically is a relatively recent addition to our mental abilities (in the evolutionary sense). And it costs our brains a lot of energy and effort, The more established, fundamental systems in our brain, which shape memory and learning, are heavily reliant on emotion. The more emotionally stimulating something is, the easier it is to remember. That’s why we can spend months revising the material for a crucial school exam, but struggle to remember any of it once we’ve passed. Meanwhile, the embarrassing tine we slipped and landed on our backside in the school canteen. that memory will last until our dying day.

The most determined sceptics (无神论者) will often say, “Facts don’t care about your feelings,” which is correct. But feelings don’t necessarily care about facts either. And ultimately, feelings have more of a say in what we think and do. And that’s why your mate down the pub can seem more believable than a pile of published research.

1. What contributes to the spread of “fake news”?

A．People factor.	B．Human culture.
C．Modern invention.	D．Information accuracy.

2. Why did the general audiences think actual data less persuasive?

A．They prefer making sensible analyses.	B．They ae more likely to be emotional.
C．They have more trust in authority.	D．They overestimate themselves.

3. How does the author illustrate his idea in paragraph 4?

A．By listing figures.	B．By giving examples.
C．By explaining a concept.	D．By citing experts’ words.

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To reveal secrets.	B．To share emotions.
C．To criticize a decision.	D．To describe a phenomenon.

5 . Since the mid-1990s, tourists have paid storm-chasers to take them to places in the American Great Plains where they expect to see tornadoes. Why, a reasonable follow-up question might go, would anyone want to get so close to something so disruptive? These tourists, a study found, characterized their relationship to severe weather as a “passion”, describing their feelings about tornadoes using words like “enjoyment”, “fascination” and “love”. Some people seem spiritually moved by tornadoes-one tourist called the storms “humbling” -but the main motivator seemed to be simple: Twisters are cool.

America has many more tornadoes than any other country, and its people have long regarded twisters with a mix of fear, awe and thrilled pleasure. Fast-moving and dramatic, tornadoes have been irresistible parts for popular entertainment. One needn’t be an extreme-weather enthusiast, however, to take a brief and far-less dangerous tour: of culture tornadoes have inspired and of the transformation of American society’s feelings about these storms from fear to excitement.

European colonists in the future United States were fascinated-and sometimes horrified-by their new land’s weather. In the Early Republic, the influence of romantic ideas about the terrible and wonderful power of nature became clearer in American tornado culture. Some people began to write about tornadoes in terms of awe, and to produce art that explored the phenomenon’s natural beauty, while also moralizing about its meaning. Since the 1930s, American tornadoes have been less deadly: the country has much better early-warning systems, fewer people live in rural areas and tornado activity has largely shifted from the southeast to the thinly-populated Great Plains.

Storm-chasing-a scientific, thrill-seeking activity that most Americans found out about via the1996 blockbuster film Twister, is still incomprehensible to many who don’t practice it. “I find it difficult to explain to someone who hasn’t chased what forces us to seek pleasure from risk,” wrote Jennifer Henderson, a scholar and crazy storm-chaser, characterizing her feelings while chasing as “a sense of exposure and revelation tightly coupled”.

1. What does the underlined word “disruptive” in the first paragraph mean?

A．Amazing.

B．Ruinous.

C．Costly.

D．Sensitive.

2. What do we learn about tornadoes in America?

A．They are small and have a slower moving speed.

B．They tend to be less common in American history.

C．They have aroused interest in weather tours in America.

D．The American people have suffered less damage from them.

3. Why did the harm of tornadoes in America decrease in paragraph3?

A．The population of America was declining gradually.

B．There was no tornado activity in the southeastern America.

C．America has made greater progress in natural disaster warning.

D．The natural environment in tornado areas has been damaged.

4. What is the best title of the article?

A．The thrill of storm chasing	B．The tour of watching tornadoes
C．The formation of tornadoes	D．A unique phenomenon in nature

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

In 1999, Esteban Zottele,     1     is a scholar from Argentina in South America, first visited China and changed his life. Then Esteban came     2     (study) at Renmin University of China and obtained a doctoral degree. In his spare time, he spent most of his time traveling around,     3     (leave) his footsteps in the cities of Baoding, Chongqing and Shenzhen.

“My study experience has made me more     4     (close) connected with China,” Esteban says. He is     5     (amaze) at the vast and rich culture, as well as the rapid development and     6     (transform) of China over the years. “Most cities are now connected by high-speed railway, unlike when I first visited here,” he adds.

Currently, Esteban teaches Spanish at a university in East China's Jiangsu Province. Since 2013, he     7     (carry) out research on the BRI — the Belt and Road Initiative (“一带一路”倡议).“In recent years, many Latin American countries, like Argentina, have joined China in constructing the BRI. As     8     result, China can expand the international market and improve commercial relations     9     the two nations,” says Esteban. Esteban thinks that cultural differences should     10    (recognize), so as to promote mutual understanding and trust among people of all countries.

7 . Shrewsbury is an ideal getaway with visitors.

Shrewsbury eBike Hire
BEST FOR: SEEING THE SIGHTS AT A GENTLE PACE

Set off on a self-guided tour of Shrewsbury on one of the town’s new e-bikes. The route is easy to follow with lots of stops along the way, including the Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery and the Victorian-era Shrewsbury Prison. It’s most suitable for ages 14-plus.

Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings
BEST FOR: INSPIRING ARCHITECTS

This was the world’s first iron-shaped building when it was built in 1797-a forerunner of the modern skyscraper (摩天大楼). A new visitor centre opened in September-it’s also the end point of the Heritage Trail e-bike tour. An exhibition explores how the building has grown and been repurposed over the years.

Shrewsbury Market Hall
BEST FOR: FOOD AND SHOPPING

Situated in the centre of town, this was an innovative example of modern architecture when it opened in 1965. Recent upgrades mean it’s now home to more than 70 independent businesses, including traditional market stands, artisan producers, craft shops and antique dealers.

Riverside Cabins
BEST FOR: QUIET STAYS

Opened in 2020, Riverside Cabins is a rural collection of wooden cottages built in18th century, a 20-minute drive from Shrewsbury. Cabins sleep between two and six guests and each come with their own hot baths, as well as Wi-Fi and smart TVs. Try your hand at boating along the river, with equipment available to borrow on site. From £ 135 for a minimum of two nights for a family of four.

1. What is an advantage of e-bike tours?

A．They organize architecture lessons.

B．They provide professional guides.

C．They offer a relaxing way of travelling.

D．They are accessible to all ages.

2. Which best suits a family tour?

A．Shrewsbury eBike Hire.	B．Riverside Cabins.
C．Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings.	D．Shrewsbury Market Hall.

3. Shrewsbury is made an attraction probably because of its_________________.

A．history

B．food

C．transport

D．fashion

8 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

When I was seven years old, my family moved from Mexico to America. In Mexico, I was a cheerful girl who loved making people laugh with my jokes and inventing fun games to play with my friends. However, when I arrived in America, I found it hard to fit in, and I became quieter.

We lived in a small house with a modest yard where we grew vegetables—my responsibility. While I took pride in watching them grow, there were times when I dreamed of having a beautiful garden like my schoolmate Luella’s, with its delicate tulips (郁金香). Although Luella lived in the same neighborhood as me, we barely knew each other.

It was after a tornado that Luella and I finally became close friends.

The tornado struck on a Sunday afternoon.The gentle breeze transformed into a strong wind, and thick gray clouds filled the sky. Gradually, the tornado took shape, starting as a thin rope and growing into a large black funnel (漏斗). My entire family gathered in the bathroom, seeking shelter from the storm. Terrified, I sat close to my mom, knees in my chest. After the storm had passed, our worries and fears were replaced by relief that we were unharmed and that our house had remained undamaged.

As I stepped outside, I witnessed the extent of the damage the tornado had caused to our neighborhood. Across the street, a tall tree had fallen, crushing Luella’s garden in front of her yellow house. We hurried over to check on it. Fortunately, her family seemed to be away at the time, and no one was injured. However, her once-beautiful garden was in ruins, with the fallen tree destroying the tulips and debris (碎片) spread everywhere. I could only imagine how heartbroken they must feel seeing this.

Then my mom’s usual words rang in my ear, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” and my family started to think about how we could help.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Just at that moment, Luella’s family returned in their car.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Even after the debris was cleared, I could still sense Luella’s sorrow for her lost garden.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . The greatest sports moments often have a wonderful flow state behind the victories or performances. Being in flow refers to the moments where distraction reduces, and concentration ________ .

It was a _______ summer camp ping pong tournament where I was not only down I set, but 7 points behind my opponent (对手), who had only 3 points left to ________ the set, and the tournament. For a comeback, I had to win at least 10 points, without making ________ !

Facing the desperate situation, I could ________ it a day and let my opponent win. Perhaps my opponent had already focused on the ________, but failure wasn’t an option! Thus, I ________ it out, hoping for the best. I told myself, “Let’s just try and win the next point, nothing else.” ________ deep, I stared at the ball with a clear mindset and keen ________. I took it, hit it back and scored!

5 points to go, 4 points to go... My opponent started getting visibly ________ and made mistakes. Point by point I was getting closer to being even.7-8. I was one point away from doing the ________. My mouth was shut and my eyes stayed ________ the entire set. He made another error. 8-8. The comeback was complete. The crowd went ________! Winning the next 3 points, I managed to win that set. In the last set, my opponent turned restless again. ________ the flow, I ended up winning the final set, and the tournament.

Despite a small game, it inspired me a lot. Not being able to control how our opponent plays, we can _______ how to react. Don’t be there, where you are not. Instead, be here and now! Stay in flow! Be concentrated!

1.

A．limits

B．decreases

C．heightens

D．changes

2.

A．tough

B．competitive

C．crazy

D．close

3.

A．lose

B．win

C．tie

D．restart

4.

A．adjustments

B．reservations

C．efforts

D．mistakes

5.

A．call

B．make

C．leave

D．take

6.

A．defense

B．attack

C．celebration

D．relief

7.

A．figured

B．tried

C．pointed

D．stuck

8.

A．Sighing

B．Breathing

C．Regretting

D．Struggling

9.

A．attention

B．interest

C．insight

D．appreciation

10.

A．confused

B．desperate

C．exhausted

D．uneasy

11.

A．right

B．impossible

C．opposite

D．previous

12.

A．swollen

B．bright

C．sharp

D．bloodshot

13.

A．wild

B．silent

C．mad

D．deaf

14.

A．Going against

B．Cutting off

C．Holding to

D．Recovering from

15.

A．wonder

B．determine

C．predict

D．consider

10 . When it comes to high-proof fathering lessons, few adventures can compare with the motorcycle trip I shared with my 20-year-old daughter Ewa.

In 2023, we _________ a one-week motorcycle trip in the southern part of British Columbia. Each _________ a motorcycle, we headed north on the Sea-to-Sky highway. What made this trip so _________ was that Ewa took it on herself to be the planner. We didn’t even have a _________ about it. As a father, wasn’t I supposed to plan it?

My old Harley had no gas gauge (汽油表). So, when the main gas tank was empty, the motorcycle _________. After all, these years I hadn’t known whether I would _________ it. But on the first day of our annual trip, when we were on a lonely highway leading to the US border in Sagna, Ontario, it came to a _________ after some time.

Ewa headed into the distance_________ that she was riding alone. When she _________ noticed that I wasn’t in her rearview (后视镜) mirror, she stopped and waited as I pushed my Harley to meet with her. In my adult life, while __________ children, I always followed my parents’ __________: I stood by and provided support. When Ewa __________ her own way of life, I seldom said ‘no’. But when she said she wanted to __________ with the out-of-fuel motorcycle on the side of the country road while I was going for gasoline, I said “no way”. I wouldn’t let her stay there on her own. She insisted, but I was very __________. Ewa finally __________ and went looking for gasoline with me.

I learn from the trip that however old my child is, I will never stop being a father.

1.

A．shared

B．started

C．expected

D．treasured

2.

A．riding

B．winning

C．testing

D．desiring

3.

A．long

B．simple

C．special

D．familiar

4.

A．request

B．debate

C．theme

D．conversation

5.

A．fell

B．slowed

C．began

D．continued

6.

A．claim

B．sell

C．use

D．check

7.

A．stop

B．conclusion

C．solution

D．decision

8.

A．unsure

B．unaware

C．considering

D．confirming

9.

A．fortunately

B．gradually

C．happily

D．eventually

10.

A．requiring

B．raising

C．comparing

D．accompanying

11.

A．heart

B．talent

C．comment

D．lead

12.

A．found

B．seized

C．introduced

D．quit

13.

A．play

B．deal

C．assist

D．wait

14.

A．reliable

B．confident

C．firm

D．regretful

15.

A．gave in

B．turned up

C．got through

D．broke down