1 . The 14th National Games held in Xi’an has triggered great interest — not only in sports and fitness, but also in the host city itself. If you are planning a tour of Xi’an taking less than 3 days, you’ll want to hit all the following highlights.

The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army is not just China’s premier historical attraction but one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century, which was constructed by China’s First Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC). It is a collection of thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers, horses, and chariots (战车) in battle formation, showing the emperor’s armies in full splendor.

Ancient City Wall

Xi’an City Wall was built in the 14th century by Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as a military defense system. Now it is one of the oldest and best-preserved Chinese city walls. The wall is now a landmark, dividing the city into inner and outer areas.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

One of China’s most famous Buddhist pagodas, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda was built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) for the study of Buddhist scriptures. One of the main functions of the pagoda was to store sutras (经文) brought to China from India by the famous monk and traveler Xuan Zang. It was built with layers of bricks and has a grand structure and appearance. It is exemplary of traditional Chinese architecture.

Shaanxi History Museum

The Shaanxi History Museum is home to over 370,000 precious relics unearthed in Shaanxi over the years. Its collections range from bronze wares to pottery figures, gold and silver wares and wall paintings from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) tombs. Among its precious collections, 18 pieces have been listed as national treasures.

1. Which of the following has the longest history?

A．The Terracotta Army.	B．Ancient City Wall.
C．Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.	D．Shaanxi History Museum.

2. What can visitors see in Shaanxi History Museum?

A．Chariots discovered in Xi’an.	B．Sutras brought from India to China.
C．Relics unearthed in Shaanxi.	D．Wall paintings from the Qing Dynasty tombs.

3. What do the four attractions have in common?

A．They hold collections of antiques.	B．They are of historical and cultural value.
C．They represent the modern spirit of Xi’an.	D．They are examples of traditional Chinese architecture.

2 . A special place to stay can make a holiday — but also break the bank. We have picked new affordable places across Europe for €150 a room a night or less.

Scourie Hotel
Doubles from €129
Opened October 2015

This hotel has been adored by fishing fans for generations. When the Campbell family bought it six years ago, they updated it with gentle, stylish furnishings. There’s a string of spectacular beaches to discover, including the Scourie Bay with golden sand.

Ho36 Hotel
Doubles from €109
Opened December 2017

This hotel offers the rarest of things — ski accommodation that is both affordable and stylish. Guests can ski or snowboard from the front door. There are two lively bars with live music and regular DJ nights, a restaurant serving hearty Alpine meals and film nights.

Conscious Hotel
Doubles from €120
Opened April 2016

This fourth hotel by Dutch sustainable brand Conscious is the first powered entirely by wind. The restaurant is fully organic and the bedrooms are simple with contemporary elements. The hotel overlooks the Westerpark, one of Amsterdam’s biggest green spaces.

Dock Hotel
Doubles from €150
Opened May 2014

This large hotel on the Baltic coast is made from shipping containers. The industrial theme continues inside,with concrete walls, exposed pipes, and more containers. The hotel is 12 minutes’ walk from the beach.

1. Which hotel best suits people who enjoy an active social life?

A．Scourie Hotel.

B．Ho36 Hotel.

C．Conscious Hotel.

D．Dock Hotel.

2. What is special about Conscious Hotel?

A．It is old-fashioned.

B．It has the longest history.

C．It is environment-friendly.

D．It offers the biggest green space.

3. What can the guests of Scourie Hotel and Dock Hotel do?

A．Update the furniture.

B．Walk on the beach.

C．Appreciate architecture.

D．Visit industrial fairs.

3 . Discover all the great Sydney attractions. You’ll find many memorable things to do and fascinating museums to visit in Sydney, Australia.

Australian Museum

The Australian Museum (AM) was founded in 1827 and is well-known as the nation’s first museum. The AM has been transformed and visitors can now enjoy transformed spaces and updated facilities. Free general admission includes entry to all permanent exhibitions and Prehistoric Playground, which is open daily on Level 2 and features a variety of activities for children of all ages including a fossil lab and interactive dinosaur design station.

Art Gallery of New South Wales

Explore five levels of art at one of Australia's most popular art museums, located within beautiful parklands overlooking Sydney Harbour, just 10 minutes’ walk from the city.

See an extensive collection of Australian art，including one of the largest galleries of aboriginal (土著的) art in the country, alongside Asian treasures and leading local and international contemporary art.

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia - MCA

The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is Australia’s leading museum dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting and collecting contemporary art from across Australia.

Located at Circular Quay, the MCA is housed in the former Maritime Services building, a fine example of late Art Deco architecture.

Australian National Maritime Museum

Located at the waterfront of Darling Harbour, the Maritime Museum is an indoor/outdoor attraction and great entertainment for the whole family. The museum has one of the largest and most diverse in-water fleets (舰队) in the world. The museum hosts six permanent galleries, an ever-changing program of temporary exhibitions, and a 3D cinema, ensuring that there is something for everyone.

1. What is Australian Museum famous for?

A．The lowest price.	B．Contemporary art.
C．Outdoor attractions.	D．The longest history.

2. Where should you go if you want to appreciate treasures from Asia?

A．Australian Museum.

B．Art Gallery of New South Wales.

C．Australian National Maritime Museum.

D．Museum of Contemporary Art Australia — MCA.

3. Which of the following can be seen in Australian National Maritime Museum?

A．A 3D cinema.	B．A design station.
C．Local contemporary art.	D．Late Art Deco architecture.

4 . Old and unrestored theatres are all around us and yet so unnoticed. A new photobook unveils their often overlooked beauty.

Proctor’s Theatre, Newark, New Jersey

Although available outdoors from street sellers, food was banned in theatres to display respectability. In the late 1920s, however, the operators in Proctor’s Theatre in Newark began to set up stands to improve the economic situation during the Great Depression. Popcorn and Coke would become a significant part of the theatre’s income.

Proctor’s Theatre, Troy, New York

Originally opened as Proctor’s Fourth Street Theatre in 1914, it hosted famous comedians such as Jack Benny and Bob Hope. From 1929, it was successively taken over, renamed as Proctor’s Troy Theatre and switched to screening films. In the 1960s, it began playing second-run films before closing in 1977. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1979. In 2010, the theatre was repaired but is currently not being used today.

RKO Keith’s Flushing Theatre, New York

Originally opened in 1928, RKO Keith’s Flushing Theatre was designed by Thomas Lamb. In 1982, it was listed on the NRHP. In 1986, the theatre was bought and closed by its new owner who planned to build a shopping centre on the site, intentionally damaging the hall. In 2019, despite the preservation efforts, the hall was knocked down to make way for a residential tower block.

Metropolitan Opera House, Philadelphia

The theatre was originally opened as the Philadelphia Opera House in 1908. In the 1920s, it was renamed as the Metropolitan Opera House, showing silent films in addition to hosting various opera companies. In the 1940s, it became a sports arena. In 1954, it was turned into a church. In the late 1990s, the building was purchased by Mark Hatcher. The church and the developer came to an agreement on a repair for a music venue that was completed and reopened in 2018.

1. In the late 1920s, Proctor’s Theatre in Newark set up stands to ________.

A．show respect for the guests	B．increase the theatre’s income
C．promote newly released movies	D．compete with the street sellers

2. What can we know from the passage?

A．RKO Keith’s Flushing Theatre is well preserved.

B．Proctor’s Theatre in Troy plays second-run films now.

C．Metropolitan Opera House has witnessed changes in its function.

D．Proctor’s Theatre in Newark has been officially listed on the NRHP.

3. What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To rank the old and unrestored theatres.

B．To show the development of American theatres.

C．To encourage people to protect the old theatres.

D．To provide information on overlooked old theatres.

5 . Libraries are the temple for book lovers, the main source of knowledge and wisdom. Here are the biggest libraries in the world.

The Library of Congress

The Library of Congress in the US is the biggest library in the world, whose collections are from all around the world. The library has a collection of 32 million cataloged books. It receives 22,000 copies per day from the publication produced in the US. Some of the major works stored in the library are Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence, the world’s most famous architectural designs and so on.

The British Library

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is the second biggest library in the world. It holds 150 million items from different countries. It receives 8,000 copies per day from the publication produced in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its collection includes 14 million books. Every year over 3 million items are added to the library. The major highlights of the library collection are Diamond Sutra and Alice’s Adventures under Ground.

Library and Archives (档案馆) Canada (LAC)

Canada has the third biggest library in the world. The library holds 20 million books, 24 million photographs and a lot of digital works. Its collection includes The Proclamation of the Canadian Constitution Act, the British North America Act and many more precious works.

The New York Public Library (NYPL)

It is the fourth largest library in the world. It is the public library having 87 branches. The library has a collection of 53 million items. It also has four research libraries which are open to the general public. You can ask and discover about anything on the official website of NYPL.

1. Which of the following works is stored in the Library of Congress?

A．The British North America Act.

B．Alice’s Adventures under Ground.

C．Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence.

D．The Proclamation of the Canadian Constitution Act.

2. How many new items does the British Library receive every year?

A．About 22,000.	B．More than 8,000.
C．About 14 million.	D．More than 3 million.

3. Which library owns an official website where you can search for all information?

A．Library and Archives Canada.	B．The Library of Congress.
C．The New York Public Library.	D．The British Library.

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。

For travelers who used to think that Chinese farmers live in poor conditions, the rural tours can be quite an eye opener.    1     (travel) to Jiangsu's rural villages, many of which look like beautiful postcard scenes, might be totally different from     2     you have imagined. A rural tour to the province might allow travelers to have a glance at their daily lives as well as the    3     (develop) of China's rural areas in recent years.

Longshang village, which has 140 people from 51 households, is    4    (locate) at the foot of Youzi Mountain in Nanjing's Gaochun district. It used to have ruined houses,     5     (mud) roads and annoying flies everywhere. In 2017, experts     6     (invite) to design the village's landscape and help restore its ancient buildings. Now it has become    7    “internet celebrity” and attracted many visitors    8     (draw) by its tea houses, cafes and book stores.

Also in Nanjing, Bulao village in Pukou district, known as Never Aging village, has attracted many who are interested in finding the secret of staying young.     9     clean water and refreshing air, the village impresses many by its stone streets, ancient-style farm houses and various sports venues     10     people can go hiking, play baseball and go fishing.

7 . Shannan Hearne's oldest dream was to own a ranch(牧场). In February 2020, her dream finally came true when she opened the gates of Sun and Moon Ranch. Then, just a month later, the county slid into COVID-19 lockdown.     1    

With large areas of grasslands and plenty of sunshine and fresh air, there was no safer way for frightened neighbors to get out of the house.     2     Sure, you can sign up for riding lessons or board your horse. But you can also drop by to play with the chickens, goats, and dogs, or join the younger ranchers playing on the big pile of freshly dug dirt. Hearne now saw the ranch as something more than a business－it would be a place the community could call home.

    3       Many of them came not just for free cookouts, but for the chance to find peace of mind. “I had a vision for the space able to help cure those in need," says Hearne. One of those people, now 15, was born without fingers on one hand. His grandmother brought him to Sun and Moon for riding lessons Learning to control a horse with one hand helped him better manage his disability, and he grew closer to his grandmother over their shared love of horses. “    4    And I believe this is especially true for children or anyone who struggles with any sort of psychological issues," Hearne says.

Another boy became selectively silent because of his autism (自闭症).    5     Taking the reins (缰绳), literally, helped him do so in his daily life too. “I could see how the empowerment of riding was helping him feel once again in control of the world around him," says Hearne.

A．The ranch, Hearne realized, should be for everybody.

B．As the pandemic deepened, locals began to gather there.

C．Soon Hearne's dream began to grow into something bigger.

D．Locals desired to put up a tent there when they felt won out.

E．Lesson by lesson, Hearne watched him slowly come out of his own world.

F．He went from not answering questions to literally talking our ears off.

G．There is something empowering about controlling a thousand-pound animal.

8 . Slowly but surely, offices are beginning to reopen. That means, the work-from-home lifestyle may be coming to a close. Why not spice it up a bit for this last stretch of flexible living and book a killer vacation rental? Here are 4 rentals perfect for you.

San Antonio, Texas

Head deep into the heart of Texas for an enjoyable work-from-home experience at this 3-bedroom Lavaca cottage. And you’ll find a fully private backyard that is perfect for the little ones. The house on its own is excellent, but what is close to downtown San Antonia is like a cherry on top.

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Set out for beautiful California and book this beach retreat. You’ll have both the beach and town within walking distance. Charming Carmel has world-class restaurants, art galleries and wine tasting rooms. The beloved treat shop is sure to get your kids on their best behavior!

Scottsdale, Arizona

With over 300 days of sunshine and boundless outdoor activities, Arizona is an outdoor heaven for all ages. Book this massive 5-bedroom desert house, and spend days hiking. Then cool off back at home in your private pool overlooking the mountains. If you’re working from home, you can soak in some pretty evenings and desert sunsets. When you’re not enjoying a barbecue in the backyard, walk into Scottsdale’s modern downtown district for dinner.

The Catskills, New York

Surround yourself with nature while you work-from-home at this quiet and private, 4-acre red cottage in the Catskills region. The charming 2-bedroom house has a huge industrial kitchen, private hot tub and a barbecue. When you have to go back to civilization, the lovable mountain town of Woodstock is just 10 minutes away.

1. Which of the following best suits people who are art lovers?

A．San Antonio.

B．Carmel-by-the-Sea.

C．Scottsdale.

D．The Catskills.

2. What do we know about Scottsdale?

A．It is a good place for outdoor sports.	B．It has few sunny days.
C．It has wine tasting rooms.	D．It is a lovable seaside town.

3. What do the four rentals have in common?

A．They have a private backyard.	B．They are close to the beach.
C．They provide a barbecue.	D．They are near the town or downtown.

9 . 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。

2022 witnesses the 350th anniversary of Rong Bao Zhai. The badge (徽章) for Rong Bao Zhai uses the Chinese     1     (character) of “three”, “five” and “zero”. The character “three” is shaped like a book,     2     represents the long historical tradition of Rong Bao Zhai. “Five” represents the interweaving of yin and yang, and the circle of “zero” means eternity and hope in the future.

Rong Bao Zhai     3     (locate) in Beijing. Its wood block printing skill was listed in the first batch of national-level intangible     4     (culture) heritage by State Council. The technique is a collection of painting, engraving and printing as     5     whole. It can be employed     6     (create) artworks and     7     (realistic) reproduce all kinds of Chinese calligraphy and paintings. Among the famous prints     8     (be) “Han Xizai Evening Banquet”. The production took 8 years, using over l,600 woodblocks and over 6,000 times of overprinting, marking the development of the peak of wood block printing.

Rong Bao Zhai pays special attention to collecting and protecting. It has collected thousands of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasty works, and is honored     9     “tiny Palace Museum”. Over the years, the brand has also held various exhibitions and international art exchanges,     10     (become) a window of Chinese traditional culture to the world.

10 . Ticketing Information on Hong Kong Science Museum

Regular Admission Fee

Standard tickets: 20 yuan

Group tickets: 14 yuan (special rate of standard tickets for groups of 20 people or more per visit)

Concessionary(优惠的) tickets: 10 yuan(applicable to disabled people with an accompanying minder and senior citizens aged 60 or above)

Free admission for full-time students and children under 4 years old accompanied by an adult with a ticket

Application for Exemption(豁免) from Admission Fee

Kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, universities, charities and non-profit-making organizations arranging group visits of 20 or more visitors can apply for exemption from admission fee. Application should be made at least 2 weeks before the date of visit and will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis subject to availability.

Contact Details

Enquiries for schools: 2732 3220 (please make telephone reservation for the visiting date before sending in the application)

Enquiries for registered charities and non-profit-making organizations: 2732 3268

Attention

Persons buying concessionary tickets may be requested by museum staff to produce a valid document for confirmation of eligibility(合格) . Students must be requested to produce a valid document. If proof of current full-time student status is not shown on the document, museum staff has the right to request the student concerned to pay them for the money of the full ticket.

1. How much should a 65-year-old man pay to visit the museum?

A．10 yuan.

B．14 yuan.

C．20 yuan.

D．60 yuan.

2. Which group can visit the museum for free?

A．12 waiters in a restaurant.	B．15 teachers from a high school.
C．23 people from a local company.	D．26 people working in the Red Cross.

3. What should full-time students bring to visit the museum for free?

A．School reports.	B．Exam papers.
C．Student’s ID cards.	D．Research reports.