1 . Rome can be pricey for travelers, which is why many choose to stay in a hostel (旅社). The hostels in Rome offer a bed in a dorm room for around $25 a night, and for that, you’ll often get to stay in a central location (位置) with security and comfort.
Yellow HostelIf I had to make just one recommendation for where to stay in Rome, it would be Yellow Hostel. It’s one of the best-rated hostels in the city, and for good reason. It’s affordable, and it’s got a fun atmosphere without being too noisy. As an added bonus, it’s close to the main train station.
Hostel Alessandro PalaceIf you love social hostels, this is the best hostel for you in Rome. Hostel Alessandro Palace is fun. Staff members hold plenty of bar events for guests like free shots, bar crawls and karaoke. There’s also an area on the rooftop for hanging out with other travelers during the summer.
Youth Station HostelIf you’re looking for cleanliness and a modern hostel, look no further than Youth Station. It offers beautiful furnishings and beds. There are plenty of other benefits, too; it doesn’t charge city tax; it has both air conditioning and a heater for the rooms; it also has free Wi-Fi in every room.
Hotel and Hostel Des ArtistesHotel and Hostel Des Artistes is located just a 10-minute walk from the central city station and it’s close to all of the city’s main attractions. The staff is friendly and helpful, providing you with a map of the city when you arrive, and offering advice if you require some. However, you need to pay 2 euros a day for Wi-Fi.
1. What is probably the major concern of travelers who choose to stay in a hostel?| A．Comfort. | B．Security. |
| C．Price. | D．Location. |
| A．Yellow Hostel. | B．Hostel Alessandro Palace. |
| C．Youth Station Hostel. | D．Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes. |
| A．It gets noisy at night. | B．Its staff is too talkative. |
| C．It charges for Wi-Fi. | D．It’s inconveniently located. |
2 . My Favourite Books
Jo Usmar is a writer for Cosmopolitan and co-author of the This Book Will series(系列) of lifestyle books. Here she picks her top reads.
Matilda
Roald Dahl
I once wrote a paper on the influence of fairy tales on Roald Dahl’s writing and it gave me a new appreciation for his strange and delightful words. Matilda’s battles with her cruel parents and the bossy headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, are equally funny and frightening, but they’re also aspirational.
After Dark
Haruki Murakami
It’s about two sisters—Eri, a model who either won’t or can’t stop sleeping, and Mari, a young student. In trying to connect to her sister, Mari starts changing her life and discovers a world of diverse “night people” who are hiding secrets.
Gone Girl
Gillian Fynn
There was a bit of me that didn’t want to love this when everyone else on the planet did, but the horror story is brilliant. There’s tension and anxiety from the beginning as Nick and Amy battle for your trust. It’s a real whodunit and the frustration when you realise what’s going on is horribly enjoyable.
The Stand
Stephen King
This is an excellent fantasy novel from one of the best storytellers around. After a serious flu outbreak wipes out 99.4% of the world’s population, a battle unfolds between good and evil among those left. Randall Flagg is one of the scariest characters ever.
1. Who does “I” refer to in the text?| A．Stephen King. | B．Gillian Flynn. |
| C．Jo Usmar. | D．Roald Dahl. |
| A．Cosmopolitan. | B．Matilda. |
| C．After Dark. | D．The Stand. |
| A．A folk tale. | B．A biography. |
| C．A love story. | D．A horror story. |
3 . San Francisco Fire Engine Tours
San Francisco Winery TourRunning: February 1st through April 30th
This delicious tour goes through the city on its way to Treasure Island where we will stop at the famous Winery SF. Here you can enjoy 4 pours of some of the best wine San Francisco has to offer.(Included in tickets price)
Departing from the Cannery: Tour times upon request.Duration(时长): 2 hours
Price: $90
Back to the Fifties Tour
Running: August 16th through August 31st
This tour transports you back in time to one of San Francisco’s most fantastic periods, the 1950s! Enjoy fun history as we take you through San Francisco for a free taste of ice cream.
Departing from the Cannery: 5:00 pm and 7:30 pmDuration: 2 hours
Price: $90
Spooky Halloween Tour
Running: October 10th through October 31st
Join us for a ride through the historical Presidio district. Authentic fire gear(服装) is provided for your warmth as our entertainers take you to some of the most thrilling parts of San Francisco.
Departing from the Cannery: 6:30 pm and 8:30 pmDuration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Price: Available upon request
Holiday Lights Tour
Running: December 6th through December 23rd
This attractive tour takes you to some of San Francisco’s most cheerful holiday scenes. Authentic fire gear is provided for your warmth as you get into the holiday spirit.
Departing from the Cannery: 7:00 pm and 9:00 pmDuration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Advance reservations required.
1. Which of the tours is available in March?
| A．San Francisco Winery Tour. | B．Back to the Fifties Tour. |
| C．Spooky Hallowen Tour. | D．Holiday Lights Tour. |
| A．Go to Treasure Island. | B．Enjoy the holiday scenes. |
| C．Have free ice cream. | D．Visit the Presidio district. |
| A．Take some drinks. | B．Set off early in the morning. |
| C．Wear warm clothes. | D．Make reservations in advance. |
4 . Four Interesting Science Museums
Polytechnic Museum, Russia
For many guests of the capital, some of the most vivid childhood memories are associated with this museum. A variety of technical fields are presented in 65 halls-Mining, Space, Energy, and Transportation, etc. And the exposition（博览会）is the only museum project in Russia about the history of the bike. The interactive division "Technoplay" is open, where you not only can but also need touch most of the exhibits with your hands. In addition to self-experimentation, for personal requests the museum's experts will show many entertaining experiments.
Eureka, England
The Eureka educational center is a huge complex where modern science and technology are becoming clear, even to kids. The main exhibition is devoted to the human body, the laws of physics and natural things. Visitors can obtain energy or create paper with their own hands. On the area of the Eureka educational park there is a botanical garden and a collection of minerals from the rock types of Finland is presented there.
Deutsches Museum, Germany
In this museum you can see more than 100 thousand different items from windmills（风车）to medical equipment. All aspects of industrial production appear before the eyes. Several museum rooms are arranged especially for children-there are exhibits that entertain kids starting from three.
NEMO, the Netherlands
The largest Dutch research centre stands ready to share its secrets with everyone. This immersion（沉浸）in the world of science and technology will not be dull. All significant information is presented in the form of exciting games. All exhibits are interactive; visitors are allowed to touch, pull and press on anything. The museum is for children from 6 to 16, as well as for their parents-it will be interesting to all.
1. What can visitors do at Polytechnic Museum?| A．Learn how the bike developed. | B．Touch all of the exhibits. |
| C．Watch entertaining movies. | D．Show entertaining experiments. |
| A．Polytechnic Museum. | B．Eureka. |
| C．Deutsches Museum. | D．NEMO. |
| A．It is specially designed for children. |
| B．It is the largest museum in the world. |
| C．It shows information of exhibits in games. |
| D．Some exhibits can be touched or pressed. |
5 . Choose Your One-Day-Tours!
Tour A - Bath &Stonehenge including entrance fees to the ancient Roman bathrooms and Stonehenge -￡37 until 26 March and ￡39 thereafter. Visit the city with over 2,000 years of history and Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent and the Costume Museum, Stonehenge is one of the world’s most famous prehistoric monuments dating back over 5,000 years.
Tour B - Oxford & Stratford including entrance fees to the University St Mary’s Church Tower and Anne Hathaway’s -￡32 until 12 March and ￡36 thereafter. Oxford: Includes a guided tour of England’s oldest university city and colleges. Look over the “city of dreaming spires(尖顶）” from St Mary‘s Church Tower. Stratford: Includes a guided tour exploring much of the Shakespeare wonder.
Tour C - Windsor Castle &Hampton Court: including entrance fees to Hampton Court Palace -￡34 until 11 March and ￡37 thereafter. Includes a guided tour of Windsor and Hampton Court, Henry VILL’s favorite palace. Free time to visit Windsor Castle(entrance fees not included).With 500 years of history, Hampton Court was once the home of four Kings and one Queen. Now this former royal palace is open to the public as a major tourist attraction. Visit the palace and its various historic gardens, which include the famous maze(迷宫) where it is easy to get lost!
Tour D –Cambridge including entrance fees to the Tower of Saint Mary the Great -￡33 until 18 March and ￡37 thereafter. Includes a guided tour of Cambridge, the famous university town, and the gardens of the 18th century.
1. Which tour will you choose if you want to see England’s oldest university city?| A．Tour A | B．Tour B |
| C．Tour C | D．Tour D |
| A．Windsor Castle & Hampton Court | B．Oxford & Stratford |
| C．Bath & Stonehenge | D．Cambridge |
| A．It used to be the home of royal families | B．It used to be a well-known maze |
| C．It is the oldest palace in Britain | D．It is a world-famous castle |
6 . If you’re prone to browse through Twitter, or can’t take yet another stressful headline in the news, Oprah Winfrey has some suggestions on what books to read next.
Song of SolomonBy Toni Morrison
American author Toni Morrison was one of Winfrey’s longtime friends. Winfrey described Morison as “a magician with language who understood the power of words” after her death in August 2019. The 1977 novel Song of Solomon tells the story of a fictional man from Michigan named Milkman Dead.
Between the World and MeBy Ta-Nehisi Coates
Winfrey called Ta-Nehisi Coates “a bearer of the torch, who carries on the legacy of our ancestors and is also entirely so original.” This nonfiction book, Between the World and Me, which won the National Book Award in 2015, is formatted as a letter to Coates’ son and grapples with inequality and race in America.
The Soul of AmericaBy Jon Meacham
Winfrey recommends this United States history book, written by Pultizer Prize-winner Jon Meacham, “to guide me and help me understand our current era and reassure that our country can bounce back from dark times.”
This book is especially prescient in light of the upcoming election. “In moments when public life feels unsatisfactory, then, it’s instructive—even necessary—to remember first principles,” writes Meacham.
The Power of NowBy Eckhart Tolle
Winfrey said that The Power of Now by spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle “has changed the way I see life.” The book explores quandaries like: “How do you find peace when everything is in chaos?” Winfrey said.
1. In the eyes of Winfrey, Toni Morrison ______.| A．had excellent command of words |
| B．was an expert in American History |
| C．was spiritual mentor of modern people |
| D．inherit and develop the traditional literature |
| A．Song of Solomon | B．The Power of Now |
| C．The Soul of America | D．Between the World and Me |
| A．evaluate and improve oneself |
| B．learn to survive in troubled times |
| C．show oneself and gain confidence |
| D．face the reality and push the limits |
7 . Interesting Exhibitions Held in Four Different Museums
Name: The British Museum
Phone: 020-7323-8000
Opening hours: daily 10 a.m.—5:30 p.m.
Price: Free
This exhibition aims to show the mysteries of mummification. From a king’s daughter to a temple doorkeeper, the displays explore the identities of eight people, using their bodies to discover clues about how they lived. By using new methods, such as CT scanning and 3D visualization, the British Museum has been able to build up a picture of life in the Nile valley over 4,000 years.
Name: The Fashion and Textile (纺织) Museum
Phone:020-7407-8664
Opening hours: daily 11 a.m.—5:30 p.m.
Price:￡8.80 adults,￡5.50 students
The Fashion and Textile Museum is housing the first-ever exhibition on classic Mexican shawl(披肩), which became famous in the 20th century. Mexican artists, photographers and fashion and textile designers will be exhibiting their colorful works there.
Name: The Victoria and Albert Museum
Phone:020-7907-7073
Opening hours: Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, 10 a.m.—5:30 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.—10 p.m.
Price: Free
The Victoria and Albert Museum has dug out some of their most charming wedding dresses to record their history during the past two centuries. White wedding dresses were made popular by Queen Victoria in the nineteenth century. See beautiful wedding dresses made by famous designers.
Name: The Science Museum
Phone:0870-870-4868
Opening hours: daily 10 a.m.—6 p.m.
Price: Free
This four-day festival displays the latest exciting gadgets(小机械) and introduces their inventors. Visitors can explore electronics, build robots, get hands-on with new technologies and have a go at 3D printing. There will be displays taking place throughout the festival, which is suitable for anyone aged ten and over.
1. Which number would you call if you’re interested in exploring history with advanced technology?| A．020-7907-7073. | B．020-7407-8664. |
| C．020-7323-8000. | D．0870-870-4868. |
| A．The Fashion and Textile Museum. | B．The British Museum. |
| C．The Science Museum. | D．The Victoria and Albert Museum. |
| A．Visitors themselves can try new technologies. | B．It can be consulted by calling 020-7907-7073. |
| C．The exhibition will last a week. | D．It shows CT scanning technology. |
8 . If knowledge is power, then books are fuel and libraries are power stations! Here are four amazing libraries that can get you positively charged.
New York Public Library—New York
Opened in 1911, New York Public Library was the largest marble building in the world. Over the years the library has a collection of 53 million items, including rare first edition books, 300 million pages of historical newspapers and around 40 ,000 restaurant menus dating back to 1850!
Chetham's Library— Manchester
Founded in 1653, Chetham's Library is a free public library with the longest history in the UK. The building itself is even older —built in 1421, it's one of the most well—protected medieval buildings in England!
With 100 ,000 + books lining the shelves, the special atmosphere of the library attracts students and scholars alike to attend guided tours offered throughout the year.
The Library of Congress Washington, D. C.
Located on Capitol Hill, the Library of Congress is considered the national library of the US and the second largest library in the world. The library has around 168 million items, adding 10 ,000 to this number every day.
Need to catch up on the news? The Library of Congress, which was founded in 1800, holds the world’s largest newspaper collection, with some dating back as far as 1659!
The British Library—London
The British Library was founded in 1973. With around 170 million items spread across 750 km of shelving, it's the largest library in the world. And this number is continually growing and 8 km of shelving has to be added every year! This is partly because the British Library must receive a copy of every publication produced in the UK and Ireland, by law.
1. Where can you visit the oldest library?| A．In New York. | B．In London. |
| C．In Manchester. | D．In Washington, D. C. |
| A．Its large area. |
| B．Its various functions. |
| C．Its building materials. |
| D．Its newspaper collection. |
| A．The legal rule. | B．The public's help. |
| C．The printing skills. | D．The librarians' efforts. |
Whether you are a beginner or already a regular runner, these apps will come in handy for planning routes that avoid busy places on your next run
Strava
Just put in whether you’re running or cycling, how far you’d like to go and whether you’re keen to avoid hills, the app will then suggest a number of routes near you, based on where other runners have been. It is a good way to see running routes you might not have explored.
Komoot
As you plan the route, it’ll work out the distance of your run and give you the option to input your running speed, allowing the app to work out how long the route shall take you.
Map my run
Map my run gives runners the option to plan their own route, or the ability to search through popular running routes near you, which is even more helpful for beginners. The app gives you the option of saving your favourite routes and accessing them on the app if you get lost mid-run.
OS Maps
Another hugely popular map-building platform, OS Maps is pretty high tech when it comes to planning a running route. You’ll need a subscription to get some of the features, but using the free app you can find local running routes. There are almost two million routes stored in the routes database, and many of them are free.
1. What is special about Strava?| A．It can be used to play music. | B．It is pretty high technology. |
| C．It can plan cycling routes. | D．It works out the running distance. |
| A．Map my run | B．Komoot |
| C．Strava | D．OS maps |
| A．To teach running skills to users. |
| B．To share running experience online |
| C．To introduce four apps about running. |
| D．To show the increasing popularity of running. |
10 . Applying to Stellinga College
Why Stellinga?
Thank you for your interest in Stellinga International College. As an international student, we are sure you will find our college an exciting place to study, with like-minded and ambitious people.
Preparing and submitting your application
We have tried to make the application process as easy as possible for you, but there are a number of procedures you must follow.
All our courses are taught in English, so first of all you will probably need to submit evidence of your English language ability. We require an IELTS score of 6.5. You will also have to send us your secondary school diploma, so that we can evaluate it.
We will also require a personal statement. This is a text of up to 1,000 words in which you introduce yourself, explain your interest in our college, and why you want to study your chosen course.
If you are from outside the European Union (EU), it is important that you have an entrance visa before you come to study in the Netherlands, but we will apply for this for you.
We now only accept online applications, so please ensure that you have all your documents ready to upload before you begin. Any documents that are not in English originally will also need to be translated and the translation also uploaded.
You will need a passport photograph; a copy of your passport; copies of all your certificates and diplomas; your proof of language ability; and your personal statement in English.
What happens next?
Your application will then be considered. If your initial application is successful, you will be invited for an interview. This will be conducted in English via skype, over the phone or on site. You will talk to two or three members of staff for up to 30 minutes. We aim to inform you of our decision in writing, within 4 weeks. There are several possible outcomes: you may not have been successful; you may be offered a place on the waiting list. You will need to reply to any offers within two weeks, otherwise your place may be offered to somebody else.
Good luck with your application.
1. Which is unnecessary for people inside the EU when submitting applications?| A．A personal statement. | B．An entrance visa. |
| C．Evidence of English ability. | D．A secondary school diploma. |
| A．You will have an interview in English. | B．You will get the reply over the phone. |
| C．You should make a decision within 4 weeks. | D．You should reply to the offer the moment you get it. |
| A．In a science magazine. | B．In a tourist brochure. |
| C．In an English teaching book. | D．On a university’s website. |
