1 . A famous magazine, Amusement Today, does a survey among park lovers every year both in the US and overseas, based on which, “Top 5 List of the Best Amusement Parks in the World” has come out as follows:
Disneyland, California
Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California, the US. More than 515 million guests have traveled to this American landmark from around the world since the park first opened to guests on July 17, 1955. The park consists of many world-famous sections, such as Main Street, Adventure land, New Orleans Square, and so on.
Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida
Magic Kingdom is a theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando opened on October 1, 1971. It is the most famous theme park in Florida. The park’s design and attractions don’t make much difference from Disneyland Park in Anaheim.
EPCOT, Disney World, Florida
EPCOT is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The park opened on October 1, 1982, and was named EPCOT Center from 1982 to 1993. It was the largest Disney theme park in the world until 1998, when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened.
DisneyMGM Studios, Florida
MGM’s streets are the home for some great moviethemed attractions with a history of less than 30 years. With the addition of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coaster, the park is now home to Disney World’s most thrilling rides.
Universal Studios, Florida
Go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and jump right into the action of your favorite movies at Universal Studios, the number one movie and TV theme park in the world.
1. Which of the following theme parks have similar attractions?A.Disneyland & Magic Kingdom. |
B.Disneyland & Universal Studios. |
C.EPCOT & DisneyMGM Studios. |
D.Magic Kingdom & Universal Studios. |
A.Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida. |
B.DisneyMGM Studios, Florida. |
C.EPCOT, Disney World, Florida. |
D.Disneyland, California. |
A.To attract tourists to these theme parks. |
B.To increase the sales of Amusement Today. |
C.To introduce world’s best amusement parks. |
D.To compare attractions in different theme parks. |
2 . Friends always ask why I, a middle-aged woman with no athletic (运动) talent (天赋), travel to perilous places — the jungles (丛林) of Thailand or Borneo, for example, where the water is often unsafe and the food risky; places with infectious diseases, poisonous snakes and the wildest animals.
I never know how to answer. Nine years ago I suffered a stroke (中风). To prevent another stroke, my doctors told me, I’d have to take dangerously high levels of blood thinner (血液稀释剂) for the rest of my life and any travel would be risky (冒险的).
I had to think about what was important to me: family, of course, and friends. But then what? No matter how many times I thought about it, I could not be happy without travel. Then I had to decide how I might manage the risk.
The first real test of my travel courage came nine months after my stroke when I joined my husband, Jack, on a business trip to China. After we’d toured the remains of a Tang dynasty temple on a high mountain, Jack wanted to ride down on a toboggan (长雪橇).
Before the stroke it would’ve seemed like fun. But now? I hesitated. My mental klaxon (高音喇叭) screamed warnings about the consequences of a cut, a fall, and a crash. Then, gaining confidence from who knew where, I lowered myself carefully into the toboggan, which marked my adventure (冒险) travel come back.
In the years since then, I’ve traveled about twenty-five percent of the time. Through it all, my lucks held out — no deadly falls, no car accidents or serious infections. For me, adventure travel is a risk worth taking. Travel broadens my world and keeps me connected to nature. What’s more, saying “yes” to travel keeps me connected to myself.
1. What does the underlined word “perilous” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?A.Energetic. | B.Dangerous. | C.Romantic | D.Famous. |
A.Do proper exercise. | B.Enjoy the rest of her life. |
C.Spend more time with her family | D.Keep away (远离) from traveling |
A.It was her last adventure. | B.She recovered (恢复) her courage (勇气) through it. |
C.She liked the beautiful scenery in China. | D.It was the most dangerous experience in her life. |
A.A business trip to China | B.Stroke, a dangerous disease |
C.How I overcame the fear of disease | D.Why I still travel to the wild |
3 . Travelling with friends can be an amazing experience where you could make lifelong memories or it could ruin your friendship.
Communicate and respect each other. Everyone has personal preferences when travelling— from getting the bed closest to the bathroom or sitting in the airplane’s window seat. But sometimes things don’t go as you like. In this case, share your requirements directly with your travel companions.
Don’t disappear. When travelling with a group — or even just one other person — you may want some alone time. That’s completely fine, but make sure your friends know where you are and have a way of contacting you.
Get off your phone. Of course, your friends will understand if you need to take a call from a family member, or in the event of a work emergency, but other than that, try to stay off your phone.
A.Give each other some space. |
B.Include at least one activity for everyone. |
C.So it’s important to make sure you and your friend(s) are on the same page. |
D.At the same time, listen to their concerns and be respectful of them. |
E.Don’t respond to less important work contact or send messages frequently. |
F.It’s especially true of travelling in foreign countries or unfamiliar places. |
G.And remember that consideration and respect go a long way. |
4 . If you could travel in time, where would you go? Perhaps you would watch an original performance of a Shakespeare’s play in Elizabethan England? What about hanging out with Laozi in the Spring and Autumn Period? Or maybe you’d voyage far ahead of the present day to see what the future holds.
The possibility of time travel is indeed appealing. Stories exploring the subject have been around for hundreds of years. Perhaps the best known example is the science fiction novel The Time Machine, which was written by H. G. Wells and published in 1895 for the first time. It was adapted into at least two feature films of the same name, as well as two television versions, and a large number of comic book adaptations. It is generally credited with the popularization of the concept of time travel using a vehicle that allows an operator to travel purposefully and selectively. The term “time machine”, coined by Wells, is now universally used to refer to a vehicle transporting people into the far future.
But could time travel actually be possible? Some scientists say yes, in theory. They propose using cracks in time and space called “wormholes”, which could be used as shortcuts to other periods. Einstein’s theory of relativity allows time travel in extreme circumstances. And British physicist Stephen Hawking said you could travel into the future with a really fast spaceship—going at nearly the speed of light. Though building such a spaceship would of course be no simple task.
Even if you could travel into the past, there is something called the “grandfather paradox”. It asks what would happen if a time traveller were to go back in time and have his own grandfather killed for some reason, and therefore prevent himself from being born. If the time traveller wasn’t born, how would he travel back in time?
And would you really like to visit the future? In H. G. Wells’ book, the main character travels into distant time where he arrives at a beach and is attacked by giant crabs. He then voyages 30 million years into the future where the only living thing is a black object with tentacles (触角). If that’s what’s in store, maybe we are better just living in the present day after all.
1. The novel The Time Machine mentioned in Paragraph 2 aims to show .A.people’s interest in time travel |
B.the special features of the book |
C.the long history of time travel |
D.the contribution of H. G. Wells |
A.have similarities in many ways |
B.push the invention of the first spaceship |
C.have proved wrong by some time travellers |
D.suggest the possibility to invent the time machine |
A.the traveller is prevented from meeting his grandfather |
B.the traveller goes back in time to seek for his grandfather |
C.the grandfather’s death makes the traveller’s birth impossible |
D.The reunion of the traveller and his grandfather brings happiness |
A.Unclear. | B.Skeptical. |
C.Supportive. | D.Unconcerned. |
5 . How to make sure you enjoy your trip
A trip is a planned destination where one arranges in advance in which the main purpose is to search for adventure and to create a memorable moment. Here are the steps on how to make sure your trip is enjoyable.
● Plan it well.
Trips are ideally planned for it to go well.
● Pack necessities.
Bring what you need. Trips are short journeys and belong to the sub-level of travelling. Pack only the things you need.
● Be safe.
To be cautious is smart. No matter what you are up to, surfing, cliff diving, snowboarding, scuba diving, etc., it is always recommended to be safe.
●
You may see delays, a different culture, lifestyle, food, and even a shortage of cash. Sometimes, this is all what travel is about—experiencing things with a new perspective(观点,看法). Once you expect to experience new things, you’ll be a happy traveller and free from stress.
● Save the memory.
A.Travel with an open mind. |
B.Get prepared for everything new. |
C.Seize the moment by taking photos. |
D.This is all we expect from travelling. |
E.Take some time ahead to make a plan for your trip. |
F.It is important to wear protective equipment when advisable. |
G.It is easy to get tired if you have too many things in your package. |
6 . China Small Group Tours
◆Tour Route 1: 11 Days Private Beijing - Lhasa - Xi’an - Shanghai
Tour Highlights:
Must-see sights in China — the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors
Follow us on a Buddhist pilgrimage to Tibet & appreciate the profound culture
Have a leisurely walk or an exciting bicycle ride on the time-honored City Wall of Xi’an
View the soaring city skylines and feel the pulse of modern Shanghai
From $ 2, 459 per person
◆Tour Route 2: 11 Days Private Bejing - Xi’an - Chonqing - Yangtze River Cruise - Yichang - Shanghai
Tour Highlights:
Must-see sights in China — the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Wariors
Try biking on the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Xi’ an, or tour by electric car
Enjoy the Three Gorges (三峡) scenery on Yangtze River & feel totally relaxed
From $ 1, 879 per person
◆Tour Route 3: 12 Days Private Bejing - Shanghai - Xi’an - Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin - Hong
Kong
Tour Highlights:
Must-see sights in China — the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors
Experience the Bund, classical garden, modern and old in contrast in Shanghai
Feel the lively atmosphere & explore busy markets freely in Hong Kong
Walk into a local family, learn to cook Chinese food & dine with the hosts in their home
From $ 2, 499 per person
◆Tour Route 4: 12 Days Private Bejing - Xi’an - Chengdu - Guilin - Shanghai
Tour Highlights:
Must-see sights in China — the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, Giant Pandas
Come to Chengdu, the hometown of giant pandas to visit and observe the cute creature
Cruise on the meandering Li River & admire Guilin landscape
Walk into a local Chinese family, interact & dine with the hosts in their home
From $2, 079 per person
1. What do Tour Route 1 and Tour Route 2 have in common?A.They have cycling activities. |
B.They include a visit to Tibet. |
C.Visitors enjoy the Three Gorges scenery. |
D.Visitors pay the same amount of money. |
A.Tourists can travel by bike. |
B.Tourists can visit a huge dam. |
C.Tourists can dine with a family. |
D.It is the most expensive of the four. |
A.Tour Route 1. |
B.Tour Route 2. |
C.Tour Route 3. |
D.Tour Route 4. |
7 . Recently, my husband and three kids were playing in the Mediterranean, swimming and floating in the picture-perfect sea. It was ridiculously beautiful in Majorca, Spain. The way the sun danced across the water and how the blue horizon was dotted with storybook sailboats were such beautiful scenes. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes.
My husband and I always dreamed about taking our kids on a trip around the world. It was something we always wanted to do “one day”. It was one of the things we talked in detail about, when we imagined our life with the children we hoped we would have.
Fourteen years later, we had three boys who were growing up faster by the day. It was time to make good on (兑现,实现) those plans.
We spent dozens of hours discussing, researching and planning.
We had to learn how to “road school” our kids and arrange time off from work. We renewed our passports, and then packed our bags.
We showed our kids the world. It was about experiencing the dozens of flights and trains and taxis together. We showed them how wonderful, how diverse, and how fascinating the world is. We wanted them to learn all that we had learned ourselves, through our own travels as young adults.
But there was something more than that: What we really wanted is to slow down time. We wanted the days to last a bit longer and the weeks to take their time. The years with our children are going too fast. We wanted to put the brakes on our busy lives for a year, and just be with our kids. We wanted a break from the daily morning routine of making lunches, eating breakfast and rushing out the door in time for school. We needed a family time-out (休息时间).
It was a wonderful two months in Europe, full of incredible moments. And when we look back at our lives, I know we’ll be glad we did it. I know we’ll be happy that this is a chapter of the story of our family.
1. What was the author’s attitude toward the trip when planning it?A.Calm. | B.Expectant. | C.Stressed. | D.Worried. |
A.Preparing for the vacation. |
B.Having fun in the picture-perfect Mediterranean. |
C.Experiencing a different and beautiful world. |
D.Learning to study during trips as young adults. |
A.To allow her children to see the world. |
B.To teach her kids to value life. |
C.To teach her kids what they can’t learn in school. |
D.To enjoy a family break away from their usual busy life. |
A.Exhausted. | B.Satisfied. | C.Disappointed. | D.Proud. |
8 . Are you planning your family holiday in London? Book one of London's best family-friendly hotels, which can help your stay run smoothly.
Athenaeum
Rely on the Athenaeum's kids concierge(礼宾部)for the perfect family stay in London. Even before you arrive at the hotel in London, they’ll be in touch to make sure your kids have their favorite DVDs, treats and more to keep them happy. After you settle into your family room, they help plan your perfect routes.
Cost £79
The Nadler Kensington
Relax in one of the Nadler Kensington's large family rooms in London, which can sleep up to four people. Perfect for a reasonably-priced family holiday, it has no extra charge for baby beds. There's a mini kitchen so you can prepare your own light meals and snacks. The west London hotel is also close to two subway stations, making it easy to get around.
Cost £118
St James's Hotel and Club
Meet all your family's needs at St James's Hotel and Club, one of the best I child-friendly hotels in London. The hotel can help you plan family days out, and you can enjoy the hotel's quiet position in a peaceful cul-de-sac(死胡同)off St James's Street. Inter-connecting rooms at this fashionable hotel are available on request.
Cost £320
Melia White House
Let kids feel grown-up with their own check-in area at Melia White House, which is close to Regent's Park. There are also treats like an ice cream voucher(券)and activities in its kids club. Stay in a family room, which holds two adults and two children under the age of 11 for no additional charge.
Cost £ 140
1. What do we know about Athenaeum?A.It provides fee meals. | B.It has special rooms for kids. |
C.It helps guests find local tour guides. | D.It learns about kids' preferences ahead of time. |
A.Make your own food. | B.Teach your kids to cook. |
C.Get to bus stations quickly. | D.Ask for a baby bed with little money. |
A.Athenaeum. | B.The Nadler Kensington. |
C.St James's Hotel and Club. | D.Melia White House. |
A.Make some cheese. | B.Go on a trip. | C.Find a job in Paris. |
10 . Planning a visit to the UK? Here we help with ways to cut your costs.
AVOID BIG EVENTS Big sporting events, concerts and exhibitions can increase the cost of accommodation and make it harder to find a room. A standard double room at the Thistle Brighton on the final Friday of the Brighton Comedy Festival (19 Oct.) cost £ 169. 15 at Booking.com. A week later, the same room cost £ 118.15.
If you can be flexible and want to know dates to avoid--- or you're looking for a big event to pass your time--- check out sites such as Whatsonwhen.com, which allow you to search for events in the UK by city, date and category.
STAYAWAY FROM THE STATION If traveling to your destination by train, you may want to find a good base close to the station, but you could end up paying more for the sake of convenience at the start of your holiday.
Don't be too choosy about the part of town you stay in. Booking two months in advance, the cheapest room at Travelodge's Central Euston hotel in London for Saturday 22 September was £ 95.95 . A room just a tube journey away at its Covent Garden hotel was £ 75.75 . And at Farringdon, a double room cost just £ 62.95 .
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Really central hotels in cities such as London. Edinburgh and Cardiff can cost a fortune, especially at weekends and during big events. As a choice consider checking into a self-catering flat with its own kitchen, where you can cook. Often these flats are hidden away on the top floors of city centre buildings. A great example is the historic O'Neill Flat on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, available for £ 420 for five days in late September, with room for four adults.
GET ON A BIKE London’s "Boris bikes' have attracted the most attention, but other cities also have similar programs that let you rent a bicycle and explore at your own pace, saving you on public transport or car parking costs.
Among the smaller cities with their own programs are Newcastle (casual members pay around £ 1.50 for two hours) and Cardiff (free for up to 30 minutes, or £5 per day).
1. The Brighton Comedy Festival is mentioned mainly to show big events may ________.A.help travelers pass time |
B.attract lots of travelers to the UK |
C.allow travelers to make flexible plans |
D.cause travelers to pay more for accommodation |
A.a hotel away from the train station | B.the tube line to Covent Garden |
C.an ideal holiday destination | D.the name of a travel agency |
A.lies on the ground floor |
B.is located in central London |
C.provides cooking facilities for tourists |
D.costs over £100 on average per day in late September |
A.half an hour | B.one hour |
C.one hour and a half | D.two hours |
A.to tell visitors how to book in advance |
B.to supply visitors with hotel information |
C.to show visitors the importance of self-help |
D.to offer visitors some money-saving tips |