• Membership
Hostelling International (HI) is a membership organization, and HI membership gives you much more than a comfy bed! It puts you at the heart of a huge international family, where you can share experiences, travel and friendship with people of all nations.
• Membership Savings Program
Your National Association or Hostelling International Membership card not only opens the door to the world’s largest network of safe, clean and welcoming hostels, but in many HI hostels, being a member now gives you at least a 10 percent saving on the cost of your accommodation – just one of the great reasons to become a member!
In some countries, membership is compulsory if you wish to stay in HI hostels listed on this site. To find out what is applicable in the country you wish to visit, please check the Membership Savings Program.
Apart from cheaper accommodation in many of our 4,000 hostels worldwide, membership also gives you access to thousands of travel-related savings at home and abroad. Please check locally with your HI hostel on arrival for details of these great benefits which can include: reduced-price admission to attractions and museums, discounts on meals, transportation and lots more.
Whatever your budget, membership helps you to explore and “Say HI to the world”, backpack across Europe, discover Down Under, dance to Latin rhythms, chill out on an idyllic Asian beach or simply “Discover the real hostel experience” in one of our unique hostels worldwide.
• How to become a member
Purchase a membership from your nearest HI Youth Hostel Association office or membership selling outlet before you start your journey.
Purchase an international membership when you arrive at an HI hostel outside your country of residence. To check the price and availability of membership on arrival, please contact the hostel directly.
Alternatively, you can purchase a 12-month e-Membership during the booking process with your hostel stay. The e-Membership entitles you to stay in any HI hostel and receive at least 10 percent discount on accommodation charges compared to a non-member.
Please note: when you select your country from the list below you will be given full contact details plus a link to the national HI Youth Hostel Association website. Please select the Membership section on the site.Which of the following is NOT promised by Hostelling International?
| A．A safe and clean place to stay. |
| B．Welcoming atmosphere. |
| C．Membership benefits. |
| D．Opportunities to meet local people. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the HI hostels?
| A．Accommodation discounts for members are not available at every HI hostel. |
| B．For some HI hostels, you have to be a member to find accommodation. |
| C．You will enjoy high quality services at the cheapest possible price. |
| D．Free public transportation to your destination is ensured. |
If you want to be a member of HI, ______.
| A．you can either call the HI Youth Hostel Association office or buy a membership online. |
| B．you should book a room at an HI Youth Hostel first. |
| C．you can buy a membership at an HI Youth Hostel Association office or outlet. |
| D．you can buy a membership when you check in at an HI Youth hostel. |
Snow falls in the Earth’s extreme North and South throughout the year. However， the heaviest snowfalls have been reported in the mountains of other areas during winter. Snow is even known to fall near the Equator (赤道)，but only on the highest mountains.
Snow contains much less water than rain, but much of the water the world uses comes from snow. Melting snow provides water for rivers, electric power stations and agricultural crops. In the western United States, mountain snow provides up to seventy-five percent of all surface water supplies.
Snowfall helps to protect plants and some wild animals from winter weather. Fresh snow is made largely of air trapped among the snow crystals (晶体). Because the air has trouble moving, the movement of heat is limited. Snow also influences the movement of sound waves. The surface of the snow takes in, or absorbs, sound waves. As snow grows older or if there have been strong winds, it can become hard and flat. Then, the snow’s surface will help to send back sound waves.
Snow may be beautiful, but it can be deadly. It is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people. Many people die in traffic accidents on roads covered with snow and ice or from being seriously stuck in the winter storm. Others die from heart attacks caused by too much physical activity out in the cold.
People may not be able to avoid living in areas where it snows often. However, they can avoid becoming victims of snowstorms. People should stop driving and stay at home until the storm has passed. People living in these areas should carry emergency supplies in their vehicle. These include food，emergency medical supplies，and extra clothing to stay warm and dry.Mountain snowfall _____.
| A．provides up to seventy—five percent of water supplies worldwide |
| B．has never occurred near the Equator of the earth |
| C．brings less of the water the world uses than rain does |
| D．is heavier than that in the South and the North Poles |
Snow protects plants and wild animals from cold weather by _____.
| A．supplying much more air | B．limiting heat movement |
| C．absorbing strong winds | D．sending back sound waves |
Snow can be deadly mainly because it can _____.
| A．cause road accidents |
| B．make people stuck in winter storms |
| C．make people victims of snowstorms |
| D．lead to heart attacks |
What will the text probably tell us following the last paragraph? ____.
| A．How to prevent heart attacks out in cold |
| B．Where we can get emergency supplies |
| C．How to drive during snowstorms |
| D．Why we should stay warm and dry in winter |
April 11, 2003 12:44 a. m. PST, Associated Press
The respiratory(呼吸系统) virus known as SARS has appeared to spread in the United States only to family members of health workers with close contact to a sick person.
On Thursday, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there might be a case of severe acute respiratory syndrome（综合症） spreading through the workplace.
Dr. Julie Gerberding said a suspected SARS virus patient who became ill after traveling to Asia might have infected a co-worker in Florida, which made her “very worried”.
So far, a dozen people—nine family members and three health workers—were infected after coming into close contact with the person with SARS. The rest of the 166 suspected American cases have something to do with people who were infected while traveling in Asia.
In the Gainesville, Fla. area, a 47-year-old woman was believed to have been infected at work by a 60-year-old woman who was the nation’s first suspected SARS case, said Tom Belcuore, director of the Alachua County health department.
Since the World Health Organization announced a worldwide warning last month about SARS, the United States has started infection control in hospitals and among families of suspected cases.
Florida officials said a school in Okaloosa County went through a cleaning after a 6-year-old boy suspected of having SARS appeared at school with slight symptoms. “Health officials are watching the boys’ contacts at school to make sure no one else is infected,” said Rob Hayes, health department spokesman, “The boy may have been infected from a family member,” Hayes said, “We immediately became aware of it and had the child sent home. He’s staying at home with his family until 10 days after symptoms disappear.”
The researchers guessed that the virus might have come from animals. However, the scientists have not ruled out the possibility that some other microbe might also help make SARS more serious or easier to catch.The best title for this text is _______.
| A．A Worldwide Warning |
| B．Suspected SARS Cases |
| C．What Is SARS |
| D．Possible Spread of SARS in the USA |
The writer wrote this text mainly to _______.
| A．discuss the danger of SARS |
| B．report research result about SARS |
| C．inform people of the spread of SARS |
| D．explain to the readers what SARS is |
How many cases of suspected SARS are there in the U.S.A. according to the text?
A. 166. B.178. C. 12. D. 181.
Ottawais the capital of Canada. It is the second largest city in Ontario and the fourth largest city in the country.
The Centre Blockis the main building on Parliament Hill (国会山). It is also the location of several ceremonial spaces, such as the Hall of Honor and the Memorial Chamber. The present Centre Block is the seconditerationof the building，after the first was destroyed by fire in
1916，and it is one of the most recognizable buildings in Canada.
Downtown Ottawais the commercial and economic centre of the city. Most of the buildings are office towers. While most of Ottawa’s high tech industry is based elsewhere, it has a significant presence in the downtown core. The downtown also contains a number of apartments, hotels, and the older single family homes and townhouses along its edges.
The National Gallery of Canadais one of Canada’s premier art galleries. The Gallery has a large and varied collection of paintings, drawings, sculpture and photographs. Although its focus is on Canadian art, it also holds works by some noted American and European artists.
The Rideau Canalis the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America. At the very beginning，the purpose of the Rideau Canal was military, as it was intended to provide a secure supply and communication route between Montreal and the British naval base in Kingston. It remains in use today primarily for pleasure boating, with most of its original structures undamaged. The locks on the system open for navigation in mid-May and close in mid-October. What does "iteration" probably mean in the 2nd paragraph? _____.
| A．repair | B．copy | C．design | D．landmark |
In the core of Downtown Ottawa, we could see _____.
| A．a large number of tall towers |
| B．a number of apartments and hotels |
| C．head offices of Ottawa’s high tech industry |
| D．the older single family homes and townhouses |
Collections in the National Gallery of Canada are mainly _____.
| A．paintings and drawings |
| B．sculpture and photographs |
| C．artwork by Americans and European |
| D．works by Canadian artists |
Which of the following is true about the Rideau Canal? _____.
| A．It was originally for the military purpose |
| B．It is the oldest canal system in North America |
| C．The original structures remain never changed |
| D．People can only go boating from May to October |
An Israeli law banning too skinny models went into effect with the start of 2013. The law, approved last March in Israel, requires models to prove they have maintained a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 18.5 for three months before a fashion show. That means a woman who is 5'8'' tall can weigh no less than 119 pounds.
“This law is another step in the war against eating disorders,” said physician Adatto. “Underweight models,” he explained, “can no longer serve as role models for innocent young people who copy their false image of being skinny.”
But some critics in this country say it is misguided, focusing on weight instead of health. They also say the Israeli ban is bound to fail because of the strong power of the fashion industry. “I think it’s an approach that isn’t going to work.” Said eating disorder expert Susan Ice, who worked with an organization which creates a healthy working environment for models.
But Adatto told the reporter that he began to concern the issue after meeting an ambitious model who looked like she needed to be hospitalized. He said. “I realized that only legislation can change the situation. There was no time to waste, so many girls were dieting to death.”
However, the efforts to regulate models’ weight in Spain and Italy have not resulted in significant changes in part because of difficulties in determining reliable methods of measuring weight and health.
Still, folks including Ice say there’s no denying that images from Hollywood and the fashion industry can be difficult for young women to deal with. “Certainly I don't believe the modeling industry has caused the rise in eating disorders, but it makes it harder,” she says. “It’s a difficult recovery environment, worshiping thinness as the beauty ideal.”What does BMI in the first paragraph refer to?
| A．A new show held by those skinny models. |
| B．A worldwide prize for the healthiest model. |
| C．A measure of body health based on height and weight. |
| D．A kind of medicine to cure eating disorders. |
One benefit the new Israeli law may bring is ________.
| A．to change the working conditions of models |
| B．to prevent models from suffering from eating disorders |
| C．to lower the chance of skinny models’ death |
| D．to provide guidance for women worshiping thinness |
In the opinion of the critics, the law won’t succeed because.
| A．the fashion industry is much too influential |
| B．it misleads young women to form a bad eating habit |
| C．it doesn’t provide a proper approach that can work well |
| D．it doesn’t create a healthy working environment for models |
According to the passage, the new Israeli law banning skinny models is.
| A．practical | B．acceptable | C．reasonable | D．controversial |
For many businessmen online education has been a dream．Now it has come true．The investment （投资） in higher education, whether financial or in terms of time, has long been impossible for many of them．But well-known educational institutions have chosen to deliver an internet-based program, and these barriers(障碍) have been lifted．
That is good news for people eager to improve themselves and is more attractive to employers．It is also a benefit to industry with better qualified candidates（候选人） applying for jobs at every level．
Having the benefits of a higher qualification（资格） without going to the university campus is attractive to many students．Campus study means greater cost, while online programs are flexible and save time, whether at home or at work．Students can achieve their degrees without causing too much disruption to their career or home life．
In addition to affordable, flexible（灵活） classes and greater convenience, students also have access to the online learning resources of many of the world’s top educational institutions．They can also communicate with their tutors no matter what time it is or whether either party is away for any reason．
This has opened up the possibility of getting a qualification from a university or college that many students could only have dreamed of in the past．It also allows specialists to get the precise qualifications and focus on their studies．As well as seeing the increase of applicants from lower-incomes and housewives, studying online in the US is even becoming popular with younger people of college age．
Employers have become increasingly welcome and positive to online qualifications as more candidates earn them, especially if they’re properly approved by the US Department of Education．
US institutions have led the way in online education provision（供给）．Many top US colleges and universities offer a range of online programs that are highly respected and in every way perfectly fit for adults who need to combine their studies with a working life．According to Paragraph 1, many US colleges and universities ______．
| A．have begun to lift the barriers to financial investment |
| B．have begun to run an internet-based program |
| C．have had a dream of offering online education |
| D．have gained financial investment |
Why do people choose online education?
| A．They can find jobs more easily than on-campus graduates． |
| B．They can get qualifications from US Department of Education． |
| C．They can save money and arrange their time and courses freely． |
| D．They can invest money in different courses provided online． |
The underlined word “disruption” in the third paragraph probably mean ______．
| A．dissatisfaction | B．attention | C．attraction | D．interruption |
Which would be a good title for the passage?
| A．Adult Education Online |
| B．Online Education Taking the Place of Campus Education |
| C．Top US Universities Offering Online Education |
| D．The Best of USA’s Online Education |