You can love them or hate them, but no matter which tourist destination you visit, chances are you'll see someone with their head buried in a Lonely Planet guidebook.
Lonely Planet is one of the world's largest travel guide brands, publishing more than 500 different guides in eight languages. The popular brand also produces television shows, websites and podcasts (播客) all devoted to travel.
Some people praise Lonely Planet books because they make traveling easy and affordable. They also save time and make sure you don't miss the best things.
They also provide the reviews of hostels, hotels, restaurants and ticket information about your destination.
This can be great if you're a nervous traveler, or if you haven't traveled by yourself before. If you're in a country where you don't speak the language, sometimes there's nothing better than getting into a taxi and opening up a guidebook. You simply point to a map that directs the taxi driver to a hostel that's cheap and clean, with friendly staff and cold beer.
But others criticize Lonely Planet and other travel guide publishers like them. They say guidebooks take the fun and spontaneity (自发性) out of traveling, and that part of the enjoyment of travel comes from the fact that anything can happen. They also regret that if you follow a guidebook, you'll end up doing the same thing and having the same experience as everyone else. You might end up seeing the same group of people over and over, because everyone is reading the same book and following the same route.
Another criticism of travel guides is that they have a large impact on local communities. For example, some locals devote their lives to behaving in ways that attract tourists. They pretend to live a traditional lifestyle, wear traditional clothes and live in traditional houses in order to attract the tourist dollar.The Lonely Planet guidebook can bring you the following advantages EXCEPT that _____.
| A．you can speak a foreign language when opening a guidebook |
| B．you can easily find a nice place to stay in a strange city |
| C．it provides lots of useful information about your destination |
| D．it can help you save time and money when traveling |
People criticize the guidebook because ________.
| A．it is not as useful as most travelers expect |
| B．tourist destinations will be crowded if everyone follows the same route |
| C．travelers may not get the chance to have unexpected adventures |
| D．local people keep modern lifestyles under its influence |
What do we know about the Lonely Planet guidebook from the text?
| A．It's a world-famous brand only producing guidebooks for travelers. |
| B．It's very useful to a person who's nervous about touring an unfamiliar place. |
| C．It's very useful to a tourist who likes to repeat others' experiences. |
| D．It is loved by all travelers because of the convenience it brings to travelers. |
Which of the following best shows the structure of the text? (①－⑦ stand for
Paragraph l－Paragraph 7 )
When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day passes (通行证) posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers.
It was Christmas Eve when I arrived, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments (装饰物) shining against the green of a pine.
“Where did it come from？” I asked.
“I asked the Gates boy to cut it,” my mother said. “I wouldn’t have had one just for myself, but when you called--- oh, such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon…”
The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the Tree Top Krystal Star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little awkwardly (不够美观地) at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with pleasant smell of Christmas.
“It’s not like the ones you used to find,” my mother went on. “Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn’t know where to look. But I couldn’t be picky.”
“Don’t worry, ” I told her. “It’s perfect.”
It wasn’t, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: all Christmas trees are perfect.From the passage, we can infer that ________.
| A．the writer spent his Christmas during the war |
| B．soldiers did not all go home for Christmas during the war |
| C．all the soldiers had three-day passes |
| D．the writer could not go home for Christmas |
When the writer got home, ________.
| A．it was December 23 |
| B．it was snowing heavily |
| C．he found a Christmas tree in the living room |
| D．the Gates boy was cutting a Christmas tree for his mother |
From the passage, we can conclude that ________.
| A．the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees |
| B．his mother didn’t like perfect trees |
| C．his mother didn’t want to have a tree |
| D．the writer wouldn’t have a tree cut by someone else |
“All Christmas trees are perfect”, because they can remind you of ________.
| A．the wartime | B．the green of a pine | C．the pleasant smell | D．the sweet home |
The best title for this passage would be “________”.
| A．How to Choose a Christmas Tree | B．How Soldiers Spent Christmas |
| C．The Perfect Christmas Tree | D．The Christmas Without a Tree |
Are you tired of looking for love in all the usual places? Nowadays, millions of lonely singles are now going online instead. The World Wide Web is quickly becoming the world’s most popular matchmaker. With so many singles online, dozens of dating sites like Yahoo Personals and Match.com are helping singles find that special someone. Around the world , from America to China , love is now very much online.
Singles are flocking to the Internet mainly because their busy lifestyles leave them little time to look for a significant other. Using dating sites is quick and convenient They can “meet ”a lot more people online than they could by hanging out at a club. Besides , many singles say the regular dating scene has just led them from one bad experience to another and are ready to try something else . They also appreciate the first distance of online dating, which allows them to hide themselves until they are ready to meet someone face to face. Dating sites also make it easy to avoid someone you are not interested in. In the real world , however , ignoring someone you don’t like can be awkward.
Despite all the advantages , online dating also presents its own set of problems . People aren’t always who they claim to be in their online profiles. For instance , someone who tells you he is “ handsome , successful and single ” might turn out to be homely, unemployed and married . Safety is another concern . You are just as likely to find a criminal online as you are Mr. or Miss Right.
Even so , Supporters of online dating see things in a positive way. In their opinion , singles can safely play the online dating game with a little common sense. Online dating experts recommend following a few safety tips:
Guard your personal information. Never give out your personal information online. This includes your last name, phone number, home address and place of work.
Watch for red flags. Do any of the people you are chatting with make disrespectful comments ? Do they try to control you ? Do they give false information about themselves? If so , forget them!
Meet in a safe place. when meeting someone in person , choose a public location with other people around .
Following these tips and you might be able to find the person of your dreams.
71. According to the passage, many lonely singles don’t appreciate the regular dating scene because it is _______.
A. unpopular B. troublesome C. convenient D. forgettable
72．This passage is mainly about _______.
A. getting tired of falling in love in a usual way
B. people with false information on the Internet
C. new technology to find love through the Internet
D. web sites such as Yahoo Personals and Match.com
73．The underlined words in the second paragraph “a significant other” means“_____”.
A. a true friend B. a matchmaker
C. a marriage partner D. a happy family
74．Which of the following is NOT a suitable place for meeting someone you get to know through the Internet for the first time according to the text?
A. At his / her house B. At the museum
C. At McDonald’s D. At the bookstore
75．From this passage , we can infer that ________.
A. there are mostly homely and unemployed people online
B. the police had better find criminals online
C. we can find love only through the dating sites
D. following safety tips ensures a safe online dating experience
Leo married my mother when I was 1l, two years later we moved into a house in a new suburban development. At first our lawn (草坪) was just a mud pile with a few untidy clumps of grass, but Leo saw bright possibilities. "Your mother wants flowers; she can plant them here, where there's lots of sun," he said, "We'll plant trees over there, to give us shade. And in the backyard, I'd like a barbecue.” Then he smiled. "After so many years of apartment living, now we can have cookouts (野餐)!”
Weekday mornings when the weather was bad, Leo often drove me to school. Having a father drop you off may have been taken for granted, but I always thought it was wonderful. During dinner, Leo would tell my brother and me stories about his job and we'd talk about our friendship and school-work.. "If you need any help, just ask me," he would say. "But I doubt that you need it. You two are so clever."
Some people might think that doing errands (差事) and eating meals together are nothing special, but , I , who had spent my childhood watching other families do these everyday activities before, enjoyed them now with great delight. Looking back, I realize that Leo gave me what I needed most--the experience of doing ordinary things together as a family.
One day, we learned that my "real" father -- who hadn't seen or supported my brother or me for more than five years --- wanted to see us again, on a regular basis. We remembered too well the early years we had spent with him. He had been angry and cruel, violent and unloving. Since my brother was then 17 years old, he didn't have to follow family-court rules. But because I was still a "minor", I had to meet with the judge.
When Leo, my mother, and I entered the courtroom, my "real" father was already present. I avoided his look and told the judge I was one of a new family now, and that Leo taught me how to make things, that he always listened to me and never raised his voice. I said I didn't want to see my "real" father any more because he had never shown any love for me or even much attention.
The judge looked at Leo. "How are things going?" he asked.
"They couldn't be better," Leo answered. "I'm a lucky man to have such a family."
Aren’t the best parents also good friends to their children, accepting them without reservation and telling them they can be counted on? Step families aren't bound by traditional ties, so the love and friendship they develop is extremely precious. Was Leo "perfect''? He'd deny it if I said so. And that's one reason why he was so "perfect" to me.
Soon after we moved to the suburb, one of our new neighbors introduced herself to me. She had already met my mother and Leo. "You know," she remarked, "you look just like your father."
I knew she was just making conversation---- but even so...
"Thank you," I said.
Why tell her anything different?
67. What is the best title for the story?
A. My childhood B. My “Real father”, My Enemy
C. My Stepfather, My Friend D. Precious Friendship
68. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Leo had lived in a large house alone in the country before he married my mother.
B. Thanks to Leo, our lawn took on a new look.
C. Before Leo came. I was always picked up by my "real" father when the weather was bad.
D. Leo wouldn’t like to help my brother and me because we were very clever.
69. What was very important to step families according to the writer?
A. Love and friendship B. Care and respect
C. Wealth and understanding D. Politeness and kindness
70. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
A. My "real" father’s request was refused and he was out of my life.
B. My mother and "real" father didn’t separate until my brother was 17.
C. Leo was no one special in my life.
D. Leo and I were so alike that my neighbors couldn’t tell us apart.
(C)
Some people say we need
to plant trees in places
where rock concerts or
conferences are held in
order to absorb the carbon
dioxide created by the
event. This picture shows
how trees can help.
Photosynthesis （光合作用）
①Photosynthesis takes place
when there is sunlight.
② Carbon dioxide in air enters
the leaves through tiny holes
called stomata ( 气孔).
③ Leaves contain chlorophyll
( 叶绿素 ) which traps the
sun's energy.
④ Plant's roots gather water
from the soil.
⑤ Leaves use chlorophyll and
sunlight to change the water
and carbon dioxide into food,
or sugar, for the plant.
⑥ Oxygen is released into the air.
63. According to the passage, which of the following plays an important part in catching the sun's energy?
A. Roots B. Branches C. Leaves D. Trunks
64. What is the best title of the diagram(图表)?
A. How trees absorb carbon dioxide?
B. How the air can be made cleaner?
C. Trees play an important part in our daily life.
D. How trees get food in the soil?
65. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. the food for trees is made from the water and sugar in the soil
B. photosynthesis can't take place at night
C. photosynthesis can take place at any time
D. trees help little in improving the air conditions
66. According to the passage, where should more trees be planted?
A. near the river B. near the cinema
C. along the highway D. on the mountain
“Helping survivors (生还者) of the earthquake and killer waves in the Indian Ocean last week is a race against time” says Kofi Annan , the United Nations secretary-general .
The concern about offers of international aid is based on history. Since we are social beings, the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships. One strength of the human condition is our aim to give and receive support from one another under stressful surroundings. Social support consists of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties.
Those of us with strong support systems appear betterable to deal with major life changes and daily problems. People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over a range of illnesses, from depression to heart disease, show that the presence of social support helps people prevent illness, and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.
Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives, and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we are popular with others despite our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to notice and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find socialcompanionship supportive. Engaging in leisure-time activities with others helps us to meet our socialneeds while at the same time distracting(转移...注意力)us from our worries and troubles. Finally,other people may give us instrumental support: a financial aid, material resources, and needed services-- that reduces stress by helping us deal with our problems.
59. Research shows that people's physical and mental health _______.
A. depends on the social welfare (福利)systems which support them
B. has much to do with the amount of support they get from others
C. depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles
D. is closely related to their strength for dealing with major changes in their lives
60. The underlined word" cushions" in Para.3 means _______.
A. adds up toB. does away with
C. reduce the effect of D. depends on
61. Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work is an example of _______.
A. instrumental support B. informational support
C. social companionship D. the strengthening of self-respect
62. Social companionship is very important because _______.
A. it helps strengthen our ties with relatives
B. it enables us to get rid of our faults and mistakes
C. it makes our leisure-time activities more enjoyable
D. it draws our attention away from our worries and troubles