If you need to relax and want to head overseas, you can think of these four off-peak travel destinations to visit.
Portugal
With rich culture and history, Portugal continues to be one of the most affordable European destinations. Head to this beautiful capital city of Lisbon to attend the festivals and fairs, visit some 12th-century buildings, and stay at one of the newer hotels in the main city district. The Hotel Teatro is a four-star restaurant, and average nightly rates are under $ 150 a night.
Hotel Teatro
Porto, Portugal
+351 220 409 620
Aruba
Set your sights on Aruba for an unforgettable Caribbean holiday. You can get special offers from one of the larger beach resorts here. Some of the chain hotels, including Marriott and Radisson, offer discounts on spa relaxations. The Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa is offering a Super Saver Spring Rate at just $309 per night.
Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa
Palm Beach, Aruba
800-967-9033
Oaxaca
Escape to southern Mexico to explore the historic colonial city and learn about the region’s traditions, culture, and colorful history. Oaxaca plays host to several cultural festivals and is a great place to just relax. A seven-night stay at the Camino Real Oaxaca is just $207 per night for a deluxe single or double room.
Camino Real Oaxaca
Centro, 68000
01 951 501 6100
Turkey
Another place to have some local culture is Istanbul, Turkey. Stay at a destination that will put you within easy reach of famous sites like the Topkapi Palace. The Modern Sultan Hotel is a deluxe hotel located in the heart of the historic district. Average nightly rates for the bed and breakfast package are just under $ 120 per night.
Modern Sultan Hotel
Istanbul, Turkey
+90 212 520 00 53What can we learn about Portugal?
| A．Lisbon is a small town in Portugal. |
| B．A trip to Portugal is relatively cheap. |
| C．The Hotel Teatro is in the suburbs of Lisbon. |
| D．Most houses in Portugal date back to the 12th century. |
If you want to enjoy the beautiful sea, you can go to _________.
| A．Lisbon | B．Oaxaca | C．Istanbul | D．Aruba |
How much should you pay if you have a seven-night stay in a deluxe single room at the Camino Real Oaxaca?
| A．207 dollars. | B．735 dollars. | C．1, 449 dollars. | D．2, 163 dollars. |
Children at a school in Italy have today begun an experiment to replace all their books with personal computers. The pupils involved will each be given a special laptop that contains their entire courses.
Until today, the Don Milani di Rivoli elementary school in central Turin was like any other. Children turned up, got out their books and pens and began the process of learning. But now, in what's being described as a unique experiment, 60 fifth-grade pupils and a number of third-graders, will start using computers only.
The mini-laptops, which run Windows software, all have a full curriculum programmed into them. The pupils will use the computers to do all their reading and writing. Security systems within the laptops mean the children's access to the Internet is strictly controlled. The machines weigh less than a kilogram, can be dropped from a height of 1.5 metres and are waterproof.
Instead of spending 700 dollars a year on books, the laptops, built by the Italian company Olidata, cost less than 400 dollars. One of the teachers involved in the scheme says that, for the first time, schools will be able to verify in a scientific way how a computer alone can improve the learning process. The experiment, which has the backing of parents, is due to last a year.
In other countries, such a programme is also being carried out. Venezuela is ordering one million low cost laptops for its school children. The machines will be based on the Intel Classmate laptop that has been designed for school children. Many see the deal as a blow for the One Laptop Per Child organization that has also been introducing its child- friendly machine to developing nations. Which of the following is TRUE about the mini-laptop?
| A．It is heavy for pupils to carry. | B．It can't be damaged by water. |
| C．It is one and a half meters high. | D．It is easily broken or damaged. |
The pupils use the laptop to ____ in class.
| A．learn their lessons as an aid |
| B．have a course named computer studies |
| C．surf the Internet mainly to find information |
| D．do what they used to do with books and pens |
How much money can a pupil save by using the mini-laptop to replace all the books in a year?
| A．Less than 400 dollars. | B．More than 400 dollars. |
| C．More than 300 dollars. | D．Less than 300 dollars. |
Which of the following about the experiment is TRUE?
| A．It has been carried out for over one year. |
| B．It has already turned out to be a success. |
| C．The pupils' parents are against it in fact. |
| D．The pupils' parents are supportive to it. |
Edinburgh Mela
Time: 25th – 31st August 2008
Tel / Fax: 0131 557 1400
E-mail: info@edinburgh-mela.co.uk
Website: www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk
Each year Edinburgh Mela is Scotland's biggest multicultural(多文化的) arts festival that celebrates in Scotland. Although Edinburgh Mela's roots are in South Asian cultures, this is a festival for everybody. Music, color, dance, art, fashion, food, children's activities, the Mela bazaar（集市）and much more!
Edinburgh International Book Festival
Time: 9th – 25th August 2008
Tel: 0131 718 5666
Fax: 0131 226 5335
E-mail: admin@edbookfest.co.uk
Website: www.edbookfest.co.uk
Edinburgh International Book Festival is the world's biggest book festival. We present different programs for both adults and children including discussions, lectures, debates and workshops, all in one of Edinburgh's most beautiful spaces, Charlotte Square Gardens.
Edinburgh International Festival
Time: 8th – 31st August 2008
Tel: + 44 (0) 131 473 2000
Fax: +44 (0) 131 473 2002
E-mail: eif@eif.co.uk
Website: www.eif@eif.co.uk
Each year the Edinburgh International Festival stages one of the greatest celebrations of the arts, attracting audiences from around the world to the city's exciting atmosphere. The festivities offer a special opportunity to experience the excitement of live performance by internationally well-known artists as well as the joy of discovering new and unfamiliar works.
Edinburgh International Science Festival
Time: 25th March-5th April 2008
Tel: 0131 558 7666
Fax: 0131 557 9177
E-mail: esf@scifest.demon.co.uk
Website: www.sciencefestival.co.uk
The UK's largest Science Festival is back with one of the most exciting line-ups in the Festival's 16-year history. The Science Festival is an unbelievable place for everyone, with events at all levels, all ages and all purses. On offer are 10 days of non-stop shows, workshops, presentations, hands-on activities, exhibitions and tours designed to amuse and entertain. Call our ticket hotline on 0131 557 5588.According to the passage, the four festivals .
| A．are all about arts | B．all happen in 2008 only |
| C．are all celebrated in Edinburgh | D．are all mainly for children |
What do we know about Edinburgh Mela?
| A．It is deeply rooted in Edinburgh. |
| B．It is a place to buy and sell things. |
| C．It shows kinds of cultures in Scotland. |
| D．It offers a chance for you to buy books. |
How many ways are available for you to get the information about each festival?
| A．Only one. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
My mother loves flowers. As soon as warm weather comes around, you will find her planting, watering, and weeding over everything. For a number of years we lived next door to each other, and she spent as much time in my garden as she did her own. After the flowers became plentiful each summer, she would cut colorful bouquets(花束) to enjoy inside the house -- both hers and mine. I would often come home from work and find a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers on my coffee table.
Shortly before Christmas one year, a local flower shop offered a bouquet-a-month special. It seemed to be a made-to-order gift for Mom, a great way to thank her for all of the flowers she had given me through the years.
After the holidays, in early January, I drove her to the flower shop to pick up her first month's bouquet. The small fresh colorful bouquet would hardly fill a small vase.
I was so embarrassed. However, after we returned home, she began to arrange the flowers she had received. "Mom, I'm sorry," I told her. "I can't believe how skimpy that bouquet is." She looked at me and smiled. "It's okay," she said. "It allows me to better enjoy the beauty of each one."
Mom's words helped me to realize something bigger and more important --when we have too many good things, we often fail to enjoy the beauty of each one.
Thanks, Mom, for helping me understand that less is sometimes more.
The author bought her mother flowers to ____.
| A．celebrate the coming Christmas |
| B．express thanks for all her mother has done |
| C．bring more flowers to her mother's garden |
| D．arrange her mother's new house |
What can you infer from the passage?
| A．The author couldn't afford a big bouquet. |
| B．The mother was not happy when receiving the bouquet. |
| C．The author would pick up another bouquet the next month. |
| D．The mother would send back the bouquet to the flower shop. |
The underlined word "skimpy" in Para. 4 means ____.
| A．beautiful | B．colorful | C．cheap | D．small |
What did the author learn from her mother?
| A．How to grow flowers. | B．How to arrange flowers. |
| C．Enjoying life if possible. | D．Considering things in other ways. |
|
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The publication of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince pleases booksellers across China．The British and American editions were No.1 and No.3 separately on the sales chart of the Beijing Xidan Book Building last week. The book’s poster is highlighted and news about the book can often be heard on the radio．
Why is the book so attractive to children? With curiosity， I got a copy of “Harry Potter”．At first，I wanted to glance over it and made some criticisms(批评)．But，out of expectation，I have been deeply attracted by the magic world. On the other hand，one can’t help asking：Where is our own “Harry Potter”?
The Chinese nation has a history of 5，000 years．With a vast market of youngsters, China did publish many books popular among children. However, why are the present works not as good as those imported(进口的)?
There come two major reasons：Firstly，quite a number of children’s books are of strong sense of teaching, and lack interest and entertainment. Children often have a feeling of being “educated”．No wonder they don’t like them．Secondly, children’s reading materials involving “idiom stories” and “Chinese talents’ stories”，though always in different covers，are usually much the same．Some books are plagiarized．The authors take words，ideas from someone else’s work．One knows the ending as early as in the beginning．In final analysis，the authors of the books seldom take children’s requirements into consideration．
As a matter of fact，each child has his own wonderful imagination．They hope to understand the world and nature．Similarly they have their own choices．They dislike similar stories．even if the stories are excellent．First-class reading for children should be very interesting，which contains knowledge and the essence(精髓)of national culture，which are presented in children’s language．
Market is a touchstone for products．The theory also holds true for cultural products．It is hoped that the authors of children’s books can learn something from the good market of “Harry Potter” and write out more and better books loved by children．Our books have the following disadvantages EXCEPT that_______．
| A．they have little sense of interest and entertainment |
| B．many of our books are of the same |
| C．our authors know what our children need |
| D．the authors didn’t pay much attention to the children’s tastes |
What does the underlined word “plagiarized” mean in Chinese?
| A．改编 | B．杜撰 | C．印刷 | D．剽窃 |
The reason why Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is so popular is that____.
| A．it opens a magic world for children |
| B．it has little sense of teaching |
| C．it is only written in children’s language |
| D．it is advertised more on TV or poster |
What does the writer mean by writing “Where is our own Harry Potter”?
| A．We Chinese produce more books than other countries． |
| B．We are short of books for children and adults． |
| C．Our authors are expected to make the market of children’s books take off． |
| D．Authors should write books named “Harry Potter”． |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A quarrel at home may result in you falling ill. Don’t laugh, it’s true. Family matters including living habits and even the way we speak have a big effect on our health, doctors say.
Wang Xiaoyu, a Senior 2 girl from Xichang, Sichuan Province, fainted (晕倒) in class when she heard her classmates quarrel at the top of their voices. Quarrels between her parents also put the girl into a coma. It is because she is suffering from depression (抑郁症), caused by bad relations at home, doctors explained.
“We don’t get sick or stay well by ourselves,” says Dr Robert Ferrer from the US. Ferrer shows that family forces may explain up to a quarter of health problems, in his recent research. The genes you get from your family may cause illness. If one of your parents has a heart attack, your risk of being affected may double. But effects on health are not only written in our DNA.
Unrelated people who live under the same roof also get similar problems. Diet, lifestyle and environment affect our health, too. Ferrer’s research also found that if teenagers feel they are ignored or unimportant at home they are more likely to get sick.
We may never fully understand all the effects that families have on our health. But just as individual (个别的) problems can have effects on others, a small improvement can have big benefits, Ferrer said.Which of the following can best explain why Wang Xiaoyu fainted in class?
| A．Because her classmates often quarreled in class. |
| B．Because her parents used to quarrel. |
| C．Because of her depression caused by bad family relations. |
| D．Because her classmates shouted loudly at her. |
According to Dr Ferrer, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．We get sick or stay well by ourselves. |
| B．Only the genes we get from our family have a big effect on our health. |
| C．Our health has nothing to do with diet, lifestyle and environment. |
| D．Teenagers who are ignored at home get sick more easily than those who are not. |
The underlined word “coma” in Paragraph2 probably means ________.
| A．surprise | B．faint | C．tiredness | D．sadness |
The best title for this passage is ________.
| A．Family relations. | B．The reasons why we get sick. |
| C．Family---- another cause to health | D．A research about health. |
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