A frugal (节俭) traveler, I’m on the road for three to six months out of a year, and all that wandering takes not just energy but organization as well. Before I set off, I will research destinations (目的地), book flights and hotels, and figure out what to do when I arrive. To do all those things,I have a long list of websites and other resources (资源). Since many people are now planning their summer vacations, I think I’d share my experience.

Once I have decided on a destination, I head straight for a little website called “Google” to do research. One of the first searches is for my destination with the words “frugal” and “affordable”. Seriously! When I went to Hawaii in 2008, the search immediately brought out the Pomaikai “Lucky” Farm B&B, a farm with comfortable rooms for $ 80 a night — a steal in America’s most expensive vacation spots.

I don’t just surf the Web, however — print still has its uses. I have a guidebook with me. When I travel for work, the information it provides is quite useful.

In order to know about the culture of my destination, I often turn to novels. In Manhattan, there’s Idlewild Books, where all kinds of books and novels sit side by side. But you could just easily visit the local independent bookstores or public libraries. If there’s really nothing in your area, log on the LongitudeBooks.com.

When it’s time to book a flight, I’m back online. My first stop is kayak.com, which searches almost every other booking site. I’ve also started to use ITAsoftware.com’s QPX system. It was developed for the airline companies.

Finally, when I’m ready to buy the ticket, I’ll go to the airline’s own website, because it offers the lowest price for the ticket. Then I’ll check SeatGuru.com, which offers seat maps of most airlines’ planes to find the best, most comfortable spot.

What does the writer usually do to prepare for a trip?

   A. He turns to some organizations.

   B. He wanders around to get information.

   C. He consults websites and other resources.

   D. He asks people who are planning summer vacations.

The underlined word “steal” most probably means “______”.

   A. bargain                   B. farm                 C. room                D. price

To know the culture of your destination, which of the following is suggested by the writer?

   A. Tour the place and experience it.

   B. Watch TV programs about the place.

   C. Visit bookstores or public libraries.

   D. Read the guidebooks about the place.

Where does the writer buy his flight tickets?

   A. On the airline’s own website.

   B. On kayak.com.

   C. On ITAsoftware.com.

   D. On SeatGuru.com.

When people hear that I’m the youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean, they all have the same question: How did a 22-year old woman row a 19-foot boat for 70 days through high winds and crashing waves? Well, the biggest  difficulty for me wasn’t physical. By the time I decided to do the ocean row, I had already biked 3,300 miles cross-country, run across the Mojave Desert, and swum the 325-mile length of the Allegheny River. No, the tough part would be mental: How would I handle the loneliness, the boredom of the vast sea?
I set off on January 3, 2010. I set my sights on getting past the quarter-way mark, which would take about 20 days.
Day 20, January 22, was gray and cloudy. I could have done something to celebrate, such as treating myself to a chocolate bar. But I didn’t.
I was suffering from terrible loneliness. I hadn’t seen landing over two weeks. Every day was beginning to feel the same. Eating, rowing, sleeping, watch the sky, watch the ocean.
Then, around sunset, I saw something move on the horizon. They were dolphins! They circled my boat. Suddenly I felt so grateful. They had come to help me celebrate, just when I needed them. I rowed at full strength for the next 20 minutes with the dolphins around. By the time we went our separate ways, I was no longer lonely. Better yet, I knew I would be okay.
I did make it, all 2,817 miles. I hit the coast of Guyana, South America, on March 14, after 70 days and five hours at sea. My ocean row raised $70,000 for the Blue Planet Run Foundation, which funds drinking water programs around the world. I know some athletes spend the entire journey imagining the end, and that helps them get through. But for me, the secret is to focus on the moment, where you experience the personal growth—those moments of awareness of being connected to the sun, the weather, and the waves. And, on the best day of my life, those dolphins, which freed myself from terrible loneliness.
【小题1】
Which is the step taken as part of preparation for the tough row?

A.swimming the 325-mile length of the river
B.answering the same question raised by people
C.running 3,300 miles cross-country
D.biking across the Mojave Desert
【小题2】
What does the underlined part mean?
A.I didn’t have any chocolate bar for energy.
B.I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate my first goal.
C.It’s a pity not to celebrate my passing the quarter of the way
D.It’s a pity not to treat myself to a chocolate bar on Day 20.
【小题3】
What can be implied from the last two paragraphs?
A.Imagination was an effective way to help me get through.
B.The Blue Planet Run Foundation helped me a lot.
C.The dolphins accompanied me to reach my destination
D.The unexpected dolphins swept away my loneliness
【小题4】
Which can be the best title of the passage?
A.The day I stopped being lonely
B.The only challenge for a 22-year old
C.How to overcome loneliness at sea.
D.How to row alone across the Atlantic

When people hear that I’m the youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean, they all have the same question: How did a 22-year old woman row a 19-foot boat for 70 days through high winds and crashing waves? Well, the biggest difficulty for me wasn’t physical. By the time I decided to do the ocean row, I had already biked 3,300 miles cross-country, run across the Mojave Desert, and swum the 325-mile length of the Allegheny River. No, the tough part would be mental: How would I handle the loneliness, the boredom of the vast sea?
I set off on January 3, 2010. I set my sights on getting past the quarter-way mark, which would take about 20 days.
Day 20, January 22, was gray and cloudy. I could have done something to celebrate, such as treating myself to a chocolate bar. But I didn’t.
I was suffering from terrible loneliness. I hadn’t seen landing over two weeks. Every day was beginning to feel the same. Eating, rowing, sleeping, watch the sky, watch the ocean.
Then, around sunset, I saw something move on the horizon. They were dolphins! They circled my boat. Suddenly I felt so grateful. They had come to help me celebrate, just when I needed them. I rowed at full strength for the next 20 minutes with the dolphins around. By the time we went our separate ways, I was no longer lonely. Better yet, I knew I would be okay.
I did make it, all 2,817 miles. I hit the coast of Guyana, South America, on March 14, after 70 days and five hours at sea. My ocean row raised $70,000 for the Blue Planet Run Foundation, which funds drinking water programs around the world. I know some athletes spend the entire journey imagining the end, and that helps them get through. But for me, the secret is to focus on the moment, where you experience the personal growth — those moments of awareness of being connected to the sun, the weather, and the waves. And, on the best day of my life, those dolphins, which freed myself from terrible loneliness.
【小题1】Which is the step taken as part of preparation for the tough row?

A.swimming the 325-mile length of the river
B.answering the same question raised by people
C.running 3,300 miles cross-country
D.biking across the Mojave Desert
【小题2】What does the underlined part mean?
A.I didn’t have any chocolate bar for energy.
B.I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate my first goal.
C.It’s a pity not to celebrate my passing the quarter of the way
D.It’s a pity not to treat myself to a chocolate bar on Day 20.
【小题3】What can be implied from the last two paragraphs?
A.Imagination was an effective way to help me get through.
B.The Blue Planet Run Foundation helped me a lot.
C.The dolphins accompanied me to reach my destination
D.The unexpected dolphins swept away my loneliness
【小题4】Which can be the best title of the passage?
A.The day I stopped being lonely
B.The only challenge for a 22-year old
C.How to overcome loneliness at sea.
D.How to row alone across the Atlantic

Last December, I performed 30 shows in 11 days. I knew it would be a tiring tour before I set off, but I just wanted to be there to support our men and women.
From the minute I walked onstage the afternoon I arrived at the army, the soldiers were cheering, singing along at the top of their voices. I had done hundreds of concerts, but it was my first time to perform for troops. Looking at the smiling faces of these soldiers --- some of them only teenagers --- I felt great joy moving through me. They were the loveliest fans I had ever met. Then, from out of nowhere, words came into my head. “I want to play you something new … a song just came in my head minutes ago. It’s called Here with Me,” I told them. Cheers rang out. As I sang, I could see the tears in some of soldiers’ eyes. I finished to thunderous applause.
At the autograph(亲笔签名)part afterward, one of the soldiers took out a picture of a high school student. “This is my girl. You know, I miss her so much,” he said. “That new song you sang … it meant so much to me. Those were the words I’ve always wanted to tell her.
I realized that the song wasn’t about me and that it was, in fact, a gift for these men and women. I played it in every concert after that, always with the same unbelievable reaction.
On the long plane ride home I kept thinking about the soldiers I’d met. They risked their lives every day to defend our country, yet they were grateful for a simple concert. I decided to record the new song to thank our men and women           in uniform(制服).
【小题1】Which of the following words can best take the place of the word “troops” in the second paragraph?

A.officialsB.teenagersC.soldiersD.students
【小题2】When the author performed on the stage, he felt _____.
A.pleasedB.nervousC.confidentD.worried
【小题3】What might be the topic of the new song?
A.The tiring army life
B.The danger of being a soldier
C.The excitement of going to a concert
D.The family one misses
【小题4】From the text, we can infer that the author _____.
A.served in the army before
B.received many gifts during shows
C.was impressed by the soldiers
D.always cared for the soldiers
【小题5】The passage is most probably written by a(n) _____.
A.dancerB.teacherC.singerD.official leader

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