Traveling to Cuba as an American is like jumping through hoops(环).To help you better prepare for your trip,here are what you need to know about traveling to Cuba.

You wilI need to obtain a visa to travel to Cuba.You’11 need to apply for the visa associated with your travel purposes,such as religious or medical travel,family visits,or people-to-people travel,which is the most common type of visa attained by Americans.

Because of the U.S.restriction,banks have not yet been able to establish a foothold in Cuba,meaning it’s a cash—focused country.You can exchange currency at the José Martí International Airport or at your hotel.Keep in mind that there is a 10 percent fee to exchange U.S.currency for Cuban currency.You’11 also want to be sure to carry change for tips.

You can reserve a hotel room in Cuba online.Then you can call to confirm your reservation.You can also book through a travel agency.However,payment can be tricky:Even if you pay for your room through your travel agent,the restriction may prevent your payment from reaching your hotel in time(another reason to book well in advance).Come prepared with enough cash to cover the cost,just in case.

If you expect to find the blue waters,volcanic landscapes and beautiful villages of other nearby islands,you’11 be disappointed.But beauty is not hard to find here.Old Havana—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is home to splendid architecture and a bit of paladars(privately owned res—taurants).Limited economic opportunities have led Cubans to be creative in other ways.You can’t go two blocks without coming across street paintings,art studios and joyful ballet music.

1.Most Americans get the visa to Cuba by________.

A.family visits

B.people-to-people travel

C.religious travel

D.medical travel

2.How much will you pay if you want to exchange$1.000 for Cuban money?

A.$20

B.$50

C.$100

D.$200

3.Which does the author think is worth seeing in Cuba?

A.Fantastic buildings

B.Blue waters

C.Beautiful villages

D.Volcanic landscapes

4.Which can be the best title of the passage?

A.How to prepare a travel?

B.Tips on Visiting Cuba

C.Restrictions in Cuba

D.Be careful,Americans

You’ve probably heard of Marco Polo, but how much do you actually know about him and his incredible journey? Marco was the original travel writer, whose trade contacts with Asia changed Europe, opening it up to new ideas and cultures.

Marco Polo was born in the Venetian Republic around 1254.At the time, Venice was one of the most powerful trading cities in the world, and was ruled as an independent city state.Marco’s mother died when he was young, so he was brought up by his aunt and uncle.When Marco was born, his brother (Maffeo) and father (Niccolo), who were successful merchants, were away on a trading voyage.They didn’t get back until Marco was about 15.

In 1271, Niccolo and Maffeo set off again for Asia, this time taking Marco with them.On a previous journey they’d met Kublai Khan (the Yuan Dynasty), and they were keen to establish trade links between Kublai’s empire and Venice.The Polos sailed across the Mediterranean to Acre (now in northern Israel).Then, they traveled by camel to the port of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.Their plan was to sail to China but they couldn’t find any good boats.So, they continued the journey overland, finally meeting Kublai Khan at his summer palace in Xanadu, about 275 kms north of modern Beijing.Marco was now probably 21 years ol

The journey had taken over three years.

The Polos had learnt a great deal about the world during their travels and so Kublai employed Marco as a government official.This gave Marco the opportunity to travel around much of Kublai’s empire in China.In fact, Kublai found the Polos so useful that he was unwilling to let them return home.However, in 1292, the Polos eventually left, sailing from China and ending up in Hormuz again.The journey was extremely dangerous: of the 600 travelers who set off, only 18 arrived in Hormuz, including all three of the Polo family.

The Polos finally returned to Venice in 1295, twenty-four years after setting off.They had traveled 24,000 kms.By this time Venice was at war with Genoa, its trade rival.Unfortunately for Marco, he was captured by the Genoese and imprisione

However, he used his time as a prisoner to write a book about his family’s travels: II Milione (known as The Travels of Marco Polo in English).It was the first book to tell Europeans about China and the East.No original copy survives, but there are several versions of it.Marco’s writings influenced many other travelers, most notably Christopher Columbus, who carried a copy of II Milione with him on his voyage in search of Asia.

After his release from prison in 1299, Marco rejoined his father and uncle in Venice.The family were now even wealthier than before thanks to the many treasures they’d brought back from the East.Marco financed many more trading journeys but never left the city again.He died in 1324 and was buried in the church of San Lorenzo in Venice.

1.What is the correct order of what Marco Polo has done?

a.met Kublai Khan in Xanadu

b.sailed across the Mediterranean

c.sailed for Hormuz

d.left Venice for Asia

e.went to Hormuz by camel

f.employed as a government official in China

A.b-c-d-f-a-c

B.d-c-b-a-f-e

C.b-d-c-f-a-e

D.d-b-e-a-f-c

2.The last paragraph but one mainly tells us something about _____.

A.Marco’s life in Genoa

B.Marco’s book II Milione

C.Marco’s influence on Columbus

D.Marco’s safe return to Venice

3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A.Soon after his mother’s death, Marco was raised by his father.

B.Marco spent about six years on the way to China and back to Venice.

C.Marco died at the age of 70 in the church of San Lorenzo in Venice.

D.Marco was born into a very poor family but died in wealth.

4.The passage is most probably taken from _____.

A.a newspaper

B.a geography book

C.a history book

D.a traveler’s guide

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Friends in your life are like pillars on your porch.Sometimes they hold you up and sometimes they lean on you.Sometimes it's just enough to know they're standing by.Friendship doubles your joy and divides your grief.A friendship is priceless and should be cultivated.

●Remembering the golden rule

Without a doubt, the greatest human relations principle is to treat other people like you want to be treated.When you show respect for your friends and gratitude for their friendship, you'll be blessed in untold ways.

You can't know what has gone on in the rude person's life that day, but you can assume that his or her day hasn't gone well.Maybe a loved one lost his job, her boss reprimanded her unjustly, he's coming down with the flu, or she just found out that her teenager is taking drugs.

Whatever the cause of the rudeness, you don't have to accentuate(突出) the problem.A kind word or a gentle, understanding smile may help the person more than returned rudeness would.

● Considering foes as friends

A friend looks after your own good.On the other hand, a foe is someone who isn't interested in your well-being.

Yet some students view their teachers as enemies.However, a student's success in school partly depends on the teacher's effectiveness in the classroom.Instead of being an enemy, a teacher who corrects you and helps you to achieve can be the best friend you ever had.

This kind of thinking, along with a little attitude adjustment, helps you to convert foes to friends, and both of you are better off.

● Making friends by being an optimist

Do you enjoy being around a pessimist, someone who is generally described as being able to brighten up a room just by leaving it? The answer is obvious.Most people prefer to be around people who believe that tomorrow is going to be better than today, rather than people who believe that today is even worse than yesterday.

● Capturing the pleasing personality

How do you develop a pleasing personality? Here are some steps you can take:

Smile when you see someone.You don't have to give a wide grin — just a pleasant, friendly smile.

Speak in a pleasant, upbeat tone of voice.Talk to people as if they are good friends, even if they don't really fall into that category yet.

Take a course in public speaking.The ability to express yourself attracts favorable attention from many sources.

Develop a sense of humor.Pick up a couple of joke books.This makes you a little more outgoing and friendly.

● Don't criticize unjustly

Instead of being eager to dish out criticism all the time, take the humane and sensible approach.Look for the good in others.Encourage them.Build them up.

Most people seldom think through each situation completely and consider the other person's point of view.If you take the time and effort to do this, you'll end up befriending more people.

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