The Grand Canyon (峡谷) in Arizona extends four hundred fifty kilometers. The canyons look as if they formed as the earth split apart. They were actually cut by rivers.

Looking at the Grand Canyon is like looking back in time. Forty million years ago, the Colorado River began cutting through the area. At the same time, the surrounding land was pushed up by forces deep within the Earth. Rain, snow, ice, wind, and plant roots rubbed away at the top of the new canyon. Below, the flowing river continued to uncover more and more levels of ancient rock. Their appearance changes endlessly -- with the light, the time of year, and the weather.

The Grand Canyon has several weather environments. The top is often much different from the bottom. On some winter days, for example, you may find cold winds and snow at the top. But at the bottom, you may find warm winds and flowers.

The Grand Canyon is known as one of the seven wonders of the natural world. About five million people visit the canyon each year. Most visitors walk along paths part way down into the canyon. Some visitors ride mules to the bottom and back.

There are several other ways to visit the Grand Canyon. Hundreds of thousands of people see the canyon by air each year. They pay a helicopter or airplane pilot to fly them above and around the canyon.

About twenty thousand people a year see the Grand Canyon from the Colorado River itself. They ride boats over the rapid, rocky water. These trips last from one week to three weeks.

Visitors can see the Grand Canyon in still another way. A huge glass walkway, called the Skywalk, extends from the edge and is hanging above the bottom of the canyon.

Some people say the Skywalk is an engineering wonder. However, other people have criticized the Skywalk and future development. They say it harms a national treasure and reduces the enjoyment of nature in the Grand Canyon.

1. We can learn from the first paragraph ____________.

A. the Grand Canyon is the most beautiful place in America

B. the Grand Canyon is four hundred fifty kilometers long

C. the Grand Canyon used to be a dried river 

D. the Grand Canyon used to be a deep opening in the earth

2. According to the passage, people can visit the Grand Canyon in ______ ways.

A. 3                B. 4            C. 5           D. 6

3. We can learn that the author of the passage hold a(n) ______ attitude towards the Skywalk.

  A. positive       B. negative       C. objective      D. critical

4. All the following are true about the Grand Canyon EXCEPT ____________.

  A. The top of the Grand Canyon is always cold.

  B. The Grand Canyon displays different colors in different times.

  C. The Grand Canyon is as old as forty million years old.

  D. Every year more people see the Grand Canyon by air than by boat.

Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson, Arizona.

    He moved there a few years ago, and I was eager to see his new place and meet his friends.

    My earliest memories of my father are of a tall, handsome successful man devoted to his work and family, but uncomfortable with his children. As a child, I loved him; as a school girl and young adult I feared him and felt bitter about him. He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A's and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as "successful" as he was.

    Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard.

    On the first day of my visit, we went out with one of my father's friends for lunch at an outdoor cafe. We walked along that afternoon, did some shopping, ate on the street table, and laughed over my son's funny facial expressions. Gone was my father's critical (挑剔的) air and strict rules. Who was this person I knew as my father, who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around? What had held him back before?

    The next day my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood. Although our times together became easier over the years, I never felt closer to him at that moment After so many years, I'm at last seeing another side of my father. And in so doing. I'm delighted with my new friend. My dad, in his mew home in Arizona, is back to me from where he was.

Why did the author feel bitter about her father as a young adult?

    A. He was silent most of the time. B. He was too proud of himself..

    C. He did not love his children.. D. He expected too much of her.

When the author went out with her father on weekends, she would feel________.

    A. nervous                     B. sorry

    C. tired                       D. Strict and hare-working.

What does the author think of her father after her visit to Tucson?

    A. More critical.              B. More tallkative.

    C. Gentle and friendly.        D. Strict and hard-working.

The underlined words "my new friend" in the last paragraph refer to .

    A. the author's son                    B. the author's father

    C. the friend of the author's father   D. the café owner

 A reader from Brazil recently wrote to us asking for some advice. He’s planning a trip to the United States, and wanted to know about the best places to travel in America. Today, we are going to give you some information which may help you when choosing your destination.

    Each of the 50 states in America has interesting things to offer visitors, but some are more popular than others. Washington, D.C. is famous for its historical places, like the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. Visitors to Los Angeles, California can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame or shop the stores on Rodeo Drive where they may see a star or two. The Grand Canyon in Arizona appeals to hikers, climbers and nature lovers, as does Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

    TripAdvisor is a website where people can write reviews about their travel experiences. Every year, TripAdvisor makes a list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States. The results are based on the opinions of visitors to the website.

    Brooke Ferencsik of TripAdvisor said the top picks on the list were not surprising. And it’s no secret why New York City was named the number one destination.

    New York City is sometimes called “the city that never sleeps” because it can be very busy. It is an exciting place for many people because there is so much to do. But the city might be too busy for travelers looking for rest and calm. They might want something more like Myrtle Beach, in the state of South Carolina, which made it to number 21 on Trip Advisor’s list.

    “A lot of people come to Myrtle Beach for great weather, it’s a wonderful family vacation spot, the beaches - got the wonderful Atlantic beaches there - there’s a lot of family-friendly parks and water parks.”

    Many people take time off from their jobs in the summer to travel. Because there are many tourists visiting other places, June until August is known as “high season.” Traveling during the high season can be crowded. Hotels, restaurants, and transportation might also be very expensive.

    If you want to save money on a trip, it is a good idea to plan to leave before or after the summer months. These times are known as “shoulder seasons” for travel.

    “If you’re looking for value, try and think about traveling through the shoulder season if it’s possible - the shoulder season being the fall or the spring. The weather is still very good in some of these destinations, and you can get better prices.”

    America’s major cities are still the most popular destinations for visitors. Ferencsik says this is because of the good quality of services they provide tourists.

    “They do a great job of giving travelers what they want when they’re on vacation. I think they kind of cater to every type of traveler need. So whether you’re traveling alone, you’re traveling for business, you’re traveling with your family - whatever it is, those destinations are really tuned in to delivering amazing experiences and just a lot of different opportunities when you’re there.”

1.Lily has great interest in nature and American history. She can visit___________. 

A. The Grand Canyon and Rodeo Drive

B. California and Los Angeles

C. White House and Arizona

D. Washington, D.C and The Grand Canyon

2.Which of the following is NOT true about Myrtle Beach?

A. People can enjoy a wonderful holiday with their family there.

B. It’s a place where people can have rest and calm.

C. It’s on the list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States.

D. It’s in North Carolina with great weather that attracts tourists.

3.Why does the author suggest traveling through the shoulder seasons?

A. To enjoy good weather in spring and fall.

B. To have good quality of services.

C. To have better value of traveling .

D. To save money and energy.

4.The author write this passage to ___.

A. give some information about the top 25 cities to visit in USA.

B. talk about some American popular places and advice on traveling

C. advise tourists to visit big cities for their good service and opportunities.

D. give advice on saving money and time when traveling in America.

5.This passage may probably be taken from ____.

A. a travel journal B. a magazine

C. News Weekly D. a website

The Grand Canyon (峡谷) in Arizona extends four hundred fifty kilometers. The canyons look as if they formed as the earth split apart. They were actually cut by rivers.
Looking at the Grand Canyon is like looking back in time. Forty million years ago, the Colorado River began cutting through the area. At the same time, the surrounding land was pushed up by forces deep within the Earth. Rain, snow, ice, wind, and plant roots rubbed away at the top of the new canyon. Below, the flowing river continued to uncover more and more levels of ancient rock. Their appearance changes endlessly -- with the light, the time of year, and the weather.
The Grand Canyon has several weather environments. The top is often much different from the bottom. On some winter days, for example, you may find cold winds and snow at the top. But at the bottom, you may find warm winds and flowers.
The Grand Canyon is known as one of the seven wonders of the natural world. About five million people visit the canyon each year. Most visitors walk along paths part way down into the canyon. Some visitors ride mules to the bottom and back.
There are several other ways to visit the Grand Canyon. Hundreds of thousands of people see the canyon by air each year. They pay a helicopter or airplane pilot to fly them above and around the canyon.
About twenty thousand people a year see the Grand Canyon from the Colorado River itself. They ride boats over the rapid, rocky water. These trips last from one week to three weeks.
Visitors can see the Grand Canyon in still another way. A huge glass walkway, called the Skywalk, extends from the edge and is hanging above the bottom of the canyon.
Some people say the Skywalk is an engineering wonder. However, other people have criticized the Skywalk and future development. They say it harms a national treasure and reduces the enjoyment of nature in the Grand Canyon.
1. We can learn from the first paragraph ____________.
A. the Grand Canyon is the most beautiful place in America
B. the Grand Canyon is four hundred fifty kilometers long
C. the Grand Canyon used to be a dried river 
D. the Grand Canyon used to be a deep opening in the earth
2. According to the passage, people can visit the Grand Canyon in ______ ways.
A. 3                B. 4            C. 5           D. 6
3. We can learn that the author of the passage hold a(n) ______ attitude towards the Skywalk.
A. positive       B. negative       C. objective      D. critical
4. All the following are true about the Grand Canyon EXCEPT ____________.
A. The top of the Grand Canyon is always cold.
B. The Grand Canyon displays different colors in different times.
C. The Grand Canyon is as old as forty million years old.
D. Every year more people see the Grand Canyon by air than by boat.

.

In the 19th century, Americans from the eastern states moved out west to settle in the rich new lands along the Pacific Coast. The most difficult part of their trip was crossing “the Great American Desert” in the western part of the United States by horse and wagon.

The western desert can be very dangerous. There is little water and there are few trees. But the desert also has scenery of great beauty. Tall towers of red and yellow stone rise sharply from the flat, sandy valley floor. The scene has been photographed many times and appears in movies and on TV.

In Arizona, man-made dams across the Colorado River have made two large lakes in the middle of the dry desert country. At Lake Powell, the red stone arch of Rainbow Bridge rises high above the blue lake.

There are few roads. Many areas of Lake Powell’s shore can only be reached by boat or on foot. But hikers in this empty desert land sometimes find very old native American pictures, painted on the rocks.

In Death Valley, California, the summer temperature rises to 130°F—165°F. There is less than inches of rain each year. Death Valley is the lowest place in America---925 meters below sea level. In the 1800s, many travelers died when they tried to cross this waterless valley in the terrible heat.

Although the desert is dry and seems empty, there is plenty of life if you look closely. Snakes and rats have learned how to live in the desert heat. They live underground and come out at night, when it is cool. Plants such as cacti need very little water. When it does rain in the desert (sometimes only once or twice a year), plants grow quickly, and flowers open in a single day. For a short time, the desert is covered with brilliant (very bright) colors.

67．In the 19th century, Americans moved from east to west because they            .

A．enjoyed the trip                     B．wanted to make their home there

C．wanted to find new grassland there      D．had no water to drink

68．From this passage. we can conclude that         .

A．the western desert is a good place for people to live in

B．there is little water but there are many trees in the desert

C．the desert is dangerous but it is full of beauty

D．till now, people know little about the desert

69．In the 1800s, many travelers died in Death Valley because of            .

A．illness             B．high temperature

C．cold weather           D．poisonous water

70．In the desert, animals will die           .

A．if they move about                 B．if they can’t make holes underground

C．if they come out at night            D．if they drink much water