Reading Comprehension

  Q  My husband and I would like to spend five or six days in the Maldives. Could you suggest some low-priced hotels? We'll be there in November.

  Jan Davies, email.

  A  Prices in the Maldives are high. The cheaper hotels (and there aren't many) mightn't be much to look at, with unpleasant rooms, iron roofs, old buildings, poor and rough vegetation and basic facilities, but they get their atmosphere from cheerful customers and an untidy, free island feel.

  Angaga (South Ari Atoll, phone 0011 960 450510), Asdu Sun Is-land (North Male Atoll, email info@asdu. com.mv) are both a bit like this.

  You'll be there in the low season (May to November), when it's still warm, but there's a greater likelihood of rain, so you should be able to get a double (standard) room with full board (three meals a day) fo $100 a night.

  However, pricing structures for the hotels are enormously complex for standard, superior and luxurious rooms.

  Q  My husband and I are from Australia. We are planning a four-week trip to London, Dublin and Paris in October and we are shocked by the cost of hotels. We have searched the Internet and hotel books given to us by tourist authorities but we can't find anything cheaper than $150 a night.

  Joan Maloney, email.

  A  For Australians travelling Europe, especially its capital cities, is expensive. You may have to increase your budget (预算). However, if you can't afford these costs, then you should consider staying in hotels where the cheapest twin rooms with shared hathroom cost about $20 a person in Dublin and Paris and $35 in London. The minimum you would pay for a double room in a central area is $50 a person in Dublin and Paris and $70 in London. These prices are for shared bathroom facilities, though you will get a wonderfully unhealthy cooked breakfast thrown in.

  Not all hotels are equal, of course, and it's a good idea to consult a guidebook with a good reputation.

1.The hotel Angaga in the Maldives

[  ]

A.attracts untidy people

B.has some basic facilities

C.has the best landscape

D.can be contacted by cmat

2.If you spend your holiday in the Maldives in February, ________.

[  ]

A.there is a greater likelihood of rain

B.the weather will probably be better than that of the low season

C.standard, superior and luxurious rooms are all available

D.a standard room with full board will cost less than $100 a night

3.What is the advice for the couple planning to visit Europe in October?

[  ]

A.They could live in hotel rooms of lower standard.

B.They should put up with the wonderfully unhealthy cooked break fast

C.They should buy a rcliable guidebook instend of increasing the budget

D.They should stay in hotels in a central area

“I Went Skydiving at 84!”
As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was almost unheard of a woman to do that. I got a taste of that dream in 2011,when my husband arranged for me me ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday. But the experience turned out to be very dull. Around that time ,I told my husband that I wanted to skydive. So when our retirement community(社区)announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream.
In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Brush Sr. did it at age 80. Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health. A year went by and I heard nothing. But then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners. I just couldn’t believe it.
One june 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I would land while I headed up in the airplane. My instructor, Jay, guided me through the experience. The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn’t frightened—I was really just looking forward to the experience. When we reachen 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out of the plane. When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe. For a second I thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” But then everything got calmer. We were in a free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute(降落伞), then we just floated downward fo zhout five minutes. Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I have ever felt—much better than the hot air ballon. I was just enjoying it.
Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life. I hope other people will look at me and realize that you don’t stop living just because you are 84 years old. If there’s something you want to experience, look into it. If it’s something that is possible, make it happen.
【小题1】
What happened to the auther in 2001?

A.She flew an airplane
B.She entered a competition
C.She went on a hot air balloon ride
D.She moved into a retirement community
【小题2】
The author mentioned George Bush Sr. in her essay to       .
A.build up her own reputation
B.show her admiration for him
C.compare their health conditon
D.make her argument persuasive
【小题3】
How did the authou feel immediately after she jumped out of the plane?
A.ExcitedB.ScaredC.NervousD.Regretful
【小题4】
What did the author enjoy most when she was skydiving?
A.The beautiful cloudsB.The wonderful view
C.The company of JayD.The one-minute free fall

The English translations of the names of traditional Chinese dishes on menus(菜单) across the country have caused public discussion about the precision(准确) of the translations.
Since more and more foreigners come to China every day, many restaurants around China are providing English translations of their menus. They want to make it easier for foreigners to order Chinese dishes when they travel. Some restaurants also hope that the translations will increase foreigners’ knowledge of Chinese cuisine(烹饪).
But an article in China Youth Daily says the English menu translations haven’t live up to public expectation(期望). It argues most of the English names of Chinese dishes lack the cultural meaning and attraction of the dishes they describe. Instead, the translations only provide a list of each dish’s ingredients(配方), the article notes. For example, one English name of a Chinese dish appears as “stir-fried mutton slice with Chinese onion and green scallion(葱爆羊肉)”.
Because the English translation focuses only on the ingredients, it fails to describe the dish’s rich cultural meaning and charm(魅力). The dish’s beautiful Chinese name, “Fo Tiao Qiang(佛跳墙)”, has a story behind it. Buddhist monks (和尚) are required to eat vegetables only , but they can’t resist(忍住)the delicious dish. So they jump over the temple walls to get a taste of the dish.
The article suggests that translators provide more beautiful translations of the names of Chinese dishes. It also notes a more vivid(生动的) English translation is very important to provide international visitors with a better understanding of Chinese cuisine.
【小题1】Why do many restaurants provide English translations of their menu ?

A.Because they want to show their ingredients in dishes.
B.Because the public expect them to do so.
C.Because Chinese dishes are popular.
D.Because it is convenient for foreigners to order food.
【小题2】According to China Youth Daily, what is the main problem of the English menu translation?
A.They are too long to remember.
B.Many of them are not correct.
C.They lack cultural meaning and attraction.
D.They are difficult to learn.
【小题3】What can we infer from the story of “Fo Tiao Qiang” dish?
A.Monks can jump high.
B.Monks lived a poor life.
C.Old China had little meat for people.
D.The dish attracted many people because it’s delicious.

 

   Why Melbourne? Having long lived in the shadow of Sydney, Melbourne has become a mecca(理想之地) for fashion and design and the cultural centre of Australia, with an enjoyable programme fo festivals.

______ The city centre’s grid(格子)system of streets conceals a maze of lanes and turn-of-the-century arcades where you will find the best cafes, bars and boutique shopping. The Hidden Secrets Tour(00 613 9329 9665, hiddensecretstours.com) guides will make sure you find what you’re after, whether it’s fashion, art and design or wine. From £34 per person.

Where to eat Melbourne is a paradise for gourmands(美食者), and its top chefs use fresh produce and have a talent for the experimental. But for comething differen, indulge your culinary senses with an Australian Wine Tour Company trip. Departing from the city centre daily, you’ll taste wines at four of the region’s best vineyards. It costs £48 per person, including all wine tasting, lunch and a visit to Domaine Chandon(00613 9419 4444, austwinetourco.com.au).

Where to stay The Nunery is an old convent(女修道院)on the edge of the city. It has double rooms with breakfast from £54 per night (00 613 9419 8637, nunnery.com.au).

How to get there Qantas (0846 7747 767. qantas.com.au) flies from Heathrow to Melbourne twice daily from £766 return, including taxes.

More information Contact the official tourism site for Melbourne at visitmelbourne.com/uk.

Use the links below for more on.

Destination guide: Melbourne.

Click here for our Melbourne page.

48 hours in Melbourne.

1.Which of the following can be a subtitle (副标题) for the second paragraph?

A.When to come.

B.How to book.

C.What to see.

D.What price to pay.

2.To get more information about Hidden Secrets Tour, you should call ______.

A.00 613 9329 9665 

B.00 613 9419 4444

C.00 613 9419 8637

D.0845 7747 767

3.If you are interested in tasting Australian wines, you have to pay      .

A.£34

B.£48

C.£54

D.£766

4.The passage is written to ______.

A.tell readers how to travel in Australia

B.inform readers about what to see in Melbourne

C.introduce the history and culture about Australia

D.offer tourists some information about Melbourne

 

   Why Melbourne? Having long lived in the shadow of Sydney, Melbourne has become a mecca(理想之地) for fashion and design and the cultural centre of Australia, with an enjoyable programme fo festivals.

______ The city centre’s grid(格子)system of streets conceals a maze of lanes and turn-of-the-century arcades where you will find the best cafes, bars and boutique shopping. The Hidden Secrets Tour(00 613 9329 9665, hiddensecretstours.com) guides will make sure you find what you’re after, whether it’s fashion, art and design or wine. From £34 per person.

Where to eat Melbourne is a paradise for gourmands(美食者), and its top chefs use fresh produce and have a talent for the experimental. But for comething differen, indulge your culinary senses with an Australian Wine Tour Company trip. Departing from the city centre daily, you’ll taste wines at four of the region’s best vineyards. It costs £48 per person, including all wine tasting, lunch and a visit to Domaine Chandon(00613 9419 4444, austwinetourco.com.au).

Where to stay The Nunery is an old convent(女修道院)on the edge of the city. It has double rooms with breakfast from £54 per night (00 613 9419 8637, nunnery.com.au).

How to get there Qantas (0846 7747 767. qantas.com.au) flies from Heathrow to Melbourne twice daily from £766 return, including taxes.

More information Contact the official tourism site for Melbourne at visitmelbourne.com/uk.

Use the links below for more on.

Destination guide: Melbourne.

Click here for our Melbourne page.

48 hours in Melbourne.

1.Which of the following can be a subtitle (副标题) for the second paragraph?

A.When to come. B.How to book.     C.What to see.       D.What price to pay.

2.To get more information about Hidden Secrets Tour, you should call ______.

A.00 613 9329 9665    B.00 613 9419 4444

C.00 613 9419 8637      D.0845 7747 767

3.If you are interested in tasting Australian wines, you have to pay      .

A.£34    B.£48   C.£54    D.£766

4.The passage is written to ______.

A.tell readers how to travel in Australia

B.inform readers about what to see in Melbourne

C.introduce the history and culture about Australia

D.offer tourists some information about Melbourne

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