Anyone can book a trip, but not everyone can plan the best adventure that's affordable and fun. Here are tips that we'd like to share with you about hotels.
Check Distances on a Map
It's not uncommon for hotels to slightly exaggerate (夸大) their closeness to attractions around town. If being close to a particular airport is important for your trip, confirm distances on Google Maps before you book a hotel.
Be polite to the Staff
A little niceness goes a long way, especially with hotel staff that has to deal with difficult guests on a regular basis. When you check in, simply say hello to the cleaning staff when you pass them in the hall. This is not only common politeness, but it also increases your chances of getting perks (额外待遇) during your stay.
Skip the Package Deals
To appeal to new guests, some hotels will offer themed package deals (主题套餐) that sound exciting but may not be worth it. Sometimes these packages include things you don' t want or need and the special rate could be higher than the regular rate.
Ask about Parking
Especially when you stay in large cities, parking costs really add up. Look for hotels offering parking rates. If parking is expensive, apps like Best Parking can help you find nearby parking lots at cheaper rates if you don t mind walking a bit.
We hope that you can find the tips on this page. Please visit us again to keep getting the best deals and travel tips.
Joe Simpson and Simon Yates were the first people to climb the West Face of the Siula Grande in the Andes mountains. They reached the top 1 ， but on their way back conditions were very 2. Joe fell and broke his leg. They both knew that if Simon3alone，he would probably get back 4. But Simon decided to risk his5and try to lower Joe down the mountain on a rope.
As they 6down，the weather got worse. Then another 7occurred. They couldn't see or hear each other and，8 ， Simon lowered his friend over the edge of a precipice（峭壁）. It was9 for Joe to climb back or for Simon to pull him up. Joe's 10 was pulling Simon slowly towards the precipice.11 ， after more than an hour in the dark and the icy cold，Simon had to 12. In tears，he cut the rope. Joe 13 into a huge crevasse（裂缝） in the ice below. He had no food or water and he was in terrible pain. He couldn't walk，but he 14to get out of the crevasse and started to 15 towards their camp，nearly ten kilometers 16.
Simon had 17the camp at the foot of the mountain. He thought that Joe must be 18 ， but he didn't want to leave 19. Three days later，in the middle of the night，he heard Joe's voice. He couldn't 20 it. Joe was there，a few meters from their tent，still alive.
, educators should the problem that the healthy growth of children.
Uber
Uber is available in over 70 cities throughout 40 countries worldwide. You can either choose a typical Uber unmarked car or a regular taxi. The app can show you where drivers are, so you know how long you'll be waiting. You can also get fare quotes(报价)in advance. Your payment source is linked to the app and is automatically charged, so no physical money is ever needed.
Lyft
Lyft is a service that is also available in many large cities in the US. However, it offers something different, one of which is Lyft Line. With this service, you can find people that take the same route on a daily basis as you and split the fare with them. Lyft's regular service lets you easily see where rides are, catch one, and easily pay right within the app.
Easy Taxi
Easy Taxi is available in 86 cities across 26 countries and lets you quickly browse through maps and find locations you'd like to be picked up at. From there, just make sure there are taxis in your area. Confirm your ride and then pay for it within the Easy Taxi app. Once you book a ride, you should see the taxi's plate number and phone number appear on the map, making it easy for you to pick out both the car and the driver.
Curb
Curb, formerly Taxi Magic, is currently available in around 60 cities across the United States as well as select cities in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Mexico. It ties in with taxi companies and their drivers. As your taxi makes its way to your location, you'll be able to track its progress inside the app. You can link a payment account to Curb to pay your fare through the app. You can also pay in cash.
Travelers to the Arctic islands of Svalbard would find a rough, ice-hardened land, sheltering polar bears in its frozen landscapes. This group of Norwegian islands is the land of the "midnight sun" with almost 24 hours of sunlight during the winter months. It is also home to one of the most important storage facilities in world farming — the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
The seed vault was opened in 2008 in an effort to safeguard the world's food supply for future generations. Svalbard is the perfect frozen environment to house seed samples, set inside an Arctic mountain at 130 meters above sea level, so it is unlikely to be flooded. Low humidity, geological stability, and the surrounding permafrost can keep seed-keeping places cool, dry, and usable for centuries.
Seed gene banks from around the world have sent food crops seeds for safety in case a natural disaster or environmental damage destroys existing supplies. Worldwide there are more than 1.700 seed gene banks that store seeds locally and many choose to send back-up samples to facilities like the Svalbard's vault.
There is space in the global vault for 4.5 million different crop varieties with each variety storing on average 500 seeds, meaning it can house 2.5 billon seeds. There are around one million seed samples from 80 institutes in the vault at present so there is a lot of spare capacity for the vegetables, grains, peas and beans that are banked annually. On the top of that, there are rare flowers from the Myanmar rain forests.
The largest numbers of samples in the vault are varieties of rice and wheat. The seed vault has been listed as one of the most influential projects of the past 50 years for its efforts. Seeds themselves are not kept for farmers or gardeners to grow produce. Their true value is as a genetic resource in plant upbringing to create new crop varieties.
It seemed a small challenge compared to the one I was about to face, but things started to right from the beginning.
How to Love Your Parents
Even if you think that your parents are mean-spirited at times, loving your parents is a normal and fulfilling part of life. You love them for the fact that they created you, raised you, and are in part, a source of who you are.
Tell them you love them every morning. A gentle "good morning" and "I love you" will warm a coldest heart. Remember that they brought you into this world. Without your parents, we might still wander at an unknown corner in an unknown world.
Respect them more and cherish these moments. You can use these moments to learn from them, preparing yourself for when you're off on your own. It's OK to get angry but angry actions don't help you or your parents. Act calmly, cool off, write down your feelings, or talk to a friend.
Obey their requests. It will make your attitude better and earn you more respect from them. It may seem like you are going through hell when you don't get what you want or you have to clean. However, you had better remember they keep a roof over your head when it's cold, raining, snowing, or too hot. Understand that parents are human beings and make mistakes. Since you can forgive your friends, why not forgive your parents?
Keep company with them. Do things with your parents like watching TV, or go somewhere with them. Listen to their old stories and learn from them. You will find they are your teachers in this way or another.
Some people simply may not be able to love their parents. Seek help if you are being abused（虐待）in anyway．Parents do not have a right to harm you.
A. Parents will in turn express their love to you.
B. Forgiveness is the key.
C. Here are some ways to love your parents.
D. There can be realistic reasons for this, family violence for example.
E. Anyway, spend as much time with them as you can.
F. After that, share your feelings with your parents.
G. Please remember parents are as important as friends.
假设你是李华，你校近期举行了一次义卖活动 (A Charity Sale Activity) 。由于你是校英语报的记者。请写一篇短文报道此次活动。要点如下：
1. 活动的时间和地点；
2. 活动的经过；
3. 你的评价。
注意：
1. 词数 80 左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Charity Sale
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“You will never walk again. You will have to use a wheelchair. ” I heard his 36 fall heavily on my ears, numbing（使麻木）my soul. If I had never felt hopeless before, I felt hopeless then.
The car accident has left me unconscious. When 37 , I found both legs in casts（石膏）. While I had other serious injuries, my 38 were my first concern. Working as a special needs teacher and busy and active by nature, I couldn’t imagine being 39 in a wheelchair.
Lying in my bed, I wondered how I 40 give my ten-year-old son hope that mom would 41 __ . He’d been cheerful on every visit, but I saw 42 in his eyes. He needed the ray of hope that I would not be in a wheelchair forever.
Just maybe, I thought, I could use this experience to teach him what to do when misfortune 43 __ .
It didn’t take me long to become 44 with my limited movements and even with the pace the doctors were willing to go with me. I was determined to learn everything they showed me.
Every night in my private room, as soon as I knew I wouldn’t be 45 or discovered, I would move myself from the bed to the floor, 46 on to the bed rail（床栏杆）for dear life, and slowly putting my weight 47 my feet. After several weeks of such difficult 48 , my strength and confidence continued to 49 _ .
It came the time to share my accomplishments with the person most 50 to me. One night, when I heard my son greet the nurses at the station, I 51 myself up. As he opened the door, I took a few small steps. 52 , he could only watch as I turned and started back to bed. All of the pain, the fear, and the struggle 53 as I heard the words I had longed to hear, “Mommy, you can walk!”
I am now able to walk alone, sometimes using a stick. I am able to take public transportation to shop and visit friends. My life has been blessed with many 54 of which I am proud. But none has ever brought me the satisfaction and joy 55 by those four little words of my son.
36. A. report B. words C. explanations D. decision
37. A. awakened B. hit C. asked D. discovered
38. A. legs B. parents C. activities D. surroundings
39. A. placed B. caught C. stuck D. carried
40. A. might B. should C. could D. must
41. A. change B. succeed C. adjust D. recover
42. A. curiosity B. surprise C. fear D. puzzle
43. A. passes B. happens C. continues D. remains
44. A. familiar B. strict C. discouraged D. impatient
45. A. punished B. interrupted C. accepted D. protected
46. A. falling B. setting C. holding D. getting
47. A. in B. through C. at D. on
48. A. efforts B. lessons C. acts D. hours
49. A. appear B. survive C. build D. add
50. A. useful B. important C. popular D. pleasant
51. A. dragged B. dressed C. woke D. opened
52. A. Disappointed B. Embarrassed C. Frightened D. Shocked
53. A. faded B. spread C. backed D. sank
54. A. expectations B. challenges C. achievements D. supports
55. A. proved B. offered C. taught D. suggested
One third of the country covered with trees and the majority of the citizens_______
black people.
A. is; are B. is; is C. are; are D. are; is
Weighing too much can damage your health, and obesity is a growing problem for both kids and adults around the world.
Sleep might be one answer to the problem. A new study has found that elementary school students who slept too little were more likely to ___45___________ pounds. Past studies have shown a___46___________ between sleeping less and weighing more, but scientists have had a tough time determining “which came first, the chicken or the egg”.
In other words, it hasn’t been clear whether kids who weigh too much have___47___________ sleeping, or whether sleeping less leads to weight gain. Both scenarios (可能的情形) seem equally possible.
To get a better idea of which causes which, researchers interviewed the parents of 785 third graders from around the United States. The parents answered questions about how well their kids slept that year. Three years later, the parents answered the same questions.
By sixth grade, 18 percent of kids__48____________ in the study were obese. The scientists found no relationship between __49____________ and the students’ race or gender. It also didn’t__50____________ how strict their parents were. Obesity struck all of these groups___51___________.
Instead, sleep seemed to be the key__52____________. Over the 3 years of the study, the children averaged a healthy 9.5 hours of sleep a night. Some kids, __53____________, slept a lot more—or less—than others.
For the sixth graders, every hour of sleep above the 9.5-hour average was linked to a 20 percent lower ____54__________ of being obese. Sleep appeared doubly important for the third graders. Every extra hour of sleep they got was linked to a 40 percent drop in obesity by sixth grade.
45. A. lose B. reduce C. keep D. gain
46. A. link B. rule C. balance D. similarity
47. A. effect B. danger C. trouble D. experience
48. A. gone B. involved C. made D. interviewing
49. A. weight B. score C. sleep D. age
50. A. affect B. matter C. occur D. influence
51. A. suddenly B. fortunately C. equally D. unexpectedly
52. A. means B. symptom C. phenomenon D. factor
53. A. otherwise B. therefore C. however D. moreover
54. A. level B. risk C. problem D. standard
High Speed Learning Center
Express Your Opinion
The Letters to the Editor column in your local paper is a public place for expressing opinions on matters of interest to all citizens．In this course，you will learn how to express your opinions well and improve your chances of getting your letter published．
Fridays，8：45—10：00 p．m．
Write It Right
Writing a research paper involves more than gathering information．It is essential to organize your information，document your sources，and express your ideas clearly．This course is specifically designed for students preparing to enter college．
Tuesdays，3：30—5：00 p．m．
Fiction Workshop
This course is for writers who are currently working on a novel or short story．Class time will be spent reading and critiquing(评论)classmates’work．
Saturdays，9：30—11：30 a．m．
Report It
Have you always dreamed of being a journalist for a newspaper or magazine? This course will cover the basics of gathering news and turning it into interesting newspaper and magazine articles．
Wednesdays，1：00—3：00 p．m．
Writing to Sell
In this course，you will learn to write advertisements that will attract more customers to your products or business．Previous business writing experience is required．
Thursdays，9：30—11：30 a．m．
Retelling old Favorites
Do you remember the traditional fairy tales that you loved as a kid? In this course，you will rewrite some of your favorite old tales in new ways that will delight youngsters in your life．
Tuesdays，5：00—7：00 p．m．
The Art of Correspondence(通信)
Have you always wished you could write more elegantly? This course will help you develop your own style when writing letters of friendship，thanks，invitation，congratulations，and so on．
Mondays．5：00—7：00 p．m．
21．Expressing Your Opinion will help you_________．
A．get your views published B．become a local paper’s editor
C．write a letter in your own style D．attract the interest of most citizens
22．Those who are going to start university may choose_________．
A．Wring to Sell B．The Art of Correspondence
C．Express Your Opinion D．Write It Right
23．If you are interested in re-creating fairy tales，you may choose the class_______．
A．at 1：00—3：00p．m．on Wednesdays B．at 5：00—7：00 p．m．on Tuesdays
C．at 8：45—10：00 p．m．on Fridays D．at 9：30—11：30 a．m．on Thursdays
—It’s getting dark earlier than before, isn’t it?
—Yes. I think so. I see ____ is on already.
A．the street’s light B．the light of the street
C．the streets’ light D．the street light
If you are able to talk to a friend over the telephone, you feel that you are close __________ the actual distance is not shortened.
A. even if B. so long as C. if D. as
A few weeks ago, I was on vacation with my family in Malaysia. We visited lots of places. One of the hotels we stayed 76 was near a China Town.
Everything was cheap there 77 we did a lot of shopping. I was looking for a watch for myself and 78 for my girlfriend. There were many shops that were selling 79 same watch — but for different prices.
I finally found the best price, so I bought the watches while my sister and mom were buying other things from the shop. 80 it was time to pay, I realized I was 10 dollars short, so I suggested 81 (return) one of the watches. The 82 (own) of the shop asked why and I explained I didn’t have enough money with me. She smiled and said, “You can take it, but promise me you’ll pay tomorrow!”
So I asked her what time she 83 (be) there the next day and said, “Okay, I promise.”
Unfortunately we changed our hotel and the new one was much 84 (far) away from China Town, but I still walked all the way to her shop and gave her the money. She smiled and said, “You’re a good person.”
It’s so beautiful when people 85 you don’t know trust you.
