Planning a visit to the UK? Here we help with ways to cut your costs.
AVOID BIG EVENTS Big sporting events,concerts and exhibitions can increase the cost of accommodation and make it harder to find a room.A standard double room at the Thistle Brighton on the final Friday of the Brighton Comedy Festival (19 Oct.) cost£169.15 at Booking.com.A week later,the same room cost£118.15.
If you can be flexible and want to know dates to avoid-or you’re looking for a big event to pass your time-check out sites such as Whatsonwhen.com,which allow you to search for events in the UK by city,date and category.
STAY AWAY FROM THE STATION If traveling to your destination by train,you may want to find a good base close to the station,but you could end up paying more for the sake of convenience at the start of your holiday.
Don’t be too choosy about the part of town you stay in.Booking two months in advance,the cheapest room at Travelodge’s Central Euston hotel in London for Saturday 22 September was£95.95.A room just a tube journey away at its Covent Garden hotel was£75.75.And at Farringdon,a double room cost just£62.95.
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Really central hotels in cities such as London,Edinburgh and Cardiff can cost a fortune,especially at weekends and during big events.As an alternative consider checking into a selfcatering flat with its own kitchen.Often these flats are hidden away on the top floors of city centre buildings.A great example is the historic O’Neill Flat on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile,available for£420 for five days in late September,with room for four adults.
GET ON A BIKE London’s ‘Boris bikes’ have attracted the most attention,but other cities also have similar programmes that let you rent a bicycle and explore at your own pace,saving you on public transport or car parking costs.
Among the smaller cities with their own programmes are Newcastle (casual members pay around£1.50 for two hours) and Cardiff (free for up to 30 minutes,or£5 per day).
1.The Brighton Comedy Festival is mentioned mainly to show big events may________.
A.help travelers pass time
B.attract lots of travelers to the UK
C.allow travelers to make flexible plans
D.cause travelers to pay more for accommodation
2.“Farringdon”in Paragraph 5 is most probably________.
A.a hotel away from the train station
B.the tube line to Covent Garden
C.an ideal holiday destination
D.the name of a travel agency
3.The passage shows that the O’Neill Flat________.
A.lies on the ground floor
B.is located in central London
C.provides cooking facilities for tourists
D.costs over£100 on average per day in late September
4.Cardiff’s program allows a free bike for a maximum period of________.
A.half an hour
B.one hour
C.one hour and a half
D.two hours
5.The main purpose of the passage is________.
A.to tell visitors how to book in advance
B.to supply visitors with hotel information
C.to show visitors the importance of selfhelp
D.to offer visitors some moneysaving tips
China is a land of bicycles.At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country.Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle.Millions of them,all black.Cars were rare.Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year,I’ve found the opposite is true.There are millions of cars.However,people still use their bicycles to get around.For many,it’s the easiest and cheapest way to travel today.Bicycles also come in different colors-silver,green,red,blue,yellow,whatever you want.
It’s fun watching people biking.They rush quickly through crossroads,move skillfully through traffic,and ride even on sidewalks(人行道).Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can’t provide.
Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture,I decided to buy a bicycle.Great weather accompanied my great buy.I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home.
My first ride home was orderly (守秩序的).To be safe,I stayed with a“pack”of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times.I didn’t want to get hit.So I took the ride carefully.
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem.It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States.The streets here were wide,so crossing took time,skill and a little bit of luck.
I finally made it home.The feeling on the bicycle was amazing.The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful.I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people.Biking made me feel alive.
1.According to the author,why are bicycles still popular in China today?
A.Because they are traditional and safe.
B.Because they are convenient and inexpensive.
C.Because they are colorful and available.
D.Because they are fast and environment friendly.
2.The author decided to buy a bicycle because he intended ________.
A.to ride it for fun
B.to use it for transport
C.to experience local culture
D.to improve his riding skills
3.How did the author feel about his street crossing?
A.It was boring. B.It was difficult.
C.It was lively. D.It was wonderful.
4.Which of the following best describes the author’s biking experience?
A.The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills.
B.The author was annoyed by the air while riding.
C.The author was praised by the other bikers.
D.The author took great pleasure in biking.
Guest Services
Front Gate Guest Services can help you with anything from finding out what time your favourite show starts to purchasing tickets.The Guest Services location inside Front Gate also serves as a message centre,lost children’s area and lost and found.Canada’s Wonderland does not offer personalized public paging(传呼).
Food&Drink Options
Shops are located throughout Canada’s Wonderland.Picnic baskets and coolers are welcome at the shelter located outside Wonderland on the north side of our Front Gate.Outside food and drinks are not allowed in the Park.Bottled water may be brought into the Park.
ATMs
ATMs are located just inside the Park beside Stroller,Locker and Wheelchair Rentals at the Front Gate,as well as KidZville(beside Guest Services),Splash Works(two locations),and outside Thunder Run. Pet Care
A pet care facility is located outside our Front Gate on the south side for a daily fee.Water and airconditioned shelters are provided.Guests are asked to provide food and exercise.
First Aid
If you need medical assistance,tell any park employee who will call First Aid and have them come to your location. Stroller,Locker and Wheelchair Rentals
Stroller,locker and wheelchair rentals are available inside the Park at the Front Gate,beside Thrills Are Wonderland.
Smoking Policy
Smoking is not permitted while riding or standing in line for rides or in any of the children’s areas or the Water Park.Smoking is permitted in designated(指定的)areas only. Failure to observe all Park rules could result in being driven out of the Park without refund.
1.The leaflet is to inform visitors of the Park’s________.
A.advanced management
B.thrill performances
C.entertainment facilities
D.thoughtful services
2.A visitor to the Park can________.
A.rent a stroller outside Front Gate
B.ask for first aid by Thunder Run
C.smoke in the Water Park
D.leave his pet at KidZville
1.What is the colour of blood in a vein near the surface of the skin?
A.Blue. B.Light yellow.
C.Red. D.Dark reddish purple.
2.Why do some old people look a little shrunken as they age?
A.Because their spine is in active use.
B.Because they are more easily affected by gravity.
C.Because they keep growing backwards.
D.Because their spine becomes more bent.
3.Which of the following statements about our brain is true?
A.In the long run,our brain probably works harder than our heart.
B.When our brain senses the spinning,we will feel dizzy.
C.The brains of the other mammals are as complex as those of humans.
D.Our feelings and emotions come from the most developed area in our brain.
4.What is the main purpose of the selection?
A.To give advice on how to stay healthy.
B.To provide information about our body.
C.To challenge new findings in medical research.
D.To report the latest discoveries in medical science.
(2013·高考北京卷,D)People who multitask all the time may be the worst at doing two things at once,a new research suggests.The findings,based on performances and selfevaluations by about 275 college students,indicate that many people multitask not out of a desire to increase productivity,but because they are easily distracted (分心) and can’t focus on one activity.And “those people turn out to be the worst at handling different things,”said David Sanbonmatsu,a psychologist at the University of Utah.
Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues gave the students a set of tests and asked them to report how often they multitasked,how good they thought they were at it,and how sensationseeking (寻求刺激) or impulsive (冲动)they were.They then evaluated the participants’multitasking ability with a tricky mental task that required the students to do simple mathematical calculations while remembering a set of letters.
Not surprisingly,the scientists said,most people thought they were better than average at multitasking,and those who thought they were better at it were more likely to report using a cellphone while driving or viewing multiple kinds of media at once.But those who frequently deal with many things at the same time were found to perform the worst at the actual multitasking test.They also were more likely to admit to sensationseeking and impulsive behavior,which connects with how easily people get bored and distracted.
“People multitask not because it’s going to lead to greater productivity,but because they’re distractible,and they get sucked into things that are not as important,”Sanbonmatsu said.
Adam Gazzaley,a researcher at the University of California,San Francisco,who was not a member of the research group,said one limitation of the study was that it couldn’t find out whether people who start out less focused tend toward multitasking or whether people’s recognizing and understanding abilities change as a result of multitasking.
The findings do suggest,however,why the sensationseekers who multitask the most may enjoy risky distracted driving.“People who are multitasking are generally less sensitive to risky situations.”said Paul Atchley,another researcher not in the group.“This may partly explain why people go in for these situations even though they’re dangerous.”
1.The research led by Sanbonmatsu indicates that people who multitask________.
A.seek high productivity constantly
B.prefer handling different things when getting bored
C.are more focused when doing many things at a time
D.have the poorest results in doing various things at the same time
2.When Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues conducted their research,they________.
A.assessed the multitasking ability of the students
B.evaluated the academic achievements of the students
C.analyzed the effects of the participants’tricky mental
tasks
D.measured the changes of the students’understanding ability
3.According to Sanbonmatsu,people multitask because of their________.
A.limited power in calculation
B.interests in doing things differently
C.inability to concentrate on one task
D.impulsive desire to try new things
4.From the last paragraph,we can learn that multitaskers usually________.
A.drive very skillfully
B.go in for difficult tasks
C.fail to react quickly to potential dangers
D.refuse to explain the reasons for their behavior
LowCost Gifts for Mother’s Day
Gift No.1
Offer to be your mother’s health friend.Promise to be there for any and all doctor’s visits whether a disease or a regular medical checkup.Most mothers always say “no need,” but another set of eyes and ears is always a good idea at a doctor’s visit.The best part? This one is free.
Gift No.2
Help your mother organize all of her medical records,which include the test results and medical information.Put them all in one place.Be sure to make a list of all of her medicines and what times she takes them.“Having all this information in one place could end up saving your mother’s life,” Dr.Marie Savard said.
Gift No.3
Enough sleep is connected to general health conditions.“Buy your mother cotton sheets and comfortable pillows to encourage better sleep,”Savard said.“We know that good sleep is very important to our health.”
Gift No.4
Some gift companies such as Presents for Purpose allow you to pay it forward this Mother’s Day by picking gifts in which 10 percent of the price you pay goes to a charity (慈善机构).Gift givers can choose from a wide variety of useful but inexpensive things -many of which are“green”-and then choose a meaningful charity from a list.When your mother gets the gift,she will be told that she has helped the chosen charity.
1.What are you advised to do for your mother at doctor’s visits?
A.Take notes. B.Be with her.
C.Buy medicine. D.Give her gifts.
2.Where can you find a gift idea to improve your mother’s sleep?
A.In Gift No.1. B.In Gift No.2.
C.In Gift No.3. D.In Gift No.4.
3.Buying gifts from Presents for Purpose allows mothers to________.
A.enjoy good sleep B.be wellorganized
C.get extra support D.give others help