Villa Nicoletta, Genuine Relaxation

Somewhere in the world, there’s a place where stress isn’t allowed and peace and genuine relaxation are the only demands of the day. If you could go there, you would thoroughly enjoy yourself. There are not too many places in the world like this, but this is one of them. It’s luxurious. It’s ultra-private.

Welcome to Villa Nicoletta

Villa Nicoletta is a 4-bedroom luxury villa and an oasis(绿洲) of rest and rejuvenation（恢复活力）in a land of unspoiled peace. Located on a 70-foot cliff overlooking the north shore of the island of St. Thomas and the pretty waters of Caret Bay, Villa Nicoletta offers the finest accommodations in the Caribbean for those seeking a vacation of elegance, peace and privacy. You’ll see how the sun blankets the landscape and water in shimmering brilliance by day and how the sky twinkles like billions of bright diamonds at night.

Completed in 2000, the 3,300-square-foot Villa Nicoletta is fully equipped with state-of-the-art electronics.

When you book Villa Nicoletta, you shall book the entire villa.

Off Season: April 16 to December 14

★4 bedrooms — ＄5,700/week (8 people max)

Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people ＄200/night

Peak Season: December 15 to April 15

★4 bedrooms — ＄6,300/week (8 people max)

Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people ＄200/night

1.The villa can be rented to a maximum of _______ people at a time.

A．five              B．eight             C．thirteen           D．ten

2.If a family with 6 people spends a fortnight’s Christmas holiday in the villa, how much will they pay?

A．＄12,600.         B．＄15,400.         C．＄11,400.         D．＄13,200.

3.Villa Nicoletta is most likely to be popular with tourists who _______.

A．like adventure

B．want to escape the noisy life of the city

C．enjoy the winter sports

D．seek excitement in the sea

4.We can infer that _______.

A．you can share the villa with other tourists

B．the island of St. Thomas is famous for the ocean theme amusement park

C．fewer tourists stay in Villa Nicoletta in autumn than in spring

D．you can go in for extreme sports in Villa Nicoletta

Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.

Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.

There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.

Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.

1.Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?

2.What do we know about golf from the passage?

3.The author uses power walking as an example mainly because________.

4.The author writes the passage to ________.

Willa Nicoletta, Genuine relaxation

Somewhere in the world, there’s a place where stress isn’t allowed and peace and genuine relaxation are the only demands of the day．If you could go there, you would thoroughly enjoy yourself．There are not too many places in the world like this．．．but this is one of them．It’s luxurious．It’s ultra-private．

Welcome to Villa Nicoletta．

Villa Nicoletta is a 4 bedroom luxury villa and an oasis(绿洲) of rest and rejuvenation（恢复活力） in a land of unspoiled peace．Located on a 70-foot cliff overlooking the north shore of the Island of St．Thomas and the pretty waters of Caret Bay, Villa Nicoletta offers some the finest accommodations in the Caribbean for those seeking a vacation of elegance, peace and privacy．You’ll see how the sun blankets the landscape and water in shimmering brilliance by day and how the sky twinkles like billions of flawless diamonds at night．

Completed in 2000, the 3,300-square-foot  Villa Nicoletta is fully equipped with state-of-the-art electronics, including: 6 High Defintion flat-screen TVs all with 120-channel satellite television and four Dell computers with 19-inch flat-screen monitors, wireless broadband Internet and printer/scanner/fax capability. There are also 6 DVD players to go with the TVs, as well as CD players, radios and video games.

When you book Villa Nicoletta, you shall book the entire villa.

Off Season: April 16 to December 14

★4 bedrooms—$5700 /week (8 people max)

Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people $ 200/night

Peak Season: December 15 to April 15

★4 bedrooms—$6300/week(8 people max)

Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people $ 200/night

1.The villa can be rented to a maximum of           people at a time.

A．five              B．eight             C．thirteen           D．ten

2.If a family with 6 people spends a two-week Christmas holiday in the villa, how much will they pay?

A．$12,600.          B．$15,400.          C．$11,400.          D．$13,200.

3.Villa Nicoletta is most likely to be popular with tourists who     .

A．like adventure

B．want to escape the noisy life of the city

C．enjoy the winter sports

D．seek excitement in the sea

4.We can infer that        .

A．you have to share the villa with other tourists

B．the Island of St. Thomas is famous for the ocean theme amusement park

C．fewer tourists stay in Villa Nicoletta in autumn than in spring

D．you can go in for extreme sports in Villa Nicoletta

5.The underlined word “twinkles” here means       .

A．shines with a light                       B．falls like snow

C．burns with a spot                        D．cries in surprise

All the students in this school are required to____ at least two lectures on how to study every month.

A. attend      B. take park in      C. join in      D. go in for

If you are ever planning to buy a telescope and want to get yourself involved in astronomy it is always a good idea to know a bit of the sky.Get acquainted with a few constellations(星座) so that it will be easier for you to spot the constellations when you are using your telescope.

It’s a good idea to buy a few magazines on astronomy to help you to get familiar with the constellations in the sky and also read a few reviews on the different types of telescopes in the market.This will help you gather all the information that is out there regarding telescopes and what people have to say about them.

It’s advisable to go in for a pair of binoculars(双筒望远镜) before you buy your first telescope so that you can get used to spotting constellations before your view of the sky is narrowed down.This will also help you know if you really want to get involved in astronomy.Many people buy a costly telescope and then discover that they’re not actually interested in astronomy.

Experience has no substitute，and there certainly is nothing better than using different telescopes before you buy one.This will help you to get the feel of all the types of telescopes and you will know which one is easier for you to use.A large aperture(光圈) refractor(折射) may give you an excellent image but you may not be able to keep a steady hand while using it resulting in a blurry image.

There are three types of telescopes that are available in the market.If you want a more elegant looking telescope you can always choose to buy a fine brass telescope.It’s good to become acquainted with each type before going for the plunge of a first telescope.The first type of telescope is the refractor telescope，which uses lenses to gather light to a focus at the eye piece.The use of lenses helps the telescope have a superior image.A refracting telescope is not as portable as the other two types of telescopes and so you will have to buy one with a small aperture.

The second type of telescope is the Reflector.Made by Sir Isaac Newton，this telescope functions by focusing the light back at the front of the tube，which is where the eyepiece sits，by using parabolic(抛物线的) mirrors and another smaller mirror to deflect the light.There is no added color in the image caused by refraction of light since this telescope does not use lenses.These are the cheapest of all telescopes and are more portable than refractors.

1.According to the text，a telescope is intended to be bought for ________.

A．getting experience

B．watching stars

C．studying the climate

D．learning about a bit of the sky

2.What can we learn from Paragraph 2?

A．One must know something about astronomy and telescopes.

B．One can’t buy a telescope without buying several astronomy magazines.

C．One should check the telescopes in the market and try to find a better one.

D．One must be familiar with new information of astronomy and space instruments.

3.Why does the author advise buying a pair of binoculars first?

A．The telescope is too expensive.

B．The binoculars are easier to use.

C．You may gain plenty of experience in astronomy.

D．Your view will be narrow by using a pair of binoculars.

4.What do we know about the refracting telescope?

A．It looks very elegant.

B．It refracts light by an eye piece.

C．It has clear images without any lenses.

D．It is not convenient to take along for its size.