C
There is a special kind of hotel in Quebec, Canada. It has a bar, a church, a shop and a small theater. These things are not unusual. But this hotel is only open from January till March every year. Why? Because it is made of ice and snow! When the weather gets warm, the hotel melts(融化) and closes. Every winter, the hotel owners build the hotel again.

Everything in the Ice Hotel is made of ice and snow. All the furniture, such as the tables and chairs, is made of ice. Even the beds are made of ice! So people use special sleeping bags on the ice beds. Inside the ice hotel, the temperature is about 27°F(-3°C)

When people sleep, the sleeping bags keep them warm. In the morning, they can have a hot breakfast. After breakfast, people can enjoy winter activities. They can go skiing or ice fishing. Or they can go skating in the dining room. At the end of the day, people can relax at the bar. They can have drinks in glasses made of ice.
 

Many people enjoy the Ice Hotel every year. But they can only enjoy it for a short time before it melts again.

49. Every year, this hotel is only open for  ___.

A. four weeks   B. about three months   C. two seasons   D. about a year

50. People can go ___ in the dining room after breakfast.

A. skiing.      B. skating         .   C. fishing       D. swimming

51. What's the best title of this passage?

A. An Unusual Hotel  B. A Warm Hotel  C. A Common Hotel   D An Old Hotel 

D
Hi Hongbo,
I’m so glad to read about the changes talking place in your city. It’s really good news that you can travel by subway in Xi’an, though there’s only one line there. Here in London we have twelve lines. By the way, we don’t use the word “subway” here. It’s American English. We call it “the Underground”, instead.

The London Underground is very famous. It’s famous for several reasons. First of all, part of the underground railway today is the oldest in the world, which opened in 1863. Secondly, the London Underground is also the first line to have electric trains, in 1890. Thirdly but not the last, the London Underground is the second largest metro system in the world, after the Shanghai Metro. There are 270 stations in the Underground and it has 402 kilometres of tracks(轨道). What’s more, the city of London itself helps make the transportation system famous! I’ve got a few photos to help you build a clear picture of the Underground in my city. They are together with this mail. 

In your email, you also said workers were building more lines. I’m sure your city is developing fast. Maybe you can send me a few photos of your city today. I really want to see the changes taking place there. I’m happy for you to live there in an ancient city with such a new look!

So much for now. I’ll write soon again. Best wishes! 

52. Where is the writer from？

A. From Xi’an.    B. From Shanghai    C. From London    D. From New York

53. The second paragraph mainly tells us ___ ?

A. when the first subway was opened in the world.

B. when the London Underground first used electric trains

C. why the London Underground is the oldest subway in the world.

D. why the London Underground is famous in the world

54. In the email, the words “subway”, “underground”, and “metro” mean         .

A. almost the same thing             B. two different things

C. three different things              D. nothing like each other 

55. What does the writer want Hongbo to do?

A. To buy a good book about Xi’an for him.

B. To post him some postcards of Xi’an.

C. To tell him more about Xi’an subway.

D. To send him a few photos of Xi’an.