A listener from Brazil recently wrote to us asking for some advice. He's planning a trip to the United States, and wanted to know about the best places to travel in America. Today, we tell about the most popular places to visit in the country, and hear about what makes them so appealing. Each of the 50 states in America has interesting things to offer visitors, but some are more popular than others. Washington, D.C. is famous for its historical places, like the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. Visitors to Los Angeles, California can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame or shop the stores on Rodeo Drive where they may see a star or two. The Grand Canyon in Arizona appeals to hikers, climbers and nature lovers, as does Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Trip Advisor is a website where people can write reviews about their travel experiences. There are also ratings for hotels, restaurants, and places people have visited around the world. Every year, Trip Advisor makes a list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States. The results are based on the opinions of visitors to the website. America's major cities are still the most popular destinations for visitors. This is probably because of the good quality of services they provide tourists. "They do a great job of giving travelers what they want when they're on vacation. I think they kind of cater to every type of traveler need. So whether you're traveling alone, you're traveling for business, you're traveling with your family - whatever it is, those destinations are really tuned in to delivering amazing experiences and just a lot of different opportunities when you're there." said Brooke Ferencsik, a tourist from Germany. According to Brooke Ferencsik,   _   make America's major cities the most popular destinations for visitors. A) city residents' kindness and care B) the good services C) great opportunities of jobs D) the varieties of cities
B


Education is another area where the presence of arts and crafts is more than welcome. If children realize the importance of art and creativity from a young age, they can grow up to be more confident, more creative, and definitely more mature. Schools are the breeding grounds for future painters and movie makers, and these arts should be encouraged wholesomely in such an environment. Sadly, many parents do not understand why art is important for children, and subconsciously force them to follow career paths that are common and conformist in nature. This is fair enough in its own way, because the world does need some standard blue collar and white collar jobs to continue its existence; but this is a choice that children should be allowed to make for themselves. The doors to creativity and expression must not be shut in their faces, even if it comes at a cost of making more money. To put it more scientifically, here are some benefits of kids' art activities that give a suitable answer to the question "Why is art important in schools?" 1.Exposure to art, music and drawings at an early age improves the amount of brain activity in children. 2.It increases the span of knowledge in the minds of children, thus making them sharper and more educated. 3.It builds up the levels of self-confidence, self-esteem , motivation, cooperation and communication in children. 4.It helps children understand other people's opinions and points of view as well. 5.It helps them sharpen their problem-solving skills, decision-making and gives them the possibility of really exploring their imaginations. The writer holds the view that   _  . A) schools should only bring up future painters and movie makers B) children grow up to be more confident and more creative in schools C) children should be encouraged to learn art to develop their creativity D) art activities can help children solve all the problems they meet with
C


Q: One day, a train was approaching the small town of Cheekyville. On the train was a young man with a big suitcase. He was called William Warbler, and he looked very common indeed. What made him most unusual, though, was the fact that whenever he needed to communicate he did it by singing opera  . It didn't matter to William whether it was simply a matter of answering a brief greeting, like "good day". He would clear his voice and respond, "Gooood dayyy to youuuuuuuu... toooooo!" No one could get a normal spoken word out of him and no one knew how he made his living. As he lived quite simply, always wearing his same old second-hand suit, people often looked down on him. William had been in Cheekyville for some years, when, one day, word spread round town like wildfire: William had played a role in a very important opera in the nation's capital. Everyone in the capital went to see it, and it was a great success. Everyone in Cheekyville felt it was a surprise. But something more surprising was, when William was being interviewed by reporters, he answered their questions by speaking rather than singing. And he did it with great manners, and with a clear and pleasant voice. From that day, William gave up singing at all hours. Now he did it only during his stage appearances and world tours. Some people suspected why he had changed, but others continued believing him to be somewhat mad. They wouldn't have thought so if they had seen what William kept in his big suitcase. It was a large stone, with a hand-carved   message on it. The message said: "Practice, my boy. Practice every second, for you never know when your chance will come." Little did people realize that he only got the role in the opera because the director had heard William singing while out buying a newspaper. According to the text, William   _  . A) had no idea whether he should continue doing something mad B) was nervous and didn't know how to sing when he was interviewed C) was selling newspapers when the opera director heard him singing D) practiced singing whenever possible before he became famous
A: D


*Question*
Every Wednesday, I go to Cantata Adult Life Services, a local retirement community in Brookfield, Illinois, US, with my classmates to do community service. After my very first visit to Cantata, my life changed forever. That may sound a bit dramatic, but volunteering with the elderly has changed my views on life. Our visits last about an hour, and we bring 25-30 students every time. We play board games and cards with the residents while we're there. You can watch all the movies and TV shows you want about "life back then", but nothing compares to talking to the people who were actually there. Just hearing their stories has touched me in a way I never thought possible. Whether it was talking to 98-year-old "Hurricane Hilda" about her glory days as a roller skater or chatting with Lou about the times she danced with a famous actor, I was completely attracted by every single memory the residents wanted to share with me. Even the residents who don't have amazing memories make the experience satisfying . I remember visiting Mrs Robinson. She couldn't recall much about her past, but she told me she'd never forget how kind I was just to listen to her "rambling  ". It made me realize that it's the little things that make life worth living. That's something I won't forget anytime soon. If there's one thing I've realized in my three years of visiting Cantata, it's that presence - just being there - means more than anything to many of the residents. And despite how busy our lives are, there's always time to make someone's day. For me, it feels great to be a source of happiness, a smile on a bad day or a listening ear for old memories. And at the end of the day, that's all that matters. It's easy to feel like you don't have anything in common with the elderly - especially when you're a teenager. But that's not true at all. I hate to be overly cliched   here, but age really is just a number. As young adults, it's important for us to realize this sooner rather than later. We can learn a lot from the elderly, and they can... What do the volunteers do according to the passage? A) They share everything with the residents. B) They play board games and cards with the residents. C) They watch the residents play games. D) They buy gifts for the residents.
**Answer**

B