单选题 Pack your bags. Hold the mail. It's time to turn your dream vacation into a real trip. "I haven't seen a buyer's market like this in 25 years," says travel expert Peter Greenberg. "Everything is on sale. Even the high end of the market is quietly offering {{U}}add-ons{{/U}}: a free night here, a spa (水疗) pass there."
In a bad economy, this comes as good news for many. Whether you want to fly across the country or drive across the state line, here are places that offer plenty to do.
For anyone who can't bear to sit still, big cities are the best choice for weekend trips. Zero in on cities that attract business travelers during the week. The big-name hotels empty out on the weekends and will give tourists a better deal.
{{B}}Chicago, Illinois:{{/B}} One of America's best-looking city centers, especially in the spring and summer. Spend a sunny day in Millennium Park, or consider an evening at Grant Achatz's Alinea restaurant in Lincoln Park.
{{B}}Las Vegas, Nevada:{{/B}} It's never been so easy to score a deal on the Strip. Five-star hotels are marked down to three-star prices. Book a luxury suite (豪华套房) for $89 a night at {{U}}www.trumplasvegashotel.com{{/U}}.
{{B}}San Francisco, California:{{/B}} It's rare for a major city to have such an extraordinary physical setting—the views of the bay (海湾) from the hills and the Ferry Building Marketplace are striking. It's also a walkable city with great museums. You can visit the new California Academy of Sciences building in Golden Gate Park. Go early!
{{B}}Portland, Oregon:{{/B}} The International Rose Test Garden is the one place one never tires of visiting. It's green, friendly, and laid-back. There are over 10,000 rosebushes, and because it's a test garden, the public has never seen many of these 550 varieties. The Rose Festival is one of the biggest celebrations in the city and runs May 22 to June 14.

单选题 Why is it the best time for traveling now?

A. People have more free time.
B. Everything is at lower prices.
C. The weather is more pleasant.
D. Tourist sites are less crowded.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 推理题。题干意为“为什么现在是旅行的最佳时间?”根据本文第一段旅行专家彼特·格林伯格所说的话“25年以来，像这样的买方市场我从未见过。所有东西都打折，甚至是高端旅游市场也在悄悄地提供一些附加服务：这儿可能是免费住一晚上，那儿可能是一次免费的水疗。”可知，现在一切都很便宜，故B正确。

单选题 What does the word "add-ons" (Line 3, Para. 1) most probably mean?

A. Major sales.
B. Extra services.
C. Paid holidays.
D. Additional payments.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 推理题。题干意为“词汇‘add-ons’(第一段第三行)最有可能的意思是什么?”根据本文第一段的最后一句话“Even the high end of the market is quietly offering add-ons: a free night here, a spa (水疗) pass there.”可知，甚至是高端旅游市场也在悄悄地提供一些附加服务：这儿可能是免费住一晚上，那儿可能是一次免费的水疗。故B正确。

单选题 Why does the author suggest going to the big cities on weekends?

A. Big-name hotels are cheaper.
B. Parks are open free of charge.
C. The traffic is much less heavy.
D. There are no business travellers.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 推理题。题干意为“作者为什么建议去大城市过周末?”由第三段第二、三句“Zero in on cities that attract business travelers during the week. The big-name hotels empty out on the weekends and will give tourists a better deal.”可知，许多大名鼎鼎的酒店在工作日的时候的目标群体都是商务旅客。到了周末这些酒店的客人几乎都走空了，因此会给游客很大的折扣。故A正确。