单选题 西湖三面环山，湖区内有大量的寺庙、古塔(pagoda)、园林和人造岛，它是中国同林设计师的重要灵感来源。

单选题 How Girls Can Win in Math and Science A. Math is a cumulative subject, unlike say history, which can be learned in discrete units. College algebra (代数) is basically a course in the language of mathematics. Some might say that algebra is the mechanics of mathematics. The examples included at this level are simple, designed to reinforce that the student has learned the 'how'. The next layer of courses teaches how to use this language, or this set of tools, to describe and model the real world. Being able to do this should leave no doubt in the student's mind that they are mathematically competent. B. For years, feminists have lamented (悲叹) the sorry state of girls in math and science, as they lag behind their male peers in test scores and shy away from careers in engineering and technology. Yet perhaps the most frustrating recent development on the topic is that some of the very programs designed to help girls get ahead may be holding them back or are simply misguided. Take single-sex math and science classes. While they seem like a logical way to give girls ajump-start in these subjects, new research suggests this initiative— championed over the past two decades as a possible solution—may backfire. C. In a study published last year, psychology Howard Glasser at Bryn Mawr College examined teacher-student interaction in sex-segregated science classes. As it turned out, teachers behaved differently toward boys and girls in a way that gave boys an advantage in scientific thinking. While boys were encouraged to engage in back and-forth questioning with the teacher andfellow students, girls had many fewer such experiences. Glasser suggests they didn't learn to argue in the same way as boys, and argument is the key to scientific thinking. Glasser pointsout that sex segregated classrooms can construct differences between the sexes by giving them unequal experiences. Unfortunately, such differences can impact kids' choices about future courses and careers. It's worth noting that the girls and boys in these science classes had similar grades, which masked the uneven dynamic. It was only when researchers reviewed videotapes of the lessons that they got a deeper analysis of what was actually going on, and what the kids were really learning. D. Glasser's research got a boost last September when the journal Science published a snatching (尖刻的) report on the larger issue of single-sex education, titled 'The Pseudoscience of Single-Sex Schooling'. In the article, eight leading psychologists and neuroscientists debunked (揭穿真相) research supporting single-sex education, and argued that sex segregation 'increases gender stereotyping and legitimizes institutional sexism'. E. Another misguided—or, mistimed—effort to improve girls' performance is the 'you can do it' messaging directed toward girls in middle school, the period when their scores start lagging. New research shows that even when preteen girls say they believe this message, 'stereotype threat'—when negative cultural stereotypes affect a group's behavior—has a dampening effect on their actual performance. F. In a 2009 study, psychologist Pascal Huguet of France's Aix-Marseille University found that middle-school girls scored highest on tests measuring visual-spatial abilities—which are key to success in engineering, chemistry, medicine, and architecture, fields that promise high-paying, prestigious jobs down the road—when they were led to believe that there were no gender differences on the tasks. Not surprisingly, when they were told that boys do better on these tasks, they did poorly. But curiously, when they were given no information, allowing cultural stereotypes to operate, they also did poorly. The stereotypes were already firmly established. The authors discovered: By middle school it's too little, too late. G. To disarm stereotypes, we must actively arm girls against them—starting at a very young age. By first or second grade, both girls andboyshave the notion that math is a 'boy thing'. But a 2011 study by psychologist Anthony Greenwald of the University of Washington found that there's a window of opportunity during these early years in which, while girls do see math largely as a male preserve, they haven't yet made the connection that 'because I am a girl, math is not for me'. During this short period, girls are relatively open to the idea that they can enjoy and do well at math. H. One strategy? Researchers suggest we take gender out of the equation in teaching about occupations. Rather than saying 'girls can be scientists', we should talk about what scientists do. For example, kids may be especially interested to know that scientists study how the world around them really works. Psychologists Rebecca Bigler of the University of Texas at Austin and Lynn Liben at Penn State say that when girls are encouraged to think this way, they're much more likely to retain what they're taught than they would be if they were just given the generic 'girls can do science' message. I. Finally, while women teachers can lead the way for girls in math and science, acting as role models, parents should be on the lookout for teachers' math anxiety. A 2010 study of first-and second-graders led by psychologist Sian L. Beilock at the University of Chicago found that girls may learn to fear math from their earliest instructors—and that female elementary-school teachers who lack confidence in their own math skills could be passing their anxiety along to their students. The more anxious teachers were about their own skills, the more likely their female students were to agree that 'boys are good at math and girls are good at reading'. And according to Beilock, elementary-education majors at the college level have the highest math anxiety level of any major, and may be unwittingly passing along a virus of underachievement to girls. J. Parents can 'vaccinate' girls against their teachers, math anxiety, according to new research. But there may be a silver lining to this story for parents. Even if your daughter has a teacher with high math anxiety, it's not inevitable that she's going to experience problems with math—it turns out that parents (or others) can 'vaccinate' girls against their teachers' qualms (不安). Beilock found that teachers' anxiety alone didn't do the damage. If girls already had a belief that 'girls aren't good at math', their achievement suffered. But the girls who didn't buy into that stereotype, who thought, of course I can be good at math, didn't tumble into an achievement gulf. K. Now that we have reason to believe that gender stereotyping starts much earlier than previously thought, we also need to accept that countering it requires more sophisticated approaches than those we now use. If girls continue to lag behind in math areas, our future economy and competitiveness could suffer. It's critical that we start our efforts in the primary grades and look beyond the obvious to succeed. If we look 'under the hood' at what's really going on with girls, instead of just skimming the surface, we can provide more than mere cosmetic solutions.

单选题 It's Time to Pay Attention to Sleep, the New Health Frontier A. Your doctor could soon be prescribing crucial sleep as treatment for everything from obesity to mental health as experts say carving out time for sleep is just as important as diet and exercise. B. After being diagnosed with brain and lung cancer in 2011, Lynn Mitchell, 68, was averaging about an hour of solid sleep a night. Stressed about her treatments, she was paying for it in hours of lost sleep. The brain cancer was already affecting her mobility—Mitchell was often dizzy and would lose her balance—but the lack of sleep was making things worse. Even walking became increasingly difficult. Exhausted in the mornings, she was practically incoherent. When her doctors recommended she see a sleep therapist, Mitchell was relieved at how benign it sounded in comparison to the chemotherapy (化疗) she had undergone, which had side effects like nausea and fatigue. C. For about nine weeks, Mitchell worked with the sleep therapist to adjust her sleep habits. She got under the covers only when she was extremely tired. She quit watching TV in bed. She stopped drinking caffeinated coffee in the evening. She also learned breathing exercises to relax and help her drift off. It was all quite simple and common sense, and, most importantly, noninvasive and didn't require popping any pills. D. 'It's common knowledge that sleep is needed for day-to-day function,' says Dr. David Rapoport, director of the Sleep Medicine Program at NYU School of Medicine. 'What isn't common knowledge is that it really matters—it's not just cosmetic.' Rapoport has long seen people seek sleep therapy because they're chronically tired or suffering from insomnia (失眠), but an increasing number of patients are being referred to his center for common diseases, disorders, and mental health. E. Researchers have known for some time that sleep is critical for weight maintenance and hormone balance. And too little sleep is linked to everything from diabetes to heart disease to depression. Recently, the research on sleep has been overwhelming, with mounting evidence that it plays a role in nearly every aspect of health. Beyond chronic illnesses, a child's behavioral problems at school could be rooted in mild sleep apnea (睡眠呼吸中止症). And studies have shown children with ADHD (注意力缺损多动障碍) are more likely to get insufficient sleep. A recent study published in the journal SLEEP found a link between older men with poor sleep quality and cognitive decline. Another study out this week shows sleep is essential in early childhood for development, learning, and the formation and retention of memories. Dr. Allan Rechtschaffen, a pioneer of sleep research at the University of Chicago, once said, 'If sleep does not serve an absolutely vital function, then it is the biggest mistake the evolutionary process ever made.' F. But to many of us, sleep is easily sacrificed, especially since lack of it isn't seen as life threatening. Over time, sleep deprivation can have serious consequences, but we mostly sacrifice a night of sleep here and there, and always say that we'll 'catch up'. Luckily, it is possible to make up for sleep debt (though it can take a very long time), but most Americans are still chronically sleep deprived. G. While diet and exercise have been a part of public health messaging for decades, doctors and health advocates are now beginning to argue that getting quality sleep may be just as important for overall health. 'Sleep is probably easier to change than diet or exercise,' says Dr. Michael Grandner, a sleep researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. 'It may also give you more of an immediate reward if it helps you get through your day.' And while there's more evidence linking diet and exercise as influential health factors, sleep is probably more important in terms of brain and hormonal function, Grandner says. 'Among a small group of sleep researchers, if it is always been said that eating, exercise, and sleep are the three pillars of health,' says Dr. Rapoport. H. In our increasingly professional and digital lives, where there are now more things than ever competing for the horns in our day, carving out time for sleep is not only increasingly difficult, but also more necessary. Using technology before bed stimulates us and interferes with our sleep, yet 95% of Americans use some type of electronics like a computer, TV, or cell phone at least a few nights a week within the hour before we go to bed, according to a 2011 National Sleep Foundation survey. 'Many doctors, lawyers, and executives stay up late and get up early and burn the candle at both ends,' says Dr. Richard Lang, chair of Preventative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. 'Making sure they pay attention to sleep in the same way they pay attention to diet and exercise is crucial.' I. To some, sleep has become a powerful medicine to mental health. Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, advocates that sleep is the secret to success, happiness, and peak performance. After passing out a few years ago from exhaustion and cracking a cheekbone (颧骨) against her desk, Huffington has become something of a sleep promoter. In a 2010 TED Women conference, Huffington said, 'The way to a more productive, more inspired, more joyful life is getting enough sleep.' Research linking high-quality sleep with better mental health is growing; a 2013 study found that treating depressed patients for insomnia can double their likelihood of overcoming the disorder. J. While 70% of physicians agree that inadequate sleep is a major health problem, only 43% counsel their patients on the benefits of adequate sleep. But there's growing pressure on primary care physicians to address, and even prescribe, sleep during routine check-ups. In a recent study published in the journal The Lancet Diabetes Endocrinology, the researchers concluded that health professionals should prescribe sleep to prevent and treat metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes. And overlooking sleep as a major health issue can also have deadly consequences. It was recently reported that the operator of the Metro-North train that derailed in New York last year, killing four people and injuring more than 70, had an undiagnosed case of sleep apnea. K. Sleep therapies can range from simply learning new lifestyle behaviors to promote sleep, to figuring out how to position oneself in bed. More drastic measures involve surgery to open up an airway passage for people suffering from disorders like sleep apnea. Sleeping pills can be prescribed too, to get much needed rest, but sleep therapists tend to favor other approaches because of possible dependencies developing. L. A large part of reaping the benefits of sleep is known when you're not getting the right amount. According to a 2013 Gallup survey, 40% of Americans get less than the recommended seven to eight hours a night. While the typical person still logs about 6-8 hours of sleep per night, that's a drop from the 7.9 Americans were getting in the 1940s. M. When it comes to adequate sleep, it's much more personalized than previously thought. Some people feel great on five hours of rest, while others need ten. The best way to determine if you're getting the right amount, doctors say, is to find out how many hours of sleep you need to be able to wake up without an alarm and feel rested, refreshed, and energetic throughout the day. N. Since reforming her sleep habits, Mitchell has been clocking up to seven hours of sleep a night for the past two months. 'I'm alert in the morning, my balance is better, and I feel peppier,' says Mitchell. Getting enough sleep has helped her better deal with her cancers, and its symptoms. The best news is that she recently found out that her brain tumor is shrinking, and there are fewer cancerous spots on her lungs.

单选题 Blood vessels running all through the lungs carry blood to each air sac (囊), or alveolus(肺泡), and then back again to the heart. Only the thin wall of the air sac and the thin wall of a capillary (毛细血管) are between the air and the blood. So oxygen easily diffuses from the air sacs through the walls into the blood, while carbon dioxide easily diffuses from the blood through the walls into the air sacs. When blood is sent to the lungs by the heart, it has come back from the cells in the rest of the body. So the blood that goes into the wall of an air sac contains much dissolved carbon dioxide but very little oxygen. At the same time, the air that goes into the air sac contains much oxygen but very little carbon dioxide. You have learned that dissolved materials always diffuse from where there is more of them to where there is less. Oxygen from the air dissolves in the moisture on the lining of the air sac and diffuses through the lining into the blood. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood into the air sac. The blood then flows from the lungs back to the heart, which sends it out to all other parts of the body. Soon after air goes into an air sac, it gives up some of its oxygen and takes in some carbon dioxide from the blood. To keep diffusion going as it should, this carbon dioxide must be gotten rid of. Breathing, which is caused by movements of the chest, forces the used air out of the air sacs in your lungs and brings in fresh air. The breathing muscles are controlled automatically so that you breathe at the proper rate to keep your air sacs supplied with fresh air. Ordinarily, you breathe about twenty-two times a minute. Of course, you breathe faster when you are exercising and slower when you are resting. Fresh air is brought into your lungs when you breathe in, or inhale(吸入), while used air is forced out of your lungs when you breathe out, or exhale. Some people think that all the oxygen is taken out of the air in the lungs and that what we breathe out is pure carbon dioxide. But these ideas are not correct. Air is a mixture of gases that is mostly nitrogen (氮). This gas is not used in the body. So the amount of nitrogen does not change as air is breathed in and out. But while air is in the lungs, it is changed in three ways: (1) About one-fifth of the oxygen in the air goes into the blood. (2) An almost equal amount of carbon dioxide comes out of the blood into the air. (3) Moisture from the linings of the air passages and air sacs evaporates until the air is almost saturated.

单选题 《红楼梦》(Dream of the Red Chamber)是中国四大名著之一，创作于18世纪中叶。全书共120回，前80回的作者是曹雪芹，后40回由高鹗完成。通过对贾氏封建大家族(feudal clan)生活的生动描述，《红楼梦》展示了清朝封建社会的兴衰。这本带有半自传体性质的小说也反映了曹雪芹家族的命运。《红楼梦》卓越的艺术成就在于生动的人物刻画(characterization)和细腻的心理描写。这是一部优秀的文学巨著，具有很高的文学价值，被认为是中国古典小说的巅峰(pinnacle)之作。

单选题 How many really suffer as a result of labor market problems? This is one of the most critical yet contentious social policy questions. In many ways, our social statistics exaggerate the degree of hardship. Unemployment does not have the same dire consequences today as it did in the 1930s, when most of the unemployed were primary bread winners, when income and earnings were usually much closer to the margin of subsistence, and when there were no countervailing social programs for those failing in the labor market. Increasing affluence, the rise of families with more than one wage earner, the growing predominance of secondary earners among the unemployed, and improved social welfare protection have unquestionably mitigated the consequences of joblessness. Earnings and income data also overstate the dimensions of hardship. Among the millions with hourly earnings at or below the minimum wage level, the over-whelming majority are from multiple-earner, relatively affluent families. Most of those counted by the poverty statistics are elderly or handicapped or have family responsibilities which keep them out of the labor force, so the poverty statistics are by no means an accurate indicator of labor market pathologies. Yet there are also many ways our social statistics underestimate the degree of labor-market-related hardship. The unemployment counts exclude the millions of fully employed workers whose wages are so low that their families remain in poverty. Low wages and repeated or prolonged unemployment frequently interact to undermine the capacity for self-support. Since the number experiencing joblessness at some time during the year is several times the number unemployed in any month, those who suffer as a result of forced idleness can equal or exceed average annual unemployment, even though only a minority of the jobless in any month really suffer. For every person counted in the monthly unemployment tallies, there is another working part-time because of the inability to find full-time work, or else outside the labor force but wanting a job. Finally, income transfers in our country have always focused on the elderly, disabled, and dependent, neglecting the needs of the working poor, so that the dramatic expansion of cash and inkind transfers does not necessarily mean that those failing in the labor market are adequately protected. As a result of such contradictory evidence, it is uncertain whether those suffering seriously as a result of thousands or the tens of millions, and, hence, whether high levels of joblessness can be tolerated or must be countered by job creation and economic stimulus. There is only one area of agreement in this debate—that the existing poverty, employment, and earnings statistics are inadequate for one their primary applications, measuring the consequences of labor market problems.

单选题 At the base of a mountain in Tanzania's Gregory Rift, Lake Natron burns bright red, surrounded by the remains of animals that were unfortunate enough to fall into the salty water. Bats, swallows and more are chemically preserved in the pose in which they perished, sealed in the deposits of sodium carbonate in the water. The lake's landscape is bizarre and deadly—and made even more so by the fact that it's the place where nearly 75 percent of the world's flamingos (火烈鸟) are born. The water is so corrosive that it can burn the skin and eyes of unadapted animals. Flamingos, however, are the only species that actually makes life in the midst of all that death. Once every three or four years, when conditions are right, the lake is covered with the pink birds as they stop flight to breed. Three-quarters of the world's flamingos fly over from other salt lakes in the Rift Valley and nest on salt-crystal islands that appear when the water is at a specific level—too high and the birds can't build their nests, too low and predators can move briskly across the lake bed and attack. When the water hits the fight level, the baby birds are kept safe from predators by a corrosive ditch. 'Flamingos have evolved very leathery skin on their legs so they can tolerate the salt water,' says David Harper, a professor at the University of Leicester. 'Humans cannot, and would die if their legs were exposed for any length of time.' So far this year, water levels have been too high for the flamingos to nest. Some fish, too, have had limited success vacationing at the lake as less salty lagoons (泻湖) form on the outer edges from hot springs flowing into Lake Natron. Three species of tilapia (罗非鱼) thrive there part-time. 'Fish have a refuge in the streams and can expand into the lagoons when the lake is low and the lagoons are separate,' Harper said. 'All the lagoons join when the lake is high and fish must retreat to their stream refuges or die.' Otherwise, no fish are able to survive in the naturally toxic lake. This unique ecosystem may soon be under pressure. The Tanzanian government has once again started mining the lake for soda ash, used for making chemicals, glass and detergents. Although the planned operation will be located more than 40miles away, drawing the soda ash in through pipelines, conservationists worry it could still upset the natural water cycle and breeding grounds. For now, though, life prevails—even in a lake that kills almost everything it touches.

单选题 Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the remark 'The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves.' You can cite examples to illustrate your point. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.

单选题 Exciting new research indicates that growing older might not necessarily mean growing mentally slower. New studies are providing breakthroughs in our understanding of how aging affects memory, language, and other cognitive functions. This information could provide tools for lessening or even averting some loss in brain functioning often associated with old age. If science can help older citizens retain their mental abilities longer, then the whole nation would benefit. That's why it is so important for research on the aging mind to flourish. The government should make studying neural health, the role of life experiences in shaping the brain, and the structure of the aging mind—key priorities in these years. And the National Institute on Aging should undertake major research initiatives in these areas to expand the scientific basis for understanding and promoting healthy mental aging. Revolutionary advances in neuron-science, behavioral science, and the science of learning have opened the door for the development of new techniques and technologies that can preserve mental sharpness in older people. These might be as novel as transplanting genetically engineered cells to replace disfunctional neurons or as familiar as engaging in stimulating intellectual and physical activities. As many jokes about losing brain cells illustrate, it has long been thought that age-related decline in cognitive abilities is a result of diminishing neurons and synapses. But scientists have discovered that as people grow old, a drop in certain mental abilities may have more to do with changes in the health of the nervous system. For example, the mild loss of memory that is often associated with growing old may be linked to biochemical shifts in neurons rather than to actual loss of brain cells. Research aiming at identifying the mechanisms that maintain or impair neural health is critical for advancing our knowledge of aging. In addition, exciting studies under way around the country are exploring the degree to which older people can benefit from certain kinds of mental practice. We are only beginning to understand the pliability of cognitive functioning in people who are already old, but the promise of finding ways to maintain abilities is very real. For example, studies indicate that our life experiences can bring about lasting changes in our brains that shape how we age. Aging people with college or postgraduate degrees, for instance, generally have better cognitive functioning, such as language and reasoning than those with less education. And better-educated people who reach their 80s—when much of the decline in brain functioning typically occurs—experience far fewer cognitive problems than their less-educated peers. Scientists believe that formal education and professional training lead to more dense and complex associations among neurons that maintain functions even when those associations weaken.

单选题 Questions24-26 are based on the recording you have just heard.

单选题 The planet's wild creatures face a new threat—from yuppies (雅皮士), empty nesters and one parent families. Biologists studying the pressure on the planet's dwindling biodiversity today report on a new reason for alarm. Although the rate of growth in the human population is decreasing, the number of individual households is exploding. Even where populations have actually dwindled in some regions of New Zealand, for instance—the numbers of individual households has increased, because of divorce, career choice, smaller families and longer lifespan. Jianguo Liu of Michigan State University and colleagues from Stanford University in California report in Nature, in a paper published online in advance, that a greater number of individual households, each containing on average fewer people, meant more pressure on natural resources. Towns and cities began to sprawl as new homes were built. Each household needed fuel to heat and light it; each household required its own plumbing, cooking and refrigeration. 'In larger households, the efficiency of resource consumption will be a lot higher, because more people share things,' Dr Liu said. He and his colleagues looked at the population patterns of life in 141 countries, including 76 'hotspot' regions unusually rich in a variety of local wildlife. These hotspots included Australia, New Zealand, the US, Brazil, China, India, Kenya, and Italy. They found that between 1985 and 2000 in the 'hotspot' parts of the globe, the annual 3.1% growth rate in the number of households was far higher than the population growth rate of 1.8%. 'Had the average household size remained at the 1985 level,' the scientists report, 'there would have been 155 million fewer households in hotspot countries in 2000. Dr Liu's work grew from the alarming discovery that the giant pandas living in China's Wolong reserve are more at risk now than they were when the reserve was first established. The local population had grown, but the total number of homes had increased more swiftly, to make greater inroads into the bamboo forests. Only around 1.75 million species on the planet have been named and described. Biologists estimate that there could be 7 million, or even 17 million, as yet to be identified. But human numbers have grown more than sixfold in the past 200 years, and humans and their livestock are now the greatest single consumer group on the planet. The world population will continue to soar, perhaps leveling off around 9 billion in the next century. Environmental campaigners have claimed that between a quarter and a half of all the species on earth could become extinct in the next century.

单选题 Zandra Johnson is a living proof that it is never too late to start your own business. After nearly 40 years of being a housewife, she launched her business at the age of 64. She designs made-to-order children's furniture which all come with an individual story book. The products are manufactured in Poland. She says she was not forced into self-employment financially—she simply wanted to unleash her creative side. 'I suppose it was all the ideas I had, they were so different and there were so many of them,' she said. 'I did a lot of market research and the response I got was, 'Yes that's great, we'd sell that.' So I progressed from there.' She launched Fairytale Furniture at the onset of the economic crisis and has survived the downturn. Now in its sixth year of trading, she hopes to finally turn a profit. Zandra is already exporting to South Africa, Dubai and Singapore and has her eye on cracking the US market. She buys in expertise, when needed, including a marketing expert and an export adviser. She loves the flexibility of being self-employed. 'I can work at midnight if I want to, I can take a longer lunch if I want to—especially when the weather is good—and I can make the time up later. I just love it, I love all of it. It's fun.' Self-employment is one of the biggest stories of the recovery. One in seven workers in the UK are now working for themselves. The latest jobs figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that there are now 4.54 million self-employed people. That is about 8% higher than a year ago. In fact, there are now 780,000 more people in employment than there were this time last year, and 40% of those are self-employed. Over the longer term, the biggest rise in self-employment has been seen in the number of older workers. According to the ONS, self-employment among the over-50s is up 36% on 10 years ago. The independent think tank the Resolution Foundation believes the main reason for this is the fact that self-employment seems to be growing as an alternative to retirement. Through analysis of data from the ONS, the Resolution Foundation also found that more than half of self-employed people aged 60 or over now work part-time, that is up from 46% in 2005. In other words, self-employment is increasingly an option that allows older people to keep earning but by working less.

单选题 This year, more than 43 million people are expected to visit Disney's theme park complexes in California, Florida, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo. But visiting can require a huge commitment. A one-day admission to Anaheim, California's famed Disneyland in June, for instance, starts at $87 for those aged 10 and older. To get your money's worth, it pays to check out independent Disney trip-planning websites in advance. They have excellent track records for keeping their detailed trip-planning resources up to date, and are not affiliated with the Disney brand, enabling them to provide unbiased recommendations for saving money at the various parks. Some of the sites also dispense advice on how to avoid long queues, find lodging and otherwise make the most of your visit. Undercover Tourist is a website run since 2000 by an authorized Orlando broker where tickets to Florida's Walt Disney World are usually less expensive than tickets sold at the park gate; a recent five-day pass purchased through Undercover Tourist was 11% cheaper. The site anticipates that Walt Disney World will hike single-day admission prices this year—the park traditionally makes these announcements every June and has been averaging 6% hikes in recent years—but notes that tickets booked at current prices will remain valid, so you can buy tickets now, and use them after the price hike. The site also sells competitively-priced lodging and discount tickets to other Orlando-area attractions, such as SeaWorld or Universal Studios. As a bonus, the website's free apps for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry list real-time wait times at all the rides in the park. Mousesavers specializes in publishing deals and promotions offered by Disney and related companies, such as 15% discounts off park hotel stays. The 12-year-old site mainly publishes deals for Disney's US parks, though non-US residents can take advantage of most of the offers and the site does have trip-planning information for the non-US locations. Especially useful is Mousesavers' frequently asked questions sections for the California and Florida parks. For example, the site explains that some non-Disney affiliated hotels near Disneyland and Walt Disney World pay for the fight to advertise themselves as official Disney's 'Good Neighbor' hotels. But according to Mousesavers, these hotels aren't consistently better in quality, price or upkeep than other properties in the area and the label shouldn't be used as a factor when picking a place to stay. Theme Park Insider, founded in 1999, its coverage of global Disney parks is incredibly authoritative. In a May blog post, it pointed out that Disneyland is heavily patronized by locals—hundreds of thousands of whom hold annual passes. So the site recommends you visit on dates when those annual passes aren't valid, such as on Saturdays in June and July.