Top tips for a Taiwan trip
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Read the following story by Pornchai Sereemongkonpol from the Bangkok Post’s Guru Magazine. Then, answer the questions that follow.
A cool fact about Taipei, Taiwan's capital, is that part of the Yangmingshan National Park is in the city. For a Bangkokian who lives in a concrete jungle, you wouldn't expect a national park within the capital or even a city, would you?
Within the national park, there are various landscapes worthy of visiting from waterfalls to mountain peaks.
Min Yang Pu Leisure Farm
For TW$150 per person, about B160, you can enjoy all the flowers that the cosy farm has to offer, take plenty of photos and later redeem the entry fee for a cup of coffee or a bouquet of flowers.
Next to the farm are vast green fields and a lush mountain range hidden by the fog. There are several good photo-taking spots within the farm such as a cute pink car with balloons, a big swing and a pond with stepping stones in the shape of leaves.
After appreciating the different colours of the flowers and taking plenty of photos, sip a hot coffee as you enjoy the chilly weather.
Lion's Head Mountain Park Trail
If you want some steps for your pedometer, head to Lion's Head Mountain Park Trail, which is near the northernmost tip of Taiwan and a 13-minute drive from Yangmingshan National Park.
The trail features several scenic spots and a pavilion that overlooks the Twin Candlesticks rock formation, which stands in the ocean below. If you stick to the shortest route, it'll be a little more than 1.3km.
The main path I took has only gentle slopes along the way, as the park is about 70m above sea level. Towering trees line the path with a few spots to take in the view. The last scenic spot before you reach the pavilion offers an expansive view of the of the sea, a fishing harbour, Huang River and Mount Qixing on the horizon.
Huanggang Community Public Hot Springs Center
After an active day, you may want to relax in the warmth of natural spring water. The Huanggang Community Public Hot Springs Center in Jishan isn't far from the trail, about a five-minute ride away.
What makes this hot spring stand out is its high iron content, which turns the water brownish or gold. You can soak your legs and feet for free in the three outdoor ponds of varying hotness. A few locals laid on towels next to these ponds, to absorb the supposed health benefits, which include joint improvement and rash relief.
Section 1: Write the correct answer in the space provided.
1. A family ticket to the Leisure Farm costs around B160. True or false? …………….
2. What was the weather like at the farm? …………….
3. How far is the national park from the mountain park trail? …………….
4. Which mountain can be seen from the mountain park trail? …………….
5. The hot springs are far from the trail. True or false?…………..
6. What turns spring water gold? …………….
Section 2: Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
Taiwan …7… for its many natural springs …8… its compact size, warranting a Wikipedia entry of …9… own on this hot topic. Soaking in hot springs, like a Japanese onsen, …10… popular during Japan's 50-year colonial rule.
7. __A. has known __B. is known __C. has been knowing
8. __A. however __B. despite __C. especially
9. __A. its __B. it’s __C. it is
10. __A. become __B. becomes __C. became
Section 3: Find words that match the following definitions.
11. a tropical forest in which trees and plants grow very closely together ……………
12. a device that counts each step a person takes ……………
13. covering a wide area ……………
14. removal of pain …………
