St Paul’s Cathedral
Ludgate Hill, EC4
Underground: St Paul’s; Bus: 6,8,11,15,22,25
Open: Daily 8:00—19:00 (17:00 from Oct. to Mar.) . Entrance free
Designed by the great architect, Sir Christopher Wren, St Paul’s Cathedral was built following the Great Fire of London of 1666, which destroyed the gothic cathedral on the site at that time. It is crowned by a magnificent dome and its choir (唱诗班) is internationally famous. Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married here in 1981.
Buckingham Palace
South end of the Mall (SW1)
Underground: St. James’s Park, Victoria, Hyde Park Corner, Green Park; Bus: 2, 11, 14, 16, 19, 22, 24, 29, 30, 38, 52, 73, 74, 137
Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the monarch (君主) for much of the year. (When the monarch is in residence, a flag flies over the palace.) The Mall is a very impressive wide street, leading from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square.
Note: As the palace is the monarch’s official residence, it is not open to the public.
The Tower of London
Tower Hill, EC3
Underground: Tower Hill; Bus: 42, 78
Open: Mon—Sat.9
Parts of the Tower of London are over nine centuries old, as building began under William the Conqueror in 1078. Famous as a prison in the distant past, the Tower has also been a royal residence, a zoo and an observatory, among other things. It is now a museum and many thousands of people visit it every year in particular to see the Crown Jewels.
Westminster Abbey
Broad Sanctuary, SW1
Underground: Westminster, St James’s Park; Bus: 3, 11, 12, 24, 29, 39, 53, 59, 76, 77, 88, 109, 155, 168, 170, 172, 184, 503
Open: Daily 8:00—18:00 (Mar.—Dec, Tuesday till 20:00)
Entrance free
A Benedictine abbey which already existed on the site was rebuilt by Edward the Confessor and consecrated in 1065. On the way to its present form, the abbey was extended in the 13th—16th centuries, with the two west towers being added in the 18th. There are many famous tombs in the abbey, including that of the unknown Warrior and those of many poets and writers.
71. These texts are most probably taken from ______.
A. a history book about London
B. a guidebook for visitors to London
C. a book about London’s churches and cathedrals
D. a book describing London’s development
No.11 bus can take you to all three of these places:
A. St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London
B. St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace
C. St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace
D. Westminster Abbey the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace
73. You can see the inside of all the buildings except ______.
A. St Paul’s Cathedral B. The Tower of London
C. Westminster Abbey D. Buckingham Palace
74.If you travel by Underground, you can visit two places by getting off at one station. What are the two places?
A. Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey
B. Buckingham Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral
C. Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London
D. The Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral
75.Among these four famous buildings, _____ is (are) free of charge.
A. The Tower of London
B. Buckingham Palace
C. Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral
D. The Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral
We are the products of evolution,and not just evolution that occurred billions of years ago.As scientists look deeper into our genes(基因),they are finding examples of human evolution in just the past few thousand years. People in Ethiopian highlands have adapted to living at high altitudes. Cattle﹣raising people in East Africa and northern Europe have gained a mutation (突变)that helps them digest milk as adults.
On Thursday in an article published in Cell,a team of researchers reported a new kind of adaptation ﹣ not to air or to food,but to the ocean.A group of sea﹣dwelling people in Southeast Asia have evolved into better divers.The Bajau,as these people are known,number in the hundreds of thousands in Indonesia,Malaysia and the Philippines.They have traditionally lived on houseboats;in recent times,they've also built houses on stilts(支柱)in coastal waters."They are simply a stranger to the land," said Rodney C.Jubilado,a University of Hawaii researcher who studies the Bajau.
Dr.Jubilado first met the Bajau while growing up on Samal Island in the Philippines.They made a living as divers,spearfishing or harvesting shellfish. "We were so amazed that they could stay underwater much longer than us local islanders," Dr.Jubilado said."I could see them actually walking under the sea."
In 2015,Melissa Ilardo,then a graduate student in genetics at the University of Copenhagen,heard about the Bajau.She wondered if centuries of diving could have led to the evolution of physical characteristics that made the task easier for them."It seemed like the perfect chance for natural selection to act on a population," said Dr.Ilardo.She also said there were likely a number of other genes that help the Bajau dive.
(1)What does the author want to tell us by the examples in paragraph 1?
A. |
Environmental adaptation of cattle raisers. |
B. |
New knowledge of human evolution. |
C. |
Recent findings of human origin. |
D. |
Significance of food selection. |
(2)Where do the Bajau build their houses?
A. |
In valleys. |
B. |
Near rivers. |
C. |
On the beach. |
D. |
Off the coast. |
(3)Why was the young Jubilado astonished at the Bajau?
A. |
They could walk on stilts all day. |
B. |
They had a superb way of fishing. |
C. |
They could stay long underwater. |
D. |
They lived on both land and water. |
(4)What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. |
Bodies Remodeled for a Life at Sea |
B. |
Highlanders' Survival Skills |
C. |
Basic Methods of Genetic Research |
D. |
The World's Best Divers |
With the young unable to afford to leave home and the old at risk of isolation(孤独),more families are choosing to live together.
The doorway to peace and quiet,for Nick Bright at least,leads straight to his mother﹣in﹣law:she lives on the ground floor,while he lives upstairs with his wife and their two daughters.
Four years ago they all moved into a three﹣storey Victorian house in Bristol ﹣ one of a growing number of multigenerational families in the UK living together under the same roof.They share a front door and a washing machine,but Rita Whitehead has her own kitchen,bathroom,bedroom and living room on the ground floor.
"We floated the idea to my mum of sharing a house," says Kathryn Whitehead.Rita cuts in:"We spoke more with Nick because I think it's a big thing for Nick to live with his mother﹣in﹣law."
And what does Nick think? "From my standpoint,it all seems to work very well.Would I recommend it? Yes,I think I would."
It's hard to tell exactly how many people agree with him,but research indicates that the numbers have been rising for some time.Official reports suggest that the number of households with three generations living together had risen from 325,000 in 2001 to 419,000 in 2013.
Other varieties of multigenerational family are more common.Some people live with their elderly parents;many more adult children are returning to the family home,if they ever left.It is said that about 20% of 25﹣34﹣year﹣olds live with their parents,compared with 16% in 1991.The total number of all multigenerational households in Britain is thought to be about 1.8 million.
Stories like that are more common in parts of the world,where multigenerational living is more firmly rooted.In India,particularly outside cities,young women are expected to move in with their husband's family when they get married.
(1)Who mainly uses the ground floor in the Victorian house in Bristol?
A. |
Nick. |
B. |
Rita. |
C. |
Kathryn. |
D. |
The daughters. |
(2)What is Nick's attitude towards sharing the house with his mother﹣in﹣law?
A. |
Positive. |
B. |
Carefree. |
C. |
Tolerant. |
D. |
Unwilling. |
(3)What is the author's statement about multigenerational family based on?
A. |
Family traditions. |
B. |
Financial reports. |
C. |
Published statistics. |
D. |
Public opinions. |
(4)What is the text mainly about?
A. |
Lifestyles in different countries. |
B. |
Conflicts between generations. |
C. |
A housing problem in Britain. |
D. |
A rising trend of living in the UK. |
When "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was first shown to the public last month,a group of excited animal activists gathered on Hollywood Boulevard.But they weren't there to throw red paint on fur﹣coat﹣wearing film stars.Instead,one activist,dressed in a full﹣body monkey suit,had arrived with a sign praising the filmmakers:"Thanks for not using real apes(猿)!"
The creative team behind "Apes" used motion﹣capture(动作捕捉)technology to create digitalized animals,spending tens of millions of dollars on technology that records an actor's performance and later processes it with computer graphics to create a final image(图象).In this case,one of a realistic﹣looking ape.
Yet "Apes" is more exception than the rule.In fact,Hollywood has been hot on live animals lately.One nonprofit organization,which monitors the treatment of animals in filmed entertainment, is keeping tabs onmore than 2,000 productions this year.Already,a number of films,including "Water for Elephants," "The Hangover Part Ⅱ" and "Zookeeper," have drawn the anger of activists who say the creatures acting in them haven't been treated properly.
In some cases,it's not so much the treatment of the animals on set in the studio that has activists worried;it's the off﹣set training and living conditions that are raising concerns.And there are questions about the films made outside the States,which sometimes are not monitored as closely as productions filmed in the States.
(1)Why did the animal activists gather on Hollywood Boulevard?
A. |
To see famous film stars. |
B. |
To oppose wearing fur coats. |
C. |
To raise money for animal protection. |
D. |
To express thanks to some filmmakers. |
(2)What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?
A. |
The cost of making "Apes." |
B. |
The creation of digitalized apes. |
C. |
The publicity about "Apes." |
D. |
The performance of real apes. |
(3)What does the underlined phrase "keeping tabs on" in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. |
Listing completely. |
B. |
Directing professionally. |
C. |
Promoting successfully. |
D. |
Watching carefully. |
(4)What can we infer from the last paragraph about animal actors?
A. |
They may be badly treated. |
B. |
They should take further training. |
C. |
They could be traded illegally. |
D. |
They would lose popularity. |
Journey Back in Time with Scholars
Classical Provence(13 days)
Journey through the beautiful countryside of Provence,France,with Prof.Ori Z.Soltes.We will visit some of the best﹣preserved Roman monuments in the world.Our tour also includes a chance to walk in the footsteps of Van Gogh and Gauguin.Fields of flowers,tile﹣roofed(瓦屋顶)villages and tasty meals enrich this wonderful experience.
Southern Spain(15 days)
Spain has lovely white towns and the scent(芳香)of oranges,but it is also a treasury of ancient remains including the cities left by the Greeks,Romans and Arabs.As we travel south from Madrid with Prof.Ronald Messier to historic Toledo,Roman Merida and into Andalucia,we explore historical monuments and architecture.
China's Sacred Landscapes(21 days)
Discover the China of "past ages," its walled cities,temples and mountain scenery with Prof.Robert Thorp.Highlights(精彩之处)include China's most sacred peaks at Mount Tai and Hangzhou's rolling hills,waterways and peaceful temples.We will wander in traditional small towns and end our tour with an exceptional museum in Shanghai.
Tunisia(17 days)
Join Prof.Pedar Foss on our in﹣depth Tunisian tour.Tour highlights include the Roman city of Dougga,the underground Numidian capital at Bulla Regia,Roman Sbeitla and the remote areas around Tataouine and Matmata,unique for underground cities.Our journey takes us to picturesque Berber villages and lovely beaches.
(1)What can visitors see in both Classical Provence and Southern Spain?
A. |
Historical monuments. |
B. |
Fields of flowers. |
C. |
Van Gogh's paintings. |
D. |
Greek buildings. |
(2)Which country is Prof.Thorp most knowledgeable about?
A. |
France. |
B. |
Spain. |
C. |
China. |
D. |
Tunisia. |
(3)Which of the following highlights the Tunisian tour?
A. |
White towns. |
B. |
Underground cities. |
C. |
Tile﹣roofed villages. |
D. |
Rolling hills. |
I have a special place in my heart for libraries.I have for as long as I can remember.I was always an enthusiastic reader,sometimes reading up to three books a day as a child.Stories were like air to me and while other kids played ball or went to parties,I lived out adventures through the books I checked out from the library.
My first job was working at the Ukiah Library when I was 16 years old. It was a dream job and I did everything from shelving books to reading to the children for story time.
As I grew older and became a mother, the library took on a new place and an added meaningin my life. I had several children and books were our main source (来源) of entertainment. It was a big deal for us to load up and go to the local library, where my kids could pick out books to read or books they wanted me to read to them.
I always read, using different voices, as though I were acting out the stories with my voice and they loved it! It was a special time to bond with my children and it filled them with the wonderment of books.
Now,I see my children taking their children to the library and I love that the excitement of going to the library lives on from generation to generation.
As a novelist, I've found a new relationship with libraries. I encourage readers to go to their local library when they can't afford to purchase a book. I see libraries as a safe haven (避风港)for readers and writers, a bridge that helps put together a reader with a book. Libraries, in their own way, help fight book piracy (盗版行为)and I think all writers should support libraries in a significant way when they can. Encourage readers to use the library. Share library announcements on your social media. Frequent them and talk about them when you can.
(1)Which word best describes the author's relationship with books as a child?
A. |
Cooperative. |
B. |
Uneasy. |
C. |
Inseparable. |
D. |
Casual. |
(2)What does the underlined phrase "an added meaning" in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. |
Pleasure from working in the library. |
B. |
Joy of reading passed on in the family. |
C. |
Wonderment from acting out the stories. |
D. |
A closer bond developed with the readers. |
(3)What does the author call on other writers to do?
A. |
Sponsor book fairs. |
B. |
Write for social media. |
C. |
Support libraries. |
D. |
Purchase her novels. |
(4)Which can be a suitable title for the text?
A. |
Reading: A Source of Knowledge |
B. |
My Idea about Writing |
C. |
Library: A Haven for the Young |
D. |
My Love of the Library |