Welcome to this Website on the British Isles. Over the coming months it will be expanded to allow you to find information on all aspects of life in the British Isles. The British Isles is visited by millions of people each year, many returning time and again.
Wales: Wales is full of fascinating places to visit and stay. The castles of Beaumaris, Conwy, Harlech and Caernarfon are officially listed as world heritage sites and provide an insight into the troubled past of this great land. The national park of Snowdonia is stunning and provides walkers and climbers with many opportunities to challenge their limits. South Wales also has interesting places to visit: Pembrokeshire is especially inviting for tourists.
England: We all know about the attractions lf London but England has a lot more to offer outside of the city. The “English Riviers”, Torquay, is blessed with good weather and is a major tourist attraction. This is a great place to stay and explore the local seaside resorts.
Windsor castle is a great place to visit and the town and surrounding areas are beautiful. Warwick castle in the centre of England is world famous and holds regular evens (同额赌注) to show how life was like in the time it was built.
Scotland: A great place to visit, Scotland still has many places that are relatively uninhabited(杳无人迹的) and are great for getting away from it all. Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles and the numerous lakes provide great fishing. In parts you can still hear Gaelic spoken and we all know about the Scottish expertise in making Whisky! You can also visit the ski resorts of Aviemore in the Cairngorms. Glasgow, the capital is now recognized as a centre of culture as well as being a great shopping centre.The highest mountain in the British Isles is in ________.
| A．Wales | B．England | C．Scotland | D．Chester |
A mountain-climber will probably visit ________.
| A．Wales and England | B．Wales and Scotland |
| C．England and Wales | D．Pembrokeshire and Torquay |
Which of the following is NOT true about England?
| A．Windsor castle is in the center of England. |
| B．London is the capital city. |
| C．You can enjoy good weather in Torquay. |
| D．There are more than one castles. |
Where are you likely to get such information?
| A．A TV program on tourism. | B．A newspaper. |
| C．A geography book. | D．The Internet. |
Several overseas trips with the family have taught us that they can be rewarding, but you always have to be careful of pickpockets.
On a lovely visit to Paris an encounter with a pickpocket gave the would-be thief a little more than he bargained for!
While walking down the famous Champs Elysee, I was astonished to feel someone unzip my handbag and remove my purse. I turned to glimpse a young man turning away and pretending to be absorbed in the mouth-watering contents on display in a bakery window.
Being only a teenager at the time, I had no idea what to do. So I tapped the young man in question on the shoulder and said.
“Excuse me can you please give me back my purse?”
Of course the pickpocket had no idea what I was saying (and didn’t want to know) and proceeded to shrug his shoulders and basically say (in French) “I don’t speak English”?
Meanwhile my Mother (a Scotswoman with a bad temper), came to see why I had stopped walking and what was going on. When I informed her of the situation she lost control and started yelling at the thief who still stood there making gestures in French while a crazy Scotswoman harangued(指责) him. At this stage we were starting to attract onlookers, and when my Mother started hitting the young man with her handbag the would-be thief decided it was time to get away.
Luckily, amid all the disorder the thief lost his control of my purse, and as he made a break-for-it, my purse dropped to the ground! I quickly snatched it up and for the rest of vacation we walked around with our handbags clutched against our chests!This passage is a story about_________________.
| A．several overseas trips | B．Champs Elysee |
| C．a lovely visit to Paris | D．pickpockets |
The underlined phrase ‘bargained for’ in Paragraph 2 most probably means ______.
| A．exchanged for | B．wished for |
| C．asked for | D．answered for |
The author discovered the pickpocket because__________.
| A．his handbag was specially made to stop pickpocketing |
| B．the author was old enough and experienced there |
| C．the pickpocket was too inexperienced to steal his purse |
| D．his purse was very heavy so that he felt it was removed |
Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
| A．The pickpocket didn’t know English and had no idea what I was saying. |
| B．His Mother tried to beat the thief so that he ran away immediately. |
| C．It was the bad tempered mother that caused the thief to lose control of the purse. |
| D．The author was old enough to deal with the case independently at the time. |
阅读理解（共15小题;每小题2分，满分30分）
Loulan, an ancient city in the Lop Nur, was first “discovered” by Swedish explorer Sven Hedin in 1900. The finding of Loulan brought about new and unexpected fame for the ancient history of the Central Asia and thus began the exploration of the Taklamakan Desert.
The City of Loulan is known both in China and throughout the world as the Middle Kingdom’s ‘Pompeii’ in the desert and one of the cradles of the civilization. It wasn’t hard to imagine how excited Sven Hedin must have been when he was awarded the Victoria Medal by the Royal Geography Association. From that point forward, the mysterious covering of Loulan was gradually lowered and was no more a silent unknown hero but became an immediate worldwide sensation (引起轰动的事). Adventurers from America, Britain, Japan and Sweden, including Huntington, Stein, Otani Kozui and Bergman set foot here for several times. In the 1930s, Chinese archaeologist Huang Wenbi came here for the first time and made a survey of this area, which was found even then in terrible conditions due to uncontrolled digging with many wonderful cultural historic relics taken away to distant foreign lands.
In 1979, a group of tombs called Sun Tombs, known for their unique and attractive burial forms, were unearthed in the Gumugou Graveyard, the public graveyard of the Lop Nur citizens in the Bronze Age. In early 1980s, in the Tiebanhe River Delta area of the lower reaches of the Peafowl River in Lop Nur, a female mummy dating back some 3,800 years was unearthed and was considered by the Japanese as the “Loulan Beauty”. This set off a wave of current exploration of the Silk Road.
The archaeological unearthing being currently conducted in the Xiaohe (Small River) Graveyard is now the focus of the world’s most important academic event. The Xiaohe Graveyard, 175km west of the City of Loulan, is located in the lower reaches of the Peafowl River in the Lop Nur. When the Graveyard was found, it is said that there were some 1,000 coffins. It is large in scale with sand dunes(沙丘) as high as eight metres, on which about 140 wooden stakes(树桩) in various shapes were closely arranged. These burial customs are, to say the least, unusual… with the unearthed relics dated back to China’s most ancient days.Which of following statements shows the correct position of the City of Loulan?
A. It lies in the Tiebanhe River Delta
It lies in the lower reaches of the Peafowl River
It lies south of the Gumugou Graveyard.
It lies 175 km east of the Xiaohe Graveyard.Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the word ‘Pompeii’?
| A．A city as world famous as the Middle Kingdom’s “Pompeii”. |
| B．A buried city in the desert with great historical value. |
| C．A buried city to be unearthed like the Italian city “Pompeii”. |
| D．A city visited by many archaeologists all over the world like “Pompeii”. |
From the passage, it can be inferred that_____________.
| A．it was a Chinese archaeologist that first discovered the City of Loulan |
| B．it is of the greatest importance and value to be unearthing the Xiaohe Graveyard |
| C．foreign adventurers did much damage to the exploration and relics of the City of Loulan |
| D．one after another important discovery about Loulan was made, causing worldwide sensation |
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."
You probably heard those lines in grammar school, but do you really agree that harsh (严厉的) or negative words do not harm us? Words have power. Surely we all have had our feelings hurt by something someone said.
We may not say words to hurt others, but the way we interpret (解释) them and how we say them may cause great harm. Here’s an example:
An ancient king dreamed all his teeth had fallen out. He sent for a wise man to explain his dream to him: the dream means that all your relatives will die and you will be left alone!
The king was very angry and threw the interpreter into prison. He then sent for another interpreter who said, "Congratulations! King! You will live many more years. In fact, you will survive all your relatives. Long Live the King!"
Both interpreters gave the same interpretation, but there was a huge difference in the way they said it.
Our speech must be understood by those who hear our words, but the way we say things and the intention behind them have as much power as the words themselves. Words can cause anger or appreciation. Which would you rather receive?
People who say harsh and negative things may not mean to harm, but have you ever known anyone who is a naysayer? They often look at the dark sides of things. They always see the glass as half empty rather than half full. How do you feel when you are around this type of person? Remember: words have power. Use them wisely.The author mentions the story of the ancient king to show that _____.
| A．one dream sometimes has different explanations |
| B．good words can bring good luck to people |
| C．people should be careful when talking to a king |
| D．different ways of saying things have different effects |
The underlined word "naysayer" in the last paragraph refers to a person who always _____.
| A．has a negative attitude |
| B．likes to be praised |
| C．talks big |
| D．likes to repeat what others say |
According to the text, how can people understand each other better?
| A．By sharing different life experiences. |
| B．By accepting different habits. |
| C．By properly using words. |
| D．By recognizing different values. |
The author wrote the last paragraph to ______.
| A．show how the dark sides of things affect people |
| B．advise people to see and say things positively |
| C．show how harsh and negative words hurt people |
| D．advise people to stay away from negative people |
The passage mainly talks about ______.
| A．the power of words |
| B．the cruelty of the king |
| C．how to understand others |
| D．how to build good relationships |
I remember the first time that I was extremely happy. I was about 8 years old when for the first time, there was a computer in the classroom. I remember that my teacher allowed each student to take turns to play various educational games on the computer. One day, I found the source code(编码) for one of these games. Without knowing or being taught any programming language, I was able to figure out some of the BASIC code. I just gave myself an infinite number of lives in the game, so I could continue playing it forever. This was also my first introduction to algebra, and I didn't even know it at the time. This was a decisive moment in my life. I was quite excited because of what I was learning and what I was able to do. As a result, I was enthusiastic for the rest of my life about self learning and computers, and I was quite happy doing them too.
I've noticed that people who are truly content with life are enthusiastic about what they do. This enthusiasm, along with good health, is the key to being happy. It also leads to self-confidence and content in life too. It may also lead to success, wealth, and achievements.
Success, wealth, or achievements can also bring some people happiness, yet I know plenty of rich people who are unhappy. I know many people with successful businesses that are not happy with what they are doing. I know people who continuously buy themselves new toys, such as cars, computers, and televisions, yet never seem content for too long. Please remember, happiness is the journey of life, not the destination.What can we know from Paragraph 1?
| A．The author has a great talent for algebra. |
| B．Creative thinking is necessary for every child. |
| C．The BASIC code of the computer is not difficult. |
| D．The author's experience in his childhood changed his life. |
The underlined word "infinite" means_______
| A．big | B．limitless |
| C．normal | D．small |
The author wants to tell us through his experience in the school that ________.
| A．interest is the best teacher |
| B．children are the hope of the future |
| C．young people are fearless |
| D．where there’s a will, there’s a way |
What is the secret of happiness in the author's opinion?
| A．Success and wealth. |
| B．Gifts and self-confidence. |
| C．Enthusiasm and good health. |
| D．Knowledge and achievements. |
We can infer from the last paragraph that ________.
| A．people who are rich and successful in career generally feel unhappy |
| B．wealth can’t bring people any happiness and comfort |
| C．one will feel unhappy once he has gained all the things that he wants |
| D．being enthusiastic about what you do is more important than wealth |
The Yale Peabody Museum is open：
Monday through Saturday 10：00 a. m. to 5：00 p. M.
Sunday Noon to 5：00 p. m.
The Museum is closed on New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Admission Fees：
$9.00 Adults
$8.00 Senior citizens 65 years and over
$5.00 Children ages 3 through 18, and college students with ID
$4.00 Group admission
To receive this reduced admission, groups must make a reservation at least 2 weekdays in advance. Group admission is only available with a written confirmation brought to the Museum at the time of the visit.
More attention：
Some halls may be closed to the public on weekday mornings during the academic year for school group programs, so we recommend visiting after 1 p.m. on weekdays or at any time on the weekends.
There is no cafeteria or lunchroom at the Peabody. Information on local eating places is available through our Restaurant Guide or at the Admission Desk in the lobby. Visitors are welcome to picnic on the lawns around the Museum.
Photography with handheld cameras is permitted in exhibition halls for personal use only; photography of The Age of Mammals is prohibited at all times. All other uses require the advance written permission of the Yale Peabody Museum.
Highlights Tours of the Museum are offered at no extra charge every Saturday and Sunday at 12: 30 and 1: 30 p.m. These 45minute tours of the Yale Peabody Museum’s exhibition halls are led by one of our specially trained volunteer guides.
The Museum offers free individual admission on Thursday afternoons from 2: 00 to 5: 00 p.m. during the months of September to June.
Admission is free to any individual with a valid Yale ID. Check out a Peabody Museum pass at your local library. A Museum pass will give you $5 off each admission for up to 4 people. Ask for it at your local library.To visit the museum, a 12yearold six grader should pay________.
| A．4 dollars | B．5 dollars |
| C．8 dollars | D．9 dollars. |
Visitors are allowed to have lunch ________.
| A．outside the museum |
| B．in any hall of the museum |
| C．in the cafeteria of the museum |
| D．in the lunchroom of the museum |
According to the passage, The Age of Mammals is most probablyin the museum.
| A．a book | B．a magazine |
| C．a video | D．an exhibition hall |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Admission for Yale students to visit the Museum is free. |
| B．Extra money is supposed to be paid for guides while visiting the Museum. |
| C．Some exhibition halls are not open Monday through Friday. |
| D．Photography is not allowed in exhibition halls for commercial use. |
The passage is written to ________.
| A．attract more visitors to the Yale Peabody Museum |
| B．introduce the exhibits in the Yale Peabody Museum |
| C．give instructions about visiting the Yale Peabody Museum |
| D．remind visitors how to get their admission to the Yale Peabody Museum |