A winter wonderland on the outskirts of Quebec City has become one of Canada's hottest attractions and most sought out accommodations. Guests stay close for warmth in sleeping bags on beds of ice, hats pulled over their ears to prevent frostbite, while sipping cocktails (鸡尾酒) in glasses also made of ice.
A cool place to host a memorable wedding or for a romantic getaway, the Quebec Ice Hotel has attracted 600,000 curious tourists, including 30,000 who stayed overnight, since opening seasonally 11 years ago. Like Victoria and Jeremy Martin, dozens of couples will exchange vows (誓约) this winter in a temporary church next to the hotel, made entirely from blocks of ice with seats covered in furs.
Average temperatures fall below minus 20 degrees C (minus four F) in winter, but inside the hotel's 36 rooms it is relatively comfortable. Thick walls of packed snow and ice act as an insulator, trapping body heat inside. Each room is uniquely decorated, using designs created by Quebec architecture students. Two hotel bars also sell special cocktails in ice glasses.
First-time guests of the hotel, however, are recommended to stay only one night as sleeping in sub-zero temperatures is not very refreshing. This year for the first time the ice hotel has teamed up with a brick and concrete Quebec City hotel to offer packages(全套服务) for one-night accommodations at each. Prices for one night only at the ice hotel start at 200 US dollars per person.
The 3,000-square-metre (32,300-square-feet) buildings take six weeks starting in December to build, using 15,000 tons of snow and 500 tons of ice, at a cost of some 750,000 US dollars. Eleven weeks after its seasonal grand opening, the hotel will close on March 27 and then melt away with the arrival of spring.What is true with the ice hotel?
| A．630,000 people have visited it. |
| B．Its rooms all look alike. |
| C．It stays open for two months each year. |
| D．Wedding ceremonies are often held there. |
The underlined word “insulator” in Paragraph 3 possibly refers to something that ______.
| A．stops heat passing through it | B．collects and reflects light and heat |
| C．makes things become very cold | D．works like an air-conditioner |
First-time guests are advised to stay there only one night because _______.
| A．they may not be able to stand the cold |
| B．their other night is with an ordinary hotel |
| C．new guests have no advantages over old ones |
| D．they may find the beds made of ice too hard to sleep on. |
I remember my math teacher Mr. Young very well. He stood out because the kids made fun of him. He was missing one of his fingers, and always pointed at students with his middle finger.
I was not very good at English and math. No matter how hard I tried, I just could not figure out why I did not understand what all the other kids found so easy to learn.
One day, I was told that if I got one more E on my report card, I would be taken to the “big prison for kids”.
I tried really hard for weeks. I just couldn’t understand how to make different parts of numbers into whole things.
The day before report cards were to come out, I knew that Mr. Young would give me an E, just like he always did.
I went to Mr. Young and told him that the orphanage (孤儿院) was going to send me to the big prison if I got another E on my report card. He told me there was nothing he could do; it would be unfair to the other kids if he gave me a better grade than I had actually earned. I smiled at him and said, “Mr. Young, do you know how the kids make fun of you because you’re missing your finger?”
He looked at me, moved his mouth to one side and said nothing.
“They shouldn’t do that to you because you can’t help not having a finger, Mr Young. Just like I can’t help not being able to learn numbers and stuff like that,” I said.
The next day, when I got my report card, I tucked it into one of my books. While on the school bus, I opened it: Geography, B+; Mechanical Drawing, C-; English, D-; History, C-; Gym, B+; Art, C; Math, D-.
That math grade was the most favorite one I ever received. Because I knew that someone in the world finally understood what it was like for me to be missing a finger inside my head.
| A．mind-blowing | B．badly-behaved |
| C．fun-loving | D．slow-witted |
| A．In an orphanage. | B．In a big prison. |
| C．In the school dormitory. | D．In his home. |
| A．D | B．C | C．B | D．E |
| A．he missed one of his fingers |
| B．he treated his students very well |
| C．he understood the boy |
| D．he taught his students in a special way |
Is it important for teenagers to own the latest cell-phone models? There are different ways of looking at this question.
First, why do teenagers need to have the latest models? Often it’s just to show off. The paradox is that there are many teenagers who own the latest cell-phone models but don’t even know how to use them properly. This is true. They just want one because their friends have similar ones, or because they take very good videos and photos.
On the other hand, if they do know how to use them, the latest cell phones are really good. They not only help teens to stay in touch with friends and family, but also help them to access the Internet and download pictures, videos or music they need when studying. These new phones are so powerful that having one is almost like having a whole library in your pocket. It’s an instant (即刻的) source of information that helps young people get the latest news. But many parents, thinking only of such positive sides, do not take into consideration the potential dangers. For example, children may constantly be distracted(分心) during class by sending and receiving text messages.
Each young generation loves the new technologies available —just think back to when you were a kid. But your job as a parent is to make sure your child gets the most out of this technology with the least possible harm.
| A．they want to show they are fashionable |
| B．they think the latest models help them a lot with Study |
| C．they think they can keep in touch with others more easily |
| D．they want to learn how to use new technologies |
| A．fault | B．problem |
| C．benefit | D．imagination |
| A．a new generation always loves new things |
| B．parents also liked technological products when they were young |
| C．parents should make sure children use the new technologies properly |
| D．parents shouldn’t allow children to own a cell Phone |
| A．Different ways to deal with teenagers’ using the latest cell phones. |
| B．That teenagers should not use the latest cell phones at school. |
| C．Different views on teenagers’ using the latest cell phones. |
| D．That the latest cell phone models are becoming very popular with teenagers. |
Can feeling of nostalgia(怀旧) be good for you? Or is it unhealthy to have a strong love for the past?
For years, medical experts have studied nostalgia and the reasons for it. Many experts warn that too much nostalgia is harmful. They say living in the past shows that a person is unhappy with his present life. These feelings keep the person from living his life to its fullest.
However, experts say it is normal to love the past sometimes. In fact, a little nostalgia can enrich a person’s life.
Dr. Louise Kaplan has written several books about nostalgia. She says these feelings often begin when a young person is between 13 and 19 years old.
“This is the time when you must face the loss of your childhood, “Kaplan says. “You see your new life is easily destroyed. But you think romantically about a golden past. You remember your childhood as a time when life is perfect.”
These feelings continue as the person gets older, Kaplan adds. She says many grown persons have a hard time keeping up with changes in the modem world, so they think back to their younger years. At that time the world seemed simple and more harmless.
Kaplan says these feelings do not always actually exist. The good old days did not always exist. The good old days weren’t always good. However, she says nostalgia can be helpful, if used properly.
“Feelings of nostalgia can cause you to remember a time when you had high hopes and dreams, “Kaplan says. “It might give you the strong wish to catch those dreams today in your past life.”She adds that nostalgia can prevent you from “cutting yourself off from your aim”.
| A．might cause you to try to realize the golden dream in the present life |
| B．fill one with hopes for the future |
| C．bring about a love for the past and a hope for the future |
| D．can cause you to think of your past which was full of hopes and dreams |
| A．time is hard, so they cannot keep up with changes |
| B．many grown persons have little time keeping up with changes in the modern world |
| C．they can hardly keep up with changes in today’s world |
| D．they lived in the past, of which they are always proud |
| A．Only women have feelings of nostalgia |
| B．Too much nostalgia is harmful |
| C．Nostalgia shows that a person is not satisfied with his present life |
| D．A little nostalgia can make a person’s life more colorful |
| A．Nostalgia, Good or Bad |
| B．Thoughts on Nostalgia |
| C．The Reasons for Nostalgia |
| D．Why Do They Think Back to the Past |
How hard we have all prayed(祈祷) to grow up quickly, and looked forward to the happy days of being a grown-up and enjoying the many interests that a youth should have.
At last, you have grown up. At least you are no longer a child. They call you “young lady”. You then enjoy the pleasure of being a young lady. You are proud of being a grown-up teenager. People welcome you-this young lady-heartily. You are glad that your prayer has been answered.
But there is always something that troubles you a lot. You say; “Papa and Mama, give me some money please. My pocket money is all gone already.”
“No”, they say, “your age is a dangerous age. If you have too much money to spend, it won’t do you any good.” Then you have to stay at home because you dare not go out with an empty pocket.
Another time you tell your grandma, “Grandma, see, I am a grown-up now.”
“Good, now, you can sit here and knit (编织) this for me while I go and have a rest.” To show that you are no more a child, you have to sit there the whole afternoon doing the work, which only a grown-up can do. After an hour, you find it hard to do, and give the knitting basket back to your grandma. Your grandma criticizes your work. You hear what she says, “Such a big girl can’t do such easy work.” You wish then you were a child again.
But the fact is, you are growing up, and you can’t help it. That’s the way it goes!
| A．a growing-up boy’s | B．an old woman’s |
| C．a teenage girl’s | D．a grown-up’s |
| A．She is no longer a kid. |
| B．People begin to call her teenager. |
| C．She can join women in all kinds of activities. |
| D．People treat her as a young lady. |
| A．they still regard her as a child |
| B．they don’t believe she is already a teenager |
| C．it’s dangerous for a girl to spend money |
| D．they love her more than before |
| A．she has to lie in bed, doing nothing |
| B．she wishes she were not growing up |
| C．she knows she has already worked the whole afternoon |
| D．she finds it isn’t her turn to do knitting |
Travelling can be a way to gain life experiences，especially during Spring Break—a week long school vacation in the United States.But what if you’re a student and don’t have enough money for a trip? Don’t worry.Here are some useful suggestions.
Save：This probably is the most important preparation for travelling.Cut expenses to fatten_your_wallet so you will have more choices about where to go and how to get there.
Plan ahead：Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your trip.Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice.Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security and savings.
Do your homework：No matter where you go，research the places you will visit.Decide what to see.Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants.
Plan sensibly：Write down what you expect to spend for food and hotels.Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything.
Travel in groups：Find someone who is interested in visiting the same place.By travelling with others you can share costs and experiences.
Work as you go：Need more money to support your trip? Look for work in the places you visit.
Go off the beaten path：Tourist cities may be expensive.You may want to rethink your trip and go to a lesser－known area.Smaller towns can have many interesting activities and sights.
Pack necessary things：The most important things to take are not always clothes.Remember medicine in case you get sick and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant.
Use the Internet：The Net can help to save money.Some useful websites include www.Travelocity.com，www.bargains－lowestfare.com and www.economictravel.com.
By planning sensibly，even students can enjoy the travel.Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime.
| A．how to travel with enough money |
| B．how to plan your travel |
| C．how to make your travel interesting |
| D．how to get life experiences |
| A．make your wallet larger |
| B．put some fat in your wallet |
| C．put some choices in your wallet |
| D．save some money |
| A．you can gain valuable life experiences |
| B．you need more shoes than clothes |
| C．you shouldn’t look for work all the way |
| D．you should forget to do your homework |
| A．to give some advice on travelling |
| B．to encourage the students to have a trip |
| C．to introduce some websites about travelling |
| D．to teach the students how to save money during their trip |