If you are looking for something fun and educational   to do in Maryland, why not visit the Maryland Science Center? It is located at 601 Light Street, Baltimore, MD21230. The ticket prices vary depending on ages, groups and the exhibits you choose.
       Introduction
       The Maryland Science Center is basically a museum, but it gives everyone a chance to learn through experience and play, rather than just glance at an exhibit.
       Activities
       You can learn about various topics, including outer space, the human body, dinosaurs, electricity, marine (海洋的) biology, energy, and much more. You can also take part in the interactive activities, such as racing bubbles, digging for dinosaur fossils, using puzzle pieces to construct cars, and so much more.
       The Davis Planetarium (天文馆)
       At the Davis Planetarium, you can lie back in a chair and look at the stars while still inside the Science Center. The stars will appear on the ceiling of the theatre as you watch them.
       There are different shows to catch at the Davis Planetarium. You can learn about the galaxy and astronomy during the Dark Matters show and learn about the stars and planets during the Sky Live show. The One World One Sky show allows children to explore the stars. The Live from the Sun show will teach you all about the hot sun.
       The Kids Room
       For children, they can’t miss the Kids Room. They will be able to play in a water area, construct dams and water towers, push buttons, ring doorbells, build with blocks and Legos, and more, and definitely they will learn a lot. In addition, there is also an area for kids of two years old and under, where they can crawl, walk and explore safely with soft toys.
1. What do we know about the Maryland Science Center?

A．It charges different prices for parents and children.

B．It is regarded as the most popular museum in Maryland.

C．It is just a museum where there are many famous exhibitions.

D．It is mainly designed for children and their families to play together.

2. Which activity is not included in the Maryland Science Center?

A．Taking part in bubble competition.

B．Learning the structure of human body.

C．Watching famous science fiction films.

D．Gaining knowledge of marine creatures.

3. Which show should you choose if you want to know why the sun shines?

A．The Dark Matters show.

B．The Live from the Sun show.

C．The One World One Sky show.

D．The Sky Live show.

4. Which of the following is TRUE about the Kids Room?

A．It is designed for parents who have children.

B．It provide s a good opportunity for parents to relax.

C．Children there need to be companied by their parents.

D．It is a good place for children to learn and play at the same time.

Time, wars and natural disasters have a bad effect on the artistic and cultural objects in the world. More than 1,000 years ago, a fire destroyed the   Library of Alexandria in Egypt. In 1755, an earthquake destroyed Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal, along with artworks inside. In modern times, the Taliban destroyed the huge Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan.
       As we all know, museums play an important part in our daily liv es. They store evidence of culture and history and exhibit great works. A major goal of most museums in the world is to make sure that important historical objects do not disappear forever. The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, holds 1,250 pieces of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture. These objects have inspired artists and historians for many years. So the museum is working to make a complete and permanent (永久的) record of the artworks.
       The project is an effort of both the museum and the scientists from Indiana University in the United States. The team is using technology to create digital copies (数字复制品) of Uffizi’s ancient sculptures.
       The process is called photogrammetry (摄影制图法). At one time, this process was slow and expensive. But not anymore, said Professor Robert Frischer. He said photogrammetry is now much faster and cheaper. Now they can gather the 3-D data on a life-size sculpture in half an hour and they can process the data just in a couple of hours.
       The images allow the viewer to examine the sculpture from all sides. And when the viewer zooms in (用变焦距镜头放大), the image becomes clearer. The Uffizi hopes to have the collection completed and available on the Internet by 2020.
5. What can we learn about the world’s artworks?

A．Some of them have been destroyed.

B．They were destroyed by accident.

C．They were not protected by humans.

D．Most of them are kept in Afghanistan now.

6. Why do Uffizi Gallery and Indiana University work together?

A．To build the largest museum.

B．To create long-lasting artworks.

C．To introduce some ancient sculpture.

D．To encourage more artists and historians.

7. What can we learn about photogrammetry?

A．It is still expensive.

B．It is a time-saving step now.

C．It does great harm to the artworks.

D．It was invented by Robert Frischer.

The next time your friends roll their eyes when you’re snapping a selfie (自拍照) or taking a photo of your dessert, tell them that photographing everyday things can actually make people happier.
       In a study of more than 2,000 people, researchers found that people who took photos of their experiences, whether they were walking through a museum or going on a city bus tour, had a better time overall compared with those who didn’t.
       During each of the study’s nine experiments, people were asked to either take photos or give up photography during an everyday activity, such as eating a meal. In nearly every experiment, the group that took photos showed higher levels of enjoyment.
       The finding might not sound terribly surprising. After all, Facebook members upload about 2 billion photos daily, and Instagram users upload about 80 million photos every day. But some people argue that taking photographs can distract (分散注意力) themselves from enjoying an experience while it’s happening.
       The new research shows that it isn’t the case and that photography does increase a person’s enjoyment, because it increases his or her engagement in the activity. For example, in one experiment, people toured a museum while wearing glasses that tracked their eye movements. The group that took photos spent more time looking at the artifacts than those who didn’t.
       However, photos are sometimes a drag. For instance, if the camera is difficult to carry, it might not bring enjoyment to a person. And in some cases, photography can make situations unpleasant. For example, when people in the study took a virtual safari (游猎) and watched some lions attacking a water buffalo, the people who took photos of the bloody event were reported to have a lower enjoyment of the activity than those who didn’t, the researchers said.
8. Why does taking photos increase enjoyment?

A．People can share their photos on Facebook.	B．People have more time to look at the objects to be photographed.
C．Some photos may end up as valuable artifacts.	D．Photography gets people more involved in the activity.

9. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Photography sometimes can be dangerous.

B．Photography requires more courage to do.

C．Photography is an unpleasant process.

D．Photography isn’t fun all the time.

10. Which of the following is closest to the main idea of the text?

A．Photography helps you appreciate people around you.

B．Snapping a selfie is a symbol of self-confidence.

C．Taking photos doesn’t ruin your experience.

D．The photo-taking process is a mental choice.

根据短文内容, 从短文中的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Some jobs require employees to work night shifts. Working the night shifts often means better money, but that also comes negative side effects.

The human body is naturally inclined（倾向于）to work during the day and sleep at night.     11     Your body will be able to fully adjust to this new style of rest and work. However, according to the National Sleep Foundation, constant exhaustion（疲倦） may be part of the lifestyle of working the night shift.

In addition to exhaustion from working the night shift, sleep disturbances can occur, even when your body has the opportunity to get some shut-eye during the day.     12     Instead of getting a full eight hours of sleep, which is what most people need, it’s typical for night shift workers to only take a long nap after their shift.

Working night shifts can also cause social and relational problems. Because many social events happen during the evening, people who work the shift miss out on important relationship-building opportunities.     13     When husbands or wives rarely see one another or rarely go to bed together, this will affect their communication and their marriage life.

    14     Exhaustion, sleep problems, personal and relational issues and other health issues, over time, can lead to depression if not taken care of properly.

    15     According to the National Sleep Foundation, you can avoid these problems by working with others during your shifts, taking naps during your shifts and setting up a support group with other employees to discuss the problems you’re facing.

A．Working night shifts can help us a lot.

B．So working the night shift will take an adjustment.

C．Doctor and nurses often work night shifts to care for their patients.

D．In the long run, this can be harmful to relationships, especially marriage.

E．What’s worse, depression is likely to occur with all of these factors.

F．Of course, you can do something to reduce the side effects of working night shifts.

G．Many people have trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep during daytime hours.

Since having my son, I have found that I am always lucky enough to be surrounded by people willing to help.

When he was eight weeks old, I had a(n) ________ to meet with a TV producer in New York City to talk about my career. It was Monday. Could I, a young mother with a newborn, _________ from my home outside Boston to meet him on Wednesday? It was a ________ chance. So I said yes.

Honestly, it was ________. My son hated being in the car seat and ate very ________ during the long ride. ________we spent a comfortable Tuesday night at my parents’ house in Connecticut, which is halfway between Boston and New York. When we ________New York, I handed my son over to my friend from college. A dad himself, he ________him in a coffee shop during my________. Everything went fine thanks to his help.

When my son was four months old, my best friend was going through a difficult time. So I decided to fly to Florida to ________her. Without my husband, who had to work, I was ________to fly with the baby. But I figured it couldn’t be ________than driving to New York when he was a newborn, and I had gotten through that.

________, people I met on our trip were endlessly________. On the flight down, the airline worker got me an extra________because the flight wasn’t full. A nice lady sitting close to us ________him while I went to the bathroom. Taxi drivers helped me fasten his car seat and loaded the awkward pushchair in their trunks. To________my son, my friend borrowed a lot of toys. We spent four ________days in Florida.

If you want an opportunity to see the ________in people, try taking a b aby on a trip. In my experience, when face-to-face, most people sincerely want to ________each other.

16.

A．wish

B．trip

C．appointment

D．opportunity

17.

A．walk

B．drive

C．fly

D．ship

18.

A．reasonable

B．realistic

C．rare

D．slight

19.

A．exciting

B．boring

C．tough

D．plain

20.

A．quickly

B．hurriedly

C．rudely

D．frequently

21.

A．And

B．But

C．As

D．So

22.

A．touched

B．visited

C．left

D．missed

23.

A．hunted for

B．looked after

C．laughed at

D．called on

24.

A．working

B．meeting

C．showing

D．preparing

25.

A．accept

B．save

C．wake

D．comfort

26.

A．upset

B．puzzled

C．nervous

D．surprised

27.

A．easier

B．worse

C．longer

D．later

28.

A．Amazingly

B．Strangely

C．Amusingly

D．Instantly

29.

A．useful

B．hopeful

C．cheerful

D．helpful

30.

A．cup

B．seat

C．blanket

D．meal

31.

A．taught

B．moved

C．watched

D．loved

32.

A．please

B．attract

C．know

D．support

33.

A．busy

B．wonderful

C．safe

D．quiet

34.

A．good

B．fun

C．secret

D．smile

35.

A．get hold of

B．catch up with

C．take care of

D．make friends with

36. With a smile on his face, he seems to be having a d______ chat with the boss.

37. The only way to succeed at the highest level is to have total b____ that you are better than anyone else on the sports field.

38. An a________ between the employers and employees was finally worked out.

39. I’ve been writing this report o_________ ( 有时) during the last two weeks, but it has to be handed in tomorrow.

40. They a______ (争辩)that they needed more time to finish the project.

41. It takes ________ one day for us to complete the project.