【推荐1】These are some of Nicest Small Towns in America everyone should visit before they're 50.

Jacksonville, Oregon

One of the original major cities of the Gold Rush, Jacksonville was founded in the early 1850s by pioneers hoping to become rich. The entire town, was designated as a U.S.National Landmark in the 1960s, so it's definitely worth visiting, especially if you're a history buff. Jacksonville is home to over 100 National Historical buildings sprinkled throughout the community in the heart of Oregon's wine country and surrounded by gorgeous greenery, so there really is something for everyone.

Traverse City, Michigan

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Traverse City is the best outdoor and water activities destination. In the warmer months, you'll find everyone hiking and biking the numerous trails and participating in the most popular recreational water sports kayaking, fishing, windsurfing, and paddleboarding. There's also golfing and bird watching for those who are looking for a more leisurely vacation. July is an especially busy month in Traverse City, as it's when hundreds of thousands of visitors come in for the National Cherry Festival. And the many farm-to-table dining options, breweries, wineries, and distilleries make it a destination worth visiting even in the winter.

Sedona, Arizona

Besides its famous gorgeous red rock geography   which is truly a jaw-dropping natural wonder, Sedona is known for its eclectic art scene, near-perfect weather, and of course, fantastic food and wine. Sedona truly has it all, whether you're looking for a girl's spa weekend, an outdoor family excursion-based trip, or a romantic getaway. There's really no bad time to visit because events like art festivals, concerts, and cusine tastings happen year-round thanks to the warm weather.

Beaufort, South Carolina

If you've ever watched the legendary movie Forrest Gump, you've already seen parts of one of the best small towns in America: Beaufort, South Carolina. As the second-oldest city in South Carolina, Beaufort is known for its antebellum mansions and historic downtown district. Since Beaufort is located right on Port Royal Island, there are a ton of popular water sports like fishing and boating, in addition to wonderful, fresh seafood. The city is also known as one of America's best art towns thanks to its dozens of museums, film festivals, and art galleries. Bay Street is Beaufort's main road that borders the harbor where you'll find plenty of good restaurants and local shops.

Port Townsena, Washington

It is one of Washington's greatest Victorian seaside towns and just one of three historic Victorian seaports in the entire United States. Situated on the northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, you'll find a nature lover's paradise with the sea on one side and the Fort Worden Historical State Park on the other. In addition to the local shops, brightly colored mansions, and historic buildings that line the ocean side streets, Port Townsend puts on award-winning theater productions and hosts a variety of concerts, cultural events, and festivals all year round.

1. If you are interested in history of America, which towns are your better choice ________.

A．Beaufort, South Carolina and Sedona, Arizona

B．Jacksonville, Oregon and Traverse City, Michigan

C．Sedona, Arizona and Port Townsend, Washington

D．Jacksonville, Oregon and Beaufort, South Carolina

2. According to the passage, in how many towns you can enjoy many tasty foods?

A．5	B．4
C．3	D．2

3. What is common to Traverse City, Sedona and Port Townsend?

A．There are many outdoor water sports you can enjoy.

B．You can probably have fun there whenever you go to these places.

C．It's easy for you to taste good wine there.

D．The weather is always warm in those towns.

【推荐2】TODAY, Friday, November 12

JAZZ with the Mike Thomas Jazz Band ar The Derby Arms Uepper Richmond Road West, Sheen DISCO Satin Sound Dieo. Free at The Lord NApier, Mort Iake High St., from 8a. m. to 8p.m. Tel:682---1158.

SATURDAY, November 13

JAZZ Lysis at The Bull’s Head, Barnes. Admission 60p.

MUSIC HALL at The Star and Garter, Lower Richmond Road， Putney,provided by the Aba Daba Music Hall company， Good food and entertainment fair price， Tel: 789-6749

FAMILY night out? Join the sing along at The Black Horse. Sheen Road. Richmond.

JAZZ The John Bennett Big Band at The Bull’s Head , Barnes .Admission 80p.

THE DERBY ARMS, Upper Richmond Road West, give you Joe on the electric accordion (手风琴).Tel:789-4536

SUNDAY, November 14

DISCO Satin Sounds Disco, free at The Lord Napier, Mort Lake High Street, from 8am. to 8 pm.

FOLK MUSIC at The Derby Arms. The Short Stuff and residents the Norman Chop Trio. Non-remembers 70p. Tel: 688-4626

HEAVY MUSIC with Tony Simon at The Bull, Upper Richmond Road West, East Sheen.

THE DERBY ARMS, UpPer Richmond Road West, give you Joe on the electric accordion.

1. Where and when can you hear the Norman Chop Trio?

A．At the Bull's Head on Sunday.

B．At the Derby Arms on Sunday.

C．At the Bull on Saturday.

D．At the Black Horse on Saturday.

2. Where and when can you hear the Mike Thomas Jazz Band?

A．At the Derby Arms on Friday.

B．At the Black Horse on Friday.

C．AT the Star and Garter on Saturdny.

D．At the Derby Arms on Sunday.

3. You want to enjoy the electric accordion on Saturday. Which telephone number do you have to find out what time it starts?

A．789-6749.

B．789-4536.

C．682-1158.

D．688-4626.

4. You want to spend the Saturday by joning the entertainment with your family. Where should you go?

A．The sing- along at The Black Horse.

B．Disco at The Lord Napier.

C．The electric accordion at The Derby Arms.

D．Jazz at The Bull's Head.

5. You want to spend the same day at two different places and don't want to cross any street, Which of following is your best choice?

A．The sing-along at the Black Horse and Jazz at The Bull’s Head.

B．The sing-along at The Black Horse and Folk Music at The Derby Arms.

C．Folk Music at The Derby Arms and Heavy Music with Tony Simon at The Bull.

D．Musical HalI at The Star & Garter and Disco at The Lord Napier.

【推荐3】General Airport Tips
Plan to get to the airport at least an hour early, or two during holidays and other busy times; this will reduce the stress of the flight．If all goes well, you will have time to relax, shop for last-minute items, or have a meal before the flight．
Flight Delays
Find out why your flight is delayed．Call the free call numbers．Find out if other airlines are experiencing similar delays．If you believe the delay is due to something other than weather or air traffic problems, then mention your suspicion （怀疑） and ask the airline agent to book you on the next available flight, either on the same air-line or a competing one．This is called "Rule 240", and all airlines are required to do it．Use the lingo （行话）; ask, "Can you 240 me?" when speaking with an agent．They will know what you mean．
Flight Cancellations（取消）
If your flight is canceled, then make a reservation on the next flight to your destination．Usually, air-line officials will try to book everyone on their next flight out．Often they will put you on a competitor's next flight only if you request it．
Getting bumped（不能登机）
To avoid getting bumped, you must be at the loading gate at least 10 minutes ahead of scheduled departure for a U.S. Flight, 20 minutes to /from Bahamas, Canada, and Mexico and 30 to/ from all other international points．You must be at the loading gate, not the airport entrance．
1. By arriving at the airport earlier, one can _______．

A．get on the airplane immediately

B．reduce the pressure of the flight

C．have a good rest in the airplane

D．buy what he wants in the airport

2. If a person calls "Rule 240", he wants to _______．

A．make sure the time for the next plane

B．get a ticket for the next flight

C．know if other flights are also delayed

D．ask about the cause of the plane delay

3. People heading for Germany must be at the loading gate at least__________．

A．40 minutes ahead of time

B．20 minutes ahead of time

C．30 minutes ahead of time

D．10 minutes ahead of time

4. The purpose in writing this text is to________．

A．show us how to get on a plane

B．tell us what to do before and after a flight

C．put forward suggestions for a flight

D．give us advice on dealing with airlines

【推荐3】Barbican Art Gallery

A world-class arts and learning center, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theater and many visual arts from Egypt.

Tickets:

Adult: £10 online/£12 at the door

13-17 years old: £6 online/£8 at the door

Children aged 12 and under: Free

Opening Times:

Sat.—Wed.: 10 a.m.—6 p.m.; Thu.一Fri.: 10 a.m.一9 p.m.

Review by Laura Miller: I have just watched To Kill a Mockingbird here. The play and actors were fantastic. Nice and clean ladies' toilets with hot water. During the interval, they were selling the usual ice cream and drinks. Not all staff were friendly, but most were. I would come again to watch another show or even the same one.

The British Museum

A museum of the world, for the world. Discover over two million years of human history and culture. Some of the world-famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies.

Admission and opening times:

Free, open daily 10 a.m.—17:30 p.m.

The Museum is closed on Jan. 1, Good Friday (April 10, 2020) and Dec. 24, 25 & 26, but open every other day of the year.

Review by Robert James: I arrived at the main entrance line at 10:45 a.m., waited patiently as it rolled forward for a few minutes. Now 11:30 a.m. with two thirds of the line to go, another 30 minutes to wait and with knowledge that I had to go downtown shopping by 1 p.m., I turned on my heels and left.

1. How much will a couple with kids of 11 and 14 pay for online tickets of the Art Gallery?

A．£20.	B．£26.
C．£32.	D．£36.

2. What did Miller like best about Barbican Art Gallery?

A．Dance.	B．Film.
C．Music.	D．Theater.

3. What do the gallery and the museum have in common?

A．Both offer free admission.	B．Egyptian exhibits are on display.
C．They're open all year round.	D．They're located downtown.

【推荐1】Yesterday, the head of the US federal public health agency said it's on its highest warning level of the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa. More than 930 people are thought to have died from the virus so far in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria.

Ebola can be deadly in up to 90% of cases, depending on the type. The virus is spread through direct contact with body fluids from an infected person. There is currently no known cure or vaccine for the virus.

The reason why the market hasn't produced a drug to battle Ebola is that there are not many people who die from this disease. In the history of this disease, there have been probably fewer than 3,000 known deaths since 1976, among which only one was not in Africa. Besides, most drug companies are interested in drugs that will treat millions of people since it costs hundreds of millions of dollars to develop a drug. However, the U.S. government got interested in this because of its concerns about whether Ebola could actually end up as a terrorist agent. The government think it would be better if they develop some drugs in their back pocket, should somebody try to use this virus to attack people.

Although there hasn't been an effective cure for Ebola, at present there are three different methods to treating this disease. The first is very similar to other anti-viral drugs that are already at the market and this approach is being developed by a company called BioCryst Pharmaceuticals. The second one uses a completely different method, and it uses genetic material that can actually block the viruses’ own genetic material. This is a kind of far out idea and it's being developed by a Canadian company called Tekmira. And the third is a cocktail treatment of antibodies. This was the drug given to the two sick Americans. And it now also has been given to a Spanish minister who got sick while in West Africa.

At the current trend, within another few weeks, there will have been more cases in this outbreak than in all previous recognized outbreaks of Ebola put together. The governments in several countries have now introduced a number of measures aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.

1. Why is American government interested in developing a cure for Ebola?

A．Because they believe it can bring good profits.

B．Because they foresee Ebola may spread in the U. S.

C．Because they think it can help millions of people.

D．Because they find Ebola might be used as a terrorist tool.

2. Which of the following ways probably spreads Ebola virus?

A．Hugging.	B．Kissing on the face.
C．Talking to a patient.	D．Sharing injection needles.

3. The technology of genetic project is applied in ______.

A．the treatment of Tekmira	B．the new vaccine for the virus
C．the cocktail treatment of antibodies	D．the drugs produced by BioCryst Pharmaceuticals

4. What will the author probably present in the following paragraph?

A．The cases of former Ebola outbreaks.	B．The importance of preventing Ebola.
C．The action taken by some governments.	D．More examples of future outbreaks.

【推荐2】The State of Colorado has four of the best parks out of the 58 national parks in the United States. The parks have some of the best scenery of all the national parks.

Black Canyon (峡谷) of the Gunnison National Park

This park offers the most breathtaking views from up in the mountains into the canyons below. While exploring the canyons, you will find that the walls drop nearly straight down into the narrow valleys of the snake-like rivers below. Visitors are offered more than 100 camping sites, and a lot of bird species and many animals are native to the area.

Rocky Mountain National Park

It is the only national park in the north central region in the State of Colorado. Elevations in this park are anywhere from 8,000 feet to 14,259 feet at the top of Longs Peak. While traveling throughout this park you will notice there are two very different climates because of the difference the upper peaks of the Rocky Mountains make. You can enjoy 359 miles of hiking trails, a lot of places for camping, horse-back riding and beautiful scenery.

Mesa Verde National Park

This is probably the most interesting national park, offering a fascinating trip back in time to 600 AD up to 1300 AD. This park was declared a protected national park in 1906 because of the cliff dwellings (住所) that were found throughout the area, which were once home to American Indians. Many of these dwellings can be walked through, while you imagine what each room may have been used for so many years ago.

Great Sand Dunes (沙丘) National Park

The Great Sand Dunes National Park lies in South-Central Colorado, about 127 miles from Pueblo. This park has the tallest sand dunes in all of North America and has trails for hiking. The natural sandy beaches around the small rivers and lakes are good for swimmers.

1. Which of the following is TRUE about the Rocky Mountain National Park?

A．It has the tallest mountains in the USA.	B．It has two very different weather conditions.
C．It is the most interesting national park.	D．It is about 359 miles from Pueblo.

2. If you are interested in history, which one of the following parks are you advised to visit?

A．The Rocky Mountain National Park.	B．The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
C．The Great Sand Dunes National Park.	D．The Mesa Verde National Park.

3. What is the national park in South-Central Colorado famous for?

A．Beautiful canyons.

B．Longs Peak.

C．Cliff dwellings.

D．Sand dunes.

【推荐3】As you move out of your teens and into your 20s and 30s, your musical tastes start to solidify and you likely quit keeping up with popular music. Now, research has found the average age at which your music library is unlikely to change: 33.

The study's author reached this conclusion by analyzing data on U.S. Spotify users and comparing it to artist popularity data from music intelligence company The Echo Nest.

To determine the age at which we stop seeking out new tunes, the author gathered self-reported age data from Spotify and looked at users' "Taste Profiles," which tacks how many times listeners have streamed individual artists. These artists were then: matched to their popularity rank on The Echo Nest.

The average teen listens almost only to music among the Billboard, the 200 highest-ranking albums in the country, but this music represents a smaller part of their steaming as they age. In their teens, they listen to a lot of the same music, over and over again. Frank T. McAndrew, a professor of psychology at Knox Coll explains that's the "mere exposure effect" at work, and it basically means, the more we're exposed to something, the more we like it.

There are many reasons why a person may stop streaming the current top musical hits, and the author looked into one by identifying Spotify listeners with large amounts of children's music and nursery rhymes in their libraries. In other words, when users may have become parents.

But the study concludes with some good news for parents: “If you're getting older and can't find yourself staying as relevant as you used to, have no fear — just wait for your kids to become teenagers, and you'll get exposed to all the popular music of the day once again!”

1. What happens after teens grow older?

A．They quit listening to music.	B．Their interest in music fades.
C．Their musical tastes become stable.	D．They change their music libraries.

2. How do teens develop their musical tastes?

A．They act like their favorite popular stars.

B．They listen to what they like repeatedly.

C．They experience different styles of music.

D．They like high-ranking music worldwide.

3. What's the good news for parents in the last paragraph?

A．Parents will regain their faith in music.

B．Parents will influence their teens in music.

C．Parents will hear their favorite music again.

D．Parents will enjoy the music for teens again.

【推荐1】While most consumers wish to reduce plastic waste, it’s not an easy goal to achieve. That’s because the cheap and long-lived material is found in almost every daily necessity. Now, an Indonesian-based company has come up with a delicious solution.

David Christian, the co-founder of Evoware, says after investigating various materials, the company settled on seaweed. Unlike corn, commonly used for containers, seaweed does not require water, fertilizers, or large amounts of space. According to Evoware, as much as 40 tons of seaweed can be grown in an area the size of a baseball field. Since Indonesian farmers harvest more seaweed than they can sell, it’s easy to find the material.

The seaweed packaging is safe to consume and can entirely dissolve（溶解）in hot water. While the eatable wrappers（包装纸）may not have any taste, Dubbed Ello Jello, the single-use cups invented by Evoware, are available in four tastes—orange, lychee, peppermint, and green tea. The best part? You can order the powder and make them at home! Though currently(目前) they cannot stand hot liquids, Evoware is working on making heat-resistant（耐热的）cups as well.

While the seaweed products seem like a perfect replacement, it’s a hard-sell in Indonesia. According to Christian, “The awareness and sense of urgency to minimize the use of single-use plastic is still very low. This makes our bioplastic seem unnecessary.” Also a factor is the cost, which is higher than using plastic. However, Evoware believes they can reduce the price once the company moves to mass production. Hopefully, Evoware will succeed in convincing people worldwide that switching to their products will go a long way in protecting our beautiful planet.

1. How does seaweed differ from corn?

A．It sells better.	B．It’s less expensive.
C．It takes less labor to process.	D．It needs less resources to grow.

2. What nature do seaweed wrappers have?

A．They melt in cold water.	B．They are easy to break down.
C．They can only be made at home.	D．They can resist heat.

3. What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Evoware’s current cups	B．Plastic containers
C．Heat-resistant cups.	D．Eatable packaging.

4. What can we infer from Christian’s words in the last paragraph?

A．The price of plastics will go down.

B．Indonesians care little about the planet.

C．It takes much effort to promote the new product.

D．The seaweed products need much improvement.

【推荐2】The Education Secretary Michael Gove said all schools should follow the example set in the Far East where pupils are expected to follow a longer day and get less time off. In a speech, he warned the current shape of the academic year was created to fit the needs of an agricultural economy, with pupils taking time off in October to help harvest. The lack of time spent in the classroom is particularly damaging to children from poor backgrounds, Mr. Gove said.

Some of the Government's flagship academies---state schools run independent of local council controls---are using their independence to reform the school day, he said. Some open at 8:30 am and expect children to remain until at least 4:30 pm to undertake sport, music and other extra-curricular activities. Other schools such as David Young Community Academy operate four-week summer holidays for fear that children suffer an academic fall during the traditional six-week break.

Mr. Gove suggested all schools should follow a similar model to enable the nation to catch up with education systems elsewhere in the world. But his suggestions are likely to cause anger among teachers who are fiercely protective of the six-week summer break which they claim is vital for them to recharge their batteries.

Earlier this month, the National Union of Teachers actually called for a shorter school day. But addressing the Spectator Education Conference in central London, Mr. Gove said a "higher level of effort is expected on behalf of students, parents and teachers" in nations such as Singapore and elsewhere in the Far East.

He insisted the Government was changing teachers' pay and working conditions which meant they could be paid more for taking on extra duties, allowing heads to organize their staff "in a way to get more out of young people".

"The expectation is that to succeed, hard work is at the heart of everything," he said. "If you look at the length of the school day and summer holiday in England---and we compare it to the extra tuition and support children are receiving elsewhere---then we are fighting or actually running in this global race in a way without doubt we start with a significant obstacle."

1. Which of the following is right according to the passage?

A．Some schools in the UK have prolonged the school day.

B．A shorter school day helps employ more young teachers.

C．Teachers in the Far East long to have a longer holiday.

D．A longer school day makes no difference to poor children.

2. Why are teachers against Mr. Gove’s suggestions?

A．They will get less pay if the holidays are shorter

B．Children’s performance will be worse if holidays are shorter

C．They will not have enough time to relax

D．Children will have fewer after-school activities.

3. What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?

A．The length of holidays should be increased.

B．The length of the school day is disadvantageous to England.

C．England has lost the global race in education.

D．The government offers a higher pay to attract more teachers.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．An agricultural book.	B．A notebook.
C．A diary.	D．A newspaper.

【推荐3】Art and culture is lived and breathed in every corner of Canada. Due to a racial and immigrant(移民的) population, the variety and richness of art and sports is very evident.

Since World War Ⅱ, Canada has produced an impressive amount of writing. From novels to poetry, the selection is wide. Native writers are also becoming better known across Canada in recent years.

Musicians are reaching a higher level of recognition in the world music scene. Everything from country to pop, classical to heavy rock can be found across Canada and across the globe performed by Canadian artists.

The National Film Board, a film crew in Canada, is the most famous producer of movies in Canada. However, many Hollywood studios are turning to Canada as an alternative(供替代的选择) to the more expensive US. Many well-known actors, directors, screen writers and movies come from Canada and often scoop awards for their work.

French art was the first to appear in Canada along the St Lawrence in and around Quebec. Since then the volume of art and artists has increased. Canadian photography as well as painting by Canadians is not well-known outside of Canada but recognition is increasing.

Sport is a major part of today’s society in Canada. Hockey is the most popular sport with more participants taking part in curling(冰壶). American-style football and baseball are also very popular and all of these sports are played across Canada.

1. Canada has many forms of art and culture because it has ___________.

A．a long history	B．a large area
C．a large population	D．a variety of immigrants

2. What does the underlined word ＂scoop＂ mean in the passage?

A．Expect.	B．Set up.
C．Harvest.	D．Ignore.

3. Which group of Canadian artists is well-known all over the world today?

A．Native writers and screen writers.	B．Photographers and actors.
C．Painters and writers.	D．Musicians, actors and directors.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Brief Introduction to Canada

B．Canadian Arts, Culture and Sports

C．Canadian Artists

D．Canadian Arts and Culture Are World Famous