Is there a strange something high up in the world’s tallest mountains? If so, is it a big bear? Is it a monkey? Or is it a kind of man? No one knows. This mystery has puzzled the world for years.
In 1887, a mountain climber found large footsteps in the snow. They looked like the footsteps of a very large man. But men don’t walk without shoes in the snow!
In 1906, another climber saw more footsteps. He saw a very large animal standing on two legs. As he watched, it ran away very quickly. Fifteen years later, a newspaper had new stories about the “something”. A mountain climber said he had seen the “snowman” walk slowly in the snow. He said it looked like a very large man.
From then on, more and more people had stories to tell. But not until 1951 did a mountain climber bring back the pictures of large footsteps. The pictures showed clearly that the snowman walked on two legs. So it was not a bear or a monkey. Could it be an apeman (猿人)? And the mystery keeps growing. Some day, we may find out just what it is that makes the largest footsteps.
1. The passage is about ________.| A．some mountain climbers |
| B．some strange animals |
| C．the snow |
| D．the mystery of the large footsteps |
| A．Because they were the footsteps of a large bear. |
| B．Because they looked like the footsteps of a large man. |
| C．Because they were found in the snow. |
| D．Because they were found in the mountains. |
| A．In 1887. | B．In 1906. |
| C．In 1951. | D．In 1921. |
| A．They were the footsteps of an apeman. |
| B．They were the footsteps of a snowman. |
| C．The pictures showed clearly how the snowman walked. |
| D．People still don’t know who made the footsteps. |
| A．Snow | B．The large footsteps |
| C．A big bear | D．Monkey |
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【推荐1】Most of us would like to be more creative, but we assume there is little we can do about it. Psychology professor K. Anders Ericsson claims that with enough practice, any of us can become experts. However, he is quick to add that this requires a specific kind of practice that Ericsson calls ‘deliberate practice’: that is, pushing beyond one’s comfort zone and setting goals that are above one’s current level of performance. He says he has yet to find the limits on being successful and he doesn’t believe them to be real.
Ericsson has looked primarily at artistic and athletic skills, but can these findings apply to creativity? Most experts agree that even if most people cannot hope to become creative geniuses, they can learn to become more creative through practice. Psychologists claim that there are actually two levels of creativity, which they refer to as’Big C’ and ‘small c’. Big C creativity applies to breakthrough ideas, ones that may change the course of a field or even history. Small c creativity refers to everyday creative problem solving, like creating a new recipe or improving a process, which psychologists subdivide further into similar and different thinking. Similar thinking involves examining all the facts and arriving at a single solution. In contrast, different thinking involves coming up with many possible solutions. What most people think of as creativity generally involves different thinking and can be taught, practised and learnt.
Even with practice, different thinking alone cannot make one creative, however. Scott Barry Kaufman, a cognitive psychologist, says that most creative people share one personality quality: openness to new experience. Since this quality and these processes have been identified, less creative people can try to emulate them. Normally, we tend to reproduce what we already know because creative ideas move us into unfamiliar territory involving risks and following the usual behaviors is comfortable.
Moving outside of our comfort zone, engaging indeliberate practice and tolerating contradictory ideas, risk and failure are all things we can learn to do better. It is unlikely that doing so will transform any of us into creative geniuses, but it does have the potential to increase our level of creativity.
1. Why does Ericsson think he can’t find the limits?| A．No restrictions exist. | B．Practice makes perfect. |
| C．Each one can succeed. | D．The goal is ambitious. |
| A．Settling in outer space. |
| B．Building a plastic doghouse. |
| C．Developing robots to look after the old. |
| D．Explaining the theory of evolution in class. |
| A．Justify. | B．Limit. | C．Copy. | D．Assess. |
| A．We can learn to be more creative. |
| B．Life is full of various challenges. |
| C．It’s better to take deliberate practice. |
| D．Most can become creative geniuses. |
【推荐2】Researchers have long known that dolphins(海豚)can identify each other with signature whistles, the specific calls they use to refer to themselves. Now, a new study shows that the sense of taste allows bottlenose dolphins to identify their friends through urine-liquid waste from their bodies.
Study leader Jason Bruck, from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, initially wanted to test whether those signature whistles work similarly to human names. He needed a second way for dolphins to identify each other. To find out if dolphins could associate a whistle with a specific dolphin, Bruck turned to urine. A scientist had previously observed wild dolphins purposefully swimming through each other’s urine, leading Bruck to suspect they were gathering information from it.
Over evolutionary time, bottlenose dolphins have lost their sense of smell but kept a strong sense of taste. For the first part of the experiment, the team presented eight dolphins with urine samples from familiar and unknown individuals, and found that the dolphins spent about three times longer time exploring the familiar urine than the unfamiliar urine, with a few individuals collecting the familiar urine for more than 20 seconds. The dolphins paid little attention to the unfamiliar urine.
Then, for the second part, the researchers tested whether an individual’s whistle and urine were connected in their minds. They paired urine samples with recordings of characteristic screams played on underwater speakers, matched either by the same dolphin that provided the urine or by another animal. It turns out that the dolphins spent more time next to the speaker when the whistles corresponded to the urine sample. This indicates they can recognize each other in more than one way.
Using taste could be beneficial in the open ocean, as dolphins would learn from urine the recent presence of an individual. Given the recognition abilities shown in the study, the researchers think that it is possible that dolphins can also extract other information from urine, such as reproductive status or the use of pheromones(外激素)to influence the behavior of others.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The swimming style of dolphins. |
| B．The cause of experimenting with urine. |
| C．The way of dolphins addressing each other. |
| D．The similarities between humans and dolphins. |
| A．They screamed at the speaker. | B．They paid little attention to whistles. |
| C．They stayed near the speaker longer. | D．They got scared enough to flee the area. |
| A．Process. | B．Confirm. |
| C．Obtain. | D．Convey. |
| A．They have a strong sense of hearing. |
| B．They can recognize their friends by taste. |
| C．They can form close friendships through sound. |
| D．They use signature whistles to identify themselves. |
【推荐3】Next time you go on holiday, you might find yourself feeling even more tired than usual.
While this can often be attributed to jet lag, there can often be other reasons why you need to sleep more than usual.
You’ve got “leisure sickness”
You may find yourself burning out at work right before you go on holiday.
You’re catching up with sleep
Most of us don’t get enough sleep in our day-to-day lives. So heading on holiday and being allowed to sleep as much as you like can be a comfort.
You’re putting your brain on high alert
You may not feel as relaxed in a foreign bed, which can cause the left side of your brain to stay alert for “danger”.
If you’re someone who finds it hard to sit around and do nothing on holiday, then it might be that packed journey that has got you yawning. Planning an 8 am sharp boat trip followed by sightseeing before lunch and a museum visit in the afternoon can be pretty exhausting. If you can spare at least a day on holiday, you’ll feel far less tired of the rest of it, when you get back to your jam-packed journey.
| A．You haven’t finished your plan |
| B．You’re doing loads of activities |
| C．But if you haven’t been fully rested for a while |
| D．The good news is that humans' brains are very flexible |
| E．It is because you have so much work to get finished before you leave |
| F．Thus people who are often in new places may not necessarily have poor sleep on a regular basis |
| G．This can also be applied to getting everything packed, prepared and sorted before you leave the house |
【推荐1】Along the hallway (走廊), I saw mixed expressions on the faces of my students: excited, nervous, and worried.No doubt about it: they were this term’s freshmen. My own first day at high school flashed into my mind.
Since our family had just moved to the place, I didn’t know anyone at the school. On arriving, I picked up a map and my schedule (日程表). Oh, my goodness, what a large school it was! Nervously, I looked about for where my first class was to be held.
When I finally found my class, everyone was talking and laughing together, and I felt so lonely. Throughout the day, each period brought some new faces I had not seen before. But when my English class came around, I had a surprise: an old classmate! It was Ben, who had left my middle school right after sixth grade. We talked and joked about middle school and the clubs we were in together. My nerves eased (放松) a little.
Next was the P E. class. This was the first class that I found without difficulty. Sitting through the boring introduction to the class by the teacher, I started talking to a girl sitting near me. I found out that her family had just moved here too, and she didn’t know anyone either. As we talked, we discovered that we had a lot in common, and had a lot of classes together. This girl ended up becoming my best friend. I am so glad that I met her.
By the end of that day, I was full of optimism (乐观). I knew that high school would be an amazing experience.
1. The writer of this passage is a __________.| A．parent | B．college student | C．high school student | D．high school teacher |
| A．the school was very large | B．the map did not show the way |
| C．the teacher would be serious | D．the first class would be difficult |
| A．met her old classmate Ben | B．made friends with a girl |
| C．had P.E. class together with Ben | D．finally found her first class |
| A．Nervous. | B．Bored. | C．Hopeful. | D．Satisfied. |
Since I studied engineering, I decided to come up with a solution (解决办法). I ran down to my basement and found a piece of wooden board, some pushpins and hooks (图钉和钩子). With the help of these things, I managed to make a bracelet. One of my daughters said, “Wow, that’s cool, but I can make it by hand.” So I started to put two, three, four, five rows together. I crossed the bands into diamond patterns using rainbow colors, which is how the Rainbow Loom (彩虹织机) got its name.
My daughters were so excited that they showed the bracelets to their friends. We started to get requests for them. But they were still difficult to make. I thought, “If I can make a small, easy-to-use loom, I’m onto something big.” It took six months and a lot of support from my kids to perfect the idea.
I tried to sell the loom by making videos about how to use it and taking my daughters to stores to show it. Many store owners thought it might be too difficult to use. For a year, we sold it only on our website. When it became popular with kids, it got noticed by toy stores.
It is so exciting that a simple idea my kids and I came up with together at our living-room table has become a nationwide fad.
1. The author tried to show his daughters how to make bracelets but _____.
| A．was refused | B．regretted |
| C．failed | D．was misunderstood |
| A．making bracelets |
| B．using a jump rope |
| C．impressing his daughters |
| D．inventing the Rainbow Loom |
| A．looms | B．bracelets |
| C．friends | D．rainbows |
| A．They thought highly of it. |
| B．They had a long wait for it. |
| C．They showed a great interest in it. |
| D．They thought there was no market for it. |
【推荐3】Three cute brown bear cubs who got lost after getting separated from their mother gripped the hearts of netizens.
The fuzzy cubs were spotted by Gelek Gyatso, an ecological protection officer, when he was patrolling a riverbed at an altitude of nearly 4,500 meters in Qumarleb county in Qinghai province’s Yushu.
The little cubs eagerly ran toward the ranger on the snow-covered riverbed, then stopped short at a safe distance to stare at him curiously. After realizing that the man was not their mother, the bear cubs turned around and ran along the river calling for mom.
This was Gelek Gyatso’s first encounter with bear cubs separated from their mother. With his knowledge of wild animals, he drove the cubs towards an area near their cave in the hope of a safe reunion. Thankfully, later that day, other patrol officers found that the mother bear had reunited with her cubs and that the family was happy and healthy.
This year marks Gelek Gyatso’s tenth year as an ecological protection officer. He patrols the area every day, diligently records the animals he sees, carefully checks on the vegetation, and helps clean up litter.
Over the decade, Gelek Gyatso has witnessed great changes in the ecological environment of his hometown. There has been an increase in the number of wild animals, and everyone is participating in the protection of these species, making coexistence between humans and animals more harmonious.
He also reminds people that if they encounter wild animals in the wild, they should keep their distance, not disturbing or feeding them. and that if they find an animal that needs to be rescued, they should call the fire or forest department in time.
1. What happened to the three bear cubs?| A．Losing track of the mother bear. | B．Following Gelek with curiosity. |
| C．Mistaking a man for their mother. | D．Being trapped in the cold riverbed. |
| A．Ambitious and considerate. | B．Romantic and hard-working. |
| C．Devoted and helpful. | D．Innovative and caring. |
| A．Changing their living surroundings. |
| B．Feeding and sheltering wild animals. |
| C．Getting involved in saving endangered species. |
| D．Seeking professional help to rescue those in need. |
| A．A project of wildlife conservation | B．An encounter leading to a safe reunion |
| C．A journey of friendship connection | D．A knowledgeable ecological officer |
【推荐1】Be careful on January 8th --- It’s officially the most dangerous day of the year. The insurance company Hyperion has studied accident statistics (统计数字) and has found that there are more accidents on January 8th than on any other day.
Accidents are certainly more likely to happen at particular times of the year. One general rule is that more accidents happen in winter months, because risk increases in bad weather. In 2004 and 2005 Hyperion found that the worst day was January 8th, with 298 accidents reported to them. March 3rd was the safest day, with only 89 reports. Six of the ten worst days for driving were in January.
It’s clear that icy and snowy conditions are dangerous, but some other statistics are puzzling. A British Medical Journal report in 2001, for example, found that hospital admissions (住院) were always higher than usual on Friday the 13th.
But it is not only when Friday falls on the 13th that it is a dangerous day. Four of the top ten worst days for accidents last year were Fridays --- perhaps because everyone is rushing home for the weekend --- while Thursdays are the safest day of the week.
At what time of the day is an accident most likely to happen? The Health and Safety Authority found that people are most likely to have an accident at 11.00 a.m., while the safest time of day is between 4.00 and 5.00 a.m. --- probably because most people are in bed!
Finally, good news for Harry Potter fans. Doctors at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford noted that fewer children were in hospital on the weekend when Harry Potter books were available to the public. Casualties (伤亡人员) fell by over 50% when the last two books went on sale. So if you want to be really safe, you should read a Harry Potter book in bed, at around 5.00 on a Thursday morning, in summer.
1. What is special about January 8th according to Hyperion?| A．More accidents happen than usual. | B．The weather is often the worst. |
| C．More people are rushed to hospital. | D．It’s the safest day in winter months. |
| A．Fridays often fall on the 13th. | B．Busy weekdays tire people out. |
| C．Everyone is in a hurry to go home. | D．It’s easy to get caught in heavy traffic. |
| A．It was the safest day of the year. | B．People were more likely to go out. |
| C．Fewer children ended up in hospital. | D．The driving conditions were the worst. |
| A．To show some research results. | B．To give practical advice. |
| C．To tell an interesting story. | D．To solve a problem. |
【推荐2】New research suggests that human beings may have been partly responsible for the disappearance of cave bears thousands of years ago, when the plant-loving animals lived. Some experts believed that the cooling climate during the Earth's Ice Age was to blame for their extinction.
Scientists reported last week they had studied genetic data from 59 cave bears. Their bones were recovered from seven countries: France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Spain and Switzerland. From the genetic information, the scientists noted a decrease in the cave bear population beginning about 50,000 years ago. That is around the time of the arrival of Homo sapiens, or modern humans, in Eastern Europe. The researchers said they observed a sharp drop in the bears' numbers about 40,000 years ago. That coincides with the spread of Homo sapiens throughout Europe.
The animals disappeared about 20,000 years ago. The cave bear lived in the Ice Age at the same time as other now extinct creatures. The bear was as big as a modern polar bear, but ate only plants. It appears often in prehistoric cave paintings.
There has been a scientific debate about what led to the extinction of the cave bear. Some scientists believe that the climate change greatly reduced the plants they needed, while others have blamed human activities, including hunting and taking over the caves where the bears gave birth and slept during winter. The bear's population remained largely unchanged for long periods before climate cooling, including during two noticeably cold periods and other cooling events.
Homo sapiens appeared in Africa more than 300,000 years ago and later moved to other areas. The study offered new evidence that the arrival of Homo sapiens led to ruin for many kinds of animals across Eurasia, the Americas and Australia.
1. How did scientists research on cave bears?| A．By studying the bones found in some countries. | B．By observing the paintings on the cave walls. |
| C．By being told from generation to generation. | D．By making research on the polar bears. |
| A．About 50,000 years ago. | B．About 40,000 years ago. |
| C．About 20 ,000 years ago. | D．More than 300 ,000 years ago. |
| A．Sudden change of climate made cave bears die out. |
| B．Cave bears couldn't adapt to cold environment as quickly as possible. |
| C．The loss of cave bears' habitats caused damage to their existence. |
| D．Cold periods were very common thousands of years ago. |
| A．Humans Perhaps Partly to Blame for Cave Bears' Disappearance |
| B．Homo Sapiens Hunting Kinds of Animals across Eurasia |
| C．A Debate over Why Cave Bears Suddenly Disa Id |
| D．Scientists Studied Bones Discovered in Seven Countries |
【推荐3】China is one of the best tourist destinations with many great museums, which will show you the Chinese civilization for the past thousands of years.
The Palace Museum, Beijing
There are always long lines at the gate, but it’s worth the wait. The palace Museum had been the Chinses imperial (皇帝的) palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty.
When you wander in the museum, you will be amazed at this largest palace complex in the world! It has about 1,807,000 rare and valuable artworks that witness the 5,000-year Chinese civilization.
Opening Hours:
April 1 — October 31: 8:30 — 17:00
November 1— March 31: 8:30 — 16:30
Closed on Mondays (except for national holidays and July-August)
National Museum of China, Beijing
This is the second most-visited museums in the world. Opened in 2003, the museum is devoted to educating the art and history of China through its collections, exhibitions, and academic researches.
Here you'll find the most brilliant masterpieces in China. It is now holding approximately 1,400,000 amazing objects. These objects are like storytellers who reveal Chinese history from the Yuanmou Man of 1.7 million years ago to the end of the Qing Dynasty.
Opening Hours:
9:00 — 17:00
Closed on Mondays
Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses (兵马俑), Xi'an
The Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses is featured with thousands of life-sized terracotta figures of warriors and horses. They are arranged in battle formations and different from each other with individual characteristics.
Thousands of treasures still remain to be unearthed at this archaeological (考古的) site, and more mysteries of the Qin dynasty will be revealed someday in the future.
Opening Hours:
March 16— November 15: 8:30 — 18:00
November 16— March 15: 8:30 — 17:30
Shanghai Museum, Shanghai
Visiting Shanghai Museum is ranked No. 2 out of 10 things to do in Shanghai. Perhaps, this is the most modern museum in China, housing a diverse collection of around 1,020,000 artifacts that chart the nation's history.
There are eleven galleries in three exhibition halls, covering most of the major categories of Chinese art: bronzes, sculpture, ceramics (陶瓷制品), paintings, calligraphy, seals, jade, coins and Ming and Qing furniture.
Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday: 9:00 — 17:00
1. Which museum houses the largest collection?| A．The Palace Museum . | B．The National Museum of China. |
| C．The Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses. | D．The Shanghai Museum. |
| A．It is the most popular museum in the world. |
| B．It used to be part of the emperor's palace. |
| C．It shows Chinese history of all times. |
| D．It opens every day except Monday. |
| A．Its collections date back to the age of the Yuanmou Man. |
| B．The masterpieces are arranged in its many galleries. |
| C．It focuses on the archaeological findings of one dynasty. |
| D．Sculpture, ceramics and paintings are on show there. |
【推荐1】NASA has shown a design for a 3D-printed habitat that could be home for the first humans visiting the Red Planet. It has a double-shell design, to protect the habitable spaces from the natural expansion and contradiction caused by the extreme temperatures swings on Mars. Inside, its functional areas are spread over four levels, with a spiral staircase allowing humans to move around freely.
On the first level there is a wet lab, and a preparation area for astronauts entering and leaving the building. The second level has a dry lab, as well as a kitchen area. The third level functions as a sleeping area, as well as a sanitation pod and a garden area. The fourth level is an exercise and recreation area.
“Architecture on Earth plays a decisive role in the way we live,” said AI SpaceFactory, the New York-based team behind the design. “On Mars, this role reaches a higher level of importance since architecture is the machine which keeps us alive.”
AI SpaceFactory has been selected as the winner of NASA’s 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge, and awarded the top prize of $500,000. The competition challenged participants to create shelters out of recyclables and materials that could be found on deep-space destinations, like the Moon and Mars.
AI SpaceFactory was praised for the way it automated the building process---completing the building with nearly no human assistance in 30 hours. It was also applauded for its biopolymer basalt composite---a biodegradable (可由生物降解的) and recyclable material developed from natural materials found on Mars. After passing a series of NASA’s tests, this material was found to be stronger than its concrete competitors.
“It’s light, and it’s strong, like an airplane,” said Lex Akers from the Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology at Bradley University, who was one of the competition judges. “That’s going to be very important for these types of habitats.”
1. What are the first and second paragraphs talking about?| A．The features of this 3D-printed habitat. |
| B．The structure of this 3D-printed habitat. |
| C．The functions of this 3D-printed habitat. |
| D．The introduction of this 3D-printed habitat. |
| A．Washroom. | B．Living room. |
| C．Dining room. | D．Bedroom. |
| A．It used recyclables. | B．No human assistance. |
| C．Its material is proper. | D．It passed NASA’s a range of tests. |
| A．It costs a lot. | B．It will come into reality. |
| C．It is of significance. | D．It arouses people’s interest. |
【推荐2】Some jobs are so demanding that there is not a free moment to do something else than to recover and rest. Most physicians have great difficulty starting or even maintaining a hobby. But there are exceptions.
Take Menno Baars for instance. He works full time as a cardiologist(心脏病专家)in a hospital in Holland. "Full time" might still be an understatement-as a cardiologist he spends about 60 hours a week in the hospital. However，after a long day of work，he likes to come home and spend hours doing what is his great passion: painting.
How can he find the time and energy to live a life that few others can pursue?" "Actually it is quite simple. If you like what you do, you will find a way to do it. Don't get me wrong. I love cardiology, but it is not a very creative profession," says Baars."It is a specialty that is based on strict treatment guidelines, without much room for your own ideas and creativity. That is why painting as a hobby is so wonderful. There are no rules and I can do whatever I want."
Although there are no rules in painting, for Baars it is still some sort of a custom. The only thing that reminds the painter Baars of the cardiologist Baars is his white coat and his surgical gloves which he wears every time he is painting." I sometimes start at 10 at night and can continue working until 4:30 in the morning and still make it to work on time that same day," says Baars."That is the advantage of my training as a medical specialist. I get used to making crazy hours and long nights."
You would think that someone who is so driven by his passion for painting was already fascinated by art as a little kid." Not at all," says Baars unexpectedly." I never dreamed of becoming a painter. My parents expected me to finish college and pursue a professional career. I only realized my passion for painting after having completed medical school. Once I was attracted by a painting of Miro, but could not afford it. So I decided to paint myself. I just started painting lines, but within minutes a beautiful dove was on the canvas. I suddenly realized this is what I want to do."
A successful doctor. A successful painter. It seems unfair to have the two identities in one person. What do his fellow cardiologists think of his passion for painting？“They accept it and actually appreciate it as well. You see，if I was a cardiologist who provided suboptimal(未达最佳标准的)care for his patients，they would not agree. My chairman told me a few years ago in the hospital that he would rather see me reading cardiology books at night than see me holding a paint brush.”
“I used to pack a lot of ideas into each painting-different shapes，colors and so on. I still have tons of ideas，which is not the problem. But I do strive for more simplicity. To depict a simple idea clearly is my goal. Also my technique has improved over time. When I started out，the paint would sometimes flake(剥落)if the basis was not good，but that doesn't happen anymore these days.”
Menno Baars never has any doubts when he is painting. However，he does like the response he gets from the most important woman in his life. His wife is the first to see each newly-finished painting." Sometimes when I finish a new painting in the middle of the night, I wake her up to see if she likes it. She doesn't always like to be woken up, but she always gives an honest answer.
Even if she doesn't like it, for me the painting is finished. I won't change it afterwards. It is more of the feeling that once my wife has seen it, it is ready to be presented to the rest of the world."
1. Why does Menno Baars like painting?| A．Because he dislikes rules very much. |
| B．Because he feels bored with his work. |
| C．Because he wants to pursue a career as a painter. |
| D．Because he finds painting a creative process. |
| A．help him work late into the night | B．make himself feel easy and comfortable |
| C．remember his identity as cardiologist | D．remind himself to work on time next morning |
| A．when he completed a beautiful painting | B．when he was a very young child |
| C．to live up to his parents' expectations | D．to spend his leisure time at home |
| A．They can't hide their envy at his success. |
| B．They don't expect too much of his paintings. |
| C．They think he should put his job as a doctor first. |
| D．They don't think he should spend time painting. |
| A．full of different colors | B．clearly convey a simple idea | C．special with creative ideas |
| D．improve with modern techniques | ||
| A．will probably feel very disappointed | B．will still keep the painting and have it presented |
| C．will accept her advice and change the painting | D．will never ask for her opinion any more |
【推荐3】Greece restarted regular ferry (轮渡) services to its islands, and cafés and restaurants were also back open for business to rescue its tourism .
Travel to the islands had been generally off-limits since a lockdown was carried out in late March to stop the spread of the coronavirus, with only goods suppliers and locals allowed to enter. But the country’s low infection rate (感染率) in the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged the government to start the holiday season three weeks earlier than the expected June 15 date.
At Bairaktaris restaurant on central Monastiraki Square in Athens, waiters and other workers wearing face masks, prepared various dishes, arranged flowers on tables and waited for customers, who remained cautious. Spiros Bairaktaris, the owner, is carrying on a family business running for 140 years and has hung pictures on the wall of himself sitting next to supermodel Naomi Campbell, singer Cesaria Evora, and other famous customers.
Greece has had nearly 2,900 infections and 171 deaths from the virus. Italy has seen nearly 33,000 coronavirus patients die, Spain has had nearly 29,000 deaths and Turkey 4,340, according to a record by Johns Hopkins University.
Social distancing rules and passenger limits have been introduced on ferries and at restaurants to prevent new infections. State-run health services to fight the coronavirus are being provided to the islands.
Tourism is a vital part of the Greek economy, directly contributing more than 10% of the country’s GDP . More than 34 million visitors traveled to Greece last year, spending 18.2 billion euros ($19.5 billion), according to government data.
1. What does the underlined word “off-limits” in paragraph 2 probably refer to ?| A．Prevented. | B．Admired. | C．Confirmed. | D．Encouraged. |
| A．Tourism has been completely rescued in Greece. |
| B．Visitors are welcomed to Greece to help develop tourism. |
| C．Coronavirus pandemic has already disappeared in Greece. |
| D．Bairaktaris restaurant has attracted many famous customers. |
| A．To attract famous customers in Greece. |
| B．To show the growth of Greek economy. |
| C．To introduce the efforts made for Greek tourism. |
| D．To share specific ways to run a restaurant in Greece. |
