【推荐2】Festival of Light, Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire

Longleat is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Giant lanterns take the shape of some of the park's animals, and there are also lots of characters in Beatrix Potter's book, such as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck, Squirrel Nutkin, to mark the 150th anniversary of the author's birth. There is also a 20-metre-high birthday cake.

●£27. 85, adult/£20.65, child/under-threes, free.

●15 Dec. to 2 Jan.

Festival of Light, Enchanted Park, Gateshead

Enchanted Park is an interactive(交互的)walk through Saltwell Park, just south of the town

centre, along a trail of light with performances and sculptures. The story being told is a Midwinter
Night's Tale, inspired by the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death. Visitors can join
stories and songs with Santa, and attend decorating workshops.

●£8, adult/£2, child/under-fours, free.

●11～27 Dec.

Christmas Glow, RHS Wisley, Surrey

The garden is glowing with giant lighted flowers. Some of the trees are brilliant, too. The

glasshouse is decorated like a gingerbread house, and displays seasonal plants. There are lanterns
around the lake. The cafe serves hot chocolate and apple juice.

●£9.90, adult/£3.60, child/#28, family.

●20 Dec. to 2 Jan.

Christmas at Kew Gardens, London

Kew is a special place to visit at any time of the day or year, but the festive light show gives it a magical twist, as the mile-long trail through the garden is decorated with 60,000 lights. Some of the garden's oldest and tallest trees are also beautifully lit along the way.

●£16, adult/£10, child/under-fours, free.

●24 Dec. to 2 Jan.

1. What can people do in Enchanted Park?

A．Visit Shakespeare's house.	B．Listen to stories.
C．Learn to create sculptures.	D．Play the part of Santa.

2. Which place will attract children fond of fictional animal characters?

A．Kew Gardens.	B．RHS Wisley.
C．Longleat Safari Park.	D．Enchanted Park.

3. How much is the admission to Kew Gardens for the Smiths and a 6-year-old child?

A．£42.	B．£16.
C．£10.	D．£26.

4. What do the parks mentioned in the text have in common?

A．Their open times are the same.	B．They serve free cakes to children.
C．They are free for children under four.	D．They are full of Christmas atmosphere.

【推荐3】

Guide to Film Festivals

Cannes Film Festival Cannes, France in May Top prize: Palme d`Or History: The first Cannes Film Festival was scheduled to take place in September 1939, but the outbreak of World War II forced its cancellation. It didn’t open for the first time until after the war. The Palme d`Or prize was introduced in 1955. The festival became established during the 1960s and is now known as the world’s most important film festival. Did you know? About 20 feature films compete each year for the Palme d`Or. Previous winners include Michael Moore and Quentin Tarantino. Unlike the Oscars, the top prize is frequently shared between two films. Famous films that have won the Palme d`Or include Apocalypse Now, Taxi Driver: La Dolce Vita and The Third Man. The festival attracts more than 40,000 people every year.

Venice Film Festival Venice, Italy in August/September Top prize: Golden Lion History: The Venice Film Festival is the oldest film festival. The film festival started in 1932 and it attracted over 25,000 people. The festival did not appear again until 1934, when there was a competition between 19 countries. The festival was held three times during World War II and has been held almost every year since then. Did you know? Films at the 61st Venice Film Festival in 2004 were nominated for 16 awards at the Oscars—the highest ever for the festival. These films included Vera Drake, Shark Tale, Collateral and Finding Never land.

The London Film Festival London, UK in October/November Top prize: Non-competitive History: The London Film Festival started in 1956 when a group of film critics led by the famous Dilys Powell, the film critic for The Sunday Times, got together over dinner. They discussed the festivals at Cannes and Venice, and they agreed that London needed one, too. They wanted to give people the opportunity to see films from around the world that were not being shown in the cinemas. The first festival showed 20 films at the National Film Theatre on the South Bank. Did you know? The festival is one of Europe’s largest public film events, screening about 280 films from 60 countries. Although it is non-competitive, the British Film Institute awards the Sutherland Trophy to the most original and imaginative feature film screened at the festival.

1. When was the first Cannes Film Festival?

A．In1939.	B．In1955.
C．In 1944.	D．Not given in the passage.

2. We can know from the passage that________.

A．The Third Man won the Golden Lion

B．the Cannes Film Festival started in 1939

C．the Palme d`Or   can be awarded to two films

D．the Palme d`Or prize was introduced during World War II

3. The Venice Film Festival________.

A．didn’t attract many people at first

B．has been held every year since 1934

C．is regarded as the most important film festival

D．has been running longer than any other film festival

4. What was the purpose of the London Film Festival at the beginning?

A．To bring film critics together.

B．To compete with other film festivals.

C．To choose the most original feature films.

D．To see films not shown in the cinemas.

5. This passage is most likely to be found in a/an________.

A．travel magazine	B．academic paper
C．encyclopedia	D．textbook

【推荐1】Every year, workers put up a big, freshly cut evergreen tree (常青树) in a historic building in Asbury Park, New Jersey to celebrate Christmas. But recently workers put up a very different kind of Christmas Tree instead.

Unlike an evergreen, it requires little care and can never die. That is because the 2021 Christmas Tree is made entirely of a thick and strong paper material called cardboard. When the winter holidays end, the “tree” is to be recycled. The piece uses natural and artificial lighting to darken parts of the tree while shining light on others. In this way, the piece’s appearance changes throughout the day. The tree’s creators sought to honor elements of Asbury Park’s natural environment, cityscape (城市风光) and rich musical history.

Opinions on the tree differ enormously. “I like that it’s different…It’s pretty interesting,” said local man Chris Trifari. Local Elizabeth Khimitch offered similar praise. “I think it’s very creative.” She had come to the Grand Arcade to take pictures of her dogs in front of the tree. Others on the boardwalk were not as pleased by the tree. Antony Solimando said it looked like “an Amazon package.” “Can’t we just have our traditional tree?” added Amy Mackey.

Michael Lavallee, a local artist who goes by the name Porkchop, created the piece with Brad Hoffer. They call it The Giving Tree. He said the company told him there would not be a natural Christmas tree at Convention Hall this year. “I was asked to come in and do something festive-ish, especially in connection with a holiday.” said Porkchop.

Amy Quinn is Asbury Park’s deputy mayor (副市长). Quinn said the city doesn’t intervene in the Convention Hall decisions, but that she likes the piece. She said, “I love that it’s different. Love it or hate it, people are talking about it.”

1. According to the text, which one is NOT the characteristic of the paper Christmas tree?

A．It needs less care.	B．It can be reused next year.
C．It can change throughout the day.	D．It can be recycled.

2. What can be inferred from the text about the creators of the paper Christmas tree?

A．They are both environmentalists.

B．They thought the paper Christmas tree was something much more impressive.

C．They wanted to show respect to Asbury Park’s natural landscape.

D．They wanted to create a totally different Christmas for the local people.

3. What does the underlined word in the fourth paragraph probably mean?

A．Dramatic.	B．Superb.
C．Numerous.	D．Celebratory.

4. Where does the text probably come from?

A．A food magazine.	B．A travel guide.
C．A local newspaper.	D．A Science report.

【推荐2】I can’t think of a better way of appreciating a new culture than by taking part in one of its festivals. You’ll find that some festivals are celebrated by an entire country, while others may be known only to a single city or region, but either way festivals play an important role in a certain culture. Just enjoy them!

★ Tomatina — Bunol, Spain

Every last Wednesday in August, the town of Bunol is filled with tons of tomatoes in the world’s biggest food flight. Many people wear goggles during this hour of great fun, as the town becomes a red river.

★ Boryeong Mud Festival — Boryeong, South Korea

For two weeks in July, millions gather in Boryeong to experience the grey pools and slides. What began as a way to help sell the region’s mineral-rich mud has turned into a festive party with music and fireworks. The mud is usually only available in cosmetic products (化妆品), but here you can cake yourself in grey as you want.

★ Holi — India

Holi, the Festival of Colors, is a Hindu celebration full of joy and one of India’s most important holidays. During the day of the last full moon of the lunar month, usually late February or early March, the air is full of brightly colored powder (粉末). The festival is celebrated differently throughout the country, with bonfires and music, but the cheerful spirit is common among Hindu people around the world.

★ International Pillow Fight Day — Worldwide

Tens of thousands of people took part in the 4th annual International Pillow Fight Day on April 2,2013. From London to Vancouver to many other cities, the festival is held in more than 100 countries. So just bring a soft pillow in early April, and watch feathers fly.

1. According to the author, ________.

A．there should be festivals celebrated by the whole world

B．festivals give people the best chances to experience a culture

C．it’s usually hard for people to accept a different culture

D．festivals in a certain culture often change with time

2. We learn from the passage that ________.

A．the town of Bunol in Spain is on a river

B．cosmetic products sell well on Boryeong Mud Festival

C．International Pillow Fight Day has a short history

D．Holi is the greatest festival for Indian people

3. The passage is most likely to be found in ________.

A．a personal diary	B．a technical report
C．a geography book	D．a travel magazine

【推荐3】Every year, Earth Day is celebrated on April 22, and people all around the world celebrate this day by taking part in environmental awareness activities and working towards raising awareness about important issues that our planet Earth is currently facing, like global warming and pollution.

Before the 1970s, there were almost no environmental laws and industries were allowed to dump their industrial waste and fumes anywhere in the world. A US Senator by the name of Gaylord Nelson was concerned about the growing levels of pollution. So in the spring of 1970, Senator Nelson created Earth Day as a way to promote awareness about these issues in the US. His plan was successful, as 20 million Americans started a demonstration (示威游行) for Earth Day around the world. As a result, the US government started an agency called the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Over the next few years, the movement spread across the world and Earth Day became internationally recognized.

The theme of Earth Day 2021 is “restore our Earth”. The focus of this year’s theme is restoring Earth’s natural processes and ecosystems. Apart from that, the goal of this year’s Earth Day is to focus on taking green technologies and innovative (创新的) actions to restore the Earth’s natural ecosystem. More than stopping pollution and global warming, this year’s Earth Day focuses on reversing the damage caused to the Earth.

Despite strict environmental laws in many countries across the world, problems such as global warming, air pollution and climate change continue to threaten our planet. Many scientists around the world are warning us about the already irreversible problems that have been created by microplastics, oil spills and depletion (消耗) of the ozone layer. If the human race continues on the same path as before, the extinction of the human race is not too far off in the future. Earth Day seeks to help raise people’s awareness around the world about these issues and bring positive changes, so future generations stand a chance of living a safer life.

1. Which activity is suitable to celebrate Earth Day?

A．Plastic waste collection.	B．A long-distance bicycle race.
C．A lecture about human rights.	D．Medical research on cancers.

2. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The history of Earth Day.	B．The success of Gaylord Nelson.
C．Environmental changes in the 1970s.	D．The establishment of environmental laws.

3. What is special about Earth Day of 2021?

A．It helps to slow down global warming.

B．It aims to bring the Earth back to normal.

C．It focuses on reducing individuals’ carbon footprint.

D．It promotes the development of emerging industries.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To predict the future of the Earth.

B．To describe our terrible living environment.

C．To state the progress in protecting the Earth.

D．To increase people’s awareness of Earth Day.

【推荐2】“If they hated me they didn’t talk to me about it,” says a young German manager at a media firm in Frankfurt. Still, he says it was noticeable that when an employee 20 years older than him thanked him for buying lunch he had to swallow twice before adding the word “boss”.

Older workers sometimes envy being managed by a younger colleague. Precocious (老成的) youngsters, too, can feel awkward about bossing their elders around. But in Germany a shortage of skilled workers means that such situations are becoming even more common.

The country’s population is projected to shrink. As more Germans retire，fewer youngsters are entering the work-place to replace them. As a share of the working population the number of

15-to-24-year-olds has fallen by ten percent since the 1980s, says the German Federal Employment Agency. Firms competing to hire young talent have to promote them earlier as a result. A paper by professors at the university of Cambridge and WHU, a German business school, to be published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior, suggests this could be a problem.

As in many countries, German work-places are legally obliged to overlook age when deciding whom to promote. Yet according to Jochen Menges, one of the authors, when an ordinary worker leap-frogs a more experienced one it can leave the latter with feelings of “anger, fear and disgust.” People tend to judge their own standing by the success of their peers, and to see failure in being bossed about by someone younger. The relationship between feelings of anxiety and the age of the boss is clear, according to Mr Menges. A manager who is younger by one year is somewhat unsettling; a gap of 20 years is far more discouraging.

German firms certainly shouldn’t return to a system in which age equals to rank. But young people tend to be sensitive about managing upwards. And older workers should be encouraged to see the bright side of learning new skills. Daimler, a big German car firm, says it promotes age- mixed teams, so that knowledge can be transferred between generations. It also supports young managers by asking retired employees to provide temporary support.

1. For what does the author mention a young German manager and his experience in Paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the topic.	B．To present an argument.
C．To attract readers’ interest.	D．To describe his own idea.

2. Why are some precocious youngsters bossing their elders around in Germany？

A．Precocious youngsters are all skilled workers.

B．Such situations are becoming more common.

C．Fewer youngsters would like to do hard work.

D．Companies compete fiercely to hire young talent.

3. In which of the following situations might an employee regard himself as a failure according to the passage?

A．When he has to decide whom to promote.

B．When he leap-frogs a more experienced worker.

C．When he is being bossed about by someone younger.

D．When he experiences feelings of anger, fear and disgust.

4. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．A younger boss is more likely to be nervous and anxious.

B．An employee with a younger boss tends to suffer from anxiety.

C．There is a connection between anxiety and the age of promotion.

D．The age of the boss and anxiety are closely related.

5. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Qualified workers should be promoted to boss.

B．Older workers should support younger managers.

C．Older workers are no better than younger colleagues.

D．You are never too old to learn, or too young to mange.

【推荐3】Thirteen vehicles lined up last March to race across the Mojave Desert, seeking a million in prize money. To win, they had to finish the 142-mile race in less than 10 hours. Teams and watchers knew there might be no winner at all, because these vehicles were missing a key part — drivers.

DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, organized the race as part of a push to develop robotic vehicles for future battlefields. But the Grand Challenge, as it was called, just proved how difficult it is to get a car to speed across an unfamiliar desert without human guidance. One had its brake locked up in the starting area. Another began by throwing itself onto a wall. Another got tied up by bushes near the road after 1.9 miles.

One turned upside down. One took off in entirely the wrong direction and had to be disabled by remote control. One went a little more than a mile and rushed into a fence; another managed to go for six miles but stuck on a rock. The “winner”, if there was any, reached 7.8 miles before it ran into a long, narrow hole, and the front wheels caught on fire.

“You get a lot of respect for natural abilities of the living things,” says Reinhold Bebringer, who helped design two of the car-size vehicles for a company called Sci-Autonies, “Even ants can do all these tasks effortlessly. It’s very hard for us to put these abilities into our machines.”

The robotic vehicles, though with necessary modern equipment such as advanced computers and GPS guidance, had trouble figuring out fast enough the blocks ahead that a two-year-old human recognizes immediately. Sure, that very young child, who has just only learned to walk, may not think to wipe apple juice off her face, but she already knows that when there’s a cookie in the kitchen, she has to climb up the table, and that when she gets to the cookie, it will taste good. She is more advanced, even months old, than any machine humans have designed.

1. Why did the watchers doubt if any of the vehicles could finish the race?

A．They did not have any human guidance.	B．The road was not familiar to the drivers.
C．The distance was too long for the vehicles.	D．The prize money was unattractive to the drivers.

2. What was the purpose of the race organized by DARPA?

A．To raise money for producing more robotic vehicles.

B．To push the development of vehicle industry.

C．To train more people to drive in the desert.

D．To improve the vehicles for future wars.

3. In the race, what was the greatest distance one robotic vehicle covered?

A．Almost two miles.	B．Six miles.
C．About eight miles.	D．About one mile.

4. What does the writer imply in the last paragraph?

A．A robotic vehicle can finish a 142-mile race without any difficulties.

B．A little child who has just learned to walk can’t reach the cookie on the table.

C．A robotic vehicle can’t deal with a simple problem that a little child can solve.

D．A little child can understand the importance of wiping apple juice off her face.

【推荐1】The secret to happiness is keeping busy , research has found . Keeping the mind occupied with tasks –------ no matter how meaningless—keeps off (避开) negative emotions (情绪)，the study found .

However , the bad news is that humans are seemingly born to be lazy in order to save energy , according to Professor Christopher Hsee , a behavioral（行为的）scientist at Chicago University .

In a study , 98 students were asked to complete two surveys（调查）. After they had completed the first ,they were made to wait 15 minutes to receive the next one . They were given a choice of either handing in the first survey nearby or at a more distant location they had to walk to . Whichever option they chose , they received a chocolate bar . It turned out that approximately(大约) two – thirds (68 students ) chose the lazy option（选项）. Those who had taken the walk reported feeling happier than those who had stayed put（呆在原处）.

Prof . Hsee concluded that keeping busy helped keep people happy . He said the findings , reported in the journal Psychological Science , had policy implications (政策意义).

“Governments may increase the happiness of idle (闲散的) citizens by having them build bridges that are actually useless , ” he proposed (建议).

At the individual（个人的）level , he advised , “Get up and do something . Anything . Even if there really is no point to what you are doing , you will feel better for it” . He added , “Incidentally , thinking deeply or engaging in self-reflection（反省）counts as keeping busy , too .”

“You do not need to be running around . You just need to be engaged , either physically or mentally .”

1. Why can keeping busy make people happy ?

A．It can help people get rid of laziness .	B．It can make people sleep better .
C．It can help get rid of negative emotions(负面情绪)	D．It can give people a sense of achievement

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage ?

A．The finding may contribute to politics

B．The officials have taken Prof . Hsee’s advice

C．In the study half students handed in the first survey nearby ,

D．Governments can increase citizens’ happiness by building bridges

3. What can we infer（推断）from the passage ?

A．Only by keeping working all the time can you gain happiness

B．Prof .Hsee’s finding was published in Psychological Science.

C．Keeping busy can add to the possibility of being happy

D．Everybody is born to be lazy

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage ?

A．To explain what happiness is .	B．To advise people not to sit around(坐着啥也不做) .
C．To advise people to do what they like to .	D．To show people how to take life correctly.

【推荐2】For the first time since local extinction in 1996, Nubian giraffes have returned to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve in northeastern Uganda. Fifteen of this vitally endangered animals were moved over 400 km from Murchison Falls National Park in October 2019.

The 11 female and 4 male giraffes are aged two to four: “We chose younger giraffes because they have a longer reproductive lifespan,” says Robert Aruho, a doctor of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), who let the move.

Northern Uganda is home to Nubian giraffes. They have large, rectangular blotches (矩形斑点) set irregularly against a cream background. The lower legs are noticeably white and not patterned. Pian Upe’s grassy land held large numbers of giraffes in the 1960s before conflict in the Karamoja region saw them hunted illegally. “The habitat is perfect, and effective anti-hunting measures are now capable of supporting at least 700 individuals,” explains Aruho.

Nubian giraffes are Uganda’s only giraffe species and most of them inhabit Murchison Falls. “We can’t have all our eggs in one basket,” Aruho says, “We have a unique opportunity to act now to prevent them dying out.”

Back in 2015, the UWA moved 15 Nubian giraffes from Murchison Falls to Lake Mburo National Park. After that, 9 of the 10 females quickly became pregnant. From a little over 300 Nubian giraffes in the mid 1990s in Uganda there are now about 1,650. A further 25 giraffes will move from Murchison to Pian Upe in October 2020.

“In Uganda we continue to work closely with the UWA to increase numbers and populations of threatened Nubian giraffes. Boosting existing populations is vital for securing their future in the country,” Aruho says.

1. Why were younger giraffes moved to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve?

A．They were in greater danger than the older.

B．It was easier for them to adapt to a new habitat.

C．They would reproduce more in future.

D．It cost less to move younger giraffes there.

2. Why did the author say “return” in Para. 1?

A．The local didn’t support the movement at first.

B．The giraffes used to live in Pian Upe in the 1960s.

C．The giraffes’ habitats were built a long time ago.

D．People moved all giraffes to escape local conflict.

3. What is the original intention of the move according to Aruho?

A．It’s better for giraffes to live in different places.

B．700 giraffes is a point of what the reserve affords.

C．Measures should be taken to stop local conflicts.

D．Nubian giraffes look so attractive as to be hunted illegally.

4. Which chart can describe the move of Nubian giraffes since 2015?
P= Pian Upe   L=Lake Mburo   M= Murchison Falls

A．	B．
C．	D．

【推荐3】Welcome to Parkside Federation Academies

We are pleased to introduce you to a wide range of courses, training programs and other activities.

Enrolment (注册)

You can enrol for any course on 01223 712340 from 29th June. You can download course information from http://www.parksidefederation.org. uk/adult-learn-train/.

The office will not be open from 23rd July until 3rd September for enrolment in person due to building work, however, we will be taking bookings over the phone and by email during this time.

Our hosted enrolment dates are:

Parkside Campus: 12th September 10:00-12:00

Coleridge Campus: 10th September 18:00-19:30

Fees

Fees are payable in full when you enrol.

Refunds(退款) will be paid in full when a class is closed according to the College's decision, or if you cancel your enrolment at least two weeks before the course starts. If you decide to cancel less than two weeks before the course starts you will receive a 50% refund. Unfortunately we cannot offer a refund if a course has already started.

Learner information

If you supplied your email address, you should expect to receive a confirmation email after your enrolment.

Free parking is available in the evening at all centers.

Upon enrolment you will receive learner information about college support as well as policies and regulations.

In the event of severe weather conditions that result in school closure: please check the website http://www.parksidefederation.org.uk/ or turn on local radio for up-to-date information.

1. Which date you should avoid if you want to enrol in person?

A．29th June	B．23rd July
C．10th September	D．12th September

2. How much can you get back if you cancel your enrolment a week before the course starts?

A．No refund.	B．A 20% refund.
C．A 50% refund.	D．A full refund.

3. How will the school inform learners if it is closed due to bad weather?

A．Give learners calls.

B．Write emails to learners.

C．Post notices on

D．Announce the closure on local TV.