【推荐1】If you're travelling with kids in London, many London hotels have special services and features to help the family holiday, offering services for kids as well as games, bike hire and free ice cream!

Athenaeum

The five-star Athenaeum is a fantastic family hotel, particularly with the addition of its kids' services. Even before you arrive, they'll be in touch to make sure your kids have their favorite DVDs, treats and anything else to keep them happy. And they can arrange your perfect family activities, from bike hire to theatre tickets.

Chessington Safari Hotel

At Chessington Safari Hotel, kids will love staying in an African adventure-themed room, having breakfast overlooking the animals of the Wanyama Reserve, watching family-friendly movies and getting into the theme park before it opens.

Marlin Apartments

Marlin Apartments operate more than 700 serviced apartments in London. Apartments are all within five minutes walk of the Tube (good for tired little legs!) with flat screen TVs, fully equipped kitchen and free Wi-Fi. One or two bedroom family apartments have extra room for fold out beds in the living area too.

Novotel

Novotel's family rooms are designed to accommodate two adults and two children. Accommodation and breakfast are free for under-16s (up to two staying in their parents' room). You can also enjoy a late check-out at 5p.m. on a Sunday, and while you lie in, the kids can entertain themselves with the Cartoon Network.

The Ritz

Kids at The Ritz are treated just as well as their parents, if not better! Children can enjoy computer games and DVDs, free ice cream and their own bathrobes and slippers. Under-16s can stay for free in their parents' bedroom, depending on the room type.

1. Before you check in Athenaeum,              .

A．you should ask about the kids' services

B．you can buy bikes and order theatre tickets

C．you will be asked about what your kids like

D．you must arrange your family activities

2. If your kids love to see animals, you will choose             .

A．Athenaeum	B．Chessington Safari Hotel
C．Novotel	D．The Ritz

3. If you choose to stay at Marlin Apartments,            .

A．you can enjoy the best service in London

B．you can enjoy free ice cream

C．you can have an extra room for free

D．you can surf the Internet free of charge

【推荐2】Amazon is presenting to you our weekly bestsellers in the fiction section.

Twilight Whispers

Linked for years through friendship and intermarriage, the Warren and Whyte families find their charmed world marred when Mark Whyte and his wife Deborah Warren are murdered. Police detectives, hearing about dissension of the families, set out to examine the mystique behind their superficial rapport.

Katia Morell, daughter of the Whyte’s housekeeper, is drawn back to her growing place and is forced to face her life-long love for Jordan Whyte. As many secrets are uncovered, especially about Katia’s biological father, the two young people from rival families are encountering fierce family objection in their search for happiness.

The New Colossus

Nellie Bly, blessed with courage and reportage skill, lands two front-page stories on the widely-read newspaper, Joseph Pulitzer’s NEW YORK WORLD. Pulitzer is so impressed that he assigns her to a murder case confusing the police—the death of Emma Lazaru. Her investigation leads to tense encounters with some powerful and ruthless men of the time, when evils run wild on unregulated upper class.

Bly has one real ally: a doctor who uses scientific techniques to establish criminal behavior. As the pieces fall into place, Bly uncovers layers of corruption(腐败 ). The essential connection between the murder case and the prevalent greed and darkness of the then society finally emerges.

The Last Days of Night

A young lawyer named Paul Cravath, takes a case that seems impossible to win. Paul’s client, George Westinghouse, has been sued by Thomas Edison over a billion-dollar question: Who invented the light bulb and holds the right to power the country?

The case affords Paul entry to the heady world of high society—the glittering parties and the dark dealings behind closed doors. The task is beyond daunting. Edison is a dangerous opponent with vast resources at his disposal—private spies, newspapers.

Yet this unknown lawyer shares with his famous opponent a compulsion to win at all costs.

In obsessive pursuit of victory, Paul receives favors from Nikola Tesla, a brilliant inventor holding the key to defeating Edison.

Bones Don't Lie

Private investigator Lance Kruger was just a boy when his father vanished twenty-three years ago. Since then he’s lived under the weight of that disappearance for over 20 years—until his father’s car is finally dragged out from Grey Lake. It should be a time for closure, except for the skeleton found in the trunk. A missing person case gone cold has become a murder.

For Lance, the investigation yields troubling questions about a man he thought he knew. But memories can play dirty tricks. For his partner attorney Morgan, uncovering each new lie comes with a disquieting fear that someone is out there watching, killing every witness tied to this decades-old crime.

1. In which way is The Last Days of Night different from the other three novels?

A．In that The Last Days of Night exposes the evil and the dark dealings of the upper class life then.

B．In that nobody is killed illegally in The Last Days of Night.

C．In that the leading character in The Last Days of Night has got help from other characters.

D．In that the leading character is born into a rich upper class family.

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

A．In Twilight Whispers, the biggest challenge for Katia and Jordan is the long separation of time and space between them.

B．In The New Colossus, the cause of the murder is rooted in the then corrupted society.

C．In The Last Days of Night, Paul finally wins the law case because of his client Westinghouse’s vast resources at disposal.

D．In Bones don’t lie, Lance Kruger’s father was confirmed by the police as the murdered when Lance was a boy.

3. The underlined word dissention is closest in meaning to ______.

A．financial worsening

B．silence

C．the loss of power

D．conflict

【推荐3】Monthly Talks at London Canal Museum

Our monthly talks start at 19:30 on the first Thursday of each month except August. Admission is at normal charges and you don’t need to book. They end around 21:00.

November 7th

The Canal Pioneers, by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognized as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of canal planning and building. Chris Lewis will explain how Brindley made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early “civil engineers”.

December 5th

Ice for the Metropolis, by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the arrival of freezers, there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering, Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London’s ice trade grew.

February 6th

An Update on the Cotsword Canals, by Liz Payne. The Stroudwater Canal is moving towards reopening. The Thames and Severn Canal will take a little longer. We will have a report on the present state of play.

March 6th

Eyots and Aits-Thames Islands, by Miranda Vickers. The Thames had many islands. Miranda has undertaken a review of all of them. She will tell us about those of greatest interest.

Online bookings:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/book

More into:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/whatson

London Canal Museum

12-13 New Wharf Road, London NI 9RT

www.canalmuseum.org.uk   www.canalmuseum.mobi

Tel:020 77130836

1. When is the talk on James Brindley?

A．February 6th.	B．December 5th.
C．November 7th.	D．March 6th.

2. What is the topic of the talk in February?

A．The Canal Pioneers.	B．An Update on the Cotsword Canals
C．Eyots and Aits-Thames Islands	D．Ice for the Metropolis

3. Who will give the talk on the islands in the Thames.

A．Miranda Vickers	B．Malcolm Tucker
C．Chris Lewis	D．Liz Payne

【推荐2】Science on Sundays

Science on Sundays is a new series of informal, drop-in plant science talks at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden suitable for 12+.

27 Mar.       A trick(花招) of the light? How flower surfaces attract pollinators(授粉昆虫) Professor Beverley Glover, Director of the CUBG (Cambridge University Botanic. Garden) and Head of Group, Plant Evolution and Development Research, Department of Plant Sciences

24 Apr.     The shapes that feed us: a pleasing journey into grass leaf shape Dr Devin O'Connor, the Leyser Group, Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University

29 May     Nature's geometry (几何学): the interesting world of plant patterns(图案) Dr Siobhan Braybrook, Plant Growth Mechanics Group, Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University

26 Jun.     A bird's-eye view of the natural world: learning about forests from aircraft Dr David Coomes, Head of Group, Forest Ecology and Conservation, Department of Plant Sciences

24 Jul.     Extreme green: plant adaptations(适应) to the world's most difficult environments

Dr Sam Brockington, Head of Group, Molecular Systematics & Evolution, Department of Plant Sciences

Science on Sunday talks last 30 minutes and are free (as long as you have paid to get into the Garden); there is no need to book; just drop in to the Classroom at the Brookside Gate at 11 am (each talk repeated at 2 pm).

1. Who is the director of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden?

A．Devin O'Connor.

B．Beverley Glover.

C．David Coomes.

D．Siobhan Braybrook.

2. What is the talk about in April?

A．Tricky light.

B．Leaf shape.

C．Plant patterns.

D．Plant adaptations.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A monthly review.

B．A science report.

C．A gardening guide.

D．A local notice.

【推荐3】★ Spanish River Park

Location: 3001 Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton.

Admission: $16 per vehicle on weekdays, $18 on weekends and major holidays.

Special Comments: About 95 acres, more than a half-mile of beach with lifeguards. No alcohol or pets. Covered shelters and boat docks. 1,680-foot nature path and large playground area.

Food/Dining: Picnic areas with barbecue grills.

Phone: (561)393-7811

Restrooms: Restrooms and showers available.

★ Red Reef Park

Location: 1400 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton.

Admission: $16 per vehicle on weekdays, $18 on weekends and major holidays.

Special Comments: Developed beach ( 67 acres) with lifeguards. No alcohol or pets permitted. 680-foot boardwalk along dune (沙丘)line. Offers grills and a small playground area.

Food/Dining: Picnic areas available.

Phone: (561)393-7812

Restrooms: Restrooms and showers available.

★ South Beach Park

Location: 400 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton.

Admission: $15 per vehicle on weekdays, $17 on weekends and major holidays.

Special Comments: 1,670 feet of beach, 25 acres, lifeguards, 955 feet of developed beach south of Boca Inlet with lifeguards, lifeguard rescue boat operation.

Food/Dining: Picnic areas available.

Phone: (561)393-7813

Restrooms: Restrooms and showers available.

★ Coconut Cove Water Park

Location: 11200 Park Access Road, Boca Raton.

Admission: Adult $7; Children (4~12) $5; 3 and under free.

Special Comments: The water park offers Sea Monster walk pool, Meandering River, Twin Tubes water slide and a waterfall. No alcohol or pets permitted.

Food/Dining: Concessions .

Phone: (561)274-1140

Restrooms: Restrooms and showers available.

1. If you want to go to South Beach Park, you will phone ________ for its information.

A．(561)393-7811	B．(561)393-7812
C．(561)393-7813	D．(561)274-1140

2. If you want to take up jogging, which park is more suitable for you?

A．Spanish River Park.	B．Red Reef Park.
C．South Beach Park.	D．Coconut Cove Water Park.

3. If a couple with two children aged four and one child aged two go to visit Coconut Cove Water Park, they should pay ________.

A．$22	B．$19
C．$29	D．$24

【推荐1】“I will think of it ”It is easy to say this ; but do you know what great things have come from thinking?   We can not see our thoughts, or hear, or taste , or feel them; and yet what strong power they have！

Sir Isaac Newton was seated in his garden on a summer evening, when he saw an apple fall from a tree. He began to think, and, in trying to find out why the apple fell, discovered how the earth, sun, moon, and stars are kept in their places.

A boy named James Watt quietly by the fireside, watching the lid (盖子) of the tea kettle as it moved up and down. He began to think; he wanted to find out why the steam in the kettle moved the heavy lid. From that time he went on thinking and thinking; and when he became a man, he improved the steam engine so much that it could, with the greatest ease, do the work of many horses.

James Ferguson was a poor Scotch shepherd (羊倌) boy. Once, seeing the inside of a watch, he was filled with wonder. “Why should I not make a watch?" he thought. But how was he to get the materials out of which to make the wheels and the mainspring (钟表等的主发条)? He soon found how to get them: he made the mainspring out of a piece of whalebone. He then made a wooden clock which kept good time. He began, also, to copy pictures with a pen, and portraits (肖像) with oil colors. In a few yeas, while still a small boy, he earned money enough to support his father. When he became a man, he went to London to live. Some of the wisest men in England, and the king himself, used to attend his lectures. His motto was, “I will think of it ,”and he made his thoughts useful to himself and the world.

When you have a difficult lesson to learn, don't feel discouraged or ask someone to help you before helping yourselves. Think, and by thinking you will learn how to think to some purpose.

1. What can we learn about James Ferguson?

A．He was born in a rich family	B．His wooden clock seldom worked well
C．He was a painter from England	D．His mind greatly influenced the world

2. Which word can best describe the three scientists mentioned in this text?

A．crazy	B．impatient
C．curious	D．easy-going

3. What is the author trying to tell us?

A．Thoughts are not important since we can see or touch them.

B．It is important to try a challenge on our own.

C．Ask for help right away when things get hard.

D．Great people have great teachers.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．I Will Think of It

B．Why Should Not I Have a Try?

C．Nothing is Impossible to a Willing Heart

D．Great Scientists Make a Great World

【推荐2】I’d been asked to go to an editor's office with the old program “We have a story we think you'd be perfect for". Here was the topic: We want you to write about how middle-aged men have no friends. Seeing that, I couldn't help thinking, "Excuse me? I have plenty of friends," Then the editor told me there were all sorts of evidence out there to show how men, as they age, let their close friendships go, and that the fact can cause all sorts of problems and have a terrible impact on their health.

As I walked back to my desk in the newsroom — a distance of maybe 100 yards — I quickly took stock of my friend list. First of all, there was my friend Mark. Wait, how often do we actually hang out? Maybe four or five times a year? And then there was another best friend from high school, Rory, and...I actually could not remember the last time I'd seen him.

There were all those other good friends who seemed as if they're still in my life because we follow one another via social media, but as I ran down the list of those I considered real, true, lifelong friends, I realized that it had been years since I saw many of them, even decades for a few.

By the time I got back to my desk, I realized that I was indeed perfect for this story, not because I was unusual in any way, but because my story was very, very typical. And as I looked into what that means, I realized that in the long term, I was heading down a path that was very, very dangerous. And I knew I needed a change.

1. Seeing the topic, the author.

A．showed an interest in it.	B．felt surprised and doubtful.
C．knew the editor was joking.	D．thought it was perfect for him.

2. What did the author realize as walking back to the newsroom?

A．He had lost some best friends.

B．He wasn't popular with others.

C．He had close friends in his life.

D．He hadn't made any true friends.

3. How did the author maintain his friendship?

A．By letters.

B．By the Internet.

C．By phoning to each other.

D．By having get-together with his friends regularly.

4. What do we know from the last paragraph?

A．The author was a good writer.

B．The author liked making new friends.

C．Others had more friends than the author.

D．The author would attach importance to friendship.

【推荐3】It is no secret that physical activity is necessary to a person’s well-being. Because children are continuously developing physically and emotionally, they are especially affected by the benefits of activity. Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative reports that nearly one-third of US children are overweight or obese, and that “schools are a key setting for kids to get their 60 minutes of play with moderate activity, given the significant portion of time they spend there.”

Physical education programs in schools directly benefit students’ physical health. Regular exercise promotes muscles and bone development. In addition to participating in physical activity, students in P.E. learn the fundamentals of a healthful lifestyle, the building blocks upon which they can develop into healthy, knowledgeable adults.

Though the lack of attention on P.E. is often justified as an opportunity to spend more time in the classroom, studies show that physical activity contributes to improved academic performance. Regular activity during the school day is strongly associated with higher concentration levels. A statewide policy in North Carolina requires that children from kindergarten to eighth grade participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day.

Activities in P.E. help children develop healthful social interactions. From a young age, children learn cooperation through group activities and form a positive sense of identity as part of a team. Such group activities are continually important as children grow older. The International Platform on Sport and Development states that sport has been used as a practical tool to engage young people in their communities through volunteering, resulting in higher levels of leadership and community engagement among young people.

The benefits of P.E. to a child’s mental health are both complex and comprehensive. Improved physical health, academics and social interactions all contribute to good mental health. Physical activity sets the stage for a good night’s sleep, provides more energy to participate in hobbies and interact with others.

1. The first paragraph implies that            .

A．children are becoming much lazier nowadays

B．some schools have forbidden physical activity

C．most parents are dissatisfied with school education

D．schools must pay more attention to physical education

2. Physical education is ignored in a way because            .

A．children dislike taking physical activity	B．schools are worried about children’s safety
C．students should have more time for study	D．less sporting equipment is available to school children

3. What is the author’s possible attitude towards the policy in North Carolina?

A．Skeptical.	B．Favorable.
C．Ambiguous.	D．Objective.

4. Which is NOT a benefit of P. E. classes?

A．They assure you of a successful future.	B．They keep your mind in a good state.
C．They help you focus on your studies.	D．They do good to your social skills.

【推荐1】In my second year of high school, I took my first computer science course, which helped me realize I was interested in software. The idea of creating something from just lines of codes and logic was very fascinating. And I didn't put as much time into music as I used to, thinking practicing the piano was just a waste of time.

A year later, when I got back on the piano, I quickly noticed my musical ear was not as strong as it was before. I could no longer hear the difference between a perfect 4th and a perfect 5th or between a D and D flat. Then I had a firm decision to get my skills to where it used to be. After weeks of practicing, I didn't see much progress. I was extremely discouraged and felt that I would have to accept that I no longer will be able to play as well as I used to.

While watching hundreds of tutorials online on how to code in Swift I came up with an idea. What if I used the knowledge I gained from these tutorials to develop an app that would help train my musical ear. After hours of coding, I developed an app that would play a different series of notes, then the user would have to type in the corresponding notes to what they heard. When I was on the subway or had some extra time I could easily open up the app on my phone and use it to help my musical ear. In about 2 months, I regained the skills I lost.

This experience helped me see something that I never noticed before. Programming gives me a platform to express my ideas; in a similar way, playing the piano gives me a way to express my feelings. When playing through a song for the first time I hear many errors. Similarly, when I run my program for the first time there are usually many mistakes. In both of these cases, it takes patience to go through each measure or line to hear or find the error. I realized when I’m playing the piano I am also practicing my programming skills and vice versa.

1. What happened to the author a year ago?

A．He realized his strength.	B．He invented lines of codes.
C．He developed another hobby.	D．He was too busy to practice piano.

2. Which of the following can best describe the author?

A．Determined and creative.	B．Hard-working and gifted.
C．Easy-going and generous.	D．Independent and energetic.

3. What can we infer about the author from the third paragraph?

A．He received musical training online.

B．He improved himself by studying online.

C．He got inspired from the tutorials online.

D．He made good use of the app he downloaded online.

4. What can the author learn from the experience?

A．He came to realize it is important to develop some good qualities.

B．He understood the meaning of the saying “practice makes perfect”.

C．He found programming and playing the piano have something in common.

D．He felt it necessary to improve himself in programming and playing the piano.

【推荐2】Why elephants rarely get cancer is a mystery that has confused scientists for decades. A study was led by researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah and Arizona State University, including researchers from the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation may have found the answer. According to the results, elephants have 38 additional modified copies of a gene (基因) that encodes p53, a well-defined tumor (肿瘤) suppressor, as compared to humans, who have only two. Further, elephants may have a more powerful mechanism for killing damaged cells that are at risk for becoming cancerous. In isolated elephant cells, this activity is doubled compared to healthy human cells, and five times that of cells from patients with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, who have only one working copy of p53 and more than a 90 percent lifetime cancer risk in children and adults. The results suggest extra p53 could explain elephants’ increased resistance to cancer.

“Nature has already figured out how to prevent cancer. It’s up to us to learn how different animals overcome the problem so we can adapt those strategies to prevent cancer in people,” says co-senior author Joshua Schiffman, M.D., pediatric oncologist (肿瘤学家) at Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, and Primary Children’s Hospital.

According to Schiffman, elephants have long been considered a walking problem. Because they have 100 times as many cells as people, they should be 100 times more likely to have a cell slip into a cancerous state and cause the disease over their long life span of 50 to 70 years. And yet it’s believed that elephants get cancer less often, a theory confirmed in this study. Analysis of a large database of elephant deaths estimates a cancer death rate of less than 5 percent compared to 11 to 25 percent in people.

1. Why do humans often get cancer compared to elephants according to the passage?

A．Elephants are bigger than humans.

B．Elephants have more p53 than humans.

C．Elephants are not as clever as humans.

D．Elephants eat more than humans.

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

A．Some damaged cells may be dangerous.

B．Some damaged cells are not dangerous.

C．Some damaged cells can’t be cancerous.

D．Some damaged cells in elephants’ bodies are more dangerous than those in humans’ bodies.

3. What can we know from the last paragraph?

A．Elephants have more cells than people.	B．Elephants can get cancer easily.
C．Elephants seldom die from cancer.	D．Elephants often die from cancer.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．Elephants help us	B．Learn from Nature
C．How to deal with cancer	D．Nature helps us prevent cancer

【推荐3】In 2011, the old style Malta buses were taken off the road and replaced by modern vehicles. Most of the old buses were deserted, a few were sold, and about 100 of them were put into storage in the hope of showing them in a museum at some stage.

A pre-2011 visit to Malta wouldn’t have been complete without a ride on one of the colorful buses. Until 1973 you could tell the destination of the bus just by looking at its color — Sliema was green and white, Zabbar was red and white with a blue stripe(条纹)etc. . Later, the buses all had numbers. For a while, they were all painted green and white before the ‘final’ orange, yellow and white.

In their prime, walking around the Triton fountain at the Valletta bus station, you would have found it very difficult to see two buses of exactly the same design. Most of them had locally built bodies. On the front of the buses carried names like Dodge, Leyland, Bedford etc. . You were equally likely to find football pennants(锦旗)and the like decorating the cabs. Real bus experts would have recognized that these were there mainly for decorative reasons, and were seldom an accurate reflection of the vehicle’s origins.

Nowadays much more modern buses are to be found at the Floriana bus station. They are more environmentally friendly and possibly even more comfortable than the older types. However, I miss the old buses. I remember, when you boarded your bus, you had to prepare the correct change to pay the usually bad-tempered driver as you got on. If you were seated anywhere near the front, you would have noticed that most drivers sat well to the right of their steering wheel. The reason for this, as any Maltese would tell you, was to leave space for their pet to sit alongside them. I wonder where the pet sits these days.

1. What makes a pre-2011 visit to Malta special according to Paragraph 2?

A．Traveling in colorful buses.

B．Using buses with stripes.

C．Painting buses bright colors.

D．Telling destinations by different colors.

2. Which of the following best explains “prime” underlined in Paragraph 3?

A．Painful time.	B．Exciting time.
C．Moment of fantasy.	D．Moment of glory.

3. What can we learn about Malta buses when they were popular?

A．They were of the same pattern.

B．The decorations reflected their origin.

C．Most were uniquely designed.

D．Only football pennants decorated the cabs.

4. How would the author feel about the old style Malta buses?

A．Comfortable.	B．Environment-friendly.
C．Safe.	D．Memorable.