In 1840, Chicago was a small town of forty-five hundred souls. It ranked 92nd in population in the United States. Yet, only three decades later, by 1870 — just a year before the great fire — Chicago was closing in on a population of 300,000, making it the fifth-biggest city in America and the fastest-growing city in the world.
What led to all this rapid growth? In three words: location, location, location.
“Chicago was near the center of the country, and near where the waterways and railways met,” city historian Tim Samuelson notes. “It was a perfect place for anything and anyone to get anywhere...”
Timing had a lot to do with it, too. America was moving from a rural to an industrial power. Chicago was right in the middle of the action. Ironically, its rapid growth was almost its undoing. “Chicago had to build, and build quickly, and so they built it out of wood,” explained Sarah Marcus of the Chicago History Museum. “It was quick, it was easy, and it was cheap.”
And, as it turned out, very “easy” to catch fire.
By most accounts, the fire started on the city’s West Side, near the De Koven Street barn of Patrick and Catherine O’Leary. No one is sure of the cause, but it could have been anything, from vandals (故意) to a drunken neighbor to that clumsy cow of urban legend.
Within minutes, the fire got out of control, tearing through Chicago’s business district. The fire was so hot, it created its own tornado of flame. By 3:30 a.m., all hope of saving large parts of the city was gone. Nearly 30 hours later, the fire finally died. The reason? There was nothing left to burn.
The losses were shocking: The fire took away nearly 300 lives, destroyed over 17,000 buildings covering almost 3.5 square miles, and caused damage of over $200 million—about 3.8 billion today. Roughly a third of the city lay in ruins, and one out every three people living in Chicago — nearly 100,000 residents — became homeless overnight.
1. Which paragraph describes the rapid growth of Chicago?| A．paragraph 1. | B．paragraph 2. |
| C．paragraph 4. | D．paragraph 5. |
① Chicago was built out of wood.
② Chicago had good transportation.
③ Timing was perfect.
④ Wood was cheap.
| A．①③ | B．②④ | C．①④ | D．②③ |
| A．happy | B．sad | C．nervous | D．hopeful |
| A．The cause of the fire was clear. |
| B．The fire was put out by firefighters. |
| C．The fire caused great damage to Chicago. |
| D．Lage parts of the city was saved. |
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The Lomax family needed a dog. Though their house was already full with seven people, they knew a dog would truly make the house a home. So they settled on a dog whom they named Jack. It turned out to be the best decision they ever made.
It was Jack’s protective instinct(本能) that would save the lives of the Lomax family. If it wasn’t for him, the family may never have survived the terrible accident that would eventually befall one cold January day in 2020.
It was a night like many others. Autumn, the family’s youngest child and her mother Ashley had settled into bed in one of the bedrooms on the second floor. Jack, who rarely left Autumn’s side, had settled in there as well. Little did they know that something terrible was about to happen that night. While the family was fast asleep, a fire had started in one of the other second floor bedrooms. Jack had picked up a whiff (些微的气味) of smoke in the next room. In an instant, the brave dog jumped into action.
The four-legged family member knew something was wrong but had no way of telling his owners. He jumped up Ashley’s bed and began touching her face. She pushed him off her bed and tried to roll over but he began again, until she was up.
As soon as she could, Ashley took hold of Autumn and began to move away from the door. She screamed at the top of her lungs as she ran from the room, alerting the rest of the family to the disaster that was taking place. Jack did his part again too, barking loudly. Ashley’s screams woke the four other adults and two more children. All of them headed out into the cold January night. In no time, the fire had engulfed (吞没) nearly the entire home, but luckily, all of them had made it out alive, with Jack leading the way.
1. Why did the Lomax family raise a dog? (No more than 15 words)2. What does the underlined word mean in the 2nd paragraph? (No more than 3 words)
3. Which floor did Jack sleep? (No more than 5 words)
4. What did Jack do when he sensed something wrong? (No more than 10 words)
5. What do you think of Jack? Please explain? (No more than 20 words)
【推荐2】ROME— four people, including the wife of the factory's owner, died on Wednesday after explosions （爆炸）at the Barcelona Pozzo di Gotto fireworks company, Italian media reported.
According to online reports by La Republic and TGCOM24, at least one other person is missing and three others are seriously injured, with two of them in dangerous condition. Among the dead was 71-year-old Venera Mazzeo, the wife of the factory owner Vito Costa. Mazzeo reportedly died on the scene. Antonio Costa, the owner's son, was seriously injured and was transported to a hospital in the regional capital of Palermo for treatment. Less seriously injured persons were moved to the nearby Milazzo Hospital to be treated for burns and other injuries. Many were transported by local people who reached the scene before ambulances could arrive, reports said.
The factory, located near the northeast of the southern Italian island of Sicily, near the city of Messina, has been in operation for more than ten years without any accident. Police reports showed that two separate explosions took place, with the first explosion likely causing the second one. Media reports said that police have guessed that sparks （火花）from a repairing project reached some of the explosive material stored in the factory and was likely the cause of the first explosion.
Reports also showed that firefighters were able to control the flame, which burnt buildings on the factory and threatened nearby structures.
1. How many people lost their lives in the accident except Venera Mazzeo?| A．Three. | B．Four. |
| C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．One worker's cigarette spark. |
| B．A fire nearby the factory. |
| C．The explosive material in the factory. |
| D．The sparks from a repairing project. |
| A．Antonio Costa died on the scene because of the flame. |
| B．Most injured persons were sent to hospital by ambulance. |
| C．The factory had been in safe operation before the explosions. |
| D．There were three explosions in total in the accident. |
| A．A travel guide. | B．A newspaper. |
| C．A magazine. | D．A science report. |
Sam correctly guessed 1000X, but he still had to choose between two variables. One variable was the number of cars that would run the stop sign at Hill Street and Lake Avenue in six hours. The other variable was the number of times that a teenage boy would change TV channels in a three-hour period. This was a tough decision.
Finally, Sam flipped a coin. It came up heads, so Sam picked the teenager. He picked right. The stop sign was run only 76 times, but the teen clicked 120 times. Sixty-year-old Sam jumped for joy, for he had just won 1000 times 120, or $120,000.Sam dreamily left the lottery studio. Talking excitedly on his cell phone while crossing the street, he got hit by a little sports car.
Sam is slowly getting better. He was in the hospital for a month. His hospital bill was $110,000.And the insurance company for the little sports car’s owner sued（起诉）Sam for $9,000 worth of repairs．Also, Sam still has to pay federal taxes on his winnings．Sam doesn’t play the state lottery any more. He says it’s better to be unlucky.
1. What can be inferred about Sam from the passage?
| A．He always has bad luck. | B．He seldom goes to a raffle. |
| C．He is a very careful person in life. | D．He used to be crazy about lottery tickets. |
| A．The cube. | B．The coin. |
| C．The blanket. | D．The stop sign. |
| A．The lottery game was a complete lie. |
| B．Sam was quite familiar with the boy. |
| C．The owner of the car is now in hospital. |
| D．Sam will have none of the prize money left. |
| A．Curiosity killed the cat | B．Joy puts heart into a man |
| C．Extreme joy ends in sorrow | D．A bird in hand is worth two in the bush |
【推荐1】Did you buy too much bread before heading out for a holiday? Did you give up the vegetables that are going bad?
In an effort to help eco-conscious consumers, a Geneva nonprofit is speeding up its plan of street-side, free-access public refrigerators that restaurateurs, at-home cooks and others can use to give away food that’s about to go bad. It’s part of a bigger effort by communities in Switzerland and other European countries to do their part for the environment while helping to cut down on food waste.
The nonprofit Free-Go has placed refrigerators and shelves in Geneva where passersby can get fruit, vegetables, bread and other perishables(易变质食品) to take home for free.The program costs about $40,000 to run each year and enjoys the support from the city government. It began a year ago with a single fridge outside a community center in western Geneva and it now has four fridges, strategically placed around town. A fifth one is planned before year’s end.
Free-Go is experimenting with scheduled pickups at apartment buildings to make it easier for residents(居民) to participate in the program. It has also set up a“hotline”that restaurateurs can use to call for the collection of unused food. Free-Go says giver s of food from the private sector, such as restaurants, must make a promise to ensure the given food is safe to eat.
Free-Go says about 1 billion tons of food go to waste every year around the world—using up energy and other resources in the farming and transportation process. Similar food-sharing activities are in place in the capital, Bern, after the idea was imported from Germany.
According to Foodsharing.de, a community group in Germany that started more than a decade ago, more than a half-million people in Germany, Switzerland and Austria have made “the food-sharing initiative an international movement”and have helped save 83 million tons of food from going to waste.
1. How did the Free-Go program start in the beginning?| A．With two fridges in a local supermarket. |
| B．With a single fridge outside in western Geneva. |
| C．With three fridges distributed in various parks. |
| D．With a large storage facility in central Geneva. |
| A．To promote local restaurants. |
| B．To provide refrigeration services. |
| C．To establish a hotline for food collection. |
| D．To reduce food waste and help the environment. |
| A．To report refrigerators in bad condition. |
| B．For residents to schedule food pickups. |
| C．To provide information about safe food handling. |
| D．For restaurateurs to call for the collection of unused food. |
| A．Critical. | B．Negative. | C．Positive. | D．Indifferent. |
【推荐2】Bringing goods into the UK
You are allowed to bring some goods for personal use without paying tax or duty.
Arrivals from EU countries
You can bring goods from EU countries without being charged tax or duty if they are:
● transported by yourself; ● a gift or for personal use; ● bought with tax and duty included.
You can bring alcohol and tobacco from EU countries without restriction but an inquiry(调查) might be required depending on the amount of your goods.
Arrivals from outside the EU
You will be free of duty or tax on certain amounts of goods brought from outside the EU, as long as they are for your own use. Any goods that are beyond your allowance should be declared.
Alcohol & tobacco allowance:
| Type of goods | Cigarettes | Cigars | Tobacco | Beer | Wine(not sparkling wine) | Spirits | Alcoholic drinks |
| Amount | 200 | 50 | 250 grams | 16 litres | 4 litres | 1 litre | 2 litres |
Allowance for other goods:
The maximum value of other goods you can bring is £390. Any single item that is worth more than the allowance will be charged duty or tax on its full value.
The rate of duty or tax on items above the allowance is:
● 2.5% for goods worth up to £630;
● decided by the type of goods worth above £630 — check by calling the VAT, Customs.
Banned and restricted goods
Goods banned include:
● illegal drugs; ● offensive weapons; ● endangered animal and plant species;
● meat and dairy(乳制的) products from most non-EU countries.
Food and plant products restricted include:
● products containing pests and diseases; ● products grown outside the EU;
● products not for your own use.
1. Which of the following products from outside the EU has the largest duty-free allowance?| A．Beer. |
| B．Wine (not sparkling wine). |
| C．Spirits. |
| D．Alcoholic drinks. |
| A．£ 2.75 | B．£ 12.5 | C．£ 110 | D．£ 130 |
| A．A set of Russian dolls. |
| B．A bottle of French wine. |
| C．A brick of Japanese cheese. |
| D．A package of Spanish cigarettes. |
【推荐3】English playwright Arthur Wing Pinero said, “Where there\s tea, there's hope.” Similarly, a Chinese saying goes that “Firewood, rice, cooking oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea are the seven necessities to begin a day.”
Tea is, without doubt, welcomed all over the world. According to Statista, a German online portal for statistics; global tea production reached approximately 5.8 million tons in 2018. It has become the most consumed beverage in the world — after water, of course.
In order to celebrate the popular drink, the United Nations General Assembly has designated May 21 as International Tea Day. According to the UN, tea is much more than just a hot drink. It's a big part of many cultures around the world.
You probably know that people in China use top-grade tea to show respect when receiving important guests. Meanwhile, the British tradition of afternoon tea is an important part of that country's identity. Making Malaysia's pulled tea has become a sort of art form, where drinkers take pride in its entertainment aspects. As an expression of Moroccan hospitality and tradition, mint tea — a mix of green tea, spearmint leaves and sugar — is served during gatherings and negotiations.
Apart from its cultural significance, tea is also a medicine, used from ancient times to modern day. “Tea is cold and lowers the fire,” Chinese Ming Dynasty herbalist Li Shizhen once said. The health benefits of tea are still being discovered today: preventing heart disease, obesity and cancer have all been linked to drinking green tea, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information in the US. The mania for healthy tea products continues into a new decade as it's used in moisturizers, lip balms and other beauty products.
Hot or cold, bagged or loose-leaf, tea is more than a drink — it's a social custom and also a magic medicine, a link to the past and a way of life.
1. Why did the author mention the two quotations in the first paragraph?| A．For they are famous. |
| B．To show the significance of tea. |
| C．For enriching the readers’ knowledge. |
| D．To show tea has a long history. |
| A．tea | B．coffee |
| C．water | D．wine |
| A．medicine. | B．drinks. |
| C．art form. | D．cream. |
| A．Tea has a long history in China. |
| B．Tea has many health benefits. |
| C．Tea is a big part of many cultures around the world. |
| D．May 21 is celebrated as International Tea Day. |
【推荐1】Art lovers know that traveling is an excellent way to get a great look at works of art of all different styles. Plenty of cities are full of museums and galleries, it can be hard to know where you want to visit first. But you can choose one according to its ranking.
In order to rank the best cities for art, the factors taken into consideration included the number of museums, galleries, sculptures, street art, and highly rated art colleges and universities.
Venice
It surely won't come as a surprise that Venice came in first place, with a score of 6. 81 out of 10. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its lagoon（湖）and incredible architecture that adorns（装饰）the entire city. It also has an impressive share of museums（183.3 per million people）and monuments as well as statues（94 per million people）.
Miami
Located in Florida, Miami was in second place. Most people associate with its beaches, but it is a great art destination as well. It has 113.1 museums per million people, 30,391 street art searches per million people, as well as 130, 949 Instagram posts per million people. It is home to many impressive museums including the Pérez Art Museum Miami.
Florence
Another Italian city took third place： Florence. The Tuscan city, known as the Cradle of the Renaissance, is home to many incredible museums that house iconic Renaissance art as well as monuments and statues all over the place. There are 204.5 museums per million people there.
Several United States cities made it in the top 10, including San Francisco, coming in 5th place, as well as Sante Fe（number 7）and Seattle, which came in 8th place. European cities that made the list include Vienna in fourth place, Berlin in 9th, and another Italian city, Milan, rounding out the list in 10th place.
1. What factor affects little for the ranking of the cities for art?| A．The number of museums. | B．The art colleges and universities. |
| C．The beautiful beaches. | D．Galleries and street art. |
| A．By listing figures. | B．By citing instances. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By giving explanations. |
| A．Asia. | B．Europe. | C．Africa. | D．America. |
【推荐2】Paris, France
New changes have taken place in Paris in recent years. Paris used to be among Europe’s busiest cities. Traffic jams could be seen all the time. But now there is a new 2.5-kilometre-long car-free area inside the city. The Louvre attracts world tourists. People visit there not just for the artworks, but also enjoy the roof of the building which is like a flying carpet. The world’s most beautiful city is now even more beautiful.
Lijiang River National Park, China
Lijiang River is in Guilin. It is well-known for its clear water, limestone caves (石灰岩洞) and green hills. The hills have beautiful names depending on different shapes, such as “Elephant Trunk”. These attract many Chinese poets and artists. The best way to enjoy Lijing River is to take an 83 km boat trip from Guilin to Yangshuo in summer.
Adelaide, Australia
Many people may know Sydney or Melbourne. They are big cities in Australia. But Adelaide wins people’s hearts with great festivals and tasty food. Adelaide Fringe Festival is the largest art festival in Australia. Every February and March, people celebrate with outdoor artworks, dance performances and live music. Adelaide has many kinds of foreign foods. British fish and chips, Italian pizza and German meat can be found in most restaurants.
Zurich, Switzerland
What do you think Zurich is famous for? Great banks? Yes. People can find many Swiss banks and foreign banks here. But the city is of great interest to many people for another reason. Zurich hosts Europe’s largest street party each year. Its Street Parade has overtaken London’s Notting Hill Carnival.
1. Tourists enjoy the artworks as well as ________ of the Louvre.| A．the location | B．the roof | C．the free tickets | D．the traffic |
| A．boat trip | B．warm weather |
| C．the highway to Yangshuo | D．the beautiful scenery |
| A．even worse | B．exactly the same |
| C．much better | D．less popular |
【推荐3】We all know that Paris is a popular travel destination, which has much more to offer than just seeing the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower that are well-known. Experience this amazing city through some of its secret places.
River Boats
Tour the heart of Paris by boat along the Seine River! Boats offer 8 must-see tourist stops along their boat tour route. The cost is 13 Euros for a whole day of river boating with stops for tourists to walk through the Parisian sites. There is a 15-minute interval between two boats. Boating along the Seine is a good way to drink in the unique atmosphere of Paris!
Children’s Science Museum
If you are travelling to Paris with kids, the Children’s Science Museum is the perfect place to visit. The Children’s Science Museum has many exhibits for children. Some exhibits exercise a child’s cognitive skills. The cost is low by European standards at only 8 Euros per adult and 4.50 Euros per child.
Medieval Tavern(中世纪酒馆)
In Paris , tourists can enjoy the night at Medieval Tavern every Thursday night from 8PM--2AM. This tavern opens its doors to the people of Paris and invites them to experience a life from long ago. The menu includes foods that were enjoyed in old days. The entire experience can be enjoyed for only 15 Euros per person!
Luxembourg Garden
The garden is the second largest public park in Paris. Whether you are interested in a walk through the flowers or a pleasant ride on the old carousel(旋转木马), this park is a good choice. Children like playing in the theater while adults enjoy free musical performances.
Welcome to Paris and enjoy these attractions.
1. Which of the following statements about River Boats is TRUE ?| A．Boats come every fifteen minutes. |
| B．In the boat the tourists can enjoy drinking. |
| C．Tourists have to spend a day on the boat enjoying scenes. |
| D．Tourists can only see eight tourist sites along their boat tour route. |
| A．Luxembourg Garden is the largest public park in Paris. |
| B．The Children’s Science Museum is very popular with tourists. |
| C．Tourists can enjoy free musical performances at Medieval Tavern. |
| D．Children can exercise their cognitive skills in the Children’s Science Museum. |
| A．have to pay extra money for delicious food |
| B．have to spend 15 Euros per person for food |
| C．can enjoy the food in the old days every Thursday night |
| D．can spend every night experiencing the old life from 8PM to 2AM |
