On March 15, 2022, Francis Kéré was awarded the Pritzker Prize, otherwise known as the Nobel Prize for architecture, becoming the first African architect ever to obtain this prize.
His path to success was not smooth. When he was 7 years old, Francis Kéré left his family home to attend school because his village, Gando in Burkina Faso, did not have one of its own. Thirteen years later, he moved to Germany on a carpentry scholarship, with a dream of returning home one day to build the classrooms that didn’t exist then. Kéré achieved just that, becoming an architect and completing his first building, Gando Primary School, in 2001.
Casting mud like concrete and using local materials over imported ones, Kéré proposed a particular vision of structure that both strengthens communities and responds to the climate crisis. As such, Tuesday’s Pritzker Prize announcement is not only a nod of approval for him, but for “vernacular” architecture — a term used to describe designs that directly respond to local climates, materials and building traditions — itself. He also let the whole village participate in the design, encouraging them to construct the school, using local wood to press the stone floors and local clay to make bricks. The result was a welcoming structure with a “floating” roof that allows natural winds in a hot climate, and wall openings that bring light for students to learn even without electricity. Mr. Kéré showed the villagers that ideas to deal with climate or other challenges are always at hand.
Though, Kéré has since designed bigger projects, including many national-scale projects differing in size, his approach remains grounded in Gando. “That’s how I’m trying to translate the work I have started in Gando to structures that present national pride,” says the newly-awarded architect.
Kéré will officially be named Pritzker winner at a ceremony in London later this year. As with previous winner, he will be awarded a $ 100,000 grant and a bronze medal.
1. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 2?| A．Speak highly of Kéré’s efforts. |
| B．Introduce Kéré’ s childhood dream. |
| C．Bring a new topic for discussion. |
| D．Add some background information. |
| A．Economizing labour force. |
| B．Having a fancy appearance. |
| C．Highlighting sustainability. |
| D．Using imported building materials. |
| A．Creative and caring. |
| B．Optimistic and humorous. |
| C．Humble and ambitious. |
| D．Stubborn and adventurous. |
| A．An award speech. | B．A news report. | C．A novel. | D．A review. |
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【推荐1】Surfing has deep roots, but for the first time, surfers are competing for medals at the Summer Olympics. At Tsurigasaki Beach, 40 miles from Tokyo, they’re also riding big waves ahead of a storm.
“The incoming tide (潮汐) push over the afternoon does look to provide a lot of fun waves,” reports Kurt Korte, the official surf forecaster for the Tokyo Olympics. He works for Surfline, a company based in Huntington Beach, California. He says while it might rain at Tsurigasaki Beach, it should be a great day for the surfing finals at the Olympics.
While new to the Olympics, surfing has a long history. In pre-Inca Peru and wherever there’s been a nearby ocean, people have long been surfing in one form or another, Ancient warriors (武士) in Tahiti and Samoa used to train by surfing. In Polynesia, surfing was also considered an art form. But modern surfing became popular near the start of the 20th century in Hawaii.
Getting surfing to the Olympics was a dream of Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku more than a century ago. Decades before Hawaii became a U.S. state, he earned five Olympic medals for swimming, starting in 1912. Kahanamoku had grown up surfing with his brothers in Waikiki. A news reporter in the 1960’s once asked him, “Duke, was it more of a thrill (激动) for you to win those Olympic Games, or ride some of those big waves you used to ride? “I think surfing is much more to me, the greatest thrill of my life,” he answered.
Former professional surfer Matt Warshaw said, “Unlike most other sports in competition at the Olympics, so much of surfing depends on Mother Nature:the wind and the waves.” At the moment, these surfers are hoping for some sick waves for the Olympic finals. But with the ocean, you never know.
1. What do Korte’s words suggest about the day?| A．It will be sunny and very hot. | B．It will bring satisfactory waves. |
| C．It will rain out the surfing event. | D．It will be great for swimming. |
| A．It was considered an art form in Tahiti. |
| B．It was introduced to Hawaii from Polynesia. |
| C．It was a type of training for Samoan warriors. |
| D．It was a highly competitive sport in pre-Inca Peru. |
| A．They were a dream coming true. | B．They changed his view on himself. |
| C．They paled in comparison with surfing. | D．They inspired him to pursue other sports. |
| A．In the later part of the 1960’s. | B．During the Tokyo Olympics. |
| C．At the start of the 20th century. | D．Before Hawaii joined the U.S. |
【推荐2】Nyalowala’s parents are disappointed. Their son took a boat from their riverside village to the city of Mbandaka, in the heart of the Congo Basin rainforest, where he attended a teacher-training college. They wanted him to become a crocodile (鳄鱼) hunter, like his father and most of his ancestors. “There is a lot of pressure,” says Nyalowala. Hunting for bush meat is popular—and may pay better than teaching.
However, it harms wildlife in the rainforest, which covers six countries and is second in size only to the Amazon. Around 6 million tons of bush meat are thought to come out of the Congo Basin each year. The number of animals killed for the pot has been increasing. More hunters are selling their prey (猎物) in markets, instead of eating it themselves. The trade has emptied out parts of the forest; 39% of it is at severe risk of over-hunting. Everything from bonobos, an endangered species of ape, to antelopes and, occasionally, elephants, appear at market in Mbandaka.
Over-hunting has made life more dangerous for crocodile hunters. The number of dwarf crocodiles, once common in the Congo River, is shrinking. So hunters have to chase the ferocious Nile crocodile instead. Their scaly bodies measure up to six meters and they often kill humans. Hunters in small boats go after them at night, shining a torch while striking the water. “The crocodile does not like that,” says Nyalowala. “He begins to twist and then comes to attack.” As the animal attacks so do its pursuers, spearing it. A live crocodile fetches more than a dead one in the markets in Mbandaka, so hunters tie their jaws and transport them some 200 km downstream. They sell for around $150 each.
A teacher at a state school, by comparison, earns around $170 a month, though many did not get paid at all last year. No wonder Nyalowala’s parents wanted him to follow in his father’s footsteps.
1. Why are Nyalowala’s parents disappointed?| A．He was under pressure. | B．He abandoned his home. |
| C．He went against their will. | D．He disrespected his ancestors. |
| A．Wild animals are endangered. | B．Bush meat trade is expanding. |
| C．Hunters’number is increasing. | D．Old tradition makes a comeback. |
| A．Violent. | B．Rare. | C．Expensive. | D．Attractive. |
| A．Parents care about their child’s future. |
| B．Financial benefits affect career choice. |
| C．Children should follow parents’ advice. |
| D．Teachers’ work is unimportant in Africa. |
【推荐3】Though Kyle Tianshi is only a 15-year-old high school student, he has published five sci-fi novels. His fifth book Eventide was made available in July. However, this may not be his most impressive achievement as Kyle just received the “Hero Award”, a $20.000 grand prize, in November. It is the top honor in the California Youth Sustainability Awards. The competition aims to encourage and support young community leaders who are making at difference for environmental protection in their communities (社区) by taking action for the planet, according to its website.
Kyle, a grade two student from the Cambridge School in the US, received the honor for his portable invention called NEREID. The name refers to a daughter of the ancient sea god, Nereus, from Greek mythology. The device (装置) can discover microscopic particles (微观粒子) in water by using a laser and microscope. These particles can be harmful to people and the environment, NBC reported.
Kyle came up with the idea for the invention based on his experience growing up in San Diego, California, US. People had no access to unpolluted drinking water and his parents asked him not to drink tap water. Kyle spent about $60 buying the tools needed to analyze the tap water: a laser, a microscope and a micro-computer. Then he used their family’s garage as his laboratory doing research on the pollution of drinking water caused by micro-plastics.
Kyle hopes to bring to market a low-cost alternative tool for testing micro-plastic pollution levels in drinking water. In this way, he can offer help to people who don’t have access to water filtration (过滤) systems. He has applied for a patent.
Kyle said his sister Emily Tianshi, a freshman at Stanford University, inspired his interest in environmental research. She was recognized nationally for developing a water collection device.
“I’m just focused on two things: environmental advocacy and making a difference,” Kyle told San Diego Union-Tribune.
“I was really impressed by Kyle’s commitment to improve the health of his community and the environment.” Charles Calvat, Crystal Geyser’s Director of Social Responsibility, told NBC.
1. What may be Kyle’s most outstanding achievement according to the text?| A．Publishing his fifth book. | B．Winning a big prize in a competition. |
| C．Developing a drinking water collection device. | D．Realizing his dream of being a community leader. |
| A．He received the Hero Award for his novels. |
| B．He published a novel about daughters of the ancient sea god. |
| C．He invented a device to discover microscopic particles in water. |
| D．He found a way to remove microscopic particles in the environment. |
| A．He asked his sisters for advice. |
| B．He did some research with his parents. |
| C．He bought some useful tools to analyze the tap water. |
| D．He compared different water filtration systems on the market. |
| A．Ambitious | B．Stubborn | C．Outspoken | D．Independent |
【推荐1】Time and time again, I hear someone ask why anyone would want to keep an “ugly” building or a building that is dirty and clearly in need of work. I think you could say we preservationists (文物保护者) look at buildings through a different angle — an angle that can see the swan in the ugly duck, the story in the simple lines, the book behind the cover.
Take the Queen Emma Building for example. While people may remember that building being named as one of the ugliest buildings in town, the angle from which a preservationist will view the building is that it is uniquely constructed with an artistical brise-soleil (遮阳板) to block the sun. The designer used standard concrete bricks to form a decorative wall. Unfortunately, the brise-soleil was removed in 2011, making the building look like many of the contemporary buildings in town.
Sometimes people remember a beautiful site that was replaced by a “very unpleasant” piece of architecture and can’t get over their anger, even when that building becomes an important part of our story. This is particularly true in San Francisco where many preservationists themselves dislike anything newer, than the Victorian era. Yes, it was a tragedy that many failed to appreciate the Victorian buildings and let many get torn down several decades ago, but those losses also tell another important story. It tells the story of the 1950s and 1960s when there was hope for a more equal society with inexpensive housing for the working class. Should that history be wiped from our memories?
Preservation is not just about keeping pretty, well-kept buildings, but about conveying pars of our history — not just the history of huge events, but the story of how everyone used to go to a certain corner market. Our history cannot be told only in buildings that meet someone’s criteria of beauty; sometimes our history is painful, but no less important.
1. How do preservationists see buildings?| A．They focus on their value rather than appearance. |
| B．They pay great attention to ancient buildings. |
| C．They are devoted to repairing famous buildings. |
| D．They prefer ugly buildings to beautiful ones. |
| A．It’s confusing. | B．It’s pleasing. |
| C．It’s regrettable. | D．It’s unbelievable. |
| A．To wipe the history of the Victorian era. |
| B．To make land available for cheap housing. |
| C．To work off the deep anger of the working class. |
| D．To restore the architecture before the Victorian era. |
| A．To introduce some buildings with historical value. |
| B．To explain the reason why architects make ugly buildings. |
| C．To praise the work of preservationists. |
| D．To stress the importance of preserving ugly buildings. |
【推荐2】Watching a huge robotic arm pour layers of concrete (混凝土层) might not sound that exciting. But videos of this process, known as 3D printing, are getting tens of millions of views on social media. They’re giving people a world in which affordable 3D-printed houses are the new normal.
Aiman Hussein is director of printing technologies at Alquist. Hussein’s most-watched posts show the company’s printers layering row after row of concrete to build up a house’s outer walls. Hussein started making the videos and posting them to document what Alquist is doing. But he soon realized something. They were talking about 3D-printing industry with people online. Watching them is “so satisfying,” he says.
In December 2021, a Virginia family moved into a 3D-printed house. Alquist had built it for Habitat for Humanity’s homebuyer program. Zachary Mannheimer, Alquist’s founder and CEO, says 3D-printed homes cost less than homes made with wood. “Since the Habitat for Humanity home was completed,” he said last spring, “we’ve been averaging anywhere between 25 and 50 requests for 3D-printed homes per hour. At the moment, there’re fewer than 10 companies using this technology in America. To really solve the affordable-housing crisis, we’d need more like 50.”
Ryan Smith is director of the School of Architecture at the University of Arizona. He agrees that 3D printing could transform the construction industry. But he warns that American labor and supply chains for home-building are set up to handle wood, not concrete. “If you change the methods of construction,” Smith says, “you would have to develop a whole workforce around that, to be able to manage it.” Affordable 3D-printed homes aren’t going mainstream (主流) anytime soon. But getting people interested may be the first step. Hussein’s videos “unlock your imagination for what else is possible,” Mannheimer says. “We can excite a whole new generation about building things with computers and machines instead of shovels (铲车).”
1. What’s Hussein’s initial purpose of making the videos?| A．To show the 3D-printers online. | B．To sell the 3D-printed houses. |
| C．To record the company’s work. | D．To discuss printing technologies. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Positive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．Alquist must reduce their costs. | B．US concrete can’t meet their needs. |
| C．There’re enough engineers for them. | D．America isn’t ready for them yet. |
| A．3D-printed Homes Are on the Way | B．3D-printing Technologies Are in |
| C．Alquist Produces 3D-printing Tools | D．People Look for 3D-printed Houses |
【推荐3】Khotyn Fortress
Built in the 13th-14th century, it lies on the bank of the Dniester River in Khotyn, of western Ukraine. It is also in the historical northern Bessarabia region which was split in 1940 between Ukraine an Moldova. And it is near to the Old Kam'yanets Castle of Kamianets-Podilskyi, which was also used as a famous defensive structure. It is convenient to book the hotels nearby it at low prices, such as Premier Club, Reikartz Kamianets-Podilsky and so on.
Kamianets Podilski Castle
It lies in the Khmelnytsky Region, Ukraine. This architectural treasure is about 800 years old. Its architecture which unites best western and eastern traditions fits into the nature perfectly. The castle consists of minaret buildings , a town hall , an Orthodox church and a Polish Catholic church. Its beauty has been attracting tourists from all over the world for many years
Vorontsov Palace
It is an historic palace lying at the foot of the Crimean Mountains near the town of Alupka in Crimea. It is one of the oldest and largest palaces in Crimea, and one of the most popular tourist attractions on Crimea's southern coast. The construction of the palace began in the early nineteenth century, according to a project by English architect Edward Blore and it was supposed to be the palace for Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov to spend summer.
The Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans
It was built between the years 1864-1882 according to the designs of the Czech architect Josef Hlavka. The Residence, whose buildings are now part of Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.
1. What can we know about Khotyn Fortress?| A．It served as defence work. |
| B．It is open to the public for free. |
| C．It is the oldest building in Ukraine. |
| D．It was divided into two parts in 1940. |
| A．The Kamianets Podilski Castle. |
| B．The Khotyn Fortress. |
| C．The Vorontsov Palace |
| D．The Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans. |
| A．A travel magazine. |
| B．A science brochure. |
| C．A research paper on history. |
| D．A geography textbook. |
