【推荐1】From visiting museums to watching Changing the Guard, there are some amazing experiences for you to get while in London. Here we pick some of the best free activities in London.

Changing the Guard

For a display (展览) of British ceremony, watch Changing the Guard outside Buckingham Palace. This is where one member of Queen’s Guards exchanges (交换) duty with the old guard. Both guards are dressed in traditional red uniform and bearskin hats, and the handover is accompanied by a Guards band. Guard Mounting takes place at 11:30 am. It is held daily from May to July, and on alternate (间隔的) dates throughout the rest of the year.

Sir John Soane’s Museum

Sir John Soane was an architect. During his lifetime he collected some valuable antiquities (古董) from all four corners of the globe. They are now on display in Sir John Soane’s Museum which gives a real insight into the life of this outstanding Victorian gentleman.

Geffrye Museum

A very unique experience, the Geffrye Museum, located in 18th century almshouses (救济院), gives a fascinating insight into the lives of the British middle classes from the 1600s to the present day. Explore a series of room sets, complete with furnishing and textiles from each period.

Hogarth’s House

Hogarth was very famous and criticized 18th century society in his engravings (雕刻), such as A Harlot’s Progress, A Rake’s Progress and Marriage-a-la-Mode. As the name suggests, Hogarth’s House is where he lived before he died in 1764, and it’s here that you’ll find the largest collection of his paintings on public display.

Bank of England Museum

The splendid Bank of England Museum traces the history of the bank from its foundation by Royal Charter in 1694 to its role today as the country’s central bank. Here are many items you have never expected to see.

1. What can we learn about the ceremony of Changing the Guard?

A．Visitors need to pay when watching the ceremony.

B．Visitors can listen to some music at the ceremony.

C．The ceremony is held at 11:30 am every day throughout the year.

D．Changing the Guard involves two groups of guards every time.

2. What can visitors learn about the British People at Geffrye Museum?

A．The home life	B．The social life
C．the political life	D．The cultural life

3. What would be the best title for this text?

A．Free London Attractions	B．Active Life in London
C．Famous Museums in London	D．Enjoy Your Stay in London

【推荐3】Travelling can be a fun way to gain life experiences, especially during a week-long school vacation. But what if you’re a student and don't have enough money for a trip? Don't worry.

Here are some useful tips.

Save: This probably is the most important preparation for travelling. Cut expenses to fatten your wallet so you’ll have more choices about where to go and how to get there.

Plan ahead: Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your trip. Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice. Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security(安全)and savings.

Do your homework: No matter where you go, research the places you will visit. Decide what to see. Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants.

Plan sensibly(明智地): Write down how much you expect to spend for food and hotels. Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything.

Travel in groups: Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places. By travelling with others you can share costs and experiences.

Work as you go: Need more money to support your trip? Look for work in the places you visit.

Go off the beaten path: Tourist cities may be expensive. You may want to rethink your trip and go to a lesser-known area. Smaller towns can have many interesting activities and sights.

Pack necessary things: The most important things to take are not always clothes. Remember medicine in case you get sick and snacks in case you can’t find a cheap restaurant.

Use the Internet: The Net can help to save money. Some useful websites include www. Iravelocity. com, www. bargains-lowest fare. com and www. Economy travel. com.

By planning sensibly, even students can enjoy the travel. Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime.

1. This passage is about______

A．how to plan your travel

B．how to travel with enough money

C．how to make your travel interesting

D．how to get life experiences

2. Before your trip, the first thing you should do is_______

A．to make a plan of the route	B．to get information on the Internet
C．to save money by spending less	D．to buy tickets in advance

3. During your trip, _______.

A．you need more shoes than clothes

B．you should not look for work all the way

C．you can gain valuable experiences

D．you should forget to do your homework

【推荐2】If you think about World Heritage Sites (世界遗产) you probably think of places connected with ancient art and culture, historical buildings. And of course, many of these are on the World Heritage List (WHL). But the WHL contains a lot of sites that are not so obvious. Let’s look at a few of them.

Robben Island in South Africa

This island was used through the centuries as a prison, a hospital and a military base. But it’s probably most famous as a maximum security prison for political prisoners in the twentieth century. Nelson Mandela was one of its most famous residents. The WHL says it represents “the victory of democracy (民主) and freedom over oppression and racism(种族主义).”

Borders of France and Spain

This is an area of great natural beauty and the mountains have many interesting geological formations (地质构造). But it is also an area of small farms. People there still use a type of agriculture that used to be common in mountainous areas of Europe but has almost completely disappeared in modern times.

The city of Brasilia, Brazil

Brasilia is a capital city that was created from nothing in 1956. The WHL calls it “a landmark in the history of town planning”. The different areas of the city and the buildings themselves were all designed at the same time carefully. Every part of the city shows the ideas of the planner and architect.

Simien National Park, Ethiopia

Simien National Park was one of the first sites to be listed in 1978. It is one of the highest mountain areas in Africa, and the WHL calls it “one of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world”. It is also important for its wildlife. The population of some rare animals is getting smaller and smaller.

1. Why has WHL listed Robben Island in South Africa?

A．For the type of agriculture	B．For its political symbol
C．For the interesting geological formations	D．For the great natural beauty

2. Which of the following was listed on the WHL for its natural scenery and wildlife?

A．Simien National Park, Ethiopia	B．The city of Brasilia, Brazil
C．Borders of France and Spain	D．Robben Island in South Africa

3. Why does the writer write this passage?

A．To describe the remains of ancient cultures on the WHLA

B．To introduce the famous heritage sites on the WHL

C．To talk about places of artistic or cultural importance.

D．To introduce some of the not so obvious sites on the WHI.

【推荐1】These days although more and more people tend to read what they want to know on the Internet, newspapers and magazines still an important role in people’s lives.

The American humorist, Will Rogers, used to say, “All I know is what I read in the newspapers”. This was an exaggeration for humorous purposes, but it is true that newspapers are an important source of information. Many people begin their day by reading the paper. In this way they learn what is going on in the world. Sometimes, however, they don’t have time to read the news carefully and must be satisfied with a quick look at the front page; at other times they may be in such a hurry that they have time only to glance at the headlines.

There are newspapers to satisfy every reader. In the big cities there are many types of papers, with several different editions every day. In small towns there are fewer newspapers and perhaps only one edition each day. In some areas the paper is printed weekly.

Most newspapers have several sections, especially on Sundays when the edition is larger than usual. There are, in addition to the front page with the most important news, the sports section, the society page, the comics, the amusement section, a business page, and the editorials, you name it. In a word, they have everything that you expect to find.

Another type of publication which helps keep the population informed is the magazine. Some magazines are published weekly, others are put out monthly. There are news magazines, literary magazines, and magazines for such special interests as photography, sports, art, and music. Some are primarily for men, others for women, and there is a selection of children’s magazines, too. In the United States, there are publications for every taste and interest.

1. The function of a newspaper is ________.

A．to help people to begin their day by reading it	B．to satisfy every reader
C．to get people well informed of all kinds of news	D．to provide its readers with many sections

2. The purpose of headlines is ________.

A．to show the main idea of an article or a passage	B．to tell its readers how to entitle an article or a passage
C．a piece of news for people to glance at	D．to be printed in large letters above a story in a newspaper

3. The best title for this passage is ________

A．Newspaper Should Be Read Every Day

B．Different Newspapers Should Be Provided to Satisfy Their Readers

C．Many Types of Newspapers Must Be Published in Big Cities

D．Newspapers and Magazines

4. Which sentence is the topic sentence of the last paragraph?

A．Sentence One.

B．Sentence Two.

C．Sentence Four.

D．Sentence Six.

【推荐2】We all need to eat. So, meals could be a chance to stop what we're doing and spend time with the people in our lives. A recent study from a team of South Korea suggests that eating together has many good effects on children and teenagers while frequently eating alone may lead to poor eating habits and poor food choices. People who eat alone more than twice a week have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.

There are benefits of family dinners on children and teenagers.

In 2014, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) looked at data(数据) from nearly three­-quarters of the world's countries. Among its findings is the fact that students who share a main meal with their families are less likely to hate school. Children who eat a main meal with their families are also less likely to take drugs (毒品)．

In the report, titled “The Importance of Family Dinners (VIII)，”researchers say that teens who have frequent family dinners are more likely to say their parents know a lot about what's going on in their lives.

Another study from the University of Montreal finds that children who eat with their families experience long­-term physical and mental(精神上的) health benefits. These children are physically in better shape and drink fewer sugary soft drinks. These children also seem to have better social skills and are less violent（暴力的）.

One of the researchers, Pagani, involved in this study is a professor at the university. She says that mealtimes with parents possibly provide young children with first­hand social events, which helps them have better communication skills.

1. Why is eating meals alone frequently bad for people's health?

A．Because people will get a chance to make friends.

B．Because people will have a risk of heart attack.

C．Because people will show no interest in food.

D．Because people will develop poor eating habits.

2. What's the topic of the passage?

A．Ways to eat together more.	B．Benefits of eating together.
C．Chances to spend time with people.	D．Risks of developing high blood pressure.

3. What's the advantage of family dinners for children?

A．They could enjoy sweet, and hard drinks.

B．They perform better in social activities.

C．They feel their parents know more about their studies.

D．They experience long­term physical and mental illness.

4. What's Pagani's attitude to eating family meals together?

A．Positive.

B．Uninterested.

C．Worried.

D．Doubtful.

【推荐3】Despite all the ways we have to interact with others, people still feel isolated and lone. Loneliness is an increasing problem—so much so that, last year, the government introduced a loneliness strategy and minister for loneliness. We used to talk of the condition in relation to older people but rarely gender. It may come as a surprise then that so many of those affected by loneliness are men.

A recent YouGov survey for Movember, a charity event that raises awareness of men’s health issues, asked men about their friendships and whether they had people outside their homes they could swap their worries with. Half of men asked said they had two or fewer friends and one in eight had none—that’s 2.5 million men with no close friends. Even worse, men’s friendlessness doubles between their early 20s and late middle age.

Isolation can have physical and mental health implications. A 2017 report by the Commission on Loneliness said loneliness is as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Research shows correlation between loneliness and heart disease and strokes, and other studies associate loneliness with depression. However, why are so many men affected? In our latest podcast, psychotherapist Noel Bell says some men feel they have to be self-reliant. Due to widespread social stereotypes(刻板印象), it can be viewed as a sign of weakness for men to admit they have a problem, express their deepest feelings or discuss a serious personal topic.

Perhaps due to the way generations of men have been raised, it is often difficult to recognize feelings of loneliness in the first place. Behavioural differences between boys and girls are not naturally born at birth, they are socialised. Girls are stereotypically seen as more emotional and talkative and so their communicative and expressive skills are more valued than those of boys by parents and teachers, according to researchers.

For some men, having a partner and a family can somewhat shelter them from the negative effects of loneliness—but what if their personal circumstances change? After a relationship breaks down or there is a loss of you beloved, some men find their friends have drifted away and they have no one to talk to. Social media can be beneficial if it leads to interaction in the real world, but online networks are no substitute for face-to-face friendships—the number of likes on your most recent post does not compare with genuine connection.

Social activities such as team sports aren’t for everyone and, if you’re already feeling lonely or isolated, it can be difficult to build the confidence to enter those environments and connect over a shared interest. There is also the danger that some male-dominated social environments encourage drinking alcohol and may not be the right places for those who are feeling the mental health effects of isolation. That said, ‘shoulder to shoulder’ active interactions for men, such as exercise, especially running, are proven to be beneficial. But such activities do not interest all men and this is where psychotherapy(心理疗法) can be of particular use.

Don’t suffer in silence. A psychotherapist is not a friend, nor is therapy a substitute for a meaningful friendship. A therapist will, however, help a client identify what may be creating barriers to them building supportive friendships and determine the factors that may be causing their feelings of isolation. A therapist will work with the client to address their issues, providing a fair, non-judgemental space in which a lonely person can work out what is best for them and how to move towards a more connected and contented life. Bell, a famous therapist, says too many men enter therapy only when a situation has reached crisis point and he encourages men not to bottle up their emotions. “Reflecting on your feelings is healthy and normal,” he says.

1. Who used to be the prime victims of loneliness?

A．Junior students.	B．Isolated ministers.
C．Mature men.	D．Senior citizens.

2. What does the survey done by YouGov imply?

A．Men tend to expand their social circle after their adolescence.

B．Young and middle-aged male adults suffer more from loneliness.

C．Loneliness remains at the same level despite different ages.

D．Deep friendships are difficult to maintain between the males.

3. According to the Nobel Bell, men’s loneliness is relevant to _______.

A．the fear of dying of heart disease and strokes

B．the depression popular among men of all ages

C．the conventional view on how men should behave

D．their reliance on outside assistance through hardships

4. In terms of social stereotypes, girls are better at _______.

A．gaining sympathy from men	B．hiding their true emotions
C．disciplining their own behavior	D．interacting with other people

5. Why does the author mention social media in Paragraph 5?

A．To stress the importance of real interaction to men.

B．To introduce a possible way out of loneliness for men.

C．To contradict the belief that men feel lonely online.

D．To illustrate how social media can relieve depression.

6. When might a psychotherapist be of particular use?

A．When there is no substitute for the current therapy.

B．Not until a man is fully conscious of the crisis point?

C．When active interactions fail to attract a lonely man.

D．After a man is excluded from a team of common interests.