The fire at Notre Dame Cathedral（巴黎圣母院）in Paris has raised questions about the condition of thousands of other historic buildings across Europe.
Some people say the fire last month was a wake-up call, not just for Europe, but the whole world. Large fires have long robbed humanity of knowledge, art and treasures. One example is the fire at the famous library of Alexandria in northern Egypt about 1700 years ago.
In 2015, the German engineering company Siemens found that Scotland had about 10 serious fires a year, while England lost at least twelve listed buildings a year. In Germany, 70 historic buildings have been destroyed since 2000.
And all too often, fires happen while old buildings are being repaired. Experts say that what is needed is continuous attention and maintenance(维护). These steps, if taken, could help avoid the need for major repairing work.
But regular attention and maintenance costs money.
Part of the problem comes from the shortage of money provided by governments after the 2008 financial crisis (金融危机). As a result, governments are increasingly looking for rich companies to keep up these historic buildings.
“We do need more money, but this is a shared duty for governments, businesses and citizens across Europe,” said an officer from the European Union.
Some say world-famous monuments like Notre Dame are the driving force behind tourism and should get more respect. People have noticed the importance of such respect.
“Historic buildings are a gold mine(矿). You cannot explore it and then just leave the mine and go to another one. It is something you really have to value,” the officer said.
1. After the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, more attention is paid to ________ .A．European governments  | B．famous libraries |
| C．engineering companies | D．the old buildings |
| A．robbers | B．fires | C．money | D．tourists |
| A．attention and maintenance | B．careful repairing work |
| C．enough respect from people | D．serious financial crisis |
| A．citizens around the world | B．the European governments |
| C．rich European businesses | D．the whole European society |
| A．value historic buildings | B．donate plenty of money |
| C．pay attention to big fires | D．avoid exploring mines |
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Scientists say they’ve developed a new system(系统). It can use “machine learning” to predict when and where lightning(闪电) will strike(闪击). The research was led by engineers from Switzerland.
European researchers have estimated(估算) between 6, 000 and 24,000 people are killed by lightning worldwide each year. The strikes can also cause power cuts, destroy houses and start forest fires. For these reasons, some climate scientists have studied to develop methods to predict and control lightning. But no system has been created to effectively predict lightning.
The new system is being tested in the experiments(实验). It used a combination of data(数据资料) from weather stations and machine learning methods. The researchers developed a prediction model. It was trained to tell weather conditions that were possible to cause lightning.
The model was created with some data. The data was collected over a 12-year period from 12 Swiss weather stations in cities and mountain areas. The data related to(与……有关) four main surface conditions: air pressure, air temperature, relative humidity(相对湿度) and wind speed.
The atmospheric(大气的) data was put into a machine learning algorithm(计算程序), which compared it to records of lightning strikes. Researchers say the algorithm was then able to learn the conditions under which lightning happens.
Amirhossein Mostajabi is a PhD student who led the development of the new system. He said, “Common systems for collecting such data are slow and complex, and they require expensive collection equipment(设备) like radar or satellites (卫星).”
“Our system uses data that can be gotten from any weather station,” Mostajabi said. “This will improve data collection in the areas which are not covered by radar and satellites or in places where communication systems have been cut,” he added.
1. According to the passage, the strikes can’t cause ________.| A．power cuts | B．earthquakes |
| C．forest fires | D．the death of people |
| A．The lightning strike. | B．The system being tested. |
| C．The machine learning algorithm. | D．The atmospheric data. |
| A．Where weather stations should be built. |
| B．How the machine learning algorithm works. |
| C．The advantages of the new system in data collection. |
| D．The new system has effectively predicted lightning in faraway areas. |
| A．Its prediction model has been tested for 12 years. |
| B．It has been put into use in cities and mountain areas widely. |
| C．The new system requires expensive collection equipment to collect data. |
| D．It uses machine learning to predict the time and places of lightning strikes. |
【推荐2】There is a saying that “earthquakes don’t kill people, buildings do.” It seems sadly true. Thousands of people died under bricks (砖块) of the damaged (毁坏的) buildings during the recent earthquakes. Is there a way to build earthquake-proof (抗震) buildings? Engineers have some life-saving ideas.
“Lift” the house up
To prevent earthquake waves from going through the building, one way is to “lift” the building’s foundation above the ground. The building can be built on top of pads (垫状物), which are usually made up of steel and rubber. During earthquakes, only the pads move and the building stays steady (平稳的). This can reduce the strength of earthquake waves by 13 to 15 percent, according to the website Bethinking the Future.
Right materials
Earthquake-proof materials must be easy to bend (弯曲) without breaking. Some of these materials include steel, wood and bamboo. In Japan, most traditional houses are built with wood. During earthquakes, wooden buildings bend to avoid building up stress. Steel is one of the main materials of modern tall buildings because it can increase their ductility (延展性).
Dome house
A Japanese company has made dome-shaped houses with styrofoam. Styrofoam is a very light material. The whole house weighs only 80 kilograms. So when earthquakes happen, the house will not hurt people.
Besides, there are many other good ideas on building earthquake-proof buildings. For example, a company in America is developing magnetic field (磁场) technology that can raise houses above ground when earthquakes happen. We hope these ideas can be put in action and more people’s lives can be saved.
根据材料内容选择最佳答案。
1. How does the writer lead into the passage in Paragraph 1?
| A．By telling a joke. | B．By using a saying. | C．By asking a question. | D．By making a survey. |
| A．They can sound a warning when earthquakes happen. |
| B．They are strong enough to stand earthquakes. |
| C．They can be easily damaged in earthquakes. |
| D．They are all built with wood instead of bricks. |
| A．Because they can stop the ground movement. |
| B．Because they can lift up buildings far from the ground. |
| C．Because they can reduce the strength of earthquake waves. |
| D．Because they can make the buildings’foundations hold onto the ground. |
| A．Bamboo is the most common material used for the houses. |
| B．Most are hard to bend thanks to the use of steel. |
| C．Most are built with wood which is easy to bend without breaking. |
| D．They have great ductility because of the wide use of steel. |
| A．It reduces the weight of the houses. | B．It raises the houses above the ground. |
| C．It increases the strength of the houses. | D．It increases the ductility of the house. |
Early Monday morning, a powerful earthquake hit southern Turkey(土耳其) and northern Syria(叙利亚). The earthquake has destroyed thousands of buildings, killed more than 3,700 people, and left thousands more injured.
Aftershocks are usually smaller quakes that follow a large earthquake.
Thousands of rescue workers are now trying to find and save people who may be trapped in the earthquake. Turkey says it has sent out more than 9,600 rescue workers.
But rescue workers are facing many challenges. The earthquake and its aftershocks have damaged roads.
The weather is also causing problems. Before the earthquake, the area was preparing for a heavy snow storm. Now, snow and rain are making rescue efforts more difficult. In northwest Syria, things are even more challenging.
Many of the people there already lived in tents or in special camps for people who lost their homes in the war. Because of the war, it will be difficult to get help to those in this part of Syria who need it.
| A．Many countries are sending teams of rescue workers and supplies to the area to help out. |
| B．But in this case, many of the aftershocks have also been very strong. |
| C．At least four hospitals in the area were damaged by the earthquake. |
| D．Turkey’s government has asked people to keep the roads clear for rescue workers. |
| E．More than half of the 4.6 million people who live in the area have trouble getting enough food. |
【推荐1】“Multitask”—doing several things at the same time—is considered a welcome skill by most people. But if we consider the situation of the young people aged from eight to eighteen, we should think again.
Nowadays, young people always juggle a large number of electronic devices (电子产品) as they study. While working, they also surf on the Internet, send out emails, answer the telephone and listen to music on their iPods. In a sense, they are spending a large amount of time in fruitless efforts as they multitask.
Multitasking is even changing the relationship between family members. As young people give so much attention to their own worlds, they seem to have no time to spend with the other people around them. They can no longer greet family members when they enter the house, nor can they eat at the family table.
Multitasking also affects young people’s performance at university and in the workplace. When asked about their opinions of the effects of modern gadgets (器具) on their performance of tasks, many young people gave a positive (积极的) response (反应). However, the response from the worlds of education and business was not quite as positive. Educators feel that multitasking by children has a serious effect on later development of study skills. They believe that many college students now need help to improve their study skills. Similarly, employers feel that young people entering the job market need to be taught all over again, as modern gadgets have made it unnecessary for them to learn special skills to do their work.
1. What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Emails. | B．Internet. | C．Young people. | D．Electronic devices. |
| A．Family members do not greet each other. |
| B．Family members do not eat at the family table. |
| C．Young people get on well with their families. |
| D．Young people hardly communicate with their family members. |
| A．Young people must learn skills for future jobs. |
| B．Young people benefit (获益) a lot from modern gadgets. |
| C．Multitasking is an important skill to young people. |
| D．Multitasking influences young people’s development seriously. |
| A．Multitasking is considered a welcome skill for most people. |
| B．Employers consider it unnecessary for young people to be taught all over again. |
| C．Educators feel that young people don’t need to improve their study skills. |
| D．People from the world of education believe multitasking has a good effect on children’s later study skills. |
【推荐2】These days, teens are heavily influenced by the media. Many of them have watched TV for thousands of hours. That’s more time than they spend with teachers at school. And we haven’t yet considered the hours they spend using the Internet or reading newspapers.
However, several studies have shown a serious problem: Today’s teens have no media literacy (媒体素养). In other words, they have difficulty critically (批判性地) thinking about the information they see. One study, which pays attention to middle school students, has found more than 80 percent of them can’t tell the difference between real news stories and ads that look like news.
Stanford professor Kevin John teaches a class called Media Effects. He tries to help his students learn media literacy. The professor gives an example that shows why media literacy matters. In the example, two news stations report a snowstorm. One cares about the terrible road conditions. The other pays attention to kids playing in the snow. “With a news story, news stations tell you what they feel are the important details (细节). These details largely depend on the opinions of the news director,” said John. “A person who has media literacy would realize that each story is about one field at one point. There is more going on.”
Some experts think school is the best place to teach media literacy. Others believe everyone—from parents to news reporters—should help teens learn the skill.
As for the best time to start learning media literacy, many experts suggest being at the age of 12.
But some basic ideas can be taught even earlier. “It’s never too early to start learning media literacy,” said John.
1. Paragraph 2 mainly tells us teens ________.| A．don’t have media literacy today | B．don’t consider some information |
| C．have difficulty in studying well | D．can compare real news stories with ads |
| A．showing his own opinion | B．giving an example |
| C．showing a science study | D．telling a story |
| A．only at the age of 12 | B．the earlier, the better |
| C．when they go to school | D．after they learn basic skills |
| A．a public ad | B．a storybook | C．a novel | D．a newspaper |
【推荐3】Rome, Paris and New York are the world's top fashion cities, all of which have produced some of the top trends, form high-low skirts to the hottest new shoes. However, have you ever wondered the negative(消极的)ideas that they've brought
In April 2016, the Advertising Standard Authority(ASA) in Britain stopped an ad from Gucci that has models dancing around and having fun, because the models in the ad were all quite thin. (Gucci, a famous brand(品牌)in the fashion industry and the company in question, said, "It was a personal idea as to whether a model looked unhealthily thin." It isn't new to us. The ASA stopped an ad in the year 2015 for the same reason. In France, it has been ruled that models are to provide a doctor's note which could prove that they are at a healthy weight.
This brings up the question of weight, a hot topic for some people. What is the healthy weight for models? While I couldn't find an exact number, I did find this. According to ABC News, "Twenty years ago, the average(平均)fashion model weighed 8 percent less than the average woman. Today, she weighs 23 percent less." This is worrying. When has it ever been okay for anyone, models included, to weigh less than the average?
People may think that being at an unhealthy weight will help him have the advantages that the models do. This provides a standard of beauty, and therefore people who want to achieve those things may try to do this through unhealthy ways. People may also think that they are overweight, compared to the images(形象)of models' thin bodies. They see something wrong with their bodies, whether they are overweight or not. This may make people feel bad, unconfident about their bodies. Sometimes people may have eating problems.
I'm not blaming(指责)the fashion industry. It's not their fault(错误)that many people look up to the models and expect to live a life like their. I am glad that the ASA is raising its voices when discussing the growing problem of body image in the fashion industry. By stopping the photos and videos, speaking out against them and pushing for doctors' notes from the videos, it's pushing for the idea that the traditional fashion industry's body image standard should be changed and something more needy to be questioned.
1. What does Gucci mean by what it says?
| A．Gucci has the right to choose models they like. |
| B．Gucci has lost a lot of money. |
| C．Gucci feels sorry for not choosing the right models. |
| D．Gucci shouldn't be blamed as there're no exact weight standards. |
| A．people don't know why models weigh less |
| B．many women are eating less to become thinner |
| C．weight problems of the models are more serious |
| D．being too thin causes health problems to models |
| A．The advantages of having a thin figure. |
| B．The bad influence of models' thin images. |
| C．The methods for having a good image. |
| D．People's thoughts towards models' images. |
| A．To improve the working conditions models are traced with. |
| B．To set new standard of model's body image |
| C．To make people have a proper idea of body image. |
| D．To keep us the good tradition in the fashion industry. |
【推荐1】Nowadays, more and more travelers like to come to China. As a result, there is a great need for a new airport in Beijing. So the city started to build the Beijing Daxing International Airport. On June 30, its main terminal( 航站楼)was finished and it opened on September 30, 2019.
Covering about 1. 43 million square metres, the Beijing Daxing International Airport is the world’s busiest airport. It will provide service for 45 million travelers by the end of this year and about 72 million by 2025, Although the airport is very big, people can get to the boarding gate from the terminal quickly. It is about 600 metres and it only takes people about 8 minutes on foot.
The Beijing Daxing International Airport is also a smart airport. Travelers can enjoy a full paperless experience. Also, they can know where their bags are in real time with their phones. There are also robots in the airport to answer questions from travelers. All these technologies can help people arrive at or leave the airport easily.
1. Why did Beijing build the Beijing Daxing International Airport?| A．To let more people like traveling. |
| B．To build the world’s biggest airport. |
| C．To meet the need for a new airport D, To show China is a great country. |
| A．In December, 2018 | B．In September, 2019 |
| C．In September, 2018 | D．In June, 2019 |
| A．8 minutes | B．20 minutes |
| C．30 minutes | D．38 minute |
| A．Everybody likes the new airport |
| B．Technology makes flying different. |
| C．People can fly safely from Beijing. |
| D．The new airport is very smart. |
【推荐2】When we think of Hollywood (好莱坞），we will think of film and famous film stars. Today people make films in other places, too. Not all the famous film stars live in Hollywood. But Hollywood is still a very special city in Los Angeles, California.
You can easily see where Hollywood is in Los Angeles. There is a big sign on the hills，it says “HOLLYWOOD”. The white letters are fifty feet tall. You can see the sign from far away. The Hollywood sign is a famous landmark (标识）in Los Angeles. Many postcards show this famous Hollywood landmark.
In the hills of Hollywood, there is also an open-air theatre called the Hollywood Bowl. It has seventeen thousand seats and a very special stage (舞台）.The design of the stage was by the great American architect Frand Lioyd Wright. You can listen to all kinds of music at the Hollywood Bowl.
1. We can learn from the reading that____________.| A．“HOLLYWOOD” can just be seen from far away |
| B．Hollywood is now a place only for travelers |
| C．all the films are made in Hollywood |
| D．Hollywood is one part of Los Angeles |
| A．new | B．rich | C．unusual | D．famous |
| A．all the postcards are made |
| B．only 7,000 people can get together |
| C．people can enjoy the music |
| D．you can hardly listen to different kinds of concerts |
| A．some famous film stars don’t live in Hollywood |
| B．film stars don’t think Hollywood is a good place to make films |
| C．the Hollywood Bowl is larger than any other open-air theatre in the world |
| D．the Hollywood Bowl is a hill in Hollywood |
| A．Hollywood |
| B．Famous Films and Film Stars |
| C．the History of Hollywood |
| D．Famous Hollywood Film Star |
If you are going to Europe, you might consider taking some time to visit Provence. Whether you are interested in beautiful places, ancient history, good food, or music and theater, Provence has something to offer to you.
Provence once was a Roman province and is in the southeast of France now. You will be attracted by its green hills, olive* trees, and old towns with pretty houses. Visitors can find forests, colorful flowers, horses, and people with smiles there. Provence is also “the city of dream in Europe.” Some people say it is Provence that makes France so romantic. The palace should play an important part in the romantic stories.
The Flowers: Provence is the hometown of lavenders* and sunflowers. Lavender means “waiting for love”. It also means beautiful. The mountains of Lubero is the most beautiful area across France. And there are also many kinds of lavenders. Compared with the fantastic flowers Lavender, sunflower is a lot warmer. Under the sunlight, thousands of yellow sunflowers are smiling at the sun.
The Food: The people there are well-known for keeping their traditional lifestyles. And in the restaurant, you will have the experience of eating the food that has the too much use of olive oil. The food is fresh and healthy. All the things make Provence become the heaven to those who like delicious food.
The other activities: Provence is the Kingdom of city. They hold many parties, dance, and festivals. You can even see a bullfight* in the towns of Arles and Nimes, or enjoy great shows with the famous stars.
May to July are the best tourist months. Not only the red sky, the sweet smell of olive, but also the wonderful lavenders, make Provence send out the breath of romantic.
1. The Provence lies ___________.
| A．in the southeast of France |
| B．in the northeast of France |
| C．in the southwest of France |
| D．in the northwest of France |
| A．watching a bullfight |
| B．enjoying great shows with the famous stars. |
| C．seeing beautiful sights |
| D．eating the food that has the too much use of fish oil |
| A．Provence has green hills, olive trees, and new towns with pretty houses. |
| B．Lavender is warmer than sunflower. |
| C．If a person likes food, Provence is a wonderful place for him. |
| D．June is not a good time to visit Provence. |
【推荐1】Everything has a name. All people, places, and things have names.
Jenny is the name of a student from the UK. The UK is the name of a country. Cities and towns have names, too. Schools also have names. Tomato, potato and carrot are names of vegetables. Apple, orange, and banana are names of fruit. Names are different all over the world. In Jenny’s class, Jenny must know the names of the students from all over the world. This is not easy because the names are different.
In the US, most people have a first name, a middle name and a last name. Parents choose (选择) the first and middle names for their babies. The last name is the family name. Usually it is the father’s family name. In a family, the mother, the father and the children usually have the same last name.
Sometimes a person has a nickname (绰号), too. A nickname is not a person’s real name. Abraham Lincoln’s nickname was “Honest Abe” because he was honest (诚实的) and Abe is short for Abraham Countries and cities also have nicknames. Uncle Sam is the nickname of the USA, and people call New York Big Apple.
1. It is not easy for Jenny to know all the names in her class, because ________.| A．the names are different | B．most people have two names |
| C．some people have nicknames | D．some names are very long and some are very short |
| A．every person has a nickname |
| B．parents choose the middle and last names for their babies |
| C．Abraham Lincoln’s nickname was “Honest Abe”, because he was an honest person |
| D．the mother, the father and the children usually have different last names in a family |
| A．Mike White | B．Sally Black | C．Alan Black | D．Gina White |
| A．Uncle Sam | B．Abe | C．Big Apple | D．New York |
【推荐2】An American woman living in Wisconsin (威斯康星州) offered to teach English to a Japanese woman who had moved into the same community. “Before each lesson, and on each and every visit,” the American reported, “the Japanese lady brought me a gift—a book, some paper sculpture, flowers, or candy. It was embarrassing (令人尴尬的).”
Unknowingly, this American was experiencing (体验) a part of protocol (社交礼仪) rooted centuries deep in the Japanese culture.
In America, valuable gifts are surely out. An proper (适宜的) behavior on a gift is to take the person to dinner, or to an entertainment or a sporting event. On the contrary (相反), gift-giving is a custom in Japan. According to Business Tokyo magazine, among the Japanese “gift-giving is a necessity, not only a small thing as in the West”. In Japan the proper gift is thought to express the giver’s true friendship, gratitude, and respect far better than words can. So if you plan to visit Japan or to have Japanese visit you here, be prepared.
So you know gift-giving plays a very important role in nowadays society. Now let’s see what happens in other countries.
Australia is known for its kindness and honesty. So proper gifts, such as a business diary, a paperweight, or a coffee cup might be presented as a memento (纪念品) of a business meeting. At a trade show, T-shirts, ties, baseball caps, or a pin may be proper mementos. Anything more than these types of gifts could cause embarrassment.
1. What does the underlined word “It” refer to in the first paragraph?| A．The gifts were so small and poor. |
| B．The Japanese woman was not good at learning English. |
| C．She didn’t know how to teach the Japanese woman. |
| D．The Japanese woman brought gifts on each and every visit. |
| A．A business diary. | B．A coffee cup. | C．A gold watch. | D．A paperweight. |
| A．The USA. | B．Japan. | C．China. | D．Australia. |
| A．Why the Australians are kind and honest? |
| B．What’s the difference between America and Australia? |
| C．What happens in other countries about gift giving? |
| D．How an Australian should behave (行为) in America? |
| A．People should give some valuable gifts when going to different countries. |
| B．Gift-giving is an important kind of protocol nowadays. |
| C．Bringing gifts often makes giver. |
| D．An expensive gift will make an Australian angry. |
Dinner parties usually start between 7 and 8 p.m.，and end at
about 11. Ask your hosts what time you should arrive, It's polite to bring flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine as a present.
Do you want to be extra(特别地)polite? Say how much you like the room, or the pictures on the wall. But remember not to ask how much things cost.
You'll probably start the meal with soup, or something small as a “starter”(开胃菜)，then you'll have meat or fish with vegetables, and then a dessert(甜点)followed by coffee. It's polite to finish everything on your plate and to take more if you want. Some people eat bread with their meal, but not everyone does.
Before they take out their cigarettes after the meal, most people usually ask, “Do you mind if I smoke here?”
Did you enjoy the evening? Call your hosts the next day, or write them a short thank-you note. Perhaps it seems funny to you, but British and American people say “thank you, thank you, and thank you” all the time.
1. If you aren't invited to dinner at home by English or American friends,______.
| A．it shows they don't like you |
| B．it shows they have no time to get together |
| C．it shows they don't want to make friends with you |
| D．it doesn't show they don't like you |
| A．you shouldn't take anything with you |
| B．you may lake a small present with you |
| C．you may take an expensive present with you |
| D．you may go at any time |
| A．ask the price of a thing |
| B．eat all the food on your plate |
| C．talk to your hosts |
| D．eat bread with the meal |
| A．dessert-meat or fish with vegetables-coffee-soup |
| B．coffee-soup-desert-meat or fish with vegetables |
| C．meat or fish with vegetables-desert-soup-coffee |
| D．soup-meat or fish with vegetables-dessert-coffee |
| A．In England or America, it usually takes more than three hours to have a dinner party at home. |
| B．If you are invited to go to a dinner party, you should ask your host what time you should arrive. |
| C．You mustn't smoke after a meal when you are with some American or English people. |
| D．If you enjoy the evening. you can write a short thank-you note to your hosts or call them. |
