1 . In this first year, the Nature Festival will be celebrating South Australian nature with over 100 events for various ages. It is full of creative ways to get you out and about enjoying all that nature has to offer.
Its 10-day program, starting from 25th September 2023, provides a wide range of both free and ticketed experiences. From “adventure” and “learning” experiences to “slowing down” and “helping out” experiences, there will be something for everyone. Here are just some of the events.
Build-a-Birdbox Workshop
Saturday 26th September @ 9 am
Explore the role of tree hollows and learn how to build a backyard bird box.
Byards Road Wetland Nature by Night
Tuesday 29th September @ 6 pm
Take your torch and discover, on a guided walk, the creatures that come out at night.
For the Love of Trees
Tuesday 29th September @ 12:30 pm
Hear Dr Palph Body share his understanding of artist Hans Heysen.
Grey-headed Flying-fox Bat Ramble
Tuesday 1st October @ 5:45pm
Walking with local bat experts and hear how the grey-headed flying-fox bat came to be in our city.
Coastal Dune Walk
Sunday 4th October @ 9:30am
Walk along the coastline and learn about the working being done at the dunes.
Port River Alive
Sunday 4th October @ 11 am
See a short film about who and what lives in the Port River.
The full Nature Festival program is available on the website https://www.naturefestival.org.au. If you’re interested in any of the experiences above, please register as soon as possible.
1. What do we know about the Nature Festival?| A．It lasts about half a month. |
| B．It welcomes visitors of all ages. |
| C．It requires visitors to pay for their tickets. |
| D．It is held to call on people to protect nature. |
| A．Port River Alive. |
| B．Coastal Dune Walk. |
| C．Build-a-Birdbox Workshop. |
| D．Byards Road Wetland Nature by Night. |
| A．On 1st October. | B．On 4th October. |
| C．On 29th September. | D．On 26th September. |
| A．By seeing a short film. | B．By exploring the role of tree. |
| C．By walking with local bat expert. | D．By taking a torch and discovering. |
| A．Buying a brochure. | B．Reading advertisements. |
| C．Searching online. | D．Booking a magazine. |
2 . Tian Wangui and his wife Lu Min are villagers in Qiantian Village, Liaoning Province. They began planting trees over forty years ago. With their hard work, the two barren (贫瘠的) mountains are covered by trees now.
After leaving the army in the 1980s, Tian got back home and began planting fruit trees on the hills. In 1982, the couple got the contract rights (承包经营权) of two mountains. At first, they planted some young fruit trees on part of the land. In order to water them, they had to carry water up to the top of the mountains many times a day by themselves.
Now, the two mountains are covered by more than 50,000 trees of over 20 kinds. More than 2,000 birds live in the trees in the mountains.
“We cared for the mountains and trees as we cared for our children,” said Lu. “Even as we grow old, our children will protect the woods, watch over the birds and keep our dream alive.”
1. What did Tian Wangui do before he began planting trees?| A．He served in the army. |
| B．He watched over the birds. |
| C．He cared for the children. |
| D．He carried water up to the mountains. |
| A．Determined. | B．Friendly. | C．Curious. | D．Brave. |
| A．A couple got the contract rights by planting trees. |
| B．A couple taught their children to plant trees for over forty years. |
| C．A couple kept planting trees on the mountains for over forty years. |
| D．A couple helped the villagers plant trees on the mountains for over forty years. |
3 . If there is one thing that comes to mind when the words “South Pacific” are spoken, then it must be coconut palms (椰子树). Most of us have images of all attractive coconut palms lining sandy beaches. But the coconut tree is more than a central characteristic of picture postcards bought by tourists.
To people of the South Pacific, the coconut tree is also known as the “Tree of Life”. It gets this name because of the different kinds of products which the coconut palm provides from its various parts. From the leaves down to its roots, it plays a great part in the life of many island people. The coconut tree provides food, shelter, fuel as well as income from exports.
Coconut leaves produce good-quality paper pulp (纸浆), hats, wastebaskets and bags. Flesh (果肉) and water (often called the milk) from the young, green coconut can be taken as a healthy food and drink. It is also used in salads and other tasty dishes.
Coconut husks (外壳) it are often thrown away, but they can be used to produce different kinds of useful products such as ropes, fishing nets, and floor coverings.
Coconut water can be used in the production of wine and is also used to treat a number of medical problems.
The white coconut flesh is a good source of coconut oil, coconut chips, and feed for animals.
The trunk of the coconut tree is a strong and durable wood, which can be used to build houses.
Medicines and dyes (燃料) are obtained from the roots.
The English oak, the Lebanon cedar or the Australian gum tree all have a place in history but the coconut palm is the only true “Tree of Life”.
1. Why is the coconut palm called the “Tree of Life”?| A．It has a long lifetime. | B．It is mostly exported. |
| C．It has a vast range of uses. | D．It is necessary for islanders. |
| A．Leaves. | B．Flesh. | C．Husks. | D．Water. |
| A．long-lived. | B．wet. | C．flexible. | D．rough. |
| A．To introduce a useful type of plant. |
| B．To announce some new discoveries. |
| C．To tell readers about island people’s life. |
| D．To explain how to make full use of coconut leaves. |
4 . Valencia is in the east part of Spain. It has a port on the sea, two miles away on the coast. It is the capital of a province that is also named Valencia.
The city is a market centre for what is produced by the land around the city. Most of the city’s money is made from farming. It is also a busy business city, with ships, railways, clothes and machine factories.
Valencia has an old part with white buildings, coloured roofs, and narrow streets. The modern part has long, wide streets and new buildings. Valencia is well known for its parks and gardens. It has many old churches and museums. The university in the centre of the city was built in the 13th century.
The city of Valencia has been known since the 2nd century. In the 8th century it was the capital of Spain. There is also an important city in Venezuela (委内瑞拉) named Valencia.
1. From the text, how many places have the name Valencia?| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．2nd century. | B．8th century. | C．13th century. | D．20th century. |
| A．Its seaport. | B．Its university. | C．Its churches and museums. | D．Its parks and gardens. |
| A．markets | B．business | C．factories | D．farming |
5 . Famous Modern Chinese Buildings
The Beijing International Airport
The first place most visitors see when they arrive in China is the Beijing International Airport. The airport was constructed in the 1950s. It has an indoor garden, a children’s playground, and over 70 food businesses in Terminal 3 alone.
The Shanghai World Financial Centre
Completed in 2008, SWFC took over 10 years to complete due to financial shortages and the construction delays. Since its completion, it has won countless architectural awards. Tourists are welcome at SWFC’s viewing platform, which is the world’s highest closed viewing platform.
The Water Cube
It was constructed for use during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. Now visitors can express surprise at the architecture of the building. They can enjoy the indoor atmosphere as well. Among the offerings of the Water Cube are a restaurant, a bar, a shopping area, and Water World, a family water park.
The Bird’s Nest
It was designed mainly for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It can hold up to 80,000 people. Nowadays, it also functions as a tourist attraction. Its main income is from tourism. It draws more than 20,000 tourists every day.
The National Centre for the Performing Arts
It was completed in 2007. The building is surrounded by a man-made lake, requiring guests to enter via an underground hallway. It is home to an opera hall, a music hall, and a theatre.
1. Which of the following buildings was first constructed?| A．The Beijing International Airport. | B．The Shanghai World Financial Centre. |
| C．The Water Cube. | D．The Bird’s Nest. |
| A．It needed more construction workers. | B．It was short of money. |
| C．It added an extra viewing platform. | D．It faced too much terrible weather. |
| A．By renting the winter theme park. | B．By increasing its opening time. |
| C．By charging tourists for admission fees. | D．By giving some live concerts. |
| A．Enjoy sports events. | B．Eating. |
| C．Attend science lectures. | D．Watch different performances. |
6 . At just 11 years old, Vince Weishaus runs his own hair salon (发廊) in his parents’ basement in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, doing different hairstyles for free.
For Vince, his love of hair started at a very young age. “He has an older sister who had dolls and he would just, at 2 or 3, be playing with the dolls' hair,” recalled Emily Weishaus, Vince’s mother.
Not long afterward, he also fell in love with braiding (编辫子). “He watched me do a braid, and then he undid the braid and redid it without me ever showing him how to do it,” his mother said. He found his true love as a hairstylist (发型师) when he started cutting his grandmother's hair before he was 5. “I feel that’s what gave him the confidence to be who he is,” she added.
Vince’s hairstyling dream became a reality when his parents presented him with a special surprise on his ninth birthday: his very own salon in their basement. His neighbor had a salon in her home, but she decided to pass on her supplies to Vince when she moved.
Family members and friends have stopped by for appointments—all free of charge—at Vincent Charles Salon. The kid's services range from coloring, to braiding the for school dances, family parties, talent shows and more.
He has colored his own hair different colors, from rose gold to purple. He even colors his friends' hair tips before they head off to camp.
Vince loves learning different practices and skills of the trade from other hair mentors, who teaches him many styling skills.
The sky is the limit for Vince—his eventual goal is to become a world-famous hair colorist one day. His advice to anyone who wants to realize their own dreams: “Do what they love and be themselves.”
1. Vince realized his true love for hairstyling when ________| A．he was playing with his sister | B．he watched his mother do a braid |
| C．he was playing with the dolls | D．he began to cut his grandmother’ hair |
| A．A small family party for him. | B．His own salon in the basement. |
| C．The supplies from his neighbor. | D．The permission from his parents to camp. |
| A．Family members. | B．Friends | C．Teachers. | D．Customers |
| A．Cold | B．Curious | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful |
| A．A Boy Hairstylist. | B．A Piece of Advice. |
| C．A New Styling Skill. | D．A Street Hair Salon. |
7 . Milton Community Center
Milton Community Center provides a variety of programs and activities to improve the quality of life for young adults of different ages.
| First and Goal Club | Date: March 17th—May 2nd | Ages: 12—14 |
| First and Goal Club is a youth development program where students will have the opportunity to build self-confidence and grow as young adults. Here they will develop good healthy behaviors and improve working cooperation. | ||
| Mid–winter Break Camp | Date: January 26th—January 29th | Ages: 13—15 |
| Students will enjoy a fun and positive environment at Mid-winter Break Camp. They will go on educational and exciting trips, as well as joining in fun activities here at the Center. Students must bring lunch with them every day. | ||
| iMatter | Date: April 24th—May 14th | Ages: 14—18 |
| iMatter is designed to prepare the youth for their future life. This program will cover personal and professional improvement to get our young people ready for future jobs. Speakers from different work fields will come and speak about their walk of life. | ||
| College Tour | Date: March 8th—June 4th | Ages: 16—18 |
| Young adults will have opportunities to explore several colleges. Transportation will be provided from the Milton Community Center. Drinking water will be offered, but no lunch. | ||
For more information, please click here or visit http://miltoncommunity.com
1. First and Goal Club is designed for the age group of ________.| A．12—14 | B．13—15 | C．14—18 | D．16—18 |
| A．First and Goal Club | B．Mid–winter Break Camp |
| C．iMatter | D．College Tour |
| A．Go on educational trips. | B．Learn speaking skills. |
| C．Get professional improvement. | D．Explore several colleges. |
| A．On a website. | B．In a magazine. |
| C．In a brochure. | D．On a noticeboard. |
8 . Stone Mountain
Basic Information
Stone Mountain, Georgia, is the world’s largest exposed piece of granite (花岗岩). It is a rock of 7.5 billion cubic feet and it’s just a half-hour drive from Atlanta. But it’s not just the size of the mountain that attracts people to visit. Stone Mountain’s impressive feature is the Confederate Memorial Carving. Three heroes from the Civil War have been carved into the rock: Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E.Lee, and General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. The huge sculptures are surrounded by a carved surface that covers three acres.
How to Visit
Stone Mountain can be visited by taking a cable car ride up the north face. Brave tourists can hike along various paths to get closer to the amazing mountain. A visit to the top uncovers rock pools and views of downtown Atlanta that seems close enough to touch.
What to Visit
Located just outside the park’s west gate is Historic Stone Mountain Village. The village was established in 1839 and offers more than 50 specialty shops and restaurants. Tourists can visit antique (古董) stores as well as shop for art and jewelry created by local artisans.
Detailed Visiting Information
Address: U.S.Highway 78 E., Exit 8, Stone Mountain, GA
Telephone: 770/498-5690 or 800/401-2407
Hours of Operation: Wednesday to Friday from 10:00 am-2:00 pm (due to COVID-19)
Admission: $8 per car
1. What is Stone Mountain most famous for?| A．Its large memorial carving. |
| B．Its unique natural landscape. |
| C．Its having a large piece of granite. |
| D．Its being the hometown of famous heroes. |
| A．Hike along downtown Atlanta. |
| B．Go shopping outside its west gate. |
| C．Swim in beautiful swimming pools. |
| D．Learn to make jewels from the locals. |
| A．$8. | B．$16. | C．$32. | D．$64. |
9 . I watch documentaries, not movies. I read history books, not fiction. I use every free moment to accomplish one of the tasks on my never-ending checklist, and I am completely filled with thoughts of productivity. An hour sleeping is an hour wasted. And like the rest of 21st century America, I like it. But this fixation on productivity is increasingly destroying character and transforming men into robots.
New York Times columnist David Brooks warned American University students of this cultural decline in a speech. “We cut off all things spiritual and emotional in a competitive urge to stand out”, he said, “The pressure to succeed professionally, to acquire skills, to do the things you need to do to succeed in an information age economy really became the overwhelming(难以应付的)pressures, and it sort of weakens the thinking about character and morality.”
Many students happily go to college, viewing it as a next step on their rise to professional achievement. Forcing as many success-building activities into their schedules as they can, they enjoy keeping busy with little sleep. “Today’s outstanding kids are likely to spend their afternoons and weekends shuttling from one skill-improving activity to the next,” Brooks wrote in an article, “We fear failure more than we desire success.”
A century ago, college was about character building. Today, our characters are in decline. We are experts on economics, material things and professional skills. We fail to discuss and understand relationships, emotions and all things spiritual.
Philosopher Karl Popper divided the world into two categories: Clocks and Clouds. Clock problems are those that can be taken apart, examined and solved through deductive reasoning(演绎推理). Clouds cannot be taken apart. Cloud problems represent whole systems that need to be understood in a different way.
“When we have a Cloud problem, we try to turn it into a Clock problem,” Brooks said. And in a reason-centered culture, adding titles to one’s resume becomes a trend. At American University, 85 percent of seniors (and 89 percent of business majors) graduate with at least one practical experience which is often helpful to a student’s future career, but can sometimes draw focus away from academics.
To prevent the death of man’s character, Brooks urges rediscovering our human natures through falling in love. And by love he means love for a task, job, or another person. “Synchronicity is key to happiness,” he said. Rather than crazily increasing our long lists of accomplishments, we need to lose ourselves in what we do, and success will come on its own.
1. From Paragraph 1, we can learn that people ________.| A．are controlled by time | B．are eager to achieve |
| C．are changing their characters | D．are keen on reading books more |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Uncertain. | C．Approving. | D．Curious. |
| A．success comes from devotion to work |
| B．the focus on human natures counts |
| C．more work contributes to happiness |
| D．love is more important than focus |
| A．criticize students’ desire for achievements |
| B．stress the importance of productivity |
| C．warn about the pressure to seek success |
| D．bring awareness to character building |
10 . City trees grow faster and die younger than trees in rural forests, a new study finds.
Studies had shown forests take in greenhouse gas. But there hadn’t been much data on whether city trees grow, die and take in CO2 at the same rate as forest trees do. So Lucy Hytyra and her workmates at Boston University in Massachusetts decided to find out.
To figure out how quickly trees were growing, the researchers tracked their diameters (直径) between 2005 and 2014. The team focused on red oaks and red maples growing on Boston streets. These trees grew four times faster than the same species did in a nearby forests. Faster-growing trees take in more CO2. Over the nine years, the researchers tracked these trees, and they found city ones took in four times as much CO2 from the air as the forest trees did. The city trees also, however, were twice as likely to die. So over the lifetime of each type of tree, forest trees actually take in more CO2.
“City trees grow faster mainly because they have less competition for light from their neighbors,” Hutyra says. In a forests, trees tend to grow close together, shading their neighbors. Street trees also benefit from higher levels of nitrogen (氮) in rainwater. Nitrogen is an element that helps plants grow. Still, she says that her team’s findings may not apply to arid cities. “In locations short of water like Phoenix or Los Angeles, city trees might respond differently because it’s very hot in the city and they have so little water.” At such sites, she says, “Trees might grow slower.”
So why were Boston’s streets trees twice as likely as their country cousins to die young? City roads can leave big-tree roots less room to grow. Plus, people often decide to cut down trees that are sick, or in the way of some desired building or view.
1. What can we learn from the research by Lucy’s team?| A．City trees live twice longer than forest trees. |
| B．Over their lifetime, forest trees actually take in more CO2. |
| C．Over the nine years, faster-growing trees breathe in less CO2. |
| D．On Boston streets red oaks grow much faster and taller than red maples. |
| A．they live in hot weather | B．they take in more water |
| C．they tend to grow close together | D．they benefit from more light and nitrogen |
| A．Dry. | B．Busy. | C．Crowded. | D．Large. |
| A．The result of people’s behavior. |
| B．The relationship between people and trees. |
| C．The fact that the roots of city trees have more room. |
| D．The reasons why the street trees in Boston died young. |
| A．A travel journal. | B．A story book. | C．A science magazine. | D．A medical report |
