1 . Four Best Christmas Markets in Italy
BolzanoBolzano market is one of the largest in Italy and one of the first markets in the country. It is the ideal place to join the festive activities. You’ll find a large Christmas tree decorated with lights. Besides, there are little wooden houses filled with traditional gifts, candles, crafts and so much more which can give a medieval (中世纪的) feeling.
TurinThe market in Turin is a traditional Italian Christmas market and one of the first markets in the country. It is decorated with Christmas lights and decorations. Here you’ll find hand-made goods in a typical Piedmontese style as well as famous chocolates from Turin.
VenicePiazza San Marco is home to Venice’s Christmas market. During this time the city turns into a small Christmas village with unique decoration, lights and lots of cheers. There are dozens of Christmas trees as well as little wooden shops and visitors from all around the world. Shops offer the best treats you’ll ever taste, traditional street food and hand-made goods.
MilanOne of the longest running Christmas markets in Milan, is a sight worth seeing. The market dates back to the 1500s when it was once an event to allow locals to pay their respects to Sant’ Ambrogio. Today, there are over 300 stalls (货摊) decorated with lights and selling hand-made goods.
There are so many Christmas markets to enjoy. Start planning your Italy escape today. Are you ready to get into the festive spirit?
1. What do Bolzano and Turin have in common?| A．Both are the earliest created markets in Italy. |
| B．Both make visitors feel in the Middle Ages. |
| C．Both provide hand-made chocolates. |
| D．Both sell gifts in wooden houses. |
| A．Its history. | B．Its decoration. |
| C．Its traditional sea food. | D．Its local people. |
| A．Bolzano. | B．Turin. | C．Venice. | D．Milan. |
2 . Want to reduce your risk of dementia (痴呆)? Start counting your steps — you’ll need between 3,800 and 9,800 each day to reduce your risk of mental decline, according to a new study.
People between the ages of 40 and 79 who took 9,826 steps per day were 50% less likely to develop dementia within seven years, the study found. Furthermore, people who walked with “purpose” — at a speed over 40 steps a minute — were able to cut their risk of dementia by 57% with just 6,315 steps a day. Even people who walked about 3,800 steps a day at any speed cut their risk by 25%.
“That would be enough, at first, for sedentary (久坐不动) people,” said Cruz, a senior researcher in health sciences. “In fact, it is a message that doctors could use to inspire sedentary older adults — 4,000 steps is achievable by many, even those less fit,” he added. “Perhaps, more active and fitter people should aim for 10,000, where we see the largest effects.”
But there was an even more interesting result hidden in the study, according to an article entitled “Is 112 the New 10,000?”
The largest reduction (降低) in dementia risk — 62% — was achieved by people who walked at a very easy speed of 112 steps per minute for 30 minutes a day, the study found. Earlier research has marked 100 steps a minute as an easy or middle level of strength.
The article argued that people looking to reduce their risk of dementia should focus on their walking speed over their walking distance.
“We do agree this is a very interesting finding,” said Cruz. “Our take is that strength of stepping matters! Technology could be used to track not only the number of steps but also the speed and so these types of measures can also be applied in commercial watches. More research is needed on this.”
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?| A．Old people are more likely to have dementia. |
| B．Young people had better walk 9,826 steps a day. |
| C．It is harmful for people over 40 to walk too fast. |
| D．It is good for people to walk about 3,800 steps a day. |
| A．About 3,800 steps a day at any speed. |
| B．About 100 steps a minute a day. |
| C．At a speed over 40 steps a minute for 30 minutes a day. |
| D．At a speed of 112 steps a minute for half an hour a day. |
| A．The speed. | B．The steps. | C．The reasons. | D．The benefits. |
| A．Those who keep walking are less likely to develop dementia. |
| B．Walking each day can cut your risk of dementia but speed matters. |
| C．Walk a certain number of steps each day to cut your risk of dementia. |
| D．The more steps you take, the less risk of dementia you suffer from. |
3 . When Arsh was a young boy, his parents, Divya Pal and Sanjeev, signed him up for extracurricular activities such as piano, karate (空手道) and gymnastics, but he preferred art. When Arsh turned 8, he received a watercolor paint set as a birthday gift. He spent all his spare time painting. That’s how he started painting.
Around the same time, Arsh often visited a local nursing home, where his mother works. Spending time there inspired him to start selling his art for a good cause. “I want to help people in need through my paintings,” he said.
And so began his fundraising (筹款) program, which he called “Art by Arsh”. He sold his paintings at local art shows, restaurants and libraries, as well as on his Instagram account and Facebook page. He donated his first $1,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 2018, and has since reached various other charities.
Arsh, now 12, mostly makes commissioned (委托创作的) pieces, and several of his customers have come back wanting more. That includes his neighbor, Jolene Schaver, who has five of Arsh’s creations hanging in her home and has bought many more for friends and family. “I was amazed at how talented he was at such a young age, without any formal training,” said Schaver.
Along with selling his paintings to benefit nonprofit organizations, Arsh now also teaches art lessons at the local nursing home. And he thought about accessibility, and realized not all people have the resources (资源) to make art—which has the capacity to comfort and heal (治愈). “One of my future goals is to make art accessible for kids who want to express themselves,” Arsh said. He has already started offering free art lessons to local children, and he hopes to expand (扩展) his classes further in the future.
1. What do we know about the young Arsh according to the first paragraph?| A．He received a painting as a birthday gift. | B．He made a living through painting. |
| C．He showed a lively interest in art. | D．He got a place at an art school. |
| A．To raise money by selling his paintings. | B．To introduce his paintings to more people. |
| C．To donate some of his paintings to charities. | D．To decorate local libraries with his paintings. |
| A．Warm-hearted and humorous. | B．Hard-working and honest. |
| C．Gifted and generous. | D．Kind and brave. |
| A．Form more nonprofit organizations. | B．Learn more about the healing power of art. |
| C．Do more voluntary work at the nursing home. | D．Create more opportunities for kids to make art. |
4 . Last Monday, I visited Jalan Besar to find a new fan blade (风扇叶片) for a standing fan that my daughters had broken.
I worked in the Jalan Besar area 30 years ago and remembered that there were lots of small hardware shops selling unusual things so I thought that I would have no problem finding a fan blade. However, after walking around for almost an hour, I found out that these shops were no longer around.
When I was ready to give up and go home, I spotted an old-fashioned hardware store. After being greeted by a woman, I explained my predicament. She immediately asked me to show her the broken blade. Out of nowhere, a man who looked to be in his 60s came out.
He asked to see the blade and then disappeared into the shop. He came back with a blade but it did not look the same as what I had in my hand. We compared the two blades and he said that it might work.
I asked him how much it was. He told me that he had taken the blade off an old fan that someone had brought in for repair. He said, “It didn’t cost me anything, so why should I charge you for it?” That really touched me. I took the blade home and it worked perfectly! My daughters got a “new” fan for nothing.
When I told my wife (almost in her 60s) this story, she said this reminded her of the kind aunties and uncles who used to run small shops and were always ready to help others when she was growing up.
1. Why did the author go to Jalan Besar?| A．To visit his old friends. | B．To apply for a job. |
| C．To fix the broken fan. | D．To buy a new fan. |
| A．Nervous mood. | B．Difficult situation. |
| C．Anxious waiting. | D．Boring moments. |
| A．Kind and brave. | B．Honest and helpful. |
| C．Determined and curious. | D．Open-minded and humorous. |
| A．She remembered the old days. | B．She was greatly surprised. |
| C．She couldn’t believe it. | D．She thought little of it. |
5 . Children should do housework. That’s a controversial (有争议的) idea, though not everyone will admit it. A few parents will say that their children are too busy for housework. Many more of us believe in our children, but the housework just doesn’t get done.
That’s a problem. For starters, housework is good for kids. Being a part of the routine work of running a household helps children develop an awareness of the needs of others, while at the same time contributing to their emotional well-being.
One small study, done over a period of 25 years, found that the best thing for young adults’ success in their mid-20s was whether they took part in housework at age 3 or 4. Those early shared responsibilities extended to a sense of responsibility in other areas of their lives.
But for all that their help matters, few kids are doing much around the house at all. In a survey of 1,000 American adults, 75 percent said they believed regular housework made kids “more responsible”. Yet only 56 percent of those with children said they required them to do housework.
Sports and homework are not get-out-of-housework-free cards. The goal, after all, is to raise adults who can balance a caring role in their families and communities with whatever lifetime achievement goals they choose. Housework teaches that balance.
What should you do when getting children to do housework? Accept no excuses. Don’t worry if you must repeat yourself again and again. If you’re spending more time getting the child to do this job than it would take to do it yourself, then you’re doing it right. Can a payment help? Maybe. But if you’re trying to teach kids to share the responsibility of a home, paying them for routine housework is not the right message.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．Very few children get housework done. | B．Children are very busy with housework. |
| C．Housework is a must-do for parents. | D．Family members should respect each other. |
| A．Housework helps a man live a happy life. | B．A man’s success depends on his housework. |
| C．Housework benefits a sense of responsibility. | D．A child must start doing housework at age 3. |
| A．Balance housework and study. | B．Help the child do housework positively. |
| C．Do housework by themselves. | D．Pay the child for doing housework. |
| A．Adults do less housework at home in the US. | B．It is important for children to do housework. |
| C．Parents should do housework for their children. | D．Children need more time to do sports at home. |
6 . We saw a lot of achievements and breakthroughs in the Internet and related technologies in China. Let’s take a look at some of the most exciting things that went beyond the imagination.
China’s tech giant Huawei officially launched (发布) Huawei Mate X, its first foldable smartphone on Feb 24, 2019. That came just five days after Galaxy Fold, the first foldable smartphone of Samsung. In November, Chinese computer giant Lenovo launched its foldable PC Thinkpad X1.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued commercial licenses for 5G on June 6, 2019. The next-generation tech is expected to be at least 10 times faster than 4G, and its huge capacity to connect things will enable smart factories, self-driving vehicles and other applications, according to a previous China Daily report.
Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp on Aug 5 began the selling of 5G smartphones, the first 5G phone model to hit the market in China. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp launched its latest 5G concept phone, the Mi MIX Alpha, on Sept 24, 2019.
Chinese Internet giant Baidu had a trial run for its Apollo RoboTaxi on roads in Changsha, capital of Hunan province, in September. In the landmark event in China’s intelligent connected car development, 45 self-driving taxis were used. These vehicles, co-produced by Baidu and domestic carmaker FAW Hongqi, are Level 4 driverless vehicles.
Facial recognition has been widely used across China this year, powering the technology to unlock phones, pass security checks at airports and train stations and even purchase goods such as water, coffee, snacks, with a “smile to pay” function. At the same time, China has started to carry out a national standard for facial recognition technology to ensure data security.
1. Which company launched the first foldable smart equipment in 2019?| A．Huawei. | B．Samsung. | C．Lenovo. | D．ZTE. |
| A．Medicine. | B．High-tech. | C．Transport. | D．Communication. |
| A．Send. | B．Borrow. | C．Buy. | D．Find. |
| A．Foldable Smartphone Is Popular |
| B．Self-driving Vehicles Are Smart |
| C．Facial Recognition Is A Big Trend |
| D．Internet and Technology Boom in China |
7 . In school we learned about the Earth. We learned that rivers flow from higher ground to lower ground. They usually end at a bigger river or go into a lake or ocean. I can see that every day in Chicago.
Our river goes into the lake. It’s a giant lake. We used to go fishing on the river every summer. Most days you would find me and my grandfather there, fishing. My father was busy working for the city. I did not know what his job was. He said it was in the Sanitary and Ship Canal.
My grandfather would take me to the river. “In the old days,” he said, “this was a clean stream. Now look at it. It is dirty.” Sometimes we even saw dead fish floating on it.
When we brought the fish home, my mother would throw them out. “We can’t eat this. This is dirty, bad fish.” She sounded angry. So my grandfather and I stopped bringing the fish home. Sometimes we would go to fish and throw them back. But mostly we just stayed at home. We were sad about it.
Then one day my father was so busy that he was not at home. That New Year’s Day he worked, too. My mother was worried, “It is too cold.” But he went anyway.
Then two days later the newspaper said, “It is a miracle!” That was the headline. I read the article. It told how the workers on the Sanitary and Ship Canal had done something impossible. They had changed the Chicago River completely. They dug such a great hole that the river rushed away from the lake. It now went to the west. I was excited. So was my grandfather. He said, “Now we can go fishing this summer.”
We both laughed. So did my mother. My father smiled a lot, all day long.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To show the miracle of nature. |
| B．To explain the concept of the Earth. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the article. |
| D．To test readers’ knowledge about rivers. |
| A．The fish in the river were all dead. | B．His mother disliked eating fish. |
| C．He wanted to protect the river. | D．The fish were too dirty to eat. |
| A．They saved all the fish in the Chicago River. |
| B．They kept the Chicago River incredibly clean. |
| C．They changed the direction of the Chicago River. |
| D．They dug a huge hole to store the polluted water. |
| A．Serious. | B．Devoted. | C．Open-minded. | D．Out-going. |
8 . Four-Day Tour in Shangri-La
Day 1 Arrival in Dukezong Ancient TownYou will be met upon arrival at Shangri-La Airport and taken by bus for about 25 minutes. Have an expensive buffet dinner at a 4-star, the Grand Shangri-La hotel. Then you will have a whole afternoon to visit an ancient Tibetan old city. It is the largest and best-preserved Tibetan city among 147 Tibetan counties. In the evening, you can enjoy local Tibetan folk dance if you are energetic.
Day 2 Songzanlin TempleYou will leave the hotel at 8:30 for the Songzanlin temple by bus. Once home to 4000 monks, the temple is undergoing a massive restoration. Late in the afternoon, you will visit NaPa Sea where you can see different kinds of birds.
Day 3 Potatso National ParkEnjoy the natural beauty of nature by bus. Located 22m east of Shangri-La, Potatso is the first national park in mainland China. In Tibetan language, Potatso means reaching the opposite side of the lake by boat under the help of spirit. You will stay in the park around 3 hours.
Day 04 Tiger Leaping GorgeAfter breakfast, visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge. You will have two-hour drive from the hotel to the hiking place.
This is truly a place of timeless beauty. As you hike on the way, you will feel the sense of peace. Through its narrow way, China’s mother river, the Yangze, flows between Jade Dragon and Haba snow mountains. From the snowy peaks above to the pounding river below, it is a huge drop of 3800 meters. The hiking is about 4 hours and we will go back to the hotel around 17:00 in the afternoon.
After dinner, pack up your luggage and your local guide will meet you and see you off at the airport.
1. Which of the following places can you visit on the second day?| A．Dukezong Ancient Town. | B．Songzanlin Temple. |
| C．Potatso National Park. | D．Tiger Leaping Gorge. |
| A．2 hours. | B．3 hours. | C．4 hours. | D．5 hours. |
| A．By plane. | B．By ship. | C．By train. | D．By bus. |
9 . If you have some free time in fall, would you like to go to the theatre?
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Sep. 12th, — Oct. 28th, 2024
Main Stage: UK Royal Opera House
Follow Alice down the rabbit hole in Christopher Wheeldon’s beautiful ballet, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s much-loved book.
Conducted by Koen Kessels. Last few tickets at $6.99.
Music: Joby Talbot. Designer: Bob Crowley.
Running time: 2hrs, 40 mins.
Enjoy three of your favorite productions in our Autumn Season for a 10% discount.
Cats
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-running classic music al is back on Broadway!
Jul. 31st, — Dec. 30th, 2024
No show on Wednesday.
THEATER: Neil Simon Theatre, 250 West 52nd Street, New York, NY.
Running time:2hrs, 20 mins.
Buy tickets from $59! Group tickets: 12 seats or more.
Les Misérables
Start from Sep. 20th to Sep. 29th, 2024
The West End’s longest running classic musical, Les Misérables has been enjoyed by over 70million people in 42 countries and in 22 languages around the globe and is still breaking box-office records as it passes its 30th year in London.
Book your Les Misérables tickets, playing at the Queen’s Theatre today.
Running time: 3 hours.
Buy group tickets from $69.
If you require more than 8 tickets, please call us for great rates: 020-7492-0810.
Recommended for children aged 7 or over; children under 5 will not be admitted.
Carmen
Check https: //www.laopera. org for best availability and lowest prices !
“Much greater than any other opera” — Los Angeles Times.
SCHEDULE: Opening on September 9th,2024. Opening night celebration tickets available. Call213-972-8097. Closing on October 1st, 2024.
Running time: about three hours and 25 minutes, including two breaks.
Two operas available:
Opera at the Beach: Santa Monica Beach. Opera in the Park: Victoria’s Park.
1. Which show has the longest running time?| A．Cats. | B．Les Misérables. |
| C．Carmen. | D．Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. |
| A．$6.99. | B．$13.98. | C．$59. | D．$138. |
| A．They are both classic musicals. | B．They are playing at Neil Simon Theatre. |
| C．Their show time are more than three hours. | D．Their group tickets are at least eight people. |
10 . The Fire Festival is celebrated in northern Ghana. It’s a holiday we had never heard of before we came to live in a village here as Peace Corps community volunteers. It’s unbelievably great.
On the Fire Festival — Bugim Chug u in the local language — drums beat a quick and regular rhythm that locals dance to in a circle of bodies, men and women, the old and young, holding torches of burning grass above their heads, which stands for the light and getting off negative energies.
At this moment, this festival is being held at the beginning of the lunar year. The locals are all so involved in the celebration that they don’t pay as much attention to us as they normally will. When they find us getting involved as they are, they dance more vigorously and scream with joy.
Danielle, a friend of mine in the Peace Corps, says, “That we join in the celebration is significant because foreigners here are typically seen as the representatives of other organizations, not as people who are willing to join in the Fire Festival rituals (仪式). But in fact, we are dancing and celebrating as one.”
Our two-year Peace Corps service will finish up in mid-November. We can think of no better way to say goodbye than by celebrating the Fire Festival with the villagers we’ve come to know. The festival lets us see a different side of them — and lets them see a different side of us. The neighbors who sell rice are now the women who urge us to run faster and dance harder at the Fire Festival. And rather than view us as low-key (低调的) volunteers, they see us as the ones who have crazy dance steps with wild screams.
1. Why did the author go to northern Ghana?| A．To find a job. | B．To go traveling. |
| C．To study further. | D．To do voluntary work. |
| A．Annoyed. | B．Excited. | C．Confused. | D．Worried. |
| A．The steps to dance well. |
| B．How the locals celebrate the Fire Festival. |
| C．How the author and Danielle help the locals sell rice. |
| D．The reason why the author and Danielle joined in the festival. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C．When in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
| D．The grass is always greener on the other side. |
