1 . I have always loved the Arthurian legend (传奇), as there is something quite special about King Arthur, and of course Merlin, my favourite character from the stories.
Death of an Empire is the second volume in MK Hume’s “Merlin” series which details Merlin’s life from birth. Merlin travels across the Roman Empire in search of his father, a voyage of discovery to understand just who he was. Eventually Merlin gets involved in the fight against the Hun’s invasion (入侵) of Europe at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plain.
Serving under the General Flavius Aetius, Merlin builds a reputation by saving the lives of thousands of soldiers. When he finally reaches Rome, he saves many more. But a far deadlier conflict between Emperor Valentinian and Senator Petronius Maximus is around the corner and Merlin must use all his strength to carry out his work.
If I had to choose just one word to describe this novel, there would be no other choice than “immersive (身临其境的)”. There has clearly been a serious amount of research carried out by the author. Combined with the descriptive prose and imaginative story, the book really does attract you from almost the very start. The story really does feel like you are a part of it as Merlin travels across the Roman Empire.
The author does a great job of mixing the rich history with established Arthurian legend. The battle scene is handled very effectively. The author employs a very effective form to show the main fight and this not only adds a degree of tension and a good level of excitement but almost makes you feel like you are right there hearing about what happened.
Death of an Empire is a very fine novel, a wonderfully rich tale and a rewarding story.
1. Why does Merlin travel across the Roman Empire?| A．To visit King Arthur. | B．To enjoy a nice view. |
| C．To get a well-paid job. | D．To find out his origin. |
| A．It is a mixture of history and legend. |
| B．It features difficult language. |
| C．It speaks highly of an emperor. |
| D．It is a masterpiece of Merlin. |
| A．An effective description. | B．A long-running battle. |
| C．A wonderful feeling. | D．A well-known legend. |
| A．A news report. | B．A history story. |
| C．A book review. | D．A science fiction. |
2 . Exploring Wildlife Conservation in Kenya
Day 1: Nairobi, Kenya
Arrive at the airport in Nairobi, where our staff will be on hand to drive you to the hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Accommodation: Tamarind Tree Hotel
Day 2: Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
A charter flight (包机) brings us to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a 62,000-acre grassland on the north of Mount Kenya. Considered a model in the conservation field, this healthy wildlife habitat is home to a number of rare species, including the giraffe, the Grevy’s zebra, and African wild dogs. Lewa and the neighboring Borana Conservancy also harbor roughly 15 percent of Kenya’s entire rhino population.
Accommodation: Elewana Lewa Safari Camp
Day 3: Amboseli National Park
Fly by private charter to Amboseli National Park, where vast grasslands are irrigated by underground runoff streams from Mount Kilimanjaro. These landscapes provide a habitat for hundreds of elephants, making the park one of the best places in Africa to spot these large creatures. The travel begins on the drive to Tortilis Camp, set within view of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Accommodation: Tortilis Camp
Day 4: Masai Mara National Reserve
At first light, head out to track the animals that crossed the area during the night. This area has one of the highest concentrations of large predators (捕食性动物) in all of Africa. Then watch large groups of hippos in the Mara River and crocodiles sunbathing on the shore.
Accommodation: Kichwa Tembo Camp
1. On which day will you visit Lewa Wildlife Conservancy?| A．Day 1. | B．Day 2. | C．Day 3. | D．Day 4. |
| A．Tamarind Tree Hotel. | B．Kichwa Tembo Camp. |
| C．Amboseli National Park. | D．Borana Conservancy. |
| A．It provides the best sunbath. |
| B．It features the Grevy’s zebra. |
| C．It is located near an airport. |
| D．It is home to large predators. |
3 . Summer Camps
Kildinan Park Dale Farm
Situated close to the historic town of Battle in East Sussex, south-east England, Kildinan Park Dale Farm offers horse enthusiasts (aged 10—18) around the world a chance to learn English language and skills of horse-riding.
Study programmes & classes include: Residential English + Horse Riding Summer Camp for international students
·Camp Duration: 1, 2 or more weeks
·Home-stay accommodation with an English family.
Ingenium Academy
Located just one hour south-west of London, the Ingenium Academy provides music courses for high school students & young adults aged 13 to 21 from all over the world.
Study programmes & classes include: Piano, Composition, Conducting, Vocal(歌唱部分), etc.
·1 week, 2 weeks or 3 weeks programmes.
·One-to-one lessons with top musicians.
Reach Cambridge
Reach Cambridge offers UK & international high school students aged 14 to 18 the opportunity to gain an invaluable academic experience through a summer course in one of the top educational facilities in the UK.
Study programmes & classes include: Architecture, Biotechnology, Business Management & Economics, Computer Science, Engineering, English Language (ESOL), English Literature & Creative Writing, Mathematics, Medicine & Life, etc.
Language and Music For Life
Founded in 1997, Language and Music for Life (LMFL) offers a unique 2-week summer music and language courses for British & international students (children aged 5+, teenagers & adults) in Wales, UK.
Study programmes & classes include: Conducting, Composition, Violin, Piano, Recorder, Guitar, Drum & Voice classes, Classical Singing, etc.
1. What is special for the campers learning on Kildinan Park Dale Farm?| A．They can learn English language. |
| B．They can live in British households. |
| C．They can learn the history of the UK. |
| D．They can learn the skills of raising horses. |
| A．Kildinan Park Dale Farm. | B．Ingenium Academy. |
| C．Reach Cambridge. | D．Language and Music For Life. |
| A．They all provide musical courses. | B．They all provide online training. |
| C．They only admit campers over 10. | D．They are open to overseas students. |
4 . Are all your photographs good? Be honest with yourself. Aren’t some of your pictures too dark, and others too light? How many times have you thrown away a photo? We, the Fine Photograph Club, can help you. We meet every Wednesday in our comfortable club room in Bridge Street. At 7:30 p.m. a member of the club or a visitor would give a talk, and then we have coffee. Our members will advise you on all the latest camera and films. They will help you to develop your films or enlarge your pictures. What does it all cost? Only 5 pounds a year.
Photography is now a big business. Do you know, for instance, that there are 15 million cameras in our country? And that 700 million photographs are taken a year, more than one-third of them in color? Think of the amount of photography in television, the camera, newspapers, books, advertisements and so on. In morden life people learn a lot from pictures, so photography is more and more important. It is also more complicated and more expensive than it used to be. You may only want to take good photographs of faces and places. If so, we can help you to get better results. You needn’t waste any more money. If you want to learn more about photgraphy and how it is used, join the club please. You won’t be disappointed. Write now to the Secretary, Fine Photograph Club. Bridge Street.
1. The purpose of the passage is to ____________.| A．show people how to take fine pictures |
| B．tell people photography is now a big business |
| C．tell people the club can do many things for you |
| D．encourage people to join the photograph club |
| A．must be good at photography |
| B．must know about the latest cameras and films |
| C．must pay a little money a year |
| D．must be honest with yourself |
| A．say if your photos are good or bad |
| B．tell how much money you waste |
| C．help the Fine Photograph Club |
| D．know the latest development in cameras |
| A．coffee | B．amusement |
| C．advice | D．information |
5 . An artist who had painted many pictures of great beauty found that he had not yet painted one “real” picture.
In his
“How simple,” replied the old man. “In any church, you will find it — ‘Faith’ is the most beautiful thing in the world.”
The artist travelled on.
Still the artist
“How can I
On the
Finally, the artist painted the most beautiful thing in the world and called it “
| A．path | B．trip | C．imagination | D．search |
| A．adjust | B．apply | C．direct | D．force |
| A．Earlier | B．Later | C．Nowadays | D．Finally |
| A．makes | B．expects | C．appreciates | D．demands |
| A．builds | B．advises | C．charges | D．results |
| A．Except | B．Without | C．Including | D．Besides |
| A．broke | B．insisted | C．continued | D．stopped |
| A．opposite | B．important | C．boring | D．same |
| A．wherever | B．whenever | C．however | D．whatever |
| A．accept | B．paint | C．practise | D．require |
| A．agreed | B．remembered | C．wondered | D．looked |
| A．excited | B．interested | C．frightened | D．surprised |
| A．strange | B．special | C．familiar | D．suitable |
| A．realised | B．suggested | C．followed | D．repeated |
| A．memories | B．faces | C．hopes | D．praises |
| A．thought of | B．put up with | C．hunted for | D．watched out for |
| A．anxiously | B．eagerly | C．safely | D．happily |
| A．wide | B．single | C．present | D．favourite |
| A．loss | B．peace | C．time | D．moment |
| A．Children | B．Faith | C．Friendship | D．Home |
6 . Being jobless for the last three months, I am upset nowadays. My son has lost his
In these circumstances I have two mental
I choose the second option for I believe that the pain I am suffering today will build up my
Two months later,
As I am back on the track of normal life, I can definitely say that the most important things that helped me
| A．admission | B．benefit | C．diploma | D．permission |
| A．share | B．reduce | C．break | D．raise |
| A．showed up | B．set off | C．fell down | D．passed away |
| A．putting | B．finding | C．forming | D．lifting |
| A．problems | B．concerns | C．choices | D．activities |
| A．link | B．replace | C．mix | D．exchange |
| A．intelligence | B．body | C．character | D．reputation |
| A．careful | B．hard-working | C．easy-going | D．successful |
| A．hide | B．destroy | C．strengthen | D．kill |
| A．desperately | B．unwillingly | C．hopefully | D．fortunately |
| A．regardless of | B．on account of | C．instead of | D．apart from |
| A．occupied | B．empty | C．open | D．closed |
| A．fight | B．meet | C．change | D．delay |
| A．general | B．optimistic | C．friendly | D．pessimistic |
| A．as if | B．in that | C．now that | D．in case |
7 . Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal, or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasise the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example,business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work,it is necessary to spend a lot of time in“small talk”, usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries—like the UK or France—people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realised that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment will offer a better chance to us to understand and learn from each other.
1. What’s the benefit of eating together at restaurants in some countries according to this passage?| A．People can develop closer relations. | B．People can share the same culture. |
| C．People can get to know each other. | D．People can keep each other company. |
| A．To show the English prefer to make long speeches. |
| B．To show too many words are of no use. |
| C．To show people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature. |
| D．To show even talk and silence can be culturally different. |
| A．By sharing different ways of life. | B．By accepting different habits. |
| C．By recognising different values. | D．By speaking each other’s languages. |
| A．Multicultural Environment | B．Cross-cultural Differences |
| C．How to Understand Each Other | D．How to Build up a Relationship |
8 . My grandfather was a rigid (刻板的) perfectionist. Everything had to be orderly, precise and punctual. I was frightened of him until the day he died. Growing up, my mother desperately wanted to please him. She probably thought he might leave if she didn’t.
In fact, I now think the fear of being left alone, abandoned, was a current throughout much of her life. A few years into my father suffering from Alzheimer’s, my mother’s voice on the phone sounded so upset that I had to tell her, “Just be with yourself for a little while. Be calm and everything can be better.”
“No, I can’t do that. I don’t want to do that,” she said suddenly, closing the door on the subject. A while after my father died, she told me that she kept the television on all the time because it made her feel less lonely. “It makes the house seem to have more people living in it,” she said. I had given in to my annoyance and either turned the volume down or turned it off. But after she told me that it filled in some of the loneliness, I never reached for the remote control again.
We have had a long journey together, she and I. Over a half-century of memories, now that the journey has ended, I have a choice which ones to study and which ones to turn over in my hands and dust off (抹去).
I choose to look at the ones that ache with a sweet truth not told often enough. There was love between us. It was just hard to find sometimes. I choose to remember her face on that winter day in Manhattan, when I came to her with a broken heart. I choose to remember walking on the shore with her in summers when we rented a beach house. Somehow the sea always changed us. I choose to remember how she looked on my wedding day when she handed me a bracelet (手镯) that had belonged to my grandmother. “Something old,” she said.
1. What can we infer from the author’s words said to her mother in paragraph 2?| A．The author comforted her. |
| B．The author praised her. |
| C．The author apologized to her. |
| D．The author blamed her. |
| A．She would not turn the TV set on. |
| B．The remote control had broken down. |
| C．The remote control was hidden by her mother. |
| D．She would not turn the TV set off or turn it down. |
| A．Ignore most of them. |
| B．Keep all of them in mind. |
| C．Forget some and analyze others. |
| D．Write things from her memories often. |
| A．She took her to see her grandmother. |
| B．She arranged a tour in Manhattan. |
| C．She offered her a present. |
| D．She rented a beach house. |
9 . Michigan youth summer camps focus on different ideas and experiences, but all include plenty of time spent outdoors in Michigan’s beautiful countryside.
Summer Discovery
This summer camp offers up both academic(学术的) and social activities to help with that transition(过渡) from high school to college The classes are small during these two-week and five-week sessions(课程). It’s open to students from 14 to 18 years old. Prices are from $4,800 to around $8,800. This camp made the top 50 list for best pre-college camps.
The Road Less Traveled
This camp offers wilderness adventure(冒险), and community service with activities like backpacking, environmental studies, and wilderness medicine. The sessions last from 10 to 25 days and the camp is open to ages 12 through 19.Costs are from $2,250 to over $6,000.
Cedar Lodge
This family-run camp offers general outdoor activities and also has a wonderful horseback riding program. This camp is good at helping kids learn riding and other skills. The camp is open to kids from eight to 16 years old. Camp prices are from $200 to $700 per week.
Michigan Tech Youth Programs
Over 70 courses help pre-teens and teens learn about different fields through hands-on, classroom, and in-the-field experiences. The classes are offered weekly, and if students want to attend several weeks, they can also have a “stay-over”. It costs $950 per week for students who stay there and $525 for students who don’t. Courses include writing, photography, robotics, engineering, outdoor adventures, and many more.
1. How much may a teenage boy spend if he wants to attend a pre-college camp?| A．$4,800. | B．$2,250. | C．$950. | D．$700. |
| A．Michigan Tech Youth Programs. | B．The Road Less Traveled. |
| C．Summer Discovery. | D．Cedar Lodge. |
| A．They have a fixed price. |
| B．They offer monthly classes. |
| C．They provide many kinds of family activities. |
| D．They help to get experiences in different fields. |
10 . A teacher gave his students a test. Most of the students finished all the questions without much effort
All of the students thought that this question was some kind of
So they all
“
He went on to say, “In your lives and careers, you will
Over the following days each of the students
| A．while | B．until | C．since | D．after |
| A．cleans | B．manages | C．supports | D．guards |
| A．pity | B．risk | C．story | D．joke |
| A．natural | B．clear | C．possible | D．unusual |
| A．address | B．family | C．name | D．age |
| A．left behind | B．lifted up | C．put away | D．handed in |
| A．unanswered | B．open | C．out | D．unprepared |
| A．exercise | B．experiment | C．test | D．match |
| A．Possibly | B．No | C．Sure | D．Never |
| A．love | B．help | C．respect | D．meet |
| A．important | B．unique | C．intelligent | D．honest |
| A．consideration | B．attention | C．discussion | D．protection |
| A．look | B．smile | C．listen | D．play |
| A．remembered | B．proved | C．explained | D．realized |
| A．lesson | B．opinion | C．premise | D．argument |
