1 . If you think about World Heritage Sites, you probably think of places associated with ancient art and culture and historical buildings. And of course, many of these are on the World Heritage List (WHL). These include remains of ancient cultures like Cuzco in Peru or the rock city of Petra in Jordan as well as old city centers such as Rome in Italy. Also common are places of artistic or cultural significance, like the Stonehenge stone circle in England. But the WHL contains a lot of sites that are not so obvious. Let’s look at a few of the more unusual sites on the WHL and why it is important to preserve them.
Citadel of Haiti
These monuments were built at the end of the 19th century when Haiti became independent and the many thousands of black slaves in Haiti were free for the first time. These ex-slaves built the monuments, which the WHL describes as “a universal symbol of liberty”.
Borders of France and Spain
This is an area of great natural beauty and the mountains have many interesting geological formations.
But it is also an area of small farms. The WHL has listed the site because it shows us about past European society through its landscape of villages, farms, fields, up land pastures and mountain roads.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
This railway in India was opened in 1881 and is still operating today. It crosses a difficult area of mountain landscape and it is a great example of railway engineering. The WHL says that it is “the first, and still the most outstanding, example of a hill passenger railway.”
The city of Brasilia
Brasilia is a capital city that was created from nothing in 1956. The WHL calls it “a land mark in the history of town planning”. The different areas of the city and the buildings themselves were all designed at the same time so that they would harmonize with each other.
1. What’s the function of the examples of World Heritage Sites in paragraph 1?| A．To highlight the importance of WHL. |
| B．To exemplify sites of artistic and cultural value. |
| C．To compare the differences between various sites. |
| D．To draw readers’ attention to more unique sites on the WHL. |
| A．Former slaves. | B．Citizens in Haiti. |
| C．Active revolutionaries. | D．Haiti government. |
| A．Citadel of Haiti. | B．Borders of France and Spain. |
| C．The city of Brasilia. | D．The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. |
2 . Squirrels eavesdrop on (窃听) the chatter of songbirds to work out whether the appearance of a predator (食肉动物) is cause for alarm, researchers have found. Animals including squirrels have previously been found to tune in to cries of alarm from other creatures.
But the latest study suggests animals may also keep an ear out for everyday chitchat among other species as a way to assess whether there is trouble afoot.
Writing in the journal Plos One, researchers reported on how they made their discovery by observing 67 grey squirrels as they pottered about (晃悠) different areas in the residential regions of Oberlin.
After 30 seconds of observing a squirrel, researchers played it a recording of the call of a red-tailed hawk (鹰), which lasted a couple of seconds — and their behaviour in the next 30 seconds was monitored. The squirrels were then played a three-minute recording of several different species of songbird chattering on a feeder.
The results revealed that in the 30 seconds after hearing the hawk call the squirrels increased the percentage of their time spent “vigilant” (警惕) compared with before the call, while they also looked up more often to scan the environment. Squirrels that were played bird chatter raised their heads less often during the recording and the number of these “look-ups” dropped off faster over time.
“Recognition of bird chatter as a sign of safety is likely adaptive, as squirrels that can safely reduce their vigilance level in the presence of bird chatter probably are able to increase foraging (觅食) success,” the authors wrote.
The team suggested that with levels of human-made noise increasing, squirrels may find it harder to eavesdrop on birds, meaning they may have to spend more time being alert and less time foraging.
Dr Jakob Bro-Jorgensen, co-author of the study from Oberlin College, said: “The study calls attention to how animals can gather information from their environment by using cues that may at first glance seem irrelevant,” he said. “And it makes you wonder how the more and more pervasive (无处不在的) impact of human activities on natural soundscapes may reduce survival of wildlife in ways we haven’t thought of.”
1. What does the new research find about squirrels’ eavesdropping?| A．It lacks scientific evidence. | B．It is more widespread and broader. |
| C．It needs to be further investigated. | D．It is contradictory to previous findings. |
| A．The subject of the experiment. | B．The findings of the experiment |
| C．The process of the experiment. | D．The purpose of the experiment |
| A．They can escape from potential risks. | B．It helps them to forage food successfully. |
| C．It is safe for them to play with their mates | D．They can adapt to a new environment quickly. |
| A．Its implication. | B．Its appeal to the public. |
| C．Expectations for further study. | D．Scientists with new perspectives. |
3 . I am the “Laundry Goddess”. Well, that’s what my kids call me anyway because I have the talent for finding the right
The laundry room was Mom’s territory. It was
I don’t remember Mom teaching me the ways of the laundry room. I learned to
My washer and dryer seem to have more
| A．place | B．reason | C．cover | D．solution |
| A．provides for | B．aims at | C．throws at | D．makes for |
| A．meant | B．hated | C．loved | D．bothered |
| A．neat | B．quiet | C．messy | D．secure |
| A．count | B．put | C．lay | D．head |
| A．load | B．item | C．burden | D．work |
| A．display | B．edge | C．make | D．fold |
| A．washing | B．ironing | C．weaving | D．tidying |
| A．to | B．across | C．within | D．over |
| A．approval | B．control | C．appeal | D．removal |
| A．issues | B．appliances | C．settings | D．commands |
| A．model | B．knob | C．cycle | D．switch |
| A．fighters | B．partners | C．producers | D．keepers |
| A．find | B．thank | C．mourn | D．ask |
| A．troubling | B．calming | C．amusing | D．conflicting |
4 . Could you manage without the internet for four and a half years? That’s exactly what the actress Selena Gomez has done in a bid to improve her mental health.
She has spoken extensively about the relationship between her social media usage and mental well-being, recalling feeling like “an addict” as to becoming Instagram’s most followed user in 2016. “Indeed, I regret quitting from social media that late”, says she. “The unnecessary hate and comparisons went away once I put my phone down.”
However, the increasing digitization (数字化) means that everything from paying a bill to even making a phone call is at the mercy of the internet. Actively opting (选择) out of the internet becomes a matter of privilege. Ms Gomez’s multi-millionaire status has allowed her to take the “social” out of social media. The fact that she’s still the second most-followed woman on Instagram suggests it’s entirely possible to maintain a significant web profile to promote various projects by way of a dedicated team — without being exposed to the cruel comments.
It goes without saying that this is fundamentally different from how the rest of us without beauty deals and films to publicize use the likes of Instagram and Twitter, but even the concept of a digital detox (戒瘾) requires having a device and connectivity to choose to disconnect from.
The UK’s digital divide has worsened over the past two years, leaving poorer families without broadband connections in their homes. Digital exclusion (数字隔绝) is a major threat to wider societal equality in the UK.
Consequently, it’s worth bearing in mind that while deleting all social media accounts will undoubtedly make some feel infinitely better, many other people benefit from the strong sense of community that sharing platforms can develop. Greater resources and initiatives are needed to provide the underprivileged with the connectivity they desperately need to learn, work and live. It’s crucial that people feeling social media is harmful to their mental health are allowed to switch off and for those living in digital exclusion to be able to switch on primarily.
1. What do we learn about the actress Selena Gomez in the past four and a half years?| A．She has withdrawn from social media. |
| B．She has won Instagram’s most followers. |
| C．She has had worsening mental problems. |
| D．She has succeeded in a bid on the internet. |
| A．Most people think that digital exclusion promotes societal equality in the UK. |
| B．Most people can hardly abandon the web while avoiding hate and comparisons. |
| C．Most people can hardly get by without the internet due to growing digitization. |
| D．Most people have been seriously addicted to the web without being aware of it. |
| A．They are beneficial to people’s mental health. |
| B．They create a virtual community on the internet. |
| C．They help many people feel connected with others. |
| D．They provide a necessary device for a digital detox. |
| A．Subjective. | B．Objective. |
| C．Disapproving. | D．Favorable. |
5 . Coined as “deliveryman by day, poet by night,” 55-year-old Wang Jibing earns a living as a delivery person in Jiangsu Province. He started writing poems online in the 2000s, and later expanded to different social media platforms. He also came under the spotlight as his name was on the 2023 list of new members for the Chinese Writers Association, igniting (点燃) praise and discussions among Chinese netizens.
Dropping out of secondary school, Wang tried various jobs to make a living, such as a construction worker and working on sand mining boats, as well as a garbage collector. Now as a husband and a father of three children, the financial burden on his shoulder has become heavier and his work schedule has gotten even busier. Yet it has never stopped him from reading and writing routinely all his life. His passion for poetry has driven him to write over 4, 000 poems.
His poem titled “People in a Hurry” gathered more than 13 million views within a week. Wang gained inspiration for the poem from an unpleasant food delivery experience in 2019. Because the customer made a mistake with the address, he had to rush several times to get the food delivered on time. It led to delays with other orders, as well as punishments and a decrease in his earnings for the delivery. The government later took action to tackle this type of situation, demanding delivery firms better protect delivery person’s rights.
The subjects of Wang’s poems cover a wide range, including his memories of his family and hometown, and his observations of society and life while working as a laborer in different cities. During an interview with the media, Wang noted that delivering food allows him to interact with more people and experience more things. The job has also sparked a deeper understanding and empathy for others. Writing poetry helps him feel comfortable and find peace of mind.
1. How is Wang’s daily life now?| A．He enjoys the popularity of his poetry. |
| B．He writes at night to let go his displeasure. |
| C．He balances his responsibilities and his dream. |
| D．He struggles in speaking up for ordinary people. |
| A．Ordinary people can achieve a good living. |
| B．Ordinary people’s voice is heard by the society. |
| C．Ordinary people’s idea can be artfully expressed. |
| D．Ordinary people are eager to have a spiritual homeland. |
| A．His poems help people get more information. |
| B．His poems care about the unfairness in the society. |
| C．His poems are filled with memories of his family and hometown. |
| D．His poems are rooted in everyday life of ordinary people. |
| A．Inspiring. | B．Surprising. | C．Interesting. | D．Concerning. |
6 . Four new books to read
The books that are included in this list can meet your reading needs at any time of year.
Nobody Will Tell You This but Me
Bess Kalb
In this book, the author shares the advice her beloved grandmother Bobby left her. Bobby was a powerful woman who should never be underestimated, and she was very knowledgeable about the family’s traditions and secrets. The book proves that family bonds can endure through generations and beyond death.
We Came Here to Shine
Susie Orman Schnall
We Came Here to Shine focuses on the strong female friendship between an aspiring journalist and an unlucky actress at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Leaning on each other, these two ambitious women struggled against adversity (困境) at a time when women had little say.
A Star Is Bored
Byron Lane
Favored by television star Jonathan Van Ness, this novel is partly based on the author’s experiences as the former personal assistant to Carrie Fisher, a legendary American actress. The book follows Charlie Besson, the new assistant to the Hollywood icon, Kathi Kannon. Their three-year journey together is an unforgettable adventure that is funny, heartbreaking, and hopeful.
Fast Girls
Elise Hooper
The story in Fast Girls took place during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where Betty Robinson, Louise Stokes, and Helen Stephens overcame difficult pasts to attain Olympic glory as the world’s fastest female athletes. Beyond the athletic journey, they also aimed to challenge the social standards of what females can achieve.
1. Who is the character in Bess Kalb’s book?| A．Bobby. | B．Susie Orman Schnall. | C．Carrie Fisher. | D．Betty Robinson. |
| A．A biography. | B．An industry report. |
| C．A real-life based novel. | D．A fictional adventure story. |
| A．We Came Here to Shine | B．Nobody Will Tell You This but Me |
| C．A Star Is Bored | D．Fast Girls |
7 . For as long as I can remember I’ve been making art. That meant spending hours at the kitchen table, as a child, drawing women in beautiful gowns and dogs wearing clothes eating in fancy restaurants. Because I was encouraged and praised, I
In college-thinking that I was going to
Even before I graduated, I had begun showing my art in any
The art publishing world was a great way to get my work in front of wide
I sometimes wonder what other visual artists do when they’re feeling burnt out and
People always tell artists to ‘find their own voice’. While I do agree with this, I don’t know if it’s something you can just go out and find. To me, it’s important that your voice
| A．possessed | B．developed | C．wasted | D．recognized |
| A．stick to | B．deal with | C．major in | D．stand for |
| A．relate | B．switch | C．compare | D．apply |
| A．patience | B．talent | C．permit | D．degree |
| A．spot | B．store | C．gallery | D．show |
| A．believe in | B．come across | C．connect with | D．depend on |
| A．Eventually | B．Obviously | C．Immediately | D．Gradually |
| A．felt like | B．gave up | C．put off | D．ended up |
| A．artists | B．professors | C．publishers | D．audiences |
| A．Drawing | B．Seeing | C．Creating | D．Describing |
| A．upsetting | B．terrifying | C．thrilling | D．embarrassing |
| A．uninspired | B．panicked | C．relieved | D．shocked |
| A．short | B．wild | C．dry | D．strong |
| A．source | B．behaviour | C．recreation | D．knowledge |
| A．heals | B．finds | C．satisfies | D．Impresses |
8 . How Did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Die?
On November 20th, 1791, Mozart suddenly came down with fever and was wracked with pain. His arms and legs were severely swollen. In the following days his health significantly deteriorated. He died on December 5 after lapsing into a coma. The death certificate states he died of “severe miliary fever”. Exactly which disease led to Mozart’s death has been a mystery for the last 200 years.
SpeculationsMany myths —some more plausible than others — entwine (缠绕) Mozart’s early demise. One of the most popular myths — that Mozart was poisoned by his rival Antonio Salieri — rose to prominence due to the popularity of the film Amadeus. This theory is supported by the fact that Mozart had been living through a phase of depression before his death, suffering from paranoia and existential fear. Mozart himself suspected that the cause of his deteriorating health was being poisoned over a long time. However, it is highly likely that this was just his subjective view of reality.
Many other speculations circulate. Syphilis and trichinellosis are frequently mentioned. In 1905, a French physician assumed uric acid poisoning due to a never fully healed nephritis. In 1961, lead poisoning was suggested as a possible cause of death.
Scientific attempts to explain Mozart’s deathIn 2000, a group of American scientists proposed rheumatic fever caused by a strep infection after conducting meticulous detective work. The symptoms stated in literature and the reports of Mozart’s contemporaries yielded the clues. Without antibiotics, such an infection would inevitably lead to death. Rheumatic fever causes a weakening of the heart, which could explain Mozart’s swollen limbs.
In 2009, the Dutch scientist Richard Zegers extensively studied surviving documents and concluded that Mozart had been suffering from pharyngitis, a throat infection with symptoms including cramps, fever, rashes and a swollen neck. Mozart’s sister-in-law Sophie Haibel had described these symptoms. The death registry of Vienna for winter 1791 lists several deaths caused by this disease.
Whatever the cause of Mozart’s death, it came far too early. Let us thank him for his manic urge to create art and remember him on December 5th!
1. Which of the following is similar in meaning to the underlined word “deteriorate” (Paragraph 1)?| A．To become worse. | B．To change greatly. |
| C．To recover quickly. | D．To be harmed rapidly. |
| A．It is generally believed that Mozart was poisoned by his friend. |
| B．Mozart’s depression paranoia and existential fear led to his death. |
| C．Mozart had been poisoned sustainably for a long time before he died. |
| D．Mozart once got a nephritis and it was never healed. |
| A．Mozart’s disease was recorded in contemporary literature and reports. |
| B．Antibiotics were not discovered at that time. |
| C．Rheumatic fever can only be caused by strep infection. |
| D．Mozart’s illness cannot be cured even today. |
| A．To back up the Dutchman’s study. |
| B．To prove they were common symptoms causing death in 1791. |
| C．To prove Mozart did have such symptoms before his death. |
| D．To emphasize her special identify as a witness to Mozart’s death. |
9 . The best literary festivals 2023 across the UK to book now
Kite Festival
9-11 June
New last year, this literary festival held in the grounds of spectacular stately home Kirtlington Park in Oxfordshire is the first of its kind, combining music and breakthrough ideas to create a unique programme featuring live performances and interactive discussions. Over the Kite Festival weekend, you’ll find award-winning authors sharing their insights on crafting stories and electronic pop legends headlining on the Saturday night.
Primadonna
28-30 July
Held at the Museum of East Anglian Life in Suffolk, Primadonna prides itself on creating a space for works by women and those whose voices might not otherwise be heard. There are insightful workshops covering everything, including sessions on how to get your foot in the door of the publishing world. The family-friendly event also has plenty to keep kids occupied, from craft activities to entertaining talks from big-name writers.
Queen’s Park Book Festival
2-3 September
Queen’s Park Book Festival is the only one in the capital to be held in a public park, making it a low-key affair that feels more like a garden party than a full-blown festival. Alongside writers’ discussions on their latest works, you’ll find performance poetry events hosted by hip-hop verse maestro Poetcurious and nightly parties once the sun sets.
Henley Literary Festival
30 September-8 October
Henley is home to an impressive literary festival, which takes places over a week in October at various venues throughout the town, including the grand riverside private members’ club Phyllis Court and the historic town hall. Alongside main events featuring famous writers, there’s also a hugely popular children’s festival, where little bookworms get the chance to come face-to-face with their favourite authors.
1. Which festival promotes less-read writers?| A．Kite Festival. | B．Primadonna. |
| C．Queen’s Park Book Festival. | D．Henley Literary Festival. |
| A．Kite Festival & Primadonna. |
| B．Primadonna & Henley Literary Festival. |
| C．Kite Festival & Queen’s Park Book Festival. |
| D．Queen’s Park Book Festival & Henley Literary Festival. |
| A．To introduce a special book festival. |
| B．To promote local activities for families. |
| C．To inform readers of some literary events. |
| D．To provide introductions about famous authors. |
10 . I am employed in an educational institution. Each day, following the
Last week, she seemed unlike her
Eager to surprise her, I placed them in an elegant bag and
She penned a note expressing her
| A．queue | B．exit | C．guidance | D．plan |
| A．wait | B．work | C．think | D．remain |
| A．conversations | B．jobs | C．trips | D．arrangements |
| A．regular | B．usual | C．unusual | D．calm |
| A．fired | B．blamed | C．rewarded | D．comforted |
| A．stability | B．manner | C．method | D．support |
| A．checking out | B．putting aside | C．trying on | D．taking up |
| A．ambition | B．reflection | C．conclusion | D．decision |
| A．Satisfied | B．Bored | C．Familiar | D．Careful |
| A．occasionally | B．cautiously | C．accurately | D．secretly |
| A．achieved | B．approached | C．found | D．removed |
| A．covering | B．hiding | C．spotting | D．receiving |
| A．maintained | B．struck | C．lifted | D．restored |
| A．gratitude | B．comment | C．preparation | D．apology |
| A．doubt | B．imagine | C．admit | D．anticipate |
