1 . No matter where you go around the globe, everybody loves to celebrate. And when it comes to celebration, festivals offer something for everyone.
Mardi Gras （New Orleans, Louisiana）
Also known as Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a cultural event. Though the celebration
is held every year on the day before Ash Wednesday, the festivities last for months, banning in November throughout January and early February. And if you love music, check out the annual Galactic concert at the world-famous Tipitina’s on Lundi Gras (the day before Mardi Gras).
La Tomatina （Valencia, Spain）
Launched way back in 1945, La Tomatina is one of the oldest festivals on our list. It's also easily the happiest but the messiest, coming off like the world's biggest food fight.
Legend has it that the whole thing started when some local boys joined a parade alongside musicians. The boys made the performers so angry that they tried hit the boys, and a vendor's (小摊贩)vegetable stand fell victim to the incident.
If you go, please follow some simple rules: Don't throw hard objects, squash the tomato before throwing it, stay a safe distance away from tomato trucks, and stop in time.
Montreux Jazz Festival （Switzerland）
Founded back in 1967, Montreux is one of the oldest music festivals in the world. It's also the second largest jazz festival, after the Montreal International Jazz Festival. That Canadian concert may attract more visitors-around 2 million annually. But Montreux benefits from its pretty location on the attractive shores of Lake Geneva. The area is particularly beautiful in late June/early July, when the festival is held.
1. When is Galactic concert held?| A．On Mardi Gras. | B．On Lundi Gras. |
| C．On Montreux Jazz Festival. | D．On La Tomatina. |
| A．Punish naughty boys. | B．Enjoy musicians' performance. |
| C．Throw tomatoes without hurting. | D．Catch people who destroy tomatoes. |
| A．News report. | B．Academic journal. |
| C．Conceit brochure. | D．Travel magazine. |
2 . What is the most recognizable object in the world? Could it be a football or a big computer? No, the answer is a Coca-Cola bottle. Hundreds of millions of people can recognize a Coke bottle by its shape. Unlike any other famous commercial logo, the famous Coca-Cola logo has not changed in 100 years!
In 1886, John Pemberton, a druggist in Atlanta, Georgia, invented a new type of syrup (糖浆), using coca leaves, sugar and cola nuts, plus a few other secret ingredients. Pemberton sold it as a medicine; and with coca (the source of cocaine), it must have made people feel good! Nevertheless, Pemberton's medicine was not very successful, so he sold his secret formula (配方) to another druggist, Asa Candler, Candler was interested, because he had another idea; he thought that Pemberton's "medicine" would be much better if it was mixed with soda. Candler was thus the man who really invented the drink Coca-Cola. At first he sold it in his drugstore; then he began selling the syrup to other drugstores, where it was used with their soda fountains. Candler also advertised his new drink, and soon people were going to drugstores just to get a drink of Coca-Cola. Before long. other people became interested in the product, including a couple of businessmen who wanted to sell it in bottles. Candler sold them a license to bottle the drink, and very quickly the men became millionaires. Then in 1916 the famous bottle, with its very distinctive shape, was designed.
During the First World War (1914-1918), American soldiers in Europe began asking for Coca-Cola, so the Coca-Cola company began to export it to Europe. It was so popular with soldiers that they then had to start bottling the drink in Europe. Today. Coca-Cola is made all over the world, including Russia and China; it is the world's most popular drink.
As for the famous formula, it is probably the world's most valuable secret! The exact ingredients for making Coca-Cola are only known to a handful of people. And as for the coca that was in the original drink, it was removed in 1903, for it was a dangerous drug. Today's Coca-Cola contains caffeine, not cocaine!
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．The key ingredient of Coca-Cola. |
| B．The distinctive shape of Coca-Cola bottle. |
| C．The ever-changing logo of Coca-Cola. |
| D．The development of Coca-Cola. |
| A．John Pemberton. | B．Asa Candler. |
| C．An American soldier. | D．A couple of businessmen. |
| A．The formula of Coca-Cola is still a well-kept secret. |
| B．The ingredients for making Coca-Cola is of great value. |
| C．Coca wasn't removed from the drink until the First World War. |
| D．Caffeine has the same effect on patients as cocaine. |
| A．A biology textbook. | B．A life magazine. |
| C．A research paper. | D．A travel brochure. |
3 . Here’s an idea whose time has come: A flu shot that doesn’t require an actual shot.
For the first time, researchers have tested a flu vaccine patch(疫苗贴) in a human clinical(临床的) and found that it delivered as much protection as a traditional injection（注射）. Doctors and public health experts have high hopes that it will increase the number of people who get immunized(免疫的) against the flu.
Seasonal flu is responsible for up to half a million deaths around the world each year according to the World Health Organization. A team led by Georgia Tech engineer Mark Prausnitz has come up with an alternative method that uses “microneedles”. These tiny neddles on a patch are very small. Yet they’re big enough to hold vaccine for three types of flu.
None of the study volunteers had serious side effects. The group that got patches had mild skin reactions that were not seen in the regular needle group, while the volunteers in the regular needle group were more likely to experience pain. Overall, 70 percent of the volunteers who got vaccine patches said they’d rather use them again than get a traditional flu shot. The study authors declared it a success on all fronts.
The biggest beneficiaries(受益人) could be people in low- and middle- income countries, where flu vaccines are hard to come by. Reducing pain is nice, but other benefits—the patch costs less, is easier to transport, doesn’t reqire refrigeration, can be self-administered and doesn’t cause waste of needles- are even better.
“Microneedle patches have the potential to become ideal candidates for vaccination programs,” wrote Katja Hoschler and Maria Zambon of Public Health England.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．A vaccine patch that cures people of their flu. |
| B．A clinical study that protects people from disease. |
| C．A patch that makes flu shots a thing of the past. |
| D．A method that makes traditional flu shots painless. |
| A．It is prouduced by the WHO. | B．It causes slight side effect. |
| C．It delivers vaccine to the little finger. | D．It works badly on people. |
| A．it is provided free of charge | B．it can be used without a doctor |
| C．it can be kept at room temperature | D．it needs less care in transportation |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Favorable. |
| C．Concerned. | D．Unacceptable. |
4 . Today we know Antarctica as an extreme environment containing ice and snow. But new research provides evidence that the area had a rainforest in the past.
The researchers collected a piece of Earth sediment (沉淀物) from under the seafloor off the coast of Antarctica. In the sediment they discovered forest material that was estimated to be about 90 million years old. This would have been in the Cretaceous Period, when dinosaurs were the main land animals. The sediment was removed by scientists on the research icebreaker RV Polarstern in the Amundsen Sea near Pine Island Glacier.
Johann Klages is a geologist with the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research in Germany. He was the lead writer of a study on the findings, published in the journal Nature. He said the sediment was collected from a depth of about 30 meters below the ocean floor. Klages said an examination showed that the material didn’t form in the ocean.
The researchers estimate that the area—about 900 kilometers from the South Pole—had average yearly temperatures of about 12 to 13 degrees Celsius. During the warmest summer months, average temperatures likely reached between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. The soil included fine dirt particles (颗粒) and hard clay, as well as substances linked to at least 65 different kinds of plants, the study found. Klages added that the plants included trees, ferns and flowering plants. While no animal remains were found, Klages said there were likely dinosaurs, flying reptiles (爬行动物) and many insects in the environment.
The research represents new evidence of the major climate changes Earth has experienced in the past—and is currently undergoing today. The soil in the sediment dates back to the planet’s warmest period of the past 140 million years, with sea level about 170 meters higher than today. The researchers said that the rainforest environment in Antarctica was especially surprising because each year, the area experiences a four-month polar night when there is no sunlight to fuel plant life. Klages said no ice sheets were present during the time, but seasonal snowfall was likely.
1. How did the researchers come to their findings?| A．By collecting data on climate. |
| B．By researching special plants. |
| C．By exploring ice in Antarctica. |
| D．By analyzing the Earth sediment. |
| A．Its material developed in the ocean. |
| B．Its material formed on the land. |
| C．It dates back to cold times in Antarctica |
| D．It contained different animal remains |
| A．There were ice sheets 140 million years ago. |
| B．Seasonal snowfall made the forest disappear. |
| C．Antarctica’s natural environment has changed greatly. |
| D．Polar nights in Antarctica are getting shorter than before. |
| A．Antarctica is getting warmer like before. |
| B．Various wildlife once existed in Antarctica. |
| C．Antarctica had a different history of climate. |
| D．Researchers study the secrets of Antarctica. |
5 . When I met and married a Japanese man in New York, I thought he would learn a bit more English and we would continue to live our lives there. But in life’s twists and turns, we ended up living in Tokyo! I was the one who needed to learn Japanese and fast ! There is no experience quite as lonely as living in a foreign country without a grasp of the language. Especially to make friends and to break that loneliness, it is the first and foremost goal to attain… always an uphill climb, while totally awkward!
I was a trained English Language teacher, and while I lived abroad I did that work, and when we moved back to America I planned to continue it. The country’s financial difficulties at the time, however, saw deep cuts to the English as a Second Language positions in the schools and to refugee language programs. So I simply took a job in a department store, at its Child Playroom.
But this store was located near a major company that hired some of its workforce from many other countries. Often a preschooler in my playroom could not speak a word of English, and would look so lost and lonely !My heart flew to them! We interacted with each other a lot. We would play English language games and they would teach their language to me.
Years later, when a small girl who had come from South America could speak good English, she said to me, “Teacher, remember when I called you Maestra?” Another child whose language was only Russian originally —we built a robot from blocks and fed it block food and leaned English words that way—would come years afterwards and continue to play that same game! These moments became my life compass—due north is that place where when persons are different, Love Matters !
1. What was the author’s challenge after marriage?| A．She had to give up her job. | B．She lost all her best friends. |
| C．She needed to learn a new language. | D．She was forced to live overseas. |
| A．She set up her own company. | B．She lost interest in teaching. |
| C．Better teachers were needed. | D．Teaching jobs were greatly reduced. |
| A．They learned each other’s languages. | B．They took language tests. |
| C．They cared for each other. | D．They encouraged each other in learning. |
| A．Tiring. | B．Helpful. | C．Simple. | D．Humorous. |
6 . The winners of The Cultural City of East Asia in 2021 have been chosen, with four cities in China, Japan and South Korea winning the title, the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced on Sunday.
Shaoxing of East China’s Zhejiang Province, Dunhuang in Northwest China’s Gansu Province, Suncheon in South Korea and Kitakyushu in Japan were selected through votes held in their respective countries in 2020. Choosing Dunhuang and Shaoxing at the same time marks the first time that one country has selected two cities in the program.
These four cities are major cultural landmarks in their respective countries. Dunhuang was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road and is best known for its nearby Mogao Grottoes, which contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art from a period extending 1, 000 years. Suncheon is an eco－city in South Korea that is a major agricultural and industrial center and also known for Suncheon Bay. Kitakyushu city was formed in 1963 through a combination of five big cities centered around the ancient city of Kokura. It is also where the already delayed 12th meeting of the three countries’ culture ministers will be held in 2021. Suncheon and Kitakyushu also won The Cultural City of East Asia in 2020.
These four cities are active centers for art and cultural communication. According to the announcement, the four cities will work closely together to promote cultural development and prosperity in East Asia through sustained cultural cooperation and close exchanges, and will jointly support the preparation and hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2022.
The “The Cultural City of East Asia” program was created based on an agreement reached at a meeting of ministers of culture from Japan, China, and South Korea in 2013. Every year one or two cities in each country are selected with the aim to develop their ties through culture and arts; those cities host a variety of cultural and artistic events to introduce traditional and modern arts and culture as well as different lifestyles to visitors.
1. What’s special about the selection of The Cultural City of East Asia in 2021?| A．All the cities were on the list for the first time. |
| B．All the cities are well－known all over the world. |
| C．Two cities of one country were selected in a year. |
| D．Three countries work together to make the selection. |
| A．Shaoxing. | B．Dunhuang. | C．Suncheon. | D．Kitakyushu. |
| A．The culture of the four cities. | B．The mission of the four cities. |
| C．The history of the four cities. | D．The comparison of the four cities. |
| A．To preserve local traditional arts, culture and lifestyles. |
| B．To support the preparation and hosting of the Olympics. |
| C．To strengthen the city relationship through culture and arts. |
| D．To host various cultural and artistic events to attract visitors. |
7 . Paper-cut is a very special visual art of Chinese handicrafts. One saying is that it originated from the religious ceremonies or offering sacrifices (祭祀). The ancient people cut papers into animals or people. They either buried them with the dead or burned them on the funerals (葬礼), wishing things that paper stood for could be with the dead. Later, they were used during festivals to decorate gates and windows. After hundreds of years' progress, now they have become a very popular means of decoration among country folk, especially women.
It is easy to learn about cutting a piece of paper but very difficult to master it with perfection. Beginners need only a knife and paper. For craftsman, they need knives and gravers of various types to make complicated (复杂的) patterns. It can be one piece of paper or many pieces. Simple patterns can be cut with a knife. For complicated patterns, people first pasted(粘贴)the pattern on the paper and then used various kinds of knives to make it. No mistake can be made during the process otherwise the work would fail.
Paper cutting covers nearly all topics, from flowers, birds, animals, admirable people, figures in classic novels, to types of facial make-up in Peking opera. Paper cutting has various styles in different parts of China.
In the past, women living in the countryside gathered in their free time to make paper cutting, which is a way to judge their skillfulness. As society develops, fewer and fewer people learn this skill while there are some who still regard it as a profession. At present, there are factories and associations for paper cutting in China. Exhibitions and exchanges are held regularly and books of this kind are published. Paper cutting has changed from decoration to a kind of art. At the same time, paper cutting also appears in cartoons, on stage, in magazines or in TV series.
1. What may be the origin of paper-cut according to the text?| A．Special visual art. | B．Ancient story. | C．Traditional customs. | D．Religious activities. |
| A．Becoming a paper cutting artist is very easy. |
| B．Making a perfect paper cutting needs great patience and skill. |
| C．Paper cutting is limited to some topics. |
| D．Paper cutting in different parts of China has similar styles. |
| A．More and more people regard paper cutting as a profession. |
| B．Paper cutting is in danger of disappearing in the future. |
| C．Paper cutting is a way to judge a woman's skill. |
| D．Paper cutting as an art form is still very popular today. |
| A．A special kind of art form in China. | B．Some ancient religious ceremonies. |
| C．Various things are made of paper. | D．Decoration of festivals in ancient China. |
8 . I am an e-mail user. When I first started to use the e-mail system, I used to read all my e-mail. I didn't have much mail. I gave my friends my e-mail address. Soon I had more mail than wanted. Some of the mail was junk mail. I was worried. I didn't want my mail to control me.
I've tried some methods to help me get control of my mail. First, I check my mail at the same time every day. Also, I try to allow myself only 15~20 minutes every day to process my email. This doesn't always work, but I try. Sometimes I save the messages. Sometimes I read them, maybe answer a few, and then delete them.
Sometimes I get some junk mail that I'm not interested in at all, I don't even open it. I usually delete it right away. This is very much the way I go through the mail that the postal service delivers to my home.
These methods are very simple. I have some friends who are very clever with computers. From time to time, they teach me new tricks for managing my e-mail. I'm still amazed at what email can do for me! I'm still worried, however, about having too much to read.
1. Why did the author use to read all his e mails?| A．He was forced to do that. | B．He didn't have much mail. |
| C．He had nothing else to do. | D．He didn't know how to read mail. |
| A．Saving it sometimes. | B．Deleting it immediately. |
| C．Reading and answering it. | D．Passing it on to his friends. |
| A．By the help of his friends. | B．By the methods from mail. |
| C．By checking messages. | D．By controlling computers. |
| A．Worries about using mail. | B．The happiness of using mail. |
| C．Methods of dealing with mail. | D．Persuasions to avoid using mail. |
9 . Each year the Hay Festival attracts some of the world’s leading writers, artists and thinkers, to talk, share their thoughts and ideas and meet audiences. Ensuring guests are warmly received and well looked after during their stay has always been a top mission and one of the Festival’s key jobs.
All events management student volunteers need to be attentive and helpful. In return, they get the chance to meet some amazing, creative people, and experience the daily running of a fast-moving international festival , where time-keeping is important and, above all, performers and audience leave having had a thoroughly enjoyable, stimulating (启发性的) and thought-inspiring day.
We require volunteers in two areas:
Events Management
Events management student volunteers help out with a wide range of duties including meeting and greeting authors, assisting with book signings, accompanying artists to events, stage management assistance and manning reception desks.
Creative Workshops
Creative workshops student volunteers assist authors, illustrators and workshop leaders in the setting up and running of workshops. These roles may interest those who have a particular interest in visual arts and / or illustration.
Dates
The 2021 festival dates are Thursday 15 July — Sunday 25 July. Applicants will need to be available for the duration of the festival.
Who can apply?
We are looking for 24 young people between the ages of 18 and 25, who can demonstrate a passion for the arts and interest in events management.
Please send a CV and a short covering letter to ellen@hayfestival.com (for Events Management) or adrian@hayfestival.org (for Creative Workshops).
The closing date for both applications is 28 May 2021, and we will let applicants know whether they’ve been successful as early as possible in June 2021. Please indicate which role you are applying for or express a preference. If shortlisted (入围), you’ll need to be available for a short Skype interview.
1. What is the priority of the Hay Festivals duty?| A．To meet creative people. |
| B．To serve guests well. |
| C．To receive more visitors. |
| D．To exchange ideas. |
| A．The desired role. |
| B．Available Time. |
| C．A covering letter. |
| D．Personal interests. |
| A．events management student volunteers assist authors, illustrators and workshop leaders in the setting up and running of workshops. |
| B．young people who are enthusiastic about arts and events management will have an advantage. |
| C．the 2021 festival will last about half a month. |
| D．if an applicant is shortlisted, he can have the volunteer job directly. |
10 . Love to write? Want to see your work published and win some cash along the way? Then read on. The national Spark a Story writing contest is calling in all young storytellers!
Who can participate?
The contest is open to students in grades 9, 10, 11 or 12, or those who are being home-schooled in the United States.
Deadline and requirements
You’re able to send your short story up to October 7th. It will be judged on creativity, originality and overall quality of writing. Your story must be original works and should be no longer than 5000 words. There is no minimum length requirements.
How can I send my short story?
There are three easy ways to send your short story:
*Online at http: // learn.hmhco.com/hmhsparkamind
*Send your short story as a PDF or Microsoft word document to Sparkahmhco.com
*Send your short story via US Mail to: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
222 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116
What will I win?
The best stories will be published next year. Winners will receive a free copy of the book and cash price of $100.
1. Which of the following children can take part in the contest?| A．Maria, grade 7, from New York. |
| B．Justin, grade 9, from London. |
| C．Catherine, grade 11, from Washington. |
| D．C.D. Bastian, home-schooled from Paris. |
| A．longer than 5,000 words. |
| B．shorter than 5,000 words. |
| C．an original work. |
| D．sent before October 7th. |
| A．Sending it online. |
| B．Sending it by email. |
| C．Sending it by US Mail. |
| D．Sending it by fax. |
