1 . The following are some of the best items on sale you can find on our website.
Martin Clunes：Islands of Australia DVD
Item NO. XA9692
Price：$24.99
Martin Clunes makes delightful documentaries for British television. His latest journey takes him down under to places most of us will never see. Australia is surrounded by more than 8,000 islands, and Clunes flies, sails, and kayaks to 16 of the best, finding spectacular scenery, interesting history, amazing creatures, unusual pastimes and local people.
NATURE：Cuba’s Wild Revolution DVD
Item NO. WC5582
Price:$ 19.99
Cuba is an island teeming with great biodiversity:from the world’s tiniest hummingbird to thousands of migrating crabs,to the jumping crocodiles of the Zapata swamp. Decades of a socialist, conservation-minded government, American embargoes (禁运)and minimal development have left the island unchanged for 50 years.
American Experience:Mr. Tornado DVD
Item NO. WC5472
Price:$19.99
Tetsuya Fujita spent ten months studying The Super Outbreak of 1974,which was the strongest tornado outbreak on record. Mr.Tornado is the amazing story of Tetsuya Fujita. His research helped save thousands of Americans, whose lives are threatened by dangerous weather conditions.
World War One:The Peopled Story DVD
Item NO. XD3362
Price:$24.99
Through original diaries, letters, and personal stories, this unforgettable documentary tells how the lives of regular British men and women were transformed by the Great War, told in their own words. The war was cruel: hundreds of thousands would never return, and those who did would carry physical or emotional wounds forever. Along with historical footage, an outstanding group of actors act out the first-hand accounts.
1. What do Item NO.XA9692 and Item NO.WC5582 have in common?| A．They introduce the same place. |
| B．They can get viewers close to nature. |
| C．They focus on the history of a place. |
| D．They cost the same amount of money. |
| A．By studying a super tornado. |
| B．By collecting amazing stories. |
| C．By tracking dangerous tornadoes. |
| D．By working with thousands of Americans. |
| A．The bravery of British people. |
| B．The causes of World War One. |
| C．The historical achievements of British people. |
| D．The influence of World War One on ordinary people. |
2 . More than 7,000 runners who raced earlier this month in a half-marathon in London were under the influence of a scientifically designed and powerful stimulant — pop music.
The upbeat music at London's “Run to the Beat” race was chosen based on the research of sport psychologist Costas Karageorghis of Brunel University. He has learned how to design music to be as powerful, if not more so, as some of the illegal stimulant. “Music is a great way to lift spirits both before and during physical activity. A lot of athletes use music as if it's a legal drug,” Costas told LiveScience.
Costas and his team collected data during the “Run to the Beat” half-marathon, allowing them to test on thousands of live runners outside the lab. Despite strong winds and heavy rain during the event, interviews after the race suggested that the runners found the music inspiring and fun.
In the future, Costas expects a fusion of sports and music, where the crowd and the athletes are motivated by music in the race, while motivating one another. “It is beyond the music,” he said. “The music inspires team spirit. One of the key causes of motivation is the feeling of being together with one another. Having suitable music allows you to get this feeling naturally.”
The link between music and athletic performance is just one example of the amazing power that music has over our minds and bodies. Scientists also have confirmed that music improves memories, as we all have experienced, to the point where we don't even have to hear a song. We just think of it and the memories flood in. Music has also been found to relieve pain, make you smarter, and remove bad emotions.
1. What does the underlined word “upbeat” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Soft. | B．Original. | C．Positive. | D．Traditional. |
| A．Why the half-marathon was held. | B．What the runners think of music. |
| C．How the half-marathon was held. | D．How Costas carried out his research. |
| A．It relieves physical pain. | B．It improves people s memory. |
| C．It removes the effect of drugs. | D．It makes people feel being in a team. |
| A．How Music Has Changed Us | B．The Amazing Power of Music |
| C．How Music and Sports Affected Each Other | D．Music Contributes to a Successful Marathon |
3 . Some of the Oldest Cities in the World
Argos, Greece — 5000 BC
The name Argos came from Argus, the son of Zeus and Niobe. According to Greek mythology, he was the city's king. It was known as being the birthplace of many soldiers who fought in the Trojan War. Historical account of the city describes it as being a cultural center in the Greek empire, being one of the first cities along with Sparta and Paros to hold music competitions.
Jericho, Palestine — 5000 BC
The city of Jericho is in the West Bank in the Middle East. It is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Jericho started as a camping ground for Natufian hunter-gatherers around 10000 BC. People did not begin to permanently settle in the area until around 9600 BC, with the end of the last Ice Age and along with it the end of cold and drought.
Susa, Iran — 4200 BC
Susa began as a small settlement around 7000 BC and became an urban center around 4200 BC. It became an important town mainly because of its position near business center. Susa, located at the base of the Zagros Mountains and east of the Tigris River, was the Elamite Empire's capital until the Assyrians had control of it.
Gaziantep, Turkey — 3650 BC
Gaziantep，also known as Antep, is located in southern Turkey near Syrian. With a long history dating as far back as the Hittites, Gaziantep offers many historical sites to see. Visitors can explore the Gaziantep Fortress and Ravanda Citadel, both of which the Byzantines repaired in the 6th century.
1. What is special about Argos?| A．It was the birthplace of Argus. |
| B．It was named by Zeus and Niobe. |
| C．It was the battle field of the Trojan War. |
| D．It was among the earliest cities to hold music competitions. |
| A．Argos. | B．Jericho. | C．Susa. | D．Gaziantep. |
| A．It was near the business center. | B．It was at the Tigris River bank. |
| C．It was controlled by the Assyrians. | D．It was the biggest settlement of the Elamite Empire. |
4 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
“It’s no secret that China has always been a source(来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion(时尚) shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.
“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.
For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”
1. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?| A．It promoted the sales of artworks. | B．It attracted a large number of visitors. |
| C．It showed ancient Chinese clothes. | D．It aimed to introduce Chinese models. |
| A．They are setting the fashion. | B．They start many fashion campaigns. |
| C．They admire super models. | D．They do business all over the world. |
| A．learning from | B．looking down on | C．working with | D．competing against |
| A．Young Models Selling Dreams to the World |
| B．A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York |
| C．Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics |
| D．Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends |
