1 . There are a variety of clubs which provide social and cultural activities for students wishing to meet others with similar interests from the same or from different national backgrounds.
Charles Peguy Centre | Royal Overseas League |
CPC is a French youth centre, providing advice, support and information to young Europeans aged between 18-25. Facilities include an information and advice service regarding education, work placement and general welfare rights. Moreover, the centre holds a database of jobs and accommodation in London. Members may use a fax machine, a copier and computers to surf online or check e-mails for free. Hours: Monday 14:00-17:00 Tuesday-Friday 10:00-17:00 Membership: £35 per year | Open 365 days per year, ROL is a club with facilities in London and Edinburgh with restaurants, bars and accommodation. There are branches around the world and 57 reciprocal clubs worldwide. Quarterly magazines, literary lectures, annual music and art competitions, and summer and winter programme of events are provided for members. Membership fees: aged 17-20, £47 per year aged 21-25, £70 per year For further information, please contact the membership secretary. |
YMCA London Central | Kensington Committee for Overseas Students |
YMCA is a social club. Most members are young English professionals, but overseas visitors are welcome. Facilities include photography, art, drama, pottery, language courses at different levels, badminton, fitness testing, cycling, yoga and other activities. Hours: weekdays 07:00-22:30 weekends 10:00-21:00 Membership fees: £125 per year Hotline: 05667932 | KCOS is a society for young people from all countries. Each month there are some 40 parties, discos, visits to theatres, concerts, walks and other gatherings where members will be able to meet lots of people. A new programme is sent each month directly to members. The club arranges a weekly club night in a Covent Garden bar. To find out more, telephone the club or write (freepost) to the office. Hours: 10:30-17:30 Tel: 05663801 |
1. The passage is mainly for ______.
| A．young English professionals. |
| B．local students from different backgrounds . |
| C．European students in London. |
| D．the youth wishing to meet different people. |
| A．CPC. | B．ROL. | C．YMCA . | D．KCOS. |
| A．make a phone call |
| B．go to the office in person |
| C．send a fax or an e-mail. |
| D．turn to the membership secretary. |
2 . The Land Under the Sea
Ten thousand years ago, as the last ice age ended, sea levels around the world were far lower than they are today. Much of the land under both the North Sea to the east of Britain and the English Channel which now separates France and Britain was part of a huge region of forests and grassy plains. Then the climate gradually became warmer and the water trapped in large masses of ice was released.
Now the development of advanced sonar (声呐) technology, known as bathymetry, is making it possible to study this flooded landscape in extraordinary detail. A special echo (回声) sounder is fixed to the bottom of a survey ship and it makes wide sweeps across the seabed. While previous technology has only been able to produce two-dimensional images, bathymetry can now use computers, satellite-positioning equipment and special software to create accurate and remarkably detailed maps. For the first time, an ancient riverbed jumps out of the three-dimensional image. The site of pre-historic settlements can now be pinpointed.
According to expert Linda Andrews, this technological development is of huge significance. “We now have the ability to map the seabed as accurately as we can map dry land,” she says.
Once bathymetric techniques have identified sites where people might have built their homes and villages, divers can be sent down to investigate further. Robot submarines (潜艇) can also be used, and researchers hope they will find stone tools and wood from houses as proof of human activity. The idea shared by many people in Britain of their country as a natural island kingdom will be challenged by the findings: Britain has been inhabited for about 500,000 years and much of this time it has been linked on and off to continental Europe. It remains to be seen how far this new awareness is taken on board, however.
In fact, the use of bathymetry will not be limited to the study of lost landscapes and ancient settlements. It will also be vital in finding ships that have been destroyed in accidents. In addition, commercial applications are a real possibility. Aggregates (骨材) for the construction industry are becoming increasingly expensive, and bathymetry can be used to identify suitable sites for digging for this material. Mapping the seabed will also identify places where rare plants and shellfish are living. Digging at such sites should be prevented, either to work for a profit or to make deeper waterways for massive container ships.
1. How does bathymetry work?| A．It has an echo sounder placed on the seabed. |
| B．It makes use of a number of different devices. |
| C．It produces two-dimensional images of the sea floor. |
| D．It bases its calculations on the location of construction sites. |
| A．Occupied. | B．Adjusted. |
| C．Rebuilt. | D．Discovered. |
| A．attract investment in the research under the sea |
| B．inspire people to take an interest in modern technology |
| C．adapt the attitudes of the British to their country’s history |
| D．receive confirmation of rebuilding ancient man-made objects |
| A．identify new species of plants and animals |
| B．provide the precise location of sunken ships |
| C．evaluate the cost of seeking certain resources |
| D．promote the development of deeper waterways |
3 . Children born in the past four decades had the luxury of being the center of their parents’ attention. The entire family’s resources were poured into their education and well-being.
However，when the same resources are split between two children，the amount distributed to each one is going to shrink.
According to the Hangzhou Daily，when there are two children in the family，parents tend to choose public schools instead of private schools，which are usually more expensive. Each child is enrolled in fewer after-school training classes.
But having a second child may cure some deep-rooted problems in China’s traditional family education.
Having two children in the family can help to prevent one child being spoiled by too much attention，according to People’s Daily. It also spares the only child from the pressure of shouldering parental expectations all alone. Taking care of a sibling also enables children to gain a sense of responsibility，cooperation，obedience and caring.
China’s public education system is also expected to shift. Currently，there are not enough vacancies in kindergarten and schools to accommodate the potential increase in children.
“It’s not only the enrollment capacity of educational institutions that will feel the pressure. People are also placing more emphasis on the quality of education，”Peng Xizhe， director of the Population and Development Research Policy Center at Fudan University，told China Education Daily.
He predicts the government may have to invest more to support the educational system as a result of the new family planning measure.
1. What can children benefit from a two-child family?| A．They can have less pressure. |
| B．They can study in private schools. |
| C．They can get much more attention. |
| D．They can take more after-school training classes. |
| A．hold | B．adapt | C．solve | D．consider |
| A．People are placing more emphasis on the quality of education. |
| B．The government may have to invest more to support the educational system. |
| C．The new family planning measure will challenge the current educational system. |
| D．The educational institutions will feel the pressure that their capacity is not enough. |
| A．To show benefits of owning two children. |
| B．To persuade people to bear more children. |
| C．To encourage people to have only one child. |
| D．To introduce the impact of two-child policy. |
4 . 1. Scenic landscapes on stamps: A nine-day tour in the cities of Xuzhou,Suqian and Huai'an in northern Jiangsu province.
This route is associated with local culture, characteristics, and creativity. It offers a taste of the famous canal cities.
2.Life on the Grand Canal: A seven-day Jiangsu tour through the cities of Nanjing, Suqian, Huai'an,Yangzhou and Suzhou.
This route presents the most authentic, economic, cultural and entertainment-focused activities along the canal from both ancient and modern times.I allows visitors to ride in boats and observe local fishermen fishing.
3.Food,culture,leisure and health;Seven-day experience of local life in Zhenjiang Changzhou,Wuxi and Suzhou
To increase tourists’ interest in the traditional culture and crafts of Jiangsu, the route will include pottery,embroidery(刺绣), paper-cutting, cooking and other hands-on experiences. It includes scenic spots along the Beijing-Hangzhou Gran Canal, ancient water towns, historical streets and ancient fishing villages.Visitors can join in the recreational farmhouse experience and pick up both fruits and vegetables
4．A walk into history: Six-day tour in Xuzhou, Suqian,Huai’an,Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, Changzhou and Wuxi
The Beiing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the entire province and has been a part of Jiangsu's culture for thousands of years. Inspired by the canal, the route includes historical cities Xuzhou, Suqian, Huai'an,Yangzhou along with Zheniang Changzhou and Wuxi.
1. Which of the following do the four travel routes share?| A．A time duration of less than a week. |
| B．Ancient towns in southern Jiangsu. |
| C．The Grand Canal. |
| D．The city of Suqian. |
| A．Route 1 | B．Route 2 | C．Route 3 | D．Route 4. |
| A．Rowing a boat. | B．Trying on paper-cutting. |
| C．Growing vegetables. | D．Fishing with local villagers. |
5 . With paper flowers and music hanging around in the air, Lyu Jun was hosting a small farewell ceremony at an industrial zone in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. It was a funeral for a pet dog. Lyu came up with the idea of becoming a pet mortician (殡葬师) four years ago when he was preparing to start a business.
“At that time, there was only one brick-and-mortar(实体的) business that provided funeral services for pets in Shenzhen, but hundreds of pets die every day in this city,” he said. According to Lyu, many pet owners used to bury the remains of their beloved animals near their homes , which had a harmful impact on the environment and created the risk of spreading disease.
He saw a gap in the market for someone able to properly handle the death of pets. “A pet funeral service provides treatment of the bodies that is harm-free, and it is the greatest comfort to pet owners,” Lyu said.
He takes good care of the remains of the pets and tidies up their appearance before the funeral. In addition, he prepares funeral addresses and selects suitable tombs for the pets. He also films funerals for owners who cannot attend the ceremonies, and provides paper and pens for those who want to write down their blessings and hang the notes on the wishing tree.
Over the past four years, Lyu has bid farewell to more than 2,000 dogs, cats and other kinds of animals. He also does volunteer work in his spare time to promote responsible dog raising. “The pet funeral service industry is still in its babyhood, and I hope there will be a set of strict standards for people who take on this job and a belter environment for the industry,” Lyu said.
1. Why did Lyu start the business on pet funeral service?| A．Because he could earn a lot of money from it. |
| B．Because he thought it met the market requirement. |
| C．Because he thought it would be a unique and challenging business. |
| D．Because he could help owners bury their dead pets near their homes. |
| A．He delivers speeches to mourn the pets. |
| B．He gives best wishes to the pets' owners. |
| C．He makes films of the pets for their birth. |
| D．He nurses and cares for the pets carefully. |
| A．Lyu volunteers to raise pets on his own. |
| B．The pet funeral service has got a big success. |
| C．More strict standards should be set for pets' owners. |
| D．There remains a potential in the pet funeral industry. |
| A．A research report. | B．An advertisement. |
| C．A novel. | D．A magazine. |
6 . For several months, Cara has been working up the courage to approach her mom about what she saw on Instagram. Not long ago, the 11-year-old girl, like all the other kids in this story, discovered that her mom had been posting her photos for much of her life.“I’ve wanted to bring it up.It’s strange to see myself up there, and sometimes there are pictures of myself I don't like,”she said.
Like most other modern kids, Cara grew up in social media. While many kids may not yet have accounts themselves, their parents, schools, sports teams, and other organizations have been organizing online presence for them since birth.The shock of realizing that details about your life have been shared online without your permission or knowledge has become an important experience in the lives of many teenagers. Recently a parenting blogger (博主) wrote in an essay of The Washington Post that despite (尽管)her 14-year-old daughter’s horror of discovering that her mother had shared years of highly personal stories and information about her online, she simply could not stop posting them on her blog and social media. The writer said that promising her daughter that she would stop posting things about her publicly on the Internet “would mean shutting down an important part of myself, which isn't necessarily good for me or her”.
But it’s not just crazy mommy bloggers who construct their children’s online identity; plenty of average parents do the same. There’s even a special word for it: sharenting (晒娃成癖). Almost a quarter of children begin their digital lives when parents upload their photos to the Internet, according to a study conducted by the Internet-security (安全)firm AVG. The study also found that 92 percent of kids under the age of 2 already have their own unique digital identity.
1. How does Cara probably feel about her mom’s behavior?| A．It’s aggressive. | B．It’s appropriate. |
| C．It’s annoying. | D．It’s favorable. |
| A．It filled up her blog. | B．It showed off her success. |
| C．It recorded her stories. | D．It meant a lot to her. |
| A．A quarter of students. | B．Many ordinary parents. |
| C．Kids under the age of 2. | D．Some crazy bloggers. |
| A．Children’s New Trouble |
| B．Social Media |
| C．Kids’ Online Performance |
| D．Mommy Bloggers |
7 . Killer whales, or orcas, are known for their severe attacks on sea animals but they have never posed a threat to humans. However, since late July, the normally social animals have been intentionally attacking sailboats off the coasts of Spain and Portugal.
The strange behavior first surfaced on July 29, 2020, when a 46-foot boat was repeatedly attacked for almost an hour by nine orcas, causing the boat to rotate(旋转) 180 degrees and having its engine switched off. Since then, over 30 more similar incidents have been reported. On September 23, 2020, Spain's government banned boats of less than 50 feet in length from sailing in the 60-mile stretch of the Atlantic coastline between Ferrol and the Estaca de Bares Cape, where the attacks have been occurring.
Researchers across the world are trying to explain the orcas' behavior. Some believe it could be a result of the overfishing of the bluefish tuna - the orcas' primary food source -which has left the area's killer whales starving and unable to feed their babies. "I saw them look at boats carrying fish. I think they know humans are somehow related to food shortages, "says Ken Balcomb, senior scientist at the Center for Whale Research in Washington, USA. The environmentalists believe the sudden increase in boat traffic and fishing activities, after months of absence due to restrictions on human activity last spring, could also be contributing to the agitation.
However, Alfredo López, a biology professor in Galicia, Spain, thinks the attacks are defensive measures the orcas adopted to protect themselves against boat injuries. The researcher came to this conclusion after looking at the of the videos of a few incidents and noticing that two of the young killer whales involved had serious injuries. Hopefully, the experts will be able to find a way to restore the harmony between the animals and the humans soon.
1. What do we know about orcas in paragraph 1?| A．They are friendly to humans. | B．They have changed their behavior. |
| C．They are famous for hunting skills | D．They have met tough living conditions. |
| A．Ken Balcomb. | B．The environmentalists. |
| C．Alfredo López. | D．Spain's government. |
| A．The attacks. | B．Food shortages. | C．The overfishing. | D．Human activities. |
| A．How do killer whales attack humans? |
| B．Why Are Killer Whales attacking Boats? |
| C．How can we live in harmony with animals? |
| D．Why are boats banned from sailing on the sea? |
8 . While children are dogs—loyal and affectionate (情深的)—teenagers are cats. It′s so easy to be a dog owner. You feed it, train it, and boss it around. It puts its head on your knee and gazes at you as if you were a Rembrandt painting. It bounds indoors with enthusiasm when you call it.
Then around age 13, your adoring little puppy turns into a big old cat. When you tell it to come inside, it looks amazed, as if wondering who died and made you emperor. Instead of dogging your doorsteps, it disappears. You won′t see it again until it gets hungry―then it pauses on its sprint through the kitchen long enough to turn its nose up at whatever you′re serving. When you reach out to ruffle its head, in that old affectionate gesture, it turns away from you, then gives you a blank stare, as if trying to remember where it has seen you before.
You, not realizing that the dog is now a cat, think something must be desperately wrong with it. It seems so antisocial, so distant, sort of depressed. It won′t go on family outings.
Since you are the one who raised it, taught it to fetch and stay and sit on command, you assume that you did something wrong. Flooded with guilt and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your pet behave.
Only now you′re dealing with a cat, so everything that worked before now produces the opposite of the desired result. Call it, and it runs away. Tell it to sit, and it jumps on the counter. The more you go toward it, wringing your hands, the more it moves away.
Put a dish of food near the door, and let it come to you. But remember that a cat needs your help and your affection too. Sit still, and it will come, seeking that warm, comforting lap it has not entirely forgotten. Be there to open the door for it.
One day your grown-up child will walk into the kitchen, give you a big kiss and say, “You′ve been on your feet all day. Let me get those dishes for you.”
Then you′ll realize your cat is a dog again.
1. What does the word “It” refer to in the third paragraph?| A．A dog |
| B．A parent |
| C．A teenager |
| D．A situation |
| A．Excitedly |
| B．Indifferently |
| C．Angrily |
| D．Calmly |
| A．Children like cats can not easily follow parents′ directions. |
| B．Parents should try their best to leave their children alone. |
| C．You can′t expect children to be considerate toward their parents. |
| D．Parents should consider what they do wrong to educate their kids. |
| A．To tell us how a dog changes into a cat. |
| B．To tell us how to raise pets like cats and dogs. |
| C．To tell us the similarities between pets and children. |
| D．To tell us how to deal with teenagers aged 13 or so. |
9 . A horse fair is an interesting place. There were young horses from the country, little Welsh ponies and many beautiful horses too. But there were also a lot of poor, thin horses, tired from hard work. I was very sad to see them.
At the horse fair there was a man with a gentle voice and kind grey eyes. He offered 23 pounds for me, but they refused. Then a man with a very loud voice came. I was afraid he was going to buy me, but he walked off. Then the grey-eyed man came back again and said,
“I'll give 24 for him.”
“Done,” said the salesman. “He's a quality horse and if you want him for cab work, he's a bargain.”
Half an hour later we set off for London, along country roads, until we came to that great city. There were streets to the right, and streets to the left. We went into one of the small streets, and then into a very narrow street, with small, old houses.
My owner stopped at a house. The door opened, and a woman, a little girl and a boy, came out.
"Is he gentle, father?"
“Yes, Dolly, as gentle as a kitten; you can pat him.”
Dolly, the little girl, patted my shoulder without fear. It felt so good! They led me into a comfortable, clean stable, and after a delicious meal I lay down to sleep, thinking “I'm going to be very happy here. ”
My new owner's name was Jerry. His wife was called Polly and they had two children, Harry and Dolly. The next morning they came to see me. I loved it when they patted me and spoke in gentle voices.
"Let's call him 'Jack', after the old horse, shall we, Jerry?” said Dolly.
“Yes, let's," said Jerry.
The first week of my life as Jack, the London cab horse was very hard. The noise and the people and the traffic on the streets scared me. But Jerry was a very good driver, and that helped a lot. Jerry soon found that I was ready to work hard and do my best, and he didn't whip me.
He kept me very clean, and gave me as much food as I wanted. But the best thing was that I had Sundays off.
1. A horse fair is a place for .| A．people to learn to ride horses | B．people to sell and buy horses |
| C．horses to meet new friends | D．horses to learn new skills |
| A．The horse is well worth the price. | B．The horse is as gentle as a kitten. |
| C．The buyer is gentle and kind. | D．The buyer is a good driver. |
| A．Tired and afraid. | B．Sad and helpless. |
| C．Curious but impatient. | D．Challenged but satisfied. |
| A．The start of a London-cab-horse life. | B．The chance of having a new owner. |
| C．The experiences of visiting a horse fair. | D．The disadvantages of working in London. |
10 . In the 13th century, Marco Polo, the world-known Italian traveler, saw many wonderful things in China. One of the things he discovered was money made of paper. People in the West did not have such kind of money until the 15th century. However, the Chinese began to use it in the 7th century.
Paper was invented by a Chinese man called Cai Lun almost 2,000 years ago. But it was not made in Europe until the year 1,100. Four hundred years later, a German discovered that he could make the best paper from trees. After that, countries, rich in forests, such as Canada, Sweden, America, and Finland, became the most important ones in paper making.
Paper can be used in many ways. The common uses include newspapers, magazines and books. But do you know that paper can be used for keeping warm? In Finland, the farmers wear paper boots to keep their feet warm in the snow. And even houses can be insulated （使绝缘）from heat or cold with paper.
However, we have to understand that paper still comes from trees now. If we keep on wasting so much paper, there will not be any trees left on the earth some day in the near future. Every day people throw away about 2, 800 tons of paper in our city. It takes 17 trees to make one ton of paper. This means that we are cutting down nearly 48,000 trees every day. The fact is that it takes more than 10 years for a tree to grow.
So we must start saving paper right now. We can use both sides of every piece of paper. We can make useful things out of used paper. We can use china cups instead of paper ones. When shopping, we can use fewer paper bags and reuse them if we have some.
In short, we should keep a balance between using paper and protecting trees, and do it now before it is too late.
1. When did the Chinese begin to use paper money?| A．In the 5th century. | B．In the 6th century. |
| C．In the 7th century. | D．In the 15th century. |
| A．It had lots of forests. | B．It was a large country. |
| C．It was a very rich country. | D．It produced the paper inventor. |
| A．10. | B．17. | C．2,800. | D．48,000. |
| A．How we can make useful things. | B．How paper boots are made. |
| C．How paper was invented. | D．How we can save paper. |
