1 . Sam Martin, 24, from Belfast

I do all my shopping on Christmas Eve because I prefer to get it done quickly. I certainly don't enjoy shopping. It doesn't matter when I shop-I probably won't buy gifts that people will want anyway. I just choose from whatever is there. I am never disappointed because I don't know what to buy for others before I get to the shop, and I don't care about getting it at the best price. My friends call me last-minute shopper.

Lucy Collins, 34, from Liverpool

I've always finished all my shopping by the middle of August. I buy when things are cheap and when I can afford to. I also enjoy trying to buy as many gifts as possible at less than the full price. This year, I've spent £230 and saved £695 on the prices.

I think Christmas is a magical time so I like looking for gifts throughout the year. I also like knowing I've bought presents that people will enjoy, rather than picking through whatever is left in the shops on Christmas Eve.

Frankie Bircham, 31, from Hertfordshire

I've always finished shopping by the end of September. I like the satisfaction of giving people presents they want-I don't like "Oh, that'll do". I prefer to buy online so I can compare prices to make sure I' m getting the best possible deal. It's cheaper than travelling into London to go shopping and I can easily return anything I don't like when it arrives.

Andi Euridge, 40, from London

I start my shopping in January and have always finished it by November. I don't like onlir shopping because then you have the craziness of parcels not arriving in time.

I live on a tight budget and I cannot afford to buy all my gifts with one month's pay. So I prefer picking up a present here and there throughout the year.

1. We can learn from the text that Sam Martin       .

A．is an organized shopper	B．always buys presents at a discount
C．hates shopping in a hurry	D．enjoys doing some last-minute shopping

2. What do Lucy Collins and Frankie Bircham have in common?

A．They do shopping when the shops are quiet.

B．They choose presents everywhere.

C．They like online shopping

D．They care about the receivers' feelings.

3. Why does Andi Euridge dislike online shopping?

A．It causes anxiety when parcels don't arrive in time.

B．It's not much cheaper than shops.

C．Returning the goods troubles him.

D．It makes him run over budget.

2 . Meet the longest-living vertebrate（脊椎动物）in the world, the Greenland shark.

Found primarily in the very cold waters of the North Atlantic, these slow-swimming sharks can be as big as the largest great whites, reaching up to 21 feet in length. They're among the largest of carnivorous（食肉的）fish, and yet grow perhaps only a centimeter or so a year. Such slow growth yet big size is usually an indicator of a long-lived animal.

“We only expected that the sharks might be very old,” Julius Nielsen, at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, told NPR in 2016. “But we did not know in advance. And it was, of course, a very big surprise to learn that it was actually the oldest vertebrate animal.”

Imagine being 150 years old before you're ready to have your first child! Imagine being born before the United States was even a reality. For humans-who rarely make it to a century mark—it's difficult to fully understand.

Little is known about Greenland sharks, even basics such as where they give birth or how many of them there are, though researchers at a July 2017 conference at the University of Exeter thought that they may mate in “hidden” Arctic fjords. No one has even witnessed one hunting, though they have been found to have various vertebrate ones in their stomachs such as polar bear, seals, fast-swimming fish and even moose etc.

Given the shark's incredibly long lifespans, scientists are diving into the sea creature's genome, looking for clues. That conference also highlighted the work being done to separate the shark's longevity gene, with complete DNA information gathered from almost 100 sharks, including some born in the 1750s. Finding such a gene could go a long way in explaining why some vertebrates, like humans, have such limited lifespans.

These sharks also serve as swimming history books. Their tissue, bones and DNA could tell us a great deal about the waters of the world from a time before the Industrial Revolution, large-scale commercial fishing and the pronounced ocean pollution we see today.

Check out what it's like to swim with one in this encounter with what is a small and young—and yet to us, still fairly old—Greenland shark.

1. What can we know about Greenland sharks from the first two paragraphs?

A．Longest-living, and slow-swimming carnivorous vertebrate.

B．Longest-living, and slowest-swimming vertebrate.

C．Largest, but fast-growing carnivorous vertebrate.

D．Longest-living, largest carnivorous vertebrate but fast-growing.

2. Why were scientists surprised after they examined Greenland shark?

A．Greenland shark can live as old as humans.

B．Greenland shark is the largest animal in the world.

C．Greenland shark can live more than one hundred years.

D．Greenland shark is really the oldest vertebrate in the world.

3. What kind of animals do Greenland sharks prefer?

A．Both polar bear and seal.	B．Only fast-swimming fish.
C．Various vertebrate animals.	D．Polar bear, moose and fish.

4. What information can we get from the passage?

A．Scientists declare that they have known all about Greenland sharks.

B．Scientists want to get more information from their study on sharks.

C．Scientists consider sharks can only serve as swimming history books.

D．Scientists just want to know why Greenland sharks have a long life.

3 . On Diwali, we were on a vacation in Dubai and having a good time and lots of fun. One day, we were visiting Abu Dhabi, traveling with a few passengers in a bus. At our first stop, we got out to take some pictures. At our second stop, we noticed that we had forgotten our shoulder bag at first stop. The worst part was that our passports, visas, hotel booking papers, itinerary…everything was inside that bag and we were very panicky, as we had to return to India in 2 days.

During this process of searching for our bags we came into contact with so many strangers whom we found to be really concerned and helpful with our situation.

The tour guide and the bus driver helped us to locate a cab so that we could travel back the first destination to find our bag.

The cab driver helped us in so many ways. He gave us his mobile phone so that we could contact everyone. He took us to a mosque near the first destination hoping that a cleaner might have found a bag. He took us to the nearest police station and helped us in communication with the policeman, who only spoke Arabic.

A policeman, who searched through everything in the lost and found department.

A local man, who actually found our bag, checked the bag and found a number to the travel agency. He informed them and sent his driver to a common destination from where we could get our bag back.

On that day, there was real panic inside me and I was constantly thinking of what would happen next? How will I find my bag? What will happen to us without our passports and visas? In such a mind set I was not able to say a proper THANK YOU to all those persons who helped us in such challenging situation.

I don't even know their names. I will never be able to forget their faces and their kindness. The world needs more humans like them and I decided to try to become one of them. I salute all those strangers and well-wishes for their acts of kindness.

1. Where did the author lose her shoulder bag?

A．At the first stop.	B．At Dubai Airport.
C．At the second stop.	D．In India.

2. Who did the work as an interpreter when the writer communicated with a policeman?

A．A tour guide?	B．A bus driver
C．A cleaner	D．A cab driver

3. Where could the writer get her shoulder bag back again?

A．At a police station.	B．At a common destination
C．At a local's home.	D．At the lost and found department

4. What can we learn from the writer's thinking in the last paragraph?

A．God helps those who help themselves.	B．Thank those local people one by one.
C．Follow the same act of those kind people.	D．Be more careful when touring next time.

4 . FRIDAY SUPPER CLUB
7：30PM TO 9：30PM FRIDAY 02 NOVEMBER
2018（WEEKLY EVENT）

Avalon Restaurant and Cocktail（鸡尾酒）Bar at Katoomba presents the Friday Supper Club—a weekly night of live music, hearty food and classic cocktails at Avalon. Each Friday night, they present local acts, free of charge, which provide music to dine to in the amazing surroundings.

Reserve a table, choose something to eat from their menu and extensive local wine and craft beer list, or treat yourself to a cheeky cocktail from the bar.

Reservations essential before going.

For more information: https://www. awalonkatooba.com.au.

GARDEN SAFARI
—KIDS' SELF-GUIDED TREASURE HUNT
9:30AM TO 4:30PM THURSDAY 01 NOVEMBER
2018（QUARTERLY EVENT）

Can you find the five stops? Follow the map to explore the garden and enjoy fun hands-on activities. Learn about some strange and amazing plants, and then answer the quiz questions to solve the puzzle and win a prize!

For more information: https://www.bluemountainsbotanicgarden.com.au/whatson.

CONTEMPORARY GALLIPOLI
SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER 2018 TO SUNDAY
25 NOVEMBER 2018

Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI, Blue Mountains City Art Gallery will display the touring exhibition Contemporary Gallipoli. The exhibition includes a diverse display of new works created by artists from Canakkale, near the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey, and Australia, whose work unites to take the viewer on an experiential journey of remembrance, and a search for meaning beyond myth and memory.

For more information: http://bluemountainsculturalcentre.com.au/.

SCENIC WORLD PRESENTS DINOSAUR VALLEY
9:00AM TO 5:00PM THURSDAY O1 NOVEMBER
2018（DAILY EVENT）

Millions of years ago, dinosaurs ruled the earth. Now they're back!

Dinosaur Valley is coming to Scenic World this summer, bringing the Jurassic rainforest to life with prehistoric dinosaurs from November I to January 28. Awaken your sense of adventure with friendly Dinosaur Rangers and discover more about these fascinating creatures in the heart of the Jamison Valley. Everyone will have a good time with free events and a range of kids activities.

For more information: https://www.dinosaurwalley.com.au/.

1. What will you have to do before going to the Friday Supper Club?

A．Create a piece of music.

B．Make an advance booking.

C．Prepare some tasty food.

D．Place an order for a classic cocktail.

2. Which website should you check out to learn more about an art show?

A．https://www. avalonkatooba.com.au.

B．https://www. dinosaurvalley.com.au/.

C．http://bluemountainsculturalcentre.com.au/.

D．https://www. bluemountainsbotanicgarden.com.au/whatson.

3. Where could you meet Dinosaur Rangers?

A．At Scenic World.	B．At Garden Safari.
C．At the Friday Supper Club.	D．At Contemporary Gallipoli.

5 . New Scientist Discovery

Tour Amazing science-inspired tours across the globe with experts on board and in the company of fellow travelers who enjoy the discovery of science

Space: Past and Future: USA

14 days for £4.799

Departing 6th May and 14th September 2020

Follow the USA's footsteps in exploring space with this comprehensive tour of NASA's space centers and other key sites, including the Very Large Array in attractive New Mexico. Plus, visit the world's first commercial spaceport with leading researchers.

The Science of the Renaissance（文艺复兴）: Italy

7days for £1,825

Departing 3rd March and 3rd November 2020

Embark on a cultural adventure to the great science cities of Florence and Bologna, as architecture expert Andrew Spira and science historian Professor David Wootton guide you through the great discoveries and minds of the Renaissance.

Land of Fire and Ice: Iceland

8 days for £2,249

Departing 31st October and 7th November2020

Marvel at erupting geysers（喷泉）, glaciers and waterfalls on a trip of volcanic and geological（地质的）adventure. Joined by volcanologist Tamsin Mather, discover the best of Iceland with a chance to see the Aurora Borealis.

Tiger Conservation Safari: India

9 days for £3,850

Departing 10th April 2021

Involve yourself in jungle life in the search for the Bengal tiger. Learn how to protect the rich wildlife you encounter at India's reserves, complete with a masterclass in tracking and stay in a cozy lodge（小屋）.

1. Which tour is scheduled in May?

A．Space: Past and Future: USA

B．The Science of the Renaissance: Italy

C．Land of Fire and Ice: Iceland

D．Tiger Conservation Safari: India

2. How much will it cost if you are interested in Florence?

A．£4,799.	B．£1,825.
C．£2,249.	D．£3,850.

3. What can tourists do during the Iceland tour?

A．Explore space with researchers.

B．See geysers，glaciers and waterfalls.

C．Discover the culture of the Renaissance.

D．Learn about protecting wildlife while travelling.

6 . You might easily gain access to fresh fruit and vegetables, but this isn’t the case in some parts of America. The U. S. has many areas that are considered as food deserts, which are defined as parts of the country short of fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthy food, usually found in poor areas.

Food deserts are urban areas where the nearest grocery store is more than 1 mile away, and rural areas where the nearest grocery store is more than 10 miles away. According to the USDA, 19 million Americans — or 6.2% of the population — live in places that can be considered as food deserts.

The issue isn’t necessarily about the difference in cost between healthy and unhealthy foods in these areas but it’s about a lack of access to healthy choices at all. And, with the lack of healthy food choices, these areas typically have a large supply of unhealthy foods sold at fast-food companies and convenience stores.

Eating unhealthy foods can lead to overweight, which puts people at risk for all kinds of major health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and some cancers.

But some people, especially those who cannot afford a car, are stuck with eating what’s readily available. In the case of food deserts, it’s usually the type of food that can lead to overweight. Studies have shown that this is likely to be a problem in low-income areas. When money is not enough, people tend to buy foods that last longer and remove food waste, which is a waste of their limited income.

Lack of access is only one part of the problem, however. The bigger issue was likely the lack of education and nutritional knowledge in these communities, which prevents people with lower incomes from understanding the benefits of healthy eating.

While overweight is a significant issue in these communities, the cost of unhealthy eating isn’t just physical. A study found that 71 billion dollars in healthcare costs due to chronic (慢性的) diseases could be saved through healthier eating.

1. What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?

A．6.2% of the Americans live in poor areas.

B．Some parts of the USA lack fresh vegetables.

C．Some people in America don’t need fresh fruit.

D．People in the food deserts buy fresh vegetables easily

2. Why can fast-food companies sell large amounts of unhealthy food in the food deserts?

A．These areas are rich in unhealthy food materials.

B．The fast food sold in the food deserts are of lower cost.

C．Healthy food choices are unavailable in these areas.

D．People in these areas prefer unhealthy food to healthy food.

3. We can learn from Paragraph 5 that the low-income people______.

A．are less likely to have overweight problems

B．are not delighted to prepare food for themselves

C．have to buy food that can be preserved longer

D．are used to eating food donated by food companies

4. What stops people from understanding healthy eating benefits in the food deserts?

A．Their high healthcare cost due to the chronic diseases.

B．Their long established eating habits.

C．The government’s lack of financial support.

D．Their lack of education and knowledge in nutrition.

7 . Professor Ashok Goel of Georgia Tech developed an artificially intelligent teaching assistant to help handle the enormous number of student questions in the online class, Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence. Professor Goel already had eight teaching assistants, but that wasn’t enough to deal with the overwhelming number of daily questions from students.

Many students drop out of online courses because of the lack of teaching support. When students feel ignored or confused and reach out with questions that go unanswered, their motivation to continue begins to taper off. Professor Goel decided to do something to improve this situation and his solution was to create a virtual assistant named Jill Watson.

Goel and his team developed several versions of Jill Watson before releasing her to the online forums. At first, the virtual assistant wasn’t too great. But Goel and his team sourced the online discussion forum to find all the 40,000 questions that had ever been asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill with the questions and answers. After some adjustments and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer the students’ questions correctly 97% of the time. The virtual assistant became so advanced and realistic that the students didn’t know she was a computer. The students, who were studying artificial intelligence, were interacting with the virtual assistant and couldn’t tell it apart from a real human being. Goel didn’t inform them about Jill’s true identity until April 26. The students were actually very positive about the experience.

The goal of Professor Goel’s virtual assistant next year is to take over answering 40% of all the questions posed by students on the online forum. Professor Goel has a much rosier outlook on the future of artificial intelligence.

1. What problem did Professor Goel meet with?

A．Students’ questions were too many to deal with.

B．Teaching assistants were not professional at all.

C．Many students were lack of interest in his class.

D．He felt confused about how to teach online.

2. Which of the following best explains the underlined phrase in Paragraph 2?

A．grow dramatically	B．increase sharply
C．decrease gradually	D．decline unreasonably

3. What do we learn about Jill Watson?

A．She could answer all questions without mistakes.

B．She turned out to be a great success.

C．Her performance was remarkable all the way.

D．Her true identity was still a secret to students.

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．A robot gives an online course.

B．Virtual assistant is getting popular in school.

C．Robots will replace humans in online classes.

D．One Georgia Tech’s teaching assistant isn’t human.

8 . Humans really do have a sixth sense that lets us detect magnetic fields (磁场), but we’re not aware we have it. It has long been known as ESP, Spider Sense, or the ability to see things before they happen. But now scientists have proved that humans really do have a sixth sense-that lets them detect magnetic fields. Tests have shown that mankind may have the same inborn sense of Earth’s magnetic field that has long been proved to exist in animals.

By putting a protein from the human retina (视网膜) into fruit flies, researchers noticed that the insect adjusted its flight path just as if its eye had not been changed. This suggests that the “sixth sense” does exist in humans but we might not be aware of it. Animals use such sight to navigate long distances during migration or, in the case of birds, to “see” where they are going. The complex tests involved examining the process by which light goes through a bird’s eye, which has interested the scientific community for more than 30 years. In the late 1970s, the physicist Klaus Schulten concluded that birds fly by relying on geomagnetically (地磁) sensitive biochemical reactions in their eyes.

Tests have shown that the special cells in the eye carry out this function using the protein cryptochrome (蛋白隐色素). Professor Reppert’s team used wild fruit flies, replacing their version of cryptochrome with the human equivalent (等价物), and then put them in a maze (迷宫) with each wing wrapped in a metal coil (金属圈). They then sent electricity through it so that the coil was magnetised in a way which is just like Earth’s electromagnetic field (电磁场). The flies responded in exactly the same way as if they had their own cryptochrome, by either avoiding the magnetic fields or moving towards them if the researchers had placed sugar nearby.

The new study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

1. What do we know about humans’ sixth sense?

A．Humans have been aware of it since ancient times.

B．It is quite different from the animals’.

C．It is the ability to predict what will happen.

D．It is also a sense developed after birth.

2. Why did researchers put a protein from the human retina into fruit flies?

A．To change fruit flies’ flight path.

B．To test if humans have a sixth sense.

C．To examine the process of birds’ flying.

D．To allow researchers detect magnetic fields.

3. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．the maze	B．each wing
C．cryptochrome	D．the metal coil

4. After being replaced the cryptochrome, how are the wild fruit flies?

A．They responded normally as if there had been nothing changed.

B．They couldn’t avoid the magnetic fields like before.

C．They lost the sense of direction completely.

D．They couldn’t find the sugar the researchers had placed nearby.

9 . Two musicians from Germany are using robotic equipment to add sounds to their performances. The two-man band performs with a robot that can play several musical instruments at the same time. The robot can sound like a guitar, keyboard, drum or other instruments. When performing, members of the band provide many of the sounds, but others are controlled by a computer. Once connected to wires and set up, instruments can play on their own.

One of the instruments was created from a long, self-turning wooden stick that sits on top of a microphone stand（支架）.The stick contains long strings. They are tied on each end. The strings are connected to a small wooden ball. As the stick tums, the ball hits a block on the floor, creating a sound. The two-man band, called Joasihno, recently performed at the South by Southwest Conference and Music Festival in Austin, Texas. They describe their electronic sounds as “psychedelic（迷幻的）machine” music. “Actually, we call it a psychedelic robot group, ”said Cico Beck, one of the creators of the group.

The group’s other member, Nico Siereg, says playing in an experimental band with robots is not the same as playing in a traditional one. “It’s a little bit different because you also have in mind that there are machines playing around you,   but there’s no reaction from them, ” he said. But Siereg said that in some ways, the robots actually help him improve his performance. Since the self-playing instruments are programmed, he sometimes feels freer to focus on what he is playing, and at times to even play without preparation.

The musician says he can imagine similar technology having a greater influence on many different kinds of music in the future. “Technology is like a very important tool and it’s very often a very important part of inspiration, ” he said. But he also expressed hope that "real music won’t die.

In addition to performing recently in Texas, Joashihno has been busy putting on shows in Europe and in Canada. The band hopes its high-tech music “experiment” will keep reaching new people and pleasing the ears of its fans.

1. According to the first paragraph,   what can we know about the robotic equipment?

A．It is operated by a wooden stick.

B．It is controlled to make music.

C．It functions as musical instruments.

D．It is actually a set of wires connecting computers.

2. What does Nico Siereg think of playing music with robots?

A．It is better than playing with human beings.

B．It is just a pity that the robots cannot respond to him.

C．It has a negative effect on his performance because robots distract him.

D．It is strange for him to have some machines playing around him.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Robots will replace musical instruments.

B．This new style of performance has become popular around the world.

C．One member of the band doesn’t think playing with robots is real music.

D．The machines are programmed to create many sounds.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Real Music Won’t Die	B．Adding New Blood
C．High Technology Is Applied to Music	D．Robots Will Wipe Out Human Beings

10 . If you saw someone fall off their bike in traffic,   would you spot and help or just walk away? Many people would go about their business and just do nothing. So it was a big surprise when about 100 bystanders got together recently to move a bus in east London to help a cyclist trapped under it. A video of the incident went viral on social media.

According to Zoheb,   a driver who stopped his car to take part in the rescue,   five more people gathered to move the bus. He says,   “There was no chance we could do it；it was more an invitation for other people to help,   really. Our action paid off. Diners from nearby restaurants joined in. It didn’t take long to develop a collective understanding of what the purpose was.”

Spontaneous（自发的）offer of help among strangers doesn’t happen often. People in a crowd are not sure what to do—they don’t have a plan. It’s one of the reasons bystanders often do nothing,   according to Dr. Mark Levine,   professor of social psychology at Exeter University in Britain. “The presence of others can prevent you from helping, ” he says.

“The key to positive group behaviour and participation”,   Levine explains,   “is building a sense of shared identity”. Action has to be decided quickly,   Levine says. “The longer you leave it,   the harder it is to make a decision. If you don’t immediately act then you may think ‘Well, actually I probably couldn’t have done anything anyway’.”

But the people who took the first action like Zoheb might make a difference. The cyclist ended up in hospital and the images of the collective effort might inspire others to more acts of support for each other.

1. What can be seen in the video on social media according to the passage?

A．Strangers helped rescue someone in an accident.

B．A cyclist fell over and was badly injured.

C．People just stood by and watched an accident.

D．A cyclist was killed in an accident.

2. How was the rescue action successfully carried out?

A．Zoheb moved the bus with five strangers.

B．Zoheb rushed to a nearby restaurant for help.

C．Zoheb urged all the strangers around to come to the rescue.

D．Zoheb with about 100 strangers voluntarily did it.

3. According to Mark Levine, why do some people show no concern when they should offer help?

A．They think it had nothing to do with them.

B．They may be stopped by other bystanders.

C．They believe others present would do it.

D．They are probably at a loss of what to do.

4. What is the writer’s purpose to write the text?

A．To support those cold-hearted.	B．To praise the kindness of strangers.
C．To introduce a way to help others.	D．To explain what collective effort is.