1 . Britain's Haunted(闹鬼的) Castles
Muncaster Castle
Muncaster Castle is haunted by the ghost(鬼) of a mysterious White Lady as well as by Tom who worked in the castle 400 years ago and now likes to play tricks on visitors. Parties of 6-8 people can arrange for an all-night ghost sit in the Tapestry Room. Scientists and researchers also conduct field experiments here and you can participate in one of these yourself with an all- night watch. The castle will be closed from Jan. 1 to Feb.12.
Chillingham Castle
This castle has a wealth of frightening stories to entertain visitors. Ghost tours cost 20 pounds per person and run in the evening all year round. The castle also occasionally has ghost-themed special events such as dinner evenings where a ghost hunter visits and relates some of his experiences in the field.
Tutbury Castle
Tutbury Castle is more of a ruin than a functioning building, having been largely destroyed during the English civil war. Queen Mary of Scots spent much of her imprisonment here and her ghost has been spotted on several occasions. Tutbury is only open to the public from Easter until September but special arrangements can be made for large parties at other times. The castle also runs ghost hunts which can involve overnight stays in the Great Hall or King's bedroom.
Berre Pomeroy Castle
The Castle in Devon is now no more than an attractive ruin but it is said to be one of the most haunted spots in Britain. Both White and Blue Lady ghosts have been seen in the grounds. The first is believed to be starved to death by a cruel sister, the identity of the other is unknown. The castle is open to the public from March until October but only during the day.
1. Which castles can you visit, if you go to Britain in December?| A．Berre Pomeroy Castle & Tutbury Castle. |
| B．Muncaster Castle & Berre Pomeroy Castle. |
| C．Muncaster Castle & Chillingham Castle. |
| D．Berre Pomeroy Castle & Chillingham Castle. |
| A．likes to play tricks on visitors | B．once worked in the castle |
| C．is the ghost of Queen Mary | D．is believed to die of starvation |
| A．A science fiction. | B．A student textbook. |
| C．A travel magazine. | D．A business report. |
2 . Exploring a stadium is interesting. Without a game to focus on, you can actually appreciate the size and design of these places.
Raymond James Stadium
It offers a 75-minute tour showing visitors the inner workings of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ home stadium and the field. The stadium store has over 2,000 items. Tours run Mondays through Thursdays. Advance reservations are not required, but because tours may be cancelled, visitors should call (813)350-6500 to confirm a tour is running that day.
Tropicana Field
It offers 90-minute tours on weekdays. Some restricted areas that tour groups visit are the press box and the stadium control room. Guides will point out the stadium’s unique features and the team's history. Occasionally, groups will even see a player rehabbing (康复) or leave their jobs. Tour days vary, so call (813)326-7297 for an updated schedule.
Amalie Arena (圆形运动场)
It offers a behind-the-scenes tour on all Tampa Bay Lighting game days, starting 3.5 hours before the game and lasting an hour. Visitors see every floor of the arena. Tickets to that day’s game are not required. Buy tickets at the Amalie Arena ticket office or through the Tampa Bay Lightning app by clicking “experience”. For more information, call (813)301-6500.
Al Lang Stadium
The 70-minute tour is appropriate for all ages. No footballs, large bags, backpacks, cameras longer than 12 inches or video cameras are permitted on the tour. Please note there is no food available to purchase on site during the tour. All bags need to be searched upon arrival. Call (813)455-4921 to check tour availability on the day you plan to come.
1. Why should visitors call Raymond James Stadium ahead of time?| A．To book the ticket to it. |
| B．To know its inner workings. |
| C．To check if the tour is available. |
| D．To choose the place of it to visit. |
| A．Raymond James Stadium. |
| B．Tropicana Field. |
| C．Amalie Arena. |
| D．Al Lang Stadium. |
| A．In a fashion magazine. |
| B．In a scientific journal. |
| C．In a travel brochure. |
| D．In a sports report. |
3 . If Confucius（孔子）were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy（哲学）. Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West. As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to ________| A．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| B．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| C．attract the readers’ interest in the subject |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America | B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Chinese Culture for Westerners | D．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| A．a newspaper | B．a history paper |
| C．a philosophy textbook | D．a p biography |
