1 . The National Gallery
Description:
The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London. It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13th-century religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh. The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance.
Layout:
The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13th- to 15th-century paintings, and artists include Duccio, Uccello, Van Eyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli and Memling.
The main West Wing houses 16th-century paintings, and artists include Leonardo da Vinci , Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titian and Veronese.
The North Wing houses 17th-century paintings, and artists include Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van de Dyck, Velázquez, Claude and Vermeer.
The East Wing houses 18th- to early 20th-century paintings, and artists include Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Renoir and Van Gogh.
Opening Hours:
The Gallery is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm (Fridays 10 am to 9 pm ) and is free, but charges apply to some special exhibitions.
Getting There:
Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross (2-minute walk), Leicester Square (3-minute walk), Embankment (7-minute walk), and Piccadilly Circus (8-minute walk).
1. In which wing can you see religious paintings?| A．In the West Wing | B．In the North Wing |
| C．In the East Wing | D．In the Sainsbury Wing |
| A．The National Gallery is the biggest British national art museum. |
| B．The Gallery is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. |
| C．The Gallery is completely free. |
| D．There are four exhibition areas in the National Gallery. |
| A．A museum guide. | B．An artist magazine. |
| C．A news report. | D．A tourist map. |
2 . While some customs like setting off fireworks and counting down the last few seconds seem universal, many countries have their own unique New Year’s Eve traditions.
Denmark: Break plates
A Danish tradition is to throw plates and dishes against friend’s and neighbor’s front doors. It’s a bit of a popularity contest as the bigger the pile of broken china is the next morning, the more friends and good luck you’ll have in the coming year.
Germany: Pouring lead
In Germany, people melt small pieces of lead in a spoon over a candle, then pour the liquid into cold water. The shapes from the lead pouring are supposed to reveal what the year ahead will bring. If the lead forms a ball, luck will roll one’s way, while the shape of a crown means wealth; a cross means death and a star will bring happiness.
Spain: Twelve grapes of luck
In Spain, one New Year’s tradition is to eat 12 grapes, one for each month of the coming year, to secure prosperity (繁荣). You need to eat one grape with each bell strike at midnight. The tradition dates from 1909 when farmers in Alicante came up with this idea to sell more grapes after an exceptional harvest.
Philippines: Round food, round clothes, round everything
In the Philippines, the start of the new year is all about the money. The locals believe that surrounding themselves with round things (to represent coins) will bring money or fortune. As a result, clothes with dots are worn and round food is eaten.
1. What is believed to bring good luck for the coming new year in Denmark?| A．A red candle. | B．Round food. | C．Broken china. | D．A lead cross. |
| A．A way to make coins. | B．An act to keep power. |
| C．A desire to be popular. | D．An idea to gain profit. |
| A．Fashion. | B．Travel. | C．Culture. | D．Entertainment. |
3 . Influenced by many negative reports, some people usually regard teenagers as lacking a sense of responsibility, concern for others, and awareness of life. To break the stereotype（刻板印象）, I'm going to talk about the story of Jordan Rice.
I suspect you've got no idea about who Jordan Rice is. Actually, Jordan Rice was a 13-year-old boy who lived with his mom, dad, and little brother Blake in Toowoomba, Australia. He went to buy school uniform this Monday with his mom and brother. It was around 2 pm, when they were in the car on the way back from the shops. Not an unusual day.
Unexpectedly, a huge flood poured into the area. The water rose high enough to shut off the engine. Unfortunately, they were trapped in floodwaters. Mom got into a panic, and Jordan was frightened because he couldn't swim. No one came to help them out until an old man grabbed a rope, tied it to his body, and jumped into the water. Hopes were growing for the survival of Jordan—the old man was swimming toward him. Instead of seizing the chance, Jordan pushed Blake forward, saying, "Save my brother first."
There was no time for arguing. The old man tied the rope around Blake and carried him ashore. Then he swam back to save the other two. But the strain of the flood and the weight of two people were too much for the rope. It broke and so did Jordan and his mothers' hope. They were carried away by the brown water. Though they managed to hold on to a tree for a little while, they finally loosened their grip and accepted their fate. Being the only survivor of the trip, Blake was reunited with his father to become a family of two.
Jordan Rice was a 13-year-old boy from Toowoomba, Australia. During the destructive floods of Queensland, Jordan Rice sacrificed his life for his little brother. He is a hero and deserves to be remembered.
1. What does the author think of some people's opinion about teenagers?| A．It's a reasonable belief. | B．It's a fair evaluation. |
| C．It's an out-of-date view. | D．It's a prejudiced idea. |
| A．He couldn't reach others. |
| B．His rope was not long enough. |
| C．There was no time for making other choices. |
| D．He believed that Jordan Rice could swim out. |
| A．Your Voice. | B．Star Stories. | C．News Express. | D．Magic World. |
| A．Save my brother | B．Meet the challenge |
| C．Be brave, boy | D．Accept your fate, teenager |
4 . Reducing, reusing and recycling is a way of life in Sweden. Recycling is required by law and garbage is sorted at home before it goes to a recycling center. Recyclables are sorted into seven categories and recycling stations are within just 300 meters of all residential areas. “Recycling almost everything is a must in Sweden now. It actually feels very uncomfortable when you visit another country and can't find easy ways to recycle,” said Owen Gaffney, an expert at Stockholm Resilience Centre and Future Earth.
But not all of its garbage is recycled. Sweden uses alternatives that include burning garbage to make electricity instead of using fossil fuels to heat 1.2 million homes. About half of household garbage is sent to one of the 33 waste-to-heat plants. Sweden is importing garbage from other countries to keep these plants running. Sweden is also a world leader in turning food waste into eco-friendly biogas. It has made food waste collection compulsory beginning in 2021. There is a food waste biogas plant, which allows biogas to be used to run public buses and to heat apartment buildings.
Sweden now wants to deal with those remaining items that cannot be recycled by using a circular(循环论证的)economy approach. It means that products can be reused and only recycled when absolutely necessary. The Swedish government formed an advisory group to find a new way of making this part of its environmental policy.
This will not work effectively unless people are taught to change their behavior. Now the government is reforming its tax code so that people could get cheaper repairs or buy used things. The large Swedish clothing retailer(零售商)H&M operates a recycling program that gives customers discounts when they bring back old clothing.
Sweden is fighting climate change by doing all the right stuff. Waste recycling and the plans to switch to a circular economy will go a long way in reducing its carbon footprint and will help stop global warming.
1. What do we know about Sweden?| A．Sweden imports household garbage for biogas. |
| B．Everything is recycled after being used in Sweden. |
| C．Half of garbage in Sweden is used to produce heat. |
| D．It is convenient to recycle things in Sweden. |
| A．Teach people how to save fossil fuels. | B．Conduct a survey about the local economy. |
| C．Make sure the citizens recycle wisely. | D．Offer advice on environmental policy. |
| A．It provides various recycling programs. | B．It cuts down taxes on new products. |
| C．It offers lower prices for repairs. | D．It gives discounts to regular buyers. |
| A．A book on city environment. | B．A news report on local environment. |
| C．A science report on public health. | D．A travel guide on Sweden. |
5 . One of the most important creations of science is the invention of the lighthouses. Lighthouses help in a number of activities such as marking of the dangerous coastlines and directing safe entries to the harbours. The following are some famous lighthouses.
The Jeddah Light
It is located in Saudi Arabia. This lighthouse has been constructed very beautifully and adorns a beautiful structure. The Jeddah Light was built in 1990. This lighthouse is considered as the tallest of the world reaching a fine height of around 436 feet.
The Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse
It is addressed as the “lighthouse at the end of the world”. The Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse is located on a small island east of Ushuaia, the southernmost city of the world. This lighthouse was built in 1920 and today it has become a very famous tourist attraction in Argentina. However, visits to this lighthouse can be made only by boat.
The Peggys Point Lighthouse
Lit in 1915, it is an icon and a popular monument of Canada. The Peggys Point Lighthouse has become a major tourist sight and is considered as one of the busiest attractions in the area of Nova Scotia. This lighthouse also fetches you a wonderful scenic drive and visiting here, you can indulge yourself in the beauty of nature.
The Slettnes Lighthouse
It is the northernmost lighthouse that is located on the mainland of Europe and is considered as one of the most famous lighthouses of the world. This lighthouse is mostly considered as the North Cape Light and is the top lighthouse of Europe. The Slettnes Lighthouse firstly began to light in 1905. Though it was highly damaged during the World War Ⅱ by the Germans, yet it was restored and lit again. This lighthouse is very classic as to its looks.
1. Which lighthouse is only accessible by sea?| A．The Peggys Point Lighthouse. | B．The Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse. |
| C．The Jeddah Light. | D．The Slettnes Lighthouse. |
| A．The lighthouse has a very classic appearance. | B．It was lit again after the restoration in 1905. |
| C．It is the best-known lighthouse in the world. | D．Visiting the lighthouse draws you close to nature. |
| A．A scientific journal. | B．A history textbook. | C．A travel magazine. | D．A design handbook. |
6 . Most people can't wait for spring to arrive. It means flowers and warmer weather, all welcome changes from the dark winter days. Now we know that spring is arriving sooner in the Northern Hemisphere (北半球）than it was in the past, thanks to a study published in Scientific Reports.
For example, Los Angeles may experience spring only a day earlier than it did 10 years ago, but further north, in Seattle or Chicago, spring will arrive four days earlier. If you lived in the Arctic, spring could arrive 16 days earlier than it used to.
To determine how springtime is starting earlier, researchers looked at temperature records and 743 earlier studies over 86 years. These studies were about various biological indicators of spring, including birds migrating, plants flowering and amphibians（两栖动物）sounding their mating calls. Researchers then studied these data to see if they were occurring earlier. The result showed that not only is spring making itself known sooner but it's warmer, too.
Before you go out in a happy springtime hike, spring arriving sooner isn't so good. The livelihood of migratory birds, for instance, may be concerned.
“The food that birds rely on when they move to the north might not be reliable if the beginning of spring at these higher latitudes（维度）is expanded by future warming." said Eric Post. He is a fellow of the John Muir Institute and a polar ecologist.
Animals relying on Arctic sea ice, like polar bears, probably aren't crazy about things warming up sooner, either, because it impacts on their ability to hunt. Spring's early arrival could cause disorder in the delicate balance of various ecosystems~~not to mention how soon you'll need to buy allergy medicine.
1. We learn from the study published in Scientific Reports that.| A．spring comes earliest in Los Angeles |
| B．Los Angeles is further north than Seattle |
| C．spring comes 12 days earlier in Arctic than in Chicago |
| D．the further north a place lies, the sooner spring comes than before |
| A．comparing related data available |
| B．conducting research and test |
| C．calculating the exact length of each spring |
| D．observing animal's behavior all year round |
| A．Concerns over spring's early arrival. |
| B．Springtime emergence of creatures. |
| C．Early springtime's impacts on humans. |
| D．Disorder in the balance of ecosystems. |
| A．Medical Report. | B．Survival Stories. |
| C．Scientific Discoveries. | D．Natural environment |
7 . A recent study from a team of South Korean researchers suggests that eating alone often may lead to poor eating habits and poor food choices. Specifically, the study found that men who ate alone more than twice a week had a greater risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
For children, eating with their families is not only about preventing bad results—it is also about developing good ones.
In 2014, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) looked at data from nearly three-quarters of the world’s countries. Among its findings was the fact that students who shared a main meal with their families were less likely to skip school. Children who eat a main meal with their families are also less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol.
In the report titled “The Importance of Family Dinners”, researchers say that “teens who have frequent family dinners are more likely to say their parents know a lot about what’s going on in their lives”. They also claim that when teens say they feel closer to their parents, they are less likely to use drugs and alcohol.
Another study from the University of Montreal found that children who ate with their families experience long-term physical and mental health benefits. These children were physically in better shape and drank fewer sugary soft drinks. These children also seemed to have better social skills and they were less aggressive (好斗的).
Professor Linda Pagani says that mealtimes shared with parents “likely provide young children with first-hand social interactions, discussions of social issues and day-to-day concerns”. She adds that they may likely help the child have better communication skills with others.
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．Advantages of eating with parents. | B．Benefits of eating alone. |
| C．Ways of developing social skills. | D．Dangers of using drugs and alcohol. |
| A．Abuse drugs and alcohol. | B．Drink more sugary soft drinks. |
| C．Get on well with their parents. | D．Be more socially active and aggressive. |
| A．To introduce a famous person. | B．To offer background information. |
| C．To explain further. | D．To show the disadvantage of eating with parents. |
| A．A popular novel. | B．A travel magazine. |
| C．A science report. | D．A biology textbook. |
8 . Sometimes fishing ships disappear: Captains turn off the radios that broadcast their locations, leaving regulators wondering whether the ships are fishing illegally. Now, researchers have shown that albatrosses(信天翁)bearing small detectors can find these doubtful ships, even in the middle of the open ocean. After a 6-month study with the large seabirds, the researchers say that more than one-third of ships in the southern Indian Ocean are fishing illegally.
“These are animal police,” says Boris Worm of Dalhousie University. “You’re empowering animals to survey their own environment, ”Worm says. “That’s pretty cool.” The method could also help albatrosses themselves, which can be killed when they get caught or accidentally eat fishing hooks. The researchers will be there on time.
Illegal fishing is a major concern for environment biologists, especially in remote areas. Over the past decade, scientists have studied the problem with data from automatic identification systems (AISs) on ships, which send their identity, location, speed, and direction to satellites. But AlSs can be turned off. Researchers suspect that fishing ships turn off AISs when they are fishing illegally or want to prevent competitors from knowing where they are getting a good catch.
Albatrosses make good spies. The birds, which live on fish, can spot a fishing ship from as far away as 30 kilometers. Some species fly hundreds or thousands of kilometers while hunting. Between December 2018 and June 2019, the birds met 353 ships. Those locations were sent to the lab in less than 2 hours. If they did not match the locations of ships with an active AIS, the team knew the ships had switched it off. In international waters, 37% of detected ships had their AlS switched off and fished illegally.
Although the albatrosses can detect ships, they cannot track them over longer distances, one scientist says. He says, “What you need to do is to look for patterns to take pictures as evidence.” More albatrosses will be arranged in March and April around the Prince Edward Islands in the southern Indian Ocean to reveal the illegal fishing.
1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?| A．Fishing ships disappear sometimes. |
| B．Illegal fishing is very serious in the open ocean. |
| C．Some seabirds are used to monitor the illegal fishing. |
| D．One-third of ships in the southern Indian Ocean are fishing illegally. |
| A．They can get enough food. |
| B．They can get saved when in danger. |
| C．They can protect their own rights of fishing. |
| D．They can avoid being killed or eating fishing hooks. |
| A．By sending locations of ships. |
| B．By turning off AISs of the ships. |
| C．By following the ships as far as possible. |
| D．By taking the pictures of ships fishing illegally. |
| A．Education. | B．Politics. | C．Science. | D．Health |
9 . If you are dreaming of visiting one of those picture-perfect European towns filled with old-world attractiveness and scenic beauty, here is a look at the most beautiful small towns in Europe.
Manarola
Manarola, Italy, is filled with rainbow-colored homes along the Mediterranean (地中海) coast. This attractive fishing town is famous for its unbelievable wine, and the paintings. There are no cars here, no traffic lights, or traffic noise. You can drive to Manarola, but you will have to park just outside the town and then take a shuttle bus or walk in on foot.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, is a fascinating mountain town, once two separate towns, one Roman and the other Teutonic. The 1936 Winter Olympics forced them to become one, though the two sides still have different characters. The town dates back to 15 AD, filled with narrow streets lined with historic three or four-story buildings painted with religious scenes (宗教场景).
Marsaxlokk
The energetic trading port of Marsaxlokk, Malta, was built in 900 BC. Today, this picture-like town is the main supplier (供应地) of fish to the island nation that sits in the Mediterranean Sea. It has no modern buildings to ruin its attractiveness. With such quiet surroundings, including the traditional fishing boats, it is a particularly charming (迷人的) place to visit.
Port Magee
In a country filled with beautiful towns, Port Magee, is a standout, sitting on the southwest coast of Ireland. This seaside fishing town has a row of brightly colored buildings along with a rich and colorful history. At The Bridge Bar, you will find live music many nights of the week along with nice food and a fine glass of beer.
1. In which town are tourists not allowed to go sightseeing by car?| A．Manarola. | B．Garmisch-Partenkirchen. |
| C．Marsaxlokk. | D．Port Magee. |
| A．wine and paintings | B．religious scenes |
| C．fishing boats and old buildings | D．rich history and live music |
| A．prefer enjoyment in an old coastal fishing town |
| B．want to stay on a Mediterranean island |
| C．have special interest in traditional fishing boats |
| D．need to be refreshed in a mountain town |
| A．newspaper | B．tourist guide |
| C．scientific magazine | D．geography book |
10 . October 15th is Global Hand Washing Day. Activities are planned in more than twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap.
Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at so-called critical moments. These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food.
Global Hand Washing Day is the idea of the Public-Private Partnership for hand washing with soap. The goal, they say, is to create a culture of hand washing with soap. The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs. They say the correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas including under the fingernails. Then, rinse well under running water. Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth.
The Partnership says soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing. Soap also helps to break up the dirt that holds most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which increases the chances that people will wash again. It also says that washing hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any medicine. It could help reduce cases of diarrhea（痢疾）, which is the second leading cause of children deaths. Do remember October 15th-Global Hand Washing Day!
1. What's the best title for this passage?| A．Say no to washing hands. |
| B．Hand washing: so important—it gets a day of its own. |
| C．Find out why washing hands carefully is so important. |
| D．Want to live a longer life?—wash your hands. |
| A．to dry your hands | B．to clean your fingers |
| C．to rub your hands carefully | D．to wash away the soap |
| A．why washing hand with soap is so important |
| B．how to wash your hands correctly |
| C．the dangers of washing hands without soap |
| D．when we should especially wash our hands with soap |
| A．Entertainment | B．Health report |
| C．Public service | D．Advertisement |
