1 . If you find yourself crossing one of London’s busy bridges and look down, you may notice that the height of the Thames changes over the course of the day. When the tide (潮水) is out, you may see people move down hidden stairs to walk slowly along the foreshore (前滩). These are “mudlarks” — and they play a key role in preserving the history of the Thames by picking up objects and artefacts (手工艺品) hidden in the river’s mud (泥).
Walking along the foreshore of the Thames is not everyone’s idea of a hobby — it can be cold and dirty. When the tide turns, it turns fast. You must always be aware of your way off of the foreshore. The mud is another hazard. A more experienced mudlark said he had once fallen into the mud. He was lucky to have a bucket to move out the mud.
Historically, being a mudlark was a low station in life. The term came about in the 18th and 19th centuries when the Thames was one of the major ways to transport goods into the city. At this time, the banks of the river would be full of mudlarks, mostly poor women and children. As the tide dropped, they would walk into the mud to pick up lumps of coal, pieces of rope or anything else careless boatmen had dropped overboard that they could sell.
Mudlarking is experiencing a renaissance (复兴). It has never been easier for people to explore the Thames: anyone looking for inspiration just has to follow the mudlarking posts on the Internet. The Thames Discovery Programme, a group of historians and volunteers, run guided tours of the foreshore where experts guide you and ensure that you stay safe and stick to Port of London Authority rules.
1. Why do people go mudlarking these days?| A．To take more exercise. | B．To keep the river clean. |
| C．To find historical objects. | D．To study how the tide changes. |
| A．Power. | B．Danger. | C．Attraction. | D．Waste. |
| A．It was considered as a hobby. | B．It was loved by most people. |
| C．It promoted the development of transport. | D．It allowed poor people to make a living. |
| A．To give support to mudlarks. | B．To test mudlarks’ working skills. |
| C．To inspire mudlarks’ love for art. | D．To encourage mudlarks to volunteer. |
2 . A little girl created a perfect gift for her mother’s birthday. It was a drawing of a
For most people, that would be the
“I was sitting at my friend’s house and saw a man’s
The comments included one from Robert Alvarado. He wrote, “I can’t
“Eventually the letter made it home,” said Alvarado. “We are
| A．bird | B．card | C．cake | D．flower |
| A．received | B．destroyed | C．lost | D．posted |
| A．end | B．part | C．influence | D．cause |
| A．promised | B．invited | C．seen | D．called |
| A．paper | B．cash | C．bag | D．tool |
| A．proved | B．explained | C．realised | D．admitted |
| A．satisfied | B．frightened | C．shocked | D．touched |
| A．start | B．continue | C．brighten | D．ruin |
| A．obviously | B．extremely | C．especially | D．probably |
| A．photograph | B．arrival | C．conclusion | D．reply |
| A．forget | B．believe | C．understand | D．pretend |
| A．read | B．present | C．return | D．publish |
| A．ready | B．grateful | C．responsible | D．anxious |
| A．little | B．certain | C．useless | D．extra |
| A．general | B．beneficial | C．lasting | D．reasonable |
3 . Good relationship are definitely good sources of happiness in life. We all want happy relationships but if we do not keep that relationship alive, it can also be one of the most distraught things in life. There may be no hard and fast rules in making good relationships, as each of us has different preferences and points of view as to what is a great relationship. The following are some major key players in making relationships work.
It is often said that building good relationship is all about communication. Good communication indeed governs a good relationship—knowing the right thing to say, when to say it, how to say it, and accepting some things that are better left unsaid. I personally think communication must be broadened because relationships involve more decisions to make. From study to work, from money to entertainment and even in things about yourself or about your friends that you do not know, communication is necessary in these aspects of the relationships.
Of course, being with someone is not saying that you totally agree with him or her all the time. You and your friends come from different family backgrounds, raised in different environment so there may be disagreement here and there. However, it is important in making relationship work to express disagreements without pushing the relationship to end. Again, good communication and learning to compromise(妥协) at times are necessary.
As relationships last longer, you may also discover things about you and your friends that you may not have known before. Therefore supporting each other on both your “hidden selves” can also make a good relationship.
Love is an important aspect of building relationships and for me, I always believe that love needs open communication, respect, support and understanding each other in making relationships work.
1. The underlined word “distraught” in Paragraph 1 probably means _________.| A．interesting | B．surprising | C．funny | D．upset |
| A．supporting each other in anything helps build a good relationship |
| B．a white lie is necessary sometimes |
| C．compromises are necessary at any time |
| D．your friends need to have the same backgrounds with you |
| A．Communication. | B．Support. |
| C．Hidden selves. | D．Love. |
| A．Forbidden Rules in Building Good Relationships. |
| B．Keys to Making Relationships Work. |
| C．Different Opinions on Good Relationships. |
| D．The Importance to Express Disagreements. |
4 . No matter how many times you go, Dubai always has something new in store for its natives and tourists. Let’s take a look at a few must-dos for your first time in this impressive city in the United Arab Emirates!
●Hit the famous Dubai Mall.
Any shopaholic (购物狂) worth their salt knows about the Dubai Mall, one of the most famous and the most expensive shopping centres in the world.
●Mind your manners.
While you’re searching for the next adventure, make sure you follow some basic rules of conduct that the local law prescribes. For example, if you’re travelling with your significant other, public displays of affection are strictly forbidden.
●
Although you’ll find many tourists wearing clothes considered not entirely polite by the locals, there are certain rules that are strictly implemented in restaurants, malls, and entertainment centres. So, if you put on something considered inappropriate or revealing, you risk being asked to leave a place.
●Save some time for Jumeirah Beach.
Situated conveniently close to Burj al Arab, this spectacular stretch of the coast is a perfect way to spend some time sunbathing and enjoying the warm waters of the Persian Gulf.
●Prepare your palate for Emirati cuisine.
Have you ever had a chance to sample Al Machboos, camel meat, or Manousheh? Arabic cuisine has some of the most extraordinary delicacies you could possibly imagine, few of which are prepared in the same manner outside of their native lands.
| A．Jumeirah Beach is about 10 kilometres long. |
| B．Pay attention to your dressing requirements. |
| C．If you’re travelling with kids, you’ll find the beach perfect. |
| D．Try the authentic Arabic coffee for a flavourful taste of the East. |
| E．Dubai is indeed a destination packed with adventure and culture. |
| F．Getting drunk or using offensive hand gestures are all illegal activities. |
| G．Home to around 1,300 stores, it is a wonderful shopping place. |
5 . Every day, millions of people surf the Internet, and there are countless websites for them to visit. Here are four popular websites for online users.
https://www. cracked. com
If you’re old enough, you might remember Cracked, the monthly magazine that was founded in 1958. Although the magazine is no longer printed, the website hutps://uwww. crached. com is still alive. The content(内容)of Cracked is humorous and tries to tell readers something new and unexpected.
https://www. buzzfeed. com
Are you looking for links to big news on the Internet? Look no further than hutps://www. buzafeed. com. Each day the website offers the latest stories and pictures that are crazily spread. BuzzFeed covers different topics and its articles are written by staff members, site users, and partner sites like The Huffington Post and The Daily Beast.
https://www. reddit. com
Reddit calls itself“the front page of the Internet”, and that is exactly what it is. Just as many people used to read the newspaper while eating breakfast, one to two million Internet users read Reddit every morning to get their daily news. The content of this website comes entirely from the public, with users uploading(上传) videos, links, stories, pictures, etc.
https://imgur. com
Do you know many of the funny pictures, GIFs and emojis(表情符号) that hit your Facebook come from Imgur? It’s a free website where users upload 1. 5 million pictures each day. Imgur users are especially fond of pictures of cute animals and beautiful natural wonders. And it is free to read and use. You can download any photo you like.
1. Which of the following can best describe the content of Cracked?| A．Serious and classical. | B．Formal and influential. |
| C．Funny and surprising. | D．Traditional and educational. |
| A．The funniest pictures. | B．The most humorous articles. |
| C．The latest videos. | D．The hottest news. |
| A．https://www. crached. com. | B．https://imgur. com. |
| C．https://www. buzfeed. com. | D．https://www. reddit. com. |
6 . When places are well-known and popular— historical and modern alike— we might take it for granted that they’ll be around forever. But sadly, many of the world’s best known and culturally significant landmarks are in trouble.
Mount Kilimanjaro’s peakThis mountain, one of the Seven Summits, proves that even giants can fall to climate change due to the vast amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. While the mountain itself, located in Tanzania, isn’t in danger at present, its iconic snow cap might disappear—and shockingly soon. Research found that the snow cap had lost 85% of the total area of its ice fields between 1912 and 2007, and the remaining ice could be history as early as 2030.
Machu PicchuLocated in southern Peru, Machu Picchu is the remains of a huge stone castle that was built during the 15th century. These unbelievable Incan ruins are widely considered one of the must-see spots in South America. However, the site has been a victim of over-tourism, seeing the harmful effects of the crowds it gets as they wear down the structures. In addition, the area surrounding Machu Picchu has seen rapid development of the cities, as well as mudslides and fires, in recent years, leading UNESCO to work for its protection.
Everglades National ParkThis stunning Floridian wildlife reserve has sadly found itself fighting for its life in recent years. As ‘the largest subtropical wilderness reserve’ in North America, according to UNESCO, it’s been a beloved travel destination for American citizens for decades, but the damage of time and human activity have not been kind to it. Its survival first came into question after it was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1993. But it’s human influence that has become the primary threat, as water flow to the site has decreased and the impacts of pollution have increased, resulting in harmful algal blooms (赤潮). Its vast, diverse wildlife is more threatened than ever before.
1. Which problem does Mount Kilimanjaro face?| A．Global warming | B．City development. |
| C．Over-tourism | D．Ice pollution. |
| A．They are the impacts of pollution and mudslides. |
| B．They are destroyed severely due to over-tourism. |
| C．They are famous but affected by human activities. |
| D．They are considered as victims of global warming. |
| A．Lack of popularity. | B．Hurricane Andrew. |
| C．Algal blooms. | D．Diverse wildlife. |
One medical text from the fourth century suggested using the e
8 . Every summer, my parents, my six-year-old brother and I go to stay in a small house by a lake. I like to
On 15 July this year, I was crawling (爬行) along the shore of the lake on my arms and knees,
I felt like a soldier in ancient times. When Daddy
This month, the archaeologists finally came to
Now,
| A．challenge | B．observe | C．build | D．explore |
| A．focusing on | B．looking for | C．taking on | D．picking up |
| A．nothing | B．everything | C．anything | D．something |
| A．buried | B．grown | C．discovered | D．lifted |
| A．explained | B．shouted | C．replied | D．reacted |
| A．gave | B．passed | C．showed | D．sold |
| A．Luckily | B．Hopefully | C．Generally | D．Actually |
| A．spread | B．search | C．remove | D．sweep |
| A．light | B．clear | C．old | D．strange |
| A．announced | B．responded | C．told | D．discussed |
| A．school | B．factory | C．government | D．museum |
| A．physics | B．geography | C．history | D．science |
| A．whenever | B．however | C．whatever | D．whoever |
| A．that | B．who | C．which | D．what |
| A．though | B．too | C．either | D．yet |
9 . Owura Kwadwo Hottish teaches computer science in a school. It is a normal school except for the fact that it didn’t have
Owura became famous after he posted photos of him on the Internet. In the picture. people could see he was teaching his students by
| A．classrooms | B．computers | C．playgrounds | D．tools |
| A．operating | B．repairing | C．describing | D．drawing |
| A．poor | B．unique | C．average | D．avanced |
| A．annoyed | B．pleased | C．frightened | D．surprised |
| A．line | B．culture | C．schedule | D．school |
| A．rubbed | B．called | C．cut | D．shown |
| A．exchange | B．improve | C．revise | D．repeat |
| A．broke out | B．paid off | C．came back | D．held back |
| A．care | B．control | C．place | D．notice |
| A．suggestion | B．speech | C．decision | D．arrangement |
| A．made | B．waited | C．received | D．carried |
| A．Suddenly | B．Importantly | C．Exactly | D．Naturally |
| A．lent | B．sold | C．donated | D．applied |
| A．efforts | B．pains | C．legend | D．experiment |
| A．glory | B．wisdom | C．kindness | D．pride |
Over 2,500 pieces of cultural relics dating back up to 2,200 years were unearthed in Guang zhou, capital of south China’s Guangdong Province, local authorities said Friday. The cultural relics were unearthed at
The
“The excavation outcomes are
