1 . How to Be a Good Upstairs Neighbor
One must remember to be polite when living in an apartment building. You may unintentionally bother your neighbors with actions that you think to be harmless.
Place carpets in your apartment if you have hardwood floors. Doing so is another way to decrease the sound of steps coming from an upstairs apartment. You can also put your furniture on these carpets.
Close your windows when you can. A floor is usually about three meters high, so it’s quite easy to hear your conversations.
Do your cleaning on weekend afternoons.
| A．Wear slippers while in your upstairs apartment. |
| B．It becomes much easier when your windows are open. |
| C．No matter what you do, consider your neighbor’s requirements. |
| D．There’ll be a time when you will run a cleaner to clean your room. |
| E．This is especially true for those people who live above an apartment. |
| F．It will disturb your downstairs neighbor who has to work the next morning. |
| G．This keeps your furniture from moving around, thus limiting noise a downstairs neighbor may hear. |
Heard of the “metaverse” (元宇宙) lately? It has been hard not to. “Metaverse”, a
Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg mentioned this term 16 times on a meeting
But he didn’t coin the term. Neal Stephenson’s 1992 science fiction is regarded as the original inspiration for the concept. Tech giants want to play a role — preferably a
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The last decade has seen AR and VR develop
3 . An 85-year-old primary school constructed in 1935 in Shanghai has been lifted off the ground completely and relocated using new technology called the “walking machine”. The project marks the first time this “walking machine” method has been used in Shanghai to relocate a historic building.
Urbanization (都市化) has continued to significantly threaten architectural heritage. In the capital Beijing, for instance, more than 1,000 acres of its historic hutongs and traditional courtyard homes were destroyed between 1990 and 2010.
In the early 2000s, due to the critics’ protest against the loss of old neighborhoods, cities including Nanjing and Beijing drew up long-term plans to preserve what was left of their historic sites, with protections introduced to safeguard buildings and set limits to developers. These protection efforts have taken different forms. In Beijing, a near-ruined building was transformed into a restaurant and gallery, while in Nanjing, a cinema from the 1930s was restored to its original form, with some parts of it changed for modern use. In 2019, Shanghai welcomed Tank Shanghai, an arts center built in renovated (重修) oil tanks.
“Relocation is not the first choice, but better than destroying them,” said Lan, the Shanghai primary school’s project supervisor. He also added, “Building relocation is a workable option. The central government is putting more emphasis on the protection of historic buildings. I’m happy to see that progress in recent years.”
Shanghai has been generally acknowledged as China’s most active city when it comes to heritage preservation. The survival of a number of 1930s buildings and 19th-century stone gatehouses has offered distinct examples of how to give old buildings new life.
“We have to preserve the historic building no matter what,” Lan said. “The relocation has challenges, but in general, it is cheaper than destroying and then rebuilding something in a new location.”
1. How did cities respond to the loss of historic sites?| A．They criticized the developers. | B．They rebuilt the historic hutongs. |
| C．They proposed the protection project. | D．They transformed them into restaurants. |
| A．Introduce different opinions on building relocation. |
| B．Summarize the main idea of the previous paragraphs. |
| C．Add some background information about heritage preservation. |
| D．Provide strong evidence for the success in protecting old buildings. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Favorable. | C．Opposed. | D．Skeptical. |
| A．Walking Machine: New Technology | B．Shanghai: A Pioneer of Urbanization |
| C．Old Building Destroyed for Modern Use | D．Historic Site “Walks” to New Life |
4 . When you hear the name Leonardo da Vinci, what pops into your mind? Maybe his most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa, one of the most famous and valuable pieces of art in the world hanging in the Louvre Museum in Paris, or the Last Supper, the most widely reproduced religious painting ever. Many people call Leonardo da Vinci one of the greatest artists of all time for his great achievements in paintings.
Despite his fame as an artist, da Vinci is also known as a true “Renaissance Man”. The term comes from fifteenth-century Italy and refers to the idea of a person with knowledge and skills in a number of different areas. Perhaps, no single individual defines the idea of a Renaissance man better than Leonardo da Vinci – an artist, inventor, architect and engineer.
Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most productive inventors in history. He drew early sketches of devices that would later become the parachute, bicycle, helicopter, and tank. He even drew a flying machine based on thephysiologyof the bat. Leonardo has also been given credit by historians for many more inventions.
Once in the courtyard of Senor Ludovico, Leonardo da Vinci constantly invented various “labor- saving devices” for use in the kitchen. At the same time, he began to keep notebooks filled with drawings and his thoughts. The funny thing was that most of the drawings, which for several hundred years were considered by researchers to be mechanisms for military operations, in fact, turned out to be quite peaceful meat grinders, dishwashers, mechanical devices for cracking nuts. The restless Leonardo invented the manual garlic press, which has remained virtually unchanged to our day, a foot-operated napkin dryer, an egg cutter, and many other useful things.
The most interesting anecdote about him may be his invention of spaghetti (意大利面条). Of course, pasta has existed in Italy since ancient time. But it was hard and very broad substance, like a heavy lump of lasagna (面块). Leonardo made a machine that cut pasta into long thin strips, which after boiling turned into spaghetti.
1. Leonardo da Vinci is mentioned as a “Renaissance Man” because ________.| A．he was one of the greatest artists. | B．he had diverse talents. |
| C．his paintings were universally copied. | D．he was born during the Renaissance in Italy. |
| A．They were practical for everyday use. | B．They included many notebooks. |
| C．They have remained unchanged to our day. | D．They were intended for military operations. |
| A．Taste. | B．Color. | C．Fragrance. | D．Shape. |
| A．da Vinci’s life experiences. | B．da Vinci’s skills in engineering. |
| C．da Vinci’s achievements in architecture. | D．da Vinci’s personalities. |
5 . A few years ago, I moved to Aurora, Ont. with my boyfriend and I longed to make friends in my new neighborhood.
Where we lived the houses were jammed together so tightly. But the irony (讽刺) of living so close was that no one actually talked to each other; as in an open-concept office, they pretend they can’t hear or see each other to maintain at least an illusion of privacy.
It was not so easy to make friends as an adult. I was about to give up when I caught sight of a beautiful, tall blonde taking out her recycling. She walked with confidence—even her ponytail bounced. I gasped, “I recycle too! We have so much in common!”
The question was, how would we meet? What would I say? So I thought, “What if I just happened to be jogging by?” I put on my running shoes, but after a few times around the block, dripping sweat, I didn’t see her. I decided to seize on the one thing I already knew about her— she takes out her blue bin.
The following day, I woke up a little earlier than usual. A little after 8 a.m., the garage truck appeared and the blonde emerged. I grabbed a bin and made my way to the end of my driveway. “Just act naturally, Megan,” I told myself. “Good morning. How are you?” I said, cool as a cucumber. “Good. And you?” she replied. “Doing well…I am a new comer, just a DJ. I talk for a living. Clearly!” “Interesting,” she said.
As we both walked away, I turned and called out, “Oh, and by the way, I’m Megan.” “Michelle,” she replied. I walked back inside, wearing a giant grin.
Our “coincidental” recycling meet-ups continued for a few weeks until I finally gathered my courage to ask her to watch The Bachelor with me and she said yes.
That night, after we got everything ready, we settled on the couch and proceeded to drink wine, binge from our buffet, dissect doomed television relationships, tell stories about our own and laugh our faces off. We “found what we’d been looking for”: a new friend to fall platonically in love with.
1. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2?| A．The author lived in a small house. |
| B．The neighbors actually didn’t have privacy. |
| C．The author lived in a very crowded neighborhood. |
| D．The neighbors did not communicate with each other. |
| A．The tall blonde pretended to be very cool. |
| B．The tall blonde wore a big smile when talking. |
| C．The author was quite satisfied with their first talk. |
| D．The two friends met accidentally when the truck came. |
| A．Timid but kind-hearted. | B．Shy but persistent. |
| C．Hospitable and generous. | D．Caring and modest. |
| A．A DJ talking for a living began to recycle. |
| B．A blonde watched The Bachelor with a DJ. |
| C．A new comer finally made friends with a blonde. |
| D．Two women recycled together in the neighborhood. |
6 . As the popularity of hiking vacations grows , scores of walkers have discovered hiking over trails(路线) sparks an instant connection with the land. This interaction with nature also provides fantastic exercise, combining sightseeing and workouts into one.
Inca Trail, Peru
The four-day, 27-mile trail starts outside the tiny town of Ollantaytambo and winds through a number of passes in the Andes Alone the wav the trail passes nearly a dozen archaeological sites that serve as evidence of the Inca culture.
Cape Scott Trail, British Columbia
The new five-day, 36-mile Cape Scott Trail begins gradually. From the trailhead at Cape Scott Provincial Park, the trail follows an old settler's road along a stream. The highlights of this hike are its river crossings. Hikers must pull themselves across the cable-car crossings for both water ways , an effort that leaves shoulders suffering pain from overuse. Still, the thrill of crossing wilderness rivers is hard to get anywhere in life.
Skeleton Gorge(峡谷) , South Africa
The three-day trail through Skeleton Gorge is absolutely a natural feast to the eyes. The trail begins just outside Kirstenbosch, one of eight National Botanical Gardens in the country. Starting at Cecilia Forest, the trail is flat for the first section, and then climbs steeply into the gorge. This second part of the hike is tricky, with two ladders and loose river stones to negotiate as the peak comes into view.
Larapinta Trail, Australia
Australia's Larapinta Trail, a 130-mile hike across the northern desert of the island continent, is divided into 12 sections, each of which can be completed in l or 2 days. Each section is accessible by off-road vehicle. The route itself passes some of the most spectacular natural features: Simpsons Gap, Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge and Glen Helen.
1. Which trail takes the longest time?| A．Inca Trail, Peru. | B．Larapinta Trail, Australia. |
| C．Skeleton Gorge, South Africa. | D．Cape Scott Trail, British Columbia. |
| A．Little effort to complete it. |
| B．An old settler's road of exploring. |
| C．Great pleasure to swim in the stream. |
| D．A unique experience of crossing rivers. |
| A．Various natural features. | B．Different botanical gardens. |
| C．Wonderful desert scenery. | D．Convenient off-road vehicles. |
The Argentina Football Association confirmed Maradona's death on Wednesday and expressed the deepest sorrow for the
Argentina's President announced three days of national mourning
Maradona will lie at Argentina's presidential palace where his fans will have the chance to say goodbye to their hero. Meanwhile, a minute's silence
8 . You wear your mask to minimize your risk of Covid-19. But as you walk in a supermarket, you approach someone who looks familiar. To avoid an awkward exchange, you flash them a friendly smile. It's not until you pass that you remember: Your smile was hidden behind a mask.
Do remember the face isn't totally covered. Happiness, sadness, fear and surprise can be communicated through facial expressions alone. But when part of the face is masked, it becomes more difficult to recognize them.
We communicate through body language. Learning how people use their bodies to convey emotion may help reduce the uncertainty you feel when communicating with someone in a mask.
| A．Become aware of your own body language, too. |
| B．So instead of increasing volume, try talking clearly. |
| C．Without question, masks have disturbed social communication. |
| D．Wearing a mask makes you feel more distracted and self-conscious. |
| E．Fortunately, you can regain some control over communication by working with the eyes. |
| F．Facial expressions are the primary way people exhibit emotion. |
| G．Don't forget the impact of your voice. |
9 . “If you don't behave, I'll call the police”is a lie that parents might use to get their young children to behave. A new psychological(心理学的) study led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore suggests that it is connected with harmful effects when the children become adults.
The research team asked 379 Singaporean young adults whether their parents lied to them when they were children, how much they lie to their parents as adults, and how well they respond adulthood challenges.
The first questionnaire asked these young adults to recall if their parents told them lies about eating, leaving or staying, spending money and so on. Some examples of such lies are “If you don't come with me now, I will leave you here by yourself”and“I don’t bring money with me today, we can come back another day”.The second questionnaire included questions that could show how often they lie to their parents as adults. Lastly, these young adults filled in two other questionnaires that asked them about their psychological problems and tendency (趋势)to behave selfishly and impulsively(冲动地).
Adults who reported being lied to more as children were more likely to report lying to their parents in their adulthood. They also said they faced greater difficulty in meeting psychological and social challenges.
Lead author Setoh Peipei from NTU Singapore's School of Social Sciences said, “Parenting by lying can seem to save time, especially when the real reasons behind why parents want children to do something are difficult to explain. When parents tell children that‘honesty is the best policy’，but display dishonesty by lying, such behavior can send negative messages to their children. Parents' dishonesty may finally erode trust and encourage dishonesty in children”
“Our research suggests that parenting by lying is a practice that has negative influence on children when they grow up. Parents should be aware of these possible risks and consider other ways to replace lying, such as knowing children's feelings, giving information so children know what to expect, offering choices and solving problems together, to encourage children to have good behavior, ”said lead author Setoh Peipei.
But the study has its limitations. Some limitations of the study include depending on what young adults report about their parents' lying. “Future research can explore using many informants(提供信息的人), such as parents, to report on the same thing”suggested Setoh.
1. What did the research team do during the study?| A．They turned to 379 Singaporean children |
| B．They looked for questionnaires on the Internet. |
| C．They collected answers to some sets of questions |
| D．They asked the young adults parents for information |
| A．build | B．enhance | C．destroy | D．recover |
| A．Parents can sometimes tell harmless lies to their kids |
| B．Parents had better explain to their kids why they’ve lied |
| C．Parents who like lying are more likely to behave selfishly |
| D．Parents should use positive ways instead of lying during parenting |
| A．Parents 'lying to children can influence them negatively |
| B．Parents lie to children to save themselves some trouble. |
| C．Children's behavior can be affected by their parents |
| D．Children may lie more if their parents often lie. |
10 . Love sugar-white sand beaches? Whether you’re looking to ski down the side of a mountain or surf in the sunshine, you’ll find the following four places in the best winter travel destination (目的地) list.
Best for: Families and water babies
The newly-built Coral Towers at the Atlantis resort (旅游胜地) in Paradise Island, Bahamas, with new next-door neighbor Marina Village, an open-air shopping and dining marketplace, are just two of the newest reasons to visit this Caribbean popular travel destination. Don’t forget about Aquaventure, the world’s largest open-air water park. With the average winter temperatures between the mid 60°F and high 70°F, it’s a perfect place to escape the cold.
Best for: Winter sports lovers
Known as “Ski City” because of its position as the gateway to “the Greatest Snow on Earth” at four of the U. S.A.’s best ski resorts — Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, and Solitude — Salt Lake City welcomes winter sports lovers all around the world. In addition to wonderful skiing and snowboarding tracks, Utah Olympic Park offers an unforgettable experience that will make you feel like an Olympian in training.
Best for: Adventurers
Iceland in the winter is simply dreamy and temperatures aren’t as cool as you might think. Plus, there’s no better time than winter to view the Northern Lights. Short winter days mean you’ll have an even greater chance to catch the magic. An increasing number of flights in and out of Reykjavik make it easier than ever to visit.
Best for: Families and theme park lovers
Whether you come for the Pro Bowl in January, the new Toy Story land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Supercharged ride at Universal Studios Florida, Orlando is yet another warm-weather destination for winter travel. The weather is at its best and the crowds are at their thinnest.
1. Which of the following is a good place for shopping?| A．Iceland. | B．Aquaventure. |
| C．Marina Village. | D．Ski City. |
| A．The new Toy Story land. | B．Sugar-white sand beaches. |
| C．An open-air dinning marketplace. | D．The magic of the Northern Lights. |
| A．Salt Lake City | B．Orlando |
| C．Reykjavik | D．Brighton |
