2 . Los Angeles County Museum of Art

What to know?

Next door to the La Brea Tar Pits sits the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the linchpin of the Los Angeles museum district. Since its opening in 1965, LACMA has showcased thousands of pieces, from Islamic artifacts to European impressionist paintings to modern art. With constantly shifting exhibitions and unique architecture, LACMA offers a rewarding experience for both serious art lovers and casual travelers.

More information

LACMA’s collection is housed in multiple buildings. The Ahmanson Building, the Hammer Building, and the Art of the Americas Building are historical structures that have long been part of the museum’s landscape. Currently, the museum is constructing a new building for its permanent collection, called the David Geffen Galleries, which is scheduled to open in 2024. For now, pieces will be on display in the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) and the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion. The Urban Light and Levitated Mass exhibits remain open to visitors. There is a restaurant and grab-and-go eatery on-site. Many visitors appreciated both the indoor and outdoor art exhibits and were impressed with the size of the collection of modern and contemporary art.

When to visit?

Situated on Wilshire Boulevard in west Los Angeles, LACMA is open from 11 am to 6 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; from 11 am to 8 pm on Fridays and from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It is closed every Wednesday.

Price

As for residents outside the county, general admission tickets cost $25 for adults, $10 for those aged 3 to 17 (children aged 2 and younger get in for free) and parking will set you back $21. Tickets can be purchased online or at the museum’s ticket office.

1. Which building is under construction?

A．The Hammer Building.	B．The Ahmanson Building.
C．The David Geffen Galleries.	D．The Art of the Americas Building.

2. When can the museum be accessible to visitors?

A．At 10 am on Tuesdays.	B．At 3 pm on Fridays.
C．At 8 pm on Saturdays.	D．At 11 am on Wednesdays.

3. To visit the museum, how much will a Canadian couple driving a car pay?

A．$35.

B．$56.

C．$71.

D．$81.

4 . With low or no-carbohydrate diets rising in popularity in recent times, the potato is now regularly overlooked in favour of other vegetables. In fact, research literature has previously indicated potatoes may have a detrimental effect on health, such as increasing the possibility of developing Type2 diabetes(糖尿病).

However, new research done by Edith Cowan University (ECU) has shown while potatoes may not have all the same benefits as some other vegetables, such as lowering risk of Type 2 diabetes, health issues associated with potatoes may actually be due to how people are preparing them and what they’re eating them with.

A recent analysis of this study led by Dr Nicola Bondonno from ECU’s Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute found people who consumed the most vegetables were 21 percent less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who consumed the least amount of vegetables. PhD candidate Pratik Pokharel carried out work on the analysis and said while potatoes didn’t have the same impact on Type 2 diabetes, they also didn’t have any negative effect.

“In Denmark, people consume potatoes prepared in many different ways. In our study, we could distinguish between the different preparation methods. When we separated boiled potatoes from mashed potatoes(土豆泥), fries or crisps, boiled potatoes were no longer associated with a higher risk of diabetes: They had a zero effect,” said Pokharel.

“In our study, people who ate the most potatoes also consumed more butter, red meat and soft drinks-foods known to increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes,” said Pokharel. “We should separate potatoes from other vegetables in regard to messaging about disease prevention but replacing refined grains such as white rice and pasta(意大利面食)with potatoes can improve your diet quality because of fibre and other nutrients found in potatoes.”

1. What does the underlined word “detrimental” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Magical.

B．Protective.

C．Fantastic.

D．Negative.

2. What may contribute to the bad reputation of potatoes according to ECU’s research?

A．The effects they have caused.	B．The ways they are consumed.
C．The places where they are planted.	D．The results previous studies have shown.

3. Which of the following have little effect on Type 2 diabetes?

A．Fries.

B．Crisps.

C．Boiled potatoes.

D．Mashed potatoes.

4. What is Pokharel’s attitude towards potatoes?

A．Critical.

B．Opposed.

C．Indifferent.

D．Objective.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where does Daniel come from?

A．America.

B．Mexico.

C．Malaysia.

2. What is the woman doing?

A．Finishing a report.

B．Introducing a holiday.

C．Reading a report.

3. With whom does Daniel spend his favourite holiday?

A．His workmates.

B．His close friends.

C．His family members

6 . Here are some fantastic parks in San Antonio.

Brackenridge Park

The park was first established in 1899 and has been popular with both locals and visitors ever since. Towering trees and peaceful riverbanks will greet guests along the park’s paths, and the facilities include playgrounds, museums, a miniature train, a Japanese tea garden, and one of the oldest golf courses in the city.

Friedrich Wilderness Park

In the park, you’ll find about 10 miles of paved(铺过的)and unpaved trails(路线), with a little something for everyone. From rocky climbs to deep canyons, and enchanting forests to open views, there’s no shortage of natural beauty. The area is nationally famous for birdwatching.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

The park is the state’s only one on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It covers quite a large area, so it’s best to make it a full-day or at least a half-day trip so you can be sure to cover everything. While the Alamo is a separate attraction, you will get to enjoy the architectural wonders of Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. They’re all connected by a hike and bike trail, with plenty of stops along the way to picnic, climb trees, and refill water. Admission is free!

Eisenhower Park

Just a 20-to 30-minute drive from the city center, the park puts the best landscapes in the Texas Hill Country on full display, holding 6 miles of hiking trails, both paved and unpaved. Explore dried creek beds, look out over plunging canyons, and enjoy full views of San Antonio down below. You can also find playgrounds for the little ones, picnic tables, and barbecue facilities.

1. What is Friedrich Wilderness Park well-known for?

A．Birdwatching.	B．Ancient buildings.
C．A Japanese tea garden.	D．Unpaved hiking paths.

2. Which park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

A．Brackenridge Park.

B．Friedrich Wilderness Park.

C．San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

D．Eisenhower Park.

3. What are some of the features of Eisenhower Park?

A．Golf courses and bicycle trails.

B．Museums and no entrance fee.

C．Birdwatching and playgrounds.

D．Hiking trails and barbecue facilities.

8 . Famous Attractions in the USA

Hawaii

Hawaii is the name of a state in the USA, located in the central Pacific Ocean. It has one of the most isolated population an the face of the Earth. This is because it is 3,857 km away from California and thousands of kilometers away from Japan and China. Hawaii was included as the 50th state of the USA, on August 21, 1959, and it is made up of 8 major islands. Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii and is located at the island of Oahu.

Grand Canyon

Situated in the Grand Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon is located in the state of Arizona in the USA. The mile-high, multicolored rock walls and sandy slopes are enough to keep you lost in its natural beauty. Undoubtedly, the Grand Canyon is filled with powerful and inspiring landscapes, largely because of its big size.

Empire State Building

Standing tall in the New York City, the Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper. It is one of the prides of the United States. The building is a popular landmark of New York tourism and reflects the history and architecture of New York. It describes America’s industrial revolution and has played an important role in featuring American culture.

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was a friendship gift from the people of France to the people of the USA, on the completion of 100 years of independence. It is a universal symbol of freedom. Located on the Liberty Island of New York, occupying 12 acres of land, it welcomes all those who come to New York as tourists and also welcomes the people who are returning to their native place.

1. What do we know about Hawaii?

A．It is made up of some islands.

B．It is named after a famous leader.

C．It is very far from the Pacific Ocean.

D．It is the least populated island on the Earth.

2. What can tourists do in the Grand Canyon?

A．Get close to nature.

B．Learn about art and culture.

C．Know about the history of America.

D．Appreciate the architecture of New York.

3. Which is usually said to be a symbol of freedom?

A．Hawaii.	B．Grand Canyon.
C．Empire State Building.	D．Statue of Liberty.

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Liu Ruying,     1     grandfather is a huge fan of Peking Opera, has been interested in Peking Opera for much of her young life. Her grandfather is a great influence     2     her. At the age of 8, she     3    (begin) to practice the classic art. It wasn’t easy for a little girl     4    (experience) the difficult training, as performances combine martial arts, dancing and acrobatics(杂技).

“Sometimes I was tired,“ she said. ”I had to balance my studies and other     5    (course) I was interested in, such as dance. But the great charm(魅力) of Peking Opera made me always practice it.”

When Liu got the news that her region would have a cultural exchange with other countries, she had the idea of     6    (introduce) Peking Opera to the world in English. With     7     help of her mother, she took part in the activity after several months of practice.

“I     8    (extreme) love traditional Chinese culture,” she said. “Peking Opera has a long history of about 200 years and     9    (consider) a treasure of our nation. We should let     10    (we) make great efforts to carry forward our culture and protect the cultural diversity of the world.”

10 . There’s no doubt that football is the global sport. Though basketball, tennis, and other sports are popular too, nothing comes close to football. Being played in every country in the world, football provides dozens of superstars. The numbers are greater when compared to any other sport, and this drives the popularity of football up. Have you ever wondered when the sport started and became popular?

Football has its origin (起源) in China and has a history of more than 2,000 years. However, modern football originally appeared in Britain in the 19th century. Folk football matches had been played before in many cities and towns, but never on a professional level.

Football became a winter sport game played in different schools. The rules were carried out by each school, and this made it difficult for players to play an official game with each other. It all changed in 1849 at the University of Cambridge that invented a set of standard rules known as the Cambridge rules of football. From that moment, a new star sport was born.

By the early 20th century, football had spread all across Europe. In 1904, FIFA was set up. There are seven original members, including France, Denmark and Spain, FIFA became the governing body for many associations in Europe.

England’s international success improved the popularity of the sport in the country. The league (联赛) in Britain was set up in 1992. From the 1990s, it became a truly impressive piece of football organization, becoming the world’s top football league in the process.

Football is obviously the most popular sport in the world. It is impossible for any other sport to take its place, especially with leagues spending billions of pounds every year to stay in the focus.

1. What is the author’s purpose of writing paragraph 1?

A．To describe the level of football.

B．To introduce the topic of the text.

C．To debate the main idea of the text.

D．To introduce famous football leagues.

2. Where did modern football first start?

A．In China.	B．In France.
C．In Britain.	D．In Spain.

3. Why was it difficult to play an official game before 1849?

A．The rules always changed.

B．There were no common rules.

C．The season made players hard to win.

D．Officials made players misunderstand the rules.

4. How is the text mainly developed?

A．By time order.	B．By space order.
C．By listing numbers.	D．By giving examples.