1 . The scent of hot bread drifting from the shops along the Street of Flour was sweeter than any perfume Arya had ever smelled. She took a deep breath and stepped closer to the pigeon. It was a plump one, speckled brown, busily pecking at a crust that had fallen between two cobblestones, but when Arya’s shadow touched it, it took to the air.
Her stick sword whistled out and caught it two feet off the ground, and it went down in a flurry of brown feathers. She was on it in the blink of an eye, grabbing a wing as the pigeon flapped and fluttered. It pecked at her hand. She grabbed its neck and twisted until she felt the bone snap.
Compared with catching cats, pigeons were easy.
She tied the pigeon to her belt and started down the street. A man was pushing a load of tarts by on a two-wheeled cart; the smells sang of blueberries and lemons and apricots. Her stomach made a hollow rumbly noise. “Could I have one?” she heard herself say. “A lemon, or…or any kind.”
The pushcart man looked her up and down. Plainly he did not like what he saw. “Three coppers.”
Arya tapped her wooden sword against the side of her boot. “I’ll trade you a fat pigeon,” she said.
“The Others take your pigeon,” the pushcart man said.
The tarts were still warm from the oven. The smells were making her mouth water, but she did not have three coppers... or one. She gave the pushcart man a look, remembering what Syrio had told her about seeing. He was short, with a little round belly, and when he moved he seemed favor his left leg a little. She was just thinking that if she snatched a tart and ran he would never be able to catch her when he said, “You be keeping your filthy hands off. The gold cloaks know how to deal with thieving little gutter rats, that they do.”
Arya glanced warily behind her. Two of the City Watch were standing at the mouth of an alley. Their cloaks hung almost to the ground, the heavy wool dyed a rich gold; their mail and boots and gloves were black. One wore a long sword at his hip, the other an iron cudgel. With a last wistful glance at the tarts, Arya edged back from the cart and hurried off. The gold cloaks had not been paying her any special attention, but the sight of them tied her stomach in knots. Arya had been staying as far from the castle as she could get, yet even from a distance she could see the heads rotting atop the high red walls. Flocks of crows squabbled noisily over each head, thick as flies. The talk in Flea Bottom was that the gold cloaks had associated themselves with the Lannisters, their commander raised to a lord, with lands on the Trident and a seat on the king’s council.
1. The story is set in a place where ______.| A．people raised pigeons | B．only privileged people lived |
| C．people sold and bought food | D．the watchmen received training |
| A．metaphor | B．overstatement |
| C．personification (拟人) | D．rhetoric rhyme |
| A．Remembering people’s appearance so that you can recognize them. |
| B．Perceiving people’s intention so that you can properly talk to them. |
| C．Understanding people’s living conditions so that you can help them. |
| D．Knowing people’ strengths and weaknesses so that you can beat them |
| A．Arya was more hunger than terrified in the story. |
| B．The Lannisters was a big enemy of the gold cloaks. |
| C．The atmosphere of the castle was agreeable and welcome. |
| D．The authority treated the executed people’s dead bodies in a cruel way. |
2 . The Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC) is currently hosting “The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited”. The exhibition spotlights Henson’s unique contributions to children’s education, including his creation of the Muppets (布偶).
Born in 1936 in Mississippi, Henson grew up in Maryland. His creative talents were evident when he was a student at high school. He loved cartooning and creating sets for school theater productions. While a freshman at university, Henson made puppets for a local TV station. The station’s producers were so impressed that they asked him to produce his own puppet show. Called Sam and Friends, the program started in 1955. Viewers loved Henson’s playful characters, including an early version of Kermit the Frog.
While at university, Henson majored in home economics. At the time, it was the only major that offered classes in sewing and textiles (纺织品). Henson not only honed his creative skills at university, but he was also good at marketing and business. “He was an entrepreneur who happened to get into puppetry,” said Deborah Wood, MCHC’s learning manager.
In 1959, Henson married Jane Nebel, whom he had met at university. The couple established Muppets Inc. which later became the Jim Henson Company. It was there that Focus Bert, Ernie, Miss Piggy, and other Muppets were created for Sesame Street, a popular children’s television program. Generations of children around the world have grown up watching and laming from the Muppets.
Henson, who died in 1990, created not just the Muppets, but also films, TV commercials, variety shows, and more. The exhibition shows every aspect of his career. This includes some lesser-known works, including The Cube, a short experimental film that was nominated(提名) for an Academy Award.
Visitors also get a chance to appreciate Henson’s creative process and inventiveness through hands-on displays. They can even make their own Muppets. “For me, I think the really powerful message of this exhibition is the fact that it covers Henson’s whole life and his whole career,” said Chloe Green, public programs manager at the MCHC.
1. What’s paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．An interesting exhibition about Henson. | B．Viewers’ attitude to Henson’s works. |
| C．Henson’s exceptional talents in creation. | D．Characters in Henson’s famous works. |
| A．Improved. | B．Changed. | C．Found. | D．Shared. |
| A．A less well-known experimental film made by Henson is on exhibition. |
| B．The aim of the exhibition is to commemorate an educator. |
| C．The exhibits are composed of every aspect of Henson’s life. |
| D．Opinions vary on this exhibition. |
| A．Creative and courageous. | B．Talented and productive. |
| C．Humorous and passionate. | D．Courageous and intelligent. |
3 . These days, more and more people go to the gym to work out. But with so many gyms out there, how do you know which one is the right one for you? We find some information about the best gyms in New York City so you can have a better idea of what each gym offers.
New York Sports Club
Initiation Fees: Neighborhood membership, $49.99; Passport membership, $49.99.
Membership Costs: Neighborhood membership, $44.99 a month; Passport membership, $ 99.99 a month.
Additional Fees: Neighborhood membership, $49.99 a year; Passport membership, S 49.99 a year.
Locations: Locations in all five boroughs.
Classes: Studio classes, athletic conditioning, boxing, kickboxing and yoga.
Planet Fitness
Initiation Fees (入会费): Regular membership, $5; Black Card membership, no initiation fee. Membership Costs: Regular membership is $10 a month and includes free fitness training and free wifi. Black Card membership is $ 22.99 a month and includes access to all Planet Fitness locations, free fitness training, free wifi, half-priced cooler drinks and worldwide travel deals.
Additional Fees: $39 membership fee a year.
Locations: Locations in all five boroughs (区).
Classes: None.
Chelsea Piers
Initiation Fees: Call to request.
Membership Costs: For a specific gym, varies by location.
Locations: Chelsea and Brooklyn.
Classes: Strength and conditioning, cycling and yoga.
24 Hour Fitness
Initiation Fees: $0 on select memberships.
Membership Costs: $79.99 for Ultra Sport.
Locations: Midtown and Madison Square Park.
Classes: Studio classes, free weights, group cycling and personal training.
1. What can you do in 24 Hour Fitness?| A．Boxing. | B．Yoga. | C．Free weights. | D．Athletic conditioning. |
| A．$39. | B．$5. | C．$10. | D．$22.99. |
| A．It has no initiation fee. |
| B．Its membership costs depend on its location. |
| C．Its gyms can be found in all five boroughs. |
| D．Its black card members can enjoy half-priced drinks. |
| A．At about 7. | B．At about 8. | C．At about 9. |
1. Who did Fred have a fight with last night?
| A．A storekeeper. | B．A policeman. | C．His brother. |
| A．At home. | B．In the hospital. | C．In the police station. |
1. Who use camels in their sports?
| A．Americans. | B．The Arabs. | C．Chinese people. |
| A．Baseball. | B．Basketball. | C．Running. |
| A．Below 200 years. | B．About 300 years. | C．Over 1, 000 years. |
| A．War. | B．Pride. | C．Friendship. |
1. How did the speaker travel around the South Island?
| A．By car. | B．By bus. | C．By motorbike. |
| A．On the east coast. |
| B．In the northwest of the island. |
| C．150 kilometers north of Kaikoura. |
| A．Ocean birds. | B．Whales. | C．Dolphins. |
| A．A mask. | B．Paintings. | C．Jewellery. |
1. What is the relationship between the speakers?
| A．Librarian and reader. | B．Reporter and passer-by. | C．Teacher and student. |
| A．In a library. | B．In a mall. | C．In the street. |
| A．It is new. | B．It is reasonably priced. | C．It is easy to reach. |
| A．Reducing noise. |
| B．Sharing more news. |
| C．Offering job opportunities. |
1. What is the woman’s good news?
| A．Getting the first prize. | B．Winning a new computer. | C．Passing a swimming test. |
| A．By plane. | B．By train. | C．By car. |
| A．It is too expensive for him. | B．It is not convenient at all. | C．It makes him feel unsafe. |
1. Why can’t the man take exercise regularly?
| A．He doesn’t feel well. |
| B．He can’t spare more time. |
| C．He can’t afford the money. |
| A．Attend a party. | B．Go to the gym. | C．Watch a movie. |
