1 . The best festivals in August
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world. Last year, the festival lasted 25 days, including 55,000 performances of 3,548 shows in 317 places. The festival started in 1947. Anyone can join in with the performance of their choice.
Wilderness Festival
Wilderness Festival takes place in one of the oldest woods in England. Taking place over four days in nature, people will experience music, comedy, theatre, and dance from Sadler's Wells. All the campsites are made-to-order for different needs, including family camping.
Notting Hill Carnival
Notting Hill Carnival takes place on the streets of Notting Hill in London, England in each August lasting three days. Attracting around one million people each year, it's one of the biggest street festivals in the world. Happening since 1966, Notting Hill Carnival is an essential cultural experience in London.
La Tomatina
Each year, the Valencian town of Bunol gets changed into a red mess as locals and tourists take to the streets and throw tomatoes at each other, creating the biggest food fight in the world, all for fun. This tomato festival has been happening since 1945 and is held on the last Wednesday of August each year.
1. Which festival lasts the longest?| A．Wilderness Festival. | B．Edinburgh Festival Fringe. |
| C．Notting Hill Carnival. | D．La Tomatina. |
| A．The campsites are specially offered. | B．People can dance with famous stars. |
| C．People will experience wilderness adventure. | D．It is the biggest street festival in the world. |
| A．Get dressed in red. | B．Experience classic music. |
| C．Eat as many tomatoes as possible. | D．Throw tomatoes at each other for fun. |
2 . The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City in Beijing, China, was completed in 1420 during the early Ming Dynasty. It is the largest ancient palatial （宫殿似的） building in the world and it’s open to tourists to allow them to have a look at ancient Chinese architecture.
The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid is a statue in Copenhagen, Denmark. It sits on a rock in the harbor. It was inspired by a performance of a ballet based on the fairy tale The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. It was presented to the public on 23 August, 1913. And there are many tourists taking photos with the Little Mermaid every year.
The Taj Mahal
As one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of India. It is considered as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a mix of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles.
Niagara Falls State Park
America’s oldest state park, open year-round, brings you closer than you ever thought possible to the power of the Falls. The best viewing area for the American Falls and Rapids is the Prospect Point. It is also home to the Visitors Service Center, Niagara Adventure Theater, the Observation Tower and the Maid of the Mist.
1. What can you do when visiting the Little Mermaid?| A．Listen to a fairy tale. | B．Attend a performance. |
| C．Meet Hans Christian Andersen. | D．Take pictures with the statue. |
| A．The Prospect Point. | B．The Niagara Adventure Theater. |
| C．The Observation Tower. | D．The Maid of the Mist. |
| A．Tourists can only see the Forbidden City from outside. |
| B．The Little Mermaid statue was made by Hans Christian Andersen. |
| C．The Taj Mahal is the finest example of mixed styles of Mughal buildings. |
| D．Tourists must check the opening time before visiting the Niagara Falls State Park. |
3 . Friday was "Chatty Bus day", an experiment aimed at getting people to talk to each other on public transport. This is not an idea that would appeal to those who commute in the rush hour, because there is a smaller distance within which it's just as uncomfortable to talk. Elbow(肘) room is a precondition for sociability. It is no coincidence that the first truly personal music player, the Sony Walkman, was invented in Japan where the commuter trains are literally crowded with people.
We will also not talk to strangers who are physically too far away, of course. No one wants to shout their small talk. Only on country buses or similar unhurried and uncrowded forms of public transport can people reach out to their neighbors, confident that they are doing so from a position of strength and autonomy.
For all these drawbacks, the idea of talking to strangers is still a good one, and the promotion of sociability is good for society. Although it does seem to be a general rule that people are friendlier the fewer there are of them and more hostile and indifferent as cities get more crowded, there are still considerable cultural variations. And there is evidence that friendlier places are also healthier, and their inhabitants happier.
It is true that the apparent loneliness of many people on public transport is a false impression.
Many will be caught up with conversations with distant friends on their phones; some will be talking to the people in books. Some may be in willed solitude with their headphones. But there are always people who would be interested in an unexpected conversation with a stranger. This need not go on for too long.
It is not large and possibly life-changing conversations that are what most people in loneliness miss most. What they really need is not deep thought but superficiality. The kind of conversation that you could have with anyone reminds you that you yourself might be anyone. It is a release from the prison of the self, which is where lonely people serve their sentences, uncertain whether they ever can be paroled(假释). Friendship may be too rare a gift to hope for, but sometimes the kindest thing to say is also the simplest: "Don't be a stranger"-and sometimes that's also enough.
1. According to Paragraph 1, why the first Walkman appeared in Japan partly?| A．its corporate culture |
| B．its overcrowded public transport |
| C．its people's creativity |
| D．its people's desire for personal space |
| A．"Chatty Bus day" has not been introduced to other areas. |
| B．Walkman prevents passengers from talking to each other. |
| C．Passengers are unwilling to make small talk with strangers. |
| D．Improper physical distance discourages casual communication. |
| A．Small talk to strangers will help ease loneliness on the road. |
| B．Lonely people are in desperate need of deep conversation. |
| C．People in less populated cities tend to be cold and distant. |
| D．It's inadvisable to talk to strangers who are physically too close. |
| A．To cast new light on human loneliness. |
| B．To introduce an experiment and its effects. |
| C．To advocate striking up conversations with strangers. |
| D．To explore the relationship between physical distance and willingness to reach out. |
4 . I have been dancing since I was 14 years old, when my best friend dragged me to an after-school dance class. I enjoyed that dance class so much that I have been dancing ever since. After every dance class, however, I always have to stretch out my legs and back, as dancing can be quite a tough workout! It feels like as much exercise as going to the gym—but dancing is not widely considered to be a sport.
Many dancers would argue that dancing is a sport, as it requires great physical stamina (耐力), strong muscles and impressive flexibility. No matter what style of dance you are participating in, you will always be using all of your muscles while dancing and this can often be for several hours a day. Additionally, in the more traditional dance styles (such as ballet and contemporary dance), men often lift their female dance partners up in the air. The strength that dancers need means that they are often just as athletic as footballers, runners or swimmers.
On the other hand, many people argue that dance is an art form. Dances often exhibit emotion, show characters and tell stories. Dancing to music is creative and visually appealing to the eyes and ears. It is easy to see why many people consider dance to be an art form. I personally believe that dance is both a sport and an art. I believe that a great dancer will be a mixture of an athlete and an artist.
However, whether you consider dance to be an art or a sport, the important thing is to enjoy it! Dancing is a great way to make new friends and it’s a really fun way to exercise!
1. Why did the author fall in love with dancing?| A．Because she got inspired by her best friend. |
| B．Because she found the dance class was for free. |
| C．Because dancing might be the best form of exercise. |
| D．Because dancing was the most challenging task. |
| A．A ballet dancer should be tall and strong. . |
| B．In some ways dancers are similar to athletes. |
| C．Most dancers find it hard to practice for several hours. |
| D．The traditional dance styles often cost more energy. |
| A．Because they think it is just like watching a play. |
| B．Because dancing merely brings amusement. |
| C．Because they think it is funny to watch dance. |
| D．Because dancers tell stories while dancing. |
| A．Fashion. | B．Sport. | C．Life around the world. | D．Music. |
5 . Now many young people are traveling around the world on their own, not because they have no one to travel with, but because they prefer to go alone.
Kristina Wegscheider from California first traveled alone when she was at college and believes that it is something everyone should do at least once in their life. “It opens up your mind to things and pushes you out of your comfort zone.” Wegscheider has visited 46 countries covering all seven continents.
In foreign countries, with no one to help you read a map, look after you if you get ill, or lend you money if your wallet is stolen, it is challenging. This is what drives young people to travel alone. It is seen as character building and a chance to prove that they can make it on their own.
Chris Richardson decided to leave his sales job in Australia to go traveling last year. He set up a website, The Aussie Nomad, to document his adventures. He says he wished he had traveled alone earlier. “The people you meet, the places you visit, or the things you do, everything is up to you and it forces you to grow as a person.” said the 30-year-old man.
Richardson describes traveling alone like “a shot in the arm”, which “makes you a more confident person that is ready to deal with anything”. He said, “The feeling of having overcome something on my own is a major part of what drives me each day when I’m dealing with a difficult task. I walk around with my head up because I know deep down inside that nothing is impossible if you try.”
The great 19thcentury explorer John Muir once said. “Only by going alone in silence can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness.
1. Which of the following will Kristina Wegscheider agree with?| A．Traveling alone is a necessary experience for everyone. |
| B．It is more meaningful to travel in foreign countries. |
| C．It is comfortable to travel around without a friend. |
| D．Traveling abroad helps people to find new things. |
| A．you have to make things on your own. |
| B．it is hard for you to prove yourself to others. |
| C．you can only depend on yourself whatever happens. |
| D．it will finally build your character. |
| A．He started traveling alone at an early age. |
| B．He was once shot in the arm. |
| C．He used to work as a salesman. |
| D．His website will inspire others to travel alone. |
| A．Travel Abroad | B．Travel Alone |
| C．Travel Light | D．Travel Wide and Far |
6 . Have you ever come from a vacation feeling more tired than you were? Most travelers often need to rush from one tourist attraction to another.
Slow travel allows you to form a stronger connection to the place you’re visiting.
Slow travel is often kinder to your budget as well. Staying in one place for a week or more at a time reduces your transportation costs, and vacation rentals are often cheaper than hotels since they allow you to cook your own food.
Therefore, slow travel is an increasingly popular choice for people looking to enrich their travel experiences.
| A．That is the magic of slow travel. |
| B．There are many benefits of slow travel. |
| C．If you choose a home exchange, you’ll save more money. |
| D．The slow traveler takes time to explore places as much as possible. |
| E．Slow travel is friendlier to the environment than other types of travel. |
| F．You’ll have enough time to know your neighbors or local shops. |
| G．Now there’s a new movement that appeared as a solution to tiring travel: slow travel. |
7 . Jeremy Savage, aged 17, and Ian Marshall, aged 16, went to the Rocky Mountains with their parents for the weekend. On Saturday morning, the two boys decided to climb Cathedral Mountain by themselves while their parents relaxed at the campsite. After three hours, they reached the top with no problems.
However, trouble began when they started the climb down the mountain. On one very dangerous part of the path, Ian fell three metres off the side of the path. Jeremy was able to climb down to where Ian was. Ian was badly injured and could not move. Jeremy had to decide what to do. He needed help, but he did not want to leave his friend. He used water from his own bottle to clean the dirt and blood from Ian’s face and hands. He tried to help Ian stand up, but Ian’s right leg was hurting too much. They had to wait and hope that someone would come and help them.
When the boys did not return to the campsite that evening, their parents became very worried. They got in touch with park workers and began searching for the boys. Soon more than 20 people were looking for the boys.
As night fell, the boys were still missing. While they waited for help to arrive, Jeremy gave Ian his food and water and he let Ian lie on his jacket so he would be more comfortable. As the evening grew darker, Ian told Jeremy to leave him and go back to their parents, but he still did not leave. Jeremy thought it was too dangerous for Ian to be alone. The night was cold and windy, and Jeremy used his jacket and an extra shirt to keep Ian warm.
At sunrise, Jeremy decided that the only way to help his friend was to carry him. So, they started the long climb back to their parents. Sometimes Jeremy carried Ian on his hack. Sometimes he carried him in his arms. Finally, after four hours, they arrived at the campsite where their parents were waiting. “I will always remember what Jeremy did for me,” said Ian. “He saved my life. That is the greatest thing that a person can do for his friend.”
1. What happened to Ian on his way down the mountain?| A．Ian fell three miles off the side of the path. |
| B．Ian climbed down to where Jeremy was. |
| C．Ian was badly injured and could not move. |
| D．Ian decided what to do because Jeremy was injured. |
| A．Because they knew the boys got injured. |
| B．Because the boys returned to the campsite with wounds. |
| C．Because they needed water and food. |
| D．Because the boys did not return to the campsite that evening. |
| A．Jeremy gave Ian his food and water. |
| B．Jeremy let Ian lie on his jacket so he would be more comfortable. |
| C．Jeremy left Ian alone to find some help. |
| D．Jeremy used his jacket and an extra shirt to keep Ian warm. |
| A．Four hours. | B．One night. |
| C．Two days. | D．About 24 hours. |
8 . Are you likely to suffer from loss of memory from time to time? Smart cameras can now remind you.
Khai Truong at the University of Toronto in Canada and his colleagues have created a smartphone app that records interactions with household objects. The system involves barcode-like markers that the user sticks to objects whose use they would like to track.
With the smartphone worn around your neck, the app automatically records a short video clip when a marked object comes into view. “The user is able to look through the application and see the last time they interacted with it,” says Truong. The app can help people track the state of objects-such as whether they locked a door or switched a light off-as well as routine actions. At present, it successfully records about 75 percent of interactions, but only works for fixed objects.
A similar but separate system can solve the problem. E. Akin Sisbot and Jonathan Connell at IBM Research in New York have invented a ceiling-mounted camera that monitors objects and people. It continuously watches an area, such as a tabletop in your home, tracking the placement of objects in relation to one another. It also remembers who first brought an object into the field of view as well as if anyone moved it afterwards. When asked, “Where is my wallet?” the system might respond, “It is next to the vase, under the magazines.”
The camera could also be used in factories or operating theatres to track vital tools, says Sisbot. For now, the camera uses a depth sensor to spot things. It is limited to detecting objects thicker than 3 centimetres, meaning that it has trouble with thin objects such as a closed laptop placed flat on a table.
The accuracy of such smart camera systems may need to improve before they are widely adopted. “You’ve got to trust the technology for it to be of any comfort or reassurance.” says Geoffrey Ward at the University of Essex in the UK.
1. How does the smartphone app mentioned in paragraph 2-3 work?| A．By recording the movement of marked objects. | B．By informing owners of potential dangers. |
| C．By scanning barcodes of household objects. | D．By turning off electricity automatically. |
| A．It is unable to recognize movable objects. | B．It is unlikely that it will make a sound. |
| C．It fails to find objects thinner than 3 centimeters. | D．It can’t sense objects without barcode-like makers. |
| A．Sceptical. | B．Ambiguous. | C．Concerned. | D．Supportive. |
| A．New Smartphones Make Life Easier | B．New Systems Help People with Memory Problems |
| C．Smart Cameras Help Increase Home Security | D．Camera Designers Face New Challenges |
9 . Data collected by the World Food Program shows that every year over 847 million people worldwide suffer from malnutrition and about 3.1 million children under the age of 5 die of starvation.
While dealing with world hunger is an important thing for scientists, it is not easy, considering natural resources. But thanks to new ideas like Livingbox, there may be some hope.
The Israeli scientists Nitzan Solan and Moti Cohen say Livingbox is an environment-friendly ecosystem made of some connected boxes to form a mini-farm. This means that the vegetables are grown in water instead of soil.
While professional farmers have been doing that for years, Livingbox is the first system built to gain nutrients from common waste. Better yet, it can run without electricity and requires no farming skills to keep. This means that city people who cannot get fresh vegetables can use Livingbox to grow vegetables.
It is easy for all farmers to set up the boxes. Then they fill them with fresh water and add the required seeds. As soon as they add one or all three types of waste, the system will self-produce the nitrogen needed for the plants to take root.
Those that use fish waste have a double advantage — they can cultivate both fish and vegetables at the same time. The fish can provide the waste needed for the plants to grow, while the plants naturally filter the water and help keep a clean home for the fish.
Once the vegetables are ready to pick, farmers simply harvest them and begin the cycle all over again. While the 15-square foot box provides enough vegetables for a family of four, it is easy to make a larger Livingbox in order to build larger farms.
The one thing that can prevent Livingbox from being used in developing countries is the cost. However, some businessmen with several non-profit organizations have promised to keep it affordable, so that poor people living in cities of developing countries can get the chance to eat nutritious food.
1. Why do scientists find it hard to solve world hunger?| A．Because it needs a lot of money to solve the problem. |
| B．Because there are too many people are starving in the world. |
| C．Because the population grows rapidly and there are not enough resources. |
| D．Because most of the natural resources have been damaged. |
| A．It is not harmful to the environment. |
| B．It is made of boxes filled with rich soil. |
| C．It requires electricity. |
| D．It requires farmers to learn some special skills. |
| A．help developing countries become rich |
| B．get rid of the waste produced by animals |
| C．get clean water for people living in cities |
| D．let poor people living in cities get fresh vegetables |
| A．farmers can use the boxes again |
| B．it will not cost much money to build Livingbox |
| C．Livingbox has been built by businessmen in the world |
| D．Livingbox has become popular in developing countries |
10 . Here at the Fort Collins Club, we love families! We offer a number of different kinds of activities to keep your kids active and also allow time to yourself. This webpage shows the details.
Kids’ Club
Kids have a place of their own--- Kids’ Club! A place for kids from 6 weeks to 12 years to have fun while you are working out. Our Kids’ Club childcare facility(设施) allows you to drop the kids off, do physical exercise or visit our spa.
Please feel free to stop in during our regular hours to meet our friendly staff and to get familiar with the Kids’ Club!
Club House
Check the Club House to see what games and youth activities are offered throughout the week. Our outdoor pool, open in summer, brings smiles and endless kid fun while you relax poolside. Children between the ages of 7---11 can be in the Club House unsupervised(无需看管的) . However, parents need to sign them in and out.
Kids’ Club Hours
Monday and Wednesday 8:00 am---8:00 pm
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30 am---8:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am---2:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am---4:00 pm
More information about Fort Collins Club can be found on our website: www. fortcollinclub.net.
1. While children do activities in Kids’ Club, their parents ____________.| A．must play with them | B．can take exercise |
| C．must leave the club | D．should stand by and watch |
| A．at 6:00 am on Monday | B．at 7:00 am on Monday |
| C．at 8:00 am on Sunday | D．at 9:00 am on Sunday |
| A．A science textbook | B．A tourist map |
| C．A fitness website | D．A news report |
