1 . Arriving at London Gatwick
Distance(距离) from central London: 28 miles/45 km
For travel information call: +44 (0)870 000 24 68.
How to get to the city centre
By train
The Gatwick Express goes from Gatwick Airport to London Victoria train and underground station in central London.
Trains go every 15 minutes and the journey to central London takes half an hour.
First Class tickets cost £ 25 (single), £ 48 (return).
Express Class costs £ 17 (single), £ 29 (return).
Southern Trains services run four times an hour to Victoria with a journey time of around 35 minutes.
By taxi
There are taxis outside the airport day and night. The journey to central London takes 55-70 minutes. A London taxi takes up to 5 people.
The average(平均的)cost from the airport to central London is £ 75- £ 100.
By car
Gatwick Airport is 28 miles (45 km) south of London. There are 4 car parks next to the airport and there are car rental (租赁) offices open from 8:00 to 18:00. The journey to London takes 60-75 minutes.
All cars pay a special £ 8 charge(收费) to go into central London.
By bus
National Express and EasyBus have services to central London. EasyBus services go every 20 minutes. The journey takes one hour and costs £ 2.
There is one National Express bus an hour. The journey takes 90 minutes and costs £ 7.60.
1. Someone in a hurry to Victoria station had better travel _____.| A．by train | B．by car |
| C．by taxi | D．by bus |
| A．They cost the same. | B．They're available at any time. |
| C．They require a special E 8 charge. | D．They take a similar period of time. |
| A．Gatwick Express. | B．National Express. |
| C．Easy Bus. | D．Southern Trains. |
| A．A short notice. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．A city introduction. | D．A TV advertisement. |
2 . Pearl S. Buck was a very popular American writer of her day. She was famous for her books about China. Pearl was born in 1892 in West Virginia, America, but she spent almost half of her 81-year-long life in China.
Pearl spent her youth in Jiangsu Province, China. She learned to speak Chinese before she could speak English. Her mother had travelled widely in her youth and liked literature very much. After being educated by her mother and by a Chinese teacher, Pearl S. Buck went to school in Shanghai at the age of fifteen. She continued her education in the United States at a Woman’s College to study psychology（心理学）. After graduation in 1914, she returned to China. In the 1920s, her family moved to Nanjing, where she taught English and American literature at a university.
As a writer, Pearl S. Buck’s book, The Good Earth, appeared in 1931 and sold quite well in its first year. It has been translated into over thirty languages. In 1938, she became the third American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. By the time of her death in March, 1973, Pearl had published more than seventy books.
1. Pearl S. Buck was born in West Virginia, America in ______.| A．1892 | B．1901 |
| C．1906 | D．1913 |
| A．She lived in Jiangsu Province in her youth. |
| B．She was able to speak English before she spoke Chinese. |
| C．Her mother and a Chinese teacher had educated her. |
| D．She studied at a Woman’s College in the United States. |
| A．education in China | B．experience in America |
| C．The Good Earth | D．psychology books |
| A．Pearl S. Buck’s Family | B．Pearl S. Buck’s Life Story |
| C．Pearl S. Buck’s Books | D．Pearl S. Buck’s Job as a Teacher |
3 . Chen Zijiang is a paper-cutting expert whom I interviewed for my article on Chinese Art. Paper-cutting is something that he learned to do from an early age.
“It is a Chinese folk art with a long history,” Mr. Chen told me, “Paper cuts of animals have been found in tombs which date back to the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasty!” He added that by the Southern Song Dynasty, paper-cutting had become an important part of everyday life.
Mr. Chen went on to explain that there are three types of paper cuts which people still make today: paper cuts for decoration, for religious purposes and for design patterns.
Paper cuts used for decoration are often seen on windows and gates. They are often put up during holidays to bring good luck. They are also used on presents. For example, a present for parents whose child has recently been born might show a paper cut of children. Paper cuts which show the Chinese character for double happiness are often used to celebrate weddings.
Paper cuts used for religious purposes are often found in temples. They are also used as offerings(祭品) to the dead. People to whom the dead person was related would make these offerings on special days and during festivals
Paper cuts of the third kind are those used to make patterns on clothing. They are also sometimes used to decorate jewellery boxes. Dragons are very popular patterns for these designs.
The interview is very useful as I’ve got a lot of interesting information for my article. I am also ready to try out paper-cutting for myself.
1. How many kinds of paper cuts did Mr. Chen talk about?| A．One. | B．Two. |
| C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．bring good luck | B．please guests |
| C．honor the dead | D．make patterns on clothing |
| A．Dragons. | B．Pandas. |
| C．Birds. | D．Double happiness |
| A．It’s boring. | B．It’s satisfying. |
| C．It’s challenging. | D．It’s disappointing |
1. How long will the exhibition last?
| A．Five days. | B．Seven days. |
| C．Nine days. | D．Eleven days. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A ticket for a magic show. |
| C．A great bargain. | D．A chance to join in games. |
| A．Games and Quizzes. | B．Lucky Draw |
| C．Drama on Fun with jokes | D．Story Telling |
| A．call the organizer | B．write to the company |
| C．visit the website | D．e-mail the publisher |
5 . Ways to Improve Social Skills
If you feel like you're not good at social events or you struggle to enter into conversations because you're shy, it can influence your social life and your career(事业). However, you can start improve your social skills by following these ways and soon, you'll be able to enter into conversations with confidence.
Behave Like a Social Person
You can behave like a more social creature, even if you don't feel like it. Don't allow anxiety to hold you back. Make the decision to talk to new people and to enter into conversations even when you’re feeling nervous about it. Over time, it will get easier and you'll quickly start improving your social skills.
If going to a party or spending time in a crowd seems confusing, start small. Go to a restaurant and order your food, and say “Thank you” to the clerk. Practice making small talks gradually.
Encourage Others to Talk About Themselves
Most people really enjoy talking about themselves. Ask a question about a person’s career, hobbies, or family. Show you’re interested in hearing what is being said.
Good manners go a long way in improving social skills. Practice being polite, showing gratitude(感恩), and using good table manners.
Your body language is very important in conversations, pay attention to the type of body language you use. Try to appear relaxed, make appropriate amounts of eye contact, and appear open to conversations.
A. Practice Good Manners
B. Start Small if Necessary
C. Join a Social Skills Support Group
D. Pay Attention to your Body Language
6 . Jim Denevan is an amazing artist whose work is admired by all, but owned by none — that’s because all of Jim’s art is created on an unusual canvas(画布)— the soft sand. He sometimes spends days working on a piece, only to see it washed away by the sea or a storm and that is just the way he likes it.
Denevan discovered his artistic talents about ten years ago, when he was wandering aimlessly on the beach with a stick. He ended up drawing a 12-foot-long fish. Since then, Jim has traveled over 1,800 miles while creating over 600 pieces of sand art.
Over the years, his drawings have become bigger, but the tools he uses haven’t changed — All he needs is a stick, a garden rake (耙子)and most importantly, his lively imagination!
Just like any good artist, Jim is quite particular about the “quality” of his canvas, sometimes walking for miles, looking for perfect sand. His latest piece of work, which is also the world’s largest freelance (自由职业的)drawing, was created in the desert sand of Nevada. It took Jim three trips, eight days and over 100 miles of walking to create this 3-mile work of art. It took the storm just one night to destroy it! However, Jim says he actually enjoys watching the waves or rain, wash his paintings away.
Jim’s art has become very popular over the years and was even the topic of a documentary named “Sandman” in 2015. Jim Denevan is not just about art in the sand — he is also an excellent chef and founder of an organization called “Outstanding in the Field”, whose mottois to celebrate food at its source. Accordingly, group dining events are held outdoors on farms, with the diners being treated to a delicious meal. The events, which are held in different farms throughout America, are always sold out the minute the schedule is announced.
1. What do we know about Denevan?| A．He used to be a chef. |
| B．He has a talent for creating sand art. |
| C．He puts his work on show regularly. |
| D．He showed artistic talents at a very young age. |
| A．Denevan walks a lot to complete his work |
| B．it is not hard for Denevan to find suitable sand to draw on |
| C．it usually takes long for the storm to destroy Denevan’s work |
| D．Denevan is very particular about his drawing tools. |
| A．Generous. | B．Kind-hearted. | C．Imaginative. | D．Traditional. |
| A．Denevan loses his interest in art soon. |
| B．Denevan is also popular as a chef. |
| C．Being a happy chef is Denevan’s final goal in life. |
| D．Denevan’s fame helps him with his chef job. |
7 . Have you ever wondered what wild animals do when no one is watching?
Low cost, dependable and small modern cameras offered a big help. Cameras placed in hard-to-reach places have shot everything from small desert cats to larger snow-lowing cats in the northern Rocky Mountains. Scientists have been able to document the “private” moments of wildlife with leading technology.
Grant Harris is a government biologist with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In his words, “there’s no doubt that these wild cameras are important tools to learn new information on wildlife.” Harris said some images help scientists see the eflects of climate change.
Researchers with the Wyoming Migration Initiative, or WMI, are among those using wild cameras along with global positioning systems, or GPS. But WMI director Matthew Kauffman says as those devices are limited, so is the amount of information they can gather from GPS. However, cameras can be left in very wild areas for days, weeks or even months. They can provide information on how many animals are moving over a given period of time.
Putting those cameras in place requires careful planning. Wild video can show details about animal behavior. However, wild cameras have their problems too. Animals such as wolverines and bears sometimes attack them. Scientists do not know if the attacks are the result of anger or interest. Also, the devices have become popular tools to help hunters look for animals. Some people argue that it is unfair to use the cameras that way.
Even with such problems, wild cameras are clearly an important scientific tool in researching wild animals.
1. What does the underlined word “document” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Remind. | B．Enrich. |
| C．Appreciate. | D．Record. |
| A．They cannot be left in the wild over a long period. |
| B．They cannot be placed in hard-to-reach areas. |
| C．They provide limited information. |
| D．They might be stolen by people. |
| A．It is difficult to fix the cameras. |
| B．It helps hunters find animals easily. |
| C．It is hard to achieve careful planning. |
| D．It makes animals interested in the cameras. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Uncaring. |
8 . I ran into quite a few language problems while vacationing ( 度假) with my family last summer. The most embarrassing was when my Mom apologized to the people we were staying with because her “pants were dirty”. They looked at her in amazement, not knowing how to react. You see, Mom had fallen over and gotten mud on her jeans. But in Britain, “pants” means underpants or knickers( 内裤；衬裤), not trousers as it does back home.
Katie — From America
I went to stay with a friend on the west coast last summer. Her flat was on the first floor of a high-rise building so I got the lift up. Then I wandered round for ages looking for her flat but couldn’t find it. Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.
David — From Britain
When I asked for the “restroom” in a big department store, people kept directing me to a room with seats where I could sit and “rest”. It took me years to get through to (使...明白)someone that I only wanted the toilet!
Tom — From America
Last summer we went on a two-week family touring holiday, so Dad hired a car over the Internet. This was an old vehicle and there turned out (结果是；证明是)to be lots of things wrong with it. When he phoned the hire company and tried to explain that the lock on the boot was broken, they thought he was talking about footwear! He had no idea their word for “boot” was “trunk”. In the end we went to a garage and just solved the problem.
Mary — From Britain
1. David went out to find a phone box to ________.| A．phone the police for help | B．phone his friend for help |
| C．tell his friends he couldn’t go to visit her | D．apologize for his being late |
| A．he wanted to have a rest. | B．he wanted the toilet |
| C．he wanted a chair | D．He wanted to go to a department store |
| A．a parking place | B．a car |
| C．a gas station | D．a place to repair cars |
| A．Pants. | B．Ground floor. |
| C．Restroom. | D．Trunk. |
9 . Mr. Jackson was tired of living in his old house in the countryside and wanted to sell it and buy a better one. He tried to sell it for a long time, but was not successful, so at last he decided to go to an estate agent（房产经纪人）.
The agent advertised the house straight away, and a few days later, the owner saw a very beautiful photograph of his house, with a wonderful description of his garden in an expensive magazine.
Having read the advertisement through, the house owner hurried to phone the estate agent, saying, “I’m sorry, Mr. Jones, but I’ve decided not to sell my house after all.” “Why?” the agent asked in a surprised voice. “Because from the advertisement in that magazine I can see it’s just the kind of house I’ve wanted to live in all my life.”
1. The reason why Mr. Jackson went to the estate agent was .| A．he had failed in selling his house by himself |
| B．he wanted the estate agent to help him to get a good price |
| C．he was sure that the estate agent could help him |
| D．he wanted the estate to advertise his house in the magazine |
| A．he needed some money to support his family |
| B．his house was too old to live in |
| C．he wanted some money to buy a new one |
| D．he didn’t want to live in the house any longer |
| A．They are worth reading. |
| B．They usually make things far better than they really are. |
| C．They are a great help to those who want to buy something. |
| D．They describe things as they really are. |
| A．was successful in selling the house |
| B．felt sorry to have lost a sale by his doing too good |
| C．was satisfied with what he had done in the advertisement |
| D．didn’t understand why Mr. Jackson had changed his mind |
| Welcome to the 2012 London Olympic Games | |
| Badminton | This sport was invented by British soldiers in India who called it Poono, the same name as the town in which they lived. It was first played at the Olympics in 1992 at Barcelona. Although the rules of the modern sport were developed in England, Asian countries are now the best. |
| Football | There are two medal competitions for Olympic football, one for men’s teams and one for women’s. Football was first played at the 1908 Olympic Games and it has been played at every Olympic Games ever since, except for Los Angeles 1932. |
| Archery | Archery has a 10,000-year history, when bows and arrows were first used in hunting and war. Archery first appeared at the Paris Olympics of 1990. |
| Taekwondo | This Taekwondo sport’s name means “the way of the hand and foot”. The players get points by hitting each other with these two parts of the body only. The players mustn’t lie on the floor and no equipment can be used. Taekwondo first appeared at the 2000 Sydney Games. |
| A．Indians. | B．Chinese. |
| C．British. | D．Koreans. |
| A．Badminton. | B．Football. |
| C．Archery. | D．Taekwondo. |
| A．Taekwondo. | B．Archery. |
| C．Badminton. | D．Football. |
| A．Asian countries have a lead in badminton. |
| B．Football was not played in the Los Angles Games 1932. |
| C．Archery was first invented to help hunt and battle. |
| D．The players in Taekwondo hit each other, using only the hands. |
