1 . How to protect your privacy when you travel
It hasn't been an easy year for the privacy of travelers，at least so far．Data leaks，surveillance（监视）worries and those troublesome cameras in airplane seatbacks and hotel rooms are enough to make passengers anxious．
Some homeowners renting their residences may install security cameras．Travelers should find out if the hosts are required to disclose the presence of surveillance devices．If the rental comes with cameras，ensure they aren't in a sensitive area by conducting a careful sweep
Although you can't control how a hotel or airline handles-or mishandles-your data，you can take reasonable steps to ensure the information it has won't get you into trouble．
But some of the worst data leaks happen when you're staying at a hotel．For example，a hotel clerk sometimes asks for your name and then announces your room number after you've checked in．You're better off handing the employee your ID when he or she asks for your name and asking the employee to write your room number on a piece of paper．Why？
| A．It's never been better． |
| B．Perhaps they should be． |
| C．Travelers say they're taking privacy seriously． |
| D．Never broadcast your journey on social media． |
| E．There are other people on the other side of the wall． |
| F．Some travelers only offer the bare minimum，such as a P．O．box instead of a home address． |
| G．Report anything doubtful to the host immediately-and if you don't like what you hear， leave． |
This hotel features works by Brooklyn artists. The 116 rooms are good value and Manhattan is only 20 minutes away by taxi or subway. The immediate surroundings feel urban — the hotel is by a high-rise public housing project while the nearest commercial street is under elevated (高的) subway tracks — but Bushwick’s best bars and cafes / restaurants are nearby.
Doubles from $99, room only. Tel: 718 388 4433
Archer Hotel
Visitors eager to stay in the heart of Manhattan should try one of the bargain-priced rooms at this hotel. Rates differ from great value to expensive; some start from as low as $179 a night (if prepaying in full). Rooms are small but tasteful, with nice touches such as exposed brick. Some have close-up views of the Empire State Building.
Doubles from $199, room only. Tel: 212 719 4100
CitizenM New York Times Square
This is the first US location for a Netherlands-based concept hotel chain — CitizenM. The hotel features self check-in at its 230 little but comfortable rooms via touch screen “MoodPads”. There’s a rooftop bar, a 24-hour grab-and-go cafeteria and an area with public iMac workspaces. Although New Yorkers avoid nearby Times Square, all the lights, cameras and action can make it a fun tourist experience.
Doubles from $170, room only. Tel: 212 319 7000
1. What can we know about BKLYN House Hotel?| A．It has the most rooms. | B．It is located in Manhattan. |
| C．It is Bushwick’s best hotel. | D．It is decorated with some art works. |
| A．Regulars can enjoy a certain discount. |
| B．Visitors will get a “MoodPads” as a gift. |
| C．Visitors can enjoy themselves in a rooftop bar. |
| D．Visitors can have a good view of the Empire State Building. |
| A．212 319 7000. | B．718 388 4433. |
| C．212 865 5700. | D．212 719 4100. |
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1. You can write for AC on condition that you _______.| A．have rich experience in writing | B．have access to the Internet |
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| A．the space it covers | B．the subject it deals with |
| C．the opinion you voice in the article | D．the pageviews it receives |
| A．encourage people to write more articles for AC |
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4 . If you ever visit an English village, make sure to look out for morris dancing. Undoubtedly one of the strangest traditions of English culture, morris dancing is a form of folk dancing that dates back to the 15th century. If you ever get the opportunity, you really have to see it.
Men and women wearing old-fashioned, shabby（破烂的）clothing dance in the streets of towns and villages across the country during the holiday periods. Women wear long skirts and men wear short trousers with bells attached to them. They dance to traditional folk music which is often played on traditional musical instruments.
Some groups carry heavy black sticks with which they beat against each other while they dance. Other groups wave handkerchiefs in the air while they perform. The dances are usually performed near a pub so that when they’re over, the dancers and audience can sing some traditional folk songs over beer. The celebrations will often continue long into the night.
Morris dancing is a great English tradition but it’s facing a big crisis. As the years go by, fewer and fewer young people are joining morris dancing groups. The dancers are getting older and older and eventually, if not protected, the tradition will die out within the next few decades.
If you’ve ever had the fortune to see morris dancing, you may understand why teenagers aren’t rushing to sign up. Frankly, it’s not exactly the coolest thing for an 18-year-old to do. Why dress up in bells and funny costumes when you could be going camping, playing sports or doing anything else?
However, it would be a great shame to lose such a fun and lively part of England’s history and culture. So here’s a toast to the next generation of would-be morris dancers! Let’s hope they don’t leave it too late.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．The origins of moris dancing. |
| B．The popularity of morris dancing. |
| C．The protection of morris dancing. |
| D．The introduction of morris dancing. |
| A．They dance in pubs late into the night. |
| B．They perform with sticks or handkerchiefs. |
| C．They wear long dresses with bells attached. |
| D．They sing folk music while they dance. |
| A．It is losing appeal among young people. |
| B．It is keeping pace with people's demand. |
| C．It is witnessing great changes in history. |
| D．It is being criticized by modern people. |
| A．It helps stay healthy. |
| B．It is fun for teenagers. |
| C．It deserves more attention. |
| D．It is too old-fashioned. |
5 . Pablo Picasso was an amazing painter who experimented with colour and shape. Picasso wanted to find ways to paint emotions. His paintings opened people's minds and showed there were many ways to express ideas.
Born in Spain in 1881, Picasso learned to paint at an early age because his father was a painter. At fourteen,Picasso began attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Barcelnoa. Although Picasso did well,his teacher wouldn't let him develop his own style. So he change schools. Though his new teachers praised his work, they still criticized it as being too different. Picasso made up his mind to express himself in his own way.
Disappointed with his career in Spain, nineteen-year-old Picasso moved to Pairs, where he learned about abstract art. He started copying famous paintings so he could paint in any style. However, an important development in his own style came along when his best friend committed suicide（自杀）. Picasso was so upset that he painted only in blue and gray. He painted the poor and the disabled. This is known as his "Blue Period".
In 1904, his painting style changed again when he fall in love with an artist's model. He began painting everything with colors of rose,red and pink.He mainly painted artists during this time,called his "Rose Period."
Picasso's style went through style change as he began to learn African art and geometry（几何学）. Instead of painting with different colors, he used different shapes. His paintings made people surprise because they looked like they had been broken and put back together incorrectly. Everything was geometric and abstract. Picasso's new style became known as "Cubism." Cubism was so unique it became very popular.
Pablo Picasso in most remembered for his Blue, Rose, and Cubist periods. But Picasso never stopped experimenting with painting.His painting styles kept changing until his death at the age of ninety-two.
1. Picasso's school teachers in Spain_______.| A．taught him a new way of painting. |
| B．Praised him for good grades. |
| C．made him drop out of school. |
| D．disliked his creativity |
| A．What Picasso learned in Paris. |
| B．The death of Picasso's best friend. |
| C．How the Blue Period came into being. |
| D．The copies of Picasso's paintings. |
| A．Sadness. | B．Love. |
| C．Flowers. | D．Friendship |
| A．It was thought to be unusual. |
| B．It has objects that look real. |
| C．It uses the same shapes. |
| D．It was inspired by African buildings. |
6 . I have completely forgotten the name of an old lady who was a customer on my paper route when I was a twelve-year-old boy in Marinette, Wisconsin back in 1954.
On a mindless Saturday afternoon, a friend and I were throwing rocks onto the roof of the old lady’s house in her backyard. The object of our play was to observe how the rocks changed to missiles as they rolled to the roofs’ edge and shot out into the yard like comets falling from the sky.
I found myself a perfectly smooth rock. The stone was too smooth, however, so it slipped from my hand as I let it go and headed straight for a small window on the old lady’s back porch. At the sound of fractured glass, we ran away very fast.
I was scared about getting caught that first night. However, a few days later, when I was sure that I hadn’t been discovered, I started to feel guilty for her misfortune.
I made up my mind that I would save my paper delivery money, and in three weeks I had the seven dollars that I calculated would cover the cost of her window. I put the money in an envelope with a note explaining that I was sorry for breaking her window.
I waited until it was dark, snuck up to the old lady’s house, and put the envelope through the letter slot in her door.
The next day, I handed the old lady her paper and was able to return the warm smile that I was receiving from her. She thanked me for the paper and said, “Here，I have something for you. ” It was a bag of cookies. I thanked her and began to eat the cookies as I continued my route.
After several cookies, I felt an envelope and pulled it out of the bag. When I opened the envelope, I was astonished. Inside was the seven dollars and a short note that said, “I'm proud of you. ”
1. The author and his friend threw stones onto the roof of the old lady’s house in order to_______.| A．amuse themselves | B．help her repair it |
| C．ask her for some help | D．wake her up |
| A．Making cookies. | B．Collecting stones. |
| C．Delivering newspapers. | D．Repairing windows. |
| A．went to see the old lady and admitted his mistake bravely |
| B．just wrote a letter to apologize to the old lady |
| C．turned to his friend for some advice |
| D．decided to rely on his own efforts to make up for his mistake |
| A．ran into | B．slipped into |
| C．broke into | D．rushed into |
7 . Not only does the use of plastic water bottles hurt your wallet, it also increases pollution and wastes energy and water. Only 23% of all plastic in America ends up in a recycling bin, meaning over $ 1 billion worth of plastic is treated as rubbish a year. Recently, Skipping Rocks Lab has invented a kind of water bottle called Ooho.
It is a convenient, clear water bottle that can either be drunken or eaten. To drink it, you can either peel off the membrane (薄膜) or tear a hole in the membrane with your teeth to pour the water into your mouth. To eat it, you simply put the whole bottle in your mouth. One problem the scientists have run into is how to ship large amounts of Ooho bubbles(水泡) without arriving with a very wet truck. However, they have attempted to package units of individual bubbles together inside a larger and thicker membrane. It is targeting large outdoor events, such as marathons, music festivals, and sporting events, where tons of plastic bottles are used, and frequently left behind as litter. And too much plastic is sure to do harm to the environment, which could account for their purpose of such a new invention.
The team has been working for the past two years to develop the technology and materials needed to produce Ooho; they have recently applied a patent for their new advancements. The price for an individual bubble or a unit of bubbles has not been set yet, but they cost about two cents to create a unit, which is cheaper than plastic bottles. It has appeared at events in London, San Francisco, Boston, at conferences, festivals, and so on.
Ooho is catching many people’s attention and has raised over $ 1 million and gained 1,000 investors in only three days. It is mostly being sold at events at the moment to keep the consumer’s interest while the production machine is getting up and running. It is quickly making a rise,so keep an eye out this year for these bottles of the future.
1. How is most plastic dealt with in America?| A．It’s sold. | B．It’s recycled. |
| C．It’s buried. | D．It’s wasted. |
| A．To make a profit for a company. | B．To protect the environtnent. |
| C．To make people eat as they drink. | D．To reduce the cost of plastic bottle. |
| A．It is easy and safe to ship it in large amounts. |
| B．It has become popular since it began to be sold. |
| C．It might be sold at a lower price than plastic bottles. |
| D．It cost the team a lot of money to develop the technology. |
| A．Ooho is to be a success in the future. |
| B．Ooho is being supported by smart people. |
| C．Ooho is taking the place of plastic bottles now. |
| D．Ooho is being produced to attract more investors. |
8 . Below are some of the best exhibitions at UK museums, galleries and historic houses.
20 Years Of Treasure — Oxfordshire Museum
Objects range from clay pipes and pots to gold coins and Elizabethan rings, all contributing to a deeper understanding of the area’s history. Recent acquisitions such as a beautifully decorated pair of Roman calipers are on display for the first time. Many items are now part of the county’s permanent collections, but there is also the opportunity to view discoveries that were recorded and returned to their finders.
Opening times: Tue—Sat, 10 a.m. — 5 p.m. Sun, 2 p.m. — 5 p.m.
A History of Fashion — Fashion Museum
This display features the items that have shaped the way Britons have dressed over the last 500 years. Among them is a woman’s waistcoat dating back to the time of Shakespeare, a selection of silk robes that would have been desired by the upper-class people of Georgian society, a New Look suit worn in the 1920s by the ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn and a 21st century body—con Galaxy dress.
Opening times: Daily, 10:30 a.m. — 5 p.m.
Another India — Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Marking the 70th anniversary of India’s independence from Britain, another India looks at the story of the country’s Indigenous and Adivasi people using a rich collection of artifacts. Never-before-seen objects from the museum’s collection are on display, together with several recently acquired works, including a number of newly created pieces by contemporary Adivasi sculptors.
Opening times: Tue—Sat, 10:30 a.m. — 4:30 p.m. Sun, 12 noon — 4: 30 p.m.
Art since 9/11 — IWM London
On display are 50 works of art including film, sculpture, painting, installations, photography and prints, bringing together the varying perspectives of more than 40 artists. Many exhibits are being shown in the UK for the first time. The exhibition is organized into four themes, exploring 9/11 itself, the resultant argument over state security, our relationship with weapons and other tools of war, and the damage caused to people and the environment.
Opening times: Daily, 10 a.m. — 6 p.m.
1. What can we learn about the exhibits in Oxfordshire Museum?| A．They all belong to the museum. | B．They came from royal families. |
| C．Some of them have never been on show before. | D．Some of them were donated by other countries. |
| A．The differences in dressing among Britons. | B．The changes in Britons’ way of dressing. |
| C．The way of Britons’ shaping their lives. | D．The history of Britons’ making clothes. |
| A．Art since 9/11. | B．A History of Fashion. |
| C．Another India. | D．20 Years of Treasure. |
9 . Although most hitchhikers (搭便车的人) are people, passers-by tend to ignore them because they are cautious about giving rides to strangers. But what will they do if they come across a hitchhiking robot? Will they take it to its destination or will they just leave the helpless machine by the wayside?
That is the answer Canadian professors, David Harris Smith and Frauke Zeller, who study the relationship between humans and technology, are seeking for after they came up with the idea of building a hitchhiking robot.
HitchBOT is built with cheap household items. Thanks to a PC tablet, GPS tracker and camera, hitchBOT not only can send its thoughts and pictures to the general public, but also can answer general questions and keep drivers entertained with small talks. The smart robot is even able to quote interesting facts about the areas it has passed through.
Not surprisingly, many people are doubtful about hitchBOT’s ability. Most people think the cute robot will be damaged by someone. Actually, they are all wrong. The robot hitchhiked all the way from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Victoria, British Columbia, a distance of 3,700 miles. It was first picked up on July 27th by an elderly couple. It not only reached its destination on August 21st, but also had some amazing adventures along the way. It visited national parks, went fishing, went camping, and even attended a wedding where it experienced its first dance and interrupted the bride’s speech.
In addition to helping it get to its destination, its Canadian fans have gone out to ensure its safety from covering the robot with a plastic cape (披肩) to help keep it dry to ensuring that it stays healthy with motor oil.
1. Why is the hitchhiking robot built?| A．To help passers-by reach their destinations. |
| B．To find out how people might react to it. |
| C．To see if it will give rides to strangers. |
| D．To entertain drivers on their way. |
| A．talking with the driver | B．dancing with people |
| C．sending its thoughts and pictures | D．answering any question raised |
| A．Nearly a month. | B．Over one month. |
| C．Two months. | D．One week. |
| A．It was ignored by an elderly couple. |
| B．It didn’t meet with any danger along the way. |
| C．It experienced a long and amazing journey. |
| D．It will be put into the market quickly. |
10 . What makes one person more intelligent than another？What makes one person a genius，like the brilliant Albert Einstein，and another person a fool？Are people born intelligent or stupid，or is intelligence the result of where and how you live？
We know，however，that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways，the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle.
| A．It needs exercise. |
| B．You are such a smart child. |
| C．A healthy body contributes to one’s intelligence. |
| D．What people want to express is like this. |
| E．Parents should also be careful about what they say to young children. |
| F．The children are then more likely to grow up brightly and intelligently. |
| G．These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear. |
