1 . While Europe is a popular getaway among many people, London is definitely a year-round destination. There are some fantastic episodes for the visitors while in London. Here we pick some free iconic activities.
The guard handover ceremony
Watching Changing the Guard outside Buckingham Palace is a good choice for people, which is an exhibition of British ceremony. This is where one member of Queen’s Guards exchanges duty with the old guard. Both guards are dressed in traditional red uniform and bearskin hats, and the handover is accompanied by a Guards band. Changing the Guard takes place at 11:30 am. It is held daily from May to July, and on alternate (间隔的) dates throughout the rest of the year.
Geffrye Museum
A very unique experience, the Geffrye Museum, located in 18th century almshouses (救济院), gives an interesting perspective into the lives of the British middle classes from the 1600s to the present day. Explore a series of room sets and complete with furnishings and textiles (纺织品) from each phase.
Bank of England Museum
The Bank of England Museum traces the history of the bank from its foundation by Royal Charter in 1694 to its role today as the country’s central bank. There are many items you have never expected to see.
Sir John Soane’s Museum
Sir John Soane was an architect. During his lifetime he collected some valuable antiques from all four corner s of the globe. They are now on exhibition in Sir John Soane’s Museum which gives a real insight into the life of this outstanding Victorian gentleman.
Hogarth’s House
Hogarth was very famous and criticized 18th century society in his engravings (雕刻), such as A Harlot’s Progress, A Rake’s Progress and Marriage-a-la-Mode. As the name suggests, Hogarth’s House is where he lived before he died in 1764, and it’s here that you’ll find the largest collection of his paintings on public display.
1. What can you do if the visitors watch the ceremony of Changing the Guard?| A．They need to pay when watching the ceremony. |
| B．They can appreciate some music at the ceremony. |
| C．The ceremony is held at 11:30 am every day all around the year. |
| D．Changing the Guard involves two flocks of guards every time. |
| A．The political life. | B．The social life. | C．The home life. | D．The cultural life. |
| A．The Bank of England Museum is no longer the central bank of the UK. |
| B．Sir John Soane was a painter living in the Victorian era. |
| C．Sir John Soane’s Museum is a good venue to see old and valuable objects. |
| D．Hogarth’s paintings were criticized by other painters of his period. |
2 . Farmers, especially in developing countries, are often criticized for cutting down forests. But a new study suggests that many farmers recognize the value in keeping trees.
Researchers using satellite images found at least ten percent tree cover on more than one billion hectares (公顷) of farmland.
The study found the most tree cover in South America.
There are areas with few trees but also few people, and areas with many trees and many people. The findings suggest that things like land rights, markets or government policies can influence tree planting and protection.
Dennis Garrity heads the World Agroforestry Center.
The satellite images may not show what the farmers are using the trees for, but trees provide nuts, fruit, wood and other products. They provide windbreaks and shade from the sun.
| A．Almost all of it is covered by trees. |
| B．That is almost half the farmland in the world. |
| C．They also help prevent soil loss and protect water supplies. |
| D．He says farmers are acting on their own to protect and plant trees. |
| E．Next comes Africa south of the Sahara, followed by Southeast Asia. |
| F．He devotes most of his time to making people realize its importance. |
| G．Nor could the size of nearby populations, meaning people and trees can live together. |
3 . How Did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Die?
On November 20th, 1791, Mozart suddenly came down with fever and was wracked with pain. His arms and legs were severely swollen. In the following days his health significantly deteriorated. He died on December 5 after lapsing into a coma. The death certificate states he died of “severe miliary fever”. Exactly which disease led to Mozart’s death has been a mystery for the last 200 years.
SpeculationsMany myths —some more plausible than others — entwine (缠绕) Mozart’s early demise. One of the most popular myths — that Mozart was poisoned by his rival Antonio Salieri — rose to prominence due to the popularity of the film Amadeus. This theory is supported by the fact that Mozart had been living through a phase of depression before his death, suffering from paranoia and existential fear. Mozart himself suspected that the cause of his deteriorating health was being poisoned over a long time. However, it is highly likely that this was just his subjective view of reality.
Many other speculations circulate. Syphilis and trichinellosis are frequently mentioned. In 1905, a French physician assumed uric acid poisoning due to a never fully healed nephritis. In 1961, lead poisoning was suggested as a possible cause of death.
Scientific attempts to explain Mozart’s deathIn 2000, a group of American scientists proposed rheumatic fever caused by a strep infection after conducting meticulous detective work. The symptoms stated in literature and the reports of Mozart’s contemporaries yielded the clues. Without antibiotics, such an infection would inevitably lead to death. Rheumatic fever causes a weakening of the heart, which could explain Mozart’s swollen limbs.
In 2009, the Dutch scientist Richard Zegers extensively studied surviving documents and concluded that Mozart had been suffering from pharyngitis, a throat infection with symptoms including cramps, fever, rashes and a swollen neck. Mozart’s sister-in-law Sophie Haibel had described these symptoms. The death registry of Vienna for winter 1791 lists several deaths caused by this disease.
Whatever the cause of Mozart’s death, it came far too early. Let us thank him for his manic urge to create art and remember him on December 5th!
1. Which of the following is similar in meaning to the underlined word “deteriorate” (Paragraph 1)?| A．To become worse. | B．To change greatly. |
| C．To recover quickly. | D．To be harmed rapidly. |
| A．It is generally believed that Mozart was poisoned by his friend. |
| B．Mozart’s depression paranoia and existential fear led to his death. |
| C．Mozart had been poisoned sustainably for a long time before he died. |
| D．Mozart once got a nephritis and it was never healed. |
| A．Mozart’s disease was recorded in contemporary literature and reports. |
| B．Antibiotics were not discovered at that time. |
| C．Rheumatic fever can only be caused by strep infection. |
| D．Mozart’s illness cannot be cured even today. |
| A．To back up the Dutchman’s study. |
| B．To prove they were common symptoms causing death in 1791. |
| C．To prove Mozart did have such symptoms before his death. |
| D．To emphasize her special identify as a witness to Mozart’s death. |
4 . When students get home, they usually sit down at the table and pull out their homework. Piles of papers rise all the way to the ceiling. American students should get less homework on a daily basis.
Loads of homework can cause stress in a student and lead to health issues in the body and mind. Stress causes lack of sleep, slipping grades, tiredness, unhealthy eating habits, depression, and so on. Nervous breakdowns can make completing homework much more of a struggle and also effect the health and life of a student.
Doing homework all night can take away a student’s free time and sleep. Always doing homework can lead to less time for sports and after-school activities.
Shouldn’t students get less homework so that they can be happy and have more time with family and friends?
| A．Lack of sleep can cause great stress. |
| B．The more the students do, the less they get out of doing it. |
| C．Administrators, teachers, and parents need to address this issue. |
| D．Family time is also decreased, which can add more family conflict. |
| E．Homework-related anxiety and stress can affect school work negatively. |
| F．Kids are doing more than the recommended amount with no academic benefits. |
| G．Anyway, too much homework can cause quite a few physical and mental problems. |
5 . A new study suggests that mindfulness education — lessons on techniques to calm the mind and body — can reduce the negative effects of stress and increase students’ ability to stay engaged, helping them stay on track academically and avoid behavior problems.
After finding that students who self-reported mindful habits performed better on tests and had higher grades, researchers from the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University wanted to know if school-based mindfulness training could help more students reap similar benefits.
They designed a study focusing on sixth-graders in a Boston school. The study showed that sixth-graders who participated in an eight-week mindfulness were less stressed out than their classmates who hadn’t. Practicing mindfulness had helped improve the ability to focus in the moment, expanding students’ capacity to learn and regulate their emotions.
Four times a week, instructors from Calmer Choice, a Massachusetts nonprofit specializing in mindfulness education, taught the group techniques and led them through practices, like focusing on a rock for a minute, then discussing when their mind wandered and refocused on the rock. Another group of sixth-graders took computer coding during that time instead. The students were randomly assigned between the groups.
At the end of the eight weeks, the mindfulness group reported being less stressed than they had been before the mindfulness education, and better able to practice self-control. And their amygdalae, the part of the brain that controls emotion, responded less to pictures of fearful faces than they did prior to the mindfulness work, suggesting their brains were less sensitive to negative stimuli, or, in other words, that they were less likely to get stressed out and lose focus. The group who attended coding classes didn’t see the same benefits.
The findings suggest that the mindfulness instruction helped boost students’ attention skills, as well as develop coping mechanisms for stress. The researchers believe it could be especially useful for schools to support students suffering from severe mental damage and other adversities that trigger stress in the body, hurting students’ ability to succeed.
1. What was the purpose of the study?| A．To examine the techniques for practicing mindfulness. |
| B．To study the effects of group mindfulness training on students. |
| C．To see how students help themselves to perform better on tests. |
| D．To understand why mindfulness training calms the mind and body. |
| A．By listing benefits of mindfulness education. |
| B．By scanning the brain to see how it controls emotions. |
| C．By teaching different students different mindfulness skills. |
| D．By comparing two groups of students attending different classes. |
| A．They felt easier to stay focused. | B．They were better at computer coding. |
| C．Their mind was wandering more actively. | D．Their brains were more aware of negativity. |
| A．Stressful parents. | B．Mindful instructors. |
| C．Emotional students. | D．School educators. |
6 . The hustle and bustle(喧嚣)of life, walking back and forth from the ideal to reality, and the inner confusion hidden behind a social mask-these daily experiences are recorded by Chinese youths in lines of poetry online. Recently, 124 Bilibili internet users shared their works in a poem collection.
One blogger on Xiaohongshu who goes by the nickname Gehuaren is one such poetry lover. The twenty-something girl not only writes poems as a form of entertainment in her spare time, but also improvises(即兴创作)poems for others at night markets in Yunnan. As a street-stall poet, Gehuaren often writes pieces of poetry quickly based on themes from customers. Once the poem has been completed, she refuses to change her work because she feels her poems reflect her first reaction. For her, everything in the world, no matter trivial or significant, can serve as her poetic inspiration. “A glass, a tree in the dawn or a person who once talked with me…these all could become themes for my poems,” said Gehuaren.
With free writing with a regular rhythm and broad themes, her poems strike a chord with many young people online, helping her gain over 190, 000 followers. Many have made comments “I feel healed by your poems because I can find beauty from unnoticeable things and in turn, slow down to reflect on my life.”
Apart from poetry, various means such as vlogging and photosharing can be used to record moments of daily life. But young people consider poetry to be the best way to express them. “Taking photos or vlogging can just show the object or emotions in real life. Yet poetry, which can be used to excite the imagination, shows the beauty of daily life, ”an 18-year-old said. So when he is inspired by the beauty of daily life, the boy writes it down into lines of poetry and then shares them with his friends on his WeChat Moments.
No matter why young people write their unique brand of poems, they are attempting to take every moment in lives seriously, face their lives bravely and actively express themselves.
1. How does Gehuaren find inspiration for her poems?| A．By referring to traditional Chinese poems. |
| B．By attending various online poetry lectures. |
| C．By exploring great moments in life. |
| D．By observing everyday life. |
| A．They are original and full of imagination. |
| B．They have a strong sense of rhythm. |
| C．They record the beauty of small and ordinary things. |
| D．They reflect the differences between the ideal and reality. |
| A．Positive. | B．Neutral. | C．Cautious. | D．Objective. |
| A．They hope to avoid challenges. |
| B．They intend to impress their peers. |
| C．They try to escape from the busy life. |
| D．They make their thoughts known bravely. |
7 . Wendy is a student in Beijing. Her penfriends in England are planning to visit China this winter vacation, so Wendy has collected some information from different travel brochures for them. Read the cuttings below.
【1】 The Great Wall twists and turns along the tops of mountain chains in northern China. It is more than 4,000 kilometers long. Construction of the wall began in the fifth century BC. The wall finally took shape in the third century BC. From Beijing, you can visit the Great Wall at Badaling-built in the Ming Dynasty-65 kilometers northwest of the city. The Great Wall opens at 6: 30 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. in the summer. As a famous Chinese saying goes, he who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a true man. Visitors, especially those foreigners interested in the Chinese culture, are strongly recommended to visit this great attraction. | 【2】 The Potala Palace in Lhasa was built in the seventh century. However, construction of the present buildings began in 1645. It took three years to complete. The Potala is thirteen storeys tall and has more than 1,000 rooms. In the Potala Palace, there are many ancient sculptures, paintings and historical items from the Tibetan civilization. To help preserve the buildings, only a few people are permitted each day. You may visit the Potala Palace from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. |
【3】 The Shanghai Museum was designed by Xing Tonghe. Construction of the museum was completed in 1996. The building is an imposing structure with a square base and a round top. From a distance, it looks like a ding, an ancient Chinese container for food. The museum includes galleries with ancient Chinese bronze ware, sculptures, paintings, calligraphy, seals and furniture. It is open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. | 【4】 The scenery along the Li River in Guilin is just like a beautiful landscape painting. Take a boat trip, and you will be attracted by the odd peaks along the river, and their reflections in the clear water. You can also walk or cycle along the paths near the river, or take mud baths in nearby caves. Guilin is a great place to go in spring. |
| A．the Great Wall | B．the Potala Palace |
| C．the Shanghai Museum | D．the scenery along the Li River |
| A．The Great Wall at Badaling was completed in the third century BC. |
| B．To protect the buildings, the Potala Palace excludes visitors at noon. |
| C．The Shanghai Museum was designed to look like a ding to attract visitors. |
| D．Only by taking a boat trip can you fully appreciate the scenery in Guilin. |
| A．pressing | B．magnificent | C．humble | D．regular |
8 . Stores play music to change the way customers feel. Clothing stores for teenagers play popular music. It is exciting and makes the customers feel happy, but music does more than that. It can change the way a person shops.
According to studies, the volume (音量) of music changes how people shop. Customers shop quickly when store music is very loud. They hurry through the store, but they buy just as much. When music is quiet, customers shop slowly. Customers take time to look at the products and talk with the salespeople. Quiet music is good for products that take time and information to buy.
Slow music makes people slow down. In restaurants with slow music, customers spend more time eating. Slow music also slows down customers in supermarkets. Customers notice more products as they walk through the store. With slow music in supermarkets, sales go up by 38 percent.
Familiar music gives shoppers a good idea of time. People know the beginning, middle, and end of a familiar song. When customers hear music that is not familiar, they don’t notice the time. When they don’t notice the time, they spend more time shopping and buy more. People remember past experiences and feelings when they hear familiar music. Many stores play old, happy music so customers feel good. When customers hear new music, they forget about the world outside of the store. Some stores use new music so their customers relax while they shop.
Stores choose music that fits their products. A bookstore plays classical music and jazz. It gives the store a serious and intelligent feeling.
1. What’s the best title for the passage?| A．Customers’ Music |
| B．Store Music |
| C．Customers and Music Owners |
| D．Music and Shopping |
| A．Quiet music is good for products. |
| B．People shop slowly when they hear quiet music. |
| C．People shop quickly when they hear loud music. |
| D．The degrees of loudness of music influence the way of shopping. |
| A．It changes the way people shop. |
| B．It changes the way people feel. |
| C．It changes the way people use the products. |
| D．It changes the way people think about the products. |
| A．Classical music. | B．Rock music. | C．Country music. | D．Jazz music. |
9 . How important has Internet become in our lives? The Pew Research Center conducted a survey to celebrate the Web’s 25th birthday. The researchers were greatly heartened by what they found.
“In 2006, only 14 percent of American adults used Internet. Today, it’s 87 percent,” said Lee Rainie, the director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project. “It is what has impressed us the most.”
The survey also showed that 70 percent of the Internet users have been treated kindly or generously online, while 25 percent of respondents said they have been treated unkindly. More than half—56 percent—of users said they’ve seen an online community come together to help someone solve a problem. 25 percent said they’ve left an online group because members were too unpleasant.
When Pew asked questions about whether being online has enriched people’s relationships—or not—the results were very positive: 67 percent of Internet users said their online communication with family and friends has generally strengthened those relationships. Only 18 percent said it has generally weakened those relationships.
According to the survey, 53 percent of Internet users said Internet has become the hardest tech tool to give up. It is 15 percent higher than the result of a similar survey conducted in 2006. In fact, more people said they would have a harder time stopping using Internet than giving up TV. (These days, so much great television streams across the Internet that it makes sense.)
“In our survey, we have found that the Web makes a few people very unhappy. There’s strong evidence pointing to the fact that Internet users tend to compare their daily lives with the ‘highlight moments’ of their friends’ lives,” said Lee Rainie. “It’s really silly.”
1. Which is the most impressive result of the latest survey?| A．Users’ dependence on Internet. | B．The fast growth of Internet users. |
| C．The kindness of online communities. | D．The strengthened family relationships. |
| A．15%. | B．38%. | C．53%. | D．68%. |
| A．Online depression cannot be avoided. | B．Don’t show off in online communities. |
| C．Don’t make unnecessary comparison. | D．Copy your friends’ wonderful lifestyles. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Worried. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Doubtful. |
10 . Travelling feels good. Seeing new places and gaining new experiences make us feel happy.
However, not many of us can afford the time or money required to travel often.
Stimulate (刺激) your five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch). To achieve this, you can try out any new restaurant that opens near you or cook at least one new dish every week.
Remember that travelling isn’t just about your physical position.
| A．Try to learn a new skill. |
| B．It’s also a state of mind. |
| C．Go out of your way to experience new sights. |
| D．Actually you should learn to appreciate them. |
| E．Luckily, you can make some changes to your daily life. |
| F．Travelling also makes us come up with new ideas more easily. |
| G．When we get something new, we quickly get used to owning them. |
