Free Comic(漫画)Book Day
August 14 , 2021 was Free Comic Book Day (FCBD). Comic book
Having just celebrated
2 . Kite Festivals around the World
Hamamatsu Giant Kite Festival, Japan
The large kites of Japan are rectangular (矩形的)，and sometimes as large as 3.5 meters by 3.5 meters! The Hamamatsu Giant Kite Festival started in the 16th century when large kites were flown in celebration of the birth of a baby son to the Lord of Hamamatsu Castle. The audience watches excitedly as the kite fliers use friction (摩擦力) to cut the lines of their matches.
Portsmouth International Kite Festival, UK
This celebration is organized by Portsmouth Oily and the Kite Society of Great Britain. The International Kite Festival is regarded as one of the best, biggest and most popular kite festivals in the world. It has thousands of amazing and colorful kites in the sky and on the ground for visitors to enjoy and appreciate, showing the art of kite flying, kite making tradition around the world and exciting kite flying competitions.
Bali Kite Festival, Indonesia
Hundreds of competing kite teams gather from all over the island to fly their traditional kites. Traditional Balinese kites are as large as up to 4 meters by 10 meters. The kite festival in Bali started off as a seasonal agricultural (农业的) festival to thank God for harvests.
The Zilker Kite Festival, US
The Zilker Kite Festival is the oldest of its kind in the United States. Created in 1929, the Zilker Kite Festival was intended to inspire the creativity of children. The festival is a beloved, family-friendly tradition: activities for all ages, a traditional kite flying competition and show, a fun run and a children’s music concert. There are many competitions held such as Most Unusual Kite, Largest Kite, Smallest Kite, and Strongest Pulling Kite.
1. Where can visitors see all kinds of kites from around the world?| A．In Bali. | B．In Zilker. |
| C．In Portsmouth. | D．In Hamamatsu. |
| A．Bali Kite Festival. | B．The Zilker Kite Festival. |
| C．Hamamatsu Giant Kite Festival. | D．Portsmouth International Kite Festival. |
| A．They include competitions. |
| B．They are international. |
| C．They started in ancient limes. |
| D．They are intended for children. |
3 . British Museum
Located in Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, the British Museum houses a vast collection of world art and artifacts and is free to all visitors. The British Museums surprising collection spans over two million years of human history and culture, and it has more than 7 million objects, so it would probably take a week to see everything.
Over 6 million visitors every year experience the collection, including world-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies.
Admission (入场费) and opening times
Free, open daily from 10:00 to 17:30.
Open until 20:30 on Fridays,except Good Friday.
Closed on 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
Large luggage (行李), suitcases and cabin baggage
For everyone’s safety, all bags, packages and personal items may be searched before entry. Wheeled cases and large items of luggage are not allowed on British Museum for safety and security reasons. Storage for luggage is available at major rail stations, including Euston, Kings Cross and Charring Cross.
Membership
Membership allows you to discover two million years of human history with free unlimited entry to special exhibitions.
Individual (个人) membership: $74
Under 26 membership: $54
Young friends (ages 8—15):$25
Shops
The Museum has four shops where you can buy books, souvenirs, and family gifts.
1. When can you visit the British Museum?| A．At 9:00 Friday. | B．On Christmas Day. |
| C．At 12:00 Monday. | D．On Good Friday. |
| A．At some crossings. | B．At major train stations. |
| C．In the hall of the Museum. | D．At the entrance to the Museum. |
| A．79. | B．99. | C．128. | D．148. |
4 . After a long period of lockdown, now it is time to relax. Head out to find surprising holiday decorations to warm your heart and make your season bright. Come on, light shows are waiting for you.
Holiday Lights on the Boardwalk
Take a walk by the ocean and experience a holiday light display along the Long Beach Boardwalk, dusk to 9 p. m. daily and weekends through mid-January, from Long Beach to Park Avenue.
Free, 516-432-6000. You can also check the stores along Park Avenue for more holiday lights.
Town of Islip Holiday Light Show
Bring the family to see the lights from the comfort and safety of personal vehicles as you drive through the 1/8-mile light display on the grounds of historic Brookwood Hall. Decorations have been given by Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and Public Works staff.
Cheap, 516-433-6742. From 5 p. m. to 8 p. m. Dec. 22; Brookwood Hall Park.
Suffolk County Holiday Lights Show
The Suffolk County’s drive-through display features two miles of holiday-themed lights; opens from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. through Dec. 30. Closed Dec. 24-25. Tickets will be sold at the gate and payment can be made with credit cards only, no cash, $25; $22 on Dec. 30.
Monday through Friday; 631-543-6622.
Christmas House
Indoor family-friendly walk through holiday experience, highlights include a real snow room: 3 to 11 p. m. Monday-Thursday; 3 p. m. to 1 a. m. Friday; 10 a. m. to 1 a. m. Saturday; 10 a. m. to 11 p. m. Sunday through January. Guests must wear masks, maintain social distancing and purchase tickets with assigned arrival time in advance online.
$30 for adults, $25 for kids aged 10 and younger, 631-591-0455.
1. Which light show is for nothing?| A．Christmas House. |
| B．Holiday Lights on the Boardwalk. |
| C．Town of Islip Holiday Light Show. |
| D．Suffolk County Holiday Lights Show. |
| A．516432-6000. | B．516433-6742. |
| C．631-543-6622. | D．631-591-0455. |
| A．Visit the real snow room. |
| B．Take the family members. |
| C．Book tickets with credit cards. |
| D．Buy tickets ahead of time. |
5 . The Intelligent Transport team at Newcastle University have turned an electric car into a mobile laboratory named “Drive LAB” in order to understand the challenges faced by older drivers and to discover where the key stress points are.
Research shows that giving up driving is one of the key reasons for a fall in health and well-being among older people, leading to them becoming more isolated and inactive.
Led by Professor Phil Blythe, the Newcastle team are developing in-vehicle technologies for older drivers which they hope could help them to continue driving into later life.
These include custom-made navigation (导航) tools, night vision systems and intelligent speed adaptations. Phil Blythe explains: “For many older people, particularly those living alone or in the country driving is important for keeping their independence, giving them the freedom to get out and about without having to rely on others.”
“But we all have to accept that as we get older our reactions slow down and this often results in people avoiding any potentially challenging driving conditions and losing confidence in their driving skills. The result is that people stop driving before they really need to.”
Dr Amy Guo, the leading researcher on the older driver study, explains, “The Drive LAB is helping us to understand what the key stress points and difficulties are for older drivers and how we might use technology to solve these problems.”
“For example, most of us would expect older drivers always go slower than everyone else but surprisingly, we found that in 30mph zones they struggled to keep at a constant speed and so were more likely to break the speed limit and be at risk of getting fined. We’re looking at the benefits of systems which control their speed as a way of preventing that.”
“We hope that our work will help with technological solutions to ensure that older drivers stay safer behind the wheel.”
1. What is the purpose of the Drive LAB?| A．To explore new means of transport. | B．To design new types of cars. |
| C．To teach people traffic rules. | D．To find out older driver’s problems. |
| A．It keeps them independent. | B．It helps them save time. |
| C．It builds up their strength. | D．It cures their mental illnesses. |
| A．Ensure their safety with the help of technology. |
| B．Improve their diving skills. |
| C．Provide advice on repairing their cars. |
| D．Organize regular physical checkups. |
| A．A New Model Electric Car | B．Keeping Older Drivers on the Road |
| C．A Solution to Traffic Problems | D．Driving Services for Elders |
6 . Researchers have developed a wearable device (设备). It is stretchy (有弹性的) enough that you can wear it like a ring, a bracelet or any other accessory that touches your skin. It also changes the body’s temperature into electricity, about 1 volt of energy for every square centimeter of skin space — less voltage per area than what most existing batteries provide but still enough to power electronics like watches or fitness trackers. It can heal itself when damaged and is fully recyclable, making it a cleaner alternative (替代品) to traditional electronics.
The innovation (创新) begins with a base made out of a stretchy material called polyamine. The scientists then stick a series of thin heating chips into that base, connecting them all with liquid metal wires. The final product looks like a Cross between a plastic watch and a minicomputer motherboard or maybe a diamond ring.
Just pretend that you’re out for a jog. As you exercise, your body heats up, and that heat will radiate out to the cool air around you. The device catches that flow of energy instead of letting it go to waste. A person taking a quick walk could use a device the size of a typical sports wristband to produce about 5 volts of electricity, which is more than what many watch batteries can hold.
The new devices are as stretchy as biological tissue. If your device tears, for example, you can put together the broken ends, and they’ll seal back up in just a few minutes.
Researchers are trying to make their devices as cheap and reliable as possible, while also having as close to zero effect on the environment as possible. While there are still problems to work out in the design, they think that the devices could appear on the market in a few years.
1. Which of the following statements is false about the device?| A．It can repair itself. | B．It can be recycled. |
| C．It can evaluate itself. | D．It can transform energy. |
| A．By shaking it fast. | B．By leaving it in the cool air. |
| C．By connecting it with watch batteries. | D．By giving out heat. |
| A．They will have a bright future. | B．They will be expensive. |
| C．They can not be damaged by force. | D．They are completely environment-friendly. |
| A．An Innovation in wearable Devices |
| B．A Great Exercise Companion |
| C．A New Function of Traditional Electronics |
| D．A Biological Battery in the Human Body |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Yesterday morning, it was early and I hadn’t went to school. I stood in front of my home, seen my parents off to work. My neighbor started driving to her job, too. Out of polite, I waved to her. At same time, I called out to my parents, “Bye! I love you!” I smiled as my neighbor turned around. And then he waved back at me. My heart sank down. My face grew hot with embarrassments. But soon it turns into a good laugh. I learnt a lesson that day which one should always be friendly, but be more carefully with multi-person goodbyes.
Trains are cleaner, greener, more spacious and
Sleeper services,
Once numerous, Europe’s night trains have been cut back gradually over recent decades. But that trend is reversing (逆转).We’re very excited to hear about the
9 . My parents announced I was getting my own room. I was so excited.
It worked out well for both of us for a while. I could even
In the morning, Grandma
A year later, we moved to a different house. My mom told me that I would
| A．Obviously | B．Unfortunately | C．Basically | D．Thankfully |
| A．scary | B．pleasant | C．suitable | D．safe |
| A．puzzled | B．curious | C．worried | D．ashamed |
| A．refused | B．understood | C．agreed | D．hesitated |
| A．suspect | B．explain | C．consider | D．forget |
| A．gave up | B．kept away | C．broke down | D．found out |
| A．play | B．exercise | C．live | D．sleep |
| A．work | B．end | C．pass | D．matter |
| A．acceptance | B．fight | C．excuse | D．mind |
| A．damage | B．responsibility | C．change | D．trouble |
| A．confirmed | B．declared | C．admitted | D．remembered |
| A．blew | B．shook | C．beat | D．kept |
| A．confidently | B．regretfully | C．softly | D．repeatedly |
| A．operation | B．movement | C．argument | D．situation |
| A．saved | B．appreciated | C．adopted | D．challenged |
| A．continued | B．promised | C．longed | D．pretended |
| A．imagination | B．expectation | C．benefit | D．pressure |
| A．decorate | B．match | C．share | D．reserve |
| A．calm | B．embarrassed | C．disappointed | D．overjoyed |
| A．specially | B．flexibly | C．fearfully | D．secretly |
10 . Jumping worms are wriggling their way across the United States, greedily swallowing protective forest leaf litter and leaving behind bare soil. They replace other earthworms, insects and ground-nesting birds, and disrupt forest food chains. They can harm more than 12 acres in a single year, changing soil chemistry and microbial communities as they go.
Jumping worms are often sold as compost worms or bait. And that is partially how they’re spreading. Fishers like them because the worms wriggle and swing like angry snakes, which attracts fish. They’re also marketed as compost worms because they eat up food leftovers far faster than other earthworms.
But when it comes to ecology, the worms have more worrisome features. Their eggs are so small that they can easily attach to a hiker’s or gardener’s shoes, or can be transported in mulch, compost or shared plants. Hundreds can exist within a square meter of ground.
Jumping worms grow faster and reproduce faster — and without a mate, so one worm can create a whole invasion. Jumping worms also consume more nutrition than other earthworms, turning soil into dry tiny balls that resemble coffee grounds or ground beef. This can make the soil unfriendly to native plants and young trees and far more likely to be harmed.
Scientists have been working hard to get a good handle on these worms. But there’s still a lot unknown, making it hard to predict how much farther the worms might spread and into what kinds of environments. One important question is how weather conditions affect the worms. For example, a long-term drought this year in Wisconsin seems to have killed off many of the worms. Soils filled with wriggling worms just a few weeks ago now hold far fewer. Perhaps that’s a hopeful sign that even these hardy worms have their limits, but in the meantime, the attack of worms continues its march — with help from the humans who spread them.
1. What is the main harm that jumping worms do to the environment?| A．They feed on small insects. | B．They destroy the soil nutrition. |
| C．They eat up the leaves on plants. | D．They change the conditions of compost. |
| A．Their tiny eggs. | B．Their way of moving. |
| C．Their body size. | D．Their evolutionary process. |
| A．The climate. | B．Farm chemicals. |
| C．Their natural enemies. | D．Their unique demand for food. |
| A．Desperate. | B．Optimistic. | C．Uncaring. | D．Worried. |
