1 . Love sugar-white sand beaches? Whether you’re looking to ski down the side of a mountain or surf in the sunshine, you’ll find the following three places in the best winter travel destination list.
Best for: Families and water babies
The newly-built Coral Towers at the Atlantis resort (旅游胜地) in Paradise Island, Bahamas, with new next-door neighbor Marina Village, an open-air shopping and dining marketplace, are just two of the newest reasons to visit this Caribbean popular travel destination. Don’t forget about Aquaventure, the world’s largest open-air water park. With the average winter temperatures between the mid 60°F and high 70°F, it’s a perfect place to escape the cold.
Best for: Adventurers
Iceland in the winter is simply dreamy and temperatures aren’t as cool as you might think. Plus, there’s no better time than winter to view the Northern Lights. Short winter days mean you’ll have an even greater chance to catch the magic. An increasing number of flights in and out of Reykjavik make it easier than ever to visit.
Best for: Families and theme park lovers
Whether you come for the Pro Bowl in January, the new Toy Story land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Supercharged ride at Universal Studios Florida, Orlando is yet another warm-weather destination for winter travel. The weather is at its best and the crowds are at their thinnest.
1. Which of the following is a good place for shopping?| A．Iceland | B．Aquaventure | C．Marina Village | D．Ski City |
| A．The new Toy Story land. | B．Sugar-white sand beaches. |
| C．An open-air dinning marketplace. | D．The magic of the Northern Lights. |
| A．Salt Lake City | B．Orlando | C．Reykjavik | D．Brighton |
2 . You may think you couldn’t live through summer without air conditioning. But in ancient China, hand fans were almost the only way to drive the heat away.
Chinese people started to use hand fans over 2, 000 years ago. The fans came in different shapes and were made from all kinds of materials. Palm leaf fans were cheap and easy to make. Feather fans marked the owner’s high status. Sandalwood fans could send out a sweet smell. Later, hand fans became far more than just something that could cool you down. They developed into works of art, in which Tuanshan-round fans, and Zheshan-folded fans, were the most common. In the shape of a fullmoon, Tuanshan were usually made of silk. They had beautiful embroidery (刺绣) featuring birds and flowers on them. Women, especially those in the royal palace, liked to use them. Poets in ancient China often compared an abandoned (被抛弃的) woman to Tuanshan. A poet in the Qing Dynasty, Nalan Xingde was a typical example. He wrote, “If only life were as beautiful as when we first met, why should the autumn wind bother to pity deserted painted fans?”
Meanwhile, men, especially the literati (文人), used Zheshan. The literati liked them because Zheshan were usually made of paper and they could paint and write poems on them. It was a way for them to show off their skills in literature, painting and calligraphy (书法). Many things were painted on Zheshan, but the most popular choice was usually beautiful scenery.
Today, Chinese people still use these fans, though not many people write or paint on them any more. This summer, why not paint one of your own?
1. Which fans could show a person’s social position?| A．Hand fans. | B．Palm leaf fans. | C．Feather fans. | D．Sandalwood fans. |
| A．An abandoned woman. | B．A woman with a Tuanshan. |
| C．A woman with a Zheshan. | D．A woman in the royal palace. |
| A．They were folded fans. | B．They came in different shapes. |
| C．They had birds and flowers on them. | D．They gave them chances to show the talent. |
| A．A diary. | B．A dictionary. | C．A fairy tale. | D．A magazine. |
| A．At 5:45 a.m. | B．At 6:15 a.m. | C．At 5:30 a.m. |
4 . In order to work on a documentary about Paralympians and the physically sound guides by their sides, one guide in particular brings me to the Elite Athletic Training Center today. The
For the past 14 years, he has been long jumper Lex Gillette's eyes, guiding him to
In 2012, Wesley
| A．runner's | B．guide's | C．jumper's | D．swimmer's |
| A．agreed | B．compromised | C．wished | D．hesitated |
| A．orange-haired | B．able-bodied | C．iron-fisted | D．eagle-eyed |
| A．worry | B．history | C．glory | D．mystery |
| A．turn out | B．sign up | C．work out | D．line up |
| A．emotionally | B．behavior-ally | C．visually | D．mentally |
| A．kind | B．mad | C．lost | D．fit |
| A．multiple | B．gold | C．silver | D．bronze |
| A．open | B．competition | C．test | D．election |
| A．wave | B．nod | C．clap | D．pose |
| A．strengthen | B．establish | C．defend | D．locate |
| A．direction | B．confusion | C．negotiation | D．profession |
| A．collected | B．missed | C．invented | D．removed |
| A．demanded | B．challenged | C．rewarded | D．exchanged |
| A．in contrast with | B．with regard to | C．for lack of | D．as well as |
| A．training | B．studying | C．planning | D．reflecting |
| A．players | B．jokes | C．friends | D．mistakes |
| A．schedule | B．condition | C．method | D．relationship |
| A．respect | B．mercy | C．patience | D．trust |
| A．point | B．travel | C．leap | D．stand |
| A．He ran into a bicycle. |
| B．He ran into a tree. |
| C．He drove too slowly. |
6 . Musicians born after the year 2000 kicked off the Project Spring Bird music season at the Blackstone Music Plus, showcasing the passion and creativity of Generation Z.
The small orchestras were among the biggest surprises in the festival. Each of the pieces in their repertoire (全部剧目)was performed for the first time. Homewood Symphony Orchestra directors and audience alike marveled at the talent of the young performers.
The small orchestras and musicians are the products of a nurturing program aimed at developing the skills and artistic creativity of young talent. It is strongly supported by Mellon Swift, music director of the Homewood Symphony Orchestra. “For young musicians, growth not only takes time, but also a starting point to bigger stages,Mellon said. “We want to help them cross the barriers and explore their artistic passion.”
Young musicians at the beginning of their careers usually emerge from well-known competitions, but Mellon said he wants to see opportunities become more expansive. “We insist on giving them as much freedom and support as possible, so that they don’t get sidetracked by concerns about some practical elements at the beginning of their careers,” he explained. “All they are required to do is to grow artistically and explore their creative potential and ideas, ” he added.
“If a voice tells us:Just do whatever you want, and we will support you all the way, just imagine what kind of potential could emerge?” wrote conductor Karajan, who is only 21, “The future belongs to us, and it can belong to us now! ”
1. What can we learn about the small orchestras in the festival?| A．Their songs were considered as classics. | B．Their performances amazed the audience. |
| C．They have got chances to be world known. | D．They are faced with few developing problems. |
| A．They rose to fame from fashion shows. |
| B．It was they who spread the popular pieces. |
| C．They are budding talents in the music world. |
| D．It takes them little time to peak in their career. |
| A．Young talents need help and improvement. |
| B．It is a long shot to explore music potential. |
| C．Big stages have been set for the music lovers. |
| D．Freedom is the only source of music inspiration. |
| A．A Big Success: the Project Spring Bird | B．Music Directors: Passion and Creativity |
| C．Generation Z:A Group of Musical Talents | D．Young Musicians: “The future belongs to us” |
7 . Contributing to climate change efforts and biodiversity conservation have been the priority of the ongoing work for global beverage leader the Coca-Cola Co. in China, as it has operated more than 50 water stewardship programs in the country.
Since 2007, Coca-Cola has been working with the WWF, UNDP and other partners to protect the freshwater resources of the Yangtze River, in which rare species such as pandas, snow leopards, white cranes, porpoises and Chinese dragonflies were bred. Coca-Cola’s actions over a decade have effectively contributed to the protection of more than 200, 000 hectares of high-ecological value areas, as part of the efforts to conserve the biodiversity and communities of 2 million hectares of wetland ecosystems in the basin.
Coca-Cola China has also been working on responsible agriculture. Since 2012, together with the UNDP, Coca-Cola China has helped double the production of sugar cane in Chongzuo, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, by establishing an irrigation system for the first time, which uses wastewater byproducts to irrigate the fields.
“The water coming from the sugar processing facility needed to be treated, but once it’s treated it can be used,” Goltzman said. “You don’t have to withdraw from the ecosystem to water those crops.”
The Coca-Cola Company used a smart “golden triangle” model in all sustainability proposals. The innovative (创新的)model gives full play to the advantages and expertise of governments, businesses, nongovernmental organizations and all sectors of society, to meet the increasingly serious environmental challenges, and protect water and biological diversity.
Zhang said, “We act in ways to create a more sustainable and better shared future. Sustainability remains core to what we do.”
1. Which of the following can best describe the Coca-Cola Co.?| A．Peace -conscious. | B．Earth-friendly. |
| C．Fully-equipped. | D．Recently-built. |
| A．The ecosystem has been improved. | B．The sugar processing facility is set up. |
| C．The irrigation system has been changed. | D．Treated wastewater byproducts are used. |
| A．It consists of new conservation proposals. |
| B．It is created by nongovernmental organizations. |
| C．It makes the most of social resources to help nature. |
| D．It is employed to solve the problem of water shortage. |
| A．In an essay. | B．In a newspaper. |
| C．In a fashion magazine. | D．In a biology book. |
1. Where is the starting line?
| A．At Fenghe Road. |
| B．At the World Expo site. |
| C．At the Sports Center. |
| A．Foreign runners meeting health requirements. |
| B．The top runners from other countries. |
| C．Those registered on the website. |
| A．50, 000 yuan. | B．80, 000 yuan. | C．100, 000 yuan. |
9 . Peng Jiahui likes to go to the supermarket as a way to relax after work. The nearly expired (临期的) goods section is a spot that she frequents. Discounts that can go as low as 90 percent give her joy.
According to iiMedia Research, a data — mining and analysis company, about 48 percent of the nearly expired food consumers are aged 26 to 35, and most consumers buy such food mainly out of compulsion. “When standing in front of the section, I can’t help thinking if I don’t take them, it will be my loss. But as I always go home with a full bag, sometimes I have to overeat so as to finish them in time,” Peng, 29, said.
Besides appealing prices, some people buy nearly expired food partly because they want to contribute their share in the nationwide Empty Your Plate campaign launched in 2013. “If I buy nearly expired food, then there will be less that goes in the garbage,” Peng said. Zhang Xuefeng, an industry observer, told Global Times that limited wages and high living costs such as rent also force young people to seek inexpensive quality goods.
Chain shops selling food nearing the expiry date are catching the eyes of both customers and investors. Shihuibang, a startup established in March, has already attracted tens of millions of yuan in angel financing. HotMaxx, a chain store that opened last year in major Chinese cities, has expanded to more than 200 outlets across the country.
However, the market supervision department should step up inspections on nearly expired goods, according to Zhang Ziping, an expert with China Meat Association. “More checks should be conducted at the storage places and physical stores,” he said, adding the standards for businesses to handle such food need improvement.
1. What does the underlined word “compulsion” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Charity. | B．Desire. | C．Habit. | D．Gratitude. |
| A．They lack financial freedom. |
| B．They are busy renting houses. |
| C．They feel distaste for wastage. |
| D．They value quality over prices. |
| A．To demonstrate a point. | B．To share a prediction. |
| C．To choose a theory. | D．To offer a topic. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Favorable. | C．Objective. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Get some drinks. | B．Ask the way. | C．Refuel the car. |
