1 . I. M. Pei, whose modern designs and high-profile projects made him one of the best-known and most prolific architects of the 20th century, has died. He was 102. A spokesman for Pei’s New York architecture firm confirmed his death to the Associated Press. Pei, whose designs included a controversial renovation of Paris’ Louvre Museum and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, died overnight, his son Chien Chung Pei told The New York Times.
Ieoh Ming Pei, the son of an outstanding banker in China, left his homeland in 1935, moving to the US and studying architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard. After teaching and working for the US government, he went to work for a New York developer in 1948 and started his own firm in 1955.
The museums, municipal buildings, hotels, schools and other structures that Pei built around the world showed precision geometry (几何学) and an abstract quality with much respect for light. They were composed of stone, steel and glass and, as with the Louvre, Pei often worked glass pyramids into his projects.
The Louvre, parts of which date to the 12th century, proved to be Pei’s most controversial work, starting with the fact that he was not French. After being chosen for the job by the then president, François Mitterrand, surrounded by much secrecy, Pei began by making a four-month study of the museum and French history. He created a futuristic (未来主义的) 70ft-tall steel-framed, glass-walled pyramid as a grand entrance for the museum with three smaller pyramids nearby. It was a striking contrast to the existing Louvre structures in classic French style and was violently criticized by many French.
Pei said the Louvre was undoubtedly the most difficult job of his career. He said he had wanted to create a modern space that did not detract from the traditional part of the museum. “Contemporary architects tend to impose modernity on something,” he said in a New York Times interview in 2008. “There is a certain concern for history but it’s not very deep. I understand that time has changed, we have evolved. But I don’t want to forget the beginning. A lasting architecture has to have roots.”
When Pei won the international Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1983, he used the $100,000 award to start a programme for a spiring Chinese architects to study in the US. Even though he formally retired from his firm in 1990, Pei was still taking on projects in his late 80s, such as museums in Luxembourg, Qatar and his ancestral home of Suzhou.
1. What can we learn from the first three paragraphs?| A．Pei is famous for traditional designs in architecture. |
| B．Pei built the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. |
| C．Pei put the elements of light and glass pyramids into the Louvre. |
| D．Pei set up his own firm with the help of a New York developer. |
| A．Positive. | B．Neutral. | C．Objective. | D．Critical. |
| A．To list the modernity of the Louvre innovation. |
| B．To explain Pei’s idea about the Louvre innovation. |
| C．To show Pei’s love for traditional culture. |
| D．To present Pei’s contributions to architecture in history. |
| A．Creative and persistent. |
| B．Productive and stubborn. |
| C．Hard-working and humorous. |
| D．Tolerant and considerate. |
1. What percentage of the world’s tea exports go to Britain?
| A．Over 40%. | B．Almost 15%. | C．About 30%. |
| A．Most British people drink tea that way. |
| B．Tea with milk is healthy. |
| C．Tea tastes much better with milk. |
| A．Tea tasters. | B．Tea companies. | C．Tea exporters. |
| A．Afternoon tea in Britain. |
| B．The London Tea Trade Centre. |
| C．The life of tea tasters. |
When you imagine the South Pole，what do you see？A pole with flags sticking out in an empty，frozen，white openness？Actually，there’s more than one South Pole—and none of them exactly fits the above
If you think of the earth as a
A short distance from the geographic South Pole is a ceremonial South Pole—
There is still another South Pole：the pole of inaccessibility，defined as the place in Antarctica that is the
The year of 2017 marked the 100th birthday of the honoring Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei.
From museums to business headquarters, Pei had designed many notable buildings around the world throughout his long professional career. According to the organizers of ''Rethinking Pei: A Centenary Symposium (百年纪念座谈会)” held that year, Pei remained one of the most celebrated architects of the 20th and early 21st centuries.
The Hong Kong Bank of China Tower is one of his most famous works in Asia. As the bank itself also celebrated its centenary in 2017, it’s worth examining the building's historical and architectural background to gain a deeper understanding of the architect who changed Hong Kong's skyline forever.
The Bank of China Tower (BOC Tower) was completed in 1989, a year which the "New York Times" called ,•the year of I.M. Pei.” For it was in this same year that Pei also completed the glass pyramid of the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, the Creative Artist Agency Headquarters in Los Angeles, and other marvellous architectures all around the world.
Pei was commissioned (委托)in 1982 by the Beijing-based Bank of China to design itsheadquarters in Hong Kong, but construction did not start until 1985.
There were many reasons for the delay. One of the biggest was the huge challenges posed by the location. The land parcel had been the address of a Victorian building which served as a prison during Japanese occupation of Hong Kong between 1941 and 1945. This terrible heritage might be one of the reasons why it was dismantled in 1982.
For I.M. Pei, the challenge of the site was not its past, but its present: the relatively small land parcel was surrounded on three sides by elevated roadways serving high-speed heavy traffic, meaning there was no possible public pedestrian access. Then there was its awkward trapezoidal (梯形)shape and the fact that the site also had a deep north-south height difference.
Another challenge was the unavoidable comparison of the BOC Tower to the neighboring Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Headquarters(HSBC), which was also under construction. A spectacular building generously funded, its architect Norman Foster was simply told to create “the best bank building in the world.” At that time it was also the world's most expensive building, costing $668 million. The Bank of China Tower's budget was approximately one fifth of the budget allowed by HSBC.
The Hong Kong government had promised HSBC that no tall buildings would ever be built in front of its headquarters. Besides, in between the site of the Bank of China and the harbor, there were already a few buildings over 70 meters tall blocking views.
Recognizing that going tall was the only way to create a landmark at this site with his budget, Pei came up with an architectural tower design that was simple, expressive, innovative, and upon its completion, the tallest building outside of America and the fourth tallest in the world.
After the Bank of China officially moved into the tower in 1991, noted architect and critic Peter Blake visited the building and declared it to be "probably the most innovative skyscraper structure built anywhere to date."
Now 30 years after the building’s construction, the Bank of China Tower continues to offer valuable lessons of architectural and structural creativity under the most demanding conditions. Most importantly, the tower has become one of the most important cultural icons for the city of Hong Kong.
1. Which of the following descriptions of I.M. Pei is NOT true?| A．I.M. Pei completed the glass pyramid of the Louvre Museum in Paris in 1989. |
| B．I.M. Pei changed Hong Kong's skyline because he constructed the BOC tower. |
| C．I.M. Pei was universally acknowledged as one of the most celebrated architect. |
| D．I.M. Pei began the construction of BOC Tower directly he got the commission. |
| A．It was the 30th anniversary of the completion of the Bank of China ToweF’s construction. |
| B．The Bank of China officially began to use it as its headquarter in Hong Kong in this year. |
| C．Both Ieoh Ming Pei and Hong Kong and Shangliai Bank celebrated their 100th birthday. |
| D．A Centenary Symposium celebrating the 100th birthday of I. M. Pei was held that year. |
| A．The shape of the land parcel was a challenge to the architect. |
| B．The building of the Bank of China Tower was generously funded. |
| C．The heavy traffic surrounding the site stopped people from entering it. |
| D．The site had been a prison during Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. |
| A．tear down | B．take down | C．tear up | D．take up |
| A．⑦ | B．⑧ | C．⑨ | D．⑩ |
| A．only by getting over great difficulties can architects like LM. Pei achieve success |
| B．the Bank of China Tower was a great masterpiece showing I.M. Pei's creativity |
| C．compared with neighbouring HSBC, BOC Tower is much more extraordinary |
| D．it was the design of the BOC Tower that made I.M. Pei become world-famous |
5 . By the end of the century, if not sooner, the world’s oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate, according to a new study.
At the heart of the phenomenon lie tiny marine microorganisms(海洋微生物) called phytoplankton. Because of the way light reflects off the organisms, these phytoplankton create colourful patterns at the ocean surface. Ocean colour varies from green to blue, depending on the type and concentration of phytoplankton. Climate change will fuel the growth of phytoplankton in some areas, while reducing it in other spots, leading to changes in the ocean’s appearance.
Phytoplankton live at the ocean surface, where they pull carbon dioxide(二氧化碳) into the ocean while giving off oxygen. When these organisms die, they bury carbon in the deep ocean, an important process that helps to regulate the global climate. But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean’s warming trend. Warming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth, since they need not only sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow, but also nutrients.
Stephanie Dutkiewicz, a scientist in MIT’s Center for Global Change Science, built a climate model that projects changes to the oceans throughout the century. In a world that warms up by 3℃, it found that multiple changes to the colour of the oceans would occur. The model projects that currently blue areas with little phytoplankton could become even bluer. But in some waters, such as those of the Arctic, a warming will make conditions riper for phytoplankton, and these areas will turn greener. “Not only are the quantities of phytoplankton in the ocean changing. ” she said, “but the type of phytoplankton is changing.”
And why does that matter? Phytoplankton are the base of the food web. If certain kinds begin to disappear from the ocean, Dutkiewicz said, “it will change the type of fish that will be able to survive.” Those kinds of changes could affect the food chain.
Whatever colour changes the ocean experiences in the coming decades will probably be too gradual and unnoticeable, but they could mean significant changes. “It’ll be a while before we can statistically show that the changes are happening because of climate change,” Dutkiewicz said, “but the change in the colour of the ocean will be one of the early warning signals that we really have changed our planet.”
1. What are the first two paragraphs mainly about?| A．The various patterns at the ocean surface. |
| B．The cause of the changes in ocean colour. |
| C．The way light reflects off marine organisms. |
| D．The efforts to fuel the growth of phytoplankton. |
| A．Sensitive. | B．Beneficial. | C．Significant. | D．Unnoticeable. |
| A．Phytoplankton play a declining role in the marine ecosystem. |
| B．Dutkiewicz’s model aims to project phytoplankton changes. |
| C．Phytoplankton have been used to control global climate. |
| D．Oceans with more phytoplankton may appear greener. |
| A．To assess the consequences of ocean colour changes. |
| B．To analyse the composition of the ocean food chain. |
| C．To explain the effects of climate change on oceans. |
| D．To introduce a new method to study phytoplankton. |
6 . An extremely enthusiastic truth seeker who runs the YouTube channel Bright Insight claims（声称）to have found the mysterious city of Atlantis and insists that its true location has been hiding in plain sight for thousands of years.
In a video, YouTube blogger Jimmy Bright argues that the Richat Structure, a geologic dome（穹状物）in northwest Sahara also referred to as the Eye of the Sahara, is the most likely location of Atlantis.
He mentioned measurements from the famous Dialogues of Plato, which gave birth to the mystery. The Greek philosopher（哲学家）claimed that Atlantis was a long-gone kingdom, which stretched into Europe as far as Italy and into Africa as far as Egypt thousands of years ago. The giant island was said to be wiped off the face of the planet by a natural disaster“in a single day and night of misfortune”.
At first sight, this has nothing to do with the land-based Richat Structure, but Jimmy claims that the so-called Younger Dryas theory could be a possible explanation. According to it, a massive change in global temperatures caused unexpected climate change and sea level to rise.
In what can be viewed as another proof to the Sahara theory, the diameter（直径）of the Richat Structure’s outer circle is 23.5 km according to Google Map’s measurements, which matches those mentioned by Plato — 127 stadia, which is roughly 23.5 km in today’s terms.
Another thing that helps solve the mystery is a theory that the Eye of the Sahara closely matches the description from Plato’s dialogues. The ancient philosopher wrote that the main city of Atlantis consisted of circles of water and land, which, Jimmy said, looks very similar to the circular form of the Richat Structure.
Although the majority of researchers believe that Plato’s story was nothing but a moral story used to describe a failed idea of seeking power and searching for fortune, it has raised quite a few theories, Since the Middle Ages, explorers have been pointing fingers at different places around the world, including the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, with the most amazing theories linking the location of Atlantis to the Antarctic and the North Sea.
1. What does Jimmy Bright claim to have discovered?| A．The most likely location of Atlantis. |
| B．The formation of the Richat Structure. |
| C．The measurements in the Dialogues of Plato. |
| D．The reasons behind the Younger Dryas theory. |
| A．By studying the history of ancient Egypt. |
| B．By analyzing the research into Plato’s life story. |
| C．By explaining the Younger Dryas theory in a scientific way. |
| D．By comparing the Richat Structure with the famous Dialogues of Plato. |
| A．To stress the importance of the Richat Structure. |
| B．To present the influence it had on Atlantis. |
| C．To prove that Jimmy Bright might be correct. |
| D．To show Jimmy Bright’s opinion is unique. |
| A．The Eye of the Sahara is a mystery mentioned in the Dialogues of Plato. |
| B．The Richat Structure is where the mysterious city of Atlantis used to lie. |
| C．The Younger Dryas may have caused the disappearance of Atlantis overnight. |
| D．The Plato’s Story is meant to inspire explorers to locate the exact position of Atlantis. |
1. What attracts most tourists to Mexico City?
| A．Delicious food. | B．Various activities. | C．Colorful nightlife. |
| A．To do shopping. | B．To kill time. | C．To talk with people. |
| A．Visit some pyramids. |
| B．Satisfy your appetite. |
| C．Meet various visitors. |
| A．To inform students of the city. |
| B．To encourage people to visit. |
| C．To introduce a different culture. |
8 . 24 hours in western Sydney: what to do, where to go
On a recent weekend, my boyfriend and I decided to explore the area for the first time.
Friday
6 p.m. — Check in at Atura Blacktown hotel
After an easy 40-minute train trip from Central Station to Blacktown (about $5 one way with the Opal smartcard), we catch a taxi (about $20) to western Sydney’s newest hotel, the Atura Blacktown. It’s a sleek but welcoming hotel with an open-plan lobby that incorporates an inhouse restaurant and a comfortable lounge area. Upstairs, we quickly warm to our modern guestroom, which features reliable, free WiFi, free movies on a large wall-mounted TV, and in the bathroom Malin+Goetz toiletries(洗漱用品). It’s good value at about $160 for a king room.
8 p.m. — Dinner and a drive-in movie
The hotel’s Roadhouse Bar and Grill has an upscale menu (mains $25 — $40 per person) but a casual atmosphere, with an open kitchen and families seated at several tables. We’ve been told not to fill up on dinner so we reluctantly leave our tender scotch fillet(鱼片) and expertly pan-fried barramundi unfinished. At the reception, we pick up keys to the hotel’s white Cadillac, which is parked out front, and drive around the corner to the Skyline Drive-In ($20 for one car with two passengers).
Saturday
9 a.m. — Feasting in Bonnyrigg
Everywhere we go, there is food. At the temple, we watch a famous Laotion chef prepare pawpaw salad, while at the mosque(清真寺) we are offered feather-light fairy floss. Later, in a low-ceilinged Asian grocer, we are fed sublime rice-paper rolls by a proprietor who speaks five languages. Those who dismiss ordinary Australians as conservative and intolerant have clearly not visited Bonnyrigg.
6 p.m. — People-watching at The Emporium
In Parramatta, the venue(场所) of the moment is The Emporium, a 150-seat exposed-brick space with a mod-Oz menu which leans Mediterranean. Unlike many of the more casual places we visit over the weekend, The Emporium has a decidedly grown-up atmosphere, full of well-dressed couples and smart wait staff. Dishes like a delicate stew of Moreton Bay bugs ($36) and truffle-stuffed chicken breast (also $36) are delicious. Don’t expect to get a table on Saturday night unless you book ahead.
1. How much did the author and her boyfriend have to pay at least on Friday?
| A．$216. | B．$226. | C．$332. | D．$260. |
| A．get warm in modern guestrooms | B．overeat delicious dinner |
| C．hire a car to see movies | D．feel unfriendliness from ordinary Australians |
