1 . Warm Mineral Springs Park
Step into the past at the only natural warm spring in Florida! With a consistent average temperature of 85 °F year round, Warm Mineral Springs Park provides visitors with a number of recreation options. The spring is reported to have one of the highest mineral contents of any natural spring in the United States. With highly mineralized properties, internationally known for its healing qualities, the park attracts more than 130,000 visitors annually.
At Warm Mineral Springs Park, you will find a day full of relaxation. A variety of spa services are available to those who book in advance by calling (941) 426-1692. An on-site gift shop offers diverse items and souvenirs for purchase.
Pricing
Tickets are not refundable, cannot be exchanged, and cannot be reissued if lost or stolen. Same day re-entry is permitted. Residents include all of Sarasota County. Proof of residency includes driver’s license, water bill and tax bill. Entry pricing, including sales tax, is as follows:
| Pass | Resident | Non-Resident |
| Adults (ages 18 and above) | $15 | $20 |
| Students (ages 6-17) | $11.25 | $15 |
| Children (ages 5 and younger) | FREE | FREE |
| Annual Pass | $1,125 | $2,000 |
| 10 Visit Pass | $112.50 | $150 |
| 30 Visit Pass | $150 | $200 |
General Rules
To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors, please respect the following rules:
♦ Children 10 years and younger must stay in the children’s area.
♦Children ages 11-16 must remain in the outer border.
♦You must be 17 years or older to swim in the middle.
♦No toys are allowed in the water.
♦No food or drinks in the water.
♦No visitors may block the entrance or exit ramps (坡道).
♦Devices for the producing or reproducing of sound are prohibited.
For Daily Programming, Contact: (941) 426-1692
Hours of Operation: Monday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Open every day, with the exception of December 25.
1. What makes Warm Mineral Springs Park unique in Florida?| A．The natural spring. | B．The recreation options. |
| C．The average temperature. | D．The mineral contents. |
| A．$11.25 | B．$22.50 | C．$15 | D．$30 |
| A．Visitors can purchase souvenirs all year round. |
| B．The entrance or exit ramps aren’t available to visitors. |
| C．Activity zones are separated according to the age of visitors. |
| D．Each visitor to the park can relax himself through spa services. |
2 . Do you want to go to take a vacation in Northern Ireland? If you do, here are some places where you can go.
The Sperrins, County Derry and Tyrone
The Sperrins are Northern Ireland’s largest mountains and also its least explored. Starting from Strabane in County Tyrone to the shores of Lough Neagh in the east, Northern Ireland’s largest upland area is a designated (指定的)Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Mournes, County Down
The wild scenery of the Mourne Mountains sweeps down to the sea. It is the place where C. S. Lewis found his fantastic winter-land of Narnia come to form in his mind, which inspired him to write The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The Mourne Mountains in County Down are famous for a lot of things such as challenging peaks and clear lakes.
Dunluce Castle, County Antrim
The ruin of Dunluce Castle sees a long and amazing history. The castle was first built on the amazing coastal cliffs (悬崖)of north County Antrim by the MacQuillan family around 1500. The earliest written record of the castle was in 1513. The amazing history of Dunluce is matched by tales of how the castle kitchens fell into the sea one stormy night in 1639.
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, County Antrim
Connected to the cliffs by a rope bridge across the Atlantic Ocean . Carrick-a-Rede Island (home to a single building- a fisherman’s small house) is the final destination (目的地). Suspended (悬空的)almost 100 ft (30m) above sea level，the rope bridge was first made by a fisherman 350 years ago. In 2016, Carrick-a-Rede welcomed the highest number of visitors ever to this exciting rope bridge experience.
1. Who would most probably be attracted to the Sperrins?| A．People loving local cultures. |
| B．People loving historic places. |
| C．People interested in natural scenery. |
| D．People interested in meeting new people. |
| A．disappointed | B．puzzled |
| C．frightened | D．inspired |
| A．To encourage readers to take a vacation. |
| B．To explain the value of visiting Northern Ireland. |
| C．To compare some places of interest in Northern Ireland. |
| D．To introduce some places of interest in Northern Ireland. |
3 . If you have lived in New York City for many years, like I have, the skyline becomes part of you and your daily life.
When I was invited to visit the recently completed Summit One Vanderbilt, New York’s fourth-highest tower, I wasn’t expecting much. I felt like I’d seen it all and I thought that this observation deck (观测台) would be another space for a view of the city, but nothing else.
Let me tell you something: I have never seen one like this before. It sits on top of a building on 42nd street and Vanderbilt, right next to Grand Central Station. Once you have ascended to the top floor, you step into air, which makes you feel like being at l,000 feet above ground level with its mirrored floors. Once you make your way throughout the space, you feel like New York is part of a body, and your sense of space is challenged by the reflections of the light. The reflections create endless possibilities for photos and videos, and the light changes throughout the day. I took out my camera and began to take photos, feeling a connection with the city that no other observatory has been able to give me.
Summit is something unique, an art work with architecture. It will be an observatory that will change with the city. I personally can’t wait to take photos at sunset, or when winter arrives.
1. How did the author feel when invited to visit Summit One Vanderbilt?| A．Curious. | B．Happy. | C．Amazed. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．Risen. | B．Turned. | C．Referred. | D．Adapted. |
| A．It is the only tower in New York. |
| B．It lies far from Grand Central Station. |
| C．It provides a good place for taking photos. |
| D．It is exactly 1, 000 feet high from the ground. |
| A．To stress a point. | B．To introduce a site. | C．To raise awareness. | D．To promote tourism. |
4 . Kunta is a small attractive stone-built town in England. Water is a natural gateway to the Cheviot Hills and the Northumberland National Park. From its main street formed by the Market Place and High Street three roads lead off through the foothills into the National Park. The main street has hotels, specialist shops, pottery(陶器) factories and grocery stores. The shopping centre in the area has a reputation for friendly, helpful service.
The beauty of the surrounding scenery is eye-opening: on the one side the fallen sandstone goes across the valley below and on the other the wonderful Cheviot Hills rising behind the town to form a splendid background. Alnwick is a town with a historic castle and the famous Alnwick Gardens lie a few miles south while the Scottish Borders are within easy travelling distance from Kunta on clean country roads. Therefore, the town is an excellent place for a holiday. It offers a wide range of accommodation, ranging from youth hostels(招待所), campsites to local hotels. The summer months see the town’s High Streets become a busy scene of local people and visitors. Each July the town holds its Glendale festival with a program of events spread over the weekend.
Activities to do in Kunta include bowling, skiing, junior football clubs, fitness clubs, running, tennis, and walking. The industries are sheep farming and tourism.
There is much evidence of settlements throughout the area dating back to pre Bronze(青铜器) Age times. The Roman period seems to have had little impact on the area. In the twelfth century, it was ruled by Anglo Saxons, then Danish and eventually the Normans. In the twelfth century, the population was little more than eighteen hundred.
1. What do you know about Kunta?| A．It is a small attractive town built on the top of a mountain. |
| B．It is a small beautiful English town built of stones. |
| C．It is near the most beautiful national park in England. |
| D．The largest shopping centre in England lies in Kunta. |
| A．beauty of the surrounding scenery | B．friendly and helpful service |
| C．wide range of accommodation | D．historic castles and famous gardens |
| A．people | B．location |
| C．environment | D．history |
5 . Sea level, also referred to as mean(平均的) sea level is the level at which the oceans exist when averaged between high and low tides. It is calculated by measuring the level of the oceans over long periods of time and under all types of weather conditions.
| A．The measurement of mean sea level has many uses. |
| B．These devices measure the average height of the sea. |
| C．The actual level of the sea is constantly changing as tides rise and fall. |
| D．A change in the height of the land can also affect the measurement of the sea. |
| E．It is used to calculate the height or depth of any point on the Earth's land surface. |
| F．Several terms are used to describe the changing relationships between sea level and dry land. |
| G．While most of the land lies above sea level, there are still places that actually exist below it. |
6 . A perfectly preserved wreck (沉船) that has lain unnoticed in the icy Baltic Sea for over 500 years has finally been confirmed. The European ship was first observed in 2009, when a sonar(声呐) exploration by the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) indicated a large object in the area. However, it was not until early 2019 that researchers from Soton and MMT found evidence of the sunken ship using underwater robotic cameras.
When the team observed the pictures of the 60-foot-long shipwreck, they were surprised to discover it was 99 percent complete. The scientists considered that the wreck's good condition is due to its place in the Baltic Seabed, where the oxygen levels are low. Oxygen is key to most ocean life's survival. Therefore, such an environment where the shipwreck stays reduces or completely removes the creatures that feed on rotting wood.
So although this ship is contemporary to the times of Christopher Columbus, it shows a remarkable level of preservation after 500 years at the bottom of the sea. Dr. Pacheco-Ruiz, who led the MMT effort, said,“It's almost like it sank yesterday. It's a truly astonishing sight."
The scientists are unsure what let the ship sink. However, the ship's guns, which are in their"ready to fire" positions, indicate it may have been the victim of a naval battle. Since the ship dates back to the early 16th century, historians predict it may have sunk during Sweden's three year independence war with its Danish rulers between 1521 and 1523. Alternatively, it could also have been involved in the border dispute (争端) between Russia and Sweden from 1554 to 1557.
The ship is by far the best-preserved shipwreck ever found from the Age of Exploration, when Europeans explored the world by sea.
What's more exciting is that the ship is similar to the Pinta and La Nina, which Comlubus famously sailed toward North America. The scientists, who continue to observe the shipwreck hope the boat's design will expose some of the technologies available to the Italian explorer during his 1492 voyage of discovery.
1. What scientific achievement did Soton 's and MMT' s researchers make?| A．Discovering a wreck using sonar. |
| B．Getting the wreck out or icy water. |
| C．Identifying the object found by SMA. |
| D．Making the ancient wreck well preserved. |
| A．It is generally unfit for creatures to live in. | B．It is tough for scientists to do research. |
| C．It contains too many harmful gases. | D．It is filled with rotting wood. |
| A．his curiosity about the time when the ship sank |
| B．his amazement at the ship's previous grandness |
| C．his surprise at the wreck's well-preserved condition |
| D．his shock at the sinking of the great European ship |
| A．The damage to the ship. | B．The causes of the ship's sinking. |
| C．The construction of the ship. | D．The possible function of the ship. |
| A．Recovering the ancient ships, the Pinta and La Nina. |
| B．Finding every aspect of life in the Age of Exploration. |
| C．Exploring the role the ship played in Columbus' exploration. |
| D．Leaning about Columbus' voyage according to the ship's design. |
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire (尖顶)• He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin，sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts (桅杆）of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices.
Before building work began, a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.
1. London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ._____
| A．its cost |
| B．its size |
| C．its shape |
| D．its height |
| A．change London’s skyline |
| B．inherit London’s tradition |
| C．imitate the Egyptian style |
| D．attract potential visitors |
| A．is only preferred by the rich |
| B．is intended for wealthy people |
| C．is far away from the poor area |
| D．is popular only with Londoners |
| A．The Shard: Cheers and Claps |
| B．The Shard: Work of a Great Architect |
| C．The Shard: New Symbol of London? |
| D．The Shard: A Change for the Better? |
8 . Researchers have solved a long-standing mystery: why rocks on a flat lakebed in Death Valley National Park in California sometimes move. Racetrack Playa, the waterless lakebed, is named for the long trails (痕迹) that the rocks, some of which weigh hundreds of pounds, leave in the earth.
What was one of the world’s natural wonders now appears to be the perfect combination of rain, wind, ice and sun, scientists have found. Dr. Norris and James M. Norris, a cousin and co-author, actually saw the rocks moving in December when they went to check on the project.
For their study, they used special global positioning system tools, designed by James Norris, in rocks of various sizes brought from outside the park. They were not allowed to move or change anything of the existing playa (盐湖) stones.
No river flows into the playa, though rainwater sometimes fills part of it to a depth of a few inches. It’s when this happens, and the nights are below freezing and the days are fine, that the rocks may “sail”, the researchers said. On those occasions, the cold night air leaves a sheet (薄片) of ice only an eighth of an inch thick. Then the warmth of the sun causes the sheet to break up. As more ice melts (融化), some of these lesser sheets have room to move. Driven by light winds, the sheets push up against rocks. The wind drives the water, too, which also helps push the ice to some degree. The movement is slow, no more than about 15 feet a minute.
The movements are episodic — the conditions may be just right for a few minutes, and then the sun causes more ice to break and the movement stops. And once the water disappears, it may be years before the rocks move again, even if the playa floods again, because the right temperature and wind conditions may not occur.
1. What do we know about Racetrack Playa?| A．It has flat rocks in the earth. | B．It is covered by rocks. |
| C．It has some valleys. | D．It is usually dry. |
| A．It doubted the method. | B．It was against doing so. |
| C．It felt it was worth a try. | D．It thought it was useless. |
| A．They are moved by big floods. |
| B．They move just because of strong winds. |
| C．They are mainly pushed by wind-driven ice. |
| D．They move very slowly on smooth ice sheets. |
| A．Amazingly big. | B．Extremely slow. |
| C．Happening sometimes. | D．Going on without stopping. |
9 . The Taj Mahal (泰姬陵) is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and the finest example of the late style of Indian architecture (建筑). It is at Agra in northern India. It lies beside the River Jumna in the middle of gardens with quiet pools.
The Taj Mahal was built by the Mogul emperor (皇帝) Shah Jehan, who ruled India in the seventeenth century. It is in memory of his favorite wife, Arjumand Banu Bagam, known as Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. The building, which was completed between 1632 and 1638, was designed by a local Muslim architect (建筑师), Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The whole building, with gardens and gateway structures, was completed in 1643. The Taj Mahal stands at one end of the garden tomb with marble (大理石) path. The room is softly lighted by the light that passes through double screens of carved marble set high in the walls. The building now is kept in good condition.
The Taj Mahal took 22 years to build. Shah Jehan planned a similar building, but in black instead of white, to lie on the other side of the river. But before it could be built, Shah Jehan was imprisoned (监禁) by his son and buried next to his wife in the Taj Mahal.
1. Why do you think Shah Jehan was buried next to his wife?| A．His own tomb hadn't been built. | B．He hoped to be buried there. |
| C．King and Queen should be buried together. | D．He liked Mumtaz all his life. |
| A．why the Taj Mahal was built | B．the love story between Shah and Mumtaz |
| C．some information about the Taj Mahal | D．the Taj Mahal—the pride of Indians |
| A．the Taj Mahal looks more beautiful than before. |
| B．the Taj Mahal doesn't exist now. |
| C．the Taj Mahal has completely changed. |
| D．the Taj Mahal has become a place of interest. |
| A．Shah Jehan's son built a similar building as the Taj Mahal. |
| B．Shah Jehan was killed by his son. |
| C．Shah Jehan's wife died before him. |
| D．After Shah Jehan died, the Taj Mahal was completed. |
10 . “I could see a huge flow (流动) of water, coming down fast from very high. I had no idea of shape, or situation, or anything. It was just so big.”
These are the words of the great English writer Charles Dickens. He wrote them when he was visiting Niagara Falls. This waterfall is on the border (边界) of the United States and Canada. It is one of the largest in the world, and the largest in North America.
Niagara Falls is on the Niagara River. The river divides just before the waterfall, and there are actually three waterfalls. On the American side are American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Horseshoe Falls is mostly on the Canadian side. The name comes from its shape — like a horseshoe, in a half circle. Horseshoe Falls is the widest of the three.
People mainly know about Niagara Falls because of its size and natural beauty. However, the Niagara River is also an important source of electricity.
In the 1890s, the Westinghouse Electric Company built a large power system (电力系统) on the river. Many other companies also hoped to use the land for factories and power systems. However, around the same time, many people began to work to protect the natural area. Soon, the governments of the United States and Canada got involved with it. They protected the land around Niagara Falls. They made parks — green, natural areas. No one could buy this land for factories. For hundreds of years, millions of people have visited Niagara Falls to enjoy its beauty.
1. From Paragraph 1, we can know Charles Dickens was shocked by Niagara Falls’ __________.| A．speed | B．color |
| C．size | D．beauty |
| A．It has three waterfalls. |
| B．It’s on the Niagara River. |
| C．It’s on the border of two countries. |
| D．It’s the widest waterfall in the world. |
| A．shape | B．sound | C．history | D．location |
| A．The Niagara River is badly polluted. |
| B．There are no factories around Niagara Falls. |
| C．Visitors can learn how Niagara Falls produces electricity. |
| D．Many companies built power systems around Niagara Falls in the 1890s. |
