1 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当内容(不多于3个词汇)或括号中词汇的正确形式。

If you live in northeastern China, you expect long, cold winters. People     1    (live) in Harbin don’t just stand the cold, however, they welcome it. The city is home to the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival,    2    is considered to be the largest ice festival in the world. Even with temperatures usually close to zero, thousands of people head to city parks     3    (see) great ice sculptures, many bathed in colored lights.

The festival includes several thousand ice sculptures. Some of these works are the recreations of castles, historic landmarks and famous people, lit up at night in bright colors. There     4    (visitor) can climb ice stairways and go down ice slides (滑坡). They can also take part    5    sporting events, including skating, ice football     6    well as ice swimming.

The city started     7    (it) icy event in 1963 with the Ice Lantern Garden Party, a     8    (celebrate) of the tradition of creating lanterns out of blocks of ice. The larger festival     9    (begin) in 1985 and added sculptures, which have grown in number and size over the years. As it has gotten bigger, the festival has become popular outside the city.    10    (official), the festival starts on January 5th and lasts over one month.

2 . 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.

2. What can we learn about the place of the sunken ship?

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.

3. Dr. Pacheco-Ruiz's words reflected_________.

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

4. What's Paragraph 4 mainly about?

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.

5. What will the scientists' following research probably focus on?

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.

3 . London’s newest skyscraper (摩天大楼)is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
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

2. When he designed the Shard, Piano wanted it to _____

A．change London’s skyline

B．inherit London’s tradition

C．imitate the Egyptian style

D．attract potential visitors

3. The critics who refer to social division think the Shard_______ .

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

4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

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?

4 . 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.

2. What was the park’s attitude to using GPS in the lakebed’s stones?

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.

3. Why do the stones “sail” according to the Norrises?

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.

4. What does the underlined word “episodic” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Amazingly big.	B．Extremely slow.
C．Happening sometimes.	D．Going on without stopping.

5 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

China has countless attractions. The Great Wall is     1     (probable) one that is most familiar     2     the Western tourists. The Great Wall is like a giant stone dragon,     3     (wind) across the country from the ocean on the east to the desert on the west. It is the longest wall that     4     (build) ever, 1500 miles in     5     (long). Along the wall are watch towers,     6     soldiers were on the watch for threats. The wall was initially constructed     7     (prevent) invasion of neighboring states, and the majority of the existing wall is from the Ming Dynasty. From the top of the Great Wall, people can enjoy     8     impressive view of continuous mountains, green trees and blooming wild flowers. If we were to build such a wall now, we would use modern machines.     9    , the ancient Chinese had to build the wall by hand. The reason why the Great Wall attracts tourists from all over the world every year is     10     it represents the highest wisdom of ancient china. Just as the saying goes, “He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man.”

6 . 阅读下列材料，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号中单词的正确形式。将答案填写在答题纸的相应位置。

This city of Pisa in Italy would not be the same if the Tower of Pisa did not lean (倾斜). Millions of tourists visit Pisa every year     1    (see) the 196-foot tower. Some people believe that is the place     2     Galileo did his experiments with gravity nearly 500 years ago.

Construction of the tower     3    (begin) in 1173 when Pisa was a center of power and wealth. But work was stopped several times because of wars. The eight-story tower was not completed     4     the late 1200s. Even then, the tower leaned.

The tower itself is made of marble and     5    (weigh) 16,000 tons. Problems in the construction of the tower     6    (cause) by the soil underneath. The ground is softer on one side than on     7     other. The entire tower has been     8    (slow) sinking into the ground for centuries. The south side has sunk 6.1 feet below ground level. The north side has sunk 12.3 feet.

Now, engineers have made some     9    (correct) by removing soil from under one side of the tower and pulled the tower a bit more upright. These should keep the tower     10     (stand) up for another 300 years.

7 . 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.

2. The passage mainly tells us____ .

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

3. Form the passage we can learn that____ .

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.

4. Which of the statements is right according to the passage.

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.

8 . “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

2. Which of the following is NOT true about Niagara Falls?

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.

3. Horseshoe Falls gets its name from its ________.

A．shape

B．sound

C．history

D．location

4. What can we learn from the passage?

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.

9 . 假如你是李华，作为交换生去了法国，请你给好友Tom发一封电子邮件谈谈你对巴黎的认识：
1.巴黎是历史悠久的现代化城市；
2.埃菲尔铁塔是巴黎的象征，建于1889年，是为了纪念法国大革命100周年而建的；
3.其他名胜古迹，如凯旋门、卢浮宫等。
注意：1.词数100左右；

2.开头和结尾已经写好，但不计入总词数；

3.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

参考词汇：埃菲尔铁塔Eiffel Tower法国大革命100周年纪念the centenary of the French Revolution凯旋门the Arc de Triomphe卢浮宫the Louvre
Dear Tom,

I have been in Paris for some days, and it leaves me great impressions. _______________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

10 . 阅读下面材料, 在空白处填写1个适当的单词或用括号内单词的正确形式。

In Hebei Province lies a vast forest called Saihanba. This green Great Wall,     1     at its peak during the Qing Dynasty covered thousands of hectares, had by the 1950s     2    （virtual）disappeared. This allowed sand to blow into Beijing from the northern deserts.

Saihanba is a combination of Chinese and Mongolian,     3    （mean）“beautiful highlands". Until the Qing Dynasty, it was a royal hunting land because of its cool summer weather and beautiful surroundings. However, most of the area had turned into a desert by the end of the Qing Dynasty.

In fact 56 years ago there was only one tree left. But without that tree, there     4    （be）no miracle of Saihanba today. In the early 1960s, over 350 foresters     5    （send）to this area to fight the desert. They were required     6    （rebuild）the forest in Saihanba. Few people, including the foresters themselves, believed they would succeed.

Their doubt disappeared, however, when they found the 200-year-old tree, swaying alone in     7     wind. If one tree could survive here,     8     could millions of trees, they thought.

After decades of hard work, three generations of the foresters have restored almost 80% of the original Saihanba forest. Recently, they were awarded the     9    （high）environmental honor from the United Nations for their great     10    （contribute）to creating a greener world.