1 . A Whale of a Time

The annual whale festival in Hermanus, South Africa, kicks off today. The coastal town, located on the Western Cape about 1.5 hours from Cape Town, is well-known for whale watching. It is one of the best locations in the world to witness the migration of southern fight whales. The festival, which is the only eco-arts festival in South Africa, attracts upward of 130, 000 visitors.

Hermanus also takes pride in the world’s only “Whale Crier”. His job is to go around and herald the whereabouts of whales to everyone—with his horn. Fortunately, the timing of the festival almost guarantees a whale sighting—as close as a few meters from shore!

The whales are, of course, the main attraction of the festival, but many more terrific activities are available. The seaside environment, with the mountains as a backdrop, makes an ideal setting to enjoy the festival’s musical performances and fantastic seafood. For those who desire more adventure, there’s open water swimming, a night run and sports challenges. And there are other festivities and entertainment for kids. With something for everyone, what more could ask for?

1. What’s the main attraction of the whale festival in Hermanus?

A．Whale criers.	B．Coastal landscape.
C．Whale watching.	D．Migration of fish.

2. What does “herald” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Prove.

B．Signal.

C．Choose.

D．Arrange.

3. What might an adventure lover prefer?

A．A night run.	B．Fantastic seafood.
C．Musical performance.	D．Seaside environment.

4. The underlined sentence tells us in the whale festival___________

A．nothing can be expected.	B．everyone can enjoy themselves.
C．everyone can ask for more.	D．more fun can be expected.

2 . One of the most recognizable symbols of Scotland is the kilt (百褶裙). Resembling knee-length skirts, kilts originated in the 16th century as a common form of clothing for men and boys living in an area of northern Scotland known as the Scottish Highlands. A special feature of kilts, even to this day, is the plaid (格子呢) patterns. These patterns were historically related to specific clans, which are family groups that share a relationship through ancestry or some other connections. Known as tartans (方格花纹), the plaid patterns are of various colors. Because of their popularity in the Scottish Highlands, the wearing of kilts and any tartan pattern in general was banned from 1746 to 1782 to try to control clans from that region that were opposed to the king at the time. After clans were no longer considered a threat to the king, the clothing ban was removed.

Although the removal of the ban meant people could once again wear kilts with their clan’s tartan, they did not become the regular dress of males there. Instead, they came to represent a traditional form of clothing, and be symbolic of national pride. Tartans of all types can be seen on show all over the world on April 6, Tartan Day, when people of Scottish ancestry celebrate their cultural treasure. Tartan Day originated in Canada in the mid-1980s. It spread to other communities of the Scottish diaspora in the 1990s.

Nowadays, tartans have been specifically created for individuals, families, institutions, and companies. Perhaps the best-known example of a tartan used by a company is that of the British company Burberry. Burberry has used tartans on a variety of products, including scarves, handbags, clothing, and other accessories. Although in 2019, Burberry announced it would reduce the number of products it produced to focus more on handbags as a way to increase profits, their iconic tartan continues to be a symbol of high fashion.

1. In which aspect are kilts special?

A．People show respect for the king by wearing them.	B．They are of the same color in Scotland.
C．Plaid patterns are used in the kilts.	D．They are designed for adult men.

2. Why do Scottish people exhibit different tartans in April?

A．To celebrate a tradition.	B．To spread this culture to the world.
C．To honor the end of the ban on tartans.	D．To express tartans shouldn’t be ignored.

3. Why does the author mention the company Burberry?

A．To prove the popularity of tartans.

B．To stress tartans’ wide range of daily uses.

C．To show the reduced number of tartan products.

D．To explain reasons for Burberry’s favoring tartans.

4. What is the best title for this passage?

A．Popularity of Scottish Kilts	B．Special Scottish Clothing
C．History of Scottish Kilts	D．The Kilt and the Tartan

3 . March, April and May are months full of festivals and events all over the world. Here are some wonderful festivals around the world that happen in spring.
SongKran--Thailand
Dates: 13^th-15th, April
In Thailand, it’s time to celebrate the coming monsoon season, which will bring the rain many people have been looking forward to. They celebrate it with a festival called Songkran, when people head out to the streets with water guns to spray(喷，洒）everyone who walks past. If you walk on the streets where the festival is celebrated, prepare to get soaked!
Naghol--Vanuatu
Dates: Every Saturday from April to May
Every year, villagers come together to celebrate the harvest of yams, an important part in the peopls’s diet in Vanuatu. The festival is most famous for its “land diving ceremony”. During the ceremony men and boys dive to the ground from high wooden towers with only two thin vines attached(附于)to their ankles(脚踝）. The divers’ heads have to lightly touch the ground when they jump---something very dangerous if the vines are not measured（测量）properly.
Cherry Blossom Viewing ---Japan
Dates: The cherry blossom season is different from year to year depending on the weather forecast.
The cherry blossom season has huge importance to the people of Japan, who celebrate the days when the flowers finally blossom. Only a few days later, the petals(花瓣） fall to the ground, like pink snowflakes. This is one of the most beautiful things to see. In Japan, almost everyone has picnics in the parks to view the flowers.
Sinhalese New Year--Sri Lanka
Dates: 13^th or 14^th, April
Just like in many other countries in South an South East Asia, this is the time when the Sinhalese celebrate the traditional New Year, an ancient celebration which marks the end of the harvest season and is one of two times of the year when the sun is straight above Sri Lanka. There are a lot of delicious foods during the celebration.
1. . What does the underlined word “ soaked” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．tired

B．wet

C．crazy

D．interested

2. The writer thinks that the “land diving ceremony” can be dangerous for the divers because ___________.

A．the divers may fall onto the ground if the thin vines break

B．the divers may bump into （撞在…上）the wooden tower on the way down

C．the divers’ ankles may get injured if the vines are tied too tightly

D．the divers may injure（伤害）their heads if the vines aren’t measured properly

3. We can learn from the passage that__________________.

A．the Cherry Blossom Celebration usually lasts a long time in Japan

B．the Cherry Blossom Celebration is the most important festival in Japan

C．the time for the Cherry Blossom Celebration in Japan can be different yearly

D．people usually stay at home for celebration during the cherry blossom season.

4 . Why Is 2020 Called a Leap Year?

February 29 comes up on the calendar only every four years. A year with a February 29 might be good news if you are paid by the day or the week. But it might be bad news if you were born on a February 29.    1    .

American English has a term for the unusual situation. February 29 is called a leap day. And the entire 12-month period with a February 29 in it is called a leap year. This year, 2020, is such a year.

In a leap year, the dates jump over one day of the week. Let me explain. In 2017, the last day of the year, December 31, fell on a Sunday. In 2018, it fell on a Monday. In 2019, it fell on a Tuesday. But in 2020, December 31 will fall on a Thursday.    2    .

The reason for a leap day or a leap year is because our calendar does not follow the Earth’s orbit around the sun exactly.    3    . So every four years, we put all that time together into an extra day — or, what is officially called an intercalary(闰) day.

“Leap” is also an important word for two other common American expressions.    4    . If you want someone to investigate a situation completely before taking action, you might say, “Look before you leap.” The other expression is a phrase of hope. Urging someone to “take a leap of faith” means inviting the person to take action, even if not everything about a situation is known. Interestingly, both phrases are completely reasonable to say to someone who is about to get married. On that note, some people choose to marry on February 29 because it is an unusual date.    5    . Leap years were believed to be difficult, and leap days unlucky and a bad time to begin anything new. Whatever you think about them, the change in the calendar will be gone soon enough. Then we can return to normal, and leap over February 29 as usual.

A．One is a kind of warning.

B．That’s why we called it a Leap Year

C．It just leaped right over Wednesday.

D．Each year, we have a little time left over.

E．You have to wait three years in between birthdays!

F．As a verb, the word “leap” means to jump, or to move quickly.

G．Some ancient peoples would likely tell couples not to do it, however.

5 . Music and art festivals are fun and exciting events. If you're panning to go to a festival, it's important to plan your trip carefully to ensure that you re safe and have a good time.

■Bring clothes to keep warm or cool

In addition to your fun festival clothing, pack a raincoat, some light tank tops, and a sweater or sweatshirt. Don't forget longer pants for cool evenings or bad weather. In general, it's best to leave your umbrella at home because they can be dangerous in large crowds.

■Get a cheap tent and sleeping bag for multi - day festivals

A majority of people end up throwing their tent away after long festivals, since they normally break from the use. Pick up a less expensive tent with enough room for you and your friends and pack a comfortable seeping bag for yourself, 1f you don't want to camp at the festival, remember to book an AirBnb or a hotel room nearby!

■Place a first aid kit in a proper place

Before the festival, buy a small first aid kit with band aids, and any medication that you need to take, in case you get minor injuries or a headache. Keep it in a proper place that's easily accessible, like your tent or car.

1. Why should umbrellas be left at home?

A．They take up too much space.	B．The weather will be terrible.
C．They might hurt someone.	D．Travelers prefer raincoats,

2. What do most people do with tents after festivals?

A．Sell them.

B．Return them.

C．Pack them up.

D．Throw them away.

3. What is suggested about the first aid kit?

A．It should be put at hand.	B．It ought to be big enough.
C．It must contain all medicines.	D．It has to be placed in the car.

6 . It’s a land where winter darkness is long, and summers bring continuous sunlight.

However, people are very happy in Finland, despite the country’s natural challenges. Last month, the nation was named the happiest on Earth, according to the 2018 World Happiness Report released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

The Finns certainly have a high range of happiness, Eric Weiner wrote in his 2008 book The Geography of Bliss.

There’s a stereotype (刻板印象) that Finns are introverted (内向的) and shy, because they often stay silent. But in fact, “for Finns, it is extremely rude to interrupt someone. This leads to us making pauses or taking our time to talk”, Krista Huhtala-jenks, a senior officer at Finland’s Ministry of Transport and Communications, explained to CNN.

Perhaps Finland’s love for heavy metal music and tango reveals the country’s true personality, however. Indeed, young Finns love heavy metal, while tango remains a huge part of Finnish culture for the older generation. The passionate dance started in Argentina, but it’s Finland that became the tango capital of the world. Every July, the Finnish town of Seinajoki draws thousands of people from all over the world to a four-day tango festival. During the festival, a tango king and queen are chosen.

Another trademark (特征) of Finnish culture is the sauna (桑拿). According to CNN, the nation has about 3.5 million saunas – roughly one for every 1.6 people. And 99 percent of Finns take at least one sauna a week, BBC News reported.

In Finns’ eyes, saunas are closely related to well-being. For example, if a person gets sick, he or she will take a sauna. Many women also prefer to give birth in a sauna, because “the walls of traditional smoke saunas were lined with naturally bacteria-resistant soot (抑菌的煤烟灰), making them the cleanest room in the house”, BBC News noted.

Medical benefits aside, the sauna is also seen as a place to collect your thoughts. “Sauna is for your mind. It really helps you to calm down in a modern society where it is never quiet,” Jarmo Lehtola from the Finnish Sauna Society, told BBC News. “If somebody wants to understand what it is to be a Finn, they have to understand what a sauna is. If you do not experience sauna, you do not experience Finland.”

1. According to Huhtala-jenks, why do Finns often remain silent?

A．They are too introverted to talk.

B．They prefer to take time to think.

C．They have plenty of time for conversation.

D．They believe it’s impolite to interrupt others.

2. How does the author show the sauna’s popularity in Finland?

A．By giving examples.	B．By raising questions.
C．By presenting data.	D．By making a comparison.

3. How do Finns believe saunas benefit people?

A．They help people to recover from cancer.

B．They can reduce the pain of giving birth.

C．They help people keep a peaceful mind.

D．They’re a good place to look for inspiration.

4. What’s the author’s main purpose in writing the article?

A．To explore the interesting history of Finland.

B．To introduce some aspects of Finnish culture.

C．To study Finns’ true personality.

D．To show Finlands’s love for saunas.

7 . For me, Christmas was always complicated. As a child, it was joyful, yet a bit bittersweet. On the one hand, there was my Scottish mother, who went all -out for tradition. On the other hand, there was my Bengali （孟加拉）father. He was a reluctant participant in our Christmas celebration.

To five-year-old me, the idea that someone might not love Christmas was unbelievable. It was years before I realised that my father’ s own childhood had been a Santa-free zone. I was vaguely aware of the Bengali equivalent （等同物）to Christmas. Every September or October, airmail parcels would arrive, and ambitious plans were hatched to acquire syrupy cottage-cheese dumplings. But for me this was an addition to 25 December^ not a substitution.

Matters were further complicated by my father^' s job. After going to medical school in Kolkata, he had got a posting as a junior doctor at a hospital in Glasgow, where he met my mother, a nurse. （She gave up work after having children.） He often had to work on Christmas Day, which would make Mum angry. My sister and I were largely unaware of this tension, thrilled to go to work with Dad and see actual Santa visiting sick children on the wards.

As the years went by, though, my father began to accept Christmas. He was promoted to consultant, so he didn't have to work on the day. Everyone was joyful. Somehow, the more Dad engaged with Christmas, the more I disliked it. It was as if happy atmosphere was one of the infectious diseases he specialised in—I had caught a terminal case” while he had gone on to make a full recovery.

Things probably became worse in adulthood by the fact that bad events had a habit of happening to me at Christmas: losing a job, a breakup, a health emergency. My symptoms worsened and I gave up on sending cards or putting up decorations.

But then, one day everything changed. In October 2012, my father died. He had been in good health; nothing could have prepared us for such a loss. I have no memory of Christmas that year, except that it was the worst of my life.

During that period,one of the only things that kept me sane （理智的）was weekly choir （唱诗班）practice. However, as anyone who has ever been in a choir knows, Christmas is non-negotiable.

So I dragged myself out on that freezing night. The lights were sparkling; London had never looked so beautiful. I was totally lost in the music, so I started dancing, laughing and doing jazz hands, carrying on like the naughty 15-year-old chorister I had been at school.

It was then that a woman approached me. "Hi,” she faltered （支吾），“You were wonderful up there—I wanted to thank you.” I made a joke about how we didn't sound as out of tune as normal, but she shook her head. “No, I wanted to thank you." I couldn't think what she meant. "Things aren't so good for me at the moment,” she told me.

I looked at her more closely. What I saw in the woman5 s watery blue eyes was grief. It dawned on me then that while I missed my father very much, the loss had come after 48 years of his devoted attention. What I had was a rare gift. Because of it, I would find my way back to myself. Not everyone was that lucky.

But the woman was still talking.   “Seeing you up there having such a good time, it made me realise I've forgotten how to enjoy myself.” She made a show of jazz hands: "I'm going to remember to do this.”

Six years on, I am the one buying wrapping paper in July and making my own Christmas cards. It might sound strange, but that generous conversation somehow gave me permission to get back to the serious business of enjoying life——and Christmas. Not only was it what my father would have wanted, but doing so could have a positive impact on others—even perfect strangers.

1. Christmas was complicated for the author as a child because .

A．it was celebrated at a different time

B．her parents couldn't afford decorations

C．her parents had their own social customs

D．it was reduced to being abandoned in his family

2. What was to blame for the author s tense parental relationship at Christmas?

A．Mum's loss of job.

B．A junior doctor's workload.

C．Dad's absence from Christmas.

D．Children' s curiosity about Santa.

3. Why did the author have a negative feeling towards Christmas in her youth?

A．Her father' s change touched her.

B．She matured and lost interest in it.

C．She was infected with an incurable disease.

D．Her misfortunes always came with Christmas.

4. What does the author mean by saying ^"Christmas is non-negotiable^” in Paragraph 7?

A．She changed her attitude towards Christmas.

B．She was fascinated with the merry atmosphere.

C．Her father’ s sudden death was a heavy blow to her.

D．She had to join in the celebration as a choir member.

5. Why was the woman grateful to the author?

A．She was inspired by the author.

B．The author made her feel lucky.

C．The author taught her how to dance.

D．They were both in the same situation.

6. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．The woman' s remarks helped the author regain passion for life.

B．The author makes Christmas gifts with paper to make a living.

C．The author fails to live up to her father' s high expectations.

D．Positive mind made little difference to people's well-being.

8 . From 16th to 27th March 2019 the ATOM Festival wants to show you that science is definitely for you. ATOM takes place in Abingdon, one of the UK’s “Science Capitals” sitting at the heart of British Science between Culham, Harwell and Oxford.

ATOM 2019 begins with five leading scientists, engineers and educators taking up our “Three Million Dollar Challenge”— solving the big challenge of how to get more people into science and technology.

As well as showcasing inspiring speakers — including BBC science presenter and mathematician Dr Hannah Fry — this year sees a broader range of formats and events than ever before, and much of it is free thanks to our sponsors and supporters: the Science Market, the Family Science Fair, the Discovery Dome, family shows, lectures, stand-up science comedy and film screenings. Working through the Abingdon Science Partnership your local school will also have been offered the chance to join in one of our competitions. On the fiftieth anniversary of the first moon landing, we’ve gathered together science fiction authors to imagine our future in space.

Ticket Prices

If you are planning to go to several events, take a moment to consider our Festival Pass, costing £20. Once purchased, the pass entitles the holder to attend all the festival events at no further cost.

Passes do not include refreshments which must be purchased separately at the venue. Passes cannot be used by more than one person. There is no under-18s Festival Pass. Due to separate ticketing arrangements this Pass is not valid for the Apollo 13 Film Show at Abbey Cinema.

1. What is one of the attractions of this year’s ATOM Festival?

A．It lasts longer than ever before.

B．Visitors can experience more diverse events.

C．It takes place in Oxford University for the first time.

D．Some astronauts will be present in memory of the moon landing.

2. What can we learn about Festival Passes?

A．They offer no discounts for teenagers.

B．They can be used jointly by family members.

C．They give group visitors access to free refreshments.

D．They allow holders to watch the Apollo 13 Film Show.

9 . Some Famous Libraries in the World

The Royal Library of Alexandria

The Royal Library of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt is probably known as the largest and the most famous library in the ancient world. It is said that the ancient library was burned three times over the centuries. A likeness of the ancient library was built in Alexandria and was opened on October 16，2002.

Celsus Library

Celsus Library was built in what had been a monument tomb of the governor of the Province of Asia, Celsus Polemaeanus in Ephesus, Turkey. It used to be the third richest of ancient times in the world，which had more than 12,000 works of art, but it was destroyed in wars, leaving some ruins. Even so, it is now still so world-famous for its beautiful structure that many visitors come to see it. There is a statue of Athena at its entrance as she is the Goddess of Wisdom. It remains delicate and appealing.

Bodleian Library

Bodleian Library is attached to Oxford University and mainly used as a research library. It is also a copyright library, which means it has a right to every book published in the United Kingdom. The library was designed by the architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Construction was completed in 1940.

The British Library

The British Library was set up in 1973 and is one of the world’s greatest libraries. This library has PACCAR gallery of living and workshop of words. The sounds and images offer shows and different programs at the theme exhibitions. They also have a wide collection of stamps of the world which are on show for visitors. The library also offers events like music and discussions.

1. Which of the following libraries has been reconstructed?

A．The Royal Library of Alexandria.	B．Celsus Library.
C．Bodleian Library.	D．The British Library.

2. What can you do in Celsus Library?

A．Read books.	B．Borrow books.
C．See a stamp exhibition.	D．Enjoy the beautiful remains.

3. What is special about Bodleian Library?

A．It belongs to a university.

B．It was once destroyed by fires.

C．It is one of the famous ancient libraries.

D．It is well-known for its beautiful structure.

10 . Humans are social animals. They live in groups all over the world. As these groups of people live apart from other groups, over the years and centuries they develop their own habits and ideas, which are different from other cultures. One important particular side of every culture is how its people deal with time.

Time is not very important in nonindustrial societies. The Nuer people of East Africa, for example, do not even have a word TIME that is in agreement with the abstract thing we call time. The daily lives of the people of such nonindustrial societies are likely to be patterned around their physical needs and natural events rather than around a time schedule（时间表）based on the clock. They cook and eat when they are hungry and sleep when the sun goes down. They plant crops during the growing seasons and harvest them when the crops are ripe. They measure time not by a clock or calendar（日历）,but by saying that an event takes place before or after some other event Frequently such a society measures days in terms of “sleeps” or longer periods in terms of “moons.”Some cultures, such as the Eskimos of Greenland measure seasons according to the migration of certain animals.

Some cultures which do not have a written language or keep written records have developed interesting ways of “telling time”. For example, when several Australian aborigines want to plan an event for a future time, one of them places a stone on a cliff or in a tree. Each day the angle of the sun changes slightly. In a few days, the rays of the sun strike the stone in a certain way. When this happens, the people see that the agreed-upon time has arrived and the event can take place.

In contrast(成对比), exactly correct measurement of time is very important in modern, industrialized societies. This is because industrialized societies require the helpful efforts of many people in order to work. For a factory to work efficiently(well, quickly and without waste), for example, all of the workers must work at the same time. Therefore, they must know what time to start work in the morning and what time they may go home in the afternoon. Passengers must know the exact time that an airplane will arrive or depart. Students and teachers need to know when a class starts and ends. Stores must open on time in order to serve their customers. Complicated（复杂的）societies need clocks and calendars. Thus, we can see that if each person worked according to his or her own schedule, a complicated society could hardly work at all.

1. By saying “Humans are social animals”, the author means_______ .

A．they live all over the world

B．they are different from other animals

C．they live in one place, district or country, considered as a whole

D．they are divided into many groups

2. Time is not very important in nonindustrial societies because people in those societies_________.

A．don’t have the word TIME in their languages

B．don’t get used to using clocks and other timepieces

C．don’t measure time in their daily-lives around an exact time schedule

D．don’t need to plan their daily lives around an exact time schedule

3. The Australian aborigines’ way of “telling time” is based on ________.

A．the change of the sun rays	B．the movement of the earth in relation to the sun
C．the position of the stone	D．the position of the tree or the cliff

4. Which of the following might be the best title for this passage?

A．Time and Culture	B．The Measurement of Time
C．Time Schedule and Daily Life	D．Clock, Calendar and Society