1 . A group of scientists are hurrying to document and protect the ancient ruins along Puerto Rico's coasts. They are working as fast as they can before rising sea levels destroy a large part of the island's history.
The work started in August 2017. With the help of 3D imaging and other advanced technologies, the scientists have explored a large piece of land along Puerto Rico's north coast and identified an ancient ceremonial center used by the Taino Indians. About 2,000 years ago, the Tainoes lived on many islands in the Caribbean Sea. But after the arrival of Christopher Columbus and other Europeans, they were all killed.
Scientists also found a large living place just east of the site? which is seriously endangered by rising sea levels and other natural disasters. Puerto Rico's Department of Natural Resources has said the sea level around the island is rising by more than 3 mm every year.
However, climate change has more immediate effects. These include the destruction of the Puerto Rico coastline and natural habitats by storms.
Warmer temperatures in the Caribbean increase the number and strength of storms and Puerto Rico faces the possibility of storms every year for six months during the Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Maria had already washed away part of its history.
Scientists are now trying to find out how badly the hurricanes and loss of land have affected the heritage site they are studying. Eric Lo is an engineer who flew to Puerto Rico in August 2017 to start the project one month before Maria struck the island. Lo was surprised at what he saw when he returned months later.
“Pieces of land where I stood do not exist anymore. They are underwater,” he said.
1. Where did the scientists find the ancient Taino Indians' living place?| A．Under the Caribbean Sea. | B．In a European country. |
| C．On Puerto Rico's north coast. | D．Along Puerto Rico's east coast. |
| A．They were killed by the Europeans. | B．They were destroyed by Hurricane Maria. |
| C．They were driven away by the rising sea levels. | D．They were moved away by their government. |
| A．The serious damage caused by storms. | B．The plan to protect the heritage sites. |
| C．The loss of natural habitats in Puerto Rico. | D．The worsening climate conditions in the world. |
| A．The Obvious Effects of Global Climate Change |
| B．Efforts to Preserve Puerto Rico's Coastal Heritage |
| C．New Discoveries of Ancient Taino Indians' Ruins |
| D．Technologies Used to Identify the Ancient Ruins |
2 . On the 1st of March Bulgarian people celebrate a traditional holiday called Baba Marta and it is related to welcoming the approaching spring. People all over the world meet spring with joy and new hopes but in Bulgaria it is saved as an ancient tradition.
On that day, Bulgarians exchange so-called "Martenitsa" and tell each other, "Chestita Baba Marta!"(Happy Grandma Marta! ). This custom is essentially to wish great health, good luck, and happiness to family and friends. The name "Martenitsa" is taken from the Bulgarian word for March, or, as a legend tells, an angry old lady called Grandma Marta-Baba Marta in Bulgarian.
In Bulgarian folklore Baba Marta is a grumpy old woman who changes her mood very rapidly and it reflects in the changeable March weather. When she is smiling the weather is sunny and warm, but if she gets angry the cold will stay for longer and it may even snow. By wearing the red and white colors of the Martenitsa, they hoped that it will make winter pass faster and bring spring.
The Martenitsa is made of twined red and white threads-woollen, silk, or cotton. The white is a symbol of strength, purity and happiness. The red is associated with health and blood.
When someone gives you a Martenitsa you should wear it either pinned on your clothes, on the hand tied around the wrist, or around your neck until you see, or a fruit tree in blossom for the first time in the season. After that you can tie it on a blossoming tree for fertility. Like kind of amulet, Martenitsa was regarded as a magic power believed to protect folks from "ill fortune", diseases and an evil eye.
The custom of wearing Martenitsa is probably one of the most interesting Bulgarian traditions and it is considered to be unique to Bulgaria. According to one of the many legends, this tradition is also related to the founding of the Bulgarian state in 681 AD.
1. What do we know about Martenitsa?| A．It marks a huge improvement on agriculture. |
| B．It is celebrated by Bulgarian people on May 1st. |
| C．It lasts from March 1st until around the end of May. |
| D．It is a traditional holiday connected with welcoming spring. |
| A．Open-minded. | B．Ill-tempered. | C．Easy-going. | D．Cold-blooded. |
| A．By pinning it on the head. | B．By drawing it on the body. |
| C．By tying it around the wrist. | D．By sticking it on the trousers. |
| A．To promote cultural research. | B．To tell people what to do in spring. |
| C．To introduce a Bulgarian tradition. | D．To show how to make the Martenitsa. |
3 . In moving to another country it is not uncommon to experience culture shock. As a Chinese person in Britain, I am no different.
Basically, there are five stages of culture shock.
Stage one can be called the Tourist stage". If you travel a lot, you'll agree with me. Everything in a new place is very exciting to a tourist.
The second stage is the "shock stage”.
The last stage is called the re-entry shock stage". This is the shock you feel when returning home. Everybody is happy to see you again, but you've changed.
| A．Your own culture may feel foreign. |
| B．Then comes the stage of acceptance. |
| C．In the next stage, you begin to adjust. |
| D．Problems and anxiety appear at this time. |
| E．You start to identify with the new culture. |
| F．This stage can last for months or just a couple of days. |
| G．Find the courage to move forward during this difficult stage. |
4 . I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles” of directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office？”
Foreign tourists are often confused in Japan because most streets there don’t have names; in Japan, people use landmarks（地标）in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat; in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.”
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance in time, not miles. “How far away is the post office？” you ask. “Oh,” they answer “it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it？” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don’t know.” People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan！
1. When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually ______.| A．describe the place carefully. | B．show him a map of the place. |
| C．tell him the names of the streets. | D．refer to recognizable buildings and places. |
| A．New York. | B．Los Angeles. | C．Kansas. | D．Iowa. |
| A．To show cultural differences in showing directions. |
| B．To show how to ask the way properly in different countries. |
| C．To explain why people have similar understanding of direction. |
| D．To share the experience of traveling around the world. |
5 . Every American family has its own traditions on Thanksgiving Day,and mine is no different.Once the national holiday arrives,my mum rises early to make the meal.She puts a turkey in the oven,chops carrots and bakes pies.I’m sorry to say that the men in the family—my dad,my younger brother and myself—rarely pitch in to help.Our job is to wash the mountain of dirty dishes after the meal is over.
Around 2 pm every Thanksgiving Day,family members seat themselves around the kitchen table.Plates of turkey,vegetables,salad,rolls and pies cover it.At this point,we can hardly keep ourselves from drooling (流口水)all over our fancy clothes,but it’s not yet time to eat.
First,we must bow our heads,close our eyes and say a prayer of thanks aloud to God for giving us everything we have.Under normal circumstances,I would have no problem making a list of things I am thankful for.I grew up in a loving family.My parents,who aren’t wealthy,took out loans to help me pay for university.
However,the funny thing is,every time I sit down for Thanksgiving dinner and try to say a prayer of thanks,my mind usually goes blank.I think it has something to do with my growling (咕咕叫)stomach and all of that food sitting right there under my nose.
Eventually,though,we all finish our short prayers and dig in.To be sure,the day includes other highlights—visiting with family and watching football.But usually around 6 pm we are all ourselves stuffed like turkeys and thankful to have a nice warm bed to sleep in.
1. The purpose of the text is to .| A．tell what the family do for Thanksgiving Day |
| B．tell how the family spends Thanksgiving Day |
| C．introduce foods served on Thanksgiving Day |
| D．introduce the American Thanksgiving Day |
| A．Watch a movie. | B．Make visits. |
| C．Have a big meal. | D．Watch football. |
| A．He is too thankful to say a word. |
| B．His mind is on the food before him. |
| C．He feels too excited to speak. |
| D．He is too shy to speak in public. |
| A．chat with others | B．make a hole |
| C．mix things up | D．start eating |
6 . HEY boys, attention please! If you want to go to the US, you’d better be fully prepared, because, well, you and the boys in the US are a bit different.
Firstly, know how to knot a tie. In the US, every boy above school age wears suits when they go to weddings.
Secondly, be a gentleman. I know in China some boys are still proud of being strong. But in the US, a good man should also be polite.
The last is to learn something about football and baseball. Chinese boys like ping-pong, basketball and soccer, but American boys love football and baseball. They get very happy when they play and watch these sports.
| A．Many boys are fans of football or baseball in America. |
| B．In my opinion, you’d better try to do the following things. |
| C．The stronger you are, the more highly people will think of you. |
| D．My friend Madison from Virginia said it shows respect to others. |
| E．However, all this doesn’t mean that the American way is always the right way. |
| F．It’s not necessary to be a fan of football or fix your TV channel to baseball games. |
| G．Here are two examples: holding the door for people behind you and giving the seat on a bus to old people. |
7 . People from all over the world have different wedding traditions and marriage customs.The one thing that all wedding ceremonies commonly seem to have is the commitment(承诺)of love for all time during a public ceremony.
Everyone at a wedding hopes for great happiness between the wedding couple.Wedding traditions are usually a way of showing signs of the hope for great happiness.Some of these traditions are very interesting.
In Sweden，the traditional bride will wear three rings by the end of the wedding ceremony.The first is the engagement (订婚)ring that she entered the ceremony with.The second，the wedding ring，is added to the first.A final ring，however，is added as well.This ring is known as the “motherhood” ring.This is said to show that marriage is about more than just love.It is about building a family.
Wedding traditions in the Philippines include the Pandango，a dance which can last for hours.During the Pandango，guests pin (用大头针别住)money to the bride's dress to pay for their honeymoon.
A traditional Irish bride may wear a blue wedding dress－believing blue to be a lucky color.English Lavender (薰衣草)is often mixed with her wedding flowers.It is traditional for the bride to braid her hair (梳头发)－as it is considered a good way to bring luck to the new couple.
There are many wedding traditions around the world which may differ from what they are used to，but if you are about to plan a wedding，you may find it interesting to include some of these traditions in your own wedding.
1. What do all wedding ceremonies seem to have in common?| A．The commitment of love for all time. |
| B．Happiness between the wedding couple. |
| C．An interesting life. |
| D．Building a happy family. |
| A．the duties of the new couple |
| B．the great love between the new couple |
| C．the bride will be not only a wife but also a mother |
| D．the bride will take care of not only her husband but also his mother |
| A．the bride | B．the bridegroom |
| C．their parents | D．the visiting guests |
| A．The reason for different wedding traditions. |
| B．Interesting wedding traditions from different countries. |
| C．The way to prepare for a wedding ceremony. |
| D．Interesting engagement traditions around the world. |
8 . February has long been a month of romance.With the sweet smell of roses in the air，romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day，it is customary for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner，buy her flowers and chocolates，write poems，sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals!
This is the scene that greets you on Valentine's Day，named after Valentine who was a priest in the third century Rome.When the emperor decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives，he banned marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret.When his actions were discovered，the emperor had him put to death.
While in prison，it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard.Before his death，he wrote her a letter，which he signed “From your Valentine”， an expression that is still in use today.
Valentine died for what he believed in and so was made a Saint，as well as becoming one of history's most romantic figures.
Nowadays，Valentine's Day wins the same popularity among Chinese young people.It is a time when students “don't want to be alone” according to Gao Shunjie，a student reporter for 21st Century Teens in Jinling High School，Nanjing.Some of her classmates are planning to make Valentine's cards for parents，teachers and friends.Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heartshaped cakes.The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St Valentine.
1. Why is February a month of romance?| A．Because people will enjoy the pleasant feeling that the sweet smell roses bring them. |
| B．Because a lot of romantic films will be on show in February. |
| C．Because people can read a lot of love stories in newspapers or magazines. |
| D．Because Valentine's Day is on the 14th February，when many romantic things will happen. |
| A．was not satisfied with the marriage ceremonies held by priests |
| B．thought a single man was better than a married man as a solider |
| C．envied men marrying women |
| D．thought marriage was evil |
| A．a man also called Valentine |
| B．her pet called Valentine |
| C．her boyfriend who is also called Valentine |
| D．her lover |
| A．a love story happening between Valentine and a daughter of a guard |
| B．the history of Valentine's Day and it wins popularity among Chinese young people |
| C．a priest who loved bravely facing pressure from the emperor |
| D．that February is a month of romance |
9 . International tourism is becoming interestingly popular, and large numbers of people from all over the world come to visit famous places such as the Great Wall of China and the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
As for the damage, there are many different causes. For example, the paintings in the Sistine Chapel are being damaged by people breathing onto them when they visit.
In short, it is necessary to control tourism at famous places.
| A．For example, special paths can be built. |
| B．What can we do to deal with these problems? |
| C．The Great Wall was built over 2,000 years ago. |
| D．However, these visitors have caused many problems. |
| E．Traveling is the best way for us to get to know the world. |
| F．If we do not do this, these places will disappear from our planet. |
| G．Their breath contains very small drops of water that are present in the air. |
10 . No one can believe that the Great Wall might disappear some day. Believe it or not, the Great Wall is being destroyed by people. Less than 20 percent of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty is still perfect, but about 80 percent is in danger. The Great Wall can be called “great” mostly because of its amazing length. But we should realize that the length was made up of one brick at a time. If we do nothing to save the Great Wall, it will become a series of separate wasteland rather than a historic site.
The Great Wall is actually a series of walls built and rebuilt by different dynasties over the past 2,000 years. It began in the rule of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty, and lasted into the Ming Dynasty. The parts built before the Ming Dynasty have nearly disappeared. People are familiar with sections such as Badaling in Beijing and Jiayuguan in Gansu because they have been open to tourists for many years. But those sections far away from the public eyes have been almost forgotten.
Few local people knew the 3metrehigh walls made of earth and stones beside them are part of the Great Wall. The lack of knowledge is considered as one of the main reasons.
The bricks on the Great Wall were carried off by local countryside people to build their houses, sheep corrals (畜栏) and pigsties (猪圈). Some were taken away to build roads. Bricks carved with people’s names are put away as remembrance (纪念). Rubbish is spread over the battlements (城垛). The bricks can be sold for 15 yuan per tractor load. Those who destroyed and are destroying the Great Wall know its name, but are not clear about its cultural meaning. It will take a long time to let them know this. The local farmers not only carried off the body of the Great Wall but dug out the entire base.
It is necessary to preserve the Great Wall. The officials should be aware of the importance of the Great Wall. Young Chinese should know more about the nation’s great civilization and learn to love it.
1. The underlined part in Paragraph 2 refers to the parts of the Great Wall ________.| A．that are too difficult to understand |
| B．that nobody can watch |
| C．that are not well known to the public |
| D．that are too far to be seen |
| A．The local people are short of cultural knowledge. |
| B．The local people need bricks and stones to build houses. |
| C．The local people think the Great Wall is not important. |
| D．The bricks of the Great Wall can be sold for money. |
| A．It is useless from now on. |
| B．It will be replaced by a new one. |
| C．Some parts of it are being destroyed. |
| D．It's too old to be used once again. |
