2 . Ancient builders across the world created structures that are still standing today, thousands of years later. Yet the concrete that makes up much of our modern world has a lifespan of around 50 to 100 years. A growing number of scientists have been studying materials from long-ago eras, hoping to uncover how they’ve held up for millennia.

Many researchers have turned to the Romans for inspiration. Starting around 200 BCE, the architects of the Roman Empire were building impressive concrete structures that have stood the test of time. Even in harbors, where seawater has been battering structures for ages, you’ll find concrete basically the way it was when it was poured 2,000 years ago. Most modern concrete starts with Portland cement, a powder made by heating limestone and clay to super-high temperatures and crushing them. That cement is mixed with water to create a chemically reactive paste. Then, blocks of material like rock and gravel are added, and the cement paste mixes them into a concrete mass. According to records from ancient architects, the Roman process was similar. The ancient builders mixed materials like burnt limestone and volcanic sand with water and gravel, creating chemical reactions to stick everything together.

In a study published earlier this year, Admir Masic, a civil and environmental engineer, proposed that this power comes from blocks of lime that are scattered throughout the Roman material instead of being mixed in evenly. Researchers used to think these blocks were a sign that the Romans weren’t mixing up their materials well enough. Instead, after analyzing concrete samples from Privernum—an ancient city outside of Rome — the scientists found that the blocks could fuel the material’s “self-healing” abilities. When cracks form, water is able to flow into the concrete, Masic explained. That water activates the leftover lime, leading to new chemical reactions that can fill in the damaged sections.

The ancient architectures suggested using extracts from local chukum and jiote trees in the lime mix. When researchers tested out the recipe, they found the resulting plaster was especially durable against physical and chemical damage.

Studies have found all kinds of natural materials mixed into structures from long ago: fruit extracts, milk, cheese curd, beer, even dung and urine. The paste that holds together some of China’s most famous structures—including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City — includes traces of sticky rice.

“Some of these ancient builders might have just gotten lucky”, said Cecilia Pesce, a materials scientist at the University of Sheffield in England, “They’d throw just about anything into their mixes, as long as it was cheap and available.”

Today’s builders can’t just copy the ancient recipes. Even though Roman concrete lasted a longtime, it couldn’t hold up heavy loads: “You couldn’t build a modern skyscraper with Roman concrete,” Cecilia said. “It would collapse.” Instead, researchers are trying to take some of the ancient material’s specialties and add them into modern mixes.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Lime blocks in Roman concrete indicate poor mixing of materials.

B．Ancient Roman concrete structures have witnessed a long history.

C．Modern builders are confused about the Roman method of construction.

D．The concrete used in modern structures has a lifespan of over 200 years.

2. What is proposed as a possible explanation for the self-healing abilities of Roman concrete?

A．The uniform mixing of lime in the concrete.

B．The use of extracts from chukum and jiote trees.

C．The addition of whatever was within reach in the mix.

D．The scattering of blocks of lime throughout the material.

3. The passage mentions that today’s builders can’t simply copy ancient recipes because ______.

A．ancient recipes were not well-documented

B．ancient materials were too expensive

C．ancient materials couldn’t hold up heavy loads

D．ancient builders used materials that are no longer available

4. According to the passage, why do some researchers believe ancient builders included various natural materials in their mixes?

A．To enhance the beauty of the structures.

B．To make the construction process more cost-effective.

C．To create structures that were resistant to chemical damage.

D．To follow ancient traditions without considering effectiveness.

3 . Earlier this year I took a trip to England and France to go see some friends. It was a wonderful trip; I really loved it. But one thing that struck me was how different these cultures are from our own. I guess this would strike any traveler because that is the first thing you notice and it is what makes travel so exciting. Of course, these cultures are also similar to ours in many respects, but it’s the differences that really stand out.

One of the things that struck me in particular was the different attitudes towards smoking. As you know, there’s a growing anti-smoking sentiment in Europe. However, when I went to England and France, I got a new perspective on this issue. People seem to smoke anywhere and everywhere, even though anti-smoking signs are all over public places. On the radio, I heard about a member of the World Cup soccer team who smoked. And people were actually saying, “Well, he should not be on the team because he’s a bad example for our children.” I think, if they want to look at bad examples for their children, they should just go out on the street, or go into the subways, or look in the mirror, even, because so many of them are smoking in very inappropriate places. I visited a restaurant buffet in London and saw an English woman scooping up the food with a lit cigarette in her hand. Smoke rising into the air. Actually, when I talked to English people later, they were pretty shocked too, and they said that smoking in a restaurant is rude even by British standards.

This did not give me a bad impression of English people. It gave me, on the contrary, a positive feeling toward American smokers. There are a lot of American smokers who will proclaim their right to smoke whenever they want, but they will follow the rules, generally, because they have consideration for nonsmokers. So this experience in Europe gave me more of a respect for this kind of smoker.

1. What surprised the writer during his trip to England and France?

A．The wonderful trip to England and France.

B．Cultural differences that he noticed during his trip.

C．Similarity between cultures stands out more than differences.

D．Growing anti-smoking views in Europe.

2. What did the speaker find in England and France about the smoking issue?

A．People discuss the smoking issue on the radio.

B．Smokers are allowed to smoke anywhere and anytime.

C．People are encouraged to smoke in inappropriate places.

D．Many smokers pay no attention to the “No Smoking” signs.

3. The word “sentiment” in the second paragraph means ______.

A．feeling

B．movement

C．offense

D．regulation

4. What kind of smokers does the speaker respect?

A．Those who are from America and Europe.	B．Those who respect others’ feelings.
C．Those who defend the right to smoke.	D．Those who set rules of smoking in public places.

4 .

Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific. It is also one of the smallest countries in the world. But for those interested in adventure and sport, there is a lot to do. Some of the best snorkeling (浮潜) can be found here. Vanuatu’s islands also offer visitors two of the most exciting and dangerous activities in the world: volcano surfing and land diving. Volcano Surfing On Tanna Island, Mount Yasur rises 300 meters (1,000 feet) into the sky. It is known as the Lighthouse of the Pacific because of its regular eruptions for hundreds of years. For centuries, both island locals and visitors have climbed this mountain to visit the top. Some visitors find Yasur terrifying; others captivating. Photographers are beside themselves at the opportunity to make stunning artwork from such a special point. Recently, people have also started climbing Yasur to surf the volcano. In some ways, volcano surfing, also commonly known as ash boarding, is like surfing in the sea, but in other ways it’s very different. It was invented by an adventurer journalist named Zoltan Istvan, while on a trip to Vanuatu Islands in 2002. Volcano surfing is considered as an extreme sport and there are not many practicing it. A volcano surfer’s goal is to escape the erupting volcano — without getting hit by flying rocks! Riders hike up the volcano and slide down, sitting or standing, on a thin plywood or metal board. It’s fast, fun, and dangerous — the perfect extreme sport. Land Diving Most people are familiar with bungee jumping, but did you know bungee jumping started on Pentecost Island in Vanuatu and is almost fifteen centuries old? The original activity, called land diving, is part of a religious ceremony. A man ties tree vines (藤) to his legs. He then jumps head-first from a high tower. It originated as a rite (仪式) of passage for young men trying to prove their manhood. The idea is to jump from as high as possible, and to land as close to the ground as possible. It is also a harvest ritual. The islanders believe the higher the jumpers dive, the higher the crops will grow. Every spring, island natives (men only) still perform this amazing test of strength.

1. Which of the following can be learned from the passage?

A．Mount Yasur is a light tower on the Pacific Ocean.

B．The history of volcano surfing dates back centuries.

C．Bungee jumping grew out of land diving.

D．Land diving came to Vanuatu from another country.

2. The underlined word captivating is closest in meaning to ________.

A．distressing

B．charming

C．disappointing

D．relieving

3. Which of the following could be the best title of this passage?

A．Untouched Beauty: VANUATU	B．Volcano Adventure: VANUATU
C．Extreme Destination: VANUATU	D．Preserved Culture: VANUATU

6 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Wintry Scenes from a Swedish Wonderland

I always give the same advice to ambitious photographers: Wherever home is, that’s where you should begin. Having lived and worked everywhere but in Sweden for most of my life, I was terrible at following it myself. For me, Sweden has always been a place to relax and spend time with family. I’ve never explored it in the same way I’ve explored destinations like Zambia     1     now.

With all of my foreign trips     2     (cancel) this year, I decided to travel north from my home near Stockholm. What began as a two-week trip quickly turned into journeys     3    , both starting and finishing in midwinter, lasted the entire year.

Climate change doesn’t have any impact on the length of our daylight. And yet,     4     (lie) on the back staring up at the magical light show of the aurora borealis (北极光), I hardly minded the lack of daylight. Instead,     5     caught my attention was the fascinating beauty of the white, frozen landscapes and the endless shades of blue.

But Johan Stenevad, my host at Lapland Guesthouse, showed me     6     else. One day, on a snowmobile path lined with tall trees on both sides, he turned off his engine and asked me what I saw. “Trees,” I answered. “A forest.”

He shook his head. “Not a forest, just a plantation. Soon, this is what     7     (leave).” he said. For over half a century now, the ancient forests that once seemed endless continue     8     (cut) down. The Sami that live mainly in the northern areas     9     (face) an existential crisis. Their lives and culture are closely linked to the ancient forests and the reindeer (驯鹿) there. The slow growing lichen (地衣) and mushrooms upon which the reindeer depend for survival are not found in plantations. So, the death of one     10     mean the death of the other, and an uncertain future for an entire people.

We are not visitors in nature and it’s essential for our own survival as well as that of the natural world.

7 . Directions: After reading the passages below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

The shimmering torus-shaped museum of the future in Dubai is covered in Arabic calligraphy and is supported by a steel diagrid(构架), with a facade(建筑物正面) of 1,024 steel panels. The aviation industry provided inspiration for the technology needed to create the exterior that was developed using learning algorithms.

“All the parameters(参数)     1     (put) into a program structurally, and eventually it learned to create this shape,” says architect Shaun Killa.

    2     (open) in February 2022, the building is an iconic addition to Dubai’s already dramatic skyline, which includes the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab and the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. These modern, globally recognizable structures have made a name for Dubai’s architecture, but the story of Dubai’s urban views     3     (go) back to the 2000s. “Often the story is that since the 2000s it’s been a place of gleaming skyscrapers,” says architect and writer Todd Reisz, author of Showpiece City: How Architecture Made Dubai. But the creative fusion seen in the architecture of structures like Killa’s Museum of the Future goes deeper.

“I think what     4     (have) the most influence on the city up to the present is the fact that it’s an entrepot, a port city,” says Reisz. “I’s a place of exchange and in-betweenness, where not only things and people come in and out, but so do ideas.” That exchange of ideas has led to some of the world’s most ambitious architectural projects—    5     Killa has played an outsize role.

Killa first arrived in Dubai from South Africa in 1998,     6     (join) architecture firm Atkins, where he worked on the Burj AI Arab—one of Dubai’s most famous buildings, which sits on an artificial island and is shaped like the sail of a yacht. “For an architect coming from Cape Town, the scale of the buildings was so much     7     (big),” Killa says of Dubai. “If you’re used to smaller projects, it’s quite a challenge to overcome that scale.” Killa went on     8     (work) on other major projects in Dubai such as the Dubai Opera, the Address Boulevard, and the Almas Tower, the tallest building in Dubai at the time.

With its unusual facade, the Museum of the Future, located in Dubai’s financial district features frequently on Instagram posts. And like the city     9    , it has become a place of exchange—an outsize space where people gather, marvel, and commune. “That enjoyment that I saw people having really filled me with something     10     was very special,” Killa says of the public reception to the museum. “The building has now been passed to them.”

8 . Four great mini adventures in the UK

Swim with seals, Lundy Island
Suits Water babies
Difficulty Easy to moderate

Known – with a large pinch of salt and bundles of imagination – as the UK’s Galapagos, this small island off the coast of Devon has an abundance of wildlife to discover. The cliffs are home to scores of birds from puffins to kittiwake, razorbills and guillemots, the grassland harbours the Lundy pony and sika deer and the sea grey seals. It’s these aquatic mammals that offer the most memorable encounters. Renowned for getting up close and personal with snorkellers, they often rub human visitors with their noses (despite rules stating people should keep a distance!).

Swim with Seals £69.50pp including ferry from Ilfracombe, bristolchannelcharters.co.uk
Stargaze from a bothy(茅屋) , mid Wales
Suits Nature-lovers who can rough it
Difficulty Moderate

Nestled in the Elan Valley – an area dotted with reservoirs and woodland and known by very few – is a little bothy called Lluest Cwmbach. Recently refurbished by the volunteer-run and donation-funded Mountain Bothies Association (MBA), it offers a basic shelter from the elements comprising of sleeping platforms, a solid fuel tove(bring your own fuel), and even an outside toilet (a luxury for a bothy). As it’s far from the nearest towns and villages and their light pollution, it offers some of the best stargazing in Wales. Not bad for nothing – though note they are not bookable, so space is never guaranteed. Free, though joining the MBA (£25 a year) helps with the upkeep of these wonderful buildings, mountainbothies.org.uk

Downhill on a mountain bike, Brecon Beacons
Suits Speed freaks
Difficulty Moderate to hard

From the Mid Glamorgan town of Merthyr Tydfil a whole host of mountain bike routes lay in wait for the brave. There’s just one catch – the big Brecon peaks. For hard-core bikers that’s not an issue but for those new to muddy trails it can be off-putting. But Adventure Cycling Wales has the answer: let them worry about the ascent. They transport bike and rider to the top of the most epic routes and it is all downhill from there. From £35 including bike hire and lift to route start, adventurecyclingwales.co.uk

White water rafting, Hertfordshire
Suits Adrenaline lovers
Difficulty Challenging

Built for the canoe slalom at London 2012, Lee Valley White Water Centre, just 17 miles from central London, now also offers mere mortals the chance to take to the rapids. With everything on offer from tasters of the full-on foaming course to tubing and family fun, it provides an adrenaline-packed day trip from the capital. Tasters from £25pp, must be 14+, gowhitewater.co.uk

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Travellers should strictly stay away from the wild aquatic mammals on Lundy Island.

B．People only need to bring your own fuel to Lluest Cwmbach as it is a luxurious bothy.

C．Riders descend from the big Brecon peaks along muddy but fantastic bike routes.

D．Sightseers can spend an exciting day going white-watering in central London.

2. If Arthur and his wife want to take to the water and enjoy family fun with their 12-year-old twins, how much do they have to spend at least?

A．£75.

B．£140.

C．£100.

D．£278.

3. Which column on the newspaper would this passage most probably belong to?

A．Natural Wonders	B．Travel Bargains
C．Exploring UK	D．Travel Tips