1 . Dan Buettner, the author of Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zone Way, set out to find the happiest places on earth, and he thinks he’s discovered four competitors on four different continents.
Singapore
With one of the highest population densities (密度) in the world and residents known for being workaholics, it’s hard to imagine the city-state of Singapore having one of the happiest populations on earth. And yet in a recent survey, 95% of them said they were either very happy or quite happy. They give their city high marks for cleanliness and safety. Subways are unfailingly arrive on time, and police are seen as helpful and good at their jobs.
Arhus, Denmark
The residents of Arhus cheerfully part with 68% of their income in taxes, knowing that in return they will be guaranteed free healthcare, free daycare, and a topnotch education for their children. A robust city of 300,000 with a lively cultural scene and a diverse number of religions represented, the sense of community and equality (the range in incomes is narrow), as well as easy access to the nearby sea and surrounding countryside, make Arhus seem more like a small town. “We believe that a rich person is not necessarily the one with a lot of money.”
San Luis Obispo, CA
According to a 2008 Gallup-Healthways study, people who live in San Luis Obispo are more likely than residents of other U.S. cities to smile and experience joy and are less likely to experience pain or depression. Some 64,000 of the 260,000 people volunteer at over 11,000 non-profit organizations. Business signs are unremarkable by law, fewer than 11% of residents smoke—the lowest rate in the U.S. , and the city’s plaza draws lots of people for free concerts on summer Fridays.
Monterrey, Mexico
Unlike San Luis Obispans, the people of Monterrey don’t enjoy high household incomes or access to good healthcare. Instead, there’s a profound sense of gratitude for the new political freedom enjoyed since the oppressive Institutional Revolutionary Party lost power in 2000. Another reason Monterrey residents may be so happy is their faith in God and family. “We laugh at sickness, poverty and even death,” says Basanez. “We even have a holiday to celebrate death. November 2, the Day of the Dead, is one of the biggest holidays of the year.”
1. Which is the best title of this passage?| A．The Introduction of the Book Finding Happiness the Blue Zone Way. |
| B．The Four Happiest Cities on Earth. |
| C．The Four Best Cities on Earth. |
| D．The Four Most Developed Cities on Earth. |
| A．The city is very clean and safe. |
| B．The city has highest population densities in the world. |
| C．Subways always arrive on time. |
| D．People are friendly to each other. |
| A．The residents of Arhus can enjoy free healthcare, free daycare, and a topnotch education for their children. |
| B．The residents of Arhus can go to the seaside very easily. |
| C．The residents of Arhus think money is very important. |
| D．There are a various number of religions in Arhus. |
a. People who live in San Luis Obispo experience more joy than sadness.
b. Many people join the non-profit organizations
c. People can see many business signs
d. No people smoke in San Luis Obispo, CA
e. People can go to the concert for free on summer Fridays
| A．abcd | B．ab | C．abe | D．abcde |
| A．People in Monterrey, Mexico are not happy because they can’t enjoy high incomes or good healthcare. |
| B．People in Monterrey, Mexico don’t like Institutional Revolutionary Party. |
| C．Monterrey residents are happy because of their faith in God and family. |
| D．November 2, the Day of the Dead, is one of the biggest holidays of the year. |
2 . The Museum: The Charles Dickens Museum in London is the world’s most important collection of material relating to the great Victorian novelist and social commentator. The only surviving London home of Dickens (from 1837 until 1839) was opened as a museum in 1925 and is still welcoming visitors from all over the world. On the four floors, visitors can see paintings, rare editions, manuscripts, original furniture and many items relating to the life of one of the most popular and beloved personalities of the Victorian age.
Opening Hours: The Museum is open from Mondays to Saturdays 10: 00—17: 00; Sundays 11: 00—17: 00. Last admission (允许进入) is 30 minutes before closing time.
Special opening times can be arranged for groups, who may wish to book a private view.
Admission Charges: Adults: ￡5.00; Students: ￡4.00; Seniors: ￡4.00; Children: ￡3.00; Families: ￡14.00 (2 adults & up to five children).
Group Rates: For a group of 10 or more, a special group rate of ￡4.00 each applies. Children will still be admitted for ￡3.00 each.
Access: We are constantly working to improve access to the Museum. Our current projects involve the fitting of a wheelchair ramp(活动坡道) for better access and an audio tour for visitors with impaired (受损的) vision. Our Handling Sessions (亲身体验活动) are also suitable for the visually impaired. The Museum has developed an online virtual tour through the Museum. Click here to visit all the rooms in the Museum online.
Hire the Museum: The Museum can be hired for private functions, parties and many other social occasions.
Find Us: The Museum may be reached by using the following buses: 7, 17, 19, 38, 45, 46, 55, 243. And by these underground services: Piccadilly Line; Central Line. For a map, please click here. The British Museum and the Foundling Museum are within walking distance.
1. Compared to going there separately, if a family with two adults and four children go to the Museum together they will save ________.| A．￡22.00 | B．￡14.00 | C．￡11.00 | D．￡8.00 |
| A．Anyone cannot hire the Museum for other uses. |
| B．Visitors with poor vision cannot enjoy the Museum. |
| C．The Museum is not very far from the British Museum. |
| D．people can be allowed into the Museum at 17:00. |
| A．magazine | B．Website | C．guidebook | D．Newspaper |
3 . You should see the photo. I’m sitting in red dirt,
It was a strange choice for a holiday. I like sitting by the pool with a cola, not flies and frogs. I like being
But here’s the thing about that photo: I am smiling!
The trip sounded good when I
In Darwin we got onto a bus. It quickly became tiresome. The kids were
But later when I looked out at the large empty land, I was surprised at and moved by its
Finally we reached our
It didn’t matter. The next nine days were
On our last night, a water pipe (管子)
Indeed, it was
Yes, the coffee was bad, but I was too focused on keeping crickets off my face.
I love that photo of me in the dirt. I look messy but happy. Sometimes it’s another way of traveling. There is beautiful
| A．washing | B．wearing | C．waving | D．watching |
| A．noisy | B．busy | C．alone | D．shy |
| A．shortly | B．cautiously | C．freshly | D．clearly |
| A．signed up | B．showed up | C．stood up | D．woke up |
| A．guide | B．business | C．culture | D．resource |
| A．silent | B．encouraged | C．moody | D．excited |
| A．coldness | B．beauty | C．enthusiasm | D．emptiness |
| A．goal | B．agreement | C．destination | D．decision |
| A．killed | B．packed | C．wasted | D．booked |
| A．cut | B．expanded | C．shortened | D．broke |
| A．scared | B．complained | C．laughed | D．saddened |
| A．normal | B．strange | C．unbelievable | D．perfect |
| A．impossible | B．probable | C．easy | D．important |
| A．tested | B．stored | C．valued | D．experienced |
| A．dress | B．weather | C．scenery | D．room |
1. 简单介绍一下盘山；
2. 提醒他应做的准备（如：地图、衣物、食品、查询天气预报等）；
3. 希望他注意安全，享受探险的乐趣。
注意：
1. 词数不少于100；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear John,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
5 . New York City is home to some of the tallest buildings on Earth. Recently, a new skyscraper joined them. This time it’s the thinnest in the world.
After years of development, Steinway Tower is now complete. The height of the building is 435 meters. But it’s just 18 meters wide. The width-to-height ratio is 1:24. That makes the building look very thin, like a chopstick sticking up from the ground. For context (供参考), CITIC Tower, known as China Zun Tower in Beijing, stands at 528 meters, but is 84 meters wide.
You don’t need to worry that the building may break in half during a storm. According to SHoP Architects, the designer of the building, it was made with the world’s strongest concrete . However, the building may still move in strong winds. That would cause loud noises, and people inside may feel dizzy (晕眩的).
Many modern tall buildings have a secret tool inside to help them stand still. It’s called a damper (风阻尼器), usually a huge steel ball that weighs hundreds of tons. For example, the Steinway Tower has a damper of 800 tons. It swings back and forth inside the building to balance the force of the wind.
There are many people living and working in New York City. Land there is very expensive. Skyscrapers are a great choice for saving land. Meanwhile, designers wanted to make the Steinway Tower a landmark. Part of the building is the 96-year-old historic site of Steinway Hall. It was famous for concerts in the 20th century. The special design of the skyscraper may help people remember the past glory (辉煌) of Steinway Hall.
1. What do we know about the Steinway Tower?| A．It is the world’s tallest building. | B．It is a little wider than China Zun Tower. |
| C．The building work started this year. | D．No other building is as thin as it. |
| A．The breaking of the building. | B．The swinging of the building. |
| C．The sounds of strong wind. | D．The falling of the strongest concrete. |
| A．Standing near other tall buildings. | B．Weighing hundreds of tons. |
| C．Having a big steel ball inside. | D．Swinging slowly in the wind. |
| A．To save land. | B．To show off their skills. |
| C．To welcome more people. | D．To make space for landmarks. |
| A．It is a common way to build theaters. |
| B．It is partly in memory of a famous old building. |
| C．It is the same as the design of Steinway Hall. |
| D．The historic style made it famous in the 20th century. |
6 . Nature has inspired many of the most fascinating designs around us, including those in architecture. Today, architects continue to explore ways to capture the beauty of natural forms, to mimic the way nature works or even to make natural organisms part of a building.
Art Science Museum, Singapore
People whose interest is exploring the relationship between art and science will enjoy Singapore’s Art Science Museum. The building was designed to show the connection between nature and the modern city environment in which it sits. Shaped to resemble a lotus flower, it appears to float above the waterfront promenade and the water that surrounds it. Its roof collects rainwater and channels it 35 meters down to a waterfall in the centre of the space. The water is then recycled through the building’s plumbing system. The building so truly captures the beauty of natural forms.
The Eastgate Centre, Harare
Harare’s Eastgate Centre is a superb example of biomimicry. To use biomimicry is to create structures based on natural forms and processes. Zimbabwean architect Mick Pearce was inspired to create the Centre while watching a nature documentary. The insects built mounds covered in little holes designed to allow air to move freely in and out of the mounds. In a similar way, the Eastgate Centre has a “skin” covered in holes. During the day, warm air is drawn into the building through the holes, cooling as it reaches the middle of the building. At night, the heat absorbed by the wall during the day warms the cool air, creating a comfortable temperature inside. The design reduces the need for traditional air conditioning and heating systems, so the building uses less energy and costs less to run.
The Algae House, Hamburg
The world’s first algae-powered building is in Hamburg, Germany. The surface of the apartment building is covered in panels that contain algae. In bright sunshine, they grow faster and provide shade. The panels also capture heat from the sun and convert it into energy that powers the building. And that’s not all — the algae inside the panels can be harvested and used to produce fuel. The building therefore not only responds to its environment and uses less energy, but also reduces damage to the environment by generating its own renewable energy.
Creating building such as these enables us to live in closer harmony with our environment. To meet the needs of today while protecting the world of tomorrow may be a challenge, but even the simplest organisms can help teach us how to achieve this.
1. Which of the following is not the reason why architects continue to explore nature?| A．To imitate the way nature works. | B．To make nature part of architecture. |
| C．To make natural organisms alive. | D．To capture the beauty of nature. |
| A．From its roof that helps collect and recycle rainwater. |
| B．From its lotus flower shape floating on the water. |
| C．From its amazing waterfall in the center of the space. |
| D．From its attraction of visitors all over the world. |
| A．Termites constructing their nests. | B．Mounds covered in little holes. |
| C．Traditional air conditioning systems. | D．Its surface covered in holes |
| A．By using less energy. | B．By producing its own renewable energy. |
| C．By capturing heat from the sun. | D．By providing shade for people |
| A．Architecture Frontier. | B．Extraordinary Architects. |
| C．Natural World. | D．Living on Earth. |
7 . Returning to nature
Imagine getting the chance to go camping for five days. It would be an adventure (冒险) in the wild. You could row on a lake every day and leave your smartphone at home. Would you want to try this?
In June, four teenage girls from Minnesota, US, went camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (边界水域泛舟区). They had a great time——even without their smartphones.
Julia Ruelle, 16, put the group together. Earlier this year, she won an essay contest sponsored (赞助) by a company. The award was a five-day canoe and camping adventure with up to three friends. No parents or guides would be there. This award was supposed to encourage kids to be less dependent on technology.
Ruelle had been to the area before, but she had always gone with her parents. Sharing the experience with friends would be very different. She invited three friends: Anna Wander, Madeline Wilson, and Julianna Torelli.
They came up with a daily plan. “We would wake up early every day. We were done paddling (划桨) by noon. We ate lunch at the campsite. Then it was time for hammocks (吊床), reading, writing, making friendship bracelets (手链), talking and napping,” Ruelle said.
“I’m a lot less worried about things,” Wander said when asked how she felt without her cellphone. Her favorite thing to do was lie in her hammock and look at the lake. Torelli enjoyed cooking. She made blueberry pancakes and sandwiches.
No one felt hungry or homesick. “Mental (心理的) health can be improved so much. It really helps to get away and reconnect with yourself,” Ruelle said.
1. The camping trip was unique because the girls _____.| A．had to live on a boat for several days |
| B．needed to finish many tasks |
| C．had to live without their smartphones |
| D．needed to find a guide on their own |
| A．not using her smartphone at school |
| B．asking her parents for help |
| C．working in a company |
| D．winning an essay contest |
| A．Worried. | B．Happy. |
| C．Hungry. | D．Homesick. |
| A．It is easy to get lost without our phones. |
| B．The girls didn’t make any camping plans. |
| C．Wilson enjoyed making pancakes and sandwiches. |
| D．Using smartphones less can improve our mental health. |
8 . Top Family Travel Destinations
| Walt Disney World, Florida Walt Disney World is where the magic happens. There’s so much to explore. Visit Magic Kingdom for amazing rides including Space Mountain. Take a family picture in front of Cinderella’s Castle. Book a character meal and eat lunch with your children’s favorite characters. Tip: Visit Walt Disney World between March 2 and May 30 for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. |
| Williamsburg, Virginia Have fun and go on wild on all kinds of family adventures in Williamsburg, Virginia. Spend the day at Busch Gardens. Learn the chemistry of making glass at the Jamestown Glasshouse. Looking for an exciting rush? Try the Ape Treetop Adventure Course and fly over Williamsburg’s treetops. |
| Honolulu, Hawaii Hawaii has a lot to offer to your family. Try a new water sport. Go diving and snorkeling and take pictures by the beautiful Manoa Falls. Then, take a private tour, visit the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and learn more about history at the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the Diamond Head State Monument and the Honolulu Museum of Art |
| Ocean City, Maryland Take this year’s summer vacation in Ocean City, Maryland. Spend quality time with your family listening to live music, playing mini golf, riding bikes together and joining in water sports. Looking for even more fun for the kids? Visit the Pirate Adventures of Ocean City, Baja Amusements, the Candy Kitchen and the Bahia Marina |
| A．To take an fantastic ride at Busch Gardens. |
| B．To attend a course at Williamsburg’s treetops. |
| C．To visit the Diamond Head State Monument. |
| D．To take photos in front of Cinderella’s Castle. |
| A．In Magic Kingdom. |
| B．In Baja Amusements. |
| C．At the Jamestown Glasshouse. |
| D．In the Honolulu Museum of Art. |
| A．Mini golf. | B．Water sports. |
| C．Bike riding. | D．Character meals. |
| A．Ocean City is most pleasant and crowded during Christmas. |
| B．It is impossible to learn anything about history in Honolulu. |
| C．Williamsburg is a wonderful place for family adventure lovers. |
| D．March is the best time to visit the Walt Disney World. |
| A．Travel. | B．Sports. |
| C．Economy. | D．Literature. |
| |
Welcome to the official Louvre online sales site The Musée du Louvre is reopening and we are glad to be able to welcome you back again. In line with the measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visitors will be required to wear a mask. According to government recommendations, all visitors to the Louvre aged 12 years and two months or older must show a Health Pass. All visitors, including those entitled to free admission, must book a time period. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience. | |
 | Individual tickets for the Museum Admission and reservation of a time period to access the permanent collections. Tickets valid for the selected date only. Full list of visitors entitled to free admission at Louvre.fr. General admission: €18 |
The Musée du Louvre is open every day — except Tuesdays, January 1, May 1 and December 25 — from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Visitors will be asked to leave the exhibition rooms 30 minutes before closure. All tickets purchased online are time-stamped and nominative (记名的); you may therefore be asked to provide proof of identity. They are only valid for the service, date and time selected. They cannot be used to skip the queue but do guarantee access to the museum within half an hour of the time shown on the ticket. Any holder of an online ticket who does not arrive within the assigned time period for admission to the museum shall be subject to the same admission and waiting conditions as visitors without tickets. | |
| Visitors entitled to free admission (other than Louvre members) — Under 18s, proof of ID required — 16-25 year-old residents of the European Economic Area (European Union, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein), proof of ID and residency required Professionals — Teachers working in France, valid “ Pass Education ” required — Teachers of art, art history or the applied arts, valid proof of employment stating subject taught required — Artists with the Maison des Artistes or International Association of Art, valid proof required Other — Jobseekers, valid proof and ID required (dated within the last year or indicating a period of validity) — Disabled visitors and the person accompanying them | |
| A．All visitors have to show a Health Pass before entering the Musée du Louvre. |
| B．Masks must be worn to keep COVID-19 from spreading during the visit. |
| C．Only visitors with free admission need to book a time period in advance. |
| D．Visitors can’t stay in the museum overnight without official permission. |
| A．introducing the exhibits at the Louvre | B．providing ticketing information of the Louvre |
| C．listing restrictions on admission to the Louvre | D．illustrating the services provided at the Louvre |
| A．€18 | B．€36 | C．€45 | D．€54 |
| A．It is open every day except on Tuesdays. |
| B．Its online tickets ensure access to it at any time. |
| C．Proof of ID is required for anyone buying its tickets online. |
| D．Ticket holders may be refused to enter it if arriving an hour late. |
| A．In a travel guide. | B．In a geography book. |
| C．In job advertisement. | D．In a documentary article. |
On October 23, 2018, President Xi Jinping announced the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.
The HZMB,
The project
The HZMB will make
