1 . Architects often spend months or even years perfecting a design to express their ideas more clearly, convey additional information, or outline the right proportions for a building. However, the urgent issue of climate change is placing new demands on their work. For example, in July, Super Typhoon Doksuri battered China, affecting more than 2.66 million people in Fujian Province alone.
Green architecture that conserves energy and reduces carbon dioxide emissions offers a solution, and concerted efforts have been made in diverse research fields over the past three decades to minimize heat loss. In addition, new buildings have to be tailored to the needs of people’s lifestyles.
Ren Jun, a professor at Tianjin University’s School of Architecture, who designed the first near-zero energy house in China in December 2019, said, “You can construct low-energy, environmentally-friendly houses, but if the interior design and environmental quality don’t meet residents’ requirements, these properties won’t be suitable to live in.”
The near-zero energy house, located-in Banbidian village in Beijing’s southern district of Daxing, won the International Design Award in the United States in January last year. The 400-square-meter property, which stands at the entrance to the village, runs on solar power gathered from rooftop panels, with the addition of a small amount of power from the grid (电网).
Ren said the first obstacle to conserving energy in the property was heat retention, which he attempted to achieve by keeping the indoor temperature at a certain level. The property is divided into five areas: a solar garden in the front yard, a central lounge, a water courtyard, a sponge zone, and a back room. For the exterior walls, Ren used three types of insulation (隔热层), including plastic foam, each about 25 centimeters thick.
Ren also looked for ways to deal with emissions at the house. He decided to install a ventilator, which pipes air that is polluted and replaces it with fresh air from outside in every room at the property.
Ren said it would take three to five years before more ultralow or near-zero energy buildings appeared in Chinese cities.
1. Which is not an important factor for designing green houses?| A．Energy consumption. | B．Carbon emission. |
| C．People’s lifestyle. | D．Architecture style. |
| A．The house consumes little electricity. |
| B．The house is deliberately designed to keep heat. |
| C．The house is equipped with many intelligent facilities. |
| D．The house is the first International Design Award-winning building in China. |
| A．He designed the house in five stories to trap heat in it. |
| B．He applied 75 centimeters of plastic foam to exterior walls. |
| C．He tailored the interior design to the demand of local people. |
| D．He installed a ventilator to cut down carbon dioxide emissions. |
| A．Green Homes Offer Hope amid Climate Change |
| B．Green Houses Feature Near-Zero Energy Consumption |
| C．Ren Jun Won the International Design Award |
| D．China Strives for Low Carbon Strategy with Green Houses |
2 . 
Zion National Park in Utah has plenty of trails, but Angels Landing may be the most breathtaking. Picture this. You begin the hike on the wide and well-maintained West Rim Trail. It follows the river and then crosses the bottom of the canyon, surrounded by 270-million-year-old layers of rock. Relaxing, right? Just wait for it. The trail then starts to climb via a series of switchbacks (急转弯) leading up the side of the mountain. Then more switchbacks: 21 tighter turns, called “Walter’s Wiggles,” where elevation levels rapidly increase. Your heartbeat is probably rapidly increasing at this point, too.
On top of Walter’s Wiggles, you can stop for a stunning view (perhaps with a marriage proposal) and a restroom stop while you contemplate (仔细考虑) the final stretch of the hike. If you’re afraid of heights, it’s best to turn back now. The last stretch is the real test of bravery.
The last half mile of the hike is what really ranks it as one of the nation’s most dangerous. Angels Landing itself is a fin-like formation jutting (突出) 1,500 feet out of the canyon, and this is where you make the final 500-foot climb. Guardrails and chains bolted (拴住) into the cliff help you keep from tumbling over the extremely steep ledge. You’re literally living on the edge, and you don’t want to trust the “angels” down there to catch you. Once you reach the top, however, it’ll all be worth it: 360-degree views of the canyon make a great backdrop for kicking back and having a meal before you come back down the way you came.
Angels Landing might be dangerous, but thankfully, not too many people have had fatal falls. According to the park website, seven people have died in the 100 years the park has existed. Still, this is a very vigorous hike. If you’re out of shape, bringing young children along, feel ill or prone to fainting, or are just plain afraid of heights, opt for an easier trail.
Angel’s Landing is a great hike for most of the year, besides the cold winter months when the trails could become dangerously slippery. Summer is the most popular time of year — and therefore the most crowded — but it can also get extremely hot, so opt for an early morning hike while the temperatures are still mild.
Sure, it’s dangerous, but there’s a reason this is one of Zion ‘s most popular hikes. If you’re up for the challenge, Angels Landing will definitely deliver rewards.
This article first appeared on Curiosity.com.
1. What geological feature surrounds the hiker during the initial part of the hike?| A．Plenty of trails in the park. | B．Mountain Peaks. |
| C．270-million-year-old layers of rock. | D．Grass Meadows. |
| A．The challenging hike with switchbacks. |
| B．The 360-degree views of the canyon. |
| C．The well-maintained West Rim Trail. |
| D．The river crossing and rock formations. |
| A．If a tourist is afraid of heights, it’s best to turn back onto Angels Landing. |
| B．Seven people have died so far due to slippery trails in winter. |
| C．Bringing young kids along to climb onto Angels Landing will be appreciated. |
| D．Taking a break with the views of the canyon as background is absolutely worth the trip. |
| A．Unveiling the Hidden Beauty: Exploring Zion National Park’s Trails |
| B．Zion’s Ultimate Thrill: The Adrenaline-Pumping Angels Landing Expedition |
| C．Chasing Heights: Angels Landing Adventure in Utah’s Zion National Park |
| D．Angels Landing: Conquering Utah’s Breathtaking and Daring Hike in Zion National Park |
3 . When architects Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal were invited to redesign a small, triangular plaza in a residential district in Bordeaux, France in the mid-1990s, they decided that the best design would be no design at all. After studying the site and interviewing its residents, the architects informed the city that the best plan would be to leave the park alone. “Decoration has no place here,” they wrote in their project statement. “There was no need to rebuild,” they noted. “Quality, charm, and life already exist.”
The pair runs a firm named Lacaton & Vassal. Most of their built projects lie in locations around France. They are as focused on preserving existing buildings as they are on building. In the words of London-based architect Dieter Kleiner, their work is almost anti-architecture. Now their anti-architecture is receiving institutional attention: In March 2021, Lacaton and Vassal were awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize. The jury (评审团) noted their “democratic spirit” as well as “a commitment to a restorative architecture that is at once technological, innovative and ecologically responsive”.
In 2017, when tasked with the redesign of some 1960s apartment blocks in Bordeaux, Lacaton and Vassal chose not to tear down the structures. Instead, they upgraded the existing 530 units with garden terraces (露台) that expanded the size of the accommodation and increased access to fresh air and sunlight.
They used materials common to greenhouse construction, such as silver solar curtains, which allowed them to create cost-effective indoor and outdoor spaces that could be adjusted according to the weather: admitting light and air on pleasant days, or blocking the sun when summer heat is at its peak. For the architects, this is part of their motto: “Never demolish, never remove or replace, always add, transform and reuse!” The selection of Lacaton and Vassal by the Pritzker jury marks a socially minded turn for the prize, which — with a few exceptions — has generally awarded form — making above everything else.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 1?| A．The work of redesign was done perfectly. | B．The small triangular plaza wasn’t restored. |
| C．The local residents disagreed with the project. | D．There were no decorations around the plaza |
| A．Keeping an old building as it was. | B．Using high quality materials. |
| C．Applying new building crafts. | D．Receiving no attention to architecture. |
| A．Decorate. | B．Break down. | C．Abolish. | D．Pull down. |
| A．The Forever Arts | B．The Architectural Tastes |
| C．The Work with Kindness | D．The Beauty of Old Buildings |
4 . Chinese people may not be that familiar with sports tourism, but it is one of the fastest growing parts of tourism, because an increasing number of people are expressing their curiosity in sports events during their trips even if sports are not the key reason of their travel.
Sports tourism refers to tourism involving participation in or watching sports events and staying in an environment different from the usual tourist hotels or resorts.
Rural tourism, one kind of sports tourism, which consists of fishing, hiking, horse riding and other outdoor activities, is expanding quickly. This form of tourism has been attracting many tourists.
Sports tourism is a booming industry today, with an annual growth rate of about 15 percent globally.
| A．It plays a vital role in rural construction. |
| B．People are paying more attention to safety in travel. |
| C．But sports tourism is still an emerging area in China. |
| D．However, this area has long drawn people’s attention in China. |
| E．The origin of sports tourism can be traced back to Ancient Greece. |
| F．In China, however, the growth rate is 30 — 40 percent despite a slow start. |
| G．Marathons, hiking, cycling and camping fall in the area of sports tourism. |
5 . It could have been anywhere, my first intentionally photo-free journey, but it just happened to be Ethiopia. Photographic equipment can be a great physical burden. It may weigh anything from a few hundred grams to several kilos, depending on how seriously one approaches the business of picture-taking. Yet the real burden of photography is mental, not physical; it is the feeling of needing to take photographs, that because you have a camera you must use it.
In the first few days of camera-less travel, there are certainly moments of frustration at letting one great photograph after another go past, but having no camera, and thus being unable to take photographs, surprisingly soon stops the urge to do so. Very quickly, scenes become appreciated for what they are, rather than for the photographs they would have made.
Climbing up the western wall of the Great Rift Valley, on the way to the capital, Addis Ababa, the road emerges from a tunnel onto open, grassy plains — a small piece of uncharacteristically undomesticated countryside, with an even more uncharacteristic population of wild animals. They looked magnificent in the tearing wind, and through binoculars (双筒望远镜) they could be absorbed at leisure — theirs and mine. And thus unseen, I watched them play, free from concerns as to how close I could risk going with my camera without losing the very moment I sought to capture.
Exciting though stalking (跟踪) wild creatures can be, the photographer must obviously stalk as much out of sight as possible, thus being denied any chance of actually watching them. The photographer’s mind is effectively stopped from experiencing any more than the photographic possibilities of the scene. At eye level, the camera not only creates a physical barrier but also isolates the photographer from the joyful reality of the subject, and from everywhere else around them too. Then comes the climax, the press of the button, the pull of the trigger (快门), before more stalking, more photographs and, inevitably, the stalking too far which frightens the animals to flight. The difference between looking in order to photograph and actually seeing what is there is never more distinct than when taking pictures of animals, to the extent that the two become almost mutually exclusive. There is time only for deciding the best way to take the photograph, before addressing more practical technicalities — how to keep the minibus’s wheel out of the shot of lions, or get enough depth of field so all the flamingos (火烈鸟) on the lake are in focus at once.
1. According to the first paragraph, what is the main problem that photographers face while travelling?| A．Moving their heavy equipment about |
| B．Locating places to purchase batteries. |
| C．Trying to get the best possible shots. |
| D．Being under pressure to take photographs. |
| A．conclude that the decision was unrealistic |
| B．rapidly lose the desire to take any photographs |
| C．come to consider previous trips as unsatisfactory |
| D．appreciate the excellence of other people’s photos |
| A．They were too far away to be usefully observed. |
| B．They were surprisingly unaffected by the closeness of humans. |
| C．They might have been enjoying the situation for more than he was. |
| D．They might have become alarmed by the presence of a photographer. |
| A．can cause the animals to behave aggressively towards people |
| B．may become too uncomfortable to take reasonable shots |
| C．may not be able to appreciate the situation fully |
| D．can easily become distracted from his task |
6 . Dallas is known as a cultural center of Texas, with some of the state’s most popular attractions. While these attractions are temporarily closed, you can still wander the halls of top museums, take in the city skyline, learn a little history or check on your animal friends.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Check out the “Amaze Your Brain at Home” series to watch your favorite concepts from the Museum come to life. Explore nature and science at home and in your backyard, all while using the most common household objects and supplies. Take a 360 virtual tour of the “Origins： Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind”.
Reunion Tower GeO-Deck
You can still experience Reunion Tower from the comfort of your own home. Color the Dallas skyline, download a game sheet and get video-call ready with Zoom backgrounds. See the 360-degree panoramic (全景的) views with the Reunion Tower virtual reality app or get a live view of Dallas from EarthCam. Find all the fun on the “Visit Me Virtually” page.
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
A historic Dallas landmark, The Sixth Floor Museum is located within the former Texas School Book Depository building and keeps records of the life, death and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. You can explore the online collection to see things like an interactive motorcade map, home movies and photo galleries.
Dallas Zoo
Dallas Zoo is using this time to continue to engage, educate, inspire — and ultimately, bring a smile to your face. Chat with staff, see what the animals are up to, and find activity ideas from the Zoo’s education and conservation teams. Keep up on Facebook and the Zoo’s “Bring the Zoo to You” page.
1. What can tourists do at Reunion Tower GeO-Deck?| A．Enjoy wonderful movies. | B．Learn about humans’ origin. |
| C．Develop your video game app. | D．Get a good view of the whole city. |
| A．Perot Museum of Nature and Science. | B．Reunion Tower GeO-Deck. |
| C．The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. | D．Dallas Zoo. |
| A．They are cultural centers of Dallas. |
| B．They are Dallas’ virtual attractions. |
| C．They are historical museums in the world. |
| D．They are applications for online exploring. |
7 . The Maldives is a group of very small islands in the Indian Ocean, near Sri Lanka. There are about 1,200 islands. The Republic of Maldives is the smallest Asian country and it also has the smallest population. About 400,000 people live in the Maldives, 75,000 of whom are on the capital island, Malé. Malé is different from the other islands in the Maldives because it doesn’t have any beaches.
As one of the most popular holiday destinations, the Maldives has truly spectacular sights. Eighty-seven of the islands in the Maldives have different types of hotels on them.
The Maldives is a popular place for scuba-diving, because there are many wonderful fish in the water to see. Also, the water is very clear.
What are you hesitating about? Go there for the summer vacation.
| A．It’s very easy to get around the islands. |
| B．Tourists can go and enjoy their holidays. |
| C．The Maldives are universally famous for its tourism. |
| D．In fact, there is a wall that goes around the whole island. |
| E．When you are underwater, you can see for more than 50 metres. |
| F．Dhoni taxis go from the airport island to the capital island every 15 minutes. |
| G．There are many islands where nobody lives though tourists can go to Malé by boat. |
8 . City parks have long been a place for urban residents to get a small amount of green. As cities increasingly feel the impacts of rising seas and temperatures, people are rethinking the roles of urban parks.
All of the dark-gray asphalt (沥青) in cities collect heat. Dallas is one of the country’s fastest-warming cities thanks in part to its extensive impervious (不透水的) surfaces, but with a new $312 million bond package, the city is hoping to change that. Using satellite data, the city is able to see what neighborhoods most need the cooling effect of green spaces.
Cities are increasingly flooding and city planners think parks can help with this issue too. A report published in February by The Nature Conservancy looked at the best ways to deal with flooding in Houston, a city with many neighborhoods built on floodplains and regularly flooded by rising waters. Offering affected homeowners buyouts and transforming homes into green spaces would save more money than installing infrastructure (基础设施) like pipes, they found.
Brendan Shane, a climate program director, says parks can create opportunities for people to exercise and play, in addition to cooling neighborhoods and absorbing floodwater. “The stronger the bonds are from neighbor to neighbor, the better they are able to react to a shock,” he says.
“Not a single solution by itself will avoid the climate crisis. We see parks as an important part of it, but there isn’t a silver bullet,” says Diane Regas, CEO of The Trust for Public Land. “Parks are an example of what we in the environmental community need to do to reach solutions that address climate change at the same time and make people’s lives better.”
1. What does the city Dallas want to deal with?| A．The lack of green spaces. | B．The way of collecting heat. |
| C．The effect of rising seas. | D．The bond between neighborhoods. |
| A．Cities in the world are frequently flooded. | B．City parks may help prevent city flooding. |
| C．Cities needn’t invest much money in infrastructure. | D．City parks affect people’s choice of a neighborhood. |
| A．They can enable people to get over a shock. | B．They can reduce air pollution effectively. |
| C．They can perform positive social functions. | D．They can help people to keep a cool head. |
| A．A fast and effective solution. | B．A successful example. |
| C．An immediate and clear cause. | D．An impractical method. |
9 . Better Holiday Pics, Without Using a Selfie Stick
If you find yourself vacationing in Budapest, Hungary, you could preserve travel memories by taking a few arm-length, low-quality cell phone selfies that will likely fail to capture the magic of your visit. Or you could hire someone like Dana J. Ardell, a Budapest-based professional photographer who knows photo spots you’ll never find in a guidebook and who can deliver stunning pictures — with your whole travel party in the shots.
Ardell is a photographer with Flytographer, one of a growing number of online services that help travelers find and hire a photographer to take pictures of them during a vacation.
“People who believe memories are the best souvenir” are among those who will find value in photo services, says Flytographer founder and CEO Nicole Smith.
Still, the cost could run a few hundred dollars, so be smart about whom you hire. Here’s what to know about hiring a pro to take pictures on your next vacation or bucket-list trip.
Why hire a photographer?
Smartphone cameras are decent, but they don’t provide the same quality of pictures as a professional camera and lens. Plus, phone cameras aren’t usually operated by a skilled photographer who knows how to incorporate the best light and properly compose a shot and later edit the images.
If you plan to turn a vacation photo into a wall-worthy print, you’ll want something better than a cell phone snapshot. “Nobody’s going to blow up a blurry selfie with seven chins,” Smith says.
Photographers who live in your destination know where and when to shoot — when the light is most favorable and where you won’t be jostling with other tourists during busy times at landmarks.
Part of the benefit of hiring a trip photographer has nothing to do with photos — it’s interacting with a resident, gaining insight into how locals live. “We chat the whole time,” Ardell says. “I love giving recommendations on my favorite places to eat and things to do around the city.”
How to book a pro
You could do your own research to find someone in the place you’re visiting. But online booking services make hiring a photographer easier, especially if you’re going abroad and don’t speak the language. With many of the services, including Flytographer, Local Lens and localgrapher, and you choose the city, then read biographies of local photographers, look at their portfolios and pick one.
According to Smith, an hour long session offers enough time for photos at a couple of locations and gives vacationers time to warm up in front of the camera. But a half-hour shoot can work for those tight on time or budget. Also remember to book early. Booking several weeks out means a wider selection of photographers, dates and times.
If you’ve taken fabulous journeys but your photos just don’t match, hiring a vacation photographer might be the ticket to preserving memories.
1. Which of the following about Flytographer is true?| A．It is a Budapest-based professional photographer. |
| B．It’s an online service helping tourists find and hire professional photographers. |
| C．It’s an online shop that sells souvenirs. |
| D．It’s an internet-based vacation planning company. |
| A．Photographers take photos for you without crowding into popular sights. |
| B．Photographers are a reliable source of tourist information and local culture. |
| C．Hiring photographers with professional cameras and lens is value for your money. |
| D．Photographers help you preserve the best memories by producing quality photos. |
| A．Your photos fall victim to criticism on the internet. |
| B．Your photos are not taken as required by photographers. |
| C．You photos fail to capture the highlights of your journeys. |
| D．Your photos are not as competitive as those taken by others. |
10 . Crossing the pedestrian bridge that connects our school to its surrounding neighborhood reminds us that there's more to Rochester than just our school.
Study somewhere else besides school. Go to a coffee shop, or one of the public libraries. I like the music library at Eastman, and the coffee shop across the street, Java's. Rochester is full of cafes and spots to sit and study.
Go to a concert, if you're into that. The Little Theater has free live music every single night, and there's a variety of other bars and music halls that bring in local artists. Most venues offer shows for less than $10.
Go for more walks. When you're stuck, listen to music and roam around our campus. Sit under a tree and look at all the people walking by. Or take one of the shuttles that stop in front of the library to a new neighborhood, like the South Wedge, and float in and out of the small businesses along the street. Or, if you know somebody with a car, go to Letchworth and see the waterfalls.
| A．Go to the Live Music. |
| B．Go to the Public Market. |
| C．But how often do we cross that bridge? |
| D．No matter what it is, going outside always helps. |
| E．If you can focus outside of our own library, do it. |
| F．Additionally, all student concerts at Eastman are free for students at our school. |
| G．It's no secret that our college campus, like the majority of campuses, is a bubble. |
