1 . Fallingwater is a house built over a waterfall in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s most famous architect, designed the house in 1935. It instantly became famous, and today it is a National Historic Landmark.
▷Guided House Tour
This tour features all the major rooms of the house and lasts about one hour. Photography is not permitted during this tour. The Guided House Tour allows children six-year-old and older to enjoy the house with their parents.
Adults—$$ 20. 00 with advance purchase
—$$ 23.00 when purchased on site
Youth (ages 6~12)—$$ 14.00 with advance purchase
—$$ 17.00 when purchased on site
Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, except Wednesday.
▷ In-Depth Tour
The tour is best if you desire a greater understanding of what Wright was seeking to create with his masterwork. The number of visitors on each tour is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children eight years and older may accompany adults on this tour.
$ 65.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)
Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
▷Sunset Tour
As afternoon turns to evening, the changing light allows you to see Fallingwater from an entirely new perspective. The number of visitors is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children under nine-years-old are not permitted on this tour.
$ 110.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)
July and August—Daily at 4:45 pm
▷ Brunch Tour
The guests join their guide for brunch before they leave. Children nine years and older may accompany adults on this tour. Please allow three hours total for this experience.
$ 115.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)
Saturdays & Sundays at 9:00 am
1. How much will a father and his 9-year-old boy spend if they buy the Guided House Tour tickets ahead of time?| A．$ 28 | B．$34 | C．$ 40 | D．$ 51 |
| A．Guided House Tour & In-Depth Tour |
| B．In-Depth Tour & Sunset Tour |
| C．Guided House Tour & Brunch Tour |
| D．Sunset Tour & Brunch Tour |
| A．The tickets are available on site. | B．It is not accessible in August. |
| C．It is only open for teenagers. | D．The number of visitors is limited. |
| A．Brunch Tour | B．In-Depth Tour |
| C．Sunset Tour | D．Guided House Tour |
| A．They forbid visitors taking photos. |
| B．They offer brunch free of charge. |
| C．They encourage advance booking. |
| D．They have the same price of tickets. |
2 . 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 |
| A．For shopping. | B．For work. | C．For sightseeing. |
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 . We are so used to the beauty of trees, plants and flowers that we may even take it for granted without realizing how much inspiration it has given us. For instance, an open flower might make us think how
Nature has inspired many of the most fascinating designs around us, those in architecture included. Today, architects continue to
People whose interest is exploring the
Watching a nature documentary in which termites were constructing their nests inspired Zimbabwean architect Mick Pearce to create the Eastgate Centre. The design
The world’s first algae-powered building is in Hamburg, Germany. The
Creating buildings such as these enables us to live
| A．nearly | B．hardly | C．closely | D．narrowly |
| A．discover | B．explore | C．tend | D．support |
| A．polishes | B．shares | C．respects | D．works |
| A．relationship | B．discussion | C．balance | D．friendship |
| A．painted | B．shaped | C．sculptured | D．translated |
| A．pleased | B．disappointed | C．amazed | D．annoyed |
| A．truly | B．fiercely | C．suddenly | D．slightly |
| A．increases | B．forms | C．reduces | D．creates |
| A．fewer | B．less | C．more | D．much |
| A．surface | B．foundation | C．bottom | D．background |
| A．light | B．steam | C．radio | D．heat |
| A．keeps off | B．sticks to | C．comes up with | D．responds to |
| A．attack | B．damage | C．quality | D．amount |
| A．in need of | B．beyond control of | C．on basis of | D．in harmony with |
| A．simplest | B．mildest | C．worst | D．latest |
| A．Paris. | B．London. | C．Amsterdam. |
1. Who is the woman probably talking to?
| A．A fellow traveller. | B．A travel agent. | C．A tour guide. |
| A．7 nights. | B．6 nights. | C．5 nights. |
| A．Work in his office. | B．Take a package tour. | C．Return to Nice. |
9 . 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. |
10 . Sitting back in my seat, I can’t quite believe that I’m about to travel along the railway that many foreign experts claimed was “impossible”. The train has been racing along steadily since it left Xining. All this time, the song “Sky Railway” has been playing inside my head. The words “railways like massive dragons are winding among the mountains” seem particularly vivid as I travel across the “roof of the world”.
I was one of the people who came from all parts of China to work on this railway. Taking years to complete, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a record of all of our efforts to overcome the most difficult engineering challenges. How to protect the delicate ecosystem was among the top concerns.
The first landmark to catch my eye is the splendid Qingshuihe Bridge, the world’s longest bridge built over permafrost. Look! A group of Tibetan antelopes is moving under the bridge, with some stopping to eat grass at their leisure. Thirty-three passages have been built under the railway to allow the animals to move safely and freely in their natural habitat. Wild animals such as these Tibetan antelopes have now been using these passages for years. They seem totally unaware that we are speeding past at over 100 kilometers an hour.
To prevent damage to wetlands and grasslands, 675 bridges with a total length of about 160 kilometers were built between Golmud and Lhasa. We even moved 140,000 square meters of wetland to a new area in order to protect its distinct ecosystem.
The journey has been flying by, and before I know it, we have reached Tanggula Station. Located at over 5,000 meters above sea level, this is the highest railway station in the world. In locations such as this, the thin air, changeable weather and high levels of UV radiation presented perhaps the greatest challenge for railway workers. To make sure we stayed healthy, several oxygen-making stations were constructed. We were also able to enjoy regular breaks in lower areas.
As we pass Cuona Lake, I feel a sense of pride and achievement. Using thousands and thousands of sandbags, we built a twenty-kilometer wall along the lake to protect it from construction waste. Cuona Lake is so close to the railway that I want to reach out and touch its pale blue mirror-like surface. Water birds playing in the lake, and cattle and sheep wandering the grasslands bring the scenery to life.
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been attracting people’s admiration for centuries. Now, thanks to our efforts, passengers from all over the country have been enjoying these magical landscapes. I am proud that we built our “impossible” railway, and did so with the care that the environment deserves. It truly is an extraordinary “Sky Railway”.
1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the first two paragraphs?| A．The song “Sky Railway” was played as background music in the train. |
| B．Ways of protecting the delicate ecosystem were taken into consideration. |
| C．Foreign experts were frightened to see dragons among the mountains. |
| D．The author kept the record of solving the toughest engineering problem. |
| A．without interruption | B．for entertainment |
| C．in their free time | D．without hurrying |
| A．Because it separated the habitats of birds and cattle. |
| B．Because it transformed construction waste into sand. |
| C．Because it kept Cuona lake from being polluted. |
| D．Because it connected Cuona lake and the railway. |
| A．Their efforts to build the railway and protect the ecosystem. |
| B．That he has made the railway extraordinary for tourists. |
| C．Passengers’ admiration for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. |
| D．The splendid landscapes along the Sky Railway. |
| A．To prove that humans can conquer nature. |
| B．To advertise the travel route along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. |
| C．To praise the workers’ efforts in building the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. |
| D．To highlight the amount of work required to build the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. |
