1 . The most creative libraries around the world

Some libraries use unique architecture to encourage visitors to explore the shelves and settle down with a new book, or use mobile libraries to bring books to hard-to-reach populations. No matter how they achieve it, these novel libraries are keeping the magic of reading alive.

Kansas City Library (Kansas City, USA)

Along the south wall of this parking garage’s exterior (外部), visitors are treated to what looks like a huge shelf of books. The building built in 1925 originally served as a bank, which is readily apparent.

Bishan Library (Singapore)

Built in 2006, this library with skylights, is meant to be designed to be a modern glass treehouse. Glass pods (吊舱) with colors are hung out of the building to create comfortable yet airy corners for reading. At the same time, a more open-plan children’s room on the basement level invites interaction while preventing noise from spreading and disturbing those enjoying books on the upper floors.

Stuttgart City Library (Stuttgart, Germany)

Opened in 2011, this nine-story public library was designed by Eun Young Yi with its astonishing white color appearance (lit by blue light at night), its eye-catching cubic shape and its large and empty interior (内部). This cultural center for the city, designed to feel open and full of light, can be entered from its four sides, and people can borrow artworks as well as books.

Biblioteca Sandro Penna (Perugia, Italy)

In a country known for classical architecture and historical buildings, Biblioteca Sandro Penna stands out for its modern beauty. Housing books and multimedia, this library was built in 2004, is named after a local poet and it is easily recognized by its circular pink glass top similar to a flying saucer.

1. Which library best suits Mr Smith and his son aged 5?

A．Kansas City Library.	B．Bishan Library.
C．Stuttgart City Library.	D．Biblioteca Sandro Penna.

2. Where is the library named after a local poet?

A．In USA.

B．In Singapore.

C．In Germany.

D．In Italy.

3. What do the listed libraries have in common?

A．They have the same appearance.

B．They were built in the 21st century.

C．They are well designed and unique.

D．They house artworks and multimedia.

2 . Turf houses are, quite simply, half underground houses with a grassy roof. They date back over 1,000 years to the 9^th Century, when building a turf house was the traditional way in Iceland.

Iceland’s resources then consisted of plenty of wetlands and volcanic stone, but relatively little woodland compared to settlers’ home countries.     1    

Like many traditions, turf houses survived, but developed. In the 14th Century Viking-style longhouses (thin, long, shared spaces) gave way to individual, smaller buildings.     2     Turf houses made way to more modern, recognisable buildings in the 20th Century, but they still exist as museums and heritage (遗产) buildings today.

    3     Due to the difficult climate, it was essential that the houses should be well-insulated (保温). Besides, the lack of availability of wood and the richness of other suitable materials including lava rock and turf made turf houses available. Turf provides great insulation for buildings compared to those made of wood or stone alone.

From the turn of the 20th Century, Icelanders increasingly moved into larger city settlements, leaving turf houses behind.     4     Modern turf houses tend to operate as museums, though some offer short-term holiday accommodation.

While the number of turf houses in Iceland reduced greatly in the 20th Century, the rapid growth of Iceland’s tourism in the last 20 years or so has encouraged Iceland to reexamine the value of traditional buildings.     5     The Turf House Tradition was listed as potential nominees (提名) for UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iceland, which included just six places of importance.

A．Turf houses have great advantages.

B．The last residents moved out of their turf-houses around 1966.

C．There are two main reasons why turf houses were built in Iceland.

D．That’s why early Icelanders faced a shortage of building materials.

E．So, using stone and turf was a reasonable choice in building shelter.

F．A big step towards protecting this national heritage was made in 2011.

G．The late 18th Century saw the arrival of the turf house with wooden ends.