1 . New York City has many remarkable parks and open spaces that are perfect for hanging out in warm weather. Here are four of our favorite places to take a scenic walk, plus where to eat nearby.
Louis Valentino, Jr. Park
Don’t let all of the factories fool you — Louis Valentino, Jr. Park has the best view of the Statue of Liberty. When you get hungry, stop by Red Hook Lobster Pound for mayo-coated lobster (龙虾). Sit at one of the cafe’s first come, first served outdoor tables, or eat on the waterfront.
Riverside Park
Stretching 4 miles from 72nd to 158th St, Riverside Park is perfect for hanging out along the Hudson River, enjoying beautiful views of New Jersey. If walking the whole way isn’t your thing, there’s a bike path too. Daily Provisions offers fantastic sandwich choices, like juicy chicken and smoked bacon.
Central Park
There are many reasons to walk through Central Park this spring: historic landmarks, great bird watching spots, and hanging out with friends. And while these are enjoyable activities, they’re even better with a pastrami sandwich from Pastrami Queen.
Ridgewood Reservoir
At Ridgewood Reservoir, you’ll find an easy hiking spot with a peaceful nature preserve and skyline views of Manhattan. After hiking, head to Rolo’s for various sandwich options. It has outdoor tables but no heaters, so you can take everything to go if it’s too cold out.
1. What is the best spot for enjoying views of the Statue of Liberty?| A．Louis Valentino, Jr. Park. | B．Ridgewood Reservoir. |
| C．Riverside Park. | D．Central Park. |
| A．It features a bike path for leisurely rides. |
| B．It provides various sandwich options at Rolo’s. |
| C．It is known for its iconic status and historic landmarks. |
| D．It provides a scenic walk with options for bird watching. |
| A．An online cooking advertisement. |
| B．A local New York City travel guide. |
| C．The lifestyle section of a local newspaper. |
| D．An official tourism design for New York City. |
| A．She has no time for rest. |
| B．Her team has been changed. |
| C．Her work is difficult to complete. |
3 . A great printer makes an important part of a household working device, and besides work, they're useful for printing labels and scanning documents. We've selected three printers for the home.
Epson EcoTank ET-8500
The EcoTank ET-8500 is undoubtedly a quality product, coming with six-colour Epson Claria ink which can print up to 2,300 photos with one bottle. The printer can print in high quality in A4 and is more economical (经济的，实惠的), printing more pages with fewer ink bottles, eventually saving you in ink costs in the long run. It has additional A3 printing function-with Wi-Fi printing allowing for easy access from smartphones. There's also a double-sided printing feature and a maximum speed of 12 pages per minute.
HP Envy 6430e all-in-one
Coming in on the lower price scale for printers is the HP Envy 6430e, another all-in-one colour printer that comes with six months of HP instant ink, a service that sends you ink automatically (自动地) when you run out. Also featured is a document feeder that can take up to 35 pages at once, with automatic double-sided printing and borderless printing function.
Canon Pixma MG3650
The Pixma MG3650 is a more budget (预算)-friendly choice for standard printing with a slower print speed and no on-device control screen. However, you can fix and set up the printer easily, and connect with up to three devices to control it with, for easy and quality printing.
1. Which task can Epson EcoTank ET-8500 finish?| A．Printing files on smartphones with Wi-Fi access. |
| B．Printing 24 single-sided pieces of paper within a minute. |
| C．Printing over 2,400 colourful photos with only one bottle. |
| D．Printing more A4 pages while using fewer kinds of colours. |
| A．They can perform standard printing fast. |
| B．They are more affordable and cost-effective. |
| C．They can be connected with up to 3 devices. |
| D．They are sold with a quick ink sending service. |
| A．To promote products. | B．To report new trends. |
| C．To analyze office devices. | D．To introduce a working method. |
4 . While I was working at a French school, I was often preparing my work in the staff room. Sometimes I would hear the school secretary talking. At first I thought she was talking to me, as there was no one else in the room except me, so I tried to respond to her. However, I soon realized that in fact, she was talking to herself. I noticed a lot of people do this in France. In the UK, people might think you’re a bit strange if you talk to yourself at work, but there it seemed quite normal. It really did confuse me at times, because I was not sure whether people were talking to me or just talking to themselves.
Another area of confusion involved the French language. In French, there are two ways to say “you”: “tu” is the informal form while “vous” is the formal form. This is an aspect of French which, even now, I do not really understand. When I learnt French, I was taught to call everyone vous unless they were my family or friends. So I was surprised that virtually everyone in France used the informal tu all the time. School children used tu when they stayed with their teachers and all the staff called the head teacher tu. But I continued to use vous because I didn’t want people to think I was impolite.
As you might know, school children in the UK traditionally wear school uniforms but in France pupils do not wear a uniform. It was a culture shock for me to see children wear Spiderman T-shirts and baggy (宽松的) blue jeans in the classroom.
I found the differences puzzling at times, but I couldn’t deny what a great opportunity it was to live and work in another country. The UK and France are only separated by a small channel of the sea, but there are many differences between the two countries.
1. In the staff room, the school secretary ________.| A．always chatted online |
| B．interrupted the writer |
| C．talked to herself often |
| D．always made speeches |
| A．She tried to be polite to others. |
| B．She couldn’t tell tu from vous at all. |
| C．She didn’t have close friends in France. |
| D．She couldn’t understand French very well. |
| A．Pleased. | B．Embarrassed. |
| C．Frightened. | D．Surprised. |
| A．Experiencing different cultures. |
| B．Communicating in an informal way. |
| C．Traveling along the channel of the sea. |
| D．Having a chance to work with French teachers. |
5 . Many people will never forget their campus life, for it gave them something important for their career. Even though it is very difficult nowadays to attend a college or university after graduating from high school, there are still a large number of reasons to go to college.
In general, college graduates make more money than people who only have a high school degree. Besides higher pay, college graduates also experience better jobs than those who haven’t graduated from college. Many employers expect their employees to have a college degree. College programs provide students with peculiar training that only higher education can offer, giving them popular and valuable qualifications (资格证书).
To deal with heavy college study, you have to be organized. Finishing several different classes is not an easy task, considering that each class covers plenty of materials. If you’re unable to stay organized, there are teachers, advisers and professors there to help you. The organization skills you’ll learn in college will help you succeed in future jobs. Whether you’re solving a math-based problem or make out the main idea of a novel, college classes train your brain to solve difficult problems and will prepare you for problems in the workplace.
Whether you grew up in a small town or in New York City, being admitted into a college or university means that you will meet a great number of new people. Your social skills will improve by communicating with them, which could help you when you enter into the job market. When you take part in classroom activities, study groups and school clubs, you are introduced to intelligent people with whom you could one day start a company or form a life-long friendship.
Study-abroad programs are offered by most colleges and universities and are seen as one of the most meaningful experiences offered during four years of college life. In addition to learning more about a foreign culture, students are required to complete their studies.
1. What does the underlined word “peculiar” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Special. | B．Common. |
| C．Limited. | D．Traditional. |
| A．It is more important to rural students than urban students. |
| B．It makes you become employers in different fields. |
| C．It helps increase your earning power. |
| D．It is a must to become rich. |
| A．The functions of organization and problem-solving skills in college. |
| B．The difficult problems and different organizations in college. |
| C．Heavy college study and work. |
| D．College classes and professors. |
| A．It is no use going to college or university. |
| B．College helps students improve their human relationship. |
| C．The aim of study-abroad is to help end students’ college classes. |
| D．Work experience is less important than a qualification in the job interview. |
6 . Blowing Up Balloons with CO₂
Chemical reactions (化学反应) make for some great experiments. You can make use of the CO₂(carbon dioxide) given off by a baking soda (小苏打) and lemon juice reaction to blow up your balloon!
What you’ll need:
●Balloon ●About 40ml of water ●Soft drink bottle
●Juice from a lemon ●I teaspoon of baking soda
Instructions:
●Before you begin, make sure that you pull the balloon long to make it as easy as possible to blow up.
●Put the 40ml of water into the soft drink bottle.
●Add the baking soda and mix it with water.
●Put the lemon juice in and quickly put the balloon over the mouth of the bottle.
What’s happening?
If all goes well, then your balloon should inflate! Adding the lemon juice to the baking soda creates a chemical reaction and produces CO₂. The gas rises up and escapes (逸出) through the soft drink bottle. It doesn’t, however, escape the balloon, pushing it outwards and blowing it up.
1. Which of the following do you need for the experiment?| A．Two cups. | B．Apple juice. |
| C．250 ml water. | D．A teaspoon of baking soda. |
| A．Heat the water. | B．Drink some juice. |
| C．Blow up the balloon. | D．Pull the balloon long. |
| A．To describe an experiment. | B．To introduce a game. |
| C．To produce soft drinks. | D．To save some chemicals. |
Want to see the world? Each year, TIME magazine makes a list of the World’s Greatest Places. TIME for Kids picks its favorites. Some places are a window on the past. Others look out on the future. Together, they represent the range of beauty and culture on our planet, from wildlife and other natural wonders to incredible human-made structures. Get ready for an adventure!
I sland LivingDominica is called the Caribbean’s nature island for its waterfalls, hot springs, and volcanoes. Visitors can hike trails and kayak along the coastline. And the island is eco-friendly. There’s a new resort that’s fully powered by sun and wind.
Family FunPhuket, Thailand, is known for its beaches. But there’s a new theme park called Carnival Magic, which re-creates traditional festivals. Look at the fireworks! At the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, visitors can feed the animals. Local shops offer ice cream made with coconut milk.
City CentralIn 2022, Vienna was named the world’s most livable city. Austria’s capital has more than a thousand miles of bike paths, and green spaces cover half of its area. There’s plenty to do indoors, too. The Belvedere Museum just celebrated its 300th birthday.
Rain OnThis is the new visitor center at El Yunque, a rainforest in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest Service, and is famous for its biodiversity. Puerto Rico is home to more than 240 plant species and 18 native bird species. You can spot many of them in the park.
1. What do visitors probably do in Austria’s capital?| A．Go cycling. | B．Feed the animals. | C．Hike trails. | D．Enjoy the fireworks. |
| A．Phuket. | B．Dominica. | C．El Yunque. | D．Vienna. |
| A．Adults. | B．Kids. | C．Elders. | D．Editors. |
8 . English Class 101
Are you looking for the best online English course to help improve your language skills? I will introduce one to you.
English Class 101 is a website that has been built for people looking to improve their English skills. There are over 1,000 lessons on the website, which include different levels to meet your need.
All English learners can find a level to suit them, as its courses range (涵盖) from complete beginner (Al) to advanced (C2). You have to take a placement test so that you can find the right level and get proper lessons.
The site helps English language learners with thousands of video lessons, words learning tools, lesson notes, and discussions, which provides a practical approach (方法) to learning. The lessons take you by the hand and guide you through real English conversations. The teachers slow down and explain every word and phrase. Just imagine that you’ll finally understand every English word you hear.
You can even get one-on-one support from your very own teacher! Your personal teacher will provide corrections and answers by messenger. They will also make sure you follow your individual plan and assign (布置) homework on a daily basis.
Price: Level 1, $50 per month; Level 2, $80 per month; Level 3, $ 100 per month; Advanced, $200 per month.
1. What are you required to do to attend the course?| A．Prepare some notebooks. | B．Hand in an application. |
| C．Talk about it with parents. | D．Have a placement test. |
| A．A membership card. | B．An English dictionary. |
| C．Some prize money. | D．Personalized guidance. |
| A．$150. | B．$ 180. | C．$200. | D．$400. |
9 . Spending time outdoors has long been linked (联系) to better health. Gardening goes beyond just beautifying outdoor spaces—it can have a deep effect on our physical and mental (身心上的) health.
Gardening involves physical activity that works all the main muscle (肌肉) groups, which is helpful for overall health. “Activities such as digging, planting, weeding and harvesting require movement and can help to improve strength,” said Clayton, CEO of an online lawn care company. “Performing these activities regularly can help burn calories, and keep a healthy weight.”
Beyond burning calories and building muscle, lots of studies have shown that gardening can improve the immune system (免疫系统). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week, and gardening is listed as a suitable activity. Doing garden work for that time each week can reduce the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease. Additionally, spending time outdoors makes us get close to natural sunlight, which is important for vitamin D synth.
Gardening provides a chance for social connection, too. It can be a shared activity among family members, friends or neighbors, building relationships and a sense of belonging.
Gardening also offers cognitive (认知的) benefits. It excites the senses, improves focus and encourages problem-solving and creativity. It provides a chance to learn about plants, ecosystems and the environment, developing a deeper understanding and appreciation for nature.
1. What is Clayton’s attitude towards gardening?| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Unclear | D．Uncaring. |
| A．It improves focus. | B．It is a waste of time. |
| C．It can keep a body in shape. | D．It helps to reduce the risk of diseases. |
| A．It contributes to creativity. | B．It encourages problem-solving. |
| C．It builds relationships between people. | D．It improves people’s awareness of safety. |
| A．How to Start a Garden | B．Choose a Garden or Not |
| C．What Plants Grow Best in a Garden | D．Start Gardening and Get the Health Benefits |
10 . Works by George Balanchine, with the music of George Gershwin, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Igor Stravinsky, the innovative genius of George Balanchine is brought to the forefront. The following is the introduction of the four artists.
Artist 1: George Balanchine
It is difficult to overlook the influence of choreographer (舞蹈编剧), George Balanchine. Called the Father of American Ballet, he combined the classical training he received as a boy in St. Petersburg with originality to modernism. He transformed ballet into a 20th century art form.
Artist 2: George Gershwin
George Gershwin was amongst one of the most significant and popular music composers for Broadway musicals. He wrote music for both Broadway and classical pieces that connected him to the wider public.
Artist 3: Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky was a Russian-born composer whose works had a revolutionary (革命性的) impact on musical thought. He was honored with the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal in 1954 and the Wihuri Sibelius Prize in 1963.
Artist 4: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is the very foundation of classical ballet. Russian-born Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable melodies (旋律) and innovative harmonies make his music loveable. Ballet audiences are fortunate to hear not only the works he intended for dance, such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, but also a wide variety of pieces that have been created by great dance-makers.
1. Which of the following is the achievement of George Balanchine?| A．He made ballet an art form of the 20th century. |
| B．He was thought as the Father of World Ballet. |
| C．He was good at giving classical training. |
| D．He combined music with modernism. |
| A．He was born in Russia. |
| B．He was a famous composer. |
| C．He influenced musical thought greatly. |
| D．He created music for Broadway musicals. |
| A．George Balanchine. | B．George Gershwin. |
| C．Igor Stravinsky. | D．Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. |
