1 . Some buildings can leave you wondering how on earth they were built. Jaw-dropping architecture is not new. We’re still amazed that the Great Pyramid in Egypt was built 4,500 years ago! Read on for more recent examples of innovative 4 buildings constructed using technology developed in the last century.
Krzywy Domek (Crooked House) Sopot, Poland
COMPLETED: 2004
SIZE: About three-fourths the size of a football field
With its warped 13 walls, curved stained glass, and roof that looks like green dragon scales, Crooked House is popular with photographers. Staring at it for too long might make you dizzy! Inside though is a typical mall and office building. People can shop in the stores, eat in the restaurants and get their haircut in a salon. A favorite feature is the Wall of Fame with signatures from Polish celebrities. It’s modeled after the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Cube Houses Rotterdam, Netherlands
COMPLETED: 1984
SIZE: About one-fourth the size of a basketball court
The 38 Cube Houses are a popular attraction, but they are also real houses that people live in! The cubes have concrete foundations and floors with a wood-frame living space on top. Cement panels and zinc panels add visual appeal. The furniture is tailor-made to fit the odd angles where the walls meet.
Bubble Palace Cannes, France
COMPLETED: 1989
SIZE: Almost three times the size of a basketball court
This house may look like a space colony but it’s really a 10-bedroom palace. Made of cave-like bubbles forming a labyrinth (迷宫), it also has ponds, waterfalls, swimming pools, an outdoor theater that seats 500 people, and views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Wonderworks Pigeon Forge, Tenessee
COMPLETED: 2006 (Other locations followed)
SIZE: About nine-tenths the size of a football field
Looking at the cracks in this building, you might think, is it about to crumble? And how do they get palm trees and grass to grow upside down? But it’s all an illusion. This indoor amusement park is actually pretty normal. The upside-down features are just for show. Inside are more than 100 hands-on science exhibits and activities, including a laser-tag zone, a hurricane-force wind tunnel, a zero-gravity astronaut-training ride, and a three-story ropes course.
1. Which building has the smallest size?| A．Wonderworks. | B．Cube Houses. |
| C．Bubble Palace. | D．Krzywy Domek. |
| A．The Wall of Fame with signatures from Polish celebrities. |
| B．The tailor-made furniture to fit the strange angles. |
| C．An illusion of palm trees and grass growing upside down. |
| D．A labyrinth formed by cave-like bubbles. |
| A．A textbook. | B．A tour brochure. | C．A magazine. | D．A report. |
Spring cleaning is a tradition ingrained in societies worldwide, with roots
Before the Lunar New Year, it’s common to clean the home of bad luck and misfortune in China. Known as “sweeping the dust,” cleaning makes way
In Thailand, it’s customary to deep clean homes, schools, and public spaces to
As spring comes, it is sensible to open the windows
3 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
I went to sleep with my mouth open and I woke up with a sore throat. The medicine I took was of no use and my mom was forcing me to go to the doctor because she was worried that it would make me ill. When I went to brush my teeth, there was no toothpaste left and as I was trying to squeeze anything left in the tube, the toothpaste splattered（酒） all over my face and the uniform I had been looking forward to wearing all week long. I washed my hair last night thinking I’d have time to straighten it in the morning or even give it a nice brush, but because of the toothpaste incident I didn’t have enough time to do anything to it at all. Now my hair was frizzy and I was in sweatpants.
On my way to school, there was an accident holding up traffic on the one-way only street to my high school. That day was my first day of high school, and also my birthday. You might be wondering: Wait... It’s really your birthday? Then how come you didn’t mention your parents wishing you a happy birthday that morning? All are very good questions. I didn’t mention it because it never happened. My own parents forgot my birthday.
Maybe this day would get better. At least that’s what I told myself to prevent the pulling of my own hair out. On my way to the classroom, I tripped up on the stairs and hurt my knee. I saw some students pull their phones out to capture the awkward moment. Luckily for me, I thought they were too late. Shortly after the first bell rang, the morning announcements played and on came the birthday section. What a feeling of relief!! wouldn’t be forgotten after. But I was wrong.
Not even the school, who quite literally has my birthday on file, remembered my birthday.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150词左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡相应位置作答。
This day continued to get worse.
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When I finally went home, I found my parents’ car was in the driveway.
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The first underwater tunnel—Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel in South Asia, undertaken by China Communications Construction Company, opened in Bangladesh on Saturday.
The project, which was designed
As part of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor, the tunnel is an important link in the Belt and Road Initiative. Not only will it
5 . Kangaroo Kids
Fall Jump Rope Workshop
Invited: All skill levels, kids ages 6 and up
Skills Taught: Single / Long Rope, Speed, and Double Dutch (交互花式跳绳)
Learn new skills with nationally recognized jumpers!
Jumpers must be willing to learn and have fun!
Saturday, November 9, 9:00-16:00
North Laurel Community Center
9411 Whiskey Bottom Rd • Laurel, MD 20723
Participant Fee: $55 by 10/21 ($65 after 10/21)Judge’s Clinic Fee: $25 by 10/21 ($35 after 10/21)
How to Register (register by 10/30)
Use our online registration system for all event registrations, T-shirt orders; and lunch orders. Please register and pay at http://registration. kanagrookids.org/FallWorkshop. First-time users will create a user account to register for the Fall Workshop as a participant. Please create only one user account per household. All members of a family will be part of one account.
NOTE: PLEASE REGISTER AS EARLYAS POSSILE, ASPACE IS LIMITED.
T-shirt OrderWorkshop T-shirts: $18, order by 10/18. Shirt Size (please circle during order): YS/ YM /YL/AS/ AM /AL
Jump ropes, T-shirts, shorts, tennis shoes, and water bottles will be available for sale at the event on November 9. There will be instructors helping adjust the length of your jump ropes.
Lunch OrderSubway lunch (sandwich or salad, fruit drinks and cookies): $8, order by 10/30.
Workshop Hours: 9:00-12:00 and 1:30-4:00
Lunch: 12:00-1:30
1. What is the early bird participant fee?| A．$25. | B．$35. | C．$55. | D．$65. |
| A．Bring their own lunch. | B．Create one registration account. |
| C．Register for the same instructor. | D．Adjust the length of their jump ropes in advance. |
| A．10/18. | B．10/21. | C．10/30. | D．11/9. |
6 . English is changing faster than ever due to technology and the growing popularity of social media. Do you long to keep up with the times? If so, here are some old-fashioned words you should remove from your vocabulary list.
1. Whippersnapper
As an alteration of the term “snippersnapper”, the word first appeared in the 17th century, expressing our ancestors’ annoyance at ill-mannered children. In its more contemporary version, the word relates to a young person who is too confident and does not show enough respect to older people.
2. Tape
Are you born in the 1980s? If so, you may still be using the term “tape” when speaking of recording music or TV shows. Today, though digital media has made data storage on magnetic tape a thing of the past, this old linguistic habit still exists.
3. Dungarees
What we know as “jeans” today were once called “dungarees” to refer to trousers made of denim. The term comes from a kind of cheap and rough cloth imported from Dongari Killa, India. When manufacturers began importing the cloth from Genoa in Italy, this kind of trousers got a new name, “jeans”. So don’t be surprised if you catch your grandpa saying “dungarees”.
4. Stewardess
In the earlier age of air travel, female crew members serving airline passengers were called stewardesses. It wasn’t until more men entered the field and the development of women’s rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s that the word fell out of use. “Stewardess” was replaced by a More gender-neutral term, “flight attendant”.
1. Who can be described as a whippersnapper nowadays?| A．A narrow-minded kid. | B．An ill-mannered elder. |
| C．A bad-tempered woman. | D．A self-centered young man. |
| A．Whippersnapper. | B．Tape | C．Dungarees | D．Stewardess. |
| A．Language | B．Technology | C．Finance | D．Fashion. |
7 . The Ultimate Guide to Sussex
Sussex offers beautiful countryside, charming seaside towns and some of the best vineyards (葡萄园) in the UK. Plan your Sussex getaway with our ultimate guide.
Monk’s House
Put your National Trust membership to good use with a visit to Monk’s House purchased by Virginia and her husband Leonard Woolf in 1919. Virginia wrote many of her most celebrated works at the house, including the essay A Room of One’s Own. Admire the weather-boarded cottage’s beautiful antiques, seemingly untouched since 1969, when Leonard died.
Beachy Head
Come to Beachy Head and you’ll be greeted by one of the most splendid coastal stretches in all of Britain. It offers superb views of Eastbourne and the English Channel from 530 feet above the water. Spring through autumn are the best times to visit. Look out for the Beachy Head Marathon, which takes place every October. There’s a pay and display car park, a pub, toilet facilities and, during summer, the welcome sight of an ice-cream truck.
The Long Man of Wilmington
On the grassy ground of Windover Hill—a 235-foot figure known as the Long Man has been here for centuries. Archaeological researchers believe The Long Man of Wilmington actually dates to around the 16th century. If you’re feeling active, hike from The Long Man of Wilmington to East Sussex’s other chalk-carved figure, the Litlington White Horse.
Lewes
This town is just the right size to explore in a day, though do consider staying overnight to make good use of the local restaurants, pubs and wine bars. Lewes is one of the best places to shop in Sussex with a delightful mix of independent, antique and high street brands. If you’re visiting during summer, pack your bathers for a visit to Pells Pool, the oldest known freshwater swimming pool in the UK. You’ll need to pre-book a session.
1. In which place may visitors witness a sports event?| A．Monk’s House. | B．Beachy Head. |
| C．The Long Man of Wilmington. | D．Lewes. |
| A．Book in advance. | B．Apply for membership. |
| C．Contact a local lifeguard. | D．Learn from experienced bathers. |
| A．To introduce special exhibits in Sussex. | B．To show us where to stay in Sussex. |
| C．To tell us what to explore in Sussex. | D．To advertise the coming events in Sussex. |
I always wondered how people would react if I tried to approach a stranger for help in a busy place like a street corner or in a bustling mall. I personally have hurried past a stranger who tried to catch my attention in a busy place.
Yesterday I had a taste of being stuck in such a desperate situation where your only hope of help would have to come from a total stranger.
I was in a busy shopping mall buying a large piece of luggage. After the purchase in one of the large and expensive shops, I picked up my phone from my pocket to call my driver waiting in the parking lot and my phone was dead.
I then requested the shop assistant selling me the luggage, which was not cheap at all, if she could ring the number of my driver for me. She replied, still all smiles, “I’m sorry Sir, but it is the shop policy that we cannot use mobile phones while working in the shop.”
As I was wondering what kind of policy that was, I saw a nice-looking teenage boy coming toward me. Remember my wife’s interesting theory that beautiful people are more likely to give you a hand when you’re in trouble, I thought I might have a chance. But before I could say a word, he walked past me. It turned out he simply didn’t see me.
I waited in the mall but it seemed nobody bothered to look at me. Disappointed and tired, I got out of the shop on to the busy street in front. I stood there with people rushing by, looking at their faces to see if they will show kindness to me. I began wondering how many times I had reacted to strangers like the shop girl and the teenager.
注意：1. 续写的短文词数应为100左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
That was when I saw a young mother with her two kids.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finally a man wearing a cheap T-shirt and dirty jeans seemed to notice me.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9 . Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they express regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying, “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp comers of a glass coffee table.
I don’t only avoid (避免) those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. it’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say, “I love you” or “I forgive you.” When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be here. But then I thought about the fact that he’s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.
I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality (可能发生的事). And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance (保障) for my emotional well-being.
1. Which of the following is an example of the “extra minute” rule?| A．Start the car the moment everyone is seated. |
| B．Leave the room for a minute with the iron working. |
| C．Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better. |
| D．Move an object out of the way before it trips (绊倒) someone. |
| A．To keep her appointment with the eye doctor. |
| B．To meet her father who was already an old man. |
| C．To join in the holiday celebration of the company. |
| D．To finish her work before the deadline approached. |
| A．given up. | B．Lacked. | C．Avoided. | D．Wasted. |
| A．The Emotional Well-being | B．The Two Saddest Words |
| C．The Most Useful Rule | D．The Peace of Mind |
10 . My great-grandfather, my grandfather and my father are all farmers. My father expects me to become a farmer and
Three years ago, my father took me to an airport to visit one of his friends. His friend
Since then, if I had time, my father’s friend would teach me how to fly. He
At the age of 18, I had to tell my father what I wanted to do but I didn’t want to make him
| A．respect | B．join | C．remember | D．believe |
| A．introduced | B．examined | C．needed | D．owned |
| A．real | B．special | C．huge | D．popular |
| A．ordered | B．allowed | C．forced | D．trained |
| A．return to | B．look at | C．think about | D．care for |
| A．problem | B．custom | C．challenge | D．goal |
| A．even | B．still | C．never | D．already |
| A．for | B．through | C．after | D．against |
| A．sick | B．worried | C．angry | D．excited |
| A．waited | B．followed | C．left | D．ran |
| A．plan | B．love | C．excuse | D．explanation |
| A．terrible | B．amazing | C．important | D．encouraging |
| A．silence | B．sadness | C．surprise | D．anger |
| A．counting | B．searching | C．saving | D．changing |
| A．different | B．strange | C．lost | D．deep |
