1 . Must-read New Fiction Books

We all have a few tried-and-true fiction favorites, but there’s something special about a brand-new, hot-off-the-press novel. Whether it’s your favorite author’s new release or a new writer’s first work, great fiction books make the perfect escape from ordinary life. That’s why we’ve rounded up a list of the best new books released in February.

Age of Gold by Jerry Lapoor

Jerry Lapoor’s latest action-packed novel unfolds like a crazy movie. This thriller begins when a wealthy man’s car gets out of control. But when the dust settles, the rich man is nowhere to be found. How and to where does he disappear? With an exciting plot that will carry you from old-money houses to small agricultural villages, Age of Cold will take you on an unforgettable ride across a vast land.

City Under One Sky by Rachel Young

In the book, Young presents a crime story set in a small town. Detective Sara Kennedy has been sent to investigate a case. But soon after arrival, Sara gets snowed in with the 205 townsfolk living in the same apartment building. Who is hiding the key to the crime? And is there anyone she can truly trust? The appealing story, strange but distinctive characters and unexpected plot are just a few of the reasons why City Under One Sky gains its popularity.

Lady by Jess George

Lady is an irresistible fiction from Jess George. The story of Mary’s fresh start at adulthood is shot through with themes of family, race and discrimination, womanhood and the immigrant reality of feeling torn between cultures. Though struggling with life in London as an African, Mary jumps at every chance to stand on her own feet.

1. What will impress the readers in Age of Gold?

A．The thrilling plot.	B．Traditional cultures.
C．The family conflict.	D．Crazy characters.

2. What happens to Sara Kennedy in City Under One Sky?

A．She is trapped in the snow.	B．She is to investigate a case abroad.
C．She hides the key evidence.	D．She has trouble discovering the truth.

3. Which is likely to be the main theme of Lady?

A．Self-reliance.	B．Gender equality.
C．Domestic violence.	D．Cross-cultural communication.

2 . Anyone who has seen a waterfall up close will agree that their majesty(壮观)is almost indescribable. These are the four falls on the planet, each of which is wonderful in its own way.

Niagara Falls

At 3,950 feet wide, Niagara Falls is far from the largest waterfall around, but it is the falls with the largest volume of water traveling through it and is undoubtedly the best known waterfall on the planet. It receives somewhere between 14 and 20 million visitors annually. It has three separate parts: American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe, or Canadian Falls.

Chutes Kongou

Also known as Kongou Falls, Chutes Kongou measures 10,500 feet wide, making it the world’s third largest existing waterfall. It’s part of the Ivindo River in Gabon, and is roughly 185 feet tall. Among the most powerful waterfalls in the world, roughly 31,800 cubic feet of water f low down it each second. It is located within the Ivindo National Park, which was set up to protect the biodiversity of the Ivindo River.

Salto Para

Salto Para, or Para Falls, is an 18,400-foot wide waterfall on the Rio Caura in the Bolivar region of Venezuela. These half-moon-shaped falls are formed where two parts of the river come together and drop down almost 200 feet, each side of which is a green jungle island.

Chutes de Khone

Chutes de Khone—also known as Khone Falls—is the largest waterfall in the world. At 35,376 feet wide, it’s almost twice the width of its next largest competitor. The falls are part of the Mekong River in Laos, and occur where the river divides into seven large channels and many more smaller ones. It’s made up of several different rapids and falls, pouring down from a height of 69 feet.

1. What is special about Niagara Falls?

A．It is the most famous waterfall.	B．It is next to a green jungle island.
C．It is made up of four separate parts.	D．It is a half-moon-shaped waterfall.

2. Where is Chutes Kongou?

A．In Laos.

B．In Canada.

C．In Gabon.

D．In Venezuela.

3. Which is the largest waterfall in the world according to the text?

A．Salto Para.	B．Chutes de Khone.
C．Chutes Kongou.	D．Niagara Falls,

3 . Nicholas Chorier is not a usual photographer. He is a kite aerial (航空的) photographer. He uses a kite to hoist (吊起) his camera into the skies and clicks photographs. As a teenager, Nicholas had two passions — photography and kite flying. During a trip to India to make a photo report on kite making, he learnt about this unique style of photography. Fascinated, he literally tied his two hobbies together for a living. Nicholas learnt to make strong kites modeled on the Japanese kites, Rokkaku that could stand high winds. A newbie in his chosen field, he then set out to train himself,

Today he is one of the most well-known kite aerial photographers in the world. The technique is to tie a basket containing the photography equipment to the string of the kite and then fly it, thus launching the camera into air. From the ground, Nicholas controls the angles of the camera with a remote. An air-to-ground video link enables him to see the view from the kite’s point. Once satisfied with the frame, he clicks a picture, However, the job does have its pitfalls, too. Once, his kite disappeared in the Yamuna River, with his expensive camera following it.

He is especially fond of India, having made a couple of trips and taken many spectacular photos. “India is a too vast and beautiful country to be captured through the cameras in one life,” he says. He recently released a book, Kite’s Eye View: India between Earth and Sky. Though it includes photographs of “No Photo” sites like the Taj Mahal, it shows them from a totally different perspective.

1. What were Nicholas’s two hobbies?

A．Design and reading.	B．Traveling and drawing.
C．Kite making and selling.	D．Photography and kite flying.

2. What is “Rokkaku”?

A．A technique.

B．A Japanese.

C．A kind of kite.

D．A beginner.

3. What does the underlined word “pitfulls” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Benefits.

B．Choices.

C．Secrets.

D．Risks.

4. Which word can best describe Nicholas?

A．Creative.

B．Honest.

C．Humorous.

D．Warm-hearted.

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Dr Hart, a psychologist, interviewed three people     1     (discover) what “me” means and how they have learnt to appreciate the beauty in themselves.

Wanting to look good and obtain the praise of others, 24-year-old Jade has become     2     (addict) to selfie apps that can remove her freckles, en large her eyes and even slim her jawline. She spends     3     (hour) every day editing and posting her selfies, expecting “likes” to boost her     4     (confident). In Dr Hart’s opinion, people     5     pretend to be someone they are not tend to misjudge themselves.

Never really     6     (care) about his appearance, Anthony only used to have five identical pairs of trousers and five identical shirts. His roommates at college registered him for a TV programme, A New You. Surprised at     7     good he looked after a makeover, he realised the importance of external beauty.

Emma     8     (bother) by her “big” body shape since she was little. She made every effort imaginable to lose weight, including dieting and weight-loss pills, but this brought her nothing but pain     9     poor health. Her idea of beauty shifted when she came across the inspiring success story of Tess Holiday, a plus-size model. And she has acknowledged that keeping fit not only makes us much    10     (beautiful), but happier, too.

9 . If you cannot ______ your emotions in the case, it is unlikely that you will deal with it fairly.

A．take advantage of

B．get rid of

C．put up with

D．keep pace with