1 . Jeremy Pound recommends compositions inspired by the beauty of the British countryside.
Frederick Delius: On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring
A bird, cuckoo, in Bradford born Delius’s short work for orchestra. In this instance, the call of the bird is heard in one wind instrument and later another, while a soft, gentle tune in the strings promises sunny days ahead.
Arnold Bax: November Woods
Bax’s 1917 symphonic poem for orchestra has, as the title suggests, a wonderfully autumnal feel. A storm gathers in the first half but eventually the music switches to a calmer mood. Few works display the British weather so delicately.
Gustav Holst: Egdon Heath
Though the title of Holst’s 1927 orchestral work comes from a fictional location described by Thomas Hardy, the composer was initially inspired to write it by long walks in the south of England. The musical landscape here is rough and sometimes predictive.
Edward Elgar: Cello concerto
Is an ageing Elgar looking back over recent global and personal ups and downs in this grand but sorrowful 1919 work, or expressing the beauty of the British countryside? A bit of both, one feels—he associated a passage from it with the Malvern Hills.
1. Which of the following is the first inspiration of Holst’s 1927 composition?| A．The call of a bird. | B．A storm in the autumn of England. |
| C．The long walks in southern England. | D．A famous novel by Thomas Hardy. |
| A．It is one of Elgar’s early works. | B．It involves Elgar’s personal experiences. |
| C．It is developed in a joyful tone. | D．It focuses on the beauty of Malvern Hills. |
| A．They are composed in spring. | B．They are musical works of the 1910’s. |
| C．They are conducted by Jeremy Pound. | D．They are inspired by the British countryside. |
2 . How can you delete your bad behaviors and stick to good ones instead?
Choose a substitute for your bad habit. You need to have a plan ahead of time for how you will respond when you face the stress or boredom that leads to your bad habit. What are you going to do when you get the urge to smoke? What are you going to do when Facebook is calling to you to delay?
Cut out as many triggers (诱因) as possible. If the first thing you do when you sit on the couch is pick up the TV remote, then hide the remote in a closet in a different room.
Join forces with somebody. Maybe you “quit smoking”, but you kept it to yourself. Instead, pair up with someone and quit together. The two of you can hold each other accountable and celebrate your victories together.
Breaking bad habits takes time and effort. You might not have success right away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have it at all.
| A．Visualize yourself succeeding. |
| B．Imagine you can make it in time. |
| C．Here are some ideas for breaking your bad habits. |
| D．Your environment makes your bad habit easier and good habits harder. |
| E．If you eat cookies when they are in the house, then throw them all away. |
| F．Knowing that someone else expects you to be better is a powerful motivator. |
| G．Whatever it is, you need to have a plan for what you will do instead of your bad habit. |
3 . He had two armed guards protecting him until his death aged 55. He also had two massive tusks（象牙）and, just as important, he had a name. Ahmed the elephant received the special treatment until his death in 1974, under an order from Kenya’s then-president Jomo Kenyatta. The name helped give Ahmed and, by extension, the cause of elephant conservation greater recognition.
With Ahmed the elephant in mind, Kenya last week launched the Elephant Naming Festival in which people get the chance to adopt an elephant after contributing money toward their chosen animal’s conservation.
The initiative gives the adoptive parent priority when it comes to choosing the first name of the elephant. The second name will be a Maasai（马赛族）one based on the animal’s profile, history, role in the family and physical attributes like the state of its tusks.
Launching the program, Najib Balala, a top official at the Ministry for Tourism and Wildlife, said the elephant-naming initiative will bring greater awareness of the need for conservation and promote tourism. Balala said the event will be held each year on Aug 12, observed as World Elephant Day.
“We feel that this is a great opportunity for everyone to be part of the sustainability of tourism and wildlife in Kenya for future generation,” Balala said.
“Wildlife is a big part of Kenya’s heritage and ensuring that future generations enjoy this resource should always remain the most important. The launch of the Magical Kenya Elephant Naming Festival builds on the good work that the Kenya Wildlife Service and other partners have been doing over the years.”
1. What has the special treatment to Ahmed brought about?| A．More people are willing to protect elephants. |
| B．More people are anxious to collect tusks. |
| C．More elephants are guarded by armed soldiers. |
| D．More elephants are released to the wild. |
| A．Adopt an elephant according to its role in the family. |
| B．Take priority for giving their elephant’s first name. |
| C．Contribute money toward launching the initiative. |
| D．Consult the elephant’s profile to give it the second name. |
| A．To be in memory of the dead elephant Ahmed. |
| B．To raise money for the cause of elephant conservation. |
| C．To contribute to wildlife protection and sustainable tourism. |
| D．To offer people a chance of naming and adopting an elephant. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Objective. | C．Doubtful. | D．Disapproving. |
4 . Maldives is a small archipelagic(群岛的)state in South Asia，situated in the Arabian Sea of the Indian Ocean. It is made up of 1192 islands and each island has different scenic views, marine(海洋的)life and much more. Here are some fun things you can do on the islands.
Visit The Glowing Beach
The Maldives Glowing Beach, situated at the Mudhdhoo Island, is mostly known for its glowing waves. This natural phenomenon occurs due to the presence of millions of phytoplankton(浮游植物)in the water. The best time to visit Glowing Beach is between June and October when the sea remains comparatively warmer due to the summer season.
Enjoy a dinner on the beach
Maldives offers various locations for a private, romantic candlelight dinner. You can enjoy an elegant private barbecue with your partner on a quiet, calm beach. Have some wine while admiring the stars with your partner and spend some quality time together.
Taste the Gulha
Gulha is the national dish of the Maldives, a speciality with smoked fish such as Maldive fish. The snacks are usually sold at small cafés known as hotels, or in shops throughout the island.
Experience water activities
A trip to the Maldives is incomplete without a thrilling ride on the jet ski to skim over the Indian Ocean. Step up on a surfboard and explore the surroundings while managing the balance and rowing through the waves. Flyboarding will take you 15m high in the air while you look over the blue ocean. Scuba Diving is one of the most popular activities to do in the Maldives as it lets you explore a wonderful undersea world.
1. When is the best time to visit the Glowing Beach?| A．December. | B．November. | C．September. | D．May. |
| A．Taste the Gulha. | B．Visit The Glowing Beach. |
| C．Experience water activities. | D．Enjoy a dinner on the beach. |
| A．To protect sea life. | B．To draw tourists. |
| C．To compare fun activities. | D．To introduce an island. |
5 . A new product from Microsoft Corporation can do just that for people who have trouble seeing. They may be blind or visually challenged. The product, an app, is called Seeing AI. "AI" is short for artificial intelligence, a term for computers with an ability to think and learn like human beings.
Seeing AI is currently available for free for Apple's iPhone and iPad in Canada, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Singapore and the USA. It has four Channels: Short Text, Document, Product, and Person. After you download it, the app will show video directions for each channel. And the app uses both a camera and artificial intelligence to identify places, objects and people (even the emotions of people).
People can use Seeing AI to learn words in English. With the app open, you can point your iPhone or iPad at any object and it will say what the object is. People can also use the app when going to a store or supermarket. It can read product bar codes(条形码) so users will know whether a can is filled with fruit or dog food. In addition, at restaurants, diners can use it to hear a list of drinks and other menu offerings. It can recognize both food choices and prices. And in the near future, it will be able to identify banknotes so people know whether they are holding a bill that is worth $100 or $1.
However, as a new app, seeing AI will not be correct 100% of the time. For example, just because someone is smiling does not necessarily mean they are happy. The app recognizes text, but not handwriting yet. That feature may be available in the future. Also, Seeing AI needs to be connected to the Internet to work.
1. What does the author say about Seeing AI?| A．It is on sale all over the world. |
| B．It can run on all smart phones. |
| C．It is tailored for the visually disabled. |
| D．It asks for a small charge for the service. |
| A．Make quick decisions. |
| B．Tell the types of food. |
| C．Identify paper money. |
| D．Recommend best alternatives. |
| A．The usage of Seeing AI. |
| B．The future of Seeing AI. |
| C．The limitation of Seeing AI. |
| D．The significance of Seeing AI. |
| A．A diary. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A novel. | D．A magazine. |
6 . All around the U.S., there are unbelievable book festivals where literary devotees can connect with their favorite authors and fellow bookworms alike.
Books By The Banks: Cincinnati USA Book Festival
Now in its ninth year, Book by the Banks is a day-long festival that takes place every October in Cincinnati. Local, regional, and national authors attend, and there are book signings, group discussions, and activities for all ages — all meant to promote literacy（读写能力） and lifelong learning.
Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival
When it comes to festival names, Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival gets an A+. Although it is a one-day event, Wordstock manages to put in tons of activities for readers of all ages. Along with a huge book fair, the festival includes a range of writing workshops, author events, a beer tent, pop-up readings and concerts, and more.
Brooklyn Book Festival
The largest free literary event in New York City, the Brooklyn Book Festival has brings together a variety of well-known writers and publishers, as well as up-and-coming authors. The week-long festival is targeted at adults, but there's a children's day too.
New Orleans Book Festival
The New Orleans Book Festival is still an amazing celebration. The two-day festival takes place along Big Lake at City Park and is full of family-friendly entertainment. Between musical performances, readings, group discussions, and activities for kids, it's perfect for all ages. Best of all，Every child who attends receives free books.
1. What do the first two book festivals have in common?| A．They both last for one day. |
| B．They both stress lifelong learning. |
| C．They both offer musical performances. |
| D．They both celebrate their 9th anniversary. |
| A．It is held in the park. | B．It offers free books. |
| C．It holds a reception for authors. | D．It is mainly designed for adults. |
| A．Brooklyn Book Festival. |
| B．New Orleans Book Festival. |
| C．Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival. |
| D．Books By The Banks: Cincinnati USA Book Festival. |
