1 . Join the Sydney City Library
1. Create a City of Sydney account and join the libraryExperience greater security and access to our library and other services by joining with a City of Sydney account. Your City of Sydney account uses your email address and a password as the login (登录). You’ll be able to use the same login to access other City of Sydney services.
① Go to the library online catalogue (目录) and select Join
② Select Create an account and follow the instructions
③ When the account is created, select Join the library
2. Join the library without an email addressIf you don’t have an email address you can still join the library.
① Go to the library online catalogue and select Join
② Select Create an account and then the option I don’t have an email
③ Follow the prompts to complete the library membership form
3. Activate (激活) your membershipTo ensure your full membership and collect your library card, visit a branch open for browsing and borrowing. You need to show proof of identity and permanent residential address. Official documents such as a driver licence, student card, bank statement or rates are accepted.
Applicants under 18 years old
A parent or guardian is required to approve your application. They need to visit a branch with you to show proof of identity, including their residential address and medicare card listing your name. For online memberships this proof of identity should be emailed to librarymemberships@cityofsydney. nsw. gov. au
1. What’s the benefit of having a City of Sydney account?| A．You can spend less money. | B．You can borrow more books. |
| C．You can enjoy safer access. | D．You can log in without a password. |
| A．Library card. | B．Email address. |
| C．Identity documents. | D．Bank password. |
| A．A guide. | B．A poster. | C．A report. | D．A notice. |
2 . 2024 Travel Planner: The Best Things to See in the UK
Icons of British Fashion, Oxfordshire
A fashion exhibition will open at Blenheim Palace in March. Icons of British Fashion is the largest event in the palace’s 300-year history and will showcase some of Britain’s most famous designers. Clothing, drawings, photographs and patterns will be on display. 23 March to 30 June. Palace entry tickets are valid for a year and cost £ 38 for adults, £ 22 for under-16s.
Toulouse-Lautrec in Bath
A new exhibition, Toulouse-Lautrec and the Masters of Montmartre, opens at Victoria Art Gallery in Bath in April. More than 30 pieces from the artist’s colourful career will be shown alongside works by other artists of the day. This is the only chance to see Lautrec’s complete collection of posters in the UK before it moves to a permanent home at the Musée d’Ixelles in Belgium. 26 April to 29 September, adults £ 10, children £ 3.50.
Back in Time at Beamish
A truly recreated 1950s picture house at Beamish will offer visitors a chance to recall the golden age of movie-going. The cinema will be the latest addition to a “1950s Town” opened last summer at the living history museum. Adults £ 24.95, children £ 15.45, a family of four £ 63.50, valid for a year.
National Gallery goes on tour
The National Gallery celebrates its 200th anniversary on 10 May. To mark the occasion， the gallery is lending 12 of its most iconic paintings to 12 venues across the UK. Paintings will travel to centres from Brighton to Edinburgh, and will all go on display on 10 May. Each of the 12 venues will run exhibitions and digital interventions to showcase its particular painting.
1. How much should a couple with a 5-year-old pay for Blenheim’s exhibition?| A．£ 23.50. | B．£ 60.00. | C．£ 63.50. | D．£ 98.00. |
| A．Recalling the artist’s career. |
| B．Offering chances to make posters. |
| C．Employing digital interventions. |
| D．Enabling visitors to enjoy arts. |
| A．Icons of British Fashion. |
| B．Toulouse-Lautrec and the Masters of Montmartre. |
| C．1950s Picture House Visit. |
| D．National Gallery Painting Show. |
3 . Rain or shine, Tsering Chopa treks for long hours to deliver mail. For 18 years, the Tibetan mailman has been a vital link between the remote town and the rest of the world.
At 5,373 meters above sea level, Pumachangthang in Nakarze county of the Tibet autonomous region is China’s highest township. The oxygen level is less than 40 percent, the annual average temperature -7°C and the average life expectancy only 49.5 years. The area of the township is about 1,500 square kilometers. The distance from the county town is some 70 km and a single trip to all the six villages can be as long as 160 km.
In 2005, Tsering Chopa became the first mailman of his hometown. In nearly two decades since his first mission, he has delivered over a million newspapers, more than 20,000 letters and 10,000-plus parcels in Pumachangthang, and has never been accused of failing or mixing up mail.
One night, a local resident Nyima Tsering’s daughter had fainted and desperately needed help. Knowing that, the mailman arranged for a car right away and sent her to the county hospital. He also gave some cash to the family for the girl’s treatment. Nyima Tsering’s daughter recovered soon, and Tsering Chopa became an idol in the village.
The busiest time for Tsering Chopa is between July and August each year, when students are waiting for their admission letters from various universities. He recalls once he had to deliver mail to one student whose family had already moved away. He had to ask neighbors several times to find the new address. It was summer and the usual road to the village was blocked because of rain. He trekked for more than 20 km and struggled with shortness of breath all the way to finally deliver the letter.
In 2019, Tsering Chopa received the China Youth May Fourth Medal. “It is an acknowledgment of what I do and a token of encouragement as well,” he says. “And I want to help more people living in remote areas. I want to bring the world closer to them and take them closer to the world.”
1. What does the data in paragraph 2 imply?| A．The achievements Tsering Chopa has gotten as a postman. |
| B．The disasters Tsering Chopa experienced in his childhood. |
| C．The contributions Tsering Chopa has made for his hometown. |
| D．The challenges for Tsering Chopa to deliver mail in Pumachangthang. |
| A．By donating a car to her family. | B．By making her hospitalized in time. |
| C．By lending money to her family. | D．By performing an operation for her. |
| A．Selfless and determined. | B．Brave and confident. |
| C．Optimistic and humorous. | D．Creative and generous. |
| A．To win respect and admiration form the villagers. |
| B．To improve the living conditions of his hometown. |
| C．To further link his hometown to the rest of the world. |
| D．To encourage more poor students to go to universities. |
4 . Boston Attractions Guide
Boston’s Freedom Trail
Starting at the Boston Common, but easily picked up at any point along the way, the Freedom Trail offers historical insight into the city and its surroundings. With 16 official stops along the way, you can check out one, some or all of the sites on this route where a red trail painted on the sidewalks takes you throughout Boston.
ADMISSIONS: Free
Fenway Park
Boston fans are crazy about baseball. Ask many and they will claim it as their religion, and offer Fenway as their place of worship. Even if baseball is not your thing, be sure to catch a game at Fenway Park, home of the legendary Green Monster. Tickets can be hard to come by, so seek them out well in advance.
ADMISSIONS: Adult $26; Child $13
New England Aquarium
The adventure begins before you step foot through the door. Watch the Harbor Seals swirl around in the outdoor tank while you wait for your tickets. Catch a show in the glass enclosed classroom overlooking Boston Harbor, and plunge your hands into the touch tank where rays and sharks are circling and awaiting your touch.
ADMISSIONS: Adult $32; Child $21
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is one of the most respected orchestras in the world. Playing host to a variety of concerts throughout the year, including the Holiday Pops, The Boston Symphony Orchestra wows crowds. History has been made within these walls where songs like the popular “Sleigh Ride” have been composed.
ADMISSIONS: Adult $17; Child& Senior $12
1. What can visitors do on Boston’s Freedom Trail?
| A．Take red trains. | B．Touch ocean life. |
| C．Explore historical sites. | D．Enjoy baseball games. |
| A．It charges no fees. | B．It needs advance booking. |
| C．It offers picnic place. | D．It overlooks Boston Harbor. |
| A．Fenway Park. | B．Boston’s Freedom Trail. |
| C．New England Aquarium. | D．Boston Symphony Orchestra. |
5 . These new releases sit at the top of “want-to-read” shelves. While not all of these books are available right now, most are available for pre-order until their expected release date, so you can have your monthly read planned ahead of time.
Small World
By Jonathan Evison
$28.00
This book won’t be released until January 11, but you can pre-order it now. It records 170 years of American nation-building and asks whether the United States has fulfilled its promises by highlighting big and small injustices,
All That She Carried
By Tiya Miles
$30.00
In the book, historian Tiya Miles uncovers the stories of an enslaved black woman, Rose, her daughter, Ashley，who was separated from her and sold at nine years old, and her granddaughter, Ruth. By unearthing (挖掘) their stories, Tiya Miles tries to write a singular and revelatory history of the experience of slavery and the uncertain freedom afterward in the United States.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club
By Malinda Lo
$18.99
This novel won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in 2021. It centers around 17-year-old Lily Hu, who can’t quite remember when a certain feeling appeared inside of her, but she knows it only keeps growing.
Meditations: The Annotated Edition
By Marcus Aurelius $28.00
Meditations is a series of personal writings from the former Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. These writings, which consist of private notes to himself and his ideas on Stoicism, acted as a means for his self-improvement.
1. What do Small World and Meditations: The Annotated Edition have in common?| A．They have the same price. | B．They both tell American history. |
| C．They have won national awards. | D．They go on sale on the same date. |
| A．It is popular among teenagers. | B．It will be released on January 9. |
| C．It focuses on slavery in America. | D．It is the cheapest of the four books. |
| A．Small World | B．All That She Carried |
| C．Last Night as the Telegraph Club | D．Meditations: The Annotated Edition |
6 . Family dynamics in the animal kingdom are as different as the animals themselves. In the animal world, there are advantages to be gained from being part of an extended family.
Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are the world’s largest living primates. These creatures are peace-loving and may live together for a lifetime. The dominant male has many wives who may stay with him for most of their lives, which can cause everyday conflicts. It is the male who settles the conflicts by a warning stare or hitting the back of the offenders’ heads.
Elephants
Females stick together in the elephant world, living in herds under a stateswoman. The experience and knowledge of this elder one, who may be 60-years-old, are of great benefit. She will remember, for example,the location of water holes and seasonal food supplies. In times of danger, the group bunches around the young and it is the stateswoman who decides whether to flee or confront the threat.
Lions
Lions are the only cats to live in a large family group, guarded by a pair of powerful males. Family life is relatively harmonious and baby lions may be fed by any mother with milk, so orphaned babies do not starve. Males live in the wilderness for some years before seeking their own pride by challenging resident males in a bloody battle. The male lion protects his pride from other males and enemies.
Ostriches (鸵鸟)
Ostriches travel in bands of 10-50 individuals, the most remarkable birds being the eight-foot-tall males. The largest birds in the world, ostriches cannot fly, but run fast. The wives of the male ostrich all put their eggs in the same nest. A primary female will then join the male to hatch (孵化) the eggs and she will push away other eggs on the outside to ensure her own are in the middle.
1. How is an elephant herd different from other three animal groups?| A．The leader should be the oldest and experienced. |
| B．The number of the animals in a herd must be large. |
| C．An experienced female elephant dominates the herd. |
| D．They will protect their young when they are in danger. |
| A．Baby lions often go hungry as they can’t hunt. |
| B．A female and a male ostriches hatch eggs jointly. |
| C．Elephants remember every place they have been to. |
| D．The female chimpanzee leader settles daily conflicts. |
| A．A text book. | B．A science fiction. |
| C．A course plan. | D．A wildlife journal. |
7 . While sorting out my son’s bedroom, I caught sight of his exercise books calling up mixed memories. Josh, when in his junior year of middle school, had to receive
At first, I was quite
The schedule of home-schooling was not
Encouragingly, with his health condition
| A．construction | B．cure | C．fund | D．instruction |
| A．resisted | B．resigned | C．collapsed | D．created |
| A．discouraged | B．promised | C．enabled | D．forbade |
| A．courageous | B．annoyed | C．curious | D．anxious |
| A．possess | B．value | C．lack | D．facilitate |
| A．resources | B．target | C．patience | D．confidence |
| A．contracted | B．consulted | C．admired | D．envied |
| A．flexible | B．unique | C．strict | D．appropriate |
| A．initial | B．instant | C．conservative | D．constant |
| A．expected | B．assigned | C．requested | D．convinced |
| A．teach | B．tend | C．save | D．observe |
| A．convenience | B．promotion | C．pressure | D．capacity |
| A．application | B．postponement | C．search | D．creation |
| A．rising up | B．bringing up | C．picking up | D．taking up |
| A．hopeless | B．desperate | C．invisible | D．invaluable |
8 . Gabon, on the west coast of Africa, has numerous rainforests, open grasslands, white sand beaches and rushing rivers. Here are four adventures that can let you have unforgettable experiences.
The Wild Species Adventure
The site of this adventure is close to a national park, which has elephants, monkeys, leopards, red river hogs and so on. Visitors can go on a journey by jeep and have a chance to see the country’s natural beauty and different birds in a nearby reserve.
The Fishing Adventure
Gabon has some really big fish and miles of untouched coastlines, and the fishing spots are not packed, because they are wide apart. When fishing, visitors can find themselves in pleasant places, surrounded by palm trees during the adventure. Gabon’s unique lagoon (环礁湖) system provides visitors with a range of fish, all ready for you to join in the fishing contest.
The Private Island Adventure
It is difficult for visitors to find this private island on the sea on booking or a trip advisor, but it is known by locals. It offers small but comfortable rooms to rest. Visitors can try fun activities like wakeboarding and boating. During the whale season, visitors can also rent boats to take a close look at whales by following responsible viewing guidelines.
The Whale Watching Adventure
There is a great diversity of marine mammals to see in this adventure, especially whales. Some of the whales can be found at all time, while others, for example, the humpback whales, only spend a few months from July to September. In this trip, visitors can take splendid pictures of these whales playing around and jumping above the surface of the sea under safety guidance.
1. Which adventure attracts a lover of land animals most?| A．The wild species adventure. | B．The fishing adventure. |
| C．The private island adventure. | D．The whale watching adventure. |
| A．Noisy. | B．Narrow. |
| C．Uncrowded. | D．Unpleasant. |
| A．Whale watching. | B．Private trip advisors. |
| C．Cost-free water sports. | D．A photo-taking service. |
9 . For the last five years, Saroyan Matthew Lee has pricked his fingertips at least once a day to test a drop of blood. If the amount of glucose, a simple sugar, is too high, he must get a shot of insulin (胰岛素) to lower it. These daily finger pricks are “really lifestyle-hampering and invasive,” Matthew says. So he developed an alternative - a wearable patch. It turns yellow when glucose levels are too high.
The body normally makes insulin to even out blood-sugar levels. But having type 1 diabetes, Matthew cannot make this hormone. That’s important because highly elevated blood sugar can put someone’s life in danger. After seeing younger kids struggle to interpret their blood-sugar levels, he thought a color-changing device might be easier to understand. “As a diabetic,” he explains, “What I recognize is that the precise blood glucose number is not really important to us.” Instead, he notes, people with disease must simple know when throughout the day they will need a shot of insulin.
The body releases chemicals through many routes. The new single-use patch works by detecting glucose in one of them: sweat. Past research shows that you can estimate blood-sugar levels based on how much glucose sweat has.
Two sheets of hydrogel- a jingly, water-based gel- make up Matthew’s small patch. It’s only 1 centimeter (about 0.4 inch) square. The layer closest to the skin contains a chemical that reacts with glucose. This interaction produces a second chemical called hydrogen peroxide. The more sugar there is, the more hydrogen peroxide will be made. Hydrogen peroxide triggers a reaction in the patch’s upper layer. It causes a protein called papain - to react with a color-changing chemical. The more glucose in sweat, the yellower the patch will become.
Matthew’s patch is painless and easy to understand. And it shouldn’t be very costly. Material costs of his patch are just one-fifth as much as those of existing glucose-measuring devices, because current gadgets require electrical components but Matthew’s patch relies on far less expensive chemicals.
1. What do we know about Matthew?| A．He has the ability to make insulin regularly. |
| B．He considers it harmless to prick his fingertips. |
| C．He invents a convenient device to test blood sugar. |
| D．He thinks it vital to know the blood sugar level accurately. |
| A．The patch functions on the basis of three reactions. |
| B．Papain reacts in the second layer, causing hydrogen peroxide. |
| C．A color-changing chemical is located in the layer closest to the skin. |
| D．The patch relies on detecting glucose in various chemicals released by body. |
| A．It is more economical. |
| B．It uses less electricity. |
| C．It can be used for several times. |
| D．It shows the exact blood sugar number. |
| A．A Novel Way to Treat Diabetes. |
| B．Painless Patch to Test Blood Sugar. |
| C．A New Device to Stabilize Blood Sugar. |
| D．A Chain of Insulin-Producing Reactions. |
10 . You Can Make Working from Home Much More Pleasant with These Gadgets
Standing Desk Converter
Sitting all day can be harmful to our health. A standing desk converter allows you to easily transform your traditional desk into a standing desk, giving you the option to stand or sit throughout the day. This gadget can help reduce back pain, improve posture, and increase energy levels.
Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
Tired of being tied to your computer by a tangled mess of wires? A wireless keyboard and mouse can provide the freedom to work from anywhere within a certain range of your computer. These gadgets can improve comfort, flexibility, and reduce clutter.
Noise-cancelling Headphones
With more people working from home, the noise level in your home office can be distracting. Noise-cancelling headphones can help reduce outside noise and increase focus. They’re also great for taking video calls or listening to music without disturbing others in your home.
Smart Lighting
Smart lighting allows you to adjust the brightness and color of your workspace lighting using a mobile app. This can improve productivity and comfort, as proper lighting can reduce eye strain and improve focus.
Foot Rest
A foot rest can help improve posture and reduce back pain. It’s a simple gadget that can make a big difference in comfort during long workdays.
Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat allows you to control the temperature of your home office using a mobile app. This gadget can help you stay comfortable throughout the day without constantly adjusting the thermostat. It can also help save money on energy bills.
1. Which gadget can free you from a mess of wires?| A．Smart Lighting. | B．Noise-Cancelling Headphones. |
| C．Smart Thermostat. | D．Wireless Keyboard and Mouse. |
| A．Foot Rest and Smart Thermostat. |
| B．Smart Lighting and Smart Thermostat. |
| C．Noise-Cancelling Headphones and Smart Lighting. |
| D．Wireless Keyboard and Mouse and Smart Thermostat. |
| A．They can help focus. |
| B．They can increase flexibility. |
| C．They can ease backache. |
| D．They can turn into another form. |
