1 . Crazy Laws

It seems that the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, was right when he said, “Even when laws have been written down, they ought not always to remain unaltered.”     1     Some of them were strange right from the start!

Did you know, for example, that London taxis (officially called Hackney carriages) are still legally required to carry hay and oats for their horses to eat? And in England, it is illegal to stand within 100 yards (91 metres) of the queen, without wearing socks?

If you live in Scotland, however, it’s important to know that if someone knocks at the door of your house, and needs to use your toilet, you are legally required to let him in.     2     There, it is perfectly legal to shoot a Scotsman with a bow and arrow, unless it is a Sunday!

    3     In France, you cannot call your pig Napoleon, and in Italy, a man can be arrested for wearing a skirt. That’s not all. In Alaska, US, while it’s legal to shoot bears, waking a sleeping bear to take its photo is prohibited. Still in Alaska, it is considered an offence to push a live moose out of an aeroplane.

Lots of the craziest laws seem to involve animals.     4     And in Florida, if an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fine must be paid, just as it would for a vehicle.

Last, children are forbidden from going to school with their breath smelling of wild onions in West Virginia. And in Arkansas, teachers who have a certain hairc ut (a bob) will not be given a pay-rise. In Florida, a woman can be fined for falling asleep under the hair-dryer and unmarried women must not parachute on a Sunday. If they do, they might be arrested, receive a fine or be put in jail.

A．But if you are Scottish you should stay away from the city of York.

B．Never should a Scotsman leave his own country.

C．But strange laws don’t just exist in the UK.

D．England is the place where craziest laws have been in existence for centuries.

E．Laws in some parts of the world haven’t changed for centuries.

F．In Hollywood, it is illegal to take more than 2,000 sheep down Hollywood Boulevard at any one time.

2 . They were sitting together when Hannah hurried in with a telegram. Mrs March read it, then dropped it, her hands shaking. Jo picked up the telegram and read it in a frightened voice: “Mrs March: Your husband is very ill. Come at once. S. Hale, Blank Hospital, Washington.”

The girls moved close to their mother. All their happiness had vanished in a moment. “I shall go at once,” said Mrs March. “Where’s Laurie?”

“Here,” said the boy. “Send a telegram back,” said Mrs March. “The next train goes early in the morning. Now, I must write a note to Aunt March.”

Jo knew that the money for the journey must be borrowed from Aunt March, and she too wanted to do something to help.

Laurie went off to take the note to Aunt March and to send the telegram. Jo went to fetch some things from the shops.

“Father will need good food and wine,” said Mrs March. “Beth, go and ask Mr Laurence for a couple of bottles of wine.”

Laurie came back with a letter and money from Aunt March, but Jo did not return. It was late afternoon when she came and gave her mother some money.

“That’s to help make Father comfortable,” she said.

“Twenty five dollars!” said Mrs March. “My dear, where did you get it?”

Jo took off her hat.

“Your beautiful hair!” cried Beth.

“Don’t cry, Beth,” said Jo. “I’ll soon have a curly head again.”

After their mother went away, they all helped Hannah with housework. News of their father came through, at first telling them he was dangerously ill, but then saying he was slowly getting better.

1. The underlined word “vanished” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “        ”.

A．continued

B．varied

C．disappeared

D．burst

2. Why did Mrs March write a note to Aunt March?

A．For comfort.

B．To borrow money.

C．For some wine.

D．To tell her the bad news.

3. What did Jo do to help the family?

A．She sent the telegram back.	B．She helped get things ready for Mother.
C．She bought some food and wine.	D．She sold her hair for 25 dollars.

4. We can learn from the text that        .

A．Mrs March left for Washington the next morning	B．Hannah read the telegram to the girls
C．Mr March was getting worse and worse	D．Hannah went to look after their father

3 . The Beatles were a British rock group, led by the song writing team of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They had a profound (深远的的) effect on the course of popular culture in the1960s, Their innovation (创新) led to revolution in pop music, fashion, and youth culture.

The group came together in Liverpool, England in the late 1950s, and soon found an enthusiastic audience. Then, in Hamburg, Germany, they developed their own song writing style.

In 1962, Ringo Starr joined the Beatles on the drums. They released Please, Please, Me, the first of many number one hits. In 1964. this phenomenon crossed the Atlantic. The Beatles appeared on a popular TV show in the US, and at first only young men watched their performances.

They recorded a variety of different styles of songs, from the simple Yellow Submarine to songs expressing political ideas. In their songs, their political activism and social ideas were reflected. It is said that the US government once sought to have Lennon deported(驱逐出境).

The Beatles made pioneering use of the modern recording studio, and released an album that is considered their best. After this album, however, the members pursued separate interests, and ended in breaking up. The group dissolved (解散) in 1971. John Lennon was murdered by a fan on the street in 1980. Fans around the world mourned his loss.

1. The Beatles had a great effect on the _________ of popular culture in the 1960s.

A．development

B．subject

C．matter

D．idea

2. The group __________ in England in the late 1950s.

A．found their sponsor

B．was set up

C．was found

D．was not noticed

3. The Beatles __________ in the US in 1964.

A．became a hit	B．was enjoyed by both sexes
C．appeared	D．began to appear on the stage

4. The Beatles expressed __________ in their songs.

A．the sadness in their hearts	B．complaints about society
C．their happiness	D．their social ideas

4 . Once in a while, a very savvy and smart kid makes a difference and changes the course of history. Here are some people who left their mark at a young age.

Mary Shelley Though she didn’t publish it until she was 21, Mary Shelley, an English Romantic novelist, wrote Frankenstein: or The Modern Prometheus when she was 18. She wrote several other well-regarded novels throughout her career, including Valperga(1823). The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck (1830), Lodore (1835), and Falkner (1837), but Frankenstein became her best known and remains a classic, showing the dreadful consequences that arise after a scientist has artificially created a human being. The man-made monster in this novel inspired a similar creature in numerous American horror films.
Louis Braille The Braille language for the blind was developed by Louis Braille in 1824, when he was just 15 years old. He polished it and expanded it after that. Despite being blinded at the age of 3, he was inspired at a young age to conceive of a way to read and write. Braille consists of a code of 63 characters, each made up of one to six raised dots arranged in a six-position matrix or cell. The dots are embossed on paper and are read by using one’s fingers. He published the first Braille book. a three-volume history book, in 1837. He also became a notable musician and excelled as an organist. Upon receiving a scholarship, he went in 1819 to Paris to attend the National Institute for Blind Children, and from 1826 he taught there.
Bobby Fischer In 1958, at age 15, Bobby Fischer became the youngest chess player in history to be named grandmaster, the highest title possible. He had begun to attract international attention two years earlier when he was victorious in what became known as the “Game of the Century” between him and Donald Byme. His brilliant playing drew the attention of the American public to the game of chess, particularly when he won the world championship in 1972. His precocious skills inspired the Academy Award-nominated movie, Searching for Bobby Fischer(1993).
Malala Yousafzai In 2014, at age 17, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. The young activist from Pakistan had become famous for speaking out against the Taliban and encouraging young girls like herself to pursue an education. She made her first public speech touting the cause when she was only 11 years old. She attracted international attention when she survived an attempt on her life at age 15. She recovered, staying with her family in Birmingham, UK, where she returned to her studies and to activism. Her life was examined in the documentary He Named Me Malala (2015), whose title referenced the fact that Yousafzai had been named for the Afghan heroine Malala, who allegedly led her people to victory against the British in the 1880 Battle of Maiwand.

1. _______ got a world-wide reputation at the youngest age.

A．Mary Shelley	B．Louis Braille
C．Bobby Fischer	D．Malala Yousafzai

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was nominated the best American horror film ever.

B．Bobby Fischer’s remarkable talents aroused a debate about playing chess in the US.

C．Yousafzai returned to her studies and career in the UK after the attempted murder.

D．Louis Braille had taught music and biology for the blind students in Paris since 1826.

3. To make a speech entitled “It’s not easy to attain success”, you may read _______’s life stories for reference.

A．Mary Shelley and Louis Braille

B．Bobby Fischer and Malala Yousafzai

C．Mary Shelley and Bobby Fischer

D．Louis Braille and Malala Yousafzai

5 . Have you tried to run or walk for exercise and then given up? If you answered yes, you should try a new kind of exercise: aquatic (水中的) exercise. Aquatic exercise is like exercise on land, but you do it in a swimming pool. More and more people are trying aquatic exercise now.

Aquatic exercise feels easier than exercising on land. Why? You weigh about 90% less in the pool. It is better for your knees than running or walking. Water is about 1,000 times thicker and heavier than air. To move through the water, your body has to work four times as hard. As a result, you can burn more calories (卡路里).

In fact, most people say they feel more relaxed in the water. They stop thinking about the things that make them worried. They feel in control of their bodies. The cool, quiet environment makes them feel good.

But what if you are afraid of the water? No problem! There is nothing to worry about. Aquatic exercise is safe and easy to learn. It doesn’t require any special skills. You don’t even need to know how to swim. Aquatic exercise is for everyone.

1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Difference between air and water.

B．Weight change of one’s body.

C．The advantages of aquatic exercise.

D．The ways to do aquatic exercise.

2. What do most people think of aquatic exercise?

A．Relaxing.	B．Worrying.
C．Challenging.	D．Boring.

3. According to the passage, aquatic exercise is _________.

A．done in groups	B．fit for everyone
C．difficult to learn	D．done with special skills

4. In which part of a magazine can we read the passage?

A．Culture.	B．Health.
C．Nature.	D．Travel.

6 . ________? ________TO TENDER(投标)

Contract for the design of a luxury hotel and conference centre in Rio de Janeiro.
Horizon Hotel & Conference Centre — 5 stars
www.hotelhorizon.br | 320 rooms
Candidates are asked to submit their letter of intention before 24 June, 2023.

Horizon Hotels and Conference Centres (HHCC) invites several architectural firms to present a plan for designing a Hotel and Conference Centre in Rio de Janeiro.

HHCC is an international chain of high-class hotels and conference centres. It is famous for providing luxury accommodation and outstanding service. We intend the hotel to be used for conferences and congresses by groups from all over the world.

Selected architectural firms are asked to submit a plan for the ground floor of the building, which will be L-shaped. Details of the project are as follows.

The hotel will have seven floors:
Basement — equipment and storage
Ground floor — facilities to be decided
First floor — a large conference room, three meeting rooms and a seminar room
Second floor — office accommodation
Third-fifth floors — bedrooms
Sixth floor — a large restaurant, available for guests and the general public

The contract to design the hotel and conference centre will be awarded to the architectural firm which produces the best plan for the ground floor.

1. Which word best fits the question mark “?” in the passage?

A．INVITATION	B．APPROACH
C．CONTRACT	D．SUBMISSION

2. According to the passage, the hotel to be built will be mainly intended for________.

A．holiday makers	B．conference attendees
C．architectural firms	D．construction workers

3. HHCC’s final decision will be based on the best design of________.

A．the basement	B．the first floor
C．the ground floor	D．the whole building

7 . The world hosts thousands of exceptional chocolatiers, some of which our magazine is to present to you. And remember that besides ordinary facts like expiration (过期) date or manufacture place, labels bear essential information. If sugar is listed as the main ingredient(原料) on the label, quickly put it down and find a bar in which cocoa shines.

Paul Young, London, England

Award-winning master chocolatier Paul Young deserves the credits he receives for his creativity and mastery with chocolates. Walk into his shop and experience the scent of fresh chocolates. Young is one of the figures who launched the chocolate reform in London, casting aside the sweet British chocolate of the old for the innovative dark chocolate offerings. Try his dark chocolate bars to become a firm chocolate lover.

Three locations in London.

Que Bo!, Mexico City, Mexico

Traditional Mexican flavors come alive in Que Bo! Que Bo! uses only organic ingredients sourced from local producers. Colored truffles(松露) match their star ingredients, such as orange, mango or salt. A major attraction is its open air courtyard shops.

Five locations in Mexico City.

SOMA Chocolate maker, Canada

These Toronto chocolate experts present pure chocolate bars made with beans from around the world. The fir truffles, symbolic of the Canadian pines, combine fruity cocoa and natural oils from the fir trees to give the experience of eating chocolate in a pine forest. SOMA also highlights their expertise(专长) in goods like whiskey and ice cream, which serves as its major selling point providing customers with other choices besides chocolates.

Two stores and a lab in downtown Toronto.

Sprüngli, Zurich, Switzerland

With colorful displays of chocolate truffles and sweets, Sprüngli offers the traditional highend Swiss chocolate experience. This luxury chocolate shop first opened its doors in 1836, the first in Europe according to some. Today, Sprüngli is acclaimed for the chance it offers customers to enjoy coffee and cake in its second-floor café, making the shop a complex of flavor treat.

Numerous locations in Zurich.

SpagNVola, United States

SpagNVola husband-and-wife owners oversee entire chocolate process from farm to store, making the shop stand out. First they grow cacao at their farm. The cacao is handpicked, roasted and refined in their Maryland factory before the final products are shown on its shop shelves. Take the free tour to its kitchen and experience the shop’s magic. Their 70 percent chocolate bars represent the true quality of good chocolate.

Three outlets in U.S.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Young followed the old sweet chocolate fashion and created the new focus on dark chocolate.

B．Que Bo! is famous for its excellent indoor atmosphere.

C．Soma’s main attraction is that it offers items other than chocolates.

D．Sprüngli supplies chocolates to various cafes in the country.

2. What do all these chocolate shops have in common?

A．Initiating the new chocolate trend.

B．Combining fresh ingredients with cocoa.

C．Enjoying a long history.

D．Having more than one shop in its country.

3. SpagNVola excels among its peers because ________.

A．it is run by a couple

B．it controls the whole production process

C．customers can visit the shop free of charge

D．it only sells 70 percent pure chocolate bars

4. Why do customers need to pay attention to chocolate labels?

A．Because only chocolates from the mentioned shops are high quality.

B．Because ingredient list should be checked to guarantee the quality of the chocolate.

C．Because the price will be listed on the label.

D．Because the expiration date is sometimes missing.

8 . With two locations, the Getty Villa in Malibu and the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the J. Paul Getty Museum serves a wide variety of audiences through its expanded range of exhibitions and programming in the visual arts.

Parking information

Parking is $15; $10 after 4:00 p.m. Pay once, park twice on the same day. And get same-day parking at both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa for one $15 fee.

MORE information about visiting the Getty Center and the Getty Villa

@The Getty Center See spectacular art and architecture at the top of Los Angeles. Admission is Free. Address:1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049 Open Hours: Tuesday–Friday and Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Closed Mondays Open Mondays, December 21 and 28, 2020 Parking lot opens 9:30 a.m. Holiday closures: Thanksgiving, December 25 (Christmas Day), and January 1 Food & Drinks Lunch Tuesday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Dinner Saturday 5:00–9:00 p.m. Sunday Brunch Sunday 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Closed Mondays

@ The Getty Villa Visit the ancient world of Greece and Rome. Admission is Free. An advance timed-entry ticket is required. Address 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Open Hours: Wednesday–Monday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Closed Tuesdays Open Tuesdays, December 22nd and 29, 2020 Holiday closures: Thanksgiving, December 25 (Christmas Day), and January 1 Food & Drinks Cafe at the Getty Villa Monday and Wednesday–Friday 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m. Closed Tuesdays No reservations are required for the Cafe. Menu selections are created seasonally. Wine and beer are also available. Picnic Box Lunches Enjoy your own boxed lunch and grab-and-go items at any of the Getty Villa’s public seating areas, including the Outdoor Classical Theater.

1. Mr. Larry drove to the Getty Center and the Getty Villa on December 23 (Wednesday), 2020, and enjoyed a wonderful tour there. He paid the parking fee _______ altogether.

A．$10	B．$15
C．$20	D．$30

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．The J. Paul Getty Museum is an art museum housed on two sites.

B．The Getty Villa is closed on the same holidays as the Getty Center.

C．The sale of alcohol is forbidden to people in the J. Paul Getty Museum.

D．Timed tickets must be obtained in advance in the Getty Villa.

3. People who go to the Getty Villa may _______.

A．enjoy the views overlooking Los Angeles

B．conduct the visit any time because the tickets are free

C．appreciate the arts and cultures of ancient Greece and ancient Rome

D．have lunches they bring with them anywhere inside the exhibition area

9 . The Nobel prize for economics is awarded for work on the climate and economic growth

From The Economist; Oct 8th 2018

WHY do economies grow, and why might growth outdo the natural world’s capacity to sustain it? For years, economists have failed to find the answers to such questions. But the profession’s progress towards cracking them is in large part because of this year’s winners of the Nobel prize for economic sciences, Paul Romer and William Nordhaus.

    1    . But the Sveriges Riksbank, which awards the economics prize, praised them for “integrating innovation and climate with economic growth”. Both men, in other words, have improved the way their profession thinks about the operation of impossibly complex, crucially important systems.

Mr. Romer’s attention has ranged widely over the course of his career.     2    . Some scientists used to think that sustained growth over the long run depended on technological progress, which was in turn related to the creation of new ideas. But they struggled to explain how new ideas emerged, and how innovation interacted with other market activity.

Mr. Romer searched for answers by investigating the “non-rivalrous” nature of new knowledge: the fact that ideas can be exploited endlessly. The firms or people who come up with new ideas can only capture a small share of the benefits arising from them; before long, competitors copy   the clever idea and decrease gradually the innovators’ profits. In Mr. Romer’s models of growth, the market generates new ideas. But the pace at which they are generated, and the way in which they are translated into growth, depend on other factors.    3    .

Mr. Nordhaus’s work tackles the interplay of several different complex systems. Awareness of the dangers of environmental damage, and of the threat from climate change, has grown over the past half-century. Understanding the economic costs such damage imposes is essential to answering the question of how much society should be willing to pay to prevent environmental destruction. Mr. Nordhaus has applied himself to this daunting problem. His most significant work models the economic harms from carbon emissions. To do so, he combined mathematical descriptions of how emissions affect atmospheric carbon concentrations with those of how atmospheric carbon affects global temperature.     4    .

A．The two economists have been cooperating closely for many years.

B．At first glance, the two scholars might not seem a natural pairing.

C．He also studied how changes in temperature interact with economic activity.

D．They include state support for research and development or intellectual-property protections.

E．Mr. Romer has been conducting researches in various economic fields.

F．Nevertheless, his focus has never departed far from the nature of economic growth.

10 . We should all have at least one fire extinguisher somewhere in our home, but it’s not enough to simply keep one under the kitchen sink. If there is a fire, your safety — and the safety of your home — depends on knowing how to use that fire extinguisher correctly. In case your fire extinguisher has been sitting around collecting dust, here’s everything you need to know before brushing it off and fighting a fire in your home the right way.

Choose the right fire extinguisher

The first thing you need to know is the different classifications of fires. Most household fires fall into one of the following categories:

Class A: Fires fueled by solid combustibles like wood, paper, and cloth.

Class B: Fires fueled by flammable liquids such as oil and gasoline.

Class C: Fires started or fueled by faulty wiring and appliances.

Class D: Fires started or fueled by cooking oils, animal facts, and vegetable fats.

All fire extinguishers are labeled to indicate which classes of fire they are designed to combat. Most household fire extinguishers are considered multipurpose and labeled for use in A, B, and C classes. Class K extinguishers are heavier duty and will need to be bought separately. Household fire extinguishers are also rated for the size of fire that they can safely handle. The higher the rating, the larger the fire the extinguisher can put out. Higher-rated extinguishers are often heavier.

Steps for proper extinguisher use

Once you understand the different types of fire extinguishers and their uses, you need to be able to properly operate one.

Step 1: Identify a clear exit/escape route

Before operating the fire extinguisher, make sure you have a clear evacuation path. If you cannot put out the fire, you’ll need to make a safe exit. Also, make sure everyone else is being evacuated from the building.

Step 2: Call the fire department

Even if the fire appears manageable, you should always have the fire department on the way. Once firefighters arrive, they can double-check whether the fire has been completely extinguished.

Step 3: Stand back

Face the fire and keep your back to the clear exit. You should stay between 1.8 and 2.5 meters away from the flames as you prepare to operate the fire extinguisher.

Step 4: Operate the extinguisher

It can be difficult to think clearly during an emergency. Thankfully, there is a long-standing acronym(首字母缩略词)— PASS — to help you recall the steps involved in operating your fire extinguisher.

P: Pull the pin (保险销) on the fire extinguisher.

A: Aim low. Point the nozzle at the base of the fire instead of the flames.

S: Squeeze the handle or lever to discharge the extinguisher.

S: Sweep the nozzle back and forth until the flames are extinguished.

Step 5: Keep an eye on things

After the flames appear to be out, continue to watch the fire area to make sure it doesn’t reignite. If the fire does start up again, repeat the “PASS” process.

Step 6: Get to a safe place

Once the fire is out, or if you are unable to put it out, leave the scene. Find a place out of reach of the fire.

1. According to the passage, what is the top priority in a fire emergency?

A．Find out how to escape.	B．Operate a fire extinguisher.
C．Call the fire department.	D．Escape and leave everything behind.

2. The following pictures show the four steps of the “PASS” process. According to the passage, what is their correct order?

A．③②④①	B．④②③①
C．③④①②	D．④③①②

3. According to the passage, after a fire appears to have been extinguished, we should _________.

A．leave the fire area at once	B．repeat the “PASS” process
C．inspect the fire area carefully	D．have the fire department on the way