1 . There is a lot to learn about the unusual habits and qualities of the British people when you first visit London.
Get to know what to wear. Most men now go for a shirt, and women go for a smart-casual skirt or trousers and top(上衣), or a dress. Some men might keep a jacket and tie at work that they can put on if they have a client meeting or some other reason to look extra smart.
Pay attention to the art of giving praise.
Visiting gardens is common. Gardening is one of the most popular leisure activities in the UK. Two-thirds of British people visit a garden centre each year, which results in great economic value.
| A．The British like to be modest. |
| B．This business is worth 25 billion. |
| C．When it comes to money, less is more. |
| D．In this way, you will have made their day. |
| E．We like to wear suits to the gardens and donate money to show modesty. |
| F．And if you are going to a wedding as a guest, it is best to avoid wearing white. |
| G．Away from the workplace, however, there are still places that expect a suit and tie. |
2 . As people get older, it can become more difficult for them to do activities that require a wide range of mobility (移动的能力) — but that doesn’t mean they want to stop being active.
Feeling inspired by this realization, Ole Kassow, a kind and considerate man, wanted to offer free bike rides to the old at the local nursing home in Denmark. To make that possible, he thought hard and came up with an idea of making a trishaw (三轮脚踏车) , a new kind of 24bike that includes a two-person wooden bench that’s located at the front so riders can better enjoy the view. In this way, Ole showed great love to the old.
Ole’s bike rides became so popular that, over time, he turned it into a non-profit club called Cycling Without Age. Since then, they’ve gone from having one chapter (地方分会) in Denmark to having chapters in 52 countries! To make these rides accessible to all, they come at absolutely no cost to the riders.
Cycling Without Age is all about making bike rides accessible to the elderly, but it’s actually so much more than that. In addition to getting some much needed fresh air, these lovely people are given the chance to socialize.
“We dream of creating a world together, in which the access to active citizenship creates happiness among our fellow elderly citizens by providing them with an opportunity to remain an active part of society,” their website says.
What Cycling Without Age is doing is something the volunteers enjoy as well. “This is a great opportunity to really bring generations together,” young volunteer Adam Binnie said.
“It reminds me of when I was younger and able to go out into the countryside,” Christina Ogilvie, one of the riders said. “Yes, that’s what it reminds me of-getting out, walking... I felt like royalty (王室成员), actually, waving at everybody and everybody waving at us. We all love riding like this.”
1. What did Ole mainly take into consideration when making the trishaw?| A．Its riders’ interests. | B．Its production costs. | C．Its drivers’ age. | D．Its raw materials. |
| A．To promote sport for all people. | B．To make the old become social. |
| C．To tell people to value young days. | D．To provide jobs for young people. |
| A．To prove she is so popular. | B．To praise her for being active. |
| C．To say Ole’s project is well received. | D．To explain trishaws will be available soon. |
| A．Love breaks down barriers. | B．The simplest way is the best way. |
| C．It pays to put theory into practice. | D．It is not rewarding to try new things. |
3 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To tell about true friends. | B．To start a discussion. |
| C．To encourage online friendships. | D．To summarize(总结) the text. |
| A．In any case. | B．In public. | C．In person. | D．In advance. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Positive. | C．Worried. | D．Confused. |
| A．Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B．It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
| C．It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
4 . Every boy and every girl expects their parents to give them more pocket money. Why do their parents just give them a certain amount?
The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they wish differs from family to family.
First of all, children are expected to make a choice between spending and saving. Then parents should make the children understand what is expected to pay for with the money. At first, some young children may spend all of the money soon after they receive it. Parents are usually advised not to offer more money until it is the right time.
In order to encourage their children to do some housework, some parents give pocket money if the children help around the home. Some experts think it not wise to pay the children for doing that.
Pocket money can give children a chance to experience the three things they can do with the money. They can spend it by giving it to a good cause. They can spend it by buying things they want.
| A．They can save it for future use. |
| B．Timing is another consideration. |
| C．As helping at home is a normal part of family life. |
| D．Some children are not good at managing their pocket money. |
| E．Learning how to get money is very important for every child. |
| F．One main purpose is to let kids learn how to manage their own money. |
| G．By doing so, these children will learn that spending must be done with a budget (预算). |
5 . When you think of a map, is north on the top or the bottom? Usually, maps are designed with north on top, though when we think about it, there is no logical reason for this bias (偏见). After all, there is no up or down in space. So what is wrong with south, east or west being on the top of the map? The answer is: nothing at all. In fact, north-up maps only became the norm in the last few hundred years.
Ancient Egyptian maps had south at the top because the Nile River flows downhill from mountains in the south to the Mediterranean Sea in the north. Mecca was to the south of most early Muslim civilizations, and south-up maps were designed so that viewers would look up to see Mecca. Medieval Christian maps had east at the top, as they believed the Garden of Eden was in the east. The only early maps that had north at the top were those of early China because the emperor lived in the north.
North seems to have settled at the top of maps during the 16th century, largely thanks to a Flemish mapmaker, Mercator. Mercator was a great admirer of an early Greek mapmaker, who, for reasons now unknown, put north at the top of maps, so Mercator did, too. When Mercator’s world map became the standard map to navigate the oceans, north up became standard as well.
What is the implication of this north-view of the world? Psychologically, people tend to think of up as good and down as bad. Just think of words and phrases like “upmarket”, “upbeat” and “moving up in the world”, and how they contrast with their opposites. Because north is so consistently put at the top of maps, people now think of north as good, too.
Several attempts have been made in recent years by introducing south-up maps to the market. These maps not only give us a chance to see the world differently, but also give everyone the chance to see themselves on top.
1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?| A．North-up maps were rare in ancient times. |
| B．Deciding up or down in space is ridiculous. |
| C．Mecca maps were based on a legend. |
| D．The south-up map first appeared in ancient Egypt. |
| A．An illogical reason. | B．The spread of Mercator’s maps. |
| C．People’s preference for up. | D．An age-old tradition in Greece. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Supportive. | C．Uncaring. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．To criticize a phenomenon. | B．To compare various facts. |
| C．To correct a cultural bias. | D．To argue for a viewpoint. |
6 . J. K. Rowling frequently shows there is magic every day. Her Harry Potter series has helped people through times of stress and depression and she is always there to deliver wise words of encouragement.
She is one celebrity who is very active on Twitter. So when a single dad named Matt Burke sent her a message thanking her for the series, she noticed. Her series had helped strengthen his relationship with his 9yearold daughter Bailey.
He included a link to his article titled Being a Broke Parent. He explained how he hadn’t found a level of financial stability that allowed him to pay bills on time and take his daughter on more activities and events. The family also doesn’t have the Internet or TV, which means there’s no “digital babysitter” and he has to rely on his own creative ways to bond with his daughter. Since he received the series, the main thing that has occupied them these days is reading books together.
Burke admits that he thought he was “too cool” for the books when they first came out and he was in his twenties, but he’s loving reading them now. “We switch off chapter by chapter reading them out loud，“Burke explains.” This not only allows her to get more used to reading aloud in front of someone, but it gets me directly involved in something she loves, and it gives me the chance to be very dramatic when I read my chapters and bring myself into the characters in the book, which has proven to be a ton of fun.”
After hearing Burke’s story, Rowling said how honored she was when Harry Potter was a part of his family’s life and offered Burke more books. Besides, people are also offering to send Burke more books as gifts. For Burke, this experience, far more than gifts, will be what he treasures.
1. Why did Burke thank J. K. Rowling according to the text?| A．She guided him how to write a good story. |
| B．She encouraged him when he was in trouble. |
| C．Her books helped him through times of confusion. |
| D．Her books helped him improve his bond with his daughter. |
| A．He has found it interesting to read the series. | B．He was too old to understand the series better. |
| C．He has chosen a better way of reading the series. | D．He hopes to play a role in the drama in the future. |
| A．Useless. | B．Normal. | C．Valuable. | D．Boring. |
| A．J. K. Rowling chooses to help improve kids’ health. |
| B．J. K. Rowling gives a magical gift to a single father. |
| C．J. K. Rowling has a deep influence on others’ growth. |
| D．Burke comes to know J. K. Rowling through her series. |
7 . In a world with limited land, water and other natural resources, the harm from the traditional business model is on the rise. Actually, the past decades has seen more and more forests disappearing and globe becoming increasingly warm. People now realize that this unhealthy situation must be changed, and that we must be able to develop in sustainable (可持续的) ways. That means growth with low carbon or development of sustainable products. In other words, we should keep the earth healthy while using its supply of natural resources.
Today, sustainable development is a proper trend in many countries. According to a recent study, the global market for low-carbon energy will become three times bigger over the next decades. China, for example, has set its mind on leading that market, hoping to seize chances in the new round of the global energy revolution. It is now trying hard to make full use of wind and solar energy, and is spending a huge amount of money making electric cars and high-speed trains.
In addition, we are seeing great growth in the global markets for sustainable products such as palm oil (棕榈油) , which is produced without cutting down valuable rainforest. In recent years the markets for sustainable products have grown by more than 50%.
Governments can fully develop the potential of these new markets. First, they can set high targets for reducing carbon emissions (排放) and targets for saving and reusing energy. Besides, stronger arrangement of public resources like forests can also help to speed up the development.
Finally, governments can avoid the huge expenses that are taking us in the wrong direction, and redirecting some of those expenses can accelerate the change from traditional model to a sustainable one.
The major challenge of this century is to find ways to meet the needs of growing population within the limits if this single planet. That is no small task, but it offers abundant new chances for sustainable product industries.
1. The traditional business model is harmful because of the following EXCEPT that ____________.| A．it makes the world warmer | B．it consumes natural resources |
| C．it brings severe damage to forests | D．it makes growth hard to continue |
| A．cut public expenses | B．forbid carbon emission |
| C．develop public resources | D．encourage energy conservation |
| A．To introduce a new business model. | B．To compare two business models. |
| C．To predict a change of the global market. | D．To advocate sustainable development. |
8 . ● Health, Wellness and the Politics of Food
9:00-9:45 a.m. Blue Tent
Panelists (成员) : Jami Bernard, David Kamp, Marion Nestle and Peter Singer.
Hosted by Denise Gray, science writer for The New York Times.
How does what we eat not only affect our bodies, but also the world? The food and nutrition experts debate the role that the diet plays in both personal and global health, and present a look at food politics.
● Sports writing: For the Love of the Game
9:50-10:35 a.m. Blue Tent
Panelists: Christine Brennan, Ira Rosen, Joe Wallace and Joe Drape.
Hosted by William C. Rhoden, sports writer for The New York Times.
Whether catching that key moment of victory or defeat, or covering breaking news, sports writers are anything but audience. Listen as some professionals discuss the special experience in reporting of sports news.
● The Art of the Review
11:15-12:00 a.m. Green Tent
Panelists: John Freeman, Barry Gewen, David Or, Celia McGee and Jennifer Schuessler.
Hosted by Sam Tanenhaus, editor for The New York Times Book Review.
How much of an effect does the book review have on book sales? Join this group of critics as they discuss the reality of the book review and bestseller lists, and bow they choose books for review.
● New York Writers, New York Stories
3:00-3:45 p.m. Green Tent
Panelists: Cindy Adams, Richard Cohen, Ric Klass and Lauren Redniss.
Hosted by Clyde Haberman, columnist for the City Section of The New York Times.
Join this inspiring group of New York-centric writers as they talk about why New York is ad gold nine of ideas for their work.
1. If you are free in the afternoon, you can attend ________.| A．The Art of the Review | B．New York Writers, New York Stories |
| C．Health, Wellness and the Politics of Food | D．Sports Writing: For the Love of the Game |
| A．go to Blue Tent at 11:15 a.m. | B．enjoy Jami Bernard’s talk |
| C．listen to Christine Brennan | D．attend the Art of the Review |
| A．The Art of the Review | B．Health, Wellness and the Politics of Food |
| C．New York Writers, New York Stories | D．Sports Writing: For the Love of the Game |
| A．are about writing | B．will last 45 minutes each |
| C．can be attended freely | D．will attract many readers |
| A．sports writers are a type of audience | B．the New York Times is popular |
| C．Denise Gray will discuss politics | D．book reviews may affect book sales |
9 . In the animal kingdom, weakness can bring about aggression in other animal. This sometimes happens with humans also. But I have found that my weakness brings out the kindness in people. I see it every day when people hold doors for me, pour cream into my coffee, or help me to put on my coat. And I have discovered that it makes them happy.
From my wheelchair experience, I see the best in people, but sometimes I feel sad because those who appear independent miss the kindness I see daily. They don’t get to see this soft side of others often. We try every way possible to avoid showing our weakness, which includes a lot of pretending. But only when we stop pretending we’re brave or strong do we allow people to show the kindness that’s in them.
Last month, when I was driving home on a busy highway, I began to feel unwell and drove more slowly than usual. People behind me began to get impatient and angry, with some speeding up alongside me, horning or even shouting at me. At the moment I decided to do something I had never done in twenty four years of driving. I put on the car flashlights and drove on at a really low speed.
No more angry shouts and no more horns!
When I put on my flashlights, I was saying to other drivers, “I have a problem here. I am weak and doing the best I can.” And everyone understood. Several times, I saw drivers who wanted to pass. They couldn’t get around me because of the stream of passing traffic. But instead of getting impatient and angry, they waited, knowing the driver in front of them was in some way weak.
Sometimes situations call for us to act strong and brave even when we don’t feel that way. But those are few and far between. More often, it would be better if we don’t pretend we feel strong when we feel weak or pretend that we are brave when we are scared.
1. The author has discovered that people will feel happy when ____________.| A．they offer their help | B．they receive others’ help |
| C．they feel others’ kindness | D．they show their weakness |
| A．handle problems by ourselves | B．accept help from others |
| C．admit our weakness | D．show our bravery |
| A．A Wheelchair Experience. | B．Weakness and Kindness. |
| C．Weakness and Strength. | D．A Driving Experience. |
10 . It sounds like something from the field of science fiction — a space exploration into vast outer space, heading towards the Red Planet While we’re not quite ready to put a person on it, the question we ask today is:
The space race saw the USSR (the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) and USA compete to achieve firsts in spaceflight. The USSR released Sputnik 1, an artificial satellite, before anyone else,
However, not everyone agrees. Leading astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has said the concept of changing habitability of a planet is not always practical.
It seems that the main reason at the moment is the search for alien (外星的) life.
| A．and the US landed on the moon first. |
| B．Instead, it makes no sense when we can simply terraform Earth because of the damage we have done to it. |
| C．One of these could be the survival of our species. |
| D．Why are so many countries interested in going to Mars? |
| E．It has been believed that, at one time, a certain form of life did exist in this red planet. |
| F．Surely inspiring a new generation to visit the stars is reasonable enough. |
| G．May landing on Mars inspire more people to become interested in exploring space? |
