1 . What comes into your mind when you think of British food? Probably fish and chips, or a Sunday dinner of meat and two vegetables. But is British food really so uninteresting? Even though Britain has a reputation for less-than-impressive cuisine, it is producing more top class chefs who appear frequently on our television screens and whose recipe books frequently top the best seller lists.

It’s thanks to these TV chefs rather than any advertising campaign that Britons are turning away from meat-and-two-veg and ready-made meals and becoming more adventurous in their cooking habits. It is recently reported that the number of those sticking to a traditional diet is slowly declining and around half of Britain’s consumers would like to change or improve their cooking in some way. There has been a rise in the number of students applying for food courses at UK universities and colleges. It seems that TV programmes have helped change what people think about cooking.

According to a new study from market analysts, 1 in 5 Britons say that watching cookery programmes on TV has encouraged them to try different food. Almost one third say they now use a wider variety of ingredients (配料) than they used to, and just under 1 in 4 say they now buy better quality ingredients than before. One in four adults say that TV chefs have made them much more confident about expanding their cookery knowledge and skills, and young people are also getting more interested in cooking. The UK’s obsession (痴迷) with food is reflected through television scheduling. Cookery shows and documentaries about food are broadcast more often than before. With an increasing number of male chefs on TV, it’s no longer “uncool” for boys to like cooking.

1. What do people usually think of British food?

A．It is simple and plain.	B．It is rich in nutrition.
C．It lacks authentic tastes.	D．It deserves a high reputation.

2. Which best describes cookery programme on British TV?

A．Authoritative.

B．Creative.

C．Profitable.

D．Influential.

3. Which is the percentage of the people using more diverse ingredients now?

A．20%.

B．24%.

C．25%.

D．33%.

4. What might the author continue talking about?

A．The art of cooking in other countries.	B．Male chefs on TV programmes.
C．Table manners in the UK.	D．Studies of big eaters.

2 . Rome can be pricey for travelers, which is why many choose to stay in a hostel (旅社). The hostels in Rome offer a bed in a dorm room for around $25 a night, and for that, you’ll often get to stay in a central location (位置) with security and comfort.

Yellow Hostel

If I had to make just one recommendation for where to stay in Rome, it would be Yellow Hostel. It’s one of the best-rated hostels in the city, and for good reason. It’s affordable, and it’s got a fun atmosphere without being too noisy. As an added bonus, it’s close to the main train station.

Hostel Alessandro Palace

If you love social hostels, this is the best hostel for you in Rome. Hostel Alessandro Palace is fun. Staff members hold plenty of bar events for guests like free shots, bar crawls and karaoke. There’s also an area on the rooftop for hanging out with other travelers during the summer.

Youth Station Hostel

If you’re looking for cleanliness and a modern hostel, look no further than Youth Station. It offers beautiful furnishings and beds. There are plenty of other benefits, too; it doesn’t charge city tax; it has both air conditioning and a heater for the rooms; it also has free Wi-Fi in every room.

Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes

Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes is located just a 10-minute walk from the central city station and it’s close to all of the city’s main attractions. The staff is friendly and helpful, providing you with a map of the city when you arrive, and offering advice if you require some. However, you need to pay 2 euros a day for Wi-Fi.

1. What is probably the major concern of travelers who choose to stay in a hostel?

A．Comfort.	B．Security.
C．Price.	D．Location.

2. Which hotel best suits people who enjoy an active social life?

A．Yellow Hostel.	B．Hostel Alessandro Palace.
C．Youth Station Hostel.	D．Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes.

3. What is the disadvantage of Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes?

A．It gets noisy at night.	B．Its staff is too talkative.
C．It charges for Wi-Fi.	D．It’s inconveniently located.

3 . According to Jessica Hagy, author of How to Be Interesting, it’s not difficult to make yourself interesting at a dinner party.

    1    , if you’re out of your comfort zone or if you’re wandering into somebody’s house for the first time. So the main thing is just to show up and be adventurous, trying different foods and talking to strangers.

People love to talk about themselves. If you can start the conversation with a question other than “What do you do for a living?”, you’ll be able to get a lot more interesting conversation out of whomever it is you’re talking to.     2    , it can bring in “I have this old, broken-down vehicle” or “I rode the bus with these crazy people who were laughing at silly jokes in the back.” It just opens up conversation.

    3    ? If you can’t take their wine away, you should certainly try to take away their soapbox (讲台). If you’re the host, you can ask them to help you in the kitchen with something and just remove them from the situation.    4    .

And what about that other dinner-party killer: awkward silence? If you’re faced with an awkward silence at a dinner party, the only thing that always gets everyone talking again is to give the host a compliment (赞扬).     5    . Just quickly turn around and say, “This cake is extremely delicious and you have to tell me all about it.”

So being interesting at a dinner party isn’t that hard.

A．How do you know the host

B．The first step is to go exploring

C．If you ask the question “How did you get here?”

D．Be prepared to have awkward conversations with strangers

E．Or turn the conversation into a topic where they have little to say

F．What about that person who had too much to drink or won’t stop talking

G．He or she is the person who is feeling the weight of that awkwardness the most

4 . Top Exhibitions to See in London in 2023

Architectural: Vanishing Points

While we like to think of architecture existing purely in the real world, emerging designers and architects are using platforms like Instagram to create structures in the virtual world. This collection of works, which range from the practical to the fantastical, are all by architects who have gathered significant social media followings.

In the Digital Universe at ROCA London. 8 February—31 July, free.

Flowery: Orchids

This annual festival is back in bloom (开花), this time inspired by the beauty and biodiversity of Cameroon. Just like previous years, the orchids are spread throughout the various zones of the Princess of Wales conservatory and accompanied by sculptures that are just as colourful as the flowers on display.

At Kew Gardens. 4 February —5 March, &16.50—entrance to the gardens included.

Female Abstraction: Action, Gesture, Paint

Art history has often shone a light on the men of Abstract Expressionism, such as Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Well, now’s the time to let the most important women of the movement take the limelight in an exhibition that includes works by American artists such as Lee Krasner and Helen Frankenthaler, but spreads the net wider to include the female abstract artists from Europe, Asia and the wider world, with whom most of us will be unfamiliar.

At Whitechapel Gallery. 9 February—7 May, £ 16.50—concessions available.

Powerful Portraits (肖像): Alice Neel

The largest UK exhibition to date of American painter Alice Neel’s work will bring together her figurative pieces from across her 60-year career. Neel went against the popular grain by painting figures when abstract works were most popular, and she painted subjects that other artists ignored — pregnant women, labour leaders, black children, civil rights activists and strange performers. It’s high time we had a major show of her work in London, and the Barbican has duly provided.

At Barbican Art Gallery. 16 February—21 May, & 18.

1. Which of the following exhibitions is held once a year?

A．Flowery: Orchids.

B．Powerful Portraits: Alice Neel.

C．Architectural: Vanishing Points.

D．Female Abstraction: Action, Gesture, Paint.

2. When can visitors appreciate Lee Krasner’s works?

A．On February 8.

B．On January 7.

C．On April 7.

D．On May 8.

3. What can we learn about the artist Alice Neel?

A．She is 60 years old now.

B．Her works didn’t follow the trend.

C．She often ignored some common subjects.

D．She is the most popular American painter in the UK.

5 . We offer a programme of lectures by members of the MCLL community and other lifelong learning organisations, as well as university faculty members who have been invited to share their research with us on a variety of topics. View Instructions on How to Register Online.

Lecture 1: Social Media and Misinformation
Time: Friday, June 9, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Richard Harris
Attendance: Online

A retired American IT professional, Richard Harris, will take us deep into a social media’s business model, its differences from traditional media, recent examples of its use for misinformation and possible solutions that respect freedom of expression. A lively round-table discussion not to be missed!

Lecture 2: Global Mental Health
Time: Friday, June 16, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Marc Laporta
Attendance: Online

Mental health was known to the public quite late. Many countries are finding ways to reduce its impact, but many factors get in the way. However, progress is visible, and hope is justified. Mare Laporta will discuss different aspects of mental health and exchange ideas about ways to improve the situation.

Lecture 3: The Silk Road
Time: Friday, June 23, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: George Lapa
Attendance: Online

The Silk Road refers to a network of routes, covering over 6,400 km, used by traders from the Han Dynasty of China who opened trade in 130 BCE until 1453 CE. The exchange of information gave rise to new technologies and innovations that changed the Western world. Topics such as gunpowder, the compass (指南针), paper-making and printing will be presented.

Lecture 4: South to Textile Factories
Time: Friday, June 30, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Muriel Herrington
Attendance: In person

Between 1840 and 1930 a million French-Canadians left Canada to work in the United States. Many were employed in textile (纺织品) factories in the New England states. In these areas they set up communities where they maintained the French language and culture. In this lecture Muriel Herrington will describe their working and living conditions and show their impact.

1. What will the audience attending Lecture 1 do?

A．Build a social media’s business model.

B．Exchange ideas with each other.

C．Enjoy more respect and freedom.

D．Contact the presenter in advance.

2. Who will talk about the great inventions of ancient China?

A．Marc Laporta.

B．Richard Harris.

C．George Lapa.

D．Muriel Herrington.

3. In which lecture will the audience have face time with the presenter?

A．The Silk Road.

B．South to Textile Factories.

C．Global Mental Health.

D．Social Media and Misinformation.

6 . My new teacher is cool. Her name is Paula so we call her Miss Paula.

The first time we met her she said we are going to be good friends and that good friends are always nice to each other.

Miss Paula has been teaching us a lot of things. Some of us used to get in trouble for talking in the hallway (过道). Miss Paula says she can’t change the rule that we can’t make noise in the hallway but we can still talk to each other. She is teaching us sign language. I already know how to say “hello” and “how are you” with my hands. Now we love it when we have to walk somewhere and we are always quiet except for a laugh or two.

Miss Paula likes everybody even Sam and nobody likes Sam. He never does what he’s told but now he is doing better. Miss Paula says every single one of us is perfect and beautiful just the way we are. I guess that includes Sam.

This week at school was really the best ever. I didn’t even get in trouble when I thought I would because I spilled (洒) milk on my homework and had to hand it in when it was still wet. Miss Paula just smiled and asked “What’s this?” So I told her what happened. Miss Paula put it near the window to make it dry. She said the sun had been waiting for such an important job as this and would be happy to help us.

Well I have to go and get ready for bed now. I have school in the morning and I want to wake up early so I will have time to pick Miss Paula some flowers.

1. From the passage we know that Miss Paula ________.

A．is strict with the writer	B．changed the school rules
C．is very kind to her students	D．uses sign language in class

2. From Paragraph 4 what do we learn about Sam?

A．Sam dislikes his new teacher.	B．Sam has made some progress.
C．Sam is often praised by Miss Paula.	D．Sam is one of the writer’s best friends.

3. How did the writer probably feel when he handed in his homework?

A．Bored.

B．Excited.

C．Relaxed.

D．Worried.

4. We can learn from the passage that the writer ________.

A．loves and respects her new teacher	B．is a bit afraid of her new teacher
C．always picks her teacher some flowers	D．wrote this article in the morning

7 . On the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), red tourism has gained popularity among tourists who flood in to visit historic sites with a modern revolutionary heritage.

Jinggangshan

This is one of the most crucial and splendid chapters of history of establishing Red China as well as a unique and wonderful ecosystem, which is covered with rich forest, rugged peaks and several memorials to the Red Army. The best time to visit is between April and October, with the most temperature timing April and May when the large azaleas (杜鹃花) bloom.

Open: 8:00-17:00 (Feb. 16-Nov. 15). 8:00-16:30 (Nov. 16-Feb. 15)

Xibaipo

It is an old revolutionary base where the leadership of the Communist Party of China was stationed, drawing up the blueprint for a new country. A memorial hall was built to honor the memory of this site. The lake and the hill here add brilliance and beauty to each other and form pleasant scenery.

Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 9:30-17:00 (Xibaipo Memorial Hall)

The Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall

A new exhibition is held with updated display approaches, including phantom imaging (全息影像) and oil painting, which are used to improve visitors' experiences. The exhibition shows four stages of the CPC from its establishment to its achievements.

Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 8:30-18:00 (closed on Mondays)

Former Site of the Editorial Department of New Youth

New Youth started the New Culture Movement and spread the influence of the May Fourth Movement. The site was briefly based in Beijing but moved back to Shanghai in 1920 and also served as the office for the Communist Party of China Central Committee in the 1920s.

Open: Thursdays to Tuesdays 9:00 - 11:30, 13:30 - 16:30 (closed on Wednesdays)

1. Where would visitors learn more about the history of the Red Army?

A．Jinggangshan.

B．Xibaipo.

C．The Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall.

D．Former Site of the Editorial Department of New Youth.

2. What do we know about the Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall?

A．It focuses on Chinese achievements in art.

B．It mainly advertises the coming anniversary.

C．It applies modernized methods to the exhibition.

D．It briefly introduces the rise and fall of Nanhu.

3. When can tourists visit Former Site of the Editorial Department of New Youth?

A．At 1:00 p.m. on Mondays.	B．At 9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays.
C．At 2:00 p.m. on Fridays.	D．At 5:00 p.m on Sundays.

8 . 语法填空

    1     (million) of young people are writing blogs (博客). Millions of others are reading them. They have been an     2     (attract) to young people.

Many popular Websites now offer free, easy ways to create personal Web pages and fill them    3     writings and pictures. Websites such    4     “Facebook” and “Myspace” are some of the most popular blog sites for young.

Blogs offer young people a place     5    (show) their writings and feelings. They can also be     6     (help) to connect young people with others. But blogs can become    7    (danger) when they are read on the Internet by millions of people all over the world.

Recent studies show that young people often tell their names, ages and where they live on the Internet. That may not be safe for them. The personal information puts them in danger when found out by dangerous people     8    want to hurt them. Students can also get into trouble when they put information about others on their blog.

As     9    result, many schools don’t allow using blogging websites on school computers. Many schools have also begun teaching parents about the websites. Parents should know what their children are doing online and help their children escape     10     (give) away personal information.

9 . If you walk through the doors of one of the Smithsonian Institution’s museums in Washington, D.C., you may be greeted by an unusual guide. A Japanese tech company recently sent 25 humanoid robots to the Smithsonian. All of them are named Pepper.

Each Pepper stands 4 feet tall and has a computer screen attached to its body. Built by SoftBank Robotics, the robots are programmed to share information about the museum in which they are based.

“Pepper is basically an experiment,” Goslins, director of the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Museum, said. “The idea is to explore and see how a robot performs in this kind of environment.”

Museum visitors communicating with Pepper. The robot can tell stories and answer basic questions. People even take pictures and dance with it.

“The robot draws big crowds,” said Allison Peck, director of marketing at the Hirshhorn. “People just love Pepper.”

According to the Smithsonian Institution’s website: “Pepper gives our museum workers a new way to reach and serve visitors.” For example, Pepper teaches Swahili words to visitors of the “World on the Horizon” exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art.

Pepper also has the special ability to draw guests to less-visited areas of the Smithsonian’s museum. When Pepper is placed in a spot, crowds are attracted to that place.

When not educating museum visitors, Pepper stays in the Smithsonian offices, getting charged and programmed. After being charged, Pepper can run for about 8 hours at a time.

Pepper plays an important role, but the robot“ is not meant to take away human jobs at the museum, ” Goslins explained. “It is meant to give our visitors a more enjoyable experience while they are here with us.”

1. What do you know about Pepper?

A．It measures 4 feet in width.	B．It serves as a guide.
C．It is named after a robot.	D．It is made in the US.

2. What can Pepper do?

A．Draw pictures.	B．Take pictures.
C．Ask questions.	D．Tell stories.

3. What attracts visitors to the less-visited areas?

A．Reasonable cost.	B．Pepper’s appearance.
C．Workers’service.	D．Attractive scenery.

4. Why is Pepper used in the Smithsonian Institution’s museums?

A．To please visitors.	B．To replace humans.
C．To perform programs.	D．To educate visitors

10 . By the time the policemen arrived, the criminals _________ without leaving any clues(线索).

A．have escaped

B．were escaping

C．had escaped

D．escaped