1 . Most Popular UK Destinations for a Staycation
Looking for a cheap stay cation to brighten up your winter? Here are the most popular destinations in the UK.
Blackpool
Whether you’re seeking the thrills of Blackpool Pleasure Beach or are keen to catch a glimpse of Blackpool Tower, the city’s most appealing attraction, the seaside town offers various amazing views. It’s no wonder the town has gained 980.8 million views on TikTok. With accommodation price £75 for a night, you’ll have a golden opportunity to enjoy Blackpool's Illuminations (彩灯) display and the Seaside Trail.
Searborough
North Yorkshire’s Scarborough sees 49,500 monthly searches and 686.4 million views on TikTok. One of the local highlights is the annual St Nicholas Fair. While a one-night stay in Scarborough costs £85, the town offers holiday-makers opportunities to experience ancient British culture at the 12th-century castle ruins.
Swansea
The Welsh town sees 27,100 monthly searches and has 622.4 million views on TikTok. Swansea’s Waterfront Wonderland brings with it the Alpine Village and various amusement attractions. Spending a night here costs just 10 pounds more than in Scarborough. But if you book a week earlier, you can get a 5 percent discount in total. With Cardiff only being an hour’s drive from Swansea, you have the perfect opportunity to catch a game of ice hockey.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth isn’t called Sunny Bournemouth for nothing, as holiday-makers can enjoy breathtaking views along the Jurassic Coast. With a World Heritage Site within its borders, it’s no surprise to see this town with the high number of views on TikTok (868.3 million). A one-night stay will cost you £105, giving you the perfect opportunity to get relaxed.
1. What is the most attractive in Blackpool?| A．Blackpool Pleasure Beach. | B．Blackpool Tower. |
| C．The Illuminations display. | D．The Seaside Trail. |
| A．£ 70. | B．£ 85. | C．£ 85.75. | D．£ 90.25. |
| A．Blackpool. | B．Swansea. | C．Scarborough. | D．Boumemouth. |
2 . As the world faces extinction crisis and severe climate change, a growing body of scientific research has found that we should set aside more protected areas and manage them well.
Protected areas are extremely important for conservation and can help protect against habitat loss and other human activities. In many areas they may be the only places that can support the survival of some species.
Globally we’ve protected nearly 17% of our lands and 7% of the ocean, but a study published in Nature found that current protected areas on their own are too small or poorly connected to ensure the long-term survival of about half of all mammals studied — between 1,700 and 2,500 species.
If current protected areas don’t do enough, how do we do it better? The researchers suggest that first we need to increase the size and number of protected areas and improve the connectivity between them. But above all, they need to be managed with a clear understanding of the animals’ habitat needs.
In a recent research, after studying 1,500 protected areas with 27,000 waterbird populations in 68 countries, researchers found that areas that were actively managed for waterbirds — such as by preventing hunting or restoring wetlands — were more successful, and often those that were larger had better results, too.
If protected areas are well taken care of, we can not only protect biodiversity (生物多样性) but also achieve other benefits. One of those benefits is to avoid runaway climate change. As we know, the earth is becoming warmer and warmer. Protecting 30% of lands could provide one-third of the reductions needed to limit global warming emissions to under 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Of course, this work won’t be easy. The next step, according to researchers, is to promote understanding and communicating the multiple benefits of increasing protected areas, and drive more support from government and local communities.
1. Why are protected areas of great importance?| A．They contribute to conserving wildlife. |
| B．They can influence the researches of scientists. |
| C．They are the only places for species to survive. |
| D．They strengthen the animal-human relationship. |
| A．Increasing animal species. |
| B．Connecting with nearby areas. |
| C．Enlarging the size of protected areas. |
| D．Knowing the animals’ habitat needs well. |
| A．Protected areas helped avoid severe climate. |
| B．Suitable measures brought about better results. |
| C．Waterbirds were protected well in protected areas. |
| D．Restoring wetland was the best protection for waterbirds. |
| A．Measures to be taken. |
| B．Responsibilities of governments. |
| C．Benefits to be gained. |
| D．Support from local communities. |
3 . Courage is a huge theme in my life, a quality I constantly seek, appreciate, and analyze. The root of “courage” is “cor,” the Latin word for heart. In the beginning, courage meant “to speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.” While courage is often associated with heroism nowadays, I believe true courage lies in being open and honest about who we are and how we feel.
I recently witnessed an example of true courage. During a mountain-climbing trip with my 15-year-old daughter and some college students, I noticed her struggling to keep up with the group. Despite my suggestions to rest, she persisted until she couldn’t breathe properly.
Panicked, I called out to the front for help, but there was no response, and we had no cellphone signal. Fortunately, two students just came back to check out on us. They offered assistance and calmed us down. As we continued at a slower pace, they shared their own experiences, from starting out as beginners like my daughter to becoming consistently among the first to reach the peak.
“You know,” one of them said, looking at my daughter, “I was just like you when I started.
But with practice and proper pace, you’ll get there too.”
“Yeah, don’t let your lack of experience stop you,” the other added. “It’s okay to admit when you’re struggling or not feeling alright. In fact, it’s important to speak up and ask for help when you need it. That’s how we improve and grow.”
Reaching the mountain top was a huge relief for both my daughter and me. However, the two students addressed the celebrating group directly, emphasizing the importance of staying together in tough environments. Their words led the group to apologize to us for overlooking our struggle.
I was totally amazed at their bravery, and my daughter learned that it’s okay to be the least experienced in a group. Courage, I’ve come to realize, has a ripple effect. Each time we choose courage, we inspire those around us to be a little braver and make the world a little better.
1. Why does the author mention the original meaning of courage?| A．To question the common belief of courage. |
| B．To argue for the true nature of courage. |
| C．To show the changing meaning of courage. |
| D．To compare different interpretations of courage. |
| A．Keep to a suitable pace. | B．Seek help whenever possible. |
| C．Challenge her own limits. | D．Stick with experienced climbers. |
| A．The mother asked the girl to rest. |
| B．The girl tried hard not to fall behind. |
| C．The two students pointed out the group’s fault. |
| D．The group celebrated the reach of the mountain top. |
| A．Kindness connects us all. | B．Being a beginner takes courage. |
| C．We don’t have to be a hero to be brave. | D．With courage, everyone can be perfect. |
4 . Swimming is one of the few exercises people can do to work all parts of their body.
Swimming can strengthen your lungs.
You might hear that lungs benefit from swimming most.
Swimming may boost brain power.
Swimming has unique benefits in improving cognition (认知). In one study, participants who did a 20-minute swim responded faster on cognitive tests conducted immediately after their swim.
Swimming may put you in a better mood.
All exercise can be a mood booster.
If the previous reasons aren’t enough to convince you of the benefits of swimming, perhaps this one will: It can keep you from early dying. According to a report conducted by Swim England, swimmers had a 28 percent lower risk of early death compared with those who don't swim.
| A．Swimming may enrich your life. |
| B．Swimming may lengthen your life. |
| C．The water workout trains the muscles involved with breathing. |
| D．All of the muscle groups work at the same time. |
| E．The happiness is due to the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain. |
| F．It will help you to keep in good shape, lose weight and look younger. |
| G．Another study linked swimming with improved short- and long-term memory in mice. |
5 . Teenagers who take part in arts and cultural activities, such as dance, drama, reading and going to concerts, are less likely to engage in antisocial and criminalized behavior up to two years later, according to a new study by researchers from UCL (University College London) and University of Florida.
For the peer-reviewed study, published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, researchers looked at data from more than 25,000 teenagers in the United States who had filled out questionnaires over several years.
They measured the teenagers’ overall engagement with arts activities based on a wide range of factors, from involvement in school clubs, orchestras, choirs, and arts classes outside school, to whether they had visited museums or been to concerts, or read on their own. Researchers looked at data from two US-based studies of 1988, whose participants were nationally representative. The research team analyzed questionnaires filled in by teenagers and their parents between 1988 and 2002. The average age of participants at the start of these studies was 14 to 15.
In one of the groups, about half of adolescents reported engaging in antisocial and criminalized behaviors in the last 12 months. The average number of times participants engaged in these behaviors over the year was 1.6. Although the researchers found that arts engagement was linked to fewer positive perceptions of antisocial behavior and better self-control scores, they could not conclude that these factors were causally responsible for the association between arts engagement and antisocial behavior as the study was observational. Nonetheless, in considering mechanisms through which the arts could reduce antisocial behavior, the researchers cited previous studies showing improvements from arts engagement including increased empathy, more prosocial (亲社会的) behavior, reduced boredom and improved self-esteem, as well as better emotion regulation.
1. Where did the public first know the peer-reviewed study?| A．In a magazine. | B．On the radio. | C．On TV. | D．In a newspaper. |
| A．Both analyses are appropriate. | B．Participants were fairly typical. |
| C．There were numerous participants. | D．They were based on questionnaires. |
| A．They showed the benefits of arts engagement. |
| B．Few adolescents had criminalized behaviours. |
| C．Adolescents tend to have a better self-control ability. |
| D．The researchers were optimistic about the conclusion. |
| A．Science. | B．Education. | C．Technology. | D．Environment. |
6 . There is nothing like a coast redwood. It is the planet’s tallest tree, soaring to heights of more than 320 feet into the sky. They have trunks that are more than 27 feet wide and can live for over 2,000 years. Some of the gentle giants living today were alive during the time of the Roman Empire.
Before the mid-19th century, coast redwoods spread throughout a range of some 2 million acres along the California coast. People had been peacefully co-existing with the forests forever. But with the gold rush came the logging (伐木作业); and today only 5 percent of the original old-growth coast redwood forest remains along a 450-mile strip of coast. And as the planet warms up, the specific conditions required by the redwoods change; their future doesn’t look so great. Animals can migrate north to escape the south’s warming temperatures; trees, not so much.
But with David Milarch on the case, maybe they can. In 1991, Milarch literally died from a life-threatening illness, before being revived and springing back to life. There’s nothing like a near-death experience to inspire a new course in life, as was the case with Milarch. His new quest? To harvest the genes of the coast redwoods and give them an assist in migration.
“I feel sorrow that 95 percent of them were killed and we didn’t even know what they do to strengthen our ability as human beings to live on this planet,” says Milarch. “We killed them. That’s the bad news. To put back every single tree that was cut down and killed. And I’m going to do it. ” By cloning and replanting them in places where they once thrived (繁荣) but were lost, he is not only increasing their numbers but planting them in locations where they have a better chance of longevity. And the result is two-fold: Save the trees and save the planet for humankind. Redwood trees are among the most effective carbon sequestration (碳封存) tools in the world.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．A brief introduction of redwoods. | B．The information about our planet. |
| C．The history of the Roman Empire. | D．The special height of the redwood. |
| A．The warming climate. | B．The overcutting. |
| C．The ocean disaster. | D．The worsening soil condition. |
| A．His love for plants. | B．His concern on global warming. |
| C．His surviving experience. | D．His study on the genetics of the redwood. |
| A．The animals which live nearby. | B．The effective tool used to plant trees. |
| C．The places where the trees grow. | D．The amounts of water trees need. |
7 . When I was 24, I moved to America, 11,000 kilometers away from my homeland. This was
Upon arriving at the shelter, I was
As days turned into weeks, Luna and I developed a
My time at the shelter provided a valuable
| A．tough | B．dangerous | C．exciting | D．rewarding |
| A．happiness | B．interest | C．loneliness | D．guilt |
| A．upset | B．cost | C．challenged | D．changed |
| A．drawn | B．compared | C．driven | D．devoted |
| A．played | B．hid | C．slept | D．relaxed |
| A．reject | B．control | C．cover | D．mirror |
| A．praise | B．sympathy | C．forgiveness | D．trust |
| A．escape from | B．adapt to | C．get around | D．search for |
| A．bond | B．plan | C．habit | D．skill |
| A．guidance | B．independence | C．confidence | D．patience |
| A．courage | B．acceptance | C．assistance | D．curiosity |
| A．innovation | B．insight | C．investigation | D．investment |
| A．leaving | B．widening | C．bridging | D．creating |
| A．open | B．simple | C．strong | D．innocent |
| A．responsibility | B．security | C．belonging | D．freedom |
1. What did Shade Ajayi do as a child?
| A．She made purses and bags. | B．She worked at a shop. | C．She studied at home. |
| A．Shade Ajayi’s teacher. | B．Shade Ajayi’s classmate. | C．Shade Ajayi’s customer. |
| A．Wanting to get a college degree. |
| B．Expecting to set a good example. |
| C．Hoping to operate her business better. |
1. Why were people unwilling to accept Toby?
| A．He has an extra nose. | B．He behaves strangely. | C．He just has two legs. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Concerned. | C．Angry. |
| A．Dancing with the music. | B．Playing difficult tricks. | C．Finding hidden things. |
1. When did Andrew begin to read the book?
| A．At 3:30 pm. | B．At 4:00 pm. | C．At 4:30 pm. |
| A．She sold books. | B．She wrote stories. | C．She drew pictures. |
| A．A boy’s life. | B．A dog’s experiences. | C．An outdoor exploration. |
| A．Lend it to Mrs. Johnson. | B．Return it to the library. | C．Share it with others. |
