1 . My House
My mother moved a lot when she was growing up on account of Grandpa being in the army. She hated having to adjust to new schools and make new friends. That’s why I thought she was joking when she put forward the idea of moving. But she was completely serious. “For just the two of us,” my mother said, “an apartment in the city will suit our needs much better.” Personally, I think she’s lost her mind. I guess I can understand why she would want to move, but what about me and what this house means to me?
I suppose if you looked at my house, you might think it was just another country house. But to me it is anything but standard. I moved into this house with my parents ten years ago. I can still remember that first day like it was yesterday. The first thing I noticed was the big front yard. To me it seemed like an ocean of grass — I couldn’t wait to dive in. The backyard was full of gnarled (扭曲的，粗糙的) and scary trees that talk on windy nights. But I grew to like them and the shadows they cast in my room. My father and I even built a small treehouse, where I often go to remember all the wonderful times we had before my father’s death.
This house is special — maybe only to me — but special nevertheless. It’s the little seemingly insignificant things that make this house so special to me: the ice-cold tile floors that make me tremble on midnight; the smell of my father’s pipe that still exists: the towering bookcases of my mother; the view outside my bedroom window.
This house holds too many memories, memories which would be lost if we gave it up.
1. Why did the author’s mother decide to move?| A．Because she hated the countryside. |
| B．Because Grandpa was on constant move. |
| C．Because Dad’s death made her lose her mind. |
| D．Because she thought a city flat more fit for them. |
| A．The treehouse. | B．The green grass. | C．The big trees. | D．The cold floors. |
| A．By arguing whether the house was standard. |
| B．By explaining why the house suited their needs. |
| C．By describing the small things related to her house. |
| D．By comparing the differences between country and city life. |
There is a place
Shakespeare’s birthplace was the childhood home of William Shakespeare. The house has been exactly furnished, and includes both original and copy items similar to those which would have been there in the house
| A．To ask a favor. | B．To rent an apartment. | C．To find him a roommate. |
How to Decorate Your New Apartment | |
| Determine the | • Simple: less color design • Industrial: cool color tones |
| Break down the plan | • Prioritize what rooms are most • Start with the |
| Choose the furniture | • • Go to the |
When we think of green buildings, we tend to think of new ones — the kind of modern, solar-paneled masterpieces. But the US
An enormous amount of energy and
The oldest homes tend to be the least energy-efficient, mainly due to the tiny cracks and gaps that expand over time and let in more outside air.
In recent years, shared vegetable plots have been springing up in the city’s suburban districts, as more people turn to farming to escape the pressure of city life. A shared ecological farm in Beijing is a typical example, which
8 . Visiting a library may not seem fun or interesting, but the ones below might be the most beautiful and attractive around the globe.
Widener Library, Massachusetts, the United States
As Harvard’s flagship library, the Widener Library was built in 1912. The library was named after Harry Elkins Widener, a 1907 Harvard graduate who donated 3, 300 books, invaluable paintings and money. The length of shelves reaches 91 kilometers. Today, it is known as a “silent library”, with two floors of quiet study rooms and five floors of underground literary resources.
Biblioteca Joanina, Coimbra, Portugal
The Biblioteca Joanina was named after its founder, King John V of Portugal, who started building the library in 1717. The library, located at the University of Coimbra, houses 300, 000 book collections. Many of the books were printed before the 1800s. The library is a huge tourist draw because of its decorative dark-wood arches and shelves.
Trinity College Old Library, Dublin, Ireland
Located in the center of Dublin, the Trinity College Old Library was constructed in 1712. With its two stories of dark-wood arches, the library is not only one of the world’s oldest libraries, but one of the most famous ones. The Long Room in the library is 65 meters long, filled with 200, 000 books and sculptures of great writers associated with the college.
Tianjin Binhai Library, Tianjin, China
Unlike the other libraries on our list, this one is practically new. As a cultural landmark of Tianjin, the Binhai Library officially opened to the public in 2017. Its breathtaking design was described by Time magazine as a “ziggurat” and has received a lot of attention from the public. The 33, 700 square-meter building can hold 1. 35 million books. Built in just five years, it has become a tourist attraction since it was finished.
1. What do the four libraries have in common?
| A．The areas of the buildings. | B．The dates when they were built. |
| C．The admiration from the public. | D．The number of book collections. |
| A．Widener Library. | B．Biblioteca Joanina. |
| C．Trinity College Old Library. | D．Tianjin Binhai Library. |
| A．It was named after King of Portugal. | B．Its books are before the 18th century. |
| C．It is a new one with the shortest history. | D．It has a room with books and sculptures. |
It’s said that for the Englishman, his house is his castle. However, this does not mean that his house is a beautiful palace that others
Imagine a world where people live in modern homes nearly seven and a half feet above the sea. Rows of “new living pods” with the most advanced technology and drones (无人机) to deliver necessities will hit the market this year.
Ocean Builders, a Panama-based company that specializes in creative sea technology, showed what they describe as the “world’s first homes that are good for the ecosystem (生态系统)”. One of its three home models that are currently in production-the EcoPod, is designed to be a more affordable choice that features a rain collecting roof, huge windows and a smaller floor plan. It’s also built to be placed in a box to ship wherever a customer wants to set it up. The company’s long-term goal is to make environmentally friendly homes made from as many natural materials as possible. Some pods are under building now on the north coast of Panama in the Linton Bay Marina. SeaPods will be put primarily in warm, wet places.
“We are planting the SeaPod seed here in Panama, but our final goal is to have SeaPod homes in every corner of the ocean, all around the world, ” Ocean Builder’s CEO Grant Romnudt said in a statement.
Each pod has 833 square feet of living space, a master bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom and spare space. “We are trying to keep its price as close as possible to a common U. S. family home for the smallest pod with the choice to add features such as air conditioning and advanced kitchen, etc.” the company’s website says.
Orders for the first samples (样品) of customer pods will be placed in September. Boats and local water taxis will be used to send people to their SeaPods.Drones will deliver things such as food and medicine. A separate ship will collect larger deliveries, rubbish and wastes.
A “PodWatch Lifeguard Drone” will keep an eye on the water and send help if the need arises. This can be used either through a wristband with an SOS button that when pushed, a surface drone will appear and give you something to catch, or an AI camera watching the area.
These SeaPods aren’t just for looks. They also have the power to build new developing underwater ecosystems. SeaPods add shade, which would eventually attract sea life like fish,” Ocean Builders says.
“Every SeaPod that goes in the water gets us one step closer to recovering a sea ecosystem,” their website says.
1. How will the necessities be delivered to the living pods? (不多于4个单词)2. Where will the SeaPods be put primarily?(不多于6个单词)
3. When will the first samples of customer pods be ordered? (不多于 5个单词)
4. What will be used to send people to their SeaPods?(不多于7个单词)
5. What power do the SeaPods have according to Ocean Builders?(不多于12个单词)
