1 . Many libraries around the world are as amazing in their architecture and organization as they are in the huge amount of knowledge they contain. With shelves and shelves of books, various collections and amazing historical and cultural displays, there are plenty of undiscovered wonders.
Beinecke Rare Book Library (New Haven, Connecticut)
Yale University has one of the most beautiful college campuses in America, and one of its most interesting features is the Beinecke Rare Book Library. It is one of the largest buildings in the world devoted to rare books and manuscripts (手稿) of famous people. From 2015-16 the library building was closed for 18 months for major improvement. Inside there is a statue of its main founder that rises up high.
Vennesla Library (Vennesla, Norway)
Located near the southernmost tip of Norway, Vennesla Library is more than a collection of books—it’s a city cultural center and meeting place. The building hosts a coffee shop, open meeting spaces, classrooms for children and adult education courses, and a cinema. It is mainly built out of wood. The long, thin beams (横梁) on the inside were designed to look like the inside of a whale.
Suzzallo Library (Seattle)
Among the many beautiful features of the campus at the University of Washington, such as its cherry flowers and a light rail station, Suzzallo Library was built in the Collegiate Gothic style. Its buttresses (扶壁) are decorated with 18 statues featuring famous academics and writers such as Plato, Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Galileo, Beethoven, Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.
Library of Muyinga (Muyinga, Burundi)
A school for deaf children, the Library of Muyinga in Burundi was built with local techniques and traditions. A rope hammock (吊床) that hangs between the first and second floors of the library serves as part of the children’s reading room, a great place for indoor activities.
More information of them is just a click away.
1. Which one is suitable for people who want to appreciate statues?| A．Beinecke Rare Book Library. | B．Vennesla Library. |
| C．Suzzallo Library. | D．Library of Muyinga. |
| A．It is mainly intended for children. | B．It is built in the shape of a whale. |
| C．It is located within the campus. | D．It is a kind of culture complex. |
| A．A culture magazine | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A website. | D．A historical book. |
2 . There are some palaces in Europe that you may be interested to know about.
Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainIt takes the title of the largest European palace by floor area and it is one of the largest palaces in the world. The Royal Palace of Madrid was built in the 18th century by order of Philip V on the site of the old Alcázar fortress, a former Moorish castle. With over 135,000 square metres and 3,418 rooms, it has seeded centuries of Spanish history. It is one of the few official seats of a head of state that is open to the public.
Royal Palace of Brussels, BelgiumIt is a historic and the most wonderful building in Brussels, Belgium, next to Brussels Park. The Royal Palace of Brussels is the King’s main workplace, where he works daily with his staff. A tradition has been established since 1965 to open the Royal Palace of Brussels to the public normally from the 21 July until the beginning of September.
Pena Palace, PortugalIt is the most popular attraction in Sintra, Portugal, and the main reason why so many people visit the small mountain town less than one hour’s drive from the country’s capital city, Lisbon. The colorful palace perched upon a hill looks like something out of a fairy tale. Its yellow and bright red appearance makes Pena Palace one of the most picturesque places in Europe. The UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) site has a rich history that dates all the way back to the Middle Ages.
Palace of Venaria, ItalyIt is a former royal living places and gardens located in Venaria Reale, near Turin in the Metropolitan City of Turin of the Piedmont region in northern Italy. It is one of the largest palaces in the world. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.
1. Which palace covers the largest floor area in Europe?| A．Royal Palace of Madrid. | B．Pena Palace. |
| C．Royal Palace of Brussels. | D．Palace of Venaria. |
| A．In February. | B．In June. | C．In August. | D．In October. |
| A．They are both in Asia. |
| B．They are both small palaces. |
| C．They are both forty minutes’ drive from the capital. |
| D．They are both listed in the UNESCO World Heritage. |
3 . Like many parts of modern life, you can go digital when it comes to food scales (秤). If you want digital scales with an LCD display, then obviously you’ll need batteries which can run out at the most inconvenient of times. But the advantages of digital scales are many, including an accurate button which allows you to instantly remove the weight of an empty bowl, so you don’t need to do any maths calculations (计算). Mechanical (机械的)scales on the other hand have a pleasingly old-school reliability about them and undoubtedly add a touch of the style of the past to any kitchen. Read on for our top picks of mechanical scales, and digital scales, and balance scales.
EK backlit scales
A backlit display is an attractive feature. In addition to its good looks, it has an oversize digital display that is easy to read.
CN folding kitchen scales
When space is limited in your kitchen, you sometimes don’t want to buy another kitchen item. Folding kitchen scale is your best choice.
DM traditional cast iron balance kitchen scales
Cooking and baking isn’t all about time efficiency. It’s also about memories and the simple enjoyment of doing something that connects you.
MF 3-in-1 digital scales
We love the one that makes life easier by performing many functions. One part is a traditional balance, one part is a mixing bowl, and one part is a measuring pot, and the grade of the bowl itself allows accurate measurement of the liquid.
There are plenty of good reasons to prepare the best kitchen scales for your kitchen set up. More importantly, the sense of loss because of inaccuracy can be avoided. If you’ve got young kids, using scales is also a great way to add to their knowledge of weights and measures and to do some basic maths with them.
1. What is the feature of a mechanical scale?| A．It has LCD display. |
| B．It needs batteries |
| C．It is a little inaccurate |
| D．It shows an old-fashioned style. |
| A．EK backlit scales |
| B．CN folding kitchen scales |
| C．DM traditional cast iron balance kitchen scales |
| D．MF 3-in- 1 digital scales |
| A．Mechanics. | B．Mathematics. | C．Chemistry. | D．Physics. |
4 . What comes to mind when you think of a museum? Valuable exhibits? Relaxed atmosphere? Here let's encounter some special museums.
The Museum of Bad Art
The Museum of Bad Art based in Boston, Massachusetts, will bring you a quite different visual experience. As its name implies, all pieces have made their way to the museum for being too bad to be ignored.
All the paintings have been found in yard sales, rescued from the trash or donated to the museum. When viewing such a large collection of failed art, be prepared to laugh your head off.
Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum
Established in 1984 and opened to the public in 1987, the Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum sits in a complex of grand buildings in the architectural style of the Han Dynasty.
The distinctive museum consists of two sections. The aboveground part features models of tombs from the Stone Age to the Han Dynasty. The underground one contains 22 tombs from Henan Province. The tomb of Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei is the highlight of the museum.
The Underwater Museum
Fancy an undersea exploration but have no idea where to go? Then the Underwater Museum at the bottom of Lake Grublsee in Austria can be a good choice.
This incredible museum is perfect for adventurous divers, which surely gives visitors a unique experience. It houses not only copies of ancient people and cultural relics, but also fun, strange pieces like the Statue of Liberty, aliens and skeletons (骨架).
Upside Down House
Another strange museum is the Upside Down House in St. Petersburg. It features an apartment where everything is turned upside down.
When you walk into the house, you will feel quite confused and find the entire museum very impressive. With each item in the apartment turned head over heels, you would experience the illusion (错觉) that comes with standing on the ceiling.
1. Which museum best suits diving enthusiasts?| A．Upside Down House. | B．The Museum of Bad Art. |
| C．The Underwater Museum. | D．Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum. |
| A．Enjoy a big collection of failed art. | B．See several copies of cultural relics. |
| C．Experience visual illusion in person. | D．Visit historical and grand buildings. |
| A．They are located in Europe. | B．They focus on human nature. |
| C．They show respect for life. | D．They are special museums. |
1. What does the woman like about the restaurant?
| A．The atmosphere. | B．The fresh air. | C．The service. |
| A．To go shopping. | B．To visit some friends. | C．To keep up with fashion. |
| A．By changing the menu. |
| B．By playing the latest music. |
| C．By keeping the decoration unchanged. |
| A．Beef. | B．Wine. | C．Chicken. |
6 . Four Historic American Theatres
Today, theatres remain a key part of a city’s lifeblood. The following are four historic theatres in America.
Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
The Pantages Theatre, which now seats 1,014, opened in 1916 as part of Alexander Pantages’s well-known group of theatres. It was designed by the local firm Kees and Colburn. In 1922, the theatres was rebuilt by Scottish theatres architect Benjamin Marcus Priteca. After going through several owners, in 1984, it was closed and remained unopened until 1996. Some theatre supporters had it repaired and improved, resulting in its reopening in 2002.
Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, LA
New Orleans’s Saenger Theatre was built two years before the Great Depression, in 1927, and cost a then unheard-of $ 2.5 million. It was designed by Emile Weil, featuring a 15th-century Florentine courtyard and gardens, and Greek and Roman statues. Although the theatre was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, after a $ 53 million renovation (修葺), it reopened in 2013.
Thalian Hall, Wilmington, NC
Thalian Hall has been in almost continuous use since its opening in 1858. It is the only surviving theatre designed by John Montague Trimble, one of America’s foremost 19th-century theatre architects, and originally housed the town government, a library, as well as an “Opera House”, seating 1, 000 people. Some repairs in 1909 led to the removal of the side balconies and the installation of electric stage lights.
Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence, RI
It was originally opened as a movie palace in 1928, and the silent movies it showed were accompanied by a $ 90, 000 Robert Morton organ. After several decades, the theatre suffered from the increased popularity of television, as well as damage by two hurricanes. Over the past decade and a half, it has undergone extensive renovations and modernization.
1. What can we know about the Pantages Theatre?| A．It has a seating capacity of 1, 916. | B．It will be turned into a movie house. |
| C．It was designed by Alexander Pantages. | D．It was once shut down for over a decade. |
| A．Pantages Theatre. | B．Saenger Theatre. | C．Thalian Hall. | D．Providence Performing Arts Center |
| A．They went through major renovations. |
| B．They were hit by terrible natural disasters. |
| C．They were built by American theatre architects. |
| D．They belong o Alexander Pantages’s group of theatres. |
7 . Libraries are the temple for book lovers, the main source of knowledge and wisdom. Here are the biggest libraries in the world.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress in the US is the biggest library in the world, whose collections are from all around the world. The library has a collection of 32 million cataloged books. It receives 22,000 copies per day from the publication produced in the US. Some of the major works stored in the library are Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence, the world’s most famous architectural designs and so on.
The British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is the second biggest library in the world. It holds 150 million items from different countries. It receives 8,000 copies per day from the publication produced in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its collection includes 14 million books. Every year over 3 million items are added to the library. The major highlights of the library collection are Diamond Sutra and Alice’s Adventures under Ground.
Library and Archives (档案馆) Canada (LAC)
Canada has the third biggest library in the world. The library holds 20 million books, 24 million photographs and a lot of digital works. Its collection includes The Proclamation of the Canadian Constitution Act, the British North America Act and many more precious works.
The New York Public Library (NYPL)
It is the fourth largest library in the world. It is the public library having 87 branches. The library has a collection of 53 million items. It also has four research libraries which are open to the general public. You can ask and discover about anything on the official website of NYPL.
1. Which of the following works is stored in the Library of Congress?| A．The British North America Act. |
| B．Alice’s Adventures under Ground. |
| C．Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence. |
| D．The Proclamation of the Canadian Constitution Act. |
| A．About 22,000. | B．More than 8,000. |
| C．About 14 million. | D．More than 3 million. |
| A．Library and Archives Canada. | B．The Library of Congress. |
| C．The New York Public Library. | D．The British Library. |
8 . The best restaurants for outdoor dining in Greater Boston
Beehive Restaurant (541 Tremont St., Boston)
If you want to have fun while you enjoy your meal, head to Beehive, where you get specialized brunch, cocktails, and live music with your patio(露台) dining.
“Great food and service, fun atmosphere in and out.”
—Esta E., Back Bay
Brighton Bodega (328 Washington St., Brighton) and Devlin’s Bistro & Bar (332 Washington St., Brighton)
Although these are two separate eateries, they share a patio space in Brighton. Visit Brighton Bodega for its Asian-inspired small plates and Devlin’s for the drinks menu. While you’re there, you may get to experience some live jazz.
“These sister restaurants share a lovely patio area with a good atmosphere and excellent food! I love the constantly changing and always creative Brighton Bodega menu, and the steady favorites menu of Devlin’s.”
—Wendy, Cambridge
Chart House (60 Long Wharf, Boston)
Chart House has served hungry customers in the Boston area for more than 60 years and continues to do so with its patio dining experience and “perfect views”.
“It is not in a too-crowded area. It’s not amidst cars and too many passers-by, so you can hear the water and the silence once in a while. There is parking at the back so I can drive in, dine, and drive out.”
—Lissa W., Uxbridge
Frenchie Wine Bistro (560 Tremont St., Boston)
Outdoor dining is becoming more popular in Boston, but there’s something about it that feels very European. especially at this South End spot. Sit out on the patio for its modern French menu and wide selection of wines.
“It’s just the best. Great views, food and drink, and THE BEST people watching!”
—Chris H., Boston
1. What do Beehive Restaurant and Brighton Bodega have in common?| A．Both share one patio. | B．Both have great views. |
| C．Both provide live music. | D．Both are in the same street. |
| A．Chart House. | B．Devlin’s Bistro &Bar. |
| C．Beehive Restaurant. | D．Frenchie Wine Bistro. |
| A．It is in the south of America. |
| B．It has a European flavor. |
| C．It changes its menu frequently. |
| D．It allows customers to drive in. |
9 . 4 Largest Art Museums in the World
Art museums offer the space to display a wide range of art, from sculptures to paintings. They are located all over the world. This article takes a look at the largest art museums by area.
The Louvre
The Louvre, located in Paris, is the largest art museum in the world. It is considered a historic monument. This building first served as a castle before becoming a royal residence. Under King Louis XIV, it was used to house two art academies. The Louvre Museum was opened with 537 paintings. Today, it is home to around 38, 000 pieces.
State Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage Museum, located in St. Petersburg, Russia, is the second largest art museum in the world. It has a total area of 719, 480 square feet. This museum, one of the oldest in the world, is home to a collection of over 3, million pieces, including the largest painting collection in the world.
National Museum Of China
The third largest museum is the National Museum of China. Located along Tiananmen Square in Beijing, it covers an area of 700, 000 square feet. Its chief objective is to educate the public and promote the history and arts of China. The National Museum of China houses 1. 05 million pieces in its collection, including the heaviest piece of bronze ware—the 1, 836-pound Simuwu Ding.
Metropolitan Museum Of Art
The fourth largest museum in the world is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which covers an area of 633, 100 square feet. Today, this museum is in a building that is 20 times larger than the original and located on the border of Central Park. It is home to more than 2 million pieces. Additionally, it is known for its large collection of musical instruments.
1. What can we know about The Louvre?| A．It was once a military base. |
| B．It has the largest collection of paintings. |
| C．Members of the royal family once lived there. |
| D．Students majoring in art can receive education there now. |
| A．Louvre. | B．State Hermitage Museum. |
| C．National Museum Of China. | D．Metropolitan Museum Of Art. |
| A．It is the oldest museum in the world. | B．It receives visitors most in the world. |
| C．It has the heaviest piece of bronze-ware. | D．It has a large collection of musical instruments. |
Standing in the National Speed Skating Oval, China’s former speed skating world champion Wang Beixing had mixed emotions. She was jealous of those young athletes who had the chance
Following the
“The testing program in the ‘Ice Ribbon’ had three
