1 . For six hundred years, the Tower of London’s most exotic (异域风情的) prisoners were animals.
The Menagerie (动物园) began as a result of kings exchanging rare and strange animals as gifts. In 1235, Henry III was delighted to be presented with three wildcats by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. These inspired him to start a zoo at the Tower. Henry’s ‘wildcats’, although described as leopards, were probably lions. These are the ancestors of the three lions that still appear on the England football team’s shirts today.
In 1252 the lions were joined by a white bear probably a polar bear — given by the King of Norway. In 1255, the King of France sent the first elephant ever seen in England and people flocked together to see the novel (新奇的) sight. Sadly, the elephant died two years later.
Poor treatment and cramped conditions meant many of the animals did not survive for long. But the Menagerie continued to grow. Edward I created a permanent new home for the Menagerie at the western entrance to the Tower in what became known as the Lion Tower. The terrifying sounds and smells of wild animals must have both impressed and scared visitors.
By 1622, the collection had been extended to include three eagles, two pumas, a tiger and a jackal, as well as lions and leopards, who were the main attractions.
However, the end of the Menagerie came in the 1830s. Campaigners had begun to raise concerns, and the animals were expensive, occasionally dangerous and a nuisance to the guardsmen. The Duke of Wellington sent 150 of the beasts to a new zoo in Regent’s Park, today’s London Zoo.
Despite Alfred Cops’s best efforts to carry on, several further incidents including an escaped wolf and a monkey that bit a guardsman’s leg convinced King William IV to shut down the Menagerie for good in 1835. The remaining animals were sold to zoos and travelling shows and the Lion Tower was later pulled down.
1. What do we know about the elephant presented in 1255?| A．It caused big trouble. | B．It received much attention. |
| C．It lived painfully in the Lion Tower. | D．It died before the polar bear came in. |
| A．Eight. | B．Nine. | C．Ten. | D．Eleven. |
| A．Security concerns. | B．The decline of tourism. |
| C．Pressure from campaigners. | D．Financial burden to raise the animals. |
| A．The Royal Menagerie | B．Gifts Presented to the King |
| C．Tourist Attractions in London | D．Miserable Life in the Lion Tower |
2 . A national park is an area set aside by a government for the preservation of the natural environment. The national parks in the United States and Canada center on the protection of both land and wildlife.
It is widely thought that the idea of a park or nature reserve under state ownership started in the United States in 1870.
Partly following the American example, movements supporting national parks sprang up in many other countries.
But interest in parks came later in Asia and Latin America than it did in the Anglo-American countries and Europe.
| A．These movements began in Canada. |
| B．George Catlin offered the idea during the 1830s. |
| C．Visitors are allowed to enter for different purposes. |
| D．Those in the United Kingdom center mainly on the land. |
| E．Japan and Mexico established their first national parks in the 1930s. |
| F．By the early 21st century the NPS managed more than 400 separate areas. |
| G．It is also thought that the world’s first such park was Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. |
3 . Whether you like history or simply learning something new, these four museums are worth paying a visit to.
Tenement Museum
Located in New York, the Tenement Museum showcases the stories of the immigrants and migrants (移民) who came to America between the 1860s and the 1980s. See how they pursued the “American dream.” Their determination and endless desire to carve out a better life not only reflects the depths of the human spirit, but also how America came to be the country it is today.
National Museum of the American Indian
Located in Washington, D.C., the National Museum of the American Indian contains one of the world’s largest collections of native artifacts (手工艺品), photographs and documents. Featuring both ongoing and temporary exhibits, the museum documents many ways American Indians integrated into American history and culture.
Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson features eight galleries filled with interactive exhibits that tell the stories of black Mississippians and their fight for equality from 1945 to 1976. You’ll hear the stories of Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Vernon Dahmer, and you’ll also hear about many men, women and children who fought to be recognized as equals. Artifacts include a “colored” entrance sign, the gun used to shoot Evers, a burned cross, and a button from the 1966 March Against Fear.
The National WWII Museum
In New Orleans’ No. 1 attraction, the National WWII Museum, visitors can see why World War II was fought, explore key moments such as D-Day and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and put themselves in the shoes of those who had to make difficult decisions during the war. You even can take a 4D journey through the war in “Beyond All Boundaries.”
1. Which museum best suits visitors interested in ongoing and temporary exhibits?| A．Tenement Museum. | B．National Museum of the American Indian. |
| C．Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. | D．The National WWII Museum. |
| A．He organized the1966 March Against Fear. |
| B．He joined the army and fought in World War II. |
| C．He laid down his own life in the fight for equality. |
| D．He immigrated to the US to pursue his American dream. |
| A．To recommend people to visit the museums. |
| B．To make a comparison of the four museums. |
| C．To remind readers never to forget our past history. |
| D．To share his own experiences in visiting the museums. |
1. Why did the speaker go to Legoland California last summer?
| A．For a birthday celebration. | B．For a family vacation. | C．For a graduation. |
| A．About a 30-minute drive. |
| B．About a 40-minute drive. |
| C．About a 50-minute drive. |
| A．Satisfying. | B．Boring. | C．Strange. |
| A．Knights & Dragons. | B．Royal Princess. | C．Magic Wizard. |
| A．For friendly neighbors. | B．For a convenient location. | C．For a comfortable living environment. |
6 . One morning, Wu Liang discovered that her classroom had changed. She found that the desks were no longer in rows, but pushed together to make eight bigger desks. She was so excited about it for the first two days that she couldn’t listen to the teachers carefully. But soon she and her classmates got used to this new classroom arrangement. “Now our class is quieter,” said Wu. “What’s more, we can come up with our own ideas and learn more through discussion. It’s a better way to study.”
Li Yu liked it, too. “Group members first discuss,” he said, “and then present to the whole class. It makes us believe in ourselves.” This was part of a reform (改革) at Li’s school. The school made this reform because they wanted to offer students easier ways to study and more chances to discuss. “Our school hopes to improve students’ abilities to study by themselves and work in groups,” said Zhang Ming, an English teacher.
However, the reform has demanded more from teachers. Now they have only 15 minutes to give a lesson that would have been taught in 45 minutes before. It is difficult to teach in such a short time. The teachers have to find better ways to teach more effectively.
“The reform demands more, but I’m sure it is helpful,” added Zhang Ming.
1. It was easier for Wu Liang to ________ in class after the new classroom arrangement.| A．discuss with other students | B．sit in the classroom |
| C．push desks together | D．teach a lesson |
| A．larger space | B．easier ways |
| C．more seats | D．better classrooms |
| A．Wu Liang and her classmates like the new classroom arrangement. |
| B．The desks are no longer in rows now. |
| C．The reform has demanded more from teachers. |
| D．It’s easy for teachers to give a lesson in 15 minutes now. |
| A．Discussion in Class | B．New Look in Class |
| C．Students’ Friendship | D．Teachers’ Hope |
1. What do we know about the house?
| A．It is in a noisy environment. |
| B．It has two rooms available. |
| C．It is near the man’s office. |
| A．$425. | B．$800. | C．$850. |
| A．Decide to rent the room. | B．Make an appointment. | C．Meet the woman. |
| A．Smoking is strictly forbidden in this waiting room. |
| B．The woman is bothered by others’ heavy smoking. |
| C．The waiting room is on fire and full of smoke. |
9 . 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. |
10 . 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. |
