1 . It is said that Lincoln’s ghost(幽灵) often appears in the White House. He appears in the room where the Lincoln bed is kept. Harry Truman once responded to a 3 o’clock knock on his door and found no one there. He attributed the knock to Lincoln.
Lincoln is said to return to the White House when the safety of the country is at risk. He walks up and down the second floor hallway, gently knocks at doors, and stands by certain windows with his hands put behind his back. One staff member firmly said that he had seen Lincoln sitting on his bed pulling on his boots.
A guard to President Harrison was kept awake many nights trying to protect the president from strange footsteps he heard in the hall. He grew so tired and worried; he finally attended a séance(降神会) to beg President Lincoln to stop so that he could get enough sleep to properly protect the president!
Abigail Adam’s ghost was seen wandering through the closed doors of the East Room to hang the laundry(洗衣店) during the Taft administration.
A gardener said that he had spoken to the ghost of Dolly Madison, who was angry with him for trying to remove the rose bushes she had planted over a hundred years ago.
In the 1930’s Andrew Jackson’s ghost could be heard laughing in the Rose room.
In 1952, complete repairs were done to the second floor of the White House. Since then, the ghosts have not walked so actively.
1. How many people’s ghosts appear in the white house?| A．Four. | B．Five. | C．Six. | D．Seven. |
| A．Harrison’s. | B．John Adam’s. | C．Andrew Jackson’s. | D．Dolly Madison’s. |
| A．Harry Truman had heard Lincoln’s footsteps. |
| B．Lincoln always returns to the White House when he misses his people. |
| C．President Harrison was not afraid of Lincoln’s ghost at all. |
| D．The rose bushes were planted by Dolly Madison. |
| A．The White House Ghosts |
| B．American Presidents’ Ghosts |
| C．The White House |
| D．American Presidents |
2 . When we think of food farming we usually think of green fields in the country, outside the city. Sam Chee works on a very different type of farm, in the center of the Canadian city of Toronto. “We grow fruit, vegetables and herbs,” says Sam. “But not many people know the farm is here. You can’t see it from the street. We’re on top of an office building, 50 meters above the ground.”
Rooftop farming is becoming popular in cities like Toronto, New York and London. The roofs of buildings are often just wasted space, but this space can be used for growing good fresh food, right in the middle of the city. Sam explains how it works. “We grow everything in big boxes —there are hundreds of them. We catch rainwater to water the plants when the weather is dry.”
The rooftop farm where Sam works belongs to a restaurant called Green Garden, on the ground floor of the building. The farm produces about half the restaurant’s fruit and vegetables. Sam believes that the rooftop farm is what makes Green Garden special. “We help to keep food production local. We don’t need to transport this food from anywhere and that saves energy. It’s better for the environment.”
The food from the rooftop is fresher too. “When the fruit and vegetables are ripe we can pick them and use them right away. They taste better when they’re really fresh,” says Sam. “I hope that there will be more rooftop farms in the city soon. It could be the farming of the future.”
1. Green Garden’s rooftop farm is ________.| A．the only one in the world | B．in the middle of a small town |
| C．one of many in cities around the world | D．near the countryside of a city |
| A．it is much cheaper and fresher | B．it tastes better and is better for the environment |
| C．it uses space which was being wasted | D．it can’t be bought in the local stores |
| A．The farm is on the top of a teaching building 50 meters above the ground. |
| B．The plants are watered by collected rainwater when necessary. |
| C．You can find more rooftop farms in the country than in the city. |
| D．When they pick the fruit and vegetables, they won’t use them at once. |
| A．To describe what rooftop farming is by giving an example. |
| B．To describe why rooftop farming has become very popular in Canada. |
| C．To tell the story of the man who first started rooftop farming. |
| D．To encourage people to build as many rooftop farms as possible |
3 . Are you fond of watching films? Does the colorful, natural, or spectacular scenery in the films attract you to travel to their locations? Although many films nowadays use many special effects, most scenes are captured in natural places, which can create lasting impressions on audiences. We have selected four beautiful film locations in China. Check them out!
Xixi National Wetland Park & If You Are the One
Lying in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang province, less than 5 kilometers from West Lake, Xixi National Wetland Park covers a total area of 11.5 square kilometers. It has rich ecological resources, beautiful natural scenery, and profound culture. Rivers, ponds, and lakes make up over 70 percent of the park, which is China’s first national wetland park integrating (合并) urban, agricultural, and cultural wetlands.
Great Bamboo Sea of China & Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Great Bamboo Sea of China, commonly known as the Anji Bamboo Sea, is a national 4A-level tourism attraction dominated by Moso bamboo forests located in Anji county, Huzhou, East China’s Zhejiang province. It has been recognized as the largest ecological leisure and tourism area featuring bamboo culture in southeastern China.
Moso bamboo grows all over the mountains in the scenic area, creating a magnificent landscape. The largest bamboo stalk (茎), which has been exhibited at the National Agricultural Exhibition Center, has a diameter of 17 centimeters, with most stalks having a diameter of more than 10 centimeters.
Kaiping Diaolou Cultural Tourism Area & Let the Bullets Fly
Located to the southwest of the Pearl River Delta in South China’s Guangdong province, Kaiping Diaolou Cultural Tourism Area is a well-known scenic spot that also serves as a base for scientific education. The magnificent and distinctive gardens, traditional and simple folk houses, and the diaolou (a multi-story folk residence) complexly joined with Chinese and Western architectural forms are wonderfully integrated with the surrounding mountains and rivers, ponds, farms, and rice fields in the tourism area.
With a long history and profound cultural resources, Kaiping Diaolou was on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007.
Wulong Karst Tourism Area & Curse of the Golden Flower
Wulong Karst Tourism Area, located in Chongqing’s Wulong district, has unique karst landscapes including three sections and also impresses visitors with distinctive folk customs of the Tujia, Miao, and Mulam ethnic groups.
The Three Natural Bridges in Wulong is a rare geological wonder of typical karst landforms and is home to three magnificent natural limestone arch bridges. They span the Yangshuihe Canyon in parallel and connect the mountains on both sides, forming an unusual landscape of “three bridges sandwiched by two pits”.
1. Who will be most interested in the places above according to the text?| A．Cyclists and tourists. | B．Film fans and outdoor enthusiasts. |
| C．Actors and geologists. | D．Educators and writers. |
| A．It offers a well-known scenic spot. |
| B．It provides wonderful Western architectural forms. |
| C．It is a rare geological wonder of typical land-forms. |
| D．It was on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007. |
| A．They are open to special events. |
| B．They enjoy convenient transportation. |
| C．They offer unique and spectacular scenery. |
| D．They are located in the same part of China. |
4 . China’s famous museums include ancient buildings and world class modern museums with big collections. They are excellent places for sightseeing and learning about China.
Sanxingdui Museum
The museum is on the path less beaten by tourists, but it makes one of the top museums for the 3,400-year-old artworks. If you’re an ancient history fan, this place will attract you. If you love art, its style will surprise you a lot.
The Palace Museum
The museum is one of the largest old building kept in the country with a history of 600 years old. Built at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty between 1406 and 1420, it was the home of 24 rulers and their courts. It is one of the fines buildings in China and a good place to study Chinese history.
The Shanghai Museum
The big modern museum is popular with foreign tourists. It is probably the most modern museum with the focus on creative art displays about the history of the whole area. Most famous for its huge collection of china, it is in People’s Square which is also a popular tourist attraction.
The Shaanxi History Museum
Since 14 historical dynasties founded their capitals and developed in Shaanxi Province, the museum may have the oldest treasure of all museums in Chins. The artworks show the greatness of the museum, and the displays are modern and well laid out.
1. Which of the following is on the less-frequently-visited road?| A．Sanxingdui Museum. | B．The Palace Museum. |
| C．The Shanghai Museum. | D．The Shaanxi History Museum. |
| A．Its founder. | B．Its building style. |
| C．Its collection of china. | D．Its home of rulers. |
| A．Modern art. | B．Ancient science. |
| C．Chinese historical culture. | D．Chinese modern building. |
5 . Hotels often undergo makeovers. However, few can compete with the Ice hotel in Jukkasjãrvi, Sweden. Carved entirely from “Snice”—a mix of snow and ice—the hotel is rebuilt annually, with each version more impressive than the previous one. The 32nd Ice hotel was open to guests on April 17, 2022.
The must-visit Swedish tourist destination came about accidentally. In 1989, Ice hotel’s founder Yngve Berquist organized an art show to attract tourists to Jukkasjärvi during the chilly winter months. The exhibition, held inside a 5.5-square-metre igloo (冰屋), was a runaway (迅速的) success. Many visitors decided to spend the night, selling out all of Jukkasjärvi’s warm houses. Hence, when a group approached Berquist about a place to spend the night, he offered them the igloo. “To my surprise, the guests were very impressed by the experience the morning after. Ice hotel was born,” Berquist recalls.
The Ice hotel has come a long way since its humble (简陋的)start. Constructed from 1, 000 tons of ice, and 30,000 tons of “Snice”, it now covers an area of over 5, 500 square metres, Preparations for the annual hotel begin in March with the harvesting of 5,000 tons of ice from the nearby Torne River. The ice is kept in cold storage until November when about 100 workers and artists get to work carving out a new structure. Ice hotel is typically open for business by mid-December.
This year’s hotel comprises 36 rooms, including 12 crafted art suites (套间). Decorated with massive ice stones and carved water shapes, it aims to provide visitors with a good nature experience. The “Dickensian Street” suite promises to take visitors on a tour of 19th-century England, complete with cobbled (铺鹅卵石的) streets, shops, and buildings from the era. Guests are advised to stay inside thermal (保暖的) sleeping bags and wear gloves and winter hats all night. Not surprisingly, most move to the conventional, warmer cabins nearby after a single night.
1. When was Sweden’s Ice hotel open for the 22nd time?| A．In 2012. | B．In 1992. | C．In 1990. | D．In 2022. |
| A．Warm houses’ being sold out. | B．The special warmth of it. |
| C．The cheap ticket of it. | D．The unique structures of ice. |
| A．Differences of Ice hotel rebuilt from ever before. |
| B．The preparations for the annual hotel rebuilt. |
| C．How the ice is kept in cold storage in Ice hotel. |
| D．The development and construction of Ice hotel. |
| A．Wear summer clothes even if in winter. |
| B．Spend nights in modern rooms in warm sleeping bags. |
| C．Experience 19th-century England in the “Dickensian Street” suite. |
| D．Taste different kinds of local special food in the Dickensian Street. |
6 . Four Most Beautiful Subways in the World
City Hall Station, New York
Country: the USA
Opened: 1904
Unlike the other subway stations, this one hasn’t been in use since 1945. However, it can be admired by those going aboard the trains that run on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line. Opened on October 27, 1904, this station was designed to represent the flagship of the new subway. Thanks to the specific shape and colors, the station remains the only one of its kind and very impressive—so impressive that it’s often chosen as a movie set.
Toledo Station, Naples
Country: Italy
Opened: 2012
The subway station which is considered the most beautiful in the world stands in Italy. The new design of the Toledo Station in Naples features colorful pictures from a full range of shades of blue. During the construction of the station, it brought to light several archaeological (考古的)finds dating back to the end of the 15th to early 16th century as well as Roman buildings dating back to the 2nd century.
Champ-de-Mars Station, Montreal
Country: Canada
Opened: 1966
Champ-de-Mars is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Subway, Canada. It features colorful glass windows made by the artist Marcelle Ferron. Some of the works featured in this station are also considered to be the artist’s most famous ones.
Komsomolskaya, Mosca
Country: Russia
Opened: 1952
Standing in Komsomolskaya Square and the crossroads of three different subway lines, this station is very busy and beautiful. Its place and inside design make it a perfect representation of Russian culture.
1. What can be known about City Hall Station?| A．It represents the new culture. | B．It is the oldest subway in the world. |
| C．It has appeared in some movies. | D．It can transport the most passengers. |
| A．The USA. | B．Italy. | C．Canada. | D．Russia. |
| A．City Hall Station, New York. | B．Toledo Station, Naples. |
| C．Champ-de-Mars Station, Montreal. | D．Komsomolskaya, Mosca. |
7 . Outdoor kitchens are becoming more and more popular right now. They allow homeowners to cook outside when the weather is great. Also, adding an outdoor kitchen can increase the value of the home for those who may be planning to sell it in the near future. When it comes to adding a new outdoor kitchen, the right planning is important.
The layout of the kitchen is important to consider. There are different ideas on how to set up a kitchen, whether it’s indoors or outdoors. Many people prefer the kitchen triangle method, which makes it easy to move around the kitchen while cooking. Others, however, prefer to divide the kitchen into parts. This is perfect when there may be many people in the kitchen or the kitchen is too small for the kitchen triangle to be effective. No matter what method is used for the layout, pay attention to how much room there is to move around and how easy it is to reach all of the appliances.
When designing the outdoor kitchen, pay attention to the amount of storage space. Storage may be needed for dishes, drinking cups, extra drinks, shelf-stable foods and a lot more. Think about everything that needs to be outside to prevent running back and forth between the kitchen inside and the one outside, then consider how much space is needed for storage. Everything doesn’t have to fit in the kitchen itself, but should at least be stored where it can be easily accessed while outside in the kitchen.
The cost of an outdoor kitchen can quickly add up once everything desired is included, so it’s important to set a budget. It also may be possible to spend a little more on the things that are more important and look into savings for things that may not be as important. Once the budget is set and the design is planned out, it’s time to work with an expert to start creating the perfect outdoor kitchen.
1. Why do many people prefer the kitchen triangle method?| A．It can make moving around easy. | B．It can hold more people in the kitchen. |
| C．It can increase the value of the house. | D．It can make the kitchen more attractive. |
| A．How to use it properly. | B．How to avoid running in and out. |
| C．How often it will be used. | D．How to keep it clean and tidy. |
| A．By buying cheap materials. | B．By turning to an expert for help. |
| C．By spending money wisely. | D．By ignoring unimportant things. |
| A．How to Enlarge Storage Space of an Outside Kitchen? |
| B．What to Do to Design the Layout of the Kitchen? |
| C．How to Set a Budget for the Outside Kitchen? |
| D．What to Know to Create an Outside Kitchen? |
8 . Now that the Government’s official “stay at home” advice has been lifted, many office workers are flooding back into city centres, alongside students who are returning to in-person classes across Britain. As a result, we’re seeing demand for rental homes in key city locations rise by as much as 70% compared to this time last year when working from home and online lectures were the new norm. Take a look at the hottest rental locations outside London.
1. Clifton, Bristol
The hottest rental market in Britain is Clifton, where rental demand is up by 71%. The area is packed with gorgeous Georgian houses or period flats which have the double benefit of being within walking distance of the city centre, and also close to Bristol University and a good choice of local pubs, cafes, restaurants, and shops.
2. Didsbury, Manchester
The neighbourhood of Didsbury, just over five miles (or a seven-minute train ride) south of Manchester’s city centre, has long been a hotspot. Didsbury still has a real urban village feel, several lovely parks and an annual summer festival, although its independent shops are slowly but surely being driven out by chains. Property wise there is a good mix of modern purpose built flats, and period houses and flats. Interest from renters is up 62 per cent in Didsbury.
3. Edinburgh per cent.
This rental hotspot on today’s league table is north of the border. The beautiful university city of Edinburgh has seen demand rise by 58 percent. With its historic UNESCO World Heritage centre, villagey suburbs like Stockbridge, and even the seaside at Portobello this is truly a “something for everyone” option.
1. What is one of the reasons for the increasing need of rental homes?| A．The government’s “stay at home” advice. | B．Students’ taking online lectures. |
| C．Workers’ returning to office. | D．London’s overcrowding. |
| A．Walking distance to the city center. | B．Convenient chain stores. |
| C．Good location near the sea. | D．unique rural feel. |
| A．Clifton | B．Didsbury | C．London | D．Edinburgh |
9 . World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day, is a yearly event organized by the UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright. The first World Book Day was celebrated on April 23 in 1995. As this year’s day for knowledge is coming, let’s take a look at the world’s fascinating libraries and enjoy their charm.
Library of Alexandria
The Alexandria Library in Alexandria, Egypt, was one of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world. The library, destroyed in 415 AD and rebuilt in 2002, is not only a library, but also a museum and scientific research institution (机构). It is known as the Egyptian cultural center and a lighthouse of thought, culture and science.
National Library of Indonesia
The Indonesian National Library, located in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, has the most complete collection of publications in the country, recording the history, culture and information of Indonesia in various times. Manuscripts (手稿) written on leaves, bamboos and Indonesian native paper are some of the rare (罕有的) items kept in the collection.
Vasconcelos Library
Vasconcelos Library is located in the downtown area of Mexico city. It was designed by the famous Mexican architect Alberto Kalach, and named after Jose Vasconcelos, the philosopher and former president of the National Library of Mexico. It was completed in May 2006 and opened to the public.
Mazarin Library
Mazarin Library is located within the Institute of France, on the left bank of Seine in Paris. Created in the 17th century, it has one of the richest collections of rare books and manuscripts in modern France, and is the oldest public library in the country.
1. Which of the following keep manuscripts as collections according to the text?| A．Vasconcelos Library and Mazarin Library. |
| B．Library of Alexandria and Mazarin Library. |
| C．National Library of Indonesia and Mazarin Library. |
| D．National Library of Indonesia and Vasconcelos Library. |
| A．Library of Alexandria is the biggest in Egypt. |
| B．National Library of Indonesia is also a cultural center. |
| C．Vasconcelos Library was named after its designer. |
| D．The most ancient public library of France lies in Paris. |
| A．To report World Book Day. | B．To suggest traveling abroad. |
| C．To share various collections of books. | D．To introduce some wonderful libraries. |
10 . Astonishing Science, Fantastic Museum
The Science Museum in London is one of the top ten tourist attractions in the UK, with 1.6 million visitors a year. It shows science, technology, medicine and industry in an exciting, informative and relaxing way. Here are some of its exhibitions (展览), most of which, like the museum itself, are free.
Who am I?
What makes you cleverer than a chimpanzee (黑猩猩)? What makes you smile? What makes you you? Find out in this fascinating exhibition. Discover what your voice sounds like as a member of the opposite sex, and watch your face change as you are aging!
Collider
Come on a journey inside the world’s greatest scientific experiment ever. Deep under the border (边界) between France and Switzerland lies CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. Ten thousand men and women from around the world have created the LHC, which is discovering the secrets of our universe. Be amazed by the science, see history being made! Adult tickets are £10 and teenagers under 16 pay £7.
Launchpad
This exhibition room has over fifty interactive objects from the wonderful world of physics. At Icy Bodies you can watch carbon dioxide (CO2) turn from a solid (固体) into a gas. On the Light Table you can bounce light about with mirrors, and break it into rainbows.
3D: printing the future
This surprising exhibition shows how 3D printers are turning computer data into physical objects. Explore the future of industry and medicine — and will 3D printing change your shopping experience?
Online science
This is a virtual part of the museum and it’s free to everyone online. Go to http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/onlinestuff/games.aspx and play fascinating games like Ouch (fighting pain!), Futurecade (can science save humanity?) and Launchball (slide, bounce and jump your way through 30 levels!).
1. In “Who am I?”, you can find out_______.| A．who the cleverest man is |
| B．what your smile brings to you |
| C．how to make your voice sound better |
| D．how your face changes as you get older |
| A．Collider. | B．Launchpad. |
| C．3D: printing the future. | D．Online science. |
| A．£10. | B．£17. | C．£24. | D．£27. |
