1. What is on special offer?
| A．Family tickets. | B．Teenagers’ tickets. | C．Children’s tickets. |
| A．On June 21. | B．On June 25. | C．On June 30. |
| A．They are the biggest in the state. |
| B．They are popular with kids. |
| C．They are less exciting. |
| A．Visit the website for more information. |
| B．Protect themselves from the sun. |
| C．Book tickets soon. |
2 . 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. |
Around 5 months ago, I moved into my new home in France. Since then, I
I was absolutely at the beginning of understanding how my garden works. I spent most of the first few months
Now I devote myself to it. All is changing how I think,
A panda-themed coffee shop at the Beijing Zoo
5 . Exploring Libraries
There are three branches of the New York Public Library in the Riverdale / Kings-bridge area, as well as a Bronx—wide branch. Each has thousands of books for lending, as well as weekly readings and concerts. Call branches for library hours.
●Bronx Library Center
310 E. Kingsbridge Road
(718) 5794244
The largest public library in the Bronx—this 8,000-square-foot center is NYPL’s first green library and features the system’s premier Latino and Puerto Rican Heritage Collection. Hours are Monday through Saturday, from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. Sundays, noon to 6 p. m.
●Riverdale Library
5540 Mosholo Ave.
(718) 5491212
Across the street from Riverdale Neighborhood House, this branch has cathedral ceilings and is surrounded by trees and grass. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p. m. Friday and Saturday from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m.
●Kingsbridge Library
291 W. 231st St., at Corlear Avenue
(718) 548—5656
The Kingsbridge Library is the largest local library. It includes an outdoor garden, a multipurpose community room, and a teen area. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a. m. to 7 p. m. Friday and Saturday from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m.
●Van Cortlandt Library
3882 Cannon Place
(718) 543—5150
Located right along the B×1, B×2 and B×10 bus lines, this library is near the Jerome Park Reservoir and Van Cortlandt Park. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a. m. to 7 p. m. Friday and Saturday from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m.
All library patrons (用户) in these branches above are required to wear masks inside the building, says branch manager Rebecca Brown—Barbier. And for more information, please contact NYPL. org.
1. Which of the following branches offers service on Sundays?| A．Van Cortlandt Library. | B．Bronx Library Center. |
| C．Kingsbridge Library. | D．Riverdale Library. |
| A．It has space for teens. |
| B．It enjoys three bus lines nearby. |
| C．It’s known for NYPL’s first green library. |
| D．It offers a multipurpose entertainment room. |
| A．Carrying their own lunch. | B．Booking seats at NYPL. org. |
| C．Applying for library cards. | D．Putting on their masks. |
1. What can people do in the “Gravity Chair”?
| A．Experience spacewalk. | B．Sleep in a special bed. | C．See a rocket take off. |
| A．Visitors must build a rocket. |
| B．Children under nine can’t take part. |
| C．People have to eat freeze-dried food. |
| A．$325. | B．$575. | C．$875. |
| A．Camp activities. | B．Astronauts’ life. | C．Space travel. |
Is Your School Safe?
Your school can be a dangerous place, but
The Playground
·Make sure that there are no small rocks, tree branches,
·Don’t climb on playground equipment. Use playground equipment only as it was designed
·No running except in areas set aside for it.
The Gym and Sports Field
·Always wear the proper sports clothes and equipment when
·Follow the directions of the
·Pay close attention to the people around you, or else you can hurt them.
The Bathrooms
·Be careful
·Do not use electrical appliances, such as hairdryers, in the school bathrooms.
·If the plumbing or electricity does not work or is not working
The Hallways and Classrooms
·No running or pushing.
·Do not block doorways with box or furniture, and do not use the hallways for
The Science Labs
·Wear safety gear as you
·Follow the instructions of the teachers and staff.
·Put equipment away when you are done with
8 . How might architecture aid in solving the housing crisis and help build a more sustainable future? In 2019, 3D printing company WASP and Mario Cucinella Architects (MCA) revealed their concept to design the first 3D printed house made entirely from clay. Today, the joint project, known as TECLA, is finally complete and on display near Bologna, Italy.
Over the past few years, a number of 3D printed homes and communities have been conceptualized. While previous structures were made from concrete or plastic, TECLA was built from soil found at the site mixed with water, fibers from rice husks (壳) and a binder (粘合剂), the last of which is less than 5% of the total volume. Printing with clay does have its weaknesses. It’s a much slower process than quick-drying concrete — the design can be printed in 200 hours but the clay mixture can take weeks to dry, depending on climate, and it also has height limitations.
Building homes from earth, Cucinella pointed out, is not new. “The challenge was really using an old material in the history of architecture with new technology to find a new shape of a house,” Cucinella said. To that end, the Crane WASP printers mixed water with the local earth, and then printed the 60-square-meter TECLA model layer by layer. The design features two circular spaces joined together with skylights, inviting full natural light inside. The residence includes a living area, a bedroom and bathroom. Its furniture, including tables and chairs, can also be printed using WASP’s machinery, while components like doors and windows were fixed post-printing.
The idea behind TECLA isn’t necessarily to copy the same home for any environment, but to adjust the design based on the location. “We are not producing one type of house that you can print and use everywhere, because it’s different if you design a house in the north of Italy, or in the middle of Africa,” Cucinella explained. “The house responds to different climates.” Additionally, the building process can be easily taught and widely used.
1. What is the disadvantage of printing with clay?| A．3D printers are costly. | B．Clay is not strong enough. |
| C．It’s not easy to mix rice husks with clay. | D．It takes a long time to dry the mixture. |
| A．It is air-conditioned. | B．It is the first 3D printed house. |
| C．It is fully equipped. | D．It adopts a solar heating system. |
| A．It adapts to different climates. | B．It limits the height of buildings. |
| C．It uses few binders in printing. | D．It can be moved without effort. |
| A．The challenges for 3D printing |
| B．Is this 3D printed home the future of housing? |
| C．The ways to renew 3D printing machinery |
| D．Can we simplify the instructions on 3D printing? |
9 . A huge, 12-pointed star has been fixed on top of one of the towers of Antoni Gaudí’s famous Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona. This means the construction work, begun 139 years ago, nears completion. It is scheduled to be completely finished in 2026 — marking 100 years since the architect’s death.
When Gaudí died in 1926, less than a quarter of the exterior was complete. Since then construction has been stopped every now and then for various reasons from Spanish civil wars to funding problems. Though in 2005 the church was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the construction work was claimed to be illegal in 2016, and regained its building permit in 2019.
Born in 1852, Gaudí grew up fascinated by geometry and the natural wonders of the countryside. After studying architecture in school, he eventually formed his own style. In his opinion, form and function were inseparable: Beauty should be part of structure, which rules the natural world. “Nothing is art,” he concluded, “if it does not come from nature.” On his graduation ceremony, his director said the words that became famous later: “I do not know if we have awarded this degree to a madman or to a genius; only time will tell.”
Time has obviously given the answer. In fact, Gaudí’s work over the years has permanently influenced Barcelona architecture like none other before or after. The city is considered the best outdoor modernist Museum of Europe mostly because of Gaudí.
On the 10th of June 1926, Gaudí was knocked down by a tram (有轨电车) while he was doing his usual evening walk. He lost consciousness, and nobody recognized that this disheveled (蓬乱的) old man was the famous architect until he was taken to the hospital. He was buried two days later in the unfinished Sagrada Familia, following a funeral attended by thousands of people: most of the citizens of Barcelona came out to bid a final-farewell to the most universal architect that the city had ever known.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．A 12-pointed star was set on a Gaudí’s church. |
| B．Barcelona is well known for Gaudí’s architecture. |
| C．Gaudí’s famous church will be finished at last. |
| D．The 100h anniversary of Gaudí’s death will come. |
| A．It was to memorize Gaudí. | B．It suffered frequent delays. |
| C．It was a World Heritage Site. | D．It didn’t get its building permit. |
| A．His style was too special in his time. | B．He was not qualified for the degree. |
| C．His attitude to others was crazy. | D．He was too talented to be taught. |
| A．Sagrada Familia — Gaudí’s Unfinished Work |
| B．Barcelona — a City of Antoni Gaudí |
| C．Antoni Gaudí — a Genius Architect |
| D．Gaudí’s Architecture — the Beauty of Nature |
10 . Certainly, India is popular in the world for its cultures. It has some museums that are worth visiting.
International Doll Museum
Yes, the museum is claimed to be the best museum in the eyes of its audience in the country. For the popularity, every Indian kid wants to visit it at least once in his/her lifetime. Sure, there are so many collections of the doll from traditional to modern ones. I also displays typical dolls from various cultures worldwide. It opens every day except Monday from 10 am to 6 pm.
Paldi Kite Museum
Have you ever played a kite in your childhood? Kites are more than just toys to play with. They are pieces of art that motivate people to conduct competitions. Hundreds of kites with unique designs and various shapes are displayed in the museum. Besides, visitors can also learn about techniques to fly them. The museum opens 6 days a week and it is closed every Monday. The operational hour is from 10 am to 6 pm.
Indian Museum in Calcutta
The biggest and the oldest museum in India is located in Calcutta, West Bengal. It is simply known as the Indian Museum. The collections are varied with many categories: history, cultures, arts, botany, and more. Sure. for the history lovers, you can visit the history part, where you can watch and enjoy so many artifacts (手工艺品) from Indian ancient kingdoms along with complete descriptions of them. Besides, there are incredible traditional paintings. Most notably, if you think the mummy is only in the Egyptian museum, it is not completely true. The Indian Museum has it as well. The museum opens from 10 am to 5 pm and it is closed every Monday.
Sulabh International Toilet Museum
The museum houses countless toilet collections, starting from the old and ancient toilets to the modern ones. The toilets displayed are coming from 50 countries and the number is predicted to increase. Sure, many of the collections represent the history and cultures of those countries. The museum opens every day from 10: 30 am to 5 pm.
1. Who is International Doll Museum mainly intended for?| A．Students. | B．Children. | C．Adults. | D．Employees. |
| A．Make artifacts. | B．Learn to paint. | C．See the mummy. | D．Grow some plants. |
| A．International Doll Museum. | B．Paldi Kite Museum |
| C．The Indian Museum. | D．Sulabh International Toilet Museum. |
