1 .
Dear editor, We moved to this country 12 years ago, to be close to my husband’s family for more support and because the cost of living was lower. Now in my late 40s, I feel trapped in life abroad and want to move back to London. The city we live in is known for its multiculturalism and diversity. Everything seemed to be working perfectly, until recently. The industry I work in is dominated by local people. It seems they are unwilling to allow me to join what they are doing and that I am excluded. Seeing my eldest child leaving home and my youngest, still at school, becoming more independent has made me realise how unhappy I am. I feel I have always disregarded my own needs. I would like to go back to London right away. But our children feel at home here. I’m confused about what to do. Yours, Merrila Dear Merrila, Everything worked perfectly until recently. What happened? Something must have contributed to this. I’ve spent a long time reading your letter and wonder if your issue is a geographical one. The glass ceiling and ignorant people can and do exist in any city. While those issues are problematic, I wonder if it’s actually a reaction to such happenings: one of your children is leaving home and the other one won’t be far behind, and you’re thinking: “What will the next chapter of my life look like and have I done what I wanted to?” Something magical happens to women in midlife when they realise it’s time to put themselves front and centre. You can talk with your husband about how you feel. In the short term, plan a trip to London, meet up with some old friends and see what they say. Yours, Annalisa Barbieri |
A.She can barely earn a living. | B.She feels out of place here. |
C.The locals enjoy better jobs than her. | D.The city is different from London. |
A.To share her life story abroad. | B.To express her homesickness. |
C.To make a complaint about life. | D.To turn to the editor for advice. |
A.Being far away from London. | B.Facing prejudice in the workplace. |
C.Being at a loss about life changes. | D.Overlooking her real needs for long. |
A.Culture. | B.Health. | C.Education. | D.Lifestyle. |
A.Frightening. | B.Interesting. | C.Boring. |
3 . More than half the world’s population are city residents, and, by 2050, the United Nations predicts that seven in ten people will be. Architects are having to consider how architecture influences our emotional well-being in urban settings.
According to Colin Ellard, a research psychologist at Waterloo University, Canada, there is a lot of evidence which shows “the profound impact that the design of buildings has on how we feel, how we treat one another, and our overall psychological well-being”. A study from the University of Heidelberg concluded that people raised in the countryside are less likely to have mental disorders than those raised in the city. The city of Vancouver in Canada, which is surrounded by mountains and ocean, recognises the need to connect with nature. It has included protecting ocean and mountain views in its urban planning guidelines. For example, tall buildings are set up in strategic locations that don’t block scenic views for downtown residents.
The British designer Thomas Heatherwick wants to make architecture less soulless and boring. He told The Guardian, “We need to fearlessly demand interestingness and make buildings that enrich our senses.” He has listed seven characteristics of a boring building. These include being too flat and straight. He says lack of depth means light and shadow cannot play on surfaces, while straight lines are at odds with nature and make buildings dull.
However, making buildings interesting is not always easy, as architect Rafael Vinoly found out in 2013 when he created the 37-store y skyscraper in London. The building was admired for its curved exterior walls covered in reflective glass. However, it acted like a magnifying glass and reflected light which melted nearby cars and almost set fire to a carpet. A screen had to be added to prevent the building causing further damage.
So, for your own well-being, surround yourself with buildings that bring you joy, and ideally a view of nature.
1. Why are tall buildings located in certain places in Vancouver?A.To protect people’s mental health. | B.To follow the tradition of the city. |
C.To caution people against disorder. | D.To reveal the prosperity of the area. |
A.One with straight lines. | B.One having flat surfaces. |
C.One having a security system. | D.One with innovative patterns. |
A.Boldness. | B.Creativity. | C.Practicality. | D.Flexibility. |
A.To call on people to live in big cities. |
B.To compare buildings in different cities. |
C.To stress the importance of healthy emotion. |
D.To convince people of emotional impact by buildings. |
4 . How is the man feeling?
A.Sad. | B.Awkward. | C.Proud. |
5 . 假定你叫李华,学校举办了以“我爱中国文化”为主题的英语演讲比赛。期间,你得到了笔友Peter的帮助并在上周六的比赛中荣获一等奖。请用英语给Peter写一封邮件,内容包括:
1. 告知消息;
2. 感谢他的帮助;
3. 邀请他来中国。
注意:1. 词数100左右;
2. 可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯;
3. 开头结尾已给出,不计入总词数。
Dear Peter,
How’s everything going?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sincerely yours,
Li Hua
6 . 阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。
When I was little, I lived in a house with a beautiful garden full of all kinds of flowers, and roses were the most beautiful of them. There was nothing I enjoyed more than sitting in the garden with my mother as she read stories to me. When I was in primary school and old enough to read, I enjoyed reading stories aloud to her.
I will never forget one day when I was in the third grade. I had been picked to be the princess in the school play, and for weeks my mother had rehearsed (排练) my lines so hard with me. But no matter how easily I acted at home, as soon as I stepped onstage, every word disappeared from my head. Finally, my teacher took me aside. She explained that she had written a narrator’s (旁白、解说员) part to the play, and asked me to change roles. Her word, kindly expressed, still hurt, especially when I saw my part go to another girl.
I didn’t tell my mother what had happened when I went home after school that day. But she sensed my pain. Instead of suggesting we practice my lines, she asked if I wanted to take a walk in the garden.
It was May and roses were blossoming and, under the trees, we could also see yellow dandelions (蒲公英) in the grass, as if a painter had painted our garden with red, yellow and green. I watched my mother casually bend down by one dandelion. “I think I’m going to dig up all these weeds,” she said, pulling it up by its roots. “From now on, we’ll have only roses in this garden.”
“But I like dandelions,” I protested. “All flowers are beautiful --- even dandelions.”
My mother looked at me seriously. “Yes, every flower is beautiful in its own way, isn’t it?” She asked thoughtfully. I nodded, pleased that I had won her over. “And that is true of people too,” she added. “Not everyone can be a princess, but there is no shame in that.” Relieved that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry as I told her what had happened. She listened and smiled, patting me gently.
“But you will be a beautiful narrator,” she said.
注意:
1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右;
2.续写部分分为两段,每段的开头语已为你写好。
“But you will be a beautiful narrator,” she said,
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After the play, I took home the dandelions.
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7 . The Power of Insensitivity
Highly sensitive(敏感的)person, or HSP, is a term invented by psychologist Elaine Aron. HSPs can come with many challenges. They may find it hard to adapt to new surroundings, and easily become uncomfortable in response to certain feelings or others’ opinions.
The power of insensitivity can be explained as “slow power”. Usually, people connect “insensitivity” with something bad, but indeed, it stresses the ability to keep doing something difficult without complaining.
There are some ways to practice “insensitivity”: Don’t pay too much attention to the ups and downs of life at the moment.
Everyone can gain the ability to be insensitive.
A.Insensitivity plays a significant role. |
B.Rather, you should be looking forward. |
C.That’s where the need to be insensitive comes from. |
D.Once you slow down the pace, you will feel more comfortable. |
E.Those not easily affected are the people who care less about others. |
F.That is, calmly facing the downtime in life and moving towards one’s own direction. |
G.One reason why insensitivity allows people to better survive is the strong self-awareness. |
8 . Every year on my birthday, a white gardenia (栀子花) was
But I never stopped
One month before my high-school graduation, my father died. My feelings
The day before my ball, I found that dress — in the right size — hanging over the living room sofa. It was
My mother died ten days after I was married. The following year the gardenia stopped coming.
1.A.given | B.delivered | C.taken | D.brought |
A.useful | B.helpful | C.in vain | D.in hope |
A.delighted | B.imagined | C.enjoyed | D.satisfied |
A.considering | B.remembering | C.imagining | D.recalling |
A.referred | B.led | C.preferred | D.contributed |
A.appreciation | B.honor | C.kindness | D.respect |
A.time | B.chances | C.fun | D.problem |
A.varied | B.differed | C.suffered | D.judged |
A.ignoring | B.attending | C.abandoning | D.missing |
A.unsurprised | B.uninterested | C.exhausted | D.pleased |
A.wrong | B.false | C.proper | D.right |
A.provided | B.presented | C.introduced | D.awarded |
A.doubt | B.wonder | C.desire | D.care |
A.loving | B.loved | C.relaxing | D.relaxed |
A.trouble | B.confusion | C.boredom | D.sorrow |
1. How many computers does the library have now?
A.2. | B.3. | C.5. |
A.The low membership fee. | B.The longer opening hours. | C.The free use of computers. |
A.To give thanks to Mr Wood. |
B.To introduce High brook Library. |
C.To invite Mr Wood to be a library member. |