Cambridge University Botanic Garden
We run a lively programme of family events, life-long learning courses and much more throughout the year.
Improve your Digital Photography
This course led by award-winning photographer, Pete Murray, will show you how to take control of your camera. Using a proven “step by step approach” you will gain confidence in using your camera.
Date:29/09
Time:10 am—4 pm
Price:￡60
Event Category: Garden Photography
‘Handbag’ Baskets
New to the Botanic Garden, this course will give you the opportunity to make your very own beautiful ‘handbag basket’from a design that local basketry maker, Debbie Hall, developed herself. They have proved very popular since she started teaching the technique.
Date: 07/10
Time: 10 am —4:30 pm
Price: ￡120
Event Category: Weaving & Basketry
Trees and Shrubs(灌木) for Autumn Color
Join Mark Crouch, a specialist in the care of trees, for this course on choosing trees and shrubs to create beautiful autumn displays for your garden. The day will include a talk in our classroom and a tour of the Botanic Garden to look at autumn color and interest across our tree and shrub collection.
Date: 17/10
Time: 10 am —4 pm
Price: ￡50
Event Category: Gardens and Plants
Introduction to Botanical Subjects in Colored Pencil
If you are interested in beginning to use colored pencils to draw botanical subjects, then this is the course for you. Janie Pirie is one of the country’s leading pencil artists and on this one-day course she will show you the basic techniques used when working with colored pencils.
Date: 16/10
Time: 10 am —4 pm
Price: ￡40
Event Category: Botanical Art
1.How much would you pay if you wanted to learn to take better pictures?
A. ￡40. B. ￡50. C. ￡60. D. ￡120.
2.Who is good at making baskets?
A. Janie Pirie. B. Debbie Hall.
C. Pete Murray. D. Mark Crouch.
3.The course that provides an opportunity to tour the garden is held on __________.
A. September 29th B. October 7th
C. October 16th D. October 17th
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The USA
Well, imagine how my sister felt when she went off for the first time to New York for a business trip. After a few days she was still amazed at how friendly everyone was to her until she took a taxi back to her hotel one night. First she gave just the name of the hotel, but when asked she said the address too. Then she was asked how to get there, but of course she didn’t know. Imagine how frightened she was when the driver started shouting at her for not knowing the way.
The UK
A friend was in London for a conference. He took a taxi and there were no problems: the driver knew the way and was very cheerful. The problem started when he realized he had stupidly left his laptop on the back seat! He called the company up and, in a panic, went straightaway to their Lost and Found office. He was over the moon to find the laptop waiting for him, and then very surprised that it was one of 2,900 left in taxis over the past six months!
Tunisia
Well, my brother took a Mediterranean cruise(巡游) one summer and had a day in Tunis. He spent most of the afternoon in the Medina buying presents when he suddenly realized he’d completely lost track of time and there was only half an hour before the ship left the port. There had been loads of yellow taxis in the centre so he wasn’t too bothered until he stood on the pavement and waited for one to appear——and of course there wasn’t a single one in sight! Nothing! He questioned a passer-by who explained that the cost for the taxi ride goes up in the evening so the taxi drivers disappear until they can charge higher prices! Luckily for my brother the man then offered to give him a lift and he caught the boat on time!
1.What was the author’s sister’s trip by taxi in the US like?
A. Unpleasing and scary. B. Tiring but impressive.
C. Relaxing and exciting. D. Interesting but strange
2.The underlined part “over the moon” in Paragraph 2 can best be replaced by “________”.
A. very happy B. extremely sad
C. quite surprised D. pretty annoyed
3.Why couldn’t the author’s brother find a taxi in Tunis?
A. Because it was too late.
B. Because the weather was bad.
C. Because he didn’t know how to call a taxi.
D. Because the taxi drivers disappeared on purpose.
4.What do the three stories have in common?
A. They are all about taking a taxi.
B. They are all about business trips.
C. They are all about great services.
D. They are all about the author’s family.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Humans have long been interested greatly in the idea of being able to walk on water. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever realizing this dream without artificial aid—we simply weigh too much, and all our weight pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink.
However, several types of animals can walk on water. One of the most interesting is the common basilisk Basilicus basilicus, a lizard (蜥蜴) native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several meters, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet. The lizard will reach a speed of 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans, we would need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create enough “hitting”.
But fortunately there is an alternative: cornflour(玉米淀粉). By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot), you can create a special mixture that doesn't behave like normal water. Now, if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles(微粒) in the water get together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of this adequately thick liquid of cornflour.
Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice. If you must do it, then keep the water wings(救生圈) ready in case you start to sink—and take a bath afterward!
1.Walking on water hasn't become a reality mainly because humans _________.
A. are not interested in it
B. are afraid to make an attempt
C. have not invented proper tools
D. have biological limitations
2.What do we know about Basilicus basilicus from the passage?
A. It is light enough to walk on water.
B. It can run across water at a certain speed.
C. Its huge feet make it able to stay above water.
D. Its unique skin keeps it from getting wet in water.
3.What is the function of the cornflour according to the passage?
A. To help the liquid behave normally.
B. To turn the water into solid.
C. To create a thick liquid.
D. To make the water move rapidly.
4.What is the author’s attitude toward the idea of humans’ walking on water?
A. It is risky but beneficial.
B. It is impractical though possible in thoery.
C. It is crazy and cannot become a reality.
D. It is interesting and worth trying.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Experts recently suggested that teens should start adopting early bedtimes. Before you dismiss it as a habit suited only for young kids, consider that there are serious advantages in being well-rested. And now, even more research suggests that putting phones away before going to sleep is important to teens’ well-being.
A new study from Seton Hall University School of Health and Medicine Science found that 62 percent of kids used their smart phones before bed, and it’s causing less sleep and poor performance in school.
Those teens who text(发短信) before bedtime tend to go to sleep later, and get up later in the morning. Such behavior can be associated with mental health issues like depression or anxiety. Besides, once teens do receive a text, experts found, they tend to respond right away. Then the text conversation continues — resulting in an even later bedtime.
The study’s co-author Dr. Peter Polos says this leads to excessive stimulation(过度刺激) at night. Light from electronic devices can block the secretion(分泌) of melatonin — a hormone(荷尔蒙) that promotes sleep, which makes sleep difficult in the face of overuse of smart phones at night. It’s true! More screen time means less sleep time; other studies have suggested the same idea.
As for a final piece of advice, Dr. Sushanth Bhat says, since getting the proper amount of sleep is very important for brain development and learning in the teenage years, our study should encourage parents and guardians (监护人) to limit adolescent smart phone usage at night. Keep in mind that teens aren’t the only ones addicted to their phones! Adults can also benefit from setting a tech curfew(宵禁) for themselves. After all, kids learn by example!
1.What is the text mainly about?
A. How to promote sleep.
B. How kids learn from their parents.
C. The advantages of going to bed early.
D. The disadvantages of phone usage before bed.
2.Who are likely to go to sleep later according to the text?
A. Kids having text conversations before bed.
B. Kids putting their phones away at night.
C. Kids studying their lessons hard at school.
D. Kids exercising with friends after school.
3.Melatonin can ________.
A. make sleep difficult B. lead to later bedtimes
C. help people fall asleep D. wake people from a sleep
4.The author advises parents to ________.
A. learn from their kids
B. get rid of smart phones
C. set a good example to their kids
D. try to benefit from hi-tech development
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
On a mid-September day, British climbers Rachel Kelsey and Jeremy Colenso were climbing in the Swiss Alps.
When they left their base, the weather was good, and they reached the top of the mountain. Snow began to fall, making it difficult to see where they could put their hands and feet on the rock. After several frightening minutes, they found a narrow ledge(岩石架) and climbed on to it, hoping the snow would stop and they could continue to climb down.
“We had to stay awake,” said Rachel, “because it was so cold that we could have died. So we told stories and rubbed our fingers to keep them warm.”
But what could they do? Rachel had brought her mobile phone with her, but all the people she could get in touch with were in London. Still, she sent a text message at 1:30 a.m. to get help. It read: “Need heli rescue off Piz Badile, Switzerland”. At 5:00 a.m., one friend, Avery Cunliffe, got the message. He jumped into action, called the rescue services in Switzerland, and called Rachel to tell her that help was coming.
The weather was too bad for the helicopters to operate, but Avery kept sending text messages to the climbers. “We owe our lives to Avery,” they said when they were back at base.
A. They were both experienced climbers.
B. They decided that they had to get help.
C. They were all asleep, and nothing happened.
D. She sent the same text to five friends in the UK.
E. At about 10:00 p.m. they were lifted off the mountain.
F. The snow did not stop and the temperature dropped to -10℃.
G. But as they started the climb down, a storm struck the mountain.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中， 选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Recently I was invited to a friend’s house for supper. Ben, the ________, had also invited his girlfriend Marina, and another colleague called Alistair. We were all a little surprised by the ________. It’s not that Ben is ________, or a bad cook, but he never spends more than he has to. Money has been hard earned and so should be spent ________. So why was he inviting us round for a ________?
Ben greeted us at the door with a grin(露齿笑), and as we ________, a laid table was waiting for us. He was still smiling in a strange way. “Nothing but the best for my friends!” said Ben. We sat down and looked ________ at each other—what was he up to?
Ben returned with four bowls of soup. It was a mixture of carrots, potatoes and tomatoes. The next ________ was just another mixture of things. There was some bread too, but it was a little stale(不新鲜的).
“Did you follow a set of ________ that tells you how to cook this,” asked Marina, “or did you just make it up yourself?” Ben put his fork down. “What I cooked depended on what I could ________.” Marina was surprised. “________ you can find anything in British supermarkets these days.” “But there is less choice ________ supermarkets,” he replied.
We all ________ at him in amazement. “What do you mean by outside supermarkets?” asked Alistair.
Seeing that we had all ________ the food, Ben decided that it was time to tell the ________. He had read recently that a lot of ________ was thrown away by supermarkets every day, because they only want to sell ________ food. So Ben found those vegetables and bread inside his local supermarket bins.
We were all ________ . Ben said he can afford not to eat ________ food so he would not do this regularly. However, he also said, “There are many poor people who ________ the food, and the amount of food thrown away is enough to feed millions of people.”
1.A. cook B. boss C. waiter D. host
2.A. invitation B. introduction C. education D. position
3.A. naughty B. unsociable C. lonely D. unhappy
4.A. quickly B. foolishly C. wisely D. honestly
5.A. trip B. game C. meal D. lesson
6.A. entered B. left C. moved D. started
7.A. excitedly B. happily C. nervously D. calmly
8.A. chance B. course C. secret D. present
9.A. rewards B. instructions C. regulations D. promises
10.A. borrow B. buy C. produce D. find
11.A. Though B. Unless C. But D. And
12.A. along B. through C. inside D. outside
13.A. aimed B. laughed C. nodded D. stared
14.A. finished B. enjoyed C. served D. prepared
15.A. difference B. truth C. decision D. story
16.A. money B. water C. food D. time
17.A. fresh B. cheap C. basic D. special
18.A. inspired B. scared C. worried D. shocked
19.A. expensive B. delicious C. free D. simple
20.A. need B. sell C. ignore D. order
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号中单词的正确形式。
Many of us know people who are always working and never seem to stop. Have you ever heard of anyone who is allergic 1._________ vacations? It’s not really an allergy and it is called leisure sickness. It happens like this—you are hoping to take 2. _________vacation and all ready for it, and when it finally begins, you get sick 3. _________ (immediate).
It’s a bit of a mystery. However, there are a few possible explanations. One theory is 4. _________ people have no time to get sick when focusing on work, and their bodies ignore the problems until they take a break. Another possibility is that 5. _________ is actually healthier to be very busy, for people become stronger and are less likely 6. _________ (fall) ill when they are always working. When extremely hard-working people go on vacation, their bodies relax and stop fighting illness the way that they usually do. That’s to say, they can’t adjust to 7. _________ (be) on vacation. When people are 8. _________ (occupy) with their work, they might forget how to relax, and the 9. _________ (press) of their sudden vacation makes them get ill. For most of us, however, vacations are fun, and leisure sickness is one problem about 10. _________ we do not have to worry.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意： 1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
My grandpa has a lifelong friends and they are very close. Unfortunate, one day doctors said Grandpa’s friend had cancer. Grandpa quickly pointed out that there were still time for them to doing the things they had always wanted. Grandpa’s friend had always wanted to tour the world, so Grandpa had suggested they went on a world tour cruise together. At firstly, other friends tried to talk them out of it, and when they explained that it was a lifetime’s ambition, everyone wished them well. The funny thing was that when they came back from a cruise, the doctors announced that Grandpa’s friend had fully recovered his cancer.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，你所喜爱的English Readers周报创刊五周年之际征集读者意见。请你依据以下内容给主编写封信，内容主要包括：
1. 该刊的优点：语言完美，内容新鲜，图文并茂；
2. 你的建议：刊登名人故事，指导英语学习。
注意： 1. 词数100左右；开头结尾已给出，不计入总词数；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：刊登 carry
Dear Sir or Madam,
Congratulations on the tenth anniversary of English Readers! ________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
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I hope my suggestions will be taken into consideration.
Yours faithfully,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析