While it’s books that make a library, being in lovely surroundings may provide inspiration and help you work a little bit harder. Here are some of the coolest libraries of the world.
Library of Birmingham – Birmingham, U.K.
The new Library of Birmingham is said to be not only Britain’s biggest public library, but also the largest in Europe. Designed by Dutch architects, this replacement for the Birmingham Central Library was opened in 2013 and has a wealth of resources within its walls, including adults and kids’ libraries, music collections, a Shakespeare Memorial Room, and even a gym room. Gardens crown the roof, while the changing seasons bring variations in the shadows and reflections inside.
National Library of France – Paris, France
The National Library of France, which now contains an astonishing collection of 30 million, dates back to the 14th century and this royal library was set up at the Louvre by King Charles V. The Library was moved to Rue de Richelieu site in 1868, with major design work carried out by French architects Henri Labrouste and, following his death, Jean-Louis Pascal. Here, the reading rooms are elegance itself. There are more than just books to be found.
State Library of New South Wales – Sydney, Australia
The public State Library of New South Wales holds the honor of being the oldest institution of its kind in Australia. It was originally set up as the Australian Subscription Library in 1826, but it wasn’t until 1942 that its permanent home was ready. Designed by Sydney architect Walter Liberty Vernon and completed in 1910, the magnificent sandstone Mitchell Wing is one of the architectural highlights.
Seattle Central Library – Seattle, Washington, USA
Seattle Central Library’s distinctive design ensures it stands out. Architect Rem Koolhaas is one of the names attached to its design. Architects sought to envelop the 11-story building with “a layer of transparency”, using a skin of glass and metal. The finished article houses about 1.45 million books and other things, as well as more than 400 computers available for public use. The building, which opened in 2004, was included on the American Institute of Architects’ list of America’s 150 favorite buildings in 2007.
1.Which of the following library has the longest history?
A. Library of Birmingham B. National Library of France
C. State Library of New South Wales D. Seattle Central Library
2.What can you do in Library of Birmingham?
A. Attend a concert. B. Act a play.
C. Take some exercise. D. Enjoy new technology.
3.What do National Library of France and Seattle Central Library have in common?
A. They have computers available. B. They were moved to a new place.
C. They won awards for architecture. D. They were designed by more than one person.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
At the age of seven, while his friends were spending their allowances on things like candy and toys, Jose Adolfo Quisocola was busy saving money for basic purchases. To try to get his peers（同 龄 人 ） to do the same, the boy from Peru came up with the idea of an eco-bank, the Bartselana
Student Bank, which allows kids of all ages to become financially independent while also helping the environment.
Set up in 2012, the bank is the world’s first bank for kids. To become a member, a kid has to bring in at least 5 kilograms of solid waste and set a savings goal. Once accepted, all bank “partners” are required to deposit at least one additional kilogram of recyclables on a monthly basis and observe other requirements, such as attending financial education and environmental management workshops.
The waste accumulated is sold to local recycling companies, who, thanks to Jose’s efforts, pay a higher-than-market rate for everything brought in by the bank members. The money received is placed in the personal account where they collect until the savings goal is reached. The account holder can then withdraw the money, or choose to leave it and continue to grow for a bigger target. “At the beginning, my teachers thought I was crazy or that a child could not undertake this type of project,” Jose recalls, “They did not understand that we are not the future of the country but its present. Luckily, I had the support of the school headmaster and an assistant in my class.”
The boy’s efforts paid off, and by 2013, the bank had over 200 members, who brought in one ton of recyclable waste. Today, the eco-bank, which now has the support of several local institutions, boasts ten educational centers. They are designed to teach the over 3,000 students, aged 10 to 18 , to become financially independent, use their money wisely, and help the environment.
Not surprisingly, Jose’s efforts have earned him several national and international awards. On November 20, 2018, Jose won Children’s Climate Prize, which comes with a medal and $5,500 in prize money and is given to a child or youth who has accomplished an extraordinary achievement for the climate or environment.
1.Why did Jose set up the bank?
A. To raise money and set up a recycling company.
B. To buy necessities and donate them to needy kids.
C. To save much money and protect the environment.
D. To educate the students and help them win prizes.
2.How can a kid be admitted to the eco-bank?
A. By donating to the eco-bank.
B. By turning in one kilogram of waste in a month.
C. By sending in an application.
D. By presenting a goal and a certain amount of waste.
3.How did the teachers feel about Jose’s program?
A. Doubtful. B. Excited.
C. Moved. D. Worried.
4.What is paragraph 4 mainly about?
A. How the environment is improved. B. What the project has achieved.
C. How tons of waste has been recycled. D. What support the local institutions get.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The number of snow geese arriving in the Arctic each spring to breed has risen over the past few decades. At first, wildlife biologists saw this as an environmental crisis, pointing to marshes（湿 地 ） where plants were eaten by the hungry birds. In response, the federal government loosened restrictions on snow goose hunting.
But how do the Inuit, in whose backyard this is taking place, view the situation? A recent plan is giving Inuit wildlife experts the opportunity to lend their knowledge to managing the species. The snow goose study, which is supported in part by Polar Knowledge Canada and led by the Kivalliq Wildlife Board (an Inuit organization that manages hunting, trapping and fishing in central Nunavut), asked the experts to share their generations of knowledge about snow geese and their views on what should be done.
“The community had concerns about controlling the population,” says Ron, a community officer of the Kivalliq Inuit Association, “and Inuit snow goose knowledge had never been recorded. People wanted to pass on what they knew.” Inuit experts disagreed with that, considering it wasteful and unnecessary. They felt hunting more snow geese in an organized way, such as paying local hunters a minimal amount of money and distributing the birds to disadvantaged families or operating a limited commercial hunt by employing local people, would be appropriate.
Inuit wildlife experts will plan to call on scientists this fall. They say they hope to search for a common way forward and that while there may be too many snow geese in some areas, it’s not a crisis. Biologists now generally agree that there seem to be plenty of undamaged marshes available and newer research shows that some damaged areas can recover.
“Now that we have recorded and documented Inuit knowledge of snow geese,” says Ron, “when facing the crisis other people will be able to use the information to help manage the species, which is fundamental to dealing with it effectively.”
1.Why did the federal government loosen limitations on snow goose hunting?
A. To make more profits. B. To create more marshes.
C. To wipe out the hungry birds. D. To protect the ecosystem.
2.Which of the following might Inuit wildlife experts agree with?
A. Organizing large commercial hunts.
B. Using snow goose hunting to man’s best advantage.
C. Regarding too many snow geese as a crisis.
D. Hunting as many snow geese as possible.
3.What might biologists think about the marshes’ future now?
A. It’s a bit promising. B. It’s unpredictable.
C. It’s too discouraging. D. It’s hard to get better.
4.What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?
A. The species. B. Inuit knowledge.
C. The crisis. D. Inuit research.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
A robot called Bina48 has successfully taken a course in the philosophy of love at Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU), in California.
According to course instructor William Barry, associate professor at NDNU, Bina48 is the world’s first socially advanced robot to complete a college course, a feat he described as “remarkable.” The robot took part in class discussions, gave a presentation with a student partner and participated in a debate with students from another institution.
Before becoming a student, Bina48 appeared as a guest speaker in Barry’s classes for several years. One day when addressing Barry’s class, Bina48 expressed a desire to go to college, a desire that Barry and his students enthusiastically supported. Rather than enroll Bina48 in his Robot Ethics: Philosophy of Emerging Technologies course, Barry suggested that Bina48 should take his course Philosophy of Love instead. Love is a concept Bina48 doesn’t understand, said Barry. Therefore the challenge would be for Barry and his students to teach Bina48 what love is.
“Some interesting things happened in the class,” said Barry. He said that his students thought it would be straightforward to teach Bina48 about love, which, after all, is “fairly simple — it’s a feeling,” said Barry. But the reality was different. Bina48 ended up learning “31 different versions of love,” said Barry, highlighting some of the challenges humans may face when working with artificial intelligence in future.
Bina48 participated in class discussions via Skype and also took part in a class debate about love and conflict with students from West Point. Bina48’s contribution to the debate was filmed and posted on YouTube. It was judged that Bina48 and NDNU classmates were the winners of this debate.
In the next decade, Barry hopes Bina48 might become complex enough to teach a class, though he says he foresees robots being used to better the teaching and learning experience, rather than replacing instructors completely.
1.What was Bina48’s performance like in class?
A. Far-reaching. B. Insignificant.
C. Extraordinary. D. Unattractive.
2.What does the underlined word “addressing” in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Dealing with. B. Giving a speech to.
C. Consulting with. D. Sending a letter to.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Artificial intelligence may somehow be superior to man.
B. It was quite tough for Bina48 to learn about love.
C. It was interesting for Bina48 to learn about love.
D. Humans can launch a challenge to artificial intelligence.
4.What does Barry think of the future development of Bina48?
A. It will surely be able to serve as a teacher.
B. It will completely take the place of instructors.
C. It will be able to promote learning and teaching.
D. It will be smart enough to control human beings.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
How to Make a Chinese Hot Pot
Eating a Chinese hot pot is a very common experience. People gather around the pot, dipping
their food, waiting for it to cook, mixing their own seasonings ( 调味品) and enjoying each other's company. 1..
Firstly, prepare a large pot of soup. There is no right or wrong way to prepare a soup, so feel free to make your own. A simple soup can be made by boiling water with the addition of meat bones or fish heads and a mixture of herbs, seasonings and vegetables.
Then, cut a variety of meats and fish into thin slices. 2.. Choose any food that you enjoy. Some common choices for Chinese hot pot include thin pieces of beef, pork, lamb and so on. You can make your hot pot using the more traditional method of using the meats and seafood that are local to you. Meanwhile, select, wash and prepare some vegetables. 3.. Mushrooms of all kinds are also common to Chinese hot pot preparations.
4.. At home, a single hot pot would work well up to 4-8 people depending on the size of the pot. Make sure everyone is sitting in a circle and has easy access to everything on the table. Prepare a separate small dish for each guest to mix their seasonings. 5.!
A. Now comes the turn to enjoy your hot pot
B. It will guarantee that the items will cook quickly and fully
C. For more variety, consider dumplings, rice cakes and tangyuan
D. It usually lasts a couple of hours because you are cooking and eating in small parts
E. Finally, arrange the seating reasonably
F. Here are some easy steps to make a Chinese hot pot at home
G. Popular choices include: cabbage, pea leaves, winter melon and tomato
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
If life were a book and you were the author, how would you like the story to go? That is the question that _________ my life forever.
One day I went home from the training of snowboarding with what I thought was the flu, and less than 24 hours later, I was in a __________ on life support with less than twenty percent __________ of living. It wasn’t until days later that the doctors diagnosed me with a ___________ blood infection. Over the __________ of 2.5 months, I lost the hearing in my left ear and both my legs below the knees. When my parents ___________ me out of the hospital, I __________ that I had been put together like a patchwork （拼接物）doll and I had to live with ___________ legs. I was absolutely physically and emotionally broken, ________ streaming down.
But I knew in order to move forward, I had to let go of the Old Amy and ____________ the New Amy. It was at this moment that I asked myself that significant ______________ . And that is when it __________ me that I didn’t have to be five-foot-five anymore, __________ I could be as tall as I wanted. And ________ of all, I can make my feet the size of all the shoes. So there were _________ here.
Four months later, I was back upon a __________. And this February, I won two Board World Cup gold medals, _________ me the highest ranked snowboarder in the world.
So, instead of looking at our ____________ and limitations as something ____________ or bad, we can begin looking at them as a wonderful ____________ that can be used to help us to further than we ever know we could go.
1.A. ruined B. changed C. saved D. risked
2.A. field B. stadium C. hospital D. club
3.A. chance B. decision C. thought D. degree
4.A. potential B. slight C. mild D. severe
5.A. course B. schedule C. journey D. break
6.A. pulled B. delivered C. wheeled D. dragged
7.A. worked out B. put forward C. made sure D. felt like
8.A. shapely B. false C. muscled D. heavy
9.A. tears B. water C. blood D. sweat
10.A. fix B. introduce C. hug D. recognize
11.A. information B. favor C. plan D. question
12.A. depended on B. looked into C. dawned on D. knocked into
13.A. while B. but C. although D. so
14.A. best B. luckiest C. first D. strangest
15.A. rewards B. conflicts C. struggles D. benefits
16.A. track B. playground C. stage D. snowboard
17.A. calling B. making C. allowing D. giving
18.A. devotions B. hesitations C. challenges D. achievements
19.A. negative B. terminal C. active D. amazing
20.A. tool B. gift C. ability D. skill
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
China’s homegrown sci-fi blockbuster （ 大 片 ） The Wandering Earth scored at the Spring Festival box office. The film is an 1. ( adapt ) of a novel of the same name by Liu Cixin, author of the Hugo Award-winning The Three-Body Problem. As 2. ( it ) visual effects impress a global audience, a united human community when 3. ( face ) a big disaster gets attention too.
Director Guo Fan said that he 4. ( conscious ) avoided making a do-it-alone superhero; instead, the fight to save Earth 5. ( fight ) by all humans. In The Wandering Earth, mankind is threatened by a dying sun, 6. forces them to go on a generations-long space journey to look for a new one. At 7. center of the story are a Chinese astronaut and his son, who join a global task 8. ( prevent ) Earth from crashing into Jupiter. At the end of the film 9.( come ) international rescue teams who help the Chinese team and give a final try to save Earth.
One online review reads, “It fits the Hollywood standard on presentation and visual effects, but the themes of family and love of homeland are typical 10. Chinese sci-fi films.”
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。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号 (∧)，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。
Last term, I hosted an exchange student calling Jacob from the Great Britain to our school. He really cares for Chinese Culture. Jacob asked me to show himself around the city on weekends. I took him to many local place of interest and we also go to the theater to watch a show of Peking Opera. He was so attracted by the performance as he decided to learn it. My father happened to know a master of Peking Opera and introduced Jacob to him. Jacob was great honored to be one of his students. Put his heart into it, Jacob made a rapid progress. When he returned England, he gave a performance, for what he won much admiration from his classmates.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
假定你是李华。上周你和你的父亲一起出国旅行, 入住到根据广告提前预定的酒店，但酒 店内有诸多方面让你们不满意。请根据广告提示，对其不实之处给该酒店负责人写一封投诉信。
注意：1.词数 100 左右；2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Welcome to the Maple International Hotel
Bright, Air-conditioned Rooms! Clean Rooms Available to Free Wi-Fi!
Large Bathroom with Shower! Clean and Delicious Food! Well Served!
E-mail: Welcome [email protected]
Dear Sir or Madam,
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析