British Museum
Located in Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, the British Museum houses a vast collection of world art and artifacts and is free to all visitors. The British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture, and it has more than 7 million objects, so it would probably take a week to see everything.
Over 6 million visitors every year experience the collection, including world-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies.
Admission and opening times
Free, open daily 10:00 to 17:30.
Open until 20:30 on Fridays, except Good Friday.
Closed on 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
Large luggage, suitcases and cabin baggage
For everyone’s safety, all bags, packages and personal items may be searched before entry. Wheeled cases and large items of luggage are not allowed on British Museum for safety and security reasons. Storage for luggage is available at major rail stations, including Euston, King’s Cross and Charing Cross.
Membership
Membership allows you to discover 2 million years of human history with free unlimited entry to special exhibitions, an exclusive discount offer on magazine subscription and many more benefits.
Individual membership: £74
Under 26 membership: £54
Young friends (ages 8-15): £25
Shops
The Museum has four shops where you can buy books, souvenirs, and family gifts.
1.When can you visit the British Museum?
A. At 9:00 Friday. B. At 12:00 Monday.
C. On Christmas Day. D. On Good Friday.
2.Where can visitors store their large luggage?
A. At major train stations. B. At some crossings.
C. In the hall of the Museum. D. At the entrance to the Museum.
3.If two friends aged 14 and 18 apply for membership of the Museum, how much should they pay?
A. £25. B. £79.
C. £50. D. £148.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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. Extraordinary. B. Insignificant.
C. Far-reaching. D. Unattractive.
2.What does the underlined word “addressing” in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Dealing with. B. Consulting with.
C. Giving a speech to. D. Sending a letter to.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. It was interesting for Bina48 to learn about love.
B. It was quite tough for Bina48 to learn about love.
C. Artificial intelligence may somehow be superior to man.
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 be able to promote learning and teaching.
C. It will completely take the place of instructors.
D. It will be smart enough to control human beings.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Stained glass (彩色玻璃) artists create different designs by making cuts on the glass to “score” it and then breaking off the pattern that they want to use in the finished product. The most difficult cut in stained glass is called an inside cut. Basically, it’s a curved (弯曲的) line where you throw away the part inside of the curve. The problem with inside cuts is that the edges of the curve tend to break off when the pieces of scored glass are broken apart.
As the artist talked about inside cuts, he said, “The glass will break into pieces if you try to cut too much off at once. The best way to do an inside cut is to slice off smaller curves piece-by-piece. In fact, it’s not just the best way to do it, but it’s the only way to do it.”
How many times do you try to make a big change and cut the entire piece at once? We convince ourselves that we can do this all the time. We’ll commit to transforming our diet overnight or we get inspired to launch a business in a weekend or we finally get motivated to work out and push ourselves to the edge of burning out.
Why not approach your goals and dreams like a stained glass artist? Starting by slicing a shallow curve and breaking a small piece off, you cut a slightly deeper curve and break that off until you have your full inside cut. By slowly cutting deeper and deeper curves, you prevent the glass from breaking as it changes shape.
Of course, change isn’t easy — no matter how you do it. Slow gains are boring, but if we keep making small improvements, then pretty soon we will end up with a beautiful masterpiece on our hands instead of a bunch of broken pieces.
1.Why is an inside cut believed to be most difficult?
A. It needs a one-and-only design.
B. It calls for nothing but inspiration.
C. The edges of the curve break easily.
D. The glass inside the curve is easily broken.
2.What mistakes are easily made according to paragraph 3?
A. Being too eager to make improvements.
B. Being too worried about the final outcome.
C. Trying to make a complete change all at once.
D. Trying to focus on progress instead of achievements.
3.What does the author suggest by saying “slicing a shallow curve”？
A. Moving forward with a clear aim.
B. Starting slow and improving little by little.
C. Developing a new habit with great determination.
D. Handling something major first and ignore the minor part.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A. To show his love of stained glass.
B. To introduce the skill of an inside cut.
C. To appreciate designs of stained glass artists.
D. To share his opinions on how to make a change.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Ways to Host an Eco-Friendly Cookout
Eating in the open air may feel eco-friendly, but outdoor dining can result in unnecessary waste if you aren’t careful. 1.. If you keep that in mind throughout your preparations, you’ll be off to a good start.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Skip the paper invitations and use online services like Email, or Facebook events.2.. This way you’ll avoid ending up with five different potato salads that go uneaten. Make it easy for guests to sort garbage by positioning different trashcans in a central location: one for kitchen garbage, one for recyclables, and one for non-recyclables.
Stop Using Plastic
Plastic is a leading cause of litter and isn’t easy to recycle. To make sure your cookout eco-friendly, consider some other options for making your cookout stand out. Use recycled jars as glasses. They’re also far less breakable than regular glasses.3. If guests know which glass is theirs, they don’t need to reach for another one, which cuts down on the cleanup you’ll be doing.
4.
Wherever possible, shop for local produce and goods to serve your guests. This will reduce your carbon footprint and help support your local economy. Buy produce and meats at your local farmers’ market. Look for organic, but favor local over organic if you have to make a choice.
Use Renewable Light Sources
5. As the sun goes down, illuminate your party space with LED lighting and solar- powered decorations. Invest in some citronella (香茅精油) candles and torches to help drive away insects naturally.
A. Support Global Economy
B. Think Globally, Shop Locally
C. Ask guests to bring glasses of their own
D. Keep track of what everyone is bringing ahead of time
E. Save on energy by hosting your party during the daylight hours
F. One of the keys to being green is to reduce waste wherever possible
G. Put up some labels to the jars so people can write their names on them
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
One day a well-dressed woman was walking down the street when she spied a beggar sitting on the comer near a cafeteria. He was elderly, unshaven, and in ______. Pedestrians walked by giving him ______ looks. Clearly they wanted nothing to do with him. She ______ and looked down. “Sir?” she asked. “Are you all right?”
Thinking that she would make ______ of him, like so many others had done before, he told her to leave him alone. However, to his ______ the woman continued standing.
Anyhow, with some ______, the woman got the man into the cafeteria and ______ him at a table in a remote corner. She stared at him ______, “Jack, do you remember me?” Old Jack ______ her face. “I think so — I mean you do look ______.”
The woman recalled what she ______ when she graduated. She tried looking for a job, but without luck. Cold and ______, she got to this very cafeteria,______ to get something to eat. Later on she found a job,______ her way up and eventually started her own ______.
Jack ______ with a smile, saying it was he who made her the biggest sandwich.
In the end, she ______ her purse, pulled out a business card and promised to help him financially ______ he got on his feet.
Jack thanked her with watery eyes. The woman held his hands and said, “Don’t thank me, Jack. Without you, I wouldn’t have ______ so much.”
In life, one never expects how a small act of ______ changes another soul.
1.A. poverty B. ruins C. rags D. comfort
2.A. dirty B. scary C. angry D. sad
3.A. rushed B. stepped C. moved D. stopped
4.A. use B. fun C. notes D. sense
5.A. excitement B. amusement C. enjoyment D. amazement
6.A. difficulty B. strength C. hesitation D. doubt
7.A. directed B. stood C. sat D. crowded
8.A. proudly B. closely C. coldly D. roughly
9.A. wiped B. searched C. lifted D. moved
10.A. familiar B. strange C. special D. popular
11.A. enjoyed B. explored C. ignored D. experienced
12.A. thirsty B. hungry C. anxious D. moody
13.A. waiting B. pretending C. hoping D. offering
14.A. worked B. kicked C. wound D. lost
15.A. family B. research C. journey D. business
16.A. burst out B. brightened up C. turned up D. held out
17.A. opened B. tore C. shook D. picked
18.A. though B. after C. until D. since
19.A. absorbed B. saved C. achieved D. contributed
20.A. sympathy B. selflessness C. bravery D. kindness
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
China, which takes pride in four inventions in ancient times, has once again shown its ability 1. (change) the world with its “new four great inventions”: high-speed railways, electronic payment, shared bicycles and online shopping.
Recently, the “new four great inventions”2. (improve) the quality of people’s lives. Thanks to online shopping and mobile payment, people can buy what they want 3. (simple) with a tap of the phone within doors. High-speed trains have shortened 4. journey from Beijing to the coastal city Tianjin to half an hour. As for the bikes, they themselves are not new. It is the operating model of bike-sharing 5. (base) on satellite navigation (导航) system, mobile payment as well as big data 6. has surprised the world. Shared bicycles are bringing cycling back 7. people’s lives and they are making public transport more 8. (attract).
It is increasingly clear that China is no longer 9. (copy) western ideas and is leading in many new ways. A growing number of foreign 10. (company) hope to promote the development in their home country by highlighting the need for technological achievements like that of China.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上英语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。
Dear Editor,
Recently our school has set up a rule that no student allowed to take their mobiles into class, which has aroused a lot of discussions among we students.
Many of the students feel strong against the rule, arguing that the mobile had become a necessary part of our life. They also consider that a must for us to get relaxing from our busy studies.
When it comes to me, like some other student I hold a different opinion. While a mobile phone can help us get some relief, with it we can be more devoted to our studies, but spare more time to communicate with those around us. Therefore, I believe in this school rule is beneficial to every student.
Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，你校将举办主题为“中国国粹——京剧”的宣传活动。请给你的外教Henry写封邮件邀请他参加。内容包括：
1. 时间和地点；
2. 活动内容：讲座、现场表演等。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析