It took some time for spring to arrive but now it’s here that UK’s gardens are enjoying it. Many flowers that would usually be over by now are still at their best. Here are some of the best gardens right now.
Kew Gardens, London
The rock garden is one of the places to head for at Kew right now. It will be at its peak in the days ahead. The garden has waterfalls and streams over the land, and many plants and flower buds are all at their best. Equally those who cannot be missed are the flowering cherry trees.
Open daily 9:30 am– 6:30 pm, adults ￡16, children free.
Wentworth Castle Gardens, near Barnsley
A yellow carpet surrounds Wentworth Castle at the moment, as the daffodils(水仙花) are still in full bloom. Another wonderful spot is the Victorian flower garden, created from an old bowling(保龄球) green in the 19th century.
Open daily 10:00 am –5:00 pm, adults ￡5.50, children ￡2.95, family ￡12.50.
Harlow Carr, Harrogate
The earlier bad weather means many daffodil varieties were extremely late, but at Harlow Carr plenty of the plants can be found at the moment. The garden also has one of the longest streamside plantings in the country.
Open daily 9:30 am – 6:00 pm, adults ￡8.50, children￡4.25, family￡20.70.
Bon Stewart, Newtownards
There are great smells as well as great sight at Bon Stewart : Lady Londonderry, who created the garden in the 1920s and 1930s, love plants with a sweet smell. So go up to Rhododendron(杜鹃花) hill. It’s one of the best places here right now.
Open daily: 10:00 am—6:00 pm, adults ￡6.63, children ￡3.31, family ￡16.00.
1.To enjoy pleasant-smelling flowers, you might visit _______.
A. Kew Gardens B. Harlow Carr
C. Bon Stewart D. Wentworth Castle Gardens
2.You can probably enjoy the flowers beside the stream in ________.
A. Kew Gardens and Bon Stewart
B. Harlow Carr and Kew Gardens
C. Bon Stewart and Harlow Carr
D. Wentworth Castle Gardens and Bon Stewart
3.What can we learn about Wentworth Castle Gardens?
A. It offers a great place to play bowling.
B. It is surrounded by flowering cherry trees.
C. It provides the shortest visiting time in a day.
D. It charges a couple with a child at least ￡13.95.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
San Francisco has its cable cars. Seattle has its Space needle. And, Longview has its squirrel(松鼠) bridge. The bridge, which has attracted international attention, is now a local landmark.
The Nutty Narrows Bridge was built in 1963 by a local builder, Amos Peters, to give squirrels a way to cross the busy road without getting flattened by passing cars.
The original bridge was built over Olympia Way on the west edge of the library grounds. Before the bridge was built, squirrels had to avoid traffic to and from the Park Plaza office building where office staff put out a nutty feast for the squirrels. Many times, Peters and others who worked in and near Park Plaza witnessed squirrels being run over.
One day Peters found a dead squirrel with a nut still in its mouth and that day’s coffee break discussion turned into squirrel safety. The group of businessmen cooked up the squirrel bridge idea and formed a committee to ask the blessing of the City Council（市政会）. The council approved, and Council woman Bess LaRiviere jokingly named the bridge “Nutty Narrows”.
After architects designed the bridge, Amos Peters and Bill Hutch started construction. They built the 60-foot bridge from aluminum（铝） and lengths of fire hose（消防水带）. It cost $1,000. It didn’t take long before reports of squirrels using the bridge started. Squirrels were even seen guiding their young and teaching them the ropes. The story was picked up by the media, and Nutty Narrows became known in newspapers all over the world.
In 1983, after 20 years of use, Peters took down the worn-out bridge. Repairs were made and crosspieces were replaced. The faded sign was repainted and in July 1983, hundreds of animal lovers attended the completion ceremony of the new bridge.
Peters died in 1984, and a ten-foot wooden squirrel sculpture was placed near the bridge in memory of its builder and his devotion to the project.
1.The underlined words “getting flattened” in the second paragraph mean “being______”.
A. killed B. guided C. stolen D. raised
2.The Nutty Narrows Bridge was built to _______.
A. Provide drivers convenient way to pass
B. Honor the builder named Bess LaRiviere
C. Spread 60-foot fire hose
D. Help squirrels cross the highway
3.The rebuilding of the bridge was because_______.
A. it was made of wood
B. it was too narrow
C. it was too old
D. the repairs were too expensive
4.The best title for this article would be ______.
A. Nutty Narrows – Passage of Life
B. Lovely squirrels, Warm-hearted Drivers
C. Squirrels, Who Cares?
D. A Worn-out Bridge And Its History
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Clearly if we are to participate in the society in which we live, we must communicate with other people. A great deal of communicating is performed on a person-to-person basis by the simple means of speech. If we travel in buses, buy things in shops, or eat in restaurants, we are likely to have conversations where we give information or opinions, receive news or comment, and very likely to have our views challenged by other members of society.
Face-to-face contact is by no means the only form of communication and during the last two hundred years the art of mass communication has become one of the dominating factors of contemporary society. Two things, above others, have caused the enormous growth of the communication industry. Firstly, inventiveness has led to advanced imprinting, telecommunications photography, radio and television. Secondly, speed has revolutionized the transmission(传输) and reception of communications so that local news often takes a back seat to national news, which itself is often almost eclipsed(侵蚀) by international news.
No longer is the possession of information confined to(只限于) a privileged minority. In the last century the wealthy man with his own library was indeed fortunate, but today there are public libraries. For years ago people used to flock to the cinema, but now far more people sit at home and turn on the TV to watch a programme that is being channeled into millions of homes.
Communication is no longer merely concerned with the transmission of information. The modern communication industry influences the way people live in society and broadens their horizons by allowing access to information, education and entertainment. The printing, broadcasting and advertising industries are all involved with informing, educating and entertaining.
Although a great deal of the material communicated by the mass media is very valuable to the individual and to the society of which he is part, the vast modern network of communications is open to abuse(滥用). However, the mass media are with us for better, for worse, and there is no turning back.
1.In the first paragraph, the writer emphasizes the ___________ of face-to-face contact in social setting.
A. nature B. limitation C. creativity D. usefulness
2.It is implied in the passage that ______.
A. local news used to be the only source of information
B. local news still takes a significant place
C. national news is becoming more popular
D. international news is the fastest transmitted news
3.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Possessing information used to be a privilege.
B. Public libraries have replaced the private completely.
C. Communication means more than transmission of information.
D. Information influences ways of life and thinking.
4.From the last paragraph we can infer that the writer is _________.
A. indifferent to the harmful influence of the mass media
B. happy about the flexible changes in the mass media
C. pessimistic about the future of the mass media
D. concerned about the wrong use of the mass media
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
完形填空
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Are there many things in life that make you happier than a pet? After all, pets can bring joy and can help people learn to become much more responsible.
How many times have you come home from a day at work and have your dog lie on your lap? That’s the thing about pets. Sometimes it seems that they have a sixth of understanding what you need and then they’ll it to you. However, it is important to remember that taking care of a pet is a big . After all, you are another living creature’s life. On top of spending money on things like pet supplies and pet food, pets also a lot of your time. that sometimes pets know exactly what you want and will give it to you. However, sometimes they do the . But if you’re willing to the ups and downs there’s so much when it comes to owning a pet.
you have decided to buy a pet, the big question becomes what type of pet. A person’s preference for either one of these animals says a lot about a person’s personality. The nice thing about cats is that they’re low maintenance. Unlike dogs, cats do not to be walked outside, because they do enjoy having the option to on their own.
, if you buy a cat at the right time of their life, you will be able to having to toilet train them. On top of all of these things, cats are naturally clean creatures and won’t require having to be given a .
For some people, a dog is their big dream. However, if you are just building your career and want the flexibility to around the world for excellent career opportunities, it may not be the time to buy a dog.
1.A. funny B. hard C. tired D. sunny
2.A. particular B. normal C. nice D. tiresome
3.A. sense B. means C. view D. idea
4.A. lend B. make C. give D. manage
5.A. response B. responsibility C. reputation D. relief
6.A. in need of B. in place of C. in charge of D. in terms of
7.A. make up B. hold up C. build up D. take up
8.A. Prove B. Remember C. Agree D. Observe
9.A. honor B. same C. change D. opposite
10.A. meet B. control C. handle D. explore
11.A. reward B. trouble C. convenience D. challenge
12.A. Though B. While C. When D. Before
13.A. enjoy B. require C. agree D. hesitate
14.A. go out B. help out C. look out D. put out
15.A. However B. Additionally C. Expectedly D. Otherwise
16.A. consider B. practice C. avoid D. advice
17.A. bath B. start C. lesson D. talk
18.A. feeding B. owning C. watching D. treating
19.A. tour B. drive C. walk D. move
20.A. appropriate B. available C. accessible D. alternative
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Darek Fidyka, a 38-year-old Bulgarian, had been paralyzed (瘫痪的) from the chest down for four years after a knife attack. Scientists from Britain and Poland took cells from his nose, transplanted (移植) them into his back and re-grew his spinal cord (脊髓). Now he can walk and even drive a car. The doctors were delighted but said it was the first step in a long journey.
The breakthrough came after 40 years of research by Professor Geoff Raisman, who found that cells had the possibility to repair damage to nasal (鼻腔的) nerves, the only part of the nervous system that constantly re-grows. “The idea was to take something from an area where the nervous system can repair itself and put it into an area that doesn’t repair itself,” Professor Raisman said.
Polish doctors injected (注射) the nasal cells into Mr. Fidyka’s spinal cord above the injury and used some nerves from his ankle to form a bridge across the damaged tissue. The nasal cells appear to have caused the spinal nerves to repair themselves.
Professor Raisman achieved this with rats in the late 1990’s, but this is his greatest success. “I think the moment of discovery for me was Christmas in 1997 when I first saw a rat, which couldn’t control its hand, put its hand over to me. That was an exciting moment, because I realized then that my belief that the nervous system could be repaired was true.”
Doctors chose the easiest case for their first attempt—it might not work for others. But there is real sense of hope that an idea once thought impossible has been realized.
David Nicholls, who helped provide money for the breakthrough, said information about the breakthrough would be made available to researchers across the globe.
“What you’ve got to understand is that for three million paralyzed people in the world today, the world looks a totally brighter place than it did yesterday,” he said.
1.Why did Professor Geoff Raisman choose cells from nose?
A. The nervous system in the nose can repair itself.
B. Cells from the nose can be easily transplanted.
C. The nervous system in the nose has more cells.
D. Cells in the nose are able to re-produce rapidly.
2.How did the operation work for Darek Fidyka?
A. The nervous system in the spinal nerves can repair itself.
B. The nerves from his ankle cured the patient of the injury.
C. The nasal cells re-produced and spread over very quickly.
D. The nasal cells helped the spinal nerves to repair themselves.
3.What made Professor Geoff Raisman begin to believe the nervous system can be repaired?
A. His former study with other people.
B. His operation on a paralyzed patient.
C. His sudden thought about Christmas.
D. His unusual experience with a sick rat.
4.David Nicholls’ words suggest that________.
A. the world will become a better and brighter place
B. paralyzed people of today have the hope recovery
C. the report of the breakthrough will be published soon
D. researchers across the world will carry out the operation
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
To forgive is a virtue(美德), but no one has ever said it is easy. When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your hate. However, forgiveness is possible, and it can be surprisingly beneficial to your physical and mental health. People who forgive show less sadness, anger and stress and more hopefulness, according to a recent research.
1. . Try the following steps:
Calm yourself. 2. . You can take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, or someone you love.
Don’t wait for an apology. Many times the person who hurt you does not intend to apologize. They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same way. 3. . Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean becoming friends again with the person who upset you.
Take the control away from your offender(冒犯者). Rethinking about your hurt gives power to the person who causes you pain. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you.
4. . If you understand your offender, you may realize that he or she was acting out of unawareness, fear and even love. You may want to write a letter to yourself from your offender’s point of view.
Don’t forget to forgive yourself. 5. . But it can rob you of your self-confidence if you don’t do it.
A. Why should you forgive?
B. How should you start to forgive?
C. Recognize the benefits of forgiveness.
D. Try to see things from your offender’s angle(角度)
E. For some people, forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge.
F. To make your anger die away, try a simple stress-management technique.
G. If you wait for people to apologize, you could be waiting an awfully long time.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Playing outside is good for the development of the brain. Thus parents must encourage their children to spend as much time as possible 1. the open air. Recent studies show 2. alarming increase in the number of hours spent by children in front of the TV and the computer 3. a decrease in the time spent outside.
4. (suffer) from vision problems, more and more children have to wear glasses. Also the problem of children being overweight concerns many parents 5. don’t know what to do to make their children eat 6. (health).
Children need a space to develop their creativity and parents should encourage 7. all the time. Too many rules hold back children’s personality and creativity and prevent them from developing the desire 8. (learn).
If you tell your child so many times, “don’t do that; don’t make a mess of the room; don’t go there …” he won’t want to do anything. Playing 9. (connect) with the intellectual, emotional and 10. (society) progress of the child.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
1.Mathematics is concerned with understanding a__________ concepts(概念).
2. Water can t__________ a desert into a garden.
3. The drug had an immediate e________ on the pain.
4.Each person’s fingerprints are u_________.
5.No official(官方的) p_________ has been given for the event to take place.
6. He stood silently with his arms __________(交叠).
7.The speech by the mayor of Shanghai before the final voting for EXPO 2010 was ___________(印在) on my memory.
8. When I read the novel, I __________(跳过) these dry passages of description.
9.The library has many art __________(珍品).
10.They were moving into a room __________(雅致的) decorated
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
1._______ (穿着）beautiful costumes, they put on a wonderful performance on that day. (dress)
2.It __________（听起来好像）there is a knock at the door. (as)
3.He __________（陷入了沉思）and didn’t notice I came in. (thought)
4.Why did you__________ there?（让客人在等） (leave)
5.The tax only has an effect on people with incomes of over $200,000，________________,（换句话说）the very rich. (words)
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
某英文报社举办以“I Like Reading”为主题的征文活动，你打算投稿，请根据以下要点写一篇短文：
1. 你为什么喜欢读书?
2. 你喜欢读哪一类的书（例如：历史，科学，文学等）? 请给出至少两个理由
【注意】 词数100左右。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析