Cities all over the world celebrate Christmas in unique and memorable ways. The following international destinations are just a few of the countless choices to consider.
Quebec city
Quebec city has long drawn admirers to its historic district the famed city wall, strange cobblestone lanes（鹅卵石小路）and handsome stone houses. This area transforms into a scenic Christmas village each December. The 403-year-old capital of Quebec province takes pride in the outdoors at Christmas time, when stone buildings shine with lights. Consider cross-country ski on the Plains of Abraham, or skate at the place D’ Youville square.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh, a magic city full of staircases and hills as well as Georgian and neo-Classical buildings, is famous for its mixture of the modern and the old. This is evident in winter, when Scotland’s capital puts on a six-week festival lasting until Jan. 6 that goes way beyond Christmas markets. You can ride roller coasters, climb a wall of ice and attend a vivid Christmas themed show by the cabaret troupe（剧团）La Clique.
Zurich
If buying gifts is on your travel schedule, Zurich is an impressive shopping center, particularly around the holidays, from multiple Christmas markets and the luxury（奢侈品）dress shops of Bahnhofstrasse Street, to the independent designers and antique shops in the merging industrial zones. Another annual lighting spectacle（壮观场面）, Lichterschwimmen, on Dec. 21, includes hundreds of tiny lanterns that are sent floating down the River Limmat.
Sydney
A lack of snow does not dampen the Christmas spirit in Sydney. One great and free way to feel the holiday is to take this Dec. 21 walking tour of George Street, which promises “the most sharable window displays and coloured lights.” One advantage over other destinations: warm, sandy beaches that lie just minutes from downtown, where the natural beauty of Australia’s most popular city will be waiting.
1.What can you do in Quebec city during Christmas?
A.Ride roller coasters.
B.Take part in a walking tour.
C.Enjoy cross-country ski.
D.Watch a Christmas-themed show.
2.Where should you go if you want to enjoy a Christmas without snow?
A.Quebec city. B.Edinburgh.
C.Zurich. D.Sydney.
3.Where is this text most likely from?
A.A guidebook. B.A diary.
C.A novel. D.A research paper.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
One of the most important things that has happened to me occurred long before I was aware of it. As the story goes, I was three days old and Mom was singing “The Name Game” song to me: “Christine Bo-Bean-Banana-Fanna-Fo-Feen.” By day four, I was given a new name—Christine-Bo-Bean, or just Bo-Bee to my mother. Now, I am Bo to her and close friends.
Why is this nickname（昵称）so important to me? I once read a book with a passage about True Names which explains that when a person’s true name is spoken, she has a distinct aura（光环）around her. Although I have been Bo to my mother all my life, I recently discovered that my true name is not on my birth certificate; it’s the name that is as unique and memorable as I am.
People usually know me as Christine. They still see me as a quiet, bookish child. They don’t know who I am now. My most recent hopes, fears, goals, dreams and opinions escape their notice; it is easier to think of me as I was. In their minds, they have a box labeled “Christine” in which I fit neatly, and as Christine, I was content with the perfect packaging.
Those who call me Bo or Bo-Bee really know me. They remember who I was and realize I have changed. Bo is a tight squeeze in the old “Christine” boxes. The Bo I am is ever-changing, ever-growing and ever-learning.
When I was Christine, I was quiet, and easily scared. I feared groups, meeting new people and sharing my opinions. I was more comfortable with a book than my best friend. As Christine, I thought everyone was better than I was.
As Bo, I still love my books, but I want to discuss them. As Bo, my dream is to live where I can experience new things and meet new people. I dream about being alone on a stage lit by a single spotlight; I have that confidence now. I am equal to those I once saw as better than me.
A name shouldn’t make such a difference, but sometimes, when a person finds his or her True Name, they develop a new shine visible to friends, family and especially themselves.
I can’t always be Bo. Sometimes exposing myself is still scary and I feel too nervous; I want to hide in those old boxes. Mostly, however, I am ready for the world. So, just call me Bo.
1.When was the author given a nickname?
A.When she was three years old.
B.On the fourth day after she was born.
C.Seven days after she was born.
D.When she received the old “Christine” box.
2.What do the people know about the author as Christine?
A.They think the author is active and crazy.
B.They care about the author’s most recent feelings.
C.They don’t realize the author has changed.
D.They don’t know the author has changed her name.
3.What kind of person was the author in the past?
A.She showed no interest in reading.
B.She took pleasure in finding new things.
C.She loved reading and sharing books with friends.
D.She lacked confidence and preferred to be alone.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Bo—the True Name
B.A Unique Name
C.Remember the Past
D.The Meaning of Nickname
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
We’ve known that sitting for long periods of time every day has countless health consequences, like a higher risk of heart disease. But now a new study has found that sitting is also bad for your brain.
A study published last week, conducted by Dr. Prabha Siddarth at the University of California, showed that sedentary（久坐的）behavior is associated with reduced thickness of the medial temporal lobe（中颞叶）, a brain area that is critical to learning and memory.
The researchers asked a group of 35 healthy people, ages 45 to 70, about their activity levels and the average number of hours each day spent sitting and then scanned their brains. They found that the subjects who reported sitting for longer periods had the thinnest medial temporal lobes. It means that the more time you spend in a chair the worse it is for your brain health, resulting in possible damage to learning and memory.
What is also interesting is that this study did not find a significant association between the level of physical activity and thickness of this brain area, suggesting that exercise, even severe exercise, may not be enough to protect you from the harmful effects of sitting.
It then surprisingly turned out that you don’t even have to move much to enhance cognition（认知）; just standing will do the trick. For example, two groups of subjects were asked to complete a test while either sitting or standing. Participants are presented with conflicting stimuli（刺激）, like the word “green” in blue ink, and asked to name the color. Subjects thinking on their feet beat those who sat by a 3-milicond margin.
The cognitive effects of severe physical exercise are well known. But the possibility that standing more and sitting less improves brain health could lower the bar for everyone.
I know, this all runs counter to received ideas about deep thought, from our grade school teachers, who told us to sit down and focus, to Rodin’s famous “Thinker,” seated with chin on hand.
They were wrong. You can now all stand up.
1.What can we infer from Paragraphs 3 and 4?
A.Severe exercise can lessen the damage of sitting.
B.Severe exercise can greatly improve our brain health.
C.Sedentary behavior will possibly damage our brain.
D.Brain health has nothing to do with sedentary behavior.
2.What does the underlined word “margin” in Paragraph 5 mean?
A.blank. B.edge.
C.decrease. D.difference.
3.What is the received idea about deep thought?
A.Sitting more is good for our mental health.
B.Sitting is better when we think.
C.Exercise more can improve our cognition.
D.We should stand while thinking.
4.The passage mainly tells us ________.
A.people tend to sit while thinking
B.standing more can make our brain healthier
C.physical exercise can improve our brain health
D.sedentary behavior leads to countless health problems
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
If you’ve spent any amount of time boating, fishing, or bird-watching at lakes and rivers, you have most likely seen fishes jumping out of the water. I have seen it many times. Certainly, fishes will exit water in desperate attempts to escape enemies. Dolphins take advantage of the behavior, forming a circle and catching the frightened fishes in midair. But just as we may run fast from fun or from fear, different emotions might motivate fishes to jump.
Mobula rays（蝸鲼）aren’t motivated by fear when they throw their impressive bodies—up to a seventeen-foot wingspan (the distance from the end of one wing to the end of the other) and a ton in weight—skyward in leap（跳跃）of up to ten feet. They do it in schools（鱼群）of hundreds. They usually land on their bellies, but sometimes they land on their backs. Some scientists think it might be a way of removing parasites（寄生虫）. But I think that the rays are enjoying themselves.
In the clear waters of Florida’s Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, I watched several schools of fifty or more mullets（鲻鱼）moving in beautiful formation. Their well-built bodies were most evident when they leaped from the water. Most of the time I saw one or two leaps by a fish, but one made a series of seven. They usually land on their sides. Each jump was about a foot clear of the water and two to three feet in length.
Nobody knows for sure why the fish leaps. One idea is that they do it to take in oxygen. The idea is supported by the fact that mullets leap more when the water is lower in oxygen, but is challenged by the likelihood that jumping costs more energy than is gained by breathing air. It is hard to imagine they will feel any fresher when back in water.
Might these fishes also be leaping for fun? There is some new evidence. Gordon M. Burghardt recently published accounts of a dozen types of fishes leaping repeatedly, sometimes over floating objects—sticks, plants, sunning turtle—for no clear reason other than entertainment.
1.What can we say about the dolphins in Paragraph 1?
A.They have great escaping skills. B.They are easily frightened.
C.They are very clever. D.They love jumping.
2.What do the ray and the mullet have in common when jumping?
A.Both do it in groups. B.Both land on their bellies.
C.Both jump many feet out of water. D.Both make leaps one after the other.
3.How does the author feel about the idea mentioned in Paragraph 4?
A.It is valuable. B.It is interesting.
C.It is imaginative. D.It is questionable.
4.Which may be the reason for fish leaps according to the author?
A.To remove parasites. B.To amuse themselves.
C.To take in more oxygen. D.To express positive emotions.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When you go to a foreign country, you often enter a new culture. The differences between cultures may make you feel stressed and you often find it difficult to adjust to the new surroundings, which is usually called “culture shock”.
The psychological and physical symptoms of culture shock may appear depending on the individuals. Some often feel anxious while adjusting to a new culture—even more so when the cultural distances are wide. 1. They remain to homesick and feel so sad about being separated from their friends back home that they long to return, especially within the first year.
2.People adjusting to a new culture often feel lonely because the language barrier makes it hard to create new relationships. Furthermore, having trouble with the native language often makes them unwilling to interact with other people.
3. You may do some research on the cultural aspects of the new country such as the history, customs, and religious beliefs, rather than on what to see and where to go, so you may get prepared for a culture that is different from yours. Studying the language is also a great way to help bridge the gap between the cultures. 4.
A local club provides the perfect environment to get to know people who have a similar focus, so join one so that you can meet some locals and develop new friendships. 5. There are other travelers who have the same experiences in a foreign country. Talk with them, sharing feelings, tips and insight.
A.They may lose appetite and have sleep problems.
B.Still, the most important change is communication.
C.They make a lot of effort to get used to the new surroundings.
D.The more of it is understood, the more of the new culture can be understood.
E.Learning about your future destination is a great way to get over culture shock.
F.Plus, remember that you aren’t alone in your struggle to adjust in a new country.
G.Actually, staying in a foreign country helps you to know more of the new culture.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
When I was little, I showed great interest in the TV show Bob the Builder. I was _________ by how Bob helped people by designing and constructing everything they needed. It was all I would _________.
However, as I got a little older and understood the show more, I _________ that Bob wasn’t actually that good at fixing things, _________ Wendy, Bob’s co-worker, was always the one to fix his _________. Bob would be nothing without her wisdom and talents. I sensed an _________: Why was Bob getting all the credit? Why didn’t Wendy have her own _________? I really admired Wendy and decided I would _________ anything it took to be like her when I grew up.
Now, I’m a senior in high school taking three science _________, including engineering. Not much has ____________— I still have a strong desire to be like Wendy. The best part of Wendy’s ____________ is that she meets and talks to the people she is working for. She builds ____________ and produces a positive effect on the lives of those she is helping. My interest in ____________ others led to my decision to study engineering, which ____________ my love of math and science with my love of helping and working with others.
Recently, I was talking to my parents about my childhood and they ____________ Bob the Builder. I thought that I should give Bob a ____________ chance to win back my heart, so I watched an episode（集）. I admit Bob might be a little ____________ than I remembered, but I stand by my opinion that Wendy ____________ significantly more credit. I will always think of her as the ____________ of Bob the Builder. She has made me feel more than ____________ to be a female on a construction site of males.
1.A.amused B.shocked C.attracted D.relaxed
2.A.watch B.buy C.receive D.read
3.A.agreed B.declared C.suggested D.realized
4.A.though B.while C.unless D.once
5.A.attention B.mistakes C.manners D.fears
6.A.appeal B.enquiry C.injustice D.excuse
7.A.show B.role C.speech D.business
8.A.record B.attach C.offer D.do
9.A.performances B.departments C.sections D.courses
10.A.changed B.improved C.occurred D.remained
11.A.idea B.aim C.job D.game
12.A.leadership B.relationships C.theories D.strength
13.A.helping B.observing C.teaching D.saving
14.A.identifies B.separates C.compares D.combines
15.A.carried out B.referred to C.held on D.looked up
16.A.true B.last C.second D.different
17.A.nicer B.busier C.older D.happier
18.A.requests B.deserves C.obtains D.prefers
19.A.character B.director C.guide D.star
20.A.modest B.careful C.ready D.curious
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Whales have been facing serious danger for a long time.
First, due 1. the greenhouse effect, glaciers are melting, and some living creatures in the Antarctic and the Arctic 2. (be) on the edge of extinction. With global warming, life in other parts of the ocean has also been seriously affected, whales 3. (include).
Secondly, whaling activity is another killer. Historically, whaling has been popular in some overseas countries, such as England, Japan and Norway. On the one hand, some people’s desire for money can’t 4. (meet) easily, and they regard whales as a money-making machine. A kilogram of whale meat can fetch about $100 in Japan. On 5. other hand, advanced technology has increased the efficiency of whaling and 6. (great) reduced the number of whales. What’s more, some countries are still on whaling in the name of science, 7. (seem) curious about this creature.
The fact 8. whales are on the edge of extinction is alarming us. Some 9. (organize) have begun working hard to save them. The international community has made a strategy against commercial whaling. In my opinion, governments should also make tough laws 10. (protect) whales.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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。
Ten years ago, I had an idea of extracting（提炼）preciously metals from used batteries. I was eager for the support of my father. A few years late, my father agreed with me. He decided offer me some funds to set up the company. In order to run the company well, I got on the fight down to Switzerland, on where I studied advanced production technology and management styles for three month. In my view, that was entirely likely for the company to achieve an annual profit approaching $3 million. With my hard work, I do achieve my aim. When asking why I had chosen the project, I said, “Recycling used batteries can save resources, protect the environment or benefit future generations.”
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，你校国际部打算举办“教外国学生下中国象棋（Chinese chess）”的活动，现正在招募志愿者。你有意向成为志愿者，请你用英语写一封申请信，内容包括：
1. 写信目的；
2. 你的优势；
3. 期待同意申请。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Sir/Madam,
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your,
Li Hua
难度: 困难查看答案及解析