YOU probably think you know about London’s problems. The people are unfriendly, it’s way too expensive, and the food is terrible - so why do so many tourists flock (蜂拥) there?
London was named the world’s most popular city between July and September 2013. It edged out other world-famous cities such as New York and Paris, welcoming 4.9 million visitors, according to the UK Office for National Statistics.
Amazingly, this was an increase of almost 19.5 percent on 2012 - the year when the Olympics happened in summer.
So can London’s success be explained? Well, maybe. As the English writer Samuel Johnson once said, “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”. London life is often crazy and expensive, but if you can think of something, you can probably do it there.
Anywhere in the city, you can often look around a great museum such as the British Museum, watch a concert at a historic venue (场所) like the Royal Albert Hall, or dance the night away in a cool nightclub such as Fabric.
And it’s not just about culture – there are also world-famous sporting venues around the city. Many tourists like to watch soccer matches at stadiums such as Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, or Tottenham’s White Hart Lane. Tourists even came to watch British tennis player Andy Murray’s famous victory at the Wimbledon tennis tournament (锦标赛) in 2013.
Yes, but what about the food? Well, even if you don’t like British food – and if you’ve never had real fish and chips, or a summer pudding, then perhaps you should wait until you’ve tried them – there is plenty of great food from all over the world available in London’s many restaurants.
London, like many of its buildings, has a long history, but also never lacks a vibrant pulse (充满活力的脉搏). All over the city, history and modernity come together to make it an essential place for tourists to discover.
1. What is the author’s main purpose in writing the article?
A. To show the effects of the 2012 London Olympics.
B. To analyze why London appeals to tourists.
C. To compare London with other world-famous cities.
D. To talk about common problems in London.
2. The underlined phrase “edged out” in the second paragraph probably means ______.
A. took the lead of
B. had a lot in common with
C. followed the example of
D. became more popular than
3. In Samuel Johnson’s eyes, life in London is probably ______.
A. relaxed B. boring
C. colorful D. challenging
4. According to the article, London is attracting many visitors from across the world, mainly because ______.
a. it is a city rich in culture and attractions
b. most local people are friendly
c. the sporting venues around the city are worthy of a visit
d. British food enjoys a good reputation among visitors
e. the city has a combination of history and modernity
A. abc B.ace C. bcd D. bde
The Hunan Satellite TV(HNTV) show “Where are we going, Dad?” is a big hit. Many famous stars brought their children to a strange village alone, and they had to spend 72 hours with their children there. The program fully showed us a modern version of the “how to be a good father”. As the young parents today are too busy to take care of their children, this new form of “Lost on the way” played by nanny Daddy and cute kids triggered（触发）a lot of people’s emotional resonance（共鸣）. Both the kids and their parents will find that their hearts are being drawn closer. But this kind of feeling has just proved that there is a big spiritual barrier between the modern parents and children.
The TV shows like “Children are hard to support!”, “Where are we going, Dad?”, “hot mom” and “cute kids” are becoming more and more popular. All of these show the new parents’ confusion in children’s education and the appeal for the balance between career and family.
In real life, on the one hand the young parents feel helpless because they are too busy to accompany their children under the pressures of work and life; on the other hand they continue to do so. The data collected by HNTV shows that nearly two-thirds of their audience are female, among whom 36% are aged from 25 to 34.We can imagine such a scene that one evening a young mother is watching the show with her young children, while her husband is still at work or trapped in socializing, or maybe is just playing computer games in the bedroom. The story of a child without the company of father is still going on. In fact, it is sometimes the same to mothers. In a modern family, it is often the old who take the responsibility of raising a child. The participation of mother in the children’s education is also very low.
It is just this kind of confusion where the parents have gone in the modern family education, and where the parents will guide their children to go that “Where are we going，Dad?” shows us. If a child wants to grow up healthily and safely into a modern citizen with independent personality and free spirit, it is very important for him or her to follow the parents who serve as their first teacher. Maybe this is the real reason why such kind of TV programs could get hot. The truth is that children will go where their parents go; and society will go where the children go.
1. In raising a child in modern society, parents should ________.
A. break down the barrier between children and teachers
B. keep their children at home to avoid socializing
C. play computer games with their children
D.balance well between family and career
2. Which of the following can be inferred in the passage?
A.In a modern family it is often mothers who are responsible for raising a child.
B. Parents shouldn’t entirely leave the education of children to the old.
C. The program shows us the confusion where the parents and children will go to play.
D. 36% of the audience of the program are female aged from 25-34.
3. Which one is the best title of the passage?
A. New problems in Modern Children’s Education
B. Confusion Behind “Where are we going, dad?”
C. Nanny Daddy and Cute Kids
D. Modern Education is Important
4. What attitude towards modern family education does the author express in the second paragraph?
A. Worried. B.Optimistic.
C. Indifferent. D. Proud.
After ruling the tennis world for almost five years, Roger Federer is adjusting to life at NO.2. But, like any king whose throne(王冠) has been taken away, the Swiss star is already planning secretly his return to power, beginning at this week’s US Open.
The problem is, many experts think he will never do it. They blame everything from age and tough competition to his racket（球拍）and psychology.
For years Federer, 27, had enjoyed the view from the top. Competitors saw him as undefeated, and for the most part he was. However, before the 2008 season began, Federer had an illness that stole his strength and clearly affected his play on the court. Ever since, he has struggled to return to form, winning just two of his last 14 tournaments.
“Twenty-seven is an age when your body starts talking back to you.” tennis great John McEnroe told the New York Times.
Pancho Sefura, another tennis great, noted that Federer is also facing a maturing crop of young talents. “There are too many great players now,” he said, naming Britain’s Andy Murray, 21, and Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, 20.
US magazine Sports illustrated tennis columnist Jon Wertheim suggested that part of Federer’s problem could be his insistence on using a small racket. He says that the smaller head demands ball control. But we see time and again that racket makers try to get players to use a certain stick — one they would like to market to consumers and it has a negative effect on the professional game.
Sports psychologist Jim Loehr told the Times that Federer is probably feeling “a sense of doubt” after being considered as undefeated for so long. If Federer is to recover his state of being undefeated, Loehr said he must overcome his doubt. “Federer doesn’t need fame and money. But he has to get better. He has to go to a whole new level. That’s the only way he stays in the game,” he said.
As for beginning his first Grand Slam in ages as the NO.2 seed, Federer said it might be for the best. “Five years almost, I was expected to win every tournament I entered,” he said, “so maybe Rafael Nadal now feels what I had to feel for a very long time. It will be interesting to see how he handles it.”
1.What does the underlined sentence “your body starts talking back to you” in Para.4 mean?
A. Your strength is beginning to decline.
B. Your body often argues with you.
C. You are more easily to have quite terrible diseases.
D. You can do whatever you want.
2.From the passage, we know the main reason why Federer’s throne was taken away is that _____.
A. he is facing a maturing crop of young talents.
B. he insisted on using a small racket.
C. he had an illness that stole his strength.
D. he is becoming older and older.
3.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. the racket makers aim at the players’better performance in games.
B.It is impossible for Federer to return to power.
C.Federer has never won a Grand Slam before.
D. Now it is Nadal who has replaced Federer as the No.1 tennis player.
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A. Federer Hopes to Recover His Magic
B. Federer — Always Undefeated
C. Nadal — The No.1 Tennis Player
D. State of Mind Plays an Important Role
Maybe it is true that we do not know what we have got until we lose it, but it is also true that we do not know what we have been missing until it arrives．
It takes an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone．Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back．Do not expect love in return; but if it does not, be content it has grown in yours．Do not rely on one’s appearance; it can trick you．Do not rely on wealth; even that fades away．Rely on someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright．
There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them．Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do．
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past．You cannot go on well in life until you let your past failures and heartaches go off．May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trails to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy．The happiest of people do not necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way．Happiness waits for those who cry, those appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives．Always put yourself in others’ shoes．If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too．
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling．Live your life so that when you die, you are the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying．
1.In this passage, the writer wants to tell us ______．
A．where to go with other persons
B．how to treat our life
C．how to get on well with other persons
D．what to do in our life
2.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A．If it takes you a short time to love someone, you will easily forget the person．
B．If you give someone your love, you are sure to receive love in return．
C．It is wise not to rely on anybody because you are likely to be deceived．
D．We often don’t know what we have lost until it comes someday．
3.If you put yourself in another person’s position, ______．
A．you should depend on your imagination
B．you should put on other people’s shoes
C．you shouldn’t do what will hurt other people
D．you should believe in other people
4.In the last paragraph the writer is actually telling us that a person in the world should be one who ______．
A．has made a lot of money for himself before he dies
B．can live happily and forget the past
C．does good for other people and is respected and loved by them
D．can accept the suggestions made by others
Cafe Hub
Next to the Castle lies The Hub, home of the Edinburgh International Festival and one of the most talked about spots in town. Our cafe is open every day for mouth-watering lunches, snacks and fine dining. Come in and enjoy the atmosphere of The Hub or watch the world go by from our beautiful terrace.
The Hub, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh. Open every day from 9:30 a.m. till late.
Tel: 0131 473 2067 www.thehub-edinburgh. com
Farm World
Enjoy being "A Farmer for a Day". Join in delivering and feeding our spring babies -- bottle feeding sessions twice daily. Fun for all family. Horse Rides, BMX Bikes Cross Country Course, Tractor Ride through 600 acres, New Adventure Playground, Nature Trails. Full details on website.
Open: May—Oct Wednesdays to Saturdays and daily during school holidays 11 a. m.--5 p. m.
Tel: 01797 260256/260321 www. farmworld-rye, co. uk
Enter the Europe-wide student competition!
Are you curious, creative and energetic? Are you interested in the new media? Are you between 12 and 19 years of age? Then Join Multimedia 2006 is for you!
Your challenge will be to build a team and develop a multimedia presentation in English -- based on one of three different topics. You can register(报名) between May I and June 15, 2006 and will bare to turn in your entry before September 15, 2006.
The rewards are wonderful: ￡150,000 in prize for schools and teams and the chance to attend a European student camp -- plus new experiences, an opportunity to make friends throughout Europe!
For further information and registration forms go to: www. siemens, com/join _ multimedia.
1. You' 11 have to register first if you want ________.
A. to enter the Europe-wide student competition
B. to try Tractor Ride through 600 acres
C. to enjoy delicious food
D. to watch the world go by from the beautiful terrace
2. According to the passage, there will be _______ rewards for the Europe-wide student competition.
A. three B. only one C. two D. four
3. You can visit Farm World________.
A. at 2 p.m. at Christmas
B. at 10:30 a.m. during school holidays
C. on Monday in May
D. any day in October
4. From the advertisements above, we can learn that ________
A. families can enjoy Horse Rides on New Adventure Playground
B. the Europe-wide student competition will be held on June 15, 2006
C. Farm World provides lunches, snacks and fine dining
D. Cafe Hub is a popular place in the local area
As a general rule, all forms of activity lead to boredom when they are performed on a routine(常规)basis. As a matter of fact, we can see this at work in people of all . For example, on Christmas morning, children are excited about with their new toys. But their soon wears off and by January those toys can be found put away in the basement. The world is full of stamp albums and unfinished models, each standing as a monument to someone’s interest. When parents bring home a pet, their child bathes it and brushes its fur. Within a short time, however, the of caring for the animal is handed over to the parents. Adolescents enter high school with great but are soon looking forward to . The same is true of the young adults going to college. And then, how many , who now complain (抱怨) about the long drives to work, drove for hours at a time when they first their driver’s license (执照)? Before people retire, they usually to do a lot of things, which they never had to do while working. But after retirement , the golfing, the fishing, the reading and all of the other pastimes become as boring as the jobs they . And , like the child in January, they go searching for new .
1.A.weaker B. habit C. principle D. power
2.A. ages B. races C. countries D. parties
3.A. working B.playing C. living D. going
4.A. confidence B.sorrow C. anxiety D. interest
5.A. same B. extra C. funny D. expensive
6.A. well-organized B.half-filled C. newly-collected D.colorfully-printed
7.A. broad B.different C. passing D. main
8.A. silently B. impatiently C.worriedly D. gladly
9.A. promise B. burden C. right D. game
10.A. excitement B. calmness C. confusion D.courage
11.A. graduation B. independence C. responsibility D. success
12.A. children B. students C. adults D. retirees
13.A. carefully B. bravely C. nervously D. eagerly
14.A. required B. obtained C. noticed D. discovered
15.A. need B. learn C. plan D. start
16.A. great B. strong C. difficult D. correct
17.A.knowledge B. money C. skills D. time
18.A. only B. well C.soon D. even
19.A. lost B. chose C.quit D. left
20.A. pets B. toys C. friends D. Colleagues
