Deliberately making a road icy sounds like a method for disaster, but in 16th-century China it helped things run smoothly. Repairs to the Forbidden City in Beijing in 1557 called for huge stones from a quarry(采石场) more than 70 km away. The biggest was the 300-ton “Large Stone Carving.” Such stones were too heavy for any cart, and too fragile for rollers. The builders adopted a wise alternative approach to carry the heavy stone.

They dug a series of wells, spaced a few hundred metres apart, along the route to the quarry. Then, in the depth of winter, when temperatures reached around -4℃, buckets of water were poured on to the dirt track, transforming it into an ice road.

The stone blocks were pushed along the road on wooden sledges (雪橇). Modern engineers have calculated that it would take 1,500 workers to drag a sledge on the dirt road, but only 300 on ice. Ancient tests suggested the ice was made slippery with more water; this reduced the friction further and just 50 men could pull a sledge. This technique only works when the temperature is also close to zero, otherwise the film of water freezes too quickly.

The researchers at Princeton University estimated that the blocks could be moved at six metres a minute, and the journey could be completed in 28 days. This would be well before the spring when the ice would melt.

It was once suggested that similar ice-sledges transported Stonehenge stones, but the ground that had a lot of holes and comparatively mild conditions probably rule this out.

1.Why did people dig some wells along the road to the quarry?

A. They wanted to build frozen roads.

B. They wanted to break up large stones.

C. They wanted to make the dirty track clean.

D. They wanted to get a lot of holes on the road.

2.What did people do to reduce the friction?

A. They made stone blocks much smaller.

B. They poured more water on the ice road.

C. They waited until the temperature was very low.

D. They asked more than 1,500 workers to clean the dirty road.

3.How did the researchers at Princeton University think of Stonehenge stones?

A. They were not likely to be carried on the icy road.

B. They had a longer history than stones in Beijing.

C. They were carried for over twenty-eight days.

D. They were broken up in the depth of winter.

4.What does the author intend to tell us in the text?

A. Making a road slippery on purpose may be bad idea.

B. The mild weather helped to carry Stonehenge stones.

C. Stonehenge stones were too heavy to carry.

D. Ancient Chinese transported huge stones wisely.

When Columbus ‘sailed the ocean blue in 1492’ wasn’t looking for America, he was searching for a route from Spain to China; America just got in the way.

The Spanish were after the riches of Asia: silk, dates, spices. Until later adventures discovered how to sail to the Far East, trade with China depended on the Silk Road. The trade between China and Europe brought huge wealth, so the Spanish had a strong desire to find a new way to the East. Eventually a way appeared; as sea traffic developed from the 17th Century onwards, the overland route diminished.

Now China is seeking to revive(复兴) the Silk Road and is preparing to invest 4 trillion pounds in new road, rail links, oil pipelines and other basic facilities. It is hoped that goods can be shipped westwards by land far more quickly and economically than by sea.

But the plan is also to attract more tourists. Actually, China does pretty well for tourists already; it’s the world’s fourth most visited country. Two cities — Beijing and Shanghai — possess the tourism business, with significant interest in destinations such as Xi’an and Chengdu. While Beijing is modern, cities such as Lanzhou and Dunhuang have one foot planted firmly in old China.

Other places featured include Xi’an, the former capital of China, where you can come face to face with the Terracotta Army built to protect China’s first emperor in the afterlife. From Lanzhou tour members take the train to Jiayuguan, China’s western gateway and a key location on the Silk Road.

There is also a four-day coach journey along the original Silk Route through the Xinjiang region to Kashgar. Along the way, at Kurla, you can visit the ruins of the Iron Fortress.

1.What does the underlined word “diminished” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. Discovered. B. Disappeared. C. Disturbed. D. Displayed.

2.What is the purpose of reviving the Silk Road?

A. To rebuild the ruins of the Iron Fortress.

B. To construct new roads and other basic structures.

C. To make transportation westwards faster and cheaper.

D. To draw more inland tourists’ attention to the western gateway.

3.What can we learn about the Silk Road?

A. It is nothing but a trade route.

B. It may destroy some cities’ ancient style.

C. It attracts foreign investment of ? 4 trillion.

D. It promotes the tourism industry of China.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A. The Charming of the Silk Road B. The function of the Silk Road

C. The origin of the Silk Road D. The future of the Silk Road

Most teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. But many teens have trouble sleeping. Lack of sleep can affect sports performance, increase our chances of getting sick, and may be linked to weight gain in some people. How can we get sleep we need? Here are some ideas:

●1. You’ve probably noticed how much running around kids do — and how soundly they sleep. Take a tip from a little child and get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. Physical activity can decrease stress and help people feel more relaxed. Just don’t work out too close to bedtime because exercise can wake you up.

●Avoid alcohol and drugs. Lots of people think that alcohol or drugs will make them relaxed, but that’s not the case. Drugs and alcohol disturb sleep. 2.

●Say goodnight to electronics. 3. You’d better make your bedroom a tech-free zone, at least shut everything down an hour or more before lights out.

●Keep a sleep routine. Going to bed at the same time every night helps sleep. 4. So you can relax by reading, listening to music or spending time with a pet.

●Expect a good night’s sleep. 5. Say, “Tonight, I will sleep well” several times during the day. It can also help to practice breathing exercises or gentle yoga poses before bed.

A. Be active during the day.

B. Do some extreme sports.

C. Either of them will make a person wake up at night.

D. Expert recommend using the bedroom for sleep only.

E. Creating a set bedtime procedure can improve this relaxation effect.

F. Instead of worrying that you won’t sleep, remind yourself that you can.

G. You can consult a doctor who will give you suggestions on how to sleep well.

Make Good Memories

My husband Bill’s Grandma was in a nursing home when we moved back to Michigan. Grandma had been unable to walk for quite some time; now her eye sight was almost gone.

Over the years Grandma and I had _________many cards and letters. I knew how she enjoyed _________ in touch with people. Grandma would have me write letters to go in the cards she would send. And she would always have me _______ what I had written back to her. Grandma didn’t have a problem with hearing then _______ she was always telling me, “That is not _________ how I said that!” I would then rewrite whatever I wrote in her exact words.

Since I had some _______ time before Christmas, I asked Grandma if she would like to send _______ some Christmas cards. Grandma readily _______. I rounded up several different kinds of cards. I knew she had friends and family who all had different _______. I would take each card and ________ in detail the front of the card, then I would read the words inside. After ________ it over Grandma would tell me who she thought would like ________ card.

After a while I ________ and I noticed that we had several nursing home ________ standing in the doorway. I started to noticed as I read each card, the ________ on their faces and Grandma’s face, too. Each one had a ________smile and a far-away look in their eyes, as they were seeing the scenes in their mind’s eye.

I thought when I went over to do the Christmas ________ I would be doing Grandma a favor, but it __________ that she did me a big favor. I will always __________ this special memory of bringing some Christmas joy and pleasant ________ to Grandma and her fellow residents.

1.A. exchange B. changed C. traded D. switched

2.A. settling B. losing C. staying D. getting

3.A. write B. discover C. translate D. read

4.A. when B. because C. while D. though

5.A. carefully B. truthfully C. specially D. exactly

6.A. extra B. flying C. essential D. valuable

7.A. for B. up C. out D. away

8.A. acknowledged B. agreed C. admitted D. rejected

9.A. addresses B. advantages C. occupations D. interests

10.A. describe B. communicate C. distinguish D. ignore

11.A. talking B. turning C. taking D. thinking

12.A. another B. each C. one D. other

13.A. looked down B. looked over C. looked up D. looked though

14.A. immigrants B. visitors C. patients D. residents

15.A. attention B. look C. glance D. sight

16.A. gentle B. rough C. forced D. whispered

17.A. trees B. jobs C. decorations D. cards

18.A. turned over B. turned out C. came out D. left out

19.A. treasure B. admire C. encourage D. recognize

20.A. stories B. faces C. memories D. letters

Tayeb is studying literature at Beijing Language and Culture University.” 1. (celebrate) the Spring Festival in China makes me love China even more,” she said.

On Tuesday, Tayeb’s university organized an event 2. foreign students could try their hands at making dumplings, a traditional food 3. (eat) during the festival. Tayeb said she liked this aspect of the festival most.

4.dumplings, Chinese New Year is also a time for temple fairs, red lanterns, paper-cuts, blessings of good fortune and ancestor worship.

Bayomy, 5. Egyptian student at the same university, said she 6. (plan) to visit a temple fair in Chaoyang Park on Sunday. She was 7.(deep) impressed with the Spring Festival in 2014. She remembered how her classmate’s father left out plates of food for their families’ ancestors.

Like Chinese, many foreigners put couplets (对联), Chinese characters wishing for good fortune on their front doors.

Marie, a British 8. (translate) in Beijing, 9. (send) a couplet by her Chinese friend on Thursday. She stuck them on the floor of her apartment, took a photo of herself standing in front of it, and shared it with her parents in Britain.” “These couplets are an 10. (express) of hope for the future and contain the Chinese spirit of ‘harmony’, ”said Marie.

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（Λ），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词斜线（\）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划线一横线，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。

My new friend Tom is good at English writing. One day. I asked him how he did such well in written English. He told me that he has a habit of keep a diary every day. “You can try them, too. I’m sure you will improve your written English quickly in this way.” He said. I thought Tom was right, but I decided to follow his advices. I started to write down something interested every day. Sometimes when I didn’t know how to spell a word, I would look it up in a dictionary. When I didn’t know how to write a sentence correct, I would ask my teacher for the help. My written English has really improved a lot because that.

假定你是李华，你的语文老师Mr.Li受邀于三月初去英国一所学校进行交流。他将做关于中国传统文化的报告，并与英国学生互动（interact）。他请你用英语给对方负责人Ms. Jenkins写一封邮件，希望提前安排好。

注意：1.词数100左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Ms. Jenkins.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Yours faithfully,

Li Hua

Bark
Cover Price: $19.80      Price: $15.00($2.50 / issue (期) )
You save: $4.80 (24%)    Review: By Pat Kane
I extremely love Bark magazine! I love the “smiling” pages and the tips on every topics. I am a dog lover and have saved all of my dogs from either death or from people who were going to put them down. Everyone should have a chance to live and Bark stresses that with its articles. This magazine is a MUST HAVE for any dog lover!!
Dog Fancy
Cover Price: $54.00       Price: $14.99 ($1.25 / issue)
You save: $39.01 (72%)    Review: By Berner Mom
Don't waste your money on this magazine. 60-70 percent of it are advertisements, and the articles offer little useful information. It might be suitable for children, but not adults who are serious about educating themselves about dogs.
Dog World
Cover Price: $48.88       Price: $14.99 ($1.25 / issue)
You save: $33.89 (69%)    Review: By one critic
Dog World has many very interesting articles for people involved in dog showing, breeding(饲养)etc. However, over half of the magazine are ads, which is boring. Still, I recommend(推荐) it for the good articles.

Modern Dog
Cover Price: $45.00       Price: $15.00 ($3.75 / issue)
You save: $30.00 (24%)    Review: By Dinah
My new favorite magazine! Beautiful photos, smart and amusing articles, fashion, art, interviews with famous people… All about dogs！Thanks to Modern Dog I now know how to give a dog-friendly party and how to actually get my dog to come when she was called. Surely worth reading.

1.Which of the following magazines saves the most money?

A. Bark.

B. Dog Fancy.

C. Dog World.

D. Modern Dog.

2.Dog world is recommended for its _________.

A. wonderful articles

B. fashionable cover

C. low price

D. good paper quality

3.According to the text, Modern Dog ________.

A. has lovely dog pictures on the cover

B. is interesting but not helpful

C. has some photos but no articles

D. has interviews with famous people

4.The purpose of the text is to introduce _________

A. some cheap magazines

B. different magazines for different readers

C. some magazines about dogs

D. information on raising dogs

The koala(考拉) is possibly one of the best known Australian animals, and is found in four states: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

The word “koala” comes from an Australian word meaning “no drink”. Sometimes people call them “koala bears” but koala is not a bear. It belongs to a special group of Australian mammals, called marsupial(有袋类). Female marsupials have a pouch where the baby animals live after they are born.

Koalas have soft, thick, gray or brown fur on their backs. The fur on the stomach is white. The Koala in the south have thicker fur than those in the north because of the cold winters. However, the koalas in the northern part live in warm to hot weather most of the year, so they have thinner fur.A koala has a large nose and round ears. Koalas don’t have tails. Adult koalas weigh between 7kg and 14 kg.

Koalas spend nearly all their time in the trees. They sleep most of the day, but feed and move from tree to tree mainly at night.The reason koala sleep for much of the day is because their food, eucalyptus(桉树) leaves, are so hard that they need a lot of energy(能量;精力)to digest. Sleeping saves energy.

Each koala has a home made up of several trees that they visit regularly. They normally do not visit another koala’s home trees except that a male is looking for a female to mate with.

1.Which of the following statements is NOT true about the name “koala bear”?

A. The name was given by the native in Australia

B. The word “koala” is an English word

C. The name describes one of its living habits

D. The name is partly wrong.

2.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “pouch”？

A. House B. Cave C. Bag D. Nest

3.. Why do the koalas live in the south have thicker fur than those in the north?

A. The thick fur can protect them from the colder weather

B. It’s always hot in summer in the north

C. It’s always cold in the winter in the south

D. They have to move to the north in the winter

4.Why do koalas sleep much in the day?

A. Their foods are poisonous

B. Their food needs too much energy.

C. They want to save energy for the activities at night

D. They can’t get enough water from their leaves

Just like rice and Noodles are different from bread, snacks in China are a world apart from those in the UK and the US. For one thing, I never imagined that sunflower seeds(葵花籽) would be so popular here. I found people having them while waiting for tables outside restaurants, before dinner and, of course, while watching TV. I also saw that a plate of sunflower seeds is always on tables during the Spring Festival holidays.

I had seldom tried sunflower seeds when I came to China. In the UK, young people love their snacks. In fact, young people in Britain eat more snacks than people of the same age in other European countries. A recent Survey has discovered that 64% of under 20-year-olds snack between meals, according to an article on a British website. In comparison(对比), 58.7% of young people snack in Germany, 53% in France, and only 40.7% in Spain.

In Britain, we always looked forward to our favorite potato chips and chocolate bars after school. In U.S. One of things that I found the most wonderful when I first visited the US was the number of snacks in their supermarkets; I was surprised to find huge shelves just for snacks were bigger than some stores in the UK. Snack tastes in the US are much the same as in the UK.

All in all, it’s probably best for your health if you like sunflower seeds rather than potato chips and chocolate. But eating these delicious snacks sometimes couldn’t be wrong, could it?

1.What is the article mainly about?

A. The most popular snack in China.

B. Snacks in the UK and the US.

C. Snacks young Western people like.

D. Some tips for choosing snacks in the UK.

2.According to the British Council, snacks are most popular among young people in_______.

A. Britain B. Germany C. France D. Spain

3.What surprised the author when he went to supermarkets in the US?

A. How the snacks tasted.

B. The size of the snacks’ packages.

C. The lack of choice when it came to snacks.

D. The large number of snacks.

4.What does the author think of potato chips and chocolate?

A. They don’t taste as good as sunflower seeds.

B. They are unhealthy, so people should stop eating them.

C. It’s better eat them with sandwiches and fruit.

D. It’s fine to enjoy them sometimes although they are unhealthy.