阅读理解The now extinct passenger pigeon has the dubious honor of being the last species anyone ever expected to disappear. At one point, there were more passenger pigeons than any other species of bird. Rough【C1】________of their population went as high as five billion and they accounted for around 40 percent of the total indigenous bird population of North America in the early 19th century. Despite their huge population, passenger pigeons were【C2】________to human intrusion into their nesting territory. Their nests were shabby things and two weeks after the eggs【C3】________. the parent pigeons would abandon their offspring, leaving them to take care of themselves. People discovered that these baby pigeons were really tasty, and the adult birds were also quite【C4】________. First the Native Americans and then the transplanted Europeans came to consider the birds a great【C5】________. By the 1850s, commercial trapping of passenger pigeons was proceeding at an【C6】________pace. Hundreds of thousands of the birds were being harvested every day to be made into popular pigeon pies. In addition, large【C7】________of the pigeons’ nesting territory were being cleared away for planting crops and creating pasture land. As numerous as the passenger pigeons were, they were not an【C8】________resource. By the 1880s, it was noticed that the bird population had become seriously【C9】________. The last passenger pigeons killed in the wild were shot in 1899. Eventually those billions and billions of birds shrank to a single remaining【C10】________. a passenger pigeon named Martha, who died on September 1, 1914, in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo. In addition to being the end of an era, it was also the first time humans were able to exactly time the extinction of a species. A) vulnerable F) refuge K) excerpts B) unprecedented G) plazas L) estimates C) tracts H) infinite M) edible D) specimen I) hatched N) depleted E) robust J) expired O) delicacy

阅读理解Humans are fascinated by the source of their failings and virtues. This preoccupation inevitably leads to an old debate: whether nature or nurture moulds us more. A revolution in genetics has poised this as a modern political question about the character of our society: if personalities are hard-wired into our genes, what can governments do to help us? It feels morally questionable, yet claims of genetic selection by intelligence are making headlines. This is down to "hereditarian" (遗传论的) science and a recent paper claimed "differences in exam performance between pupils attending selective and non-selective schools mirror the genetic differences between them". With such an assertion, the work was predictably greeted by a lot of absurd claims about "genetics determining academic success". What the research revealed was the rather less surprising result: the educational benefits of selective schools largely disappear once pupils’ inborn ability and socio-economic background were taken into account. It is a glimpse of the blindingly obvious—and there’s nothing to back strongly either a hereditary or environmental argument. Yet the paper does say children are "unintentionally genetically selected" by the school system. Central to hereditarian science is a tall claim: that identifiable variations in genetic sequences can predict an individual’s aptness to learn, reason and solve problems. This is problematic on many levels. A teacher could not seriously tell a parent their child has a low genetic tendency to study when external factors clearly exist. Unlike-minded academics say the inheritability of human traits is scientifically unsound. At best there is a weak statistical association and not a causal link between DNA and intelligence. Yet sophisticated statistics are used to create an intimidatory atmosphere of scientific certainty. While there’s an undoubted genetic basis to individual difference, it is wrong to think that socially defined groups can be genetically accounted for. The fixation on genes as destiny is surely false too. Medical predictability can rarely be based on DNA alone; the environment matters too. Something as complex as intellect is likely to be affected by many factors beyond genes. If hereditarians want to advance their cause it will require more balanced interpretation and not just acts of advocacy. Genetic selection is a way of exerting influence over others, "the ultimate collective control of human destinies," as writer H. G. Wells put it. Knowledge becomes power and power requires a sense of responsibility. In understanding cognitive ability, we must not elevate discrimination to a science; allowing people to climb the ladder of life only as far as their cells might suggest. This will need a more sceptical eye on the science. As technology progresses, we all have a duty to make sure that we shape a future that we would want to find ourselves in.

阅读理解Thinking kind thoughts about yourself and your loved ones can prove beneficial for your overall wellbeing, empirical evidence has shown. Researchers carried out an investigation to explore the【C1】________between having kind thoughts and a person’s psychological state. For the study, five groups of participants were presented with a different set of audio instructions, some of which encouraged the participants to think【C2】________about themselves and others which persuaded them to think in a self-critical manner. After listening to the audio instructions, the participants were asked to answer a series of questions. These included whether they felt agitated, how likely they were to show kindness to themselves and how【C3】________they felt to other individuals. The participants who were instructed to think kindly about themselves were more likely to exhibit a bodily response associated with being relaxed and feeling safe. Their heart rates also dropped, which is a healthy sign of a heart that can respond flexibly to situations. Yet,【C4】________, those who listened to the critical audio clips were noted as having a higher heart rate and sweat response afterwards, both of which【C5】________feelings of threat and distress. Having the ability to switch off the body’s natural threat response can【C6】________a person’s immune system. This, in turn, gives them a greater likelihood of recovering quickly from illness. These findings help us to further understand some of our clinical trials research findings, where we show that individuals with【C7】________depression benefit particularly from self-awareness-based【C8】________therapy. They essentially learn to become more sympathetic to themselves. The sense is that for people【C9】________to depression, meeting their negative thoughts and feelings with【C10】________is a radically different way; that these thoughts are not facts. It introduces a different way of being and knowing that is quite transformative for many people. A) adversely I) indignantly B) amiably J) insulation C) boost K) lavish D) cognitive L) prone E) compassion M) recurrent F) connected N) signify G) correlation O) surpass H) fascinated

阅读理解I’m always baffled when I walk into a pharmacy and see shelves bursting with various vitamins, extracts and other supplements, all promising to accelerate or promote weight loss. Aisles of marketing genius belie (掩饰) the fact that, 【C1】 ________ weight loss is dictated by the laws of arithmetic. Economist Jessica Irvine wrote a book about how she used math to help her lose more than 18 kilograms. If calories taken in are less than calories 【C2】 ________ , weight shall be lost, and so it is with money. Despite the 【C3】 ________ of financial products, services and solutions geared towards accumulating wealth, if all begins with the same 【C4】 ________ : getting ahead financially requires a reduction of spending, so that income is greater than expenses. I was reminded of this again recently listening to an interview with Nicole Haddow, the author of Smashed Avocado, explaining how she cracked the property market at 31. It was quite a 【C5】 ________ , given where she had been two years earlier. Nicole didn’t celebrate her 30th birthday as she had 【C6】 ________ . She was sobbing at the dinner table with her parents, with whom she had just moved back in. She had no stable income, $ 12,000 in credit-card debt and no plan, but to her 【C7】 ________ , her father, an accountant, told her that her financial 【C8】 ________ wasn’t as bad as she thought. He said, on her income, with some changes, she would be able to buy an investment unit within two years, which she did. Nicole admitted she was fortunate, as she was able to live with her parents and 【C9】 ________ her spending— and life—to get herself on track financially. Creating a gap between her income and spending required a paradigm shift and 【C10】 ________ sacrifice and commitment, but by going into financial lockdown, Nicole gained financial independence. A) abundance F) expended K) permanently B) astonishment G) feat L) plight C) entailed H) fiscally M) prosper D) envisaged I) impetus N) shatter E) equation J) overhaul O) ultimately

阅读理解Humans are fascinated by the source of their failings and virtues. This preoccupation inevitably leads to an old debate: whether nature or nurture moulds us more. A revolution in genetics has poised this as a modern political question about the character of our society: if personalities are hard-wired into our genes, what can governments do to help us? It feels morally questionable, yet claims of genetic selection by intelligence are making headlines. This is down to "hereditarian" (遗传论的) science and a recent paper claimed "differences in exam performance between pupils attending selective and non-selective schools mirror the genetic differences between them". With such an assertion, the work was predictably greeted by a lot of absurd claims about "genetics determining academic success". What the research revealed was the rather less surprising result: the educational benefits of selective schools largely disappear once pupils’ inborn ability and socio-economic background were taken into account. It is a glimpse of the blindingly obvious—and there’s nothing to back strongly either a hereditary or environmental argument. Yet the paper does say children are "unintentionally genetically selected" by the school system. Central to hereditarian science is a tall claim: that identifiable variations in genetic sequences can predict an individual’s aptness to learn, reason and solve problems. This is problematic on many levels. A teacher could not seriously tell a parent their child has a low genetic tendency to study when external factors clearly exist. Unlike-minded academics say the inheritability of human traits is scientifically unsound. At best there is a weak statistical association and not a causal link between DNA and intelligence. Yet sophisticated statistics are used to create an intimidatory atmosphere of scientific certainty. While there’s an undoubted genetic basis to individual difference, it is wrong to think that socially defined groups can be genetically accounted for. The fixation on genes as destiny is surely false too. Medical predictability can rarely be based on DNA alone; the environment matters too. Something as complex as intellect is likely to be affected by many factors beyond genes. If hereditarians want to advance their cause it will require more balanced interpretation and not just acts of advocacy. Genetic selection is a way of exerting influence over others, "the ultimate collective control of human destinies," as writer H. G. Wells put it. Knowledge becomes power and power requires a sense of responsibility. In understanding cognitive ability, we must not elevate discrimination to a science; allowing people to climb the ladder of life only as far as their cells might suggest. This will need a more sceptical eye on the science. As technology progresses, we all have a duty to make sure that we shape a future that we would want to find ourselves in.

阅读理解Selective colleges and universities in the U.S. are under fire for being too elite and too expensive, and for not training graduates for the world of work. Such charges ignore the fact that these institutions continue to prepare students for success in their work, for thoughtful engagement in civic life, for lifelong learning, and for understanding the world and those with whom they live. These colleges and universities must be doing something right. Applications are at record highs, and their financial aid programs make them more accessible than ever. This model of education has long played a central role in creating opportunity, driving economic growth, and spurring innovation. Yet, there is growing skepticism about the value of this model. The recent tax reform bill is a wake-up call that our strongest colleges and universities are under assault by some in government. The initial proposals would have made education unaffordable for many by taxing tuition waivers for graduate students and ending deductions for student loan interest. Thankfully, these provisions were ultimately stripped from the bill, but lawmakers let stand a new tax on the investment income of some colleges and universities. While these attacks are motivated by misguided ideas, we need to do a better job of explaining why these claims are false and why what we do is valuable. We cannot take for granted that any of this is obvious. It is often said that elite colleges and universities do not train students, particularly those who study the liberal arts, for the workforce. But this can be refuted by scholarly research. The data are clear: a liberal arts education is great career preparation, both for excellent lifetime earnings and for satisfaction with the work. This education develops the skills of critical thinking, rigorous analysis of data and facts, communication with the written and spoken word, understanding of cultural differences and issues, and the ability to keep learning. In fact, liberal arts graduates do extremely well in every imaginable field. Access to an education at selective colleges and universities is now more available than ever to low-and middle-income families. We have built endowments from donations by alumni (校友) and parents who understand and appreciate our mission to provide access and opportunity, and a significant portion of the returns from these endowments is used to fund financial aid. Ironically, the new tax on endowments drains financial aid funds from the very schools most able to offer opportunity to those who have earned a spot but cannot otherwise afford this education. Beyond the virtue of access to those who have earned a place at these schools, the diversity of economic backgrounds enhances the education and experience of all of our students.

阅读理解Classical music aims to evolve, build audiences without alienating old guard [A] In 1913, classical music sparked a riot in Paris. Igor Stravinsky was introducing his revolutionary “Rite of Spring” ballet to the world, with its discordant melodies and unorthodox choreography (编舞), and the purists in the crowd expressed their disapproval loud and clear. It might have been classical music’s version of the time Bob Dylan went electric at the Newport Folk Festival. "The noise, fighting, and shouting in the audience got so loud," NPR’s music reporter Miles Hoffman said of the Stravinsky debut, "that the choreographer had to shout out the numbers to the dancers so that they knew what they were supposed to do." [B] It’s difficult to imagine a similar disturbance occurring today within America’s sacred symphony halls. In fact, it’s hard to picture any kind of disruptive activity at all (unless someone’s cell phone happens to go off, and then you’d better watch your back). A mannerly aura (氛围) hangs over most classical proceedings, and many of the genre’s biggest supporters would have it no other way. [C] Today, Western audiences for classical music and opera and ballet are almost always well dressed, older, respectful, achingly silent and often very wealthy (one has to be able to afford most tickets). But as many of America’s most storied "highbrow" (高雅的) institutions struggle financially— the Philadelphia Orchestra’s much-publicized rebound from bankruptcy is just one recent example-classical music fans and theorists are wondering how the medium can weave itself into the 21st century’s cultural fabric without sacrificing its integrity. [D] For example, should we feel OK "clapping" during classical music events, even if nobody else is? Why shouldn’t we cheer for something great, like we do at a rock concert? The Huffing ton Post recently ran a Great Debate on this issue and many commenters came out on the side of silence. "There is no more rewarding experience in life than being part of an audience where everybody is leaning forward in silence, thoroughly carried away by a great performance of a masterpiece," one commenter wrote. "Why is it so difficult for folks to develop an appreciation and understanding for the mannerisms and traditions of classical music?" asked another. [E] The truth is that classical music audiences weren’t always so polite. Robert Greenberg, an award-winning composer, said that when Beethoven first performed his 7th Symphony, audiences forced the orchestra to perform encores (重演) of certain movements immediately, applauding wildly. And in the last few decades, he said, many audiences at opera performances have abandoned pretenses, yelling "Bravo" when they feel like it. [F] "I don’t think there’s anything wrong with an audience showing their enthusiasm for a proper moment by applauding, showing their joy," Greenberg said, noting that the stuffiness in concert halls is "one aspect of contemporary concert etiquette" he doesn’t understand. "Instead of waiting half an hour to show enthusiasm, why not show it every eight or nine minutes?" [G] Until the rules about behavior and clothing change, it’s hard to imagine multitudes of young people filling concert halls on their own accord. They’re probably more likely to head to Central Park to watch a free performance with a bottle of wine and their friends. "I think anyone should be able to come into a performance dressed any way they like, and be comfortable any way they like, sitting in that seat ready to enjoy themselves," Greenberg said. "Because it’s enjoyable." [H] Greenberg stressed that he doesn’t want people to start respecting the music less, and he’s not suggesting that we "dumb down" the experience. Rather, it’s about opening up "access." When operas first instituted subtitles (字幕) during shows, he said, many purists didn’t like the idea, believing that the audience should instead study the works before attending. But now it’s commonplace to find titles on the seatback in front of you—choose a language, sit back, and understand what’s going on. [I] Allison Vulgamore, president of the Philadelphia Orchestra, is certainly looking to the future. She says certain "classics concerts" dedicated to the old masters will always exist, but not every program has to feature Beethoven and Brahms—or even a stage and seats. "We’re trying to introduce different kinds of concerts in different ways," she said. "We are an interactive society now, where people like to learn." [J] As the Philadelphia Orchestra rebounds from its financial straits, it is also aiming to experiment, without alienating the loyalists. Vulgamore pointed to Cirque de la Symphonie, a recent offering in which jugglers (玩杂耍的人) and acrobats (杂技演员) interacted with musicians. An upcoming collaboration with New York City’s Ridge Theatre, meanwhile, will feature a "suspended dance installation" and other theatrical elements occurring in conjunction with an orchestral piece. [K] The orchestra also continues to offer $25 annual memberships to Philadelphia students, who can buy rush tickets to every concert on the schedule. "Students line up for the concerts they want, and we get roughly 300 or 350 kids a night coming to these. They take any of the open seats available, 5 minutes before the concert starts," Vulgamore said. "It’s like the running of the bulls, that energy when the doors open." [L] Greenberg thinks that youthful energy needs to be harvested. Conductors don’t have to be arrogant and untouchable—they can be accessible. Perhaps there could even be a "bit of humor" about them, he suggested, and an abandoning of pretension within the high-art institutions themselves. "On one hand, these organizations are all saying the same thing: we want more general audiences, to break down cultural barriers," he said. "But then they come up with some very snooty (目中无人的) thing that makes you crazy." [M] John Terauds, a critic who has covered Toronto’s classical music scene extensively, also wants to do away with the stuffiness. He suggested that the warmer an audience is, the better the musicians themselves will respond. "But the producer or organizer has to let everyone know it’s OK," he said. "It’s OK to enjoy yourself." At the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, for example, conductor Peter Oundjian often stops between pieces, taking a moment to talk about the composer or the music in a very amiable way. And some nights, Terauds said, "at least a third" of the audience consists of students who have purchased cheaper tickets. On these nights, the energy of the room drastically shifts. It becomes a less intimidating place. [N] Back in February, Terauds wrote on his blog about how going to classical performances can be intimidating. Certain people "think they have to dress up," he wrote. "They think they have to know something about the music before they go. And, I’m sure, sitting in a seat, trembling in fear that this might be the wrong time to applaud, is also one of the factors." [O] Everyone in the classical world agrees on the need for increased "accessibility," but achieving it is often easier said than done. Nowadays, there are unknown, unorthodox opera singers wowing (博得……的喝彩) viewers on TV programs like "America’s Got Talent" and "The Voice". What can higher institutions do with any of that? And if they appeal to these outlets, do they risk compromising the integrity or the intelligence of the music? [P] Vulgamore seems to understand this. She thinks an organization can have it both ways, claiming the new while keeping the old. And as she reorganizes the Philadelphia Orchestra, she will attempt to do just that. "The world’s most respected musicians brought together as an orchestra will always exist," she said. "But it’s essential that we be willing to experiment and fail."

阅读理解No one in fashion is surprised that Burberry burnt ￡28 million of stock A) Last week, Burberry’s annual report revealed that ￡28.6 million worth of stock was burnt last year. The news has left investors and consumers outraged but comes as little surprise to those in the fashion industry. B) The practice of destroying unsold stock, and even rolls of unused fabric, is commonplace for luxury labels. Becoming too widely available at a cheaper price through discount stores discourages full-price sales. Sending products for recycling leaves them vulnerable to being stolen and sold on the black market. Jasmine Bina, CEO of brand strategy agency Concept Bureau explains, "Typically, luxury brands rally around exclusivity to protect their business interests, namely intellectual property and preservation of brand equity (资产)." She stated she had heard rumors of stock burning but not specific cases until this week. C) Another reason for the commonplace practice is a financial incentive for brands exporting goods to America. United States Customs states that if imported merchandise is unused and destroyed under their supervision, 99% of the duties, taxes or fees paid on the merchandise may be recovered. It is incredibly difficult to calculate how much dead stock currently goes to waste. While there are incentives to do it, there’s no legal obligation to report it. D) A source, who chose to remain anonymous, shared her experience working in a Burberry store in New York in October 2016. "My job was to toss items in boxes so they could be sent to be burned. It was killing me inside because all that leather and fur went to waste and animals had died for nothing. I couldn’t stay there any longer, their business practices threw me off the roof." In May this year, Burberry announced it was taking fur out of its catwalk shows and reviewing its use elsewhere in the business. "Even though we asked the management, they refused to give us detailed answers as to why they would do this with their collection," continued the source, who left her role within two weeks. She has since worked with another high-profile, luxury label. E) In an online forum post, which asked if it’s true that Louis Vuitton burns its bags, Ahmed Bouchfaa, who claimed to work for Louis Vuitton, responded that the brand holds sales of old stock for staff members twice a year. Items which have still not sold after several sales are destroyed. "Louis Vuitton doesn’t have public sales. They either sell a product at a given price or discontinue it. This is to make sure that everybody pays the same price for an item," he says. He goes on to disclose the strict guidelines around the employee sales: "You may buy gifts for someone, but they track each item, and if your gift ends up online they know who to ask." One investor commenting on the Burberry figures was reportedly outraged that the unsold goods were not even offered to investors before they were destroyed. F) Richemont, who owns several luxury brands, hit the headlines in May for taking back ￡437 million of watches for destruction in the last two years to avoid marked-down prices. It’s not just luxury brands either. In October last year, a Danish TV show exposed H&M for burning 12 tonnes of unsold clothing since 2013. In a statement, the high street retailer defended itself by saying that the burnt clothing had failed safety tests: "The products to which the media are referring have been tested in external laboratories. The test results show that one of the products is mold infested and the other product contains levels of lead that are too high. Those products have rightly been stopped in accordance with our safety routines." In March, a report revealed that H&M were struggling with $4.3 billion worth of unsold stock. The brand told The New York Times that the plan was to reduce prices to move the stock, arguably encouraging consumers to buy and throw away with little thought. G) Over-production is perhaps the biggest concern for Burberry. While there has been much outrage at the elitist connotation of burning goods rather than making them affordable, executives at the British fashion house are no doubt struggling to defend how they miscalculated production. The waste has been put down to burning old cosmetic stock to make way for their new beauty range. However, while the value of destroyed stock is up from ￡26.9 million last year, it’s an even more significant increase from 2016’s figure of ￡18.8 million, highlighting that this is an ongoing issue. H) In September 2016, Burberry switched to a "see now, buy now" catwalk show format. The move was a switch to leverage on the coverage of their fashion week show to make stock available immediately to consumers. This is opposed to the traditional format of presenting to the industry, taking orders for production and becoming available in six months’ time. While Burberry announced "record-breaking" online reach and engagement, there has been little evidence to suggest that the strategy has had a significant effect on sales, particularly as the hype (炒作) slows across the season. In February they made adjustments to the format, dropping some catwalk items immediately and promising that others would launch in the coming months. I) In a statement, Burberry denied that switching to "see now, buy now" has had an impact on waste. A Burberry spokesperson further said, "On the occasions when disposal of products is necessary, we do so in a responsible manner. We are always seeking ways to reduce and revalue our waste. This is a core part of our strategy and we have forged partnerships and committed support to innovative organizations to help reach this goal." J) One such partnership is with Elvis & Kresse, an accessories brand working with reclaimed materials. Co-founder Kresse Wesling said, "Late last year we launched an ambitious five-year partnership with the Burberry Foundation. The main aim of this is to scale our leather rescue project, starting with off-cuts from the production of Burberry leather goods. We are working tirelessly to expand our solutions and would love to welcome anyone to our workshop to come and see what we are doing." At the moment, the partnership only addresses waste at the production stage and not unsold goods. K) While these are honorable schemes, it makes it harder for Burberry to defend these latest figures. Fifteen years ago, Burberry was at crisis point as their signature check pattern was widely imitated by cheap, imitation brands. It deterred luxury consumers who found their expensive clothing more closely associated with working-class youth culture than a prestigious heritage fashion house. In the year 2004, at the height of over-exposure of the Burberry check, the brand’s turnover was ￡715.5 million. Under Christopher Bailey as creative director they turned the brand around and this past year revenue hit ￡2.73 billion. L) Bina believes that brands need to readdress their exclusivity tactic. "Exclusivity is starting to be challenged," she says. "I think that goes hand in hand with how luxury itself is being challenged. Access to fashion, and the brands who police it, are becoming less and less relevant. Things like health, enlightenment, and social and environmental responsibility are the new luxuries. These all come from within, not without. That’s the challenge that traditional luxury brands will have to contend with in the mid- to long-term future."

阅读理解Since American idol star Taryn Southern started composing music with AI in 2017, musicians all over the world have begun wondering about the implications of AI and modern technology where music production is concerned. Using AI in the creation of music is perceived by some as a helpful tool and by others as almost "the beginning of the end". In Taryn’s case, AI software enabled her to communicate melodies and chords that she didn’t know how to put together herself. The end product was therefore a collaborative effort, rather than a piece entirely produced by technology. Taryn’s story has a distinctly positive feel that highlights the advantages of using AI in music production. It can serve as a source of inspiration, and as an ideal jumping-off point should a musician be hit with writer’s block (文思枯竭). Contrary to seeing AI as a tool, some musicians consider it to be hugely detrimental to the music scene. At the moment, because such technology is still so young, the music it’s producing is not necessarily what we want to hear. In short, it’s not of great quality. Those who have produced their own music, or even fans of authentic, artistic music, will also argue that a computer could never emulate the work (and human touch) of a true musician. Music has been an integral part of the story of humans for ages; in fact, the first known piece of music is believed to be around 3,400 years old. Songs have long been used as a means of communicating messages and folk stories, covering everything from societal ethics to world history. Since many people see music as such an inherently human expression, it is often considered as too precious to impart to technology. The thought of a computer generating a "random" piece of music that hasn’t been painstakingly created by an artist is almost seen as sacrilegious (亵渎神圣的). Regardless of which side of the argument you fall on, it seems likely that the use of AI in music production will only become more frequent. Our modern world is preoccupied with technological advancements. Instead of shying away from the idea of this bleak future, the best approach to take is one of optimism and curiosity. While there are always bound to be stubborn old-school musicians who refuse to use tech, music producers should consider AI as something to be embraced. AI music software is still very much in its infancy, but with more investors interested in the development and outcomes of such technology, and considering the rapid growth rate of other tech advances in recent years, it’s only a matter of time before AI-produced music is seen as the new norm.

阅读理解President Obama has been taking some heat in

阅读理解The city of Bath was founded by the Romans almost two thousand years ago. It has been famous for its【C1】________pleasing architecture and healing thermal springs ever since. There are three hot springs in Bath; one is the King’s Spring, upon which the Roman Baths and a temple were【C2】________The other two are the Cross Spring and the Hetling Spring, close to each other in Hot Bath Street. Although Bath is【C3】________known as a Roman and Georgian city, many people came in the intervening centuries to make use of the【C4】________waters. While the Georgians made ’taking the waters’ or bathing particularly fashionable, it was【C51】________generations who paved the way, creating greater interest in Bath and its springs. Charles II , desperate for an heir and unable to produce a【C6】________son, came to Bath to take the waters in the hope that their magical powers would do something to【C7】________ the situation. Craving for a male heir, James and Mary both came to Bath and soon after produced a son, which bred many conspiracy theories about who was the real father of their 【C8】________Regardless, the ’miracle’ created something of a boom in tourism for Bath and once Queen Anne had paid a visit in 1702, sealing it as the place to be, the whole nation【C9】________to the city. Afterwards, the spas (矿泉疗养浴场) in Bath continued to go in and out of fashion for more than 150 years until they closed completely. The new Bath Spa, which opened in 2006, 35 modern architecture with the ancient spring, now the New Royal Bath. A) aesthetically I) offspring B) constructed J) previous C) designates K) principally D) extract L) remedy E) flocked M) rhetorically F) incorporates N) sneaked G) legitimate O) versatile H) natural

阅读理解At 43, I’ve reached the stage where women are warned to watch out for the creeping sadness of middle age. We’re served up an endless stream of advice on "how to survive your 40s", as if we’re in the endurance stage of a slow limp toward 【C1】 ________ This is the age women start to become "invisible"—our value, attractiveness and power supposedly 【C2】 ________ by the vanishing of youth. But I don’t feel like I’m fading into 【C3】 ________ I feel more seen than I ever have, and for the first time in my life, I have a clear-eyed view of myself that is 【C4】 ________ , compassionate and accepting. When I look in the mirror, I’m proud of who I am—even those "broken" parts that for so long seemed impossible to love. So when advertisers try to sell me ways to "turn back the clock", I have to【C5】________ a laugh. I wouldn’t go back to the crippling self-consciousness of my youth if you paid me. This hard-won sense of self-acceptance is one of the joys of being an older woman. But it’s a narrative often【C6】 ________ out by the shame that marketers rely on to peddle us their diet pills, miracle face creams and breathable yoga pants—as if self-love is a 【C7】 ________ commodity. For some women I know, this sense of trust and self-belief later in life gave them the courage to leave dysfunctional relationships or 【C8】 ________ on new career paths. Others talked about enjoying their own company, of growth through 【C9】 ________ , deepening bonds of friendships, the ability to be more compassionate, less judgmental and to listen more and appreciate the small pleasures. Life past 40 is far from smooth sailing, but it’s so much more than the reductive 【C10】 ________ we see in women’s magazines and on the Hollywood big screen. A) adversity F) drowned K) outlines B) authentic G) embark L) prevalent C) convey H) fragility M) purchasable D) depictions I) neglected N) submit E) diminished J) obscurity O) suppress

阅读理解France’s beloved cathedral only minutes away from complete destruction A) Notre Dame Cathedral in the heart of Paris was within "15 to 30 minutes" of complete destruction as firefighters battled to stop flames reaching its bell towers on Monday evening, French authorities have revealed. A greater disaster was averted by members of the Paris fire brigade, who risked their lives to remain inside the burning monument to create a wall of water between the raging fire and the two towers on the west of the building. B) The revelation of how close France came to losing its most famous cathedral emerged as police investigators questioned workers involved in the restoration of the monument to try to establish the cause of the devastating blaze. Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said that an initial fire alert was sounded at 6:20 pm on Monday evening but no fire was found. The second alert was sounded at 6:43 pm, and the blaze was discovered on the roof. C) More than € 650 million was raised in a few hours on Tuesday as French business leaders and global corporations announced they would donate to a restoration campaign launched by the president, Emmanuel Macron. But as the emergency services picked through the burnt debris, a row was resurfacing over accusations that the beloved cathedral, immortalised in Victor Hugo’s novel, was already crumbling before the fire. D) The cathedral is owned by the French state and has been at the centre of a years-long dispute over who should finance restoration work of the collapsing staircases, crumbling statues and cracked walls. Jean-Michel Leniaud, the president of the scientific council at the National Heritage Institute, said: "What happened was bound to happen. The lack of adequate maintenance and daily attention to such a majestic building is the cause of this catastrophe." After the blaze was declared completely extinguished, 15 hours after it started, the junior interior minister, Laurent Nunez, said the structure had been saved but remained vulnerable. He praised the actions of the firefighters but admitted the fate of the cathedral had been uncertain. "They saved the main structure, but it all came down to 15 -30 minutes," Nunez said. E) In a surprise televised address on Tuesday evening, Macron said he wanted to see the cathedral rebuilt within five years. "The fire at Notre Dame reminds us that we will always have challenges to overcome," Macron said, "Notre Dame is our history, our literature, the centre of our life. It is the standard by which we measure our distances. It’s so many books, so many paintings. It’s the cathedral of every French person, even those who have never visited it. This history is ours and so we will rebuild Notre Dame. It is what the French people expect; it is what our history deserves. It is our deep destiny. We will rebuild Notre Dame so it is even more beautiful than before. I want it done in the next five years. We can do it. After the time of testing comes a time of reflection and then of action." F) The fire, which had started at the base of the 93-metre spire (尖塔) at about 6:40 pm on Monday, spread through the cathedral’s roof, made up of hundreds of oak beams, some dating back to the 13th century. These beams, known as la forêt (the forest) because of their density, formed the cross-shaped roof that ran the length of the central part of the cathedral. As hundreds of tourists and Parisians stood and watched the flames leaping from the roof, there was shock and tears as the cathedral spire caught fire, burned and then collapsed into itself. G) A collection of dramatic videos and photos quickly spread across social media, showing the horrifying destruction, and attracting emotional responses from people all over the world. Indeed, within minutes the fire occupied headlines of every major global newspaper and television network. This is not surprising given Notre Dame Cathedral, meaning "Our Lady", is one of the most recognised symbols of the city of Paris attracting millions of tourists every year. H) While the world looked on, the 500 firefighters at the scene then battled to prevent the flames from reaching the two main towers, where the cathedral bells hang. If the wooden frame of the towers had caught fire, it could have sent the bells—the largest of which, the Emmanuel Bell, weighs 13 tons— crashing down, potentially causing the collapse of both towers. Police and fire services will spend the next 48 hours assessing the "security and safety" of the 850-year-old structure. Nunez said: "We have identified vulnerabilities throughout the structure, all of which still need securing." As a result, residents of five buildings around the northern side of the cathedral were being temporarily evacuated, he added. Architects have identified three main holes in the structure, in the locations of the spire, the main hall and the upper rooms to the north of the central aisle. Most of the wooden roof beams have been burned, and parts of the concrete holding up the roof have collapsed. I) The interior minister, Christophe Castaner, visited the cathedral on Tuesday afternoon to see the extent of the devastation. Ash covered the marble diamond-patterned floor and floated in large pools of grey water from the fire hoses. Behind a heap of blackened oak beams that lay piled up where they had fallen, daylight from vast holes in the cathedral roof lit a golden cross over a statue by Nicolas Coustou, which appeared to have escaped damage. Preliminary inspections also suggested the three ornate (装饰华丽的) stained glass "rose" windows appeared to have survived the fire, officials said. However, fire officers have said a complete inventory of the damage will not be possible until the cathedral structure has been deemed safe. J) The culture minister, Franck Riester, said religious relics saved from the cathedral were being securely held at the Hotel de Ville, and works of art that sustained smoke damage were being taken to the Louvre, the world’s largest art museum, where they would be dried out, repaired and stored. Sixteen copper statues that decorated the spire had been removed for restoration only a few days before the fire. Relics at the top of the spire are believed lost as the spire was destroyed. As well as damage from the heat, which firefighters said reached more than 800 ℃, experts also need to assess damage from the vast quantities of water firefighters poured into the cathedral. One casualty of this was The Great Organ constructed in the 1730s, which was said to have escaped the flames but been significantly damaged by water. K) French political commentators noted the devastating fire had succeeded where Macron had failed in uniting the country. But criticism over the original state of the building is likely to intensify over coming days. Leniaud told La Croix newspaper: "This is not about looking for people to blame. The responsibility is collective because this is the most loved monument in the country." Alexandre Gady, an art historian, agreed. "We’ve been saying for years that the budget for maintaining historic monuments is too low," Gady said. The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an inquiry into "involuntary destruction by fire", indicating they believe the cause of the blaze was accidental rather than criminal.

阅读理解Women might be on a more even footing at work

阅读理解The task of the global strategist of a business is to build a platform of capabilities derived from the resources, experiences and innovations of units operating in multiple locations, to transplant those capabilities wherever【C1】________, and then to systematically upgrade and renew them—ahead of the competition. Apple is an outstanding case of a company whose unique capabilities give it a worldwide【C2】________ advantage, particularly with respect to its ability to build platforms from a product base that integrates functional and【C3】________design. Apple has been able to leverage and exploit its California-based design and marketing advantages successfully throughout the world. IKEA is another such case. The do-it-yourself furniture and houseware company first developed a compelling set of capabilities to design, manufacture and【C4】________furniture at low cost and sell it in a novel way in Sweden. Later, IKEA successfully【C5】________this formula in many other countries. By contrast, Telefbnica, a Spanish telecommunications company that is now the world’s fifth largest telecom by【C6】________, first developed its special advantage abroad. In 1989 and 1990, Telefonica had the opportunity to enter Chile and Argentina, countries that shared many institutional and cultural characteristics with its home country but that were【C7】________more rapid market reform. Throughout the 1990s, Telef6nica took what it learned in Chile and Argentina about reconstructing former state-owned telecoms to other Latin American countries that were privatizing their state telecoms and deregulating their telecom markets. These examples might lead the reader to believe that creating a global advantage is an easy task. But many other【C8】________of expensive failed experiments suggest that creating a lasting global advantage actually requires a great deal of【C9】________and operational finesse (技巧). Our research suggests that global winners typically create and sustain their international presence through a systematic process of【C10】________, renewing and enhancing their core capabilities. A) aesthetic E) exploiting I) reproduced M) strategic B) appropriate F) fiscal J) revenues N) transcend C) clusters G) instances K) safeguarding O) undergoing D) competitive H) rehabilitated L) ship

作文题 For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay based on the graph below. You should start your essay with a brief description of the graph and comment on China’s achievements in urbaniza

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作文题 Young people spend a lot of time on the internet. However, they are sometimes unable to recognize false information on the internet, judge the reliability of online information sources, or tell real