1、Its time to come out of winter hibernation and get into the great outdoors. From souped-up bike rides to white water rafting for beginners, theres an adventure here for everyone.Swim with seals, Lundy Island Suits Water babies Difficulty: ModerateThis small island off the coast of Devon has an abund
2、ance of wildlife to discover. The cliffs are home to scores of birds; the grassland harbours the Lundy pony and sika deer and the sea grey seals. Its these sea mammals that offer the most memorable encounters. Well-known for getting up close and personal with snorkelers, they often nuzzle their huma
3、n visitors （despite rules stating people should keep a distance!）.Epic sunset picnic, Edinburgh Suits Everyone EasyRising above Edinburgh is the former volcano known as Arthurs Seat. Glaciers later shaped it into a wedge-like hillock. It has several walking routes up to its 251-metre summit and a fe
4、w free attractions to explore - from the ruins of an old fort to a 15th-century chapel and bird-rich Duddingston Loch. With its closeness to the shops, getting supplies for a picnic is a simple affair, and then you can climb to the top to watch the sun set over the city.A mini-pilgrimage, Kent Suits
5、 Walkers on a quest With Spains Camino de Santiago drawing a record number of hikers, the UK has muscled in on the renaissance of walks with a spiritual slant. The British Pilgrimage Trust is working to establish the Old Way, an ancient pilgrimage （朝圣） route rediscovered from Britains oldest road ma
6、p. To walk the 217-mile route from Southampton to Canterbury takes about a fortnight, but the last three days from Ham Street to Canterbury Cathedral - taking in ancient woodlands, a medieval castle, the ancient Saxon shoreline （now miles inland）, holy wells and even a safari park, makes for a worth
7、y wander no matter what your beliefs.21. On Lundy Island, what will probably make you most unforgettable?A. Birds. B. The Lundy pony and sika deer.C. The sea grey seals. D. Old buildings.22. Along the way up to the mountain in Edinburgh, you can .A. see a live volcano B. visit some places of interes
8、tC. find many souvenir shops D. watch the sunrise23. How long does it take to cover the 217-mile route from Southampton to Canterbury?A. Three days. B. A month. C. Two weeks. D. A quarter.BAfter September 11th, as it became apparent that the United States would bomb Afghanistan, an open letter writt
9、en by an Afghan appeared on the Internet. It requested Americans to realize that Afghanistan was already a devastated country. It needed food, not vengeance; sympathy, not hate.The Kite Runner, a novel by Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini, takes this one step further. The first novel to be writ
10、ten in English by an Afghan, it spans the period from before the 1979 Soviet invasion until the reconstruction following the fall of the disgusting Taliban.The novel portrays the Afghans as an independent and proud people who for decades have defended their country against one invader after another.
11、 But the narrator wonders if his people will ever go beyond the range of the tribalism that continues to threaten Afghanistans integrity. “Maybe,” he thinks, “it was a hopeless place.”As a boy, Amir cowardly betrays his servant and best friend, the Hazara boy Hassan. When the Russians come, Amir and
12、 his father move to California, where Amir becomes a successful writer. He embraces America because it “had no ghosts, no memories, and no sins.” But when Amir learns that a childhood mentor is ailing back home, he returns to discover that his relationship to Hassan had been deeper than he realized.
13、 This leads him on a dangerous journey to rescue and adopt Hassans son, whose father the Taliban had executed.The novel derives its name from the Afghan custom of doing battle with kites. Although the book can sometimes be exaggerated and garrulous （唠叨的）, it provides an extraordinary perspective on
14、the struggles of a country that, until that mournful September day, had been for too long ignored or misunderstood. And despite its more disturbing episodes, the novel ends with a note of optimism about Afghanistans future, an optimism that the whole world would prefer to see unspoiled. Inshallah, a
15、s Afghans say: God willing.24. Why did an open letter by an Afghan appear on the Internet?A. Because Americans wanted to give a hand to Afghanistan.B. Because Afghanistan made another attempt to bomb America.C. Because it wanted to pour oil on the flames.D. Because it tried to avoid the revenge from
16、 America.25. What does the underlined word “this” refer to?A. Afghanistan is a prosperous country.B. Afghanistan needs a favor rather than hate.C. Afghanistan is to blame for September 11th.D. Afghanistan is rich in food,26. Which of the following statements about The Kite Runner is True? A. Amir fe
17、els guilty of betraying Hassan.B. It is easy for Amir to rescue Hassans son.C. Tribalism helps unite Afghanistan.D. Hassan is no more than Amirs servant and best friend.27. According to the last paragraph, what does the author think of The Kite Runner?A. The novel conveys positive messages about Afg
18、hanistan.B. Misunderstanding over Afghanistan deepens after reading it.C. It is written in exaggerated and dark ways and brings readers a sense of pessimism.D. The novel fails to tell readers optimism about Afghanistans future.CAs with most of the famous figures whose passing now hits us via a news
19、alert on our phones, I never met Stephen Hawking. In the vastness of the entire universe, you could say I was one speck and he was another. And yet I thought of him as a continual presence in my life, who -in the light of his illness, not to mention of his work on time - would always be there, someh
20、ow.Growing up disabled in Britain, I didnt have many role models. There are hardly any statues of disabled leaders, no great lives with chronic disability documented in the history books. As a child its easy to believe that disabled people have never really existed, and that when they did, it was as
21、 cripples to be pitied or burdens on society. In Hawking, we had a figure - brilliant, witty, kind - who confounded the negative stereotypes and the low expectations so often forced on those of us with a disability.He wasnt without faults. He was also afforded opportunities - from wealth to healthca
22、re to being non-disabled throughout school - that clearly enabled his success, opportunities too few young disabled people, facing cuts to multiple strands of support, enjoy today. But his groundbreaking research, as well as tireless commitment to the NHS, established him as someone who, though phys
23、ically stripped of his voice, should be listened to.This is not to say that Hawkings disability didnt help shape him. The thought that he had a sharply limited life expectancy - it was originally believed he would die within two years of his motor neuron disease diagnosis by all accounts inspired Ha
24、wking to enjoy the present, and spurred on his hunger for scientific discovery. It is reminiscent of the countless “inspirational” memes and posters that throughout his life featured Hawkings image often using his body as inspiration for non-disabled people （“If he can succeed, so can you!”） or crit
25、icizing “lesser” disabled people （“The only disability is a bad attitude”）. Hawking, like all of us, deserves more than lazy, ableist tropes.Amid all the tributes to Hawkings contribution to scientific discovery, I would like to remember what he contributed - perhaps unknowingly - to many disabled p
26、eople: a sense of pride, encouragement and hope. This was a genius who gained the worlds respect from his wheelchair. Hawkings achievements alone will not have begun to overturn deep-seated prejudice, but he has played a significant part in shifting the misconceptions that still routinely mark too m
27、any disabled peoples lives. Hawkings lesser-known lesson is one I hope others growing up disabled will be left with: we can all reach for the stars.28. The author and Stephen are .A. close friends B. complete strangersC. famous scientists D. disabled leaders29. Why does the author think disabled peo
28、ple have never really existed?A. Because the disabled seldom play a key role in society.B. Because the disabled are a burden to society.C. Because respect is shown to the disabledD. Because the disabled are not kind or smart.30. What does the underlined phrase “stripped of” probably mean?A. softened
29、. B. kept down.C. taken away. D. shaken.31. Which of the following statements does the author agree with?A. Using Hawking as inspiration for non-disabled people is a compliment for the disabled.B. Hawking is a perfect man respected by the disabled.C. Hawkings achievements in science have completely
30、changed the prejudice against the disabled.D. Other disabled people deserve the same respect as that for Hawking.DFrom shopping centers and airports to concert venues and mobile phones, facial recognition technology can now be used in all of them due to advances in technology.U.S. company FaccFirst
31、has developed facial recognition software that can help police. Officers can take a picture of a suspect with a smartphone. The photo then can be compared to a database to see whether the person has a criminal history.Facial recognition technology has made great advances in recent years. Machines can now match faces that are not in a controlled environment with good lighting and a full shot. A side shot or moving image of the face may be enough for artificial intelligence to make a match.“Where this is going is
