Monthly Talks at London Canal Museum

Our monthly talks start at 19:30 on the first Thursday of each month except August. Admission is at normal charges and you don’t need to book. They end around 21:00.

November 7th

The Canal Pioneers, by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognized as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of canal planning and building. Chris Lewis will explain how Brindley made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early “civil engineers”.

December 5th

Ice for the Metropolis, by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the arrival of freezers, there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering, Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London’s ice trade

February 6th

An Update on the Cotsword Canals, by Liz Payne. The Stroudwater Canal is moving towards reopening. The Thames and Severn Canal will take a little longer. We will have a report on the present state of play.

March 6th

Eyots and Aits-Thames Islands, by Miranda Vickers. The Thames had many islands. Miranda has undertaken a review of all of them. She will tell us about those of greatest interest.

Online bookings:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/book

More into:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/whatson

London Canal Museum

12-13 New Wharf Road, London NI 9RT

www.canalmuseum.org.uk www.canalmuseum.mobi

Tel:020 77130836

1.When is the talk on James Brindley?

A. March 6th. B. November 7th. C. February 6th. D. December 5th.

2.What is the topic of the talk in February?

A. The Canal Pioneers B. Ice for the Metropolis

C. An Update on the Cotsword Canals D. Eyots and Aits-Thames Islands

3.Who will give the talk on the islands in the Thames?

A. Liz Payne. B. Chris Lewis. C. Malcolm Tucker. D. Miranda Vickers.

Houses fall down. Trees fall over. Large holes form in the ground. Could Alaska be sinking? That’s what some villagers in Alaska have been asking themselves recently and scientists think they know why. Warmer temperatures may be causing Alaska’s frozen ground to thaw (解凍).

About 85 percent of Alaska’s land surface has permafrost (永久凍結帶). Permafrost supports the ground above it—including trees, houses, and roads. But why is the permafrost thawing?

Some scientists say that human-caused pollution is leading to global warming. And most scientists agree that Alaska has been getting warmer. They say that the warmer temperature is causing permafrost to thaw in some areas. The thawing permafrost can cause problems for people, plants, and animals.

The collapsing (倒塌) is a problem in the villages in Alaska which are built on permafrost, and some of them may have to move to safer ground, where there is no permafrost.

The Alaskan town of Glennallen saw its old post office collapse. And, according to James Walters, a permafrost expert at the University of Northern Iowa, house-moving companies have been very busy.

“Melting permafrost can also destroy trees and forests,” Walters said. “When holes in the ground form, trees fall into them and die. This could turn a forest into a swamp (沼澤), and animals which need the forests will have to move elsewhere.”

“The melting could cause severe problems.” Walters says, “This could take hundreds of years, but in the end Alaska will look quite different from what it looks like now.”

1.The main reason why permafrost is thawing is that ______.

A. the temperature in Alaska is rising

B. people in Alaska don’t take care of permafrost

C. too many houses are built on permafrost

D. people in Alaska polluted permafrost

2.The following are the results of melting permafrost EXCEPT ______.

A. holes form in the ground

B. a forest will be turned into a swamp

C. some animals have to go elsewhere

D. more water will be needed by people and animals

3.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. When permafrost melts, houses will fall down.

B. House-moving companies are busy because their houses are in danger.

C. To stop permafrost melting is a very difficult problem.

D. Most of Alaska’s land surface has permafrost.

4.Which of the following can be used as the best title of the passage?

A. Alaska—A Frozen Land B. Pollution and Global Warming

C. Is Alaska Sinking? D. Alaska Is Polluted

Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.

Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(球場) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.

There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.

Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements(代替物) for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free.

1.Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?

A. Motor racing in the desert.

B. Cycling around a lake.

C. Playing basketball in a gym

D. Swimming in a sports center.

2.The author uses power walking as an example mainly because_________.

A. it is an outdoor sport

B. it improves our health

C. it uses fewer resources

D. it is recommended by experts

3.What do we know about golf from the passage?

A. It is popular in Portugal and Spain.

B. It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green.

C. It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes.

D. It causes water shortages around the world.

4.The author writes the passage to ________.

A. show us the function of major sports

B. discuss the major influence of popular sports

C. encourage us to go in for green sports

D. introduce different types of environment-friendly sports

About 70 scientists were working on a very busy project. All of them felt really desperate due to the pressure of work and the demands of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did not think of quitting their job.

One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him, “Sir, I’ve promised to take my children to the exhibition going on in our township so I want to leave at 5:30 p. m.” His boss replied, “OK. You’re permitted to leave the office early today.”

The scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual, he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch only when he felt he was close to completion. The time was 8:30 p. m. suddenly he remembered his promise to the children. He looked for his boss but he was not there. Having told him in the morning himself, he closed everything and left for home. Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children. He reached home. The children were not there. His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines. The situation was explosive; any talk would boomerang on him. His wife asked him, “Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry?” The man replied, “If you would like to have coffee, I too will have but what about the children?” His wife replied, “You don’t know? Your boss came here at 5:15 p. m. and has taken them to the exhibition.”

What had really happened was the boss who gave him permission was observing him working seriously at 5:00 p. m. He thought to himself: this person will not leave the work, but he’s promised to take his children to the exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them there. The boss does not have to do it every time. But once it’s done, loyalty is established.

That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss even though the stress was extraordinarily huge. By the way, can you boldly guess who the boss was? He was none other than the mastermind behind India’s successful nuclear weapons program, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former president of India.

1.The scientist asked for an early leave because ________.

A. he felt increasingly desperate about his work

B. he’d promised to take his kids to a show

C. the task at hand was close to completion

D. he meant to accompany his wife at dinner

2.The underlined sentence implies that the scientist thought his wife was ________.

A. ready to serve dinner for him B. dissatisfied with his coming home late

C. grateful to his kind- hearted boss D. delighted to see him back home

3.The boss took children to the exhibition ________.

A. when it was too late for the scientist to do so

B. when the man’s wife asked him to do so

C. because the scientist was absorbed in his work

D. because he also wanted to see what was on show

4.All the scientists stayed loyal to their boss ________.

A. because he had power over them

B. to learn how to live under pressure

C. out of gratefulness for his thoughtfulness

D. every time he took the children to the show

Learning a second language

Nowadays, more and more people are learning a second language. So why should we invest time in learning a second language? Is it worth it? What are the benefits of learning a second language? Let us see.

1.

If your work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign languages, being able to talk to them in their own languages will help you to communicate with them better. It may also help you to make sales and to negotiate and secure contracts. Knowledge of foreign languages may also increase your chance of finding a new job, getting a promotion or a transfer overseas, or of going on foreign business trips.

2.

Needless to say, being able to speak a foreign language, for example, the Japanese, would benefit you a lot when you are travelling to Japan. Being able to speak the language of the target country will save you a lot of communication trouble and inconvenience. 3.

Education

If you are a high school student or a college student who is interested in going abroad for further education, then you will, in all possibility, have to learn the language of the country where you wish to move to, for further studies. 4.

5.

Learning a second language can help in broadening one’s horizon, it can help in learning about the culture of that particular country and it can pave the way for new interests and hobbies. Not only can you enjoy forms of art and literature connected with the new language, but you can also meet new people, make new friends and develop long-lasting relationships…all on the basis of learning a new language.

A. Travel

B. Career

C. Personal Growth

D. Challenging Yourself

E. You may be required to study a particular language at school, college or university.

F. If you are fond of tourism, then knowledge of the local language is a must—have to avoid bad experiences or discomfort.

G. In some cases or countries, being able to speak that country’s national language is a must for students wishing to pursue education in that country.

The books in David’s schoolbag felt like bricks as he ran down the street. What he wanted to do was to play basketball with Eric, _______ his mother told him he would have to return his sister’s books to the library first.

He had _________ set foot in a library and he wasn’t about to do so today. He would just _________ the books in the outside return box. But there was a_________: it was locked.

He went into the building, only a few minutes ___________ closing time. He put the books into the return box. And after a brief _________ in the toilet, he would be on his way to the playground to_________ Eric.

David stepped out of the toilet and stopped in _________ —the library lights were off. The place was _______. The doors had been shut. They__________ be opened from the inside. He was trapped—in a library!

He tried to __________ a telephone call, but was unable to ____________. What’s worse, the play phones were on the outside of the building.________ the sun began to set, he searched for a light and found it.

__________he could see. David wrote on a piece of paper: “________! I’m TRAPPED inside!” and stuck it to the glass door. __________, someone passing by would see it.

He was surprised to discover that this place was not so unpleasant, __________. Rows and rows of shelves held books, videos and music. He saw a book about Michael Jordan and took it off the shelf. He settled into a chair and started to __________.

He knew he had to__________, but now, that didn’t seem to be such a__________ thing.

1.A. or B. because C. but D. since

2.A. ever B. never C. nearly D. often

3.A. drop B. pass C. carry D. take

4.A. case B. mistake C. question D. problem

5.A. during B. before C. over D. after

6.A. rest B. break C. stop D. walk

7.A. meet B. visit C. catch D. greet

8.A. delight B. surprise C. anger D. eagerness

9.A. lonely B. noisy C. empty D. crowded

10.A. wouldn’t B. needn’t C. shouldn’t D. couldn’t

11.A. make B. fix C. use D. pick

12.A. get on B. get up C. get in D. get through

13.A. As B. If C. Though D. Until

14.A. On time B. Now and then C. At last D. By the way

15.A. Help B. Hello C. Come D. Sorry

16.A. Truly B. Surely C. Thankfully D. Gradually

17.A. at most B. as usual C. in short D. after all

18.A. read B. play C. watch D. write

19.A. stand B. wait C. sleep D. work

20.A. cool B. strange C. bad D. nice

Once there lived a rich man1.wanted to do something for the people of his town.2.first he wanted to find out whether they deserved his help.

In the centre of the main road into the town, he placed3.very large stone. Then he4.(hide ) behind a tree and waited. Soon an old man came along with his cow.

“Who put this stone in the centre of the road?” said the old man, but he did not try to remove the stone. Instead, with some difficulty he passed around the stone and continued on his way.5.man came along and did the same thing; then another came, and another. All of them complained about the stone but not tried to remove 6.. Late in the afternoon a young man came along. He saw the stone7.(say) to himself: “The night8.(be) very dark. Some neighbors will come along later in the dark and will fall against the stone.”

Then he began to move the stone. He pushed and pulled with all his9.(strong) to move it. How great was his surprise at last!10.the stone, he found a bag of money.

Dear Editor,

I am writing tell you about the discussion we’ve had about whether it is necessary of middle school students to have mobile phones. Most students think this is more convenient for them to keep in the touch with their parents and classmates. And what’s much, it’s a fashion. However, most teachers think middle school students are not old enough to control them. It is a waste of time for students to play games and sending messages on their mobile phones. Therefore, it is easy to make students contact with each other. In my opinion, following the fashion was understandable. But as middle school student, we should put all our energy into our study.

Yours truly,

Mary

假如你是James，在收到祖父的戒煙建議信后，很受觸動。請你寫一封E-mail回信給祖父，

陳述你對于吸煙危害的重新認識及所采 用的有效的戒煙方法，并表達對祖父的感激之情。

文章開頭和結尾已經給出。

寫作要求：

1. 在信中要包括兩點對于吸煙危害的認識和兩點有效的戒煙方法。

2. 不要分條列舉，可適當增加細節(jié)。

3. 字數：120左右。

Dear Grandad,

It is a peaceful night while I'm sitting at the computer writing to you with a willing heart.

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Yours truly,

James

Bali(巴厘島） is an Indonesia island that is rich in indigenous （本土的） culture．A lot of people say that Balinese culture is unique and that the people of Bali have always been contented with the “now”．If you ask a Balinese person what heaven is like, the probable answer will be "just like Bali"．This only goes to show that most Balinese people are happy to be where they are and never worry．

One factor that contributes to this laid-back lifestyle is the culture of close family ties in Bali．In the Balinese culture, support is always available．Balinese extended families are so tightly knit that all members usually reside in the same complex．

Hinduism(印度教）is one of the main religions in Bali.The Balinese culture is based on a form of this religion, which is called “Hindu Dharma”．This religion reached the island during the eleventh century．Most of the family customs and traditions as well as community lifestyles of the Balinese people are influenced by this．The religious influence even expands widely into the arts, which makes Bali distinct(不同于） from the rest of Indonesia．

In spite of the fact that tourists flood to the island every year, the Balinese people have managed to conserve their culture．Almost every native of Bali is an artist in some form or another．Parents and villagers have passed on their skills to their children, who all seem to have inclinations （意愿） either to music, dance, painting, and decor．

Another remarkable mark of the Balinese culture is the series of ceremonies and rituals（儀式） known as the Manusa Yadnya．This marks the different stages of Balinese life．Cremation （火葬） is very popular on this island，and unlike in the West, death is a joyous and colorful event for the Balinese．

1.What do we know about the Balinese according to the first two paragraphs?

A. They lead a very relaxing but unhealthy life．

B. They live in large families and are close to each other．

C. Their family members are distributed in different places．

D. Their extended families live too close together to get along well．

2.The underlined word “conserve” in Para．4 can be best replaced by “____”．

A. preserve B. spread C. Form D. expand

3.What is the text mainly about?

A. The Balinese religion． B. The lifestyle of Balinese．

C. Balinese culture． D. The tourism in Bali.