Visiting the Embassies of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.is known for its many museums and government buildings.It is also home to embassies(大使馆)from more than 170 countries. Many of these buildings around the city have interesting histories. Some embassies are in large historical homes. Others were built more recently to show the building desihgn of their countries. Many embassies hold special cultural(文化)events.

The Embassy of Uzbekistan

It is in a richly decorated(装修)home built in 1906 by a wealthy banker, Clarence Moore. But Mr Moore did not live to enjoy his house for very long. He died on board the ship Titanic, which sank 1912·This building served as the Canadian Embassy before Uzbekistan bought it in 1996.

The Embassy of Finland

       The Italian Embassy is near Massachusetts Avenue. Nearby, the Embassy of Finland looks like it is built out of blocks of glass.Its design is modern,but it fits in nicely with the natural environment around it.A screen of plants covers part of the front of the building.Inside.visitors Can look through large glass windows deep into the wooded areas of Rock Creek Park. The Finnish Embassy holds many interesting exhibits.

The Embassy of France

      It is in a gated area off Reservoir Road.The embassy’s cultural center, La Maison Francaise, organizes many cultural events.Also.if you are very lucky, you might be invited to a party at the home of the French ambassador(大使).This extraordinary home in the Kalorama neighborhood looks like a palace。Organizations like the Washington Opera sometimes hp1d events in this beautiful house。

The International Center

      Last month,China opened a new embassy in the area of Washington called the International Center.C.C.Pei and L.C。Pei designed the building.Measuring more than 10.000 square meters,this is One of the biggest embassies in Washington.C.C.Pei said the areas of plants around the embassy were to present people a natural and calming design.

Which embassy was once a large historical home?

      A.The International Center.    B.The Embassy of Finland.

      C.The Embassy of France.     D.The Embassy of Uzbekistan.

What can we learn about the International Center from the text?

      A.It once belonged to a rich banker.

      B.It was built out of blocks of glass.

      C.It stands in the Kalorama neighborhood.

      D.It is a newly—constructed building.

At the Embassy of France,you can       .

      A.see many exhibits of great interest 

       B.attend events in La Maison Francaise

      C.invite the French ambassador home     

       D.visit its designers C.C.Pei and L.C.Pei

This text is most probably taken from

      A.a science magazine B.a medical report

      C.a travel guide          D.a history textbook

阅读下面短文,根据所读内容在表格中的空白处填入恰当的单词。注意:每个空格只填一个单词。

Time, a faithful company of our life, is a universal topic. People are always curious about what it is, how it travels and who it meets.

Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s smartest physicists, once said. “I’m fascinated by time.”

Many of us are, and the popularity of time travel novels, movies and TV series has proved that. After Palace and Startling by Each Step achieved astonishing ratings last year, Palace 2 aired on January 20, attracting time travel fans back to TV.

Woody Allen’s movie Midnight in Paris achieved great success. It was nominated for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and Art Direction for the 2012 Academy Awards.

Dream of heroism

Time travel TV series and movies connect both today and the past, thus offering room for imagination. Imagination creates a chance for the young to fulfill a dream that is hard to achieve in reality.

Chinese writer Xi Juan is a pioneer of time-travel stories in China. In 1993 she published a love story about a young woman time traveling to ancient times. The leading role’s modern personality and perception of love help her win the heart of a cool, handsome martial art master. Such a plot satisfies female fans’ love fantasy.

Starting from the late 1990s, novels about men traveling back to the past prevailed (盛行), with a Step into the Past as the most popular example. In these stories, the male leading roles accomplish great things with their modern skills and wisdom.

It is usually “a dream of heroism come true”, along with enviable romances.

Eye candy

“I’m hooked by the shows because they are characterized by dramatic and poetic love and have eye-pleasing actors,” Xia Xiaoyan, who works for a foreign-owned enterprise in Shanghai, explained her love for time travel TV series.

Her comment echoes a 2011 survey by Creat Marketing Research Co Ltd in China. When asked about what is so appealing about time travel TV series, 21 percent of respondents answered, “These attractive characters.”

A bigger reason behind the popularity of time travel stories, however, is the relaxation they offer, according to the survey.

Cai Yinong agrees. “Many people are facing tremendous pressure in their fast-paced lives, so this genre is more relaxing than other shows as it provides people with a terrific outlet to escape reality,” Cai told China Daily.

Cultural homesickness

“Which dynasty would you like to live in if you could travel to the past?” asked a survey launched by Shanghai University and Shanghai Social Sciences Association last December.

About 60 percent of the 2,543 respondents chose Tang Dynasty, while Qing Dynasty, and the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were the other top two destinations.

The survey results reflects people’s definition of the good days: prosperous economy and culture, steady society, fair and uncorrupted politics, and opening up to the outside world.

As for the movie Midnight in Paris, it features modernity versus cultural homesickness. The New York Times commented, “The past seems so much more vivid, more substantial, than the present. The good old days are so attractive because we were not around, however much we wish we were.”

Time  travel  wins  fans

Phenomenon

l  Stephen Hawking shows great interest in 1.    _.

l  People prefer 2.____ time travel movies and TV series.

l  Woody Allen was 3._______ in his time travel movie.

Reasons for its 4.___

Supporting details

Dream of

heroism

l  Chances are offered for the young to fulfill 5.__________ hard to

l  achieve in reality.

l  Xi Juan’s 1993 love story6._______ a young woman traveling to

l  ancient times, which satisfies females fans.

l  From the late 1990s, novels about 7.________ traveling back to

l  the past became increasingly popular.

l  The male leading role in A Step Into the Past travels back to the past

l  to fulfill great things by using his 8._______ skills and wisdom.

Eye candy

Attractive actors and travel stories make viewers under pressure

9._________.

Cultural homesickness

Most respondents chose to live in a certain dynasty for:

l  Prosperous economy and10.________;

l  Steady society;

l  Fair and uncorrupted politics;

l  Opening up to the outside world.

 

阅读理解。
     A winner of the 2011 L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards, Professor Vivian
Wing-wah Yam says she could not have done it without the backing of her family.
     The road to scientific discovery is tougher for women than for men and Professor Vivian Wing-wah
Yam says she couldn't have succeeded without such a supportive family. The 47-year-old from Hong
Kong University was one of five women scientists, from each continent, to receive the 2011
L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards at a ceremony on March 3, at UNESCO
Headquarters in Paris. It is the 13th edition of the award since 1998.
     Yam's long and fruitful research on solving the energy problem won her the prize for Asia and the
Pacific. There are several renewable and sustainable(可持续的) energy solutions, like solar power,
which could provide an unlimited source of energy. Some problems must be resolved, however, such as
the low efficiency of solar cells and their high supply costs. Yam and her colleagues hope to overcome
these problems by developing and testing new photoactive(光敏的) materials.
     She became the third Chinese women scientist honored with the so-called "woman's Nobel Prize"
award, after Professor Li Fanghua from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2003, and Professor Ye
Ruyu from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2004.
     "People think chemists are bad guys, but we are the good guys," Yam said in a humorous aside
before explaining her research project on photoactive materials in an earlier speech at L'Institut de
France. For Yam, chemistry is science, but also an art. Amazed by the universe, nature and color in her
childhood, Yam decided on a career in chemistry. "One of the beauties of chemistry is the ability to
create new molecules and chemical species. I have always associated chemists with artists, creating new
things with innovative(革新的) ideas," Yam said.
     As a mother of two daughters, 12 and 14, Yam said she is lucky to have been supported by her
family. She was inspired as a child by her father, a professor in the Civil Engineering Faculty at Hong
Kong University. Yam added her husband, Mak Shingtat, a PhD in chemistry, who accompanied Yam
to the awards ceremony, was also fully supportive of her work. "I can't imagine how my career could
move on without his understanding and support," she said. "I often stay late at night in the laboratory. He
always waits for me outside."
     Yam received her bachelor and PhD degrees from the University of Hong Kong (HKU). She taught
at City Polytechnic of Hong Kong before joining HKU as a faculty member, and headed the chemistry
department for two terms from 2000 to 2005. At 38, she was the youngest member elected to the
Chinese Academy of Sciences. She is also a Fellow of TWAS, the Academy of Sciences for the
Developing World, and was awarded the State Natural Science Award and the Royal Society of
Chemistry (RSC) Centenary Medal. 2011 is the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie's second Nobel Prize,
coinciding (一致的)with the International Year of Chemistry. Today, Curie is still a role model for women
in science.
     Although the participation of women in science, is promoted by UNESCO, notably through
L'Oreal-UNESCO, there are still too few women doing high-level science, says UNESCO
Director-General Irina Bokova. The latest UNESCO report shows less than 40 percent of countries
provide girls and boys equal access to education.
     Each year, the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award recognizes 15 young women
from all over the world, especially developing countries, to encourage and finance their studies. More
than 200 young women scientists are currently supported. "I do not think there is a difference between
men and women in terms of their intellectual abilities and research capabilities (能力)," Yam said. "As
long as one has the passion, dedication and determination to pursue research wholeheartedly, one can
excel regardless of one's gender or background."
    Yam said some young women, who require stability and security, often have to give up their research
because of family pressures. "The only way for women to succeed in science is to get the mental and
material support from family and society. There is a day-care center at my university, and my husband
and mother-in-law help a lot with the housework, so I am able to spend my time on research," she said.
"I have two young daughters, and it is too early to tell whether or not they want to pursue careers in
science. But, I will encourage them to always defend their ideas. To remain determined, and to never be
afraid of failure - this is the advice that they will need to succeed in realizing their dreams."
     Yam also acknowledged her colleague's support, at the awards ceremony. "This (award) not only
recognizes me, but my colleagues and students and my country, China."
1. L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards is          .
A. an award for the developing world
B. equal to Women's Nobel Prize
C. held for more than 14 times
D. only to in honour of Marie Curie
2.Why did Yam become a chemist?        .
A. When she was young, she thought chemists were good.
B. She was amazed by the universe, nature and color in her childhood.
C. She wanted to find the beauties of chemistry.
D. She was encouraged by her supportive family.
3. What's Yam's view on men and women?         .
A. Their intellectual abilities and research capabilities are the same.
B. Their passion, dedication and determination are the same.
C. Women require stability and security.
D. Women can't get the mental and material support from family and society.
4.Yam wins the award of UNESCO For Women in Science for          .
A. her fruitful research on solving the environmental problem
B. doing research and test on new photoactive materials
C. inventing an unlimited resource
D. finding solutions on renewable and sustainable energy
5. The word "recognize" in the passage means            .
A. admit or be aware of       
B. be willing to accept sb/sth as valid or approve
C. show appreciation by giving an honor or award            
D. know sb/sth again
6. For Yam, her winning the award mainly thanks to             .
A. Her hard work                
B. Tthe co-work from her students.
C. The help from her colleagues    
D. The support from her family

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