A
The people of Reykjavik are used to lying down for the winter, when each day brings with it only a few hours of sunlight. February coming, they’re more than ready to wake up from hibernation(冬眠)and welcome the first signs of spring. The local authorities decided this was a good time of a year to try to raise people’s spirits, and in 2002 they set up the Winter Lights Festival. Starting out as Museum Night, when museums waived their fees and stayed open until midnight, the festival has grown to an event that marks the coming return of daylight. For a few days, the city comes alive with bright lights, street performances, theater, dances, and live music. Shops, cafés, outdoor hot pools and the museums stay open until 12: 00 p. m. and they’re all free of charge, with free bus services provided. Here are another two things about Reykjavik that will help you celebrate the coming end of winter.
The Blue Lagoon is Iceland’s most famous tourist attraction. Being an amazing place at any time of day, it is magical at dusk, when the steamy, ice-blue waters shine in color. Little wooden bridges and walkways connect smaller pools with a larger pool, which contains geothermal(地热的)seawater heated from 37℃ to 39℃. The Lava Restaurant has great views over the waters. Basic entrance to the lagoon costs $44.
The Imagine Peace Tower, Yoko Ono’s memorial to John Lennon, was first lit by Ono on October 9, 2007, Lennon’s birthday, and shone until December 8, the date he was killed in 1980. It’s lit on the same date every year, as well as New Year’s Eve and the spring equinox, which in 2013 is on March 20. The tower contains 15 searchlights that send a column of lights 4, 000m up into the night sky. Guided tours are available(可获得的)with pick-up from your hotel for $39.
【文章大意】这是一篇说明文。冰岛靠近北极圈, 冬天日照极短。本文主要介绍了冰岛首都Reykjavik的Winter Lights Festival, Blue Lagoon 和Imagine Peace Tower。
1. The Winter Lights Festival was set up to______.
A. attract tourists B. light the city up
C. cheer people up D. wake people up
【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据第一段中的 “The local authorities decided this was a good time of a year to try to raise people’s spirits, and in 2002 they set up the Winter Lights Festival” 可知, 政府设立冬季灯光节是为了振奋人们的精神。故选C。
2. The underlined word “waived” in the first paragraph probably means “______”.
A. kept B. gave up
C. raised D. cut off
【解析】选B。词义猜测题。根据第一段中的 “Shops, cafés, outdoor hot pools and the museums stay open until 12: 00 p. m. and they’re all free of charge, with free bus services provided” 可知, 商店、咖啡馆等一直营业到半夜, 并且免费, 还提供免费的班车。由此可推知, waived their fees指的是不收费, 因此gave up(放弃)符合题意。故选B。
3. According to Paragraph 2, what can we know?
A. You can only visit the Blue Lagoon at dusk.
B. The water of the Blue Lagoon is beautiful.
C. The Lava Restaurant is Iceland’s most famous restaurant.
D. $44 can cover all the costs when you visit the Blue Lagoon.
【解析】选B。细节理解题。根据第二段中的 “it is magical at dusk, when the steamy, ice-blue waters shine in color” 可知, Blue Lagoon的水非常漂亮, 尤其是在傍晚。根据第二段最后一句 “Basic entrance to the lagoon costs $44” 可知, 去景区游览的基本费用是44美元, 而不是所有的费用。故D项表述错误。A、C项在文中未提及。故选B。
4. When did John Lennon pass away?
A. On October 9, 2007.
B. On March 20, 2013.
C. On December 8, 1980.
D. On New Year’s Eve in 1980.
【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据第三段中的 “shone until December 8, the date he was killed in 1980” 可知, John Lennon是在1980年12月8日去世的。故选C。
【知识拓展】长难句分析
The Imagine Peace Tower, Yoko Ono’s memorial to John Lennon, was first lit by Ono on October 9, 2007, Lennon’s birthday, and shone until December 8, the date he was killed in 1980.
分析: 主干是The Imagine Peace Tower was first lit and shone. Yoko Ono’s memorial to John Lennon是The Imagine Peace Tower的同位语; Lennon’s birthday是October 9, 2007的同位语; the date he was killed in 1980是December 8的同位语。
翻译: 想象和平之塔, 小野洋子为亡夫约翰·列侬树立的纪念塔, 于2007年9月9号(列侬生日)第一次被小野洋子点亮, 直到12月8号才熄灭——列侬在这一天被杀害。
