1Ascent,an86.6-metre-tallmass-timbertowerinMilwaukee,hasbeenregardedastheworld'stallesttimberbuilding.Locatedinaneighbourhoodnearthelakefront,the25-storeytowerismadealmostentirelyfromtimberexceptforthebaseandelevators.2Thestructuretookonlytwoyearstobuild.Ithasaconcrete-framedbasethatissixstoreystallandthe19-storeytimbertowerrisesfromthepodium(基座).Thecorecontainingtheelevatorshaftandstaircaseismadeofconcretetohelpthebuildingdealwithwindandseismic(地震的)shifts,aswellasforfiresafetyreasons.3Thecityrequiredathree-hourfireratingforthecolumns,sotheteamworkedwiththeForestProductsLaboratorytooptimise(優(yōu)化)thecolumnstomeetthisstandard.“Wethinkitwasthefirstthree-hourfiretestingoncolumns,”saidthedesigner,addingthatthefloorplateshadatwo-hourrating,meaningthecomponentscanburnfortwohourswithoutlosingstructuralintegrity.Becauseofrequirementspreventingexternalwoodexposureandthedeveloper'sdesiretocapturethelakeviews,theexteriorofthestructureismadealmostentirelyofglassandmetalpanelling.4BothKorbandFernandezagreedthatmanyofthedriversbehindtheprojectwereeconomic—fromtherealestateperspectiveofthefacade(建筑物的正面）tothecostrestrictionsofthetimber.MuchofthewoodwassourcedfromAustriabecausesourcinghigh-qualitysuppliesfromNorthAmericanmanufacturerswouldhavebeentooexpensive.5Economicbenefitswereincreasedbylabourusageoftheproject.Becauseofthepre-builtpanels,fewerworkersarerequiredoneachfloor,andbecausethereisnosettingtime—likewithtraditionalconcreteconstruction—finishescanbeaddedmuchsooner.Korbestimatedthattheprojectusedabout25percentoftheonsitelabourrequiredforaconcretestructure,andthatitwascompletedinabouthalfthetime.6Thetowerwillprovidefurtherproofofconceptfordeveloperswhoarelookingtocreateinnovativestructuresfromtimber.Andmid-risedevelopmentslikethesethatattractpeopletotheurbancoreareagoodthing.ReadingCheck1.Whatcanweknowaboutthetimbertower?A.Itiscompletelymadeoftimber.B.Ittooktwoyearstofinishbuilding.C.Itisregardedasthetallestbuilding.D.Itcanavoidtheeffectoftheearthquake.2.WhydidthebuildingteamworkwiththeForestProductsLaboratory?A.Tokeepthetimber'sstandardintegrity.B.Tochoosethebesttimberforthebuilding.C.Toenablethetowertobearvariousforces.D.Tomakethecolumnsmeetfireratingstandards.3.What'sthebenefitofusingglasstodecoratetheexteriorofthetimbertower?A.Bringingdownthecost.B.Protectingthewoodmaterials.C.Obtainingthelakeviewseasily.D.Makingsureitisbrightenough.4.Comparedwithconcreteconstruction,thetimberbuilding_____.A.takesmoretimeB.ismoreattractiveC.costsfewerlaborsD.bringsmoreeconomicbenefitsLanguageStudyⅠ.DifficultsentenceinthetextThecorecontainingtheelevatorshaftandstaircaseismadeofconcretetohelpthebuildingdealwithwindandseismicshifts,aswellasforfiresafetyreasons.包含電梯井和樓梯的核心由混凝土制成，以幫助建筑物應(yīng)對風(fēng)和地震的變化，同時也是出于消防安全的考慮?！军c石成金】本句中，containingtheelevatorshaftandstaircase為修飾core的后置定語，和被修飾詞構(gòu)成主謂關(guān)系；tohelpthebuildingdealwithwindandseismicshifts,aswellasforfiresafetyreasons在句中作目的狀語。Ⅱ.Fillintheblankswiththephrasesintheboxinproperforms.dealwithaswellasmeetthisstandardbesourcedfrombeattractedto1.Toourdelight,themenucontainedtraditionalfavorites____________moreadventurousdishes.2.Rescueteamsarealreadyhardatworktryingto____________thespilledoil.3.Inordertoreducethecost,mostofthematerialshadto____________aclose-bysupply.4.Youwill____________BeijingOperaevenifyouknownothingofthedramaticbackground.5.TheSierraClubwasunableto____________,somanypeopledidn'twanttojoinit.1ItisdeepwinterinAntarctica,thetimeofyearthatthecontinentissurroundedbymillionsofsquaremilesofthefrozenocean.Butthisyear,thereisalotlessseaicethaneverrecordedbefore.Itisbadnewsforpeoplearoundtheworld,becauseseaicehelpscontrolhowquicklytherestofAntarctica'sicemelts,whichcontributestotheglobalsealevelrise.2“It'sabigenoughdealtobealarmingtoclimatescientists,”saysTedScambos,whostudiesAntarcticaattheUniversityofColoradoBoulder.“We'veseenadeclineinseaicecoversinceabout2016,but2023tookahugejumpdownward.”3ThemissingiceisaproblemforpeoplefarfromAntarctica.Whileseaicelossdoesn'tcontributedirectlytothesealevelrise—meltingseaicedoesn'taddanyextrawatertotheocean—Antarcticseaiceactslikeaprotectivecollararoundthecontinent.4“Thoseiceshelvescontainalotoffrozenwater,andiftheybreakandbecomeapartoftheocean,that'sgoingtoraiseglobalsealevel,”saysMarilynRaphael,whostudiesAntarcticseaiceattheUniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles.5Scientistsareracingtofigureouthowmuchofthaticeislikelytomeltinthenexthundredyears,andtounderstandwhytheseaicebecamesmallersosuddenlythisyear.6Theyarechallengingquestionstoanswer,becauseAntarcticaandtheoceansurroundingitareenormous,complexandremote.UnliketheArctic,wherehumanshavelivedforathousandyears,theAntarcticrequiresspecializedshipsandplanestovisit,andisbasicallyinaccessibleforhalftheyear.7“Thisisaverysurprising,difficultsystemtoforecastandpredict,”saysScambos,whohasbeenstudyingAntarcticaformorethan30years.Onetheoryaboutwhytheseaiceissosmallthisyearisthatwarmoceanwaterfromotherpartsoftheplanethasstartedtomixwiththelayerofwateratthesurface,whereseaiceforms.ReadingCheck1.What'sTedScambos'attitudetowardstheseaice'sbecomingsmaller?A.Positive.B.Neutral.C.Indifferent.D.Concerned.2.Whatdoweknowaboutseaiceloss?A.Itcontributesindirectlytothesealevelrise.B.Itonlyaffectspeoplelivingnearby.C.Itcancausecoastalflooding.D.Itwillbecomelessseriousinthenexthundredyears.3.Whyisitdifficulttofigureoutthecauseoftheseaice'sbecomingsmallerthisyear?A.Novehiclescangetthere.B.ItsnowsforhalfayearinAntarctica.C.VisitingAntarcticaisnotaneasyjob.D.ScientistsignoreAntarcticaforlong.4.Whatdoesthelastparagraphmainlytalkabout?A.AwarninggivenbyascientiststudyingAntarctica.B.Areasonwhytheseaicebecomessosmall.C.Asuggestionputforwardbyafamousscientist.D.Amethodofdealingwithseaiceloss.LanguageStudyⅠ.DifficultsentenceinthetextScientistsareracingtofigureouthowmuchofthaticeislikelytomeltinthenexthundredyears,andtounderstandwhytheseaicebecamesmallersosuddenlythisyear.科學(xué)家們正競相計算出在未來一百年內(nèi)有多少冰可能融化，并了解為什么今年海冰急劇減少?！军c石成金】本句是一個主從復(fù)合句。howmuch引導(dǎo)賓語從句，作動詞短語figureout的賓語；why引導(dǎo)賓語從句，作動詞understand的賓語。Ⅱ.Fillintheblankswiththewordsandphrasesinthebox.1.Iliketo________lotsofdifferentpeoplewhenIgoout.2.Thislatestincidentwill________thepressureonthegovernment.3.Therehavebeensomeproblemsbut________it'sagoodsystem.4.Anincreaseincarshasresultedinthe________ofpublictransport.5.Itisa(n)________challengebutwehopetomeetitwithinayearor18months.6.Itisquitecommonthatapersoncanstill________societyintheautumnofhislife.1AlittlegirlhonoredbySimonCowellatthePrideofBritainAwardsandachoirthatusedsignlanguagehavewonaplaceintheliveshowsofBritain'sGotTalentafterDavidWalliamspressedhisgoldenbuzzer.2EllaChadwickwas11whenshereceivedtheChildofCourageprizefromtherealityshowjudgeatthestar-studdedceremonyafterraising￡3,000forthehospitalwhereshehasbeentreatedfornephroticsyndrome(腎病綜合征),akidneydisorderwhichledtoherundergoing40operationsincludingalife-savingkidneytransplantoperation.3CowellandEllareunitedonstageassheauditioned(試鏡)withthesigningchoirSignAlongWithUsonthefirstepisodeofthenewseriesofthetalentshow.Ellaandthechoirmembers,whoareagedbetween4and58,sangandsignedalongtoTheGreatestShowmanhitThisIsMe.4Aftertheperformance,Cowellsaid,“IhavetoadmitIhaveafriendofmineinthischoice,Ella.HisfellowjudgeAleshaDixonwasleftintearsbytheauditionandsaid,“Igenuinelycannotfindthewords.”AmandaHoldentoldthechoir,“Thatsongissuchananthemforpeoplewhomaybedon'tfeelpartoftheworldorpartofanythingandIjustfounditreally,reallymoving,andabsolutelybrilliant.”5Walliamssaid,“Everysingleoneofyougaveeverythingtothisperformance.AnamazingandpowerfulmessageisputoutthereandallIcansayis...”beforehittingthegoldenbuzzer,whichallowsthechoirtoskipthenextstagesoftheshowandgetaplaceintheliveshowslaterthisyear.6AlsoimpressingthejudgeswastheXIXCrewdancetroupe,whotravelledfromMumbaiinIndiatoshowofftheiracrobaticroutine(雜技動作),whichculminated(到達(dá)頂點)insevenpeoplesittingoneachother'sshoulders.Thejudgewasalsomovedbyfather-and-sonmagicduoJamesandDylanPiper,fromSouthWales,whoincorporatedCowell'ssonEricintotheiract.ReadingCheck1.WhowonaplaceintheliveshowsofBritain'sGotTalent?A.EllaChadwickandthechoir.B.TheXIXCrewdancetroupe.C.Thefather-and-sonmagicduo.D.EllaChadwickandDavidWalliams.2.WhatawarddidEllaChadwickreceivedwhenshewas11?A.￡3,000forahospital.B.ThePrideofBritainAwards.C.TheChildofCourageprize.D.Britain'sGotTalent'swinner.3.Whowasmovedtotearsbytheaudition?A.SimonCowell.B.EllaChadwick.C.DavidWalliams.D.AleshaDixon.LanguageStudyⅠ.DifficultsentenceinthetextAlittlegirlhonoredbySimonCowellatthePrideofBritainAwardsandachoirthatusedsignlanguagehave