【推荐1】Chester City Library offers a range of Library Special Needs Services to people who don’t have access to our library service in the usual way. As long as you live in Chester City, we’ll provide a wide range of library services and resources including:

• Large printed and ordinary printed books

• Talking books on tape and CD

• DVDs and music CDs

• Magazines

• Reference and information requests

Home delivery service

Let us know what you like to read and we will choose the resources for you. Our staff will deliver the resources to your home for free. We also provide a service where we can choose the resources for you or someone instead of you choose the things from the library. You can also choose the resources you need personally.

Talking books and captioned videos

The library can provide talking books for people who are unable to use printed books because of eye diseases. You don’t have to miss out on reading any more when you can borrow talking books from the library. If you have limited hearing which prevents you from enjoying movies, we can provide captioned videos for you at no charge.

Languages besides English

We can provide books in a range of languages besides English. If possible, we will request these items from the State Library of NSW, Australia.

How to join?

Contact the Library Special Needs Coordinator to register or discuss if you are eligible (合适的) for any of the services we provide-Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am-5pm on 4297 2522 for more information.

1. Library Special Needs Services are meant for       .

A．those who are fond of reading

B．people living in Chester City with an illness or disability

C．only those who have walking disabilities

D．those who can’t get medical help in Chester City

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Few entertaining resources are offered here.

B．People with limited hearing have to pay for captioned videos.

C．Books with different languages are available.

D．People have to choose what they need by themselves.

3. To get home delivery service，you must       .

A．only choose printed books.

B．have others choose the resources for you.

C．pay the library ahead of time.

D．register ahead of time.

【推荐1】Three years ago, five parrots were set free in a wild place of Arizona, thousands of miles from the Channel Islands in Jersey where they had been looked after by zookeepers. No evolutionary strategies informed them how to behave in this new landscape of mountainous pine forest unoccupied by their kind for 50 years. To the researchers’ surprise, they failed to make contact with a group of wild parrots imported from Mexico and set free at the same time. Within 24 hours the reintroducing ended in failure, and the poor birds were back in cages, on their way to the safety of the Arizona reintroduction programme.
Ever since then, the programme has enjoyed great success, mainly because the birds now being set free are Mexican birds illegally caught in the wild, confiscated （没收） on arrival north of the border, and raised by their parents in the safety of the programme. The experience shows how little we know about the behaviour and psychology （心理） of parrots, as Peter Bennett, a bird researcher, points out: “Reintroducing species of high intelligence like parrots is a lot more difficult. People like parrots, always treating them as nothing more than pets or valuable ‘collectables’.”
Now that many species of parrot are in immediate danger of dying out, biologists are working together to study the natural history and the behaviour of this family of birds. Last year was an important turning point: conservationists founded the World Parrot Trust, based at Hayle in Cornwall, to support research into both wild and caged birds.
Research on parrots is vital for two reasons. First, as the Arizona programme showed, when reintroducing parrots to the wild, we need to be aware of what the birds must know if they are to survive in their natural home. We also need to learn more about the needs of parrots kept as pets, particularly as the Trust’s campaign does not attempt to discourage the practice, but rather urges people who buy parrots as pets to choose birds raised by humans.
1. What do we know about the area where the five parrots were reintroduced?

A．Its landscape is new to parrots of their kind.

B．It used to be home to parrots of their kind.

C．It is close to where they had been kept.

D．Pine trees were planted to attract birds.

2. The reintroducing experience three years ago shows that man-raised parrots

A．can find their way back home in Jersey

B．are unable to recognize their parents

C．are unable to adapt to the wild

D．can produce a new species

3. Why are researches on parrots important according to the passage?

A．The Trust shows great concern for the programme.

B．We need to know more about how to preserve parrots.

C．Many people are interested in collecting parrots.

D．Parrots’ intelligence may some day benefit people.

4. According to the passage, people are advised ______.

A．to treat wild and caged parrots equally

B．to set up comfortable homes for parrots

C．not to keep wild parrots as pets

D．not to let more parrots go to the wild

【推荐3】Some houses are designed to be smart. Others have smart designs. An example of the second type of house won an Award of Excellence from the American Institute of Architects.
Located on the shore of Sullivan's Island off the coast of South Carolina, the award-winning cube-shaped beach house was built to replace one smashed to pieces by Hurricane Hugo 10 years ago. In September 1989, Hugo struck South Carolina, killing 18 people and damaging or destroying 36,000 homes in the state.
Before Hugo, many new houses built along South Carolina's shoreline were poorly constructed, and enforcement of building codes wasn't strict, according to architect Ray Huff, who created the cleverly-designed beach house. In Hugo's wake, all new shoreline houses are required to meet stricter, better-enforced codes. The new beach house on Sullivan's Island should be able to resist a Category 3 hurricane with peak winds of 179 to 209 kilometers per hour.
At first sight, the house on Sullivan's Island looks anything but hurricane-proof. Its redwood shell makes it resemble "a large party lantern" at night, according to one observer. But looks can be deceiving. The house's wooden frame is reinforced with long steel rods to give it extra strength.
To further protect the house from hurricane damage, Huff raised it 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings—long, slender columns of wood anchored deep in the sand. Pilings (桩) might appear insecure, but they are strong enough to support the weight of the house. They also elevate the house above storm waves. The pilings allow the waves to run under the house instead of running into it. "These swells of water come ashore at tremendous speeds and cause most of the damage done to beach-front buildings," said Huff.
Huff designed the timber pilings to be partially concealed by the house's ground-to-roof shell. " The shell masks the pilings so that the house doesn't look like it's standing with its pant legs pulled up, " said Huff. In the event of a storm surge, the shell should break apart and let the waves rush under the house, the architect explained.
1. After the tragedy caused by Hurricane Hugo, new houses built along South Carolina's shore line should ________.

A．be easily reinforced

B．look smarter in design

C．satisfy higher building standards

D．be designed in the shape of cubes

2. Huff raised the house 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings in order to ________.

A．withstand peak winds of about 200 km/hr

B．make stronger pilings deep in the sand

C．break huge sea waves into smaller ones

D．prevent water from rushing into the house

3. The main function of the shell is ________.

A．to strengthen the pilings of the house

B．to give the house a better appearance

C．to protect the wooden frame of the house

D．to slow down the speed of the swelling water

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the shell should be ________.

A．fancy-looking	B．water-proof
C．easily breakable	D．extremely strong

【推荐1】Winter-swimming has become popular in Beijing. Three years ago, few people would go swimming in the city waters. But now there is a Winter-swimming Enthusiasts’ Club(冬泳爱好者协会) and it has more than 2, 000 members. The oldest is 84 years of age and the youngest is only 7. The members are from all ways of life. They may be workers, peasants, soldiers, teachers, students....

Though it is now the coldest part of the season and the water temperature in the city’s lakes is around 0°C, many winter-swimmers still swim in the icy waters, even when it is snowing. They enjoy themselves in the lake, while the people by the side of the lake are wearing heavy clothes.

Why are so many people interested in winter-swimming? Because winter-swimming can be good for one’s health.

Bei Sha is a good example. He is 69 years old, and he once suffered from heart trouble for 26 years. After ten years of winter-swimming he is now in good health. Scientists are now studying the effects of winter-swimming on health.

1. Among the winter-swimmers the oldest man is ________ years older than the youngest one.

A．91	B．84
C．77	D．7

2. Guess what “The members are from all ways of life” means.

A．The members do different jobs at different places.

B．They come from all parts of Beijing.

C．They are persons of different ages.

D．They are men and women, old and young.

3. Winter-swimming has become popular in Beijing because ________.

A．more and more people like to swim in winter

B．it is more interesting than swimming in summer

C．winter-swimmers are brave men

D．winter-swimming does a lot of good to one’s health

4. The best title for this passage should be ________.

A．People in Beijing Like Swimming in Winter

B．Winter-swimming — A Craze(狂热) in Beijing

C．People Benefit from Winter-swimming

D．Winter-swimmers Are Brave Men

【推荐2】The Smithsonian National Zoo has confirmed that its six-week old giant panda is a male. The finding was announced on a zoo video earlier this week. Panda-keepers showed a painting in blue made by the baby’s father, Tian Tian.

The giant panda was born on August 21. Male and female giant pandas look very similar when young, so the zoo did a genetic test to learn whether the newborn is male or not. The panda does not yet have a name. The zoo usually waits until giant pandas are 100 days old to give them a name. At the time, the zoo said the newborn was about the size of a stick of butter -about 12 centimeters long and weighing 110 grams. Now, black accounts for two-thirds of his color. And he has grown quickly. He measures about 35 centimeters long and weighs about 1.6 kilograms.

His mother Mei Xiang is much bigger, weighing about 105 kilograms. The birth was welcomed as rare and happy news during the COVID-19 health crisis, which forced the zoo to close for several months. After Mei Xiang’s pregnancy was announced in August, Internet traffic on the zoo’s popular Panda live video feed increased by 1,200 percent, zoo officials said. When the baby was born about a week later, traffic went so high that the video connection broke for many watchers. Zoo officials had to add bandwidth as a result.

“Something like this is kind of a miracle for us,” National Zoo Director Steve Monfort said at the time. “It lifts the spirits of my team and the whole world.” For now, the Panda-Camera is still the only way the public can see the pandas.

1. The purpose of the zoo doing a genetic test on the new-born panda is to ______.

A．make out its sex	B．do some research on gene
C．figure out who is its father	D．evaluate its health condition

2. What can we know about the baby panda?

A．He is keen on a stick of butter.

B．He is more white and black in color.

C．He was given a name the instant he was born.

D．He is about fifteen times the weight of its birth.

3. People can see the baby panda by _______.

A．visiting the zoo in person	B．avoiding the traffic jam
C．watching live videos	D．making a contact with the zoo officials

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．How to bring up a baby panda.	B．Thrilling news of a panda’s birth.
C．Popular live video of a new-born panda.	D．The panda zoo paid much attention to by public.

【推荐3】London - Walking Tour

Hosted by the Cambridge Society of London

Join the Cambridge Society of London and learn more about the historic city of London.

Departing Time： Friday, 27 March 2020, 6. 00 pm GMT
Duration： 3 hours
Meeting point： At St Paul’s tube station in front of Cafe Nero
Open to： Alumni and guests

The City of London is where London began， almost 2, 000 years ago, as Roman Londinium. Today it is the financial“square mile”, home to the Bank of England and numerous banks and financial services companies.

This tour focuses on the City’s history and the legacy of that history in its unique govermance with its own Lord Mayor and Corporation. We will learn how these institutions evolved since the 12th century, their ancient traditions and their responsibilities today.

Of course, we will also include Roman remains, hidden City gardens, Victorian markets, historic pubs and find out what makes a cockney （ or true Londoner）.

Booking information

1. Advanced reservations are required. If you would like to attend this event, please book online using the link below.

2. Numbers are limited to 20 people. Registered members can invite one guest.

Please note only members of the Cambridge Sociely of London （and their guests） may book tickets. If you are not currently a member and would like to become one, please visit www. camsoclon. org.

3. Price： ￡ 12. 50 for members, ￡ 13 for guests. （Insurance is a must. Each, ￡1.5）

1. What is special about London - Walking tour?

A．It helps to explore the history of London.

B．It offers an opportunity to visit financial companies.

C．It provides the service of booking online.

D．It allows one to invite one of his guests.

2. What are tourists required to do to go on the tour?

A．Arrive at St Paul’s tube station at 6.30 pm.	B．Book tickets in advance.
C．Invite at least one guest.	D．Apply to become a member.

3. How much should a member pay if he invites a friend?

A．￡ 12.50.	B．￡ 13.
C．￡ 25. 50.	D．￡ 28.5.

【推荐1】While the novel coronavirus is dangerous for everyone, it is particularly so for the first respond-ere who are being exposed to the illness daily. In the US alone, almost 5,500 nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals have been infected with COVID-19. Unfortunately, of these, dozens have succumbed to the disease. Now, hospital workers worldwide may get some relief thanks to Spot, a semi-autonomous four-legged robot developed by Waltham, Massachusetts-based robotics company, Boston Dynamics.

^“Starting in early March, Boston Dynamics started receiving inquiries from hospitals asking if our robots could help minimize their staff ’s exposure to COVID-19,” the company writes in a blog post. In response, the company reconfigured (改装）the 3-foot tall robot to operate as a mobile telemedicine platform, enabling healthcare providers to determine a patient’s condition remotely.

The first four-legged robot^“dog” was working in the Brigham and Women^’s Hospital of Harvard University on April 9, 2020. Equipped with an iPad “face” and a two-way radio that allows for real-time conversation, Spot helps doctors to speak to patients without coming in contact with them.

^“With current practice at local hospitals, patients suspected to have COVID-19 are asked to line up in tents outside to answer questions and get initial assessments for temperature. This process requires up to five medical staff, placing those individuals at high risk of being exposed to the virus,^”Boston Dynamics explains.^“With the use of a mobile robot, hospitals are able to reduce the number of necessary medical staff at the scene and conserve their limited PPE (personal protective equipment) supply.” The company says the doctors can even use Spot to talk to patients from the safety of their own homes.

Though Spot has already proved extremely helpful, the robotics manufacturer believes it can be even more so. The engineers are currently working on^“teaching” the robot to perform tasks like temperature checks. The company is also developing new technology that will allow Spot to aid in the disinfection (消毒)of hospitals as well as other public areas.

1. What does the underlined phrase^“succumbed to” probably mean in the first paragraph?

A．Suffered from.	B．Recovered from.
C．Died from.	D．Resulted from.

2. What will happen with the help of the robot?

A．No medical workers will be needed at the scene.

B．Medical workers will become much safer.

C．Suspected patients needn’t line up in tents.

D．Medical workers won’t be infected with viruses.

3. What can Spot do at present?

A．Communicating with the suspected patients.

B．Checking a person’s temperature in the clinic.

C．Assisting people in the disinfection of hospitals.

D．Showing people how to wear protective masks.

4. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A．Boston Dynamics Developed A Robot Dog

B．A Robot Was Developed to Assist Doctors

C．COVID -19 Virus Endangers Medical Workers

D．Robot Dog Joins The Fight Against COVID-19

【推荐2】When you’re choosing a college a lot of factors probably may be considered: the school's reputation the classes offered, and the professors in your major, to name a few. However. considering the increasing competitiveness of universities to attract more and more applicants, many schools now offer extra benefits to be enjoyed by all of their students. Here are some of the coolest:

University of Missouri

When you think of a campus gym, you probably picture a room equipped with out-of-date machines. However, at the University of Missouri, you can enjoy one of the best campus fitness centers in the country. It features an “indoor beach” with a waterfall and a lazy river, as well as a full-service spa. Even if you don't normally enjoy working out, Missouri's fitness center will give you a reason to go to the gym.

High Point University

If you see yourself quickly tired of dining hall food — something that happens to almost all of us — High Point University in North Carolina has a great choice for you: a private steakhouse for students. It's a first-class restaurant, and, best of all, you don't have to pay for the meal out of your own pocket. You can use your dining dollars instead.

Seton Hall University

If you're worrying about the extra cost of technology when you start college, Seton Hall has great news for you: all freshmen are given free laptops through the university's Mobile Computing Program. As a freshman, you'll receive a laptop already set up with all of the software that you'll need as a student. Then after two years, you’ll receive anew and updated laptop designed to ear you through until after you graduate.

New York University

“If you're a fan of museums, New York University is the perfect university for you: not only are you located in the heart of a city featuring some of the best museums in the world, but the university will even provide you with free admission to many of them. You can take advantage of visiting free museums at any time you want — and you’ll never be bored on the weekends.

1. What can we learn from Paragraph1?

A．It is hard to be admitted to a university.

B．A university's fame is the top consideration.

C．The competitiveness of universities to attract applicants is increasing.

D．Extra benefits makes no difference to applicants.

2. What can we learn about the fitness center in the University of Missouri?

A．Its equipment is out of date.	B．It is the best one in the world.
C．It has a real beach there.	D．It can arouse students' interest in workout.

3. Which university offers extra benefit of food?

A．University of Missouri,	B．High Point University.
C．Seton Hall University.	D．New York University.

4. What can be guaranteed for students choosing Seton Hall University?

A．Free tuition.	B．Free accommodation.
C．Free computers.	D．High graduation rate.

5. Which of the following is true of New York University?

A．It is located in the center of the city.	B．It houses all the best museums in the world.
C．All the museums are open to its students for free.	D．Museums are usually closed on the weekends.

【推荐3】The Taj Mahal(泰姬陵) is a love story，a sad and beautiful one.If it didn’t exist，we would easily imagine that the story of its construction was simply a fairy tale.Three hundred years ago，there lived an Indian emperor called Shah Jahan.His wife was a beautiful and bright woman whom he loved greatly.Her title was Mumtazl Mahal：its shortened form Taj Mahal，means “pride of the palace”．In the year 1630 this beloved wife of the emperor died.He was so brokenhearted that he thought of giving up his throne.He decided，out of his love for his wife，to build her the most beautiful tomb that had ever been seen.

He summoned the best artists and architects from India，Turkey，Persia and Arabia and finally，the design was complete.It took more than twenty thousand men working over a period of 18 years to build the Taj Mahal，one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

The building itself stands on a marble platform 29 meters square and 6—7 meters high.Towers rise from each of the four corners.The Taj itself soars another 61 meters into the air.It is an eight­sided building made of white marble.

The emperor planned to build an identical tomb of black marble for himself on the other side of the river connected by a silver bridge.However，his son put him into a prison in the palace before he could finish，and for the rest of his life，he could only gaze across river at the tomb of his beloved wife.

1. The whole passage tells us about________．

A．a beautiful fairy tale

B．the love story of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife

C．white and black marble tombs made for two emperors

D． the story of the Taj Mahal

2. The emperor’s own tomb was designed to be________________．

A．meters high

B．eight­sided

C．black­coloured

D．white­coloured

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the Taj Mahal?

A．It was completed quickly owing to the efforts of the best artists and workers.

B．A lot of people took part in the building work.

C．It is a magnificent building.

D．It is a tomb for the emperor’s beloved wife.

4. The emperor________．

A．died soon after Taj Mahal died

B．died after 1648

C．was beloved by his people

D．was killed by his son