【推荐1】Rocky was a 65-pound dog. Rita was his eleven-year old owner. When Rocky was given to her, Rita immediately liked him. Whenever she was not in school,the two were always together and within touching distance. The family would lovingly call the pair “R and R”.

But Rocky had one shortcoming. He feared water very much because of a terrible experience. When he was at the age of seven weeks long before he met Rita,he was nearly drowned by a naughty boy who had been blamed by his father.

One late afternoon, Rita's mother took R and R to a shopping area near a lake. Rita was running along the wooden bridge over the water,enjoying the beautiful scenery around. Suddenly a boy on a bicycle hit Rita. She let out a cry of pain and fell into the lake.

Rita's mother was at the entrance of a store not far away. She rushed to the lake shouting for help. Rocky seemed to forget his fear and jumped into the water to save his owner. Rocky immediately swam to Rita and held her by the shoulder's clothes with his mouth. Rita's face was quickly out of the water and she could cough.Luckily,the water was calm,they were not far from the bank,and Rocky finally reached a depth where his feet were on solid ground. He pulled Rita hard until her head was completely out of the water, and then he stood beside her, licking (舔) her face.

Rita and her family firmly believed that it was only the big dog's love for the little girl that caused him to take action that might be life-dangerous.

1. From the text, we know __________.

A．Rita was once blamed

B．Rocky was eleven years old

C．Rita spent her spare time with Rocky

D．Rocky lived in Rita's home since his birth

2. Which of the following best describes Rocky?

A．Brave.

B．Honest.

C．Unkind.

D．Dangerous.

3. When did the accident happen?

A．At noon.

B．At night.

C．In the morning.

D．In the afternoon.

4. According to the time, which of the following is the right order of the event?
① Rocky came into Rita's life.② Rocky was nearly drowned.
③They were playing near the lake. ④ Rocky saved Rita from the water.

A．①②④③

B．②①③④

C．③①②④

D．④③②①

【推荐2】Raised by grandparents, Nikki was 17 years old when she secretly went to the University of Kentucky under cover of darkness. It was 2009, and the advice of her late grandmother Sue echoed in her head as she drove: Leave. Go to college. And do not let anybody from the bigger, wider world think they’re better than you.

Sue died when Nikki was 9. The opioid (鸦片) addiction had already broken out in eastern Kentucky by then. And in Nikki’s mind the drug problem turned into a drug crisis (危机) shortly after Sue’s death, when her family went from sleeping with the screen door unlocked to buying new doors - without glasses, which could be broken by thieves. Around that time, Nikki went to a birthday party, only to find her friend’s mother passed out on the toilet, surrounded by vomit (呕吐物) and pill bottles.

In high school, her teacher asked her classmates what they wanted to be in future. Nikki knew by then that both her safety and her economic fortunes lay far from her hometown. But her grandfather, Curt, wanted her to stay home, thinking Nikki should become a nurse, and that the community college would be enough.

The night she ran away, Nikki stopped halfway because she was shaking too hard to drive. She’d been planning the move her entire senior year, secretly applying for scholarships and saving $800 by working at a comic-book store. But she hadn’t ever set foot on a university, and she worried about her grandfather, who had never lived alone. She’d waited for him to fall asleep, and when she imagined him waking to an empty house the next morning, her shaking turned to loud cry. Nikki cried so hard that she vomited. Then she wiped herself off and drove directly to college.

A decade later, Nikki, now 28,, has become one of the leading voices on the opioid crisis in rural America —where, about 20 years later, treatment remains scarce even as deaths caused by overuse of opioid increase. In many rural places, neighbors turn on one another rather than placing the blame on the pharmaceutical (制药的) companies creating such serious situations.

The crisis has killed over 800,000 Americans, but the government hasn’t provided effective solutions, let alone a level of funding that could stop the crisis. However, Nikki has figured out a way to offer treatment to people in need. While the program she’s developed is still small and new, its results are promising, and it appears to be copied in other states. Her aim is to help people with opioid addiction, rather than just locking them up.

1. What is the main idea of Paragraph 2?

A．The sudden death of Sue.

B．The terrible situation of the opioid crisis.

C．The danger caused by thieves.

D．The symptoms of the opioid addiction.

2. What possibly contributed to Nikki’s further study in the university?

A．Her friend’s mom’s passing out.

B．Her experience in a comic-book store.

C．Her grandma’s thoughtful encouragement.

D．Her decision to make economic fortunes.

3. Which of the following can describe Nikki’s characteristics according to Paragraph 4?

A．Kind and strong-willed.	B．Sensitive and weak.
C．Selfish but optimistic.	D．Diligent but cruel.

4. The underlined phrase “turn on” in Paragraph 5 most probably means ________.

A．assist

B．trust

C．attack

D．dismiss

5. Why is the government’s failure to provide effective solutions mentioned?

A．To indicate the difficulties to treat the addiction.

B．To stress Nikki’s unusual achievements.

C．To support the practice of locking up addicted people.

D．To blame the government for killing 800,000 Americans.

【推荐1】It’s important to spend time talking to your teen about the news and how the media works. Studies show kids experience fewer harmful effects when they’ve been taught basic media literacy skills.    1    

Encourage critical thinking. Encourage your teen to question the information she’s reading. Ask her to consider who wrote the story and why that person may have written it.

    2    Talk about the methods companies use to convince people to buy their products. Promising that a product will help you look beautiful or be more popular, for example, is often part of the message.

Teach your teen to look at all the information. Talk about the importance of looking at the “about us” page on a website to learn more about who produced the content.    3    Just a picture paired with an article doesn’t mean the picture was taken at the actual event being discussed in the story.

Look at websites together. Sit down with your teen and review popular news sites and discuss how to tell between news stories and the sponsored content.    4    

Talk about people’s reasons for creating the content.    5    Clickbait headlines are intended to get traffic, rather than provide quality information. Explain how many writers are trying to sell products, rather than report the facts.

A．Monitor your teen’s use.

B．Discuss advertising techniques.

C．Talk about ways to check stories online.

D．Also, show your teen how to look at photographs more closely.

E．Read articles together and talk about the messages that you’re reading.

F．Here’s how you can teach your child to evaluate the content she’s viewing.

G．Make sure your teen is aware that many writers get paid by the page view.

【推荐2】Most of us grow up taking certain things for granted. We tend to assume that experts and religious leaders tell us "the truth". We tend to believe that things advertised on television or in newspapers can't be bad for us.

However, encouragement of critical thinking in students is one of the goals of most colleges and universities.   Few professors require students to share the professors' own beliefs.   In general, professors are more concerned that students learn to question and critically examine the arguments of others, including some of their own beliefs or values. This does not mean that professors insist that you change your beliefs, either. It does mean, however, that professors will usually ask you to support the views you express in class or in your writing.

If your premises (前提) are shaky, or if your arguments are not logical, professors personally point out the false reasoning in your arguments. Most professors want you to learn to recognize the premises of your arguments, to examine whether you really accept these premises, and to understand whether or not you draw logical conclusions. Put it this way. Professors don't tell you what to think; they try to teach you how to think.

On the other hand, if you intend to disagree with your professors in class, you should be prepared to offer a strong argument in support of your ideas. Arguing just for the sake of arguing usually does not promote a critical examination of ideas. Many professors interpret it as rudeness.

1. In the first paragraph, the writer tries to tell us that ______.

A．we have strong beliefs in authorities while growing up

B．we grow up through learning certain things in life

C．we are forming our views during our growth

D．we easily accept certain things without a second thought

2. Nowadays, few professors encourage students to______

A．criticize others

B．support their own views

C．hold the same idea as professors'

D．examine his own beliefs

3. The word “shaky” (Line 1, Para. 3) most probably means______

A．creative

B．firm

C．reasonable

D．weak

4. To help students develop their critical thinking, professors mainly teach them______

A．choice of their premises

B．the way to think independently

C．skills of drawing conclusions

D．different kinds of argument

5. According to the writer, the right way to argue is to______.

A．argue mainly for the sake of arguing

B．prove it with a good conclusion

C．support your idea with sound reasoning

D．examine others' ideas critically

【推荐3】Studying abroad is a worthwhile and often life-changing experience, but be sure to check out these 3 disadvantages of study abroad—before you start planning.

Disadvantage 1:Cultural Barriers

Communication is essential to efficiency.     1    It’s important to know the level of fluency that will be expected of you, both from your teachers and peers and the locals with whom you’ll be communicating abroad. 

In addition,you may find yourself jolted(受挫) by the sudden shift in culture. Everything from food and religion to transportation systems and style of dress may differ from those in your home country.     2     If you are not properly prepared to cope with these differences, they can lead to great stress. 

Disadvantage 2:You’re On Your Own

Navigating a foreign destination on your own can be an intimidating experience. Some of you may experience certain aspects of independence for the very first time.     3    

Because some of the worst symptoms of culture shock can result from the realization that you no longer have your friends and family alongside you, it’s important that you’re fully prepared for this transition.

Disadvantage 3:    4    

Travel expenses, tuition, books, room and board, bills, transportation, and overall cost of living can add up quickly when living abroad.    5    

Consider that you’ll likely want to go out and explore your new home in addition to studying, so be sure to set aside plenty of cash for tourism, transportation, and entertainment, as well as for emergencies.

A．Studying Abroad is Expensive

B．Language barriers exist in every country.

C．Make sure your study abroad college or program is accredited(可信任的).

D．Research cultural and regional norms and expectations before you go.

E．This culture shock can lead to feelings of anxiety and homesickness.

F．Depending on where you choose to study abroad, your expenses can vary greatly in cost.

G．Perhaps you’ve never lived on your own or have yet to travel outside of your home country.

【推荐1】Jake O' Brien，one of the central characters in Sterling R．Walker's science fiction novel The Orphan Ship，has just received some bad news. The medical school he has been going to is closing down because of financial(财务的)problems；and to make matters worse，the only other medical program in the world also happens to be on another planet. Thus，in order to become a doctor，Jake packs his suitcase and jumps on board the passenger ship Atlanta to go to Mars!

When Jake and his cousin Lorina Murphy journey to Mars Station in search of educational opportunities，they never guess they will turn into life savers. But because of the extreme poverty and child exploitation(剥削)happening on Mars，these two cousins are forced to accept their true destiny(命运)．However，they are not alone in their efforts to save the poor “street kids”．Early in the story these two heroes are joined by the crew(船员)of the Ishmael，which in the course of the story，becomes a rescue ship and a safe place for over one hundred homeless children.
In this novel，there are different themes. While fighting the cruel people who sell the “street kids” of Mars Station，the colorful characters of The Orphan Ship also manage to fall in love，find wealth，and form lasting friendships.
The real power of the story comes from the characters' expression of fellow feeling—a feeling of understanding others because you have shared similar experiences. The characters in The Orphan Ship have a sense of social duty and spiritual commitment. For example，at one point in the story，shocked by the way the homeless children have been treated，Lorina notices “a pair of black children sitting under a streetlight begging food from passers­by”．Yet “no one gave the children a second look.” Fortunately，however，Lorina and her newfound friends—the crew of the Ishmael，which soon becomes the “Orphan Ship”—do indeed care for the children of Mars Station，as they join forces to provide them safe passage to earth and also a home. In this way the theme of compassion is the centerpiece of the entire novel.
1. Jake decides to go to Mars because ______.

A．studying medicine is cheaper on Mars than on earth

B．the medical school on Mars is better than that on earth

C．Mars is the only place where he can realize his dream

D．his cousin encourages him to become a doctor on Mars

2. What's Jake and his cousin's destiny?

A．To save other people's lives.

B．To become the crew of the Ishmael.

C．To fail to get an education on Mars.

D．To make friends with homeless children.

3. All the following are themes of the novel EXCEPT ______.

A．friendship	B．spreading knowledge
C．finding wealth	D．love

4. The underlined word “them” in the last paragraph refers to ______.

A．passers­by	B．Lorina's newfound friends
C．homeless children	D．the black

【推荐2】My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s (老年痴呆症) last summer. Suddenly, it was difficult for me to accept that the roles were now changed — my mother became my child, and I became her mother. I became impatient, argued with her, once I even yelled at her. Gradually, I was used to this kind of life. Now I am able to deal with her and the situation better. I have learned a lot of life lessons from the experience.

My mother reacts very sensitively to my feelings. That is typical of Alzheimer’s patients. When I visit her, feeling hectic and tense, she reacts immediately, takes on my mood, and becomes nervous and negative. But when I appear cheerful and attentive, she is happy. This has taught me to pay more attention to my own feelings when I am with other people.

Through the illness my mother has developed a childlike tactlessness (不得体). Eating out in restaurants, for example, is a bit embarrassing when she shouts at the waiter that the food is so bad or talks about people at the next table in a loud voice. Of course I make sure that my mother doesn’t hurt anyone, but I’ve stopped complaining about others and have become more tolerant.

I have also learned that everything has special value. When my mother got sick I didn’t want to burden my two daughters with it. They are young and have enough going on with their education, and starting their careers. I felt that it was simply my job as my mother’s daughter. The most wonderful discovery I’ve made through my mother’s disease may be that my children not only offer to help me, but that they take care of my mother on their own actively. They visit her often, play cards with her, and look at photo albums together with her. It shows me that it’s all worth it.

1. What does the underlined “hectic” in the Paragraph 2 mean?

A．delighted.	B．touched.
C．surprised.	D．stressed.

2. Which of the following is the common behavior of Alzheimer’s patients?

A．Being particular about clothes.	B．Being curious about feelings.
C．Being afraid of strange people.	D．Being sensitive to others’moods.

3. What can we know about the writer’s daughters according to the passage?

A．They are naughty.	B．They are considerate.
C．They are traditional.	D．They are selfish.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．How I Cared for My Sick Mother.	B．How I Became More Tolerant.
C．What I Have Learned from Alzheimer’s.	D．Why I Am Feeling stressed.

【推荐3】It was several years ago when my wife asked me to meet her at the local department store on Black Friday morning. They had advertised a child’s bike that she wanted to purchase for our son. We stood with a very large crowd, waiting for the manager to blow the whistle. After a while the whistle blew. It was like throwing a basket of chum into a tank of sharks. I told my wife that if we obtained a bike, fine, but if we did not, I was OK with that too.

As the boxes of bikes began to gradually decrease, I saw my opportunity to wrap my hands around the corner of one of them, I lifted it off and suddenly felt some mild resistance(抵抗). I looked up to see one of the largest men I had ever seen in my life. Frightening was not enough to describe his presence. He was decorated with numerous leather belts with metal buttons around both arms and even his neck.

I started to loosen the box but he gently pushed it back in my direction and back into my hands. He then directed it into my shopping cart. He looked at me, smiled, and said, “Merry Christmas.”

My wife and I went to the checkout, paid for the bike and went home. All the way home I was thinking that this moment was by far the best Christmas gift I had ever received. The kindness of a human heart in a simple act of a stranger broke all preconceived notions(先入为主的观念) I may have had. I will never forget it.

1. What does the underlined word“chum”mean in paragraph 1?

A．Gifts.

B．Souvenirs.

C．Goods

D．Food.

2. Why did the author loosen the box when seeing the man?

A．The author was frightened by the man.	B．The man needed it more.
C．The author didn’t want to buy it.	D．The man got the box first.

3. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text?

A．A Shopping Experience	B．The Best Christmas Gift
C．An Unforgettable Bike	D．The Largest Man I Have Ever See

4. What can we learn from the text?

A．Industry is the parent of success.	B．No rose without a thorn.(刺)
C．No way is impossible to courage.	D．Don’t judge a book by its cover.

【推荐1】Alibaba Group will extend its digital operating system to 1.5 million small neighborhood stores in China. Under the so-called Plan W, Alibaba is looking to develop a number of smaller shops with a daily revenue of over 10,000 yuan ($1,456) in lower-tier cities, townships and villages.

The latest move falls under Alibaba’s Ling Shou Tong (LST) business unit, which connects the millions of street stands in China and improves marketing, delivery, and inventory management abilities through digital means. The data-backed retail management system has been designed to digitize the business of millions of mom and pop stores and neighborhood convenience stores.

Alibaba will offer a smart point-of-sale system, some 10,000 new product offerings, and a variety of online touchpoints to help users access offline stores virtually. Alibaba intends to help these mom and pop stores double or even triple their revenue, and they can sell more efficiently, and get flexibility to refill stocks based on their changing needs.

Its POS machine performs every function throughout the retail process and provides real-time suggestions. For instance, it would send out alerts on potential stock shortage, and would recommend cost-effective purchase to enhance the store’s profitability. The machine also collects average selling price for a certain product in the nearby areas, thereby giving references to shop-owners to make informed pricing decisions.

Furthermore, an inventory monitoring system is in operation to give real-time advice on product display. This is coupled with a three-layer warehouse system covering 200 cities and townships to ensure the timely delivery of products, based on geographical shopping preferences that are present in Alibaba’s data book.

Despite slow consumption growth at home and abroad, one in every five small shops surveyed by LST reported they have witnessed positive revenue growth. Average daily revenue surpassed 7,000 yuan,   compared with the 3,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan range for average offline stores.

1. Why does Alibaba come up with Plan W?

A．To open 1.5 million small neighbourhood stores in China.

B．To improve supermarkets’ digital operating system in urban areas.

C．To increase revenue of smaller shops through digital means.

D．To move Ling Shou Tong business unit to under-developed areas.

2. How can Alibaba’s POS machine make a difference?

A．By warning possible stock shortage.

B．By increasing profit at a higher price.

C．By comparing prices of a product in different cities.

D．By offering shop-owners advice on bargaining.

3. Which of the following systems functions as a platform where products are distributed punctually?

A．The data-backed retail management system.	B．The point-of-sale system.
C．The inventory monitoring system.	D．The three-layer warehouse system.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Application of Digital Means to Small Shops	B．Real Secrets of Alibaba Group’s Success
C．Great Hope of Street Stands in China	D．Possible Ways of Increasing Small Shops’ Profit

【推荐2】Global warming does more than just kill plant species-it also changes the way plants grow. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) joined forces with the Leibniz Institute for Plant Biochemistry (IPB) to discover the molecular processes of plant growth. In Current Biology, a scientific journal, they presented their findings on high-temperature plant growth. This could lead to developing plants that can survive global warming.

Plants react to even small temperature changes, but they are unable to move to new locations. “When temperatures rise, plants grow taller... to cool themselves off. Their stalks become taller, and their leaves become narrower and grow farther apart. Yet, this makes the plant more unstable overall,” explains Professor Marcel Quint, an agricultural scientist at MLU. Unstable plants bend faster in the rain and produce less food that’s also less nutritious.

There’s still lots to learn about plant reactions to temperatures. “We are just starting to understand how plants detect the changes in temperature...,” Quint says. Earlier studies have shown that the protein PIF4 directly controls plant growth and is also dependent on temperature. When it’s cold, PIF4 is less active, meaning the plant doesn’t grow. At higher temperatures, PIF4 activates growth-promoting genes, and the plant grows taller. This is new information, says Quint.

To understand it, they investigated the growth of thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana,) seedlings. Normally, its seedlings form short stems at 20℃. These stems become considerably longer at 28℃. They discovered a hormone   that activates the PIF4 at high temperatures, thus producing the protein. The findings of the Halle group may help to breed plants that remain stable even at high temperatures and produce many crops.

1. Why did the researchers at MLU and IPB conduct their research?

A．To study the negative effects of global warming.

B．To find out how plants help reduce global warming.

C．To observe how global warming affects plant growth.

D．To understand the ways that plants cause global warming.

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?

A．Low temperatures have little impact on plants.

B．Plants prefer dry weather to rainy weather.

C．Plants are very sensitive to changes in soil.

D．High temperatures decrease crop production.

3. What do we know about PIF4?

A．It mainly exists in the cress seedlings.

B．It works differently at different temperatures.

C．It is a kind of gene that controls plant growth.

D．It is a plant hormone that works at high temperatures.

4. Who will probably benefit most from the findings?

A．Farmers.	B．Botanists.
C．Researchers.	D．Environmentalists.

【推荐3】A books-for-food program in Guatemala is helping feed needy children as hunger rates rise during the pandemic(疫情). It is run by a local nonprofit organization that aims to feed nearly 400 children.

The program is simple. People choose a book they want from a list of donated titles, and in return give bags of Incaparina, a high-protein drink mix. Bonifaz Diaz works for the program. By bringing the books-for-food program directly to people's homes, Diaz makes sure donations keep flowing. He has traveled more than 2,000 kilometers on his bicycle, delivered loads of books and carried back thousands of kilograms of Incaparina for the nonprofit group 32 Volcanoes. Diaz sometimes pulls a small cart that helps him carry up to 57 kilograms of product. He has traveled as far as 60 kilometers for a delivery to a town in the Western Highlands, where road conditions are poor.

Nearly a year into the books-for-food program, two more cyclists have joined Diaz and donations keep flowing in. Ana Castillo is a 29-year-old high school teacher who recently received the sociology book from Diaz. She donates to the program often. The 1.8 kilograms of Incaparina she provided will help one family eat for a month.

Castillo looks forward to choosing her books from the titles Diaz posts on social media. She also loves the feeling of a "growing circle" of giving and receiving. "You might not get to those places, but your help can. "she says.

Diaz says he plans to continue cycling against hunger as long as the need exists. He has faced his own economic difficulties since the theater company he co-founded closed last spring. But the program has kept him active. "It's an opportunity to serve in which we all benefit. "Diaz said.

1. What is the purpose of the program?

A．To serve the readers.

B．To produce Incaparina.

C．To offer poor children food.

D．To fight the pandemic.

2. What did Diaz do for the program?

A．He set up a social media.

B．He made donations frequently.

C．He rented a cart to carry goods.

D．He traveled to deliver books and food.

3. How is the program going now?

A．More people are involved in it.

B．Only two cyclists work for it.

C．Over 400 adults benefit from it.

D．Financial difficulties put it to an end.

4. Which word best describes Diaz's attitude towards the program?

A．Indifferent.

B．Supportive.

C．Tolerant.

D．Unwilling