【推荐1】For as long as I can remember, seniors have attracted too little attention from society as a whole. For example, people may shrink physically as they get older and have a higher incidence of falls, but how many people have thought about buying a more comfortable and stable chair for their elderly parents?

We spend generously on our children, such as hiring a nanny to take care of them. When we look for a nanny for our baby, we believe that someone who charges 8,000 yuan must be better than a person who charges 5,000 yuan because they have a better grasp of how to interact with babies. But when we look for someone to take care of our elderly parents, we usually keep our budget as low as possible. We just want to ensure that caregivers will prepare three meals a day for our seniors, but we don’t take their psychological needs into consideration.

The differences in attitudes are obvious. However, we are not yet old, so perhaps it’s hard for us to understand the bitterness of the elderly: regression (衰退) in health, a handful of pills every day, not being able to catch up with developments in the digital age, and the disappearance of the old streets and favorite restaurants from the good old days. Those are the kinds of lives they live and we may even live through something similar in the decades to come.

If we think about how we want to be treated when we grow old, we should start the changes today. Because the elderly were once the backbone of society and made huge contribution they should enjoy the fruits of the county’s development as well.

1. What situation might old people face according to the text?

A．A high and stable income.

B．Physical inconvenience.

C．Much concern from the public.

D．Lack of favorite food and fruits.

2. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “nanny”in paragraph 2?

A．tutor

B．coach

C．storyteller

D．babysitter

3. Why is it difficult for us to understand the bitterness of old people?

A．Because we fail to catch up with their development.

B．Because we are sharing a similar lifestyle with them.

C．Because we are too young to experience their condition.

D．Because we have spent much money looking after them.

4. What does the writer think of the elderly?

A．They can make greater contribution.

B．They deserve the attention from society.

C．They should start to change themselves.

D．They need a handful of pills every day.

【推荐3】If ever a drink were invented to satisfy the thirst of social media, this may be it.

With its fantastic name, bright pink and blue twist topped with a pillow of whipped cream, Starbucks’ new Unicom Frappuccino(独角兽星冰乐) practically asks to be posted on social media.

And a glimpse at Twitter shows Unicom Frappuccino is indeed gaining attention.

So what's in it? As Starbucks describes it: “A sweet dusting of pink powder, mixed into a Frappuccino with mango syrup and layered with a pleasantly sour blue drizzle. It is finished with vanilla whipped cream and a sprinkle of sweet pink and sour blue powder topping.”

A look at the ingredients reveals a list less fantastic. The pink powder is actually sugar and "Fruit and Vegetable Color.”

Starbucks advertises the drink “^,as rare as a unicorn." But unicorn food is actually a thing. The BBC reports, it's fashionable to post pictures of rainbow colored food which reminds of the fairy tale creature.

Rainbow sushi, anyone?

As for the Unicorn Frappuccino, Lori Aquino said the drink caught her eye on social media. Then people at work were talking about it. “I saw it was coming out today, so I decided to try it,” Aquino said at a Washington D.C. Starbucks. “I'll probably put it on Snapchat or Instagram.”

She bought one to share with her two coworkers.

And the opinion?

“It’s kind of nasty,” Aquino said.

Letitia Winston agreed: "Nope. That will not be something I come looking for."

But Moriam Animashaun was more forgiving. "It's not bad,” she said, “It's just really sweet.”

A 16-ounce medium, or a grande in Starbucks speak, comes in at 410 calories, 59 grams of sugar and 16 grams of fat.

One thing the women agreed on was the drink’s appearance. “It’s pretty," said Animashaun.

“It looks nice," agreed Winston.

And in the age of likes, snaps and tweets, the fantasy image may be all that matters.

The Unicom Frappuccino is available April 19 through April 23 at participating stores in the United Stales, Canada and Mexico.
1. What do we learn about Starbucks’ new Unicom Frappuccino from the passage?

A．The customers are attracted to try it by its fantastic name only.

B．Lori Aquino first learned about the drink from her coworkers and then saw it get popular on social media,

C．You can purchase a Unicom Frappuccino at any Starbucks store in North America from April 19 to April 23.

D．The author may agree that the fantasy image helps the Unicorn Frappuccino gain great popularity.

2. What was Lori and her co-workers’ reaction after they tasted the Unicom Frappuccino themselves?

A．They thought it was good value for the money.

B．They thought it lived up to their expectations,

C．They agreed that the look of the drink was attractive.

D．They thought it was the very drink they were looking for.

3. Which do you think is most probably the title for this passage?

A．Unicom Frappuccino is Coming Soon

B．Unicorn Frappuccino is Getting Popular

C．Unicom Frappuccino: A Digital Age Drink

D．Unicorn Frappuccino: An Eye-catching Healthy Drink

【推荐1】In 1973, I was teaching elementary school. Each day, 27 kids entered “The Thinking Laboratory.” That was the name students voted for after deciding that “Room 104” was too dull.

Freddy was an average student, but not an average person. He had the rare balance of fun and compassion（同情）. He would laugh the loudest over fun and be the saddest over anyone’s misfortune.

Before the school year ended, I gave the kids a special gift, T-shirts with the words “Verbs Are Your Friends ” on them. I had advised the kids that while verbs（动词）may seem dull , most of the fun things they do throughout their lives will be verbs.

Through the years, I’d run into former students who would provide updates on old classmates. I learned that Freddy did several jobs after his graduation from high school and remained the same caring person I met forty years before . Once, while working overnight at a store, he let a homeless man sleep in his truck. Another time, he lent a friend money to buy a house.

Just last year, I was conducting a workshop when someone knocked at the classroom door. A woman excused the interruption and handed me an envelope. I stopped teaching and opened it up. Inside were the “Verbs” shirt and a note from Freddy’s mother. “Freddy passed away on Thanksgiving. He wanted you to have this. ”

I told the story to the class. As sad as it was, I couldn’t help smiling. Although Freddy was taken from us, we all took something from Freddy.

1. What do the underlined words “The Thinking Laboratory” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A．The elementary school where the kids studied.

B．“Room104”in which the kids studied.

C．The workshop in which the kids carried out experiments.

D．The high school which was fun as well as dull.

2. What can we learn about the author?

A．She hardly kept in touch with her former students.

B．She wrote the passage in 2013 or so.

C．She was very strict with her students.

D．She gave the kids special gifts after the school year.

3. Which of the following words can best describe Freddy?

A．modest and daring.	B．outstanding and calm.
C．generous and creative.	D．warm-hearted and caring.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards Freddy?

A．Cautious.	B．Disapproving.
C．Uninterested.	D．Appreciative.

【推荐2】Life can be lonely without companionship. Acquaintances are easy to come by but true friends are different. Friends are gifts and treasures. When asked to point out one or two the most important things in one’s life, many people put friends ahead of homes, jobs, clothes and cars.

A true friendship carries a long history of experience that determines who we are and keeps us connected.     1     Unfortunately, the better friends you are, the more probably you’ll have disagreements. And the result can be what you don’t want—an end to the relationship.     2     Here are four effective ways to mend a troubled friendship.

    3     Most of us can forgive each other when differences are brought out in the open. Second, apologize when you’re wrong, even if you’ve been wronged.     4     Sometimes, it may be best if the wronged person takes the lead and apologizes. When you apologize, give your friend a chance to admit that he has been wrong. Third, see things from your friend’s point of view. And finally, accept that friendships change as our needs and lifestyle change.

    5     However, the hard part is keeping the connections strong during the natural ups and downs that have an effect on all relationships. My suggestion: Consider friendship an honor and a gift, and worth the effort to treasure and nurture(培养). Remember, friendship is your psyche’s guard, so treasure it.

A．Making friends can sometimes seem easy.

B．In a friendship, even the best people make mistakes.

C．It is a treasure we should protect.

D．Friendship brings us power to overcome the difficulty in life.

E．The good news is that most troubled friendships can be mended.

F．First, don’t let your pride get in your way.

G．It is important when we are in trouble.

【推荐3】Finding your feet in a new town can be hard, especially if you’re covered in fur and don’t speak the language. But for pets new to Marlborough, help is at hand.

Marlborough SPCA and the Railway Café, in Blenheim, have joined forces to help welcome pets and their people to the region with a fortnightly morning tea. They hope the morning teas will get tails and tongues wagging as well as giving advice on how to make the move smoother.

Railway Café owner Leanne Harris came up with the innovative（创新的） plan as a way to help welcome people to the area. Leanne moved to Marlborough from Auckland two years ago and said she initially struggled to find friends and feel part of the community. “Coming from Auckland I thought people would open their doors and that there would be neighbours calling round with cake. I expected people to come to me and, of course, it wasn’t like that. I did get lonely. “I hope to save newcomers having to wait as long as I did to feel part of it all. I would like to welcome them to the town.”

Free platters of sandwiches, cakes and other goodies will be on offer, for the people, while there will be special handmade yoghurt and banana treats for the dogs. The morning teas will take place in the covered area at the back of the popular café beside the railway station off Grove Rd.

Leanne said she was happy to devote both her time and effort into giving back to the community and felt the venture was a great fit with the SPCA.

“Volunteering is such an amazing thing to do and it changed things for me completely, and I met some amazing people with similar interests.”

SPCA Op Shop manager Karina Greenall, originally from the United Kingdom, said she also wanted to help. “I can give advice on how to resettle pets, the best parks to go to , where the best walks are and where the vet centers are in town.” There will be volunteering opportunities too for people where they can help out and hopefully make friends too.”

1. How will Marlborough SPCA and the Railway Café help new pets?

A．By offering morning teas.	B．By giving advice to them.
C．By communication with them.	D．By providing accommodation to them.

2. What was Leanne’s plan originally intended for?

A．Saving animals.	B．Helping newcomers.
C．Making more friends.	D．Expanding her business.

3. What had Leanne expected when she first came to Marlborough?

A．To be left alone.	B．To struggle for a living.
C．To be invited to dinner.	D．To feel part of the community.

4. What can be learnt about SPCA Op Shop manager Karina Greenall?

A．She often misses the United Kingdom.	B．She takes interest in the Railway Café.
C．She is enthusiastic about resettling pets.	D．She has organized the voluntary events.

【推荐2】Music can really affect your well-being, learning, quality of life, and even happiness. The fact that music can make a difficult task more tolerable may be why students often choose to listen to it while doing their homework. But is listening to music the smart choice for students who want to improve their learning? A new study suggests that for some students, listening to music is a wise strategy, but for others, it isn’t. The effect of music on cognitive (认知的) function appears to depend partly on your personality — specifically, on your need for external stimulation (刺激).

Researchers not only assessed listeners’ personality but also changed the difficulty of the task and the complexity of the music. Participants first completed a personality test used to determine the need for external stimulation. Then, they engaged in an easy cognitive task (searching for the letter A in lists of words) and a more challenging one (remembering word pairs) in order. Participants finished both tasks under one of two sound conditions: (1) no music, (2) with music.

The data suggests that for those with a high need of external stimulation, on the simple task of finding A’s, the scores for the music condition were significantly worse than those for the silent condition. On the complex task of learning word pairs, their performance was worse whenever music was played. For those with a low need of external stimulation, however, on the simple task, such participants’ scores for the music condition were much better than those for the silent condition. On the complex task of learning word pairs, the participants showed a small but reliable benefit when listening to music.

According to the study, there are individual differences in the impact of music on cognitive function. Students who are easily bored and who seek out stimulation should be cautious of adding music to the mix. On the other hand, students with a low need for stimulation may benefit significantly from the presence of music.

With the right personality, the right music and the right task, the presence of music may significantly improve cognitive functioning. Given the benefits of music, subscription to Spotify will be rewarding!

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．To explain what is stimulation.	B．To lead into the topic.
C．To make a prediction.	D．To offer some advice.

2. What can we know from the process of the study?

A．It is done under one and only sound condition.

B．Participants only need to complete a personality test.

C．The difficulty of the two tasks decreased in the experiment.

D．Participants were grouped by their needs for external stimulation.

3. What can we infer from the result of the research?

A．The complexity of tasks might reduce the benefit of music.

B．Students should listen to music when performing complex tasks.

C．Students with less external stimulation perform badly with music.

D．The presence of music benefits students who seek for external stimulation.

4. What might the underlined word “Spotify” be?

A．A dictionary.

B．A psychology journal.

C．A music platform.

D．A personality test.

【推荐3】Nothing succeeds like success, as every parent of a straight-A student knows, but trying to stress academic excellence by telling your child, “You’re so smart!” may be counterproductive. Why? According to a 2017 study, children who think their intelligence is fixed are less likely to pay attention to and bounce back (重新振作) from mistakes than children who think intelligence can grow and change.

In the study, researchers looked at 123 children. The team assessed the children to determine whether they had a “growth mindset” (believing that you can work harder to get smarter), or a “fixed mindset” (believing that your intelligence is unable to change). They then asked the children to complete a fast-paced computer accuracy task while their brain activity was recorded. During the recording, researchers noted that brain activity stopped within a half-second after making a mistake, as children became aware of their mistake and paid closer attention to what went wrong. The larger the brain response was, the more the child focused on the mistake. Based on the data, they concluded that children with a “growth mindset” were much more likely to have a larger brain response after making a mistake. While children with a “fixed mindset” were able to "bounce back”, only if they gave their full attention to the mistake.

For parents, the lessons are clear: Don’t pay your children compliments that suggest that intelligence is fixed. If your child hands you an A⁺ score, don’t say, “You’re so smart!” Instead, say, “Wow, that studying really paid off!” or “You clearly mastered this material-way to go!” Note the effort, not the intelligence.

Besides, many parents shy away from addressing a child’s mistakes, telling them “It’s OK. You’ll get it the next time.” without offering them the chances to figure out what goes wrong. Instead, it’s better to reassure your children that mistakes happen, and work to figure out where and how they make the mistake.

1. Which of the following best explains “counterproductive” underlined in paragraph 1?

A．Opposite.	B．Competitive.
C．Successful.	D．Unknown.

2. How did the children with a "growth mindset" react in the study?

A．They made fewer mistakes.

B．They tried to avoid mistakes.

C．They had smaller brain response.

D．They focused more on the mistake.

3. What should parents say when children make a mistake according to the text?

A．You are so careless.

B．Your studying paid off.

C．You’ll get it the next time.

D．Let’s find out how you made it.

4. What should be avoided according to the study?

A．Overstressing the intelligence.

B．Paying compliments to children.

C．Addressing children’s mistakes.

D．Offering chances to find mistakes.

【推荐1】The Music of Ray Charles

Master of many styles

Ray Charles, a black singer and pianist, was born in 1930 in Georgia, USA. His relaxed style combined jazz, blues, pop and a type of black music called soul, which comes from the traditional music sung by slaves in the south of the USA. By the time Ray Charles died in 2004, he had won 12 Grammy Awards and performed at 10,000 concerts around the world. Many musicians called him simply “the Genius”.

Childhood poverty

Ray Charles was born into a poor family, without a father. When he was 5 years old, his younger brother died； and around the same time, Charles started to lose his sight. By the age of 7 he was completely blind. He had already been learning the piano for a year, and when he went blind, his mother knew this would be the only way he would earn any money in the future. All his life, Charles remembered her saying: “Do it right, or don’t do it at all”.

Becoming a musician

Later he went to a school for blind and deaf children where the teachers also encouraged him to study music. Sadly, while he was still at school, his mother died. He left school and in the early 1950s Charles formed a group of players. He sang, played the saxophone and the piano and composed music.

Three classic tunes

He made many recordings which are still classics: Georgia on my Mind, I Can’t Stop Loving You, and Hit the Road, Jack are the three best-known songs. He recorded CDs with famous artists like Elton John. Others, such as The Beatles, thought his music was wonderful and said that the music they composed used many of his techniques.

The film of his life

In 2003 a film biography of his life was produced, called Ray. The part of Charles was played by a young actor and musician called Jamie Foxx. The film director brought Foxx to meet Charles. After they had been playing together for two hours, Charles, then aged 73, jumped up and said, “He’s the one……he can do it.” A year later Charles died aged 74. The film of his life has been as popular as his songs and means that the memory of Charles’ music will live on.

1. Ray Charles was a black American singer ______.

A．who sang many different styles of music	B．who mostly sang jazz
C．who mostly sang pop music	D．who mostly sang soul music

2. Ray Charles’ mother encouraged him to play music because ______.

A．it would help him get used to being blind

B．it was a good way for a blind person to earn money

C．his father was a musician as well

D．she knew she would die soon

3. Ray Charles thought that Jamie Foxx ______.

A．was a good musician

B．was an excellent director

C．was the wrong person to play him in the film

D．was the right person to play him in the film

【推荐2】To develop one’s taste in English, the most effective way is to read English books extensively (广泛地). Yet one may be at a loss to choose the suitable books, especially as a beginner. As a native Spanish, I would like to share some of my experience.

My first English novel was Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, recommended by many English teachers and professors as an ideal book for English learners. But my experience was somewhat disastrous. I had great difficulty in understanding the novel, let alone enjoying it. It's not the vocabulary that troubled me, but rather the way Austen made sentences, and her way of thinking, which seemed too distant to me at that time. My fading enthusiasm was much recovered after reading Hemingway's novel A Farewell to Arms. No long and complicated sentences. And I particularly liked his brief and simple style. So my first suggestion is, as a beginner, you’d better choose contemporary (当代的) novels instead of classical ones.

However, if you limit yourself to novels you will miss lot of treasures. English essays (散文) can at once inform you, interest you, and improve your taste in English. The best example is Bertrand Russell's work. Its language is plain, yet you cannot help feeling the simplicity and the sense of humor. His simple language enables his philosophy within the reach of ordinary people. Here comes my second suggestion — essays are indispensable.

Never follow others' recommendations and opinions blindly, however famous the person might be. We should open to different ideas, but always think and determine for ourselves. As a saying goes, one man’s meat is another man’s poison. With that in mind, we are sure to find out our favorite writers through reading and develop our fine taste in English.

1. What made the first English novel that the author read hard to understand?

A．Complicated conversations.	B．Sentences and Austen’s thinking pattern.
C．The old-fashioned vocabulary.	D．Not knowing the social background.

2. When can best replace the underlined word “indispensable”?

A．Necessary.

B．Challenging.

C．Expert.

D．Responsible.

3. What advice does the author give in the last paragraph?

A．Choose books that challenge us most.	B．Read books that are amazing.
C．Don't be affected by others’ choices.	D．Compare books before buying.

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．Give comments on literature works.

B．Tell beginners how to choose English books.

C．Encourage people to read more English books.

D．Recommend first class books to English learners.

【推荐3】Like all great cities, New York has its unique atmosphere. The events of September 11, 2001, when terrorists (恐怖分子) crashed planes into the World Trade Center, didn’t decrease (减少) this atmosphere, but caused the world to focus on the city and made the term “New Yorker”global. When the two towers were destroyed, worldwide support washed over the whole city. In people’s minds, New York was not only a fast moving city with a lot of crime and violence. In those dark days, the city lived up to the slogan (口号) “Nothing unimportant ever happens in New York” and strangers helped and encouraged each other.

This is the city that produced the first US President, George Washington, and attracted millions of immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as a major cultural and financial (金融的) center, it is also a center of fashion, art, publishing, theater, and advertising. New Yorkers are famous for their diversity and strength of character. For some visitors, their special “New York moment” comes when they see a street or building made familiar by movies or television, like an affair to remember or friends or Seinfeld. You can see these real places, such as the Fifth Avenue, Sutton Place, and the 59th Street Bridge in famous movies.

Some of people experience a moment of sudden magic when in New York. Discovering New York’s cities-within-the-city, such as Mulberry Street in Little Italy, Mott Street in Chinatown, and SoHo, will also make you feel excited. Other places include Wall Street, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. A new one has also been added to this list of must-see places, “Ground Zero”, the site of the World Trade Center. Many visitors come to leave flowers or pay their respect.

1. What still stays after the events of September 11, 2001?

A．The unique atmosphere.

B．The World Trade Center.

C．The encouraging slogan.

D．The worldwide support.

2. Which of the following statements can represent the character of “New Yorkers”?

A．They fight against crime and violence.

B．They live on the worldwide support.

C．They helped and encouraged each other in those dark days.

D．They were frightened by the terrorists in those dark days.

3. We can infer from the passage that New York is ______.

A．the capital of the United States

B．a popular place for making movies

C．well known for its arts, fashion, weather, crime and violence

D．a major cultural, political and financial center