【推荐2】They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon—on foot, on mules (骡子) or by air. We chose the first. Up early, my husband and I and our three children couldn’t wait to get started. We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail.

As we set out, I was shocked at how narrow the path was. And I couldn’t help noticing that the other tourists weren’t like us. They had heavy backpacks, water bottles, and hats. But as usual we were dressed. As the sun rose higher, Arizona's famous heat seemed to roast us. There was no shade and our legs were aching. We decided to go back, with the girl on my back and the boys far behind. By the time we finally got back, our legs were like jelly.

The next day, after we’d had a long rest and a good breakfast, we were ready for another view of the Canyon—by air. After our last walk, this would be the easiest thing in the world.

We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon. But the smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed (翻转) the plane around, pretending he was going to hit the ground. I shouted, “STOP, TAKE US BACK!” When we finally arrived back on land, once again our legs were like jelly. We hardly spoke as we drove back.

As I said, there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon. We never tried the mules, but personally I’d suggest a fourth—buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic: That way, you can see the Canyon, without fear or tiredness.

1. Which of the following is true according to the second paragraph?

A．Bright Angel Trail was not as lovely as they expected.

B．The other tourists were dressed inappropriately.

C．They made a careful preparation before the trip.

D．The children were more joyful than their parents.

2. The underlined expression “Our legs were like jelly” probably means________.

A．we were disappointed	B．we were dissatisfied
C．we were unhappy	D．we were weak

3. Which of the following best describes their Canyon trip by air?

A．It turned out to be exciting.	B．It made each of them tired.
C．It proved to be frightening.	D．It was more comfortable.

4. We can infer from the passage that ________.

A．one needs to dress less when visiting the Grand Canyon

B．experiencing the Canyon on mules would be the best way

C．the whole family narrowly escaped from the air accident

D．the writer was not serious when she made the suggestion

【推荐3】For those who are keen to explore natural wonders and cultural heritage sites and to pursue (追求) the passion of local people for ice and snow in Jilin Province, now it is the time to go there.

Rime observation

Compared with rime (雾凇) in other regions of China, rime in Jilin city is unique (独特的) because it is thick and crystal clear. A toothpick-thick tree branch can be covered in frost as thick as an adult’s thumb. The best time to observe is at 6-10 a.m. between November and February.

Winter fishing

Chagan Lake is one of the top 10 largest freshwater lakes in China. It covers more than 500 square kilometers. Winter fishing on Chagan Lake is an ancient tradition that dates back to the Liao Dynasty and Jin Dynasty. It was listed as a national-level intangible (无形的) cultural heritage item in 2008.

Hot springs

For those who want to feel warm in winter in Jilin Province, the area of Changbai Mountains could be the best place to visit. The region, formed after a volcanic eruption in ancient times, holds hundreds of hot springs with an average temperature above 60℃. The hot springs are said to be good for health because of their stable flow, constant temperature and mineral-rich water.

1. What makes rime special in Jilin city?

A．Its observation time.

B．Its thickness and clearness.

C．Its unique tree branches.

D．Its fame as a cultural heritage.

2. Why is the area of Changbai Mountains worth a visit in winter?

A．Because of hot springs.

B．Because of the volcano.

C．Because of the rime.

D．Because of winter fishing.

3. In which section of newspapers can you probably read this passage?

A．Technology.	B．Business.
C．Travel.	D．Art.

【推荐2】Dear Editor;
Why do newspapers carry so many advertisements for electronic equipment? Last Sunday I counted ads for seven kinds of televisions and thirteen kinds of radios in the Atlanta Journal. Besides that, there were pages and pages of ads for Citizens’ Band radios and tape recorders.
Don’t you realize what electronic equipment is doing to our daily life? Everywhere you go you may hear loud musician advertisements over radios; this continual noise is ruining our ears. Husbands don’t talk to wives any more; they are always watching the news or a ball game. Children ruin their eyes (not to mention their minds) with endless hours of watching not only the programs for children but those for grown-ups as well. And worse, hidden microphones find out about our private lives, and computers keep records of personal information about us. Enough is enough! I think you should limit the amount of advertising of electronic equipment in the Atlanta journal. Otherwise it will make life unbearable for us all.
1. Atlanta Journal is the name of_________.

A．a department store

B．a shop that sells electronic equipment

C．a local newspaper

D．a hotel where the writer stayed

2. What problem does Jason Collins think radio causes?

A．It has too many programs for advertising.

B．It makes husbands talk little to wives.

C．It gives too much loud music.

D．Its noise does harm to our ears..

3. Electronic equipment causes all the following problems except that______.

A．personal information is given to strangers.

B．Children ruin their eyes.

C．News of the world is given to all citizens

D．Family members don’t talk to each other

【推荐3】Chinese New Year is a celebration marking the end of the winter season and the beginning of spring. This is decorating with plants, fruits and blooming flowers carries special significance. They represent the earth coming back to life and wishes for new beginnings. Here are some of the most popular and their special meanings.

Oranges

Orange trees are more than decoration, they are a symbol of good fortune and wealth. They make great gifts and you see them many lines decorated with red envelopes and messages of good fortune. The fruits are also some of the “lucky” foods, which are a must during the celebrations.

Bamboo

Chinese love their “Lucky Bamboo” plants and you will see them often in their homes and offices Certainly during the holiday period, this plant is a must. Bamboo plants and stems are used frequently in fengshui and are associated with health, abundance and a happy home. They are easy to care for and make great presents.

Brunches of Plum Blossoms

The beautiful tong branches covered with pink-colored buds make fantastic decorations. The plum trees are the first to flower even as snow is melting after a cold winter. They represent the promise of spring and a renewal of life.

Peonies

Peonies represent prosperity and peace and are considered as China's national flower, they are often a subject of classical paintings. The peony is also known a, the “king of flowers” and represents royalty, virtue and honor name in Chinese is literally translated as “most beautiful”.

Narcissus

Narcissus flower right around Chinese New Year and are considered as a symbol of luck and wealth. Their sweet fragrance is also highly respected in Chinese culture.

1. If you are not good at growing plants, which will you probably choose?

A．Bamboo.

B．Plum blossoms.

C．Peonies

D．Narcissus

2. What is special about Peonies?

A．Oil painters prefer painting it.	B．Its plants are usually used in fengshui.
C．It bears fruits considered as lucky food.	D．Its Chinese name means “most beautiful”.

3. In which section may this text appear?

A．Entertainment.

B．Health.

C．Culture.

D．Science.

【推荐1】Isabella, whose mother died two years ago after her long battle with a rare illness, has to rely on her father as she approaches the pre-teen struggles every girl faces growing up. Yet, while her father, Philip, has been doing all he can, he has failed to master one skill that remains important for 11-year-olds such as Isabella: hair.

He originally just gave her a short cut because he didn't know how to do anything else. Once her hair grew back, however, Isabella learned to make a simple ponytail (马尾) on her way out the door each morning. It wasn't until she noticed her bus driver, Tracy Dean, braiding (编) another classmate's hair that Isabella gathered the courage to ask her for help.

Dean owes her good relationship with the community she serves to a previous cancer diagnosis (诊断). Seven years ago, she found out she had breast cancer, and one of the things that went through her head was: Who is going to take care of her little ones? Not that her husband couldn’t do it but that’s what moms do.

Dean's selfless deed has also taken social media by storm, rebuilding people's faith in each other, while also inspiring others to share their own stories of kind gestures within their own community.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and for Isabella, this means she now has a mother figure to look up to as she grows. “I feel like she's pretty much a mom to me,” Isabella said “And it makes me excited to see what she can do for me the next day.”

Dean's selfless act has also had an influence on Isabella at school, as her teacher, Mrs. Freeze, noted that Isabella had her head a little higher that morning after she asked for Dean's help. While this gesture will surely provide Isabella with the power she needs to remain positive for years to come, Dean can find great comfort in knowing that her help has made a lasting influence on Isabella in particular.

1. What was the trouble for Philip when bringing up his daughter?

A．To arrange her long hair.	B．To dress her elegant.
C．To communicate with her.	D．To help her with her study.

2. What is implied in the underlined sentence in Paragraph 5?

A．Everyone should care about their kid growth.

B．A small deed has made a big difference to Isabella.

C．Villagers should help each other in kids’ education.

D．Isabella has to be brought up by her fellow villagers.

3. How did Isabella feel after Dean helped her that morning?

A．Upset

B．Amazed

C．Awkward

D．Confident.

4. What is the author’s attitude about this text?

A．Indifferent

B．Skeptical

C．Supportive

D．Objective

【推荐2】This is a great demo for learning more about how to draw people.

Stage 1 With a 4H pencil, sketch an egg-shape for the head, in three-quarters view. Sketch the neck and shoulders. Add a circle indicating the shoulder joint. Check your proportions with one of the proportioning tools.

Stage 2 Add lines for the upper and lower forearm. For correct proportions, compare the length of the upper and lower arm to the height of the head, using one of the proportioning tools. Sketch lines to indicate the sides and bottom of the basket. Add lines that indicate the ridges of the hand’s knuckles and thumb. At this stage, the hand should look like a mitten, since the individual fingers are not yet defined.

Stage 3 Sketch in placement lines for the eyes and nose, and add a line for the center of the face. Sketch ellipses for the basket. Then go back and refine the eyes, nose, mouth and eyebrows. Add the individual fingers on the hand.

Stage 4 Sketch the ear and add more definition to the facial features, arm, hand and fingers. Erase any obsolete guidelines with a white vinyl eraser. Add the basic form of the clothing and head scarf, noting where major folds occur Also add short lines indicating the arm on the far side of the basket.

Must-Have Materials ● 4H, HB, 4B graphite pencils ● 14"×11"(36cm×28cm) medium-tooth drawing paper ●Copier paper to be used as frisket ● Dividers, proportional dividers or sewing gauge ● Drawing board .Kneaded eraser ● Value scale Optional, But Not to be Overlooked. Pencil sharpener ● Scissors ● White vinyl eraser

1. Which is the drawing material you must bring?

A．Drawing board.	B．2B graphite pencils.
C．White vinyl eraser.	D．Pencil case.

2. The facial features are completed at ________.

A．Stage 1	B．Stage 2
C．Stage 3	D．Stage 4

3. Which picture can match Stage 3?

A．	B．
C．	D．

【推荐3】When Chery Hanbury stepped outside her home the morning after Hurricane Irma swept through her Bradenton, Florida, neighborhood, she expected to see a few of her neighbors out surveying the damage, too, and cleaning up debris. What she did not expect to see was an actual superhero at work.

But that's exactly what she spotted when a man in a red and blue outfit using a chainsaw to cut a tree that had fallen across her road caught her attention ''I thought, OMG! Spider-Man! '' she said. ''I was shocked. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.''

Hanbury called her family outside to see too, and her husband Alan was able to snap two pictures of the mysterious good Samaritan. "Spider-Man worked the tree, then swung off and jumped in his little black pickup with a friend and flew off " said Hanbury. ''I do not know why he was dressed as Spider-Man, nor do I know the name or identity of the masked man. ''

Hanbury's own two daughters, Ciara, 22, and Skye, 21, are grown, and most of the neighborhood withdrew before the storm, so unfortunately, no children were around to witness the Spider-Man in action. However, Hanbury said he was a welcome surprise and provided a laugh that lifted the spirits of those who experienced the scary storm. "It was a silver lining after waiting a long week for the hurricane to arrive, she said. ''People were terrified and exhausted.''

Thankfully, the hurricane wasn't as bad as it was predicted for Hanbury's area. ''We still have lots of people without power, and my neighbors' generators (发电机) are running at the moment. But for the most part, we just have high numbers of trees and power lines down with much debris, but everyone is safe! '' she said

Now that her photos are going viral(疯传), Hanbury hopes Spider-Man knows he is cheering the spirits of people in Bradenton and around the world. ''To Spider-Man, I would like to say, 'Thank you! ''' she said. ''I'm glad we have real-life heroes. ''

1. What was out of Hanbury's expectation?

A．The hurricane hit her home town suddenly

B．Her neighbors were evaluating the losses.

C．A real-life hero was doing disaster relief work

D．Her husband spotted a Spider-Man outdoors

2. According to the passage, we can learn that     

A．many people managed to leave before the hurricane

B．a Hanbury's neighbor was dressed as Spider-Man

C．the hurricane caused serious damage to the area

D．the superhero wanted to give the children a surprise

3. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 suggest?

A．Fortunately, the hurricane didn't arrive a week later as predicted

B．After a long week's waiting people felt very tired and depressed

C．People waited in line to welcome the Spider Man to help them

D．The hero brought the victims of the hurricane positive energy

4. Which can be the best title for the passage?

A．Hurricane Irma Sweeps Through Bradenton

B．Real-life Spider-Man Shows up to Help after hurricane

C．Spider-Man Is shot after Hurricane Irma

D．Children Wish the Spider-Man to Give a Welcome Surprise

【推荐1】Hi, everybody! Welcome to our newly-opened Richards Cinema Bookstore!
Now let me introduce to you some of the new film books in our store.
Are you Chinese film fans? OK, here comes the latest 25 New Takes about Chinese films. It is a collection of 25 fresh readings of different Chinese films from the 1930s to the present. In recent years, Chinese films are very popular in the States, such as Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon, Hero, and Flowers of Shanghai.
Do you like French films? Well, here is The French Cinema Book. It covers French films from the 1890s to the beginning of the 21st century. It is written for all lovers of French cinema: students and teachers, specialists and fans, and so on.
Maybe you are Indian film fans and star-chasers. Then here is Encyclopedia (百科全书) of Indian Cinema. The book is a complete introduction to all the best Indian films. It also offers a full list of names of the famous and successful film stars in the past ten years. You know, the Indian film industry is the largest in the world after our Hollywood.
If you like British films, we have The British Cinema Book. It is a good review of British cinema. This book contains a good many nice pictures.
In our bookstore, you can also find books about Mexican, Japanese, Australian, German and Italian films.
Well, please help yourselves to some coffee or tea, and have a good time here!
1. The speaker of the passage is most probably _______.

A．the author of 25 New Takes

B．the manager of the cinema bookstore

C．a tourist in the cinema bookstore

D．a reader of Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema

2. How many Asian countries does the speaker refer to when he talks about the film books?

A．Two.

B．Four.

C．Three.

D．Nine.

3. Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in the passage？

A．Indian cinema is second only to Hollywood.

B．The French Cinema Book covers over a century's French films.

C．Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon is well received in the States.

D．The British Cinema Book includes a complete list of names of stars.

【推荐2】While my cousin and I were riding horses over the dry, grassy hills and swimming in the Navarro River, Mother, Grandma, Auntie Gert, and my elder cousins had begun the annual work of preparations for Thanksgiving on our farm, five months ahead of Thanksgiving.

By mid-July, the summer kitchen was running full steam. Peas were always the first to be processed. Everyone Grandma could get help from sat shelling(剥落) the peas into large pans, but as we wished we were out swimming. Then came the cherries. Mother packed them into jars, while Auntie Gert separated the riper cherries into a large pot to make delicious jam, which is my favorite. Peaches followed shortly. They were carefully washed, then skinned, halved and packed.

By fall, ropes of onions and garlic hung at the end of the shelves; apples, potatoes and pumpkins lined the floor.

With the coming of November rains, Grandma filled the remaining shelf space with coffee cans(罐) packed with her famous fruitcakes. The smell of spices, apples and bay leaves came into the house, announcing the Thanksgiving season.

The weekend before Thanksgiving, aunts, uncles, and cousins began to arrive. My uncles helped Grandpa catch up on repairs around the farm; my aunts baked pie and bread; and my cousins and I played card games in the front room, staying as close to the warm woodstove as possible. When the Thanksgiving dinner was ready, we’d all sit around the dining table, which extended into the front room. Grandpa would pray. And then it was time to enjoy the delicious food prepared months ago.

How I miss those simple happy old days!

1. What does the author mainly intend to show in Paragraph 1?

A．Thanksgiving food was hard to prepare.

B．He loved riding horses with his cousins.

C．All his relatives lived together on the farm.

D．Preparations for Thanksgiving began early in his family.

2. What did the writer do to help with the preparations in summer?

A．Wash peaches.

B．Nothing.

C．Pack cherries.

D．Shell peas.

3. The preparations for Thanksgiving include____.
① making jam             ② baking bread
③ doing repairs          ④ making coffee

A．①②③

B．①③④

C．①②④

D．②③④

4. Why does the writer start almost each paragraph with a phrase expressing time?

A．To attract attention.	B．To show the diversity of preparations.
C．To record activities.	D．To stress the long period of preparations.

5. How might the author feel about the family’s preparations for Thanksgiving?

A．They are challenging.	B．They are worth the efforts.
C．They are troublesome.	D．They are a waste of time.

【推荐3】This year, the hole in the ozone layer (臭氧层）over Antarctica has expanded to one of its largest sizes and deepest levels in years.

So how big is the ozone hole? On Sept 20, the hole over Antarctica peaked (达到高峰) at 24.8 million square kilometers, which is three times the size of the United States. It has increased by 8.4 million square kilometers since 2019.

That puts it in about the same ballpark (范围) as ozone holes in 2015 and 2018, which respectively recorded peaks of 25.6 and 22.9 million square kilometers.

"The 2020 ozone loss shows that we have to remain vigilant (警觉的) and maintain continuous observations (观察)," said World Meteorological organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

The ozone layer is important because it acts like a sunscreen, blocking harmful ultraviolet light (紫外线) from reaching our planet's surface. Without it, humans and animals will be more likely to experience skin cancers, immune suppression (抑制), cataracts (白内障) and premature (提前的) aging.

Of course, humans play a large role in the depletion (消耗) of the ozone layer. The loss of ozone in the Antarctic, as well as the Arctic, is due to the large amounts of ozone-destroying gases caused by human activity. Once released into the atmosphere, these gases can remain for decades. In extremely cold weather conditions, they trigger (激发) chemical reactions that destroy the ozone layer.

"The Arctic stratosphere (平流居) continues to be vulnerable (脆弱的) to ozone-depleting substances linked to human activities," said Taalas.

Marcus Rex, a scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, told Nature that the ozone hole doesn't threaten human health but that over next month, there is a possibility that it might move to more populated areas. In that case, he recommends more sunscreen.

Although it seems bad, scientists are hopeful that Earth can heal (治愈) itself. Researchers believe the ozone hole will eventually heal and around 2050, Earth's ozone layer will return to normal.

1. What does the underlined word "That" in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．The ozone layer.	B．The growing of ozone hole.
C．The ultraviolet light.	D．The size of ozone hole.

2. Why does the ozone layer matter to people's lives?

A．It contains resources on which mankind rely for living.

B．It can prevent human from experiencing skin cancers, immune suppression, cataracts and premature aging.

C．It can protect ultraviolet light from harming people.

D．It can help deplete ozone-destroying gases caused by human activity.

3. Why does the author mention Taalas's words in Paragraph 7?

A．To show that Arctic stratosphere is too vulnerable to protect the Earth.

B．To introduce several ozone-depleting substances linked to human activities.

C．To prove that human activities have a great effect on the depletion of the ozone layer.

D．To discuss why Arctic stratosphere is vulnerable.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Human activities' great effect on nature

B．Researches on the ozone layer

C．The harm of the depletion of the ozone layer

D．Rapidly growing ozone hole