【推荐1】Cowboys in the US

Cowboys played an important role in the settling of the west. Ranching (牧场经营)was a big industry and cowboys helped to run the ranches.     1    

The Roundup

Each spring and fall the cowboys would work on the “roundup” .     2     Cattle would walk freely much of the year and then the cowboys would need to bring them in. In order to tell what cattle belonged to their ranch, the cattle would have a special mark burned into them called a “ brand “.

Horse and Saddle (马鞍）

The most important item of any cowboy was his horse and saddle. The saddles were often custom-made (定制的) and, next to his horse, probably the most valuable item a cowboy owned.     3    

Clothing

Cowboys wore special clothing that helped them with their jobs. They wore large 10-gallon hats to protect them from the sun and the rain. They wore special cowboy boots that helped them to get in and out of the stirrups (马镫）when riding a horse.     4     Many cowboys wore chaps on the outsides of their legs to help protect them from sharp bushes that their horse may rub up against.

Cowboy Code

    5     The code included such rules as being polite and respectful, always saying “howdy”, not waving at a man on a horse (you should nod) , never riding another man’s horse without his permission, always helping someone in need, and never putting on another man’s hat.

A．They herded cattle, repaired buildings, and took care of the horses.

B．The cowboys of the Old West had an unwritten code that they lived by.

C．This when the cowboys would bring in all the cattle from the open ranch.

D．Horses were so important that anyone caught stealing a horse was usually hanged!

E．Their clothing grew out of practical need and the environment in which they worked.

F．This was especially important if they fell, so they wouldn't get dragged by their horse.

G．They have deep historic roots dating back to the earliest European settlers of America.

【推荐3】Directions: Read the following passage. Answer the questions according to the information given in the passage.
A wise teacher once told me that every teenager needs to experience a not-so-fun first job from working at a grocery store to the fast food industry.
Now I still remember my first day at a fast food restaurant three years ago. I wanted to save up money and buy my own car, so I applied everywhere I could that summer. The restaurant called me right away and I thought to myself, this is going to be easy. Within four hours of my first shift (.轮班)， I had angry customers who complained how slow I was. I watched in fear as a kid spilled his milk everywhere, and I heard the words that no 16-year-old boy or anyone for that matter wants to hear: "Mike, there's a problem in the men's bathroom and you might want gloves for this one." I realized right away that working at the restaurant was not going to be a picnic. The manager expected a clean environment and, particularly, fast service with a friendly smile.
Over three years later I still work at that restaurant whenever I go home during vacations. I love my co-workers there and all the customers know who I am. Every morning the same senior citizens come in and get their morning coffees. They chat with us workers and joke around. Our smiles have just as much to do with them making us a part of their everyday lives as the coffee does.
From my first job at the restaurant, I learned teamwork and devotion. I also learned staying positive no matter how rough things seem to get. I will forever carry the experience that I gained at the restaurant with me as I go forward in my life.
1. Why did the author apply everywhere that summer?
(No more than 12 words)        (2 marks)
2. What did the manager particularly expect the workers to do?
(No more than 14 words)        (3 marks)
3. Why does the author still work at the restaurant during vacations?
(No more than 13 words)          (2 marks)
4. What did the author learn from his first job?
(No mom dm II words)                    (3 marks)

【推荐1】Freedom and Responsibility

Freedom’s challenge in the Digital Age is a serious topic. We are facing today a strange new world and we are all wondering what we are going to do with it.

Some 2,500 years ago Greece discovered freedom. Before that there was no freedom. There were great civilizations, splendid empires, but no freedom anywhere. Egypt and Babylon were both tyrannies, one very powerful man ruling over helpless masses.

In Greece, in Athens, a little city in a little country, there were no helpless masses. And Athenians willingly obeyed the written laws which they themselves passed, and the unwritten, which must be obeyed if free men live together. They must show each other kindness and pity and the many qualities without which life would be very painful unless one chose to live alone in the desert. The Athenians never thought that a man was free if he could do what he wanted. A man was free if he was self-controlled. To make yourself obey what you approved was freedom. They were saved from looking at their lives as their own private affair. Each one felt responsible for the welfare of Athens, not because it was forced on him from the outside, but because the city was his pride and his safety. The essential belief of the first free government in the world was liberty for all men who could control themselves and would take responsibility for the state.

But discovering freedom is not like discovering computers. It cannot be discovered once for all. If people do not prize it, and work for it, it will go. Constant watch is its price. Athens changed. It was a change that took place without being noticed though it was of the extreme importance, a spiritual change which affected the whole state. It had been the Athenian’s pride and joy to give to their city. That they could get material benefits from her never entered their minds. There had to be a complete change of attitude before they could look at the city as an employer who paid her citizens for doing her work. Now instead of men giving to the state, the state was to give to them. What the people wanted was a   government which would provide a comfortable life for them; and with this as the primary object, ideas of freedom and self-reliance and responsibinreat wealth in which all citizens had a right to share.

Athens reached the point when the freedom she really wanted was freedom from responsibility. There could be only one result. If men insisted on being free from the burden of self-dependence and responsibility for the common good, they would cease to be free. Responsibility is the price every man must pay for freedom. It is to be had on no other terms. Athens, the Athens of Ancient Greece, refused responsibility; she reached the end of freedom and was never to have it again.

But, “the excellent becomes the permanent”, Aristotle said. Athens lost freedom forever, but freedom was not lost forever for the world. A great American, James Madison, referred to “ The capacity (能力) of mankind for self-government." No doubt he had nor an idea that he was speaking Greek. Athens was not in the farthest background of his mind, but once man has a great and good idea, it is never completely lost. The Digital Age cannot destroy it. Somehow in this or that man’s thought such an idea lives though unconsidered by the world of action. One can never be sure that it is not on the point of breaking out into action only sure that it will do so sometime.

1. What does the underlined word “tyrannies” in Paragraph2 refer to?

A．Countries where their people need help.

B．Governments ruled with absolute power.

C．Splendid empires where people enjoy freedom.

D．Powerful states with higher civilization.

2. People believing in freedom are those who ________.

A．regard their life as their own business

B．seek gains as their primary object

C．treat others with kindness and pity

D．behave within the laws and value systems

3. What change in attitude took place in Athens?

A．The Athenians refused to take their responsibility.

B．The Athenians no longer took pride in the city.

C．The Athenians benefited spiritually from the government.

D．The Athenians looked on the government as a business.

4. Why does the author refer to Aristotle and Madison?

A．The author is hopeful about freedom.

B．The author is cautious about self-government.

C．The author is skeptical of Greek civilization.

D．The author is proud of man’s capacity.

【推荐2】The recent criticisms of Taylor Swift for her silence on the war in Gaza highlight a strange issue: the unrealistic expectations we place on celebrities to be know-alls. It’s a topic worth looking into.

While many are quick to urge figures like Taylor Swift to make their voices. to global issues, a concerning pattern emerges on the flip side: celebrities navigating the dark waters of complex issues with limited knowledge. Take, for instance, Billie Eilish’s fashion choice at the Oscars — a red hand pin. This wasn’t just any accessory (配饰); it’s rooted in the upset history of the cruel treatment of two Israelis. It raises the question: Was Eilish aware of the weighty story this symbol carries? This moment serves as a reminder of the nuance (微妙的) balance celebrities must strike between being supportive and the profound responsibility of using a public platform.

The celebrity culture in the United States, where public figures are promoted to almost god-like status, plays a significant role in such behavior. They are seen as perfect, their opinions holy. When we prioritize a celebrity’s opinion over those with professional knowledge, we do severe damage to the complexity of these issues.

As a society, we must reevaluate our extreme pursuit of celebrity culture and recognize the limitations of depending on entertainers for guidance on complex issues. This doesn’t mean celebrities can’t or shouldn’t speak out on matters. It’s entirely sensible for Taylor Swift to publicly support political candidates in her home country. The action originates from personal values, which are different from commenting on international conflicts without a deep understanding of the nuances involved.

In advocating for this sensible approach, we’re not suggesting celebrities should remain silent on all matters of public concern. Instead, we’re calling for a transformation in how we, as the public, understand and react to their involvement in social and political issues.

Ultimately, the goal should be to create a more sympathetic, informed society that values extensive knowledge and genuine activism over celebrity support. By encouraging public figures to use their platforms responsibly and directing our attention to where they can make a real difference, we take a step toward a more insightful understanding of global issues.

1. Why is “a red hand pin” mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To make fun of Billie’s limited knowledge on debating.

B．To demonstrate Billie’s unawareness of irresponsible recommendation.

C．To sing high praises for Billie’s good taste for fashion at the Oscars.

D．To criticize Billie for her misapplication of the public platform.

2. What does “such behavior” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Billie’s unreasonable selection of a red hand pin at the Oscars.

B．Celebrities’ irresponsible opinions on critical global conversations.

C．Public’s great desire for celebrities to comment on key global issues.

D．Taylor Swift’s golden silence about the crucial international concern.

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Experts tend to increase the complexity of the issues.

B．Celebrities’ voices are as important as those of experts.

C．Celebrities should voice views on matters at home and abroad.

D．We should reassess the social and political roles of celebrities.

4. Which of the following might be the best title of this passage?

A．Expect the Unexpected	B．Public Platforms, Powerful Places.
C．The Drawback of Celebrity Recommendation	D．The Nature of Celebrity Responsibility

【推荐1】Luis Reynoso says he’s always tried to get involved (牵涉) in his children’s education: attending meetings on school-improvement projects and providing classroom food. But when his youngest daughter’s school invited families to attend a nine-week program Let’s Change the Course organized by a leading education advocacy group here to learn about parenting and school participation, he realized his past efforts barely scratched the surface.

Each weekly session touched on different parenting themes, like setting up a special space at home for kids to do homework, like the importance of confidence. One of the most helpful sessions, he recalls, focused on what a child should know academically in each grade and how to talk to teachers about his daughter’s performance. “The workshops really woke me up,”says Mr. Reynoso.

Levels of parental participation in Mexican schools have long been low. Many people commonly believe a child's education is the school s job to get involved. In some parts of the country, a mother's or father's own lack of education can play into a sense that they have nothing to contribute. And even in private schools, where there might be more adults with fixed jobs and the participation is very rare, with some parents viewing their tuition (学费) bill as their educational contribution. There are also cases where the schools themselves ignore the potential of parents in a child's education, discouraging communication between families and schools.

But the importance of family participation is something many non-profit, education advocates and recently the government are starting to home in on Mexico. Part of Mexico’s 2013 national education reform stresses the importance of parents playing a more active role in their child’s education, encouraging an increase in parental-participation programs, including Let’s Change the Course.

Susana Castellanos, headmaster of a school in Mexico City, says, “People are recognizing you have to work together to create happy successful citizens. It’s no longer acceptable to set apart the roles of teacher vs. parent vs. school headmaster.”

1. What does Reynoso mean by the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1?

A．His previous efforts were in vain.

B．He missed the key point of participation.

C．His daughter disagreed with what he did.

D．He failed to catch the importance of school.

2. What did Reynoso find most beneficial about Let’s Change the Course?

A．The necessity to set up a space for kids to do homework.

B．The academic requirements for kids in different periods.

C．The importance of knowing children’s performance.

D．The ways to increase students’ confidence.

3. What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?

A．How to contribute more to children’s education.

B．How to know the levels of parental participation in Mexican schools.

C．Why schools failed to provide chances for parents to get involved,

D．Why parents played a less active role in school education in Mexico.

4. What influence did Mexico’s education reform have?

A．The number of parental-participation programs rose.

B．Many non-profit educational organizations were set up.

C．Teachers role in school education started to get increased.

D．Parents began to attach importance to children's education.

【推荐2】“All puppies are cute,” explains Clive Wynne, the head of Arizona State University’s canine-science laboratory. “But not all puppies are equally cute." Indeed, recent research indicates that peak puppy cuteness serves   important purposes and might play an important role in binding dog and owner together.

In a study，Wynne and his colleagues sought to pin down, scientifically, the timeline of puppy cuteness. Their finding was: People consistently considered dogs most attractive when they were six to eight weeks old. This age, Wynne says, is an important developmental period: Mother dogs stop nursing their young around the eighth week, after which puppies rely on humans for survival. Peak cuteness, then, is no accident.

Humans seem to be especially vulnerable (脆弱的) to cute things. Research dating back to the 1940s shows that almost any creature with babylike features — large eyes, a bulging forehead, short limbs — is able to draw our liking. But puppy cuteness is uniquely human-directed. Other research makes clear just why dogs seek to command our attention. Oxytocin, the so-called love hormone, has been found to suddenly increase in dogs and their owners after they look in each other’s eyes. In other words, the more dogs get us to look at them, the more tightly bonded (联系) to them we grow.

Born blind and basically deaf, puppies aren’t interactive (互动的) in their first weeks of life, and Wynne notes that many people find animals in this stage alien and unattractive. A recent study focused on humans showed that, similar to six-week-old puppies, six-month-old babies are seen as significantly cuter than newborns, which inspires a flood of social interactions, such as petting, playing, and baby-talking. These acts are developmentally fundamental to both babies and puppies.

1. From Wynne’s research we can learn that cuteness is something____.

A．puppies are born with	B．that helps puppies survive
C．that increases steadily as puppies grow	D．that helps puppies to defend against danger

2. What can-we learn about Oxytocin from the passage?

A．Oxytocin is a hormone that will inspire love.

B．Oxytocin is a hormone that only exists in dogs.

C．Oxytocin can be increased by constant touch.

D．Oxytocin will increase greatly when dogs stare at us.

3. The underlined word "alien" in Paragraph 4 probably means____.

A．unique

B．lovely

C．strange

D．dangerous

4. What’s the best title for this passage?

A．From ugly to cute	B．Man’s best friend
C．Survival of the cutest	D．Loveliest animals: puppies

【推荐3】Last spring, I started a new exercise class. As someone who dislikes doing jumping jacks, burpees, and push-ups, I found the workouts surprisingly enjoyable, at least for a while. But after several months, I was overly familiar with the class routine, and my excitement had been replaced with boredom.

A 2016 study for the American Psychological Association estimated that 63 percent of us suffer from boredom regularly. And research shows that chronically(长期地) bored people tend to fall into depression, drug abuse and anxiety.

But boredom isn’t a character weakness. It’s a state caused by something called hedonic(享乐的) adaptations, or the tendency to get used to things over time. This explains why activities and even relationships that were initially satisfying can sometimes lose their appeal.

Humans are remarkably good at growing accustomed to changes in our lives, both positive and negative, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. This is a good thing when we are faced with adjusting to setbacks such as losing a loved one or a job. But becoming insensitive to positive events can prove harmful. Think about the last time you got a raise, bought a car, or moved. At first, these experiences can bring immense joy. But over time, they become part of the routine. We are ready for the next new thing to excite us.

While boredom can be a downer when it removes the pleasure from our lives, it can provide a sort of service. “If our emotional reactions didn’t weaken with time, we couldn’t recognize new changes that may signal rewards or threats,” Lyubomirsky says. In other words, we’d ignored cues signaling us to make important decisions about our relationships and safety.

It’s not unlike how our reactions change when we fall in love or experience loss. Being caught in the glow of happiness or the web of sadness can make us distracted or forgetful. We may miss signals that indicate whether we’re about to make a smart move or a disastrous one. The good news is that understanding the connection between hedonic adaptation and boredom can help us.

A study published in 2018 in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin showed that finding unusual ways to get along with familiar people, places, and things can make everyday experiences feel exciting. In other words, sometimes you’ve just got to shake things up!

1. The author talked about his new exercise class in Paragraph 1 to ______.

A．introduce the topic of boredom	B．show the negative effects of exercise
C．prove the significance of exercise	D．encourage people to work out regularly

2. What did the 2016 study find about boredom?

A．Three in five people are bound to live with boredom.

B．Occasional boredom has no side effects at all.

C．Lasting boredom may affect people negatively.

D．63 percent of people are victims of anxiety disorder.

3. What can we infer from Paragraphs 4 and 5?

A．Emotional reactions result in decision making.

B．Emotional reactions determine the social relationship.

C．Boredom leads to being distracted or forgetful.

D．Boredom helps the discovery of new changes.

4. At the end of the passage, the author might continue to write about ______.

A．the tiny excitement of familiarity	B．some fresh ideas for keeping life fresh
C．the reasons for accepting boredom	D．some methods to mix things up

【推荐1】For years, the U.S. has experienced a shortage of registered nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that while the number of nurses will increase by 19 percent by 2022, demand will grow faster than supply, and that there will be over one million unfilled nursing jobs by then.

So what's the solution? Robots,

Japan is ahead of the curve when it comes to this trend. Toyohashi University of Technology has developed Terapio, a robotic medical cart that can make hospital rounds, deliver medications and oilier items, and retrieve（检索）records. It follows a specific individual, such as a doctor or nurse, who can use it to record and access patient data. This type of robot will likely be one of the first to be put into use in hospitals because it has fairly minimal patient contact.

Robots capable of social engagement help with loneliness as well as cognitive（认知的） functioning, but the robot itself doesn't have to engage directly——it can serve as an intermediary for human communication. Telepresence robots such as MantaroBot, Vgo, and Giraff can be controlled through a computer, smartphone, or tablet, allowing family members or doctors to remotely monitor patients or Skype them, often via a screen where the robot's "face" would be. If you can't get to the nursing home to visit grandma, you can use a telepresence robot to hang out with her. A 2016 study found that users had a ''consistently positive attitude" about the Giraff robot's ability to enhance communication and decrease feelings of loneliness.

A robot’s appearance affects its ability to successfully interact with humans, which is why the RIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research decided to develop a robotic nurse that looks a huge teddy bear. RIBA （Robot for Interactive Body Assistance）, also known as "Robear" can help patients into and out of wheelchairs and beds with its strong arms. On the less cute and more scary side there is Actroid F, which is so human-like that some patients may not know the difference. This conversational robot companion has cameras in its eyes, which allow it to track patients and use appropriate facial expressions and body language in its interactions. During a month-long hospital trial, researchers asked 70 patients how they felt being around the robot and "only three or four said they didn't like having it around."

Il's important to note that robotic nurses don't decide courses of treatment or make diagnoses （ though robot doctors and surgeons may not be far off）. Instead, they perform routine and laborious tusks, freeing nurses up to attend to patients with immediate needs. This is one industry where it seems the interaction of robots will lend to collaboration, not replacement

1. What does the author say about Japan?

A．It delivers the best medication for the elderly.

B．It takes the lead in providing robotic care.

C．It provides retraining for registered nurses.

D．It sets the trend in future robotics technology,

2. What are telepresence robots designed to do?

A．Directly interact with patients to prevent them from feeling lonely.

B．Cater to the needs of patients for recovering their cognitive capacity.

C．Closely monitor the patients' movements and conditions around the clock.

D．Facilitate communication between patients and doctors or family members.

3. What is one special feature of the robot Actroid F?

A．It interacts with patients just like a human companion.

B．It operates quietly without patients realizing its presence.

C．It likes to engage in everyday conversations with patients.

D．It uses body language even more effectively than words.

4. What is the attitude of the 70 patients towards the robotic nurses?

A．They don't like having it around.

B．They are indifferent to it.

C．They feel bored around them.

D．Almost all of them are in favor of it.

5. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Doctors and surgeons will soon be laid off.

B．The robotics industry will soon take off.

C．Robots will not make nurses unnecessary.

D．Cooperation will not replace completion.

【推荐2】Though the Haskell Free Library and Opera House might not be as well-known as the Grand Canyon, it’s undoubtedly one of America’s most unique tourist attractions. Completed in 1904, the building is stationed directly between Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont, with the official U.S.-Canada borderline running right across the library’s floor.

Martha Stewart Haskell and her son, Colonel Horace Stewart Haskell, both Canadians, built the building as respect to Mrs. Haskell’s late husband, Carlos. The family hoped that citizens from both countries would use it as a “center for learning and cultural enrichment”, according to the official Haskell Free Library website.

The Haskell is divided between the two countries. While the library’s official entrance is on the U.S. side of the building, most of the books are on the Canadian side. The opera house is similarly split, with most of its seats in the U.S. and its stage in Canada. As Atlas Obscura reported, it is often said that the Haskell is the only library in the U.S. with no books, and the only opera house in the country with no stage.

Passports and other forms of identification aren’t required to cross from country to country in the library, though the Haskell’s website notes that the border inside the building “is real and it is enforced”. Visitors are expected to return to their side of the border after a visit. If they don’t, they risk possible detention and fines.

Even beyond the building’s unique position, library director Nancy Rumery told CTV News that Haskell staffers—Canadian and American alike—consider the institution to be like any other library in the world.

“We’re just trying to be the best library, and our community is made up of people from two different countries,” she said. “We don’t think of it in that big symbolic way that I think a lot of people do. These are all our neighbors and we do our very best to help them on their life-long learning journey.”

1. What can be learned about the Haskell Free Library?

A．It has a history of almost 100 years.

B．It runs across the U.S.-Canada border.

C．It can be compared to the Grand Canyon.

D．It is a well-known tourism site in Mexico.

2. Why was the Haskell Free Library built?

A．To be in honor of Mrs. Haskell.

B．To donate books to the community.

C．To support the cultural needs of citizens.

D．To offer a relaxing environment for both countries.

3. What is required if you are a visitor to the library?

A．A passport must be carried.	B．Border laws must be respected.
C．An ID card must be checked.	D．A personal photo must be taken.

4. What can be inferred from Nancy Rumery’s words?

A．The library takes on a symbolic meaning.

B．She hopes to offer the best service to the visitors.

C．She expects the library to be something different from others.

D．The library strengthens the ties between the bordering countries.

【推荐3】The story of the emperor’s new clothes is one of Andersen’s best-known fables. Conmen (骗子) fool the emperor into believing they have made him a fabulous suit that the unworthy will be unable to see. Courtiers (侍从) dare not say that the emperor is naked; it takes a child to point out the obvious.

The moral is that people are often too hidebound by social tradition to state their views. How many companies have ploughed ahead with expensive projects that were favoured by the chief executive, even when other managers have had doubts?

People from different backgrounds approach problems from different angles—that much should be blindingly obvious. It is not just about selecting people for teams from both sexes and various ethnicities. Hire only Cambridge politics graduates or Harvard MBAs or Stanford software engineers and they will have studied under the same professors and absorbed similar world views regardless of their gender or skin colour.

In the modern world, with all its complexity, co-operation is essential if breakthroughs are to be made. In science and engineering, 90% of papers are now written by teams rather than individuals. Analysis of American patent fillings since 1975 showed teams dominate in every one of the 36 defined categories.

There is another element to selecting a good team: ensuring that those viewpoints are heard and respected. That may not happen if those in charge are overbearing. A study of over 300 projects by the Rotterdam School of Management found that those led by junior managers were more likely to succeed than those led by senior managers—maybe because other team members were less scared about pointing out potential dangers to someone lower down the pecking order (权力等级).

The ability to speak up within an organization, without fear of punishment, is known as “psychological safety”. Mr. Syed cites a study of teams at Google, which found that self-reported psychological safety was by far the most important factor behind successful teamwork at the technology giant.

One way to overcome shyness while brainstorming, for instance, is for everyone to write down their ideas but ensure their names are never known. That way, opinions about thoughts are less closely tied to the seniority of the thinker and can be tested against each other with less fear or favour.

1. The author mentioned one of Andersen’s best-known fables to ______.

A．confirm the popularity of Andersen’s fables

B．argue children’s wisdom over adults

C．indicate the importance of different opinions

D．make fun of the foolishness of some people

2. By using the word “hidebound” the author is referring to those who ______.

A．close themselves to a fixed mind	B．pay more attention to other’s behavior
C．advocate traditional way of thinking	D．hesitate to participate in team activities

3. According to the passage, which of the following makes an effective team?

A．Employing graduates from the same excellent university.

B．Appointing senior managers with the right of leading a team.

C．Establishing a team with people of various backgrounds.

D．Hiring people assembling their chief executives in thoughts.

4. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A．Co-operation and teamwork contribute to the complexity of the world.

B．The less identity a person releases the more he is ready to air views.

C．Viewpoints from different perspectives are likely to cause conflicts.

D．There exists the danger of pecking order in a team led by junior managers.