【推荐1】I was surprised to learn the sleeping arrangements at the log home we were sharing with my in-laws for the week — specifically that my young daughter had agreed to sleep in a first-floor bedroom by herself.

As we settled in, we discussed the number of deer we had spotted on our way up to the log home.

“I hope we see a bear or two this week!” my wife shouted.

At bedtime, my wife and I climbed to the upstairs loft, and my in-laws headed for a bedroom on the first floor. We were about to doze off when our daughter appeared with a worried look on her face. She said a bear was scratching at her window. I decided it would be best if I slept downstairs and my daughter shared the loft with my wife. On my way down, I passed my father-in-law, who was asleep in front of the television. I was in bed only a couple of minutes when I heard a tap-tap on the window. Something was indeed out there, but it wasn’t a bear — at least that’s what I told myself.

Sometime later, I was awakened by a loud, low-pitched growl. I saw a large figure in the door and froze as it inched closer to me. I realized what it was — only after my father-in-law leaned in to give me a kiss. I blurted out in my deepest voice, “It’s David.” My father-in-law jumped back. We both laughed nervously at the awkward moment, and I explained his granddaughter’s bedroom switch. I told him that the only thing scarier than a bear attack was Papa Bear coming in to kiss me good-night. He growled in agreement!

1. Why was the author surprised in the beginning?

A．His in-laws were sharing the log home with them.

B．He spotted many deer on the way.

C．His daughter decided to sleep alone.

D．They would have surprise visitors at night.

2. What can we infer from the fourth paragraph?

A．The author’s daughter was afraid of his father-in-law.

B．The author’s daughter slept in the loft eventually.

C．The author’s father-in-law enjoyed watching TV.

D．The author saw a bear scratching at the window.

3. Why did the author’s father-in-law give him a kiss?

A．To scare him like a bear.	B．To check on his daughter.
C．To kiss him good night.	D．To embarrass him.

4. What is the suitable title for the text?

A．An Unforgettable Experience.	B．A Narrow Escape from A Bear.
C．Father-in-law’s Surprise.	D．Papa Bear’s Good-Night.

【推荐2】As a child, when my family took a vacation, we wrote postcards to show our friends the new places we had explored. I regarded postcards as simply a way to share travel experiences until I saw my grandmother’s postcard album (册).

My cousin and I discovered the dark gray album when we were going through Grandma’s things. Some were holiday postcards. But most of the postcards had pictures of flowers or birds that did not show a holiday or a travel destination. Instead of describing a holiday, the notes were invitations to come to a dinner party or go for a walk the next day.

“Why do these postcards ask you to come to tea?” I asked.

“Because this is how we communicated before we had a telephone,” she said.“I would put a postcard in the morning mail, and a friend would receive it that afternoon. Then she’d post a reply that arrived in my mail the next morning.”

“You got mail twice a day?”

“Yes. Remember, we had no phone.”

My cousin and I looked at each other. Connecting by postcards seemed as strange as using a carrier pigeon (信鸽).

I had forgotten about my grandmother’s postcards until lockdowns restricted (限制) our trips to see our three granddaughters. While I sent them texts, I wanted to give them something tactile (能触知的) to remind them of my love during this special time. Remembering my grandmother’s postcard album, I bought several sets of cards. Every few weeks, I’d write notes and mail them. The girls sometimes replied with short thank-you texts.

Then one day I opened my mailbox and saw three hand-addressed envelopes. Each girl thanked me for the postcards. The notes said how they’d been separated from friends, and how my messages had comforted them in a difficult time.

Yes, I received my granddaughters’ letters. Even when the lockdowns end, I will continue to send them postcards because everyone loves getting something tactile in the mail.

1. What did the author’s grandmother mainly use postcards for?

A．Telling interesting stories.	B．Sharing travel experiences.
C．Keeping up with friends.	D．Expressing holiday wishes.

2. How did the author feel when hearing Grandma got mail twice a day?

A．Worried.

B．Surprised.

C．Interested.

D．Encouraged.

3. What did the author decide to do during lockdowns?

A．Write letters to her grandchildren.

B．Buy postcards for her grandmother.

C．Learn how to send texts to her grandchildren.

D．Look for her grandmother’s lost postcard album.

4. What can we infer about the author’s granddaughters from the text?

A．They just want to send texts.

B．They collect postcards as a hobby.

C．They have difficulty getting along with friends.

D．They are beginning to accept communicating by letter

【推荐3】Four years ago, my sweet mom went to be with her Lord. She did it her way.

I got the call at work, and I headed home quickly. Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven. I hated going there every weekend. There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception.

My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land. The place was rustic(乡村的), with no indoor plumbing or heat. We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me.

In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen. I sang the melody and Mom harmonized. Her favorite song was “Moon River” and we sang it over and over. Mom told me stories about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk.

As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit them every week or two. The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad. Me, well, I still hated the silence of the farm. While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle(喧闹)of my life at home. But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced.( 叙旧)

Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio. Music always comforted me. My heart skipped a beat. “Moon River” was playing on the radio. I sat there stunned,with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note.

Then the radio announcer came on. “Here’s one we haven’t heard in a while,” and an unfamiliar song began. I began to cry harder as I heard the words sung over the airwaves.

1. The writer didn’t like staying on the farm for the following reasons EXCEPT that ______.

A．it was too cold and quiet

B．she could only sing one song on the small farm

C．there was nothing more that could make her excited

D．the place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat

2. From the first paragraph, we know that the writer’s mother ______.

A．left the small farm with Lord	B．passed away four years ago
C．left for Lord to live her own way	D．preferred to be with Lord

3. Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?

A．Mom’s music	B．Cherish (珍惜) life
C．My happy childhood	D．Our small farmhouse

【推荐1】The big fire in April that tore through the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris(巴黎圣母院) is still fresh in people’s minds. The 800-year-old landmark suffered great damage to its top, but thankfully the most valuable religious relics and cultural treasures were undamaged.

So a US publishing company GoArchitect organized the People’s Design Competition to invite designers, worldwide to share their ideas of rebuilding the French landmark. The open call attracted more than 200 proposals from 56 countries and regions. In the end, Chinese architects Cai Zeyu and Li Sibei won the competition with their striking design. They are both the post-90s generation.

Named “Paris Heartbeat”, the design replaces the old top with a kaleidoscope( 万花筒) of multifaceted mirrors, which is combined with a mirror roof, reflecting the ever–changing urban environment.

The kaleidoscope is the floating “time capsule”, at the top using magnetic levitation(磁悬浮) technology, which is meant to open every half century. The “time capsule” moves up and down, breathing and beating together with the city.

“I believe that the ‘time capsule’ can be achieved with present technology,” Cai told the Global Times.

The pair hoped that their design, Paris Heartbeat, could meet people’s high expectations for the rebuilding. As Cai and Li told GoArchitect, “Notre Dame witnessed Parisian history. It burns, survives and co-breathes with the ever-changing world…The 2019 fire will mark a new era.”

Though people still don’t know what kind of design the French government will choose, it’s clear that people around the world hope that the lost beauty of Notre Dame will come back. Once rebuilt, it will certainly become a permanent part of history and the Parisian skyline again.

1. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．A open call for the recovery of Dame Cathedral.

B．The design of Paris Heartbeat by two Chinese architects .

C．A big fire which destroyed Dame Cathedral.

D．A French government’s decision.

2. How are Paragraphs 3 and 4 developed?

A．list figures	B．give examples
C．make a comparison	D．make an explanation

3. Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．Two thirds of the Notre Dame Cathedral was damaged in the big fire.

B．The French government organized the People’s Design Competition.

C．The kaleidoscope is designed using traditional architecture technology.

D．It remains to be seen whether “Paris Heartbeat” will be adopted.

4. Where is the passage possibly taken from?

A．an entertainment magazine	B．a newspaper
C．a geography textbook	D．a guide book

【推荐2】When Joshua Coombes got off the bus in Washington, D.C., on this past February, he didn’t set off for the usual tourist attractions along the National Mall. Instead, the London-based hairdresser (理发师) headed for the marble fountain where homeless people gather outside. Most travellers walk by without a second glance. So what Coombes did next may well have surprised them: He chatted with them, pulled out his scissors and gave them haircuts, free of charge.

Whether in London, New York or Washington, D.C., homelessness can seem like a problem too huge and difficult to deal with. But Coombes realised that he didn’t have to solve all of everyone’s problems to make an impact. Sometimes, a small luxury such as a haircut can go a long way in boosting someone’s dignity, he told The Washington Post.

Two years ago, he founded the campaign Do Something For Nothing. His mission: to make a positive impact by giving haircuts to homeless people he meets on city streets, connecting with them on a human level and sharing their stories on social media. So far he has cut the hair of hundreds of homeless people, including a few women.

For Coombes, the campaign is about the importance of human connections. He wants to bring people together, regardless of what their relations are, and he sees the simple act of conversation as a step toward strengthening ties between people. In an age when virtual interactions can replace a real sense of community, Coombes finds haircuts to be a simple but important way to connect with people physically and emotionally.

Coombes’s world travels are partially funded through companies and NGOs that commission him to speak about his campaign. As he devotes more time to it, he has steadily decreased the hours he spends in the salon at home. His most recent trip to the US was sponsored by Leesa Sleeps, a Virginia-based mattress company. He will leave for Barcelona soon and plans to return to the US in the next few months.

1. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A．The homeless people.	B．The tour guides.
C．The travelers.	D．The hairdressers.

2. What is the purpose of Coombes’s founding the campaign?

A．To make the homeless people more beautiful.

B．To increase the connections with homeless people.

C．To bring the homeless people together to the shelters.

D．To help the homeless people change the real sense of community.

3. What do we know about Coombes?

A．He dislikes usual tourist attractions.

B．He travels around the world with his own expenses.

C．He thinks people can take action to positively affect others’ life.

D．He goes away from home in order to travel around the country.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．A hairdresser travels with homeless people.

B．Homeless people are connecting together.

C．Companies work together to help homeless people.

D．A hairdresser helps homeless people through haircuts.

【推荐1】Volunteering is one of the major wealth of any American city or town. People get together to help others less fortunate than themselves, or victims of a natural or man-made disaster. Since the start of our country this has been one of the noticeable features of our society.

Beginning in the Colonial Period and continuing down to today our country’s history is full of examples of people helping each other. Requiring high school students to take part in voluntary community service projects introduces them to this important part of our society. And while many students complain about this program at first, a large number of them find great individual(个人的) satisfaction when they look back at the things they achieved.

Our son, who graduated in 2005, found that he enjoyed the time he spent with primary school students helping them with their reading. In some ways he became a hero to the young boys and girls he was spending time with, simply because he was a high school student and took the time to get to know them. By the end of his first year in the program he was looking forward to the next school year and a new group of kids. It was particularly satisfying when a child he had helped saw him some place in the community and remembered him.

Having high school students take part in required community service activities helps give them an important sense of belonging to the adult world. It also gives them first-hand experience in activities and situations they might not otherwise experience. And it shows them that they can make a valuable contribution towards the society with just a little effort and a few hours of their time.

1. What kind of feeling is expressed in Paragraph 1?

A．Surprise

B．Doubt

C．Concern

D．Pride

2. The underlined “complain about” in Paragraph 2 has the same meaning as .

A．Think little of

B．Look forward to

C．Jump at

D．Think highly of

3. What do we know about the author’s son?

A．He has been a volunteer for about one year.

B．He won much respect for his voluntary work.

C．He hoped the children he helped would remember him.

D．He felt pleased when he was recognized by other volunteers.

4. In paragraph 4, the author mainly discusses__________.

A．The benefits of required volunteering

B．The importance of first-hand experience

C．The requirements for being a volunteer

D．The responsibility of contributing to society

【推荐2】Imagine taking to the skies, spreading your arms out and soaring（翱翔）through the clouds. Flying is indeed possible-in your dreams. But no one can control what happens in dreams, right? Wrong.

Dreams in which you are aware that you are dreaming and can control what happens are called lucid dreams（清醒梦）. These dreams are most common during the stage of sleep known as rapid eye movement（REM）sleep.

Lucid dreaming has been referenced throughout history. It’s mentioned in Greek philosopher Aristotle’s writing, as well as in Egyptian hieroglyphics（象形文字）and in the oral traditions of Australian aborigines. However, it wasn’t until 1975 that British psychologist Keith Hearne was credited as the first person to produce scientific proof that lucid dreams occur. Since then, we have learned much more about this phenomenon.

According to a study published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition, 55 percent of people have had a lucid dream at least once in their lifetime, while 23 percent experience lucid dreams once a month or more. Though these numbers show that the majority of people don’t have lucid dreams regularly, scientists are developing new technology for those who want to have this experience. For example, Curzio Vasapollo invented a device called ZMax, a headband that can monitor eye movements, body movements and heart rate to help people have a lucid dream.

But why would someone want to have lucid dreams? As it turns out, lucid dreaming can have many benefits. Alix Generous, a young woman suffering from autism（自闭症）, said in her TED talk：“I love lucid dreaming because it allows me to be free，without judgment of social and physical consequences.” Also, learning how to have lucid dreams may help those who suffer from nightmares. Through being able to control their actions, they may be able to overcome the cause of their fear.

Lucid dreams may encourage creativity as well. According to the website Notes Read, those who experience this dream state will find access to “an unbelievable fund of knowledge and inspiration”. For example, British American filmmaker Christopher Nolan took inspiration from his own lucid dreams when he wrote the 2010 sci-fi movie Inception. Maybe one day, everyone can indulge in（沉浸在）lucid dreams.

1. What can we know about lucid dreaming?

A．It’s likely to cause nightmares.

B．Most people experience lucid dreams.

C．It usually happens during REM sleep.

D．We can sleepwalk when lucid dreaming.

2. From which source can you find scientific proof of lucid dreaming?

A．Aristotle’s writing.	B．Egyptian hieroglyphics.
C．Keith Hearne’s research.	D．Australian aborigines’ oral traditions.

3. A device called ZMax was invented to help people who want ________.

A．to prevent nightmares	B．to do some literary writing
C．to experience a lucid dream	D．to have sweet dreams regularly

4. How does lucid dreaming benefit people?

A．It can be a source of creativity.	B．It is an effective cure for autism.
C．It helps people adjust their heart rate.	D．It enables people to become confident.

5. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To demonstrate new technologies to treat sleep disorder.

B．To give a general introduction of lucid dreaming.

C．To describe an experiment about lucid dreaming.

D．To present a way to deal with lucid dreaming.

【推荐3】NOT that long ago, the world wondered whether clean energy could survive without government support. Now the question is how far it can spread. The number of electric vehicles. which was about 1 million in 2015, last year reached 2 million. In electricity generation, too, trend is with the greens. In the first half of this year wind, solar and hydro generated a record 35% of Germany's power.

Greater success is breeding greater ambition. California is proposing to reach 60% renewable energy by 2030: 176 countries have clean-energy goals. Hawaii, America's most oil-dependent state, has promised to be 100% renewable by the middle of the century. So have 48 poor countries vulnerable to climate change. This week the number of multinationals making a commitment to running their operations on 100% renewable energy rose to 100.

But not every target is helpful. To see why, consider that goal of 100% renewable energy. It makes solving climate change seem easy. In fact, though wind and solar can generate the whole country's electricity some day, renewables still account for less than 8% of the world's total power output. Moreover, cleaning up electricity is only part of the battle. Even though gas-fired heating and cooking can be at least as big a source of greenhouse-gas emissions, renewable heating gets little attention. Transport policy is unpredictable, too. Carmakers may hit their goal of annual sales of 10 million electric vehicles in a decade, but battery-powered road transport, shipping and aviation are dreams. A much-quoted claim that America could rely on wind, solar and hydro alone for its electricity has recently been bitterly criticized by a group of respected academics.

Most importantly, a 100% renewables target confuses means with ends. The priority for the planet is to stop net emissions（净排放量）of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. Putting too much emphasis on wind, solar and other renewables may block off better carbon-reduction paths. After decades of investment, it is wrong to leave nuclear power off the table. Carbon emissions in Germany actually rose because it chose to phase out nuclear power gradually and so burned more coal. New technologies, such as "direct air capture" systems designed to separate carbon dioxide from the air, may in time prove vital. Likewise, greater energy efficiency could reduce emissions by even more than using renewables would.

1. It can be inferred from the passage that       .

A．the problem of climate change will be solved by using 100% renewable energy

B．with new technologies, Germany successfully cut down carbon emissions

C．it is probable that ships will one day be powered by battery

D．America is not likely to completely rely on wind, solar and hydro energy one day

2. According to the passage, carbon emissions may be reduced by       .

A．promoting energy efficiency

B．blocking off carbon-reduction paths

C．using non-renewable heating

D．abandoning electric vehicles

3. The underlined phrase "phase out" in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to       .

A．ignore

B．reduce

C．use

D．invent

4. In which column can this passage be read?

A．Fashion

B．Politics

C．Economy

D．Education

【推荐1】How important is fish farming? Very. Although it's an ancient business, the rise of aquaculture has been one of the biggest revolutions in food supply over the past half century.

Aquaculture has made fish more affordable for consumers around the world, popularizing the consumption of what used to be expensive, and easing the pressure on hard-pressed wild stocks. Aquaculture also has many clear environmental benefits: compared with other ways of growing animal protein, it uses little or no land, and has low greenhouse emissions. And while the world has traditionally had a bad record of regulating wild fishing, fish farming generally occurs within the boundaries of governments, meaning it should, in theory, be much easier to ensure that good practices are upheld.

Crowding large numbers of fish into limited spaces means that waste products, including waste, uneaten food and dead fish, are poured into the surrounding waters, polluting them. Besides, the pesticides and drugs used to treat conditions that upset fish in concentrated numbers can also affect local wildlife. Many farmed fish are fed on other fish, so the industry also puts pressure on wild stocks：about a fifth of all caught fish, some 18 million tonnes, is used for fish oil and fishmeal production. There is also the problem of fish escaping, with potentially dangerous effects on surrounding ecosystems.

In 2018 the Scottish Parliament’s environment committee published a report into the fish farming industry’s environmental effects, stating that key problems simply hadn’t been tackled, and that the Scottish government’s plan to double salmon output by 2030 could cause“irrecoverable damage”to ecosystems. Since then, protections have been toughened. There is now more pressure from regulators to situate farms in remote, deep-water locations. Meanwhile, though, catches of Scottish wild salmon have fallen to their lowest level since records began in 1952. “There are good reasons for fish farming and real dangers to it as well. ”concludes an official. “The question is how to make it work. ”

1. How has fish farming benefited people?

A．It has many clear environmental effects.

B．It can monitor the wild fish in 1imited areas.

C．It makes it easier for more people to consume fish.

D．It’s easier for the government to make fish product.

2. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The reasons for fish farming.	B．The downsides of aquaculture.
C．The development of sea exploring.	D．The effects on surrounding ecosystems.

3. What do we know about fish farming according to the Scottish report?

A．The massive fish farming may damage ecosystems.

B．The problems of fish farming are likely to be solved.

C．The fish farming industry has no effect on environment.

D．The Scottish government plans to double fish output now.

4. What is the writer’s attitude towards aquaculture?

A．Objective.

B．Doubtful.

C．Critical.

D．Disapproving.

【推荐2】Have you ever heard loud honking calls and looked up to see geese flying in a V-formation?

Geese are among the animals that travel south for the winter. In spring, they return to their summer homes in the north. Their journeys are known as migrations.

Monarch butterflies make amazing journeys too. Each autumn, millions of monarch butterflies in North America migrate. Monarchs from west of the Rocky Mountains fly to California. Monarchs in the east of the Rockies fly to Mexico. The butterflies’ journeys may take a month. During and after the long flight, the butterflies gather together. Thousands of monarch butterflies cover the trees in these gathering places. Most adult monarchs migrate south only once. The females lay their eggs and then die. The young butterflies make the return trip back north in the spring.

Green turtles also migrate to lay their eggs. Some kinds migrate long distances. They swim across the Atlantic Ocean from South America to lay their eggs on Ascension Island. It’s a distance of about 1,300 miles (2,000 kilometres). After the eggs are laid, the adult turtles return to Brazil’s coastal waters. They leave their young to hatch on the beach and find their way to the sea. Two years later, the young turtles swim back to the beach of their birth to lay their own eggs.

No one understands exactly how migrating animals know when to migrate or how they find their way. Some experts think that the shortening days in fall or the lengthening days in spring may act as a signal to birds and other animals. Such signals indicate that it is time to start their long journey.

Once on their way, birds are thought to navigate by the Sun and stars. Research shows that birds also may be sensitive to Earth’s magnetic field-the space around Earth where a magnetic force is felt. Fish and turtles may find their way back to their breeding grounds by remembering the smell of the water.

1. The question placed at the beginning of the text is to _____.

A．surprise the readers

B．serve as the theme

C．introduce the topic

D．express a puzzlement

2. Which is true of monarch butterflies?

A．Their round-trip takes about a month.

B．They settle in the new places forever.

C．They fly back after they lay eggs.

D．Young monarch butterflies return north.

3. Green turtles cover 2,000 km to _____.

A．find food

B．lay eggs

C．leave their young

D．find their mates

4. The last paragraph centres on _____.

A．how animals find their ways

B．where animals go for winter

C．when to migrate

D．why migration happens

【推荐3】I have well travelled in Spain and visited a good number of Spanish cities. However, no city will ever quite match Cadiz, where I spent six months studying as a student.

Before that, I knew very little about Cadiz but I decided to take a risk and explore it. Well, the risk certainly paid off.

Cadiz, Europe’s oldest city, hangs off Spain’s southern coast on a peninsula (半岛), surrounded almost entirely by water. As you leave the shady streets of the historical old city and explore more of it, you are met with vast areas of the blue Atlantic Ocean and white sandy beaches, which in my opinion are some of the best in Spain!

One of the great things about Cadiz is the wonderful, rich culture of food and drink. There are little tapas (小吃) bars lining every street and most will serve tapas for around 1.50~2 euros, meaning you can try a whole variety of Andalusian dishes.

Cadiz has also come to be known as “The Singing City”. It comes from the annual carnival (狂欢节), one of the biggest in Europe. A very large number of people go to Cadiz to see it. During those ten days, Cadiz’s narrow streets are filed with the sound of singing as musical groups fight for a place in the contest, which takes place on the last Saturday of carnival. The songs perfectly show the sense of humor of the Gaditanos, who, besides being so warm and welcoming, are said to have the best sense of humor in Spain!

That is my experience of Cadiz: a wonderful, typically Andalusian city which is often overlooked but well worth a visit. I can currently living in Huelva, just a short drive from Cadiz, so please pay attention to my next sharing!

1. What dose the word “that” underlined in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Studying in Cadiz.	B．Competing in a match.
C．Teaching a student.	D．Becoming an explorer.

2. What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?

A．The unknown origin and long history of Cadiz.	B．The beautiful life of people living to Cadiz.
C．The geographic position and scenery of Cadiz.	D．The author’s complex attitude towards Cadiz.

3. Why is Cadiz called “The Singing City”?

A．A number of local people enjoy humorous songs.

B．Singing is everywhere during a big annual carnival.

C．Many grand carnivals attract well-known singers.

D．A lot of singing competitions take place each year.

4. From which is the text most probably taken?

A．A post on the Internet.	B．A geography textbook.
C．A travel brochure.	D．A biography.