【推荐1】The bride is 97. The groom is 98. The couple has been married for 77 years, and thanks to some very special people, they were finally treated to some very special wedding memories they missed out on all those years ago.

The Kings are just like family to the staff of the St. Croix Hospice who serve as caretakers for the elderly pair in their Oelwein, Idaho home. With a big anniversary coming up, their caregivers wanted to do something special to celebrate the occasion and knowing something of the couple’s history, they came up with a perfect plan.

When Frankie and Royce King took their vows(誓言)on September 16, 1944, the world was a very different place. The simple church ceremony was small and short. Rather than a lace gown (蕾丝长裙), Frankie wore a suit. There was no photographer on hand to record the vows.

While Frankie and Royce’s wedding lacked splendor(壮观), their life together has more than made up for it. Two kids, four grandkids, and several great-grandkids later, the Kings’ marriage is still going strong.

On their anniversary, as one staff member played Big-Band era tunes on his saxophone and another took photos, Frankie, dressed in a lovely1940s-era wedding gown, was led through a flower-covered archway to where Royce was waiting for her. By the time the big wedding cake was served, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Photographer Hilary Michelson said, “I work for St. Croix Hospice full-time while doing photography in my spare time. I am passionate about both of my jobs and it made my heart so incredibly full to see them embracing each other.”

The Kings’ daughter, Sue Bilodeau, is now putting together a photo album of cherished memories for them. “It was definitely one of the most special things ever,” she said. “When Mom mentioned she didn’t have time to plan a big wedding and didn’t have a photographer, the St. Croix staff members worked together to make sure they could get their special day.”

1. What did the staff of the St. Croix Hospice decide to do for the Kings?

A．Help them recall their wedding memories.

B．Take good care of them as family members.

C．Write something about the couple's history.

D．Celebrate their wedding anniversary like a real wedding.

2. What was the Kings’ wedding ceremony in 1944 like?

A．It seemed to be the perfect plan.

B．It was simple and held in a small church.

C．It was followed by the couple’s long separation.

D．It had only one photographer to record their vows.

3. What was everyone’s response when the wedding cake was served?

A．They were all in tears.

B．They applauded loudly.

C．They were busy taking pictures of the couple.

D．They stopped doing everything and watched.

【推荐3】I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled(贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.

War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.

The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled(爬) under her covers, sobbing.

Obviously, that was something she should not go through phone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.

Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t noticed Kate had sat up.

She was watching. her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at mc. “Thanks.”

Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.

1. How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?

A．By analyzing causes.	B．By showing differences.
C．By describing a process.	D．By following time order.

2. What made Kate angry one evening?

A．She couldn’t find her books.

B．She heard the author shouting loud.

C．She got the news that her grandma was ill.

D．She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed.

3. Which word can replace the underlined word “sobbing” in the3^rd paragraph?

A．Laughing

B．Crying

C．Talking

D．Moving

4. The author tidied up the room most probably because __________.

A．She was scared by Kate’s anger

B．She hated herself for being so messy

C．She wanted to show her care

D．She was asked by Kate to do so

5. What might be the best title for the story?

A．My Friend Kate	B．Hard Work Pays Off
C．How to Be Organized	D．Learning to Be Roommate

【推荐1】Several years ago, I had to replace a receptionist for my unit. Before I advertised for the position, I was approached by another manager, and asked if I would consider a transfer from his staff instead of opening a new competition. My natural question was to ask who he wanted me to consider and why.

It appeared from his description of this employee, Maria, that she was having a lot of problems performing her duties, and had difficulties with her boss, and did not appear to respond to any attempts he, the manager, had made to settle the issues. Now, after listening to his explanation, I really had severe doubts. What crossed my mind, after this discussion, was that he wanted me to take a problem off his hands.

I told him I would think about it and would let him know the next day. As promised, after thinking more about this potential performance issue, I decided that I would agree to speak with Maria privately before I made any decision.

And, what I found out during this interview, left me deep in thought. As it turned out, the performance issue appeared to result from working for a boss who never extended a good morning greeting, never gave a word of encouragement, and was constantly changing the work load and routines. The end result was a totally ruined employee who was unconfident, hated to see a new work day start.

I decided to accept her transfer to my unit. What started out as a shy, withdrawn and frightened employee turned out to be one of the most productive and loyal employees that I had ever worked with. Maria couldn’t do enough and was constantly asking for more and more responsibility. I was more than happy to give her what she needed - praise for work well done, respect as a person, and encouragement for doing well in anything she dealt with.

Sometimes, we are guilty of holding others back from accomplishing or developing as they should or could. It may be a wise idea that we all look in the mirror, from time to time, to see what we are really like.

1. After hearing his colleague’s description of Maria, the writer thought that Maria ______.

A．deserved a pay rise	B．was a problem to her boss
C．needed further training	D．could get on well with others

2. Why did Maria fail to perform well in her previous job?

A．Her previous job was not suitable for her.	B．She had difficulty understanding her manager.
C．Her boss didn’t arouse her working enthusiasm.	D．Her boss showed no trust in her ability.

3. The writer accepted Maria’s transfer to his unit probably because he thought that ______.

A．she had the potential to be a manager	B．she would need his protection
C．she might turn out to be a good employee	D．she was a shy and frightened receptionist

4. The writer probably believes that a good boss should ______.

A．often give his employees chances of promotion	B．respect, praise and encourage his employees
C．claim responsibility for the mistakes in work	D．always offer his employees guidance

【推荐2】When I met and married a Japanese man in New York, I thought he would learn a bit more English and we would continue to live our lives there. But in life’s twists and turns, we ended up living in Tokyo! I was the one who needed to learn Japanese and fast! There is no experience quite as lonely as living in a foreign country without a grasp of the language. Especially to make friends and to break that loneliness, it is the first and foremost goal to attain...always an uphill climb, while totally awkward!

I was a trained English Language teacher, and while I lived abroad I did that work, and when we moved back to America I planned to continue it. The country’s financial difficulties at the time, however, saw deep cuts to the English as a second language in schools and to refugee language programs. So I simply took a job in a department store, at its Child Playroom.

But this store was located near a major company that hired some of its workforce from many other countries. Often a preschooler in my playroom could not speak a word of English, and would look so lost and lonely! My heart flew to them! We interacted with each other a lot. We would play English language games and they would teach their language to me.

Years later, when a small girl who had come from South America could speak good English, she said to me, “Teacher, remember when I called you Maestra?”Another child whose language was only Russian originally-we built a robot from blocks and fed it block food and learned English words that way-would come years afterwards and continue to play that same game! These moments became my life compass-due north is that place where when persons are different, Love Matters!

1. What was the author’s challenge after marriage?

A．She had to give up her job.

B．She lost all her best friends.

C．She needed to learn a new language.

D．She was forced to live overseas.

2. Why did the author change her job after she returned home?

A．She set up her own company.

B．She lost interest in teaching.

C．Better teachers were needed.

D．Teaching jobs were greatly reduced.

3. Which word can best describe the author’s interactions with children?

A．Tiring.

B．Helpful.

C．Simple.

D．Humorous.

【推荐3】STEVE EMBER: And I’m Steve Ember with People In America in VOA Special English. Today we remember the singer and actress Lena Horne. During her sixty-year career performing, Lena Horne entertained people with her beauty and rich, emotional voice. She used her fame to fight social injustices toward African-Americans.
Lena Horne was born in New York. At sixteen, Lena became a dancer at the famous club in New York City in 1933. After taking voice lessons, she soon became a singer. In 1940, Lena Horne became the first African-American to perform with an all-white jazz hand. After performing at a club in Hollywood, California, she caught the attention of filmmakers. She soon began making movies. Her films became very popular. In the 1940s, Lena Horne was the first African-American in Hollywood to sing a long -term contract with a major movie studio. Her deal with MGM stated that she would never play the role of a servant. She refused to play roles that represented African-Americans disrespectfully.
Lena Horne once said that World War II helped make her a star. She was popular with both black and white soldiers. She sang on army radio programs and traveled to perform for the troops. These experiences led to Lena Horne’s work in the civil rights movement.
Lena Horne sang at rights gatherings. She took part in the march on Washington protest in 1963. It was during this event that Martin Luther King gave his “I have a dream” speech. She protested racial separation at the hotels where she performed. She took action so that she and her musicians would be allowed to stay in those hotels. B1ack musicians at the time generally stayed in black neighborhoods.
At the age of eighty, she said she did not have to act like a white woman that Hollywood hoped she would become. She said: “I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.”
Lena Horne died in New York in 2010.
1. How old was Lena Horne when she died?

A．93 years old.	B．98 years old.
C．86 years old.	D．88 years old.

2. We can infer from the passage that_____.

A．black women were forbidden to perform in the film in the 1940s

B．Lena Horne didn’t make any films in the 1960s

C．Lena Horne liked staying at hotel very much

D．black actresses often played roles of servants in the film in the 1940s

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Lena Home became the first African-American in Hollywood in her forties.

B．Dena Horne was a friend of Martin Luther King.

C．Lena Horne was involved in civil rights activities in the 1960s.

D．Lena Horne took an active part in sports activities.

4. This text is developed          .

A．by space	B．by time
C．by process	D．by comparison

【推荐1】When is cleaning walls a crime? When you're doing it to create art, obviously. A number of street artists around the world have started expressing themselves through a practice known as reverse graffiti (反向涂鸦). They find dirty surfaces and paint them with images or messages using cleaning brushes or pressure hoses (高压水管). Either way, it's the same principle: the image is made by cleaning away the dirt. Each artist has their own individual style but all artists share a common aim: to draw attention to the pollution in our cities. The UK’s Paul Curtis, better known as Moose, operates around Leeds and London and has been commissioned by a number of companies to make reverse graffiti advertisements.

Brazilian artist, Alexandre Orion, turned one of Sao Paulo's transport tunnels into an amazing wall painting in 2006 by getting rid of the dirt. Made up of a series of white skulls (颅骨), the painting reminds drivers of the effect their pollution is having on the planet. “Every motorist sits in the comfort of their car, but they don't give any consideration to the price their comfort has for the environment and consequently for themselves,” says Orion.

The anti-pollution message of the reverse graffiti artists confuses city authorities since the main argument against graffiti is that it spoils the appearance of both types of property: public and private. This was what Leeds City Council said about Moose's work: “Leeds residents want to live in clean and attractive neighborhoods. We view this kind of advertising as environmental damage and will take strong action against it.” Moose was ordered to “clean up his act.” How was he supposed to do this: by making all property he had cleaned dirty again?

As for the Brazilian artist's work, the authorities were annoyed but could find nothing to charge him with. They had no other option but to clean the tunnel-but only the parts Alexandre had already cleaned. The artist merely continued his campaign on the other side. The city officials then decided to take drastic action. They not only cleaned the whole tunnel but every tunnel in Sao Paulo.

1. What can we learn from the passage about reverse graffiti?

A．It uses paint to create anti-pollution images.	B．It creates a lot of trouble for local residents.
C．It causes lots of distraction to drivers.	D．It turns dirty walls into artistic works.

2. Why does Alexandre Orion create a series of white skulls on one of Sao Paulo's tunnels?

A．He has a talent for painting white skulls.

B．He is enthusiastic about doing creative artworks.

C．He wants to raise public awareness of environmental protection.

D．He intends to express his dissatisfaction with local governments.

3. What does the author imply about Leeds City Council's decision?

A．It is simply ridiculous.	B．It is well-informed.
C．It is rather unexpected.	D．It is quite reasonable.

4. How did Sao Paulo city officials handle Alexandre Orion's reverse graffiti?

A．They made him clean all the tunnels in Sao Paulo.

B．They took action to ban all reverse graffiti.

C．They charged him with polluting tunnels in the city.

D．They made it impossible for him to practice his art.

【推荐2】Recycling Electronic Waste

When Alex Lin was 11 years old, he read an alarming article in the newspaper which said that people were burying old computers in backyards, throwing TVs into streams, and dumping (丢弃) cell phones in the garbage. This was dangerous because e-waste contains harmful chemicals that can leak into the environment, getting into crops, animals, water supplies—and people.

Alex was really worried and decided to make it next project for WIN—the Westerly Innovations Network. Alex and six of his friends had formed this organization to help solve community problems two years before.

But what could they do about this project with e-waste? The team spent several weeks gathering information about the harmful chemicals in e-waste and their effects on humans. They learned how to dispose (处置) of e-waste properly and how it could be recycled. Then, they sent out a survey and found only one in eight knew what e-waste was, let alone how to properly dispose of it.

Alex and his friends went into action. They advertised in the local newspaper and distributed notices to students, asking residents to bring their unwanted electronics to the school parking lot. The drive lasted two days, and they collected over 9, 500 kilograms of e-waste.

The next step was to set up a long-term e-waste drop-off center for the town. After some research, they’d learned that reusing is the best way to deal with electronic devices and it is seven times more efficient than recycling. So, they began learning to refurbish (翻新) computers themselves and distributed them to students who didn’t have their own. In this way, they could help students in the area and protect the environment at the same time.

For a lasting solution to e-waste, the drop-off center wasn’t enough. Laws would have to be passed. In 2016, WIN helped push for an e-waste bill in their town, which required companies that manufactured or sold electronics to take back e-waste. The bill clearly forbids the dumping of e-waste.

Because of the work of WIN, more and more people, like Alex and his team, are getting the message about safe disposal of e-waste. As Alex says, “Today’s technology should not become tomorrow’s harmful garbage.”

1. What was Alex’s worry after he read the article?

A．The littering of e-waste.	B．The recycling of plastic.
C．The change of environment.	D．The overuse of old computers.

2. What did Alex do to start the project?

A．Set up WIN.	B．Collect information.
C．Ask friends for help.	D．Carry out a survey.

3. Which can best describe the way Alex and his team did their work?

A．Traditional.	B．Competitive.
C．Scientific.	D．Convenient.

4. What message does the story convey?

A．There is no end to perfection.

B．Success comes through failure.

C．Every positive attitude has a reward.

D．Young people can make a big difference.

【推荐3】The King received news one day that a group outlaws were committing some wrong and cruel acts on a distant border of the kingdom.

The news angered the King. He quickly gathered his army and started off for the distant border, leaving his kingdom unguarded and without a ruler.

On their long march, the King and his army made camp for the night wherever they could. One rainy day they stopped in a forest, seeking shelter under the trees. They unsaddled（卸鞍） their horses and steamed some peas, which they fed to their steeds(战马) in long narrow containers.

A monkey in a tree nearby saw the horses being fed, and he came racing down, fille9d both paws with peas, then climbed quickly up to a branch and settled down to eat. But as he opened one paw, a single pea fell to the ground. Without hesitation, my monkey jumped from his branch to hunt for the lost pea, and in doing so，he dropped all the other peas in his paws.

The King observed this foolish monkey and was greatly amused. He turned to his minister and asked: "Friend, what do you think of this monkey who would give up so much to retrieve so little?" "That is the way of the foolish," replied the minister, "they will give up much that is certain for a little that is uncertain." Then he added, "And we, Great King, are we not like the monkey in the trees. To gain so little we neglect (忽略 ) so much exactly like the monkey with its pea.

The King understood the blame and realized how very foolish he had been himself to leave his kingdom unguarded. He gave out orders to his men, and he and his army returned at once to their country.

1. What did the King do after he knew a group of bad guys were doing something illegal?

A．He asked the minister for advice.	B．He led his army to defeat them.
C．He found some monkeys to feed	D．He looked for shelters in the forest.

2. The minister persuaded the King to give up his original plan by ________.

A．steaming some peas to feed the horses

B．amusing the King with the monkey’s trick

C．blaming the king gently using the monkey’s example.

D．going back and guarding the country.

3. What does the underlined word “retrieve”in the fifth paragraph mean?

A．bring up	B．get back
C．give away	D．come up

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

A．An Angry King	B．A Battle against the Outlaws
C．A Simple-minded Monkey	D．An Unguarded Kingdom

【推荐1】Robots make me nervous—especially the ones which seem to think for themselves. I was embarrassed to admit this till I heard that Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, felt the same way.
Gates said in an interview with the social networking and news website Reddit: “I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence. First the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent．That should be positive if we manage well. A few decades after that though the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern.”
Well, maybe I don’t have to worry about my computer and kitchen equipment yet. After I use them I can always pull the plug. But in the future, machines might find a way to prevent us from switching them off. There’s a terrible thought!
Maybe the problem with computers too clever for us is not that they are evil like some we’ve seen in sci-fi movies. What could put us in danger is that they might be too efficient. That’s what philosopher Nick Bostrom from Oxford University believes. He says that machines are indifferent (漠然) to humans and in pursuit of their own goals，the destruction of people might be just additional damage. Bostrom gives us an example: A machine which might have as its only goal to produce as many paperclips as possible might look at human bodies as extra material for paperclips and go after you. Because it is, well, a machine, it would not take pity on you.
It’s a good thing that American writer Isaac Asimov thought about how far robots can go and left us his three rules of robotics. They state that a robot may not hurt a human being or allow the human being to come to harm.
I’m glad my machines at home are “dumb”. All my cleaner wants to take over is the carpet in my living room. Let’s hope they don’t create an appliance which wants to take over the world!
1. The author quoted Bill Gates’ words in Paragraph 2 in order to make the text ________.

A．better-known	B．more persuasive
C．better-organized	D．more interesting

2. An intelligent paperclip machine would harm us because ________.

A．it is much cleverer than us

B．it would take over the world

C．it would see us just as material

D．it has the strong feeling of destroying us

3. How does the author feel about Isaac Asimov’s rules of robotics?

A．Optimistic

B．Sympathy

C．Disappointed

D．Regretful

4. What does the text mainly focus on?

A．The benefits of future robots.

B．The new applications of robots.

C．The concern for super intelligence.

D．The popularity of robots in the future.

【推荐2】Picking pineapples can be hard, heavy work often with little reward. The price paid for each individual fruit is a small part of a penny.

The leaves from pineapple plants are usually thrown away. A use for them has now been found, turning the leaves into fabric, which provides some extra income for workers.

“I think everybody is quite surprised that the fabric is made of pineapple, because it doesn’t smell like pineapple, it’s not spiky, it’s got a nice texture( 质地) to it. So it’s quite an unusual thing to be working with. ” said Ben Patton, designer for Material Products.

To make the fabric, fibers are extracted(提取) from the leaves. These get sent from the Philippines to Spain.

Once there, machinists complete the process of turning them into a material which has been named ‘Pinatex’.

An online shop based in Cambridge has begun using Pinatex to create handbags, satchels and purses.

And these are the finished bags. If you want one, they’ll charge you around 137 pounds. The texture is slightly crinkled – not too different to some leathers.

As manufacturers become more confident using the material, it’s hoped that more items will be made out of it in the future, making use of pineapple leaves that were otherwise destined to be wasted.

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．Giving the main idea.	B．Bringing in the topic.
C．Raising the problem.	D．Introducing the background.

2. Why are Ben Patton’s words quoted here?

A．To show that the pineapple is a useful fruit.

B．To show that pineapple leaves are comfortable to feel.

C．To show that the new material is surprisingly good.

D．To show that the product is profitable.

3. What does the underlined word “fabric” in the fourth paragraph mean?

A．Cloth.

B．Leather.

C．Bag.

D．Money.

4. What is the writer’s attitude towards this use of pineapple leaves?

A．Favorable.

B．Negative.

C．Concerned.

D．Doubtful.

【推荐3】The secret of successful response

The novel coronavirus(新冠状病毒)is an uncommon threat. We don't know how bad it will be, nor do we know for how long it will spread. But we do know that it has already infected (感染) more than 18,000 people and killed many around the world. It also caused serious global economic damage. We need to adapt our responses to different countries and different parts of the same country in order to limit damage. Using data well is essential to such a successful response.

Data is key to all successful public health programs. In New York City, we raised tobacco taxes and made all indoor public places smoke free. Smoking rates declined at first but then the decline stopped. Because we had a tracking system in place, we realised that progress had stopped. So, we produced strong and direct no tobacco ads to the public. Our programs quickly reduced adult and teenager smoking, preventing more than 10,0000 deaths.

Every country facing the coronavirus disease needs to strengthen their data systems to track diseases, investigate skillfully and respond fast and successfully. Fast action will save lives and save money. But building the capacity to do this isn't free. It will cost about $1 to $2 per person per year for at least 10 years --- at least 30 billion. That's a lot of money for public health, but it's a tiny part of the amount lost when we don't know what we need to know about health threats.

Getting he data right is hardly quick and never easy, but it is always very important if we want to respond successfully, limit spread, and protect our communities and economy.

1. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Novel coronavirus has killed people and damaged economy.

B．New York City succeeded in reducing smoking with data.

C．We need a lot of money to build the capacity of fast action.

D．Using data will cure people infected with novel coronavirus,

2. Why does the author talk about smoking in paragraph 2?

A．To warn us that smoking is harmful.

B．To suggest us how to reduce smoking.

C．To show the significant role of data.

D．To protect people's physical health.

3. What is the author's opinion on the building of the capacity of fast response?

A．It is too expensive and many countries cannot afford it.

B．It is worthwhile and necessary to develop such a capacity.

C．It supports communities and saves lives and saves money.

D．It requires a tiny part of the amount lost by health threats.

4. What is the main idea of this passage?

A．The widespread of novel coronavirus has killed many people.

B．Using Data well is of vital importance to public health programs.

C．The importance of fighting against novel coronavirus.

D．The importance of raising tobacco taxes.