【推荐2】After a terrible accident， Colleen was in severe pain and convinced she would never walk again. She faced dozens of surgeries and weeks in a hospital.     1    . She describes the life lessons she learned during her recovery.

Give yourself goals

In the early stages of her recovery， Colleen started to give herself goals for each day.     2     ，includingthe day she started to walk again. “I was ready. I took just a few steps， but that was my goal that day.”

Help others

The doctor suggested that Colleen visit other patients searching for help. She visited a musician who had been paralyzed（瘫痪） in a car accident. She listened to his music and realized that meant so much to him.“     3     .”

Practice gratitude（感谢）

One afternoon a complete stranger called out to Colleen， “What I want you to know is that your life still has a purpose.     4     .” So many people tried their best to keep her alive. She could never pay them back， but she was grateful to be alive even with pain.Her pain was a constant reminder that she was still alive.

    5    

Fear can return at any moment.One day， Colleen saw a truck parked just ahead of her. It was with the same company that the truck that hit i her was from.Colleen was angry， but the driver offered to let her do what she wanted to do. She spent time looking at and touching the truck. By doing this， she faced what she feared the most.

A．Ask for help

B．Face your fears

C．You were saved for a reason

D．Giving help to others lessens pain in us.

E．Colleen was full of anger about the accident

F．This attitude carried her through her recovery

G．Now she's strong enough to compete in sports

【推荐1】I still remember that busy autumn evening as I hurried with my eldest daughter, Athena, to get to her classroom on time for parent-teacher night. We walked in and all eyes were on me. A few adults quickly quieted their kids’ whispers. A classmate yelled to my daughter, “What’s wrong with your mom’s face?” Shocked, I started to explain my condition, but my six-year-old daughter looked at him and said, “It’s my mom’s birthmark! Don’t be rude!” I was extremely proud of how she handled that situation.

I was quite young when I realized I looked different because of my large facial birthmark. I always thought I would be alone because of it. Being compared to Batman’s evil Two-Face made me believe I could never find love. But I was lucky enough to meet my husband, who saw me for who I am inside.

When I had my first daughter, I was overjoyed, but I began to worry if the world would judge my children. I always worried I might pass my condition onto my children; I didn’t want them to grow up feeling judged. Unfortunately, my facial difference has impacted my children. My daughters get disinvited from birthday parties or sleepovers, or I learn certain kids are no longer friends with mine after their parents saw me at school.

When my kids were young. I explained how my special purple skin was rare and we talked about acceptance and never judging others on how they look. When my girls kiss my purple-skinned cheek, I feel “normal” around them and their unconditional love. With time going by, both my daughters have become my strongest supporters. Thanks to them, I’ve begun to feel more self-confident as I try to be a good role model.

Their worldviews are similar to mine. We see the world a little differently and with a kinder, more accepting heart. As the saying goes, your daughters will grow up to be your best friends. I know that will be the case for me!

1. What happened when the author went to attend the parent-teacher night?

A．Athena was praised by others for her bravery and optimism.

B．Athena defended her mother against her classmate’s rudeness.

C．Some parents criticized their kids because of their misbehavior.

D．The author felt shocked st her daughter’s response to her classmate.

2. According to paragraph 2, which of the following views might the author agree wit?

A．Friendship needs to be watered by love.

B．We should treat our children as best friends.

C．We should accept other people’s differences

D．Our ability to handle difficulties can be strengthened.

3. How were the daughters influenced by the author’s birthmark?

A．They were sent into difficulty building up friendship with other kids.

B．They had to drop out of school because they were treated unfairly.

C．They felt worried because they were judged by their mother’s appearance.

D．They hoped to be accepted because they had the same physical condition.

4. What is the writing purpose of this article?

A．To show how she boosted her self-confidence.

B．To highlight the significance of family education.

C．To express her gratitude for the support from her daughters.

D．To complain about the injustice she experienced due to her birthmark.

【推荐2】Granny had just bought a sandwich for her office and was stopped at a red light in the city center. She had the window rolled down to enjoy the soft wind when a man rushed up to the driver’s side window to rob her. The robber broke into the open window with one hand in his pocket. He ordered Granny to get out of the car, or he would shoot her. A word like that would have frightened anyone else. Instead, Granny saw it as a challenge.

Completely unafraid she said that if he really had a gun, he would have pulled it out. She was right. The criminal had no gun actually and tried to pull her out of the car. Granny sounded the horn and started shouting out to draw others’ attention. With the door now open, she started kicking the man anywhere her foot could reach. After a kick to his stomach, the man attempted to escape. But Granny wouldn’t stand for that. It was now her turn to grab onto him. That poor fool didn’t have a chance. She called for help to bystanders, and they rushed to her aid. With Granny leading the charge, a group of strangers came together and took the man to the sidewalk, holding him there until the police came.

When asked by a young reporter covering the story why she fought back and wasn’t afraid, Granny’s answer was surprisingly simple: She had had her new car for less than two days and a pack of good sandwiches for her office. And there was no way for the robber to get either of those. Although we were angry with her because she could have gotten herself killed, we all learned an important lesson from her that day.

1. Why did Granny think the incident as a challenge?

A．She was afraid of the robber,

B．She has never experienced the robbery before.

C．There was possibility that the robber didn’t have a gun.

D．There was possibility that her new car would be robbed

2. What does the author think of the robber?

A．He looked very terrible.	B．He had a poor memory.
C．He was not strong enough.	D．He was foolish and unlucky.

3. What was the main reason that the robber attempted to escape?

A．Granny kicked his stomach violently.

B．Granny kicked him anywhere her foot could reach.

C．Granny’s reaction was beyond his expectation.

D．Granny managed to grab onto him.

4. Granny’s families thought her behavior to be ________.

A．illegal	B．annoying
C．admirable	D．confusing

【推荐3】As my kids and I walked around a community garden the other week, I asked them what veggies they could identify. We were in Alberta, where many plants were still in their early stages of growth—I wasn’t optimistic about what the kids would be able to name by leaves alone. However, they called out, “Tomatoes! Potatoes! Carrots!” Their answers made me even proud. All the time we’ve spent in our home garden is actually sinking in.

Although I’ve been gardening for years, this year feels different. Spending time in the garden has helped me with my own well-being at a trying time, and it has given me a new way to connect with my kids.

My garden is wild, full of life, and a bit messy. Honestly, the same goes for my kids— and I don’t expect perfection from them either. Unless you’re relying on your yield for money or food, it’s a good idea to have your expectations for gardening as low as possible. My kids say they “love the garden” but “don’t like gardening” —I think they mean they don’t like the chores. If I have some weeding or potting to do, I’ll also have some entertainment for them, which can be as simple as “find these 10 rocks” or “wet this plot with your water gun”.

Involving the kids in every stage of the process can be powerful and fun, even if what you have are just a few containers on a balcony. “Gardening allows us to spend free, unscheduled outdoor time with our kids,” writes journalist and author Shannon Brescher Shea. “Let your kids lead the way. Invite them to participate in every step, from planting to harvesting, but don’t force it.”

One of the best things about gardens is the food, but frankly, my kids are not going to be pushing greens into their mouths any time soon. Finding uses for garden goods that go beyond food production can spark interest and supply you with some unexpectedly good results.

1. What can the author infer from her kids’ answers?

A．It’s great to witness her kids’ academic progress.

B．It’s necessary for kids to know about nature.

C．It’s difficult for kids to learn plants in early stages.

D．It’s worthwhile to spend time in her garden.

2. Which of the following is right about the author’s garden?

A．It goes as nature takes its course.	B．It is in a complete mess.
C．It has a rise in output.	D．It has been abandoned for long.

3. How does the author attract the kids’ interest in gardening?

A．By giving rewards afterwards.	B．By adding recreational activities.
C．By giving more encouragement.	D．By asking them to have short breaks.

4. What is Shannon’s suggestion on parents’ involving kids in gardening?

A．Only teaching kids the power and fun of harvesting.

B．Making kids observe every step carefully.

C．Encouraging kids’ active participation.

D．Setting an example for kids in doing gardening.

【推荐1】I was fifteen months old, a happy carefree kid until the day fell. It was a bad fall. I landed on a glass rabbit which cut my eye badly enough to blind it. Trying to save the eye, the doctors stitched the eyeball together where it was cut, leaving a big ugly scar in the middle of my eye. The attempt failed, but my mama, in all of her wisdom, found a doctor who knew that if the eye were removed entirely, my face would grow up badly twisted, so my scarred, sightless, cloudy and gray eye lived on with me. And as I grew, this sightless eye in so many ways controlled me.

I walked with my face looking at the floor so people would not see the ugly me. Sometimes people, even strangers, asked me embarrassing questions or made hurtful remarks. When the kids played games, I was always the “monster”. I grew up imagining that people looked at me in an unusual way, as if my appearance were my fault. I always felt like I was a freak.

Yet mama would say to me, at every turn, “Hold your head up high and face the world.” It became a litany that I relied on. She had started when I was young. She would hold me in her arms and stroke my hair and say, “If you hold your head up high, it will be okay, and people will see your beautiful soul.” She continued this message whenever I wanted to hide. Those words have meant different things to me over the years. As a little child, I thought mama meant, “Be careful or you will fall down or bump into something because you are not looking. ”As an adolescent, even though I tended to look down to hide my shame, I found that sometimes when I held my head up high and let people know me, they liked me. My mama’s words helped me begin to realize that by letting people look at my face, I let them recognize the intelligence and beauty behind both eyes even if they couldn’t see it on the surface.     

In high school I was successful both academically and socially. I was even elected class president, but on the inside I still felt like a freak. All I really wanted was to look like everyone else. When things got really bad, I would cry to my mama and she would look at me with loving eyes and say, “Hold your head up high and face the world. Let them see the beauty that is inside.”

When I met the man who became my partner for life, we looked each other straight in the eye, and he told me I was beautiful inside and out. He meant it. My mama’s love and encouragement were the spark that gave me the confidence to overcome my own doubt. I had faced adversity, encountered my problems head on, and learned not only to appreciate myself but to have deep compassion for others.

“Hold your head up high”, has been heard many times in my home. Each of my children has felt its invitation. The gift my mama gave me lives on in another generation.

1. As a result of the terrible accident, the writer ________.

A．became deaf and blind.	B．had her eye hurt.
C．had some hearing loss.	D．had her eye moved away.

2. By saying “Hold your head up high and face the world”, her mother meant to ________.

A．blame her for lack of confidence.	B．warn her of the inconvenience.
C．encourage her in her daily life.	D．praise her for her great courage.

3. The underlined sentence “Each of my children has felt its invitation.” in the last paragraph means ________.

A．all of the writer’s children grew up with an inviting prospect.

B．Mama’s inspirational words had deep effects on the writer’s children.

C．each of the writer’s children received their grandma’s invitation.

D．the writer’s children had no choice but to accept the invitation.

4. Which of the following is conveyed in this passage?

A．Failure is the mother of success.	B．One’s mind works faster in danger.
C．Never give up whenever in trouble.	D．Two hands make the work light.

【推荐2】Birthdays often involve surprises．But this year's surprise on the birthday of the great British playwright William Shakespeare is surely one of the most dramatic．
On April 22, one day before his 441st birthday anniversary, experts discovered that one of the most recognizable portraits of William Shakespeare is a fake．This means that we no longer have a good idea of what Shakespeare looked like．“It's very possible that many pictures of Shakespeare might be unreliable because many of them are copies of this one,” said an expert from Britain's National Portrait Gallery．
The discovery comes after four months of testing using X-rays, ultraviolet light, microphotography and paint samples．The experts from the gallery say the image —commonly known as the “Flower portrait”— was actually painted in the 1800s, about two centuries after Shakespeare's death．The art experts who work at the gallery say they also used modern chemistry technology to check the paint on the picture．These checks found traces of paint dating from about 1814．Shakespeare died in 1616, and the date that appears on the portrait is 1609．
“We now think the portrait dates back to around 1818 to 1840．This was when there was a renewed interest in Shakespeare's plays,” Tarnya Cooper, the gallery's curator （馆长）, told the Associated President．
The fake picture has often been used as a cover for collections of his plays．It is called the Flower portrait because one of its owners, Desmond Flower, gave it to the Royal Shakespeare Company．
“There have always been questions about the painting,” said David Howells, curator for the Royal Shakespeare Company．“Now we know the truth, we can put the image in its proper place in the history of Shakespearean portraiture．”
Two other images of Shakespeare, are also being studied as part of the investigation and the results will come out later this month．________．
1. What makes the birthday of Shakespeare dramatic this year?

A．It was found that he painted a portrait in 1814 instead of in 1609．

B．The Flower portrait has been found to be a fake．

C．Three portraits of Shakespeare are being tested to identify a real one．

D．It was found that there was a renewed interest in Shakespeare's plays around 1818 to 1840．

2. Which statement is True according to the passage?

A．Portraits of Shakespeare are all unreliable．

B．“Flower portrait” was a portrait of Shakespeare given to Desmond Flower．

C．1814 might be when the portrait was drawn．

D．The Flower portrait is not often used as a cover for Shakespeare's play．

3. How many methods were used to test the portrait?

A．Not mentioned．	B．Two
C．Three	D．At least four．

4. The best title for this passage is ________．

A．Birthdays often involve surprises

B．The surprise on the 441st birthday of Shakespeare

C．One portrait of Shakespeare is a fake

D．How can we know Shakespeare's appearance?

5. Which is the best sentence to fill in the blank in the last paragraph?

A．Soon we'll know which portrait is reliable．

B．Maybe we cannot find a real portrait of Shakespeare．

C．If the two portraits are found to be false, they will test more．

D．For now what Shakespeare really looked like will remain a mystery．

【推荐3】In Europe, many people make friends between their countries through town twinning. Town or city twinning means two towns in different countries agree and decide to become “twins” with a sister city relationship.
The people find pen friends in the twin town. They exchange newspapers and stamps. The school teachers discuss teaching methods with the teachers in the twin town. Officials visit the twin town for celebrations. Ordinary people travel to the twin town, too, but not very often if it is far away.
Sometimes, schools even exchange their classes for two or three weeks! For example, German middle school students study for a while at the school in their twin town in Britain, staying with British families. A few months later, their British friends come to study in Germany.
Many British towns are so pleased with the results of the twinning that they set out to find more than one twin town.
Tonbridge, a small town in Kent, for example, has twin town in both Germany and France. Richmond near London has relationships with Germany, France and even a town in a Balkan country!
Town twinning can help make friends. It helps students improve their language skills, and also helps people to understand the differences between nations.
1. Twin towns develop ________.

A．between European countries and China

B．in the English-speaking countries only

C．in the same country

D．between different countries

2. One of the advantages of town twinning is ________.

A．to earn more money

B．to set up schools

C．to improve students’ language skills

D．to develop industry and agriculture

3. Which is the best title for the passage?

A．Town Twinning

B．Friendly Town

C．Exchange Teachers and Students

D．Peace and Understanding

【推荐1】Wolff Poetry Literary Scholarship Awards

If you enjoy poetry and enjoy writing poetry, then we invite you to submit an original poem. Each scholarship we offer will be theme-based and have specific requirements.

Description for Poetry Scholarships

The Wolff Poetry Literary Scholarship Awards is open to students 25 years or younger to the age of 12, either you are a current grade or high school student who is looking forward to attending college or is attending an undergraduate or graduate course in creative writing.

Poetry Scholarship Guidelines

1. Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming; we do favor non-rhyming.

2. Originality and expressive form about emotions and feelings is what digs at our souls.

3. Poems are judged on the basis of grammar, originality, creativity, and uniqueness.

4. English-language poems only; we will not accept anything else.

5. Enter as often as you like!

Poetry Scholarship Rules

All poems must be the original creation of the submitting author. All rights to the poems must be owned by the author and shall remain the property of the author. The author gives Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine permission to publish and display the poem on the Web (in electronic form only) if the poem is chosen as a winner or finalist. Winners will be contacted within 45 days of the deadline date. The $ 250 scholarship is open to everyone except employees of Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine and their families.

1. Who are the awards intended for?

A．Students aged from 12 to 25.	B．College students.
C．Students who love poetry.	D．Current grade students.

2. What will result in disqualification?

A．A rhyming poem.	B．An original creation.
C．A poem of a unique style.	D．A poem written in Chinese.

3. What can we learn about the winners?

A．They will have to abandon the copyrights of their poems.

B．All of them will share a total of $ 250 scholarship.

C．Their poems will only be read on the organizer's website.

D．They will be employed by Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine.

【推荐2】My teenage son Karl became withdrawn after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent（缺席的） 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year. In this way he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked.

One night I felt so powerless that I asked God for help. “Please God, I can’t do anything more for my son. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m giving the whole thing up to you.”

I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. “I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences.” Before he could say another word, I choked up（哽咽）and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger. “I love my son, but I just don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It’s out of my hands.” For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, “Thank you for your time”, and hung up.

Karl's next report card showed a marked（显著的） improvement in his grades. Finally, he was even on the list of the best students at school. In his fourth year, I attended a parent –– teacher meeting with Karl. I noticed that his teachers were surprised because he had changed himself completely. On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?” I nodded. “That was me. I thought I'd play a joke，but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That’s when I knew I had to make you proud.”

1. Which of the following has the similar meaning as the underlined word “withdrawn” in the first paragraph?

A．Quiet and lonely	B．Relaxed and excited
C．Talkative and lively	D．Happy and easy-going

2. According to the first report card, Karl _________.

A．often went to school late	B．failed in all the exams
C．did a good job at school	D．didn’t do well at school

3. When the mother said “It’s out of my hands.” to the headmaster, she meant that she ___________.

A．didn’t know what to do about her son

B．would drive her son away from the house

C．had no money to support the family

D．she would have to hang up

4. Who was it that telephoned Karl’s mother that day?

A．The headmaster.	B．The school adviser.
C．Karl himself.	D．The passage doesn’t tell us.

5. From the passage we can learn that _____________.

A．children in single – parent families always have mental problems

B．mother’s love plays an important role in teenagers’ life

C．parents should give their children as much help as possible

D．school education still works well without support from parents

【推荐3】This is always a busy time of year, but please don’t forget to recycle as much as you can.

Put in Your Recycling Bins: Cardboard — this includes all the boxes your presents came in but please remove any plastic packaging. Plastic bottles — all plastic bottles including fizzy drinks and cider bottles, as well as milk, shampoo, cleaning and washing-up liquid bottles.

Christmas trees can be recycled in your fortnightly Garden Waste Collection Service as long as they are small trees chopped into pieces no bigger than 3 inches or 75mm in diameter. For large trees please take them to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centers. Please note the Garden Waste Collection Service is suspended (暂停的) between Dec 26th and Jan 6th .

Glass bottles and jars — empty wine bottles can be taken to the bottle bank together with beer bottles and pickle (泡菜) jars. Clothes and shoes — for your old clothes, take them to your local clothing recycling bank.

Please Do NOT Place in Your Recycling Bins: Gift wrap — Christmas gift wrapping does not contain much paper. It is often layered with foil (箔纸) and plastic which can’t be recycled. Plastic carrier bags — please do not put your recyclables in these as it makes it difficult to sort the contents. Plastic packaging — Although plastic packaging may have symbols which suggest it can be recycled, it is made of different types of plastic and there are no cost-effective ways to recycle it at present.

1. What should we do before putting the cardboard into recycling bins?

A．Cutting it into pieces.	B．Collecting the gifts.
C．Taking off its plastic packages.	D．Emptying the packages.

2. Why shouldn’t we put plastic packaging into recycling bins?

A．Because it is hard to sort the content.

B．Because it is made of different type of foil.

C．Because the symbols on it advise us not to do so.

D．Because cost-effective ways to recycle it haven’t been found.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．The Christmas is the season for recycling.

B．Christmas trees must be kept for the future.

C．All the empty bottles can be put into the recycling bins.

D．There is a recycling center for the old clothes and shoes.