【推荐1】Mike frowned at his calendar and then picked up his guitar. His band had been together for five months. Everyone said they were fantastic but they still had not been blessed with a paying job.

The three guys had become acquainted in band class, and organizing a group had been Mike’s idea. Mike played the guitar and acted as leader. John was on drums and James was on the saxophone. The three got together just for fun and named their group Playday.

But when some fans praised their talent, they decided to turn fun into profit. To make themselves known, Playday volunteered to entertain at parties. They played for free at school get-togethers. Mike loved the applause! He felt like a superstar. They practiced hard and discussed young musicians who had vaulted into prominence.

“The Jackson Five were kids,” John said. “Michael shot to fame like a rocket!” He exclaimed. “We can do it!” Mike encouraged the group.

After months of keeping Spirits high, Mike was tired. They haven’t seen even a cent. Let alone making a killing. Everyone was in low spirits. They decided to break up after one final volunteer job. The next day, they were to perform for patients at the Children’s Hospital where Mike’s mother worked as a nurse.

The next day the three young guys set up in the hospital lobby, and the nurses brought in the audience. As Playday began its number, Mike could feel their lack of spirit. Then Mike spotted one patient sitting limply in her wheelchair. Her expression was vacant, but when music filled the room, this rag doll came to life. She sat up straight, and the light that shone in her eyes lighted up something in Mike. He felt the thrill he’d been missing. As Mike’s playing caught fire, James and John gained energy. Soon, Playday was rocking as never before.

After the performance, the three guys spent time with the patients. Mike spoke to the girl who had encouraged him to play so well. “Wouldn’t it feel great to be rich and famous?” she asked, eyes still bright. “Will you be a rock star?” “Probably not,” Mike answered. “But I’ll never give up my music. I felt like the big time playing for you!”

1. The underlined phrase “had vaulted into prominence” most likely means         .

A．had grown into adults	B．had made a promise
C．had played The Jackson Five	D．had become successful

2. The members of Playboy were tired and depressed because they _______.

A．had no offer of a paying performance	B．competed cruelly with other bands
C．called an end to the band	D．performed at the Children's Hospital

3. While performing at the Children's Hospital, Mike became inspired because _______.

A．his guitar caught fire	B．a girl took him as a rock star
C．a patient was much cheered up	D．a toy doll suddenly became alive

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

A．Mike, John and James got to know each other as they were relatives.

B．They planned to make money when they had a big fan base.

C．Their wonderful performance at Children’s Hospital cured the girl of her disease.

D．Mike found out the enjoyment of volunteer performance after playing at the hospital.

【推荐2】At the Santos family’s apartment in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the doorbell is constantly ringing. All the friends and neighbors are there to hear what happened to two-year-old Carmelita. Her mother has tears in her eyes, but they are tears of relief, of thankfulness. Her Carmelita is smiling shyly, safe in her father’s lap.

The story could easily have ended very differently, not so happily. It all started this morning just before noon. Mrs. Santos was returning from the supermarket with her daughter and a friend, their neighbor. They stopped on the stairway of their building at their fifth-floor apartment. The neighbor opened her door first, and little Carmelita ran past her. She knew the apartment well, since she had visited it many times. The friend put down her keys and shopping bags, and turned back a moment to Mrs. Santos.

At that moment, there was a sudden gust of wind and the door to the apartment slammed shut. Carmelita was inside, alone.

Then the friend remembered that she had left her kitchen window open. She and Mrs. Santos rushed to the Santos apartment and telephoned the police. But there was no time to get help in opening the neighboring apartment. They could see that Carmelita was already leaning out of the kitchen window. She had climbed onto a chair, and soon she was climbing out onto the window sill(窗台).

Mrs. Santos called to Carmelita to go back inside. But the little girl did not understand the danger and did not want to go back. She only waved to her mother.

Then she lost her balance and her feet slipped off the window sill. She managed to hold on for a while with her hands, but she began to be afraid. Her mother screamed for help, and now Carmelita was crying desperately.

And then she could hold on no longer. Several people had run out into the street on hearing all the screaming. They saw the child hanging onto the window sill and got ready to catch her. Down she fell, five long stories and landed safe and sound in the arms of three strong men. They were Luis, Augusto, and Alfonso Nunes, father and sons. When they heard the screams, they ran from their auto repair shop across the street.

“I never thought we’d do it,” said Alfonso afterwards. “But I kept thinking, if we don’t catch her, she’ll die and I’ll feel sad and guilty all my life.”

All the neighbors want to shake hands with the three heroes. Carmelita’s parents cannot believe how close they came to losing their daughter. And how lucky they are to have her still.

1. Who saved Carmelita eventually?

A．The neighbors in the building.	B．Men of an auto repair shop.
C．Mrs. Santos’ friend.	D．The nearby policemen.

2. What can we learn from the story?

A．Carmelita waved to her mother because her mother smiled at her.

B．Carmelita was left alone in the apartment due to her father’s mistake.

C．Carmelita couldn’t hold on the window sill for she was frightened and weak.

D．Carmelita was rescued before she was falling from the window sill.

3. From what Alfonso said, we can tell that he was __________.

A．strong-willed.	B．humorous.
C．intelligent.	D．responsible.

4. What’s the title of the passage?

A．An Unexpected Danger	B．An Amazing Rescue
C．A Naughty Girl	D．A Careless Mother

【推荐3】When schools, theaters, amusement parks and libraries around the country closed due to the COVID—19, kids were left with few activities to keep them busy. So Kelly Passek, a school librarian who works for Montgomery County Public Schools in Virginia, came up with a creative way to ensure that kids in her community still have books to read: She was delive-ring them by drone(无人机).

“As a school librarian，it is extremely important for me to have connections with my students,” Passek said. “So I can make sure that they have got access to the resources they need and the resources will allow them to be successful—not just academically(学业上), but also in life.”

When distance—learning began in the school district due to the COVID—19, Passek thought how she was going to keep that connection with her students. One day she came up with an idea. Her family often uses Wing, a drone service from Google’s parent company Alphabet, to get necessities delivered straight to their door. Passek thought maybe she could use the technology to respond to library book requests from students.

Passek discusses the delivery process with Wing. Students can ask to take out library books using an online form. Passek receives the requests» packs the books up in special delivery boxes, and then puts them on the top of Wing» which deals with the drone delivery. Now, students in Montgomery County can choose from the library’s more than 150,000 titles, and have their books delivered right to their front yard.

“Montgomery County Public Schools will be the first public school system in the world to use Wing to deliver library books to our students,” Passek said. “We are excited about this opportunity to have a really unique way to deliver resources, and do it practically on demand. Now we have received praise online from students.”

1. What is extremely important in Passek’s opinion?

A．Students, access to books.

B．Activities to keep students busy.

C．Friendship between her and her students.

D．Ways for students to fight COVID—19.

2. What made Passek think of the idea of delivering books by drone?

A．Students, requests.	B．The popularity of Wing.
C．Support from Google.	D．Her family’s experience.

3. What can we learn about Passek’s drone delivery?

A．It inspires students? love for books.

B．It brings students nothing but stress.

C．It can’t meet every student’s reading needs.

D．It is thought highly of by students.

4. Which of following is the best title for the text?

A．Knowledge helps students succeed

B．Students need interesting activities

C．A librarian delivers books by drone

D．The COVID—19 is under control

【推荐1】I used to think the whole purpose of life was pursuing happiness. Everyone said the path to happiness was success, so I searched for that ideal job, that perfect boyfriend, that beautiful apartment. But instead of ever feeling fulfilled, I felt anxious and lost. Eventually, I decided to go to graduate school for positive psychology to learn what truly makes people happy.

And what’s the difference between being happy and having meaning in life? Many psychologists describe happiness as a state of comfort and ease, feeling good in the moment. Meaning, though, is deeper. The famous psychologist Martin Seligman says meaning comes from belonging to and serving something beyond yourself and from developing the best within you. Our culture is obsessed (痴迷于) with happiness, but I came to see that seeking meaning is the more fulfilling path.

There are four pillars (支柱) of a meaningful life.

The first pillar is belonging. Belonging comes from being in relationships where you’re valued for who you are and where you value others as well. For many people belonging is the most essential source of meaning.

For others, the key to meaning is the second pillar: purpose. Finding your purpose is not the same thing as finding that job that makes you happy. A doctor told me her purpose is healing sick people. Many parents tell me, “My purpose is raising my children.” The key to purpose is using your strengths to serve others. Without something worthwhile to do, people flounder (不知所措).

The third pillar of meaning is also about stepping beyond yourself, but in a completely different way: transcendence (超然). Transcendent experiences can change you, Transcendent states are those rare moments when you’re lifted above the hustle and bustle of daily life, your sense of self fades away, and you feel connected to a higher reality. For me, I’m a writer, and it happens through writing. Sometimes I get so in the zone that I lose all sense of time and place.

The fourth pillar is storytelling, the story you tell yourself about yourself. Creating a narrative from the events of your life brings clarity. It helps you understand how you became you. But we don’t always realize that we’re the authors of our stories and can change the way we’re telling them. Your life isn’t just a list of events. You can edit, interpret and retell your story, even as you’re constrained by the facts.

That’s the power of meaning. Happiness comes and goes. But when life is really good and when things are really bad, having meaning gives you something to hold on to.

1. What can we know from the first two paragraphs?

A．Life can be fulfilled by landing ideal jobs.

B．Life dilemma is easy for us to get out of.

C．Meaning is highly valued in our culture.

D．Happiness is what most people try to achieve.

2. From the four pillars of a meaningful life, we can know that ________.

A．nothing is as essential a source of meaning as belonging

B．purpose is less about what you want than what you give

C．transcendent fades easily and rarely makes us cheerful

D．the way of telling stories guarantees a meaningful life

3. The passage aims to tell us that ________.

A．meaning is more important than happiness

B．seeking meaning does more good than bad

C．chasing happiness can make people unhappy

D．meaning has deeper psychological significance

【推荐2】On a cold January evening, Austrew sat in her car in a Nebraska parking lot, wondering whether she was going to a comedy class. For 20 minutes, the 33-year-old journalist and mom of two sat with some thoughts of self-doubt, “I can't do this. I'll be the worst one.” Then she turned off the engine, took a few deep breaths, and worked up the courage to go inside with a little hope.

For Austrew, trying comedy was the first small step to improve her self-confidence. “I've lacked self-confidence all my life,” she says. “I didn't have the courage to try anything new.” So she made a list of all the things she was afraid to attempt and then asked herself, “What if I didn't let my excuses win?” The comedy class was her biggest target and her family firmly supported her.

Her fear disappeared as soon as she walked into the class. Her classmates were also beginners, and she discovered that she was perfectly capable of earning a few laughs and making new friends. Over the next two years, Austrew went on to deal with other what-ifs, including writing a book. “Self-confidence is like a muscle—you have to exercise it constantly,” she says.

Some people are blessed with a seemingly unshakable positivity, but most people need to learn how to pull themselves up by their own efforts. Psychologists say we tend to experience our least self-confidence in our teenage years and spend much of our adult lives slowly rebuilding it. Staying positive has been tough in the past year. Since the pandemic(流行病) began, more and more adults have been reported signs of depression or low self-worth. Thankfully, like Austrew, we can also learn to feel better about ourselves and strengthen our feelings of hope. Of course, anyone experiencing the terrible signs should seek professional help.

1. How did Austrew feel before she took the comedy class?

A．Scared and unsure.	B．Excited and curious.
C．Confident and proud.	D．Hopeless and helpless.

2. Why did Austrew decide to take the comedy class?

A．To become modest.	B．To build her self-confidence.
C．To celebrate her recovery.	D．To realize her childhood dream.

3. What does paragraph 3 mainly tell us about Austrew?

A．Her difficulty in learning comedy.

B．Her capability of making new friends.

C．Her positive efforts to conquer herself.

D．Her fear of getting along with beginners.

4. What will probably be discussed next?

A．Signs of the pandemic.

B．Ways to get self-confidence.

C．New medical discoveries about depression.

D．People's experiences in their teenage years.

【推荐3】I waited half an hour, set the board, and sat in the studio, reviewing my questions until the telephone lines flashed.

“Hello ?”

“This is Connie Chung. I’m so sorry I’m late.”

Connie Chung was one of the only four women anchors （主播） to make it into the club of major evening network television news. For almost an hour we talked about the industry. When I asked if she ever had an instructor throughout her trials, she turned around and offered to instruct me. When I asked why she decided to do it, she simply replied, “Because you’re good.”

That afternoon I rushed home and told my mother what had happened. Without looking up, she just said “Good for you.” Hearing this, I felt a sense of loss.   Her consistent response always made me feel under-appreciated.

Until then I had been searching for something that I would never get—that sense of love and acceptance in a house full of negativity （消极）.

I knew I needed to get rid of all the negativity in my life first, so I packed my bags and walked out of the house, thinking a risk would allow me to open myself to the world again and receive all the positive energy that I needed.

Then radio became my way of connecting with others. My ability to book high-level guests and celebrities（名人）was gradually recognized and eventually all the words of encouragement from past guests and colleagues helped me to re-build my confidence levels. “I can do this,” I kept telling myself, and pushed even harder to find my next aim.

People had faith in me, so I developed faith in myself. Their positive attitudes towards themselves and towards me helped me develop my own positive attitude, leading to productive interactions with celebrities and adding to my list of instructors.

I may not have started life surrounded by positivity but I surely feel that I am surrounded by it now. It’ s amazing how positivity builds on itself.

1. What was the author probably doing at the beginning of the text?

A．He was preparing for a show.	B．He was looking for an instructor.
C．He was waiting to be interviewed.	D．He was broadcasting news in the studio.

2. How did the author’s mother react when told about Connie’s decision?

A．She felt excited.	B．She didn’t believe it.
C．She was very grateful.	D．She didn’t take it seriously.

3. Why did the author leave home?

A．To broaden his view.	B．To escape punishment.
C．To keep away from negativity.	D．To set up a home of his own.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．The Strength of Positivity	B．My Goal in Career
C．My Ability in Management	D．The Friendship Between Anchors

【推荐1】My wife and I, recently driving through Arizona, stopped at a “collector’s shop” in Tucson, where many kinds of stones and minerals were on display. During the visit, we were taken into a small room where ordinary looking rocks were laid out on shelves. Had I seen them on some hillside, I would not have given them a second thought. Then the man closed the door so that the room was in total darkness and turned on an ultraviolet lamp (紫外线灯). Instantly, the rocks showed a kind of glory. Brilliant colors of an indescribable beauty were there before our eyes: certain power had been switched on, and a hidden world came to life.

As I look at my universe and walk among my fellow humans, I have the deep belief that hidden realities are all around us: there in the physical world, and there also in the human world.

I believe, then, that my chief job in life is to switch on extra power so that I can see what my naked eyes（裸眼）, or my naked mind, cannot see now. I believe that I have to do this particularly with my human fellows. My ordinary eyes tend to stop short at those envelopes we call human bodies. But we have learned that by turning on certain power we can see through to the inside of these envelopes.

We call this extra power “imagination”. At its highest, we call it “empathy”, the power to see through and to feel through to the inner life of other human beings. When we turn on this lamp of imaginative sensitivity, we make the ordinary human beings around us come excitingly alive.

When we are aware that there are glories of life still hidden from us, we walk humbly (谦逊地) before the Great Unknown. But we do more than this: we try to increase our power of seeing and feeling so that we can turn what is still unknown into what is warmly and understandably known. This, I believe, is our great human adventure.

1. Why does the writer mention their visit to the collector’s shop?

A．To share his experience.	B．To explain his point
C．To introduce the topic.	D．To provide evidence

2. Which of the following does the writer agree with?

A．He saw the very rocks on some hillside before.

B．Hidden realities remain in the physical world.

C．Ordinary minds can never reach other’s inside.

D．We should stay humble when we are still unknown.

3. It can be referred to as a great human adventure that ___________.

A．we try hard to discover the hidden glories of life

B．our eyes stop short at ordinary human beings

C．we are aware of the truth of hidden realities

D．we walk humbly before the Great Unknown

【推荐2】Yesterday night, over a dinner with my elder brother’s family, a topic of happiness came up. My wife, Marla, a psychologist, was sharing Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of “flow” with us. Marla explained that according to the research on flow, people are happiest when they are absorbed in a task that is just challenging enough for them to experience a sense of mastery.

A few moments later my brother, Yuri, offered the following opinions: “The first and only, necessary and sufficient factor for happiness is to stop associating happiness with pleasure. The two—happiness and pleasure—have nothing to do with each other. ”

This morning, with my cup of coffee, I searched through a pile of books on my bedside table and at the bottom found a book by Bertrand Russell, I started reading but didn’t finish. In it, I found the following thought:

“The human animal, like others, is adapted to a certain amount of struggle for life, and when he is satisfied with his whims without effort, the mere absence of effort from his life removes an essential ingredient of happiness.”

The conversation came full circle: people are happiest when they are in a state of flow (Csikszentmihalyi’s language), which is the effortful devotion in a moment, which has nothing to do with pleasure.

Indeed, as Yuri insisted: happiness-as-pleasure is a myth; the association between happiness and pleasure is nothing but a semantic habit; psychologically, the two—happiness and pleasure—are arguably different; and breaking up this association between pleasure and happiness might, in fact, be a powerfully first step in pursuit of happiness.

As I look back on the exchange, I recall that there was an effort, a struggle to find a common understanding about this seemingly difficult idea—a struggle that made me happy.

1. What is the purpose of writing this passage?

A．To tell readers how to be happiest.	B．To advise readers to read Bertrand Russell.
C．To look back on the happy night.	D．To show different opinions on family gathering.

2. According to Marla, people feel happiest when they ________.

A．get what they want without effort	B．involve themselves in a challenging task
C．master the happiest around them	D．experience things that can bring pleasure

3. What writing style is used by the author to explain happiness?

A．Giving examples.	B．Offering arguments.
C．Making comparisons.	D．Using quotes.

【推荐3】I have just arrived in a country where I don't know the language, where I have no family roots and where I find myself all alone. It may sound frightening. But let me tell you a little secret: it is not.

When you travel abroad by yourself for whatever reason-exchange program, internship, volunteering, or simply as tourist-a- new and fascinating world will open up for you, world you would have never been able to see if you had just stayed at home.

People from a different country are not aliens. They are simply people like you who happened to be born in another region. They have pretty much the same wishes and worries as people from your own country.

I know that you see a lot of news on TV saying terrible things people do all the time. Your family may have spent a great deal of time telling you not to trust strangers. However, when you travel alone you will realize that people are just as good as you. Everyone is just leading their lives, working, studying and having a good time with their friends. Most people will be happy to help you and get to know you.

Maybe in the past when you would need months to travel from one place to another, traveling could be expensive. Nowadays, the world is just so connected that it is perfectly possible to find cheap flights, accommodation for all budgets and cheap and quality food.

You will get lost, but it's fine! I can't even count how many times I didn't know where I was going or how to find the right direction. Everything looks great on Google maps, but sometimes your phone will die or your data will end. Just calm down. Go to a store or stop someone in the street and ask! Or simply walk around and be curious.

1. The first paragraph is written to           .

A．encourage people to travel	B．show the advantages of traveling
C．introduce the topic of the passage	D．show the difficulty of traveling alone

2. The underlined part “pretty much” in paragraph 3 probably means           .

A．almost

B．all

C．only

D．just

3. What's the main idea of Paragraph 4?

A．People do terrible things all the time.

B．It's dangerous to trust strangers when travelling alone.

C．People will always be happy to help you and get to know you.

D．People are not so bad as you see on TV or hear in your family.

4. We can infer from the passage that           .

A．most people travel abroad alone as tourists

B．travelling abroad is better than travelling at home

C．people from a different country are simply people like you

D．it's cheaper and easier to travel abroad now than in the past

【推荐1】Katie always knew she wanted to be a performer. She was fond of Disney movies from an early age and would often sing along with her mom, Karen.

When Katie was nine years old, her happy childhood took a turn when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. When the doctor informed the Whetsell family that Karen's disease was terminal, they made a decision. Disney World had been a longtime dream vacation for Karen. So in November 1997, the family packed up and headed to Disney World. Katie says she'll never forget the moment that changed her life on that trip: After a long day at the parks, the Whetsells decided to see one of Disney World's many nightly light shows. While watching, a Disney cast member performing in the parade came up to her mom and rested her hand on Karen's shoulder. They exchanged smiles and, to this day, Katie remembered how at peace her mom looked. The whole family was touched and moved to tears. This was the day Katie decided she wanted to work for Disney.

After graduating from college, Katie went on to pursue performing for a living. She struggled for years, working as a waitress and trying to make it as an actor. Her hard work and passion finally paid off when she was hired to work on Disney Cruise Lines in 2009. Katie's favorite friend in the Disney World is Dory in "Finding Nemo the Musical". She says that Dory has taught her the value of living in the present moment and to "just keep swimming."

Katie has never lost sight of the fact that she and others who work for the company bring joy to the lives of many every day. "Everything we do at the parks makes a difference to many families. It's a way for us to help them forget. It's amazing to be able to comfort others." When asked what her mother would think of her working at Disney World, she takes a deep breath and allows the tears to flow. "I just feel like she'd be so proud. I can feel her presence often and I feel her having a part in what I do. It's perfect."

1. Why did the Whetsell family decide to go to Disney World in November 1997?

A．The Disney World has always been a good place for vacation.

B．Karen was seriously ill and Disney World was what she had dreamed for.

C．The Whetsell family were all fond of Disney characters.

D．Katie always wanted to go to the Disney World to be a performer.

2. What happened during the Disney trip that changed Katie’s life?

A．Katie took part in the parade performance and realized her dream.

B．The whole family enjoyed themselves in the nightly light shows.

C．A performer in the Disney parade brought comfort to her mom.

D．Karen was invited to perform with cast members and she felt satisfied.

3. What’s the purpose to mention Katie’s favorite friend Dory?

A．To inform us more of Katie’s struggling life.

B．To introduce another Disney character named Dory.

C．To imply Katie’s understanding of life.

D．To tell us the importance to keep going.

4. Which of the following can best describe Katie’s personality?

A．Intelligent and industrious.	B．Diligent and dependent.
C．Selfless and sympathetic.	D．Persistent and positive.

【推荐2】8:30 PM

Outlook

Outlook is back with a new series of reports to keep you up date with all that’s new in the world of entertainment. Stories go all the way from the technical to the romantic, from stage to screen. There will be reports of the stars of the moment, the stars of the future and the stars of the past. The director with his new film, the designer with the latest fashion, and the musician with the popular song are part of the new Outlook. The program is introduced by Fran Levine.

9:00 PM

Discovery

When a 10-year-old boy gets a first-class degree in mathematics or an 8-year-old plays chess like a future, grand master, they are considered as geniuses. Where does the quality of genius come from? Is it all in the genes or can any child be turned into a genius? And if parents do have a child who might become a genius in the future what should they do? In this 30-minute film, Barry Johnson, the professor at School of Medicine, New York University will help you discover the answer.

10:00 PM

Science/Health

Is it possible to beat high blood pressure without drugs? The answer is “yes”, according to the researchers at Johns Hopkins and three other medical centers. After a study of 800 persons with high blood pressure, they found that after 6 months, those devoted to weight loss— exercise and eating a low-salt, low-fat food- lost about 13 pounds and became fitter. Plus, 35% of them dropped into the “normal” category(范畴). This week, Dr. Alan Duckworth will tell you how these people reduce their blood pressure to a level familiar to what’s achieved with Hypertension drugs.

1. The main purpose of writing these three texts is           .

A．to invite people to see films	B．to invite people to topic discussions
C．to attract more students to attend lectures	D．to attract more people to watch TV programs

2. Who will be most probably interested in Discovery?

A．Children who are good at mathematics.

B．Children who are interested in playing chess.

C．Parents who want their child to become another Albert Einstein.

D．Parents who want to send their children to a school of medicine.

3. In Science/Health, “Johns Hopkins” is           .

A．a famous university	B．a medical center
C．a well-known doctor	D．a drug company

4. According to the third text, which of the following has almost the same effect as Hypertension drugs?

A．Exercise plus a healthy diet.	B．Loss of thirteen pounds in weight.
C．Six months of exercise without drugs.	D．Low-salt and low-fat food.