【推荐1】HONG KONG-----Hong Kong Disneyland is too crowded,a senior Chinese tourism official said today,hinting that another Disney Park is necessary to accommodate demand from China’s huuge population.
The comments by Shao Qiwei,director of China’s State Administration of Tourism, came a day after Shanghai’s mayor Han Zheng said the city was preparing to build China’s second Disney theme park.
“China has a very large population.We now have 1.3 bullion people. The market is very large.As far as I know,Hong Kong Disneyland is now very crowded.”said Shao,whose comments were broadcast on Hong Kong’s Cable TV.
The Hong Kong theme park,which opened in September,was widely criticized in January when it turned away hundreds of Lunar New Year holiday makers from mainland China because the park was full. Chaos(混乱) erupted when angry crowds tried to force their way into the park.
The embarrassing incident prompted a public apology from Hong Kong Disneyland Managing Director Bill Ernest and a dressing down from Hong Kong’s leader Donald Tsang.Authorities are carefully studying the issue of overcrowding in preparation for the possible building of the Disney park in Shanghai.Shao said.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday that no agreement has been reached on the park in Shanghai,quoting senior vice president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Leslie Goodman. Hong Kong Disneyland is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the local government, which shouldered the bulk of the park’s construction fees.
1. Why is it necessary to build a Disney park in Shanghai?

A．Hong Kong Disneyland can’t meet the need of the large population.

B．Hong Kong Disneyland is too small and very crowded.

C．Hong Kong Disney Park was criticized by tourists.

D．Hong Kong Disneyland is far from the mainland.

2. Hundreds of visitors from mainland China got angry because_____.

A．the services in the park were not as good as expected.

B．they were not allowed to go into the park.

C．the park was too crowded.

D．chaos happened at the entrance to the park.

3. The building of a Disney park in Shanghai_____.

A．has been agreed to by The Walt Disney Co.	B．is financed by The Walt Disney Co.
C．willl be in the charge of the Shanghai government.	D．remains to be discussed with The Walt Disney Co.

【推荐2】Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes(糖尿病). Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it — the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success — you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological(心理的) tool”
1. What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?

A．He overcame the bad influence of illness to win.

B．Specialists offered him medical advice.

C．Training helped him defeat his disease.

D．Difficulties influenced his career.

2. What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?

A．Her daily happenings.	B．Her training schedule.
C．Her achievements.	D．Her sports career.

3. What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to？

A．Activities that turn one’s attention away.

B．Ways that help one to focus.

C．Words that help one to feel less tense.

D．Habits that make it hard for one to relax.

4. According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?

A．Courage.	B．Self-confidence.
C．Devotion.	D．Hard work.

【推荐3】The art of psychologically controlling people so that they give away secret or sensitive information is known as social engineering. These are non-technical attacks, which rely on fooling people into ignoring regular safety procedures. People involved in this criminal act either target individuals for things such as bank information and passwords, or they might target the employees of entire organizations for sensitive company information, which they can then use to make a lot of quick money on the market.

The use of social engineering has increased greatly, because it’s much more difficult to hack (非法侵入) into someone’s software / password than it is to win their trust and make use of them to gain information that’s wanted. No matter how technically good the safety chain might be, information is always easy to attack if people with the information are easy to influence.

Methods of social engineering are various. For instance, the criminal uses some form of physical media like a CD, which is given a legal but interesting label. It’s then purposely left in a place like a restroom or elevator, where it’s sure to be found by someone. When any person finds the CD, he / she is expected to get curious about the label and the data it contains. However, on inserting the CD into a computer, they unknowingly install malware (恶意软件) into the system, which could give the attacker unlimited access, not only to that computer, but also to the company’s internal network.

Social engineering attacks are difficult to prevent completely. However, to make it difficult for social engineers and discourage them from attacking, some preventive measures need to be taken. For example, using advanced systems of security and different passwords for different accounts is very important. Regularly checking personal data and account details and making necessary upgrades to security are very helpful. More importantly, make sure that employees are trained to politely question people they don’t know, about their presence in the office building, and make sure that regular sessions (会议) and talks about security issues are held, so the problem of social engineering is always fresh in the minds of the employees.

1. According to the author, social engineering _____.

A．is a good skill	B．helps keep secrets
C．discourages employees	D．could probably break the law

2. What can be inferred from the second paragraph?

A．More people are faced with social engineering.

B．Social engineering is popular in few countries.

C．It’s very easy to hack into someone’s software.

D．Social engineering has attracted wide attention.

3. To introduce how social engineering is used in Paragraph 3, the author _____.

A．makes a to-do list	B．gives an example
C．offers an argument	D．makes a comparison

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The causes of social engineering.	B．The effects of social engineering.
C．The ways to prevent social engineering.	D．Different types of social engineering.

【推荐1】The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offers awards for highly qualified candidates including recent doctoral recipients (接受者) and senior researchers. Applications are accepted during four annual review cycles (with deadlines of May 1, August 1, November 1, and February 1).

Awardees have the opportunity to:

●devote full-time effort to research and publication

●access the excellent and often unique facilities of the federal research enterprise

●cooperate with leading scientists and engineers at the sponsoring laboratories

Benefits of an NRC Research Associateship award include:

●1 year awards, renewable for up to 3 years

●allowances ranging from $ 45,000 to $ 80,000, higher for senior researchers

●Health insurance, moving benefits, and a professional travel allowance

Desired skills and experience:

Applicants should hold an earned doctorate in science or engineering. Degrees from universities abroad should be equal to a degree from a U. S. institution. Some awards are open to foreign nationals as well as to U. S. citizens and permanent residents.

About the employer:

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Fellowships Office has managed the NRC Research Associateship Programs in cooperation with federal laboratories and other research organizations since 1954. Through national competitions, the Fellowships Office recommends and makes awards to outstanding postdoctoral and senior scientists and engineers for tenure (终身聘用) as guest researchers at participating laboratories. A limited number of opportunities are available for support of graduate students in select fields.

1. How long does a review cycle last?

A．Four years.	B．Four months.
C．Three years.	D．Three months.

2. What can the candidate do once awarded?

A．Renew the award for another three years.

B．Do medical research in federal laboratories.

C．Invent unique facilities for the federal lab.

D．Work with leading researchers at the sponsoring laboratories.

3. What is the purpose of the last part of the text?

A．To search for partners.

B．To encourage studies on science.

C．To attract highly qualified candidates.

D．To advertise a research institution.

【推荐3】After a long period of lockdown, now it is time to relax. Head out to find surprising holiday decorations to warm your heart and make your season bright. Come on, light shows are waiting for you.

Holiday Lights on the Boardwalk

Take a walk by the ocean and experience a holiday light display along the Long Beach Boardwalk, dusk to 11 p.m. daily and weekends through mid-January, from Long Beach to Park Avenue.

Free, 516-432-6000. You can also check the storefronts along Park Avenue for more holiday lights.

Town of Islip Holiday Light Show

Bring the family to see the lights from the comfort and safety of personal vehicles as you drive through the 1/8-mile light display on the grounds of historic Brookwood Hall. Decorations have been given by Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and Public Works staff.

Cheap, 516-433-6742. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec.22; Brookwood Hall Park.

Suffolk County Holiday Lights Show

The Suffolk County’s drive-through display features two miles of holiday-themed lights; opens from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Dec. 30. Closed Dec. 24-25. Tickets will be sold at the gate and payment can be made with credit cards only, no cash, $25; $22 on Dec.30.

Monday through Friday: 631-543-6622.

Christmas House

Indoor family-friendly walk through holiday experience, highlights include a real snow room; 3 to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through January. Guests must wear masks, maintain social distancing and purchase tickets with assigned arrival time in advance online.

$30 for adults, $25 for kids aged 10 and younger, 631-591-0455.

1. Which light show is the cheapest?

A．Christmas House.	B．Holiday Lights on the Boardwalk.
C．Town of Islip Holiday Light Show.	D．Suffolk County Holiday Lights Show.

2. Visitors can call ________ to get more information about Suffolk County Holiday Lights Show.

A．516-432-6000.	B．516-433-6742.
C．631-543-6622.	D．631-591-0455.

3. What must visitors do when visiting Christmas House?

A．Visit the real snow room.	B．Take the family members.
C．Buy tickets with credit cards.	D．Purchase tickets ahead of time.

【推荐1】A science teacher from rural Kenya who gives away most of his salary to help poorer students has been awarded the world's best teacher and $ 1 million, beating 10,000 nominations from 179 countries. Peter Tabichi, 36, a maths and physics teacher at Keriko secondary school in Pwani Village, has won the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2019.

Tabichi gives away 80% of his income to help the poorest students at the poorly-equipped and overcrowded school who could not otherwise afford uniforms and books. More than 90% of his students are from poor families and almost a third are orphans or have only one parent. Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, leaving off their studies, young marriages and suicide are common. Students have to walk 7 km along roads that can become impassable in the rainy season to reach the school and the area can be affected by drought and starvation.

Despite only having one computer, a poor Internet connection and a student-teacher ratio of 58:1, Tabichi started a “talent nurturing club” and expanded the school's science club, helping students design research projects of such quality that many now qualify for national competitions.

His students have taken part in international science competitions and won an award from the Royal Society of Chemistry after using local plant life to generate electricity. Tabichi and four colleagues also give struggling students one-to-one tuition in maths and science, visiting students' homes and meeting their families to identify the challenges they face.

Accepting the prize, Tabichi said Africa's young people would no longer be held back by low expectations.“Africa will produce scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs whose names will be one day famous in every corner of the world.” he said.

1. What made Peter Tabichi win the prize in 2019?

A．Giving away $ 1 million to education.

B．Teaching in secondary schools for 36 years.

C．Fighting drought and starvation in Africa.

D．Helping the poorer students in rural Kenya.

2. Why did Tabichi start the “talent nurturing club”?

A．To contribute most of his income.

B．To expand national competitions.

C．To guide students to design research projects.

D．To encourage students to grasp opportunities.

3. Which of the following best describes Peter Tabichi as a teacher?

A．Independent.	B．Caring.
C．Humorous.	D．Interesting.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．African education cost is expected to get lower.

B．Africa is in desperate need of young scientists.

C．Tabichi is not pleased until he is known worldwide.

D．Tabichi has high expectations for young Africans.

【推荐2】If you have felt the skies above you seem increasingly empty of birds you are not alone. A 2018 study by Bird Life International showed that 40 percent of the world’s 11,000 bird species are in decline, and one in eight bird species is threatened with global extinction. Now, some scientists are using technology to save endangered kakapo. If successful, the technique used may help save other bird species as well.

The kakapo, a kind of parrot, is unlike any other member of its species. The bird lost its ability to fly and added on weight, giving it the double honor of being the world’s only flightless parrot and its heaviest one!

Once found in large numbers across New Zealand, the bird, which can weigh up to 5 kilograms, is now in danger of dying out. While cats are largely to blame, the kakapa’s unusual breeding habits don’t help either. For starters, the parrots, which can live up to 100 years, do not start breeding until the age of five. They also only mate (交配) when the rimu trees — their primary food source — bear large amounts of fruit, an event that happens every two to four years.

Given the impediments to increasing the population, it is not surprising that as of 2019, only 114 adult parrots remain.

To help them, the researchers tie an electronic tracker to each bird, which can pick up the information of the birds, such as where they are nesting and if they are sick. The trackers also allow researchers to control the parrots’ diet.

Once the birds lay eggs, the eggs are taken to a special room to hatch (孵化) and the newborns except one that is given to the mother kakapo will be fed by researchers until they can live by themselves.

1. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 3?

A．The food of the kakapo.

B．The enemy of the kakapo.

C．The breeding habits of the kakapo.

D．The reasons for the kakapo dying out.

2. What does the underlined word “impediments” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Importance.

B．Possibility.

C．Difficulty.

D．Experience.

3. What measure is taken to save the kakapo?

A．All the young birds are raised by humans.

B．Each kakapo is moved to a special room.

C．The kakapo is closely observed when hatching.

D．Trackers are used to collect the kakapo’s information.

【推荐3】There’s a lot we know about eggs: they are great for breakfast and you can cook them in different ways. One topic of debate, however, is why brown chicken eggs usually cost more than white ones. According to Sharman Hickman, the director of Community Outreach and Education for Hickman’s Family Farms, genetics (基因学) not nutrition determines the eggshell color and thus the egg’s price.

The chicken breed (品种) and their genetics decide whether or not hens have pigment (色素 ) genes, which coat the egg and result in a colored shell during the egg-laying process. Although all eggs start out white in color, shell color can range from white to brown and even blue in some rare breeds, Hickman adds. Breeds such as the Leghorn chicken lay white eggs, while the Orpington lays brown eggs and the Ameraucana produces blue eggs.

Hickman notes that the Leghorn breed is the most efficient egg-laying hen, making it a popular choice for farmers. Hens that produce colored eggshells, however, tend to be larger and require more feed and energy to create that painted layer. Since those breeds cost more to feed, their eggs are more expensive.

Although eggs sometimes look different and are priced differently, it’s impossible to know

their nutritional make-up from the shell color alone, according to Malina Linkas Malkani, media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Choosing between brown and white eggs is a matter of personal preference,” she says. “But it’s important for people to know that the color of the eggshell has nothing to do with the egg’s nutrient content or shell thickness.”

What does affect the nutrient content is the specific diet the hen is on, according to Malkani. For example, hens fed with a diet with omega-3s and vitamin D produce eggs that are higher in those specific nutrients. No matter what your preference is, don’t judge an egg by its shell color.

1. Which of the following is one of the arguments about eggs?

A．Which eggs are difficult to break.

B．How eggs can be cooked healthily.

C．Why colored eggs are more expensive.

D．What the best time to eat eggs should be.

2. What makes the eggshell color different?

A．The hen’s breed.	B．The size of the hen.
C．The color of the eggs inside.	D．The length of the laying process.

3. Why do farmers love the Leghorn breed more?

A．They lay brown eggs.	B．Their eggs are larger.
C．Their eggs sell better.	D．They are productive.

4. What can we learn from Malkani’s words in the last paragraph?

A．It takes efforts to test eggs’ nutrition.

B．It’s meaningless to study an eggs color.

C．Personal preference matters a lot in choice-making.

D．An egg’s nutrition is closely related to the hen’s feed.

【推荐1】Trudy’s class has an English newspaper. The students write stories, articles and poems for it. Then they type and print their works out. The teacher posts everything on the wall so that it looks like a large, open newspaper.

One day Trudy said to the teacher, “Most newspapers have advertisements. Can we have some small ads in ours?” The teacher thought this was a very good idea. She made Trudy the advertising manager and Trudy asked the other students to offer things for sale in the newspaper. Here are some of the ads she received.

GOOD HOME WANTED: Six lovely cats need good homes. They are the cutest things you’ve ever seen. Free to the right person. See John.	CONCERT TICKETS: Has anyone got an extra ticket for the Raiders concert next week? I’m looking forward to and will pay well for a good ticket. See Sheila.
Stationery For Rent: Anyone who has left his stationery at home, please come to Mike. No charge. But make sure to return in time.	LOST: A silver ring with a blue stone in it. Reward. See Patricia.
WANTED PC: In good condition. Must be at least a Pentium. See Alan.	PETER’S HOMEWORK SERVICE: Help you solve the problems in your homework. Not expensive. Quick service. See Peter.
WORK WANTED: Strong boy willing to work in the garden or do housework. 3 hours a week. Not expensive. See Tom.	Exchange Magazines: If you are interested in Chinese magazines and have science magazines at hand, please come to Nina.

1. Who wanted to put advertisements in the newspaper?

A．Trudy.

B．The teacher.

C．Some of the students.

D．Alan.

2. What is Tom willing to do?

A．To do other people’s homework.	B．To work in the garden or do housework.
C．To sell six cats.	D．To fix broken PCs.

3. What does Alan want to buy?

A．A lovely cat.	B．A silver ring.
C．A PC in good condition.	D．A ticket to the Raiders concert.

4. What will Patricia give the person who finds her ring?

A．Nothing.

B．Another ring.

C．A ticket to the Raiders concert.

D．A reward.

【推荐2】Your action can speak louder than your words. It is important to know another language and how to communicate without words when you are in another country. Before saying anything, people communicate with each other by using gestures. However, many gestures have different meanings, or no meaning at all, in different parts of the world.

In the United States, nodding your head up and down means “yes”, while in some parts of Greece and Turkey, it means “no”. In the southeast of Asia, it is a polite way of saying “I heard you”.

Today in the USA, when someone puts his thumb up, it means “Everything is all right.” However, in Greece it is bad manners to do so. Also putting your clasped hands up above your head means “I am the winner.” It is the sign which players often make. In Russia it is the sign of friendship.

In the USA, holding your hand up with the thumb and index finger in a circle, and the other three straight means “Everything is OK.” In France, it means “You are worth nothing.”

It is also important to make eye communication. If you look down when talking to an American, he or she may feel that you are shy, or you are trying to hide something.

Besides these, you should also know there are some topics that can not be talked about, such as age, weight and marriage. You can talk about the weather, work, sports, food, where one lives and news of the day.

1. What does the sentence “Your action can speak louder than your words” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．What you do is better than what you say.

B．You try your best to be polite.

C．You are better understood by your gestures than through your words.

D．What you say is better than what you do.

2. You’d better not put the thumb up in _____.

A．Greece.

B．the USA.

C．England.

D．China.

3. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．Putting your clasped hands up above the head means friendship in Greece.

B．You can express “You are worth nothing” by putting your thumb up in France.

C．Making eye communication is not important in a talk.

D．Weather, sports, food and work are the topics that can be talked.

【推荐3】Living gratefully has a huge transforming power, not just when something wonderful or special happens, but every day no matter what is happening.

I’ve recently been involved with two people whose lives were challenged by bad luck. I have seen how grateful living had the power to keep one of them going and how it’s beginning to lift the other. One was a friend and the other is my sister.

My friend seemed to be in good health when she received a deadly diagnosis: a disease with no effective treatment. She had all the emotions that a tragedy brings, but she also had a powerful response to despair (绝望) that gave her “the happiness that doesn’t depend on what happens.” She wrote online daily, honestly sharing the details of her situation.

She wrote that even though it was difficult to move, this gave her more time to notice small things. She was grateful not only for the love and help of family and friends, but also for time to see the sun rise and watch the birds in her yard. No opportunity for gratefulness was wasted.

She taught that gratefulness is not a false cheerfulness. It’s taking every opportunity to celebrate the blessings of small things. We can be grateful for the challenges that help us develop sympathy for each other. Life is a precious gift.

She repeatedly blogged that she was happier than she had ever been.

When she wrote about “the worst day”, she ended with “life is still a lovely gift.” She died later that day.

Her message, however, changed my sister’s life. My sister’s health was getting worse and worse, though nothing life-threatening. She did have a very painful knee. Her life was in danger from her defeated spirit. She was bed-bound (卧床不起), getting weaker and weaker. Fearful, angry and depressed, she felt out of options for recovery.

I read my sister a few of my friend’s messages. I was careful not to say, “Why can’t you be more like her?” Instead, I let the words do their work. I’m grateful to say that an attitude of gratitude began to replace her anger and fear. I believe this helped her to heal.

We can’t be grateful for all that happens, but we can practice gratefulness for life itself, for all we can learn to deal with, for all the ways we can help each other grow and heal.

1. What happened when the author’s friend found she had an incurable disease?

A．She complained that life was unfair to her.

B．She started to appreciate and enjoy the small things in life.

C．She tried her best to look for treatment.

D．She repeatedly blogged about how painful it was.

2. How did the author’s sister feel when she was ill?

A．Calm.

B．Lonely.

C．Sad.

D．Confused.

3. What does the underlined “this” refer to in the article?

A．Writing a blog.	B．Eating healthy food.
C．Talking with family.	D．Being grateful for life.

4. What message does the article mainly convey?

A．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

B．Gratitude has the power of lifting people’s spirits.

C．Health is the most important thing for people.

D．Families will always be there no matter what happens.