【推荐1】Today, the technology that is being developed for cell phones is surprising. Soon our cell phones will be able to do things that we thought impossible or not even thought of at all.

When picturing the future, there are quite a few things that we would love our cell phones to be able to do. Let’s take a look at the ones that are likely to be in the next generation of cell phones. Cell phones of the near future will be able to start and unlock cars, turn lights on and off in houses, make payments(付款), work as computers. This sounds too good to be true, right? Fortunately, this future is just over the horizon; you won’t wait too long. New technology for phones is being developed to realize eye scans(扫描)and fingerprint scans as new“unlock your phone”, so you needn’t worry about your information being stolen.

What do I want my phone to be able to do? I want it to be special. For example, I will shout to my phone across the room“Give me directions to the market”and it pulls up the directions and sends them to my printer. Is it possible? Yes. Maybe someday cell phones will be able to change into robots and walk our dogs and clean our houses too. Who knows? In the last 30 years we have gone from hardly knowing what a cell phone was to surfing the Internet with excellent cell phones.

It is hard to believe that technology is advancing as quickly as it is, with no end in sight. In 5 years the technology of today will be a thing of the past, and the world won’t look back one bit.

1. We learn from the text that cell phones________in the future.

A．can do a number of jobs you want it to do

B．only do the work we once thought of

C．don’t look like today’s cell phones at all

D．can pay for whatever you want to buy

2. The underlined phrase“over the horizon”in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by“________”.

A．arriving as time goes	B．what people all hope
C．what we work hard for	D．coming in a short time

3. If one’s eye scan is done by his cell phone, ________.

A．his picture is kept in it forever	B．his information won’t be lost
C．his cell phone only serves him	D．his cell phone won’t be stolen

4. What is special about your future cell phone?

A．It works as a robot does.	B．You can speak loudly to it.
C．It can give you information.	D．It can warn you out of danger.

【推荐2】What will the future school look like is difficult to make clear, but most experts agree that the school will be electronic in the future.

“Present-day schools will no longer exist in the next century,” says a report in The Age. “At that time, future schools will become community-style centers, which run seven days a week, 24 hours a day.” At the same time,computers will surely become a central part of the school in the future.

According to The Age, the distant learning will be popular and students will listen to teachers on computers. Going into classrooms on their computers, students will study at any time, which is very easy for them. However, it is necessary for students to go to the actual school in order to develop some social skills.

The Seashore Primary School is an imaginary school in the future created by the Education Department of Australia. At this school, all the teachers and students have laptop computers. Teachers check messages and call students back on a special telephone system and students use telephones to search for information or speak to their experts who teach their lessons. Besides, all the lessons are related to all sorts of subjects and all the students have their own learning plans created by teachers.

As one headmaster says, a laptop computer is students' library. data storage as well as the bridge to a wider world. Technology has changed the emphasis of future learning. Thus, we'll pay more attention to the learning of kids rather than the teaching.

1. What can we infer from the second and third paragraphs?

A．Present-day schools are more practical than future schools.

B．Students can't have discussions in future schools.

C．Future schools will be open to students all the time.

D．The number of teachers in future schools will become larger.

2. What will the future school be like?

A．It has fewer desks and chairs.

B．Students study at a set time.

C．It has no teachers and books.

D．Students will go to actual school when necessary.

3. According to the passage, the Seashore Primary School________.

A．was built by the Education Department of Australia

B．is not a real school, but a virtual school at present

C．is very popular among teachers and students in Australia

D．is a successful example of the future school in the world

4. What's the author's attitude to the future school?

A．Objective.

B．Supportive.

C．Critical.

D．Contradictory.

【推荐3】The hotel on the moon may be just a few decades away, as the European Space Agency (ESA) is advising building a lunar vacation spot. This "Lunar Village" would be the first structure of its kind, a unique achievement for Europe, and the human race in general.

The Lunar Village would likely be built near the poles of the moon where water ice is trapped at the bottom of dark holes. Such places would not only provide water for the tourists, but would also allow for constant daylight, unlike other locations on the lunar surface. Visitors would wear normal clothing while inside the hotel, putting on spacesuits when out on the lunar surface.

The plan suggests that this hotel could house scientists and prospectors (勘探者) along with the next generation of space tourists. Construction of the facility would largely be financed by Russia, together with contributions from China, Japan and India.

ESA managers are warning the public of space travel dangers, including extreme temperatures and radiation from the sun.

By 2030, it may be possible to construct a base on the moon, providing a supply station for space travelers on their journeys to Mars or other locations in the solar system, space engineers predicted

"The ESA space exploration strategy sets the moon as a priority destination for humans on the way to Mars, and the recent talk of a "Moon Village" certainly has spread a lot of positive energy in Europe." said Kathy Laurini of NASA's Exploration Roadmap Working Group.

Although such a base is possible, there are no dates set yet for the public opening. Tourists wishing to visiting the moon can afford to wait to pack their bags-rockets taking passengers to the lunar surface are not leaving anytime soon.

1. What would you do if you could live in the "village"?

A．You could live the same life as on the earth.

B．You should put on spacesuits when you're out.

C．You would live a life without much light.

D．You would wear special clothes all the time.

2. What does the underlined word "financed" in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Saved.

B．Controlled.

C．Supported.

D．Influenced.

3. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．New Exploration of the Moon

B．Moon Village Is Waiting for Visitors

C．European Space Agency Built a Hotel

D．Prepare For a Holiday on the Lunar Village

【推荐1】At the World Economic Forum last month， President Trump drew claps when he announced the United States would respond to the forum's proposal to plant one trillion（万亿）trees jo fight climate change. The trillion tree idea won wide attention last summer after a study published in the journal Science concluded that planting so many trees was "the most effective climate change solution to date".

If only it were true. But it isn't. Planting trees would slow down the planet's warming,but the only thing that will save us and future generations from paying a huge price in dollars，lives and damage to nature is rapid and considerable reductions in carbon release from fossil fuels，to net zero by 2050.

Focusing on trees as the big solution to climate change is a dangerous diversion（偏离）.Worse still，it takes attention away from those responsible for the carbon release that are pushing us toward disaster. For example， in the Netherlands， you can pay Shell Group of Companies an additional 1 euro cent for each liter of regular gasoline you put in your tank to plant trees to balance the carbon release from your driving. That's clearly no more than disaster slightly delayed. The only way to stop this planet from overheating is through political， economic， technological and social solutions that end the use of fossil fuels.

There is no way that planting trees， even across the size of the United States， can absorb the huge amounts of fossil carbon released from industrial societies. Trees do take up carbon from the atmosphere as they grow. But this uptake merely replaces carbon lost when forests were cleared in the first place， usually long ago. Regrowing forests where they once grew can undo some damage done in the past， but even a trillion trees can't store enough carbon to head off dramatic climate changes this century.

In a sharp counter argument to last summer's Paper in Science, Justin Gillis wrote in the same journal in October that the study's findings were inconsistent with the dynamics of the global carbon cycle. He warned that "the claim that global tree restoration is our most effective climate solution is simply scientifically incorrect and dangerously misleading".

1. What do we know about the trillion-tree idea?

A．It was published in a journal.

B．It was proposed last summer.

C．It was put forward by Trump.

D．It drew lots of public attention.

2. What paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．A drawback of the tree planting strategy.

B．An example of balancing carbon release.

C．An anecdote of making a purchase at Shell

D．A responsibility for politicians and economists.

3. What was Justin Gillis's attitude towards global tree restoration?

A．Reserved

B．Opposed

C．Hesitant

D．Supportive

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Contradictory Ideas on Tree Planting

B．A Trillion Trees Come to the Rescue

C．Planting Trees Won't Save the World

D．The Best Solution to Climate Change

【推荐2】What Makes a Soccer Player Great?

Soccer is played by millions of people all over the world, but there have been only a few players who were truly great. How did these players get that way — was it through training and practice, or are great players “born not made”?

Firstly, these players came from places that have had famous stars in the past — players that a young boy can look up to (敬仰) and try to imitate. In the history of soccer, only six countries have ever won the World Cup, three from South America and three from Europe. There has never been a national team or a really great player from North America or from Asia.

Secondly, these players all had years of practice in the game. Alfredo Di Stefano was the son of a soccer player, as was Pele. Most players began playing the game at the age of three or four.

Finally, many great players come from the same kind of neighbourhood — a poor, crowded area where a boy’s dream is not to be a doctor, lawyer or businessman, but to become a rich, famous athletes or entertainer. For example, Liverpool, which produced the Beatles, had one of the best English soccer teams in recent years. Pele practised in the street with a “ball” made of rags. And George Best learned the tricks that made him famous by bouncing the ball off a wall in the slums (贫民区) of Belfast.

All great players have a lot in common, but that doesn’t explain why they are great. Hundreds of boys played in those Brazilian streets, but only one became Pele. The greatest players are born with some unique qualities that set them apart from all the others.

1. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Soccer is popular all over the world, but truly great players are rare.

B．Millions of people all over the world are playing soccer, but only six countries have ever had famous stars in the past.

C．Soccer is played by millions of people all over the world, but only six countries from South America and West Europe have ever had great national teams.

D．Soccer is one of the most popular games all over the world, but it seems least popular in North America or Asia.

2. The underlined word “tricks” at the end of Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “________”．

A．experience	B．cheating
C．skills	D．training

3. Liverpool and Brazilian streets are two geographic terms used to illustrate (说明) ________.

A．where soccer players get their way

B．how neighbourhood affects a soccer player’s success

C．why they can produce the best soccer teams

D．what a poor, crowded area will provide a future soccer player with

4. In the last paragraph, the statement “...but only one became Pele” indicates that ________.

A．Pele is the greatest soccer player

B．the great players are born with some unique qualities

C．Pele’s birthplace sets him apart from all the others

D．the success of a soccer player has everything to do with the family background

【推荐3】If you could travel in time, where would you go? Perhaps you would watch an original performance of a Shakespeare’s play in Elizabethan England? What about hanging out with Laozi in the Spring and Autumn Period? Or maybe you’d voyage far ahead of the present day to see what the future holds.

The possibility of time travel is indeed appealing. Stories exploring the subject have been around for hundreds of years. Perhaps the best known example is the science fiction novel The Time Machine, which was written by H. G. Wells and published in 1895 for the first time. It was adapted into at least two feature films of the same name, as well as two television versions, and a large number of comic book adaptations. It is generally credited with the popularization of the concept of time travel using a vehicle that allows an operator to travel purposefully and selectively. The term “time machine”, coined by Wells, is now universally used to refer to a vehicle transporting people into the far future.

But could time travel actually be possible? Some scientists say yes, in theory. They propose using cracks in time and space called “wormholes”, which could be used as shortcuts to other periods. Einstein’s theory of relativity allows time travel in extreme circumstances. And British physicist Stephen Hawking said you could travel into the future with a really fast spaceship—going at nearly the speed of light. Though building such a spaceship would of course be no simple task.

Even if you could travel into the past, there is something called the “grandfather paradox”. It asks what would happen if a time traveller were to go back in time and have his own grandfather killed for some reason, and therefore prevent himself from being born. If the time traveller wasn’t born, how would he travel back in time?

And would you really like to visit the future? In H. G. Wells’ book, the main character travels into distant time where he arrives at a beach and is attacked by giant crabs. He then voyages 30 million years into the future where the only living thing is a black object with tentacles (触角). If that’s what’s in store, maybe we are better just living in the present day after all.

1. The novel The Time Machine mentioned in Paragraph 2 aims to show 　　　.

A．people’s interest in time travel

B．the special features of the book

C．the long history of time travel

D．the contribution of H. G. Wells

2. Einstein’s and Hawking’s theories 　　　.

A．have similarities in many ways

B．push the invention of the first spaceship

C．have proved wrong by some time travellers

D．suggest the possibility to invent the time machine

3. In Paragraph 4, “grandfather paradox” probably refers to the idea that 　　　.

A．the traveller is prevented from meeting his grandfather

B．the traveller goes back in time to seek for his grandfather

C．the grandfather’s death makes the traveller’s birth impossible

D．The reunion of the traveller and his grandfather brings happiness

4. What is probably the author’s attitude towards time travel?

A．Unclear.	B．Skeptical.
C．Supportive.	D．Unconcerned.

【推荐1】Dear Olivia.

As I opened my eyes this morning, I realized that you will be starting a new school year at a new school today. As we rode the elevator down I thought of so many things I wanted to say to you. They are what I've already covered in the many conversations we've had, but as a mom I can't help but feel the urge to repeat then in case you didn't hear the first time.

Floor 4: I know what it's like to be a new kid. I understand the butterflies in your stomach, but do believe in yourself. Try to make more friends.

Floor 3: Try not to look so nervous. Sometimes the simple act of smiling can be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. It is said that a picture worth a thousand words. I believe a smile is worth at least that much.

Floor 2: If at any moment today you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, just breathe. You'll be amazed how a couple of deep breaths can help you see things in a whole new light.

Floor 1: I wanted to tell you how my heart is torn between wanting to keep you at home with me all day, where I can love you and protect you, and wanting you to go out there and have experiences I can’t provide for you. Don't grow up too fast, OK?

Ground: As we exited the building for our short walk to school. I took each of your hands in nine and said, ''Just be yourself, and remember how much I love you. I'll be waiting to hear all about your experiences this afternoon. ''

I realized that's really all you need to hear.

Love,

Mom

1. What does the first paragraph suggest?

A．The writer cares about her child quite a lot.

B．The writer will go to a new school.

C．The writer enjoys talking much with her child.

D．The writer doesn't know what to say to her child.

2. The writer encourages Olivia to be confident in making friends_______________.

A．on the first floor.	B．on the second floor.
C．on the third floor.	D．on the fourth floor.

3. Which of the following may help Olivia to make friends at school?

A．Taking a picture.	B．Smiling to others.
C．Talking a lot.	D．talking to school.

【推荐2】Depression is a mood disorder accompanied by emotional and physical symptoms that interfere with your daily life. Everyone experiences depression differently. Some people experience significant increases in their depression symptoms at night. Nighttime depression can also create or worsen insomnia, by keeping you awake longer or making it more difficult to fall asleep.

There are a number of causes that can contribute to increased depression at night. One commonly suggested reason for the increase is the lack of distractions (干扰). During the day, it’s a little easier for some people—especially those with mild or moderate depression—to keep themselves busy. Work, school, or social activities act as a distraction during the day. But at night, when you settle down to sleep, there’s nothing but you and your thoughts.

Researchers have looked into other things that could be increasing our nighttime depression symptoms. According to 2013 research on animals, bright lights (especially blue and white) at night can not only keep us awake, but may also increase symptoms of depression. In the study, even having a TV on in a dark room increased the animal’s cortisol levels and created changes in their hippocampus (海马体), both of which can increase depressive symptoms.

It’s also thought that if your circadian rhythm (生理节律) is disrupted, your depression may be triggered or your symptoms could increase in severity. One 2009 study found that increased artificial light can significantly disrupt our circadian rhythm, causing or increasing mood disorders like depression.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can cope with depression that occurs or increases in severity at night. For depression symptoms, regardless of the time of day they show up, you should maintain the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor.

1. What causes worsened depression at night?

A．Tiredness from hard work.	B．The blank and free brain.
C．Blue and red lights.	D．The complete darkness.

2. What may be helpful to reduce nighttime depression symptoms?

A．Sleeping in natural light.	B．Sleeping with the TV on.
C．Using only red lights.	D．Doing special research.

3. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．Depression can be controlled in some way.	B．One can completely get rid of depression.
C．Only doctors have cures for depression.	D．Depression in the day can be ignored.

4. What can be the best title of the passage?

A．Sleeping difficulty	B．Emotional health
C．Depression at night	D．Mood controlling

【推荐3】When an editor called to ask if I could photograph a story about fireflies in Mexico, I didn’t check my schedule before I said yes. I’d seen these insects light up the forests in Tlaxcala once before, and I jumped at the chance to go back.

I had three nights to capture the magical scene in the forest. Camera stand in hand, I hiked with my colleagues into the foggy forest at dusk. According to our guides, visitors are usually not allowed to photograph the fireflies because the presence of artificial light from electronics can affect their habits. As I started shooting, I adjusted my exposures constantly to account for the fading light. In order to get the composition that I wanted, I placed my camera stand on a steep, rocky path and had to steady it during the long exposures. Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, but the fireflies were very interested in the camera and, by extension, in me. I stood completely still while they crawled all over me—my arms, my hair, my face—and tickled (呵痒) my nose and cheeks. From what I observed, peak firefly presence happens for only about 20 minutes each night, so I had time for just a few tries.

On the last night everything came together. The weather cooperated. I had improved my method for focusing and composing in the dark with quick flashes from a powerful flashlight—and I’d grown accustomed to insects on my face. I was rewarded with the image you see here. Each spot of light is one of several bursts that a firefly makes as it travels in a 30-second exposure. You can trace the insects’ paths: Some make small circles, like those in the bottom center of the frame, while others move steadily in one direction or another.

The first time I visited the fireflies, I didn’t have the pressure of trying to capture and convey this astonishing scene. That will always be my favorite experience with these shining creatures.

1. According to the passage, the author most probably is a(n) ______.

A．field biologist	B．insect observer
C．expert photographer	D．mountain hiker

2. The author placed the camera stand on a steep and rocky path to ______.

A．make up for the dying light	B．keep away from the annoying fireflies
C．obtain an ideal image	D．catch peak firefly presence

3. We can learn from the passage that the author ______.

A．was accused of capturing wild fireflies

B．endured physically to get first-hand firefly shots

C．was tired of the exposure to dark forests

D．got his most satisfying image on the second night

4. What does the author think of his experience in the forest?

A．Fascinating.	B．Passionate.
C．Surprising.	D．Miserable.

【推荐1】We’re not sure where letting children drink wine fits into permissive, authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles, but a research team from the University of New South Wales are trying to find it out.

During their study, researchers discovered that kids who were given alcohol by their parents were more likely to be consuming whole drinks by the time they were 15 or 16, but were far less likely to binge-drink(酗酒).

The researchers analyzed nearly 2,000 Year 7 students and their parents over a four-year period. They measured the teenagers’ consumption of whole drinks, their binge drinking—consuming four or more drinks at a time, as well as who supplied them with the alcohol: their parents, friends, or other adults. The study found that when children were given alcohol from their parents, they were least likely to binge-drink.

But what about the long-reported damage that alcohol can have on developing teenage brains? Lead author of this study, Professor Richard Mattick, says that giving children alcohol at an earlier age could serve as a preventative measure of kids developing alcohol-related problems later in life.   “There’s a body of research indicating the adolescent brain is still developing well into the early 20s and alcohol may prevent the best development,” says Professor Mattick. “But also we know parents want to do the right thing for their children and there has been anecdotal evidence that children introduced to alcohol by their parents, as is common in some European cultures, may be less likely to develop problems with alcohol.”

However, there’s one result from the study Professor Mattick can’t ignore: that being given alcohol at an early age by the parents doubled (使加倍) children’s possibility of drinking than their peers (同龄人). “There may be later harms that are not yet obvious, and we’re aware that an early start of drinking is strongly associated with later alcohol use problems in adulthood—putting it off is the best strategy.”

1. According to the researchers, kids supplied with alcohol by their parents will be______.

A．more likely to quit drinking in adulthood

B．less likely to grow into teenage binge-drinkers

C．more likely to grow into binge-drinkers

D．less likely to have whole drinks as teenagers

2. Who affected kids’ drinking behaviors the most in the study?

A．Their parents	B．Their friends
C．School authorities	D．Strangers

3. Which statement will Professor Mattick agree with?

A．The brain stops developing before the age of 20.

B．Alcohol won’t damage the developing teenage brains.

C．Giving kids alcohol at an earlier age may have its benefit.

D．European kids tend to develop problems with alcohol.

4. On Professor Mattick’s advice, parents had better________.

A．let kids drink alcohol at an early age

B．make kids start drinking alcohol late

C．forbid kids to drink alcohol at any age

D．permit kids to drink alcohol at will

【推荐2】Many seniors feel pressured to go straight from high school to college, but Camden Olson, who graduated from the Latin School of Chicago in the US last year, didn’t give in. She decided to spend a gap year-taking a year off before college-raising a guide dog for Guiding Eyes for the Blind in Maine. The non - profit provides trained guide dogs to blind and visually - impaired (视力障碍的) people. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do.” Olson said.

It is becoming more and more popular among American teenagers to have a gap year. Some students use the year off to figure out what they want to do: travel the world or save money for college.

Olson is using her time to follow a passion she’s had since 7th grade. For years, she kept an eye on guide dog services until she came across the opportunity at Guiding Eyes. With support from her friends, family and teachers, Olson went for it. Olson’s volunteer work centers around Derby, a one-year-old black dog.

“My job is to raise him to be well-mannered and socialized,” she said. “Guide dogs can’t be distracted. They go everywhere with their visually-impaired owner. They give a blind person a lot of support, too.”

Of course, there’s an end in sight for Derby and Olson’s close bond. When Derby celebrates his own graduation, Olson will have to say goodbye to him.

“No doubt there will be tears, but, if he passes, I will be so happy for him to become a working dog,” she said.

While some do not agree that gap years are a good choice, Olson said she’s seen major success. In fact, she’ll be attending Princeton University soon and is thinking about majoring in biology.

“I think I’m already so much more mature than I was,” she said. “So many kids come back from gap years a lot more focused and prepared.”

1. Why did Camden Olson decide to spend her gap year working for Guiding Eyes?

A．Because her parents talked her into doing it.

B．Because many of her peers had already chosen to do so.

C．Because it had been her dream for a long time.

D．Because it would help her to make her experienced in work.

2. According to Olson, guide dogs should ________.
a. not be easily distracted
b. be well-mannered and easy-going
c. know how to play some tricks for their owners
d. give their visually impaired people support
e. protect their blind people from all possible dangers

A．a, b, c	B．a, b, d
C．b, c, e	D．b, d, e

3. How did Olson feel when she said goodbye to Derby?

A．Quite happy.	B．Sad but glad.
C．Regretful and sad.	D．Nervous and disappointed.

4. What does Olson think about the idea of a gap year?

A．It makes people better prepared for the future.

B．Whether it’s good or not depends on the person.

C．Its negative side outweighs its positive side.

D．It makes sure of a student’s success at college.

【推荐3】We all love animals, but animals don’t feel the same way about us. When we enter their wild world, we are “unnatural” invaders into their homes.

There was a video many of you may have seen on the Internet recently of a bear and its cub (幼崽) climbing up a steep, snow-covered hill in Russia. The mama bear makes it to the top without too much trouble, but the baby bear keeps sliding back down. It takes three attempts to reach the top and, no doubt, many cheered at the cub’s never-give-up spirit. But nature scientists who saw the video didn’t cheer.

Instead, the scientists were upset that the two bears had been frightened into making a dangerous, unnecessary climb by the drone (无人机) that was filming them. Sophie Gilbert of the University of Idaho said, “It showed a complete lack of understanding from the drone operator of the effects his actions were having on the bears.” Other scientists have found that when a drone is hovering near, a bear’s heart rate can increase from 41 beats per minute to 162 beats per minute — a high enough rate to cause a heart attack.

Human disturbance has actually been having a far-reaching influence on wildlife. Researchers at the University of Berkeley recently found that many mammals are turning into “night owls” again to avoid contact with humans. Such a shift might not only affect those species themselves, but also have numerous chain effects.

We human beings find ourselves in a strange position in nature. We are part of it but also separate from it, now more than ever, since most of us live in cities. So, when we go off hiking into wild areas to “re-connect” with nature, we should go softly and considerately. It’s OK to get close to our animal friends, just not too close — we wouldn’t want to scare them, would we?

1. What does the video feature?

A．The baby bear’s climbing.	B．The mama bear’s care.
C．The dangerous environment.	D．The experiment by scientists.

2. Why didn’t nature scientists cheer?

A．They knew the bear’s family well.

B．They were against other scientists.

C．They knew the cause of the bears’ climbing.

D．They lacked understanding of the drone operator.

3. What may be the effect of human disturbance on wildlife?

A．Food shortage.	B．Changing habitats.
C．Ecological imbalance.	D．Less contact with humans.

4. What does the author seem to agree with?

A．Lose connection with nature.

B．Tighten the bond with wild animals.

C．Respect the human-animal distance.

D．Shoot more videos on animals for study.