【推荐1】April 4th was just another day on a Western Australia farm for Zac Mitchell, until it suddenly wasn’t. In an unexpected accident, the cattle worker was feeding the animals in his charge when one bull cleaned him up and kicked his hand up against the rail, resulting in the thumb on his right hand being cut off. “My thumb was still hanging on the rail... when I got up off the ground,” Zac Mitchell says.

His co-workers tried their best to preserve the thumb for reattachment, placing it on ice in a cooler, but two surgeries to put Mitchell’s thumb back in place failed. That’s when doctors came up with another suggestion: Remove one of his big toes to where his thumb used to be.

Mitchell’s lead surgeon, Sean Nicklin, understood the man’s dilemma at first, calling it a “bit of a crazy idea”. After all, Zac Mitchell did not want to be injured in another part of his body. But as the thumb is incredibly important function-wise, Mitchell eventually gave in. Nicklin explains that the big toe is surprisingly fit for a thumb switch: Nerves sync up (同步) nicely, and it looks more like a thumb, though a giant one, than any other alternative they may have come up with. He added that big toes aren’t as necessary for balance and walking as people believe. As far as the foot goes, occasional “fine balance” activities like surfing might be difficult, but most people without a big toe function fine in everyday tasks like walking and even competitive sports.

The eight-hour surgery went well, and Mitchell is expected to have a year or so of recovery in front of him before he heads back into the fields.

1. What happened to Zac Mitchell on April 4th?

A．He cleaned up a bull.	B．He was badly hurt.
C．He started his farm.	D．He lost his thumbs.

2. What suggestion did the doctor give to Mitchell after the unsuccessful surgery?

A．Recreating a new thumb in place.

B．Replacing the thumb with his toe.

C．Transplanting his co-worker’s thumb.

D．Putting back the cut-off thumb again.

3. What is Mitchell’s first attitude to the doctor’s another suggestion?

A．Optimistic.	B．Insignificant.
C．Hesitant.	D．Rejective.

4. According to Nicklin, after the surgery Mitchell is able to       .

A．surf on the sea	B．do daily activities
C．only stay at home	D．work on wheelchair

【推荐1】An allergy is a strong reaction to a substance. Many things can cause allergies. The most common cause is pollen (花粉), which is usually produced by trees in the spring, grasses in the summer and weeds in the fall, as part of their reproductive process.
Other causes include organisms, chemicals, plants and dead skin particles from dogs and cats can also cause allergic reactions. So can insect stings and some food.
The most common kind of allergic reactions is itchy (痒的) , watery eyes and a blocked or watery nose. Allergies can also cause red, itchy skin. Some reactions can be life-threatening, for example, when breathing passages become blocked.
It is not always easy to avoid allergies. Drugs may offer an effective treatment. Another treatment used in some cases is called immunotherapy. A patient is injected with small amounts of the allergy-causing substance. The idea is that larger and larger amounts are given over time until the patient develops resistance in his body.
In the United States, experts estimate that up to 8% of young children have food allergies. Every year these allergies cause about 30,000 cases with severe reactions that require immediate treatment. It can result in breathing trouble and in some cases death. It is said that about 100 to 200 people will die. It is said that most of the reactions are caused by peanuts and tree nuts like walnuts.
People can also be allergic to medicines. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology says about 10％ of bad reactions to commonly used medicines are allergic. In other words, a person’s immune system overreacts and produces an allergic reaction. The most common reactions include skin rashes, itching, breathing problems and swelling in areas such as the face.
1. Allergies seldom occur in winter because ________.

A．plants don’t usually flower in cold weather

B．people usually wear thick clothes

C．pollen is active below freezing point

D．the weather is too cold for viruses

2. What will happen if one’s breathing passages get blocked?

A．It is nothing serious.	B．One’s life is at risk.
C．One has to be sent to hospital.	D．One is sure to breathe easily.

3. According to immunotherapy, the patient is supposed to________.

A．take some medicines to produce antibodies

B．have immediate operations

C．be given the allergy-causing substance until the patient develops resistance

D．be exposed to enough allergy-causing substances

4. The best title would be _______.

A．The ABCs of Allergies	B．The Cause of Allergies
C．The Treatment of Allergies	D．The Prevention of Allergies

【推荐2】When I got home after dropping out of college in my junior year because of depression, I didn’t want to get out of bed every day. But my parents wanted me to, so I just removed myself from the living room to the couch. Sometimes I would turn on the TV and watch marathons, but mostly I just sat there, lost in thought.

One day when I was lying on the couch, not knowing what to do, I thought since I had been out of school for a long time, I had better do something productive in my life. I looked at what I could do. I could attend online college classes, go to in-person events just to get out of the house, or take up a hobby. But none of these things made me happy, and my depression seemed to follow me inseparably.

However, there was something that was my thing. No matter what kind of day I’m having now, the mere mention of start-ups still cheers me up. I have been doing business in some kinds of forms ever since I was a kid, and despite everything, this enthusiasm has always been in my heart.

So I started thinking of ideas, seeing which one could become practical. I spent my days being glued to a wide purple notebook and a pen in hand, sometimes moving from the couch to the table on our back porch (门廊) in the mornings. If I got up early enough, I’d watch the sun come up. It was there, in the still mornings, that I learned about life and started to look back on mine.

With time going on, the depression started to lift. I was making more progress in my recovery, and the good days were more frequent than the bad. I started a couple of different businesses, eventually settling on a web design business, and did a lot of experiments, which changed my ideas. After a period of time, things started to work.

1. What seemed to trouble the author all the time?

A．Various daily routines.	B．Parents’ complaints.
C．Attractive TV programs.	D．Certain mental problems.

2. What did the author begin to think of doing one day?

A．Finding a way out.	B．Going back to school.
C．Escaping from home.	D．Hosting out-door activities.

3. What exactly lifted the author’s spirits?

A．Taking notes attentively.	B．Appreciating early mornings.
C．Recalling the cheerful childhood.	D．Following the passion in business.

4. What do you think of the author?

A．Lonely but talented.	B．Passive but productive.
C．Stressed but optimistic.	D．Uncreative but changeable.

【推荐3】There's been increased attention on this in recent weeks, with the unsettling spread of the coronavirus around the world. When a video of Naomi Campbell cleaning her airplane seat and wearing a mask and gloves was shared online last year, it made the rounds because her behavior seemed exaggerated. “     1     And we know that germs can live on surfaces for a long time, so it doesn't hurt to clean it," said Aaron Milstone, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Here are some tips for cleaning your area of a plane and keeping healthy on a flight.

Keep your hands clean and stop touching your face

"Wiping down surfaces on a plane won't hurt, as long as it doesn't give you a false sense of security,” Andrew Mehle, associate professor of medical microbiology said, stressing that cleaning your space on a plane should be done in conjunction with washing hands and following other best practices. Good habits are not easily formed.     2     Doing so after touching a surface where droplets from when someone sneezed or coughed can lead to the virus being passed on.

    3    

A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window. Researchers studied passengers and crew members on 10 three-to-five-hour flights and observed that people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people.

Disinfect hard surfaces

When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle（带扣）, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous （无孔的）or leather, you can wipe that down too.     4    In addition, pay attention to your disinfecting wipes, which would typically say on the packaging how long a_surface needs to stay wet in order for them to work.    5     In order for the wipes to work, you need to follow those time requirements.

A．Choose a window seat.

B．A window seat is the best option.

C．The airplane and airplane seat is a public space.

D．Good habits are essential in this particular time.

E．That time can range from 30 seconds to a few minutes.

F．Most people tend to touch their faces more often than they realize.

G．However, using wipes on cushions could lead to a wet scat and spreading of germs.

【推荐1】Pineapple is a kind of fruit that is rich in vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants (酶和抗氧化剂). The nutritional content of canned pineapple is different from that of raw pineapple. According to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), canned pineapple is typically higher in calories and sugar. It also contains fewer vitamins and minerals. If you choose canned pineapple, try to get it with no added sugar or look for a variety that is canned in fruit juice instead of sweet liquid.

Pineapple contains a great amount of vitamin C, a water-soluble antioxidant that fights cell damage. This makes vitamin C a helpful fighter against problems such as heart disease.

Pineapple may help you keep standing tall and strong. One cup of raw pineapple pieces contains 2.6 mg of manganese, a mineral that’s important to developing strong bones. A 1994 study suggested that manganese, along with other small amounts of minerals, may be helpful in preventing bones becoming weak and breaking easily in aged women.

Pineapple can help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a disease that affects the eyes as people age, due in part to its high amount of vitamin C and the antioxidants it contains. Like many other fruits and vegetables, pineapple contains dietary fiber, which is important and necessary for keeping you regular and in keeping your intestines (肠) healthy.

“Because pineapple is a great meat tenderizer, eating too many can lead to the pain of the mouth, including the lips and tongue,” said San Diego-based nutritionist Flores.   “But, it should disappear within a few hours.” But if the feeling continues, or if you experience breathing difficulties, you should seek medical help immediately, as you could have a pineapple allergy.

Flores pointed out a possible negative to pineapple’s high levels of vitamin C. “Because of the high amount of vitamin C that pineapple contains, eating large quantities may cause some serious problems,” she said. Eating undeveloped   pineapple   or   drinking   undeveloped   pineapple   juice   is   dangerous.   Undeveloped   pineapple   is poisonous to humans and can lead to severe diarrhea (腹泻) and vomiting.

1. Considering nutrition, raw pineapple _____.

A．is both higher in calories and sugar

B．has less advantage than other fruits

C．has an advantage over canned pineapple

D．can be used in a variety of processed foods

2. What can we learn about pineapple from the passage?

A．It benefits people’s health very much.

B．It can help people reduce the risk of cancer.

C．It likes to grow in wet lands and has low production.

D．It is popular among old people because of its sweetness.

3. What’s the result of eating too much pineapple?

A．It can make the tongue unable to taste.

B．It can lead to increased blood pressure.

C．It can bring about an allergy to other fruits.

D．It can result in the pain of mouth and even allergic conditions.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To introduce nutrition facts of pineapple.

B．To show medical advantages of pineapple.

C．To encourage people to eat more pineapple.

D．To present health benefits and harm of pineapple.

【推荐3】People are being tricked into Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they’re paying for it by giving up loads of personal information.
Most Facebook users don’t realize this is happening. Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they’re paying for Facebook because people don’t really know what their personal data is worth.
The biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules early on you keep everything private. That was the great thing about Facebook. You could create your own little private network. Last year. The company changed its privacy rules so that many things; your city, your photo, your friends’ names were set, by default (默认)to be shared with everyone on the Internet.
According to Facebook’s vice-president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don’t share information. They have a “less satisfying experience.
Some critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money. In original business model, which involved selling ads and putting them. At the side of the pages totally, who wants to took at ads when they’re online connecting with their friends?
The privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington. In April. Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy. He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social networking sites. “I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them,” Schrage admits.
I suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it’s only the beginning，which is why I’m considering cancelling my account. Facebook is a handy site, but I’m upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don’t know. That’s too high a price to pay.
1. What do we learn about Facebook from the first paragraph?

A．It is a website that sends messages to users who want to get married.

B．It earns money by putting on advertisements.

C．It makes money by selling its users’ personal data.

D．It provides loads of information to its users.

2. What does the author say about most Facebook users?

A．They are unwilling to give up their personal information.

B．They don’t know their personal data enriches Facebook.

C．They don’t identify themselves when using the website.

D．They care very little about their personal information.

3. Why does Facebook make changes to its rules according to Elliot Schrage?

A．To provide better service to its users.

B．To obey the Federal guidelines.

C．To improve its users’ connection

D．To expand its business.

4. Why does the author plan to cancel his Facebook account?

A．He is dissatisfied with its present service.

B．He finds many of its users untrustworthy.

C．He doesn’t want his personal data badly used.

D．He is upset by its frequent rule changes.

【推荐1】This year I tried to pick a few more things that are on the lighter side. Each of these books made me think or laugh or, in some cases, do both. I hope you find something to your liking here.

If you want to buy some, please contact me as you like.

Telephone number: 010-8568758

E-mail: favouritebook@163.com

Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh.

The book, based on Brosh’s wildly popular website, contains simple vignettes and comic drawings about her young life. The adventures she describes are mostly inside her head, where we hear and see her deep thoughts most of us are too shy to let out in public.

You will finish reading it in three hours, tops. But you’ll wish it went on longer, because it’s so funny and smart.

The Magic of Reality, by Richard Dawkins.

Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford, has a gift for making science enjoyable. This book is as accessible as the TV series Cosmos is for younger audiences—and as relevant for older audiences. It’s an interesting, well-illustrated(图文并茂) science textbook offering attractive answers to big questions, like “How did the universe form?” and “What causes earthquakes?”

What If ? ,by Randall Munroe.

The subtitle of the book is “Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions,” and that’s exactly what it is. People write Munroe with questions that cover all fields of science: physics, chemistry, biology, etc.

Munroe’s explanations are funny, but the science supporting his answers is very accurate(精确的). It’s an entertaining read, and you’ll also learn a bit about things like ballistics, DNA, the oceans, and the atmosphere.

1. What does the writer think of Brosh’s book?

A．Interesting.	B．Strange.
C．Priceless.	D．Boring.

2. What is Dawkins good at as an evolutionary biologist at Oxford?

A．Making TV series.	B．Drawing pictures.
C．Answering big questions.	D．Making science attractive.

3. What kind of questions do people mainly like to ask Randall Munroe?

A．Funny questions in daily life.	B．Scientific questions.
C．Serious entertaining questions.	D．Questions hard to answer.

【推荐2】When I worked in a large city, passing by someone who was homeless wasn’t an uncommon sight. The difficult situation of those I saw touched me deeply.

I felt I must do something, and, as a single mother, I decided to come up with a plan that fitted my limited budget. I began by setting aside five to ten dollars and passing them out to those I met on the street each week.

Though a dollar felt like a small amount, I realized how powerful it was. For me, I recognized that those I passed by were people just like me. Sometimes we would joke a bit and smile together. On some occasions, I was able to give more. I don’t know how and if the dollars helped, but I know that the connections we made did.

One day after I had started this weekly practice, I had saved up enough to buy myself a new winter coat. With it around my shoulders, I realized that my old coat could still be put to use by someone who had little or nothing to protect them from the cold. However, at that moment, I felt inspired to pass on this opportunity for kindness. I turned to the salesman who had helped me, and asked if he would feel comfortable taking my old coat, walking to the corner, and offering it to someone in need. Slightly taken aback, he smiled. “I will as soon as I get a break,” he said. “Thanks for being so considerate.”

I can’t help but feel that my experiences with kindness have moved me to pass it on, and in this way, I feel I’ve helped more than just those I pass by on the street. Kindness touches many hearts, and I am grateful for the way it has touched mine.

1. Why did the author decide to come up with a plan?

A．Because she wanted to increase her limited budget.

B．Because she needed to set aside some bills.

C．Because she always passed by some homeless people.

D．Because she wanted to do something for the homeless people.

2. What did the author think of the dollars she gave to those people?

A．It didn’t make sense.

B．It could help them a lot.

C．It might have been a small amount to them.

D．It brought a friendly connection between them.

3. What do the underlined words “taken aback” in the fourth paragraph probably mean?

A．Surprised.

B．Satisfied.

C．Upset.

D．Frightened.

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

A．Helping People Who Are Homeless.

B．My Experiences with Kindness.

C．Raising Money to Help Those in Need.

D．My Weekly Practice of Helping Others.

【推荐3】Kids Go Free These School Holidays

When:

●Sat 6 Jan 10:00a.m.--10:00p.m.

●Sun 7 Jan   10:00a.m.--10:00p.m.

●Mon 8 Jan   8:30a.m.--10:00p.m.

●Tue 9 Jan   9:00a.m.--10:00p.m.

●Wed 10 Jan 8:30a.m.--10:00p.m.

Where: Rainbow Springs, Fairy Springs Rd, Rotorua

Restrictions: All ages

Ticket Information:

● An Adult Pass: ＄30.00

●Family Pass (two adults and two children ):＄80.00

●. Extra child with Family Pass: ＄8.00

● Buy Tickets --0800-724-626

There’s a lot to see and do at Rainbow Springs.

Join us in the park for a fun-filled and action-packed day, exploring and learning all about the wonderful birds, bugs and beasts that call New Zealand home.

Use promo code KIDSGOFREE when purchasing your Family Pass and grab free entry for the kids these school holidays.

Your day pass includes:

-Endless fun on our awesome new Playscapes! Hidden throughout the park are some exciting new, hands-on play installations(设施) that will teach you all about native species and conservation in a fun way!

-Unlimited rides on the Big Splash ride!

-Entry to our exciting new free- flight Bird Show twice daily at 11:30a.m. and 2:30p.m.

-Entry to the new Science in our Forests exhibition presented by Scion! You’ll see live insects up close, learn more about how we can protect our forests and get a glimpse into the future of a wood-powered world.

-Repeat entry throughout the day so you can come back at night, when it’s dark, to see kiwi in our outdoor enclosure(围栏).

Terms and conditions:

The activity is available for travel between 26th December -6th February only.

1. When can children take part in the activity ?

A．On10 Jan , 9:30a.m.	B．On 6 Jan , 8；00a.m.
C．On12 Jan , 8:30p.m.	D．On 8 Jan , 8:00a.m.

2. What can children do with a day pass?

A．Take rides on the world’s biggest ride.

B．Learn knowledge about forest conservation.

C．Help train birds on the Bird Show.

D．Learn about native and foreign species.

3. How much should Mr. And Mrs Green pay with their three boys?

A．＄110.	B．＄80.
C．＄118.	D．＄88.