【推荐2】The terraced rapeseed(油菜)flower hills of Jiangling, Wuyuan is well-known as one of the four “seas of flowers” in China, attracting thousands of plant-loving tourists to come and appreciate and photograph the vast and endless rapeseed flower fields.

“Rapeseed flowers are the messenger of spring,” said Bin Zhan, manager of Jiangxi Wuyuan Tourism, “Jiangling is the best place for a relaxing spring trip to enjoy the most visually impressive views of golden seas of rapeseed blossoms covering layered terrace fields”.

The rapeseed blossom in the terraced fields of Jiangling, located 45 kilometres to the northeast of Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, reached full bloom in the second week of March.

This year. Wuyuan restores ancient farming traditions and practices to give visitors an idea or the history ，culture and folk customs of the county by adding scarecrows(稻草人) in the rapeseed flower fields. The creative scarecrows of Wuyuan County are designed in the shapes of popular cartoon characters, Hui-style architecture and folk customs. They are placed in the rapeseed fields to provide more fun and interactions for visitors on flower viewing tours.

“As flower viewing is becoming more popular in recent years, Jiangling is seeing a growing number of returning visitors, especially professional photograph who come back every year for the dramatic rapeseed blossoms,” Zhan said. “The blossoms only last one to two months. April is the last chance to catch a flower-viewing tour this year.”

In addition to flower viewing, Wuyuan County is also home to the most well-protected ancient Hui-style architecture in China. As one of the most beautiful countryside villages in China, it attracts photographers from around the world every year to document not only the natural scenery, but also the unique farming culture and folk traditions.

1. Which is NOT one of the features of the rapeseed blossoms of Jiangling？

A．The rapeseed fields cover a limited area.

B．The rapeseed is planted on layered terraces.

C．Rapeseed flowers blossom, at the beginning of spring.

D．When the flowers blossom, the fields are like a golden sea.

2. What does the underlined word “They” refer to？

A．Folk customs.	B．Hui-style buildings.
C．Creative scarecrows.	D．Models of popular cartoon characters.

3. What can we infer from Paragraph 5？

A．Returning visitors get discount when entering Jiangling.

B．Visitors could catch the last flower viewing tour in May.

C．It is in March and April that Jiangling has the most visitors.

D．Not many professional photographers will go to see the blossoms.

4. What is the writing purpose of this article？

A．To introduce Wuyuan County as a tourist destination.

B．To report how many people visited Jiangling this year.

C．To introduce the history of rapeseed farming in Jiangling.

D．To remind visitors the best viewing time for rapeseed blossoms.

【推荐3】When I was 12 years old, we had a trip to France. I had never been out of the country before, so I was very excited. My aunt, my father and I went around with my father showing us all the unbelievable sites in Paris. None of us spoke much French but we loved the city.

We had taken the subway all over the city and were congratulating ourselves on our mastering what is honestly an excellent subway design that is pretty easy to follow. We decided to visit Versailles by train. We chatted happily along the way until my father realized we were far into the French countryside and no one around spoke English.

We reached the end of the line and felt afraid when everyone finally left the train. An old man and his grandchild noticed us and came to help. He spoke no English, so in broken French we tried to explain. When he finally understood, this great man settled his grandson and showed us to the correct train and then boarded with us.

Later we knew the truth that there was a train transfer (转乘) and he didn’t want us to miss it. This kind man rode a train for an hour and a half out of his way to make sure that three Americans got where they wanted to be. He refused to let us pay for his ticket. He did it all with a gentle smile and patted our hands gently at the stop. Then in his quiet way, he boarded the train to return the way he had come.

What impressed me most was the man and his kindness during the amazing trip. Some Americans think the French are rude for some reason, but I always try to persuade them to change their minds with this very story.

1. What happened to the author and his family on the train?

A．They failed to get off the train at the right time.

B．They couldn’t understand the signs of the train.

C．Their opinions divided about where to go first.

D．They found it hard to communicate with the French.

2. Which of the following can best describe the last paragraph?

A．Being kind is a good manner.	B．Seeing is believing.
C．Travelling enriches one’s life.	D．Helping others brings great pleasure.

3. What’s the purpose of the author’s writing the text?

A．To explain an unexpected problem.

B．To share an unforgettable foreign experience.

C．To list the unbelievable sites in Paris.

D．To show the importance of mastering a foreign language.

【推荐1】   

The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to the presentation and documentation of folk and traditional arts in the United States. The NCTA presents the nation’s very finest artists in festivals, tours, international cultural exchanges, workshops, demonstrations and exhibitions, media productions, school programs, and other activities. It works in partnership with communities across America to establish new, sustainable traditional arts events that deliver lasting social and cultural benefits.

The NCTA seeks Festival Support Staff for the 2020 festival season to provide office and on-site support for three large-scale festivals. Positions available include:

● Programming Administration Assistant

This is the perfect position for someone with an interest in history, arts management, cultural anthropology, and related fields.

Responsibilities include programming research, marketing and promotion, and event organization. The position may also be responsible for press and photo document management, social media updates, and customer service.

Qualified applicants will be detail-oriented and organized, with excellent people skills and a general interest in the traditional arts. Computer literacy is essential. The contract runs from May 1 to December 15．

● Festival Assistant

This is the perfect position for someone with an interest in arts, culture, and event logistics (后勤) who enjoys operating in a fast-paced, collegial small-office environment.

The position provides festival staff support. Responsibilities include document creation, travel purchase, logistics support, data entry, and database maintenance.

Qualified applicants will be outgoing and open-minded, with effective oral and written communication skills and computer literacy. Prior experience with festival planning is preferred. The contract runs from May 18 to October 30.

● Production Associate

The production associate is a key member of the production team who will work closely with the production manager on all festival audio, backline, and lighting needs, from planning through implementation (实施).

The role will contribute to the following key tasks: advancing technical needs with artists, making tech books, accurate record-keeping, and working with the NCTA and festival staff to insure smooth on-site operations.

Qualified applicants will be responsible and adaptable, with excellent people skills. Prior experience in concert production is preferred. The contract runs from June 15 to October 30．

All Positions: Experience with database entry, Microsoft Office, and Adobe Acrobat is required. Must have a clean driving record, or reliable transportation. Some evenings, weekends, and travel are required.

More details and how to apply at: http//ncta- America.com.

1. According to the passage, the NCTA ____.

A．focuses on cultural and arts education

B．keeps a record of American traditional arts

C．enjoys economic benefits from communities

D．aims to help the artists in art-related activities

2. The programming administration assistant will probably ____.

A．plan and design programs	B．create social networking websites
C．deal with complaints from customers	D．photograph newspapers and documents

3. What is the requirement for all the three positions?

A．Driving skills.	B．Working experience.
C．Communication skills.	D．Knowledge on traditional arts.

【推荐2】Family-Friendly Events in January

ZooLights: Glow Wild Jan.1-19

The Phoenix Zoo’s yearly holiday light show is on until Jan.19, allowing families one or more opportunities to enjoy the city’s zoo, with millions of lights giving an added dimension to the festivities.

Glow Wild, 455N. Galvin Pkwy., Phoenix, phoenixzoo. org, $11. 95 members, $13. 95 general admission.

Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts Jan.4-18

The Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts features the work of established and emerging artists, including those who create woodwork, metal crafts, food items, art, photography and gifts.

On Macdonald, off of Main Street in Downtown Mesa, dtmesa fest. com, free admission.

Family Fun Winterfest Jan.4

Ody Sea Aquarium in the Desert is hosting the third annual Family Fun Winter fest in its Desert Courtyard, featuring real snow for the kids to play in. This free event features everything from bounce houses to rides, games, snowflake crafts and face painting to go with various stands set up by local sellers, with food and other offerings for sale at the event.

9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale, od yseainthedesert. com, free.

Youth Fine Arts Course Jan.18-Mar.7

Mesa Arts Center is hosting an eight-week youth arts course on Saturdays to teach artistic skills and knowledge through fun and challenging art classes in a wide variety of art materials, including painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture, ensuring mentally stimulating sessions for all.

Mesa Art Center. 1 E. Main St. Mess, mesaartscenter. com. $93.

1. What is an advantage of becoming a member of Phoenix Zoo?

A．Free admission.	B．Hosting the light show.
C．Getting a discounted ticket.	D．Being allowed to enjoy the zoo.

2. How much will it cost for twin sisters to take art courses?

A．$93.

B．$186.

C．$744.

D．Free of charge.

3. Where should the parents take him if a child likes to make a snowman?

A．The Phoenixzoo.	B．Downtown Mesa.
C．Desert Courtyard.	D．Mesa Arts Center.

【推荐1】In the last few years, companies like oBike have begun flooding streets in places like Japan and Australia with bikes. Businessman Mike Than Tun Win realized these bikes could do much good for schoolchildren in Myanmar, of whom some walk an hour or more every day to school. Then he created LessWalk which buys up the bikes from other countries.

LessWalk modifies（改装）bikes to make them more useful for students. The rental bikes used to require a smartphone app to unlock them. LessWalk changed this for a lock with a key. They also added a second seat in the back of the bikes, allowing two children to ride to school on one bike. Recently they’re replacing the bike’s regular tires with a solid tire that can’t go flat. With all the changes, each bike packed attractively costs LessWalk about $35. “Despite the cost, the benefits it can develop are well worth trying,” Than told TechCrunch.

The project bought thousands of rental bikes from failed companies and shipped them to Myanmar. The process wasn’t as easy as it sounds—there was lots of paperwork concerned in moving the bikes from one country to another. But giving out the bikes takes a little longer given that LessWalk wants to make sure that the bikes go, for free, to the students who need them the most and Myanmar has a population of over 50 million people and more than nine million students. The project is working with Myanmar’s government and school systems to focus on poor students walking long distances a day to school.

Than hopes to bring in as many as 100,000 bikes and expand the program to other countries like Laos and Cambodia. Than is also hopeful that he can inspire “global friends” to follow him to put the abandoned bikes to work, instead of creating yet more urban waste.

1. How many modifications does LessWalk do to the bikes?

A．2.	B．3.
C．4.	D．5.

2. Why does it take longer to donate the recycled bikes?

A．Shipping the bikes is so difficult.	B．There’re too many poor students.
C．The bikes need packing carefully.	D．Targeted bike donation is needed.

3. Which can best describe Than Tun Win as the leader of the project?

A．Ambitious.	B．Encouraged.
C．Well-experienced.	D．Nature-loving.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Removal of Urban Rubbish	B．Recycle of Donated Bikes
C．Benefits beyond the Cost	D．Students’ New Vehicles

【推荐2】On the morning of 19 April 1966, a hooded figure was hiding in the bushes near the start line of the Boston Marathon. When the gun went off to start the race, the mysterious person allowed the faster competitors to pass before joining the main group of runners. It wasn’t long before the others noticed that their new companion was a woman.

The infiltrator(渗入者) was 23-year-old graduate Roberta ’Bobbi’ Gibb, an experienced runner who had had her application to run denied on the grounds that the Boston Marathon was a Men’s Division race only. Her rejection letter categorically stated: Women aren’t allowed and furthermore are not physiologically able. Having run up to 30 miles a day nearly every day for the two years leading up to the race, Gibb knew that this was not true. She decided it was time attitudes towards women changed, and bought a bus ticket to Boston.

Contrary to her father’s fears that she would get hurt in the race, Gibb’s male counterparts showed her nothing but kindness. Once reporters got wind of her participation, the radio began broadcasting news of her progress. Encouraged by adrenalin and the delighted spectators, Gibb was heading for an under three-hour time for the best part of the course, but then she began running out of steam. Starved of food and water, her legs began to falter, and her feet became almost too painful to run on. If she hadn’t known that dropping out would have set women’s running back 20 or 30 years, she may not have completed the course. However, the cheering crowds on the last leg of the course succeeded in lifting her spirits, and she sprinted to the finish in a very respectable time of just under three hours and 22 minutes.

On finishing the race, Gibb was treated as a hero: she was met by the governor of Massachusetts, her parents were interviewed, newspapers ran articles on her and she was invited to a TV game show. More importantly for her, she had broken the stereotype that women didn’t run marathons. She began getting calls from inspired women who had taken up running themselves, and in 1967 a second female runner competed in the Boston Marathon alongside Gibb. The following year there were five female entrants, and by 1972, the rules had been changed to allow women to compete in all US marathons. However, by then, if you had asked anyone who was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, they would have given you a completely different name: Kathy Switzer.

Twenty-year-old journalist Kathrine Switzer shot to fame after competing against Gibb in the 1967 Boston Marathon. On discovering Switzer had entered the race by pretending to be a man, race director Jock Semple tried to physically remove her, and it was this image of Switzer being attacked while running that stuck in people’s minds. Switzer continued running, finishing second in the 1975 Boston Marathon. Moreover, she became a successful media personality. It took Gibb decade of writing letters to magazines, TV stations and book publishers to set the record straight. But in the end, she succeeded in gaining her due recognition and was retroactively awarded first-place medals for her 1966, 1967 and 1968 races.

1. The woman is hiding in the bushes __________.

A．to cheer on the best participants

B．so as not to be seen at the starting line.

C．in order to watch the race unfold

D．so that she has a better view of the field

2. What ultimately drove Gibb to finish the race?

A．She didn’t want her plan to backfire(发生意外).

B．She wanted her parents to be proud of her.

C．She wasn’t willing to disappoint the crowd.

D．She couldn’t take the shame of failure.

3. What does the writer mean when he describes Gibb’s running time as ’respectable’?

A．He thinks she could have done better.

B．He considers it a standard to aim at.

C．He regards it as a good time.

D．He can’t believe she ran so well.

4. What does the reader discover about Gibb in the fourth paragraph?

A．Her reputation grew as the years went by.

B．She was corrupted by fame.

C．She became a household name.

D．Her glory was short-lived

【推荐3】Yi So-yeon, an engineer from Seoul, returned to Earth on Saturday after 11 days aboard the International Space Station(ISS)along with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and US astronaut Peggy Whitson.

A technical problem turned a routine(常规)return to Earth into a sharper than usual descent(下降)that tested the group members' energy and courage. They landed in the Kazakh steppes(大草原)about420km(260 miles)wide of their target.

''During the descent there was some kind of fire outside the Soyuz capsule because we were going through the atmosphere, '' Yi said.

''At first, I was afraid but the two other guys looked okay so I tried to look okay too. ''

Yi smiled and joked her way through a 10-minute news briefing at Star City the wooded Soviet era cosmonaut training centre on the edge of Moscow. However Malenchenko and Whitson looked tired and thin after nearly six months in space. Their answers were short and Whitson needed support to balance when she walked. The 29-year-old Yi has become famous in R.O. Korea since the take-off but she brushed this aside and said she has had little contact with friends or family since returning.

''In fact they are the heroes right now, '' Yi said referring to Malenchenko and Whitson. ''I'm just a beginner and a little ashamed to say that I am a hero. '' She did though relate a more light-hearted incident on the ISS.

''I sang Fly Me to the Moon'' Yi said about the 1950s pop song. ''It's my favourite song from university although at that time I didn’t know I would be an astronaut. ''

The capsule's so-called ''ballistic'' re-entering made the group members face twice the usual pull from the centre of the earth. The flames Yi described may have been caused by friction(摩擦)heating the capsule as it fell through the atmosphere.

Whitson told reporters that Saturday's, ballistic landing was irregular but not an emergency.

''The Soyuz has been through its history very reliable and there has obviously been some issue in the last couple of descents which went ballistic but I'm sure the engineers will determine what the problems are and get them fixed, '' she said.

In October a Soyuz capsule carrying Malaysia's first space tourist touched down about 200 km(125 miles)off course in a similar ballistic landing caused by a technical problem.

The Soyuz is the world’s longest-serving manned space capsule. An early version of the craft the Vostok carried the first person into space in 1961.

Whitson, 48, has become the American with the longest amount of time in space with 377 days.

1. What's the main idea of the passage?

A．Flight in space is very dangerous.

B．Not everybody can go into space.

C．Fearful landing tests the Korean astronaut

D．Yi didn't know she would be an astronaut when she was our young.

2. The reason why Yi So-yeon felt afraid at first was that ________.

A．a fire was caused by the friction

B．she had no such experience before

C．she was not brave enough

D．the other two didn't help her

3. From the passage we can learn that ________.

A．Yi So-yeon, a space tourist came from R.O. Korea

B．Whitson became energetic when they landed on earth

C．the two other guys were not afraid during the descent

D．the Soyuz, an unmanned space capsule, had a long history

4. We can conclude from this passage that ________.

A．experience is very important for astronauts to ensure safety

B．Yi So-yeon will never return to the space station

C．people are not willing to experience the space flight

D．we should draw a lesson from the accident

【推荐1】In Mexico, first Oaxaca's state legislature (立法机关) passed a ban on selling or giving out high-calorie packaged foods and sugar-sweetened drinks to minors (未成年人) recently. Less than two weeks later, Tabasco state approved a prohibition too. Now at least a dozen other states in Mexico are considering similar legislation.

Two-thirds of those who died from COVID-19 in Mexico had health problems such as obesity and diabetes, according to Health Department officials. That has led to a new urgency to change diets so that the younger generation doesn't suffer those diseases. The country consumes large amounts of sugar-sweetened drinks and processed snacks. One-third of Mexicans aged 6 to 19 are overweight, according to UNICEF. They can suffer many health issues, especially in adulthood.

Assistant Health Secretary Hugo, who has called soda "bottled poison", has been calling on citizens to cut back on junk food. He said the country's overweight health issue is the fault of a nutritional environment that has been developed to favor those junk food products instead of health.

In addition to Tabasco, Chihuahua state is debating a junk food ban. A federal senator from Oaxaca says he wants to make it a national law. A nationwide law would not be easy. There are powerful commercial interests that don't want it to happen. The business owners' association COPARMEX said the lawmaking “will be a barrier to commercial freedom”.

Public health groups applauded the junk food ban for minors as it is another encouraging step toward nutrition. With their effort, in the rural Oaxacan town, citizens have physically blocked chips and soda delivery trucks from entering, saying they don't want outsiders to bring in junk food. Almost all teenagers there know about health problems related to junk food thanks to the non-profit workshops from the health group. “I'd be annoyed at first,” said 16-year-old Wendy, “but I'd adapt. And maybe I'd think twice and buy fruit or something healthy instead.”

1. What is behind the new urgency to change diets?

A．COVID-19 death cases.	B．Pressure from the public.
C．The nutritional environment.	D．Wide consumption of packaged foods.

2. Some states make a law change to _______ .

A．advocate a healthier lifestyle	B．met healthier food demand
C．cut junk food production	D．win support from young people

3. What did public health groups do about the ban?

A．They tried to win grocers' support.	B．They funded the research on diseases.
C．They stopped the delivery of junk food.	D．They raised citizens' awareness of health issues.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Action to Fight Against Global Health Problem	B．Ways of Losing Weight by Eating Smart
C．Move to Ban Junk Food Sales to Minors	D．Advice on How to Have a Balanced Diet

【推荐2】It's 10 o'clock at night, and we've been walking along behind him and his wife, Maria, on the beach in complete darkness for half an hour, hoping that every shadowy form is a green sea turtle that has appeared from the Caribbean to lay her eggs on Tortuguero Beach.

After traveling a long way here to witness the event at the end of the nesting season, we walk behind Castor in dutiful silence, thinking about the impact we could have on a turtle's nesting decision. Although they can't hear well, green sea turtles have a powerful sense of smell. Lights can also disturb them. And if the female feels threatened, she'll likely return to the sea to give up all 100 to 120 of her eggs-a huge sacrifice for an endangered creature.

Earlier that day we read up on threats to the turtles-poisonous waste, plastic bags and fishing hooks among other things. These threats apply, however, only if the baby turtles even make it to the sea in the first place.

"She is there," Castor reports, "making her nest now." A female turtle turns herself around and around in a circle until the top of her shell is nearly even with the sand. Employing her back flippers (鳍肢), she then reaches beneath herself to dig a neat, deep hole for the hundred or more eggs she will lay his evening.

We sit silently on a big piece of driftwood, waiting patiently like family members outside the birthing room. "Come closer!" Castor says, and we bend towards the soft red glow of his flashlight. His right hand holds the massive turtle's left back flipper aside so that the light shines directly into the hole, which is already filled with eggs. Her tail lifts as a soft, slippery egg slides through and goes into the hole, followed by another and another. After laying the eggs, her tail flipper begin to remove sand from the "walls" around her, dragging it over the top of the eggs.

Then Castor signals us to another spot where a nest is hatching (孵化) at the very moment. Dozens of baby turtles desperately move to the surface, trying to drag themselves up out and to the sea. However, a huge driftwood lying in the sand parallel to the sea blocks their passage down the beach. Castor shines his beam toward the water and Maria picks the newborns up and places them on the other side of the wood. If we weren't there at the moment, most of them would have wandered aimlessly toward the jungle and death.

On the way back to the village, I recall my mixed feelings about human impact on the environment, Now I'm home joyous that my presence has helped an entire nest of baby turtles survive the first challenge of their lives.

1. According to the passage, green sea turtles _________.

A．will sacrifice anything to protect their babies	B．are very sensitive to sounds, smells and lights
C．are endangered mainly due to water pollution	D．face great challenges the minute they are born

2. The author comes to the Tortuguero Beach mainly to _________.

A．observe green sea turtles lay eggs.	B．learn about the threats sea turtles face
C．enjoy the quiet nesting season in October	D．help baby turtles make their first step to the sea

3. What happens to the newly hatched turtles?

A．Tourists help show them the way to the jungle.	B．A barrier stops them from reaching the sea.
C．All of them get trapped in the sand.	D．Most of them wander off and die.

【推荐3】Something strange has been happening to me lately: Women in the street have been telling me I'm brave.

My act of courage isn't much-I just stopped coloring my hair. I had brown hair that started going gray when I was 30. So, like a lot of women, I started dyeing (染)it. It was expensive and time-consuming. And my hair grows fast, so I needed to go back to the hair salon(美发厅) every 5 weeks.

Many people seem to enjoy holding onto their youth for as long as possible, giving off the impression that they don' t have much wisdom or many accomplishments. But our hair starts to turn gray and suddenly we start spending $500 or more a year to cover something our male colleagues don’t need to cover.

Of course, People should do what they want with their own body -my mother is 91 and still has "blond" hair, and why not? I just wish more of us would feel that it was OK to be ourselves, because going gray has done more for me than saving me time and money.

I like my natural hair, just as it is. I like how it has got curly and full again. It is recovering after years of being damaged by chemicals. I also like that it has given me some needed attitude in a society that makes youth seem so important, while being against maturity. It reminds me that I'm not a kid anymore - and this isn't a bad thing. Not being a kid anymore means I read the books I want, and not the books i feel I should read. It means not wasting my time at events I don' t need to attend when I’d rather be with my family and friends.

When I see my hair in the mirror, it's a reminder that my time is limited, and I should spend it doing what matters. There's nothing shameful about growing older And pretending it's not happening is a way of giving up our power.

I see my gray hair as a little act of rebellion(反叛)against the idea that people lose value as they age, instead of gaining it. I see gray hair as my "flag" and I'm letting it fly proudly.

1. How does the author feel about coloring hair?

A．It shows people’s great courage.

B．It is a good way to hold onto youth.

C．It shows wisdom and accomplishments.

D．It is not worth the time and money spent on it.

2. What should we do when we grow old according to the author?

A．Give up our power.

B．Pretend to be still young.

C．Accept it and act positively.

D．Read as many books as possible.

3. What is the authors main purpose in writing this passage?

A．To explain why youth is valued.

B．To share her opinion on growing older.

C．To stress the importance of different attitudes.

D．To analyze the advantages and disadvantages of aging.

4. Which can be the best title for the passage?

A．Holding Onto Youth

B．Dyeing Your Hair

C．Gaining Value With Age

D．Valuing Wisdom Of Age