【推荐1】What’s the biggest online shopping day in the world? Not Valentine’s Day. Not Cyber Monday or Black Friday. The winner is China’s Singles’Day, celebrated on November11, or 11.11.

Singles’Day began as a day for unmarried or uncoupled people to celebrate their lives. Single students, looking for an excuse to buy themselves presents, started it on November11,1993, reported The Guardian. It is symbolized by the four number ones in the date of November11 and is also called Double Eleven, in reference to the day it was started, said the BBC. It became a major shopping day in 2009. The CEO of an online shopping site --Alibaba-- tried to increase sales at the e-commerce company. The CEO, Daniel Zhang, launched an annual online sale on that day, said Fortune. When it first began, “Sigles’Day was very much an offline comfort to actual single people,”noted the website atlas Obscura.”A small group of students at Nanjing University are said to have chosen 11.11 as a day that singles could do activities like karaoke together.”It quickly became a cultural phenomenon.

Last year, Alibaba sold more than $1 billion worth of products inthe first three minutes of the sales, reported Bloomberg News. Total sales on Singles’Day soared to $9 billion within 24 hours. That’s four times bigger than Cyber Monday in the U.S., which is the Monday after Thanksgiving and traditionally a big shopping day. By comparison, online sales in the U.S. last year on Black Friday were just $1.5                    billion, reported TechCrunch.

Today, Singles’Day is very successful. Analysts say that this year, sales on China’s Singles’Day will increase to a new high. In the U.S., Jennifer Wang, a co-founder of a company targeting Chinese-Americans, said, “We expect to have 3 million people coming to click Dealmoon for the Singles’Day launch.” Some observers think Singles’Day could catch on globally.

1. How did the author introduce the topic of the passage?

A．By describing a holiday.	B．By asking a question
C．By making a list.	D．By telling a story

2. What’s the second paragraph mainly about?

A．How Singles’Day came into being.	B．Why Singles’Day became popular.
C．When Singles’Day was started.	D．Who first celebrated Singles’Day.

3. Why did China’s Singles’Day become a major shopping day?

A．Because singles celebrated their happy lives on November11.

B．Because students at Nanjing university took part in activities together.

C．Because an annual online sale was started on that day by Alibaba.

D．Because single students chose that day to buy themselves gifts.

4. Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “soared”in Paragraph3?

A．Increased sharply.	B．Decreased quickly.
C．Returned gradually.	D．Appeared suddenly.

【推荐2】The Opening ofThe Book Nook
Saturday, October 4     10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
You will not want to miss the opening of your new neighborhood bookstore! Located at 2289 Main Street, the Book Nook is within walking distance of schools and many homes and businesses. Come and check out the Book Nook on Saturday!
Activities will include:
• Live music by local musicians
• One Book-of-the-Month Club membership giveaway
Wide Selection
The Book Nook has three floors with books of all kinds — any kind you could want. If we do not have the book you are looking for, we can specially order it for you. You will have it in your hands within two days!
Reading Nooks
We are proud of our children’s reading area on the first floor, as well as our teenagers’ nook on the second floor. Come for the activities and stay a while! Settle in one of these inviting reading areas; take a seat with a good book and a free cup of hot chocolate. You will discover the perfect way to spend a few hours.
Book Events
The Book Nook will be featuring (以…为特色) monthly book signings by different authors, giving you a chance to meet and speak with well-known writers. Do not miss the experience of hearing these authors read aloud from their own books!
The Book-of-the-Month Club
Our Book-of-the-Month Club will feature 12 books each year. As a member, you will be able to select one new book each month. The membership fee is only $10.00 per month. That is a great price for 12 books each year!
So please join us on Saturday and learn about all that the Book Nook has to offer. You can come anytime between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. — our activities last all day long!
1. According to “Reading Nooks”, a nook is _____.

A．a club that children may join	B．a space for a certain purpose
C．a program for teenage readers	D．a prize in a national competition

2. What can we learn about the Book Nook?

A．It is a well-located bookstore.

B．Any books can be found right there.

C．It is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

D．The third floor is specially designed for children.

3. As a member of the Book-of-the-Month Club, you _____.

A．can buy any books in the Book Nook at a low price

B．may borrow as many as 12 books every week

C．need to pay 120 dollars every year

D．should be over the age of 12

4. The purpose of the text is to get more people to _____.

A．give away books

B．visit the bookstore

C．learn from famous writers

D．read different kinds of books

【推荐3】A well-dressed man came to a famous jewelry shop. He explained that he wished to buy a pearl for his wife’s birthday. The price didn’t matter. Since business had been very good for him that year. After examining a nice black one that cost $5000, he paid for the pearl in cash, shook hands with the jeweler, and left.

A few days later the man returned and said that his wife liked the pearl so much that she wanted another one just like it. It had to be exactly the same size and quality, because she wanted a pair of earrings made, “Can you give me any advice on how to get such a pearl? ” said the man. The jeweler regretfully replied, “I would say it’s exactly impossible to find one exactly like that pearl.”

The rich man insisted that the jeweler advertise in the newspapers, offering $ 25,000 for the matching pearl. Many people answered the advertisement but nobody had a pearl that was just right.

Just when the jeweler had given up hope, a little old lady came into his store. To his great surprise, she pulled the perfect pearl from her purse. “I don’t like to part with it,” she said sadly, “I got it from my mother, and my mother from hers. But I really need the money. ”

The jeweler was quick to pay her before she changed her mind. Then he called the rich man’s hotel to tell him the good news. The man, however, was nowhere to be found.
1. He paid $ 5,000 for the black pearl without bargaining because ______.

A．he loved his wife deeply

B．his business had been successful

C．he was anxious to get it

D．he wanted to make the jeweler believe him

2. He told the jeweler to get him another pearl that must be ______.

A．exactly the same size as the black one

B．exactly as big and nice as the black one

C．exactly as expensive as the black one

D．exactly the same quality as the black one

3. Many people answered the advertisement because they wanted _______.

A．to see the perfect pearl

B．to sell their own pearl at a high price

C．to get in touch with the rich man

D．to help the rich man’s wife

4. The little old lady was probably________.

A．the man’s partner

B．short of money

C．unwilling to sell the pearl

D．the man’s wife

【推荐2】It has been described as art by some people, but to others it’s an ugly part of modern life. What is it? Graffiti (涂鸦), of course. Look around cities in the UK today and you can see graffiti on buildings, walls, doors and even on buses or trains that have stayed in one place for too long. But where modern technology creates a problem, it also finds a way to deal with it. Last week, The Weekend West was shown around the factory of a small but successful company, Hubdean.

Hubdean’s achievement is a series of special paints which are graffiti-resistant. How do they work? It couldn’t be simpler. Take any graffiti-covered surface. First, a treatment called Agproclear is used. Then, using a very hot pressure jet (压力喷嘴), this treatment is taken away and the graffiti disappears at the same time. Now you have a clean wall. But before this clean wall can be painted on by graffiti lovers, a new product, Agproshield, is used. This paint has a special surface which gives it two important advantages. Firstly, spray paint (喷雾颜料) won’t stick to the surface very well, and secondly, the whole surface can be cleaned very easily, just using water. Once the surface is painted, no specialist equipment is needed to keep the area clean and graffiti-free.

Not surprisingly, Hubdean’s products are used by both local governments and private companies all over the UK, and now orders are being received from around the world. This brings the company a problem, however. Can they increase production to satisfy the needs? Of course, they can build a second factory or work with a large international company to make their products. The future is looking good for Hubdean!

1. What does the underlined word “graffiti-resistant” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Painting graffiti.	B．Keeping graffiti.
C．Preventing graffiti.	D．Changing graffiti.

2. When should Agproshield be used?

A．Before Agproclear is used.

B．When the wall is still clean.

C．When Agproclear doesn’t work.

D．After graffiti is painted on the wall.

3. What can we learn about Hubdean?

A．There is a good market for its products.

B．A large company is going to buy its products.

C．It is developing more new and better products.

D．Most of its business comes from private companies.

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

A．Is Hubdean successful?	B．Is graffiti art? Of course not!
C．Hubdean a high-tech company?	D．Graffiti a problem? Just wash it off!

【推荐1】In the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, educators across Qatar Foundation (QF) have found creative ways to take advantage of the global sporting event in the classroom to teach both physical and social skills, and to bring their lesson plans to life.

“Apart from encouraging them to take part in the physical aspect of the game, it’s a perfect opportunity to teach social skills, such as team spirit, fair play, respect for rules, cooperation, discipline and tolerance, etc. These are all essential skills for future participation in group activities and professional life,” explained Sara Hal Hajri, assistant director of QF.

The topics include learning about the event, the sport of football, stadiums and how they link to Qatari culture and heritage, and the positive impact the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will have on the local community, etc. Classes will also be designing and creating a sustainable football in honor of the landmark year.

At the heart of the activities are friendly football matches organized to simulate the match experience where students will engage as either football players or audience. They will create cheers for their favourite team, use a match ticket, and purchase refreshments to mirror the experience at a match.

Football in Qatar Academy Sidra (QAS), a QF school, has been included in the curriculum across the age groups to teach subjects like geography, art writing,math and others in creative ways. For example, Grade 4 students are using maps to determine the distances between stadiums while Grades 11 and 12 engage in redesigning the FIFA World Cup using recycled materials.

Fatima Saad Mohannadi, a Grade 10 student from QAS said, “Everyone is pumped up about the World Cup-it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and there are so many activities being linked to it. And when we also have it included in our day-to-day learning, it just makes school that much more fun and something that, like the World Cup, we all look forward to.”

1. What does Sara want to stress concerning integrating football into class?

A．Its significance.

B．Its prospect.

C．Its diversity.

D．Its efficiency.

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

A．Guarantee.

B．Preserve.

C．Model.

D．Recall.

3. What’s Fatima’s attitude to football-related activities?

A．Resistant.

B．Excited.

C．Doubtful.

D．Tolerant.

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．The Cultures Behind the Football Event

B．The Postive Impacts of Playing Football

C．Qatar Plays Host to the 2022 FIFA World Cup

D．QF Schools Use Football As a Novel Teaching Tool

【推荐2】The U.K. has lots of strange traditions.    1    This racing is on Pancake Day which falls on the last Tuesday of February. On this day, people across the U.K. make and eat pancakes.

    2    As they run, they have to throw the pancake in the air so that it flips and lands back in the pan. The winner is the first to reach the finish line.

One of the most famous pancake races is the Rehab Parliamentary Pancake Race. This takes place on the morning of Pancake Day in London, outside the Houses of Parliament.     3    One team is made up of members of parliament, and the other is made up of journalists. The race is shown on the news and is reported on TV.    4    It raises money for the charity Rehab, which works with people with disabilities in the UK.

Another important aspect of the race is the official starter. The starter is seen as a respectable role and is usually given to a British news host.    5    

A．One of those is pancake racing.

B．The race is a competition between two teams.

C．But the starter usually has a hard time controlling the race.

D．Besides a bit of fun, the race is also held for a good cause.

E．Some schools or businesses hold special Pancake Day events.

F．The racers have to run holding a frying pan with a pancake in it.

G．Pancakes in the UK are large and thin and can be topped with juice.