【推荐1】Getting along with parents

Mom and dad are the most important people in your life, and they’re likely to influence you more than anyone else in your lifetime. It’s a parent’s job to love and guide kids, and most parents will do this as long as they live.    1    Here are four ways you can stay close, get along, and build a strong relationship.
Spend time together. It might be easy to be physically in the same place with your mom and dad.    2    Instead of playing a computer game or watching TV by yourself, maybe you should ask your mom and dad to play with you. You can go outside together, try a board game, or read a book together.
    3    Many kids say they would like their parents to help them when they’re upset. But your mom and dad might not know that you’re having a problem. Tell your parents if you’re sad or struggling with something. If you don’t usually do this, give it a try and you will be glad.
Be kind. Little things might mean a lot to your mom and dad.    4    It’s also lovely when a kid offers to help fold the laundry or cleans up his or her room without being asked. And if you try not to fight with your brothers or sisters, your parents might be so excited!
Show your care. Some families are always kissing, hugging, and saying “I love you”    5    In addition to kisses and hugs, kids and parents can show their love by respecting each other, being caring, polite, and thoughtful.

A．But how much time do you spend just enjoying each other’s company（陪伴）?

B．It’s important to show that you care for each other.

C．But parents do a lot more than just pass down their hobbies.

D．Share your feelings and ask for help.

E．Talk on the phone and email each other to stay in touch.

F．You can brighten your parents’ day with a hug, a card or a joke.

G．That means you have many years to share with your mom and dad.

【推荐2】A trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower. To get the most out of your visit, read our tips below:

Visit at Night

Riding up the Eiffel Tower at night and looking out over the streets of Paris, you’ll see why Paris is known as the “City of Light”. At street level, the spotlights on the top of the Tower zoom across the Paris skyline, and the reflections of the Tower in the Seine are sights not to be missed.

Purchase Your Ticket in Advance Online

Bypass the long ticket lines at the Eiffel Tower by purchasing your ticket online from the Eiffel Tower website. You’ll pick a time to visit, and then select whether to print out the ticket or display it on your phone or iPad a convenient option if you buy your ticket in Paris without easy access to a printer.

Don’t Bring Valuable Objects with You

Before entering the Eiffel Tower, your bags will be examined by a security officer. If an item you are carrying sets off the metal detector, the officer will take you away from the line for further inspection. We’ve stood in line for hours behind people who missed their chance to go up the Eiffel Tower.

Have Drinks and Snacks at the Eiffel Tower

If you’re like us, after an exciting trip to the Eiffel Tower, you’ll be ready to rest your legs and have a relaxing snack and a drink in a Parisian cafe. Across the Seine in the Trocadero area, there are many elegant cafes. The atmosphere is great, but the prices are in the stratosphere. Actually, the perfect place for common visitors to eat and drink is on the Eiffel Tower itself.

1. Why does the author suggest visiting the Tower at night?

A．Because you can see the Seine as clear as possible.

B．Because you can avoid the crowds and enjoy it peacefully.

C．Because you can have a special sight of the city of Pairs.

D．Because you can stand on the top of the Tower.

2. What does the underlined word “Bypass” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Control.	B．Avoid.
C．Stand.	D．Remember.

3. Why did some people fail to go up the Eiffel Tower?

A．Because they had a quarrel with the officer.

B．Because they lost valuable objects.

C．Because they set off the metal detector.

D．Because they didn’t seize the chance.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The author recommends tourists have snacks at the Eiffel Tower.

B．You spend more if you have snacks at the Tower.

C．The author prefers to eat across the Seine.

D．The Eiffel Tower provides expensive foods and drinks.

【推荐3】If you ever find yourself trapped in the wilderness without food, you'll have to figure out how to feed yourself. Many plants in the wild are edible, but many are also poisonous. So it is necessary to learn how to determine whether the plants you find can be eaten safely.

Avoid using this method without careful planning. Some plants can be deadly, and even if you follow these guidelines perfectly, there is always a chance that a plant will make you seriously ill. Prepare yourself for wilderness outings by learning about the local plants, and carry a guidebook to help you identify plants. Even if you are unprepared and cannot find food you know to be safe, remember that, depending on your activity level, the human body can go for days without food, and you’re better off being hungry than being poisoned.

Testing the plant in your mouth is dangerous, so go forward very slowly and carefully. First, hold a small portion of the prepared plant part against your lip for 3 minutes. Do not put the plant in your mouth. If you notice any burning, tingling (刺痛), or other reactions, discontinue testing. Second, place another small portion of the plant part on your tongue. Hold the plant on your tongue without chewing for 15 minutes. Discontinue testing if you notice any reaction. Third, chew the plant and hold it in your mouth for 15 minutes. Chew the plant well, and do not swallow. Discontinue testing if you notice any reaction. Fourth, swallow the small portion of the plant. Wait 8 hours. Do not eat or drink anything during this period except purified water. If you feel sick, immediately throw up what you eat and drink plenty of water. If activated charcoal (活性炭) is available, take that with the water.

1. What’s the meaning of the underlined world “edible” in paragraph 1?

A．Suitable for using as food.	B．Widely spread.
C．Existing in large quantities.	D．Not widely known.

2. What can we know from paragraph 2?

A．Planning is unnecessary when using the method.

B．Not all plants in the wild can serve as food generally.

C．Suffering hunger can be more dangerous than testing plants.

D．Following the method perfectly can ensure safety.

3. Which is the correct order of testing plants in the mouth?
① wait and see ② chew it in the mouth③ put it on the tongue④ put it against lips ⑤ swallow it

A．③④②①⑤

B．④③②①⑤

C．③④②⑤①

D．④③②⑤①

4. Where might the passage come from?

A．A student’s diary.

B．A science report.

C．A guide book for camping.

D．A doctor’ s notebook.

【推荐1】Applying to Stellinga College

Why Stellinga?

Thank you for your interest in Stellinga International College. As an international student, we are sure you will find our college an exciting place to study, with like-minded and ambitious people.

Preparing and submitting your application

We have tried to make the application process as easy as possible for you, but there are a number of procedures you must follow.

All our courses are taught in English, so first of all you will probably need to submit evidence of your English language ability. We require an IELTS score of 6.5. You will also have to send us your secondary school diploma, so that we can evaluate it.

We will also require a personal statement. This is a text of up to 1,000 words in which you introduce yourself, explain your interest in our college, and why you want to study your chosen course.

If you are from outside the European Union (EU), it is important that you have an entrance visa before you come to study in the Netherlands, but we will apply for this for you.

We now only accept online applications, so please ensure that you have all your documents ready to upload before you begin. Any documents that are not in English originally will also need to be translated and the translation also uploaded.

You will need a passport photograph; a copy of your passport; copies of all your certificates and diplomas; your proof of language ability; and your personal statement in English.

What happens next?

Your application will then be considered. If your initial application is successful, you will be invited for an interview. This will be conducted in English via skype, over the phone or on site. You will talk to two or three members of staff for up to 30 minutes. We aim to inform you of our decision in writing, within 4 weeks. There are several possible outcomes: you may not have been successful; you may be offered a place on the waiting list. You will need to reply to any offers within two weeks, otherwise your place may be offered to somebody else.

Good luck with your application.

1. Which is unnecessary for people inside the EU when submitting applications?

A．A personal statement.	B．An entrance visa.
C．Evidence of English ability.	D．A secondary school diploma.

2. If your first application is accepted, what is the next process?

A．You will have an interview in English.	B．You will get the reply over the phone.
C．You should make a decision within 4 weeks.	D．You should reply to the offer the moment you get it.

3. Where can we find the passage?

A．In a science magazine.	B．In a tourist brochure.
C．In an English teaching book.	D．On a university’s website.

【推荐2】Though not as mainstream as devices like smart-phones and fitness trackers, more companies are now experimenting with the concept of connected garments. Among the pioneers is London-based CuteCircuit,which has been creating fashionable smart clothing since 2004. The company’s latest innovation is the “Sound Shirt”, which allows deaf people to “feel” live music by transforming the tunes into touch sensations in real time.

The fashionable shirt achieves the feat, using software that changes the music into data and wirelessly sends it to the 16 micro-actuators(驱动器) fixed inside the clothing’s fabric. The devices vibrate with the intensity of the music being played, allowing the wearer to feel each instrument individually. For example, violins can be felt on the arms, while the deeper, heavier bass notes can be felt close to the stomach. The series of touch-like sensations across the wearer’s body enables them to feel the entire composition, resulting in a fully immersive(沉浸式虚拟现实的) musical experience.

To ensure the shirt is comfortable, the designers chose to leave out wires and instead wove conductive textiles into the garments fabric. Francesca Rosella, chief creative officer of CuteCircuit, explains, “There’re no wires inside, so we’re only using smart fabrics. We have a combination of micro-electronics and very thin, flexible, and conductive fabrics. All these little electronic motors are connected with these conductive fabrics so that the garment is soft and stretchable.”

CuteCircuit, which has been testing the Sound Shirt for three years, expects to make it available to the general public shortly. Priced at S3,673, the smart jacket won’t be cheap. However, twin sisters Hermon and Heroda Berhane, who lost their hearing at a young age, believe the hi-tech garment is a worthwhile investment, especially for deaf people with a passion for dancing. “It’s almost like feeling the depth of the music,” says Hermon. “It just feels as though we can move along with it.”

This is not CuteCircuit’s first groundbreaking smart garment. Over the years, the company has introduced hundreds of amazing comnected outfits. Among them is an interactive concert dress for American musical artist Nicole Scherzinger that displayed tweets from her fans. Also fun is the Hugshirt which enables people to send hugs to loved ones who are not physically in the same area.

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．To give an example.

B．To introduce the topic.

C．To make a comparison.

D．To provide the background.

2. What does the second paragraph focus on?

A．How the Sound Shirt works.

B．How the Sound Shirt is produced.

C．Why the Sound Shirt is accepted.

D．Where people can buy the Sound Shirt.

3. How is the Sound Shirt made comfortable?

A．By reducing its hardness.

B．By using proper materials.

C．By using stretchable wire.

D．By softening its electronics.

4. Why are the twin sisters mentioned in the passage?

A．To stress their love for music.

B．To show the shirt is expensive.

C．To indicate the shirt is comfortable.

D．To predict the bright future of the shirt.

【推荐3】Wearing ties was originally the mark of Britain's most powerful classes, which made the tie itself a symbol of power and respect. And that led it to be adopted by a much larger tribe—the business tribe.

You cannot wear a tie if you work with machinery. So wearing a tie became a sign that you were a man who     used your brain to make a living, rather than your hands. It showed you were serious. It showed you were a          professional. It meant that everyone who wanted a job in business had to wear one. It was just impossible to take   seriously a man who didn't wear a piece of colored silk around his neck. This is how millions of people came to be wearing ties across the world. They are part of the uniform of business.

“Ties offer a point of indifference,” says John Milne, head of the British Guide of Tie Makers. “They give a chance to say something about their own personality.”

So if you happen to meet a man with a very brightly colored tie, there is a good chance that he is the office joker. There is also a good chance that he will be wearing brightly colored socks.

Is there a future for ties? The signs are not promising. Tie wearing seems to be rare among the new bread of   entrepreneurs(企业家) in the Internet and new technology industries. Many political leaders, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, now go without ties. This shows they are men of the people—but not the people wearing ties.

Up until around 1960, it was common for men across the Western world to wear hats as part of their business   uniform. That changed with the election of John F. Kennedy to the presidency of the United States. Kennedy never wore a hat in fact his nickname was “hatless Jack”. Seeing that the most powerful man in the world did not have to wear a hat, millions of other men decided that they did not have to, either. Hats simply vanished across the Western world. Perhaps “tieless Tony” (UK Prime Minister Tony Blair) will have the same effect as “hatless Jack”．

1. In Britain, ties were first used as a sign to show a person’s ________.

A．Personality	B．job
C．social position	D．favorite hobby

2. In the business world, wearing a tie was necessary because________.

A．it showed you were a brain worker

B．it showed you got a good salary

C．it showed you were an employer

D．it showed you were well-trained

3. The writer may hold the opinion that________.

A．Blair is the best leader in the world

B．Kennedy is the best leader in the world

C．millions of people will go to work without a tie

D．people will wear hats instead of ties

4. The underlined word “vanished” in the last paragraph may mean________.

A．Sold	B．washed
C．Disappeared	D．appeared

【推荐1】Although we can’t know for certain how the earliest human beings kept track of the time, scientists believe they probably relied on the natural world around them. For example, historically, humans have relied upon the movement of the sun across the sky to track time. The ancient Egyptians built tall obelisks (方尖碑) that would cast shadows to help divide the day into sections.

These obelisks worked in much the same way as sundials (日晷), which were a popular means of timekeeping long ago. Of course, sundials didn’t help much at night or on cloudy days. To help keep time when it wasn’t sunny, ancient people also learned to track the movement of the planets and constellations (星座) after dark.

Other devices were developed over time, including hour glasses and water clocks. These devices relied upon the time it would take a particular substance (物质), such as sand or water, to move from one part of a container to another. Rather than clocks, though, these devices were more like timers.

How did people long ago set up a meeting at a certain time in the future? Some historians believe many people relied on a technique as simple as pointing to an area of the sky. When the sun reached that point, that’s when you would meet the next day.

Of course, humans, being the clever creatures we are, relied on a variety of natural solutions to the problem of timekeeping. For example, many people simply trained their bodies to wake up at the first light of dawn. Others may have relied upon animals, such as roosters, as alarm clocks.

If people had to be up before dawn, they might have depended on the full bladder (膀胱) method. By drinking a lot of water before going to bed, they would be assured of waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom!

1. What do the examples suggest in Paragraph 1?

A．It was hard for people to track time.

B．The sun was important to people’s life.

C．People tracked time by the natural world.

D．The sun had something to do with time.

2. What might be helpful when people get together in the day?

A．The animal calls.

B．The shadows of obelisk

C．The position of the sun.

D．The planets and constellations.

3. Why did some people drink too much water at night?

A．To get up on time.	B．To wake up at dawn.
C．To prevent thirst.	D．To go to the bathroom.

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

A．When did Clock Appear?

B．Why is the Sun Important?

C．Where does Clock Come From?

D．How did People Keep Time before Clock?

【推荐2】A new study has shown that people who regularly eat oranges are less likely to develop macular degeneration (黄斑变性)than people who do not eat oranges Researchers at the Westmead Institute interviewed more than 2, 000 Australian adults aged over 50 and followed them over a 15-year period The research showed that people who ate at least one serving of oranges every day had more than a 60% reduced risk of developing late macular degeneration 15 years later Even eating an orange once a week seems to offer significant benefits.

Lead researcher associate professor Gopinath said, “ The data shows that flavonoids (类黄酮) found in oranges appear to have a big role to play in reducing the chance of macular degeneration. Flavonoids can be found in almost all fruits and vegetables and they are useful in reducing inflammation (炎症) and stress within the body ”, “We examined common foods that contain flavonoids such as tea, apples, red wine. Significantly, the data did not show a relationship between other food sources protecting the eyes against the disease.” she said.

Gopinath said that until now most research has focused on the effects of common nutrients such as vitamins C, E and A on the eyes .“Our research is different because we focused on the relationship between flavonoids and macular degeneration.”

Macular degeneration is the name given to a group of eye diseases that cause progressive loss of central sight It is the leading cause of blindness in Australia and affects about one in seven people over the age of 50 There is currently no cure for the disease.

“Our research aims to understand why eye diseases occur, as well as the genetic and environmental conditions that may do harm to eyesight, ”Gopinath concluded.

1. How does the author introduce the research in Paragraph 1?

A．By listing the data	B．By analyzing causes
C．By following time order.	D．By describing the process

2. What might matter most in protecting the eyes against macular degeneration?

A．The vitamins in oranges	B．The flavonoids in oranges
C．The flavonoids in vegetables.	D．The nutrition content in foods.

3. What made Gopinath’s research different from others?

A．Study aims.	B．Cooperative ways.
C．The age of subjects.	D．The focus of research.

4. What’s the best title of the text？

A．Eye diseases catch Australian attention

B．The effects of diet and nutrition on eyes.

C．An orange a day keeps the eye doctor away

D．The leading cause of blindness in Australia

【推荐3】Sleep, considered a luxury by many, is essential for a person’s health and happiness. Researchers have found that inadequate sleep and tiredness increase a person’s risk of developing severe medical conditions, such as obesity, high blood sugar levels, and heart disease. Now, a new study has found that getting enough sleep is also the key to improving academic performance.

Jeffrey Gross, the university science professor who led the research, was not trying to find the relationship between sleep and grades when he handed out smart watches to the 100 students in his chemistry class. Instead, the professor hoped the wrist-worn devices (装置), which track a person’s physical activity, would show a connection between exercise and academic achievement.

While Gross’s data showed no relationship between these two factors (因素), the study found something surprising. As the researchers were analyzing their data, they noticed that there was a straight-line relationship between the average amount of sleep a student got and their results in the course’s 11 quizzes, three midterm tests, and the final exam.

Even more interesting, it was not enough for students to just head to bed early the night before a test. Instead, it’s the sleep you get during the days when learning is happening that matters most.

The time students went to bed each night was similarly important. Those who went to bed in early hours of the morning performed poorly, even if the total sleep time was the same as a higher- performing student. “When you go to bed matters,” Gross says, “If you go to bed at 10, or 12, or 1 at night, and sleep for seven hours, your performance is the same. But if you go to bed after 2, your performance starts to go down even if you get the same seven hours. So, quantity isn’t everything. ”

Perhaps the most interesting was the huge effect that small differences in sleep patterns had on the students’ grades. The entire course grades for students averaging six and a half hours of sleep each night were 25% lower than students who averaged just one hour more sleep. Similarly, students who changed their bedtime by even one hour each night had grades that dropped 45% below those with more regular bedtimes.

Who knew getting A’s just required some extra ZZZ’s?

1. Based on his original goals, which best describes Professor Gross’s research findings?

A．Complete.	B．Accidental.
C．Convincing.	D．Doubtful.

2. Who were the people taking part in the study?

A．University student athletes.	B．Professor Gross’s own students.
C．Middle school chemistry students.	D．Volunteers from different universities.

3. How did Professor Gross’s team measure academic performance?

A．Making the students wear a special watch.

B．Giving the students regular after-class quizzes.

C．Using students’ university entrance test results.

D．Using the students’ normal test and quiz grades.

4. Based on the study’s findings, who is likely to perform best academically?

A．A person who sleeps for a total of 7 hours each night.

B．A person who sleeps from 11 p. m. to 6 a. m. each day.

C．A person whose normal bedtime changes between 9 p. m. and 12 p. m.

D．A person who has a good night’s sleep the night before an important test.