【推荐1】Trying to find the perfect present is about as easy as trying to read someone’s mind. Few people will actually tell you what they want for a special occasion and most of the time your loved ones will insist that they don’t need or want anything! So, what to do? Here are some tips that could help.

Start Early

Starting your shopping early can have many advantages. For instance, it gives you enough time to come up with ideas for what you should buy your friends or family members. Moreover, the closer it gets to holidays, the higher the prices go up. So, save your money by being an early bird.

Make a List

Here, you can write down everything your friends or family members love. This can include food, hobbies, experiences, and more. Then try to determine how to use this information to find a gift that perfectly suits them. If you are lucky, you should be able to find good ideas in one of these lists.

Think outside the Box

Often, the reason why you get stuck(卡住) for gift ideas is that you only focus on the same kind of presents. If you are still coming up empty, it is time to get creative. You can find something your friends or family members can use every day. When in doubt, you can simply put smaller presents together to make up a larger, more meaningful gift.

Gift an Experience

In case you are still feeling a little stuck, go ahead and find something that the two of you can do together. It may be a class, or anything else where you can enjoy each other’s company(陪伴). In short, you will be able to give them the gift of friendship.

1. If you want to save money, you should___________.

A．start early	B．make a list
C．gift an experience	D．think outside the box

2. You can write down the followings in your list except_________.

A．food

B．hobbies

C．good ideas

D．experiences

3. We often get stuck for gift ideas because__________.

A．we don’t have enough money to buy gifts

B．we have a long list of gifts to choose from

C．we only focus on the same kind of presents

D．we don’t have enough time to come up with good ideas

4. To enjoy each other’s company, you can___________.

A．talk to your family members

B．find something that you can do together

C．put smaller presents together to make up a larger gift

D．write down everything your friends or family members love

5. The passage is mainly about__________.

A．the advice on shopping

B．tips on reading someone’s mind

C．the experience during a special occasion

D．the guide to becoming the perfect gift giver

【推荐1】The other day I came across an Instagram post from my friend and colleague Danielle. It was a photo of a review of Danielle s recent photography exhibit. The review was positive, but also critical. That’s why Danielle posted it. She was proud of her work, no matter what her critics thought.

I was shocked by the post- -- it was one of the most honest things I've ever seen on social media! Usually when I scroll (滚读) through Facebook or Instagram, everything I see is perfect. Perfect vacations, perfect babies, perfect birthday cakes…

I' m guilty of it too. I only post photos of happy stuff. If someone saw my Instagram, they’d probably think, “Wow, this girl doesn’t have a care in the world.... and also she must really, really love ice cream.”

Danielle s post didn’t show a perfect world. And yet that didn’t make me think less of her. Quite the opposite, I respected her even more as an artist. That got me thinking. Maybe social media could be more meaningful if we showed off our mistakes or our struggles. And not a world where everything’s perfect, ice cream never melts and the lighting s always just right.

I’m going to try it out. Start with this blog post, which I’ll share on social media. I’ve included a photo here. It’s about a story I worked on for Guideposts magazine. See all those cross- outs and rewrites? That’s just the first of five pages of edit after edit from Guideposts editor- in-chief Edward Grinnan.

I remember the horrible day it happened like it was yesterday. I admit that I wept some tears over it. I considered giving up writing for a career. Eventually, though, I faced the music. I talked to Edward and asked him to explain the edits in detail so I could do better next time. The whole situation was rough. But, looking back now, it was a great learning experience.

1. Why was the author surprised at Danielle' s post?

A．It showed a perfect exhibit

B．It showed a beautiful photo

C．It included a strange picture

D．It included an objective review

2. What was the influence of Danielle s post on the author?

A．She realized the world is not perfect.

B．She was no longer afraid of mi stakes.

C．She stopped posting ice cream photos.

D．She began changing her posting habit.

3. What is the author's newly- posted photo about?

A．Her artworks	B．Her happy times
C．Her failures as a writer	D．Her favorite magazines

4. Which can replace the underlined part faced the music in the last paragraph?

A．Listened to music	B．Stuck to my opinions
C．Accepted the criticisms	D．Played a piece of music.

【推荐2】Baby girls make their way to dolls as soon as they can crawl, while boys will head for the toy cars, a study has shown. The findings, the first to show consistent differences in very young babies, suggest there is a biological basis to their preferences.
Psychologists Dr Brenda Todd from City University London carried out an experiment involving 90 babies aged nine months to 36 months. They were allowed to choose from seven toys. Some were boys' toys - a car, a digger, a ball and a blue teddy.   The rest were girls’ toys: a pink teddy, a doll and a cooking set. They were placed a meter away from the toys, and could pick whichever toy they liked. Their choice and the amount of time they spent playing with each toy were recorded.
Of the youngest children (nine to 14 months), girls spent much longer playing with the doll than boys, and boys spent much more time with the car and ball than the girls did. Among the two-and three-year-olds, girls spent 50 percent of the time playing with the doll while only two boys briefly touched it. The boys spent almost 90 percent of their time playing with cars, which the girls barely touched. There was no link between the parents’ view on which toys were more appropriate for boys or girls, and the children’s choice.
Dr Brenda Todd said: “Children of this age are already exposed to much socialization. Boys may be given ‘toys that go’ while girls get toys they can care for, which may help shape their preference. But these findings agree with the former idea that children show natural interests in particular kinds of toys. There could be a biological basis for their choices. Males through evolution have been adapted to prefer moving objects, probably through hunting instincts（本能）, while girls prefer warmer colors such as pink, the color of a newborn baby.”
1. Baby boys and girls have different toy preferences probably because         .

A．baby boys are much more active

B．baby girls like bright colors more

C．parents have an effect on their views

D．there may be a biological difference

2. Both baby boys and baby girls like to play with       according to the study.

A．a ball

B．a teddy

C．a car

D．a doll

3. What can we infer from Paragraph 3 ?

A．Nine-month-old baby boys don’t play with dolls at all．

B．Two-year-old baby girls sometimes play with cars and balls．

C．Parents should teach their babies to share each other’s toys．

D．The older the babies are, the more obvious their preference is．

4. What conclusion did Dr. Brenda Todd draw from the results of the study?

A．Adults bring about babies’ preference on purpose.

B．Babies’ preference isn’t affected by social surroundings.

C．Baby boys preferring to moving toys will be good at hunting.

D．Baby girls preferring warmer colors will be warm-hearted.

【推荐3】Selective breeding, also known as artificial selection, is a process used by humans to develop new organisms with desirable traits. It can be used to produce tastier fruits and vegetables, crops with greater resistance to pests, and larger animals that can be used for meat.

Perhaps the earliest example of selective breeding is the domestic dog. Scientists believe that the domestic dog evolved from the wild gray wolf, and through artificial selection, humans were able to create hundreds of different dog breeds. As people domesticated and bred dogs, they favored specific traits, like size or intelligence, for certain tasks, such as hunting, shepherding, or companionship. As a result, many dog breeds vastly differ in appearance, a unique phenomenon in the animal world, as different breeds of a single species generally look like each other. The Chihuahua and the Dalmatian, for instance, are both dogs, yet they share few physical features.

Selective breeding has also been practiced in agriculture for thousands of years. Almost every fruit and vegetable eaten today is a product of artificial selection. By picking out wild cabbage plants with specific characteristics, farmers were able to create a variety of vegetables from a single source, each with differing flavors. Broccoli, for example, was developed from wild cabbage plants that hadn't enough flower development while kale came from Brassica oleracea with larger leaves.

Corn is an unusual product of selective breeding. Unlike rice, wheat, and cabbage, which have clear ancestors, there is no wild plant that looks like corn. The earliest records of corn indicate that the plant was developed in southern Mexico 6,000—10,000 years ago from a grass called teosinte. Scientists believe that early Mexican farmers selected only the largest and tastiest seeds of teosinte for planting. This process allowed Mexicans to develop corn very quickly, as small changes in the plant's genetic makeup had dramatic effects on the grain's taste and size.

Without selective breeding, many of the plants and animals on earth today would not exist. However, every coin has two sides.

1. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 1 ?

A．Introduce a new topic for discussion.	B．Add some background information.
C．Provide scientific data for readers.	D．Explain a scientific study method.

2. Chihuahua and Dalmatian are mentioned to show           .

A．selective breeding is very successful

B．selective breeding leads to biodiversity

C．selective breeding brings difference in appearance

D．selective breeding might bring about new species

3. What is special about corn as a product of selective breeding?

A．It has genetic makeup opposite to teosinte.	B．It is the earliest plant developed by Mexicans.
C．It hasn't an ancestor in Mother Nature.	D．It shares few physical similarities with its ancestors.

4. What might be discussed in the paragraphs following the last one?

A．More examples of selective breeding.	B．Disadvantages of selective breeding.
C．Influence of selective breeding on species.	D．Comparison between natural and selective breeding.

【推荐1】

Building a better tree house — TREEHOTEL HARADS, SWEDEN Tree houses aren’t generally equal to splendor(壮丽). But the seven cabins at Sweden’s Treehotel could easily give The Swiss Family Robinson a run for its money. To begin with, the outside is extraordinary: one resembles a UFO, another resembles a bird’s nest, and the bottom of the latest cabin — named the 7th Room     — features a life –size photograph of the canopy(天蓬似的树荫) view. Inside, the cabins are equipped with fashionable, minimalist furniture and comfortable lounge areas. Although some guests may have to travel to a separate facility to shower, fans argue that that’s a small sacrifice to make for a one-of-a-kind camping experience.

An ancient forest reborn — AMANYANGYUN, SHANGHAI When Chinese businessman Ma Dadong discovered that a forest of ancient camphor trees would be destroyed in China’s Jiangxi Province, he undertook a mission to relocate thousands of them to the outskirts of Shanghai — 700 km away — where they now surround 24 Ming Dynasty style suites and several villas (别墅) at Amanyangyun, which opened in January, 2018. It also nods to the past, making use of recycled wood and brick from centuries –old homes. Facilities include a club lounge, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa and a variety of luxurious dining spaces, including a 200 – seat banquet hall. Calligraphy (书法) lessons and tea ceremonies are available to help guests feel part of “this monumental story”.

1. What does the author say about the Treehotel?

A．It is a seven-story building.	B．It has an in-built shower.
C．It has unique design features.	D．It is expensively decorated inside.

2. What can guests do in Amanyangyun?

A．Attend a fitness class.	B．Pick tea leaves themselves.
C．Learn the history of the Ming Dynasty.	D．Admire ancient Chinese architecture.

3. From which is the text probably taken?

A．An exhibition review	B．A travel website.
C．A hotel comment.	D．An official report.

【推荐2】A theme park manager has the job of watching over and controlling the daily operations of the theme park. One of their most important jobs is to manage the visitors’ experience. This can include everything from the appearance of the park to the hours of operation. A theme park manager also makes plans and develops strategies（策略）to ensure the health and safety of visitors. To help keep visitors satisfied, he usually sets customer service polices（政策）that show how employees should treat visitors and respond to their needs.

Often, theme park managers make decisions regarding theme park policies. For example, the manager of a theme park may have to decide when the park opens and closes daily. He may also choose when the park will open and close for the season. If the weather turns terrible, the manager often has to decide whether or not to open the park for the day. A person in this position may also be responsible for making policies on when a visitor can get a refund（退款）or discount on his admission fee.

The amusements in a theme park have to be maintained（保养）in order to ensure they stay in good working order to ensure they stay in good working order. A theme park manager typically carries out a routine inspection. The individual who holds this position also creates plans and strategies for dealing with emergencies. He may also watch over security workers who help keep the park safe for visitors.

Some theme park managers also have the job of staying abreast of changes in the theme park industry and knowing what the park’s competitors are doing. The information the manager gets through these efforts often helps him decide when to make improvements and how to keep the park competitive.

The extent（范围）of a theme park manager’s job may depend on the size of the park. In a small park, he may closely with his employees. In a large park, he may work to set polices and then depend on other managers or department heads to carry them out. What he needs to do is watch over these managers.

1. What might be a theme park manager’s most important job?

A．To make sure the park gets regular improvements.

B．To make the park workers perform their jobs well.

C．To ensure the visitors have a satisfying experience.

D．To ensure the customers service policies work well.

2. The decisions made by theme park managers usually depend on _________.

A．customers’ needs.

B．theme park policies.

C．the size of the park.

D．weather conditions.

3. The underlined phrase “staying abreast of ” in Paragraph4 probably mean “_____”.

A．knowing about	B．bringing about
C．calling for	D．getting used to

4. The writer develops the passage by ________.

A．telling stories	B．giving examples
C．making comments	D．making comparison

【推荐3】Scientists are still debating when and where dogs were domesticated (驯养), but there’s one thing most agree on: Early dogs were working animals. To support it, archaeologists have pointed to deformed spines (变形的脊柱) of many ancient dogs, which researchers thought was caused by pulling heavy loads.

But a new paper challenges that idea. Katherine Latham, a graduate student at the University of Alberta, finds heavy lifting can’t be definitively linked to deformed spines. The condition, however, may tell us something about our ancestors bond with dogs.

Q: Would load pulling lead to this condition？

A: Since the 1970s, many archaeologists have assumed the condition is a sign of pulling heavy loads. But there was no convincing evidence. It’s an idea that has existed in literature without anyone going back and testing it.

Q: How did you test it?

A: I spent about 4 or 5 months traveling to museums and universities that housed dog remains. I looked at bones of 136 dogs; the vast majority were pets and hadn’t been used as working dogs. I also looked at 19 sled dogs. Deformation of the spine was common in dogs, regardless of whether or not they pulled sleds. The biggest connection was age: By 3 to 5 years of age, half had some sort of deformation; the older they got, the more had it. By 9 years old, almost everyone had it. There’s no evidence that deformation should be an indicator of dogs pulling loads. It’s just a product of normal wear and tear of aging.

Q: What can the condition tell us?

A: Ancient dogs with a lot of deformation are probably older dogs. In order for them to have reached that age, someone must have been tending to them. Humans were probably giving them food and sharing the warmth of their fires and the protection of their shelters, which suggest humans viewed early dogs differently compared with other animals. It could be that they valued them as important hunting assistants, or it could have gone deeper to something like companionship.

1. Which is the best title for the passage?

A．History of Dog Domestication

B．Working Dogs vs. Pet Dogs

C．Deformed Spine & Dog-Human Bond

D．Ancient Dogs in Human Care

2. Katherine Latham did the following to test the idea except      .

A．visiting museums and universities that collected dog remains.

B．examining the bones of pet dogs

C．examining the bones of working dogs

D．comparing dogs’ bones with the bones of other draft animals

3. What did Katherine Latham conclude from her study？
a. The older the dogs got, the more likely they were to have deformed spines.
b. Pet dogs were less likely to have deformed spines than sled dogs.
c. Human care played a significant role in extending ancient dogs’ lifespan.
d. Early dogs offered humans companionship along with other ancient animals

A．bd

B．ac

C．be

D．cd