【推荐1】A single cigarette sold on a street corner may not cost a lot; however, the whole costs of smoking are huge.

First, consider the cost of human life. About 10 people die of a tobacco-related disease every minute. Most of these preventable deaths happen in low-income and middle-income countries. The World Bank says each of these countries has a total national income of less than $ 12,746.

The World Health Organization says tobacco kills 6 million people yearly -a number that is expected to rise to 8 million by 2030 unless immediate action is taken.

But smoking costs more than the life of a person. It can affect the health of the whole country. The World Health Organization says low-income countries depend heavily on taxes from cigarettes. They use the money, in part, to pay the costs of health care for tobacco-related diseases.

But the illegal trade in tobacco products is further testing the economies of low-income countries. WHO officials say the illegal trade earns about $ 31 billion every year.

Douglas Bettcher is the director of the W HO s Department for the Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases. He calls the illegal trade a monster with many heads. He says the trade enables young people to buy cigarettes at low prices, become addicted to tobacco and suffer from serious health problems. It also increases crime and reduces taxes.

The World Health Organization is strongly suggesting that the U. N. member states sign an agreement to end the illegal trade in tobacco products. Eight countries have agreed to the agreement. But the agreement of 32 other countries is still needed for it to become an international law.

If the agreement succeeds, governments could put people who trade illegal tobacco products in prison-another cost to countries budgets.

1. Where are people dying of a tobacco related disease mostly from?

A．Developed countries.	B．Old countries.
C．Underdeveloped countries.	D．New countries.

2. Which of the following about the whole costs of smoking is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Destroying the environment.

B．Being harmful to human life.

C．Affecting the whole country’s economy.

D．Causing the illegal trade.

3. What’s the main idea of Paragraph 6?

A．Some action has been taken by the WHO.

B．The illegal trade in tobacco products is harmful.

C．Young people who are addicted to smoking may commit a crime.

D．An agreement to end the illegal trade in tobacco products is being signed.

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

A．Smoking Costs More than You Think

B．Different Ways to Stop Smoking

C．The Illegal Trade in Tobacco Products

D．Immediate Action to Stop Smoking

【推荐2】At 88, my grandmother Vera has dementia and barely recognizes me. But I’m determined to help her age with dignity and grace in her home for as long as she can.

Since 2015, I’ve been a manager at Honor, a technology company that uses a website and an app to pair professional caregivers (we call them Care Pros) with loved ones who need a hand. I want to make sure we are offering all our clients (客户), including my grandmother, a service that is affordable, with people who are reliable, diverse and skilled. On Sundays. Amy, my grandmother’s most-loved Honor professional caregiver, comes over to get her dressed for church. She loves the time she spends with Amy. That’s the best gift I can give her and the best gift I can give myself. Care giving can exhaust a family emotionally and physically. At Honor, we’re trying to create something that makes it easier for women to be moms, daughters, and sisters all at once. That’s why this company was built.

What sets Honor apart from other care giving services is that we’re equally focused on treating the Care Pros well. We pay higher-than-average rates and they can get health benefits and sick leave. Most of our Care Pros are women, and a lot of them are single mothers. The technology behind our app allows Care Pros to set parameters (参数) based on when, where, and how much they want to work so they can control their schedules. The company also allows continuity of care. Each Care Pro notes in the caregivers’ app how the client is feeling or what should happen on the following shift. That way, the client’s family can stay up to date on their loved one’s health.

When I was working with my team at Honor, I wanted to create opportunities for people who looked like me. I’m proud to say that there are single moms and other women without traditional educational training who lead teams here. The makeup of this company proves that people with diverse backgrounds can be part of a successful tech company. This has to be a model for the future.

I’m confident it will happen.

1. The author mentions Amy to _______.

A．share a precious memory

B．advocate caring for the elderly

C．show the importance of caregivers

D．inform the readers of a touching story

2. Which of the following about Honor is true?

A．It allows flexible working schedules.

B．It gives higher salary and more paid leave.

C．It mainly employs single mothers and males.

D．It matches caregivers with clients at random.

3. What does the underlined part “stay up to date” probably mean?

A．Go to bed later than usual.

B．Get the latest information.

C．Attend to somebody at fixed time.

D．Accompany somebody day and night.

4. The last paragraph intends to tell us that _______.

A．women are able to hold up half the sky

B．success has nothing to do with education

C．Honor will probably have a better future

D．people with diverse backgrounds will be a model

【推荐3】As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have. It is likely that your living room will have a television set and a video,and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven. Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.

Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for. Getting material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the long-hours work culture to make more money to buy more things is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them.

Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year. One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs (郊区), leaving their two children with a nanny (保姆). Most evenings Daniel wouldn’t get home until eight or nine o'clock, and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.

Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. “I always wanted to have a farm here,” says Daniel, “ and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It’s taken some getting used to, but it’s been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.

Liz, However, is not quite sure. “I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I’m not really a country girl, but I suppose I’m gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all”

1. What do the first two paragraphs tell us?

A．People seldom work long hours to make money.

B．People hardly buy more things than necessary.

C．People are sure everything they own is in the right place.

D．People realize there is more to life than just making money.

2. When Daniel was a reporter he________.

A．lived in central London	B．disliked his job
C．missed his children	D．was well paid

3. Daniel and Liz both agree that the move to the farm________.

A．was easy to organize	B．has improved family life
C．was extremely expensive	D．has been a total success

4. The underlined word “downshifting” in the second paragraph means______.

A．repairing your car by yourself

B．spending money carefully

C．moving out to the countryside. to live a simpler and better life

D．living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out once a week

【推荐2】At the age of seven, while his friends were spending pocket money on things like candy and toys, Jose Adolfo was busy saving money for more essential purchases. To try to get his peers to do the same, the youngster from Arequipa, Peru came up with the innovative idea of an eco-bank, which allows kids of all ages to gain economic independence— while also helping the environment.

Established in 2012, the Bartselana Student Bank is the world’s first bank for kids. To open an account, kids have to bring in at least 5 kilograms of solid waste (paper or plastic) and establish a savings goal. Once accepted, all bank “partners” are required to deposit(存储) at least one additional kilogram of recyclables on a monthly basis and meet other requirements, such as attending financial education and environmental management workshops.

The waste collected is sold to local recycling companies, who, thanks to Jose, pay a higher-than-market rate for everything brought in by Bartselana Student Bank members. The funds received are placed in the individual’s account until his/her savings goal is reached. The account holder can then withdraw his/her money, or choose to leave it and continue to grow for a bigger target.

“At the beginning, my teachers thought I was crazy,” Jose recalls. “They did not understand that we are not the future of the country but its present. Luckily. I had the support of the school principal.”

By 2013, the bank had over 200 members who brought in one ton of recyclable waste. Today, the eco-bank, which now has the support of several local institutions, has ten educational centers. They are designed to teach the over 3,000 members both finance and environmental management. On December 6, 2018, in response to the growing demand, Bartselana Student Bank began accepting applications from kids all across Peru.

As the teenager says, “Together we can change the world. We just need an opportunity.”

1. What is the purpose of the eco-bank?

A．To involve kids in the management of the local recycling companies.

B．To help kids get pocket money to spend on things like candy and toys.

C．To show kids how important it is to learn environmental management.

D．To get kids to help the environment and be economically independent.

2. What duty does an eco-bank member have to perform?

A．Attending financial education workshops.	B．Bringing in 5 kilos of waste.
C．Saving one kilo of solid waste weekly.	D．Establishing a savings goal.

3. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Kids are more responsible when growing up.

B．The future of the country relies mainly on kids.

C．Kids can contribute to the society though young.

D．The present is a vital period for kid development.

4. Which of the following words can best describe Jose?

A．Generous.

B．Crazy.

C．Flexible.

D．Influential.

【推荐1】The year 2009 is the Year of Ox. The ox is a representative of the farming culture of China. In the farming economy (经济), oxen are the major animals pulling plows (犁).
Of course, the good of oxen is not limited to plowing. In fact, they are seen as “boats on land” for their ability to carry loads. Besides, the whole body of an ox is full of treasures. Their meat and milk are food full of nutrition, and their skin can be used to make clothes and shoes. With all these qualities, oxen are regarded as generous creatures.
In the past, oxen played an important role in the spiritual life of the Chinese. Even today, oxen still play a special part in some folk activities. For example, some people who live in southwest China will cook cattle bone soup and share it among family members when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13. They believe that the cattle bone soup represents the blood relationship among family members. In order to express their love for oxen, people in some other areas will run to shake off diseases on the 16th day of the first month by the lunar calendar (农历), and during their run they will take their oxen along, which indicates they regard the creature as human.
Because of the contribution of oxen in their lives, the Chinese people are very grateful to the animal. In addition, the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen help to develop various traditional customs, which becomes an important part of the folk culture of the Chinese nation.
1. The words “boats on land” underlined in Paragraph 2 refer to ________.

A．animals for taking goods	B．creatures for pulling plows
C．treasures of the folk culture	D．tools in the farming economy

2. From the third paragraph, we know that ________.

A．oxen are no more important today than in the past

B．ceremonies are held when people cook cattle bone soup

C．oxen are treated as human in some areas of China

D．people run with oxen to shake off diseases every month

3. Which of the following helps to develop traditional customs?

A．The special role of oxen in frowning.

B．People’s respect and love for oxen.

C．The practical value of an ox's body.

D．The contribution of oxen to the economy.

4. Why does the author write the text?

A．To stress the importance of oxen in farming.

B．To introduce the Chinese folk culture.

C．To describe how to celebrate the Year of Ox.

D．To explain how to develop agriculture with oxen.

【推荐2】The popular TV program Readers has prompted more people in China to practice reading aloud in booths (小间) set up in big cities across the country.

As the latest TV show to help people’s love for literature recover, the CCTV program Readers invites people from all walks of life to read aloud their favorite poems, essays and books, or even personal letters they wrote to their loved ones. Just as the weekly show has been well­received, its reading booths, equipped with professional recording devices and cameras, have become instant hits.

A crowd of more than 200 people were pictured lining up outside the Shanghai Library at 11 am on March 4—the first day of the booth’s opening to the public in Shanghai. The deadline for registrations was brought forward to 2 pm instead of the scheduled 5:30 pm, as the number of waiting readers continued to grow. Some waited more than nine hours for a tryout in the booth, according to library management.

“There is an old photo in the late 1970s capturing people lining up outside the Shanghai Library before it opens. If that was a spring of reading in Shanghai, now I think another spring has arrived again,” library manager Zhou Deming, told The Paper.

The reading booth is the only one of its kind in the city of economic center at the moment, but more are expected to be put into use in the coming months, according to the library’s website.

The program has also led to booths in other cities including Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Xi’an to appeal to more people to read and share their life stories.

With the recent boom of culture­themed TV shows such as Readers and Chinese Poetry Congress, some are optimistic that this will help the country love literature and reading again in general.

1. The CCTV program Readers aims to________.

A．teach people what to read

B．attract people’s attention to CCTV

C．invite people to read aloud in the booth

D．arouse people’s enthusiasm for reading

2. We can learn from Paragraph 3 that________.

A．some people waited for a long time to read in the booth

B．March 4 was the first day of the opening of Shanghai Library

C．on March 4, 200 people read in the booth

D．the time for registrations was lengthened for three and a half hours

3. The passage mainly tells that________.

A．many people line up to read aloud in reading booths

B．more reading booths will be set up in the future

C．Readers has become popular all over China

D．Readers has inspired more people to read aloud in reading booths

【推荐3】In America, each of the states likes to promote themselves with a slogan(口号). I currently live in Utah, where the slogan is “Life Elevated.” It’s a nod to outdoor entertainment in the high country, including the ski industry. I previously lived in Colorado, a land with red dirt, great mountains and golden plains. The slogan there is “Colorful Colorado.” Years ago I lived in the “Peach State” of Georgia, and I grew up in New Mexico as a little boy, whose slogan is “ Land of Enchantment(魔力).”

We never seemed to get away from dust in New Mexico, so I appreciate the story of a newcomer to the Land of Enchantment who learned about dusty breezes．She was visiting an antique shop and the owner wiped down every item before showing it．The newcomer said, “Everything gets dusty here pretty quickly, doesn’t it?”

“That’s not dust, honey,” the shop owner replied．“That’s ENCHANTMENT.”

Here was a person who took a negative and turned it into something humorous．That made the problem more acceptable, or at least live with．A Hong Kong shopping center manager was informed that an escalator(电动扶梯)broke．He posted a sign to warn customers．He chose not to use the traditional “Out of Order’’ or “Do Not Use” warnings．Instead, his sign read, “This Escalator Is Temporarily a Stairway.” He turned a minus into humor and made it a plus．

And in fact there are some things, like the weather, we can’t change. All we can change is our ways that we think and feel about them. I believe one of the best techniques to do this is to find some humor in the situation. Finding something amusing or enjoyable of a difficulty, an irritation or a troublesome problem can be one of the most creative and effective things we can do. Sometimes the only sense you can make of a situation is a sense of humor.

1. The first paragraph is severed as a(n)________．

A．predication	B．explanation
C．introduction	D．conclusion

2. How could the newcomer feel after hearing what the shop owner said?

A．Angry	B．Curious
C．Nervous	D．Relaxed

3. According to the author, what is the most important when facing with problems?

A．Accepting them bravely．

B．Holding positive attitude．

C．Ignoring them quickly．

D．Using great intelligence．

4. What’s the purpose of the writer’s writing the passage?

A．To encourage people to find the funny side in their daily life．

B．To show the effects of using slogans to raise the position．

C．To explain the skills of turning a disadvantage into humor．

D．To tell the strange experience of a bargain in an antique shop．

5. The underlined word “irritation” in the last paragraph means________

A．a sudden outburst of anger	B．something that is annoying
C．a feeling of slight pain or discomfort	D．something that is pleasant

【推荐1】Madagascar lies in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa. The island is perhaps best known as the unique home of the lemur (狐猴）. But those lemurs live among some of the most rich and varied flora (植物群）in the world. And so threatened is that flora that British and Malagasy scientists were involved in a project to collect seeds from the island to be stored in a British seed bank. The project is being done by the Royal Botanic Garden in London. The botanist Steward Cable is head of the conservation center there and a frequent visitor of the island.

I mean Madagascar is well known as one of the top biodiversity hot spots in the world. It has perhaps 13,000 plant species. 90% of those are unique to the country, i.e. found nowhere else in the world. But also many species, many of those species are only found in small areas.        And I would say that probably about 80% of the population are dependent on farming.

And a lot of their farming is slash and burn，shifting cultivation (耕作）where farmers have to move to a new patch of forest every year. They cut it and they burn it and they can grow dry rice or cassava for a year or so or two years at most.And the nutrients are gone and they have   to move to a new patch of forest .And for centuries that would not have been a problem with the low population and with long periods of no farming but people returning after three or five years something like that ,then the forest became grassland. So we are losing many of those species in Madagascar, those unique species.

1. which of the following is the habitat of the lemur?

A．Madagascar	B．Britain
C．An Indian island.	D．The coast

2. Why do scientists collect seeds from Madagascar?

A．The lemur will die out without them.

B．The flora on Madagascar is in great danger.

C．The island will sink to the bottom of the ocean.

D．The British seed bank wants to make money from them.

3. What is the result of the way people farm?

A．Many farmers have lost their homes.	B．The population is becoming smaller.
C．Some rare species are gone.	D．The crops are poor in nutrition.

4. How does the author sound?

A．Hopeless.

B．Enthusiastic.

C．Optimistic.

D．Worried.

【推荐2】Avoiding the worst effects of climate change will require action. But it’s hard to take action when you don’t even know there’s a problem. Around the world, only half of adults understand that humans are causing climate change through activities that produce greenhouse gases. But the picture is different for kids. Previous work has shown that children are more engaged and more knowledgeable than adults are about climate change. The question is, can we harness this to make a difference?

“We had come across this idea that kids are capable of influencing their parents. And when we say influence, we really mean just teaching them.” said Daniella Lawson, a social scientist at NC State University. “That’s what we set out to really investigate: can we design things in such a way that kids are able to teach their parents about climate change. A parent is willing and able to listen to their children speaking to them instead of just an adult on the street or a different climate communicator. ”

To test the idea, Lawson set up a wildlife-based climate course for kids. This approach was based on previous courses, but the team added a twist: involving the parents. First, parents were invited to come along to an event that formed a part of the course. And that’s not all. “So we also had students interview their parents. And this interview never mentioned climate change specifically. But it had questions like: how have you seen the weather change over the last five to ten years? Do you believe the sea level is rising? How do you think that could impact our communities?”

The study showed that the course did indeed increase concern about climate change: not just among the kids, but their parents too. And there were some surprising findings in the results. These findings come at a time when more kids are becoming climate activists. And Lawson says that her study shows just how persuasive young people’s voices can be.

1. What does the underlined word “harness” in paragraph one refer to?

A．Adopt.	B．Accumulate.
C．Review.	D．Control.

2. What can be learned from the first paragraph?

A．Effective actions have been taken to deal with climate change.

B．Most adults have realized the climate damages caused by themselves.

C．Children better adults in the area of climate change and its effects.

D．Adults and children will cooperate to deal with climate change.

3. About climate change teaching, which one will Daniella Lawson most probably agree with?

A．Kids can be taught by adults.

B．Adults can learn from the kids.

C．Climate communicators are more professional.

D．Parents are more likely to consult street adults.

4. What can be learned about the course?

A．The course involved is completely new.

B．Interviews and questionnaires are necessary in the course.

C．Adults and kids study separately during the course.

D．The course is relatively effective in climate education.

【推荐3】Diwali（Deepavali）is a festival of lights observed in October or November each year in Canada. During the festival, various community groups, businesses, schools and associations celebrate it in different ways. Some companies have Diwali dinners and some communities organize gatherings that feature firework displays, dances, street lighting, and plays.

Many women wear fine jewelry and silk outfits to celebrate Diwali. Some women and girls use Mehendi, a dye decoration which can last a limited time, on their palms, and then they will finally get colorful hand paintings. Many homes that celebrate Diwali have various types of sweets, salty and spiced food as well as Diwali herbs （香料）. Various lights, candles and sparklers are lit inside and outside homes, particularly in courtyards, on Diwali. Diwali is not a nationwide public holiday in Canada but it is a prevalent festival celebrated in many towns and cities. There may be traffic jams and parking places may be full in areas where events are held to celebrate Diwali. Some Indian businesses may close early on Diwali.

Diwali is called the "Festival of Lights" and is celebrated to honor Rama, a hero who once fought and won a battle against the demons（恶魔）. In the past, people lit their houses to celebrate his victory over demons（light over darkness）. At the same time, every household did careful and complete cleaning at home in advance. It is believed that the goddess of happiness and good fortune, Lakshmi travels around the Earth on this day and enters the house that is pure, clean, and bright.

Diwali celebrations may vary in different communities but its spiritual meaning is generally "the awareness of the inner light". As the word “Deepavali” means “a row or cluster of light”, the festival symbolizes the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness.

1. What can we learn about Diwali from the first two paragraphs?

A．It is celebrated on a fixed day.

B．It centers on various local food.

C．People stay up late to prepare for It.

D．People from all walks of life enjoy celebrating it.

2. What does the underlined word "prevalent" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Popular.	B．Free.
C．Serious.	D．Funny.

3. According to Paragraph 3, why did people make their houses bright and clean on Diwali?

A．To pray for good journey.

B．To expect joy and good luck.

C．To create a romantic atmosphere.

D．To welcome their friends to visit.

4. What's the present meaning of Diwali?

A．Showing respect for others.

B．Staying straight and positive.

C．Valuing your family members.

D．Improving your living environment.

5. What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?

A．To stress the importance of a public holiday.

B．To tell an interesting story about a Canadian festival.

C．To briefly introduce a traditional festival in Canada.

D．To show different holiday celebrations in Western cultures.