【推荐1】We were moving to a new state after my husband had been out of work for many months and we had no money. In fact, we had to borrow money to reach our destination town. Anyway, it was my husband, 2 boys aged 4 and 2, and myself, 7 months pregnant(怀孕的), in an old Volvo station wagon(旅行车). We had been driving for two days in the middle of winter (the car’s heater didn’t work), and we had taken a route that was very desolate. There was nothing around for miles-no cars, buildings, or signs of civilization. Suddenly, our car started losing power and the gauges(仪表) went all out of order. We saw a light in the distance and managed to roll to a stop in front of this property that looked like a small simple house. Our cell phones had not gotten reception for many miles, and it was freezing outside, so I didn’t know if we were going to make it out of this situation alive. My husband got out of the car to see if there was something he could do to get us rolling, but it was not looking good. A short while later, a man came out of the house and spoke with my husband a bit before inviting us all into his home. He and his wife took us in, fed us, and made us feel at home as we struggled to find some way to get to our destination, which was still a few hours’ drive away. We were able to call a friend and get a ride, leaving our broken car behind, but not before the couple gave us food and water for our journey. One week later, this clear sweet couple pulled our car all the way to our place and refused to take anything in return, except for us to pay it forward… and we have and will continue to do so forever.

1. The underlined word “desolate” probably means _________.

A．deserted	B．advanced
C．smooth	D．muddy

2. Knowing that the wagon had broken down, the author _________.

A．called her friends several miles away for help

B．stopped the car in front of a simple service station

C．was afraid that they couldn’t overcome the difficulty.

D．encouraged her husband and children to be confident

3. We can infer from the text that the family ___________.

A．got out of their financial difficulty

B．met with more troubles after that

C．came back to thank the couple who had help them

D．followed the couple’s example to help others

【推荐3】I was thrilled to go on an adventure with my master Rev.Young, a tall man with kind eyes.Mr. Muir was going too. But he said, “Such a helpless creature will only be in the way.” I was disappointed when I heard what he said, and yet I still wanted to follow him.

One stormy morning, Mr. Muir set out alone to study nature. He ordered me to stay behind. But I could not let him go alone, so I followed him into the wild weather. We crossed Taylor Glacier and endless sheet of ice, which was cut by cracks. I was unafraid and sailed over these bottomless holes. Mr. Muir was delighted that he was not crossing them alone.

As dusk fell, we reached an enormous crack that was impossible to jump across. In between the two sides was a U-shaped bridge of ice, so thin that one wrong step would mean dropping to your death. Daylight was disappearing, and gusty winds blew snow into my eyes. I turned to return to camp the way we came. However, Mr. Muir decided to cross the crack. He sat down and rode the narrow U-strip as if it were a horse. Once safe on the other side, he called out to me. But I had never been so terrified before. “I am not good at climbing steep slopes.” I was scared and thought.

Then I looked at Mr. Muir, already across on the safe side. Slowly, I began to cross it. I could feel his eyes on me the entire way. Before I knew it, I made the happiest landing of my life. I ran round and round and jumped up and hugged him. From that day on, we spent every moment together.

1. Why didn’t Mr. Muir want to take me with him at the beginning?

A．He suggested that I need some rest.

B．He possessed great self-confidence.

C．He considered me as a burden to him.

D．He thought I was too weak to make a trip.

2. How did Mr. Muir manage to cross the crack?

A．By climbing steep slopes.

B．By sliding over the U-strip.

C．By leaping across the crack.

D．By riding the narrow ice bridge.

3. Which of the following words best describes their trip?

A．Horrible.

B．Risky.

C．Well-planned.

D．Pleasant.

【推荐1】Tim Richter and his wife，Linda，had taught for over 30 years near Buffalo，New York-he in computers,she in special education．“Teaching means everything to us，”Tim would say．In April 1998,he learned he would need a heart operation．It was the kind of news that leads to some serious thinking about life’s purpose．

Not long after the surgery，Tim saw a brochure describing Imagination Library,a program started by Dolly Parton’s foundation（基金会）that mailed a book every month to children from birth to age five in the singer’s home town of Sevier，Tennessee．“I thought，maybe Linda and I could do something like this when we retire，”Tim recalls．He placed the brochure on his desk，“as a reminder．”

Five years later，now retired and with that brochure still on the desk，Tim clicked on imaginationlibrary．com．The program had been opened up to partners who could take advantage of book and postage discounts．

The quality of the books was of great concern to the Richters．Rather than sign up online，they went to Dollywood for a look-see．“We didn’t want to give the children rubbish，”says Linda．The books-reviewed each year by teachers，literacy specialists，and Dollywood board members-included classics such as Ezra Jack Keats’s The Snowy Day and newer books like Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama series．

Satisfied，the couple set up the Richter Family Foundation and got to work．Since 2004，they have shipped more than 12，200 books to preschoolers in their area．Megan Williams，a mother of four，is more than appreciative：“This program introduces us to books I’ve never heard of．”

The Richters spend about﹩400 a month sending books to 200 children．“Some people sit there and wait to die，”says Tim．“Others get as busy as they can in the time they have left．”

1. What led Tim to think seriously about the meaning of life？________

A．His health problem．

B．His love for teaching．

C．The influence of his wife．

D．The news from the Web．

2. What did Tim want to do after learning about Imagination Library？________

A．Give out brochures．

B．Do something similar．

C．Write books for children．

D．Retire from being a teacher．

3. Why did the Richters go to Dollywood？________

A．To avoid signing up online．

B．To meet Dollywood board members．

C．To make sure the books were the newest．

D．To see if the books were of good quality．

4. What can we learn from Tim’s words in the last paragraph？________

A．He needs more money to help the children．

B．He wonders why some people are so busy．

C．He tries to save those waiting to die．

D．He considers his efforts worthwhile．

【推荐3】One morning more than thirty years ago, I entered the Track Kitchen, a restaurant where everyone from the ordinary to the most powerful came for breakfast. I noticed an empty chair next to an elderly, unshaven man, who looked somewhat disheveled. He was wearing a worn-out hat and was alone. I asked if I might join him. He agreed quietly and I sat down to have my breakfast.

We cautiously began a conversation and spoke about a wide range of things. We never introduced ourselves. I was concerned that he might have no money and not be able to afford something to eat. So as I rose to go back to the counter and buy a second cup of coffee, I asked, “May I get you something?”

“A coffee would be nice.”

Then I bought him a cup of coffee. We talked more, and he accepted another cup of coffee. Finally, I rose to leave, wished him well, and headed for the exit. At the door I met one of my friends. He asked, “How did you get to know Mr. Galbreath?”

“Who?”

“The man you were sitting with. He is chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs.”

I could hardly believe it. I was buying, offering a free breakfast, and feeling pity for one of the world's richest and most powerful men!

My few minutes with Mr. Gallbreath changed my life. Now I try to treat everyone with respect, no matter who I think they are, and to meet another human being with kindness and sincerity.

1. What does the underlined word “disheveled” mean?

A．unfriendly

B．generous

C．untidy

D．gentle

2. The author bought coffee for the old man because ________.

A．he thought the old man was poor.	B．he wanted to start a conversation.
C．he intended to show his politeness.	D．he would like to thank the old man.

3. How did the author probably feel after he talked with his friend?

A．Disappointed

B．Pitiful

C．Astonished

D．Regretful.

4. What message is mainly expressed in the story?

A．Many hands make light work.	B．Never judge a book by its cover.
C．A friend in need is a friend indeed.	D．Helping others is helping yourself.

【推荐1】A seemingly small gesture at a restaurant outside Houston that wasn't part of the job description for a Waffle House waitress has now had a big effect on her life.

It happened last weekend, when 18­year­old Evoni Williams was serving an elderly man breakfast. He needed help. So Williams leaned over the table with a fork and a knife and cut up his ham for him. It might have ended there, but a customer named Laura Wolf was struck enough to take a picture and post it online.

“I didn't know the photo was taken until a couple of hours later，” Williams told the Houston Chronicle. “When I saw it, it's just something I would do for anybody. I was so busy in here, and I actually took the time to stop and hear what he had to say instead of walking past him.”

It apparently meant something to others too. As of Sunday, more than 130,000 people had reacted to the post and nearly 7,000 have shared it.But the story has extended beyond the Internet. Williams, a recent Texas City High School graduate, was honored at a ceremony, Thursday, with a $16,000 scholarship to Texas Southern University. Williams has reportedly been working full­time at the Waffle House to earn money toward school. Texas Southern University has assigned a counselor to help her begin her degree and she is planning to study business management.

Media at the local, national and international level have all picked up on the story. It is a moment among several in recent years, captured in a picture, put online, and capturing the attention of the Internet: like a New York City police officer giving a homeless man a pair of boots, or a restaurant goer whose wife died of cancer anonymously (匿名地) paying for the meal of another cancer patient.

1. Why did Laura Wolf take the photo and post it online?

A．She was really into recording some small gestures.

B．She wanted to draw attention to the restaurant.

C．She was touched by the considerate waitress.

D．She got paid by the restaurant to do so.

2. Why is a New York City police officer mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．To prove the power of the media.

B．To advocate helping those in need.

C．To show more people tend to use the Internet.

D．To argue the Internet is the center of attention.

3. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Wide web, colorful life	B．Small gesture, big effect
C．Little effort, big reward	D．Young mind, great influence

【推荐3】Our bachelor uncle lived with us, who loved hunting and fishing; and it was one of the pleasures of our young life to go fishing with him.

I remember my first fishing experience as if it happened yesterday. I was very excited when I received that first fishing pole from my uncle's hand, and went fishing with him. It was a still, sweet day of early summer; the leaves seemed greener, the flowers brighter, the birds merrier, than ever before.

My uncle considerately placed me at the most favorable point. I threw out my line as I had so often seen others, and waited anxiously for a bite, moving the bait (鱼饵) in rapid movement on the surface of the water just like the jumps of a frog. Nothing came of it. "Try again," said my uncle. Suddenly the bait sank out of sight. "Now for it," thought I, "here is a fish at last."

I made a strong pull, and brought up a tangle of weeds. Again and again I cast out my line with aching arms, and drew it back empty. "Try once more," he said, "we fishermen must have patience to catch a fish." "But remember, boy," he said, with his big smile, "never say you've caught a fish until it is on dry ground. It's no use showing off anything until it's done."

How often since I have been reminded of the fish that I did not catch! When I hear people boasting of a work as yet undone, I will remember the wise caution of my uncle in that particular instance takes the form of a proverb of universal application: "NEVER BOAST (吹嘘) OF YOUR FISH BEFORE YOU CATCH HIM."

1. From the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2, we can infer that_____________.

A．the leaves and the flowers were not so beautiful before.

B．the birds ate lots of fish and felt far merrier than before.

C．that day the author was much happier than ever before.

D．that day the uncle was much happier than ever before.

2. What message can we learn from the last two paragraphs?

A．Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

B．Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

C．One false step will make a great difference.

D．True friends have hearts that beat as one.

3. Which of the following can best describe the author’s uncle?

A．Strong and brave.	B．Wise and patient.
C．Patient and strong.	D．Lazy and talkative.

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

A．A sweet day of summer	B．My first fishing pole
C．The way to catch a fish	D．The fish I didn’t catch

【推荐1】Narayana Peesapaty was sitting on a flight when he noticed a passenger trying to reach food with a biscuit after breaking his spoon. At that moment, the researcher’s mind gave birth to a simple yet revolutionary concept — edible spoons.

How do you like your spoon?

Peesapaty’s company, Bakeys, makes edible spoons mainly out of sorghum(高粱）though rice, wheat and water are also ingredients. They combine to form a dry eating tool that remains hard even when used in moist or hot foods. Bakeys also makes ginger and garlic flavored(风味) spoons to meet specific requests. All spoons are completely natural and acceptable for nearly all diets.

A rice replacement

An environmentally-minded water researcher, Peesapaty, designed his spoons to be eco-friendly in several ways. Sorghum was chosen as the main ingredient of the spoons instead of rice, which requires 60 times as much water. Sorghum was also chosen for the strength it would lend eating tool, and the grain requires little water, low energy and no chemicals to grow.

In place of plastic

The goal that Peesapaty hopes to attain through Bakeys is to prevent plastic from any contact with food. Plastic products can contain cancer-causing substances that come into food, and average plastic bottles take 450 years to break down. In contrast, a Bakeys’ spoon is nutritious and break down in 10 days or less if thrown away. Peesapaty admits that using plastic is cheaper, but he also says that his spoons will be equally inexpensive when mass-produced.

1. Why is “the edible spoon” called a revolutionary concept?

A．It is natural and eatable.	B．It remains hard in hot foods.
C．It offers various flavors.	D．It meets all customers’ requests.

2. What’s Peesapaty’s main concern when choosing sorghum as main ingredient?

A．Being delicious.	B．Being strong.
C．Being nutritious.	D．Being eco-friendly.

3. What’s the main advantage of edible spoons over plastic ones?

A．Cheaper.	B．Breaking down easily.
C．Tougher.	D．Contacting food directly.

【推荐2】You need some bread and milk. But half an hour later, you leave the supermarket with a trolley (手推车) full of food. What games do supermarkets play to make us spend so much money?

The tricks start just when you go into the supermarkets and, of course, a small basket would be fine, but all they have are trolleys. And of course the problem with a trolley is that it looks sad and lonely with just one or two products inside. So we may fill it with something. In fact, supermarket trolleys are actually getting bigger so that we buy more.

Of course, many people shop in supermarkets because they think everything is cheaper than in other shops. So supermarkets offer very cheap prices on some things but then have higher prices for other products. One new trick is to put red stickers (标签) on products. Customers usually connect red stickers with lower prices so the red stickers are easy to be noticed, even when there is no reduction! Interestingly, this trick appears to work more with men than with women.

There is a story behind the position of everything in the supermarket. For example, customers often go only to buy milk. So they put it right at the back, forcing you to go past hundreds of shelves full of other products. The position of products on each shelf is also important. The most expensive products are usually at eye-level so you see these immediately. The exception is anything that children might like. These products are on lower shelves so that kids see them.

Apart from what you see and smell in a supermarket, what about what you listen to? In most supermarkets they have soft, slow music. It’s so relaxing that you slow down and spend more time (and money) in the store. You also move more slowly when the supermarket is busy. Experts suggest it’s better to shop when it’s quieter, on a Monday or a Tuesday for example. And be careful with queues at the checkouts. These are sometimes deliberate, to make you buy something from the checkout shelves while you wait.

So, next time you go into your local supermarket, remember these tricks and see if you can come with just the things you went for.

1. Supermarkets provide trolleys instead of small baskets because ________.

A．trolleys can help customers move quickly and save time

B．baskets can hold only one or two products inside

C．it is inconvenient for customers to use baskets

D．trolleys are bigger so that customers can buy more

2. What’s the main purpose of putting red stickers on some products?

A．To attract customers and mislead them into thinking those goods are cheaper.

B．To tell the men customers those goods are especially made for them.

C．To remind customers those products are bargain goods.

D．To make them look fresher and more beautiful.

3. Where are the most expensive products usually put in the supermarkets?

A．Right at the back of the supermarkets.

B．At the entrance to the supermarkets.

C．On lower shelves where kids can get them easily.

D．On eye-level shelves where customers can see them immediately.

4. We can learn from Para. 5 that supermarkets usually ________.

A．stop people lining up at the checkouts

B．make customers spend more money by playing relaxing music

C．have no customers on Mondays and Tuesdays

D．force customers to buy something from the checkout shelves

【推荐3】When my family moved to America in 2010 from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect elders. Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States.
I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One time, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the elderly. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long lecture about how sensitive(敏感) Americans are and how they dislike the description “old”. I then walked back to the table and apologized to the wife. After the couple heard my reason, they understood that the problem was caused by cultural differences, so they laughed and were no longer angry.
In my village in China, people are proud of being old. Not so many people live to be seventy or eighty, and people who reach such an age have the most knowledge and experience. Young people always respect older people because they know they can learn from their rich experience.
However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem since “old” shows that a person is going to retire or that the body is not working well. Here many people try to keep themselves away from growing old by doing exercises or jogging, and women put on makeup, hoping to look young. When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect the elderly, they got angry because this caused them to feel they had failed to stay young. I had told them something they didn’t want to hear.
After that, I changed the way I had been with older people. It is not that I don’t respect them any more; I still respect them, but now I don’t show my feelings through words.
By Jack
1. Jack brought the couple their food very fast because _______.

A．the manager asked him to do so

B．he respected the elderly

C．the couple wanted him to do so

D．he wanted more pay

2. When Jack called the couple “elderly”, they became _______.

A．nervous

B．satisfied

C．Unhappy

D．excited

3. In Jack’s hometown, _______.

A．people dislike being called “old”

B．people are proud of being old

C．many people reach the age of seventy or eighty

D．the elderly are the first to get food in restaurants

4. After this experience, Jack _______.

A．lost his job in the restaurant

B．made friends with the couple

C．no longer respected the elderly

D．changed his way with older people

5. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．The more Jack explained, the angrier the couple got.

B．Jack wanted to show his feelings through words after his experience.

C．The manager went back to the table and apologized to the couple.

D．From this experience, Jack learned more about American culture.