【推荐1】Most drinks stating that they are fruit-flavored contain no fruit at all, while most of the rest contain only a small quantity of fruit, according to a study carried by the British Food Commission.

“Shoppers need to check the labels before buying drinks, though sometimes the actual content can be non-existent,” said Food Commission spokesperson Ian Tokelove. “Food production is highly competitive.    1    It will increase profits, and consumers won’t always realize they are being tricked.” Flavorings are focused on the flavors of natural food products such as fruits, meats and vegetables, or creating flavor for food products that do not have the desired flavors. Researchers analyzed the contents of 28 strawberry-flavored products sold in stores.

    2    Of the 11 products that did contain strawberries, five of them contained less than one percent real fruit.

    3     Let’s take jam as an example. Some strawberry-flavored jam was labeled as containing no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners, but it contained absolutely no strawberries at all.    4    Consumers have the rights to know clearly about what they have bought. Under current UK law, food packages do not have to distinguish between natural and artificial flavoring. “Describing a product as strawberry flavor and covering the surface of the packet with pictures of strawberries is misleading.    5    Unfortunately, it is also legal and widespread,” Tokelove said “It’s time to take measures to protect the consumers’ rights.”

A．The products which contain real fruit are popular with people.

B．In addition, products advertised as more natural often contained no fruit.

C．They found that about 60 percent of them didn’t contain any fruit at all.

D．If companies can cut their costs by using flavoring, they are likely to do so.

E．It is important and necessary to demand a small amount of flavoring in the products.

F．Actually the product contains just a tiny percentage of strawberry or even no fruit at all.

G．The Food Commission suggested all flavors used in a product should be listed on the packaging.

【推荐3】Tea is the second most popular drink in the world after water．There are different kinds of tea including green tea and black tea．A cup of tea has become a part of our daily lives and our culture．Earlier, tea used to be made in large pots．Hot water was poured over a bunch of tea leaves even to make a single cup．It is believed that this led to waste of tea and that is where the story of the teabag comes in．

It is more convenient and easier to use a teabag than to brew(沏) fresh tea leaves every time you want to make a cup of tea．With the help of teabags, tea was made available in places like offices and airplanes．In order to make tea taste good, you need to remove the dried leaves after brewing．With teabags, you can brew a great cup of tea without a tea strainer．

“Who invented the teabag？”has been a question for a very long time．There are some interesting stories about this question, but the most popular one is of a New York tea businessman, Thomas Sullivan．In 1908, he sent samples of tea to his customers in small silk bags．A few of his customers thought that these bags were to be dipped(浸) in water to brew tea and so they did not empty out the tea．Sullivan did not realize this till the time he started receiving complaints from customers about the orders not being sent in bags．Then he started producing teabags and because of silk being too expensive he later used gauze(纱布)．

The_popular_Sullivan_story_lacks_evidence．Whatever the truth may be, we will be ever so thankful to whoever came up with this wonderful product．Teabags have managed to make our lives so much easier．By the 1920s, teabags had successfully become the new way of drinking．It brought about a great change in our habit of drinking tea．

1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?

A．It is a waste of time to brew tea in pots．

B．The teabag was produced to replace traditional tea．

C．Tea is second only to water as a popular drink．

D．Green tea and black tea are most popular among all kinds of tea．

2. What advantage does the teabag have according to Paragraph 2?

A．It is easier to use．

B．It saves more space．

C．It makes the tea taste better．

D．It provides more choices for people．

3. What can we learn about Thomas Sullivan from the passage?

A．He was a popular tea businessman in England．

B．He taught his customers to use teabags．

C．He used silk to make teabags at first．

D．He liked drinking tea very much．

4. What does the author mean by the underlined part in the last paragraph?

A．The story has not been proven to be true．

B．The story cannot explain all the truth．

C．The story is hardly accepted by experts．

D．The story provides evidence of the teabag’s history．

【推荐1】Finding a mask which offers you a high protection level is crucial to filtering (过滤) out any particles for a long time. However, after a few hours, the mask becomes contaminated (污染) by the particles and you need to replace it with a new one. See, you have to get a mask offering active protection in addition to passive filtration.

The first rule of a mask offering you any kind of protection is that it needs to fit well. The mask also needs to be comfortable and allow you to breathe easily for you to be able to keep it on for as many hours as you need.

During long hours of wear, food and dirt may remain on the inside of your mask. All the hours spent in a place with less-than-ideal conditions for human health are wonderful news for bacteria that thrive on food particles and muck left behind on the inside of your mask. This growth opportunity for bacteria could not just be dangerous but could also cause a bad smell. So you’d better have a kind that kills off the smell-causing bacteria, leaving your mask smelling fresh.

You should look for cloth masks that have multiple layers of breathable fabric that is tightly woven, include a robust (结实的) nose wire for you to adjust the mask to the shape of your face and prevent air escaping from around your nose, do not have gaps around the nose or sides of the face and that block out the light if you hold the mask up to a bright light source. It is good for the mask to come with your choice of either head straps or ear straps, both adjustable. It is also good if the mask has different sizes ranging from kids to adults to ensure everyone stays protected.

1. What is most important about a mask according to the first paragraph?

A．Offering passive filtration.

B．Offering active protection.

C．Working for long hours.

D．Filtering out all particles.

2. Why should a mask have a robust nose wire?

A．To shape your face.

B．To block out the light.

C．To offer different sizes ranging from kids to adults.

D．For you to adjust the shape and prevent air escaping.

3. Which of the following can’t be adjusted?

A．The size.	B．The ear strap.
C．The nose wire.	D．The head strap.

4. Whom is the passage intended for?

A．Kids.	B．Doctors.
C．Citizens.	D．Mask makers.

【推荐2】A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." However, that's not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn't matter if the words come from someone 's else or ourselves- -the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.

We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We 're usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn't be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.

This“self-talk" helps us motivate (激励) ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order lo stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying“Good job!"

Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh (刻薄的) and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.

Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking. we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn't pass this test, then it's better left unsaid.

Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem (自尊) and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.

1. The main idea of the first paragraph is that

A．negative words may let us down

B．inspiring words give us confidence

C．words have a lasting effect on us

D．not sticks and stones but words will hurt us

2. There is no sense for us to feel embarrassed when we talk to ourselves because

A．we can benefit from talking to ourselves

B．talking to ourselves always gives us courage

C．almost everybody has the habit of talking to themselves

D．it does no harm to have “self-talk" when we are alone

3. The underlined part in the third paragraph means that we should also timely

A．remind ourselves

B．give ourselves amusement

C．make ourselves relaxed

D．praise ourselves

4. The author would probably hold the view that

A．encouraging words are sure to lead to kind offers

B．it is better to think twice before talking to others

C．people tend to remember friendly words

D．negative words may inspire us to make more progress

【推荐3】More than two thirds of the world's polar bears will be wiped out by 2050，according to a shocking new study. By then，scientists say，global warming will have melted 42 percent of the Arctic sea ice. By 2100，only a very few of these important creatures will be left.
The report has been produced by the US Geological Survey. The scientists have publicized their findings in the hope of influencing US Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne，who has been asked to put polar bears on the US endangered species list.
Polar bears depend on floating sea ice as a platform for hunting seals，which are their main food. Without enough ice，polar bears would be forced to go onto the land，where they are poorly skilled hunters，and would be unlikely to adapt to the life on the land in time. Experts say few little bears would survive and the stress could make many females unable to get pregnant.
The team of American and Canadian scientists spent six months studying bears，on the ground，from spotter planes and in the lab，using computer models.
Some team members fear the result is even worse for the bears than what their report says. They say the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere in the world and much faster than their computer had been forecasting. Satellite observations have showed that the ice has decreased to an all－time low.
However，not everyone in the scientific community believes that global warming is happening on such an alarming scale. Another investigation has found that polar bears are still being hunted by wealthy “sportsmen” who want their skins and heads. At least ten international companies offer bear－hunting trips.
1. What do we know about Dirk Kempthorne according to the passage?

A．He is an animal scientist.

B．He is a protector of animals working for the US government.

C．He was asked to put polar bears on the US endangered species list.

D．He offered to put polar bears on the endangered species list.

2. Why will polar bears die out if there is not enough sea ice?

A．Because polar bears can't catch enough food without ice.

B．Because polar bears eat ice when they feel thirsty.

C．Because polar bears will be easily found by hunters without ice.

D．Because most female bears are used to giving birth under ice.

3. After a six－month study，some scientists fear that ________．

A．there is something wrong with their computers

B．polar bears will disappear even faster than they ever expected

C．their computer models are not as accurate as they expected

D．global warming will destroy everything in the Arctic

4. What does the writer want to tell us in the last paragraph?

A．The forecast about the future of polar bears is not correct.

B．Global warming won't have any effect on hunting trips in the Arctic.

C．Polar bears are an endangered species as a result of bear－hunting.

D．People don't pay enough attention to the protection of endangered species.

【推荐1】The baggy yellow shirt had long sleeves and four extra-large pockets. It was faded (褪色) from years of wear, but still in good shape. I found it in 1963 when I was home from college on Christmas break, looking through bags of clothes Mom planned to give away. Seeing me packing the yellow shirt, Mom said, “I wore that when I was pregnant (怀孕) with your brother in 1954!”

“It’s just the thing to wear over my clothes during art class, Mom. Thanks!” Then I put it into my suitcase. The yellow shirt became a part of my college wardrobe (衣橱). I loved it. After graduation, I wore the shirt the day I moved into my new apartment and on Saturday mornings when I cleaned.

The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I wore the yellow shirt. I missed Mom and the rest of my family, since we were in Colorado and they were in Illinois. But that shirt helped. I smiled, remembering that Mother had worn it. That Christmas, I repaired one sleeve, packed it in holiday paper and sent it to Mom. When Mom wrote to thank me for her real gifts, she said the yellow shirt was lovely.

The next year, my husband, daughter and I stopped at Mom and Dad’s to pick up some furniture. Days later, at the kitchen table, I noticed something yellow tied to its bottom. The shirt! And so the pattern was set. On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt under Mom and Dad’s mattress (床垫). I don’t know how long it took for her to find it, but almost two years passed before I discovered it under the base of our living-room floor lamp. The yellow shirt was just what I needed now while refinishing (重新整修) furniture.

1. After college graduation, the writer used to wear the shirt when ______.

A．she had art classes	B．she cleaned the new apartment
C．she searched her wardrobe	D．she played with her brother

2. When the writer was in Colorado, ______.

A．the shirt was too old to wear	B．the writer stayed with her mother
C．the shirt comforted her in feelings	D．the writer finished her college education

3. What did the writer mean by saying “the pattern was set” in Paragraph 5?

A．The shirt was cleaned and well hidden.	B．The shirt was often hidden and found.
C．The shirt was kept by the writer’s mom.	D．The shirt was found before refinishing furniture.

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

A．My Mother’s Big Secret	B．My Lovely Yellow Shirt
C．My Favorite Clothes at College	D．My Family’s Yellow Shirt

【推荐2】I was shopping in the supermarket when I heard a young voice. “Mom, come here! There’s a lady here my size!” The mother rushed to her son; then she turned to me to apologize. I smiled and told her, “It’s okay.” Then talked to the boy, “Hi, I’m Darry Kramer. How are you?” He studied me from head to toe, and asked, “Are you a little mommy?” “Yes, I have a son,” I answered. “Why are you so little?” he asked. “It’s the way I was born,” I said. “Some people are little. Some are tall. I’m just not going to grow any bigger.” After I answered his other questions, I shook the boy’s hand and left.
My life as a little person is filled with stories like that. I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I look different from their parents.
It takes only one glance to see my uniqueness. I stand three feet nine inches tall. I was born an achondroplasia dwarf (侏儒). Despite this, I did all the things other kids did when I was growing up.
I didn’t realize how short I was until I started school. Some kids joked on me, calling me names. Then I knew. I began to hate the first day of school each year. New students would always stare at me as I struggled to climb the school bus stairs.
But I learned to smile and accept the fact that I was going to be noticed my whole life. I decided to make my uniqueness an advantage rather than a disadvantage. What I lacked in height, I made up for in personality.
I’m 47 now, and the stares have not diminished as I’ve grown older. People are amazed when they see me driving. I try to keep a good attitude. When people are rude, I remind myself, “Look what else I have--a great family, nice friends.”
It’s the children’s questions that make my life special. I enjoy answering their questions. My hope is that I will encourage them to accept their peers (a person of the same age, class, position, etc.), whatever size and shape they come in, and treat them with respect.
1. Why did the mother apologize to the author?

A．Because the boy studied the author from head to toe.

B．Because the boy laughed at the author.

C．Because they boy said the author was shorter than him.

D．Because the mother thought the boy’s words had hurt the author.

2. When did the author realize that she was too short?

A．When she grew up.

B．When she began to go to school.

C．When she was 47 years old.

D．When she met the boy in the supermarket.

3. Which of the following word can best replace the underlined word “diminished”?

A．doubted	B．decreased
C．remained	D．improved

4. Which is NOT true about the author according to the passage?

A．She suffered lots of discrimination when growing up.

B．She is grateful for what she has.

C．She doesn’t see herself different.

D．She thinks people should be treated equally.

【推荐3】In 2011, Nancy Ballard went for a routine checkup that turned into something extraordinary. In fact, she was carrying a painting of a plant she’d done when she arrived at her doctor’s San Francisco office. “It would be great if we had artwork like that for our chemotherapy (化疗) rooms,” the nurse said. Ballard asked to see one.

She was shocked by what she found. The walls were dull and bare, and the paint had fallen off. It was a room where sad patients are receiving their routine—patients limited themselves to chemo drips (点滴) for perhaps several hours, often with nothing to look at except those sad walls. Ballard didn’t have cancer herself, but she had pity on the patients. “I couldn’t imagine how anyone could even think about getting healthy in a room like that,” she says. As it happens, Ballard’s doctor, Stephen Hufford, was ill with cancer himself, so finding time to decorate the rooms was low on his to-do list. So Ballard made it her mission to brighten the place up.

She started by emailing 20 local designers. “I wrote, ‘You don’t know me. But my heart hurts after seeing these rooms.’” she said. She then asked whether they would donate their time and money to transform just one of Dr. Hufford’s rooms each.

As it happens, six of them wrote back almost immediately. Six rooms got new paint, light fixtures, artwork, and furniture. Dr. Hufford was delighted. “All the patients feel the relief of the pain because of it,” he said. He even noted that his own voice was different in the rooms and that he was better able to connect with his patients.

Ballard was so encouraged by the patients’ reaction that she created a non-profit organization, Rooms That Rock Chemo, to raise money and decorate more spaces. Since then, she has worked on 20 projects, including one in Pennsylvania. “We were in Philadelphia for an opening ceremony, and a woman was there on her third battle with cancer,” says Ballard. “When she saw what we’d done, she said, ‘I’m gonna beat it this time. I thought I wasn’t going to, but now I’m gonna beat it.’”

1. What made Ballard decide to help decorate the chemotherapy rooms?

A．Her pity for cancer patients.

B．Her passion for room decoration.

C．The good relationship with Hufford.

D．The request of a nurse in San Francisco.

2. What result does Ballard’s efforts bring about?

A．More hospitals will be built.

B．Hufford cured more patients.

C．The cancer patients were feeling better.

D．Hufford’s chemotherapy rooms got good reputation.

3. Which words best describe Nancy Ballard?

A．Rich and generous.	B．Talented and energetic.
C．Loving and devoted.	D．Ambitious and creative.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the passage?

A．Battle Against Cancer	B．Design for Hope
C．Donation for Patients	D．Decoration in Hospital

【推荐2】A higher proportion of Americans are living alone and spending time alone than in past decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau，a third of U.S. adults over 45 reports being lonely. Less than half of U.S. adults participate in an organized religious group and less than a quarter participate in a social club or a local sports league. And the problem has been getting worse.

It sounds bad, but, after all, some people like being alone, and we all have to do it sometimes, so what’s the problem? According to a widely reported 2019 analysis of studies, being socially isolated, feeling lonely and living alone corresponded with an increased risk of mortality (死亡) by 29 percent, 26 percent, and 32 percent respectively. Lacking social connection carries a risk that is comparable, and in many cases, exceeds that of other well-accepted risk factors, including smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day, obesity, physical inactivity. and air pollution.

“Loneliness is the subjective feeling of being alone,” Dr. Holt-Lunstad, the lead author of that study tells The Healthy. “It’s defined as the discrepancy between one’s actual level of social connection and one’s desired level of social connection.” “Social isolation means having few relationships and infrequent social contacts,” Dr. Holt-Lunstad adds, “someone who is isolated is at greater risk of becoming lonely, but you can be lonely and not isolated and isolated and not lonely.”

The epidemic of loneliness is compounded today by the coronavirus pandemic which makes the government ask people to stay by themselves. What can we do to mitigate the negative healthy effects? Dr. Holt-Lunstad recommends. “You could view your situation as being tapped or forced to stay home, or you could change your concept to thinking about this as ‘this is something I am doing to protect the ones I love’. And helping care for someone, an animal or even a plant can help reduce the feeling of loneliness and improve survival rate. Another step you can take is to connect with people in your life who you haven’t reached out to in a while.” Dr. Holt-Lunstad also says, “The greatest gift we can give people is our full attention. That means not just sharing but listening and listening deeply.”

1. What can be inferred from the first two paragraphs?

A．Americans gradually dislike participating in social activities.

B．Feeling lonely accounts for about one third of deaths in America.

C．Living alone can result in smoking more and physical inactivity.

D．The problem of loneliness in America is very serious.

2. What do we know about loneliness according to the passage?

A．Someone who is alone must be lonely.

B．Someone who is isolated must be lonely.

C．Someone who is isolated may not be lonely.

D．Someone who has frequent social contact can’t be lonely.

3. Which measure can be used to deal with loneliness?

A．Shifting our concept.	B．Self-supporting.
C．Reaching out to strangers.	D．Light listening.

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

A．Are you feeling isolated?	B．Loneliness is worsening in America.
C．The risks of being lonely.	D．How can we deal with loneliness?