【推荐1】It's always adventurous and romantic to visit an island country. Take a look at some breathtakingly beautiful island countries in the world, which everyone should visit at least once in his lifetime.

Maldives

It's believed that Maldives is one of the most popular honeymoon places as well as one of the most beautiful island countries. Situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Maldives is made up of a series of ancient coral reefs that grow up along the sides of ancient volcanoes, with fascinating beaches.

Fiji

Fiji has plenty of surprises for any adventurous travelers. It is famous for the world's best surf scenes, attracting many surfing lovers to ride the great waves. Well, if surfing is not for you and you love sitting on the beach and relaxing, hiking or seeing breathtaking waterfalls, Fiji is also a suitable island country to visit.

Malta

Malta, a beautiful southern European country in the Mediterranean Sea, has a rich history and culture. There are amazing sky-high cliffs to climb, wonderful temples to visit and lots of amazing places to go diving. There are plenty of interesting things to explore here and everyone can find something to enjoy. The historic part of Malta is shown in its architecture, great walled cities, and many underground tunnels.

1. Which place will be most likely to be chosen by a newly-married couple according to the text?

A．The Mediterranean Sea.	B．Maldives.
C．Malta.	D．Fiji.

2. What is the special part about Fiji?

A．You can see the world’s most breathtaking waterfalls.

B．It is surfing lovers' favourite island country.

C．There are sky-high cliffs to explore.

D．You can try the world's longest tunnels.

3. What can tourists do in Malta?

A．Hike on green plains.	B．Ride the greatest waves.
C．See breathtaking waterfalls.	D．Explore underground tunnels.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A hotel advertisement.	B．A travel guidebook.
C．A geography book.	D．A service newspaper.

【推荐3】The Terracotta Army is one of the must-visit attractions for all travellers to China. The attraction is located in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province.

What’s special?

The Terracotta Army is the buried army of Qin Shi Huang, an ancient Chinese emperor. These ancient sculptures were built and buried over two thousand years ago near the city of Xi’an. They were discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well to look for underground water. Over eight thousand terracotta warriors and horses have been uncovered since then. Each warrior is made of clay. They are around two meters tall. The sculptures are so detailed that it is possible to guess the age, rank and personality of each one. None of the warriors are the same.

The best time to visit

The Terracotta Army is an indoor attraction, which is not likely to be affected by weather, so it can be visited all year round.

As the museum is one of the must-visit attractions in China, it is crowded most of the time. We advise our customers to avoid the following periods when the museum is particularly crowded：

·National Day Holiday (October 1~7), when it is fully packed.

·Labour Day Holiday

Weather in winter is dry, cold and the least comfortable, and it’s also the worst season for air quality, but it’s also low season.

Travel style: private, group or independent?

A private tour means a lot of flexibility (灵活性), and you will be well taken care of by a private guide and a driver. The museum is crowded most of the time, but our guides know how to escape the crowds, and help you to enjoy more in the museum. See our 3­Day Terracotta Warriors Private Tour.

Going with a group you won’t get lost, but it lacks flexibility and personal service.

Travelling on your own, you may meet a lot of trouble, such as wasting time on finding a taxi or public bus to the attraction, lining up for tickets, reading maps, making sense of Chinese signs, etc.

1. What can we know about the Terracotta Army from the first two paragraphs?

A．The soldiers are made of clay.

B．The soldiers are of the same age.

C．It is discovered by workers.

D．It is located in the center of Xi’an.

2. Which is the best time to avoid crowds?

A．Summer holidays.	B．National Day Holiday.
C．Labour Day Holiday.	D．Clear winter days.

3. If you want to travel with the least trouble, which should you choose?

A．A private tour.	B．A tour group.
C．Travelling on your own.	D．A family tour.

【推荐1】Last summer, after finishing my work in China. I took the trip of a lifetime on the Trans-Siberian Railway (西伯利亚铁路). Leaving Beijing early on a Wednesday morning in July, my wife and I travelled through some awesome (令人惊叹的) countryside before we arrived in Moscow the following Monday.

The first part of the journey took us past the Great Wall and through the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. At the Mongolian border, we had a delay (耽搁) while the wheels were changed because the railway is different.

On our way to the capital, Ulan Bator, we saw herdsmen (牧人) on horseback looking after their cattle. There was a great thunderstorm as we crossed a vast open plain. Later we had a quick tour of Ulan Bator.

Next, the train took us into Siberia. After a stop at Irkutsk, a popular holiday resort (度假胜地), where a tour group left the train, we passed the great Lake Baikal. Later, we saw some lovely wooden houses in pretty and sunny countryside. This surprised us, as we had imagined Siberia as being covered with thick snow.

Over the next few days, we passed through Novosibirsk, Omsk and other cities in the heartlands of the Russian Federation. By now, our body clocks were losing their sense of time. We wanted to sleep and eat at the wrong time!

At last we reached Moscow. We were so tired that we slept for 16 hours that night. The next day we went sightseeing. We saw the Kremlin and some other magnificent (宏伟的) buildings in the Russian capital. Then, all too soon, it was time for us to return to our home in London.

1. How many days did it take the author to reach Moscow?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Seven.

D．Six.

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The author’s body clock ran faster than the others’.

B．The author travelled with a group of friends.

C．Ulan Bator is the capital of Mongolia.

D．The train broke down at the Mongolian border.

3. The author was surprised by Siberia because ________.

A．it was not covered with snow and it was sunny

B．the houses there were so pretty

C．there were many tourists there

D．it was covered with thick snow

4. The passage mainly tells us ________.

A．how to travel to Moscow from Beijing

B．the trip from Beijing to Moscow

C．how wonderful the capital of Russia is

D．the Trans-Siberian Railway

【推荐1】I seldom kept my things tidy and in order, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.

War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started shouting. She shouted back louder.

The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.

Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so busy with my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression was such disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”

Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.

1. Why was Kate angry that evening?

A．She couldn’t find her books.

B．She heard the author shouting loud.

C．She saw the author’s shoes under her bed.

D．She got the news that her grandma was ill.

2. Why did the author tidy up the room?

A．She wanted to show her care.

B．She was scared by Kate’s anger.

C．She was asked by Kate to do so.

D．She hated herself for being so messy.

3. What could be the best title for the text?

A．My School Life	B．Hard Work Pays off
C．How to be Organized	D．Learning to be Roommates

【推荐2】When my daughter was ten, she and my husband Joe, were united in their desire for a dog. As for me, I shared none of their canine just, because I have no time to take care of a dog. “But we’ll do it.” “Really? You’re going to walk the dog? Feed the dog? Bathe the dog?” “Yes, we promise.”

They didn’t. From day two (everyone wanted to walk the cute puppy that first day), neither thought to walk the dog. While I was slow to accept that I would be the one to keep track of her shots, to schedule her vet appointments, to feed and clean her, Misty knew this one day one.

Quickly, we developed something of a Vulcan mind meld (心灵融合). She’d look at me with those sad brown eyes, beam her need, and then wait, trusting I would understand, which, strangely. I almost always did. She kept me company, snoring on my home-office couch as I worked, cradling against my feet as I read, and splaying across my stomach as I watched television

Even so, I’d balk (畏缩，犹豫) silently as she and I walked. Not fair.

One day my husband’s doctor uttered an unthinkable word: leukemic (白血病). I spent eight to ten hours a day with Joe in the hospital, doing anything and everything I could to ease his discomfort. Every part of my life changed; no part of my old routine remained.

Save one: Misty still needed walking. At the beginning, when friends offered to take her through her paces, I declined because I knew they had their own households to deal with. As the months went by, I began to realize that I actually wanted to walk Misty. The morning walk before I headed to the hospital was a quiet, peaceful time to gather my thoughts before the day’s medical drama unfolded. The evening walk was a time to shake off the day’s upsets and let the worry tracks in my head go to white noise.

After Joe died, Misty slept on his pillow.

I’m grateful to a point. After years of balking. I’ve come to enjoy my walls with Misty. As I watch her chase a squirrel, throwing her whole being into the here-and-now of an exercise that has never once ended in victory, she reminded me, too, that no matter how harsh the present or unpredictable the future, there’s almost always some measure of joy to be extracted from the moment.

1. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined part in Paragraph 1?

A．I was afraid of dog	B．I didn’t want to share anything with them
C．I didn’t care their desire.	D．I didn’t agree to raise a dog.

2. What can we learn from Paragraphs 3 and 4?

A．The author didn’t want to walk the dog because she didn’t like her.

B．The dog was naughty and annoying.

C．Although loving the dog, she was reluctant to walk her.

D．She would rather stay at home with Misty than walk her.

3. The story came to its turning point when ____________.

A．Joe died	B．the writer began to walk the dog
C．Joe fell ill	D．the dog tried to please the writer

4. Why did the writer continue to walk Misty while Joe was in hospital?

A．Because the walk provided her with spiritual comfort.

B．Because her friends didn’t offer any help.

C．Because she could unfold the day’s medical drama.

D．Because she didn’t want Misty to be others’ companion

5. What message does the author want to convey in the passage?

A．One should learn to enjoy hard times.

B．A disaster can change everything in life.

C．Confronted with difficulty, we still have moments to enjoy.

D．People will change their attitude toward you when you are in difficulty.

【推荐3】For many years, Bruce Bexler dreamed of going where no human had gone before. He wanted to cut a path through unexplored lands and discover rare, exotic species.

That might sound like an impossible dream, but Bexler turned it into a reality.

In December 2015, he and a team of Australian and American scientists ventured into an isolated tropical rain forest on the island of New Guinea. They were the first people ever to enter the mist-covered region. “As time was limited, we were dropped in by helicopter. Once we were on the ground, there were no trails anywhere; it was really hard to get around,” Bexler says.

Within minutes of landing, the team spotted a black chicken-like bird with strange orange skin hanging from its neck. The scientists soon determined that the unusual creature was a type of honeyeater — the first new bird species to be sighted on New Guinea in 60 years.

The honeyeater wasn’t the only surprise for the scientists. They discovered more than 40 previously unknown plant and animal species — 13 birds of paradise, 20 frogs, four butterflies, and five palms. “We were like kids in a candy store,” Bexler recalls. “Everywhere we looked, we saw amazing things we had never seen before.”

The newfound species didn’t shy away from the scientists. Two long-nosed echidnas — primitive egg-laying mammals — let the visitors pick them up and take them back to camp to study them. An echidna looks like a hedgehog and is also called a spiny anteater.

Bexler thinks the animals weren’t scared because they had never seen humans before. “In almost all parts of New Guinea, animals are hunted for food, and because of this, they are very cautious of people,” he explains. “This area gives scientists a place where they can go to study the behaviours of animals that have not yet learned to be afraid of people.”

Scientists believe the area is probably the largest untouched forest in Asia. Local people called Kwerba hunt and collect plants from the outer-edges of the forest but told Bexler that not even their ancestors had gone so far into the woods. The wooded area is approximately a 10-day walk from the nearest village.

Bexler and his team did not have enough time during the expedition to study the area completely. They hope to return and expect to record many more undiscovered species. “We just scratched the surface,” Bexler says. “Anyone who goes there will come back with a mystery.”

1. Which word best describes Bruce Bexler?

A．Adventurous.	B．Cautious.
C．Optimistic.	D．Thorough.

2. What does Bruce Bexler mean in Paragraph 5 when he says the scientists “were like kids in a candy store”?

A．They didn’t have enough food and were hungry.

B．They were very excited about what they saw.

C．They were misbehaving like naughty children.

D．They knew that if they kept searching, they’d find sugar.

3. Why did some of the animals allow the scientists to pick them up?

A．The scientists seemed to be very friendly.

B．The scientists were skilled in handling animals.

C．The animals had been well-trained by the local people.

D．The animals had no experience or fear of people.

4. What can we conclude about the area Bruce Bexler explored?

A．The best way to explore the area is by helicopter.

B．The area has not been visited by scientists for many years.

C．The area still contains many plants and animals unknown to science.

D．The locals are unwilling to allow the scientists to enter the deep woods.

【推荐1】第二部分：阅读理解(共15小题：
阅读下列短文, 从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中, 选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The ability to do several things at once has become one of the great measures of self-worth for 21-century Americans. It is called multitasking, and it takes many forms. As one example, why go out to lunch when you can eat at your desk, talk to a client on the phone, scroll through your e-mail, and scan a memo simultaneously? And why simply work out on treadmill (单调的工作) when you could be watching television and talking on a portable phone at the same time? What a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment --- three activities for the time commitment of one! Ah, such efficiency. No wonder those who turn “to do” lists into a time-management art form tend to boast (自夸): “Look, me, how many things I can accomplish at once. If I’m this busy, I must be important.”
Yet last week the New York Assembly struck a blow against multitasking, at least behind the wheel, when it approved a bill banning drivers in the state from using handheld cellular phones. Too dangerous, the assembly said, citing research showing that drivers are four times more likely to have a collision when they are talking on a cellphone.
No one can argue against using time effectively. But accompanying the supposed gains are losses. Consider the woman out for an early-morning walk in a suburban neighborhood. She strides briskly, head down, cellphone clamped to her ear, chattering (喋喋不休) away, oblivious of the birds and flowers and glorious sunshine. Did the walk have any value?
More than a decade ago, long before multi-tasking became a word in everyday use, a retired professor of theology(神学) in Indiana with whom I corresponded (通信) made a case for what might be called uni-tasking — the old-fashioned practice of doing one thing at a time.
Offering the simplest example, he said, “When you wash the dishes, wash the dishes.” Good advice, I’ve found, whatever the task.
Perhaps, too, the ban on phoning-on-the-road will even spark a move away from other forms of dual activity. Who can tell? It could mark the first step in a welcome reconsideration of what really constitutes productivity and accomplishment.
1. The author thinks that multitasking has become one of the great measures of self-worth because ________.

A．it helps people to use time effectively

B．it makes people feel they are important

C．it means the ability to do several things at once

D．people worship speed and desire

2. The bill approved by the New York Assembly is mentioned in the second paragraph in order to ________.

A．demonstrate the danger of multitasking

B．show the high efficiency of multitasking

C．introduce the legislation system in America

D．argue against using time effectively

3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “oblivious” in the third paragraph?

A．serious	B．absorbed deeply
C．not noticing	D．forgetting

4. We learn from the passage that uni-tasking is ________.

A．the new fashion for 21-century Americans

B．accepted by most residents in Indiana

C．created by a retired professor of theology

D．the traditional act of doing one thing at once

5. In the eyes of the author, multi-tasking ________.

A．could not be avoided in this fast-changing age

B．should be taken the place of by uni-tasking

C．robs people of time to focus and reflect

D．should not become a word in everyday use

【推荐2】Suppose you want to buy some new clothes or a new TV. Or maybe you need some work done on your car. How can you find the best price without shopping all over town? Ads can help you. Ads can show you lots of prices. And you don’t have to go anywhere to see them. Just open a newspaper or magazine, and you’ll find plenty of ads.

The following is an ad about TV sets for sale. Please read it and answer the questions below.

1. How many different kinds of TV sets does the store advertise here?

A．Two.	B．Three.
C．Four.	D．Five.

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the advertisement?

A．You can buy any kind on July 14th.

B．The service time is 9-9 every day except Monday.

C．The larger the screen is, the higher the price will be.

D．The lowest price is a little more than 300.

3. Which is NOT mentioned in the ad?

A．The price of each TV sets

B．The postcode of the area where the store is.

C．The address of the store.

D．The names of the TV sets.

【推荐3】Ray Tokuda, a 54-year-old Japanese American, is proud of the title his school has given him. He is a shifu, a Chinese word meaning a master of martial arts.

He has been involved with Chinese martial arts for over four decades. After leaning them at the martial arts school in US New Mexico State, today he is among the most experienced kung fu teachers of the school.

Founded by a Chinese American in 1974, the training center accepts only those with stunning kung fu skills and a profound understanding of martial arts as its masters according to Shanti Thomas, general manager of the school.

Practicing martial arts two to three hours and helping students improve their skills have become Tokuda’s daily routine. Tokuda is teaching and learning at the same time now. He spends around 15 to 20 hours a week honing his skills and is also working on standardizing the Tai Chi curriculum for the training center.

He was sent to the martial arts school at 10, but he was unwilling in the beginning. His father had always wanted to learn Chinese martial arts but never got the chance, so he put him in.

He was afraid at that time because he thought kung fu was all about punching and kicking. But things changed after he learned that martial arts were more than that. “One of the things martial arts teach you is overcoming adversity (逆境),” Tokuda said. “As a little kid, my first lesson was that I could overcome it by diligence, perseverance and dedication.”

Learning Chinese martial arts was also an eye-opening experience because he could hear many ancient Chinese kung fu-related stories to better understand the essence of martial arts, Tokuda joined a China tour organized by his school in 2002. He described it as a martial arts pilgrimage (朝圣). “We went to Shaolin and Wudang and exchanged views and skills with kung fu masters there,” he said, fired by excitement while talking about the experience.

1. According to Shanti Thomas, who can be a master of the martial arts school?

A．One experienced in wushu and understanding its essence.

B．Those gifted and interested in martial arts.

C．Those having a good knowledge of martial arts.

D．One who knows many ancient martial arts stories.

2. What does the underlined word “honing” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Introducing.	B．Improving.
C．Advertising.	D．Displaying

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．The martial arts school was founded by Shanti Thomas in 1974.

B．Tokuda paid a visit to Shaolin and Wudang by himself in 2002.

C．Tokuda spends about 15 to 20 hours a week training students.

D．Martial arts can teach one to overcome challenges.

4. Why was Ray Tokuda sent to learn Chinese martial arts?

A．Because he was crazy about Chinese culture.

B．Because he wanted to be a martial arts master.

C．Because his father had wanted to learn but could not.

D．Because his parents wanted to better understand Chinese culture.