【推荐1】Did you toss and turn all night? Did you wake up with a sore neck or a headache? Do you feel like you need a nap(小睡) even though you have slept for eight hours? Just like you, I would wake up in the morning with all of those problems and I couldn't figure out why. Like many people who have trouble getting a good night's sleep, my lack(缺少) of sleep has a bad influence on my life. I wanted to do something about my sleep problems, but nothing that I tried worked.

The pillow(枕头) was the problem

I bought every pillow on the market that promised to give me a better night's sleep. None of them worked. Finally, I decided to invent one myself. I asked everyone I knew what qualities they would like to see in their ''perfect pillow'' and got many responses: ''I'd like a pillow that never goes flat, '' ''I'd like my pillow to stay cool'' and ''I'd like a pillow that adjusts to me regardless of my sleep position. '' I spent the next two years of my life inventing MyPillow.

MyPillow is to change the situation

Flash forward ten years and MyPillow, Mike Lindell’s revolutionary pillow design, has helped five million people improve the quality of their sleep. Lindell has been featured on numerous talk shows, including Fox Business News and Imus in the morning. Lindell and MyPillow have also appeared in feature stories in The New York Times. MyPillow has been selected as the Official Pillow of the U.S. National Sleep Foundation.

Get the sleep you've been dreaming about!

Save 50% today by using the promo code: ''ywb979. ''

Buy now at mypillow. com or call 800-299-4018

1. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To answer questions.	B．To make an advertisement.
C．To give advice.	D．To introduce a website.

2. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tells us?

A．Mike Lindell is clever.	B．MyPillow is popular.
C．Mike Lindell is a TV star.	D．MyPillow is only officially accepted.

3. How could you buy MyPillow at a half of the price?

A．Check out at mypillow. com.	B．Call 800-299-4018.
C．Buy the pillows at night.	D．Use the promo code: ''ywb979''

【推荐2】A national engineering laboratory in Tianjin is the base of the world’s largest and most advanced sound source identification system for commercial use. At first sight, the equipment, known as a sound camera and consisting of a big wheel with a supporting frame, resembles a mini Ferris wheel that lacks seats and cannot turn around. A closer look at the 5-meter-diameter wheel reveals high-tech features like an array of 144 sensors used to capture, identify and analyze the source of noise on railways.“It is like a sound radar (雷达) for discovering noise,” said Hu Wenlin, vice head of the National Engineering Laboratory for Noise Control and Reduction at China Railway Design Corporation.

Hu said that the data produced by the machine allows engineers to better understand the sounds generated when a train passes by, e.g. which part produces the most noise. After analyzing the data, engineers can draw up precise plans to reduce noise and make construction plans accordingly. For example, if a railway passes a residential area with stricter noise abatement requirements, engineers can come up with a plan to minimize noise, usually at greater expense. But if a railway passes a place with more relaxed noise control requirements, designers can make a cheaper plan.

Noise control technologies have been applied to dozens of major railway projects across the country. The sound camera, fully developed in China, is advanced by world standards, said Wang Changjin, the director of the National Engineering Laboratory. Before the sound camera was available, engineers usually used a pole fitted with sensors to collect sound data along railway lines.“It cannot be compared to the technique we are using now, which is far more precise,” Wang said.

The machine is just one of many innovations developed by the laboratory. It has conducted many research projects on railways, leading to the development of key noise control equipment for high-speed railways and bringing quieter lives to people living near the lines.

1. What can we learn about the sound camera?

A．It’s invented by Hu Wenlin for business use.

B．It translates sound information into images.

C．It’s a sound radar in the shape of a wheel.

D．It’s fitted with many sensors to study noise.

2. What can we infer from paragraph 2?

A．The data of the sound camera assist engineers to make better plans.

B．Engineers can control the noise requirements.

C．Engineers can make precise plans to reduce noise.

D．The stricter the noise control requirements, the cheaper the expenses.

3. What highlights the sound camera according to the 3rd paragraph?

A．It’s easier to move than other sound collectors.

B．It has been widely used in railway projects.

C．It operates much more accurately.

D．It’s available for railway workers.

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．China’s noise control technology leads the world.

B．Sound cameras make railway lines quieter.

C．Advanced technology rids people of much noise.

D．Conducting sound research is of great importance.

【推荐3】Something in chocolate could be used to stop coughs and lead to more effective medicines, say UK researchers.

Their study found that theobromine, found in cocoa, was nearly a third more effective in stopping coughs than codeine, which was considered the best cough medicine at present.

The Imperial College London researchers who published their results online said the discovery could lead to more effective cough treatment. “While coughing is not necessarily harmful,   it can have a major effect on the quality of life, and this discovery could be a huge step forward in treating this problem,” said Professor Peter Barnes.

Ten healthy volunteers were given theobromine, codeine or placebo, a pill that contains no medicine, during the experiment. Neither the volunteers nor the researchers knew who received which pill. The researchers then measured levels of capsaicin, which is used in research to cause coughing and as a sign of how well the medicine are stopping coughs.

The team found that, when the volunteers were given theobromine, the capsaicin need to produce a cough was around a third higher than in the placebo group. When they were given codeine they need only slightly higher levers of capsaicin to cause a cough compared with the placebo.

The researchers said that theobromine worked by keeping down a verve activity(神经活动), which cause coughing. They also found that unlike some standard cough treatments, theobromine caused no side effects such as sleepiness.

1. According to Professor Barnes, theobromine ______.

A．cannot be as effective as codeine	B．can be a more effective cure for coughs
C．cannot be separated from chocolate	D．can be harmful to people’s health

2. What was used in the experiment to cause coughing?

A．Capsaicin.	B．Codeine.
C．Theobromine.	D．Placebo.

3. We learn from the text that volunteers in the experiment _____.

A．were patients with bad coughs	B．suffered little side effects
C．received standard treatments	D．were divided into the three groups

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

A．Codeine: A New Medicine	B．Cough Treatment: A Hard Case
C．Chocolate May Cure Coughs	D．Theobromine Can Cause Coughs

【推荐1】A team of conservationists (环境保护主义者)captured 14 Loa water frogs earlier this month in northern Chile, a wildlife group reported.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Loa water frog as "critically endangered''. The not-for-profit Global Wildlife Conservation group said the 14 frogs were in poor condition when they were discovered in late June. The animals were small and struggling because of a lack of food and water.

The Loa water frogs are known to live only in a single body of water near Calama, in Chile. The city sits in the middle of the Atacama Desert, where water is in great demand.

There was little water in the area where the frogs were found, the conservation group reported. The frogs' environment had mostly dried up because water is being taken away and used for human activities, the group said. The activities include mining, agriculture and land development. "All of the frogs had been pushed into a tiny pool of muddy water, the organization said. "The team collected the last 14 individuals and brought them to the National Zoo of Chile to start a conservation breeding program. "

Zoo specialists are closely watching the small creatures and trying to give them everything they need to survive and be healthy. Conservation groups have called on Chile's government to take steps to halt any illegal water usage that threatens the frogs' natural environment. They would also like to see creation of a government-supported shelter to protect the animals.

Jon Paul Rodriguez heads the IUCN's Species Survival Commission. He suggested that an emergency plan be developed to prepare the Calama area for the frogs' return.

"We need to work very hard to restore their environment because it's pointless to breed them if they don't have a home to go back to in the wild," Rodriguez said.

1. What do we know about the frogs when they were rescued?

A．They were looking for food.	B．They were in good condition.
C．They were approaching death.	D．They were moving for new water source.

2. What has made these frogs endangered?

A．Lack of water.	B．Water pollution.
C．Human hunting.	D．Extreme climate.

3. What does the underlined word ''halt" in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．Improve.	B．Increase.
C．Change.	D．Stop.

4. What did Jon Paul Rodriguez suggest humans do for these frogs?

A．Keep them healthy.

B．Recover their home.

C．Raise them in the shelter.

D．Prevent them living in the wild.

【推荐2】Earth Hour is organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature. It's a big event usually at the end of March every year. On this evening, people “go dark”.     1    

It's true that turning off lights for just one hour saves only a small amount of power.    2    On one level, joining in Earth Hour makes people think about the problem of climate change and what we can do in everyday life to protect nature.

But on another level, a large number of people’s acting together sends a powerful message to governments and companies.     3     They begin considering green issues when big decisions.

The logo(标识) of Earth Hour is “60+” .The number 60 is for the 60 minutes of Earth Hour.     4     In fact, people who join in Earth Hour say that taking part makes them want to do more for the environment.

    5     Musicians give concerts by playing acoustic(原声的) instruments instead of electric ones, and using candles instead of electric lights. Celebrity chefs have created special recipes for families to prepare and eat by candlelight. Tree-planting sessions, group walks and runs are also among the options.

A．But this is only the beginning.

B．Earth Hour represents every hour of every day.

C．After all, everyone has to answer for what they have done.

D．Besides turning off the lights, people get involved in other events.

E．It pushes them to take urgent measures by making changes to policies.

F．That is, they switch off all unnecessary lights at the same time for one hour.

G．The plus invites people to continue their action even after Earth Hour is finished.

【推荐3】A Day in the Clouds

The air is thin and we have to rest several times on the short hike from camp. To our left, snow-covered mountains disappear into clouds that seem almost close enough to touch. On the plain in front of us, we can just make out a herd of graceful animals. This is why we’re here—to observe Tibetan antelopes.

Tibetan antelopes live on the plains of Tibet, Xinjiang, and Qinghai. Watching them move slowly across the green grass, I’m struck by their beauty. I’m also reminded of the danger they are in. They are being hunted, illegally, for their valuable fur.

My guide is Zhaxi, a villager from Changtang. He works at the Changtang National Nature Reserve. The reserve is a shelter for the animals and plants of northwestern Tibet. To Zhaxi, the land is sacred and protecting the wildlife is a way of life. “We’ re not trying to save the animals,” he says. “Actually, we’ re trying to save ourselves.”

The 1980s and 1990s were bad times for the Tibetan antelope. The population dropped by more than 50 percent. Hunters were shooting antelopes to make profits. Their habitats were becoming smaller as new roads and railways were built.

In order to save this species from extinction, the Chinese government placed it under national protection. Zhaxi and other volunteers watched over the antelopes day and night to keep them safe from attacks. Bridges and gates were added to let the antelopes move easily and keep them safe from cars and trains.

The measures were effective. The antelope population has recovered and in June 2015, the Tibetan antelope was removed from the endangered species list. The government, however, does not intend to stop the protection programmes, since the threats to the Tibetan antelope have not yet disappeared.

In the evening, I drink a cup of tea and watch the stars. I think about the antelopes and what Zhaxi told me. Much is being done to protect wildlife, but if we really want to save the planet, we must change our way of life. Only when we learn to exist in harmony with nature can we stop being a threat to wildlife and to our planet.

1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined phrase “make out” in Paragraph 1?

A．proceed or get along	B．write the required information
C．imply or suggest	D．detect with the senses

2. What is NOT the reason for the decline in the Tibetan antelope’s population in the 1980sand 1990s?

A．Illegal hunting.	B．The construction of bridges and gates.
C．The decreasing habitat.	D．The construction of roads and railways.

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．We should not buy goods made from animals.

B．The Tibetan antelope lives below sea level.

C．Human activities are threatening animals and plants.

D．The Tibetan antelope is still an endangered species now.

4. What’s the purpose of this passage?

A．To inform readers of the need to change our way of life and learn to exist in harmony with nature.

B．To warn readers that living in harmony with nature is impossible.

C．To attract more tourists to the Changtang National Nature Reserve.

D．To introduce to the readers the effective measures taken to save the Tibetan antelope from extinction.

【推荐3】The sense of obligation to continue is present in all of us. A duty to strive is the duty of us all. I felt a call to that duty.

—Abraham Lincoln

Probably the greatest example of persistence is Abraham. Lincoln. If you want to learn about somebody who didn't quit, look no further.

Born into poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life. He lost eight elections, failed in business twice and suffered a nervous breakdown

He could have quit many times-but he didn't and because he didn't quit, he became one of the greatest presidents in the history of the U.S.A.

Lincoln was a champion and he never gave up. Here is a sketch of Lincoln's road to the White House.

1816 His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them.

1818 His mother died.

1831 Failed in business.

1832 Ran for state legislature — lost.

1832 Also lost his job -wanted to go to law school but couldn't get in.

1833 Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.

1834 Ran for state legislature again-won.

1834 Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken.

1836 Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months.

1838 Sought to become speaker of the state legislature — defeated.

1840 Sought to become elector—defeated.

1843 Ran for Congress—lost.

1846 Ran for Congress again—this time he won—went to Washington' and did a good job.

1848 Ran for re—election to Congress—lost.

1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state—rejected.

1854 Ran for Senate of the United Sates — lost.

1856 Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party's national convention and got less than 100 votes.

1858 Ran for U.S. Senate again—again he lost.

1860 Elected president of the United States.

The path was worn and slippery. My foot slipped from under me, knowing the other out of the way, but I recovered and said to myself, "It's a slip and not a fall."

—Abraham Lincoln (after losing a senate race)

1. What personal quality did Abraham Lincoln possess according to the passage?

A．Modesty.	B．Sense of humor.
C．Persistence	D．Curiosity.

2. What can be inferred from the sketch of Lincoln's road to the White House?

A．When Lincoln failed in business for the first time, he was in heavy debt.

B．Lincoln had never planned to get married in his whole life.

C．Lincoln once suffered a mental illness resulting from heartbreaks.

D．Lincoln displayed a remarkable strength of character on the way to presidency.

3. What did Lincoln mean to tell when he said "It's a slip and not a fall"?

A．Though suffering a loss in the senate race, he remained optimistic.

B．He didn't take the senate race seriously and considered the loss unimportant.

C．He felt that he was lucky because he recovered from the loss in the race.

D．He considered the loss in the race a fatal mistake that he couldn't afford to make.

【推荐1】East Africa is experiencing the worst desert locust outbreak in decades. Climate events have accelerated breeding of the pest across the region, and with a sudden rise in the locust population expected in coming weeks, urgent actions and funds are needed to prevent a human crisis.

Twenty million people in six of the eight East African countries are most affected by an ongoing desert locust outbreak at risk of serious food insecurity. Considered among the most destructive of moving pests, an adult locust can consume 2g of plants per day, affecting crops and grasslands. A group typically holds 20 to 150 million locusts per square kilometer and can move hundreds of kilometers per day, invading areas covering millions of square kilometers. An active group, therefore, can destroy crops and grasslands within a very short period of time.

That global warming could increase the risk of desert locust crisis was proposed over ten years ago, and in February, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the current outbreak is linked to the effects of climate change: “warmer seas mean more perfect breeding ground for locusts”. The outbreak has its origins in 2018, when a series of windstorms in the Arabian Peninsula (阿拉伯半岛) enabled the warm and wet conditions the desert locust requires to breed and band undetected in remote regions. Though our focus here is migration west, dreadful outbreaks of the desert locust have been experienced to the east.

The situation is going out of control. A rescue operation and financial support admit no delay.

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) can take out only US$138 million for rapid response and immediate action — controlling the spread of the desert locust and safeguarding livelihoods. They say the maths is clear: about half the funding (资助) is needed for supervision, ground and sky control, and uniting efforts; the other half is needed for livelihoods and food security of farmers. As for the huge gap, they have called on the international community to act now through funding. However, by the end of February, just US$69 million had been promised.

This most alarming crisis has developed and is worsening in East Africa. The funds needed to control the situation become very difficult to achieve and the gap is a big concern.

1. Why does the crisis happen in East Africa?

A．There is a big population there.

B．There are large deserts and grasslands.

C．Africa lies west of Arabian Peninsula.

D．Good climate for breeding plays a role.

2. Why does the writer list those figures in Para 2?

A．To warn of the terrible damage by locusts.

B．To help us understand how locusts live.

C．To show how many locusts there are now.

D．To draw a picture of the present Africa.

3. What can we infer from the text?

A．The crisis is not noticed until recently.

B．More fund is needed to prevent the crisis.

C．The crisis has been the focus of the world.

D．Locusts are all from the Arabian Peninsula.

4. Which is the best title for the text?

A．Killing locusts before too late

B．Global warming, a world problem

C．Funding Gap for Locust Crisis

D．Africa, a crisis-stricken place

【推荐2】Last year, Wolf Cukier, who is 17 years old, spent his summer vacation as few other rising seniors have：he helped discover a planet-TOI 1338b, the newly identified world orbiting two stars which are more than 1, 300 light years away.

Last July， just after he finished his junior year at Scarsdale High school in Scarsdale, New York, Wolf started an internship(实习期) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

During the first week of the internship, as be combed through data that had been flagged by citizen-scientists. he fixed attention on s system that included two orbiting stars. He identified a body in that system that was later proved as a planet about 6.9 times as large as Earth. while knowing this inspiring discovery, his colleagues immediately gave the system a name, TOI 1338b.

According to scientific research, any dip in the brightness of a single star is a good indication that a planet has crossed in front of it. However, TOI 1338b was particularly complicated because it involved two stars-a large star ere the planers track was easy to detect, and a smaller one where the planet's track was so small that it was not observable.

Many people think that wolf is a lucky dog, but as a matter of fact, it is not just a coincidence. When he studied in Junior High School, he had shown great passion on astronomy and was devoted to studying it. Wolf plans to study astrophysics(天体物理学) when he starts college in September. When it came to his contribution to the discovery of the new world. he emphasized it was the team work in the verification process rather than his own effort that counted.

1. What did Wolf do last year?

A．He was employed by NASA.

B．He finished his senior year in High School.

C．He spent his summer vacation like other seniors.

D．He helped find a new planet named TOI 1338b.

2. How can we describe Wolf？

A．Modest and hardworking.	B．Ambitious and casual.
C．Considerate and lucky.	D．Optimistic and helpful.

3. What can be inferred according to the text?

A．The planet was named by Wolf.

B．The planet is the same size as the Earth.

C．The planet was easy to discover as there are two stars involved.

D．Team work in the verification process was highly valued by Wolf.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A diary.	B．A magazine.
C．A guidebook.	D．A scientific novel.

【推荐3】
“We need carbohydrates, protein and fat — they are like the wood in the fireplace．The vitamins and minerals are like the match, the spark, for the fuel,” she explains．“We need them all, but in a very different proportions．And if the fuel isn’t there, the spark is useless.”
1. From the first paragraph we know that working women             .

A．think cooking is especially complicated

B．do not share the same views with registered dietitians

C．are busy and not interested in cooking

D．are likely to eat healthfully

2. Orange juice is different from orange drink in that           .

A．it contains only a small percentage of real juice

B．it is natural, nutritious and prepared from real oranges

C．it is largely orange-colored sugar water

D．it produces nothing but calories

3. In Paragraph 4, “a fruitless search” means           .

A．an effort with no results

B．a search for a diet without fruits

C．a research on fruitless diet

D．a diet serving as medicine