【推荐1】The Israeli farmers who pioneered the revolutionary technology known as drip irrigation weren’t trying to solve one of the world’s most urgent problems．They were just trying to survive．They lived in the desert，and they didn’t have enough water to grow their crops．

In its simplest form, it was little more than a pipe with holes in it. But behind each hole was a hi-tech dripper that let out just the right amount of water. Snaked along a row of crops so that the holes were positioned directly above the roots, the pipe could direct each precious drop of water directly to the plants, getting a bigger harvest while using a very small amount of the water．

Over time, the farmers improved upon the technology, perfecting the drippers that regulated the flow of water, and connecting the pipelines to computers that could determine exactly how much water each plant needed and when．

If the global population kept growing, the rest of the world would increasingly resemble their little community in the desert. So they began selling their irrigation systems in other parts of the world，eventually expanding to more than 110 countries. Netafirm, the company says it’s lifting people out of poverty and conserving water at a time when the importance of doing so has never been clearer．

The mass adoption of drip irrigation won’t save the world by itself. To avoid the coming catastrophe, nearly everybody will, in some way, have to do more with less, perhaps through accepting and using other new technologies. Otherwise, it’s going to get ugly．

1. Why is drip irrigation called “the revolutionary technology”?

A．It saves the world all by itself．

B．It can be sold to other countries．

C．It makes irrigation more effective．

D．It provides deserts with water．

2. What does“one of the world’s most urgent problems”in Paragraph l refer to?

A．Lacking water．

B．Misusing irrigation．

C．Growing population．

D．Expanding desert．

3. How did farmers improve upon the drip irrigation technology?

A．By drilling holes on the pipes．

B．By placing pipes just above roots.

C．By snaking pipes along the crops．

D．By connecting pipe lines to computers.

4. Which of the following will be the best slogan (口号) for Netafirm to sell the irrigation systems?

A．Less water；More harvest．

B．New technology；New world．

C．More grain；Less starvation．

D．Water saving；World surviving．

【推荐2】Do you like the woolly mammoths (毛猛犸象) from the movie Ice Age? Too bad they’re extinct? Thanks to recent developments in biotechnology, the stuff of science fiction may soon become a reality through an attractive process called “de-extinction”, which aims to bring the extinct species back. The resurrected (复活的) species are functionally equal to the original extinct species, but they are not exact copies.

There are three primary techniques of de-extinction. One of them is that scientists deliberately select existing species with similar characters to the extinct species to produce later generation. This is a natural method. Another is cloning. A cloned animal is created by obtaining the DNA of the extinct animal. The later generation will be a same copy of the extinct species. This is only applied to animals that are either endangered or have recently gone extinct, as it requires well-preserved eggs. The third is the newest technique, genetic engineering (基因工程). It uses gene-editing tools to place selected genes from extinct animals in place of those present in its closest living relative.

If we refer to Jurassic Park, resurrecting extinct animals is a terrible idea. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about dinosaurs running wildly, as their DNA has fallen apart over the 65 million years since their extinction. DNA can survive for several million years at best under certain rare conditions, but does that mean we should do that?

De-extinction is more for ecology than for tourism. Ecologist Ben Novak said, “All animals perform critical roles in their ecosystem. Woolly mammoths, for example, were excellent gardeners. Their disappearance was followed by a loss in diversity and the Arctic grassland became a cold, ice field. If a resurrected animal is always going to be a zoo animal then it shouldn’t be brought back.”

1. Why does the author mention the movie Ice Age?

A．To recall the joy from the movie.	B．To lead the readers into the topic.
C．To attract readers’ attention to the movie.	D．To show functions of resurrecting animals.

2. What is mainly discussed about de-extinction in Paragraph 2?

A．Its wide application.	B．Its main methods.
C．Its positive effect.	D．Its unique characteristic.

3. According to the text, which of the following statements is correct?

A．Bringing back the extinct species back has become a reality.

B．Dinosaurs can be resurrected with the help of genetic engineering.

C．It’s a terrible idea to bring extinct animals back to life.

D．The value of resurrecting animals lies more in ecology than tourism.

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

A．Can we bring extinct animals back?	B．Do you like the woolly mammoths?
C．Will dinosaurs be seen in the zoos?	D．Should we promote cloning skills?

【推荐3】Taking IT and AI to the people

Putting aside employment prospects (就业前景)and the expectations of my parents, the major I’d most like to study is computer science.

    1    First, I have been interested in computers since 1 was a child. I like playing games and drawing and editing pictures using computer software, so I think that a computer science major would allow me to build on this interest. Second, I have found that I turn to the internet when I have a problem that people around me can’t help with. It’s a goldmine (宝库)of answers.

    2    We use the net to shop, chat with friends who live far away, and book tickets and hotel rooms when we travel. The net is so wonderfully convenient that 1 doubt that modern life would be possible without it.

If I do study computer science and internet technology as my major, after college I want to develop artificial intelligence products. They would add convenience to life.     3     They can facilitate our communication so that society can meet people’s demand for higher living standards.

If I could, I’d even like to develop my own games.     4    

However, it’s not easy to qualify for the world of IT.     5     Nevertheless, I am going to put in every effort to achieve the high standard that is required. I firmly believe that one day my dream will be fulfilled

A．There are a lot of reasons.

B．The internet has its disadvantages.

C．I would want to improve the various social platforms.

D．What’s more, nowadays the internet enters every aspect of life.

E．This is why some people around me think that my dream is unrealistic.

F．That’s something that would make me really proud and would add real value to my life.

G．With the internet, every student is provided with access to the same educational materials.

【推荐3】To prepare for-real-life emergencies, rescue teams must practice. They practice putting on ice suits, working with ropes, and using hand signals to communicate. And once the lake freezes, then practice ice rescue.

On a training day, a firefighter puts on his ice suit. He then pushes air out of the ice suit. If not, the trapped air bubble could make him float. He walks out onto frozen lake to play the role of the “victim (受害者)”. He shakes, not from cold, but worries about not knowing when he’ll fall through! His first several steps feel solid. The ice seems thick. But 28 steps in: Crack! Water begins to come in through the ice. He slows down. At 31 steps-Plunk! He falls through the ice. He keeps him mouth shut so he doesn’t swallow any water. It’s time for him to pretend to be a victim, calling for help and struggling in the lake.

Two more firefighters, attached to the onshore team with ropes, walk onto the lake. They stay on different parts of the ice in case it breaks, both carrying protective equipment like a belt or a board. Meanwhile, onshore team members, wearing life vests, talk to the “victim” to keep him calm. Near the ice hole, a rescuer drops to her belly and moves slowly. The second rescuer rolls. Both methods spread out the weight so they don’t also fall through the ice.

The firefighter with the board explains that they’re there to help. She hands the board to the victim and tells   him to catch it. The second firefighter enters the water and ties the belt securely to the victim. He gives a signal and the onshore members pulls the rope. As the rope tightens, the rescuer lifts the victim’s legs so he’s on his belly. Together, they sail across the ice.

Once they’re on land, firefighters exchange roles. When every firefighter has had a turn at rescuing and playing “victim”, they all put on warm, dry clothes and head back to the station for hot chocolate.

1. Why does the “victim” push air out of his ice suit before entering water?

A．To walk in the water.

B．To sink beneath the ice.

C．To float on the surface.

D．To approach firefighters.

2. What shouldn’t the rescue members do during the practice?

A．Stay apart’on the ice surface.

B．Walk as fast as possible on ice.

C．Be careful in their each step.

D．Carry protective equipment.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．Ice rescue only requires excellent individual skills.

B．The rescue group perform such rescue practice daily.

C．The firefighters take turns to play the part of “victim”.

D．It is unnecessary to talk to the “victim” during the rescue.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Rescue on the ice

B．Practice on ice land

C．Ways of saving people

D．Bravery of firefighters

【推荐1】I can still remember it as if it happened yesterday. I was a college freshman and had stayed up most of the night before laughing and talking with friends. Now just before my first class of the day my eyelids were feeling heavier and heavier and my head was drifting down to my desk to make my textbook a pillow. A few minutes’ nap time before class couldn’t hurt, I thought.

Boom! I lifted my head immediately and my eyes opened widen. I looked around with my heart beating quickly trying to find the cause of the noise. My young professor was looking back at me with a boyish smile on his face. He had intentionally(故意地) dropped the pile of textbooks he was carrying onto his desk. “Good morning!” he said, still smiling. “I’m glad to see everyone is awake. Now let’s get started.”

For the next hour I wasn’t sleepy at all. It wasn’t from the shock of my professor’s textbook alarm clock either. Instead, it was from the attractive discussion he led. With knowledge and good humor, he made the material come alive. His insights were full of both wisdom and loving kindness. And the enthusiasm(热情) and joy he taught with were contagious(有感染力的). I left the classroom not only wide awake, but a little smarter and a little better as well.

I learned something far more important than not sleeping in class that day. I learned that if you are going to do something in this life, do it well, do it with joy, and make it an expression of your love. What a beautiful place this world would be if all of us did our work joyously and well! What a beautiful world we could create if every doctor, teacher, musician, cook, waitress, poet, miner, farmer, and laborer made their work an expression of their love! Don’t sleepwalk through your life then. Wake up! Let your love fill your work and your soul. Life is too short not to live it well.

1. What did the writer want to do just before his first class of the day?

A．Talk with his friends.	B．Take a short sleep.
C．Get his eyes examined.	D．Stay away from the class.

2. What else did the writer learn that day?

A．Students should not sleep in class but respect their teachers.

B．Everyone should love his job and sleep walk through his life.

C．Life is too limited to make your work an expression of your love.

D．People from all walks of life should do their jobs with joy and love.

3. Why did the young professor intentionally drop the pile of textbooks?

A．To do a test on his students’ attention.

B．To make his lessons lively and interesting.

C．To greet his students in a very special way.

D．To warn the writer not to sleep in his class.

【推荐2】People like to post their selfies (自拍照) on social media. To know more about it, scientists at Syracuse University in New York recently did a research and came up with some surprising findings.

People who post selfies and use editing software to make themselves look better show behavior connected to narcissism (自恋), the researchers said. Makana Chock, a professor from Syracuse University, said because social media is mostly used by people to share unimportant information about their lives, it is a good place for people to “work towards satisfying their own vanity.” Those “likes” under their Facebook selfies make them feel good.

Besides, people who post group selfies show a need for popularity and a need to belong to a group, the research found. Some people feel “peer (同伴) pressure” to post selfies and some follow the popular belief that if there is no picture of an event or experience, it did not really happen. “Anyway, it shouldn’t be seen as negative. People get sense of satisfaction especially when they get likes. And it does no harm,” Chock said.

Other findings from the study include: There are no major differences on how often men and women post selfies and how often they use editing software. But men who post selfies show more of a need to be seen as popular than women who post selfies.

Chock said posting selfies on social media is not all that different from what people have done for many years. On trips and special events, our parents and grandparents used cameras instead of hones to take photos. They would bring back photos to show friends and family. You had no choice but to look at them. You probably commented about how nice everyone in the photos looked, especially children and the person showing the photos. They were happy to hear your comments. That was the old way of “clicking like”. On social media, however, people can decide not to look at photos-even if they click “like”.

1. What is the research mainly about?

A．The reasons for people posting selfies on social media.

B．The ways of making people look better in selfies.

C．The differences between men and women in posting selfies.

D．The connections between posting selfies and mental health.

2. What is Chock’s attitude towards selfie posting?

A．Cautious.

B．Disapproving.

C．Supportive.

D．Ambiguous.

3. According to the passage which of the following statements is true?

A．There are many differences on the frequency between men and women posting selfies.

B．Women posting selfies show more of a need to be seen as popular than men.

C．There is a belief that selfies are proofs of an event or experience.

D．People posting selfies are more popular than those who don’t.

4. From the last paragraph, we know that the older generations showed their photos to friends and family________.

A．to share good moments	B．to show off their cameras
C．to improve relationships	D．to win praise from viewers

【推荐3】

Einstein was not only the outstanding scientist of the 20th century, but also a gifted and enthusiastic musician. He once said that had he not been a scientist, he would have been a musician. “Life without playing music is unthinkable for me，” he said. “I live my daydreams in music. I get most joy in life out of music.”

Einstein’s mother, Pauline, was a talented pianist who brought music to life in the family home. Einstein began to learn the violin at the age of 6. However, he worked hard until discovering the joys of Mozart’s sonatas (奏鸣曲) at the age of 13. From that point on, although he had no further lessons, his violin remained his companion (伴侣)．

When Einstein moved to Aarau in Switzerland in 1895 to complete his schooling, he seemed to have devoted a good deal of his time to music. Just before his 17th birthday Einstein played at a music examination in the school. The examiner reported that “a student called Einstein shone in a deeply felt performance of one of the Beethoven sonatas”. In addition to his great skill in playing the violin, he also played the piano and, in particular, loved to improvise (即兴创作)．

In later life, Einstein’s reputation as a physicist often led to invitations to perform at benefit concerts, which he generally accepted happily. At one such event, a critic — not knowing Einstein’s real reputation as a physicist — wrote, “Einstein plays excellently. However, his world­wide reputation is undeserved. There are many violinists who are just as good.”

Probably the summary of Einstein the violinist that comes nearest to the mark comes from his friend Janos Plesch, who wrote, “There are many musicians with much better skills, but none, I believe, who ever played with more sincerity or deeper feeling.”

1. We learn from Paragraph 1 that Einstein ________.

A．had a great love for music

B．enjoyed daydreaming in music

C．had stopped playing music for a while

D．preferred to be a musician rather than a scientist

2. After discovering the joys of Mozart’s sonatas, Einstein ________.

A．began to create his own music

B．spent a lot of time playing his violin

C．started learning the piano by himself

D．moved to Switzerland to learn the violin

3. What can we infer from Paragraph 3?

A．Einstein did excellently in the examination.

B．Einstein’s life in Aarau affected his musical taste.

C．Einstein’s performance disappointed the examiner.

D．Einstein practiced the Beethoven sonatas for his birthday.

4. By mentioning the critic’s words, the author probably wants to show ________.

A．Einstein didn’t live up to his reputation

B．Einstein was also an outstanding violinist

C．Einstein played better than professional violinists

D．Einstein wished there would be more benefit concerts

【推荐1】Here some programs at 8 tonight

Country Music
Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?(1973-1983)
8:00PM|PBS

Witness alivelyera in country music, with Dolly Parton finding mainstream success; Hank Williams Jr.and Rosanne Cash emerging from their famous fathers' shadows; and Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings launching the “Outlaw" movement.

Expedition Unknown
Legends Never Die (Season 62|Episode 1)
8:00PM|TRAVEL

Josh uncovers the mystery of a treasure left behind by Brother XII. Then he travels to Eastern Europe to investigate the ancient origins and modern legacy of scaring figures.

Gold Rush | 58 METASCORE
Back to the Future
8:00PM|DSC

An extended sneak peek of the all-new season of Gold Rush reveals a crisis in the Klondike forcing the miners in new directions. We go back to the beginning, nine years ago,revealing the important moments that got each man to the crossroads they now face.

The Conners |75 METASCORE
Preemies,Weed and Infidelity (Season 2 | Episode 1)
8:00PM| ABC

The Season 2 premiere(首映式）．After Emilio's deportation(驱逐出境），Jackie steps into the role of a paternal figure and creates a vivid birth plan for Becky; but as the Conners know, nothing ever goes according to plan. Meanwhile, Darlene is tangled in a complex love triangle with David and Ben, and-like her mother-Harris is caught up in a problem of her own.

1. What do we know about Hank Williams Jr.and Rosanne Cash?

A．They are badly defeated now.

B．They aren't in the mainstream.

C．Their fathers were once successful.

D．They now follow their fathers' steps.

2. What kind of program is Expedition Unknown?

A．Terror.	B．Knowledge.
C．Science.	D．Sports.

3. Which would you watch if you're interested in family program?

A．Country Music.	B．Expedition Unknown.
C．Gold Rush.	D．The Conners.

【推荐2】Geocaching

Common Sense Media says that this expensive but very cool GPS app makes it possible for the whole family to go geocaching, a high-tech treasure hunt game. This app makes it unnecessary to buy a dedicated GPS device. The app taps directly into a database with more than 2 million locations, some within walking distance, and gives you everything you need to find treasures hidden by other enthusiasts.

SkySafari

SkySafari is a powerful mobile planetarium（天象馆）that uses GPS locations to view the night sky. The app comes in multiple versions. The databases, even on the entry-level versions, are large, requiring up to 940 MB of free space depending on the platform. You can learn about astronomy by viewing planets and stars, searching for specific objects of interest or looking at astronomical sightings in that night's sky.

Historypin

Historypin is a great tool to bring families together to share stories. You can learn about the history of any area by searching Historypin's world map by place, time, or subject. Because there are a few different ways to use Historypin's bank of user-contributed knowledge, as well as ways to add content, you can learn how to access and create digital content that's meant to be shared with the general public.

GarageBand

GarageBand is powerful digital music workstation and multitrack recorder. You can create songs in a number of ways, all in an interesting interface. An added bonus is the great editing tools that tighten up any musical performance. You can share your GarageBand songs through social media, email, or text. The app is designed to give everyone an amazing musical experience---and it delivers.

1. What is special about Geocaching?

A．It needs an extra GPS device.

B．It helps to collect data.

C．It can locate hidden treasures.

D．It is a platform for developing games.

2. Which app is suitable for an astronomy lover?

A．Geocaching.	B．SkySafari.
C．Historypịn.	D．GarageBand.

3. Both Historypin and GarageBand have the function for users to ________.

A．get families involved	B．enjoy musical performances
C．search world maps	D．share what they create

【推荐3】During the COVID-19 crisis, even the simple act of buying groceries has been completely transformed. For seniors this task is even more challenging. Concordia University's ACT project team has joined with community partners in the neighbourhood to fill this gap. They've rapidly created a new program-COVID-19 Grocery Response NDG.

The program uses a model that pairs volunteers with seniors, based on availability and language. Those volunteers are trained by ACT's team via video conferencing and then given a list of older adults. The volunteer calls the individuals and takes their order, working with grocer offerings of a Provigo store in the area. When the call is over, the order gets sent to Provigo, which gathers and delivers the order to the senior. It won't take the place of the work of the food bank; seniors are paying for their groceries.

There is also an important social element to the call, which doubles as a friendly check -in. The volunteer chats a bit with the senior, who may be very lonely and anxious. One volunteer says it has also been a rewarding experience and gives her the opportunity to help others while staying at home, which they are all being encouraged to do.

The program is a response to a number of factors, including the fact that many older adults are on a fixed income and may not have the internet access needed to order groceries online. It is targeting seniors who aren't able to access New Hope's usual meals on wheels service.

So far the project is a success, with a growing number of volunteers and seniors. As for what's next, Concordia is optimistic but acknowledges that the team will need to be nimble to accommodate the changing realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are at a critical time and we need to do everything we can, together, to help out.

1. What do the volunteers do to help the seniors?

A．Help them pay the bill.	B．Send their order to the store.
C．Write a shopping list for them.	D．Deliver their groceries lo the door.

2. What can we infer about the programme from paragraph 3?

A．It benefits both sides.	B．It helps the store survive.
C．It goes beyond expectation.	D．It encourages people to purchase online.

3. Who might be the potential client of the program?

A．Daisy aged 45 with a heavy debt.	B．David who enjoys meals on wheels service.
C．Alexander aged 75 with a retirement pension.	D．Elspeth who knows noting about online shopping.

4. What does the underlined word “nimble” probably mean?

A．Flexible.	B．Beneficial.
C．Accessible.	D．Qualified.