【推荐1】To control the nation’s growing problem with food wastage, the South Korean government has started a special initiative (倡议) ---“Pay as You Trash”. According to the initiative, the South Korean government has three methods in place to charge citizens for the food thrown away. One is through an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) card — when users tap this card over a specially designed food waste bin, the lid will open. This waste is automatically weighed and recorded in the user’s account. The user needs to settle this bill every month.

The second billing method is through pre-paid garbage bags. These specially designed bags are priced based on the amount of space. For instance, in Seoul, a 10-liter garbage bag costs around 190 won (less than $1). There’s also a bar code management system in place, in which residents (居民) throw food waste directly into dustbins and pay for it by buying bar code stickers attached to the bin.

Even before the pay-by-weight system was introduced, South Koreans were still being charged for food waste — the cost was simply divided equally among the residents of each apartment block. The new system is not only fair, but is also designed to make consumers really feel the pinch of too much waste. The more food they throw out, the more they end up paying.

Thanks to the initiative, residents like Seoul housewife Ms. Kwan are now adopting creative methods to avoid food waste. She makes sure to pour all the liquid out of leftover food before throwing it away. While preparing vegetables, she tries to use as much as the eatable parts as possible in order to reduce waste.

1. Why does the South Korean government decide to launch the initiative?

A．Food waste is worsening the environment.

B．More and more food wastes are produced.

C．People are complaining about food waste.

D．People have little knowledge of saving food.

2. Before the initiative was launched, the residents       .

A．didn’t pay for their food waste

B．paid for their food waste by weight

C．had to pay for their food garbage bags

D．paid for food waste equally in their blocks

3. The underlined word “pinch” in Paragraph 3 means “      ”.

A．joy	B．amount
C．pain	D．cause

4. According to the text, the initiative “Pay as You Trash”       .

A．is working effectively	B．was thought to be unfair at first
C．has a quite high running cost	D．is being performed all over the country

【推荐3】London taxis, with their friendly drivers who actually know where they are going, are ranked best in the world, according to an annual taxi survey.
The survey by travel website hotels.com found London taxis, despite being the most expensive, beat rivals (对手) across the globe to head the list for the third consecutive (连续的) years, scoring a total of 59 percent in votes on several categories by travelers.
London taxi drivers were voted both friendliest and most knowledgeable. Drivers in the English capital must pass a rigorous examination called The Knowledge to earn their taxi license.
New York's yellow taxis came second in the list, scoring 27 percent which was up 10 percentage points from last year even though Manhattan's cab drivers tied (打成平局) with Parisian taxi drivers as the rudest.
Travelers said New York had the most convenient taxis.
Taxi drivers in Rome were voted the worst drivers in the world with almost one in ten travelers thinking the Italian capital had the world's worst taxi drivers when it came to the quality of driving.
“Traveling by taxi is one of the first experiences that many travellers have upon arrival in a new city. In fact, the research found that cabs are by far the most popular method of traveling from the airport to their hotel,” a spokesman for hotels.com said in a statement.
The global survey scored city based taxis for their levels of cleanliness, value, quality of driving, knowledge of the area, friendliness, safety and convenience.
Rounding out the top five were Tokyo with a total score of 26 percent, Berlin with 17 percent, and Bangkok famed for its tuk­tuks scoring 14 percent.
The survey for hotels.com, part of the Expedia group, was conducted among over 1,900 travellers between May 11­28 this year.
1. Which of the following about London's taxi drivers is wrong?

A．They are the friendliest.

B．They are the most knowledgeable.

C．They charge the most money.

D．They drive fastest.

2. What does the underlined word “rigorous” mean in the third paragraph?

A．strict	B．important
C．official	D．lawful

3. Rome's taxi drivers are lack of ________.

A．good manners

B．driving skills

C．the sense of cleanliness

D．the sense of safety

【推荐1】Need for closure is a psychological term that describes a person's desire for a firm answer to a question. Our need for closure is our natural preference for definite answers over confusion and uncertainty. Every person has their own baseline level of need for closure. It likely evolved via natural selection.
What I find really fascinating is how our need for closure is affected by the situation we're in. Our need for closure rises when we have to act rather than just observe, and it matters much more when we're rushed, or bored, or tired. Any stress can make our discomfort with uncertainty increase, and a high need for closure negatively influences some of our most important decisions: who we decide to trust, whether we admit we're wrong and even how creative we are.
In hiring, for instance, a high need for closure leads people to put far too much weight on their first impression. It's called the Urgency Effect. In one experiment, psychologists tried to lower people's need for closure by telling them, right before participants are about to make various judgments of a job candidate, that they'll be responsible in some way for them, or that their judgments have serious consequences.
In making any big decision, it's not enough just to know that we should take our time. We all know that important decisions shouldn't be rushed. The problem is that we don't keep that advice in mind when it matters. So, one of the best solutions is to formalize the reminders. Before making important decisions, write down not just advantages and disadvantages but what the consequences could be. Also, think about how much pressure you're under. If your need for closure is particularly high that day, it's even more important to think twice.
1. How does "need for closure" probably come into being?

A．By accident.	B．By nature.
C．By acquiring.	D．By imitating.

2. It can be inferred that a high need for closure ______.

A．brings about more stress

B．leads to not so good decisions

C．causes discomfort and uncertainty

D．promotes one's creativity

3. In the experiment the psychologists reduced participants’ need for closure by telling them to ______.

A．value their first impression

B．be responsible for their boss

C．be cautious about their judgments

D．pay little attention to the consequences

4. What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?

A．More helpful solutions to high need for closure.

B．Some serious consequences of making decisions.

C．Other approaches to making important decisions.

D．Another strategy to escape the pressures of modern life.

【推荐2】This is Ella Stevens who, at just 13 years old, is fighting for a chance to drive for the most famous team in Formula One-Ferrari(法拉利一级方程式赛车).

This fall Stevens faces a series of challenges, on and off track at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, with the ultimate prize a place on the famous Ferrari Driver Academy as its first female racer. “It’s a very good opportunity for me,” Ella, already a British karting champion, tells CNN. “We have to do a few fitness tests in the first phase so that they can see our driving.”

The Academy is, in fact, a breeding ground for future racing stars. Its current crop includes Mick Schumacher, the son of legendary Ferrari driver Michael, Enzo Fittipaldi, whose grandfather Emerson was a double F1 world champion, as well as Arthur Leclerc, the younger brother of Ferrari’s current FI racer Charles.

On the face of it, it’s no place for a 13-year-old girl from a small village in England—who already has a mountain to climb as a female in a sport still dominated by males. After all, a female has not raced in Fl for more than 40 years, and just six women have taken part in a grand prix(大奖赛)weekend.

But Stevens is being supported by a popular figure in the F1 community, Rob Smediey. He worked as a Ferrari engineer for more than a decade and is now teaching Stevens through his own Electroheads Talent Academy.

Smediey describes Ferrari’s search for a potential female racer as a “huge step”. “Having a major player in the sport, with such a rich history as Ferrari, leading on this has to be applauded”, he tells CNN. “It’s absolutely amazing that they want to do this and they’re taking positive action to increase the gender diversity within the sport.”

1. What will Ella win after fighting off a series of challenges?

A．She’ll become a karting champion.

B．She’ll have to pass a few fitness tests.

C．She’ll drive for Formula One-Ferrari.

D．She’ll become the first female racing champion.

2. Why is Mick Schumacher mentioned in Paragraph 3?

A．To make people believe he’s a famous racer.

B．To show how he became a F1 world champion.

C．To introduce that he was once a double FI world champion.

D．To prove Ferrari Driver Academy is home to the promising racers.

3. The underlined word “dominated” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to

A．won

B．placed

C．ruled

D．grasped

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．Ella Stevens: the first female racer

B．Ella Stevens: a promising racing star

C．Formula One-Ferrari: the world top race

D．Formula One-Ferrari: a race without female

【推荐3】A visitor to The Silent Seed can open the door and then bang it with a loud noise. A few feet away, bending over his indoor flower bed, owner Jude Platteborze will never look up.

A light touch on his back, however, makes Platteborze straighten up with a wide smile, nodding. He makes them feel welcome without one word. He has to.

Platteborze, 31, who communicates through sign language, is deaf and hardly speaks. He usually uses a notebook to communicate with customers. He's just as happy, though, if the customers prefer not to talk, choosing instead to relax inside his store and explore the plants he's grown over years of self-taught planting techniques.

The Silent Seed opened a few months ago and was named after a poem his mother, Nancy Haverington, wrote about him when he was a baby and she realized he was deaf.

“Now this is my baby,“ Platteborze said of his store.

He takes care of all of the plants from young plants to their adult stage, and a large part of his business is selling the seeds （种子）.He has traveled across eastern North America collecting different plants and seeds. From those, he grows seeds for the next generation of plants.

To give customers an idea of what their seed purchase（购买）will look like, Platteborze built an oversized flower box in the store. Different kinds of plants are there for visitors to examine and learn about, and to provide the kind of environment that will make people want to stay for a while.

“I want to offer a feeling of peace, and a place where they can just sit and think and share their interest in connecting to nature,“ Platteborze said. "And they can take part of that with them to their house. ”

Platteborze’s mother thinks that his love of plants is connected with his deafness. Deaf babies often have trouble with balance, and it took Platteborze three times the normal amount of time to learn to sit up. As a result, Haverington said, he spent quite a long time belly-side（腹部）down in the grass, nose-to-nose with plants and bugs.

1. How did Platteborze learn how to grow plants?

A．All by himself.	B．From his mother.
C．From visitors to his store.	D．By travelling in North America.

2. What does the name of the store “The Silent Seed” indicate?

A．A deaf baby.	B．Sign language.
C．Growth of plants.	D．A peaceful environment.

3. According to the text, Platteborze's love of plants has a close connection to                          .

A．the way that plants grow	B．his deafness in babyhood
C．his mother's encouragement	D．his dream of being able to hear

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

A．Getting Close to Nature	B．Living in a Silent World
C．Growing Seeds in Silence	D．Communicating in Silence

【推荐1】One of the most traditional British holidays is the “seaside holiday”. Typically, families get on a train or into a car and travel to British seaside towns. They sunbathe on the beach, buy ice creams, eat fish and chips, build sandcastles and so on.

In the early 1970s, air travel became affordable for the average family in the UK, and more and more British people started travelling abroad for their summer holidays. After all, the British weather isn't very good, even in summer, so a lot leave the UK for a vacation. Particularly popular with families on a budget is the “package holiday", where the cost of flights and accommodation are offered at a discounted price by travel agents.

In the 1980s and 1990s, young people in the UK became more wealthy, or at least had more disposable income. As a result, young people started to go abroad in groups, to places such as Spain and Greece. Once at their destination, they socialized with other groups of young people and had one long party.

British holidaying habits have begun to change, however. Climate change means that the UK now has a warmer climate than before, so people don't always feel they need to go overseas to find good weather. Also, the world seems a less certain place as interconnected economics rise and fall, which means that the cost of foreign holidays is less predictable than it used to be. As a result, more and more Britons are choosing to spend their summer holidays in the UK.

In the UK, the domestic (国内的) tourism industry---when people go on holiday in their own country---is healthier than it has been in decades. There is now an increased appreciation among Britons for the diversity of the UK. It is not just the geography and the diversity of climate-based activities on offer. It is also the diversity of the cultures in the UK that is beginning to be of interest to domestic tourists

The UK has always been famous for its international explorers, but now it is starting to discover itself.

1. What mainly caused Britons to travel abroad for holidays in the early 1970s?

A．The lower cost of flights.

B．The bad weather in the UK.

C．The trend of going overseas.

D．The rise of tourism industry.

2. What does the underlined word “disposable” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Easy to handle.

B．Steady in amount.

C．Flexible to change.

D．Available for use.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Steady interconnected economics encourage more Britons to holiday in the UK.

B．Climate change has an impact on the change of British holidaying habits.

C．Package holiday was particularly popular with rich families in the early 1970s.

D．Both domestic and international tourists are interested in the diversity of the UK.

4. What's the author's attitude towards UK's domestic tourism industry?

A．Uncertain.

B．Optimistic.

C．Pessimistic

D．Critical.

【推荐2】Coco,full of wit,music and color,was listed as one of the best movies in 2018 by Douban,a large Chinese social network.Miguel is a 12-year-old boy in Mexico who wants to become a musician against the wishes of his family.In order to take part in a music competition,Miguel borrows a famous guitar.But he is transported to the Land of the Dead and has a wonderful and amazing adventure.The movie's lovely title Coco derives from the name of Miguel's oldest living relative,great-great-grandmother Coco,whose importance to the story only becomes clear late in the movie.

There's a strong family theme in this movie,and it is mainly focused on our experiences of memory and death,which are successfully combined in the theme song,Remember Me.This movie has a magic that Pixar hasn’t had for a while.And for tears that audiences try hard to hold back,the last five minutes of Coco might come to be compared to the opening of Up.

Does Coco rise to the heights of Pixar's very best work?No.But it is a generous,heartfelt movie,full of color and music,one that highlights the importance of family.Moving and amusing,Coco stands out in the Pixar productions as their first truly diverse movie.Let's hope this is only the start of a new wave of animated Hollywood movies,and in the future they can all be as fun as this,or even better.

1. Why does the author compare the ending of Coco with the opening?

A．To explain these two belong to the same kind of movie.

B．To stress that Up is not as touching as Coco.

C．To emphasize that the ending of Coco is really moving.

D．To show the similarities and differences between Coco and Up.

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true about Coco?

A．The theme of the movie is well reflected in its theme song.

B．It represents a normal Hollywood animation.

C．It is so touching that people find it hard to hold their tears back.

D．It causes people to think about life and death.

3. What is the authors attitude toward the movie?

A．Critical.

B．Positive.

C．Disapproval.

D．Neutral.

【推荐3】The well-known adventurer (冒险家)and explorer Steve Fossett, born in 1944 in America, was famous for extraordinary efforts setting world records in flying, ballooning and sailing. He set or broke over 100 records in five different sports, many of which are still held. Many of his most extraordinary adventures were as a pilot. He once said that he did not like risks. This might sound strange considering his activities. But he said what he tried to do was to reduce risk with careful planning, technological development and the help of the best scientists and other experts. In 2007, during a short-distance flight, his plane disappeared and he died at the age of 63.

In 1903 Benjamin Spock was born in America. After he attended Yale University he joined a sports team that competed in rolling boats, which in 1924 won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris. He used to work at a camp for disabled children for three summers during his years at Yale. And the experience probably led to his decision to enter Yale Medical School, and finally completed his medical degree at Columbia in New York. From 1933 he worked as a baby doctor, trying to fit the theories (理论)about how children develop with what mothers told him about their children. During the 1950s, Dr Spock became famous. He wrote articles for magazines, appeared on TV programs, taught at universities and gave speeches to talk to parents about their concerns (担心).Benjamin died in 1998 at 94. Yet his advice continues to affect the lives of millions of children and their parents.

An 80-year-old Japanese mountain climber who has had four heart surgeries (手术) reached the top of Mount on Thursday, becoming the oldest to climb up the world's highest mountain on May 23, 2013. It was Yuichiro Miura. As a famous adventurer, he skied down Everest from the South Col in 1970, a deed that became the subject of a documentary. He has since skied down the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, following the tradition of his late father, who skied down Europe's Mont Blanc at 99. "If you wish strongly, have courage and endurance, then you can get to the summit (顶峰)of your dream, Miura said.

1. From Steve Fossett's story we can infer that .

A．no amount of planning can prevent the possibility of risk in life

B．careful planning and high technology can help reduce risk to zero

C．the scientists and other experts contribute to Steve Fossett's death

D．the risk in short-distance flights can hardly be avoided completely

2. What is the main achievement of Benjamin Spock according to the author?

A．His courage to challenge medical field.

B．His contribution to children and their parents.

C．His active social activities to help the poor family.

D．His winning the Olympic gold medal in rolling boats.

3. What can we learn from Yuichiro Miura's experience?

A．Luck and misfortune comes in turn.

B．It is never too late to learn.

C．He who makes no mistakes makes nothing.

D．Nothing is impossible for a willing heart.

4. Which of the following can best describe the common personality of the three people?

A．Honest.	B．Dangerous.
C．Strong will.	D．Stressed.