【推荐1】What picture do you have of the future? Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now?What do you hope about the future?

Futurologists (未来学家) predict that life will probably be very different in 2050 in all the fields of activity, from entertainment to technology. First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. Instead, people will choose a programme from a “menu”and a computer will send the programme directly to the television. By 2050, music, films, programmes, newspapers and books will come to us by computer.

In what concerns the environment, water will have become one of our most serious problems. Demand for water will increase ten times between now and 2050 and there could be serious shortages. Some futurologists predict that water could be the cause of war if we don't act now.

In transport, cars will run on new, clean fuels and they will go very fast. Cars will have computers to control the speed of the car and there won't be any accidents. Today, many cars have computers that tell drivers exactly where they are. By 2050, the computer will control the car and drive it to your destination.

In the area of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. Many factories already use robots. Big companies prefer robots- they do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere- in factories, schools, offices, hospitals, shops and homes.

Last but not least, medicine technology will have conquered many diseases. Today scientists have discovered how to control genes. They have already produced clones of animals. By 2050, scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. Scientists will be able to do these things, but should they?

1. What's the purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To attract the interest of the readers.	B．To tell the background of the passage.
C．To raise a question.	D．To describe the pictures of the future

2. What does paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A．New clean fuels will be used on cars.	B．Cars will run faster.
C．Driverless cars will be used.	D．Transport by car will be improved.

3. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that__________.

A．all diseases will not be conquered by scientists

B．scientists have known the way to produce genes

C．the clones of human are beyond understanding for scientists

D．the clones of animals have a long way to go

4. Where can we find the passage on the web?

A．Travel.

B．Technology.

C．Education.

D．Life.

【推荐2】In a world where science has made almost anything imaginable, think outside the box and imagine if the everyday things we all take for granted were different!

Situations 1. How would the world change if we learnt to communicate with other species, like dogs or cows? 2. If we had the power to read each other’s thought—how would life be different? 3. Imagine if everyone could choose their children’s appearance—how would the human race change? 4. Suppose that men could give birth just like women—how would the world change? 5. Imagine that a harmless drug was invented so that we no longer needed to sleep. What would the effects be? 6. Supposing people had to pass an exam before they could become parents—how would society change?

Comments Katy K I think this would be horrible! I wouldn’t be able to spend all those hours under my lovely duvet(羽绒被), I would have to spend more hours at work with my horrible boss! No, no, no! Fabgirl 17 I really wish we could do this! I’ve got a dog and two cats and I wish I knew what they were thinking and what they really wanted. It would be so cool to have a chat with them. PaulfromOz It would be a bit difficult to carry on eating them, wouldn’t it? It might feel a bit like cannibalism(同类相识), I guess. JeremyJ Actually, I think it’s time that people got some kind of qualification or training to become a parent. A lot of the world’s problems are due to bad parenting if you look around. JennyEp LOL … if only this was true! I guess a painless way of giving birth would be invented pretty quickly, wouldn’t it? Amir K. If we found out what our friends really thought of us, we’d get a few shocks, I imagine. I’m not sure this would be such a great idea!

1. According to the passage, which of the following situations receives no comments?

A．Situation 2.	B．Situation 3.
C．Situation 4.	D．Situation 6.

2. According to the comments, what do people think of being able to communicate with other species?

A．It may turn out to be a shocking situation.

B．It may have people working longer hours.

C．It may make it unbearable to have animals as food.

D．It may require a safe and painless way of communication.

3. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．What if....?	B．If only ... !
C．How come?	D．No wonder!

【推荐3】Welcome to your future life!

You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. You look young. In 2035, many people can live to be about 150 years old. So at the age of 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents look the same age as you!

You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” can change the color or style as you like.

You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but you hear the voice, “You shouldn’t drink that!” Your fridge remembers the information about the milk. It knows that the milk is not fresh. In 2035, every household appliance is like your secretary.

It’s time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend with your watch. Such “smart technology” is all around you.

So will all these things come true? “All these will come true, even better,” says a scientist.

             I couldn’t agree more with the scientist. I am looking forward to the new life.
1. How do “you” look in the mirror in 2035?

A．Young.

B．Fat.

C．Healthy.

D．Tired.

2. Where is the “voice” from?

A．The watch.	B．The secretary.
C．The milk.	D．The fridge.

3. What are the cars in 2035 like?

A．They run in the sky.	B．They don’t need gas.
C．They don’t need drivers.	D．They can talk with humans.

4. Which of the following is TRUE about the life in 2035?

A．People won’t get old.

B．People don’t need to wear clothes.

C．People don’t need to have breakfast.

D．People can call their friends with a watch.

5. What is the text mainly about?

A．Future technology in everyday life.

B．Food and clothing in 2035.

C．Medical treatments of the future.

D．The reason for the success of new technology.

【推荐1】My wife and I usually don't keep houseplants. Anything in pots gets either over watered or underwatered. After my diagnosis with glioblastoma—a terminal brain cancer with a prognosis of little more than a year to live—I loved the idea of having something green and alive around us. When my friend Mitch gave me what he said was a lucky bamboo plant in a deep-green pottery bowl, we decided to place the plant in the living room window across from the couch where I spent much of each day.

I told my wife I wanted to care for the plant myself. When it didn't immediately turn yellow or brown or lose all its leaves, I was pleasantly surprised. Tending the plant gave me a sense of accomplishment at a time when I sometimes felt useless. Glioblastoma limited my ability to walk, and the treatment left me fatigued, making it hard for me to accomplish everyday tasks.

As a physician, I was used to being the one who provided care, not the one who received t Since my diagnosis in August 2018, far too often, I had to rely on help from other people. The enormous change left me feeling adrift. Watering the plant, as small an act as it was, connected me to a core part of my old identity and taught me I could still be a caregiver. Plants and people could still depend on me. Soon, it had nearly doubled in height and its leaves were shiny and lush. Both the tree and I were thriving.

Then, mysteriously, it began to show signs of stress. I increased my plant watering, then decreased it. I fed it commercial plant food. No matter what I did, the leaves kept browning and dropping to the floor. “I can't even care for a simple plant!” I yelled. “I'm failing!”

My wife reminded me that we'd seen houseplants die before. She asked me why I was getting so worked up about this particular one. I couldn't shake the feeling that the plant had become a symbol of my own vulnerable health. Identifying with the green and growing plant had offered me solace. Its shriveling leaves, I worried, might signal the recurrence of my brain tumor.

I realized I had wrongly connected my careful nurturing of the plant-something over which I had at least some control—with my own survival-something over which I had no control. When my tumor inevitably returned, it would not be because of any failure on my part—not because I didn't atomize essential oils in my of ice, not because I ate sugar occasionally and certainly not because I failed to keep this plant alive.

As my anxiety lessened, I began to examine online tutorials to help me figure out how to care for my failing plant. Following the instructions, I transplanted the tree to a larger pot, untangling its roots to give it room to grow. When it was back in the sunny window, we both began to thrive again.

1. According to Para 2-3, the writer achieved a sense of accomplishment in that        .

A．the plant nursed by him didn't show signs of being over watered or under-watered.

B．watering the plants helped him to recover some other abilities in everyday tasks.

C．the plants he tended were so flourishing that he realized he was still dependable.

D．he could fulfill some routine tasks without the support from others anymore.

2. The underlined word “adrift” in Para 3 most probably means         .

A．superficial and hollow	B．exhausted and hopeless
C．unidentifiable and frustrated	D．hysterical and fearful .

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

A．Lack of nutrients in the commercial plant food led the leaves to brown and drop.

B．The writer was concerned that the condition of the plant signified his own health.

C．The online tutorials relieved the writer's anxiety and made the plants revive again.

D．Many failures in life combined gave rise to the writer's developing glioblastoma.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．A physician's change in attitudes towards life.

B．A man's journey of recovery and self-discovery.

C．A lucky bamboo plant's “survive and thrive”.

D．A patient's search for console in attending a plan.

【推荐2】        Last August, I traveled with a group of volunteers to Tres de Mayo, a small community near Tela, Honduras to help renovate (整修) a community centre. During my stay there, I learned many things and I also had plenty of opportunity to interact (互动) and work with local children, and I often could not help but think about the hardships they faced day to day, all factors considered to place children at-risk for problems later in life.
       One young boy in particular, Javier, 16, stood out for me. Javier’s father had left a year earlier for the U. S., and the family had not heard from him since. This put his mother in a difficult position, stay in Tres de Mayo with no job and no source of income. In the end she decided to move to another province to find work. Javier with his little brother had to stay to live with their grandfather in a small house. Many of the children we met in Tres de Mayo were in similar situations.
       As our last day approached, I remember the look in Javier’s eyes, as they welled up(涌出) with tears when we told him we were leaving. One of the volunteers held him close, but it did little to console him. He had already experienced so much loss, his father abandoning him, his mother leaving to find work, and it was hard to realize that our departure(离开) was adding to the list.
       As I looked beyond Javier, I could see the many men and women whom Javier looked up to, depended on, and gathered strength from. I did know that without parents to raise him, he was not left alone. Instead, the adults in the community took responsibility for the care of their collective young.
1. Which of the following statement is TRUE?

A．Javier established good relationship with the author and his team.

B．Javier faced a number of challenges that put him at some risks.

C．Javier shared the same sufferings with other kids in Tres de Mayo.

D．Javier had to learn to be independent even since he was a little boy.

2. We can replace the underlined word “console ” in the third paragraph with ________.

A．affect

B．inspire

C．comfort

D．protect

3. According to the author, what plays an important part in the growth of Javier?

A．The united effort from the whole global village.

B．The good quality from the foreign volunteers.

C．The great care from the adults in his community.

D．The positive support from some of his family.

【推荐3】My six-year-old granddaughter stared at me as if she was seeing me for the first time. “Grandma, you are an antique (古董),” she said. “You are old. Antiques are old. You are my antique.”

I was not satisfied to let the matter rest there. I took out the Webster’s Dictionary and read the definition to Jenny. I explained, “An antique is not only old, it’s an object existing since or belonging to earlier times...a work of art... a piece of furniture. Antiques are treasured,” I told Jenny as I put away the dictionary. “They have to be handled carefully because they sometimes are very valuable. In order to qualify as an antique, the object has to be at least 100 years old.”

“I’m only 67,” I reminded Jenny.

We looked around the house for other antiques, besides me. There was a desk that was handed down from Rone aunt to another and finally to our family. “It’s very old,” I told Jenny. “I try to keep it polished and I show it off whenever I can. You do that with antiques."

There was a picture on the wall bought at a garage sale. It was dated 1867. “Now that’s an antique,” I said with pride. “Over 100 years old.” Of course it was marked up and scratched (刮坏) and not in very good condition. “Sometimes age does that,” I told Jenny. “But the marks are good marks. They show living, or being around. That’s something to display with pride. In fact, sometimes, the more an object shows age, the more valuable it can become.” I believed this was important for my own self-worth.

Our tour of antiques continued. There was a vase on the floor. It had been in my house for a long time. I was not certain where it came from but I didn’t buy it new. One thing about antiques, I explained to Jenny, was that they usually had a story. They’d been in one home and then another, handed down from one family to another, traveling all over the place. They’d lasted through years and years. They could have been thrown away, or ignored, or destroyed, or lost. But instead, they survived.

For a moment, Jenny looked thoughtful. “l don’t have any antiques but you,” she said. Then her face brightened,“Could I take you to school for show and tell?”

“Only if I fit into your backpack,” I answered. And then Jenny’s antique lifted her up and embraced her in a hug that would last through the years.

1. Why did Grandma read the definition of “antique” to Jenny?

A．To change Jenny’s shallow understanding of antiques.

B．To list all the important characteristics of antiques.

C．To express her disappointment at being called “antique”.

D．To tell Jenny the importance of protecting antiques.

2. Which of the following information did grandma express to Jenny?

A．The desk reminded her of her dear relatives.

B．The marks on the picture showed its age and value.

C．There was usually a sad story behind each antique.

D．She planned to buy a new vase to replace the old one.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Jenny had a strong desire for grandma’s love.

B．Jenny was too young to know grandma’s humor.

C．Grandma had a deep long-lasting love for Jenny.

D．Grandma was too old to lift Jenny up.

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

A．Grandma’s Antique	B．A Story of Antiques
C．A Tour of Antiques	D．Jenny’s Antique

【推荐1】Five years ago, David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. “I was a clothes addict,” he jokes. “I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled.” Today David wears casual clothes-khaki pants and sports shirt-to the office. He hardly ever wears a necktie. “I’m working harder than ever,” David says, “and I need to feel comfortable.”

More and more companies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work in the United States. The change from formal to casual office wear has been gradual. In the early 1990s, many companies allowed their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday (but only on Friday). This became known as “dress-down Friday” of “casual Friday”. “What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for employees has really become an everyday thing.” said business consultant Maisly Jones.

Why have so many companies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it’s easier for a company to attract new employees if it has a casual dress code. “A lot of young people don’t want to dress up for work,” says the owner of a software company, “so it’s hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code.” Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing comfortable clothes. In a study conducted by Levi Strauss and Company, 85 percent of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale. Only 4 percent of employers said that casual dress has a negative impact on productivity. Supporters of casual office wear also argue that a casual dress code helps them save money. “Suits are expensive, if you have to wear one every day,” one person said. “For the same amount of money, you can buy a lot more casual clothes.”

1. David Smith refers to himself as having been “a clothes addict,” because _______.

A．he often wore khaki pants and a sports shirt

B．he couldn’t stand a clean appearance

C．he wanted his clothes to look neat all the time

D．he didn’t want to spend much money on clothes

2. According to this passage, which of the following statements is true?

A．Company workers started to dress down about twenty years ago.

B．Dress-down has become an everyday phenomenon since the early 1990s.

C．“Dress-down Friday” was first given as a favor from employers.

D．Many workers want to wear casual clothes to impress people.

3. According to this passage, which of the following statements is false?

A．Many employees don’t like a conservative dress code.

B．Comfortable clothes make employees more productive.

C．A casual clothes code is welcomed by young employees.

D．All the employers in the U. S. are for casual office wear.

4. In this passage, the following advantages of casual office wear are mentioned in the passage except _______.

A．saving employees’ money

B．making employees more attractive

C．encouraging employees to work harder

D．making employees happier

【推荐2】I go to school the youth to learn the future．

﹣Robert Frost

	Harvard University Type：private       Created Time：1636 Location：Cambridge．Massachusetts．USA
Harvard University's history，influence and wealth have made it one of the most famous universities in the world
	University of Oxford Type：public     Created Time：Not quite clear Location：Oxford，Britain
The University of Oxford is the second oldest university in the world and the oldest in the English﹣speaking world．
	University of Cambridge Type：public       Created Time：1209 Location：Cambridge，Britain
The University of Cambridge is the second oldest university in the English﹣speaking world and the sixth oldest in Europe．
	Tsinghua University Type：public          Created Time：1211 Location：Haidian District，Beijing．China
Tsinghua University was originally（起初）under the name “Tsinghua Xuetang” The school was renamed “Tsinghua School” in 1912．The university section was founded in 1925．

1. What is Harvard University famous for？

A．People and wealth．	B．Subjects and country
C．Professors and students．	D．History，influence and wealth．

2. When was the university section founded in Tsinghua University？

A．In 1211．	B．In 1912．
C．In 1925．	D．Not quite clear

3. Which statement is NOT TRUE according to the passage above？

A．Harvard University was set up in 1636．

B．The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the world．

C．The University of Cambridge is the sixth oldest university in Europe

D．Tsinghua University is located in Beijing now．

【推荐3】For more than twenty years scientists have been searching for signs of life on other planets. Most of these searches have been done over the radio, a scanning of the electromagnetic waves(电磁波)that come to us from outer space. The hope is that someone out there may be trying to contact us. Scientists also have sent radio and television messages, as well as messages on spacecraft traveling through space, on the chance that someone may be receptive to(准备接受的)such messages.

The most extensive search for intelligence planned so far involves using powerful radio telescopes to listen to signals from about 1,000 stars, all within 100 light years’ of Earth. In addition, astronomers will scan the entire sky to “listen” for radio messages from more distant stars. Using a computer, astronomers will be able to monitor more than eight million channels at one time. Scientists are looking for any signal that stands out from the background noise, such as a long, loud pulse or a strong tone that could have traveled great distances.

What are the chances that other intelligence life exists in our galaxy(星系)? Of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, scientists estimate that five percent-ten billion stars-are like our sun. They are medium size stars, probably with planets. Of these solar systems, perhaps half of them-five billion-have a planet like Earth. Such a planet would be a reasonable distance from the star for temperatures to be right for the evolution of life. Based on the estimate of five billion inhabitable (适合居住的) planets in our galaxy, most scientists agree that chances are likely that one or more of these planets support some life.

However, many scientists wonder whether intelligent life-organisms who can communicate with us-exists on other planets. Some believe that twenty years of searching with no hint (暗示) of an intelligible message indicates that no one is out there. They say that the evolution of intelligence comparable to ours is unlikely, and perhaps not even advantageous for most creatures in most environments. Insects, perhaps the most evolutionarily successful of all organisms on Earth, for instance, could not communicate over radio waves.

Other scientists believe that our search has been neither long enough nor extensive enough to rule out(排除)the possibility that intelligent life exists in our galaxy. Although our solar system is only about five billion years old, our galaxy is about 20 billion years old. Some scientists think it is likely that civilizations, in that time, much more advanced than ours have developed. Perhaps these civilizations are sending us no signals; perhaps we have not recognized the signals they have sent us. If we hope to find intelligent life, these scientists believe that we have to keep looking.

1. According to the passage, ______planets in our galaxy might be inhabitable.

A．5 billion	B．10 billion
C．200 billion	D．all

2. The first paragraph in this passage is mainly about _____.

A．spacecraft travelling

B．electromagnetic waves

C．why scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets

D．how scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets

3. Which of these statements is true based on the information in the passage?

A．Most scientists believe that there is intelligent life on other planets.

B．Scientists are trying different ways to find signs of life on other planets.

C．The Earth is one of the oldest planets in our galaxy.

D．We are alone in the universe.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．If the research continues, we may find intelligent life.

B．We have been working long enough to find intelligent life.

C．Those civilizations have sent us some signals.

D．Our solar system is old enough.