【推荐1】72 Hours in Beijing

Traveling to China is no longer a luxury for many foreign passport holders. The Chinese government has permitted a 72-hour visa-free policy that offers access to visitors from 53 countries including the US, France and Austria. Let’s start with the capital of China, Beijing. Here’s a pick of the best in Beijing!

Mutianyu Great Wall

Your trip to Beijing isn’t really complete without seeing one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World”, the Great Wall of China. The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is by far the most well-preserved of all. Taking a one-hour bus ride, Mutianyu would be your ideal location for a half day of hiking away from the large crowds in the city. Also, the authorities have allowed tourists to paint graffiti on a specific section of the Great Wall since 2014. The Great Wall was designated (把......定名为) a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

Summer Palace

Located in northwestern Beijing, the Summer Palace is by far the city’s most well-preserved royal park. With its huge lake and hilltop views, the palace offers you a pastoral escape into the landscape of traditional Chinese paintings. The Summer Palace was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.

798 Art Zone

This would be on the top of my list! Named after the 798 factory that was built in the 1950s. The art zone is home to various galleries, design studios, art exhibition spaces, fashionable shops and bars. You could easily spend half your day wandering around the complex, feeling the contrast of the present and the past.

Sichuan Provincial Restaurant

While in Beijing, apart from trying the city’s best-known Peking duck the Sichuan provincial restaurant is one of the places where you can enjoy regional delicious food. It offers one of China’s eight great cuisines, Sichuan, which ranges from Mapo tofu to spicy chicken.

1. Who is the passage intended for?

A．The tourists who prefer to travel for free.

B．The visitors coming from every comer of China.

C．The foreigners to stay in Beijing for 3 days.

D．The foreigners coming to Beijing for the first time.

2. How does the author describe Mutianyu Great Wall?

A．Tourists need a half-day to arrive there.

B．It is the most well-maintained part of the Great Wall.

C．Tourists are allowed to paint graffiti anywhere.

D．It was named a UNESCO World Heritage site 20 years ago.

3. Where would you go first if you were the author?

A．798 Art Zone.	B．Summer Palace.
C．Mutianyu Great Wall.	D．Sichuan Provincial Restaurant.

【推荐3】Pacific Science Center Guide

◆Visit Pacific Science Center’s Store

Don’t forget to stop by Pacific Science Center’s Store while you are here to pick up a wonderful science activity or souvenir to remember your visit. The store is located (位于) upstairs in Building 3 right next to the Laser Dome.

◆Hungry?

Our exhibits will feed your mind, but what about your body? Our café offers a complete menu of lunch and snack options, in addition to seasonal specials. The café is located upstairs in Building 1 and is open daily until one hour Pacific Science Center closes.

◆Rental Information

Lockers are available to store any belongs during your visit. The lockers are located in Building 1 near the Information Desk and in Building 3. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent at the Information Desk and Denny Way entrance. ID required.

◆Support Pacific Science Center

Since 1962, Pacific Science Center has been inspiring a passion (热情) for discovery and lifelong learning in science, math and technology. Today, Pacific Science Center serves more than 1.3 million people a year and brings inquiry-based science education to classrooms and community events all over Washington State. It’s an amazing accomplishment and one we cannot achieve without generous support from individuals, corporations, and other social organizations. Visit pacificsciencecenter. org to find various ways you can support Pacific Science Center.

1. Where can you buy a souvenir at Pacific Science Center?

A．In Building 3.	B．In Building l.
C．At the Laser Dome.	D．At the Denny Way entrance.

2. Which of the following about the Pacific Science Center is NOT true?

A．You can have lunch there.	B．The exhibits there will feed your mind.
C．There is no place to store your belongs.	D．Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent.

3. What is the purpose of the last part of the text?

A．To tell about the Center’s history.	B．To advertise coming events.
C．To introduce special exhibits.	D．To encourage donations.

【推荐1】We considered a list of the best American books—but we'd need a whole issue to do them justice. Here are 5 that helped define the national character. Most from a century or so ago.

They still entertain, teach, and inspire.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

First published in 1851 the adventure stories of Captain Ahab and his continuous hunting for the white whale draw us into a universe full of fascinating characters and stories.

The education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams

Awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1918, coming from one of America's most famous political dynasties? Adams provides insight (洞察力) into his family? including his experience as private secretary to his father, minister to England during the American Civil War.

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

When Whitman published Leaves of Grass in 1855, he wanted to define the American experience sing of the new country in a new voice? reflecting the great changes in the American literary world that had taken place during his lifetime.

Poems by Emily Dickinson

An enthusiastic poet whose works have had considerable influence on modern poetry, Dickinson's frequent use of dashes (破折号) sporadic capitalization (零星的大写)of nouns, and unusual metaphors(隐瑜) have contributed to her reputation as one of the most innovative (仓新的) poets of 19th century American literature.

The song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

First published in 1855, this is Longfellow's most popular and most recognized poem, the heroic life and death of a magic American Indian, sent by the Great Spirit to guide the nations in the ways of peace.

1. If you are interested in nature, especially the sea world, ________ is the most suitable book for you.

A．Poems	B．Moby Dick
C．The Song of Hiawatha	D．The Education of Henry Adams

2. Walt Whitman wrote leaves of Grass in order to              .

A．show the great changes in the American literary world

B．reflect the great changes in American society during his lifetime

C．give the Americans encouragement in a new voice

D．show people his talent and heroic life

3. Whose works are most suitable for you if you want to learn some new ways of writing poems?

A．Walt Whitman's.	B．Emily Dickinson's
C．Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's	D．Herman Melville's

4. If you want to read a story about an American Indian, you can read               .

A．Moby Dick	B．Leaves
C．Poems	D．The Song of Hiawatha

5. Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Walt Whitman was an enthusiastic poet and writer.

B．Of five books, four are poems.

C．The Education of Henry Adams is a nonfiction (非虚构的) book.

D．Of the five books, Moby Dick was published last.

【推荐2】Marvel at These Freaks of Nature

The world is filled with unique, breathtaking sites-from boiling craters to caves full of lightning bugs. While a global disease or natural disasters shock our soul, we might not appreciate nature. In fact, enjoying the wonder of nature can provide some breaks from too much time indoors. These sites are great for you when looking for hope in some of Mother Nature's greatest offerings.

01 Fly Geyser （Washoe County, Nevada）

This geyser in northern Nevada, found surrounded by fields of grass was created by accident when a geothermal power company drilled a test well（井)）where the geyser now sits in 1964. The combination of calcium carbonate deposits （碳酸钙沉淀物）and extremely hot water resulted in three nearly 6-foot-high, brightly colored red an« green hills that shoot hot water into the air.

02 The Marble Caves （Aysen,   Chile）

These caves --accessible only by boat - sit in the heart of Patagonia and wen formed over 6.000 years as water continued to splash against the solid rock formations to create these unique blue marble formations.

03 Lake Sorvagsvatn （Vagar, The Faroe Islands）

This freshwater lake is famous for its appearance of " floating above the ocean. Though it's actually not even 100 feet above sea level, from various camera angles, the lake looks like it is hundreds of feet above the ocean because of its juxtaposition（并列） with a dramatic waterfall and the cliff to its side.

04 Krka National Park （Sibenik-knin, Croatia）

This national park in southern Croatia is famous for having not one, but seven, gorgeous waterfalls streaming with greenish-blue waters, including the attractive Skradinskibuk waterfall. The clear water in its basin is often filled with visitors taking a dip.

1. According to the text, the following are all false except that ________.

A．these sites all have something to do with waterfalls

B．you may see lightning bugs in the Marble Caves by boat

C．Lake Sorvagsvatn are floating hundreds of feet above the ocean

D．the Flyer Geyser has 6 colorful hills shooting hot water into air

2. If visitors want to have a swim, they should go to ________.

A．the Flyer Geyser	B．Lake Sorvagsvatn
C．Krka National Park	D．the Marble Caves

3. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To give basic facts about these freaks of nature.

B．To explain the reasons why these sites are great.

C．To call on people to appreciate these freaks of nature

D．To offer advice on how to visit these wonders of nature.

【推荐3】National Space Center, Leicester

An interactive museum of super-size space experiences: from a giant planet Earth you can touch to the UK’s biggest domed planetarium and a 42-meter rocket tower. You can’t miss the latter as you drive into Leicester—the structure looks like it's wrapped in giant inflatable pillows. Inside, it houses Blue Streak and Thor Able rockets. Take in the full scale of them by riding a glass-sided lift up to the viewing platform. Elsewhere, there are six galleries with plenty of buttons to press and screens to touch. It's all under cover so it's a good place to visit on a rainy day!

What about lunch?

The Boosters Café serves reasonably priced hot and cold snacks and drinks (hot dog from £4.95, plus jacket potatoes, soups, sandwiches and salads) at the foot of the center's two rockets. The café offers vegetarian and vegan options too. There's more seating in its Soyuz Lounge. Look out for the table with the big red button that says “Do not press”, and make sure you press it. We took sandwiches and ate them while we queued for the planetarium show.

Exit through the gift shop?

The gift shop is the first thing you pass on entry and, as this place is one big loop, it’s also the last thing you see as you leave. It's stocked with space-themed souvenirs including books, games and telescopes. Some are quite pricey.

Getting there

There is a regular bus service(No. 54) with a stop two minutes' walk from the center, as well as a park and ride service from Birstall. East Midlands Trains and Cross-Country Trains operate services to Leicester station, from which the center is a 25-minute bus ride. If driving, it’s just off the A6,north of the city center. Parking is £3 for the day.

Value for money

It's not cheap-adult £15, 5-to 16-year-olds £12-but once you've paid you can revisit as many times as you want in a year, and admission is free for kids under five.

Opening hours

10 a.m.—4 p.m. Monday to Friday,10 a.m.—5 p.m. weekends and school holidays.

1. What cannot be seen in the National Space Center?

A．A bus stop.	B．A big inflatable pillow.
C．The Boosters Café.	D．A gift shop.

2. If a couple want to take their son, a primary school student, and 4-year-old twin sisters to the space center, how much will they spend on the tickets?

A．£44.

B．£39.

C．£57.

D．£42.

3. Which of the following is true according to the article?

A．It takes visitors 25 minutes to get to the center from Leicester station by bus.

B．Visitors have to take umbrellas when visiting galleries in the center on a rainy day.

C．If buying tickets for the center, you can visit Leicester anytime for free within a year.

D．Visitors can buy space-themed souvenirs at reasonable prices when leaving the center.

【推荐1】If you're thinking about reaching for another biscuit to get you through the working day,think again.Eating unhealthy snacks at your desk makes you pile on almost half a stone a year,a survey has revealed.The waistlines of women suffer the most,with the average female putting on 61b 3oz—the equivalent of a whole dress size—while men see their weight increase by 51b 20z.

The report into our eating habits found that,on average,we eat at least two snacks a day,with 30 percent of us tucking into three or more.Women admit eating more than men,with a further 13 percent of ladies scoffing four or more snacks a day.The research,by The Village Bakery,found biscuits are the most common vice,with 42 percent regularly opening a pack,closely followed by chocolate (38 percent),crisps (32 percent) and cakes (13 percent).

And office workers are worse than most.Cakes and biscuits brought into work by colleagues are one of the main temptations office staff give in to.In addition,33 percent admit reaching for nibbles to cope with stress and 22 percent say they need a sugar rush to perk them up in the afternoon.

Simon Staddon,of The Village Bakery,said:"We were aware time-poor office workers can find it difficult to easily access a nutritional lunch.But we were really shocked by the extent to which 'quick fix' lunches are affecting weight gain and general well-being.Popular mid-afternoon pick-me-ups such as biscuits,chocolate and cakes are high in calories,fat and full of sugar,all of which affect your blood sugar levels and ultimately lead to weight gain."

The survey of 2,000 British men and women suggests we are often ashamed of our unhealthy eating. Twenty-four percent of Britons admit lying about how many snacks they eat with 33 percent of women lying, compared to 20 percent of men.Unfortunately,it's as if we are not likely to do anything positive to counteract the sweet treats.

1. According to the passage,women usually put weight on first______.

A．on the face	B．on the legs
C．on the feet	D．in the middle

2. What's the main reason of eating snacks in the office?

A．Colleagues eat them to save money.

B．Staff use them to cope with their lunches.

C．Colleagues often bring them to office.

D．Bosses invite staff to eat them.

3. Why do office workers eat a "quick fix" lunch?

A．Because it has much of nutrition.

B．Because it has little effect on weight gain.

C．Because it has little effect on general well-being.

D．Because they have a short time to have their lunches.

4. It can be inferred that British women are______.

A．less likely to lie on snacks than men

B．more likely to lie on snacks than men

C．more ashamed of eating snacks than men

D．less ashamed of eating snacks than men

【推荐2】English is a very interesting language. It has borrowed words from many other languages. Immigrants (移民) coming into the United States have contributed many words to the language, which have kept their original pronunciation. “Coolie” and “kowtow” were taken from the Chinese language, “kamikaze” from the Japanese, “shampoo” from India, “blitz” from German, “amigo” and “Los Angeles” from Spanish and so on.

Many students have studied English for years, some as many as eight. However, some students still have difficulty in speaking fluent English. Some know many words, but are unable to discern them when native speakers use them. In our oral English classes we will focus on speaking and listening to native English speakers. For this reason, because we are trying to train your ears to hear English and your mouths to speak intelligible (易理解的) English, we will have a rule that ONLY ENGLISH will be spoken in our English classes. Anyone speaking Chinese in class will be required to pay a fine (罚款) in order to encourage the speaking and understanding of English. If teachers enter a classroom and discover that anyone is speaking Chinese, they will require everyone in the room to pay the fine. It is everyone's job to enforce the English­Only rule. It is for your benefit. It is because we want to accustom (使习惯于) your ears to hearing English.

Other subjects may be learned only from books but the only way to learn a foreign language is to SPEAK IT! Students are often nervous about speaking in class at first but we hope to make the classes fun, so you will forget your nervousness and learn to speak out. Enjoy your classes.

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．The difficulty of learning English.

B．Different words in different languages.

C．How interesting and different English is.

D．The immigrants' contributions to America.

2. What does the underlined word “discern” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．notice

B．understand

C．hear

D．speak

3. Why is the English­Only rule made?

A．To benefit the teachers.

B．To make the English class more colourful.

C．To require everyone in the room to pay the fine.

D．To improve the students' abilities of using English.

4. What does the writer think is the only way to learn a language well?

A．Speak it often.	B．Learn it from books.
C．Listen to it on the radio.	D．Play games with it.

5. Who is the text aimed at?

A．Japanese students	B．German students
C．Chinese students	D．Indian students

【推荐3】In the past decade, the use of social media has grown in a way that no one could have guessed. It has turned some teenagers into celebrities (名人) and turned the famous into the infamous, overnight.

A key feature of social media, however, is its volatility. Trends come and go, disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared. So, what were the key social media trends of 2018?

Short video apps such as TikTok and its Chinese equivalent Douyin, took the world by storm. The Telegraph reported that TikTok was ranked 8th on Apple’s App Store in April. And Douyin had more than 300 million domestic monthly active users in June, CNBC said.

Why are these short videos – which are rarely longer than a few minutes – so popular? Jiang Yige, Singapore-based analyst at FengHe Fund Management, has a theory. Short videos are “just right to fill in the little gaps in our busy schedules,” he told CNBC.

These videos – apart from being very convenient – are important to teenagers because they allow them to express themselves, according to Teen Vogue.

The sense of community that users of short video app get is another appealing feature. Liza Koshy, a user of the US app Musically who has over 2 million followers, said that she was thrilled when anyone said that her video had “inspired” them. “It’s really cool … because I think as social creators that’s what we all are,” she added.

Live streaming is another feature of our social media life that now seems as natural as sunrise. It’s a pretty neat idea: You can watch anyone, anywhere, live.

However, China has taken live streaming to a whole new level. In China, more than 100 million viewers monthly watch a live streaming video. Forbes thought that a number of factors had led to the popularity of live streams. Among them is viewers’ ability to interact while remaining anonymous.

However, the boom in social media may be having side effects too. Fake news is one serious problem it arguably causes. Material shared on these platforms is often not checked for accuracy. The most basic content can be false and can sway users one way or another. We use social media all the time; that doesn’t mean that we understand the influence it is having on us. We should be mindful of both the time we spend on it and its impact on our minds.

1. The underlined word “volatility” in Paragraph 2 possibly means “being _____”.

A．changeable	B．steady
C．promising	D．violent

2. According to Lisa Koshy, short videos are very popular because _____________.

A．they are very convenient

B．they help people kill time

C．they provide a sense of community

D．they allow people to express themselves

3. What can we learn about social media from the text?

A．The information from social media is highly reliable.

B．When it comes to social media, people know short videos the best.

C．People can’t communicate with each other without social media.

D．There is still much room for social media to make improvement.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Rapid Development of Social Media

B．Key Social Media Trends ruling 2018

C．Short Videos Taking the World by Storm

D．Live Streaming—New Feature of Social Media

【推荐1】William Butler Yeats, a most famous Irish writer, was born in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His childhood lacked the harmony that was typical of a happy family. Later, Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered "little of childhood but its pain". In fact, he inherited (继承) excellent taste in art from his family — both his father and his brother were painters. But he finally settled on literature, particularly drama and poetry.
Yeats had strong faith in the coming of new artistic movements. He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s. His early theatrical experiments, however, were not received favorably at the beginning. He didn't lose heart, and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama.
Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats's poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition.
He had not enjoyed a major public life since winning the Nobel Prize in 1923. Yet, he continued writing almost to the end of his life. Had Yeats stopped writing at age 40, he would probably now be valued as a minor poet, for there is no other example in literary history of a poet who produces his greatest works between the ages of 50 and 75. After Yeats's Death in 1939, W. H. Auden wrote, among others, the following lines:
Earth, receive an honoured guest:
             William Yeats is laid to rest.
             Let the Irish vessel (船) lie
             Emptied of its poetry.
1. Which of the following can describe Yeats's family?

A．It filled Yeats's childhood with laughter.

B．It was shocked by Yeats's choice.

C．It was a typically wealthy family.

D．It had an artistic atmosphere.

2. According to the passage, what do we know about Yeats's life?

A．Yeats founded the first Irish theater.

B．Yeats stuck to modern forms in his poetry.

C．Yeats began to produce his best works from the 1910s.

D．Yeats was not favored by the public until the 1923 Noble Prize.

3. What kind of feeling is expressed in W. H. Auden's lines?

A．Envy

B．Sympathy

C．Emptiness

D．Admiration

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Yeats's literary achievements	B．Yeats's historical influence
C．Yeats's artistic ambition	D．Yeats's national honor

【推荐2】We say that technology is a double-edged sword -while it brings convenience, it also brings new problems. The sword of “social media” even has a gender preference in its damage: It cuts deeper into girls than boys.

Earlier studies have shown that spending too much time on social media is bad for teenagers’ mental health. Constantly watching their friends show off “perfect” lives can hurt their own self-esteem (自尊). That’s not to mention the problems caused by online shaming and bullying (霸凌).

Jean Twenge, a professor at San Diego State University in the US, recently discovered an alarming trend: Since 2010, the number of teenage girls who suffer from major depression – showing signs like self-harm and suicide (自杀) - has increased much faster than that of boys. In an article she wrote at The Conversation, Twenge said social media, again, was to blame.

For starters, girls use social media more than boys. Boys tend to spend their screen time on games, where they talk to their teammates through headphones. This counts as real human contact. Girls, however, simply type and browse through posts, which is a much more isolated (孤立的) experience. “They’re not having a real-time conversation with someone,” Mary Fristad, psychologist at The Ohio State University, told NPR.

And when it comes to online shaming, girls are also more vulnerable than boys. “Girls face more pressure about their appearance, which could be exacerbated (加重) by social media,” wrote Twenge.

Shannon McLaughlin, for example, is an 18-year-old from Blackburn College in the US. She shared with the Guardian how social media made her feel depressed. “I was constantly confronted (面对) by women with skinny bodies who were praised for the way they looked. This was only made worse by the diet fixes and skinny culture,” she said. But McLaughlin found a solution. She started volunteering with the National Citizen Service, where she made face-to-face contact with people. “It’s so easy to forget the importance of real connections when we have hundreds of people that we’re trying to impress at our fingertips,” she told the Guardian. And she hopes that others “look up from their phones and focus more on the world around them”.

1. What did Twenge find in her recent study?

A．Overuse of social media harms teenagers’ mental health.

B．Social media does more harm to girls than boys.

C．Girls suffered more from bullying than boys.

D．Online shaming and bullying are to blame for teenagers’ depression.

2. Why do girls tend to feel more isolated than boys online, according to Mary Fristad?

A．Girls have less real-time interaction with people.

B．Playing games allows boys to have more fun than girls.

C．Girls suffer more pressure on social media.

D．Girls usually desire more contact with others.

3. The underlined word “vulnerable” in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to“         ”.

A．adjusting oneself well	B．fighting back bravely
C．being unconcerned about something	D．being likely to be at risk of something

4. What does McLaughlin advise teenage girls to do?

A．Ignore social media and stop following a diet.

B．Connect more with the real world.

C．Constantly take part in volunteer work.

D．Make better use of phones for socializing.