【推荐1】If you are thinking about studying in foreign countries, you may already know that there are a great number of colleges and universities from which to choose. How do you find the one that's right for you? Here are some tips to help you with your college search:

    1    

Make sure you understand your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Give yourself an honest self-examination to check what kind of college you like and where you would like to stay.

Collect Information.

Collect as much Information as possible, from and about colleges.     2    . Use the college search programs to research and sort for colleges that meet your personal requirements.

Visit college campuses.

It can be very helpful to experience the first-hand campus culture of any college you are considering.     3     , there are other options that can help you get a feel for the academic and cultural environment. Many schools offer virtual campus tourists on their websites.

Talk with the students about their experiences.

Make the students tell you stories about their experiences. Try to imagine yourself in the stories they are telling. Don't settle for “this is a great place — you'd love it here. ” Find out why.    4    

Take an honest look at affordability.

Some private colleges carry a price of $60,000 (or more）per year. Ask your parents what they can or are willing to spend.     5    , you had better know if there will be financial limitations on your college selections.

A．Know yourself

B．If you are not able to travel

C．Give yourself any examination

D．Before you fall in love with a school

E．After you decide which school to go to

F．It is easy to find and won't cost anything

G．Their reasons for loving it may not match with yours.

【推荐2】National Rankings: Best High Schools

The U.S. News rankings include data on more than 22,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Schools were awarded gold, silver or bronze medals based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.

About the Awards

Gold—Top 500 Schools based on highest college readiness.

Silver—High-performing schools based on lower college readiness.

Bronze—High-performing schools based on state exam performance,  listed alphabetically.

Award Distribution

Gold 2.4%

Silver 10.3%

Bronze 16.8%

No Medal 70.5%

HOW We Determine the Awards

STEP 1 Students perform better than expected in their state.

We looked at reading and math results for students on each state's proficiency(水平) tests and then factored in the percentage of economically disadvantaged students, who tend to score lower.

STEP 2 Disadvantaged students perform better than state average.

We compared each school's math and reading proficiency rates for disadvantaged students--black, Hispanic and low-income—with the state wide results for these student groups and then selected schools that were performing better than their state averages.

STEP 3 Student graduation rates meet or are greater than a national standard.

We left out schools from consideration if their graduation rates were lower than 75 percent--a starting point that is higher than a federal law that requires states to give extra resources to schools below 67 percent.

STEP 4 Students are prepared for college-level coursework.

We calculated a College Readiness Index,which is based or the school's AP participation rate and how well the

students did on those tests. Tiebeakers were used to determine ranks of schools that achieved the same College Readiness Index.
1. Which plays an important part in winning medals?

A．State evaluation.

B．Schools' intention.

C．College assessment.

D．Government' s judgment.

2. Schools winning medals account for

A．16.8%

B．27.1%

C．29.5%

D．70.5%

3. Which school can get the awards?

A．The school whose disadvantaged student do averagely.

B．The school whose students perform better than demanded.

C．The school whose graduation rates were lower than 67 percent.

D．The school whose students have a knowledge of College Readiness Index.

【推荐1】From July to October every year, about a quarter of the world’s blue whales feed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. But the whales currently face a major threat in their favorite feeding area. Ships carrying cargo (货物) sail in the same area at the same time. All too often, the whales’ paths and the ships’ travel lines overlap (部分重叠), and a ship will hit a whale.

According to a new study, these ship strikes have become a serious threat to the overall population of the world’s blue whales. Only about 10,000 of the creatures still exist worldwide. Blue whales are the largest known animals ever to live on Earth. Even so, if hit by a container ship, a blue whale will likely die from its injuries.

In 2007 alone, large ships killed five blue whales in the waters of San Francisco and Los Angeles, California. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that because there are so few whales already, losing three to five from the California whale population every year is a significant loss. “The estimated population of blue whales in this part of the Pacific is 2,500,” says Sean Hastings, an analyst of NOAA. “So every whale counts toward this species moving off the endangered-species list.”

Now, marine scientists must figure out how to protect the whales from the giant container ships. One very simple program is already underway in the Santa Barbara Channel, a waterway that separates mainland California from the nearby Channel Islands.

The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary has asked large container ships passing through the area to voluntarily slow down. Sailing slower will allow the ships’ crew (船员) more time to change course before hitting a whale.

Several of the world’s largest shipping lines are set to participate in the new program. For every ship that passes through the Santa Barbara Channel at or below the reduced speed of 12 knots, the company that owns the ship will be paid $2,500.

1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?

A．People intend to illegally hunt blue whales for money.

B．Large ships often carrying goods may pollute the sea.

C．The container ships may hit the blue whales frequently.

D．There is fewer fish in blue whales’ favorite feeding area.

2. Why is the death of several whales regarded as a significant loss to the world’s blue whales?

A．Because the number of the blue whales is so small.

B．Because other blue whales will be scared away.

C．Because blue whales are the largest animals in the world.

D．Because many blue whales get killed throughout the year.

3. According to Sean Hastings, it can be inferred that ________.

A．the number of the blue whales is decreasing sharply

B．the blue whales are still on the endangered species list

C．most of the world’s blue whales live in the Pacific Ocean

D．blue whales are often disturbed by other endangered creatures

4. What are the last three paragraphs mainly about?

A．The basic responsibility of a sailor.	B．Measures to protect the blue whales.
C．The world’s largest shipping lines.	D．Ways to slow down the speed of the ships.

【推荐2】The driver who cuts you off in traffic. The neighbors who don’t pick up after their dog. Situations such as these get our hearts racing and send our stress levels skyrocketing. Anger isn’t a pleasant feeling. Some of us bottle up the feeling, while others explode in a wild rage (狂怒). Both habits do considerable harm to our bodies, our minds, and our relationships.

“Anger may feel uncomfortable and a lot of people think they have to get rid of their anger,” says Patrick Keelan, a registered psychologist in Calgary, Alberta. “But anger is an emotion built into us to signal that something needs to be addressed. When we take notice of that signal and actually wrestle with the problem instead of turning a blind eye to it, we’re usually much better for it.”

Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned to keep our emotions hidden. Increasingly, research is suggesting that this can have long-term effects on our health. Investigators at the University of Rochester noticed that people who contain their emotions tend to live shorter lives.

Is it better, then, to scream and howl whenever something makes you mad? That’s probably the reason why “rage rooms” have popped up in many American cities, where folks are invited to let steam off by violently smashing (打碎) stuff in a “safe” environment. However, the research indicates that when people display anger aggressively, it can actually increase the intensity of the anger — and increase the likelihood of aggressive actions in the future. It doesn’t take much imagination to predict how such behavior can affect your relationship with your spouse, your kids, or your colleagues. It also hurts your health. A large 2016 study at McMaster University found that people are more than twice as likely to have a heart attack after an angry explosion.

If we shouldn’t bottle up our angry feelings but aggressive behavior isn’t healthy either, how should we handle things that tick us of? It’s the extreme highs and lows that cause the damage. If you’re able to apply techniques that smooth out some of those peaks and valleys, you can have a gentler ride.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．All people lose their temper when offended.

B．When feeling angry, some people hold back the emotion.

C．Anger does harm because it causes heart problems and stress.

D．Only exploding in a wild rage is harmful.

2. What does Patrick Keelan think of anger?

A．Uncomfortable and avoidable.	B．Terrible and threatening.
C．Confusing and complex.	D．Normal and natural.

3. What is the consequence of letting out anger violently?

A．It leads to people’s shorter life.	B．It warns people against violence.
C．It adds to people’s anger.	D．It causes many "rage rooms" to be smashed.

4. What will be talked about if the passage is continued?

A．Possible causes of anger.	B．Tips on handling anger.
C．Possible harm of anger.	D．Tips on avoiding anger.

【推荐3】It is not easy to excite New Yorkers. This is one reason why actors and other famous people move to the city. They can live quieter lives and escape the paparazzi(狗仔队)photographers who would follow then in Hollywood.

But New York has a new media star. And this star is not living so quietly.

The star is a colorful Mandarin duck. The bird first appeared this month in a small body of water in Manhattan's Central Park.

Large crowds have gathered to see the duck. Reporters have been following its every move. The media attention on the duck has earned the name "quackarazzi"-a word combination of paparazzi and the sound a duck makes!

The duck has chosen to live in a costly pan of New York-just off Fifth Avenue, near the historic Plaza Hotel. There, hundreds of people turn up every day, hoping to see the bird show off its extremely colorful feathers.

Many people like the duck because its colors are like "sunsets," says New Yorker Joe Amato. He comes to the park nearly every day with his camera equipment.

Bird expert Paul Sweet heads a large collection of bird species at the New York-based American Museum of Natural History. He says there is nothing special about a Mandarin duck in Central Park. Central Park Zoo has its own Mandarin duck, he says. These ducks are often imported to the United States from Asia for use on private property.

Sometimes they escape, he said. Sweet said he believes this duck is an escapee. If it were wild, he added, traditional bird watchers-often called birders-would be "very excited." And they are not. "A lot of non-birders tend to see colorful birds as more beautiful," Sweet said. "But to me, it's no more beautiful than, say, a sparrow."

In this case, though, common New Yorkers get to decide what is beautiful. And they have clearly chosen this Mandarin duck.

1. What does paragraph 1 want to tell us?

A．Nothing can excite New Yorkers.

B．New Yorkers are hard to be attracted.

C．There are no actors or stars in New York.

D．Paparazzi photographers are popular in New York.

2. Who can be called "quackarazzi" according to the text?

A．All New Yorkers.	B．Paparazzi photographers.
C．Reporters following the duck.	D．The bird experts.

3. What can we learn from Paul Sweet's saying?

A．This Mandarin duck is very special.

B．The birdwatchers are very excited.

C．The Mandarin duck got away from somewhere in U.S.

D．Paul Sweet believes the Mandarin duck is more beautiful than a sparrow.

4. What is the attitude of the New Yorkers to the duck?

A．Welcoming.	B．Indifferent.
C．Resistant.	D．Unclear.

【推荐1】My family, my wife, Joan, our two teenagers Hannah and Joseph, and I, live in Atlanta with our two dogs.

Ten years ago, we moved into our dream house, a very big three-story home. It was a beautiful place, but as our children grew up, our sense of togetherness (团结) began to disappear slowly. In the big house, we sometimes seemed to be strangers to each other.

One day when Hannah was 14, she became upset about the difference between the world’s haves and the have-nots. She expected us to be “a family that makes a difference in the world, even if it’s a small difference. ” Joan asked her, “What are you willing to sacrifice? Your house? Your room? ” Hannah said yes to both. After talking it over as a family, we decided to sell our house and move to one that was half its size and price and donate (捐赠) the difference to those in need.

After a lot of research, we chose the Hunger Project, a US-based organization. It works with villagers in Africa, Asia and South America and helps them fight against poverty (贫穷). Our money went to pay for building two centers. Each has a meeting place, a bank and a health clinic (诊所). Together, the centers would serve more than 20 villages in eastern Ghana. We also traveled to meet the villagers and were blown away by their hard work and warmth.

To be honest, we were a little worried at first. Would we regard the new home as being too small for us? Or would we think we had given up too much? Two years later, I can tell you: It’s the best move we have ever made. While we worked together on our family project, we became much closer. As Hannah said the other day, “We learned how to really trust each other. ”

1. After they moved into a large house, the author’s family ______.

A．were not as close as before

B．wanted an even larger house

C．often went travelling together

D．often let strangers share their spare rooms

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

A．Hope for.	B．Look for.
C．Give up.	D．Build up.

3. Why did the author’s family sell their big house?

A．To go abroad.

B．To help the poor.

C．To treat Hannah’s illness.

D．To save money for the future.

4. How did the author feel about his family’s move?

A．It was well worth it.	B．It was a bad decision.
C．It was a waste of money.	D．It wasn’t as satisfying as expected.

【推荐2】Clyde, a small-clawed otter, was moved from Auckland Zoo to Wellington Zoo two months ago. The zookeepers hoped he and the other otter Bonnie might start a family together.

But only two days after he arrived, Clyde went missing. He had dug his way under one of the walls and was nowhere to be seen.

The zookeepers set up cages inside the zoo, with plates of Clyde’s favorite fish in them, hoping to catch him.

Two days went by and still there was no sign of Clyde.

At last a couple saw Clyde at their house a whole kilometer away in Newtown. Clyde was hiding in an out-of-reach hole outside their laundry.

The zookeepers arrived and set up some more traps to try to catch him. But Clyde is a pretty smart otter. Twice he managed to get the fish out of a trap without being caught.

Five days after he’d escaped ^Clyde s days on the run came to an end when he was finally caught in one of the traps.

It was no good putting Clyde back in his old home---he’d only dig his way out again. So he and Bonnie were put into the zoo hospital. There was no chance of their escaping from there.

Meanwhile, the zookeepers were working hard to make Clyde’s old home safer. They put an iron barrier underground to stop him digging his way out. Then Bonnie and Clyde went home again.

But a month after his first escape, Clyde was out again. Once more the zookeepers came hurrying to catch Clyde. They found him by following the bubbles he made in the river nearby.

Nobody knew how Clyde had escaped. But this time he was only out for an hour. So back he went to the hospital again.

Poor Clyde. It seemed that he wasn’t happy at Wellington Zoo, even though he and Bonnie were getting on well together. The keepers didn’t like seeing him unhappy, so they planned to look for a home for him somewhere else.

1. Where was Clyde found after his first escape?

A．Back in Auckland Zoo.	B．In a river nearby.
C．At a house a kilometer away.	D．In the zoo hospital.

2. How did zookeepers catch Clyde after his second escape?

A．They set up cages in the zoo.	B．They attracted Clyde with fish.
C．They dug a hole outside his home.	D．They followed the bubbles in the water.

3. What do we know about Clyde?

A．He often gets ill.	B．He is good at digging.
C．He likes hiding in a hole.	D．He escaped to meet Bonnie.

4. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A news report.	B．An advertisement.
C．A book review.	D．A research paper.

【推荐3】Next week, strangers with a truck will take away everything we own, except the clothes on our backs, the car we will drive, and as much stuff as we can pack into it. It's called moving. Some people do it often. For others, like me, it's a rare experience. In all my adult years, I've moved only three times.

My first husband and I moved into our first house with a bed, our clothes and a few gifts. That was a lifetime ago. Over the years, I filled that house with three children, a few dogs and enough stuff to reach the ceiling.

When the kids grew up, I lost my husband to cancer, and I began to learn about letting go. First, I let go of the idea of being in control. Life isn’t about being in charge of what happens; it's about being in charge of what we do with it. Next, I let go of putting off the things I care most about, like keeping in touch with the people that mean the most to me. I let go of the people whose lives are about anger or hatred, and tried instead to surround myself with those who shine with kindness. Finally, I let go of being alone---I remarried. I eventually moved to a new city with my new husband, and after that move, I promised I'd stop collecting meaningless things. But 12 years later, here I am, still learning about letting go.

Yesterday, while cleaning out a dresser, I found a box filled with old keepsakes. Nothing in that box may mean much to anyone, except me. They are treasures for me because of the memories they preserve. We finally decided to keep them, hold them close and never let them go. We’ll all move someday from this world to the next, but we won't need a truck to do it. We'll take nothing with us and leave behind a memory of the life we lived, the mistakes we made, and all the love and kindness we tried to show. That memory might not be a treasure, but if we're lucky, someone will keep it and hold it close and never let it go.

1. According to paragraph 3, which of the following might the author advise?

A．Never let all the memories go as they are.

B．Put off the things that mean the most to you.

C．Wherever you go, you should be kind to others.

D．Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you deal with it.

2. The underlined word ''keepsakes'' in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to_________.

A．something memorable	B．something expensive
C．something unpleasant	D．something beautiful

3. What is the author's main purpose in writing the article?

A．To stress the importance of letting the past go.

B．To give advice on how to make choices before moving.

C．To share how she learned to make important choices in life.

D．To explain how our memories can pass on to later generations.

【推荐1】The state of the world’s plants is not strong. One in five plant species faces the risk of disappearance, according to a report. And such loss of plant variety could have destructive influences on our own plant uses.

“Plants are extremely momentous to human beings,” said Kathy Willis, science director at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, who led the new report. “Plants provide us with everything--- food, fuel, medicine, and they are unbelievably important for our climate controlling. Without plants we would not be here.”

The good news is that deforestation rates around the world have decreased to a great extent since the 1950s. However, this first-ever report on the health of plant species around the world shows that there is much more to be done.

The report, named the “State of the World’s Plants”, estimates that there are now about 390,900 plant species known to science. And some 21 percent of those plants are in danger of disappearance. “The positive side is that we’re still discovering lots of new plants, about 2,000 each year, new plants for food, for fuel and for drugs,” said Dr Willis. “The bad side is that we’ve seen a huge change in land cover, mainly driven by cultural activity, with a little bit of climate change in there as well.”

Human activity has a significant effect on the risk of plant disappearance. As humans cut down forests to clear space for agriculture, towns and cities, vast stores of biodiversity (生物多样性) are lost.

Losing the diversity of plants could also be a problem for human use. Not only could this affect our own food supply directly, it could also affect the food web. If a plant-eating animal loses some of its food supplies, that change could affect the food chain.

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

A．Crucial.	B．Available.
C．Bottomless.	D．Replaceable.

2. How many plant species known to science are at risk of extinction?

A．About 20.	B．About 2,000.
C．About 82,000.	D．About 390,900.

3. What causes the loss of biodiversity according to the text?

A．Nature climate change.	B．Loss of vital food bases.
C．Destructive human activity.	D．Pollution of the environment.

4. What is the author’s main purpose in writing the text?

A．To show a big change in land cover.

B．To appeal to people to protect biodiversity.

C．To reveal some harmful human behavior.

D．To introduce some endangered plant species.

【推荐2】Theme parks are magical places where adults can act like children have the time of their lives. Here are the top four theme parks across the world.

Ferrari World-Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi in the Middle East is home to the world’s largest indoor theme park. The main attraction is the Ferrari Rossa-officially the fastest roller coaster in the world. The ride goes from 0 to 240 kilometres per hour in less than five seconds. The force is so strong that those brave enough to go on it have to wear safety glasses.

Tickets: £40 per adult and half price for children under 1.2 metres tall.

Alton Towers-Staffordshire, England

Alton Towers is the most visited theme park in the UK. The park offers rides such as the popular 800-metre long roller coaster. Or if you’re interested in experiencing the sense of flying, head for the famous ride Air, where you’ll need to avoid objects and trees as you fly. The park also has many other attractions, including live shows.

Tickets: £43 per adult and £ 21 per child. Children under the age of 3 get in for free.

Disneyland Paris-Paris, France

Disneyland Paris, two theme parks create a fantasy world that both children and adults can enjoy. Disneyland Park gives girls the chance to meet their favourite Disney Princesses and to explore Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Exciting roller coasters will keep the whole family entertained for hours on end.

Tickets: £34 per adult and £ 27 per child. Children under the age of 3 get in for free.

Oakwood Theme Park-Pembrokeshire, Wales

For those who are eager to experience fast turns and drops, this is the park for you. Be brave and go on the Megaphobia roller coaster, a wooden coaster making you scream. Tickets: £48 for adults, £22 per child. Children under 3 years get in for free.

1. Where can live shows be enjoyed according to the text?

A．In Ferrari World.	B．In Alton Towers.
C．In Disneyland Paris.	D．In Oakwood Theme Park.

2. How much should one adult with his 1.1-metre-tall son pay in Ferrari World?

A．£60.	B．£64.
C．£70.	D．£80.

3. What do all the parks have?

A．Live shows.	B．The ride Air.
C．The castle.	D．The roller coaster.

【推荐3】Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of China, Korea, and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in the south. It is made up of over 3, 000 islands, the largest of which are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. Most of Japan's islands are mountainous, and many are volcanic, including the highest mountain, Mount Fuji.

The characters that make up Japan's name mean "the sun's origin", so Japan is also sometimes known as "The Land of the Rising Sun", a name that comes from the country's eastward position relative to mainland Asia.

The climate of Japan varies upon location-it is hot in the south and cool in the north. For example its capital and largest city Tokyo is located in the north and its average August high temperature is 31℃ and its average January low temperature is 2℃. By contrast, Naha, the capital of Okinawa, is located in the southern part of the country and has an average August high temperature of 30℃ and an average January low temperature of 14℃.

Its capital and largest city is Tokyo. At 377, 872 square kilometers, Japan is the sixty-second largest country by area. It has the world's 10th largest population, with nearly 128 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, with over 30 million people, is the largest city area in the world.

Japan is the world's third largest economy power behind China and is the sixth largest exporter and importer and is a member of the United Nations, G8, G4, and APEC.

1. What's the first paragraph mainly about?

A．Japan's mountains.	B．Japan's largest island.
C．Japan's location and characteristics.	D．Japan's neighbours.

2. What's the temperature difference between the January average of Tokyo and that of Naha?

A．2℃.

B．10℃.

C．12℃.

D．14℃.

3. What can we infer form the passage?

A．Tokyo is the largest city area in the world.

B．China is the world's second largest economy power.

C．Japan is the sixty-second largest country by population.

D．Japan has become a member of five international organizations.

4. Which could be the best title for the passage?

A．Japan, an Island Country	B．The Population and Geography of Japan
C．The History and Economy of Japan	D．A Brief Introduction to Japan