【推荐1】Earthquakes are among the most destructive (破坏性的)natural disasters. It can strike without warning. The earthquake safety tips below will increase your chances of surviving an earthquake.

If you are indoors, stay there. Quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk or a strong table.     1    You can also get to a corner formed by two walls with your arms over your head. Avoid taking cover near windows, large mirrors, or hanging objects.

    2     Don’t take shelter under a tree, street lights, electric poles or tall buildings. Run to open spaces and move away from the nearby buildings to avoid anything falling on you. Remember that most of the people who die in earthquakes are killed by falling buildings, broken glass and flying objects.

If you are driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road.    3    You should also avoid stopping on or under bridges. Stay in your car.

If you are in the event of getting trapped in ruins during an earthquake, don’t panic. Instead, cover your mouth with a piece of clothing. Use your cellphone to call for help if possible. Don’t shout. Shouting can cause you to breathe in dust.     4    

Be prepared for aftershocks. They can happen in the first hours after the earthquake.     5    Therefore, if you are not in a safe place after the first shock, you should move quickly but carefully to a safer place.

A．Try to move about or kick up dust.

B．This can protect you from falling objects.

C．If you are outdoors, move to the nearby buildings.

D．However, sometimes they even happen months later.

E．Avoid stopping under power lines, trees and large signs.

F．If you happen to be outside during an earthquake, move to an open area.

G．Try to gain the attention of the rescuers by tapping on a nearby wall or pipe.

【推荐3】How to Make Friends

Having friends may keep you healthier and help you deal with difficulties better. It is not very hard to make friends. Continue reading to find out how to make friends.

    1    . There are many ways to do this—talking about the weather, asking for help or saying words of praise.

Introduce yourself at the end of the conversation. It can be as simple as saying “Oh, by the way, my name is ...”     2     Remember his or her name!

Join a sports team. As long as you enjoy the sport, you don’t have to be really good at playing a sport, just in order to make friends with others.     3     If you play the guitar or sing, try joining a band.

Be a good listener.     4     Ask questions about their interests, and just take time to learn more about them.

Encourage your friend. A very good friend encourages their friend.     5     Never make fun of or laugh at your friend in front of others. If someone is making fun of them, a good friend will come to save their friend.

A．Start a conversation.

B．Find out common interests.

C．But joining a sports team isn’t the only way.

D．The key to being a good friend is the ability to keep secrets.

E．They will remain with them in both good and bad times.

F．Once you introduce yourself, the other person will do the same.

G．Listen carefully to what people say, and remember important information about them.

【推荐1】Old age may not sound exciting. But recent findings offer good news for older people and for people worried about getting older. Researchers found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of 50. In fact, they say by the age of 85, people are happier with their life than they were when they were 18 years old.

The findings came from a survey of more than 340,000 adults in the United States. The Gallup Organization questioned them by telephone in 2008. At that time, the people were between the ages of 18 and 85. The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness, sadness and worry. They also asked about mental or emotional stress.

Arthur Stone in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University in New York led the study. His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of 24 and 25. The findings showed that stress levels dropped sharply（突然地） after people reached their fifties.

The study also showed that men and women have similar feeling patterns as they grow older.

However, women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men.

Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older. One theory is that, as people grow older, they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their feelings. They so spend less time thinking about bad experiences.

Professor Stone says the emotional patterns could be connected to changes in how people see the world, or maybe even changes in brain chemistry.

The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children, being unemployed or being single. But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being（幸福） related to age.

1. According to the survey of the Gallup Organization people are most likely to become happier.

A．when they are between the ages of 18 and 85

B．when they come to their old age

C．when they are in their twenties

D．when they are 18 years old

2. You may have the highest level of stress when you are at the age of ______.

A．20

B．25

C．35

D．40

3. According to Arthur Stone, old people may .

A．have a positive attitude towards their life

B．know how to spend money wisely

C．dream about good things every day

D．control their behaviors better

4. Who would probably show the greatest interest in the passage?

A．Those who are worried about getting old

B．Those who are single and unemployed

C．Those who feel unhappy all the time

D．Those who suffer from mental stress

5. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Women Are Easier to Be Happy in Life

B．The Young Are Happier Than the Old

C．Getting Older Means Getting Happier

D．The Younger, the Happier

【推荐2】Goog morning, Ladies and gentleman. My topic is “________”.

Now in the 21st century, advertising is more and more important for people. Why? I think it is because through advertising, people, especially the businessmen, can introduce their products to the people all over the world. Because of this, many companies spend a lot of money on advertising. As we all know, there are many advertisements which are very interesting and popular. For example, Michael Jordan made an interesting advertisement for Nike. From this you can see how the companies make their products known to the world.   

People can make a lot of money through advertising. It is known that many famous singers and movie stars make money in this way. However, I don’t think this is a good way for them to make money, because they are not the professional advertisers, especially those who advertise in medicine advertisements.

   Nowadays, advertising not only means making the products known, but also means make ourselves known to people around us. Living today, we have to make people believe in us if we want to do important jobs. But how can this be done? We should first let other people know our good side: the good habits and abilities we have. In short, we should always remember to advertise ourselves to others. As I said before, advertising is not only important for companies but also for everyone, for all human beings. This is the most interesting thing about advertising.

1. The best topic to fill in the line in the first paragraph is “________”.

A．The Importance of Advertising	B．Making Money through Advertising
C．Advertising Ourselves	D．Advice on Advertisements

2. This passage may be a (an) ________.

A．advertisement

B．story

C．speech

D．report

3. According to the passage, which of the following is not right?

A．Many companies are willing to spend money on advertising.

B．Advertising can make some people rich.

C．People can introduce their products through advertisements.

D．Advertising is not necessary for anyone.

【推荐3】Some people are so rude. Who sends an e-mail or a text message that just says “Thank you”? Who leaves a voice mail message rather than texts you?     1     Don’t these people realize that they’re wasting your time?

Maybe I’m the rude one for not appreciating life’s little courtesies (礼节). But many social norms (规范) just don’t make sense to people drowning in digital communication.

Take the thank-you note. Daniel Post Senning, a coauthor of Emily Post’s Etiquette, asked, “At what point does showing appreciation outweigh the cost?”

    2     Think of how long it takes to listen to one of those messages. In texts, you don’t have to declare who you are or even say hello. E-mail, too, is slower than a text. The worst are those who leave a voice mail and then send an e-mail message to tell you they left a voice mail.

This isn’t the first time technology has changed our manners.     3     Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor, suggested that people say, “Ahoy!” Finally, hello won out, and the victory sped up the greeting’s use in face-to-face communications.

In the age of the smart phone, there is no reason to ask once-acceptable questions about: the weather forecast, a business’s phone number, or directions to a house, a restaurant, or an office, which can be easily found on a digital map. But people still ask these things.     4    

How to handle these differing standards? Easy: Consider your audience. Some people, especially older ones, appreciate a thank-you message.     5     In traditional societies, the young learn from the old. But in modern societies, the old can also learn from the young. Here’s hoping that politeness never goes out of fashion but that time-wasting forms of communication do.

A．Then there is voice mail.

B．Others, like me, want no reply.

C．Who asks for a fact easily found on the Internet?

D．Won’t new technology bring about changes in our daily life?

E．And when you answer, they respond with a thank-you e-mail.

F．Face-to-face communication makes comprehension much easier.

G．When the telephone was invented, people didn’t know how to greet a caller.

【推荐1】18-year-old Kayla Perkins explains what is in her bedroom, “I throw something on the floor and I know right where it is.” However, her parents, Steve and Deborah Perkins, of McKinney,Texas, haven’t caught on. Even Kayla admits that, at the worst, her room is a mess.

Most families at some point have at least one child whose room looks like a landfill (垃圾堆) .The mess can disturb the whole household. Dirty clothes pile up; dirty dishes get lost in the mess and smell bad; homework is lost; and valuable things are ruined.

Some parents let it go, believing that a bedroom is private space for children to manage as they wish. Others lecture their children, offer rewards for cleaning, or punish them when they don’t. What doesn’t work, parenting experts say, is constant lectures, verbal (口头的，言语的) threats or getting very angry. Mrs. Perking says they picked up all the clothes on Kayla’s floor and hid them. They cleaned everything up. When Kayla came back to a bare bedroom, there was screaming and shouting, “How can I live without my clothes?” Mrs. Perkins asked Kayla to earn her clothes back by doing housework. These days, she keeps her room clean.

Humour can help, too. For example, since Jessica, the 14-year-old daughter wasn’t bothered by the dirty clothes all over her floor, the whole family started using her room as a place to store dirty clothes. Her attitude changed after her family did that. By the time she gave in and cleaned up her room a few days later, even she was laughing.

Parenting expert, Jim Fay, also recommends that parents first ask children in a nice way to clean up and agree on a reasonable time limit. Children often behave better if you treat them in the way you would want to be treated by your boss at work - with respect and high expectation.

1. What is the best title of the passage?

A．How to Make Children Clean up Their Bedrooms

B．Ways to Correct Children’s Bad Habits.

C．Encourage Children to Share More Housework.

D．Tips on Cleaning up the Room.

2. According to the experts, when children’s room looks like a landfill, parents at first should           

A．let children have their own private space.

B．lecture their children and give verbal threats.

C．set an example and offer rewards for cleaning.

D．ask them in a nice way and set a reasonable time limit.

3. What can we conclude from the passage?

A．Playing hide-and-seek can help children change their attitude.

B．Parents differ over their children’s bedroom cleaning.

C．Children often behave better if parents treat them like bosses.

D．Most children feel uncomfortable when their rooms are too clean.

【推荐2】Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.

To sue or not to sue?

The rise and rise of the compensation culture

Perhaps it’s not surprising that Roslyn Darch of Houston, Texas, USA felt annoyed when she tripped (绊倒) over a kid running around furniture store, and broke her ankle.     1     The owners were clearly surprised at the size of Roslyn’s payout. Particularly since the kid she tripped over was her own son.

Some argue that this is just greed --- that the amount of money is far too much for the injury suffered---and it’s not the shop’s fault that a mother can’t control her child anyway.     2     Whatever you think, the compensation culture which has grown up in the USA is spreading, and it will affect all of us.

    3     Sandra York received ＄113,000 from a Philadelphia restaurant after slipping on a spilt soft drink. However, the drink was on the floor because York had thrown it over her boyfriend thirty seconds earlier, during an argument.

If you think that going on holiday is a good way to get away from all this trouble, think again ---millions of people complain to the British Tourist Authority every year, and many receive some form of compensation. Staff at British travel company Thomson Holidays are used to dealing with requests for compensation following poor weather, cancelled flights and lost luggage, but one spokesman revealed, “We recently had a claim from someone who said their holiday was ruined because they didn’t get on with their travelling companion.     4    ”

A．Not everyone takes it for granted to ask for compensation for physical injuries.

B．And it’s not the only claim for physical injuries that are keeping the lawyers busy.

C．And we regularly get complaints from holidaymakers travelling abroad who say the locals don’t speak English!

D．Others would say that it’s good to see the law taking the side of the individual against the big corporations, for a change.

E．It’s difficult for the British Tourist Authority to settle the complaints.

F．But a few months later, she was $780,000 richer after successfully suing (起诉) the shop.

【推荐3】In most cases wars are initiated by governments，not by populations．And，most of the time，they are the result of disputes over resources and land，or of a government’s desire to increase its influence and power．However, looking back over the history of warfare，what is most striking is how willing most people have been to fight in wars，or at least to support them．

The early American psychologist William James once suggested that war is so popular because of its positive psychological effects．It creates a sense of unity in the face of a collective threat and inspires individual citizens (not just soldiers) to behave honorably and unselfishly, in the service of a greater good．It supplies meaning and purpose beyond the routine of everyday life．War also enables the expression of higher human qualities that often lie hidden in ordinary life，such as courage and self-sacrifice．

James’s argument is that human beings need to find activities that provide the same positive effects of warfare but which don’t involve the same destruction，or as he calls it．“the moral equivalent of war”．

In stable , peaceful and more economically developed countries，life is so rich and varied that there are many ways of satisfying these needs—through sport，our careers，entertainment and hobbies．However, in other parts of the world where life is especially hard—when people live in poverty and are oppressed，and where there is little hope for the future，it's harder to satisfy those impulses，and if there is an obvious enemy or oppressor to direct them towards，then war is almost unavoidable．

This isn’t to say that a waning party may not have a just cause，and this argument doesn’t explore other important social and psychological factors involved in war, such as social identity and moral exclusion．However, it does show that any stable．1asting peace depends on creating societies with a richness of opportunity and variety that can meet human needs．The fact that so many societies throughout the world fail to do this makes our future prospects of peace look very gloomy．The author’s attitude towards the future is __________．

A．pessimistic	B．optimistic
C．objective	D．uncertain

【推荐1】New Scientist Discovery

Tour Amazing science-inspired tours across the globe with experts on board and in the company of fellow travelers who enjoy the discovery of science

Space: Past and Future: USA

14 days for £4.799

Departing 6th May and 14th September 2020

Follow the USA's footsteps in exploring space with this comprehensive tour of NASA's space centers and other key sites, including the Very Large Array in attractive New Mexico. Plus, visit the world's first commercial spaceport with leading researchers.

The Science of the Renaissance（文艺复兴）: Italy

7days for £1,825

Departing 3rd March and 3rd November 2020

Embark on a cultural adventure to the great science cities of Florence and Bologna, as architecture expert Andrew Spira and science historian Professor David Wootton guide you through the great discoveries and minds of the Renaissance.

Land of Fire and Ice: Iceland

8 days for £2,249

Departing 31st October and 7th November2020

Marvel at erupting geysers（喷泉）, glaciers and waterfalls on a trip of volcanic and geological（地质的）adventure. Joined by volcanologist Tamsin Mather, discover the best of Iceland with a chance to see the Aurora Borealis.

Tiger Conservation Safari: India

9 days for £3,850

Departing 10th April 2021

Involve yourself in jungle life in the search for the Bengal tiger. Learn how to protect the rich wildlife you encounter at India's reserves, complete with a masterclass in tracking and stay in a cozy lodge（小屋）.

1. Which tour is scheduled in May?

A．Space: Past and Future: USA

B．The Science of the Renaissance: Italy

C．Land of Fire and Ice: Iceland

D．Tiger Conservation Safari: India

2. How much will it cost if you are interested in Florence?

A．£4,799.	B．£1,825.
C．£2,249.	D．£3,850.

3. What can tourists do during the Iceland tour?

A．Explore space with researchers.

B．See geysers，glaciers and waterfalls.

C．Discover the culture of the Renaissance.

D．Learn about protecting wildlife while travelling.

【推荐2】The Milky Way is full of habitable (宜居) places, with roughly half of all sunlike stars hosting Earth-size worlds that could be friendly to life.

Here’s a good sign for alien hunters: More than 300 million worlds with similar   conditions to Earth are spread throughout the Milky Way galaxy. A new analysis concludes that roughly half of the galaxy’s sunlike stars host rocky worlds in habitable zones where liquid water could pool or flow over the planets’ surfaces.

Astronomers estimated the number of these planets using data from NASA’s planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft. For nine years, Kepler stared at the stars and watched for the brief twinkles produced when orbiting planets block a portion of their star’s light. By the end of its mission in 2018, Kepler had spotted some 2,800 exoplanets (外星行星) — many of them nothing like the worlds orbiting our sun.

But Kepler’s primary goal was always to determine how common planets like Earth are. The calculation required help from the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft, which monitors stars across the galaxy. With Gaia’s observations in hand, scientists were finally able to determine that the Milky Way is populated by hundreds of millions of Earth-size planets orbiting sunlike stars — and that the nearest one is probably within 20 light-years of the solar system.

It took more than half a century for scientists to start pinning down how many planets could possibly host life. In 1961, astronomers knew of no worlds orbiting stars other than the sun — and although planetary formation theories suggested exoplanets should be common, we had no observational evidence that they existed. But over the past decade, it’s become clear that planets are extremely common, outnumbering stars in the Milky Way. On average, nearly every star is home to at least one orbiting world.

Early estimates suggested that perhaps 20 percent of sunlike stars hosted a world that   met those criteria. We now know that the number is closer to 50 percent, if not more.

Of course, many factors determine whether a world in the habitable zone is truly friendly for life. Planetary characteristics such as magnetic fields, atmospheres, and plate tectonics all play a role, and those are difficult to observe on small, faraway worlds.

1. When the author says, “Here’s a good sign for alien hunters”, he probably means____.

A．that’s good news for hunters

B．we will find aliens soon

C．there is a clear signal from alien

D．many sunlike stars have been found that may be habitable

2. How did Kepler work to find exoplanets?

A．By observing the brief flicker that occurs when orbiting planets block some of the star’s light.

B．By using the data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft.

C．By calculating the stars in the galaxy.

D．Through its own calculation.

3. What can we infer from paragraph 4?

A．Kepler’s primary goal was to make sure that the Earth is a common planet.

B．Kepler helped Gaia to calculate the planets.

C．Gaia is only 20 light-years away from the solar system.

D．Kepler monitors stars across the Milky Way.

4. What does paragraph 5 mainly talk about?

A．The importance of planetary formation theories.

B．Exoplanets are common.

C．Scientists spent more than half a century to find out how many planets host life.

D．Astronomers have known of no worlds orbiting stars other than the sun since 1961.

5. Many factors determine whether a world in the habitable zone is truly friendly for life EXCEPT____.

A．oxygen

B．atmospheres

C．magnetic fields

D．plate tectonics

【推荐3】For many of us, there's nothing better than burying our head in a good book. Whether it's a gripping crime story or a biography of someone’s amazing life, it's good to read a book to switch off from the distractions of everyday life and help us relax. Maybe that's why some of them are actually being prescribed as a remedy（治疗）to sickness.

It may seem obvious that reading is good for us. It can be educational, and, as some say, it can broaden the mind”. A good novel can make us happy or sad, or make us cry as we empathies with characters. The power of books was recognised a few years ago by the British charity Reading Agency, who published a list of books that doctors could offer to patients, tackling topics from depression to dementia（痴呆）to chronic pain. It called this bibliotherapy（阅读疗法）and it's become so successful that it's about to be extended to children as well.

Professor Philip Davis studies the effects of literature at Liverpool University and is author of a book called Reading for Life. He studies people in reading groups and found that it's reading literature--written work thought to have artistic merit that has the best effect.

Of course, it's easy in our smartphone generation to ditch a good book and fiddle with our phones instead. But opening up a paperback could be a simple way to help boost or maintain our mental health. It's thought they can help you set targets and find focus. And they may allow you to see that awkward situation you've been anxious about for weeks from someone else's perspective.

If you' re not an avid reader（书迷）it can be hard to know where to begin. If the Reading Agency book list doesn't appeal, you could read book reviews, visit a library or bookshop or ask a friend. Once you've found the right text, you 'll be hooked!

1. What is the text mainly about?

A．How to improve our mental health through reading.

B．How to train and form our good reading habits.

C．The material benefits of reading books.

D．The physical and mental effects of literature on people.

2. What can we know from the second paragraph?

A．Few people value the importance of reading.

B．Doctors can not provide books patients need.

C．Excellent novels always make us excited.

D．Bibliotherapy is also available for children.

3. What does Professor Philip Davis think is highly effective?

A．Reading for Life.

B．Reading literature.

C．Artistic merit.

D．A paperback.

4. What does the underlined word “they" in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Young people.

B．Smart phones.

C．Good books.

D．Future targets.