【推荐1】One day last summer, watching the boys and girls trying to catch butterflies I remembered something happened when I was young. When I was a boy of 12 in South Carolina, something happened to me that cured me forever of wanting to put any wild creature in a cage.

We lived on the edge of a wood, and every evening the mockingbirds would come and rest in the trees and sing. No musician can sing more beautiful than the birds. I decided that I would catch a young bird and keep it in a cage and in that way would have my own private musician.

I finally succeeded in catching one and put it in a cage. At first, the bird flew about the cage, but eventually it settled down in its new home. I felt very pleased with myself and looked forward to some beautiful singing from my tiny musician.

I had left the cage out, and on the second day my new pet’s mother flew to the cage with food in her mouth. The baby bird ate everything she brought to it. I was pleased to see this. Certainly the mother knew better than I about how to feed her baby.

The following morning when I went to see how my bird was doing, I discovered it on the floor of the cage, dead. I was shocked! What had happened! I had taken good care of my little bird.

Arthur Wayne, the famousornithologist, happened to be visiting my father at the time. Hearing me crying over the death of my bird, he explained what had occurred. “A mother mockingbird, finding her young in a cage, will sometimes bring it poisonous (有毒的) berries(干果). She thinks it better for her young to die than to live in cage.”

Never since then have I caught any living creature and put it in a cage. All living creatures have a right to live free.

1. Why did the writer catch a mockingbird when he was a boy of 12?

A．He had just got a new cage.

B．He liked its beautiful feather.

C．He wanted a pet for a companion.

D．He wanted it to sing for him.

2. The mockingbird died because it ______.

A．drank the poisonous water by mistake

B．was frightened to death

C．ate the poisonous food its mother gave it

D．refused to eat anything

3. What is the most important lesson the writer learned from the incident?

A．Freedom is very valuable to all living things.

B．All birds put in a cage won’t live long.

C．You should keep the birds from their mother.

D．Be careful about food you give to baby birds.

【推荐3】阅读理解。
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项 （A 、B 、C 和 D ）中，选出最佳选项。

My friend Jennie Crossen gave her bone marrow (骨髓) to a 51-year-old woman with leukemia, a woman she has never met.

     At the end of March, the Red Cross called back. Six different blood elements were tested; Jennie matched five completely and was about a 3/4 match of the sixth. So she was the best match.

In April, Jennie went for a complete physical exam by one of the doctors who would perform the surgery. The doctor had to make sure that it would be no threat to her. The doctor told her that the surgery would entail having two quarts of bone marrow extracted from her hip bones. Jennie would probably be released the same day the surgery took place and should expect to be sore for a couple of months.

“I didn’t think it was that big a deal until I realized I was a match,” Jennie said, “There wasn’t a question in my head. It didn’t seem like something that was going above and beyond.”

     Jennie was left with two very small scars on her lower back from the surgery and was given medication to help dull the pain. She still felt a great deal of pressure on her lower back. “Being only 21, I feel like I am not old enough to significantly impact someone’s life,” Jennie said, “It seems strange to me that I could possibly save this woman’s life which was being cut short by cancer.”

Three weeks after the surgery, Jennie received a call from the Red Cross representative who told her the transplant was successful. “I feel good, and I think it will actually work for her,” she said, “So many people say they’d only donate if it was for a family member or close friend. This woman is someone’s family and someone’s friend. Obviously, no one she knows is a match, and the fact that you’d be able to help a perfect stranger is great.”

1. Jennie Crossen gave her bone marrow to                .

A．a close friend	B．a stranger
C．a classmate	D．a relative

2. Before Jennie Crossen knew she was the best match, her feeling could described as “               ”.

A．frightened

B．nervous

C．calm

D．excited

3. The underlined word “impact” in Paragraph 5 probably means                 .

A．take pleasure in the beauty

B．devote all one’s life to something

C．end the dangerous practice of something

D．have an important effect on something

4. What would be the best title of this passage?

A．A Great Woman	B．To Save a Stranger
C．My Good Friend	D．Jennie’s Life Blood

【推荐1】Morris, a well-known English violinist, had been exhausted from a day of recording at Abbey Road Studios when he exited the Southeastern Railway from London late last month. He was so tired that he didn’t even realize that he had left his beloved violin on the train until the following morning.

The violin is one of the few surviving instruments made by Roman craftsman David Tecchler in 1709. Not only is the violin worth$320,000,but Morris has also been playing the instrument for 15 years.

Feeling panic, Morris contacted the British Transport Police to see if it had been returned; unfortunately, officers checked the footage(录像) and saw that the violin had been picked up by another train passenger. Morris then created social media accounts to beg for the return of his instrument. The footage was shown in the news, and the person responsible for taking the violin was treated as a suspect.

Several days later, Morris received a phone call from someone who recognized the man on the train. Morris was then put in contact with the man who took the violin—and he had apparently been very eager to return the instrument. After promising the man that he wouldn’t be arrested, Morris met him in a parking lot so he could reunite with his beloved instrument.

The man apologized sincerely, saying he wanted to hand it to Morris in person. Morris found the instrument and the contents of its case were still in consummate condition. To his surprise, it was even still in tune(音调准确). Morris was excited and deeply grateful for its return.

“I’m still getting over the shock of its coming back,” Morris admitted in an interview afterwards. Then he played a breathtaking piece of music Amazing Grace on his 310-year-old violin in front of the reporters.

1. What can we learn about the lost violin?

A．It’s valuable and important.	B．It’s a gift from David Tecchler.
C．It’s the only violin Morris owns.	D．It’s the oldest violin in the world.

2. What did Morris do first after he found his violin missing?

A．He spoke to reporters about it.	B．He turned to the police for help.
C．He described his situation online.	D．He returned to the train to look for it.

3. What do we know about the man who took the violin away?

A．He knew the violin was unique.	B．He got in touch with Morris directly.
C．He was unwilling to return the violin.	D．He felt afraid to be punished for his act.

4. What does the underlined word “consummate” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Unusual.

B．Poor.

C．Perfect.

D．General.

【推荐3】My First Marathon

A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was injured and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I was determined to go ahead.

I remember back to my 7^th year in school. In my first P.E class, the teacher required us to run laps and then hit a softball. I didn’t do either well. He later told me that I was “not athletic ”.

The idea that I was “ not athletic” stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not athletic. It was all about the battle against my own body and mind. A test of wills!

The night before the marathon, I dreamt that I couldn’t even find the finish line. I woke up sweating and nervous, but ready to prove something to myself.

Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe laces became loose. So I stopped to readjust(调整). Not the start I wanted!

At mile 3, I passed a sign: “GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!”

By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt badly. Despite the pain, I stayed the course walking a bit and then running again.

By mile 21, I was hungry！

As I approached mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a.m. or questioned my expenses on running.

I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. In fact, I got the same medal as the one that the guy who came in first place had.

Determined to be myself, move forward, free of shame and worldly labels(世俗标签), I can now call myself a “marathon winner”.

1. A month before the marathon, the author ____________.

A．was well trained	B．felt frightened
C．made up his mind to run	D．lost heart

2. How was the author’s first marathon?

A．He made it.	B．He quit halfway.
C．He got the first prize.	D．He walked to the end.

3. What does the story mainly tell us?

A．A man owes his success to his family support.	B．A winner is one with a great effort of will.
C．Failure is the mother of success.	D．One is never too old to learn.

【推荐1】If you wanted a bag of Doritos from one of Brad Appelhans', experimental vending(售卖) machines, you'd have to wait. The associate professor at Rush University Medical Center designed a device that fits inside of vending machines and waits 25 seconds before releasing the typical processed snacks. But healthier fare—like peanuts or popcorn—drops instantly. Think of it as a sort of "time lax". The idea is that every second you spend waiting for a snack will make you want it less. "We were interested in the ability to test whether time delays can influence people to healthier choices." Appelhans says.

So, he created DISC, or "Delays to Influence Snack Choice", to test the idea. The device is a platform inserted inside a vending machine that catches snacks falling from the top half of the machine, where a vending machine operator would sort all of the unhealthy snacks. On the display window, a written instruction tells customers they'll have to wait for an extra 25 seconds for less-healthy snacks.

When a snack falls onto DISC, it sets off a 25-second countdown(倒计时) on the vending machine's display screen. At the end of the countdown, DISC drops its platform and the snack falls into the vending machine's bay. Healthier snacks are all sorted into the bottom half of the vending machine and so would bypass the platform altogether. During the months DISC was in operation, people started going for more healthy snacks.

Whenever the delay was introduced, Appelhans saw a roughly 5 percent rise of healthy snacks sales. "The effect is not huge, but if you are to extrapolate(推断) this out across 1 million vending machines and over time, it could add up to something meaningful," Appelhans says.

1. What can we infer about Doritos in the first paragraph?

A．It belongs to healthy snacks.	B．It is a type of unhealthy food.
C．It is a kind of vending machine.	D．It is a type of "time tax".

2. Where do the operators put the unhealthy snacks?

A．In the top half of the vending machine.	B．On the display screen of the vending machine.
C．In the vending machine's bay.	D．In the bottom half of the vending machine.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph about the effect of DISC?

A．People are slightly more likely to choose healthier food.

B．The sales of unhealthy items increase by 5 percent.

C．1 million vending machines are added in the country.

D．The proportion of healthy snacks sales decreases by 5 percent.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Processed Snacks Are Losing The Market

B．Healthy Food Is Growing Popular Among People

C．Vending Machines Are Gaining More Popularity

D．Special Vending Machines Encourage Healthier Choices

【推荐2】My first memory of volunteering was when I was 7 years old. I still recall that day: it was warm but breezy, everyone was in a good mood, and we finished ahead of schedule. Certainly, I was too young to do any heavy lifting, but I remember feeling a wave of emotion when we completed the project.

To now, I’m still addicted to that feeling. I still love giving back to the place I now call home, the San Francisco Bay Area. Many animals shelters in California lack staff, including the City of Stockton Animal Shelter. My background is in marketing, and in my spare time, I act as webmaster to keep their website up to date.

And with a love for animals, I recently just started at Rabbit Rescue as a rabbit socializer! I spend 2 hours a week hanging out with rabbits to make them perfect pets. From just sitting with them to get them used to humans or playing with them to give them exercise, it is the perfect excuse to get out and help animals in need!

As you can tell, I have a soft spot for animals. Even as a young child, I wanted to be the voice for them. As I grew older and gained more professional talents, skilled volunteering is where I found the greatest reward when using my marketing skills for good and playing with rabbit—now that’s volunteer heaven!

Many people do not want to bring work home. But what if you were using your” work” to help a cause! That is why I think skilled volunteering is so important. Countless nonprofit organizations do not have the budget to hire for every skill. With skilled volunteering, professionals can set aside a few hours a month for specific tasks like graphic designing and accounting. Next time you’re looking for a volunteer job, consider using your professional skills to make a difference!

1. We can learn from the first paragraph that         .

A．The writer finished the work on schedule.

B．The first memory of volunteering is still fresh.

C．The writer was old enough to lift heavy things.

D．It was rather cold on the first day of his volunteering.

2. In his free time, the writer       .

A．volunteers as a webmaster.	B．learns marketing skills.
C．looks for a volunteer job.	D．works for a rabbit socializer.

3. In the writer's eyes, he can find the greatest reward from ______.

A．training rabbits.	B．helping animals.
C．professional talents.	D．skilled volunteering.

4. In the last paragraph, the writer wants to tell us ______.

A．the ways to become a skilled volunteer.

B．the importance of skilled volunteering.

C．how to use skills to make a difference.

D．how to spend our spare time.

【推荐3】Dr. Raint Mishor, of Georgetown University Hospital says many people believe it’s possible to become immune to colds. Unfortunately , that’s not the case . “ There are about 200 different viruses that cause the common cold and people think that once you get infected one time you develop immunity for the rest of your life . This is wrong . ‘‘She said .

There are many other common beliefs about colds that medical science doesn’t support. How many of us believe the main cause of the common cold is exposure to cold temperatures? Even some studies have shown that people get sick more frequently during the winter .

But Dr. Mishori says it is not because of cold weather. “ It’s because people tend to congregate and be together and the way the common cold virus is transmitted from one person to another is through handshake , through sneezing , or through coughing on one another.

While there is no actual cure for the common cold , Dr. Mishori says there are still a few things you can do to help reduce its duration and intensity . Though the medical community says Vitamin C does not help prevent colds , there is definitely some proof that it helps keep them from being as bad. “ So if you catch a cold and on day once you start taking about two grams of Vitamin C a day there is evidence that it might shorten the number of days that you will be suffering with these symptoms.” Dr . Mishori stated.

In addition , medical science sys honey and chicken soup are effective against colds. Especially honey .” There is increased evidence that it helps shorten the duration do the common cold sometimes even by two to three days particularly in children,” Dr. Mishori said. “ Chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties so it helps reduce the duration of the cold but it also helps clear the mucus.

There’s also a common belief that you should “ feed a cold ant starve a fever.” Dr. Mishori says “ not necessary “. ‘ If you do have a cold and you don’t feel like eating anything it’s not going to hurt you bur you have to drink a lot and you can drink water or you can drink tea anything that gets fluids into your body , “ she said , “ That’s very important.”

So if drinking fluids is a good idea What about milk ? “ I will never give milk to a a child who has got bad phlegm. My son used to have that and he would throw up . “ Nadine Audrewy , the Hemmens kids’ grandmother , believes it’s not a good idea to give milk to a child who has a cold .

Well ,says Dr. Mishori ,maybe and maybe not .” Dairy products do not cause increased secretions but they can thicken the secretions,” she explained. ‘So it’s possible that discomfort is somewhat more enhanced when you drink milk , but obviously if you are a baby and its’s all you drink then you should not stop giving babies milk.

There are many other myths about colds that do not pass science muster . Doctors say the best advice is to continue using whatever works best for you . Even if it doesn’t make the cold better , it won’t make it worse either while you wait for the cold to just run its natural course.

1. According to the common belief “feed a cold and starve a fever”,people should______when catching cold.

A．drink a lot to get fluids into their body

B．have as much water and tea as possible

C．eat a lot even if they don’t feel like eating

D．starve themselves to a certain extent to kill the virus

2. Medical experts find that people catch cold because_______

A．they fail to develop immunity	B．they stay in cold weather
C．they transmit the virus themselves	D．they like to gather together

3. In the last paragraph, the sentence wThere are many other myths about colds that do not pass scientific muster probably means that many other myths regarding colds_______

A．are not accepted as scientific	B．are not rational in a scientific sense
C．do not reach the scientific standard	D．do not draw scientific conclusions

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Ways to reduce duration and intensity of cold.

B．Scientific discoveries on the basis of myths.

C．Effects of different food on overcoming cold.

D．The old myths and new facts concerning cold.

【推荐1】The Guardian Holidays

Elvis Presley’s Memphis & Nashville (leaves on October 1, 2019: 9 days from £1, 459)

Tour highlights (亮点)

Montgomery is the resting place of the famous singer Hank Williams Journey through the sleepy countryside of Alabama Visit Tupelo, Mississippi Spend two nights at The Guest House at Graceland Discover Nashville, world capital of country music

New England in the Fall (leaves on October 10, 2019: 9 days from £1, 199)

Tour highlights

Explore amazing New York Visit the Yankee Candle Factory An impressive Fall Foliage Tour (秋叶之旅) Visit North Conway Discover attractive Boston Discover the delights of Maine Discover Plymouth and Newport on Rhode Island

East Coast Extravaganza — USA & Canada (leaves on November 10, 2019: 14 days from £1,899)

Tour highlights

Explore attractive, historic Boston Enjoy a day in Quebec City Overnight in Canada’s Ottawa Enjoy impressive Niagara Falls Discover exciting New York City Pay a short visit to Philadelphia Spend a day in Washington, D.C.

America’s Golden West

Tour highlights

See San Franciso and Hollywood Call at Steinbeck’s Monterey and Carmel-by-the-sea Journey south along the Pacific Coast Highway A full-day visit to the breathtaking Grand Canyon Spend three nights in Los Angeles Tour to sun-kissed San Diego Non-stop, 24-hour Las Vegas

1. Which tour will you choose if you are interested in country music?

A．Elvis Presley’s Memphis & Nashville.	B．East Coast Extravaganza.
C．New England in the Fall.	D．America’s Golden West.

2. What do New England in the Fall and East Coast Extravaganza have in common?

A．They both include a visit to Boston.	B．They both last for nine days.
C．They both start in October.	D．They both cost the same.

3. Where will tourists go during the America’s Golden West tour?

A．Tupelo and San Francisco.	B．Montgomery and San Diego.
C．Monterey and Las Vegas.	D．Los Angeles and Plymouth.

【推荐2】With experts on board and in the company of fellow travelers who enjoy the discovery of science, we are not taking bookings but below are a selection of our tours for you to look forward to and gain inspiration from. If you register your details against a specific tour, we will contact you when the time is right.

Learn to dig Mycenaean archaeology (考古学): Greece

8 days May, 2021

An interactive tour of the key Mycenaean sites includes a unique experience at Mycenae where you will be taught how to explore, map and excavate (挖掘) the sites with archaeologists.

Dinosaur hunting in the Gobi Desert: Mongolia

15 days August, 2021

Join New Scientist on a thrilling and unique expedition to find dinosaur remains in the wilderness of the Gobi Desert with professional experts from the Mongolian Institute. Fully participate in live prospecting(勘探)and fossil digging across key sites.

The history and future of space exploration: USA

12/13 days September, 2020 and May 2021

A comprehensive tour covers key sites in the history and future of space exploration, from the first rockets to the iconic missions, space stations and developing space tourism industry, including three NASA space centers and Virgin Galactic Spaceport America.

Endangered wildlife of Malaysian Borneo: Malaysia

9 days July, 2021

Explore Malaysia's primary rainforests and wetlands crowded with rare and endangered species as Alfred Wallace did before writing his 1869 book The Malay Archipelago, Expect to see orangutan (红毛猩猩), sun bears, civet cats, proboscis monkeys, rhinoceros hornbills and many more. Led by conservationist and photographer Charles Ryan who will also help you gain the best wildlife shot.

1. Which of the following tours lasts the longest?

A．Endangered wildlife of Malaysian Borneo: Malaysia.

B．Learn to dig Mycenaean archaeology: Greece.

C．Dinosaur hunting in the Gobi Desert: Mongolia.

D．The history and future of space exploration: USA.

2. Where should you go if you are interested in space exploration?

A．Greece.

B．Mongolia.

C．Malaysia.

D．America.

3. What can you do on the tour in July?

A．Excavate dinosaur remains.	B．Watch various wild animals.
C．Shoot some animals for food.	D．Explore key Mycenaean sites.

【推荐3】All living organisms are uniquely adapted to the environment in which they live. Scientists are studying the design and the biological processes of these organisms to get ideas for products and technologies. This field of study is called biomimetics. Here are two examples.

Toucan Bills and Car Safety

Toucan usually has enormous bills. Scientists have found that the toucan's beak is designed to be both strong and light. The surface is made of keratin, the same material in human fingernails and hair. But the inside of the bill has a foam-like structure and is made up of a network of light, thin pieces of bone. It contains a lot of air, and some areas are hollow, not solid. This design makes the bill hard but very light.

The design of the toucan bill can be used to make cars and planes safer. Studies show that the beak's structure can absorb high energy impacts very well. Car body panels that mimic toucan bills may offer better protection to motorists involved in crashes.

Shark Scales and Swimsuits

Shark skin may look smooth, but it's actually rough. Sharks are covered in scales made from the same material as their teeth. Viewed up close, the scales actually look like tiny teeth. These scales protect the shark and help to keep it clean. They are also flexible and can turn or bend in the water. This movement reduces the waters drag on the shark and helps it to swim quickly.

Scientists discovered that the shortfin mako's scales vary in size and flexibility over its body. For instance the scales on the sides of the body are tapered — wide at one end and narrow at the other. They can turn up or flatten to adjust to the flow of water around the shark and to reduce drag.

Scientists believe that shark scales can inspire designs for machines that experience drag, such as airplanes. Designers are also getting ideas from shark scales for designing swimwear and coating ship bottoms.

1. Why do car body panels copy the design of toucan bill?

A．To better protect passers-by.	B．To reduce the injury to drivers.
C．To decrease the chances of crashes.	D．To make cars lighter and easier to control.

2. What product or technology is inspired by shark scales?

A．Coating for ship bottoms to run faster.	B．Coating for airplanes to experience drag.
C．The panel that makes the plane safer.	D．Swimwear that is smooth to keep itself clean.

3. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To present two innovative products.	B．To introduce biomimetics by example.
C．To show the unique adaptations of animals.	D．To discuss the link between humans and animals.