【推荐1】Every week in China, millions of people will sit in front of their TVs watching teenagers compete for the title Character Hero, which is a Chinese­style spelling bee (拼写大赛). In this challenge, young competitors must write Chinese characters by hand. To prepare for the competition, the competitors usually spend months studying dictionaries.

Perhaps the show’s popularity should not be a surprise. Along with gunpowder and paper, many Chinese people consider the creation of Chinese calligraphy (书法) to be one of their primary contributions. Unfortunately, all over the country, Chinese people are forgetting how to write their own language without computerized help. Software on smart phones and computers allows users to type in the basic sound of the word using the Latin alphabet(字母). The correct character is chosen from a list. The result? It’s possible to recognize characters without remembering how to write them.

But there’s still hope for the paint brush. China’s Education Ministry wants children to spend more time learning how to write.

In one Beijing primary school we visited, students practice calligraphy every day inside a specially decorated classroom with traditional Chinese paintings hanging on the walls. Soft music plays as a group of six-­year-­old dip brush pens into black ink. They look up at the blackboard often to study their teacher’s examples before carefully trying to reproduce those characters on thin rice paper. “If adults can survive without using handwriting, why bother to teach it now? ”we ask the calligraphy teacher, Shen Bin. “The ability to write characters is part of Chinese tradition and culture”, she reasons. “Students must learn now so they don’t forget when they grow up.” says the teacher.

1. Which of the following is closest in meaning with the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2?

A．Every Chinese can write Chinese characters easily, especially with computers.

B．Only with the help of computers can some Chinese people write Chinese characters.

C．Despite the help of computers, Chinese people have forgotten how to write.

D．Computers are the only means to rely on to write Chinese characters for many people.

2. What can we learn about the Character Hero?

A．It draws great public attention across the country.

B．It’s the most viewed TV programs in China.

C．It means to spread Chinese culture to the world.

D．It’s open to people of all ages and all walks.

3. Why are Chinese people forgetting how to write the characters?

A．Chinese people don’t refer to dictionaries very often.

B．Chinese people no longer use brush pens or practice calligraphy.

C．Chinese people are using the Latin alphabet instead of the characters.

D．Chinese people needn’t write by hand as often with the help of technology.

4. According to Shen Bin, being able to write characters by hand is ____________.

A．necessary for adults to survive in China

B．a requirement made by the Education Ministry

C．helpful to keep Chinese tradition and culture alive

D．an ability to be developed only when you are students

【推荐2】Yu Xu, one of China's first female fighter pilots who could fly a J-10 jet, died during a flight training in Tangshan in North China's Hebei province on Saturday. Almost all major media outlets have sung high praise for Yu's spirit. People's Daily said: "She died for the peace and happiness of so many families ... The name of Yu and other heroes will be carved not only in stone, but also in the hearts of millions." However, despite being a news hit, a lot of social media platforms still pay much attention to pop stars, no matter their weddings, problematic marriages or just datings. The day Yu died, she did not even make it to the top-10 hot topics on micro blogs.

Some netizens have criticized such people for being too cold to news about heroes who defend our country. They even quoted from the book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, to express their concerns over people being misled by new media while referring to pop stars as "xi zi", a contemptuous(轻蔑的) term used for entertainment stars in the old days.

However, it is unnecessary to shame those netizens who were busy reading about film stars and other celebrities. We live in the age of social and new media, where the celebrities usually draw greater public attention than real heroes. This is partly because the agents(经纪人) of celebrities(名人) are very skilled at using social tools to expand their fan base for commercial gains.

Of course, we should admit the great influence entertainment has on people's minds and it helps the media industry make money. Pop stars do take up a lot of our time, and especially many young people waste their spare energy on them, their new songs, new movies, even rumors about their love life and other scandals. The domestic media industry needs improvement, some entertainment stars should improve their public images, but it is not right to call them "xi zi".

The media may be encouraging people to pay greater attention to celebrities than military heroes, but that does not necessarily mean people pay less respect to heroes than stars. The increasing number of reports about the pilot shows the heroes are worth people's added attention, and they get it.

Greater attention to celebrities doesn’t mean less respect for heroes

Introduction to the news	In an unexpected accident during a fight training Yu Xu     1     her life in Tangshan, Hebei Province on Saturday, who was a female fighter pilot of the J-10 jet.
Different attitudes toward the news	Almost all major media outlets have thought     2     of Yu’s spirit including People’s Daily, which commented that Yu’s name will     3     down in history with other heroes. A lot of social media platforms cared little about Yu’s death, which     4     to enter the top-10 topics on micro blogs.
Criticism for not caring about heroes	Being cold to the news about heroes makes some netizens even disrespectfully call pop stars “xi zi” to show their     5    .
Reasons for greater attention to stars	In order to make money, the agents of celebrities are trying to     6     more fans for their employers with their social skills. The media industry uses the influence of     7     to make money and keeps trying to satisfy people’s     8     about pop stars’ privacy(隐私).
Conclusion	More and more reports about the pilot have     9     up, which reflects the heroes     10     people’s added attention and they get it.

【推荐3】In today's information age, it's nearly impossible to avoid using social media. According to USA Today, even American universities are increasingly using social media as a learning tool. Their goal is to teach students how to use social media professionally.

Jade Johnson is taking an upper­level advertising course at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. For the class, he has had to organize and promote a contest via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, channels that are commonly used by advertising firms.

''A lot of times students prefer not to use certain social media, but are forced to because of the class，'' says Jade.

Some students may be reluctant to create an account, but Jade says that it was helpful because social media skills mean better job opportunities in today's world.

More college classes are appearing that are designed specially to teach students about social media, offering them a different look into something they may use on a daily basis.

Jenna Kapsis, a senior at William Paterson University, was required to post two Tweets on Twitter and one update on Facebook per week in her Digital and Social Media Communication class. The course had a specific Facebook page where students would create discussion groups and post links.

''Some of the topics included social media manners, online marketing and current events，'' Kapsis says.

As technology continues to develop, colleges and universities will likely continue to find ways to combine it into their teaching. Whether it's to create discussion groups, carry out plans, or communicate with students, professors are ensuring that students can see the potential of mastering social media platforms.

1. According to Jade, what's the benefit of social media skills?

A．Improving students' learning efficiency.

B．Offering students a different look into things.

C．Contributing to the possibility of acquiring good jobs.

D．Bettering the communication between teachers and students.

2. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Most students are reluctant to use social media.

B．Social media skills are difficult for students to master.

C．Social media skills have been expanded to some courses.

D．The learning of social media skills is a heavy burden for students.

3. Which of the following may not be one way to combine social media into teaching?

A．Creating discussion groups.

B．Doing some experiments.

C．Carrying out plans.

D．Communicating with students.

4. Why do the US universities focus on the promotion of social media skills?

A．Because it can enhance the universities' competitiveness.

B．Because it will improve the universities' teaching quality.

C．Because it will help professors carry out researches more easily.

D．Because it will be of vital importance in this hi­tech society.

【推荐1】Your action can speak louder than your words. It is important to know another language and how to communicate without words when you are in another country. Before saying anything, people communicate with each other by using gestures(手势). However, many gestures have different meanings, or no meaning at all, in different parts of the world.

In the United States, nodding your head up and down means “yes”, while in some parts of Greece and Turkey, it means “no”. In the southeast of Asia, it is a polite way of saying “I heard you”.

Today in the USA, when someone puts his thumb(大拇指) up, it means “Everything is all right.” However, in Greece it is bad manners to do so. Also putting your clasped(紧握的)hands up above your head means “I am the winner.” It is the sign which players often make. In Russia it is the sign of friendship.

In the USA, holding your hand up with the thumb and index finger(食指)in a circle, and the other three straight means “Everything is OK.” In France, it means “You are worth nothing.”

It is also important to make eye communication. If you look down when talking to an American, he or she may feel that you are shy, or you are trying to hide something.

Besides these, you should also know there are some topics that can not be talked about, such as age, weight and marriage. You can talk about the weather, work, sports, food, where one lives and news of the day.

1. What does the sentence “Your action can speak louder than your words” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．What you do is better than what you say.

B．You try your best to be polite.

C．You are better understood by your gestures than through your words.

D．What you say is better than what you do.

2. You’d better not put the thumb up in _____.

A．Greece

B．the USA

C．England

D．China

3. Which of the following is true?

A．Putting your clasped hands up above the head means friendship in Greece.

B．You can express “You are worth nothing” by putting your thumb up in France.

C．Making eye communication is not important in a talk.

D．Weather, sports, food and work are the topics that can be talked.

4. The main idea of the passage is that when you are in another country, _____.

A．it is important to know the language.

B．it is important to know what you talk about to a foreigner.

C．to know how to communicate without words is as important as to know the language.

D．to communicate through gestures is more important than to know the language.

【推荐3】A dozen international coffee experts moved around a long wooden table, pausing at each steaming cup, heads dipping,smelling and tasting. In the wings, coffee farmer Yang Fan watches attentively as the judges’ circle, awaiting a decision on her latest crop of beans.

In recent years, China is fast developing a reputation as a top coffee producer. This tasting was a side event to the first ever Pu’er International Specialty Coffee Expo in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, which ran this winter and drew more than a thousand attendees, including industry aficionados (酷爱者) from across the globe.

“Coffee has huge potential in China,” says Liu Ying, who is working in private investment in Beijing to grow coffee in Pu’er five years ago. “The younger generation prefers to drink coffee in their offices much more than tea.” Still, Pu’er remains synonymous with tea. In a region of China known for thousands of years of tea growing, a new crop is beginning to change the country’s landscape: coffee. This town near the Laos border is surrounded by the green hills scored with tea plantations; it produces a variety of tea which is also called Pu’er. But the region’s mild climate is also perfect for growing Arabica coffee. And as China’s young people move away from traditional tea in favor of the invigorating coffee, Pu’er’s farmers are catering to the demand. Yunnan accounts for 98% of China’s coffee harvest, with half coming from the misty landscape around Pu’er. Today, China is the 13th biggest coffee producer in the world - rising from zero output three decades ago to 136,000 tons annually today.

In April, Seattle’s annual Specialty Coffee Expo decided to showcase China as its portrait country of origin. It follows on the heels of Starbucks’ launching its first single-origin Yunnan coffee last year after eight years of partnership with Yunnan farmers.

With global coffee prices at record lows, Yunnan farmers are processing beans in bespoke (定制的) ways to create distinct flavors -allowing them to enter the market of specialty coffee. “At current coffee prices, I can’t even feed my family,” says the farmer Yang. “My only way out is to produce specialty coffee, to make the best coffee beans.” That means letting beans dry in their cherries, thus producing a wild, fruity flavor, or allowing them to “honey” in their sugary inner layer, which adds a slight sweetness.

“If I told you this was Colombian or Panama coffee, nobody would argue with me,” says Samuel Gurel, CEO of Pu’er’s Torch Coffee Roasters, as Yang breaks into a laughter. “It’s a great example of how Chinese coffee is evolving.”

1. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Coffee gains ground in China’s tea-growing heartland

B．Coffee is taking the place of Pu’er tea in Yunnan province.

C．Bespoke coffee in Ynnnan has a variety of flavors.

D．China has become a top coffee producer in the world.

2. People grow coffee in Pu’er because ________.

A．they have the tradition to plant coffee

B．Starbuck needs coffee from Yunnan province

C．coffee planted there has a special flavor

D．they think coffee has great potential in China

3. What does the underlined sentence in the third paragraph mean?

A．Pu’er cannot produce coffee.

B．Coffee enjoys a good reputation.

C．Pu’er is most famous for its tea.

D．Coffee is as popular as coffee.

4. What does Samuel Gurel think of Yang’s coffee beans?

A．He is worried about it.	B．He thinks highly of it.
C．He doubts about its future.	D．He shows no interest in it.

【推荐1】When I was eight years old, I had cancer. It was really hard. One of the worst things was having to sit in the doctor’s office for hours during chemo (化疗) treatments. I’d want to walk around and do things, but dealing with the big intravenous poles (静脉输液架) that hold the bags of medicine was a pain. I’d have to roll them around with me. I’d trip over them, and the poles got stuck on everything. It made my stress over being sick even worse.

Last year for science fair, my teacher said we should think of how to solve an everyday problem. When you have cancer, the intravenous poles are an everyday problem. I started thinking of making a backpack for kids so they could get around and play and go outside while they are getting chemo. I especially want to make chemo easier for kids. I know how frightening it can be.

For my project, I got a backpack and made a model. I took a small box and made it look like an intravenous machine. I had a small pole sticking out of the top, where you’d hang the bag of medicine. Then I painted it to make it look nice.

After the science fair, I got a patent for my invention. That means I officially owned the idea. I was pretty surprised. Companies started talking to my family about making the backpacks. But it’s very expensive. A lot of people have donated money to help. So far I’ve raised $55,000.

Before the backpack project, I thought of cancer as terrible. But now I realize that a good thing that came from it was that I could help others. I don’t like seeing kids with cancer suffer through treatment. I hope my invention can help them.

1. What troubled the author most?

A．Her health.	B．Her studies
C．The chemo treatment	D．The medicine for cancer

2. Why did the author want to invent a special backpack?

A．To help kids know about cancer

B．To make treatment more effective

C．To make students’ school bags lighter.

D．To help kids feel better during chemo.

3. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．What the author did to raise money.

B．How the author made the backpacks.

C．What the author got from her teacher.

D．How the author got an intravenous machine.

4. What can we learn about the backpack project?

A．It was fruitful.

B．It has made lots of money.

C．It was started by a company.

D．It was a school-owned business.

【推荐2】Ryan Hickman is only seven years old, but he's already been saving for his college fund with profits from. his recycling business.

When Ryan wag three, he went with his dad to the local recycling center and made money from a few bags of cans and bottles. When he learned money can be made from that, Ryan decided recycling was his future.

"We had gone to the center with a couple of bags, and he really loved the actual act of putting all the cans and bottles into the machine and getting the money from it, and that kind of act got him hooked, "described Damion Hickman, Ryan's father.

Ryan told his parents that he wanted to give empty plastic bags to all the neighbors and hoped they would save their recyclables for him. Not only did the neighbors save their cans and bottles for Ryan but so did their co-workers, families, and friends. Soon after, Ryan started his own business, Ryan's Recycling, and has since recycled over 200,000 cans and bottles. Every week, he and his family sort through bags of recyclables and they take them to the local recycling center where they are sorted and weighed.

So far, Ryan has saved more than $ 10 000 for college from his profits and he also sells T-shirts on his website and donates the profits to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach. "For the sea lions to get food and medicine," he said.

Ryan has an important message for everyone, "If you already recycle, just keep on recycling, If you don't recycle, start recycling.” Always a great businessman, Ryan added, "If you want to buy one of these T-shits, it's $13 on ryansrecycling. com. "

1. When did Ryan think of recycling as his future?

A．When he was 3 years old.

B．When he was taken to the recycling center.

C．When he got some rewards from recycling.

D．When he learned recycled cans and bottles could be sold for money.

2. What did Ryan do when he planned to begin his career?

A．He went to ask his family and neighbors to sell him the used bottles and cans.

B．He gave empty plastic bags to all the neighbors to get their used cans and bottles.

C．He went to the local recycling center fist and sold the cans and bottles.

D．He and his family sorted through bags of recyclables of their own.

3. Which of the flowing words can best describe Ryan based on this passage?

A．Generous and determined.	B．Kind and healthy,
C．Independent and energetic.	D．Rich and thoughtful.

【推荐3】Bradley McConachie, a 33-year-old Australian is actually a student in international relations completing his PhD through Griffith University. He came to Beijing for a cooperative research at Beijing University two years ago. Such an academic life was colorful with a chance offered by the cultural exchanges project, “I’m in China”.

Bradley was lucky to win the most “likes” for his photo story about his life in China and became one of 20 winners to visit locations by the project this summer. All the winners’ experiences were filmed to produce a reality show, My Chinese Working Day, which will be broadcast by mid-September.

Bradley was chosen to work as a recreational manager for a Chinese wedding. The film crew took them to many “amazing sites” and the staff at the resort taught them a lot about how to incorporate modern Chinese features while still keeping traditional customs.

“I would have to say two things stick out as the most memorable: the helicopter ride and talking with the staff at the hotel about how they organize weddings here in China,” he said. That was Bradley’s first time to be in a helicopter, and he was too absorbed with the “stunning” view of the coastline.

“I think it is so important to show other Australians the different landscapes China has to offer. I think so many Australians, when they think about China, imagine the historical sites of Beijing and the exciting things to see in Shanghai but have no idea about other beautiful places, like Sanya or the many other places people have been taken to in this TV series. It was nice to experience these little touches. I was happy to be a part of that experience!” Bradley said.

1. What made Bradley’s life more colorful?

A．Obtaining his PhD.

B．The cultural exchanges project.

C．The research about Beijing University.

D．The interest in international relations.

2. Why was Bradley given the chance?

A．He produced the reality show.	B．His life in China was interesting.
C．He was one of the top 20 winners.	D．He liked photo stories most.

3. Which of the following best explains “stunning” in Paragraph 4?

A．Fantastic.

B．Confusing.

C．Plain.

D．Extreme.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．It’s difficult to produce moving TV series.

B．Beijing and Shanghai are historical sites.

C．Bradley was impressed by the view of the coastline.

D．Many Australians know little about China.

【推荐1】When Brody, a 4-year-old Connecticut boy, was asked what wish he wanted to come true, his only dream was that he could be able to play outside.

Brody was born premature (早产) at 27 weeks, which caused him to overheat and burn easily. That means he can't spend any time outside and he'll get burn blisters (水疱) on his face even when he is driven to the hospital. Besides, there are a lot of things he can't do. He has trouble walking and only began talking one year ago. Brody can't eat or drink and has to wear a backpack 24/7 that contains a pump that feeds him. “I can't even count the number of surgeries he's had since he was born,” Brody's mother said. “He's spent probably half his life at the hospital.”

When Make-A-Wish Connecticut, an organization that creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, heard about Brody's request to play outside, they immediately jumped into action. “It's the most simple, most sweet wish, just to play outside but it seems to be the most difficult to realize.” said Debbie Artinian, the manager of Make-A-Wish Connecticut.

Artinian and her team determined that a temperature-controlled tent outside Brody's home where he could play and not be in the sun would be the best option. But they had to find a tent that could stand weather conditions like wind and snow and had the right material to block all UV rays. Luckily, Artinian found a company based in the United Kingdom that could design and make the tent. Make-A-Wish Connecticut learnt that Brody loves the beach, even though he is not able to go into water because of his backpack. So they filled the tent with water toys and a kids’ pool filled with balls to make Brody feel as much as possible like he's out at the beach.

Brody got his first look at the tent earlier this summer. “When he walked out of the door and I saw his face, it was just everything,” said Artinian. “Now when Brody says ‘Can I go out and play?’, his mom can say, “Yes.” “Brody is now enjoying spending nearly all his time "outside” in the tent.

It's hard to make life completely normal for Brody, but Artinian and her team tried to make it as normal as they could.

1. What can we learn about Brody?

A．He can't be exposed to sunlight.

B．He can't stand on his feet.

C．He can't be given surgeries any more.

D．He can't communicate with others.

2. Make-A-Wish Connecticut thought Brody's dream was __________

A．inspiring and heart-warming

B．simple but incredible

C．difficult and unachievable

D．challenging but worthwhile

3. Why does the author mention the beach in Paragraph 4?

A．To show that Brody is a boy who loves nature.

B．To prove that the design company was responsible.

C．To suggest that Artinian and her team were considerate.

D．To emphasize that the skill in building the tent was the latest.

4. What does the story mainly tell us?

A．One good turn deserves another.

B．A helping hand makes a difference.

C．All things are difficult before they are easy.

D．Tough life experience may result in success.

【推荐2】There are many American expressions about insects - like bees, for example.

You might say you were as busy as a bee if you spent your weekend cleaning your house. In fact, you also might say you made a beeline for something if you went there right away. When we go to see a movie, my friend always makes a beeline for the place where they sell popcorn.

Here is an expression about bees that is not used much any more, but we like it anyway. If something was the best of its kind, you might say it was the bee's knees. Now, we admit that we do not know how this expression developed. If fact, we do not even know if bees have knees!

If your friend cannot stop talking about something because she thinks it is important, you might say she has a bee in her bonnet. If someone asks you a personal question, you might say "that is none of your beeswax." This means none of your business.

Hornets are bee-like insects that sometimes attack people. If you are really angry, you might say you are mad as a hornet. And if you stir up a hornet's nest, you create trouble or problems.

Butterflies are beautiful insects, but you would not want to have butterflies in your stomach. That means to be nervous about having to do something, like speaking in front of a crowd. You would also not want to have ants in your pants. That is, to be restless and unable to sit still.

Here are some expressions about plain old bugs, another word for insects. If a friend keeps asking you to do something you do not want to do, you might ask him to leave you alone or "stop bugging me." A friend also might tell you again and again to do something. If so, you might say he put a bug in your ear.

If you were reading a book in your warm bed on a cold winter's day, you might say you were snug as a bug in a rug. And, if you wish someone good night, you might say, "sleep tight — don't let the bed bugs bite."

1. If you are going to give a speech before a big audience, you would probably______.

A．have ants in your pants

B．have a bug in your ear

C．have a bee in your bonnet

D．have a butterfly in your stomach

2. We can infer from the article that _________.

A．bees are popular insects

B．bees fly to a place directly

C．bees actually have no knees

D．bees sometimes refer to babies

3. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．The various insects commonly seen in America.

B．The interesting expressions concerning bugs in America.

C．The different explanations for particular idioms in America.

D．The amazing richness of English expressions in America.

【推荐3】Que Liu and his wife Si En spend their mornings picking Pu’er leaves in a forest not far from their village in the highlands of southwest China.

Pu’er is a kind of tea that is famous for its complex taste. Tea lovers say its taste changes with each following steeping (续泡). But the crop this year has been small at Nannuoshan, one of the six major Pu’er mountains in Yunnan Province. The hottest weather and lowest rainfall totals in years have reduced production. “Drought has cut production by about half this spring,” said Zi Sai, the son of Que Liu and Si En.

Local officials blame climate change for an increase in drought-like conditions in recent years. The dry weather has worsened over the past 20 years, with this year’s drought breaking some records. “The entire rainfall pattern has changed due to global warming,” said Xiao Chan, head of weather services at China’s National Climate Center in Beijing.

Pu’er trees grow in the cloud-covered forests of Yunnan. The trees require no fertilizers or pesticides (农药), unlike the tea trees grown on large farms elsewhere. The adult plant normally reaches a height of four meters. Spring produces the highest-quality leaves from the trees. The summer harvest, with a higher percentage of water, is considered to be lower in quality. Summer leaves are sold for mass consumption.

The drought conditions hurt the economy of the 32 villages of Nannuoshan. “My family depends wholly on Pu’er tea for survival, earning about 200,000 yuan a year,” said Zi Sai’s uncle, Si Da, who is 44. “That represents just over $28,000. This year, our income has been cut by tens of thousands of yuan.”

While one ancient tree, said to date from 800 years ago, survived the drought, other younger trees did not. “If these kinds of trees survive, they may need three to five years for a full recovery.” Si Da added. “These trees are quite pitiful. They should have been protected like children.”

1. How is the climate in the Pu’er tea planting areas in recent years?

A．It is too wet.	B．It is much colder.
C．It is changing regularly,	D．It is becoming much drier.

2. What’s the advantage of Pu’er trees compared with the tea trees planted on other big farms?

A．They are short and small.	B．They are pollution-free.
C．They grow on large farms.	D．They are picked at all seasons.

3. What does Si Da think of the younger tea trees?

A．They were easy to live on.

B．They should have been taken good care of.

C．They took only a short time to fully recover.

D．They had better be cut down to earn money.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．The extreme weather ruins tea farms.

B．Famous tea in China might disappear.

C．Few tea trees survive natural disasters.

D．Drought hurts Pu’er tea crops in China.