【推荐1】How to Communicate as a Family

In today's busy world, many families struggle to see each other. That does not mean that our need for family has decreased. Most of us still long for a united family.    1    . Below are tips on it.

Use effective communication skills

Each member of the family should feel important and valued.     2    . In order for your family members to hear your needs, you have to express them. Be polite but honest with your family during discussions.

Listen intently

    3    . Your family members will feel loved if their point of view is heard and respected. Avoid talking over your family members, and instead, listen to what they are saying.

Show appreciation for each other

Taking family for granted is easily done.    4    . Make it a point to tell each family member that you are thankful for them, and that you enjoy being a family.

    5    

Everyone in your family is not going to agree on every issue. As a family, you have to be flexible and accepting of each person's point of view. Avoid arguing over little things such as who should take the trash out; instead, make a conscious effort to divide responsibilities and privileges （特权）fairly.

A．Agree to disagree

B．This includes you

C．Give and accept apologies

D．However, that unity does not always come easily

E．Most of them have been around most of your life

F．It is important that you hear your family members' concerns

G．Also remember that perfect unity will not exist all the time in any family

【推荐2】There is nothing worse than living next door to an awful neighbor. My family and I have experienced it twice. Each time our neighbors have been significantly different from each other, yet equally horrible.

Our first neighbors were fine at first.     1    . Their 19-year-old son who was still living at home created a band. Every night at 10:00 pm, we would start hearing the bass and the drums playing.

Since we recently purchased land and built a house, we have a new set of neighbors. As one of our easements（附属建筑物）is throughout land to get to theirs, they seem to think they own the easement land even though we bought it.     2    .

You can see these neighbor problems may make lives a little more difficult. To deal with these problems, you can try following tips.

Talk in person

    3    . When you and your neighbor have to look at each other in the eye, you'll be more likely to have a civil conversation.

Arguments in writing

If you and your neighbor agree on an issue, make sure you get that agreement in writing. Documents that are recorded are much more difficult to dispute.

    4    

Usually it's not a good idea to call the police on your neighbors unless your safety is at risk. If you have exhausted all the other options such as talking in person, then you can turn to the authorities.

    5    , perhaps you should take a look at yourself as a neighbor. Sometimes the problem doesn't lie in the person beside you, but in yourself.

A．Involve authorities

B．If you have bad neighbors constantly

C．When you' re in trouble with neighbors

D．It wasn't until about a year later that things began to go downhill

E．Calling on the phone makes it a lot easier to get into a screaming argument

F．They were friendly and introduced themselves to us one day when we were outside

G．They plant trees where they like and tell us what we can and cannot put on our own land

【推荐3】There is an old Chinese proverb that states “One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade.” and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and a daughter is sometimes confusing. The relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy(等级)of responsibilities and unconditional love, which preclude mothers and daughters from being best friends.

Marina, 27 years old, said, “I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn’t consider her my best friend. Best friends don’t pay for your wedding. Best friends don’t remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friends don’t tell you how wise they are because they have been living at least 20 years longer than you.”

This doesn’t mean that the mother and daughter relationship can’t be very close and satisfying. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common, which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughter shave always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of work and technology, which may bring them even closer together.

Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren’t speaking. Sometimes this is not an equal relationship. Daughters don’t always feel responsible for their mother’s emotional well-being. But mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers always “trump” friends.

1. What does the underlined word “preclude” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Differ.

B．Benefit.

C．Prevent.

D．Change.

2. What can we learn from what Marina said?

A．Her mother is anything but her best friend.

B．Best friends will not remind her of important issues in life.

C．Her mother is wiser on account of her age.

D．Best friends will not spend money on her wedding.

3. Why can a mother and a daughter build a closer relationship according to Paragraph 3?

A．Because they share advanced technology with each other.

B．Because they work together to support the whole family.

C．Because they experience the same values and traditions.

D．Because they have common experience in life and work.

4. What do we know from the text?

A．A mother-daughter relationship can be replaced by friendship.

B．A mother’s love brings her and her daughter a close friendship.

C．It’s impossible for Marina to develop relationship with her mother.

D．A mother-daughter relationship goes beyond best friendship.

5. What is the best title for the passage?

A．How to Be a Good Mother and Daughter

B．Generation Gap between Mother and Daughter

C．Can a Mother Be a Daughter’s Best Friend?

D．Daughters Be Independent from Mothers

【推荐1】If you are a teenager without a job，you probably do not have much extra money. Sometimes parents will give their children a weekly pocket money for doing small housework，but it is often not enough once the children grow into teenagers and want to do things with their friends all of the time. How to make money is an important thing for teens to learn. If you’re wondering how a teenager can make good money，some ideas might be：

Getting a part-time job at a local restaurant or store is always a sure way to make money as a teen. But getting a job somewhere like this might be hard，considering mangy jobs in local stores are being taken by adults more and more often. Babysitting is always a good way to make money as a teenager，and finding jobs as a babysitter is often easier than finding a job at a stores.

Doing landscaping(绿化)is something that most adults do not like to do，and teens can usually find jobs around their neighbourhood doing the landscaping of friends and family.

Some teens are good at something such as writing or photography. These teens can make money by doing things such as writing articles for newspapers or magazines or selling their photos online.

Teens who live in a country area can try raising their own animals such as chickens，and selling them or their products.

Looking for jobs can seem hard at first ，but if you have a try ，it should not be too hard to find a job or way to make money.

1. What problem do teenagers have to face when finding a job in local stores?

A．Low pay.

B．Heavy word.

C．Long working hours.

D．Competition with grown-ups.

2. Which of the following is easier for teens form the country if they want to earn extra money?

A．Babysitting.	B．Doing landscaping.
C．Selling photos online.	D．Raising animals.

3. What can we learn form the text?

A．Most grown-ups hate doing landscaping.

B．Getting a part-time job is hard for teens.

C．Pocket money form parents is often enough for teens.

D．Looking after babies is easier than serving customers in a restaurant.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．The Necessary Skills to Make Money

B．How Important Is Money to a Teenager

C．How Can a Teenager Make Extra Money

D．Teenagers Should Depend on Themselves

【推荐2】In the research carried out at Tubingen University, scientists tracked the emotional(情绪的) responses of Facebook users in Germany and the US. They found that reading other people’s positive posts brought happiness to 64% of the people.

Think of it this way: Your good news positively influences your friends, who in turn positively influence their friends. With one positive post, you can brighten up the day of someone you have never met.

Researchers from four universities across the United States partnered with ehairmony, a popular dating website in America. They found that sharing positive news between partners increased happiness and life satisfaction.

Sharing your positive news also, research suggests, has direct benefits for you. Communicating a positive experience, you have had with another person heightens the powerful effect of the positive experience itself, because you get to relive the experience.

Then, how about negative emotions? An online social network study in the US analyzed data from millions of Facebook users. And it found that rainfall would negatively affect the emotional content of people’s status updates(状态更新). And this influenced the negativity of posts made by friends in other cities who were not experiencing rainfall. Negativity, it showed, brings negativity.

Understanding the impact good and bad news can have on our moods is important for many reasons. The common aspect of these studies is that they show we want to hear good news and we are using social media as a medium to create and spread it.

Further evidence for this desire for cheering news can be found in the development of websites such as Positive News. It has become the world’s first crowd-funded(大众集资的) global media organization since being established in July. The website is now owned by 1,526 readers, journalists and supporters.

Sharing your good news might seem like a small gesture, but it can have a big effect and provide people with a life boat in the sea of negativity that is often mainstream media. Isn’t it we guided our own boat?

1. What does Paragraph 2 intend to do?

A．Show us the strong influence of Facebook.

B．Help us rethink the relationship between strangers.

C．Show us the rapid spread of information on the Internet.

D．Help us better understand the online emotional responses.

2. What can you gain from sharing your positive experiences?

A．A chance to go through them again.

B．An opportunity to make new friends.

C．A different view on happiness and life satisfaction.

D．An obvious improvement in your communication skills.

3. What does Paragraph 5 mainly talk about?

A．Rainfall affects people’s emotions.

B．Facebook users’ personal data are unsafe.

C．Friends in different cities often chat on Facebook.

D．Negative feelings can also spread through social networks.

4. The popularity of Positive News can show ________.

A．the great importance of the Internet

B．people’s preference for positive news

C．the latest development of social media

D．people’s desire for more online information

【推荐3】If you’re not a fan of KFC’s famous Double Down hot dog, don’t worry! KFC in the UK is developing a new treat: an edible coffee cup.

The product is still in the trial stage and not yet available for purchase, but according to a KFC news report, the treat is made from a unique biscuit, wrapped in sugar paper, and lined with a layer of heat-resistant white chocolate, which helps keep the coffee hot. As you drink the coffee in the cup, the white chocolate lining will begin to melt slowly, and the biscuit begins to soften.

But it doesn’t end there—the cups are not only edible, they also have a pleasant smell. KFC partnered with The Robin Collective, an experimental food company, to make the cups with coconut sun cream, freshly cut grass and wild flowers scents. According to the news report, that’s because the scents arouse the positive memories we associate with warm weather, sunshine and summer holidays. Sounds...delicious?

A manager at KFC said, “We have been experimenting with the edible packaging in limited quantities to see if it could be a popular product in the market. We believe if our customers occasionally like to have their cake and eat it, why wouldn’t they want to have their cup and eat it instead! ”

The edible cups will only be available in the UK when it comes out. According to a spokesperson for KFC, there are at present no plans to bring it to the U.S. yet.

1. The cup is lined with a layer of white chocolate to_________.

A．make the cup smell delicious

B．prevent the heat giving off soon

C．help the cup look beautiful

D．keep the biscuit tasting soft

2. What does KFC do with the new product in its trial stage?

A．Promote it by adding different scents.

B．Sell it at a lower price in the US first.

C．Invite customers to eat it for free.

D．Test it in the market in small quantities.

3. Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?

A．The cup not only tastes good but also smells delicious.

B．The cup is developed with the help of The Robin Collective

C．Customers all over the world can soon try the edible cup.

D．The cup is made from biscuit, sugar paper and chocolate.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．KFC’s new product—Edible coffee cups

B．A new treat—Coffee cups and positive memories

C．Coffee cups made from biscuits and chocolate

D．The development of KFC company in the UK

【推荐1】People like to post their selfies (自拍照) on social media. To know more about it, scientists at Syracuse University in New York recently did a research and came up with some surprising findings.

People who post selfies and use editing software to make themselves look better show behavior connected to narcissism (自恋), the researchers said. Makana Chock, a professor from Syracuse University, said because social media is mostly used by people to share unimportant information about their lives, it is a good place for people to “work towards satisfying their own vanity.” Those “likes” under their Facebook selfies make them feel good.

Besides, people who post group selfies show a need for popularity and a need to belong to a group, the research found. Some people feel “peer (同伴) pressure” to post selfies and some follow the popular belief that if there is no picture of an event or experience, it did not really happen. “Anyway, it shouldn’t be seen as negative. People get sense of satisfaction especially when they get likes. And it does no harm,” Chock said.

Other findings from the study include: There are no major differences on how often men and women post selfies and how often they use editing software. But men who post selfies show more of a need to be seen as popular than women who post selfies.

Chock said posting selfies on social media is not all that different from what people have done for many years. On trips and special events, our parents and grandparents used cameras instead of hones to take photos. They would bring back photos to show friends and family. You had no choice but to look at them. You probably commented about how nice everyone in the photos looked, especially children and the person showing the photos. They were happy to hear your comments. That was the old way of “clicking like”. On social media, however, people can decide not to look at photos-even if they click “like”.

1. What is the research mainly about?

A．The reasons for people posting selfies on social media.

B．The ways of making people look better in selfies.

C．The differences between men and women in posting selfies.

D．The connections between posting selfies and mental health.

2. What is Chock’s attitude towards selfie posting?

A．Cautious.

B．Disapproving.

C．Supportive.

D．Ambiguous.

3. According to the passage which of the following statements is true?

A．There are many differences on the frequency between men and women posting selfies.

B．Women posting selfies show more of a need to be seen as popular than men.

C．There is a belief that selfies are proofs of an event or experience.

D．People posting selfies are more popular than those who don’t.

4. From the last paragraph, we know that the older generations showed their photos to friends and family________.

A．to share good moments	B．to show off their cameras
C．to improve relationships	D．to win praise from viewers

【推荐2】Palaces are often built with the intent to show off the wealth and splendour of royalties.The first palace on the list was so spectacular that it inspired some other royalties to build theirs in response, meanwhile, the last on the list inspired Disney’s Cinderella castle.

Palace of Versailles, France

The Palace of Versailles was the principal royal residence of France from 1682 until the start of the French Revolution in 1789. It is located in the region of Île-de-France, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) southwest of the centre of Paris.

The palace is now a historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage site. It received millions of visitors every year, making it one of the most visited monuments in France.

The Forbidden City, China

The Forbidden City served as the home of Chinese emperors and was the ceremonial and political centre of the Chinese government for almost 500 years. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. Since 2012, it has seen an average of 14 million visitors annually and received more than 19 million visitors in 2019.

Schönbrunn Palace, Austria

A summer retreat for the Hapsburg rulers of Austria, the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna was built by Emperor Leopold I between 1696 and 1712.

UNESCO catalogued Schönbrunn Palace on the World Heritage List in 1996, together with its gardens, as a remarkable Baroque ensemble and example of the synthesis of the arts. Schönbrunn is Vienna’s most popular tourist destination.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was built by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and in honour of the opera composer Richard Wagner.

The castle was intended as a home for the king, until he died in 1886. It was open to the public shortly after his death. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with as many as 6,000 per day in the summer.

1. What do we know about the Palace of Versailles?

A．It is located in the center of Paris.

B．It is an inspiration for some castles in other countries.

C．It is one of the least popular tourist attractions in France.

D．It is the original model for Disney’s Cinderella castle.

2. How many castles mentioned in the text have been catalogued as World Heritage sites?

A．One	B．Two
C．Three	D．Four

3. Which castle was built to remember a musician?

A．Palace of Versailles, France	B．The Forbidden City, China
C．Schönbrunn Palace, Austria	D．Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

【推荐3】The earliest newspapers started in ancient Rome. They were handwritten news sheets. The first printed newspapers appeared in China during the Tang dynasty, which were printed from carved wooden blocks. Modern papers first appeared in Venice, Italy in the middle of the 14th century. The newspapers of today, with advertising and a mixture of political, economic, and social news and comments, were started in Britain in the mid-18^th century.

The main function of newspapers is to report news. Many newspapers also provide special information to readers, such as weather reports and television timetables. They also provide comments on politics, economics, arts and culture. Almost all newspapers depend on advertising to make money. Nearly six out of ten adults in the United States and Canada read a newspaper every day. Seven out of ten read a paper each weekend. Readers search newspapers for detailed background information and analysis. This is what television and radio news reports seldom offer. Newspapers tell readers what happened, and they also help readers understand what caused an event and how it will affect the world around them.

The workers at large newspaper companies work under a lot of pressure to bring news to readers as soon as possible. Reporters, photographers, artists, and editors collect articles in just a few hours. Page designers select articles, photos, advertisements, and eye-catching headlines to make the pages, and then rush their work to the printer. Printing workers may work overnight around printing presses to churn out more than 60,000 copies per hour.

1. Modern newspapers were first made in ________.

A．China

B．Ancient Rome

C．Italy

D．Britain

2. What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．Various jobs related to newspapers.	B．Contents in each page of a newspaper.
C．The production levels of newspaper.	D．The fast pace of newspaper production.

3. We can infer everything from the passage EXCEPT that ________.

A．few newspapers have no advertising

B．many adults in America read newspapers every day

C．people can read about different issues in newspapers

D．newspapers will become less popular as TV develops

4. The phrase “churn out” in the last paragraph probably means ________.

A．press

B．produce

C．publish

D．sell

【推荐1】Most kids won’t sit at a restaurant with their parents and say, “That’s what I want to be when I grow up,” while watching a server refill their water glasses. Waiting tables is usually thought of as a short-term job that will help you earn some extra cash as a student or pay the bills when you’re trying to start a singing career. At the very worst, it’s looked upon as an embarrassing last choice before finding a satisfactory job.

A Rutgers study found that four in ten graduates are working in fields that do not require a degree, which likely means that there are a lot of well-educated servers out there. Therefore, this doesn’t have to be the terrible situation that the media sometimes makes it out to be.

I’ve worked as waitress everywhere from a small restaurant in Venice, Calif, to a top Hollywood talent agency (代理处). At the small restaurant, I made about $200 a day serving fatty breakfasts to wild-eyed customers. It allowed me a measure of freedom, and it beat being a sales assistant who makes just $22,000 a year.

I actually left an office job at technology news site that paid $40,000 a year, plus benefits, for the work at a restaurant. I served food, so I could focus on my graduate school application and writing. I had full benefits, while earning $10 an hour, plus huge tips. I made about $70,000 that year. Plus, I got into my top pick for graduate school.

After my graduation, I worked at a fancy restaurant, where I did not feel embarrassed or “underemployed” pouring drinks for people-despite the fact that I had a master degree. I had goals, and waiting tables was a pretty great means to my end: make a living by writing even if it meant waiting tables yet again.

1. What can we know from the first paragraph?

A．No waitresses really love serving others.

B．Working at a restaurant is very embarrassing.

C．Waiting tables isn’t considered to be a perfect job.

D．Some children are interested in being a waiter or waitress.

2. How did the author most probably find her work at a restaurant?

A．Interesting.

B．Satisfying.

C．Boring.

D．Low-paying.

3. Why did the author choose to work at a restaurant?

A．She couldn’t find a better job without a degree.

B．She could talk to different people for her writing.

C．She needed a short-term job for her singing career.

D．She was allowed to prepare for her further education.

4. What does the author mainly want to show in the passage?

A．Serving at a restaurant isn’t that bad.

B．Many graduates don’t have good jobs.

C．We should never give up on our dreams.

D．Children should be taught to respect others.

【推荐2】I was in the garden with Augie, my grandson, watching the bees. “How do they make honey?” Augie asked. “Actually, Augie, I don’t know,” I replied. “But, Grandmom, you have your phone,” he said. For Augie, holding a smartphone almost means knowing everything.

During my childhood I was crazy about a powerful device（设备）that transports the user to an alternate reality. I spent most of my waking hours on it, unaware of the world around me. The device was, of course, the book. Over time, reading hijacked（控制）my brain, as large areas once processing the real world adapted to processing the printed word. As far as I can tell, this early immersion（沉浸）didn’t prevent my development, but it did leave me with some illusions（幻想）– my idea of romantic love surely came from novels.

Many parents worry that “screen time” will damage children’s development, but recent research suggests that most of the common fears about children and screens are unfounded. There is one exception: looking at screens before bed really disturbs sleep, in people of all ages. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) used to recommend strict restrictions（限制）on screen exposure（暴露）. Last year, the organization examined the relevant science more thoroughly and changed its recommendations. The new guidelines emphasize that what matters is content and context, what children watch and with whom.

New tools have always led to panicky（紧张不安的）guesses. The novel, the telephone, and the television were all declared to be the End of Civilization, particularly in the hands of the young. Part of the reason may be that adult brains require a lot of focus and effort to learn something new, while children’s brains are designed to master new environments naturally. New technologies always seem disturbing to the adults attempting to master them, and transparent and obvious – not really technology at all – to those children like Augie.

When Augie’s father got home, Augie rushed to meet him and said in excitement. “Daddy, Daddy, look,” he said, reaching for my phone. “Do you know how bees make honey? I’ll show you…”

1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To introduce a topic.	B．To present an argument.
C．To clarify（表明）the author’s writing purpose.	D．To give information on main characters.

2. What can be learned about the author?

A．She had an unhappy childhood.	B．She was interested in reading novels.
C．She was addicted to an electronic device.	D．She paid much attention to the real world.

3. What does the AAP probably advise people to do?

A．Limit children’s screen time.	B．Don’t chat online with strangers.
C．Don’t stare at a screen before bedtime.	D．Guide children on their screen devices.

4. In the author’s opinion, why do adults react to new things differently from children?

A．They don’t want to change.

B．Their learning ability decreases with age.

C．They have no desire for the dynamic world.

D．Their learning methods differ from children’s.

5. What might be the author’s attitude to “screen time”?

A．Doubtful.	B．Supportive.
C．Disapproving（反对的）.	D．Contradictory（相互矛盾的）.

【推荐3】China is known for its long history, rich culture, and cute pandas. It’s also known for some of the worst air quality in the world. But the Asian country is now using a natural weapon against air pollution — trees.

In February, China’s government announced plans to cover at least 32,400 square miles with forest. That is about the size of Ireland. Some 60,000 soldiers will take charge of the tree-planting program. Most of the trees will be planted in Hebei Province. That is an area surrounding China’s capital, Beijing.

Huang Wei is an environmentalist who works for Greenpeace East Asia. She is optimistic about the plan. “Trees act as a sink to absorb carbon dioxide and other pollutants,” she said. Carbon dioxide is a gas that traps the Earth’s heat. It contributes to global warming.

Why is China’s air filled with harmful chemicals? It’s because the country relies on coal-fired power plants. When coal is burned, PM2.5 is produced. PM2.5 is a pollutant. It can cause shortness of breath, heart attacks, and even death.

Just two years ago, pollution levels were so high in Beijing that schools and factories had to close. Huang hopes China’s tree-planting plan will reduce the nation’s suffering from air pollution.

The Chinese government is getting help from others in its drive to make the nation greener. Stefano Boeri is an Italian architect and urban planner. He is leading an effort to plant vertical (垂直的) forests in China.

Boeri’s designs have already taken root in the city of Nanjing, China. That’s where the Nan-jing Green Towers are under construction. The building has two towers. Thousands of trees and hanging plants will grow on the balconies and rooftops.

Boeri says his goal is to design buildings that help the environment and improve air quality. He also hopes to encourage a new generation of green architects.

1. What measure is China taking to improve the air quality according to the passage?

A．Planting more tress.

B．Closing the electricity factories.

C．Forbidding people to burn coal.

D．Designing new buildings.

2. What does Huang Wei think of the new plan?

A．Doubtful.	B．Uncertain.
C．Promising.	D．Ineffective.

3. Which of the following has the closest meaning to “contributes to” in paragraph 3?

A．Adapts to.	B．Results in.
C．Refers to.	D．Concentrates on.

4. Why is Stefano Boeri invited to China to design buildings?

A．Because his design can keep the polluted air outside the house.

B．Because his buildings are built in forest.

C．Because his design is special with two towers.

D．Because his design is environmentally friendly.