【推荐1】A new study suggests that washing dishes by hand is healthier than using a dishwasher.

Nobody likes doing the dishes, but it turns out that doing this task might pay off in an unexpected way. According to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, washing dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher might prevent the development of allergies (过敏).

Researchers in Sweden surveyed the parents of 1,029 children aged 7 and 8. They discovered that children whose families hand-washed the dishes instead of using a machine were less likely to have allergies.

Earlier research has shown that dishes washed by machine are cleaner than those washed by hand. So why would kids who eat with slightly dirtier plates be better when it comes to preventing allergies? One explanation is based on a theory known as the “hygiene hypothesis,” which says the reason why kids develop allergies is that their environment is actually too clean. Your immune system keeps you healthy by fighting germs like viruses and bacteria. But when you have allergies, it overreacts and tries to fight ordinary things like pollen(花粉) or certain foods.

Being exposed to germs, especially early in life is good training for the immune system, says the lead author of the study, Dr. Bill Hesselmar of Queen Silvia Hospital in Sweden. “You stimulate the immune system in various ways and it becomes tolerant.”

This study shows that while using the dishwasher might be easier, the old-fashioned method of cleaning up could be better for your health.

1. What is the benefit of washing dishes by hand?

A．Hand-washed dishes are cleaner than those washed by machine.

B．Washing dishes by hand is easier than washing by machine

C．Washing dishes by hand costs less time than washing by machine

D．Washing dishes by hand might reduce the chance of developing allergies

2. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．bacteria	B．germs
C．the immune system	D．allergy

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．Using a dishwasher can prevent us from having allergies.

B．Exposure to germs early in life may improve kids’ immune system.

C．Our immune system can only fight bacteria and viruses.

D．Children should use dirty plates when they have meals.

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．The clean environment accounts for kids’ developing allergies.

B．Whether parents should wash dishes by hand or use a dishwasher.

C．Washing dishes by hand may prevent kids from getting allergies.

D．What “hygiene hypothesis” is and how our immune system works.

【推荐2】LEEDS, England—A Leeds University psychology professor is teaching a course to help dozens of Britons forgive their enemies.
"The hate we hold within us is a cancer, " Professor Ken Hart said, adding that holding in anger can lead to problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
More than 70 people have become members in Hart's first 20-week workshop in London—a course he says is the first of its kind in the world.
These are people who are sick and tired of living with a memory. They realize their bitterness is a poison they think they can pour out, but they end up drinking it themselves, said Canadian- born Hart.
The students meet in groups of eight to ten for a two-hour workshop with an adviser every fortnight.
The course, ending in July, is expected to get rid of the cancer of hate in these people. "People have lots of negative attitudes towards forgiveness," he said, "People confuse forgiveness with forgetting. Forgiveness means changing from a negative attitude to a positive one."
Hart and his team have created instructions to provide the training needed.
"The main idea is to give you guidelines on how to look at various kinds of angers and how they affect you, and how to change your attitudes towards the person you are angry with," said Norman Claringbull, a senior expert on the forgiveness project.
Hart said he believes forgiveness is a skill that can be taught, as these people "want to get free of the past".
1. From this passage we know that________.

A．high blood pressure and heart disease are caused by hate

B．high blood pressure can only be cured by psychology professors

C．without hate, people will have less trouble connected with blood and heart

D．people who suffer from blood pressure and heart disease must have many enemies

2. If you are angry with somebody, you should________.

A．attend Hart’s course

B．never meet him or her any longer

C．persuade him or her to have a positive talk with you

D．treat him or her positively instead of negatively

3. In Hart's first 20- week workshop, people there can ________.

A．meet their enemies	B．change their attitudes
C．enjoy the professor's teaching	D．learn how to quarrel with others

4. If you are a member in Hart's workshop, you'll________.

A．meet in eight or ten groups

B．get rid of the illness of cancer

C．attend a gathering twice a month

D．pour out everything stored in your mind

5. The author wrote this passage in order to________.

A．persuade Britons to go to Hart's workshop

B．tell us the news about Hart's workshop

C．tell us how to run a workshop like Hart's

D．help us to look at various kinds of angers

【推荐1】For several months，Cara has been working up the courage to approach her mom about what she saw on Instagram.Not long ago，the 11­-year­-old girl，like all the other kids in this story，discovered that her mom had been posting her photos for much of her life.“I’ve wanted to bring it up.It’s strange to see myself up there，and sometimes there are pictures I don’t like of myself，”she said.

Like most other modern kids，Cara grew up immersed in social media.While many kids may not yet have accounts themselves，their parents，schools，sports teams，and organizations have been organizing an online presence for them since birth.The shock of realizing that details about your life have been shared online without your permission or knowledge has become an important experience in the lives of many teenagers.Recently a parenting blogger(博主) wrote in a Washington Post essay that despite(不顾) her 14­year­old daughter’s horror at discovering that her mother had shared years of highly personal stories and information about her online，she simply could not stop posting on her blog and social media.The writer said that promising her daughter that she would stop posting her publicly on the Internet would mean shutting down a vital part of herself，which isn’t necessarily good for herself or her daughter.

But it’s not just crazy mommy bloggers who construct a child’s online identity；plenty of average parents do the same.There’s even a special word for it: sharenting.Almost a quarter of children begin their digital lives when parents upload their photos to the Internet，according to a study conducted by the Internet­security firm AVG.The study also found that 92 percent of kids under the age of 2 already have their own unique digital identity.

1. How does Cara feel about her mom’s behavior?

A．It’s aggressive.	B．It’s appropriate.
C．It’s annoying.	D．It’s favorable.

2. Who are fond of sharenting?

A．A quarter of students.

B．Most ordinary parents.

C．Kids under the age of 2.

D．Some crazy bloggers.

3. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Children’s New Trouble

B．Social Media

C．Kids’ Online Performance

D．Mommy Bloggers

【推荐2】One morning, my four-year-old daughter and I were getting ready to leave the house when she suddenly yelled “Idiot!” right at me. As I processed the word, I noticed she was upset. Tears streamed down her face as she half whispered and half yelled “you are an IDIOT Mama.” Total silence followed as we looked at each other. We were staring at each other for so long, and I nearly forgot to breathe out and in again. Idiot. How could my daughter call me an idiot?

There are many behaviors that really push parents’ buttons. Disrespectful, rude words tend to top the list. The wrong response to such rude remarks is often a serious warning. But I didn’t offer any serious remarks.

I realized that my daughter’s intention wasn’t to disrespect me. She was expressing the disconnection (疏离). And punishment doesn’t solve disconnection. It creates more of it. Her choice of word said it all. She was annoyed. She sensed the stress. I needed to hear her. I was being careless. I was the one being rude to her.

So, why punish our children when they need guidance? We must know that the words we use matter, and become our children’s words too. The words include those we use to handle emotional overload. Idiot is a word I regretfully must admit to using when I’m extremely annoyed. Not at my children, but yes, they have heard me say it. So, instead of punishing my daughter for misbehavior, I chose to focus on her real message: Idiot means that “Mom, you are stressing me out!”.

No blame. No criticizing her choice of words. Just focus on our relationship. I admitted my ignoring her, and we hugged and kissed each other. I walked into her play school with interest and was ready to see all her current projects.

Don’t be afraid to look beyond misbehavior, find the true message, trust the power of connection, and show kindness and forgiveness.

1. After hearing her daughter’s words, the author ________.

A．couldn’t believe it	B．gave her a warning
C．lost her temper	D．had a talk with her

2. What did the daughter really want to say to her mom?

A．You are an idiot.	B．You are ignoring me.
C．You always punish me.	D．You teach me the rude words.

3. From the text we can conclude that the mother is ________.

A．bad-tempered	B．brave
C．sensitive	D．wise

4. What’s the purpose of this text?

A．To settle conflicts between parents and children.

B．To explain why children disrespect their parents.

C．To suggest a positive response to children’s misbehavior.

D．To encourage readers to express their true feelings.

【推荐1】Earth Day is the name given to two different annual activities that are intended to raise awareness about a wide range of environmental issues and problems and to inspire people to take personal action to address them. Except for that general goal, the two events are unrelated, even though both were founded about a month apart in 1970 and both have gained wide acceptance and popularity ever since.

In the United States, Earth Day is celebrated by most people on April 22, but there is another celebration that predates that one by about a month and is celebrated internationally.

The first Earth Day celebration took place on March 21, 1970, the vernal equinox that year. It was the brainchild of John McConnell, a newspaper publisher and influential community activist who proposed the idea of a global holiday called Earth Day at a UNESCO Conference on the Environment in 1969. McConnell suggested the day to remind people of their shared responsibility of environmental protection. He chose the vernal equinox—the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere and the first day of autumn in the southern hemisphere—because it is a day of renewal.

At the vernal equinox (always March 20 or March 21), night and day are the same lengths everywhere on Earth. McConnell believed that Earth Day should be a time of equilibrium when people could put aside their differences and recognize their common need to protect Earth's resources. On February 26, 1971, the United Nations announced that it would celebrate Earth Day annually on the vernal equinox, thereby officially establishing the March date as the international Earth Day.

1. Which of the following is probably NOT included in Earth Day's issues?

A．Climate changes.	B．Green travel.
C．World peace.	D．Industrial pollution.

2. The reason why the first Earth Day was celebrated on March 21 is that     .

A．it was proposed by a famous person who had wide influences in public

B．people usually share responsibilities of environmental protection on that day

C．it is a day that indicates spring or autumn is going to come in

D．it inspires people's common concern for protecting Earth's resources

3. What does the underlined word “equilibrium “in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Celebration.

B．Equipment.

C．Definition.

D．Balance.

4. What is the common feature of the two Earth Days?

A．They are both celebrated worldwide.	B．They are related with each other closely.
C．They cover many environmental issues.	D．The United Nations admitted them officially.

【推荐2】In Sao Paulo, a baby boy is smiling, unaware that a court is deciding his fate. If it finds in his father's favor, he is in all kinds of trouble. There may be a law in Brazil against giving your child a name that might cause him to be laughed at, but daddy wants to call his son Osama bin Laden. The same father, Osvaldo Oliveria Soares, has a habit of trying to use babies as political statements. Nine years ago, he was banned from naming a previous son Saddam Hussein.

Unlike Brazil, there is no law Britain that constrains a parent's right to name their child. "It's not for the officials to say if someone has picked a name they don't think is suitable," says Alison Cathcart, superintendent official at Westminster register office. "But if someone is from a different culture and wants to register a name that sounds like a swear word in English then we do advise them of that."

"Naming does matter," says Helen Petrie, a professor at the City University of London. "We have fixed beliefs of what sort of people are behind certain names. There are studies of teachers in primary schools in the US that show they rate children with certain names as less capable."

"The name is the first thing we find out when we meet someone. If you call your child an unusual silly name like Fifi Trixibelle, as did Bob Geldof and Paula Yates, it can make life hard for your child — especially if you want him to be smart and are not in the least bit superficial"

There's also the class factor. “Fifty years ago there was no cross-over of names between classes. Now everyone can buy Tatler and see the name Tarquin," says Petrie. "Until the 60s, Tracey was a fashionable Chelsea name. Now it has a terrible image fixed in people's mind. I've interviewed some Traceys who find their name a huge burden. However high up they may be in their profession, people hear their name and think they're the cleaner."

1. The Brazilian court may rule against Osvaldo Olveria Soares if he ______.

A．states that he admires Osama bin Laden	B．gives his son a name that will be laughed at
C．uses his babies as political statements	D．keeps his habit of interfering in politics

2. What does the underlined word “constrain” in the passage most likely mean?

A．abolish	B．acknowledge
C．defend	D．restrict

3. As it is indicated in the third paragraph, the teacher rate some children as less capable because ______.

A．the students do not perform well in class

B．they do not love those children's name

C．they think a name can reveal one' ability

D．they understand the psychology of naming

4. What do we learn about the names?

A．A person named Fifi is usually silly.

B．Paula Yates is a name which sounds superficial.

C．Tatler is a name of low grade.

D．Tracey is still a fashionable Chelsea name.

【推荐3】It was Mother’s Day morning last year and I was doing my shopping at our local supermarket with my five-year-old son, Tenyson. As we were leaving, we found that only minutes earlier an elderly woman had fallen over at the entrance and had hit her head on the concrete. Her husband was with her, but there was blood everywhere and the woman was embarrassed and clearly in shock.
Walking towards the scene, Tenyson became very upset about what had happened to the couple. He said to me, “Mum, it’s not much fun falling over in front of everyone.”
At the front of the supermarket a charity(慈善) group had set up a stand selling cooked sausages and flowers to raise funds. Tenyson suggested that we should buy the lady a flower. “It will make her feel better,” he said. I was amazed that he’d come up with such a sweet idea. So we went over to the flower seller and asked her if we could buy a flower for the lady to cheer her up. “Just take it,” she replied. “I can’t take your money for such a wonderful gesture.”
By now paramedics（救援人员）had arrived, and were attending the injured woman. As we walked up to her, my son became______ by all the blood and medical equipment. He said he was just too scared to go up to her.
Instead I gave the flower to the woman’s husband and told him, “ My son was very upset for your wife and wanted to give her this flower to make her feel better.”
At that, the old man started crying and said, “Thank you so much, you have a wonderful son. Happy Mother’s Day to you.”
The man then bent down and gave his wife the flower, telling her who it was from. Though badly hurt and shaken, the old lady looked up at Tenyson with love in her eyes and gave him a little smile.
1. What dose the author intend to tell us?

A．One can never be too careful.

B．Actions speak louder than words.

C．Love begins with a little smile.

D．A small act of kindness brings a great joy.

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The elderly woman was knocked down by Tenyson.

B．Tenyson’s idea of buying a flower gained his mother’s support.

C．Tenyson’s care for the elderly woman puzzled the flower seller.

D．The elderly woman was moved to tears by Tenyson’s gesture.

3. The underlined word “intimidated” in the fourth paragraph probably means “___________”.

A．astonished

B．struck

C．frightened

D．excited

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

A．Flower Power

B．Mother’s Day

C．An Accidental Injury

D．An Embarrassing Moment

【推荐1】Children always appreciate small gifts of money. Mum or dad, of course, provides a regular supply of pocket money, but uncles and aunts are always a source of extra income. With some children, small sums go a long way. If fifty pence pieces are not exchanged for sweets, they rattle for months inside the money-box. Only very thrifty children manage to fill up a money-box. For most of them, fifty pence is a small price to pay for a nice big bar of chocolate.

My nephew, George, has a money-box but it is always empty. Very few of the fifty pence pieces and pound coins I have given to him found their way there. I gave him fifty pence yesterday and advised him to save it. Instead, he bought himself fifty pence worth of trouble. On his way to the sweet shop, he dropped his fifty pence and it rolled along the pavement and then disappeared down a drain. George took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and pushed his right arm through the drain cover. However, he couldn’t find his fifty pence piece anywhere, and what’s more, he couldn’t get his arm out. A crowd of people gathered round him and a lady rubbed his arm with soap and butter, but George was firmly stuck. The fire-brigade was called and two fire fighters freed George using a special type of grease. George was not too upset by his experience because a gentleman who owns the sweet shop heard about his trouble and rewarded him with a large box of chocolates.

1. For kids, pocket money mainly comes from their       .

A．mums or dads	B．aunts or uncles
C．money-boxes	D．grandmas or grandpas

2. According to Paragraph 1, how do most kids treat their pocket money?

A．They save it in the money-box.	B．They spend it on things they like.
C．They exchange it for more money.	D．They rattle it inside the money-box.

3. Which of the following statements about George is TRUE?

A．He bought a large box of candy.

B．He felt sorry for his bad experience.

C．He eventually got his money back from the drain.

D．He hardly saved the pocket money given by the author.

4. After the fire fighters came to George’s rescue,       .

A．George greased his arm and was able to get it out of the drain.

B．George got some chocolates at the sweet shop with the fire fighters.

C．George was rewarded by the owner of the sweet shop for his trouble.

D．the lady who had failed to rescue George gave him a box of chocolates.

【推荐2】Hello! Wait! Don't run away. Yes, I know I am a roach. So, what's wrong with that?

You are speaking to the most successful species on the planet, you know! We've been around for 350 million years!

So what's the secret of our success? Sure, we've had plenty ofenemies. If you're small and full of protein, everything wants to eat you. So what did we do? We got quick, is what. We learned to hide, is what. We can squeeze so flat that we can fit through gap no bigger than a coin. Really! I dare you, try it.

And we never skip a meal! What do we eat? What have you got? Rotting leaves, garbage glue, paper, leather...and if you like to eat dead things, I tell you, the world is your refrigerator! But just don't offer me a cucumber or plastics!

Once humans came along, we went everywhere humans went. In ships, on planes, in camepacks across the desert Roach road trin! We even followed them to space! That's Uncle Anton. He hid on board the A pollo capsule — he was so mad when they just came right back to earth.

You can't have too many roaches. I say. Now there are 4.000 species of us: Asian, American. German... hope you get to meet them all someday.

Some of the family get pretty strange That's Reginald. He thinks if he pretends to be a firefly, birds won't oat him. That's tough old Ant Elo. She worked for some scientists trying to figure out ways to get rid of us ...ha! Poison, radiation, heat, cold…whatever they throw at us, we just get tougher. Bring it on!

Aw, look. that's me just after my 15 brothers and sisters and I hatched （孵化) out from egg case. Yeah. I look pretty much the same. That's another roach wonder — we skip the larva stage(幼虫期).Our eggs hatch all ready to roll! Still pretty cute, though.

Yep, that's how we got to be the most successful species on the planet!

1. What may contribute to a roach's success?
①being flexible                 ②running like wind
③being full of protein        ④raising many babies

A．①②③

B．②③④

C．①③④

D．①②④

2. According to Paragraph 5, who is Uncle Anton?

A．A hero.

B．A spaceman.

C．A roach.

D．A traveler.

3. What can we learn about roaches from the article?

A．They can almost roll when they are brought to the world.

B．Their number is coming down thanks to scientists' efforts.

C．Their home is usually equipped with a refrigerator full of foods.

D．They are getting along quite well with other species on the planet.

4. What is the tone of the passage?

A．Pitiful.

B．Anxious.

C．Serious.

D．Humorous.

【推荐3】In the world of entertainment, TV talk shows have undoubtedly flooded every inch of space on daytime television. And anyone who watches them regularly knows that each one varies in style and format. But no two shows are more profoundly opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows.

Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of “trash talk”. The topics on his show are as shocking as shocking can be. For example, the show takes the ever common talk show themes of love, sex, cheating, guilt, hate, conflict and morality to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is a display and exploitation of society’s moral catastrophes, yet people are willing to eat up the intriguing predicaments of other people’s lives.

Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes TV talk show to its extreme, but Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show focuses on the improvement of society and an individual’s quality of life. Topics range from teaching your children responsibility, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.

Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like poisonous waste being dumped on society. Jerry ends every show with a “final word”. He makes a small speech that sums up the entire moral of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.

Clean as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show’s main target audiences are middle-class Americans. Most of these people have the time，money, and stability to deal with life’s tougher problems. Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of an association with the young adults of society. These are 18 to 21 year olds whose main troubles in life involve love, relationship, sex，money and peers. They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned underneath the show’s exploitation.

While the two shows are as different as night and day, both have ruled the talk show circuit for many years now. Each one caters to a different audience while both have a strong following from large groups of fans. Ironically, both could also be considered pioneers in the talk show world.

1. Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear distasteful, the audience ____.

A．remain indifferent to them	B．are ready to face up to them
C．remain fascinated by them	D．are willing to get involved in them

2. Which of the following is likely to be a topic of the Oprah Winfrey show?

A．A new type of robot.	B．Family budget planning.
C．Racist hatred.	D．Street violence.

3. Despite their different approaches, the two talk shows are both ____.

A．ironic

B．instructive

C．sensitive

D．cynical

4. We can learn from the passage that the two talk shows ____.

A．are targeted at different audiences	B．exploit the weakness in human nature
C．appear at different times of the day	D．have monopolized the talk show circuit