Recently whenever I turned on my computer or my mobile phone, news about the great effect of Hurricane Harvey（哈维飓风）on thousands of people caught my eye. I saw many unfortunate events. However, there was also lots of bright news that showed the goodness of mankind. As a reporter, I reported many human-interest stories when doing my job, That’s why the story about the guys in the bakery（面包店）caught my eye.
When the workers at a Mexican bakery chain in Houston were trapped inside the building for two days, they didn't sit there feeling sorry for themselves. They used their time wisely after flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. While waiting for the eventual rescue that came on Monday morning, the four workers decided to make as many loaves of bread as possible for people around the neighborhood. They talked to their manager about their plan over the phone and the manager agreed.
The flood water rose in the street outside. They took advantage of their emergency power supply to bake bread. They used more than 4,200 pounds of flour（面粉）to create hundreds of loaves and sheets of sweet bread. Although the water kept rising, they continued baking to help more people. By the time the manager managed to get to them, they had made so much bread that they took the loaves to lots of emergency centers across the city for people affected by the floods.
The store manager, Brian Alvarado, told The Independent, “They've done more than they should have done. And what they had done has lit a light for people. I feel lucky to have them work in the bakery.”
Whenever a disaster occurs, nobody should feelforlorn. Instead, we should stay hopeful and take positive action to save ourselves and help others. Our acts of kindness will make a big difference to the people in the world as well as the world itself.
1. Why did the story in the bakery draw the author’s attention?| A．It was helpful in choosing a good job. |
| B．It made him/her interested in baking. |
| C．It could bring him/her much money. |
| D．It showed the goodness of mankind. |
| A．They tried to get people out of water. |
| B．They set up emergency centers to help. |
| C．They offered to make bread for people. |
| D．They let homeless people live in the bakery. |
| A．He found them lucky. | B．He was proud of them. |
| C．They were experienced. | D．They were shy but brave. |
| A．Hopeless. | B．Confident. | C．Serious. | D．Angry. |
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【推荐1】Lake Baikal in southern Siberia is the largest, deepest freshwater lake in the world. Every winter when the lake freezes over for half the year, 80-year-old Lyubov Morekhodova straps on the same ancient skates as she's worn since the 1940s and glides across the ice wherever she needs to go.
Lyubov, or Baba Lyuba as she's called, has been using the ice to travel around her remote homestead for her entire life. As a child, she recalls skating about 2. 5 miles each way to school and back. She once fell through the ice in January and narrowly escaped with help from her classmates.
After raising her two children and working in a factory for almost 50 years, Baba Lyuba retired and now lives alone in a tiny cabin on the shores of Lake Baikal. Her children and five grandchildren rarely visit because they live five hours away by car, so her only company is a group of dogs, cows and chickens. Luckily, she has the ice to help her feel free! “For me, ice means being able to go anywhere and everywhere,” the grandmother said.
Every day, she skates a half hour each way to the local village to do her shopping. With temperatures often reaching lows of -40℃, it's hard to imagine an old woman making this trek at all, much less every day! But Baba Lyubov insists that her daily skates are the secret to her long life span. “People keep telling me I should slow down, but I just can't!” she said with a laugh. “I don't have time to be bored, there's too much work to do. ”
1. What made Lyubov choose ice-skating as a way of travel?| A．Her unhealthy legs. | B．Her personal hobby. |
| C．The lack of transportation. | D．The extremely cold climate. |
| A．Sometimes skating may be full of danger. | B．Lyubov's daily travel depends on boat. |
| C．Lyubov learned skating at school as a child. | D．Lyubov once saved her classmates on the way. |
| A．She has the practical attitude toward life. | B．She is aware of the importance of struggle. |
| C．She feels sorry for herself and inspires others. | D．She thinks of her daily exercise as a sort of faith. |
The idea came from the bridegroom's father, Ted, who volunteers for a Turkish relief organization. For the past few years, the organization has distributed daily meals to thousands of people who've suffered from natural disasters. He
Then he told his son, who was surprised by the suggestion, but soon won over. When he told that to the bride, she was really shocked but finally accepted because in southeastern Turkey there is a real culture of sharing with people in need. They love to share their food, their table and everything they have. And afterwards she was quite amazed about it. So, they arrived at the distribution center on Thursday to spend the day serving food and taking photographs with their grateful recipients（接受者）．
On Tuesday evening, the newly married couple were still pleased with their decision to quit a personal celebration for one with a greater good. "It's like sharing a dinner with your friends and family who have this kind of thing on a daily basis or sharing something with people who don't even have the most basic things," Michael said. "Hopefully, this will also give the start for other wedding dinners to be held here with our brothers and sisters in need."
1. Why did so many people crowd in Kilis?
| A．To attend Michael and Linda's wedding. |
| B．To support the organization. |
| C．To escape the damaging earthquake. |
| D．To help distribute free daily meals. |
| A．They treated their friends and relatives to a big dinner. |
| B．They shared their happiness with the homeless in Kilis. |
| C．They afforded the entire cost of the day for feeding victims. |
| D．They took photos with the grateful victims. |
| A．took in | B．moved towards |
| C．came across | D．consulted with |
| A．Kilis is a place which lies in southeastern Turkey |
| B．Ted was a representative of the organization |
| C．Linda adopted the suggestion immediately she heard it |
| D．Michael doubted if more new couples would follow him |
【推荐3】It was a week after my mom had passed away and I didn’t know how to go on with life. So when I received an email from a friend about a race benefiting cancer research, I ignored it. It seemed to prick my heart, as cancer was the disease that had taken my mother away from me.
But something about my friend’s words—“I can help organize the whole thing”—stuck with me. I felt obliged（有义务的）to agree. In the weeks to come, I managed to re-enter the world of the living. I checked our team’s website daily, feeling proud each time a donation ticked up our total. I knew my mom would have wanted it that way. She was the type who never got defeated. It was this very spirit that helped me get by.
When the race ended, I noticed the runners all had one thing in common: There were big smiles on their faces. They made it look so rewarding and effortless. I wanted in.
So I enrolled in another race two months later. Considering I could barely run a mile, it was ambitious. But my friend and I made a training plan so I wouldn’t come in last. I followed it religiously and didn’t let anything get in my way.
Running up and down the city’s hills, I was flooded with memories. I had lived there after college and my mother had visited often. I passed Bloomingdale’s, recalling the time she and I had gotten into a screaming argument there.
I was about to beat myself up when I remembered what Mom had said after her diagnosis of cancer. “I don’t want you to feel guilty about anything.” Her paper-thin hands had held me tightly. A weight lifted from my shoulders.
When the race day arrived, I gave it my all for my mom and for all she had taught me and continued to teach me. As I ran, whenever I felt like slowing down, I pictured her cheering me on.
Crossing the finish line, I was filled with her love and a sense of peace.
1. Why did the author ignore the email in the beginning?
| A．She felt it hard to finish the race. |
| B．She had no time to join in the event. |
| C．She thought the research meaningless. |
| D．She was reminded of her mother’s death. |
| A．The company of her friends. | B．The inspiration from her mom. |
| C．The pleasure in going for a run. | D．The success in organizing an event. |
| A．Considerate and polite. | B．Brave and humorous. |
| C．Strong-willed and caring. | D．Outgoing and patient. |
| A．How I Got Healed in Running | B．The Loss of Sweet Memories |
| C．What Matters Most in Running | D．The Rewards of Great Friendship |
【推荐1】This July my husband and I decided to move both our kids, aged 14 and 10, from their previous schools to a new international school that’s located in our neighborhood. It wasn’t an easy decision. We knew switching schools would be a challenge for our kids.
Put two kids in the same situation and they react and feel differently. Nina, outgoing and talkative, has no problem making new friends and adjusting to (适应) the new school. It took her less than a week to say, “This school is great. I like it.” Everywhere she goes, she’s surrounded by friends. It took Michael months to say, “I guess this is fine.”Before that, he complained about everything. He’s sensitive and quite hard on himself.Words of encouragement need to be told on a daily basis.
To make our children comfortable before, during, and after the move, we included them in our plan from the beginning. They’re big enough to take part in decisionmaking activities.We researched, compared, and asked questions. We listed everything about their old schools and the new one, and we discussed every item.We were open with them from the start. Our kids knew what was going on and what was about to happen. They had time to prepare themselves. They trusted us.
Communicating with their new teachers was also important. For the first three months, we kept an eye on our children’s academic (学业的) performance and their social life. If we discovered a drop in their grades or any unusual behavior, we were quick to arrange appointments with their teachers. We don’t aim to be helicopter parents, but it doesn’t mean we let them go completely. Balancing this role is hard — the older the kid, the harder it gets — but it’s not impossible. The key is to listen first, and act second.
1. Why were the children probably moved into a new school?| A．The old school is not good enough. |
| B．They wanted to make more new friends. |
| C．The new school is conveniently located near their home. |
| D．The outgoing child can help the shy one in the same school. |
| A．By tolerating their behavior in school. |
| B．By choosing the best teachers for them. |
| C．By encouraging them to enjoy social life. |
| D．By having open communication with them. |
| A．Parents who pay very close attention to their children. |
| B．Parents who send their children to school in person. |
| C．Parents who talk too much rather than take action. |
| D．Parents who listen to their children all the time. |
【推荐2】I believe in holding onto traditions because they helped our family flourish (兴旺) in a new country. But this concept is more concretely expressed this way: I believe in feeding monkeys on my birthday for that purpose — something I’ve done without fail for 35 years.
In the Burmese jungle, monkeys are as common as pigeons. But in America, feeding monkeys means violating the rules.
As a kid, I thought that was cool. I learned English through watching bad television shows and expected that I was the chosen warrior (勇士) sent to defend my family. Dad and I would go to the zoo early in the morning, just the two of us. When the Coast was clear, I would throw my peanuts to the monkeys.
I never had to explain myself until my 18th birthday. It was the first year I didn’t go with my father. I went with my friends and arrived 10 minutes after the zoo gates closed. “Please,” I begged the zookeeper, “I feed monkeys for my family, not for me. Can’t you make an exception?” “Go find a pet store,” she said.
If only it were so easy. That time, I got lucky. I found out that a high school classmate trained the monkeys for the movie Out of Africa, so he allowed me to feed his monkeys. Once a man with a pet monkey suspected that my story was a ploy — that I was an animal rights activist out to liberate his monkey. Another time, a zoo told me that outsiders could not feed the monkeys without violating the zookeepers’ collective bargaining agreement. Once in a pet store, I managed to feed a marmoset (狨) being kept in a birdcage. Another time, I was asked to wear a special suit to feed a laboratory monkey.
It’s rarely easy and, yet, somehow I’ve found a way to feed a monkey every year since I was born.
1. Why has the author fed monkeys all these years?| A．To please his father. | B．To develop a new hobby. |
| C．To celebrate his birthday. | D．To keep up his family tradition. |
| A．They did it in a secret way. | B．They pretended to be warriors. |
| C．They did it with the help of friends. | D．They got the zookeeper’s permission. |
| A．Joke. | B．Trick. | C．Game. | D．Treat. |
| A．By providing examples. | B．By giving explanations. |
| C．By following time order. | D．By making comparisons. |
【推荐3】Rehan Staton recently found out he was accepted to Harvard Law School. For him, the sky’s the limit, but it wasn’t always that way.
The 24-year-old college student was raised by a single father who worked three different jobs, breaking his back. But, despite his father’s best efforts, financial burdens steadily mounted. Staton’s study had suffered but he kept pushing himself forward. He said growing up was tough and he used to struggle in school. One teacher even suggested he switch to a special education class.
But with help from a free tutor, Staton’s grades improved. He continued to improve academically while training to be a professional boxer in high school. However, his choices for college dwindled after suffering an injury, which ruined the chances of him turning professional in sports. He was rejected from every school he applied to.
So to help support his family, Staton took a job collecting trash at a local sanitation company, which he said changed his life in ways he never imagined. “Most of my coworkers were formerly imprisoned. So, it caught me by surprise how much the people on the bottom of the society uplifted me and really wanted me to make something of myself,” he told the reporter. “They encouraged me to reapply to college. They had nothing but uplifting words for me and my future.”
Through persistence, he took the LSAT and applied to nine schools—getting accepted to five. Ultimately, he decided to commit to Harvard Law School—and he’ll never forget all the people who helped him get there. “Throughout this time, people ask me, ‘How did you do it?’ it’s more so how could I not do it when everyone is breaking their backs for me, and pushing me to win.” Staton said. “When you have a support system, you want to give them your best shot. Because as much as you’re investing into yourself, you have others investing into you too.”
1. What can we know about Staton from paragraph 2?| A．He received special care from his teacher. |
| B．He used to have poor academic performance |
| C．He worked three jobs to help support his family |
| D．He lost sight of his goal due to family difficulties |
| A．Decreased. | B．Change. | C．Appeared. | D．Continued. |
| A．The mixed backgrounds of his coworkers |
| B．The misunderstanding about garbage men |
| C．The strong encouragement from his coworkers |
| D．The misfortune of people at the bottom of society |
| A．Courage is resistance to fear and pain. | B．Success comes from sweat and support. |
| C．Achievements are going from failure to failure. | D．Progress takes place outside the comfort zone. |
【推荐1】I was driving my newly acquired motorcycle across the vastness of North Dakota when all of the sudden it froze up on the road. I would later be told the belt had slipped and this caused one of the pistons(活塞) to crack a cylinder (气缸) head, or something like that.
Anyway, I sat on the side of the road for what seemed like hours. I even pretended to have been in an accident, which didn't help. Finally, a young man pulled over and offered me a ride, but given that he already had two motorcycles in the back of his truck, he could only take me.
He drove me to the next town, where I asked to be dropped off. Rather than drop me off, he waited while I asked around if anyone could help me to pick up my motorcycle. One elderly gentleman was working and said that I could use his pickup! Can you imagine that a stranger gave me the keys to his pickup. It was quite an experience, I must say. So, as I drove back 20 miles to get my motorcycle, the gentleman who first stopped to help me followed me. We both put the motorcycle in the back of the truck, and then I followed him another 50 miles or so and we both unloaded the motorcycle at his place. Then, he followed me back to the small town so I could return the man's truck. I didn't have much cash on me, maybe $40, but I gave it to the man for the use of his truck.
Two strangers helped rescue me from spending the night on the side of the road in ND. I don't recall their names, but when I close my eyes I can see their faces as if it were yesterday. Thank you, strangers. You may be reading this right now.
1. What happened to the author’s motorbike?| A．It was too old to drive | B．It suddenly broke down |
| C．It was left by the road forever | D．It was picked up by another motorcyclist |
| A．He was too lazy. | B．He didn’t want to help him. |
| C．His truck was already full. | D．He was busy working. |
① My motorbike froze up on the road. ② I gave the ole gentleman $40.
③ The young man drove me to ask for help. ④ We put the motorcycle in the pickup.
| A．①②③④ | B．④③②① | C．①③④② | D．②④③① |
| A．a heartbroken experience in North America |
| B．the author was rescued on the road in North Dakota |
| C．faces of strangers are always there |
| D．driving motorcycle in North Dakota is too bad |
| A．hateful | B．indifferent(漠不关心的) | C．unclear | D．thankful |
【推荐2】CHRONOLOGICA
——The Unbelievable Years that Defined History
DID YOU KNOW....
In 105 AD paper was invented in China?
When Columbus discovered the New World?
The British Museum opened in 1759?
CHRONOLOGICA is a fascinating journey through times, from the foundation of Rome to the creation of the Internet. Along the way are tales of kings and queens, hot air balloons...and monkeys in space.
Travel through 100 of the most unbelievable years in world history and learn why being a Roman Emperor wasn’t always as good as it sounds, how the Hundred Years’ War didn’t actually last for 100 years and why Spencer Perceval holds a rather unfortunate record.
CHRONOLOGICA is an informative and amusing tour into history, beautifully illustrated and full of unbelievable facts. While CHRONOLOGICA tells the stories of famous people in history such as Thomas Edison and Alexander the Great, this book also gives an account of the lives of lesser-known individuals including the explorer Mungo Park and sculptor Gutzon Borglum.
This complete but brief historical collection is certain to entertain readers young and old, and guaranteed to present even the biggest history lover with something new!
1. What is CHRONOLOGICA according to the text?| A．A science fiction | B．A travel guide |
| C．A history book | D．A biography |
| A．By giving details of its collection |
| B．By introducing some of its contents |
| C．By telling stories at the beginning |
| D．By comparing it with other books |
| A．It mainly concentrates on well-known people. |
| B．It’s intended for young readers only. |
| C．It helps make clear some historical facts. |
| D．Its style is likely to be serious and formal. |
【推荐3】Scientists say they have found high levels of small plastic particles(颗粒) in Arctic snow. A German-Swiss research team collected snow samples(样本）from the Arctic and other areas. They included northern Germany, the Bavarian and Swiss Alps, and the North Sea island of Heligoland.When the researchers examined the samples in a laboratory, they were surprised to find very high levels of microplastics.
Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic. These plastic particles are generally smaller than 5 millimeters in length. They come from the breakdown of man-made plastic products and industrial waste.
The study found the highest levels of microplastics came from the Bavarian Alps. One snow sample from the area had 154,000 microplastic particles per liter. Samples collected from the Arctic had much lower levels. However, even samples from the Arctic contained up to 14,000 particles per liter.
The study also attempted to explore how some of the material could have been carried in the atmosphere. A limited number of earlier studies did find microplastics in the air of some cities, including Paris, Tehran and Dongguan, China.
Bergmann Melanie co-wrote the report on the new study. She believes the new study clearly shows that “the majority of the microplastic in the snow comes from the air.” The new study suggests that much of the microplastic found in Europe and the Arctic comes from the atmosphere and snow.
While there is growing concern about the effect of microplastics on the environment, scientists are still studying their possible harmful effects on humans and animals. “I hope the new study will lead to more research on this issue. I think microscopic plastic particles should be included in worldwide observations of air pollution levels.We really need to know what effects microplastics have on humans, especially if inhaled with the air that we breathe.” Bergmann said.
1. Why did scientists collect samples from so many places in paragragh 1?| A．To make the research convincing. |
| B．To attract people to explore there. |
| C．To measure the length of microplastics . |
| D．To examine the samples easily in the lab. |
| A．The risks of microplastics. |
| B．The transport of microplastics. |
| C．The breakdown of plastic products. |
| D．The description of microplastics. |
| A．Many people threw them away at the Alps. |
| B．They were delivered to remote areas through air. |
| C．They could be caught sight of in the air. |
| D．They had no great effect on the environment. |
| A．Scientists are worried about the the influence of microplastics. |
| B．We have found a practical solution to the environment problem. |
| C．The effect of microplastics on human must be urgently researched. |
| D．There is no need to change observations of air pollution levels. |
【推荐1】People in Mayilattumpara，a village in southwest India，could not sleep at night. Because of habitat loss，wild elephants would enter their village to look for food，destroying crops and farmland.
The villagers tried to keep the wild elephants out with electric fences（电网），deep holes and plants believed to keep the animals away. They even tried beating drums（鼓），but nothing worked！
The repeated damage of crops led some villagers to stop farming. Luckily，last year villagers found what keeps the elephants away: honey bees. Elephants are afraid of loudly buzzing bees and their stings（蛰）.
An electric fence holding beehives（蜂巢）now runs along the border of the village. When elephants try to pass the 2. 5 kilometers electric fence，angry bees fly out and the elephants quickly run away. Protected by the bees，farmers have returned to growing their crops.
Roy works for Agriculture Technology Management Agency. He said the idea for the fence came from the work of an Oxford University researcher（研究者），Lucy King. In 2008，Lucy successfully tested whether honeybees would keep elephants away from areas in Kenya. Researchers in Tanzania had the same success. So，Roy worked with the farmers in Mayilattumpara to start the experiment.
Setting up the fence and beehives in a large farmland was not easy. The farmers needed to learn how to care for the bees and deal with the cost of keeping up the system. The results of this experiment have encouraged farmers from other areas to try similar projects. The officials also have been working to deal with trouble between humans and elephants by improving the elephants' natural habitat.
1. What was the real trouble of the villagers in Mayilattumpara?| A．They couldn't sleep at night. | B．They lost their habitats. |
| C．They were short of food. | D．They suffered from farmland damage. |
| A．Electric fences. | B．Deep holes. |
| C．Big fires. | D．Beating drums. |
| A．A local Indian farmer. | B．A university researcher. |
| C．An agriculture official. | D．An experienced beekeeper. |
| A．A health magazine. | B．A biology textbook. |
| C．A tourist guide. | D．A news report. |
【推荐2】In a cafe in south London, two construction workers are talking cheerfully. They sometimes break into loud laughter. They are discussing something, and their conversation looks fun and interesting. But I don’t speak their language. Out of curiosity, I interrupt them.
With friendly smiles, they both change easily to English, explaining that they are South Africans and were speaking Xhosa. In Johannesburg, where they are from, most people speak at least five languages, says one of them, Theo Morris. “My mother’s language is Sotho. My father’s is Zulu. I learned Xhosa and Ndebele from my friends and neighbors, and English and Afrikaans from school. I can speak well all of the languages mentioned above. I went to Germany before I came here, so I also speak a little German,” he adds.
“Is it easy to learn so many languages?” “Yes, it’s normal,” he laughs. He’s right. Around the world, more than half of the people speak at least two languages. Many countries have more than one official language — South Africa has 11. People, young or old, are increasingly expected to speak, read and write in at least one of a handful of “super” languages, such as English, Chinese, Hindi, Spanish and Arabic.
Multilingualism (多语言) has many social psychological and lifestyle advantages. Moreover, many health benefits from speaking more than one language have been found, including faster stroke (中风) recovery.
Could it be that the human brain evolves (进化；演变) to be multilingual — that those who speak only one language are not realizing their full potential (潜能)? And in a world that is losing languages faster than ever — one every two weeks, half our languages will disappear hopelessly by the end of the century. What would happen if the rich diversity (多样性) of languages disappeared and most of us ended up speaking only one? That’s a serious problem we are facing.
1. Why does the author interrupt the two workers?| A．To join them in the conversation. |
| B．To stop them from laughing loudly. |
| C．To find out what language they’re speaking. |
| D．To learn the language that is spoken by them. |
| A．He speaks all of his languages well. | B．He can speak seven languages. |
| C．He is from a single-language family. | D．He is confident of learning super languages. |
| A．It is physically and mentally beneficial. | B．It is culture-specific. |
| C．It is a challenging task. | D．It is preferred by the young. |
| A．Objective. | B．Optimistic. | C．Concerned. | D．Doubtful. |
【推荐3】An old man lived alone in Minnesota. He wanted to spade(铲) his potato garden, but it was hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation:
Dear son, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my trouble would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you were not in prison.
Love, Dad
Shortly, the old man received this telegram:
“For Heaven’s sake, Dad, don’t dig up the garden!! That’s where I buried the GUNS!!”
At 4 am the next morning, a dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.
Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what had happened, and asked him what to do next.
His son’s reply was :“Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad. It’s the best I could do for you from here.”
No matter where you are in the world, if you have decided to do something deep from your heart, there is nothing that can stop you from doing it. It is the thought that matters , not where you are or who you are.
1. Why did the old man write a letter to his son?| A．To show his love for him. | B．To ask about his situation. |
| C．To tell about his trouble. | D．To give him some advice. |
| A．to search for some gold | B．to search for some guns |
| C．to offer him some help | D．to give him a surprise |
| A．puzzled | B．worried | C．satisfied | D．excited |
| A．lazy | B．honest | C．clever | D．brave |
