【推荐2】My teenage son Karl became withdrawn (内向的) after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year. At this rate he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked.

One night I felt so powerless that I got down on my knees and begged for help. “Please God, I can’t do anything more for my son. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m giving the whole thing up to you.”

I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. “I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences.” Before he could say another word, I cried and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger. “I love my son but I just don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything to get Karl to go back to school but nothing has worked. It’s out of my hands.” For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, “Thank you for your time,” and hung up.

Karl’s next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. Finally, he even made the honor roll. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting with Karl. I noticed that his teachers were astonished at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?” I nodded. “That was me. I thought I’d play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That’s when I knew I had to make you proud.”

1. What did the author do to help Karl at the beginning?

A．She went to begging in the street.

B．She knelt down to ask God for help.

C．She asked Karl’s best friend to talk to Karl.

D．She went to see the school adviser in person.

2. What does the underlined sentence “he even made the honor roll” mean?

A．He was even on the list to be punished.

B．He was even on the list of students who were lazy.

C．He was even on the list of the best students at school.

D．He was even on the list of students who were always late for school.

3. What is the main idea of this passage?

A．Mother’s love plays an important role in teenagers’ life.

B．Being understood by parents is very important to teenagers.

C．Children in single-parent families often have mental problems.

D．School education doesn’t work without full support from parents.

【推荐3】My father was always a good gardener. One of my earliest memories is standing without shoes in the freshly tilled (翻耕的) soil, my hands blackened from digging in the ground.

As a child, I loved following Dad around in the garden. I remember Dad pushing the tiller (耕作机) ahead in perfectly straight lines. Dad loved growing all sorts of things: yellow and green onions，watermelons almost as big as me, rows of yellow com, and our favorite—red tomatoes.

As I grew into a teenager, I didn’t get so excited about gardening with Dad. Instead of magical land of possibility, it had turned into some kind of prison. As Dad grew older, his love for gardening never disappeared. After all the kids were grown and had started families of their own, Dad turned to gardening like never before. Even when he was diagnosed with cancer, he still took care of his garden.

But then, the cancer, bit by bit, invaded his body. I had to do the things he used to do. What really convinced me that Dad was dying was the state of his garden that year. The rows and rows of multicolored vegetables were gone. Too tired to weed them, he simply let them be.

For the first few years after he died, I couldn’t even bear to look at anyone’s garden without having strong memories pour over me like cold water from a bucket. Three years ago, I decided to plant my own garden and started out with just a few tomatoes. That morning, after breaking up a fair amount of soil, something caught the comer of my eye and I had to smile. It was my eight-year-old son Nathan, happily playing in the freshly tilled soil.

1. Why did the author like the garden when he was a child?

A．He wanted to be a garden-crazy like his father.

B．He loved being in the garden with his father.

C．The garden was full of his favorite food.

D．The garden was just freshly tilled.

2. When all the kids started their own families，the author’s father       .

A．stopped his gardening

B．turned to other hobbies

C．devoted more to gardening

D．focused on planting tomatoes

3. What happened to the garden when the author’s father was seriously ill?

A．There was a great harvest.

B．The garden was almost deserted.

C．No plant grew in the garden at all.

D．The author’s son took charge of the garden.

4. Why did the author start his garden with tomatoes?

A．He wanted to honor his father.

B．His son liked the fields of tomatoes.

C．He only knew how to grow tomatoes.

D．He thought tomatoes were easy to manage.

【推荐1】

While a healthy diet has always been considered necessary for fitness, many hospitals have failed to notice its powerful potential for curing. In some areas, that’s beginning to change. In Pennsylvania four years ago, St. Luke’s Hospital partnered with Rodale Institute to start an organic produce (有机农产品) farm at the hospital’s campus in Easton. Since its first season, the St. Luke’s farm has become greater in size.

Today, St. Luke’s sends all new mothers home with a basket of organic produce. New moms aren’t the only ones benefiting from the farm’s generous actions. Organic produce is also served to patients. Meanwhile, it is cooked up in cafeterias operated by the hospital’s six-campus network and sold at nearby farmers’ markets.

While some hospitals are getting food from nearby farms, others are turning unused land on their grounds into community (社区) gardens. Even though most hospital farms aren’t growing enough to completely give their workers and patients food needs, providing even a small amount of fresh produce makes educational information about how healthy and delicious a plant-rich diet can be.

While the farm-to-hospital movement continues to gain support, it’s experiencing some challenges along the way. For one, health workers don’t necessarily know how to grow food. This means that most hospitals need to hire a full-time farmer and other farm labor to manage the land, which can be expensive. It takes between 3 and 5 years for most hospital farms to make the cost and income equal. Even so, these hospitals believe that the benefits are worthwhile. As the movement continues to enlarge, you might soon experience a farm-fresh meal at a hospital near you.

1. What does the underlined word “its” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A．Rodale Institute’s.	B．St. Luke’s farm’s.
C．The community’s.	D．St. Luke’s hospital’s.

2. What can we learn about St. Luke’s Hospital?

A．It operates a hospital farm alone.

B．It sells organic produce to patients.

C．It pays much less attention to a healthy diet.

D．It offers new moms organic produce for free.

3. Why do some hospitals create community gardens?

A．To get plants from the community.

B．To make full use of the green land.

C．To offer their workers enough food.

D．To educate people on a plant-rich diet.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Managing hospital farms costs nothing.

B．Hospital farms will benefit more people.

C．Farm-to-hospital movement is worthless.

D．Health workers have to learn to grow food.

【推荐2】Twenty years ago, the idea of sharing our lives so openly with the world was unheard of. However, for young people today it is considered completely normal to share pictures of their lives and interact online every day. Fans of social media point out that the world has never been so connected as it has allowed people to make friends, learn about the world and celebrate life.

However, many people have concerns about the effects of this new way of living, particularly about the amount and type of information that is shared so openly. Now researchers have found that too much time on social media may indeed have some negative effects. They measured people’s attitudes and feelings before and after browsing(浏览)social media sites. They found that the more time people spent on social media, the unhappier they became.

There are a number of reasons for this. When browsing social media, people often see photographs and stories showing beautiful holidays, fun parties and fashionable clothes. People rarely post negative stories or bad pictures, so it can be misleading. For those looking at these pictures and comparing them with their own lives, they can end up feeling sad and depressed. They might think their lives are worse in comparison. Even for those people who post positive stories and pictures, they also can feel stressed and worried. The number of “likes” and comments on their posts can make them anxious about their popularity. Of course, there is also the problem of “cyber bullying” where people become victims of being bullied online when others make negative or cruel comments about them.

The reality is that social media is a part of modern life and it is not going to go away. This research shows us that it is important to find a balance between our online and offline lives. We don’t have to disconnect from the Internet to live a happy life, but we should realise that the pictures we see and stories we read are only a part of a bigger picture. If we can do that, we can protect ourselves and enjoy our lives.

1. What’s the genre of this passage?

A．Narration（记叙文）.	B．Practical writing.
C．Argumentation（议论文）.	D．Exposition（说明文）.

2. The main point of Paragraph Two is that         .

A．researchers found a bad phenomenon

B．they know how to face the phenomenon

C．they have found the secrets

D．they have analysed correctly

3. How many reasons can we find for this problem in Paragraph 3?

A．2	B．3
C．4	D．5

4. According to the author, what can we do in future?

A．Stop surfing the Internet.

B．Go on surfing the Internet as usual.

C．Share more and more pictures.

D．Find our balance between online and ofline lives.

【推荐3】According to the majority of Americans, women are every bit as capable of being good political leaders as men. The same can be said of their ability to dominate the corporate boardroom. And according to a new Pew Research Center survey on women and leadership, most Americans find women indistinguishable from men on key leadership traits such as intelligence and capacity for innovation, with many saying they’re stronger than men in terms of being passionate and organized leaders.

So why, then, are women in short supply at the top of government and business in the United States? According to the public, at least, it’s not that they lack toughness, management talent or proper skill sets.

It’s also not all about work-life balance. Although economic research and previous survey findings have shown that career interruptions related to motherhood may make it harder for women to advance in their careers and compete for top executive (领导层) jobs, relatively few adults in the recent survey point to this as a key barrier for women seeking leadership roles. Only about one-in-five say women’s family responsibilities are a major reason why there aren’t more females in top leadership positions in business and politics.

Instead, topping the list of reasons, about four-in-ten Americans point to a double standard for women seeking to climb to the highest levels of either politics or business, where they have to do more than their male counterparts to prove themselves. Similar shares say the electorate (选民) and corporate America are just not ready to put more women in top leadership positions.

As a result, the public is divided about whether the imbalance in corporate America will change in the foreseeable future, even though women have made major advances in the workplace. While 53% believe men will continue to hold more top executive positions in business in the future, 44% say it’s only a matter of time before as many women are in top executive positions as men. Americans are less doubtful when it comes to politics: 73% expect to see a female president in their lifetime.

1. What do most Americans think of women leaders according to a new Pew Research Center survey?

A．They have to do more to distinguish themselves.

B．They have to strive harder to win their positions.

C．They are stronger than men in terms of willpower.

D．They are just as intelligent and innovative as men.

2. What do we learn from previous survey findings about women seeking leadership roles?

A．They have unconquerable difficulties on their way to success.

B．They are lacking in confidence when competing with men.

C．Their failures may have something to do with family duties.

D．Relatively few are hindered in their career advancement.

3. What is the primary factor keeping women from taking top leadership positions according to the recent survey?

A．Personality traits.	B．Sex discrimination.
C．Family responsibilities.	D．Lack of vacancies.

4. What does the passage say about corporate America in the near future?

A．More and more women will sit in the boardroom.

B．Gender imbalance in leadership is likely to change.

C．The public is undecided about whether women will make good leaders.

D．People have opposing opinions as to whether it will have more women leaders.

5. What do most Americans expect to see soon on America’s political stage?

A．A woman in the highest position of government.

B．More and more women actively engaged in politics.

C．A majority of women voting for a female president.

D．As many women in top government positions as men.

【推荐2】Fang Husheng is a bright, lively, 82-year-old woman from Beijing who is learning to use a smartphone, but it’s been a struggle.“Technology advances so fast.What is supposed to make life easier is instead causing problems for us old people,” she says.

Fang grew up in a simpler age when you had to actually leave your house to shop, buy a train ticket or make a doctor’s appointment.Now all of these things can be done with a smartphone and, in some cases, only with a smartphone.Recently an elderly man in Dalian was unable to travel on the subway because, to enter the subway, his QR health code needed to be scanned.“What is a QR code?” the man asked.“I have money to buy a ticket, why do I need a smartphone?” In the end, he left the station, feeling confused and embarrassed.

I can certainly sympathize with (同情) Fang and the man from Dalian.They have spent their entire lives contributing to society and now they feel excluded from that society.But what can be done? One group of volunteer college students is trying to help.They are called See Young and they help the elderly learn how to use smartphones.However, teaching old folks about smartphones is only one part of the problem.

Many older people have physical and health issues.Poor eyesight makes reading characters on small screens difficult.And “leathery fingers” (it means their fingers are less sensitive) make it hard to use touch screens.

There are about 255 million elderly people in China and by 2030, one quarter of the population will be over 60 years of age.New technology and new solutions are going to be needed to make sure that these old folks aren’t left by the side of the road as the rest of society races past.

1. The first paragraph is used to        .

A．to show the fast development of technology	B．tell us the usage of a smartphone
C．describe the old woman’s situation	D．attract the readers’ interest in the article

2. Why didn’t the old man travel on the subway?

A．He didn’t buy a ticket.	B．He had no smartphone.
C．He was not healthy enough.	D．He didn’t want to be scanned.

3. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined phrase “feel excluded from”?

A．feel ignored by

B．feel focused on by

C．feel respected from

D．feel kept out of

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Old people are slow to learn to use smartphones.

B．There will be many more old people in the near future in China.

C．Greater help should be provided to help the old learn new technology.

D．Physical and health reasons make it difficult for the old to use new technology.

【推荐3】Buddy or Friendship Benches (长椅) are needed because playgrounds can be lonely places some times. When a school places the bench, they teach a little lesson to the kids on how it is to be used. Then when a child sits on the bench, it sends out a message to others that basic ally says, “Hey, I’m alone right now and would welcome the company (陪伴) of others.” Kids in the playground see this and from their training, they see there is a fellow student in need. They are encouraged to come over and sit on the bench and make a new friend.

Benches like this have been around for a while now in many schools. But in Ireland, they are trying to do something different with them. This school in Cork in the south of Ireland is the 247th to get benches from a social organization called “Buddy Bench Ireland” that doesn’t just provide schools with benches, but also runs special projects with trained child psychiatrists (精神病专家). They use the bench as an opportunity to start conversations about mental health. They talk about the importance of knowing and understanding your feelings and those of others.

Judith Ashton, a co-founder of Buddy Bench Ireland said, “The children need to understand what the bench is about, what it represents —friendship, understanding, listening to each other and the most important thing is that it’s important to express feelings.”

But do children really use the bench? It’s a matter of great public concern. Sinead Mcgilloway from Maynooth University carried out a study and said, “We found that 40% of the children told us that they had actually used the benches at the time of the study. And over 90% said that they would talk to a child if that child was sitting on the bench. So, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Children’s mental health and safety at school is increasingly a concern in many countries. In Ireland, they’re hoping these benches will no t only tackle problems like school violence and school bullying (校园暴力和校园欺凌), but also give students the confidence to open up about t heir feelings.

1. According to the passage, buddy benches might ______

A．make students feel relaxed	B．help students feeling lonely to find friends
C．be a symbol of psychology classes	D．appear in schools filled with problem children

2. The organization “Buddy Bench Ireland” ______.

A．makes buddy benches more popular	B．brings more new-pattern benches to schools
C．encourages more students to choose buddy benches	D．provides psychological care projects along

3. In Judith Ashton’s opinion, what students most need to know is ______.

A．how to understand each other	B．what buddy benches are about
C．the importance of expressing themselves	D．the necessity of listening to their friends

4. From what Sinead Mcgilloway said, we can know that ______.

A．60% of the children in the study disliked these benches

B．over 90% of the children in the study once felt lonely

C．he once worried about children with mental problems

D．the public don’t have to worry about the use of buddy benches

【推荐1】A group of sweaty kids ran around a field last week at Total Soccer Arena in Landover, Maryland. They talked in English,but also in Pashto, Arabic and other languages.

What made them different is that all of the kids are refugees(难民). They were playing as part of a camp that gives them a chance to develop their soccer skills and to meet other kids who had to start their lives over in the United States. The camp is run by an organization called LACES, which stands for Life and Change Experienced through Sports. The group uses soccer to help bring together communities that have experienced hardships.

SerenFryatt, 38, got the idea for LACES while playing on a women's soccer team in Liberia,an African country that had been at war with itself for 14 years. Fryatt, who's from Muncie, Indiana,saw that soccer brought joy to the Liberian women on her team,even though their lives off the field were very difficult. After starting a soccer program for kids in Liberia,she decided to start a similar camp in Maryland,where she moved in 2015. Coaches volunteer their time, and the costs are paid mostly by donations(捐赠). This year, 95 kids signed up.

The camp, for ages 9 to 14, is split(分组) between training that helps kids develop skills, such as passing and ball control, and meeting where they discuss life skills. One of the coaches, Louisa Pitney, said she likes seeing how the kids grow just from being together.

At the end of the camp's last day, all the kids gathered in the middle of the field. Fryatt asked them to raise their hands and say what they had learned that week. Some kids talked about soccer skills-one girl said she'd learned not to use her hands; a boy said he'd learned how to score a goal.

When a coach called on one shy girl, she smiled before answering in a soft voice.

“Celebrate each other, "she said.

1. What was special about the kids in the field?

A．They couldn't speak English.

B．They had faced hardships.

C．They hadn't been to America before.

D．They were attending an international soccer match.

2. What do we know about the soccer camp?

A．It gives coaches great pay.

B．It was started for girls only.

C．It was organized in Liberia first.

D．It teaches life lessons as well as soccer skills.

3. What encouraged SerenFryatt to set up LACES?

A．A soccer program for kids.

B．The long-term war in Liberia.

C．A women's soccer team in Liberia.

D．Coaches’ volunteer work.

4. What did the shy girl get from the soccer camp?

A．How to work with others.

B．How to speak in public.

C．How to make friends.

D．How to praise others.

【推荐2】For some people, walking or running outdoors is a great way to work out. What may not be so pleasant is seeing trash all over the ground. Well, some people are doing something about it. They are logging!

“Plogging” began in Sweden. The name combines the Swedish word “plocka” which means to pick up, and the word “Jogging”, which means to run slowly. A Swedish man named Erik, started the movement in 2016. On the World Environment Day website, Erik says that he moved to Stockholm from a small community in northern Sweden. Each day he would ride his bike to work.

Concerned about the amount of trash and litter he saw each day on his way to work, he took matters into his own hands.

Flogging, by that term, may have officially begun in Sweden. But many people who exercise outdoors have been doing this for years. Take Jeff Horowitz, for example. He is a personal trainer in Washington D.C. He often picks up trash while running outside. He even has turned it into a game. He will try to pick up the trash without stopping. “I didn’t know it was a thing really. This is just my personal ethics (道德标准) where I go for a run and if I happen to see a piece of garbage lying around and it’s within reach — it is a kind of a little test for me to see if I can grab it and throw it in a near trash can without stopping. And that way, I think, it gives me a little exercise and a little focus for my run. And it helps clean up the neighborhood,” he announced.

Today, logging is an official activity, one that is becoming increasingly popular. Cities around the world now hold plogging events. “I would just hope people would think twice before dropping a garbage on the ground. We have containers…seems on every block. So, it’s easy to put your garbage in the trash cans. I just think people should think about it a little bit more. I do hope one day there will not be a need for logging.” said an interviewee.

1. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “took matters into his own hands”?

A．began to pick up the trash.	B．appealed to people to go green
C．called on people to join him.	D．had the collected trash recycled

2. Like Jeff Horowitz, plogging to many people has become a(an)_______act.

A．deliberate

B．automatic

C．arbitrary

D．temporary

3. What is the idea that plogging events are meant to promote?

A．Jogging is truly beneficial.	B．Trash cans should be within reach.
C．Communities should be kept clean.	D．Littering is not acceptable.

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

A．New Exercise Trend Also Helps Environment

B．New Exercise Enjoys unbelievable popularity

C．Plogging — a Fashionable Way to clear waste

D．Plogging — an Exercise Originating in Sweden