【推荐1】Valentine's Day is supposed to be about love and romance. But unfortunately, it can be just the opposite. Because of that, Feb. 15th starts the busy season for divorce lawyers, as people who were unhappy with their marriages heading into the day often decide that they no longer want to be with the one they used to love.

A study of divorce filings (档案) in New York, Illinois and California by AttorneyFee. com, a legal referral (推荐) site, found that February is the busiest month of the year for divorce filings, up about 18% from the average month. And those seeking referrals for a divorce lawyer on the site increase 38% following the holiday, with the biggest rise on the day after Valentine’s.

Another legal site, Avvo. com, reports a 40% increase in those seeking information and advice about divorce in the period right after Valentine’s Day.

“There's a very large number of people who are considering the divorce all the time, deciding whether or not to file," said Richard Komaiko, a co-founder of AttorneyFee. “On Valentine’s Day, this thing is carefully considered.”

Komaiko said February has factors other than the holiday that could lead to an increase in divorces. January is the busiest month of the year for bankruptcy (破产) filings, highlighting the financial problems that often divide couples. In addition, the cold weather of February can keep couples that are having trouble indoors and closer to each other, adding to problems.

But Alton Abramowitz, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, believes the holiday itself often worsen the relationship for couples who are having trouble. "There’s always the clients who come in a day or two after saying ‘I can’t believe it. I made this beautiful dinner for my husband for Valentine’s Day, but he called to say he was stuck in the office and then didn't come home at all.’" Abramowitz said, “the day can create problems that lead to them finally getting caught."

1. What makes Valentine’s Day convey the meaning opposite to love and romance?

A．Valentine's Day won't bring people love and romance.

B．Many divorce filings change the nature of Valentine's Day.

C．Couples having troubles tend to break up after Valentine's Day.

D．Divorce lawyers dislike the atmosphere of Valentine's Day.

2. According to the study made by AttorneyFee. com, divorce filings are ________.

A．occurring most after the new year	B．less connected with Valentine's Day
C．more likely to be handled online	D．at the height of popularity in February

3. People intending to divorce may make use of Valentine’s Day to ________.

A．reflect on the divorce	B．take legal action
C．make negotiations	D．put the divorce aside

4. According to Komaiko, why do divorces grow in number in February?

A．Because financial problems and cold weather may bring more problems.

B．Because the long winter holiday makes couples hard to get through.

C．Because the husband is too busy with work to spend the day with his wife.

D．Because Valentine’s Day gets couples into financial trouble.

【推荐2】You go to a store to buy food for a party. But when you get to the cash register, there are no plastic bags for the things you buy. If you live in San Francisco, this situation might not surprise you.     1    Many cities and towns around the United States may ban plastic bags.     2    Instead, they’d like people to use their own cloth bags when they shop.     3    They say they wouldn’t buy as much if they couldn’t get a free bag. Store owners don’t want to lose business. So they want to keep offering plastic bags.

Stores should be banned from using plastic bags. Here’s why：

All those plastic bags fill up garbage dumps (垃圾站). That hurts the environment.

People can use cloth bags instead.     4    

Stores should not be banned from using plastic bags. Here’s why：

People might buy less if stores don’t offer plastic shopping bags. Some stores might go out of business.

Some people reuse plastic shopping bags for things like garbage. If they don’t get them for free, they’ll have to buy some.     5    That could get expensive.

A．These bags don’t get thrown away until they’ve been used many times.

B．There should always be a choice.

C．If shoppers forgot a cloth bag, they would have to buy one.

D．But many people don’t want to buy their own cloth bags.

E．Many people throw them away after using them.

F．That city has banned most plastic shopping bags from stores.

G．They hope that shoppers won’t use paper bags either.

【推荐3】Teenage sailors have been making headlines. A young person alone in a dangerous situation attracts attention — and sponsors. Young sailors also attract divided opinions. For example, Jessica Watson was asked by the local government to cancel her voyage; yet the Prime Minister called her “a hero for young Australians ”when she returned. It seems there is confusion about the competence and independence of young people.

One misunderstanding at least should be cleared up: children are not going to sea in an unregulated way. Consider the case of the Dutch girl, Laura Dekker. When her father agreed to her making a solo (独自的) voyage at age 13, the Dutch Council for Child Care prevented it. The World Sailing Speed Record Council also moved to discourage very young sailors by abolishing their age-based records in early 2009. So community control of children under 16 years already happens. But the case for controlling older teenagers as if they were children is weak.

Teenage brains, so the popular psychologists tell us, are likely to make faulty judgements. But such generalisations often do not apply to specific individuals. Between the ages of 14 and 18, teenagers vary greatly in their abilities. The amount of independence each is allowed should be determined not simply by their age but by negotiations with the relevant, responsible adults. Some teens are certainly inexperienced and capable of childish mistakes, but the ones who attempt dangerous journeys normally do so by winning the confidence of hard-headed and well-qualified adult supporters.

But it is also wrong to think that any 16-year-old can gain achievements as unusual as Jessica Watson's. Watson seems to suggest they can when she calls herself “an ordinary girl who had a dream”. Her intention is to encourage teenagers but this can have the opposite effect of making them feel incapable because remarkable accomplishments are beyond them. Should all teens have such dreams? In reality, individuals face varying circumstances that restrict their dreams.

Teenage sailors should not be judged by preconceived (事 先 形 成 的) views about young people. But nor should “ordinary” teenagers feel pressure to achieve extraordinary personal goals. In fact, I believe the example of solo sailing over stresses individualism. The teenage years are when most of us “ordinary” people learn that we can achieve great things in cooperation with others.

1. What do we know about Jessica Watson?

A．She made a voyage successfully.

B．She wants to attract potential sponsors.

C．She was discouraged by the Prime Minister.

D．She works as a sailor for the local government.

2. Why does the author mention the Dutch girl?

A．To praise her for her bravery.

B．To stress she was overprotected.

C．To show community control of teenage sailors.

D．To explain why there is a misunderstanding of teenage sailors.

3. What does the author think of teenagers' independence?

A．It is closely related to their age.

B．It often leads to faulty judgements.

C．It is developed through independent journeys.

D．It differs hugely from individual to individual.

4. What does the author encourage teenagers to do?

A．Be engaged in teamwork.

B．Work under certain pressure.

C．Avoid having preconceived views.

D．Make every effort to achieve their personal goals.

【推荐2】Who's in control of your life? Who's pulling your strings? For the majority of us, it's other people-society, colleagues, friends, family or our community. We learned this way of operating when we were very young,of course. We were brainwashed. We discovered that feeling important and feeling accepted was a nice experience and so we learned to do everything we could to make other people like us. As Oscar Wilde puts it," Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. "

So when people tell us how wonderful we are, it makes us feel good. We long for this good feeling like a drug-we are addicted to it and seek it out wherever we can. Therefore, we are so eager for the approval of others that we live unhappy and limited lives, failing to do the things we really want to. Just as drug addicts and alcoholics live worsened lives to keep getting their fix(成瘾物)we worsen our own existence to get our own constant fix of approval.

But, just as with any drug. there is a price to pay. The price of the approval drug is freedom-the freedom to be ourselves. The truth is that we cannot control what other people think. People have their own agenda, and they come with their own baggage and, in the end, they're more interested in themselves than in you. Furthermore, if we try to live by the opinions of others, we will build our life on sinking sand. Everyone has a different way of thinking, and people change their opinions all the time. The person who tries to please everyone will only end up getting exhausted (tired) and probably pleasing no one in the process.

So how can we take back control? I think there's only one way-make a conscious decision to stop caring what other people think. We should guide ourselves by means of a set of values- not values imposed from the outside by others. but innate values which come from within. If we are driven by these values and not by the changing opinions and value systems of others. we will live a more authentic, effective, purposeful and happy life.

1. What Oscar Wilde says implies that         .

A．most people have a variety of thoughts

B．we have thoughts similar to those of others

C．other people's thoughts are more important

D．most people's thoughts are affected by others

2. What does the author try to argue in the third paragraph?

A．The price of taking the drug is freedom.

B．We may lose ourselves to win the approval of others.

C．We need to pay for what we want to get.

D．Changing opinions may cost us our freedom.

3. It can be concluded from the passage that             .

A．it's better to follow others' opinions

B．it's important to accept others' comments

C．we shouldn't change our own decision

D．we shouldn't care too much what others think

4. The author tries to persuade the readers to accept his arguments mainly by         .

A．discussing questions	B．making suggestions
C．analyzing causes and effects	D．providing examples and facts

【推荐3】For years I hadn't known much about gardening. I grew up in the countryside but got hooked on music and drawing and put a great deal of effort into books. As a teenager, the fields beyond my home became a green barrier to the big city I so longed to be part of.I was always full of life,free from worries.

Breaking up with Josh changed everything. I felt so lost and alone. Yet I didn't turn to gardening for recovery straight away. That summer I went to a dozen festivals,danced my way through sleepless weekends and relied on kind friends. But none of them worked for long.

Then one day I walked to the balcony,seeing sunflowers blooming brightly in the wind. They made me realize that plants always carried on. “How small my heartbreak is in the grand scheme of things," I said to myself. I had no idea where I'd end up living, but I could rely on those cycles of growth,decay(衰退)and renewal. There was something enormously comforting in that.

Gradually,the need for green space became a habit that changed my life. When I was staying with friends, I'd hunt out parks. Within a couple of months, I'd signed up as a volunteer at a local community garden and would get there early on Sunday mornings, as if it were my own kind of church.

It's not surprising that being outdoors and surrounding myself with nature helped me through this difficult time. Studies by the Royal College of Physicians have found that gardening can lower blood pressure,relieve anxiety and depression, boost mood,and burn calories.

Fifteen months later, I found a new home,nestled in a patch of south London woodland.I have 30 houseplants in total and my balcony blooms all year around,so it feels like both an oasis(绿洲)and somewhere to think.

Life is still sometimes frustrating.Difficult things still happen. But these days I know how to treat myself: I make sure I go outside, breathe in, look at what's growing, and I always feel better.

1. Which can best describe the author in her teenage years?

A．Stubborn but innocent.

B．Diligent and carefree.

C．Productive and optimistic.

D．Ambitious but selfish.

2. What actually drew the author to gardening?

A．It reminded her of the childhood.

B．It helped her ease negative feelings.

C．It broke down the barrier to the big city.

D．It relieved the symptoms of sleeplessness.

3. The underlined part in Paragraph 4 probably refers to

A．praying to God in the church

B．the need for green space in life

C．hunting out as many parks as possible

D．the voluntary work in the community garden

4. What does the text focus on?

A．Cure of nature.

B．Curse of fate.

C．Obstacle to peace.

D．Openness to change.

【推荐1】Every school has an ugly girl. In my primary school, it was me.

From first grade through fourth, I had to wear heavy orthopedic(整形外科的)shoes because of my weak ankles, I sounded like overweight elephant wearing bricks whenever I took a single step.

“Hey, Bigfoot!”

“Geez, you're going to start an earthquake!”

Then in sixth grade I had to start wear glasses, Mom asked for the least expensive ones and that made me look like a fool.

“Four eyes!”

“Couldn't you cover up more of your faces? Why stop at the eyes?”

In Seventh, I started competing on the city swim team, thinking that if I got a killer body, nobody would notice my face. Wrong again. I loved being fast and winning ribbons now and then, but now I had red, wet eyes from the chlorine(氯) in the pool. I also did not develop a killer body.

I changed my strategy at Eighth grade, the last year of middle school. I offered my help to anyone who needs. I worked for other girls, so they could hang out with their friends. My new program began to work. People who would never have acknowledged my existence before were suddenly seeking me out.

I'd been feeling pretty good until one day I went to Christine's house to help her fill envelopes. Going into each envelope was invitation to Christine's birthday party; it was a big event at a fancy hotel. Complete with dinner. She asked me to help her address these envelopes. There was no envelope for me.

My heart was broken. I tried to escape from all the eyes. High school had to be better, right? Yes and no. Now that I'm here, I know there are still lots of shallow people judging you on what you're wearing or how cool your hair is, but there are also kids who talk to you because they liked your answers or just as you're kind, honest, and a good friend.

I still do kind things because I like the feeling I get when I am helping people. I, with my friends, went to Children's hospital, playing games and reading to the sick kids.

I still had wet red and not a smart look, but you cannot tell me I am not beautiful. Every time I visit hospital, five-year-old Terry grasps my hand, "Morri, you are so nice. I want to grow up to be just like you."

1. Why was Morri laughed at by her classmates when she was in primary school?

A．She had weak ankles and eyesight.

B．Her glasses couldn't cover up her face.

C．She couldn't get along well with them.

D．She looked like an overweight elephant.

2. Which of the following is the real reason for Morri competing on the city swim team?

A．To win more ribbons.

B．To shift others' attention from her face.

C．To develop a killer body.

D．To have red wet eyes.

3. From what Morri experienced in the last year of middle school, we can learn that ________.

A．her classmates thought highly of her

B．she was popular among her classmates

C．she was often cheated by her classmates

D．her classmates just made use of her

4. The passage is intended to encourage people to ________.

A．address as many as invitation envelopes as possible

B．take more sport activities including swimming

C．take others' comments into careful consideration

D．take positive attitude towards disadvantages in life

【推荐2】Gifts.com provides more than just ideas. Sure, our unique and unforgettable gift suggestions are a big part of why people love us, but we also offer endless ideas and tools to make every day a reason to celebrate. Here are our Great Christmas Gift Ideas:

Christmas Gifts for Parents

You love your parents like no one else, and you want to give them something special for Christmas. But what would make their holiday bright? Finding them the perfect Christmas gift will be easy this year, with all our top picks in one place.

Christmas Gifts for Parents Under $45
Holiday Gift Baskets

The gift basket is a great way to give a gift to a group. Our gift basket ideas come from all the top stores online, so you can easily find everything from fruit gift baskets to wine gift baskets in one place.

Gift Baskets Under $50
Ideas for Teens

Trying to find the right gift for a teen? Teens can be a challenge. What do they want? What could they use? They're all unique, but we think we've got something for them, even though they're a special group that are hard to deal with.

Top Picks for Teens Under $20
The Secret Santa Exchange (交换)

The Secret Santa is a great way to exchange gifts in the office, when it's often impossible to give everyone a present. We've got an office guide right here to help you find proper gifts for the workplace. And then there's always the gift basket, with things that are sure to please everyone in the office.

Business Gifts Under $25
1. What makes Gifts.com popular?

A．It gives people a good reason to celebrate.	B．It is organized according to personal taste.
C．Its endless new gifts.	D．Its special gift ideas.

2. Both “Holiday Gift Baskets” and “The Secret Santa Exchange” _____.

A．are designed for people working in offices	B．have a guide to help people choose gifts
C．sell gifts from top stores online	D．provide gift baskets

3. You may find it most difficult to choose a gift for _____.

A．a businessman

B．a teenager

C．a group

D．a parent

【推荐3】A science teacher from rural Kenya who gives away most of his salary to help poorer students has been awarded the world's best teacher and $ 1 million, beating 10,000 nominations from 179 countries. Peter Tabichi, 36, a maths and physics teacher at Keriko secondary school in Pwani Village, has won the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2019.

Tabichi gives away 80% of his income to help the poorest students at the poorly-equipped and overcrowded school who could not otherwise afford uniforms and books. More than 90% of his students are from poor families and almost a third are orphans or have only one parent. Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, leaving off their studies, young marriages and suicide are common. Students have to walk 7 km along roads that can become impassable in the rainy season to reach the school and the area can be affected by drought and starvation.

Despite only having one computer, a poor Internet connection and a student-teacher ratio of 58:1, Tabichi started a “talent nurturing club” and expanded the school's science club, helping students design research projects of such quality that many now qualify for national competitions.

His students have taken part in international science competitions and won an award from the Royal Society of Chemistry after using local plant life to generate electricity. Tabichi and four colleagues also give struggling students one-to-one tuition in maths and science, visiting students' homes and meeting their families to identify the challenges they face.

Accepting the prize, Tabichi said Africa's young people would no longer be held back by low expectations.“Africa will produce scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs whose names will be one day famous in every corner of the world.” he said.

1. What made Peter Tabichi win the prize in 2019?

A．Giving away $ 1 million to education.

B．Teaching in secondary schools for 36 years.

C．Fighting drought and starvation in Africa.

D．Helping the poorer students in rural Kenya.

2. Why did Tabichi start the “talent nurturing club”?

A．To contribute most of his income.

B．To expand national competitions.

C．To guide students to design research projects.

D．To encourage students to grasp opportunities.

3. Which of the following best describes Peter Tabichi as a teacher?

A．Independent.	B．Caring.
C．Humorous.	D．Interesting.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．African education cost is expected to get lower.

B．Africa is in desperate need of young scientists.

C．Tabichi is not pleased until he is known worldwide.

D．Tabichi has high expectations for young Africans.

【推荐1】For many kids, the Internet is at their fingertips. From computers to smart phones, a web of information is open to them. According to a new report from the Pew Research Center, about three out of four kids aged 12 to 13 connect the Internet using a mobile device (移动设备) from time to time. Many younger kids are online, too.

Julian Zeitlinger, 9, from New Jersey, uses his computer to watch videos and play games. To keep him safe online, his parents monitor (监视) his web use and discuss Internet safety with him. “I ask my parents if something is wrong,” Julian says.

Mobile devices offer more ways than ever to share personal information. The information can be dangerous in the wrong hands. A study found that 62% of children aged 8 to 17 have had an unpleasant online experience.

Have you ever had to enter a parent’s email address when signing up for a website? That safety net is there because of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law says sites for kids under 13 cannot collect personal information, such as a phone number or full name, without a parent’s permission (允许).

This July, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will update (更新) COPPA for the first time since the law was created, in 1198—when there were no smart phones. “The nature of the way kids get online has changed,” FTC lawyer Phyllis Marcus said.

When the changes take effect, COPPA will apply to mobile device (移动设备) and newer forms of adverising. “There is a misunderstanding that if a site is following COPPA, it is totally safe,” says privacy expert Shai Samet. He runs kidSAFE, which checks whether a site meets kidSAFE standards and is safe. “It is important that kids know how useful the Internet is but that is also can be dangerous if you are not careful.” he adds.

1. Julian’s parents check his web use to make sure ________.

A．he doesn’t watch too many videos.

B．he doesn’t play computer games.

C．he stays safe on the Internet.

D．he controls his online time.

2. How does the author explain children’s unpleasant online experiences?

A．By describing his own experiences.

B．By presenting scientific research.

C．By showing differences.

D．By using examples.

3. People often hold the wrong idea that ________.

A．normal websites are always safe.

B．the Internet is becoming safer and safer.

C．COPPA can ensure their complete safety.

D．daily checks prevent future online problems.

【推荐2】First Days

First Days are milestones in our lives. They mark the beginning of a new experience or journey. They are also filed with mixed emotions. They can be a little frightening as we step into the unknown, but they can also inspire us as they give us fresh hope for the future. First days are powerful as we can leave our mistakes and failures in the past and make a new start.

I want to share a story that perfectly illustrates this point. It is a story about a little girl named Trisha. Trisha was born into a family of teachers who had taught her that reading was the key to knowledge. She watched her older brother as he read his schoolbooks and could hardly wait for the day when she would learn to read.

But when Trisha finally started school, she found that she was not able to understand the words like the other boys and girls. No matter how hard she tried, the letters mixed up together, and she saw only confusion. Trisha fell further behind, the other children laughed and made fun of her, and she began to believe that she was not smart. By the time Trisha entered fifth grade, she had lost all confidence in herself. That was the year she met Mr. Falker. He was different. He praised Trisha’s talents, and he wouldn’t tolerate the other children teasing her. Mr. Falker realized that Trisha didn’t know how to read, but he knew she could with some help.

He recruited（招聘）a reading specialist, and together they worked with Trisha after school. They helped her to write letters and hear the sounds until one day Mr. Falker handed her a book and she read it all by herself. She didn't even notice the tears in his eyes.

This is a true story. The little girl is Patricia Polacco, the famous children’s author, and thank you Mr. Falker is the twenty-sixth book that she has written.

Mr. Falker gave her a fresh new start when she walked into his fifth grade class on that first day of school. And he made a difference in her life.

We can all make a difference in the world—one student at a time by using "first days" with wisdom and grace, and giving each individual the chance to start over and become the best that they can be.

1. Trisha fell far behind in school because she ________.

A．was not confident	B．was looked down upon by others
C．did not know how to read	D．did not try her best

2. The passage is probably intended for ________.

A．teachers	B．students
C．children’s authors	D．reading specialists

3. How does the writer make his point?

A．By giving an example.	B．By making suggesting.
C．By arguing.	D．By persuading.

4. The passage mainly conveys the message that first days are ________.

A．frightening as we step into the unknown

B．inspiring as they give us fresh hope for the future

C．turning points from where we can make a new start

D．chances when we can forget our mistakes and failures

【推荐3】Whenever she was having a tough day, Selena Berry would look at the sky and imagine herself, flying high in the clouds above her troubled neighbourhood and challenging school life. "Flying makes you feel big, "Betty said. "You’re on top of everything. You look down and all you see is the view, the beauty. "

This summer, Berry and seven other African-American students in the Chicago area participated in a program to learn how to fly. The program is new and challenging for participants. In the end, successful students will graduate with a private pilot’s license.

The unique program is called Tuskegee Next. "It is a special effort to increase the number of African-Americans who can work as pilots. "said Stephen L. Davis, who owns a big company Wheaton , lllinois and founded the organization. The main mission of the group is to help students follow in the footsteps of the country’s first black military pilot Tuskegee. It costs about $25, 000 to take the lessons and pay for the flying time. But it is free for these students. Davis donates his own money and raises funds to cover the costs.

For much of his early life, Davis wanted to become a pilot. But growing up, he could not afford the expensive schooling. By the time he could afford lessons, he had a wife and children and did not want to take the risk. For the students, the benefits of learning to tly are greater than being pilots. "When you don’t see black pilots, you don’t think you can do it, he said. "Even if these kids don’t become pilots, learning to fly will give them confidence to do other great things. "

Tuskegee Next targets African-American teenagers from rough communities who might never have such a chance. The experience will change their lives and let them see a happy future. Some of the students in the program will receive a small stipend, which makes up for the summer jobs they would have otherwise.

All eight of the students have passed the written exam. Now they are spending hours piloting a Cessna airplane with an instructor. Some are already flying the planes alone. On a recent sunny afternoon, 20-year-old Quiana White spent about an hour alone in a Cessna airplane practicing turns. This was her first solo flight and her classmates crowded around her after she landed. "You’re not the same person once you go up on your own, "she said. "No matter what happens, I know I’m a pilot. "

1. Thinking of being in the sky brought Selena Berry_____

A．some relief from her daily life

B．some memories of her school life

C．some trouble her neighbours made

D．the beautiful view she saw from the sky

2. What can we learn about Tuskegee Next?

A．It encourages teenagers to serve in the army.

B．It aims to find another Tuskegee in the country.

C．It helps black teenagers build hope for their future.

D．It is a commercial organization founded by Davis.

3. What does the underlined word “stipend” in Paragraph 5 refer to?

A．Chance.	B．Fine.
C．Job.	D．Pay.

4. How does the passage explain the POSITIVE effects of this program?

A．It quotes community leaders who see the difference this program has made.

B．It quotes students who have experienced its positive influence on their lives.

C．It quotes family members who have noticed the progress made by their kids.

D．It quotes a study that shows the program has positively changed the lives of teenagers.