【推荐1】“We are running out of space and the only places to go to are other worlds… Spreading out may be the only thing that saves us from ourselves. I’m convinced that humans need to leave Earth.” These are the words of the famous scientist Stephen Hawking, spoken at a science festival in Norway in 2017, a year before his death.

Hawking was not alone in this view. Many experts feel that the only way for humanity to last far into the future is to colonize(移民于) other planets. That way, if a terrible disease, nuclear war or some other disaster strikes Earth, civilization as we know it would still have a chance. Mars is one of the most attractive destinations. NASA, the United Arab Emirates, the private company SpaceX, and the organization Mars One all have plans to send humans there. “Either we spread Earth to other planets, or we risk going extinct,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk said at a conference in 2013.

But not everyone agrees that colonizing Mars or any other planet is such a great plan. The most common argument against going is that it’s just too expensive or dangerous. It will take huge amounts of money and other resources just to get people there, let alone set up a place for them to live. It’s not even clear if humans could survive on Mars. One of the biggest dangers there is deadly radiation that ruins the planet.

Maybe all the time and money people would pour into a Mars mission would be better spent on more urgent projects here on Earth, like dealing with poverty or climate change. Some experts argue that handling a problem like an asteroid(小行星) strike or disease outbreak while staying here on Earth would be much easier and less expensive than surviving on a new planet.

In addition, moving to a new planet could harm or destroy anything that already lives there. Mars seems uninhabited, but it could possibly host micro-organism like. Human visitors may destroy this life or permanently change or damage the Martian environment. Some feel that’s too much of a risk to take.

1. Why did the author mention NASA, the United Arab Emirates, SpaceX and Mars One?

A．To stress the risk of dying out on Earth.

B．To provide evidence for Hawking’s theory.

C．To show growing intention of moving to Mars.

D．To explain the advanced technology in astronomy.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．It is costly and risky to colonize Mars.

B．Civilization is difficult to maintain on Earth.

C．Poverty is the most urgent problem to handle.

D．All the time and money should be spent on Earth.

3. What does the underlined word “uninhabited” mean in the last paragraph?

A．not steady to keep.	B．not fit to live on.
C．not easy to approach.	D．not safe to set foot on.

4. What’s the best title of passage?

A．Leaving Earth to Other Planets

B．Should We Colonize Mars?

C．New Home on New Planet

D．A Mar Mission Is on The Way

【推荐3】On Monday, August 21, millions of Americans across the country wore their protective eyeglasses to watch the highly expected total solar eclipse. Though the eclipses, which occur about every 18 months, are not rare, this one was historic. It was not only the first total solar eclipse visible from the mainland US in more than 38 years, but also the first to be seen coast to coast in almost a century.

The crowds were thrilled as the moon briefly blocked the sun, covering cities all the way from Oregon to South Carolina (SC) with darkness. A cold ran down many spines as the temperatures dropped dramatically, by up to 12 degrees Fahrenheit, during totality. Those fortunate enough to have clear skies not only saw the corona, the sun’s outer atmosphere, which is usually not visible in the sun’s glare, but also the bright stars and planets.

Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative everywhere. The crowds who gathered in Charleston, SC, the last big city in the path of totality, had to struggle against a thick cloud cover when the partial eclipse began at 1:17 pm. It did thin out a little as totality took place at 2:46 pm, allowing for a good view of the eclipse, but not the sun’s corona! However, some splendid flashes of lightning that occurred just as the moon covered the sun helped ease the disappointment somewhat.

All in all, the rare event, believed to be the most observed and most photographed eclipse in history, was a huge success. As Bill Nye, aka “the Science Guy” briefly put it, “Experiencing an eclipse changes the way we feel about space and how we are connected. This moment will remind us all that we share a common origin among the stars and that we are all citizens of the same planet.”

1. What do we know about the eclipse on August 21?

A．It was first viewed by the citizens in Carolina.

B．It caused a temperature decrease in some cities.

C．It was the first total solar eclipse visible in the US.

D．It cheered astronomy lovers from all over the world.

2. Paragraph 3 is mainly about________.

A．where people could enjoy a good eclipse

B．when the total solar eclipse happened in Charleston

C．what people saw in Charleston during the eclipse

D．why the weather was bad in Charleston

3. How does Bill comment this rare event?

A．Astonishing.

B．Disappointing.

C．Troublesome.

D．Meaningful.

【推荐1】Every kid has their own obsessions (着迷的事情). Dolls, dinosaurs, remote controls, cell phones—they might have a toy box with a wide range of playthings to keep them entertained, but there’s a firm favorite they always reach for first.

Researchers call this phenomenon “extremely intense interests (Ells)”, and have found that they start to emerge at around 18 months of age and are evident in around a third of preschool-aged children. For lots of children, this obsession revolves around (围绕) cars. And although the sex divide in the toy world remains, it’s not only little boy who are drawn to all things with wheels. So what’s the big deal about cars, trucks, trains, and buses?

From age 0-2, children are the sensorimotor stage of development. They are learning by absorbing everything through their senses—sight, touch, taste, smell, hear. Toys and real-life objects like cars are very sensorily engaging. Kids can interact with toy cars, trucks, etc. through spinning their wheels, watching them move in a variety of direction, or hearing the sounds they make.

Plus, kids are just naturally drawn to loud, moving objects. They see the lights on the cars, the rolling wheels, the sound of the engine. Kids will always be drawn to flashy and loud things because that is what engages their brain and sensory systems. Another appeal of toy vehicles is that they’re typically small enough to fit in a child’s hand. And because they can put their cars in their pocket or carry them around, they’re easy to get attached to.

Every child is unique in how they engage with toys, and the reasons for their play style may be diverse and complex. However children often interact with materials in similar ways to how their families interact with them. If a child sees a sibling or parents modeling play with a car going fast down a track, they are likely going to interact with the toy that same way. Ultimately, how your kids play with their toy vehicles could be a little window into what excites them.

1. What do we know about the kid’s obsession?

A．Girls may like playthings with wheels as the boys do.

B．Kids keep what they are obsessed with within their reach.

C．Kids’ obsession with cars begin earlier and it lasts long.

D．EIIs promotes the interest of children in all things with wheels.

2. How does toy cars benefit children’s development?

A．They are flashy and attractive.

B．They are convenient to carry in children’s hands.

C．They are easy for children to get attached to.

D．They exercise children’s brain and sensory system.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Parents should teach the kids how to play with toy vehicles.

B．It is helpful to know the way of kids playing with toy vehicles.

C．Siblings should always play with their younger brothers or sisters.

D．Children are different from each others in choosing the toys vehicles.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To advertise toy cars.	B．To introduce appealing toys.
C．To explain reasons kids like toy cars.	D．To encourage parents to interact with kids.

【推荐3】How much time do you spend doing research before you make a decision? There are people who go over every detail exhaustively before making a choice.     1     Psychologists call this way of thinking a cognitive bias (偏见), a tendency toward a specific mental mistake.

To study “jumping”, we examined decision-making patterns among more than 600 people from the general population. We found that jumpers made more errors than non-jumpers on problems that require thoughtful analysis.     2     In a quiz about US civics, they overestimated the chance that their answers were right much more than other participants did – even when their answers were wrong.

So what is behind “jumping”? Psychological researchers commonly distinguish between two pathways of thought: automatic system, which reflects ideas that come to the mind easily, spontaneously and without effort, and controlled system including conscious and effortful reasoning. Jumpers and non-jumpers are equally influenced by automatic thoughts.     3     It is the controlled system that helps people avoid mental biases introduced by the automatic system. As a result, jumpers were more likely to accept the conclusions made at first blush without further questioning. A lack of controlled thinking is also more broadly connected to their problematic beliefs and faulty reasoning.

    4     A method called metacognitive training can be used to target their biases, which can help people think more deliberatively. In this training, participants are confronted with their own biases. They can learn about the missteps and other ways of thinking through the problem at hand. It helps to chip away at participants’ overconfidence.

In everyday life, the question of whether we should think things through or instead go with our guts is a frequent and important one.     5     Sometimes the most important decision we make can be to take some more time before making a choice.

A．Happily, there may be some hope for jumpers.

B．Also, jumpers had problems with overconfidence.

C．But a fair number of individuals are quick to jump to conclusions.

D．It is certainly possible for them to overthink things to take a decision.

E．We plan to continue the work to trace other problems introduced by jumping.

F．The jumpers, however, did not engage in controlled reasoning to the same degree as non-jumpers.

G．Recent studies show that even gathering just a little bit more evidence may help us avoid a major mistake.

【推荐1】Everyone has probably seen a movie or two about robots going against man. As a kid it was interesting, but not a reality. But today. when we look at how far scientists have come, it's not just a funny thought but a real possibility.

Honda has already created a robot with eyes, legs, arms and hands and it can act just like a person. There is no end to what a robot could do in the future. Just think what we can do in twenty to thirty years. We're dealing with almost an entire new species of human-like robots that could be cleverer than us. Can we continue to use these robots in a way that they serve us, or will they become so wise that they will want independence?

I am really not sure just how far scientists are going to perfect robots. But once this type of robot is made，they will be able to think, make decisions, sense the movement of others and decide what it wants to do.

A new invention has led to the introduction of a female robot, which was introduced at an entertainment show in Vegas. The robot called Roxy sells for between seven and ten thousand dollars. It is built to accompany females. This female robot companion is called true companion md you can find such robots on the Internet. Robots used to have limited uses, but now they are almost in every field, This has opened the door many dangerous possibilities in the future.

1. Why does the writer mention movies about robots?

A．To prove robots can go against man.	B．To lead to the topic of the passage.
C．To show that robots are liked by film makers.	D．To show that people are interested in robots.

2. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 suggest?

A．There is an end to the development of robots.

B．Robots will look exactly like human beings soon

C．Robots may be able to do anything in the future.

D．Human beings don't know what kind of robot they want

3. According to the writer, a perfect robot        

A．can think as human beings do	B．will always serve human being
C．is still not as clever as human beings	D．will surely go against human beings

4. It is implied in the passage that the writer worries that         .

A．human beings cannot create a perfect robot	B．robots may be harmful in the future
C．robots may be bard to recognize	D．robots have limited uses

【推荐3】Like all big cities, Paris has a traffic problem: lots of cars, lots of traffic jams and lots of pollution from exhaust fumes (废气). So the city began a project to improve the situation.

Under the Velib project (‘Velib’ comes from velo liberty, or ‘bicycle freedom’) people can take a bicycle, use it for as long as they want, and then leave it at the same or another bicycle station. The first half-hour on the bike is free, but if you don’t return it after 30 minutes, you have to pay. But it’s only €1 a day or €29 a year! The bicycles are heavy (25 kg), and they are all gray and have baskets. There are about 20,000 of them in the city, and around 1,450 bicycle stations. So there are a lot more Velib stations than the 298 subway stations!

Paris is not the first city to have a project like this. But not everybody thinks it’s a great idea. One Parisian said, “These bicycles are only for short journeys. If people want to travel across the city, they won’t use a bicycle - they’ll still use their cars.”

A city spokesman said, “The bicycle project won’t solve all our traffic problems, of course. But it might help reduce air pollution. Traffic, together with factory fumes, is a big problem. There aren’t any simple answers to traffic problems and pollution in cities. But unless we do something now, there will be more traffic jams and temperatures will continue to rise, so the problems in our environment will get worse. The bikes might help people to lead a healthier life, too.”

1. What can we learn about the Velib project?

A．Its bikes have no baskets.	B．Its bikes are light and colorful.
C．It aims to make traveling easier.	D．It owns more stations than the subway.

2. If you use a Velib for 1 hour, you should pay       .

A．Free.	B．€1.
C．€29.	D．€30.

3. Why do some people disagree with the Velib project?

A．The cost is rather high.

B．It’s hard to find a Velib station.

C．It’s not suitable for a long journey.

D．The distance between two Velib stations is long.

4. What’s the city spokesman’s attitude towards the bicycle project?

A．Worried.	B．Positive.
C．Uncaring.	D．Doubtful.

【推荐1】Because of its extremely rich natural resources, the United States appeared to be a land of plenty where millions could come to find what they wanted. Therefore, immigrants have traditionally come to this land, hoping to make a fortune. Of course, most immigrants did not get rich overnight, and many of them suffered terribly, but most of them were finally able to improve upon their former standard of living. Even if they were not able to achieve the success they wanted, they could be very certain that their children would have the opportunity for a better life.

The phrase “going from rags to riches” became a slogan for the “American Dream”. Because of the huge riches of the North American Continent, the dream came true for many of the immigrants. They achieved material success and many got tied to material things. Material wealth became a value to the American people.

Americans have paid a price, however, for their material wealth. The North American Continent was rich in natural resources when the first settlers arrived, but all these resources were unexploited. Only by hard work could these natural resources be changed into material things, allowing a more comfortable standard of living. Hard work has been both necessary and rewarding for most Americans throughout their history. Because of this, they came to see material things as the natural reward for their hard work.

Most Americans still believe in the value of hard work. Most believe that people should hold jobs and not live off welfare payments (福利金) from the government. There have been many efforts to reform the welfare system so that people would not become dependent on welfare and stop looking for jobs to support themselves.

However, as the United States has shifted from an industry-based economy to one that is service-based or information-based, there has been a fall in high- paying jobs for factory workers. Additionally, with it competing in a global economy, many workers are losing their old jobs and finding that they must now work longer hours for less money and fewer benefits.

1. What attracted immigrants to come to America?

A．The natural beauty in America.

B．The dream of becoming famous.

C．The wish of improving their lives.

D．The idea of experiencing different traditions.

2. What does the underlined word “unexploited” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Undervalued.

B．Undeveloped.

C．Unprotected.

D．Unchecked.

3. What may most Americans agree?

A．People depend too much on government welfare.	B．One should support himself through hard work.
C．Welfare payments make sure people live better.	D．Everyone should hold a job whoever he is.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．Why working hours are longer.

B．What affects the global economy.

C．What causes workers to quit jobs.

D．Why life is harder for workers.

【推荐2】Computer technology has changed the way we deal with the world, from allowing us to communicate with others more easily to entertaining us with video chatting. Newer generations are growing up with this technology, but we should know that the computer is a double-edged sword. It does have its benefits, primarily in education and gaining information, but it can also be harmful to children during a very important time of growth. Too much computer use can affect children's physical and mental health as well as social skills.

Using the computer is an activity much like watching television. You don't get very much exercise, simply sitting down. Computers cause other health problems as well. Too much use of a keyboard and a mouse can cause hand injuries, back problems and so on. At a time when children are growing physically, it's especially important to note the benefits of physical activity.

Too much computer use can affect a child's attention and focus（专注度）. Though some computer games have been shown to help a child develop certain cognitive（认知的）skills, there are still many games and other forms of computer entertainment doing nothing to develop a child's mind. Addiction（上瘾）to programs, games and videos makes it more difficult for children to focus on tasks for a long period of time, and this can affect a student's studies and grades. In more extreme cases, children with computer addiction will fail their classes completely. Computer addiction is a very troublesome thing, and once it starts, it's very difficult to stop.

Computer use is also an activity which most children enjoying doing alone, and it can go hand in hand with addiction. Children who spend more time on the computer than other people in general, may fail to develop necessary social skills. Social skills are important not only for communicating with others, but for developing self-respect and working in social environments, both of which are very important for children's growth.

1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word in Paragraph 2?

A．Know about.	B．Set down.
C．Pick out.	D．Depend on.

2. In the author's opinion, kids^’ too much computer use can lead to     .

A．physical violence	B．cognitive disorder
C．shortage of entertainment	D．poor performance in study

3. Children with computer addiction may get unsocial because     .

A．they ignore social environments

B．they seldom communicate with others

C．they think social skills unnecessary

D．they find it hard to develop self-respect

4. What is the real concern of the author?

A．Children's physical growth.

B．Children’s learning situation.

C．The influence of the computer on children.

D．The importance of computer technology to children.

【推荐3】While harmful, single-use plastics like bags, and other packaging make life easier, they’re hard to give up without an alternative, but that’s where Lucy Hughes’ creative idea comes in. The 24-year-old is a University of Sussex graduate whose school project in product design led to a brilliant invention. Lucy Hughes initially intended to figure out how to either reduce fish waste produced by the fishing industry or to turn it into something useful. What she came up with not only does both,but offers up a great alternative to single-use plastics.

While Lucy was studying various waste streams at a fish processing plant in England, the fish skins and scales she touched felt surprisingly flexible and strong, which gave her a new idea. She began playing around in her kitchen with different combinations of fish waste and red algae(海藻). After more than 100 experiments, she knew she struck gold. She created MarinaTex, a stronger bio-plastic material that takes just four to six weeks to break down. It’s even fit to be eaten! And according to Lucy, just one Atlantic cod-a type of fish-can produce 1,400 MarinaTex bags. In 2019,Lucy was named the James Dyson Award UK winner for her invention, which she hopes to eventually produce in much larger quantity. She’ll be using her prize money for further MarinaTex research and development.

Globally,320 million tones of plastic gets produced each year-a figure that’s set to double by 2034, according to Surfers Against Sewage. Yet 90.5% of all plastic has never been recycled. That means that a lot of plastic gets burnt-creating greenhouse gases that then may warm the planet, causing climate change-or sent to landfill, and eventually, some plastic reaches the oceans, harming sea creatures that often consume the materials by accident, and even end up back in the human food chain too. Now MarinaTex could be used to settle the problems.

1. What is Lucy’s original purpose of the school project in product design?

A．To invent a new kind of plastic.	B．To produce new food for fish.
C．To deal with fish waste better.	D．To break down used plastics.

2. How did Lucy create MarinaTex?

A．By accident completely.	B．By her hard research work.
C．Under the plant’s guidance.	D．With her prize money’s help.

3. Which of the following can best describe MarinaTex?

A．It’s environmental-friendly.	B．It’s convenient to produce.
C．It’s been used in large quantity.	D．It can be used to feed fish.

4. What do we know about the present global plastic use?

A．It’s helping to reduce climate changes.	B．More people have realized it’s harmful.
C．It is under control in parts of the world.	D．People tend to rely more and more on it.