【推荐1】Peter loved to shop used articles. Almost a month ago, he bought popular word game that used little pieces of wood with different letters on them. As he was purchasing it, the salesgirl said, “Uh, look, the game box haven’t even been opened yet. That might be worth some money. ”
Peter examined the box, and, sure enough, it was completely covered in factory-sealed plastic. And he saw a date of 1973 on the back of the box.
“You should put that up for auction (拍卖) on the Internet, and see what happens.”the salesgirl said.
“Yes, you’re right. People like something rare.” Peter agreed, “I can’t imagine there being very many unopened boxes of this game still around 40 years later.”
“Don’t forget to tell me if you sell it.” the salesgirl smiled.
“No problem.” Peter said.
After he got home, Peter went online to several auction websites looking for his game. But he couldn’t find it. Then he typed in the name of the word game and hit Search. The search result was 543 websites containing information about the changes of the game. Over the years, the game had been produced using letters in different sizes and game boards in different colors. He also found some lists of game fans looking for various versions of the game. Peter emailed some of them, telling them what he had.
Two weeks later, Peter went back to the shop.
“Hello. Do you still remember the unopened word game?”
The salesgirl looked at him for a second, then recognized him and said, “Oh, hi!”
“I’ve got something for you,” Peter said. “I sold the game and made $1,000. Thank you for your suggestion.” He handed her three $ 100 bills.
“Wow!” the salesgirl cried out. “Thank you, I never expected it.”
1. Which of the following best describes Peter’s word game?

A．It was made around 40 years ago.

B．It had game boards in different sizes.

C．It was kept in a plastic bag with a seal.

D．It had little pieces of wood in different colors.

2. What did the salesgirl probably think of Peter’s word game?

A．Old and handy.

B．Rare and valuable.

C．Classic and attractive.

D．Colorful and interesting

3. Peter got the names of the game fans from _________.

A．an auction

B．the Internet

C．a game shop

D．the second-hand shop

4. What happened at the end of the story?

A．Peter gave the girl $300 as a reward.

B．The salesgirl became Peter’s friend.

C．Peter returned the word game for $ 1,000.

D．The salesgirl felt confused to see Peter again.

5. What is the main theme of the story?

A．It’s important to keep a promise.

B．It’s great to share in other people’s happiness.

C．We should be grateful for the help from others.

D．Something rare is worth a large amount of money.

【推荐2】Derek and Shirley walked out of the airport building and into the bright sunshine. Looking up at the brilliant blue sky and then at the faraway mountains rising above the swaying palm trees, they couldn’t wait to start their holiday.

A taxi pulled up swiftly and silently. Derek dropped their suitcases into the boot and joined Shirley in the back seat. “Palm Trees Hotel, please,” Derek said excitedly. “Certainly, sir,” replied the driver, as he turned around with a flashing white smile. Derek and Shirley gave each other a puzzled look as the taxi eased smoothly into the traffic. “Excuse me, er, your face seems very familiar—in fact, you remind us of that famous film star, Rocky Overton... but of course, you can’t be.”

Derek and Shirley sat in silent disbelief as the driver explained that he was not a real person, but a robot made to look like a famous actor. “Rocky” explained that the taxi company had purchased the latest model of robot drivers since they were programmed to be safer and more reliable than human drivers. “So, here I am,” “Rocky” continued, “your first robot taxi driver!”

Derek and Shirley held each other’s hands more lightly. “Relax,” “Rocky” reassured them, “there is nothing for you to worry about. I can assure you that my driving skills are excellent. I’m equipped with perfect vision and superior reactions, and I know every street in the city. I am instantly updated with the latest traffic information so that I can avoid traffic jams and get you to your destination in the quickest and least stressful manner. Please sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.”

Derek and Shirley, feeling a little better, leaned back in their seats and closed their eyes. “And another thing,” “Rocky” added, “my line of robots represents the ultimate (最高典范) in computer technology. I am beautifully designed, made from only the best materials and subject to the strictest quality checks. Therefore, you are entirely safe with me. Nothing could possibly go wrong... could possibly go wrong, wrong… go wrong…”

1. Why did Derek and Shirley feel puzzled when they got into the taxi?

A．Because the driver was a robot.

B．Because the driver was Rocky Overton.

C．Because the driver gave them a big smile.

D．Because the driver looked like a famous actor.

2. What do we know about the taxi driver “Rocky”?

A．It has the perfect vision and superior reactions.

B．It is the first robot taxi driver in the world.

C．It is instantly updated with the latest news.

D．It has never get stuck in traffic jams.

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

A．Threatened.

B．Persuaded.

C．Surprised.

D．Comforted.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Robot drivers are perfectly designed.

B．Robot drivers are able to repeat the words.

C．Robot drivers are not so reliable as expected.

D．Robot drivers are not safer than human drivers.

【推荐3】My neighbor Orlando is a Paramedic(急救医士). He and his wife are some of the nicest people I have ever met. A few years back we started this sort of “favor war”, where one of us would do something for the other, such as shoveling(铲) their driveway or helping them build a shed, and next time the other would try to top it with another favor.

Yesterday morning there was maybe 2 or 3 feet of snow on the ground and I remembered he shoveled my driveway for me last snowfall. So I took out my shovel and took care of both our sidewalks and driveways because it was time to do a favor back. It took a while but I finished and got into my car for work. What I didn’t realize was that Orlando had to work that day too.

Fast forward to this morning I got a knock on my door. It was him. He immediately shook my hand and informed me that because I shoveled his driveway and sidewalk for him, he was able to get to work earlier. As soon as he started his shift, a call came through that a young boy was in a medical emergency. Luckily he and hi s partner were only about 2 minutes away, but the next closest ambulance was in 10 minutes. This kid did not have 10 minutes. He barely had 2 minutes. Because my neighbor got to work sooner, the young boy got to live his life.

This isn’t humble brag(吹牛). This is to inform others that even the smallest favors can have the biggest impacts. It wasn’t too much of trouble to shovel his driveway for him, but because I did, the young kid got to see his family again, go back to school again, talk to his friends again and live his life.

1. What can we know about the writer and Orlando?

A．They once had a conflict.	B．They are always ready to help each other.
C．They favor shoveling snow together.	D．They signed a favorable agreement.

2. Who saved the boy before it was too late?

A．The writer.	B．The boy’s parents.
C．Orlando and his partner.	D．Orlando and his wife.

3. What does the writer intend to tell us?

A．Never ask for trouble.	B．One cannot always be lucky.
C．Don’t lose heart in an emergency.	D．No favor is too small.

【推荐1】I had always been one of those quiet boys who preferred dreams to the real world. I was, in addition, absurdly shy, and therefore often mistaken for a fool, which upset me deeply. For nothing terrified me more than the prospect of correcting a false impression. Though I was often blamed by mistakes made by my classmates, I never dare to say a word in self-defense. I would simply go home to hide in a corner and cry. My greatest pleasure was to sit alone, reading, and let my thoughts drift away in the stories.

My daydreams were in sharp contrast to real life; they were full of adventures and heroic deeds. They left marks on me. There was, for instance, a book about the history of the Roman Empire, in which an ambassador, while negotiating a treaty, was told that he was to accept the terms offered, on pain of death: his response was to plunge his arm into a fire and continue with his deliberations, in absolute calm. Inspired by his courage, I proceeded to test my own powers of resilience by plunging my own hand into the fire, only to burn my fingers badly. I can still see that ambassador, smiling calmly through his pain. Father hated my reading all the time, and sometimes he threw away my books. Some nights he refused to let me turn on the light in my bedroom. But I could always find a way, and after he caught me reading by the light of a string-wick lamp, he gave up and left me to it.

There was a time when I tried my hand at writing; indeed, I even made a few little poems, but I quickly abandoned my efforts. No matter what I had bottled up inside me, I was extremely anxious about letting it out, and so my adventures in writing ended. I did, however, carry on painting. There was, I thought, no risk of revealing anything personal. I just took something from the outside world and brought it to life on paper. Sometimes I did hide some personal expression in it, but I made sure that it was visible enough to be seen and trivial enough to be ignored. The first time I showed my painting to my father, he was caught in silence for a while and then he breathed deeply, and said: “My son finally made something.” Then here I am, as a teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts, wondering how everything happened, from my daydreams to painting.

1. The sentence “They left marks on me.” (in paragraph 2) means ________.

A．daydreams not achieved were equal to suspending castles.

B．daydreams erased my long-lasting memories of reading.

C．daydreams slightly influenced the writer’s behavior in reality.

D．daydreams reshaped the writer’s pursuit of career.

2. What’s the deep root reason why the writer quit writing?

A．Lack of gift in figuring out the intriguing part of reading.

B．A psychological tendency to lock his inner world away.

C．Suspicion and reluctant compromise from his sophisticated father.

D．Nerve-racking experiences of writing original poems.

3. What is the likely theme of the whole passage?

A．Attaining success requires innovation and groundbreaking spirit.

B．Despite others’ mockeries,fragrant flowers are always on the way.

C．Reflection and showing it out serve as potential bridges for fantasies.

D．Years may wrinkle the skin,but to stick to stereotype wrinkles the soul.

【推荐2】Matthieu Finot knows a lot about wine. He sees it as a combination of science and art, from watching the weather to checking the soil, and then deciding when to harvest. Finot says, “Nature and winemaker must work together. So what I do is to change grapes into wine. So, that’s the easy part of it But my job is a blend of farming, science and arts because we need Mother Nature to make grapes good to make good wine. So, that’s the natural part.”

Finot comes from a family of viticulturists（葡萄栽培者）and wine lovers. It was natural for him to follow that path. He began his study early on his grandparents’ farm.

Finot knew studying winemaking would be a god link between his love of wine, his love of dirt and his roots in farming.

“So, I’ve study viticulture and I went to Beaune in Burgundy to study that. It’s a school in Beaune that gives you training and practice about how to make wine. n he said After graduating, Finot worked in many different wine places around France to learn all he could about wine. And, for him, traveling was a part of learning, not only learning about winemaking, but also learning a lot about himself and that’s the best part of traveling.

Mathieu Finot has also worked in Italy and South Africa to learn about winemaking and to gain international experience. In 2010, he came to the United States and he settled in Virginia. He says one does not have to know a lot about wine to understand or enjoy it.

1. What does the underlined word “blend” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Compaign.	B．Mix
C．Difference	D．Medal.

2. We can know from the text that ________.

A．Beaune is a training course

B．Finot was forced to make win

C．Finot comes from a family of wine lovers

D．Finot first studied wine on his parents farm

3. In Finot’s view, traveling ________.

A．makes him feel tired

B．is a way to get him well relaxed

C．allows him to visit different countries

D．is a necessary part of his learning about making wine

4. What may be the best title for the text?

A．How to make great wine	B．The best winemaker ever
C．A family of wine lovers	D．Matthieu Finot—a winemaker

【推荐1】I was scared when a loud noise in my apartment woke me in the middle of the night. I rushed to turn on my bedroom light and discovered it was a cat.

Here’s the thing — I do not have a cat. And this was not the first time this particular cat had demanded my attention.

I immediately calmed down and realized my error —I had left a window open. I approached to entertain my house guest by giving her some treats and scratches under her collar.

Like so many others, I shifted from working in an office to working from home. Living alone can be separate from outside at the best of times. It was around the one-month mark of the lockdown when I heard a meow outside my window. Sitting outside on the grass was a long-haired, golden-colored cat. I opened the window, and this beautiful cat jumped into my home. Her short visit brightened my day.

A few days later, I heard a familiar meow. I saw a name tag on her collar: Mika. On this second visit, I also noticed Mika was cross-eyed, which only made her more lovely.

Over the next few weeks, Mika would stop by occasionally. Sometimes, she only stayed for a few minutes; other times, she would wander around my apartment much longer. Each visit brightened me. Mika even helped me connect with some new neighbors, who asked if Mika was my cat. Apparently, Mika visited them as well.

While the lockdown has been awful, I suspect I might not have ever met Mika if it had not happened. But perhaps she came by at this time because she sensed a need for connection on my part.

While dogs are said to be man’s best friend, a good cat can be everyone’s best friend.

1. What do we know about the cat from the first three paragraphs？

A．She used to go out at night.	B．She entered by the window.
C．She annoyed the neighbors badly.	D．She liked the author’s treats particularly.

2. How did the author probably feel during the lockdown？

A．Out of place.

B．Out of work.

C．Heart-broken.

D．Absent-minded.

3. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 7 refer to？

A．The open window.	B．The lockdown.
C．A need for connection.	D．A stay with new neighbors.

4. What’s the main idea of the text？

A．He lives an unusual life.	B．He longs for a harmonious society.
C．Keeping cats is rewarding.	D．Befriending nice cats is worthwhile.

【推荐1】There are plenty of reasons why people go to the library. People go there mainly for school, for work, or for personal research. There are a few who make use of the library only when specific data or information can’t be had by any other means. No matter what your motivation for visiting the library is, you’ll surely want to set your eyes on the following four largest libraries in the world

Washington D.C.’s Library of Congress

If you’ve already watched the movie National Treasure 2, then you’ve already taken a glimpse of this magnificent library. Within this library, you’ll find all you need to answer your questions about culture, science, philosophy, history, and any other subject matter. It has been used in numerous movies. With a vast book collection at over 30 million and written in just about any language you can think of,   the Library of Congress, established in 1800, definitely deserves all the fame. The public can visit the library, but only high-ranking American officials are allowed to check out books.

Beijing’s National Library of China

Situated in Beijing and with 26.3 million books in its collection, the NLC is sure to give joy to the average bibliophile(藏书家) . Among its books, you’ll find the world’s greatest and richest complications of Chinese writings and ancient documents. Founded in 1909 and opened doors to the public three years after, the NLC also contains a lot of Qing Dynasty writings as well as a collection of literature written on bones and tortoise shells.

Massachusetts’ Harvard University Library

Compared to all the other libraries in universities in the world, Harvard University Library houses the most enormous private collection of books. Established in 1638, the Harvard Library is considered as America’s oldest. In 1764, a disastrous fire broke out and it turned a considerable number of books into ashes. Today, the library has a total of over 13 million books displayed in 90 library wings, each dealing with a particular field of study.

London’s British Library

When it comes to the number of items in its collection, the British Library , founded in 1973, is unparalleled. It has over 150 million items, a lot of which are works circulated in the United Kingdom. The library also has scores of items from other countries and has books written in a number of languages. You will also discover that these works can be found in formats ranging from stone inscriptions(刻印文字) to digital publications. The growth rate of the British Library is 3 million pieces per year.

1. Which library has the longest history?

A．Washington D.C.’s Library of Congress

B．Beijing’s National Library of China

C．Massachusetts’ Harvard University Library

D．London’s British Library

2. Which library has frequently appeared in numerous movies?

A．Washington D.C.’s Library of Congress

B．Beijing’s National Library of China

C．Massachusetts’ Harvard University Library

D．London’s British Library

3. It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A．there exists the largest number of books in London’s British Library.

B．people are free to check out books in Washington D. C.’s Library of Congress

C．Beijing’s National Library of China was open to the public the moment it was founded

D．Massachusetts’ Harvard University Library remained safe and sound because of the fire in 1764

【推荐2】This 13-year-old just did the bravest thing ever. Or shall I say, two bravest things…Paris Harvey not only hit back at her bullies(欺凌)but she did so by facing her biggest fear-putting on her bathing suit in public.

The Kent-based teenager suffers from a metabolic (新陈代谢的)condition, which means she gains weight quickly and struggles to lose it. She was also born with dysplasia, so her left leg is 1. 5 cm shorter than her right and she has pins in her joint（关节）which cause her not to walk as other children. These two conditions lead to people calling her fat and mocking her for " walking like a penguin".

"I got bullied in the past and after a while, you start to believe what people say. I became really unsure about how 1 looked," said Paris. "I can be eating the same food as the next person but I gain weight. It's not like I'm sitting at home all day eating potato chips. But I felt like I shouldn't have to explain myself. "

So, over Bank Holiday Weekend, Paris decided Io finally face her biggest fear-putting on her bathing suit at the beach. And guess what? She not only faced her fear but she embraced （拥抱）it too by taking pictures and posting them on Twitter! The pictures went popular with over 337K likes on Twitter. Even though Paris did receive negative comments from people saying she was “promoting obesity" , she chose to "focus on the support because hate is nothing compared to love". "I feel like we should embrace who we are," Paris said. "I'm not making myself a model but 1 want to show people that it doesn't matter what size you are-you are born into that body.

1. What does the underlined word “mocking" in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Putting up with.	B．Laughing at.
C．Appealing to.	D．Taking care of.

2. What happened when Paris Harvey received the bullies in the past?

A．She ignored what others said about her.

B．She lost her confidence in herself.

C．She began to eat junk food all day.

D．She fought back against those who bullied her.

3. What did Paris Harvey do to face her biggest fear in the end?

A．She dressed herself up as a model.

B．She explained to everyone that she was not fat at all.

C．She put on her swimming suit in public.

D．She took some photos with others.

4. After experiencing Bank Holiday Weekend, Paris became______.

A．stubborn

B．cautious

C．enthusiastic

D．optimistic

【推荐3】Paired up in the right setting, dogs and horses can have their fair share of fun—at times even playing together and mimicking each other's facial expressions, new research suggests. These findings, published in the journal Behavioural Processes, mark the first example of so-called rapid facial mimicry occurring between play partners of different species, and indicate the existence of a universal language of play. Though the purpose behind play remains unclear, scientists believe the behavior arises to help animals improve hunting and social skills, relieve stress or develop relationship with each other, study author Elisabetta Palagi says, an animal behaviorist at the University of Pisa in Italy.

Learning more about the contexts in which different animals play around—especially across branches of the tree of life—could tell researchers a lot about play's origins and evolution. But apart from a handful of studies featuring humans and their pets, scientists haven't had many chances to analyze examples of interspecies play.

In 2018, when someone sent Palagi a YouTube video featuring a dog and a horse playing together, she took the chance to research further. The two species, she noted early on, were especially good research objects of interspecies friendship, because they had both been shown to recognize facial expressions in other animals.

Putting together a team of research students, Palagi began to collect and analyze hundreds of other videos with dogs and horses partnering in play. Only 20 videos ended up meeting the team's requirements: showing animals freely playing on their own, without human interference, for at least30 seconds.

Several common themes quickly arose. When playing, dogs and horses often mirrored each other's moves, jumping and pushing at each other. They also rolled on their backs and showed their throats and stomachs—a strong sign that they were at ease and even communicating their friendly intentions. Despite millions of years of evolution between them, the two species had found common ground for the only purpose of fun, said Palagi.

The two animals also frequently copied each other's facial expressions, both using the relaxed, open mouths—behayior that had never been noted between a pair of animals of different species. Horses and dogs may look and behave in extremely different ways, says Barbara Smuts, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Michigan who wasn't involved in the study. But fun is perhaps a language that doesn't need to be taught. Two very dissimilar animals, Smuts says, can still discuss how to play in a way that's comfortable for both.

1. What do scientists find about dogs and horses?

A．They share similar facial expressions.	B．They can build up a lasting relationship.
C．They often share hunting and social skills.	D．They have a special way to communicate.

2. How did Elisabetta Palagi study dogs and horses further?

A．By playing with dogs and horses together.	B．By pairing up dogs and horses in a setting.
C．By watching videos showing their play scene.	D．By recording their play for 30 seconds every day.

3. What does the underlined part "at ease" in Paragraph 5 most probably mean?

A．Feeling relaxed.

B．Looking similar.

C．Getting smart.

D．Turning sociable.

4. What is the significance of the study?

A．It can help humans get along with animals.	B．It studies interspecies play for the first time.
C．It explains animals' way of communicating.	D．It analyzes animals' facial expressions in detail