【推荐1】The Spotlight(公众注意的中心) Rio Phelps puts spotlight on cupping（拔火罐） Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps fed American swimmers to 8 gold medals in the 4x100-meter relay, but what grabbed media attention and led to stories and photos around the globe were the purple and red circles on his back. Michael Phelps of the USA is seen with red cupping marks on his shoulder as he competes during the 2016 Rio Olympics men's 200m butterfly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , Aug 8,2016.

Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui goes viral Chain's women's swimmer Fu Yuanhui has created a hit online not just by winning the bronze medal in the 100m backstroke competition, but also by her facial expressions during the post semi-final interview with China Central Television     (CCTV)     on Monday. When asked whether she held back for the final, Fu replied, "No, I used my 'prehistorical power'." What she meant was that she had spared no efforts in the semi-final. Since then. The so-called "prehistorical power" has gone viral and become a new Internet meme.

Britain wins first Olympic diving gold in men's synchronized 3m springboard（男子双人3米跳板）Britain's Jack Laugher and Chris Mears ended China's gold medal monopoly（垄断）over diving events at the Rio Olympics by winning the men's synchronized 3m springboard final On Wednesday, the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal in diving. Laugher and Mears finished with a six-round total of 454.32 points, just 4.11 points ahead of silver medallists Mike Hixon and Sam Dorman of the USA at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center. China's Cao Yuan and Qin Kai took the bronze with 443.70 points.

1. What attracted media attention with Phelps' winning the gold medal?

A．His great leadership.

B．His scars on his back.

C．The cupping marks on his back.

D．His achievements he made in the men's 200rn butterfly.

2. Which of the following is NOT the reason why Fu Yuanhui became the spotlight?

A．Her achievement in the 100m backstroke competition.

B．Her devotion and determination to swimming.

C．Her facial expression during the post-semifinal interview.

D．Her humourous reply to the reporter - so called "prehistorical power".

3. What can we learn from the third news?

A．China didn't win any gold medals in diving events at the Rio Olympics.

B．Mike Hixon and Sam Dorman of the USA took silver with 447.81 points.

C．Britain had never won the Olympic diving gold medal before the Rio Olympics.

D．Britain became the gold medal monopolist of diving events at the Rio Olympics.

【推荐3】The earliest cars made just for racing were built low to the ground and just wide enough for a single passenger, the driver. In the early 1900s, the drivers were the same people who invented and built the first passenger cars. For example, Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, sometimes raced his cars. In 1906, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was founded by Carl Fisher. On August 19, 1909, the first car race took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Twelve thousand were in attendance. In 1911, the first Indianapolis 500 was held there with 40 racers. Finishing in 6 hours and 42 minutes, first-place winner Ray Harroun clocked in at what seemed back in those days an unbelievably high average speed of 74.59 mph!

Over the years, as technology improved, these cars became lighter and faster. There are two kinds of open-wheel racecars, IndyCars and Formula One. IndyCars are almost exactly identical(完全相同的) to each other, so the race is a test of driving skills around a street, or race course, mostly in the U.S.; Formula One cars are customized(定做的) and raced on road courses around the world. Unlike the kind of car your family drives, neither IndyCars or F1 cars have doors, and their wheels are on the outside of the car’s body.

In 1936, Louis Meyer asked for a bottle of buttermilk after he became the first three-time Indy 500 winner, which led to the tradition of winners drinking a bottle of milk on Victory Lane(车道).

The Indy 500 has grown into one of the most anticipated(期待的) international racing events of the year, with hundreds of thousands of fans flooding into the stands each May. In 2011, it celebrated its 100^th event---and tickets sold out for the first time ever.

1. What do we know about the first Indianapolis 500?

A．It was founded by Carl Fisher.

B．It had twelve thousand racers.

C．It was the first car race.

D．It was held in 1909.

2. Different from Formula One racing, IndyCar racing is      .

A．raced with the same cars

B．held in different countries

C．competed on road courses

D．an open-wheel car competition

3. Why did the author mention Louis Meyer?

A．To introduce his great invention.

B．To show his influence on drivers.

C．To describe a fun fact about the Indianapolis 500.

D．To explain the important role of the Indianapolis 500.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph about the Indianapolis 500?

A．It neeeds a larger speedway.

B．It enjoys great popularity.

C．It will raise its ticket prices.

D．It has an unpromising future.

【推荐1】When people learn to play video games, they are learning a new literacy. Of course, this is not the way the word “literacy” is normally used. Traditionally, people think of literacy as the ability to read and write. Why, then, should we think of literacy more broadly?

Nowadays, language is not the only important communication system. Images, graphs, diagrams and many other visual symbols are particularly significant. Thus, the idea of different types of “visual literacy” would seem to be an important one. For example, being able to read the images in advertising is one type of visual literacy.

Furthermore, very often today words and images of various sorts are juxtaposed in a variety of ways. In newspapers and magazines as well as in textbooks, images take up more and more of the space alongside words. In fact, in many modern high school and college textbooks, images not only take up more space, they now carry meanings that are independent of the words in the text. If you can’t read these images, you will not be able to understand their meanings from the words in the text as was more usual in the past.

Now there are different ways to read different types of texts. Literacy is multiple, then, in the sense that the legal literacy needed for reading law books is not the same as the literacy needed for reading physics texts or cartoon books. And we should not be too quick to dismiss the latter form of literacy. Many cartoon books are full of images that would make a modern literary critic’s heart beat fast and confuse any otherwise normal adult.

Once we see this multiplicity of literacy, we realize that when we think about reading and writing, we have to think beyond print. Reading and writing in any field, whether it is law, rap songs, academic essays or cartoon books, are not the only ways of decoding(解密) print. Video games are a new form of art. They will not replace books; they will sit beside them, interact with them, and change them and their role in society in various ways, as, indeed, they are already doing strongly with movies. We have no idea yet how people “read” video games, what meanings they make from them. Still less do we know how they will “read” them in the future.

1. What is the broad meaning of literacy?

A．The ability to read, write and view.

B．The ability to read, listen and play.

C．The ability to speak, write and think.

D．The ability to listen, speak and think.

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

A．Put together.	B．Pulled out.
C．Taken away.	D．Replaced with.

3. How would cartoon books probably make a modern literary critic feel?

A．Proud.	B．Upset.
C．Grateful.	D．Curious.

4. The author says that video games _______________.

A．are too violent to risk experimenting with for the purposes of understanding literacy

B．are unrealistic and should not fall into the same categories as the other texts he describes

C．are not yet entirely understood in terms of literacy, but are already impacting other forms of expression such as filmmaking

D．are irrelevant in academic discussion because no one has yet determined how to explain the ways that people understand them

5. What is the author likely to write about after the last paragraph?

A．A historical explanation of the very first video game and its evolution.

B．A technological definition of video games, how they are made, and how they are played.

C．Examples of the way that some people currently interpret video games and what they mean to them.

D．A price comparison of video game consoles and whether or not quality has a direct impact on literacy.

6. In which section of a magazine may this text appear?

A．Education.	B．Health.
C．Advertisement.	D．Traveling.

【推荐2】Making employees feel happy and healthy at work is good for many businesses. But it isn’t always an easy thing. A study suggests that only 33% of the U. S. employees consider themselves fully engaged （投身于）in work, while 16% are greatly disengaged, and 51% are just showing up.

But there is an exception. When it comes to employee engagement, it seems that employees in small companies are doing better. According to the same research, the largest U. S. companies are at the lowest levels of engagement, while companies with fewer than 25 employees are at the highest. And in one recent report, 75% of small business workers surveyed said they were “very” or “extremely” satisfied with their role as a small company employee.

Unlike big companies, small companies are often short of resources but the employees can get more surprises there. Small companies offer excellent career opportunities to their employees. The bosses often know their staff very well and understand their personal needs. Employees of small companies are more likely to receive free meals, paid leave, and they can even bring their pets to work.

But of course ? there are many other draws in small businesses. One of the top draws is flexible scheduling (弹性工时). Another is being able to really see the fruits of one's labor. Besides, non-cash award is also a big draw. This could be something small that reflects employees’ interests and lifestyles.

While a parental leave might lead to some financial problems, small companies may do something to improve it. “It may be impossible for a five-person team to be reduced to four for six months,” writes Camillia Velasquez, head of HR management platform, Justworks. “But it could be possible to allow new parents to take on reduced hours in a work-from-home environment. ” This kind of method has been realized in some small companies.

1. What can we know about employees in big and small companies?

A．Employees can develop better in small companies.

B．Employees can earn more money in small companies.

C．Employees in big companies are hard to be satisfied.

D．Employees in small companies are more engaged in work.

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?

A．Working for small companies has many benefits.

B．All the employers in small companies know every staff member very well.

C．Staff in small companies may face many challenges.

D．Staff in big companies have more material benefits.

3. Compared with big companies, what is the advantage of small companies?

A．Employers in small companies have more choices.

B．Small companies have more attractions to employees.

C．Employees of small companies may have higher salaries.

D．Employees of small companies have fixed working time.

4. What can be most probably inferred from the passage?

A．Small companies may have more employees with much happiness.

B．Big companies should learn from some small companies.

C．Employees should have their own hobbies and lifestyles.

D．Employers should pay more attention to the staff’s needs.

【推荐3】Most online fraud(诈骗) involves identity theft Passwords help. But many can be guessed. Newer phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers often have strengthened security with fingerprint and facial recognition. But these can be imitated. That is why a new approach, behavioural biometrics(行为生物识别) is gaining ground.

It relies on the wealth of measurements made by today’s devices. These include data from sensors that reveal how people hold their phones when using them, how they carry them and even the way they walk. Touchscreens, keyboards and mice can be monitored(监测) to show the distinctive ways in which someone’s fingers and hands move. These features can then be used to determine whether someone attempting to make a deal is likely to be the device’s habitual user.

“Behavioural biometrics make it possible to identify an individual’s unique motion fingerprint”, says John Whaley, head of Unifyid, a firm in Silicon Valley that is involved in the field. When coupled with information about a user’s finger pressure and speed on the touchscreen, as well as a device’s regular places of use—as revealed by its GPS unit—that user’s identity can be pretty well determined.

Used wisely, behavioural biometrics could be a great benefit. In fact, Unifyid and an unnamed car company are even developing a system that unlocks the doors of a vehicle once the pace of the driver, as measured by his phone, is recognized. Used unwisely, however, the system would become yet another electronic spy on people’s privacy, permitting complete strangers to monitor your every action, from the moment you reach for your phone in the morning, to when you throw it on the floor at night.

1. What is behavioural biometrics for?

A．To identify network crime	B．To ensure network security.
C．To track online fraud.	D．To gather online data.

2. How does behavioural biometrics work?

A．By limiting and discovering users’ passwords.

B．By spotting and revealing where a device is regularly used.

C．By offering and analyzing users’ facial features.

D．By monitoring and comparing how users interact with devices.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards behavioural biometrics?

A．Doubtful.

B．Concerned

C．Favorable.

D．Objective.

4. From which section of a magazine can this passage possibly be taken?

A．Science and technology.	B．Health and wealth.
C．Finance and economics	D．Books and arts

【推荐1】I have three kids and a great husband and I’m enjoying a career that I find challenging and fun. This feels like “Success” to the outside world. But there is still a voice in my heart asking if this is who I truly am. Only in silence do I hear the self and wonder who that person might be．

So I booked a trip to find out. I travelled, for the first time, without my husband or kids．I went to Iceland with a friend, who shares an appreciation for wilderness and silence．

For six days, we were immersed in wild, raw scenery and real weather—all kinds of weather. Climbing a mountain against rain and returning to a tent for a simple meal reminds you how little you actually need. And how strong it feels to be uncomfortable sometimes．

I found silence in Iceland，and time to consider the me outside of career and the me outside of kids as I shared stories with strangers．

When I stopped talking and just listened，I became more generous．I 1earned that choosing to be generous can create more space, more food and more warmth．

But I didn’t really gain any better appreciation of what I want from life or my job．I suspect the anxiety that drove me to seek silence in Iceland was losing sight of my ability to choose gratitude and joy，and to be present in the challenges I set in my career and my family．

I came home to noise，rush and love；with no less confusion on who I want to be．I know the answer isn’t waiting out there on the top of a mountain in Iceland. The answer is in front of me with every step on my own 1ife’s path, and in every choice I make．

1. Why did the author take a trip to Iceland?

A．To gain a new experience．

B．To enjoy family happiness．

C．To better understand herself．

D．To appreciate natural beauty．

2. Which word can best describe the author’s trip?

A．Puzzling	B．Thrilling
C．Relaxing	D．Demanding

3. What change happened to the author after the trip?

A．She became more positive	B．She became more energetic
C．She became even lonelier	D．She became more anxious

4. What will the author do in the future?

A．Withdraw back to nature．

B．Embrace reality bravely．

C．Travel to Iceland more often．

D．Pay less attention to her feelings．

【推荐2】Cycling

You need only look at a professional cyclist to appreciate the potential effects of cycling on the body. But what about the mind? It’s a question that has long challenged anyone who has wondered how riding a bike can offer what feels close to a state of emptying your mind.

Dr. John Ratey thinks cycling increases “the chemistry in your brain that makes you feel calm,” but also that carrying out multiple operations while cycling can be an effective treatment, as shown in a German study involving 115 children, half of whom did activities such as cycling that involved complex movements, while the rest performed more straightforward exercises with the same aerobic (有氧的) demands. Both groups did better than they previously had in concentration tests, but the “complex” group did a lot better.

There have been other interesting findings too. In 2003, Dr. Jay Alberts rode a tandem bicycle, a bicycle built for two riders sitting one behind the other, across the American state of Ohio with a friend who has Parkinson’s (帕金森) disease, a condition affecting the nervous system. The idea was to raise awareness of the disease, but to the surprise of both riders, the patient showed significant improvements. Dr. Jay Alberts then scanned the brains of 26 Parkinson’s patients during and after an eight-week exercise programme using bikes. Half the patients were allowed to ride at their own paces, while the others were pushed harder. All patients improved, and the group which was pushed harder showed particularly significant increases in connectivity between areas of intelligence responsible for functions such as walking and picking things up.

We don’t know how this happens, but there is more evidence of the link between Parkinson’s and cycling. A video on the Internet shows a 58-year-old man with severe Parkinson’s. At first, we watch the patient trying to walk. He can barely stand and his hands shake uncontrollably. Then we see the man on a bicycle being supported by others. With a push, he’s off, cycling past cars with perfect balance. Doctors don’t fully understand this discrepancy either, but say that cycling may act as some sort of action that helped the patient’s brain.

The science of cycling is incomplete, but perhaps the most remarkable thing for the everyday rider is that it can require no conscious focus at all. The mindlessness of cycling can not only make us happier, but also leave room for other thoughts. On the seat of my bike, I’ve solved problems at work and made life decisions, as, I’m sure, have countless others.

1. What does the study described in Paragraph 2 suggest?

A．Cycling has a good effect on physical fitness.

B．The tasks involved in cycling can be hard for children.

C．Lack of exercise like cycling causes lack of concentration.

D．Cycling can improve the ability to focus attention on a task.

2. Studies of people with Parkinson’s show that ______.

A．cycling does more good if sufferers put more effort into it

B．cycling on tandem bikes has a better effect on the disease

C．not every person with Parkinson’s will benefit from cycling

D．social awareness is more important for Parkinson’s sufferers

3. What does the underlined part “this discrepancy” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Why Parkinson’s affects some people and not others.

B．Why someone with Parkinson’s can cycle but not walk.

C．How cycling could be included in treatment for Parkinson’s.

D．How a link between cycling and Parkinson’s was discovered.

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

A．The effect of cycling is not yet fully understood.

B．Cycling is believed to be both complex and mindless.

C．Cycling has a significant influence on people’s mind.

D．People may be more intelligent with the help of cycling,

【推荐3】The COVID-19 pandemic has spread far and wide. Because of this, countries around the world have carried out measures to help stop the virus in its tracks. As more people stay inside to stay safe, the outside world seems to have become much quieter. In fact, scientists have seen this change in their research.

Seismologists - scientists who study earthquakes - have heard a lot less seismic（地震的） noise recently.

Seismic noise is made from vibrations (continuous shaking movements) in the ground that are caused by things like ocean waves and human activity, such as construction work and traffic. This noise makes it difficult for scientists to pick up seismic activity that is made at the same frequency.

Thomas Lecocq, a scientist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, located in Brussels, was the first to notice this phenomenon. According to Lecocq, the amount of seismic noise in Brussels has been reduced by about 30 to 50 percent since mid-March. Interestingly enough, this is around the same time Belgium started its measures. Because of this reduction in background noise, scientists like Lecocq have been able to pick up on smaller earthquakes that some seismic stations - like the one in Brussels - wouldn’t have been able to before.

This phenomenon isn’t unique to Brussels, though. Once Lecocq shared his findings online, seismologists from all over the world echoed similar findings. Celeste Labedz, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology, mentioned in a tweet that Los Angeles also experienced less background noise. “The drop is seriously wild,” she wrote.

Researchers from the UK, France and New Zealand also noted a decrease in background noise since measures were put in place.

These global efforts to contain the COVID-19 virus have helped to shed light on seismic activity that may have gone unnoticed. It also shows that people are listening to health officials and following lockdown rules. “From the seismological point of view, we can motivate people to say, ‘You feel like you’re alone at home, but we can tell you that everyone is home. Everyone is respecting the rules,’” Lecocq told CNN.

1. What did seismologists find out recently?

A．Reduced seismic vibration makes the Earth quieter.

B．More smaller earthquakes are more likely to happen.

C．Many seismic activities have been detected recently.

D．Seismic noise is caused by vibrations underground.

2. What can we infer from the text?

A．More seismic noise is being picked up.

B．More data on smaller earthquakes is being collected.

C．Scientists will shift their focus to smaller earthquakes.

D．Future big earthquakes must be more accurately predicted.

3. The underlined word “echoed” in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to “__________”.

A．repeated

B．demanded

C．explored

D．questioned

4. Which of the following statements does Lecocq mostly probably agree?

A．The drop in seismic noise is unique to Europe.

B．Seismic noise is mainly caused by human activity.

C．Many seismologists wanted tighter restrictions for their research.

D．The phenomenon proved that people are practicing social lockdown rules.