【推荐1】In 2011, the old style Malta buses were taken off the road and replaced by modern vehicles. Most of the old buses were deserted, a few were sold, and about 100 of them were put into storage in the hope of showing them in a museum at some stage.

A pre-2011 visit to Malta wouldn’t have been complete without a ride on one of the colorful buses. Until 1973 you could tell the destination of the bus just by looking at its color — Sliema was green and white, Zabbar was red and white with a blue stripe(条纹)etc. . Later, the buses all had numbers. For a while, they were all painted green and white before the ‘final’ orange, yellow and white.

In their prime, walking around the Triton fountain at the Valletta bus station, you would have found it very difficult to see two buses of exactly the same design. Most of them had locally built bodies. On the front of the buses carried names like Dodge, Leyland, Bedford etc. . You were equally likely to find football pennants(锦旗)and the like decorating the cabs. Real bus experts would have recognized that these were there mainly for decorative reasons, and were seldom an accurate reflection of the vehicle’s origins.

Nowadays much more modern buses are to be found at the Floriana bus station. They are more environmentally friendly and possibly even more comfortable than the older types. However, I miss the old buses. I remember, when you boarded your bus, you had to prepare the correct change to pay the usually bad-tempered driver as you got on. If you were seated anywhere near the front, you would have noticed that most drivers sat well to the right of their steering wheel. The reason for this, as any Maltese would tell you, was to leave space for their pet to sit alongside them. I wonder where the pet sits these days.

1. What makes a pre-2011 visit to Malta special according to Paragraph 2?

A．Traveling in colorful buses.

B．Using buses with stripes.

C．Painting buses bright colors.

D．Telling destinations by different colors.

2. Which of the following best explains “prime” underlined in Paragraph 3?

A．Painful time.	B．Exciting time.
C．Moment of fantasy.	D．Moment of glory.

3. What can we learn about Malta buses when they were popular?

A．They were of the same pattern.

B．The decorations reflected their origin.

C．Most were uniquely designed.

D．Only football pennants decorated the cabs.

4. How would the author feel about the old style Malta buses?

A．Comfortable.	B．Environment-friendly.
C．Safe.	D．Memorable.

【推荐2】If you plant to visit Fiji, you are probably looking for some fun things to do while you're there. Below are 4 unusual places.

The Poseidon Resort (胜地)

The Poseidon Resort is an underwater resort that gives visitors a beautiful scenery of sea life. It covers 255 acres. It’s covered and surrounded by a lagoon (咸水湖) that is 5000 acres and is about 90 feet deep under water, giving you a better view of sea life right before your eyes. This resort even has a hotel for those who would prefer to have the unusual experience of sleeping and waking up to a beautiful view of sea life all around them.

The Sabeto Mud Pool

If you’re looking for something unusual to do, you can’t miss the mud pool at Sabeto. This place is located in a mountain range with a huge group of geothermal (地热的) pools full of nice, warm mud. Getting down and dirty in the mud is believed to have therapeutic (治疗的) benefits. This is an unusual thing to do, but adults and especially kids, will love it.

Fire walking

Fire walking in Fiji is believed to have been originated on the island of Beau. Fire walking is when you walk on white-hot stones barefoot. To be ready to do this, you have to be mentally prepared for it. There is lot of preparation and strict rules that travelers follow in order to do this safely.

The Fiji Museum

The Fiji Museum is unusual due to all the amazing artifacts you’ll see dating back 3000-4000 years. This museum has a certain attraction that really makes it weird (怪异的) — a shoe. It’s been said that a man named Thomas Baker was eaten and the only thing left was his shoe. This unusual museum is a good place for your whole family to visit.

1. Those who visit the Poseidon Resort ______ .

A．will have a good dream there

B．can have a chance to enjoy seafood

C．can get a better view of sea life

D．will get many unusual gifts

2. The mud in the Sabeto Mud Pool ______.

A．is located at the top of a mountain

B．can not be found anywhere else

C．is designed for kids only

D．may do good to people’s health

3. Which of the following needs travelers’ lots of preparation in advance?

A．Trying fire walking.

B．Visiting the Fiji Museum.

C．Visiting the Poseidon Resort.

D．Getting into the Sabeto Mud Pool

【推荐3】Situated on a 66-acre land overlooking Sarasota Bay, the Ringling Museum of Art features 21 galleries of European paintings, Cypriot antiquities(古董), Asian art, American paintings as well as modern and contemporary art. Built in 1927 as the legacy of collector of art John Ringling and his wife Mable, the museum is recognized as the official State Art Museum of Florida. The museum also regularly presents temporary exhibitions from its own collections and traveling collections.

Address: 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL 34243

Regular Hours: Open daily, 10 am to 5:30 pm

Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day

Admission: Adults: $19 Seniors: $16

Children aged 6-17 and active U.S. military $6

All students and Florida teachers: $6

Children under 5: Free

Phone: 941-359-5700

In addition to the museum, there are the following:

Ca d’Zan, a splendid 30-room Venetian Gothic mansion, built between 1924 and 1926 by the Ringlings.

The Ringling Museum of the American Circus, built in 1948, shows visitors the rich history of the circus and offers guests a glance at all types of circus equipment.

The Historic Asolo Theater, an 18th-century European theater built in Asolo, Italy, in 1798, moved to Sarasota in the early 1950s by the museum’s first director, Austin. Jr.

Treviso, a restaurant serves classic Italian and American favorites.

The Banyan Cafe, located near the Circus Museum and Rose Garden, offers family-friendly counter service and a menu including hot dogs, sandwiches, chicken fingers and ice cream.

1. What can we learn about the Ringling Museum of Art?

A．It can be visited all the year round.

B．It focuses on works of art in the old times.

C．It displays many collections from the Ringlings.

D．It offers a discount to all teachers and the military.

2. How much should a Florida teacher and 6-year-old twins pay to visit the museum?

A．16 dollars.	B．18 dollars.
C．25 dollars.	D．31 dollars.

3. Which of the following appeared in Sarasota the earliest?

A．Ca d’Zan.

B．The Banyan Cafe.

C．The Historic Asolo Theater.

D．The Ringling Museum of the American Circus.

【推荐2】Washington D.C.is the capital of the United States. It's the center of the national government. It's a busy，working city with a large population. But what is more，Washington is also a city of history and culture.
Washington was created in 1790，when Congress(国会)decided to place the nation's new capital in the east of the country. It was built halfway between the northern and the southern states of the America. And of course it was named after George Washington，the first President of the United States.
There are many tourist sights in Washington. One of them is the White House. This is the home and office of the President of the United States. Most visitors are，however，surprised by how small the White House actually is.
Washington is also a great culture city. The Library of Congress contains(包括)one of the largest library collections in the world. The Smithsonian Museum holds the nation's largest collection of cultural materials. And John F．Kennedy Center is a famous center of art and culture. It has many great musical and theatre performances throughout the year.
1. The writer mainly talks about________.

A．Washington

B．the history of Washington

C．buildings and sights in Washington

D．the history and culture of Washington

2. From the passage we know that Washington is situated(位于)in________.

A．the east of the USA

B．the center of the USA

C．the east，on the middle point from north to south of the country

D．the east and halfway away from the north

3. The writer introduces Washington in the order(顺序)of ________.

A．general introduction，sights and history

B．general introduction，history，sights and culture

C．population，history and culture

D．history and culture

4. It can be learned from the passage that________.

A．Washington is the largest city in the USA

B．Washington is also the center of economic in the USA

C．Washington is a young city

D．it is situated in the west of the USA

【推荐1】People all want to improve the way they study. Many students say that a lack of concentration is their biggest problem. It seriously affects their ability to study, so do their test results. If so, use these tips to help you.

Study Techniques

You should always study in the same place. You shouldn’t sit in a position that you use for another purpose. For example, when you sit on a sofa to study, your brain will think it is time to relax. Don’t watch TV while you are studying. Experts warn that your concentration may be reduced by 50 percent if you attempt to study in this way. Always try to have a white wall in front of you, so there is nothing to distract (make less concentrated) you. Before sitting down to study, gather together all the equipment you need. Apart from your textbooks, pens, pencils and knives, make sure you have a dictionary. If your study desk or table is needed when you are not studying, store all your equipment in a box beside it.

Your eyes will become tired if you try to read a text which is on a flat surface. Position your book at an angle of 30 degrees.

Be realistic and don’t try to complete too much in one study period. Finish one thing before beginning another. If you need a break, get up and walk around for a few minutes, but try not to telephone a friend or have something to eat.

Test-taking Skills

All your hard work will be for nothing if you are too nervous to take your test. Getting plenty of rest is very important. This means do not study all night before your test! It is a better idea to have a long-term study plan. Try to make a timetable for your study which lasts for a few months.

Exercise is a great way to reduce pressure. Doing some form of exercise every day will also improve your concentration. Eat healthy food too.

When you arrive in the examination room, find your seat and sit down. Breathe slowly and deeply. Check the time on the clock during the test, but not too often. Above all, take no notice of everyone else and give the test paper your undivided attention.

1. What does the underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refer to?

A．Your textbook.

B．Your dictionary.

C．Your study desk or table.

D．The equipment you need.

2. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．You shouldn’t look at everyone else during the test.

B．You will have enough energy to deal with your study and exams by eating healthy diet.

C．A white wall is a must for you to concentrate more.

D．If you feel tired during study, you can walk around for a few minutes.

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．You should study in a different place every day, so you don’t get bored.

B．Check the time during the exam at a certain time.

C．Your concentration will improve if you study and watch TV at the same time.

D．Staying up all night and studying is tiring, but you will learn a lot using this method.

【推荐3】Resilience is the ability to recover from experiences that are scary, painful, or upsetting. For you, it could be getting up after falling, or ignoring a hurtful comment. For another person , it could mean recovering from an accident or the loss of a loved one.

Here in New Zealand, award-winning author Diana Noonan teaches resilience through her fictional characters. "They win out,“ she said during a recent video interview, “by being self-dependent and resilient, and by looking for answers. "

Noonan has written many books, ranging from picture books for children to novels for adults. She has also written for television, radio and film. "Writing is a way of figuring out the answer to a lot of things in your life," she said, “except that you do it through other people."

Noonan believes that as a writer, it's her job to convince readers that things will get better. Quaky Cat, one of Noonan's titles, is more than just a picture book.

After a series of destructive earthquakes struck Christchurch, one of New Zealand's largest cities, in 2010 and 2011, Noonan wrote Quaky Cat. She wanted to bring hope to the city's children, many of whom had developed anxiety following the quakes. A copy was given to each five-year-old in Christchurch. Sales from the book raised over $ 150, 000 for local charities.

“To fight anxiety, you have to really know who you are," Noonan said. "You have to really believe and trust in yourself. There's only one way to do that, and that's to dig deep inside yourself. Reading is a time when you do a lot of thinking about yourself.

During the coronavirus pandemic, being resilient is especially important. A lot of us have spare time on our hands. "It's a good time to get to know ourselves. You need to take action,“ Noonan said. "Being strong in yourself,“ she added, “is knowing yourself. "

1. What does the first paragraph say about resilience?

A．It prevents us taking any possible risks.

B．It is an ability that is easy for people to get.

C．It helps to spread love around the world.

D．It means different things for different people.

2. Why did Diana Noonan write the picture book Quaky Cat?

A．To educate kids on survival skills.	B．To teach kids to be volunteers.
C．To help children in the disaster area.	D．To start a charity organization.

3. How does reading help those anxiety sufferers?

A．By improving their learning abilities.

B．By getting them to believe others.

C．By drawing their attention to writing.

D．By making them know themselves better.

4. What is Diana Noonan trying to do at last?

A．Suggest.

B．Advertise.

C．Apologize.

D．Appreciate.

【推荐1】Artificial intelligence (AI) has grown into a hot spot industry in recent years，and it has witnessed an increasing number of start-up projects and expanding financing. However, the prospering trend in the field may hit a wall in 2019.

According to a white paper regarding the AI industry released last July by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology? China is home to 4,040 AI companies at present. However，70 percent of the firms have failed to receive venture capital (风险投资）.

In this regard，it's fair enough to say that this year might bring about a cold winter for the industry，at least for those selling “fake” AI technologies.

“It’s becoming hard for AI technologies to be applied in the market and 90 percent of the start-ups in this industry may fail if proper fields of application are not found,”said Ai Yu, Managing Director of China Everbright Limited，a Hong Kong-based financial services company.

Experts said that AI will see a larger application in people's work and life this year，and core sectors such as AI chips will become more and more professional, making it difficult for entry into this industry.

Large numbers of AI start-ups have been popping up in China, and some of them are leading the world in facial recognition，autopilot and natural language interaction，said Liu Jiong，chairman of the board of Lanting Capital, a cross-border, medical focused strategic consulting and investment firm.

However, there still are many AI firms that haven't found proper methods to make 、 money，which is an issue that the Chinese AI industry must face in the future.

“Given the current money shortage in the capital market，a large number of companies will be gradually knocked out because of their relatively weak technical strength, ” said Liu Wanqing，venture partner of DayWin Asset Management. According to him, those backed by powerful technologies are expected to embrace sound development.

Insiders noted that more and more companies were calling themselves AI firms with the inflow of large amount of money into the AI industry, but it still couldn’t hide the fact that many of them were knocked off. Blindness and aimless investment would only hold back the healthy development of the industry, and the only way for sustained development is to smash the “bubbles” first.

1. What does the underlined expression “hit the wall” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Come to a stop.	B．Experience difficulties.
C．Grow into a popular industry.	D．Expand financially.

2. Which is the issue that the Chinese AI industry must face in the future?

A．Large numbers of AI companies have been appearing in China.

B．Some companies are leading the world.

C．AI firms haven’t found proper methods to make money.

D．A large number of AI companies will be knocked out.

3. Which companies are likely to have a better future?

A．Companies with powerful technologies.	B．Companies with large investments.
C．Leading AI companies.	D．Sustained developing companies.

4. What’s the best title for this passage?

A．The development of Chinese AI technology

B．China be home to many AI companies

C．Chinese AI companies face a cold winter

D．The future of Chinese AI technologies

【推荐2】Breakdancing is close to becoming an Olympic sport after the organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympics announced on Thursday that they will propose four additional sports, including newcomer breakdancing and the other three sports-surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing-to the Games in 2024.

"Breakdancing is a fantastic opportunity to be really in line with the story that Paris 2024wants to tell. We want those Games in connection with creativity, connected with the youth, more urban, more out of the stadiums. We look forward to working with breakdancing to propose a new experience." Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet told Xinhua.

Breakdancing is a sport which can be played anytime and anywhere in urban and other environments. It has no previous appearance at the Summer Olympic Games, but was included at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018.

"Right from the beginning, our aim was to offer Games that would have an impact and the element of surprise. This is why we have chosen to present the IOC (International Olympic Committee) with   four sports that are as creative, appealing to the youth and in line with our vision.

We are certain that breakdancing, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing will contribute to strengthen our project," Estanguet added.

The organizers seek to deliver three key principles in hosting the Games: sustainable and socially-responsible Games in accordance with the 10C's New Norm (规则), Games in keeping with the times and inspire new audiences and attract young people, and Games reflecting the identity of Paris 2024, which is spectacular, culturally relevant, engaging, accessible and inclusive.

Under the new IOC rules, Olympic host cities can select sports and propose them for inclusion in those Games if they are popular in that country and add to the Games appeal. The inclusion still needs to be pubberstamped by the IOC which is expected to make the final decision after the 2020Tokyo Olympics

1. What is mentioned about the 2024 Olympic Games in the first paragraph?

A．They will be much more organized under new IOC rules.

B．New sports events will be included.

C．They will attract more younger audiences than ever.

D．They will spread the local culture worldwide.

2. What can we learn about breakdancing?

A．It appeals to people of all ages.

B．It is the symbol of Paris.

C．It can be played either indoors or outdoors.

D．It is accepted as an Olympic sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

3. Why do the Paris organizers propose inclusion of the four sports?

A．Because they well represent the youth of the country.

B．Because they will make Paris more artistic and urban

C．Because they will tell the story of the city

D．Because they will help attract young people.

4. What is the closest in meaning to the underlined word in the last paragraph?

A．Approved.	B．Canceled
C．Submitted.	D．Designed.

【推荐3】To be a good teacher, you need some of the gifts of a good actor; you must be able to hold the attention and interest of your audience; you must be a clear speaker, with a good, strong, pleasant voice which is fully under your control; and you must be able to act what you are teaching, in order to make its meaning clear.

Watch a good teacher, and you will see that he doesn’t sit still before his class; he stands the whole time he is teaching; he walks about, using his arms, hands and fingers to help him in his explanations, and his face to express feelings.

There are very important differences between the teacher’s work and the actor’s. The actor has to speak words which he has learnt by heart; he has to repeat exactly the same words each time he plays a certain part, even his movements and the ways in which he uses his voice are usually fixed beforehand(预先).What he has to do is to make all these carefully learnt words and actions seem natural on the stage. A good teacher works in quite a different way. His audience take an active part in his play: they ask and answer questions, they obey orders, and if they don’t understand anything, they say so. The teacher can’t learn his part by heart, but must invent it as he goes along.

I have known many teachers who are fine actors in class but are unable to take part in a stage-play because they can’t keep strictly to what another has written.

1. From the passage, we know______.

A．a good teacher should be a good actor.

B．a good teacher may be unable to act well on the stage.

C．a good actor should be a good teacher.

D．a good actor may act well in class.

2. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．A good teacher should speak clearly.

B．A good teacher should sit still before his class and speak with his body language.

C．A good actor should speak as others have asked him to do.

D．A good actor should repeat exactly the same words each time he plays a certain part.

3. The skills of a good teacher are ______ .

A．draw his students’ attention.

B．change his voice when needed.

C．act out what he is teaching.

D．all the above.

4. The title (标题)of the passage is ______.

A．How to be a good teacher.

B．How to be a good actor.

C．A good teacher’s knowledge.

D．A good actor’s behavior.