【推荐1】During last Christmas holiday , my wife , our three boys and I were in France on our way from Paris to Nice . For five unpleasant days everything had gone wrong . Our hotels were tourist traps , our rented car broke down and we were all annoyed and exhausted in the crowded car . On Christmas Eve , when we checked into a dark and dirty hotel in Nice , there was no Christmas spirit in our hearts .

It was raining and cold when we went out to eat . We found a small restaurant roughly decorated for the holidays . In the corner , a piano player listlessly played Christmas music . I was too stubborn and too tired and miserable to leave .

I looked around and noticed that the other customers were eating in stony silence . The only person who seemed happy was the American sailor . While eating he was writing a letter , and a half-smile covered his face .

My wife ordered our meal in French . The waiter brought us the wrong thing , so I scolded my wife for being stupid . She began to cry . The boys defended her , and I felt even worse .

All of us were interrupted by an unpleasant blast of cold air . Through the front door came an old French flower woman , dressed in shabby clothes .

The young sailor finished his meal , got up and walked over to the flower woman . “ Happy Christmas ! ” he said , smiling , and picking out two corsages（胸花）, and handed the woman a 20-franc note .

“ Only two francs , sir . ” she said .

Pressing one of the small corsages flat , he put it into an envelope he was to send . “ Ma’am , just keep the change . ” he said , leaning over and kissing the ancient cheek , “ This is my Christmas present to you . ” Straightening up , he came to our table holding the other corsage in front of him . “ Sir , ” he said to me , “ may I have permission to present this flower to your beautiful wife ? ” In one quick motion , he gave my wife the corsage , wished us a Merry Christmas , and left .

My wife waved her corsage in time to the music with a delighted smile .

Thanks to the sailor , it was he who released the love and joy that had been replaced within us by anger and disappointment . He gave us Christmas .

1. What was the atmosphere when the family came into the restaurant ?

A．Lifeless and dull .	B．Mildly cheerful .
C．Lively but peaceful .	D．Disturbing and chaotic .

2. Why was the wife scolded by her husband ?

A．Because she ordered the food her boys didn’t want to eat .

B．Because her children were always standing on her side .

C．Because her husband was in no mood to eat .

D．Because her husband thought she was to blame .

3. What did the sailor do with the corsage before he gave the other to the wife ?

A．He gave it to the flower woman as a present .

B．He wrapped it up with the letter he had finished .

C．He flattened it and pinned it on the flower woman’s coat .

D．He put it in an envelope containing the letter he had written .

4. What can we learn from the story ?

A．Spreading goodwill is the real spirit of Christmas .

B．Christmas doesn’t come from a store but from a home .

C．The Christmas spirit lies in preparing gifts for people around .

D．Christmas is a time for family reunion and celebrated worldwide .

【推荐2】When Lina was awoken by the sound of thunder, she was alone on the island. The air was cool and bullfrogs croaked. It was that brief moment when the summer sun had set but the stars hadn't yet appeared. Lina rubbed her eyes and looked around. "Hello?" she called. "Celia? Marie?" There was no response.

The moon was rising now, shedding light on the island. They had always called it "Forgotten Island" because no one but they seemed to remember its existence. It wasn't on any of the maps they could find, and even the forest rangers didn't know about it. Lina loved that the island, hidden in a heavily-wooded side stream of the l river, was a secret between the three friends—her, Celia, and Marie. But now Lina was here alone, and it was night. Worse still, it was her own fault.

"Come on, Lina, let Marie row the born." Celia had said. Marie was two years older than Lina, but she was a hopeless rower. That's why Linn refused and rowed the boat to the island.

The argument that followed the refusal took the usual form. Celia took Marie's side, as she always did. Lina exploded and yelled at them to just leave. So they got back in the boat and left.

A bolt of lightning crossed the darkened sky, accompanied by a deafening thunder clap. The storm was here. As the first cold raindrop slid down her neck, Lina's mind returned to her current problem. She was stuck here by herself. She just hoped she didn't become as forgotten as the island. The thought of it sent a chill down her back.

Suddenly, Lina spotted something in the water. It was a boat, and inside it were Marie, Celia, and Marie's dad, who was steering through the fast flowing waters. As the boat approached, they saw Lina waving and the worried expressions on their faces turned to relief

In her excitement Lina jumped into the river. Only once she was in the icy water did she remember how fast the water was moving. Luckily a strong arm reached into the water and pulled her out. She smiled weakly at Marie's dad and, without a word, hugged Celia and Marie. They didn't seem to mind becoming wet.

1. What do we know about the island?

A．It is very near the ocean.

B．It is a popular place for boating.

C．It is surrounded by thick forest.

D．It has never been reached by others.

2. Why did Lina get angry?

A．Lina was left alone on the island.

B．Marie would not help row the boat.

C．Marie didn't know how to row the boat.

D．Celia supported Marie in the disagreement.

3. What caused Lina to feel scared?

A．Her shame about the unnecessary argument,

B．The first raindrop of the approaching storm.

C．The idea that no one would come to save her.

D．The drop in temperature as the sun went down.

4. Which is true statement according to the passage?

A．Lina didn't want to forget the island.

B．When Lina saw the boat, she fell relieved.

C．Marie rescued Lina when she fell into the water.

D．Marie was poor in rowing.

5. What can we infer about the three girls?

A．All of them could swim well.

B．They had an adventurous spirit.

C．They lived far away from the island.

D．They quarreled with one another badly.

【推荐3】“You’re fired!” Andrew wasn’t joking. At that moment, the high school junior wanted his personal care attendant, Christy, out of his life forever. “You’re fired!” He said it again for extra emphasis Christy didn’t draw back, for she needed this job. Hurricane Katrina had damaged her savings along with her house. But the retired PE teacher wasn’t discouraged. She was a tough nut.

When eight-year-old Andrew was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome (阿斯伯格综合征), people told his mom, Cindy, to get him on the list for an attendant to provide after-school care. However, in New Orleans, the wait can be years. Cindy chose a program through Volunteers of America. Even so, it was eight years before they were matched with Christy. Meanwhile, Andrew’s family did their best to shelter him from life’s hardships.

There was a lot to worry about. Could Andrew graduate from high school? Would he ever have a job? Could he live independently? “Andrew wouldn’t take a step without his mother’s permission,” Christy says. “So letting him suffer setbacks (挫折) is the only way he can learn to do things on his own.”

Soon, Cindy would no longer write Andrew’s papers for him. Christy wouldn’t be helping him with homework either. He complained, loudly at times. But then things began to change. Andrew would start on his homework after school. Christy showed him how to get organized. And she coached him on how to deal with disappointment. Once his work was done, Christy offered freedom. She’d take him to the bookstore, the movies, or out to eat his favourite food.

One step at a time, Andrew gained independence. He graduated from high school and entered community college. And he stopped trying to fire Christy. Last spring, Andrew moved into his own apartment, above the family’s garage. He’s working toward an associate’s degree in video game design.

He’s studying to get his learner’s permit to drive. At 25, he says life has never been better. There is no doubt that Andrew and Christy have done it together.

1. What can we learn about Andrew from Paragraph 2?

A．He signed up for a volunteer.

B．Cindy brought him into focus

C．It was tough to find him an attendant.

D．Few cared about his health conditions.

2. What made Andrew completely change?

A．Mother love.

B．Independent life.

C．Scientific guidance.

D．Failure experience.

3. What conclusion can we draw from the text?

A．Andrew couldn’t live a normal life without Christy.

B．Andrew has decided to live away from his family.

C．Andrew is planning to hire Christy for some years.

D．Andrew hopes that life will become better in future.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．How an attendant changed Andrew’s life.

B．What Asperger’s syndrome means to a family.

C．How a young man developed his independence.

D．How a mother contributed to children’s development.

【推荐1】At just 40 years old, hip-hop star Kasseem Dean, more popularly known as Swizz Beatz, has amassed (积累) a track record, lifestyle and nearly $ 70 million net worth that would inspire most of us to retire early. So why does Dean continue to both work extremely hard and try projects that come with the risk of rejection (拒绝)?

During our interview for Uncommon Drive, a video series for USA & Main that seeks to find out the motivations and magic of world-class business people, Dean provided a memorable answer: “You only have so much time — once it’s gone you don’t get it back. Don’t focus on money; focus on building something greater than yourself. If you’re not making history, you’re wasting your time on Earth.”

When you look at his answer, you will learn two important lessons. The first is in “making history”. Doing so requires awareness. You must fully understand what has and has not been achieved in the market you’ve entered. Dean makes every effort with the goal of creating something important that has not been done before and will be remembered for its impact beyond his years.

The second part of his statement is just as powerful. In this interview, he never once said he is “trying” to make history. Instead, he has told himself that no matter what difficulty there is, it’s just going to happen. “I’m going to make history.” Dean said.

After talking to Dean for nearly 45 minutes, it was clear to me that he has removed all ego from a statement that might otherwise be misread as false pride. I believe it’s a brilliant wisdom — rather than focus on all the reasons why a project can’t be realized, he has convinced himself of the possibility.

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．To list an example.	B．To offer an explanation.
C．To lead to the main topic.	D．To make a summary.

2. What motivates Dean to continue to work hard?

A．His desire to be famous.	B．His wish to be wealthy.
C．His life goal to leave his mark on history.	D．His adventurous spirit and imagination.

3. Which of the following is false according to Dean’s answer in the interview?

A．We should be acquainted with the situation of the market we’re in.

B．He aims to create something important and new in history.

C．He believes that we should take the greatest advantage of time.

D．Regardless of difficulties, he is trying to make history.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards Dean after the interview?

A．Objective.

B．Favorable.

C．Critical.

D．Reserved.

【推荐2】When drama teacher Chelsie King asked students in her school to come up with a way for her husband to go around the block in his wheelchair with their newborn, they were up for the challenge.

Chelsie’s husband, Jeremy, underwent brain surgery three years ago, and since then it has been difficult for him to keep his balance. “He wanted to be able to safely hold his baby, but there’s just really not a ton of resources out there for disabled parents,” Chelsie said. She works at the Bullis School in Germantown, Maryland, and asked her colleague Matt Zigler, who teaches the “Making for Social Good” class, for assistance.

In this course, students learn and design products to help people. The 10 high school students were excited to come up with something that could attach to the wheelchair Jeremy uses. They spoke with the Kings about their needs, conducted research on infant（供婴儿使用白的）car seats and how they are installed, and then drafted 3D models of their designs. “I really feel the students took all my concerns to heart when creating the prototypes（原型）,” Jeremy said. Two projects were selected for the students to make—one that connected an infant car seat to Jeremy’s wheelchair and another that attaches an entire stroller（折叠婴儿车）to the wheelchair.

When they were done making the attachments, the students put the instructions online to help even more people. A few weeks later, the Kings went out with the car seat attachment, and found it worked perfectly. The students were excited to learn that their creation was a hit. “I feel fortunate to have been able to take a class that has allowed me to truly make a difference in someone’s life, ” said Zlotnitsky.

1. What happened to King’s husband Jeremy?

A．He had a brain operation.

B．He could safely hold his baby easily.

C．He got a job at school in Germantown.

D．He had to make his wheelchair himself.

2. Why did high school students speak with the Kings?

A．To print 3D models of their designs.

B．To help the Kings fix baby car seats.

C．To connect something to Jeremy’s wheelchair.

D．To know about the Kings’ practical requirements.

3. What can we know about the students from the last paragraph?

A．Their design was a great success.

B．They discussed and designed two projects.

C．They were crazy about wheelchair models.

D．They taught more people to make car seats online.

4. What’s Zlotnitsky’s attitude towards taking “Making for Social Good” class?

A．Positive.	B．Doubtful.
C．Objective.	D．Negative.

【推荐1】When 24-year-old Hannah Brencher moved to New York after college, she was hit by depression and loneliness. One day she felt so lonely that she wanted to reach out to someone. So she put pen to paper and started writing letters—letters to complete strangers.
But these weren’t sad letters about how she was feeling. They were happy letters, all about the other person, not her. She would write messages for people to have a “bright day” and tell strangers how outstanding they were, even if they thought no one else had noticed. Brencher began dropping the notes all over New York, in cafes, in library books, in parks and on the subway. It made her feel better, knowing that she might be making somebody’s day through just a few short, sweet words. It gave her something to focus on. And so, the website The World Needs More Love Letters was born.
The World Needs More Love Letters is all about writing letters—not emails, but proper, handwritten letters. Not traditional love letters, written to a real beloved, but surprise letters for strangers. They don’t necessarily say “I love you”, but they are full of kindness—telling people they are remarkable and special and all-around amazing.
Brencher’s initiative (初衷) has now exploded. She has personally written hundreds of letters. Last year, she did a TED talk, in which she talks about a woman whose husband, a soldier, comes back home from Afghanistan and they struggle to reconnect: “So she leaves love letters all over the house as a way to say: ‘Come back to me. Find me when you can.’” And then comes another story of a man threatening to kill himself on his Facebook page, only to now be in the land of the living, with many love letters under his pillow.
The World Needs More Love Letters Project works on the idea that _____________________”. It’s about sharing positive energy, restoring confidence and happiness. There are now more than 10,000 people from all over the world joining in to write letters to the lonely and depressed, to basically tell them that everything will be okay.
1. When feeling lonely, Brencher wrote letters to _________________.

A．share her sad feelings with strangers

B．tell strangers how outstanding she was

C．express her wish to have a bright day

D．brighten strangers’ day with kind words

2. According to the passage, which of the following letters can be found on the website?

A．The email to remarkable people.

B．The handwritten letters to friends.

C．The traditional love letters to beloved ones.

D．The encouraging letters to strangers.

3. What can be inferred from Brencher’s TED talk?

A．The man leaves love letters to his wife, asking her to look for him.

B．The woman gets on well with her husband after his return from Afghanistan.

C．The life of the man in the second story has been saved by the inspiring love letters.

D．The man in the second story has written many love letters and put them under his pillow.

4. In the last paragraph, the underlined sentence means____________.

A．love letters can help cheer you up in spirits

B．love letters can keep you physically healthy

C．love letters can make the doctors out of work

D．love letters can keep you away from loneliness only

【推荐2】If you live in a desert, maintaining a supply of fresh water is a challenge. One answer is desalination, but that needs a source from which to get the salt away—which in turn requires that your desert be near the sea. The other is related to moisture. Even in inland deserts, though, moisture is often present in the air as water vapour (水蒸气).

The problem is how to get this vapour effectively and cheaply from the desert air. And that is what two groups of researchers have managed to do.

The ease with which water can be won from air depends on that air’s relative humidity. This is a measure of its current vapour content as a percentage of its maximum possible vapour content at its current temperature. A relative humidity of 100% means the air in question is holding as much water vapour as it possibly can. A good way to get air to give up some of its moisture is therefore to cool it to the point where its relative humidity is more than 100%. Sometimes this happens naturally at night, causing mist and dew to form. These can be collected in special traps in areas where liquid water is otherwise rarer. But, if night cooling does not bring air all the way up to 100% relative humidity, building water traps out of special materials might give nature a helping hand.

Adsorption (吸附) is a process which pulls water molecules from air that has less than 100% relative humidity by attaching them to the surface of a solid material. The molecules are held there by electrostatic (静电的) connections called Van der Waals forces that link them with the molecules of the related surface. To collect a lot of water this way therefore requires a material that has two features. One is a large surface area. The other is an appropriate Van der Waals response. Experimental traps that employ this principle have been made using substances called metal-organic frameworks. These are porous (多孔的) molecular networks through which air can circulate. Their porosity gives them a huge surface area. And by picking the right ingredients, such as zirconium, they can be given the necessary Van der Waals features. Zirconium is, however, costly. Moreover, once absorbed, the water must then be released. This means warming the absorptive material—the warmth being provided by the sun, once it has risen. Here, metal-organic frameworks present a problem. They tend to reflect sunlight rather than absorb it, and so don’t heat up well. To overcome this, engineers build a solid device made of copper into the system. This works, but adding such devices makes an already costly technology even dearer.

1. What is the meaning of the underlined word in Paragraph 1?

A．The irrigation of sea water.	B．The import of sea water.
C．The removal of salt in sea water.	D．The purification of sea water.

2. Which factor can mainly affect people to get water from the air easily?

A．Air quality.	B．Relative humidity.
C．Current vapour content.	D．Current temperature.

3. What can we learn from the article?

A．Water drops are the major existence of moisture in the air.

B．Getting vapour in the air naturally usually happens when the relative humidity is below 100%.

C．The more holes a certain material has, the huger surface area it has.

D．Zirconium is chosen because it’s cheap.

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

A．Maintaining-fresh water in the desert.

B．Introducing a way to get water in the air of the desert.

C．Promoting an experimental trap to get water in the air.

D．Offering a way to increase adsorption in the air.

【推荐3】Scientists in Colombia have trained a team of rats to help remove land mines from the countryside. Land mines are small bombs hidden in the ground and designed to explode(爆炸) when someone steps on them. When trained, the rats can smell special metals in the mines and then signal(发信号) to their human team. Then why use rats for such an important job?
In the past, dogs have been used to find bombs. Rats have a good sense of smell and can respond to orders, just like dogs do. But rats are much lighter than dogs. They stand less of a chance of setting off the mines, which explode under a certain amount of weight. What’s more, the best rats are cheaper to keep than dogs. It costs about the same amount of money to take care of one dog as it does 70 rats.
The rats have already been used in Tanzania, an African country with many land mines. Luisa Fernanda Méndez and her team in Colombia are training the even lighter Wistar rats. These are the white rats with red eyes that scientists often use in laboratory experiments. “They even train their babies to perform their jobs, which saves us a lot of time, ” Méndez said.
Colombia has the second-highest rate(比率) of deaths from land mine accidents in the world. Last year, land mines killed 695 people — 56 of whom were children. A criminal group called the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, as well as other organizations, have placed the mines. FARC are strongly against Colombia’s government. The group has placed mines all around its own bases and in many places in the countryside.
In the past, the Colombian government hired peasants and poor farmers to find mines. Many of them died trying to find the well-hidden bombs.
Colombian police official Erick Guzmán hopes the team of rats can come to the rescue(援救). “These rats will be a great help,” he said.
1. How do rats help to find land mines?

A．By their special sight.	B．By their light weight.
C．By their sense of smell.	D．By their excellent hearing.

2. The advantage of rats over dogs in finding bombs is that _____.

A．they are cleverer.

B．they run faster.

C．they have a better sense of smell.

D．they don’t make mines explode as easily.

3. The underlined word “They” may refer to ______.

A．scientists.	B．Wistar rats.
C．dogs.	D．Méndez and her team.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Specially-trained rats help clear land mines.

B．People in Tanzania are suffering from land mines.

C．Dogs are no longer used to find land mines.

D．Land mines have become a great danger to Colombians.