【推荐1】These messages are posted to Homestay Web Hosts by guests throughout the world.

Message board for advertisements from guests

Kanae Masuda * (Japan)	I will study Cantonese (粤语) in CUHK from this September. I’m looking for my room during the period before the semester begins (10-14 Sep.)... more
Ogata Misa * (Japan)	Hi, I’m Misa and I’m 23 years old. I’m a college student in New York. I’m moving to Seattle in September and am looking for a host family… more
Minh Phan * (United States)	Hi, my name is Minh Phan and I’m a female international high school student (a rising sophomore). I go to a private school in Mansfield and so I would… more
Islam Nassar * (Egypt)	So here, in Japan, I will tell you more about myself and my inquiry. I am Islam from Egypt, a 24-year-old (male) who is going to start… more
Julie * (China)	I want to find a homestay near Winter Park High School or Hagerty High School for my 14-year-old daughter. We hope the homestay family can provide meals… more
Masayuki Moriyama * (Japan)	Hello. I’m 23 years old. I’m an exchange student and I’m eager to have a better understanding of English culture. So I am glad if you can teach English... more
Megumi Matsule * (Japan)	Nice to meet you. I’m Megumi Matsuie. I have a plan about working on holiday with my friend in Australia for Sep. 2, 2017. If you wouldn’t... more

1. Why do people place those advertisements?

A．To hunt for jobs.	B．To seek host families.
C．To apply to universities.	D．To learn foreign languages.

2. Who might prefer to live in your home if you’re an experienced English teacher?

A．Minh Phan.	B．Islam Nassar.
C．Kanae Masuda.	D．Masayuki Moriyama.

3. Where is the passage likely to appear?

A．In a newspaper.	B．In a show.
C．On a website.	D．In a magazine.

【推荐2】Sitting too much is linked to changes in a section of the brain that is important for memory, according to a recent study by UCLA researchers of middle-aged and older adults.

Studies show that too much sitting, like smoking, increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and premature death. Researchers at UCLA want to see how sedentary behavior (sitting for long periods of time) influences the health of the brain, especially regions of the brain that are important to memory formation.

UCLA researchers gathered 35 people aged 45 to 75 and asked about their physical activity levels and the average number of hours per day they spent sitting over the previous work. Each person had a high-resolution MRI (热分辨磁共振成像)scan, which provides a detailed look at the medial temporal lobe, or MTL, a bruin region involved in the formation of new memories.

The researchers found that sedentary behavior is an important predictor of thinning of the MTL and that physical activity, even at high levels, is mil enough to compensate the harmful effects of silting for long periods.

“This study does not prove that too much sitting causes thinner brain structures, but instead that more hours spent sitting are associated with thinner regions,” researchers said. In addition, the researchers focused on the hours spent sitting, but did not ask participants if they took breaks during this time.

The researchers next hope to follow a group of people for a longer duration to determine if sitting cause the tinning and what role gender (性别), race, and weight might play in bruin health related to silting.

“MTL thinning can be an indication of cognitive (认知的) decline in middle-aged and older adults. Reducing sedentary behavior may be a possible target for measures designed to improve bruin health in people at risk for Alzheimer’s disease,” researchers said.

1. What is the study done by UCLA mainly intended to find out?

A．What harm sitting too much causes.

B．Why silting too much is like smoking.

C．How too much sitting affects brain health.

D．Whether too much sitting causes early death

2. Participants were scanned by a high-resolution MRI to .

A．evaluate their memory loss

B．examine their MTL conditions

C．record their physical activity levels

D．record the length of lime for their sitting

3. What do UCLA researchers think of their study?

A．It in a great success.

B．It is little practical value.

C．It must target the young.

D．It still needs to be improved.

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

A．Long Sitting Is Bad for Your Brain

B．How to Improve Brain Health

C．Sitting Causes Many Health Problem

D．An Easy Way to Prevent Memory Loss

【推荐3】根据短文内容，从短文后的七个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

The Misery of Shyness

Shyness is the cause of much unhappiness for a great many people. All kinds of people describe themselves as shy: short, tall, dull, intelligent, young, old, slim, and overweight.     1    They are excessively concerned about their own appearance and actions. Worrisome thoughts are constantly swirling in their minds: What kind of impression am I making? Do they like me? Do I sound stupid? I'm ugly. I'm wearing unattractive clothes.

    2    A person's self-concept is reflected in the way he or she behaves and the way a person behaves affects other people's reactions. In general, the way people think about themselves has a profound effect on all areas of their lives. For instance, people who have a positive sense of self-worth or high self-esteem usually act with confidence. Because they have self-assurance, they do not need constant praise and encouragement from others to feel good about themselves. Self-confident people are their own best friends. They participate in life enthusiastically and spontaneously.    3    People with high self-esteem are not hurt by criticism; they do not regard criticism as personal rejection. Instead, they view criticism as suggestion for improvement.

In contrast, shy people, having low self-esteem, are likely to be passive and easily influenced by others. They need reassurance that they are doing "the right thing". Shy people are very sensitive to criticism.    4    They also find it difficult to be pleased by compliment because they believe they are unworthy of praise. A shy people may respond to a compliment with a statement like this one: "You're just saying that to make me feel good. I know it's not true".

Can shyness be completely eliminated, or at least reduced? Fortunately, people can overcome shyness with determined and patient effort in building self-confidence.    5    

A．It is clear that, while self-awareness is a healthy quality, overdoing it is detrimental, or harmful.

B．They are not affected by what others think they "should" do.

C．It is obvious that such uncomfortable feelings must affect people adversely.

D．They feel it confirms their inferiority.

E．It is not fair for them to label themselves as inferior because they have difficulty in some areas.

F．Shy people are anxious and self-conscious.

G．Since shyness goes hand in hand with lack of self-esteem, it is important for people to accept their weaknesses as well as their strengths.

【推荐3】Which constellation（星座）are you? For those who believe in stars, 2017 is going to be better in terms of love, and many signs have indicated signs of promise.

Gemini

Ah, you are going to be active in 2017. If you are coming into 2017 with a significant other, guess what? You should not have any any problems. In fact, I think I hear wedding bells in the distance...

Stay away from: Taurus, Pisces, Virgo

Positive signs: Sagittarius, Aries, Aquarius, Libra

Pisces

You will find your Mr. Right this year. Stay open-minded. The tide of love is strong. And for those already with perfect partner, great. This is your year to thoroughly deepen the bond between the two of you. In fact, do not be surprised if a new relationship suddenly seems to be moving faster and you you two take on a new level of seriousness.

Stay away from: Aquarius, Sagittarius, Gemini

Positive signs: Capricorn, Scorpio, Cancer

Taurus

Fortune favors you in 2017. You will find much peace throughout the year, although you will also have to face your fears. Through these trials, the true face of your loved ones will appear. Also, stay strong if you are currently with a partner. The two of you might have a quarrel. But love will find a way if it is truly meant to be.

Stay away from:   Aries, Aquarius. Leo

Positive signs: Scorpio, Capricorn, Virgo, Pisces

Leo

Roar heartily, Leo. 2017 is going to be a blessed year for you. Luck continues to find you in the dating game too, single Leo. However, since Leo is also feeling adventurous, those in relationship are about to meet some tension. It’s decisions that matter a lot.

Stay away from: Scorpio, Taurus, Cancer

Positive signs: Sagittarius, Gemini, Aries

1. Which constellation mentioned in the text will get married in 2017?

A．Taurus.

B．Pisces.

C．Gemini.

D．Leo.

2. What can be inferred about the constellation from the passage?

A．Not all four stars in the text are likely to find true love in 2017.

B．2017 is suitable for Gemini to strengthen exiting relationship.

C．This year for Taurus is tough in terms of money.

D．The character of Leo may lead to trouble in relationship.

3. Where does the passage probably come from?

A．A science report.

B．A magazine.

C．An advertisement.

D．Children’s literature.

【推荐1】John James Audubon was curious about some birds he saw near his Mill Grove home in the early 1800s. He caught a few of them, tied a thin silver string to their legs, and released them. The next year, the birds returned. Audubon realized that his feathered neighbors returned to the same nesting spot each year.

People had tried attaching bands to birds' legs before Audubon's experiment. More than 2,000 years ago, Rome officers sent messages attached to birds to keep their armies informed. Audubon's experiment, however, is the first example of banding used to learn more about the movements of the wild birds in North America.

Today, only trained scientists are permitted to band birds. An organization known as the Bird Banding Laboratory（BBL）supplies official aluminum bands. Each band is stamped with a unique identification number. Researchers collect information about banded bird's species, weight, sex, age, wingspan and general health. That information is shared with the BBL.

Modern technology has taken bird banding to a new level. Today, transmitters（发射器）that come in all kinds of sizes are used. They can be attached to the leg, the neck, the back, or even a bird's feathers.

Researchers can learn many things from a banded bird, such as patterns in nesting, feeding and migration. Banded information also gives researchers a sense of the general health of a group of birds. And information about the general health of birds helps scientists understand the general health of the environment, which is good for humans too.

1. What do we know about John James Audubon?

A．He studied birds.

B．He raised many birds.

C．He sent messages using birds.

D．He was the first to tie a string to wild birds' legs.

2. What does the underlined word "stamped" in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．filled	B．combined
C．charged	D．marked

3. What can we infer from the technology of banding birds?

A．BBL tied the bands to the birds.

B．It has advanced greatly nowadays

C．It once provided more information.

D．Transmitters could be put into the birds' body

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The ways of banding birds.

B．The development of banding birds.

C．The scientific value of banded birds.

D．The influence of banding birds on humans.

【推荐3】At first glance, there is nothing unusual about the BingoBox store—shelves stacked with snacks line the walls, tempting passers-by through the glass windows. But on closer inspection, BingoBox is no ordinary store. The door opens only after customers scan a QR code to enter, and there is no cashier to tally up purchases—just a lone checkout counter in a corner. The Shanghai-based company is one of many unmanned store operators opening outlets all over China, hoping to improve slim profit margins in the retail business by reducing staff costs.

“If capital costs rise quickly, that puts greater pressure on low-margin businesses like convenience stores and supermarkets,” said Andrew Song, an analyst at Guotai Junan Securities. “In China, manpower costs have been rising relatively quickly.”

However, the futuristic vision of shopping without a checkout person is still in progress. A reporter who visited a BingoBox store in Shanghai was briefly locked in when he was trying to exit without making a purchase. Although a sign near the exit stated that empty-handed customers can leave by scanning a QR code, no QR code was to be found. Repeated calls to the customer service hotline went unanswered.

Another unmanned operation in China, Take Go, only allows one customer in the shop at a time because of technology limitations in using multiple cameras for scanning customers’ faces.

The idea of unmanned stores first caught the world’s attention when the largest US online retailer announced its cashier-less store, which is only available to employees for now. Since then, some technology companies in China, including the e-commerce firm Alibaba Group, have launched their own versions of unmanned stores.

Embedded with technology such as RFID tags, mobile payment systems and facial recognition systems, such stores collect valuable data that give operators a better idea of consumers’ preference and buying habits, which can then be used to optimize the operation and make more efficient inventory decisions. For BingoBox, lower operating costs also mean it can afford to expand its reach to areas with less foot traffic, according to Chen Zilin, the founder and CEO of BingoBox.

1. What makes the BingoBox store look like an ordinary convenience store?

A．Shelves stacked with goods.	B．A lone checkout counter.
C．No cashier to check out.	D．Entering by scanning a QR code.

2. Why are unmanned stores popular with operators?

A．The customers prefer mobile payment systems.

B．The unmanned stores help improve profit with lower labor costs.

C．The employees focus on consumers’ preference and buying habits.

D．The operators care more about operations and inventory decisions.

3. How many cases can show that the unmanned stores need improving?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

4. What can we infer according to Chen Zilin?

A．Nowadays all stores should be equipped with advanced technology.

B．The operators collect data about consumers’ preference and buying habits.

C．BingoBox made wiser decisions based on the data collected in unmanned stores.

D．The operators can open unmanned supermarkets in more remote places with low costs.

【推荐1】Tourism probably started in Roman times. Rich Romans visited friends and family who were working in another part of the Roman Empire. But when the empire broke down, this kind of tourism stopped.

In the early 17th century, the idea of the "Grand Tour" was born. Rich young English people sailed across the English Channel（英吉利海峡）. They visited the most beautiful and important European cities of the time, including Paris in France, and Rome and Venice（威尼斯） in Italy. Their tours lasted for two to four years, and the tourists stayed a few weeks or months in each city. The "Grand Tour" was an important part of young people's education—but only for the rich.

In the 18th century, tourism began to change. For example, people in the UK started to visit some towns, such as Bath to "take the waters". They believed that the water there was good for their health. So large and expensive hotels were built in these towns.

In the 19th century, travel became much more popular and faster. When the first railways were built in the 1820s, it was easier for people to travel between towns, so they started to go for holidays by the sea. And some started to have holidays in the countryside as cities became larger, noisier and dirtier. Traveling by sea also became faster and safer when the first steamships were built. People began to travel more to faraway countries. The 20th century saw cars become more and more popular among ordinary people. Planes were made larger, so ticket prices dropped and more people used them.

Thus tourism grew. In 1949, Russian journalist Vladimir Raitz started a company called Horizon Holidays. The company organizes everything—plane tickets, hotel rooms, even food and tourists pay for it all before they leave home. The package tour（跟团游）and modern tourist industry was born.

The first travel agency（旅行社）in China was set up as early as 1949. But tourism did not take off until 1978. In 2002, the industry was worth 500 billion yuan and became an important part of China's social development.

1. Modern tourism was born___________.

A．in Roman times	B．in 1949
C．in the early 17th century	D．in the 19th century

2. __________played the most important role in the tourism development.

A．Transportation	B．Education
C．The first travel agency	D．People' s ideas

3. The underlined phrase "take off" in the last paragraph means____________.

A．a plane rising into the air

B．develop very fast

C．remove hats and clothes

D．bring down the prices

【推荐2】Riding School:

You can start horse-riding at any age. Choose private or group lessons any weekday between 9 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. on Saturdays). There are 10 kilometers of tracks and paths for leisurely rides across farmland and open countryside. You will need a riding hat.

Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m. ~ 8:30p.m.

Phone: (412) 396-6754 Fax: (412) 396-6752

Sailing Club:

Our Young Sailor’s Course leads to the Stage Sailing qualification. You’ll learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid. Have fun with other course members afterwards in the clubroom. There are 10 weekly two-hour lessons (Tuesdays 6p.m. ~ 8p.m.)

Opening Hours: Tuesdays: 6:00p.m. ~ 8:00p.m

Phone: (412)396-6644 Fax: (412) 396-6644

Diving Centre:

Our experienced instructors offer one-month courses in deep-sea diving for beginners. There are two evening lessons a week, in which you learn to breathe underwater and use the equipment safely. You only need a swimming costume and towel. Reduced rates for couples.

Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 6:30p.m. ~ 8:30p.m

Phone: (412)396-6312     Fax: (412) 396-6706

Water sports club:

We use a two-kilometer length of river for speedboat racing, and water-skiing. A beginners’ course consists of ten 20-minute lessons. The club is in a convenient central position and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lessons all through the day.

Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00a.m.~ 4:00p.m

Phone: (412)396-6899 Fax: (412) 396-6890

1. If you want to experience speedboat racing and water-skiing, you should join _______.

A．Sailing Club	B．Riding School
C．Water sports Club	D．Diving Centre

2. If you want to experience a new activity in the countryside in the mornings, you may fax _______.

A．(412) 396-6752	B．(412) 396-6706
C．(412) 396-6648	D．(412) 396- 6876

3. If you are planning to explore the deep-sea diving, you should attend your lessons at _______.

A．24 hours from Monday to Sunday

B．Monday and Friday: 7:00 a.m.~ 10:00 p.m.

C．Tuesdays: 6:00 p.m.~ 8:00 p.m.

D．Monday and Friday: 6:30 p.m. ~ 8:30 p.m.

4. If you want to get the Stage Sailing qualification, you can go to _______.

A．Sailing Club	B．Diving Centre
C．Water sports Club	D．Riding School

【推荐3】Albert was mad about computer games. He could spend hours in front of the computer. When people encouraged him to leave the screen to have a normal life, he would respond “this is my window to the world. There is much more here than you realize.”

Among all his games, he especially liked a rabbit-catching game. He was a real expert at it. He once even won the champion of an online rabbit-catching competition.

One day, as usual, as soon as he got home, he ran to his room to play computer games. But this time he found the computer was not there. Yet in its place there was a box, on which a card said, “Gift for Game Winner.” When he opened the box, he found a real rabbit in it. His parents then came in to tell him that they bought him the rabbit in place of the rabbit game because his computer was sent for repair.

Albert loved the little rabbit immediately. He liked playing with it and even gave it a name. He studied its diet and habits. Days later, he actually began to enjoy the company of the rabbit. And he also enjoyed sharing his stories and his growing knowledge about rabbits with his parents, friends and teachers.

Now, Albert is no longer mad about computer games. He prefers learning and discovering new things about animals. He also uses the computer to do that. When someone asks him why he stops playing computer games, he points to his pet and says. “This is my window to the world. There is more than you realize.”

1. Albert used to be   _______.

A．mad with his parents.

B．interested in rabbit stories.

C．good at catching rabbits.

D．crazy about computer games.

2. Albert was an expert at _______.

A．catching rabbits in the woods.

B．keeping different kinds of pets.

C．online computer game competitions.

D．computer game of rabbit-catching.

3. What did his parents do after Albert computer was sent for repair?

A．They gave him a real rabbit as a gift.

B．They bought him a new rabbit game.

C．They replaced his computer with a box.

D．They told him to stop playing computer games

4. What change does the little rabbit bring to Albert?

A．He starts to like the shop that sold the rabbit.

B．He prefers discovering new things about animals.

C．He likes playing computer games with the rabbit.

D．He is no longer good at playing computer games.