【推荐2】BEIJING—Family planning officers will handle the illegal birth case of film director Zhang Yimou by following legal procedures, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, December 10, 2013.
When asked to comment on Zhang’s case at a press conference, Yao Hongwen, spokesman for the National Health and Family Planning Commission(NHFPC), said “Every citizen is equal before the law and nobody is allowed to have privileges(特权) to give birth to more children than allowed.”
Yao’s comment came after media stories claimed that Zhang had remarried and fathered a total of seven children: one with his former wife, three with his present wife, Chen Ting, and another three from two lovers.
“The NHFPC’s attitude towards citizens’ birth violations(违法) is consistent and clear. Every Chinese citizen should obey and safeguard the seriousness of laws and regulations.” NHFPC spokesman Yao Hongwen said.
China’s family planning policy, introduced in the late 1970s to slow down the country’s growing population, limits most urban couples to one child and most rural couples to two. The policy was recently relaxed, allowing couples to have two children if one of them is an only child.
Those who break the policy face severe fines. The amount of the fine is generally several times the yearly annual income of the two spouses(配偶). Some media calculations put the fine that Zhang may face at as much as 160 million yuan(over $26 million).
Zhang’s birth case has caused criticism online about famous people who have more children than the policy allows.
In an open letter on December 1, Zhang admitted that the couple has two sons and daughter and they are willing to accept investigation and punishment according to China’s laws and regulations. He apologized to the public.
However, the letter denied that Zhang had lovers and was father to as many as seven children from various mothers.
Zhang, one of the “fifth generation” of Chinese filmmakers, made his first directorial work in 1987 with “Red Sorghum” and has won a number of award worldwide. He was chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games.
1. The purpose of the news report is to ______________

A．inform us that Zhang’s illegal birth case will be dealt with by the government

B．claim that Zhang Yimou remarried and fathered a total of seven children

C．convince us that Zhang is a famous director and his case will be pardoned

D．confirm that Zhang’s illegal birth case has resulted in lots of criticism online

2. According to Yao Hongwen, which of the following statements is true?

A．Zhang will be fined as much as 160 million yuan for his violations.

B．Few people have the privileges to give birth to more children than allowed.

C．China’s family planning policy has never been relaxed since introduced.

D．Every Chinese citizen should obey and safeguard laws and regulations.

3. Judging from the recent relaxed policy, a couple_______________

A．can give birth to two children if one of them is an only child

B．will definitely be fined if they have two children nowadays

C．can have as many as three children if they live in a rural area

D．can only give birth to two children if they live in an urban area

【推荐3】French children are saying “Hello” to the new academic year and “Bye” to their cell phones during school hours. That’s because a new law has come into effect which bans phone use by students up to the age of 15. The rule, which follows a campaign promise by French President Emmanuel Macron, also bans tablets and smart watches.

The ban ıs also in place at break times with exceptions in cases of emergency and for disabled children, the French Education Ministry said in a statement. In emergencies, students can ask their teachers for permission to use their phones. Meanwhile, high schools can voluntarily carry out the measure.

Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said the new rules aim to help children focus on lessons, better socialize and reduce social media use. The ban is also designed to fight online bullying and prevent thefts and violence in school. Blanquer has claimed the rule would improve discipline among France’s 12 million school students, nearly 90% of whom have mobile phones. “Being open to technologies of the future doesn’t mean we have to accept all their uses,” Blanquer said in June as the bill was going through in Parliament.

As for carrying out the ban, it’s up to individual school administrations to decide how to put through the ban. School principals can decide to store students’ phones in lockers or allow them to keep them, switched off, in their backpacks. The law allows teachers to take away the phones until the end of the day in case of someone disobeying the bans.

Jacqueline Kay-Cessou, whose 14-year-old son, David, is entering eighth grade at the Camille See International School, told the reporter she was happy to hear of the ban. “It’s fantastic news. It’s something I’ve wanted for years,” Kay-Cessou said. “I think phones are socially harmful. Kids can’t think and sit still anymore and it’s highly addictive.”

1. What is the new rule for ordinary French students in the new term?

A．They are not allowed to use their watches.

B．They should follow President Macron.

C．They should say “Hello” to school teachers.

D．They can’t use their cell-phones at school.

2. What is the opinion of Jean-Michel Blanquer?

A．Cell phones are the only reason for school violence.

B．The society should be strict with all the school students.

C．New technology should be properly used at school.

D．None of the young students should have mobile phones.

3. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?

A．To show the parental response to the ban.

B．To provide a conclusion for the text.

C．To offer an example for the new law.

D．To make a list of cell phone’s harms.

【推荐1】Brothers Ayaan and Mickey Naqvi, who live in Shelton, Connecticut, were decorating their family Christmas tree last year when one of their favorite ornaments（装饰品）was destroyed. While the ornament was beyond repair, from its broken pieces sprang a bright idea: What if there was a better way to hang ornaments so they’d be truly secure? From that, the Ornament Anchor（装饰锚）was born.

Using a special system, Ayaan created the model and presented it for a school project. The reception（反响）was overwhelmingly favorable-so favorable in fact, the boys quickly turned their invention into a potential money-making product.

This wasn’t the boys’ first commercial invention: A previous invention landed the pair and their family on a TV programme Shark Tank. While they didn’t cut a deal, it was a true learning experience.

From $1,000 in sales in six hours at a local Christmas trade show, the Ornament Anchor went on to be displayed on Good Morning America. In one year, the brothers’ invention has brought in more than $250,000.

After their success, Ayaan and Mickey are determined to pay their good fortune forward by contributing 10% of their profits to local animal shelters. “Ever since I was super young, I’ve had a fascination with all of life’s creatures,” Ayaan explained. “My goal is to help as many animals in need as I can.”

The boys admit that starting a new business in 2020 had its challenges. While they are enjoying their success, adjusting to distance learning due to the coronavirus lockdown isn’t easy.

Through the difficult times, they say they’ve just tried to take things one step at a time and keep a positive attitude because that-along with the love and support of their family-are what keeps them anchored（稳定）.

1. What does paragraph 1 mainly talk about?

A．The family Christmas tree.

B．The ways of hanging ornaments.

C．The brothers’ favourite ornaments.

D．The inspiration for the Ornament Anchor.

2. What benefits did the brothers get from the Anchor?

A．They made a lot of money.

B．They were on Shark Tank.

C．They traded with Good Morning America.

D．They were praised for holding a trade show.

3. What will the brothers do after their success?

A．Give up distant learning.	B．Expand their business quickly.
C．Donate money to animal shelters.	D．Support their family independently.

4. Which of the following can best describe the brothers?

A．Patient and reliable.	B．Creative and caring.
C．Optimistic and anxious.	D．Committed and humorous.

【推荐2】The words “protect animals” appear everywhere in books and on screens since some animals are in danger of dying out. But sometimes the reality can be a little different from what people read or watch.

About 300 black bears were killed in Florida, the US, in October, 2015. It’s been the first bear hunt since 1994.

Animal protection groups were against this decision. But local officials explained that the black bear population had grown to 3,500 and become a menace to local people. In the past two years, bears have hurt at least four people in Florida.

This brings an old question back into the spotlight — which is more important, protecting animals or protecting people’s interests(利益)?

This question is asked in other countries too. In Switzerland, a wolf was sentenced to death by the Swiss government months ago. This is because the wolf killed 38 sheep and local people lost a lot of money. Days ago in China, three old men were arrested for killing a serow (鬣羚), a protected species. But they insisted they didn’t know about this and killed the animal because it ruined their crops.

However, these stories don’t always mean that animal protection stops due to human interests, especially involving economic development. A man named Zhou Weisen set up a wild animal base in Guilin, Guangxi. He saved over 170 tigers and 300 bears. But his base also offered jobs to local people.

“There may never be a standard answer to the question of whether we should give more attention to the environment or human development,” said Robert May, a British biologist at Oxford University. “But we shouldn’t push either one to the side, as the future is hanging in the balance.”

1. In October 2015, Florida held its first bear hunt after about________.

A．five years	B．ten years
C．fourteen years	D．twenty-one years

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

A．Danger.	B．Chance.
C．Relief.	D．Treasure.

3. What does the author aim to tell us by mentioning Zhou Weisen’s story?

A．Protecting animals needs hard work.

B．Zhou was good at feeding wild animals.

C．Zhou had a good relationship with local people.

D．Protecting animals can bring economic development.

4. Which of the following statements might Robert May agree with?

A．Human development should be considered first.

B．We should pay more attention to animal protection.

C．We should consider both the environment and human interests.

D．It’s difficult to find proper ways to solve environmental problems.

5. Why was the wolf in Switzerland sentenced to death?

A．Because the wolf killed 38 sheep

B．Because local people lost a lot of money

C．Because the wolf are dangerous

D．Both A&B

【推荐1】At the age of 86, agriculture teacher Gerald Bonds has seen plenty of crises during his career. He sees no reason to leave the profession over the coronavirus crisis. Bonds is in his 58th year of teaching at Farmington High School in Farmington, New Mexico. Like most teachers in his state, he has been instructing his students from home, which he truly dislikes.

“I hate it. I want to see the students face to face and talk to them,” Bonds told reporters with The Associated Press. Some teachers have retired early or taken leave because of the difficulties of distance learning and the health risks of in-person teaching. But many longtime instructors like Bonds are choosing to stay.

The states of New Mexico and Maine have the oldest teachers in the country, with one in four older than 55. That information comes from a 2018 study of teachers and school leaders by the National Center for Education Statistics. Almost six percent of New Mexico’s educators are 65 or older, notes the New Mexico Public Education Department.

With few exceptions, New Mexico’s schools have been providing only distance learning. So far, this has saved many teachers from dealing with the health risks of being in classrooms with students. Ryan Stewart is the New Mexico Education Secretary. He told the AP that his state is making health and safety number one. Teachers whose health is at a high risk can ask for low-contact or no-contact teaching work, he said. For some parts of the state, this will cause a shortage of teachers and make it harder to return to in-person learning, he noted.

1. Which words can best describe Gerald Bonds?

A．Dutiful and devoted.	B．Diligent and talented.
C．Adaptable and learned.	D．Capable and dynamic.

2. Why have some teachers quitted teaching over the coronavirus crisis?

A．Because they have no passion to teach.

B．Because they have been past retirement age.

C．Because they’re afraid of the high risk of infection.

D．Because they failed in conducting distance teaching.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Distance learning results in the lack of teachers.

B．Distance learning has saved many infected teachers.

C．Returning to in-person learning has been raised in the agenda.

D．New Mexico attaches great significance to teachers’ health and safety.

4. Which column may this passage be taken from?

A．Lifestyle.

B．Culture.

C．Health.

D．Education.

【推荐2】One of the most important things in the world is friendship. In order to have friends, you have to be a friend. But how can you be a good friend at school?

Listen - Listen when they are talking. Don’t say anything unless they ask you a question. Sometimes it’s not necessary for you to have anything to say; they just need someone to talk to about their feelings.

Help them - If your friend is ever in need of something, be there to help them. You should try to put them first, but make sure you don’t do everything they want you to do. Try to take an extra (额外的) pencil or pen with you to classes in case (以防) they forget one. Have a little extra money in your pocket in case they forget something they need.

Be there for them - Try to make something for your friend to help make them feel better in hard times. Making cards and encouraging them are among the nicest things you can do for a friend. Marilyn Monroe, a famous U.S. actor, once said, “I often make mistakes. Sometimes I am out of control. But if you can’t stay with me at my worst, you are sure not to deserve (值得) to be with me at my best.” Always remember this! If you don’t want to stay with your friends when they’re in hard times, then you don’t deserve to be with them when they’re having a good time!

______   Try to make plans with your friends. Go shopping, go for ice cream, have a party, go to a movie and so on. Take time to know each other even better by doing something you both enjoy. By planning things together, you both can have a good time. And you’ll remember these things when you’re all old!

1. While your friend is talking to you about his or her feelings, you should _____.

A．give him or her some advice	B．just listen unless asked
C．calm him or her down	D．share your feelings as well

2. When we provide help for our friends, we should _____.

A．try to do everything for them	B．ignore their faults
C．change their bad habits first	D．put them before ourselves

3. What can we learn from Marilyn Monroe’s words?

A．Life without a friend is death.	B．A friend is easier lost than found.
C．A friend in need is a friend indeed.	D．A man is known by his friends.

4. Which of the following can be put in the blank of the last paragraph?

A．Make plans.	B．Enjoy yourself.
C．Understand your friends.	D．Play with your friends.

5. What is the passage mainly about?

A．How to find a good friend.	B．How to help friends in trouble.
C．How to be a good friend.	D．How to make more friends.

【推荐3】Jenny was a pretty five-year-old girl. One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl（珍珠）necklace priced at $2.50.   Her mother bought the necklace for her on condition that she had to do some housework to pay it off. Jenny agreed. She worked very hard every day, and soon Jenny paid off the necklace. Jenny loved it so much that she wore it everywhere except when she was in the shower. Her mother had told her it would turn her neck green!

Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would read Jenny her favorite story.

One night when he finished the story, he said," Jenny, could you give me your necklace?

"Oh! Daddy, not my necklace!" Jenny said. "But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. Okay?"

"Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with kiss. "Good night, little one."

A week later, her father once again asked Jenny for the necklace after her favorite story.

"Oh, Daddy, not my necklace! But you can have Ribbons,   my toy horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite."

"No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."

Several days letter, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling." Here, Daddy." she said, holding out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father's hand.

With one hand her father held the plastic pearl necklace and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue box inside the box was a real, beautiful pearl necklace. He had had it all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap necklace so he could give her a real one.

1. What did Jenny have to do to get the plastic pearl necklace?

A．She had to help her mother do some housework.

B．She had to listen to her father tell a story every night.

C．She had to ask her father to pay for the necklace.

D．She had to give away her favorite toys to the poor children.

2. Why did Jenny's father ask for her plastic pearl necklace repeatedly?

A．He wanted to get it for himself.	B．He wanted to donate it.
C．He wanted to train her character.	D．He wanted to put it away.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．Jenny' mother paid a lot for the plastic pearl necklace.

B．Jenny wore the necklace everywhere even in the shower.

C．Jenny didn't like Rosy and Ribbons any longer.

D．Jenny got real pearl necklace from her father.

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

A．A Lovely Girl	B．Father and Daughter.
C．A Pearl Necklace	D．An Unforgettable Childhood

【推荐1】I made my decision to start my own company and leave my stable position after attending a regional sales meeting. The vice-president of our company delivered a speech that changed my life. He asked us. "If genie（精灵）would grant you three wishes what would they be?" After giving us a moment to write down the three wishes, he then asked us. "Why do you need genie?" I would never forget the power I felt at that moment.

I realized that everything I had accomplished had prepared me for this moment. I was ready and did not need a genie's help to become a professional speaker.

When I tearfully told my boss my plans, this incredible leader whom I respect so much replied, "Go ahead with reckless abandon and it will pay off."

Having made that decision, I was immediately tested. One week after I quit mine, my husband was laid off（解雇）from his job. We had recently bought a new home me and needed both incomes to make the monthly mortgage payment and now we were done to no income. It was tempting to turn back to my former company, knowing they wanted me to stay, but I was certain that if I went back, I would never leave. I decided I still wanted to move forward rather than end up with a mouth full of "if onlys" later on. A motivational speaker was born.

When I held fast to my dream, even during the tough times, the miracles really began to happen. In a short time period my husband found a better job. We didn't miss a mortgage payment. And I was able to book several speaking engagements with new clients. I discovered the incredible power of dreams. I loved my old job, my peers and the company I left, but it was time to get on with my dream. To celebrate my success, I had a local artist paint my new office as a garden. At the top of one wall she wrote, "The world always makes way for the dreamer."

1. What motivation did the author get from her vice-president?

A．Why she needed a genie to help realize her dream.

B．How could she realize her dream by a grantable genie.

C．She did not have to rely on a genie at all.

D．What wishes could a genie grant her.

2. What attitude does the author's boss have to her plans?

A．Angry.

B．Indifferent.

C．Pitiful.

D．Supportive.

3. What happened after the couple lost their jobs?

A．The author came back to her former company.

B．They were determined and worked hard.

C．Their newly-bought house was taken back by the bank.

D．The author's former boss gave her husband a better job

4. What does the text enlighten（启发）us?

A．Opportunity always comes to those who are prepared.

B．You will succeed as long as you stick to your dream.

C．It is better to teach a man to fish than to give him fish.

D．Helping others will benefit yourself as well.

【推荐2】After almost a year of saving from shopping and vacationing, you find the numbers reflected by your bank account meet your heat’s desire. Now the most important question comes what to do with the earnings? Should you fulfill dreams of the present, or keep saving it for a rainy day?

Our elders always try to teach us the value of money and its uncertainty. One may be on a winning situation now, but it will not always be so. One will have days when there will be no sunshine but only rain, and their luck will hide behind those thick grey clouds. Save for those rainy days, they say. Do not spend too much, live within a budget, stay away from credit no matter how small and save for the future. Since the very first time we earn our own money from a summer job or earn our first salary, the lessons start.

In fact, the pocket money that we receive when we are children starts the process of learning how to best manage one’s manage one’s money. Future, future, future, that’s all they talk about, but what about the present? What about our current desires, wants and needs? Wasn’t our present once our future?

One day when I have enough money, I will buy myself a car. One day my luck will shine. One day I will have enough money to travel the world. Then, once we do earn enough money from saving, tomorrow’s plans start shadowing our present ones.

However, is it wise to keep living for that future? Will we still enjoy or even be able to backpack in our 50s? What will be the use of those professional cameras when pains take over our joints and our mind grows dull? Will our liver be able too handle the meat and alcohol in our advanced age? What if our life ends suddenly? How will we ever enjoy our present if we are constantly living for the future?

I say enjoy the most comfort but also keep enough for your necessities, and stay happy with your present but with a plan for the foreseeable future. Beyond that, life is not in our control and we shouldn’t worry about the unseen. Life is for the living, so live it wisely.

1. The underlined “a rainy day” in the first paragraph has the same meaning as______.

A．the background of the story is set on a rainy day

B．driving fast on a rainy day may lead to accidents

C．it is crazy of him to suggest a picnic on such a rainy day

D．he always puts aside his pocket money for a rainy day

2. The questions in the fifth paragraph suggest that_____

A．the author insists that w should live for the future

B．the author doubts the meaning of living in the world

C．the author believes that enjoying our present is very important

D．the author is not sure whether we should save money or spend it

3. The statement that the author may agree with is that_____

A．we should live happily regardless of others’ words

B．we should care more about future and shouldn’t just live today

C．we should live happily at present and be prepared for the future

D．we must save lots of money for unexpected accidents

【推荐3】Let’ do some sleep math. You lost two hours of sleep every night last week because of a big project due on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, you slept in, getting four extra hours. On Monday morning, you were feeling so bright-eyed, and you only had one cup of coffee, instead of your usual two. But dons’ be cheated by your energy: You’re still carrying around a heavy load of sleepiness, or what experts call “sleep debt” - in this case something like six hours, almost a full night’s sleep.

Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep you should be getting and the amount you actually get. It’s a deficit（缺乏）that grows every time we skim some extra minutes off our nightly sleep. “People accumulate（积累）sleep debt gradually without being noticed,” says William C. Decent, founder of the Stanford University Sleep Research Center. Studies show that such short-term lack of sleep leads to a foggy brain, worsened vision, and trouble remembering. Long-term effects include obesity（肥胖）and heart disease.A survey by the National Sleep Foundation reports that we’re losing one hour of sleep each night---more than two full weeks of sleep every year.

The good news is that, like all debts, with some work, sleep debt can be repaid. Adding an extra hour or two of sleep a night is the way to catch up on sleep debt. For the long-term lack of sleep, take it easy for a few months to get back into a natural sleep pattern. Go to bed when you are tired, and allow your body to wake you in the morning (no alarm clock allowed). You may find yourself catatonic（有紧张感的）in the beginning of the recovery cycle: expect to have ten hours shut-eye per night. As the days pass, however, the amount of sleeping time will gradually decrease.

So earn back that lost sleep---and follow the orders of your inner sleep needs, and you’ll feel better. “When you put away sleep debt, you become a superman,” says Stanford’s Dement, talking about the improved mental and physical abilities that come with being well rested.

1. The example of sleep math is used to show___________

A．in what case you build up a sleep debt

B．why you need six hours sleep every night

C．why you are full of energy even when you don’t have enough sleep

D．in what case you should drink coffee to keep energetic

2. The author begins Paragraph 2 with___________

A．an example	B．a definition（定义）
C．an argument	D．a discussion

3. By saying the underlined sentence in the last paragraph. Dement means__________

A．you can get enough sleep with the superman’s help

B．you can achieve your goals with a sleep debt

C．you will be clever if you accumulate sleep debt

D．You will be in a good state with enough sleep

4. What might be the most suitable title for the passage?

A．How can you keep energetic?	B．Can you have a good sleep?
C．What is sleep debt?	D．Can you catch up on lost sleep?