【推荐1】If you wear glasses, it is possible that you are smarter. Research published in the famous British journal Nature Communications has found that people who displayed higher levels of intelligence were almost 30 percent more likely to wear glasses.

The scientists studied the genes of thousands of people between the ages of 16 and 102. The study showed intelligence can be connected to physical characteristics. One characteristic was eyesight. In 3 out of 10 people who were more intelligent there was a higher chance they needed glasses. Scientists also said being smarter has other benefits. It is connected to better health.

It is important to remember these are connections which are not proven causes. Scientists call this correlation. Just because something is associated with（与...相关联）something else does not mean one of those things caused the other. And it’s worth noting that what makes up intelligence is subjective and can be difficult, if not impossible, to measure.

Forget genes though. Plenty of proof shows wearing glasses makes people think you are more intelligent, even if you do not need glasses. A number of studies have found people who wear glasses are seen as smarter, hard-working and honest. Many lawyers use this idea to help win their cases. Lawyer Harvey Slovis explained this.” “Glasses soften their appearance.” he said. Sometimes there has been a huge amount of proof showing that people he was defending broke the law. He had them wear glasses and they weren’t found guilty(有罪的).

Glasses are also used to show someone is intelligent in movies and on TV. Ideas about people who wear glasses have begun to shift. People who do not need glasses sometimes wear them for fashion only. They want to look cool. But not everyone is impressed by this idea, though. GQ magazine said people who wear glasses for fashion are trying too hard to look smart and hip (时髦的). However, that hasn’t stopped many celebrities from happily wearing glasses even if they do not need them. Justin Bieber is just one fan of fashion glasses.

1. What does the new study show?

A．Wearing glasses can make people cleverer.

B．Wearing glasses is connected to higher IQ.

C．People wearing glasses are smarter.

D．People wearing glasses are healthier.

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

A．effect.

B．contact.

C．link.

D．result.

3. Why do some lawyers ask their clients to wear glasses in court?

A．Because it can create a innocent image.

B．Because it can mislead the witnesses（证人）.

C．Because it can highlight clients’ qualities.

D．Because it can prove the client’s innocence(无罪).

4. What is the general attitude to those who wear glasses for fashion?

A．Mixed.

B．Positive.

C．Negative

D．Indifferent.

【推荐2】Many centuries ago, all people had to gather seeds and plants to eat. They did not know how to farm or raise animals for food. We call them the Stone Age people because they used stone tools and arms.

You may feel surprised in the world today there are still people who live like the Stone Age people. They live in the places that are hard to reach. Because they have met few people from the outside world, they rarely hear of modern inventions. They have not gained ways of doing things from others.

For 25, 000 years, groups of people have lived alone in the middle of Australia. One of thesegroups is the Arunta tribe (部落) . They do not know how to farm and how to raise sheep or cattle.

The Aruntas spend most of their time searching for food and water. The men hunt animals with stone-tipped spears. The women and children look for roots, seeds and nuts. They use sticks to dig up the roots. Several Arunta families live together. They have no house. At night, they sleep around small fires.

Now other people are moving into the center of Australia. Soon the Aruntas will no longer be a Stone Age people. Maybe that’s a piece of exciting news for them.

1. The Stone Age people are called so because they _________.

A．gathered seeds and plants to eat	B．didn’t know how to farm
C．used stone tools and arms	D．didn’t raise animals for food

2. Why do the Aruntas still live in the way as they lived before?

A．Because they haven’t yet learned new ways from other people.

B．Because they do not want to change their way of living.

C．Because other people are moving in and living with the Aruntas.

D．Because each family live alone without knowing others.

3. From the passage we can know that _________.

A．people in old Australia didn’t use stone tools

B．the Aruntas do not like to hunt

C．everyone in Australia lives in large cities

D．the Aruntas don’t know much about modern inventions

4. What’s the Aruntas’ attitude toward moden life?

A．positive

B．negative

C．neutral

D．indifferent

【推荐1】Ali is from a Middle Eastern country. He now stays in the USA. He smokes a lot of cigarettes (香烟) every day. He has smoked for nine years. Ali says, “ I tried to quit (放弃) smoking in my hometown, but it was impossible. My brothers smoke. All my friends smoke. At parties and at meetings, almost all the men smoke. Here in the United States, not as many people smoke. It will be easier to change my habit here.”

Many smokers are like Ali: they want to stop smoking. The smokers know that smoking is bad for their health. They know it can cause cancer and heart disease. But it is difficult for them to give up smoking because cigarettes have a drug in them. The drug is nicotine (尼古丁). People who smoke a lot need nicotine.

When a person first begins to smoke, he usually feels terrible. The nicotine makes him sick. In a few days, the smoker’s body is used to the nicotine, and he feels fine. Later, the smoker needs nicotine to keep feeling fine. Without nicotine, he feels bad.

It is very hard to quit smoking, and many people who quit will soon smoke again. At a party or at work they will decide to smoke “just one” cigarette. Then they will smoke another cigarette, and another. Soon they become smokers again. Maybe there is only one easy way to quit smoking: never start.

1. Many smokers want to stop smoking because they ______.

A．want to go to parties

B．can’t smoke at work

C．know that smoking is bad for their health.

D．need nicotine and drugs

2. For some people，it is difficult to give up smoking because________

A．cigarettes have a nicotine (尼古丁)in them.

B．they don’t want to give up.

C．The nicotine makes them sick.

D．They needs nicotine to keep feeling fine.

3. By writing this text, the writer hopes that people will ______.

A．stay in their hometown	B．never start smoking
C．eat less and smoke more	D．not live in the United States

【推荐2】

What makes a house a home? A home is a place of companionship with people in it who love each other, who are harmonious and closer with one another than with those in the workplace or with classmates at school. A home is a place that’s so magnetic that it’s difficult to leave. In a home there is love, sharing and appreciation, and the members help one another.

I have seen families on the street. But if they live, sleep, talk, and eat together, they are a family, even if they are poorly off. You don’t need a roof to make a home. The truly homeless are some of the rich people who build multi-million-dollar houses and are too busy to really live in them. The truly homeless are those who have turned their home into a hotel lobby. The parents work and the children misbehave. They don’t talk and eat together every day. They rarely see each other. The truly homeless people are those with babysitters, caretakers, gardeners and maids. However, people are unaware of this, as they are too busy making money outside the home that they don’t live in. This is another way of looking at the rich and the homeless. Who is to be pitied?

Control of the computer and the Internet is also important to make a house into a home. If the computer is on all the time, the house turns into an office, even if everyone is at home. Many homes these days are just offices. Human communication has stopped. The computer eats up all the time that one should be giving to others within the home. Using the computer moderately gives us time for play and communication, not with a screen, but with other people.

1. Which of the following may serve as the best title for this passage?

A．How to make a house a home?	B．What makes a house a home?
C．Who are truly homeless?	D．What is a home for?

2. The purpose of the first paragraph is to tell us ____ .

A．that where there is home there is love	B．how to have a happy home
C．what people think a home is	D．the author’s concept of home

3. The underlined word “those” refers to ____ .

A．people who build multi-million-dollar houses

B．people who don’t spend time with the family

C．people who have lost their family members

D．homeless families living on the street in America

4. Which of the following is FALSE according to the passage?

A．Computers and the Internet are important for a happy home.

B．A home is a place where you are willing to stay.

C．Sometimes it’s the rich that should be pitied.

D．Even the poorest people can have a happy home.

5. According to the passage, which is NOT mentioned as an element (要素) of a home?

A．Communication.	B．Appreciation.
C．Kindness.	D．Companionship.

【推荐3】The mobile phone has become a problem for high schools. Some high-school students in Australia are not allowed to carry mobile phones during school hours.

The mobile phone used among children has become a problem for the school years. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas presents, and more students want them. Marry Brown, a headmaster, said that the mobile phone was a distraction (分心事) to students during school hours and it also gave teachers so much trouble in their classrooms. Teachers also say that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.

She said some schools had tried to ban (禁止) mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn't get in touch with their children.

Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school office. They also said phones were easily lost and were a distraction for studies.

Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let students know when they can use their mobile phones.

1. Some high schools in Australia have stopped students from carrying mobile phones ______

A．because they are students	B．when they are free
C．when they are at school	D．because they are children

2. The headmaster, Marry Brown said that the mobile phone was ______ to students at school.

A．a bad thing

B．a useful tool

C．a good thing

D．of some help

3. what does the underlined word “cheat” mean in Chinese in this passage?

A．分散注意力

B．吸引

C．让人高兴

D．作弊,欺骗

4. The passage tells us that ______

A．students shouldn't have mobile phones at school except for some special reasons

B．it is important to ban students from using mobile phones at school

C．some parents felt unhappy because they couldn't use their phones at home

D．parents should teach their children how to use mobile phones during school hours

【推荐1】Pumpkins are not only the most important symbol of Halloween; they are the star vegetable when it comes to the fall season in terms of decoration (装饰) and cooking uses. Often, we overlook how many different ways it can be used.

The pumpkin has a long list of nutrients, including vitamins A, C, E, fiber, potassium, manganese, copper and so on. It is also low in salt, cholesterol and saturated (饱和的) fats. In its raw state, the pumpkin is a great source of nutrition.

When buying your pumpkins, always get them from your local farmers to support their business and the environment, plus you will be guaranteed (保证) that they are freshly grown. If you are feeling interested, you can grow your own pumpkins!

When carving your jack­-o'-­lanterns, don't throw away the seeds! They make a tasty baked treat that is healthy for you.

When your jack­-o'-lanterns has lived its last day out in the doorway, refuse the usual practice of throwing it away at once. Instead, create a compost heap (堆肥堆) and let nature do all the work. Be sure to remove the candle and all of the wax inside, and cut the pumpkin into pieces. Those leftover nutrients will help your soil.

Make a pie—a great way to bring family and friends together. If you are feeling even more adventurous, try cooking something new with the pumpkins and see what wonderful delicious dishes you can produce in your very own kitchen. And don't think of the pumpkin just around holidays—it's great all year round. Don't let any part of the pumpkin go to waste this year. Turn them from orange to green this Halloween!

1. What's the best title for the passage?

A．Can pumpkins be part of a healthy diet?

B．Taste pumpkins to enjoy your holidays!

C．Don't waste your pumpkins!

D．Traditional Halloween foods and customs.

2. The writer suggests you buy pumpkins locally because________．

A．it benefits (使受益) both the farmers and the environment

B．you will be offered services free of charge

C．the local farmers are very friendly

D．they are usually sold at prices that are much lower

3. By saying the underlined part in Paragraph 5, the writer means________．

A．someone else will help you do the work

B．the jack­-o'-­lanterns will rot away by itself

C．it needs special skills to make a jack­-o'-­lanterns

D．the pumpkin gets all its nutrients directly from nature

4. What can we conclude from the last paragraph?

A．Tasty foods are a must for holding a family party.

B．Pumpkins are a good tool for practicing your cooking skills.

C．Pumpkins can be used for decoration at any time of the year.

D．Foods made from pumpkins are popular at all times.

【推荐2】The Adventures of Amilya Rose: The Lie

By Chavonne D. Stewart, Jasmine Mills, published in 2014

Enter for a chance to win a copy of the book.It is the first book in a surprising series of children’s books. That’s fun and exciting and teaches kids valuable lessons.

Chester and Gus

By Cammie McGoven, published in 2017

Chester has always wanted to become a service dog. When he fails his certification test, though, it seems that dream might never come true－until a family adopts him to be a companion for their ten-year-old son, Gus. But Gus acts so differently from anyone Chester has ever met. He never wants to pet Chester. Chester’s not sure how to help Gus, but he’s determined to figure it out and show he’s the right dog for the job.

Invisible Emmie

By Terri Libenson, published in 2017

The novel tells the story of two totally different little girls in a class — quiet, shy and artistic Emmie and popular, outgoing, athletic Katie — and how their lives unexpectedly connected one day, when an embarrassing note falls into the wrong hands. Emmie eventually learns to speak up for herself, realizing that being social isn’t as impossible as she thought.

Ocean Meets Sky

By Terry Fan, Eric Fan, published in 2018

“Young readers will be attracted.”— The Washington Post.

Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out of his window, it’s a constant reminder of the stories that his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Finn’s grandfather has gone but Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place himself! And when he arrives, maybe he’ll find something he didn’t know he was looking for.

1. What can we know about The Adventures of Amilya Rose: The Lie?

A．It’s the first children’s book in 2015.

B．It’s only for children’s fun.

C．It may be gained for free.

D．It’s mainly about teachers’ lessons.

2. Which book is related to the loss of loved ones?

A．The Adventures of Amilya Rose: The Lie	B．Ocean Meets Sky
C．Invisible Emmie	D．Chester and Gus

3. Who wrote the story about the relationship between classmates?

A．Chavonne D. Stewart and Jasmine Mills	B．Cammie McGovern
C．Terry Fan and Eric Fan	D．Terri Libenon

【推荐3】He lived his whole life as a poor man.His art and talent were recognized by almost no one.He suffered from a mental illness that led him to cut off part of his left ear in 1888 and to shoot himself two years later.But after his death, he achieved world fame.Today, Dutch artist Van Gogh is recognized as one of the leading artists of all time.

Now,150 years after his birth on March 30,1853, Zundert, the town of his birth，has made 2003 “The Van Gogh Year” in his honor.And the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam，home to the biggest collection of his masterpieces, is marking the anniversary with exhibitions throughout the year.The museum draws around 1．3 million visitors every year.Some people enjoy the art and then learn about his life.Others are interested in his life, which then helps them understand his art.

Van Gogh was the son of a pastor.He left school when he was just 15．By the age of 27, he had already tried many jobs including an art gallery salesman and a French teacher.Finally in 1880, he decided to begin his studies in art.

Van Gogh is famed for his ability to put his own emotions into his paintings and show his feelings about a scene.His style is marked by short, broad brush strokes (绘画笔法).“Instead of trying to reproduce exactly what I have before my eyes, I use color more freely, in order to express myself more forcibly，” he wrote in a letter to his brother in 1888．

Van Gogh sold only one painting during his short life.He relied heavily on support from his brother, an art dealer who lived in Paris.But now his works are sold for millions of dollars.His portrait of Dr.Gacher sold for $89．5 million in 1990．It is the highest price ever paid for a painting.“I think his paintings are powerful and the brilliant color in them are attractive to people，” said a Van Gogh’s fan.

1. All through his life Van Gogh   ________.

A．depended on his brother

B．worked hard on art studies

C．was not recognized by people

D．expressed himself in paintings

2. One of the characteristics of Van Gogh’s paintings is   ________.

A．the likeness between his paintings and the reality

B．the short time for him to complete a painting

C．the various styles mixed together

D．the special strokes he made

3. We can infer from the text   ________.

A．his powerful art came from his poor life

B．his fellow townsmen regret treating him unfairly

C．all his paintings were drawn in the last 10 years of his life

D．most of his paintings are kept in the museum of his hometown

【推荐1】A handwritten letter by a little boy asking Santa for a “very good dad” has captured hearts worldwide.

The boy, known only as “Blake” in the letter, wrote, “Dear Santa, We had to leave our house. Dad was mad. We had to do all the chores. Dad got everything he wanted. Mom said it was time to leave and she would take us to a safer place where we don’t have to be scared.”

“Blake is a 7-year-old boy in one of our shelters, and his mom found this letter in his backpack...” Posted by SafeHaven of Tarrant County on Wednesday, December 18, 2019.

“I’m still nervous. I don’t want to talk to the other kids,” he continued. “Are you going to come this Christmas? Can you bring a dictionary, and a compass and a watch?”

The most heart-wrenching part of the letter was the last line that read, “I also want a very very very good dad. Can you do that too?”

Officials with SafeHaven of Tarrant County, a group seeking to help end domestic (家庭的) violence, posted Blake’s letter to its Facebook page. Now, some of the child’s wishes have come true. All of the gifts he asked for have been donated by people in the community. Though SafeHaven received more than 10,000 gifts this year, they want to shine a light on the bigger issue of domestic violence.

“To us, it was kind of a story that we’ve heard all the time,” Kathryn Jacob, the organization’s president and CEO, told Today. “Like tonight, we have 73 kids in the shelter. Blake is just one of many.”

1. The little boy asked Santa for a “very good dad” because ________.

A．his dad was too strict with him	B．he was forced to do all the chores
C．he was ill-treated by his dad	D．his dad didn’t buy him any gifts

2. What do we know about SafeHaven?

A．It has received a lot of concern so far.	B．It provides services for homeless children.
C．It posted Blake’s letter without permission.	D．Part of its goal is to earn money.

3. What is Kathryn Jacob’s purpose by saying the words in the last paragraph?

A．To advertise their shelter.	B．To introduce their shelter.
C．To tell more information about Blake.	D．To draw attention to domestic violence.

【推荐2】Later this month, Tate Britain will host its first Van Gogh exhibition since 1947. Here we've rounded up 4 of his best paintings before the show.

Potato Eaters

Potato Eaters was Van Gogh's first major work and, despite a distinct lack of colour, it was one that he was most proud of. His aim was to represent the difficulties of country life, so the farmers are painted in earthy tones with rough faces and bony hands. He was more concerned with conveying his message than achieving technical perfection in this painting.

Irises

Van Gogh finished almost 142 pieces during his stay in the Saint Remy de Provence asylum (精神病院), where he was a voluntary patient from 1889 to 1890. This piece was started shortly after he arrived there. The hospital garden provided much inspiration for the artist during his stay there. Originally, the flowers in this work were painted purple but the red pigment (色素) faded over time and has now turned blue.

Cafe Terrace at Night

Despite being painted more than 130 years ago, this cafe still exists in France and has since been renamed the Cafe Van Gogh. This artwork marks the first time Van Gogh's famous post-impressionistic star-filled sky was seen in a piece, and it was painted on the ground, in person, rather than from memory. While the artwork doesn't bear his signature, it's widely known to be Van Gogh's, as he mentioned Cafe Terrace at Night in a number of his letters.

Wheat Field With Cypresses

This piece was inspired by the view from Van Gogh's asylum window and was finished on the spot. The work was the title of three paintings that offer an insight into his stay at the hospital.' Van Gogh was 80 pleased with the summer landscape that he made three copies there, one of the same size—which hangs in the National Gallery and two smaller copies which he planned to gift to his mother and sister.

1. Which painting did Vincent van Gogh take most pride in?

A．Irises.	B．Potato Eaters.
C．Cafe Terrace at Night.	D．Wheat Field With Cypresses.

2. What is the original color of the flowers in Irises?

A．Purple.

B．Blue.

C．Red.

D．Yellow.

3. What do the last two paintings have in common?

A．They were the same in size.	B．They had more than one copy.
C．They were signed by the artist,	D．They were painted on the ground.

【推荐3】A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so   hard for her. She didn’t know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one would pop up.

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire, and soon the pots came to boil. In the first pot she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them boil, without saying a word. In about 20 minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and asked her granddaughter to feel the carrots they were soft. She pulled the eggs out and break it. After pulling off the shell, the granddaughter found the hard boiled egg. Then she spooned up the coffee, placed it in a bowl, and invited the granddaughter to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled as she tasted its rich smell then asked, “What does it mean, grandmother?”

“Carrots, eggs and coffee.”

Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in the pot strong and hard. However, after suffering the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg used to be breakable. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid inner part, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were amazing, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” the grandmother asked .

1. What was wrong with the young woman?

A．She is poor in cook.	B．She found life too difficult for her.
C．She could not solve a problem.	D．She had a fight with her husband.

2. What can we infer from the passage?

A．The granddaughter loved the coffee most.

B．The grandmother asked her granddaughter to take an egg.

C．The granddaughter chose to be someone like the coffee beans.

D．One can decides what kind of person he will be.

3. The underlined word “adversity” in Paragraph 5 most probably means ______.

A．situation	B．misfortune
C．adventure	D．advantage

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Life Is Hard	B．Change the World
C．Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee Beans	D．To Be Yourself