【推荐2】Zheng He was one of China’s most famous explorers (探险家). Towards the end of the fourteenth century, his fleet (舰队) sailed to countries far away.

Zheng He had over 300 ships, some of which were over 150 meters long, and could carry up to 1, 000 people. Besides, the ships carried gold, silver, silk, china and other treasures to give as gifts to the rulers of other countries. Some ships even had earth on board so that the sailors could grow their crops for food.

On Zheng He’s first voyage, he set sail across the Indian Ocean. His fleet travelled many days far away from land. One day, they were hit by a storm. All the sailors thought the fleet was going to sink (下沉). Then a strange light appeared and after that, the storm passed. The strange light was probably electricity from the thunderstorm (雷雨), but the sailors in Zheng He’s fleet believed it was a sign of protection from the gods. With the belief, they were happy to follow Zheng He wherever he led them.

Zheng He completed seven famous voyages between 1405 and 1433. He visited many countries in Asia and Africa. He brought back many gifts from the countries he visited, such as medicines, pearls (珍珠) and strange animals. The most famous of them were a giraffe and a zebra.

In 28 years of travelling, Zheng He had managed to share the glory of China with many different countries. When he died in 1435, the stories of his travels made him one of China’s most famous sailors.

1. Some ships carried earth on board so that the sailors could________.

A．use it as a gift	B．use it for exchange
C．plant trees for shade	D．grow their own crops for food

2. The sailors were happy to follow Zheng He because of________.

A．his leadership	B．his fame
C．the belief in gods’ protecting them	D．a heavy storm

3. The most famous gifts Zheng He brought back were________.

A．a monkey and a tiger	B．a giraffe and a zebra
C．gold and silver	D．medicines and pearls

4. The best title of the passage can be___________.

A．The Glory of China	B．Zheng He’s Life
C．Zheng He and His Voyages	D．China’s Most Famous Explorers

【推荐3】For much of my childhood, my mother filled in the evening hours doing something for someone else. Sometimes she knitted (编织) hats for babies, and at other times, she cooked chicken soup for sick neighbors. Therefore, I wasn’t surprised when one evening my mother announced she had undertaken a new project.

“I am going to telephone seniors,” said my mother. “Every night? But you don’t even know these people.” “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “What’s important is that I listen.” I was sixteen years old and couldn’t understand why my mother was willing to spend her evenings talking to strangers. She had friends and my two older sisters to call if she felt lonely. “They will talk your ear off. Some people didn’t even stop to catch breath, I said.”

My attitude didn’t decrease my mother’s enthusiasm for the project. That evening, she settled on the sofa and dialed. For a while, I listened as she asked the woman on the other line about her day and what she had eaten for dinner. When she finished the call, I said, “Why do you care whether she had cookies or rice pudding for dessert?” My mother grasped one of my hands and gave it a slight squeeze. “I’m the only person she talked to today.”

It took me more than thirty years to fully understand the meaning of that statement. Now, as my mother is nearing eighty, I find myself thinking about those nightly calls she used to make. I am often the only person who telephones my mother, and sometimes I’m the only person she speaks to all day. I ask her what she cooked for dinner, but mostly I just listen as she describes a walk she took, or how her dog Lucky stole foods from the refrigerator. I realize that my mother’s calls were life lines that ensured housebound seniors remained connected to the world. Without her, their world would have been empty.

1. Why did the author’s mother call the seniors?

A．To introduce friends to them.

B．To make them feel less lonely.

C．To know what they cook for dinner.

D．To teach them how to make desserts.

2. What does the underlined sentence “They will talk your ear off” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．They will blame others’ wrong doings.

B．They will be tired of listening to others.

C．They will talk all the time on the phone.

D．They will make you feel really satisfied.

3. Why did the author change his/her attitude towards mother’s call?

A．Because the author is becoming older.

B．Because the author’s mother is becoming older.

C．Because the author started to do the same thing.

D．Because the author found what his/her mother did is worthwhile.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The author is going to be eighty years old.

B．The author thinks highly of her mother’s calls.

C．The author’s mother prefers to live alone at an old age.

D．The author’s dog likes stealing foods from the refrigerator.

5. What is the suitable title for the passage?

A．Mother’s evenings	B．A new project
C．Nightly calls, lifeline calls	D．Call your parents often

【推荐1】Charlie Chaplin, British comedian (喜剧演员), producer, writer, director and composer, is widely regarded as the greatest comic artist of the screen and one of the most important figures in the film history.

Chaplin was named after his father, a British entertainer. He spent his early childhood with his mother, the singer Hannah Hall, after she and his father separated, and he took the place of his mentally unstable mother to appear on the stage. However, he and his mother were soon separated from each other because the sick Hall was sent to a hospital. Then, Charlie was sent to a series of boarding schools.

Using his mother’s show-business contacts, Charlie became a professional entertainer in 1897 when he became a member of the Eight Lancashire Lads, a dancing group.

His early stage characters include a small role in William Gillette's Sherlock Holmes (1899). While touring America with the Karno company in 1913, Chaplin was signed to appear in Mack Sennett’s Keystone comedy films. Though Making a Living (1914) was not the failure that historians have claimed, Chaplin’s first screen character did not show him to the best advantage.

To come up with a more workable screen image, Chaplin created an outfit consisting of a too-small coat, too-large pants and a walking stick. As a finishing touch, he put on a mustache (胡子). It was in his second Keystone film, Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914), that Chaplin’s classic screen character, “the Little Tramp (流浪汉)”, was born.

In truth, Chaplin did not always portray a tramp; in many of his films his character was employed as a waiter, store clerk, fireman, and the like. But the Tramp’s attraction was universal: audiences loved his cheekiness (厚脸皮), unexpected bravery and especially his recovery in the face of difficulties which moved the audience most.

Some historians have traced the Tramp’s origins to Chaplin’s Dickensian childhood, while others have suggested that the character had its roots in the motto of Chaplin’s teacher, Fred Karno, “Keep it eager, gentlemen, keep it eager”. Whatever the case, within months after his no view as on, Chaplin was the screen’s biggest star.

1. What can we learn about Chaplin’s mother?

A．She had a mental disease.

B．She was sent to a hospital due to an injury.

C．She accidentally lost her show-business contacts.

D．She earned a large amount of money by singing songs.

2. When did Chaplin appear as the Little Tramp in a film?

A．In 1897.

B．In 1899.

C．In 1913.

D．In 1914.

3. Which aspect of the Tramp moved the audience most?

A．His ability to recover from difficulties.

B．His unique and serious appearance.

C．His action with a walking stick.

D．His special learning experience.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The value of the Tramp.	B．The sources of the Tramp.
C．The experiences of the Tramp.	D．The characteristics of the Tramp.

【推荐2】As the old saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” And neither should we judge movie stars by their ages. At just 21, Elle Fanning made history by becoming the youngest jury (评审团) member at the Cannes Film Festival. This year it lasted from May 14th to May 25th. “I was in complete shock when I got that phone call and that question if I wanted to be a member of the Cannes Jury,” Fanning said during a press conference.

As it turned out, it not only shocked the US actress, but also brought criticism from those who believed Fanning was too young compared to other veterans in the industry. But Fanning’s acting experience was in fact a good argument for her jury membership. In fact, Fanning has been a Hollywood fixture for longer than you realize.

The 21-year-old has been in many big productions. She began acting in I Am Sam at age 2. With lead roles in movies like Super 8, We Bought a Zoo and Maleficent under her belt (取得成功) , she’s appeared in 60 projects and is one of Hollywood’s hottest young stars. Fanning’s devotion to work numbers her among the few former child stars who continue to act as adults.

In her latest movie Teen Spirit, which hit US cinemas last month, Fanning plays a pop singer. Since she had no singing experience, Fanning had to work with Grammy-winning music producer Marius de Vries for three months before the filming started. “I would go to his apartment and sing through all the songs every day,” she said. “He videoed me and recorded me singing everything and made me watch it back again and again to improve my skills.”

With such rich acting experience and devotion to her art, “Fanning certainly was able to represent a new class in film” at the Cannes Film Festival.

1. What does the underlined word “veterans” probably mean?

A．shocked actresses	B．green hands
C．experienced people	D．music producers

2. In which film does Fanning play a pop singer?

A．I am Sam.	B．Super 8.
C．We bought a Zoo.	D．Teen Spirit.

3. What does the wrier think of Elle Fanning?

A．Wealthy	B．Devoted.
C．Considerate	D．Friendly.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Elle Fanning’s earning her honor

B．A person judged by appearance.

C．Introducing some famous films

D．Elle Fanning’s presenting a new film.