【推荐1】Every single decision we make shapes our current reality     1     So if you're unsatisfied with your life right now，making the effort to change your decisions will be the key to creating   the life you want to have in the future．

Realize the power of decision making．

    2     When you decide to pick up a cigarette，that decision might result in you picking up another later on．But if you decide not to smoke that first cigarette and make a decision to focus your attention somewhere else，your desire will eventually weaken and you will become smoke-free．

    3    

When you make a decision，act on it．Commit to making a real decision．What's a real decision？It's when you decide on something，and that decision is carried out through action．It's pointless to make a decision in your head，but not doing anything about it．That's the same as not making a decision at all．

Tell others about your decisions．

Sometimes telling other people what we're going to do will make us follow through．I've been trying to become an early riser but waking up early without falling back asleep felt impossible．So I made the decision to tell people that I would wake up at 6a．m．and stay up．     4    

Have fun making decisions．

    5     I know decision-making might not be a fun thing，but when you do it often，you'll learn a lot about yourself on the way，and you'll become more confident，and making decisions will just become easier that you won't even think about it．

A．Enjoy the process．

B．Carry your decision out．

C．Examine the decision you now have．

D．Any decision you make causes a chain of events．

E．Within two days，I was able to accomplish doing this．

F．But we often go through life unaware what actions we are taking．

G．Before making a decision，you have to understand what the decision means.

【推荐2】It’s sometimes hard to understand a teenager. It’s even harder if a teenager doesn’t agree with you.    1    

Listen to what the teenager has to say.     2     While you may not entirely agree with what he’s saying, the tension will be lessened if the teenager feels like you are listening and trying to understand him. Also, he might return the favor and give you the chance to talk as well. It’s best to have a conversation where both of your opinions matter rather than fight and possibly hurt each other in the process.

Understand that while teenager may appear grown up and perhaps even sound matured, his mind has not fully developed, and he cannot think like an adult all the time.     3     However, this doesn’t mean you’re completely right or he deserves to be ridiculed or treated like a child.

    4    However, remember that the teenager should understand when “no” is “no”. Avoid bringing up a compromise every time you disagree on something. This might teach him that he can always get away with what he wants, whenever he wants it.

If the conversation launches into an argument, stop it. Tell him that you both need to calm down and think clearly or the problem will never be solved. If he refuses to listen and continues arguing, step out of the room and allow time for both of you to settle down. Do not scold him or shout back. Your words will possibly be lost on the teenager since you both are too angry to listen to each other.    5    

A．He still needs to learn, and he doesn’t know everything.

B．Avoid having a bad tone, including accusations in your words.

C．Find the good points the teenager has and mention the negative points too.

D．This article tells you how to disagree with a teenager in a kind manner.

E．People like being listened to, so give him the chance to express his opinion.

F．Come up with a compromise if the situation allows one.

G．Bring up the topic after a while and make sure you listen to each other patiently.

【推荐3】In recent years, more Chinese students have been choosing art school as their first choice when applying for universities overseas, according to the Report on Chinese Students’ Overseas Study in 2018. Anyone applying to art school should know that one’s portfolio （资历证明材料） is a crucial part of the application process.    1    

Focus on original, recent work. Admissions officers see so many portfolios on a regular basis, so it’s important to make yourself stand out as an individual.    2    Presenting work that you’ve done within the last one or two years also provides a more relevant and accurate portrayal （描述） of your skills.

    3    You don’t want to spread yourself too thin, but working with a variety of media and different techniques can convey that you are able to express yourself in diverse ways.

Unless the school requires that only finished work be included in your portfolio, you should include images that reflect the progress of your work.    4    It gives admissions officers insight into the thought that has gone into the work.

Make sure that your work shows your true talent.    5    Remember never try to make up some merits, which will in turn be a mirror of your dishonesty. However, it is always helpful to look at samples of other art portfolios to see their approach.

A．Prepare your portfolio in different languages.

B．Show a wide range of work in your portfolio.

C．Be proud of what you submit and your own strengths.

D．Why is a good portfolio important to your successful application?

E．This may include images from a workbook behind the finished product.

F．Here are some tips to help you through this process and put your best work out there.

G．It’s more impressive to express your personal opinion rather than copying another’s work.

【推荐1】College is a lifetime investment(投资)—the gift of a college education can open the door to a world of opportunity for your child or grandchild. Savings(储蓄), even not so many at a time, can make a big difference.

With the cost of a college education continuing to rise, the key is to start saving early and regularly. By saving a set(固定的) amount at set times, your money can grow as your child does. According to the College Board, the average cost for four-year public colleges has increased by nearly 51% over the last 10 years and these costs will almost certainly continue to rise. Saving for college can help with the increasing cost of a college education and help you be well prepared when your child is ready for college.

Saving for your child's college education is an investment in their future. The savings you make today will pay off in increased earnings(收入) in the future. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, college graduates earn an average of $1 million more than high school graduates during their careers. The value of your investment in a college education will continue to grow for a lifetime.

Set your college saving goals realistically(现实地). You may not be able to save enough for all four years' fees, but you could save enough to give your child the right start.

More and more families depend on student loans(贷款) to pay for college. By saving for college, families will have less burden of paying off loans and help their children leave school without worrying about paying off loans.

1. From the second paragraph we can learn that                 .

A．the College Board increased public college costs

B．public college costs will increase by 51% in the next ten years

C．it's not too late to start saving when your child is ready for college

D．saving can help deal with the rising cost of college education

2. Savings for college education                 .

A．will increase in the value in the future

B．make one earn a lot

C．help create good jobs

D．are wise for businessmen to invest

3. Which of the following is TRUE about saving for college?

A．You should save to help children get scholarships more easily.

B．It's better to increase the savings as the child grows.

C．It's better to save early and regularly.

D．You should set a further and bigger saving goal.

4. Who are the expected readers of the passage?

A．Parents.	B．High school students.
C．Educators.	D．Bankers.

5. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．When to Save for Children's College Costs

B．How to Make a Good Investment

C．Why We Should Save for Children's College Costs

D．How Much Four-Year College Costs

【推荐2】It is hard to say the first day of school in the United States because when the first day of school is and what happens on the first day of school usually are different by districts（地区）.

The first day of school for many school districts in different states is on the day after the first Monday in September. In some other school districts, school begins in mid-to-late August. For example, the Denver, Colorado schools go back in mid-August and schools in Cleveland, Ohio start back usually one week before the first Monday in September. The Boston, Chicago, New York City and San Diego schools start back on the Tuesday or Wednesday after the first Monday in September.

Schools in Cleveland, Ohio used to start the school year on the day after the first Monday in September, but in the 1976-1977 and 1977-1978 academic years, the school year was affected by several bad snowstorms, extreme cold. In the 1978-1979 school year, the Ohio Department of Education moved the start of the year to late August, one week before the first Monday in September. This went into effect in the 1980-1981 school year.

In most school districts in Utah, the school year starts between August 25 and August 30, and goes until the last week of May or the first week in June next year.

In American high schools, the freshmen class usually goes back one or two days before the rest of the school body for an orientation（迎新）period. An orientation period helps the freshmen get familiar with their new school, its rules, and surroundings.

In some schools, the freshmen classes have their photographs taken for identification purposes. Some high schools have tried to make the first week of school fun for incoming freshmen.

1. According to the passage, which schools start their school year the earliest?

A．Schools in Denver.

B．Schools in Cleveland.

C．Schools in New York City.

D．Schools in Boston.

2. Why did the Ohio Department of Education change the start of the school year?

A．Because of some political events.

B．Because of the entrance examinations.

C．Because of the increasing number of students.

D．Because of the extreme weather.

3. How many months does the school year last in schools in Utah？

A．About seven months.

B．About eight months.

C．About nine months.

D．About ten months.

4. The article is probably taken from ________.

A．a book about one's life story

B．an official website of education

C．an advertisement in a newspaper

D．a sports magazine

【推荐1】I can remember occasionally nodding off with my phone between my ear and shoulder after hours of conversation with a friend. I’d wake up with the dial tone screaming in my ear. What happened? What did I say? The next day, my friend would tell me a funny story about how I had trailed off（声音逐渐减弱）with some meaningless words and begun snoring（打鼾）into the phone. We had a good laugh, but there was no harm because at least there was no permanent record of it.

For today’s young people, nodding off during a verbal phone call may mean a text written in their sleep. Who even knew texting while sleeping was possible before? But it’s possible today. A newly-published study from Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing surveyed 372 college students and found that a quarter of them had sleep texting-texting while in a sleep state at some point. Of that group, 72% had no memory of the event. Respondents most likely to text in the sleep were, unsurprisingly, those who regularly slept with the phone on bed with them.

The study indicated that those who reported sleep texting admitted that cellphone use ravaged their sleep, which meant they suffered poor sleep. The study also found that most college students do not get high quality sleep, and that most do not turn off the cellphone when they go to sleep.

Young adults, especially college students, sleep even less than other age groups, often having only 6 to 7 hours of sleep per night. The demands of heavy class loads and the busy social life of college, combined with little to no adult supervision, have already been an environment fit for sleep disruption. Because of today’s technology of smartphones laptops, and so on, a solid night’s uninterrupted sleep sounds like a faraway dream indeed.

Maybe it’s time for a change.

1. Why did the author trail off with some meaningless words over the phone?

A．Because she wanted to horrify her friend.

B．Because she wanted to make up funny story.

C．Because she got tired and fell asleep gradually.

D．Because she was tired of talking with her friend.

2. What does the author want to show by mentioning the study about college students?

A．Texting while sleeping is actually common.

B．Today’s young people can’t live without the phone.

C．College students often forget what they’ve done.

D．College students have a bad habit of texting before going to sleep.

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

A．Protected.

B．Damaged.

C．Improved.

D．Controlled

4. Which of the following statements would the author most probably agree with?

A．College students should stop using their smartphones.

B．College students’ class loads should be reduced.

C．Having a solid night’s uninterrupted sleep is impossible today.

D．College students should avoid using the phone before bedtime.

【推荐3】Never go into a supermarket hungry! This is a good piece of advice. If you go shopping for food before lunchtime, you’ll probably buy more than you plan to. Unfortunately, however, just this advice isn’t enough for consumers these days. Modern shoppers need an education in how and how not to buy things at the store. First, you check the weekly newspaper ads. Find out the items that are on sale and decide if you really need these things. In other words, don’t buy anything just because it’s cheaper than usual! “New and Improved!” or “All Natural” on the front of a package influence you. Instead, read the list of contents on the back. Third, compare prices, that is, you should examine the prices of both different brands and different sizes of the same brand.
Another suggestion for consumers is to buy ordinary items instead of famous brands. Ordinary items in supermarkets come in plain packages. These products are cheaper because producers don’t spend much money on packing or advertising. The quality, however, is usually as good as the quality of well-known name brands. In the same way, in buying clothes, you can often find high quality and low prices in brands that are not famous. Shopping in discount clothing stores can help you save a lot of money. Although these stores aren’t very attractive, and they usually do not have individual dressing rooms, not only are the prices low, but you can often find the same famous brands that you find in high-priced department stores.
Wise consumers read magazine ads and watch TV commercials, but they do this with one advantage: knowledge of the psychology behind the ads. In other words, well informed consumers watch for information and check for misinformation. They ask themselves questions: Is the advertiser hiding something in small print at the bottom of the page? Is there any real information in the commercial(商业广告), or is the advertiser simply showing an attractive image? With the answers to these questions, consumers can make a wise choice.
1. All the following statements are true about the phrase “ordinary items” in Paragraph 2 except ______.

A．ordinary products are usually cheaper than famous brands.

B．producers spend less money on packaging of ordinary items .

C．the quality of ordinary items is usually as good as that of famous brands.

D．ordinary items never say “New and Improved” or “All Natural”.

2. What does the writer think about ads?

A．They are believable.	B．They are attractive.
C．They are helpful.	D．They are harmful.

3. One of the author’s suggestions to consumers is ______.

A．to buy any ordinary items instead of famous brands .

B．to make use of advertisements carefully for shopping.

C．to buy high quality items such as famous brands after lunch .

D．not to buy items with words like “New and Improved” or “All Natural”.

4. The author implies that ______.

A．advertisements sometimes don’t tell the truth to the consumers.

B．discount clothing stores are only good places to go to for shopping.

C．going into the supermarket hungry, you may buy less than you plan to.

D．the quality of ordinary items is usually high and the prices are relatively low.

【推荐1】Wisconsin's Great Lakes are home to great lighthouses. Here are some lighthouses worth visiting along Lake Michigan, from south to north.

Wind Point, Racine

This 108-foot lighthouse on a point north of Racine was built in 1880. It's open for tours and climbs up the tower from 9 a. m. to 3 p. m. the first Sunday of the month, June through October, and from 10 a. m. to 1^:30 p. m. the Saturday before that Sunday, July through September. Admission is $ 10 for adults and $ 5 for kids aged between 6 and 11. The park and beach around the lighthouse are open daily from 6 a. m. to 10 p. m.

North Point , Milwaukee

This 74-foot lighthouse alongside a Queen Anne style keeper's quarters is a landmark in the city's Lake Park. After the coast guard decommissioned (停用) it in 1997, it stood vacant until a friendly group restored the structure and opened it as a museum in 2007. Tours are now offered from 1 p. m. to 4 p. m. Saturday and Sunday year round, plus from 10 a. m. to 2 p. m. Thursday and Friday in the summer. Tours cost $ 8 for adults, $ 5 for seniors (65+) and $ 5 for students and kids (5—11).

Port Washington Breakwater

This Art Deco-style lighthouse replaced an older wooden structure in 1935 as part of a Works Progress Administration project. Tours aren't available of the small structure, but visitors can walk along the 2, 500-foot breakwater to get a closer look.

Rawley Point , Two Rivers

This lighthouse is worth a visit not only for its steel tower rising 113 feet above the beach, but also for its location in Point Beach State Forest. Tours are not available of the working lighthouse, but it's viewable and photographable from the beach. In addition to six miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, the state forest has 17 miles of hiking trails to explore.

1. Which lighthouse is used as a museum?

A．Wind Point, Racine.	B．North Point, Milwaukee.
C．Rawley Point, Two Rivers.	D．Port Washington Breakwater.

2. Where can people appreciate Port Washington Breakwater?

A．Under a wooden structure.	B．Along the long breakwater.
C．In Point Beach State Forest.	D．On a point north of Racine.

3. Why is Rawley Point NOT available for a visit?

A．It is far off the coast.	B．It is located in the center of forest.
C．It is working as a lighthouse.	D．It is made of steel.

【推荐2】Wearing a hearing aid can slow the progress of dementia (痴呆) by up to 75 percent, according to a new study. Scientists believe that keeping older people active by adopting the devices can significantly reduce age-related cognitive (认知的) decline.

They followed the progress of 2,040 people between 1996 and 2014, asking them to complete word memory tests at various stages and monitoring the rate of decline before and after getting a hearing aid. The research team found that while the aids did not halt cognitive decline, they slowed it down by three-quarters. Meanwhile, in a separate group of 2,068 who underwent cataract surgery (白内障手术), decline slowed by around half.

The team at the University of Manchester said the strength of the connection between hearing aids, cataract surgery and mental decline meant policy makers should consider hearing and sight loss screening for all older adults. Dr. Piers Dawes said, “These studies underline just how important it is to overcome the barriers which stop people from accessing hearing and visual aids. It’s not really certain why hearing and visual problems have an effect on cognitive decline, but I’d guess that separation, shame and the resultant lack of physical activity that are linked to hearing and vision problems might have something to do with it.” “And there are barriers to overcome —people might not want to wear hearing aids because of embarrassment attached to wearing them, or they feel the amplification (放大) is not good enough or they’re not comfortable.”

The number of people in Britain suffering hearing problems will rise by 40 percent by 2035, a charity has forecast. The charity Action on Hearing Loss believes the number of people suffering such difficulties will rise from one in six to one in five, so it calls for more investment in treatment and research into hearing loss.

1. How does wearing hearing aids benefit old people?

A．It improves their cognitive ability.

B．It slows down their cognitive decline.

C．It enables them to make more friends.

D．It helps them overcome life barriers easily.

2. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．The result of the research.

B．The principle of the research.

C．The importance of the research.

D．The participants of the research.

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

A．Increase.	B．Stop.
C．Change.	D．Help.

4. What do researchers suggest policy makers do?

A．Provide hearing aids for people freely.

B．Spend more on research into hearing loss.

C．Screen all old people for hearing and sight loss.

D．Encourage factories to produce good hearing aids.

【推荐3】Beijing Opera, as one of Chinese traditional opera forms, is regarded as the national opera of China and well received all over the world.

Beijing Opera arose in the late 18th century with a history of more than 200 years whose origin can date back to some old local operas, especially the Anhui Opera. It became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. Now it's the biggest kind of opera in China, whose popularity spread all over the country, becoming the most popular dramatic (戏剧的) form on Chinese stage.

There are four basic methods employed in a Beijing Opera performance: chang, nian, zuo, da. Generally speaking, chang means singing, and nian recitation (背诵) and oral communication, while zuo means the facial and body expressions and acting and da is Chinese Kungfu. Beijing Opera also has four main types of performers namely Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou. Sheng and Dan mean the main roles in the opera. The painted face, in Chinese called 'jing', is a name for the role of the man that has some special characteristic or appearance. Chou is easily understood from the role's name as a clown with an ugly appearance, who is to provide light relief and comedy.

In recent years, Beijing Opera has tried to make some changes, including improving the performance quality. Widely spreading all over China with great influence, Beijing Opera contains the spirit of Chinese national culture, but the shortage of funding has become a big problem as the form enters the 21st century. There is no doubt that it is a treasure of Chinese culture!

1. What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us?

A．The history of Beijing Opera.

B．The great influence Beijing Opera has on us.

C．Beijing Opera is popular in China.

D．The relationship between the Anhui Opera and Beijing Opera.

2. When a performer is saying something to another, which method does it belong to?

A．Chang

B．Nian

C．Zuo

D．Da

3. A funny man whose nose was all white in stage most probably acted the role ________.

A．Sheng

B．Dan

C．Jing

D．Chou

4. What will be the future of the Beijing Opera?

A．Very bright.	B．Certainly dark.
C．More popular.	D．Much uncertain.