【推荐2】The word "emoji" comes from Japanese, literally meaning "picture character".    1     They   come in different categories, such as faces and people, plants and animals, and food and drink.

When first introduced in Japan in 1999, emojis were limited to 176 simple designs. Now there are more than 3,000 emojis. Due to their popularity, the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year in 2015 was a pictograph      instead of a traditional word.

In today’s world, emojis have become   more   and   more   popular.    2     People like   them because they add emotional meanings, and are quick and easy to use. With a smiling or sad face added to a message or post, your reader can "see" your facial expression while reading your words.

    3     For instance, if your friend is moving across the country, you may just send them a string of crying faces to express your sadness over your separation.

    4     A Shakespeare series for young readers has taken William   Shakespeare’s popular   plays and replaced some words with textspeak and emojis. The intention of these adaptations is to make the classics more accessible to young readers. Some people, however, believe that these new versions have taken away the heart and soul of Shakespeare’s plays.

As we can see, emojis have a tendency to pop up all over the place. Users of emojis say that they facilitate the way we communicate and express ourselves. But this makes others, especially educators, worry that we are losing the ability to communicate properly using the written word, or even the spoken word. After all, how many of us today would rather send a message packed with emojis than make a telephone call?    5     On that day, emojis will have become a real pictorial "language". But, for now, maybe it’s best that we just enjoy using them.

A．Maybe emojis’ best days are ahead.

B．The most popular emojis are absolute classics.

C．The use of emojis has even spread to classical literature.

D．Perhaps people will one day choose to communicate in pictures.

E．It seems that emojis have clear advantages over written language.

F．Emojis are small symbols representing ideas, emotions or feelings.

G．Emojis can also help people express their feelings when they can’t find the appropriate words.

【推荐3】Twenty-five years ago, most young Britons wanted a career in law, to be a doctor, or, if they were creatively minded, to take up singing. But today, things stand differently.

According to a survey by Tesco Mobile, a UK telecoms company, the “dream job” of young people aged between 16 and 25 in the UK is a video blogger, or “vlogger”. The survey, carried out among 1,002 people, found that as much as 40 percent of them put vlogger as their number one choice on a list of ideal jobs.

The only reason for this change is undoubtedly the Internet and social media. They have made it so much easier to reach a global user, without having to get a job in show business in the traditional way.

“In years gone by, the biggest stars were shaped and trained by the Hollywood studios; now, anyone with a computer camera can become an icon(偶像),” a Tesco Mobile spokesperson said in a news release. “These self-made stars record their hobbies to an admiring fan-base. Vloggers are the big stars of today because they are normal people interacting with their fans about everyday life.”

However, what people see is only the great side of being a vlogger and they ignore the fact that only those who are successful get fame and fortune. There are the dreams that come true and the dreams that still remain dreams.

This is why although vloggers are popular, some young people choose jobs that don’t necessarily earn them fame, but allow them to make good use of the Internet to share their hobbies. Young Israeli David Leshaw, for example, runs a business called the Finishers Club. It’s an online platform(平台) for runners to keep a record of their races. He told the website Zippia that his job allows him to express his thought, and is always a learning experience. And that’s enough for him.

1. A “vlogger” means a kind of ______.

A．video	B．job
C．game	D．survey

2. What might NOT be the possible reasons for young people to become a vlogger?

A．Excitement and fun.	B．Success and experience.
C．Fame and income.	D．Interest and hobby.

3. From the text, we can learn that David Leshaw ______.

A．becomes one of the biggest stars

B．has different hobbies from others

C．prefers to develop a rich inner heart

D．becomes the icon of many admiring fans

4. What might be the best title of the text?

A．Things Stand Differently Today	B．People Can All Become an Icon
C．Teenagers Dream of Online Jobs	D．Dreams Always Remain Dreams

【推荐2】On January 17, the “Chinese Bridge” Cultural Experience &. Exchange Programme kicked off at Chongqing Bashu Secondary School. International students will attend Humanities, Languages, Cultures Winter Camp online during the next week. “Chinese Bridge” is a large-scale programme for international Chinese language education sponsored by the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation. Since its launching in 2002, “Chinese Bridge” has been serving as a vital platform for Chinese language learning, understanding of China, and Chinese culture experiencing and a bridge connecting Chinese and foreign young people.

Aside from Chinese language courses, the Programme also opens courses on tea culture, Tai Chi, calligraphy, and illustration painting and holds lectures on Bayu culture. Chinese students and international students in Chongqing will be invited to share their studies and life in this city. As a result, they can help promote Chinese culture, assist attendees of the Programme in understanding China’s developments, build friendships with the attendees, and draw more international students to study in the country.

“Chongqing is attracting foreign students to study in China, more than just sending Chinese students to study abroad. It has turned into a cultural pioneer from an inheritor (继承 人), Becoming the programme host proves that Chongqing has made remarkable achievements in international cooperation and educational reform,” said Li Bin, director of International Cooperation and Exchange Division, Chongqing Municipal Education Commission.

At the end of the first day of the winter camp, students shared how they felt. Hellen from Altai State University in Russia said with excitement, “I love the Chinese classical dance and instrument performances! But my favourite is the chorus, which is said to be the theme song of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. It is so beautiful, and I will learn to sing it.” Jac, a Chinese language teacher from KCE International School Cambodia, praised the adequate preparation by the Bashu Secondary School, and said it would be a fun and valuable learning experience for students.

1. Which of the following is the purpose of Paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the topic.

B．To attract the readers’ attention.

C．To stress the background.

D．To discover the power of the “Chinese bridge”.

2. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．The style of painting.

B．The variety of Chinese courses.

C．The content and the positive result of the courses.

D．The approaches to spreading Chinese culture.

3. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．Students shared their feelings on the second day of the camp.

B．Jac thought the preparation by the Bashu Secondary School was good.

C．Hellen said it would be a valuable learning experience for students.

D．Both Hellen and Jac are teachers from Russia.

4. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Literature.

B．Travel.

C．Advertisement.

D．Education.

【推荐3】China’s artistic swimming duo (双人表演) Ms Jiang and her twin sister made history on Tuesday by gaining a sixth gold at the Asian Games, the most earned by any athletes in artistic swimming in its history. What makes the twin sisters’ achievement more remarkable is the fact that both of them returned from giving birth to baby daughters to do so.

"I’ve been their coach for over 20 years," said Ms Zheng. Women’s Duet coach, "ever since they were 8 years old. When they came back after having babies, their training plans were completely changed. I think they have already showed that female athletes can return to their best form after having a baby. "

The twin sisters announced their retirement after finishing a third at the 2013 China National Games. They went on to get married on the same day and their baby daughters arrived in 2015 and 2016. And after a three-year absence, the twins decided to come back to the pool.

"I think to reach a mature state in artistic swimming, athletes have to go through years of training. What keeps us going is our love of the sport," said one of them.

The 31-year-old twins won a well-deserved gold at the 2017 China National Games. At the third Asian Games, they claimed their sixth gold at the multi-sports meet to be a record in artistic swimming at the Games, and a result their coach wasn’t sure could happen when they first decided to come back.

"Because of our love of the sport, we overcame many hard times, especially the physical obstacles. After all, we’re no longer young. But now I think we are even better than before," said the other.

To be a mother while training and competing at the highest level means this gold medal seems much more than any of the others from before.

1. Why was the twins' achievement regarded to be extraordinary?

A．They won six gold medals at the Asian Games.

B．They got trained by plans that were totally different.

C．They got the most medals in artistic swimming in history.

D．They returned from giving birth to baby daughters to do so.

2. What was their coach's attitude to their winning when they first decided to come back?

A．Skeptical.	B．Determined.
C．Confident.	D．Unclear.

3. What does the twins' victory tell us?

A．Practice makes perfect.	B．Failure is the mother of success.
C．Knowledge comes from practice.	D．Nothing is too hard for a determined mind.

4. Where does the text probably come from?

A．A sports textbook.	B．A research paper.
C．A news report.	D．A sports brochure.

【推荐1】Like most people, I was brought up to look upon life as a process of getting. It was not until in my late thirties that I made this important discovery: giving-away makes life so much more exciting. You need not worry if you lack money.
This is how I experimented with giving-away. If an idea for improving the window display of a neighborhood store flashes to me, I step in and make the suggestion to the storekeeper. One discovery I made about giving-away is that it is almost impossible to give away anything in this world without getting something back, though the return often comes in all unexpected form.
One Sunday morning, the local post office delivered an important special delivery letter to my home, though it was addressed to me at my office. I wrote the postmaster a note of appreciation. More than a year later I needed a post-office box for a new business I was starting. I was told at the window that there were no boxes left, and that my name would have to go on a long waiting list. As I was about to leave, the postmaster appeared in the doorway. He had overheard(无意中听到)our conversation. "Wasn’t it you that wrote us that letter a year ago about delivering a special delivery to your home?" I said yes. "Well, you certainly are going to have a box in this post office if we have to make one for you. You don’t know what a letter like that means to us. We usually get nothing but complaints."
1. From the passage, we understand that _____.

A．the author did not understand the importance of giving until he was in late thirties

B．the author was like most people who were mostly receivers rather than givers

C．the author received the same education as most people during his childhood

D．the author liked most people as they looked upon life as a process of getting

2. According to the author, _____.

A．giving means you will lack money

B．the excitement of giving can bring you money

C．you don’t have to be rich in order to give

D．when you give away money, you will be rich

3. The author would make the suggestion to the storekeeper _____.

A．in writing	B．in person
C．in the window display	D．about the neighborhood

4. When the author needed a post-office box, _____.

A．he had put his name on a waiting list

B．he wrote the postmaster a note of appreciation

C．many people had applied for post-office boxes before him

D．he asked the postmaster to make one for him

【推荐2】Liz, a graduate at the University of Wales, was going to spend a year at the University of Massachusetts. She had been invited to stay with the Van Dyke family. Alex, the eldest son, met her at the airport and drove her home, where Mrs. Van Dyke was waiting at the door.

"Welcome to America, Liz! "

They shook hands.

"How do you do, Mrs. Van Dyke? "

"Just call me Mary, " Mrs. Van Dyke said.

Liz looked round her, "Oh, what a lovely road! "

The road stretched(延伸) in a straight line as far as the distant highway. It was lines with trees and all the houses were built of wood and painted white.

"Your front gardens have not got any bedges(树篱) or walls between them. "

"We call them front yards over here, Liz! No, our front yards belong more to the street as a whole. We're more sociable than you are. We drop in on each other. You like to be more private. An Englishman’s home is his castle. Isn't that right, Liz? "

"Well, you're right. "

"Come on in! " Mrs. Van Dyke said. "I'll show you your room. "

Then Alex arrived in Liz's room with two suitcases(行李箱), saying, ''The closets(衣厨) are all empty. Know what I mean? ''

"Yes, cupboards! " Liz answered with a laugh. "I read somewhere not long ago, " she went on, "We call the things in the suitcases 'luggage', while you name it 'baggage'. I think British English and American English would soon be two separate languages. "

"Nonsense! " Alex replied, laughing. "In another ten years, you British may all be speaking American English. But I hope you don’t change your accent! "

1. Who was Liz?

A．A student graduated from Massachusetts.

B．A graduate from Great Britain.

C．Mrs. Van Dyke's old friend.

D．Alex's schoolmate.

2. What are American front yards like according to Mary?

A．They are open.	B．They are small.
C．They have wooden doors.	D．They have hedges or walls.

3. Which of the following is a British English word?

A．Yard.	B．Closet.
C．Baggage.	D．Cupboard.

4. What is Alex's opinion about the two languages?

A．They will have more speakers.

B．They will show important changes.

C．They may become one language in ten years.

D．They may be influenced by foreign accents.

【推荐3】Beaches have been around in many schools. But a group of school kids in Cork in the south of Ireland are trying to do something a bit different with them. They have created a special bench called Buddy or Friendship Bench.

The idea for the bench came about last year, when Regina Farrell, school counselor at Mclntyre Elementary, was conducting a leadership group to help students overcome shyness and gain confidence. Four fourth-grade students came up with the idea when working with him.

The concept of the Buddy Bench is simple:Students who want to take part in playground games and activities, but may feel hesitant, can take a seat, which suggests to other children on the playground that they may needed an extra boost to participate. It builds kid’s self-esteem(自尊) to ask others to play with them. Likewise, reaching out to a peer who is feeling left out makes a great difference.

But do children actually use the benches? It’s something Sinead Mcgilloway from Maynooth University has been looking at. “We found that 40% of the children had actually used the benches at the time of the study. And over 90% said that they would talk to a child if that child sitting on the bench.”

“Since it was installed on Nov.16, the bench has been effective,” he added. “The simple concept has gained applause from the students, and already has created a more inclusive environment within the school community.”

“Each day, I go and see the Buddy Bench working,”Farrell said. “The lessons they are learning mow will benefit them their entire lives. It is simply a beautiful example of kids wanting to be kind and continue to be kind every day.”

1. From whom the idea for the Buddy Bench originated?

A．Regina Farrell	B．Left-out students.
C．Four students.	D．Sinead Mcgilloway.

2. What can shy students use the bench as?

A．A signal.	B．A defence.
C．An escape.	D．A boost.

3. What's the students' attitude to the bench according to Sinead?

A．They think it useless.	B．Their opinions divide.
C．Most of them accept it.	D．Most of them don't care.

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

A．Buddy Bench---A Simple Concept	B．Buddy Bench- More Than a Bench
C．Buddy Bench---A Beautiful Example	D．Buddy Bench---Everywhere in Schools

【推荐1】If you plan to learn a foreign language, you might think it’s going to be really challenging. You’ve probably heard a lot of talks about how it’s easier to learn languages as a young child, and that learning as an adult can be difficult. You might even know friends or family members who have tried to learn a foreign tongue and failed. That’s because they are surrounded by the failure. We’re here to cheer you up with some good news and inspire you to get started.

The amazing adult brain: whether you can learn languages at any age? Scientists are always learning about the human brain. Decades ago, experts believed that the brain developed during childhood and then kept that way for life. However, modern studies have shown us that the brain has the ability to continually form new neural (神经的) connections throughout adulthood. A 2010 Swedish study tested two groups of people, one in the range of age 21 through 30 and another between 65 and 80. Remarkably, they found no significant differences in neuroplasticity (神经可塑性). In other words, this suggests that it’s possible for you to learn new things at any age.

Besides being possible to learn languages: research also suggests that it improves the adult brain in general. In a 2012 Chinese study, experts looked at a group of adults who were learning Mandarin over a nine-month period. They found that these adults showed improved integrity in their white matter, the part of the brain that allows neural cells to communicate. The better your neural cells communicate, the easier it will be for you to learn new things.

Why may adults have an easier time learning? Children might be blessed with a naturally high degree of neuroplasticity, but that doesn’t mean learning is necessarily easier for them. In fact, adult brains have a number of great qualities that might actually make learning easier, especially if you take advantage of free language learning apps like Mondly.

1. Why do some adults fail in the language learning?

A．Because they have bad memories.

B．Because they have no plans for language learning.

C．Because language learning is too difficult for adults to learn.

D．Because maybe they are influenced by some adults who have failed.

2. What can we learn from the text?

A．Children can learn a language more easily.

B．Adults can learn a language even at old age.

C．The learning apps like Mondly are good for children.

D．Adults can learn a language more easily after learning Chinese.

3. What will the text refer to next?

A．How to learn a new language for adults.

B．How to use the app Mondly.

C．How to improve neuroplasticity.

D．How to tell the kids to learn a language.

【推荐2】Over a hundred years ago in 1911, something strange was found in the glaciers of Antarctica. Grilffith Taylor—an Australian geologist, had discovered a blood red steam pouring out of the ice cascades（瀑布）of Talor Glacier! Popularly known as the Blood Falls, scientists had not been able to find the reason behind the blood red liquid flowing through the ice---until recently. The mystery of the Blood Falls had finally been solved.

When these falls were first discovered, scientists had believed that the red colour came from a large amount of red algae（海藻）concentrated in the water. Red algae contain a pigment（色素）which reflects red light, making the algae appear red.

This theory made sense, until it was later found that algae do not play a part in the red color of the flowing liquid at all. What really causes Talor Glacier’s waters appear blood red, is the presence of iron oxide in the liquid. The waters of the blood falls are rich in salt and iron content, and when this water comes in contact with the air, it turns red—just like rust! The water in these falls is often referred to as “brine” by scientists because of the high salt content in the water.

This reasoning behind the red colors of the falls was found back in 2003. However, the entire mystery had not yet been solved. How is it then, that the Blood Falls are not frozen?

Researchers at the University of Colorado and University of Alaska found that inside the glacier, there was a network of channels and reservoirs that move the water around. Salt water has a lower freezing temperature. In addition, when any substance undergoes a change in state, it gives off heat. Therefore, the brine actually warm itself up while it’s freezing! How this works, is that when the brine is flowing through the Talor Glacier, some of it does freeze. As a result of changing state from liquid to ice, the brine gives off heat. This heat is enough to keep the rest of the rest of the brine in liquid form, which is why it flows out of the glacier.

Incredible new chemistry facts found, any mystery solved!

1. According to the text, the red algae theory was once considered ________.

A．ridiculous	B．reasonable
C．impractical	D．complex

2. Why does the Blood Falls look red in colour?

A．Because there is too much salt and iron in its water.

B．Because its liquid is rich in red algae.

C．Because the following liquid reflects and sunlight

D．Because the air is thin and rare in Antarctica.

3. What is the main reason for the Blood Fall’s not freezing?

A．The water continued flowing constantly.

B．There is too much salt in the water.

C．The brine gives off heat while freezing

D．Temperatures aren’t high enough for flowing water.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The discovery of the blood glacier.

B．The birth of the Talor Glacier.

C．The flowing red water in Antarctica.

D．The mystery of the Blood Falls.

【推荐3】Spring Festival is traditionally a family holiday, but there are plenty of ways for travellers to celebrate Chinese New Year, which falls on February 12, 2021.

Watch a lion or dragon dance

Lion and dragon dances have been part of the festival since the Tang Dynasty. Closely related to kung fu, these dances demand strength and balance. Dragon dances are performed by a group of people who work together to bring the dragon's powerful yet graceful movements to life. Look out for the final and also the most exciting part of the dance called cai qing which means “picking the greens”. Competing groups will battle each other very hard to get the red envelope hidden in the green vegetables.

Eat and dress yourself up lucky

Like any festival in China, Chinese New Year is all about food. So prepare to eat yourself lucky. A whole fish is a popular choice. It means you'll have plenty of riches. Likewise, dumplings are also a lucky dish because they are said to look like the ancient silver coins. For more good luck, wear red underwear. If you happen to have been born in the Year of the Cow, you'd better wear them all year, as your ben ming nian is believed to be a year of bad luck. Also, on New Year's Day, don't clean anything-even yourself - or you'll be washing away the good luck.

Travel smart and cheap

Generally speaking, it is best to avoid travel in China at all during the busy Spring Festival period known as chunyun. But if you fly on New Year's Day, when offices are closed and Chinese families stay together, it can be surprisingly cheap with few passengers, particularly on popular routes, such as Beijing to Shanghai. You should avoid trying to head to major cities by public transport later than five days before or after New Year's Day, when millions of urban workers make their way home or back to work.

1. Why do dance groups fight so hard at the end of the dance?

A．To prove their power.	B．To show their kung fu.
C．To get the red envelope.	D．To hide the lucky vegetables.

2. What is a bad thing to do on New Year's Day?

A．Eating fish.	B．Wearing red underwear.
C．Making dumplings.	D．Having a shower in the evening.

3. When can you buy very cheap flight tickets during chunyun in 2021?

A．On February 6.	B．On February 8.
C．On February 12.	D．On February 18.