【推荐1】The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has declared October 15 as Global Handwashing Day in 2005.The first Global Handwashing Day is on October 15 of 2008.Activities are planned over twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap. Global Handwashing Day is the idea of the Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap. Partners include the UN Children's Fund, American government agencies, the World Bank and soap makers Unilever and Procter and Gamble. The goal is to create a culture of hand washing with soap.

Hand washing can prevent the spread of disease. Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at so-called critical moments. These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food.

When people get germs on their hands, they can infect themselves by touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Then they can infect others.

The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs. The correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails. Rub for at least twenty seconds. Then, rinse well under running water. Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth or wave them in the air. Soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing. It also helps to break up the grease and dirt that hold most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which increases the likelihood that people will wash again.

Washing with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any medicine. It could help reduce cases of diarrhea by almost half. And it could reduce deaths from pneumonia and other breathing infections by one-fourth. Diarrhea is the second leading cause of child deaths, killing more than one and a half million children a year. Pneumonia is the leading cause, killing about two million children under five each year. Hand washing can also prevent the spread of other diseases.

1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that _______.

A．the first Global Handwashing Day was held in 2005

B．many organizations support the idea of Global Handwashing Day

C．Global Handwashing Day was founded by many soap makers

D．the content of Global Handwashing Day is to wash your hand frequently

2. The underlined phrase “critical moments” in Paragraph 2 refers to _______.

A．the turning points	B．schedules
C．the arrangement of a time	D．the necessary parts in health

3. The main purpose of the passage is to tell us ________.

A．hand washing is very important	B．to create a culture of hand washing with soap
C．germs can infect ourselves and others	D．soaps play an important role in everyday life

4. The last paragraph implies that ___________.

A．a soap is a kind of medicine to prevent a disease

B．it is important for children to wash hands in a correct way

C．Pneumonia kills about two million children each year

D．Diarrhea is the second leading cause of child deaths.

【推荐2】You get anxious if there is no Wi-Fi in the hotel or no mobile phone signal up the mountain. You feel upset if your phone is getting low on power, and you secretly worry things will go wrong at work if you are not there. All these can be called "always on" stress caused by smart phone addiction.

For some people, smart phones have liberated them from the nine-to-five work. Flexible working has given them more autonomy（自主权）in their working lives and enabled them to spend more time with their friends and families. For many others though, smart phones have become tyrants（暴君）in their pockets, never allowing them to turn them off, relax and recharge their batteries.

Pittsburgh-based developer Kevin Holesh was worried about how much he was ignoring his family and friends in favor of his iPhone. So he developed an app-Moment-to monitor his usage. The app enables users to see how much time they're spending on the device and set up warnings if the usage limits are breached（突破）. "Moment's goal is to promote balance in your life." his website explains. "Some time on your phone, some time off it enjoying your loving family and friends around you."

Dr. Christine Grant, an occupational psychologist at Coventry University, said, "The effects of this 'always on' culture are that your mind is never resting, and you're not giving your body time to recover, so you're always stressed. And the more tired and stressed we get, the more mistakes we make. Physical and mental health can suffer."

And as the number of connected smart phones is increasing, so is the amount of data. This is leading to a sort of decision paralysis（瘫痪）and is creating more stress in the workplace because people have to receive a broader range of data and communications which are often difficult to manage. "It actually makes it more difficult to make decisions and many do less because they're controlled by it all and feel they can never escape the office," said Dr. Christine Grant.

1. What's the first paragraph mainly about?

A．The popularity of smart phones.

B．The progress of modern technology.

C．The signs of "always on" stress.

D．The cause of smart phones addiction.

2. Kevin Holesh developed Moment to ______.

A．research how people use their mobile phones

B．help people control their use of mobile phones

C．make people better use their mobile phones

D．increase the fun of using mobile phones

3. What's Dr. Christine Grant's attitude toward "always on" culture?

A．Unclear.

B．Positive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Critical.

4. According to the last paragraph, a great amount of data means ______.

A．we will become less productive

B．we can make a decision more quickly

C．we will be equipped with more knowledge

D．we can work more effectively

【推荐3】Many factors can interfere with a good night’s sleep — from work stress and family responsibilities to illnesses. You might not be able to control the factors that interfere with your sleep. However, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these simple tips.

1. Stick to a sleep schedule Set aside no more than eight hours for sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours. Most people don’t need more than eight hours in bed to be well rested. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends. Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle. If you don’t fall asleep within about 20 minutes of going to bed, leave your bedroom and do something relaxing. Read or listen to soothing music. Go back to bed when you’re tired. Repeat as needed, but continue to maintain your sleep schedule and wake-up time. 2. Pay attention to what you eat and drink Don’t go to bed hungry or stuffed. In particular, avoid heavy or large meals within a couple of hours of bedtime. Discomfort might keep you up. Caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too. The stimulating effects of caffeine take hours to wear off and can interfere with sleep. And even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it can disrupt sleep later in the night. 3. Create a restful environment Keep your room cool, dark and quiet. Exposure to light in the evenings might make it more challenging to fall asleep. Avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens just before bedtime. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs. Doing calming activities before bedtime, such as taking a bath or using relaxation techniques, might promote better sleep. 4. Limit daytime naps Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep. Limit naps to no more than one hour and avoid napping late in the day. However, if you work nights, you might need to nap late in the day before work to help make up your sleep debt. 5. Include physical activity in your daily routine Regular physical activity can promote better sleep. However, avoid being active too close to bedtime. Spending time outside every day might be helpful, too. 6. Manage worries Try to resolve your worries or concerns before bedtime. Jot down what’s on your mind and then set it aside for tomorrow. Stress management might help. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks.

1. What can be learned from the passage?

A．It’s not hard to control the factors interfering with our sleep.

B．The longer we sleep, the better we feel.

C．It’s better to remain in bed when you fail to fall asleep.

D．Stress can contribute to bad sleep.

2. According to the article, which of the following encourages better sleep?

A．Do physical exercise before going to bed.	B．Drink alcohol to get sleepy.
C．Avoid long naps during the day.	D．Do some indoor activities.

3. This article is most likely to come from ____________.

A．a travel magazine	B．an advertisement
C．a health magazine	D．an informal letter

【推荐1】Therapy (治疗) Appointment

“You want out again, Marmalade? You were just out. What, not the back door, you want out the front?” I was very surprised that our beautiful cat wanted out again.

Several days later, I realized that almost every day she had been asking to be let out at 1: 00 p.m. and always wanted the front door instead of the back door she normally used to go to the yard. I hadn’t been paying much attention, but I realized this had been going on for a while, and I had no idea why. Therefore, the next time it happened, I watched out the front room window to see what Marmalade was doing every day.

Marm went down the front stairs and out to the city sidewalk then just sat there. About three minutes later, she flopped (跳) down and rolled over so her belly (肚子) was showing.

This is unusual. She never does that unless she wants to be petted — but there is no one there. Wait-on the sidewalk just crossing a block down from our house was a group of about fifteen young adults from the nearby group home for young adults with Down syndrome (唐氏综合征). They were out for a walk.

As they approached, I could hear, “There’s the kitty, there’s the kitty,” coming from their mouths. When they were close enough to touch Marm, she lay quietly while each person took a turn petting her. This took quite a while, and obviously these teens were very comfortable petting her. When everyone had given Marm a petting, she turned over, stood up and gave herself a shake, then walked back up the sidewalk to the front door to be let in.

It had been a breathtaking experience to see. The next day, at the same time, I watched it happen again.

After a few more days of this, I wondered how long this had been lasting, so I went out and asked the adults. What I was told was both interesting and humbling. Our wonderful cat had been doing this every weekday for months, and these young adults thought it was the highlight of the walk to be able to have a chance to pet her.

How had she come to understand that these young people would enjoy petting her and could trust them? How could she comfort people when they felt sad, and how would she lick away the tears until she had made them feel better?

1. Marm’s owner was puzzled because Marm always _____.

A．desired to the front yard

B．went out from the front door

C．rolled over to show her belly

D．wanted out from the window

2. Marm flopped down and rolled over on the sidewalk to ________.

A．play with other cats

B．make the teens pet her

C．wait for passers-by to feed her

D．have a rest and enjoy the sunshine

3. What does the writer think of Marm?

A．Loving and caring.

B．Funny and helpful.

C．Mysterious and weird.

D．Vulnerable and puzzling.

4. What can we learn from Marm’s story?

A．No one can be neglected.

B．Cats can understand each other.

C．People need to give pets more petting.

D．Animals can believe and support human.

【推荐3】California researchers have found that oxygen levels and water temperatures play a key role in the health of deep-sea fish populations.

Scientists studied fish on the floor of the Gulf（海湾） of California. "This is an example of some of the video that we are analyzing for this research," said Natalya Gallo, a post-doctoral researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She pointed to a video taken along the seafloor on the Gulf of California near the Mexican coast. The film came from a remotely controlled submarine.

Researchers use the underwater tool to calculate the influence of a warming ocean on fish. “The really big question that we're trying to answer is how sensitive deep-sea communities（群落），and in general ocean communities are going to be to these changes,” Gallo said.

Gallo and the other researchers on the team studied the northern gulf, which is closer to normal ocean conditions and the southern gulf, which has one of the planet's most extreme low oxygen ocean zones.

The findings will help scientists understand changes in other places. As the ocean gets hotter, the warmer water is not capable of holding the same amount of oxygen. "We know that oxygen is declining in the ocean globally," said Lisa Levin, a Scripps Institution of Oceanography, biological oceanographer. "And that the really low oxygen zones, oxygen minimum zones are expanding as the ocean warms."

Scientists already expect certain outcomes from climate-related changes. "The body size of animals will get lower as the ocean warms and the oxygen declines and overall, the oceans will become less productive," Levin said. The research findings are published in the current edition of the Journal Marine Ecology Progress Series.

1. What is the purpose of Gallo's research?

A．To measure the temperature of sea water.

B．To show the body condition of deep-sea fish.

C．To calculate the amount of oxygen in the sea.

D．To evaluate the effect of ocean warming on fish.

2. Why do researchers study the southern gulf?

A．It has normal ocean conditions.	B．It has special ocean zones.
C．It has a relatively mild climate.	D．It has various kinds of fish.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The methods of protecting the sea.

B．The influence of the warmer oceans.

C．The steps of investigating the ocean.

D．The causes of the warming of sea water.

【推荐1】You may have recently seen a video from the Beijing Wildlife Zoo going viral(走红). What exactly was so interesting about this video? It shows a dog playing with big cats four to five times its size! Many people might wonder if this dog has a death wish, but it seems that the dog and the big cats are good friends.

The dog was actually raised alongside the lion and tiger cubs(幼兽), making up a strange but loving family, according to zoo officials. If you think this is a bit too wild, just remember that cross-species friendship has been common for centuries. People have domesticated(驯养) many animals, especially cats and dogs, and formed bonds with them as pets. Perhaps you even have a pet yourself.

There are many other examples of cross-species friendships in captivity(圈养). At an animal sanctuary(庇护所) in Santiago Chile, a kitten named Marina and a piglet named Laura formed a friendship after they both came to the park. As neither animal had a mother sanctuary staff said they immediately bonded when they met. Laura had been rescued from a slaughterhouse(屠宰场) while Marina had been rescued from the street.

One possible explanation for these friendships is the environment of the zoo. Animals don’t hunt for their food and don’t need to worry about marking their territory(领地) or looking for mates in the way an animal in the wild would. “All those activities take time and energy, and if these needs are removed, the animals get bored,” Gordon Burghardt, a psychologist at the University of Tenessee, US, told The Atlantic magazine.“ In this particular situation, the animal’s motivation to engage socially and playfully may be higher in its need level than eating.”

Marc Bekoff, former biology professor at the University of Colorado, US, told Slate magazine, “I think the choices animals make in cross-species relationships are the same as they do in same-species relationships. Some dogs don’t like every other dog. Animals are very selective(严格筛选的) about the other individuals who they let into their lives.”

1. Why has the video attracted many people’s attention?

A．It presents a fighting picture between animals.

B．It tells us how to live with animals better.

C．It inspires people to raise animals as pets.

D．It shows a harmony scene between cross-species animals.

2. What made Marina and Laura become friends immediately?

A．The different places where they were born.

B．The different ways that they were rescued.

C．The same fate that they had no mother.

D．The same time when they came to the park.

3. What can we infer from paragraph 4?

A．Animals in the wild have no need to make friends.

B．Animals’ friendships are related to where they live to some degree.

C．Animals may lose interest in making friends when their eating needs are met.

D．Animals in the zoo prefer to make friends mainly because it takes no time and energy.

4. Which conclusion can we draw from Marc Bekoff’s words?

A．Animals take choosing their friends they’ll make very seriously.

B．Cross-species relationships are different from same-species relationships.

C．Dogs are the most typical example of close cross-species relationships.

D．Animals from same-species have no difficulty in becoming friends.

【推荐1】Four ways to spend a happy Spring Festival

No. 1 choice: ski!
Where to go: Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest)
Activity: the 2nd Bird Nest Snow Season

In winter, the Bird's Nest becomes a white world. The 2nd Bird Nest Snow Season has already started. During the Chinese New Year holiday, visitors can see a different Bird's Nest. The various snow sports will offer you a dynamic Spring Festival holiday.

There are 16 entertainments in the main venue and outfield to meet the requirements of visitors of different ages and tastes. Compared to last year, this year's event has the new skating zone and Snow Dodgem, covering a big area of 1150 square meters.

No. 2 choice: experiencing strong Chinese New Year flavor
Where to go: Wuzhen, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province
Activity: long street banquet

During the Spring Festival, People put up posters on their doors and walls. Many customs of the lunar New Year holidays are inherited(继承)in the town. The most distinctive one is the "long street banquet". In the past, wealthy families would hold banquets for guests in the Spring Festival. The neighbors set out tables and chairs along the street. The connected tables formed the lively and colorful "long street banquet".

Today, the "long street banquet" is still held in Wuzhen town.

No.3 choice: family tour
Where to go: Disneyland, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Disneyland is an ideal choice for a family tour especially with children. At the age of five, the Disneyland will formally start the grand ceremony "Leaping Wonders". The Disney Flying Cruise which has never been seen before, will appear.

No. 4 choice: express rail travel
Where to go: Wuguang (Wuhan-Guangzhou) Express Rail

The Wunguang (Wuhan-Guangzhou) Express Rail connects Wuhan, Changsha and Guangzhou. It shortens the distance between the two ends into three hours and sixteen minutes. The best scenery along the journey is Hengshan Mountain where visitors can enjoy the snow sight, appreciate the Zhurong Peak and search for the mysterious Fangguang Temple.

Delicacies along the way: Baoqing pork blood balls, Maojia braised pork, Hunan preserved fish, Wuhan hot dry noodles, Wuchang fish, Wuhan Doupi (a kind of snack made from sticky rice, beef, mushrooms and beans) and Jingwu duck neck.

1. From the first activity we can know that the 2nd Bird Nest Snow Season_______

A．has 16 entertainments in all	B．has two new programs this year
C．is only for children and the youth	D．covers a big area of 1150 square meters

2. Which of the following is not true? ;

A．Disneyland is at the age of five.

B．The long street banquet has a long history.

C．Wuguang Express Rail is from Wuhan to Guangzhou.

D．The 2nd Bird Nest Snow Season is held in Beijing National Stadium.

3. In which place can visitors both see beautiful scenes and taste delicious food?

A．No. 1 choice: ski!

B．No.3 choice: family tour

C．No. 4 choice: express rail travel

D．No. 2 choice: experiencing strong Chinese New Year flavor

【推荐2】In an early survey conducted in 1888, a billion and a half people inhabited the earth. Now, the population exceeds seven billion. This means that the world must accommodate a new population roughly equal to that of the United States and Canada every three years. Even though the rate of growth has begun to slow down, most experts believe the population size will still pass eight billion soon.

If we examine the amount of land available for this ever-increasing population, we begin to see the problem. Everyone on the planet had an equal share of land, we would each have about 50,000 square metres. This figure seems to be quite encouraging until we examine the type of land we would have. Not all land is useful to humans as it cannot produce food. We can cut out about one fifth of it because it is permanently covered by snow and ice. Then we can cut out another one fifth because it is desert. Another fifth is too mountainous or is too great a height above sea-level. A tenth doesn’t have enough soil for crops to grow - it is bare rock. Now the position begins to look rather mom bleak (荒凉)!

Obviously, with so little land to support us, we should be taking great care not to reduce it further. But are we? We are consuming its “ capital” , which means its nonrenewable fossil fuels and other mineral deposits that took millions of years to form but which are now being destroyed in decades. We are also doing the same with other vital resources not usually thought of as being nonrenewable such as fertile soils, groundwater and the millions of other species that share earth with us.

The birth of a baby in, for example, Hong Kong, imposes more than a hundred times the amount of stress on the world's resources as a baby in India. Most people in India do not grow up to own cars or air-conditioners. Nor do they eat the huge amount of meat and fish that the Hong Kong child does. Their life-styles do not require vast quantities of minerals and energy. Also, they are aware of the requirements of the land around them and try to put something back into nature to replace what they take out.

1. Why does the author mention the example of America and Canada?

A．To emphasize that world population has to be reduced.

B．To give a brief history of the population growth.

C．To stress how quickly the world population is rising.

D．To point out what a large population they have.

2. According to the author, how much per person of the earths surface can be used to produce food?

A．15,000 square metres.	B．25,000 square metres.
C．30,000 square metres.	D．40,000 square metres.

3. Which of the following belongs to vital resources?

A．Fossil fuels.	B．Mineral deposits.
C．Chemical fertilizer.	D．Groundwater.

4. When can learn from the passage that _____.

A．different lifestyles require similar quantities of resources

B．a Hong Kong baby consumes more resources than an Indian baby

C．tropical forest are being better used for pastureland

D．nature is powerful enough to destroy an aggressive man

【推荐3】When a terrible earthquake hit, many people were killed and many houses fell down. After the earthquake, all the newspapers reported many stories about some of the families who were in trouble.

One Sunday, when I was reading a newspaper, a special picture touched me. It gave the clothing sizes of each family member. I thought that this would be a good chance to teach my children to help those who were less lucky than ourselves. I said to my seven-year-old twins, Brad and Brett, and three-year-old Meghan. “ We have so much, and these poor people now have nothing. We’ll share what we have with them.”

I filled a box with foods and clothes. While I was doing this, I encouraged the boys to choose their toys and donate some of their less favorite things. Meghan watched quietly as the boys took out their old toys and games and put them together. Then she walked away. A few minutes later she came back with Lucy, her much-loved doll. She put the doll on top of the other toys. “ Oh, dear,” I said. “ You don’t have to give Lucy. You love her so much.” Meghan said, “ Lucy makes me happy, Mommy. Maybe she’ll make another little girl happy, too.”

I looked at Meghan for a long moment. She taught me a lesson. It’s easy to give something that we don’t want any more, but harder to give what we cherish (珍爱), isn’t it?

1. The writer has _______ children.

A．one

B．two

C．three

D．four

2. The underlined word “ donate ” probably means _______

A．捐赠

B．丢掉

C．展出

D．放好

3. Lucy is the name of _______.

A．a girl

B．a game

C．a doll

D．an earthquake

4. What’s the best title of this passage?

A．A Family Story.	B．The Spirit of Giving.
C．The way of helping others.	D．A Sad Experience.