【推荐1】Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.

Shanghai Hengyuanxiang Drama Development Company and Netherlander Worldwide Entertainment signed a deal last November that would see Shimmer (《犹太人在上海》) become the first Chinese musical to have an open-ended run on Broadway in 2019.     1    

Directed by Xu Jun, Shimmer is a musical in both English and Chinese. Shimmer, which tells a story about Jews who fled to Shanghai to escape Nazi persecution (迫害) during World War II, was first shown at the Shanghai Culture Square in 2015.     2     The musical’s scheduled open-ended run in 2019 will be one of the events to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. With this play being shown on Broadway, the ties between Chinese people and Americans will be firmly strengthened. And through this drama, the audience can feel the charm of Chinese culture.

    3     To deal with the problem, many production companies in Shanghai have pointed out that they should keep striving for improvement by creating more Chinese musicals and by creating more audiences. Currently, those who watch Western musicals in China are limited to a small group — people who have received a university education or have had overseas working experiences, white-collar and even gold-collar workers. There are only a handful of people who understand foreign languages and you have to find a way to motivate the public and get them into the theater.

    4     There has been a handful of successful musical stories in Shanghai. The Chinese editions of Broadway musicals Cats and Mamma Mia, both of which had hundreds of shows across China, are among the top box office hits.

A．What do you think we can do to prevent Chinese musicals from declining in popularity?

B．At that time, the musical was chosen as the opening show for the 17th China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

C．The box office is expected to be twice higher than that of last year, reaching $1 million in total.

D．The small audience size hasn’t discouraged local artists from producing outstanding works.

E．The deal is a milestone for Shimmer in its goal to further spread its influence to the world.

F．Despite the huge success of Shimmer, the team is facing a limited market.

【推荐1】Here are the most popular Toronto activities.

Niagara Falls Full Day Tour

On this attractive tour, you will step aboard a luxury bus and head to famed Niagara Falls. On your arrival, you’ll take a voyage on the Maid of the Mist or Journey Behind the Falls (depends on weather conditions) to get as close to this natural wonder as possible. Then feast on an appetizing buffet lunch while enjoying the breathtaking sights of Niagara Fall. Afterwards, spend time exploring the shops and attractions of the charming, scenic town Niagara-on-the-Lake. It’s sure to be a day filled with beauty and wonder. The tour lasts approximately 8 hours.

Hop On/Hop Off City Tour Toronto

This 2.5-hour tour starts from either Nicholby’s Souvenir Shop located at 123 Front Street West, or Yonge/ Dundas Square located at the corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets. You may also join the tour at any of the points along the route.

Toronto Daily Combination Tours

This tour combines both land and water views of beautiful Toronto. You’ll start the tour taking a two-hour bus tour through this multi-cultural city. You’ll see sights like CN Tower, Chinatown, and more, before heading over to Queen’s Quay for a one-hour Harbor Cruise.

Downtown Toronto Bike Tour

Hop on a bike and follow your local guide through downtown Toronto! Discover popular attractions such as Chinatown, Kensington Market, the Hockey Hall of Fame and City Hall, as well as scenic out-of-the-way spots. Hear stories about Toronto’s culture and history and sample some food at markets along the way. This easy, fun 4-hour ride is suitable for all riders, so you can bring the whole family along. This small-group tour is limited to 12 people, ensuring a more personalized experience. Meet your guide at the Village by the Grange in the morning for a brief training.

1. What will tourists do after lunch on the Niagara Falls Full Day Tour?

A．Enjoy some thrilling rides.

B．Go on a voyage on the Falls.

C．Go shopping in the town Niagara.

D．Appreciate the sights of Niagara Falls.

2. Which of the following tours lasts the least time?

A．Hop On/ Hop Off City Tour Toronto.

B．Toronto Daily Combination Tours.

C．Downtown Toronto Bike Tour.

D．Niagara Falls Full Day Tour.

3. Where will the riders be trained for the Downtown Toronto Bike Tour?

A．In Chinatown.

B．At Kensington Market.

C．In the Hockey Hall of Fame.

D．At the Village by the Grange.

【推荐2】Finding and keeping a part time job while attending university can be a difficult task but millions of students are able to manage part-time work along with their other responsibilities. The following are some popular part-time jobs and some business chances for them.

Animal Shelter Worker

If you love animals, working at an animal shelter could be a great part-time job while you are in school. Shelters hire minimum-wage employees to spend time with the animals and clear out their cages. If you want to become a vet (兽医) one day, this part-time job provides you with hands-on experience, working closely with animals. For more information, please click http://www. animals. com/ or call at 020 7713 0836.

Arts and Crafts Production and Sales

If you have artistic skills, there may be a market for items that you make by yourself especially during the winter holidays. Towards the end of the year, schools and churches hold arts and crafts fairs. If interested, please send your information to 3050 Bowers Avenue with one piece of your artwork.

Grocery Store Employee

Grocery stores hire students throughout the year. There are many different jobs at a grocery store, students can sweep the floor, manage the storehouse, do promotion or even operate (操作) a cash register. Part-time employees can expect to make minimum weight working at a grocery store. Cash register operators are only open to students having some work experience, and they can be paid a bit more than other choices listed here. If you want to be a member in the store, please send an e-mail to storevolunteers. @netzero. net.

1. What can we know about working in Animal Shelter Worker?

A．It requires working for long.	B．It can improve students’ artistic skills.
C．It makes students love animals.	D．It can prepare students for future work.

2. Who may get the highest pay in the Grocery Store?

A．Sweepers.	B．Cashiers.
C．Storage keepers.	D．Sales promoters.

3. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To state the importance of part-time jobs.

B．To show the ways to choose a part-time job.

C．To provide a helpful way to apply to college.

D．To introduce some part-time jobs to students.

【推荐3】Trip 1 Black Bear Count
There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: Free            When: May 8
Trip 2 Garland Valley
Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: $ 15            When: May 8, May 15
Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours.
Cost: $ 12            When: May 8, May 15, May22
Equipment to be needed:
•          Please bring enough water and food for all walks.
•          Wear good walking shoes—no high heels.
•          Wear a hat for day walks.
•          Dress warmly for night walks.
•          Children must be with an adult.
•          Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks.
•          Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place.
Bookings:
• Bookings for the above trips can be trade by telephone（893 — 4847）or on the Internet at www.Bluemountaintour.com.
1. Where are these trips?

A．In a large city.	B．In a park in the mountains.
C．In a special kind of zoo.	D．In three different countries.

2. On which trip might you see animals that sleep during the day?

A．Black Bear Count	B．Garland Valley
C．Flashlight Adventure	D．None of the trips

3. Which of the following is NOT necessary for the three trips?

A．Good walking shoes	B．A pair of glasses
C．Food and water	D．A sleeping-bag

4. Which following statement about Flashlight Adventure is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Bring your drink and lunch for this walk.

B．Many of the animals you will see on this trip .

C．The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see.

D．There is no need to book early.

5. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Adventure Travel in America

B．Hunting around the Great Mountains

C．Interesting Trips in the East of the USA

D．Discovery Trips in the Blue Mountains

【推荐1】International Students House

International Students House （ISH）, a unique club and accommodation center founded in 1965, offers a range of services to aid students while they are studying in London. It is located in the heart of London's West End and is close to all public transport facilities.

Accommodation

♦Comfortable accommodation for up to 450 people in single, twin, 3/4 bedded and multi-bedded rooms

♦44 self-contained flats for married students and families

♦ Long and short stays welcomed

Membership

Club membership is open to all full-time students. Membership costs are kept to an absolute minimum to enable the widest possible access. You can join for as short as one month and for up to one year at a time. Membership entitles you to use the various facilities of the House. It has:

• Restaurants

• Clubs and societies

• Study rooms

• Dance, music and films

• Fitness training

• Student bars and coffee shops

• Travel and much more!

The best way to check out all we have on offer is to drop in any Tuesday evening between 7.15 pm and 8:30 pm for Open House in the Club Room. This is an opportunity for you to meet the staff and other club members, enjoy a free cup of coffee and find out all about what's going on. You can take advantage of special membership offers. (Useful tip: Bring along 3 passport-size photographs if you wish to take out membership.)

The Students Adviser

Thanks to the support of STA Travel and in association with the London Conference on Overseas Students (LCOS), ISH now provides the service of the Students Adviser. This new welfare service is open to all students at London's academic institutions. It aims to provide welfare support to help students overcome any personal or practical difficulties they may be experiencing while studying in Britain. One of the key features of the service is that the Students Adviser can be seen during the evenings until about 8:00 pm, Monday to Thursday.

1. What can be learned about ISH?

A．It has a history of almost 50 years.	B．It is designed for married students.
C．It offers flexible accommodation options.	D．It is far away from public transport facilities.

2. What are you expected to do to be a member?

A．Make acquaintance with the staff	B．Obtain special membership offers.
C．Study or work in London.	D．Come with the required photos.

3. What do we know about the Students Adviser?

A．Its service is free for students in Britain.	B．It is accessible on weekdays.
C．Its purpose is to raise academic standards.	D．It gets aid from STA Travel.

【推荐2】

Each time you are about to visit a Schengen (申根) country like France and Italy, you as a foreigner will be asked to prove yourself to have a booked flight itinerary and/ or flight reservation for a Schengen visa. Sometimes, you might have to present the actual flight ticket for your intended destination.

Yet, you risk losing your money from paying the real flight ticket, even by knowing that your visa can be denied. You are also questioning;

Where and how to get this flight itinerary and confirmed flight reservation?

Is it possible to pay for the flight reservation and flight ticket after I get awarded a visa? Can I reserve a flight ticket without paying the full price?

And many other serious questions!

Go easy, because all your above worries will be gone, once you read our simple explanations in the following parts of this article!

1. From this passage what might well be required to present for your Schengen visa application each time?

A．Your credit cards.	B．Your bank information.
C．Your real flight ticket.	D．Proof of your booked flight ticket.

2. What information is NOT printed in the ticket-itinerary in the picture?

A．Flight information.	B．Ticket price.
C．Special meal needs.	D．A bank account.

3. What will the following parts of this article be mainly about?

A．Helping with worries about a flight itinerary/ reservation.

B．Explaining why applicants need a booked flight ticket.

C．Teaching how to protect your money in application.

D．Listing all the other requirements for a Schengen visa.

【推荐3】LONDON, England - London, England’s famous “Big Ben” bell will be silenced for four long years. The keeper of the Great Clock announced this news Monday. The 158-year-old British clock will be getting some repairs.

Londoners were not happy. On social media like Twitter, many said the hourly rings of Big Ben are very important. “A silent Big Ben will be super strange,” tweeted Rob, a history student at King’s College who can hear the rings from his room. He called them the “sound of London.”

“It will be very sad, but it needs to be done,” said Kirsten Hurrell. The 71-year-old runs a busy newsstand facing the clock tower. “Quite honestly, we live with it and half the time we don’t hear it,” she said about the bell. “But we will miss it when we suddenly find it’s not there anymore.”

A selfie ( 自 拍 照 )with the Great Clock on the top of Elizabeth Tower on the Thames River is almost required. The clock tower stands at one end of the Palace of Westminster, which holds England’s government, known as Parliament. It is also one of the most visited sites in London and Big Ben is the star.

The bell was created by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1859. It was the largest at the time of its first performance. In all these years, Big Ben went through good times and bad, which includes Germany’s eight-month bombing of London in World War II.

The hour bell has been silenced before, though. Big Ben cracked after its first few weeks. The striking hammer was too heavy. Workers changed a lighter hammer and Big Ben rang again three years later. Experts say the crack causes the unique but imperfect sound.

The bell was also silent during the funerals (葬礼) of Winston Churchill and

Margaret Thatcher.

During the repair, one side of the four clock faces will remain visible. An electric motor will turn the clock hands. People in London can continue to set their watches to the clock.

The clock keeper announced the clock would not be completely silenced during the repairs and would strike the hour for important national events, for example New Year’s Eve.

1. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Big Ben is the most important site in London.

B．The famous 158-year-old clock will get repairs.

C．Big Ben went through good times and bad times.

D．Londoners weren’t happy about the silence of the bell.

2. Why were Londoners not happy about the news?

A．It’ll cost a lot of money to repair Big Ben.

B．People will not hear the rings any longer.

C．They won’t get used to the missing of the rings.

D．The rings are the most important thing in their life.

3. Which statement describes the relationship tourists have with Big Ben?

A．Tourists visit Big Ben more than many other places.

B．Tourists plan on avoiding Big Ben when it stops ringing.

C．Tourists to London know about Big Ben but rarely visit it.

D．Tourists to London have little knowledge about Big Ben.

4. How many times has Big Ben been silenced in history, according to the text?

A．1

B．2

C．3

D．4

【推荐1】If you’ve applied or are currently applying to Ivy (常春藤) League schools, you’ve likely heard the phrase “Ivy Day”.

What Is Ivy day?

Ivy Day, or Ivy Admissions Day, is the day when all Ivy League schools release their regular admissions decisions online for regular decision first-year applicants. The eight Ivie—Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale—typically release their decisions at the same exact time.

Because all Ivies release their admissions notifications at the same time through their respective online portals (门户网站), and because applicants are eager to get their results as soon as possible, Ivy Day often means long loading times and a bigger chance of page crashes due to the heavy online traffic. Therefore, if you hit any major online traffic or are facing constant page crashes, it might be better to get off your computer and wait an hour or two until the traffic dies down a bit and you can check your admissions results without issue.

Top schools that are not in the Ivy League typically have different decisions release dates. In 2018, Amherst released its admissions decisions earlier than Ivy Day on March 23. Occasionally, a non-Ivy school’s decisions release date overlaps with Ivy Day; NYU, for instance, released its decisions on Ivy Day in 2018

When Is Ivy day 2020?

Unfortunately, the exact date for Ivy Day 2020 has not yet been officially confirmed by any Ivy League schools. Below is a table showing Ivy Days from previous years and their days, dates, and times:

Year	Ivy Day & Date	Time Decisions Released
2019	Thursday, March 28	5 pm ET
2018	Wednesday, March 28	7 pm ET
2017	Thursday March 30	5 pm ET

1. What do we know about Ivy Day?

A．All Ivies release their decisions on the same website.

B．Some non-Ivy schools may release decisions on this day.

C．Not all the eight Ivies release decisions on the same day.

D．Top schools always release decisions before this day.

2. When having trouble getting access to the page on Ivy day, you can ________.

A．consult your friends

B．call the admission officer

C．keep refreshing the page constantly

D．wait patiently and then access the website

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To tell the exact date of Ivy Day 2020.

B．To help applicants choose the ideal school.

C．To show applicants information of the Ivy Day 2020.

D．To encourage students to apply to the Ivy league schools.

【推荐2】

March 24th Saturday We have arrived in the hot, wet city of Bangkok(曼谷). This is our first trip to Thailand(泰国). All the different smells make us want to try the food. We are going to eat something special for dinner tonight. The hotel we are staying in is cheap, and very clean. We plan to stay here for a few days, visit some places in the city, and then travel to Chiang Mai in the North.

March 27th Tuesday Bangkok is wonderful and surprising. The places are interesting. We visited the famous market which was on water, and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables. Everything is so colorful, and we have taken hundreds of photos already! Later today we will leave for Chiang Mai. We will take the train north, stay in Chiang Mai for two days, and then catch a bus to Chiang Rai.

March 30th Friday Our trip to Chiang Rai was long and boring. We visited a small village in the mountains. The village people here love the quiet life-no computers or phones. They are the kindest people I have ever met. They always smile and say “hello”. Kathy and I can only speak a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness. I feel good here and hope to be able to come back next year.

1. How did the writer arrive in Chiang Mai?

A．By car.	B．By bus.
C．By train.	D．By air.

2. People in the village of Chiang Rai _______.

A．hope to live in cities	B．like to speak English
C．are very warmhearted	D．live a very busy life

3. What does the writer mainly talk about?

A．A journey to Thailand.	B．A traveling plan.
C．The first trip abroad.	D．A four in Chiang Mai.

【推荐3】I shall never forget the night, a few years ago, when Marion J. Douglas was a student in one of my adult-education classes. He told us how tragedy had struck at his home, not once, but twice. The first time he had lost his five-year-old daughter. He and his wife thought they couldn’t bear that first loss; but, as he said, “Ten months later, God gave us another little girl and she died in five days.”

This double bereavement was almost too much to bear. “I couldn’t take it,” this father told us. “I couldn’t sleep, eat, rest or relax. My nerves were entirely shaken and my confidence gone.” At last he went to the doctors: one recommended sleeping pills and another recommended a trip, but neither helped. He said, “My body felt as if it was surrounded in a vice(大钳子), and the jaws of the vice were being drawn tighter and tighter. The tension of grief(悲伤) - if you have ever been paralyzed(使瘫痪) by sorrow, you know what the meant. ”

“But thank God, I had one child left -a four-year-old son. He gave me the solution to the problem. One afternoon as I sat around feeling sorry for myself, he asked, ‘Daddy, will you build a boat for me?’ I was in no mood to build a boat; in fact, I was in no mood to do anything. But my son is a persistent fellow! I had to give in. Building that toy boat took me about three hours. By the time it was finished, I realized that those three hours spent building that boat were first hours of mental relaxation and peace that I had had in months! I realized that it is difficult to worry while you are busy doing something that requires planning and thinking. In my case, building the boat had knocked worry out of the ring. So I determined to keep busy.”

“The following night, I made a list of jobs that ought to be done. Scores of items needed to be repaired. Amazingly, I had made a list of 242 items that needed attention. During the last two years I have completed most of them. I am so busy now that I have no time for worry.”

No time for worry! That is exactly what Winston Churchill said when he was working eighteen hours a day at the height of the war. When he was asked if he worried about his huge responsibilities, he said, “I am too busy. I have no time for worry.”

1. The underlined word “bereavement” in the second paragraph refers to _________.

A．having lost a loved one	B．having lost a valuable article
C．having lost a profit-making business	D．having lost a well-paid job

2. Marion felt his body as if it was caught in a vice because _________.

A．he couldn’t earn enough money to support his family

B．he was suffering from sleeplessness disease

C．he couldn’t get out of mental pressure

D．he felt tired of adult-education classes

3. Marion made a list of over 200 items that needed to be repaired because _________.

A．he hadn’t been able to spare time to mend them

B．he wanted to kill his free time by repairing them

C．the items had actually been broken and needed attention

D．repairing the items helped crowd worry out of his mind

4. At the end of the passage, the author wrote about Winston Churchill in order to ________.

A．prove that he followed Churchill’s example

B．support his student’s solution to his problem

C．show that he was successful in his career

D．make it clear how his conclusion was reached