【推荐1】Learn How to Have a Learning Vacation

Going on a vacation to learn a skill you have long wanted to pick up sounds like a good getaway, but be cautious, said John Spence, the president of a travel company in Calif. “If you don’t pick the right skill for you, or go in with unrealistic expectations, your precious time off won’t be enjoyable,” he said.

Here, he shares his advice on planning a learning vacation that you won’t regret taking:

Follow your passion (热情).     1    . They include cooking, photography, art history, farming or a sport such as diving or horseback riding. To get the most out of the trip, choose something you’re passionate about.

    2    ? With whatever skill you intend to learn, figure out whether you want an immersion (沉浸) or only to occupy a part of your trip. It’s possible to learn cooking basics, for example, by taking a weeklong course at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. Another option is to attend several half-day classes at the school and have more free time to explore the destination itself. “    3    , so make sure that it’s what you really want,” Mr. Spence said.

Consider your budget. No matter the skill, you can learn it by taking a vacation in a wide range of price ranges.     4    . If you want to learn scuba diving (水肺式潜泳), for example, heading to the Maldives will cost several thousand dollars per person, while a scuba diving trip to the Florida Keys is a more wallet-friendly choice.

Don’t forget the children.     5    , provided that they are fun. “Yes, you want your kids to learn, but you don’t want them to be bored by overloading them with too much information,” Mr. Spence said.

A．A little, or a lot

B．Don’t be influenced by others’ interests

C．What skill do you want to learn

D．Learning vacations can be great family trips, too

E．The options for what you can learn on your vacation are limitless

F．Having a clear idea of your budget will help you home in on the right trip

G．Spending your entire break devoted to learning something new can be stressful

【推荐2】Almost every college and university in the US now offers some forms of Internet-based application.    1     Some people believe that the best way to get a detailed look at what life is like at any college or university is by visiting the campus.

    2     Most students begin visiting colleges and universities that they are interested in before their final year of high school. The majority of colleges and universities let interested students visit their campuses at any time of a year. Students can contact the admissions offices of the schools that interest them.    3     Their job is to provide information, offer advice and show future students different parts of the campus such as housing and classrooms. During the visit, students should also try to plan a meeting with an admissions official. Most schools keep a record of all the exchanges they have with candidates.

It's never too early to visit a school. This could be years before they even start thinking about the application process. Simply witnessing the college experience in real life can be helpful for young people.    4    

However, visiting schools may not be a choice appropriate to everyone, especially international students. So for students who are unable to visit, there is one additional resource: social media.    5     Schools will permit students to post videos and pictures that show what their daily lives are like at college.These can provide applicants with a view that is almost as good as being there in person.

A．Current students usually lead the tours.

B．At present, school visits are becoming popular in the US.

C．This means anyone can enter the campus whenever they want.

D．Many schools use Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to advertise themselves.

E．That is why some applicants even bring younger brothers and sisters with them on visits.

F．There is more to visiting a college or university than taking a tour or meeting administrators.

G．However, students may miss a lot when they only use Internet information to make their college decisions.

【推荐1】When was the last time you went to your local library? Last week? A month ago? A year ago?

For many reasons, borrowing books from libraries seems to be in decline. With advances in technology, it is now possible for people to download and read whatever they like on electronic devices such as Kindles.

Call me old-fashioned, but I've never got into the e-book: I like to have printed books lining my bookshelves; I love the smell of a new book; and I enjoy leafing through paper pages—as long as I avoid the paper cuts! Also, what would I do with my vast bookmark collection if everything I read was electronic?

I prefer paper books to e-books, and I also prefer to own them myself. Libraries only lend books, so of what use are they to someone like me, or to someone who prefers e-books?

Personally, I still love libraries. They offer a quiet space to sit, read, think, do research…a real escape from the outside world. When I was at university, I frequently spent hours at the school library and borrowed numerous printed materials, as it was just too expensive to buy brand new books every week to read for seminars and lectures. Libraries are free!

Libraries often organize interesting activities as well. At home, my local library hosted actors, historians and other speakers during the town's annual art and literature festival. Well-known authors are also invited to libraries to give speeches or lead discussions about their work. Events such as these are a great way to appeal to people of all ages in the community and encourage the use of libraries.

Since moving abroad to work in Quebec for a year, the importance of libraries has become clear to me on an even more personal level. The school I work in has an incredible library, which is proving invaluable when I want a good book to read but am feeling conscious that everything I would want to read during the year is unlikely to fit in my suitcase by the time l go home!

There are still many fantastic ways to use libraries—maybe we just need to be more awake to them!

1. What does the second paragraph mainly talk about?

A．The reason why people like reading books on Kindles.

B．The reason why people seldom borrow books from libraries.

C．The advantages of modern technology.

D．How to download electronic books.

2. Why does the author mention bookmarks?

A．To tell her personal story.	B．To introduce a special book.
C．To explain how to read books.	D．To show she loves printed books.

3. As a university student, the author____________.

A．read many e-books	B．bought many new books
C．often visited the school library	D．gave a speech at the school library

4. Why did the author go to the school library while working in Quebec?

A．To take part in interesting activities.

B．To lead discussions about her work.

C．Because she couldn't afford to buy new books.

D．Because she couldn't bring many books back home.

5. What's the author's purpose in writing the passage?

A．To give some advice on reading.	B．To stress the advantages of libraries.
C．To compare different kinds of books.	D．To share the author's reading experience.

【推荐3】.
第三部分：阅读理解
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Most book reviews start with a heading that includes all the basic information about the book, like:
Title.
Author.
Place of publication; publisher, date of publication.
Number of pages.
Like most pieces of writing, the review usually begins with an introduction that lets your readers know what the review will say. The first paragraph usually includes the author and title again, so your readers don’t have to look up to find this information. You should also include a very brief description of the contents of the book, the purpose or audience for the book, and your reaction and evaluation.
Then you move into a section of background information that helps place the book in context and discusses criteria for judging the book. Next, the review gives a summary of the main points of the book, quoting(引用) and explaining key phrases from the author. Finally, you get to the heart of your review – your evaluation of the book. In this section, you might discuss some of the following issues:
how well the book has achieved its goal
what possibilities are suggested by the book
what the book has left out
how the book compares with others on the subject
what specific points are not convincing
what personal experiences you’ve had related to the subject.
It is important to use labels to carefully distinguish your views from the author’s, so that you don’t confuse your reader.
Then, like other essays, you can end with a direct comment on the book, and tie together issues raised in the review in a conclusion.
There is, of course, no set form, but a general rule is that the first one – half to two – thirds of the review should summarize the author’s main ideas and at least one – third should evaluate the book.
1. What is the most important part of a book review?

A．The heading.	B．The evaluation.
C．The conclusion.	D．The introduction.

2. It can be confusing to readers if __________.

A．there is no heading in a book review

B．the book has achieved its goal

C．the viewer’s point of view is not distinguished from the author’s

D．the book is compared with others on the same subject

3. What is NOT suggested for a book review in this passage?

A．Quoting from the author of the book.

B．Providing some book information.

C．Analyzing only the author of the book.

D．Comparing the book with others of a similar subject.

4. The best title for this passage is “__________”.

A．Steps to follow

B．Tips for writing a book review

C．The way to develop your idea

D．Things not to be avoided in a book review