【推荐2】Halloween falls on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.
The American tradition of "trick-or-treating" probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day marches in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray（祈祷）for the family's dead relatives.
The act of giving out soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for homeless ghosts. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was finally taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given sweets, food, and money.
The tradition of dressing in costume（服饰） for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies were often not enough because people were afraid of the darkness and would stay at home without doing businesses.
On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would meet with ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for their fellows(同伴).
On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to satisfy the ghosts and prevent them from trying to enter their houses.
1. Halloween is a day_______.

A．respecting the old

B．pleasing the children

C．honoring the dead

D．praying for relatives

2. Which of the following statements is false about Halloween?

A．Halloween has a long history.

B．Children can get a lot of gifts.

C．Americans created the festival.

D．People were afraid of darkness.

3. Ancient people would wear masks on Halloween in order to______.

A．frighten the ghosts	B．leave their homes
C．enjoy themselves	D．look like ghosts

4. The best title for the passage is___________.

A．Halloween Traditions	B．American Traditions
C．Ancient Church Practices	D．Halloween Costumes

【推荐1】"Indeed，" George Washington wrote in his diary in 1785， "some kind of fly， or bug， had begun to eat the leaves before I left home．" But the father of America was not the father of bug． When Washington wrote that， Englishmen had been referring to insects as bugs for more than a century， and Americans had already created lightning-bug（萤火虫）． But the English were soon to stop using the bugs in their language， leaving it to the Americans to call a bug a bug in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries．

The American bug could also be a person， referring to someone who was crazy about a particular activity． Although fan became the usual term， sports fans used to be called racing bugs， baseball bugs， and the like．

Or the bug could be a small machine or object， for example， a bug-shaped car． The bug could also be a burglar alarm， from which comes the expression to bug， that is， "to install （安装） an alarm"． Now it means a small piece of equipment that people use for listening secretly to others' conversation． Since the 1840s， to bug has long meant "to cheat"， and since the 1940s it has been annoying．

We also know the bug as a flaw in a computer program or other design． That meaning dates back to the time of Thomas Edison． In 1878 he explained bugs as "little problems and difficulties" that required months of study and labor to overcome in developing a successful product． In 1889 it was recorded that Edison "had been up the two previous nights discovering ‘a bug' in his invented record player．"

1. We learn from Paragraph 1that ______ ．

A．Americans had difficulty in learning to use the word bug

B．George Washington was the first person to call an insect a bug

C．the word bug was still popularly used in English in the nineteenth century

D．both Englishman and Americans used the word bug in the eighteenth century

2. What does the word "flaw" in the last paragraph probably mean？ ______

A．Evolution．	B．Finding．
C．Origin．	D．Fault．

3. "BUG" can referred to the following except ______ ．

A．A man who is crazy about sports	B．A man who installs an alarm
C．An insect in natural world	D．A device for listening secretly

4. The passage is mainly concerned with ______ ．

A．the misunderstanding of the word bug

B．the development of the word bug

C．the public views of the word bug

D．the special characteristics of the word bug

【推荐2】What do you think of your Chinese? If you think your Chinese is good enough, you can take part in the competition named Chinese Characters Dictation Competition (中国汉字听写大会).

Today teenagers are using more and more smart phones. They spend too much time in shopping, chatting, playing games and so on. Many of them cannot stop using smart phones to help with their study. Overuse of smart phones will make students too lazy to think and write. Some of them even forget how to write Chinese characters by hand. Teachers and parents are very worried about it.

In order to draw people’s attention to the problems above, in 2013 CCTV held the first Chinese Characters Dictation Competition. About 200 students from 32 teams took part in it. They stood on the stage to write down Chinese characters by dictation. Lu Jialei, a 14-year-old girl from Zhejiang, got first place.

Since then, the competition has been popular among teenagers. Many people are interested in this kind of competition, too. They like to write down the characters while the competitors(参赛者) are writing them.

Can you be the next winner?

1. The underlined word “overuse” in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.

A．eating too much	B．walking too much
C．using too much	D．singing too much

2. How many students took part in the first competition?

A．About 400.

B．About 300.

C．About 200.

D．About100.

3. Who got first place of the first competition?

A．Lu Jialei, a girl from Zhejiang.	B．Lu Jialei, a girl from Guangxi.
C．Liao Yilin, a girl from Zhejiang.	D．Liao Yilin, a girl from Guangxi.

4. Which is the best title for the passage?

A．Chinese Dancing Competition

B．Chinese Children Reading Competition

C．Chinese Teachers Writing Competition

D．Chinese Characters Dictation Competition

【推荐3】If you think about World Heritage Sites, you probably think of places connected with ancient art and culture, historical buildings and monuments. And of course, many of these are on the World Heritage List(WHL)(世界遗产名录). But the WHL contains a lot of sites that are not so obvious. Let’s look at a few of them.

Robben Island in South Africa

This island was used through the centuries as a prison a hospital and a military base. But it’s probably most famous as a maximum-security prison for political prisoners in the twentieth century. Nelson Mandela was one of its most famous residents. The WHL says it represents “the triumph of democracy(民主)and freedom over oppression and racism”.

Borders of France and Spain

This is an area of great natural beauty and the mountains have many interesting geological formations. But it is also an area of small farms. People there still use a type of agriculture that used to be common in mountainous areas of Europe but has almost completely disappeared in modern times.

The city of Brasilia, Brazil

Brasilia is a capital city that was created from nothing in 1956. The WHL calls it “a landmark in the history of town planning”. The different areas of the city and the buildings themselves were all designed at the same time carefully. Every part of the city shows the ideas of the planer and architect.

Simien National Park Ethiopia

Simien National Park was one of the first sites to be listed in 1978. It is one of the highest mountain areas in Africa, and the WHL calls it “one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world”. It is also important for its wildlife. The population of some rare animals is getting smaller and smaller.

1. What does the passage mainly talk about?    .

A．The remains of ancient cultures on the WHL

B．The household heritage sites on the WHL

C．Some of the less well-known sites on the WHL

D．Important places of art and culture

2. Which of the following sites was listed on the WHL for its political symbol?

A．Simien National Park, Ethiopia.

B．The city of Brasilia, Brazil

C．Borders of France and Spain.

D．Robben Island in South Africa

3. Why was Borders of France and Spain listened on the WHL?

A．This is an area of great natural beauty.

B．It shows us past European society by the type of agriculture

C．The mountains there have many interesting geological formations

D．People there still use a type of agriculture that is common in Europe in modern times

4. Which of the following sites is famous for the wonderful plan of building?

A．The city of Brasilia, Brazil	B．Robben Island in South Africa
C．Borders of France and Spain	D．Simien National Park, Ethiopia

【推荐1】Many songs, poems, and books have been written on love’s strong effect on people. The state of being in love has even been compared to being sick or mad. A study by Professor Semir Zeki of University College London has found that love does affect people’s brains by making them feel great.
Zeki studied young men and women who had recently fallen in love. He found that, when they were looking at photos of their loved ones, there was heightened activity in four areas of their brains. These areas deal with emotions, and one of them, in particular, is known to respond to drugs that cause feelings of great joy and excitement.
Interestingly, the study also found a lack of activity in two other areas of the brain when the volunteers looked at their lovers’ photographs. One of these areas is linked to feelings of sadness, while the other is often active in people suffering from depression. It seems love really can be uplifting.
The state of being in love, according to some scientists, may actually be good for your health. Although scientists know that being in love can make a person feel great, the exact influence of love on a person’s health is harder to determine. However, scientists say that people do need love in order to live healthy lives.
According to Dr. Thomas Lewis, people need to be in relationships because that is how we are designed. He says the brain can only maintain(保持) the overall stability of a person’s immune(免疫) system, bodily rhythms, and heart if it receives input(输入) from outside the body in the form of emotional connections with others.
Professor Antonio Damasio has a similar view. He says that love enriches a person’s imagination and creativity, and makes a person’s body work better. He also believes that love can even improve the body’s ability to fight against disease. Damasio’s wise words of advice are “ Choose love and you will live longer.”
1. The main idea of this passage is __________.

A．love can really cause people active

B．love has effect on songs and books

C．love is linked with emotion

D．love is what we need

2. What does the underlined word “uplifting” mean? It means __________.

A．inspiring

B．available

C．cold

D．mad

3. From the passage we know__________.

A．People write songs, poems and books to say love is the sweetest thing

B．nobody but Professor Semir Zeki has found love does affect people’s brains

C．being in love sometimes may make someone act as if he/ she were mad

D．love causes heightened activity in all areas of a person’s brains

4. Which of the following statements is not true?

A．Some scientists have the idea that love does good to people.

B．It is possible for scientists to decide how much influence love can give people.

C．People are born to be in need of getting on touch with each other.

D．A person’s health depends on partly on emotional connections with others.

【推荐3】There is an unforgettable beauty to the Karoo, a vast semi-desert, that seems empty save for the stars overhead and sheep eating grass below. Economic opportunities here are few.

But the Karoo’s clear skies also draw some of the world's best scientists. A radio telescope project called the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is under construction, with the latest group of 64 giant antennae（天线）due to be completed late next year. When finished, it will be the biggest radio telescope in the world and should allow scientists to peer into the origins of the universe.

Still, some sheep farmers are complaining. Because of the sensitivity of the telescope, the surrounding area must be kept free from radio interference（干扰）caused by everything from mobile phones to microwave ovens and some car engines. The SKA is buying up more farms than originally expected to ensure radio silence over an area of some 130,000 hectares. There will be no mobile phone signals allowed, except in the few towns in the area. Save the Karoo, an advocacy group, isn’t convinced by the bright future of groundbreaking astronomical discoveries. Its members fear the restrictions will make the Karoo “a cut-off and backward region”, and warn that people serving farms near the SKA site could face financial ruin. “I don't care about a black hole siting somewhere out in space,” says Eric Torr, an organiser with the group. “It does not put food on the table.”

Sky-high expectations in this down-at-heel area are also a problem. An SKA official complains that the locals expect the telescope to solve all their problems. Some jobs have been created, but few locals have the skills to find out the secrets of distant galaxies. Until recently the high school in Carnarvon, a nearby town, didn’t even have a maths and science teacher. The SKA organisation hired one, and is also offering scholarship to college students. Perhaps if the next generation's horizons are raised, they will be able to take advantage of the radio telescopes in their own backyard.

1. The project SKA is aimed at ______.

A．creating jobs for locals	B．exploring the universe
C．protecting the sheep	D．saving the Karoo

2. What most disturbs the locals’ life?

A．The shrinking of their farmlands.	B．Restrictions of radio signals.
C．The construction of the project.	D．Noises of car engines.

3. What can be inferred from Eric’s words?

A．Food should be put on the table.	B．Eric faces financial difficulty.
C．The black hole is nowhere to be found.	D．The project makes no sense to Eric.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Telescope in the Backyard	B．Expectations of the Locals
C．Biggest Radio Telescope	D．Great Astronomical Discovery

【推荐1】Did you know that the United States has over 2,600 National Historic Landmarks? They serve as official markers of the country's, history by way of an event, person, time period, design or archeological finding and not just any old site will do. Here we’ve selected 4 with a story to tell and explore.

Birthplace of Helen Keller, Alabama

Ivy Green is a historic museum that honors Helen Keller, who was born here in 1880. Keller learned sign language and Braille and became the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor's degree. Keller was an advocate of blind rights and wrote 12 books, including her autobiography The Story of My Life.

Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, Georgia

Built in 1891, this plant served as the headquarters and bottling plant for the soda giant as it grew from soda shop to a manufactured brand. In 1966, Coca-Cola moved into something larger. Currently, it functions as part of Georgia State University’s campus.

Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.

Where is the largest library in the world? This is it. America t s Library of Congress is the oldest federal cultural institution. It' s also the current research library for the US Senate and is where US Patent and Trademark Office lies. Both real-life and virtual tours of this amazing space are available.

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City

Completed in 1883, Brooklyn Bridge is a famous sight and it has a rich history too. Due to its lengthy span, New Yorkers’ fear was heightened after 12 people were killed on the bridge. Circus man P. T. Barnum paraded 21 elephants across the bridge to prove it was safe. It’s been a National Historic Landmark since 1964.

1. Where should you go if you want to know about the soda giant?

A．Birthplace of Helen Keller.

B．Brooklyn Bridge.

C．Coca-Cola Bottling Plant.

D．Library of Congress.

2. What can we know about the Library of Congress?

A．It is the oldest cultural organization.

B．It is where Americans do the current research.

C．It can be visited only in person.

D．It is where Americans apply for a patent and trademark.

3. What is the purpose of writing the text?

A．To explore landmarks.

B．To introduce scenery.

C．To attract visitors.

D．To educate readers.

【推荐2】Four-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking(徒步旅行)

This four-day travel will take you for gorilla trekking of Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, the “land of a thousand hills". Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is one of the highlight travel experiences in Africa.

Day 1: Pick u from Kigali Airport- -Transfer to Kigali Serena

Today upon your arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed and transferred by road to your hotel， You will relax at the hotel for the rest of the time.

Journey Time: 10 minutes Accommodation: Kigali Serena Meal Plan: Not included

Day 2: Kigali City Tours- Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Today after breakfast, you will go for a guided city tour of Kigali, one of the safest and cleanest capital cities in Africa. The tour will start from the first modern building that the city was founded on, during which you can learn about the country's history. After the city tour, you will begin the journey northwards to Volcanoes National Park. Bisate Lodge(旅馆) is Rwanda' s first real comfort lodge. Activities at the lodge include Bind watching and participating in the reforestation programme.

Journey Time; 3 hours     Accommodation: Bisate Lodge     Meal Plan: All food

Day 3: Gorilla Trekking- Visit Twin Lakes

Today after breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Volcanoes National Park headquarters to start your gorilla trekking.

You will trek through foothills of the Virunga, enjoying great views from all angles. Upon seeing where the mountain gorillas are, you will stay with them for an hour as they go about their day-to-day life- playing, feeding, touching among others. Coming face to face with these endangered mountain gorillas is an experience you will never forget.

PS: We highly recommend that you hire services of a waiter who carries your backpack during the gorilla trekking. It costs 15 US dollars per waiter.

Accommodation: Bisate Lodge Meal Plan: All meals

Day 4: Departure

Today after breakfast, you will be transferred back to Kigali International Airport for your onward journey.

1. What can tourists do at Bisate Lodge?

A．Visit a modem building.	B．Tour Kigali with a guide,
C．Lear the history of Rwanda.	D．Do some bird watching.

2. What can tourists do with gorillas while hiking?

A．Meet gorillas face to face.	B．Feed gorillas with snacks.
C．Play with gorillas for an hour.	D．Follow the footprints of gorillas.

3. What is strongly advised for tourists on Day 3?

A．Exploring the volcanoes,	B．Employing a porter for help.
C．Catching a mountain gorilla.	D．Leaving the backpack in the hotel.