【推荐2】I was sitting at my desk when another graduate student in my lab approached me. "Can you help?" he begged. His experiment wasn't working and he desperately needed help. I was a fifth year Ph.D, student, the senior member of the lab at the time. As I had many times before, I gave in and said yes.

I had a hard time saying no to such requests. I was new to the United States, having moved from China for graduate school. I found it difficult to make new friends and discover afterwork activities I enjoyed. My lab-mates served as my primary source of social connection. I feared that if I brushed them off, I'd lose their favor.

After I graduated and started a job in industry, I continued to carry the same attitude with me, and it continued to cost me. It wasn't until my wife gave birth to our first child that I realized how thin I had stretched myself and how misguided my priorities（重要的事）were. While she lay in a hospital bed in the early stages of labor（分娩阵痛）, І sat nearby, busy in correcting a work report on my laptop for my colleague. Hours later, after hearing my daughter's first cry and watching her tiny fingers grab tightly onto mine, it dawned on me that I should have been fully present during my daughter's birth.

From then on, I determined to spare more time for my family by reducing my work tasks and carefully considering each request for help. I sill enjoyed cooperating with others, but I dealt with mutually（共同地）beneficial tasks first, rather than accepting everything that came my way.

I noticed many benefits, and few disadvantages. My daily work schedule was not so crowded. I no longer worked overtime, and I was able to improve my work performance by focusing more on important tasks. I was also pleased to discover that "Sorry, I'd love to help but I have a deadline coming, up", is an acceptable response to a request for assistance. Most colleagues seem to understand.

It's hard to say "no" to those you work with. But I've learned that sometimes that's the best way to avoid too much workload and lead a freer and happier life.

1. Why was it hard for the author to refuse others' requests in school?

A．He was eager for a bond with others.

B．He was interested in helping others.

C．He was fond of doing experiments.

D．He was the most experienced student.

2. What made the author carefully consider each request for help?

A．His graduation.	B．His wife's request.
C．The birth of his daughter.	D．The unhealthy state of his body.

3. What does the author think is the priority now?

A．Writing a report.	B．Connecting with others.
C．Accompanying his family.	D．Requesting others for help.

4. What happened to the author after refusing others?

A．He got along badly with his colleagues.

B．He got a lot more vital tasks.

C．He received assistance from his colleagues.

D．He got less work and more joy.

【推荐3】In recent years, aggression on social media have become commonplace. More than half of the victims said they didn’t know the identity of the perpetrator (作恶者). Most people agreed that the anonymity (匿名) of the Internet provides cover for nasty and harassing (骚扰) behavior.

Does this growing aggression on social media give us a glimpse of our real human nature? Are we-at our core-aggressive beasts? It’s true that hate crimes are on the rise, and political divisions app ear to be growing. The level of public bitterness-especially online-is substantial. But I don’t believe that’s because social media has unlocked our cruel human nature.

As an evolutionary anthropologist, I have spent years researching our transformation as a species. Over the past two million years, we have evolved from groups of apelike beings armed with sticks and stones to the creators of cars, rockets, and nations. Our bigger brains have allowed us to bond and cooperate in more complex and diverse ways than any other animal. Meanwhile, “you are whom you meet.” How we perceive, experience, and act in the world is shaped by who and what surround us on a daily basis. This process has deep evolutionary roots and gives humans what we call a shared reality.

I would argue that the rise in online aggression is a product of our evolutionary social skills, the social media boom, and the specific political, economic and social context where we find ourselves. This explosive combination has opened up a space for increasingly more people to fan the flames of aggression and insult online. Aggressive behavior-especially to those you don’t have to confront face-to-face-is easier than it’s ever been. And for the aggressor, there are often no consequences.

Yes, it seems that the world is getting more aggressive, but that’s not because we are more aggressive at our core. It’s because we haven’t been standing up against bullying, abuse, and aggressive harassment, and promoting pro-social attitudes and actions our contemporary world demands. In person and on social media, we must do both.

1. What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph two refer to?

A．Hate crimes on the rise.	B．Growing political divisions.
C．Considerable online bitterness.	D．The transformation of humans.

2. What’s the author’s attitude toward social media?

A．Critical.

B．Objective.

C．Approving.

D．Ironic.

3. What does the author propose to address the issue of growing aggression?

A．Embracing our aggressive nature to compete in today’s world.

B．Strengthening laws to hold perpetrators responsible for their online actions.

C．Promoting positive behaviors and interactions in both real-life and digital spaces.

D．Focusing only on reducing anonymity on the internet to reduce offensive behavior.

4. What is mainly discussed in this passage?

A．The impact of social media on society.

B．The influence of evolution on our behavior.

C．The reasons behind rising online aggression.

D．The factors in the social media development.

【推荐2】阅读表达

Hello! My name is Zhan Bingbing

Lately, all of us have seen Chinese people on TV in far-off places in the world, helping other countries to develop. We see Chinese workers building roads in the Congo, a port in Pakistan, railways in Panama, and an airport in Sri Lanka. And we see Chinese miners, oil workers, agricultural experts, mechanics, and doctors working in nearly every corner of the world. And some people may ask, ”Is it worth it? Why help people overseas when China has many areas that are still in need of development? “

I had the same questions myself. But for me, it was much more personal. You see, my mother is a medical doctor, and for the last two years, she has been working as a volunteer consultant in Tanzania, Africa, as a part of a medical team sent by the Chinese government.

To be honest, when my mother first left for Africa, I was upset. My mother cooked me dinner every night, and she took good care of me. But more importantly, she was my best friend. We talked together, we spent our leisure time together, and except for school and work, we were never apart. So l was unhappy about her leaving without even asking for my input.

But then I began to hear about the work she was doing in Tanzania, a country that has many health problems, and now I am singing a different tune. Mary dangerous diseases which are rare in China are quite commonly contracted in Tanzania. And, while the country is quite beautiful and has much natural wealth, many of the people are quite poor and live without things we take for granted, such as electricity, running water, cars and good transport systems, and supermarkets. One project that my mother worked on was helping to build a cardiac hospital. Prior to this, if a Tanzanian had a heart condition and needed surgery, they would have to go abroad. Since this was quite expensive, many people went without medical treatment and some even died. Now, not only are Tanzanians helped by the hospital, but people in neighbouring countries are helped as well. It has made a big difference to their lives. My mother also does a circuit of the rural villages to provide medical treatment, help those with disabilities, and provide consultation and training for local doctors. In addition, her team has given patients a new malaria treatment invented in China, and this has saved many lives.

Today. I want to relay to you that I’m proud of the work my mother has done, and I am now supportive of it. Is her work worth it? Yes, to the lives of the people she is helping, it is worth it.

But by any criteria this work is worth it to us as well, because it shows that we are global citizens interested in world stability, and that we feel responsible for others and are ready to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Everyone deserves a fair chance in life. When I think of all the things that we as Chinese citizens can be most proud of, helping others comes at the top of this list Now that I understand how important my mother’s work is, I’ve decided to become a volunteer myself to help people in other lands. In the future, I pray that you will do the same.

Thank you!

1. What are some examples of the work that Chinese people do to help others overseas?
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Why was Bingbing upset when her mother went to Tanzania?
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What are some of the problems people face in Tanzania?
______________________________________________________________________________
4. What are two things that Bingbing’s mother is helping with?
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Why is this work worth it?
______________________________________________________________________________

【推荐3】Are you spending your holidays sitting around bored with nothing to do? You can find many ways to fill your days.     1    

Spend time with your friends. If you can't think of things to do, one of your friends probably can.     2    

Help others. If you have nothing you need to do for yourself, you may want to volunteer to help someone else. Ask friends and relatives if they have any projects they need help on, and, if so, offer your services!

    3     The holidays are a great opportunity to have conversations with family members you haven't seen for a long time. For instance, you might want to visit your grandparents and have a quality talk with them. You might be surprised how funny some of your relatives have become without your noticing.

Spend time with your pet if you have one. You might be happy to stay with an animal friend, especially if it's with one you haven't seen for a while.     4     So spend a little time walking with them, playing with them. etc.

Hold a party. Having a party is a great way to have fun. You can invite your friends and have a party together.     5     If it's cold, you and your friends can stay inside and have a nice cup of coffee.

A．Spend time with loved ones.

B．Help your friends and relatives.

C．If it's sunny, have it in the open air.

D．Do something you have never done before.

E．Your pet probably miss you if you've been gone.

F．Here are some tips for spending time with others.

G．When all else fails, simply try going for picnics or hanging out at a shopping mall with your friends.