【推荐1】Su Min, a 56-year-old retiree from Henan Province in central China, has never been happier. After accomplishing her family's expectations of dutiful Chinese womanhood, Ms. Su is holding a new identity: fearless road-tripper. For six months, this Chinese aunt has been on a solo drive across China, documenting her journey for more than 1.35 million followers across several social media platforms.

Before last fall, Ms. Su had rarely traveled. But she had long been fond of the idea of driving. Growing up in Tibet, she sometimes missed the school bus home and had to walk 12 miles through the mountains. Each time a truck passed by, she imagined sitting behind the wheel, safe and comfortable. But cars were rare, and having one seemed impossible. Then, in late 2019, she came across a video online of someone introducing their camping gear while on a solo road trip. She remembered her childhood dream of driving—the freedom and comfort it had represented.

Over the following months, she watched every video she could find about road trips. She took plentiful notes: which apps they used to find campsites and which tricks they had for saving money. Soon, she made up her mind: Once her grandsons entered preschool, she would embark on a trip of her own. She had bought a small white car several years earlier, with her savings and a monthly pension of around $300.

In her videos, she was happy at her newfound freedom. She could go wherever she wanted and stop at any place she liked. Still, Ms. Su blushes when asked about her new fame. “It took me so many years to realize that I had to live for myself.” She paused, “It's something I'm waking up to, not something that I just am.”

1. Why was Su Min's childhood mentioned?

A．To praise she has a strong will.	B．To tell us she had a tough childhood.
C．To blame the slow economic development.	D．To show the background of her love for travel.

2. What does the phrase “embark on” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Finish.

B．Shorten.

C．Start.

D．Cancel.

3. What did Su Min come to realize according to the text?

A．She should have a life of her own.	B．She should save as much as possible.
C．Her monthly pension was generous.	D．She could make a living by selling videos.

4. What's the best title for the text?

A．Su Min's Identity Won World Attention

B．A Chinese Aunt Went on a Solo Road Trip

C．A Retired Traveller Makes the Public Astonished

D．Millions of Followers Make Su Min's Dream Come True

【推荐2】Let's take a look at some of the world's unspoilt places that are beautiful because they have been left untouched, and remember the importance of keeping them pristine.

Nunavut, Canada

Auyuittuq National Park, which means “the land that never melts”, is just one of the shocking wonders in Nunavut, There are many icefalls, mountains, and deep valleys while hikers cross the 60m Akshayuk Pass in the summer. And that's just one attraction. From narrow seas to mountains, there are three areas in Nunavut, all with beautiful natural land feature. Visitors can hunt, fish, mountain hike, and walk across ice flows.

Namib Desert, Namibia

A coastal desert in the southern area of Africa, it is known for its burnt orange-golden sands. The Namib has been dry for at least 55 million years and possibly as many as 80 million. The name means “vast space”, and it spreads more than 1200 miles. The hill of sands can reach up to 980 feet high and 20 miles long. Amazingly, the temperatures striking against cold currents create a fog belt that often covers the desert.

Antarctica

Perhaps the last unspoilt place, Antaretica is an empty landscape. No trees grow here, and one must travel with a tourism company in order to visit. Admire icebergs, sea lions, whales, and listen to the sound of absolutely nothing.

Fiordland, New Zealand

One of the most shocking areas of New Zealand, Fiordland can be seen on foot, by air, or by water. The Milford Track is one of the most famous walks, with the tallest waterfall in the country and impressive valley views. Lake Monowai is a glassy, mirrorlike body of water surrounded by mountains and best explored by boating on a still day.

1. Hunting and fishing are available for visitors in_________.

A．Nunavut

B．Namib Desert

C．Antarctica

D．Fiordland

2. What is Namib Desert famous for?

A．Ice flows.

B．Burnt sands.

C．High hills.

D．Valley views.

3. Which word can best describe all the four places?

A．Unknown.

B．Unreachable.

C．Unmelted.

D．Undamaged.

4. In which part of a magazine can this passage be found?

A．Travel.

B．Space.

C．Opinion.

D．Sports.

【推荐1】Dear Windows Internet Explorer,

Our relationship has been strained(紧张的)for a long time. Of course, It's not all your fault, and nor is it all mine. Our intermediary is also to blame: my hated PC, which runs far too slowly, but that does not get you off the hook.

Firstly, I can no longer deal with your ridiculous loading time. Sure, at one time I found it attractive for my browser to take ages to log in or load a web page, but not any more. My life is fuller than it was, and I don't have time for you to semi-load and then stop.

Also, as much as I loved it when we got together, your refusal to log me into some of my necessary accounts, such as email and QQ, has become a problem. It was unfair of you, and I should not have submitted to your cruelty and mistreatment.

The third reason for my leaving you may seem mean: you are simply far too sickly. You are constantly contracting new viruses and your immune system is terrible. I don't have the time or the money to care for you any more. It may seem unfair, but you will have to survive on your own. I cannot keep curing you, finding all your corrupted(损坏的)files and cleansing our intermediary's system because you have given it some virus, bug or spyware. It takes far too much time and energy which I do not have.

Windows Internet Explorer, you did wonderful things for me that, at the time, no other could do. However, my dear, times have changed and while you have, too, you have not changed enough. I am 17now, nearly a grown woman, and I cannot tolerate your childish ways. Therefore, I fear that the time has come for us to part.

Your former friend,

Kirsty

1. What does the underlined word "intermediary" in paragraph 1 mean?

A．The computer.

B．The network speed.

C．A virus.

D．An account.

2. Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons why the author doesn't use Windows Internet Explorer?

A．Its immune system is really bad.

B．The author cannot log into some of her accounts.

C．It cannot find corrupted files automatically.

D．It takes the author too much time to open a web page.

3. What is the author's attitude towards the subject of this letter?

A．Cautious.

B．Skeptical.

C．Critical.

D．Contradictory.

【推荐2】Paris
Passengers carried per day: 4.4m
Cost of ticket: 80p flat fare
Length: 131 miles       Lines: 14     Stations: 297
In Paris there are pleasures for those who use the Metro(地铁) — many of them artistic. The graceful Art Nouveau dragon-fly entrances are just the most noticeable on a Metro system which celebrated its 100^th anniversary by spending 30 million francs (£2.9million) on making its stations works of art. On my way home I pass Bonne Nouvelle station in the heart of Paris’s cinema district. There, during the cinema festival this summer, special lighting effects dot the platforms and films are projected onto the large advertising boards.
More than anything the metro is efficient. “When I worked on line 4”, says a retired driver, “we had exactly 30 minutes and 15 seconds to complete the journey. If it took any longer, they cut our pay.” But there are problems. Many Metro stations have too many stairs, and changing lines at big interchanges(交换) can be tiresome.
Moscow
Passengers carried per day: 9m
Cost of ticket: 12p
Length: 164 miles       Lines: 11     Stations: 162
The first underground passage for the Moscow Metropolitan started in 1932. Three years later the trains started running. They haven’t stopped since— every 90 seconds or two minutes during rush hour, every five minutes the rest of the time, from 6 a.m. till 1 a. m. There may be a crowd of people but there is seldom a wait.
The trains take you through spacious and spotless stations. For tourists it’s a major sightseeing attraction: from Russian Art Deco to neo-classical, the Metro stations are not to be missed.
Tokyo
Passengers carried per day: 7m
Cost of ticket: 90p ~ £1.68
Length: 177 miles       Lines: 12     Stations: 209
Trains do not just arrive on time in Tokyo. They stop right on the platform mark so that passengers can line up knowing exactly where the doors will open. Train driving is a respectful job for life, for which the applicants must pass a strict screening of health checks, interviews and written exams before they can put on the enviable uniform, cap and white gloves.
However, overcrowding means it is far from perfect. At rush hours, some stations employ part-time platform staff to push in passengers. Carriages can be filled to 184% of capacity(容量). The main reason for such conditions is that the Tokyo subway station system has only 15 miles of track for every 1 million people, compared to 36 on the London Underground. New lines are under construction, but at a cost of £500,000 per meter of rail. Progress has been slow.
Mexico City
Passengers carried per day: 4.2m
Cost of ticket: 11p flat fare
Length: 99 miles       Lines: 11     Stations: 175
Fast, relatively safe, and very cheap, Mexico City’s underground is an ideal place of order and efficiency compared to the disorders above. The Mexican capital’s underground system is the biggest in the continent and one of the most subsidized (获得补助的) networks in the world.
The first trains leave the station at 5 a.m. and the last after midnight as the crowd move from the outskirts of the 20 million-strong megacity (大城市). Mexico City’s Metro also attracts a sizeable group of passengers who are unwilling to spend hours in traffic jams. There is a master plan to build new lines and extend existing one, but financial constraints (约束) complicated by the fact that the system runs through different jurisdicitons (管辖权) mean progress is slow.
1. Metro rail drivers in Paris must____.

A．keep to the train schedule strictly

B．complete the journey gracefully

C．stop right on the platform mark

D．understand the special lighting

2. In which two cities can travelling by underground be a sightseeing experience?

A．Moscow and Tokyo	B．Paris and Moscow
C．Paris and Mexico City	D．Tokyo and Mexico City

3. Which word may best describe the Tokyo underground trains?

A．Cheap

B．Efficient

C．Crowded

D．Slow

4. Why is the expansion of the underground system in Mexico City slow?

A．The plan to extend existing lines is impractical.

B．The government offers little financial support.

C．People are unwilling to help build new lines.

D．The lines involve several authorities.

【推荐3】While bringing global change may take some time, these companies and individuals have already developed various ways to reduce plastic pollution.

Plastic Bank

According to its founder David Katz, “The only way to stop ocean plastic is to show the value to the collectors.” The company does this by rewarding people who collect ocean plastic with cash, goods, or services. The garbage collected is recycled and sold to companies that pay above-market prices to help the cause.

Liter of Light

Since 2011, Liter of Light has been transforming plastic bottles into light sources (光源). There are millions of people who have no access to electricity. The company attaches plastic bottles filled with water and bleach to roofs. They reflect sunlight into the dark, windowless homes during the day. When the sun sets, a micro solar panel (太阳能电池板) helps power an LED bulb (灯泡).

The Ocean Cleanup Foundation

In 2013, 18-year-old Boyan Slat dropped out of college to start The Ocean Cleanup Foundation. The young inventor developed the first operational cleanup system in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The system is designed to collect the surface garbage as it floats past. The accumulated plastic will be brought to land for recycling. Slat believes his invention will allow us to clean 50 percent of the patch within five years.

1. What does Plastic Bank mainly do to help reduce plastic pollution?

A．They invent various ways.	B．They reward the collectors.
C．They found a recycling company.	D．They call on the public to plant trees.

2. How can plastic bottles become light sources?

A．By reflecting sunlight.	B．By producing electricity.
C．By working with a solar panel.	D．By being made into LED bulbs.

3. What kind of person is Boyan Slat?

A．Learned and ambitious.	B．Devoted and dutiful.
C．Hard-working and optimistic.	D．Determined and creative.