【推荐1】“Road trip!” The words paint pictures of the open highway, views rolling out before the driver, adventure and freedom. On a road trip travelers are able to stop along the way to see various attractions and taste some local specialties before moving on.     1    , but a certain amount of planning is still required for everything to work our.

There are two basic ways to plan a road trip. The first is the organized trip, in which the travelers decide their route in advance, plan stopping points along the way, look for hotels in particular towns, and make reservations in advance.     2    . For these folks, the open-ended method may be preferable. For this kind, the travelers just plan the route and stop at will, staying overnight wherever they are when they are too tired to drive any further.

    3    . This includes taking the car to a mechanic beforehand and having the oil changed and the fluids checked and topped off. A standard first-aid kit (装备) should also be carried including all the drugs needed for the duration of a road trip as well as a car charger for the cellphone.

    4    , so travelers may want to bring their favorite snacks, as well as a pillow for rest time and hotel use. Small coolers are readily available, and a “blue ice” block will fit inside nicely to keep drinks cool. Finally, a traveler should always take along an atlas or road map and extra cash, along with a couple of dollars in change.     5    .

A．It is certainly a relaxing way to travel

B．Comfort is also important on a road trip

C．A big consideration for any road trip is safety

D．Some travelers find pre-planned stops a bit too limiting

E．One advantage is that they know where they will be staying

F．Travelers should always prepare for emergencies on a road trip

G．Following these guidelines should help make a trouble-free road trip

【推荐2】Here are some ways parents can use to encourage a healthy self-image in their children.

Teach what real value is. I think kids sometimes are confused about values. How valuable you are is not measured by how pretty you are on the outside.     1     We were watching the Oscars and my 6-year-old son said, “She is so pretty,” and then quickly looked at me and said you are prettier, Mom.” And I said, “It’s okay. There are many people prettier than me on the outside. I know that’s not why you love me.”     2    

Tell your kids about “the grass is always greener” syndrome. It is very easy for all of us to see the charm, whether it is in a famous singer or the most popular girl in the school. Do not think too highly of famous people.     3     Maybe they have the same struggles, like wanting acceptance from peers.

    4     Don’t be afraid to have conversations with your child about how they’re feeling about ads songs, etc. You are the parent!     5     Take a stand and have confidence enough not to be followers and not to purchase clothing, music, or magazines that you don’t believe send the right message to your children!

A．Use your mouth.

B．Be patient with your kids.

C．about what problems they might have.

D．It is important to teach children this from an early age.

E．Success is not measured by how famous you are, either.

F．Girls tend to like famous singers while boys prefer sports stars.

G．In fact, kids of all ages want and need boundaries from you.

【推荐3】First-Aid to Stop Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds occur when the inner lining of one's nose is hurt or dry. Although a nosebleed maybe frightening, most conditions that cause nosebleeds are not serious or life threatening.    1    

Position your body. To begin, sit down, since it is more comfortable than standing. Tilt head forward so that the blood drains through the nostrils.    2    A towel can be held under your nose to collect the blood. Do not lie down as this can cause blood to pass down the throat.

Press the nose. Use your thumb and index finger to hold your nostrils for 5 to 10 minutes while you breathe through your mouth. This puts pressure on the part of your nose that's bleeding and can make the blood stop flowing.    3    

Cool yourself down. Lowering your body temperature can help reduce the blood flow to your nose. To do this, place ice cubes in your mouth. This helps achieve a lower temperature sooner than cooling the external part of the nose.    4    This is more effective than placing a cold compress over the nose. You can also suck on a popsicle to achieve the same result.

    5    After bleeding has stopped, you can clean the area around your nose with warm water. After you have cleaned your face, you should rest for a while. This is to help to prevent further bleeding.

A．Be gentle on your nose.

B．Wash your nose and rest.

C．Keep your head above your heart.

D．It also helps you keep the lower temperature for longer.

E．You should see a doctor if you do not have a serious issue.

F．If bleeding continues, reapply pressure for another 10 minutes.

G．You can perform some first aid at home during a nosebleed to help stop it.

【推荐1】It is widely thought that smartphones and laptops show the progress of society. For example, a proper amount of online searching can be good for your brain, and there are apps that can promote brain function. Yet tech advances also come with some unexpected consequences.

Studies have shown that blue-enriched light from electronic things like smartphones can disturb the body’s internal clock and makes it impossible for you to stick to a proper sleep schedule. Losing sleep has negative effects on your brain, such as bad moods, decreased focus and problems with memory.

Technology makes it much easier to get distracted, for example, you step away from an important project to check your smartphone. Teens, in particular, are more distracted than ever. A recent survey of 2, 400 teachers found that most educators feel students are more distracted than previous generations. Some 64 percent agreed with the idea that today’s digital technologies distract students more than to help them academically.

And technology makes people much more forgetful than they used to be. The new generation are actually more likely to forget what day it is or where they put their keys than people over the age of 55, according to a survey. In a press release for the survey, one of the leading researchers said technology was to blame. “This is a population that has grown up multitasking using technology, often accompanied by lack of sleep, which causes high levels of forgetfulness,” she said.

People who depend on GPS to get around have less activity in the hippocampus (海马体), an area of the brain involved in both memory and direction. Another study found that taxi drivers had a more developed hippocampus than non-taxi drivers, because they are so accustomed to using spatial (空间的) memory, rather than relying on GPS.

Now that you’re probably horrified by the effects of technology, let us remind you that you do have the power to prevent it. Just log off every once in a while!

1. How does digital technology affect students according to teachers?

A．It upsets the new generation.

B．It makes students more forgetful.

C．It takes the students’ attention away.

D．It fails to aid students with their lessons.

2. What does the underlined words “was to blame” mean in paragraph 4?

A．was responsible.	B．was realistic.
C．was advanced.	D．was practical.

3. Why do taxi drivers have a more developed hippocampus?

A．They often depend on GPS.	B．They use spatial memory more.
C．They do more mental exercise.	D．They have a better sense of space.

4. What can you infer from the last paragraph?

A．People are horrified by the effects of technology.

B．People are reminded to stop using smartphones.

C．It’s necessary to log everything once in a while.

D．It’s necessary to stop using smartphones for some time.

【推荐2】Mail carriers will be delivering some good news and some bad news this week.

The bad news: Stamp prices are expected to rise 2 cents in May to 41 cents, the Postal Regulatory Commission announced yesterday. The good news: With the introduction of a “forever stamp,” it may be the last time Americans have to use annoying 2-or-3-cent stamps to make up postage differences.

Beginning in May, people would be able to purchase the stamps in booklets of 20 at the regular rate of a first-class stamp. As the name implies, “forever stamps” will keep their first-class mailing value forever, even when the postage rate goes up.

The new “forever stamp” is the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) answer to the complaints about frequent rate increases. The May increases will be the fifth in a decade. Postal rates have risen because of inflation (通货膨胀), competition from online bill paying, and the rising costs of employee benefits, including healthcare, says Mark Saunders, a spokesman for USPS.

The USPS expects some financial gain from sales of the “forever stamp” and the savings from not printing as many 2-or-3-cent stamps. “It’s not your grandfather’s stamp,” says Mr. Saunders. “It could be your great-grandchildren’s stamp.”

Other countries, including Canada, England, and Finland use similar stamps.

Don Schilling, who has collected stamps for 50 years, says he’s interested in the public’s reaction. “This is an entirely new class of stamps.” Mr. Schilling says. He adds that he’ll buy the stamps because he will be able to use them for a long period of time, not because they could make him rich — the volume printed will be too large for collectors. “We won’t be able to send our kids to college on these,” he says, laughing.

The USPS board of governors has yet to accept the Postal Regulatory Commission’s decision, but tends to follow its recommendations. No plans have been announced yet for the design of the stamps.

1. The main purpose of introducing a “forever stamp” is ______.

A．to reduce the cost of printing 2-or-3-cent stamps

B．to help save the consumers’ cost on first-class mailing

C．to respond to the complaints about rising postal rates

D．to compete with online bill paying

2. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．The investment in forever stamps will bring adequate reward.

B．America will be the first country to issue forever stamps.

C．The design of the “forever stamp” remains to be revealed.

D．2-or-3-cent stamps will no longer be printed in the future.

3. What can be concluded from the passage?

A．With forever stamps, there will be no need to worry about rate changes.

B．Postal workers will benefit most from the sales of forever stamps.

C．The inflation has become a threat to the sales of first-class stamps.

D．New interest will be aroused in collecting forever stamps.

【推荐3】I can remember occasionally nodding off with my phone between my ear and shoulder after hours of conversation with a friend. I’d wake up with the dial tone screaming in my ear. What happened? What did I say? The next day, my friend would tell me a funny story about how I had trailed off（声音逐渐减弱）with some meaningless words and begun snoring（打鼾）into the phone. We had a good laugh, but there was no harm because at least there was no permanent record of it.

For today’s young people, nodding off during a verbal phone call may mean a text written in their sleep. Who even knew texting while sleeping was possible before? But it’s possible today. A newly-published study from Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing surveyed 372 college students and found that a quarter of them had sleep texting-texting while in a sleep state at some point. Of that group, 72% had no memory of the event. Respondents most likely to text in the sleep were, unsurprisingly, those who regularly slept with the phone on bed with them.

The study indicated that those who reported sleep texting admitted that cellphone use ravaged their sleep, which meant they suffered poor sleep. The study also found that most college students do not get high quality sleep, and that most do not turn off the cellphone when they go to sleep.

Young adults, especially college students, sleep even less than other age groups, often having only 6 to 7 hours of sleep per night. The demands of heavy class loads and the busy social life of college, combined with little to no adult supervision, have already been an environment fit for sleep disruption. Because of today’s technology of smartphones laptops, and so on, a solid night’s uninterrupted sleep sounds like a faraway dream indeed.

Maybe it’s time for a change.

1. Why did the author trail off with some meaningless words over the phone?

A．Because she wanted to horrify her friend.

B．Because she wanted to make up funny story.

C．Because she got tired and fell asleep gradually.

D．Because she was tired of talking with her friend.

2. What does the author want to show by mentioning the study about college students?

A．Texting while sleeping is actually common.

B．Today’s young people can’t live without the phone.

C．College students often forget what they’ve done.

D．College students have a bad habit of texting before going to sleep.

3. What does the underlined word “ravaged” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Protected.

B．Damaged.

C．Improved.

D．Controlled

4. Which of the following statements would the author most probably agree with?

A．College students should stop using their smartphones.

B．College students’ class loads should be reduced.

C．Having a solid night’s uninterrupted sleep is impossible today.

D．College students should avoid using the phone before bedtime.