【推荐1】When you eat out in a restaurant, it is not unusual to hear people yelling, “Let me get this one!” and sometimes see them pushing or arm wrestling to fight for the privilege of paying the bill.

These fights are often very loud and active. Each person involved shows an honest desire to pick up the bill, and in the end, all the people at the table give the winner praise and gratitude.

In fact, figuring out who will get the bill is always a headache for Chinese people at formal meals. Although the people hosting the meal are very likely to pay the check, it is a common practice to make a token (象征性的) effort to pay the bill, but you will embarrass them if you do end up actually chipping in (凑) some cash.

In recent years, going Dutch has been accepted by many young people. But older generations who fear “losing face” still find it embarrassing and mean to calculate each person’s share of the bill. As travel guide brand Lonely Planet noted, it is considered. “the height of unsophistication (不懂人情世故)”。

But these days, thanks to digital payment apps, splitting the bill electronically is becoming a widely-accepted idea. Even people from older generations would like to do so.

By scanning a QR code and paying their share via social networking tool WeChat and e-commerce app Alipay on their smart phones in one easy click, urban Chinese are finding it easier to save them the embarrassment of figuring out each person’s payment when they order a meal.

“This function has made going Dutch less trouble and more fun in China”, CNN noted.

“Because of their convenience, many of us are never without our phones. And person-to-person mobile payment services are incredibly easy to use and save the trouble of dealing with change,” said an 18-year-old student in China.

“You can also leave funny notes using emoji (表情符号) like a bowl of rice or a cup of tea to describe a meal that you have shared.”

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The Chinese tradition of dining out with friends.

B．A new trend of splitting the bill in China.

C．How social networking tools have influenced our daily lives.

D．Why people in China argue over who pays the bill when dining out.

2. Splitting the bill at formal meals was considered to be a(an) ______ task.

A．hard	B．easy
C．exciting	D．funny

3. Many Chinese people make a token effort to pay the bill because ______.

A．they don’t want to be considered unsophisticated

B．they want praise and gratitude from their friends

C．they consider it an honor to host the meal and pay the bill

D．they find it hard to work out how much each person needs to pay

4. The underlined phrase “going Dutch” (in Paragraph 4) probably means ______.

A．figuring out the total payment

B．taking turns to pay the bill

C．fighting for the privilege of paying the bill

D．each person paying their own expenses

5. According to the passage, which is NOT the advantage of using digital payment apps to split the bill?

A．They’re easier to use and more interesting.

B．They save the trouble of dealing with change.

C．They make it easier to figure out how much money each person has to pay.

D．They make people less embarrassed to split the bill.

【推荐2】Making Short Videos

“A picture is worth a thousand words or so”, they say. Well, motion (运动) pictures can contain even more memories.     1    Here are some apps you can use to make your own short videos.

Qupeiyin.cn

Reciting lines from movies is an effective and classic way to learn English. So what if you could dub(配音) recordings accompanied by movie clips(剪辑) and then share them with friends?     2    You name it. By contributing your voice, you can either mimic(模仿) the original soundtrack or create something completely new of your own.

Shorts

    3    With the help of the Shorts app, you can make pictures in your album into a slide show. Choose from any of the off-the-shelf themes---“holiday”, “travel”, “friendship” and “party” for example—each matched with its own theme music and slide background. But if you’re not satisfied with the combinations, feel free to do a little change by adding text to the pictures or replacing the music with something in your own playlist.

Viva Video

Video making and editing once seemed awfully hard.    4    But this app will ease you into the field with straight-forward functions and clear direction to help you “create your own video story”. Apart from filter, stickers and text, the coolest part of this app is that you can write the narratives yourself and add your own voice to the video.    5    Viva Video requires a relatively powerful phone to run smoothly.

A．But here is a little reminder.

B．This app has movies, cartoons, lectures, TV series.

C．These apps have a variety of identifications (识别).

D．That’s why short videos are becoming popular.

E．Videos and pictures aren’t only for separate purposes.

F．Newbies (网络新手) and amateurs didn’t dare to even give it a try.

G．Video making and editing is what Apple fans want to try.

【推荐1】Attending college can be expensive, and applying to college can be costly as well. With today’s college application fees averaging around $ 80, you can expect to spend hundreds of dollars on college before you are even accepted into a school.

One of the easiest ways to save money on college application fees before you begin applying is to narrow down your list of schools. To save money, try to limit the schools to which you apply to about 2-3 reach schools and 2-3 safety schools.

At some schools, being a relative of a graduate can secure you a free application. If you are applying to a school where one of your parents or grandparents is a former graduate, check to see if you’ re qualified for it.

Research the preferred method of applying for each school on your list. Some schools offer free online applications, yet charge a fee for paper submissions. This is because online applications save schools the cost of employing a staff member to physically enter the application information.

Several states, such as Michigan and North Carolina, take part in College Application Week, where many schools in the participating states cancel their application fee for the week. Be sure to contact the schools to I j which you are applying to see if they participate in College Application Week and when the program takes place in that state.

Apply for early admission. If you have already decided on which college is your top choice, consider applying under an Early Action or Early Decision admission program. If you are accepted, you won’t have to submit application fees to other schools.

For more information regarding college applications and the fees associated with them, contact your high I school advisor or the admissions department at your school(s) of interest.

1. The passage is mainly written to______.

A．introduce famous universities in the United Stales

B．show some practical ways to apply an ideal college

C．advertise for successful applications and advisors

D．offer tips to save money on college application fees

2. What does the author advise to do in the second paragraph?

A．Write down your favorite universities.

B．Reduce the number of your university choices.

C．Apply to two universities each time.

D．Mind your safety when applying to college.

3. Some schools offer free online application to______,

A．receive fees faster than before	B．employ someone else to work
C．cut down the cost of employment	D．enter the application information

4. It can be known from the passage that______,

A．application fee might be canceled conditionally

B．many countries attend College Application Week

C．applying for early admission is the best policy

D．admission departments determine your future

【推荐2】Who likes salty potato chips the most? The answer is British people! The trouble is that they are eating too many salty foods. Some of Britain’s largest restaurants are even serving dishes with unacceptably high levels of salt to children, according to a survey.

Researchers from Action on Salt analyzed a total of 302 meals on children’s menu from 50 largest restaurants in Britain. They found that 41 percent contained more than 1.8 grams of salt, the largest recommended amount for a child’s meal set by Public Health England (PHE) in 2017. More seriously, 34 percent of the meals had more than 2g of salt. They also found that levels of salt for the same meal could be largely different, depending on which restaurant made them. The spaghetti made by the Italian restaurant Prezzo contained 3.2g of salt, compared with 0.3g in the one made by Beefeater.

In September 2020, PHE set out new suggestions for the largest number of salt in children’s meals. It wants the level reduced to 1.71g by 2024. According to this, nearly half of the meals surveyed were over this level, including most meals at Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Pizza Hut, while Brewers Fayre, Burber King and Ikea made all their children’s dishes with less than 1.71g of salt.

Gramham Mac Gregor, Chairman of Action on Salt, said, “Gradually reducing the salt that is added to our food is the most effective measure for lowering blood pressure, so that we can reduce thousands of stroke (中风) and heart disease that are caused by overeating salt.”

“As for those restaurants who are unwilling to follow the instructions, ministers must now force them to stop adding all of this salt and putting our children’s future health at risk,” said Graham. “Parents should also pay attention to it,” he added. “Try to serve our children with more homemade meals and fewer restaurant foods. Try to add spices (香料) to food instead of salt. Try them. Our kids will thank us.”

1. In Paragraph 2, how did the researchers mainly explain their findings?

A．By analyzing figures.

B．By doing experiments.

C．By giving reasons.

D．By referring to another study.

2. Which restaurant is the best choice for parents eating with kids?

A．Prezzo.	B．Gourmet Burger Kitchen.
C．Burger King.	D．Pizza Hut.

3. Which statement does Gramhan agree with?

A．Taking in too much salt can lower blood pressure.

B．Parents should stop dining out with their children.

C．All restaurants must stop adding salt to their meals.

D．Children’s future health should be taken seriously.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Salt in Restaurant Food Is Increased

B．Salt in Meals Harms Humans’ Health

C．Salt in Children’s Meals Breaks Daily Limit

D．Salt Content Survey Caused Hot Discussion

【推荐3】Last Friday, at least 5 people were killed by lightning in Nepal.

Lightning strikes are the second most common cause of deaths during natural disasters in the US. The first is floods. Around 400 people nationwide are struck by lightning each year, and of those, 70 people die. That is, more people are killed by lightning than by tornadoes and hurricanes.

Because lightning kills only one or two people at a time, its danger does not receive as much attention as other disasters.

"If you hear the thunder, you are in danger from lightning," said Rocky Lopes, a disaster educator at the American Red Cross.

"Thunder means that lightning is close enough to hit you at any time, so you should move indoors immediately and stay there until the storm has ended. The most important thing to remember is to seek shelter (遮蔽物), " Lopes said.

Summer is the peak time for lightning storms, so when lightning strikes across the sky, remember these safety tips:

♦ Stop working, fishing, swimming or playing in open fields.

♦ Do not stand under a tree.

♦ Get off bicycle and motorcycles.

♦ Crouch down (蹲下) if there is no shelter.

♦ Avoid open spaces, wire fences, metal objects and electrical objects such as hair driers.

1. In the US, ______ is the most common cause of deaths during natural disasters.

A．lightning

B．tornadoes

C．hurricanes

D．floods

2. Of the people who are struck by lightning every year in the US, about ______ people are lucky enough to survive.

A．400

B．70

C．330

D．5

3. If you hear the thunder, the most important thing you should do is to ______.

A．stand still in the open spaces

B．find shelter to hide in

C．stand under the tree

D．stop working in the fields

4. Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Floods are the most common cause of deaths in the US.

B．Less than 70 people are killed by tornadoes and hurricanes each year in the US.

C．If you hear the thunder, you should move indoors right away.

D．People don't pay as much attention to the danger of hurricanes as that of floods.

5. Which of the following is the best title?

A．The Danger of Lightning	B．Some Safety Tips against Floods
C．How Lightning Happens	D．5 People Killed by Lightning in Nepal

【推荐1】More and more people are taking their iPads to bed with them to surf the web, check facebook or send e-mails before switching off the light. But researchers are warning that the blue light their screens give off can stop users getting a good night’s sleep. That is because this type of light is similar to daylight, convincing the brain that it is still daytime. Blue light prevents the production of a brain chemical called melatonin, which helps us fall asleep. By contrast, light which is more orange or red does not prevent melatonin production, perhaps because our brains recognize it as a cue that the day ends.
Scientists have known for years that staring at screens late in the evening can affect sleep ---- they are television screens, computer screens or mobile phone screens. However, because mobiles and iPads are by nature portable ---- not to say addictive ---- more people are taking them into the bedroom. Users also tend to hold them much closer to their eyes than a computer or television screen.
Researchers are warning that looking at iPad displays for more than two hours leads to lower natural melatonin levels as the devices give off blue light. They say, “Turning off the devices at night is the final solution. But if you have to use these devices at night, dim the display to cut down irritation of the eyes and limit the time you spend on them before bed.”
They wrote in the journal Applied Ergonomics(应用人类工程学) that iPad makers should adjust the spectral power distribution(光谱功率分布) of the devices so that they affect the sleep patterns of users less.
It is not just a good night’s sleep that could be harmed by too much late night screen time. Researchers know that long-term harm to sleep patterns can lead to an increased risk of obesity and even cancers.
1. Blue light prevents iPad users from sleeping well because ____.

A．it is the same as daylight which keeps people awake

B．it makes the brain more active

C．it is brighter than light that is more orange or red

D．it can help decrease the production of melatonin

2. The underlined phrase “dim the display” means ____.

A．keep away from the display

B．make the display less bright

C．clean the display carefully

D．turn off the display

3. In the last paragraph, the author intends to ____.

A．warn of the seriousness of long-term poor sleep

B．call on researchers to study sleep patterns

C．show the danger of obesity and cancers

D．show how sleep is harmed by using iPads too much

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Scientists are warning that blue light is bad for our health.

B．People should limit the use of electronic devices

C．Using iPads before bed can cause a poor night’s sleep.

D．Looking at screens of iPads increase chances of sleeplessness.

【推荐3】Surfing the Internet for fun will make you a better employee, according to an Australian study.

The University of Melbourne study shows that people who use the Internet for their own reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive (有效率的) than those who do not. Study author Brent Coker said “Surfing the Internet at times helps increase an employee’s attention.”

“People need to relax for a bit to get back their attention,” Coker said on the university’s website.” Having a short break, such as a quick surfing of the Internet, helps the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total Internet attention for a day’s work, and as a result, increase productivity (生产效率),” he said.

According to the study of 300 workers, 70 percent of people who use the Internet at work surf the Internet for their own reasons during office hours. Among the most popular surfing activities are searching for information about products, reading online news, playing online games and watching videos.” Firms spend a lot of money on software to block their employees from watching video, using social networking sites or shopping online,” said Coker. “That’s not always a good idea.”

However, Coker said the study looked at people who surfed the Internet in moderation (适度), or were on the Internet for less than 20 percent of their total time in the office. “Those who spend too much time surfing the Internet will have a lower productivity than those without.” he said.

1. What does the University of Melbourne study mainly show?

A．People who surf the Internet are good employees.

B．Not everyone surfs the Internet for fun during office hours.

C．Surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity.

D．The Internet is becoming more and more important in people’s life.

2. According to paragraph 3, Brent Coker would most probably agree that ________.

A．the longer a person’s mind rests the better attention he will have.

B．surfing the Internet is the best way to increase productivity.

C．workers should have a long break during office hours

D．workers should let their minds rest now and then.

3. The underlined word “block” in paragraph 4 means “________”.

A．prevent

B．cycle

C．burst (爆裂)

D．breathe

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph？

A．People should spend as little time as possible surfing the Internet.

B．Those who never surf the Internet have the lowest productivity.

C．Most people don’t surf the internet in moderation during office hours.

D．Spending too much time surfing the Internet reduces productivity.