【推荐1】“The pen is more powerful than the sword（剑）.” There have been many writers who used their pens to fight things that were wrong. Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe was one of them.

She was born in the U.S.A. in 1811.One of her books not only made her famous but has been described as one that excited the world, and was helpful in causing a civil war and freeing the enslaved race. The civil war was the American Civil War of 1861, in which the Northern States fought the Southern States and finally won.

This book that shook the world was called Uncle Tom's Cabin. There was time when almost every English-speaking man, woman, and child has read this novel that did so much to stop slavery. Not many people read it today, but it is still very interesting. The book has shown us how a warm-hearted writer can arouse people's sympathies. The author herself had neither been to the Southern States nor been a slave. The Southern Americans were very angry at the book, which they said did not at all represent true state of affairs, but the Northern Americans were wildly excited over it and were so inspired by it that they were ready to go to war to set the slaves free.

1. According to the passage ________.

A．Uncle Tom's Cabin was not very interesting

B．every English-speaking person has read Uncle Tom's Cabin

C．those who don't speak English cannot have read Uncle Tom's Cabin

D．the book Uncle Tom's Cabin did a great deal in the American Civil War

2. What do you learn about Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe from the passage?

A．She had been living in the north of America before the Civil War broke out.

B．She encouraged the Northern Americans to go to war to set the slaves free.

C．She was better as writing as swinging (挥舞) a sword.

D．She had once been a slave.

3. Why could Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe's book cause a civil war in America?

A．She wrote so well that Americans loved her very much.

B．She uncovered the terrible wrongs done to the slaves in the Southern States.

C．The Southern Americans hated the book while the Northern Americans like it.

D．The book had been read by many Americans.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．We needn't use weapons (武器) to fight things that are wrong.

B．A writer is more helpful in a war than a soldier.

C．We must understand the importance of literature and art.

D．No war can be won without such a book as Uncle Tom's Cabin.

5. What is the best title of this passage?

A．American civil war	B．Uncle Tom’s Cabin
C．A war-arousing writer	D．Pen, a fighting weapon

【推荐2】The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896.There are nine sports: cycling, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, weightlifting, rowing, wrestling and shooting. Sailing was also to have taken place, but had to be cancelled (取消) because of bad weather at sea.

In the first Olympics there were no real team sports. Then, slowly, a few team sports joined the program. Football and hockey were the first team sports introduced into the Olympics in London in 1908.Then in 1936, at the Berlin Olympics, the Germans brought in handball and the Americans had basketball accepted as an Olympic sport.

It often happens that the country that introduces a new sport into the Olympics then goes on to win the gold medals. In 1904, at the Olympics in St. Louis, the Americans introduced boxing and won all seven events. Five horse riding events were introduced into the 1912 Stockholm (斯德哥尔摩) Olympics, and Swedish riders won four of them. And in 1964, at the Tokyo Olympics, two sports which are popular in Japan were introduced: judo (柔道) and volleyball. The Japanese won all three gold medals in the judo, and also won the first women’s volleyball competition. Some new sports have recently been added to the Olympics. In Los Angeles, in 1984, baseball was introduced and became an Olympic sport. In Seoul (汉城), Korea in 1988, table tennis was introduced for the first time, and tennis returned as an Olympic sport. Unlike tennis, some sports, such as golf and rugby (橄榄球), have been tried in the Olympics but have never returned.

1. The text is mainly about ________.

A．the ancient Olympic Games	B．the modern Olympic Games
C．the ancient and modern Olympic Games	D．how many events are in the Olympic Games

2. Football was first introduced into the Olympics in ________.

A．1908, London	B．1936, Berlin
C．1904, St. Louis	D．1988, Seoul

3. Which sport is different from the other three in the group?

A．Basketball.	B．Football.
C．horse-riding.	D．Baseball.

4. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens.

B．At the time when the first modern Olympic Games were held, there were not so many sports as there are today.

C．The Olympic Games are held every four years.

D．The country which introduces a new sport into the Olympics usually cannot get   the gold medal for that event.

【推荐3】The Maya city of Tikal is famous for its amazing palaces and temples. But something far more ordinary kept Tikal functioning: its water-purifying(净化) system, the earliest known of its kind.

Researchers recently discovered a volcanic mineral that traps microbes(微生物) and heavy metals in Tikal's largest reservoir(水库). Because the material is not found nearby, the finding suggests the presence of a man-made water-purifying device.

The finding denies the long-standing idea that the ancient worlds technological achievements belonged to the Eastern world, like Egypt, and China. The leading scientist of this research, Kenneth Tankersley says, “When talking about purifying water, the Maya were thousands of years ahead.”

Located in the forests of Central America, Tikal, is thought to have been home to more than 45,000 people. They had to struggle against a dry season lasting from November through April. Storing water in reservoirs was a solution, but that water had to be fit to drink, said Kenneth, “Keeping water clean was of great importance.”

A few years ago, the researchers were surprised to find that the largest reservoir, Corriental, had significantly fewer harmful chemicals than the others. “The water quality at Corriental was much higher.”

Somehow the Maya must have been purifying Corriental’s water, the team assumed. “The Maya used gardens as their bathrooms.” Kenneth said, “The water coming into the reservoir would not have been very clean.”

At the bottom of Corriental, scientists found four separate layers(层), each a few centimeters thick, of millimeter-scale “zeolites(沸石)”. This type of volcanic mineral can purify water and is still in widespread use today, Kenneth says, “Just about everything we drink, from bottled water to wine, runs through a zeolite purifying device.”

The Maya wouldn’t have known about the zeolite in rock, but they would have recognized the purifying effects, the researchers suggest. A zeolite-rich rock formation about 30 kilometers northeast of Tikal is the likely source of the material in Corriental reservoir, the team said last month in Scientific Reports. Water at this site “was clear and tasted good.”

1. What did the researchers find?

A．A new material called zeolites.	B．The purifying effects of zeolites.
C．An old water-purifying system.	D．High-quality water in Corriental.

2. How did the Maya purify water?

A．By building the largest reservoir.	B．By using gardens as their bathrooms.
C．By getting rid of heavy metals.	D．By spreading four layers of zeolites.

3. What can we learn from the research?

A．The Maya drank bottled water.	B．The ancient Maya were very bright.
C．The system was created by accident.	D．The zeolites were found in Corriental.

4. According to Kenneth,________.

A．the original water in Corriental was not clean enough

B．water supply in Tikal lasted from November to April

C．all ancient technological achievements belonged to the East

D．the Maya had a good understanding of the zeolite in rocks

【推荐1】California’s Yosemite National Park is home to many stunning waterfalls. However, from mid-to-late February each year, the unlikely star of the preserve is Horsetail Fall-a small waterfall that forms over the eastern edge of the park’s famous vertical rock formation, El Capitan, every winter. That’s because, during the two-week-period, the temporary1,000-foot fall frequently transforms into a red “firefall” for about ten minutes a day during sunset.

For the phenomenon to occur, several conditions need to coincide. There must be enough snow and snow must be melted to form the waterfall. During drought years, Horsetail Fall is reduced to a trickle flowing slowly in drops or does not appear at all. Additionally, the skies have to be entirely clear. Even a slight mist is enough to ruin the illusion (错觉) of fire falling down the cliffs. Finally, the sun has to strike the water from the right angle to set the waterfall “burning” brightly.

The “firefall” has been popular with professional and amateur photographers since the 1940s.However, in recent years, thanks to social media, its fame has risen to new heights, with thousands of people flocking to the national park each February. In 2019, over 2,200 people crowded into the small viewing areas on February 22, the best day to see the light show last year. However, the visitors not only stepped on sensitive vegetation but also left behind large amounts of rubbish.

To prevent a repeat of the unfortunate incident, in 2020, the park service closed two of the ideal viewing areas. The only one open required a 1.5-mile-long hike. However, the 3-mile round-trip, as well as a warning by the officials that a dry spell turned the fall into a trickle, leaving the possibility of a “firefall” in doubt, didn’t not seem to have deterred fans. Hundreds of people made their way to Horsetail Fall to catch a glimpse of the light show. Hopefully, Horsetail Fall enthusiasts would be more respectful of the natural environment this time.

1. When can the “firefall” be seen?

A．About at dawn.

B．Exactly at noon.

C．Just before dusk.

D．Late at night.

2. Which of the following conditions must be met for the “firefall” to be visible?

A．The temperatures have to be warm enough.

B．Horsetail Fall must be reduced to a trickle.

C．There has to be enough slight fog in the sky.

D．The waterfall must be frozen down the cliff.

3. What do we know from Paragraph 3?

A．The “firefall” was discovered by a photographer.

B．The viewing areas were equipped with telescopes.

C．Social media offer new tools to view the “firefall”.

D．The tourists caused the environmental pollution.

4. What does the underlined word “deterred” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Disapproved.	B．Discouraged.
C．Disturbed.	D．Distinguished.

【推荐2】It is no surprise that more and more people like bicycling, because it is fun, healthy and good. Maybe that's why there are 1.4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere without oil cost.

Get on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood. You may discover something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. You can bike to work and benefit from the enjoyable exercise without polluting the environment. You don't even have to ride all the way.

Folding（折叠）bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. A folding bike can be packed in a suitcase. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travelers.

Health Benefits of Bicycling:

●It helps to prevent heart diseases and control your weight. A 15-minute bike ride three times a week burns off five kilos of fat a year.

●Bicycling can improve your mood. Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident.

●Bicycling is healthier than driving.

1. From the passage we know that bicycling is becoming very _______.

A．surprising

B．exciting

C．expensive

D．popular

2. If you travel with a folding bike, you can fold it and _______.

A．get out of the car	B．take it onto a train
C．put it in your purse	D．go on airline websites

3. What can we know from paragraphs 2 and 3?

A．Riding helps you find more about your neighborhood.

B．It costs nothing and causes less pollution to ride a bike.

C．You can ride a folding bike on the train.

D．Common bikes are not allowed on a plane.

4. How does riding benefit our health?

A．It cures people of heart diseases.

B．It helps put up five kilos a year.

C．It makes people more confident.

D．It has little effect on our mood.

【推荐3】Languages are renewed (更新) by people, stories and topical events everyday. The same situation goes with English. Although English is not as old as Chinese, it is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always creating new words, and we are often able to know where most words come from.

Sometimes, however, no one may really know where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers are called hamburgers, especially when they are not made with ham? About a hundred years ago, some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city in Germany called Hamburg. They did not speak good English, but they ate good food. When some Americans saw them eating round pieces of beef, they asked the Germans what it was. The Germans did not understand the question and answered, “We come from Hamburg.” One of these Americans owned a restaurant, and had an idea. He cooked some round pieces of beef like those which the men from Hamburg ate. Then he put each between two pieces of bread and started selling them. Such bread came to be called “hamburgers”. Today “hamburgers” are sold in many countries around the world. It became the signature dish in fast food restaurant such as McDonald and KFC. The word and the food spread widely in the world.

Whether this story is true or not, it certainly is interesting. Knowing why any word has a certain meaning is interesting, too. This reason, for most English words, can be found in any large English dictionary. Others lie in the words of mouth of folks from different countries.

1. What can we learn about English in the first paragraph?

A．English has the same history as Chinese.

B．English has a larger vocabulary than other languages.

C．English vocabulary is in the continuous development.

D．It is difficult to know where a new English word comes from.

2. What does the underlined word Hamburg refer to?

A．A city in Germany.	B．A round piece of beef.
C．A kind of fast food.	D．The name of a village.

3. Which of the following can often be found in any large English dictionary according to the writer?

A．Where all the new words come from.

B．Where those Germans came from.

C．The reason why a word has a certain meaning.

D．The reason why English is spoken around the world.

4. Who created the word “hamburger” according to the story?

A．The European.

B．The British.

C．The Germans.

D．The Americans.

5. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．Creative English Speakers	B．Interesting Origin of English Words
C．The Beginning of Hamburgers	D．Americans’ Love of Hamburgers