【推荐1】At a comedy night at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, members of the school’s Stand­Up Comedy Club bring lots of laughter to their classmates with funny speeches and humorous body movements. These college students’ humour entertains busy, young people and eases their stress.

Yet the club member Ariella Shua says comedy is serious work. Every comedy starts as an individual project—each member writes their own material. Then they try it out in weekly club meetings where all club members read the material, go joke by joke and see what works and what doesn’t. Nothing unsatisfactory will be compromised (妥协).In this way comes a satisfying comedy.

Ariella joined the club last year. Now she does not go anywhere without bringing something on which she can take notes. “Whenever I just have a thought in my head that seems like ‘Oh, this is strange.’ or when I see something or overhear someone saying something in the library, I just put it down,” Ariella explained. “Later, when I’m trying to write my own material, I go through my notes to see if there is anything that I can use.”

President of the Stand­Up Comedy Club Nicholas Scandura finds that writing is one of the many skills he has developed since joining the club. “Writing jokes is really fun and it takes a lot of critical thinking,” he said. The club gives its members a sense of community. When they meet, they share funny experiences, tell jokes and laugh.

Over the past ten years, stand­up comedy clubs have become common on college campuses in America. Nicholas said, “Now everyone wants to do it because the culture of stand­up has gotten a lot of media attention and become more popular.”

Last year, Harry Kuperstein joined the club and discovered the club was a natural fit. Noticing the funny qualities of different situations improved his way of looking at the world. Becoming an active member also helped him work on the future skills he would need as a medical doctor. “Having jokes ready to go might help smooth over interactions between doctors and patients and make you a better public speaker,” he said.

1. What can a successful comedy be described as according to the text?

A．A group effort.	B．A personal project.
C．A satisfying task.	D．A compromise result.

2. What habit has Ariella formed since joining the club?

A．Taking notes in class.	B．Creating her own style.
C．Becoming a good observer.	D．Going to the library regularly.

3. How can the club help Harry in his opinion?

A．By easing his stress of being a doctor.

B．By preparing the ground for his career.

C．By changing his way of communication.

D．By developing his interest in public speaking.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Laughter Is Serious Work

B．Humour Is an Edge in Jobs

C．Comedy Comes with Learning

D．Clubs Influence One’s World View

【推荐2】VOLUNTARY STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

There are over 600 different Voluntary Student Organizations (VSOs) at Stanford. VSOs are those organizations in which membership is both open and limited to current Stanford students, and whose purposes and procedures are consistent with the goals and standards of the University. Students make all organizational decisions. In order to use the Stanford name, or to receive funding, all voluntary student organizations must register with the University through the Office of Stanford Events.

As a condition of registration, each voluntary student organization must file and have approved each of the following:

● A statement (声明) of purpose and organizational constitution.

● A statement about membership qualifications.

● Clear procedures for officer elections.

● Identification of the authorized representatives of the group.

If a voluntary student organization seeks to use University facilities for meetings open to more than its own members, such meetings shall be subject to the regulations of the Committee on Public Events . All organization events held in University facilities must receive event approval from the Office of Student Activities. No student group may use University space or facilities or receive other University support for purposes of supporting candidates for public office. Groups may use public places such as White Plaza for speeches and similar activities held by the Student Committee; may have periodic use of on-campus meeting rooms; and may request to reserve auditoriums (礼堂) for public events as long as all University guidelines are followed.

1. Who can register for a VSO at Stanford?

A．A college candidate.	B．A Stanford graduate.
C．A voluntary student.	D．A current Stanford student.

2. What material does a VSO need to hand in?

A．A business certificate.	B．A description of its members.
C．A distinct procedure of electing officers.	D．An introduction to the representatives.

3. Which department can approve the events of a VSO?

A．The Student Committee.	B．The Office of Student Activities.
C．The Office of Stanford Events.	D．The Committee on Public Events.

【推荐3】Each fall brings a lot of opportunities that beckon (诱惑) you to become involved in your school community.     1    

    2     Clubs are probably the easiest and most direct route to getting involved. Typically, high schools have clubs that focus on a wide variety of topics. Do you have a great affinity (喜爱) for German films? What about a desire to go into medicine? If you answered yes, then you are in luck! There are probably clubs for that. Usually, the best way to approach joining a club is attending an after-school fair at the beginning of the school year.   

Try out for a sport! If you have any interest in a sport your school offers, there is absolutely no harm done in trying out. The worst that can happen is that you don’t make it and have to try out next year. Sports teams are a great way to make friends with people who have similar interests.     3     Sports provide a boost in physical and emotional health.

Volunteer!     4     It could be answering phones in the main office at school, running passes to students during your study, or even travelling abroad to provide international aid. My point is that volunteer work can be an incredible path to discover passions and shape your personality.

    5    Choosing to get involved in your school by joining a club, trying out for a sport, or volunteering is undoubtedly something you will not regret.

A．Join a club!

B．Here are a few ways to get involved.

C．Volunteer work comes in many forms.

D．If you’re looking for a fresh start, now is the time!

E．There are various benefits of volunteer work.

F．It will also help you share hobbies with others.

G．They also are the perfect source of daily exercise.

【推荐1】My neighbor Mrs. Gargan first told me about it. “Have you seen the tree?” She asked as I was sitting in the backyard enjoying the autumn twilight （暮色）. “The one down at the corner,” she explained. “It’s a beautiful tree—all kinds of colors. All the passers-by stop to have a look. You ought to see it.” I told her I would, but I soon forgot about the tree. Three days later, I was jogging down the street when a splash of bright orange caught my eyes. For an instant, I thought someone’s house had caught fire. Then I remembered the tree.
I approached the tree to look at it closely. There was nothing remarkable about the shape of the tree. It was a medium-sized maple. But Mrs. Gargan had been right about its colors. Like the mess of an artist’s palette（调色板）, the tree blazed a bright crimson（深红色）on its lower branches and burned with vivid yellows and oranges in its center, and deep red at its top. Through these colors were light green leaves as yet untouched by autumn.
Walking closer I noticed several bare branches near the top, their small black branches scratching the air like claws. The fallen leaves lay like a red carpet around the trunk.
As I was amazed at this beauty, I thought of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s comments about the stars. “If the constellations（星座）appeared only once in a thousand years, imagine what an exciting event it would be. But because they’re up there every night, we barely give them a look,” he made a remark in Nature.
I felt the same way about the tree. Because its beauty will last only a week, it should be especially precious to us. And I had almost missed it.
Once in the 19th century when a man noticed a brilliant display of northern lights（北极光）in the sky over Massachusetts, he rang a church bell to alert the whole town’s people. That’s what I felt like doing about the tree. I wanted to awake the countryside to its wonder.
I didn’t have a church bell, but as I walked home, I did ask each neighbor I passed the same simple but important question Mrs. Gargan had asked me: “Have you seen the tree?”.
1. What did the author’s neighbor remind him?

A．To appreciate the beauty of the sunset.

B．To find what happened at the street corner.

C．To draw a picture of a tree.

D．To enjoy the beautiful tree in all colors.

2. From the passage we know _________.

A．the author felt it precious to see the beauty of the tree

B．the author thought of the stars as beautiful as the tree

C．the remarkable scene of the tree only appeared in a thousand years

D．People never had a close look at the tree

3. How did the author call on people to enjoy the wonder?

A．He rang the church bell.

B．He passed on the same question.

C．He awakened all neighbors up.

D．He required people to the corner.

4. The best title of the passage can be ________.

A．Have You Seen the Tree?

B．The Most Beautiful Tree

C．One of the Wonders in Nature

D．The Precious Moment in Life

【推荐2】I took a job as a receptionist for a vet(兽医)almost five decades ago. As a crazy animal lover, I accepted the position on the condition that I wouldn't have to assist with any wounded animals. I couldn't bear to see any creature in pain.

At the end of my first week, we were closing the office for the day when a young man ran up to us holding a severely injured Doberman pinscher puppy in his arms and begging us to save his life. The four-month-old pup had been hit by a car.

The doctor and I ran back into the operating room. The only place the skin was still attached to this poor little animal's body was around one shoulder. The vet worked tirelessly for what seemed like hours, sewing him back together again. That was the easy part. The puppy had broken multiple bones, including his spine. If he survived the next few days, we were quite sure he would never walk again.

That day forever changed my life. One of my first jobs was to give that Doberman puppy daily physical treatment. I remember moving his tiny legs to try to keep his muscles from weakening.

Weeks went by until one day, I felt this little fighter push back ever so slightly. And he continued to push back till he could finally use his legs.

Fast-forward about a year. I walked into the clinic's crowded waiting room and called the name of the next client. Suddenly, a huge Doberman who had been standing quietly with his owner on the opposite side of the room broke loose and rushed toward me. I found myself pinned against the wall with this huge dog standing on his back legs, his front paws on my shoulder, washing my face with abundant and joyful kisses.

I still tear up in amazement at the display of love and gratitude the dog had for me that day all those years ago.

1. The author didn't want to assist with wounded animals because

A．she didn't have relevant experience to treat animals.

B．she couldn't stand watching animals suffering from pain.

C．she showed no sympathy for wounded animals.

D．she saw no reward if she helped wounded animals.

2. What happened to the dog in the end?

A．The dog survived, but he couldn't walk again.

B．The dog was still a great fighter after recovery.

C．The dog would never know who saved his life.

D．The dog finally got back to his feet again.

3. Which of the following best describe the dog when he met the author?

A．frightened and aggressive

B．joyful and grateful

C．joyful and nervous

D．excited and aggressive

【推荐3】In 2018, the state of California was on fire. Alexandria Villasenor, who was 13 at the time, witnessed the destruction of Northern California’s Camp Fire, which would go on to burn more than 150,000 acres of land. Villasenor was scared. “That’s when I found out how important climate education was,” she reflected. “And just how much we lacked climate education these past couple of years.”

Villasenor, now 15, is determined to have a bigger conversation. She quickly realized the fight requires international, government-level changes. For her, what started as local concern turned into a year-long protest in front of the United Nations’ New York City headquarters and a global campaign for more compulsory climate education. She sat on a bench in front of the headquarters, pleading for the world's leaders to take climate change seriously.

Her action received national attention, with millions of other students around the world joining in the movement. “It's completely unacceptable to not learn anything about our planet and our environment in school, after all the young people would “inherit” the Earth.” Villasenor said, “That’s why I think that climate education is so important, and that's why I focus a lot on it now.”

Right now, Villasenor is working with the Biden-Harris administration on its climate plan, which has promised to center the needs of young people and communities most impacted by climate change. She even spoke at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. “That was definitely a huge moment when I realized that people were listening to the voices of me and youth climate activists,” Villasenor said.

When she isn't connecting with her fellow youth activists or holding elected officials accountable to the climate concerns of their young voters, Villasenor is like most other teens. “My favorite thing to do, of course, is sleep.” she said. “I like to read a lot. I like fantasy books, normally. I also like to write.”

1. What made Villasenor realize the lack of climate education?

A．The state of California.	B．The fire disasters in America.
C．150,000 acres of land scaring her.	D．The severe Camp fire in California.

2. What does the underlined part “have a bigger conversation” mean?

A．To talk with more local people to change their mind.

B．To convey her belief loudly to more global students.

C．To call on local people to fight with the leaders.

D．To protest to leaders at home and abroad to make changes.

3. We can infer from the passage that ______.

A．Villasenor turned her original appeal into a lasting and widespread one

B．Villasenor thinks the world’s leaders have taken climate change seriously

C．Millions of students around the world are joining in the movement

D．Young people should do more things for the earth so as to inherit it

4. Which of the following facts gives Villasenor a sense of achievement?

A．That she is working with the Biden-Harris administration on 1ts climate plan.

B．That her and other youth climate activists’ opinions caught people’s attention.

C．That she can sleep and read in her spare time.

D．That more schools have set up climate courses.

5. What is this passage mainly about?

A．The 15-year-old activist fighting for better climate education.

B．Climate education deserves everyone’s attention around the world.

C．A young girl and her climate education.

D．Young activists make their voices heard.