【推荐1】When I was nine years old, I loved to go fishing with my dad. But the only thing that wasn’t very fun about it was that I couldn’t catch anything. I usually got pretty upset and kept asking him why. He always answered, “Son, if you want to catch a fish, you have to think like a fish.” I remember being even more upset then because I didn’t know how to think like a fish. Besides, I reasoned, how could what I think influence what a fish does.

As I got a little older I began to understand what my dad really meant. So, I read some books on fish. And I even joined the local fishing club and started attending the monthly meetings. I learned that a fish is a cold-blooded animal and therefore is very sensitive to water temperature. That is why fish prefer shallow water to deep water because the former is warmer. Besides, water is usually warmer in direct sunlight than in the shade. Yet, fish don’t have any eyelids (眼皮) and the sun hurts their eyes... The more I understood fish, the more I became effective at finding and catching them.

When I grew up and entered the business world, I remember hearing my first boss say, “We all need to think like sales people.” But it didn’t completely make sense. My dad never once said, “If you want to catch a fish you need to think like a fisherman.” What he said was, “You need to think like a fish.” Years later, with great efforts to promote long-term services to people much older and richer than me, I gradually learned what we all need is to think more like customers. It is not an easy job. I will show you how in the following chapters.

1. Why was the author upset about fishing when he was nine?

A．He could not catch a fish.

B．His father was not patient with him.

C．His father did not teach him to fish.

D．He could not influence a fish as his father did.

2. According to the author, fish are most likely to be found ______.

A．in deep water on sunny days	B．in deep water on cloudy days
C．in shallow water under sunlight	D．in shallow water under waterside trees

3. After entering the business world, the author found ______.

A．it easy to think like a customer	B．his father’s fishing advice inspiring
C．his first bosses sales ideas reasonable	D．it difficult to sell services to poor people

4. Where does the text probably come from?

A．A fishing guide.	B．A popular sales book.
C．A novel on childhood.	D．A book about rich people.

【推荐2】“I have cancer.” Mom said and held me in a tight hug. I could feel her chest shaking as she tried not to cry but failed.

For all of my twenty-four years, my mom had been supportive. Strength and protection had always flowed from her to me. Now I knew it would have to flow the other way.

Mom didn’t stay down for long. After the shock of breast-cancer, she armed herself with a notebook and a pen and a thousand questions for the doctors. She took notes on white blood cell counts (白细胞数量) and medications (药物) with long names as though she were studying for entrance exams into medical school. “The not-knowing is the worst.” she said.

The operation was successful. The chemo (化疗) was the harder part. I went with Mom to every chemo treatment. She rarely complained, though her hair was gone and her toenails and fingernails fell out one by one. She joked that she could save money on nail polish and put it toward the doctor bills, even though she never wore nail polish. “Cancer can take my hair, my nails, my health, my very life. But it can’t take my smile.” Mom said.

Mom learned to share her fears with me, and it formed an even deeper bond (纽带) between us. Yet I am certain there were fears she didn’t share because she was still protecting me—worries she only shared with Dad. Even in the darkest hours, she would just joke about the cancer. Mom always said, “When you look your greatest fear in the eye and laugh at it, you take away some of its power.”

Mom was one of the lucky ones. She did beat her cancer, though not without scars. From her, I’ve learned I may not get to choose what I face, but I do get to choose how I face it.

1. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．There were other ways to treat cancer.

B．I should be the one being there for Mom.

C．Mom had to stay stronger to beat cancer.

D．Knowledge of cancer would be helpful.

2. Which of the following words can best describe Mom?

A．Humorous and creative.

B．Caring and knowledgeable.

C．Honest and intelligent.

D．Optimistic and determined.

3. What is the fifth paragraph mainly about?

A．The ways Mom faced fear.

B．The fear Mom shared with me.

C．The jokes Mom told me.

D．The bond Mom and I formed.

4. What lesson did the author learn from Mom?

A．Luck counts in beating diseases.

B．Positive attitudes get one through hardship.

C．Complaint does no good to one’s health.

D．Sharing feelings helps reduce sufferings a lot.

【推荐3】Happiness is an abstract （抽象的）concept. When one thinks of a typically happy person, smiling, laughing and cheering are what usually come to mind. However, if people stop smiling or laughing, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are unhappy. Happiness has many different levels, and it is difficult to place the word in one type.

Many people believe as people grow older, they will feel more happiness. However, I just find they are not always so. When my twelve - year - old sister was asked what made her happy, she initially told me that sleeping made her happy, and then she looked at me for a reaction. When I had none, she changed her answer to food, then to fashion, and then finally to family. Each time she glanced at me, she looked for affirmation （肯定）that she had given a “right answer”

My younger cousin, Who is even younger than my sister, gave me an answer that surprised me. It wasn't eating candy or watching TV that made her happy; It was love. Considering the clear differences between my sister and cousin in their answers, I came to see that age didn't always largely contribute to happiness.

When I asked my grandmother what brought her happiness, she immediately answered my family” without hesitation. This is something I expected, as my grandma Is always a family -centered person. This is also consistent （一致的）with her culture, being from Italy and growing up during the 50s, when family values were at its highest point in society.

Asking myself this question, I think carefully about my answers. Sure, my family, friends and pets make me happy, but so do reading, writing and watching movies. This is why I have no answer to my own question.

There is no one single thing that makes me the happiest, because like everybody, my mood depends on many factors. Happiness depends on external factors as well as one's personality and age. This is why I have come to the conclusion that the journey of happiness cannot truly be defined, and that there isn't one thing above all that makes everyone the happiest.

1. What do we know about happiness from Paragraph 1?

A．It is valued by nearly all people*

B．It is easy to describe it with words.

C．Its highest level is often expressed with laughing.

D．It may have nothing to do with one's expressions.

2. Comparing her sister's and cousin's answers, the author realized that _______.

A．happiness comes from very small things

B．happiness doesn't always depend on age

C．little kids can sometimes give us inspiration

D．some abstract things can make people happier

3. What conclusion does the author draw about happiness?

A．Extreme happiness is hard to achieve.

B．Happiness is determined by many factors.

C．The happiest people are often open - minded.

D．One fs family gives him the most happiness.

【推荐1】Mark Bertram lost the tips of two fingers at work in 2018 when his hand became trapped in a fan belt. “It’s life-changing but it’s not life-ending,” he says. “Doing work is harder now. Everything is just a little different.”

After two surgeries and occupational therapy, Bertram decided to make light of his condition by asking Eric Catalano，a tattoo（纹身）artist，to create fingernail tattoos. The idea made everyone in the studio laugh—until they saw the final result. “The mood changed,” Catalano recalls from his Eternal Ink Tattoo Studio in Hecker, Illinois.” Everything turned from funny to wow.”

When Catalano posted a photo of the tattoos, a pair of fingernails looking so real that no one could believe their eyes, he had no idea the image would eventually be viewed by millions of people around the world.

The viral photo pushed Catalano, 40, further into the world of paramedical tattooing. Now people with life-altering scars come from as far away as Ireland to visit his shop. Using flesh-toned inks and a needle, Catalano transforms his clients’ view of themselves.

Leslie Pollan, 32, a dog breeder in Oxford, Mississippi, was bitten on the face by a puppy in 2014.After undergoing countless surgeries to correct a scar on her lip but in vain, she ultimately turned to Catalano, who covered her lip scar, giving her back a piece of her confidence. Pollan says,“ It made me have a different outlook on life.”

“Every time I see that emotion from my customers, I’m 100 percent sure this is something that I can’t stop doing.”

1. Initially, the idea of creating the first fingernail tattoos seems             to people.

A．inspiring

B．life-changing

C．ridiculous

D．amazing

2. What do we know about the posted photo of the fingernail tattoos?

A．No one believed it was real.

B．It enjoyed great popularity.

C．It brought Catalano fame and money overnight.

D．It discouraged Catalano from furthering on in that field.

3. Why does the author mention Pollan’s story?

A．To warn people to stay away from puppies.

B．To prove that plastic surgeries are not so effective.

C．To show Catalano helps change clients’ view of themselves.

D．To highlight that tattooing is very important in our daily life.

4. Which one is the best title of the passage?

A．Magical Tattoos

B．A Tattoo Artist

C．Start-off of Tattoos

D．Development of Tattoos

【推荐2】The pickle jar（泡菜坛）, as I can remember, sat beside the dresser in my parents’ bedroom. When ready for bed, Dad would toss any coins in his pockets into the jar. As they dropped, they landed with a merry jingle.
Whenever the jar was full, Dad would roll up the coins. Every time he slid the box of rolled coins across the counter at the bank toward the cashier, he would smile proudly and say,“All for my son’s college.”
We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping for an ice cream cone. Dad would show me the coins in his change, saying “When we get home, we’ll start filling the jar again.” He always let me drop the first coins into the empty jar. “You might have to get to college on loose change,” he said. “But you’ll get there.”
As years passed, I went to college, got married and took a job.
Once, while visiting my parents, I noticed the jar was gone. It had served its purpose. My dad was a man of few words and never lectured me on the values of determination, perseverance or faith. The jar had taught me those far better than the most flowery of words could have done.
Soon, my daughter Jessica was born. We spent Christmas that year with my parents. After dinner, Mom and Dad sat next to each other, taking turns holding their first grandchild. When Jessica began crying, my wife Susan took her from Dad’s arms to put her in my parents’ room.
Susan came back, tears in her eyes and led me into the room. “Look,” she said softly. To my amazement, there, next to the dresser, stood the old pickle jar, as if never removed, the bottom already covered with coins. I walked over to it, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out several coins. Choked by emotion, I dropped them into the jar.
Dad had slipped quietly into the room when I looked up. Our eyes locked, but neither of us spoke, because we knew nothing had to be said.
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．The author and his wife were grateful for what parents had done.

B．The jar again in the bedroom reminded themselves of the hard years.

C．The author felt disappointed when he found the jar gone.

D．The author felt embarrassed whenever his father mentioned the jar.

2. We can learn from the passage that        .

A．any difficulty can be overcome with the family’s support.

B．parents teach much more through their action than their words.

C．saving is always a good habit to pass down to the next generation.

D．you need to reward yourself and celebrate regularly to keep up with your faith.

3. Which words best describe the author’s father?

A．Humorous and patient.	B．Quiet but loving.
C．Generous and talkative.	D．Proud but strict.

4. The pickle jar in the article represents        .

A．advice of parents.

B．one’s purpose in life.

C．determination to reach a goal.

D．healthy family relations.

【推荐1】When I was small, my mother and I would walk to our local library in Franklin Square. As we didn’t always have access to a reliable car, walking hand in hand was the most convenient way to get anywhere. It was at story time for children that both my mother and I made lasting friendships.

Today, I am fortunate to live around the corner from the Gold Coast Public Library in Glen Head and a short walk to the Sea Cliff Children’s Library. My 18-month-old son, Colin, and I find ourselves in Sea Cliff several times a week, meeting and making friends. Well, that is what many people don’t understand — a library is more than books; it’s a community.

Sure, the library in Franklin Square was the place where I was introduced to Judy Blume novels. But it was also the place where I got my first e-mail address in 1997. At the library, friends and I learned how to research colleges and search for scholarships on the Internet. The library was the place where we sometimes giggled (咯咯地笑) too loudly, and where the librarians knew us by name. Their knowing our names wasn’t a bad thing. When I came home from my first term at Binghamton University, Mary LaRosa, the librarian at the Franklin Square library offered me my first teaching job.

I now teach reading at Nassau Community College. My students are often amazed that they can check out books via their smartphones and virtually visit a variety of Long Island libraries. The app used by Nassau and Suffolk county public libraries, as well as the college library, makes their homework easier by helping them find resources. Even though they can’t always easily visit their local libraries, the library is always with them.

1. Why does the author consider herself lucky today?

A．She has become her mother’s best friend.

B．She has access to a reliable car now.

C．She can meet friends at the library.

D．She lives close to libraries.

2. What did the author do at the library according to the passage?

A．She told stories to her mother.	B．She initially read Judy Blume novels.
C．She got her current teaching job.	D．She learned how to go online.

3. What is the author’s attitude to her students’ way of visiting libraries?

A．Cautious.

B．Ambiguous.

C．Favourable.

D．Disapproving.

4. Why does the author write the text?

A．To express how libraries change.

B．To introduce her favourite libraries.

C．To express her deep concern for libraries.

D．To discuss why libraries are important.

【推荐2】My parents love tennis and they’re members of a tennis club. My older brother was really good at it and they supported him—taking him to lessons all the time. So when I announced I wanted to be a tennis champion when I grew up, I just intended for them to notice me. My mother laughed. She knew I couldn't possibly be serious, for I was just a 4-year-old kid!

Later, I joined the club’s junior coaching group and eventually took part in my first proper contest, believing that my team would do well. We won, which was fantastic, but I wasn’t so successful. I didn’t even want to be in the team photo because I didn't feel I deserved to be. When my coach asked what happened in my final match, I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t believe I’d lost. I thought I was the better player. But every time I attacked, the other player defended well. I couldn’t explain the result.

After that, I decided to listen more carefully to my coach because he had lots of tips. I realised that I need the right attitude to be a winner. On the court I have a plan but sometimes the other guy will do something unexpected so I’ll change it. If I lose a point, I do my best to forget it and find a way to win the next one.

At tournaments, it’s impossible to avoid players who explode in anger. Lots of players can be negative, including myself sometimes. Once I felt angry and nearly broke my racket! But my coach has helped me develop ways to control those feelings. After all, the judges have a hard job and you just have to accept their decisions.

My coach demands that I train in the gym to make sure I'm strong right to the end of a tournament. I’m getting good results; my shots are more accurate and there’s a chance that I could be a champion one day with hard work.

1. The author said that he was going to be a tennis champion in order to________.

A．please his parents	B．annoy his older brother
C．get parents’ attention	D．persuade people that he was serious

2. How did the author feel after his first important competition?

A．Confused.	B．Nervous.
C．Excited.	D．Relaxed.

3. What does the author try to do when he’s on the court?

A．Don’t keep thinking about his mistakes.	B．Respect the other players.
C．Don’t let the other players surprise him.	D．Follow his game plan.

4. What does the author say about his behaviour at tournaments?

A．He found it difficult to deal with judges’ decisions.

B．He broke his racket once when he was angry.

C．He stayed away from players who behaved badly.

D．He tried to keep calm during the game.

【推荐3】The year was 1932. Amelia Earhart was flying alone from North America to England in a small single-engined aeroplane. At midnight, several hours after she had left Newfoundland, she ran into bad weather. To make things worse, her altimeter (高度表) failed and she didn’t know how high she was flying. At night, and in a storm, a pilot is in great difficulty without an altimeter. At times, her plane nearly plunged (冲) into the sea.

Just before dawn, there was further trouble. Amelia noticed flames (火焰) coming from the engine. Would she be able to reach land? There was nothing to do except to keep going and to hope. In the end, Amelia Earhart did reach Ireland, and for the courage she had shown, she was warmly welcomed in England and Europe. When she returned to the United States, she was honored by President Hoover at a special dinner in the White House. From that time on, Amelia Earhart was famous.

What was so important about her flight? Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean alone, and she had set a record of fourteen hours and fifty-six minutes. In the years that followed, Amelia Earhart made several flights across the United States, and on each occasion (时刻) she set a new record for flying time. Amelia Earhart made these flights to show that women had a place in aviation (航空) and that air travel was useful.

1. When Amelia Earhart saw flames coming from the engine, what did she do?

A．She did nothing but pray for herself.

B．She continued flying.

C．She changed her direction and landed in Ireland.

D．She lost hope of reaching land.

2. According to the passage, what was Amelia Earhart’s reason for making her flights?

A．To show that aviation was not just for men.

B．To set a new record for flying time.

C．To be the first woman to fly around the world.

D．To become famous in the world.

3. Which of the following statements was NOT mentioned?

A．She was the first woman who succeeded in flying across the Atlantic Ocean alone.

B．She showed great courage in overcoming the difficulties during the flight.

C．She was warmly welcomed in England, Europe and the United States.

D．She made plans to fly around the world.

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．Amelia Earhart — First Across the Atlantic.

B．A New Record for Flying Time.

C．Amelia Earhart — Pioneer in Women’s Aviation.

D．A Dangerous Flight from North America to England.