【推荐1】Small talk has a reputation for being uninteresting, and for good reason. Pointing out the fact that it’s raining seems as ridiculous as pointing out the fact that you have a head—you’re fully aware of both things, and don’t require an outsider to confirm them. But despite being evident and often painfully dull, small talk has an important role to play, enabling us to overcome social obstacles towards improved , meaningful interaction (互动).

Humans can be sensitive souls. We each have our boundaries and lists of potential upsets, which when broken, cause us to either gently back away to an alternative position in the room, or become cross at the person. Small talk is first a way to test the waters with an unfamiliar person, so that you may better understand their character. When finding yourself positioned closely to a person who you know little about, it’s much safer to point out the rainy sky than to share your political views on a sensitive topic. Until you know the person better, heavier topics should probably be kept under wraps, so you won’t find yourself on the receiving end of a cold stare.

Though insignificant, small talk still has great power. When talking with fellow humans, much of our soul is exposed through non-verbal communication. A response to “how was your weekend” can unveil much about the person’s character. The length of their response might indicate their level of self-confidence; the tone of speaking might show how agreeable a person is; their slightly lowered head, as if protecting themselves from attack, a possible sign of a regrettable history of bullying.

As more of a person’s character is revealed, we have the insight needed to determine whether to broach more significant topics—the things that we actually want to talk about. Conversation is a great educator, and deep conversations establish lasting bonds with others, forming precious friendships that paint our lives with vibrant colors. Such friendships begin with small talk.

1. What is described in the first paragraph?

A．The first stage of human interaction.

B．The difficulty of having deep conversations.

C．Absence of communication between strangers.

D．Ridiculous human behavior in communication.

2. Why do people find themselves “on the receiving end of a cold stare”?

A．Because they are enthusiastic about politics.

B．Because they are too sensitive about topics.

C．Because they fail to manage interpersonal distance.

D．Because they come up with some uninteresting topics.

3. What might be a sign of friendliness according to paragraph 3?

A．The length of the answer.	B．The quality of the voice.
C．The position of the head.	D．The distance between speakers.

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．Reputation of Small Talk	B．Ways of Understanding others
C．Significance of Small Talk	D．Challenges of Deep Conversation

【推荐2】Efforts to preserve the Amazon rainforest, which supports immense biodiversity and locks away tons of climate threatening carbon, are growing more urgent as the ecosystem’s destruction speeds up. Indigenous (当地的) peoples have been trying to protect the region by patrolling (巡逻) their territorial boundaries for illegal activities. But rapid deforestation continues.

A recent study shows that combining on-the-ground monitoring with satellite data and smartphone technology could help put the brakes (刹车) on Amazon deforestation —and potentially that of forests elsewhere.

Illegal logging, agriculture and coca cultivation particularly threaten the Amazon in the Peruvian Indigenous communities and outsiders are often the culprits (罪魁祸首). The research team wondered if providing training for local people to use satellite based “early deforestation alerts (警报)” could help. The scientists cooperated with 76 Indigenous communities, 36 of which participated in using these alerts to watch over the forest. Over the next two years these trained participants were paid to work as forest monitors and received monthly alerts via the app when satellite data indicated local forest losses. Monitors investigated alerts, patrolled for deforestation in other areas and reported confirmed tosses back to their communities, which decided whether to deal with the culprits on their own or inform state authorities.

The researchers analyzed the same forest-loss satellite data from the given time period in all 76 communities. They found the early-alert program reduced forest loss by 8.4 hectares in the first two year — a 52% reduction compared with the average loss in the control communities.

Experts say this approach to tackling Amazonian deforestation looks promising. “Would this work in all communities that have high risk of deforestation? Given the results, it’s worth a try,” says Catherine Tucker, a researcher at the University of Florida. “But some communities may not have access to the resources needed for such a program, or their territories may hold valuable minerals that would increase the risk of deforestation by outsiders despite monitoring efforts,” wrote Francisco Hernandez Cayctano, a community member involved in the research, “we as Indigenous peoples ask the world for support.”

1. Why did the research team conduct the program?

A．To stop carbon being locked away.	B．To tackle Amazon deforestation.
C．To monitor satellite movement.	D．T control illegal activities.

2. How does the community-based monitoring work?

A．By offering locals training in using a smartphone app.

B．By combining local monitoring with smartphone alerts.

C．By organizing native people to fight against the outsiders.

D．By equipping local forest with satellite data and monitors.

3. What is Catherine Tucker’s attitude toward the approach to preventing deforestation?

A．Pessimistic.

B．Objective.

C．Approving.

D．Sympathetic.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．Local Monitors Trained for Forest Loss.	B．Satellite Data Cure Deforestation.
C．Outsiders Are to Blame for Forest Loss.	D．Smart Patrol Fights Deforestation.

【推荐3】Fifty-five public schools in New York City have recently invited furry friends to their classrooms. The Comfort Dog Program has been around for five years.

Comfort dogs have been found to augment levels of oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine in our brains, hormones (激素) promoting positive feelings and a happy mood (心情). But how are these pets helpful in the classroom?

For some students the comfort pet provides the emotional support they need, which then allows the child   to be engaged and successful in their studies. A struggling student can hold the pet in the arms and get the support he or she needs at the time, which also develops their self-awareness and ability to regulate their emotions. In other cases, teachers use the pet as part of the lesson. Meredith Loftus, a teacher in New York, brought a dog named Chip to help out with a phonies game in the classroom.

Dog training isn’t necessarily a walk in the park, although it can definitely include that. It takes time, effort and consistency to train pets, and this is the case for this program, too.

To be a part of the program, an educator and their dog must participate in a six-hour training session by The Good Dog Foundation. This training teaches the educator what to do if students are scared of pets. It also trains dogs on the differences they’ll experience in a school environment, such as the school bell, fire alarms, loud announcements and other possible distractions. The dog is also trained at being friendly with strangers and the handler, in this case the educator, who needs to be very in tune with the pet and know how to look out for its stress signals.

The program has been a genuine success so far, and a helpful addition to the education and well-being of many students in New York. In fact, hundreds of other schools have expressed their interest in joining the program and may be including it in their curriculum in the near future.

1. The underlined word “augment” in paragraph 2 most probably means “______”.

A．reach

B．stabilize

C．balance

D．increase

2. According to paragraph 3, the comfort pet can help students ______.

A．develop in an all-round way	B．succeed academically
C．become more supportive	D．have richer feelings

3. What can an educator learn during the six-hour training session?

A．How to be friendly with dogs.	B．How to keep dogs away from stress.
C．How to respond to students’ fear of pets.	D．How to adapt to a school environment.

4. What can be known about The Comfort     Dog Program from the last paragraph?

A．It’s still on trial in New York.	B．It’s gaining greater popularity.
C．It’s promoted across New York.	D．It’s part of New York curriculum.

【推荐1】When former American President Bill Clinton travelled to South Korea to visit President Kim Young Sam,he repeatedly referred to the Korean president’s wife as Mrs.Kim.By mistake, President Clinton’s advisers thought that Koreans have the same naming customs as the Japanese. Clinton had not been told that,in Korea,wives keep their family names.President Kim Young Sam’s wife was named Sohn Myong Suk.Therefore,she should be addressed(称谓) as Mrs.Sohn.
President Clinton arrived in Korea directly after leaving Japan and had not changed his culture gears.His failure to follow Korean customs gave the impression that Korea was not as important to him as Japan.
In addition to Koreans,some Asian husbands and wives do not share the same family names.This practice often puzzles(使困惑) English-speaking teachers when talking with a pupil’s parents.They become puzzled about the student’s correct last name.Placing the family name first is common among a number of Asian cultures.
Mexican naming customs are different as well.When a woman marries,she keeps her family name and adds her husband’s name after the word de(of).This affects(影响) how they fill in forms in the United States.When requested to fill in a middle name,they generally write the father’s family name.But Mexicans are addressed by the family name of the mother.This often causes puzzlement.
Here are a few ways to deal with such difficult situations:don’t always think that a married woman uses her husband’s last name.Remember that in many Asian cultures,the order of first and last names is reversed(颠倒).Ask which name a person would prefer to use.If the name is difficult to pronounce,admit it,and ask the person to help you say it correctly.
1. The story of Bill Clinton is used to______.

A．improve US-Korean relations

B．introduce the topic of the text

C．describe his visit to Korea

D．tell us how to address a person

2. The word “gears” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to______.

A．action plans	B．naming customs
C．travel maps	D．thinking patterns

3. When a woman marries in Korea,she______.

A．continues to use her family name

B．uses her husband’s given name

C．shares her husband’s family name

D．adds her husband’s given name to hers

4. To address a married woman properly,you’d better______.

A．use her middle name

B．use her husband’s first name

C．ask her which name she likes

D．change the order of her names

【推荐2】Teenagers have their own TV channels， websites and magazines. So what about books？

Last year one publisher， Martins， started publishing a series called Waves. We spoke to the director Julia Smith. She explained， "Teenage fiction has been published since the 1970s but publishers have never been very successful in getting teenagers to buy and read books. Now they're realizing that teenagers are just older children， but are not adults either. They are often not interested in adult fiction. For this series we are looking for new writers who write especially for teenagers.

Athene Gorr's novel was published in the series last year and is selling well. Its title is The Purple Ring. She says， "The important thing is to encourage teenagers to pick up your book. I'm a new writer. Although I've got an unusual name which people might remember， nobody knows it yet! But my book has a fantastic cover which makes people want to look inside. Then they realize what an excellent story it is!"

And what do teenagers themselves think about the series？ We talked to Sophie Clarke， aged 15. She said？ "I've read a few books in the Waves series. They say they are for 14-19 year olds and I agree with that. We're not interested in the same things as people in their twenties and thirties. I like them and I think they look really good too. The only thing is that because bookshops put them in the children section， lots of teenagers won't find them so they may not do very well. And it's a shame there's no such series as I think lots of teenagers， especially boys， might buy."

1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2？ ______

A．The Waves series are suitable for adults.

B．It is necessary to publish books aimed at teenagers.

C．Teenagers are more interested in reading nowadays.

D．Teenagers should be encouraged to read.

2. What makes The Purple Ring catch people's eye？ ______

A．Its writer.

B．Its cover.

C．Its price.

D．Its title.

3. What do we know about the Waves series？ ______

A．They have attractive covers.

B．They are about real facts.

C．They are popular with teenage boys.

D．They are wrongly placed in the children section.

4. What does the author intend to do with the passage？ ______

A．To compare different series of teenage fiction.

B．To give information about a new series of books.

C．To encourage more writers to create fictions for teenagers.

D．To explain why teenage fiction is easier to write than adult fiction.

【推荐3】When we are born, we are unflawed. As we grow, we develop many complexities due to many influences in our lives. Our brain collects and retains all visual, auditory（听觉的）information from the moment we are born and to the smallest of the details. Apart from our brain having memory, cells in our body, in billions, have their own memory. In other words, our body stores both physiological and psychological memories. We are complex emotional beings in nature compared to any other living animal.

Apparently, physical and psychological memories strongly influence our emotions! Interestingly, we can create, store, and release emotion like energy. Moreover, if we do not process our negative emotions properly and suppressed for a long time, they can find a way out violently and unexpectedly. Unfortunately, we carry our guilt throughout our lives putting ever-increasing burden on our shoulders. We become heavy with guilt and anger for things we could or did not achieve, and for things we cannot have.

Both guilt and anger are useless for us. They give us no advantage. Therefore, one may ask: is there a way to put down the burden from our heavy shoulders? It is possible, indeed. Importantly, since our guilt and anger inside us neither released nor given attention, they are stored. Actually, we should process and address our emotions in order to remove from our system. We cannot just wish them away.

In fact, by acknowledging their presence and providing a channel for them to dissipate, we can dissolve our emotions gradually. Taking drugs and consuming alcohol only worsen situation. They only provide short-term comfort. Is there a better way to unload our burden? Luckily, we have a natural gift to process our feeling and emotions. Forgiveness stands first of all the other natural remedies.

Indeed, there is no better way than forgiving ourselves. Of course, we should also learn to readily forgive others. But when we learn to forgive ourselves, we also naturally forgive others.

In summary, there is no benefit carrying our years of emotional baggage. By forgiving, we can throw away the emotional baggage we carry for years. Forgive your past mistakes. The moment you start forgiving, you feel a lot lighter and years of heaviness lifted magically! To your surprise, you start feeling a lot energetic and optimistic in your daily life.

1. From the first paragraph we know that________.

A．Human beings are born with complexity.

B．Our body has the ability to memorize information.

C．Our brain can collect and retain all information

D．Not all the other living animals have complex emotions like human beings.

2. Why do some people relieve themselves from negative emotions violently?

A．Because human beings are complex emotional beings in nature.

B．Because physical and psychological memories strongly influence our emotions.

C．Because they keep bad emotions inside for too long and don't deal with them correctly.

D．Because our body stores both physiological and psychological memories.

3. Which statement is NOT true according to this passage?

A．We should recognize our negative emotion's existence and cope with it.

B．Our shoulders are too weak to put up with the burdens.

C．Setting a goal beyond our reach may lead to negative emotions.

D．It is no use carrying anger and guilt.

4. Which of the following statements may the author agree with?

A．Drink some wine and you may feel relieved.

B．Only if you have the wish , there is a way to dissolve your guilt.

C．Try to dissipate your anger and guilt, or they will be stored inside.

D．Every coin has two sides, which is true for our guilt and anger.

5. Which word can take the place of the underlined word?

A．approaches

B．emotions

C．advantages

D．references

6. What's the main idea of this passage?

A．Learning to forgive can help people unload psychological burden.

B．Forgiving is the only way for people to dissolve emotions.

C．Forgiving ourselves is the first step of forgiving others、

D．People should be energetic and optimistic.

【推荐1】“Confidence” is probably one of the most noticeable quality in the Americans. They show confidence in the way they talk, the way they smile, the way they dress and the way they walk. Living and competing with all these confident American students, I find it extremely important to be confident as an international student and teacher. As a student, being confident means you should dare to raise your hand whenever a question or a point comes to your mind. Don’t mind if it sounds simple or silly. Otherwise you will never get a chance to speak in class at all. What’s worse, the professors may think you are not prepared for the discussion or you do not have your own opinion on the topic---this is the last comment any graduate would not like to receive.

Being confidence for me as a foreign teacher means calmly asking the student to repeat what he or she has said if I did not get it. Pretending to understand what you actually did not may just bring yourself uneasiness or even shame. But the time I most need to be confident is when my students come to my office and bargain about the grades I have given for their Speeches. (The course I’m teaching here is Public Speaking.) Modesty(谦虚) is a quality highly valued in China, but it won’t be of much help here if you want to survive and succeed in a good American graduate program.

1. What should we do most if we want to compete with American students?

A．Be quite confident.	B．Be polite and friendly.
C．Have more discussions.	D．Know what they think about.

2. A professor will have the worst opinion of a student who ______.

A．gives a silly or simple answer

B．tries to seize any chance to speak in class

C．shows no interest in the course

D．is considered to have no opinion of his own

3. The author is most likely to feel uneasiness if ______.

A．he asks a student to repeat what he has said

B．the students bargain with him

C．he pretends to know what he doesn’t

D．he has to give a speech

4. The passage is mainly organized by ______.

A．giving examples	B．describing personal experiences
C．giving different figures	D．making comparisons

【推荐2】April showers bring May flowers, as the saying goes. And with those flowers comes May Day, a holiday that most people have heard of but have no idea what it's for.

May Day, celebrated on May I every year, has its roots in ancient festivals marking the beginning of summer. Ancient Celts called it Beltane, which is still celebrated today. Over the centuries, it gradually developed in Europe, with maypole dances now connected with the holiday.

But May Day isn't all about skipping around with ribbons in the sunshine. It has also been on the same day as International Workers' Day since the 1880s. In fact, May Day is equal to America's Labor Day for certain countries.

On May 1,1886, hundreds of thousands of U.S. industrial workers took part in a nationwide strike to demand an 8-hour workday. (At the time. it was common to work 10 to 16 hours a day, according to Industrial Workers of the World.) The activities in Chicago lasted for several days, and on May 3. a strike at McCormick Reaper Works ended in a brawl with police officers. Several strikers were wounded or killed.

The next night, the violence became even worse. When police came to break up a crowd of people gathered in Haymarket Square, a bomb went off in the policemen. The bomb killed seven of them and wounded 60 more. Police then opened fire on the crowd, killing several men and wounding 200.

In honor of these events, now known as the Haymarket Affair, the International Socialist Conference declared May I as an international holiday for labor. That's why the world sees not only celebrations of warmer weather on the first day of May, but often marches for labor unions as well.

1. According to the text, May Day         .

A．is celebrated as an international holiday only in Europe

B．is a holiday that many people don't know why it is celebrated

C．was developed from celebrations of the beginning of spring

D．was know n as Beltane in history but is not celebrated nowadays

2. The underlined word "brawl" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to         .

A．accident

B．party

C．meeting

D．fight

3. What is the main idea of the text?

A．The birth of May Day.	B．The importance of May Day.
C．The meetings of May Day.	D．The celebrations of May Day.

【推荐3】A Chinese company says it has created a new facial recognition system that can identify people even if they are wearing masks.

Engineers at the Beijing-based Hanwang Technology Ltd. say their system is the first to be created to effectively identify people wearing face masks. A team of 20 people built the system in about a month. The system is based on existing technologies developed over the past 10 years. The process involved adding a collection of about 6 million unmasked faces and a much smaller collection of masked faces.

Hanwang is now selling two main kinds of products that use the new technology. One performs “single channel” recognition, which is designed to be used at the entrances to buildings. The other product is a “multi-channel” recognition system that uses groups of surveillance cameras (监控摄像头).

“When wearing a mask, the recognition rate can reach about 95 percent, which can ensure that most people can be identified,” said Huang Lei, Hanwang’s vice president. He added that the system’s success rate for people not wearing a mask is about 99.5 percent.

Huang said Hanwang’s technology can be used to identify and track people as they move about. He added the system can identify crime suspects, terrorists or make reports or warnings.

However, the new system struggles to identify people wearing both a mask and sunglasses. “In this situation, all of the key facial information is lost. In such cases recognition is tough,” Huang said.

It was not immediately clear how people were reacting to the new technology. While some have expressed opposition to such tools, many others seem to have showed interest in the new system and accepted it as a way to deal with the current health emergency — the spread of the novel coronavirus (新型冠状病毒). Huang says he sees the interest likely expanding if the virus continues to spread and the use of face masks increases.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．Where the company is located.	B．How the system is developed.
C．When the research work started.	D．What the collection stands for.

2. What is the limitation of the new facial recognition system?

A．The poor storage of information.

B．The relatively low recognition rate.

C．Identifying people with both a mask and sunglasses.

D．Tracking the movement of crime suspects and terrorists.

3. What attitude does Huang Lei hold towards the new technology?

A．Unclear.

B．Optimistic.

C．Opposed.

D．Worried.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A travel brochure.	B．A health magazine.
C．A medical paper.	D．A science report.