【推荐1】Our children and grandchildren may not have a chance to visit many of the most famous places around the world. War, weather, age, traffic and pollution damage these famous places. Looking after these places often costs more than one country can afford.

In the early 1970s, world governments decided that if they joined together, they would be able to preserve our history. If every country paid some money, they said, it would be possible to look after important historic places. Also, if they discovered that a monument needed urgent help, they would have money for repairs. For these reasons, countries around the world united to form the World Heritage Organization in 1972. Today, the organization helps to maintain and restore the most important places from our history.

However, one of the biggest problems for historic places is vandalism. People sometimes enter the sites and destroy or damage the buildings. At some sites, such as Stonehenge(巨石阵）in England, governments have built high fences to protect the site from vandals.

There are many different ideas about how to solve the problem of vandalism. Stone experts say that if guards patrolled the sites, vandals would not be able to get in. Some experts say that if they fixed more television cameras, they would not need so many guards. Other experts say that the best solution is education. If people learned to respect history, they would not destroy or damage it. They would also want to spend money looking after old places. For this reason, the World Heritage Organization helps to spread information about the value of historic sites.

1. Why did countries all over the world unite to form the World Heritage Organization?

A．It would be able to keep our history.

B．It would be possible to take care of important historic places.

C．They would have money to do some repairs if a monument needed help.

D．All of the above.

2. Which of the following shows us the action of vandalism?

A．People enter the sites and cause damage to the buildings

B．Governments build high fences to protect the site from vandals

C．Guards patrolled the sites and they fixed more television cameras

D．They collect as much money as they can to preserve the buildings

3. What’s the best way to solve the biggest problem of preserving our history?

A．Every country spends more money looking after these places

B．To form the World Heritage Organization

C．Too many guards are needed to prevent vandals getting in

D．To make people know more about the value of historic sites

【推荐2】Chinese people love food made of flour, whether it be dumplings, or flatbread. In the hands of skilled artisans (手艺人), flour is made into lovely models of people or animals to be enjoyed and played with, which brings a unique kind of pleasure. This art form is called dough figurine (面塑). Among the various art styles of dough figurines, Beijing’s Dough Figurine Lang is a unique folk art, which is filled with the rich history and customs of the capital city. Their fine and lovely handicrafts tell stories of old and new Beijing. In 2008, it was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

It was created by Lang Shao’an. Most dough figurines are animals and characters from legends, historical stories, and local operas. The finished product is either put at the end of a thin stick, or on a table for display. Some are designed for children to eat or play with, with simple forms and vivid decorations, while others are fine pieces of artwork for display only. For this reason, during the process of making them, they are often mixed with additives (添加剂) to prevent them from breaking up, being eaten by insects or growing moldy. Over the course of his long career, Lang Shao’an developed a set of skilled fingers with an elegant artistic sense.

Lang Jiaziyu, born in 1995, is a third-generation inheritor of Dough Figurine Lang. When he was 15, he created Beijing Olympic Mascot-shaped dough figurines which were highly praised. He looks a bit more fashionable than other folk artisans. In his skilled hands, pop culture icons such as figures based on Marvel comics characters and Chinese mythological figure Nezha with smoky makeup, resonate with young people.

Like most of the other intangible cultural heritage handicrafts in China, Dough Figurine Lang does not get as much attention from the public. Many young people are unwilling to take the time to master a skill that does not make money, which has led to a decline in the number of those who are devoted to the handicraft. Good handicrafts need the devotion of artisans from one generation to another.

1. What is special about Dough Figurine Lang?

A．It is a mirror of Beijing’s culture.	B．It shows people’s love for animals.
C．It is created by many famous artists.	D．It is the most popular folk art in Beijing.

2. Why do artisans add additives to dough figurines?

A．To make dough figurines taste good.	B．To make colors brighter and last longer.
C．To help shape dough into various forms.	D．To better preserve the finished products.

3. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．Suggestions for other folk artisans.	B．Different art styles of dough figurines
C．Lang Jiaziyu’s achievements as an artisan.	D．The popularity of modern dough figurines.

4. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To call on people to master a skill.

B．To appeal to people to value this folk art.

C．To teach people ways to appreciate the handicraft.

D．To persuade people to protect national cultural heritage.

【推荐1】Imagine you live in your green dream home: extremely energy-saving, beautiful, cozy and perfectly satisfatory. Maybe you are picturing such a brand new smart house, but actually you can redecorate your current house with green concept in a simple way.

Wright Rudy, a builder and energy-efficiency expert who has done a number of home designs, says you can save more energy than you might think. He helps homeowners get energy savings of up to 75 percent when he’s able to rework a house perfectly. A series of energy-saving designs in one neighborhood has been done to cut some homes’ energy use in half, resulting in an average cost savings of $100 per month on energy bills.

If you’re doing a major home upgrade, you can go further and add solar design features to improve your home’s natural heating and cooling. Wright suggests you bring both pleasant living space and heat to your home by adding a sunroom. This strategy makes full use of solar energy.

Similarly, cooling issues can be addressed by improving natural ventilation. Instead of using the traditional way — ceiling fans, Wright suggests careful arrangements of windows and skylights as one option. Skylights are terrific because they’re located at a high point in the room, which allows warm air to rise out while cooler outdoor air comes in through an open window.

Wright says green concept for homes is the wave of the future. “I believe that within the next few years we needn’t burn fuels inside our houses any more. Our designs are cost-effective and environmentally safe. In this sense, our designs will surely address the future. Realistically, we need to be planning for that now.”

1. What do Wright’s designs feature?

A．Modem style.	B．Recyclable materials.
C．Smart equipment.	D．Energy-saving concept.

2. How can cooling problems be settled according to Wright?

A．By turning on ceiling fans.	B．By building some sunrooms.
C．By replacing windows with skylights.	D．By locating windows and skylights properly.

3. What is Wright’s attitude to the future of the green homes?

A．Confident.

B．Concerned.

C．Uncertain.

D．Critical.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．What Dream Home Looks like	B．How to Redecorate Your House
C．Green Home: More Energy-saving	D．Smart Design: Wave of the Future

【推荐2】Driving is one of necessary skills that each person should have if they wish not to get trouble during their life. You had better start learning to drive when you are eighteen. Experience tells that the older you become, the harder it is to learn to drive.

Learning to drive may be the very last thing on your mind when you graduate from a university, but it is helpful to look for a job and pay off the money which is spent on your study.

So, the best way is to start out early to take driving lessons. Many teens in recent times are choosing not to drive. If so, you are really missing out on a huge part of growing up and losing lots of benefits on a whole. The top reason for not learning to drive is the high costs of driving lessons. But, we are here to tell you why you should ignore the costs and pay much attention to the many advantages.

At times you aren't or can't be depending on public transportation. Those are the times you are probably depending on a friend, or your parents for a ride. Knowing how to drive yourself will make you independent and you wouldn't have to fit your plans according to other people s plans.

In the recent job world, there may be plenty of jobs. However, you won’t be thought to be an eligible candidate（合格的候选人）because you don' t know how to drive.

1. When is the best time to learn to drive according to the text?

A．When you are in your free time.	B．When you are eighteen.
C．After you have some driving experience.	D．After you find a job.

2. Why do many teens give up learning to drive?

A．They are busy looking for jobs.

B．They find public transportation more convenient.

C．They are unwilling to pay high cost.

D．They show no interest in driving.

3. How will you be if you can drive according to paragraph 4?

A．Independent of parents.

B．Easy-going for your workmates.

C．Reliable for your boss.

D．Eligible for jobs.

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

A．Why Is Driving Comfortable?	B．Why Should You Learn to Drive?
C．The Methods of Learning to Drive	D．Learn to Drive to Find a Job

【推荐3】Vanuatu is one of the few places left on earth where you can still experience an ancient Pacific culture that is still very much alive today. The annual Vanuatu festivals, rituals and dances they celebrate are not only spectacular to watch but also give you a chance to participate in feasts，learn weaving, canoes…

Every three years, Tanna’s Nekowiar celebrations light up the island. It’s a three-day festival of music, dancing and eating to mark the arranging of marriages by village elders. Best of all, many of the festivals, cultural events and activities are off the beaten track on islands and in areas where there is amazing wild scenery and stunning photo opportunities, so your journey there is almost as much of an adventure as the actual festival itself.

At this year’s festival, hundreds of women and girls started the event by singing and dancing a traditional Napen from nightfall to sunrise. They only took breaks when they were too tired to continue. The movements were so powerful and impressive accompanied with special music. Most of the dancers painted their faces in bright colourful designs that held special importance to their tribes.

In the early hours of the third day, the men, teenagers and even young boys had their turn in a dance called Toka. Jimmy Kawiel performed the dance for the first time this year, “You need more energy for Toka,” Mr. Kawiel said, “We’ve been practising for five to six months. It is a very big thing for us, especially when things are developing so fast and we are in danger of losing our culture.”

1. What is Nekowiar?

A．An ancient Pacific island.	B．An annual traditional celebration.
C．Tanna’s three-day festival.	D．A wedding ceremony of village elders.

2. What does the underlined words “off the beaten track” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Remote from the popular spot.	B．Away from the broken road.
C．Far from the dangerous place.	D．Near the well-built road.

3. What can we learn from Kawiel’s words?

A．Toka has recovered its popularity.

B．Toka should be valued and passed down.

C．Toka is better designed and takes more strength than girls’ dance.

D．Toka is developing so fast that they need more practice to perform well.

4. What is the text?

A．A travel journal.	B．A news report.
C．A short story.	D．A history record.

【推荐2】Close your eyes and picture the city of Paris．Now imagine the city without its most famous landmark：the Eiffel Tower．
The unthinkable almost happened．
When French engineer Gustave Eiffel built this tower for the Paris World’s Fair of 1889，it was controversial．The iron structure contrasted(对比)sharply with the historic stone buildings of Paris．Eiffel’s four-legged iron archway was supposed to last only 20 years．That’s when Eiffel’s permit to operate the building would expire(过期)and the city could choose to tear it down．
Yet from the beginning．Eiffel had a strategy to save his building．If the Tower was linked   to important research，he reasoned，no one would dare to take it down．So he would make it a   grand laboratory for science．
Scientific research began just one day after the Tower opened to the public on May 6，1889．Eiffel installed a weather station on the Tower’s third(and highest)floor．He connected   instruments by wire to the French weather bureau in Paris．With these，he measured wind speed   and air pressure．
In 1903，still worried that his building might be torn down，Eiffel got a clever idea．He   asked the French military to conduct its own research on radio communications at the Tower．He even paid the army’s costs．
French army captain Gustave Ferrié worked from a little wooden house at the base of the   Tower's southern pillar．From there，he made radio contact with forts around Paris．Convinced of the importance of radio communications，the army set up a permanent radio station at the   Tower．In 1910，the city of Paris renewed the structure’s permit for another 70 years．
This year marks the iconic structure’s 125th birthday．Over the years，research conducted   there has brought dramatic and unexpected payoffs．During World War I，for instance，the French army used the Tower as a giant ear to receive radio messages．It even led to the arrest of one of the war's most famous spies．
1. What does the author mean by“The unthinkable almost happened”?

A．The Eiffel Tower was almost torn down．

B．Gustave Eiffel was more than an engineer．

C．It took great efforts to build the Eiffel Tower．

D．The Eiffel Tower has served important purposes．

2. The Eiffel Tower was controversial because_____________．

A．it was giant and ugly

B．it would expire too soon

C．some historic buildings had to be removed

D．it didn’t match the historic buildings of Paris

3. How did Gustave Eiffel save the Eiffel Tower?

A．By asking the army to defend it．

B．By showing its importance for tourism．

C．By making it a base for scientific research．

D．By asking the government to renew its permit．

4. The arrest of a famous spy is mentioned to show．

A．the Eiffel Tower has lost its initial value

B．the Eiffel Tower has existed long enough

C．research done in the Eiffel Tower had unexpected payoffs

D．the Eiffel Tower was successfully preserved during the war