【推荐1】Growing up, I wanted to be just like my mom. She was kind. People always seemed to feel comfortable in her presence. For years, she was a volunteer in our community. I loved going to the local nursing home with her where she taught a ceramic class.

On one summer day, Mama told me to get changed and meet her at the car.

I had planned to spend the day at the lake with friends. Why did she have to ruin everything? I imagined the cool lake water. Annoyed, I climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. We sat in silence. I was too upset to make conversation.

“Tasha, would you like to know where we are going?” Mama asked calmly.

“No,” I said.

“We are going to volunteer at a children’s shelter today. I have been there before and I think it will benefit you,” she explained.

When we reached the shelter, Mama rang the doorbell. Moments later, we were greeted by a woman. She led us to the front room where all of the children were playing. I noticed a baby whose body was scarred with iron marks. I was told it was because she wouldn’t stop crying. The majority of the children had noticeable physical scars. Others hid their emotional wounds.

As I took in my surroundings, I felt a gentle tug on my shirt. I looked down to see a little girl looking up at me. “Hi. You want to play dolls with me?” she asked. I looked over at Mama for reinforcement. She smiled and nodded. I turned back and said, “Sure.” Her tiny hand reached up and held mine, as if to comfort me.

My mom taught me a worthy lesson that summer. I returned to the shelter with her several times. During those visits, some of the children shared their troubled pasts with me and I learned to be grateful for what I had. Today as I try to instill(逐渐灌输) these values in my own child, I reflect back to that experience. It was a time that I will never forget.

1. The author admired her mom for ________.

A．her kindness to others	B．her excellent teaching
C．her quality of honesty	D．her positive attitude to life

2. When she was asked to go out with her mom, the author was ________.

A．excited	B．surprised
C．angry	D．worried

3. From the passage we learn most children in the shelter ________.

A．were often punished by staff	B．weren’t allowed to go outside
C．were once treated badly	D．all suffered from mental illness

4. The underlined word “reinforcement” in the passage is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．truth	B．support
C．comfort	D．help

【推荐2】I believe in the power of holding on. What do I mean by holding on? Hugging, or holding on, is the power we possess when we put our arms around someone. It can change relationships, makes a patient a person, an acquaintance a friend.

My grandmother taught me about holding on, whenever she gathered me in her strong, loving Irish arms. She always hugged even when her back became curved .My mother hugs my children the same way—heart open and arms wide, breathing them into her soul.

Once I became aware of its power, I started experimenting: I held my mother-in-law a moment too long then moved onto my sisters-in-law, aunts, nieces, nephews, and cousins. I tried it with a friend who had made my life rich with laughter, but I was too embarrassed to tell her, and acquaintances that I wanted to be friends with. Some were bothered, others accepting, but all had one thing in common—the next time I hugged them, they hugged me back.

For me, holding on has become more than a physical interaction; it has become a way of thinking. My answer to life’s dilemmas and tough choices, it’s a mixture of acceptance, forgiveness, and patience—not always easy or understood but it guides me to be quiet and listen, look for the good, have a sense of humor and laugh, stop worrying and be patient because if I let it, something will change.

I’ve often wondered how different my life would have been if I hadn’t learned the power of holding on. If during that time in my life, when I was crumbling into myself, my mother had stopped holding on to me, I might have missed something so vital to my existence. I believe that a hug is like a battery charger—a good one can keep me going for a long time.

1. It can be learned from the passage that________.

A．holding your friends’ hands is beneficial

B．hugging a stranger is a very common thing

C．the power of holding on is beyond expectation

D．a good habit came down from Grandparents

2. When her grandmother hugged the author_______.

A．she knew her grandmother were from Ireland

B．she found her grandmother older and older

C．she could sense her grandmother wasn’t herself

D．she could feel great love from her loved one

3. When the author offered to make friends with others______

A．she was misunderstood in a way	B．she was refused immediately
C．she was thought to be foolish	D．she was made fun of at once

4. What is author’s attitude towards her life   ?

A．Compromising	B．Optimistic
C．Pessimistic	D．Unbelievable

【推荐3】People can be addicted to different things, e.g. alcohol, drugs, certain foods, or even television. People who have such an addiction are compulsive, i.e they have a very powerful psychological need that they feel they must satisfy. According to psychologists, many people are compulsive spenders; they feel that they must spend money. This compulsion, like most others, is irrational-impossible to explain reasonably. For compulsive spenders who buy on credit, charge accounts are even more exciting than money. In other words, compulsive spenders feel that with credit, they can do anything. Their pleasure in spending enormous amounts is actually greater than the pleasures that they get from the things they buy.

There is even a special psychology of bargain hunting. To save money, of course, most people look for sales, low prices, and discounts. Compulsive bargain hunters, however, often buy things that they don’t need just because they are cheap. They want to believe that they are helping their budgets, but they are really playing an exciting game: when they can buy something for less than other people, they feel that they are winning. Most people, experts claim, have two reasons for their behavior: a good reason for the things that they do and the real reason.

It is not only scientists, of course, who understand the psychology of spending habits, but also business people. Stores, companies and advertisers use psychology to increase business: they consider people’s need for love, power, or influence, their basic values, their beliefs and opinions, and so on in their advertising and sales methods.

Psychologists often use a method called “behavior therapy” to help individuals solve their personal problems. In the same was, they can help people who feel that they have problems with money.

1. According to psychologists, a compulsive spender is one who spends large amounts of money ________.

A．and takes great pleasure from what he or she buys

B．in order to satisfy his or her basic needs in life

C．just to meet his or her strong psychological need

D．entirely with an irrational eagerness

2. The passage is mainly concerned with ________.

A．the psychology of money - spending habits

B．the purchasing habits of compulsive spenders

C．a special psychology of bargain hunting

D．the use of the psychology of spending habits in business

3. Which of the following statements is true?

A．All people spend money for exactly the same reason they need to buy things.

B．Business people and advertisers can use the psychology of money to increase sales.

C．Business people understand the psychology of compulsive buying better than scientists do.

D．Compulsive bargain hunters do not have problems with money.

4. From the passage we may safely concluded that compulsive spenders or compulsive bargain hunters ________.

A．are really unreasonable

B．need special treatment

C．are really beyond treatment

D．can never get any help to solve their problems with money

【推荐1】Even if you are saying and doing the right things at your job and in your personal life, you could be making a bad impression on people with what you don't say. That's because many of our reactions to others are based on body language. If your body language is communicating a negative message, that's the message you could be sending, regardless of what actual words come out of your mouth.

What are some of the negative messages sent via body language? Things like having arms folded across your chest can show unfriendliness. Lack of eye contact can indicate shiftiness (奸诈). An unsmiling face could communicate a variety of things, like anger, disappointment or sadness, depending upon what other facial expressions are included. However, many of the clues that indicate negativity could also be the result of nervousness or other issue. For example, somebody who doesn't make eye contact could simply be nervous and less confident. The same goes with a not-so-warm hand shake. Someone folding his arms could simply be more comfortable with the arms that way. Someone who doesn't smile could be self-conscious about her teeth. The person who sends off bad body language may not even realize that they're doing it.

Unfortunately, some people who do recognize what body language communicated are scam(欺诈) artists. They may have the firmest hand shake, t. he shiniest smile and make the greatest eye contact to convince others of their sincerity, because they know how much this nonverbal communication plays a part in communicating sincerity. Yet people fall for them, because their body language seems sincere.

If you're not sure what your body language is communicating, ask a trusted friend for help. Practicing in front of a mirror can also help you remove bad habits. Remember to smile and nod if needed. And try to learn how to relax. Thus, you will send more positive messages with your body language.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．A not-so-warm hand shake may indicate that one lacks confidence.

B．A tired facial expression can certainly communicate boredom.

C．We should make the greatest eye contact at any time.

D．We can judge a person ' attitude correctly according to his expression.

2. According to the passage, the person who folds his arms _________

A．will make a bad impression on everyone

B．just wants to be more comfortable with the arms folded

C．must be an aggressive person with a bad temper

D．may not realize what message the arms' position sends

3. We can learn from the passage that ________

A．the shiniest smile is always a sign of sincerity

B．people can use body language for wrong purposed

C．Sending positive messages through body language is not easy

D．Nodding is necessary when it comes to sending positive messages

4. The underlined phrase “fall for” means ________

A．believe	B．forgive
C．understand	D．reject

5. Which is the best title for this passage?

A．The Secret of Body Language.

B．Facial Expressions and Messages.

C．Is Your Body Language Hurting You?

D．What Can Body Language Communicate?

【推荐3】The way of greeting someone comes in different forms. Kissing and hugging are normal in some European and Arab countries. Maoris in New Zealand greet each other by rubbing against their noses. However, the most common physical way of greeting people nowadays is handshake. It has become so ubiquitous that you may never have thought about its origins. It's like a part of human nature.

The modern handshake as a form of greeting is hard to trace. The Quakers are traditionally seen as originators. But as Dutch sociologist Herman Roodenburg——the chief authority for the history of handshaking一wrote in his publication A Cultural History of Gesture, "More than in any other field, the study of gesture is one in which the historian has to make the most of only a few clues. " Another well-known evidence of the early tradition of shaking hands took place in the early 17th century. A Scotsman living in England, named James Cleland, suggested that the practice of the ^u good old Scottish shaking of the two right hands” should be observed, instead of things like bowing down to everyone's shoes and kissing hands.

If you ask why shaking hands is the most preferred way of greeting over other gestures, the most well-known explanation is that handshaking prevents the right hand from holding a weapon. In the 19th century it was argued that shaking hands without removing gloves was quite rude and required an immediate apology.

Shaking hands seems like a gesture that has been around forever. However, in 1880's France, a society had been formed to abolish the handshake as a ''vulgar" English novelty. And now in the US that gesture may fall away in favor of the fist hump. While the fist bump is a cooler way to greet someone, the reason may have been more practical. According to survey participants, they did not want to shake hands because they were afraid of catching and spreading germs（细菌）.

1. Which of the following can best explain "ubiquitous” underlined in paragraph 1 ?

A．Curious.

B．Obvious.

C．Common.

D．Shallow.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly discuss about the modern handshake?

A．The importance.	B．The history.
C．The feature.	D．The classification.

3. Why did people shake hands using right hands according to the most famous explanation?

A．For convenience.	B．For politeness.
C．For enjoyment.	D．For safety.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Everyone doesn't fall in love with the handshake.

B．The root of handshake is lost in the sands of time.

C．It might seem like shaking hands is an ancient custom.

D．A handshake is among the most common ways to greet others.

【推荐1】Every year, it’s estimated that as many as one billion birds are killed in the US from collisions with glass windows and buildings. Birds that crashed into Philadelphia buildings began to be collected in the 1890s. Nearly 100 species of birds are known to have died out from crashes with buildings and other structures in Philadelphia. Many other species are probably affected in the city.

Called Lights Out Philly, the voluntary program in Philadelphia encourages buildings to turn out or dim unnecessary external and internal lights between midnight and six o’clock early in the morning to protect birds as they pass through during migration seasons.

Bird migration seasons are from April 1 to May 31 in spring and from August 15 to November 15 in fall. Each year, millions of birds pass through Philadelphia along a migration route known as the Atlantic Flyway. Bird-glass crashes are very common for migrating birds, most of which travel at night. Glass is difficult for them to recognize as hard surfaces, and artificial light can fool them into crashing with buildings and outdoor structures. Turning off lights between midnight and sunrise helps minimize the effect of artificial light when most birds are migrating.

On Oct. 7, 2020, a stormy and foggy day, Philadelphia had its largest mass collision event in more than 70 years with an estimated 1,000 birds crashing with buildings in one 3.5-square block area in just one day. Paired with a terrible storm of weather and fog conditions, the bright city and building lights attracted and confused the migrating birds, causing them to crash with buildings and outdoor structures.

Even if you don’t play a part in managing the lights of a big building, you can help birds avoid crashes by making the glass opaque to reduce the amount and intensity of artificial light at night, changing the color of lighting to blue or green, shortening the duration lights are on, directing the lighting downward or screening lighting.

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．The rich diversity of bird species in Philadelphia.

B．The design characteristics of buildings in Philadelphia.

C．The serious consequence of bird-glass crashes in Philadelphia.

D．The failure of attempts to protect migrating birds in Philadelphia.

2. What was the factor adding to the severity of the collision On Oct7, 2020?

A．Traveling in the bright daylight.	B．Unfavorable weather conditions.
C．The unusual migration route.	D．Too many buildings in the block.

3. What does the underlined word “opaque” mean in the last paragraph?

A．Transparent.

B．Delicate.

C．Light-reflecting.

D．Lightproof.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．It Is Difficult to Save the Migrating Birds in US

B．External and Internal Lights Affect Bird Migration

C．Philadelphia Turns out Lights to Save Migrating Birds

D．Lights Out Philly Program Helps Save Endangered Birds

【推荐2】One of the main challenges facing many countries is how to maintain their identity in the face of globalization and the growing multi-language trend. “One of the main reasons for economic failure in many African countries is the fact that, with a few important exceptions, mother-tongue education is not practiced in any of the independent African states.” said Neville Alexander, Director of the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa at the University of Cape Town.

In response to the spread of English and the increased multi-language trends arising from immigration, many countries have introduced language laws in the last decade. In some, the use of languages other than the national language is banned in public spaces such as advertising posters. One of the first such legal provisions (规定) was the 1994 “Toubon law” in France, and the idea has been copied in many countries since then. Such efforts to govern language use are often considered as futile by language experts, who are well aware of the difficulty in controlling fashions in speech and know from research that language switching among bilinguals is a natural process.

It is especially difficult for native speakers of English to understand the desire to maintain the “purity” of a language by law. Since the time of Shakespeare, English has continually absorbed foreign words into its own language. English is one of the most mixed and rapidly changing languages in the world, but that has not been a barrier to acquiring superiority and power. Another reason for the failure of many native English speakers to understand the role of the state regulation is that it has never been the Anglo-Saxon way of doing things.

The need to protect national languages is, for most western Europeans, a recent phenomenon, especially the need to ensure that English does not unnecessarily take over too many fields. Public communication, education and new ways of communication promoted by technology may be key fields to defend.

1. Neville Alexander believes that     .

A．lack of mother-tongue education can lead to economic failure

B．globalization has resulted in the economic failure of Africa

C．globalization has led to the rise of multi-language trend

D．mother-tongue education is not practiced in all African countries

2. The underlined word “futile” (in paragraph 2) most probably means “     ”.

A．workable

B．useless

C．practical

D．unimportant

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?     

A．English has taken over fields like public communication and education.

B．Most language experts believe it is important to promote a national language.

C．Many aspects of national culture are threatened by the spread of English.

D．Europeans have long realized the need to protect a national language.

4. The best title for the passage is     .

A．Fighting against the rule of English

B．To maintain the purity of language by law

C．Globalization and multi-language trend

D．Protecting local languages and identities

【推荐3】Researchers have developed a wearable device (设备). It is stretchy (有弹性的) enough that you can wear it like a ring, a bracelet or any other accessory that touches your skin. It also changes the body’s temperature into electricity, about 1 volt of energy for every square centimeter of skin space — less voltage per area than what most existing batteries provide but still enough to power electronics like watches or fitness trackers. It can heal itself when damaged and is fully recyclable, making it a cleaner alternative (替代品) to traditional electronics. “In the future, we want to be able to power your wearable electronics without having to include a battery,” said Jianliang Xiao, senior author of the new paper and an associate professor in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering at CU Boulder.

The innovation (创新) begins with a base made out of a stretchy material called polyamine. The scientists then stick a series of thin heating chips into that base, connecting them all with liquid metal wires. The final product looks like a Cross between a plastic watch and a minicomputer motherboard or maybe a diamond ring.

Just pretend that you’re out for a jog. As you exercise, your body heats up, and that heat will radiate out to the cool air around you. The device catches that flow of energy instead of letting it go to waste. “The thermoelectric generators are in close contact with the human body, and they can use the heat that would normally be dissipated (消散) into the environment,” said Jianliang Xiao. A person taking a quick walk could use a device the size of a typical sports wristband to produce about 5 volts of electricity, which is more than what many watch batteries can hold.

The new devices are as stretchy as biological tissue. If your device tears, for example, you can put together the broken ends, and they’ll seal back up in just a few minutes.

Researchers are trying to make their devices as cheap and reliable as possible, while also having as close to zero effect on the environment as possible. While there are still problems to work out in the design, they think that the devices could appear on the market in a few years.

1. Which of the following statements is false about the device?

A．It can repair itself.	B．It can be recycled.
C．It can update itself.	D．It can transform energy.

2. How can a wearer make the device produce electricity?

A．By shaking it fast.	B．By leaving it in the cool air.
C．By connecting it with watch batteries.	D．By giving out heat.

3. What do the researchers think about the devices?

A．They will have a bright future.

B．They will be expensive.

C．They can not be damaged by force.

D．They are completely environment-friendly.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．An Innovation in wearable Devices

B．A Great Exercise Companion

C．A New Function of Traditional Electronics

D．A Biological Battery in the Human Body