【推荐1】The modern competitive sport of weightlifting originated in 19^th-century Europe and was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.     1     At that time, simple competitions were held to see who could lift the heaviest weight.

The first worldwide weightlifting championships were held in London in 1891. At that time, there were no female competitors. Today, the World Weightlifting Championships, organized by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), are held every year.     2    

Weightlifting as an Olympic event got off to an unsmooth start. It was not held as a separate event in the first games held in 1896, but as a field event.     3     The sport returned to the Olympics again in 1904, this time as part of the athletics program. Not until 1920 did weightlifting make its real Olympic comeback. The 1920 Olympic Games, held in Antwerp, Belgium, marked weightlifting’s debut（首次露面）as a separate event.     4     Previously, weightlifters in the Olympics were all required to compete against each other, regardless of their size. One-hand lifting was dropped from the sport in 1928. Various weightlifting exercises were added and later removed over many years until 1972.     5     The 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney saw the introduction of the women’s competition, although the IWF has held the World Weightlifting Championships for women since 1987.

A．The 1940 and 1944 Games were canceled.

B．It is a sport in which barbells are lifted competitively.

C．The 1900 Games had no weightlifting presence at all.

D．The championships include 15 separate weight types for both men and women.

E．The 1972 Olympic Games finally presented the weightlifting program in its present form.

F．The sport, however, dates back to ancient civilizations including China, Egypt and Greece.

G．The Antwerp Games also introduced one-hand lifting and weight divisions to the new event.

【推荐2】St paul’s Cathedral
Ludgate Hill, EC4
Underground: St Paul’s;   Bus: 6,7,11,15,22,25
Open: Daily 8:00-19:00(17:00 from Oct. to Mar.)
Entrance free
Designed by the great architect, Sir Christopher Wren, St Paul’s Cathedral was built following the Great Fire of London of 1666, which destroyed the gothic cathedral on the site at that time. It is crowned by a magnificent dome and its choir(唱诗班)is internationally famous. Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married here in 1981.
Buckingham Palace
South end of the Mall(SW1)
Underground: St. James’s Park, Victoria, Hyde Park Comer, Green Park Bus:2,11,14,16,19,22,24,29,30,38,52,73,74,137
Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the monarch(君主) for much of the year. (When the monarch is in residence, a flag flies over the palace.) The Mall is a very impressive wide street, leading from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square.
Note: As the palace is the monarch’s official residence, it is not open to the public during most of the year.
The Tower of London
Tower Hill, EC3
Underground: Tower Hill; Bus: 42, 78
Open: Mon. – Sat.9:00—18:00. 8:00—19:00
Parts of the Tower of London are over nine centuries old, as building began under William the Conqueror in 1078. Famous as a prison in the distant past, the Tower has also been a royal residence, a zoo and an observatory (瞭望台), among other things. It is now a museum and many thousands of people visit it every year in particular to see the Crown Jewels.
Westminster Abbey
Broad Sanctuary, SW1
Underground: Westminster, St James’s Park; Bus: 3, 11, 12, 24, 29, 39, 53, 59, 76, 77, 88, 109, 155, 168, 170, 172, 184, 503
Open: Daily 8:00—19:00(Mar.-DEC., Tuesday till 20:00)
Entrance free
A Benedictine abbey(本笃会修道院) which already existed on the site was rebuilt by Edward the Confessor and consecrated(奉为神圣) in 1065. On the way to its present form, the abbey was extended in the 13th-16th centuries, with the two west towers being added in the 18th. There are many famous tombs in the abbey, including that of the unknown Warrior and those of many poets and writers.
1. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A history book about London.

B．A guidebook for visitors to London

C．A book describing London’s development.

D．A book about London’s churches and cathedrals.

2. No.11 bus can take you to all three of these places: _______.

A．St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London

B．St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace

C．St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace

D．Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace

3. You can see the inside of all the buildings all the year round except _____.

A．St Paul’s Cathedral	B．The Tower of London
C．Westminster Abbey	D．Buckingham Palace

4. The two places that you can visit by getting off at the same underground station are _____.

A．Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey

B．Buckingham Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral

C．Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London

D．The Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral

【推荐3】Every January, more than 3,000 people take part in one of the most difficult races on Earth: the Tough Man competition in the UK. The participants run, swim and climb around the 15 km course. But this is no normal race. These runners have to crawl through tunnels, run across a field of nettles(荨麻) and jump over fire. What’s more, the competition takes place in January when temperatures are freezing. People travel from throughout the world to participate in it.

The competition is quite dangerous and every year there are accidents. Injuries like broken bones and cuts are quite common. One-third of the participants do not complete it. Runners have to be very athletic and most people train all the year to prepare for it. There are similar events, but this is the first one in the world. Many people do the competition because it is so famous. Every year the organizers change the events and add new things. This means that the competition stays thrilling and challenging, so people go back year after year.

First, the participants run 1 km along a muddy road. Next, they crawl under low nets on the ground. After the nets, the runners jump off a high platform into a lake and swim for 1 km. Then, they reach the field of fire. Here, the runners run across a field and jump over small bonfires(篝火). Next, the participants must crawl through a long tunnel which is partly under water. Finally, the runners run 2 km through nettles before they reach the finishing line.

1. According to the text, the participants in the competition ________.

A．are required to run 15km	B．may take the risk of being injured
C．have to take a medical examination	D．are trained to deal with emergencies

2. What do we learn about the Tough Man competition?

A．It is exciting but quite tough.

B．It is intended for overweight people.

C．The participants are mainly British natives.

D．Only one-third of the participants can make it.

3. To attract participants, the organizers usually ________.

A．create more items	B．hold the similar activities
C．hold the competition in winter	D．organize the competition in different counties

4. The purpose of the text is to ________.

A．warn the participants of danger	B．advertise the Tough Man competition
C．introduce the Tough Man competition	D．inform the participants of the competition

【推荐1】A few weeks ago, I bought a locally-grown salad from a vending machine(自动售货机). But then I immediately realized that it was packaged in a plastic jar. ''I guess I live with this jar now and forever. '' I thought sadly as I stared down at my new child.

The salad jar was only the latest in a long line of examples of how I am addicted to the responsibility of reusing everything, trying to never throw anything away. Water bottles have been given second lives, and berry containers are transformed into Tupperware. I recently even looked at a plastic straw in my fruit juice: Could I reuse it too…?

Yet trying to squeeze my salad jar under my kitchen counter this weekend, I finally had to admit: Being an environmentalist has turned me into a hoarder(囤积者). While keeping a certain number of jars and vegetable bags will allow me not to buy new containers, at a certain point those 30 berry containers begin to get a bit unnecessary. Who am I kidding? Then one day I came across a blog post that asks accusingly. ''Are you turning your own home into a landfill(垃圾填埋场)? ''

In my defense, there is absolutely no excuse not to be a conscious consumer. The solution is painfully obvious, but hard to admit: Delaying waste is not, in fact, rejecting waste. In an over-packaged, over-consuming culture, this can feel like a burden. While I refuse to throw away packaging, the fact remains: I already have it. The damage is done. I've been ignoring one of the most essential and difficult parts—reduce, reuse, recycle. Even if I go out of my way to reuse the waste I do have, I need to reduce what I am bringing home in the first place.

While I might not be ready to go full zero-waste, it's a goal that is admirable to work toward. Until then, my salad jar child is going to make a great overnight oats jar.

1. What does the author try to indicate by the last sentence in paragraph 2 ?

A．How important reusing is.

B．How enthusiastic she is about reusing.

C．How she makes use of the plastic straw.

D．Why she is responsible for reusing plastic straws.

2. Why does the author say she has turned into a hoarder?

A．She enjoys collecting a variety of small jars.

B．She has saved far more containers than she needs.

C．She likes the idea of saving fine packages in daily life.

D．She stores more berry containers than other containers.

3. What does the underlined word ''this'' in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Over-packaging.	B．Delaying waste.
C．Over-consuming.	D．Rejecting waste.

4. The author realizes at last that she should___________.

A．buy fewer over-packaged goods

B．throw away unnecessary packaging

C．reuse materials as much as possible

D．appreciate the value of recycling materials

【推荐2】The church seems cold this morning， even after all the people, friends and family, fill the benches. I sit here in silence,in shock and denial. This was not supposed to happen. What about our dreams,or our plans？ We were going to raise our children,travel the world, and grow old together. I'm only 37, a typical housewife. I don't know if I can do all this alone﹣two children, no father. What do I do or say？

The faces of so many people confuse me as they come to pay their last respects. Some have real sorrow;I can see it in their eyes. The others seem to just say﹣I told you so. Those famous last words：I﹣told﹣you﹣so. How I can't stand them. And the pointing fingers as so﹣called family and so﹣called friends pick me out of the crowd for others to see. I want to scream and wake up but I can't do anything but sit there. How can they be so blind？ I fell in love with a man. Love knows no boundaries.

He was a good man, hardworking,caring and kind. He was retired from the Navy and a gentleman. He was sensitive to others' needs，the kind of man that knew what to do or say, how to humor any situation and calm everyone's fears. I remember our first child was a big surprise to both of us. I remember when I told him the news. He fell off his chair,saying over and over in disbelief, "But I'm almost sixty. " After a few months he started planning our next and even doing his famous little dance whenever he discussed the idea.

A man， thirty years older than I， lies in a coffin. Flowers， the American flag and his VFW comrades surround him， paying tribute （颂词） to him as the man he really was. And I sit alone here,with our two children, in silence, praying that this cold morning at church is only a nightmare and I will awake to his loving arms again.

Our son， our first born,his joy and pride,sit to the right of me, seeming just as confused as me. I look over at him. How he looks like his father﹣blonder hair, tall and skinny﹣even his Irish temperament （气质） and that naughty look in his eyes. He's wearing his father's watch. It's too big for him but he refused to take it off. I know he'll keep it safe. Our second, the little angel and Daddy's little girl, lies in her stroller in the aisle, sound asleep. She'll never remember the man she called "Da. "

1. The last paragraph， which is italicized （斜体的）， does not lie where it originally was. It's better for it to go back______ .

A．between para. 1 and para. 2

B．between para. 2 and para. 3

C．between para. 3 and para. 4

D．to the very front

2. The man passed away， leaving his dearest woman to bring up their two children， the elder of whom is a boy of about _______.

A．9

B．7

C．3

D．1

3. In paragraph 3， the underlined word "our next" means _______.

A．our next dance

B．our next baby

C．what for us to do next

D．our next news

4. We can infer from the passage that _______.

A．the woman's family were against her marriage to the man

B．none of the people there showed real sympathy to the woman

C．the woman did something wrong

D．the family had lived a happy life before the man died

5. Which of the following can't be used to describe the writer's feelings for the man？

A．Sad

B．Loving

C．Inseparable

D．Complaining

【推荐3】I was born under the Blue Ridge, and under that side which is blue in the evening light, in a wild land of game and forest and rushing waters. There, on the borders of a creek that runs into the Yadkin River, in a cabin that was chinked with red mud, I came into the world a subject of King George the Third, in that part of his realm known as the province of North Carolina.

The cabin smelt very strongly of corn-pone and bacon, and the odor of pelts. It had two shakedowns(临时床铺), on one of which I slept under a bearskin. A rough stone chimney was raised outside, and the fireplace was as long as my father was tall. There was a crane in it, and a bake kettle; and over it great buckhorns held my father’s rifle when it was not in use. On other horns hung jerked bear’s meat and venison hams, and gourds for drinking cups, and bags of seed, and my father’s best hunting shirt; also, in a neglected corner, several articles of woman’s clothing. These once belonged to my mother. Among them was a gown of silk, of a fine, faded pattern, which I always wondered. The women at the Cross-Roads, twelve miles away, were dressed in coarse butternut wool and huge sunbonnets. But when I questioned my father on these matters he would give me no answers.

My father was—how shall I say what he was? To this day I can only surmise many things of him. He was a Scotchman born, and I know now that he had a slight Scotch accent. At the time of which I write, my early childhood, he was a frontiersman and hunter. I can see him now, with his hunting shirt and leggins (绑腿) and moccasins（莫卡辛鞋）; his powder horn, engraved with wondrous scenes; his bullet pouch and tomahawk and hunting knife. He was a tall, lean man with a strange, sad face. And he talked little except when he drank too many “horns,” as they were called in that country. These little bad behaviors of my father’s were a permanent source of wonder to me—and, I must say, of delight. They occurred only when a passing traveler who hit his fancy chanced that way, or, what was almost as rare, a neighbor. Many a winter night I have lain awake under the skins, listening to a flow of language that held me spellbound, though I understood scarce a word of it.

“Virtuous(有德行的) and vicious(罪恶的) every man must be,

Few in the extreme, but all in a degree.”

The chance neighbor or traveler was no less struck with wonder. And many the time have I heard the query, at the Cross-Roads and elsewhere, “Whar Alec Trimble got his larnin’?”

1. The mention of the dress in the second paragraph is most likely meant to _____.

A．show the similarity between its owner and other members of the community

B．show how warm the climate was

C．show the dissimilarity between its owner and other members of the community

D．give us insight into the way most of the women of the region dressed

2. Judging by the sentences surrounding it, the underlined word “surmise” in the third paragraph most nearly means _____.

A．to form a negative opinion	B．to praise
C．to desire	D．to guess

3. Why did the narrator enjoy it when his father drank too many “horns,” or drafts of liquor?

A．The father spoke brilliantly at those times.

B．The boy was then allowed to do as he pleased.

C．These were the only times when the father was not abusive.

D．The boy was allowed to sample the drink himself.

4. What is the meaning of the lines of verse (诗句) quoted in the passage?

A．Men who pretend to be virtuous are actually vicious.

B．Moderate amounts of virtuousness and viciousness are present in all men.

C．Virtuous men cannot also be vicious.

D．Whether men are virtuous or vicious depends on the difficulty of their circumstances.

【推荐3】The hardworking blacksmith(铁匠) Jones used to work all day in his shop and so hard working was he that at times he would make the sparks fly from his hammer.

The son of Mr. Smith, a rich neighbor, used to come to see the blacksmith everyday and for hours and hours he would enjoy himself watching how the blacksmith worked. "Young man, why don't you try to learn to make shoe tacks(鞋钉), even if it is only to pass the time?" said the blacksmith. "Who knows, one day, it may be of use to you." The lazy boy began to see what he could do. But after a little practice he found that he was becoming very skilled and soon he was making some of the finest tacks.

Old Mr. Smith died and the son because of the war lost all his goods. He had to leave home and settled down in another country. It so happened that in this village there were many shoemakers who were spending a lot of money to buy tacks for their shoes and even at times when they paid high prices they were not always able to get what they wanted, because in that part of the country there was a high demand for soldiers' shoes.

Our young Mr. Smith, who was finding it difficult to earn his daily bread, remembered that he had learned how to make tacks and had the sudden idea of making a bargain with the shoemakers. He told them that he would make the tacks if they would help to get him settled in his workshop. The shoemakers were only too glad of the offer. And after a while, Mr. Smith found that he was soon making the finest tacks in the village.

"How funny it seems," he used to say, "even making tacks can bring a fortune(财富).”

1. From the passage, we can learn the young Mr. Smith became rich ______.

A．by selling shoes

B．by making shoe tacks

C．with his father’s help

D．by making bread

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．The young Mr. Smith’s father was very wealthy.

B．The young Mr. Smith was lazy before learning to make shoe tacks.

C．The shoemakers offered him a working place to make shoe tacks.

D．The shoemakers were unwilling to buy the young Mr. Smith’s tack.

3. What can we learn from the young Mr. Smith’s success?

A．It is no use crying over the spilt milk.

B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C．All roads lead to Rome.

D．Seeing is believing.

4. What is the right order of the events related to the young Mr. Smith?
a. He was born in a rich family.
b. He became rich by selling tacks.
c. His father died and he became poor.
d. He was asked to learn to make shoe tacks.
e. He settled in another country.

A．a-d-c-e-b

B．a-d-b-c-e

C．b-d-c-e-a

D．b-d-a-e-c