【推荐1】Parents whose children think the latest Nike or Adidas shoes may be better than buying old-fashioned plimsolls (橡胶底帆布鞋) because they encourage a healthier style of running, researchers said.
Big companies, like Nike and Adidas, make millions of dollars from selling highly-cushioned shoes（厚增高的运动鞋) both as fashion and sports shoes. The researchers warn that wearing such shoes from an early age can make it difficult to run in a healthy way. Once we have grown used to running in this kind of shoes, it is very difficult to change our technique, even if we remove our shoes, it can raise the risk of injury.
Children should be encouraged to wear shoes with thin soles such as plimsolls from a young age to help them develop a natural “barefoot” running style, experts said.
Dr Mick Wilknson, who did the research, told the British Science Festival in Newcastle, “If I would advise someone on what to give their child, I would say don’t go and buy them expensive Adidas or Nike, just get them a pair of flexible, flat shoes. Give them basic foot-ware, nothing fancy, nothing particularly cushioned.”
Running in flat shoes, barefoot, encourages the runner to use the front of their foot which is a better technique for running, especially long distances as the human was designed to do.
Around the world, and in particular in the US, running barefoot is becoming more and more popular with many long distance runners training without shoes.
Dr Mick Wilknson believes that training and running barefoot or in flat running shoes can help reduce injuries to runners, he said: “Injury rates in running have not changed since the 1970s, despite claims of improvements in running shoes. That has led some to conclude that barefoot running is better.”
1. What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Nike and Adidas are producing low-quality trainers.

B．It is improper to wear hi-tech Trainers at an early age.

C．It is unnecessary to buy hi-tech Trainers at an early age.

D．Hi-tech Trainers are too expensive for ordinary people to afford.

2. Why are people advised to wear plimsolls?

A．They have a new fashion

B．They have better quality.

C．They are healthier

D．They are cheaper.

3. What can we infer according to Dr Mick Wilknson?

A．Shoes industry is gradually declining(下降).

B．Barefoot running is more popular with people.

C．Plain plimsolls will be replaced by barefoot running.

D．People mustn’t run without shoes for a long distance.

4. Who is the passage written mainly for?

A．The boss of shoes shop

B．The runner of long distance

C．The boss of producing shoes

D．The parents of young children

【推荐3】

Dogs Don't Tell Jokes - By Louis Sachar Twelve-year-old Gary Boone knows he was born to be a comedian. He never stops joking, regardless of the fact that nobody laughs much and his classmates think he is stupid. Therefore he had no real friends at school. Due to being laughed at by his classmates, Gary Boone thought winning the school talent show would be his dream of proving himself to be a real comedian, but on the big night his dream went wrong with funny results.

Winners Never Quit - By Mia Hamm Mia Hamm, American soccer champion, tells a true-to-life inspiring story of learning that winning and losing aren't as important as being part of a team. More than anyone, soccer superstar Mia Hamm knows the value of teamwork. She shares this lesson, paired with energetic pictures by Carol Thompson, and this story is perfect for soccer kids and their soccer moms.

Shack let on s Incredible Voyage - By Alfred Lansing The astonishing adventure of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's survival for over a year on the ice-bound Antarctic seas, as Time t magazine put it, "defined heroism". To write the authoritative story, Lansing consulted with ten of the surviving members and gained access to diaries and personal accounts by eight others. The book has a first-hand account, expanded with maps and illustrations especially for this edition.

The Alchemist - By Paulo Coelho The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, continues to change the lives of its readers forever. It tells the magical story of Santiago, an Andulusian shepherd-boy (牧童) who desires to travel in search of treasure. The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts and above all, following our dreams.

1. Why did Gary Boone want to win the school talent show?

A．To develop his comedy skills.

B．To please his classmates.

C．To make more friends.

D．To realize his dream.

2. From Shackletoris Incredible Voyage, we know the main character ______.

A．is a writer for Time magazine

B．is a survival of one polar exploration

C．has left a lot of diaries and accounts

D．has formed a close friendship with Alfred Lansing

3. If you want to know more about teamwork, you can read ______.

A．Dogs Don't Tell Jokes

B．Shackletoris Incredible Voyage

C．Winners Never Quit

D．The Alchemist

4. What do we know about The Alchemist?

A．It has an everlasting influence on its readers.

B．It gives people magical power over their dreams.

C．It tells a story of how to find treasures.

D．It is mainly about the wisdom of listening to others.

【推荐2】People who live in Iceland are proud of their country and their origin. Complete independence from Denmark after World War II resulted in the country's fast development. They refuse to permit immigration(移民) though the country has a small population. Their attitude to foreigners is friendly but reserved(保守) .

The Icelanders regard themselves as one big family. Most of them earn their living by farming and people' hopes are centered on the land and its soil. Typical for rural Iceland are the isolated valley farms against mountains. Cultivated grassland stretches out from the buildings.

They mainly raise sheep and cattle. In spring, flocks of sheep are driven to mountain grassland and allowed to wander freely over the summer. When autumn puts its first mark on the mountains, the sheep are rounded up and driven down.

As in all countries where winter and darkness take up most of the year, the center of life is the home. The houses of Iceland were once built of wood, but now cement (水泥) is used in towns and stones in the countryside. During the long winters the Icelanders rarely go out of the house. When they must go out, they put raincoats over their heavy woolen overcoats and furs to keep out the damp.

1. What can we learn about the Icelanders from Paragraph 1?

A．They like friendly foreigners.

B．They take pride in their own country.

C．They are satisfied with their large population

D．They are proud of their original country, Denmark.

2. What do most Icelanders live on?

A．Farming	B．Sheep and cattle
C．Cultivated grassland	D．Plants near the mountains

3. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?

A．Iceland is cold and damp.

B．The houses are built of wood nowadays.

C．The Icelanders like to live in the center of their houses.

D．Different kinds of animals can be seen on the mountains.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the best time in Iceland is                  .

A．winter and spring	B．summer and autumn
C．autumn and winter	D．spring and summer

5. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The history of Iceland	B．The rich life in Iceland
C．The development of Iceland	D．The special way of life in Iceland

【推荐3】What does being happy have to do with luck? To answer the question, a team of researchers from the UK and Hong Kong gave surveys to 844 English-speaking university students in Hong Kong. The survey questions measured their thoughts about luck and their happiness levels.

The researchers observed that less happy people believed in external (外在的) luck—the “Good luck with that!” variety that controls our good or bad. The authors point out that blaming “luck” for events and experiences makes people lose personal self-determination, which diminishes their sense of purpose and, in turn, their happiness. Believing we need luck to be successful may make us less determined to reach goals and take risks.

On the other hand, happier people believed themselves to be personally lucky. Viewing yourself as lucky, the researchers suggest, shows an active and positive attitude that develops hope and self-acceptance. Personally lucky people may feel more confident to try new things or act in ways that help others.

How does luck influence those people? Next, the research team asked those people to fill another survey. They found that people who believed in external luck were more likely to be less active, and in turn were less happy. Those who believe they’re especially lucky suffer less of a hit to happiness.

This study has its value. However, the data all come from surveys filled out by those surveyed, which means the responses may be too personal. Moreover, the use of a one-time survey means we cannot say that one thing causes another.

Although there are some limits, this study stresses the value of thinking about luck as something that benefits us. Moreover, this study helps explain why we call people “happy go lucky”—because happy is how we feel when we focus on how personally lucky we are.

1. What does the underlined word “diminishes” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Explains.

B．Reduces.

C．Develops.

D．Balances.

2. What can we know about personally lucky people?

A．They are always helped by others.	B．They have a preference for the past.
C．They have confidence in themselves.	D．They like changing their own goals.

3. What does the author think of the study?

A．Its findings are unreliable.	B．It has space for improvement.
C．It is actually of little value.	D．Its research method is perfect.

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

A．The Connection Between Happiness and Luck

B．Being Happy Has Nothing to Do With Luck

C．How Less Happy People Can Become Luckier

D．The Latest Study on People’s Happiness Levels