【推荐1】An international team of astronomers in Washington D.C. announced Wednesday it had success fully captured the first-ever image of a black hole and published it.

The picture shows the black hole having a dark center，encircled by a bright orange and yellow ring spreading outward. Black holes are areas in space where gravity is so strong that nothing-not even light-can escape them. They are believed to be formed by collapsed（陨落的）stars. The presence of black holes affects the surrounding environment in extreme ways. They are not easy to capture on camera because they are surrounded by thick dust material and extremely hot gases.

But scientists say they were able to produce the new image from data collected from a series of radio telescopes around the world. Harvard University scientist Sheperd   Doeleman，who leads the Event Horizon Telescope（EHT）project，announced the image discovery. "We are delighted to be able to report today that we have seen what we thought was unseeable. We have also taken a picture of it." He explained that the image resulted from a combined effort involving all eight of the EHT radio telescopes working at the same time. It has a mass 6.5 billion times greater than Earth's sun.

Researchers said that the EHT project created an Earth-sized "virtual（虚拟的）telescope" to capture the highest possible image quality. The size and shape of the shadow matches the precise Predictions of Einstein's general theory of relativity.

Sheperd Doeleman said the new image provides the first visual evidence to confirm that theory. It also helps to unlock the mystery of black holes. "We didn't see something that was unexpected. We saw something that really had a ring to it. "

Even though the data was first gathered in 2017, it required a huge effort to produce the image published on Wednesday.

1. Which is True about the black hole?

A．It has a dark surface.

B．It consists of thick dust.

C．It is visible to the eye

D．It swallows everything approaching it.

2. What does the underlined word "They" in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Black holes.

B．Collapsed stars.

C．Extreme ways.

D．Hot gases.

3. How did scientists get the image?

A．By collecting available data.

B．Through the cooperation of radio telescopes.

C．With the help of a huge camera.

D．From Einstein's general theory of relativity.

4. What does the image discovery contribute to?

A．Uncovering the secret of black holes.

B．Confirming people's wisdom.

C．Testing the function of virtual telescopes.

D．Providing first-hand evidence for astronomers.

【推荐3】When continent splits occur, they usually leave traces in ancient rocks, fossils, and mountain ranges. However, around 155 million years ago, when a 5,000-kilometer land broke away from Western Australia and began its drift, it only left behind a basin deep below the ocean known as the Argo Abyssal Plain and scientists have been unable to find where this lost continent, Argoland, disappeared to until now.

The seabed structure suggests that the continent drifted northwestward, potentially towards present-day Southeast Asia. But surprisingly, there is no large continent hidden beneath those islands, only small continental fragments. Using this theory, geologists discovered that Argoland hadn’t really disappeared but survived as a “very extended and fragmented collection” under the islands to the east of Indonesia. Unlike other continents like Africa and South America, which broke neatly into two pieces, Argoland split into many smaller fragments that were dispersed (分散的). With advanced technology and the discovery, scientists can now piece them together.

Tracing the continents is vital for understanding processes like the evolution of biodiversity. It could help explain something known as the mysterious Wallace Line, which is an imaginary boundary that separates mammals, birds, and even early human species in Southeast Asian islands. The boundary has puzzled scientists for long because it clearly separates the island’s wildlife. To the west of the line are mammals like apes and elephants. But these are almost completely absent to the east, where you can find marsupials and cockatoos — animals typically associated with Australia. Researchers have theorized that this may be because Argoland carried its own wildlife away from Australia before it crashed into Southeast Asia, which helps explain why different species are found on one land.

The story of Argoland is not one of complete disappearance but of transformation. As the world continues to evolve, this lost continent serves as a powerful symbol of the fragility (脆弱性) of life on this planet, and a reminder of the importance of respecting and protecting the world that we live in.

1. What is Argoland?

A．It is a basin deep below the ocean in Western Australia.

B．It is a large continent hidden beneath the islands of Southeast Asia.

C．It is a new land emerging from under the islands to the east of Indonesia.

D．It is a fragmented continent drifting from Western Australia to Southeast Asia.

2. Why is Wallace Line mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．To introduce an imaginary boundary.

B．To support the assumed theory of the lost continent.

C．To show different species in Southeast Asian islands.

D．To explain the reason why scientists are puzzled about the boundary.

3. All of the following are the significance of this new discovery EXCEPT that ________.

A．it warns us to protect our planet.

B．it shows the creatures on earth are fragile.

C．it reminds us of the power of human activities.

D．it explains the biodiversity in Southeast Asian islands.

4. What is the main idea of this passage?

A．The mystery of a lost continent has been unfolded.

B．The fragments of Indonesia have been pieced together.

C．The formation of the Argo Abyssal Plain has been discovered.

D．The evolution of species in Southeast Asian islands has been traced.

【推荐1】Three boys were enjoying themselves in their hometown of Bovina, Mississippi. However, their lives were turned upside down when they discovered the jawbone of a Mastodon (齿乳象).

Brothers Shawn and Caid Sellers and cousin Michael Mahalitc found the prehistoric bone in a piece of earth that was recently plowed (犁、耕). “I thought it was a log,” Caid said. “I tried to pick it up and it was really heavy and I saw teeth on it.” The bone weighed about 50 pounds. They eventually got the bone to their home and fitted it in their tub (浴盆), but it took their collective strength, might and a golf cart, to carry the large Mastodon bone.

“They didn’t expect to find that,” Michael’s mom said. “Now that they have, I believe that they will be more aware of their surroundings and what they’re digging up when they are digging and playing.”

“We’ve gotten a lot of petrified (石化的) wood and Civil War relics from the area and that’s what I thought it was,” the brothers’ mother said. “This is our first set of teeth we’ve found. So we thought it was their imagination. We were quite surprised to see that it was not their imagination.”

They were exploring near the brothers’ home. Lo and behold (真想不到), they saw what they thought resembled a fossil. It was the curator of paleontology (古生物负责人) of the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, George Phillips, who first identified the bone as a “very mature individual.”

The Mastodon was a mammal who lived during the prehistoric times. They had long tusks and trunks, like elephants. They were clearly different from their modern-day counterparts, as well as woolly mammoths (猛犸).

1. How did they find the jawbone of a Mastodon?

A．With great efforts.	B．By chance.
C．Instructed by an expert.	D．Through imagination.

2. At first the brothers’ mother thought the jawbone was________.

A．from people who died in the Civil War	B．the bone from a very mature individual
C．like a log or something	D．the prehistoric bone

3. The discovery of the jawbone of a Mastodon is important mainly because it________.

A．helps people to know more about the Civil War

B．teaches kids to be more aware of their surroundings

C．promotes the research on more prehistoric creatures

D．attracts the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

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

A．Prehistoric Bones Recently Found in Mississippi

B．Not Petrified Wood Nor Civil War Relics

C．First Identifying Bone as a “Very Mature Individual”

D．Unexpectedly Discovering Mastodon Jawbone

【推荐2】The summer holidays are in full swing and protests have begun in a number of popular European cities. Barcelona, in particular, is at the centre of these mounting concerns about the rapid growth of tourism in cities, especially during peak holiday periods. In fact, Destination Barcelona estimates that there were 30 million overnight visitors in 2017, compared to a resident population of Ⅰ 625, 137. Overtourism is not a new problem.

While many tourists want to “live like a local and have an authentic and immersive experience during their visit, the residents of many tourism-dependent destinations are seeing the unique sense of place that characterised their home towns vanish beneath a wave of souvenir shops, crowds, tour buses and rowdy bars. They are also suffering as local amenities (便利设施) and infrastructure are put under enormous strain. It is a truly global issue. Recently, Thai authorities were forced to act when a number of tourists visiting Maya Bay, the beach made famous by Danny Boyle's film The Beach, led to shocking environmental damage.

Overtourism is harming the landscape% damaging beaches, putting infrastructure under enormous strain, and pricing residents out of the property market. It can have an impact in multiple ways. The international cruise industry, for example, delivers thousands of passengers daily to destination ports. While comparatively little is returned to communities, cruise activity creates physical and visual pollution.

City residents also bear the cost of tourism growth. As cities transform to cater tourists, the global travel supply chain prospers. This coincides with increasing property speculation and rising costs of living for local communities. AirBnB, for example, has been accused of reducing housing affordability and displacing residents.

Overcrowding and the establishment of typical tourism-focused businesses, such as clubs bars and souvenir shops, overwhelm local businesses, and rowdy and unmanageable tourist behaviour is common. This diminishes the unique ambience of destinations and leads to crowd and waste management pressures.

Local government and planning authorities have so far been powerless to deal with the overwhelming influence of the global tourism supply chain. This has led to widespread “tourist—phobia” first described by Manuel Delgado more than a decade ago as a mixture of repudiation, mistrust and contempt for tourists.

1. What's the purpose of writing the first paragraph?

A．To present a phenomenon.	B．To introduce the topic, overtourism.
C．To give readers a vivid description.	D．To show the protests in Barcelona.

2. The example of Thai authorities shows      .

A．Maya Bay in Thai is a popular tourist destination attracting a great number of visitors

B．visiting famous places shown in movies is a global phenomenon

C．too many visitors will cause great damage to local environment, amenities and infrastructure

D．many local governments have already taken action to prevent overtourism

3. According to the passage, overtourism will      .

A．improve the local cruise industry	B．make the local business boom
C．cause the rising costs of living for the residents	D．increase the business of AirBnB

4. What will the writer most probably talk about in the following paragraph?

A．Measures to deal with overtourism.	B．Problems caused by overtourism.
C．Protests caused by overtourism.	D．Environmental pollution caused by overtourism.

【推荐3】Business meetings are, arguably, a necessary part of any organization where people work collectively to accomplish a goal. But badly managed, meetings can be unproductive, boring and feel like a complete waste of time. In a recent survey conducted by technology firm eShare, it was found that the average UK employee spends over 10 hours weekly preparing for and attending meetings—approximately 50% of which they consider unnecessary. However, there are theories that technology could improve things.

It’s very workable for an AI to be able to recognise when one person is controlling a meeting, or if a circular discussion keeps returning to a single issue. “If no new points are made after a while, the AI could suggest wrapping up a meeting,” says Cynthia Rudin, a computer science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. But AI isn’t quite there yet.

“If AI can do most of the dull work during meetings, that leaves more space for humans to think about strategy and vision,” believes Niki Iliadis at the Big Innovation centre. This seems to be true. Osaka in Japan started using an AI as a minute taker (会议记录员) to record and summarise the 450 annual meetings. It has halved the time needed to produce summaries and cut staff overtime. AI can also help with the matter of attendance. If a meeting with irrelevant subject matter is called, or if it’s an inconvenient time, an AI could be used to decide who should attend the meeting and when it should be. Finally participants can make open-ended responses, exchange comments or vote in multiple-choice quizzes. This has fundamentally changed the atmosphere of a presentation.

While tools that can create agendas, send meeting invitations and keep track of action items should improve effectiveness, they are still in development. Let’s hope that if or when they do arrive, they will meet our expectations.

1. The writer may agree with the fact that .

A．surveyed UK employees believe that about 50% of meetings are unnecessary.

B．average UK employee spends over 20 hours weekly preparing for and attending meetings

C．all the meetings are fruitless, boring and a complete waste of time.

D．it’s impossible for an AI to know when one person is controlling a meeting

2. The underlined phrase “wrapping up” in paragraph two means “ ”.

A．cancelling	B．beginning
C．completing	D．organizing

3. According to paragraph 3, AI is able to .

A．make open-ended responses	B．decide when the meeting should be
C．think about strategy and vision	D．vote in multiple-choice quizzes

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．The Future Belongs to AI	B．The Future of Business Meetings
C．What Will Become of AI	D．Can AI Save Us from Bad Meetings?

【推荐1】As much as we may want to protect children from all the terrible, horrible and very bad things in life, too often we don’t get a choice. These four new kids’ books serve as guides for a variety of difficulties and as important reminders that we have a choice in how we react to such trials. These stories introduce young readers to relatable characters who are processing and recovering from hardships and sorrows. Each book, in its own way, offers a guide for young readers who are facing their own struggles. Together, they teach a lesson for us all in resilience (还原能力) and hope.

The Secret Horses Of Briar Hill By Megan Shepherd Twelve-year-old Emmaline has a secret: she can see winged horses in the mirrors at Briar Hill hospital, a British hospital for children during World War II. The magical adventures of the horses come to life as Emmaline recovers from her illness and must face the sickness of those she loves.	Goodbye Days By JeffZentner Carver Briggs blames himself for the deaths of his three best friends (he sent the text message that likely caused the car accident resulting in their deaths). What’s more, he could face a criminal investigation into his role. The novel follows his journey as he tries his best to make peace with his loss and guilt.
Stef Soto, Taco Queen By Jennifer Torres Now in middle school, Estefania Stef Soto has become embarrassed by her Mexican-American family’s food truck and is tired of being joked at school as the “taco (墨西哥煎玉米卷) queen.” But when the family business is threatened, she becomes one of its biggest protectors and learns to accept her identity (身份).	Why Can't Grandma Remember My Name? By Kent L Karosen，illustrated by Chana Stiefel Dnven by questions from Ashley, a child whose grandmother has Alzheimer's (早老性痴呆病) —'Will Grandma get worse? How can I have familiar with Grandma?” 一 drawings in this P^e book are done by children and by Vlzheimer’s patients，offers an outline for families dealing with the illness

1. “Such trials” in paragraph 1 most probably refers to ________.

A．creative processes	B．lovable characters
C．painful reminders	D．difficult   experiences

2. Suppose you have just moved from Asia to America and your kids have trouble getting aim with others at school, which of the following books are you going to pick for your children?

A．The Secret Horses Of Briar Hill

B．Goodbye Days

C．Stef Soto, Taco Queen

D．Why Can’t Grandma Remember My Name?

3. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．The secret horses help Emmaline solve her problems.

B．Carver Briggs tries everything to prove his innocence.

C．Estefania fights very hard to protect her identity.

D．Little Ashley makes an outline for the book.

4. The author writes this passage to ________.

A．share some new parental skills with parents

B．teach kids how to write some dramatic stories

C．start a discussion on the topics of the new books

D．introduce some newly published books for kids

【推荐2】A scene from China’s biggest soap opera last year, Ode to Joy Season 2, has triggered much discussion on whether virginity is still a prized asset for women in “modern” China. In the scene, Qiu Yingying, a young but naive character, holds a dinner party to introduce her boyfriend to her friends, but the evening turns dramatic after her neighbour accidentally exposes her past relationship. Her boyfriend, Ying Qin, storms off, furious, expressing his thought that having sex before marriage is a moral spot for a woman.

However controversial the show is, it does reveal a universal phenomenon that sex education in China is often relatively backward and of minor significance. Parents very rarely share information about sex with children. What almost all parents do, however, is to warn their children, especially daughters not to have any dates before they graduate from university, fearing that they get hurt or become pregnant. There are stories of biology teachers skipping details of the reproductive system in class and ask students to learn it by themselves. Chinese communities also traditionally expect virginity before marriage.

Ren Yi, a student from East China Normal University, said it was perfectly reasonable for a boyfriend who was a virgin himself to require his girlfriend to be so. The only problem, she said, was if it was a double standard and the man expected virginity from a woman but not himself.

The issue was also being discussed by her university classmates in WeChat. Someone questioned why there wasn’t gender equality when it came to virginity, but another said she couldn’t accept Ying Qin’s comment on women who had sex before marriage.

While some still concentrate on virginity itself, others have shifted the focus of this debate.

Zhu Pingping, a Shanghai-based English teacher, commented that even debating the topic was old-fashioned in the 21^st Century. She thought it was “disgusting” for the show to make an issue of it in modern cities, women are more independent and liberated, she said.

Her husband, Shen Peng, also a teacher, added that not everyone will and can advance with the times as he or she ages and some even want to restore the so-called traditional Chinese virtues of being a woman (女德), which from his perspective has long been used as a means to oppress women both physically and mentally throughout the history.

“Teaching students knowledge about sex doesn’t mean we encourage them to eat the forbidden fruit. Actually, it is just the opposite, because only when sex---like other aspects of lives---is dealt with frankly and appropriately in the educational process can the healthy growth of children raised in it be truly encouraged,” he said.

1. Which one of the following might be Wrong according to the first two paragraphs?

A．The TV series Ode to Joy Season 2 has brought female virginity to attention.

B．Qiu Yingying’s relationship has been buried with her previous romance revealed.

C．Parents and teachers tend to avoid answering questions about sex from children.

D．Sex education in China has weighed strongly in the current educational system.

2. It can be learned from the three interviewees’ opinions that ________.

A．a double standard encouraged in attitudes towards virginity is allowed

B．the topic on virginity is still worth public discussion in the present day

C．keeping pace with the times is not necessarily a natural outcome of age

D．teaching students sex is likely to lead them to have sex at an early age

3. What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?

A．Measures to advocate sex education

B．Historical evidence of female oppression

C．Professional comments on the show

D．Examples to illustrate the virginity issue

4. The author’s purpose for writing this article is to ________.

A．introduce a popular TV drama

B．explain a universal phenomenon

C．criticize the current education

D．arouse people’s food for thought

【推荐3】Why you shouldn't punish your kids for lying

Getting your children to stop lying is challenging. There are many influences（TV，movies and video games）in which lies are common. Children see parents lie to others，if only to be polite. Most parents add to that with tales about the lives and activities of Santa Claus or the tooth fairy.     1    

The most common reactions to children who lie are explaining why it is wrong and punishments.     2     Here are three better tools supported by research to use instead.

Give praise: You could ask your child to say something that happened at school that is true. When your child obeys, praise him enthusiastically. Be specific.     3     and give your child a hug or a high five. Aim for one or two interactions（互动）like this a day. If you happen to "catch" your child in a lie，say something like，“That is not true and could get you in trouble outside of the home.”

Act as a model: Explicitly（明确地）tell the truth. This could be about something that happened when you were a child or something that happened during the day. It need not be dramatic. Another option is to play a game at dinner. Each person tells one thing that was true that day. Again，give a little praise to the child who normally lies if she plays along.

Decrease punishments and moralizing（说教）：They are unlikely to change behavior or develop the conduct you want.     4     Rather，use very mild punishments（light scolding，short loss of privileges，a brief timeout）. More severe punishments（shouting，taking away something for a week，hitting）are not more effective in actually changing the frequency of lying.

    5     Usually they can be dropped by then. It is unlikely that lying will be completely removed，but with the right encouragement，it can be dramatically lessened.

A．It is not what that is，but about practice.

B．As ways of changing behavior，these are ineffective.

C．That does not mean ignoring，lying or letting it go.

D．“That was great！You told me what happened just like I asked. Wow！”

E．Try these procedures for two to three weeks and see where you are.

F．“You did a good job，but what you said was not what I'd like to know！”

G．Parents do this out of love，but for some children，lying can become a problem.