【推荐1】Directions: Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.

A. Manufacturing industry in information economy B. News in the age of information C. Argument about individual accounts and their reliability D. Be your own investigative journalist E. Don’t believe everything you read in the newspapers. F. Information is presented in an entertaining way.

1. ______
   With the arrival of the age of “information economy”, intellectual work is becoming a more important source of wealth than manufacturing. Organizations in all walks of life are doing more to spread their information. So people of the Public Relations are hired to speak for them. A lot of our news is actually collected from press releases and reports of events intentionally staged for journalists. In the information age, journalists spend their time, not investigating, but passing on the words of a spokesperson.
2. ______
   There is a joke in the novel Scoop about the newspaper’s owner, Lord Copper. The editors can never disagree with him. When he’s right about something they answer “definitely”, and when he’s wrong they say “to some extent, Lord Copper.” It seems reasonable to suppose that, in the real world, the opinions of such powerful people still influence the journalists and editors who work for them.
3. ______
   In countries where the news is not officially controlled, it is likely to be provided by commercial organizations who depend on advertising. The news has to attract viewers and maintain its audience ratings. I suspect that some stories get air-time just because there happen to be exciting pictures to show. In Britain, we have the tabloid newspapers which millions of people read simply for entertainment. There is progressively less room for historical background, or statistics, which are harder to present as a sensational story.
4. ______
There is an argument that with spreading access to the internet and cheap technology for recording sound and images we will all be able to find exactly the information we want. People around the world will be able to publish their own eye-witness accounts and compete with the widely-accepted news-gatherers on equal terms. But what it will mean also is that we’ll be subjected to a still greater amount of nonsense and lies. Any web log may contain the latest information of the year, or equally, a made-up story that you will never be able to check.
5. ______
   Maybe the time has come to do something about it, and I don’t just mean changing your choice of TV channel or newspaper. In a world where everyone wants you to listen to their version, you only have two choices: switch off altogether or start looking for sources you can trust. The investigative journalist of the future is everyone who wants to know the truth.

【推荐2】In today’s world, technology is a part of daily life. In order to keep civilization hand in hand with technological advances, and to understand the connected future they will have, children in schools have to be taught technical skills. But how can teachers integrate(使……融入)technology into their classroom? Here are a couple of ways.

Teach acceptance of connected learning. In the information age, it’s only right to teach kids how to jump at connected learning.    1    For example, a tablet PC could be used in art class to draw pictures or even signs for the school.

Use a video chat system to teleconference. The idea of pen pals can be strengthened by video chat systems.    2    In this situation, children will learn how to share experiences and build new relationships from a distance. Teleconferencing is a great way to teach children about teleconferencing etiquette(礼仪).    3    

Develop a class wiki or blog. In order to help get your students active in class lessons, you can use a blog or wiki to make them comment on lessons, topics and current events. Students should also be allowed to create new posts about news or their thoughts.    4    

Create a podcast(播客)for your class. Technology is always about being seen.    5    It can also be used to be heard. With a classroom podcast, you can read passages from a textbook or a novel or schedule discussions on a certain topic that’s in line with your curriculum. This will teach broadcasting skills, speaking skills and critical thinking skills.

A．This includes using technology as a tool or a way to learn new concepts.

B．You can also upload videos to a private channel.

C．These systems can also be used to connect with students from other classroom that are far away.

D．This will show them how to solve complex math problems.

E．This is a great way to improve creative writing.

F．However, it’s wrong to think it’s only about being seen.

G．For example, you can teach children when it’s alright to connect and how to act when on camera.

【推荐3】You might have heard about identity theft, it's what can happen when a thief gets enough of someone's information to commit fraud（诈骗）. Why should people care about it? Because recovering a stolen identity can be a time-consuming（耗时）and expensive process. Imagine that someone pretends to be you, they use your name, they even convince businesses that they're you and they open a credit card in your name,get a cell phone in your name,or buy things using a credit card and your name on it.

ID thieves can be creative about getting your information. There are some low-tech ways they get it: sometimes they steal garbage, going through it to find personal information, or they steal mail.

There are high-tech ways, too. ID thieves might put software onto your computer without you knowing it, it can happen when you open an email attachment, click on a pop-up（弹出窗口） advertisement, or download some music files. Some software lets a thief see everything on your computer, and record everything you type on your computer.

Unfortunately, even if you're really careful with your personal information, thieves can still get it. Sometimes, they hack（入侵）into computer systems at stores or schools, hospitals or businesses. They look for personal information to use or sell to other thieves.

It's pretty easy for you and your family to make it harder for a thief to steal your identity. You can start with the low-tech defenses: being careful with your mail and garbage. Tear anything that has personal information on it before you throw it away.And be sure to take care of your purse, your wallet, or your backpack. You'd better keep your Social Safely card in a safe, locked place at home.

Practice some routine higher-tech defensive plays to protect your computer by installing（安装） and turning on an up-to-date firewall along with anti-spyware and anti-virus software. Once you are online, be careful with your personal information. Some sites might ask for a credit card number, stop and check if they really need that number. When you get email or pop-ups on your computer, don't respond automatically. Emails that ask you to reply or click a link could be thieves trying to trick you into giving them your personal information. It's a technique called "phishing", because the thieves are fishing for your information. Stop and think before you click.

1. The purpose of the first paragraph is to tell readers that ________.

A．people worry about identity theft

B．it is important to avoid identity theft

C．it is too difficult to recover a stolen identity

D．thieves manage to obtain personal information

2. What can we learn from the text?

A．Schools can be targets for identity thieves.

B．Identity thieves hack into computer only by music download.

C．Identity thieves prefer high-tech ways.

D．Identity thieves mainly target people on the Internet.

3. What does the author think of identify theft?

A．It becomes more and more serious.

B．It is out of control at present.

C．It will eventually be stopped.

D．It can be prevented in some simple ways.

4. The underlined word "plays" in Paragraph 6 probably means ________.

A．tasks	B．games
C．exercises	D．actions

5. Which of the following is an effective way of preventing identity theft?

A．Take the Social Safety card with you.

B．Click on a link only after considering whether it's safe.

C．Enter your credit card number on personal computers only.

D．Throw anything with your personal information in the garbage.

【推荐1】For a long time, comedy has been perceived as a profession for men only. But this has changed in recent years. Many female comics have made their mark on the stage not by ignoring the issues of gender inequality, but by bringing them to light.

Yang Li, 28, is one of them. Yang has done stand-up comedy for about three years and often focuses on the difficulties females face. For example, she recently made headlines with a biting joke about how women are portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“In The Avengers (《复仇者联盟》), there are six heroes, and only one of them is a woman,” she said during a July episode of Rock & Roast (《脱口秀大会》). Yang was referring to Black Widow, whose superpower is the ability to slow down her aging. How exactly is she supposed to save the world by surviving until all the bad guys die?”

“What I said is not only a joke, but also something female comics are facing, as well as women in general.” Yang told Jiemian News.

Chinese comic twins Yan Yi and Yan Yue echoed this sentiment (观点). They once joked that “the only movie that doesn’t depict two women fighting with each other over a man is The Shining (《闪灵》) (an iconic horror movie from the US)”.

Despite getting more prominent roles, however, women still face challenges in the comedy industry, according to Sixth Tone, a publication based in Shanghai.

“I’ve found that audiences tend to be more judgmental about a female comedian’s appearance,” Yang Mengqi, who made the top 30 on Rock & Roast, said. To avoid unwelcome attention, female comics have to be especially prudent (精明的) in choosing what clothes they wear to perform.

The other challenge is that females are sometimes taken less seriously, despite abundant evidence of their talent and commitment in the male-dominated field.

Maple Zuo is a comic who performs in both English and Mandarin. “It’s hard to fit in when I’m the only female comedian (at a show),” said Zuo, who has toured internationally. “Every time there’s a comedy scene party, they always spontaneously (自然而然地) divide up into two groups: one for the male comics, another for their girlfriends, she said. “I always end up hanging out with the girlfriends.”

Even so, many Chinese female comics feel optimistic about their future. Yang told Sixth Tone, “When people ask what has motivated me to stick with stand-up comedy, my response is simple: I hope to use whatever influence I have to improve gender equality.”

1. What is the author’s main purpose in writing this article?

A．To explore challenges female comics face.

B．To explain what contributes to female comics’ success.

C．To inform us of the development of the comedy industry.

D．To describe how the roles of female comics have changed.

2. Why did Yang Li joke about the role of Black Widow in The Avengers?

A．Black Widow is less brave than other male heroes.

B．She admired Black Widow’s ability to age slowly.

C．She doubted Black Widow’s ability to survive.

D．Black Widow reflects negative stereotypes about women in society.

3. What does the underlined word “echoed” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．questioned

B．repeated

C．announced

D．ignored

4. Using the example of Maple Zuo, the author intends to ______.

A．show female comics a way to fight cultural stereotypes

B．describe why female comics have to mind what they wear

C．illustrate that female comics are often left out by male comics

D．explain what it takes for female comics to succeed

5. What is Yang Li’s attitude toward the future of female comics?

A．Hopeful.

B．Worried.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Confused.

【推荐2】After nearly half a century behind the wheel, Hisao Matsumoto, 85, is not ready to stop driving. “I’m not that old yet,” he says. “I still have 15 more years to go till I reach 100.” Mr.Matsumoto is one of more than 5 million drivers aged 75 or older. A million more will be on the roads by 2021.Worried, the police are trying to persuade many of them out of driving, because over­75s are twice as likely to cause a fatal (致命的) accident as younger drivers, according to the National Police Agency (NPA).

Nearly half of older drivers who caused fatal accidents had signs of cognitive impairment (认知障碍). Hundreds of older drivers turn the wrong way into motor ways every year. In January an 85­year­old man steered his vehicle into oncoming traffic on a country road, hitting a car and two schoolgirls. Police believe he mistook the accelerator for the brake. The man’s family said he had rejected their requests to hand over his keys many times.

Such stubbornness is common, notes Kazunori Iwakoshi, who heads an NGO that supports elderly drivers. Many drivers argue that they have never had an accident and it is unfair to do that, so they resent themselves being cast aside.

Since last March over­75s renewing their licenses must take cognitive tests to screen for dementia (老年痴呆). The NPA expects these changes to take 15,000 drivers off the road each year. Last year more than 250,000 over­75s gave up their licenses after their families’ constant stream of persuasion, says Mr.Iwakoshi. His organization publishes a check list for elderly drivers, aimed at getting them to assess their responses themselves.

Mr.Matsumoto is lucky. His city gives pensioners unlimited access to public transport. However, thousands of elderly people are stuck in rural communities with no buses.

1. Why do the police try to persuade elderly drivers to stop driving?

A．To encourage younger drivers to drive safely.

B．To reduce the number of deadly accidents.

C．To introduce the National Police Agency.

D．To stress the significance of safe driving.

2. Which word is closest in meaning to the underlined word “resent” in Paragraph 3?

A．Praise.	B．Support.
C．Injure.	D．Dislike.

3. What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A．Tests to assess elderly drivers’ responses.

B．Families’ contributions to traffic safety.

C．Ways to renew licenses for elderly drivers.

D．Measures to control the number of elderly drivers.

4. What is implied about the limitation to elderly drivers in the last paragraph?

A．It can cause some new problems.

B．It is popular among elderly drivers.

C．It will do elderly drivers more harm than good.

D．It brings about easy access to public transport.

【推荐1】There are many ways to travel within a city. We can walk, cycle, or take a bus. But no matter which way we travel, we have to follow the route (线路) the city planners laid down for us.

Parkour practitioners (跑酷爱好者), however, see the city in a completely different way. To them, there are no designed routes. There are no walls and no stairs — they jump, climb, roll and crawl to move across, through, over and under anything that they find in their path. The city is their playground.

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has noticed that this activity is drawing more and more people to it — there are 100, 000 people taking part in parkour today in the UK alone, according to The Guardian — and how it is helpful for people to be much stronger: It trains coordination and balance. So the FIG is thinking about recognizing parkour as a new sport and adding it to the Olympics by 2024.

But parkour practitioners themselves don’t seem to be happy with the idea. They see parkour as “a lifestyle”, wrote the website NextSportStar. “It’s a competition against the conditions rather than just a sport.”

Indeed, many do parkour just to “escape the daily routine and experience the city in different ways”, wrote reporter Oli Mould on The Conversation. They see parkour as a way to express themselves through relaxing moves and creative routes while freeing themselves from the pressure.

It’s great that the FIG wants to develop a new sport and stay close to a new cultural form. But it would be greater if they knew that not everything in life is a competition.

1. How do the parkour practitioners do parkour?

A．They plan the way themselves.

B．They move on as they wish.

C．They run faster than others.

D．They follow certain routes.

2. Why does the FIG want to add parkour to the Olympics?

A．It’s a special way of life.

B．It draws their attention.

C．It helps balance people’s life.

D．It’s good for people to keep healthy.

3. What is the author’s idea on parkour?

A．It is more exciting than other sports.

B．It is worth adding to the sporting event.

C．It is more a lifestyle than a competition.

D．It encourages people to challenge themselves.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Parkour practitioners

B．Making the city their own

C．Training in a different way

D．A new sports competition

【推荐3】“Deep reading” —as opposed to the often superficial reading we do on the Web —is an endangered practice, one we ought to take steps to preserve as we would a historic building or a significant work of art. Its disappearance would jeopardize(危及) the intellectual and emotional development of generations growing up online, as well as the preservation of a critical part of our culture: the novels, poems and other kinds of literature that can be appreciated only by readers whose brains, quite literally, have been trained to understand them.

Recent research in cognitive science and psychology has demonstrated that deep reading —slow, immersive, rich in sensory detail and emotional and moral complexity—is a distinctive experience, different in kind from the mere decoding of words. Although deep reading does not, strictly speaking, require a conventional book, the built-in limits of the printed page are uniquely helpful to the deep reading experience. A book’s lack of hyperlinks(超链接), for example, frees the reader from making decisions —Should I click on this link or not? —allowing her to remain fully immersed in the narrative.

That immersion is supported by the way the brain handles language rich in detail, indirect reference and figures of speech: by creating a mental representation that draws on the same brain regions that would be active if the scene were unfolding in real life. The emotional situations and moral dilemmas that are the stuff of literature are also vigorous exercise for the brain, propelling us inside the heads of fictional characters and even, studies suggest, increasing our real-life capacity for empathy (认同).

None of this is likely to happen when we’re browsing through a website. Although we call the activity by the same name, the deep reading of books and the information-driven reading we do on the Web are very different, both in the experience they produce and in the capacities they develop. A growing body of evidence suggests that online reading may be less engaging and less satisfying, even for the “digital natives” to whom it is so familiar. Last month, for example,   Britain’s National Literacy Trust released the results of a study of 34,910 young people aged 8 to 16. Researchers reported that 39% of children and teens read daily using electronic devices, but only 28% read printed materials every day. Those who read only onscreen were three times less likely to say they enjoy reading very much and a third less likely to have a favorite book. The study also found that young people who read daily only onscreen were nearly two times less likely to be above-average readers than those who read daily in print or both in print and onscreen.

1. What does the author say about ^“deep reading”?

A．It serves as a complement to online reading.

B．It should be preserved before it is too late.

C．It is mainly suitable for reading literature.

D．It is an indispensable part of education.

2. Why does the author advocate the reading of literature?

A．It helps promote readers’ intellectual and emotional growth.

B．It enables readers to appreciate the complexity of language.

C．It helps readers build up immersive reading habits.

D．It is quickly becoming an endangered practice.

3. In what way does printed-page reading differ from online reading?

A．It ensures the reader’s cognitive growth.

B．It enables the reader to be fully engaged.

C．It activates a different region of the brain.

D．It helps the reader learn rhetorical devices.

4. What do we learn from the study released by Britain’s National Literacy Trust?

A．Onscreen readers may be less competent readers.

B．Those who do reading in print are less informed.

C．Young people find reading onscreen more enjoyable.

D．It is now easier to find a favorite book online to read.