【推荐1】It warmed my heart today to walk into the Thirsty Camel downtown on the Thanksgiving Day, for a quick lunch before a haircut and library trip. Ilan, a food shop owner, said that he was refusing to take money today because it was Buy Nothing Day. To increase awareness(意识) of the strangers’ overspending nature of our society, Ilan suggested trade(交易) for food today. He simply asked that you offer something of equal personal value for the meal you received.

At first I was really uncomfortable, wondering if it would be fair(公平的) to exchange a yet to be determined “I Owe You”(IOU) for food? What could I give him of equal value? After all, his food is the best in the town!

We ended up writing our IOU’s with promises in a lot of ways if he needed it, such as a book, some paintings and the offer of work. I think the idea isn’t that the trade is “equal” so much as the importance of the kind of transaction. We put thought into our offers and we had an even greater understanding for the meals we ate.

We don’t buy a lot, especially at this upcoming time of year. We don’t give gifts at all in fact. The holiday time is spent enjoying each other’s company and doing things together with family and friends. This is what seems most sensible(明智的). Ilan is a good person. We are all lucky to have someone like this in our community.

1. Ilan did not take any money that day in order to_________.

A．increase awareness of people’s overspending

B．have a quick lunch before a haircut and library trip

C．trade for something for nothing

D．buy nothing that day to save some money

2. For the meal, the author finally offered Ilan_________.

A．some promises

B．a book

C．some paintings

D．work

3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word ”transaction“?

A．Transport.

B．Trade.

C．Meal.

D．Giving.

4. What is the author’s attitude to Buy Nothing Day?

A．Disagreeable.

B．Meaningless.

C．Doubtful.

D．Supportive.

【推荐2】When I was young, I wished for a good car and a big house. That was my idea of success. I took all the advanced classes and tried to do well in the exams with my mind set on going to a key school. I just knew that I would somehow become famous and be able to afford the car and the dream house. All the way through junior years, my mind was planning this beautiful future.
Then in the eleventh grade, many losses changed my mind. First, one of my friends died at 16. Soon after, my great-grandmother passed away, followed by my beloved fourth-grade teacher. These events left me not knowing what to do or where to go . Death had never touched me so closely.
After a long period of emptiness, it finally struck me: Life is not promised and neither is future success. Though I was attempting to achieve material success, I was not enjoying my daily life. I realized that finding inner peace, purpose and happiness will stick with me forever and that is real success.
Enjoying life's precious quirks ( 偶发事件) makes an ordinary person more successful than a wealthy person who isn't content and takes everything for granted. The summer before senior years, my attitude changed greatly. Instead of memorizing facts, I began learning skills. Instead of focusing on the future, I focused on today and the many blessings and successes that came with it.
I still get excellent grades, but now I devote weeks to studying instead of struggling for exams, and I think about the future with a deeper sense of meaning. For me, being successful means truly living life each day.
1. The reason why the author changed his idea of success is that ________ .                 .

A．he can't afford his house

B．his beloved teacher was dead

C．he didn't know what to do or where to go

D．he lost a few beloved persons in a short time

2. According to the author which of the following is the real success for a person?

A．Being famous.	B．Truly living life each day.
C．Good car and big house.	D．Material achievements.

3. What does the author want to tell the readers?

A．The true meaning of the life.	B．The true meaning of studying.
C．How to achieve success.	D．His opinion about success.

4. According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A．The writer thinks that success is not promised.

B．His teacher died before the death of his grandpa.

C．The writer didn't do well in all the exams.

D．He didn't want to take all the exams.

【推荐3】A year ago, I had one of the most important interviews of my life.     1     . I could say what I thought the interviewers wanted to hear. I am so good at multitasking that I was able to shoulder various responsibilities. That might be true, yet it seemed to be unreal. The more honest answer was that I knew it would be difficult, but I wanted to try anyway.    2    .

This dilemma led me to hesitate during the interview. It also brought back my past experience of being interviewed when an interviewer asked me to give an example of a time when I had been caring. The answer that came to my mind was that I volunteered at a nursing house and felt honored to sit with the patients and listened to their stories. But I didn’t think that was good enough to impress the interviewers. So, instead, I told them when one of the residents threw out (呕吐), I quickly clean it up.     3    . That wasn’t caring and it only suggested my best quality was being skilled at using a mop (拖把).

Back to my most recent interview and the question about how to shoulder multiple responsibilities of the role.     4    . I had learnt the significance of being true to myself . So I answered simply,“With difficulty.” To my relief, the interviewers nodded knowingly and smiled. This exam can test my honesty and I can come up with the right and wise answers.

It has dawned on me that interviews don’t have right or wrong answers. I still see them as exams, but they are not testing my ability to copy somebody else’s answers. Actually the exam is about something I am well familiar with me.    5    .

A．At the end, I was asked how to balance the different parts of the role.

B．Never give the interviewers wrong answers.

C．It is not about “right” answers but about being yourself.

D．I wasn’t sure of which answer to give.

E．It seemed the interviewers were quite satisfied.

F．I hesitated——but not for long.

G．I immediately felt embarrassed.

【推荐1】Looking back on my childhood, I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made.

Although we were all brought up in the same way, my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects. Unlike them, I had no ear for music and languages. I was not an early reader and I could not do mental maths.

I have only the unmemorable memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys. Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a crystal clear memory of the dogs, the farm animals, the local birds, and above all the insects.

I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world, and my enthusiasm has led me into varied investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil while reading about other people’s observations and discoveries. Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books, which some might honour with the title of scientific research.

But curiosity, a keen eye, a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist：One of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self­discipline, a quality I lack. A scientist requires not only self­discipline but all training, determination and a goal. A scientist, up to a point, can be made. A naturalist is born. If you can combine the two, you get the best of both worlds.

1. What impressed the author deeply during his childhood?

A．Wildlife.	B．Music.
C．Languages.	D．Literature.

2. Why can’t the author remember his relatives clearly?

A．He didn’t live with them for long.

B．The family was extremely large.

C．He was fully occupied with observing nature.

D．He was too young when he lived with them.

3. According to the author, what personality should a born naturalist have first of all?

A．Being knowledgeable.

B．Being self­disciplined.

C．Being full of ambition.

D．Being full of enthusiasm.

4. Why does the author say he is a naturalist, not a scientist?

A．He thinks he lacks some quality required of a scientist.

B．He thinks he has much trouble doing mental arithmetic.

C．He thinks he comes up with solutions in a most natural way.

D．He thinks he just reads about other people’s observations.

【推荐2】I was studying to become a firefighter, who are constantly thinking of other people and trying to help children. It’s the mindset, that is the most difficult part in this job!

One night I was heading home and decided to stop off at a burrito (玉米饼) dining hall. I was approached by a homeless man. He asked me for some change to buy a little food.

As I was pulling some change out, I had an idea. I decided to see if he wanted to eat a real dinner. When he followed me in, the people selling the burrito refused to let him in. After some arguing, so I had to encourage him to order whatever he wanted. He ended up ordering enough to fill his stomach at least 3 times over!

It seemed like he was very surprised at my kind behavior. But to me, it was what any “human being” should do or at least offer. To me it reminded me when I was young and my mom brought out a big birthday cake for me on my birthday, with all the candy, getting to experience a big meal. And I think he felt special, like he was getting attention.

I often think about this story, because to me it’s not just about helping someone out by feeding them, but giving him the respect of being a human being and allowing him to feel good about himself was very rewarding.

1. What’s the hardest part of being a firefighter according to the author?

A．Learning to be a good firefighter.	B．Deciding what to do in the future.
C．Dealing with the brother’s relationship.	D．Developing the mindset of helping others.

2. What can we infer about the homeless man?

A．He was grateful for the author’s kindness.

B．He ordered whatever he wanted the moment he was in.

C．He asked the author to buy a burrito to fill his stomach.

D．He was not welcomed by the boss at first.

3. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning the birthday cake?

A．To think back to his own birthday at a young age.

B．To explain the reason for the values he holds onto.

C．To show the similar experience of the homeless man.

D．To tell the difference between him and the homeless man.

4. Which of the following words can best describe the writer?

A．indifferent and humorous.	B．Selfless and determined.
C．Kind-hearted and thoughtful.	D．Considerate and Hard-working.

【推荐1】Around four years ago, I received a call from the principal of our school as to the “Parents View” talk the next morning. He asked me to speak to the group. After the call, my whole body became feverish and panicky. The time from his call to the next morning seemed like years. The whole night, I could not sleep with many __________ in mind. One of them was to call the principal with regret and tell him that I could not come. Finally, I gathered some courage. I thought, “If I miss this opportunity, surely the school will never invite me again to any of their programs.”
I reached the school in time. Before my turn came, my whole body was trembling. When my turn came and I started speaking, my heartbeat increased and my mouth went dry. I wasn’t even able to read the written speech properly. I was not aware of where             I was standing and what I was reading. That was the day when I realized my biggest weakness­-- Public Speaking.
After my speech, I met with the principal and explained what happened to me. He told me that this happens to everyone. Even great speakers, faced the same things when they started. He suggested that I come again next time.
Around one month later, I was invited to refer to a topic on Motivation. This time I was feeling comfortable. My speech was appreciated by the principal as well as the teachers, because I was able to get my idea across to them. They encouraged and             praised my efforts.
After delivering it successfully, I became more confident. I said to myself, “If I can speak in front of such a learned audience, like the principal who educates others, I can now speak in front of others too.”
I started delivering lectures in my plant, on various topics like Self Motivation, Personality Development, Personal Excellence, Spoken English and Presentation Skills. This has become a passion for me. I learned that everything is possible if we             have the courage to take the first step.
1. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Practice Makes a Man a Better Speechmaker

B．Public Speaking Makes a Man Embarrassed.

C．Principal Provides the Best Chances.

D．Spoken English Develops in Malting Speeches.

2. The author had bad feelings before the speech because______.

A．he disliked the idea of giving a lecture

B．he feared he couldn't perform it properly

C．he regretted accepting the invitation

D．he had got a high fever before that

3. What does the underlined part “ominous apprehensions” in the first paragraph mean?

A．unlucky opportunities	B．curious views
C．negative ideas	D．happy comments

4. What can we conclude from the passage?

A．Nothing is to be got without pains but poverty.

B．Knowledge makes humble, ignorance makes proud.

C．A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

D．Necessity is the mother of invention.

【推荐3】Mary has struggled to find the right words to convey her thoughts and feelings ever since she was a child. She was often told that she was “too quiet” or “too shy”, and as she grew older, she became increasingly aware of her inability to articulate herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t have anything to say — far from it. Mary’s mind was constantly racing with ideas and observations, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t seem to get the words out.

“Mary, I need to talk to you,” Mr. Thompson, the boss of Mary’s new company, said one day, his voice serious. Mary’s heart sank. “Don’t worry,” Mr. Thompson said, noticing Mary’s nervousness. “It’s not that kind of conversation. I just wanted to talk to you about something that’s been on my mind lately.”

He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. “I’ve noticed that you’ve been struggling a bit lately. It seems like you’re having a tough time communicating with customers. I hear that you’re good at writing. So why not join our Advertising Department? Besides, I have another suggestion…”

Mary kept nodding, unable to find the words to express her gratitude.

Following Mr. Thompson’s suggestion, Mary joined in a writing competition. She had always been a talented writer, and she knew that she had the potential to create something truly special. So she set to work, pouring her heart and soul into her essay. The words started flowing, and Mary found herself writing with a newfound sense of purpose and achievement.

The judges of the competition were amazed by Mary’s essay, and they selected it as the winner. Mary was excited, and she was grateful to have finally found the right way to do a good job.

1. What does the underlined word “articulate” probably mean in Paragraph 1?

A．Encourage.

B．Teach.

C．Behave.

D．Express.

2. Why did Mr. Thompson have a talk with Mary?

A．To offer her some help.	B．To give her a promotion.
C．To advise her to quit the job.	D．To tell her to mind her manners.

3. What was Mary’s feeling when creating her essay?

A．Embarrassed.

B．Confused.

C．Confident.

D．Nervous.

4. Which can best describe Mary’s experience?

A．Actions speak louder than words.

B．Lose at sunrise and gain at sunset.

C．All things are easy that are done willingly.

D．Efforts can make up for lack of intelligence.