【推荐1】We are obsessed (迷恋)with ourselves. We study our history, our psychology, our philosophy. Much of our knowledge revolves (使旋转)around humankind itself, as if we were the most important thing in the universe.

But in the course of the centuries we have come to realize just how many wrong ideas we’ve had. We have learned of the existence of black holes, waves of space, and of the extraordinary molecular structures in every cell of our bodies.

The more we discover, the more we understand that what we don’t yet know is greater than what we know. The more powerful our telescopes, the stranger and more unexpected are the heavens we see. The closer we look at the minute detail of matter, the more we discover of its profound structure.

In a famous story told by Plato in the seventh book of The Republic, some men are chained at the bottom of a dark cave and see only shadows cast upon a wall by a fire behind them. They think that this is reality. One of them frees himself, leaves the cave and discovers the light of the sun and the wider world. At first the light, to which his eyes are unaccustomed, stuns and confuses him. But eventually he can see and returns excitedly to his companions to tell them what he has seen. They find it hard to believe.

We are all in the depths of a cave, chained by our ignorance, our prejudices, and our weak senses reveal only shadows. If we try to see further, we are confused: we are unaccustomed. But we try. This is science. Scientific thinking explores and redraws the world, gradually offering us better and better images of it, teaching us to think in ever more effective ways. Its strength is its capacity to demolish (推翻)old ideas, to reveal new regions of reality, and to construct new, more effective images of the world. This adventure rests upon the entirety of past knowledge, but at its heart is change.

The incompleteness and the uncertainty of our knowledge, hung over the abyss (深渊) of what we don’t know, does not make life meaningless: it makes it interesting and precious.

1. What does the author want to tell us in the first three paragraphs?

A．The new discoveries of the universe prove to be wrong.

B．Man has created splendid cultures in the course of centuries.

C．Our knowledge of the universe is incomplete and uncertain.

D．The existing technologies are enough for further exploration.

2. The story told by Plato is meant to .

A．make us aware of the cruelty of reality

B．encourage us to explore the unknown world

C．applaud the heroic deeds of chasing freedom

D．justify our ignorance and prejudice about the world

3. What does the author want to stress in the passage?

A．Exploring the universe makes our life meaningful.

B．Leaving things as they are makes our life perfect.

C．New discoveries of the universe will cause confusion.

D．Past knowledge prevents us constructing a new world.

【推荐2】One year, a college in the United States announced that it would offer a lot of money for the pure white marigold (金盏花). The high reward attracted so many people, but in the nature, besides golden, the marigold is brown, and it is not easy to get the white one. So after they were excited for a time, many people had forgotten the announcement.

One normal day after 20 years, the college received a letter and 100 seeds of pure white marigold. It was an old woman of over 70 years old. Some experts in the college doubted it, but in order not to let her down, those seeds finally took root (根) in the earth. The miracle appeared after one year; the field was covered by pure white marigold.

Therefore, the old woman who was always unknown to the public became a new focus.

The old woman was a flower-lover. When she read the announcement 20 years ago, she got very excited like others. But her eight children were totally against her decision. After all, a woman who never knew the seed genetics (遗传学) couldn’t complete what the experts could never do, so her thought was only a day dream.

Still, the old woman didn’t change her mind and went on working. She planted some of the most common seeds and took good care of them. A year later, when the marigold came out, she chose one faintest (最暗淡的) from those golden and brown flowers and got the best seed. The next year, she again grew them and chose ... Day after day, year after year, through many seasons, the old woman’s husband died, her children flew far, a lot of things happened in her life, but only the wish to grow the pure white marigold took root in her heart.

Finally, after 20 years on the day we all know, in the garden she saw a marigold, which was nearly white, but as white as silver or snow.

A problem even experts couldn’t deal with was solved by an old woman who didn’t understand genetics. Was it a miracle (奇迹)?

To take root in the heart, even the most common seed can grow into a miracle!

1. According to the passage, ________ marigold is unusual.

A．white

B．purple

C．brown

D．golden

2. The woman successfully grew the white marigold at last because she ________.

A．was luckier than experts

B．put her heart into flowers

C．got support from her family

D．studied the seed genetics well

3. The passage mainly talks about ________.

A．the difficulties of getting the white marigold

B．the possibility of going beyond experts

C．the unforgettable development of marigold

D．the importance of holding on to dreams

【推荐3】It amazed me—every time I saw Joe, he was smiling. It didn't matter whether he had to stop at a stop light, or if he was the seventh person in line at the bank, and the teller ended her job just before he got there. Joe always smiled. It made me wonder why he always seemed so happy.

Having observed Joe with other people, I noticed something else too. Joe asked people how they were doing, and really seemed to listen to their answers. He showed pity to someone who was hurting, and had kind words, and offered to help in any way he could.

It made me think. What if I tried to smile more? An experiment began when I went to the supermarket. I smiled as I went up and down the supermarket and people I didn't even know smiled back at me. Some even spoke! The little kid in the cart who was giving his mother a hard time saw me smile, he stopped talking and then made a shy attempt at a smile. The man in the cart for the disabled needed help to reach for something, and I got it for him. The smile even transferred over to him, and he thanked me.

As I drove home, I was smiling. Now I know a smile is a small thing, but what if we all tried to smile a few more times each day? I couldn't believe how great I felt. Nothing in my life had changed, but maybe it had. What I had learned was that such a small thing could lift not only my spirits, but also the spirits of those around me. So smile!

1. What do we know about Joe from Paragraph 2?

A．He has nothing to worry about.	B．He lives a very hard life.
C．He is kind and ready to help others.	D．He often asks others to smile.

2. What experiment did the writer do?

A．He smiled at others in the supermarket.	B．He bought people things in the supermarket.
C．He helped anyone who needed help.	D．He said kind words to others.

3. According to the passage, how was the writer's experiment?

A．It was a failure.	B．It proved nothing.
C．It was unacceptable.	D．It was quite satisfying.

【推荐1】jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.

"You are employed," he said. "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start."

The man replied, "But I don't have a computer, neither an e-mail."

"I'm sorry," said the HR manager. "If you don't have an e-mail, that means you do not exist. And whoever doesn't exist cannot have the job."

The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars.

The man realized that he can survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US.

He started to plan his family's future and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker and chose a protection plan.

When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his e-mail. The man replied, "I don't have an e-mail."

The broker answered curiously, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire.  Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!"

1. The underlined word "triple" can be replaced by ______.

A．become twice	B．become thrice
C．increase quickly	D．decrease quickly

2. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．The man is one of the biggest food retailers in the world.

B．He started his career by selling tomatoes in the supermarket.

C．The man didn't give up though he failed the interview

D．Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft.

3. The man can be described as _______.

A．smart and hardworking	B．positive and generous
C．helpful and considerate	D．stubborn and unselfish

4. Which proverb can best describe the story?

A．Where there is a will, there is a way.

B．Misfortune may be an actual blessing.

C．Accidents will happen.

D．No pains , no gains.

【推荐2】When I woke up, I made myself breakfast, sat and listened to the traffic. Some of my friends ask me how I can stand living somewhere so noisy. It’s true that there’s always some kind of noise in my neighborhood, but to me, these are the sounds of life.

It was Saturday morning, so I decided to go to the park. The taxi is the fastest way to go but I took the bus instead.

When you ride the bus, you get to see so much more of the city. It can be kind of loud on the bus, with some people talking on their phones, others chatting with their friends, and others playing music. It’s just like the traffic’s sounds, though the noise on the bus represents people working, relaxing and living.

Once I got to the park, I picked a bench over near the play area where kids play while their parents sit nearby. I can see and hear almost everything from there. People-watching is one of my favorite things to do. However, I like listening even better. The only problem is that there’s so much to see and hear in the park!

Usually, I like to close my eyes. That way, I can pay more attention to the sounds and not get distracted by what I see. With my eyes closed, I could pick out parts of two old men’s conversation. One of them was telling the other about something his grandson said. I couldn’t hear the rest, but it must have been hilarious because his friend’s laugh was so loud.

When I’m old, I hope that I too will have a friend who will sit in the park with me, and who will enjoy listening to the sounds of the city as much as I do.

1. Some of the author’s friends think “the sounds of life” are very ______.

A．unpleasant

B．unique

C．magical

D．interesting

2. The author took the bus to the park because ______.

A．there was no other transport to go there	B．he wanted to see more about people’s life
C．it was the most convenient way	D．his friend advised him to do so

3. The author closed his eyes in order to ______.

A．have a good rest	B．hide himself from view
C．enjoy the sounds of life	D．avoid talking with the two old men

4. The underlined word “hilarious” in Paragraph 5 probably means “______”.

A．truly different

B．quite popular

C．rather strange

D．extremely funny

5. What’s the author’s hope according to the last paragraph?

A．Getting rid of the noise.	B．Living in a quiet neighborhood.
C．Sitting in the park.	D．Enjoying the sounds of a city with a friend.

【推荐1】Jeremy Savage, aged 17, and Ian Marshall, aged 16, went to the Rocky Mountains with their parents for the weekend. On Saturday morning, the two boys decided to climb Cathedral Mountain by themselves while their parents relaxed at the campsite. After three hours, they reached the top with no problems.

However, trouble began when they started the climb down the mountain. On one very dangerous part of the path, Ian fell three metres off the side of the path. Jeremy was able to climb down to where Ian was. Ian was badly injured and could not move. Jeremy had to decide what to do. He needed help, but he did not want to leave his friend. He used water from his own bottle to clean the dirt and blood from Ian’s face and hands. He tried to help Ian stand up, but Ian’s right leg was hurting too much. They had to wait and hope that someone would come and help them.

When the boys did not return to the campsite that evening, their parents became very worried. They got in touch with park workers and began searching for the boys. Soon more than 20 people were looking for the boys.

As night fell, the boys were still missing. While they waited for help to arrive, Jeremy gave Ian his food and water and he let Ian lie on his jacket so he would be more comfortable. As the evening grew darker, Ian told Jeremy to leave him and go back to their parents, but he still did not leave. Jeremy thought it was too dangerous for Ian to be alone. The night was cold and windy, and Jeremy used his jacket and an extra shirt to keep Ian warm.

At sunrise, Jeremy decided that the only way to help his friend was to carry him. So, they started the long climb back to their parents. Sometimes Jeremy carried Ian on his hack. Sometimes he carried him in his arms. Finally, after four hours, they arrived at the campsite where their parents were waiting. “I will always remember what Jeremy did for me,” said Ian. “He saved my life. That is the greatest thing that a person can do for his friend.”

1. What happened to Ian on his way down the mountain?

A．Ian fell three miles off the side of the path.

B．Ian climbed down to where Jeremy was.

C．Ian was badly injured and could not move.

D．Ian decided what to do because Jeremy was injured.

2. Why did the boys’ parents get in touch with the park workers?

A．Because they knew the boys got injured.

B．Because they are worried about their own safety.

C．Because the boys returned to the campsite with wounds.

D．Because the boys did not return to the campsite that evening.

3. What did Jeremy do for Ian while they were waiting for help?

A．Jeremy had Ian’s food and water.

B．Jeremy left Ian alone to find help from their parents.

C．Jeremy let Ian lie on his jacket to make him comfortable.

D．Jeremy gave Ian his jacket and only shirt to keep Ian warm.

4. How long were the boys away from the campsite?

A．Four hours.	B．Almost one night.
C．Three hours.	D．About 24 hours.

【推荐2】More than 25 years ago, Saroo Brierley was one of many poor children in rural India. One day, he played with his brother along the rail line and fell asleep. When be woke up, finding himself alone, the 4-year-old decided his brother might be on the train he saw in front of him—so he got on.

That train took him across the country to a totally strange city, where he did not speak the language. He lived on the streets, and then in an orphanage (孤儿院). There, he was adopted by an Australian family and flown to Tasmania.

As he writes in bis new book, A Long Way Home, Brierley couldn’t help but wonder about his hometown back in India. He remembered landmarks, but since he didn’t know his town’s name, finding a small neighborhood in a vast country seemed to be impossible.

Then he found Google Earth—a digital mapping program. He spent years searching for his hometown in the program’s satellite pictures. In 2011, he came across something familiar. He studied it and realized be was looking at a town’s central business district from a bird’s-eye view. He thought, “On the right-band side you should see the three-platform train station”—and there it was. “And on the left-hand side you should see a big fountain”—and there it was.

Everything just started to match.

When he stood in front of the house where he grew up as a child, be saw a lady standing in the entrance. “There’s something about me,” be thought—and it took him a few seconds but he finally remembered what she used to look like.

“My mother looked so much shorter than I remembered. But she came forth and walked forward, and I walked forward, and my feelings and tears and the chemical in my brain, you know, it was like a nuclear fusion (核聚变). I just didn’t know what to say, because I never thought seeing my mother would ever come true. And here I am, standing in front of her.”

1. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?

A．Brierley’s mother grew shorter and weaker as she aged.

B．There was a mix of feelings when Brierley saw his mother again.

C．Brierley kept trying and didn’t give up searching for his hometown.

D．Brierley didn’t recognise his mother immediately.

2. Why was Brierley separated from his family about 25 years ago?

A．He was taken away by a foreigner.	B．He was adopted by an Australian family.
C．He got on a train by mistake.	D．He got lost while playing in the street.

3. How did Brierley find his hometown?

A．By analyzing old pictures.	B．By studying digital maps.
C．By spreading his story via his book.	D．By travelling all around India.

4. What does Brierley mainly talk about in the last paragraph?

A．His memory of his hometown.	B．His love for his mother.
C．His long way back home.	D．His reunion with his mother.

【推荐3】阅读短文，按照题目要求用英语回答问题。

Bethany Hamilton has become a source of inspiration for millions through her story of faith, determination and hope. And now her story has become a major movie which is entitled Soul Surfer.

On October 31, 2003, at the age of 13, Bethany was attacked by a 15-foot tiger shark while surfing just off the shore of Hawaii. Bethany said, “It came out of the blue. I had no warning at all; not even the slightest sign of danger on the horizon. The waves were small and inconsistent, and I was just kind of rolling along with them, relaxing on my board with my left arm dangling (悬摆) in the cool water. I remember thinking, ‘I hope the surf picks up soon...’”

“That’s all it took: a split second. I felt a lot of pressure and a couple of lightning fast tugs (猛拽). Then I watched in shock as the water around me turned bright red. Somehow, I stayed calm. My left arm was gone along with a huge piece of my surfboard...”

Her friends had to get her to the beach, which took 20 minutes of paddling. After losing more than 40 percent of her blood and making it through several surgeries, Bethany was well on her way to recovery due to an unbelievably positive attitude. In January 2004, Bethany made her return to surf competition and with no intention of stopping, Bethany continued to enter and shine in competitions. Initially, she adopted a custom-made board that was longer and slightly thicker than standard and had a handle for her right arm, making it easier to paddle, and she learned to kick more to make up for the loss of her left arm.

Just over a year after the attack, she took first place—winning her first National Title. Now she competes with the world’s best and travels the globe.

1. What kind of story does the author want to tell us? (no more than 10 words)
2. What is the meaning of the underlined part in Paragraph 2? (no more than 10 words)
3. According to the passage, how did Bethany make a recovery? (no more than 10 words)
4. Why did Bethany learn to kick more when she started surfing again? (no more than 10 words)
5. How does Bethany’s story inspire you to overcome difficulties in life? Put it in your own words. (no more than 25 words)