【推荐1】Peter loved to shop used articles. Almost a month ago, he bought popular word game that used little pieces of wood with different letters on them. As he was purchasing it, the salesgirl said, “Uh, look, the game box haven’t even been opened yet. That might be worth some money. ”
Peter examined the box, and, sure enough, it was completely covered in factory-sealed plastic. And he saw a date of 1973 on the back of the box.
“You should put that up for auction (拍卖) on the Internet, and see what happens.”the salesgirl said.
“Yes, you’re right. People like something rare.” Peter agreed, “I can’t imagine there being very many unopened boxes of this game still around 40 years later.”
“Don’t forget to tell me if you sell it.” the salesgirl smiled.
“No problem.” Peter said.
After he got home, Peter went online to several auction websites looking for his game. But he couldn’t find it. Then he typed in the name of the word game and hit Search. The search result was 543 websites containing information about the changes of the game. Over the years, the game had been produced using letters in different sizes and game boards in different colors. He also found some lists of game fans looking for various versions of the game. Peter emailed some of them, telling them what he had.
Two weeks later, Peter went back to the shop.
“Hello. Do you still remember the unopened word game?”
The salesgirl looked at him for a second, then recognized him and said, “Oh, hi!”
“I’ve got something for you,” Peter said. “I sold the game and made $1,000. Thank you for your suggestion.” He handed her three $ 100 bills.
“Wow!” the salesgirl cried out. “Thank you, I never expected it.”
1. Which of the following best describes Peter’s word game?

A．It was made around 40 years ago.

B．It had game boards in different sizes.

C．It was kept in a plastic bag with a seal.

D．It had little pieces of wood in different colors.

2. What did the salesgirl probably think of Peter’s word game?

A．Old and handy.

B．Rare and valuable.

C．Classic and attractive.

D．Colorful and interesting

3. Peter got the names of the game fans from _________.

A．an auction

B．the Internet

C．a game shop

D．the second-hand shop

4. What happened at the end of the story?

A．Peter gave the girl $300 as a reward.

B．The salesgirl became Peter’s friend.

C．Peter returned the word game for $ 1,000.

D．The salesgirl felt confused to see Peter again.

5. What is the main theme of the story?

A．It’s important to keep a promise.

B．It’s great to share in other people’s happiness.

C．We should be grateful for the help from others.

D．Something rare is worth a large amount of money.

【推荐2】Have your parents ever inspected your room to see if you cleaned it properly? Imagine having your entire houses, garage, and yard inspected at any time — with no warning. Inspections were a regular part of lighthouse (灯塔) living, and a keeper's reputation depended on results. A few times each year, an inspector arrived to look over the entire light station. The inspections were supposed to be a surprise, but keeper sometimes had advance notice.
Once lighthouses had telephones, keepers would call each other to warn that the inspector was approaching. After boats began flying special flags noting the inspector aboard, the keeper's family made it a game to see who could notice the boat first. As soon as someone spotted the boat, everyone would do last-minute tidying and change into fancy clothes. The keeper then scurried to put on his dress uniform and cap. Children of keepers remember inspectors wearing white gloves to run their fingers over door frames and windowsills looking for dust.
Despite the serious nature of inspections, they resulted in some funny moments. Betty Byrnes remembered when her mother did not have time to wash all the dishes before an inspection. At the time, people did not have dishwashers in their homes. In an effort to clean up quickly, Mrs. Byrnes tossed all the dishes into a big bread pan, covered them with a cloth and stuck them in the oven. If the inspector opened the oven door, it would look like bread was baking. He never did.
One day, Glenn Furst's mother put oil on the kitchen floor just before the inspector entered their house. Like floor wax, the oil made the floors shiny and helped protect the wood. This time, though, she used a little too much oil. When the inspector extended his hand to greet Glenn's mother, he slipped on the freshly oiled surface. "He came across that floor waving his arms like a young bird attempting its first flight," Glenn late wrote. After he steadied himself, he shook Glenn's mother's hand, and the inspection continued as though nothing had happened.
1. What does Paragraph I tell us about the inspection at the light station?

A．It was carried out once a year.

B．It was often announced in advance.

C．It was important for the keeper's fame.

D．It was focused on the garage and yard.

2. The family began making preparations immediately after ________.

A．one of the members saw the boat

B．a warning call reached the lighthouse

C．the keeper put on the dress uniform and cap

D．the inspector flew special flags in the distance

3. Mrs. Byrnes put the dishes in the oven because this would ________.

A．result in some fun

B．speed up washing them

C．make her home look tidy

D．be a demand from the inspector

4. The inspector waved his arms ________.

A．to try his best to keep steady

B．to show his satisfaction with the floor

C．to extend a warm greeting to Glenn's mother

D．to express his intention to continue the inspection

【推荐3】Brothers Ayaan and Mickey Naqvi, who live in Shelton, Connecticut, were decorating their family Christmas tree last year when one of their favorite ornaments（装饰品）was destroyed. While the ornament was beyond repair, from its broken pieces sprang a bright idea: What if there was a better way to hang ornaments so they’d be truly secure? From that, the Ornament Anchor（装饰锚）was born.

Using a special system, Ayaan created the model and presented it for a school project. The reception（反响）was overwhelmingly favorable-so favorable in fact, the boys quickly turned their invention into a potential money-making product.

This wasn’t the boys’ first commercial invention: A previous invention landed the pair and their family on a TV programme Shark Tank. While they didn’t cut a deal, it was a true learning experience.

From $1,000 in sales in six hours at a local Christmas trade show, the Ornament Anchor went on to be displayed on Good Morning America. In one year, the brothers’ invention has brought in more than $250,000.

After their success, Ayaan and Mickey are determined to pay their good fortune forward by contributing 10% of their profits to local animal shelters. “Ever since I was super young, I’ve had a fascination with all of life’s creatures,” Ayaan explained. “My goal is to help as many animals in need as I can.”

The boys admit that starting a new business in 2020 had its challenges. While they are enjoying their success, adjusting to distance learning due to the coronavirus lockdown isn’t easy.

Through the difficult times, they say they’ve just tried to take things one step at a time and keep a positive attitude because that-along with the love and support of their family-are what keeps them anchored（稳定）.

1. What does paragraph 1 mainly talk about?

A．The family Christmas tree.

B．The ways of hanging ornaments.

C．The brothers’ favourite ornaments.

D．The inspiration for the Ornament Anchor.

2. What benefits did the brothers get from the Anchor?

A．They made a lot of money.

B．They were on Shark Tank.

C．They traded with Good Morning America.

D．They were praised for holding a trade show.

3. What will the brothers do after their success?

A．Give up distant learning.	B．Expand their business quickly.
C．Donate money to animal shelters.	D．Support their family independently.

4. Which of the following can best describe the brothers?

A．Patient and reliable.	B．Creative and caring.
C．Optimistic and anxious.	D．Committed and humorous.

【推荐2】As the first black female representative of Alabama in Congress, Terri A. Sewell said she was raised to accomplish anything she wanted. “I never saw my limitations when it came to being a woman in anything, let alone political power.” Sewell recently said to The Washington Post. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t go through the challenges that face most women in politics.

Terri was brought up in Selma. She was the first black student to have the highest grades of Selma High School. Sewell spent her childhood summers in Alabama with her grandparents. Her grandfather, a minister and farmer, guided her to acquire a love for her homeland, appreciation of hard work, and the importance of her faith. Her grandfather gave her a deep understanding of the history of black people.

Sewell graduated with honors from Princeton University. During the summers while in college, she was a leader on the college campus, serving in various roles including class vice-president, class representative... Upon graduating from college, she was chosen as one of the “Top Ten College Women in America”. At the age of 25, she published her master’s paper on the election of the first black members of British Parliament (英国议会).

After graduation, Sewell served as a law clerk in Birmingham, Alabama. Sewell began her legal career in 1994 at the Wall Street law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell. Sewell provided free legal services for the homeless, girls of color in NYC high schools.

Sewell returned to Alabama in 2004 to assist her mother in the care of her father. As the first black female partner in a Birmingham law firm, Sewell has distinguished herself as one of the only black public finance lawyers in the State of Alabama. She served as a lawyer helping to raise money for public projects for some of the state’s most troublesome public affairs. Sewell made educational finance a particular focus ofher practice, representing the historically black colleges in Alabama, as well as other higher education institutions.

Terri Sewell also served as co-chair of the Women’s Fund “Voices Against Violence” campaign, which inspired women to help women to overcome domestic violence (家庭暴力). The campaign raised more than $70, 000 in four months to fight domestic violence in Birmingham.

“She has always been an overachiever. ” This is what her mother said about her.

1. What can we know about Sewell’s grandfather?

A．He led Sewell to politics personally.

B．He helped shape Sewell’s life values.

C．He inspired Sewell to gain voting rights.

D．He urged Sewell to challenge herself.

2. What did Sewell do in her college life?

A．She based her master’s paper on a personal interview.

B．She worked part-time for The Washington Post.

C．She got involved in various events actively.

D．She was elected chairwoman of the Student Union.

3. Which words can be used to describe Sewell?

A．Caring and responsible.

B．Creative and energetic

C．.Determined and modest.

D．Honest and aggressive(上进的).

4. What’s the best title for the passage?

A．The key to Terri A. Sewell’s success

B．Racial equality: a long-term goal

C．A rising star in the U. S. Congress

D．Terri A. Sewell: a woman in power

【推荐3】Watching wooden dolls come to life may not be one of the most popular forms of entertainment today, but with over twenty years’ experience, talented puppeteer (木偶表演者) Peter Roberts has earned himself the title “master puppeteer” because of his great ability to turn puppets into believable, almost living characters. “People are quite often surprised to hear what I do for a living and have little appreciation of puppet as a form of entertainment. But while the exact origins of puppet theatre are unknown, it has been popular in many cultures and may have been the very first kind of theatre,” he explains.

Roberts’ shows are highly original. “A puppet show can involve anything from clowning (傻逗) to storytelling,” he says.   Equally diverse are the audiences he performs for. “Some are attracted by the puppets themselves, while others enjoy the dialogue.” Roberts believes that this form of entertainment can be appreciated by people of all ages and cultures.

Roberts’ interest in puppets started when he received some beautiful glove puppets one Christmas. He started putting on shows with these for family and friends and then moved on to handmade Chinese string puppets. Learning mostly from books and personal experience, he explains, “I was already spending most of my free time carving puppets and putting on shows, so I hardly noticed the change from students to full-time professional puppeteer.”

The puppets are designed specifically for each show, which is extremely time consuming. According to Roberts, “Sometimes what you expect and what you actually create in the end are two very different things. I’ve made some of my best puppets ‘accidentally’.”

When most people hear the word “puppetry”, they more than likely think of a way of keeping children entertained at birthday parties. Certainly the subject matter will be expected to be light-hearted rather than serious. However, Roberts wants to point out that puppets convey serious messages sometimes.” he says.

1. What do we know about puppetry in the first paragraph?

A．It is a most popular form of entertainment.

B．It cannot give people pleasure any more.

C．It was first brought to life by Peter Roberts.

D．Its value as an art form is not fully recognized.

2. In Roberts’ eyes, his puppet shows           .

A．usually attract people full of humor

B．are most something for old aged audience

C．display something meaningful for different people

D．involve hard work and great intelligence

3. Roberts developed an interest in puppets because of       .

A．the puppet show books	B．his university major
C．a Christmas gift	D．some Chinese string puppets

4. What does Roberts want people to think of puppet theatre?

A．It is just a kind of entertainment for kids.

B．It can be educational as well as entertaining.

C．It is only a kind of serious art form.

D．It should be kept light-hearted.