【推荐1】The Amazon basin region is home to about 2.5 million insect species，tens of thousands of plants，and some 2 000 birds and mammals.To date，at least 40 000 plant species,3 000 fish,1 294 birds,427 mammals,428 amphibians，and 378 reptiles have been scientifically classified in the region.One in five of all the birds in the world live in the rainforests of the Amazon.

The warm wet forests have been in existence for 55 million years，and thrived even during glacial periods，allowing for the evolution of an unbelievable diversity of species.Radiocarbon dating(放射性碳年代测定)has revealed trees of 10 centimeter diameter to be more than 300 years old，and some trees over 1 000 years old，indicating that untouched forests can experience unbelievable longevity.

The first human inhabitants are thought to have settled in the Amazon region about 11 200 years ago.European explorers arrived in the 16th century，bringing diseases which traveled faster than the explorers themselves，killing perhaps as many as 90% of the indigenous inhabitants(土著居民)．By the late 17th century the Amazon basin was controlled by Portuguese and Spanish explorers.

The Amazon rainforest has been described as the lungs of our planet because of its important role in recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen.But due to deforestation(采伐森林)，rainforests now cover less than 5% of the Earth's land surface，and experts believe that this is a big contributor to global climate change.Severe deforestation began in the 20th century，with 587 000 square kilometers lost up to the year 2000.Most deforested land is used for grassland to raise farm animals and agriculture.The addition of transport routes has led to increased settlement and deforestation，and at the present rate，scientists estimate that the Amazon rainforest will be reduced by 40% in two decades.

1. Why are the figures mentioned in Paragraph 1?

A．To prove the forest untouched.

B．To classify species scientifically.

C．To show the diversity of species.

D．To attract more attention to Amazon.

2. Why did most indigenous inhabitants in the Amazon region die?

A．European explorers brought diseases there.

B．Portuguese explorers treated them badly.

C．A lot of trees were cut down and burned.

D．They got killed by Spanish explorers.

3. What can be inferred about the Amazon rainforest?

A．It has the largest number of species.

B．It covers over 5% of South America.

C．It is becoming larger in area.

D．It is being endangered now.

4. What may be included in the following paragraph?

A．Examples of destroying forests.

B．Measures to protect rainforests.

C．New settlements in Amazon.

D．Ways to stop global warming.

【推荐2】To improve road safety and raise awareness among Russia’s notoriously (臭名昭著地) careless drivers, Russian police have tried to get drivers to slow down at zebra (斑马) crossings by having painted horses as zebras walk across on the busiest streets in some of the big cities.

The light grey horses, painted with black stripes (条纹), carried signs on their backs reading: “Careful, children are on their way to school.” The police sent the “zebras” to several different locations in the Russian capital, where officials in orange vests walked them over zebra crossings and handed out leaflets (传单) to passing drivers.

Some held up rainbow-coloured umbrellas over the painted animals to protect them from the rain. Russian roads are notoriously dangerous and drivers still rarely take steps to avoid pedestrians (行人). Nearly half of all traffic accidents in the country’s big cities are caused by cars hitting pedestrians, and a third of those occur on crossings, according to traffic police figures published last month.

In the first six months of this year, 378 people were killed and more than 6, 600 injured on pedestrian crossings in Russia, according to police. In Moscow alone, 43 people were killed, including two children.

Though police officials said that only safe paint would be used on the animals, animal rights activists still disagreed with the idea, accusing the police of “treating animals like garbage”.

“Children understand that paints are bad for animals,” the Interfax news agency quoted (引用) president of Vita animal rights group Irina Novozhilova as saying.

Let’s hope this part of the campaign is over and animals are left out of future attempts to raise pedestrians’ awareness.

1. Why do Moscow police have “zebras” walk across on the busiest streets?

A．To make a call on protecting animals.

B．To raise drivers’ awareness of road safety.

C．To tell people it is dangerous to cross streets.

D．To remind people zebras are in danger of extinction.

2. From the text we can learn that ______.

A．the driving skills of Russian drivers are bad.

B．Russian drivers often ignore traffic lights.

C．Russian drivers seldom give way to pedestrians

D．most Russian drivers have realized the seriousness of the problem.

3. What do animal rights activists think of the new attempt?

A．Drivers must slow down at pedestrian crossings.

B．Road safety should be improved.

C．The paints used on the horses are safe.

D．These animals are ill-treated by the police.

4. Which word can best describe the author’s attitude towards the campaign?

A．Critical.

B．Confident.

C．Doubtful.

D．Positive.

【推荐3】When nature is left alone, a balance is reached among the animals and plants living in one area. But when man starts his work in nature, the balance is likely to be destroyed. He grows a crop and takes it away to eat; then there are no dead leaves to fall on the ground, holding water while it sinks into the surface, or decaying(腐烂) and adding humus(腐殖质) to the soil. Unless a farmer acts with knowledge and skill, he is therefore most likely to make the land poorer. To take the place of the useful matter in the crops that he removes, he uses some kind of fertilizer. Chemical fertilizers are of great help, but the waste products of animals and decaying remains of plants should also be put on the land. In some places, it is a habit to burn waste material lying about, but such burning destroys the useful matter in the dead plants. Although the ashes that are left are valuable when put on the land, a better practice is to bury the waste so that it decays and increases the humus in the soil.
In the past, when the world population was much lower than it is now, a man had little difficulty in ordinary times in growing the food that was needed. When a field had been used some years and had become tired, the farmer could move to another place. The tired land then slowly recovered. Gradually grasses and other plants would appear on it and its productive power would slowly return to normal through their decay. But nature, left alone, would take a long time to bring back the land to its former state; the length of time required would depend on local conditions, but it might well be ten years.
It is a bad practice to grow the same crop in a field year after year. If the crop is changed, the land will suffer less because it is treated and used in a different way. Different plants have different effects on the soil. Therefore, a change of crop will do less harm than the growing of the same crop year after year and a regular change to grass will do good to the soil. Much will therefore be gained if different crops are grown one after another, a method known as the rotation(轮作) of crops.
1. According to the passage, the land will become poorer ________.

A．if all the dead leaves are cleared away

B．if the humus is increased after the harvest

C．if dead leaves decay in the soil by themselves

D．if waste plant material lying about is buried

2. We can learn from the passage that the tired land has gradually recovered ________.

A．when grasses and other plants appear again

B．when the treatment is given by nature alone

C．after new grasses and other plants have decayed again

D．after nature has been left alone for several months

3. A modern farmer can hardly move to another place as he did before because ________.

A．the productive power of a new field isn’t higher than that of an old one

B．there are few free fields left for him to do farming

C．it takes a farmer more than ten years to start farming in a new field

D．there will be too many grasses in a new field to grow crops

4. It is most likely that the author will go on to ________ in the paragraph following the passage above.

A．introduce other methods of planting crops

B．deal with how to prevent land getting tired

C．start another topic of how to make use of land

D．explain what the rotation of crops is

【推荐3】C
The production of coffee beans is a huge, profitable business, but, unfortunately, full-sun production is taking over the industry and bringing about a lot of damage. The change in how coffee is grown from shade-grown production to full-sun production endangers the very existence of, certain animals and birds, and even disturbs the world’s ecological balance.
On a local level, the damage of the forest required by full-sun fields affects the area’s birds and animals. The shade of the forest trees provides a home for birds and other special(物种) that depend on the trees’ flowers and fruits. Full-sun coffee growers destroy this forest home. As a result, many special are quickly dying out.
On a more global level, the destruction of the rainforest for full-sun coffee fields also threatens(威胁)human life. Medical research often makes use of the forests' plant and animal life, and the destruction of such species could prevent researchers from finding cures for certain diseases. In addition, new coffee-growing techniques are poisoning the water locally, and eventually the world's groundwater.
Both locally and globally, the continued spread of full-sun coffee plantations (种植园)could mean the destruction of the rainforest ecology. The loss of shade trees is already causing a slight change in the world's climate, and studies show that loss of oxygen-giving trees also leads to air pollution and global warming. Moreover, the new growing techniques are contributing to acidic(酸性的) soil conditions.
It is obvious that the way much coffee is grown affects many aspects many aspects of life, from the local environment to the global ecology. But consumers do have a choice. They can purchase shade-grown coffee whenever possible, although at a higher cost. The future health of the planet and mankind is surely worth more than an inexpensive cup of coffee.
1. What can we learn about full-sun coffee production from Paragraph 4?

A．It limits the spread of new growing techniques.

B．It leads to air pollution and global warming.

C．It slows down the loss of shade trees.

D．It improves local soil conditions.

2. The purpose of the text is to        .

A．entertain

B．advertise

C．instruct

D．persuade

3. Where does this text probably come from ?

A．An agricultural magazine.

B．A medical journal.

C．An engineering textbook.

D．A tourist guide.

4. Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?

A．	B．
C．	D．

【推荐1】In May, 2010, Christine Jones saw an ad for a customer service job at a call center in Mobile, Alabama. A company, which handles calls for insurance companies (保险公司), needed people with professional phone skills. Jones filled out an online application and was asked for an interview.

A few days later, she arrived at the company in a blue business suit and waited with other applicants for the interview. Jones was among several candidates offered a position that very day by the company's human resource manager Wilson. All that remained was for Jones to fill out some paperwork and take a drug test, which was scheduled for a future date. When Jones realized she was not available that day, she privately told Wilson about the conflict, and Wilson replied that she could reschedule her test for another day.

But right before Jones turned to leave the office, Wilson raised a strange question: Did Jones have dreadlocks (骇人的长辫)? Jones, who is a black, was wearing a dread—very short ones. Wilson, who is white, explained the company couldn’t employ Jones ''with the dreadlocks'', since they ''tend to get messy, although I'm not saying yours are, but you know what I'm talking about''. Although Jones would never communicate with callers face to face, the company had ''a policy'', which stated that ''hairstyles should show a business image'', and that ''excessive (过分的) styles and unusual colors'' weren't allowed. Wilson asked Jones to choose whether to get rid of the dread or leave the job. Jones walked out, jobless.

In September, 2013, the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) accused the company on behalf of Jones in the District Court. It argued that the company's policy broke the state's law by discriminating (歧视) against a black job applicant because of her hairstyle, which is ''a manner of wearing a hair that is physiologically (生理上地) and culturally associated with people of African origin.''

But the company claimed that the issue wasn't Jones' race. It was simply about a hairstyle, which Jones, or any applicant, black or white, with dreads, could have changed if she wanted to land the job.

1. What can we know according to the first two paragraphs?

A．The job Jones applied for mainly dealt with insurance.

B．Jones didn't prepare well for the job interview.

C．Wilson was in charge of the insurance company.

D．Jones rescheduled her test because she wasn’t free on that day.

2. What does the underlined word ''messy'' in Para.3 mean?

A．dirty

B．straight

C．loose.

D．attractive.

3. The passage shows that ______.

A．Wilson was accused of discriminating against a black applicant.

B．Jones' hairstyle suggested her African origin in physiology and culture.

C．Jones had no choice but to leave the company.

D．Jones went jobless because of her excessive hair color.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．A case of discrimination.	B．Dreadlocks, a dread?
C．A black with dreadlocks.	D．An argument on dreadlocks.

【推荐2】Queen Elizabeth II has led Great Britain through many tough times throughout her 68-year sovereignty (在位). But never, during her reign (统治), has an issue disrupted the British public as much as the current pandemic of coronavirus.

By April 6, the UK had had 47,806 confirmed cases. Among them, crucially, is British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has recently been hospitalized. With the country entering its peak infection period, the Queen made only her fifth televised address to the nation, aside from her annual Christmas broadcast, on April 5. The four other times she has made such an address have been to mark the Gulf War, the death of Princess Diana of Wales, the death of her mother and her Diamond Jubilee (登基六十周年纪念).

According to Jonny Dymond, the BBC’s royal correspondent (通讯记者), “The Palace could have played it safe, stressed unity and given thanks. But this [speech] was … designed to reassure (重拾信心) and inspire.”

In her pre-recorded statement, the Queen focused on the dedication (奉献) of her subjects. “We have seen heart-warming stories of people coming together to help others, be it through delivering food parcels and medicines, checking on neighbors, or converting (转变) businesses to help the relief effort.”

As well as thanking front line workers, she pushed a message of comfort and motivation. “Together, we are tackling this disease, and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it.”

“We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”

Following the speech, people throughout the country voiced their admiration for her moving words.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan praised the Queen’s focus on front line health-care workers, and councilor (议员) Oliver Cooper wrote, “Nobody could have rallied (振作) the country, the Commonwealth, and the world the way the Queen did.”

Some internet users even shared how they cried after the speech, while others wrote the words of the national anthem (国歌), God Save the Queen.

Indeed, the wisdom of Britain’s 93-year-old monarch (君主) offered hope to the millions of Britons under lockdown.

1. What role does the second paragraph play?

A．To offer the latest information about the pandemic in the UK.

B．To inform the reader of the Queen’s televised address.

C．To explain why the address was delivered via television.

D．To indicate the importance of the Queen’s recent speech.

2. What does the phrase “her subjects” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A．her family	B．the stories she told
C．the topics in her speech	D．the citizens under her rule

3. What are Paragraphs 7-9 mainly about?

A．The focus of the Queen’s speech.	B．The public’s reaction to the Queen’s speech.
C．How the Queen delivered the speech.	D．To whom the speech was addressed.

4. What can we conclude from the text?

A．The UK has never experienced a tougher time.

B．The palace should have played it safe.

C．The Queen’s speech has served its purpose.

D．The Queen was calling on the whole world to unite against coronavirus epidemic.