【推荐1】As computers become all the more popular in China, Chinese people are increasingly relying on computer keyboards to input Chinese characters. But if they use the computer too much, they may end up forgetting the exact strokes（笔画） of each Chinese character when writing on paper. Experts suggest people, especially students, write by hand more.

Do you write by hand more or type more? In Beijing, students start using a computer as early as primary school. And computer dependence is more widespread among university students. Almost all their assignments and essays are typed on a computer.

All the students interviewed say they usually use a computer.

It’s faster and easier to correct if using a computer. And that’s why computers are being applied more and more often to modern education. But when people are taking stock in computers increasingly, problems appear.

“When I’m writing with a pen, I find I often can’t remember how to write a character, though I feel I’m familiar with it.”

“I’m not in the mood to write when faced with a pen and paper.”

Many students don’t feel this is something to worry about. Now that it’s more convenient and efficient to write on a computer, why bother to handwrite?

Many educators think differently. Shi Liwei, the headmaster of a famous primary school in the capital said, “Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic（审美的） value. But those characters typed with computer keyboards only keep their practical value. All the artistic beauty of the characters is lost. And handwriting contains the writer’s emotion. Through one’s handwriting, people can get to know one’s thinking and personality. Beautiful writing will give people a better first impression of them.”

To encourage students to handwrite more, many primary schools in Beijing have made writing classes compulsory（必修的） and in universities, some professors are asking students to turn in their homework and essays written by hand.

1. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?

A．To Type or To Handwrite

B．The Value of Chinese Characters

C．The Importance of Handwriting and Typing

D．Writing by Computer Will Replace Writing by Hand

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Students think typing is more efficient.

B．Handwriting contains the writer’s emotion.

C．A lot of Chinese people don’t write Chinese characters.

D．The writer’s thinking and personality are shown in his or her handwriting.

3. The underlined expression “taking stock in” in Paragraph 4 probably means ______.

A．getting bored with	B．getting dependent on
C．becoming crazy about	D．becoming afraid of

4. We can draw the conclusion from the passage that ______.

A．writing by hand will give way to typing by computer one day

B．the typed article better expresses one’s emotion and quality

C．more and more students will give up writing on a computer

D．more and more students will pay attention to handwriting

【推荐2】Do you hear that birds of a feather flock together? It certainly appears that they do. We are likely to hang around with individuals who are similar to ourselves. Poor people like to surround themselves with other poor people, and rich people with other rich people. Intelligent people associate with like-minded people, and artists typically seek out other artists.

It appears that we all have comfort zones we attempt to stay within. Very stressed and poor people don’t feel comfortable associating with rich people. We owe it to each other to be successful because success breeds more success. And if we are not feeling successful, looking at who we have as friends and associates can tell us and others a lot about ourselves and why. The longer we associate with a group of individuals, the more our thinking processes become like theirs.

A few years ago, a doctor friend of mine began associating with a new group of people. At the time, he had a successful practice and a positive and grateful attitude to life. However, within the first six months of his association with these individuals, his attitude and goals changed , he was angry at how things were and was dissatisfied with those who’d become his opposition. He became very stubborn. As a result his practice dropped in quality of service. His facial expressions often showed anger and stress.

After about two years of association with this group, he learned some valuable lessons. He realized that always focusing on problems or being dissatisfied with others doesn’t lead to a rewarding life, nor does it solve as many problems as it creates. He decided that he’d rather get back into serving his patients.

This doctor put his heart and soul into his practice, and his life changed again. He began to attract people who focused on solutions instead of problems. His success was now more obvious than his stress—his achievement more obvious than his frustration.

Whom we hang out with does make a difference. The old saying “If you want to soar (翱翔) with the eagles, don’t flock with the turkeys.” has a point.

1. What does the underlined part “birds of a feather flock together”in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Birds like to take a risk to fly high in the sky.

B．Birds are more likely to fly together than other creatures.

C．People are more likely to have different attitudes to life.

D．People of the same kind are found together.

2. We can infer from the passage that the individuals the doctor hung out with were ________.

A．stressed	B．successful
C．patient	D．rich

3. The author uses the old saying in the last paragraph to ________.

A．show his great literary talent

B．make his article more persuasive

C．raise another similar question

D．suggest the end of his article

4. The author uses the doctor’s example to prove that ________.

A．bad luck never comes alone

B．success breeds more success

C．someone has no control over his own life

D．people are likely to become like those who they associate with

【推荐3】The popular streaming service Netflix announced plans to exclude (排除) tobacco use from any of its new shows and movies that target younger audiences, specifically those below the age of 15. According to media reports, the decision comes from pressure from Truth Initiative, a large non-profit organization aiming to get rid of tobacco and make its use “a thing of the past”.

Smoking is a bad habit and no parents want their kids to start smoking. As such, excluding the vice (坏习惯) from television shows and movies young people watch makes good sense. I’ll acknowledge that Netflix’s decision to exclude smoking is a good one — but it’s a wildly inconsistent standard. What about other vices? For example, the use of bad language?

As parents of three young boys, my wife and I are trying to expose our children to good things. We want to encourage them to grow up to become responsible men who see the value and potential in every person. We want to see them avoid the landmines that so often entrap young people today.

Sadly, typical television shows and movies contain material that’s the exact opposite of that. It’s often said that companies only produce what people will consume — and there’s some truth in such a claim. But the organization I work for has long had an online site that helps parents know about what's in a movie, show or music album. We don’t tell you whether you should watch or listen — we simply let you know what it’s about — and let you decide. It’s our most popular site, attracting millions of visits each month.

Netflix might be surprised how many new customers they would win if they started producing content that parents actually want instead of themes that regularly stand in opposition to the values of the millions of moms and dads like me who want to see our kids accomplish more in life rather than simply avoiding the smoking habit.

1. Why did Netflix plan to cut smoking from youth-targeted content?

A．Because of appeals from parents.

B．Because of the influence of media reports.

C．Because of requests from young audiences.

D．Because of pressure from a tobacco control organization.

2. What are “the landmines” in Paragraph 3?

A．Bad habits.	B．Comfort zones.
C．Unrealistic dreams	D．Improper friendships.

3. What does the online site mentioned in Paragraph 4 do?

A．It teaches parenting skills.

B．It promotes youth programs.

C．It advertises movies and shows.

D．It serves as an entertainment guide.

4. What does the author think of Netflix’s decision to exclude tobacco use?

A．It is helpless.

B．It is far from enough.

C．It is against popular values.

D．It is a warning to tobacco makers.

【推荐2】Reading can be a social activity. Think of the people who belong to book groups. They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them. Now the website BookCrossing.com turns the page on the traditional idea of a book group. Members go on the site and register the books they own and would like to share. BookCrossing provides an identification number to stick inside the book. Then the person leaves it in a public place, hoping that the book will have an adventure traveling far and wide with each new reader who finds it. Bruce Pederson, the managing director of Book Crossing, says, “The two things that change your life are the people you meet and books you read. BookCrossing combines both.”

Members leave books on park benches and buses, in train stations and coffee shops. Whoever finds their book will go to the site and record where they found it.

People who find a book can also leave a journal entry describing what they thought of it. E-mails are then sent to the BookCrossers to keep them updated about where their books have been found. Bruce Peterson says the idea is for people not to be selfish by keeping a book to gather dust on a shelf at home.

BookCrossing is part of a trend among people who want to get back to the “real” and not the virtual(虚拟). The site now has more than one million members in more than one hundred thirty-five countries.

1. How do people of book groups often read?

A．They sell books to read and then meet to discuss them.

B．They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them.

C．They exchange books to read and then meet to discuss them.

2. How do Book Crossing members read?

A．Go on the site—register the books—leave it in a public place

B．Register the books—go on the site—leave it in a public place.

C．Leave it in a public place—go on the site—register the books.

3. What are the two things that change people’s life?

A．The people you miss and books you read.

B．The people you meet and books you own.

C．The people you meet and books you read.

4. How many members does BookCrossing.com have?

A．Over one million members.

B．Over two million members.

C．Over three million members.

【推荐3】We considered a list of the best American books. Here are five that may help accurately show the national character. Most from a century or so ago, they still entertain, teach, and inspire:
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
First published in 1851, the adventure stories of Captain Ahab and his monomaniacal(偏执的) pursuit of the white whale draw us into a universe full of fascinating characters and stories.
The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams
Published in 1918, the book was an autobiography. Born in one of America’s most famous political families, Adams provides insight into his family, including his experience as private secretary to his father, minister to England during the American Civil war.
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
When Whitman published Leaves of Grass in 1855, he wanted to accurately describe the American experience and reflect the great changes in the American literary world that had taken place during his lifetime.
Poems by Emily Dickinson
An enthusiastic poet whose works have had considerable influence on modern poetry, Dickson’s frequent use of dashes, occasional capitalization(大写) of nouns, and unconventional metaphors(隐喻) have contributed to her reputation as one of the most inventive poets of the 19^th century American literature. However, most of her poems were not published during her lifetime.
The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
First published in 1855, this is Longfellow’s most popular and most recognized poem, the heroic life and death of a magic American Indian, sent by the Great Spirit to guide the nations in the ways of peace.
1. Walt Whitman wrote Leaves of Grass in order to _______.

A．show his talent and heroic life to us

B．draw us into a fascinating universe

C．provide insight into his family

D．reflect the great changes in the American literary world

2. If you want to read a story about a magic American Indian, you can read _______.

A．Moby-Dick	B．The Song of Hiawatha
C．Poems	D．Leaves of Grass

3. Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Because the five books are from a century or so ago, they can’t teach and inspire us.

B．Herman Melville was considered as one of the most inventive poets of the 19th century American literature.

C．The Education of Henry Adams is a non-fiction book.

D．Of the five books, Moby-Dick was published last.

4. Why did the author write the passage?

A．To introduce several best American books to readers.

B．To make an advertisement for a book store.

C．To tell stories of several famous writers.

D．To talk about some knowledge about literature.