【推荐1】

Old trains are very attractive and mysterious, whether it’s because of their history and their function or simply because they look so fierce and huge. Many old derailed trains have been transformed into anything like homes, art galleries and even amusement parks. As part of a recovery program to restore a failed railway, Ecuadorian design firm Al Borde transformed a tired, old train into a mobile cultural center, which they call “Wagon of Knowledge” (Vagon del Saber).

Selected by the Ecuadorian(厄瓜多尔)Ministry of Culture and Heritage, the community oriented project is to reactivate settlements along its route. After more than a decade of absence, these areas not only recover a means of communication but are enhanced economically, as the cultural promoters use the train car as an activator of public space and a meeting point for the locals. The multifunctional nature of the carriage — it is without a strictly defined architectural program and can therefore be designed flexibly — allows for musical performances, theater shows, training programs and celebrations.

The train was renovated(修复)to achieve the greatest number of uses with the minimum number of elements.

A public square and a theater with a capacity of 60-80 people, as well as work spaces for 20 users were incorporated by attaching three extensions to the train: a roof with several deployment( 部 署 )options, retractable furniture and two storage spaces — simple systems operated by the cultural romoters turn the cart into their desired requirements. Set to travel around the route, the cultural unit will begin to accumulate and facilitate new stories.

Intended to move from place to place without a strict set of limitations to define its use, it becomes something flexible that adapts to the needs of the moment, so that it “carries neither goods nor tourists, but culture and public space”. As we can see here, there are a lot of possibilities, thanks to various interchangeable components that can allow the train to shift from conference space to a performance venue in a snap.

It’s a creative way to give new life to a historically important train that was once even derailed, and to ensure that it can keep on serving the public. One more thing, people don’t have to go to this public space; it will travel to come to them.

1. Why did the design firm Al Borde carry out the project?

A．To boost the local tourism.

B．To sharpen rural people’s communication skills.

C．To bring communities along the railroad line to life.

D．To provide recreation for the community residents.

2. What makes the multipurpose train possible?

A．Advanced architectural design techniques.

B．The railway systems that are easy to operate.

C．Flexible construction features of the train car.

D．The financial assistance provided by cultural promoters.

3. How does the old train meet different requirements?

A．By extending the length of the carriage.

B．By adding three components to the train.

C．By freely changing the position of the roof.

D．By expanding the seating capacity of the train.

4. What can we know about “Wagon of Knowledge” from the passage?

A．It used to be the meeting point for the locals.

B．It can perform different working functions.

C．It was used to carry goods and tourists.

D．It will stay in one place to entertain locals

5. What does the author think about the project?

A．It is meaningful.

B．It is large-scale.

C．It is pioneering.

D．It is impressive.

【推荐2】The baguette, a long, thin French bread, is being added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH，非物质文化遗产) list.

UNESCO experts gathering in Morocco this week decided that the simple French bread—made only of flour, water, salt, and yeast—was worth U.N. recognition, after France’s culture ministry warned of a “continuous drop” in the number of traditional bakeries (烘焙店), with some 400 closing every year over the past half century.

The UN cultural agency’s chief, Audrey Azoulay said, “the decision honors more than just bread; it recognizes the ‘graceful skills of bakers’ and ‘a daily ritual (仪式)’.” Azoulay added, “It is important that such baking knowledge and social practices can continue to exist in the future.”

With the bread’s new status (地位), the French government said it planned to create a baguette day, called the “Open Bakehouse Day”, to connect the French better with their heritage. Bakers in France seemed proud, if unsurprised. “Of course, it should be on the list because the baguette symbolizes the world,” said Asma Farhat, a baker at Julien’s Bakery. “If there’s no baguette, you can’t have a proper meal. In the morning you can toast it, for lunch it’s a sandwich, and then it accompanies dinner.”

Today, France’s 67 million people still buy baguettes at a variety of sales points, including in supermarkets. According to France’s “Bread Observatory”, the French eat 320 baguettes of one form or another every second. “It’s very easy to get bad baguette in France. It’s the traditional baguette from the traditional bakery that is in danger,” said one local resident, Marine Fourchier.

The baguette joins other food on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list, which UNESCO says, celebrates “traditions or living expressions from our ancestors (祖先) and passed on to our next generations.”

1. What was UNESCO’s decision about the French bread?

A．Creating a baguette day.

B．Closing traditional baguette bakeries.

C．Including it on the ICH list.

D．Improving the traditional baking skills.

2. What did Audrey Azoulay think of UNESCO’s decision?

A．Meaningful.

B．Difficult.

C．Shocking.

D．Creative.

3. What can we learn from Asma Farhat’s words?

A．Baguettes are common in the French diet.

B．Baguettes are easy to get in supermarkets.

C．Baguettes and sandwiches are equally important.

D．Baguettes are the most popular around the world.

4. What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?

A．French traditions are in danger.

B．Freshly baked baguettes go bad easily.

C．Eating baguettes becomes a new tradition.

D．Traditional baguettes gain official attention.

【推荐3】When the Uzbek girl Dilsora firstly met what seemed more like a Western-style dragon than a Chinese one, a beast to run away from her rather than a friend to be respected, she was at a loss about it. “Before college, I caught an interview on TV featuring an Uzbek student studying in China, she tweeted. However, I didn’t have the slightest idea that this language would be my future major in college. Then, when I started studying it at college, oh, jeez …pretty challenging! ” Nevertheless, as with a dragon story, there is a twist in the tail, and Dilsora’s despair gave way to nobler principles. “Give up? Nope! Instead, I pressed on with Chinese. ” she added with a giggle, “My mother also encouraged me all the way! ”

Gradually, her feelings toward Chinese changed in the second year of college after Dilsora got a scholarship to study at Northeast Normal University in Changchun for a year, which proved a big turn on the pages of her fulfilling life.

“The first time I came to China, amazingly engaging were the locals, by whom I was totally fascinated. In spite of myself, I fell in love with Chinese culture. ” Since then she has got master's and doctoral degrees, becoming a college teacher in Beijing, teaching Uzbek to Chinese students. In her spare time, being an all-nighter, she often loses herself in Chinese masterpieces. Two years later, on Instagram, she even set up a Chinese Reading Club to attract more to read.

“Although I am ordinary, ” just as she, now the boss of the Reading Club, matter-of-factly put it, “since I’ve come this far, I am to come further. Harvesting the best outcome is my lasting dream. ” Those primary schoolers hearing the tale of Dilsora devoting so much to Chinese learning might be several times more likely to learn Chinese hard than those who didn’t, as Jimu news staff predicted.

Besides, Dilsora has answered another calling: translating books by Chinese president into Uzbek. She said the leader’s foresight has impressed her greatly.

1. What does the underlined words “a twist in the tail” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A．The turning point of a story.	B．The turning movement of a dragon’s tail.
C．The highest point of a story.	D．The dancing movement of a dragon’s tail.

2. How did Dilsora feel when she started to study Chinese?

A．Defeated but determined.	B．Relieved but regretful.
C．Excited but challenged.	D．Exhausted but content.

3. What message does the story of Dilsora mainly convey?

A．Mother’s love is endless.

B．While in Roman, do as the Romans do.

C．Nothing is difficult for those who will try.

D．East or west, home is the best.

4. What might be talked about next following the last paragraph?

A．Dilsora’s personal dream.	B．Dilsora’s family background.
C．Chinese leaders’ works.	D．Chinese leaders’ hobbies.

【推荐1】"Hello!" You type into the chat box. There's a slight feeling of excitement flowing through your fingers, and you can't wait for a reply. You think, "There's probably nothing more exciting than this."

With communication from all corners of the world possible at the ease of your fingers, we are now witness to an advanced form of the hand shake and physical conversations: online friendships.

Alarmingly, according to Internet Safety 101, almost half of young adult users have received upsetting messages, with 92 percent posting their own real names and identification online and 58 percent thinking it doesn't cause concern. And though some parents may be biting their fingernails in fear right now, more than half of the youth have admitted to making their friends online and a good majority regularly text them.

Though the statistics are daunting, we hope, we haven't scared you off! Researchers actually found that pursuing online friendships could be beneficial. Penn State University reported that this was especially the case for those with social anxiety, as they might form a stronger comfort bond with their peers through the screen rather than a face-to-face meeting.

Additionally, online interaction may increase your self-confidence. In our current situation of isolation, perhaps that perfect connection from the safety of our homes is all it takes to make things just a little more bearable.

In the end, it all depends on you. Whether or not your search for a friend bears fruit lies in your approach, and though I'm not a great relationship master, I have some tips that will aid you in your exploration for the "BFF" of your dreams.

1. What can we infer from the third paragraph?

A．The youth often meet online friends in reality.

B．Most Internet users like texting to their online friends.

C．Many parents like biting fingernails when worried.

D．Most young adults lack awareness of Internet safety.

2. Which can replace the underlined word "daunting" in Paragraph 4?

A．Disappointing.

B．Misleading.

C．Frightening.

D．Dissatisfying.

3. What's the author's attitude to making friends on the Internet?

A．Objective.

B．Supportive.

C．Negative.

D．Unclear.

4. What do you think the text will talk about next?

A．How to get on well with online friends.	B．How to find online best friends.
C．How to keep in touch with online friends.	D．How to benefit from dream online friends.

【推荐3】From raindrops in the Rockies to the very food on our plates, we’ve woven a complicated web for ourselves out of plastic. It’s strong and flexible and cheap. It’s also a great danger for the planet, though.

But new research from Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland suggests there may be a way to deal with this mess—with a little help from spiders, and our environmental heroes, trees.

In a paper published this month in Science Advances, the scientists claim to have developed a new material by sticking cellulose (纤维素) fibers from wood to the silk protein found in spider webs. The result? A strong, flexible material that could do everything plastic does better — except, of course, block up the planet. In other words, they dug into nature’s cookbook to combine just the right ingredients to create a material that does all things plastic does — but what matters most is that, since it’s entirely biodegradable (可生物降解的), it goes back to nature when its job is done.

The bio-material is so effective, researchers are consider using it as a possible replacement for plastic in everything from the medical and textile industries to packaging. Then, how many hard-working spiders would we need to increase its production to that of plastic? For their research, the Finnish scientists didn’t use a single thread of spider silk, but rather produced webbing from bacteria with synthetic (合成的) DNA.

“Because we know the structure of the DNA, we can copy it and use this to produce silk protein molecules (分子) which are chemically similar to those found in spider web threads,” lead researcher Markus Linder of Aalto University explains in the release. “The DNA has all this information contained in it.”

1. Why do the researchers develop the new material?

A．To find a cheaper way to produce plastic.

B．To make the web woven out of plastic stronger.

C．To make better use of the silk protein from spiders.

D．To solve the mess caused by using too much plastic.

2. What’s the advantage of the new material over plastic?

A．Highly-effective.	B．Environment friendly.
C．Low-cost.	D．Easy-to-produce.

3. What makes it possible to increase the production of the new material?

A．Using synthetic DNA.	B．Raising plenty of spiders.
C．Planting lots of trees.	D．Introducing hard-working spiders.

4. Which section of a website does the text probably belong to?

A．Fashion.	B．Health.
C．Science.	D．Environment.