【推荐1】Summer vacation is coming soon. To enjoy a relaxing holiday，here we’d like to share with you some of the best rock and jazz festivals. Although many Ukrainian(乌克兰的) music festivals were cancelled because of the bad financial condition，plenty remain for music lovers.

KrayinaMriy

When and where: June 20－21，Kyiv，Pyrohovo folk museum

Lineup (阵容): TNMK，Boombox，VopliVidoplyasova，Onuka

KrayinaMriy is an annual(每年的) rock music festival that promotes modern music. Besides music，the festival will offer dances as well as literary and theatrical performances and also playing of a traditional music instrument.

Alfa Fest

When and where: June 26－28，Lviv

So far all tickets have been booked，but a waiting list is available at www.alfajazzfest.com/buyticket. This yearly festival held in Lviv will be interesting for both experienced jazz lovers and jazz learners. The performers on the lineup come from Ukraine，Japan，Cuba and the U．S.

Koktebel

When and where: Aug.22－Sept.6，Zatoka village，Odesa Oblast

Koktebel Jazz is the biggest outdoor jazz festival.The Cinematic Orchestra，ParovStelar，Nino Katamadze，Bonobo，Submotion Orchestra，Billy’s Band were the GALA’S superstars in previous years. This year the list of festival’s participants and tickets prices still remain unknown but the organizers revealed(透露) that apart from good jazz，the guests will be offered music lectures and movie screenings.

Respublica

When and where: Sept.4－7，KamyanetsPodilsky，Khmelnytska Oblast

Folk music and street art festival Respublica will take place in Kamyanets，Podilsky，one of the most beautiful cities in the west. Kyiv Post staff writer NataliyaTrach can be reached at trach@kyivpost.com.Booking in advance can get a good discount.

1. Who are the text mainly intended for?

A．People enthusiastic about music.

B．People fond of travelling around.

C．Merchants able to make a fortune.

D．Musicians able to play various instruments.

2. What do KrayinaMriy and Alfa Fest have in common?

A．Their performers are all from Ukraine.

B．Their aim is to spread modern music.

C．They both offer other performances.

D．They are both yearly held festivals.

3. Which festival lasts the longest?

A．KrayinaMriy.	B．Alfa Fest.
C．Koktebel.	D．Respublica.

【推荐2】Famous Dance Forms From Around The World

Singing and dancing is an essential part of many cultures around the world and has been so for centuries. Worldwide, various dance forms have evolved over the years and some have crossed their regional boundaries and gained admirers globally. Here we present some of the most famous dance styles in the world.

Ballet, Russia

No dance form can approach gracefulness as closely as the Russian ballet. It is an artistic dance form that is performed to music. The steps of Russian ballet demand high levels of precision and formality. The classical ballet dance form which originated in Renaissance Italy was introduced to Russia during the rule of Peter the Great and since then became an integral part of Russian society.

Flamenco, Spain

Flamenco is a globally famous dance form that originated in Spain. The dance is accompanied by guitar playing, singing, finger snapping, and handclapping. Flamenco is closely linked to the Romani people in Spain, and its style is distinctly Andalusian. The art form is currently taught in many countries worldwide but is most popular in the US and Japan. In the latter country, Flamenco schools outnumber those in Spain.

Tango, Argentina

Tango is a partner dance that is associated with style and expressiveness. In the 1880's, the dance form originated along the River Plate which is the natural border between Uruguay and Argentina. Many different styles of tango exist today and international tango dancing competitions are held each year signifying the popularity of this dance.

Samba, Brazil

Samba is synonymous（同义的）with the famous Carnival of Brazil. It is a Brazilian dance style and music genre with roots in Africa and arrived in Latin America via the African slaves who arrived in Latin America with their European masters. Samba is associated with rhythm and brightly colored costumes and is considered as an integral part of the Brazilian culture.

1. Which dance form is believed to be the most graceful?

A．Tango.	B．Ballet.
C．Samba.	D．Flamenco

2. What is the main feature of Tango?

A．High levels of precision and formality.

B．Being accompanied by finger snapping and hand clapping.

C．Rhythm and brightly colored costumes.

D．Style and expressiveness.

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．Ballet originated in Russia during the rule of Peter the Great.

B．Spain has more Flamenco schools than Japan.

C．Samba was brought to Brazil by European masters

D．All the four forms of dance mentioned did not originate in their own countries

【推荐1】Fertile Sichuan has long been one of China's major tea- producing regions. Chengdu had been noted for its teahouses by the Tang dynasty—as early as the ninth century. For centuries, teahouses were places for entertainment as well as tea, with performances of storytelling, music, and Sichuan opera in particular. That is a fading art these days, but Yuelai Teahouse beside Jinjiang Theater still hosts opera every Saturday afternoon.

You will find most of Chengdu's old-school teahouses in parks and temple compounds (大院). Heming Teahouse in Renmin Park buzzes with morning retirees, lunchtime office workers, and afternoon visitors. All of them sit under red lanterns by a lotus pond. When the loud confused noise gets too much, move on to Shaocheng Teahouse in the same park. Regulars are older and quieter. They bring songbirds on outings, hanging their cages in the branches of willow trees, and play mahjong in a pavilion covered with moss. In more recent years, however, increasingly elaborate(精致的) teahouses have opened to appeal to the younger generation. They tend to have a taste for superior teas in a more contemporary style. The most famous one of them is Mi Xun Teahouse in Taikoo Li, which is right in the city's most fashionable retail(零售) district.

As in all teahouses, the tea comes in individual packets with a thermos of water. Maofeng green tea from Mount Emei, south of Chengdu, is the traditional favorite. Shake the loose leaves into your palm-sized cup. The cup usually comes with a saucer and a lid that both functions to strain surface-floating leaves and to keep the tea warm. Don’t let the water level in your cup get too low, since any bitterness from the tea leaves is concentrated at the bottom. You can top up your tea all afternoon and needn't buy anything else.

1. What aspects of Chengdu's teahouses does the first paragraph mainly focus on?

A．Art & history.	B．Art & popularity.
C．Function & popularity.	D．History & function.

2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “regulars” underlined in Paragraph 2?

A．Tourists.

B．Owners.

C．Customers.

D．Waiters.

3. Which of the following teahouses would be your best choice if you wished to be left in peace for a while?

A．Yuelai Teahouse.	B．Mi Xun Teahouse.
C．Heming Teahouse.	D．Shaocheng Teahouse.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．Some useful tips for readers who want to visit Chengdu's teahouses.

B．Some interesting facts the author found in books on Chengdu's teahouses.

C．Some painful lessons the author learned from his trip to Chengdu's teahouses.

D．Some basic rules readers have to follow if they want to visit Chengdu's teahouses.

5. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To experience Chengdu's everyday life.

B．To introduce Chengdu's teahouse culture.

C．To stress the advantages of a slower pace.

D．To inspire readers to travel to Sichuang.

【推荐2】The British Sense of Humour

The British are known for their sense of humor. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to make sense of their jokes. The main thing to remember is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others.     1     Another key to understanding British humor is to know that the British often use understatement.

Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, 'She isn’t exactly friendly.' Understatement is often used in unpleasant situations or to make another person look silly.     2    

The British like to make fun of many other things. They often laugh about the silly and terrible things that happen to us every day, like when someone accidentally falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes about people from different classes of society.     3    Finally, the British love to watch comedies about people who do not know how to behave in society. The comedy programme Mr. Bean is a good example of this kind of humor.

    4    In pictures, he almost never talks, and instead he uses his body movement and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr. Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world cannot do. For instance, once Mr. Bean bought a large chair. He needed to take it home, but it was too big to fit in his small car. His solution was to put the chair on top of his car.     5    Mr. Bean is popular in many countries around the world because you do not have to speak English to understand the humor. Because of this, many people can better understand the British sense of humor.

A．British humor brings people laughter and content.

B．Understatement plays an important part in British humor.

C．Then, he sat in the chair and used a broom to drive the car!

D．They also like to make jokes about situations that are quite serious.

E．Throughout the film, the audience were amused by his convincing acting.

F．Mr. Bean is the character created by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990.

G．Such jokes are normally about their accents, the way they dress and the way they behave.

【推荐1】If you think that running marathons will help you live a long and healthy life, new research may come as a shock. According to a recent scientific study, people who do a very strenuous workout are as likely to die as people who do no exercise at all.

Scientists in Denmark have been studying over 1,000 joggers and non-joggers for 12 years. The death rates from the sample group suggest that people who jog at a moderate pace two or three times a week for less than two and a half hours in total are least likely to die.

The best speed to jog at was found to be about 5 miles per hour. The research suggests that people who jog more than three times a week or at higher speeds of over 7 mph die at the same rate as non-joggers. The scientists think that this is because strenuous exercise causes structural changes to the heart and arteries. Over time, this can cause serious injuries.

Peter Schnohr, a researcher in Copenhagen, said, “If your goal is to decrease risk of death and improve life expectancy, jogging a few times a week at a moderate pace is a good strategy. Anything more is not just unnecessary, and it may be harmful.”

The implications of this are that moderate forms of exercise such as tai chi, yoga and brisk walking may be better for us than “iron man” events, triathlons and long-distance running and cycling. According to Jacob Louis Marott, another researcher in the study, “You don’t actually have to do that much to have a good impact on your health. And perhaps you shouldn’t actually do too much”.

1. The underlined word “strenuous” in Paragraph l is closest in meaning to“___________”.

A．hard

B．regular

C．practical

D．flexible

2. The author presents some figures in Paragraph 2 to ___________.

A．suggest giving up jogging	B．show risks of doing sports
C．provide supportive evidence	D．introduce the research process

3. According to the scientists, why is too much exercise harmful?

A．It may injure the heart and arteries.	B．It can make the body tired out.
C．It will bring much pressure.	D．It consumes too much energy.

4. What can be inferred from the text?

A．No exercise at all is the best choice.	B．More exercise means a healthier life.
C．Marathons runners are least likely to die.	D．Proper exercise contributes to good health.

【推荐2】How do you address(称呼) people in English when you want to talk to them? The following may be some simple rules the beginners should follow.
1. When talking to strangers there is often no special form of address in English. Usually, if you want to catch the attention of a stranger it is necessary to use such phrases as “Excuse me”.
2. In British English “Sir” and “Madam” are considered to be too formal(正式) for most situations. They are used mostly to customers(顾客) in shops or restaurants. While in American English “Sir” and “Madam” are not so formal and are commonly used between strangers, especially with older people whose names you don’t know.
3. When you talk to some people you know, you can use their names. If you are friends, use their first names; if your relationship is more formal, use “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, “Ms”, etc, before their family names.
4. There are many other forms of address which can be used between friends and strangers. However, many of these are limited in use.   For example, “pal” and “mate” can be used between strangers, but are usually only used by men talking to other men.
1. According to the passage, “Excuse me” is mainly used to ______.

A．address a person you don’t know	B．apologize to others
C．catch the attention of a stranger	D．suggest good manners

2. If John Smith is your best friend, according to the passage you should often call him ______.

A．John

B．Smith

C．Mr. John

D．Mr. Smith

3. Which of the following is NOT true?

A．“Sir” and “Madam” are used more often in America than in England.

B．People often use “Mr.”, “Mrs.” or “Ms” before the first names of those people who they don’t know very well.

C．“Pal” and “mate” are usually only used between men.

D．While addressing friends, people just use their first names

4. The passage is most likely taken from an English _______.

A．textbook

B．card

C．storybook

D．grammar book

【推荐3】Too much salt—and not enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables—may be shaving years off our lives, a new study suggests.

In a study published Wednesday in the Lancet, researchers looked at people’s eating habits across 195 countries to estimate how much poor diets contribute to mortality. What are their findings? One of them is that 11 million people die each other around the world because of certain foods or at least the lack of certain foods, according to the study.

Lead author Ashkan Afshin, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington, said the researchers estimated that overall, poor diets are responsible for more deaths around the world than any other risk factor, including cigarette smoking, known to be one of the greatest threats to public health.

The problem, he said, is not only what people are eating; but it’s also what they’re not eating. The study estimated that globally, 3 million deaths were caused by too much sodium—but another 3 million deaths were attributed to too little whole grains and another 2 million deaths to too little fruit.

Experts say it confirms what health professionals have been teaching for years—a balanced diet is important for a long, healthy life.

But is a poor diet really responsible for more deaths than even cigarette smoking? Nestle, a professor at New York University, suggested that it makes sense that dietary risks are higher because everyone eats—but not everyone smokes. So, she said that “diet is a risk factor for everybody.”

1. What’s the possible meaning of the underlined part in the first paragraph?

A．Increase our lifespan.	B．Shorten our lifespan.
C．Cut our beard.	D．Make us less energetic

2. Which of the following may be a risk to deaths?

A．Taking in small amount of salt.	B．Having a balanced diet.
C．Having enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables.	D．Smoking too many cigarettes.

3. Which of the following statements may Nestle agree with?

A．People can choose whatever they like to eat.

B．Dietary risks are lower than smoking.

C．It’s necessary for people to have a healthy diet.

D．Smoking is responsible for more deaths than a poor diet.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Both what people eat and what people don’t eat count.

B．Smoking is not a serious problem.

C．Poor diets are responsible for all kinds of diseases.

D．Health professionals enjoy teaching people how to stay fit.