【推荐1】It doesn’t matter when and how much a person sleeps, but everyone needs some rest to stay alive. That’s what all doctors thought, until they heard about Herpin. Herpin, it was said, never slept. Could this be true? The doctors decided to see this strange man themselves.

Herpin was 90 years old when the doctors came to his home in New Jersey. They thought for sure that he got some sleep of some kind. So they stayed with him and watched every movement he made. But they were surprised. Though they watched him hour after hour and day after day, they never saw him sleeping. In fact, he did not even own a bed. He never needed one.

The only rest that Herpin sometimes got was sitting in a comfortable chair and reading newspapers. The doctors were puzzled by this strange continuous sleeplessness. They asked him many questions, hoping to find an answer. They found only one answer that might explain his condition. Herpin remembered some talk about his mother having been injured several days before he was born. But that was all. Was this the real reason? No one could be sure. Herpin died at the age of 94.

1. The main idea of this passage is that_____.

A．large numbers of people do not need sleep.

B．a person was found who actually didn’t need any sleep.

C．everyone needs some sleep to stay alive.

D．people can live longer by trying not to sleep.

2. The doctors came to visit Herpin, expecting_____.

A．to cure him of his sleeplessness.

B．to find that his sleeplessness was not really true.

C．to find out why some old people did not need any sleep.

D．to find a way to free people from the need of sleeping.

3. After watching him closely, the doctors came to believe that Herpin_____.

A．needed some kind of sleep.

B．was too old to need any sleep.

C．needed no sleep at all.

D．often sleeps in a chair.

4. One reason that might explain Herpin’s sleeplessness was _____.

A．his mother’s injury before he was born.

B．that he had gradually got rid of the sleeping habit.

C．his good physical condition.

D．that he hadn’t got a bed.

【推荐2】I have always been interested in making things. When I was a child, I enjoyed drawing, but I also liked making things out of clay (粘土). I won a prize for one of my paintings when I was fourteen. That may be why I went to art school four years later. But I studied painting at first, not pottery (制陶). I like being a potter because I like to work with my hands and feel the clay. I'm happy working by myself and being near my home. I don't like mass-produced (集体生产) things, because they are made by machines. I think crafts (手工艺) are very important and crafts-people make things cleverly with hands. They make our lives colorful. When I left school, I got some money. I hope to become a full-time crafts-woman. This work-place is small, but I wish to move to a larger one next year.

1. From the passage we are sure that the writer is a _______.

A．student

B．teacher

C．man

D．woman

2. The writer got into art school because of ______.

A．liking to make things

B．enjoying working near her home

C．a prize won when the writer was young

D．a wish to be a potter

3. When entering art school, the writer was about ______.

A．14

B．16

C．18

D．21

4. The writer is talking about her workplace _____.

A．unhappily

B．hopefully

C．seriously

D．angrily

【推荐3】We all have periods in our lives when everything seems very hard, when there's nobody to talk to and the mood（情绪）is just getting worse and worse.     1     There are some things that may help us lift up our mood.

Socialize and think positively. It's very hard, because usually when we feel sad we lock ourselves at home and try to think about all the problems we have. But if you’ll try to force yourself and call a friend for a cup of coffee, the chances for changing your mood into better are very good. Just try to avoid bad thoughts.     2    

Do something totally selfish for yourself. This could be something you wanted for a long time: maybe a short trip, a coat, a big meal or anything that could lift up your mood.     3     The point of all this is just being good to yourself.

Take a walk in a crowded place. Seeing other people, understanding that each of them also has days like this should force you to do something that would change the situation.

    4     Think of your friends, family, relatives or even communities, choose one person and give him a gift. It doesn't have to be something expensive nor big. It may be just a little toy to your poor neighbor's child. Making another person feel happy will make you feel good in your heart and mind.

Be creative!     5     Creating doesn't include only painting or playing an instrument, it also includes cooking, writing, photographing and many other activities. While focusing on creating, you will forget how you have been feeling.

Making yourself feel better isn't that hard. It's hard only to start doing something that would lift up your mood.

A．Buy some things for others.

B．Try to understand other people.

C．This doesn't have to be expensive.

D．Could you give us some advice?

E．Creating things changes our mood.

F．But why sit and think how pitiful we are?

G．Instead, try to think only about the bright side of your life.

【推荐1】Life in the future will be different from the life today. Between then and now many changes will happen. But what will the changes be?

The population is growing fast. And most of them will live longer than people now.

Computers will be much smaller and more useful, and there will be at least one in every room. And computer studies will be one of the important subjects in schools then. People will work fewer hours than they do now and they will have more free time for sports, watching TV and travel. Travelling will be much cheaper and easier. And many more people will go to other countries for holidays.

There will be changes in our food, too. More land will be used for building new towns and houses for all the people. Then there will be less room for cows and sheep, so meat will be more expensive. Maybe no one will eat it every day. Instead they will eat more fruits and vegetables. Maybe people will be healthier. Work in the future will be different, too. Robots will do dangerous and hard work. Because of this, many people will not have enough work to do. This will be a big problem.

1. In the future there will be________.

A．much more fruits

B．more people

C．fewer vegetables

D．less people

2. In the future people don't have to________.

A．work long hours

B．work fast

C．walk on foot

D．eat meat

3. People may not eat_________ as much as they do today.

A．fruit

B．fish

C．meat

D．rice

4. One big problem in the future is that________.

A．many people don’t have to work

B．many people will not be able to find work

C．people have to work fast

D．all the work will be done by robots

【推荐2】“Click!” That’s the sound of a seat belt locking in place.    1    So I don’t drive anywhere until I wear it. Choosing to wear your seat belt is as simple as choosing between life and death. Which one do you choose?

Think about it. When you are driving in a car, you may be going at 60 MPH or faster. Then somebody ahead of you locks up his or her brakes. Your car, which was going 60 MPH, has now suddenly stopped. Your body, however, is still going 60 MPH.    2    Will it be the windshield or your seat belt? I choose the seat belt.

    3     They think that seat belts don’t allow them much space to move freely in the car. To them, what’s more uncomfortable? Wearing a seat belt or flying through a windshield?

Let’s just take a closer look at your choices. If you are not wearing your seat belt, you can hop around the car and slide in and out of your seat easily. You are more likely to die or suffer serious injuries.     4    That means you are more likely to walk away unharmed from a car accident.

Wearing a seat belt does not always ensure your safety. You can still get hurt or killed while wearing a seat belt.              5    You are much less likely to get seriously injured or killed in a car accident. So why not take a safer way?

A．Some people forget to wear seat belts.

B．Seat belts save lives and that’s a fact.

C．What’s going to stop your body?

D．Some people think seat belts are uncomfortable.

E．If you are wearing a seat belt, you have to stay in your seat.

F．If you don’t wear a seat belt, the police will give you a ticket.

G．But wearing them has proven to be safer than driving without them.

【推荐3】

Keep Shower Doors Spotless Longer Water­repelling sprays (such as Rain­X) aren't just great for your car. Applying a coat to your shower doors will prevent the buildup of mildew(霉菌) and other residue.
Pick Up Glass Fragments Easily Collecting the larger pieces of a broken glass or dish is usually easy enough, but picking up those tiny slivers and shards can be tricky. One way to do it is to press a slice of soft bread over the area. Just be careful not to cut yourself when you toss the bread in the garbage.
Sweeten Your Yogurt Without Sugar Flavored yogurts often contain dozens of grams of sugar, but plain yogurt can be pretty blah. Add flavor without many calories with a few drops of vanilla, mint, or almond extract. You can also microwave your favourite into a compote(蜜饯) and, once it's cool, swirl it into the yogurt.
Spend Less on Hotel Rooms Weekend bookers tend to luck out when it comes to snagging the best rate. Prices are lowest on Fridays and Saturdays, according to the most recent data from travel site kayak.com. Absolutely avoid booking on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, when prices are highest.

1. We can learn from the passage that ________.

A．covering the shower door with your coat keeps it spotless longer

B．soft bread can be used to pick up tiny glass fragments

C．yogurt can be made sweeter if you add your favourite fruit and microwave it

D．prices of hotel rooms are the lowest on Fridays and Saturdays

2. In which newspaper column can the article most probably be found?

A．Drama in real life.	B．Everyday miracles.
C．Tell your stories.	D．We found a fix.

【推荐1】The first thing that Valoy saw when she put on color-blind corrective glasses was the green grass and later, the red flowers. Valoy says it's unbelievable and she has struggled with certain topics, especially the painting class in school and she would even paint the ocean purple before that.

Valoy wasn't diagnosed with red-green color blindness until the fourth grade. “For the past 17 years, I've lived in a ‘black and white movie’,” the recent Louis E. Dieruff High School graduate says. But not anymore. The transformative moment all started with a public speaking class Valoy took. After she made an informative speech about growing up with her color deficiency(缺陷), her teacher, Sandy Kile, was inspired to teach the class a more important life lesson.

Kile made a suggestion that the class should reach out to companies that produced corrective glasses to see if they would donate a pair to Valoy. While Kile encouraged Valoy to write a description of living in a world with mostly shades of grey and brown, her classmates wrote statements about why she needed the glasses. “I didn't expect much for that,” Valoy says. “Professor Kile truly believed it was going to happen but we were not sure.”

It wasn't so surprising when the first company turned down their request. Then, the class received reply from the founder of Pilestone Inc., offering Valoy and six other community members his glasses for free.

Valoy is thankful to Kile and her classmates. But Kile says that she is very glad the students have the chance to realize the significance of lending a hand to those in need, and that being able to aid Valoy in changing her life is something she will never forget the rest of her life.

1. Why is Valoy's painting class mentioned?

A．To stress Valoy's serious attitude to study.

B．To give an example of Valoy's sufferings.

C．To prove the importance of wearing glasses.

D．To prevent people from having color blindness.

2. How did Valoy feel when Kile offered the advice?

A．Uncertain.	B．Excited.
C．Frightened.	D．Hopeful.

3. What do we know about Valoy?

A．She made a speech to call for donation.

B．She wasn't the only one to get the glasses.

C．She only understood black and white movies.

D．She didn't know her problem until she was 17.

4. What did Kile try to teach the class?

A．The magic of creativity.	B．The power of great efforts.
C．The benefit of technology.	D．The value of offering help.

【推荐2】My guide Farah, a tall, slim woman in her late 30s, wears jeans and a simple manteau. In public, wearing this robe(长袍）,covering neck to knee is a must for women in Iran. Her long, straight black hair is hidden beneath her headscarf.

We're heading to Tajrish Bazaar in north Tehran, to explore ten different kinds of dried plums and other goodies. We choose the Metro- Farah for its convenience, and I, for a chance to go underground in the capital of Iran, because it provides a picture of the city most tourists never see.

Women and men sit separately on the train, but the rule is relaxed during busy times, like now. We, along with a few other women, clasp(握紧）our hands around a pole, standing next to men, young and old. Two stops later, and about 20 commuters（通勤者）fewer, segregation happens naturally-women at one and,men at the other, still within view,but separate.

A handful of fashionable girls admire their own reflections in the window. They wear tight leggings under their brightly colored robes, pushing back headscarves and boundaries. We find seats next to a group of conservative women dressed in black cloaks（斗篷）called chador. They are nothing like the other women I have met, most of them liberal.

＂We're a nation with one language," Farah says, “divided in two-traditional and modern."She tells me that it' all began, not with imports from the West, but with the 1979 revolution. A combination of education and a bad economy created a society where women now have independence, careers, and husbands feel obliged to help with household chores.

1. Why did the author choose to take the Metro?

A．Because it was accessible and convenient.

B．Because she would see a more realistic city.

C．Because she could sit separately on the train.

D．Because she would travel markets for goodies.

2. When did the author most probably set out for Tajrish Bazaar?

A．In rush hours.

B．At dawn.

C．At midday.

D．At midnight.

3. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Conflict.

B．Isolation.

C．Combination.

D．Discrimination.

4. What can be inferred from the article?

A．Iranian girls can dress as freely as they like.

B．Iran has strict rules for seating arrangements.

C．Iranian men never offer help with housework.

D．Wearing a robe is a daily routine of Iranian women.

【推荐3】Sixteen years ago, I learned an important life lesson in the back of a New York City taxi.

I was on my way to Grand Central Station, and we were driving in the right lane when a black car suddenly sped out of a parking space right in front of us.

My driver fit the brakes hard, skidded, and missed the other car by a few inches. The driver of the other car, the man who had just nearly caused a huge accident, started shouting at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at him. He was really friendly!

“Why did you just do that?” I asked him. “This guy almost destroyed your car and could have sent us to the hospital!”

This was when my taxi driver told me what I now call “the Law of Garbage Trucks”.

“Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of anger, and full of disappointment,” he said. “As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it, and if you let them do, they’ll dump it on you. So when someone wants to dump on you, just smile, wave, wish them will, and move on. You’ll be happier because of what you have done.”

I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and dump it on other people—at work, at home, or on the street? It was on that day that I said, “I’m not going to dump anymore.”

1. What happened when the writer was taking a taxi?

A．He saw a car accident.	B．Someone destroyed the taxi.
C．The taxi driver was injured.	D．Another car almost hit the taxi.

2. How did the taxi driver deal with the other driver’s behavior?

A．He shouted back at the driver.

B．He sent the driver to the hospital.

C．He was friendly towards the driver.

D．He dumped some garbage in front of his car.

3. What does the taxi driver mean when he says “Many people are like garbage trucks”?

A．Many people like to drive garbage trucks.

B．Many people dump garbage wherever they like.

C．Many people are warm-hearted and make others happy.

D．Many people need to dump their feelings now and then.

4. According to the passage, what should you do if people “dump garbage” on you?

A．Dump your garbage on him or her, too.

B．Be friendly and go on with your own work.

C．Tell them to dump their garbage in the right place.

D．Try your best to encourage them not to do that again.