【推荐1】Fearful parents are saying not to sleep-overs（在别人家里过夜）, banning children as old as 15 from using public transport on their own and watching over their kids like hawks（鹰）at the local park, according to a new British study.

The survey of 6,099 people commissioned by LV, a charity that educates children about safety, showed that nearly a quarter of children aged 15 or under were not allowed to sleep at a friend's house, 60 percent were forbidden to travel on public transport alone and 43 percent couldn't go to the park without a parent or guardian（监护人）.

It said more than 60 percent of mums and dads think the world is more dangerous than when they were kids. "It's difficult for parents to know when is the right time to step back and allow children to experience things on their own, "said one person in the survey.

In contrast, just four percent of today's adults said they were banned from sleeping-over when they were 15 or younger, only two percent were forbidden to use public transport, and the same number couldn't go out on their own in familiar surroundings,such as their local town or park.

“Stranger danger” is the number one worry for over half of all parents (54 percent), followed by bullying（欺侮）(47), mugging (46) and road danger (34). On average,children today can look forward to walking to school on their own by the age of 11, use public transport on their own at 12,and babysit their brother or sister by the time they're 14.

In contrast, parents say they were allowed to walk to school unaccompanied at the age of nine, use public transport alone by the time they were 11, and babysit a brother or sister by the time of their 12th birthday.

Parents know they are being tougher on their children and over a third said they felt uneasy that their kids do not get the same opportunities as they did to experience freedom as a youngster.

1. Most parents have more control over their children because_______.

A．they love their children more than their parents did in the past

B．they are more protective than their parents were

C．they think the world is more dangerous than it was in the past

D．they think children don't need to experience things on their own

2. According to the survey,children nowadays______.

A．pay more attention to their safety

B．have less freedom than their parents' generation

C．grow up in a better environment

D．have no ability to ensure their own safety

3. What would be the best title of the passage?

A．Kids want the same freedom as their parents.

B．When can children have their freedom?

C．Why are children not allowed to sleep-over.

D．Fearful British parents keep kids closer than ever.

【推荐3】Make time for pleasure

　　Everyone talks about the benefits of taking time out for "simple pleasures"．    1    
　　However，the problem for many of us is that we don't know what makes us happy．When I was in college，my mother gave me some wise advice．She said， "Before you get married and live with another person，you need to spend some time living by yourself．I found that I love to spend hours looking around in bookstores.    2    And every so often，I need moments of pure silence．
　　    3    I had to give up playing the flute（长笛）when I started working and had family responsibilities．Playing my flute seemed selfish when no one else in my family could participate，but three years ago I returned to playing the flute．I regret having ever stopped．
　　    4    They are unique activities that give each of us joy．Certainly there are some common themes，such as being out in nature，doing something creative，or appreciating music and literature﹣﹣﹣but beyond that，each of us has to determine what it is that feeds our souls．A simple pleasure for me would be to spend an hour reading a book in my backyard．    5    We are all so different．

A．Our simple pleasures are a reflection of who we are.

B．I also love to spend an afternoon just walking around the city.

C．That same activity，however，would give my husband no pleasure.

D．We may feel taking out time for ourselves is boring and a waste of time.

E．Even if we know what makes us happy，we might put it aside as life gets busier.

F．Depending on how much time you have，it might also be just having a coffee in the garden.

G．It means that we will be refreshed and happier if we regularly do some easy﹣to﹣do activities.

【推荐2】If you don't use it, you lose it. At least, that's how the old saying goes. It refers to the idea that something which does not get used regularly quickly falls into a state of decline. Muscles, for example, will waste away without use. In order to resist this, people take regular exercise to keep their skills sharp.

Well, what about the brain? As we age, our brains can naturally begin to decline. In some cases, this can lead to certain mental conditions such as dementia(痴呆)，which I'm sure you will agree, no one wants. However, all is not lost because these days it's relatively easy to train your brain. Smart phones and apps have put programmes into our hands that can test, maintain and even improve our memories, mathematical skills and a lot of other mental abilities. With a little practice every day, we can keep our brains nice and sharp, right?

Well, no, actually. According to a report from the Global Council on Brain Health, even though many people thought it was important to play online games, such as puzzles and mind games, which are designed to improve brain health, the evidence of the benefits was “weak to non-existent”.

There are other ways to promote the old grey matter. It recommends seeking out new activities that challenge the way you think and are socially engaging，while leading to a healthy lifestyle. Among their suggestions are practising tai chi, taking photography classes, learning new technologies, gardening, art projects or volunteering.

There's more good news, too, James Goodwin, chief scientist at Age UK has said that brain decline is not inevitable (不可避免的）. As long as the activities are “new to you and require your concentrated attention”, they can provide benefits for brain health. So, hurry up, get out there and try something new. Maybe it's time to try that hobby you've always wanted to do. And as for me? I'm off to learn the piano.

1. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A biology textbook.	B．A healthy magazine.
C．A travel brochure.	D．A research paper.

2. Which has the closest meaning of the underlined words “socially engaging”？

A．Making more shopping.	B．Avoid brain decline.
C．Doing exercises alone.	D．Going out with friends.

3. Which of the following can better keep your brain healthy according to the author?

A．Trying something new.	B．Using smart phone regularly.
C．Playing games online.	D．Doing what you are good at.

4. What does the passage mainly tell us?

A．Advantages of trying something new.

B．Disadvantages of using smart phones.

C．Ways to keep our brain as sharp as possible.

D．How to spend time meaningfully at an old age.

【推荐3】One school night this month I quietly approached Alexander, my 15-year-old son, and patted him on the cheek in a manner I hoped would seem casual. Alex knew better, sensing by my touch, which remained just a moment too long, that I was sneaking (偷偷地做) a touch of the beard that had begun to grow near his ears. Suddenly he went stormily to his computer screen. That, and an angry look of his eyes, told me more forcefully than words: Mom, you are seen through!

I realized I committed a silly behavior: not showing respect for my teenager’s personal space. “The average teenager has strong feelings about his privacy,” said two young women experts. Ms. Frankel and Ms. Fox, both 17, are the authors of Breaking the Code, a new book that seeks to bridge the generational divide between parents and adolescents. It is being promoted by its publisher as the first self-help guide by teenagers for their parents, a kind of Kids Are From Mars, Parents Are From Venus that explains the language and actions of teenagers.

Personally, I welcomed insights into teenagers from any qualified experts, and that included the authors. The most common missteps in interacting with teenagers, they instructed me, result from the conflict between parents maintaining their right to know what goes on under their roof and teenagers striving to guard their privacy. When a child is younger, they write, every decision centers around the parents. But now, as Ms. Fox told me, “often your teenager is in this circle that doesn’t include you.”

Ms. Fox and Ms. Frankel acknowledge that teenagers can be quick to interpret their parents’ remarks a s negative or authoritative and respond with aggressiveness that masks their defenselessness. “What we want above all is your approval,” they write. “Don’t forget, no matter how much we act as if we don’t care what you say, we believe the things you say about us.”

1. What does the underlined part “Kids Are From Mars, Parents Are From Venus” mean?

A．A book sharing the same theme with Breaking the Code

B．A book disapproving of opinions showed in Breaking the Code

C．A book employing the same language style as Breaking the Code

D．A book ranking right after Breaking the Code among self-help guides

2. With their book, Ms. Frankel and Ms. Fox ________.

A．declare teenagers’ rights	B．help parents know teenagers better
C．remind parents of teenagers’ missteps	D．arouse much disagreement from the public

3. What often leads to conflicts between parents and teenagers based on the passage?

A．Teenagers’ defense of their privacy.	B．Teenagers’ refusal to follow experts’ advice.
C．Parents’ striving to instruct teenagers.	D．Parents’ dislike in teenagers’ attitudes to life.

4. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．Teenagers always rush to judgement on others.

B．Parents often seek to create an authoritative image.

C．Parents’ opinions about teenagers count a lot to them.

D．Teenagers have good comprehension and defenselessness.

【推荐1】Traveling to all corners of the world gets easier and easier. We live in a global (全球的) village.     1    

Greetings

How should you behave when you meet someone for the first time? An American or Canadian shakes your hand while looking you straight in the eyes.     2     In Japan, you should bow (鞠躬). In Thailand, the greeting is made by pressing both hands together at the chest and bowing your head a bit.

Clothes

    3     In some Asian countries, you shouldn’t reveal (显露) the body, especially women. In Japan, you should take off your shoes when entering a house or a restaurant. Remember to place them together facing the door you came in. This is also true in South Korea, Thailand, and Iran.

Food and drink

In Italy, Spain and Latin America, lunch is often the biggest meal of the day, and can last two or three hours.     4     In Britain, you might have a business lunch and do business as you eat. In Mexico and Japan, lunch is a time to relax and socialize. And the Japanese rarely drink alcohol (酒) at lunchtime.

Doing business

    5     You should include your company name and your position. In Japan, you must present your card with both hands, with the writing facing the person you are giving it to.

A．In many parts of Asia, there is no physical touch at all.

B．Sometimes, social events end with singing and dancing.

C．But this doesn’t mean that we all behave in the same way.

D．For this reason many people eat a light breakfast and a late dinner.

E．Many countries have rules about what you should and shouldn’t wear.

F．In many countries, business hours are from 9 or 10 to 5 or 6.

G．In most countries, showing business cards is important for all introductions.