【推荐1】Squirrels aren’t natural city dwellers(居民). In 1986 the sight of one in a tree near New York’s city hall so surprised passers-by that a newspaper published a report about the “unusual visitor”.

Around that time, the tree-dwelling animals were being set free in America’s urban areas to “create pockets of peace and calm like the countryside,” says University of Pennsylvania historian Etienne Benson, who studied our relationship to squirrels over the course of five years.

First, they were introduced to Philadelphia, then to New Haven, Boston, and New York City. Park visitors were encouraged to feed them, and security guards ensured their safety. In the 1910s a leader of the Boy Scouts of America(an organization teaching boys practical skills) said that teaching children to feed squirrels could show the rewards of treating a weaker creature with sympathy, says Benson.

By the early 20th century, though, America began to regret the friendliness it had shown squirrels. Cities had once been filled with animals—from horses pulling goods to dairy cows. By the 1950s those working animals had been moved to the countryside. Pets and wild animals such as birds and squirrels were all that remained of the urban animal kingdom.

Before long, people’s enthusiasm for squirrels wore off, and they started to see them as annoyances. By the 1970s many parks banned feeding the creatures. Today, it is rare to find kids with their parents offering food to squirrels under a tree. And, unfortunately, with more and more buildings being constructed in the city, fewer inhabitable(适宜栖息的) areas are left for the little tree-dwelling animals.

What would be lost if the last of these city dwellers were forced to leave? “I think there’s something constructive to have other living creatures in the city that are not humans and not pets but share the land with us,” says Benson. “It’s a good thing to live in a landscape where you see other creatures going around making lunch. It’s good for the soul.”

1. What’s the purpose of introducing squirrels to Philadelphia?

A．To entertain park visitors.	B．To keep the natural balance.
C．To encourage kids to protect animals.	D．To make the urban life more peaceful.

2. What was the Boy Scouts leader’s attitude towards feeding squirrels?

A．Disagreeable.	B．Doubtful.
C．Supportive.	D．Uncaring.

3. What might have happened to squirrels in cities around the 1960s?

A．They might have inhabited more homes.

B．They might have begun to go out of favor.

C．They might have been introduced to more cities.

D．They might have been moved to the countryside.

4. What does Benson suggest in the last paragraph?

A．Squirrels living in cities are annoying.

B．Feeding squirrels should be discouraged.

C．Squirrels should be allowed to live in cities.

D．It is possible for people to keep squirrels as pets.

【推荐3】When Jenny Brown, 10, developed bone cancer, her right leg below the knee was cut off to save her life. During the treatment, Jenny had a cat named Boogie, which seldom left her side as she got used to life with a prosthetic(义肢) leg. “My relationship with Boogie showed me animals think, feel, and suffer as we do,” says Jenny, now 44.

In 1994, Jenny graduated from college and began her film career in television. She also volunteered for animal rights groups. In 2002, having learned about some shocking mistreatment of farm animals, she knew she needed to help them. A year later, Jenny gave up her job to work as an animal caregiver at Farm Sanctuary(农场动物庇护所).

The next year, she opened the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization aiming to rescue farm animals and help them recover. It gives tours of the farm from April to October and asks for volunteers and support through www.woodstockfarm.sanctuary.org. The farm website describe the backstory and the character of each of the animals living there.

In September, 2016, the sanctuary was moved to a new farm, which has an equipped kitchen, a dining hall and other buildings in High Falls, New York. The new place has allowed her team of 17 to host vegan(素食的) cooking classes and a kids’ camp.

“People love spending time with the animals.” says Jenny. “There’s a magic that happens here.”

1. What lesson did Jenny learn from Boogie?
2. When did Jenny start the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary?
3. How can people find the backstory of animals on the farm?
4. What are the newly-offered activities on Jenny’s farm?

【推荐1】People in Brazil mark Carnival(狂欢节)every year and it is considered to be one of the most important national holidays. It is not about a big moment in history or a famous person, but it is important for the people because it is a time of friendship, freedom, and many days without work. People can choose between parties and rest. Most people choose parties, day after day, night after night.

Carnival is celebrated forty days earlier than Easter,but it is not recognized by the church.It lasts four days and four nights.People put on their holiday clothes and go out into the streets or to clubs to enjoy themselves together.

There are also some celebration activities.For instance,samba schools make a parade showing their music and beautiful cars.They are followed by people.Every year the parade tells a different story,and each city has one or more schools like this.

In the south the celebration of Carnival comes back to normal by Wednesday.The problem is that it is not recognized by the church in the northwest where the Carnival is more traditional.There,people do not respect its end and continue to party until the next Sunday.

Carnival is my favorite holiday,but I do not agree that the party should keep going.Like at other popular parties,people drink,dance and have fun.Unfortunately,some people are not very responsible and give it a bad name,leaving a bad impression of this holiday,but it is the only national holiday that brings the whole country and its different people and cultures together.

1. Which of the following statements is true?

A．The Carnival is the most interesting holiday in Brazil.

B．The Carnival is celebrated to honor a famous person.

C．All of the people enjoy themselves in public places during the Carnival.

D．People do not need to work during the Carnival in Brazil.

2. From this passage,we can infer that the Carnival______.

A．is a favored holiday in Brazil	B．has a religious origin
C．is when people miss their ancestors	D．is when people present gifts to each other

3. What’s the author’s attitude to the Carnival?

A．Objective.

B．Negative.

C．Positive.

D．Indifferent.

【推荐2】Many people treat “life” as something that happens to them. They think they are the victims.     1     However, there are those who are clear on their goals. When something goes wrong, they are the first to admit where they went wrong. So how can you live a life by design instead of by default (默认)?

Set goals and actually achieve them

    2     “New Year’s Resolutions” are the worst (or best) example of this. It’s easy to set goals, but very few people follow through with them to the end. People who live by design practice the habit of setting goals and actually achieving them. This constant practice is what allows them to set bigger and bigger goals and see them through to completion.

Surround yourself with people you want to be like

Choose your friends carefully. As they say, “    3    ” Make sure that the individuals who occupy your life and time share your values. Ideally, these people should even be a little bit ahead of you, forcing you to stretch and continue to grow in the direction you’d like to go.

Don’t be afraid to go your own way

When you go your own way, everyone will tell you that you’re wrong at first. But when they find actually they are wrong, they will all come back around.     4     And they will ask you how you did it.

Practice discipline

In order to get to where you know you can go, you have to say “no” a hundred times more than you say the word “yes”.     5     And the only way to do so is to have a strong sense of self-awareness and discipline.

A．Everybody sets goals.

B．They create the life they want to live.

C．Some people just don’t know when to quit.

D．They will see the life you’ve built for yourself.

E．You must be faithful to yourself and your goal.

F．When things go wrong, they think it’s someone else’s fault.

G．You are a reflection of those who you spend the most time with.