【推荐2】Studying a subject that you feel pointless is never a fun or easy task. If you're studying history, asking yourself the question "why is history important "is a very good first step. History is an essential part of human civilization. You will find something here that will arouse your interest, or get you thinking about the significance of history.

History grounds us in our roots. History is an important and interesting field of study, and learning the history of our home country can give us a deeper, more meaningful glimpse（一瞥）into our ancestral pasts, and how we got to where we are today. Many people feel like they need a sense of cultural belonging, which is something that studying your roots and being open-minded to the evolution of your culture can provide.

History enriches our experience. Reading history is an amazing experience because it enables us to reflect on the social and economic life of the people living long time ago. According to the experts, problems faced by people regardless of the past and present are the same. With the information about the ancestors, one can become more experienced in handling challenges of life.

History makes us more empathetic（具有共情能力的）, Studying history can give us insight （洞察力）into why our culture does certain things, and how the past has shaped it into what we know now. It also provides a rather strong foundation for empathy across cultures. Fear and hate for others is usually caused by ignorance （无知）. We're scared of the things that we don't understand. History has the potential to break down those boundaries by offering us insight into entire worlds that would otherwise be foreign to us.

History can inspire us to learn more. what's fantastic about history is the way it broadens our horizons. It's almost impossible to learn about one historical period without having dozens of questions about related concepts. Study the 19^th century England, and you might catch a glimpse of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. Look up Charles Dickens, and you might learn a thing or two about realism. Or maybe you end up switching your attention away from novels, and discover the history of romantic poets in England. It can go anywhere, and there is something in there for absolutely anybody.

The value of history cannot be underestimated. We don't have to live in the past, but we can definitely do better by learning from it and using the lessons learnt to lead more meaningful lives.

1. The underlined part "where we are today" in Para. 2 probably means __________.

A．the turning point in our history

B．the present state of our nation

C．the location of our homeland

D．the total area of our country

2. According to the experts, why is history useful for people to handle challenges of life?

A．The problems at present are similar to those in the past.

B．Ancient people laid economic foundations for people today.

C．The current challenges of life were predicted by the ancestors.

D．People living long time ago knew more about how to solve problems.

3. What can be concluded from Para.4?

A．It is difficult to get rid of cultural barriers.

B．People are willing to accept foreign cultures.

C．Cultural conflicts in history are difficult to ignore.

D．History helps us improve our cross-cultural awareness.

4. With the example in Para.5, the writer intends to show that______________.

A．Charles Dickens contributes much to British literature.

B．Oliver Twist can satisfy our curiosity for romantic poets.

C．reading novels is a way to learn about a historical period.

D．studying history can arouse people's interest in other fields.

5. What could be the best title for the passage?

A．How to Build Cultural Identity

B．Why Studying History Matters

C．Know the Past, Know the Present

D．History: a Way to Broaden Horizons

【推荐3】Throwing a rock into a calm body of water creates a ripple (波纹) effect across the calm water, until those ripples reach the edge of the water. It also explains how our actions affect other people. When we show love and kindness to others, the powerful effect of our actions spreads out further. The same goes for dislike or anger. It is important that we should begin being more thoughtful about our actions and words.

Love can reach so many different people, making it a powerful force in the world. Anger has the same effect. The world would be a better place if we learn to love and show kindness to others. We can’t always control what others do, but we have power over our actions and contribute our own ripples into the world.

We don’t always know the effect that our actions have on others. There will be times when you are angry. Some people may feel a sense of short-lived relief when they throw a rock of anger into the world, but that feeling usually changes into shame and anger towards oneself eventually. Anger hurts yourself and the world in the meanwhile. I suggest walking away for a while when you feel angry. Spreading love and kindness not only has positive effects on others but also on ourselves. You get to enjoy it, and the people around you can enjoy it too. Personally, I feel my best when I help others and I feel my worst when I’ve made someone upset. When we put kindness into the world, we'll feel thankfulness, sympathy, and understanding. Let my kindness guide my decisions and this allows love and connection to ripple out into the world.

It’s important that we take care of ourselves when we show love and kindness for others. When we love ourselves, we re then able to love others. And when we let this love and kindness guide our decisions, the world will become more beautiful.

1. For what reason does the author mention the experience of throwing a rock into a pond?

A．To share the very interesting experience.	B．To inform readers of a new theory.
C．To stress the importance of his life experience.	D．To introduce the topic of this text.

2. According to the text, which of the following description about anger is NOT true?

A．Anger is a powerful force that can reach other people.

B．Anger can hurt both ourselves and the others.

C．Throwing anger to the world, one may get a sense of eventual relief.

D．Throwing anger to the world, one may get self-directed shame and anger.

3. How is the third paragraph mainly developed?

A．By referring to a theory.	B．By giving some examples.
C．By making comparisons.	D．By analyzing cause and effect.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Dislike usually leads to shame and anger in the end.

B．Love and kindness make the world much more beautiful.

C．Kindness or anger ripples out to other people nearby.

D．Anger has a similar effect on our actions to kindness.

【推荐1】阅读短文，按照题目要求用英语回答问题。

My father always told me: “All work is noble.” He wasn't wealthy, but he earned a reasonable living. Thanks to his effort, I was able to go to an art college. I, however, wanted to do something different, something more interesting --- I was special!

After graduation, I moved to New York in search of a graphic designer job. It was winter and I only brought money to support myself for about a month. I wasn't worried --- I was sure I'd find a fantastic job immediately.

Within a few weeks, though, I found myself wandering around the streets having been rejected by every design office in town. My hostel rent was almost gone and I hadn't eaten for days. “How had I reached this point?” I wondered as I shuddered in my thin jacket. I was just about to give up when my dad called. He suggested I get a job in a restaurant until something else came along. At first, pride made me hesitate but I was cold, hungry, and unwilling to go home feeling ashamed and defeated.

I entered a cafe near one of the design offices that had turned me away and asked the manager if they were hiring. She said they were shorthanded, and offered me a job right away. Surprisingly, I found that I really enjoyed serving people. I started making big tips right away. Later, the manager learned that I had a design background and asked me to design the cafe menus. That led to a part-time job at an advertising company.

Previously, I had never considered being a waiter, but there I was. I eventually got my dream design job, but that winter I learned not to make assumptions(假定; 设想) about work.

1. Why did the author go to New York after graduation? (no more than 10 words)
2. What does the underlined word “shuddered” mean? (no more than 3 words)
3. Where did the author get a job to support his life after calling his father? (no more than 10 words)
4. How did the author find his job as a waiter? (no more than 5 words)
5. What can you learn from the author's experience? (no less than 10 words and no more than 25 words)

【推荐2】After a terrible electrical accident, which caused him to become both blind and deaf, the whole world became completely dark and quiet for Robert Edwards for almost ten years. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such sorrow that he tried a few times to put an end to his life. His family, especially his wife, did their best to tend and comfort him and finally he regained the will to live.
One hot summer afternoon, he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started all at once. He stood under a large tree to avoid getting wet, but he was struck by the lightning. Witnesses thought he was dead but he woke up some 20 minutes later lying face down in muddy water at the base of the tree. He was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes, he could hardly believe what he saw: a plough and a wall. When Mrs. Edwards came running up to him, shouting to their neighbors to call for help, he could see her and hear her voice for the first time in nearly ten years.
The news of Robert regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread, and many doctors came to examine him. Most of them said that he regained his sight and hearing from the shock he got from the lightning. However, none of them could give a convincing answer as to why this should have happened. The only reasonable explanation given by one doctor was that, since Robert lost his sight and hearing as a result of a sudden shock, perhaps, the only way for him to regain them was by another sudden shock.
1. The reason for Robert’s attempts to kill himself was that _________.

A．a terrible traffic accident happened to him

B．he had to live in a dark and silent world

C．he was struck by the lightning once more

D．nobody in the world cared about him

2. What was Robert doing when he was struck by the lightning?

A．Taking a walk with a stick.

B．Sheltering from the rain under a tree.

C．Driving a car.

D．Lying on the ground.

3. We can infer from the text that ________.

A．Robert’s wife sent for doctors immediately after the shock

B．many doctors came because Robert was badly injured

C．there was no exact explanation for Robert’s recovery

D．a sudden injury in the head led to Robert’s recovery

4. What’s the best title of the whole passage?

A．A Terrible Electrical Accident

B．Robert Edwards and His Wife

C．What a Sudden Shock

D．An Unforgettable Experience

【推荐3】Life on the street is a constant struggle for homeless people. In times of extreme weather conditions, that struggle becomes even more difficult. Recently, homeless people across Chicago faced freezing to death if they couldn't find shelter for the night.

Thankfully, one local woman refused to let that happen. On January 30，2018, 34-year-old Candice Payne, a local managing broker, was lucky enough to have shelter from the dangerous conditions.

“It was - 20℃, and I knew they were going to be sleeping on ice and I had to do something,” said Payne. Payne started brainstorming different ways she could possibly help. Finally， she decided to see if there were any rooms available at local inns and hotels that she could get to help those stuck on the street.

For Payne, her mission was   personal. According to Payne, her husband, Carlos Callahan， had lived on the streets at one point in his life. Based on his experiences, Payne knew that the homeless people still out on the street desperately needed help and that if she didn't step up to help, no one likely would.

However, when Payne explained what she was trying to do，many of the local hotels refused to allow her to pay for the rooms as they didn't want homeless people to stay in their rooms. “No one wanted them, but one hotel, the Amber Inn, was nice enough to allow me to buy the rooms,” said Payne.

Payne's selfless act made news across the country. However, she insisted she had never done it for attention. “I am a regular person, ” said Payne, who spent thousands of dollars of her own money to help complete strangers.“It all sounded like a rich person did this, but I’m just a little black girl from the South Side. ”

1. What does the underlined word “ that” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Locals living on the street‘

B．The homeless freezing to death.

C．The extreme weather.

D．The shelter for the homeless.

2. How did Candice Payne help the homeless people?

A．By drawing public attention.

B．By giving them money directly.

C．By taking them to her own house.

D．By buying hotel rooms for them.

3. What may contribute to Payne’s nice act?

A．Her husband's past experiences.

B．The requests from the homeless.

C．Her desire to become famous.

D．The coldness of local hotels.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．A Black Fighter Changes the World

B．A Woman’s Curiosity Brings a Reward

C．A Regular Woman Makes a Difference

D．A Couple's Brave Act Moves the Country

【推荐1】The British Medical Journal recently featured a strong response to what was judged an inappropriately kind reaction by a medical school to a student cheating in an examination. Although we have insufficient reliable data about the extent of this phenomenon, its prevention, or its effective management, much can be concluded and acted upon on the basis of common sense.

There is general agreement that there should be zero tolerance of cheating in a profession based on trust and one on which human lives depend.     1    

Quite a few factors might have led to the behaviour under question. There are familial, religious, and cultural values that are acquired long before medical school. For example, countries, cultures, and subcultures exist where dishonest behaviour is very normal.     2     There are homes which cultivate young people with high standards of moral behaviour and others which leave moral training to the harmful influence of television and the market place.

    3     The selection process of medical students might be expected to favour applicants with positive moral behaviour. Medical schools should be the major focus of attention for cultivating future doctors with moral awareness. Unfortunately there are troubling data that suggest that during medical school the moral behaviour of medical students does not necessarily improve; indeed, moral development may actually stop or even go backwards.

It is critical that the leaders of the medical institution set a personal example on moral behaviour. Medical schools must make their expectations of students clear from day one. The development of a school’s culture of moral behaviour requires cooperation with the students in which they play an active role in its creation and developing.     4     Finally, the treatment of dishonest behaviour must be firm, fair, and in the public eye.

A．There are secondary schools in which neither staff nor students tolerate cheating and others where cheating is common.

B．While in high schools, teachers care most about morals.

C．Moreover, the school’s examination system and general treatment of students must be fair.

D．The school’s culture should adapt to the society’s where moral standards are considered least.

E．Medical schools reflect society and cannot be expected to remedy all the ills of a society.

F．It is reasonable to assume that cheaters in medical school are more likely than others to continue to act dishonestly with patients, colleagues, and the government.