【推荐1】The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit card fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal website.

Websites offering cheap goods and services should be regarded with care.

Online shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought. The thieves then go shopping with your card number-or sell the information over the Internet. Computers hackers have broken down security, systems, raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25,000 customers of CD Universe, an on-line music retailer (零售商), were not lucky. Their names, addresses and credit card numbers were posted on a website after the retailer refused to pay US $157,828 to get back the information.

Credit card firms are now fighting against online fraud. Mastercard is working on plans for web-only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping online. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated.

Ask about your credit card firm’s online rules: under British law, cardholders have to pay the first US $78 of any fraudulent spending.

And shop only at secure sites; send your credit card information only if the website offers advanced secure system.

If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The website address may also start https://-the extra “s” stands for secure. If in doubt, give your credit card information over the telephone.

Keep your password safe: Most online sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your passwords with care.

1. What is the meaning of “fraud”?

A．Cheating.

B．Sale.

C．Payment.

D．Safety.

2. How many pieces of advice does the passage give to you?

A．Four

B．Three

C．Five.

D．Six.

3. You are shopping on the site: http://www.Shopping.com, and you want to buy a TV set, what does this article suggest to do?

A．Order the TV set at once.	B．Tell the site your password and buy the TV set for you.
C．Do not buy the TV set on this site.	D．E-mail the site your credit card information.

【推荐3】Across the rich world, well-educated people increasingly work longer than the less-skilled. Some 65% of American men aged 62 - 74 with a professional degree are in the workforce, compared with 32% of men with only a high-school certificate. This gap is part of a deepening divide between the well-educated well-off and the unskilled poor. Rapid technological advance has raised the incomes of the highly skilled while squeezing those of the unskilled. The consequences, for individuals and society, are profound (深刻的).

The world is facing an astonishing rise in the number of old people, and they will live longer than ever before. Over the next 20 years the global population of those aged 65 or more will almost double, from 600 million to 1.1 billion. The experience of the 20th century, when greater longevity translated into more years in retirement rather than more years at work, has persuaded many observers that this shift will lead to slower economic growth, while the swelling (扩大的) ranks of pensioners (领养老金者) will create government budget problems.

But the notion of a sharp division between the working young and the idle (不工作的) old misses a new trend, the growing gap between the skilled and the unskilled. Employment rates are falling among younger unskilled people, whereas older skilled folk are working longer. The divide is most extreme in America, where well-educated baby-boomers are putting off retirement while many less-skilled younger people have dropped out of the workforce.

Policy is partly responsible. Many European governments have abandoned policies that used to encourage people to retire early. Even the better-off must work longer to have a comfortable retirement. But the changing nature of work also plays a big role. Pay has risen sharply for the highly educated. Technological change may well reinforce (加强) that shift: the skills that complement (补充) computers, from management to creativity, do not necessarily decline with age.

1. What is happening in the workforce in rich countries?

A．Younger people are replacing the elderly.	B．Well-educated people tend to work longer.
C．Unemployment rates are rising year after year.	D．People with no college degree do not easily find work.

2. What has helped deepen the divide between the well-off and the poor?

A．Longer life expectancies.	B．Rapid technological advance.
C．Profound changes in the workforce.	D．A growing number of the well-educated.

3. What is the result of policy changes in European countries?

A．Unskilled workers may choose to retire early.

B．More people have to receive in-service training.

C．Even wealthy people must work longer to live comfortably in retirement.

D．People may be able to enjoy generous defined-benefits from pension plans.

4. What is the characteristic of work in the 21st century?

A．Computers will do more complicated work.

B．More responsibility will be taken by the educated young.

C．Most jobs to be done will be the creative ones.

D．Skills are highly valued regardless of age.

【推荐1】Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, has an ancient competition with Chongqing, a city to its south-east. Residents of Chongqing accused their Chengdu cousins of being pompous (自大的). The people of Chongqing were hotheads, Chengdu residents shot back. Both cities share a love of spice-laden Sichuan cuisine, which in recent decades has occupied Chinese dinner tables. But they are at war over which has the best Sichuan hotpot—a type of DIY-cooking that involves boiling vegetables and slices of meat with chillies and numbing peppercorns.

A private museum in Chongqing, opened several years ago, makes the case for the Chongqing-style hotpot. It describes how it developed from a method used to make cheap offcuts of meat taste delicious. But Chengdu is playing catch-up. In January the city sold a plot of land on condition that the developer build a hotpot museum on part of it.

The two cities are among many in China with their own styles of hotpot. Hotpot restaurants in China are more profitable than other kinds. Haidilao, a well-known Sichuan-based hotpot chain, raised nearly $1bn when it was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (股票交易所) in September.

Not all Chinese warm to hotpot. Some older Sichuanese refuse to be connected with it. They complain that it is causing overuse of chilli in other dishes that cover up the original genuine flavours.

But Chengdu’s plans for a museum suggest that Sichuan hotpot is not only growing in popularity, but is also becoming symbolic. If it can set the West on fire, officials may hope it will become a delicious new source of Chinese soft power. There will be plenty of glory for both Chengdu and Chongqing to take pride in if that happens.

1. Why are Chengdu and Chongqing competing with each other?

A．Because Chengdu people think Chongqing people are pompous.

B．Because Chengdu residents like to shoot back in battles.

C．Because they both think they are better at eating spicy food.

D．Because they both believe they have the best Sichuan hotpot.

2. What is the purpose of building a hotpot museum in Chengdu?

A．To compete with Chongqing.	B．To advertise Sichuan cuisine.
C．To show their love for hotpot.	D．To keep the hotpot tradition.

3. What can we infer about hotpot from the last paragraph?

A．The two cities have competed only in recent decades.

B．More hotpot museums will be built in the future.

C．Hotpot is already a source of Chinese soft power.

D．People hold a high expectation for hotpot culture.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Growing Popularity of Hotpot in Two Cities

B．Two Cities’ War Over Tastiest Sichuan Hotpot

C．“No Hotpot, No Happiness” True in Food Business

D．Private Museum in Chongqing Opened First

【推荐2】Are you a moviegoer? If, like me, you’re a fan of film, then there’s no better place to watch something than on the big screen at the cinema. You enter the dark theatre and take your seat, ready to be entertained. But while you are absorbed in some movie magic, many others are now getting their film fix at home.

Over the last few years, cinemas have seen a comeback. Customers have been attracted by comfortable seats, and lots of choice of things to watch. Multiplexes in particular can screen up to twenty films at the same time, suiting all different tastes. In addition, 3D and even 4D movies can give the audience an extra immersive experience. So, what’s not to like about a trip to the cinema?

One answer to that question is convenience. Rather than going out, it’s so much easier to stay in and watch movies on a TV screen via an online streaming service. There’s plenty of choice, and it’s relatively cheap as well. But, personally, I find there’re too many distractions, and watching at home is not such an event. I miss the cinema!

The coronavirus pandemic has put the future of cinemas under the spotlight. Some have had to close because of reduced ticket sales. In the UK, it’s brought about a surge in TV watching and online streaming. It’s reported that half of UK adults will keep and continue using their new streaming subscriptions.

This isn’t great news for cinemas. They rely on the release of a big blockbuster to bring the crowds back, but the launch of new films, such as James Bond: No Time To Die, are being delayed. Disney has released its $200m blockbuster, Mulan, online instead of in movie theatres. John Fithian, from the National Association of Theatre Owners, told Variety magazine: “This idea of waiting out the pandemic to make your movies more profitable doesn’t make sense to me. There won’t be as much of an industry left to play your movies in if you do that.”

1. What’s mainly talked about in paragraph 2?

A．Why people don’t like to go to the cinema.

B．What has helped cinemas make a comeback.

C．How cinemas have developed in the last few years.

D．Whether cinemas can remain popular in the future.

2. What does the author say about watching films at home?

A．It can hardly suit all different tastes.	B．It’s time-consuming due to distractions.
C．It offers a variety of films free of charge.	D．It’s not as enjoyable an experience as going to cinemas.

3. What does the underlined word “surge” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Sudden increase.	B．Short-term benefit.
C．potential influence.	D．Fierce competition.

4. Which view would John Fithian agree with?

A．The release of blockbusters cannot bring the crowds back.

B．The pandemic hasn’t had a great effect on the film industry.

C．Delaying the release of blockbusters can bring in more profits.

D．Releasing films online is an alternative during the pandemic.

【推荐3】Animals are natural resources that people have wasted all through our history.

Animals have been killed for their fur and feathers, for food, for sport, and simply because they were in the way. Thousands of kinds of animals have disappeared from the earth forever. Hundreds more are on the danger list today. About 170 kinds in the United States alone are considered in danger.

Why should people care? Because we need animals. And because once they are gone, there will never be any more.

Animals are more than beautiful or interesting or a source of food. Every animal has its place in the balance of nature. Destroying one kind of animal can create many problems.

For example, when farmers killed large numbers of hawks（鹰）, the farmers' stores of corn and grain were destroyed by mice. Why? Because hawks eat mice. With no hawks to keep down their numbers, the mice multiplied quickly.

Luckily, some people are working to help save the animals. Some groups raise money to let people know about the problem. And they try to get the governments to pass laws protecting animals in danger.

Quite a few countries have passed laws. These laws forbid the killing of any animal or plant on the danger list. Slowly, the number of some animals in danger is growing.

1. What is the theme for the text?

A．Save the animals.	B．Useful animals.
C．Laws for animals.	D．Animals in danger.

2. Why are animals important for us?

A．They give us a source of food.	B．They are beautiful and lovely.
C．They keep the balance of nature.	D．They give us a lot of pleasure.

3. What does the underlined word"multiplied" in Para. 5 mean?

A．Became more.

B．Became less.

C．Turned black.

D．Ate food.

4. What can be inferred from the text about animal protection?

A．Being noticed by people all the time.

B．Helping decrease the hawk population.

C．Many countries have passed laws.

D．More awareness should be raised.