【推荐2】A tiny village in Alaska has experienced an increase in tourism in recent years as polar bears spend more time on land than on Arctic sea ice.

More than 2,000 people visited the village of Kaktovik last year to see polar bears in the wild. The far north community is located in an area where rapid global warming has sped up the movement of sea ice, the primary habitat of polar bears. As ice has gradually moved to deep water beyond continental shelf, more bears are forced to remain on land to look for food.

The village had fewer than 50 visitors annually before 2011, said Jennifer Reed, a worker of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. “Today we're talking about thousands of visitors, many from around the world each year,” Reed said.

Polar bears have always been a common sight on sea ice near Kaktovik, but residents started noticing a change in the mid-1990s. Because of the difficult situation, more bears started to stay on land, and researchers began taking note of more female bears making dens (兽穴) in the snow on land instead of on the ice to raise their babies.

“U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists began hearing reports of the increasing numbers of polar bears in the area in the early 2000s,” Reed said. As more attention was given to the plight of polar bears, more tourists stated heading to Kaktovik.

Most tourists visit in the fall, when bears are forced toward land because sea ice is the farthest away from the shore. Bruce Inglangasak, a local hunter who offers wildlife-viewing tours, said he has been offering polar bear tours since 2003 or 2004. Most of his clients are from Europe and the USA. “Many tourists stay several days in the village, which has two small hotels,” Bruce said.

1. Why do more polar bears stay on land?

A．To search for food.	B．To keep away from pollution.
C．To observe climate change.	D．To protect continental shelf.

2. Where do polar bears prefer to live?

A．On land.

B．In snow.

C．On sea ice.

D．Under water.

3. Which can replace the underlined word “plight” in paragraph 5?

A．difference

B．difficulty

C．extinction

D．experiment

4. What can we know about polar bears from the text?

A．They like staying with people.	B．They lack people's attention.
C．Their habitat is decreasing.	D．Their choice of food is changing.

【推荐3】Visiting Joshua Tree National Park, California

Joshua Tree National Park is nearly 800,000 acres (英亩) large and surrounds parts of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts in South-central California. Although barren at first sight, the park is full of wildlife and provides a variety of entertainment activities from hiking to climbing. Within a three-hour drive, Joshua Tree National Park takes at least a full day to visit.

Things to do

Hiking opportunities within the park include several choices, from 12 self-guided nature routines to all-day back-country hikes.

Joshua Tree NP has nine camping grounds, and back-country camping is also allowed.

Rock climbing is a popular activity in the park, which has 10 mountains greater than 5, 000 feet in height.

When to visit

Joshua Tree NP is open 365 days a year, although the best time to visit is October through April, when temperature is milder. The peak season is when the wild flowers bloom, and the summer months are the least crowded.

What to bring

In addition to your camera and telescope, be sure to carry lots of water. Park and guiding maps can be picked up at any of the three visitor centers.

Fees

Parking fees: You can buy a seven-day vehicle permit (周票) for $ 15, a single entry permit for $ 5, or Joshua Tree National Park annual pass for $ 60.

Camping fees: They vary by camping ground

1. The underlined word ''barren'' in the first paragraph can be replaced by ''________''.

A．rich	B．deserted
C．useless	D．beautiful

2. When is the best time to visit Joshua Tree NP?

A．September	B．May
C．June	D．March

3. If one goes to Joshua Tree NP by car and stays there for 9 days, how much at least one should pay for the parking fees?

A．$ 60	B．$ 25
C．$ 15	D．$ 30

4. What can be inferred from the text?

A．There are guides for nature trails.

B．Tourists can easily visit the whole park within a day.

C．The camping fees at the nine camping grounds are different.

D．Tourists must take park and trail maps with them when they visit the park

5. Which is not mentioned to bring when you visit Joshua Tree NP?

A．camera	B．water
C．food	D．park and guiding maps

【推荐1】If you’d like to go sight-seeing, the following World Heritage Sites may be your best choices.
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area
The Jiuzhaigou Valley, which lies in the northern part of Sichuan Province, reaches a height of more than 4,800 meters, with a series of different forest ecosystem (生态系统). There you can enjoy watching excellent waterfalls. Some 140 kinds of birds also live in the valley, as well as a number of endangered plants and animals, including the giant panda. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/637.
Khami Ruins National Monument
The city of Khami, which developed after the capital of Great Zimbabwe had been given up in the mid-16th century, is of great archaeological (考古的) interest. The discovery of objects from Europe and China shows that Khami was a major center for trade over a long period of time. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/365.
Henderson Island
Henderson Island, which lies in the eastern South Pacific, is one of the few atolls (环礁) in the world whose ecology (生态) has not been touched by human beings. It is especially famous for the ten plants and four land birds that can only be seen on the island. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/487.
The Old City of Jerusalem
As a holy city for three different religions in the Middle East, Jerusalem has always been of great religious importance. It was given a World Heritage Status in 1981 and placed on the “List of World Heritage in Danger” the following year. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/148.
1. What can we know about The Jiuzhaigou Valley?

A．It sits at the foot of a 4,800-meter-high mountain.

B．It has different forest ecosystem.

C．Most of China’s endangered plants can be found here.

D．In all about 140 kinds of birds and animals live there.

2. The discovery of some of the objects in Khami shows that the city ______.

A．had a very short history

B．was ruined in the mid-16th century

C．was once Great Zimbabwe’s largest city

D．once played a great role as a trade center

3. From the passage we can learn that Henderson Island _____.

A．hasn’t been greatly influenced by human activities

B．isn’t suitable for humans to live on

C．has been open to visitors for years

D．is made up of a few large atolls

4. If you are interested in religion, you should visit _____.

A．http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/148

B．http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/365

C．http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/487

D．http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/637

【推荐2】What’s the capital of Australia? If you answer Sydney, you’re wrong, with travel website VirtualTourist.com (www.virtualtourist.com) coming up with a list of the six most surprising non-capital cities in the world.

1) New York City, New York

It may be king of the hill and the top of the heap (堆), but only figuratively . NYC is not the country’s capital, which is Washington DC．Nor is it the state capital, an honor given to the upstate(北部地区的) town of Albany, which is also the birthplace of perforated (穿孔的)toilet paper.

2) Sydney, Australia

Although it is famous for its harbor and opera house, Sydney is not the capital. Canberra, which is just less than its one-hundred-year celebration, is actually the capital of Australia.

3) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

It’s fun, exciting and has something for everyone, but that still doesn’t make it Brazil’s capital. While the city which is famous for the festival used to be the capital, Brasilia now takes that position.

4) Johannesburg, South Africa

Interestingly, South Africa has more than one capital city, none of which are Johannesburg. Divided by branch of government the capitals are: Bloemfontein, the capital of the judiciary (司法的), Pretoria, the capital of the administrative branch and Cape Town acting as the country’s legislative (立法的) capital.

5) Geneva, Switzerland

Neither this nor Zurich serves as the country’s capital. The attractive, quiet, UNESCO-recognized town of Bern holds this honor.

6) Timbuktu, Mali

Mysterious, exotic (异国情调的), and perhaps the country’s most recognizable name, it takes second place to the city of Bamako. Bamako considered the fastest growing city in Africa. It is also a world-famous center for music. Bamako is attracting famous singers to its local pubs where hometown artists play through the night.

1. We can learn from the text that ________.

A．Cape Town is South Africa’s legislative capital

B．Canberra is also called the land "Down Under"

C．Pretoria is South Africa’s judiciary capital

D．Bamako is the fastest growing city in the world

2. Which of the following can best describe Bern?

A．Charming and peaceful.	B．Fun and exciting.
C．Mysterious.	D．Exotic.

3. What can we infer from the text?

A．Bamako is famous for its industry.

B．Canberra is well-known for its opera.

C．Each country has only one capital.

D．Canberra has a history of less than 100 years.

4. This text is mainly about ________.

A．some famous big cities in the world

B．some famous mistaken capital cities in the world

C．features of some capitals in the world

D．traveling in some big cities in the world

【推荐3】You may think that an underground town with 3,500 residents is something out of a science fiction film. You may not believe that such a town has shops, car parks, hotels, restaurants, cafes, swimming pools, churches, galleries, museums, cinemas, a golf course and much more. We Coober Pedy in Australia’s Outback is just such a place. Although film makers sometimes use the town as a spot for science-fiction films, it is a real community full of people who enjoy living underground.

The name Coober Pedy comes from the Aboriginal (土著的) phrase kupa piti which means ‘white man in a hole’. Miners and their families choose to live like this, hoping to get rich looking for the precious stones that Australia is famous for — opals. Living underground is the only way to shelter from the sandstorms and the high temperatures above ground, where it can be up to 50 degrees C (122F). Deep down in the town far below the desert surface, the temperature is between 19 and 20 degrees C and life is cool.

Mary Deane believes that it’s the possibility of being poor one day and rich the next that makes Coober Pedy so addictive. She and her husband Jim are among the lucky ones. They live in a luxurious home, built with money from the opals Jim has found. “Whenever people hear we live underground, they always imagine a dusty cave,” says Mary, “but they are amazed when they sit in my spotless clean kitchen eating home-made apple pie. Everyone loves our pine furniture and I have every electrical appliance money can buy in here. Whatever I need I can have and whenever I·need more space we just dig out a few more rooms! I love my home.”

However, not everything is perfect in Coober Pedy. Mary has a tiny garden that she is very proud of, but the grass is not real. Plant life is rare. Water is also five times more expensive than overground residents pay. Recycling is a way of life, so Jim usually washes his car with bath water and they have a special system to re-use the water from the dishwasher and washing machine. “We must be very careful about how we use water,” he says, “it’s not quite as precious as the opals, but it’s still very scarce!”

1. What can be learned from the passage about Coobor Pody?

A．It was originally built for science-fiction films.

B．It provides residents with recreational facilities.

C．It is losing its appeal to young people in Australia.

D．It was designed by Aboriginals who used to live there.

2. Why do miners and their families choose to live in Coober Pedy?

A．To save money and get rich one day.

B．To make it possible to produce opals.

C．To keep away from the modern way of life.

D．To escape from the terrible weather conditions.

3. According to Mary Deane, one of the problems that living in Coober Pedy has is that             .

A．they have to be economical with water

B．they have to spend more money on food

C．they cannot use some electrical appliances

D．they cannot grow plants in the garden

4. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．Coober Pedy: Based on Recycling

B．An Unimaginable Film

C．Underground Mining

D．Life Down Under

【推荐1】Ridgewood is a small, quiet town 20 miles from Manhattan. It is a typical suburban town, perfect for raising children away from the fast pace of the city. However, some Ridgewood kids feel as upset as if they were on the city’s busy streets. In addition to hours of homework, Ridgewood’s children are occupied with afterschool activities — from swimming to piano to religious classes.
Out of desperation one day, the town decided to schedule another activity. This one was called “Ridgewood Family Night — Ready, Set, Relax!” Instead of schedules filled with sports, music, or overtime at the office, some of the town’s 25,000 residents decided to take the night off and stay home. For a few months before Family Night, a committee of volunteers worked hard to spread the word. Younger students took “Save the Date for Me” leaflets home to their parents. The mayor issued a statement, and schools and clubs agreed to cancel homework and meetings so families could relax and be together.
The tension between a hope for a more relaxed lifestyle and the knowledge that the benchmark for success has been raised in recent years weighs heavily on the minds of the townspeople. Some parents like to recall a different kind of childhood, one without so many scheduled afterschool activities. However, these same parents feel obliged to make sure their children are prepared to survive in today’s high-pressure work environment. They are afraid that any gap in their children’s physical or intellectual development might mean they won’t be admitted to the “right” universities and won’t succeed in a more and more competitive world.
Nevertheless, it seems that Family Night worked, at least to a point. Cars moved easily around Ridgewood’s normally busy downtown streets, and stores and restaurants saw a drop in business. Some families ate supper together for the first time in months.
Initially, there was great hope of taking back their lives. But sadly, few families believe that one night will change their lives. Many are sure that they will fall back into the habit of over-scheduling their children to be overachieving adults.
1. The writer describes Ridgewood as a town where ________.

A．residents take little notice of education

B．children are stressful and over expected

C．parents are concerned about children’s safety

D．children lead a life of relaxed, ordinary rhythms

2. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true about the Family Night?

A．Schools assigned no homework.

B．Fewer people ate in the restaurants.

C．The streets were less crowded.

D．People enjoyed meeting each other.

3. According to the passage, the parents in Ridgewood ________.

A．have conflicting desires about what experiences to offer their children

B．are happy with the lifestyle they have chosen for themselves and the children

C．believe that it is their duty to make a change for the stressful life style

D．are worried about their children’s lacking of big ambition

4. We may get the conclusion from the passage that ________.

A．the concept of Family Night will become a regular part of life in Ridgewood

B．Ridgewood people believe the Family Night will change their way of living

C．Family Night is not as popular as people have originally thought

D．schools are worried about students being given too much free time

【推荐2】A star athlete at the college where I work recently stopped by my office. After committing a few unforced errors during a weekend match, she was riven by self-criticism. “I’m at peak fitness, and I practice hard. How is this happening?” She asked.

This student believes she should be able to control the outcomes of her life by virtue of her hard work. She has a sense that hours on the field should get her exactly where she needs to go. Many students have similar mentality. When they win, they feel powerful and smart. When they fail, they are crushed by self-blame. If my achievements are mine to control, they reason, my failures must be entirely my fault, too.

We talk often about young adults struggling with failure because their parents have protected them from discomfort. But there is something else at play: a false promise that they can achieve anything if they are willing to work for it.

Psychologists have sourced this phenomenon to a misapplication of “mindset” research, which has found that praising children for effort will increase academic performance. A 2018 analysis found that while praising effort over ability may benefit economically disadvantaged students, it does not necessarily help everyone.

One possible explanation comes from Suniya Luthar, who argued in a research paper that for teens in wealthy, pressure-cooker communities, “it is not a lack of motivation and perseverance (毅力) that is the big problem. Instead, it is unhealthy perfectionism, and difficulty with backing off when they should, when the desire for achievements is over the top.” They push themselves onward in face of impossible goals. A 2007 study found that teens who refused to give up impossible goals showed higher levels of C-reaction protein, a marker of systemic inflammation (全身炎症) linked to heart disease and other medical conditions. A 2014 study showed a connection between the perfectionist tendencies and depression.

The cruel reality is that you can do everything in your power and still fail. Instead of allowing our kids to beat themselves up when things don’t go their way, we adults should help students pursue success in healthier ways in part by redefining failure as a feature, not a bug, of learning. At Smith College where I teach, students are asked to explore how setbacks and missteps made them stronger or more effective. We would be wise to remind our kids that life has a way of sucker-punching (意外打击) us when we least expect it. It’s often the people who learn to say “stuff happens” who get up the fastest.

1. Why was star athlete trapped by self-blame?

A．She broke down during the match.

B．She didn’t try her best in the match.

C．She believed hard work should pay off.

D．She thought she should have practiced harder.

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 5?

A．Lack of motivation and perseverance leads to teens’ failure.

B．Praising children for effort increases academic performance.

C．Children struggle with failure due to parents’ over-protection.

D．Unhealthy perfectionism causes physical and emotional stress.

3. According to the author, adults should _________.

A．help students learn from failure

B．protect students from discomfort

C．reward students for their hard work

D．explore the cause of students’ failure

4. Which of the following does the author probably agree with?

A．Effort equals achievement.

B．Motivation is the key to success.

C．Success is not always under control.

D．Effort is more important than ability.