【推荐1】When Peter Zhuo was a kid he could barely hold pencil properly. He’d either wrap all his fingers around it or hold it uncomfortably between his middle and fourth finger. Through practice he managed to get it right when he was about eight. Now at 23, not only can he use a pencil competently, he’s using it to change the world, one stroke at a time.

Peter—who goes by the name Peter Draw felt the desire to draw with a purpose after meeting Daniel, a teenager with cerebral palsy (脑瘫) in November 2016. When Daniel first joined Peter’s drawing class at the Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore, Peter doubted if Daniel could even complete a drawing. But stroke by stroke the then 17-year-old did.

“His passion for drawing really touched me. I felt I should do more with my drawing and help children at the same time,” says Peter, who has since taken on some impressive projects to raise awareness for his cause.

Last October, he earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for drawing the world’s largest caricature (人物漫画) . His 360-square-metre drawing of Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan is twice the size of the previous record. Peter completed it in just three-and-a-half hours while the previous record-holder took three days.

And in December, he took on the challenge of drawing caricatures for 24 hours non-stop in order to raise money for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that builds homes for the less fortunate. Peter completed 952 sketches (素描) during the time. The event raised $6,000 through donations and his accomplishment earned him a mention in the Singapore Book of Records.

1. What can we know about Peter when he was a child?

A．He was interested in drawing.	B．He was not good at drawing.
C．He was keen on caricatures.	D．He couldn’t move around.

2. What did Peter think of Daniel when they first met?

A．He was kindhearted and generous.	B．He was a talented young artist.
C．He had great difficulty in drawing.	D．He would be popular sooner or later.

3. Why was Peter recorded in Guinness Book of Records?

A．Because he drew the most caricatures.

B．Because he drew the caricature in the least time.

C．Because he donated the most money to Habitat for Humanity.

D．Because he drew the world’s largest caricature.

4. Which words can best describe Peter according to the passage?

A．Confident and talented.	B．Hardworking and warmhearted.
C．Aggressive and ambitious.	D．Considerate and modest.

【推荐2】       As a child, I was really afraid of the dark and of getting lost. These fears were very real and caused me some uncomfortable moments.
       Maybe it was the strange way things looked and sounded in my own room at night that scared me so much. There was never complete darkness, but always a streetlight or passing car lights, which made clothes on the back of a chair take on the shape of a wild animal. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the curtains (窗帘) seem to move when there was no wind. A very low sound in the floor would seem a hundred times louder than in the day. My imagination (想象) would run wild, and my heart would beat fast. I would lie very still so that the “enemy (敌人)” would not discover me.
       Another of my childhood fears was that I would get lost, especially on the way home from school. Every morning I got on the school bus right near my home. That was no problem. After school, though, when all the buses were lined up along the street, I was afraid that I would get in the wrong one and be taken to some other strange places. On school or family trips to a park or a museum, I wouldn’t let the leaders out of my sight.
       Perhaps one of the worst fears of all I had as a child was that of not being liked or accepted by others. Being popular was so important to me then, and the fear of not being liked was a serious one.
       One of the processes (过程) growing up is being able to realize and overcome our fears. Understanding the things that scared us as children helps us achieve greater success later in life.
1. The author had _________kind(s) of fears when she was a child.

A．one

B．two

C．three

D．none

2. When she went to some other places, she would _________.

A．walk away without others

B．take a bus by herself

C．follow others closely

D．make sure not to take a wrong bus

3. Which of the following would be possibly true when she was a child?

A．She was usually popular among people.

B．She was always the leader of the others.

C．She always got poor grades.

D．She was not at all liked by others.

4. The underlined word “overcome” in the last paragraph means “_________” in Chinese.

A．接受

B．忍受

C．信服

D．克服

【推荐3】John H. Johnson was born in a black family in Arkansas City in 1918. His father died in an accident when John was six. He was reaching high school age, but his hometown offered no high school for blacks.

Luckily, he had a strong-willed, caring mother. John remembers that his mother told him many times, “Son, you can be anything you really want to be if you just believe. She told him not to be dependent on   others, including his mother. “You have to earn success,” said she. “All the people who work hard don’t succeed, but the only people who do succeed are those who work hard.”

These words came from a woman less than a third grade education. She also knew that believing and hard work don’t mean everything. So she worked hard as a cook for two years to save enough to take her son, who was then 15, to Chicago.

Chicago in1933 was not the promised land (乐土、希望之地) that black southerners were looking for, John’s mother and stepfather could not find work. But there John could go to school, and there he learned the power of words — as editor of the newspaper and yearbook of Du Stable High School. His wish was to publish a magazine for blacks.

While others discouraged him, John’s mother offered him more words to live by: “Nothing beats a failure but a try.” She also let him pawn (典当) her furniture to get the $500 he needed to start the Negro magazine.

It is natural the difficulties and failures followed John closely until he became very successful. He always keeps his mother’s words in mind. “Son, failure is not in your vocabulary.”

Now John H. Johnson is one of the 400 richest people in America — worth $150 million.

1. Why did John’s mother decide to move to Chicago? Because ________.

A．John’s father died in his hometown when he was very young

B．life was too hard for them to stay on in their hometown, while life in Chicago would be better for blacks

C．there were no schools for blacks in their hometown

D．John needed more education and he could go to school there

2. What kind of woman was John’s mother? She was a ________.

A．woman with little school education but knew a lot about life

B．woman who would not do anything for her son

C．strong woman with much knowledge

D．woman who didn’t know how to encourage her son

3. The underlined sentence in the fifth paragraph means ________.

A．if you try, you will succeed in the end

B．a failure is difficult to beat, even if you try

C．a try is always followed by failure

D．nothing but a try can help you out of failure

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．How John H. Johnson became somebody.

B．The mental support John’s mother gave him.

C．The importance of a good education.

D．The key to success for blacks.

【推荐1】As the lyrics to Taylor Swif's hit song “Bad Blood” go: “Cause, baby, now we got bad blood. You know it used to be mad love.” It'’s a song about falling out of friendship, but to 14-year-old Hallie Barnard, who was born with a rare blood disorder, the song holds a much deeper meaning.

At just 15 months old, Barnard was diagnosed with Diamon Blackfin Anemia, or DBA, and she spent most of her life in and out of the hospital. The Swiftie said she relied on the singer to bring her joy.

The only way to survive DBA is with a bone marrow transplant (骨髓移植)and Barnard was desperate for one. But she knew thousands of other patients are, too. So, a few years ago, she decided to do something about it, creating her own foundation: Hallie’s Heroes. “It started selfishly as just trying to save my life, but then we realized there were so many other children out there that needed a bone marrow transplant,” she said. “So, so far we've tested 8,000 people and found over 300 matches.”

After a 9-year wait, Bamard got her own match —through her own foundation. But more obstacles stood between her and normal life as a kid. The blood disorder led to a cancer diagnosis: osteosarcoma. She received surgery to cut the cancer out of her leg at MD Anderson in Houston.

The recovery was difficult, but Hallie said she stayed hopeful. “My survival instinct just kicked in. I was trying to do anything that I could to survive. So, of course, it was scary but in my mind, I was just thinking that I wanted to be at my sister's future weddings. I wanted to play games and run again,” she said.

Her survival instinct-combined with Taylor Swift helped her through her operation, where doctors cut her cancer out, and reattached her foot and ankle to her upper leg to work as a knee.

1. Why does the author mention Taylor Swift's song “Bad Blood”?

A．To stress the power of music.

B．To introduce the topic of the text.

C．To show Taylor Swift’s popularity.

D．To state Taylor Swift’s song is a hit.

2. What is Hallie Barnard’s original motivation for creating Hallie's Heroes?

A．To raise money for her heroes.

B．To treat her rare blood disorder.

C．To help other children with DBA.

D．To have an operation for her cancer.

3. What does the underlined phrase “kicked in” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．begin to play a role	B．disappear
C．speed up	D．break down

4. Which of the following can best describe Hallie Barnard?

A．Strong-minded and selfish	B．Hard-working and patient.
C．Kind and optimistic.	D．Outgoing and helpful.

5. What's the best title for the text?

A．‘Bad Blood’ Inspired More People

B．Hallie's Heroes: a Useful Foundation

C．Taylor Swift: a Popular Singer with Teens

D．A Cancer Survivor Helped Others Find Matches

【推荐2】On her first day tutoring students from low-income families at an after-school program in New York City, Alyssa Kapasi noticed how many kids were lining up for free sandwiches and fruit in the cafeteria. Many of these students don’t get enough to eat at home, so a school lunch or an after-school meal might be the most food they would get all day.

Kapasi, who attends private school, was shocked. She was determined to help. “I want other kids to understand that if you see a problem, you don’t have to wait to be an adult to fix it.” says Kapasi. She and a group of friends are now putting their programming skills to work to create a mobile app called Food for Thought. Through the application, parents will be able to pay for their own children’s meal and will be presented with an option to donate 2-3 dollars to pay for a meal of another student.Other donors will also be able to donate money to help children get lunch in their community.

One creative characteristic of the app is that the receivers of the contributions will be anonymous. To receive financial help, a family will need only a recommendation from a school administrator, and no one else has to know. “I want to make my platform an application that all users feel no shame in using.” says Kapasi.

“It astonished us that in one of the wealthiest and most advanced countries in the world there are still communities that are going hungry. By giving parents an easy option, we encourage their giving and raise their awareness that there are students in their children’s school who are in need.” Kapasi says. She hopes to have the app ready to be used in New York City-based schools during the new school year.

1. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 1?

A．Explain how shocked Kapasi was.

B．Evaluate Kapasi’s experience as a volunteer.

C．Tell how the idea for the app came to Kapasi.

D．Describe how the after-school program went on.

2. What can the app be used to do?

A．Teach students to be independent.

B．Improve students’ programming skills.

C．Buy school lunches for children in need.

D．Allow parents to keep in touch with their children.

3. What is Kapasi’s future plan?

A．To use the app in some schools.

B．To encourage students to donate.

C．To get more parents to visit schools.

D．To make parents aware of world hunger.

4. Which of the following is the best title of this passage?

A．A popular app.	B．How to help poor students.
C．Let’s buy lunches for poor students.	D．Kapasi’s invention-Food for Thought.

【推荐3】Jim Glaub and Dylan Parker had just been handed the keys to their new Manhattan apartment on 22nd Street when the outgoing tenant (房客) said something curious, “Just so you know, there’s this thing where letters addressed to Santa come to the apartment. The previous tenants received the mail too. It has been coming for years and no one knows why.”

Glaub and Parker settled in to their new home, and for the first two years only a few letters from kids or parents asked “Santa” for gifts they could not otherwise afford. Then in the months leading to Christmas 2010, their mailbox was filled with letters to Santa every day. They responded to as many as they could, writing notes, even buying gifts. Glaub, of course, is not Santa. They could do only so much.

But one night, when he and Parker threw a 1960s — themed Christmas party, a solution appeared. Guests noticed the hundreds of letters they’d yet to act upon and asked about them. Glaub told them the story and his guests were intrigued. “A lot of people were like, ‘I’ll take a letter. I’ll satisfy it.’” And so was born Miracle on 22nd Street.

To spread the word, they started a website, miracleon22ndstreel.com, and a Facebook page. Working with other nonprofits that help those in need, they invited families from around the county to go online and request gifts for their children. Likewise, donors, also known as “elves,” can sign up to buy gifts for a child or family, accompanied by a signed note with Elf before their name, such as Elf Jim or Elf Jody.

Last year, Glaub and Miracle on 22nd Street helped more than 800 families. Glaub no longer wonders why the letters come to the apartment. Putting in the long hours to help the families is what it’s all about for him. “It’s part of Christmas for me,” he says, “It wouldn’t be Christmas without it.”

1. What did the tenant think of receiving the letters in the apartment?

A．Odd.

B．Exciting.

C．Frightening

D．Disturbing.

2. What can be implied about the couple in paragraph 2?

A．They got really bothered.	B．They had tried their best.
C．They overcame the challenge.	D．They were content with their new life.

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

A．Puzzled.

B．Relieved.

C．Interested.

D．Surprised.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．How a volunteer organization is formed.

B．How Miracle on 22nd Street is operated.

C．How a kind couple deal with letters to Santa.

D．How donors purchase gifts for families in need.

【推荐1】Mark Smith and Jarryd Haines are good friends. The two boys from Sydney have known each other for most of their lives. Both of them enjoy playing Australian football.

A few years ago, when Mark was nine, he developed brain cancer. The disease robbed the boy of his sight, part of his hearing and his ability to play his favorite sport. However, throughout the years, Jarryd remained his closest friend. They still share their love of Australian football. And they still enjoy talking about the Sydney Swans, their favorite team.

Two weeks ago, I took my seat at Sydney Cricket Ground to watch the Swans. The old stadium was crowded with fans. Shortly into the second quarter, heard some great commentary from a boy. Play by play, Jarryd was bringing the game to life. I turned and saw him. Mark was sitting next to him.

Although he cannot see anymore, Mark still loves the Swans very much. Usually, he goes to the stadium and listens to the commentary on the radio. However, in the second quarter of that match, the radio system broke down. That was when his friend Jarryd stepped in.

I hardly looked at the Swans and Buddy, the team’s star player. Instead, I was focusing on Jarryd and Mark. “What’s happening now, mate?” Mark asked. “Don’t worry. Mark,” Jarryd replied. “Okay. Buddy’s got it. Will he go for it? He’s going for it! It’s his tenth goal! Buddy is on fire!” Mark listened carefully. He was lost in the magic of Australian football brought to life by his friend.

Sports can be competitive. However, they can also allow us to share wonderful moments with others, may they be close friends or perfect strangers. Here, Jarryd and Mark have moved me, and perhaps some other spectators, with the best commentary.

1. Why didn’t Mark play Australian football any longer?

A．He took up new hobby.

B．He lost his sight and hearing.

C．He was unable to play it because of his disease.

D．His favorite team-the Sydney Swans lost the game.

2. What did Jarryd do for Mark at the stadium?

A．He helped him step into the stadium.

B．He made Buddy score his tenth goal.

C．He was lost in the magic of Australian football.

D．He provided commentary for him when the radio system failed.

3. Which of following words best describe Jarryd?

A．Generous and active.	B．Considerate and patient.
C．Diligent and ambitious.	D．Competitive and smart

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A lively commentary.

B．The Swans and Buddy.

C．An Australian football match.

D．The precious friendship between two boys.

【推荐2】A fat man with a camera around his neck and a bottle of sunscreen cream sticking out of his bag, he really did look like a tourist. He sat on the terrace (平台), sipping lemonade and pretending to look at a tourism brochure. His sunglasses masked his eyes, but I knew he wasn't looking at the brochure: he hadn't turned a page for the last ten minutes. As I brought him his dishes, he coughed up a "thank you" and looked at me briefly I tried not to stare at the tiny scar across his left eyebrow.

I walked back inside with my empty tray, shaking my head. He looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place him. Then it hit me. The car accident. The mysterious stranger who helped me out of my crashed car, just before it exploded. I rushed back to his table. He was gone.

I moved his saucer and found his tip, along with a card: I am deeply grateful to you. The night of your car accident, I was on my way to rob a jewelry store. Saving your life brought things back in a right way. I now live an honest life, thanks to you. God bless you! Mr. D.

I shivered (震颤). The night of my car accident, I was heading for an interview in an illegal dance club. Seeing human kindness through his heroic gesture (英雄姿态) turned my life around and brought faith back into my life. I unfolded the tip he left. Among the singles was a grand (一千块) with a pen mark underlining "In God We Trust. "I said a silent prayer for him and got back to work, smiling.

1. Why did the fat man look like a tourist?

A．Because he doesn't look like a native citizen.

B．Because he ordered strange food and drinks

C．Because he used money not the same as the locals.

D．Because he carried what tourists usually have on.

2. How did the writer knew the man didn't read the brochure?

A．The page remained unturned.	B．He was drinking all the time.
C．He sat still with his sunglasses.	D．He was staring at the writer.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The man became a rich man year later.

B．The writer didn't go to that interview.

C．The writer had been searching for the man.

D．They kept in touch with each other since then.

4. What is their attitude towards each other?

A．Cod.

B．Worried.

C．Grateful.

D．Trusty.