【推荐1】Black Friday-the day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States-signals the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Although it’s not an official holiday, millions of employers give their employees the day off, and many people use that day to get a jump start on their holiday shopping. A similar day in Canada and the Great Britain is called “Boxing Day”.

Black Friday has become a marketing sensation in recent years. Since 2005,it has been the busiest shopping day of the year. To lure shoppers, retailers（零售商）routinely open their doors as early as 4 am and offer special sales and promotions to the shoppers that arrive early. Some of the special deals offered by stores are only available in limited quantities. That is why some shoppers intend on getting the best deals often camp out in front of stores overnight so that they will be the first in line when the doors open.

But why Black Friday? Historians believe the name started in Philadelphia in the mid 1960s. Bus drivers and police used “Black Friday” name. In the early 1980s, a more positive explanation of the name began to ciculate. According to this alternative explanation, Black Friday is the day when retailers finally begin to turn a profit for the year. In accounting terms, operating at a loss is called being “in the red” because accountants traditionally used red ink to show negative amounts. Positive amounts were usuallay shown “in black ink”. Thus , being in the black is a good thing because it means stores are operating at a profit.

Recently, for those who are too busy to stop on Black Friday, or who just don’t want to fight the crowds, the Monday following Black Friday has become known as Cyber Monday for shoppers can take advantage of the comfort of getting many online deals from their homes.

1. On Black Friday, the Americans           .

A．don’t have to go to work as usual

B．look exactly like the Canadians

C．are usually busy doing shopping

D．stay at home and relax themselves

2. The underlined word “lure” in paragraph 2 probably means         .

A．attract

B．protect

C．persuade

D．remind

3. How do the retailers understand Black Friday?

A．It has the same meaning as Boxing Day.

B．They usually lose some money on the day.

C．It always keeps them very busy all day.

D．It probably brings them more money.

4. The author’s purpose in writing this passage is to         .

A．state the development of Cyber Monday

B．tell the difference between red and black

C．introduce Black Friday to the readers

D．explain the meaning of Boxing Day

【推荐2】Britain’s most popular lie has been disclosed, with one in four people admitting using “sorry I had no signal” when returning a missed mobile phone call, a survey found.

Researchers found the average Briton tells on average four lies every day or almost 1500 every year. Almost one in six men admitted they were most likely to lie to their wife or girlfriend, on average at least twice a day. The most popular lie was saying you had no mobile phone signal, with one in four people admitting regularly using the little white lie. It usually came after they hit the “ignore” button when their mobile rang.

Three quarters of people think women are better liars. The research found 46 per cent of girls have been caught lying, compared to 58 of men.

The second most common fib (无关紧要的谎言) is “I haven’t got any cash on me” when asked for money by tramps (流浪者), beggars and Big Issue sellers. “Nothing’s wrong - I’m fine” came third followed by “You look lovely” and “Nice to see you”.

Modern technology turned out to have contributed to many lies with “I didn’t get your text” in 18th. “Our server was down” in 20th and “My battery died” in 26th place.

Other lies to make the top ten included “I’ll give you a ring”, “We’re just good friends” and “We’ll have to meet up soon”. “I’m on my way” and “No, your bum doesn’t look big in that” completed the top ten.

Men tell the most fibs, coming out with five every day compared to women who lie just three times. In many cases perhaps it is better to flatter with a fib than destroy someone with the truth, according to a spokesman for OnePoll, which carried out the research of 4.300 adults.

1. Whether the person being called has pushed the “ignore” button or _____the caller at the other end hears the same tone.

A．really has no signal	B．can’t get the text
C．has a battery failure	D．answers the call

2. Most people think women are better liars because _____.

A．there’re more women liars	B．fewer women liars are found out
C．women tell less harmful lies	D．women are harder to convince

3. “Our server was down” is perhaps a lie told as an excuse for not _____.

A．inviting a friend to dinner	B．responding to an e - mail
C．coming to a party on time	D．cleaning one’s room

4. “You look lovely” and “I’m on my way” rank _____ on the popular - lie list.

A．3rd and 8th	B．5th and 10th
C．4th and 9th	D．5th and 12th

5. The OnePoll spokesman seems to think it’s _____ for the British to lie so much.

A．puzzling

B．disgusting

C．impossible

D．reasonable

【推荐1】At the age 12 of my first year in America we rent a small house with a school nearby. I like my teachers, especially my grandmotherly fourth grade teacher, Miss Zoe. She said that I had a lovely name, Yo-lan-da. As the only immigrant (移民) from Cuba in my class, I was put in a special seat in the first row by the window, apart from the other children so that Miss Zoe could teach me without disturbing them.

Soon I picked up enough English to understand nuclear bomb (原子弹) was in the air.   Miss Zoe explained to a wide-eyed class what would happen when a nuclear bomb was dropped. At school, we had air raid drills (空袭演习): a harsh bell would go off and we’d run into the school hall, fall to the floor, cover our heads with our coats, and imagine our hair falling out, the bones in our arms going soft. At home, Mami, my sisters and I prayed every day for world peace. Miss Zoe explained how it would happen. She drew a picture of a mushroom on the blackboard and dotted a rush of chalk marks for the dusty fallout that would kill us all.

It grew cold in November and December. One morning as I sat at my desk looking out of the window, I saw dots (点状物) in the air like the ones Miss Zoe had drawn on the blackboard, then lots and lots. I shrieked, “Bomb! Bomb!” Miss Zoe jumped up and hurried to my side. A few girls began to cry.

But then Miss Zoe’s shocked look faded. “Why, Yolanda dear, that’s snow!” She laughed. “Snow.”

“Snow,” I repeated. I looked out of the window carefully. All my life when I was in Cuba, I only heard about it. From my desk I watched the beautiful snow fall on the side walk and parked cars below. Each snowflake (雪花) was different, Miss Zoe said, like a person, beautiful and special.

1. Why was the writer put in a special seat?

A．She hated talking with others.

B．She wanted to see snow.

C．Her teacher wanted to help her more.

D．Her parents could see her easily.

2. What does the underlined word “shrieked” mean?

A．Screamed.

B．Sang.

C．Whispered.

D．Wrote.

3. What can we know from the text?

A．Snow never falls in New York.

B．Snow hardly falls in Cuba.

C．Miss Zoe never saw snow.

D．Snow is not beautiful.

【推荐2】Once upon a time, a daughter complained to her father that her life was unhappy and that she was tired of struggling all the time.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes, eggs and coffee beans in them. After 20 minutes, he took them out, putting the potatoes and eggs in a bowl and the coffee in a cup.

Turning to his daughter, he said, “Look closer, and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to taste the coffee. Its good smell brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked. He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and the coffee beans were in the same adversity (逆境) — the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently.

The strong and hard potato became soft and weak in boiling water. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new. “Which one do you want to be like,” he asked. “When adversity knocks on your door, how will you respond?”

In life, challenges happen to us all, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.

1. What can we infer from this story?

A．The girl liked the coffee best.

B．The father was good at cooking.

C．The girl didn’t like the potatoes and eggs.

D．Different people have different reactions to adversity.

2. What does the underlined word “fragile” mean in the 5th paragraph?

A．thick

B．hard

C．strong

D．easily-broken

3. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Challenges and responses.	B．Adversities and a chef.
C．A chef and coffee beans.	D．Father and daughter.

【推荐3】Papa, as a son of a dirt-poor farmer, left school early and went to work in a factory, for education was for the rich then. So, the world became his school. With great interest, he read everything he could lay his hands on, listened to the town elders and learned about the world beyond his tiny hometown. “There's so much to learn.” he’d say. “Though we’re born stupid, only the stupid remain that way.” He was determined that none of his children would be denied an education.

Thus, Papa insisted that we learn at least one new thing each day. Though, as children, we thought this was crazy, it would never have occurred to us to deny Papa a request. And dinner time seemed perfect for sharing what we had learned. We would talk about the news of the day; no matter how insignificant, it was never taken lightly. Papa would listen carefully and was ready with some comment, always to the point. Then came the moment—the time to share the day’s new learning.

Papa, at the head of the table, would push back his chair and pour a glass of red wine, ready to listen.

        “Felice,” he’d say, “tell me what you learned today”.

“I learned that the population of Nepal is. ..”

Silence.

Papa was thinking about what was said, as if the salvation of the world would depend upon it. “The population of Nepal. Hmm. Well...” he’d say. “Get the map, and let’s see where Nepal is.” And the whole family went on a search for Nepal.

This same experience was repeated until each family member had a turn. Dinner ended only after we had a clear understanding of at least half a dozen such facts.

As children, we thought very little about these educational wonders. Our family, however, was growing together, sharing experiences and participating in one another’s education. And by looking at us, listening to us, respecting our input, affirming our value, giving us a sense of dignity, Papa was unquestionably our most influential teacher.

Later during my training as a future teacher, I studied with some of the most famous educators. They were imparting what Papa had known all along—the value of continual learning. His technique has served me well all my life. Not a single day has been wasted, though I can never tell when knowing the population of Nepal might prove useful.

1. What do we know from the first paragraph?

A．The author’s father was born in a worker’s family.

B．Those born stupid could not change their life.

C．The town elders wanted to learn about the world.

D．The poor could hardly afford school education.

2. It can be learned from the passage that the author____________.

A．enjoyed talking about news	B．knew very well about Nepal
C．felt regretted about those wasted days	D．appreciated his father’s educational technique

3. What is the greatest value of “dinner time” to the author?

A．Continual learning.	B．Showing talents.
C．Family get-together.	D．Winning Papa’s approval.

4. The author’s father can be best described as____________.

A．an educator expert at training future teachers

B．a parent insistent on his children’s education

C．a participant willing to share his knowledge

D．a teacher strict about everything his students did

【推荐1】At a clinic in Waterloo, Ontario, an elderly woman sat on the edge of a waiting room chair belting out the Celine Dion’s tune My Heart Will Go On.With little effort, she was able to send her sweet, high-pitched voice to every corner of the clinic. I had fun watching how people reacted. There was some shifting in seats, but mainly they turned away their eyes in embarrassment and tried to pretend there was nothing unusual.

I was there with my father, who was getting a routine blood test when the woman arrived. She took a seat directly across from my dad. I was concerned about how my dad would react to the possible interaction on his space. He was 77 and had been living with Alzheimer’s for several years. He was a brilliant man of few words in public. When he was healthy, he considered it bad manners to bring more attention to oneself.

Her singing began gently, like a quiet hum. I glanced over at Dad. His smile was gone, and he was staring right at her. It seemed to be something like confusion. This wasn’t an unusual state for him, and I wondered whether he was actually seeing her at all or if he was lost somewhere deep in his mind, not really aware of her singing at that point.

Her singing slowly got louder. By the time she got to the chorus — “near,far, wherever you are...”, Dad looked a little surprised. Still, I watched for any sign of an angry outburst. Instead, his face softened, and the tension eased in his brow. He no longer looked confused.

People say that Alzheimer’s is a thief, and that it steals your loved ones slowly, day by day. There is so much heartbreaking truth in that statement. But certain experiences with my dad have allowed me to see aside of him that I never knew existed. That’s what happened for me that day in the clinic. When her song ended, the woman opened her eyes. My dad was still looking directly at her. “That was beautiful,” he said. And she smiled and said, “Thank you.”

1. How did people react to the elderly woman’s singing at the clinic?

A．They mainly looked away and ignored her.

B．They politely signaled to her to stop singing.

C．They all enjoyed her singing and sang with her.

D．They felt quite annoyed and changed their seats.

2. Why was the author worried about his father’s reaction to the singing?

A．His father disliked Celine Dion’s songs.

B．His father was suffering from Alzheimer’s.

C．His father was easily angered by strangers.

D．His father preferred silence in public places.

3. As the woman’s singing got louder, the author’s father’s expression____________.

A．remained the same

B．became more angry

C．softened and relaxed

D．showed more confusion

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．I got to know that my father liked music.

B．Alzheimer’s steals many things from old people.

C．This song helped me understand more about my father.

D．Everyone with Alzheimer’s has experienced some bad moments.

【推荐2】When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother's Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.

My mother has long realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she. I was forced to ask for information or even to shout at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人). I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing (令人相信的)，“This is Mrs. Tan. "

And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he don't send me check already two week late. "

And then, in perfect English I said: "I'm getting rather concerned. You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn't arrived. "

Then she talked more loudly. "What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss. "And so I turned to the stockbroker again, "I can't tolerate (容忍) any more excuse. If I don't receive the check immediately, I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week. "

The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.

When I was a teenager, my mother’ s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.

1. Why was the author's mother poorly served?

A．She was unable to speak good English.	B．She was often misunderstood.
C．She was not clearly heard.	D．She was not very polite.

2. From Paragraph 2,we know that the author was________.

A．good at pretending	B．rude to the stockbroker
C．ready to help her mother	D．unwilling to phone for her mother

3. After the author made the phone call, ________.

A．they forgave the stockbroker   ·	B．they failed to get the check
C．they went to New York immediately	D．they spoke to their boss at once

4. What does the author think of her mother's English now?

A．It confuses her.	B．It embarrasses her
C．It helps her understand the world.	D．It helps her tolerate rude people.

【推荐3】At the hillside of the Emei Mountain in Sichuan, a homestay (民宿) — My Own little Yard (吾家小院) is attracting travelers from far and wide, especially on weekends. The owners of the homestay are a couple in their late 30s who decided to return to their hometown three years ago. Li Xiumei used to be in charge of a small company in Chengdu, and her husband was a sales director. It was an ordinary situation where Li’s husband was on business trips a lot and Li worked overtime on weekends. City life sometimes is not easy.

In 2020, they quit (辞掉) jobs and went back to their village, where there were plenty of homestays around their old countryside house coming into their sight. Stepping onto every balcony of every homestay, they could see the beautiful scenery of the Emei Mountain. More importantly, the villagers have earned a lot of money without entering cities to be peasant-workers, which impressed the couple most.

The couple began to rebuild their old countryside house, which was updated to have a hall, a tea room, a kitchen, and a dining room. Japanese cherry trees were planted in the east courtyard. A swimming pool was placed in the west courtyard, with a bar located on one side.

Li and her husband love gardening and music, and their new home gives them enough space to continue their interests and relax in the heart of nature. Li wants to share the quiet country life, so she makes her new home a homestay. During the summer holiday in 2023, their My Own little Yard — homestay became an online hit after guests shared their experiences on social media.

1. How did Li feel about city life?

A．Satisfied.

B．Attractive.

C．Noisy.

D．Tired.

2. What impressed the couple most when they went back to their village?

A．Villagers becoming rich.	B．Many many homestays
C．Their old countryside house.	D．Scenery of Mount Emei.

3. What can we infer about the homestay from paragraph 3?

A．It is ancient and broken.	B．It can hold many guests.
C．It has been rebuilt by the couple.	D．It must have been carefully designed.

4. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．Sichuan homestays are very popular.

B．The Emei Mountain attracts many travelers.

C．A couple gives up city life to run a homestay.

D．The villagers have earned lots of money as peasant-workers.