【推荐1】The cost of living in countries like the U.S., Britain, Australia or France has skyrocketed in recent years. However, if you're willing to leave your country and explore life in other areas, there are many countries boasting an extremely cheap and low cost of living. Check out the following countries when planning your next move.

Ecuador

Ecuador is similar to the United States in many ways, and as a result has become a popular American getaway. They even use the U.S. Dollar for their currency. In this country, it's cheaper to eat out every day than cook for yourself on a budget in the U.S. You can even buy a property for around $50,000 and hire someone to tend to it while you're away.

Mexico

Although the country is known for its poverty-ridden streets, there are many wealthier areas that provide every facility you might need. You can live off a mere $700 to $800 a month in Mexico, and this includes rent for a nice place, facilities, food, and any sightseeing.

Argentina

Argentina has been a popular tourist destination for many years. It has great restaurants, a rich history, and many places to explore. Not to mention, it's not very expensive to live here. A decent sized home can cost around $139,000, which is relatively cheap in relation to homes in the United States.

Vietnam

Vietnam has also become a popular tourist destination in recent years. There are many million-dollar luxury homes by the beach, but you can find a modest flat or small home for around $25,000 to $50,000 if you search in the right areas.

1. Why has Ecuador become a holiday destination for Americans?

A．Because housing is very cheap.

B．Because it has a low cost of living.

C．Because it is similar to America in many ways.

D．Because it has lots of nice places for sightseeing.

2. What do all of the four countries have in common?

A．All of them have great restaurants.

B．All of them have a low cost of living.

C．All of them are poor developing countries.

D．The middle-sized homes are a little expensive.

3. In which country is the U.S. dollar used for its currency?

A．Ecuador.

B．Mexico.

C．Argentina.

D．Vietnam.

【推荐2】Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States. It’s the center of national government. It’s a busy, working city with a large population. But what is more, Washington is also a city of history and culture.
Washington was created in 1790, when the Congress (the highest lawmaking body of the U.S.A.) decided to place the nation’s new capital in the east of the country. It was built half-way between the northern and southern states of America. And of course it was named after George Washington, the first President of the United States.
There are many tourist sights in Washington. Perhaps the most important tourist sight is the Capital Building. This house is where is the Congress.
Another world-famous building in Washington is the White House. This is the home and office of the President of the United States. Most visitors are, however, surprised by how small the White House actually is.
Washington is also a great culture city. The Library of Congress contains one of the largest library collections in the world. The Smithsonian Museum holds the nation’s largest collection of cultural materials. And the John F. Kennedy Center is a famous center of art and culture. It has many great musical. and theatre performances throughout the year.
Now fill in the table with some information about Washington D.C.(注意：每空不要超过3个单词)

Washington D.C.

History and location	Created in     1    when the Congress decided that, and named after     2	Lies halfway between     3    and     4     states of   America
A capital city	Center of the     5     government
A popular tourist attraction	6    the most important tourist sight	Another important tourist sight is     7
A     8    city	9     has the nation’s largest collection of cultural materials	John F. Kennedy Center is a center famous for     10

【推荐3】Direction: Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest words.
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TEN WORDS.)

From Buckingham Palace to Oxford, the UK is loaded with wonderful icons(标志) of past eras. But it has also modernized with confidence. It’s now better known for vibrant(充满活力的) cities with great nightlife and attraction. Fashions, fine dining, clubbing, shopping — the UK is among the world’s best.

Most people have strong preconceptions about the British. But if you’re one of these people, you’d be wise to abandon those ideas. Visit a nightclub in one of the big cities, a football match, or a good local pub and you might more readily describe the English people as humorous and hospitable. It’s certainly true that no other country in the world has more bird-watchers, sports supporters, pet owners and gardeners than the UK.

Getting around England is pretty easy. Budget airlines like Easyjet and Rynnair fly domestically. Trains can deliver you very efficiently from one major city to another. Long distance express buses are called coaches. Where coaches and buses run on the same route, coaches are more expensive (though quicker) than buses. London’s famous black cabs are excellent but expensive. Minicabs are cheaper competitors, with freelance(个体的) drivers. But usually you need to give a call first. London’s underground is called the Tube. It’s very convenient and can get you to almost any part of the city.

The UK is not famous for its food. But you still need to know some of the traditional English foods. The most famous must be fish and chips. The fish and chips are deep fried in flour. English breakfast is something you need to try. It is fried bacon, with toast and a pot of tea. Other things like shepherd’s pie and Yorkshire pudding are also well-known as a part of English food culture.

Pubbing and Clubbing are the main forms of English nightlife, especially for the young. Pubbing means going to a pub with friends, having drinks, and chatting. Clubbing is different from pubbing and includes going to a place of music, or a bar, or any other place to gather with friends. Clubbing can be found everywhere. Usually there is some kind of dress code for clubbing, such as no jeans, no sportswear, while pubbing is much more casual.

1. If you are involved in the real life of local residents, you may find them ______________________________.
2. How many kinds of transportation forms are mentioned in the third paragraph? Give examples (at least four).
_____________________________________________________________.
3. When you go clubbing in the UK, you should not ______________________________.
4. What aspects are introduced about UK according to the passage?
_____________________________________________________________.

【推荐1】In 1826, a Frenchman named Niepce needed pictures for his business .But he was not a good artist .So he invented a very simple camera (照相机).He put it in a window of his house and took a picture of his garden .That was the first photo.

The next important date in the history of photography (摄影术) was in 1837. That year, Daguere, another Frenchman ,took a picture of his reading room .He used a new kind of camera in a different way. In his picture you could see everything very clearly ,even the smallest thing. This kind of photo was called a Daguerreotype.

Soon, other people began to use Daguerre’s way. Travelers brought back wonderful photos from all around the world .people took picture of famous buildings, cities and mountains.

In about 1840, photography was developed .Then photographers could take picture of people and moving things .That was not simple .The photographers had to carry a lot of film and other machines. But this did not stop them ,for example, some in the United States worked so hard.

Mathew Brady was a famous American photographers. He took many picture of great people .The picture were unusual because they were very lifelike(栩栩如生的)

Photographers also became one kind of art by the end of the 19th century .Some photos were nor just copies of the real world .They showed feelings,like other kinds of art.
1. The Daguerreotype was____________.

A．a Frenchman	B．a kind of picture
C．a kind of camera	D．a photographer

2. If a photographer wanted to take pictures of moving things in the year of 1840, he had to__________.

A．watch lots of films	B．buy an expensive camera
C．stop in most cities	D．take many films and something else with him.

3. Mathew Brady______________.

A．was very lifelike	B．was famous for his unusual pictures
C．was quite strong	D．took many pictures of moving people

4. This passage tells us_____________.

A．how photography was developed	B．how to show your ideas and feelings in pictures
C．how to take pictures in the world	D．how to use different cameras

5. The first photo taken by Niepce was a picture of ____________

A．his business	B．his house
C．his garden	D．his window

【推荐2】People need to relax and enjoy themselves. One way they can have a good time is to watch a baseball game or another sports event. Even thousands of years ago, groups of people gathered to watch skilled athletes(运动员).

Over 2,000 years ago in Greece, some days in the year were festival days. These were holidays when people stopped their work and enjoyed themselves. During festivals, people liked to watch athletes take part in races and other games.

The most important festival was held every four years at the town of Olympia. It was held in honor of the Greek god Zeus. For five days, athletes from all corners of Greece took part in the Olympic Games.

At the Olympic Games, people could watch athletes run, jump and so on. They could also watch exciting races, which included a relay race between two teams in which a lighted torch(火炬) was passed from runner to runner.

The Olympic Games were thought to be so important that cities throughout Greece which were at war with one another had to stop fighting. During the time, people were allowed to travel to the Games safely.

Thousands of people came to the Olympic Games from cities in Greece and from its colonies(殖民地) in Africa, Asia, and Italy. They met as friends to cheer their favorite athletes and to enjoy themselves.

1. What did people do at the Olympic Games?

A．They fought for their freedom.	B．They just talked to friends.
C．They cheered good athletes.	D．They tried to find friends.

2. Where did people at the Olympic Games come from?

A．Greek cities.

B．Africa and Asia.

C．Italy.

D．All of the above.

3. If Greek cities then were fighting, people ______.

A．couldn’t go to other cities freely	B．could see what each other do
C．win the right to join in the Olympics.	D．respect the Greek god Zeus

4. The best title for the passage can be ______.

A．Greece at war	B．Together for the Olympic Games
C．Stop fighting	D．Greek people

【推荐3】It's   been a decade since the launch of Airbnb and Uber, now considered a part of life for many people booking trips and journeys. In that time, several boat sharing apps have been working hard to regulate how people rent boats or book activities on the water.

Many of them have a similar business model to Airbnb, where customers rent boats directly from owners. GetMyBoat is the market leader with over 130,000 boats. The founders had the idea when they were sailing in the Atlantic and noticed that large numbers of boats were unused.

The company has grown from having a presence primarily in the lop boating cities in the US to having boats available in 9 ,300 destinations across 184 countries. Since it first started, GetMyBoat has sent over 120,000 people out boating. This year, it is projecting to send 65 ,000 people out on the water, a dramatic increase from the 53 people who booked a boat in its first year back in 2013.

US competitors include Boatsetter, which has 25 ,000 boats available across the world. Parisian- based Click&Boal has 30,000 boats globally and in the Mediterranean, Samboat is a major player with 25 ,000 boats.

It's an obvious win for boat owners who are looking for ways to minimize （使最小化）the cost of owning a boat by renting it out. And modern technology means that the boat can find nearby customers without being registered to a specific boating agency as in the past.

Safety issues are very important. Boatbound failed after a customer lost a leg in an accident because the company didn't require that people hire captains with the boats, something that its competitors do.

The market is changing in that fewer people are seeking to buy their own boats, while the number of people who want to experience boating is growing. This new market is allowing people to search for and book water experiences that offer something new.

1. What impressed the founders of GetMyBoat during their sailing in the Atlantic?

A．The wide use of Airbnb.

B．The popularity of water activities.

C．The large quantity of unused boats.

D．The large number of boats in the world.

2. How does the author explain GetMyBoat's business development?

A．By listing numbers.

B．By making comparison.

C．By following the time order.

D．By referring to its founders' words.

3. Why did Boatbound go downhill?

A．Because the company couldn't find ways to minimize the cost of owning a boat.

B．Because the competitors lay too much pressure on Boatbound.

C．Because the company was in lack of modern technology.

D．Because of a safely accident resulting from the company's carelessness.

4. What contributes to the boat sharing trend?

A．Few people can afford their own boats.

B．More people want to experience boating.

C．Few boat owners refuse cost-cutting offers.

D．More people have free time to try new things.

【推荐1】People may set an alarm on the phone or clock that sounds like this: beep beep beep(嘟嘟声). That hard, unpleasant sound may be making it harder to shake off the sleepy feeling in the morning known as grogginess (东倒西歪). So, is there a better way to wake up? A recent study says yes. The answer is music.

The study, carried out by researchers in Australia, involved 50 people. The researchers found that people who wake up to musical alarms reported feeling more awake and alert. Stuart McFarlane, a lead writer of the study stated, “We are very surprised by these findings as one might expect a harsh(难听的)beeping sound to be more successful at waking up a person.”

Sleep inertia(惯性)is another term for grogginess. It means a person has a heavy feeling when waking up, and has trouble getting moving again after sleeping. McFarlane said people need to better understand sleep inertia’s harmful effects on human performance later in the day.

Not everyone will experience the full effect. But for those who do, “care should be taken” when performing duties that require a top performance within this period, he said. This includes “dangerous tasks like driving or riding our bikes” shortly after waking up. The same is true for people who work in dangerous situations shortly after they wake, including firefighters and pilots.

So, what makes musical alarms better for waking up? The researchers think the music may be more successful in reducing sleep inertia because it has several tones, compared to the single tone of a “beeping” alarm. McFarlane said that the changes over time between the music tones may help increase a person’s attention when waking from sleep.

And is there a kind of music that is best to wake up to? There may be, McFarlane said. “We could suggest alarm sounds that are tuneful (和谐的) and easy to hum or sing along with. The current sounds I have been using include ‘Close to me’ by the Cure and ‘Borderline’ by Madonna.” No matter how you wake up, experts say, the amount of sleep you get also matters — a lot.

1. Which of the following might be the best title for the text?

A．What is grogginess?	B．How can we overcome grogginess?
C．Which music is the best?	D．Why are musical alarms better?

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．How long a person sleeps is of great importance.

B．Sleep inertia is another cause for grogginess.

C．The ‘beeping’ alarm is not effective mainly because of its noisy tone.

D．It is dangerous for everyone to drive or ride bicycles shortly after waking up.

3. The paragraph following this passage is likely to focus on ________.

A．examples of good musical alarms

B．more findings of the application of music

C．explanations about why music is more helpful

D．suggestions on how to sleep well and feel fresh each morning

4. In which section of a magazine may you find the passage?

A．Education.	B．Health.
C．Technology.	D．Entertainment.

【推荐2】The Chinese invented paper in 105 A. D. They mixed the bark of a tree and rags (破布) with water, put a screen into the mixture, and lifted out a thin piece of wet paper. They dried the paper in the sun.
The Chinese kept their secret of how to make paper until a war with Muslims in the ninth century. The art of papermaking soon spread throughout the Muslim world.
The Mayan Indians in Central America and Pacific Islanders also discovered how to make paper, but their knowledge never spread to the rest of the world.
For centuries, all paper was made by hand. Rags were the main material. Then a French scientist discovered that people could make paper from wood, too. Finally, in the eighteenth century. a Frenchman invented a machine to make paper from wood.
1. Who discovered how to make paper?

A．The Chinese.	B．The Pacific Islanders.
C．The Mayan Indians.	D．All of the above.

2. When did the Chinese invent paper according to the passage?

A．About 1 ,800 years ago.

B．About 1, 900 years ago.

C．About 2, 000 years ago.

D．About 2, 100 years ago.

3. How was papermaking introduced into the rest of the world from China?

A．Through wars.

B．Through the Muslims.

C．Through the Mayan Indians.

D．Through the Pacific Islanders.

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

A．The Invention of Paper.

B．The History of Papermaking.

C．Different Ways of Making Paper.

D．The Invention of a Papermaking Machine.

【推荐3】How do top athletes handle defeat and disappointment? Can an athlete turn to his or her teammates for support or encouragement? The following top performers' responses will be helpful to you.

Think positively

Siri Lindley is a top triathlete（三项全能运动员）, competing in events that combine long-distance running, swimming and cycling. "I try to use what I learn from each loss to make me stronger and more determined," she says. "Then I pick my head up and start thinking positive, and I visualize myself succeeding the next time. Let the losses make you stronger.”

Stick with it

Allen Johnson won a gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1996 Olympics, but he knows that he can't win every race. "When I don't win, I have to accept the fact that I made a mistake or that someone was better on that day," he says. "You can't be the best every day, but you can be the best on some day."

Pick yourself up

Figure skater Michael Weiss is one of the best in his sport, but there have been a lot of failures along the way. "I look at failing as a part of growing," he says. "When you lose and you are feeling down, without teammates to lift you up, you have to be strong enough to pick yourself up."

Learn from mistakes

Gymnast Shannon Miller has won several Olympic medals, including two golds. "If I make a mistake in the middle of a competition, I try to forget about it because I have to go on," she says. "If I do poorly over the course of an entire meet, I go back to the gym and figure out what went wrong. It's so important to learn from your mistakes."

1. What do we know about Allen Johnson?

A．He is a top triathlete.	B．He is a hurdler.
C．He is a figure skater.	D．He is a gymnast.

2. Who thinks it's important to learn from mistakes?

A．Siri Lindley.	B．Allen Johnson.
C．Michael Weiss.	D．Shannon Miller.

3. What can we infer about the athletes mentioned in the text?

A．They solve difficulties positively.	B．They ask teammates for help.
C．They compete in events freely.	D．They view themselves as the best.