【推荐1】My morning routine varies little from day to day. I walk the dog, eat breakfast at the kitchen counter with Katie and Matt, and then settle in for a day at the computer. And because I work mostly from home, I have learned that little walks into the outside world are important for psychological well-being. So before I begin attempting to put sentences together, I walk over to a little coffee shop in my neighborhood, and chat with the folks behind the counter.

The coffee shop is on the other side of the historic Chesapeaker & Ohio Canal from my house. Whenever in season, tourists line up to take a slow boat, if not to India, at least into the 19th century.

One warm day last fall, I turned the corner to see one of the boatmen sitting alone on the boat, bathed in early-morning light. He was playing the violin. The scene stopped me in my tracks. What I witnessed could only be described as a perfect moment. Ten seconds at most. But months later I still remember just standıng there, watching, listening, and taking it all in.

We all have such moments put before us. Little surprises. Whether we’re wise enough to see them is another thing.

I thought of the violin man one Sunday afternoon while reading the biographies of those killed in the Columbia incident. The specialist Laurel Clark, talking from the shuttle a few days before it was to land, said it was blissful to see the simple unexpected wonders of space like a sunset. “There’s a flash; the whole payload bay turns this rosy pink,” she said. “It only lasts about 15 seconds, and then it’s gone.”

I once had a friend who had a strange habit that never stopped to amuse me, maybe because I never quite knew when she was going to spring it on me. It could come in the middle of a particularly lively dinner with old friends. Out of the blue, she’d say, “Stop! I want to remember this moment.” I realize now, after her death, what wise advice that is.

1. The author goes out for a walk every day in the morning mainly because __________.

A．she needs to walk the dog and enjoy the fresh air

B．she considers that it is good for her physical health

C．she hates to be left alone at home when others are out

D．she benefits psychologically from contacting the outside world

2. The underlined word “blissful” in Paragraph 5 probably means __________.

A．enjoyable	B．valuable
C．sensible	D．reasonable

3. The main purpose of the passage is to tell people to __________.

A．develop a good habit

B．enjoy life to the fullest

C．catch the valuable moments in life

D．be willing to follow friends’ advice

【推荐3】Position：HR Manager (we need one)

Work Place：Chongqing region

Job Description in Detail：

Main Responsibilities：

1. Compensation & Benefits Management

2. Staff Recruitment for Retail and Office

3. Staff-Training and Development

4. Employee Relationship

Job Activities：

1. HR budget & control

2. Maintain and update salary/C&B System

3. Work with line managers to define the recruitment needs

4. Plan and execute interview process, including candidate interviewing, reference checking and so

5. Individualize staff development plan

6. Employee relationship management

Requirements：

Experience：

1. At least 3-5 years of human resources operational experience.

2. A strong communicator with effective listening, presentation and influencing skills.

3. Ability to quickly understand the business strategy, financial environment and team dynamics and apply the knowledge in selecting and developing talent.

Talent：

1. A team play with strong interpersonal skills.

2. Proficient in English and Chinese.

Please send us your resume in both English and Chinese with a copy of your academic diploma and ID card, a recent photo and expected salary via fax/mail/e - mail.

1. What‘s the purpose of writing this passage?

A．To provide some suggestions on how to apply for a job.

B．To provide some detailed information about a job offer.

C．To provide some guidelines on how ...to find a. new job.

D．To provide some specifics on deciding whether to accept a job offer or not.

2. If you are interested in the job, you must send the following things except      .

A．a copy of your academic diploma.	B．a recent photo
C．a copy of your ID card	D．your resume only in English

3. If you are employed, which of the following are required for you to do?

① organize some training which can improve staff qualities

② organize parties regularly for the staff

③ recruit staff for some departments

④ harmonize the relationship between employees

⑤ pay the staff salaries every month

A．①②④	B．①③④
C．②③⑤	D．③④⑤

【推荐1】You’ve put on your nice clothes, your hair comes out just right, and someone tells you how great you look. But instead of enjoying the praise, you find it difficult to give a response. So, why can a compliment be so hard to accept?

“Many people have trouble accepting compliments. Sometimes, it’s tied to social anxiety. It can also be caused by feelings of low self-esteem, or by going through life without experiencing positive feelings of being grateful,” explains Lisa Schuman, a New York-based social worker. “Besides, if you’re feeling anger towards someone and they give you a compliment, you may find it hard to believe.”

Have you ever met a person who couldn’t respond well to someone’s well-meaning, kind words and had to escape from the conversation? Social anxiety disorder is not just a catch-all phrase; it’s an actual condition. People with it can really struggle with both giving and getting compliments. They may cast off kind words about themselves because they don’t feel worthy of getting them. This leads to a bad cycle of reducing self-esteem and even more social anxiety.

Even for people who don’t suffer from this disorder, compliments can sometimes lead to embarrassment, especially if you’re feeling unsure of yourself in the moment. And it’s a very rare person who never feels uncomfortable some of the time, either at parties or during close conversations. But learning how to accept compliments is an important social skill that everyone can benefit from, whether they experience social anxiety occasionally or often.

Studies have shown that self-knowledge and self-esteem are the two main influences on our social interactions. We actually bring our own feelings about ourselves into each conversation we have. Everyone has a poor self-esteem day every now and then. If we get a compliment on such a day, it’s hard to believe —— and pretty much impossible to accept. So even a pure-hearted, well-meaning and honest compliment is going to land on us like a lie. Then how can we properly deal with others’ compliments in that case?

1. What do Lisa Schuman’s words suggest?

A．People often feel uneasy about being praised in public.

B．Everyone needs compliments to build their self-esteem.

C．Various causes can make it a real struggle to accept praise.

D．Many people have trouble accepting their own appearances.

2. What does the underlined phrase “cast off” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Pick up on.

B．Get rid of.

C．Turn over.

D．Argue for.

3. What does Paragraph 3 intend to show?

A．The bad effects of social anxiety disorders.

B．The reasons for giving others more compliments.

C．The difficulties of strangers in praising each other.

D．The process of developing a social anxiety disorder.

4. What is implied in Paragraph 4?

A．Social skills are essential for a rich life.

B．Most people have more or less social anxiety.

C．Few people will experience embarrassment at parties.

D．Close conversations are helpful in reducing social anxiety.

5. What will probably be discussed in the following paragraphs?

A．How to have high self-esteem all the time.

B．What kind of compliments is the most acceptable.

C．Why people feel unsure of themselves in some moments.

D．How to respond well to compliments on a low self-esteem day.

【推荐2】Planting the Seeds of Change

Catalino Tapia came to the United States as a young man with six dollars. He worked hard and eventually started his own gardening business. He married and bought a comfortable home in Redwood City, California. Tapia and his wife raised two sons, putting the elder through college.

When his son graduated from law school, Tapia was inspired to help other young people make it to college, although he himself had never studied beyond the sixth grade. With the help from his son, Tapia established a nonprofit corporation—the Gardeners Foundation.

Tapia began by asking his wealthy customers for donation (捐款). In just two weeks, he had raised $10,000 for scholarships, and the money kept coming. The Gardeners Foundation now gives a minimum of ten scholarships each year.

“I believe the education of our young people isn’t just the responsibility of their parents, especially in the Latino district where some parents work two or three jobs,” says Tapia.

Gloria Escobar, nineteen, received one of the scholarships. Gloria knew that she wanted to study architecture, but the classes that she needed were not offered at her local college. The money from the foundation allowed her to travel to a college farther away where she could earn the credits she needed to go to a university.

Another receiver, Alberto Urieta, hopes to major in biology. “To receive a scholarship is so much help because the books are so expensive, and it also gives us a feeling that we’re not alone, that someone wants us to make our dreams a reality,” says Urieta.

Tapia understands that children who are educated can contribute more to the country than those who are not. “It’s a little seed we’re planting,” he said. “And it will eventually grow into a garden of students, and it will flower and bear fruit.”

1. What did Tapia do for a living?

A．He taught children.	B．He ran his gardening business.
C．He worked in a college.	D．He sold books to students.

2. From whom did Tapia raise money for the foundation?

A．His parents.	B．His two sons.
C．His customers.	D．Gardeners.

3. What is the change brought by the foundation?

A．Workers can find a new job.

B．Gardeners can travel far away.

C．Young people can run their own business.

D．Students from poor families can go to college.

4. The author wrote the passage to ________.

A．tell a story	B．introduce a project
C．describe a dream	D．advertise for an organization

【推荐3】To forgive is a virtue, but no one has ever said it is easy. When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your hate.     1    . And it can be

surprisingly beneficial to your physical and mental health. People who forgive show less sadness, anger, and stress, and more hopefulness, according to a recent research.

How should you start to forgive? Try the following steps:

Calm yourself.     2    . You can take couple of breaths, and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, or someone you love.

Don’t wait for an apology.     3     They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same way. If you wait for people to apologize, you could be waiting an awfully long time. Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean becoming friends again with the person who upset you.

Take the control away from your offender(冒犯者). Rethinking about your hurt gives power to the person who caused your pain. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you.

    4     . If you understand your offender, you may realize that he or she was acting out or unawareness, fear; and even love. You may want to write a letter to yourself from your offender’s point of view.

Don’t forget to forgive yourself.     5    . But it can rob you of your self-confidence if you don’t do it.

A．Why should you forgive?

B．However. forgiveness is possible

C．Recognize the benefits of forgiveness

D．Try to see things from your offender’s angle

E．For some people, forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge

F．To make your anger die away, try a simple stress-management technique

G．Many times. the person who hurt you does not intend to apologize

【推荐1】Many artists draw with pens and brushes, but few “paint” with knives. Wang Jing, a woman from Shenyang city in northeast China’s Liaoning Province, has been engaged in this art form for 27 years.

In 1995, Wang was inspired by an accidental cut by a knife on a piece of red paper, which left a white line, and believed that she may have created something out of the ordinary. Using knives and paper, she then completed a painting of a pair of peacocks that later became a source of motivation for her 27-year endeavor.

Unlike traditional paintings, onto which colors are “added”, “knife painting” requires the painter to use blades (刀锋) to take away colors on specially made coated paper. “Knife painters” apply varied pressure on the paper in different directions to create different colors and tones. “Painting on paper with knives is a delicate art and each line in the painting is as thin as a hair,” said Wang, adding that once the marks are left on the paper, they cannot be covered, so it requires the painter to be completely absorbed in the work.

The novel art form was known to few people just after Wang created it. Even Wang herself was not expecting to make it something big at the beginning. But thanks to her huge enthusiasm for the art form, she has persisted with it for the past 27 years. So far, she has completed hundreds of paintings about auspicious Chinese culture, figures, landscape, flowers and birds, of which her favorite is a 2.8-meter-long painting that depicts 20 lifelike egrets (白鹭). Wang said she will continue working in the craft and make it known across the world.

1. What motivated Wang in her 27-year devotion to knife painting?

A．The red paper.	B．The white line.
C．The accidental cut.	D．The painting of peacocks.

2. What can be learned about knife painting from Paragraph 3?

A．It takes away colors.	B．It needs painters’ focus.
C．It creates thin marks.	D．It applies varied pressure.

3. What does the underlined word “novel” probably mean in the last paragraph?

A．Original.

B．Valuable.

C．Traditional.

D．Complex.

4. Which of the following can best describe Wang?

A．Optimistic and caring.	B．Creative and ambitious.
C．Enthusiastic and humble.	D．Persistent and aggressive.

【推荐2】After bikes and umbrellas are made sharable across China, some companies started eyeing the fitness market, so shared gym rooms have hit the streets in Beijing.

Unlike common gyms that provide large, open spaces for many members to share at the same time, the newly built shared gym rooms are small, stand-alone rooms for a person to use, often set up near living communities.

Every four-square-meter room is equipped with a treadmill (跑步机), an air cleaner, a mirror, a television and an air conditioner, and users can let down the curtains for privacy. When exercising, users can listen to music, watch movies and check emails by connecting to the Internet by the screen fixed on the treadmill. There’s no shower or washbasin.

Similar to using a shared bike, users can locate a shared gym room by smartphone application, book a room in advance and then need to scan a QR code for use. A refundable deposit (保证金) of 99 yuan is required, and users are charged 1 yuan every 5 minutes.

The shared gym rooms are created by Misspao, a Beijng-based technology company founded in July. Within several months since it was founded, the company has already raised over 100 million yuan, Yicai Global reports. The idea of the shared fitness experience is not entirely nascent. Last December, the Shanghai-based technology company VRUN set up shared treadmills in office and apartment buildings.

The sharing economy is still becoming popular in China. According to Yicai Global, confident investors are pouring millions into sharing start-ups. In March, the State Information Center published a report which predicts that the total value of China’s sharing economy will see a yearly growth of 40% in the coming years, and it is expected to make a great contribution to the country’s GDP.

1. What makes the shared gym room different from the common one?

A．Offering open spaces.

B．Standing in the living zone.

C．Holding one person a time.

D．Having some advanced equipment.

2. What do people need to do to use the shared gym room?

A．Use a smartphone.

B．Pay 100 yuan first.

C．Let down curtains for privacy.

D．Have a shower before exercise.

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．Misspao is the first to have the idea of the shared fitness experience.

B．VRUN set up shared gym rooms last December.

C．The total value of China’s sharing economy has grown by 40%.

D．Some investors are confident in the sharing economy.

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing the text?

A．To introduce shared gym rooms.

B．To advertise a technology company.

C．To support the shared gym rooms.

D．To predict the future of shared gym rooms.

【推荐3】The sun is going to expand into the orbit of Mercury according to scientific calculations, which will result in the entire Earth catching on fire. Who will save the world?

This imaginative tale is at the heart of the latest Chinese sci-fi movie The Wandering Earth. Unlike many American space-themed films where the solution to a disaster Earth faces is always fleeing (逃离) the planet in spaceships, this time we’re taking the Earth with us. The film, which has become the country’s most successful film of all time, has offered a different and more ambitious idea.

The “ambition” didn’t come from nowhere. For thousands of years, “homeland” has had a soft spot in the hearts and minds of Chinese people. One old idiom that shows a strong feeling that Chinese people have had for their homeland is “luoyeguigen”, which means returning to one’s homeland in old age, like fallen leaves returning to the roots of their tree.

“What is Chinese sci-fi?” Guo Fan, the film’s director, said in an interview. “A vehicle that really expresses our cultural and spiritual core (核心) can be called Chinese sci-fi. Otherwise, we’re just following others and telling the same Hollywood stories.”

And the makers of The Wandering Earth may have chosen the best time to tell its Chinese sci-fi story. The film was released on Feb. 5, the first day of Chinese New Year. It was a time when many people had just made the hard journey back to their hometowns. So to them, there is only one possible way to tell the story: Earth goes wherever humans go, because it’s our home.

1. The main purpose of the opening paragraph is to __________.

A．give a brief account of the film

B．warn people of the coming threat

C．explore ways to avoid the disaster

D．introduce the topic of the passage

2. The underlined phrase “a different and more ambitious idea” refers to __________.

A．fleeing the Earth in spaceships

B．bringing in huge success

C．filling the gap in Chinese sci-fi movies

D．helping Earth make its escape

3. Which of the following is unlikely to account for the success of the film?

A．The rich imagination of the story.

B．Hollywood-style space stories.

C．The special cultural background.

D．The time chosen to release the film.

4. What is likely to be the title for the passage?

A．Chinese Sci-Fi Catches Up

B．The Most Successful Chinese Sci-Fi

C．Chinese Sci-Fi Sets a New Path

D．Chinese Sci-Fi Challenges Hollywood