【推荐1】Sweetest Day is always the third Saturday in October.This holiday is much more important in some regions than in others (Detroit,Cleveland and Buffalo being the biggest Sweetest Day cities).It is a holiday that is gaining in popularity every year throughout the country.

Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy.It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick,aged,and orphaned,but also friends,relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.

Over 60 years ago,a Cleveland man,believing that the city's orphans and shut-ins too often felt forgotten and neglected,formed the idea of showing them that they were remembered.He did this through the distribution of small gifts.With the help of his friends and neighbors,he distributed these remembrances on a Saturday in October.During the years that followed,other Clevelanders began to participate in the celebration ceremony,which came to be called "Sweetest Day".In time,the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the poor was broadened to include everyone,and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small gift.And soon the idea spread to other cities all over the country.

Sweetest Day is not based on any single group's religious belief or on a family relationship.It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning.Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift-giving,Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care,in a practical way.

1. Sweetest Day is celebrated to     .

A．spread religious belief	B．make someone cheer up
C．strengthen family relationship	D．help the poor get out of trouble

2. Sweetest Day originated in     .

A．Detroit	B．Cleveland
C．Buffalo	D．New York

3. The underlined word "remembrances" in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to "     ".

A．tasks	B．ideas
C．gifts	D．pills

4. What can we know from the text?

A．Sweetest Day is celebrated in the form of a family party.

B．Over 60 years ago,men too often felt forgotten and neglected.

C．Only a few religions have the tradition to celebrate the holiday.

D．The idea of creating Sweetest Day came from a man who cared for orphans.

【推荐2】B
The image of a veiled（用面纱遮盖）bride walking down the aisle on her father's arm could become a thing of the past as a growing trend for 'feminist（女权主义者） weddings' has been detected among modern brides to be.
Doing away with the engagement ring, choosing not to be 'given away like property' and wearing a colour other than white are key themes gaining traction（牵引力） in the feminist wedding trend.
The findings, revealed in a survey of 200 brides to be, revealed that almost a quarter of women planned on keeping their maiden name after marriage, while one in 10 were planning to wear a colour other than white on their wedding day.       
Traditions such as the wearing of an engagement ring are also increasingly being rejected by brides who feel it is anti-feminist - with such an obvious token（记号） to be worn on the finger marking the woman in question as 'taken'.
However, while there is undoubtedly a stirring among young brides to be, parents can take comfort in the fact that while some women are beginning to push back against the patriarchy（家长制）, the majority are still keen to uphold certain traditions, with 76 per cent of brides saying they really would like their father to walk them down the aisle.
Elki Parmar of Wedding Days.co.uk, who conducted the survey, said: “Some of the brides we have spoken to are doing things that they feel make their wedding more 'feminist'. That could be reflected by deciding not be given away, the idea being that one of the connotations of this tradition is that the woman is property to be given away. Other brides are choosing not to wear white on their wedding day as a woman’s white wedding dress traditionally carries connotations （含义）of virginal innocence whereas what the groom wears on his wedding day is not perceived（意识到） to be symbolic, creating somewhat of an imbalance from some feminist perspectives”.
1. Which of the following is not the symbol of traditional wedding?

A．The bride wears bridal veil.

B．The bride walks down the aisle on her father’s arm.

C．The bride wears the engagement ring.

D．The bride wears a color other than white.

2. Why do the brides reject to wear an engagement ring according to the passage?

A．Because it is too cheap.

B．Because it is not made of gold.

C．Because they don’t want to marry their husband.

D．Because it makes the women I question as “taken”.

3. What can we learn from the survey in Paragraph 2?

A．More than 200 brides were investigated．

B．Half of the brides won’t change their last name after marriage to their husband.

C．10% of them prefer to wear a color other than white on their wedding day.

D．No one wants to wear an engagement ring.

4. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．The tendency mentioned in the passage is becoming more and more popular.

B．Some women are beginning to push back against their parents.

C．The majority of brides don’t like their father to walk them down the aisle.

D．Some brides regard wearing white on their wedding day as a symbol of unequal between men and women.

【推荐3】Every year, about 600 monkeys are invited to eat fruits and vegetables during an annual feast (盛宴) in Thailand.     1    It is said that Rama once rewarded his friend Hanuman, the Monkey King, with some land. Organizers of the annual Monkey Buffet use more than 3,000 kg of fruits and vegetables to prepare for the feast.

This event is held in England. Though it might sound very gentle, it is actually very dangerous. Running down a very steep hill behind a 7-pound wheel of cheese can be very dangerous. In fact, the police have attempted to ban the event, but participants have refused to carry out the ban. Men and their cheese wheels cannot be separated so easily.     2     Simple: the cheese is set rolling down the hill, and the racers run down the hill after the cheese. However, as the cheese can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, it rarely happens that someone catches the cheese.     3    

In this festival, grown men jump over newborns, with their parents’ permission.     4     This custom has been observed since 1620; any onlookers who seem to be in need of “cleaning” also get involved in the event.

    5     This Naked (裸的) Festival is held in dozens of places throughout Japan every year, usually in summer or winter. Hidden somewhere in these men is one fully naked man, and touching him is believed to bring good luck.

A．This event is very interesting.

B．Everybody takes an active part in it.

C．So what happens during a cheese roll?

D．The first to reach the bottom wins the cheese.

E．It is held in honor of Rama, the greatest of the Gods.

F．There is a Japanese festival where participants wear little clothing.

G．Wearing scary costumes, the Spanish men attempt to “clean” babies of evil (邪恶).

【推荐1】The European Patent Office (EPO) on 4th July 2023 announced that Maasai inventor, Richard Turere, won first place in the Young Inventor Prize at the European Inventor Award 2023.

Turere invented the Lion Lights system at age 11. As a young Maasai boy, Turere was entrusted with the vital responsibility of protecting his family’s cattle from predators (捕食者). He recognised the need for a solution to prevent lions and other predators from attacking livestock (牲畜), which led him to develop the innovative light system that has since gained global recognition.

Lion population in Africa is estimated to have declined by 43% in the past 20 years. Many lions are killed to stop them from eating precious livestock, significantly impacting the lion population, the area’s biodiversity and tourism. Known as Lion Lights, Turere’s invention is based on a simple concept: visually reproducing the human presence that keeps lions away. With changing sequences (序列) of flashing lights which are fixed on fences, the lions cannot become comfortable with the patterns and are discouraged from hunting livestock.

As word of Turere’s technology and its success spread, other community members began requesting the system for their properties, and now over 2,000 homes in Kenya use Lion Lights. The system typically runs on solar energy but can also be coupled with wind power when the weather is cloudy or there is little sun.

In 2013, Turere founded the Lion Lights organization, which now cooperates with more than 50 young people in his native village. Turere’s commitment and resourcefulness have attracted international attention. His invention has been adopted in several other countries. “I want this story to inspire the young kids so that they too can do something.

1. What motivates Turere to invent Lion Lights?

A．To win an award.	B．To protect livestock.
C．To maintain lion population.	D．To shoulder family responsibility.

2. How does the Lion Lights system work?

A．It controls electric fences to trap lions.

B．It operates on a single energy source.

C．It patterns the human existence using lights.

D．It uses strong flashing lights to scare lions away.

3. Which of the following best describes Turere?

A．Creative and devoted.	B．Intelligent and modest.
C．Brave and disciplined.	D．Ambitious and outgoing.

4. In which column can the text be found in a newspaper?

A．Profiles.

B．Entertainment.

C．Health.

D．Adventure.

【推荐2】In one of the old buildings near our school, one could see an old man sitting by a large window on the first floor. His name was James. During the three years at school, I had hardly ever found him missing from his usual position.

He was a high-ranking government official and lived happily with his wife. Once there was a bus accident, in which a number of passengers were seriously injured and were taken to the hospital for treatment. James was responsible for the rescue operation. It was a big hospital, but James was shocked to notice how ill-equipped it was. There were no enough life-saving drugs and life-supporting equipment. The injured and their companions had to struggle there. James attempted to help. However, though he emptied his pockets, many of them died that day.

That was a turning point in his life. He made a decision to devote his life to helping others, particularly the poor and needy patients and their companions. He began spending much of his income on these people. Since this required a lot of time and energy, he found it difficult to fulfill his official duties and therefore chose to retire, which, in turn, reduced his income considerably.

His wife was deeply worried. Most of the time, James was out and paid least attention to home affairs. Meanwhile, as he was spending a lot helping others, she had to struggle even to meet the household expenses. Though she was not opposed to his helping the poor, she urged him not to overlook his own life and home, but it had no effect on him. One day they had a heated argument and in the end she left him, never to return. Though he continued with his work, this was a great blow and did serious harm to his health and enthusiasm and he was soon forced to stay indoors. That was when he took his position by the window, spending his time looking outside.

A few weeks after my graduation, I returned to school, only to find the buildings gone. I heard that they were torn down. All the people left except James. He refused to go and the next morning, he was found at his usual place by the window, dead.

1. What changed James' view towards life?

A．The difficulties in his career.	B．The deaths in the bus accident.
C．The bad conditions in the hospital.	D．The responsibilities in the operation.

2. James chose to retire in order to _________.

A．take care of the injured passengers	B．find a better job to increase his income
C．spare more time and energy to help others	D．stay away from the difficult official duties

3. James' wife left because ________.

A．she was strongly against his deeds

B．James paid too little attention to his work

C．her work to support their daily life was too tiring

D．James failed to keep a balance between charity and home

4. The underlined word "this" in Paragraph 4 refers to ________.

A．his decision to retire	B．the departure of his wife
C．the argument with his wife	D．his devotion to helping others

【推荐3】Senior citizens are permitted to travel cheaply on a bus if they have a special card. Women may get cards when they are sixty.

Mrs. Matthews lives in the country but she went into town once a week to buy food and other things for the house, and she usually went by bus. She always had to pay the full price for her ride.

Then she reached the age of sixty and got her senior citizen's card, but when she used it for the first time on the bus, it made her feel very old.

The bus driver had often seen her traveling on the bus before, and he notices that she was feeling unhappy, so after she had paid her money, he winked (眨眼) at her and whispered, “Don't forget to give your mother's card back to her when you see her again.”

Mrs. Matthews was very happy when she heard this.

1. Senior citizens in the story refer to ________.

A．those who have special cards	B．those who want to travel cheaply
C．old people with special cards	D．people holding high positions

2. What are women allowed if they are over sixty?

A．They have to pay their special card.

B．They don't have to pay for taking buses.

C．They have to pay the full price for their ride.

D．They pay less for their ride i£ they have a special card.

3. How often does Mrs. Matthews go to the town?

A．Twice a week.	B．Once a year.
C．Every other week.	D．Once a week.

4. Why did the driver whisper to Mrs. Matthews?

A．Because he knew her mother was still alive.

B．Because he hoped to make her feel younger.

C．Because she did not pay money for taking the bus.

D．Because she shouldn't have used her mother's card.

【推荐1】I enjoyed this trip for the opportunity to witness the Cranes (鹤) returning from Wood Buffalo National Park, some with their young of the year. I wondered, at the changing skies of Saskatchewan, often the vivid oranges and pinks of a sunset made me pause, but it was the clouds of feathers as ducks, geese, and cranes lifted off fields and lakes in numbers so numerous, they blocked out the sky at times, that blew my mind.

The desire to travel and explore is strong within the human condition. We might think we must journey “away” to enjoy a holiday, and sometimes we do. But other times, a simpler exploration, digging deeply into landscapes and cultures that we think we know, reveals the best sights.

I grew up in Saskachewan when cranes were fighting back from extinction, and I wasn’t a birdwatcher. But, returning with Eagle-Eye Tours as a bird-loving RCGS Travel Ambassador, I wondered at the conservation successes that allowed us to find these rare birds reliably.

My favourite memory from the trip is of an old farmer driving a large truck who slowed down for our group, standing in the middle of a road, excitedly watching a flock of cranes. Rather than scolding us for blocking traffic, he invited us into his backyard for a better view! He explained how he’s been providing quiet reserves for many years as the birds stop to rest and feed before flying south to Texas. It’s moments like this that make the travel special, and companies like Eagle-Eye Tours craft itineraries (行程) that allow these unexpected discoveries.

I enjoyed sharing these experiences with other nature lovers on the Royal Canadian Geographical Society branded trip and look forward to doing it again in October 2024.

1. What do the changing skies indicate?

A．The worsening environment.	B．The coming change of the weather.
C．The imbalance of nature.	D．The success of protecting cranes.

2. What kind of trip did the writer make?

A．A trip of relaxation.	B．A trip of exploration.
C．A trip of friendship.	D．A trip of protection.

3. Why does the writer mention the farmer?

A．To explain why the protection goes well.

B．To describe how local people live their life.

C．To show that farmers are friendly to tourists.

D．To prove that everyone is a true bird lover.

【推荐2】I have dreamt of taking a trip to Hawaii since I graduated, but the best thing always needs waiting. I took a trip with my friends to Haleakala National Park which lies in Hawaii.

When we arrived at Haleakala National Park, we were advised to watch the early morning sunrise. I was lost in the sightseeing that afternoon so I could hardly wait to meet the sunrise. In the next morning we all jumped out of the bed very early at 3 o'clock and walked to the rocks by the seaside. In the first half an hour we imagined how wonderful it would be when the first light came out through the thick clouds and how soft it would be when the light touched our skin so we waited and waited. However, another half an hour later I gradually lost my patience since there was nothing but the chilly darkness and I felt that I was frozen to death. But my friends were still extremely cheerful.

Nearly another one hour later "Amazing!" a word burst out from Judy and we all shouted to welcome the light orange greatness which is really unbelievable. Until today I dare say that it is the most impressive sunrise in my life. However, waiting in the morning darkness is also the one I can not wipe out forever.

Waiting sometimes is really a hard thing for most of us as it needs patience and strong-willed determination, but what about the result after that? It might turn out to be pleasingly unbelievable and satisfied. So it is really worthwhile to wait for the best.

1. When did they see the first light of the sunrise?

A．Nearly 6 o'clock.

B．Nearly 5 o'clock.

C．About 4 o'clock.

D．About 3 o'clock.

2. What's the meaning of the underlined word "chilly" in paragraph two?

A．Terrible.

B．Interesting.

C．Total.

D．Cold.

3. What's the author's attitude towards waiting for the sunrise?

A．Afraid all the time.	B．Excited all the time.
C．Firstly excited then impatient.	D．Firstly excited then afraid.

4. What does the author want to tell us by this passage?

A．His friends and he took a trip to Hawaii.

B．He enjoyed the most flaming sunrise in his life.

C．Sometimes it is worthwhile to wait for the best.

D．Hawaii is a good place to enjoy the sunrise.