【推荐1】Some scientists have traced the increase in earthquakes, especially in areas not known for the presence of fault lines or past seismic (地震的) activity, to human actions. The idea of humans causing earthquakes may seem strange at first. After all, you can run around your backyard and jump up and down as you want, and the ground isn’t going to start shaking. However, scientists have identified a variety of large scale human activities that can result in earthquakes.

Scientists have confirmed over 700 places where human activities have caused earthquakes over the last century. While many human-related earthquakes are mild and don’t cause much damage, some of them can be serious and dangerous. In fact, scientists believe human activity has caused earthquakes with magnitudes as high as 7.9 on the Richter scale.

Scientists believe most human-related earthquakes are the result of mining. As companies drill deeper and deeper below Earth’s surface to get natural resources, holes left behind can cause instability that leads to collapses that cause earthquakes. Another human activity leading to earthquakes is fracking (水力压裂) for oil and gas, including the high pressure waste water processing that usually goes with fracking. In this process, water, sand and chemicals are pressed underground under high pressure to break rocks to release natural resources.

Building large dams can also cause earthquakes. For example, about 80, 000 people died in China in 2008 as a result of a 7.9-magnitude earthquake caused by 320 million tons of water that had been collected in the Zipingpu Reservoir after a large dam was built over a known fault line.

These aren’t the only human activities that can result in earthquakes, though. Scientists point out that earthquakes can also be caused by other human activities, such as construction of skyscrapers and nuclear explosions.

1. What does the underlined part “fault lines” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A．Regions with active human actions.	B．Places associated with natural balance.
C．Zones where natural resources are rich.	D．Areas where earthquakes tend to happen.

2. What do mining and oil producing have in common?

A．They break the balance of nature.	B．They destroy the stability of rocks.
C．They use high pressure to get resources.	D．They do much damage to Earth’s surface.

3. What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?

A．The 2008 earthquake is the worst in history.	B．Construction of dams should be stopped.
C．Tons of water must cause earthquakes.	D．The location of a dam matters much.

4. What does the text mainly tell us?

A．Nature punishes humans by means of earthquakes.	B．Progress has been made on earthquake research.
C．Humans are to blame for some earthquakes.	D．Earthquakes are no longer nature-made.

【推荐3】A Wall of Water

At ten o'clock on the morning of May 25, 2009, Nasir Uddin was standing outside his mud house. He noticed that the river next to his house was higher than normal. He looked toward the sea. He suddenly saw a huge wall of brown water. It was rushing toward him. Within minutes, the water came into his house. It washed away the mud walls. Uddin and his three young daughters jumped onto the kitchen table. "I was sure we were all dead," he later said. Incredible, an empty boat passed by. He managed to put his daughters in the boat. He held on to its side. This Bangladeshi family was fortunate. They survived this disaster, but hundreds of their neighbors died.

Floods happen when a river or the sea rises and covers dry land. Unfortunately, Bangladesh often experiences floods. This is because the majority of its land is less than 15 feet（5 meters）above sea level. The sea level is rising because of global warming. As it rises, it covers more land in Bangladesh. In the worst scenario, the country may lose one quarter of its land by the end of the century. This is very serious because millions of people live close to the sea.

Coastal flooding is also very destructive because it covers the land with salty seawater. The salt stays in the soil even after the flood is over. When there is too much salt, farmers cannot grow their crops. This is happening to farming communities in Bangladesh. Frequent coastal flooding is destroying farms and crops. As a result, many farmers can no longer farm. Unfortunately, farmers often have nowhere to go. They cannot move to a new area because Bangladesh is so crowded. In fact, it is one of the most crowded countries in the world.

Bangladeshis face many challenges from flooding. Yet this is a nation of strong people. They are finding solutions. Bangladeshi farmers now grow special rice in salt water. They raise seafood such as shrimp and crab in areas closest to the sea. In addition, they have built huge walls of earth. They hope these walls will keep the sea away from their vegetable farms. They have also built shelters and developed an early-warning system. "Let me tell you about Bangladeshis," says Zakir Kibria, a farming expert. "We may be poor..., but we are not victims."

So, when Uddin lost his home that day, he did what most Bangladeshis do: He rebuilt. This time, however, he built his house out of wood, not mud. He wants his home to survive the next flood.

1. Uddin and his family survived the sudden flood because________.

A．he had noted that there was a huge wall of brown water.

B．they were able to rush out of the house before the water came.

C．his daughters managed to get on a boat which he had prepared.

D．they were very lucky at the key moment while his neighbors weren't.

2. The underlined word "scenario" can be best replaced by________.

A．case

B．plan

C．imagination

D．picture

3. Which of the following is NOT a contributor to the flood disasters in Bangladesh?

A．The land there is not very high above sea level.

B．Greenhouse effect brings about the increase of sea level.

C．People there prefer to live along the coastline rather than move inland.

D．Flooding leaves the soil with salt which prevents plants from growing well.

4. Why is Uddin mentioned again in the last paragraph?

A．To inform readers of his recent life.

B．To illustrate the spirit of Bangladeshis.

C．To introduce a new way of batting floods.

D．To inspire readers to treasure their own life.

【推荐1】Overlooking the Biblioteca degli Alberi is Milan’s “Vertical (垂直的) Forest”: two residential tower blocks built in 2014 that are covered in 800 trees,4,500 shrubs and 15,000 plants. If this forest was planted on the ground, it would cover 20,000 m²— the size of three and a half football fields.

Each year the trees will absorb 10,000 tons of CO₂ and 57 tons of pollutants. They should also produce about 900 tons of oxygen. Boeri’s team of architects says the plants will also decrease the average air temperature, create noise barriers and boost biodiversity by creating a habitat for birds, insects and small animals.

It is not just physical wellbeing that is aided by large green structures in our cities. The team behind Sydney’s 100mhigh “vertical garden” claims it is a new form of “living architecture” that reminds us of “the restorative impact that nature has on our souls”. Just how restorative living near trees and plants is for our souls is open to debate; but studies in Germany have suggested that it can be extremely beneficial for our brains.

Scientists examined brain image sequences (顺序) of 341 elderly residents of Berlin, focusing particularly on the amygdala —the part of the brain that controls our fear responses and is responsible for stress and anxiety disorders. They found that there was strong connection between residents living within 1km of the forests on the edge of the city and those with the healthiest amygdala. A health y amygdala means being less likely to suffer from the stress and anxiety disorders controlled by this part of the brain. Mood and anxiety disorders are up to 56%higher in urban environments when compared to rural locations.

With two-thirds of the world’s population predicted to be living in cities by 2050, Milan’s Vertical Forest might show the world a way to create healthier, happier urban spaces.

1. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．The area of the city forest.	B．The way of building city forest.
C．The positive influence on the city forest.	D．The expected effect of the city forest.

2. What is the author’s attitude towards the Vertical Forest?

A．Favorable.

B．Suspicious.

C．Objective.

D．Indifferent.

3. Studies in Germany show that ______.

A．amygdala controls our fear responses

B．living near forests is beneficial for our souls

C．people near the forests are less likely to feel anxious

D．more residents will live in Vertical Forest in the future

4. Which of the following may the author agree with?

A．Cities are turning suitable for people to live in.

B．There is a worldwide focus on how to improve biodiversity.

C．Milan’s Vertical Forest becomes an example of urban biodiversity.

D．The Vertical Forest covers the size of three and a half football fields.

【推荐2】There are some problem areas for international students and immigrants’ studying in the United States. Making friends is a challenge (this is also true for some American students). Many college and universities offer a variety of student clubs and organizations where both foreign-born and native American students have a greater chance of meeting people with shared interests. Information about these out-of-class activities is often posted in the student center and listed in the student newspaper. Sometimes foreign students and immigrant students find Americans to be “cliquish (有派性的)”. Americans find some non-U.S.-born students to be cliquish as well. If people feel separated from the social aspects of American college life, they should actively seek people with shared interests. It is unlikely that students will make friends just by passing people on the campus.

Foreign or immigrant students may feel confused during the first few weeks at a new school because they do not understand the system and are not willing to ask questions. Many students do not take advantage of the numerous services offered on campus that assist students in developing new skills and social groups. Some colleges offer students tutorial (辅导的) support in such subjects as writing, language study, computer skills, and other basic subjects. Students who appear to be most successful in "learning the ropes" are those who can solve problems by taking the initiative to ask questions, locate resources, and experience new social situations.

1. In the United States, students can find friends with the same interests by______

A．passing people on the campus

B．reading the student newspaper

C．joining the student clubs

D．visiting the student center

2. The sentence “people feel separated from the social aspects of American college life” (Line 7,Para. l) means they have difficulty in______.

A．communicating with others on the campus

B．being easily accepted by the university

C．finding people with shared interests

D．getting a job in American society

3. When they first come to college, some foreign students may feel confused because______.

A．they are denied any help from people around

B．they are provided with few services

C．they are faced with an unfamiliar educational system

D．they are unwilling to adapt themselves to the new environment

4. The phrase “learning the ropes” (Line 6, Para. 2) is closest in meaning to ______

A．finding the way to develop new skills

B．having the skills to make conversations

C．learning how to answer questions

D．knowing how to handle problems

5. From the passage we may conclude that foreign students______.

A．are unlikely to be successful in American college life

B．may face some problems in adjusting to American college life

C．are not good at developing friendship and social groups

D．can hardly learn well when they enter an American college

【推荐3】She’s one of the most popular children’s book authors. There are very few other writers who can create such magic with their stories. One other such author is J. K. Rowling. But it all started with Enid Blyton, the English writer.

This woman was really a genius (天才), and knew the way to a child’s heart. Many children’s love for reading began with her. She wrote mysteries about boarding school adventures, and there was always something to learn at the end of the story. “Don’t be greedy (贪婪的)” or “It’s good to be kind” or “Be kind to animals” or “Being too naughty will only land you in trouble”. There was always something that kids need to apprehend at a young age.

And she showed all these in the sweetest, most kindly way possible. Everything turned out to be okay in the end and the bad guys got what they deserved (应得的), but nothing too hard. And they became good people in the end. If only the real world was this simple. She’s written books about kids solving problems in the world filled with gods and fairies (仙女) where everyone was good and kind, and lived with enough chocolates and other delicious foods. This world is just what people want.

Do you know the kids’ show that is popular on Pogo? Yeah, Enid Blyton created these characters. The series is based on her books. These are just a few. She’s created hundreds and hundreds of characters and more than 400 million copies of her children’s books have been sold worldwide.

Children are crazy about her books and parents and schools are certainly going to make them read her books. They’re perfect for kids. Enid Blyton is the reason why I developed such a love for writing stories! She had such a wonderful imagination and knew exactly how to steal a child’s heart. She stole mine.

1. Why did Enid Blyton win the author’s praise?

A．She cared for children very much.

B．She could make children love reading.

C．She is more popular than J. K. Rowling.

D．She cared more about works than wealth.

2. What does the underlined word “apprehend” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Understand.

B．Enjoy.

C．Seek.

D．Spread.

3. What’s Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．Enid Blyton’s achievement.

B．Enid Blyton’s writing skills.

C．What is in Enid Blyton’s books.

D．What Enid Blyton’s favourite characters are.

4. What can we guess about the author from the last paragraph?

A．She often tells her children Enid Blyton’s stories.

B．She began to create stories because of Enid Blyton.

C．She suggests teaching Enid Blyton’s stories at school.

D．She hopes to live a life just as Enid Blyton wrote.