【推荐2】Israeli company Watergen has produced an appliance that generates clean, drinkable water out of air. The device called GENNY is small enough to be used in a home or office but can generate up to 30 liters of water a day.

The water that GENNY produces is not only clean enough to drink, it's also often cleaner than tap water.

GENNY takes air in and passes it through a filter to remove dust and dirt. The filter is powerful enough to work even in areas with high air pollution. The air then passes through a chamber where heating and cooling cause water vapor in the air to condense (凝结). This water is then passed through several more filters and minerals are added to make it healthier and taste better. Finally, the water is stored in a tank where it is continually circulated to keep it fresh.

A larger model, called the GEN-350, can produce up to 900 liters of water per day. The GEN-350 is now being used in hospitals that previously did not have a reliable source of fresh, clean water. Watergen has also developed an emergency response vehicle (ERV) that can carry a GEN-350 unit wherever it is needed. In addition to the GEN-350, the ERV carries a portable generator that supplies electricity for the GEN-350.

Watergen's ERV is designed to bring water to people who are suffering from the effects of a serious earthquake, fire, flood or other situation. Once such incident occurred in Northern California in 2018. A fire started at a camp site and spread quickly over a wide area, destroying many thousands of acres of trees and many homes. The town of Paradise, California, was hit particularly hard. One of Watergen's ERVs was driven to Paradise, where it provided water for its citizens and rescue workers.

1. What does the article point out about Watergen's devices?

A．They're manufactured in numerous countries.

B．They're very difficult to operate sometimes.

C．They cost less than they did years ago.

D．They're available in different sizes.

2. What does GENNY accomplish by adding ingredients to the water?

A．It satisfies local water regulations.

B．It improves the flavor of the water.

C．It prepares the water for shipment abroad.

D．It keeps the water at the right temperature.

3. According to the article, what happens inside GENNY’S tank?

A．The water is transferred to plastic bottles.

B．The bacteria in the water are destroyed.

C．The quality of the water is carefully tested.

D．The water is kept moving at all times.

4. What can Watergen do using its ERV?

A．Respond to natural disasters.

B．Put its competitors out of business.

C．Increase its profit margins.

D．Deal with customers' complaints.

【推荐3】Money might not grow on trees, but it seems that furniture does! Gavin Munro, a UK-based designer, has come up with a brilliant alternative to cutting beautiful trees and converting them into furniture.

He first came up with the idea of growing furniture when he was working as a gardener in California and also made furniture with washed-up driftwood on the side.

After several attempts, he finally managed to develop a model chair using four trees. Munro is now tending to a small 2.5 acre “furniture forest” of 400 trees in a field north of Derby, England. He uses specially designed plastic frames to make young oak and ash trees into the shapes of chairs, tables, frames, or lamps.

A forest that grows furniture sounds like a setting right out of Alice in Wonderland, but there’s nothing magical about it, just a lot of hard work. The forest consists of rows upon rows of trees covered in blue plastic molds, converting them into furniture as they grow. Once they take the desired shape, they are cared for until thick, mature and ready for harvest.

After harvesting, each piece is planned (刨平) and finished to show off the wood grain inside. “It’s an art form in itself, keeping track of everything,” Munro said.

The entire process takes about four to eight years, resulting in fully functional, organic, eco-friendly furniture, and more long-lasting than anything else on the market. They are grown and grafted (嫁接) into one solid piece without any joints that loosen over time. As Munro puts it, “These pieces of furniture could last for centuries.”

Quality isn’t an issue with forest-grown furniture, but maintenance and scalability (可伸缩性) certainly are. For now, Munro expects to grow 50 pieces a year, with the first lot of chairs available for purchase in mid-2017, priced at $3,700 each.

1. The first paragraph mainly serves as ___.

A．comment	B．praise
C．introduction	D．background

2. Gavin Munro thought of growing furniture_____.

A．while serving as a gardener	B．while relaxing at home
C．while studying in California	D．when he grow up

3. What plays a key role in growing furniture?

A．Rich imagination.	B．Perfect design.
C．Large irrigation.	D．Hard work.

4. The passage is probably taken from ____.

A．an essay	B．a report
C．a novel	D．a diary

【推荐1】If you were to throw, say, a banana peel out of your car while driving along the motorway, that would be a completely harmless action, due to the fact that it’s part of a fruit, right? Actually, no. A banana peel can take up two years to decompose (分解), and with a third of motorists admitting to littering while driving, that’s a whole lot of waste banana peels, or much worse. An orange peel and a cigarette butt has a similar biodegrading (生物降解) term to that of a banana, but tin and aluminum (铝) cans last up to100 years; and plastic bottles last forever, as do glass bottles and plastic bags.

Despite the fact that longer-lasting materials will serve to damage the environment, we can’t only measure the severity (严重) of a certain type of rubbish by its lifetime. For example, despite having a fairly short biodegrading span, more than 120 tons of cigarette-related litter is thrown in the UK every day. Similarly, our regular littering here and there has caused the UK’s mouse population to increase by 60 million. This suddenly isn’t so mysterious when you consider that since the 1960s our annual littering has increased by an astonishing 500 percent.

It’s not a cheap habit either: UK taxpayers spent £500 million on keeping the streets clean. So, it’s not surprising that if caught fly-tipping, you could face a £20, 000 fine. Regardless of how severe the punishment might seem, however, among the reported cases only 2, 000 were punished out of 825, 000, so we still have some way to go in making sure people obey the rules.

To take back our beautiful cities, we need to do more than simply not leaving rubbish where it ought not to be. We need to care more about the world around us.

1. Which of the following is the easiest to decompose in the passage?

A．A glass bottle.

B．A plastic bag.

C．An aluminum can.

D．An orange peel.

2. What can we know from paragraph 2?

A．Annual littering has increased a little in the UK since the 1960s.

B．Shorter-lasting materials will be less harmful to the environment.

C．Cigarette-related littering is a severe environmental problem in the UK.

D．Regular littering has caused the UK’s mouse population to reach 60 million.

3. Which of the following can best describe the UK’s punishment on littering?

A．Every little helps.	B．More haste, less speed.
C．No pain, no gain.	D．A drop in the bucket.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Littering, a Surprisingly Big Issue

B．Environment Issues, a Big Concern

C．Rubbish Collection, an Urgent Task

D．Long-lasting Material, a Hidden Danger

【推荐2】Life is a series of choices whose consequences we cannot always foresee. Harry Saleem, an obese man with too much money and power, faced a choice. Outside his office waited his personal doctor who has brought him significant news about the only medicine that could save his life. On the other side of the world, one of his engineers waited for his decision on an important matter of business.

His secretary urged him several times to bring the doctor in but received only an indifferent reply from the billionaire: “No, let the fool wait.” “Business comes first!” Growled Saleem who was still obsessed with making money, despite the health problems caused by his huge weight. He raised a fat finger, and one of his staff hurried to switch on a large television set whose screen flashed to life, and Saleem’s engineer appeared. The man talked by satellite directly to his master although they were thousands of miles apart: “It’s all ready to blow, Mr Saleem,” he said. “Just say the word.”

His engineer was standing above Pakan Valley in South America which had been a rain forest just a few months ago, but then Saleem’s men came, cutting down all the valuable trees and forcing the villagers to move out. Across the bottom of the valley, a dam had been built which would provide power for the planned factories which would bring Saleem vast profits. Therefore, he saw no reason to delay and ordered the engineer to press the button. The camera panned away into the distance, and then a cloud of dust rose up, followed shortly by a dull explosion. A roaring river changed its course, and water flooded into the doomed Pakan Valley.

”Good, that’s that. Turn it off. Now get that doctor in here,” he commanded. The doctor came in with a worried look and started to examine his wealthy patient. “You’re doing very well, Mr Saleem,” he said finally. “The new medicine is saving your life but the only difficulty is getting more of it.” “Can you get more? Money is no problem,” Saleem said. “Tell me what you need, and we’ll get it.”

”The main ingredient of this medicine came from a newly discovered plant—a small, green orchid,” the doctor explained. “We’ll need many of them to make enough medicine. They are very rare. There’s only one place in the world where they grow.”

“Where?” demanded the businessman, impatiently.

The doctor smiled. “Well, lucky the orchids come from some land which you own, sir, so there won’t be any difficulty finding them. They’re from a place in South America known as Pakan Valley.”

1. Why did Saleem postpone the appointment with the doctor?

A．He was busy planning the building of a dam.

B．He was about to interview an important engineer.

C．He was about to attend an important online meeting.

D．He didn’t care about the advice of his secretary.

2. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Life is composed of unforeseeable consequences.

B．Saleem is an obese billionaire who cares a lot about money.

C．Saleem’s engineer was waiting for a final word about a project.

D．The construction of the dam took the local biodiversity and ecology into consideration.

3. Which of the following is the word of the closest meaning to the underlined word “doomed” in the third paragraph?

A．fatal

B．declined

C．lucky

D．destined

4. What might be Saleem’s reaction when he heard what the doctor said?

A．Staying as calm as he used to be.

B．Getting angry by the doctor’s word.

C．Growing impatient by the doctor’s persuasion.

D．Getting shocked by the medical advice and what he had just done.

【推荐3】Today, Mount Qomolangma's peak is not a lonely place any more. More than 3,500 people have successfully climbed the 8,844m mountain, and more than a tenth of that number reached the peak just over the past year. As more and more people try to test themselves against Qomolangma, many a time the mount can be very crowded. Climbers have complained about waiting for hours in the bottlenecks（狭窄路段） on the way to the peak. If bad weather strikes, climbers can and do die.
But the dangerous crowds aren't the only problem on Qomolangma. All those climbers need to bring a lot of gear—much of them ends up being left on the mountain, sometimes even the peak itself. Mount Qomolangma is becoming the world's tallest rubbish dump. Here's mountaineer Mark Jenkins writing in National Geographic about the state of Qomolangma: "The two standard routes, the Northeast Ridge and the Southeast Ridge, are not only dangerously crowded but also badly polluted."
But the good news is that some mountaineers are taking it upon themselves to clean up Qomolangma. Mountaineer Paul Thelen and his friend Eberhard Schaaf are part of the annual Eco Everest Expedition, which has been cleaning up rubbish from base camps to the peak since 2008. So far they've collected over 13 tons of garbage.
Some of that rubbish is even being used for a higher purpose. As part of the Mount Everest 8844 Art Project, a group of 15 artists from Nepal collected 1.5 tons of garbage brought down the mountain by climbers. They've changed the cans and oxygen tanks—in one case, part of the remains of a helicopter—into 74 pieces of art that have already gone on exhibition in Nepal's capital. Part of the profit from sales will go to the Everest Peakeers Association, which has helped collect tons of rubbish off the mountain.
1. What do we learn about the bottlenecks on the way to Mount Qomolangma's peak?

A．They are relatively safe.

B．They are often crowded.

C．They are very easy to pass.

D．They are sites of base camps.

2. What does the underlined word "gear" mean?

A．Useful equipment for climbing mountains.

B．The water from the mountain.

C．Some important machines used for the bottlenecks.

D．Some cans and oxygen tanks found on the mountain.

3. The group of 15 Nepali artists ____.

A．created works of art using rubbish from Qomolangma

B．were employed by the Everest Peakeers Association

C．climbed Qomolangma and collected 1.5 tons of trash

D．painted 74 beautiful pictures of Mount Qomolangma's peak

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Test Yourself Against Qomolangma

B．Qomolangma has Become a Huge Mess

C．Eco Everest Expedition Proves Successful

D．How to Climb Qomolangma

【推荐1】If you look around your city, you might spot girls wearing hanfu in subways or people wearing, T-shirts with Chinese characters on the streets. A new trend is taking hold in China-guochao or “China-chic”.

According to a recently published report, searches related to guochao on Dianping, a lifestyle information platform, have risen by 170 percent from the same period last year, and reviews have risen by nearly 40 percent. China-chic is happening, but what is it?

The term characterizes the rise of China’s native fashion trends. It has expanded the concept of “Made in China”, which has been recognized as the representation of Chinese culture and aesthetics (审美) offered by homegrown Chinese brands, according to CGTN.

China-chic came into the spotlight in 2018. Before that, big-name foreign companies dominated the world market. To win market share, many Chinese brands followed in the footsteps of these Western brands. But that year, Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning changed things up. During the 2018 New York Fashion Week, Li-Ning introduced its Taoism-inspired Wu Dao collection. The collection not only had a trendy look, but also included elements of traditional Chinese culture. It immediately grabbed attention at home and abroad. As a result, the company recorded 20 percent revenue growth in 2018, marking the first time the brand’s revenue had hit the 10-billion-yuan mark since its founding.

The trend to embrace (欣然) domestic brands has since spread rapidly to various sectors (领域) and products, from food and drinks to clothing, mobile phones and electric vehicles. For example, White Rabbit, whose sweet candy brings back childhood memories for many, launched its perfume (香水) and lip balm (唇膏). “We want White Rabbit to be a brand that young people want to share,” Shen Qinfeng, the company’s marketing manager, told People’s Daily.

Now, the guochao trend is “moving to the next stage”, where its success will rely, first and foremost on gaining cultural confidence rather than Western validation (认可), according to Kerra Zhou, founder or brand strategy consultancy Kerrisma.

This March, several Western brands boycotted Xinjiang cotton over “forced labor” allegations (指控). To show national pride and cultural confidence, the “I support Xinjiang cotton” campaign spread across the country. Many Chinese boycotted these Western brands and turned to Chinese domestic brands support Xinjiang cotton, like Li-Ning and Anta.

“No matter how the guochao trend evolves, there’s one thing that won’t change: Behind the craze is people’s positive attitude toward the country’s development and their recognition of and growing confidence in national culture,” said Yao Linqing, a professor in the School of Economics and Management at Communication University of China.

1. What is China-Chic according to the text?

A．Interest in Chinese features in fashion.

B．Young Chinese peoples preference for ancient culture.

C．The international popularity of products made in China.

D．The growing role of Chinese native brands in promoting aesthetics.

2. Why did Li-Ning, get so much attention during the 2018 New York Fashion Week?

A．It took the lead in the similar brands.

B．It adopted Western design in its sportswear.

C．Its revenue hit the 10-billion-yuan mark that year.

D．Its products followed the trend and reflected Chinese elements.

3. What did White Rabbit do to win over young buyers?

A．It upgraded its packaging.

B．It expanded its domestic market.

C．It increased the variety of its products.

D．It brought their childhood memories back.

4. What does the example of the “I support Xinjiang cotton” campaign try to show?

A．Chinese products are better than Western ones.

B．Chinese native brands are facing false allegations.

C．Cheap and high quality native materials are more popular.

D．Chinese people’s cultural confidence drives the guochao trend.

【推荐3】On December 26, 2004, hundreds of tourists relaxed on Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park’s beaches. But at mid-morning the park’s elephants began crying wildly and running away from the ocean and up a nearby hill. The puzzled keepers could tell the animals were worried about something but what?

What the keepers did not know was that a 30-foot wall of water was headed straight toward them. This tsunami(海啸) had been caused by an earthquake more than 1, 000 miles away in the Indian Ocean. When the huge wave hit the coast, it caused severe damage. Many people died. The elephants, however, were not swept away by the water. They stood safely on the hill.

Scientists have long suspected that animals sense natural disasters before humans do. People have told stories of dogs refusing to go outside and sharks swimming to deeper waters before a hurricane. After the 2004 tsunami, people said they saw tigers, monkeys, and water buffalo escaping to higher ground before the waters rushed in. Even in the hardest-hit areas of southern Asia, there were few animal deaths.

It's unlikely that an animal’s so-called sixth sense comes from some magical power to see into the future. Experts believe that animals may be more sensitive than humans to changes in temperature and other environmental conditions that take place before a natural disaster. The elephants in Sri Lanka, for example, may have picked up vibrations from within the Earth, a sign that earthquake was coming. Because vibrations in the ground travel much faster than an ocean wave, the elephants may have felt the earthquake that caused the tsunami well before the tsunami itself came to the coast.

A few scientists are calling for a system to track reports of strange behavior in people’s pets, hoping that these reports can serve as a warning system that a natural disaster is about to happen. But Marina Haynes, an animal behavior scientist at the Philadelphia Zoo, says, “It would be an unreliable way to predict disasters. It can be difficult to know what an animal is doing. Is the animal nervous because an earthquake is about to happen or is it frightened because there is an enemy nearby?”

1. What happened to the elephants in Yala National Park on December 26, 2004?

A．They died in the natural disaster.

B．They were disturbed by the tourists.

C．They moved from the hill to the seaside.

D．They behaved strangely before the tsunami.

2. The author supports his point of view in paragraph 3 mainly by _______.

A．giving examples

B．making comparisons

C．telling interesting stories

D．showing research findings

3. The underlined word vibrations in paragraph 4 means _______.

A．changes in temperature	B．a kind of chemical power
C．continuous shaking movement	D．serious environmental pollution

4. What may be Marina Haynes’ attitude towards the warning system in the last paragraph?

A．Positive.	B．Doubtful.
C．Hopeful.	D．Supportive.