【推荐1】At the beginning of the 16th century, Leonardo da Vinci returned to Florence after almost two decades in the employ of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. Nearing 50, Leonardo was already famed for his scientific gift and artistic achievements. Combining practicality and observation, Leonardo applied the principle of sapere vedere (knowing how to see, in Latin) into as many areas of human enquiry as it led him.

Cesare Borgia, the ambitious son of Pope Alexander VI, became Leonardo’s financial supporter in 1502. One of the first tasks given to Leonardo was to create a map of the city of Imola, near Bologna. Borgia had taken control of the city in 1499. It was a key success for the young commander. Controlling the city would require understanding its geography and landmarks, and Borgia wanted the map from the finest mind of Leonardo in order to do that.

In the 16th century city maps tended to be symbolic and often symbolic, enlarging the size of religious buildings. Leonardo’s “Imola Plan” broke with this tradition, aiming to show the reality on the ground, and to provide a map that was of more practical use.

Leonardo applied a mapping technique developed by Florentine humanist Leon Battista Alberti, who suggested that a town should be mapped using polar coordinates (极坐标系). Starting with Alberti’s technique, Leonardo adapted it to record more accurate distances, proportions, and relationships between features.

The city’s public square was fixed in the middle of the grid (坐标方格). Historians believe that Leonardo collected data on the ground by starting at this central point and then using a compass (罗盘) and odometer (计程器) to measure streets and landmarks. Using geometry, he could then fill in the rest of the map.

Leonardo’s techniques gave rise to the first map that used data to accurately show a “flattened city” as it might be seen from above, what is called an ichnographic (平面图的) map today, perhaps the most familiar type of map used today. Leonardo’s measurements still hold up: According to historians, the “Imola Plan” can still be used to navigate the city five centuries later.

1. Why did Cesare Borgia ask Leonardo da Vinci to map Imola?

A．To rebuild it.	B．To rule it better.
C．To attack and take it.	D．To push mapping forward.

2. What can we infer about the city maps in the 16th century?

A．They were always of a large size.

B．They were often created by religious groups.

C．They gave special attention to certain landmarks.

D．They continued the tradition of showing reality.

3. From whom did Leonardo da Vinci get inspiration when carrying out the “Imola Plan”?

A．Cesare Borgia.	B．Ludovico Sforza.
C．Leon Battista Alberti.	D．Pope Alexander VI.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The popularity of ichnographic maps nowadays.

B．The expectation of the development of mapping.

C．The improvement of measures used to make maps.

D．The importance of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Imola Plan”.

【推荐3】On the way to his home the child turned many times and beat the dog, declaring with childish gestures that he held him in contempt (蔑视) as an unimportant dog. The dog apologized for being this quality of animal and expressed regret in fine form, but he continued stealthily to follow the child.

When the child reached his door-step, the dog was a few yards behind moving slowly toward him. He became so anxious with shame when he again faced the child that he forgot the dragging rope. He tripped (绊倒) upon it and fell forward.

The child sat down on the step and the two had another interview. During it the dog did his best to please the child. He performed a few playful jumps with such abandon (尽情地) that the child suddenly saw him to be a valuable thing. He made a swift, greedy charge (猛冲) and seized the rope.

He dragged his captive (俘虏) into a hall and up many long stairways in a dark building. The dog made willing efforts, but he could not walk very skillfully up the stairs because he was very small and soft, and at last the pace of the child grew so energetic that the dog became panic-stricken. In his mind he was being dragged toward somewhere unknown. His eyes grew wild with the terror of it. He began to wiggle his head wildly and to brace his legs.

The child redoubled his efforts. They had a battle on the stairs. The child was victorious because he was completely absorbed in his purpose and because the dog was very small. He dragged his acquirement to the door of his home, and finally with victory across the doorway. No family member was in. The child sat down on the floor and made overtures to (向……示好) the dog. These the dog instantly accepted. He smiled with affection upon his new friend. In a short time they were firm and abiding (矢志不渝的) comrades.

1. What might have happened before the first paragraph?

A．The child had wanted to own the dog for a long time.

B．The dog had been someone else’s pet but lost his way.

C．The child had been looking for the lost dog for a long time.

D．The dog had been driven out of home by the child’s family.

2. What directly made the boy change his mind?

A．The dog’s apology.	B．His first interview with the dog
C．His pity on the dog.	D．The dog’s pleasing performance.

3. Which of the following best describe the change of the dog’s feeling?

A．Frightened-relieved-anxious-happy.	B．Worried-angry-scared-delighted
C．Guilty-anxious-nervous-pleased.	D．Angry-regretted-scared-puzzled.

【推荐1】Many people think that romance (浪漫) will disappear little by little as couples grow older, but a heartbreaking video of an elderly man singing to his dying wife shows that for some, love lasts a life time.

The video was uploaded (上传) to Facebook by the pair’s granddaughter Erin Solari. In the video 92-year-old Howard is singing to his dying wife, 93-year-old Laura, with the 1940s love song “You’ll Never Know”.

“I love you.., always love,” Laura, who is seriously ill, tells her husband in the video before asking him to “take good care of yourself” when she’s gone.

Howard then continues to sing to his wife: “You’ ll never know just how much I miss you. You’ll never know just how much I care. You’ll never know just how much I love you.” “Isn’t your grandfather lovely?” Laura says to her granddaughter, who is filming the moving moment on her phone in the hospital room.

Erin originally posted the video to her Facebook page on September 12, 2015, and it has since earned more than 3.6 million views. On her Facebook, Erin wrote down details of her grandparents’ inspiring relationship. She said Howard chose to sing “You’ll Never Know” to his wife because “the song comforted her when he went away to fight in World War II.” “Their love story has moved hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world,” said Erin.

1. Where did Erin Solari record the video?

A．In Laura’ s house.	B．At her home.
C．At the hospital	D．On the way to the hospital.

2. Why did Howard sing “You’ ll Never Know” when Laura was dying?

A．To ask for her forgiveness.	B．To let her feel less painful.
C．To remind her of the past.	D．To give her some comfort.

3. What result does the video make?

A．It moves a lot of people.	B．Solari receives many letters.
C．It helps Solari earn some money.	D．It will be filmed into a movie.

【推荐2】“Tell me the story of me, Momma,” my daughter Sophie always asks when we sit on my grandmother’s rocking chair at the end of the day. “The first time I saw your beautiful face, it was nearly covered by a blue-and-white hat. You were surrounded by a soft blue blanket (毛毯). All I could see was a rosy face.” “And I looked like a tiny fairy baby?” she asks. “You did, and you weren’t older than a minute,” I always answer. “The nurse handed a tiny little girl to me, and I was so surprised because you felt so light. I thought if I threw off the blanket, I’d find no baby there at all, only air.”

From that moment, I became a mother. But that moment was just special and magical as if she’d come from my body directly into my arms. From that day on, she was my daughter in every way that mattered.

It’s easy sometimes to forget there was another mother out there with whom I share my title. Sophie’s birth mother, who was also my friend, lost her life to cancer not long after giving birth to Sophie. And I’ll never forget that it was her difficult decision — her tears and her pain — that made me a mom.

As my daughter grows, she will understand that sometimes life is a relay race (接力赛), and you never know who in this world will hand you your baton (接力棒). It could be someone you know for years, or it could be someone who you even never meet, someone you will never be able to repay for giving you the life you always wanted.

1. How does the author start the text?

A．By remembering her grandmother.	B．By asking her daughter questions.
C．By describing her past life.	D．By showing a conversation.

2. How does the author feel towards Sophie’s birth mother?

A．Disappointed.

B．Worried.

C．Thankful.

D．Surprised.

3. Which of the following could be the best title for the text?

A．Taking up the baton	B．Being thankful for life
C．Two mothers’ love	D．The mystery of Sophie’s birth

【推荐3】任务型阅读

Jenny was the only child in her home. She had a quarrel with her mother that afternoon and she ran out of the house angrily. She couldn’t help weeping sorrowfully(悲伤地) when she thought of the scolding(责备) from her mother. Wandering(闲逛) aimlessly in the street for hours, she felt a little hungry and wished for something to eat, but it was not possible for her, since she had nothing with her. She stood beside a stand(摊位) for a while, watching the middle-aged seller busy doing his business. However, with no money in hand, she sighed and had to leave.

The seller behind the stand noticed the young girl and asked, “Hey, girl, you want to have the noodles?”

“Oh, yes… but I don’t have money on me…” she replied.

“That’s nothing. I’ll treat you today,” said the man. “Come in.”

The seller brought her a bowl of noodles, whose smell was so attractive. As she was eating, Jenny cried silently.

“What is it?” asked the man kindly.

“Nothing, actually I was just touched by your kindness!” said Jenny as she wiped her tears. “Even a stranger on the street will give me a bowl of noodles, while my mother drove me out of the house. She showed no care for me. She is so merciless(没有同情心的adj. ) compared to a stranger!”

1. 根据文本内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中，每词限用一次，有两词为多余选项。

kind       treat (招待 v. )       mercy(同情 n. )       hunger       expect       move angry       wander (闲逛 v. )       strict       complain (抱怨 v. )     sad       possible
One afternoon Jenny quarreled with her mother and left home with ________.		She had a sense of ________ and wept.
________ in the street for hours, Jenny felt hungry.		Jenny ________ something to eat, but it was ________ for her.
A seller had a small talk with Jenny and ________ her to a bowl of noodles.		She was ________ and cried silently because of the seller’s ________.
Jenny thanked the seller and ________ that her mother showed no care for her.		She thought her mother was ________ to her.

2. Running out of the house, how did Jenny feel?
__________________________________________________
3. Knowing Jenny standing beside a stand for a while without money, what did the seller do?
__________________________________________________
4. What do you think Jenny will do in the end?
__________________________________________________