【推荐1】Saturn, an alligator（短吻鳄）, aged 84, died at the Moscow Zoo. That in itself made Saturn unusual. In the wild, the normal life span for an alligator is 30 to 50 years. But longevity was the least unusual aspect of Saturn’s life story.

Saturn was born somewhere in Mississippi in 1936 and was shipped to the Berlin Zoo from which he disappeared on November 23rd, 1943, when the zoo was stricken in an air bombing campaign. Of the 16,000 animals once kept in the Berlin Zoo, fewer than 100 survived the war. Saturn was one of them.

When he got freedom in 1943, Saturn was 7 years old. In June 1946, an almost adult Saturn was discovered and captured by British army. The alligator was then turned over to the allied Soviet troops（苏联盟军）in Berlin who sent him on to Moscow where he would live in the next 74 years.

It was in Moscow that word got around that Saturn was a pet which belonged to Adolf Hitler. This undocumented episode with Hitler made Saturn a public figure.

"Even if he belonged to someone," the zoo's announcement of Saturn's death says, "animals are not involved in war and politics." Officials at the Moscow Zoo treated him as an honored guest. "We tried to take care of him with great care and attention. He was picky about food." Even among his keepers, he knew who he liked. He perfectly remembered the trusted keeper.

If a zoo animal can be a historical figure, officials say this one qualifies. "Saturn is a whole era for us. There is not the slightest exaggeration," the announcement of his death said. "He came after the victory in WWII—and witnessed（见证）its 75th anniversary. It is a great happiness that each of us could look into his eyes, just quietly being near. He saw many of us as children. We hope that we did not disappoint him.”

Death may not end Saturn's public career. It has been reported that his body will be maintained and placed on show at Moscow's Charles Darwin Museum of Biology.

1. What does the underlined "That" in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A．Saturn's death.	B．Saturn's longevity.
C．Saturn's life story.	D．Saturn's living conditions.

2. According to the timeline of Saturn's life， which matches the event to the year when it happened?

A．Saturn was born and raised in the Berlin Zoo in 1936

B．Saturn survived an air attack and got freedom in 1943.

C．Saturn got caught by the allied Soviet troops in 1946.

D．Saturn celebrated its 75th birthday and died in 2020.

3. What do we know about Saturn while he was in Moscow?

A．He was kept a pet there.	B．He could remember all the keepers.
C．He lived a go-as-you-please life.	D．He got well-known as a picky eater.

4. What makes Saturn a historical figure according to the text?

A．His story with Adolf Hitler.	B．His uncommon 84-year lifespan.
C．He will be on show after death.	D．He was identified as a history witness

【推荐2】Several years ago, I had to replace a receptionist for my unit. Before I advertised for the position, I was approached by another manager, and asked if I would consider a transfer from his staff instead of opening a new competition. My natural question was to ask who he wanted me to consider and why.

It appeared from his description of this employee, Maria, that she was having a lot of problems performing her duties, and had difficulties with her boss, and did not appear to respond to any attempts he, the manager, had made to settle the issues. Now, after listening to his explanation, I really had severe doubts. What crossed my mind, after this discussion, was that he wanted me to take a problem off his hands.

I told him I would think about it and would let him know the next day. As promised, after thinking more about this potential performance issue, I decided that I would agree to speak with Maria privately before I made any decision.

And, what I found out during this interview, left me deep in thought. As it turned out, the performance issue appeared to result from working for a boss who never extended a good morning greeting, never gave a word of encouragement, and was constantly changing the work load and routines. The end result was a totally ruined employee who was unconfident, hated to see a new work day start.

I decided to accept her transfer to my unit. What started out as a shy, withdrawn and frightened employee turned out to be one of the most productive and loyal employees that I had ever worked with. Maria couldn’t do enough and was constantly asking for more and more responsibility. I was more than happy to give her what she needed - praise for work well done, respect as a person, and encouragement for doing well in anything she dealt with.

Sometimes, we are guilty of holding others back from accomplishing or developing as they should or could. It may be a wise idea that we all look in the mirror, from time to time, to see what we are really like.

1. After hearing his colleague’s description of Maria, the writer thought that Maria ______.

A．deserved a pay rise	B．was a problem to her boss
C．needed further training	D．could get on well with others

2. Why did Maria fail to perform well in her previous job?

A．Her previous job was not suitable for her.	B．She had difficulty understanding her manager.
C．Her boss didn’t arouse her working enthusiasm.	D．Her boss showed no trust in her ability.

3. The writer accepted Maria’s transfer to his unit probably because he thought that ______.

A．she had the potential to be a manager	B．she would need his protection
C．she might turn out to be a good employee	D．she was a shy and frightened receptionist

4. The writer probably believes that a good boss should ______.

A．often give his employees chances of promotion	B．respect, praise and encourage his employees
C．claim responsibility for the mistakes in work	D．always offer his employees guidance

【推荐3】I still remember a lovely girl, though I don’t know her name.

We met in the Children’s Hospital. I was 11. I was born with a hole in my heart. So was the five-year-old girl in the bed beside me. We were both recovering from the same operation. Because I was older and wiser, I thought it was my job to look after her. “Do you want to hear a story?” I asked her one afternoon. “Great!” she said.

It was so easy to make her happy. She seemed always to be smiling or singing songs.

Life wasn’t fair. She passed away. My recovery went well. “You’re really lucky”, a nurse told me. “But how come my operation was so easy and hers wasn’t?” I asked. “Easy?” my dad said. “David, your operation wasn’t easy at all. we thought we were going to lose you. For two weeks after your operation many things could go wrong. You’re really lucky. When you were in the coma (昏迷), she used to come over to your bed and sing to you. She was watching over you.” my dad said.

My surgery scars (手术疤痕) are hidden under my shirt along with the memory of that kind little girl. She will be at my side like a small angel (hi). I am old and wise enough now to know that I have an angel watching over me whenever life is fair or unfair.

1. Why did the writer look after the little girl?

A．He thought it was his duty.	B．Her parents were busy.
C．She wanted to hear stories.	D．She was his best friend.

2. What was the girls character like?

A．Shy.	B．Positive.
C．Careless.	D．Humorous.

3. What can we learn about the writer?

A．He stayed in hospital for a short time.

B．It was easy for him to recover from illness.

C．A nurse in the hospital said he was unlucky.

D．He treasures the memory of that little girl.

4. What makes the writer still remember the girl?

A．Her death.	B．her dancing.
C．Her kindness.	D．Her growth.

【推荐1】For many pop idol fans, having the opportunity to participate in a music video for their favorite pop songs might be a dream coming true.

I had taken lessons at a Chinese-owned dance studio, and they began to hold auditions (试镜) for a special project-filming a music video! Those who passed the auditions would rehearse (排练) a well-designed dance and be filmed by a professional camera crew. I really like the song they chose, which is from a famous group I really like, so I auditioned.

I was confident at first in the audition, but as I felt more pressure, I forgot a few moves. This definitely hurt my chances, so I became very on edge about the results. Additionally, because the group was a four-member group, the studio was only looking for four people, and over 20 people had auditioned. I was very unsure if my performance would be good enough for a callback.

Two weeks later when I had just about given up hearing back, I got a text from the studio manager, saying, “Congratulations! You have passed the audition.” I could barely contain my excitement, but wanting to seem mature, I replied to her in a calm and collected manner.

We were scheduled for five rehearsals in total, and the filming date was set for the middle of April. What really stirred up my excitement was knowing that we would be filmed in public. I would also be dancing the part of my favorite member.

Our first rehearsal was on a Wednesday. The studio had rented the basement of a theater. There were, of course, difficulties. The dance routine included formations, so we had to learn the positions and transitions — things that we did not usually learn in our regular dance lessons. But it was just the four of us, and our teacher had enough time to work with each of us individually.

I have been practicing hard for my dream. I hope everything goes well, and I look forward to the upcoming performance!

1. How did the author feel about the results after forgetting a few moves?

A．Confident

B．Ambitious.

C．Confused.

D．Worried.

2. Why did the author reply to the manager calmly when she got the exciting text?

A．Because she intended to present a mature image to the manager.

B．Because she was trained well enough to contain her feelings.

C．Because she knew that she was good enough for such a callback.

D．Because she had known the result before the manager informed her of it.

3. What was the author’s first rehearsal in the basement like?

A．Confusing but practical.	B．Challenging but helpful.
C．Difficult but entertaining.	D．Regular but rewarding.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To express the burning passion for the group.

B．To show the difficulty in attending an audition.

C．To share a personal experience in pursuit of a dream.

D．To convey the excitement of engaging in a rehearsal

【推荐1】Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves. At the age of six months she was acquired, along with her sister, by John Ashley, a wealthy Massachusetts slaveholder. She became known as “Mumbet” or “Mum Bett”.

For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family. One day, Ashley’s wife tried to strike Mumbet’s sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back. When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued（起诉）for her freedom.

While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her. Eventually, Mumbet won her freedom — the first slave in Massachusetts to do so under the new constitution.

Strangely enough, after the trial, the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee. She declined and instead went to work for Sedgewick. Mumbet died in 1829, but her legacy lived on in her many descendant（后裔）. One of her great-grandchildren was W. E. B. Du Bois, one of the founders of the NAACP, and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.

Mumbet’s tombstone, still stands in the Massachusetts cemetery where she was buried. It reads, in part: “She was born a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years. She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal. ”

1. What led to Mumbet running away from the Ashleys?

A．Finding a new employer.	B．Wanting to be a lawyer.
C．Being abused and angry.	D．Attending to her sister.

2. What influence did the discussion of the new constitution have on Mumbet?

A．It helped Mumbet to better serve the Ashleys.

B．It reminded Mumbet to win her equality and freedom.

C．It caused Mumbet to violate the new constitution.

D．It helped Mumbet to apply for a job smoothly.

3. What do we know about Mumbet after the trial?

A．She chose to work for a lawyer.

B．She became a writer in her own field.

C．She founded the NAACP for her grandchildren.

D．She jumped at the chance to be a paid employee.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A story of a famous writer and spokesperson.

B．The friendship between a lawyer and a slave.

C．The life of a brave African American woman.

D．A trial that shocked the whole world.

【推荐2】For a number of Indians who for over half a century have replayed a race again and again, Milkha Singh's 400 metres final run at the Rome Olympics should be among the greatest heartbreaks in global sporting history. In fact, they hoped it would throw up a different result.

However, continued praise for the man decades later is due to the effort by India's greatest track athlete on that September day in the Italian capital, though he still missed out on becoming India's first Olympic track medallist.

As he was growing up, he used to run barefoot daily on hot sand to school, which was situated 20 kilometres from his house. He thinks this was good training but knows it is not possible to ask children to do this today. However, he does feel that the early identification of talented athletes is also important for India's athletic teams to shine.

India has in the last few years judged success purely in terms of medals, but looking into the past reveals how a more generous generation saluted Milkha as a pioneer. Milkha is India's finest track athlete of all time. He remains the only Indian male to win an individual Commonwealth Games athletics gold—he won the 400 metres at Cardiff in 1958，the first athlete from independent India to do so.

Since retiring from athletics, the former champion athlete has set up the Milkha Singh Charitable Trust, which helps poorer families survive if an athlete in their family has died. A percentage of the profits from the film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag are going to his trust.

Finally, let's read a quote from Milkha himself: “There is no shortcut to success.” A scene in the film shows Milkha Singh running with injured feet—this actually happened. “I haven't found an alternative to hard work. You need to be patient, dedicated and true to yourself and your work.”

1. What has won Milkha Singh continued praise?

A．His early hard life experience.	B．His outstanding athletic talent.
C．His status in global sports history.	D．His effort to win an Olympic medal.

2. What does Milkha Singh think of his early training?

A．Exciting.

B．Unbearable.

C．Beneficial.

D．Useless.

3. What did Milkha Singh do after his retirement?

A．He turned into a movie actor.	B．He learned to do business.
C．He became an athletic trainer.	D．He engaged in charity work.

4. What can we learn from Milkha Singh's words?

A．Hard work leads to success.	B．Do something different.
C．Medals measure everything.	D．Stick to your dream.

【推荐3】A librarian in Indonesia’s Java island started a project — lending books to children in exchange for trash they collect in a novel way — to clean up the planet and help improve kids’ literacy (识字能力).

Each weekday Raden Roro Hendarti rides her three wheeler with books piled up at the back for children in Muntang village to exchange for plastic cups, bags and other waste that she carries back. She told Reuters she is helping kids get into the habit of reading as well as making them aware of the environment. As soon as she shows up, little children, many accompanied by their mothers, surround her “Trash Library” and choose the books noisily. They are all carrying trash bags and Raden's three wheeler quickly fills up with them as the books fly out.

She’s happy the kids are going to spend less time on online games as a result. “Let us build a culture of literacy from young age to mitigate the harm of the online world,” Raden said. “We should also take care of our waste in order to fight climate change and to save the earth from trash,” Raden said.

She collects about 100 kg of waste each week, which is then sorted out by her colleagues and sent for recycling or sold. She has a stock of 6,000 books to lend and wants to take the mobile service to neighbouring areas as well. Kevin Alamsyah, an 11-year-old reader, searches for waste lying in the village. “When there is too much trash, our environment will become dirty and it’s not healthy. That’s why I look for trash to borrow a book,” he says.

The literacy rate for above-15-year-olds in Indonesia is around 96 percent, but a September report by the World Bank warned that the Covid-19 will leave more than 80% of 15-year-olds below the lowest reading level recognized by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

1. Why did the librarian start the activity?

A．To make kids spend less time on online games.

B．To bring in a new way of lending books to children.

C．To get kids interested in reading books and collecting trash.

D．To encourage kids to protect the environment and read more.

2. Which of the following best explains the underlined word “mitigate” in paragraph 3?

A．Reduce.

B．Add.

C．Remove.

D．Strengthen.

3. What can be inferred from the text?

A．Few kids are attracted to the online games after the project.

B．Kevin Alamsyah finds it challenging to protect the environment.

C．There is a long way to go to increase the literacy rate in Indonesia.

D．The mobile service has already been taken to the neighboring areas.

4. Which section of a magazine might the text be taken from?

A．Business.

B．Environment.

C．Health.

D．Politics.