【推荐1】Nearly all of us have a bad habit, whether we know it or not. Some people say they want to get rid of it but don’t know the proper ways. Here’s some advice on how to get rid of bad habits.

Make a list.

Write down why you want to stop a certain behavior, how it’s hurting you and how to get rid of it. This will help a lot. Look at that list regularly.

Join in other activities.

It’s wise of you to do something else when you want to stop your bad habits. If you get angry easily, for example, you can practice having a deep breath or going for a walk.

Give yourself a present.

Before you take action against a bad habit, decide what you’ll do to celebrate it if you reach your goal.

Keep off bad habits.

If you are fat and want to lose weight, keep junk food out of your house. If you are a heavy smoker with coffee, turn to tea and keep away from friends who like smoking.

Be patient.

Bad habits develop over years, so you probably won’t be able to get rid of them quickly. In fact, people often give up several times before being successful, so you should be patient.

Find support.

Don’t be afraid to ask for support from friends, family or other people who have the same bad habits as you. When you talk to others, they might be able to provide advice or encouragement that you usually wouldn’t get from yourself.

1. If you want to lose weight, you should          .

A．drink more coffee	B．refuse the junk food
C．find support from friends	D．find a heavy smoker

2. From the passage you can learn            .

A．why we have some bad habits	B．how to get rid of bad habits
C．what to do to have a bad habit	D．where to find some support

【推荐2】Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways.     1     Second, your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test. Third, note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report.     2     Whenever or however you take notes, keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process.     3    

The following methods may work best for you.

●Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.

●Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

● Write your notes in your own words.

●     4    

● Note any questions or ideas you may have about what was said or written.

As you take notes, you may want to use your own shorthand(速记). When you do, be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them all the time.     5    

A．Use words, rather than complete sentences.

B．There are three practical note-taking methods.

C．You must write your notes on separate paper.

D．Otherwise, you may not be able to read your notes later.

E．You will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

F．You have to make a choice to write down the important information.

G．First, the simple act will help you understand and remember it better.

【推荐2】What is a family? Why does it matter? What does it teach us that we can’t learn on our own? These questions seem especially relevant in the holiday season when it is often our tradition to gather as families and celebrate together.

My mother was one of twelve children. As they grew up, married and had children of their own, most of them lived near enough to gather for holidays at my grandparents’ home in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina.

I don’t recall getting many gifts from them. I remember the sense of belonging, of being part of something that assured me I was loved and not alone. I delighted in the laughing playing and fighting with my crazy cousins, I watched my granddad and uncles sit on the porch(门廊), rain or shine, smoking and joking arguing about politics and trying to solve the problems of the world. I listened to grandmother, mother and aunts stir pots on the stove and talk about their lives, hopes, dreams and disappointments, and gossip about any sister who failed to show up. The food was always plentiful and delicious — country ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, biscuits and my grandmother’s banana pudding. But for me, the food was never the highlight. The highlight was simply being together. A family.

However, they’re all gone now. My parents and grandparents, my aunts and males have left this world for the next. My cousins are scattered(分散) here and there. And yet the memories linger, along with the love that we shared. I treasure those memories and the things they taught me. They told me that families aren’t perfect, but they prepare us to find our way in an imperfect world. They made me realize that all families are crazy in their own peculiar(独特的) ways.

My husband and I are growing a new family, while keeping close to the surviving members of the families. It’s a beautiful blend (混合) of kindness, traditions nurturing(养育) and friendships, which grows year after year.

I hope this holiday season will fill you with lovely memories of the family that raised you, and surround you with all the people who mean “family” to you now.

1. The author appreciated the gatherings mainly because ________.

A．they brought the family closer together

B．there was a lot of inviting food

C．special gifts were selected thoughtfully

D．she got to see relatives she seldom visited

2. What did the author learn from her families?

A．Imperfection can be perfect sometimes.

B．Teaching by example is better than teaching by words.

C．We have to live with imperfections.

D．It’s necessary to create peculiar family traditions.

3. The best title of this passage is ________.

A．Imperfect family gatherings

B．Perfect family relationships

C．Memories of family gatherings

D．Significance of family

【推荐3】My grandma was the best grandma a girl could have. She never said a bad word about anyone. She always found good in a person.

When I was young, Grandma worked hard all spring and summer to buy a new coat for the winter. She sold eggs, fruit and anything her garden produced to earn enough money. Her old coat had seen better days, and she had repaired it quite a few times. When she finally had enough money saved up, off to town we went. Grandma looked so nice in her new coat, and I was proud of the hard work she did to earn it.

That winter, in the small town where she lived, a family with three small girls lost their house in a fire. They needed clothes, food and household items. Grandma decided to cut up her new coat and make three coats for the little girls. I asked her not to do it, but she kissed away my tears. She told me those girls needed coats much more than she did. Grandma made the dolls, coats, and apron on her old sewing machine.

When they were done, we loaded up the small red truck with the coats, an apron for the mother, blankets, food, and three little dolls. When the family saw what was in the truck, the mother started crying and the girls hugged the dolls.

On Sunday, Grandma wore her old coat to church and she was the nicest grandma there.

1. What did Grandma do to get herself a new coat?

A．She made a new one for herself.	B．She was rich enough to buy one.
C．She sold something and saved money.	D．She changed her old coat for a new one.

2. Grandma cut up her new coat to ________.

A．make some dolls	B．offer help to a family
C．buy a new sewing machine	D．make a coat for her granddaughter

3. On receiving the gifts, the family felt ________.

A．sad but excited	B．moved and happy
C．thankful but nervous	D．embarrassed and surprised

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage ?

A．A Brave Act	B．My Great Grandma
C．Grandma’s New Coat	D．A Disaster to a Family