【推荐1】Adults living by themselves may have a higher risk of dying from cancer compared with those who live with others, a new study suggests.

The research, published Thursday in the journal Cancer, found that among 114,772 working-age adults who lived alone, 2.5% of them died of cancer during the study period. Meanwhile, among 358,876 adults who lived with others, 1.6%, a much smaller share, died of cancer in the study. Adults aged 18 to 64 were enrolled in the study and researchers found the strongest association was in those aged 45 to 64.

The researchers from the American Cancer Society analyzed data on more than 470,000 adults from the National Health Interview Survey, taking a close look at how many of the adults lived alone versus with others and how many died of cancer.

“Our findings may suggest that stronger social support existing in communities from racial minority groups and people of lower socioeconomic status might have alleviated (缓解) the association between living alone and cancer death in this group, but we need more research on reasons for these differences,” Islami said.

Compared with adults living with others, adults living alone were more likely to have poor self-reported health status, activity limitation, serious psychological distress, severe obesity, smoke cigarettes, or consume alcohol, according to the study.

“More research is needed to identify the exact underlying mechanisms to explain the association between living alone and cancer death”, Kathrin Milbury, associate professor of behavioral science at The University of Texas, who was not involved in the new study, said in an email.

“The biological mechanisms of social isolation are not fully understood; however, humans are social beings, and being isolated creates a state of biological stress that is harmful to our health,” Milbury said. “The other mechanism I believe is related to being in a relationship with others, beyond benefiting just from their presence, but also receiving their care and support.”

1. How does the author justify the finding in paragraph 2?

A．By analyzing reasons.	B．By listing statistics.
C．By giving examples.	D．By making comments.

2. Which of the following will Islami probably agree with?

A．Stronger social support will not cause cancer death.

B．People in their 50s are more likely to survive cancer.

C．Influences of social support need to be further explored.

D．People from minority groups have stronger social support.

3. Which problem is not mentioned about living alone?

A．Abusing alcohol.	B．Walking inconvenience.
C．Gaining weight.	D．Communicative disability.

4. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?

A．Scientists have revealed the underlying mechanisms.

B．Receiving others’ support helps relieve social isolation.

C．Lonely people can receive more social care and support.

D．More scientists have been attracted to the great research.

【推荐2】Take a look at teenagers around, dressed in baggy-pants (宽松裤), drinking soft drinks such as coke, reading Japanese cartoons. Whether you are in Beijing, Wuhan or Hong Kong, you will get the same impression. But should we copy others or should we maintain our differences?

It sounds convenient that people around the world speak the same language, dress in the same style, eat the same food and play the same games. If the world was like this, you won’t feel strange in any corner of world. But just imagine living in such a strange world. How dull and colorless it would be!

Different kinds of food that people can taste, the colorful and fashionable clothes that we dress in and different languages we speak are all part of the different cultures that our ancestors left us. These differences represent their creativity and talent. And we all enjoy different cultures in our daily lives. When you travel to other places, you want to see different things. When you talk to foreigners you expect to listen to interesting stories. These differences in culture are what make life colorful.

But the whole world is shrinking into a small village as globalization (全球化) takes effect and many different cultures are disappearing. In most big cities around the world people wear the same clothes. Fast food stores are everywhere. Hollywood movies are kicking traditional performing arts out of our lives. The colors of our life are disappearing.

There is joke that even the panda and zebra want to live a colorful life. So let’s take action to protect our colorful culture before it becomes as simple as black and white.

It’s not difficult. Learning some folk songs, trying on a traditional clothing and even eating local food instead of going to KFC can help. And we’re sure you will enjoy it.

1. The passage is written to _______.

A．explain cultural differences	B．convince readers to maintain cultural differences
C．predict the future of globalization	D．show some cultural phenomena(现象)

2. The author thinks that cultural differences _______.

A．make the world colorful	B．make communication difficult
C．only exist in food and clothing	D．will never fade away

3. The author starts the argument by ________.

A．mentioning certain cultural phenomena

B．mentioning his view at the very beginning

C．mentioning the opposite view at the very beginning

D．giving examples of cultural differences

4. The underlined word “shrink” probably means “_______”.

A．expand	B．disappear
C．become smaller	D．grow in number

5. The author talks of all the following cultural phenomena except _______.

A．food	B．clothing
C．language	D．architecture

【推荐1】Rescue workers and thousands of volunteers are not the only ones who have won hearts and minds for their heroic efforts in the search for survivors after Tuesday’s powerful earthquake in Mexico. Fifteen dogs from the navy's canine (犬科的) unit have assisted this week in the rescue efforts at the sites of collapsed buildings across Mexico City, where more than 50 people have been pulled alive from the ruins.

Of the canine heroes none is more famous or loved than Frida, a six-year-old white Labrador who in her distinguished service has won praise for her ability to detect people who have been trapped by various natural disasters. Over her admirable career she has found 52 people including 12 survivors in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

This week, Frida and Evil and Echo—two Belgian Shepherds that have also been specially trained for rescue efforts were sent to the site of the collapsed Enrique Rebsamen school in southern Mexico City.

Equipped with goggles that protect her eyes from dust and smoke, boots to prevent damage to her paws while she climbs over rough ruins, Frida took up her work looking into every bit of the ruins.

If Frida detects the presence of a survivor, she is trained to bark to warn rescue workers but if she detects a corpse she stops suddenly before continuing, her handler explained.

Eleven children were rescued from ruins at the school but this time human rescue workers rather than the dogs were the ones who located them.

However, that hasn’t stopped Frida from becoming a social media star and winning fame this week. Videos and other social media posts that highlight the work of Frida and her impressive record of detecting people trapped by natural disasters spread quickly online.

While she has yet to detect anyone trapped in the ruins this week, she and other rescue dogs are continuing to work tirelessly, searching through spaces that humans cannot reach. With the possibility that there are still people trapped alive, time will tell whether she adds to her rescue record.

1. What makes Frida a social media star?

A．Her rescue records and tireless work.

B．Her cooperation with the rescue team.

C．Her cool appearance with some special devices.

D．Her ability to search spaces beyond humans’ reach.

2. What does the underlined word “corpse” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．An article of clothing.	B．An unconscious animal.
C．A dead person.	D．A special signal.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Frida will achieve nothing.

B．Frida will probably work miracles.

C．More dogs will be sent to the area.

D．The rest of the rescue will be done by dogs.

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

A．Severe Earthquakes in Mexico

B．Undertaking Rescue Work

C．People Waiting for Rescue

D．Special Rescuers in Mexico

【推荐2】Beethoven, one of the world’s most-loved composers, is famous for his nine symphonies (交响乐). Before he died, he began a new symphony, but never finished it. Computer scientists and musicians have now used artificial intelligence to finish his 10th Symphony.

Beethoven wrote many famous pieces of music, but he’s probably best known for his nine symphonies. A symphony is a long, grand piece of classical music, usually divided into four parts. The four parts are often linked by “themes” — repeated musical ideas that tie the whole piece together. When Beethoven died in 1827, he had some ideas for a 10th Symphony. But all that he left behind were some notes about the piece and a few “sketches” — short bits of written music.

In 2019, a special team of musicians, computer scientists, and historians was formed. To train an AI to help with the symphony, the team turned every piece of music that Beethoven ever wrote into a form the computer could understand. By feeding the program all of Beethoven’s music, the AI could look for patterns in the way Beethoven wrote. This included, for example, how he re used simple melodies (旋律) all through a piece to create a theme, or how he moved between different parts of the symphony. Thus, it would be much easier for the special team to finish Beethoven’s 10th Symphony.

One early test told the team they were on the right track. They took a few minutes of music created by the AI based on Beethoven’s sketches, and played it for Beethoven experts, musicians, and reporters. No one could tell which parts had been written by Beethoven and which parts the AI made up. Finally, the AI had the challenge of trying to connect the little musical bits into a symphony. It took over two years, but the team was able to complete Beethoven’s 10th Symphony. Not simply a melody, but 40 minutes of music for a full orchestra — a large group of musicians playing everything from string instruments, like violins, trumpets, flutes, drums, and piano.

1. What does the writer intend to do in paragraph 1?

A．To explain what artificial intelligence is.

B．To give readers a general idea of the text.

C．To tell readers how Beethoven is loved by people.

D．To show the reason for Beethoven’s new symphony.

2. What is the goal of the special team?

A．To learn to play Beethoven’s nine symphonies.

B．To feed all Beethoven’s symphonies into computer.

C．To try to complete Beethoven’s 10th Symphony.

D．To create a new piece of music based on the 10th Symphony.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The special team’s great efforts paid off.

B．It was challenging for AI to complete the task.

C．Beethoven’s sketches were too hard to figure out.

D．AI created simply a melody of Beethoven’s 10th Symphony.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A brochure.	B．A textbook.
C．A music review.	D．A news website.

【推荐3】China successfully sent the 52nd and 53rd satellites of its domestically developed BeiDou Navigation Satellite System （BDS）-the last two medium Earth orbit （MEO） satellites for the BDS-3 constellation（星座）－into space on Monday, marking the completion of the global navigation system's core constellation deployment（部署）and this year's BDS satellite launch campaign.

Launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, on board a Long March-3B carrier rocket with an Expedition-1 upper stage, the two satellites were injected into planned orbits after more than three hours' flight.

Since the first BDS-3 satellite was launched on November 5, 2017, China has conducted 18 BDS satellite launch missions, successfully sending 30 into their planned orbit, setting a national record for highest mission frequency and success rate.

In-orbit tests will be carried out before the two MEO satellites are commissioned（正式委托）.By then the core constellation for the Chinese global navigation satellite system will be successfully completed.

Wang Ping, chief designer of the BDS-3 system, said that the hybrid constellation design, in which three groups of satellites-the Inclined Geo Synchronous Orbit （IGSO）, MEO and geosynchronous Earth orbit （GEO）-work in concert in different orbits, was an exclusive BDS innovation and a world first. “Existing global navigation satellite systems, such as the US GPS and Russia's GLONASS, only have a MEO satellite constellation, ” said Wang.

The MEO satellites, in orbit 20, 000 kilometers above Earth, are a special type of satellite providing global service, while the IGSO and GEO satellites, in an orbit 360, 000 kilometers above Earth, mainly enhance regional service quality, according to Wang. That explained why completion of the MEO constellation was significant, marking the completion of the core network for BDS-3, meaning a stable BDS-3 global coverage without weak points has been carried out.

Feedback shows that the BDS service quality was already comparable to GPS since the end of 2018, and after completing BDS-3, “We will be as good as any GNSS, ” Wang said.

1. How many BDS satellites were sent into their planned·orbit successfully?

A．3.

B．5.

C．18.

D．30.

2. What's the advantage of BDS compared with GPS and GLONASS?

A．The excellent service quality.

B．The diverse functions.

C．The lower cost of designing it.

D．The ability to work in different orbits.

3. Why are the MEO satellites important?

A．They can serve the world.

B．They can enter farther orbits.

C．They can avoid all the weak points.

D．They can be put into use immediately.

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

A．Exploring Space Is Very Important to the World

B．The BDS-3 System Has Benefited Many Countries

C．The Core Constellation of BDS-3 Completes Deployment

D．China Becomes the First Country to Launch a MEO Satellite

【推荐1】Going from middle school to high school can be difficult, as students are faced with new academic and social challenges. Before the first day of high school, there are things every soon-to-be high school freshman and his family should know.   

People that have a fixed mindset (思维倾向) believe that they are born to be great or weak. On the other hand, people that have a growth mindset believe that their greatness or weakness is because of their own actions. I totally agree that students should have a growth mindset. I don’t expect any student to move from just passing a subject to an A+. It’s going to take time and focused effort; just keep working on it.   

Parents should prepare students to fight the battle “on the pillow” and “in the kitchen”. When I say “pillow”, I mean sleep. Not having enough sleep can have some surprising effects on students, including improper behaviour, anxiety and poor grades. The second weapon is eating healthy and balanced meals. Studies show that students who eat nutritious meals and who exercise 60 minutes a day remain more attentive (专心的) during the school day and experience improved academic achievement and grades. This last “secret” weapon is not to have over-scheduled time. Make sure students know how to set realistic plans and how to say no to tasks and activities that aren’t important to them.   

A lot of students who know each other from primary and middle school are in their “comfort zones”, feeling they have a sense of control over and expectations of their relationships. Then comes the first real day of high school, and that will all change. The reason why I encourage high school freshmen to step out of their comfort zones, though often scary, is that comfort zones get boring and there are many kinds of people to get to know. Let’s encourage them to get involved, have fun and play.

1. Which of the following represents a fixed mindset?

A．I’m at the starting point of my potential.

B．My mother is not good at chemistry either.

C．I should start studying a little earlier next time.

D．It’s okay if I fail; at least I’ve learnt something.

2. What might the author encourage parents to do?

A．To prepare healthy meals for their kids.

B．To praise their kids when they do well in school.

C．To take their kids to visit their grandparents often.

D．To buy soft pillows for their kids to have a good rest.

3. What is the third weapon mainly about?

A．Enjoying good health.	B．Acquiring the ability to say no.
C．Balancing schoolwork and play.	D．Developing time management skills.

4. What does the underlined word “that” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．The expectation of future.

B．The value of friendship.

C．The feeling that they have control over relationships.

D．The feeling that they become helplessness.

【推荐2】The story told to all American children about honesty is about the cherry tree that President George Washington cut when he was a boy. In China, every child knows the story of Lei Feng, the young soldier who helped others and was very honest. The stories of George Washington and Lei Feng help us understand the importance of being honest.

Every teacher wants his or her students to be honest. If every student can be honest in their childhood, they will be honest when they become adults. The country will then be known as an honest country and it will be respected by everyone.

Usually, it is the father and the mother who give the first lessons of honesty. George Washington learned honesty from his father.

A favorite Chinese story is about a young man who went to the market to buy food for his mother. There was a very young girl there who was selling flowers. The young man stole one flower when the girl served her customer.

When he went home, he began to think what he had done. He went back to the market to find the girl. He told her that he was sorry and that he wanted to pay her for the flower. The little girl refused and said, "You do not need to pay for the flower, elder brother. Since you took it, I thought you had a reason to take it so I did not worry about receiving money for it."The young man was ashamed that he stole the flower. He could never forget about the importance of being honest.

1. What do we know from the stories of George Washington and Lei Feng?

A．George Washington was the president of America.

B．Lei Feng was a young soldier who helped others.

C．We had heard the stories when we were only children.

D．They help us understand the importance of being honest.

2. Who is the first person to give lessons of honest to a child?

A．George Washington.

B．Lei Feng.

C．Parents.

D．Teacher.

3. Why did the little girl refuse to get the young man’s money?

A．Because the young man had realized his mistake.

B．Because her flowers were free.

C．Because she knew the young man well.

D．Because the flowers were very cheap, and she sent one to the young man.

4. Why is the education of honesty so important in school education?

A．Because it is one of the lessons required for study in every country.

B．Because if a child is honest in his/her childhood, he/she will be honest when growing up.

C．Because honest people are becoming less and less in most countries.

D．Because teachers are afraid of students’ stealing things when they are still in school.