【推荐1】There is always something that happens in the world that everyone fears will happen to their town, city or country: natural disasters. The scariest part of it is that no one will ever see it coming. Though technology helps us prepare, but it never actually tells the people what time it’s going to hit, It is always estimated, but the result is never 100% accurate.

However, that is not the point of this article. Two different natural disasters in two different parts of the world have happened in the past few weeks. One is a major flood that has hit Louisiana in the United States. The other was an earthquake that hit Amatrice, Italy. However. there is a major difference in the news coverage (新闻报道) of the two tragedies.

As for the flooding in Louisiana, it is reported that this disaster is the worst to hit the United States since super - storm Sandy and it’ll cost at least $ 30 million. In only the first couple of weeks, 13 people had died. However, like me, many people did not hear about this tragic event. I did not learn about it until about three weeks after it happened.

In Italy, however, it covered all media instantly. The earthquake in Italy happened on Tuesday morning. That same day, I was on Twitter and that was all that was over the news feed. Every other post was about the earthquake. Some would have the opinion that Amatrice, Italy was one of the most beautiful towns in that country. I got in deep sorrow because there were more people killed in this quake than the flooding. So far, they have a total of 73 dead and over one - hundred missing.

I understand that technically the earthquake in Italy was worse than the floods in Louisiana. However, I believe that if a natural disaster happens, they all should be equally covered and taken equally as serious. We are one world united and should be there for all of the people out there who are in need of help. We may not be able to accurately predict disasters, but we can surely lend a hand out for the needy.

1. What really concerns the author about the two natural disasters?

A．The death and the injured.	B．The media report.
C．The government’s responsibility.	D．Their economic loss.

2. Why did the author learn about the flood so late?

A．He didn't care about the flood.	B．He felt nervous about the news.
C．The media didn't cover it in time.	D．The flood frightened the author a lot.

3. How does the author feel about the earthquake in Italy?

A．Proud.

B．Critical.

C．Pitiful.

D．Sad.

4. What does the author really want to say in the text?

A．Italy isn’t good at predicting the natural disasters.

B．All natural disasters should be covered equally.

C．The world should be united into one instantly.

D．America should help Italy predict natural disasters.

【推荐2】There has been a dramatic increase in the number of natural disasters over the past few years, and it is assumed that global warming and climate change could cause even more disasters in the future. Some of the world’s leading cities are facing disasters like floods and heat waves.

London

London’s flood defences are getting older. Since 1982, the Thames Barrier(水闸)has protected the city from the threat of flooding, but it was only designed to last until 2030 and close once every two or three years. About 26 years later, the barrier now closes five or six times a year and according to Environment Agency predictions, by 2050 the barrier will be closed on almost every tide if the problem is not addressed.

There are 26 underground stations, 400 schools, 16 hospitals, an airport and 80 billion worth of property in London’s flood risk area, so large scale flooding would be disastrous.

Paris

Over a six­week period in July and August 2003, more than 11, 400—mainly elderly people—died in France from dehydration(脱水)and extremely high body temperature in a deadly heat wave. Heat waves of similar intensity(强度)are expected every seven years by 2050, so what can be done to make sure such a disaster does not happen again?

One solution is to have air­conditioners installed in elderly care homes. But this is considered a short­term solution, as the increase in demand for electricity also increases carbon emissions(排放)．

In Paris the local authorities are encouraging architects to design new types of buildings such as the building “Flower Tower”, which uses a covering of bamboo to act as a natural air­conditioner.

Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the fastest growing cities on Earth. It has a population of 18 million and is only 4 meters above sea level. Sea levels are predicted to rise by 20 cm within the next century.

An estimated 250，000 people move to Shanghai every year in search of work, placing extra demands on energy consumption. China relies heavily on coal­fired power stations, but these emissions increase temperatures and, in turn, warmer seas increase the risk of typhoons.

1. What problem should be settled now in London?

A．How to protect the city’s property.

B．Where to build its flood defences.

C．How to use the Thames Barrier to protect the city.

D．How to improve the function of the old flood defences.

2. Which of the following measures CAN’T solve the heat wave disaster in Paris?

A．Putting up new types of buildings with a covering of bamboo.

B．Having air­conditioners installed in elderly care homes.

C．Forbidding the city to build “Flower Tower”．

D．Encouraging architects to design new types of buildings.

3. The purpose of the passage is ________．

A．to tell us how to protect the big cities

B．to give advice on how to defend natural disasters

C．to explain what causes flood and heat waves

D．to warn us of the increasing natural disasters in big cities

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．Big Cities Facing Big Disasters

B．Big Disasters in the Future

C．The Increase of Natural Disasters

D．Solutions to Natural Disasters

【推荐1】Tim Ma's parents came to the United States from Taiwan in the 1970s. They opened a restaurant. It was not a success. They found success in America, however, in computers and engineering. In part because of their own experiences, Ma's parents hoped he would study to become an engineer or doctor. They wanted financial security for their child.

Growing up, Ma considered many professions – writer, fireman, even president. But he had a sense early on... ―I didn't want to   be an engineer. However, Ma did well in math and science classes in high school and he ended up choosing to study electrical engineering in college.

Several engineering jobs later, though, Ma had a change of heart. He wanted to leave the engineering world behind and enter the restaurant business. It was in his blood. After all, his parents had owned a Chinese restaurant in Arkansas. His uncle also owned one in New York.

His parents, Ma says, could not understand why he would want to leave such a good job to open a restaurant. They had worked long hours but their own restaurant still failed. They kept asking, ―Why?

But Ma remained certain. He was going to do things differently than his parents. He was able to learn from their one major mistake as restaurant owners – they knew very little about the art of cooking. So, at age 30, Ma left engineering and returned to school – cooking school.

Ma soon learned that he enjoyed cooking. In 2009, Ma opened his first restaurant in Virginia. It is called Maple Avenue. At Maple Avenue, Ma cooked, cleaned the ovens, fixed equipment and paid bills. He worked long hours, seven days a week. His long hours paid off. Ma opened his fourth restaurant last year, Kyirisan in Washington, D.C.

Kyirisan's success is due to the creative menu and food, Ma says. But mostly it just comes from completely hard work. ―I think in this country you can create your own success, just by working hard. Not because you're smarter than anybody, not because you're more creative than anybody, just by working hard. And I think that's why a lot of people end up coming to America.

1. Why did Ma’s parents want him to become an engineer or doctor?

A．Their family had found success in engineering for generations.

B．They were tired of running a restaurant.

C．They thought it financially secure to be an engineer or doctor.

D．They wanted him to try a career different from theirs.

2. Why do a lot of people come to America?

A．They can learn many things.	B．They can run their business creatively.
C．They can choose jobs freely.	D．They can succeed through hard work.

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

A．A suitable job	B．Follow your heart
C．A successful business	D．Create your own business

【推荐2】He is a lesson to every boy who ever picked up a basketball and dreamed that it would change his life.

The lights were never brighter and the crowds were never bigger for a home-grown sports hero than they were a quarter-century ago for Ray Hall. But his athletic achievements, as impressive as they are, are to my mind not what is most admirable about the man. Known as “Sugar Ray” in his teens, Hall was rated among the country’s top 25 high school basketball players. An inner-city kid from a solid family, Hall took on the challenge of lifting Canisius College—still recovering from its failure—back to respectability, rejecting more favourable offers. His status brought more pressure than any 18-year-old should have to handle. However, I watched him mature into the player who led Canisius back to daylight.

After college Hall played professionally in Italy and Greece for over 10 years until a car accident at 32 ended his basketball career. The news that he would never play again shocked Hall but unlike so many others he was ready for life after basketball. When I met Hall—still fit at 46—for lunch Monday, he wore a cut-sharp gray suit, designer tie and blazing white shirt that screamed Success. “That was always the question—when the cheers end, where do you go? Who do you turn to?” he said. “It starts and ends with that person in the mirror.”

Hall got the concept of academics—first from his parents. He graduated from Canisius a semester early. “No matter how good an athlete you are, you are just one injury away from losing it all,” he said. “But if you take care of things academically, you are prepared until you leave this Earth.”

For the past 14 years, he has been in a computer sales job at Ingram Micro. He married his college sweetheart. They have three kids and a nice house in the suburbs. He figured out early what others learn too late: Athletics is part of a journey, not the destination. Congratulations, Ray, you made it. In more ways than one.

1. According to the writer, which of the following best describes Ray’s success?

A．Unlike other athletes, he was academically superior.

B．He defeated his injury and returned to the playground.

C．He enjoys a successful job and a happy family.

D．He has gained impressive athletic achievements.

2. What’s the right order of the events related to Ray?
a. He was rated among the best high school basketball players.
b. He was in a car accident.
c. He graduated from Canisius College.
d. He started his computer sales job.
e. He gave up his athletic career.

A．a, c, b, e, d	B．a, c, e, b, d
C．c, a, b, d, e	D．c, a, e, b, d

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Ray was from an academic family.

B．Ray was very mature in his teens.

C．Ray was once desperate facing the cruel reality.

D．Athletics was not Ray’s final goal in life.

4. What was the writer’s intention in writing this passage?

A．To describe the difficulties of being a professional athlete.

B．To explain the importance of choosing the right college.

C．To emphasise the need for a good education.

D．To warn against playing professional basketball.

【推荐1】“Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton (骨骼) in the closet (衣橱)?” Jessica asked. “A skeleton in the closet?” her mother paused thoughtfully. “Well. It’s something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad’s family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be a skeleton in his family’s closet. He really wouldn’t want any neighbor to know about it.”

“Why do you pick on my family?” Jessica’s father said with anger. “Your family history isn’t so good, you know. Wasn’t your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?... Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners.” “Gosh, sorry I asked, I think I understand now,” Jessica cut in before things grew worse.

After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica’s parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica’s closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica’s mother sank into a faint (晕倒), waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.

“What happened? Where am I?” She asked “You just destroyed the school’s skeleton, Mum,” explained Jessica. “I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad,” Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly.

“They’re both crazy,” she thought.

1. According to Jessica’s mother, “a skeleton in the closet” means ______.

A．a family honor	B．a family secret
C．a family story	D．a family treasure

2. What can we learn about some Australians’ ancestors from Paragraph 2?

A．They were brought to Australia as prisoners.

B．They were the earliest people living in Australia.

C．They were involved in some crimes in Australia.

D．They were not regarded as criminals in their days.

3. Jessica’s mother fell down into a faint because she was ______.

A．knocked	B．frightened
C．injured	D．surprised

【推荐3】My wife and I were at a crowded grocery store not long ago. It was a weekday evening, cold and wet and tense. People were carelessly blocking aisles, complaining and cutting one another off with their carts.

Things got worse at the checkout line. The cashier scanned a man’s discount card, but he misread the savings on her screen as an additional charge. He decided she was acting deliberately and began to argue.

“She is being spiteful (恶意的) !” he yelled. “This is unbelievable.”

Other customers looked away as the cashier tried to reason with him. She called a manager, who accompanied him to customer service. Shaken, she moved to the next customer in line.

We’ve all witnessed uncomfortable scenes like this in public places. The grocery scene was another example of how our trust in others has eroded. But it was also a teachable moment on how we can rebuild our faith-starting with just one person.

Back at the grocery store, my wife and I reached our uneasy cashier. I grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby cooler and handed it to her. “We felt bad about how that man treated you and wanted to buy this for you.” I said. Her face lit up, and we talked as she scanned our items. She told us she had been working that evening through severe foot pain and would be having surgery later that week. We wished her well in her recovery, and she thanked us as we left.

Those are the balancing acts, the moments of responding social and emotional pain with healing, which will add up to restore trust among people. You can start that pattern in someone else’s life, even in a place as ordinary as the neighborhood grocery store.

1. Why did the man at the checkout line argue with the cashier?

A．The cashier called a manager to help her.

B．Someone jumped the queue waiting to check out.

C．There was something wrong with his discount card.

D．He believed the cashier charged him more on purpose.

2. The underlined word “eroded” in Paragraph 5 probably means ________.

A．added	B．increased
C．faded	D．formed

3. The author bought a bottle of water for the cashier because ________.

A．he thought the cashier might feel a little bit thirsty

B．he knew she had gone through much trouble recently

C．he wanted to restore the trust between her and the man

D．he wanted to comfort her after the terrible experience just now