【推荐2】A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps, for there is a companionship of books as well as of men.     1    

    2     It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us in times of difficulty. It always receives us with the same kindness, amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting us in age.

Men often discover their close relationship with each other by the love they have for a book.    3     Men can think, feel, and sympathize with each other through their favorite author. They live in him together and he, in them.

A good book is often the best urn(瓮)of a life holding the best that life could think out, for the world of a man’s life is, for the most part, the world of his thoughts. Thus the best books are treasuries of good words, the golden thoughts, which are remembered and cherished for ages.

Good books stand the test of time. They are by far the most lasting products of human effort. Temples and statues vanish, but books survive. Great thoughts, which are as fresh today as when they first passed through their author’s minds ages ago, won’t fade with time going by.     4    

The only effects of time have been to filter out the bad products, for nothing in literature can long survive but what is really good.

Books introduce us into the best society.     5     We hear what they said and did; we see them as if they were really alive; we enjoy with them and grieve with them. Their experience becomes ours, and we feel as if we were actors with them in the scenes which they describe.

A．A good book may be among the best of friends.

B．What was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page.

C．Good books can charm readers of all ages.

D．But there is more wisdom in “love me, love my book.”

E．The book is a truer and higher bond of association.

F．They bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived.

G．And one should always live in the best company, whether it is a book or a man.

【推荐3】From good reading we can derive pleasure, companionship, experience, and instruction. A good book may absorb our attention so completely that for the time being we forget our surroundings and even our identity. Reading good books is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It increases our contentment when we are cheerful, and lessens our troubles when we are sad. Whatever may be our main purpose in reading, our contact with good books should never fail to give us enjoyment and satisfaction.
With a good book in our hands we need never be lonely. Whether the characters portrayed are taken from real life or are purely imaginary, they may become our companions and friends. In the pages of books we can walk with the wise and the good of all lands and all times. The people we meet in books may delight us either because they resemble human friends whom we hold dear or because they present unfamiliar types whom we are glad to welcome as new acquaintances. Our human friends sometimes may bore us, but the friends we make in books need never ____us with their company. By turning the page we can dismiss them without any fear of hurting their feelings. When human friends desert us, good books are always ready to give us friendship, sympathy, and encouragement.
One of the most valuable gifts bestowed by books is experience. Few of us can travel far from home or have a wide range of experiences, but all of us can lead varied lives through the pages of books. Whether we wish to escape from the seemingly dull realities of everyday life or whether we long to visit some far-off place, a book will help us when nothing else can. To travel by book we need no bank account to pay our way; no airship or ocean liner or stream-lined train to transport us; no passport to enter the land of our heart's desire. Through books we may get the thrill of hazardous adventure without danger. We can climb lofty mountains, brave the perils of an Antarctic winter, or cross the scorching sands of the desert, all without hardship. In books we may visit the studios of Hollywood; we may mingle with the gay throngs of the Paris boulevards; we may join the picturesque peasants in an Alpine village or the kindly natives on a South Sea island. Indeed, through books the whole world is ours for the asking. The possibilities of our literary experiences are almost unlimited. The beauties of nature, the enjoyment of music, the treasures of art, the triumphs of architecture, the marvels of engineering, are all open to the wonder and enjoyment of those who read.
1. Why is it that we sometimes forget our surroundings and even our identity while reading?

A．No one has come to disturb you.

B．The book you are reading is so interesting and attractive.

C．Everything is so quiet and calm around you.

D．Your book is overdue; you are finishing it at a very fast speed.

2. How would you account for the fact that people like their acquaintances in books even more?

A．They resemble human friends exactly.

B．They are unfamiliar types we like.

C．They never desert us.

D．They never hurt our feelings.

3. Which of the following is true?

A．Your wish to visit some far-off place can be realized through the pages of the books.

B．To escape from the dull realities of everyday life you should take up reading.

C．You may obtain valuable experience from reading good books.

D．Books can always help you to live a colorful life.

4. The word “weary” means ______.

A．“to attract someone’s attention”	B．“to distract someone’s attention”
C．“to make someone interested”	D．“to make someone very tired”

【推荐1】Many people prefer eating out instead of cooking at home. A change appears to be taking place, though, and millennials (千禧一代) are leading the way. According to one survey, more young people are starting to cook at home for three basic reasons: They can save money, eat healthy and waste less food.

Popular TV chefs are also getting millennials excited about learning some basic cooking skills. Many millennials view cooking as a form of entertainment and self-expression. They proudly post pictures of their cooking creations on Facebook or Instagram, and invite friends over to share the cooking experience.

Many millennials have also found ways to avoid wasting food. After roasting a chicken, they put the leftover bones in their freezer instead of the garbage can. Later, they use the bones to make chicken soup, which is an important raw material in many dishes.

They also hate throwing out fruit that’s too old. To avoid that situation, they bake ripe fruit like berries and bananas for 15 minutes at 175 degrees C. Then they freeze it overnight. After that, they place the fruit in plastic bags and store it their freezer for later use.

Now millennials only eat at restaurants that have excellent food-waste policies. These servants use every part of the vegetables they buy, including their stems and roots, in dishes. They also use beef, chicken and pork bones to make their own soup.

Millennials also reduce food waste by only buying what they require. Before going to a market, they write down what they need and don’t buy anything else. They way they won’t purchase more food than they can consume.

1. What is the main subject of this article?

A．A cooking trend that has attracted millennials.

B．A plan that millennials have for donating food.

C．A novel cooking technique that millennials like.

D．A food production system favored by millennials.

2. What do millennials with fruit before freezing it?

A．Mix it with other raw materials in a bowl.	B．Carefully remove the skin and seeds from it.
C．Use a sharp knife to chop it up into pieces.	D．Put it in an oven at the proper temperature.

3. According to this article, how do millennials avoid purchasing too much food?

A．They select small cans and packages.	B．They leave their credit cards at home.
C．They prepare a practical shopping list.	D．They weigh produce before buying it.

【推荐2】Craziest Food Festivals sounds like a joke topic, but once you start looking into it, you’ll realize they’re everywhere — the crazier, the better.

1. Bibimbap Festival

In the South Korean town of Jeonjuloves, their “mixed rice” dish is a hearty serve of rice topped with raw beef, a rainbow of vegetables, a raw egg and gochujang sauce so much. They take four days out of October to celebrate it.

Like any festival there’s music, entertainment and magic, but making it that little bit different is the bibimbap that’s whipped (搅拌) up in a big bowl by dozens of chefs and served to over 400 people.

2. Waikiki Spam Jam

Who knew this canned meat had so much love? Well, it turns out that a can of Spam is the go-to item in Hawaii, along with a grass skirt and garland (花环). The people of Hawaii love Spam so much that they even spend a day in May giving out the best Spam, a type of cheap canned meat made mainly from pork.

3. Bessieres Easter Egg Festival

At Easter time, for those in the French town of Bessieres it’s all about an egg far less sweet.

Here they celebrate the holiday by getting dozens of chefs to make one large omelette (煎蛋卷) — 15,000 eggs strong — for the townsfolk (市民).

4. Potato Days Festival

This festival actually takes place in Barnesville, Minnesota, the US. Over the last Friday and Saturday in August the town celebrates its potato-growing skills by hosting potato picking and peeling contests, as well as a Miss Tater Tot pageant (盛典) for five- and six-year-old girls.

1. What makes Bibimbap festival special?

A．They take four days to celebrate it.

B．The mixed rice is rich in many vegetables.

C．There’s music, entertainment and magic during the festival.

D．The rice dish needs to be mixed in one big bowl by dozens of chefs together.

2. What do we know about Waikiki Spam Jam ?

A．The spam is the most favorite for Hawii people.

B．People spend one day to prepare the Jam.

C．The Jam isn’t affordable for the plain townsfolk.

D．The Jam is mainly made from raw beef.

3. If you have time in August, you can go to ______.

A．Bibimbap Festival	B．Waikiki Spam Jam
C．Bessieres Easter Egg Festival	D．Potato Days Festival

【推荐3】One thing we love about soup is that it's easy to make and it only needs a few simple ingredients(食材)．Here are four of our favorite, simple homemade soups．Enjoy!
1．Chicken Soup
Chicken soup can help fight a cold. You can prepare your soup using a whole chicken or just thin pieces of chicken. Do either of them －although a whole chicken is likely to make your soup more delicious. The main ingredients are：chicken, water, onions, carrots, celery(芹菜), salt and pepper and noodles.
2. White Bean Soup
There are many types of beans to choose from. It's simply a matter of personal taste. Dried beans are more traditional and cost less. However, canned beans also work. The other main ingredients are：onions, tomatoes and carrots. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. French Onion Soup
When you get French onion soup in a restaurant, it might look a bit difficult to make. The hardest part is cutting up all those onions get ready for a good cry! The main ingredients are：six sweet onions, butter, water and salt.
4. Garden Vegetable Soup
In summer, you may find yourself with a lot of vegetables that need using up. Throw in potatoes, rice or even some meat with the vegetables. The best thing about this soup is that you can put in whatever you want. The main ingredients are：onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes and potatoes.
1. How can you make the chicken soup more delicious?

A．By adding carrots.

B．By using chicken pieces.

C．By adding onions.

D．By using a whole chicken.

2. What is the most difficult part when making French onion soup?

A．Getting good onions.

B．Cutting up the onions.

C．Making the soup look good.

D．Buying the ingredients.

3. What might be the best soup in summer time?

A．Chicken soup.

B．White bean soup.

C．French onion soup.

D．Garden vegetable soup.

4. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．Chicken soup is good if you catch a cold.

B．Canned beans are cheaper than dried beans.

C．It's difficult to make French onion soup.

D．You cannot put meat in garden vegetable soup.

【推荐2】If you are tired of common hotel rooms, maybe it’s time to climb into a tree. A new generation of tree houses are appearing across the world, and designer Roderick Romero says he knows why and he said “They're magical. I’ve never seen someone climb into a tree house and not smile.”
Edisto River Canadys, S. C.
Before you can stay in one of the wilderness tree houses, you first have to canoe down the Edisto River. The paddle-in homes offer a cooking gear and comfortable sleeping bed. “It’s a really good place to get back to nature,” Romero says. The lofts have gas stoves and are lit by lanterns. The website: caneosc.com
Treehotel
Romero was astonished when he first saw the buildings at this hotel 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden. “It blew my mind. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.” he says. The hotel rooms draws heavily on spare Scandinavian design. “Architecturally this is one of the coolest ideas for a tree house.’’ The website: treehotel.se
Hideaway Cafe
While most treehouses are found in the woods, this coffee shop and inn turns the idea on its head with a location in downtown Tokyo. The building itself stands on stilts with a tree growing through the center of it. The cafe was the first treehouse designed by Kobayashi Takashi, who has since created more than 120 homes. “He’s one of my heroes.” Romero says, “In the treehouse community, he’s who we talk about the most.” The website: treehouse.jp/ hideaway/.
Tongabezi
One of the world’s most stylish treehouses perches in a tree alongside the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls. The large pine deck holds a bed and Turkish carpets. Guests can go on safati, or simply stay in their perch and watch for hippos playing in the river. The website: below.tongabezi.com.
1. What Roderick Romero said in the first paragraph means _____.

A．People are fond of magic performance

B．Treehouses are popular with many people

C．It is difficult to build the house in the trees

D．People always get rid of common hotels

2. What made Treehotel impressive?

A．Its position	B．Its design
C．Its height	D．Its price

3. If people want to know the treehouse with Turkish carpets, they should visit _____.

A．The website: caneosc.com

B．The website: treehotel.se

C．The website: treehouse.jp/ hideaway/.

D．The website: below.tongabezi.com.

【推荐3】The Palace Museum is limiting the daily number of visitors to 80,000 and recommending both individual visitors and tourist groups to book tickets in, advance online (booking address: https://gugong ktmtech.cn). foreign visitors are required to provide passport numbers during the online booking

ADMISSION

April 1st-October 31st            60 yuan

November 1st-March 31st.        140 yuan

●Free admission(入场费) for children under.2 meters in height.

●Free admission for disabled visitors.

●20 yuan for elementary, middle school, and undergraduate students with student I.D. (not including graduate and adult or continuing education students).     

●50% discount for people over 60 years with valid certificate or proof of age (passport, etc.)'

●Women's Day (March 8): Half-price admission for female visitors.

●Children's Day (June 1): Free admission for children 14 years old and younger. 50% discount on admission for one accompanying parent. legal guardian, or adult,

For detailed information and instruction, please click here.

1. How many people can visit the Palace Museum daily at most?

A．Eight hundred

B．Eighty thousand.

C．Eight million

D．Eighty million.

2. Among the four,who can get the lowest admission price?

A．A middle-aged woman visiting it on 13,Mar.	B．A middle-aged parent visiting it alone on lst, June.
C．A 65-year-old man visiting it on 7th,May.	D．A middle school student visiting it on 6th,Jan.

3. Where do you think the passage most probably comes from?

A．A website.

B．A magazine

C．A book.

D．A newspaper.