【推荐1】Going from middle school to freshman year of high school is a big challenge.    1    

Be open to new friendships.

High school is all about experiencing new things, including new friendships. Getting to know people you haven’t met before is a great way to broaden your horizons (眼界).     2     Simply sitting with a new person at lunch can be a good way to get it started.

    3    

For most people, going off to high school means heading off to a new campus. If you worry about the unknown, reach out to the school and see if someone can help. They might be able to show you around the campus, which will make you a bit more comfortable as you go on with your freshman year.

Get organised.

High school and middle school are very different in studying.     4     You can buy a planner and spend a few minutes each night going over the notes you took in class that day. Staying on top of your studies will make it much easier to get used to high school.

Create a three-year plan.

While there’s no need to plan every day for the next three years, it can’t hurt to make a note of classes you want to take or activities you’d like to try.     5     Having a plan in place will help you make the most of your high school experience.

A．Explore the campus.

B．Be open to new experiences.

C．If you’re nervous,start small.

D．Believe it or not, the three years go by really fast.

E．Challenges like these might sometimes put you under great pressure.

F．Try to get as organised as possible so you can stay on top of your work.

G．Here are some ways to help you deal with bad feelings and prepare for the first year.

【推荐2】Dear Parents:

I’m delighted that you are considering the British International School for your children’s education. Our school offers first class international education delivered by experienced, highly qualified and professional staff.

We aim to provide a high quality British-style education characterized by:

The arrangement of the English National Curriculum to meet the needs of international and local students and offering an insight into the local culture.

High quality teaching provided by international and local staff.

A broad personal development of students that encourages independence, confidence, tolerance, good manners and respect.

A recognition of the school-parent partnership in the successful education of the children.

An acknowledge that all students are individuals who deserve an environment to help realize their academic and other potential, thereby preparing them for their chosen continued education and career.

A safe, caring, happy and stimulating environment benefiting from high quality facilities.

Our school provides an effective framework for education through a broad, balanced, and monitored curriculum. As students advance through the school, we ensure that their needs are met through progressive teaching and learning. Although our curriculum is based upon the National Curriculum for England, it is adapted as appropriate, to ensure suitability for our diverse student body. Thus, we strive for the development of transferable skills through the years of school, as well as the acquisition of a broad body of knowledge.

Students are given opportunities to develop many skills. These include skills in language, in science, technology and mathematics, in the aesthetic(审美的) and creative fields of music, drama and art, and in physical education.

We insist that students act in a responsible manner toward all members of society. Throughout the school, students are taught to distinguish between right and wrong and show consideration for others. The qualities of honesty, kindness and good manners are always encouraged. Our friendly atmosphere provides a secure and happy environment in which children can grow and flourish as Individuals and valued members of the school family.

1. What do you think the author is?

A．A school principal

B．An exchange student.

C．An assistant professor

D．An experienced lecturer.

2. Why does the school change its curriculum when necessary?

A．To develop some good students’ skills.

B．To meet the needs of different students.

C．To offer an insight into the local culture.

D．To help students realize their potential.

3. Which of the following about the students is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Manners

B．Self-discipline

C．Qualities.

D．Independence.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．The author thinks schools and parents play an important role in teaching.

B．The author is stressing that responsibility is the most important thing for a student.

C．The author is encouraging more parents to send their children to this school.

D．The author implies students become valued people without a friendly atmosphere.

【推荐3】The student arrived early, sat front and center, and stood out in my classroom in more ways than one. I’d say that he was about 40 years older than his classmates in my undergraduate communications class. He eagerly jumped into class discussions, with his humor and wisdom of experience. And he was always respectful of the other students’ perspectives, as if each of them were a teacher. Jerry Valencia walked in with a smile — and he left with one too.

“These students gave me the confidence that I didn’t need to feel bad about my age,” Valencia says.

One day, I spotted Valencia on campus. He said he would have to stop taking classes that semester and reapply for next year. By then, he hoped to have earned enough money from construction jobs and have his student-loan papers in order. But he said he was still coming to campus to attend events or see friends. He asked seriously whether he could still sit in on my communications class.

Sure, I said. But he wouldn’t get any credit.

No problem, he said.

Soon there he was again, back at his old desk, front and center, jumping into our discussions on how to find and tell stories in Los Angeles — a 63-year-old man with as much energy and curiosity as any of the youngsters in class. For an assignment on changing neighborhoods, Valencia wrote about a favorite local chain restaurant that was “unceremoniously closed.” He called it a theft of childhood. “It is almost as if someone has stolen that childhood and rudely replaced it with a slippery hill where everything they treasure will slide away,” he wrote.

A lot of Valencia’s classmates apparently knew he couldn’t afford that semester’s tuition but was still doing the homework. “Here he is, willingly taking a class for the delight of it and benefit of learning,” says Jessica Espinosa, a 25-year-old junior. Afterward, I overheard Valencia wanted to stay in school until he earned a master’s degree, but it had taken him 12 years to finish community college, so he had a long way to go. He had earned his associate of arts degree over the summer, then transferred to LA to start on his bachelor’s.

There is something splendidly unreasonable about Valencia’s determination to get a four-year degree and then a master’s. At his current pace, he’ll be 90 when he finally hangs all that paper on the wall. But that doesn’t seem especially relevant. He’s found all the youthful energy and academic opportunity stimulating. Valencia’s grade in my class this semester will not show up on his transcripts (成绩单). But I’m giving him an A — and in the most important ways, it counts.

1. What made Valencia different from his classmates according to Para. 1?

A．He was an early bird to attract other students’ attention.

B．He took pride in his age, for he often wore a smile on his face.

C．He was eager to draw his conclusion in the communications class.

D．He may often share his wise and humorous ideas in the discussion.

2. According to the author, Valencia continued to attend classes because ________.

A．he got enjoyment and treasured the chance of learning

B．he needed the credits to further study a bachelor’s degree

C．he desired to attend events and have an A on his transcripts

D．he wanted to keep up with his classmates by learning hard

3. Which of the following best describes Valencia?

A．Modest and independent.	B．Energetic and generous.
C．Considerate and intelligent.	D．Enthusiastic and motivated.

4. The passage mainly tells us that ________.

A．teachers like diligent and highly-motivated students

B．efforts will be paid off as long as we are determined

C．it is never too late to learn even though we start a little late

D．getting an A counts when it comes to learning at a higher level

【推荐1】A student is learning to speak British English.He wonders（想知道）: Can I communicate with Americans?Can they understand me?Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences?

Certainly!there are some differences between British and American English.'There are a few differences in grammar.For example,speakers of British English say "in hospital" and "Have you a pen?" Americans say "in the hospital!" and "Do you have a pen?".Pronunciation is sometimes different.Americans usually sound theirs in words like "bird" and "hurt".Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words.There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary.For example,"colour" and "honour" are British,"color" and honor" are American.

These differences in grammar,pronunciation,spelling and vocabulary are not important,however.For the most part,British and American English are the same language.

1. American English and British English are different in ________.

A．spelling	B．pronunciation
C．grammar	D．all of the above

2. What is not mentioned（提及）in the passage?

A．Whether there are differences between British English and American English.

B．Whether British English and American English are one language or two.

C．How important the differences are.

D．How the differences between British English and American English came about.

3. According to this passage,British people and Americans have________difficulty in understanding each other.

A．Much	B．little
C．some	D．great

【推荐2】When "irregardless" was included in Merriam-Webster dictionary, it caused wide disagreements. “Irregardless” has been in widespread and near-constant use since 1795, when a newspaper called The Charleston City Gazelle of Charleston Ga., first used it. We do not make the English language, we merely record it,“ the dictionary's staff wrote in “Words of the Week”.

The word's definition, when we read it, would seem to be without regard. However, Merriam-Webster defines "irregardless" as “nonstandard” but meaning the same as “regardless”. According to Merriam-Webster, "Many people find 'irregardless' to be a ridiculous word, as the ir-prefix usually indicates negative meaning; however, in this case it appears to make the meaning of ' regardless’ stronger. "

“It's not a real word. I don't care what the dictionary says,” responds author Michelle Ray, who teaches English in Silver Spring, Md. And she says she's still planning to mark “irregardless" as incorrect on her students' work.

An American newspaper the Baltimore Sun published the word in editor John McIntyre's commentary on Saturday: Irregardless' is too a word; you just don't understand dictionaries. People get upset about the dictionary because they think it is some sort of official document. But actually, it's not. It's just lexicographers identifying words that people use and trying to find out how they are spelled, how they are pronounced, what meanings they have and where they came from. "

“The dictionary's recognition doesn't enroll a word as correct in the English language,“ McIntyre says. "It just says this is a word that a lot of people use in English. And here's what we know about it. " So it's a word, but its use is still discouraged in formal writing.

1. Where was "irregardless" first used?

A．In a newspaper.	B．In an online post.
C．In a new dictionary.	D．In an expert's comment.

2. How does Merriam-Webster define “irregardless”?

A．It defines it as meaningless.	B．It defines it as a nonstandard usage.
C．It defines it as the opposite of “regardless”.	D．It defines it as indicating a negative attitude.

3. What is Michelle Ray's attitude towards the use of “irregardless”？

A．She is uncertain about it.	B．She thinks it informal but correct.
C．She is unwilling to accept it.	D．She doesn't care about how her students use it.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．"Irregardless" Is Frequently Used in Formal Writing

B．Experts Can't Agree on the Meaning of “Irregardless"

C．" Irregardlee" Shouldn't be Included in the Dictionary

D．Regardless of What You Think, “Irregardless" Is a Word

【推荐3】Wouldn’t it be wonderful to travel to a foreign country without having to worry about the headache of communicating in a different language?

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, technology policy expert Alec Ross argued that, within a decade or so, we would be able to communicate with one another via small earpieces with built-in microphones. That’s because technological progress is extremely rapid. It’s only a matter of time. Indeed, some parents are so convinced that this technology is imminent that they’re wondering if their kids should learn a second language.

It’s true that an increase in the quantity and accuracy of the data loaded into computers will make them cleverer at translating “No es bueno dormir mucho” into “It’s not good to sleep too much”. Replacing a word with its equivalent(对应词) in the target language is actually the easy part of a translator’s job. But even this seems to be a discouraging task for computers.

It’s so difficult for computers because translation doesn’t — or shouldn’t — involve simply translating words, sentences or paragraphs. Rather, it’s about translating meaning. And in order to infer meaning from a specific expression, humans have to interpret a mass of information at the same time. Think about all the related clues that go into understanding an expression : volume, gesture, situations, and even your culture. All are likely to convey as much meaning as the words you use.

Therefore, we should be very skeptical of a machine that is unable to interpret the world around us. If people from different cultures can offend each other without realizing it, how can we expect a machine to do better? Unless engineers actually find a way to breathe a soul into a computer, undoubtedly when it comes to conveying and interpreting meaning using a natural language, a machine will never fully take our place.

1. What does the underlined word “imminent” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Ready.

B．Approaching.

C．Unpractical.

D．Confusing.

2. Why is it hard for computers to replace a word with its equivalent?

A．Their data is not adequate enough.	B．The real meaning of words can vary.
C．Their accuracy needs big improvement.	D．A soul hasn’t been breathed in them.

3. What view does the author hold about translation?

A．Accurate translation can be tough for humans.

B．Slight distinctions matter little in translation.

C．Some machines will interpret our world properly.

D．Cultures deserve more attention than words used.

【推荐1】A book called Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations has been published in the United States since the 1850s. It started with John Bartlett, the owner of a bookstore near Boston, Massachusetts. He selected words, or quotations, from famous people, including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine and John Keats for the book.

Geoffrey O’Brien is the current editor of the 170-year-old book. He said it is hard to keep up with so many quotations because of “the speed of events” in modern times. “No matter when we went to press, we would be cutting off in the middle of the story,” he said.

The 19th edition of Bartlett’s just came out. It is the first publication since 2012 and the second under O’Brien. “With the Internet and cable news, you have the constant manufacturing of statements of one kind or another,” O’Brien said. So, he tried to choose quotations that have staying power beyond current news events.

In the early days, the book was mostly made up of quotations from white men. But recently, the book includes words from the singer Beyoncé and the track and field athlete Usain Bolt. It even has thoughts from other languages such as Russian and Navajo, a Native American language.

With so many new quotes, some older ones had to be removed. O’Brien said he was sad to drop comments by John Dryden, one of his favorite poets.

O’Brien also needs to keep the book to about 1,400 pages. So, once very well-known American comedians like Bob Hope and Johnny Carson are not in the latest book. Also gone are quotes from former U. S. Vice President Dan Quayle and actor Sally Field.

O’Brien said the goal of the book is to be “representative” but not like an encyclopedia(百科全书). Not everyone can get in. He said he was sad to not be able to include a comment from U. S. civil rights activist and politician John Lewis, who died in 2020.

1. What challenge does Geoffrey O’Brien face?

A．How to deal with famous people.	B．When to remove the quotes.
C．Whether to keep pace with times.	D．What to take into the book.

2. How did Geoffrey deal with the challenge?

A．He included sayings from Russian.	B．He selected power-lasting quotes.
C．He increased the pages of the book.	D．He changed the goal of the book.

3. What made O’Brien feel sad?

A．Removing quotes of John Dryden.	B．Dropping quotations of Bob Hope.
C．Taking in comments of John Lewis.	D．Including quotes from white men.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Publication of a Quotation Book	B．Content of a Famous Book
C．Quotation Book Struggles to Keep up	D．Editors Try to Publish More Books

【推荐3】Some people worry that there’s too much technology in our lives. And they may have a point, given how countless people now carry the internet around in their pocket and use it as a primary form of communication. It’s practically difficult to shun technology in our world. There are computer microchips (微芯片) in our watches, our cars, light switches, even our pets! Where will it end?

Well, if certain people have their way, it’ll go even further. We’ll have microchips implanted into our brains that can interact with the computers by thought alone. It may sound like something from the science fiction, but in many ways, things look quite promising. Thanks to the ability to send and receive information remotely via computers, microchips and other related devices have long been put into brains.

For example, electrodes have been implanted in the brains of epilepsy patients to better record and even predict the abnormal neurological (神经病学的) activity. Similarly, deep-brain stimulation, through implanted devices that cause activity in key brain regions, is an established treatment for things like -Parkinson’s disease, and is even being looked into for illnesses like depression.

However, it’s another thing to place such devices in healthy individuals. There are the practical concerns, not least of which is what these chips will be made of. The inside of the brain is a mass of highly reactive chemicals and electrical activity. Implants would need to be inert (静止的) enough to not upset the delicate processes by their presence, but also sensitive enough to read and process the activity around them. Current technology has made impressive progress with this, but if it were to be rolled out to millions of people, we’d need to be 100 per cent certain that it’s safe.

How many people will actually want to have technology literally put into their brain? A surprising 60 per cent of Americans say they’d be okay with it, but that’s when it’s purely. theoretical. In reality, the possibility of having strangers stick chips in your brain is likely to prove unattractive, especially for a population where millions get mad at fictional microchips in vaccines (疫苗), and even more are frightened of dentists.

Ultimately, the technology of computer-brain interface (接口) implants is still far away from us.

1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?

A．A summary of the article.	B．An introduction to the main topic.
C．An overview of the whole article.	D．An argument over the main topic.

2. What does the underlined word “implanted” mean in paragraph 2?

A．To put something into someone’s body by an operation.

B．To design something new over a period of time.

C．To prevent something from changing rapidly.

D．To get rid of something steadily.

3. What does the author want to tell us by the examples in paragraph 3?

A．The process of human-computer interaction.

B．The possible treatment for particular diseases.

C．The future of microchips and devices alike.

D．The existing application of microchip implants.

4. How may most Americans react to implanting chips in the brain in reality?

A．They may reject it.	B．They may expect it.
C．They may adjust to it.	D．They may feel curious about it,

5. Which word can best describe the technology of computer-brain interface implants?

A．Imaginary.	B．Practical.
C．Unfulfilled.	D．Impossible.