【推荐1】The climate crisis may lead the human race to shrink in size, as mammals with smaller frames appear better able to deal with rising global temperatures, a leading fossil expert has said.

Professor Steve Brusatte, a palaeontologist at the University of Edinburgh, suggested that the way in which other mammals have previously responded to periods of climate change could offer an insight into humans’ future. He compared the potential problem of people as similar to that of early horses, which became smaller in body size as temperatures rose around 55 million years ago.

Writing in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals, Brusatte notes that animals in warmer parts of the world today are often smaller than those in colder areas, an ecological principle known as Bergmann’s rule. “The reasons are not entirely understood, but it is probably, in part, because smaller animals have a higher surface area relative to their volume than bigger animals and can thus improve the dissipation of the extra heat,” he writes.

Brusatte said that becoming smaller was “a common way that mammals deal with climate change”. He added, “That’s not to say every species of mammal would get smaller, but it seems to be a common survival trick of mammals when temperatures rise pretty quickly. That does raise the question: If temperatures do rise really quickly, might humans get smaller? And I think that’s certainly reasonable.”

However, not all experts agree that rising temperature causes mammals to shrink. Professor Adrian Lister, of the Natural History Museum in London, said the relationship shown by the recent human remains study is weak. “We are not really controlled by natural selection,” he said. “If that was going to happen, you’d need to find large people dying before they could reproduce because of climate warming. That is not happening in today’s world. We wear clothes, we have got heating, we have got air conditioning if it is too hot.”

1. How do mammals cope with climate change according to Brusatte?

A．Moving to colder regions.	B．Reducing their body size.
C．Losing their weight.	D．Adapting their diet.

2. What does the underlined word “dissipation” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Exchange.

B．Formation.

C．Absorption.

D．Emission.

3. What is Adrian Lister’s attitude towards the recent study?

A．Worried.

B．Objective.

C．Skeptical.

D．Approving.

4. What is the best title of this text?

A．The Threat of Climate Change to Human Survival

B．The Impact of Climate Change on Mammal Body Sizes

C．The Evolutionary Trends in Mammal Body Sizes

D．The Adaptive Strategies of Mammals to Climate Change

【推荐2】Art is everywhere. Any public space has been carefully designed by an artistic mind to be both functional and beautiful. Why, then, is art still so widely considered to be “the easy subject” at school, insignificant to wider society, a waste of time and effort?

Art can connect culture with commercial products in a way that not many other things can; art generates money and holds significant emotional and cultural value within communities. When people attend a concert, they are paying for music, sure, maybe even hotel rooms, meals, and transport, but they also gain an incredible experience, a unique atmosphere and a memory that will go through the rest of their lives. People don’t just want material things anymore, they want to experience life—the arts are a perfect crossover between culture and commerce.

Furthermore, the arts can bring communities together, reducing loneliness and making people feel safer. Social bonds are created among individuals when they share their arts experiences through reflection and discussion, and their expression of common values through artworks in honour of events significant to a nation’s experience.

The arts clearly have a pretty positive impact on physical and psychological health. It is found that people who frequent cultural places or participate in artistic events are more likely to gain good health compared to those who do not; more engagement with the arts is linked to a higher level of people’s well-being. The Royal Society of Public Health discovered that music and art, when used in hospitals, help to improve the conditions of patients by reducing stress, anxiety and blood pressure.

Children who are involved with the arts make greater achievements in their education: those engaged with drama have greater literary ability while others taking part in musical practice exhibit greater skills in math and languages. Kids with preference for the arts have a greater chance of finding employment in the future. Participating in the arts is essential for child development; encouraging children to express themselves in constructive ways could help to form healthy emotional responses in later life.

Vital to human life, art is celebrated and used by nations across the world for various purposes. Life without art would be boring and dead still, for art is a part of what makes us human.

1. Art products differ from most other commercial products because ________.

A．most people purchase them for collection	B．they are more expensive and less accessible
C．they have both commercial and cultural values	D．their prices may climb up as time passes

2. By sharing their arts experiences, community members can ________.

A．keep the community safe from illnesses	B．develop a stronger tie between them
C．learn to appreciate their own works of art	D．offer honourable solutions to their problems

3. What can we learn about people who are involved in artistic activities?

A．They enjoy better living conditions.

B．They like to compare themselves with others.

C．They are particularly good at both music and art.

D．They tend to be healthier physically and mentally.

4. How does kids’ engagement with the arts benefit them?

A．It promotes their academic performance and emotional growth.

B．It gives them more confidence in exhibiting their learning skills.

C．It inspires their creativity in designing their future career.

D．It helps to make responsible people out of them.

【推荐3】Being social and emotional from an early age is likely to help children win acceptance by their peers, build better relationships with teachers, and further academic learning. According to research, pretend play is a teaching tool that can be used to stimulate a child’s all-round development.

A curriculum based on this approach has been introduced in classes of pupils aged five and six by a research team from the University of Geneva. The study shows that pupils who followed the curriculum increased their emotional recognition capacities and emotional level compared to a control group. The use of pretend play as a teaching tool enables children to acquire emotional skills. with a potential positive effect on their prosocial(亲社会的) behavior and, in the longer term, on their academic success.

“Potential leads for learning do exist,” says Sylvie Richard. “We know already that pretend play promotes the understanding and regulation of emotions together with prosocial behavior in the early stages of schooling.”

Pretend play gives children the opportunity to use their imagination, in particular by means of scenarios(剧本)that they invent and the roles they play. For instance, they can pretend to be wizard or witch who’s making a kind of magic water that will send a dangerous dragon to sleep. The child creates the rules, adjusts them to suit their situation, and calls on their imagination”, explains Sylvie Richard.

A total of 79 children took part in the research, with the results showing an improvement in the recognition of emotions, particularly anger. The children also built up their emotional vocabulary. “The results suggest, on the one hand, that it’s essential to design a teaching system that takes pretend play into account as areas of knowledge that should be taught. On the other hand, the study shows that using this kind of play helps children experiment,” concludes Sylvie Richard. Given its success, the study is continuing with a more extensive curriculum, which is being carried out now in Geneva.

1. What is the purpose of Paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the topic of the text.

B．To explain the beginning of the research.

C．To encourage children to help their peers.

D．To stress the importance of academic learning.

2. What can children learn from pretend play?

A．Becoming a wizard or a witch

B．Controlling the mood of anger.

C．Mastering more emotional words.

D．Inventing scenarios with imagination.

3. What may be talked about following the last paragraph of the text?

A．Experiments of making a magic water.

B．Courses related to pretend play in Geneva.

C．Long-lasting influence of the research in Geneva.

D．Children involving in the recognition of emotions

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Pretend play to “school” children’s emotions

B．Pretend play to increase children’s knowledge.

C．A learning rule to call on children’s imagination.

D．A curriculum to achieve children’s academic success.

【推荐1】Bringing species like beavers (河狸) back to England is no longer a priority, the government said on Friday to criticism from wildlife groups.

A recent report shows that one in six UK species are at risk of extinction. In September more than 60 conservation organisations reported a significant decline in species due to expansions in farming and the effects of climate change. In recent years, animals and plants have been reintroduced by charities as part of efforts to restore the country’s reduced biodiversity.

Despite the government allowing this, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee concluded in July that there was an absence of long-term plans on how to manage this. In response, the government has now said that the “reintroduction of species is not a priority”.

The government said it was focused on increasing biodiversity through habitat restoration. The government’s environment department has come under scrutiny (详细审查) for not doing more to prevent sewage dumping and other forms of pollution in England’s waterways.

Sir Robert Goodwill, chair of the Committee, said he was disappointed with the government response. Bringing back extinct species is a controversial issue — although farmers and landowners appear broadly supportive, there are risks of reintroducing new species, and without clear guidance, problems could arise.

A recent study showed that river barriers similar to those built by beavers can protect communities at risk of flooding. But there have also been cases documented in Europe where beavers have built their dams in places that have damaged crops and changed rivers.

Joan Edwards, director of Policy & Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts said, “Reintroducing wildlife must be part of the UK government’s arsenal (武器) for tackling nature loss and climate change — it is astonishing there is no strategy for doing so.”

“The return of wild beavers can help to recreate lost wetlands, with a knock-on effect that benefits other wildlife including insects, invertebrates and birds. Beavers also slow the flow of water, which can reduce flood risks to towns and villages,” she said.

1. What does paragraph 2 want to convey?

A．The situation of species in the UK is severe.

B．Reintroduction of species in the UK is not a priority.

C．Expansions in farming have a great effect on climate change.

D．The UK government’s response to reduced biodiversity is disappointing.

2. How did the UK government plan to increase biodiversity?

A．By developing strategy.

B．By offering guidance.

C．By expanding farming.

D．By restoring habitat.

3. What did Joan Edwards think of reintroduction of wildlife?

A．It was messy.	B．It was limited.
C．It was beneficial.	D．It was costly.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The advantages of reintroducing wildlife.

B．The responses to a government statement.

C．The effects of climate change on farming.

D．The approaches to increasing biodiversity.

【推荐3】With an eye for style and a heart for the environment, 18-year-old Alexis Giger launched a do-it-yourself blog aimed at “reducing your environmental impact fashionably”.

The idea was sparked (激发) by the ecology unit in her biology class at Charlotte Latin School last year, she said, which taught her about issues like deforestation and habitat destruction. “I started thinking about what I could do to stop the wastefulness in my immediate community,” the fashion lover said.

The blog, ecouturieracg.wordpress.com, aims to make reusing thrift store (旧货店) finds or last season’s pieces easy and fashionable while cutting down on the resources consumed by garment production, Alexis said. Through online research, she discovered that a simple cotton T-shirt takes more than 700 gallons of water to make.

“It made me realize that the fashion industry consumes huge amounts of natural resources as it relies on producing garments quickly and in large supply – many of the garments are only intended to be worn three or four times,” she said.

Alexis had a number of tools to help her get started. Her mom, Kimberly, taught her to sew when she was 5. Her grandmother taught her to crochet (钩边) around the same time. Alexis said she also gained technical knowledge and inspiration from her part-time job at a clothing company that creates theater wardrobes for schools and drama productions.

Prior to the blog launch, she spent several months illustrating “recycling” projects by creating photo tutorials. Though Ecouturier hasn’t been online long, she’s been getting positive feedback. “I’ve had people come up to me in the hall and say, ‘Hey, I saw your blog. I’m working on one of the projects right now,’” Alexis said.

She said she hasn’t bought a brand-new piece of clothing since last July, and her thrift store shopping has paid off with finds such as a $5 (31 yuan) dress she wore to homecoming.

“Taking an hour from Saturday afternoon to make something for yourself can really have an impact on the environment. A little change every day can really add up,” Alexis said.

1. What inspired Alexis to launch a do-it-yourself blog?

A．Her talent at making handicrafts.

B．Her fascination with the fashion industry.

C．Her part-time work experiences.

D．Her growing concern for the environment after taking a biology class.

2. What is the content of the blog Alexis set up?

A．It sells items made from thrift store finds.

B．It teaches people how to choose thrift store goods.

C．It encourages people to remake their clothing in a cool way.

D．It informs people of the bad effects of deforestation and habitat destruction.

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?

A．In order to promote her blog, Alexis is spending a lot of time online every day.

B．The projects on Alexis’ blog have convinced some people to try recycling clothes themselves.

C．Alexis has been dreaming of working in the fashion industry since she was a child.

D．To start the blog, Alexis learned from her mother and grandmother how to sew and crochet.

4. The underlined word “feedback” in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to ________.

A．attitude

B．advice

C．response

D．approach

5. Which of the following best describes Alexis?

A．Creative and responsible.

B．Smart and cooperative.

C．Independent and humorous.

D．Fashionable and amusing.

【推荐1】An allowance (零用钱）is an important tool for teaching kids how to budget, save and make their own decisions.Children remember and learn from mistakes when their own dollars are lost or spent foolishly.

How large an allowance is proper? Experts say there is not right amount.Actual amounts differ from area to area, and from family to family.To set a right amount of allowance for your child, work up a weekly budget- Allow for entertainment expenditure such as movies and snacks.' Next, include everyday expenses such as lunch money, bus fare, and school supplies.“If you make the child responsible for these 4 bills'，” says Josephine Swanson, a consumer (消费者）specialist，“he or she will learn to budget for necessary expenditure.”

Finally, add some extra money to make saving possible.If you can, keep your child's allowance in line with that of his or her friends.A child whose purchasing (购买)power falls away below his or her friends' can feel left out.

It can be hard, but avoid excusing your children when they make a mistake with their allowance.When Brooke Stephens was ten and growing up in Jacksonville, her mother gave her $5 a week, 1 - 75 of which was for bus fare and lunch.“If you lose your money，”Brooke's mother told her，“you walk home.”One week the girl spent all her allowance in a candy store； then she called home for a ride.“ Mom made me walk home， ” recalled Stephens，now a financial (财务）planner in Brooklyn.“At first I was angry.But I finally realized that she was trying to teach me an important lesson.”

Experts advise that an allowance should not be tied directly to a child's daily chores.Kids should help around the house not because they get paid for it but because they share responsibilities as members of a family.You might, however, pay a child for doing extra jobs at home.That can develop his or her initiative (主动性).

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A．How to work up a budget.

B．How to teach children to save money.

C．How to teach children to manage money matters.

D．How Lo develop the initiative of teenage children.

2. What does the underlined word “expenditure” mean in Paragraph 2?

A．The act of spending money.

B．An organized journey.

C．Belief about the future.

D．Something extremely expensive.

3. What's the right amount of allowance according to the author?

A．More than the amount of the kid's fellows.

B．Not less than the amount of the kid's fellows.

C．Almost equal amount with kids in other areas.

D．Almost equal amount with kids in other schools.

4. What's the main purpose of the author by giving the example of Brooke Stephens?

A．To show Brooke's parents are both too mean.

B．To suggest parents be strict on kids' allowance.

C．To question the opinions of the experts.

D．To explain why allowance is necessary for kids.

【推荐2】Tony Wang, who has been living in London since high school, says: “The weather is always the best topic to start a conversation with here, and complaining about wet shoes and a destroyed hairstyle can bring people closer.” “I spend most of my time thinking about two things: what to eat, except potato, and what to wear to handle another cold, windy, rainy day.”

As early as 1894, John Barbour had already noticed the trouble that came with changeable weather and also the need for waterproof clothing. So, he started by supplying oilskins to outdoor workers, such as fishermen and sailors. He soon opened his first store, named J. Barbour & Sons, in South Shields, a port on the River Tyne in the northeast of England. Now, 125 years later, Barbour is a family business that’s been passed down five generations.

The brand’s most iconic (标志性的) product, the jacket with a rugged weatherproof waxed cotton shell, corduroy collar, corrosion-proof brass buttons and pockets for storage and drainage eyelets, has been improved over the decades, but it is still manufactured by hand. The brand has now reached over 40 countries, including China. And it gathered three Royal Warrants as manufacturers of waterproof and protective clothing: 1974 from the Duke of Edinburgh; 1982 from the Queen and in 1987 from the Prince of Wales.

This year, the British brand Barbour marks its 125th anniversary. And besides improving the classic and professional jackets, Barbour has also been attracting more consumers with the artsy sense. For this, it has been collaborating with other brands and artists, including Engineered Garments, a fashion brand from Japan; and Alexa Chung, a British model and BBC presenter, who owns a namesake fashion brand. Most recently, Barbour made the paintings of Hayden Kays, a London-based artist, wearable.

At the end of June, Kays was invited to celebrate the launch of the collaboration at Galeries Lafayette Shopping Mall in Shanghai. Kays brought two paintings this time, presenting the importance of love. One is named Look Into My Love, a colorful circle like a bull’s-eye. “This work is hypnotic, because I think love can make me go crazy. Love is great, and everyone loves love,” he says.

“Barbour is an amazing partner, and the brand has got such a strong British identity and heritage, and at the same time, connects British brands and artists to Chinese consumers through collaboration, excited to see people wearing my artworks thousands of miles away from home,” Kays says. Lyu Yi, the general sales manager of China Outfitters Holdings Limited Company, who’s managing the development of Barbour in China, says: “Barbour is maintaining its British genes by combining its sense of fashion and art, to add extra artistic value to clothing.”

1. What’s the function of Paragraph 1?

A．To bring about the main topic of the text.

B．To show that weather greatly affects people’s daily life.

C．To show that weather is the best choice for a conversation.

D．To explain why conversations about weather can bring people closer.

2. Barbour’s most iconic product_________.

A．has reached over 40 countries

B．is a jacket with waxed cotton collar

C．is rarely manufactured by hand now

D．possesses more good qualities these years

3. The underlined word “hypnotic” in Paragraph 5 probably means “              ” .

A．unexpected

B．incredible

C．attractive

D．special

4. What might be the best title for the passage?

A．UK Brand Barbour works a wonder

B．UK Brand Barbour Takes the Art Route

C．The Development of UK Brand Barbour

D．People's Love for UK Brand Barbour

【推荐3】A new study of 8, 000 young people in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily. It is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love （早恋）may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression （忧郁症）. The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.

The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is "loss of self"According to the study, even though boys would say "lose themselves in a romantic relationship", this "loss of self" is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won't tell that to their parents.

Dr Marian Kaufnian, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression. She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.

Parents should watch for signs of depression - eating or mood changes - and if they see signs from their daughters or sons, they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity （成熟）gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.

1. What's the main idea of the passage?

A．Puppy love may bring young people depression.

B．Parents should forbid their children's love.

C．Romance is a two edged sword for adults.

D．Romance is good for young people.

2. Which of the following is more likely to have depression?

A．Young people who have a strong sense of selfishness.

B．Young boys whose parents watch for their behavior.

C．Young girls who always hide their feelings and opinions.

D．Careless parents whose children are deep in love.

3. What’s the author's attitude towards puppy love?

A．Confused.

B．Disapproving.

C．Interested.

D．Afraid