【推荐1】An amazing occurrence happened in South Africa when 31 elephants made a "Journey To Pay Their Respect" to their hero who had saved their lives and many other animals. Lawrence Anthony (1950-2012), a legend (传奇人物) in South Africa and author of 3 books including the bestseller The Elephant Whisperer, bravely rescued wildlife and elephants all over the globe, including the courageous rescue of Baghdad Zoo animals in 2003. On March 7, 2012, Lawrence Anthony died.

Two days after his passing, the wild elephants showed up at his home led by two old female elephants. Separate wild groups arrived to say goodbye to their beloved man-friend. A total of 31 elephants had patiently walked over 12 miles to reach his South African House. Witnessing this sight, humans were obviously in awe (敬畏) because of not only the precise timing that these elephants sensed about Lawrence's passing, but also because of the deep memory and emotion the beloved animals showed in such an organized way.

Walking slowly — for days — they made their way in a one — by — one queue from their home in the wild bush to his house. Lawrence's wife, Francoise, was especially touched, knowing that the elephants had not been to his house prior to (在……前面的) that day for well over 3 years!

They knew where they were going and they seemed to know why they were going to Lawrence's home. The elephants obviously wanted to pay their deep respects, honoring their human friend who had saved their lives — so much respect that they stayed for 2 days and 2 nights without eating anything.

After honoring Lawrence Anthony in the only way they could, then one morning, they left, making their long journey back home.

1. When did the elephants appear at Lawrence Anthony's house?

A．On March 5, 2012.	B．On March 7, 2012.
C．On March 9, 2012.	D．On March 11, 2012.

2. Which paragraph(s) shows the elephants were intelligent, emotional and well organized?

A．Paragraph 1.	B．Paragraph 2.
C．Paragraph 2 and 3.	D．Paragraph 3 and 4.

3. What makes Lawrence Anthony a legend?

A．The bestseller The Elephant Whisperer.

B．The wild elephants' amazing occurrence.

C．His rescues of wildlife all over the world.

D．His special way of living with wild animals.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．An honorable legend	B．A long journey back home
C．Well-organized wild elephants	D．The day they remembered

【推荐2】Our first welcome to Britain wasn’t from the staff of Heathrow Airport or the coach driver who took us to our new city and new home for the next three weeks. It was, in fact, the noisy and energetic seagulls full of songs that flew down to us. When leaving from the plane exits, we still could hear their loud and clear songs through the glasses. It was unbelievable that they lifted our spirits and cheered us up after our stupidly long and awful journey.

These seagulls welcomed us into the new home with open wings. If they could speak instead of merely squawking, I’m sure we would have established some bright and harmonious relationship. They liked to hover overhead around with childlike greetings or just simply walk fearlessly close to our feet. Some of us saved bread our host family prepared for these friends and really enjoyed their company.

But my hostess, Julie, doesn’t think so. Strangely enough, she couldn’t give any reasons. The squawk-proof double-glazing that is closed explains. Perhaps she prefers to sleep with her windows open but she always fails to do that, because those birds seem to enjoy staying up till next morning, doing nothing but scream. And they decide to keep doing so every single night. Furthermore, every time she has to wash the marble floor of the gardens, Julie would look up around, curse the seagulls for droppings and say to me with a sad smile, “They are friendly to you.”

But stop thinking that she hates the creatures and never plans to have a change, because there is another side to her evident feelings towards the birds. Every time we go shopping, Julie never forgets to put a big bag of wild birdseed into her carriage which costs quite more than milks or juices for one week. I can see what it goes for since she refills the wild bird feeder before a big hurry to drive to work every morning and when working she knows what is happening back at home — seagulls are enjoying the seed.

I’m leaving soon and not likely, though I hope not, to get back to see my friends here in England in the future. I said I would miss all friends living here including the seagulls. And when Julie was refilling the feeder again, she said, “They’re nice but they are not my friends.”

1. According to the first paragraph, we can know that ___________.

A．people in Britain didn’t welcome the newcomers

B．the seagulls were all the more energetic and friendly than the local people

C．the author felt surprised to find seagulls shortly after the plane landed

D．the author’s spirits sank at the sight of noisy and stupid seagulls

2. What does “The squawk-proof double-glazing” underlined in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．A window used to keep noise out.	B．Birdseed used to feed the seagulls.
C．A net used for capturing birds.	D．A cage used for keeping birds.

3. Julie said the seagulls were nice but not her friends for the following reasons EXCEPT that________.

A．the seagulls were the source of noise every night	B．her garden became dirty due to the seagulls
C．the seagulls were friendly to her guests	D．the birdseeds cost her large amounts of money

4. The passage is most possibly taken from _________.

A．a popular science book about birds	B．a travel brochure for London
C．a guidebook on how to feed the birds	D．a magazine about travelling

【推荐3】It was a cold, sunny December day when I set out for a run in Moab, Utah, with my dog, Taz. I often went for training runs by myself and had done this particular route before.

About an hour into my run along a remote canyon (峡谷) trail, I hit a piece of ice and then fell 60 feet into the canyon, landing on a ledge (岩脊) above a sheer (陡峭的) drop. I wasn’t paralyzed (瘫痪), but I was in great pain. Taz had managed to find his way back to me, so there must be away out of the canyon, but I couldn’t stand. I dragged myself to the bottom of the canyon. Every inch was an effort. Eventually, it got so dark that I had to stay where I was for the night, next to a puddle (水坑) of water. At night the temperature dropped below freezing. Taz stayed with me, providing some warmth.

The next morning, I couldn’t move at all. I tried to stay positive. I was sure somebody would hear me screaming for help. The second night in the canyon seemed even longer and colder. The puddle tum ned to ice, and I had to crack through it to get water.

On the third day, I felt myself growing weaker. I was coming to accept the fact that I might die. In a last ditch effort, I called Taz over and told him to go and get help. Taz took off through the canyon and I lay there thinking about my family and friends. There was more that I wanted from life.

Taz returned, alone. Then I heard an engine in the distance. I cried with joy. It turned out that Taz had found a search and rescue team. I was airlifted to the hospital, where doctors found I had lost almost half the blood in my body. If the rescue team had arrived later, I wouldn’t have made it.

Ten years on, I still think about it every day. Taz is still a live — we’ll always have a special bond. Realizing you have a second chance at life puts things into perspective.

1. What happened when the author was running along a remote trail?

A．He found a new route.	B．His dog was lost.
C．He fell into a canyon.	D．The temperature dropped sharply.

2. How did the author get water when trapped in the canyon?

A．By asking his dog for help.

B．By breaking through some ice.

C．By squeezing out some liquid of plants.

D．By drinking some morning dew on the grass.

3. Why did the author send his dog to get help?

A．People passing by failed to rescue him.

B．His dog was familiar with his friends and family.

C．His dog could find it swayback to him.

D．He had no choice but to make the last attempt.

4. Which of the following maybe the best title of the passage?

A．A narrow escape	B．My loyal friend
C．A canyon adventure	D．Surviving the icebergs

【推荐1】I took a job as a receptionist for a veterinarian (兽医) almost five decades ago. As an keen animal lover, I accepted the position on the condition that I wouldn’t have to assist with any wounded animals. I couldn’t bear to see any creature in pain.

At the end of my first week, we were closing the office for the day when a young man ran up to us holding a severely injured Doberman pinscher puppy in his arms and begging us to save his life. The four-month-old pup had been hit by a car.

The doctor and I ran back into the operating room. The only place the skin was still attached to this poor little animal’s body was around one shoulder. The vet worked tirelessly for what seemed like hours, stitching him back together again. That was the easy part. The puppy had broken multiple bones, including his spine. If he survived the next few days, we were quite sure he would never walk again.

That day forever changed my life. The veterinarian instructed me, and I became his assistant in all things medical. One of my first jobs was to give that Doberman puppy daily physical therapy. I remember moving his tiny legs to try to keep his muscles from shrinking.

Weeks went by until one day, I felt this little fighter push back ever so slightly. And he continued to push back till he could finally use his legs.

Fast-forward about a year. I walked into the clinic’s crowded waiting room and called the name of the next client. Suddenly, a huge Doberman who had been standing quietly with his owner on the opposite side of the room broke loose and ran toward me. I found myself pinned against the wall with this magnificent dog standing on his hind legs, his front paws on my shoulders, washing my face with abundant and joyful kisses!

I still tear up in amazement at the display of love and gratitude the dog had for me that day all those years ago. I went on to be a vet tech for 14 years, and since retirement, I’ve volunteered at a no-kill animal shelter. In all the time that has passed and all the experiences I have had, I’ve never met a dog who didn’t know it had been rescued in one way or another.

1. In this passage, the word “stitching” (Paragraph 3)is closest in meaning to “_________”.

A．sewing

B．gluing

C．restoring

D．cleaning

2. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．It was the timely operation that made the injured dog walk again.

B．The author dared not help the wounded animals for lack of much experience.

C．The author’s career underwent a great change due to his experience with the dog.

D．As the author had expected, the dog finally restored its ability to walk.

3. What does the underlined sentence “I’ve never met a dog who didn’t know it had been rescued in one way or another” mean?

A．I have devoted my life career to offering maximum help to the injured dogs.

B．Dogs are generally believed to be unaware of the help humans give them.

C．I have been trying my best to come up with effective cures for saving dogs.

D．Dogs invariably express their inner appreciation for the help they have received.

4. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．My Career as a Vet Assistant	B．A Grateful Patient
C．An Unforgettable Treatment	D．My Close Relation with a Dog

【推荐2】Last year my summer holiday was spoiled by my bringing along a modern convenience that was too convenient for my own good: the iPad．Instead of looking at nature, I checked my e-mail．Instead of paddling a small boat, I followed my Twitter feed（推特简讯）．Instead of reading great novels, I stuck to reading four newspapers each morning．I was behaving as if I were still in the office．My body was on vacation, but my head wasn’t．
So this year I made up my mind to try something different: withdrawal from the Internet．I knew it wouldn’t be easy, since I’m bad at self-control．But I was determined．I started by giving the iPad to my wife．
The cellphone signal at our house was worse than in the past, making my attempts at cheating an experience in frustration （沮丧）．I was trapped, forced to go through with my plan．Largely breaking away from e-mail, Twitter and my favorite newspaper websites, I had few ways to connect to the world except for the radio—and how much radio can one listen to, really? I had to do what I had planned to do all along: read books．
This experience has had a happy ending．With determination and the strong support of my wife, I won in my vacation struggle against the Internet, realizing finally that it was I, not the iPad, that was the problem．I knew I had won when we passed a Starbucks and my wife asked if I wanted to stop to use the Wi-Fi．“I don’t need it,” I said．
However, as we return to post-vacation life, a harder test begins: Can I continue when I’m back at work?
There are times when the need to know what’s being said right now is great．I have no intention of giving up my convenience completely．But I hope to resist the temptation to check my e-mail every five minutes, which leads to checking my Twitter feed and a website or two．
I think a vacation is supposed to help you rest your brain to become more productive．Here I hope this one worked．
1. What do we know about the author’s last summer vacation?

A．He was determined to enjoy the beautiful view．

B．His iPad ruined his plan of finishing a great novel．

C．He hated himself for acting as if he were working on vacation．

D．He felt satisfied that he had stuck to his usual timetable．

2. What did the author do to keep away from the Internet this year?

A．He cut off his cellphone signal．

B．He handed his iPad to his wife．

C．He refused to cheat in his house．

D．He listened to the radio most of the time．

3. When back at work, the author will probably choose to ________．

A．keep control of when and how to use the Internet

B．continue to road more and more books

C．stay away from the Internet for ever

D．stop checking what is being said right now completely

4. What is the author’s opinion of a great vacation in the passage?

A．A vacation is having nothing to do but read all day．

B．A vacation proves that a life of pleasure is overvalued．

C．A vacation means a change of pace to make one more creative．

D．A vacation is a period of time to do whatever one wishes to．