【推荐1】Life in the Internet age is lonely—or is it? That's what experts in human interaction（交往）are debating（争论) after a new Stanford University survey has been published.

According to the study, the more time people spend online, the less they can spare for reallife relationships with family and friends. The researchers asked 113 people about the Web's influence on daily activities. 36% of those people are online for more than five hours a week. "As Internet use becomes more widespread, it will have an increasingly isolating(孤立的) effect on society," says Robert Kraut, one of the researchers.

Scholars (学者)and Web lovers criticized（批评）the study for stretching its data to make the "isolating" point. While 13% of regular Web users admitted the loss of time with loved ones, 60% reported watching less TV. The survey also shows that email is the most popular online activity. If some of webheads(网虫) spend what was once passive TV time keeping company with friends via emails, "that's a move towards greater connectedness," says Paul Resnick, a professor at the University of Michigan.

This isn't the first claim that the Web should be criticized. A 1998 report monitored 73 Pittsburgh-area families' Net use for a year. People who used the Internet more "talked less to family members and reported being lonelier and more depressed," says Robert Kraut.

"It's true that there have been big declines in social connectedness over the past decades, but those declines began before the Internet was invented," says Thomas Putnam.

As Amitay Etzioni says, the Internet gives us a different kind of social life—not better or worse than before, but just different.

1. Who claimed that the Web had negative influence?

A．Robert Kraut.	B．Paul Resnick.
C．Thomas Putnam.	D．Amitay Etzioni.

2. The underlined word "This" in Para. 4 refers to _______.

A．the study conducted by Stanford University

B．the survey made by the University of Michigan

C．the conclusion in a report written in 1998

D．the opinion expressed in Bowling Alone

3. From the passage we learn that _______.

A．watching TV used to take time away from staying online

B．36 % of Web users spend more than five hours a week online

C．the Web was blamed more than once for causing an isolating effect

D．the Web has the same influence as telephones and televisions

【推荐2】Walking in the city is very different from walking in the park. A small psychology study suggests urban(城市的) environments can slow your step and possibly increase your mental load. A walk through nature, on the other hand, appears to ease your mind and quicken your pace. The findings show that natural settings may potentially reduce cognitive (认知的)tiredness and improve reaction times straight away. The study, which includes two experiments with two different approaches, was conducted among 65 university students in the lab.

The first of the two experiments in the new study focused on people’s way of walking and cognitive load. During this trial, participants were fitted with sensors and a dozen motion control cameras were set up to watch them repeatedly walk down a 15-metre room at their natural speed. The wall opposite them showed an image of either a nature scene or a city scene. After each walk, participants were asked to rate their feelings of discomfort in the visual environment. On the whole, when walking in city settings, people reported more discomfort and they walked at a slower pace, indicating a higher cognitive load.

The second experiment dug into some of the higher-level cognitive processes that might be at play. In the trial, participants were asked to distinguish between basic visual shapes on the computer while also in the presence of a natural or urban image(the same ones from the first experiment). Measuring reaction times in both natural and urban settings, the team found results to support their idea. In urban environments, participants were slower in distinguishing between simple shapes. The authors think this is because urban environments are more distracting(令人分心的) for our brains and take longer to process, but more research is needed to prove that idea.

1. How were the experiments conducted mainly?

A．By comparing.	B．By giving data.
C．By giving examples.	D．By explaining facts.

2. What are the advantages of walking in natural environment over in urban environment?

A．It can make us feel relaxed and react quickly.	B．It can activate our thinking and speed up our step.
C．It can make us less tired and improve our memory.	D．It can make us become more focused and creative.

3. Why were participants slower in identifying simple shapes in urban environments according to the authors?

A．They had a lower cognitive load.	B．They had to slow down their pace.
C．They couldn’t concentrate properly.	D．They felt uncomfortable after walking.

4. What can be inferred from the text?

A．Urban environment makes us more concentrated.	B．People’s feelings are decided by their pace of walking.
C．The result of the experiments is widely appreciated.	D．People tend to get tired more easily walking in the city.

【推荐3】When I first came to UK from China at 6, I entered the first grade.    1    . I saw children throw their left over food into the large trash cans-from half-eaten pizzas to untouched burgers. I watched them pour their milk into a white bucket. In China, this was a huge no-no in school. We had to finish everything.

One day, my first grade teacher announced that we would be having a party and everyone was told to bring something from their country.    2    . My mom stayed up after her long day of work and made many dumplings. She put them in the fridge and woke up early in the morning to steam them and fry them so they would taste extra fresh when I brought them to school. They smelled great and looked golden brown after they were cooked.

I was so excited to share these with my class and teachers. It was placed in the corner of the table next to all the other delicious food.    3    . One or two kids bravely took a piece and knew what they were because they had it with their parents at a Chinese restaurant. At the end of the party, it was cleanup. My teacher walked up to me and asked, pointing to the dumplings, “Would you like to take these home?” I carefully replied, “No...”    4    . I thought she was going to share it with other teachers, but immediately after I said that, she threw all the dumplings into the trash and continued cleaning. I was confused; what just happened?

    5    . And today I still witness this frequently in my English friends. Please eat all your food or take it to go or hare it or just get enough so you don’t have to throw it away. Thank you.

A．In China, “no” usually means “yes”

B．I got super excited and told my parents

C．It was very impolite to take your gift home

D．This was the biggest culture shock I have experienced

E．When I got home, I shared the experience with my parents

F．Many kids had the cookies and juices and were hesitant to try the dumplings

G．I didn’t understand why kids were getting their lunch food and not finishing it

【推荐1】Agriculture plays an essential role in the rise of the human civilization. Even though agriculture is contributing to employment of a significant part of the population in majority nations, over the years, the percentage of workers has witnessed a steep decline. According to world-wide estimations, not even five percentage of the population in rich nations is employed in the agricultural sector.

Agriculture is still the backbone of the economy in several nations of Africa. According to data released by the World Bank in 2017, the top ten countries where agriculture plays a vital role in employment are in Africa. Burundi, the landlocked nation on the eastern side of the continent, has 91% of its population dependent on it. However, only 15% of the total agricultural production goes to the market. Sweet potatoes, beans, bananas and corn, are some major crops produced on the land.

The second largest employment in agriculture was also registered in an African country； Chad with 87% population working on the field. Other nations which follow on the list are： Somalia, Central African Republic, Malawi, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Mauritania, Madagascar and Mozambique. Amid the developing countries of BRICS, it is India where more people are employed by agriculture. The agriculture in India can be traced back to the era of Indus Valley Civilization. By 2017, 43 % of the Indian population is dependent on the agriculture sector for employment.

Meanwhile, many developed countries witness less than 15 percent of their population engaged in the agriculture sector. These nations include Greece, Malaysia, Russia, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and many others. At the bottom of the list stand United Arab Emirates , Singapore and Hong Kong, with 0 % of its people employed in agriculture.

1. What does the writer want to highlight in the first paragraph?

A．Agriculture is the foundation of civilization.

B．Agriculture is the main sector of employment.

C．Agriculture is the backbone of the economy.

D．The agricultural population is in sharp decline.

2. Most part of the agricultural produce in Burundi ________.

A．is for family use	B．goes to the market
C．is used for export	D．goes to the government

3. Where does Central African Republic rank in employment in agriculture in the world?

A．Second.	B．Third.
C．Fourth.	D．Fifth.

4. We can infer from the text that the larger population in agriculture ________.

A．the more developed the country	B．the less developed the economy
C．the more advanced the civilization	D．the longer the history of a country

【推荐2】People in the United States honor their parents with two special days：Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible(有责任感的) citizens. They give love and care. These two days make us think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery(墓地).On these days families get together at home,as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day.These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts.Children make them in school.Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays.
1. Which of the following is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?

A．Parents bring up children.

B．Parents give love and care to children.

C．Parents educate children to be good persons.

D．Parents pass away before children grow up.

2. What do you think “florists” do?

A．They sell flowers.

B．They make and sell bread.

C．They offer enough room for having family parties.

D．They sell special gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

3. Which do you think is right about “carnation”?

A．It has only two kinds of colors.

B．It refers to the special clothes people wear on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

C．It’s a kind of flower showing love and best wishes.

D．People can wear carnations only on the second Sunday in May.

4. What do you know from the passage?

A．Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both in May.

B．Fewer women worked outside the home in the past.

C．Not all the children respect their parents.

D．Fathers are not as important as mothers at home.

5. On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day,     .

A．people usually have family parties	B．everyone goes to visit the cemetery
C．children always go to parents’ home	D．hand-made cards are the most valuable gifts