【推荐1】New streaming movies are coming to entertain you and your family during socially distanced times.

If you'd rather stick closer to home, here's a rundown of new movies hitting streaming and on-demand platforms, for every cinematic taste ：

Mulan

It's pretty easy to yell " Cash grab!" every time the Mouse House remakes one of its beloved animated films (动画片).But this version of “Mulan" actually improves a great deal on the fantasy fable of a young Chinese woman (Yifei Liu) who takes the place of her sick father (Tzi Ma) in the Imperial Army. Mulan is a warrior extraordinaire worth the emotional investment.

Where to watch： Disney+ (as a $30 premium add-on)

Love, Guaranteed

The film stars Rachael Leigh Cook as Susan, a glamorous lawyer. She's hired by a charming bachelor ( Damon Wayans Jr.) who wants to sue (起诉)a dating app for its “guarantee“ of love after 1,000 dates. But as the case heats up, so do Susan and Nick's feelings for each other.

Where to watch ： Netflix, Vudu

The 2nd

The thriller casts Phillippe as a Secret Service agent picking up his son (Jack Griffo) from college for holiday break when a hostage (人质)situation breaks out and a mysterious opponent ( Casper Van Dien) aims to catch the daughter ( Lexi Simonsen) of a Supreme Court Justice about to weigh in on an important gun-rights case.

Where to watch ： FandangoNOW, Google Play

The Mole Agent

While officially a documentary, the movie is ultimately a feel-good detective story. An 83-year-old named Sergio is hired to go undercover at a Chilean nursing home and look into claims of elder abuse. Instead, he becomes the life of the party as he befriends fellow oldsters and becomes an essential part of their community.

Where to watch： Apple TV, Vudu, FandangoNOW

1. Which film will you go to if you are interested in a romantic story?

A．Mulan.	B．The Mole Agent.
C．Love, Guaranteed.	D．The 2nd.

2. What can we know about The Mole Agents

A．It's a beloved animated film.	B．It's about suing a dating app.
C．It's a heartbreaking spy story.	D．It's set in a nursing home.

3. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Culture.	B．Entertainment.
C．Sports.	D．Science.

【推荐2】In 2019, to which we’re to say goodbye, we’ve seen many blockbusters, which surely leave a deep impression on us. Do you still have a fresh memory of them? Below has picked three for you. Let’s take a look.

Spider-Man: Far From Home, July 5, US

Tom Holland, the lead actor of 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, returns to play Peter Parker, a high school student who gains superpowers after being bitten by a spider.

When we see him again in theaters, Spider-Man will have a new red-and-black suit. The movie will take the famous wall-crawler on a global adventure outside of the US. According to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, Spider-Man will try a return to his “normal” self; he will try to find his old powers on his new journey.

Hobbs and Shaw, July 26, US

To most people the Fast and Furious series is all about crazy drivers racing in sports cars. But in Hobbs and Shaw, humor is added to the action-packed thrills.

The new film will hit US theaters on July 26. Famous English actor Jason Statham will star alongside Dwayne Johnson, “The Rock”, as Deckard Shaw and Luke Hobbs respectively (分别地), as in their previous appearances in Fast and Furious films.

When the pair fought face to face in Fast and Furious 8 (2017), a confrontation (对峙) was considered as the “battle model for warriors”. The action and chemistry really excited their audience.

But the new action scenes between an MI6 agent Hobbs and the killer Shaw will have to be good to beat their performance in the 2017 movie.

The Lion King, July 19, US

This is a brand-new version of the classic children’s film. The story of wide-eyed young lion Simba still remains in hearts of world audiences even after 25 years. In this re-telling, Simba again begins the difficult journey to become the King of the Pride Lands, a vast African prairie.

The favorite part of the story for many has always been the friendship between Simba, the meerkat called Timon and the warthog Pumbaa. The last two sacrifice all they have to help Simba to his throne. How will the new movie re-imagine their famous relationship?

1. Which is the most suitable for children?

A．Hobbs and Shaw.	B．Spider-man.
C．The Lion King.	D．None of them.

2. What’s the difference between Fast and Furious 8 and Hobbs and Shaw?

A．They have different lead actors.

B．Humour is put to Hobbs and Shaw.

C．Hobbs and Shaw is less thrilling.

D．Fast and Furious 8 is an action-packed thrills.

3. Which of the following statements is right?

A．The 2017 Fast and Furious is better than Hobbs and Shaw.

B．Hobbs and Shaw is all about crazy drivers racing in sports cars.

C．Yong Simba himself conquered all the difficulties during the journey to throne.

D．Spider-man: Far From Home has the same lead actor with Spider-man: Home-coming.

【推荐1】When I lived in Spain, some Spanish friends of mine decided to visit England by car. Before they left, they asked me for advice about how to find accommodation. I suggested that they should stay at “bed and breakfast” houses, because this kind of accommodation gives a foreign visitor a good chance to speak English with the family. My friends listened to my advice, but they came back with some funny stories.

“We didn’t stay at “bed and breakfast” houses,” they said, “because we found that most families were away on holiday.”

I thought this was strange. Finally I understood what had happened. My friends spoke little English, and they thought “VACANCIES” meant “holidays”, because the Spanish word for “holidays” is “vacaciones”. So they did not go to house where the sign outside said “VACANCIES”, which in English means there are free rooms. Then my friends went to house where the sign said “NO VACANCIES”, because they thought this meant the people who owned the house were not away on holiday. But they found that these houses were all full. As a result, they stayed at hotels!

We laughed about this and about mistakes my friends made in reading other signs. In Spanish, the word “DIVERSION” means fun. In English, it means that workmen are repairing the road, and that you must take a different road. When my friends saw the word “DIVERSION” on a road sign, they thought they were going to have fun. Instead, the road ended in a large hole.

English people have problems too when they learn foreign languages. Once in Paris, when someone offered me some more coffee, I said “Thank you” in French. I meant that I would like some more. However, to my surprise, the coffeepot was taken away! Later I found out that “Thank you” in French means “No, thank you.”

1. The writer’s friends in Spain wanted to get advice about ________.

A．the chance of learning English	B．the way of going to England
C．the traffic rules in England	D．finding places to stay in England

2. The writer suggested that they stay at “bed and breakfast" houses because

A．it would be convenient for them to have dinner

B．it would be much cheaper than staying in hotels

C．they would be able to practise their English

D．there would be no problem about finding accommodation there

3. The writer’s friends stayed at hotels at last because ________.

A．they misunderstood the signs outside the door

B．there were no such “bed and breakfast” houses in England

C．they found there were no free rooms there

D．people there were away on holiday

4. If you see a road sign that says “DIVERSION” in England, you will ________.

A．fall into a hole

B．have to take a different road

C．find that the road is stopped by lots of people

D．have a lot of fun and enjoy yourself

5. When a Frenchman is offered more coffee and he says “Thank you”, he really means ________.

A．he doesn’t want any more coffee

B．he wants to show his amazement

C．he just wants to show his politeness

D．he wants to have some more coffee

【推荐2】I never knew anyone who'd grown up in Jackson without being afraid of Mrs. Calloway, our librarian. She ran Jackson's Carnegie Library absolutely by herself. SILENCE in big black letters was on signs hung everywhere. If she thought you were dressed improperly, she sent you straight back home to change your clothes. I was willing; I would do anything to read.

My mother was not afraid of Mrs. Calloway. She wished me to have my own library card to check out books for myself. She took me in to introduce me.“Eudora is nine years old and has my permission to read any book she wants from the shelves, children or adults,” Mother said.

Mrs. Calloway made her own rules about books. You could not take back a book to the library on the same day you'd taken it out; she didn't care whether you'd read every word in it and needed another to start. You could take out two books at a time and two at most. So two by two, I read library books as fast as I could go, rushing them home in the basket of my bicycle. From the minute I reached our house, I started to read. I knew this was extreme happiness, and knew it at the time.

My mother shared this feeling of mine. Now, I think of her as reading so much of the time while doing something else. I remember her reading a magazine while acting the Wolf in a game of “Little Red Riding Hood” with my brother's two daughters. She'd just look up at the right time, long enough to answer—“I will eat you, my dear,” and go back to her place in the magazine article.

1. Which of the following statements would Mrs. Calloway most likely agree with?

A．Readers can speak aloud in her library.

B．Readers can borrow one book every time.

C．Readers can return a book to the library on the 8ame day they borrow it.

D．Readers can take out any book they want from the shelves without returning it.

2. Which can best describe Mrs. Calloway?

A．Creative and helpful.	B．Outgoing and patient.
C．Silent and humorous.	D．Strict and principled.

3. What do the underlined words “this feeling” refer to in the last paragraph?

A．Love for her job.	B．Worries about the library rules.
C．Eagerness to read.	D．Admiration for Mrs. Calloway,

4. What can be inferred about the author's mother according to the passage?

A．She has a great passion for reading.	B．She enjoys playing games with children.
C．She is interested in playing the part of a wolf,	D．She always forces the author to go to the library to read books.

【推荐1】The sky began to show red in the early morning as we drove across the Minnesota state line to New York for my new PhD program. The move was good for me professionally, but I worried about my husband and daughters. I also feared that I wouldn’t be able to give my kids the childhood they deserved.

Anne, our first daughter, came into the world when I was a junior majoring in biology in college. It was challenging to balance classes, work schedules, and being a mom. But I got through it, finding moments of joy along the way. On the nights when I was home, I’d read my class notes out loud with my daughter. She’d respond by asking questions, such as “Mom, what are bacteria (细菌)?” It helped us both learn.

After I graduated, I knew that I would need a PhD to land the kind of job I wanted. I arrived in New York feeling more than the usual new-graduate-student anxiety. I also suffered from a more personal fear that I was being selfish—that my decision to invigorate my career was going to have long- term bad impacts on my kids. So, I made a rule to never be visibly upset about my work in front of my children.

Over the past year, though, I’ve started to let go of some of this worry. I’ve realized that we have not only adapted to our new situation, but things are getting better. My husband landed a job that he is happy with. Anne dreams of becoming a biologist. Recently, while driving past the cancer institute I work at, Anne said, “Thinking about people having cancer is so sad, but I feel better knowing that you are researching it to help.”

Pursuing academic career as a young mother is hard, but it’s also rewarding. My kids are learning to look at the world through science, and watching their mom succeed inspires them. I look forward to seeing them follow my footsteps, whatever path they choose.

1. How did the author feel about the move for her PhD program at first?

A．It was fruitful but boring.	B．It was hopeful but challenging.
C．It was the last thing she would do.	D．It was promising for the whole family.

2. Which can best replace the word “invigorate” in paragraph 3?

A．Advocate.

B．Escape.

C．Evaluate.

D．Prioritize.

3. What could be inferred from Anne’s words in paragraph 4?

A．She is proud of her mother.	B．She is interested in biology.
C．Her mother takes her job seriously.	D．She is ready to help patients with cancer.

4. What might be the best title of the text?

A．Ups and Downs in Life	B．Like Mother Like Daughter
C．Double Gains of Mom’s Pursuit	D．Generation Gap Narrowed by Love

【推荐2】The sun was rising as we drove across the Minnesota state line to New York for my new Ph.D. program. The move was good for me professionally, but I worried about my husband and daughters. I also feared that I wouldn’t be able to give my kids the childhood they deserved.

Anne, our first daughter, came into the world when I was a junior majoring in biology in college. It was challenging to balance classes, work schedules, and being a mom. But I got it through, finding moments of delight along the way. On the nights when I was at home, I’d read my class notes out loud with my daughter. She’d respond by asking questions, such as “Mom, what are bacteria?” It helped us both learn.

After I graduated, I knew that I would need a Ph.D. to land the kind of job I wanted. I arrived in New York feeling more than the usual new⁃grad⁃student anxiety. I also suffered from a more personal fear that I was selfish—my decision to invigorate my career was going to have long⁃term negative impacts on my kids.

Over the past year, though, I’ve started to let go of some of the worry. I’ve realized that not only have we adapted to our new situation, but things are getting better. My husband has landed a job that he is happy with. Anne has dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. Recently, while driving past the cancer institute I work at, Anne said, “Thinking about people having cancer is so sad, but I feel better knowing that you are researching it to help.”

Navigating academia as a young mother is hard, but it’s also rewarding. My kids are learning to look at the world through the lens of science, and watching their mom succeed inspires them. I look forward to seeing them follow in my footsteps, whatever path they choose.

1. How did the writer feel about the move for her Ph.D. program?

A．It was fruitful but exhausting.	B．It was the last thing she would do.
C．It was hopeful but challenging.	D．It was promising for the whole family.

2. Which can best replace the underlined word “invigorate” in Paragraph 3?

A．Promote.

B．Change.

C．Create.

D．Choose.

3. What could be inferred from Anne’s words in Paragraph 4?

A．People are afraid of having cancer.	B．Cancer is the No.1 enemy of health.
C．Her mother takes her job seriously.	D．Anne is proud of her mother.

4. What could be the best title of the text?

A．Onwards and Upwards	B．Double Gains of Mom’s Pursuit
C．Like Mother, Like Daughter	D．The Generation Gap Narrowed by Love

【推荐3】I’m a seventeen-year-old boy preparing for my A Level exams at the end of the year. In the society where my peers (同龄人) and I live, we tend to accept the rat race values. As students, we want to get good grades so that we can get good jobs. I enjoy studying and have consistently received A’s in my classes. There was a year when I finished first in my class in the final exams. It was a great accomplishment.

Another one I am pleased with is that I managed to improve the relationship between Mum and Dad. Dad was a successful businessman who was rarely at home. Mum was a housewife who always felt bored and constantly nagged (唠叨) him to let her go to work. Their constant arguing bothered me, so I advised Dad that Mum would be better off with a part-time job. He agreed, and their relationship has improved since then.

My most proud achievement, however, is my successful work in the local old folks’ home. My grandparents had raised me since I was a child. I wept (哭泣) bitterly when they died. Unlike many of my classmates, I do not take part in my school’s community service to earn points. I enjoy my voluntary work and believe I’m contributing to a worthwhile cause. This is where I can help. I talk to the elderly, assist them with their daily life, and listen to their problems, glory days and the hardships they experienced.

Last year, I hosted a successful New Year party for the elderly and they enjoyed a great time. Many expressed a desire to attend another party the following year. When I reflect on my accomplishments, I’m especially proud of my service at the old folks’ home, so I hope to study social work at university and work as a social worker in the future. I wish to be more skilled in attending to the less fortunate and find great satisfaction in it, after all.

1. What can be inferred about the author from the first paragraph?

A．He is content with his learning achievements.	B．His good grades got him a good job.
C．He refuses to compete with his peers fiercely.	D．His views on social values are well known.

2. Which role does the author play in his parents’ relationship?

A．A bystander (旁观者).

B．A judge.

C．A helper.

D．A destroyer.

3. What is the greatest achievement for the author?

A．The contribution to volunteering.	B．The success in exams.
C．The recovery of confidence in life.	D．The work in school’s service.

4. Why does the author want to study social work at university?

A．To gain a well-paid job.	B．To give his life a purpose.
C．To better help the disadvantaged.	D．To meet his grandparents’ expectations.