【推荐2】It may seem as if Mother’s Day was invented by a company named Hallmark, but people have been taking time on the calendar to give a shout-out to their mums for a long time. The Greeks and Romans had mother goddess festivals—although their celebrations didn’t involve the menfolk taking their underappreciated mothers out to dinner. A more recent tradition was Mothering Sunday, which developed in the British Isles during the 16th century. On the fourth Sunday of Lent(大斋节), young men and women who were living and working apart from their families were advised to return to their mothers’ houses.

Mother’s Day as it is observed in the United States started in the 1850s with Ann Jarvis, a West Virginia woman who held “Mothers’ Work Days” to promote health and hygiene(卫生) at home and in the workplace. During the Civil War, Jarvis organized women to improve sanitary conditions for soldiers on both sides, and after the war she became a peacemaker, furthering the cause by bringing together mothers of Union and Confederate soldiers and promoting a Mother’s Day holiday.

Jarvis’ work inspired another 19th-century woman, Julia Ward Howe. In 1870 Howe published her “Mother’s Day Proclamation”, which envisioned the day not as appreciation of mothers from their children but as an opportunity for women to exercise their collective power for peace. Howe started holding annual Mother’s Day celebrations in Boston, her hometown, but after about a decade she stopped footing the bill and the tradition faded away.

It was Jarvis’ daughter Anna Jarvis who succeeded in getting Mother’s Day recognized as a national holiday. After her mother died in May 1905, Anna started holding yearly ceremonies on the anniversaries and conducting a tireless PR campaign to have the day made a holiday. In 1908 she succeeded in enlisting the support of John Wanamaker, the Philadelphia department store magnate and advertising pioneer, and by 1912 West Virginia and a few other states had adopted Mother’s Day. Two years later, President Woodrow Wilson signed a resolution declaring the second Sunday in May a national holiday.

It wasn’t long, though, before whatever ideals the day was supposed to celebrate were buried under a number of greeting cards and candies. By the 1920s Anna Jarvis was campaigning against the holiday she had been instrumental in creating. “I wanted it to be a day of emotionalism, not profit,” she said.

1. Who played the most important role in developing Mother’s Day?

A．Ann Jarvis.

B．Julia Ward Howe.

C．Woodrow Wilson.

D．Anna Jarvis.

2. Why did Anna Jarvis object to Mother’s Day at last?

A．Because it was an emotional day.

B．Because the festival was not profitable.

C．Because the celebrations went against the original spirit.

D．Because the day was buried under greeting cards and candies.

3. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．The Objection to Mother’s Day

B．The Argument on Celebrating Mother’s Day

C．The Story Behind the Creation of Mother’s Day

D．Different Forms of Celebrations on Mother’s Day

【推荐3】We all do it. We make huge plans for New Year's Eve. As the big day approaches, we start building expectations, planning the best night of our lives. And yet, it rarely lives up. After all, how could it? We set unrealistic goals for a single night when many places are crowded and loud, there are tons of noisy drunk people, and an astronomical bill comes at the end of the evening. You're left wondering, "Was it worth it?" Fortunately, all it takes is a little reconsideration of your expectations to make sure this year's big night is one to remember.

If you get smashed on New Year's Eve, it is likely that you won't even remember what you did and whether or not you had fun. That's not saying there's something wrong with having a couple of glasses of wine at midnight. After all, it is a celebration. Just keep it light, since you want to remember the fun you had with your friends and family. After all, do you really want to spend the first day of the new year with drunkenness?

Many people like to spend the holidays with their friends and family. You could reserve a table at a favorite restaurant, but how about staying home and cooking? There's nothing worse than having to shout across the table because the restaurant is so crowded, except maybe waiting in line for an hour or more for that privilege. Never mind the bill will almost always be significantly higher than it would be almost any other night of the year. If you love to cook, you can make a great meal that everyone can enjoy.

A great idea for an at-home New Year's Eve party is wonderful. If it's a large get-together, it might be difficult to have a sit-down meal due to space restrictions, but a buffet is always a good choice. You just need to display the dishes for them to choose as they wish. Consider your space and guests' comfort when deciding what to serve.

1. Why do our huge plans for New Year's Eve usually fail?

A．We waste too much money on dinner.

B．There are drunken people everywhere.

C．Every place is crowded with people.

D．We pin too much on a single night.

2. Which of the following can replace the underlined word "smashed" in Paragraph 2?

A．Tired.	B．Drunk.
C．Bored.	D．Excited.

3. What did the author suggest doing to spend holidays with your friends and family?

A．Treating them at home.

B．Inviting them to dinner outside.

C．Waiting in line for a favorite restaurant.

D．Booking a great meal that everyone can enjoy.

4. What should you do if your home is not big enough?

A．Try to arrange a sit-down meal for your friends.

B．Serve a small meal according to your space.

C．Let your friends help themselves to dishes.

D．Consider your guests' comfort only.

【推荐1】I was born with bad eyesight. At high school I couldn’t read the blackboard. By the time I got to the university of Bath to study Chemistry it had got to the point where I couldn’t really see images at all, only the difference between light and dark. And a few years later, once I was in the first year of my PhD, I was almost completely blind.

But climbing is my great passion. I started climbing when I was young. My dad taught me everything about climbing. When I was 11, I led my first climbing route outside. People are usually amazed when they discover that not only do I climb, but I also lead climbs.

At university I joined the Mountaineering Club and was able to climb much more frequently. We had regular trips to indoor walls and weekends away outdoors. I developed a great circle of climbing friends and went on several trips to Europe. After these I started Alpine climbing and ice climbing, too.

When my sight dropped to a level where I could no longer read, I thought I might have to give up leading. But I never thought I would stop climbing. I just learnt to adapt with the support of my friends.

People often ask me, “Why rock climbing? It doesn’t seem like a good activity for a blind person.”

But when I think about the danger, crossing the road is far more dangerous, and also, it’s something where I’m not in control.

It’s quite possible that I wouldn’t be such a good climber if I weren’t blind. If I didn’t have these challenges, it wouldn’t focus me. That determination is built through my disability.

When I reach the top of a climb, I don’t get to appreciate the view, but the feeling of achievement is extremely good.

Climbing is a way to prove my way of thinking in life — which is that I’m not disabled, I’ m blind and able.

1. When the author went to university, he         .

A．couldn’t read the blackboard	B．couldn’t figure out light and dark
C．nearly couldn’t see images	D．was almost blind

2. What did the author do when he couldn’t read?

A．He thought about quitting climbing.

B．He learnt to adapt with others’ help.

C．He continued leading climbs.

D．He went on several trips to Europe.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．The author started climbing at the age of 11.

B．The author began ice climbing when he got his PhD.

C．The author is afraid of crossing the road.

D．The author views blindness in a positive way.

4. Which can best express the main idea of this passage?

A．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.

B．All things are difficult before they are easy.

C．Actions speak louder than words.

D．The eye is blind if the mind is absent.

【推荐3】It has been four years since Grandma Joy told her grandson that she had never seen the most beautiful views of America. Since then, they have gone on many cross-country trips.

Brad Ryan had been feeling tired of studying in a vet school when he visited his 85-year-old grandma in 2015. He hoped that spending some quality family time would help lift his spirits.

As he was telling his grandma stories of his travels, however, he was heartbroken to hear that she had never seen the ocean or mountains. Ryan then asked his grandmother if she would like to go hiking with him. Needless to say, she was more than happy to agree.

They have since visited 29 different national parks across America---from the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado to the Acadia National Park in Maine. Over the four years, Ryan and his grandma have driven 25,000 miles through 38 states. And it has greatly affected his quality of life. “Seeing it through my grandmother’s eyes, who every morning wakes up and   is thankful to be alive has taught me how to live,” Ryan said. “With her, I’ve had to slow down and see life in a different way, which has made it a lot richer.”

“I love my grandma so much, and it’s just really giving me a lot of peace when she passed away. I can go back to these places, feel her spirit, and feel connected to her,” he added.

Ryan posted all of their trips on Facebook. He hopes more young people will spare time to be with their elders. “I want young people to know that hanging out with your grandparents is cool. And there’s so much we can learn from our elders,” Ryan said.

1. Why did Brad Ryan visit his grandma in 2015?

A．To cheer himself up.

B．To please his grandma.

C．To take his grandma to travel.

D．To share his travelling experiences.

2. How did Brad Ryan feel when he heard his grandma had never seen the ocean or mountains?

A．Shocked.	B．Sad.
C．Doubtful.	D．Excited

3. What influence did Brad Ryan’s grandma have on him?

A．She made him live a better life.

B．She helped him find his life goal.

C．She told him to have peace of mind.

D．She gave him a lot of encouragement.

4. What is Brad Ryan’s purpose of posting their trips online?

A．To advise young people to take a trip.

B．To share his joy of travelling with his grandma.

C．To encourage the young to keep their elders company.

D．To show young people what they can learn from their elders.