【推荐2】If you've got a reliable Internet connection, smart lights are a cheap way to make your home very cool. Here are four of them.

LIFX

The biggest feature: you don't need a separate hub to control your smart lights. They connect via Wi-Fi and you can stick the lights anywhere. The LEDS create up to 16 million colors and are programmable, so you can create custom lighting patterns through the smartphone app. You can also set up a lighting schedule and make changes with your voice through Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. $70.

Sylvania

The Sylvania LED light strip(灯带) is Apple HomeKit-enabled, meaning you can change colors and settings with Apple's smart voice assistant Siri or through the app. The only feature Sylvania does not include -- one that LIFX does -- is the ability for the lights to automatically rotate(转换) through colors. With these lights, you can only adjust brightness and change colors. $39.

If you use an Android phone, make sure to get an Android version. It has the same functions but is also compatible

(兼容的) with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. $52.

Eve

The Eve LEDS can be extended with additional strips and reach up to 32.8 feet. The LEDS produce a full range of whites and colors and are compatible with Apple HomeKit -- therefore voice controlled with Siri. This setup requires no extra hub. The starter version is available for $80 and extension strips are available for $50.

Minger

Mingers Wi-Fi connected strips of LEDS are 16.4-feet-long and can be controlled via the Govee app on your smartphone or with Amazon Alexa. The company doesn't recommend connecting multiple strips. $29.

1. How is LIFX different from Sylvania?

A．It is voice controlled.	B．It is intended for Android phone users.
C．The brightness of its lights can be adjusted.	D．The colors of its lights can change automatically.

2. If someone has a budget of $30, which of the following can they buy?

A．LIFX.

B．Sylvania.

C．Eve.

D．Minger.

3. What do the four lights have in common?

A．They are powered by the sun.

B．They an be extended with additional strips.

C．They work well with smart home assistants.

D．They are developed by smartphone companies.

【推荐3】Here are some interesting places in America:
Lake Placid
Lake Placid in New York State has everything you want: great downhill skiing (滑雪), great golf courses, and ponds for swimming. It is also a beautiful village with shops, restaurants, and hotels.
It is well-known as the place of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. While many travelers visit here for outdoor activities, others come to this beautiful town simply to get away from cities and enjoy the clean mountain air. Whether you come to Lake Placid for adventure or rest, you’ll surely enjoy your stay here.
Old Forge
Located (坐落于) in New York State, Old Forge is a deeply-wooded town with many rivers and lakes. It is a place where many people come to spend their summers. Biking, boating, and skiing are all popular sports in Old Forge. And on rainy days, the town’s small shops become the best places for people to look for special local gifts. If you are looking for a quiet place to keep away from trouble, Old Forge is a good choice.
Leavenworth
This comfortable mountain village is just a few hours’ drive to the east of Seattle. Many people from Seattle and from the rest of the country come here to enjoy the local shops and delicious German food.
Outside of Leavenworth, you will find some of the best views in Washington. High mountains rise from the wooded valleys (峡谷) and rivers run through the forests. There is no doubt that the environment is what makes Leavenworth such a special place for visitors.
1. Lake Placid is the best place for ______.

A．runners

B．swimmers

C．cyclists

D．horse riders

2. What do Lake Placid and Old Forge have in common?

A．They are located in the same state.

B．The same things are sold in shops.

C．The same sports are played.

D．People go to the two places to spend their summers.

3. Why do people prefer to visit Leavenworth?

A．They like the special food there.

B．They love doing sports there.

C．They can buy cheap things there.

D．They enjoy the quiet environment.

【推荐2】Gift shops in museums used to be the last stop of each visit, where people would buy souvenirs for themselves and their friends. But what happened last month when the British Museum opened its online store on Chinese e-commerce website Tmall says otherwise.

The store has become so popular since its launch on July 1 that some of its items have already sold out. It’s even more interesting considering the fact that many of its customers in China have probably never even been to the museum before.

Perhaps French museum expert Diane Drubay made a good point when she said that gift shops have become “a point of entry to the museum”, as she told The New York Times. “Instead of being the last place people go after a visit, it can be the first.”

But you’re probably still wondering: What is it about museum gift shops that makes them so different?

Each museum product contains a small piece of history. For example, in the British Museum store there are different kinds of sticky tape printed with patterns inspired by the famous Rosetta Stone. Known as the “key to ancient Egyptian writing”, the stone was discovered in 1799, and contains an inscription that helped historians better understand some of the most mysterious Egyptian scripts. And in the gift shops of China’s Palace Museum, there are earphones inspired by the necklaces worn by ancient officials, which may also indicate the wearer’s position with the beads’ different materials and colors.

And with the design evolving over the years, museum products are no longer limited to exhibition catalogs to be put on the bookshelf or duplicates of famous paintings to be hung on the wall. They now mean items that we can put to use every day — glasses, jewelry, cushion covers — which means we’re able to not only “own” a piece of history, but also hold it in our hands, wear it on our neck, or even sleep on it.

Indeed, museum shops are no longer just about selling things. As US museum store consultant Geoff Walsky once told Gift Shop Magazine, “A great museum gift shop is an extension of the museum itself.”

1. What can we buy from the British Museum store?

A．Cushion covers.

B．Earphones.

C．Sticky tapes.

D．Necklaces.

2. How do you understand the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3?

A．Now people may give priority to a museum gift shop.

B．A gift shop is the last place people would like to go to.

C．If you want to visit a museum, you must first visit its gift shop.

D．You can buy a lot of practical goods from a museum gift shop.

3. Which of the following is the feature of today’s museum gift stores?

A．They sell souvenirs online.

B．They sell exhibition catalogs that are to be put on the bookshelf.

C．They sell copies of famous paintings that are to be hung on the wall.

D．They sell some items related to history and also used in our daily life.

4. What can be the suitable title for the text?

A．Museum gift shops	B．Buy a gift from history
C．Famous museums around the world	D．The British Museum opened its online store

【推荐3】The Boston Opera House
In Person
● The Boston Opera House Box Office is open Monday – Friday from 10 am – pm. We provide a direct and customer-friendly service that allows our customers to choose their seats and purchase their tickets at face value without service charges or delivery fees. The savings and confidence associated with an in-person purchase at our box office can make the trip very worthwhile. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out our dining and parking choices when you attend your favorite shows.
● The Boston Ballet Box Office operates year-round at their 19 Clarendon Street headquarters（总部）in Boston’s South End. Boston Ballet sells tickets at the Boston Opera House box office during Boston Ballet performance weeks.
Online
● Tickets for all Broadway in Boston shows and other concerts and cultural presentations are sold online at www.ticketmaster.com.
● Tickets for all Boston Ballet performances are sold online at www.bostoneballet.org.
By Phone
● Tickets for all Broadway in Boston shows and other concerts and cultural presentations can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1. 800. 982. 2787.
● Tickets for all Boston Ballet performances can be purchased by calling 617. 695. 6955.
Refund Policy
No refunds or exchanges.
The Boston Opera House Policies
● Some shows may not be appropriate for children of all ages. Please enquire at 617. 259. 3400.
● Regardless of age, everyone must have a ticket. No “babies in arms” will be allowed.
● Parents may be asked to remove restless children from the auditorium（演出大厅）. The parent and child will be able to wait in a comfortable lounge while the rest of the family enjoys the show. We appreciate your cooperation.
Tips for Theatergoers：
● Leave yourself enough time for traffic.
● Check the date and time of the performance on tickets purchased.
● If you arrive late to your performance you may have to wait to be seated at appropriate breaks in the performance. Please arrive on time, no less than 15 minutes before curtain.
1. You can buy tickets for performances at the Boston Opera House in all the following ways EXCEPT ________________.

A．at the box office	B．by telephone
C．through e-mail	D．on the website

2. What is one advantage of purchasing tickets in person?

A．You don’t need to pay extra fees.

B．You can get free parking and dining.

C．You are sure to get the best seats

D．You can exchange tickets if you wish.

3. If you are attending a show at the Opera House, _____________.

A．You can take your infant with you.

B．you don’t have to buy a ticket for your child

C．you are allowed to enter the auditorium immediately even if you are late

D．you are advised to arrive 15 minutes before the performance begins

【推荐2】Come with us to the “Garden of England” and enjoy the best sight that the County of Kent can offer us.
We will drive to the home of the Church of England—Canterbury, the county town of Kent, and enjoy a tour of the ancient Cathedral and its walled city.
We’ll travel on through some of the country roads of Kent only in mini tourist coaches(长途汽车) and arrive in Dover at the coast just 32 miles across the sea from France and mainland Europe. We can enjoy the wonderful view of White Cliffs and Dover Castle before returning to the most beautiful castle（城堡）in England—Leeds Castle.
The Leeds Castle is surrounded by a lake with its history dating back as far as the Doomsday Book. We can explore its inside part and grounds before we return to London whenever we like.
Prices: Adult—£55.00; Under16—£ 50.00; A 10% off for a family
Time: Saturdays & Sundays
Tour includes:
Return mini coach travel
Services of an experienced Tour Manager
Tour of Canterbury Cathedral
Scenic drive through Kent
Visit to the White Cliffs of Dover
Entrance to Leeds Castle
On all tours we will pick you up between 7:25 am and 7:45 am at YOUR chosen London Zone 1 location, so we can beat the crowds and the traffic and be early on the open road.
Visit our website 24 hours a day at _____________ Click on the tour and the date you want, and then follow the easy on-line booking directions.
Call Anderson Tours direct at 020 7436 9304 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-18:00 p.m.) with your credit card(信用卡) information.
Or you can book through our network of special agents(代理商) throughout London.

1. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Tourists can enjoy all of the best sights in England

B．Leeds Castle is the oldest and most beautiful castle in England

C．The country roads of Kent can’t be reached by large tourist coaches

D．Tourists can be picked up and sent to wherever they choose in England

2. The Greens, together with a 10-year-old son, need to pay __________ for the tour.

A．£ 115

B．£144

C．£160

D．£155

3. We can call to book the tour __________.

A．at 8:00 a.m., Sunday	B．at 19:00, Friday
C．at 13:00, Saturday	D．at 17:00, Wednesday

4. What’s the writer’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To attract more tourists to join them.

B．To introduce some culture in England.

C．To show tourists more beautiful sights.

D．To ask more tourists to ride their mini coaches.

【推荐3】These days, it seems, the sports pages have come to read like the police news. The fan looking for game scores must first read news stories about drug use among athletes and reports of other serious crimes. “What’s going on here?” sports fans ask. What’s happening to our heroes?

It is not difficult to understand our desire for athletes to be heroes. On the surface, at least, athletes show many of the classical qualities of heroes. And sports allow us to see acts that can truly be described as courageous, exciting, beautiful, and even noble. In an ever-changing world, sports is still an area in which we can regularly experience a certain kind of greatness.

Yet there’s something strange here. The qualities a society looks for in its heroes—selflessness and social awareness—are exactly the opposite of those needed to become a successful athlete. Becoming a star athlete requires extreme self-absorption, extraordinary physical skills, and a very competitive personality. These qualities may make a great athlete, but they don’t necessarily make a great person. Moreover, our society strengthen these qualities with the system it has created to produce athletes—a system that gives athletes the sense they are stars who can do whatever they want.

Young athletes learn that success, rather than hard work and honest play, is what brings rewards. And for those successful enough to rise to big-time college sports, the “reward” is often an artificially controlled social environment that frees them from many of the responsibilities other students face. Coaches—whose own jobs depend on maintaining (保持) winning sports programs—watch over their athletes to make sure that nothing affects their ability to compete. If an athlete gets into trouble with the police, for instance, the coach will probably try to take care of things. In some schools, athletes don’t even choose their own classes or buy their own books; the coach does it all.

Given this situation, it’s not too surprising that many young American athletes seem to think of themselves as special or even privileged (有特权的) people, and it grows worse the longer they participate in athletics. Universities take care of their every need. Communities look to them as heroes. The public thinks of them as stars. They’re paid huge amounts of money. And they begin to think they deserve it all.

Needless to say, not all athletes are like this. There are plenty of athletes who want to help others. After retiring from football, Alan Page became a successful lawyer and built the Page Education Foundation, which helps young people around the country pay for college. Thankfully, there will always be some true heroes to be found among professional athletes.

Still, it’s probably ________ for society to look to athletes for its heroes—any more than to look to actors or lawyers. The social role played by athletes is indeed important, but it’s different from that of heroes.

1. What is discussed in Paragraph 2?

A．The great pleasure that sports give to fans.

B．The different roles that athletes play in life.

C．The change that sports bring to the whole world.

D．The qualities that athletes show during competition.

2. It can be learned from the passage that ________.

A．the qualities that make a great athlete can also make a hero

B．young athletes believe they deserve to be paid a lot of money

C．few athletes see it as their social responsibility to help others

D．the public believes successful athletes should have special rights

3. Which of the following words best fills in the blank in the last paragraph?

A．wrong	B．reasonable
C．unusual	D．necessary

4. The main purpose of the passage is to ________.

A．encourage more young athletes to achieve success

B．warn athletes not to get involved in serious crimes

C．persuade people not to depend on athletes as heroes

D．advise coaches to develop athletes’ ability to compete