【推荐3】Here are a few interesting facts about Teachers’ Day around the world.

China celebrates Teachers’ Day on September 10. The tradition began in the 1980s to improve teachers lives and status and encourage everyone to respect teachers.

In India, Teachers’ Day is celebrated on September 5, in honor of Dr. Radhakrishnan. He was India’s second president and a person who believed in good education. Traditionally on this day, the teaching is done by the senior students while the teachers get a much-deserved break from their work.

The United Nations (联合国) has made October 5 World Teachers’ Day. This special day was started to let the world see what teachers have done and listen to the teachers’ worries and the things they want to change.

In the United States, National Teachers’ Day is always on the Tuesday of the first week of May, so the actual date is different every year. The history of celebrating this day goes back to 1944.

In Germany, Teachers’ Day is celebrated on June 12 every year. People will express their respect to teachers with many activities. Teachers always receive prizes, presents, beautiful cards and other things.

Teachers’ Day is celebrated in Brunei (文莱) on September 23.

January 15 is Teachers’ Day in Venezuela (委内瑞拉).

North Korea celebrates Teachers Day on September 5.

1. How many countries mentioned in the passage have their Teachers’ Day?

A．7.

B．8.

C．6.

D．9.

2. What can we infer from Paragraph 3?

A．Radhakrishnan was the first president of India.

B．Radhakrishnan attached great importance to education.

C．On Teachers’ Day the teachers in India are still working hard.

D．Teachers’ Day is celebrated on December 5 in India.

3. What purpose did the United Nations create World Teachers’ Day for?

A．To encourage everyone to respect and honor teachers.

B．To let the world realize teachers’ contributions and encourage people to care about and help teachers.

C．To see what teachers have done in the year.

D．To have a dialogue with teachers.

4. In which country do teachers receive prizes and other things from the text?

A．India.	B．Germany.
C．Brunei.	D．Venezuela.

【推荐1】People often talk about cultural differences between western and eastern countries, but how about the western world itself? Surprisingly, a closer look at it can reveal a good many curious details.

The most obvious characteristic of the majority of Americans is that they smile a lot. It does not matter whether they have a strong reason to smile; they do it, sometimes simply because they have to. A smile is not just a powerful marketing tool but also a way to show that someone is friendly, and that life in general is fine. Europeans, on the contrary, prefer to keep a more neutral   (不露声色的) facial expression. They smile mostly when they are in a good mood, or feel amused; if not, a European’s face will remain neutral, or even dull. In Russia, for example, there is a proverb saying that laughing for no reason is a sign of a fool. It does not mean that Europeans are serious, or that they do not have a sense of humor.

The same refers to communication in general. Americans are extremely communicative; small talk and chats are common. Europeans talk mostly when there is something to say, and rarely enter communication just for the purpose of talking to other people. American people prefer to express what they think carefully, considering how it might affect surrounding people. Europeans are more straightforward, even with unfamiliar people. A European friend will almost always voice their opinion on different occasions, and will not hesitate to remind you that you need to lose some weight or take a shower.

It can be said that Americans are people of contrasts. They are open-minded, flexible, and ready to accept everything new enthusiastically; but at the same time, American society manages to bring up unbelievable conservatives. Americans are extremely politically correct, which, in most cases, is indeed a secure and beneficial practice, but it can also mess up daily or even private communication, sometimes preventing having close relationships. Europeans, on the contrary, are more straightforward, preferring to tell the truth in direct ways. Each way of communication is different — neither is correct or incorrect.

1. What does the author say about smiling?

A．It is culture-related within western countries.

B．It is a powerful marketing tool across cultures.

C．It is thought of as a sign of a fool in America.

D．It is regarded as being socially necessary in Europe.

2. What is typical of Europeans’ communication?

A．Beating around the bush.	B．Having small talk and chats.
C．Hiding their feelings carefully.	D．Expressing themselves openly.

3. What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．Being straightforward.	B．Being politically correct.
C．Accepting everything new.	D．Raising unbelievable conservatives.

4. How is the text mainly developed?

A．By analyzing cause and effect.	B．By making comparisons.
C．By classifying body language.	D．By discussing research findings.

【推荐2】Chinese New Year has been welcomed in Britain with its biggest ever program of events and celebrations.

From London's Trafalgar Square to major cities across Britain,tens of thousands of British people have joined Chinese communities to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. In Manchester there was a Dragon Parade(舞龙表演）,led by a very impressive 54-meter long dragon,ending in Chinatown where there was traditional Chinese entertainment, more than 6, 000 lanterns,street food villages and a fireworks show. Celebrations also took place in Liverpool, Birmingham, Durham, Edinburgh, Leeds and Newcastle.

Academic Dr Wu Kegang said that the Chinese New Year event in Britain “is now bigger than ever and it is growing every year”. When Wu arrived in Britain 26 years ago from Guangdong,the first thing he noticed was that Chinese New Year was celebrated mainly in towns and cities with big Chinese communities. “You would go to London Chinatown and join your countrymen to celebrate, or to Chinatowns in places like Liverpool and Manchester for events almost only held for Chinese people, ”Wu recalled.

“Now it is so different, and we are seeing local communities all over the country taking part alongside their own Chinese populations, ” he said. “It is clear to me that the celebrations will continue to grow in Britain. Chinese New Year has earned its place in the calendar of events in Britain,and is here to stay. ”

1. Where did the Dragon Parade take place?

A．In London.	B．In Liverpool.
C．In Manchester.	D．In Birmingham.

2. When Dr Wu arrived in Britain 26 years ago, Chinese New Year was________

A．celebrated mainly by Chinese communities

B．celebrated by local communities all over the country

C．only celebrated in London, Liverpool and Manchester

D．celebrated by tens of thousands of British people with Chinese people

3. How does Dr Wu think Chinese New Year will develop in Britain?

A．It will lose its attraction.

B．It will become a British official holiday.

C．More and more British people will join in the celebrations.

D．It will become the most important one in the calendar of events in Britain.

4. What does this passage mainly tell us?

A．How Chinese New Year is celebrated in Britain.

B．Where Chinese New Year is celebrated in Britain.

C．Chinese culture is more attractive than British culture.

D．Chinese New Year has become more and more popular in Britain.

【推荐3】Get a taste of Hangzhou

As one of the eight great cuisines of China, Hangzhou dishes gain great popularity. Here are a few must-try meals, each of which has an age-old story.

Dongpo Pork (red-braised pork belly)

Dongpo Pork was named after the Song Dynasty poet and official, Su Dongpo. Su launched a thorough dredging (疏浚) of the West Lake, which had great benefits for the locals. To express their gratitude, they gifted Su a lot of pork. Su transformed the traditional cooking process—adding yellow wine and stewing it on low heat. After that, the dish became widely favored.

West Lake Carp in Vinegar Gravy

Legend has it that two brothers surnamed Song lived in Hangzhou. The elder brother was murdered. In fear for his safety, the younger brother decided to leave. During his farewell dinner, his sister-in-law cooked a dish that was both sweet and sour, implying that he should “not forget the sour amid the sweet”. The younger brother later returned as a high-ranking official, avenged (报仇) his brother’s murder and sought out his sister-in-law. Since then, West Lake Carp in Vinegar Gravy has been handed down.

Sister Song’s Fish Soup

During the Song Dynasty, a woman nicknamed Sister Song made a living by selling fish soup alongside the West Lake. During a trip to the West Lake, Emperor Gaozong tasted her fish soup and spoke very highly of it. The soup’s reputation spread far and wide, and it became a calling card for the city.

Sauteed Shrimps with Longjing Tea

The story of this dish relates to the Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty. On a tour to Hangzhou, one of the emperor’s chefs accidentally dropped Longjing tea leaves into the sauteed shrimps. The fragrance of the tea combined with the texture of the shrimp won the emperor over and a classic Hangzhou dish was born.

1. What can we know about Su Dongpo according to the text?

A．He cared little about the locals.

B．He was a person with creativity.

C．He liked boating on West Lake.

D．He was a great politician and novelist.

2. Which of the following is TRUE about West Lake Carp in Vinegar Gravy?

A．It tastes both sour and hot.

B．There is a romantic story behind it.

C．It was created by a man surnamed Song.

D．It originally served as a reminder.

3. What do the last two dishes have in common?

A．They were invented by accident.

B．They were first cooked by a local cook.

C．They were highly regarded by emperors.

D．They were quite attractive to tea lovers.

【推荐1】Long school holidays help students clear their heads, relax a little and stretch their brains in different ways.

Traditionally, schooling schedules have long been based more on the needs of society than on education strategies(策略). For example, in Iceland it was traditionally arranged to allow children to help out with harvest. Other countries have long summer vacations because it is simply too hot to study. In other areas where religion plays an important role in the holiday season, the religion calendar then calls for the break, so that students can have enough time to participate in the religious ceremonies(仪式) and traditions of seasonal holidays.

There are some obvious advantages to a vacation that lasts longer. Families who live a long distance from relatives are able to travel together, sometimes across the ocean, in order to connect with their loved ones. Even if there is no visiting family far away, a long holiday is a great opportunity for kids to interact with the people. From an educational point of view, a child that is able to experience another culture can gain valuable language, history, and social skills.

Long school holidays are also needed in schools that have become overly academic and too exam-focused in recent years, which requires a considerably longer holiday break from such a “marathon pumping (灌输) of knowledge,” and it makes great sense!

Great psychologists, like Freud and Piaget, have stressed play’s central role in the formation of fully-rounded (全面发展的) individuals, so the long holiday achieves this by allowing students to explore the world outside school. The students get to participate in activities that would be difficult to do during a normal school term.

As a consequence, long school holiday can be quite useful to our students!

1. What traditionally determines the arrangement of school holidays?

A．Local needs.	B．Cultural activities.
C．Religious customs.	D．Academic performance.

2. Which is one of the advantages of long holidays?

A．Students run away from exams.

B．Family bonds are strengthened.

C．Fewer courses are required at school.

D．Children can learn science and history.

3. Freud and Piaget may probably agree that ______ .

A．holiday activities are necessary

B．schools need longer holidays

C．play is more important than learning

D．students should travel around the world

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Traditional School Holidays

B．Activities for Long Holidays

C．Benefits of Long Holidays

D．Advice from Psychologists

【推荐2】Since smartphones were invented, more and more people have been obsessed (痴迷) with them. The obsession with phones has spread to running. They’re perfectly used during a run outside. Smart phones can provide music for you and track your route. But experts warn that it’s not a good idea to hold your phone in your hand while you go out for a run because it could cause hip (臀部) and shoulder injuries.

The habit could make the body lose balance. The same goes for water bottles, or anything else you might carry in one hand while on a run.

Professional UK Athletics running coach, Alexa, asks runners to carry phones in a fanny pack (腰包) instead.“When you hold something in your hands, there are slightly indirect influences on your pace. It influences the balance of muscles (肌肉), affects the weight of some body parts, and makes you run less fast,” she tells Cosmopolitan UK.“This could be happening every time you train, week after week, month after month.” And as mobile phones get bigger and heavier, the more injuries are likely to happen.

People like to always hold their phones in the same hand. It’s a force of habit. With one arm heavier, your body will try to compensate for the imbalance, by working certain muscles harder than others.

The other risk of running with phones in hand, of course, is damaging the screen of your phones if you fall. It’s very expensive to change a screen. Some of the latest phones can close to $300.

1. Why do experts think it is unsuitable to run with a smartphone?

A．It affects people’s hearing.

B．It makes people lose eyesight.

C．It does harm to parts of people’s bodies.

D．It causes people to fall down and get lost.

2. What does Alexa advise people to do?

A．Carry smartphones in a bag.

B．Avoid touching smartphones with your hands.

C．Watch smartphones when running.

D．Carry smartphones in a fanny pack.

3. What does the underlined phrase “compensate for” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Meet up with.

B．Make up for.

C．Face up to.

D．Come up with.

【推荐3】Top five youngest Olympics gold medal winners of all-time

Nadia Comaneci

Nadia Comaneci is from Romania and is a Five-time Olympic gold medalist. In 1976, she became the first gymnast to receive a perfect score of 10. She was merely 14 years old when she secured the Gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Interestingly, back then, a gymnast had to be 14 to participate but later the age limit went up to 16 years. Therefore, Nadia’s record cannot be broken.

Fu Mingxia

Chinese female diver Fu Mingxia is popular for being one of the youngest Olympic diving champions. She won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona when she was just 13 years and 345 days old. Fu Mingxia dominated the sport throughout the 1990s with her skills of extremely difficult dives. In the coming years, she won three more Olympic gold medals and a silver across the platform and springboard events.

Nishiya Momiji

The ongoing Tokyo Olympics saw a few record-breaking feats in the skateboarding event. Japan’s Nishiya Momiji became the first ever women’s Olympic skateboarding champion. The athlete is merely 13 years and 330 days old, which makes her one of the youngest individual gold medal winners in the history of the Olympics.

Klaus Zerta

Klaus Zerta was only 13 years and 283 days old when he won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy. Klaus was from West Germany but represented the unified team of Germany at the Olympics. Moreover, he is the youngest confirmed male athlete to win a gold medal in the history of the Summer Olympics.

Marjorie Gestring

Marjorie Gestring of the US was only 13 years and 268 days old when she won the gold medal for her country. The diver won the medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games to become the youngest individual Olympic gold medalist. She would have won more gold medals considering her talent if it were not for the World War Ⅱ.

1. How old was Fu Mingxia when she won a gold medal in Barcelona?

A．13 years and 330 days old.	B．13 years and 345 days old.
C．13 years and 283 days old.	D．13 years and 268 days old.

2. What do we know about Marjorie Gestring?

A．She was the first women’s Olympic skateboarding champion.

B．She dominated the sport throughout the 1990s with her skills.

C．The war prevented her from achieving more.

D．A perfect score of 10 for a gymnast belonged to her.

3. In which section of a webpage can you find the passage?

A．Life.	B．Sports.
C．Economy.	D．History.

【推荐1】TV Shows For Teens

A study found that although new types of media are available to youngsters today, television continues to be important. Teens continue their habit of watching TV during adolescence and even start to rely on it for their knowledge expansion. Here is a list of TV shows for your teens' viewing pleasure:

Ancient Aliens

As your teens are old enough to understand Unidentified Flying Objects and aliens, you can encourage them to watch Ancient Aliens. This American television series will bring your teens the fascinating topics of extraterrestrial（外星球的）presence and the scientific proof behind the claims.

Channel: History

Superhumans

The American documentary series were aired from 2010 to 2014, whose aim was to discover human beings with a superhuman level of extraordinary physical or mental abilities. The show, which attempts to uncover the scientific secret behind their “gifts”, will help your teens learn about the scientific reasons of superhuman abilities.

Channel: Sci-Fi

Megascience

Providing an abundance of scientific information in an easy and comprehensible way is Megascience's style. All your teens' most puzzling scientific questions are answered in this show clearly and in detail, telling everything related to science.

Channel: Discovery Science

Science of Stupid

This show, broadcast in various versions in different countries, mixes science along with fun. While addressing various scientific principles, it provides a scientific explanation for basic questions, such as what happens when you use the wrong type of balloon, through funny videos.

Channel: National Geographic

1. On which channel can teens watch a show about UFOs?

A．History.

B．Sci-Fi.

C．Discovery Science.

D．National Geographic.

2. What is Science of Stupid special about?

A．Its popularity.

B．Its style.

C．Its meaning.

D．Its audience.

3. What do the four shows have in common?

A．They talk about science.	B．They have many versions.
C．They are brand-new shows.	D．They are aired around the world.

【推荐2】Wow!A Simple to Use Computer

Designed Especially for Seniors!

Easy to read.Easy to see.Easy to use.Just plug(插入）it in!

There is finally a computer that's designed for simplicity and ease of use.It's the WOW Computer,and it was designed with you in mind. This computer is easy-to-use, worry-free and really puts the world at your fingertips.From the moment you open the box,you'll realize how different the WOW Computer is.All the parts are connected;all you do is plug it into an outlet(插座）and your high-speed Internet connection.Then you'll see the screen-it's now 22 inches. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the messy look of the normal computer screen.The"buttons"on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand.All you do is touch one of them,from the Web, Email,Calendar to Games-you name it... and a new screen opens up.It's so easy to use you won't have to ask your children or grandchildren for help.Until now,the very people who could benefit most from E-mail and the Internet are the ones that have had the hardest time accessing it.Now,thanks to the WOW Computer,countless older Americans are discovering the wonderful world of the Internet every day.Isn't it time you took part? Call,now,and you'll find out why tens of thousands of satisfied seniors are now enjoying their WOW Computers,emailing their grandchildren, and experiencing everything the Internet has to offer.Call today!

Call now toll free and find out how you can get the new WOW!Computer.

1. According to the ad,WOW Computer is

A．power-free	B．elder-friendly
C．post-free	D．environment-friendly

2. What does the underlined sentence imply?

A．Seniors fail to be instructed by their children.

B．Seniors are often out of touch with their kids.

C．Seniors starve for a computer easy to operate.

D．Seniors have little time to surf the Internet.

3. If an old man buys the computer,he can

A．be given a big discount

B．update software for someone else

C．discover the bright future of his kids

D．email his children without difficulty

【推荐3】Antarctica, the great white continent and one of the last true wilderness areas on earth – largely unchanged since the early explorers, is home to the world’s greatest concentration of wildlife.

We offer an extensive list of trips to Antarctica at the best price. You may choose between our various trips which you like best, according to your needs, in terms of price, duration and type of excursion(游览).

The Antarctic season goes from late October to March.

Antarctica Expeditions

CRUISES Cruises to Antarctic Peninsula, Polar Circle, Weddell Sea, South Georgia, Falkland Island and mid-Atlantic Islands. Budget   from $ 4,720 to $ 21 ,499 Length   from 9 to 32 days	FLIGHTS Fly from Punta Arenas, Chile to Antarctica or to the very South Pole Budget   from US$5,400 to US$68,500 Length   from 1 to 9 days
AIR-CRUISES Combine both sailing and Flying - Flying to or from Antarctica takes around 2.5 hours, 3Bmaking you save the 2.5-day navigations across the Drake Passage that are made each way in a regular cruise. Budget   from US$3,995 to US$19,795 Length   from 5 to 9 days	SAILBOATS Sail to Antarctica on board of sailboats with a capacity of 9 or 48 passengers Budget   from US$7,750 to US$11,600 Length     from 22 to 59 days

If you’re looking to experience one of the most magnificent, exquisite, untouched regions of the world in an intimate, unhurried way away from the crowds, have we got a trip for you!

1. According to the passage, which type of excursion might take the longest time?

A．CRUISES.

B．FLIGHTS.

C．AIR-CRUISES.

D．SAILBOATS.

2. What’s the main purpose of this article?

A．To introduce some geographical knowledge about Antarctica.

B．To help you compare the price of traveling to Antarctica.

C．To give you advice on how to choose from different trips.

D．To appeal to potential travelers to Antarctica.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．The Antarctic season goes from March to late October.

B．It might take more than two days to go across the Drake Passage in a regular cruise.

C．A sailboat can carry no more than 40 passengers.

D．A cruise to Antarctica is the cheapest.