【推荐1】First the ground shook in Haiti, then Chile and Turkey. The earthquakes keep coming hard and fast this year, causing people to wonder if something evil (邪恶的) is happening underfoot. It’s not.
While it may seem as if there are more earthquakes occurring, there really aren’t. The problem is what’s happening above ground, not underground, experts say. More people are moving into big cities that happen to be built in quake zones, and they’re rapidly putting up buildings that can’t withstand (经受) earthquakes, scientists believe. And around-the-clock news coverage (报道) and better earthquake monitoring(监测) make it seem as if earthquakes are ever-present.
“I can definitely tell you that the world is not coming to an end,” said Bob Holdsworth, an expert in tectonics (筑造学) at Durharn University in the UK.
A 7.0 magnitude quake in January killed more than 230,000 people in Haiti. Last month, an 8.8 magnitude quake--- the fifth-strongest since 1900—killed more than 900 people in Chile. And two weeks ago, a 6.0 magnitude quake struck rural eastern Turkey, killing at least 57 people.
On average, there are 134 earthquakes a year that have a magnitude between 6.0 and 6.9, according to the US Geological Survey. This year is off to a fast start with 40 so far—more than in most years for that time period.
But that’s because the 8.8 quake in Chile generated a large number of strong aftershocks, and so many quakes early this year skews (扭曲) the picture, said Paul Earle, a US seismologist (地震学家).
Also, it’s not the number of quakes, but their devastating impacts(破坏性的影响) that gain attention, with the death tolls (死亡人数) largely due to construction standards (building standard) and crowding, Earle added. “The standard mantra (咒语) is earthquakes don’t kill people, buildings do, ” he said.
There have been more deaths over the past decades from earthquakes, said University of Colorado geologist Roger Bilham. In an opinion column last month in the journal Nature, Bilham called for better construction standards in the world’s big cities.
Of the 130 cities worldwide with populations of more than 1 million, more than half are prone (倾向于) to earthquakes, Bilham said.
Developing nations, where populations are growing, don’t pay attention to earthquake preparedness, Bilham said.” If you have a problem feeding yourself, you’re not really going to worry about earthquakes.”
Another reason quakes seem worse is that we’re paying attention more. The Haiti earthquake quickly followed by the 8.8 in Chile made everyone start to think.
But it won’t last, said US disaster researcher Deniis Mileti. “People are paying attention to the violent planet we’ve always lived on,” Mileti said.” Come back in another six months if there has been no earthquakes, most people will have forgotten it again. ”
1. What is the main idea of the article?

A．The number of earthquakes is increasing this year.

B．The reasons why earthquakes are so devastating.

C．The reasons why recent earthquakes have struck large cities.

D．Why earthquakes seem to be more serious this year.

2. Which of the following is NOT a reason for the seeming increase in earthquakes this year，
according to the article?

A．Greater underground activity.

B．A larger number of buildings prone to damage during earthquakes.

C．Around-the-clock news coverage.

D．Better earthquake monitoring.

3. According to the article, it is safe to say that ______.

A．there is an evil force beneath the world’s surface

B．large cities are always built in quake zones

C．enough attention has been paid to reducing the impact of earthquakes

D．the earthquake in Chili caused many aftershocks.

4. According to the article, the greater damage of earthquakes this year can be mainly caused by ______.

A．the occurrence of larger earthquakes

B．not enough warnings about earthquakes

C．poor construction standards and overcrowding

D．an increase in large cities

【推荐1】New York is an overwhelming city to visit with children. Went follows is carefully collected advice from New Yorkers on how to cover the city right.

Tenement Museum

The Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side offers a fantastic glimpse into urban family life. Guided tours reveal the daily routines of generations of Irish, Jewish and Italian immigrants who made their mark then quickly moved up and out. Pick up a copy of “All-of-a-Kind Family” or a vintage toy in the museum shop, one of the city’s best.

MoMa Museum

MoMa Museum does an excellent job making modern and contemporary art accessible to children as young as 4. On weekend mornings, guided tours are divided into age-appropriate groups in which children can observe a number of works and draw; later they gain free admittance to the entire museum. The cafeteria is both grown-up and child-friendly, and there’s an art laboratory with hands-on activities and even an audio guide for young people.

Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum

The most significant in the museum is the Space Shuttle Pavilion, which is scheduled to reopen in July, showcasing the Enterprise, NASA’s first space shuttle, which arrived last year. The U.S.S Intrepid, a World War II-era aircraft carrier, is worthwhile in itself. While the complex suffered damage during Hurricane Sandy, most of its facilities are once again shipshape. Families may want to consider Operation Slumber, which allows for overnight visits with special activities for children 6 and older.

Children’s Museum of the Arts

All the artwork here is made by children, and visitors can make their own (bonus: you don’t have to clean up). An area for younger children includes sand, Play-Doh and guided music activities. Children go berserk for the Ball Pond, a closed-in area of oversize balls. Is it experiential art? An installation? Children need not bother with such imponderables.

1. Which of the following museums offer free admission?

A．Tenement Museum.	B．MoMa Museum.
C．Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.	D．Children’s Museum of Arts.

2. How is Children’s Museum of the Arts different from the other three museums?

A．It provides activities for children of different ages.	B．It exhibits a lot of artwork.
C．Its artwork is all created by children.	D．It used to be damaged in the Hurrican Sandy.

3. What do the four museums have in common?

A．They are all children-friendly.

B．They all show visitors contemporary artwork.

C．They can offer visitors activities to take part in.

D．They are all suitable for children over 4 years old.

【推荐2】The Gold Coast family holidays are always great fun whether you are from Australia or from abroad. There are beautiful beaches, adventure parks, nature parks and so much more.

There are so many sights to see here. It is a pity to drive in a car and you’ll miss a great part of it. Australia is home to many animals and birds that can only be seen when moving slowly and going into the areas where they live.

When you are on a bicycle, you have the strength of being able to stop whenever you want to see an interesting animal or bird that you have never seen before. It is a quieter way of transportation as well, so you might even be able to take a picture. When you are on the beach, you can breathe that clean air and view the beauty of the water and sand. It is a totally different experience from either simply sunbathing or passing it in a car.

There are many choices of hiring a bicycle to experience the Gold Coast attractions. There are stores that will fit a bike perfectly to your size. These bikes for both adults and children are in many styles and colors to please any taste. If you have ever wanted to try a tandem bike (双人单车), now is your chance, because they have those too.

A bicycle hire on Gold Coast is something that everyone should try at least once. This is a wonderful chance for anyone who likes to cycle and it is also a cheap way to travel with your family.

1. You’d better not drive in a car on Gold Coast because ________.

A．you will break the traffic rules	B．you will cause much noise
C．you can’t enjoy the beautiful sights well	D．you can’t drive into some parks

2. The following advantages of hiring bikes are mentioned EXCEPT that ________.

A．you can take photos of animals	B．it is a cheap way of traveling
C．you can get a clearer sight of animals	D．it is a good way to do sunbathing

3. Which of the following words has the same meaning as the word underlined in the third paragraph?

A．advantage	B．weakness
C．appearance	D．importance

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards a bike hire on Gold Coast?

A．He thinks it’s a personal choice.	B．He supports it very much.
C．He doesn’t like this way of traveling.	D．He thinks it’s only good for adults.

【推荐3】It’s natural for parents to praise their children, but offering this praise could actually backfire, according to New Science.

In the study, researchers at Michigan State University looked at 123 children who were about 7. The team assessed the children to determine whether they had a “growth mindset” (believing that you can work harder to get smarter), or a “fixed mindset” (believing that your intelligence is unable to change). They then asked the children to complete a fast-paced computer accuracy task while their brain activity was recorded.

Based on the data they collected, the researchers concluded that children with a growth mindset were much more likely to have a larger brain response after making a mistake, and in turn were more likely to improve their performance by paying closer attention to the task after making an error.

While previous research has shown that people with a fixed mindset didn’t want to admit they had made a mistake, this study found that children with a fixed mindset were able to- “bounce back” after making an error, but only if they gave their full attention to the mistakes. “The main implication(暗示) here is that we should pay close attention to our mistakes and use them as opportunities to learn.” study author Hans Schroder told Science Daily.

For parents, the lessons are clear-if a child hands you an A+ test, don’t say “You’re so smart!”

Instead, say “Wow, that studying really paid off!” or “You clearly mastered this material-way to go!” Note the effort, not the intelligence.

Second, focus on using errors to work together and learn. Many teachers and parents avoid addressing children’s mistakes, telling them “It’s OK. You’ll get it next time...”,without giving them the opportunity to figure out what went wrong. Dr. Schroder says, “Instead, it’s better to reassure(安慰) children that mistakes happen, and to pay attention and work to figure out where and how they made the mistakes.”

1. How was the data collected during the research?

A．By counting children’s mistakes.

B．By recording children’s brain activity.

C．By asking children fast-paced questions.

D．By testing children’s intelligence.

2. Who most probably belongs to the “growth mindset” group?

A．A boy who manages to correct every mistake by heart.

B．A girl who believes her mistakes are made by chance.

C．A boy who keeps an idea that he has a gift for studying.

D．A girl who thinks she can get A+ without any effort.

3. How are paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 developed?

A．Giving examples.	B．Listing facts.
C．Making a comparison.	D．Using famous sayings.

4. What should parents do with the child’s mistakes in Dr. Schroder’s opinion?

A．Parents should avoid talking with child about his mistakes.

B．Parents should discuss the mistakes with their child patiently.

C．Parents should ignore the mistakes and believe he will do better.

D．Parents should compare his mistakes with others’ and blame him.