【推荐1】Driving to the airport in the early morning, I felt excited. Although I was heading abroad for my first time alone, I felt cheerful and enthusiastic. I was spending the summer in Paris.

While looking for more interesting things to do besides sleeping and eating, I found programs for learning languages abroad, and jumped at the chance to study French in this city known for its art, fashion, food, and culture. As I arrived at the airport where I would leave my family, I still felt only great happiness. I excitedly made my way through security, leaving my loved ones behind.

My connecting flight was in Frankfurt, Germany, 14 hours from Denver. Sitting in a crowded plane watching bad movies couldn’t dampen my excitement. When the woman next to me asked me where I was going, I happily answered and was pleased to note a tone of jealousy in her response.

But when I arrived in Frankfurt, fear and anxiety began to set in. Being in an enormous, busy building in a country where I couldn’t speak the language was frightening, but as I found my way, I gained confidence. When I boarded the second plane and discovered that the flight was less than an hour, I was filled with excitement as I thought of how I would manage in a country with a new language.

When I stepped on the ground of Pairs for the first time, I was extremely happy and excited. I gathered my bags and joined the crowd of people waiting for friends and family. I quickly had my first experience trying to communicate in a language that I had only practiced in school. As I left the airport, I looked for familiar monuments I had read about, but the landscape looked very- ordinary. Then, with one sharp turn, the Eiffel Tower came into view, and I was finally in Pairs.

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．It was the first time that the writer had traveled abroad.

B．In the new term the writer was to study French in Paris.

C．The crowded plane made the writer less excited.

D．The writer flew to Paris via another country.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．The writer was travelling with a woman friend of her parents’.

B．Arriving in Paris, the writer saw some family friends waiting for her.

C．The writer was not alone when travelling to the airport in Denver.

D．The writer had great difficulty communicating with people in French.

3. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The writer’s excitement and happiness on her journey to Paris.

B．The writer’s exciting experiences of studying French in Paris.

C．The writer’s expectation for French art, fashion, food and culture.

D．The writer’s excitement resulting from her first ride on a plane

【推荐3】Seeing a volcano erupt is a wonderful experience, and you can really feel the heat by climbing to the summit of Pacaya for a close-up view. There are guided tours every day up this highly active volcano from Antigua, giving travelers a chance to see Mother Nature at her most powerful.

Pacaya is an easy drive from Antigua, a beautiful city with many colorful houses along its old streets that are turned into art-works during its Holy Week Festival. No matter when you come to Antigua, you won’t miss the Pacaya-tour companies.

But climbing Pacaya is no easy job: it is 2,560 metres high, and reaching the summit takes two to three hours of seemingly one-step-forward and two-step-back movements. As you climb, you hear the dull sounds of eruptions high above. Steaming, hot remains from recent eruptions begin to line the path as you near the active summit: the McKenney Cone. Just as though you are going to walk over to the edge of the cone, the road turns to the left and up to the relative safety of the old, inactive summit.

Many tours are timed so that you arrive at the cone of the volcano in plenty of time for sunset and the full contrast between the erupting red lava and the darkening sky. On a good day the view from the summit is extremely exciting. The active mouth boils, sending red lava over its sides, and once in a while shoots hot streams up to 100 meters into the air. There is a strong bad smell in the air even if you take care to be upwind of the cone. As evening turns deeper into the night, the burning lava quietly falls down the side of the volcano. For you, too, it is time to get down.

1. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To describe the beauty of Pacaya.	B．To attract tourists to Pacaya.
C．To introduce guided tours to Pacaya.	D．To explain the power of nature at Pacaya.

2. Antigua is a city ________.

A．where people can enjoy cultural festival	B．that gives a close-up view of Pacaya
C．where the daring (大胆的) Pacaya tour starts	D．that is famous for its tour companies

3. Climbing to the McKenney Cone, people will ________.

A．walk directly to the active summit	B．hear the continuous loud noise from above
C．make greater efforts than to other summits	D．see a path lined with remains of earlier eruptions

4. In which part of a magazine can we probably read this text?

A．Health.

B．Tourism.

C．Sports.

D．Technology.

【推荐2】An unpleasant smell floated into my nose as the bowl of fried stinky tofu(臭豆腐) settled onto my grandmother's dinner table. I immediately sat back. The smell ruined my appetite, and I pushed the dish away.

“It's supposed to stink. Just give it a try!” my grandmother said.

Holding my breath, I unwillingly took a bite. To my surprise, the tofu beneath the fried skin was warm, soft, and mouth-watering. Since then, whenever I visited my grandmother's house, I would rush to the kitchen for the stinky tofu with excitement. Thus, stinky tofu became more than a household tradition. It became my favorite dish.

Along with the stinky tofu, I would meet my Uncle Chan on every visit. As an immature boy, I never understood my uncle's condition of Down syndrome(唐氏综合征).

He was an unfriendly and terrible creature in my eyes. He constantly walked around the house, talking to himself. Whenever he appeared, I would run away in fear.

However, one day, my view about my uncle suddenly changed. I was just getting out of my bed when I heard soft steps approaching. It was my uncle. My muscles froze. He slowly sat next to me and touched my face gently, as a mother would stroke (抚摸)a baby. A wide smile emerged from his blank expression. How beautiful his smile was! I could not help but smile back. My fear disappeared gradually, and my muscles relaxed. For the first time, I could see softness and warmth in his eyes.

My uncle very much resembles stinky tofu. Stinky tofu smells unpleasant on the outside,yet feels warm and soft in the inside. Like stinky tofu,my uncle's Down syndrome made me keep my distance at first. Yet, I learned that deep inside, he is harmless and has a loving nature.

Some people tend to look down upon disabled people and regard them as unfit for a regular life. As I was unable to see through the outer surface of the tofu, these people are unable to see through the surface of prejudice(偏见). As a result, they judge the disabled with one glance.

The outside and inside of the stinky tofu exist as two extremely different worlds. Perhaps that is what makes it such a tasty dish. Not only is it delicious, stinky tofu offers a valuable lesson:never judge people at first glance, for true beauty comes from the inside.

1. Why did stinky tofu become the author's favorite dish?

A．It was related to family tradition.

B．It turned out to be quite delicious.

C．Grandma encouraged him to try it.

D．His appetite for food had increased.

2. What did the author think of his uncle at first?

A．He was a quiet person.	B．He was an energetic guy.
C．He was an immature man.	D．He was a strange creature.

3. The author's attitude towards Uncle Chan changed when ________.

A．Chan's footsteps woke up the author

B．Chan showed his friendliness to the author

C．Chan displayed his love towards his mother

D．Chan's blank expression made the author smile

4. The comparison between stinky tofu and the author's uncle serves to ________.

A．highlight the nature of Uncle Chan

B．analyze the family relationship

C．describe a childhood memory

D．introduce a traditional Chinese food

【推荐3】I developed postpartum depression (PPD) (产后抑郁症) after giving birth to my first son.Actually, I started feeling bad before I even had my son. It started with severe anxiety about doctors' appointments.

The night I arrived home after giving birth, I had my first panic attack. I doubted I was having a slight heart attack. The next day, a public health nurse visited our home to see if everything was fine with me- whether I had a heart attack or suffered anything else or I was just all alright. She reassured me that I didn't have a heart problem, and informed me that it was likely a panic attack. The nurse visit was part of a program that provided support for new moms. Sadly, it didn't include any information on PPD.

By my six-week postpartum checkup, I knew something was wrong. I was having difficulty falling asleep and I felt like I was slowly going crazy. Panic attacks were more frequent. I talked with my obstetrician (产科医师)，but unfortunately, she was not trained to recognize or cure PPD. Now I didn't know whom to turn to for help.

I told my situation to my mom and my husband but they didn't understand what I was really experiencing. They figured that being a new parent was tough for anyone, so feeling a little down after giving birth- “baby blues" was just normal and not necessarily a sign of depression. But my cousin, also a new mom, knew me well, and she could see that something was wrong.

With my cousin's encouragement, I went to see my family doctor and I was finally diagnosed(被诊断为)with PPD. I started taking medication, and began to feel better. Eventually, I rehabilitated, feeling like my old self again.

It is common for new moms to get the“baby blues" mixed up with PPD. The early symptoms are similar, so it can delay a diagnosis because you think the feelings will go away. I do think more attention should be drawn to the letter. After all, a new research finds that about 1 in 7 new mothers will be seriously troubled by PPD.

1. Why did the nurse visit the author?

A．To care for her baby	B．To cure her of her heart disease
C．To help check her condition	D．To offer her information on PPD

2. After talking with her obstetrician, what did the author realize?

A．She was really suffering from PPD.	B．Her obstetrician couldn't really help her.
C．She should have received training in PPD.	D．Her obstetrician didn't really care about her.

3. What's the main idea of Paragraph 4?

A．The author's cousin's suggestion to her.

B．The author's great concern about her condition.

C．The great difference between PPD and baby blues.

D．The author's family members' different reaction to her condition.

4. What does the underlined word "rehabilitated" in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．recovered.

B．succeeded.

C．resigned.

D．returned.

5. What's the author's main purpose in writing the text?

A．To tell about her suffering“baby blues".

B．To express her ideas about giving birth.

C．To call for attention to postpartum depression.

D．To show the importance of family to new moms.

【推荐1】An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money.

When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, “Only a miracle (something couldn’t happen) can save him now,” the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.

She hurried to a drugstore (药店) with the money in her hand.

“And what do you want?” asked the salesman. “It’s for my little brother,” the girl answered. “He’s really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle.” “Pardon?” said the salesman.

“My brother Andrew has something bad growing in-side his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?” “We don’t sell a miracle here, child. I’m sorry,” the salesman said with a smile.

“Listen, if it isn’t enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs.”

A well-dressed man heard it and asked, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?” “I don’t know,” she answered with her eyes full of tears. “He’s really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can’t pay for it, so I have brought all my money.”

“How much do you have?” asked the man. “$1.11, but I can try and get some more,” she answered.

“Well, what luck,” smiled the man. “$1.11, the price of a miracle for little brothers.”

He took up the girl’s hand and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”

That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn’t long before Andrew was home again.

How much did the miracle cost?

1. In the eye of the girl, a miracle might be ________.

A．something interesting

B．something beautiful

C．some wonderful medicine

D．some good food

2. What made the miracle happen?

A．The girl’s love for her brother.	B．The girl’s money
C．The medicine from the drugstore.	D．Nobody can tell.

3. From the passage we can infer (推断) that ________.

A．The doctor didn’t ask for any pay

B．A miracle is sure to happen if you keep on

C．The little girl is lovely but not so clever

D．Andrew was in fact not so sick as they had thought.

【推荐2】Every man wants his son to be somewhat of a clone, not in features but in footsteps. As he grows you also age, and your ambitions become more unachievable. You begin to realize that your boy, in your footsteps, could probably accomplish what you hoped for. But footsteps can be muddied and they can go off in different directions.

My son Jody has hated school since day one in kindergarten. Science projects waited until the last moment. Book reports weren’t written until the final threat.

I’ve been a newspaperman all my adult life. My daughter is a university graduate working toward her master’s degree in English. But Jody? When he entered the tenth grade he became a “vo-tech” student(技校学生). They’re called “motorheads” by the rest of the student body.

When a secretary in my office first called him “motorhead”, I was shocked. “Hey, he’s a good kid,” I wanted to say. “And smart, really.”

I learned later that motorheads are, indeed, different. They usually have dirty hands and wear dirty work clothes. And they don’t often make school honor rolls(光荣榜).

But being the parent of a motorhead is itself an experience in education. We who labor in clean shirts in offices don’t have the abilities that motorheads have. I began to learn this when I had my car crashed. The cost to repair it was estimated at $800. “Hey, I can fix it,” said Jody. I doubted it, but let him go ahead, for I had nothing to lose.

My son ,with other motorheads, fixed the car. They got parts from a junkyard, and ability from vo-tech classes. The lost was $25 instead of $800.

Since that first repair job, a broken air-conditioner, a non-functioning washer and a non-toasting toaster have been fixed. Neighbors and co-workers trust their car repairs to him.

These kids are happiest when doing repairs. They joke and laugh and are living in their own relaxed world. And their minds are bright despite their dirty hands and clothes.

I have learned a lot from my motorhead: publishers need printers, engineers need mechanics, and architects need builders. Most important, I have learned that fathers don’t need clones in footsteps or anywhere else.

My son may never make the school honor roll. But he made mine.

1. What used to be the author’s hope for his son?

A．To avoid becoming his clone

B．To resemble him in appearance

C．To reach the author’s unachieved goals

D．To develop in a different direction

2. The author let his son repair the car because he believed that     .

A．His son had the ability to fix it

B．it wouldn’t cause him any more loss

C．it would save him much time

D．other motorheads would come to help

3. In the author’s eyes, motorheads are     .

A．cheerful and smart	B．tidy and hardworking
C．lazy but bright	D．relaxed but rude

4. What did the author realize in the end?

A．Motorheads have greater ability than office workers

B．It is important for one to make the honor roll

C．Architects play a more important role than builders

D．It is unwise to expect your child to follow your path

【推荐3】Sometimes two very different individuals become the best friends. For example, who could have thought that a spider (蜘蛛) would become friends with a pig? But in American writer E. B. White’s novel Charlotte’s Web, this is exactly what happens.

Wilbur the pig grows up in a barn (牲口棚) and makes many friends, including a spider called Charlotte. One day a sheep tells Wilbur that he will finally be served up as dinner. But Charlotte decides to save her friend. To help Wilbur, Charlotte writes words like “terrific” “radiant (喜悦的)” and “humble (谦逊的)” on her web to praise Wilbur. This makes the farmer believe that he is too important to kill. Wilbur is saved, but Charlotte is so tired that she dies.

The book was first published in 1952. In over 60 years Charlotte has become one of the most famous spiders of all time. She teaches us about love and promise. “She is very, very loving under that ugly look,” said Peter F. Neumeyer, writer of The Annotated Charlotte’s Web.

The book’s success drew the attention of Hollywood film-makers. However, they wanted a happy ending. White was strongly against this idea and as a result the film, like the book, ends with Charlotte’s death.

Jen Doll, a reporter of The Atlantic, believes that “death is part of life”. She says this is one of the main messages of the book.

As Charlotte tells Wilbur, “You have been my friend. That in itself is a wonderful thing. I wove (织) my webs for you because I like you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while and then we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a little. God knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”

1. Which of the following about the story is TRUE?

A．It’s a good example of how different creatures live in peace.

B．Though ugly, Charlotte is loving and helpful.

C．It encourages children to love their family and friends.

D．The farmer kills Wilbur as dinner.

2. Hollywood film-makers and White didn’t agree on _______.

A．the fate of Wilbur.

B．how to close story.

C．who was to play Charlotte.

D．the way Charlotte makes friends with Wilbur.

3. In the last paragraph, Charlotte’s main message is that _______.

A．life is like a web

B．friendship is more important than life

C．life could be boring and troublesome

D．dying for a good cause is worthwhile

【推荐1】One spring morning many years ago, I was on southeastern Alaska’s Kupreanof Island when I saw a huge wolf caught in a trap. From her appearance, I realized it was a mother wolf and that somewhere hungry pups (小崽) were waiting for her. I guessed she had been trapped only a few days. So her pups were probably still alive, hungry, surely no more than a few miles away. But I thought if I released the wolf, she would tear me to pieces.

So I decided to search for her pups instead. Following some footprints, I finally found four tiny pups. One by one, I placed them in a bag and headed back. When the mother wolf spotted me, she stood up, possibly picking up the smell of her young. I released the pups, and they raced to her.

What next? I wondered. The mother wolf was clearly suffering. Yet each time I moved in her direction, she let out a threatening sound.

I put up a shelter for myself and was soon asleep nearby. At dawn, I was awakened by the four pups sniffing at my face and hands. I glanced toward the anxious mother wolf. If I could only win her confidence, I thought. It was her only hope. Over the next few days, I fed her, talked gently with her and played with the pups. But the big animal never took her eyes off me. When I was beginning to lose hope, at dusk on the fifth day, I saw a wagging (摇摆) of her tail. I moved within the length of her chain. She remained still. My heart in my mouth, I slowly placed my hand on the wolf’s injured leg. “OK,” I said, “We’ll have you out of there.” I pressed and the trap sprang open, the wolf pulled free.

Slowly, she headed toward me. She smelled my hands and arms and then began licking (添) my fingers. I was astonished. This went against everything I’d ever heard about wolves. Yet, strangely, it all seemed so natural.

1. What did the writer do after he discovered the mother wolf?

A．He looked for the pups	B．He set up a trap.
C．He put the wolf in a bag	D．He frightened off the wolf.

2. Why did the writer stay with the wolves for 5 days?

A．To study the habit of the wolves.	B．To gain the trust of the mother wolf.
C．To witness the growth of the pups.	D．To experience the charm of the wild

3. How did the writer feel when he was trying to remove the trap?

A．Nervous.	B．Proud.
C．Relieved.	D．Hopeless.

4. The text delivers the message that ______.

A．creatures are born equal	B．having comes before giving
C．wagging wolves seldom bite	D．kindness deserves acceptance

【推荐2】Consuming food can be a pleasurable thing-we enjoy the mix of tastes and textures (结构) and it stops us feeling hungry too. Of course, food also gives us energy and the vitamins and minerals that our body needs. It’s no wonder we spend so much time preparing and eating food. But what many of us don’t consider is how our emotions are affected by what we put into our bellies.

For me, it’s the unhealthy foods that put a smile on my face-chocolate, cakes and ice cream. It might seem obvious that food that’s bad for our waistline, usually makes us happy, at least in the short term. But dieticians tell us that eating bad food long term, not only makes us put on weight but can lead to other health conditions such as diabetes (糖尿病), and it can also affect our mental state and bring on depression.

The link between our mind and food has been looked at by scientists. They’ve recently found that it’s the bacteria in our gut that affects our mood. It’s thought we have 39 trillion of these simple, small organisms (生物体) in our body. Researchers at McMaster University in Canada have found that certain “good” bacteria help reduce anxiety in mice. Experts believe that, for us humans, this means food with “good” bacteria can improve the way we feel.

Many food products are claiming to be high in this “good” bacteria and some of the best types are homemade food like miso soup, yoghurt and sauerkraut (泡菜). Doctor Michael Mosley would agree. He says the best food to cheer us up is in a “Mediterranean diet”. Olive oil; oily fish, full of omega 3, which is really good for the brain; whole grains; lots of fruits and vegetables. Sugar: terrible for you! There are other factors that can change our mood but it seems we have some ability to improve how we feel by controlling what we put on our plate. Does your diet affect your mood?

1. What helps reduce anxiety in mice?

A．Good bacteria.	B．Bad food.
C．Large organisms.	D．Health conditions.

2. We can infer from the last paragraph that ________.

A．we can improve how we feel by controlling food

B．people had better eat less cakes and ice cream

C．Mediterranean diet cheers people up

D．some of the worst food are homemade food like miso soup

3. The best title of the passage may be ________.

A．The Theory of Food	B．Change Your Food
C．Food and Mood	D．Enjoy Your Food

【推荐3】One of the most important things in the world is friendship. In order to have friends, you have to be a friend. But how can you be a good friend at school?

Listen—Listen when they are talking. Don’t say anything unless they ask you a question. Sometimes it’s not necessary for you to have anything to say；they just need someone to talk to about their feelings.

Help them—If your friend is ever in need of something, be there to help them. You should try to put them first, but make sure you don’t do everything they want you to do. Try to take an extra pencil or pen with you to classes in case they forget one. Have a little extra money in your pocket in case they forget something they need.

Be there for them—Try to make something for your friends to help make them feel better in hard times. Making cards and encouraging them are among the nicest things you can do for friends. Marilyn Monroe, a famous U.S. actor, once said, “I often make mistakes. Sometimes I am out of control. But if you can’t stay with me at my worst, you are sure not to deserve to be with me at my best.” Always remember this! If you don’t want to stay with your friends when they’re in hard times, then you don’t deserve to be with them when they’re having a good time!

       Try to organize some activities with your friends ahead of time. Go shopping, go for ice cream, have a party, go to the movies and so on. Take time to know each other even better by doing something you both enjoy. By planning things together, you both can have a good time. And you’ll remember these things when you’re all old!

1. While your friend is talking to you about his or her feelings, you should       .

A．give him or her some advice	B．just listen unless asked
C．calm him or her down	D．share your feelings as well

2. What can we learn from Marilyn Monroe’s words?

A．Life without a friends is death.	B．A friend is easier lost than found.
C．A friend in need is a friend indeed.	D．A man is known by his friends.

3. Which of the following can be put in the blank of the last paragraph?

A．Make plans.	B．Enjoy yourself.
C．Understand your friends.	D．Play with your friends.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．How to find a good friend.	B．How to help friends in trouble.
C．How to be a good friend.	D．How to make more friends.