【推荐1】When you look at fashion shows or see the latest clothes for this year in a magazine, you might think you've seen it all before. It sometimes seems that most of the designers are just going back to ideas that have already been around at least once before. If you really want to know what the future of fashion is, you need to look at an area that is always looking forward: technology. The meeting point of fashion and technology is where the really exciting new ideas are.

For several years now, people have been talking about wearable technology as the next big development. In fact, some products that fit this description are already in the shops. You can buy watches that do everything your smart phone can do, or glasses with computers in that follow your eye movements and feed information to you as you walk around. But there's much more to wearable technology than that.

Sports clothing is one area where new ideas are developing very fast. Runners and other sports people already wear small computers on their wrists that give them continuous information about how fast they're running, how hard their bodies are working and so on. Experts agree that it's often sports people (usually young men) who are the first to take up new fashion ideas. Others then follow.

Women, it seems, are usually more interested in what clothes look like than what they can do, and technology has a part to play here too. Designers are already making clothes that can change color with how you are feeing, or react to sound. And if you think that sounds unlikely, Just think of all the things we accept as quite normal today that seemed impossible or silly only ten years ago.

The main reason that things like this aren't yet in normal shops is that they aren't cheap. But, as with all technological products, the price will surely come down fast. In any case, technological clothing doesn't have to be expensive.

1. What does the author want to tell the readers in the first paragraph?

A．Technology develops faster than fashion.

B．The old fashion ideas are more popular.

C．Fashion can develop with technology to be creative.

D．Fashion and technology are always going forward.

2. We can know from the text that             .

A．technological clothing would be affordable to most people.

B．only sports people are interested in technological clothing.

C．women do not care about the function of technological clothing.

D．technological clothing will not be popular with women.

3. What is the author's attitude towards wearable technology's future?

A．Doubtful.	B．Objective.
C．Optimistic.	D．Negative.

【推荐2】“Fast fashion” means clothes that are inexpensive but look like the latest designs. One reason for the success of fast fashion is social media. A report by the investment research firm Bernstein found that Millennials—people born in the 1980s and 90s—wanted to wear a variety of clothes in the photos they posted on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. As a result, many businesses that offer trendy, low-cost clothes are growing.

But the situation is changing now. Maxine Bédat, a woman who is in her early 30s, looks in her closet full of clothes, but she has nothing to wear. She says she hates always shopping for what is in style. Instead, she says, she wants to buy fewer clothes that she can wear over and over. Other people want the same thing, she says.

So Ms. Bédat and a business partner, Soraya Darabi, started a “slow fashion” clothing company called Zady. “Slow fashion” means clothes that last a long time. They are often classic colors and shapes, and are made from natural materials that are biodegradable over time.

The terms “fast fashion” and “slow fashion” are related to “fast food” and “slow food”: fast food is still popular in the U. S. , but many restaurants increasingly offer higher-quality, more expensive and relaxed meals.

Like slow food, slow fashion also aims to use sources that are good for the environment and workers. Maxine Bédat says people in her generation want to know where their clothes come from and who is making them. To answer Millennials’ demand for information about the products they buy, Ms. Bédat’s company, Zady, includes details about the history of the brands. It also describes the process in which the clothes are made. Ms. Bédat says Zady aims to tell shoppers where their clothes come from, where they go, and how they impact the world.

The international business “H&M” is answering Millennials’ demands in another way. It has created a recycling program for clothes. Shoppers who bring clothes they no longer want to H&M stores can receive a discount on new things they buy. An H&M spokesperson says, “We have a clear vision to avoid and minimize waste that goes into landfills.”

1. What’s the attitude of some Millennials towards fast fashion now?

A．Crazy.

B．Tired.

C．Supportive.

D．Doubtful.

2. “Slow food” is mentioned in the text to tell us ________.

A．it is better than fast food	B．it is the healthiest food
C．why slow fashion comes now	D．why people like fast fashion

3. What can be learned from the program of H&M in the last paragraph?

A．It can help the environment.	B．It does good to people’s health.
C．It can help change people’s lives most.	D．It will take the lead in the latest fashion.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．What Is out of Fashion	B．Fast Fashion Is Not Fast
C．Slow Fashion Is in Fashion.	D．Fast Fashion, Good or Bad

【推荐3】Well, more and more companies are beginning to create products and services for teenagers. The Disney Company sells the Hannah Montans television show, music, film and merchandise(商品) to teenagers and their parents. You can get everything from branded lunchboxes and mobile phone covers, to monthly fan magazines and clothing. The High School Musical series of films is also intended for a teenage audience. So, it’s all about sales, which tells us teenagers must have more money, freedom and influence upon their parents than they’ve ever had before.

UK teenagers never used to be worried about spending money on clothes and fashion accessories(附加物). That’s changed. Now, they are much more fashion conscious and concerned about their image. In a world of television programmes that promise overnight success and fame at a young age (for example, the shows Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol), some people think it’s extremely important to look fashionable.

So what does teenage fashion look like? Well, it’s quite horrible really, but then I’m a bit too old to appreciate it, I suppose. It’s lots of brightly coloured materials, particularly pink, and usually plain, not patterned. There are plenty of bows, necklaces and bracelets(手镯), too. It’s all very cute(可爱的), if that’s your taste.

Surely none of the above is a good thing, is it? Can it really be healthy for us to encourage kids to be like adults at such a young age? Are we stealing childhoods in return for a bit of profit? Well, the UK government is certainly concerned, and for that reason has strict laws preventing companies from explicitly(明确地) marketing their products and services at children.

Even the rest of UK society is concerned. Now that people are aware of the problem, there is a popular backlash(强烈反应) against the exploitation(利用) of children by commercial marketing.

1. It can be inferred from the passage that the teenagers nowadays               .

A．often ask their parents to buy things for them

B．always have more than enough money on their clothes

C．can’t enjoy their childhood though they are rich in material

D．are satisfied with their material life and worry about nothing

2. The author of the passage                 .

A．supports teenage fashion quite a lot

B．is fond of brightly colored materials that are to his taste

C．thinks it illegal to make profits by selling things to kids

D．is strongly against marketing products and services at children

3. The passage is mainly about                  .

A．British teenagers who are interested in fashions

B．UK companies targeting products at children

C．a social problem concerning teenagers in the UK

D．products that aim at young people in England

【推荐1】Even if you are naturally shy, these three tricks will help you to quickly build a new social circle in any new city.

1. Take pictures

One of the great things about taking pictures at an event or party is that it gives you an excuse to get in touch with the person later. Everybody loves seeing pictures of themselves, and it’s very easy after taking a picture to say “if you’d like I can email it to you”. This can be the seed that leads to new connections. The next time you hear about a fun event email your new contacts to let them know about it.

2. Eat alone in public

You might feel self-conscious eating by yourself but it has an important benefit: you are much easier to approach when you are alone. People may be afraid of interrupting you or being rude if you are in a conversation with someone else. Bring a book or newspaper to read (this will make you feel less self-conscious). Plus, having an interesting book with you will give others an excuse to start a conversation if they’ve read it.

3. Join a class, sports team, or club

Yoga, salsa dancing, volleyball, Toastmasters (a public speaking club), a class for work, etc. Take up a new hobby or continue an old one!

These are all great places to meet new people, primarily because you will be forced to see the same people over and over again in the class. You will automatically make friends with them if you have a common interest and are forced to see each other again.

Tips:

*In the beginning, never turn down an invitation from someone, even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally do.

*Email your new friends with fun things to do instead of always asking what their plans are. If they have a better plan you can drop yours and join them. This will help establish you as someone who is contributing value instead of just taking it (people want this in a friend).

*Don’t let little things in life upset you or be a negative person. People don’t want to be around someone like that!

1. _______ can give you an excuse to get in touch with the person later.

A．Taking pictures of others

B．Eating by yourself in public

C．Reading interesting books

D．Joining group activities

2. When having meals, you’d better _______ if you want to make new friends.

A．approach others to show conscious friendliness

B．start a conversation with those who have friends aside

C．invite others to your apartment to eat together

D．sit on your own in public places

3. According to the text, which of the following is NOT mentioned as an advantage of joining a class?

A．It helps you find out people who share a common interest with you.

B．It helps you find out your interest and take up a new hobby.

C．It offers an opportunity to meet the same people repeatedly.

D．It is a good way to meet new people and make friends in a new city.

4. Which of the following pieces of advice is a tip from the text?

A．Try to be outgoing and talkative instead of being shy.

B．Never turn down an invitation from your friends.

C．Offer suggestions on how to spend time together.

D．Always give a positive response to any request.

5. By writing the text, the author intends to tell us

A．why you should change when you move to a new city

B．how you can make new friends in a new city

C．why you should make new friends in a new city

D．how you can keep in touch with strangers

【推荐2】Instagram is about to take its biggest step toward removing likes from its platform. After months of testing an option to hide likes in select international markets, Instagram, which is owned by Facebook (FB), has already been testing hiding likes in seven other countries, including Canada, Ireland and Australia. For years, likes have been central to how celebrities, brands, politicians and everyday users experience Instagram and Facebook. It’s a way of measuring popularity and success. But in recent months, Instagram has been rethinking how likes contribute to making its platform more toxic. Now it’s considering a change.

The total number of likes on posts – which appear as hearts on the app – will disappear from Instagram’s main feed, profile pages and permalink pages. The owner of the account can still see their own likes, but their followers won’t know the count.

CNN Business previously spoke with users in countries with the test. The majority felt this move would improve well-being on the app. Instagram is the most detrimental social networking app for young people’s mental health, such as negatively impacting body image, according to one study.

But other users and psychologists said hiding likes won’t fix everything. The test doesn’t address some of the key ways that activity on Instagram can impact the well-being of users, including bullying, feeling left out and thinking other people’s lives are better than their own.

Renee Engeln, a psychology professor at Northwestern University, voiced his opinion that the biggest impact of Instagram is the content and the exposure to this constant stream of perfected images is what seems to hurt psychologically. Plus, users can still see their own likes – and feel badly if their posts don’t perform well.

1. How do users usually experience Instagram for years?

A．By selecting platforms.	B．By showing off talents.
C．By hiding likes.	D．By giving likes.

2. What does the underlined word “detrimental” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．profitable

B．popular

C．harmful

D．positive

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Instagram has affected youngsters’ mental health.

B．The account owners won’t know the count o£ likes.

C．Instagram tested hiding likes in seven countries first.

D．The majority think Instagram has been a well-being app.

4. What could be the best title of the passage?

A．Instagram Misuses Likes

B．More People Are Against Likes

C．Likes Cause Mental Problems

D．Likes will Be Hidden on Instagram

【推荐1】Have you ever taken a test that you thought you could have passed easily, only to make some silly mistakes that really hurt your grade? More than a few students have done that. And some seem to do it over and over again.

There are several problem areas that can cause students to goof up or do poorly in a test that they could have passed.

Some students can become overconfident about their knowledge of the subject matter. They think they know the material better than they actually do. It is easy for students to misjudge their own knowledge, and when they realize that they don't know the material, it is too late.

What happens more often, though, is that some students feel they are smart enough to be able to guess their way through a test. So they don't bother studying the material. They are overconfident about their ability to figure things out.

In either case, overconfidence can result in lower grades in tests. Does this apply to you?

Another thing that can happen is that students underestimate the difficulty of the test hey expect an easy test, but the teacher throws in a really tough test that they haven't prepared for. Sometimes the teacher may cover material in the test that students weren't expecting. That can happen, especially if you weren't paying attention in class.

Finally, there are students who don't feel that getting a good grade is important to them, so they don't bother to study or even try to do well. Such students may be trying to punish their parents, have a poor image of themselves, or be just plain foolish. Hopefully, you are not one of these students.

1. The writer believes that many students      .

A．are afraid of exams	B．make careless mistakes
C．hate homework	D．lack confidence in exams

2. What does the underlined phrase "goof up" mean?

A．Be overconfident.	B．Be nervous.
C．Make silly mistakes.	D．Make wrong choices.

3. According to the writer, who will be most unwilling to try his best in a test?

A．Edward, dissatisfied with his parents.	B．Johnson, expecting an easy test for him.
C．Dobby, believing he is the smartest in the class.	D．Peter, being overconfident about his ability.

4. What would be discussed in the paragraph that follows?

A．Ways to prepare for a test.	B．The causes of overconfidence.
C．The causes of a poor self-image.	D．Ways to avoid making such mistakes.

【推荐2】The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ( the Hall of Fame for short ) is a fantastic destination for everyone from lifelong basketball fans to families with children who are just beginning to explore the world's most popular sport. Each year, several thousand visitors crowd into this birthplace of basket-ball.

Dates and Hours of Operation

The Hall of Fame is open Wednesday through Sunday from late November through March 31 and daily the rest of the year. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Friday through Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Because it may close for private functions, it is wise to confirm hours of operation ahead of your visit. Just call 1-877-466-6752.

Ticket Information

Admission to the Hall of Fame (as of 2019) is $24 for people aged over 16, $16 for youths aged from 5 to 16 and free for children under age 5. Since the number of visitors is limited each day, you are advised to make a reservation in advance. For more information, please call 1-877-466-6831.

Travelling from All Directions

The Hall of Fame is conveniently located (位于) within driving distance from Boston (in the east), Albany (in the west), Vermont (in the north) and New York (in the south) and is right off of MA Route 91. For those who prefer to travel by air, the museum is not far from Logan International Airport and Bradley International Airport. For more information about the transportation, call 1-877-446-6755.

A Friendly Reminder

1 No food and beverage inside of the hall.

2 Backpacks and any large bags are not permitted inside of the hall unless needed for medical reasons.

3 If you wish to participate in shooting on Center Court, please wear appropriate footwear. Also, contests of any kind and half court shots are not allowed for everyone's safety.

4 For anything you don't know for sure, call 413-781-6500.

1. When can visitors visit the Hall of Fame?

A．At 11:00 a.m., Monday, Nov. 30th.

B．At 3:00 p.m., Friday, Mar. 12th.

C．At 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Apr.1st.

D．At 5:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 20th.

2. What is the purpose of the fourth paragraph of the text?

A．To tell about the location of the Hall of Fame.

B．To introduce several cities near the Hall of Fame.

C．To stress the easy accessibility to the Hall of Fame.

D．To encourage people to reach the Hall of Fame by car.

3. What are visitors advised to do in the Hall of Fame?

A．Join in shooting contests on Center Court.

B．Take some snacks in case they are hungry

C．Take care of their backpacks during the visit

D．Wear suitable shoes if they want to try shooting.

【推荐3】Decades ago, NASA asked experts to develop the "smell of space" in order to help prepare astronauts for the experience of outer space. Now, a perfume, Eau de Space, has attracted eager buyers.

According to the Kickstarter activity, which has been launched to sell Eau de Space, the history of the "smell of space" has been unclear owing to various accounts of its development. Ever since the first spacewalk, astronauts have been shocked by the smell.

NASA astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield said, "The only time you can smell space is when you come back from a spacewalk. As you open the hatch (舱门), there is a distinctive smell." Some astronauts and space tourists describe it as the smell of fruit, or burnt cookies. Astronaut Eugene Cerman talked of another smell he experienced: "The moon smells like spent gunpowder." The smell of space is so distinct that NASA reached out to fragrance makers to recreate the smell, according to NASA documents.

Now, the makers have cooperated with award-winning perfumers (香水制造者), and reported that they've secured commercial contracts to reproduce the smell based on astronauts' accounts.

At $ 29 per bottle, Eau de Space will help support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs for students. "For every bottle of Eau de Space you buy, we're going to donate $ 1 to a STEM program for low-income students. It's a big promise and isn't the best decision for a company trying to make a profit. But, imagine that a child who smells Eau de Space today is whipped up to become an astronaut, scientist or engineer," shows Kickstarter.

Eau de Space will be made in the UK employing low-income labor and environment-friendly practices, including zero manufacturing waste, according to the campaign. So far, about 11,000 people have become supporters.

1. Why was the Kickstarter campaign started?

A．To promote Eau de Space.	B．To attract perfume makers.
C．To explain the "smell of space".	D．To recreate the "smell of space".

2. What does the phrase "whipped up" in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Trained.	B．Inspired.
C．Forced.	D．Persuaded.

3. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Eau de Space, a Perfume Used in Space

B．Eau de Space, a Perfume on the Way

C．The History of Developing the "Smell of Space"

D．Astronauts' Different Accounts about the Space Smell

【推荐1】Would you like to be an actor, but aren’t the right age or physical type for the part? Don’t give up: there may be a place for you in the world of voice-acting.
____________________________________________ In addition to many appearances on television and in movies, Rickey is a voice-over actor, someone we hear but don’t see. Rickey has acted since he was 6, both on and off camera. After school, his grandmother-- a manager and acting coach--helped him develop his skills by doing voice exercises and reading aloud.
Voice-over actors do many kinds of acting. They are the voices of cartoon characters on television, in movies and video games, and for communicating toys. In films, they replace the foreign language conversation with English version. They create crowd noises, make commercials, act in radio plays, and record telephone instructions and public announcements. They read books on tape and even record museum tours.
Like other actors, voice-over actors need to understand scripts, interpret characters, and breathe correctly. They have to master voice techniques, such as pacing, volume, and range. Sometimes they use their normal voices; other times they change their voices to create different characters or noises. Rickey receives his Danny Phantom scripts only a few days before he tapes each episode(集). He writes helpful notes on the script to guide himself on speaking his part.
Rickey practices, then tapes at the recording studio. He and the other cast members sit in a soundproof booth, acting out their characters as they read their lines into the microphones. “The cartoon gets created after we record the words, so we have to imagine everything in our mind,” says Rickey. Later, the recorded words, music, and sound effects are combined with the cartoon art to create the cartoon we enjoy on TV. Sound interesting? Maybe you can have a “voice” in acting after all!
1. The underlined sentence in paragraph 2 means _______.

A．Rickey draws the character

B．Rickey names Tucker Foley

C．Rickey makes the character seem real

D．Rickey decides the future of Tucker Foley

2. From the passage we can infer that _______.

A．it’s very complex to become a cartoon film voice-over actor

B．Rickey has been involved with acting most of his life

C．Rickey’s mother helped him a lot with acting

D．many people have nice voices

3. Paragraph 4 mainly tells us that _______.

A．a voice-over actor works very hard

B．being a voice-over actor needs talents

C．being a voice-over actor requires skills

D．voice-over actors have more techniques than other actors

4. The information in this article would be most valuable to people _______.

A．who want to build a career around their voices

B．who need to develop their stage-acting skills

C．who want to understand scriptwriting

D．who need to practice voice exercises

5. Which is true about voice-over actors?

A．They usually create characters according to the films.

B．They act as a guide on the museum tours.

C．They have to act both on and off camera.

D．They must use different voices for different characters and situations.

【推荐2】Jeremy Locke, who owns a roofing and construction company in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, had always been wanting to repair the roof of Jeanette MacDonald's home. Whenever he drove past the woman's home, he assumed that the roof was under repair because the job had already been taken on by another group of repairmen—but as the weeks wore on, the roof continued to worsen without any signs of repair.

“ I had it in my mind that if no one steps up to help this lady in our community, I’d be more than happy to,” Locke told CBC.

When Locke finally reached out to MacDonald about fixing her roof for free, however, she politely declined his offer because she did not like to accept charity. That being said, she had already applied for a government grant （补助金） to fix the roof and she said she was more than happy to hire Locke once her grant application was approved.

Unfortunately, MacDonald never received the approval.

As the stubborn （固执的） Canadian senior refused to accept any assistance from Locke, the sympathetic construction worker played an innocent trick in order to get her to accept his help. He invited MacDonald to enter a raffle （抽奖活动）that his business was holding for a free roof. After the grandmother — of — four accepted one of the raffle tickets, Locke told her that she was the winner—because she was the only one who had entered the raffle.

Thanks to his sweet little plan, Locke and his crew are starting work on the roof this week, which is expected to cost his company about $9, 000.

MacDonald, meanwhile, told CBC that she doesn't know how to express her gratitude to Locke, saying that he is her “guardian angel”.

"There's nobody out there like him," she added.

1. What did Locke desire to do for MacDonald?

A．Repair her roof.	B．Find a repairman.
C．Run a charity.	D．Raise money.

2. Why did MacDonald refuse Locke's offer initially?

A．She didn't trust him.	B．She had won a raffle.
C．She didn't like free help.	D．She had got an official grant.

3. How did Locke finally make MacDonald change her mind?

A．He persuaded her to give up her application.

B．He invited her to enter his business.

C．He gave her about $9, 000.

D．He told her a white lie.

4. Which of the following words best describe Locke?

A．Stubborn and tricky.	B．Wealthy and innocent.
C．Determined and warm-hearted.	D．Different and ambitious.

【推荐3】When Peter Fortune was ten years old, grown-up people used to tell him he was a “difficult” child. He never understood what they meant. He didn’t feel difficult at all. He didn’t throw milk bottles at the garden wall, or tip tomato ketchup over his head and pretend it was blood, or slash at his granny’s ankle with his sword, though he occasionally thought of these things. Apart from all vegetables except potatoes, and fish, eggs and cheese, there was nothing he would not eat. He wasn’t noisier or dirtier or more stupid than anyone he knew.

His name was easy to say and spell. His face, which was pale and freckled, was easy enough to remember. He went to school every day like all other children and never made that much fuss about it. He was only as offensive to his sister as she was to him. Policemen never came knocking at the front door wanting to arrest him. Doctors in white coats never offered to take him away to the madhouse. As far as Peter was concerned, he was really quite easy. What was difficult about him?

It was not until he had been a grown-up himself for many years that Peter finally understood. They thought he was difficult because he was so silent. That seemed to bother people. The other problem was he liked being by himself. ___①___ Not all the time, of course. Not even every day. But most days he liked to go off somewhere for an hour to his bedroom, or the park. He liked to be alone and think his thoughts.

Now, grown-ups like to think they know what’s going on inside a ten-year-old’s head. And it’s impossible to know what someone is thinking if they keep quiet about it. People would see Peter lying on his back on a summer’s afternoon, chewing a piece of grass and staring at the sky. “Peter, Peter! What are you thinking about?” they would call to him. And Peter would sit up with a start. “Oh, nothing. Nothing at all.” Grown-ups knew that something was going on inside that head, but they couldn’t hear it or see it or feel it. They couldn’t tell Peter to stop it, because they did not know what it was he was doing in there. ___②___ He could have been setting his school on fire or feeding his sister to an alligator and escaping in a hot air balloon, but all they saw was a boy staring at the blue sky without blinking, a boy who did not hear you when you called his name.

As for being on his own, grown-ups didn’t much like that either. They don’t even like other grown-ups being on their own. When you join in, people can see what you’re up to. You’re up to what they’re up to. ___③___ Peter had different ideas. In fact, he thought, if people spent less time joining in and making others join in, and spent a little time each day alone remembering who they were or who they might be, then the world would be a happier place and wars might never happen...

The trouble with being a daydreamer who doesn’t say much is that the teachers at school, especially the ones who don’t know you very well, are likely to think you are rather stupid. ___④___ Or, if not stupid, then dull. No one can see the amazing things that are going on in your head. A teacher who saw Peter staring out the window or at a blank sheet of paper on his desk might think that he was bored, or stuck for an answer. But the truth was quite different.

1. Which of the following would Peter be most likely to do?

A．To sleep in the tent with his friends.

B．To break the neighbor’s fence for fun.

C．To tie a dirty dustbin to a dog’s tail.

D．To walk around a lake for quite a while.

2. Where can the sentence “You have to join in, or you’ll spoil it for everyone else.” most probably be put?

A．①

B．②

C．③

D．④

3. What is the main reason that Peter was considered “difficult” by grown-ups?

A．He was far from communicative.

B．He turned a deaf ear to others.

C．He did not do well in his studies.

D．He preferred to live on his own.

4. What might the author continue to write about in the following part?

A．Further prejudice against Peter among grown-ups.

B．How the unique ideas Peter had amazed others.

C．Difficulties keeping Peter from learning well.

D．Effective measures to help Peter out.