【推荐1】I was 11 years old standing outside in just my underwear while I watched the house that I grew up in rapidly burn to the ground.

A few minutes earlier I had been in bed when a scream woke me up. My grandma’s bedroom was just next to mine and my brother’s. A fire had broken out there and awakened her. Hearing her, my brother jumped into action, running from room to room quickly waking everyone in the house. Before we could do anything the fire destroyed it. We all had just made it outside when the flames (火焰) took hold of every room.

I stood there shaking while the fire destroyed my books, clothes, and toys. I watched helplessly while my mom cried and my dad sighed. I wondered what was going to happen to us because we had lost all our things.

As I looked around, though, I realized something for the first time: The things that mattered were not things. I saw my brother running around to get help. I saw my grandma and dad wrapped in each other’s arms and my mom holding our little dog. I realized at that moment that we were all alive. Our lives would continue without the”stuff” that was burning. We would all live to love each other for many years to come. And that was all that mattered.

1. Who first found the house was on fire?

A．The author.

B．The brother.

C．The grandma.

D．The parents.

2. What was the author thinking about when seeing everything destroyed?

A．He was wondering how the fire got started.

B．He was worried about their life after the fire.

C．He was mad about losing his clothes and toys.

D．He felt lucky that they were saved by the firefighters.

3. What does the author mainly want to tell readers in paragraph 4?

A．That their life and family matter most.

B．That his family was lucky enough to escape.

C．That family and pets both meant a lot to him.

D．That the things burned in the fire didn’t matter at all.

4. Which of the following quotes is the author most likely to agree with?

A．“Keep calm and carry on.” —the Ministry of Information, UK

B．“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” —Friedrich Nietzsche

C．“You’ll be alive. That’s what matters. Enjoy what you have.” —Richelle Mead

D．“Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst.” —Marjorie Pay Hinckley

【推荐2】When Rachel Ratelle saw a news video of a burned koala trying to climb a tree to safety in fire-ravaged (火灾肆虐的) Australia, she decided to do something about it.

She looked up wildlife rescue and relief agencies in Australia to find out what they needed most. Besides donations, many organizations asked for hand-sewn (手缝的) and knitted pouches (袋子) and wraps for koalas and other animals that were burned or had lost their homes and parents in the fires.

This idea attracted Ratelle, but there was just one problem.

“I’d never sewn in my life,” said Ratelle, 17, a senior at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, US. “Giving money seemed like something too simple. But I wanted to directly help these animals by doing something myself, so I decided to learn how to sew.”

Over the next few months, Ratelle bought her own sewing machine and taught herself how to sew via videos online. Then she purchased 18 yards of fabric and sewed 25 pouches of different sizes and shipped them off to For Australian Wildlife Needing Aid (FAWNA), one of several relief organizations that have rushed to rescue koalas, kangaroos and other species suffering from burns.

A week later, she received a photo from FAWNA with a young joey (幼兽) in one of her larger pouches. “It made me feel like I contributed to the world and it showed how a simple act of kindness can go a long way,” said Ratelle, who hopes to study biology for a future career as a nurse practitioner.

“I plan to use my new sewing skills to help animals and people devastated (蹂躏) by natural disasters,” she said.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, it estimated that 1.2 billion animals have died, as a result of the bushfires, which have burned more than 26 million acres in Australia.

Several craft guild (手工业行会) websites around the world   have mobilized (动员) for Australian relief by making the animal pouches. Karen Newberry and her two daughters Madison, 12 and Rochelle, 8, from San Diego also offered their help in such a way. For Newberry, “it was a big push that made we crafters, sewers to realize there’s something more we can do than just make things for ourselves,” she said.

1. What do the first two paragraphs mainly talk about?

A．What inspired Ratelle to learn to sew.

B．What is needed to save koalas and other species.

C．The poor living conditions of wild animals in Australia.

D．Different ways to help koalas and other animals in Australia.

2. How did Ratelle feel when she received a photo from FAWNA according to the text?

A．Proud.	B．Calm.
C．Surprised.	D．Disappointed.

3. The statistics (统计数字) in Paragraph 8 are used to show ______.

A．how frequent the bushfires are in Australia

B．how harmful the bushfires are in Australia

C．the great varieties of wild animals in Australia

D．the difficulties facing relief organizations in Australia

4. What do Newberry’s words in the last paragraph suggest?

A．People should stay united through difficult times.

B．Life is not easy for crafters and sewers in Australia.

C．It is challenging for crafters and sewers to do relief work.

D．Crafters and sewers can do more to help animals.

【推荐1】Cats in ancient Egypt

Many of us love cats. They are beautiful, soft, clever and loving. The ancient Egyptians (埃及人) considered cats, also known as Mau, to be very important. They honored them with great respect.     1    

For one thing, cats helped people by keeping their homes free of mice, rats, and snakes. Without cats Egypt could not have been the important grain-growing (谷物种植) center that it was.     2     Though I don’t know what other pets the Egyptians had, cats were probably the most important. Cats were also trained to help hunters.     3    

The Egyptians loved cats so much that Bast, an Egyptian goddess, was pictured in the form of a cat. Bast appeared in artwork. She was the protector of the house. This idea made a special connection between cats and children.     4    

The safety of all cats was of great concern to ancient Egyptians.     5     Foreigners sometimes took cats out of Egypt secretly and took them to other lands. Egyptian soldiers were sent to pick up cats found in other countries and bring them back home to Egypt.

A．There were good reasons for that.

B．Two types of cats appeared in ancient Egypt.

C．In grain fields, cats helped catch rats and mice.

D．They were able to help pick up the wounded birds.

E．There were even laws against getting a cat out of Egypt.

F．Anyone who killed a cat on purpose would be put to death.

G．That’s why most Egyptian families had cats for good luck.

【推荐2】Their cheery song brightens many a winter’s day.But robins are in danger of wearing themselves out by singing too much.Robins are singing all night—as well as during the day,British-based researchers say.

David Dominoni,of Glasgow University,said that light from street lamps,takeaway signs and homes is affecting the birds’ biological clocks,leading to them being wide awake when they should be asleep.

Dr Dominoni,who is putting cameras inside nesting boxes to track sleeping patterns,said lack of sleep could put the birds’ health at risk.His study shows that when robins are exposed to light at night in the lab,it leads to some genes being active at the wrong time of day.And the more birds are exposed to light,the more active they are at night.

He told people at a conference,“There have been a couple of studies suggesting they are increasing their song output at night and during the day they are still singing.Singing is a costly behaviour and it takes energy.So by increasing their song output,there might be some costs of energy.”

And it is not just robins that are being kept awake by artificial light.Blackbirds and seagulls are also being more nocturnal.Dr Dominoni said,“In Glasgow where I live,gulls are a serious problem.I have people coming to me saying‘You are the bird expert.Can you help us kill these gulls?’.During the breeding(繁殖)season,between April and June,they are very active at night and very noisy and people can’t sleep.”

Although Dr Dominoni has only studied light pollution,other research concluded that robins living in noisy cities have started to sing at night to make themselves heard over loud noise.

However,some birds thrive(兴旺)in noisy environments.A study from California Polytechnic University found more hummingbirds in areas with heavy industrial machinery.It is thought that they are capitalising on their predators(天敌)fleeing to quieter areas.

1. According to Dr Dominoni’s study,what causes robins to sing so much?

A．The breeding season.

B．The light in modern life.

C．The dangerous environment.

D．The noise from heavy machinery.

2. What is the researchers’ concern over the increase of birds’ song output?

A．The environment might be polluted.

B．The birds’ health might be damaged.

C．The industry cost might be increased.

D．The people’s hearing might be affected.

【推荐3】A wildfire is a fire that bums strongly and out of control on an area of grass or bushes. They often happens in rural areas and without purpose. The fires start from natural causes, like lightning. Humans can start fires with cigarettes or campfires, accidentally.

   

Sometimes, people can set fires on purpose. This is to help an ecosystem and those that live there. These are controlled burns. The fires help encourage healthy ecosystems and prevent larger, more damaging wildfires. Modern fire experts now know how to set controlled burns that are well planned and safe.

Why is fire necessary? As dead or decaying plants begin to build up on the ground, they may prevent organisms in the soil from getting nutrients. They may keep animals on the land from getting to the soil. This coating of dead matter can also choke the growth of smaller or new plants.

Whether through natural causes or not, fire removes that layer of decay. The soil gets nutrients from the burned material faster than if it had slowly decayed over time. This allows healthy parts of the ecosystem to thrive.

Some plants actually need fire to continue their life cycles. Seeds from some pine trees grow in pine cones covered in a thick sap(树液). The seeds release from the pine cones when fire melts the sap. Fires allow more seeds to get to the soil and grow.

In an ecosystem, native animals and plants have adapted to survive wildfires. For example, deaths from wildfires are low. They survive by burrowing into the ground or fleeing to safer areas.

Humans are responsible for preventing most uncontrolled wildfires. Nearly 85 percent of wildfires start because of human activity. We have to prevent these damaging fires. Understanding the benefits of fire is the only way to truly keep our ecosystem safe from its dangers.

1. How does controlled burning affect an ecosystem?

A．It helps keep wildfires from getting too large.

B．It makes it hard for wild animals to stay alive.

C．It causes large areas of grass to bum strongly.

D．It can create dangerous wildfires in rural areas.

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

A．Help.

B．Experience.

C．Limit.

D．Fuel.

3. Why do pine trees need fire to reproduce?

A．The fire help the pine trees' seeds grow fast.

B．The seeds can get out when fires melt the sap.

C．The fire keeps birds away from pine trees' seeds.

D．The fire provides a source of nutrients for the seeds.

4. What can be the best title for this text?

A．The Causes of Wildfires	B．An Healthy Ecosystem
C．Fire Helps Plant Reproduction	D．The Ecological Benefits of Fire

【推荐2】James Bowen and a Street Cat

It all started in 2007 when James Bowen, a thirty-something drug addict (吸毒上瘾的人) who survived by playing guitar on the street, found an orange cat sitting in front of the door of his apartment.

Bowen noticed the cat was wounded. Without hesitating, the young man took him to the Humane Society and spent the little money he had on medicine to heal (治疗) him.

Shortly thereafter, the cat, who was healing and feeling much better, began to follow the musician when he left the house. Then one day the cat got on the bus that Bowen took to the place where he worked.

That’s how the cat, who had recently been named Bob, began to accompany his human friend to his musical performances. Bob’s mere presence attracted the attention of passers-by. He and Bowen would finish off each song with a high five. Pretty soon, the images of Bob wearing a scarf while sitting on the musician’s shoulder, or keeping him company while he played the guitar, began to go viral all over the world.

Eventually, the news found out about the pair and did a story for the magazine Islington Tribune. It was not long after that when a book agent appeared in their lives and gave them a chance to tell their story.

By then, Bowen, who had managed to get away from drugs, wrote a novel called A Street Cat Named Bob. He relates in great detail how meeting the cat changed him.

The book soon sold more than six million copies and even spread beyond the borders of the United Kingdom. In fact, it was translated into thirty languages.

Through all of these changing circumstances, Bob has always been with Bowen — on his shoulder. You can’t make up a story like this. But life always gives opportunities to those who know how to get hold of them. So if you are ever in a position where a cat has chosen you, don’t ignore it. You can’t imagine all the good that life may have in store if you decide to accept the proposal (提议).

1. Why did James Bowen keep the cat?

A．The cat would help him get away from drugs.

B．The cat could keep him company.

C．The cat was a lovely performer.

D．The cat needed to be taken care of.

2. What does the underlined phrase “go viral” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Look funny.

B．Create viruses.

C．Spread quickly.

D．Change greatly.

3. What do we know about A Street Cat Named Bob?

A．It was a huge success.	B．It was written by a book agent.
C．It helped Bowen stop taking drugs.	D．It was first published in a magazine.

4. What can we infer about Bowen and Bob?

A．They have traveled all over the world.	B．They are struggling for survival.
C．They healed and saved each other.	D．They no longer perform on the street.

【推荐3】Emerson, my 11-year-old daughter, is on a wild ride with the United States Postal Service (USPS) and our postman, Doug. She has a serious letter-writing habit and keeps in touch with her favorite people. If you’ve been the receiver of her hand-decorated letters and envelopes, then I know they really make your day.

A letter from Emerson is likely to include some art, a joke and enough questions to guarantee a response. But when she wrote a letter to Doug, she put something new in it. “You may know me as the person living here that writes lots of letters…You’re very important to me, helping me stay in touch with friends. I cheer people up with my letters, and you do that too!”, Emerson wrote.

The next day, a package arrived with two letters. One was from Doug and the other from his superior, Sara, saying she had shared Emerson’s letter in the internal newsletter (内部通讯) of the USPS and believed many postal workers wanted to thank Emerson. Emerson was so pleased with Sara’s letter that it upset me much, for the possible result of no reply would come as a blow to her.

Surprisingly, today, we saw Doug come with two boxes of letters from around the country. These letters were so human, filled with stories about family, pets and a sense of kindness. But there was something more in them. People felt seen — some for the first time in a long time. “I work alone in a small rural post office…” “Not many people think about how hard we work…”. Emerson wrote back seriously.

I’m sharing this not because I’m a proud dad, but because it’s relatively easy, if we take the time, to give others links they need to be good-human connection. Emerson did this daringly. Her lesson to me is simple: It’s the small things that matter most. We all want to be seen, known and loved.

Send a letter. Give a call. Take a step of bravery, like Emerson.

1. Why did Emerson write Doug a letter?

A．To cheer him up.	B．To ask for a wild ride.
C．To express her thanks.	D．To show hand-decorated envelopes.

2. What does the underlined phrase “People felt seen” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．People thought they worked too hard.

B．People felt that they were cared about by others.

C．People saw Doug come with two boxes of letters.

D．People working in small rural post offices feel very lonely.

3. Which word can best describe Emerson?

A．Optimistic.

B．Polite.

C．Caring.

D．Ambitious.

4. What message does the author seem to convey in the text?

A．One’s words reflect one’s thinking.	B．Kids should be encouraged to be brave.
C．There is kindness to be found everywhere.	D．Connection makes a difference.

【推荐1】A fight last month between Campinas and Sao Jose do Rio Preto in southern Brazil became the scene of a spontaneous( 自发的) act of kindness that spread on social media networks.

According to the website Aeroin. net, a passenger named Sirlandia Dias Pereira was traveling with her son Caleb, who suffered from heart failure and bad a heart murmur(杂音). During the flight, she told the passenger next to her, Alex Pontes, that she was traveling so her son could be hospitalized. She also explained that she was relying on the charity of others for living quarters.

The passenger talked to the crew of the airline and asked to use the airplane's loudspeaker, inviting the other travelers to contribute to a spontaneous collection to help the mother and her son.“All of us would like to find an angel to help us. Those of us who feel moved to do so, let's help this mother to take a little something with her. a little something we have and can share," he said.

In a matter of minutes, passengers offered a total worth near $ 400 which goes a lot further in Brazil than in the USA), plus applause for the mother, who was thrilled with the help and repeatedly expressed her gratitude to the passengers.

The site that first shared the story later updated the article, adding that Caleb went through surgery and Was recovering well. The website Razoes Para Acreditar reported that the story caught the attention of Brazilin TV personality Luciano Huck, who started a crowdfunding campaign to help the family.

This story just goes to show that a kind act can go a long way towards making an important difference in someone's life. There are people in need all around us, Let's not let these chances to help others pass us by!

1. Why was the mother traveling?

A．To get her sick son treated,	B．To look for living quarters
C．To experience taking a plane,	D．To pick up her son from hospital.

2. What did Alex Pontes do for the mother on the plane?

A．He gave her $ 400 by himself,	B．He called for donation for her,
C．He exchanged his seat with her,	D．He helped her attend to her son,

3. Why did Lauciano Huck decide to help the mother and her son?

A．He was one of the witnesses on the plane.	B．He wanted to make himself well-known.
C．He was inspired by the spontaneous act.	D．He Was asked to offer assistance by them.

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

A．To speak highly of a kind passenger.	B．To ask us to communicate with others.
C．To show the importance of first aid.	D．To encourage us to help those in need.

【推荐2】Lady Gaga’s latest film became an instant hit over the weekend, helping push theaters to an October ticket-selling record.

A Star Is Born, actor-turned-director Bradley Cooper’s remake of a Hollywood classic in the late 1930s, went beyond the previous expectations of movie analysts by roughly 30 percent.

The original production is such a great Hollywood myth that it’s no wonder Hollywood keeps telling it. Whatever the era, the director or the headliners, it tells the story of two lovers on dramatically different paths: a famous man who’s racing to the bottom and a woman who’s soaring to reach the top.

Mr Cooper does a lot right in this movie AStarLsBorn, beginning with the casting of Lady Gaga, whose relaxing, naturalistic performance is the key to the movie’s force.

A post-Madonna pop artist was known for her elaborate （精心制作的）makeup and costumes, which she adopted no more here.

This unmasking of Lady Gaga makes her character seem genuine or say natural, a quality that the movie is in favor of and that serves as a kind of everlasting first principle.

1. What does the author think of the new movie?

A．Boring.	B．Recommendable.
C．Ridiculous.	D．Amusing.

2. The underlined word “soaring” in the third paragraph probably means ________.

A．rising	B．competing
C．advancing	D．performing

3. What can we learn about the movie?

A．The remakes of the movie adopt different plots.

B．The movie tells the story of two friends on different paths.

C．Natural performance is considered as the only principle in this movie.

D．The movie is more impressive than what movie analysts expected.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．A Hollywood Movie—A Star Is Born

B．Lady Gaga Is on the Edge of Potential Oscar Glory

C．A Latest Film of Lady Gaga Won the Oscar Award

D．The Box Office of Bradley Cooper’s New Movie

【推荐3】The National Gallery

Description:

The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London. It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13th-century religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh. The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance.

Layout:

The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13th- to 15th-century paintings, and artists include Duccio, Uccello, Van Eyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli and Memling.

The main West Wing houses 16th-century paintings, and artists include Leonardo da Vinci , Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titian and Veronese.

The North Wing houses 17th-century paintings, and artists include Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van de Dyck, Velázquez, Claude and Vermeer.

The East Wing houses 18th- to early 20th-century paintings, and artists include Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Renoir and Van Gogh.

Opening Hours:

The Gallery is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm (Fridays 10 am to 9 pm ) and is free, but charges apply to some special exhibitions.

Getting There:

Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross (2-minute walk), Leicester Square (3-minute walk), Embankment (7-minute walk), and Piccadilly Circus (8-minute walk).

1. In which wing can you see religious paintings?

A．In the West Wing	B．In the North Wing
C．In the East Wing	D．In the Sainsbury Wing

2. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．The National Gallery is the biggest British national art museum.

B．The Gallery is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm.

C．The Gallery is completely free.

D．There are four exhibition areas in the National Gallery.

3. Where does the text probably come from?

A．A museum guide.	B．An artist magazine.
C．A news report.	D．A tourist map.