【推荐1】It is irrefutable: Parents, who talk to, read and engage with their very young children as often as possible, help them build literacy (读写能力) skills at an early age.

Also certain: Parents of very young children usually have to do a lot of laundry. And low-income families tend to bring their kids with them to public laundromats (洗衣房).

Those truths appear once a week at select neighborhood laundromats in Chicago. That’s when librarians lay down colorful mats and oversized board books beside the industrial washing machines.

Inside one of about 14 laundromats in the city’s low-income neighborhoods, the librarians gather all available children for Laundromats Story Time (LST), a Chicago Public Library (CPL) program.

With the noise of the washers and dryers, anywhere between a handful to more than a dozen children hear stories, sing songs and play games designed to help their brains develop. The event also aims to instruct parents on how to repeat the experience for their kids, working to raise poor literacy rates in underserved communities.

"We read books, we sing songs, we do plays," says Becca Ruidl, the CPL’s STEAM Team early learning manager, who runs the LST program. "We kind of keep it going so parents can walk in adn join in at any time. But a big part of what we do is model literacy skills for parents so they can do it at home with their kids."

While a laundromat seems an unlikely place to engage with children, "we really wanted to meet people in the community where they’re. "Ruidl says.

And it clearly meets a need: Library officials say the program is in increasing demand, while Ruidl says families have adjusted their household’s laundry day to suit the librarians’ laundromat visits. At the same time, LST’s co-sponsors—including a laundry industry trade group and Libraries Without Borders, an organization fighting poverty through literacy—have worked with the CPL to draft an instruction handbook to help expand the concept to other U.S. cities.

1. What does the word “irrefutable” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Undoubtful.	B．Controversial.
C．Impossible.	D．Fruitful.

2. Why are public laundromats chosen for LST?

A．Parents of poor families do a lot of laundry.

B．They offer a perfect atmosphere for learning.

C．Poor parents often go there with their kids.

D．Reading to kids promotes their literacy skills.

3. What can we infer about LST from the last paragraph?

A．It is demanding.	B．Its focus has been adjusted.
C．It will fight poverty.	D．Its concept will be spread.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Literacy at the Laundromat	B．Models of Parenting
C．Laundromats for Kids	D．Magic in Story Time

【推荐2】If you want to make a difference by doing a volunteer job, you can take the following steps.

* Before becoming a volunteer, consider your hobbies and interests. You can find a job in your area or around the world where you can help.     1     They can be found in nursing homes or at food banks, and other charities.

*    2     Then you can apply for the volunteer sector(领域）you have chosen. Rewrite the resume and focus on education and experience in your chosen field.

*    3     If you are not free during the volunteer shifts(轮班）, it’s more likely that you will be passed over.

*    4     You can also go to their websites to fill out an online application and email a copy of your resume.

*Speak or contact directly with the manager in charge of hiring new volunteers. It’s important to tell them your enthusiasm for the volunteer work. At the same time, make it clear how you are qualified .    5    

*Fill out any other paperwork that is requested to complete the application process. It’s best to set an appointment to interview in the end.

A．Be friendly and outspoken.

B．Don’t forget to offer a hand to others in need.

C．Volunteer jobs are often available(可获得的）in many places.

D．Visit the volunteer location in person with a copy of your resume.

E．Make a detailed timetable that shows you can do the volunteer work at the time.

F．It’s because you are not sure the hiring manager has read your resume or seen the online application.

G．Review your work and volunteer resume (简历）to determine what strengths and experience you have.

【推荐3】阅读理解。
Dear Mr. Wolfson，
The purpose of this letter is to inform you of one of our citizens who I believe should receive some special recognition for dedicated (敬业的) community service. The person I recommend is Elizabeth Samuelson. I believe you know her in your position as volunteer coordinator (协调员)．
I have known Elizabeth for more than 20 years as both a friend and a neighbor. During that time I have seen her work tirelessly on scores of community projects and committees. As far as I know, she has never received any kind of recognition from the community for her work. I believe she should be given some sort of special recognition.
Just last year alone, she worked on at least six different community projects including the Park Renewal Project and the Heritage Homes Fund­Raising Banquet. In addition, she is a weekly driver for the Meals­on­Wheels program and she visits patients in the care unit on a regular basis. Whenever a project or committee needs her, she will put herself into the work wholeheartedly. I’m sure that if you check with a few of your staff members who have been there over the years, they will confirm Elizabeth’s community service record and probably be able to add many examples to the few I have given here. By the way, Elizabeth has no idea that I am writing this. She is a humble (谦虚的) person, and if she were aware of it, she would not allow me to send it.
I thought about writing such a letter about her a number of times in the past but just never took action. Then last week, I noticed in the paper that you sponsor (主办) an annual dinner at which dozens of awards are given out to people with much less community service than Elizabeth. In fact, I checked with her and she has never even been invited to that annual event!
I urge you to correct that omission (疏忽) now and take action to see that Elizabeth is properly recognized for her many years of silent but outstanding service to this community.
Sincerely，
Linda Sullivan
1. Linda is Elizabeth’s ________.

A．friend and colleague	B．neighbor and leader
C．neighbor and worker	D．friend and neighbor

2. From the letter we know that Linda ________ Elizabeth much.

A．depends on	B．looks down upon
C．ignores	D．respects

3. According to the letter, Elizabeth ________.

A．wants to be asked to take part in the annual event

B．contributes much to the community

C．has been invited to the annual dinner

D．has been given a lot of honors

4. What can we learn about Mr.Wolfson from the letter?

A．He knows Linda quite well.

B．He is a careless person.

C．He tries something to reward those who have done much community service.

D．He tries his best to find Elizabeth and do something to reward her.

【推荐1】When I think of meditation（冥想）, my mind automatically pictures someone sitting by the beach, cross-legged and humming. “Boring,” I used to say, dismissing the ancient art and its promises of inner peace.     1     Or perhaps I should say I don’t believe in my ability to find peace of mind by sitting quietly. I’d rather sleep, to be honest.

Still, a friend persuaded me to give meditation a shot. Unwilling but curious, I tried a session offered by a meditation app, right in the middle of my workday.     2    

For starters, the app didn’t ask me to sit cross-legged－that’s one thing to be thankful for. It only asked me to sit in my chair in whatever position I found most comfortable.     3     You are with your body every second of every day, but you rarely feel it.     4     The woman’s comforting voice was directing my attention to each part of my body. It was like all of my senses were suddenly activated and strengthened.

When I opened my eyes after the 10-minute session, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the world seemed brand new, but my body felt more awake, like it had been in hibernation（冬眠）all long.     5    

A．I mean really “feel” it.

B．Then came the magic part.

C．Still, I had no interest at all.

D．I don’t have faith in meditation.

E．Surprisingly, I saw the difference.

F．I can’t wait to change my attitude to meditation.

G．1 did find “peace” before 1 went back to my regular working mindset.

【推荐2】A gentle breeze blew through Jennifer’s hair. The golden red sun was setting. She was on the beach, looking up at the fiery (火红的) ball. She was amazed by its color, deep red in the middle, softly fading into yellow. She could hear nothing but the waves and the seagulls flying up above in the sky.
The atmosphere relaxed her. After all she had been through, this was what she needed. “It’s getting late,” she thought, “I must go home. My parents will be wondering where I am.”
She wondered how her parents would react, when she got home after the three days she was missing. She kept on walking, directing herself where she spent every summer holiday. The road was deserted. She walked slowly and silently. Just in a few hundred meters she would have been safe in her house.
It was really getting dark now. The sun had set a few minutes before and it was getting cold too. She wished she had her favorite sweater on: it kept her really warm. She imagined having it with her. This thought disappeared when she finally saw her front door. It seemed different. Nobody had taken care of the outside garden for a few days. She was shocked: her father was usually so strict about keeping everything clean and tidy, and now... It all seemed deserted. She couldn’t understand what was going on.
She entered the house. First, she went into the kitchen where she saw a note written by her father. It said: “Dear Ellen, there is some coffee ready. I went looking.” Ellen was her mother but — where was she? On the right side of the hallway was her parents’ room. She went in. Then she saw her. Her mother, lying on the bed, was sleeping. Her face looked so tired, as if she hadn’t slept for days. She was really pale. Jennifer would have wanted to wake her up but she looked too tired. So Jennifer just fell asleep beside her. When Jennifer woke up, something was different... she wasn’t in her mother’s room and she wasn’t wearing the old clothes she ran away in. She was in her cozy bed in her pajamas (睡衣).
It felt so good being back home. Suddenly she heard a voice, “Are you feeling better now, dear? You know you got us very, very scared.”
1. The writer describes the beautiful sunset to show Jennifer’s ______.

A．love of the natural beauty

B．desire of getting back home

C．intention of becoming independent

D．depression of being alone

2. What does the underlined phrase “This thought” most probably mean?

A．The idea of going back home.

B．Her anxiety about her parents.

C．The feeling of getting back home safely.

D．The feeling of being warm in her favorite sweater.

3. Her father didn’t take care of the garden because ______.

A．he was busy looking for her

B．he had to look after his wife

C．he was not strict with his job

D．he no longer enjoyed working in the garden

4. What can we infer from this passage?

A．In fact Jennifer’s mother had been sick for several days.

B．When she found the garden deserted, she realized she was wrong.

C．As Jennifer walked towards home, she became increasingly scared.

D．Having experienced a lot outside, Jennifer felt home was the safest for her.

【推荐1】The conclusion of the Paris Agreement in 2015，in which almost every nation committed to reduce their carbon emissions(排放)，was supposed to be a turning point in the fight against climate change.But many countries have already fallen behind their goals.Meanwhile emissions worldwide continue to rise.

The only way to catch up is to aggressively pursue an approach that takes advantage of every possible strategy to reduce emissions.Wind and solar energy are usually part of this effort，but it must also include investing heavily in carbon capture(碳捕捉)，utilization(应用)and storage(CCUS)—a range of technologies that pull carbon dioxide from the air，and transform it into useful materials or store it underground.Although CCUS has been opposed as too expensive and unproved，recent gains have made it far more effective.Improvements such as chemical compounds could drive the cost down from $1 00 per ton of captured carbon in 20 16 to $ 20 per ton by 2025，according to a 2016 article in Science.

Three primary CCUS paths lead to the reduction of carbon emissions:retrofitting(改装)existing power plants；reducing emissions in industries that cannot run on renewable energy；and directly removing carbon from the air.Cutting emissions from existing electric power stations with CCUS could be made more appealing in a future with a circular carbon economy，in which captured carbon could be resold and recycled for other uses——for instance，serving as a raw material for making concrete or plastics.

The basic idea of carbon capture has faced a lot of opposition.Skepticism has come from climate change deniers，who see it as a waste of money，and from passionate supporters of climate action, who fear that it would be used to justify continued reliance on fossil fuels.Both groups are ignoring the recent advances and the opportunity they present.By limiting investment in decarbonization，the world will miss a major avenue for reducing emissions in a variety of industries.CCUS can also create jobs and profits from what was previously only a waste material by creating a larger economy around carbon.

The transition to clean energy has become necessary.But that transition’s ability to achieve deep decarbonization will become less effective without this wide range of solutions，which must include CCUS.

1. What can CCUS technologies do in reducing emissions?

A．Closing down existing power plants.

B．Limiting investment in heavy industry.

C．Processing raw materials underground.

D．Turning carbon dioxide into useful materials.

2. Why is it attractive to retrofit existing power plants with CCUS?

A．It can remove carbon directly from the air.

B．It can benefit the industry economically.

C．It is the most affordable way to capture carbon.

D．It helps power plants produce concrete or plastics.

3. What can be inferred from paragraph 4?

A．Fossil fuels will be no longer used in future.

B．Investing in decarbonization is a worthwhile project.

C．Climate change deniers believe in the necessity of decarbonization.

D．Little progress has been made in the fight against carbon emissions.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Capture That Carbon	B．Let Carbon Go
C．Stand Firm with Energy Protection	D．Say Goodbye to Energy Crisis

【推荐2】Smart TVs and other Internet-connected household devices will be made to carry labels setting out how secure they are, under proposals being put forward by the government.

Ministers want the labels introduced on a voluntary basis at first, but propose that they are eventually made compulsory. The labels will help consumers identify which products are more and which are less secure. Under the plans, announced by the digital minister Margot James on Wednesday, merchants will only be able to sell products that carry the label, which will indicate to consumers whether the device observes the principal three security standards set out by the government practice in February.

The move is designed to deal with the problems caused by insecure connected household devices, such as TVs, doorbells and locks, which can be hijacked by malicious (恶意的) actors. There have also been warnings that governments could use them to spy on people in their homes. James said, “Many consumer products that are connected to the Internet are often found to be insecure, putting consumers’ privacy and security at risk. Our code of practice was the first step towards making sure that products have safety features built in from the design stage.”

Prof Alan Woodward, a cybersecurity expert at the University of Surrey, said the proposals represented a good start, but added, “The problem is what happens to those who don’t follow the guidelines. Or, more importantly, who is going to check that a device does follow whatever the eventual guidelines are. “

Woodward said the government would need to “put some teeth behind whatever standards they set out”, suggesting a watchdog along the lines of the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The plan will form part of a wider government consultation into improving general cybersecurity in the UK, with three key requirements in a code of practice for device manufacturers. The requirements include ensuring passwords of devices are not resettable to a universal factory setting, and ensuring they provide a public point of contact as part of a policy for disclosing any discovered weaknesses. It also calls for device makers to explicitly state the minimum length of time a device will receive security updates, never making users puzzled.

1. How does the government expect the labels to be introduced at the beginning?

A．On a compulsory basis.	B．On a voluntary principle.
C．By making laws.	D．By educating consumers.

2. What does the author mainly want to tell us in the third paragraph?

A．The potential risks of smart household devices.

B．The responsibilities of the government.

C．The popularity of illegal Internet access.

D．The measures of avoiding being attacked.

3. What can we infer from what Woodward said?

A．Smart devices need strict and clear guidelines.

B．Related departments are necessary to be set.

C．The government should take tough measures.

D．Some people are strongly against the proposal.

4. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “explicitly” in the last paragraph?

A．Happily.	B．Roughly.
C．Confidently.	D．Clearly.

【推荐3】The term ''helicopter parents'' refers to ''a style of parents who are over focused on their children''.

Helicopter parents are always making a big effort to provide children with every opportunity to succeed, from baby steps at age I, homework at age 8, college application at age 18, employment issues at age 25 to family problems at age 30, 40 or even older. They constantly (不断地) shadow the child, always directing his behavior, allowing him zero alone time.

Helicopter parenting can develop for a number of reasons. Worries about the economy, the job market, and the world in general can push parents toward taking more control over their children’s life in an attempt to protect them. Adults who felt unloved or ignored as children can overcompensate (对……补偿过多) with their own children. When parents see other over-involved parents, it can cause a similar response. They feel that if they don t involve themselves in their children’s lives, they are bad parents.

The main problem with helicopter parenting is that it can backfire. To give an example, the house where Mary lived with roommates was broken into and things were stolen. Mary called the landlord to install (安装) an alarm system, but before she could finish the negotiations (协商), her mother rushed in and demanded action. ''I felt like my mother ruined my communication with our landlord. We could have gotten it done ourselves. She was well intended but only made me feel annoyed and defeated, '' says Mary.

Obviously, overparenting is motivated with the idea of doing good things but it does the exact opposite. In the long run parents are in fact damaging their child's basic skills to deal with matters independently. It makes the child feel lacking in confidence, less competent in dealing with the stresses of life on their own. They're winning the battle, but in fact losing the war.

1. What's the purpose of helicopter parents’ overparenting?

A．To make their children not ignored.

B．To help their children find a good job.

C．To do something good for their children.

D．To get rid of the pressure from other parents.

2. What does the underlined word ''backfire'' in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Make an unwanted effect.	B．Get a lot of support.
C．Set fire in the backyard.	D．Help to be independent.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Children who have helicopter parents live a hard life.

B．Helicopter parenting only happens to very young children.

C．Helicopter parents do their children great harm in the long run.

D．Helicopter parents can protect their children against all problems.

4. What will possibly be discussed in the following paragraph?

A．The bad effects of helicopter parenting.

B．How we can avoid being helicopter parents.

C．Different opinions about helicopter parenting.

D．The reasons for the development of helicopter parents.

【推荐1】This month, Germany’s transport minister, Alexander Dobrindt , proposed the first set of rules for autonomous vehicles(自主驾驶车辆）.They would define the driver’s role in such cars and govern how such cars perform in crashes where lives might be lost.

The proposal attempts to deal with what some call the “death valley” of autonomous vehicles: the grey area between semi-autonomous and fully driverless cars that could delay the driverless future.

Dobrindt wants three things: that a car always chooses property(财产）damage over personal injury; that it never distinguishes between humans based on age or race; and that if a human removes his or her hands from the driving wheel — to check email, say — the car’s maker is responsible if there is a crash.

“The change to the road traffic law will permit fully automatic driving,” says Dobrindt. It will put fully driverless cars on an equal legal footing to human drivers, he says.

Who is responsible for the operation of such vehicles is not clear among car makers, consumers and lawyers. “The liability(法律责任）issue is the biggest one of them all,” says Natasha Merat at the University of Leeds, UK.

An assumption behind UK insurance for driverless cars, introduced earlier this year, insists that a human “ be watchful and monitoring the road” at every moment.

But that is not what many people have in mind when thinking of driverless cars. “When you say ‘driverless cars”, people expect driverless cars.” Merat says “You know — no driver.”

Because of the confusion, Merat thinks some car makers will wait until vehicles can be fully automated without operation.

Driverless cars may end up being a form of public transport rather than vehicles you own, says Ryan Calo at Stanford University, California. That is happening in the UK and Singapore, where government-provided driverless vehicles are being launched.

That would go down poorly in the US, however. “The idea that the government would take over driverless cars and treat them as a public good would get absolutely nowhere here,” says Calo.

1. What does the phrase “death valley” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．A place where cars often break down.	B．A case where passing a law is impossible.
C．An area where no driving is permitted.	D．A situation where drivers’ role is not clear.

2. The proposal put forward by Dobrindt aims to __________.

A．stop people from breaking traffic rules.	B．help promote fully automatic driving.
C．protect drivers of all ages and races.	D．prevent serious property damage.

3. What do consumers think of the operation of driverless cars?

A．It should get the attention of insurance companies.

B．It should be the main concern of law makers.

C．It should not cause deadly traffic accidents.

D．It should involve no human responsibility.

4. Driverless vehicles in public transport see no bright future in __________.

A．Singapore

B．the UK

C．the US

D．Germany

【推荐2】When going through major life changes, like changing careers, I would change the people with whom I spent the most time. We’ve all gone through periods when the people in our lives have changed—graduation, moving to a new city, getting a new job, joining a new club, etc. I don’t think I need to convince you just how much influence other people can have over your identity. If you’ve ever experienced a major switch in your people environment, then you know that you change as well.

Most people don’t make these choices consciously though. You might consciously decide to spend more time with a certain friend, or you may ask someone out on a date to begin a new relationship. But few people choose their existing friendships deliberately.

There’s no “getting rid of people”. People are always dropping into and out of each other’s lives. Associations grow into friendships, and friendships fade into associations. You don’t get rid of anyone. The truth is that in order to make room for new people and new experiences, you may need to loosen up some of your existing connections.

What about loyalty? Shouldn’t you always be loyal to your friends? Once you have a close friend, even if their influence on you is slightly harmful, shouldn’t you stick by them?

Loyalty to a friend sometimes means having to let go. It means being loyal to their highest and best as well. If someone is destroying his health by smoking, for example, you aren’t showing loyalty by smoking right along with him. True loyally sometimes requires that you break damaging connections, get yourself back on solid ground, and then decide what you can really do to help your friend.

It can take a lot of courage to tell someone, “I’m sorry, but I can’t have you in my life anymore." But even though this might seem like a selfish act at times, it’s often the best thing for the other person too. If a relationship is holding you back in some way, understand that it is also hurting the other person. For example, if you work for a violent boss, your acceptance of that situation is considered to be silent approval, encouraging your boss to continue to behave violently.

1. When experiencing major life changes, people may ________.

A．join a new social community	B．influence their friends around
C．choose their friendships purposely	D．have their people environment changed

2. What can be concluded from Paragraph 3 in the passage?

A．Everyone has at least one friend.

B．Friendship still exists though there’s less connection.

C．It is unnecessary to make new friends.

D．You ought to treat your old and new friend equally.

3. What is the author’s opinion on the loyalty to friends?

A．Never betray your close friends whatever happens.

B．Correct their mistakes while you guard their goodness.

C．Stick by your friends even though they do harm lo you.

D．Break up with your friends immediately if they smoke.

4. How should we behave when employed by a violent boss?

A．We should accept what we are told to do.

B．We should stay silent and be in favor of it.

C．We should bravely disobey him if he is wrong.

D．We should give our boss courage to continue.

【推荐3】Every kid has their own favorites. Dolls, dinosaurs, remote controls and cellphones — they might have a toy box with a wide range of play things to keep them entertained, but there's firm favorite they always reach for first-cars. Although the sex difference in the toy world remains, it's not only little boys who are drawn to all things with wheels. That my 20-month-old daughter dotes on the red bus toy is the proof of this.

From age 0 to 2, children are in the sensorimotor (感觉运动的) stage of development, explains Alyssa Wilkins. “They are learning by absorbing everything through their senses — sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing,” Wilkins says. “Toys and real-life objects like cars are very sensorily engaging. Kids can interact with toy cars, trucks, etc. through spinning (旋转) their wheels, watching them move in a variety of directions, or hearing the sounds they make.”

Plus, kids are just naturally drawn to loud and moving objects. “They see the lights on the cars and the rolling wheels, and hear the sound of the running engine. It's very engaging,” Wilkins says. “Kids will always be drawn to attractive and loud things because that is what engages their brain and sensory systems.”

Another appeal of toy vehicles is that they're typically small enough to fit in a child's hand Cars become the favorite of both boys and girls because they can put their cars in their pockets r carry them around. A car is also a cause-and-effect toy — it teaches children that their actions can make something happen. “It's super interesting and exciting for kids to learn that they can change something in their environment, and they may feel proud of what they have done,” Capanna-Hodge says.

Every child is unique in how they engage with toys, and the reasons for their play style may be diverse and complex. Ultimately, how your kids play with their toy vehicles could be a little window into what controls or excites them.

1. What does the underlined phrase “dotes on” in Paragraph I mean?

A．Turns down.

B．Goes in for.

C．Runs into.

D．Has control of.

2. Which of the following aspects plays a big role in children's love for toy vehicles?

A．The influence form parents.	B．The shape of toys vehicles.
C．The exciting sensory input.	D．The peaceful learning environment.

3. What can we learn from Paragraph 4?

A．The smaller the toy vehicles are, the more the kids like them.

B．Boys perform better than girls while playing with toy vehicles.

C．The more toy vehicles the kids have, the more benefits the kids get.

D．Kids can gain a sense of achievement from playing with toy vehicles.

4. What might be the best title of the text?

A．Why toy vehicles are kids' favorites

B．How toy vehicles can boost kids' five sense

C．Why parents choose toy vehicles for their kids

D．How parents can encourage kids to play with toy vehicles

5. How does the author develop the text.

A．	B．
C．	D．