【推荐1】“An almost limitless supply of fresh water exists in the form of water vapor (水蒸气) above Earth’s oceans, yet remains undeveloped, ” researchers said. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the first to suggest spending money in new equipment capable of harvesting oceanic water vapor as a solution to limited supplies of fresh water in various locations around the world.

Led by Prairie Research Institute Professor Praveen Kumar, the study evaluated (评估) 14 water-stressed locations across the globe for the feasibility of an imagined structure capable of gaining water vapor from above the ocean and making the water vapor change into fresh water. They should also prove the structure will remain possible in the face of continued climate change.

Previous wastewater recycling, cloud seeding and desalination (脱盐) techniques have met only limited success, Though applied in some areas across the globe, desalination factories face continual problems because of the very salty water and heavy metal wastewater produced. There are so many problems that California has recently refused measures to add new desalination factories.

“Eventually, we will need to find a way to increase the supply of fresh water because protection and recycled water from existing sources, although necessary, will not be enough to meet human needs. We think our new method can do that massively,” Kumar said.

The researchers did an atmospheric (大气的) and economic study of the placement of imagined offshore structures 210 meters in width and 100 meters in height. Through their study, the researchers concluded that gaining fresh water over ocean surfaces is possible for many water-stressed regions worldwide. The possible fresh water that the imagined structures could provide for large population centers in some certain regions.

In all, this study opens the door to solve the problem that there isn’t enough fresh water in the world.

1. What do we know about fresh water above the oceans from paragraph 1?

A．It’s undeveloped.

B．It’s exhausted.

C．It’s polluted.

D．It’s useless.

2. Which can best replace the underlined word “feasibility” in paragraph 2?

A．responsibility

B．difference

C．possibility

D．mystery

3. What is California’s attitude towards adding new desalination factories?

A．Careless.

B．Expectant.

C．Opposed.

D．Supportive.

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

A．Desalination techniques meeting limited success

B．Ways to address safety of drinking water globally

C．The seriousness of water shortage facing the world

D．New structures to harvest undeveloped source of fresh water

【推荐2】On June 7, 1195, a fiery spinning ball emerged from a dark cloud in the sunny sky close to the London city. An account of this extraordinary moment survives in a chronicle (编年史) between about 1180 and 1199 by Gervase. It would appear that this is the first credible record of ball lightning in England, and much more convincing than the earliest European description, which was believed to be from the 17th century.

Historians discovered the account of what appears to be ball lightning while exploring Gervase’s records of natural events in his chronicle, a treasure of historical details giving insights into medieval culture. They dug through hundreds of pages in Latin and came across this sighting. Gervase’s records of natural events appear within the historical narrative, often with no opening statement, and the account of ball lightning is sandwiched between the events of the changing of kings at that time.

No attempt is made to explain the “marvellous sign” in the sky seen near London. Readers are left to draw their own conclusions. But Gervase appears to have been a sharp-eyed observer and reporter of celestial (天空的) activity. His fanciful description of ball lightning is remarkably similar to modern reports.

For a long time, ball lightning was regarded with skepticism. Although it is now generally accepted as a genuine phenomenon with thousands of reported sightings, there is still no accepted scientific explanation of its origin. Understanding the phenomenon has been blocked by an inability to reproduce the effect convincingly in the lab and partly because of the variations in eyewitness reports. Whatever the case, centuries later, Gervase’s record makes stimulating reading for modern scientists as well as historians.

1. What’s special about the account of ball lightning by Gervase?

A．It’s the most confusing version.	B．It’s written in different languages.
C．It’s the earliest acknowledged record.	D．It’s the only copy from the 17th Century.

2. Historians spotted Gervase’s account of ball lightning ______.

A．with ease	B．as planned
C．at the start	D．by accident

3. It’s difficult to explain the origin of ball lightning mainly because of ______

A．no qualified scientists	B．no accurate reproductions
C．few eyewitness reports	D．little support from historians

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Scientists Search for Explanations for Ball Lightning

B．Gervase Was Found as The Eyewitness of Ball Lightning

C．Account of First Ball Lightning Sighting Was Uncovered

D．Historians Gain a Breakthrough in a Natural Phenomenon

【推荐1】A growing number of wealthy Russian parents are sending their children to the UK’s top private schools like Eton and Harrow.

Latest figures show there has been a near six percent rise in the number of pupils from abroad with Russian families leading the charge. The number of Russian pupils has almost doubled in just five years. There has also been an increase in the number of pupils from China, Germany and Spain.

According to some reports, as well as fees (学费) that can reach around $48,000 a year, some parents are willing to pay consultants (咨询公司) as much as $80,000 if they help to place a child at a good school.

It was reported that there are 10,000 more boys at private schools than girls and that six boarding schools in the UK are charging around $48,000 a year. This includes the most famous names of Eton, Harrow and Winchester which have all had to increase fees over the last five years.

Parents are likely to find anything up to $8,000 a year for extras (额外费用) such as school trips or specialist lessons in music or sport.

The figures appear to show that one of the most expensive schools is Queen Ethelburga’s College. Brian Martin, the head of Queen Ethelburga’s, said, “The scale (规模) of our growth underlines the fact that we offer value for money in terms of results, how well students are looked after and how happy they are.”

Christopher Greenfield, the International College head, said high fees paid guaranteed parents small classes. “In order to do what this college does we have found that classes of about eight students to one teacher are most effective.”

1. This passage mainly tells us ________.

A．all parents hope their children can study in the UK

B．the number of foreign students in the UK schools is increasing

C．the fees of private schools around the world are rising

D．the UK’s private schools are the most expensive in the world

2. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A．the UK’s top private schools are very few

B．the UK’s private schools are much better than the public ones

C．it’s not easy for foreign children to study in the UK’s famous schools

D．foreign families have to pay consultants lots of money to send their children to the UK

3. It costs at least ________ dollars a year for a foreign student to study in Eton.

A．48,000

B．56,000

C．80,000

D．136,000

4. What does the word “underlines” in Paragraph 6 probably mean?

A．Showing that something is true.

B．Knowing that something is important.

C．Drawing a line under a word.

D．Thinking results are most valuable.

5. What can we conclude from Christopher Greenfield’s statements?

A．Higher fees ensure high-quality teaching.

B．Parents needn’t worry about their children’s learning.

C．They have found the most effective learning methods.

D．The International College has the best teachers in small classes.

【推荐2】The freedom that most of us enjoyed as kids — the freedom to explore new places, to run around — no longer exists. For various reasons, today’s parents are too worried to let children have the kinds of experiences that most of us took for granted. Parents are afraid of strangers in the park, or of sacrificing their child’s future by letting them ‘waste’ an afternoon playing in the backyard instead of taking piano lessons.

The free-range parenting movement is a direct response to that fear. It tells parents that one of the best things they can do for their child is to get out of the way every once in a while. Free-range parenting argues that children grow happier, healthier and more adaptable, when they are given the freedom to play, create, fight, compromise, fail and figure things out for themselves.

The seeds of the free-range parenting movement were planted in 2008, when journalist Lenore Skenazy wrote a column for The New York Sun titled “Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone”. Her son had been begging for the chance to ride the subway and bus back home alone, so Skenazy gave him a subway map, $20, a prepaid subway card and change for a phone call.

The kid made it home just fine. Better than fine, even. He was “jumping with delight”, wrote Skenazy. Yet the column was controversial, setting off a national conversation about parental responsibilities, child safety and where parents and the law should draw the line between childhood freedom and neglect.

Is free-range parenting really a safe and smart way to raise kids in the 21st century, or is it an extreme response to the rise of “helicopter” parents? Are we ready to let our children run freely in the streets or have we lost too much trust in our communities? And even if we want to give our kids more independence, will the law allow it?

1. What do today’s parents prefer their kid to do?

A．Explore new places.	B．Talk to strangers in the park.
C．Learn to play the piano.	D．Spend an afternoon playing.

2. Why did Skenazy let her son ride the subway alone?

A．She was tired of controlling him.	B．Her son longer for independence.
C．She wanted her son to be brave.	D．Most of her son’s friends did the same.

3. What can we infer from Paragraph 4?

A．People raised strong objections to Skenazy.

B．Free-range parenting is popular among parents.

C．Free-range parenting brought true freedom to kids.

D．People had heated discussions on free-range parenting.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．What Is Free-range Parenting?	B．How Can Parents Protect Their Kids?
C．Why Is Free-range Parenting Better?	D．Is Free-range Parenting Perfect?

【推荐3】Memories have great power over us. Childhood memories are the first memories we make. They can be like pleasant dreams with a smile or nightmares (噩梦). As parents, we can influence our children’s memories.     1     Or we can fill it with criticisms (批评) and quarrels.

We can never be sure of what kind of memories we will remember or which events will stand out. Think of our strongest memories.    2     Or is it of the smallest incidents — a conversation or shared laughter?

School takes up a lot of the childhood years. In an effort to make sure our children do not fall behind their classmates, we ask them to do their homework, stop playing so much and maybe send them to all kinds of classes.     3     But we should let them know that we value them beyond their grades in school.

    4     But what is more important? Our children could enjoy their childhood. They only have a few short years to enjoy their childhood. Our children’s childhood memories should be of more than just studying. They should remember the parties they had, childish fun they had with their friends and the loving family outings they enjoyed.

What kind of memories the children form depends on their attitudes.     5     So they form happy childhood memories.

A．However, memories are important.

B．Yes, school and grades are important.

C．We can fill their memories with laughter.

D．We often spend little time listening to them.

E．We can help them develop positive attitude.

F．Can you recall some little things in your childhood?

G．Is it of major occasions like holidays and birthdays?