【推荐1】We all want to be successful in our work. But what happens when our achievements come at the risk of losing important friendships? If your friends didn't receive what they were hoping for, your success could make them feel like they've been “left in the dust”. But does that mean that we shouldn't enjoy our achievements in case we displease someone or that we should feel sorry for being successful when others aren't?

Those of us who value friendships and close working relationships might feel embarrassed for achieving more than our friends. But we deserve our success, and nothing should take it away. Jealousy is only natural, but It’s often unreasonable, too. Your success is probably not connected with your friends' progress, so you shouldn't feel bad about achieving your goals. If your friends stay unfriendly, don’t be afraid to keep yourself away from them. You are not responsible for their weaknesses, and nor should they treat you sharply for furthering your work.

On the other hand, your friends may think highly of your recent success while hiding their real feelings. They could be jealous, angry or sad that they are not progressing at the same rate. So, be careful not to boast. It's a thin line between pride and self-importance, and by crossing the line, you may risk losing team support.

Next time you want to boast about your end-of-year win, or high-class new office, consider your listeners. Maybe your friends narrowly missed out on a position-raising, or experienced pay cuts which meant they didn't get what they were expecting. If your work is on a rising path, it doesn't mean that's the case for everyone.

Perhaps a step forward in your work has meant that you don't spend as much time with your friends as you used to. If you've changed a post or moved to a new office, take the time to stay in touch with old friends. Chances are that in the build-up to your success you've built strong relationships along the way. Don't let that hard work go to waste by losing touch with them.

1. From the first two paragraphs, it can be inferred that ________.

A．we should enjoy our deserving success

B．our success will certainly hurt our friends

C．friends will surely help us achieve success

D．our success is connected with our friends’ progress

2. Which of the following best explains “boast” underlined in Paragraph 3?

A．Show up.	B．Stand out.
C．Talk big.	D．Keep silent.

3. What should we do if our friends support our success?

A．Improve ourselves further.

B．Consider their feelings.

C．Help them make progress.

D．Make them proud of us.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．How to share our success with friends.

B．How to enjoy our success to the fullest.

C．How to keep relationships between friends.

D．How to keep friendships while enjoying achievements.

【推荐2】When we were very small, we realized that having friends was important.Some of us even had imaginary(想象中的)friends. The need for friends continued as we grew into our teens.Friends played a big part in forming our personalities(性格). As adults，it is still important for us to have friends.
True friends are people who like us though we made mistakes and who listen to us and tell us the truth. Friends support our decisions and tell us when we’re foolish. They laugh with us and share our sadness. They are our partners and share interests with us. They stimulate us when we are feeling down. They are people we aren’t afraid of telling our secret wishes to or what is really on our minds.
Friends are our supporters. When you can depend on friends, you feel safe and warm. Friends offer acceptance and emotional(情感的)support. At times, they also help with our everyday lives, cooking a meal, doing chores, or giving us a lift when we need one. Friends also are there to offer advice, an ear to listen, or a shoulder to cry on.
Friends also help us reduce stress. Not only do they listen to us when we feel stressed, but they also discuss what is stressing us. Sharing interests and doing activities with friends help us forget about problems at work or at home. For a short time, we can lose ourselves in a pleasant activity and perhaps laugh and breathe more easily.
1. What is the best title for the passage?

A．How to Reduce Stress

B．How to Make New Friends

C．The Importance of Friends

D．The Qualities of Good Friends

2. The underlined word“stimulate” in Paragraph 2 probably means________.

A．educate	B．encourage
C．surprise	D．dislike

3. We can learn from the third paragraph that friends always________.

A．laugh at us when we’re foolish

B．tell us other people’s secrets

C．share our sadness and interests

D．support us when we need help

4. We can learn from the passage that________.

A．people should make friends anytime

B．friends are people who allow you to cry

C．a friend helps you in many ways

D．good friends are always difficult to meet

【推荐3】My roommate Lily was well organised, while I was not. Each of her things had its place, but mine were always hidden somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签于) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Lily got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.

War broke out one evening. Lily came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming. “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed! “Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.

The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Lily answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy (同情) rose up in my heart.

Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so lost in my work that I even didn’t notice Lily had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression a kind of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”

Lily and I stayed roommates for the rest of the college years. We didn’t always agree, but we learned.

1. How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?

A．By analyzing causes.	B．By following time order.
C．By showing differences.	D．By describing a process.

2. What made Lily so angry one evening?

A．She heard the author shouting loud.

B．She saw the author’s shoes under her bed.

C．She got the news that her grandma was ill.

D．She couldn’t find her books anymore.

3. Why did the author clean up the room?

A．Because she wanted to show her care for Lily.

B．Because she hated herself for being so messy.

C．Because Lily required her to do so.

D．Because she was scared by Lily’s anger.

4. What might be the best title for the passage?

A．Hard Work Pays Off	B．Learning to Be Roommates
C．My Friend Lily	D．How to Be Organised?

【推荐1】Are you preparing any gifts for your friends now?     1    , but choosing a proper gift can be a big headache, because it takes a lot of time and effort to think of the right gift for someone. Before you finish your list, keep these dos and don’ts in mind:

♦ Do put thought into your gift.

If you like something, that doesn’t mean that your friend is going to like it, too.     2    . Don’t get him/her an ordinary gift, and reflect back on your previous conversations to see if he/ she talked about a certain gift he/she had been wanting to get.

♦     3    .

Make sure the gift you’re buying is appropriate for the person. For example, if you’re buying a friend a gift, remember not to overspend or personalize it too much. Take a moment to think about how your relationship is with the person before getting him/her something.

♦ Do get a gift receipt (收据)

If you’re purchasing something for your friend, make sure you ask the salesperson to include a gift receipt. It’s just a polite gesture, and you know your money won’t go to waste.    4    .

♦ Don’t leave the price tag (标签) on.

Make sure you don’t leave the price tag on the gift and that you’re giving a gift receipt and not the original bill.    5    , and it’s not important for him/her to know anyway.

A．Don’t buy an inappropriate gift

B．Don’t be afraid of spending money

C．Giving gifts has forever been so pleasant

D．Take some time to really think about what he/she likes

E．If your friend doesn’t like the gift, he/she can just exchange it

F．Giving someone you care about a very special gift can be tough

G．It’s not proper to let your friend know how much you spent on the gift

【推荐2】“Please, mother, do sit down and let me try my hand，” said Fred, a bright, active boy twelve years old. A look of relief came over his mother's face as she seated herself, who looked pale and worn. Fred washed the dishes, swept the kitchen, and then set out for school. After school, he hurried home, set the table and again washed the dishes.

He kept on in this way for several days till his mother was able to resume her usual work and he felt fully rewarded when the doctor, who happened in one day, said, “well, madam, it's my opinion that you would be very sick if you had not kept quiet.”

The boys missed Fred because he had been in the habit of going early to school and staying to play after it was dismissed. Their curiosity was excited when he would give no other reason than that he was “wanted at home”．One boy secretly detected Fred washing dishes from his kitchen window and reported this at school and various were the greetings poor Fred received during break. “Well, you are a brave one to stay at home washing dishes.” “Girl boy！” “Pretty Bessie！” “Lost your apron, haven't you, Polly！”

Fred was not wanting either in spirit or courage, and he was strongly tempted to resent(对……气愤) these insults and to fight some boys. But his consciousness of right and his love for his mother helped him.

While he was struggling for self mastery, his teacher appeared at the door of the schoolhouse. Fred caught his eye, and it seemed to look, if it didn't say, “Don't give up! Be really brave！” He knew his teacher had heard the insulting remarks of his thoughtless schoolmates.

The boys received notice during the day that Fred must not be teased in any manner. They knew that the teacher meant what he said.

1. How do we understand the doctor's words?

A．The mother recovered due to her remaining quiet.

B．Encourage more children to learn from Fred.

C．The mother was sick because she didn't keep quiet.

D．Hope the mother would exercise more than keep quiet.

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

A．Sympathetic remarks.

B．Admiring remarks.

C．Criticisms.

D．Teases.

3. What do we know about Fred in Paragraph 4?

A．Fred's courage enabled him to fight.

B．Fred's affection for mother stopped him fighting.

C．Fred had neither spirit nor courage to fight.

D．Fred's love for mother helped him fight.

4. Why did the teacher give notice to the thoughtless boys?

A．To help free Fred from further trouble.

B．To show his preference for Fred.

C．To punish the boys for lack of manliness.

D．To show his strictness.

【推荐3】Many of us spend part of each day surrounded by strangers, whether on our daily commute(上下班往返), or sitting in park or cafe. But most of them remain just that-strangers. However, new evidence has shown that plucking up(鼓起) the courage to strike up conversation might be good for our health.

Nicholas Epley from the University of Chicago and Juliana Schroeder from the University of California are behavioral(行为的) scientists. They wanted to know whether solitude is a more positive experience than interacting with strangers, or if people misunderstand the consequences of distant social connections. They found that many people feel uncomfortable and frightened talking to others and their research suggested that when we make an initial conversation “we consistently underestimate(低估) how much a new person likes us.” It seems we think that all the things could go wrong and why someone wouldn't want to talk with us.

Their research involved an experiment with a group of Chicago commuters and found that"every participant in our experiment who actually tried to talk to a stranger found the person sitting next to them was happy to chat."From this and other research,the conclusion is that connecting with strangers is surprisingly pleasant and it has a positive impact on our well-being.It's true that talking can make you feel happier and happiness can lead to better mental health.

However, if you're an introvert(性格内向者），the thought of speaking to someone new might make you anxious. But the American research found “both extroverts(性格外向者) and introverts are happier when they are asked to behave in an extroverted manner.” So maybe, if you're a loner, it’s time to come out of your shell and make some small talk with a stranger-it could be the beginning of a new friendship.

1. What does the underlined word “solitude” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Being calm.

B．Being pleasant.

C．Being alone.

D．Being healthy.

2. Why might we not want to speak to a stranger?

A．Because we don't trust a new person.

B．Because we can't find a common topic.

C．Because we like distant social connections.

D．Because we feel the stranger may dislike us.

3. What could help start a new friendship?

A．Making a small talk.

B．Sitting next to a stranger.

C．Sharing personal details.

D．Behaving in polite manner.

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

A．How to be an extrovert.

B．Talking to strangers.

C．How to speak to strangers.

D．Making new friends.

【推荐1】Contrary to popular opinion, the scientific pursuit for knowledge is not a predictable and well-defined process. To make new discoveries, researchers need the freedom to be creative, fail, and learn by chance. There is the romantic idea of the scientist who has an Eureka moment (顿悟时刻) and suddenly arrives at new insights. Another impression is that research only involves formal steps. Neither of those ideas is correct.

“Science and art are two different ways to make something understandable or imaginable,” says Biochemistry Professor Dolf Weijers. “From the outside, the research process looks very formal and the artistic process looks somewhat messy. But the scientific process can also unfold (展开) in an unpredictable way. Creative and associative thinking is very important for scientists to gain insight and make connections.”

There is an intersection (交叉点) between science and art. This is why Wageningen scientists look to artists for inspiration and exchange ideas about how to amplify creative freedom. Weijers and his colleague Joris Sprakel, together with other scientists and artists, have designed a plan to learn from each other and to exchange ideas. One example is the recent and special project in which they measured the forces that act on plant cells. A molecular (分子) sensor was used to visualise the different forces. They revealed the results in colourful images, each representing a different force.

What science and art also have in common is that they are topics of discussion in society. There are people who say that they do not value art and people who mistrust science. “It often creates the wrong impression because only the results of scientific studies are presented, and people do not have any insight into the artistic process leading to discovery. As a scientist, you are criticised if you say that something is different a few years later. Then you are viewed as unreliable. But what is often poorly understood is that there are no final results in science,” says Weijers.

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．The views on science research.	B．The purpose of science research.
C．The hardship of science research.	D．The attitude to science research.

2. What can we know from Weijers’s view?

A．Scientists should have creative and associative thinking.

B．The artistic process is too messy to be used in research.

C．The scientific process always unfolds in an unpredictable way.

D．The research process and the artistic process are totally different.

3. What does the underlined word “amplify” mean in the third paragraph?

A．Refuse.

B．Detect.

C．Increase.

D．Imply.

4. Why does the author mention Weijers’s research on plant cells?

A．To stress the importance of thinking freely.

B．To display the beauty of colourful images.

C．To present the findings of his recent project.

D．To show the connection between science and art.

【推荐2】If you're a fan of smart technology, you may have had some sleepless nights lately. That's because Alexa, the artificial intelligence （Al） behind US company Amazon's Echo smart speakers, has been "letting out an unprompted （自发的）,creepy （令人毛骨悚然的）cackle for no apparent reason, according to BBC News.

Many social media users shared their stories of Alexa scaring them with the seemingly unprompted laugh.

“Every time Alexa laughs, an angel dies," Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk joked on social media.

On March 7, Amazon released an update that fixed the problem, saying that the laugh was caused by Echo devices mistakenly thinking that users had said the command " Alexa, laugh".

However, what should have been a funny story raised the ongoing topic of man versus machine.

With the rise of artificial and robotic technology, " Digital machines started to demonstrate broad abilities in pattern recognition, complex communication, and other area that used to be particularly human," wrote Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee in their book The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies. They believe that AI will "do more and more, and our lives will get better".

However, ever since the earliest days of AI there have been concerns that some day, software will take over the world. leaving the fate of humans unknown.

“With artificial intelligence we are order the demon （魔鬼）Musk told students during a meeting at MIT in 2014. "If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it's probably that. So we need to be very careful

Many scientists have shared the same concern. The late British physicist Stephen Hawking said at a technology conference in Portugal in November that "computers can. in theory, imitate human intelligence, and exceed it ••• AI could be the worst event in the history of our civilization."

If creators are to safely control AL however, Hawking suggested that they " employ best practice and effective management" .

I am an optimist and I believe that we can create AI for the good of the world," he said at the conference. "We simply need to be aware of the dangers, identify them, employ the best possible practice and management, and prepare for its consequences well in advance/*

1. What does the underlined word "cackle" in Paragraph I probably mean?

A．movement

B．laughter

C．scream

D．story

2. The story of Alexa is intended to .

A．lead into the discussion about humans and AI

B．prove artificial intelligence has its weaknesses

C．inform readers of the development of AI

D．show how Alexa's problem was fixed

3. According to Brynjolfsson and McAfee, which statement below is probably TRUE?

A．The development of AI could threaten our survival one day.

B．Digital machines have complete ability to recognize something without mistakes.

C．Robots will never match humans in complex communication.

D．Humans lives will be greatly improved with the help of robots.

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

A．Man VS.Machine	B．Time to Control Rise of AI
C．Creepy AI	D．AI: The Biggest Threat

【推荐3】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1】Hanukkah (光明节) is a Jewish festival. It is celebrated on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev (犹太教历), which is usually sometime in December. It is often called the festival of lights. The festival celebrates the time, over 2，000 years ago, when the Jewish people fought against an emperor who would not let them follow their own traditions and religion. When the Jewish people won back their temple in Jerusalem, they found there was only little holy oil to keep the sacred light burning for one day. However, to their surprise, this small amount of oil kept the light burning for eight days and nights until the people had time to make more oil.

At the center of the Hanukkah celebrations is a candlestick (called a Menorah) that holds nine candles. On the first night of Hanukkah the first candle is lit, and each day this candle is used to light another candle, until on the eighth day, the last day, all the candles are lit. During Hanukkah, people go to the synagogue (犹太教堂) to pray and to remember the miracle (奇迹) of the holy oil. Hanukkah is a time for family and friends to come together. People exchange gifts and greeting cards, and children go to parties. Parents often give their children money at Hanukkah. Potato cakes, called latkes, are a traditional Hanukkah food.

1. From the first paragraph we know that Hanukkah is a festival about ________.

A．Jewish month of Kislev	B．Jewish traditions and religion
C．how to make more holy oil	D．traditional Hanukkah food

2. According to the passage, what is necessary when celebrating Hanukkah nowadays?

A．Oil.

B．Money.

C．Cards.

D．Candles.

3. What does the Menorah remind Jewish people about?

A．The war that they fought 2，000 years ago.

B．The God that they honored best.

C．The miracle of the holy oil that happened 2，000 years ago.

D．The church they built 2，000 years ago.

4. The passage mainly tells us about ________.

A．the history of Hanukkah and how it is celebrated

B．why Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah

C．why Jewish people protect their traditions

D．the miracle of the holy oil in the Jewish temple

【推荐2】“Birds” and “airports” are two words that, paired together，don’t normally paint the most harmonious picture. So it really raises some eyebrows when China announces plans to build an airport that is for birds.

Described as the world’s first-ever bird airport, the proposed Lingang Bird Sanctuary(保护区）in the northern coastal city of Tianjin is, of course,not an actual airport. Rather，it's a wetland preserve specifically designed to accommodate hundreds-even thousands-of daily takeoffs and landings by birds traveling along the East Asian-Australian Flyway. Over 50 species of migratory (迁徙的）water birds，some endangered, will stop and feed at the protected sanctuary before continuing their long journey along the flyway.

Located on a former landfill site，the 150-acre airport is also open to human travelers.(Half a million visitors are expected annually.) However，instead of duty-free shopping，the main attraction for non-egg-laying creatures at Tianjin’s newest airport will be a green-roofed education and research center, a series of raised “observation platforms” and a network of scenic walking and cycling paths totaling over 4 miles.

“The proposed Bird Airport will be a globally significant sanctuary for endangered migratory bird species, while providing new green lungs for the city of Tianjin.” Adrian McGregor of an Australian landscape architecture firm explained of the design. Frequently blanketed in smog so thick that it has shut down real airports, Tianjin is a city---China’s fourth most populous----that would certainly benefit from a new pair of healthy green lungs•

1. The underlined phrase “non-egg-laying creatures” in Paragraph 3 refers to?

A．Visitors.	B．Designers.
C．Endangered water birds.	D．Planes.

2. What do we know about the airport according to the passage?

A．People cannot watch birds up close here.

B．It is located on a 150-acre landfill site.

C．It functions as an actual airport and a wetland preserve.

D．It provides migratory birds with food and shelter.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The airport will become a permanent home for birds.

B．Tianjin will win worldwide fame in the future.

C．Tianjin’s air quality will improve thanks to the airport.

D．Tianjin will be able to accommodate more people.

4. What is this passage mainly about?

A．Airports shut down and open up.

B．China is to open the first Bird Airport.

C．Airports turn into green lungs.

D．Birds are no longer enemies to airports.

【推荐3】SYDNEY —Australian scientists have designed a system which uses microwaves to break down plastic into an environmentally friendly by-product.

Head of Electrical Engineering at Australia’s James Cook University, Prof. Mohan Jacob revealed on Thursday that by using microwaves, plastic waste can be converted into biochar(生物炭), charcoal that can be used as a soil conditioner.

“We are developing a processing room, which could process many kinds of plastic materials, up to 5 kilograms of waste,” Jacob said. “It will be a typical example system for the development of biochars from different types of plastics under various conditions.” Jacob explained that microwave energy is used to heat the plastic waste above 600 degrees centigrade within the custom-made room, where it ends up as a biochar, which can then be used to improve the properties of soil.

Currently underway is step one of the project, testing the room, after which, step two will involve improving the energy efficiency of the system and maximizing the yield of by-products. If all goes to plan, step three will be to construct a medium scale waste processing system which is customizable and can be installed remotely.

Jacob said that with the average person using 130 kg of plastic every year, there is an urgent need for developing better ways of processing it.

“Perhaps contrary to popular opinion, plastic is an indispensable material in modern life. It is cheap, competent, lightweight, and has many benefits like maintaining food quality and safety and preventing waste,” he said.

However, “abandoned plastics endanger our marine wildlife, and have begun to enter the food chain. There is an urgent need for developing technologies to recover plastic waste.”

1. How does the system function?

A．Microwaves are used to produce plastic.

B．Plastic waste is heated in the microwaves.

C．Plastic waste is cut into pieces and buried into the soil.

D．Microwaves change plastic waste into biochar by heating.

2. Which statement is true according to Jacob?

A．Plastic consumption now is acceptable.

B．Plastic should be abandoned in our life.

C．The system of processing plastic has come into use.

D．Finding better ways to deal with plastic waste is urgent.

3. What does “recover” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Make up for a loss in time.

B．Find or regain lost possession.

C．Extract or recycle an energy source for reuse.

D．Return to a normal state of health, mind or strength.

4. What does the passage mainly tell about?

A．3 steps of processing plastic waste.

B．A way of producing plastic products easily.

C．A new system of breaking down plastic waste.

D．A program designed for plastic use in the daily life.