【推荐2】As I walked into the primary school, I looked down at my new black Mary Jane shoes — I wanted to be anywhere in the world but Fountain Inn Elementary School.

I stood at Mrs. Blackstone’s door. Before I tried the great escape, the wooden door suddenly opened to the singsong voice of Mrs. Blackstone, my new fifth grade teacher.

“We’ve been waiting on you!” she said in an unusually high voice. With a smile my mom walked away and I was left standing in the center stage in front of a group of students.

Over the next few days, Mrs. Blackstone made it her job to find me a new best friend and help me join a choir. During history lessons, as I didn’t want to speak in front of the class she would not only call on me but have me stand up to address my classmates. She laughed at my nervousness when I wouldn’t get in line to sharpen my pencil for fear of being embarrassed. Her silliness made me smile and finally feel much more relaxed in the new environment.

One spring afternoon, Mrs. Blackstone asked me to stay after class.

“I’d like to speak with you, Amanda”

My mind raced. Had I made a bad grade? Had I hurt someone’s feelings?

“Are you enjoying your new school?” She sat comfortably behind her desk.

“I want to tell you something, between you and me, not to be shared with anyone else.”

“Okay.” My throat all of a sudden felt very dry.

With her eyebrows raised she said. “I see something special in you. The way you communicate with others, the kindness you show — I think you have great potential to be something very important.”

I listened attentively to every word.

“I’ve been a teacher for over twenty-five years; I can see it. But you must believe in yourself. That’s very important. Remember that and you will go far.”

She then hugged me and said, “See you tomorrow.”

Her singing voice was music to my ears that day. I walked out of her class, not staring at my Mary Jane shoes, but looking straight ahead with my head high. My teacher saw something special in me!

1. What can we know about the author from the first two paragraphs?

A．She went to school unwillingly.	B．She liked the new school very much.
C．She was afraid of her new teacher.	D．She liked her teacher’s singing.

2. Why did Mrs. Blackstone have a talk with the author?

A．To tell her about her grades.	B．To encourage her to be confident.
C．To help her realize her mistakes.	D．To make her feel cared and loved.

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

A．A Teacher for Every Child	B．An Unforgettable Lesson
C．Magical Words	D．Special Treatment

【推荐3】Milton Hershey was born near the small village of Derry Church, Pennsylvania, in 1857. He only attended school through the fourth grade; at that point, he was apprenticed(做学徒) to a printer in a nearby town. After a while, he left the printing business and was apprenticed to a Lancaster, Pennsylvania candy maker. And at the age of eighteen, he opened his own candy store in Philadelphia. In spite of his talents as a candy maker, the shop failed after six years.

After the failure of his Philadelphia store, Milton headed for Denver, where he learned the art of making caramels(焦糖). Then in Denver, Milton once again attempted to open his own candy-making businesses, in Chicago, New Orleans, and New York City. Finally, in 1886, he went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he raised the money necessary to try again. This company— the Lancaster Caramel Company—established Milton’s reputation as a master candy maker.

In 1893, Milton attended the Chicago International Exposition, where he saw a display of German chocolate-making implements. Fascinated by the equipment, he purchased it for his Lancaster candy factory and began producing chocolate, which he used for coating his caramels. By the next year, production had grown to include cocoa, sweet chocolate, and baking chocolate. The Hershey Chocolate company was born in 1894 as a subsidiary(子公司) of the Lancaster Caramel Company. Six years later, Milton sold the caramel company, but reserved the rights, and the equipment, to make chocolate. He believed that a large market of chocolate consumers was waiting for someone to produce reasonably priced candy. He was right.

Milton Hershey returned to the village where he had been born, in the heart of dairy country, and opened his chocolate manufacturing plant. With access to all the fresh milk he needed, he began producing the finest milk chocolate. The plant that opened in a small Pennsylvania village in 1905 is today the largest chocolate factory in the world. The sweets created at this facility are favorites around the world.

The area where the factory is located is now known as Hershey, Pennsylvania. Within the first decades of its existence, the town of Hershey thrived, as did the chocolate business. A bank, a school, churches, a department store, even a park and a trolley system all appeared in short order; the town soon even had a zoo. Today, a visit to the area reveals the Hershey Medical Center, Milton Hershey School, and Hershey’s Chocolate World—a theme park where visitors are greeted by a giant Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. All of these things— and a huge number of happy chocolate lovers—were made possible because a caramel maker visited the Chicago Exposition of 1893!

1. The mention of the 1893 Exposition indicates that _______

A．the exposition in Chicago is held once every three years.

B．the theme of the exposition of 1893 was “Food from Around the World.”

C．the exposition contained displays from a variety of countries.

D．the site of the exposition is now a branch of the Hershey Chocolate Company.

2. According to the passage, Milton Hershey sold his caramel company in _______

A．1894.

B．1900.

C．1904.

D．1905.

3. What can you infer from the passage?

A．Chocolate is popular in every country in the world.

B．Reeses Peanut Butter Cups are manufactured by the Hershey Chocolate Company.

C．Chocolate had never been manufactured in the United States before Milton Hershey did it.

D．The Hershey Chocolate Company now makes more money from Hershey’s Chocolate World than from the manufacture and sale of chocolate.

4. The author wrote this passage mainly to _______

A．recount the founding of the Hershey Chocolate Company.

B．describe the process of manufacturing chocolate.

C．compare the popularity of chocolate to other candies.

D．explain how apprenticeships work.

【推荐2】What do you usually do during your summer holiday? Have you ever taken part in camps and do you know that over ten million American kids go to camp every summer?     1     At that time, hot city summers made people feel bad and even unhealthy for children, so escaping to the country for a few weeks became popular. Today, kids have different reasons for making camp a part of their lives. To meet new people Camp is a great way to make new friends and learn about different places and cultures. Michiko, 13, put it like this, “I loved camp. I met this girl named Manny who lives in New York and she is cool.     2     We taught each other words.” To challenge (挑战) yourself    3     Activities like trying new sports, learning new games, or pushing yourself to achieve something need a lot of courage. Arabella, 13, told us, “I went to summer camp and I passed my swimming test! I can hardly swim, so it was a big progress.     4    ” To experience nature There’s a great big natural world out there, and going to camp helps you learn how beautiful and important it really is.     5     Getting out into the woods or mountains can give you a better understanding of the world.

A．Not all the things that kids do at camp are easy.

B．Summer camp has been a U.S. tradition for over 150 years.

C．Without trees, soil, water, and wildlife, the Earth couldn’t survive.

D．It’s also a great way to learn about teamwork.

E．She speaks Spanish and I speak Japanese.

F．Going to camp is all about having a good time.

G．I felt great afterwards.

【推荐3】If you are looking for something fun and educational to do in Maryland, why not visit the Maryland Science Center? It is located at 601 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 2. The ticket prices vary depending on ages, groups and the exhibits you choose.

Introduction

The Maryland Science Center is basically a museum, but it gives everyone a chance to learn through experience and play, rather than just glance at an exhibit.

Activities

You can learn about various topics, including outer space, the human body, dinosaurs, electricity, marine(海洋的) biology, energy, and much more. You can also take part in the interactive activities, such as racing bubbles, digging for dinosaur fossils, using puzzle pieces to construct cars, and so much more.

The Davis Planetarium(天文馆)

At the Davis Planetarium, you can lie back in a chair and look at the stars while still inside the Science Center. The stars will appear on the ceiling of the theatre as you watch them.

There are different shows to catch at the Davis Planetarium. You can learn about the galaxy and astronomy during the Dark Matters show. Learn about the stars and planets during the Sky Live show. The One World One Sky show allows children to explore the stars. The Live from the Sun show will teach you all about the hot sun.

The Kids Room

For children, they can’t miss the Kids Room. They will be able to play in a water area, construct dams and water towers, push buttons, ring doorbells, build with blocks, and more, and definitely they will learn a lot. In addition, there is also an area for kids of two years old and under, where they can crawl, walk and explore safely with soft toys.

1. What do we know about the Maryland Science Center?

A．It charges different prices for parents and Children.

B．It is regarded as the most popular museum in Maryland.

C．It is a museum where there are many famous exhibitions.

D．It is mainly designed for children and their families to play together.

2. If you want to know why the sun shines, which show should you choose?

A．Dark Matters.	B．Live from the Sun.
C．One World One Sky.	D．Sky Live.

3. What can we learn about the Kids Room from the passage?

A．It is designed for parents who have children.

B．It provides a good opportunity for parents to relax.

C．Children there need to be accompanied by their parents.

D．It is a good place for children to learn and play at the same time.

【推荐2】The British Museum
Admission and opening hours: Free, open daily 10.00–17.30

The Museum is open every day except for 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January

Museum galleries are open daily 10.00–17.30, and most are open until 20.30 on Fridays. Closing starts from 17.20. The Great Court, including the Information Desk, is open daily 09.00–18.00 and until 20.30 on Fridays. The Museum is open until 20.30 on Fridays, except Good Friday. Certain galleries are closed for maintenance or long-term refurbishment.

Tours and talks:
Daily eye-opener tours: Free
30-40 minute tours throughout the day, meet at the relevant gallery
11.00 Japan, Room 92;         11.15 Roman Britain, Room 49;     11.30 Ancient Greece, Room 17;
11.45 Ancient Iraq, Room 56
12.00 Africa, Room 24;         12.15 China, Room 33;         12.30 Enlightenment Gallery, Room 1;
12.45 South Asia, Room 33
13.00 Mexico, Room 27
14.00 Art of the Middle East, Room 34:                 14.15 World of Money, Room 68
14.30 Ancient Egypt, Room 64;                         14.45 Medieval Europe, Room 40
15.15 Ancient Rome, Room 70;                         15.45 Assyrian Reliefs, Room 6
Lunchtime gallery talks: Free
45 minute talks with guest speaker or curator
13.15 Tuesdays–Fridays
Spotlight tours: Free
20 minute tours focusing on highlights
Every Friday evening
17.00 & 17.30 The Parthenon             18.30 & 19.00 The Enlightenment
17.00 & 17.30 Rosetta Stone                18.30 & 19.00 Death in ancient Egypt
Around the world in 90 minutes: £12 per person
11.30 and 14.00 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Meet the Rosetta Stone, the Lewis Chessmen and the Parthenon Frieze, as well as some lesser-known but equally fascinating objects, with expert guidance that goes to the heart of the Museum’s collection.

This tour is designed for adults, but children under 12 with an accompanying adult enjoy free entry. Please note that the tour will visit a number of galleries on different floors of the Museum and involves a considerable amount of walking.

Book online or at the Information Desk in the Great Court.

1. To take as many tours and talks as possible, which of the following day is the best to visit the British Museum?

A．Saturday	B．Friday
C．Tuesday	D．Monday

2. Which of the four tours requires booking in advance?

A．Eye-opener tours	B．Lunchtime gallery talks
C．Spotlight tours	D．Around the world in 90 minutes

3. If you are interested in ancient Rome, which room should you go?

A．Room 70	B．Room 49
C．Room 40	D．Room 33

4. Which of the following statement about the British Museum is true?

A．The museum is closed on Monday.

B．All galleries in the museum open until 20:30 on Friday.

C．Entrance to galleries stops 10 minutes before they close.

D．Children cannot join the “Around the world in 90 minutes” tour.

【推荐3】Many people over 60 years of age in the UK are spending their later years taking up new hobbies and activities, according to research from Age UIC 71 percent of those over 60 years old are meeting new challenges like learning a foreign language, taking lo the dance floor, or even taking part in outdoor activities like bungee jumping and mountain climbing．

The new survey looks at attitudes towards later life in people aged 18 and above and has been conducted to mark the start of a new TV advertising campaign. With the positive attitudes of many of those aged 60 and above who describe their lifestyle as interesting（38 percent）, varied（42 percent）, fun（20 percent） and satisfying（24 percent）, it shows the nation that growing older does not mean that interests and hobbies should stop.

It features people doing what they enjoy, celebrating later life and all that it can offer. This is in sharp contrast to some younger people's ideas of old age as boring and slower-paced. Among those featured are a Tai Chi group, dancers, a 91-year-old bodybuilder, and an 81-year-old singing leading lady. Many of them are people who have been directly helped by Age UK. The advertisement aims to show the different services and products that Age UK offers and how it can help people to make the most of later life.

Michelle Mitchell, Charily Director at Age UK said, "Through our research and the exciting new TV advertisement, we hope to show another side of growing older and encourage people of all ages to take up some hobbies. One in five says that they have felt more comfortable in their own skin since they reached 60 years of age, and this confidence helps to give people the drive to try the activities they have always wanted to try."

1. How many people aged 60 and above describe their lifestyle as varied?

A．38 percent.	B．42 percent.
C．20 percent.	D．24 percent.

2. What can be learned in Paragraph 3?

A．Many old people lead a positive life.

B．Age UK has organized a Tai Chi group.

C．Old age is not boring, but a little slow-paced.

D．Age UK offers products to old people for free.

3. From where is the passage most probably taken?

A．A life magazine.	B．A textbook.
C．A fashion website.	D．A health handbook.