【推荐1】Are you an optimist? Do you look at your glass and see it as half full? Do you believe that every cloud has a silver lining and that things generally turn out for the best? Do you believe that if something is meant to be, it will be? If you reply “yes” to all of these questions, then you are an optimist. You probably are enthusiastic, cheerful and outgoing. You may be successful at work and in love.
But you may be misguided because things don't turn out for the best. You may believe that when one door closes another one opens (for example, you may fail to obtain a new job; another chance will come around soon ). Wrong. When one door closes, another door slams ( 砰然关上 ) in your face. That’s bitter reality.
Now a book has been published which confirms what pessimists (悲观者) have suspected all along. It’s called The Positive Power of Defensive Pessimism. Its author argues that defensive pessimism can lead to positive results. Defensive pessimism is a strategy used to manage fear, anxiety and worry. Defensive pessimists prepare for the things by setting low outcomes for themselves. They carefully consider everything that may go wrong and plan for ways to handle these problems. And this gives them a sense of control. Lawrence Sanno, a psychology professor, says, “What's interesting about defensive pessimists is that they tend to be very successful people, so their low opinion of the situation's outcomes is not realistic. They use it to motivate themselves to perform better.”
So far, so good. _____________ Defensive pessimists prepare carefully and consider what might go wrong, whether at work, on date or even in a sports game. It makes sense to have a back-up plan. There are many sayings in English urging caution. For example, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
And “Don’t count your chickens until they hatch.” To have a confident and optimistic approach to life’s problems is good. But listen to what Woody Alien, the American comedian says ,” Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem.”
There are pros and cons to being an optimist and a pessimist. Don’t feel bad if you see the glass half empty. You are a realist. But lighten up and hook up with someone who sees the same glass half full.
1. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．The benefits of defensive pessimism.

B．How to become successful in life

C．The dangers of being too optimistic.

D．A book that has recently been published.

2. The underlined sentence “This is not rocket science” ( Para.4 ) means ______.

A．it’s not a dangerous thing to do

B．there is no real proof

C．the cost is not so high

D．it is quite simple to understand

3. Which of the following English expressions would a defensive pessimist believe?

A．Whatever will be, will be.

B．The glass is half full not half empty.

C．Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

D．Every cloud has a silver lining.

4. The writer would probably describe himself as ______.

A．an optimist	B．a realist
C．a defeatist	D．a scientist

【推荐3】On a sunny, spring day, a group of children, four to seven years old, sit on their bicycles. They wear helmets to protect their heads and gloves to protect their hands. Their mothers, standing nearby, watch them closely. The children are ready to learn how to ride. Rachel Varn still remembers how she felt riding a bicycle for the first time. She says, “It is probably the biggest confidence booster (提升). It gives kids such a sense of independence and self-guidance.” Now, her job is helping children experience that moment.

Rachel Varn left her job of selling bicycles to become a trainer for bicycle riding last year. She founded Pedal Power Kids to teach bicycle education. Before starting a ride, she teaches the children how to make sure the bicycles are in good condition for safe use. She calls it “ the ABC quick check.” “A” is for air. she explains, “We have to check out tires before we ride. “B” is for brakes. We want to make sure our brakes work before we find ourselves at the top of a hill about to go down. And “ C ” is for chain.” She says the chain must be clean.

The rest of the training is more fun. The children learn riding skills, from balance and pedaling to turning, starting and stopping. And they learn to keep their eyes up and look ahead while riding. Varn says many children struggle to do this. They look down at the pedals insteađ. She adds, “ Obviously that doesn’t allow them to see what’s going on around them, and it doesn ’t allow them to turn properly either.” Varn says watching where you are going helps you turn easier.

Learning to ride a bicycle can open a whole new world to children. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and freedom. They become more sensitive to their surroundings and better able to make safe, smart decisions going from one place to another. Varn’s goal is to get more children on two wheels. She says, “ That’s really a great way for kids to be active and develop healthy habits. It helps reduce pollution and just keep families and communities connected. ”

1. Racher Varn’s Current job is ______.

A．Looking after preschool children	B．selling bicycles on the Internet
C．teaching children how to ride bicycles	D．providing consulting service of riding bicycles

2. What does “ the ABC quick check ’’ refer to?

A．Basic skills of driving a vehicle.	B．Exams to take after the bicycle course.
C．Some useful tips before riding a bicycle.	D．Things to check before buying a bicycle.

3. Looking down at the pedals while riding a bicycle ______.

A．makes the rider forget to brake	B．makes turning more challenging
C．helps increase the speed of riding	D．helps the rider be aware of the ground condition

4. From the last paragraph, we can learn about ______.

A．what Varn ’s goal is

B．what being a trainer means to Varn

C．what the benefits of learning at an early stage are

D．what learning to ride a bicycle means to children

5. Which can best describe Rachel Varn?

A．She is very strict about teaching.

B．She is enthusiastic about what she is doing.

C．She doesn’t care about her income.

D．She wants to become a successful business woman.

【推荐1】WELCOME

Welcome to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Windsor is one of the official residences of the Queen, who sometimes stays here.

Audio tours

Free audio tours are available on leaving the Admission Centre at the start of your visit. There is a descriptive audio tour for blind and poor-sighted visitors.

Guided tours

Visitors can explore the history of the Castle through a tour of the Precincts with an expert guide. Tours depart at regular intervals throughout the day from the Courtyard and finish at the entrance to the State Apartments.

Visitors with children

For those visiting with children, a special family tour and various activities are offered during school holidays and at weekends and baby carriers are also available.

St George’s Chapel

Visitors arriving at the Castle after 15:00 from March to October are advised to visit St George’s Chapel first before it closes.

Shopping

Shops offer a wide range of souvenirs designed for the Royal Collection, including books, postcards, china, jewellery, and children’s toys. Please ask at the Middle Ward shop about our home delivery service.

Refreshments

Bottled water can be purchased from the Courtyard and Middle Ward shops. From April to September ice cream is also available, visitors wishing to leave the Castle for refreshments in the town may obtain re-entry permit from the castle shops. Eating and drinking are not permitted in the State Apartments or St George’s Chapel.

Photography and mobile phones

Non-commercial photography and filming are welcomed in the Castle. Photography, video recording and filming are not permitted inside the State Apartments or St George’s Chapel. Mobile phone must be switched off inside the State Apartments and St George’ Chapel in consideration of other visitors.

Security

As Windsor Castle is a working royal palace, visitors and their belongings should get through airport style security checks For safety and security reasons a one-way system operates along the visitor route.

1. A visitor can apply for a free audio tour ________.

A．in the Courtyard	B．in the State Apartments
C．at the Admission Center	D．at St George’s Chapel

2. Who can get re-entry permits?

A．Visitors expecting to eat outside the Castle.	B．Visitors buying gifts in the castle shops.
C．Visitors buying water from the Courtyard.	D．Visitor seating outside St George’s Chapel

3. Why are visitors required to turn off their mobile phone?

A．To ensure the safety of others,	B．To ensure the security of the Castle.
C．To prevent them from disturbing others.	D．To prevent the use of the built-in cameras.

【推荐2】Native American life is different today than it was centuries ago, but there is still a great degree of pride and independence in Native American life. Pride in one’s tribe, care of the land and respect for nature characterized native American life, and many Native Americans share these principles today. Although the history of American Indians on the continent has in later years included many sad events, Native American pride still remains and Native American life is ideally filled with pride for one’s roots and love of nature.

Many Native Americans today live on reservations, but in generations past, they spanned(横跨) the continent and their lifestyles and traditions varied from tribe to tribe as they today. Some Native Americans survived by hunting and gathering and lived in tents, while others lived in complex longhouses and had a very organized and complex political system. Before white settlers came to the continent, Native American life was free of European influences, and Native Americans lived simply off the land. They were not yet familiar with the serious diseases that would later take many lives, as Europeans brought smallpox against which Native American populations lacked resistance.

Although there was often cooperation between tribes regarding farming and trade, other tribes were continuously at war with each other, such as the Algonquin and the Iroquois. However, the Iroquois would often incorporate(合并) conquered tribes into their sophisticated political system and thus enlarge their nation. Many of these tribes and rivalries were exploited when white settlers landed on the continent, and some tribes were pitted(使争斗) against others to serve the colonists’ designs.

Native American life also included a unique view of spirituality and health. The American Indians knew what we are discovering today-the mind and the spirit play a critical role in physical illness and healing(康复). Native American life was also characterized by love of nature, and today’s concern about conservation and environmentalism is inspired by views which were and still are the marks of Native American life.

1. what are Native Americans proud of?

A．The land.	B．Nature.
C．Their own roots.	D．Their independence.

2. What can we infer from the third paragraph?

A．Native Americans didn’t trust Europeans.

B．Europeans helped Native Americans much.

C．Native Americans and Europeans lived in peace.

D．Native Americans were taken advantage of by Europeans.

3. Which was probably a sad event in the history of American Indians?

A．Many of them died from smallpox.

B．They survived by hunting and gathering and lived in tents.

C．Conquered tribes were incorporated into their political system.

D．Some of them had a very organized and complex political system.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?

A．The influence of Native American life.

B．Characteristics of Native American life.

C．Native Americans’ awareness of environment.

D．Native Americans’ view of spirituality and health.

【推荐3】An APP called FitGenie

FitGenie uses man-made intelligence to track what you eat, count calories (卡路里) and help make meal plans.

Price and Platform: Free for the basic version (版本). Apple and Desktop.

Advantages:

● Simple and user-friendly design.

● Take a picture of your food to easily track meals.

● The app uses artificial intelligence to recognize what’s in a photo. Easily add the size of your food and extras like barbecue sauce to keep an exact record.

● Start with a nine-question assessment (评估) to create a program which is fit for your age, body type, diet preferences, goals, height and weight and activity level.

● Use the “magic meals” tool to create a meal plan and help you build muscle, lose weight and stay healthy.

● The app includes the “smart adjustments” tool to help improve meal plans each week based on set goals.

● Track weight regularly, as well as track total calories eaten, burned and left each day..

Disadvantages:

● The app is based on the principles of calories and doesn’t consider food quality.

● The assessment doesn’t include all body sizes and types, which may leave some users feeling ignored.

● The app requires an e-mail address or Facebook information, which may give users privacy concerns.

● Users must pay for the premium version (高级版本) (from $44.99) to reach dietary advice.

Bottom Line:

● FitGenie is best for those who are looking to reduce intake and discover new meal planning ideas with ease.

1. What should users first do to get a personalized meal plan?

A．Finish an assessment.

B．Use the “magic meals” tool.

C．Use the “smart adjustments” tool.

D．Take photos of their favorite foods.

2. What may users of this app worry?

A．It’s difficult to use the app.

B．Their records of meals will be lost.

C．They can’t get exact calorie counting.

D．Their personal information will be given away.

3. If you want to get advice on eating from this app, what conditions do you need to meet?

A．A desktop and the basic version.

B．An iPhone and the premium version.

C．A desktop and having used the basic version.

D．An iPhone and having used the basic version.

【推荐1】Come to think of it, the balance between life and work is a strange ambition for a fulfilling life. Balance is about stillness: if our lives were ever in balance — parents happy, kids taken care of, work working - then our primary thought would be to shout "Nobody move!” and pray all would stay perfect forever. This false hope is made worse by the categories themselves. They imply that work is bad, and life is good. And so the challenge, we are told, is to balance the heaviness of work with the lightness of life.

Yet work is not the opposite of life. It is instead a part of life — just as family is, as are friends and community. All of these aspects of living have their share of uplifting moments and moments that drag us down. The same is true of work. Treat work the same way you do life: by maximizing what you love.

We have interviewed several anesthesiologists (麻醉师) about the thrills they feel in their jobs. One said he loved the thrill of holding each patient hovering at that one precise point between life and death. Another said she loved the bedside conversations before the operation aiming to calm the panic that affects many patients. Another was drawn mostly to the anesthetic mechanism and has devoted himself to defining precisely how each drug does what it does.

Think of your life's many different activities as threads. Some are black and some are white. But some of these activities appear to be made of a different substance. These activities contain all the signs of love: before you do them, you find yourself looking forward to them; while you're doing them, time speeds up and you find yourself in flow; and after you've done them, you feel energetic. These are your red threads, and research by the Mayo Clinic suggests that doctors who weave the fabric of their life with at least 20% red threads are significantly less likely to experience burnout.

The simplest way for you to do this is to spend a week in love with your job. During the week, any time you find yourself feeling one of the signs of love write down exactly what you were doing in the column "Love”. And any time you find yourself feeling the opposite write down what you were doing in the column “Dislike”. By the end of the week you will see a list of activities in your "Love" column, which create in you a positive feeling, one that draws you in and lifts you up.

Our goal should be to, little by little, week by week, intentionally unbalance all aspects of our work toward the former and away from the latter. Not simply to make us feel better, but so that our colleagues, our friends and our family can all benefit from us at our very best.

1. What is the author's attitude towards work-life balance?

A．Unclear.	B．Neutral.
C．Supportive.	D．Disapproving.

2. The author uses three anesthesiologists as examples to________.

A．show people gain joy from different situations

B．indicate doctors take pride in their work

C．prove people benefit from work

D．imply doctors reduce the pressure of work successfully

3. "Red threads" in the fourth paragraph refer to the activities which_________.

A．require your efforts

B．arouse your passion

C．hurt your motivation

D．suit your needs

4. Which of the following does the author probably agree with?

A．Red threads are necessary for a balanced life.

B．Recording activities leads to negative feelings.

C．Find love in work instead of keeping work-life balance.

D．Maximize what you love to remove the heaviness from work.

【推荐2】A Japanese company has created a "smart" mask that aims to improve communication for people wearing face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The use of face masks has become normal in parts of the world still struggling to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. However, it can affect the quality of communication between wearers.

The wearable electronic device is designed to help improve speech communication in such conditions. The Japanese company Donut Robotics calls its invention the "e-mask." The device is meant to fit over other kinds of face masks commonly worn by the public.

Made of soft plastic material, it contains a built-in microphone and has holes in the front to let air in. When turned on, the mask uses Bluetooth technology to connect to a mobile device. An app then helps users perform several actions, including turning speech into text, completing telephone calls and making the user's voice louder. The device can also translate a person's voice from Japanese into eight other languages.

Taisuke, the head of Donut Robotics, told the Reuters, "We worked hard for years to develop a robot and we have used that technology to create a product that responds to how the coronavirus has reshaped society." He noted that the company raised $265,000 in just the first 37 minutes to develop the smart mask through a campaign on the Japanese crowdfunding service Fundinno. "It would usually take three or four months to get that kind of money," Taisuke said.

The company produced a working model of the mask within a month by using software developed for its other robot products. The mask design was similar to one created years ago by one of the company's engineers that mapped facial muscles to interpret speech.

Taisuke said the company plans to sell its first 5,000 e-masks starting in September, at about $40 per mask, in an effort to enter a global market that appeared a few months ago.

1. What's the purpose of the new "smart" mask?

A．To help protect people from being struck by COVID-19.

B．To help COVID-19 patients communicate with the doctors.

C．To make it convenient to communicate when wearing face masks.

D．To translate human thoughts into words for communication.

2. How did Taisuke feel about the company's fundraising result?

A．Greatly encouraged.	B．Somewhat regretful.
C．A bit dissatisfied.	D．Terribly disappointed.

3. How does the e-mask perform its function?

A．By connecting to an application on the mobile device.

B．By using Bluetooth to make the user's voice clear,

C．By turning the wearer's dialect into standard language.

D．By being fitted into other face masks that people wear.

4. What did Taisuke say about the e-mask?

A．Expensive.	B．Competitive.
C．Profitless.	D．Environmentally friendly.

【推荐3】A group of Northern Ireland schoolchildren warmed the hearts of Chinese guests on a cold December day when they performed Chinese songs. The children had rehearsed (预演)for six weeks, with the help of Mandarin (汉语)teachers from the University of Ulster's Confucius Institute (阿尔斯特大学孔子学院).

The performance on Friday, inside Belfast's elegant and historic Parliament Buildings, preceded (预备)a welcome dinner ahead of the third UK - China Regional Leaders Meeting on Saturday that was attended by more than 100 leaders from China. As trade relations between China and Northern Ireland grow, Mandarin has become more popular in the province. Friday's performance was given by children from Millburn Primary School and Grosvenor Grammar School, which both offer Mandarin lessons, thanks to the local Confucius Institute that was established in 2012. From its start five years ago, which saw two Mandarin teachers support 169 students, the University of Ulster's Confucius Institute has grown to comprise (由……构成)51 teachers and 19,000 registered students. A quarter of the institutes 161 partner primary and secondary schools have made Mandarin learning compulsory (必修) for certain age groups. And students also gain exposure to Chinese culture, including calligraphy (书法),Chinese character and music.

"Our Confucius Institute was established partly in response to existing demand from schools," said Liu Yan, director of the University of Ulster's Confucius Institute. While preparing to open the institute, her team sent out a survey to 1,241 primary and secondary schools in Northern Ireland. Around 500 responded by saying they would like to offer Mandarin lessons.

The Chinese government launched the Confucius Institute concept in 2004 as a way of promoting the Chinese language and culture abroad. Confucius Institutes are non-profit organizations and are affiliated (附属于)with Western academic institutions, including secondary schools and universities. So far. 516 Confucius Institutes have been established in 142 countries and regions.

1. What is the local people's attitude to the performance?

A．Serious.	B．Uninterested.
C．Curious.	D．Cautious.

2. Mandarin is compulsory in about ____.

A．40 schools	B．100 schools
C．160 schools	D．169 schools

3. Why is the Confucius Institute set up in Northern Ireland?

A．To compete with local schools,	B．To meet local schools' demand.
C．To trade with Irish people.	D．To realize existing purposes.

4. What was the purpose of the Confucius Institute concept in 2004?

A．To earn more money.	B．To know more people.
C．To spread Chinese culture.	D．To teach more students.