【推荐1】Twain was born in a small town, which happened to be called A City but anyway, he also lived in a small town. He probably died in a small town, and that's probably where they buried him. As a boy, Mark watched the ships on the Mrs. Ippy River, and dreamed of one day being the captain of a ship. Mark was an outgoing, fun-loving boy, and often got into trouble. In school, he was the class clown. His teachers often had trouble getting him to pay attention so eventually he was expelled(开除). Finding nothing but farm work at home, Mark decided to head west as part of the California Golden Grahams Rush.

In California, Twain attempted to make his fortune in the Golden Grahams field.Then he determined that writers, and especially newspaper writers, don't have to work very hard. Unfortunately, Mark never got rich by writing in California, because most of the miners were illiterate. A keen observer of life, Twain used his observations to write humorous stories.

1. Where did Twain spent his childhood?

A．in a city

B．on a ship

C．in a town

D．on the river

2. Why was Twain expelled from school?

A．He didn’t like the teachers in the school.

B．He dreamed of being a captain of a ship.

C．He wanted to make money in the Golden Rush.

D．He didn’t concentrate on study in school.

【推荐2】The year 2020 marks the beginning of the decade of the yold, or the “young old”， as the Japanese call people aged between 65 and 75, who continue to work and stay socially engaged.     1    . The yold are more numerous, healthier and wealthier than previous generations of seniors.

    2     Of the 3.7 years of increased life expectancy(预期寿命)in rich countries between 2000 and 2015, says the WHO, 3.2 years were enjoyed in good health. Working is one of the factors that are helping people stay healthy longer. A German study found that people who remain at work after the normal retirement age manage to slow the cognitive (认知的)decline. The yold are also better off, while the wealth of all other age groups declined.

The yold are not just any group of old people They are challenging the traditional expectations of the retired as who are wearing indoor shoes and look after the grandchildren.     3    They become one of the fastest growing group for airline business. They spend much more, when taking a foreign holiday, than young adults.   So they   are vital to   the   Tourism industry. They are also changing education and finance Because of the importance of pensions,the yold are transforming insurance companies from passive distributors of fired an nuities (年金)to financial service providers for customers who want to   manage their pension pots more actively.

    4    They find that older workers have, if anything,slightly above-average productivity and that teams of workers from multiple generations are the most productive of all.Societies should be better off because public spending on health and pensions should be lower than expected, as people work longer and need less medical care.

Today,some big things will have to change, under pressure from the yold themselves. The most important is public attitudes towards older people and in particular the expectation that 60-somethings ought to quietly retire into the background.     5     The yold will demand that companies become more age-friendly and,in the process,help change attitudes towards aging itself.

A．Healthy yold people will require great changes in health spending.

B．Many companies discriminate against older workers by offering training only to younger ones.

C．The rise of the yold will definitely be a blessing to both culture and economy.

D．Health worsens with age,but the yold are resisting the decline better than most.

E．Many bosses think productivity falls with age,but studies in Germany suggest otherwise.

F．That will disturb consumers, service and financial markets.

G．The yold,in their new appearance as the young old, are expected to change the world.

【推荐3】At 6:45 a. m., I make my first appointment of the day to see 88-year-old Florence. She lives on her own and needs help to start her day. Although my duty starts at 7 a. m. . I always get there earlier as I know Florence who is easy-going will be looking out of the window, waiting for me.

For many of my clients(客户), I am the only person they will see in a day, so it's important to make sure they know they are the focus of my attention during a visit.

I help Florence get washed and dressed and make her breakfast. I tidy her surroundings and make sure she is settled, safe and secure. But most importantly, I talk to her and listen to how she is feeling.

We see many reports about "clock-watch care", where visits are limited to 15 minutes or less. It would be impossible for me to get anything done that is of value to people in this short time.

I often spend at least 30 minutes with each client, which means I can get to know their unusual qualities rather than just see them as a list of care needs.

Caring for people to is a responsibility and I feel proud to be given that trust. I was inspired to work in home care after caring for my husband and my mother during their illnesses before they died, so I know the importance of helping people feel as comfortable as possible in an environment that means something to them.

There are huge positives to work in home care --- it's a career(事业) where you can get a sense of personal achievement from knowing you are helping other people. The opportunity to do something good to others in need is a wonderful and rewarding experience.

1. Why does the author come to Florence's house earlier?

A．Florence asks her to do so.

B．She doesn’t want to let Florence down.

C．Florence is particular about her work

D．She lives far away from Florence’s house.

2. In the author’s eyes, “clock-watch care” _______.

A．isn’t popular with clients in need

B．can save some time to serve others

C．fails to give real help to those in need

D．does more beyond a list of care needs

3. What inspired the author to work in home care?

A．Her own sense of social responsibility.

B．Her experience of looking after her family.

C．The idea of making money to treat her family.

D．The thought of relieving the pain of losing her family.

4. The author thinks that working in home care helps her ________.

A．see her own weaknesses	B．become a responsible person
C．learn more about clients’ needs	D．make a difference to others' life

【推荐1】When a Houston dad found out his eight-year-old son was being bullied, he didn’t get mad at the classmate who teased him. Instead, he talked with the so-called bully and realized that the boy was struggling, too.

Aubrey Fontenot’s son, Jordan, told him a boy named Tamarion was teasing him. Fontenot decided to sit down with his son and Tamarion to understand what was going on, and something unexpected happened.

Tamarion told Fontenot he was being teased at school, too. “I asked, ‘By who? You are big. You are huge. Who is teasing you?’” the father said. “He said, ‘Just all the other kids, man. They are making fun of me.’” Fontenot learned that Tamarion was getting teased for his clothes and shoes — his clothes and shoes were old and dirty. Fontenot then spoke to the boy’s mother. “She kind of confirmed it,” Fontenot said. “And she said, ‘That’s the kind of situation.’”

He felt sympathetic to the young boy and wanted to help. So he asked Tamarion’s mom if he could take her son to do some shopping.

Fontenot posted videos of their trip to the mall on social media and they went viral. Tamarion eventually smiled, and then the two were laughing and singing together on their shopping trip. Just as if he were taking his own son to do some shopping, Fontenot got Tamarion new clothes and shoes, and shared words of wisdom with him.

Then, the dad united the two boys. He said it was awkward at first — just a day earlier, they didn’t get along well at school. But the two classmates started playing sports games together and soon became friends. It was not just about the clothes and shoes. Tamarion gained a friend in Jordan, and a mentor in his dad. Fontenot said he was also bullied when he was a child, so he knew it was important to listen to Tamarion’s story. He chose kindness instead of anger and brought the two boys together. “I wouldn’t say that was the goal, but that was the reward,” Fontenot said.

1. What was Fontenot’s attitude toward his son’s being bullied?

A．Amazed and embarrassed.	B．Angry and impatient.
C．Calm and sensible.	D．Sad and discouraged.

2. What did Fontenot do to solve the problem of bullying?

A．He turned to the school for help.

B．He made the two boys united and join together.

C．He asked Tamarion’s mother to settle the problem.

D．He ordered his son never to play with Tamarion again.

3. What can we know from the text?

A．Fontenot communicated with Tamarion’s mother to know about him.

B．Jordan’s being bullied arose from his clothes and shoes.

C．Jordan and Tamarion got along well in the beginning.

D．Tamarion’s mother paid little attention to Tamarion.

【推荐2】Holidays are really important． Many of us will have childhood memories of summer holidays where we were taken away from home to experience new environments and learn in different ways．

But holidays are expensive and， for those on low wages or living on benefits， they are often unobtainable． Even the cheapest holidays require travel and other additional costs that are difficult for many families to meet．

For working parents， the long summer break can be a very difficult problem for childcare． When an annual leave allowance amounts to only five weeks， there is a need to spread this across the year． Couples can find themselves taking leave in turn in order to care for children who are on holiday． For some， this makes even an affordable family holiday difficult．

The schools that I visit in Nottingham are full of experienced staff committed to giving our children a caring and inspiring learning environment． The number of children receiving free school meals is quite large in Nottingham and many schools have breakfast clubs to make sure that children get a healthy start to the day． Most schools undertake programs of group or individual educational support． Schools also have an important role in safeguarding children's welfare through the ongoing touch and support with their pupils． During the long summer holidays， much of this is missed．

While teachers are holidaying in the UK， many of their pupils spend the whole six weeks on the street where they live． The lack of free school meals for six weeks can result in pressure on a family budget and an inability to afford the inspiring experiences that help children to continue their learning．

In setting out its plans for a five-term year， Nottingham City Council （委员会） is seeking to reduce the summer holiday down to four and a half weeks， with a more balanced five terms of roughly eight weeks， each followed by a two-week break． We believe this will give real "down time" for school staff and pupils alike but will be short enough not to cause a real break in learning．

We acknowledge that this change may be difficult for some school staff， particularly whose own children are educated in other authorities． However， this must be weighed against the benefits for city children for whom we all have the greatest duty of care．

1. The passage is probably written by ________.

A．an experienced teacher	B．a working parent
C．an inspired student	D．a city council member

2. The underlined word "they" in the second paragraph refers to "________".

A．environments	B．holidays
C．wages	D．benefits

3. The plans for a shorter summer holiday will help students ________.

A．obtain the cheapest holidays without additional costs

B．get a chance to spend six weeks a term with teachers in school

C．benefit more from the caring and inspiring learning environment

D．have more school days to receive free school meals

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

A．working parents can enjoy a five-week break to care for their children

B．the suggested plans for a five-term school year can hardly be carried out

C．the long summer holiday gives teachers and students real "down time"

D．some school staff will say "No" to the plans for a shorter summer holiday

【推荐3】Paul Durietz is a 76-year-old social studies teacher from Illinois, the United States. On September 1, he set a Guinness World Record for the world’s longest teaching career. Mr. Durietz has been teaching for 53 years — since he was 23 years old.

When he was just 11, Mr. Durietz says, he made up his mind to be a social studies teacher. Social studies is the study of history, and how people, countries, and cultures are connected. He became interested in history after hearing stories from his father, who fought in World War II.

Mr. Durietz got his first teaching job at Woodland Middle School in Gurnee, Illinois in 1970. Ever since then, he’s been teaching social studies at the same school. He says he loves sharing his knowledge of history with students. “Teaching is never boring,” he says. “Every day is different.”

Things have changed a lot since Mr. Durietz first began teaching. When he started, he wrote on a blackboard with chalk, and the students used paper textbooks. These days, he and the students use computers and digital whiteboards. Despite this, Mr. Durietz says the students are still pretty much the same — except that now they have cell phones.

With or without technology, Mr. Durietz has used creative activities to help his students learn. For example, he has organized virtual field trips, geography contests, and special days about the US Civil War. He has even organized elections at school to help his students learn about politics.

Mr. Durietz wasn’t really trying to set a record. But his family, friends, and the people he works with encouraged him to apply to Guinness to see if he’d set a record. He had. Now he still has no plans to retire any time soon. “Keep working on what I love to do in life,” he says.

1. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To introduce Guinness world Records.	B．To inspire readers to create records.
C．To recognize teachers’ contribution.	D．To report a record-setting teacher.

2. What has changed greatly in Mr. Durietz’s teaching career?

A．Teaching equipment.	B．Students’ attitudes.
C．His love of teaching.	D．Classroom activities.

3. Why will Mr. Durietz continue his work?

A．He wants to keep his world record.	B．He is devoted to his beloved career.
C．He enjoys overcoming difficulties.	D．He is persuaded to keep working.

4. What message does the text convey?

A．Nothing is impossible for a willing heart.

B．Success comes to those who never give up.

C．Greatness can be achieved in ordinary jobs.

D．It takes combined efforts to realize a dream.

【推荐2】''Do not tell anyone''. We often hear these words when someone tells us a secret. But keeping a secret is hard. We're often tempted(引诱) to ''spill the beans'', even if we regret it later.

According to the professor, Asim Shah, keeping a secret may well ''become a burden''. This is because people often have an ''eager and anxious urge(冲动) to share it with someone''. An earlier study, led by Anita, a scientist at the University of Notre Dame, US, suggested that keeping a secret could cause stress. People entrusted(托付) with secrets can suffer from depression, anxiety, and body aches, reported the Daily Mail.

Secrets are so often getting out, why do people share them at all? Shah explained that people often feel that it will help them keep a person as a friend. Another reason people share secrets is guilt over keeping it from someone close to them. A sense of distrust can develop when people who are close do not share it with each other. ''Keeping or sharing secrets often puts people in a position of either gaining or losing the trust of someone. '' according to Shah.

He added that talkative people could let secrets slip out. But this doesn't mean that it is a good idea only to share secrets with quiet people. A quiet person may be someone who keeps everything inside. To tell such a person a secret may cause them stress, and make them talk about the secret.

Shah said that to judge whether to tell someone a secret, you'd better put yourself in their position. Think about how you would feel to be told that you mustn't give the information away. Shah also recommended that if you accidentally give up someone's secret you should come clean about it. Let the person know that their secret isn't so secret anymore.

1. What does the underlined phrase ''spill the bean'' in Para 1 mean? ________.

A．tell the truth	B．let out a secret
C．eat our words	D．talk nothing

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．A person entrusted with a secret will suffer from psychological problems only.

B．Sharing secrets helps establish friendship or get over the sense of guilt.

C．Quiet people are more likely to keep the secrets to themselves.

D．Putting yourself in others' shoes helps realize the difficulty of keeping secrets.

3. What may be the best title for the passage?

A．Still tongues make wise heads.	B．Walls have ears.
C．Every wall has a crack.	D．A word spoken is past recalling.

【推荐3】On October 23, 2016, David Pologruto, a high school physics teacher, was stabbed by his smart student Jason Haffizulla. Jason got straight A’s and was determined to study medicine at Harvard, yet this was his downfall. His physics teacher gave Jason a B, a mark Jason believed would undermine his entrance to Harvard. After receiving his B, Jason took a butcher knife to school and stabbed his physics teacher.

How can someone as smart as Jason do something so dumb? Studies show there is little or no connection between IQ and emotional intelligence.

During my early university years, I regarded myself as an intelligent guy. I got good marks in mathematics, physics, and other subjects. I thought such skills would surely give me a bright future. After one year of study with decent marks, I began to see two major classes of students. The first category of students turned up to few lectures, partied every weekend, enjoyed a great social life, and did minimal work to pass courses. The second category of students were intelligent and hard workers who got good grades and were very focused on their studies. Surely would these intelligent and hard-working students find the great jobs before the other lazier class of students?

Not so. Students are often shocked upon graduation that their qualifications are not as important as they once thought. Graduates enter the workforce only to realize that co-workers hate them and less intelligent people are the ones receiving promotions (晋升).

Educational skills are useless in some industries when interpersonal skills are absent. You can have great ideas, theories, and solve complex problems, but if you cannot effectively communicate with your colleagues, you will face difficult situations. It’s not that people dislike you because of your intelligence; it’s that people dislike you because you’re rude and not understanding. The intelligent person with poor communication skills is unaware of others’ emotions.

1. Jason Haffizulla stabbed his physics teacher because ________.

A．he was not smart enough at studies	B．he was unfairly treated by his teacher
C．he got a worse mark than usual	D．he was disappointed with his downfall

2. What does the underlined word “undermine” mean?

A．limit	B．help
C．destroy	D．benefit

3. Intelligent people are hated because ________.

A．they are not considerate enough

B．they are envied for their intelligence

C．they can solve more complex problems

D．they can’t settle the challenges they meet

4. What can we learn from this text?

A．What kind of students can succeed in college.

B．Smart people have poorer communication skills.

C．Intelligent students will meet more challenges at work.

D．Smart students should balance their IQ and emotional intelligence.

【推荐1】Even though vaccination (接种疫苗) is a powerful defense against disease, some voices are against it. In a recent letter, the American Medical Association (AMA) urged big social media including Amazon, Facebook and Google to take action to defend medical science on their platforms.

It said that vaccine -preventable diseases that do harm to the public health like measles (麻疹) are on the rise. Measles cases worldwide jumped more than 30% in 2017 compared to 2016, with the largest increases seen among nations in the Americas, Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. Vaccine-preventable diseases are increasing largely because many people are unwilling to get vaccinated. And some of these people even encourage others to refuse vaccination. So this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the anti-vaccination movement a top 10-health threat.

“Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding disease—it currently prevents 2-3 million deaths a year, and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved,” WHO said.

A research article published in 1998 in a medical journal suggested a link between a vaccine and the development of autism (孤独症) in young children. Although the research has been suspected and many other studies have proved that vaccinations do not cause autism, the article is still impressing people strongly today. Another reason for the growth in the anti-vaccination movement is widespread misinformation on social media, which can turn people against vaccination.” If a concerned parent consistently sees information in their Newsfeed that casts doubt on the safety of vaccines, it could cause them to disregard the advice of their children’s physicians and public health experts and refuse to follow the recommended vaccination schedule. So access to true information about vaccine safety is badly needed.

1. What does the AMA require social media to do on their platforms?

A．Stop vaccine misinformation.

B．Unite to develop new vaccines.

C．Give up the anti- vaccination movement.

D．Introduce Vaccine-preventable diseases.

2. Why does the author mention the measles cases?

A．To declare measles can be prevented,

B．To show the result of anti-vaccination.

C．To prove some countries refuse vaccination.

D．To explain the reason for avoiding vaccination.

3. Which of the following play an important role in the anti- vaccination movement?

A．The costs of vaccination.	B．The social media platforms.
C．The concerns of vaccine safety.	D．The articles about autism.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A novel.	B．A brochure.
C．A diary.	D．A magazine.

【推荐2】Compassion is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into actions. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part-time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are our main customers, and it’s easy to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday, one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy man walked up to my register with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash, had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day.

I couldn’t help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before, and what he would be like if luck had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry, and the store rules didn’t allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job.

Just then, another man, standing behind the first, spoke up. “If anything,” he looked more pitiable, “Charge it to me,” was all he said.

What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft, safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed, either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself. I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.

1. The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits________.

A．promised to obey the store rules	B．forgot to take any money with him
C．hoped to have the food first and pay later	D．could not afford anything more expensive

2. Which of the following best describes the old gentleman?

A．kind and lucky	B．poor and lonely
C．friendly and helpful	D．wise and disappointed

3. The writer followed the store rules because________.

A．he wanted to keep his present job	B．he felt no pity for the old gentleman
C．he considered the old gentleman dishonest	D．he expected someone else to pay for the old gentleman

4. What does the writer learn from his experience?

A．Wealth is more important than anything else.	B．Helping others is easier said than done.
C．Experience is better gained through practice.	D．Obeying the rules means more than compassion.