【推荐1】Each year Worcestershire plays host to a huge variety of events and festivals. Many are large scale(大规模的) events that attract people from around Britain and the world.

Every Christmas Worcester holds a four-day Victorian themed street market, when the streets are lined with stalls selling traditional crafts, gifts and food. Live music to suit all tastes is a regular feature at Huntingdon Hall in Worcester.

The three Choirs(唱诗班) Festival is held in Worcester every third year (2008,2011,2014). The event is billed as(被宣传为) Europe's oldest choral festival.

There are also much smaller scale events that take place throughout the year, such as village outdoor activities, beer festivals and the more quirky(离奇的), such as the asparagus auction(芦笋拍卖会) that take place each May at the ancient Fleece Inn at Bretforton. The scarecrow(稻草人) event at Belbroughton is also very popular-- villagers make scarecrow and display their handiwork outside their homes, with all profits(利润) going to the country.

From Open air theatre and music or poetry performance to civil war re-enactments(再扮演), there is always something going on in this varied county throughout the year.

1. The text is mainly written to_____.

A．introduce the history of Worcestershire

B．introduce festivals in Worcestershire

C．introduce some strange festivals

D．invite tourists to Worcestershire

2. If you visit Worcester in May, you can_____.

A．visit the Victorian themed street market

B．go to the Three Choirs Festival

C．experience the civil war re-enactment

D．visit the asparagus auction

3. How often is the three Choirs Festival held in Worcester?

A．Every three years.	B．Every two years.
C．Every fourth year.	D．Every fifth year.

【推荐2】Most people buy a lot of gifts just before Christmas. But some people think we buy too much. They have started a special day called “Buy Nothing Day”. They don't want anyone to go shopping on that day.

Buy Nothing Day is November 29. It's 25 days before Christmas. It's after Thanksgiving and often the first day of Christmas shopping. At this we see ads in newspapers and on TV telling us to “buy buy, buy!”.

The idea of Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver, British Columbia. Now people all over the world celebrate Buy Nothing Day. In California, parents and children get together to read stories, sing songs and paint pictures. This year, in Manchester, England, people dressed up to tell people that we buy too much.

In Albuquerque. New Mexico, high school students wanted to tell other students about Buy Nothing Day. They organized a Spaghetti dinner to give people information about Buy Nothing Day. They asked restaurants in the neighborhood to donate the food. They made posters and talked to other students about it. The dinner was a big success, and many students agreed not to buy anything on November 29. The students at the high school like the idea of this new tradition. Next year, they want have another dinner to tell more people about “Buy Nothing Day”.

1. Which of the following is NOT the day for people to celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

A．November	B．days before Christmas.
C．After Thanksgiving.	D．The first day after Christmas.

2. How do people celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

A．In California, parents and children get together to play games.

B．In England, people celebrated by performing plays.

C．In Mexico, high school students dressed up.

D．They bought nothing and persuaded others not to buy things

3. What did the students do in New Mexico for the day?

A．They donated the food of their own.	B．They talked to others about it.
C．They made some slogans for it.	D．They organized a luxurious dinner.

4. What's the best title for the passage?

A．A Free Dinner	B．A Big Success
C．Buy Nothing Day	D．A New Christmas Day

【推荐1】“Let the world know China and let China know the world.” I can’t remember exactly where I have seen this slogan(口号) in Beijing. Considering the simple fact of the wish people have for learning foreign languages and the number of people going abroad each year, everyone can tell how hard China and Chinese people are trying to know the world. But I didn’t know how equally important and urgent(迫切的) it is for the world to know China until I came to the UK.
In the self-introduction during our first class in a PhD course, when I told them I wanted to finish the degree as soon as I could and then go back to China, the British students looked at me in both surprise and disbelief. Their idea is that everybody who comes to the UK, including the Chinese, will stay here to look for a better life and that this is the only place where one can find a better life.
When I asked my friend for advice about buying a new car, she looked at me, asking in surprise, “A new car?” Later I found out that her surprise was because of the popular image of Chinese students: either too poor or too economical.
When we Chinese students for the first time joined the monthly performance hour of the department and sang some traditional songs and gave a short humorous introduction, all the teachers and students were surprised. To them, Chinese students are so serious and shy. These ideas have been because of the fact that Chinese students are sometimes not seen among the students.
So “let the world know China” should no longer remain an empty slogan. It is something we all should do, home and abroad, and something we should do with confidence and openness.
1. In British students’ opinion, Chinese students come to the UK mainly because       .

A．they want to get a British degree

B．the education in UK is the best in the world

C．they want to know more about British

D．they want to look for a better life in Britain

2. The general image of Chinese students in British students’ mind is_____.

A．very rich	B．very common
C．very humorous	D．very poor or economical

3. The British students think Chinese students were serious and shy because Chinese students_____.

A．always spoke poor English

B．didn’t show themselves bravely in public

C．didn’t have much money

D．had problem communicating with them

4. By writing the passage, the writer wants the reader _____.

A．to be as humorous as possible

B．to take away the empty slogan

C．not to be too poor or too economical

D．to show ourselves with confidence

【推荐2】Nelson Mandela is respected and admired across the world. And to South Africans he is a superstar. He is a hero who shocked the world by fighting for peace between races, despite the 27 years he spent in the prison of the South Africa’s white, racist regime(政权).

Mandela, who won the nation’s first all-race elections after the fall of apartheid(种族隔离) in 1944,retired in 1999. But he remains as popular as ever.

＂He’s loved by all people, whether you’re white or black, whether you’re young or old,＂ said Ali Bacher, South Africa’s former cricket(板球) chief.

His popularity has inspired an entire national industry. His portrait has appeared at many places, including on some goods. His face has appeared on a South African coin, a metropolitan(大都会的) area was named in his honor and some business leaders hope to build a massive, rotating statue in his likeness — the Statue of Freedom. It would stand taller than New York’s Statue of Liberty.

His popular appeal is similar to that of John F. Kennedy with US or Winston Churchill in Britain, but few politicians in his times have achieved his level of admiration, said Tom Lodge, head of the political science department of the University of the Witwatersrand.＂ Sometimes it isn’t completely appreciated what a skilled performer Mandela has been throughout his political career. He is a very, very clever man,＂ However, he is far from perfect.

Most articles for his birthday, which appeared in every major South African newspaper on the day, briefly mentioned that Mandela did have his shortcomings. Then they returned to their flowing praises. ＂Through the ages, the human race has had its icons(偶像) — men and women who rose above ordinary people to inspire their generation,＂ The Mail and Guardian Weekly said. ＂In our generation, the gods presented us Nelson Mandela.＂

1. Nelson Mandela is loved by all the people of South Africa because________.

A．he’s as popular as Kennedy and Churchill	B．he spent 27 years in prison
C．he’s a great fighter against the racialism	D．he won the first all-race elections

2. Which of the following statements about Mandela’s popularity is true?

A．It inspired the whole nation to develop business.

B．His portrait appears on the Statue of Freedom.

C．His portrait is used to raise money for the Statue of Freedom.

D．His portrait is similar to that of John F. Kennedy or Winston Churchill.

3. The underlined sentence in the last paragraph means ＂________＂.

A．Mandela is as great as a god	B．We are proud to have this hero
C．Mandela lives together with us today	D．We are proud to know Mandela

4. Where can we read the text?

A．science book

B．travel journal

C．newspaper

D．story book

【推荐1】This is What a REAL Silver Dollar Looks Like

If you trust in the yen, the euro, and the dollar…stop reading.

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You read the headlines.You know that troubled economic times have put global currency on a rollercoaster ride. But millions have found a smarter way to build long-term value with high-grade collectable silver. And right now, those people are lining up to secure some of the last 2017 U.S.Mint Silver Eagles, America’s Newest Silver Eagle Dollars. Today, you can graduate to the front of that line. Buy now and you can own these brilliant uncirculated Silver Dollars for only $37.95!

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Why are we releasing this silver dollar for such a remarkable price? Because we want to introduce you to what hundreds of thousands of smart collectors and satisfied customers have known since 1984—New York Mint is the place to find the world's finest high-grade coins. That’s why we’re offering you this Brilliant Uncirculated 2017 U.S. Silver Eagle for as little as $36.65 (plus s/h).

Timing is Everything

Our advice? Keep this to yourself. Because the more people who know about this offer, the worse it is for you. Demand for Silver Eagles in 2016 broke records. Experts predict that 2017 Silver Eagles may break them all over again. Due to rapid changes in the price of silver, prices may be higher or lower and are subject to(受...影响)   change without notice. Supplies are limited. Call immediately to add these Silver Eagles to your holdings before it's too late.

Offer Limited to 40 per household

2017 American Silver Eagle Coin

Your cost

1-4 Coins     $37.95 each + s/h

5-9 Coins     $37.65 each + s/h

10-19 Coins       $36.95 each + s/h

20-40 Coins       $36.65 each + s/h

Note: $10 s/h (shipping and handling) for each purchase

For fastest service, call toll-free 24 hours a day

1-888-201-7143

Offer Code (代码) ASE177-04 Please mention this code when you call.

New York Mint 14101

Southcross Drive W., Dept.ASE177-04

Burnsville, Minnesota 55337

www.New York Mint.com

1. Suppose you want to purchase seven 2017 U.S.Mint Silver Eagles by post, you should pay at least_________.

A．$273.55

B．$263.55

C．$275.65

D．$266.55

2. The 2017 Silver Eagle is worth purchasing mainly because ______.

A．the price of the coin is favorable	B．the coin is of lasting high quality
C．the coin is popular among collectors	D．it can be circulated as a currency

3. If you want the fastest service, you can purchase the silver coin by_________.

A．shopping on www.New York Mint.com	B．dialing the number 1-888-201-7143
C．writing to the enterprise	D．lining up in front of the stores in person

【推荐2】Many people all over the world speak English as their second language and it is not too much to say that it has become an international language.

Studying English can make life fun. It enables you to watch American movies, read English books and listen to English songs. Moreover, as English is an international language, you will be able to communicate with foreigners when you are on a trip abroad. Traveling will be more interesting that way.

It is a good idea to make friends with foreigners. In my opinion, it is the best way to improve your English. In addition, it will bring you a lot of fun and expand your view of the world. If you make friends with a native speaker, you can practice your spoken English more often, and then you can communicate with people around the world. You can also become familiar with the customs and habits of different cultures.

There are some people who are afraid to make friends with foreigners, because they are not confident about their English. However, many foreigners do not care about grammar. They will get your key words in the sentence and know the whole meaning. Therefore, it is unnecessary to be afraid; just go ahead..

In brief, English is so useful to us that we should all learn it.

1. Why does the writer think it necessary for us to learn English?

A．Because English has become an international language.

B．Because he uses it as a second language

C．Because you can’t make foreign friends if you can’t speak English.

D．Because it will be difficult for you to travel if you can’t speak English.

2. Studying English can make fun in the following ways EXCEPT        according to the text.

A．enjoying British or American music

B．traveling abroad

C．attending English parties

D．reading English novels or poems

3. In the writer’s opinion, some people dare, not make foreign friends because       .

A．they are afraid of making grammar mistakes

B．they become shy when they meet foreigners

C．they know little English

D．they seldom speak English with foreigners

4. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “expand”?

A．improve	B．deepen
C．raise	D．enlarge

【推荐3】Mother's Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors mothers in the United States. It is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. It became an official holiday in the country at the start of the 20th century as a way to honor mothers whose sons had died in war.

The holiday is celebrated in a number of ways. People give mothers gifts like flowers, cards, and jewelry to thank them for all their hard work. A popular symbol of the holiday is the flower called carnation. This is because when the holiday first began in the U.S. people were encouraged to wear a red carnation if their mother was alive or a white carnation if their mother was dead. Many people take their mothers out for a special meal. In fact, Mother's Day is the most popular date in the U.S. for people to go out and eat and it is estimated that people spend billions on meals and gifts. Mother's Day is also the most popular day to make long distance calls in the U.S. It is the second most popular gift-giving day after Christmas.

Since its establishment, Mother's Day has been criticized for becoming highly financial. In fact, the founder of the U.S. holiday, Anna Jarvis, began protesting the holiday and was even arrested for disturbing the peace for a public march. Jarvis's own mother started the campaign to establish a mother's holiday during the American Civil War.

Mothers are not the only people celebrated on this day. All mother figures including grandmothers, great-grandmothers, stepmothers, and foster mothers are honored on the holiday. In schools many students make special gifts, including handmade cards. While widely recognized, Mother's Day is not a federal holiday. Many other countries around the world have their own version of Mother's Day.

1. Who was the holiday intended for at the beginning?

A．All mothers.	B．The sons giving lives in war.
C．All sons.	D．The mothers losing sons in war.

2. What can you infer from paragraphs 2 and 3 about Mother's Day?

A．People give their mothers carnation flowers as gifts.

B．People prepare a special meal for their own mothers.

C．People spend too much on celebration of the holiday.

D．People telephone to their mothers anywhere anytime.

3. Why was its founder Anna Jarvis arrested?

A．She criticized Mother's Day for high expenses.

B．She organized a public march and broke the peace.

C．She was strongly against her mother for the campaign.

D．She spent too much in celebrating the first Mother's Day.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The ways of observing Mother's Day.	B．The origin of Mother's Day.
C．Different opinions on Mother's Day.	D．The holiday of Mother's Day.

【推荐1】For nearly three months we’ve been following Lia Ditton, who attempted to row solo (独自的) across the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii. During that time, she has weathered heavy storms and massive waves. Her boat has been rolled over on more than one occasion and has drawn the attention of hungry sharks. Lia herself has experienced a shortage of food. But now, at long last, we can report that she has arrived at the finish line, completing the journey in record time.

Lia arrived in Hawaii over the weekend, although, much like the rest of the journey, her final hours were not easy ones. With 37 miles to go to her destination, Lia reached the Molokai Channel, just as the wind and waves were starting to pick up. She knew that this would be a difficult and vitally important part of the journey, so in order to complete the final run into Maui, she rowed for 18 hours straight. In the end, that hard work and determination kept her from drifting off course and away from the islands to the south, allowing her to reach dry land after nearly three months out on the open ocean.

When she originally set out on this journey back in June, Lia’s intention was to set a new speed record for rowing from California to Hawaii. The record she had in mind was set by rower Rob Eustace, who made the same crossing in 52 days. The ocean currents, winds and waves weren’t very cooperative, however, quickly putting that record out of reach. In the end, she did manage to set a new record, however, recording the fastest female row between the two American states. When she reached shore on Saturday, she recorded a final time of 86 days, 10 hours, 5 minutes and 54 seconds.

At a time when big outdoor adventures are few and far between, Lia’s ocean row has been a good source of inspiration. Congratulations to her for completing this very difficult challenge and setting a new record, too. It may not be the easiest way to get to Hawaii, but it was probably extremely rewarding.

1. What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．Where she began her Pacific crossing.

B．How she survived without any support.

C．How she broke the trans-Pacific rowing record.

D．What challenges she had at the end of her journey.

2. What made Lia Ditton fail to break Rob Eustace’s record?

A．Her lack of food.	B．Problems with sharks.
C．Bad weather conditions.	D．The overturning of her boat.

3. Which of the following can be used to describe Lia Ditton’s adventure?

A．Rewarding but meaningless.	B．Inspiring but challenging.
C．Dangerous but comfortable.	D．Impressive but tiresome.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Lia Ditton Completes Trans-Pacific Row

B．Lia Ditton Breaks the Men’s Record

C．Lia’s Pacific Row: Slow and Dangerous

D．Lia Ditton Makes Progress on the Pacific

【推荐2】That youngsters were glued to online games on their smart phones was a great concern for Ngurang Meena, a school teacher in Nirjuli. The 30-year-old social science teacher, who ran the Ngurang Learning Institute, an adult literacy centre, said that she felt disheartened when she read student papers. “The graph of student performance is falling every year. It breaks my heart whenever I see answer sheets — basic grammar skills are missing and there's an absence of any cohesive (连贯性的) expression. They lack guidance and reading culture is almost zero,” Meena said. When her school and the centre she ran had to close due to infectious diseases, she planned to do something to address the problem.

Inspired by a similar proposal in Mizoram, Meena set up a bookshelf with around 80 books as well as some benches on the side of the road in Nirjuli on August 30th, 2020, where passers-by could spend time reading. The selections included motivational books, biographies and novels as well as comics for young children. “I have to please the minors with sweets to sit and read, but that is okay,” she laughed.

Meena's bookshelf became a hit among youngsters who spent hours in the reading corner. Within two months, her effort became the talk of the town.

Now, generous contributions of books come in from the public and she is even receiving requests to set up such libraries in other parts of the state, including one in the capital, Itana-gar. Since the tiny libraries are far from the main town, she also lends books out to those who want to read at home.

“I never thought that this would become such a big inspiration,” Meena said. “Since childhood, we have been told that books are our best friends. The next generation of kids is focused on games and other things. I don't want them to head on the wrong track,” she added.

1. What's the aim of Meena's reading program?

A．To highlight the importance of reading for adults.	B．To help adults learn some cohesive expression.
C．To keep Ngurang Learning Institute running well.	D．To care for youngsters lacking in reading.

2. What did Meena do to encourage young kids to read more?

A．She provided them with transportation.	B．She offered some rewards to them.
C．She chose novels with beautiful covers.	D．She selected books covering every category.

3. What does the underlined “this” refer to in the last paragraph?

A．People’s generous contributions of books.	B．Her setting up the reading corner.
C．People’s request to set up libraries.	D．Young people’s passion for reading

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Roadside Reading Corner	B．Books: Sources of Knowledge
C．The Library: a Paradise for the Young	D．New Ideas about Setting a Reading Plan

【推荐3】What makes a person become an Olympic champion? In reality, a combination of biological environmental, and psychological factors as well as training and practice, all go into making a super athlete.

Perhaps the most important factor involved in becoming a super athlete is genetics. Most Olympic competitors are equipped with certain unique physical characteristics. Take a super athlete's muscles, for example. In most human skeletal muscles, there are fast-twitch fibers and slow-twitch fibers. Fast-twitch fibers help us move quickly. They allow weightlifters to lift hundreds of kilos from the ground and over their heads in seconds. The legs of a super marathon runner, on the other hand, might contain up to 90 percent slow-twitch muscle fibers, which generate energy efficiently and enable people to control tiredness and keep moving for a longer period of time when they exercise long or hard.

Some athletes' abilities are naturally enhanced by their environment. Those raised at high altitudes have blood that is rich in hemoglobin, which enables these athletes to run better, Cultural factors also help Tegla Loroupe, a young woman from northern Kenya, won several marathons. She attributes some of her success to her country's high altitude and her cultural background. As a child, she had to run ten kilometers to school every day.

Although genetics, environment, and even culture play a part in becoming a super athlete, training and practice are needed to succeed. Weightlifters and gymnasts perfect their skills by repeating the same motions again and again until they are automatic. Training this way requires an athlete to be not only physically fit but psychologically healthy as well.

How do athletes adjust to such intense pressure? Louganis explains how he learned to control his anxiety during a competition: "Most divers think too much…," he says. "They're too much in their heads. What worked for me was humor. I remember thinking about what my mother would say if she saw me do a bad dive. She'd probably just compliment me on the beautiful splash."

1. Having a lot of slow-twitch muscle fibers is particularly important for         .

A．Weightlifters.

B．Divers.

C．Cyclists.

D．Table tennis players.

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

A．Devotes.

B．Compares.

C．Exposes.

D．Owes.

3. How does Louganis deal with his anxiety according to the passage?

A．By thinking too much.	B．By training hard.
C．By laughing at the amusing things	D．By speaking out.

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

A．Healthy Olympic Champions.

B．Olympic Champions in the Making.

C．Factors in Becoming Physically and Psychologically Healthy.

D．Difference between an Athlete and an Average Person.