【推荐1】If you'd rather eat out on Thanksgiving or order the meal to go,you have no shortage of options. Here are some Chicago restaurants celebrating the holiday with a variety of dishes on offer.

Cyrano's Bistrot and Wine Bar, 546N.Wells

Go French for Thanksgiving，with Cyrano's six­course to­go menu. It's packed with four appetizers, including ratatouille and lamb rillettes; four vegetable sides, including potato Lyonnaise; pumpkin soup; a choice of turkey，duck or chicken; a cheese plate，and desserts also included；reheating instructions. The cost is $39 a person. To order，call(312) 467­0546.

Fairmont Chicago, 200N. Columbus

The hotel is going retro(怀旧) and green this year with its Thanksgiving to­go menu，from organic green bean casserole(砂锅) made with mushroom soup to organic mashed potatoes with bacon bits and sour cream. The meal，which serves 8 to 10，is $195，plus tax. Orders must be in by 3 p．m. Wednesday. To order，call (312) 565­6665.

Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club, 3700N. Halsted

The restaurant celebrates Thanksgiving a day early with a three­course menu on Wednesday. Menu items include a wild mushroom tart(馅饼) with Gruyere and Cabernet­marinated steak with Havarti mashed potatoes. The $35 dinner each, tax and tip not included, includes a martini(马提尼酒)．For reservations, call (773) 525­1111.

Lawry's the Prime Rib, 100E. Ontario

The star of the Thanksgiving menu is organic, free-range turkey from Pennsylvania. To­go dinner packages also will be offered, with 10 percent of proceeds going to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Carryout packages range from $27 for an individual turkey dinner to $480 for a meal serving 12 to 14.Orders must be placed by Tuesday. Call (312) 787­5000.

Popeyes, various locations

Thirteen of the chicken chain's Chicago locations are taking orders now for take­out fried turkeys. The turkeys，which serve 8 to 10，range from $40 to $45.Use the restaurant locator at www. popeyes. com for locations and phone numbers.

1. Turkey is offered in the restaurants EXCEPT ______.

A．Fairmont Chicago, 200N. Columbus

B．Popeyes, various locations

C．Lawry's the Prime Rib, 100E.Ontario

D．Cyrano's Bistrot and Wine Bar, 546N. Wells

2. If a person wants to order sweet food like pudding，he should dial ______.

A．(312) 467­0546	B．(312)787­5000
C．(773) 525­1111	D．(312)565­6665

3. How much will it cost if two persons order meal in the Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club?

A．Less than $70.	B．More than $70 .
C．Less than $35.	D．More than $35.

4. ______ is the second most popular food on Thanksgiving Day.

A．Chicken	B．Potato
C．Pumpkin	D．Steak

5. If a person wants to know more about the chicken chain's Chicago，what should he do?

A．Call a telephone.	B．Surf the Internet.
C．Watch TV.	D．Listen to the radio.

【推荐3】Four Amusement Parks in Orlando

Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Opened in 1999, it is a unique amusement park with eight distinct themed islands for visitors to explore. There are countless rides, activities, and shows to be found throughout the islands. Costumed characters can often be found wandering through the park, making for some excellent photo opportunities. Both single day and annual passes are available, and visitors can also purchase tickets that provide access to both this park and Universal Studios Florida.

Phone: 407-224-4233
Universal Studios Florida

If you’re a big movie fan, visiting it is a dream come true. The grounds are jam-packed with all sorts of exciting rides and attractions. The level of detail in the park is incredible, and visitors will feel like they’ve been transported into their favorite fictional worlds. The park is also an operational movie and TV production facility, meaning that lucky visitors might even have the chance to see a real film crew at work.

Phone: 407-363-8000
Sea World Orlando

With its many world-class aquariums (水族馆), it is one of the best places in the city to get up close and personal with the incredible marine life that lives in the waters around Florida. One of the biggest attractions in the park is an orca known as Shamu, but visitors will also have the chance to see dolphins, sharks, turtles, flamingos, penguins, and even sloths. It also offers roller coaster rides for children, plenty of dining options, and valuable information about wildlife conservation.

Phone: 407-545-5550
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Sitting on a 335-acre property in Tampa, it offers thrilling amusement park rides, live entertainment for all ages, and one of the largest zoos in the United States. More than 12,000 different animals live in the park. Many of these animals are native to Africa, and visitors can take exciting safari-style tours if they want to see the animals up close. Special events on how to protect wildlife are held throughout the year, and both daily and annual passes are available.

Phone: 813-884-4386
1. Where can visitors meet people wearing a costume?

A．Sea World Orlando.	B．Universal Studios Florida.
C．Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.	D．Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

2. Which number should a film lover call?

A．407-224-4233.	B．407-363-8000.
C．407-545-5550.	D．813-884-4386.

3. What do the last two amusement parks have in common?

A．They are intended for child tourists.

B．They focus on sea animal attractions.

C．They offer knowledge of wildlife protection.

D．They are among the largest zoos in the US.

【推荐2】Apple Seeds

Circulation (发行量):1 Year, 9 Issues

Cover Price: $44. 55

Price For You: $33. 95

Product Description: Apple Seeds is an award-winning magazine filled with stories for kids aged from 7 to 9. The cover is very soft, providing durability (耐用性) that allows each issue to be enjoyed for many year to come. Besides, there is a big surprise for you --- it’s being sold at a more favorable discount than usual.

Better Life

Circulation: 1 Year, 12 Issues

Cover Price: $44. 55

Price For You: $15. 00

Product Description: Designed for those who have a strong interest in personal lifestyle, Better Life is America’s complete home and family service magazine. It offers help with food, recipes, decorating, building, gardening, family health, money management, and education.

Humor Times

Circulation: 1 Year, 12 Issues

Cover Price: $36. 00

Price For You: $11. 95

Product Description: Humor Times Magazine is for those who love to laugh! Full of cartoons and humor columns, it shows up in your mailbox once a month and keeps you smiling all year round! In today’s world, you need a reason to laugh. So let’s find it in Humor Times.

News China

Circulation: 1 Year, 12 Issues

Cover Price: $47. 88

Price For You: $19. 99

Product Description: News China Marine is the English edition of China Newsweek. The magazine covers the latest Chinese domestic news in politics, business, society, environment, culture, sports and travels, etc. It is the first comprehensive news magazine for readers interested in China.

1. What do we know about Apple Seeds?

A．The soft cover enables it to be read and kept long.

B．It can be purchased as an award for your children.

C．It offers the biggest discount among all the magazines.

D．The magazine is going to surprise for many years.

2. What kind of people may buy News China?

A．People who have an interest in personal lifestyle of the Chinese.

B．People who have a strong sense of humor and love to laugh.

C．People who want to enlarge the knowledge of their kids.

D．People who are interested in China’s politics, business and culture.

3. Better Life can help you in       .

A．beautifying your house.

B．finding interesting stories for your kids

C．ordering food from restaurants.

D．learning about sports and travels.

【推荐3】Considering that April, May and June are too hot while July and August often bring heavy season winds that limit travel and don't make for a very pleasant sightseeing experience you can really enjoy doing lots of charming things during September to March in the Sundarbans National Park situated in the tropics.

Take a river tour

Most tourists who explore the Sundarbans arrive in Khulna City first. From there, you can join a boat tour that travels south along the Ganges River through miles of preserved forests all the way to Kotka.

Visit a bird habitat

This bird habitat there is a nesting place for dozens of tropical birds. The best way to observe these birds is climbing up the Sajnekhali Watchtower. If you're lucky, you'll also catch the famed Bengal Tiger making its rounds through the swampy jungle.

Visit the Mangrove(红树林)Interpretation Centre

If you wish to spend some time indoors out of the sweaty heat, go to the Mangrove Interpretation Centre. This place is very educational with many posters, maps and exhibits showing the wildlife and varieties of mangrove plants found within the park. You'll also get to see crocodiles in a small pool.

Take a tour of local villages

Experience village life that has largely remained unchanged for centuries. With villages made up of various ethnic groups who rely on fishing, farming and working in the local through growing tourist industry for their livelihoods the Sundarbans is a UNESCO world heritage site where you can visit villages and talk to locals, who will gladly share their culture with you.

1. Which month is suitable for a visit to Sundarbans National Park?

A．December.

B．August.

C．June.

D．May.

2. What can visitors do in the Mangrove Interpretation Centre?

A．Feed crocodiles in the river.

B．Learn about plants and animals.

C．Take a boat tour through the forest.

D．Observe birds singing on the trees.

3. What is the author's main purpose in writing the text?

A．To call for the protection of forests in Khulna City.

B．To show visitors something attractive to do.

C．To advertise some natural animal habitats.

D．To introduce several charming villages.

【推荐1】Fantastic Magazines for Learning English

Digital Photographer

Perfect if you like: taking pictures with your camera or phone.

What you’ll find inside: This magazine is full of colorful photos and very pleasing to look at. There are many tips and guides on how to take great pictures, and they are written in simple and easy-to-understand English though there are some technical camera terms. You feel like the writers are talking to you! You can impress your friends with your improved English and your new photography skills!

Fast Company

Perfect if you like: business and learning how successful companies work.

What you’ll find inside: Fast Company is one of the most approachable magazines about business and companies. It has many interviews of successful people, as well as general news about interesting new companies. It does use a higher level of writing than what is usual for magazines, so give it a try first to make sure you can understand the articles.

Cricket and Cicada

Perfect if you like: excellent literature and short stories.

What you’ll find inside: Cricket and Cicada are literary magazines aimed at teenagers. Each issue is full of wonderful short stories and poems, and beautiful illustrations. Even though these are technically children’s magazines, they are perfect for learning English because they have high quality writing.

Mental Floss

Perfect if you like: interesting trivia and facts.

What you’ll find inside: What does outer space smell like? Why isn’t cat food mouse-flavored? If you’re the kind of person who asks yourself these questions, you’ll love Mental Floss. Each issue is full of bite-sized trivia and mostly short articles with really interesting facts that you’ll want to share with others.

While the print edition of the magazine stopped publishing in 2016, you can still read Mental Floss online. Click here to get more information.

1. Which magazine tells something about business and companies?

A．Digital Photographer.	B．Fast Company.
C．Cricket.and Cicada.	D．Mental Floss.

2. What is special about Cricket and Cicada?

A．They focus on drawing skills.

B．They can only be bought online.

C．They are intended for teenagers.

D．They are full of colorful pictures.

3. Where is the text most probably taken?

A．On a website.	B．In a newspaper.
C．In an English textbook.	D．From a science magazine.

【推荐2】A meteorite（陨石）moved quickly across the sky and exploded(爆炸）over central Russia on Feb. 15, raining fireballs over a vast area and causing a shock wave that smashed windows, damaged buildings and injured 1,200 people.

People heading to work in Chelyabinsk heard what sounded like an explosion, saw a bright light and then felt the shock wave, according to a Reuters journalist in the industrial city 1 , 500 km east of Moscow.

The fireball, travelling at a speed of 30 km per second according to Russian Federal Space Agency （Roscosmos） , had blazed（熊熊燃烧）across the horizon（地平 线），leaving a long white trail that could be seen as far as 200 km away.

Car alarms went off, thousands of windows were broken and mobile phone networks were interrupted for a short time. The Interior Ministry said the meteorite explosion, a very rare sight, also released a great explosive sound.

“I was driving to work. It was quite dark, but it suddenly became bright as if it were day," said Viktor Prokofiev, 36, a resident（居民）of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains. felt like I was blinded by headlights（车前灯）.”

The meteorite, which weighed about 10 tonnes and may have been made of iron, entered Earth's atmosphere and broke apart 30 km—50 km above ground, according to Russia's Academy of Sciences.

“The energy released（(释放）when it entered the Earth's atmosphere was equal to a few kilo tonnes," the academy said, “the power of a small atomic weapon exploding. ”

No deaths were reported but the Emergencies Ministry said 20, 000 rescue and clean-up workers were sent to Ural Region after President Vladimir Putin told Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov to ease and help the victims.

The Interior Ministry said about 1,200 people had been injured, at least 200 of them were children, and most from broken pieces of glass.

1. What do we learn about the meteorite from the passage?

A．It is a very huge ball made of iron.

B．It quickly broke apart on the ground.

C．It exploded over Russia's Ural Region.

D．It's similar to an A-bomb in weight.

2. The underlined word “smashed" in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “_____”.

A．broke	B．melted
C．burned	D．cleared

3. We can know from the passage that _____.

A．Moscow is 1,500 kilometers away from the east of Chelyabinsk

B．many houses were destroyed, with lots of people reported missing

C．Viktor Prokofiev became blind after seeing the rare sight

D．the shock wave briefly influenced mobile phone networks

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

A．"Meteorite Rush” Begins in Russia

B．President Putin Orders Assistance

C．Meteorite Hits Russia, 1,200 People Hurt

D．Meteorite Flies Quickly Across Russia

【推荐3】People have grown taller over the last century, with South Korean women shooting up by more than 20cm on average, and Iranian men gaining 16.5cm. A global study looked at the average height of 18-year-olds in 200 countries between 1914 and 2014.

The results show that while Swedes were the tallest people in the world in 1914, Dutch men have risen from 12th place to claim top spot with an average height of 182.5cm. Latvian women, meanwhile, rose from 28th place in 1914 to become the tallest in the world a century later, with an average height of 169.8cm.

James Bentham, a co-author of the research from Imperial College, London, says the global trend is likely to be due to improvements in nutrition and healthcare.“An individual’s genetics has a big influence on their height, but once you average over whole populations, genetics plays a less key role,” he added.

A little extra height brings a number of advantages, says Elio Riboli of Imperial College.“Being taller is associated with longer life expectancy,”he said.“This is largely due to a lower risk of dying of cardiovascular（心血管的）disease among taller people.”

But while height has increased around the world, the trend in many African countries causes concern, says Riboli. While height increased in Uganda and Niger during the early 20th century, the trend has reversed in recent years, with height decreasing among 18-year-olds.

“One reason for these decreases in height is the economic situation in the 1980s,”said Alexander Moradi of the

University of Sussex. The nutritional and health crises that followed the policy of structural adjustment, he says, led to many children and teenagers failing to reach their full potential（潜力）in terms of height.

Bentham believes the global trend of increasing height has important implications “How. tall we are now is strongly influenced by the environment we grew up in,” he said.“If we give children the best possible start in life now, they will be healthier and more productive for decades to come.”

1. What does the global study tell us about people’s height in the last century?

A．The increase in people’s height has been quickening.

B．The increase in women’s height is bigger than in men’s.

C．There is a remarkable difference across continents.

D．There has been a noticeable increase in most countries.

2. What does Elio Riboli say about taller people?

A．They enjoy an easier life.	B．They tend to live longer.
C．They risk fewer deadly diseases.	D．They have greater expectations in life.

3. What does the underlined word “reversed” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．Slowed down.	B．Gone upwards.
C．Changed to the contrary.	D．Come to life again.

4. What does James Bentham suggest we do?

A．Ensure children’s proper nutrition and healthcare.

B．Improve the economic situation of some countries.

C．Watch the global trend of increasing height closely.

D．Attach great importance to environmental protection.

【推荐1】Nobody likes home economics (家政学). But restoring the program could help us in the fight against obesity and chronic (慢性的) diseases today.

The home economics movement was founded on the belief that housework and food preparation were important subjects that should be studied scientifically. The first classes occurred in the agricultural and technical colleges that were built in the 1860s. When most departments of universities rejected women, home economics was a back door into higher education.

Indeed, in the early 20th century, home economics was a serious subject. When few people understood germ (微生物) theory and almost no one had heard of vitamins, home economics classes offered vital information about washing hands regularly, eating fruits and vegetables and not feeding coffee to babies.

However, today we remember only the fixed ideas about home economics, forgetting the movement’s most important lessons on healthy eating and cooking. Too many Americans simply don’t know how to cook. Our diets, consisting of highly processed foods made cheaply outside the home, have contributed to many serious health problems. In the last decade, many cities and states have tried to tax junk food heavily or to ban the use of food stamps (食品券) to buy soda. Clearly, many people are doubtful about any governmental steps to promote healthy eating. But what if the government put the tools of obesity prevention in the hands of children themselves by teaching them how to cook?

My first experience with home economics happened two decades ago when I was a seventh grader in a North Carolina public school. A year later, my father’s job took our family to Wales, where I attended a large school for a few months. It was the first time I had ever really cooked anything. I remember that it was fun, and with an instructor standing by, it wasn’t hard. Those lessons stuck with me when I first started cooking for my husband and myself after college and they still do. Teaching cooking in public schools can help solve some problems facing Americans today. The history of home economics shows it’s possible.

1. Home economics______.

A．is a subject becoming more and more popular with Americans

B．is often used to help fight against obesity and chronic diseases

C．once offered women a. special approach to university education

D．was first taught in the agricultural and technical colleges in the early 1900s

2. The third paragraph mainly tells us______ .

A．the importance of regular hand washing

B．the health benefits of fruits and vegetables

C．the contents of home economics classes in the early 20th century

D．the significance of teaching home economics in the early 20th century

3. In the opinion of the author, how should we fight against childhood obesity?

A．Children should be taught how to cook.

B．A heavy tax should be put on junk food.

C．Healthy eating should be promoted at school.

D．Using food stamps to buy soda should be banned.

4. What does the author imply in the last paragraph?

A．Her family moved frequently in her childhood.

B．Cooking classes have a far-reaching influence on her later life.

C．To receive a better education, she went to a large school in Wales.

D．Teaching cooking is the key to solving Americans’ health problems.

【推荐3】When I was about 12 years old, my older brother, James, smuggled a BB gun into the house. Our parents had told us many times that we were not allowed   to bring home guns or knives, even if they were just toys. Having any form of weaponry in our home was strictly forbidden.

James brought me to his room. He opened his closet door and took out a shoebox that was buried beneath a heap of clothes. The BB gun was inside. I was immediately enamored by the shiny barrel.

"Can I shoot it, Jamesie?" I asked, hopefully.

"No way," James said, taking it from me and putting it back.

One day, when no one was home, I went into James' closet and took it out. For some inexplicable reason - I have no idea what I was thinking - I went to the front window of the second floor in our row house. I cracked the window open. I pointed the gun outside and shot. I quickly shut the window and peeked outside.

In a matter of seconds, old Mr. Schlosberg came out of his grocery store. He looked back at his store window. He looked up the street. He looked down the street. Then he looked straight across to our house.

Thankfully, Jamesie made it home before Mother or Father.

As he stepped through the door, I could hear old Mr. Schlosberg call his name. "James, James," he called. "Come here, son."

After several minutes, James ran back across the street and into the living room. I had retreated into the kitchen. "Alma!" he screamed. "Get out here! You cracked Mr. Schlosberg's window with my BB gun!"

"Oh, please, Jamesie," I begged. "Don't let him tell Mother. She will whip my bottom real good!" Jamesie sighed. He wiped my tears and went back across the street to Mr. Schlosberg’s. I don't know what James said to that man, but there was never a mention of the incident again.

Years later, I found out Jamesie had used the money he got from his newspaper route to pay for Mr. Schlosberg's cracked window. He only got one cent for every paper he delivered. He managed to pay back the debt just before he went off to fight in World WarII.

Since that day, I have never touched a gun: a BB gun, a water gun, a real gun, or any other type.

1. Why was the gun hidden in the closet?

A．The gun was too expensive.

B．The family had only one gun.

C．The law didn’t allow anyone to have a gun

D．The parents didn’t allow a gun to appear at home.

2. What did Alma expect from James after he shot Mr. Schlosberg’s window?

A．To deal with the problem.	B．To talk with his parents.
C．To throw away the gun.	D．To tell the truth.

3. Which of the following best describes James as a brother?

A．Responsible and strict.	B．Brave and determined.
C．Responsible and caring.	D．Naughty and determined.

4. The best title of the passage is _________.

A．a warmhearted brother	B．a BB gun
C．a cracked window	D．an incident