【推荐1】Imagine a mystery guest coming to your Thanksgiving dinner, one you have never met. Imagine this “silent guest” being a starving person from a poor country. That is what students at Mount St. Joseph University in Ohio want you to think about this Thanksgiving.

Students of the Mount's Impact Club are urging everyone to feed a “silent guest” at this year's Thanksgiving. These students have been holding fund­raisers for the World Food Programme (WFP) and trying to get people to join their “silent guest” plan.

Their idea came from the “silent guest” campaign in 1947, which asked Americans to open up their hearts and share their Thanksgiving abundance. Governor Robert Bradford of Massachusetts, whose forefather started Thanksgiving, announced the new tradition of feeding a “silent guest” at the holiday meal.

American families were asked to donate the cost of feeding their “silent guest” to a committee in Massachusetts. The “silent guest” donations from Americans led to CARE packages of food being sent to starving families overseas. This was important for many countries in Europe, who were still suffering from the destruction caused by World War Ⅱ.

The food from the “silent guest” helped keep Europe afloat until Marshall Plan to rebuild could kick in. As George Marshall said, “Food is the very basis of all reconstruction.”

The “silent guest” idea was started by an activist named Iris Gabriel. She approached Governor Bradford, with the plan and eventually governors across the US were on board. This was a giving spirit.

It is a spirit we must keep with us today because the WFP and other relief agencies are facing an incredible challenge with hunger emergencies. Fighting world hunger is no less important than it was in 1947.

That is why it's inspiring that college students are leading the campaign to bring back the “silent guest”. And you can join them by simply setting aside a place in your heart and your holiday table while donating to a charity fighting hunger.

1. What gave the students the idea of “silent guest”？

A．A historical fact.	B．Their rich imagination.
C．A moving story.	D．A TV programme.

2. What can we know about the “silent guest” campaign in 1947?

A．It was a worldwide campaign.

B．It helped the development of the US.

C．It was originally put forward by the WFP.

D．It contributed a lot to Europe's rebuilding.

3. What might be the spirit of the “silent guest” campaign?

A．Giving is a virtue.	B．Give thanks by giving.
C．Give respect to the poor.	D．Giving is better than receiving.

4. What should people do according to the “silent guest” plan?

A．Invite your friends to Thanksgiving dinner.

B．Act as a silent guest to show thanks to people.

C．Raise money for the World Food Programme.

D．Provide shelter to a silent guest on Christmas.

【推荐3】China is the biggest market in the world, and many countries such as Germany, the USA, the UK and Russia do a lot of business in China. Let’s have a look at some important tips to help you be successful when dealing with these nationalities.
First, you must be punctual (准时的) with Germans. Even 5 minutes late makes a bad impression. Being punctual is also very important in the USA. In the UK, it’s important to be punctual for business meetings, but nobody expects you to be on time for a social event. Half past seven really means a quarter to eight, or even eight o'clock! With Russians, you should always be on time, though it is not unusual for them to be one or even two hours late!
It is best to dress formally and wear dark colours when you meet people from all the four countries. In Russia, designer clothes are very common. Don’t be surprised if you go to an office in the UK on a Friday and find everyone wearing jeans. Many companies have “dress down Friday”, when people wear casual (随便的) clothes.
In Germany, first names are only used by family members and close friends, so be prepared to use titles and last names. In the USA you will usually be invited to use first names almost immediately. The British are quite informal and using first names in business is more and more common, especially among younger people. In Russia, however, nobody uses first names, so use titles and last names.
In conversation, the British and the Americans value humour, and both like to talk about sport. The weather is also a good topic of conversation with the British and the Americans, but avoid talking about politics. In Russia, say positive things about their country, but avoid making complaints. The Germans, however, prefer to get straight down to business!
So, use these tips, and you will be on your way to a successful international business career!
1. Which color should you NOT wear when meeting a person from the USA?

A．Dark blue.

B．Gray.

C．Black.

D．White.

2. All of the following statements are true EXCEPT ______.

A．you can say something funny when you talk to an American

B．you can use his first name when you talk to an Englishman

C．you must be on time when you meet people from each of the four countries

D．people wear whatever they like on Friday in some companies in the UK

3. When you talk to a Russian, you can ______.

A．complain about something

B．say something negative about his country

C．say something good about his country

D．point out some disadvantages in politics

4. The tips in this passage are probably given to people from ______.

A．China

B．the USA

C．Germany

D．the UK

【推荐1】Babies work hard to get ready to talk. They listen attentively, and at around 6 months of age start to babble (含糊不清地说) with passion while their brains figure out how to make sounds understood by others. A new study suggests babies might also learn to gab by using their eyes.

“Babies start to lip-read (唇读) when they learn to babble,” said David Lewkowic, a psychologist who worked on the study. At that time, he says, infants probably connect the sound of a word to the shape of a person’s mouth when saying the word.

Lewkowicz and Amy Hansen Tift conducted the experiments showing babies’ lip-reading skills. The scientists studied 179 babies from families where English is the main language spoken at home.

The children, who were divided into groups by age, wore special tools while they watched videos of a woman speaking English or speaking Spanish, which was a foreign language to the babies. The tool kept track of where the child looked while watching each video.

Babbling babies between the age of 8 and 12 months watched the speaker’s lips during every video. Babies who could talk also watched the speaker’s lips—but only while viewing Spanish videos. While watching the English videos, babies who could talk changed to watching the woman’s eyes. The scientists say these findings suggest that babies who already use words can took away from a speaker’s mouth and toward the eyes for additional, nonverbal (非语言的) communication signs.

The new study is useful for understanding how babies learn to speak, but it also might help researchers understand disorders like autism (自闭症). Children with autism have a hard time communicating clearly and forming relationships with people. The new experiments suggest that lip-reading for a long time in younger children, between 1 and 2 years old, may be an early sign of autism.

1. The underlined word “gab” in the first paragraph means ________.

A．read	B．talk
C．communicate	D．see

2. We can learn from the experiments that babies who ________.

A．couldn’t talk watched the speaker’s eyes during English video

B．could talk watched the speaker’s mouth during English video

C．couldn’t talk watched the speaker’s mouth during Spanish video

D．could talk watched the speaker’s eyes during Spanish video

3. The last paragraph mainly talks about ________.

A．the importance of the new study

B．the problems of autism

C．the early signs of autism

D．the effects (影响) of autism on child

【推荐3】Though it is not good for us to expose ourselves to sunlight for too long, allowing ourselves appropriate amount of exposure to sunlight gives us many benefits and affects us in a number of ways.

Without the sun, life would not have developed. It gives us energy and heats our world. The sun gives us light and thus in turn we are able to see the beautiful colors in our world. It makes us feel good when we feel the warmth of its rays on our shoulders. We store the energy from the sun to help build and heat our houses.

Without sunlight we would not be able to survive. Sunlight gives balance. All living things live in a food chain and at the beginning of the food chain conies the plant which absorbs sunlight and transforms light energy into chemical energy ,which will then be absorbed by another life to be turned into a new kind of energy and so on.

One of the benefits that we can get from sunlight is that we can receive vitamin D from sunlight. It helps us to keep a healthy body, control the amount of minerals in the body, which is needed to help keep our bones and teeth in good condition and helps to keep a well-balanced mind.

Different places on the earth receive varying degrees of sunlight, which will decide the region's climate. For example, the farther away it is from the equator （赤道）,the sharper the angle of the sun's rays that reach it, which means that sunlight coverage will be more spread out, and receive less heat than lower latitude（纬度）areas nearer the equator.

1. Why does sunlight give balance?

A．It helps to pass energy.	B．It helps to absorb energy.
C．It helps to form new lives.	D．It helps to protect new lives.

2. In which aspect can sunlight assist people?

A．Reducing the amount of minerals.	B．Improving the nerve system.
C．Keeping the bones and teeth healthy.	D．Obtaining a well-balanced diet.

3. What's the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．Which place is the hottest.	B．How sunlight affects the climate.
C．How to get more sunlight.	D．How much sunlight a place needs.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Avoiding Being Exposed to Sunlight Too Long

B．Varying Degrees of Sunlight on the World

C．Benefits of Sunlight on the World

D．Making Full Use of Sunlight

【推荐1】It’s reported that scientists in London have found the best diet for both humans and the planet.

If the world followed the so-called “planetary health” diet, each year more than ll million early deaths could be avoided according to the scientists. For the health of the planet, they say the same diet will reduce (减少) greenhouse gases and save more land, water and animals. This new food plan is the result of a three-year project organized by The Lancet health journal.

Tim Lang, a professor at Britain’s University of London. He said, “The food we eat and how we produce it decide the health of people and the planet.” Lang added, The world’s population is expected to grow to 10 billion people by 2050. If we want to feed everyone, we all need to change what we eat and the way we eat by improving food production and reducing food waste”. So, what do you eat on the “planetary health” diet?

The scientists who created the “planetary health” diet say it is largely plant-based but still has a little milk, fish and meat. The diet calls for cutting down red meat and sugar by 50 percent and increasing nuts, fruits, and vegetable.

Walter Willet of Harvard University in the United States also talked about the “planetary health” diet. He said, “More than 800 million people around the world do not get enough food while many more people have very unhealthy diets.”

The scientists think it difficult to reach their aim. But for them, doing nothing is also not a choice Willet said, “If we can’t make the best diet, it’s better to try and get as close as we can.”

1. What decides the health of people and the planet according to Tim Lang?

A．The taste of the food.

B．The number of population.

C．The climate and our living conditions.

D．The food we eat and the way we produce it.

2. What does the “planetary health” diet mainly contain?

A．Milk.	B．Meat.
C．Sugar.	D．Plants.

3. What do scientists say about the “planetary health” diet?

A．It is very easy to produce it.

B．It is better to try their best to make it.

C．It is better to do nothing than fail.

D．It is impossible to make it.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Humans Health Is Very Important.

B．Many People don’t Get Enough Food.

C．A New Kind of diet may Save the Plane.

D．Different People have Different Eating Habits.

【推荐2】After the heavy rain passes，a man at a company that lies on the riverbank arrives for work. At the water’s edge，he notices a baby beaver(海狸) balls up on the ground. Realizing that the animal needs help，the man picks him up and drives to a nearby animal hospital. From here the beaver is sent to the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society(CWRS)，where he will begin his recovery.

Vets check the beaver—now named Birch—for wounds or broken bones. Luckily they find no injuries. “But he’s a real little animal—only three and a half pounds，” says Andrea Hunt，a worker at the rehab center. According to his weight，they think that Birch is about eight weeks old. “Baby beavers stay with their families for one to two years，” Hunt says.“He’s not ready to care for himself. If he hadn’t been saved，he almost certainly wouldn’t have survived.”

To keep Birch from getting lonely，Hunt pairs him with another baby beaver named Aspen. At first they’re fed a milky cereal. A few weeks later，Birch and Aspen begin a diet(饮食) of solid food that includes leafy kale and collard greens. Wood is also on the menu. For exercise，each beaver receives its own pool to swim in.

About a year later，Birch weighs 27 pounds. “Not only is he healthy，but he’s also learned good survival skills，” Hunt says.“It’s time to let him go.” Early one morning the beaver is driven into a Canadian forest to be set free. Birch is carried in a cage(笼子) to the bank of a lake. When the door opens，he carefully steps out，then jumps into the water and swims away.“We’ll miss Birch，” Hunt says. “But nothing feels better than putting an animal back where it should be.”

1. On his way to work，the man ________.

A．gets caught in heavy rain

B．saves a little young animal

C．is driven to a hospital

D．sends a beaver home

2. According to Paragraph 2，Birch ________.

A．moves to the rehab center with Hunt

B．loses his parents when he is born

C．is too young to care for himself

D．breaks his bones in an accident

3. What would be the best title for the text?

A．Birch：a Lucky Beaver

B．Aspen：a Special Friend

C．Andrea Hunt：a Skilled Worker

D．The CWRS：Home to Injured Animals

【推荐3】Everyone has an anecdote to share about how stress affects their body, particularly in their skin and hair----the only tissues we can see from the outside. Recently, a team from Harvard University provides scientific evidence to support the idea that stress can cause a person’s hair to turn gray in a study published in the journal Nature. Ya-Chieh Hsu, a professor in this team said in a statement that the study was the first to confirm the common belief that stress can cause gray hair.

Most people have about 100,000 hair follicles (毛囊) on their head. The follicles are responsible for making melanocytes (黑素细胞), the cells that give hair its color. As people age, melanocyte production is reduced. This causes a person’s hair to begin turning gray naturally.

The team used experiments with mice to look at how stress affects stem cells in hair follicles. At first, the researchers suspected that an immune attack caused by a stressful event might be targeting the melanocyte stem cells. That theory, however, turned out to be false. The team also thought the hormone cortisol (皮质醇), which always increases in the body during times of stress, might be a likely cause. However, when researchers removed the glands (腺体) that produce the cortisol hormones, the hair of mice still turned gray.

The scientists then centered their experiments on the body’s sympathetic nervous system ---- a system that is made up of a collection of nerves that extend through the body and controls "fight-or-flight" reactions in dangerous situations. When the mice were subjected to short-term pain or placed in stressful laboratory conditions, these nerves released a chemical called norepinephrine (去甲肾上腺素). When the norepinephrine was released, all the melanocyte stem cells in the hair follicles were highly activated and changed into cells producing pigment (色素). This overproduction process resulted in the early loss of color-producing cells.

Ya-Chieh Hsu said that the results showed the harmful effects are more major than what the researchers had imagined. “After just a few days, all of the pigment-reproducing stem cells were lost. Once they’re gone, you can’t reproduce pigments anymore. The damage is permanent” .

1. What happened to the mice in a stressful environment?

A．An immune attack destroyed their melanocyte stem cells.

B．The hormone cortisol level dropped in their body.

C．Their melanocyte stem cells become less active.

D．More color-producing cells were lost.

2. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The functions of the sympathetic nervous system.

B．The process of hair’s turning gray.

C．The harmful effects of stress.

D．The importance of norepinephrine.

3. Which word best describes the author’s attitude to the study?

A．Skeptical	B．Objective
C．Tolerant	D．Conservative

4. What can we learn from the study?

A．It is the first to investigate the connection between stress and gray hair.

B．The effects of stress is as great as researchers expected.

C．Mice become more active when under stress.

D．It is natural for one’s hair to turn gray with aging.

【推荐1】Providing five-star luxury (豪华) in the middle of a treasured wilderness without damaging the environment might not be easy, but it is far from impossible. The King Pacific Lodge in British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest proves that if enough care and attention is taken, the task is within the reach of any tourist provider.

Unlike many other hotel building projects, no trees were cut down and no land was wasted in order to build it. The Lodge does not have the same location but sits on a floating boat pulled into the sea bay in May, till September. Those wishing to stay in one of its seventeen rooms must access it by boat or seaplane. Each guest staying at the Lodge is charged 3% conservation tax, but is rewarded by the chance to sight whales and bears. And since these are the main attractions of the area and of the Lodge, the management is well aware that in order to stay in business they must leave the area untouched.

In 2000, the Lodge management signed an agreement with the native Gitga’ at people. Together they work for the benefit of the area. The Lodge recognizes the native tribe (部落) as the owners of the land, pays the tribe for the use of their land and even supports the native youth and employs the tribe’s people. They, in turn, teach the newcomers about the local culture.

The King Pacific Lodge is one of a growing number of tourism companies that go beyond only minimizing (把……减至最小程度) their environmental effect to win the approval (批准) of the local community where they set up their business. These companies use environmentally friendly solution to problems, and are careful to limit their use of resources and protect threatened species. Realizing how destructive (破坏性的) tourism can be, they want to avoid the love-it-to-death effect of tourism and leave a lighter environmental footprint.

1. What can we learn about the King Pacific Lodge?

A．It is located in an area without any trees.

B．It can be moved from place to place.

C．Guests have to pay extra for the flight to get there.

D．Guests can take part in conservation programs.

2. What do we know about the Lodge management?

A．It cooperates with the native people.

B．It wants to borrow the land from the native people.

C．It does not care about the local culture.

D．It seldom considers protecting the environment.

3. According to the text, the tourist industry_________.

A．has a disagreement with the local communities

B．can limit the danger it does to the environment

C．ignore the importance of environmentally friendly tourism

D．will always do harm to the environment

【推荐2】Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Tickets

Lyric Theatre      214 West 43rd Street                  New York,NY 10036

Experience J.K.Rowling’s magical universe like never before.

This show is presented in two parts.

You may buy tickets for each part together or separately.

Show Information

GalaPro,a free app for on-demand captioning(说明文字)and audio description that you can use on your personal smartphone device.GalaPro makes theatre accessible for audience who are hearing or sight challenged,or just don’t want to miss a word of the show.

1. What age range is the play intended for?

A．Ages 4 and up.

B．Ages 10 and up.

C．Ages 4 to 15.

D．Ages 10 to 15.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．The cursed child refers to J.K.Rowling.

B．The whole play lasts 5 hours and 35 mins.

C．Latecomers will not be admitted to the theater.

D．Audience might take different seats during the play.

3. What is GalaPro according to the passage?

A．A special caption.

B．A handy application.

C．An audio description.

D．A smartphone device.

【推荐3】The search engine Google celebrated on Thursday the 110th birthday of the first Native American woman engineer.Google honored Mary Ross with a special Google Doodle on its homepage.

Ross was born on August 9，1908，in the state of Oklahoma.She was the great-granddaughter of John Ross，the longest—serving chief of the Cherokee Nation.Her work is considered important to the early stages of the age of space travel.

Ross showed special abilities in math and science from an early age.As a student，she developed an interest in aviation，or the practice of flying aircraft.She went on to earn a master’s degree in mathematics from Colorado State Teachers College，now called the University of Northern Colorado.

During World War II，Ross began working for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation as a mathematician.She earned a special certification in the field from the University of California in1949.Ross was later chosen to join Lockheed’s top—secret Skunk Works team that worked on aircraft designs.The name refers to a group that is permitted to work independently on advanced projects.She was the only female engineer among the team’s 40 members.

Early on，she researched defense systems.By the late 1950s，her work centered on satellites and a series of space rockets called Agenda.The rockets were extremely important in the 1960s during the Apollo moon program.

Ross also helped develop early design ideas for space travel between planets，including flyby space flights to study Venus and Mars.Ross retired from Lockheed in 1973.But she continued to give talks at high schools and colleges to encourage more women and Native Americans to study engineering.She died in 2008，a few months before her 100th birthday.

Many celebrated Ross’life on social media.Twitter user Aaron Perez，for example，wrote:“Mary Ross was an engineer who pioneered in the field of satellites.I never would have known if it wasn’t for the doodle.Women engineers deserve more recognition.”

1. Why did Google celebrate Mary Ross’110th birthday?

A．She invented a new flying aircraft.

B．She had been a great designer ever.

C．She contributed a lot to space travel.

D．She got a master’s degree in mathematics.

2. What did Mary Ross do in the middle of20th century?

A．She worked on Agenda.

B．She gave talks at high schools.

C．She helped women study engineering.

D．She planned the Apollo moon program.

3. Which of the following can best describe Mary Ross?

A．Caring and cautious.	B．Talented and creative.
C．Generous and patient.	D．Courageous and optimistic.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Social media is very popular in the world.

B．Every Twitter user thinks highly of Mary Ross.

C．More attention should be paid to women engineers.

D．Man has made greater progress in space technology.