【推荐1】One day, our teacher talked about the stereotypes (固定看法) of different people. I learned the stereotypes of Mexicans: they are poor and lazy. I was ashamed of who I was because I am a Mexican and thought that it would be hard for me to be successful.
One day in the eleventh grade, we had a discussion in history class. The kid next to me said, "You look like one of those Mexicans who sell food in the street." I told him that he was also a Mexican. He said, "I don't look as Mexican as you. I have light skin." That was the first time that I'd heard someone say, "I don't look as Mexican as you." Could it be that the people who succeed in this country are those who look like an American?
Towards the end of the eleventh grade, I was asked to write a restaurant review. When I went to a restaurant, I saw the waiter talking to the chefs (厨师) and thought they were judging me. I felt nervous but I couldn't leave because I had to write the review. Minutes later, the waiter stopped talking and took my order. He was happy to serve me. I started asking him questions about his restaurant and I guessed that he liked that because he gave me a free dish. After I left the restaurant, I thought, "That's wasn't bad at all." Not all people think of me as a failure.
Now, I am running for the school president in my senior year. I am not sure if I can win, but I tell myself that if I want to be successful, I have to stop despising (鄙视) myself. I want to prove that Latinos can be successful. I do belong to the United States. An American is a person who overcomes struggles to become successful and that is what I'm doing.
1. In Paragraph 2, what the kid said to the author made him doubt whether ______.

A．he should laugh at the kid

B．the kid was a real Mexican

C．he should sell food in the street

D．the color of one's skin really mattered

2. The author's experience of finishing his restaurant review helped him realize that         .

A．he could succeed easily if he tried his best

B．the waiters in America were all very friendly

C．not everyone in American looked down on Mexicans

D．he was actually popular with people around him

3. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Where one was born matters a lot.

B．Being a Mexican is hard in America.

C．Other people's opinions are very important.

D．It is what he does that makes him an American.

【推荐2】Looking at a pile of old photos, I couldn’t help feeling rather regretful.

I’ve never got into the habit of sorting out photos. However, it’s almost a habit of mine to have photos taken thoughtlessly. Thus, photos have been piling up in my childhood to womanhood. In spite of that, those black-and-white pictures taken in my early years are rarely kept, except a few survivals regarded as antiques. The bald baby picture of me that I treasured, the only one left, it’s now missing.

Familiar faces flash one by one before my eyes. Though the world is so small and we all live in it, yet we are separated by physical and psychological distances, some smaller, some larger. With the passage of time, one cannot, regretfully relive (重温) it with the same feeling as one had in the picture. What one can get from the old photos is but a bit of the past joy.

One takes pictures with different persons in different time and places. They fill one with nostalgia (怀旧) in various degrees — some more, some less, and others none. That’s why one has conflicting feelings towards the old photos. Still kept with the current ones, they’re even less favored than a daily-used cup, which is always close to the owner.

How these pieces of thought influence me! Photos keep our images rather than our sentiment, which may not remain. The image is always there but not its owner, whom the photo can’t keep, neither can it keep the event.

Of course, there are some of the photos still holding my affection, such as those taken with my family members, with favorite playmates, fellow girl-students and best friends, not only in pictures but also in my life and heart.

Now, since I have learned all this, I will not allow myself to be included casually in a photo taken with others. I’ll make sure that the friendship can last before I take a photo with somebody.

1. Why did the writer have only a few black-and-white pictures?

A．She took fewer of them.	B．She took photos thoughtlessly.
C．She didn’t take good care of them.	D．She only liked the bald baby picture.

2. What can we get from the old photos according to the writer?

A．All the past events.	B．All the past excitement.
C．Some past happiness.	D．The everlasting memory.

3. What does the underlined word “sentiment” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Feeling.

B．Thought.

C．Look.

D．Influence.

4. What is the writer likely to do when asked to take photos with others?

A．To take the photo happily.	B．To refuse the request politely.
C．To ignore the request casually.	D．To think carefully before action.

【推荐3】I woke up with drool (口水) on my pillow this morning. I wouldn’t have minded except it wasn’t mine. The alarm clock rang, and I reached over to turn it off. As I laid my face back down on the pillow, I felt the wet drool on my pillow case. I opened my eyes and saw a smiling, furry face gazing down at me. I tried to get up, but she was too fast. My face was suddenly covered in kisses with one going straight up my nose and another right in my ear. I laughed, reached out and picked up the eight-pound love machine and held her away from my wet face. It was just another morning in a life with dogs.

Why do we welcome them into our homes and our hearts? We know that we are most likely going to outlive them and have our hearts broken when they age quickly and pass away after ten to fifteen years. We know that there will be vet (兽医) bills, flea baths and enough fur to make a vacuum(真空的) cleaner cry. We know that our ears will ring from the barking, that we will be picking up poop (大便) every single day and that we will never get to finish a full sandwich again.

Yet, when we are feeling down or blue, there will always be a soft head on our lap needing to be pet. When we get home after a long day’s work, there will be a happy face at the door waiting for us. Our lives will be full of balls to throw and love and loyalty that will warm our hearts and uplift our souls.

For thousands of years, dogs have been our best friends. They remain one of the greatest gifts life has ever given us. Even if they can’t love us for the rest of our lives, they will always love us for all of theirs.

1. How does the author probably feel about his dog every morning?

A．Awful.	B．Impatient.
C．Delighted.	D．Thrilled.

2. What figure of speech is used in the underlined part in Paragraph 2?

A．Irony(反语).	B．Contrast.
C．Repetition.	D．Personification(拟人).

3. What is the function of Paragraph 2 ?

A．Exploring why we love dogs.

B．Showing how dogs can be a burden.

C．Giving examples of dogs’ bad behavior.

D．Describing how dogs can be charming.

4. Why did the writer write this article?

A．To give the good and bad points of raising dogs.

B．To share how much joy his dog has brought him.

C．To say that having a dog is worth all the trouble.

D．To tell the importance of a dog’s company.

【推荐2】   When should people be made to retire? 55? 65? Should there be a compulsory age limit?
Many old people work well into their 70s and 80s, running families, countries or corporations. Other people, however, despite being fit and highly talented, are forced to retire in their fifties or even earlier because of the regulations of a company or the nation. This essay will examine whether people should be allowed to continue working as long as they want or whether they should be encouraged to retire at a particular stage.

Some people think there are several arguments for allowing older people to continue working as long as they are able. First of all, older employees have an immense amount of knowledge and experience which can be lost to a business or organization if they are made to retire. A second point is that older employees are often extremely loyal employees and are more willing to carry out company policies than younger less committed staff. However, a more important point is regarding the attitudes in society to old people. To force someone to resign or retire at 60 indicates that the society does not value the input of these people and that effectively their useful life is over. Age is irrelevant to a working life, surely if older employees are told they cannot work after 60, this is age discrimination. That they become old does not necessarily mean they are going to be sick. Old people could be more aware, experienced and committed than some youngsters.

Others, however, think that allowing older people to work indefinitely is not a good policy. Age alone is no guarantee of ability. Old people are only ambitious workaholics who are too selfish and self-centered to believe that a younger person could do better. Actually, many younger employees have more experience or skills than older staff, who may have been stuck in one area or unit for most of their working lives. Having compulsory retirement allows new ideas in an organization. In addition, without age limits, however, many people would continue to work purely because they did not have any other plans or roles. A third point of view is that older people should be rewarded by society for their life’s labor by being given generous pensions and the freedom to enjoy their leisure. We now have youngsters who can’t find jobs because old people are choosing not to retire. Old people are not retiring because this new generation of “old people” think they will never die due to modern advances in medicine.

With many young people unemployed or frustrated in low-level positions, there are often calls to compulsorily retire older workers. However, this can affect the older individual’s freedom and right to work and can deprive（剥夺）society of valuable experience and insights. I feel that giving workers more flexibility and choice over their retirement age will benefit society and the individual.

1. What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To explain the compulsory age limit.

B．To discuss the retirement age.

C．To examine people’s working life.

D．To introduce a particular stage.

2. Which of the following is NOT a reason for allowing old people to continue working according to the passage?

A．Their contribution should be valued.

B．Their experience should be made use of.

C．They can help the youngsters.

D．They are loyal employees.

3. It can be inferred in the fourth passage that ______.

A．the young people have more creative spirits

B．Modern advances in medicine make old people never die

C．Pensions and freedom are not given to the old now

D．old people believe that a younger person could do better

4. The passage is arranged as follows:

A．	B．
C．	D．

5. What is the author’s opinion on the retirement age?

A．The author thinks when to retire depends on the employees themselves.

B．The author is against lengthening the retirement age.

C．The author thinks that retirement age varies from country to country.

D．The author is in favor of allowing old people to continue working.

【推荐3】How often do you have a conversation with someone, and think you are paying attention to him or her, only to realize shortly afterwards that you can't remember what he said? Or, perhaps you get distracted while he is speaking and miss the message that he is trying to deliver. In today's busy world, modern life is full of distractions: TVs, radios, traffic noises, telephones, laptops and so on, which can make it difficult to listen with our full attention.

But how can we listen more effectively? Jon kabat---zinn, professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, put forward the idea of mindful listening. He said mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, with a purpose, at the present moment and non-judgmentally.

When we listen mindfully, we can be aware of some barriers but still remain open to the speaker's ideas and messages. Mindfulness encourages us to be aware of the present moment, let go of distractions and ignore physical and emotional reactions to what people say to us.

But how can we apply mindful listening to our life? Jon Kabat-Zinn describes three key elements of mindful listening that we can use to improve our listening skills.

First of all, be present. When we listen mindfully, our focus should be on the person we are listening to without distractions. Then develop empathy. We often see the world through our own experiences. When we're empathetic, we can understand a situation from someone else's point of view. At last, listen to our own “cues”. Our cues are the thoughts, feelings and physical reactions                                   that we have when we feel anxious or angry, and they can block out ideas and perspectives that we're uncomfortable with. Mindful listening can help us to be more aware of our cues, and allow us to choose not to let them block communication.

The rule is straightforward: simply “Listen”! Listen carefully and attentively. Pay full attention to the other person, and don't let other thoughts, like what we are going to say next, distract us.

1. What's the function of the first paragraph?

A．To introduce the topic.	B．To make a conclusion.
C．To criticize the distractions.	D．To describe daily situations.

2. What is one of the advantages of mindful listening?

A．Making a judgment correctly.	B．Sharing messages with the speaker.
C．Stopping people's running thoughts.	D．Making sure of feeling understood.

3. What does the underlined word "empathy" in paragraph 5 refer to?

A．The feeling of trusting others.	B．The ability to understand others.
C．The attitude of caring about others.	D．The behavior of listening to others.

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

A．Applications of Mindful Listening.

B．Key Elements of Mindful Listening.

C．A Research on Mindful Listening.

D．An Introduction of Mindful Listening.

【推荐1】It used to be mostly the military that used small, unpiloted aircraft, called "drones". The little planes were very costly. But as they have dropped in price more people have begun to use them. Rescue workers and farmers are among the new users.

The fast rate of the development of computer technology, image sensing devices, satellite navigation and smartphones has led to lower-priced drones. Researchers and developers have learned how to build smaller and less-costly drones, Moviemakers are using drones to film from the sky. Historians use them when they explore ancient buildings. Rescue workers use them to look for people. And now farmers are using them to watch over their crops.

Romain Faroux is a French businessman who starts companies. His father was a farmer. He believed drones could help farmers. He helped create a company that developed a small drone that could be controlled by people on the ground. They called it "Agridrone". It uses a special "optical sensor" to examine crops. The technology used is similar to that used by smartphones-except it has wings. A computer program directs the drone to fly over the crops. The sensor on the drone records four different-colored "bands" of sunlight that are reflected off the crops.

Jean-Baptiste Bruggeman is a farmer. He says the drone flies over his crops at different times of the season. He says this provides a lot of information about his crops. The drone pictures show him the exact amount of fertilizer the crops need. It also shows exactly where the fertilizer is needed.

Romain Faroux says farmers use information collected by the Agridrone to place fertilizer only in areas where it was needed. This saves money and reduces pollution. Before they used the drones, farmers would put the same amount of fertilizer everywhere. Drones also save time because farmers can examine up to three hectare in about a minute.

1. Why do rescue workers and farmers begin to use drones?

A．Drones can monitor their cattle.	B．Drones' prices have dropped.
C．Drones can help them get more business.	D．Drones' sizes become smaller.

2. What can the drones developed by Romain Farour's company do?

A．Explore ancient buildings.	B．Put fertilizer on the crops.
C．Help farmers examine their crops.	D．Help rescue workers look for people.

3. What can the sensor on the drone do?

A．Help the sunlight shine the crops.	B．Direct the plane to fly over the crop.
C．Examine the different colors of the.	D．Record the sunlight reflected off the crops.

4. According to the text, the use of the drone is _________.

A．environment-friendly

B．wasteful

C．costly

D．safe

【推荐2】It has been four years since the Flashfood App was set to hit Canadian grocery stores and make it easier for shoppers to buy soon-to-expiry (保质期) food at a discount. Much to my delight, I heard it advertised recently on a radio station and figured it’s time for an update, especially since people became more aware of food waste’s role in the climate crisis.

The first thing I did was download the App. I hadn’t done it before because it was limited to a few locations, but now it’s all over Canada. I could see immediately that many brands of yogurt are all marked down 50 percent. Users pay for the food using the App, and then pick it up at a marked location in the store. There is no need for you to worry about them actually being bad.

It makes sense for retailers(零售商) to get behind this App because it offers a win-win situation for everyone involved. Flashfood sells 75% of the products made available through its App while saving consumers an average of 50% on those grocery items, and it has 300 000 active users right now. That number is expected to grow naturally as Flashfood partners with more grocers.

“As a food retailer, we are in the business of providing food, not wasting it. The Flashfood program allows us to provide our customers with a convenient and environmentally sustainable (可持续的) way to purchase food. Loblaw sells 77% of the items it puts on Flashfood, moving an average of ＄800 to ＄1000 worth of goods weekly at each of its largest stores,” said Gord Chem, senior VP with Loblaw’s Real Canadian Superstores.

I love looking for discount deals at the grocery store and always keep an eye out for the hot pink clearance stickers. But it’s always random, and I never know what I’m going to get from week to week. The appeal of Flashfood is that I can see what’s available, pre-purchase it, and leave it off my shopping list.

1. What can we know about the food on the Flashfood?

A．It’s delivered directly to the customers.	B．Users can pay for it in the marked store.
C．Much of it is charged at half the price.	D．It’ll be a month away before it goes bad.

2. According to Gord Chem, the Flashfood is ________.

A．impractical	B．doubtful
C．creative	D．beneficial

3. How is the advantage of Flashfood introduced in the last paragraph?

A．By making a comparison.	B．By listing some examples.
C．By explaining the cause.	D．By introducing the result.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Customers can buy much cheaper food on a recent app.

B．Canadians have a smart approach to reducing food waste.

C．A win-win situation has been set for Canadians involved.

D．Canadians adopt a new way of protecting the environment.

【推荐3】To find an entrance to the deserted plant without being noticed, George Wilson sneaked around the fence, a bag on his back and his hands in his pockets.

However, George thought twice when a guard dog appeared. “I’m not afraid of the gatekeeper—at least I can try to persuade him. But a dog? Forget it. I’ll find another way. "While planning his special visit to the plant, the 25-year-old did some research, but still failed to locate the entrance.

George is among the thousands who are crazy about “taking adventures”, which they call urban exploration, or “urbex”. The aim is to explore structures—usually abandoned ruins or “hidden parts of the man-made environments”.

One of the most common examples of urban exploration is venturing(冒险) into abandoned structures, which usually include amusement parks, factories, power plants, missile silos, fallout shelters, hospitals, asylums, schools and houses.

Urban explorers are interested in visiting such sites, as they can discover “other parts of a city” and get to understand its history from a different angle.

George, who worked for a German company in New York for six months, said he enjoyed the contrast between the city’s two sides—modern and crowded, compared with old-fashioned and silent—and wanted to learn more about the city during his short stay.

George said that he was able to finally sneak in through another entrance, yet he was still asked to leave by a gatekeeper shortly after. But he then managed to get into a newly built residential block, climbed to the top and took a picture of the factory ruins at sunset.

“I will come back another day,” he said.

1. What made George fail to enter the entrance first?

A．The gatekeeper.

B．The fence.

C．The bag.

D．The dog.

2. What do we know about George Wilson in the passage?

A．He is frightened of nothing.

B．He loves exploring natural environment.

C．He takes an interest in old buildings.

D．He enters a place easily every time.

3. Why are the urban explorers keen on visiting the abandoned structures?

A．Because they can know the history of the city.

B．Because they can visit different kinds of places.

C．Because they can move from one country to another.

D．Because they can do all the researches.

4. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．how to explore an abandoned plant.

B．a kind of adventurer—urban explorers.

C．Ye Tian’s love for abandoned structures.

D．how to explore a city’s history.

【推荐1】WASHINGTON—US President Donald Trump on August 6,2020 issued an executive order banning any U.S. transactions with Chinese tech firm ByteDance, owner of popular video-sharing app TikTok, starting in 45 days, a controversial move widely criticized by experts.

The app has been downloaded over 175 million times in the United States and over one billion times globally, according to the executive order, which says that the app automatically captures “vast information” from its users, posing risks to U.S. “national security.”

A similar executive order has also been issued for WeChat, a messaging and social media app owned by Chinese tech giant Tencent.

At a White House briefing earlier this week, Trump told reporters that he is open to a deal in which Microsoft Corp. or another U. S. company buy TikTok, setting Sept 15 as the deadline.

During a news briefing while commenting on the issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said Tuesday that China firmly opposes the U. S. side’s blatant bullying of certain non-U.S. enterprises in violation of market economy rules and the World Trade Organizations principles of openness, transparency and non-discrimination.

“It is a blatant act of bullying, to which China firmly opposes. We have noticed that it has also drawn a lot of criticisms and doubts in the united states and from the international community,” Wang added.

1. Why are the two numbers mentioned in Para. 2?

A．To show that the app is very easy to use.	B．To show that the app can operate so well.
C．To show that the app can be of great value.	D．To show that the app is quite popular worldwide.

2. How did Trump suggest ByteDance deal with TikTok in America?

A．To sell it to an American company.	B．To donate it to an American company.
C．To rewrite the app in case of posing risks.	D．To give it up to the American government for free.

3. What does the underlined word “oppose” in Para. 5 mean?

A．Become aware of something or learn of it.

B．Accept something although you do not particularly like it.

C．Disagree strongly with and try to change it or prevent it from succeeding.

D．Consider it carefully or use statistical methods in order to fully understand it.

4. What can be the best title for the news report?

A．US side’s violation of market economy rules in dealing with TikTok

B．Chinese tech firm ByteDance-owner of popular video-sharing app TikTok

C．Trump issues order banning US transactions with TikTok in 45 days

D．Trump’s order says TikTok automatically captures “vast information” from its users

【推荐2】The Best of Alaska

Nothing evokes (唤起）Alaska like a whale exploding out of the water or an eagle pulling a silver fish from the river. Combine these images with high mountains, and wonderful meals, and you really do have the Best of Alaska! Join us for an unforgettable 7-day journey to the last border!

HIGHLIGHTS:

JUNEAU: Juneau, the state capital, is rich in culture and scenic beauty. It is here that we start and end our trip.

HAINES: Haines is a small community located along the fiords. The natural beauty and expansive wilderness found here have made Haines a most important center for adventure in Alaska. In 2004, Haines was listed by Outside Magazine and National Geographic Adventure as one of the best places for recreation and living.

ALASKA INDIAN ARTS: Alaska Indian Arts is a non-profit corporation devoted to the preservation and continuation of traditional native craft and culture of the Northwest Native Tribes .Alaska Indian Arts is also the headquarters for several of Alaska's outstanding craftsmen. We spend a few hours learning carving, native beading and culture from these master artists.

SKAGWAY: Skagway is famous for its role in the Klondike Gold Stampede over 100 years ago. Today, it is a historic yet lively town, which still reflects its gold rush roots and contains colorful shops. In Skagway, we stop by the Klondike Gold Rush National Park Visitor's Center and ride the White Pass Yukon Route Railway.

GUSTANUS: Gustanus is the gateway to the Glacier Bay National Park. We'll stay at a comfortable lodge here for two nights. This will be the base for both the whale-watching journey and a full-day voyage in Glacier Bay.

DATES/PRICES:

May 16, June 20, July 18, August 15.7 days—$3, 500, including lodging, all meals, guides, park fees, sales taxes, and transportation between Juneau, Skagway, Haines, and Gustanus. Not included: alcohol, personal items, airfare to and from Juneau.

CONTACTS:

E-mail: info@alaskamountainguides.com Call: (800)766-3396   Write: Alaska Mountain Guides &Climbing School P. O. Box 1081, Haines AK 99827

1. According to the advertisement, the participants of the journey_______.

A．are able to experience some adventurous activities in Haines

B．can contact Alaska Mountain Guides &Climbing School by e-mail or fax

C．will spend one day experiencing the local culture at Alaska Indian Arts

D．can get lots of traditional native artworks free of charge

2. You can feel the history of the local place at_______.

A．Juneau

B．Skagway

C．Haines

D．Gustanus

3. Which of the following requires participants to pay additional fees?

A．Going from Gustanus to Juneau by train.

B．A full-day voyage in Glacier Bay.

C．Having the last supper at Juneau.

D．Flying to Juneau.

4. What can you learn from the advertisement?

A．Juneau is much more beautiful than Haines.

B．The culture of the Northwest Native Tribes is dying out.

C．Alaska is famous for its culture, history and natural beauty.

D．Skagway was the richest town in Alaska in the past.

5. The passage is written to ________.

A．introduce the history of Alaska

B．introduce the activities in Alaska

C．show the culture, history and beauty of Alaska

D．attract readers to visit Alaska

【推荐3】China is recognized as a world leader in the development of artificial intelligence and facial recognition systems. A Chinese company says it has created a new facial recognition system that can identify people even if they are wearing masks. Engineers at the Beijing-based company say their system is the first to be created to effectively identify people wearing face masks.

The company told a news agency that a team of 20 people built the system in about a month. The system is based on existing technologies developed over the past 10 years. The process involved adding a collection of about 6 million unmasked faces and a much smaller collection of masked faces, the company said.

The company is now selling two main kinds of products that use the new technology. One performs "single channel" recognition, which is designed to be used at the entrances to buildings.

The other product is a "multi-channel" recognition system that uses groups of surveillance cameras. It can identify individuals in a crowd of up to 30 people "within a second.

"When people are wearing a mask that covers the mouth and the nose, the recognition rate can reach about 95%, which can ensure that most people can be identified," said Huang, vice president of the company. He added that the system's success rate for people not wearing a mask is about 99.5%.

However, the new system struggles to identify people wearing both a mask and sunglasses. "In this situation, all of the key facial information is lost. In such cases recognition is tough," Huang said.

People were reacting differently to the new technology. While some citizens have been against using such tools, the majority have accepted the technology as an effective way to decrease crime and catch criminals.

1. What did the company do to build the system?

A．They gathered many face images.

B．They employed hundreds of people.

C．They used the latest technology.

D．They spent about a decade building it.

2. According to the passage, which of the following can be true?

A．The new system has already been used by the police.

B．The recognition rate of masked faces is about 99.5%.

C．It's hard to recognize people with masks and sunglasses.

D．The single channel product is as powerful as the multi-channel.

3. Which of the key facial information might have the biggest impact on recognition rate?

A．One's eyes.	B．One's nose.
C．One's mouth.	D．One's hair.

4. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To show conflicting attitudes toward the system.

B．To introduce a new facial recognition system.

C．To advertise two products of facial recognition.

D．To show the advantages of facial recognition.