【推荐1】Many Chinese students are trying their best to pass English tests like the Test of English as a Foreign Language(TOFEL) and the International English Language Testing systems（IELTS）.At the same time, many non-native（非母语）Chinese speakers are trying to learn Chinese and pass the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi(HSK).

The HSK is the test for non-native Chinese speakers. Passing it can give non-native speakers new work and education chances. It has been offered since 1992.Each of the exams’ six levels includes three parts: listening, grammar practice and reading.

Schools in countries around the world are starting to offer more Chinese language programs. That’s because trade and cultural exchanges between China and other countries are increasing rapidly.

For example, the Zambian government announced in May last year that it had Chinese classes in over 1,000 high schools starting in 2020.It is the largest Chinese language program in Africa. Zambia is the fourth country in Africa— after Kenya, Uganda and South Africa— to offer Chinese language programs in its schools.

Starting this year，Russian middle school students can take Chinese as an elective（选修） foreign language on Russia’s college entrance exam.

Besides, more and more foreign students choose to study in China because of China’s history, culture and economic development. They also believe that studying in China can provide them with some great job chances.

1. What does the underlined word “It” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The HSK.

B．The education chance.

C．The new work.

D．Chinese.

2. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE about the HSK?

A．The HSK has been offered for 29 years.

B．Only Chinese students can pass the HSK.

C．Students in Zambia must pass the HSK if they go to college.

D．If a Russian student passes the HSK, he can get a job in China easily.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．Chinese students are trying their best to pass the HSK.

B．The HSK includes two parts: listening and reading.

C．Four countries in Africa offer Chinese language programs in school.

D．Students in Russia must study Chinese in their middle schools.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To introduce how to pass the HSK.

B．To tell us many foreigners are learning Chinese.

C．To give people some advice on learning Chinese.

D．To encourage people to pass the HSK.

【推荐2】Writing is a much newer invention than talking. Nobody knows when people first began to talk, but so far as we know, they did not begin to write until seven or eight thousand years ago.

In Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China, and later in Palestine and Greece, people began to make marks and pictures with sticks and sharp stones from which others, or they themselves later could see what they had thought.

These early records were the beginning of writing. The first writing was picture writing. Here are some early Chinese picture words. Can you see what they represent (代表)?

Later Chinese writing is less like pictures than the earlier writing was, but we can see the pictures in some of its words. For example:

In picture writing, each picture represents a word; you need a different picture or mark for each word. In present-day Chinese writing most of the marks are not pictures of anything, and a reader has to learn how the Chinese write about two thousand of these words before being able to read a newspaper.

With some of these marks you may be able to see what the idea is. For example:

The sun and the moon: 明. Its meanings are: “bright” and “open”.

A man and two marks: 仁. One of the meanings is “humanity”.

1. When did people begin to write?

A．Seven or eight hundred years ago.	B．Before people first began to talk.
C．Seven or eight thousand years ago.	D．Seven or eight million years ago.

2. Which of the following is the earliest Chinese picture word?

A．

B．

C．雨

D．雪

3. What does the “明” in the passage mean?

A．Day and night.

B．Bright and open.

C．Humanity.

D．Nature.

4. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．The history of Chinese writing.	B．When Chinese people began to write.
C．How the Chinese began to talk.	D．Why Chinese writing is important.

5. We can find the passage in a magazine about ________.

A．sport

B．health

C．people

D．language

【推荐3】When you visit a foreign country, two things are important. You should know how to be polite.

And you’d better carry a map because it is not easy to understand the directions.

You should say “Thank you” when someone passes you the food on the table, when someone walking ahead of you keeps the door open for you, and so on. “Thank you” is used between friends, and between parents and children. “Excuse me” is another short sentence they use. When you hear someone say so behind you, you know that somebody wants to walk past you without touching you.

It’s not polite to break others when they are talking. If you want to speak to one of them, say “Excuse me” first, and then begin talking.

If you have no maps in a foreign country, it’s difficult to ask for directions.

In the countryside of America, usually there are not many landmarks (地标). Instead of landmarks, people will tell you like this: “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile”.

In Japan, most streets there don’t have names, people use landmarks in their directions instead of street names. For example, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market, the post office is across from the bust stop.”

People in Greece sometimes don’t even try to give directions because not many visitors can understand the Greek language. Instead, a Greek will often say, “Come with me. Then he’ll lead you there.”

One thing will help you everywhere, you may not understand a person’s word, but maybe you can understand his body language.

根据短文内容，判断正（T）误（F）。
1. When someone wants to walk past you, he or she should say “I’m sorry”.
2. There are no landmarks in America at all.
3. Most of the streets have no names in Japan.
4. Don’t worry about the Greek language, people there are very friendly.
5. Sometimes we can use body language to understand the directions according to the passage.

【推荐1】

The dragon (龙) is a great animal in Chinese culture. It brings the wind and rain. It is said that every year on the second day of the second lunar (阴历的) month the dragon wakes up from its winter sleep and raises (举起) its head. Because of this, the day is called “Dragon Head-raising Day” (Longtaitou). This year, it falls on March 4. Old people believed that after Longtaitou, there would be more rain. And rain is very important to farming. So Longtaitou was the start of spring and farming.

People have many ways to celebrate the Longtaitou festival. The most popular one is to have a haircut. Many believe that a haircut during the first lunar month may bring bad luck to your uncles—mainly your mother’s brothers. They hope getting a haircut on Longtaitou gets rid of bad luck.

Among Chinese people’s festival traditions, there is always a place for food. During the Longtaitou festival, people eat food named after dragons. Noodles are called dragon’s beard (longxu). Dumplings are dragon’s ears (long’er). And spring rolls are dragon’s scales (鳞片) (longlin).

People also hold activities like dragon dancing on the day. In some places in Shandong province, people make dragon lanterns (灯笼) too. Small reed (芦苇) boats go down the rivers and carry the lanterns, which stand for people’s best wishes and good luck.

1. What did old people think of Longtaitou?

A．It was a good time for sleeping.	B．It was the end of Spring Festival.
C．It was the start of spring and farming.	D．It meant the weather would become colder.

2. Why do people get haircuts on this day?

A．It’s believed it will bring good luck to their uncles.

B．It’s believed that it will get rid of bad luck.

C．It may help their hair grow.

D．It may bring more rain.

3. What food do people eat named after dragons during the Longtaitou festival?

A．Noodles.

B．Dumplings.

C．Spring rolls.

D．A, B and C.

4. Which of the following best shows the structure of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

D．

5. Why did the writer write the story?

A．To introduce a traditional festival—Longtaitou.	B．To tell people how to avoid bad luck.
C．To make a traditional festival popular again.	D．To introduce some tasty foods and fun activities.

【推荐2】Last week, Chicago became the first city in the US to join the “Lights Out Plan”. People turned off the lights in the city’s tallest buildings after midnight so that thousands of birds could get to their winter homes. Every year in autumn, some birds fly over Chicago on their way to the south, and come back the next spring.

Lights mean danger to birds. Birds find their way by looking at the stars in the sky. Lights in tall buildings are so bright that birds may mistake them as stars. This means they can not find the right way to go back home. It’s a pity that a lot of birds even die from lights.

This month, about 300 kinds of birds are flying over Chicago to go back to the south to live through the cold winter. Birds fly to warmer places for a few reasons. Many birds cannot live in the cold, so they fly to warmer places. But there are other reasons, too. Birds need to look for food in the south. Another reason is that they want to have baby birds. Many birds like to have their baby birds in the same “house” they lived in last year, so they fly back there. At the same time, birds give their young a better chance of growing up, avoid being eaten by predators (捕食者) .

             There are about 9, 000 kinds of birds in the world, and about 600 kinds of birds migrate. Some birds can fly a very long way. Sometimes they fly to other countries. We have fewer birds today because there are fewer places for birds.
1. Why did people in Chicago turn off their lights last week?

A．Because they wanted to save money.

B．Because they liked the dark night.

C．Because they were afraid that birds would make much noise.

D．Because they were afraid that birds would lose their home way.

2. How do birds find their way?

A．By looking at lights in the city.	B．By looking at the stars in the sky.
C．By following light from the sun.	D．By looking at trees on the road.

3. The underlined word “migrate” means ________ in Chinese.

A．重生

B．定居

C．迁徙

D．冬眠

4. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．All birds fly to warmer places every year.

B．Some birds have to fly to warmer places in autumn.

C．Some birds can fly a long way to other countries

D．About 600 kinds of birds migrate in the world.

5. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Lights Out Plan	B．Turn off the Lights
C．Different Kinds of Birds	D．Migration of Birds

【推荐3】Lonely old people now can buy “grandkids” by using an app named Papa. Through the app, elderly people can ask young people to come and visit them.

Elderly people, who may have lost touch with their own family, can also ask their rented(租用的) grandchildren to do chores and drive them around.

The elderly people can use Papa on the smartphone. If they don't have a smartphone, they can make a phone call. To use the service, the elderly people have to contact Papa first through either of the ways. The workers of Papa will provide advice for them for free and pair(配对) college students with them. Usually, the app costs the elderly people $15 an hour.

Most Papa Pals make about $20 to $30 per visit. The visit lasts around three hours. Andrew Parker, the founder of the service, says that Papa can also provide the service for people in need.

1. Through the app Papa, elderly people can ask young people to help with chores.
2. The elderly people without a smartphone can also enjoy the service of Papa.
3. The elderly people should pay $10 for the service per hour.
4. Most Papa Pals can make about $20 to $30 per visit.
5. Papa only provides the service for the elderly people.

【推荐1】It is Monday today. Boys and girls are in the school. Their teacher is here too. Her name is Zhang Yan. Miss Zhang is very young. Look, this is Class Four, Grade One. In the class, you can see a boy and a girl .The boy is fourteen. His name is Li Lei .The girl is ten. She is Xiao Mei. Li Lei’s friend is Mike. He is English. But he is not here. He is at home.
判断正（T）误（F）
1. Today boys and girls are at home.
2. Li Lei and Xiao Mei are in Class One, Grade Four.
3. Miss Zhang is young.
4. Mike is Xiao Mei’s friend.
5. Mike is an English boy.

【推荐2】

My Classroom Wheel Teachers 2012~2013
Welcome to My Art Class! My Classroom Mission(任务) We will learn about art history, artists and develop students’ talent. In order to learn, be creative and improve our painting skills, we will have a relaxing classroom. Name: Kathy Grady Email Address: kgrady@iss.k12.nc.us	Welcome to Pope’s Computer Lab! My Classroom Mission Students will work together and actively take part in designing the computer programs. By doing this we will be able to use computer technology successfully in our lives. Name: Barbara Pope Email Address: bpope@iss.k12.nc.us
Welcome to My PE class! My Classroom Mission Be active in PE classes! You do not have to be an Olympic athlete to get an A in my class. Take part in our sports activities to keep a healthy body and mind. All students will be successful. Name: Sherry Cash Email Address: scash@iss.k12.nc.us	Welcome to the Science Lab! My Classroom Mission This year we will learn about science by becoming a scientist. We will do experiments, observe, touch, listen, and ask questions about our world. We will learn to care for our world. We will never give up trying! Name: Denise Harris Email Address: dharris@iss.k12.nc.us

1. In order to improve___________, the students will have a relaxing classroom.

A．painting skills

B．computer programs

C．sports activities

D．science studies

2. We can email at ________ to get more information about computer class.

A．dharris@iss.k12.nc.us	B．kgrady@iss.k12.nc.us
C．bpope@iss.k12.nc.us	D．scash@iss.k12.nc.us

3. Students should go to __________ class to learn to do experiment.

A．Barbara Pope’s

B．Sherry Cash’s

C．Kathy Grady’s

D．Denise Harris’

【推荐3】People can’t eat or drink on the subway（地铁）in Beijing. This rule started on May 15.

Some people say it is good. Because if people eat on the subway, it will be full of the smell of food. That’s too bad. Eating on the subway also produces rubbish（产生垃圾）.

But others say it is bad. Some people live so far from their work places. They have no time to have breakfast before they go to work. And some people may get sick（生病）if they can’t eat in time.

Chen Yanyan, a teacher from Beijing, says we should think about（考虑）these people. They want to eat or drink on the subway. We should learn from many subway stations in Tokyo. “They have a special（特别的）place. People can eat and drink there.” She told Beijing Evening News.

1. When did the rule start?

A．On May 15.

B．On June 15.

C．On May 5.

2. How many reasons（理由）are listed in Paragraph 2?

A．One

B．Two

C．Three

3. Some people think the rule is bad because ________.

A．They don’t have money to eat breakfast.

B．They may get sick if they can’t eat in time.

C．They don’t want to live far away from their work places.

4. What can we know about many subway stations in Tokyo according to（根据）Chen Yanyan?

A．People must stand all the way.

B．People can do anything on the subway.

C．People can eat and drink in a special place.

5. If a person wants to take the subway in Beijing, what can he/she do?

A．He / She can drink cola on the subway.

B．He / She can eat the food on the subway.

C．He / She can eat the food before getting on（上车）or after getting off（下车）.

【推荐1】Pepper works in a supermarket in Germany. He is different from other employees (雇员). Pepper is a robot that looks like a human.

A Japanese company made Pepper in 2014. Pepper is as tall as a 6-year-old kid. He has cameras. They help him recognize things around him. There are wheels under his body. They help Pepper move.

The robot can do a lot of things. He can read people's emotions (感情) and communicate with people. He can also teach students about programming.

1. What does Pepper look like?

A．A human.

B．A robot.

C．An animal.

2. What does Pepper use to recognize things around him?

A．Eyes.

B．Hands.

C．Cameras.

3. What can Pepper teach?

A．Reading.

B．Programming.

C．Communicating.

4. What would be the best title for the article?

A．Robots are helping.

B．Pepper is a robot.

C．Pepper works in a supermarket in Germany.

【推荐2】Chinese food is popular all over the world, but one group who fight against it is vegetarians (素食主义者). Meat is nearly always on the table, no matter what part of China you are in. It is so common that Zhang Xiuyan has long grown used to the difficulties of being a vegetarian in China.

The 67-year-old woman cannot eat meat because it causes her uncomfortable feeling in stomach. "Every time I go out, I meet the same situation," she says. "I tell them 'I don't eat meat, so in the soup, please don't include chicken or duck. But when they serve it, there's always a little bit of meat."

Ms. Zhang says it's sometimes just a problem of communication. "For example, when they serve green beans, there is a bit of meat in the dish. I say 'how come there's still meat?'" she says. "And the waiter look and say, 'Oh that? That shouldn't be a problem!'"

Ms. Zhang is among 50 million Chinese who are believed to be vegetarians, about 4 per cent of the 1.3 billion population. Traditionally in poorer times, meat was a luxury (奢侈). But times are changing, and with them, so are cultural attitudes (态度).

Belle Zhang from Beijing is another vegetarian who has also had difficulties at restaurants. "At home of the noodle restaurants here, even if you order a bowl with no meat, the soup is always made from meat," she says. "We vegetarians can always taste it!" She says a recent trip with friends up to China's Northeast proved more difficult than other parts of the country.

"The food in the Northeast is really meaty, so there wasn't a single dish we ordered that was vegetarian, " she says. "Every plate on the table in one way or another had a little bit of meat in it."

1. Why does Ms. Zhang dislike eating meat?

A．Because she loves animals.	B．Because she wants to keep fit.
C．Because it does harm to her health.	D．Because she is a picky eater (挑食者).

2. Hearing the waiter's reply, Ms. Zhang probably feels __________.

A．curious

B．interested

C．surprised

D．angry

3. What's the best title of this article?

A．The introduction of Chinese food.	B．A story of vegetarians.
C．Being a vegetarian in China.	D．Views on vegetarians

【推荐3】自然界的三大灾难

In March 2015, a big wildfire went through Cape Town, South Africa. “It was moving 65 km in a single day and destroying (毁坏) everything on its way. We couldn't breathe because of the smoke, and we couldn't run away,” said one Cape Town resident (居民). Wildfires can start in forests or on open land, and it spreads very quickly. Sometimes they start because the weather is hot and dry, but mostly humans cause wildfires. We can prevent them by carefully controlling campfires and other outdoor fires.

Other natural disasters (灾难) are impossible to prevent. A hurricane—also called a typhoon—is a rotating tropical storm (旋转的热带风暴) that starts over the sea. When typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines and Vietnam in 2013, the winds reached over 100 kph and caused disasters. Six thousand people were killed, and more than two million people had to leave their homes. Today we can exactly predict these storms, and if we pay attention to severe weather warnings, we can prepare for their arrivals.

Unlike a storm, an earthquake is usually completely unexpected. A huge earthquake hit Pakistan in October 2015. “The ground was shaking,” said one Islamabad resident who was at work at that time. “But worse than that was the sound of the earthquake. It was a terrible noise.” Earthquakes usually don't last more than a minute, but their effects can be terrible. Buildings fall down and this can sometimes cause fires and floods. It can be very difficult to find survivors (幸存者) in the destroyed areas.

These are just three examples of how powerful nature can be. But humans can use predictions, take practical steps to make our environment safer, and work together when things go wrong.

1. What's the main reason for wildfires according to the passage?

A．The hot weather.

B．The dry weather.

C．Campfires.

D．Humans activities.

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

A．Easy.

B．Strong.

C．Hard.

D．Right.

3. What other disasters can earthquakes cause sometimes?

A．Fires and floods.	B．Fires and storms.
C．Floods and storms.	D．Fires, floods and storms.

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

A．Three Disasters of Nature.	B．Wildfires in Nature.
C．The Unexpected Earthquakes.	D．Weather Warnings by Humans.