【推荐1】When we think of communication, we usually think of speech. This is because language itself happens mainly over sound. Since sound travels more than four times faster in water than in air, it’s no surprise that a number of animals in the ocean also use sound as a way of communication. Many species (物种) of fish use sound for communication.

The ocean is full of animals using sound for communication, but this may be changing. Because of human-made noise, the ocean   sounds very   different than it did before. In our searching for both understanding and having communication with occan species, we have become our own worst enemy. Ship noise and wind farms—all these   activities are creating unpleasant sound in the ocean. Too much noise makes it difficult for fish to avoid enemies so they must compete with the noise of shipping traffic.

Jason Bruck and other researchers have paid their attention to the dolphin communication and the problem of ocean noise. They are looking at how even minimal (极小的) amounts of background (背景) noise might make it difficult for dolphins not only to communicate with each other but also to pay enough attention to learning new skills.

Paige Stevens is studying how noise influences dolphins’learning abilities. Just as we see in humans, background noise may make it difficult for dolphins to concentrate on the task at hand. Steven’s research could show that it’s getting so loud in the ocean that dolphins might be losing their abilities to live a normal life.

Humans are interested in communicating with ocean animals. Unless we find a way to turn down the volume (音量), we won’t ever hear what they might want to tell us.

根据材料内容选择最佳答案。
1. What can we know about sound?

A．Sound travels faster in air than in water.

B．There is little loud sound in the deep ocean.

C．Some ocean animals use sound to communicate.

D．Human-made noise is good for some ocean animals.

2. Paige Stevens probably agrees that ________

A．animals like using language to communicate

B．people make noise to study ocean animals

C．people should stop communicating with ocean species

D．the background noise can keep dolphins from living normally

3. What do the underlined words “concentrate on”mean in the text?

A．pay attention   to

B．put off

C．turn down

D．prepare for

4. What is the writer’s main purpose of writing this text?

A．To tell us some ways to talk to animals.

B．To call on people to reduce noise in the ocean.

C．To introduce communication ways between humans and ocean animals.

D．To encourage people to do more research on animal communication.

5. Which is the best title for the text?

A．Living in the Ocean	B．From the Ocean to the Land
C．Animal Communication	D．Communication in the Ocean

【推荐3】阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

According to a study, birds are building their nests (巢) with rubbish from humans.     1    

A group of European scientists looked into bird nests. They found that birds use man-made things in nests almost everywhere on the Earth except Antarctica.     2     Blackbirds use plastic bags to build their nests, and storks (鹳) get nests built with cardboard and foil (锡纸) . Seabirds are found to use fishing nets, and birds in cities in South America add cigarette butts to nests.

    3     This is why birds “like” putting it in their nests. For example, cigarette butts have some chemicals, which can keep insects away and protect the chicks (雏鸟) . Plastic bags are useful in keeping animals warm, and other hard things can make nests stronger.

However, this is just one side of the coin.     4     The toxic (有毒的) chemicals in cigarettes hurt the chicks. The chicks may get sick or have shorter lives, according to a 2014 study. If the cigarette still burns when the bird brings it back to its home, it may set fire to the nest.     5     Fishing nets may trap birds, and it’s impossible for them to get out by themselves. Our friends in the air are feeling humans’ bad effects on the environment.

A．Some rubbish seems to be helpful.

B．Few birds can help humans reduce rubbish.

C．Different birds use different types of waste.

D．It is true that rubbish can cause air pollution.

E．Rubbish may bring more harm to birds in the end.

F．Chicks will also get hurt if they mistake rubbish for food.

G．The rubbish includes cigarette butts (烟头) and plastic bags.

【推荐1】When you think of the Arctic(北极), you imagine an icy land of pure white snow. Others imagine it as the last really clean place left on earth. “We have polluted the deepest oceans with plastic rubbish. And now,” CNN says, “It’s the Arctic’s turn.”

German scientists have recently found microplastics in Arctic snow. Microplastics are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters. Sadly, the scientists found 1,800 pieces of microplastics per liter of(每升) snow.

How is plastic pollution reaching the Arctic? According to scientists, “It’s clear that most of the microplastics in the snow come from the air.” They fall off the plastic objects and are moved by the wind, just like dust. They mix with ice in the air and fall to the ground as snow. Finding these plastics in Arctic snow means that we may breathe them in.

Are they bad for us? Scientists cannot answer this question for now, according to the WHO. We do know that our bodies cannot take in “large” pieces of microplastics. However, if the plastics are small enough, they can find ways into our bodies and stay there for a long time, which can be bad for our health. What’s more, earlier studies have shown that microplastics may contribute to lung cancer risk.

Microplastics have also been found in rivers and oceans around the world. Earlier research has found that they flow over long distances and into our oceans, hurting ecosystems along the way. They start in our wastewater, then flow into rivers and out to the sea, where they are eaten by sea animals. If people then eat these animals, it means that we’re eating the plastic as well.

1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that ________.

A．the Arctic is the last really clean place left on earth

B．the Arctic is an icy land of pure white snow

C．the Arctic is a beautiful icy land with clean air

D．the Arctic has been polluted by plastic rubbish

2. The underlined words “contribute to” probably mean “________” here.

A．increase

B．give money to

C．be helpful to

D．be one cause of

3. How does the writer end this passage?

A．By advising us to drink clean water.	B．By asking people not to eat sea animals.
C．By telling the seriousness of plastic pollution.	D．By showing the beauty of Arctic.

【推荐2】请先阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后根据短文内容从文后的七个选项中选择五个还原到文中，使短文意思通顺，结构完整。一空一句。

You probably see a lot of things made of plastic, like bottles and bags. What happens when the plastic was thrown away?     1     And it causes problems for ocean creatures (生物), like fish and birds.

    2     Some of them die when they are tangled (被缠绕) in pieces of plastic. And others eat the plastic and die, too. Scientists predict (预言) that by the year 2050, our oceans will have more plastic than fish.

    3     Instead, scientists say the best way is to stop more plastic from reaching the oceans.

Many groups are taking action. They pick up litter before it reaches the oceans.     4    

Experts also encourage people to use less plastic. Many cities and towns in some countries have banned (禁止) plastic bags. Experts also suggest that people should use more reusable bottles and bags. “    5     But they can help to make a big difference.” says Schutes, the head of the Ocean Group.

A．People cleaned it last month.

B．These seem like small things.

C．Plastic makes ocean creatures in danger.

D．Keeping all the things tidy is not difficult.

E．Taking out all the plastic in the oceans is impossible.

F．Scientists say that much of it reaches the oceans in the end.

G．Volunteers collected more than 16 million pounds of litter last year.

【推荐1】February 29th comes up on the calendar only every four years. A year with a February 29th might be good news if you are paid by the day or the week. But it might be bad news if you were born on a February 29th. You have to wait three years in between birthdays!

American English has an expression for the unusual situation. February 29th is called a leap day (闰日) . And the year with a February 29th in it is called a leap year. This year, 2020, is such a year.

As a verb, the word “leap” means to jump, or to move quickly. “Leap” can also be a noun, meaning a jump, or a sudden move.

In a leap year, the dates jump over one day of the week. Let me explain. In 2017, the last day of the year, December 31st, fell on a Sunday. In 2018, it fell on a Monday. In 2019, it fell on a Tuesday. But in 2020, December 31st will fall on a Thursday. It jumps right over Wednesday.

The reason for a leap day or a leap year is because our calendar does not follow the Earth’s orbit (轨道) around the sun exactly. Each year, we have a little time left over. So every four years, we put all that time together into an extra (额外的) day.

Some people choose to marry on February 29th because it is an unusual date. But some ancient peoples would likely tell couples not to do it. Leap years were believed to be difficult, and leap days were unlucky. To be honest, these have no scientific basis (依据).

1. A 20-year-old person has ________ birthdays if he/she was born on a February 29th.

A．20

B．15

C．10

D．5

2. A leap year means one more ________ is added in the calendar of the year.

A．month

B．year

C．day

D．week

3. The last day of 2021 will fall on ________ according to this article.

A．Saturday

B．Friday

C．Sunday

D．Monday

4. Which of the following sentences is not true according to this article?

A．Scientists tell couples not to marry on a leap day.

B．The leap year or leap day comes once every four years.

C．Some ancient peoples believed that leap days were unlucky.

D．We have a little time left each year before a leap year comes.

【推荐2】TV has already entered thousands of households, and TV is a window. Primary school students like watching TV. It can make them understand the important events at home and abroad, open their eyes, and grow knowledge. Besides, they have been very nervous at school. After school, relaxation is very necessary. And watching TV is a very good way. When some programs are educational, they have both fun and increased knowledge. TV gives primary school students the growth and development of brains. We asked 1,000 pupils from different schools. The following are the results of the survey about what kind of TV programs pupils prefer.

In modern society, it is impossible and it is not necessary to stop children from watching TV. But parents can guide them to choose good programs, to choose proper time, and even to see the suitable programs together. You can discuss with them after reading, and turn entertainment to train your child’s mind, enrich your child’s emotions (情感).

Ways to guide children:

※ We should go into the world of students, find out their preferences and teach them what to watch.

※ Educate pupils to develop good viewing habits and teach them how to enjoy them.

※ Teach students to reflect by watching, and to extend (扩展) the meaning of educational TV programs.

根据材料内容，选择最佳答案。
1. How many pupils like action movies?

A．750.

B．50.

C．450.

D．600.

2. What kind of program is the most popular?

A．Comedy.

B．Cartoon.

C．Children program.

D．Soap opera.

3. What’s the writer’s opinion about primary school students watching TV?

A．The writer thinks it’s necessary to stop pupils watching TV.

B．The writer thinks watching TV is a waste of time.

C．The writer thinks it can make pupils only understand the important events.

D．The writer thinks adults should guide children to watch proper TV programs.

4. How many ways does the writer give to guide the children to watch TV?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

5. Which is true according to the passage above?

A．If the programs are educational, pupils can’t have fun.

B．More primary school students prefer competition programs.

C．If possible, parents should watch proper programs with children together.

D．Adults can educate pupils to develop good learning habits by watching TV.

【推荐3】Life in the future will be different from the life today. Between then and now many changes will happen. But what will the changes be?

The population is growing fast. There will be many people in the world and most of them will live longer than people living now.

Computers will be much smaller and more useful, and there will be at least one in every home. And computer studies will be one of the important subjects in schools then. People will work fewer hours than they do now and they will have more free time for sports, watching TV and traveling. Traveling will be much cheaper and easier, and more people will go to other countries for holidays.

There will be changes in our food, too. More land will be used for building new towns and houses for people. Then there will be less room for cows and sheep, so meat will be more expensive. Maybe no one will eat it every day. Instead, they will eat more fruit and vegetables. Maybe people will be healthier. Work in the future will be different, too. Robots will do dangerous and hard work. Because of this, many people will not have enough work to do. That will be a problem.

1. In the future there will be ________.

A．less fruit	B．fewer people
C．fewer vegetables	D．more people

2. In the future people don’t have to ________.

A．work for a long time	B．work fast
C．walk on foot	D．eat vegetables

3. People may not eat ________ as much as they do today.

A．fruit

B．fish

C．meat

D．rice

4. One big problem in the future is that ________.

A．people have to work fast

B．many people don’t have to work

C．all the work will be done by robots

D．many people will not be able to find work

【推荐1】Daisy likes reading Modern Girl magazine because it often has a personality quiz. These quizzes are multiple-choice(多项选择的) questions about personal preference. By answering the questions and reading the explanation of your score, you can discover what kind of person you are.

Here is one of Daisy′s completed quizzes. Give her 1 point for each (a) she chose, 2 points for each (b) and 3 points for each (c).

1.I prefer(更喜欢) spending my spare time _______. □(a) with my family ■(b) with my friends □(c) by myself 2. If I have a problem, I would rather ________. ■(a) talk to my parents than to my friends □(b) talk to my friends than to my family □(c) work it out by myself 3. I prefer to study _________. □(a) at home with my family around □(b) with my friends ■(c) by myself 4. For my birthday I would prefer to _________. □(a) be with my family □(b) have a party with lots of friends ■(c) go out with just my best friend Score: 4—6　Your family are very important to you. You enjoy being with your friends but your family come first. 7—9　You have lots of friends and like to have fun. You are close to your family but your friends are also important to you. 10—12　You probably have one or two close friends, but you′ d rather relax with a good book than go to a party. You are independent and happy to do things yourself.

1. How many points did Daisy get in this quiz?

A．4.

B．8.

C．9.

D．12.

2. What kind of person are you if your score is eight?

A．Your family and your friends are both very important to you.

B．Your family are the most important to you.

C．You are very independent and happy to do things yourself.

D．You still cannot decide which is more important.

3. This quiz helps you find out 　　　　.

A．whether you are a kind person or not

B．how many people are in your family

C．what kind of person you are

D．what kind of birthday present you would prefer

4. If a girl gets the score 11, 　　　　.

A．she is independent

B．she is a lazy girl

C．she depends on her parents to do all things

D．she thinks her family are the most important

5. What do you think the article is?

A．An ad(广告).	B．A poster(海报).
C．A ticket to the concert.	D．A questionnaire(调查表).

【推荐2】Language students often think they have memory problems. They worry because they can’t remember words. In fact, the problem usually isn’t with their memory. The problem is with how they study.

To remember words better, you need to understand how memory works. There are two kinds of memories: short-term and long-term. When you see, hear, or read something, it goes first into short-term memory. But short-term memory lasts for only a few seconds. You will only remember something longer if it goes into long-term memory. Your long-term memory is like a very big library with many, many books. And like a library, it’s organized （有条理的）.When you put away a book-or memory-you can’t just leave it anywhere. You have to choose a place where you can find it again.

How can you do this with vocabulary? The answer is to work with the word and think about the word in new ways. You can do this by writing new sentences that include it. Even better, you can invent a little story about the word, with people or places that you know. Another way is to make a picture in your mind with the word. For example, if the word is height, you can think of the tallest person you know and try to guess his or her height. All of these activities are good ways to think about words. They make the meaning of words, stronger in your long-term memory. And they give a way to find a word when you need it.

1. In the writer’s opinion, students can’t remember words because ________

A．they have memory problems.

B．they are too worried.

C．they don’t use a proper way.

D．they don’t like to study.

2. Which is true about the memory according to the passage?

A．Short-term memory is seldom used.

B．What we see goes into long-term memory first.

C．We will forget a word soon if it goes into short-term memory.

D．We will never forget a word if it goes into long-term memory .

3. The underlined part in Paragraph 2 means long-term memory ________.

A．keeps many books like a large library

B．works like a well-organized library

C．provides any book you want

D．leaves memory anywhere

4. Which is the one example of “thinking about the word in new ways” in Paragraph 3?

A．Making sentences with the word.

B．Listening to some familiar stories.

C．Talking with people that you know.

D．Drawing pictures of the world on paper.

5. This passage mainly tells us about ________.

A．students’ problems in language study

B．how to make the meaning of words stronger

C．short-term and long-term memory

D．how to improve ways to remember words

【推荐3】Fish have ears. Really. They're quite small and have no opening to the outside world carrying sound through the body. For the past seven years, Simon Thorrold, a university professor, has been examining fish ears, small round ear bones called otoliths.
As fish grow, so do their otoliths. Each day, their otoliths gain a ring of calcium carbonate(碳酸钙).By looking through a microscope and counting these rings, Thorrold can determine the exact age of a young fish. As a fish gets older, its otoliths no longer get daily rings. Instead, they get yearly rings, which can also be counted, giving information about the fish's age, just like the growth rings of a tree.
Ring counting is nothing new to fish scientists. But Thorrold has turned to a new direction. They're examining the chemical elements of each otolith ring.
The daily ring gives us the time, but chemistry tells us about the environment in which the fish swam on any given day. These elements tell us about the chemistry of the water that the fish was in. It also says something about water temperature, which determines how much of these elements will gather within each otolith ring.
Thorrold can tell, for example, if a fish spent time in the open ocean before entering the less salty water of coastal areas. He can basically tell where fish are spending their time at any given stage of history.
In the case of the Atlantic croaker, a popular saltwater food fish, Thorrold and his assistant have successfully followed the travelling of young fish from mid-ocean to the coast, a journey of many hundreds of miles.
This is important to managers in the fish industry, who know nearly nothing about the whereabouts of the young fish for most food fish in the ocean. Eager to learn about his technology, fish scientists are now lending Thorrold their ears.
1. What can we learn about fish ears from the text?

A．They are small soft rings.

B．They are openings only on food fish.

C．They are not seen from the outside.

D．They are not used to receive sound.

2. Why does the writer compare the fish to trees?

A．Trees gain a growth ring each day.

B．Trees also have otoliths.

C．Their growth rings are very small.

D．They both have growth rings.

3. The Atlantic croaker is ___________.

A．a fish research	B．a fishing company
C．an ocean area	D．a fish

4. Why is it important to study the chemistry of otolith rings?

A．The elements of the otoliths can tell the history of the sea.

B．Chemical contents of otoliths can tell how fast fish can swim.

C．We can know more about fish and their living environment.

D．Scientists can know exactly how old a fish is.

5. How would you understand “fish scientists are now lending Thorrold their ears”?

A．They are very interested in Thorrold's research findings.

B．They want to know where they can find fish.

C．They lend their fish for chemical studies.

D．They wonder if Thorrold can find growth rings from their ears.