【推荐1】People like sellers or advertisers love to tell us that advertising will save us money.

They tell us that placing ads in and on everything from video games to toilet paper will help us to save much money. The advertising pays the cost of part of the item or service, allowing the seller or provider to charge less than they would. But I disagree.

A couple of years ago, I bought a Kindle, an e-reader. I decided to choose one with the ads or "Special Offers" as Amazon called it. The price was lower and there were promises of money-saving offers, with basic ads.

Well, things were good for about six months. I did receive some offers such as a 10% off, or the opportunity to buy certain books for $1. Then the offers disappeared when the Kindle Fire came out. Suddenly, most of the special offers were limited to Kindle Fire owners. Now there are very few offers for them, either. The only things I now receive are true ads: Things for me to look at, but they hold no value. The advertising no longer benefits me.

To be honest, it makes me mad. I fell for the trick, the "Advertising will save you money". I had thought that it would be different with the Kindle. But it wasn't.

Once they needed to sell a different product, those buyers got left behind. Though sellers say they make less money, those holding the newer product can't receive all the special offers. Sure, you pay a little less for the mode that ads display, but the money-saving promise is long gone.

1. The author decided to buy the Kindle with ads mainly because of       .

A．its high quality	B．its good after-sales service
C．its low price and promised offers	D．its offer to give money-saving advice

2. After the author owned the Kindle,       .

A．he could buy any book for $1	B．he was asked to buy a Kindle Fire
C．he didn't receive any special offers	D．he ended up receiving ads of no value

3. The underlined words "fell for" in Paragraph 5 means "      ".

A．was inspired by	B．was fooled by
C．was confused about	D．was worried about

4. The writer tries to tell us       

A．advertising has its own sales theory.	B．advertising wastes consumers' time.
C．advertising helps consumers save money.	D．advertising doesn't benefit consumers as it says.

【推荐2】Do you think you can have only one job in your lifetime? This is not true, but lots of people think so. For example, when people decide what to learn in college, they think the decisions they make now will decide their jobs for the rest of their lives. However, here are many examples in which people achieved their dreams after changing their jobs later in life. Former President of the US, Ronald Reagan, began as an actor when he was a young man. Later, he decided to do political (政治的) work. The love for it finally led him to become President of the United States.

The famous artist in the 19th century, Vincent Van Gogh, was not a painter at the beginning. He once worked as an art salesman and later he became a preacher (牧师). It was only 10 years before he died that he decided to become an artist.

J.K. Rowling, the writer of the famous novel Harry Potter, was a school teacher before she began writing books. In fact, she was out of work before the first book Harry Potter came out.

Now we know jobs can be changeable. The important thing is to find what you are really good at or what you really want to do. Once you find what you love, it’s all a matter of how hard you try.

1. What was Ronald Reagan’s first job?

A．A writer.

B．An artist.

C．A salesman.

D．An actor.

2. When did Vincent Van Gogh become an artist?

A．When he was very young.	B．Ten years before he died.
C．After he was out of his work.	D．When he went to the college.

3. How many jobs did Vincent have according to the passage?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．One.

D．Four.

4. Which book was written by J.K. Rowling?

A．Harry Potter.

B．The Oliver.

C．The Treasure Island.

D．Robinson Crusoe.

5. What does the writer of this passage mainly want to tell us?

A．You can have only one job in your lifetime.

B．It’s very important for people to decide what to learn in college.

C．The decisions people make now will decide their jobs for the rest of their lives.

D．Jobs can be changeable.

【推荐1】A simple honk (汽车喇叭声) from the bus is one part of a secret code (秘密代码) between the driver and students living in a faraway village in Wanzhou, Chongqing.

Seeing a schoolbag hanging from the door of an old house along the road, the bus driver drives toward the roadside and makes a honk to answer the “code”. Then a boy called Zhu Ming runs outside, takes the schoolbag and gets on the bus.

Zhu Ming’s parents work far from home, leaving him in the care of his grandmother. The boy is in the ninth grade this year. He comes home every Friday and goes back to school in the city every Sunday. To make the journey easier, he and the driver, Cheng Lin, have developed a special “code”. When the boy’s schoolbag is hanging outside the house, it “tells” Mr. Cheng, “Today, it’s time to goback to school. I need to catch the bus.”

The boy’s parents are deeply touched when they know this. They show their thanks to Mr. Cheng and feel happy that there is someone taking care of their son while they are away.

Mr. Cheng has been driving the bus for many years. There are many left-behind (留守的) children on this bus line. Realizing the importance of his role in their lives, Mr. Cheng has paid more attention on Fridays and Sundays.

The driver’s kindness to the boy touches the hearts of many people. One wrote online, “He is a good driver. The schoolbag is their code, packed with love inside.”

1. What does the bus driver do while seeing a schoolbag hanging from the door?

A．He makes a honk.	B．He runs out.
C．He takes the schoolbag.	D．He gets on the bus.

2. Who does Zhu Ming live with probably?

A．His parents.	B．His grandmother.
C．The driver.	D．His teachers.

3. Why do the boy’s parents show their thanks to Mr. Cheng?

A．Because Mr. Cheng has their code.

B．Because they work far from home.

C．Because Mr. Cheng drives the bus in their hometown.

D．Because Mr. Cheng cares about their son when they are away.

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Mr. Cheng is new in the town.

B．Zhu Ming is one of left-behind children.

C．Zhu Ming’s parents wrote a thanks letter online.

D．Mr. Cheng can see Zhu Ming’s schoolbag on the door on Fridays.

5. What is the best title for the passage?

A．A Love Code	B．An Honest Driver
C．A Poor Left-behind Child	D．A Heavy Schoolbag

【推荐2】How to get along with people you don’t like? We all have to be friendly to people we don’t like. We can’t change others, but we can change our own ideas and actions.
The following are some methods:
·Be polite. Say “Hello” or “have a nice day”. Say that he or she looks nice.
·Be positive(肯定的). Think of five good things about the person. Maybe he or she is always on time or works hard.
·Really listen when the person talks. Ask questions to understand the person better.
1. According to the passage, people had better(最好) be __________ those they don’t like.

A．careful(小心) with	B．friendly to
C．strict(严厉) with	D．rude(粗鲁) to

2. You should say “__________” to show that you are polite to people you don’t like.

A．Stop talking	B．Go away
C．Have a nice day	D．Don’t smile

3. This passage is most probably from __________.

A．a map	B．a cook book
C．a story book	D．a magazine(杂志)

【推荐3】Different countries have different customs in giving presents.
IN CHINA you must never give a clock to a Chinese person, because the sound of the word for “clock” is similar to the sound for “death” in Chinese.   Also, don't wrap(包裹) a present in white,   black, or blue paper, because these are the colours for funerals(葬礼). Don't give a knife, because something sharp(锋的) can cut a friendship.
IN RUSSIA if we give flowers as a present, we have to give odd numbers of them (one, three, five, etc.) because even numbers of flowers (two, four, six, etc.) are for funerals.
IN GERMANY flowers are a good present to take to your dinner hostess, but don't take her red roses because it means you are in love with her.   Don't take thirteen of anything because it's an unlucky number. Don't take an even number of anything, either. Don't wrap your present in white, brown, or black paper.
1. Why can't we give a clock as a present to a Chinese? Because in Chinese ________．

A．the word “clock” has the same meaning with the word “death”

B．the word “clock” has the same sound with the word “death”

C．the word “clock” has the same meaning with the word “knife”

D．the word “clock” means “dangerous”

2. You may take ________ if you go to a birthday party in Russia or in Germany.

A．10 flowers	B．13 flowers
C．9 flowers	D．11 red roses

3. ________ thirteen is an unlucky number.

A．In China	B．In Russia
C．In Japan	D．In Germany

4. What's the Chinese meanings for “odd number” and “even number”？

A．自然数和偶数

B．基本数和奇数

C．奇数和偶数

D．幸运数字和不幸运数字

5. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．Neither Chinese nor Germans wrap presents in black or white paper.

B．Both Chinese and Russians wrap presents in black or white paper.

C．Both Chinese and Germans wrap presents in black or white paper.

D．Neither Chinese nor Russians wrap presents in black or yellow paper.

【推荐1】Jake and Max are twin (双胞胎) brothers. They show love for volunteering. Their family has always done community services (社区服务). When they were young, they gave up gifts at their birthday parties. Instead, they hoped people to give money to a charity (慈善机构). Jake and Max help two charities. They had some nice ways to help their community, such as donating clothes and books.

When they were seven, Jake and Max were interested in volunteering with a friend at the local homeless shelter to help to cook. Unluckily, they were refused (拒绝) because they were too young. They had to think of another way to help other kids who were also facing a similar problem: wanting to help but being refused because of their age.

“So, they set up a project called Kids That Do Good to hope people to join the community and help others.” The small project has grown into a large website. It brings thousands of interested visitors each year.

Jake and Max are busy with school and after-class activities and other community services. Kids That Do Good hopes kids to build their own volunteering events.

1. The underlined word “donating” means “________” in Paragraph 1.

A．捐赠

B．排斥

C．研究

D．舍弃

2. The twins created Kids That Do Good to ________.

A．ask rich kids to go back to school	B．help blind people in the world
C．hope people to join the community and help others	D．make the charities give money and food to them

3. We can know that the twins ________ from the passage.

A．didn’t love gifts they received	B．have built many charities these years
C．began helping others at 25 years old	D．hoped more children could join them

4. The passage is mainly about ________.

A．a charity organization	B．the twins’ volunteering work
C．a popular community	D．a story of a boy

【推荐2】Two men, Alan and Henry, both seriously ill, shared a hospital room. Alan was allowed to sit up in his bed and his bed was next to the room’s only window. Henry had to spend all his time sleeping on his back.
The men talked for hours, of their wives/families, their homes and their jobs. And (every afternoon when Alan, in the bed next to the window, could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm among flowers. Trees and skyline could be seen in the distance. As he described all this, Henry, on the other side of the room, would close his eyes and imagine the scene.
One warm afternoon Alan described a parade (游行) passing by. Although Henry could not hear the band，he could see it in his mind. Unexpectedly, an _______thought entered his head： Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never got to see anything? It doesn’t seem fair. Henry felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sight, his envy grew and soon let him down. He began to find himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window—and that thought now controlled his life.
Late one night, as He lay staring at the ceiling, Alan began to cough. He was choking (窒息）Henry watched in the dark room as the struggling man tried hard to reach the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence—deathly silence.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, Henry asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the change and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he struggled to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He looked out, but faced a black wall.
1. Judging from the passage, the meaning of the underlined Word “alien” in Paragraph 3 is ______.

A．disappointing

B．sudden

C．strange

D．new

2. What finally happened to Alan?

A．He died.

B．He changed his bed with Henry.

C．He was moved to another room.

D．He was very sick.

3. Henry who had his bed changed had expected ______.

A．to see the blank wall

B．to feel the joy of seeing the outside world

C．to feel the joy of breathing fresh air

D．to see more than Alan

4. Which of following words could be used to describe Alan?

A．Kind-hearted and imaginative.

B．Well-informed (消息灵通的) and humorous.

C．Talkative and funny.

D．Cold-hearted and indifferent (漠不关心).

【推荐3】Bags of Love

Last year, I worked in a middle school near my mother’s house, and I stayed with her for a month. During that time, I helped her do some housework and buy some food.

After the first week, I noticed that the food was eaten up (吃光) very quickly. Then I began keeping an eye on my mum. To my surprise, I found that she would put some of the food into a paper bag and go out with it at about nine every morning. And finally, I decided to follow her. I saw her taking the food to the street children. She would also spend a lot of time talking and playing with them.

One day, I talked to a neighbour and found out that my mum was famous in the area. The children were very friendly with her and even thought of her as their own mother. Then it hit me—why wouldn’t she want to tell me about it? Was she worried that I would stop buying food if I found out?

When my mum got home, I gave her a big hug (拥抱) . I told her she didn’t need to keep it a secret from me. And she told me something about the children. Some of them lived with an old lady in a small house. Others slept on the street. For years, she was helping the poor street children by giving them food. After she told me everything, I was so moved by how selfless (无私的) she was. She helped others in need. As her son, I was so proud of my mum.

I continued (继续) to buy food for my mum after that. But I always added (增加) one more bag for her other children.

1. After the first week, the writer noticed that ________.

A．the food was put into a big box	B．his mum followed the children
C．the food was eaten up quickly	D．his mum stopped buying food

2. The street children thought of the writer’s mum as their ________.

A．old grandma

B．own mother

C．new neighbour

D．dear teacher

3. How did the writer feel about his mum after she told him everything?

A．He was proud of her.	B．He was confident in her.
C．He was angry with her.	D．He was worried about her.

4. The writer added one more bag of food to ________.

A．make friends with the children	B．get a hug from his mother
C．become famous in the area	D．help the poor street children

【推荐1】阅读下面短文，根据短文内容，从下面各小题所给的四个备选项中，选出最佳选项。

My mom is working in America, so I traveled a long way from India to join my mother and start my new life in America.

While I was walking into my first school in America, I started to feel worried. I didn’t know anybody in the class. With worry and fear (害怕), I opened the door of the classroom slowly. It was a geography class. Everyone’s eyes were on me as I went into the classroom. I went to the teacher and asked, “ Is this the right class? ”

“ Yes, ”answered the teacher with a smile. His smile helped me relax a little. He gave me a piece of paper. It was Course Requirements (课程要求). In India we didn’t have anything like that. Then he asked me to choose where I would sit. I found the boys all sat in the back. But I didn’t choose to sit with them. Instead, I chose the seat closest to the front door. In fact, I didn’t want to choose a seat. In India teachers told us where to sit, so I never needed to worry about that. Then the class continued. The teacher used a projector (投影仪) to show the lesson to the students. In Indian schools, we didn’t use that in class.

Later that day, I got confused (困惑的) a few times. But I believed I could get through them. At the end of the day, I went home by school bus. In India we didn’t have school buses, either. I sat on the bus happily. I was thinking, “Today wasn’t so bad.”

As time passed that year, I made some friends and started to love my school.

1. Where is the writer from?

A．China.

B．India.

C．England.

D．America.

2. What were the students doing when the writer went into the classroom?

A．They were taking a test.	B．They were playing games.
C．They were reading Course Requirements.	D．They were having a class.

3. The writer chose to sit ________.

A．closest to the front door	B．together with the boys
C．closest to the teacher	D．together with the girls

4. How many differences between the writer’s old school and new school are mentioned in this passage?

A．Three.

B．One.

C．Four.

D．Two.

5. How did the writer feel about his first day in the new school ?

A．Excellent.

B．Not so bad.

C．Terrible.

D．Not so good.

【推荐2】There once was a little boy who had a bad temper ( 脾气). His father gave him a bag of nails (钉子) and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the wall.

The first day the boy knocked 17 nails into the wall. Then he knocked two fewer new ones the next day. Over the next few weeks, when he learned to control his anger, the number of nails he knocked into the wall reduced. He found it was easier to hold his temper than to knock those nails into the wall.

In the end, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father asked the boy to pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was at last able to tell his father that he pulled all the nails out. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the wall. He said, “Well done, but look at the holes in the wall. The wall will never be the same. When you say things in anger, you hurt a person with your words. No matter how many times you say sorry, the hurt is still there in his heart.”

The little boy then understood how powerful his words were. He looked up at his father and said, “I am really sorry for the holes I put in you and others.”

1. The underlined word “reduced” in Paragraph 2 means getting ________.

A．better

B．worse

C．larger

D．smaller

2. What did the father ask the boy to do when he lost his temper?

A．To stop being angry at once.	B．To knock a nail into the wall.
C．To look at the holes in the wall.	D．To pull a nail out from the wall.

3. How many times did the boy lose his temper on the second day?

A．2.

B．15.

C．17.

D．19.

4. According to the story, we can tell that the father is ________.

A．smart

B．strict

C．proud

D．polite

5. What does the story want to tell us?

A．Nails are very useful for controlling one’s temper.

B．Knocking nails and pulling nails out take a long time.

C．Saying things in anger is like knocking nails into others’ heart.

D．Knocking nails are more difficult than controlling one’s temper.

【推荐3】It was a beautiful spring day in a forest. High up in a tree, a mother bird was resting in her nest (鸟巢). She had just given birth to six baby birds. Five of the baby birds were strong, but the youngest one was weak. The mother bird called him Little Six. His elder brothers and sisters often laughed at him. “Look at Little Six,” said the eldest brother, “he’s so weak and he can hardly move.” Little Six felt upset. The mother bird worried about him much.

However, Little Six had a strong will. He made a decision that he would do exercise to become strong. Every morning, Little Six would get up early. Before his brothers and sisters woke up, Little Six would finish all his exercise. He trained his wings over and over again to make them strong.

After a couple of months, all the birds grew up. The mother bird got her babies together to teach them to fly. To everyone’s surprise, Little Six was the first one to start flying! “Look at me! I can fly!” Little Six was crying happily while his brothers and sisters were trying hard to fly. He finally achieved his goal and how proud he was of himself!

（注意：考生将答题卡相应位置涂黑。正确的涂“A”，错误的涂“B”）

1. Little Six was born on a beautiful spring day.
2. Little Six felt upset because the mother bird worried about him much.
3. Little Six would finish all his exercise after his brothers and sisters woke up every morning.
4. Little Six was the first one to start flying.
5. From this story, we know we can achieve the goal as long as we keep working hard.