【推荐1】Self-esteem (自尊) is the way we think about ourselves and the value we place on ourselves. But getting self-esteem can take plenty of effort for some people who have bad past experiences. So, how do you improve your self-esteem?

Learn to accept yourself

Whether you’re young or old, accepting yourself is the first step towards improving self-esteem. You should understand that each of us is made imperfect. It’s natural to feel bad about ourselves sometimes, but you should know that there are many things you can do to love yourself. You can start by listing all the good things about yourself.

Exercise and get a new hobby

Daily exercise can help you improve your immune system(免疫系统), keep fit, and increase your self-esteem and happiness. We may feel bored if we don’t have enough physical activity and exciting events. You can stop self-doubt by turning it into a new found hobby such as painting, swimming or planting your favorite plants.

Take care of yourself

If you’re under pressure or feel unhappy, you can get a new haircut, or spend a wonderful vacation to bring back your inner drive. Eating healthy food and taking enough rest and sleep are also very important to regaining self-esteem.

Help other people

A great way to feel good about yourself is to help other people. Through volunteer work, you can help people and may find yourself actually lucky enough.

Ask for help

Low self-esteem can be a big problem when everything seems not to work for you. So, as much as possible, ask for help from experts.

Don’t forget to take reasonable action, and don’t be shy to ask for help. In a word, you’ll improve self-esteem with proper ways.

1. Which is the first step to improve self-esteem?

A．To accept yourself.	B．To help other people.
C．To ask for help from experts.	D．To do more exercise every day.

2. How can you stop self-doubt?

A．By doing volunteer work.	B．By getting a new haircut.
C．By developing a new hobby.	D．By listing all the bad things about yourself.

3. Why is helping other people a way to improve your self-esteem?

A．Because you may keep fit.

B．Because you may find your life not that bad.

C．Because you can take enough rest and sleep.

D．Because you can spend a wonderful vacation.

4. What’s the best title of the passage?

A．How to treat yourself.	B．How to accept yourself.
C．How to take care of yourself.	D．How to improve your self-esteem.

【推荐2】下面文章中有五处需要添加首句。请从以下选项中选出符合各段意思的首句。选项中有一项是多余选项。

Ring, ring, ring, the alarm bell sounds. It’s school time again! After a long holiday, are you ready for the new term? You may feel excited to see your classmates, or a little nervous about the coming schoolwork. Heading back to school is a time of transition(过渡). How can we fit in the new term? Here are some ways to make the transition from holiday to school a little easier.

    1    

It’s very normal to feel nervous on the first day of school. Getting back to the school routines(常规) and fitting in new school work take some time after a long break. So how can we deal with(处理) our worries? Just think about your first day in the past years. Everything will go well once you get used to it. Just relax and wait.

    2    

People say “a good beginning is half done” A good plan is surely needed before the new term. Think about what you can do better this term than the last. Make a plan and try to go for it!

    3    

If you went to bed and got up late during the holiday, you will have to change your body clock back to normal. Go to bed earlier the week before classes start. This way, you won’t be tired after the first few days of school. Also, having some warm-ups is helpful. Doing exercise and practicing morning reading every day are some other good ideas to get ready for the new school-year schedule.

    4    

It makes you feel good if you are prepared and have all the things you need. Check all the homework you need to do a week earlier. And it’s better to pack your schoolbag the night before school starts.

    5    

What about wearing something you like? Maybe you got a new schoolbag during the holiday, or new sports shoes that can put a spring in your step. If you wear a school uniform, you can wear your favorite watch or a new hair band to show your personal style.

A．Start your school-year schedule.

B．Back to school fashion.

C．Deal with your worries.

D．Prepare your school things.

E．Say goodbye to last year.

F．Make a plan and practice.

【推荐3】It sounds easy to write a poem, but when one wants to create (创作) a poem, it becomes difficult. The following tips can make it easier for you to create a good poem.

The subject (主题)

The subject is the most important part of your poem. What are you trying to tell people through your poem? Is it a story, an idea or an experience? An interesting and helpful way is to write down the words, phrases or sentences when you are thinking about the subject of your poem.

The feeling

A poem is not to be used to tell ordinary things. For example, we all know that the grass is green and the birds can fly. What do you need to tell in your poem? Your feelings. You have to tell your feelings when you see the green grass and the flying birds. A poem is about the feelings of the poet. You can take ordinary things from your daily life and write down all the words about your feelings when you see them.

_________

Who are you writing for? The readers of the poem can help you choose the language, the style (风格) and the words. Read out your poem to a few of your classmates, friends, relatives and neighbours. Ask them how they feel about the poem. Try and try till you get it just right. Don’t be afraid to keep working at your poem.

Pick up your pen and try to create your poems right now!

1. Which is the most important part for you to create a poem?

A．The word.	B．The story.
C．The feeling.	D．The subject.

2. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Ordinary things.	B．The grass and the bird.
C．Your feelings.	D．The poems.

3. What can be put back into the blank?

A．The grammar.	B．The style.
C．The readers.	D．The language.

4. What can we know from the passage?

A．We should write down the words when we think about the subject.

B．Poets write a poem to tell the ordinary things in our daily life.

C．We should teach the readers to understand our poem.

D．The writer gives us four pieces of advice on writing a poem.

5. Why does the writer write this passage?

A．To tell us how to write a poem.

B．To encourage us to write poems.

C．To give us some tips on reading poems.

D．To give us advice on showing our feelings.

【推荐2】The smart wristband （智能手环）is a smart device（设备）that we can wear on our wrists. It is especially popular with teenagers. More and more people use a smart wristband in their daily lives.

There are lots of famous brands we can buy online or in physical stores, such as Xiaomi, Apple and Huawei.

Why are smart wristbands so popular?

Firstly, for one thing, it is like a watch and it can tell you the time anytime. For another, it is more than a watch. The wristband can also be connected to the mobile phone. You can use it to answer the phone call without taking out your mobile phone in your pocket. It is very convenient.

Secondly, the smart wristband looks fashionable. Most teenagers feel cool to have a smart wristband on their wrists. That’s why we often see teenagers wearing wristbands.

Thirdly, most people have realized the importance of health. Some people do exercise every day to keep fit. Smart wristbands can help them to know how far they have run or how many steps they have taken.

With a smart wristband, you can know about your exercise at any time and you’ll know whether you achieve your aim or not. However, some parents don’t want their children to have smart wristbands because they think wearing smart wristbands for a long time may cause cancer. They think the teenagers who wear smart wristbands are under radiation all the time. They are harmful.

1. From the passage, we know that ________ like smart wristbands best.

A．the old

B．sports stars

C．teenagers

D．children

2. Most teenagers think it ________ to wear smart wristbands.

A．cool

B．healthy

C．convenient

D．clever

3. Some parents don’t want their children to have smart wristbands because they think ________.

A．smart wristbands are too expensive

B．using smart wristbands is a waste of time

C．smart wristbands are bad for their study

D．smart wristbands are bad for their health

4. The underlined word “radiation” probably means ________ in Chinese in this passage.

A．压力

B．辐射

C．监控

D．幸福

5. From the passage we can know that ________.

A．we can only buy a smart wristband online

B．smart wristbands can only tell the time

C．smart wristbands can tell us how far we have run

D．a smart wristband is the same as a mobile phone

【推荐3】Scientists in Britain and the United States have made a new kind of enzyme(酵素) that eats plastics(塑 料). With its help, plastics can be turned into smaller parts and go away quickly. Scientists believe that, in the future, it could solve the problem of plastic pollution.

The enzyme is able to break down PET, a form of plastic. PET was first made in the 1940s and is now widely used to make plastic bottles. It can remain in the environment for many years and pollute large areas of land and water. So it has always been a headache to deal with the waste from PET and other plastics.

The researchers made the discovery(发 现) while examining the structure of a natural enzyme in Japan. They found that the natural enzyme was helping to break down PET plastics. So, they decided to make small changes to the enzyme by adding some amino acids(氨 基 酸). It made the natural enzyme’s plastic-eating abilities work faster and better.

John McGeehan, one of the lead researchers, said, “We’ve made an improved enzyme. It’s better than the naturl one. And we are trying to make more improvements to it.” He went on, “The enzyme is not harmful to humans or animals,and it is friendly to the environment. So we are considering putting it into wider use.”

The team is now trying to make the enzyme break down PET in large quantities(大量的). “We’ll see that the plastic pollution may be stopped with this technology. However,there is still a long way to go,”John McGeehan added.

1. According to the scientists, the enzyme may solve the poblem of        pollution.

A．air

B．water

C．light

D．plastic

2. The underlined phrase “break down” in the passage probably means “        ” in Chinese.

A．实验

B．生产

C．发明

D．分解

3. Researchers discovered that a natural enzyme helped eat plastics        .

A．in

B．in the US

C．in Japan

D．in China

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

A．The scientists are sill trying to improve the enzyme.

B．The enzyme will pollute large areas of land and water.

C．The natural enzyme woks better than the improved one.

D．The natural enzyme is harmful to humans and animals.

【推荐1】What are you holding in your hand while you are taking the examination?

Right. A pen.

Though it is small, the pen has changed the history, improved the trade of countries, recorded events, carried news, and done far more work for human beings than all other tools. Without it, progress (社会的进步) would have been almost impossible. The invention of the wheel, the introduction of the steam engine (蒸汽机), the use of electricity, all these have changed the lives of millions of people, but the pen has done more. It has taken away mountains, and it has prepared the way for all progress and development of society.

In the past the pen did all the work if you wanted to keep any writing for some time. The lawyers (律师) took up their pens and wrote the law of the country from the days when papyrus (纸莎草纸) was first used. The most famous letters in the world were written with a pen. It was with a pen that the greatest thinkers of all time wrote down their thoughts.

The pen is very utilitarian. We cannot sign a bill or write a letter or buy a house without our pen. An agreement is worthless till our name is written with a pen. The writers encourage the world with it. The students take their examinations with it as well.

Our coming into the world is recorded with a pen. Before we have been at school, our name is written on the name list with a pen. We cannot be married until we have signed. A pen records the important events in our life.

Let’s remember that we hold in our hand the most powerful instrument which man owns. The pen is a magic tool. Whenever you use it, enjoy it.

1. The underlined word “utilitarian” in the passage means “________”.

A．cheap

B．useful

C．boring

D．special

2. What is the writer’s purpose in this passage?

A．Introduce the history of the pen.	B．Describe what a pen looks like.
C．Show the importance of the pen.	D．Advise people to prepare a new pen.

3. The word “mountains” in the third paragraph refers to “something to ________”.

A．change the law of the country	B．stop the social development
C．lower the students’ scores	D．explain the use of electricity

4. The lawyers started to write the law of the country ________.

A．when papyrus was first used	B．before their thoughts were changed
C．after they took an important exam	D．as soon as they recorded their names

5. What is the best title for this passage?

A．An Exciting Event

B．A Powerful Tool

C．A Valuable Record

D．An Important Law

【推荐2】We all know plastic pollution has become a serious problem. One million plastic drinking bottles are thrown away every minute. What if we could use plastic waste to build roads? This is exactly what Toby Mc Cartney has done.

In 2019, McCartney’s UK-based company, MacRebur, built a plastic road in Elgin town, Scotland. The plastic waste was made into grains (颗粒) and then mixed with bitumen (沥青). The road looks just like any other road. But it has improved strength and is more stretchy (有弹性的) thanks to the plastic.

“Our technology can not only help solve the problem of plastic waste but also produce roads that deal better with changes in the weather,” McCartney said.

McCartney’s idea came from a trip to India. “I saw people in India would put plastic waste into potholes (路面的坑洼) and burn it. The plastic would melt down (融化) and fill the holes,” said McCartney.

“I knew that there must be some correspondences between plastic and bitumen, which both come from oil. That’s how I started to think about mixing them,” he said.

After lots of testing, McCartney found the perfect method. And now his company has built many plastic roads around the world. A one-kilometer stretch of road uses about 684,000 plastic bottles or 1.8 million plastic bags. The road itself can be recycled and the materials can be reused to build new roads.

“We’re just a small part of ending the plastic problems, but it’s nice to be part of it,” McCartney said. “I just don’t want my daughters to live in a world where there are more plastics in the ocean than fish.”

1. Compared with normal roads, the plastic road ________.
a. is not easy to break   b. is fit for hot weather   c. is more stretchy   d. costs more money

A．ab

B．ac

C．bc

D．bd

2. McCartney got the idea of building the plastic road from ________.

A．too many changes in the weather

B．his wish to reduce plastic pollution

C．his knowledge of plastic and bitumen

D．Indian people’s way of dealing with potholes

3. The underlined word “correspondences” in this passage means ________.

A．competitions

B．connections

C．differences

D．reasons

4. We can learn from the last paragraph that ________.

A．children should also join to reduce plastic pollution

B．plastic pollution is becoming more and more serious

C．McCartney is ready to offer help in reducing plastic pollution

D．plastic problems will soon be solved with McCartney’s help

5. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To describe how much a kid’s future matters.

B．To encourage every company to build a plastic road.

C．To help people understand how harmful plastic waste is.

D．To tell people plastic waste can be reused to build a road.

【推荐3】French doctors and American scientists have reported doing an operation（手术）in which the doctor was outside the operating room. This kind of operation is known as robotic operation. Doctor Marescaux did the operation in an office in New York City last month, while a sixty-eight-year-old woman patient was in a hospital in Strasbourg, France.

A doctor in Strasbourg got the patient ready. He placed medical tools and a small video camera in her stomach area. Doctor Marescaux in New York watched the patient on a video screen. Then he used the computer to send messages to the robot machine. The robot moved the tools that cut the woman's gallbladder（胆囊）away. The woman got well soon after the operation and left the hospital two days later.

Experts（专家）say such a robotic operation is based on high- speed telecommunications（远程通讯） between the doctor and the robot. Technology must be able to send a doctor's order to a robot to move the tools quickly.

Experts also say a successful robotic operation will improve an operation. For example, the robot can make much smaller movements（动作）than a person can. A robot machine can turn tools in ways that a doctor's hand cannot.

Doctors say such a robotic operation will make safer and better operations in the future. They say it will improve doctor training. It will also mean that doctors could do an operation on people in dangerous places far away. And it could mean that people could have operations done by top doctors without having to travel to the city where doctors work.

1. "Robotic operation" means"_________".

A．a special kind of robot made by doctors	B．an operation done without any doctors
C．an operation done with the help of a robot machine	D．something that can mend a robot

2. If we want to use the robot in the operation, we must have ________

A．top doctor	B．smaller movements
C．doctor training	D．high-speed telecommunications

3. If doctors can't do the small movement in the operation, we may use ________ to solve it.

A．a robot machine	B．more tools
C．a video camera	D．telecommunications

4. We use the robot in the operation because _________.

A．it can send messages at a high speed

B．even a top doctor can't do the operation himself

C．it can make the operation safer and better

D．operations can be done without any doctors