【推荐1】

For years people have enjoyed following the life of Garfield the cat. Garfield is a popular comic book character, known for being lazy and fat. But the cat was back in the news recently for something you might not expect.

A man in the United States changed the gender of garfield to “none” on the cat’s Wikipedia (维基百科) page. After that lots of people got angry and kept changing Garfield’s Wikipedia page. They argued about whether the cat was a boy, girl or neither.

Wikipedia finally locked the page to stop people editing (编辑) it. Jim Davis, Garfield’s creator, solved the argument.

“Garfield is male,” he simply told the Washington Post. The 71-year-old artist said he liked working with animals because they didn’t have to be old, young, boys or girls. He was angry that some people cared so much about Garfield’s gender.

It seems like quite an unnecessary argument to have. But it is not the only recent example of argument about gender.

To celebrate International Women’s Day in Australia earlier this year, the city of Melbourne made 10 traffic lights with a figure (人形) dressed in a skirt. They were designed to celebrate Women’s Day and give them more confidence in public.

But not everyone thinks the idea is necessary. Some people think it is important for women to be treated fairly in Australia, but that this idea is silly.

“I’m all for doing anything we can for gender equity (公平), but really?” Melbourne mayor (市长) Robert Doyle told the Herald Sun. The mayor said this idea is more likely to be laughed at than bring respect to women.

1. What put Garfield the cat back in the news recently?

A．The cat’s lazy character.	B．Being included in Wikipedia.
C．The cat’s gender being changed on Wikipedia	D．The cats picture being changed on Wikipedia.

2. What does the underlined word gender in the passage mean?

A．性别.

B．个性.

C．外貌.

D．脾气.

3. According to Jim Davis, ___________________.

A．Wikipedia should lock the page about Garfield

B．Garfield can be a boy or a girl, and young or old

C．people don’ t care about animals’age or gender

D．it’s unnecessary to take Garfield’s gender seriously

4. What did Melbourne mayor Robert Doyle think of the traffic light idea?

A．It would bring respect to women.	B．It was not a good idea for gender equity.
C．It would give women more confidence in public.	D．It would help women be treated fairly in Australia.

【推荐2】In the United States, it is not usual to telephone someone early in the morning. If you telephone early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate(立即的) attention. So it is with the telephone calls made after 11:00 pm. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he may think that it’s a matter of life and death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance.
In social life, time plays a very important part. In the USA guests are likely to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party reaches them only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be thought silly to make an appointment(约会) too far ahead because plans which are made for a date more than a week away may be forgotten. The meaning of time is not the same in different cultures that treat time differently; being on time is valued highly in American life, for example. If people are not on time, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible(责任). In the USA no one would think of keeping a business friend for an hour; it would be too impolite. A person who is 5 minutes late is asked to make a shout apology (道歉). If he is less than 5 minutes late, he will say a few words of explanation(解释), though perhaps he will not complete the sentence.
1. A call at midnight would mean_________.

A．the matter is less important

B．the matter is too difficult to handle

C．the matter requires immediate attention

D．it is a matter of life and death

2. According to the passage, time plays a very important part in__________.

A．everyday life	B．personal life
C．getting along with others	D．business

3. In the passage, the writer suggests that invitation cards should be sent___________.

A．three or four days before the party date in all cultures

B．three or four days before the party date in some cultures

C．three or four days before the party date in the USA

D．at your chosen time

【推荐3】Do animals have a culture? What do we mean by “culture”? Lately social scientists have begun to ask if culture is found just in humans, or if some animals have a culture too. When we speak of culture, we mean a way of life a group of people have in common. Culture includes the beliefs and attitudes we learn. It is the patterns of behavior that help people to live together. It is also the patterns of behavior that make one group of people different from another group.
Our culture lets us make up for having lost out strength, claws, long teeth, and other defenses. Instead we use tools, cooperate with one another, and communicate with language. But these aspects of human behavior, or “culture”, can also be found in the lives of certain animals. Animals can make tools, for example. We used to think that the ability to use tools was the dividing line between human beings and other animals. Lately, however, we have found that this is not the case. Chimpanzees can not only use tools but actually make tools themselves. Animals can also share knowledge with each other and use their own language to communicate. So it may be important for us to know that the line dividing us from animals is not as clear as we used to think.
1. When we talk about “culture”, we mean __________.

A．book language of behavior we learn

B．the patterns of behavior we learn

C．traditional ideas

D．people’s habits

2. We thought ________ was the biggest difference between human beings and other animals.

A．cooperating with one another

B．communicating with language

C．using tools

D．losing long teeth

3. The example of chimpanzees shows __________.

A．animals are the same as human beings

B．animals can be as clever as human beings

C．there is no differences between humans and other animals

D．animals may have a culture like our own

4. It’s ________ that animals have a culture too.

A．sure	B．unbelievable
C．possible	D．important

5. The main idea of the passage is _______.

A．chimpanzees can learn to use sign language to make sentences

B．other animals can invent tools

C．knowledge and communication are no longer signs of only human behavior

D．the line dividing human culture from animal culture is not as clear as we might think

【推荐1】Idioms(成语) are phrases and sentences that do not mean exactly what they say. Even if you know the meaning of each word you see or hear, you may not understand the idiom because you don't understand the culture behind it.
For example, if an American boy asks his mother what's for dinner tomorrow, she may say “I'll play it by ear”, that means she doesn't have plans for dinner and she will decide later. “Play by ear” used to mean playing music using the sheet music(活页乐谱), but now people often use it when they're not talking about music.
There're many idioms in English. If you learn to use them, your English will be more vivid and colorful. English idioms are more common in spoken English. They can be difficult to remember sometimes. Next time when you hear somebody saying to you, “Give me a hand”, you don't necessarily reach out your hand to him/her, but you do need to be helpful. And when the situation is out of hand, you usually can do very little to manage all that. What about a green hand? It's not about the color of your hand! You're a green hand when you are very new at your work and don't have much experience. If you and your partner always work together hand in glove, you two certainly work together very well.
Can you guess the meanings of some common English idioms to do with parts of your body?
1. An idiom is _______.

A．a phrase or a sentence that means exactly what the words say

B．a phrase or a sentence that doesn't mean exactly what every word says

C．so difficult that nobody can understand

D．something to do with parts of your body

2. If a mother says “I’ll play it by ear” to talk about the dinner, she means _______.

A．she will cook dinner while listening to music at the same time

B．she doesn't hear what others are talking about.

C．she will play music using the sheet music instead of cooking dinner

D．She doesn't have plans for dinner and will decide later

3. When one says “Can you give me a hand?”, he means _______.

A．he needs to hold your hand.

B．he works well with you

C．he needs your help

D．he is a new comer and can't help with the situation

4. What does the word “vivid” mean?

A．生动的

B．恰当的

C．独特的

D．有意义的

5. Here are four common English idioms to do with parts of your body and their meanings.
Can you match them?
1) to learn something by heart                 a. to depend on oneself
2) to have sticky fingers                         b. to know something very well
3) to stand on one's own feet                  c. to do something secretly
4) to go behind someone's back                 d. to have the habit of stealing

A．1-b; 2-a; 3-d; 4-c	B．1-b; 2-d; 3-a; 4-c
C．1-c; 2-b; 3-a; 4-d	D．1-c; 2-d; 3-b; 4-a

【推荐2】An old saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” I learned the meaning of this when I studied in Russia.

One day, I invited some of my Chinese friends to a famous local restaurant in Moscow (莫斯科). My guests were very excited when they visited the Red Square. I was also very happy about our meeting. We chatted warmly until the waiter told me that we were talking too loud. We turned our voices lower. But this didn’t last long. The waiter came over to us twice with the same message.

How bad an impression (印象) we must have left on the local people! In China, it’s natural and important for a host to make a lively atmosphere (气氛). However, in Russia, having a meal in a public place means you must keep your voice low. You need to be polite to others.

I felt bad about this. Even though we tried our best, it’s very difficult to form a new habit. Russians have their own special habits. My Russian friend, Andrey always looks around and thinks for a while before leaving home. I asked him why he did this. “Aha,” Andrey said, “In Russia, people always spend about a minute going over things and planning in their minds before leaving. So they won’t leave anything necessary behind.”

Finding the differences between cultures is very interesting. I’d like to keep my eyes and mind open.

根据材料内容选择最佳答案。
1. Where were the friends invited by the writer for dinner?

A．Russia.

B．China.

C．America.

2. What does the underlined word “they” refer to (指代)?

A．The bosses.

B．The writer’s friends.

C．The students.

3. How many times did the waiter come to the writer’s table?

A．Once.

B．Twice.

C．Three times.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．A well-known local restaurant.

B．A meeting that will never be forgotten.

C．The cultural differences between China and Russia.

【推荐3】根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项

Dear Laura,

Thanks for your message. Yes, I’m having a great time on my student exchange program in France.     1     But there was no reason to be. My host family is really nice and try to make me feel at home. The grandmother knows that I miss Chinese food a lot.     2     She also has a teenage granddaughter about my age who is really kind. She always talks to me in French to help me practice.     3    

My biggest challenge is learning how to behave at the dinner table. Things are very different from the way they are at home. For example, you’re not supposed to put your bread on your plate. You’re supposed to put it on the table. Another example is that you’re not supposed to eat anything with your hands except bread, not even fruit.     4     I have to say that I find it difficult to remember everything, but I’m gradually getting used to it. I’ll write again soon and tell you more about my life in France. Hope you’re having a good school year.

Yours,

Lin Yue

A．It’s impolite to say that you are full.

B．I was a bit nervous before I arrived here.

C．So she learned how to make Chinese food.

D．You have to cut it up and eat it with a fork.

E．My French has improved a lot because of that.

【推荐2】Are you interested in sports, music or the environment? Being part of a community isn’t just about where you live; it also means sharing ideas with other people and it can help you understand yourself.

A community might be an actual space where people connect with each other. It is like your local neighborhood or school or a virtual(虚拟的) space where groups meet online. These groups, or communities, bring together people who share similar ideas and interests. Communities come in all shapes and sizes and make you feel like you’re part of something bigger than yourself.

Being around people who share your passion(激情)gives you a feeling of belonging. It’s also a great way to make new friends and feel supported. Joining a community of people that shares your beliefs can help you achieve amazing things because you’re joining your powers.* Kids Against Plastic is a group run by teenage sisters Amy and Ella Meek, who have created a community of young people taking action against plastic pollution. So far they have picked up more than 90,000 pieces of single-use plastic litter in the UK.

Amy says,“ We young people have really powerful voices, and when we come together we can make a huge positive difference. Building a community can help to not only increase your voice but also provide you with a support network and the encouragement to run for your passion.”

Start by thinking about what your interests are and find a community group that feels like a good fit. Lots of musicians and sports teams have official fan clubs, or you can find local groups by asking at your nearest library. There are different community groups to choose from, including dance, drama and gardening. They are set up by people with a passion. They welcome new members.

1. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．Communities.	B．Students.
C．Virtual space.	D．Volunteering.

2. The second paragraph tells us ________.

A．what a community is	B．how a community works
C．who makes a community	D．how we can make a community

3. What’s Amy and Ella Meek’s community about?

A．Gardening.	B．Making friends.
C．Dance and drama.	D．Being against plastic pollution.

4. Which paragraph talks about the advantage of making a community?

A．Paragraphs 1 and 2.	B．Paragraphs 2 and 3.
C．Paragraphs 3 and 4.	D．Paragraphs 4 and 5.