【推荐1】Have you been asked for money by some disabled beggars (乞丐) while you're enjoying shopping? Do you have any pity on (同情) them who are so poor and lonely or do you just feel afraid of their terrible shapes? As one of the most special groups, disabled people's living conditions (条件)—not only their material (物质的) conditions, but their mental (精神的) world, really need improvement. The treatment for disabled people should go like this: First, don't look down upon them. Don't be afraid of looking at the terrible shapes of the disabled. Try to treat them equally. Because they are a part of society (社会), we can't discard (抛弃) them. The second is to help them as much as we could. If you can be a volunteer and do some work for disabled people, that would be very nice. That does help not only to the disabled people but also to yourself because you will feel good after your kind action.

If every one of us gives a little love, the world will become a beautiful wonderland!

1. From the passage we can see that ________.

A．disabled people are poor, but they are happy

B．all disabled people ask for money from those who are shopping

C．disabled people's living conditions are not good

D．no one would like to help disabled beggars

2. The underlined word “equally” means “________” in Chinese.

A．平等地

B．确切地

C．正确地

D．恰当地

3. Most disabled people are begging (乞讨) along the streets because ________.

A．it's their job	B．they want to make a living in this way
C．more people love to help them	D．they are a part of society

4. People have pity on disabled beggars because ________.

A．they are homeless	B．they are poor and lonely
C．they have terrible shapes	D．they are discarded

5. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．The disabled like to beg in streets.

B．Disabled beggars cannot work to make a living.

C．Disabled beggars are not usually treated equally.

D．The best way to help disabled beggars is to give them lots of money.

【推荐2】I’m very thankful to the cat and it always makes me think of the time I was with him.

Five years ago, when my father was dying, I travelled a thousand miles from home to be with him in his last days. I felt very sad and it was one of the most difficult and painful times in my life. After he passed away, I stayed alone in his flat（公寓）. There were so many things to deal with. I was lonely and I hated the silence of the flat.

But one evening the silence was broken: I heard crying outside. I opened the door to find a little cat on the steps. He was thin and poor. He looked the way I felt. I brought him inside and gave him a can of fish. He ate it and then almost immediately fell asleep.

The next morning I checked with neighbors and learned that the cat had been left by his owner. His owner had moved out, so the little cat was there all alone, just like I was. As I walked back to the flat, I tried to work out what to do with him. Having something else to take care of seemed like the very last thing I needed. But as soon as I opened the flat door, he ran to me and jumped into my arms. It was clear from that moment that he didn’t want to go anywhere. I started calling him Willis in order to remember my father’s best friend.

From then on, things grew easier. With Willis in my lap（膝头）, time seemed to pass much faster.When the time finally came for me to return home, I had to decide what to do about Willis. There was absolutely (绝对地) no way I would leave without him.

It’s been five years since my father died. Over the years, several people have said how nice it was of me to rescue（解救）the cat. But I know that we rescued each other. I may have given him a home but he gave me something greater.

1. The writer felt ________ after her father passed away.

A．relaxed

B．lonely

C．nervous

2. The cat rescued the writer by ________.

A．making her feel better in her hard times

B．telling her what real life was

C．helping her finish the tasks on time

3. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Willis was also the name of the writer’s father’s friend.

B．The writer and the cat were both homeless.

C．The cat was left by his owner because of an accident.

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

A．A Lovely Cat

B．My Father and a Cat

C．What I Got from a Cat

【推荐3】Have you ever received a gift that was so clearly not your taste? Worse, have you ever given a present and watched your friend look as though she had opened the wrong box?    1    ? And what do your choices tell about your personal qualities（品质）?

    2    . It calls for empathy—the ability to put yourself into someone else’s head and heart. We’re all able to do this; in fact, we’re born with a kind of natural empathy.    3    . When it isn’t, we’re not able to understand other people’s feelings sharply.

Think back to the presents you’ve given over the past year, the time and effort you put into your selection, how much you spent, your thoughts while you were shopping, and your feelings when the receiver opened the package. Keep in mind that what you choose shows your inner world.

We live in a society where exchanging presents is an important part of communication. Passing over the tradition won’t make it go away.    4    , tell your friends ahead of time.

A．When do you send a right gift

B．However, it needs to be developed

C．If you really dislike such a tradition

D．Why do presents sometimes go wrong

E．Choosing the right gift is an art, I believe

【推荐1】As part of the “Facebook generation”, we have grown up in an Internet world and we can connect with people with a touch on the smartphone. Nowadays, it is common to offer guests the Wi-Fi password along with a cup of tea when they come round to visit. We have become addicted (上瘾的) to our smartphones.

Of course, smartphones are really useful and have changed our lives in many ways. Thanks to thousands of APPs, we can now do almost anything when we’re out and about. However, it seems that these addictive pieces of technology are slowly beginning to take over our lives. It’s so easy to become dependent (依赖的) on the phones, whether it’s to find your way around with the map APP or even just check the time. As a result, we’re becoming more anti-social (反社交的), choosing to search the Internet rather than talk face-to-face with other human beings.

Even when we’re socialising, it seems most of us feel uneasy without our phones at arm’s reach. Phones were invented to keep us more connected, and indeed they have done just that. We can now get in contact, yet this means were starting to lack (缺少) sincere contact with each other. People are connecting more and more across screens rather than in person.

I’m not here to say I’m any better. However, I’m trying to use it less and less when I’m out and about. Next time you’re out with your friends, put your phone away and see how long you can last without it.

1. Which of the following is commonly offered to guests nowadays?

A．A cup of wine.	B．The Wi-Fi password.
C．A smartphone.	D．A piece of newspaper.

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?

A．Smartphones have taken over our lives already.

B．We can hardly do anything without phones now.

C．Smartphones can make people more social.

D．It’s easy to become addicted to smartphones.

3. Most of us feel _______ without phones at arm’s reach.

A．unfriendly

B．uneasy

C．unhappy

D．unhealthy

4. Why were phones invented?

A．To keep people more connected.

B．To help people contact sincerely.

C．To help people find their way.

D．To make it easier to check the time.

5. What is the passage mainly about?

A．We shouldn’t use smartphones when meeting friends.

B．Smartphones have changed our lives in many ways.

C．People today have become addicted to smartphones.

D．The writer never uses smartphone when he’s out.

【推荐2】①Conflict(冲突) happens when two people disagree because of their own goals, values, or beliefs. It’s not always as simple as an argument. Instead, conflict is what happens right before the argument; it’s what the two people disagree about before they start calling each other names.

② Parents and teenagers have many chances to experience conflict with one another. Teenage years are a time when independence and parental influence fight, since teens are able to think on their own but still live with parents who have rules and expectations for them. Teenagers don’t necessarily hold the same beliefs and values as their parents, and their goal to have fun often conflicts with their parents’ goal to keep them safe.

③ If kids don’t come back home at the time when they’re supposed to, their parents will get worried. A worried parent becomes a scolding(责骂的) parent. When the kid finally arrives home, he / she will get punishments.

④ Sometimes, teens want to have noisy fun while their parents want to sleep. This is a common conflict that happens every day. Also, parents and teenagers usually prefer different types of music. So when parents don’t like the music the kids are listening to, they are more likely to tell them to turn it down. Then conflict begins.

⑤ This may not be totally true. However, one thing is for sure: parents might use the teenager’s exam results to judge(判断) him/her. Every time the parents’ expectations aren’t met, they will scold their kids. And the conflict happens.

⑥ Knowing the reasons is the first step to solving conflict. Here are a few tips for parents and teenagers.

⑦ See each other as friends in the common goals you agree on. Such goals usually include keeping teens safe and seeing them make success. Pay attention to these goals to avoid getting unsatisfied with each other.

⑧ List possible solutions to the conflict together. You can try listing creative ideas, whether they seem reasonable or not. Creativity is your friend when you’re solving any problem in life, including conflict with others.

1. Why do teenagers and parents get into conflict?

A．They have different beliefs and values.	B．They live independent lives separately.
C．They hold common views on teenage years.	D．They don’t show much patience to each other.

2. How can a teenager solve conflict with parents?

A．By listing creative ideas together with parents.	B．By starting an argument about different opinions.
C．By spending more time talking with parents.	D．By making parents change their opinions.

3. What’s the writer’s purpose in writing this passage?

A．To show why there is conflict.	B．To explain what conflict could be.
C．To give examples about daily conflict.	D．To help parents and teenagers solve conflict.

4. Which is the right structure(结构) of the passage?

A．①/②③④/⑤⑥⑦/⑧	B．①②/③/④⑤/⑥⑦⑧
C．①/②③④⑤/⑥/⑦⑧	D．①②③④/⑤⑥/⑦⑧

【推荐3】配对阅读。左栏是学生们在学习中五种常犯的错误，右栏是七个成语故事，请为每种错误选择一个相匹配的成语故事，并将答题卡上对应题目所选的选项涂黑。

1    . Some students often add “so” to the sentence with “because”. “Because” and “so” shouldn’t be put together.     2    . Some students may be lucky to get the right answers. But if they depend only on luck, they may fail next time.     3    . Some students pretend (假装) that they know the grammar rules but in fact they don’t.     4    . Students make the same mistakes again and again. They should learn from their mistakes.     5    . Some students seem to be able to recite (背诵) the English texts in groups. But they can’t do it alone.

A. The old emperor liked group music. A man knew this and joined the musical team. But the new emperor enjoyed the music that was played by each musician. The man ran away. B. A painter drew a dragon without eyes, because he believed it would flyaway if he added eyes. His friend advised him to draw eyes and the dragon really flew away. C. One day, a rabbit knocked into a tree and died. A farmer nearby enjoyed the rabbit for dinner and waited for more at the same place every day. However, no rabbits came and his fields went worse. D. A poor young man made a small hole in the wall to get light from next door at night. He read a lot of books and became an important officer. E. A farmer found a sheep lost. There was a hole in the sheep hold (羊圈). He fixed it right away. Then, the rest of the sheep were safe. F. A man wanted to steal a big bell next door. However, he made much noise so he covered his ears. He thought others couldn’t hear the noise, too. G. Several men were drawing snakes, on the floor. One man was the first to finish a snake but he didn’t win because he added feet to his snake,

【推荐1】Griffith Observatory (天文台)

Griffith Observatory gives you the chance to become an observer. You can:

—learn how people explore our local star, the sun.

—observe what causes day and night, seasons.

—use telescopes to observe the space.

—get a ticket for an amazing show about the universe.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Griffith Observatory is open six days a week. Free admission (进入) to building, exhibits, and grounds.

Tuesday– Friday       1:00 p.m.– 10:00 p.m.

Saturday– Sunday     10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Monday        closed

SAMUEL PLANETARIUM THEATER

The Samuel Planetarium (天文馆) Theater offers 8 half-hour shows each day. There are usually three different shows from which to choose.

Check the website or information desks for each day’s showtimes. The tickets are only available on the day of the show and must be bought at the observatory. There is only a nominal charge (收费) to see a planetarium show.       

Adults            $5.00       Children (5-12 years old)          $1.00

Students        $2.00             Seniors (60 years and older)     $3.00       

PUBLIC TELESCOPES   

Free public telescopes are available each evening when skies are clear (except the Zeiss telescope on the roof). All observing must be completed by 9:00 p.m.

1. According to the passage, what can visitors do in Griffith Observatory?

A．To know something about telescopes.	B．To watch movies about the seasons.
C．To learn how people explore the sun.	D．To observe what causes the space.

2. You may stay there from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. if you go to Griffith Observatory on         .

A．Sunday

B．Monday

C．Tuesday

D．Friday

3. The underlined word “nominal” probably means “        ”.

A．high

B．small

C．monthly

D．average

4. Which of the following statements about the Samuel Planetarium Theater is true?

A．It offers eight half-hour different shows every day.

B．You can check the guide book for each day’s showtimes.

C．People over 60 years old can get the tickets for free.

D．The tickets are only available on the day of the show.

5. Visitors can look through the public telescopes to observe the sky _______.

A．after 9:00 p.m.

B．on clear days

C．for free

D．on the roof

6. The writer’s purpose of this passage is ______.

A．to introduce their studies	B．to provide some information
C．to describe the observatory	D．to make some suggestions

【推荐3】David Smith is a writer, teacher and photographer (摄影师) of 45 years old. When he was 25, he began to work for National Geographic. His words and photos show his love for the world around us. Here are some questions and answers of an interview (采访) with him.

How did you become a National Geographic photographer?

My first job was for a newspaper when I was 20. Five years later, I met a National Geographic photographer and stopped my job for the newspaper. He liked my photos and said I should send some to the magazine. So I did. Then I got a one-day job. And after that I got a ten-day job, and so on.

What kind of photographer is National Geographic looking for?

To get into National Geographic, you have to give them something they don’t have. It’s not enough just to be a great photographer. You also have to, for example, be a scientist, or be able to spend several days in a tree.

What’s your suggestion to other photographers?

Suggestion? Well, work hard. Love what you work on. Take lots of pictures in different places. Look at others’ photos and learn from them. And watch life anytime and anywhere. There is something to photograph everywhere.

But be a photographer for the right reasons (理由). If you do it just for money, you won’t really be happy. Do you want to make the world a better place, or make people see things in a different way? If so, you will enjoy the work much more.

1. How many years did David Smith work for a newspaper ?

A．5 years.

B．20 years.

C．25 years.

D．45 years.

2. The followings are what a National Geographic photographer has to do EXCEPT _________.

A．giving National Geographic something they don’t have

B．being a scientist

C．being able to spend some days in a tree

D．being able to write for a newspaper

3. Why does David Smith advise photographers to look at other photographers’ photos?

A．To use them.

B．To learn from them.

C．To buy them.

D．To make them better.

4. How can a photographer have more fun in the work according to （根据）David Smith?

A．Making more money in the work.

B．Meeting more people in the work.

C．Making the world a better place and making people see things in a different way.

D．Making photographers work for newspapers.

5. Which of the following can be the best title （题目）for the passage?

A．An Interview About How David Smith Takes Photos

B．An Interview With David Smith—A National Geographic Photographer

C．An Interview About How David Smith Works For A Newspaper

D．An interview With National Geographic Photographers

【推荐1】Students often say their teachers give them too much homework. Now two reports show that it is not true in America.

The Brookings report shows that most middle school students do homework for only 40-50 minutes. It also shows students in France, Italy and England need two hours on homework. And students in China and Japan spend more than two hours on homework a night.

The Rand report shows that only 10% of middle school students need two hours a night to finish homework. In America, parents want their children to have time for sports, music lessons and other things after school. After students finish their homework, they can play sports, read books and listen to music with their parents. It sounds great! Some experts also say that school need to give useful homework to their students, but not too much.

1. How long do middle school students in Italy do homework according to the passage?

A．40-50 minutes.

B．An hour.

C．Two hours.

D．Three hours.

2. What does the underlined word “spend” mean according to the passage?

A．show.

B．need.

C．do.

D．read.

3. The passage is mainly about ________.

A．students

B．teachers

C．homework

D．time

4. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．American middle school students don’t do the homework.

B．Middle school students in England need 40-50 minutes on homework.

C．Chinese middle school students don’t have time for sports.

D．American middle school students can have time for music.

【推荐2】
The traditional school exercise book and pen could become history. Every pupil at Writhlinton School is being offered their own laptop (笔记本电脑) to use in class and for homework.
Buildings with wireless (无线的) systems will open soon. The laptop project will cost the school about £400,000. Parents are being asked to pay £2 per week for their children’s laptop as long as the child stays at the school. Those unable to pay will receive economic aid (经济援助).
The headmaster, Will Roberts, says parents think it is a “bargain (划算的买卖)” because it’s expensive to buy a laptop.
“With the help of the laptop, any time they want to learn, they can. Pupils, who are aged between 11 and 18, can complete homework by connecting to the school servers (服务器) from home. And their work can be marked at once and teachers share pupils’ work away from the classroom.”
Mr. Roberts insists, however, that children will continue to use traditional learning materials. “There will always be a place for traditional writing and textbooks here,” he says. “But we want to prepare our pupils for the real world.”
The project was started with the help of the government-supported charity, the e-Learning Foundation (学习平台基金会). It is trying to make information technology (技术) more widely used in schools.
Spokesman, Kevin Pay, says using computers improves pupil’s work speed－“after all, there is no excuse for not having homework”.
1. For what purpose is the school giving each pupil a laptop?

A．To prepare its pupils well for society (社会).

B．To attract more pupils to study there.

C．To draw the attention of the public and charities.

D．To reduce the stress of teachers and pupils.

2. From the passage, what do we know about the project?

A．It will begin in several months.

B．It is not good for poor families.

C．It is based on some researches.

D．It received support from the government.

3. All the following statements are true EXCEPT _____________.

A．computers can greatly improve pupils’ studies

B．the traditional book and pen will disappear from schools

C．pupils unable to pay for the laptop can have the laptop too

D．computers make it easier for teachers to contact pupils

4. What is the parents’ attitude (态度) towards the project?

A．They are against it.

B．The don’t care about it.

C．They like it very much.

D．They are worried about it.