1 . Every year—for more than 15 years running—Amazon editors come together to decide on the Best Books of the Year. Below are the top 4 picks, along with quotes from the editors.

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

“Though divided by centuries, three women, who share a unique connection to the natural world and to one, another, tell their amazing stories of coldness, danger, and survival in a beautifully written novel that is an impressive read.” —Seira Wilson

Happy Place by Emily Henry

“Emily Henry’s latest has all the feels!More than your standard second-chance romance, Happy Place is about the beauty, pain, and joy that come with biological families, chosen families, growing up and apart, and how—as adults—we deal with this thing called life.”—Kami Tei

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann

“Please get ready. This true story of violence and murder, adventure, and ambition on the high seas is a page-turner. You can almost feel the salt stuck on your skin as the ship and its noisy shipmen fight against the bad weather and each other for becoming rich and famous. David Grann,once again, has made history come alive.” —Al Woodworth

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See

“I will not soon forget Lady Tan. A historical story grounded in women, medicine, and tradition, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is heart-touching, and I found myself underlining throughout this inviting read.” —Kami Tei

1. What is Happy Place mainly about?

A．Adventures of adults.	B．Connection to nature:
C．Mixed feelings of life.	D．Challenges of growing up.

2. Who wrote a novel based on a true story?

A．Ann Napolitano.	B．Emily Henry
C．David Grann.	D．Lisa See

3. What do Hello Beautiful and Lady Tan’s Circle of Women have in common?

A．They are set in history.	B．They are about women.
C．They cover several centuries.	D．They focus on dangers of life.

2 . In a Zulu village, Daphne gave birth to a baby, named Xolani Nkosi. The baby was tiny, no more than two kilos. As the months passed, Daphne realized the boy was ill. The doctor who examined the boy had said his illness might be a result of HIV infection.

Meanwhile, another South African woman, Gail Johnson, was living a different life. She and her husband were not wealthy, but were comfortably middle class. A visit to a friend’s brother, who was in the terminal (晚期的) stage of AIDS, made her determined to do something. By October, she had raised enough money to set up the Guest House, and took in a dozen dying of AIDS. Daphne sent her boy to the Guest House, where he became a star.

But in 1992 the Guest House had to be closed for lack of money. Gail offered to adopt Nkosi. By his 4th birthday, Nkosi was eating better, gaining some weight. In 1997, Gail sent Nkosi to school. In 3 years at school Nkosi had only one accident. He fell in the playground and cut his mouth. The bleeding was handled with care. His school performance was satisfactory.

Nkosi’s progress was tracked in the media. Gail took advantage of the coverage to raise money and found a house in Johannesburg for some women and their kids. She called it Nkosi’s Haven. Nkosi and Gail became icons (偶像人物) in the international AIDS community. They were invited to the United States and spent a week there making appearances. Then in July 2000, the 13th International Conference on AIDS was scheduled to be held in Durban. Nkosi was introduced to a huge audience. He said, “Care for us and accept us. We are all human beings. We are normal. We have hands. We have feet. Don’t be afraid of us. We are all the same.” His tiny body was ravaged, but his big heart inspired a nation.

1. What drove Gail Johnson to found the Guest House?

A．Her middle class status.	B．Her visit to an AIDS sufferer.
C．Her ability to raise money.	D．Her determination to be wealthy.

2. What can we learn about Nkosi from the last paragraph?

A．He won the battle against AIDS in the end.

B．He made much progress in AIDS research.

C．He became a leader in the AIDS community.

D．He urged people to treat AIDS patients fairly.

3. What does the underlined word “ravaged” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Ruined.

B．Injured.

C．Controlled.

D．Protected.

4. Which of the following can best describe Gail?

A．Clever and humorous.	B．Curious and inspiring.
C．Strong-willed and demanding.	D．Warm-hearted and considerate.

3 . What are the best foreign films coming out in May? Here are four of the best new films to watch.

Hypnotic

Nothing is what it seems in Hypnotic, a mind-bending plot thriller from Robert Rodriguez. Ben Affleck stars as a police detective who is disturbed by the disappearance of his daughter. He is investigating a series of bank robberies (抢劫) when a mystery woman tells him about “hypnotics”: people who have the power to make others believe and do anything they want by saying a single sentence.

Released on 11 May in Australia, 12 May in the US &26 May in the UK

The Little Mermaid

Another month, another live-action-and-CGI remake of a classic Disney cartoon. But this one is more distinctive than most, because a black actress, Halle Bailey, is playing the title character, who was white in the 1989 cartoon. Besides, the film’s director argues that his version of The Little Mermaid is progressive in other ways, too. “She and Prince Eric, played by Jonah Hauer-King, really teach the world about prejudice and about breaking down barriers and walls between these two worlds.” Also, there’s a singing crab (螃蟹).

On general release from 24 May

The Eight Mountains

All of the mountains in The Eight Mountains are unspoilt and breathtakingly beautiful. Some of them are in the Himalayas, but most are in the Italian alps, where Pietro, a city boy from Turin, befriends Bruno, the only child left in a remote rural village.

Released on 5 May in Japan, 12 May in the UK and Ireland, and 19 May in Spain and Finland

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

It’s been six years since Marvel’s second Guardians of the Galaxy film came out. Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, Drax and their partners are finally back for more adventures and this time they’re up against the High Evolutionary.

On general release from 15 May

1. What do we know about the police detective in Hypnotic?

A．His daughter is missing.	B．His magic is unbelievable.
C．He is involved in a bank robbery.	D．He is cheated by a mystery woman.

2. What is special about The Little Mermaid?

A．It is a live-action film.	B．It stars a black actress.
C．It has a dancing crab in it.	D．It results in racial inequality.

3. Which film is available for British audiences on 12 May?

A．Hypnotic.	B．The Little Mermaid.
C．The Eight Mountains.	D．Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Adapted from Jin Yucheng’s award-winning novel, Fan Hua, the Tv series Blossoms Shanghai takes audiences back to the 1990s Shanghai. Now crowds of people     1     (equip) with cameras are flocking to the area in search of nostalgia, as well as delicious food.

Shanghai’s Huanghe Road used to be home to over 100 restaurants, many of     2     served high-end food only accessible to the rich. But everything started to change in the late 1990s. The iconic neon (霓虹) signs     3    (tear) from the buildings. Fried snakes     4     special dish were also banned. The Asian     5    (finance) crisis in the late 1990s, the SARS pandemic in 2003, and the rise of other gourmet streets (美食街) subsequently resulted in many restaurants here     6    (close) down.

Since its launch on Dec 27, Blossoms Shanghai has sparked lively discussions on social media. Many of these discussions are related to the authentic description of old Shanghai, as well as the use and     7    (preserve) of the Shanghai dialect. Visitor numbers to the Fairmont Peace Hotel (和平饭店), another landmark in the TV series     8    (rise), too. The hotel recently has launched a new menu comprising several dishes featured in the TV series     9    (take) advantage of the fanfare (热议，宣传) surrounding the road. Other Shanghai classics, such as pork chops and rice cakes, have also been massively popular     10     delivery orders increasing by 300 percent on Meituan.

5 . Never has there been a primate as big as Gigantopithecus blacki. Adults of this ancient ape (猿) stood about 10 feet tail and could weigh more than 500 pounds, wandering the thick forests of ancient China during the last Ice Age.

Why this impressive animal went extinct has puzzled scientists since the ape was discovered nearly a century ago. But now, a new analysis suggests that the primate’s unique lifestyle left it vulnerable

The new study combines geological dates, pollen records, and clues preserved inside fossil teeth to present a detailed timeline of when, and how, Gigantopithecus blacki went extinct. The results reveal the creature’s decline and ultimate demise in fine detail

Kira Westaway, lead author of the new study and a geochronologist at Macquarie University in Sydney, worked to come up with more accurate dates for the sediments (沉积物) that Gigantopithecus fossils have been found in. Studies of fossil pollen from the Gigantopithecus sites also allowed researchers to study how the animal’s habitat was changing. Prior to 700,000 years ago, both Gigantopithecus and Pongo weidenreichi, another ancient ape, lived in forests where they ate leaves, fruits, and flowers available much of the year round. Due to the environmental changes, dense forests of pines, birches and chestnut relatives gave way to more open habitats with larger patches of grassland However, Gigantopithecus had a difficult time finding preferred foods. Meanwhile Pongo weidenreichi changed its diet to live on-fibrous-plants that were more readily available.

“It was the response of G, blacki to these changes that sealed its fate, ” Westaway says. The giant apes were so big that they had to move on the ground and were limited in how far they could venture, trying to make the most of twigs, bark, and other tough foods that were still accessible. It wasn’t enough.

Yet knowing the ending of the ape’s story hardly closes the case on the giant primate. Did these huge primates follow the same path to extinction, or did the story vary by location? This research opens new questions even as it explains the disappearance of Earth’s most huge ape.

1. What does the new research aim to do?

A．To study the climate changes of ancient China.

B．To analyze the geological features of the last Ice Age.

C．To solve the mystery of the Gigantopithecus blacki’s extinction.

D．To present some detailed findings of the Gigantopithecus blacki’s habitat.

2. What does the underlined word “demise” in the third paragraph mean?

A．Change.

B．Removal.

C．Adaptation.

D．Extinction.

3. What do we know about the study?

A．The timing of the giant ape’s disappearance was worked out.

B．Another ape was included to show their common habitat.

C．The environmental shift had little impact on the giant ape’s habitat.

D．Some fossil pollen were studied to reveal the giant ape’s diet preference.

4. What can be suggested from Westaway ’ s words about the giant ape?

A．The giant ape responded to the change of its habitat easily.

B．The inability to adapt quickly caused its disappearance.

C．The giant ape had sufficient food resources on the grassland.

D．The forested habitat was still accessible to the giant ape.

6 . That year I was nineteen and studying chemistry at college. My family thought education was the ________ to success. I agreed. However, I felt dull in chemistry class. One day, my professor asked, “Why are you here when you have little ________ in chemistry?” I tried to explain by blaming pressure from my ________. But apparently he knew it was just a(n) ________ excuse. He said, “Your success can only be measured by yourself, but not by your parents. There is no secret to success, no examination you have to ________, but passion is very important. To be successful, you must follow your ________. Whether you are passionate about fixing cars or exploring the world, you must be passionate about your goal and ________ a path to realize it. Then you will achieve success and find ________.”

At nineteen, the advice was hard for me to ________, but I knew he was correct. His words ________ me I should consider “I think” rather than “my parents think”. I made a selfexamination and found my passion was ________. I had a gift for playing the piano but I ________ it.

There was only one way to ________ whether I could be a successful musician, so I took my professor’s advice and ________ to the university’s music school.

I’m now fifty years old, and live ________. When I watched the various awards I received on the walls in my office, a contented smile appeared on my face.

1.

A．key

B．pattern

C．factor

D．process

2.

A．intelligence

B．difficulty

C．interest

D．time

3.

A．friends

B．parents

C．teachers

D．companions

4.

A．identical

B．reasonable

C．convincing

D．weak

5.

A．pass

B．monitor

C．evaluate

D．arrange

6.

A．optimism

B．determination

C．emotion

D．passion

7.

A．clean

B．set

C．repair

D．cross

8.

A．happiness

B．problems

C．regrets

D．personality

9.

A．adapt

B．turn down

C．absorb

D．put forward

10.

A．warned

B．commanded

C．advised

D．reminded

11.

A．music

B．chemistry

C．physics

D．subject

12.

A．emphasized

B．ignored

C．valued

D．avoided

13.

A．wonder

B．discuss

C．prove

D．doubt

14.

A．admitted

B．switched

C．headed

D．returned

15.

A．poorly

B．cautiously

C．bitterly

D．happily

7 . The U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has approved a new class of hearing aid devices, which do not require a medical exam. That means Americans will be able to buy hearing aids later this year without seeing a doctor or receiving a medical examination.

The devices are designed for adults with mild to moderate hearing problems. The FDA estimates that the hearing aids could help nearly 30 million adults in the United States, but only about one-fifth of people with hearing problems use the devices currently.

“Today’s action by the FDA represents a significant milestone in making hearing aids more cost-effective and accessible,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, told reporters on Tuesday. The FDA first proposed the rule change for hearing aids last year and the new rules will take effect in the middle of October. The move follows years of pressure from medical experts and others to make the devices less costly and easier to get.

However, cost is still a barrier right now. Americans can pay more than $5,000 for hearing aids, which is for the device itself and fitting services. Private insurance coverage is also limited for the devices. And government insurance for older people, known as Medicare, does not pay for them. Medicare only pays for hearing tests.

“The requirement to see a specialist was not only a burden and an annoyance for many consumers but also it actually created a competitive barrier to entry,” said Brian Deese, a White House economic adviser. Deese added that the government estimates that Americans could save as much as $2,800 for a set of hearing aids if they want to buy them.

But FDA officials noted that the savings will depend on when producers launch products and how much they cost. “It’s very hard to predict exactly what we’ll see and when,” said Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, the FDA’s medical device chief. Shuren added officials expected to see increased competition from new producers and new products from existing hearing aid makers.

1. Who probably use the new hearing aid devices?

A．The people who cannot afford medical fee.

B．The 20 percent of people who can pay for them.

C．The people who needn’t be examined by doctors.

D．The adults whose hearing problems are not serious.

2. What might the rule change bring?

A．Hearing tests for free.	B．More pressure from medical experts.
C．Lower cost of the hearing devices.	D．More private insurance coverage.

3. What may Deese agree with?

A．Seeing a specialist was unaccessible.

B．Seeing a specialist was a troublesome experience.

C．The government will save much medical expense.

D．Americans will pay more money for medical care.

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．When the cost will be reduced is uncertain.	B．Existing hearing aid makers can benefit most.
C．Officials will decide the price of the hearing aids.	D．New producers will succeed in the competition.

8 . Arm wrestling(扳手腕) is a type of athletic contest.     1     Each one places an elbow(肘) on a table, holds the hand of the other and tries to force it back to connect with the table.

    2     In their view, it doesn’t require many things used in other sports, including physical strength and other skills. In fact, it is not just physical strength; strategy plays a key role. Good observation is also necessary for success in arm wrestling. What’s more, competitive arm wrestling is an organized sport with very specific rules. Anyone who breaks rules may even lead to losing a match.

Like many other sports, there are different classes in arm wrestling. For championships, players are divided into classes by weight.     3    

Arm wrestling has a very long history. It started as just a Saturday night past time. A journalist named Bill Soberanes founded the sport around 1952. Since the American Armsport Association(AAA) sanctioned(认可) it, many organizations have worked hard to support and promote competitive arm wrestling.     4     Some are local, representing certain regions, while others try to promote the sport on an international level. Whether small local or international championships, arm wrestlers from all walks of life put their skills to the test, pushing their bodies to the limit.

Now, arm wrestling attracts a variety of people, of all ages and backgrounds.     5    Many people enjoy the sport purely for fun, while others approach it with spirit common in true competitors.

A．There are two competitors in the contest.

B．Their health conditions need to be considered.

C．Arm wrestling is widely accepted among the young.

D．Many people don’t think of arm wrestling as a sport.

E．It can be as exciting for the young as it is for the old.

F．They contribute to improving the image people have of arm wrestling.

G．There are also different divisions for those who wrest with the right hand, in contrast to those with left one.

9 . According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees over 50 make up more than one-third of the workforce in the United States. And the labor force aged 75 and older is expected to increase by 96.5% by 2030. As the workforce ages and increasing numbers of grandparents care for their grandchildren, what once was intended for new parents is now applied to grandparents. Some workplaces are offering a new paid leave policy (政策) for older workers—grandternity leave.

As the name suggests, one of the most popular use cases for grandternity leave is employees taking time off when they become grandparents to help care for their grandchildren. It also enables employees to take paid leave to deal with medical treatment, spend time with their families, and take time away from work as needed.

In a competitive labor market with more than 10 million open jobs, employers still struggle to retain senior employees. They fall under the Baby Boomer generation and are characterized by their deep love for work and company responsibility. They are prized for their historical knowledge and old-fashioned work ethic (职业道德). Therefore, employers are seeking new, nontraditional benefits for these employees to prevent them from taking another job. Grandternity leave is just one example of personalized benefits suitable for older workers.

A handful of companies are already starting to offer their own form of grandternity leave. For example, Saga has rolled out a five-day paid grandternity leave to its 2,500 employees. Scott Merry, a 57-year-old IT specialist with Saga took grandternity leave to care for his new-born grandson. “It was just wonderful. It’s nice to work in this type of culture which values family time.” he said. Another company that became an early adopter (使用者) is HireVue. “Attracting and employing a various workforce should be top of mind for any organization,” said one of HireVue’s managers. “Offering a variety of benefits like grandternity leave is key to that.”

1. What does paragraph 1 focus on about the policy?

A．Its application.

B．Its influences.

C．Its limitations.

D．Its background.

2. What does the underlined word “retain” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Cut down.

B．Kick out.

C．Hold onto.

D．Pay for.

3. What can be inferred about Grandternity leave from the last paragraph?

A．It is a win-win practice.	B．It has been adopted widely.
C．It has a two-sided nature.	D．It is key to business success.

4. What is the purpose of this text?

A．To introduce a new paid leave.	B．To call for better working conditions.
C．To recommend several leading companies.	D．To warn of the effect of population ageing.

10 . As Eline reached the top of Mount Langley, a 14,000-foot mountain in California’s Eastern Sierra Nevada, she could feel the soft sand under her feet and hear the enveloping silence of the wonderful mountain. But she couldn’t see a thing.

Born almost completely blind, Eline is among a growing number of outdoor-adventure athletes who refused to let disabilities reduce them to onlookers. She had a strong desire to take part in outdoor activities when she was very young. Unfortunately, her early efforts to fit in with the other kids didn’t go well. While she experienced countless failures, she faced up to them.

When it comes to her final success in outdoor sports, it is all credited to her doctor who is expert in instructing blind runners. Impressed by Eline’s love for adventure, the doctor recommended her to join a half-marathon. Eline had never run more than 4 or 5 miles at that point. She worried about making a fool of herself or wasting her doctor’s time. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “If we have to walk the last few miles, it’s no big deal.”

Eline ran every step of that race and won her division. It was her first taste of athletic success and a turning point. Since then, she has traveled the globe, blowing away most of her visually impaired (视觉障碍的) competition in 47 marathons, from New York to Athens to Barcelona. In 2015, she won her division in the Boston Marathon, one of the most celebrated and competitive races in the world.

Marathons had become sort of Eline’s routine, but climbing a 14,000-foot mountain was so wildly out of her comfort zone that it brought back the butterflies she felt in her stomach before that first half-marathon more than a decade ago. Now, she made it. The change was just as meaningful. “Life can be scary, but fear doesn’t help,” she said. “Being blind creates hardships other athletes don’t face, but it also brings out extraordinary grace and generosity (大方).”

1. What can we learn about Eline from the first two paragraphs?

A．She got along well with others.	B．She had a strong determination.
C．Her dream gave in to disabilities.	D．Her blindness resulted from climbing.

2. What has contributed to Eline’s success according to paragraph 3?

A．Her tireless efforts.	B．Her love for adventure.
C．Her families’ support and company.	D．Her doctor’s guidance and encouragement.

3. Why does the author mention Boston Marathon in paragraph 4?

A．To popularize a famous event.	B．To promote Eline’s sportsmanship.
C．To show Eline’s achievements.	D．To praise visually impaired athletes.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Blind Courage	B．Narrow Success
C．A Challenging Climb	D．An Eventful Adventure