1 . As we close out the final days of this year, treat yourself to a deliciously distracting new book —a book that you can dip into and out of throughout the holidays. Read up, rest up, and enjoy yourself.

Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and beyond

A must-have guide for yoga-loving mamas, Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond offers helpful relaxation techniques and breathing exercises that are tailored to each pregnant woman. The book also lays out valuable techniques for labor and staying in touch with your body as it continuously changes.

Mindfulness Activities for Kids

We could all use a little more peace in our lives. Uniquely suited for children and parents to do together, the 40 mindfulness exercises recommended here —from pausing to fully enjoy a tasty sandwich to taking chalk walk together—will not only teach children calm and gratitude, but also bring grown-ups and their littles closer together.

Before She Disappeared

Frankie Elkin is a recovering alcoholic who devotes her time to solving cold cases, especially those involving people of color. A new investigation brings her to Boston, searching for a Haitian teenager who disappeared months ago. But as Frankie starts asking questions, someone else will stop at nothing to keep the answers hidden.

Oak Flat

Lauren Redniss’ Oak Flat tells the story of the land near the San Carlos Apache Reservation through an Apache family fighting to protect the land which the U. S. government and two world-power mining enterprises are attempting to seize and destroy for its copper resources. Visually striking and deeply reported, Oak Flat tells a larger story of endless westward expansion and native resistance.

1. Which book can help to improve family relations?

A．Oak Flat.

B．Before She Disappeared.

C．Mindfulness Activities for Kids.

D．Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond.

2. What do we know about the book Oak Flat?

A．It’s a brief account of mining enterprises.

B．It centers on an Apache family’s struggle.

C．It sings high praise of the US government.

D．It supports westward expansion and native resistance.

3. Who are the target readers of the four books?

A．Teenagers.

B．Men.

C．Kids.

D．Grown-ups.

2 . What a day! I started my new school this morning and had the best time. I made lots of new friends and really liked my teachers. I was nervous the night before, but I had no reason to be. Everyone was so friendly and polite. They made me feel at ease. It was like I’d been at the school for a hundred years!

The day started very early at 7:00 am. I had my breakfast downstairs with my mom. She could tell that I was very nervous. Mom kept asking me what was wrong. She told me I had nothing to worry about and that everyone was going to love me. If they didn’t love me, mom said to have a good talk with them. I couldn’t stop laughing.

My mom dropped me off at the school gate about five minutes before the bell rang. A little blonde girl got dropped off at the same time and started waving (招手) at me. She ran over and told me her name was Abigail. She was very nice and we became close straight away. We spent all morning together and began to talk to another girl called Stacey. The three of us sat together in class all day and we even made our way home together! It went so quickly. Our teacher told us that tomorrow we would really start learning and developing new skills.

I cannot wait until tomorrow and feel as though I am really going to enjoy my time at my new school. I only hope that my new friends feel the same way, too.

1. How did the author feel the night before her new school?

A．Tired.

B．Excited.

C．Happy.

D．Worried.

2. What did the author think of her mother’s advice?

A．Clear.

B．Funny.

C．Reasonable.

D．Excellent.

3. What happened on the author’s first day of school?

A．She met many nice people.	B．She had a hurried breakfast.
C．She learned some new skills.	D．She arrived at school very early.

4. What can we infer about Abigail?

A．She disliked Stacey.	B．She was shy and quiet.
C．She got on well with the author.	D．She was an old friend of the author.

3 . How to Make Friends at a New School

Starting with a new school can be difficult. Everything seems to be different, and you don’t even know where to go for your own classes.     1     However, if you use these skills, you can quickly turn some of those strangers into friends.

Be yourself

    2     If some people don’t accept you, they’re not the kind of friends you need. People often stay together because they have similar interests. For example, someone who does a lot of sports may make friends with those who also run or swim a lot.

    3    

Remember to be nice to the people you meet at your new school. If you think that you will say something that may make them feel sad, do not say anything and just nod your head if they talk to you. Also, remember to be as helpful as possible!

Believe in yourself

A smile goes a long way. When you walk in the halls, don’t keep your eyes on the floor. Raise your head and make eye contact with other people.     4     Introduce yourself. Tell them your name and where you’re from.

Remember people’s names

You like it when people use your name, and so do other people.     5     Besides, ask them in a kind way if they have a nickname. You’d be surprised how often this may come in handy.

A．Be friendly to others.

B．Making new friends can be hard, too.

C．Join after-school activities like

D．Never change what you are to try and fit in.

E．If you see someone you know, smile or say “Hi”.

F．People may become angry if you just begin by saying ”Hey“ each time.

G．Don ‘t sit at the back of the classroom where other people don’t notice you!

4 . One afternoon, When I walked out the supermarket, I found an old man who struggled with two bags of food. It was very cold. I guessed he must have a long walk ahead of him. I stopped the car near him and put the window down to ask if he needed a ride. With a little hesitation, he did accept.

After he got settled in the car, my husband and I introduced ourselves, but he didn’t say a word. During the drive, we tried to make him more comfortable with some small talk. His home was more than two miles away, so it would have been a difficult walk for anyone, let alone an old man carrying bags.

When we pulled up outside his door, the first thing he asked is “How much money do you want?” “Nothing, we just wanted to help,” we answered. The shock and relief on this man’s face was actually sad, because we should be able to live in a world where it isn’t shocking to have someone help you out of the goodness of their heart without expecting something in return. He was overwhelmed. Tears in his eyes, he said “Thank you!” over and over to me after realizing we truly didn’t want anything, which made me feel proud.

My only words to him were, sir, I hope this helped you out and have a good week. These simple acts of kindness are the types of kindnesses that anyone, anywhere can do. It doesn’t cost a cent. Just be aware of the world happening around you. There is always someone who needs something — a door held, a bag carried... the opportunities are endless.

1. Why did we give the old man a lift after shopping?

A．Because we wanted to help others.	B．Because he begged us to do so.
C．Because we wanted to earn money.	D．Because he was our old friend.

2. How did the old man feel in our car at first?

A．Happy and moved.	B．Comfortable but grateful.
C．Nervous and quiet.	D．Pleased but cautious.

3. What did the old man want to do after he got off the car?

A．He wanted to give us something he bought.	B．He planned to pay for the car ride.
C．He decided to introduce himself to us.	D．He wanted to show his kindness for us.

4. What can we learn according to the passage?

A．Kindness doesn’t cost a cent.	B．The acts of kindness should be great.
C．Helping others makes people sad.	D．There is always a chance for kindness.

5 . Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers. But last summer, Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son. Suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends than to his parents. “The door to his room is always shut,” Joanna noted.

Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter. “She used to cuddle up (依偎) against me on the sofa and talk,” said Mark. “Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something. Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is understanding which time is which.”

Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what’s on their mind. “In fact, parents are first on the list,” said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. “This completely changes during the teen years,” Riera explained. “They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents last.”

Parents who know what’s going on in their teenagers’ lives are in the best position to help them. To break down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental (思想的) break, for children also need freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with their children is a better way to know them.

1. “The door to his room is always shut” suggests that the son ________.

A．keeps himself away from his parents	B．begins to dislike his parents
C．is always busy with his study	D．doesn’t want to be ignored

2. What does trouble Tina and Mark?

A．Their daughter isn’t as lovely as before.

B．They can’t read their daughter’s mind exactly.

C．They don’t know what to say to their daughter.

D．Their daughter talks with them only when she needs help.

3. Which of the following best explains “the wall of silence” in the last paragraph?

A．Teenagers talk a lot with their friends.	B．Teenagers do not understand their parents.
C．Teenagers talk little about their own lives.	D．Teenagers do not talk much with their parents.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Parents shouldn’t be angry with teenagers.

B．Parents have to talk with children face to face.

C．Parents are unhappy with their growing children.

D．Parents should try to understand their teenagers.

6 . By now, most people know they should be eating more vegetables. But are there ways to get more from the vegetables you already eat? A research shows that when it comes to vegetables, it’s not only how much we eat, but also how we prepare them, that decides the vitamins and other nutrients that enter our body.

Many studies show that people who eat lots of vegetables have less heart disease, and eye problems and even cancer. But raw vegetables are not always best. The researchers found that 198 Germans who eat raw food were short of lycopene, the matter found in tomatoes and other red vegetables. “There is an idea that raw foods are always going to be better,” says Steven K. Clinton, a professor at Ohi o State University. “For fruits and vegetables, sometimes a little bit of cooking can be helpful.”

A number of factors decide how the vegetables do good to people’s health before they reach the table, including where and how they were grown and stored before being bought. No single cooking way is best. Some nutrients are easily lost in cooking if they are cooked in different ways.

Vitamins C and B are often lost. In January, another report said that boiling was better for carrots than frying or serving them raw. Frying was the worst way to cook.

What cooked with the vegetables can also be important? When the vegetables were cooked with fat, the diners can get more nutrients. Fat can also make the taste of vegetables better, meaning that people will eat more of them. Putting on some other things that make it taste better—a little salt—can make the food taste better.

1. The writer mainly wants to tell us that ________.

A．people should eat more vegetables

B．the way people eat vegetables is important

C．eating vegetables is good for us

D．how much vegetables one should eat

2. The people who eat the raw vegetables for a long time will ________.

A．have the eyes problems	B．have heart disease
C．be in need of lycopene	D．hate eating tomatoes

3. The following decide how the vegetables do good to people EXCEPT ________.

A．the place where the vegetables are grown

B．the way how the vegetables are stored

C．the way how the vegetables are prepared

D．the price at which the vegetable are sold

4. From the last paragraph, we can know ________.

A．It’s better to cook vegetables with fat

B．the more fat in the cooking, the fewer vegetables people will eat

C．It’s better to cook the vegetables without salt

D．the fat will increase the nutrition of the vegetables

7 . Shark attacks in the screen are amazing. That’s because your actual chances of ever being attacked by a shark are mere one in 11.5 million. That’s roughly the same as your chances of winning an Oscar, which makes shark attack survivor, Mike Coots both incredibly unlucky and lucky: When Mike was 18, he lost his leg to a shark bite.

“I was attacked by a tiger shark in late October 1997. It was near my home on the island of Kauai — a typical fall morning with friends. The waves were really good, so nothing was stopping us.” That is until a large shark came right up under Mike and sank his teeth into Mike’s lower leg. As he tried to free himself, the shark bit down harder, shaking its head back and forth and tossing Mike around like a rag doll. Mike followed his instinct (本能): He struck the shark in the face, again and again until the shark released him. As Mike swam back into shore, he realized his lower right leg was gone. Mike’s friends rushed to his aid, and sent him to the hospital.

As soon as Mike was well, he did what many of us might consider unthinkable: he started riding the waves again, in fact, his first time back was near the site of his attack. But Mike was unshaken. Instead, he was curious — why was he attacked? His curiosity led him to research sharks, and Mike did learn something that would change his life: Humans are far more dangerous to sharks than the other way around.

His situation as a shark survivor empowered him to give sharks a voice, Mike says. He began working with the Hawaii state authorities (当局) to help pass a ban (禁令) on shark-derived products. “I partnered with other like-minded shark attack survivors and marine biologists, and we headed to Washington to urge (敦促) senators to create a nationwide bit! protecting sharks.”

1. Why does the author show the chances of being attacked by sharks?

A．To inform readers of some related knowledge.

B．To attract people to watch shark attacks in the screen.

C．To stress Mike’s unusual experience of the shark attack.

D．To show everyone has the chance of winning an Oscar.

2. How did Mike survive the shark attack?

A．By hitting the shark hard continually.

B．By swimming desperately to the shore,

C．By screaming loudly for his friends’ help.

D．By shaking its head up and down to get away.

3. What came to mind when Mike rode the waves again?

A．To overcome his fear of sharks.

B．To research on how sharks attack humans.

C．To find out the reason for his being attacked.

D．To prove humans are more dangerous than sharks.

4. What did Mike do to protect sharks?

A．He passed a ban on shark-derived products.

B．He created a nationwide bill in Washington.

C．He worked with the authorities to protect sharks.

D．He urged shark attack survivors to protect sharks.

8 . North Americans value independence, and Europeans value togetherness. I never fully understood that stereotype until two months ago, when I left Canada for a 4-month period in a lab in France. On my first day, Pierre, a Ph. D. student, tapped me on my shoulder and asked: “Coffee?” I nodded and followed him to the common room, where other grad students were filling in. I sat there, cautiously sipping the bitter liquid and trying hard not to reveal my uncultured tastes, while lab chatter filled the air.

Coffee breaks are a ceremonial part of lab culture here. The chatter sometimes turns to serious scientific topics. But mostly, the meet-ups offer a chance to wind down, to share stories about life inside and outside the lab and to sympathize with people who understand what you’re going through.

The lighthearted atmosphere and sense of community is a welcome contrast to my life in Canada, where I spent most of my workdays in isolation. I went into the lab each morning with set goals for my day. At lunch, I’d keep my eyes glued to my computer while I fed forkfuls of salad into my mouth, trying to power through my to-do list. For 9 months, I struggled to figure out why I couldn’t exactly copy the results of another study. I didn’t want to trouble my advisor too much. I was also hesitant to ask my labmates for help.

How much we were missing! Researchers need community because good ideas don’t just come from reading literature and thinking deep thoughts. It’s helpful to bounce ideas off others, and, to have a venue to share the day-to-day ups and downs of life.

Would coffee breaks have solved all my problems? Probably not. But I think sharing ideas with my peers would have helped solve my research dilemma. My time in France has taught me that it’s important to create space for organic conversations about lab life. A scientist’s life can feel isolating, but it’s not necessarily so when you’re connected to a supportive community.

1. How did the author feel when he drank coffee for the first time in France?

A．A little nervous.	B．Very happy.
C．Somewhat excited.	D．Quite curious.

2. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．Cultural ceremonies in France.	B．Various topics of the chatter.
C．Coffee breaks in French lab culture.	D．Lab culture in French style.

3. What was the author’s life like back in Canada?

A．Comfortable and fulfilled.	B．Busy and lonely.
C．Tense but satisfactory.	D．Boring but healthy.

4. Why does the author write this passage?

A．To introduce the coffee break in Europe.

B．To explain the difference between cultures.

C．To recall his personal experience in France.

D．To convey the importance of a supportive circle.

9 . SEED Madagascar Volunteer

Whether your passion is sustainable community development or vital- conservation work, we can offer you an unforgettable experience. No particular skills are required to volunteer in a short term with us and training is given locally, but if you do have particular experience in areas relevant to your program, all the better!

Who it’s for

High schoolers, university and college students, corporate team building groups are all welcome.

At a glance

·Program length: 2—4 weeks

·Start dates: flexible, please discuss with our team

·Group size: 10—30 participants

·Activities: construction/conservation/English teaching—combined as required

·Location: Anosy region, Southeast Madagascar

What’s included

·Transport costs for the duration of the program from Day 1 collection at Fort Dauphin airport to drop-off at the program’s end

·Use of our beautiful campsites and facilities

·All meals while on program (Optional meals out at Fort Dauphin restaurants are extra.)

·Full training for building and construction tasks and conservation field research techniques

·Malagasy language lessons

Additional costs

International flights(leave/return to the UK)	£680—£1,000
Internal flights (from Antananarivo to Fort Dauphin)	£280—£400
Comprehensive travel insurance	£60—£150
Tourist visa	£20
Medical preparations	£30—£80
Personal equipment	£0—£100

Get started

Contact us today via our online form: Online enquiry form

1. What should you bear in mind if you want to apply for SEED Madagascar Volunteer?

A．It lasts for four weeks.	B．It doesn’t have fixed start dates.
C．It requires relevant experience.	D．It is intended for high school students.

2. Which of the following is provided without extra charge?

A．Comprehensive travel insurance.

B．Conservation field research techniques.

C．Short term training for different languages.

D．Transport from Antananarivo to Fort Dauphin.

3. How much do two participants pay for the international flights at least?

A．£560.

B．£680.

C．£1,360.

D．£2,000.

10 . A new APP uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tell you what your pet is thinking. It’s called Happy Pets and it analyses an animal’s facial features, tells you what breed(血统) it is and indicates which of the five most common animal emotions—happy, angry, neutral, sad and scared.

The Happy Pets app uses AI, or machine learning. It’s a technology that’s used for vision in robotics and self-driving cars and it works by taking in images and assigning importance to them. One common use for AI is in facial recognition technology. Many of us can unlock our mobile phones with an image of our face and it’s important part of security processes in, for instance, airports.

But this is the first time this kind of technology has been used for animals. It then had to learn to recognize facial features. This is sophisticated because photos can be taken in so many different ways: from the side, above, below, in bright light. And different animals can have such different facial features. Think about how different the noses of a border collie(边境牧羊犬) and bulldog are, for instance. Once the AI behind Happy Pets had learned all this, it then had to be able to detect emotions based on specific facial features that are associated with each emotion, which it has learned from thousands of examples. For instance, if a dog tightens its eyes and mouth while changing the position of its ears in a particular way, it’s a sign of being scared.

In an online article for Melbourne University’s Pursuit, the researchers write they’re happy with how the app performs. The researchers would love feedback about how they could develop the app further.

1. Which of the following may go beyond Happy Pets’ function?

A．Learning the kinds of pets.

B．Showing pets’ main feelings.

C．Teaching pets’ facial recognition.

D．Analyzing the pets’ facial features.

2. What is the facial recognition technology commonly used as now?

A．The robot’s eye.	B．A security system.
C．The vision of self driving.	D．A machine learning system.

3. What does the underlying word “sophisticated” in Paragraph 3 meaning?

A．Typical.

B．Complex.

C．Scientific.

D．Traditional.

4. Why does Happy Pets have to learn to recognize faces?

A．Because faces can definitely show animals feelings.

B．Because it wants to have emotions of humans.

C．Because it enables Happy Pets to detect emotions based on specific facial features.

D．Because the types of animals are based on the looks.