1 . Population:Is 8 billion people too many?
The world’s population has reached 8 billion people.
For now, we can both acknowledge the downsides of the 8 billionth human and believe this is an occasion worth celebrating.
A.We’ve reached this milestone |
B.Actually, some population alarmism is appropriate |
C.The end of population expansion is now foreseeable |
D.The truth is that the population in developed nations has remained stable |
E.With any luck, the massive challenge of global aging will spur innovation |
F.The increasing global population will put more pressure on resources and produce far more emissions |
G.In contrast, various experts have been put forward “nightmare consequences” about overpopulation since 1960s |
2 . The capital of a country is often a very populated city where much history has been made due to the high-level political and economic functions that occur there. However, sometimes government leaders decide to move the capital from one city to another. Capital relocation has been done hundreds of times throughout history. The ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Chinese changed their capital frequently.
Some countries choose new capitals that are more easily defended in a time of invasion (侵略) or war. Some new capitals are planned and built in previously undeveloped areas to promote development. Countries sometimes change their capital because they expect some type of political, social, or economic benefit. They hope and expect that the new capitals will surely develop into cultural treasure and hopefully make the country a more stable place.
Here are capital relocations that have occurred in approximately the last few centuries.
Asia | Japan | from Kyoto to Tokyo — 1868 |
Turkey | from Istanbul to Ankara — 1923 | |
Israel | from Tel Aviv-Jaffo to Jerusalem — 1950 | |
Europe | Poland | from Krakow to Warsaw — 1596 |
Finland | from Turku to Helsinki — 1812 | |
Italy | from Turin to Florence to Salerno to Rome — 1871 | |
The Americas | The US | from New York to Washington — 1800 |
Jamaica | from Port Royal to Spanish Town to Kingston — 1872 | |
Oceania | New Zealand | from Auckland to Wellington — 1865 |
A.To further expand their land. |
B.To uncover ancient treasure. |
C.To develop undeveloped areas. |
D.To declare war on another country. |
A.Turkey. | B.Poland. |
C.The United Sate. | D.New Zealand. |
A.They moved the capitals more than once. |
B.Their capitals were destroyed in the war. |
C.They moved their capitals in the same year. |
D.Their capitals moved because of the economy. |
3 . I remember when Kamala Harris became Joe Biden's running mate. It seemed funny how many people pronounced her name incorrectly. On one occasion, a news host became upset when being corrected, and purposely called her Kumbaya.
I am no stranger to this issue as many of my students are from Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and sometimes their names are difficult for me to pronounce, even after asking them how to say it. Many students seem unwilling to correct me when I attempt to learn their names correctly. The other thing I’ve seen in growing numbers is students “adopting” an English name.
It's much more common than many think, for people to change their names in order to fit in.
This is especially the case when it comes to seeking jobs. Racial and cultural minorities often attempt to avoid discrimination hiring by hiding racial cues on the resume including changing their name. This is referred to as “resume whitening”. Research shows almost 50 percent of black and Asian job applicants did so.
Xian Zhao from the University of Toronto researches ethnic (种族的) name pronunciation, saying that many people don’t understand that habitually pronouncing an unfamiliar name inaccurately is a form of indirect discrimination. It sends a message that “you are the minorities” says Zhao. “You are not important in this environment, so why should I take time and my effort to learn it?”On the other end, those with ethnic names frequently don’t correct people, even when their name is pronounced wrong repeatedly, feeling it is better just to keep the peace and not stand out for being difficult.
It is important to try to pronounce everyone’s name as they pronounce it. This communicates respect of them as a person and their culture. There is nothing wrong with asking someone to repeat their name so that you can learn to pronounce it properly. This is usually appreciated.
1. When their names are incorrectly pronounced, the author’s Asian studentsA.attempt to laugh at it | B.tend to accept it |
C.offer to correct the author | D.agree to change their names |
A.An application for a better job. |
B.A change in work environment. |
C.A ban on racial discrimination in workplace. |
D.A practice of using Western names in job seeking. |
A.ethnics accept their names being mispronounced to save trouble |
B.ethnics fight effectively with the discrimination against their names |
C.many westerners pronounce ethnic names incorrectly on purpose |
D.many westerners make efforts to pronounce ethnic names correctly |
A.Critical. | B.Uncaring. | C.Reserved. | D.Supportive. |
4 . One third of adults over 65 in America have never used the Internet, and half don’t even have Internet access at home. In San Francisco, “the center of tech”, 40% of older adults do not have basic digital literacy skills.
This situation is becoming appalling as over 10,000 Americans turn 65 every single day. By 2050,22% of Americans will be 65 or older. Meanwhile, technology is developing very fast. This means that a large number of people will be unable to proficiently use emergent technology.
Many people believe that seniors aren’t required to participate in our tech future because they’ll be retired and relaxed soon. But this is the farthest thing from the truth. Baby boomers are currently experiencing a different boom: With more people getting older than ever before, their life expediencies are also increasing dramatically. With medical advancements, the number of American people projected to live into their 90’s has doubled since 1965.
However, they don’t have strong financial or educational support. This is not a problem; it’s a crisis. More than half of employees over 50 have been laid off in what’s being called ”forced retirement“. And few organizations are actively helping older employees make the transition from full-time jobs to part-time ones. For those fortunate enough to be employed, 3 out of 5 older workers experience prejudice.
The easiest solution is to teach digital literacy. If baby boomers want to survive the forthcoming retirement crisis, they should get enough digital knowledge and skills to operate today’s tools and tomorrow’s platforms. With every crisis comes an opportunity. Tutoring, customer service, editing, research, book-keeping, and other virtual assistance-based work open the doors. But again, digital knowledge is first required to live in our high-tech society and gig economy. So try to get more online and navigate the growing number of sites and apps.
1. What does the underlined word “appalling” probably mean in paragraph2?A.Confusing. | B.Terrible. | C.Controllable. | D.Inspiring. |
A.A crisis after retirement. | B.Being knocked out in the future. |
C.Failing to receive good healthcare. | D.Tending to double their life expediencies. |
A.The features of high-tech jobs. | B.The way out for baby boomers. |
C.Potential industries in the future. | D.The importance of developing technology. |
A.Have a good sense of crisis. | B.Avoid retiring at an early age. |
C.Look for many part-time jobs. | D.Improve digital literacy actively. |
5 . I’ve been working as a UN Peacekeeper in the Central African Republic for the past two years. Before this, I was a pilot and I
The Central African Republic is a relatively small country. Since it got
We peacekeepers
As a woman, I am particularly
My life is not
A.hated | B.changed | C.guarded | D.enjoyed |
A.gave in to | B.signed up with | C.kept up with | D.looked up to |
A.treatment | B.inspiration | C.technology | D.independence |
A.flee | B.return | C.sweep | D.tend |
A.In return | B.In surprise | C.In addition | D.In response |
A.measure | B.reputation | C.mission | D.business |
A.monitor | B.expand | C.follow | D.block |
A.report | B.prove | C.ensure | D.predict |
A.bridge | B.castle | C.barrier | D.shelter |
A.protected | B.valued | C.trusted | D.doubted |
A.deserve | B.prefer | C.plan | D.fail |
A.gently | B.equally | C.intimately | D.honestly |
A.boring | B.rewarding | C.difficult | D.fancy |
A.association | B.administration | C.accommodation | D.adaptation |
A.available | B.worthwhile | C.ambitious | D.educational |
6 . Ireland has had a very difficult history. The problems started in the 16th century when English rulers tried to conquer (征服) Ireland. For hundreds of years, the Irish people fought against the English. Finally, in 1921, the British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland. The result is that today there are two “Irelands”. Northern Ireland, in the north, is part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland, in the south, is an independent country.
In the 1840s the main crop, potatoes, was affected by disease and about 750,000 people died of hunger. This, and a shortage (短缺) of work, forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada. As a result of these problems, the population fell from 8.2 million in 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.
For many years, the majority of Irish people earned their living as farmers. Today, many people still work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices. Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside, where things move at a quieter and slower pace.
The Irish are famous for being warm-hearted and friendly. Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish writer, once said that the Irish were “the greatest talkers since the Greeks”. Since independence, Ireland has revived (复兴) its own culture of music, language, literature and singing. Different areas have different styles of old Irish songs which are sung without instruments. Other kinds of Irish music use many different instruments such as the violin, whistles, etc.
1. What does the author tell us in Paragraph 1?A.How the Irish fought against the English. |
B.How Ireland gained independence. |
C.How English rulers tried to conquer Ireland. |
D.How two “Irelands” came into being. |
A.food shortages and a lack of work in the 1840s led to a decline in population |
B.people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countryside |
C.it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker |
D.different kinds of old Irish songs are all sung with instruments |
A.the Irish character | B.the Irish culture |
C.Irish musical instruments | D.a famous Irish writer |
A.Life in Ireland | B.A Very Difficult History |
C.Ireland, Past and Present | D.The Independence of Ireland |
7 . I was growing up in Minnesota, “Joe Versus the Volcano” was one of my favorite movies. I longed to be swept away to a tropical island. But as I
I had come prepared — an N95 mask, and a baseball cap my Spanish mother-in-law lent me. But nothing could
It wasn’t long before the airlines
For two days, I wandered
Like the people of La Palma, I
As I finally left — via boat — I realized how
A.found | B.spotted | C.caught | D.discovered |
A.protect | B.equip | C.hide | D.prepare |
A.deadly | B.breathless | C.volcanic | D.potential |
A.arranged | B.canceled | C.reserved | D.upgraded |
A.informing | B.inquiring | C.consulting | D.interviewing |
A.dusty | B.noisy | C.empty | D.clean |
A.panicked | B.embarrassed | C.regretted | D.abandoned |
A.anxiety | B.insight | C.sorrow | D.memory |
A.space | B.time | C.effort | D.degree |
A.exhaust | B.difficulty | C.uncertainty | D.inconvenience |
A.sight | B.mind | C.action | D.state |
A.fixed | B.decided | C.counted | D.agreed |
A.spotted | B.rescued | C.treated | D.stuck |
A.grateful | B.merciful | C.delightful | D.peaceful |
A.over | B.through | C.under | D.from |
8 . As the global population grows and shifts towards urban living, the land available in our cities is being under increasing pressure.In order to be sustainable, cities need to find ways to minimize their urban expansion.One option is to build upwards; another is to dig down.
In Montreal, constructed underground to relieve overcrowding in the city streets is RESO —one of the largest underground complexes in the world.It is a network connecting everything from shops and banks to flats and hotels.This shows how going underground can meet human needs whilst also bringing certain environmental benefits.Underground transport can reduce traffic jam above ground, thereby improving air quality.Furthermore, thanks to their relatively constant climate throughout the year, underground spaces consume less energy for heating and cooling.
When planning underground construction projects, developers must consider existing structures on or near the site, such as the remains of historic buildings.Designers must also ensure any underground space intended for human use has good air quality.One example is the forthcoming LDN Hotel,an underground hotel beneath the streets of London.Designers are using a wide range of plans to help keep the air inside clean,together with a state-of-the-art ventilation system (通风系统).
Light is another key consideration.In New York, plans for the world's first underground park Demonstrate novel ways of bringing natural rays beneath the surface.By employing solar technology light is to be reflected down through a series of pipes into the terminal below.This light would be sufficient for photosynthesis (光合作用) to occur and the park's plants to grow naturally.
Today's architects are developing innovative ways to make underground spaces functional and comfortable.The question remains whether they can provide sustainable and realistic options for the future.Besides practical considerations, there exists the challenge of building a positive perception of “going underground".Yet, the obvious challenges of constructing habitable underground spaces must be weighed against the urgent issue of housing the world's ballooning population.One day, it will feel as natural to live and work underground as it does to do so over 100 storeys high.
1. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 2?A.To advertise the underground complexes. |
B.To give suggestions on relieving crowdedness. |
C.To explain how the underground network works. |
D.To introduce the benefits of building underground. |
A.By giving examples. |
B.By listing study findings. |
C.By making comparisons. |
D.By quoting others' words. |
A.Going underground can solve the problem of global warming. |
B.Good air quality is superior to other factors. |
C.Natural light is not necessary for underground plants. |
D.The future of going underground calls for people's positive attitude. |
A.Ways to house the world population. |
B.Concerns for the urban expansion. |
C.Why and how to build underground. |
D.The promising future of our cities. |
9 . On November 15, the count of humans on this planet reached 8 billion. Population growth has been steady over the past few decades. But that pattern is gradually changing, as is shown in the following chart.
Credit: Katie Peek; Source: World Population Prospects 2022,United Nations Population Division
That slowdown is partly the result of a shift toward fewer offspring. High-income nations currently have the lowest birth rates, and the opposite is true: nations with the highest birth rates tend to have the lowest incomes. The gap has continued to widen between wealthy nations and poorer ones. But longer term, it is moving toward convergence(趋同).
Many factors contribute to the changes of the world’s population, such as migration, death rate, longevity and others. Focusing on fertility(生育率), however, helpfully clarifies why the total number of humans on Earth seems set to fall. Fertility refers to the average total number of live births per female individual in a region or country. The U.S.’s current fertility rate, for example, is about 1.7; China’s is 1.2. A fertility of 2.1 is considered the replacement rate—that is, the required number of offspring, on average, for a population to hold steady. Today birth rates in the wealthiest countries have dropped below the replacement rate, the rest likely following suit over the coming decades.
Humanity’s future clearly depends on many things besides fertility. For example, people in wealthier nations may produce fewer children, but those offspring tend to consume more resources—so rich countries can still have outsize planetary impacts despite their decreasing populations. Organizations such as the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs are working toward policy-based solutions for how all of us can have healthy, satisfying and sustainable lives on Earth. A clear-eyed understanding of population changes is critical for reaching that bright future.
1. Which time period may witness the slowest global population growth?A.1960~1974. | B.2037~2058. | C.1987~1998. | D.2022~2037. |
A.The definition of fertility rate. | B.The cause of the low fertility rate. |
C.The fertility rates in different countries. | D.The impact of fertility on world population. |
A.The richer the nations are, the higher the fertility will be. |
B.The smaller the population is, the more resources are used. |
C.Achieving human’s sustainable future is a challenging task. |
D.Understanding population shifts can tackle the fertility issue. |
A.A blog entry. | B.A book review. | C.A theme speech. | D.A research report. |
10 . There are around 100 tribes(部落)that live in global isolation, mostly in South America and India. The Sentinelese have lived on one of the Andaman Islands in Eastern India for 60, 000 years. They protect their island by fighting against people from outside. Their language is different from any other known language. Another Andaman tribe is the Jarawa. In the past, they were independent and fought against anybody trying to make contact with them. But in 1998, the Indian government built a road across their land, and since then, they’ve had more contact with the outside world.
Some Amazon tribes avoid contact because of unhappy memories. The Mashco-Piro left their vegetable gardens after rubber companies killed most of their tribe at the beginning of the 20th century. Those who survived became nomadic(游牧的)and started hunting animals in the forest.
The Awa live in the Amazon forests ofBrazil. Out of 350 members, 100 have no contact with the outside world. They left their villages and adopted a nomadic lifestyle around 1850 to escape attacks by Europeans. In the following years, farmers in nearby communities started cutting the trees to expand their farmland. The Awa lost most of their hunting land. The few Amazon tribes that still exist are fighting to keep their traditional way of life.
Survival, an organization that fights for the rights of tribal people, says that uncontacted tribes are the most vulnerable(弱势的)humans on the planet and that’s why their environment should be unavailable to the rest of us. After years of pressure, the organization got Brazil’s government to clear non-natives from the Awa land. All non-Awa people are leaving so the tribe can get their forest back.
But some think it's impossible for tribes to stay isolated forever in a connected world. Contact will be made one day. So the question is:Whose choice should it be, ours or theirs?
1. What can we learn about the Sentinelese from the first paragraph?A.They resist contact from the outside world. |
B.They speakthe same language as the Jarawa. |
C.They are wild about fighting with other tribes. |
D.They have got help from the Indian govemment. |
A.To protect their hunting land. | B.To search for food sources. |
C.To avoid threats from Europeans. | D.To maintain their original way of life. |
A.The tribes should be left undisturbed. |
B.The tribes should fight for more living space. |
C.The cribes should live in harmony with nature. |
D.The tribes should adapt to the connected world. |
A.The Nomadic Tribes in the World | B.Seeking Survival of Tribes |
C.The Unavailable Tribal Environment | D.Protecting the Tribal Forests |