1 . In a policy address to lawmakers, Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, said the country’s population problem was a case of solving the issue “now or never”, and that it “simply cannot wait any longer because it can affect social functions”.

“In thinking of the sustainability and inclusiveness of our nation’s economy and society, we place child care support as our most important policy,” he said, adding that he wants the government to double its spending on child-related programs, and that a new government agency would be set up in April to focus on the issue.

Japan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, and it recorded fewer than 800,000 births in 2022 for the first time since records began in 1899. The country also has one of the highest life expectancies in the world; in 2020, nearly one in 1,500 people in Japan were age 100 or older, according to government data.

These trends have driven a growing population problem, with a rapidly aging society, a shrinking workforce and not enough young people to fill the gaps in the stagnating (停滞) economy. The country’s high cost of living, limited space and lack of child care support in cities make it difficult to raise children, meaning fewer couples are having kids. Experts point to the pessimism young people in Japan hold towards the future, many frustrated with work pressure and economic stagnation.

How about other parts of East Asia? South Korea recently broke its own record for the world’s lowest birth rate, with data from November 2023 showing a South Korean woman will have an average of 0.79 children in her lifetime — far below the 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population. Japan’s birth rate stands at 1.3, while the United States is at 1.6. Meanwhile, China’s population shrank in 2022 for the first time, adding pressure to its economic growth.

1. How does the Japanese government feel about the falling birth rate?

A．Surprised.

B．Confused.

C．Embarrassed.

D．Worried.

2. Which of the following has led the birth rate in Japan to decline?

A．The rapidly aging society.	B．The high life expectancies.
C．The shortage of workforce.	D．The various stresses of life.

3. What are the statistics in the last paragraph used to show?

A．Ignorance of the birth rate.	B．Serious population crisis.
C．Weak care services for children.	D．Potential harm to women’s health.

4. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Society.

B．Health.

C．Education.

D．Science.

2 . Mauritius, an island country in the Indian Ocean, is located off the eastern coast of Africa. Here is something to let you know better about it before your trip.

Plants and Animals

There are many kinds of native wild plant species in Mauritius even though little original forest is left. The wild animals include the sambar (a long-tailed, dark brown deer) as well as a variety of birds and insects. The island was once home to the dodo, a flightless bird that was extinct in the late 17th century.

Education and Languages

The education structure consists of three years of pre-primary school. Six years of free primary education begins at age five, which is followed by up to seven years of secondary education. English is the official language of Mauritius, but French and Creole are also spoken. Some other languages are also spoken by different communities.

Sports and Entertainment

Football here claims the greatest number of participants and fans. Mauritians from all communities make winter horse racing one of the most popular and highly attended sporting activities of the year. And Black River Gorges National Park, Trou aux Cerfs, an inactive volcano, which is now heavily forested, and the island’s numerous beaches are surely great places to visit.

Transportation and Telecommunications

Almost all roadways are paved throughout the island. Most of the country’s shipping activity is conducted through port facilities at Port Louis. An international airport is located at Plaisance. In 2021, network coverage with the 5G standard was already 4.5% of all inhabitants. The proportion of the population with at least 4G mobile Internet access was 99%.

To get more information about Mauritius, click here.

1. What can we learn about the plants and animals in Mauritius from the text?

A．They are single.	B．They are various.
C．They are mostly flightless.	D．They are mostly domestic.

2. What do we know about the education in Mauritius?

A．It is free for all ages.	B．It lacks English and French instruction.
C．It includes 16 years of primary education.	D．It covers 13 years of primary and secondary education.

3. Which statement agrees with Mauritius?

A．Port shipping is popular.	B．5G technology has not yet started.
C．4G network coverage is no more than half.	D．Horse racing claims the greatest number of fans.

4 . New research shows that the cost of raising a child in China is nearly seven times its GDP per capita (头数), far more than in the United States and Japan.

GDP, or gross domestic product, is the measure of the total value of goods and services in a country. GDP per capita is a measure resulting from GDP divided by the size of a nation’s total population.

The high cost of child-raising is one more difficulty Chinese policymakers face as they try to deal with quickly decreasing birth rates.

Experts warn China’s aging population will put pressure on its health and social security systems. A decrease in workers could also severely limit growth for the world’s second largest economy in the coming years.

New policies permit families to have as many as three children But China’s birth rate dropped to 7.52 births per 1,000 people in 2021. That is the lowest since the National Bureau of Statistics began recording the information in 1949.

The high costs of raising a child have caused officials in China to place restrictions (限制规定) on the private tutoring industry. Some areas have been giving couples money for having a second or third child.

The average cost of raising a child to the age of 18 in China in 2019 was 485,000 yuan for a first child. That is 6.9 times China’s GDP per capita that year. That information comes from a recent report from the YuWa Population Research Institute in Beijing.

China ranks second highest among the 13 countries included in the study. The country is behind only South Korea, which has the lowest birth rate in the world. The United States number, based on 2015 data, is at 4.11 times GDP per capita. Japan stands at 4.26, based on data from 2010.

Child raising costs are even higher in China’s major cities, reaching more than 1 million yuan in Shanghai and 969,000 yuan in Beijing. Birth rates in the two cities are even lower than the national average.

YuWa warned the decreasing birth rate would “profoundly (深刻地) affect” China’s economic growth potential, its ability to create and its welfare (福利) problems.

The study found that China would need to spend at least 5 percent of its yearly GDP to provide reasons for couples to have more children. That would include education funding (基金), special housing loan (贷款) rates and tax breaks. Other considerations include equal time for mothers and fathers to be away from their jobs and the building of more childcare centers.

1. Why do officials in China place restrictions on the private tutoring industry?

A．Because of the high cost of childcare.

B．Because there are too many extra-curricular tutoring classes.

C．Because the tutoring industry does not help students improve their grades.

D．Because many families want to give their children more leisure time.

2. What can we know from the passage?

A．China has the lowest birth rate in the world.

B．The cost of childcare in Beijing is higher than that in Shanghai.

C．The reduction of workers won’t limit China’s growth in the future.

D．The birth rate in 2021 has been the lowest since 1949.

3. What is the GDP per capita in 2019?

A．About 3,346,500 yuan.	B．Around 70,300 yuan.
C．Less than 50,300 yuan.	D．More than 80,000 yuan.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The measures that can reduce education costs.

B．The conclusion of the research by YuWa Population Research Institute.

C．The ways to increase the birth rate.

D．The impact of the decline of the birth rates.

5 . The red star over China is shining brightly on its sixty-fifth birthday. And why is that? There are many reasons. First of all, there is peace and prosperity (繁荣) in China. The country isn’t at war and most Chinese are living _________ and more comfortable lives than at _________ in history. And things will get even better in the future.

The Chinese economy is a world wonder— grow so quickly, so many buildings and so many new businesses. China is now the_________ economic country in the world only next to America. Some believe that China will be Number One _________ the year 2030. What amazing _________! And what does that mean for you? It means that there will be lots of chances for you to do good jobs and to use all of your talents.

The rest of the world has started to take a closer _________ at China and they like what they see. In recent world wide survey, almost seventy percent of the people said they had a “positive image” of China. They thought China is beautiful and they are _________ in what is happening in China.

And it is not only because of economy, _________ Chinese culture. Zhang Ziyi and Gongli are famous all over the world, as well as the movie director Ang Lee. Writers like Gao Xingjian and Ba jin have won international awards. And painters, such as Wu Zuoren are selling their works for record high prices. This _________ China seem pretty cool and it really is!

So happy birthday, China! We are__________ you!

1.

A．worse

B．higher

C．faster

D．better

2.

A．some time

B．any time

C．some times

D．every time

3.

A．first

B．second

C．third

D．fourth

4.

A．on

B．by

C．to

D．of

5.

A．growth

B．strength

C．power

D．energy

6.

A．look

B．see

C．watch

D．notice

7.

A．excited

B．interested

C．surprised

D．upset

8.

A．also

B．either

C．but

D．neither

9.

A．makes

B．gives

C．takes

D．gets

10.

A．pride of

B．take pride in

C．proud of

D．the pride of

6 . China and the Netherlands (荷兰) are long-time friends. The Netherlands is more than 41,500 square kilometres in area. It is a bit larger than the size of Taiwan, China.

The Netherlands is rich in culture and art. It is home of many great artists, for example, Vincent van Gogh. Besides fine art, the Netherlands is also called the country of tulips (郁金香). It has the world’s largest tulip garden: Keukenhof garden.

Dutch people are very hard-working. There’s a saying: “God made the Earth, but the Dutch made Holland.” More than a quarter of the country is below sea level. So Dutch people build many dams (水坝) to protect the country from flooding. They have created almost one sixth of the country from seas and rivers!

Did you know?

◆Rubber ducks are popular around the world. Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman created it in 2007. The yellow duck is 26 metres high.

◆Wooden clogs (木底鞋) are traditional shoes in the Netherlands. They make good gifts for tourists.

◆In the Netherlands, it is impolite to start eating at once. Dutch people will sometimes say “delicious” before eating.

◆Like the UK, the Netherlands also has kings and queens.

1. Taiwan, China is ________ than the Netherlands in area.

A．a bit smaller	B．much larger
C．much smaller	D．a little larger

2. What is not talked about in the passage?

A．Table manners.	B．Artists.
C．Weather.	D．Tulips.

3. About ________ of the Netherlands is created from the seas and rivers.

A．16%

B．25%

C．60%

D．75%

4. Which is NOT TRUE about the Netherlands?

A．In the Netherlands, it’s good manners to praise the food before eating.

B．Keukenhof garden is famous for tulips.

C．The Dutch may give foreign friends wooden clogs as small presents.

D．China and the Netherlands have been neighbouring countries for a long time.

7 . There are many people in the world now. There will be even _________ people later this century. The earth will he crowded and there will be very little room _________ each person. Maybe there will be only _________ room on the earth in 600 years. That will be a very serious problem, so man is taking some _________ to solve the _________.

The moon is the satellite of the earth. Maybe man will go to live on the moon one day. _________, Americans and Chinese have _________ there. But there is no air, no plants, and no life. So _________ are doing experiments in many ways. They will find _________ to these problem __________ man can live on the moon. I’m sure our dream will come true by the end of this century.

1.

A．more

B．most

C．less

D．better

2.

A．to

B．at

C．with

D．for

3.

A．standing

B．sitting

C．sleeping

D．doing

4.

A．measures

B．medicines

C．policies

D．tools

5.

A．puzzle

B．accident

C．question

D．problem

6.

A．Greece

B．Japanese

C．Englishmen

D．Russians

7.

A．be

B．is

C．reached

D．was

8.

A．farmers

B．teachers

C．workers

D．scientists

9.

A．cases

B．solutions

C．roots

D．tickets

10.

A．so

B．after

C．since

D．but

8 . Towns across Italy have been racing to launch clever plans aimed at attracting new residents to revive (复兴)their fortunes in recent years. From abandoned homes selling for little more than a euro, to ready- to-occupy houses at knockdown prices, there has been a rush of competition.

The picturesque town of Presicce in the sunny region of Puglia is the latest to enter the game with a very tempting offer. Officials say they will pay people up to 30,000 euros to buy an empty house and take up residency. Even better, the houses up fbr sale as part of the deal are priced from around 25,000 euros.

Authorities in Presicce hope the cash motivation will breathe new life into their depopulating town, where newborns are fewer each year.

Presicce dates back to the middle Ages, flourishing during the Renaissance as a prosperous place known for its fine wine, cheeses and cattle trade. It gains a reputation as Puglia’s “town of green gold” for green olive trees and olive oil. Its location is incredible, surrounded by the nature of the Salento area and close to beautiful beaches and clear waters of Santa Maria di Leuca.

“There are many empty homes in the historical center built before 1991 which we would like to see alive again with new residents,” says local councilor Alfredo Palese. It is a pity witnessing how our old districts full of history, wonderful architecture and art are slowly emptying. The details of the deal are currently being finalized, Palese adds, and authorities are ready to launch applications in upcoming weeks when information will be available on the town hall website.

According to Palese, a 2019 merger (合并)with the nearby town Acquarica to create the larger town Presicce-Acquarica has provided them with extra money to ensure the project can continue for years to come. “After the merger, as per Italian law, our wider territory will be blessed with more public funds, roughly 1,000,000 euros per year for several years forward, which we intend to invest to revitalize (振兴) the old district, ” says Palese.

Together, Presicce and Acquarica now have some 9,000 inhabitants, but only half of the population live in the older part of the community.

The town hall has already launched other plans to attract more residents, including tax benefits to set up new business activities and baby bonuses for families with kids.

1. What problem do many Italian towns face according to the text?

A．Population decline.

B．Financial crisis.

C．Falling tourism.

D．High living cost.

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

A．Risky.

B．Informal.

C．Attractive.

D．Conditional.

3. What is the purpose of paragraph 4?

A．To show Presicce’s past glory.

B．To recommend a travel destination.

C．To point out the economy of Presicce.

D．To stress the importance of reviving Presicce.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．An Italian town’s welfare system.

B．An Italian town’s recovery strategy.

C．An Italian town’s long-term plan.

D．An Italian town’s current situation.

9 . I came to Canada from Sri Lanka in 2000. My first day in Canada started at Toronto airport. I will never forget that day, when I felt very strange in the airport. There were so many people with different faces, skin color, hair, clothes and languages. I met an immigration officer, who turned to me and said, “Welcome to Canada.” I replied, “Thank you.” At that time my feelings were mixed which he understood.

On my first day in Canada there were many surprises in my life. The weather, transportation, culture, medical system, taxes, houses and languages are different in my country. When I came to Canada, it was snowing in Toronto. That day was very beautiful. I had never seen snowfall. I was happy to be here but Sri Lanka is a hot country with no winter and no snowfall. Canada has different seasons and different weather.

On my first day in Canada I knew few English words. I wanted to speak with other people but I couldn’t speak very well, because I didn’t know enough English. So I decided to study English and after that I would look for a job.

In Canada the health care system is very good, where there’re many hospitals and doctors, and we don’t pay for the medical care. There’re few hospitals in my home country, where I have to pay a lot.

On my first day in Canada I went shopping and I paid tax for the first time. I was so nervous that I asked my husband about it and he explained it was normal to pay tax there.

In Canada there are different kinds of houses. In my country, there are no apartments, no townhouses and no basements. When houses are built in Canada, the government makes a plan, while in my country, people make a plan.

As my stay lasts in Canada, my feelings, my mind, and my life are changing slowly. I enjoy living here because in my country a war has broken out. I’m feeling safe living in Canada.

1. Which surprised the author on her first day in Canada?

A．Snowfall.	B．Heavy rain.
C．Fine weather.	D．immigration officers.

2. How does the author develop the last four paragraphs?

A．Logic.	B．Contrast
C．Time order.	D．Exemplification.

3. Which is the best title of the passage?

A．My first day in Canada

B．Sri Lankans in Canada

C．Better life in Canada

D．Escape from SriLanka

10 . How the 2022 World Cup Works

The World Cup is nearly here. The schedule is complete. The leagues have stopped. The players have arrived. Yet even as the teams know where they are meant to be and who they are meant to play, there are still plenty of questions about how things will unfold as soccer moves center stage over the month in Qatar.     1    

Where is it being held?

This year’s host is Qatar, which in 2010 beat the United States and Japan to win the right to hold the tournament. Whether that was an honest competition remains in dispute.     2     The World Cup has never been held on the Arabian Peninsula before.

When is it?

The tournament will open on Nov.20, when Qatar plays Ecuador. That counts as a slow day; over the two weeks that follow, four games will be played on most days.     3     when the winner gets a very heavy (and surprisingly small) gold trophy.

    4    

No. The World Cup usually takes place in July or it did, until Qatar won the right to host it. Considering the fact that its temperatures can reach 120 degrees (48.8℃), FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, agreed to move the tournament to the relatively bearable months of November and December.

Qatar is so small. How can it accommodate all these matches?

    5     At 4,416 square miles, it is 0.12 percent of the size of the United States and by far the smallest nation ever to host the World Cup. All the games will take place in a tight circle of eight stadiums in and around the capital, Doha, making it the smallest-sized World Cup in history.

A．That is unusual.

B．Here’s a primer (入门指南).

C．It is true that Qatar is tiny.

D．Why is it being held in winter?

E．Is a winter World Cup normal?

F．The tournament ends with the final on Dec.18,

G．It can accommodate 31 teams and an audience of 60,000.