“The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence（篱笆）.”That’s an old saying in English. It means that other places often look better, more interesting than the place where you live.“Let’s go to KFC for dinner and then watch some Japanese cartoons!”We all know it: more and more Chinese kids love American and Japanese food and movies. Some people worry that young Chinese are beginning to feel that way. They see young Chinese ignoring Chinese culture and, instead, buying Japanese cartoon books, watching Korean soap operas and even celebrating western holidays.
Foreign books and soap operas are good, but Chinese writers and actors are just as good. As for holidays, Christmas is nice, but it can never have the meaning for Chinese that the Spring Festival has, and the West has nothing to compare with the Mid-Autumn Festival. China has lots of cool things in its culture: calligraphy, Beijing Opera, quick meals on the streets, and even Jay Chou! And let's not forget the part of Chinese culture I like best: its friendliness. Not all countries are as warm as China.
It’s good to enjoy other cultures and to learn from them, but they can never replace your own culture. It’s good to look on the other side of the fence, but make sure you take a good long look. You will find that the grass isn’t always greener.
Although some people become worried about that, I don’t think they should. Will we get more powerful without learning from other countries? Will Chinese people live more happily without American fast food? Besides, it's fun to learn about different cultures. Chinese kids can learn about other cultures and have fun, but they also need to learn more about their own culture. Be proud of Chinese culture and of being Chinese!
1. The author thinks young Chinese ________.| A．are ignoring our own culture | B．are foolish in learning our own culture |
| C．are interested in our own culture | D．are hating our own culture |
| A．Japanese cartoon books. | B．Korean soap operas. |
| C．The Mid-Autumn Festival. | D．Christmas. |
| A．Hard-working. | B．Friendly. | C．Brave. | D．Honest. |
| A．Chinese culture and western culture | B．Simple young Chinese |
| C．Interesting western culture | D．That grass is not always greener |
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【推荐1】“Inspector Sands to the control room, please.” If you ever hear that at a British train station, don’t panic. But you might appreciate knowing that this is a codeword meant to inform staff that there is an emergency somewhere in the building. The idea is to avoid causing alarm among commuters (通勤者), but still get the message out to those trained to deal with the problem.
The subject of secret codewords like this was raised this week on Reddit, and the discussion has attracted thousands of examples. But what codewords and signs are really out there in the wild?
A good place to start is hospital emergency codes. These are often colour-coded, and one health centre in Canada has published its list online. “Code red” announces a fire, “code white” indicates a violent person while “code black” means a bomb threat is active. It’s been reported that hospital staff sometimes refer to the morgue as “Rose Cottage”, in order to avoid upsetting relatives of a patient who has recently died.
“I can see very good reasons for having these codes,” says Paul Baker, a linguist at the University of Lancaster. “It may be that people are unsure when they’re giving the code so there’s no point upsetting members of the public.”
Not all codes are alphanumeric (字母数字的). Some are visual, intended to be hidden in plain sight. As BBC Future discovered earlier this year, many banknotes feature a specific pattern of dots placed there to prevent people from photocopying money. Many copiers and scanners are programmed to spot it.
And finally, the spray-painted squiggles (波形曲线) you see on pavements in towns and cities all over the world are codes understood by construction workers and engineers. For example, in UK, different colours are related to different types of cable or pipe. Blue meant a water system while yellow indicated gas lines and green labelled CCTV or data wiring.
All of these codes have a purpose — to avoid causing panic, to transmit subtle signals in social groups, or to provide technical information quickly and easily. “People don’t like secrets, do they?” says Baker. “There is a drive to have as much information as possible — we do live in the information age,” he adds.
1. The following are purposes of the secret codes except ________.| A．to avoid causing alarm and panic among the public. |
| B．to send sensitive signals in social groups. |
| C．to provide technical information quickly and easily. |
| D．to make people believe you are wiser. |
| A．where patients are treated |
| B．where dead bodies are kept |
| C．where a patient has an operation |
| D．where a surgeon cuts open the patients’ bodies |
| A．2. | B．3. |
| C．4. | D．5. |
| A．The secret codes you are not meant to know | B．Where to find the codes |
| C．The origin of different codes | D．Codes in the modern society |
【推荐2】The recent criticisms of Taylor Swift for her silence on the war in Gaza highlight a peculiar issue: the unrealistic expectations we place on celebrities to be know-alls. It’s a topic worth looking into.
While many are quick to urge figures like Taylor Swift to lend their voice s to critical global conversations, a concerning pattern emerges on the flip side: celebrities navigating the dark waters of complex debates with limited knowledge. Take, for instance, Billie Eilish’s fashion choice at the Oscars — a red hand pin. This wasn’t just any accessory (配饰); it’s rooted in the upset history of the 2000 cruel treatments of two Israelis. It begs the question: Was Eilish aware of the weighty story this symbol carries? This moment serves as a reminder of the nuanced (微妙的， 细节的) balance celebrities must strike between being supportive and the profound responsibility of using apublic platform.
The celebrity culture in the United States, where public figures are elevated to almost god-like status, plays a significant role in this phenomenon. They are seen as perfect, their opinions holy. This is not only unfair to the celebrities themselves, who are, after all, only human, but it also takes away from the voices of actual experts on these subjects. When we prioritize a celebrity’s opinion over those with lived experience or specialized knowledge, we do a disservice to the complexity of these issues.
As a society, we must reevaluate our obsession with celebrity culture and recognize the limitations of looking to entertainers for guidance on complex issues. This doesn’t mean celebrities can’t or shouldn’t speak out on matters that affect them personally or on which they’re well-informed. It’s entirely appropriate for Taylor Swift to publicly support political candidates in her home country. The action stems from personal values and people’s engagement, which are different from commenting on international conflicts without a deep understanding of the nuances involved.
In advocating for this nuanced approach, we’re not suggesting celebrities should remain silent on all matters of public concern. Instead, we’re calling for a shift in how we, as the public, perceive and react to their involvement in social and political issues. By adjusting our expectations, we can foster a healthier, more informed public discussion that prioritizes substance over the temptation of star power.
Ultimately, the goal should be to create a more empathetic, informed society that values expertise and genuine activism over celebrity support. By encouraging public figures to use their platforms responsibly and directing our attention to where they can make a real difference, we take a step toward a more nuanced understanding of global issues. This isn’t just about relieving celebrities of undue burdens; it’s about empowering all of us to seek out and elevate the voices that matter most.
1. Why is “a red hand pin” mentioned in Para.2?| A．To make fun of Billie’s limited knowledge on debating. |
| B．To show Billie’s unawareness of irresponsible advocacy. |
| C．To speak ill of Billie’s poor taste for fashion at the Oscars. |
| D．To criticize Billie for his abuse of the public platform. |
| A．Billie’s unreasonable selection of a red hand pin at the Oscars. |
| B．Celebrities’ irresponsible opinions on critical global conversations. |
| C．Public’s great desire for celebrities to comment on key global issues. |
| D．Taylor Swift’s golden silence about the crucial international concern. |
| A．experts tend to increase the complexity of the issues |
| B．celebrities’ voices are as important as those of experts |
| C．celebrities should air views on matters at home and abroad |
| D．we should reassess the social and political roles of celebrities |
| A．Expect the Unexpected | B．Public Platforms, Powered Places |
| C．The Downside of Celebrity Advocacy | D．The Essence of Celebrity Responsibility |
【推荐3】From self-driving cars to carebots (care+ robots) for elderly people, rapid development in technology has long represented a possible threat to many jobs normally performed by people. But experts now believe that almost 50 percent of occupations existing today will be completely unnecessary by 2035 as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to change businesses.
“The next fifteen years will see a revolution in how we work, and a revolution will necessarily take place in how we plan and think about workplaces,” said Peter Andrew, Director of Workplace Strategy for CBRE Asia-Pacific. A growing number of jobs in the future will require creative intelligence, social skills and the ability to use artificial intelligence.
The report is based on interviews with 200 experts, business leaders and young people from Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. It shows that in the US technology already destroys more jobs than it creates. But the report states, “Losing occupations does not necessarily mean losing jobs—just changing what people do.” Growth in new jobs could occur as much, according to the research. “The growth of 20- to 40-person companies that have the speed and technological know-how will directly challenge big companies,” it states.
Another study by Pew Research Centre found 52 percent of experts in artificial intelligence and robotics were optimistic about the future and believed there would still be enough jobs in the next few years. The optimists pictured “a future in which robots do not take the place of more jobs than they create.”
“Technology will continue to affect jobs, but more jobs seem likely to be created. Although there have always been unemployed people, when we reached a few billion people, there were billions of jobs. There is no shortage of things that need to be done and that will not change,” Microsoft’s Jonathan Grudin told researchers.
1. Why are carebots mentioned?| A．To give a definition. | B．To provide an example. |
| C．To make a comparison. | D．To explain a theory. |
| A．People will take the place of AI. |
| B．US technology balances job opportunities. |
| C．Many people have to change occupations. |
| D．Big companies are more innovative and flexible. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Doubtful. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Worried |
| A．Art. | B．Travel. | C．Education. | D．Technology. |
【推荐1】Festivals in India are special occasions when the country holds many celebrations. Socially, the whole nation becomes active in celebration. This is the main reason why festivals in India are celebrated by the whole society. On such occasions, families will get together, exchange gifts and greetings, and take part in a lot of celebrations and even special fairs. All these are done to keep the festive spirit alive in modern times.
What is special about these celebrations in India is that people celebrate their communities. There is a wide variety of festivals in India because of the presence of many different religions, beliefs, ideas and cultures. It is even said that some places in the country celebrate festivals 365 days a year. There are mainly religious festivals, cultural festivals and tourist festivals that are organized to keep the traditions, values and heritages (遗产) of the region.
Religious festivals are celebrated as part of Indian belief system. They are organized to honor gods, spiritual personalities and events related to the journey of a religion. Cultural festivals in India are organized to provide a platform for different forms of music, dance and other art. To keep their artistic traditions alive and even make them become more popular in the future, many cities in India are active in cultural events. The rich cultural heritage of India attracts the western world during the celebrating of important festivals like Onam, Holi, Durga Puja and many more. Tourist festivals in the country are organized to celebrate the heritages of the land for tourism purpose. These celebrations every year bring good results and attract a large number of tourists, both within the country and abroad.
1. India has so many festivals because _______.| A．the Indians like singing and dancing |
| B．the Indians want to attract more tourists |
| C．there are a great number of old attractions |
| D．there are many different religions, ideas and cultures |
| A．which festival is the most popular |
| B．the difference among all types of festivals |
| C．how the Indians celebrate their festivals |
| D．three types of important festival in India |
| A．performing different art forms |
| B．visiting famous old heritages |
| C．having a journey of honoring gods |
| D．getting together and attending fairs |
【推荐2】America is a mobile society. Friendships between Americans can be close and real, yet disappear soon if situations change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while — then no more. If the same two people meet again by chance, even years later, they pick up the friendship. This can be quite difficult for us Chinese to understand, because friendships between us flower more slowly but then may become lifelong feelings, extending (延伸) sometimes deeply into both families.
Americans are ready to receive us foreigners at their homes, share their holidays, and their home life. They will enjoy welcoming us and be pleased if we accept their hospitality (好客) easily.
Another difficult point for us Chinese to understand Americans is that although they include us warmly in their personal everyday lives, they don’t show their politeness to us if it requires a great deal of time. This is usually the opposite of the practice in our country where we may be generous with our time. Sometimes, we, as hosts, will appear at airports even in the middle of the night to meet a friend. We may take days off to act as guides to our foreign friends. The Americans, however, express their welcome usually at homes, but truly can not manage the time to do a great deal with a visitor outside their daily routine. They will probably expect us to get ourselves from the airport to our own hotel by bus. And they expect that we will phone them from there. Once we arrive at their homes, the welcome will be full, warm and real. We will find ourselves treated hospitably.
For the Americans, it is often considered friendly to invite a friend to their homes than to go to restaurants, except for purely business matters. So accept their hospitality at home!
1. The writer of this passage must be ______.| A．an American | B．a Chinese |
| C．a professor | D．a student |
| A．Friendships between Americans usually extend deeply into their families. |
| B．Friendships between Americans usually last for all their lives. |
| C．Americans always show their warmth even if they are very busy. |
| D．Americans will continue their friendships again even after a long break. |
| A．warmly welcomed at the airport | B．offered a ride to his home |
| C．treated hospitably at his home | D．treated to dinner in a restaurant |
| A．Friendships between Chinese | B．Friendships between Americans |
| C．Americans’ hospitality | D．Americans’ and Chinese’s views of friendships |
【推荐3】“When I think of England, I think of the queen taking her dogs for walk in the countryside,” says Carsten Haferkamp, a dog-owning German working in London. Data from Tractive, a firm that provides GPS tracking for pets, show that Britons walk their dogs more than their European neighbors do.
The British love for dog-walking may have more to do with the walking than the dogs. Britons are big walkers –they came fifth in the world in a study in 2017, the highest in Europe. Dogs provide walkers with company and a purpose, so it may be that walking encourages dog-ownership.
But Julien Dugnoille, an expert at Exeter University, suspects dog-walking has a deeper significance. Dogs, he suggests, are a useful aid to a socially awkward nation. “Britons tend to have a chat with strangers and exchange a few jokes and comments about the weather without putting themselves in danger.”
A tradition among the British nobles of owning and training dogs also leads Dr Dugnoille to assume that dog-walking is a way to keep ancient honor. “When people in the park say Max is very well-behaved,” says Dr Dugnoille, “that is a way to show their authority in the art of dog training compared to those dog owners who are not in control of their own dog.”
But it’s not just about showing off, in his view. He believes walking with one’s best friend creates a time and space where dogs and humans meet as species and connect as individuals.
Still, Britons should not congratulate themselves too much on their behavior towards their dog companions. According to Dr Carri Westgarth of Liverpool University, “People say that a dog needs a walk every day, but they will find reasons why their dog doesn’t need a walk. They’ll say: he’s got company indoors, he’s nervous or he doesn’t like the rain.”
1. The queen is mentioned in paragraph 1 to show _______.| A．the queen’s love for dogs | B．a foreigner’s impression of England |
| C．the British devotion to walking dogs | D．the importance of dog-walking for Europeans |
| A．Britons see dogs as protectors from danger. |
| B．Dog-walking is related to the British traditional culture. |
| C．Britons prefer to walk rather than walk the dog. |
| D．Dog-walking is a close link between the British and nature. |
| A．Britons are proud of dog-walking | B．dogs are a good companion for Britons |
| C．he is doubtful of the British love for dogs | D．weather is a popular topic among Britons |
| A．Love Your Dog, Walk Your Dog | B．How Do Britons Walk Their Dogs? |
| C．Opinions on Dog-Walking in Britain | D．Why Do Britons Love to Walk Dogs? |
【推荐1】Sweden and its Nordic neighbors have some of the highest literacy rates (识字率) in the world. The Swedes view equal access to knowledge as important to an individual’s future success. This is true regardless of economic background and, clearly, geographic location.
Sweden has a floating library — the bokbaten — that brings thousands of books to people on dozens of remote islands in the Stockholm archipelago twice a year. Every spring and fall since 1953, the Stockholm Library Service rents a boat for a week, loads it with books, and charts a course for about 23 inhabited (有人居住的) islands.
When the boat pulls in, people climb aboard to return books they borrowed during the last visit and check out the library’s newest offerings. The boat carries about 3,000 books, and people can put in requests ahead of time. The three or four volunteer librarians who take turns working on the ship say that, as you might expect, the latest best-sellers are in high demand. There are picture books for children, popular thrillers, texts about history and science, cookbooks, and audiobooks, etc.
In addition to a library boat, Sweden also has library buses that bring books to people in rural communities. They also develop temporary (临时的) libraries in places such as stores and social gathering spots. The boat starts as a service for fishermen and island workers but expands to serve people who prefer to read hard copies of books over e-books or audiobooks. Since island people can order copies in advance, boxes of books are piled up in the boat waiting to be delivered.
The book boat is of great positive value for children and adults because they can in this way take part in the modern public library. The book boat has an important function as good public relations for the library’s services and has the effect of promoting reading not only in the archipelago but elsewhere.
Even in a nation of book lovers, the future of the floating library remains uncertain. If the Regional Library cuts funding for the boat, the bokbaten will be no more.
1. What is the key to a person’s future success according to the Swedes?| A．Equal access to knowledge. |
| B．Economic background. |
| C．Geographic location. |
| D．Personal effort. |
| A．It has a promising future. |
| B．It is run by several official librarians. |
| C．It brings books to people many times a year. |
| D．It is popular among people of remote islands. |
| A．Its positive role. |
| B．Its uncertain future. |
| C．Its great effect on kids. |
| D．Its difference from public libraries. |
| A．Travel. | B．Lifestyle. | C．Business. | D．Art. |
【推荐2】How should one invest a sum of money in these clays of inflation (通货膨胀)? Left in a bank it will hardly keep its value, however high the interest rate. Only a brave man, or a very rich one, dares to buy and sell on the Stock Market. Today it seems that one of the best ways to protect your savings, and even increase your wealth is to buy beautiful objects from the past. Here I am going to offer some advice on collecting antique clocks, which I personally consider are among the most interesting of antiques.
I sometimes wonder what a being from another planet might report back about our way of life. “The planet Earth is ruled by a mysterious creature that sits or stands in a room and makes a strange ticking sound. It has a face with twelve black marks and two hands. Men can do nothing without its permission, and it fastens its young round people's wrists so that everywhere men go they are still under its control. This creature is the real master of Earth and men are its slaves.”
Whether or not we are slaves of time today depends on our culture and personality, but it is believed that many years ago kings kept special slaves to tell the time. Certain men were very clever at measuring the time of clay according to the beating of their own hearts. They were made to stand in a fixed place and every hour or so would shout tire time. So it seems that the first clocks were human beings.
However, men quickly found more convenient and reliable ways of telling the time. They learned to use the shadows cast by the sun. They marked the hours on candles, used sand in hour- glasses, and invented water-clocks. Indeed, any serious student of antique should spend as much time as possible visiting palaces, stately homes and museums to see some of the finest examples of clocks from the past.
Antique clocks could be very expensive, but one of the joys of collecting clocks is that it is still possible to find quite cheap ones for your own home. After all, if you are going to be ruled by time, why not invest in air antique clock and perhaps make a future profit?
1. According to the passage, collecting antique clocks____.| A．can hardly keep the value of your savings |
| B．will cost much of your savings |
| C．may increase your wealth |
| D．needs your bravery |
| A．suggest human beings are controlled by a clock |
| B．describe why clocks can rule the planet Earth |
| C．tell readers what clocks look like |
| D．compare chicks to human beings |
| A．Counting the beating of one's own heart. |
| B．Making use of candles, sand and water. |
| C．Observing shadows cast by the sun. |
| D．Keeping slaves busy day and night. |
| A．state-owned houses |
| B．houses in very good condition |
| C．grand houses open to the public |
| D．houses where statesmen meet regularly |
| A．to introduce the culture of antique clocks |
| B．to offer some advice on collecting antique clocks |
| C．to compare different ways to make a future profit |
| D．to explain convenient and reliable ways of telling time |
【推荐3】Physical education, or gym class, isnˈt required for all high school students. In some schools, it isnˈt offered for some different reasons. But should high school students have physical education? The answer is certainly "yes".
Today many people donˈt do sports. But as is known to all, doing sports is very important for an adult. Teaching teens the importance of a healthy lifestyle and making fitness plans now can help teens put exercise in the first place as an adult.
High school isnˈt that easy. Many students are under a lot of stress. Stress can be harmful to a studentˈs studies and life. Doing sports can help them deal with stress better, helping them live a happier life at school.
Inactivity increases teensˈ risk of developing many diseases. An active lifestyle offers a good way of protection from these health problems. As much as 75 per cent of health care spending goes towards treating medical conditions that can be hindered by lifestyle changes, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
According to the Presidentˈs Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN), students who performed five hours of physical activity each week improved their academic (学业的) performance. Students from programmes with no physical activity, who used the extra time for classroom study, did not perform better on tests than those who gave up some study time in support of physical education.
1. According to Paragraph 2, what does physical education in high school mean?| A．Helping teens learn to make good plans. |
| B．Removing the stress faced by teens at school. |
| C．Making teens pay attention to exercise later. |
| D．Getting teens to encourage adults to exercise. |
| A．Measured. | B．Prevented. |
| C．Shown. | D．Caused. |
| A．means making students choose between sports and studies |
| B．helps students make good use of all their time |
| C．means students adjust to their studies better |
| D．helps students do better in their studies |
| A．How high school students can live a better life. |
| B．How schools can help students love doing sports. |
| C．Why some schools consider physical education important. |
| D．Why high school students should receive physical education. |
