While watching videos on Douyin one day, I came across a very unique profile（轮廓）: an 88-year-old farmer livestreaming trendy products in a rural setting. I clicked his page and saw that he was livestreaming because he needed to cover his wife's medical expenses. Curious, I decided to contact him and learn more about his story.
Now a retired farmer, Wu relies on government subsidies（补贴）. One rainy day, he returned to his rundown one-floor cottage in the suburb of Henan province and found his wife lying on the ground in great pain. She had broken her leg and lost the ability to walk.
A great burden befell this already poverty-stricken family. The medical expenses for Wu's wife are about 800 yuan per month. Her daughter, a mother of three and a housewife, has no means of supporting Wu financially. As a heavy user on Douyin, Wu's daughter thought that perhaps they too could try livestreaming as a way to help their family. With a 9.9 yuan phone holder, they began livestreaming on Douyin, and Wu became one of the oldest livestreamers on the platform.
Every day, Wu livestreams for a total of six hours, separated into morning and afternoon sessions. With a broad smile and soothing（宽慰的）voice, he explains the products on his table, which range from water bottles, makeup removers and vegetables to traditional Chinese clothing that Wu himself wears in front of the camera. Thousands of viewers are drawn in by his moving story and amiable（和蔼的）personality. They refer to him dearly as "my uncle Wu" or "Laoxiang".
During my interview with him, Wu would laugh warmly. His strong Henan dialect was sometimes hard to understand, but his tone was full of comfort and optimism. "I enjoy livestreaming. One day, one of the viewers came to visit me. I was so happy." Wu spoke about the friendships he made after becoming a livestreamer, and his voice was so contagious（感染力的）that it put a smile on my face.
He also does not avoid showing affection for his wife: "I will buy her good food when I have the money." I am moved by his ability to see the optimistic side of life despite being struck by hardships and his resilience（坚韧）sailing through the low tides of life.
1. What happened to Wu's family?| A．They lost the chance to get subsidies. | B．Wu was forced to retire from his job. |
| C．Wu's wife was unable to walk. | D．Wu suffered a severe disease. |
| A．To support his daughter. | B．To promote trendy products. |
| C．To share his story with viewers. | D．To pay his wife's medical bills. |
| A．His good nature and touching story. | B．The high quality of his products. |
| C．His rich experience in front of the camera. | D．His detailed explanation of products. |
| A．Confident and modest. | B．Open-minded and responsible. |
| C．Helpful and sociable. | D．Cheerful and humorous. |
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【推荐1】More Americans expect to work past their 65th birthday and never retire (退休), says a recent study.
The Associated Press with the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research surveyed 1,075 people, aged 50 or older. One-fourth of them said they never plan to retire. Among low-income earners in that age group this is even truer than that for high-income earners.
In America，the age of 65 is the traditional age to retire. Sixty percent of people aged 50 to 64 said they expect to work past their 65th birthday. More than half of those who are already older than 65 said they plan to keep working, too. They said they are working an average of 31 hours per week.
Those 50 years of age or older said finances (财务情况) are the most important factor in the decision on when to retire. A majority of old workers — especially those who are 65 or older — plan to switch their employers, or move into an entirely new profession, as they head into the later years. One-third of people earning less than $ 50,000 a year said they will keep working. About 20 percent of those who earn more than $ 100,000 said they will never retire.
As baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, reach age 65, the United States’ general population will have more old people than ever before. The number of Americans 65 or older jumped by 21 percent — or to 35.5 million — between 2002 and 2012. That number is expected to reach 92 million by 2060.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?| A．Low-income earners are more willing to continue working. |
| B．High-income earners are not willing to work past 65. |
| C．1,075 people aged 50 took part in the study. |
| D．Americans are not sure when to retire. |
| A．Request. | B．Assist. |
| C．Tell. | D．Change. |
| A．America will have more old people. |
| B．Old Americans have to work past 65. |
| C．American people will have new jobs after 65. |
| D．More Americans choose to work for more years. |
【推荐2】Wang Mengshu, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said at a group discussion on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress that Wi-Fi should not be provided on high-speed trains, as it might disturb communication signals of trains and would also cost a lot in keeping trains in good condition. He also encouraged passengers to enjoy the views, instead of fixing their eyes on tiny screens of smart phones and laptops. However, on last Tuesday Beijing Youth Daily said it should be market demand that decides whether the Wi-Fi is offered on the trains or not.
An increasing number of residents, especially young white-collar workers, are addicted to their smart phones rather than face-to-face interactions, thanks to the extensive Wi-Fi coverage across the country. That partly justifies Wang's opposition to the offering of Wi-Fi on high-speed trains, because they are not supposed to be dependent on high-tech devices. It is also evident that passengers on trains without free Wi-Fi will use their smart phones and other mobile devices less. However, whether the trains should provide a free Wi-Fi service fundamentally depends on customer demand.
In other words, state-owned as it is, the China Railway Crop still has to obey relevant market rules, and provide technologically possible services to passengers if that is what they want. It cannot turn a blind eye to customers' wants "for the sake of their well-being".
Free Wi-Fi, in fact, is already available on a lot of buses and coaches. This is a natural response to their competition with trains (especially high-speed ones), which are significantly faster and safer. The bus companies have been forced to improve their services to survive. It requires proper guidance, not a total ban on the bus, to make up for the negative effects of high-end technologies, such as people's increasing addiction to smart phones.
1. Which is one of the reasons for Wang Mengshu saying no to free Wi-Fi on the train?| A．Making communication signals of trains stable. |
| B．Not focusing on the screens of phones and laptops. |
| C．A high cost of keeping trains in good condition. |
| D．Missing the beautiful views throughout a journey. |
| A．Some people go against Wang's proposal. |
| B．Wang's opposition proves reasonable in part. |
| C．Most people think Wang's suggestion hard to carry out. |
| D．Young white-collar workers consider Wang's advice right. |
| A．Demand depends on supply. |
| B．The market decides purchasing power. |
| C．Everything depends on money. |
| D．The market is in the control of customers. |
| A．People should drop smart phones. |
| B．Every coin has two sides. |
| C．High-end technologies cause more side effects. |
| D．A total ban on free Wi-Fi is reasonable. |
【推荐3】Many often find themselves considering jobs below their skill level in worsening employment markets. But it turns out that working in a job below your skill level harms your later chances of getting hired for a better-paying job more appropriate to your qualifications.
Sociologist David Pedulla at the University of Texas conducted a study to examine how jobs below a person’s skill level affect future employability. He tailored 2,420 applications and submitted them to 1,210 job listings posted in five major cities across the U.S. He varied the applications by gender, and also by employment status for the previous year. Then he used computer models to analyze and compare the results. The results show that applicants who were positioned as working below their skill level, regardless of gender had the lowest chances of getting called for a job interview.
These results should serve as a warning to anyone considering taking a job below their skill level. While it might pay the bills in the short term, it can significantly hammer one’s ability to return to the relevant skill level and pay grade at a later date.
Why might this be the case? Pedulla conducted a follow-up study with 903 employers. He asked them about their ideas of applicants with each kind of employment history, and how likely they would be to recommend each kind of candidate to an interview. The results show that employers believe that men who are employed in positions below their skill level are less committed and less competent than men in other employment situations. Those surveyed also believed that women working below their skill level were less competent than others, but did not believe them to be less committed.
The results of studies suggest that work below skill level signals to employers men’s incompetence and a lack of commitment. This is a disturbing reminder that the sword of gender bias (偏见) does in fact cut both ways.
1. Why do many people choose jobs below their skill level?| A．They fear bearing duties. | B．They lack-self-confidence. |
| C．They face a tough economy. | D．They pursue better-paying jobs. |
| A．By conducting interviews. | B．By researching examples. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By doing surveys. |
| A．Ensure. | B．Weaken. | C．Test. | D．Exercise. |
| A．Men are more likely to get promoted. |
| B．Women are more devoted and capable. |
| C．Women behave better in jobs below skill level. |
| D．Men show talents in work of the relevant level. |
【推荐1】My head was so full of digital noise that it felt like my brain was about to blow a fuse (导火线). I had no greater power of concentration than the lifeless stare of a goldfish. As a writer, I was ashamed to admit that my love of books had been compromised by a brain that simply could not sit still.
So, this year I committed myself to restoring books to the place that they held in my life before the Internet broke my brain.
My goal was 52 books: It seemed like an impossible task. A 400-page book will take the average person around eight hours to read. Finding the time to read was a challenge but here’s how I did it. Firstly, I decided to treat my mind like a misbehaving child who needs some rules laid down. Then I decided that I would read for an hour or two at a time without distraction each day. It was something I hadn’t done in years and it was scary how difficult it was.
In his book, The Distracted Mind, Larry Rosen says that the more we practice spending time away from our electronic devices, the calmer and more focused we become. And this is what I found. Again and again, I would gently bring myself back to the page, resisting the urge to reach for that screen. I took inspiration from Nikki Gemmell, who describes in On Quiet, how investing in a safe to lock away her family’s devices for long periods had opened up a space for deep reflection. For me, finding that quiet time meant finding time in my day just to read. It was like a date between me and my book. And it meant actively choosing to read at times when I normally would reach for my phone. I read on the tram, at the park, in bed at night and on lunch breaks.
By reawakening my love with books I created a sacred space where I could press pause and found inspiration, knowledge, reflection and escape. In our modern world, reading is a powerful and beneficial way for us to slow down and be ourselves.
1. What does the underlined word “compromised” mean in the first paragraph?| A．Rejected. | B．Disturbed. | C．Weakened. | D．Removed. |
| A．The author went to the bookstore to buy books. |
| B．The author was determined to make rules for himself. |
| C．The author was buried in reading for an hour or two at once |
| D．The author decided to get involved in reading with people around. |
| A．The author benefited a lot from reading books. |
| B．The author got inspiration when he reached for the screen |
| C．The author would rather read books outdoors than indoors |
| D．The author was reminded to kill time with electronic devices. |
| A．Falling in love with reading |
| B．Resisting the urge to reach for the screen |
| C．Going back to the books |
| D．Escaping from the noisy world in reading |
【推荐2】My dad doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would bake great bread, but he is and he does. Every Saturday he produces homemade bread. When he’s done, the whole house smells delicious.
The rest of the week, Dad fixes cars at work. The shop where Dad works is running so well that he is always occupied. He is under a lot of stress. I think Dad began baking bread to help him relax.
I’ve been feeling kind of stressed out myself since I found out I didn’t make the school swim team. Now I’ll have to wait a whole year to try out again. Plus, I’m taking some difficult classes this year.
I think Dad knew I was feeling bad. Last Saturday he asked me how things were going. I said OK, even though I didn’t feel OK at all. He looked at me for a moment, and then he said it was time for me to help. Then he headed to the kitchen.
I followed right behind him. Once we were there, Dad got out his big mixing bowl, handed me a large wooden spoon, and told me to mix while he added the ingredients. Dad isn’t big on measuring. He knows how much of each ingredient to use, and the bread always turns out great.
When I finished stirring, Dad showed me how to knead the dough (揉面团). Next came the most difficult part — doing nothing. We put the dough back into the bowl and then we waited for more than an hour for the dough to slowly rise and double in size. Next, we divided it into two and waited for it to rise again. Afterward, we put the dough into pans and waited another hour for the dough to rise and double.
Dad said the waiting is always the hardest part. “It’s hard to resist putting the dough directly into the oven, but if you do, the bread will be hard. The most important lesson of all is learning to be.” Dad taught me more than how to bake bread.
1. What can we learn about the author’s father?| A．He is living a relaxing life. | B．He tries his best to make ends meet. |
| C．He has a special way to deal with stress. | D．He is more like a baker than a mechanic. |
| A．School isn’t going well. | B．She dislikes making bread. |
| C．She feels sorry for her father. | D．Some classes aren’t worth it. |
| A．Dad is unskilled. | B．Dad dislikes measuring. |
| C．Dad has a craze for measuring. | D．Dad is careful about ingredients. |
| A．Never give up. | B．Take life easily. |
| C．Believe in yourself. | D．Enjoy time with family. |
【推荐3】I was so worried about handing my little boy over during his first week of school, but you made it easier. You smiled at him like a mother would at her own child. You spread warmth and your hugs were always on offer.
After a day in class with you, C would come home singing. Whenever I hear Do Your Ears Hang Low or see him reaching for the sky when singing about the days of the week, I will think of you. I didn’t tell you at the time, but I loved your morning song so much that I used it in my own class (I’m a teacher too). The first time we sang it after losing you was hard but, as time passes, I take comfort in the knowledge that, even though you are not here, your song continues to make children happy.
When you saw I was troubled, you hugged me with your smile and I knew everything would be OK. You made parents feel as cared for as our children.
Your creativity was everywhere. I’ll never forget the children’s faces when you’d beautifully changed the classroom into the Deep Dark Wood. I remember their lively faces talking about the Magnificent Tower Building you’d created.
In the short time I knew you, you taught me about the type of teacher I want to be. You never seemed worried by the mountain of paperwork or impossible work-life balance that comes with the role. Instead, you appeared to enjoy every minute.
I can’t understand why you’ve been taken from us. Telling C was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. I’m not sure whether he fully understood, but he told me he loved you.
I wish I had told you all of this when you were with us. I hope that you knew the power of your magic, how you brought happiness to everyone you met and how loved you were. Goodbye, Dear Friend.
1. How does the writer begin this text?| A．By expressing her worry about her son. |
| B．By showing her kindness to the teacher. |
| C．By describing her first contact with the teacher. |
| D．By explaining the importance of the first school day. |
| A．Excited. | B．Comforted. | C．Troubled. | D．Frightened. |
| A．The teacher’s talent. | B．The teacher’s creativity. |
| C．The teacher’s art of speech. | D．The teacher’s work attitude. |
| A．To tell an interesting story. | B．To show the teacher’s challenge. |
| C．To remember an admirable teacher. | D．To express thanks in a son’s name. |
【推荐1】The Internet has revolutionized our lives to such an extent(程度) that for most people, the global network has become more than just a tool rather an important aid in everyday life. More and more people go online as wireless networks have brought the Internet closer and closer it's on our mobile phones, in out cars and TV sets, in hospital surgery rooms and in fishing boats that battle the waves of the Atlantic.
And this revolution has brought along with it a new way of shopping. Both big and small, e-business websites have flooded the Internet by the hundreds of thousands. Anything you can buy from a brick and mortar store(实体店) you can also buy online: from food and clothes to toys. no matter what you're looking for, you're bound to find the right online store with just a few clicks of the mouse. You can use the Internet to find new suppliers, post buying requests or search for products and services.
This revolution has affected brick and mortar business owners greatly. And what was their reaction? They've opened online stores to go hand in hand with their conventional businesses.
But do the big players have reasons to be afraid? Are we going to start seeing ghostly, deserted Walmarts(沃尔玛) across the country? Probably not in the near future but the day will come when most people will just stop shopping offline anymore. A trip to Walmarts wastes time and burns gas.
The recent advancements in mobile technology and the introduction of mobile phones with improved web capabilities have even made some people order their groceries when they get out from work and have them delivered at their doorstep by the time they get home. And as "Time is money", this practice is lifesaving for people who work two jobs.
Technology will continue to advance and e-business will follow closely in its footsteps. Everything will become easier and less time consuming, leaving us more time to enjoy the things that really matter in life: the ones we love, our friends and hobbies.
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．The popularity of mobile phones. | B．The great influence of the internet. |
| C．The importance of the Internet. | D．The function of the global network. |
| A．to save time | B．to follow the fashion |
| C．to release pressure | D．to protect environment |
| A．A New Way of Shopping. |
| B．The Internet Revolution. |
| C．What is the Reaction to Online Shopping? |
| D．Is Online Shopping the Future of E-business? |
【推荐2】How do we make traditional Chinese culture alive and popular again among young people? Livestreaming (直播) has made it. It is not only fun, but has also provided a new stage for traditional culture artists.
On video websites and apps such as Douyin and Bilili, many traditional artists are trying livestreaming for the first time. Some of them sing Peking Opera, some show their hand-made art pieces, while others perform classical music.
Li, 59 years old, is a laosheng(old male role) Peking Opera performer who started livestreaming this year. Unlike performing on a formal (正式的) stage, Li uses everyday places as his stage, including his backyard, study room, and even a sofa. Besides singing, Li also teaches viewers about Peking Opera in a funny way. People can ask him questions and get answers directly. “Livestreaming has brought this great art down to earth,” one viewer said. “It allows young people to know this traditional art and learn more about it in an easier way.”
Other kinds of artists also see livestreaming as a new opportunity. On March 26, the third China Huafu Day, Bilibili livestreamed a fashion show. Performers showed beautiful clothes in traditional Chinese styles , including those from Wei, Tang and Ming dynasties. During the show, viewers enjoyed the clothes and watched how performers used ancient styles of make-up. For example, one blogger taught people how to draw the guiye eyebrow (桂叶眉), which was a typical make-up style during Tang Dynasty.
There is no doubt that livestreaming has created a new channel through which traditional culture can be kept alive.
1. We can guess from Paragraph 3 that Li, as a teacher, is ________.| A．Strict | B．lazy | C．humorous | D．scary |
| A．help make Douyin and Bilibili more popular |
| B．teach where and how to perform Peking Opera |
| C．encourage young people to perform art at home |
| D．show traditional artists are using livestreaming |
| A．Wei | B．Tang | C．Ming | D．Qing |
| A．a TV show to introduce traditional clothes from different dynasties |
| B．a way to bring traditional culture back to life by sharing online videos |
| C．a program to give students many traditional Chinese cultural lessons |
| D．a stage to give performers a chance to take photos of their everyday life |
【推荐3】In the live-streaming (直播) channel of Yang Weiyun, no singing or dancing is performed nor are products sold. Yang teaches pinyin, reading and writing, something that has been most familiar to her for the past 50 years. The difference is her students are mostly adults.
The 73-year-old comes from Huainan city of Anhui province and is an experienced educator. She had been a Chinese teacher in an elementary school for 50 years. In retirement, Yang also wanted to do something meaningful. The rise of short video platforms gave her the idea of continuing her education attempt through live-streaming online. The retiree opened her live-streaming account in May 2021 and offered free pinyin courses designed for kindergarten pupils about to attend primary schools. However, she gradually learned among her viewers there are a lot of illiterate (文盲) adults.
Yang said she found many illiterate adults develop a sense of lack of confidence. They are afraid to go to new places, worried that they couldn’t teach their children or read their boss’s instructions. So, she added targeted content to meet their needs. “Many illiterate adults didn’t have the chance to go to school when they were young. They are the ones in urgent need of becoming literate. I wanted to give them a new starting point,” Yang said.
According to the seventh national census (人口普查) carried out last year, there are 38 million illiterate adults in China. Yang’s live-streaming channel offers an easy and private way for those who want to overcome adult illiteracy.
Yang said students learning through her live-streaming channel each have their own demands. So she always prepares her classes carefully after concluding a live-streaming session. She has tried her best to figure out what ways the students can learn and remember better, and her biggest wish now is to see these students graduate from her classes.
1. What’s Yang’s original purpose when she attempted teaching online?| A．To teach retired adults Chinese. |
| B．To spread Chinese character culture. |
| C．To teach kids before primary school. |
| D．To sell products in her live-streaming channel. |
| A．She was an experienced and respectable teacher. |
| B．Many people believe her classes are beneficial for their children. |
| C．Her class is vivid and lively with singing or dancing performance. |
| D．Many illiterate adults can learn Chinese in an easy and private way in her class. |
| A．Devoted and helpful. | B．Caring and brave. |
| C．Warm-hearted and strict. | D．Persistent and honest. |
| A．Illiterate adults need help in education. |
| B．A retired teacher teaches grown-ups pinyin online. |
| C．Short video platform offers new ways for education. |
| D．It’s never too late to teach. |
