Over the last 25 years, British society has changed a great deal. In some ways, however, very little has changed. Ideas about social class whether a person is “working-class” or “middle-class” are one area in which changes have been extremely slow.
In the past, the working-class tended to be paid less than middle-class people, such as teachers and doctors. As a result of this and also of the fact that workers’ jobs were generally much less secure, distinct differences in life-styles and attitudes came into existence. The typical working man would collect his wages on Friday evening and then give them to his wife, leaving a little for drinking or betting.
The type of what a middle-class man did with his money was perhaps nearer the truth. He was and still is likely to take a longer-term view. Not only did he regard buying a house to provide him and his family with security. Only in very few cases did workers have the opportunity (or the education and training) to make such long-term plans.
Nowadays, much has changed. In a large number of cases factory workers earn as much. Social security and laws have made it less necessary than before to worry about “tomorrow”. Working-class people seem slowly to be losing the feeling of inferiority (自卑感) they had in the past. In fact there has been a growing tendency in the past few years for the middle-classes to feel slightly ashamed of their position.
The changes in both life-styles and attitudes are probably most easily seen among younger people. They generally tend to share very similar tastes in music and clothes. They spend their money enjoying themselves, and save for holidays or longer-term plans when necessary. There seems to be much less difference than in previous generations. Nevertheless, we still have a wide gap between the well-paid and the low-paid. As long as this gap exists, there will always be a possibility that new problems will appear between different groups.
1. Which of the following is seen as the main cause of class differences in the past?A.Life style and occupation. | B.Attitude and income. |
C.Income and job security. | D.Job security and hobbies. |
A.the description of middle-class ways of spending money is quite real |
B.working-class ways of spending the weekend remain the same |
C.working-class drinking habits differ from the past |
D.middle-class attitudes towards their positions have changed greatly |
A.They had to save money for security. |
B.They couldn’t make long-term plans. |
C.They could make as much money as they do now. |
D.They didn’t have the sense of inferiority. |
A.they are provided with social security |
B.they can get much income |
C.better jobs are available for all of them |
D.the government offers legal protection |
A.Changes are slowly taking place in all aspects of the British society. |
B.The difference between working-class and middle-class young people is narrowing. |
C.The gap in income between the two classes will still remain. |
D.Middle-class people may sometimes feel a little inferior. |
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【推荐1】Social media has completely taken over everyday life, affecting how society runs and changing individuals in ways that even they can feel. While social media can act as a platform for people to express themselves, it can also be overwhelming, especially for high school teens.
To teenager Bryson Lan, quitting social media helped eliminate (消除) a significant distraction in his routine and keep up with teachers. “I was scrolling through social networking sites so much,” Lan said. “I was also starting to struggle since I entered my high school year. When school started, I was super overwhelmed (不知所措的), and I was just not ready for it.”
Most teenagers fear that by eliminating these apps, they will miss out on connections with their peers and feel a significant loss to their social life. However, Lan found he didn’t miss anything during his time without social media.
Another problem with social media is the amount of “junk content” posted. People are regularly posting and updating on social media, and much of the content has no meaning to other viewers and is ultimately a time suck.
However, social media isn’t all negative. Social media can be a place to develop passions and boost creativity. For example, Lan found his interest in photography blossom after seeing works from other photographers on social media. “Social media is a good place where you can have a portfolio (作品集) or upload your works,” Lan said. “A lot of people have photography accounts or art accounts. In some ways, I think it actually furthers your hobby.” “Thanks to this revolutionary development of social media, we can enjoy a world where everyone is closer than before,” Lan said. “But we also need to have the skills to make good use of social media, and that depends on each person’s efforts.”
1. What did getting rid of social media bring Lan?A.More distractions. | B.Confusion about life. |
C.A smaller social circle. | D.More attention on his studies. |
A.A waste of time. | B.A timetable. | C.A lack of time. | D.A time switch. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Unclear. | C.Objective. | D.Supportive. |
A.Most teenagers’ opinions on social media. | B.The effects social media has on teenagers. |
C.Innovative development of social media. | D.The problems social media brings people. |
【推荐2】Travel is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get, especially when using a mystery box plane ticket. Earlier this year, mystery box travel purchases increased and became trendy among China’s young people. In normal trips, people often plan their vacations well in advance. After buying a mystery box at a low price — usually 100 or 200 yuan — however, the travelers using this method will select their departure airport and receive several destination options to choose from. After the destination is decided, their trip begins.
Liao Liangyu, 16, has turned his eagerness to go on a mystery box trip into reality. He took a mystery box trip to Changsha with a couple of friends months ago. Right before their departure, a friend told Liao that Changsha was a super hyped-up (被炒作的) Internet sensation (网红). But he still decided to go and see it for himself.
“My biggest discovery is that Changsha is a city full of contrasts,” Liao explained to China Daily. “You can see skyscraper (摩天大楼) and old houses in the same view.”
Since the destination options include many less popular cities, travel mystery boxes also bring energy and economic benefits to these destinations. For example, Dehong city is a beautiful city in Yunnan province, yet has few visitors due to a lack of promotion. Following its inclusion as a mystery box travel destination, however, it has gained a lot of attention and is now thought of as a solid location for tourism.
But even so, a large number of people feel disappointed with travel mystery boxes because they can encounter many problems after purchasing one, such as inappropriate travel time, sudden flight cancellations, or even challenges with refunds. Su Weili from Ctrip suggested in an interview with Haibao News that visitors should choose reliable platforms and sign contracts to guarantee their interests.
1. What is the appeal of mystery box travel?A.Traveling with like-minded strangers. |
B.Unplanned traveling at a low cost. |
C.Fixed routes to choose from. |
D.Popular destinations to visit. |
A.He regretted traveling with his friends. |
B.He felt Changsha didn’t deserve its fame. |
C.He disliked the unpredictability. |
D.He discovered something unexpected. |
A.They help these places better known. |
B.They often cause overcrowding. |
C.They lead to environmental problems. |
D.They enrich local people’s lives. |
A.Reliable platforms to buy travel mystery boxes. |
B.Various mystery box travel options available. |
C.Potential issues related to travel mystery boxes. |
D.Mystery box travel regulations and policies. |
A few years ago, I started to notice big shifts in teens’ behavior. Around 2014, teens started to spend their time much differently from the generations before. These teens and young adults all have one thing in common: Their childhood or adolescence coincided with the rise of the smart phone. For this reason, I call them iGeneration.
What makes iGen different? Growing up with a smartphone has affected nearly every aspect of their lives. They spend so much time on the Internet, texting friends and on social media that they have less leisure time for everything else. Whether it’s going to parties, shopping at the mall, or watching movies, iGen teens are participating in these social activities at a significantly low rate.
Some parents might worry about their teens spending so much time on their phones because it differs from the way they spent their own adolescence. But it is not just different-in many ways, it’s actually worse. Spending less time with friends means less time to develop social skills. A 2016 study found that sixth graders who spent just five days at a camp without using screens ended the time better at reading emotions on others’ faces, suggesting that iGen’s screen-filled lives might cause their social skills to shrink.
In addition, in the annual Monitoring the Future survey, the percentage of iGen teens who read a non required book every day dropped from 60 percent in 1980 to only 16 percent in 2016. Perhaps as a result, average SAT critical reading scores have dropped 14 points since 2010.
iGen shows another break with the previous generations: Depression, anxiety, and loneliness have shot upward with happiness declining. The teen suicide rate increased by more than 50 percent, as did the number of teens with clinical-level depression.
Parents used to worry about their teens spending too much time with their friends-they were a distraction, a bad influence, a waste of time. But it might be just what iGen needs now.
1. How are iGen teens different from the generations before?2. What is another break with the previous generation does iGen show?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Teen’s friends were regarded as a distraction, a bad influence, and a waste of time by most parents, so it’s not suggested that teens spend time with their friends.
4. Can you offer some suggestions for iGen teens? (about 40 words)
1. The word “address” in the first line probably means .
A.talk about | B.deal with | C.fight for | D.write to |
A.39% of the population. | B.200 million people. |
C.About 3 million people. | D.About one-fifth of the population. |
A.they have no home addresses |
B.they mostly have a drinking problem |
C.they aren't supported by government programs |
D.they often don't have enough work experience |
A.The passing of new housing laws. |
B.The fast growth of family size. |
C.The slow construction of houses. |
D.The ever-rising price of housing. |
【推荐2】Through history, children have played with toys and they help to prepare children for adult life. But the toys are changing all the time. As science and technology have changed the way adults live, the toys children play with have changed as well. Development in science and technology has had a big effect on the toys that children play with. Today trains and mobile phones are popular toys for young children, but there were no toys of this kind before real trains and mobile phones were invented. The materials that toys are made of have also changed. Today lots of toys are made of plastic. Plastic is a modern, man-made material that did not exist in the past. On the other hand, some other toys that you have might not be all that different from the ones children played with 1,000 years ago. Scientists have found some bone dice(骰子)in Aberdeen. In medieval(中世纪的)times dice were used for playing games as much as they are today.
A recent survey found that half of all the children aged from 4 to 6 have played video games, a quarter of them regularly. The increasing use of electronic toys troubles Dr Singer, a professor at Yale. “One thing we know is that kids in early years need to be in touch with the real world,” he said, “no matter how brilliant they are, they’re not going to learn to walk, to move or to talk to others unless their hands or feet have a direct role in such activities.”
Some toy experts argue that the best toys are the ones that increase a child’s creativity and imagination. Traditional toys can be used for different kinds of purposes and be used in group settings, individually(单独地), and one-to-one. They are also used differently depending on the child’s age and skill level. And these toys made of natural materials are valuable for children because they teach children what the world is made of.
1. In how many ways do toys change according to the first paragraph?A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
A.the toys are changing all the time |
B.some toys are made of different materials |
C.some toys don’t change over time |
D.some toys’ materials don’t change over time |
A.only children like to play with toys |
B.toys have nothing to do with children’s future life |
C.the development of toys is related to science and technology |
D.plastic is the best material for making toys |
A.the electronic toys are good for children if they play often enough |
B.the electronic toys prevent children keeping in touch with the real world |
C.children should play with electronic toys instead of the traditional ones |
D.children should be stopped from being hurt by the danger coming from the outside world |
【推荐3】Conventional wisdom says that hardship can make us old before our time. In fact, a new study suggests that violence not only leaves long-term scars on children’s bodies, but also changes their DNA, causing changes that are equal to seven to ten years of premature aging.
Scientists measured this by studying the ends of children’s chromosomes (染色体), called telomeres(端粒), says Idan Shalev, lead author of a study published in Molecular Psychiatry.
Telomeres are special DNA sequences (序列)which prevent the DNA in chromosomes from separating. They get shorter each time a cell divides, until a cell cannot divide any more and dies.
Several factors have been found to shorten telomeres, including smoking, radiation and psychological stresses such as being treated badly when young and taking care of a chronically ill person.
In this study, researchers examined whether exposure to violence could make children’s telomeres shorten faster than normal. They interviewed the mothers of 236 children 3t ages 5, 7 and 10, asking whether the youngsters had been exposed to domestic violence between the mother and her partner; physical maltreatment by an adult; or bullying. Researchers measured the children's telomeres —in cells obtained by wiping the insides of their cheeks一at ages 5 and 10.
Telomeres shortened faster in kids exposed to two or more types of violence, says Shalev. Unless that pattern changes, the study suggests, these kids could be expected to develop diseases of aging, such as heart attacks or memory loss, seven to 10 years earlier than their peers.
Shlev says there is hope for these kids. His study found that, in rare cases, telomeres Better nutrition, exercise and stress reduction are three things that may be able to lengthen telomeres, he says.
The study confirms a small but growing number of studies suggesting that early childhood adversity imprints itself in our chromosomes, says Charles Nelson, a professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at Harvard Medical School.
1. The new study found that .A.hardship can change a child's memory |
B.violence can speed up a child's aging |
C.violence leaves scars on a child s mind |
D.hardship has an effect on a child’s mind |
A.Telomeres. | B.Children. |
C.Chromosomes. | D.DNA sequences. |
A.Violence can cause quick cell death in children’s body. |
B.Telomeres can help prevent chromosomes from separating. |
C.Children who have shorter telomeres have heart attacks later. |
D.Being treated badly will make a child’s telomeres shorten faster. |
A.Violence and Telomeres |
B.The Function of Telomeres |
C.Violence Makes Children Aging |
D.DNA Influences Children’s Growth |