Despite the life-saving COVID-19 vaccines (疫苗), so many people died in the second year of the pandemic in the US that the nation’s life expectancy dropped for a second year in a row last year, according to a new analysis.
The analysis of government statistics found US life expectancy fell by just under half a year in 2021, adding to a dramatic drop in life expectancy that occurred in 2020. Dr. Steven Woolf, a professor of population health and health expert at Virginia Commonwealth University, who helped conduct the analysis, said many of the deaths occurred in people in the prime of their lives. And Woolf added that it drove the overall US life expectancy to fall to 76.6 years—the lowest in at least 25 years.
“Shame on the US,” said Noreen Goldman, a professor at Princeton University. The 2021 drop came after US life expectancy fell in 2020, dropping by almost two years. It’s unclear why this happened, but Woolf and others thought it may be due in part to some Americans more likely to live in states with fewer restrictions, so they let down their guard more, while often refusing to get vaccinated.
“The deaths that occurred in 2021 were a product not only of a lack of COVID-19 vaccines, which was a factor, but also being in places that didn’t observe policies like masking and social distancing that prevented spread of the virus, which was the main reason,” Woolf said.
The 2021 drop also widened the gap in life expectancy between the US and other countries, the analysis found. That was due primarily to lower vaccination rates in the US, researchers said. The researchers also said a big part of that was fewer restrictions and more vaccine hesitation in the US, which resulted in lower vaccination rates and a much higher death number. The other health problems like heart attack and overweight also played a role, they said.
“We spent a fortune on medical care and we’re a high-income country. Our government should be able to do far better,” Goldman said.
1. What was America’s life expectancy before COVID-19?| A．About 79.1 years. | B．About 78.6 years. |
| C．About 77.1 years. | D．About 76.6 years. |
| A．Lack of medicine. | B．Powerful virus. |
| C．Violation of anti-epidemic policies. | D．The government’s negative act. |
| A．Politics. | B．Science. | C．Education. | D．Health. |
| A．Unsatisfied. | B．Objective. | C．Supportive. | D．Unconcerned. |
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【推荐1】Sitting and eating quietly on his father’s lap, the 18-month-old was oblivious to the infection in his veins (血管). But his father a strong farmer, knew only too well. It was the same one that killed his wife four month ago, leaving him alone with four children. The man started to cry.
“When my wife died, I thought, well, it is from Cod, but at least I have him.” he said. Then I learned he is sick, too. I asked if there was medicine and the doctors said no.
HIV and AIDS have quietly arrived in this land. They remain almost completely underground, hidden in ignorance (无知) and shame.
The father of the infected 18-month-old said his village teacher had never talked about AIDS. Nearly a year of tests on the father have found no HIV, and the old children are clear, but his smallest child tested positive (阳性) at ten months.
Six years earlier, his wife lost a baby and have several transfusions in Pakistan. After she became sick and was found to be infected, “I told the family her blood was not good and to avoid eating with her.” he said. “And I told them not to kiss his son, he burst into tears.”
“I don’t know what to do.” he said: “I have sacrificed so much since my marriage. I mortgaged (抵押) half my land to pay for her medical care.”
The father can do little for his son but keep his secret. There are no AIDS treatment centers in Afghanistan, only a single secret clinic in the capital that just monitors the disease, and no drugs are available.
1. The underlined part “was oblivious to” in Paragraph 1 can best be replaced by ________.| A．was shocked by | B．was afraid of | C．was curious about | D．was unaware of |
| A．He was diagnosed with AIDS just now |
| B．He has no money to support the family |
| C．His wife died of AIDS four weeks ago |
| D．His youngest son was infected with AIDS |
| A．the wife had several blood transfusions |
| B．the family knew how to avoid AIDS |
| C．the farmer had little knowledge about AIDS |
| D．the family loved the youngest son most |
| A．There are several AIDS treatment centers in Afghanistan |
| B．The farmer will keep his son’s disease unknown to others |
| C．The farmer sold his house to pay for his wife’s medical care |
| D．Afghanistan’s medical conditions have been greatly improved. |
【推荐2】Most people have a “fear” of getting old, especially when they get to those “milestone” birthdays. Not me! I was even more excited about turning 30 because this would be my golden birthday.
A few months after my 30th birthday when my little girl, Annie, turned two, I decided it was time for me to have my heart check-up. I have a family history of heart disease, so I knew this visit was important.
I made an appointment with the doctor, who had a very clear picture of my family history of heart disease. I got checked in, weighed, blood pressure checked, and all seemed just fine. However, since my mom had a hole in her heart, my doctor decided to do the same check on my heart. When it was done, my doctor sat me down and said, “You have a heart condition. Only 10% of your heart is functioning.” How could this be?
After the shock settled in, I told myself that I had to pick myself back up and move forward. I wasn’t the first woman to be diagnosed with heart disease, and sadly I wouldn’t be the last.
Just 10 years ago, my diagnosis would be almost immediately fatal. Yet, because of the advances in technology and medicine and the contribution of the American Heart Association, I now have a chance to pick out Annie’s wedding dress with her one day.
One day, I will be the recipient of a new heart because of the research done by the American Heart Association. I will be able to run, jump, swim ... The face of heart disease can be deceiving; don’t let this silent killer deceive you.
1. What did the writer do after she heard the doctor’s words?| A．She refused to have any kind of treatment. |
| B．She was shocked and thought it was not true. |
| C．She cried and didn’t know what to do. |
| D．She was shocked and then decided to fight the disease. |
| A．Heart disease is not that horrible. |
| B．Family members are important to us. |
| C．The writer will attend her daughter’s wedding ceremony very soon. |
| D．The writer got a new heart with the help of the American Heart Association. |
| A．A Touching Mother-Daughter Relationship |
| B．A New Treatment for Heart Disease |
| C．A Young Mother’s Battle Against Heart Disease |
| D．The True Meaning of Heart Disease |
We all know that if we want to keep our body in good shape we have to do physical exercise regularly as well as be careful with what we eat. What we tend to forget is that this goes for our eyes as well. Medical science confirms that a diet rich in carotenoids (类胡萝卜素) can help maintain good vision(维持好视力) and prevent against a number of eye diseases. Here's some advice about how to choose the right diet to keep your eyes healthy.
— Eat orange food. Fruits and vegetables with orange flesh are rich in carotenoids. In addition to carrots，oranges，pumpkins and sweet potatoes are also available. All of these contain high levels of carotenoids，which help to maintain good vision.
— Include dark green vegetables，such as spinach (菠菜) and broccoli (西兰花) in your diet, to act as natural sunglasses. Recent scientific studies have shown that these vegetables can help block (阻挡) the damaging UV radiation(紫外线辐射)from the sun's rays.
— Prevent some eye diseases with orange juice, yellow corn, whole milk, nuts and leafy vegetables. These foods are good sources of vitamins A, C, D and E. All of these are necessary to good eye health.
— Increase your intake of omega3 with some sea fish, and some other seafood. Omega3 helps build cell walls and is especially beneficial to keeping eyes healthy .It also helps regulate the eye's internal pressure and helps the eye dry up excess fluid.
1. We can learn from the first paragraph that healthy food .
| A．keeps eyes healthy |
| B．means you don't need exercise |
| C．can help cure eye diseases efficiently(有效地) |
| D．means people don't have to wear glasses |
| A．It is beneficial to building cell walls in eyes. |
| B．It is more delicious than other food. |
| C．It is good for eyesight. |
| D．It is rich in various vitamins. |
| A．Pumpkins. | B．Juice. | C．Nuts. | D．Broccoli. |
| A．keep their body in good shape |
| B．choose a healthy diet for their eyes |
| C．prevent serious eye diseases |
| D．get natural sunglasses from food |
【推荐1】How would you feel if moving to a new town meant losing track of your friends? What if the only way of getting news from faraway friends was writing letters that took ages to be sent? This was how things worked not very long ago. Thanks to advances in technology, how we make friends and communicate with them has changed greatly.
Nowadays, we can move around the world and still stay in touch with the people that we want to make friends with. Social media tools let us sec what our friends are up to and keep friendships. All you need is a wi-fi connection.
The digital age also enables us to find people who share our interests, such as collecting model cars or playing an unusual instrument Whatever our hobbies, the Internet can connect us with others who also enjoy doing them, even if they live on the other side of the world.
But when you "friend" people online, does this mean that they really are your friends?
It depends.
If people always exchange true personal information online, then yes, these friendships can be real and meaningful. But we need to keep in mind that what we see on social media is often not the whole truth about a person.
On social media sites, people would like to post only positive updates that make them appear happy and friendly. But smiling photos can hide real problems. Remember the saying: on the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog. A young person could be old; a woman could be a man; we could even be sharing our information with criminals.
But this doesn't mean that we should throw the baby out with the bathwater. Although technology has changed the way we find friends, the meaning of friendship and our longing for friends is the same. As Aristotle said, no one would choose to live without friends, even if he had all other goods.
1. According to the author, is unnecessary to keep online friendship.| A．writing letters | B．advanced technology | C．a wi-fi connection | D．social media |
| A．It took ages to get news from faraway friends nowadays. |
| B．It’s always harmful to share personal information online. |
| C．Nobody can figure out who you really are on the Internet |
| D．We'd better give up the Internet to avoid getting cheated. |
| A．To show how and why it is better to make friends online. |
| B．To prove that making friends was much easier in the past. |
| C．To make people give up traditional ways of making friends. |
| D．To discuss the advantages and disadvantages of making friends online. |
【推荐2】In 2019, more than 1.4 million young people around the globe took part in the School Strikes for Climate Action protests that were largely advocated by 17-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. The inspirational young Swede, while a media favourite, is far from the first or last young person to fight for a better environmental future.
With the rise of social media in recent years, websites such as YouTube provide accessible coverage on ecological matters that quickly gather millions of views, and links to new scientific information are easily shared between peers. But, it's not just online research that exposes the truth, and it's not a distant threat either. Climate change is happening around us as we speak; an increase of droughts and heatwaves means a loss of crop production and one and a half acres of forest is cut down every second.
Of course, just because young people are now readily armed with statistics such as these doesn't mean all adults will eagerly listen to them. Many write off young activists simply due to their age, and others still aren't willing to see the environmental challenges we face, but that doesn't mean a difference can't be made.
A study on participants aged 16-24 in the UN climate negotiations revealed that adults perceived younger activists as being more trustworthy due to the lack of financial incentives (刺激)to be there. Young activists often have an independent view of what's going on and, being free from politics, they often say what adults aren't willing to.
So, it seems achieving a carbon neutral world in the fixture might depend on young determined voices inspiring experienced adults who can make a difference.
1. Why is Greta Thunberg mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To show that the young activists are playing a part. |
| B．To give an introduction to Greta Thunberg. |
| C．To illustrate the seriousness of climate change. |
| D．To arouse readers' interest in environmental protection. |
| A．Consider unimportant. | B．Take seriously. | C．Give up. | D．Write down. |
| A．The way young activists work. |
| B．The advantages young activists have. |
| C．The contributions young activists make. |
| D．The views young activists hold. |
| A．Greta Thunberg: an outstanding activist. |
| B．Climate change: a matter needing everyone's attention. |
| C．The rise of social media makes ecological matters accessible. |
| D．The young are making a difference to the environmental future. |
【推荐3】Why do some parents tend to hold back their disabled children from experiencing life? Even when they are grown, the parents will not allow certain things to happen. It's true that they do have a certain amount of responsibility in protecting their severely disabled adult child, but at what point do they become overly protective?
Parents want to create a safe haven, a place where they know that nothing bad will happen to their beloved child. This seems to be a respectable and notable act in caring for a person with a disability, but it can have a side effect. When protecting their child from suspected hardships, not wanting anything bad to happen to them, they very well may be preventing good things from happening to them.
In life we all make mistakes, it is how we are able to grow and strengthen our character. Parents may feel that in certain instances their child will get hurt or mistreated in some way, so they build walls in their own minds convincing themselves of the need to shelter. However, the disabled, yes even the "severely disabled" deserve to make personal mistakes as well. Even more, they have the right to succeed.
Parents should do everything and anything within their power to see their disabled children lead a somewhat "normal" life. Parents should help their children, not hold them down. This could make them think they are unworthy and that their parents do not believe in them.
Whatever it may be, let them at least try. If they want to attend college, so be it. Parents should find out all they can, and be involved in every detail. Get to know the aides, experience it with them. If they want to dare and someday marry, so be it. Don't shut them out and form bad or critical opinions about them just because you are afraid. Unite as a family and make it work.
1. According to the passage, if the parents overprotect their disabled children, the children will ________.| A．never grow up in the future |
| B．find no shelter when they grow up |
| C．become less confident when facing troubles |
| D．less likely meet with good things happening to them |
| A．Supporting. | B．Depressed. | C．Critical. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．be a bridge, not a brick wall |
| B．act as their children's best friends |
| C．encourage their children to get married |
| D．live in harmony with their disabled children |
| A．Living Within The Parents' Power |
| B．Letting Your Disabled Child Succeed |
| C．Getting Out Of A Brick Wall In Their Life |
| D．Helping Your Disabled Child Out Of Trouble |
【推荐1】Is my article mid or valid? If you can answer this question, you already are used to what we term “algospeak.” As more and more online users join social media platforms such as TikTok (抖音), algospeak continues to grow. But what is it, what do these words mean?
Algospeak is a coded language or slang used online. For some communities it is the only way to talk safely about sensitive subjects. Due to the rise of algorithmic censorship (算法筛查) in media, algospeak developed as a way to prevent robot from deleting their videos and messages. Users had to get creative to avoid deletion. This means that as long as there is censorship, there will be a new language to avoid it.
Further, new slang created on social media platforms fits itself into everyday life. Even if you are not writing a message on TikTok, you may have caught yourself using phrases from the app in your daily life. This connection between people all over the globe allows for shared vocabulary. It also has the potential to completely change the way we as English speakers speak. Here is some new slang popularized by TikTok.
Bussin’ (adj.) — something is really good, usually referring to food
Mid (adj.) — ordinary, not good or bad
Sheesh (ex.) — response either meaning disbelief or surprise, can be positive or negative
Valid (adj.) — something very good or meets a very high standard; a respectable opinion
No one would have expected artificial intelligence (AI) would be the catalyst (催化剂) for change but it is. The combination of not only censorship but also high connectivity birthed a new language. Some older generations can’t even understand what the youngest generation says because of the lack of access to the new language. The gap between English before social media and English as it is now is huge, and it continues to grow.
So, what should we expect for the future? Will censorship loosen or will the English language continue to develop from digital media? Time can only tell.
1. What contributed to the appearance of algospeak?| A．The need for netizens to escape censorship. |
| B．The desire for a shared vocabulary around the world. |
| C．The authority’s demand for creating a new language. |
| D．The social media’s intention to catch public attention. |
| A．AI needs catalyst to develop. |
| B．Social media birthed a new language. |
| C．Algospeak may cause communication obstacles. |
| D．Strict censorship is a barrier to interpersonal relationships. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Indifferent. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
| A．It offers a new outlook on life. |
| B．It has reshaped the digital media. |
| C．Its development is associated with AI. |
| D．It has won popularity among all ages. |
Regardless of how you feel about the event, one conclusion is obvious. Using the theme of “A Day Without” as a way to focus national attention on a particular subject is a great idea, and could serve as a method for increasing public consciousness about other issues that affect daily life in America. Here are my top three examples:
“A Day Without Speeding.” How hard could this be? If all drivers would strictly obey every posted speed limit on highways, downtown, on neighborhood streets, and in parking lots for one 24-hour cycle, the benefits would be huge.
“A Day Without Losing Your Temper.” A higher degree of difficulty here, and I know that from personal experience. When something goes wrong at home or on the job, there may be brief satisfaction in yelling or kicking the furniture, but bursting into anger usually has nothing to do with the approach to the heart of the matter.
“A Day Without Having All The Answers.” I would like to get a break from hearing anyone speak the phrase, “Here’s what you’re doing wrong.” Right now the US is packed with citizens who believe they can point out the cause of every single problem in existence and then solve it in a moment. I believe they need to be quiet sometimes and use their ears instead of their voices.
I wonder how would average Americans react to such a national pause? Would it be a day of reaction against anger, or joyful celebrations?
1. The first paragraph suggests ________.
| A．the writer is against “A Day Without Immigrants” |
| B．immigrants are not equally treated by the US government |
| C．the immigrants issue is so complex that the author has to refer to others |
| D．some move to America without the permission of the US government |
| A．criticize the undocumented illegal immigrants in America |
| B．show public consciousness of some subjects could be raised |
| C．encourage common people to create more similar activities |
| D．indicate some bothering issues affecting people’s daily life |
| A．unpleasant | B．pointless | C．relaxing | D．personal |
| A．he thinks the Americans are too proud |
| B．he wants to have a chance to speak his mind |
| C．he expects others to keep quiet and calm |
| D．he hopes to get a break from the problems |
【推荐3】People’s creativity knows no bounds. There is always something new being developed that promises to improve people’s quality of life. These two inventions promise to do just that.
Riding a bicycle is an enjoyable activity. Most people wear a helmet to protect their heads as accidents do happen and can be deadly. Helmets protect to a degree, but now a Swedish company has something even better. Meet Hövding 3, an airbag for cyclists that blows up to protect the head in an accident. A scientific study shows that it protects the head much better than a traditional bike helmet. The Hövding 3 airbag is worn around the neck like a collar. If the cyclist is in an accident, the airbag fills with air in 0.1 seconds.
The Hövding 3 is easy to use. Just charge it up, zip it around your neck and activate it. It can also be linked to your smartphone. Then if you have an accident, the Hövding app will notify your selected contacts. At €349 (about USS380) the device isn’t cheap, but if it saves your life, it’s worth it.
Have you ever heard of electronic skin, also known as e-skin? Just as your skin can feel things, electronic skin can “feel,” too. Made of special materials that are stretchy, e-skin can twist and stretch without breaking. It can also detect changes in temperature, pressure and wetness wherever it is used. E-skin is being combined with wearable health monitors, making them last longer and more comfortable for the wearer.
E-skin can be put on robots that need to “feel” their environment and help them interact with the world around them. This is exactly how humans use their sense of touch to feel and respond to different stimuli (刺激物). For example, e-skin can be used to make prosthetic limbs (义肢) feel pressure and temperature changes. This would allow the person to have a better sense of touch, feel and control of the limb.
Scientists and engineers are still working on improving the technology behind e-skin. They want to make it even more sensitive and responsive.
1. The expression “knows no bounds” in the first paragraph most probably means “________”| A．shows no changes | B．has no limits |
| C．promises no drawbacks | D．gets no bad results |
| A．is very much complicated to use | B．is a life-saving but low-cost device |
| C．can inform the contacts of the injured | D．can injure the wearers with its airbag |
| A．It has been mass-produced recently. |
| B．It lacks flexibility and is easily worn out. |
| C．It loses its sense of temperature in the sea. |
| D．It is highly similar to human skin in function. |
| A．new inventions are changing our lives |
| B．the two technologies are already quite perfect |
| C．the future of modern technologies is uncertain |
| D．robots play a key role in scientific experiments |
【推荐1】Marcelo Toledo usually creates sculptures and jewelry out of metal. Now the Argentine artist is working with a new material: waste from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as masks, to create an exhibition exploring the painful impact of the virus.
Toledo, who has made jewelry for the musical “Evita” on Broadway and unique pieces for many famous people, was among the first in Argentina to be infected with COVID-19, which left him hospitalized for eight days. The experience had a great effect on his life and led to a series of artworks, including a 14-meter mask with the Argentine flag that he placed on the famous obelisk (方尖纪念碑) in Buenos Aires to raise awareness about organ donation during the pandemic.
For his new exhibition, the “Museum of the After”, Toledo is collecting recycled waste from the COVID-19 sent by hospitals, laboratories and strangers, including old medical parts and newspapers about the pandemic.
“I am excited to be able to turn pain into beauty and this exhibition is just recording everything that is happening to us as a society,” Toledo said. The artworks, which will go on show from September in a public space in downtown Buenos Aires, will all be made from waste materials or garbage that people send him. “It is the first time that I have done an exhibition in which I do not have to buy any of the elements,” he said.
In the exhibition, there will be a real ship that will symbolically cross a “storm” and recycling islands to raise awareness about the importance of caring for the environment. “The exhibition will tell the story of this ship that went sailing and was stranded (搁浅) by a storm, which is a great metaphor for what is happening to us. This pandemic is a great global storm,” Toledo said.
As with the huge mask, which was in countries such as the United States and Japan, the artist dreams of replicating (复制) the new exhibition in other cities around the world.
1. What inspired Toledo to make the 14-meter mask?| A．Organ donation. | B．His hospital stay. |
| C．The encouragement from his friends. | D．His Broadway experiences. |
| A．It was first exhibited in hospitals. |
| B．Toledo had to buy elements to make the artworks. |
| C．It was replicated in other countries around the world. |
| D．The artworks were made from rubbish about the pandemic. |
| A．People’s irresponsible behaviour leads to natural disasters. |
| B．People’s awareness of environmental protection is improving. |
| C．The COVID-19 pandemic is a big challenge for our human beings now. |
| D．People from all over the world should work together to defeat the pandemic. |
| A．A newspaper. | B．A history book. |
| C．A travel magazine. | D．A science magazine. |
【推荐2】The pandemic (疫情) has thrown challenges at us all in different ways, including children and getting to this point is an achievement in itself.
Read with your children. Keep their mind active by visiting the local library or bookshop and read a novel together discussing each chapter, trying to predict (预测) what is going to happen next and think about the decisions the characters have made. The action of choosing a book and reading together can have a positive impact on your relationship.
Spend time together. As a mum, if I have learnt anything during this pandemic, it is the importance of family and supporting each other. So you should spend time together as a family.
Recognize the year they had during the pandemic. Children’s education was disrupted (中断) during the pandemic and although they have been good at finding ways of doing things and solving problems, it’s important that we don’t ignore what they suffer during the year of the pandemic.
| A．Be positive about your children’s progress |
| B．Help your children improve their health and happiness |
| C．Keeping active and exercising regularly is great for physical health |
| D．It also can help your children to see the world through other people’s eyes |
| E．It is wonderful to be with your family to take part in activities on sport and nature |
| F．So you should accept that you are doing the best to support your children’s education |
| G．If they want to talk about their sadness and happiness, spend time talking with them |
【推荐3】Egypt ranks among the world’ s oldest civilizations and is famous for its ancient pyramids.
The virus killed off Egypt ‘s tourism and with it, the livelihoods of millions. Like Ashraf - - unable to feed his family, he kept his favourite camel, but had to sell two others. “It has been tough on everyone,” he says. “I have no money.
The ancient attractions are now reopening, but they’ re empty except for a few local visitors. It’ s a blow after tourism had just recovered from years of disorder.
Tour guide Shahenda loves taking tourists around her country. Since the pandemic, she’s lost a thousand holiday bookings.
According to Khalid Al-Anany, tourism minister, Egypt lost around one billion dollars per month and it’s expected that the country will still lose a lot of money during the next coming weeks and months.
| A．Restoring tourism will take time. |
| B．It’s time that the government took action. |
| C．A camel’s food alone costs six dollars a day. |
| D．For now, she’ s only sightseeing with her husband. |
| E．Tourists have to overcome lots of difficulties before reaching the pyramids. |
| F．There is no question it is a place loved by tourists all across the globe. |
| G．Thanks to the progression in technology, you can easily apply for Egypt visa in no time. |
