As a worrying number of youngsters take up vaping (电子烟), the Government has announced a crackdown on laws to stop kids from becoming addicted to the dangerous habit.
Disposable (一次性的) vapes are now set to be banned in the UK as part of the Prime Minister’s new legislation (立法) to “stop youth vaping in its tracks”. Recent research shows that one in five teens has now tried vaping, despite it being illegal for under-18s, and half of those who vape between 18 and 24 do so despite having no history of smoking.
Last year, figures showed the number of adults using e-cigarettes in the UK had risen to the highest rate on record at roughly 4.3 million Brits. According to the charity Action on Smoking and Health, almost 1,000 serious adverse reactions to vapes were logged, including five deaths linked to e-cigarettes in the last decade.
And it’s not just over-the-count er vapes at the center of the country’s vaping crisis — fake e-cigarettes with deadly chemicals have sparked concerns. An investigation by the Mirror in 2023revealed one man’s fears for his life after he suffered a collapsed lung as a result of a fake, unlicensed pack of vapes purchased from a corner shop in County Durham.
Alex Gittins,31, thought he bagged himself a bargain but ended up in hospital just hours later. He said: “I noticed an awful chemical taste in the back of my throat, then five to 10minutes later I felt what was like a stitch. I’m lying in A&E thinking I was going to die.”
A regular vaper was told he had just a one percent chance of survival after being left in need of a double lung transplant. Jackson Allard, 22, underwent the life-saving operation on January 1, putting an end to a series of serious health issues.
Medical expert Stephanie Hansen has voice d concerns about the unknown long-term effects of e-cigarettes. She said: “Vaping or e-cigarette use is relatively new, so we don’t necessarily know a lot of the long-term effects of vaping and that’s honestly one of the scariest things about it.”
1. What has the recent research found?| A．20 percent of UK teenagers have once vaped. | B．It’s against the law for teens to buy vapes. |
| C．Vaping is commoner than smoking in the UK. | D．5 people died because of vaping last year. |
| A．To suggest it’s easy to be addicted to vaping. | B．To state vaping ruins people’s health seriously. |
| C．To indicate it’s illegal to buy fake e-cigarettes. | D．To show the number of people vaping is on the rise. |
| A．It remains to be seen in what way vaping affects people. |
| B．It will be long before people know the bad effects of vaping. |
| C．It matters to inform people of the potential danger of vaping. |
| D．It is difficult to prohibit adults from buying e-cigarettes. |
| A．Research into the habits of smokers in Britain. | B．Causes of teens’ addiction to vaping in Britain. |
| C．British health issues drawing public attention. | D．British government prohibiting disposable vapes. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Tim Berners-Lee. If you don’t know his name, you’ve surely used his famous invention —the World Wide Web.
On Oct. 29, the Internet officially turned 50 years old. To mark the day, Berners-Lee wrote online, “The Internet & the web it enabled have changed billions of lives for the better. But their power for good is under threat.”
Speaking at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), he pointed out three problems affecting today’s web-criminal behavior, ad-based clickbait websites, and offensive online communication.
In the contract, he mentioned the need for companies to make sure that everyone has web access, called for a reduction in offensive material, and more personal data privacy. The latter is a hot topic right now. Big companies, like Facebook, have misused users’ personal information by sharing it with advertisers.
In this digital age, the Internet connects the world through social media, cashless payments and has become an instant source of information. It can also make a positive difference through campaigns that push for positive change, education or aid.
One such campaign is November. The movement, held every November, encourages men to grow a mustache for the whole month, post pictures online, and donate.
Not to mention, the Internet is also a source of fun. From funny kitten videos on Weibo to your very own Douyin videos, the Internet allows you to share what you create.
Speaking to the Web Foundation, Berners-Lee said, “The web has become a public square, a library, a doctor’s office, a shop, a school, and it has given marginalized groups a voice.”
“In the next 30 years, if we give up on trying to build a better web...we will have failed it.
| A．This birthday must mark the moment we take on the fight for the web we want. |
| B．Tim Berners-Lee is planning to save the World Wide Web. |
| C．November draws public attention to mental health issues. |
| D．We need to come together as a global community. |
| E．These problems led Berners-Lee to create the Web Foundation and a contract for it. |
| F．The charity promotes physical health, mental health, and suicide prevention for men. |
| G．Despite all the negatives, we shouldn’t forget about all the benefits the Internet brings. |
【推荐2】You’ve most likely heard the news by now: A car-commuting, desk-bound, TV-watching lifestyle can be harmful to our health. All the time that we spend rooted in the chair is linked to increased risks of so many deadly diseases that experts have named this modern-day health epidemic the “sitting disease”.
Sitting for too long slows down the body’s metabolism (新陈代谢) and the way enzymes (酶) break down our fat reserves, raising both blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Small amounts of regular activity, even just standing and moving around, throughout the day is enough to bring the increased levels back down. And those small amounts of activity add up—30 minutes of light activity in two or three-minute bursts can be just as effective as a half-hour block of exercise. But without that activity, blood sugar levels and blood pressure keep creeping up, steadily damaging the inside of the arteries (动脉) and increasing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other serious diseases. In essence, fundamental changes in biology occur if you sit for too long.
But wait, you’re a runner. You needn’t worry about the harm of a sedentary lifestyle because you exercise regularly, right? Well, not so fast. Recent studies show that people spend an average of 64 hours a week sitting, whether or not they exercise 150 minutes a week as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). Regular exercisers, furthermore, are found to be about 30 percent less active on days when they exercise. Overall, most people simply aren’t exercising or moving around enough to counteract all the harm that can result from sitting nine hours or more a day.
Scared straight out of your chair? Good. The remedy is as simple as standing up and taking activity breaks.
1. What is the best way to bring down high blood sugar level and blood pressure?| A．Interrupting sitting time with light activity as often as possible. |
| B．Exercising for 150 minutes or more every week. |
| C．Getting rid of the habit of car commuting and TV watching. |
| D．Standing or moving around for at least two or three minutes every day. |
| A．Modern. | B．Risky. | C．Epidemic. | D．Inactive. |
| A．They usually do not meet the standard of exercise recommended by WHO. |
| B．They generally spend less time sitting than those who are inactive. |
| C．They tend to stand or move around less on their work-out days. |
| D．They often live longer than those who don’t exercise. |
| A．The threat to our health from long hours of sitting. |
| B．The challenges of the modern lifestyle. |
| C．The reasons for the spread of a modern epidemic. |
| D．The effect of regular exercise on our body. |
【推荐3】A Day in My Wheel Chair
Alex Johnson was born with a rare disorder and got his first wheelchair when he was 7 years old. When he was 11, he arranged to get a bunch of borrowed wheelchairs and then invited his teachers and fellow students to spend a day in them.
Dozens of volunteers quickly learned how complicated it was for Alex to get around the school. Balancing a lunch tray while also rolling down the cafeteria line? Super tricky. Those who participated also learned about the aches and pains Alex struggles with daily. There’s also the arduous, if not impossible, task of rolling a manual wheelchair up and down slopes.
Doors are the worst, they said, because they’re heavy and difficult to pull open from a rolling chair. And although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifies that doorways need to be wide enough to allow a wheelchair and the person’s hands to pass through safely, but many doors in older buildings are just too narrow.
But making the world more accessible for wheelchair users is a public policy issue controlled by government officials, so Alex recently challenged the Tennessee House of Representatives to spend a day in wheelchairs. And 10 men and women took him up on it! For a full day, they worked at their desks and attended all their regular meetings in wheelchairs. The lawmakers had the same eye-opening experiences that Alex’s school pals had.
State Representative Clark Boyd said, “I expected it to be difficult, but I had no idea how frustrating it could be to just simply get around.”
Thanks to comparable wheelchair challenges around the world, more lawmakers are getting the opportunity to learn more about what it’s like for the millions of people living with a mobility disability. “My hope is that through my challenge we can make the world more accessible,” Alex said. “Together, we can change the world, one challenge at a time.”
1. In what way were the students’ experiences of spending a day in wheelchairs and the lawmakers’ experiences similar?| A．Gaining a better understanding of what life is like for disabled people. |
| B．Learning that making the world more accessible is government officials’ work. |
| C．Learning how tiring it is to roll a wheelchair to move around the school building. |
| D．Understanding what it’s like for Alex to balance a lunch tray while in a wheelchair. |
| A．compulsory | B．fruitless | C．ridiculous | D．challenging |
| A．To criticize the ADA for the narrow doors in buildings. |
| B．To show that Clark felt sympathy for wheelchair users. |
| C．To demonstrate that he had decided to change the public policy issues. |
| D．To convince the reader that lawmakers can make the world more accessible. |
【推荐1】In 2021, Canadian glaciers melted rapidly. In some parts of Asia, month’s worth of rain fell in just a few hours. Europe saw severe flooding, and Madagascar faced a big drought （干旱）. The world is going through a series of weather disasters caused by climate change.
Faced with these serious problems, from Oct 30 to Nov 12, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 26) took place in Glasgow, UK. Global leaders from more than 190 countries came together, reviewing progress on their promises made since the 2015 Paris Agreement, and also discussing new steps to fight the climate crisis.
The main aim of COP 26 was to make sure that previous goals could be reached. They include achieving net zero carbon emissions（碳排放）globally by mid-century and keeping the global temperature increase below 2°C.
Net zero means that a country should take as much climate-changing gases out of the atmosphere as it puts in. China, for example, promised to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and reach net zero before 2060.
To reach these goals, all parties need to work together. At COP 26, developed countries agreed to raise S500 billion (about 3.195 trillion yuan) over the next five years to help developing regions with climate change. More than 100 nations reached some agreements, one of which is to stop deforestation and restore the world’s forests by 2030. Brazil has cut down huge amounts of the Amazon rainforest in recent years. The country also backed the deal.
1. What does the writer want to tell us by examples in Paragraph 1?| A．When weather disasters happen. |
| B．Climate problems are getting worse. |
| C．Where climate problems are most serious. |
| D．Climate problems are different in different places. |
| A．To change the Paris Agreement. |
| B．To share technology for reaching net zero. |
| C．To make sure earlier goals will be achieved. |
| D．To choose a new leader for the organization. |
| A．The developed countries should set more five-year plans. |
| B．All developing regions should depend on developed countries. |
| C．All countries should stop making money at the cost of global climate. |
| D．The world need to make a joint effort to fight against the climate change. |
| A．In a newspaper. | B．In a novel. | C．In a guidebook. | D．In a poster. |
【推荐2】The “ice city” of Harbin in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province has captured widespread attention online due to its stunning ice sculptures, enchanting ice-snow world, and an artificial moon drawing in record numbers of tourists from across China. Visitors, despite enduring temperatures as low as —10℃, flock to experience the city’s cultural traditions and festive atmosphere.
During the three-day New Year’s Day holidays, Harbin saw over 3 million tourists, generating approximately 5.91 billion yuan ($832 million) in tourism revenue, setting a new record. The International Ice and Snow Festival marked the beginning of the peak winter tourism season, with videos of tourists enjoying themselves in Harbin going viral on social media platforms like Sina Weibo.
Harbin’s tourism success is attributed not only to its unique attractions but also to the swift and thoughtful response of the local government and the warmth of its residents. Visitors are greeted with live performances at the airport, free transportation, and samples of local products, creating a welcome atmosphere. The city’s tourism boom has drawn attention internationally, with media outlets highlighting Harbin as a model for successful tourism development. This success is seen as reflecting the region’s rich cultural heritage and its commitment to providing high-quality services.
The surge in tourism has also had economic implications, driving up bookings for hospitality and entertainment services in neighboring cities like Qiqihar. Investors have shown enthusiasm, with stocks related to Northeast China’s revitalization experiencing significant increases in value. The revitalization of Northeast China, including provinces like Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning, is seen as a key priority for the region’s development. Efforts are underway to leverage the region’s resources, industrial capabilities, and geographical advantages to inspire innovation and attract investment.
In 2023, Northeast China saw positive economic growth, with provinces like Jilin and Liaoning experiencing GDP increases. The region has also attracted foreign investment, with projects such as a major chemical venture in Liaoning and new energy vehicle initiatives in Jilin. The integrated development of tourism is viewed as a catalyst for broader economic growth in Northeast China, encouraging innovation, opening up new markets, and fostering talent retention. The region aims to embrace new opportunities, enhance its innovation capacity, and pursue sustainable development to achieve full revitalization.
As reflected in social media posts, the success of Harbin’s tourism industry serves as a testament to the region’s progress and determination, signaling a prosperous future for Northeast China’s economic revival.
1. Which word can best describe this round of tourism promotion of Harbin?| A．All-involved. | B．Nobody-cared. |
| C．Partner-aided. | D．Self-centered. |
| A．Enthusiastic citizens willing to be a part of it. |
| B．Various support from local authorities. |
| C．International news agencies working to promote the city’s image. |
| D．Generous gestures making tourists feel welcome. |
| A．The stock relevant to Northeast revitalization always keeps steady. |
| B．The development of tourism decides the growth of economy. |
| C．The regions in Northeast China are promising in many aspects. |
| D．Harbin has little economic influence on the surroundings. |
| A．Tourism miracle. | B．Chinese “Ice City”. |
| C．Tourist enthusiasm. | D．Economic revival. |
【推荐3】Flying has shrunk the world! It’s now possible to travel around the globe quickly and easily. Jumping on a plane and jetting off on holiday or a business trip is the norm for many of us, and with the rise of budget airlines, the number of people taking to the skies is increasing. But while air travel is costing us less, the cost to the environment is going up.
Climate change is something we’re all aware of now, and aviation companies know that some of the blame for this is being pointed at them. Last year airlines were forecasted to use about 97bn gallons of jet fuel.
But while we could think twice about taking a flight in the first place, particularly a short trip that could be made by train, technology might be the answer to reducing emissions and minimising the environmental damage.
Recent developments have focused on reducing the amount of fuel airliners(大型客机) burn. Making flying green and sustainable was the hot topic at the recent Dubai Air Show. There was talk of advances in engine technology, making them more efficient, and possibly using biofuel to power aircraft.
Rios Galvan, a bioenergy expert and professor at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, told the BBC that “these have the capacity to reduce the carbon footprint anywhere between 50-80 percent when you compare them to fuels.”
And Phil Curnock, chief engineer of the civil future programme at Rolls-Royce, also suggested that electric hybrid engines (混合动力发动机) could play a part for smaller aircraft, covering shorter distances. He says “it offers the possibility of a carbon-neutral flight for a limited range.”
Of course, aircraft manufacturers are constantly looking at ways to make their planes more fuel efficient. Boeing’s Dreamliner, for example, is already in operation and uses 25 percent less fuel per passenger compared with aircraft of a similar size. Other improvements include better aircraft aerodynamics (空气动力学), changes to ways aircraft taxi (滑行) on runways, and the use of lighter materials.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 1?| A．The earth gets smaller. |
| B．Budget airlines become popular. |
| C．Flying is favorite among passengers. |
| D．Air travel can do harm to environment. |
| A．Lowering. | B．Consolidating. |
| C．Weakening. | D．Increasing |
| A．Boeing’s Dreamliner is a green aircraft. |
| B．Biofuel is a necessity to power airliners. |
| C．Electric hybrid engines have their limitations. |
| D．Ways will be found to reduce fuel consumption. |
| A．By bettering runways. | B．By making smaller aircrafts. |
| C．By using the lighter materials. | D．By using aircraft aerodynamics. |
