Recent studies suggest four out of 10 persons feel lonely at least one or two days per week, with younger persons (Millennials and Gen Z) exhibiting signs of extreme alienation (疏远) and disconnection more than other generations. Even older people, who are frequently regarded as lonely with few persons to speak to and objectively have lost many family members and friends, report less loneliness than Millennials. Why do Millennials report being the most lonely, and what can be done to address it?
Thirty percent of people between 23 and 38 said they often “feel lonely”. “But wait,” you may say. “Aren’t they connected through technology, social media platforms, and various apps?” Yes, but one of the challenges of extensive smartphone and app use today is that we are being trained to stare at screens rather than meet and have face-to-face conversations with people. Still, at the same time, people who spend more than 8 hours a day on screens per day tend to report other issues: depression, anxiety and other serious challenges to their well-being.
A meeting of minds used to happen via religious gatherings and school. So a possible solution is to create spaces and locations where one (and not just Millennials) can meet folks who share additional common interests. One possibility is through regular exercise outside the home. Going to a YMCA or a gym to a Zumba, yoga, or cycling class presents an opportunity to enjoy physical activity and have brief conversations with them before and after the session.
In addition to the obvious positive physical effects of the exercise, it can be surprising how beneficial a quick conversation can be with someone you may have just met. The boost in mood is palpable and can lead to better workouts due to increased available energy and motivation.
In conclusion, spending a little less time on the phone and a little more time walking in the neighborhood, in a park, or going early and staying late at the gym can work wonders for one’s mood and health.
1. Why do Millennials often feel lonelier than other generations?| A．They refuse to open up their inner world. |
| B．They don’t like to go to religious gatherings. |
| C．They are less connected with others in real life. |
| D．They have fewer opportunities to interact with people. |
| A．Limiting screen time. | B．Going to a nightclub with classmates. |
| C．Joining a group to exercise together. | D．Strengthening the parent-child bond. |
| A．Noticeable. | B．Comfortable. | C．Fortunate. | D．Temporary. |
| A．The ways for millennials to make new friends. |
| B．The importance of face-to-face communication. |
| C．How to make new friends for Millennials and Gen Z. |
| D．Why Millennials feel lonely and solutions to address the problem. |
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【推荐1】The World Food Program won the Nobel Peace Prize for fighting hunger and seeking to end its use as “a weapon of war and conflict” at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has driven millions more people to the edge of starvation.
“We are sending a signal to every nation who raises objections to international cooperation,” committee chair Berit Reiss-Andersen said. “We are sending a signal to this type of nationalism where the responsibility for global affairs is not being faced.”
The Rome-based agency has brought aid to multiple crises, including Ethiopia’s hunger of 1984, the Asian tsunami of 2004 and the Haiti earthquake of 2010. It continued to bring assistance to the world’s most dangerous and unsafe places, from air-dropping food in South Sudan and Syria to creating an emergency delivery service that kept aid flowing even as pandemic restrictions prevented commercial flights taking off.
“Where there is conflict, there is hunger. And where there is hunger, there is often conflict,” Beasley said in a statement on the agency’s website. “Today is a reminder that food security, peace and stability go together.”
The Nobel Committee called on governments to ensure that WFP and other aid organizations receive the financial support needed to feed millions in countries such as Yemen, Congo, Nigeria and South Sudan. When the award was announced, Beasley was in Niger, following a visit to neighboring Burkina Faso — two countries in the Sahel region of Africa that he said is “under attack by extremists and climate extremes” and going through a “calamitous” time.
The award comes with a gold medal and a 10-milion krona ($1.1 million) cash prize that is dwarfed by the funding that WFP requires for its work. So far in 2020, the organization has received almost $ 6.4 billion in cash or goods.
1. Why was WFP awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?| A．It united global powers. |
| B．It brought peace to countries. |
| C．It helped solve global food problems. |
| D．It put an end to hunger and starvation. |
| A．In Rome. | B．In Niger. | C．In Nigeria. | D．In Burkina Faso. |
| A．Sensitive. | B．Common. | C．Thrilling. | D．Disastrous. |
| A．The financial state of WFP. |
| B．WFP’s contribution to food security. |
| C．WFP’s winning the Nobel Peace Prize. |
| D．The significance of international cooperation. |
【推荐2】How long can human beings live? Most scientists who study old age think that the human body is designed to live no longer than 120 years. However, 110 years is probably the longest that anyone could hope to live — if he or she is extremely healthy and lucky. Some scientists even say we can live as long as 130 years!
Even though we can’t live forever, we are living a longer life than ever before. In 1900, the average American life span (寿命) was only 47 years, but today it is 75 years!
On the whole, our population is getting older. The changes in our population will have lasting effects on our social development and our way of life. Some people fear such changes will be for the worse,
As the society grows old, we need the contributions of our older citizens.
| A．When does old age begin then? |
| B．while some see chances, not disaster. |
| C．Nowadays, people have access to better health care. |
| D．and they are afraid of being too old to support themselves. |
| E．Yet, our cells simply cannot continue to reproduce endlessly. |
| F．People are living longer because more people survive childhood. |
| G．With long lives ahead of them, they need to stay active and devoted. |
【推荐3】The American company Walmart is offering something new to its employees: help with earning a college degree. Walmart said the program is open to both full-time and part-time workers who have been with the company for at least 90 days.
Walmart is the largest private employer in the United States. In the past, the company has helped its workers finish high school or pass the General Educational Development, or GED exam, which is designed to show one’s knowledge of high school-level skills.
Walmart hopes the new chance to earn a college degree will help it find and keep higher quality entry-level (最底层的) employees in a competitive market. Walmart is partnering with a company called Guild Education to offer employees the chance to get a bachelor’s degree (学士学位) in business or supply-chain management. The program will cost a dollar a day at one of the three schools: the University of Florida, Brandman University and Bellevue University. All three universities have had success in working with adult learners and offer programs through the Internet.
Walmart plans to develop its program further to other degrees in the future. It will also offer college-preparation classes for workers who need extra help. The company is paying for the cost of classes, books and other school-related costs so students will not need to borrow money.
This new partnership is an example of how large retail (零售) businesses are under stress and have to improve the skills of their entry-level workers. It comes at a time when the jobs of entry-level workers are getting more difficult to do partly because of the growing popularity of online sales. Two other reasons are competition from online retailer Amazon and more picky buyers.
The company also trains managers at its Walmart Training Academy, and has a program for entry-level workers.
1. What requirements you must meet to take part in Walmart’s program?| A．Passing the GED exam. | B．Being able to use computers. |
| C．Paying a dollar a day for the program. | D．Working for it for at least three months. |
| A．How the program runs. |
| B．What employees will learn. |
| C．Why Walmart carries out the program. |
| D．Where the entry-level employees are from. |
| A．Risky. | B．Difficult. | C．Necessary. | D．Puzzling. |
| A．Walmart works with three universities. |
| B．Walmart pays for employees’ college degree. |
| C．You need a college degree to work for Walmart. |
| D．You can receive college education while working. |
【推荐1】Like a moth to the flame, many scientists and poets have long assumed that flying insects were simply, inescapably drawn to bright lights. But that’s not exactly what’s going on, a new study suggests.
Rather than being attracted to light, researchers believe that artificial lights at night may actually confuse flying insects’ inborn navigational systems, causing them to flutter in confusion around porch lamps, street lights and other artificial beacons.
“Insects have a navigational problem,” said Tyson Hedrick, a biologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the research. “They’re accustomed to using light as an indicator to know which way is up.”
Insects do not fly directly toward a light source, but actually “tilt (倾斜) their backs toward the light,” said Sam Fabian, an Imperial College London entomologist and co-author of the study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.
That would make sense if the strongest light source was in the sky. But in the presence of artificial lights, the result is midair confusion, not attraction.
For the study, researchers attached tiny sensors to moths and dragonflies in a laboratory to film “motion-capture” video of flight-similar to how filmmakers attach sensors to actors to track their movements. They also used high-resolution cameras to film insects swirling around lights at a field site in Costa Rica. This allowed them to study in detail how dragonflies will circle endlessly around light sources, positioning themselves with their backs facing the beams. They also documented that some insects will flip upside down—and often crash land—in the presence of lights that shine straight upward like search lights.
Insect flight was least disturbed by bright lights that shine straight downward, the researchers found. “For millions of years, insects oriented themselves by sensing that the sky is light, the ground is dark”—until people invented artificial lights, said Avalon Owens, a Harvard entomologist who was not involved in the research.
1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?| A．To overview the whole article. | B．To introduce the main topic. |
| C．To raise a problem. | D．To make a prediction. |
| A．Interested. | B．Proud. | C．Doubtful. | D．Critical. |
| A．Using only theoretical models to analyze. |
| B．Observing insects only with the naked eye. |
| C．Studying insects’ movements in complete darkness. |
| D．Attaching tiny equipment to capture their movements. |
| A．Insects are attracted to light because it is bright. |
| B．Bright lights contribute a lot to insects’ flying. |
| C．Natural lights disturb insects’ navigational systems. |
| D．Artificial lights puzzle insects’ navigational systems. |
【推荐2】Iceland is Europe’s westernmost country. Over 1,000 years ago, ancient explorers migrated from northern Europe to Iceland and established the country. Most visitors’ popular destination is its capital city, Reykjavik, known for its stylish architecture. The city’s downtown area is lined with shops, art galleries, cafes, and bookstores.
Iceland is one of the most volcanically active nations in the world with a number of hot springs, all of which are heated naturally by volcanic activity. In fact, Iceland changes energy from these springs into electricity, which powers and heats people’s homes. As a result, Iceland burns very little fossil (化石) fuel, such as oil and gas. Hot springs are also popular among tourists. They receive more than 1.3 million visitors a year, who can relax their muscles and release their tension in the hot water.
Apart from springs, there is a range of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy elsewhere in the country. “Iceland is an adventure,” says Squire, whose company organizes adventure trips. “We have Europe’s biggest glaciers (冰山), active volcanoes, cave explorations, and skiing.” One of Iceland’s most popular attractions is caving. Exploring Iceland’s unusual caves requires only basic caving knowledge and equipment. Ice caves are more challenging, however, and require special clothes and hiking tools.
If exploring caves and glaciers doesn’t interest you, head south. No trip to Iceland would be complete without a visit to the Golden Circle, which connects Gullfoss, Geysir, and Thingvellir Valley. Adventurers go to the Thingvellir Valley, where the land is actually separating and the stony ground beneath your feet frequently shifts. Hold on while you hike!
1. What is Reykjavik famous for?| A．Fashionable buildings. | B．Small shops. | C．Art galleries. | D．Modern cafes. |
| A．From solar power. | B．From hot springs. | C．From oil. | D．From gas. |
| A．Risky. | B．Enjoyable. | C．Boring. | D．Rewarding. |
| A．Scientists. | B．The locals. | C．Tourists. | D．Business travellers. |
【推荐3】Far below every town and city lies an invisible network of pipes crucial to the lives of their residents. Once water disappears down a pipe or toilet, it’s out of sight, out of mind. The water flows into containers that carry rainwater, wastewater and solid waste away. There are three main types of sewers (下水道): sanitary sewers, storm sewers and combined sewers. Among them, sanitary sewers function as a city’s veins (静脉). Water containing human and industrial waste is collected in sanitary sewers and carried to wastewater treatment plants. There, the solid waste is separated from the water, which is then purified before being released back into the environment. It will be reused for industrial, agricultural or environmental purposes. Furthermore, the gas from water treatment can be used to produce energy. They not only contribute to a healthy environment and good quality of life, but also achieve the goal of sustainable development.
While wastewater collection and treatment are critical to the health of urban residents, storm sewers also play an important role. In urban areas, green has given way to concrete. As a consequence, there has been a loss of the land’s natural water retention as concrete cannot take in rainwater. When an extreme weather event causes heavy rain, storm sewers must cope with the water, so it does not flood the city. However, storm sewers are only part of the solution to water management and flood prevention.
To reduce flooding, an integrated urban management plan has been adopted, where all the factors — storm sewers, land planning and economic development — are considered together. Engineering innovations, additional facilities and increased green space requirements in new development projects have improved water retention in cities.
Sewers help improve urban public health, prevent urban flooding and boost environmental protection. Together they protect vital water resources and maintain the safety of people and property.
1. What’s the function of sanitary sewers?| A．Cleaning dirty water. | B．Collecting solid waste. |
| C．Delivering used water. | D．Producing useful gas. |
| A．Absorption. | B．Treatment. | C．Purification. | D．Distribution. |
| A．To explain a complicated theory. | B．To provide supporting facts. |
| C．To raise improved suggestions. | D．To describe a recent phenomenon. |
| A．Urban Unseen Network | B．Modern City’s Management |
| C．Extreme Weather’s Solution | D．Wastewater’s Potential Threat |
