1 . Children can spend hours a day looking at computer screens and other digital devices. Some eye doctors say all that screen time has led to an increase in “computer vision syndrome(电脑视力综合征)”.
Nathan Bonilla-Warford is an eye doctor in Tampa, Florida, he has seen an increase in problems in children. “A lot more children who are coming into the office either because their parents have noticed that they have headaches or red or watery eyes or discomfort, their near-sightedness, appears to be increasing at a fast rate and they’re worried,” he says.
Dr. Bonilla-Warford says part of the problem is that children may be more likely to pay no attention to the early warning signs than adults. “Even if their eyes start to feel uncomfortable or they start to get a headache, they’re less likely to tell their parents, because they don’t want to have the game or the computer or whatever taken away,” he explains.
He says another part of the problem is that people blink less often when they use digital devices. “The average person who uses a computer or an electronic device blinks about a third as much as we normally do in everyday life. And so that can result in the front part of the eye drying and not staying wet and protected like normal.”
Eye doctors offer suggestions like the following which is known as the 20/20/20 rule. That means every twenty minutes look away twenty feet or more for at least twenty seconds from whatever device you’re using.
Other suggestions include putting more distance between you and the device and using good lighting. Of course, another way to avoid eye tiredness is to spend less time looking at screens. Many experts say children should spend no more than two hours a day using digital devices—with no screen time for children under two.
While more and more eye doctors have noticed an increase in problems in children. Dr. David Hunter says he has also seen an increase in his practice. “While it is possible to develop tired looking at various screens for a long period of time, researchers still need to find the exact cause in order to give children more effective suggestions.”
1. Why don’t some children tell their parents even if their eyes feel uncomfortable?| A．Because their parents are always busy with their work. |
| B．Because they consider it normal to feel uncomfortable. |
| C．Because they don’t want to lose their freedom to use computers. |
| D．Because they don’t think their parents can deal with it properly. |
| A．Children under two can watch TV for less than two hours a day. |
| B．Dr. Bonilla-Warford thinks using computers causes nearsightedness. |
| C．Dr. David Hunter says headache causes an increase in eye problems. |
| D．People keep their eyes protected against drying by blinking normally. |
| A．Looking at Screen: Two Hours or More |
| B．How Can Children Use Their Eyes Properly |
| C．How Much Screen Time Is Too Much for Children |
| D．Using Digital Devices: Advantages and Disadvantages |
When someone has a sharply different viewpoint from our own, we naturally choose two common ways, either avoiding a conversation with that person or trying to convince(说服) them that they are wrong. Research shows there is another way: using receptive (接纳性的) language, showing that we are truly interested in a new point of view.
Many of us try to avoid disputed (有争议的) discussions. We prefer to talk with someone with similar opinions. This happens because we usually think that talking to someone who has disagreements will be more unpleasant than it actually is. When we do have to talk with people holding different views, we typically try to convince them to give up their belief because we think we are right and try to “win” the argument. And the other side is likely to think the same way, which leads to even more difficult problems to work through.
A more effective method is being conversationally receptive. Research shows that when we appear receptive to others’ different views, our arguments sound more convincing. Receptive language can also make those with whom we disagree more receptive in return. It makes us more likable, and others more interested in partnering with us.
Researchers suggested three tips that can help us improve conversational receptiveness in even the most heated disagreements.
Recognize (承认) the other person’s point of view. Say “I understand that ...” or “I believe what you’re saying is ...” to show that you take an active part in the conversation and find value and even trust in their points.
Hedge your statements. When we talk, we usually hold the opinion that we should be strong and confident and express our views in a direct, forceful way. But if we show that we are not so sure about our belief, our views will be likely to be better received.
Express your arguments in an acceptable way. You might say, “Let’s consider the possible benefits of having fewer people working on the project” rather than “We should not add more people to the project.” The second sentence sounds unpleasant, showing that the speaker is not open to the possibility of further discussion.
By following these tips in our communication, we’ll be more likely to have an effective conversation and bridge the differences.
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．Why people use two common ways when facing disagreements. |
| B．How people communicate to deal with difficult problems. |
| C．How people convince others to give up their belief. |
| D．Why people dislike those with different opinions. |
| A．productive communication | B．creative statements |
| C．increased confidence | D．divided opinions |
| A．explain your reasons clearly |
| B．raise your questions politely |
| C．voice your ideas less forcefully |
| D．express your excuses more directly |
| A．To stress the importance of productive communication. |
| B．To introduce a better way to deal with disagreements. |
| C．To explain the reasons for using receptive language. |
| D．To provide three effective tips to win an argument. |
3 . Type in “A cat wants to go to space” and ask the robot to write a bedtime story. Just one second later, you’ll get the story of Max, who clawed his way past many difficulties to sing among the stars.
This robot writer is real. It’s called ChatGPT. From writing Shakespeare-style poetry to making music, ChatGPT has amazed the world since its launch out in late 2022 by the US company OpenAI. It can translate languages, talk with people and write songs, poems and even jokes. It’s one of the most powerful AI of its kind, with the complete writing abilities of a real person!
People around the world have tried ChatGPT and posted their results on social media. Some used it to write history reports, some asked it to take notes of presentations, and some even asked advice on how to communicate with people at a party, reported The Atlantic.
The power of ChatGPT lies in its speed and understanding of complicated(复杂的) matters. We may spend hours researching, understanding and writing an article on the theory of evolution(进化论). _________ Another good thing about it is that if you ask dark, harmful question, such as how to make weapons(武器), it will not give you an answer.
ChatGPT comes along at a time when AI is becoming increasingly able to do creative tasks. There is no doubt that ChatGPT is a powerful tool. However, some schools in the US, Australia and France have stopped students and teachers from using ChatGPT on the local networks and computers, CNN reported. The move comes out of worries that the tool could make it easier for students to cheat on home work. Some also worry that ChatGPT could be used to spread improper information.
“It does not build critical-thinking and problem-solving skills,” said Jenna Lyle from the New York City Department of Education. “The materials they create are difficult to tell from those made by humans. This causes many problems, such as the issue of copyright(版权). Since the system is largely trained using words from the Internet, it can also pick up on the Internet’s biases(偏见). These are all the things that depend on humans to solve.”
1. The cat story was written to ________.| A．introduce a series of bedtime books |
| B．introduce a cat that wants to go to space |
| C．show what creative work ChatGPT can do |
| D．show how robots create scientific research |
| A．the disadvantages of ChatGPT | B．the most popular report of ChatGPT |
| C．what people think about ChatGPT | D．what people can do with ChatGPT |
| A．But ChatGPT is a powerful tool to spread information. |
| B．But ChatGPT can produce a well-written one in seconds. |
| C．But ChatGPT can write almost anything humans can write. |
| D．But ChatGPT is faster and safer compared with human writing. |
| A．ChatGPT is very good at solving problems. |
| B．ChatGPT will not cause any problems for us. |
| C．ChatGPT may cause some trouble to humans. |
| D．ChatGPT never gives wrong ideas to humans. |
4 . I felt very ill. At first, I could not move. The knife was in my skin and in the mast (桅杆). I pulled and pulled. My skin tore and I was free. I went down to the cabin (客舱). I washed the wound (伤口) and put a piece of clean cloth around it.
There was nothing I could do on the ship. I could not sail (启航) her alone. I climbed into the water. It was not deep. I was able to walk slowly toward the shore.
The mutineers (叛变者) were on the other side of the island. I was not far from the stockade (木寨) where my friends were.
“If I can get to them,” I thought, “I can tell them about the ship. They will be able to come here and sail her away.”
My wound hurt, but these thoughts helped me to keep going.
When I got to the stockade, I saw a large fire burning inside. This surprised me. Captain Smollett did not like large fires. There was no noise coming from the stockade. No one was on watch. This also surprised me.
Then a voice cried, “Gold! Gold! Gold! Gold!”
I knew it was Silver’s parrot. Before I could turn and run, Silver came to the door, a pistol (手枪) in his hand. “Who’s there?” he shouted.
In the light of the fire, he could see me.
“Jim Hawkins!” he said. “I’ve always liked you, boy, so I’ll not hurt you. I’ll let you choose. You can join me, or you can go to your friends—if they’ll have you back. They are not pleased with you.”
“Where are my friends?” I asked. “What have you done with them?”
“Nothing,” Silver said. “Yesterday morning, the doctor came to us with a white flag. ‘Let’s talk,’ he said. ‘The ship’s gone. None of us can leave the island.’ He was right. We looked out to sea. We could not see the Hispaniola. ‘How many are you?’ I asked. ‘Four,’ he said. ‘And one of us is wounded. The boy’s gone. We don’t know where he is. And that’s all I’m going to tell you.’”
“You think you’re very clever, Silver,” I said. “You think I am a fool and afraid of you. I’m not. You have lost the ship, most of your crew (船员), and the treasure. And why? Because I heard you talking to Dick. I told the doctor about you. I cut the rope. I killed your men on the ship. Kill me if you must, but tell the doctor that I was not afraid of you.”
“Kill the boy,” shouted one of the men.
“Keep quiet. I’m the captain (船长) here,” Silver shouted at him. For several minutes, Silver and his men shouted at one another. I thought they might kill him, but at last they were quiet.
“Jim is a good and brave boy,” Silver said. “I’ll kill any man who touches him.” He turned to me. “You’ve got the ship safe somewhere, haven’t you boy?” he said. “There’s trouble coming, Jim. But you can trust me.”
I was sure I could not trust Silver. And it was difficult to know what he wanted from me. But I was safer with him than with the other mutineers. They wanted me dead.
I looked toward the fire. One of the men had a book. He was doing something to it. “What are they doing?” I asked Silver.
“We’ll soon find out,” he said. And he was right.
The five men left the fire and came toward us. One of them put a piece of paper into Silver’s hand, then moved back.
Silver looked at it. “The black spot (点)!” he said. “So that’s what it’s about. You don’t want me as your captain. Is that right?”
“Everything has gone wrong,” the man said. “You’ve made too many mistakes. And we shall have to pay for them. We want a different captain.”
Silver began to laugh. “You do, do you?” he said. “Then look at this.”
He took out a yellow piece of paper and threw it to the ground. The men moved to look at it. I saw what it was. It was the map of the treasure.
“The doctor gave me the map,” he said. “Do you want a different captain now?”
—Adapted from Treasure Island
1. What does the underlined word “tore” mean in English?| A．beat | B．solved | C．mixed | D．cut |
| A．Silver. | B．Captain Smollett. | C．Jim. | D．The mutineers. |
a.The man thought Silver had made many mistakes and they wanted a different captain.
b.Jim told the doctor what Silver talked to Dick, then he cut the rope and killed Silver’s men.
c.Jim saw a large fire burning inside when Jim got to the stockade.
d.Silver found Jim and let him choose to join them or go back to Jim’s friends.
| A．c-d-a-b | B．b-c-d-a | C．a-c-b-d | D．d-b-a-c |
| A．Silver in trouble | B．Jim’s fight |
| C．Brave friends | D．A map of the treasure |
5 . From tiny seeds(种子), great things grow. A mini-garden carried on China’s Chang’e 4 moon lander(着陆器) became home to the first plant to grow on another world.
This is yet another success for Chang’e 4. On January 3, 2019, the probe(探测器) became the first lander to touch down on the far side of the moon. This is the unknown face of the moon that is always looking away from us, so we never see it from down here on the earth. Although it is often seen as the dark side of the moon, the far side actually gets as much sunshine as the near side. For example, when all we can see is a silver of a new moon the far side of the moon is in full sunlight.
Part of Chang’e 4’s mission(使命) is to see how a moon base could be built for humans, including exploring(探索) whether humans could grow crops and other plants there. Chang’e 4 carried a mini-garden with air, water and soil with seeds planted in it. When plants shoot on the earth, their stems(花茎) grow away from the gravity(the force that keeps your feet on the ground) , and so they always shoot upwards. The gravity of the moon is one sixth as strong as the earth’s, so Chang’e 4’s experiment was a test.: would the earth plants know which way was up on the moon? Four days after landing, a tiny cotton shoot showed that they do.
Night has now fallen on the far side of the moon; sunlight will not return until the start of February. As a result the cotton shoots died. Besides the darkness, the plants can’t stand the cold(it can drop to -170℃ on the moon at night). However, the experiment is a success, since it has proved that it is possible for plants to grow in space.
1. The text is mainly about ________.| A．another success for Chang’e 4 | B．Chang’e 4 moon lander |
| C．tiny seeds in the soil | D．the steps of an experiment |
| A．It carried a mini-garden. | B．It landed on the near side of the moon. |
| C．It explored the moon base. | D．It found plants on the moon. |
| A．Plants can be grown on the moon soon. | B．It is perfect to do experiments on the moon. |
| C．The cotton shoots can last days on the moon. | D．We can see a new moon at the start of February. |
| A．Health and sport. | B．history and culture. |
| C．Science and technology. | D．Population and environment. |
6 . At the end of many sports events and competitions, all the contestants are honored for their effort. But in a world where not everyone can be a winner, does getting a consolation prize（安慰奖）actually improve a child’s self-esteem?
Participation awards have been around for at least 100 years, but lately they have come under fire for killing children’s sense of competition. Yet that is exactly the opposite of what these medals do for little ones, says psychologist and parenting coach Emily Pagone.
When preschoolers and kindergartners compete, they don’t know the expectations adults have for them, Pagone says. Offering them a trophy（奖杯）or medal can highlight the skills that the losers showed and encourage the sportsmanship of all the players.
But what really makes a participation award worthwhile is the conversation that comes with it. “When the caregivers around the children recognize their abilities, talents and strengths, children are placed in a position to learn about the expectations of the situation. And pointing out what kids do well can also build their self-confidence.” Pagone says.
Still, there is one problem with this system: students may rely too much on rewards from outside sources to motivate themselves. It’s valuable for them to play soccer not only because they want to earn something to decorate their rooms, but also because they enjoy the sport. They won’t always get prizes for doing their best, so it’s important to build an inner desire to push through challenging times.
For this reason, Pagone recommends discontinuing the use of participation awards around first grade. But not all experts agree that is best. Positive feedback can also benefit older kids and adults, keeping them coming back to their hobby even after a tough practice or season, says Kelly LaPorte, clinical director at a counseling center. That lesson of celebrating the effort and not just the result remains important throughout a person’s life.
Trophies and medals for preteens and teens should also be paired with conversations, particularly to prepare them to deal with loss. Sometimes this means letting them take a five-minute walk to calm down after a match. Other times it just requires allowing them to express their feelings. A “perfect world” would include participation awards for kids and postgame reflections with caregivers and coaches.
1. What do participation awards do to little children according to Pagone?| A．They kill their sense of competition. | B．They encourage sportsmanship of all players. |
| C．They meet kids’ expectations for the game. | D．They make players ignore the sports skills. |
| A．They get in the way of helping children build self-confidence. |
| B．They might prevent kids from building an inner desire for the sport. |
| C．They benefit both little children, older kids and adults in learning. |
| D．Their value lies in that they celebrate the effort rather than the result. |
| A．They are more beneficial than harmful. | B．They are more harmful than beneficial. |
| C．They can be effective but have limitations. | D．They should be replaced with conversations. |
| A．Are Participation Awards Still Necessary? | B．How Do Participation Awards Impact Children? |
| C．What is the Myth about Participation Awards? | D．Why Should Participation Awards be Abandoned? |
7 . A new study finds climate events such as flooding, heatwaves and drought worsen more than half of the known diseases that infect people. These diseases include malaria（疟疾）, cholera（霍乱）and anthrax（炭疽）.
Researchers examined medical literature（文献）of established cases of such diseases. They found out that 218 out of the known 375 human infectious diseases seemed to be made worse by extreme weather connected to climate change. The study connected more than 1,000 pathways from climate events to sick people. In some cases, heavy rains and flooding sicken people through disease-carrying mosquitoes, rats and deer. Other events, like warming oceans and heatwaves, spoil seafood and droughts bring bats carrying viral（病毒性的）infections to people.
Medical doctors, going back to the days of ancient Greek civilization, have long connected disease to weather. But this study shows how widespread the influence of climate events is on human health. “Climate is changing, and the risk of these diseases is changing,” said Dr Jonathan Patz. “The findings of this study are terrifying and illustrate well the enormous consequences of climate change on human pathogens（病原体）. Humans need to all work together to prevent disasters from climate change.”
Camilo Mora, a climate data expert, said the study is not about predicting future cases. “These are things that have already happened,” he noted. Here’s one example Mora knows from his own experience. About five years ago, Mora’s home in rural Colombia was flooded, creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Mora contracted Chikungunya, a virus spread by mosquito bites. He survived, but he still suffers pain related to the disease. In another case, the remains of a reindeer which died from anthrax were unearthed as the Siberian permafrost（永冻土）melted from warming in 2016. A child touched the dead animal, got anthrax, and an outbreak spread.
Dr Aaron Bernstein said the study is a good warning about climate and health for now and the future. He added, “But of course, it only reports on what we already know, and what’s yet unknown about pathogens may be yet more convincing about how preventing further climate change may prevent future disasters like COVID-19.”
1. What is the main idea of the passage?| A．Climate disasters make infectious diseases worse. |
| B．Climate disasters bring deadly threats to humans |
| C．Climate disasters cause unknown infectious diseases. |
| D．Climate disasters enable viruses to spread across the world. |
| A．the wide spread of climate-related viruses | B．the dangers of disease-carrying animals |
| C．the real-life impact of climate change | D．the huge damages of infectious diseases |
| A．more related researches are needed | B．unknown diseases are the real threat |
| C．COVID-19 still remains a mystery | D．actions should be taken for prevention |
There are many great schools in Jiangsu. Nanjing University (南京大学) is one of them.
Nanjing University has a one-hundred-year-long history and it is very famous in China. It was called Sanjiang Normal School in 1902. Then it changed its name for many times. Some of the names are Liangjiang Normal School, Nanjing Higher Normal School, National Southeastern University and so on. In 1950, it was finally called Nanjing University.
Now, Nanjing University has three campuses (校区): Xianlin Campus, Gulou Campus and Pukou Campus. There are 31304 full time students and a good number of faculty members who are doing well in their own subjects.
Nanjiang University works closely with the universities from other countries. Every year, more than 1000 faculty members from other countries come and teach in Nanjing University. In 2011, Dr. Aaron Ciechanover, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (诺贝尔化学奖获得者), worked in Nanjing University. In 2013, Prof. Jean-Marie, Gustave LECLEZIO, Nobel Laureate in Literature (诺贝尔文学奖获得者) worked in Nanjing University. Many students attended their courses (课程) and learned a lot from them. Every year, more than 1000 new students from other countries come and study in Nanjing University too. In it, ________.
1. What does Paragraph (段落) 2 tell the reader?| A．The students of Nanjing University. | B．The looks of Nanjing University. |
| C．The campuses of Nanjing University. | D．The history of Nanjing University. |
| A．Teachers. | B．Policemen. | C．Nurses. | D．Drivers. |
| A．there is a good dining hall with delicious food |
| B．there are many nice classroom buildings in different campuses |
| C．students from different countries can know a lot about the history of Nanjing |
| D．students from different countries can have fun with great teachers and courses |
9 . Vaccines (疫苗) may soon make their first film appearance. Led by expert Maria A. Croyle, researchers have developed a thin sheet that preserves vaccines for long periods without using the cooling system. This means the carefully cooled small bottles now used to ship vaccines could potentially be replaced by lightweight films that can be mailed in an envelope and stored on a shelf.
Croyle’s laboratory began developing the technology in 2007. Inspired by amber’s ability to preserve the DNA of insects, the researchers set out to create their own version of the substance by mixing “a lot of sugar and a little bit of salt, much like hard candy,” Croyle explains. The vaccine-containing film is administered by mouth—sweet news for many who dislike needles.
The film is tailored to suit each specific vaccine candidate and provide a protective coating. “We’ve learned over time that the key to really stabilizing whatever the film holds is to have it intermixed with all the components,” Croyle says, adding that the process is quick and uses affordable, standard equipment. “We really wanted to come up with something that would be transported to developing countries.”
Immunization (免疫) programs depend heavily on keeping vaccines cold (2℃—8℃) as they are transported, sometimes over thousands of kilometers to far-away locations. Delivery can be difficult and costly, and transport delaying can cause the vaccines to be ineffective.
But this new product can store live viruses, bacteria and antibodies for several months at 20℃. In a paper published in Science Advances, the scientists show that the live viruses in one vaccine were preserved in the film even after 36 months. They also find that a flu vaccine suspended in their film compares favourably with a traditional flu shot. “The study demonstrates early proof of concept for an exciting platform for vaccine product development,” says Lisa Rohan, who was not involved in the study. She also notes that each vaccine type would need a custom formulation (配方) for future stages of development.
“Finding partners to mass-produce for clinical trials is the researchers’ most pressing problem,” Croyle says. They are also exploring packaging methods to keep their films stable up to 40℃.
Size is a major advantage—a letter-sized sheet of the film can carry more than 500 doses (剂) of vaccine, about 1/900 the weight of the same amount of traditional doses. “By making it easier and cheaper to ship and preserve vaccines efficiently,” Croyle says, “the technology could vastly improve immunization rates the world over, particularly in middle-to-low income countries.”
1. What can we learn about the film?| A．It contains animal’s DNA. | B．It will replace vaccines. |
| C．It comes in different flavours. | D．It can hold bio-products. |
| A．development schedule | B．possible advantages |
| C．key component | D．transportation requirements |
| A．advise personalizing vaccines | B．stress the functions of a new platform |
| C．suggest the product is promising | D．prove the study is supported widely |
| A．Reducing the shipping cost. | B．Seeking ideal producers. |
| C．Improving the film’s capacity. | D．Advertising the film worldwide. |
Born in a poor family in Ningxia, Gao went to Beijing to get a job at the age of 19. He tried different jobs to make a living. He worked as a shopping worker before he finally became a delivery driver.
After the outbreak of the COVID-19, Gao and his wife decided to stay in Beijing rather than (而不是) come back to Ningxia.
Gao once got an order that asked him to buy medicine for an old woman from a hospital far away.
“I think the reason why Time picked me is that I helped an old person in need. Although it is a warm story, I’m not different when helping anyone else,” he says.
| A．There’s lots of work for him to do during quarantine (隔离期). |
| B．Gao just hopes his small action can show the western world the strong cohesion (凝聚力) of China! |
| C．When he found that the woman hadn’t eaten, he quickly helped cook a bowl of noodles with two boiled eggs, and took out the rubbish when he left. |
| D．When the world stops, a Chinese delivery driver has kept working while the COVID-19 spreads across China. |
| E．He thought about it for a second, but then picked up the order. |
