1 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
“It’s no secret that China has always been a source(来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion(时尚) shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.
“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.
For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”
1. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?| A．It promoted the sales of artworks. | B．It attracted a large number of visitors. |
| C．It showed ancient Chinese clothes. | D．It aimed to introduce Chinese models. |
| A．They are setting the fashion. | B．They start many fashion campaigns. |
| C．They admire super models. | D．They do business all over the world. |
| A．learning from | B．looking down on | C．working with | D．competing against |
| A．Young Models Selling Dreams to the World |
| B．A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York |
| C．Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics |
| D．Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends |
2 . A Swedish company training crows to pick up litter in exchange for food, claims that its program could save communities a fortune in cleaning costs.
Teaching humans not to throw cigarette butts on the street has so far proven impossible, but a Swedish company claims it can teach crows to pick up after us and save local communities millions of dollars in cleaning fees every year. It teaches wild crows to do our dirty work through a step-by-step learning process by rewarding the birds with food for every cigarette butt they collect.
“They are easier to teach and there is also a higher chance of them learning from each other. At the same time, there’s a lower risk of them mistakenly eating any rubbish,” company founder, Hanssen, said. “They’re wild birds taking part in on a voluntary basis.”
Crows are among the smartest birds on Earth, and such training programs have proven successful several times in recent years. In fact, the company is so confident it can pull it off that it has expressed interest in testing it in on a larger scale, in the town of Södertälje.
Hanssen believes that the initiative could save the municipality(自治市)at least 75% of the costs involved with picking up cigarette butts, depending on how hard the crows work. If it proves successful, the company hopes that it will provide a permanent cleaning solution that can be used in other parts of the country and eventually nationwide.
The approach to litter cleaning has gotten positive feedback online, but there are those who think the fact that we can train crows to pick up cigarette bults, but we can’t get humans not to throw them away is hard to accept. Plus, there are the health problems of constantly exposing the birds to the cigarette butts.
1. What is the advantage of the program?| A．It can save food. | B．It can save money. |
| C．It helps protect birds. | D．It helps change people’s bad behavior. |
| A．They have a strong ability to learn. | B．They have a strong sense of smell. |
| C．They are good at collecting rubbish. | D．They are in large numbers in Sweden. |
| A．Only a few people support the program. |
| B．The program can do harm to the crows. |
| C．The company can get a fortune from the program. |
| D．The program has served as a cleaning solution nationwide. |
| A．Crows Learn to Exchange Food | B．Crows Are Good at Collecting Litter |
| C．Crows Are Trained to Pick Up Litter | D．Crows Begin to Feed on Cigarette Butts |
3 . One of the benefits of social media is that it allows us to witness little moments of joy all around the world. And this was just the
In a short video on TikTok, in front of
Kamar, who’s played at many well-known concerts,
In this short video, it’s lovely to see the pianist take the
It’s also
| A．principle | B．state | C．argument | D．case |
| A．nervous | B．curious | C．serious | D．anxious |
| A．crowds | B．actors | C．students | D．directors |
| A．quickly | B．silently | C．unstably | D．confidently |
| A．set off | B．get up | C．try on | D．give in |
| A．turn | B．guide | C．lesson | D．look |
| A．unwillingly | B．gladly | C．eagerly | D．cautiously |
| A．shaking | B．placing | C．holding | D．raising |
| A．notes | B．tastes | C．sounds | D．memories |
| A．chance | B．space | C．time | D．gift |
| A．power | B．quality | C．favor | D．practice |
| A．compete | B．complain | C．compare | D．combine |
| A．impossible | B．incredible | C．difficult | D．important |
| A．defend | B．encourage | C．comfort | D．challenge |
| A．wisdom | B．ambition | C．patience | D．kindness |
4 . Laurie Horam never thought of himself as musical. At home, his dad never listened to music, while one of his boarding school teachers labelled him tone deaf. But last month he started to play the harmonica (口琴)on the streets of Bradford. People clapped, danced and threw coins into his case for the local food bank. Horam caught himself thinking. “How, at the age of 79, do I come to be playing music to people on the streets?”
The question preoccupied him, because, some years ago at a family gathering, Gavin, his eldest son, said: “You know what, Dad? It can’t be coincidental. We must have got our musical abilities from you.” Horam has three sons and they cover a range of instruments. He was surprised. “There can’t be music in me, because I can’t play! ”he said.
Eight years ago, Horam, a retired civil servant, was on his way back from a trip with his family. Gavin stopped at a music shop. He walked out and said: “Here you are. I bought this for you, Dad. It’s a harmonica. I’ll try to show you how to play a bit.”
They went to a session at their local pub. Gavin played the guitar and Horam sat in the corner with his harmonica, trying to make a sound that no one would hear. After six months, he was invited into the group. He discovered a talent for improvisation(即兴表演),responding to a note within a millisecond without batting an eyelid. “I don’t play by ear. I play by heart.” Actually, Horam says: “My harmonica plays me-how I feel, what I am, what I’ve been.”
Music has enriched life with friendship and made Horam feel “part of something much bigger” than himself. “At a time when the circle of life might be shrinking, mine is expanding,” he says. “Maybe we never know completely who we are or what we can do.”
1. Why did Horam play the harmonica on the streets of Bradford?| A．To recall the good old days. |
| B．To beg food from passers-by. |
| C．To live his childhood dream. |
| D．To collect money for charity. |
| A．Positive. |
| B．Disapproving. |
| C．Doubtful. |
| D．Unclear. |
| A．Enjoy the quiet. |
| B．Listen to his heart. |
| C．Express himself. |
| D．Sharpen his hearing. |
| A．A lost soul. |
| B．A comfortable life. |
| C．A broader circle of life. |
| D．A new perception of family. |
5 . Every year, Time magazine picks out what it calls “The 25 Best Inventions” of the year. Here, Teens has chosen some of the most interesting ones.
Ember Mug
It’s hard to always keep coffee at the right temperature, especially in winter. It’s too hot to drink at first, but before we know it, it gets too cold and loses all its taste. The perfect level of warmth for a cup of coffee only lasts for 37 seconds, which makes the Ember Mug a great invention. It keeps your coffee or tea at a certain temperature, anywhere between 45℃ and 62℃, once you set it through a smartphone app.
Tasty One Top
TV cooking shows make cooking look so easy, but it’s almost impossible to get the recipes to cook the same as how the professionals cook. However, the Tasty One Top DIY cooking companion is here to help. Developed by BuzzFeed, the cooker can be connected to a smartphone app, which has more than 1,700 recipes and videos. You choose a recipe and the app will let the cooker know what to do. For example, it’ll tell you when to turn your steak or when to add certain ingredients.
Jibo
Smart speakers from companies like Amazon and Xiaomi have added a lot of fun to our lives, but they’re still just faceless speakers. However, Jibo, developed by MIT professor Cynthia Breazeal, has brought smart technology to life. Said to be “the world’s first social robot for the home”, Jibo looks like a cartoon character. Inside its “head”, there are various sensors and cameras, which allow it to recognize faces and speech. It can also set alarms, remind you of important things, tell you the weather and read news or messages from your friends and family.
1. How can Tasty One Top help people?| A．By teaching people how to cook. | B．By offering people different recipes. |
| C．By saving energy while cooking. | D．By offering different kinds of cooking apps. |
| A．A cartoon character. | B．A faceless robot. | C．A family assistant. | D．A smart alarm. |
| A．To advertise hightech products. | B．To introduce some new inventions. |
| C．To encourage subscription to Time. | D．To tell about some “tasty” products. |
6 . Libraries are the temple for book lovers, the main source of knowledge and wisdom. Here are the biggest libraries in the world.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress in the US is the biggest library in the world, whose collections are from all around the world. The library has a collection of 32 million cataloged books. It receives 22,000 copies per day from the publication produced in the US. Some of the major works stored in the library are Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence, the world’s most famous architectural designs and so on.
The British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is the second biggest library in the world. It holds 150 million items from different countries. It receives 8,000 copies per day from the publication produced in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its collection includes 14 million books. Every year over 3 million items are added to the library. The major highlights of the library collection are Diamond Sutra and Alice’s Adventures under Ground.
Library and Archives (档案馆) Canada (LAC)
Canada has the third biggest library in the world. The library holds 20 million books, 24 million photographs and a lot of digital works. Its collection includes The Proclamation of the Canadian Constitution Act, the British North America Act and many more precious works.
The New York Public Library (NYPL)
It is the fourth largest library in the world. It is the public library having 87 branches. The library has a collection of 53 million items. It also has four research libraries which are open to the general public. You can ask and discover about anything on the official website of NYPL.
1. Which of the following works is stored in the Library of Congress?| A．The British North America Act. |
| B．Alice’s Adventures under Ground. |
| C．Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence. |
| D．The Proclamation of the Canadian Constitution Act. |
| A．About 22,000. | B．More than 8,000. |
| C．About 14 million. | D．More than 3 million. |
| A．Library and Archives Canada. | B．The Library of Congress. |
| C．The New York Public Library. | D．The British Library. |
7 . The global population reached 8 billion on 15 November 2022, and India was estimated to surpass(超过)China as the world’s most populous country in 2023, according to World Population Prospects 2022, released on World Population Day.
“This year’s World Population Day falls during a milestone year, when we anticipate the birth of the Earth’s eight billionth inhabitant. This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity, and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates(死亡率),” said UN Secretary – General António Guterres. “At the same time, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another,” he added.
The global population is growing at its slowest rale since 1950. The latest projections by the United Nations suggest that the world’s population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050. It is projected to reach a peak of around 10.4 billion people during the 2080s and to remain at that level until 2100.
“The relationship between population growth and sustainable development is complex” said Liu Zhenmin, an official of the UN. “Rapid population growth makes defeating hunger and increasing the coverage of health and education systems more difficult. Conversely, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially those related to health and education, will contribute to reducing fertility(能生育性)levels and slowing global population growth.”
Countries with ageing populations should take steps to adapt public programmes to the growing numbers of older persons, including by establishing universal health care and long-term care systems.
“Further actions by governments aimed at reducing fertility would have little impact on the pace of population growth between now and mid-century, because of the youthful age structure of today’s global population. Nevertheless, the cumulative(累计的)effect of lower fertility, if maintained over several decades, could slower global population growth greatly in the second half of the century,” added John Wilmoth, an official of the UN.
1. Which of the following statements would António Guterres agree with?| A．We human beings should reflect on our diversity. |
| B．The global population growth goal has been achieved since 2022. |
| C．Governments shall try to keep their promises to population growth. |
| D．It is sure that the world’s population can grow to 9.7 billion in 2050. |
| A．Objective. | B．Satisfied. | C．Doubtful. | D．Puzzled. |
| A．As a result. | B．First of all. | C．On the contrary. | D．Most importantly. |
| A．There are many different debates on them. |
| B．They contribute to population’s structure. |
| C．They ignore world economy’s development. |
| D．There is little influence on population growth. |
8 . The 2022 Future Science Prize, a privately funded science honor established by a group of famous scientists and entrepreneurs, called “China’s Nobel Prize,” was awarded on Sunday to three Chinese scholars for their outstanding achievement in basic scientific research, an exciting boost to encourage innovation in the country’s basic science.
The Life Science Award, the Physical Science Award, and the Mathematics and Computer Science Award of the 2022 Future Science Prize respectively went to Li Wenhui, Yang Xueming, and Mok Ngai-ming, with each of them winning $ 1 million, the award organizer announced.
Lin Chao, chairman of the scientific committee of the 2022 Future Science Prize, said the winners’ research has achieved great international influence. It is the spirit of exploration and continuous scientific research of these scientists that have broadened human beings’ cognitive boundaries in the macro and micro world, and set the direction for an uncertain future.
The Future Science Prize aims at recognizing scientific successes and innovations in China with long-term significance to the world. Chinese research fellows generally believe the selection of famous scientists will play a positive role in encouraging innovation in basic science in China and inspire scientific eagerness among young people.
Liu Dingzhen, a professor from the College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, said that on Sunday that encouraging China’s basic science is of great significance, because basic science takes a long period of time to harvest achievements but it is one of the key factors for the country to resolve bottlenecks in technology, secure supply chains in global competition and achieve the goal of becoming a powerful nation in science and technology.
The prize committee, composed of 23 outstanding scientists, is at the core of the award selection. The award ceremony of the 2022 Future Science Prize is scheduled to be held in November.
Since 2016, 24 winners have been awarded the Future Science Prize, all of whom have been widely recognized both in scientific circles and in society.
1. What can we learn about the Future Science Prize from the text?| A．It has a history of over a decade. |
| B．It’s established by the government. |
| C．It awards three scientists every year. |
| D．It focuses on basic scientific research. |
| A．It’s full of challenges. | B．It’s greatly influential. |
| C．It needs huge improvement. | D．It should broaden its range. |
| A．Setting the direction for an uncertain future. |
| B．Inspiring scientific eagerness among young people. |
| C．Recognizing scientific successes and innovations in time. |
| D．Helping the nation take the lead in science and technology. |
| A．Society. | B．Finance. | C．Entertainment. | D．Environment. |
9 . Everybody knows that Massachusetts is a great place to see fall leaves. But surely there are other places to catch the leaves turning green to reddish-golden? The short answer is yes.
Aspen, Colorado
Aspen—as its name suggests—doesn’t fail to impress with its backdrop of majestic snow-capped mountains. Head to the Maroon Bells to look into mirror-like lakes to see double: on a calm day, the mountains and trees are reflected in the still waters.
Bavaria, Germany
Take a trip into a Brothers Grimm fairytale. Not only can you catch breathtaking views—such as castles emerging from red, green and golden trees—but you can experience the region’s fall traditions, such as the “Almabtrieb” event, bringing in the cattle from the grasslands, and local parish (教区) fairs, called “Kirchweih-Feste” where beer is everywhere.
Catskills, Upstate New York
If spotting fall in one state isn’t enough, head to the Catskills, where you can see five states at once. Head to the Northern Catskills of Greene County, to the “Five State Lookout” in Windham, where you can view treetops in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, as well as beautiful scenery of the Hudson River Valley.
Edinburgh, Scotland
This city is made for fall with its tree-lined streets and big open parks. Head to Princes Street Gardens, which is home to some of the city’s most typical monuments, such as the storybook-style Gardeners’ Cottage and the Scott Monument, or take a hike through Holyrood Park, marveling as the russet tones (红褐色) cover the rolling hills which climb up to the famed Arthurs Seat offering full views of the city and beyond.
1. What is a special view of the Maroon Bells?| A．Typical monuments in Scottish style. |
| B．Beautiful castles among golden trees. |
| C．Clear lakes with reflections of surroundings. |
| D．Mountains completely covered with snow. |
| A．Aspen, Colorado. | B．Catskills, Upstate New York. |
| C．Bavaria, Germany. | D．Edinburgh, Scotland. |
| A．To explain how to develop hobbies in the fall. |
| B．To stress the importance of traveling in the fall. |
| C．To introduce some places to appreciate fall leaves. |
| D．To describe how lo enjoy fall leaves with your own eyes. |
10 . There are hundreds of great national nature reserves in China. Now feast your eyes on the following amazing ones.
Qinghai Lake National Nature ReserveQinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake in Qinghai Province, is a key body of water for lots of animals and birds. As an important stopover, migratory birds (候鸟) would rest in this area during their movement trip every year. The reserve became a national nature reserve in the year of 1997.
Bayanbulak National Nature ReserveThe only Bayanbulak Wetland, in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is at the foot of Tianshan Mountains, which makes itself suitable for migratory birds. Bayanbulak means “rich spring water” in Mongolian, meaning that the area is rich in water. Every year, swans (天鹅) from different places fly here for nesting, which became a national swan reserve in 1986.
Rongcheng Swan National Nature ReserveAs one of the largest wintering places for swans in China, this reserve in Shandong Province mainly protects whooper swans (大天鹅), which make it different from other nature reserves. In 2007, it was changed into a national nature reserve. Now every year, thousands of whooper swans arrive here to spend the winter, making it an important resting and wintering place for themselves.
Sanya Coral Reef (珊瑚礁) National Marine Nature ReserveThis reserve focuses on protecting coral reefs and their living environment in Sanya City, Hainan Province. In 1990, it became a national nature reserve. This reserve is on the coast, so the area of the reserve has good water quality and many kinds of creatures,
1. What do the first reserve and the second reserve have in common?| A．The area of wetland. | B．The geography of them. |
| C．The year of becoming the national reserve. | D．The friendly environment for migratory birds. |
| A．Its saltwater lake. | B．The whooper swans. |
| C．Its rich spring water. | D．The warm climate. |
| A．Bayanbulak National Nature Reserve. | B．Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve. |
| C．Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve. | D．Sanya Coral Reef National Marine Nature Reserve, |
