1 . Plastic straws (吸管) have been a major problem in global discussions of environmental damage. Maybe because of their small size, the production cost of straws is low. In many countries, straws are offered freely after buying soft drinks. Therefore, plastic straws are one of the most used plastics and pollutants in the world.
The plastic straw is light and small. Due to their small size, plastic straws are often eaten by sea animals. Environmentalists have shown that the death of many sea animals is caused by eating plastic straws. The other damaging characteristic of plastic straws is that they are made of materials which cannot degrade. That means the materials cannot be changed into small harmless ones.
The most effective way of dealing with the environmental pollution caused by plastic straws is the reuse or banning (禁止) the use of plastic straws. Being plastics, the straws can be made into new items. Many organizations around the world change used straws into new products. In Africa, local communities collect used plastic straws and use them to make mats and bags. Another way of dealing with environmental pollution caused by plastic straws is placing a ban on their production and use. Experts advise governments to ban using plastic straws to save the environment. A few countries in the world, such as Rwanda, Macedonia, China, Kenya, have already banned the use of plastic bags and are expected to include plastic straws to save the environment. A few countries in the world, such as Rwanda, Macedonia, China, Kenya, have already banned the use of plastic bags and are expected to include plastic straws and bottles. But it will be a long way to do this effectively.
There are few environmentally friendly and biodegradable products to take the place of plastic straws. These products include paper straws and bamboo straws. However, such straws are usually expensive as their production cost is high. It’s still a question whether they can entirely take the place of plastic straws.
1. Why can people be free to use plastic straws?| A．They are very cheap. | B．They are light and small. |
| C．They are dangerous. | D．They are easy to use. |
| A．Cut up. | B．Break down. | C．Burn up. | D．Go by. |
| A．It’s not difficult to ban using plastic straws. |
| B．Many countries have stopped using plastic straws. |
| C．Experts advise people to stop producing plastic straws. |
| D．Some Africans change plastic straws into new products. |
| A．It is a must to use them. |
| B．It’s not easy to reuse them. |
| C．There are still some problems to be solved. |
| D．There are some other kinds of cheaper straws. |
2 . Watching the latest Hollywood movie in a great cinema brings about a lot of excitement. Here are the best movie theaters in the world.
Prasad—Hyderabad, India
Can you think of anything better than a movie viewed on a screen measuring 97×117 feet? Prasad has the answer. It has been screening movies since 2003. Every day, it gets round 1,500 inquiries (咨询) on its phone booking system.
Castro Theater—San Francisco, United States
Back during the 20s, movie palaces with huge reception halls and video halls were put up for the pleasure of customers. This theater, with a cathedral façade (立面), is one of the last from that period.
Cine de Chef—Seoul, South Korea
Want to go out for dinner and a movie? Here you get to do both. And the food is not just the typical popcorn and soda, but a real meal made up of French and Italian cuisine (菜肴).
Secret Cinema—Worldwide
Secret Cinema is a group based in London that holds monthly screenings of a movie. You have to sign up for it, and they will tell you where and when to go for the movie. Hired actors will then act out the scenes from the film.
1. What makes Prasad well-known?| A．Its long history. | B．Its large-sized screen. |
| C．Its special decoration. | D．Its phone booking system. |
| A．Prasad | B．Castro Theater. | C．Cine de Chef. | D．Secret Cinema. |
| A．To advertise. | B．To educate. | C．To persuade. | D．To introduce. |
3 . Independence is something that can be difficult to achieve. But don’t worry because here we have four books that can help you. If you don’t buy less than three of them, you’ll be given a 20% discount!
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
Taking care of your finance is hard. Dave Ramsey, a famous businessman, is here to take you on the whole process of planning your finance, and show the myths of cash advance and debt consolidation (债务重整), to make sure your finance is healthy.
Price: $14.00
Grace’s Guide by Grace Helbig
Grace Helbig shared her tips on becoming a grown-up. The book is full of personal stories of Helbig, her struggles and the lessons she learnt from failing many times. This book is your on-the-go fun read with pictures and drawings of Helbig, and worksheets (工作记录表) to practice.
Price: $7.00
The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon
Having suffered from eating disorder and living on diet, Angela Liddon promised to eat healthily forever. She threw out her fat-free butter spray (黄油喷雾) and low-calorie frozen dinners after learning how to properly cook. This book contains more than 100 recipes (食谱) covering breakfast, salads, soups, power snacks and the main dishes for a healthy meal at any time of the day. We all know that healthy eating is all part of being independent.
Price: $22.00
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
Life can be hard, especially when it comes to relationships with others. In the book, Strayed gives advice on love and life. She writes about different subjects: a son rejected by his parents, a mother who has lost her child. And the message hidden throughout all her advice is always that, if you want a good life, you have to create it.
Price: $8.00
1. How much will you save at least if you buy three of the listed books?| A．$5.80 | B．$5.20 | C．$8.50 | D．$8.80 |
| A．It is about how to grow up healthily. |
| B．It is mainly about how to work better. |
| C．It is based on its author’s life experiences. |
| D．It teaches readers to learn from others’ life stories. |
| A．Grace’s Guide. | B．Tiny Beautiful Things. |
| C．The Total Money Makeover. | D．The Oh She Glows Cookbook. |
4 . A study was carried out as a cooperation program among researchers at the universities of Turku (Finland), Sydney (Australia) and Cordoba (Spain). Those researchers used artificial nests (人工鸟巢) to test two methods for reducing the nest predation (捕食) of endangered ground-nesting birds.
Predator control is a common challenge in areas where many animals, such as ground-nesting birds, cannot bear the impact of the increased number of predators. For example, in areas that have fewer top predators, the red fox population can be overly large for the areas they live in. Besides, predator control by hunting can be hard and cannot be carried out everywhere or at any time, for example, during the birds’ nesting season. In such cases, the foxes can cause a decline in the populations of some birds.
In the first experimental sites, the researchers spread waterfowl’s smell in wetland areas. With the chemical camouflage (伪装), the researchers studied whether predators might fail to find the artificial bird nests. In other areas, the researchers used eggs giving off an unpleasant smell which could cause discomfort with the goal of making predators believe that the bird eggs were not eatable. The researchers also used control sites which they visited as frequently as the experimental sites to stop predators from making the right choices.
The study showed that the chemical camouflage especially decreased the predation of the artificial bird nests by red foxes. “Unlike other predators, red foxes were more easily deceived into not eating bird eggs than some other predators. We found red foxes might rely more on their sense of smell to find bird nests. The chemical smells could make most of them think the food they found could not be eaten,” explains Senior Researcher Vesa Selonen from the University of Turku.
“Our results are interesting as they show that these approaches could reduce the nest predation of endangered birds. We’re wondering whether the results we observed with the artificial nests can also lead to the protection of real bird nests and a larger number of young birds,” says Professor Toni Laaksonen from the University of Turku.
1. What does the author want to show by mentioning predator control?| A．The number of red foxes is out of control. |
| B．The living areas of ground-nesting birds are limited. |
| C．Predator control and hunting should be applied together. |
| D．New solutions for fighting predation are necessary. |
| A．Driving away the smart predators. |
| B．Causing the bird eggs to be unsuitable for eating. |
| C．Making the wetland areas attractive to the predators. |
| D．Confusing the predators about the location of nests. |
| A．Forced. | B．Raised. | C．Cheated. | D．Frightened. |
| A．Put their research methods into practice. |
| B．Search for new sites to continue the experiments. |
| C．Perfect their methods to study birds’ nesting behavior. |
| D．Develop more methods of designing artificial nests. |
5 . The most powerful hurricane (飓风) in the year was crashing into coastlines in Virginia. Lucky Dog Animal Rescue planned to take the 21 dogs, affected by the disaster, to a
Mirah Horowitz is the head of Lucky Dog in Arlington, Virginia. “It’s a double
The group attempted to
Lucky Dog was also talking to an animal shelter on the island of Grand Bahama in the Bahamas. That was where the hurricane had caused the most
Horowitz said, “I really
| A．shelter | B．sight | C．cave | D．reserve |
| A．destination | B．demand | C．challenge | D．measure |
| A．instead of | B．other than | C．because of | D．rather than |
| A．build up | B．make out | C．search for | D．take in |
| A．attract | B．save | C．quit | D．disappear |
| A．survivals | B．supporters | C．experts | D．workers |
| A．Obviously | B．Immediately | C．Fortunately | D．Absolutely |
| A．awkward | B．calm | C．generous | D．anxious |
| A．damage | B．attack | C．pressure | D．emergency |
| A．Moreover | B．Therefore | C．However | D．Otherwise |
| A．established | B．removed | C．destroyed | D．recycled |
| A．exchange | B．explore | C．recommend | D．transport |
| A．appreciate | B．request | C．promote | D．supply |
| A．affected | B．controlled | C．prevented | D．reduced |
| A．confident | B．worthwhile | C．responsible | D．unusual |
6 . The royal homes of kings and emperors reflect their architecture style and wealth. Today most of greatest palaces become worldwide popular tourist attractions. Visiting such great palaces helps to explore history of kingdom and the lifestyle of a time. Here is the list of 4 most amazing palaces in the world.
◎ Palace of Versailles, France
Palace of Versailles was built in 1624 by King Louis VIII as a hunting lodge and was later expanded into the largest palace by its successors, serving as permanent residence until 1789. It features 700 rooms, more than 1200 fireplaces and 60 staircases.
◎ Potala Palace, China
As one of the most splendid monuments, the construction of this palace originally started in 7th century and transformed into today’s form in 1936. It features most treasured Tibetan architectural marvels. The palace remained as the tallest building in the world from 1653 to 1889, and you can see entire Lhasa from the roof of the palace.
◎ Alhambra Palace, Spain
Situated in the city of Andalusia in Spain, this palace was first constructed in 9th century, damaged and ignored for more than 2 centuries. It was renovated by Muhammad ben Al-Ahmar in 13th century and was transformed into current palace by Sultan of Granada in 1333. This originally whitewashed palace, standing tall at hilltop for centuries of baking in sunlight, takes on a reddish look, with a view over the city.
◎ Pena Palace, Portugal
Initially built as a monastery, Pena Palace was protected for centuries by one king after another. But it suffered severe damages by 1755’s Lisbon earthquake. King Ferdinand II transformed those ruins into a beautiful palace, which is recognized for its Romanticism style.
1. Who is this text intended for?| A．Explorers hunting for royal treasures. |
| B．Tourists keen on historic architecture. |
| C．Archaeologists seeking for cultural relics. |
| D．Historians curious about European lifestyle. |
| A．Potala Palace & Pena Palace | B．Potala Palace & Alhambra Palace |
| C．Palace of Versailles & Pena Palace | D．Palace of Versailles & Alhambra Palace |
| A．It was restored after a natural disaster. |
| B．It was transformed into a hunting place. |
| C．It was redecorated with a reddish outlook. |
| D．It was designed as permanent royal residence. |
7 . The new Lively Flip from the makers of Jitterbug®
The new Lively Flip makes it easy to call, text, and helps you stay safe and healthy.
EASY TO USE
A large screen, big buttons and list-based menu make the Lively Flip an easy way to stay connected to friends and family. A long-lasting battery and powerful speaker make conversations loud and clear. Plus, with Amazon Alexa you can use your voice to make calls, write texts, and more.
EASY TO STAY SAFE
Feel prepared and protected anytime, anywhere with our Emergent Response Service. And with Emergent Care, you can speak to a live nurse or doctor right from the comfort of your home. With the Lively Flip, help is available whenever you need it.
EASY TO ALERT LOVED ONES
The Lively Flip keeps all your loved ones informed about your well-being when they download the Jitterbug® Link app to their smartphones. You can stay active and independent while they feel more connected and reassured (放心的).
Buy now and get a FREE Car Charger, a $25 value! To order or learn more, call 1-866-493-9280.
1. What is the Lively Flip?| A．A computer. | B．A cellphone. | C．A car charger. | D．An e-watch. |
| A．Keep informed of your love’s well-being. |
| B．Download the Jitterbug® Link apps for free. |
| C．Build a long-term relationship with a doctor. |
| D．Send messages or make calls by using your voice. |
| A．Teenagers who seek online friendships. |
| B．Nursing workers who look after patients. |
| C．Sick people who are staying in hospital. |
| D．Elderly people who live by themselves. |
8 . Due to social events in recent years, the relationship between social media and teenagers mental health has been under heated discussion.
On Sept 30 a British court decided that content on social media platforms contributed to the depression of 14-year-old Molly Russell. Russell interacted with 2,100 posts related lo pessimistic, self-harm in the six months, leading up to her depression, reported the Observer website.
The correlation has also been proved by science. A study in 2019 showed that the frequent use of social media by teenagers can lead to a decrease in their mental health.
So, how can we make sure that teenagers won’t get hurt while using social media? Chan, 18, from the University of Macao shared her experience. Chan said that she once came across short videos romanticizing mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. She immediately reported them to the platform.
But she said that the users’ power to regulate videos is still limited. “It is ultimately the responsibility of the social media platforms to filter out content that is potentially harmful.” She also noticed that the age of social media users has become increasingly younger. Society should pay attention to this, she said. “Since it’s not possible to cut off access to social media for younger users, why not introduce a ‘supervision mode’ with which parents can regulate the content to be viewed by teenagers beforehand?” she said.
Wu Chengyu, 18, studies at Tianjin Experimental High School. He said that several years ago he came across a game that lures teenagers to self-abuse and depression. He quickly chose to ignore it so he wouldn’t be influenced. This is the same way he reacts when exposed to negative content on social media.
In Wu’s opinion, teenagers today should improve their social media literacy (素养), telling real from fake and good from bad. “Also, everyone can be a content creator on social media.” he said, “We should all strengthen our awareness of ethics”.
1. What led to Russell’s depression according to a British court?| A．Her interaction with others online. |
| B．Negative information on social media platforms. |
| C．Short videos she watched on the Internet. |
| D．Her addiction to online posts. |
| A．The number of younger Social media users should be limited. |
| B．Parents should monitor the content to be viewed by teenagers in advance. |
| C．A supervision mode ought to be introduced by parents. |
| D．It is the responsibility of the society to romanticize mental illnesses. |
| A．Parents. | B．Social media platforms |
| C．Content creators. | D．Social media platforms. |
| A．Use social media wisely. | B．Reduce social media usage. |
| C．Stay away from online games. | D．Learn more about social media. |
9 . My son turned 14 and didn’t have a smartphone. He was the only kid in his class without one. When he asked for a phone, I
“You can choose to do things
The more I research, the more confident I feel in my
But other parents
If teenagers are truly spending about 5 hours on average per day on their devices, as a recent research states, then what are they not doing? Kids
I want my son to have a
Some think my son is missing out or falling behind, but he is not. He does well in school,
If that is his
| A．agreed | B．exclaimed | C．refused | D．apologized |
| A．gently | B．differently | C．desperately | D．slightly |
| A．decision | B．conversation | C．preference | D．memory |
| A．treat | B．link | C．limit | D．solve |
| A．interaction | B．payment | C．business | D．guidance |
| A．present | B．change | C．favor | D．challenge |
| A．addiction | B．membership | C．ownership | D．preference |
| A．require | B．forbid | C．refuse | D．support |
| A．skilled | B．absorbed | C．hidden | D．specialized |
| A．causal | B．stable | C．dramatic | D．memorable |
| A．breakthroughs | B．balances | C．goals | D．milestones |
| A．hangs out | B．catches up | C．shows off | D．settles down |
| A．silly | B．fine | C．incredible | D．meaningful |
| A．missed | B．appreciated | C．imagined | D．polluted |
| A．commitment | B．aim | C．version | D．promise |
10 . When glaciers melt, they leave behind infertile (贫瘠的) landscapes. But a new study found that within just three years, such exposed land was restored by llamas (美洲驼), whose activity enriched the soil and promoted plant growth. By the foot of Peru’s melting Uruashraju glacier, researchers partnered with local farmers to farm llamas on four specific plots. For three days a month from 2019 to 2022, the llamas grazed (吃青草) the plots, fertilizing them with waste and spreading seeds from droppings.
As is the case worldwide, glaciers are disappearing in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca mountains at an alarming rate. And as the ice melts, nearby ecosystems wither: They lose access to summertime supplies of freshwater and sometimes encounter harmful acidic minerals in rocks once covered by the glaciers.
Llamas may help count er some of these effects. Their transformation of the land, as seen in the new study, could reduce rock weathering and help the soil hold onto more dampness, thus limiting the acidic runoff that can poison farmers’ crops. Such pollution is one reason why local farmers partnered with the researchers. The animals’ behavior could one day even generate new grasslands as soil quality improves.
The idea that animal grazing may positively impact a landscape is not new. Nor is rewilding, the push to bring key species back to their native ecosystems, unique to the Cordillera Blanca mountains. In Finland, for example, the Indigenous Sami are working to reintroduce reindeer in deforested land, potentially restoring it. But the size and speed of the changes the llamas helped bring about surprised the researchers. From 2021 to 2022, the average amount of plant cover in the llama plots grew from about 9 percent to nearly 14 percent—faster than it did in four control plots. The research underscores the valuable roles animals play in shaping landscapes, says ecologist Kelsey Reider of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., “The animals themselves are doing a lot.”
1. What did the new study find?| A．Llamas could help improve ecology. | B．Llamas needed to be exposed to soil. |
| C．Llamas might survive poor situation. | D．Llamas were able to stop ice melting. |
| A．Expand. | B．Arise. | C．Integrate. | D．Worsen. |
| A．Because they longed to be more learned. |
| B．Because they profited from the research. |
| C．Because they wanted to keep llamas away. |
| D．Because they failed to know llamas’ behavior. |
| A．Llamas restore the forest in Finland. | B．Wildlife helps a lot in restoring nature. |
| C．The idea of rewilding isn’t common. | D．The research should collect more data. |
