1 . Across the country, October is National Financial Planning Month, a time when you might want to look back on your retirement statement or rethink investments (投资) for the new year. The month also serves as a good reminder to teach the ones you love a thing or two about money basics. Whether it’s explaining the value of a dollar or delayed enjoyment for a beloved toy, you can explain to children where money comes from, how best to keep it, and the ways that you can use well-earned cash to shape the world we live in.

Financial literacy, simply put, is the know-how to prepare, track expenses, save, plan for retirement, and manage debt. Money-saving expert Andrea Woroch says it’s never too early to start talking about finances, and it can be as simple as taking them shopping or doing everyday tasks around the house. “Your children learn from your habits and the way you spend or save and even talk about money will shape how your children manage money in the future, even if you don’t realize it,” says Woroch.

Most people think that the easiest way to teach their kids about money is to let them watch what they do — from the convenience store to online shopping. But the right way is to practice being a role model of what you hope they (and you) would do when faced with money problems or opportunities.

Woroch says including kids in setting up a budget (预算) for an upcoming event can be a great learning experience. When you have to make a budget cut, think before you complain. Watch how you talk about sacrificing (牺牲) short-term pleasure for long-term gain.

If your family is doing well despite economic downturn, you can teach your kids to appreciate what they have and encourage them to help others in need. Ramirez, a senior advisor at Tend, suggests that parents “increase children’s awareness about how money can benefit others, not just themselves, by encouraging them to raise money for a cause.” This is also a great way to develop their social awareness.

1. Why should kids have financial literacy?

A．To avoid debts.	B．To obtain happiness.
C．To become experts.	D．To form a smart view towards money.

2. Which is suggested for parents to teach children financial literacy?

A．Setting a good example.	B．Opening an online store.
C．Asking them to shop alone.	D．Making them solve money issues.

3. What does Ramirez like to see according to the last paragraph?

A．Parents praise children’s efforts.	B．Parents donate money for charity.
C．Children save money for a cause.	D．Children make money by themselves.

2 . Human beings are inborn for social connection — so much so that we think of even the most basic objects as having feelings or experiences. Social robots add a layer (层) to this. They are designed to make us feel like they’re our friends.

Science writer Eve Herold is the author of the new book Robots and the People Who Love Them: Holding on to Our Humanity in an Age of Social Robots. It is about socially interactive robots or androids, often human-like in appearance and behavior; through Al, they are increasingly able to listen, chat, and learn. Herold points out many ways that present-day social robots can improve human lives, such as performing tasks for people who are ill, disabled, or in danger, such as soldiers on a battlefield.

But Herold also stares down the darker side of robots. She expresses concern that as robots progress, humans might forget that they’re programmed and start seeing them as capable of real relationships. She fears that this could inspire people to prefer undemanding relationships with robots and not want to relate to other people.

She notes that while social robots may offer positive, social skill-building opportunities for children with autism (自闭症) or companionship for elderly patients with dementia (痴呆) , they may make others feel more lonely. “The thing that I can compare it to is people who are too addicted to social media and end up becoming separated from others because they’re not interacting with real people in a real relationship,” she says.

“People who don’t have enough social encouragement, they can actually lose what social skills they have because they’re so used to this kind of result-free, easy, attractive relationship with a robot.”

1. What can we learn from paragraph 2?

A．Robots will replace humans.	B．The book wins a big success.
C．The author has a social robot.	D．Social robots can benefit humans.

2. What is Herold’s concern about the use of robots?

A．Robots may have human sense.	B．Robots are easy to break down.
C．People will hate making friends.	D．People may escape real connection.

3. What is this text?

A．A short story.	B．An introduction to a book.
C．A science fiction.	D．A news report.

3 . The Grammy Awards’ Music Educator Award recognizes those who have made a significant contribution and demonstrated a commitment to music education. This year it went to Annie Ray. who was honored for her efforts to make music accessible to all students, particularly those with disabilities.

Ray, who comes from a family of musicians, knows firsthand the impact that a great teacher can make on their students. She was inspired in large part by the diversity of the Annandale community, which represents over 60 countries, including many refugees (难民) and immigrants. “There are a lot of cultures that might typically conflict, and they come together in this very beautiful harmony,” Ray explained.

Ray created the Crescendo Orchestra for students with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Crescendo Orchestra, which was born out of the pandemic (流行病), doesn’t necessarily share the social goals of a program like Best Buddies or the Special Olympics. The focus is on teaching students how to play an instrument, through one-on-one instruction tailored to their needs.

The orchestra is about much more than just making music, however. The program gives students a chance to develop their cooperation skills, make mistakes and learn the art of improving something. “They completely changed my educational philosophy and approach of what it truly means to meet a student where they’re at and apply that elsewhere,” Ray added. “I believe they have a truly powerful message to share with everyone.”

As for the Grammy Award, Ray said that it belongs to her students. She also plans to put some of the money towards an ongoing scholarship for students who want to pursue music when they graduate, in any possible way. “It is a hard profession, but that was really touching,” Ray said. “And there’s nothing else like it.”

1. Why did Annie Ray create the Crescendo Orchestra?

A．To settle social conflicts.

B．To help disabled children.

C．To promote social awareness.

D．To support people during the pandemic.

2. What can we learn about Annie Ray from the passage?

A．She created music for each performance.

B．She was rewarded for her great music talents.

C．She provided more than music to her students.

D．She donated all her money to her talented students.

3. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．Annie Ray: Bringing Home the Grammy for Musical Commitment

B．Crescendo Orchestra: A Symbolic Image of Great Musical Events

C．From Pandemic to Grammy: The Journey to Success of Annie Ray

D．Grammy Awards: A Recognition for the Best Musicians in the World

4 . Situated along a river that winds through the mountains, surrounded by cedar (雪松) and bamboo forests, Nanmoku is about 70 miles northwest of the capital city. Once known for its silk, wood, and konjac root (魔芋根), Nanmoku is now Japan’s most aged village, with two-thirds of its residents over 65. Many buildings are abandoned and the population has dropped from 11,000 in 1955to about 1,500 today, according to town hall figures. At that rate, the village could be empty just over a decade.

Nanmoku is on the front lines of Japan’s rural depopulation, a trend seen in other Asian and European countries. However, some residents are working to change the trend by attracting young people. One such person is 24-year-old Satomi Oigawa, who moved to Nanmoku after graduating from college in Tokyo. She works for the village government, matching abandoned homes with potential new residents. Oigawa is learning about the village’s history as she integrates into the community. “Everything about this house is part of the village’s history,” she says.

Despite efforts to attract new residents, the village faces challenges. There are few jobs for young people, and the nearest hospital is an hour’s drive away. Some residents argue that instead of spending money to attract newcomers, the money should be spent on those already living in the village.

Mayor Saijo Hasegawa aims to keep the village’s population level in 15to 20 years’ time, hoping to maintain it at around 800 people. However, experts like Peter Matan le of the University of Sheffield say that while some villages may boom, they will still experience pushback against the overpowering trend. “Japan is currently losing 600,000 to 700,000 people annually, and that’s going to increase to more than a million by the 2030s,” Matan le says. “Under that situation, how do settlements maintain their populations, let alone increase them?”

1. Which of the following can best describe current Nanmoku?

A．Old and timeless.	B．Undamaged and charming.
C．Remote and developing.	D．Historic and declining.

2. Why did Satomi Oigawa move to Nanmoku after college?

A．To get job opportunities.	B．To learn about the history.
C．To refresh the village.	D．To experience the rural life.

3. What can be inferred about the efforts to beat Nanmoku’s depopulation?

A．They are facing significant challenges.

B．They are likely to succeed at the moment.

C．They are widely supported by all residents.

D．They need more support from the government.

5 . Economic growth is often considered as a sure way of increasing the well-being of people in low-income countries, and global surveys in recent decades have supported this strategy by showing people in high-income countries tend to report higher levels of life satisfaction than those in low-income countries. This strong connection might suggest that only in rich societies can people be happy. However, a recent study conducted by ICTA-UAB and McGill University in Canada suggests that there may be good reasons to question whether this link is universal.

While most global surveys gather thousands of responses from the citizens of industrial and urban societies, they tend to ignore people in simple-and-tiny societies on the fringe, where social group has a limited number of members and where the exchange of money plays a minimal role in everyday life with natives and local communities depending directly on nature.

The research, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), consisted of a survey of 2,966 people from local communities in 19 globally distributed sites. Only 64% of surveyed households had any cash income. The results show that “surprisingly, many populations with very low incomes report very high average levels of life satisfaction, with scores similar to those in wealthy countries,” says Eric Galbraith, researcher at ICTA-UAB and McGill University and lead author of the study.

The average life satisfaction score across the studied simple-and-tiny societies was 6.8 on a range of 0-10. Although not all societies reported high satisfaction levels, four of the sites reported average scores higher than 8, despite many of these societies having suffered histories of neglect and control. The results are consistent with the opinion that human societies can support very satisfactory lives for their members without necessarily requiring high degrees of material wealth.

“While the reasons behind these findings remain unclear, the study provides valuable insights into how diverse communities achieve satisfying lives. It offers hope that understanding these factors can help others improve their well-being while addressing sustainability concerns.” Galbraith concludes.

1. What does the research focus on according to the passage?

A．The impact of cash income on locals’ well-being.

B．Income-satisfaction connection in industrial societies.

C．Economic growth’s concerns in low-income countries.

D．Relation between wealth and happiness across societies.

2. What does the underlined word “fringe” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Edge.

B．Surface.

C．Horizon.

D．Scene.

3. What’s the purpose of the numbers listed in paragraph 3 and paragraph 4?

A．To indicate the research’s limitations.

B．To prove the reliability of the findings.

C．To emphasize high satisfaction scores.

D．To show the number of people surveyed.

4. What is Galbraith’s attitude toward the research?

A．Unconcerned.

B．Unclear.

C．Promising.

D．Critical.

6 . It is a cold, dark winter evening — the kind of night that can have runners struggling to find the encouragement to run out. But there will be none of the usual “shall-I-shan’t-I?” dialogue going on in Sarah Donaghy’s head, because tonight is Food Bank Run.

Donaghy, a teacher and the welfare officer for Fareham running club, organised the first Food Bank Run in February 2018. “The idea was that, instead of our usual training run, we’d fill backpacks with food to donate to the local food bank and run there, where volunteers would be waiting to receive it,” she says. Donaghy was expecting about 20 members to take part: “I lost count by the time I got to 70.”

Claire Johnson, the community team leader at the Waypoint Hub, which houses food bank, says, “It was an amazing and emotional experience to see so many runners arrive at our building, bringing much-needed supplies.” But it wasn’t just the food bank that benefited from it. “The runners loved it,” says Donaghy. “The following week after the first run, they were all asking when we could do it again.”

A running equipment company, Runr, joined to help with publicity and event cooperation, creating a Food Bank Run website, complete with an interactive (交互式的) map of events. “Last year, more than 500 running groups, clubs, events and parkruns got involved, donating more than 77 tonnes of supplies to food banks in their communities,” says Craig Winter, one of the founders of Runr.

The event spreads a significant factor — joining with others in physical activity that has a real purpose. It is not “I must do this long run because I’m training for a marathon” or “I must exercise because I’m trying to lose weight”, but something greater. “I truly believe that running for a cause changes your view,” Donaghy says. “Yes, you could do it by entering a marathon and raising money for a charity, but there’s something quite special about handing over food that’s going to someone in your community who really needs it.”

1. What did runners do in the Food Bank Run?

A．They performed their usual training.	B．They prepared food for the volunteers.
C．They delivered food to the local food bank.	D．They collected donations during the run.

2. How did Johnson feel about the first Food Bank Run?

A．Appreciative.

B．Puzzled.

C．Worried.

D．Curious.

3. What can we learn about Runr?

A．It becomes popular online.	B．It helps organize activities.
C．It designs the running route.	D．It provides free running shoes.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Advertise for a Club	B．Run for a Good Cause
C．The Power of Running	D．The Charm of Volunteering

7 . When you go running in the woods in your running tights, elastane (氨纶) is the reason why they fit you so comfortably. Elastane is an elastic material that allows the fabric to stretch and adapt to your body.

But when elastane fibres are mixed with cotton, wool, nylon or other fibres, as is the case in many clothes today, the clothes become almost impossible to recycle. It is extremely difficult to separate out the different fibres, and therefore the materials in the clothes cannot be recycled.

But this may change, says Assistant Professor Steffan Kvist Kristensen from the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center at Aarhus University. Together with a number of colleagues, he is behind a new technology that can separate out fibres in mixed fabrics.

“We’ve developed a method to remove elastane completely from nylon. We’re not quite there yet with cotton, because some of the cotton fibres are broken down in the process. But we believe that, with some minor adjustments, we can solve this problem,” he says.

It is not easy to separate elastane and other fibres once they have been woven(编织) together. Clothes are made by winding the main fibres, such as nylon or cotton, around the elastane fibres, which consist of long chains of molecules (分子). The fibres only break apart if we break the long chains of molecules, explains Steffan Kvist Kristensen.

By heating the clothes to 225 degrees Celsius and adding a specific alcohol, the researchers have found a method to break down the bonds in elastane chain. When this happens, the chains fall apart and the materials separate. “The whole process takes place in what is in effect a large pressure cooker that we feed the clothes into. We then add a little alcohol and a potassium hydroxide(氢氧化钾) base and heat it up. Then we let it cook for just over four hours, and when we open the lid again, the different fibres will have been separated.” says Steffan Kvist Kristensen.

So far, Steffan Kvist Kristensen and his colleagues have only experimented with two nylon stockings at a time. The technology is therefore not yet ready for application at industrial scale.

1. What can we learn about elastane from the passage?

A．It is an eco-friendly material.	B．It is a kind of stretchable fabric.
C．It makes the clothes far from recycling.	D．It is made up of short chains of molecules.

2. Why is a pressure cooker used in the experiment according to the text?

A．To separate more fibres.	B．To reduce the heating time.
C．To increase the temperature to 225℃.	D．To ensure the safety of the experiment.

3. What can be inferred about this new technology?

A．It can separate all sorts of fibres.

B．It needs plenty of energy to work.

C．There is a long way before it is widely used.

D．There is no possibility to separate elastane from cotton.

4. What is Steffan Kvist Kristensen’s attitude to this new technology?

A．Satisfied.

B．Confident.

C．Critical.

D．Unclear.

8 . The Ministry of Education and three other ministries have jointly issued a notice about launching a national campaign on short-sightedness prevention and control to protect children’s eyesight.

A paragraph in the notice says that primary and secondary school students should engage in appropriate outdoor activities during class breaks. Additionally, 30 minutes of physical activity during the daily midmorning break will be organized to give students more time to engage in outdoor activities and long-distance viewing, enabling their eyes to rest fully from visual fatigue.

Midmorning breaks can address more than just vision problems. Physical activity during breaks helps children to not only exercise but also reduce stress, making subsequent classroom learning more focused and effective. At the same time, midmorning physical activities provide children a platform to engage in social activities, strengthening their social adaptation abilities.

Sometime toward the end of 2023 there was a huge demand after some schools did away with even 10-minute breaks for primary and secondary school students. The Ministry of Education responded by saying that it would further regulate activities in schools. Before the latest notice was introduced, several related policies had been guaranteeing midmorning physical activity for primary and secondary school students, which have now been implemented in many cities, showing good results.

To effectively utilize (利用) the 30-minute midmorning break, teachers play an essential role because they can enrich the activities to the maximum extent by combining the interests and hobbies of children of different age groups and adding various sports activities that will benefit children the most. At the same time, it should be clear that the midmorning break is not only the responsibility of physical education teachers. It requires joint efforts from physical education teachers, class teachers and other staff members to ensure the breaks are used effectively.

To make the most of the 30-minute midmorning break, it is also crucial to stimulate the enthusiasm of children. Innovating the form and content of the midmorning break and mobilizing children’s enthusiasm and initiative to participate in midmorning activities are urgent priorities.

1. What do the underlined word “fatigue” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Failure.

B．Disability.

C．Loss.

D．Tiredness.

2. Which of the following is true according to the last two paragraphs?

A．Midmorning activities should appeal to children.

B．Children should be forced to engage in midmorning activities.

C．Midmorning activities should be restricted to traditional sports.

D．Physical education teachers should take full charge of the the midmorning break.

3. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．Children Should Participate in More Activities

B．Midmorning Break Should Be Extended to 30 Minutes

C．Kids Should Have a Better Break for Eyesight Protection

D．Physical Activities Should Be Organized for Children’s Health

9 . Showing the rites (仪式) stuff

Nearly a hundred objects of historical value from the Confucius Museum are now on show at the exhibition, Rites, Music, and Costumes, which runs until May 26 at the China National Silk Museum, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. It shows how Confucianism was an essential part of the Chinese liyue culture, an education of social etiquette (礼仪) through engaging in poetry, rites, music and dancing.

These artifacts mark the significance of Confucius and how his teachings have been followed throughout centuries. Several exhibits are being shown in Zhejiang for the first time.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 73-1 Yuhuangshan Lu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. 0571-8703-5223.

A brush with greatness

In his life, Li Jianchen taught at several universities to help cultivate (培养) for the country many artists and architects of note. Besides his respectable accomplishments in teaching, he was also acknowledged as the “father of modern Chinese watercolor”.

An exhibition now on at Jiangsu Art Museum shows selected watercolors by Li, from his donations to the museum. Painted at different stages of his career, these works trace the evolution of his art, reflecting changing social needs and artistic tendencies. The show ends on March 31.

9 am-85 pm, closed on Mondays. 333 Changjiang Lu, Nanjing, Jiangsu province. 025-8961-0810.

Spanish expression

Different Cycles from Different Eras United by a Single Paintbrush, an exhibition currently running at Shenzhen Art Museum in Guangdong province, brings together 118 paintings produced by Spanish expressionist Jorge Rando since the 1960s. They are from the dozen series he has created over the past five decades, revisiting themes such as a mother’s love, nature, landscapes, butterflies and cycling, to name a few.

In 2019, Rando’s works were shown in Hunan and Sichuan provinces. The current exhibition in Shenzhen runs until May 26.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 32 Donghu Yijie, inside Donghu Park, Aiguo Lu, Luohu district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province. 0755-2542-6069.

1. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．A textbook.	B．A travel brochure.
C．A newspaper.	D．A club leaflet.

2. What can people enjoy at the exhibition “Rites, Music, and Costumes”?

A．Music and dancing.	B．Paintings.
C．Watercolors.	D．Sculptures.

3. What do the exhibitions at Jiangsu Art Museum and at Shenzhen Art Museum have in common?

A．They are about Chinese art.

B．The exhibits are donations.

C．They will end on the same day.

D．They are painting exhibitions.