1 . The cost of living in countries like the US, Britain, Australia or France has skyrocketed in recent years. However, if you’re willing to leave your country and explore life in other areas, there are many countries boasting an extremely cheap and low cost of living. Check out the following countries when planning your next move.
Ecuador
Ecuador is similar to the United States in many ways, and as a result has become a popular American getaway. They even use the US Dollar for their currency. In this country, it’s cheaper to eat out every day than cook for yourself on a budget in the US. You can even buy a building for around $ 50, 000 and hire someone to look after it while you’re away.
Mexico
Although the country is known for its poverty ridden streets, there $are many wealthier areas that provide every facility you might need. You can live off a mere $ 700 to $ 800 a month in Mexico, and this includes rent for a nice place, facilities, food, and any sightseeing.
Argentina
Argentina has been a popular tourist destination for many years. It has great restaurants, a rich history, and many places to explore. Not to mention, it’s not very expensive to live here. A decent sized home can cost around $ 139, 000, which is relatively cheap in relation to homes in the United States.
Vietnam
Vietnam has also become a popular tourist destination in recent years. There are many million-dollar luxury homes by the beach, but you can find a modest flat or a small home for around $ 25,000 to $ 50,000 if you search in the right areas.
1. In which country is the US Dollar used for its currency?| A．Argentina. | B．Mexico. |
| C．Ecuador. | D．Vietnam. |
| A．About $ 7,000. | B．About $ 8,000. |
| C．About $ 8,800. | D．About $ 12,000. |
| A．They have great restaurants. |
| B．The cost of living is expensive. |
| C．The middle-sized homes cost around $ 139,000. |
| D．Tourists enjoy travelling in the two countries. |
2 . There is an old Chinese proverb that states “One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade,” and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and a daughter is sometimes confusing. The relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy (等级) of responsibilities and unconditional love, which preclude mothers and daughters from being best friends.
Marina, 27 years old, said, “I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn’t consider her my best friend. Best friends don’t pay for your wedding. Best friends don’t remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friend: don’t tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you.” This doesn’t mean that the mother and daughter relationship can’t be very close and satisfying.
While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common, which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together.
Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren’t speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother’s emotional well-being. It isn’t that they don’t care deeply about their mothers. It’s just that they shouldn’t be burdened with their mother’s well-being.
The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. Mothers always “trump (胜过)” friends.
1. What does the underlined word “preclude” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．differ | B．prevent | C．benefit | D．change |
| A．The mother and daughter relationship can be replaced by a best friend. |
| B．A mother’s love brings her and her daughter a close friendship. |
| C．The mother and daughter relationship goes beyond best friends’ friendship. |
| D．Marina has a troubled relationship with her mother. |
| A．By listing data. | B．By giving explanations. |
| C．By quoting sayings. | D．By giving examples. |
| A．How to Be a Good Mother and Daughter? | B．Who Is a Mother’s Best Friend? |
| C．Mothers or Friends? | D．Can a Mother Be a Daughter’s Best Friend? |
3 . Regardless of how far we’d like to believe gender (性别) equality in the workplace has come, there’s still a yawning gap between male and female leaders in the professional world. A 2018 statistic shows that women nowadays hold just 5.8 percent of CEO positions at S&P 500 companies, according to Catalyst.
While it’s not a huge shock that women are somewhat underrepresented in leadership positions, what is surprising though, is the fact that females may actually be better suited to lead in almost every area, at least according to new findings from the BI Norwegian Business School.
In their research, Professor Martinsen and Professor Lars Glas surveyed 2,900 managers with a special focus on personality types. The results were clear: Women scored higher than men in four of the five major leadership-centric categories.
While some people believe that men inherently make better leaders—probably because they picture a leader with a commanding voice, which is more typical of men than women—this piece of research suggests that women are better at methodical management and goal-setting, openness, sociability and supportiveness, as well as ability to communicate clearly.
There was one area in which men scored higher than women, though, and that was on emotional stability and ability to face job-related pressure and stress. The results suggest that women are more sensitive to the effects of high-pressure or highly emotional situations.
Obviously, its important to consider individual differences.Anyone, regardless of gender may be an inspiring leader and a competent boss. But next time you're hiring for a management position, you just might want to give the resumes(简历)from female candidates a harder look.
1. What makes us shocked much at leadership positions?| A．Women are worse than men. |
| B．Men take almost all high positions. |
| C．There is a huge gap between genders. |
| D．Women might behave better in nearly every field. |
| A．properly. | B．potentially. | C．naturally. | D．normally. |
| A．Why Women Make Better Leaders |
| B．Why Women Are Better Than Men |
| C．How We Can Figure Out The Boss |
| D．How We Can Tell Gender Difference |
| A．Job hunters. | B．Employers. | C．Employees. | D．Male bosses. |
4 . It can be tough to pull kids away from their computers and mobile devices these days. While they’re playing games, wouldn’t it be great if they could be learning at the same time? Good educational apps offer fun challenges that teach specific grade-level skills. Here are four that combine fun and learning.
Understanding Math($3.99; iOS)
Understanding Math goes beyond basic comprehension to gain a deeper understanding of the whys and hows of math. The app tracks your child’s progress to determine strengths and weaknesses in different skill areas, and you can customize(订制)your child’s learning experience to suit the needs.
Word Creativity Kit($2.99; iOS)
Word Creativity Kit aims not only to make creative writing fun but also build up grammar rules. The app presents a series of words from seven categories, such as space or fantasy. Kids add their own words to finish the complete thoughts that these words have inspired.
Barefoot World Atlas($4.99; iOS)
Barefoot World Atlas helps kids learn about geography and world cultures with a touch of the screen. Each region features a set of sub-topics, from wildlife and natural features to native people, landmarks, and architecture. These facts and illustrations are delivered in photographs, sounds, and hundreds of mini videos.
My Grades & Homework($0.99; iOS)
A combination of grades and homework tracker, My Grades & Homework can help your child stay organized and on top of the progress in school. A convenient calendar and course list format and offer a glance at your child’s assignment schedule that he or she might not normally get from standard homework planners.
1. Which app is beneficial to children’s writing skills?| A．Understanding Math. | B．Word Creativity Kit. |
| C．Barefoot World Atlas. | D．My Grades & Homework. |
| A．They need purchasing when downloaded. |
| B．They help children improve their grades. |
| C．They make studies fun because of mini videos. |
| D．They inform parents of their children’s progress. |
| A．To wish readers to bring in more similar apps for children. |
| B．To encourage parents to allow their students to play apps. |
| C．To design the educational apps to combine fun and learning. |
| D．To introduce four educational apps for readers to buy and use. |
5 . Soot (煤灰) pollution is speeding up climate-driven melting in Antarctica, a new study suggests, raising questions about how to protect the delicate continent from the increasing number of humans who want to visit.
“It really makes us question, is our presence really needed?” says Alia Khan, one of the authors of the new study. “We have quite a large black carbon footprint in Antarctica, which is enhancing snow and ice melt.”
Black carbon is the leftover thing from burning plants or fossil fuels. Soot in Antarctica comes primarily from waste gases of cruise ships (游轮), vehicles, airplanes and electrical generators, although some pollution travels on the wind from other parts of the globe. The dark particles (微粒) coat white snow and absorb heat from the sun the way a black T-shirt does on a warm day. The blanket of dark bits speeds up melting that was already happening more quickly because of global warming. When snow and ice are uncovered, they reflect an enormous amount of sunlight before it can turn into heat.
“These are the mirrors on our planet,” says Sonia Nagorski, a scientist at the University of Alaska Southeast. “When those mirrors are covered in a film of dark bits, they are less reflective. That means more heat is trapped on Earth, speeding up melting and contributing to global warming.”
As a scientist who personally visits Antarctica every year, Khan says she is troubled by her own research results. On the one hand, she goes to Antarctica to collect crucial data about how quickly the snow and ice there are disappearing. “But then when we come to conclusions like this it really does make us think twice about how frequently we need to visit the continent,” she says, “and what kind of regulations should be placed on tourism as well.” That could mean requiring that cruise ships and vehicles be electric, for example, or limiting the number of visitors each year.
1. What are the feelings expressed in Khan’s words in paragraph 2?| A．Doubt and concern. |
| B．Confidence and courage. |
| C．Anger and disappointment. |
| D．Optimism and certainty. |
| A．Burnt plants. |
| B．Tourist vehicles. |
| C．Black carbon elsewhere. |
| D．Fossil fuels underneath Antarctica. |
| A．It causes Antarctic surface temperature to rise. |
| B．It is increasing in amount because of wind. |
| C．It reflects a large volume of sunlight. |
| D．It is like a big mirror on Earth. |
| A．Help design scientific research regulations. |
| B．Use electric cars for her daily transportation. |
| C．Collect more data about Antarctica. |
| D．Reduce her visits to Antarctica. |
6 . King’s College Summer School
King’s College Summer School is an annual training program for high school students at all levels who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King’s College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year’s summer school will be from July 25 to August 15. More information is as follows:
| Application date ⚫ Students in New York should send their applications before July 18, 2023. ⚫ Students of other cities should send their applications before July 16, 2023. ⚫ Foreign students should send their applications before July 10, 2023. | Courses ⚫ English Language Spoken English: 22 hours Reading and Writing: 10 hours ⚫ American History: 16 hours ⚫ American Culture: 16 hours |
| Steps ⚫ A letter of self-introduction ⚫ A letter of recommendation The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information. | Cost ⚫ Daily lessons: $200 ⚫ Sports and activities: $100 ⚫ Travels: $200 ⚫ Hotel service: $400 You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city. |
| Please write to: Thompson, Sanders 1026 King’s Street New York, NY 10016, USA E-mail: KC-Summer-School@yahoo.com | |
| A．Only top students can take part in the program. |
| B．Only the teachers of King’s College give courses. |
| C．King’s College Summer School is run every other year. |
| D．Visits to museums and culture centers are part of the program. |
| A．$200 | B．$400 | C．$500 | D．$900 |
| A．The program will last two months. |
| B．You can write to Thompson only in English. |
| C．You can get in touch with the school by e-mail or by telephone. |
| D．As a Chinese student, you can send your application on July 14, 2023. |
7 . As is known to us all, the stories we share with one another are significant, which shows our wisdom, providing our inspiration and attaching importance to our development. But occasionally people choose not to tell.
Consider the negative effects of not sharing a story in the news: People are wondering if public health officials are holding back too much information about the recent outbreak of Ebola.
There is a danger in holding back stories that ought to be told. Bobette Buster said it was like this, “The fact is, history has shown us that stories not told can become like a dangerous genie (妖怪) left in a bottle. When they are finally uncorked, their power to destroy is set free.”
There are a number of reasons why we hide parts of our story: they often show our weaknesses or expose our disadvantages; they require courage and strength to share, and of course, there are some stories that should be kept secret—especially those that embarrass someone else.
Most of us have two selves: the one we display on the outside and the one we actually are on the inside. And the better we get at hiding the stories that show our true selves, the more damage we may be causing to ourselves and to others.
Honesty and openness is important. It proves we are trustworthy. It displays we are human. We are not perfect or better. It highlights the importance of hard work and personal development. Hard work may not allow us to overcome our disadvantages completely. But with hard work, we do not have to be restricted to our mistakes.
Does this mean we admit every weakness, every disadvantage, and every secret regret to everybody we meet? No, of course not. There is a time and a place and a certain level of relationship necessary for some stories to be told in an appropriate manner.
1. What’s the function of the example in Paragraph 2?| A．It reflects that people are concerned about the spread of Ebola. |
| B．It concludes that one should share a story at a proper time. |
| C．It shows the bad effect caused by sharing a story. |
| D．It proves not sharing a story can cause trouble. |
| A．Broken. | B．Unfolded. | C．Untouched. | D．Freed. |
| A．People sometimes have no courage to share their stories. |
| B．Story-sharing highlights the importance of hard work. |
| C．People are used to exposing their weaknesses. |
| D．Some stories make people feel sad. |
| A．share stories appropriately for the good of others and ourselves |
| B．realize the importance of being honest when making friends |
| C．remove the dangers that can be caused by untold stories |
| D．be open to people close to you by sharing some secrets |
8 . Nurses are required in all areas of the medical field from hospitals and nursing homes to schools and the armed forces, heading to a great need of certified nurses. Here are some best universities for a degree in nursing.
Simmons College
Simmons College is a private women’s college founded in Boston in 1899. Nursing is the top major at the school as well as the most popular. The nursing graduates from Simmons make about $ 58, 000 every year.
Villanova University
Villanova University is a research university located in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania. Named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, the school is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsylvania. Nursing is a popular major and is offered as an online degree as well. The nursing graduates from Villanova make about $ 63,000 every year.
University of California, Los Angeles
The UCLA School of Nursing is known for its excellent education provided by a group of leaders in the medical field. The four-year program allows students to be qualified nurses through classroom learning and clinical training. A nursing degree from UCLA leads to positions in many hospitals and clinics, with a yearly income of about $ 84,000.
New York University
New York University attaches great importance to real-world experience. Along with taking classes in school, students mainly work in the health care environment receiving technical training Additionally, Nursing students of NYU College have the chance to study in Abu Dhabi, China and other countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. The education from NYU will prepare students to help doctors treat patients, earning a yearly income of about $ 86, 000.
1. If Nora has to look after her children at home, which university or college can she choose to get a nursing degree?| A．Simmons College. | B．Villanova University. |
| C．University of California, Los Angeles | D．New York University. |
| A．Its high-quality teaching. | B．Its four-year program. |
| C．The clinical training it offers. | D．The yearly income of graduates. |
| A．future income | B．Learning environment |
| C．Practical training | D．chance to study better |
9 . The British are known for their sense of humor. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to understand their jokes. The main point to remember is that the British often use understatement.
Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone gets very wet in a shower of rain, he might say, “It’s a little damp (潮湿的) outside.” Or, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, “She isn’t exactly friendly.” Understatement is often used in unpleasant situation or to make another person look silly. Understatement plays an important part in British humor.
Another key to understanding British humor is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others. They often laugh about the silly and unpleasant things that happen to our everyday life when someone accidentally falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes about people from different classes of society. They like to make jokes about their accents, the way they dress and the way they behave. What’s more, the British love to watch comedies (喜剧) about people who do not know how to behave in society. The comedies series Mr. Bean is a good example of this kind of humor.
Mr. Bean is the character created by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990. Mr. Bean doesn’t talk often, and instead he uses his body movement and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr. Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world cannot do. Mr. Bean is popular in many countries around the world because you do not have to speak English to understand the humor. Because of this, many people have become familiar with the British sense of humor.
1. Why is it difficult for foreigners to understand British jokes?| A．The British often enlarge the fact. |
| B．The British try to understate something. |
| C．British jokes are connected with many different cultures. |
| D．British jokes are not as funny as jokes in other countries. |
| A．describing a process | B．using examples |
| C．following time order | D．making comparisons |
| A．telling funny stories |
| B．copying how others behave |
| C．making jokes about others’ accent |
| D．using his body movement and facial expressions |
| A．British Humor in Comedy | B．Humor in Different Cultures |
| C．Developing Your Sense of Humor | D．Understanding British Humor |
10 . When she returned home that year, she was given an enthusiastic welcome in the same hall. Many hands stretched out to her, many cameras focused on her. A reporter in glasses kept pestering her with the question: “What do you like best?” She was wondering how to respond when she caught sight of a bunch of flowers. Then she said, “Flowers!” Following her remarks, more flowers were at once presented out to her, too many for her to hold. During the past two years, she had participated in many international competitions and brought back one shining medal after another. What she got in return was all smiles, flowers and camera flashes. Was it because of this that she became preoccupied with winning? The more she won, the more obsessed she was with the fear of losing. So her mind was in fact more burdened with success than with failure. The mind could control physical pains but could not free itself from mental strain easily.
This time when she was a little off balance on the horizontal bar (平衡木), she became so worried that she lost self-control and fell off. This failure was followed by several more in other events. Afterwards in order to avoid people at the airport, she trailed along behind the team. She found that very few people greeted her and reporters seemed to shun her. However hard she tried, she couldn’t turn the tide; she was a complete failure. Indeed, who would side with a failure?
All of a sudden, she saw a pair of shoes in front of her. Who could it be? She raised her bent head slowly and saw a navy blue suit, long legs, and then a clear fair face. Before her stood the stewardess with her hands behind her back, speaking with a smile, “I watched your performance on the television. I knew you would come home today. So I am here especially to welcome you.”
“I did very poorly.” She lowered her head again.
“No. You did your best.”
“But I failed.”
“Nobody can avoid failure. I believe failure is as important to you as success. Failure belongs to the past, and victory is the future.” The stewardess’s voice came gentle but firm.
Hearing these words, the girl raised her head. The stewardess held out her hands from behind her back with a big bouquet of colorful flowers, and presented it to the girl. The strong fragrance seemed to turn into a magic, powerful current that went through her body. She was moved to tears. Flowers are usually given to victorious heroes. Why to the disgraced loser?
1. What does the underlined word “pester” mean in paragraph 1?| A．Greet. | B．Annoy. | C．Inquire. | D．Concern. |
| A．She had received many smiles, flowers and camera flashes. |
| B．She was passionate about walking on the horizontal bar. |
| C．Her mind was free from over anxiety about failure. |
| D．She was in good physical condition. |
| A．Ashamed. | B．Stressed. | C．Miserable. | D．Grief-stricken. |
| A．Action is worry’s worst enemy. |
| B．The winners laugh and the losers weep. |
| C．Excessive pressure will become a burden. |
| D．Success is never final and failure is never fatal. |
