1 . The journey of learning Beijing Opera has been a meaningful one for me.
When I first stepped into the practice room, the sounds of instruments filled the air. The
As time went on, I began to see
Finally, the day arrived for my first
A.surprised | B.traditional | C.important | D.experienced |
A.keep up with | B.get back on | C.stay away from | D.look forward to |
A.know | B.change | C.learn | D.share |
A.checking | B.going | C.asking | D.cheering |
A.safely | B.helplessly | C.quietly | D.tirelessly |
A.supportive | B.active | C.creative | D.productive |
A.kindness | B.success | C.wealth | D.chance |
A.details | B.value | C.methods | D.progress |
A.different | B.expressive | C.similar | D.encouraging |
A.characters | B.teachers | C.actors | D.members |
A.class | B.job | C.visit | D.show |
A.music to my ears | B.bottom lines | C.time on my hands | D.top secrets |
A.interesting | B.boring | C.challenging | D.meaningful |
A.win out | B.give up | C.wake up | D.stand out |
A.protect | B.trust | C.guide | D.pick |
2 . Today, the world celebrates the United Nations International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) under the theme “Resilience (复原力) of Older Persons in a Changing World”.
The number of older persons worldwide is projected to reach more than 1.5 billion in 2050. All regions will see an increase in the size of the older population between 2022 and 2050. Less developed countries excluding the least developed countries will be home to more than two-thirds of the world’s older population (1.1 billion) in 2050. Yet the fastest increase is projected to take place in the least developed countries, where the number of people aged 65 or over could rise from 37 million in 2019 to 120 million in 2050 (about 225%).
As to the “Silver Generation”, all countries have to bear increased pension (养老金) and healthcare costs as people live longer. But including the elderly in a productive way in the national economy has become a major problem for many countries. Many young families also struggle to care for their elderly parents or give it up altogether. Meanwhile, though older persons continue to meaningfully contribute to their political, economic, social and cultural lives, their contributions and experience are largely ignored.
The 2022 theme of UNIDOP serves as a fillip, something that jogs your memory and makes you think about the significant role older people play in taking up global challenges and contributing to their solutions. UNIDOP 2022 is also a call for action and opportunity to hear older persons’ voices and show their resilience and contributions in society.
Age is just a number and only a state of mind. Indeed, what matters is ageing elegantly, accompanied by good health. It is meaningless to live to 85 or 90 if one is limited to bed, unable to move around. But this could be a thing of the past in the light of rapid medical advances, which will give mobility and a new life to the elderly. I believe there will come a time when one’s actual age doesn’t really matter anymore in both a physical and mental sense.
1. Why are the figures used in paragraph 2?A.To clarify the gap between rich and poor. |
B.To show the growth in the older population. |
C.To explain the correctness of the UN statistics. |
D.To analyze the reasons for population ageing. |
A.It is a double-edged sword. |
B.It is a force to be treated seriously. |
C.It is a huge burden to young families. |
D.It is a by-product of the economic development. |
A.Reference. | B.Guideline. | C.Reminder. | D.Platform. |
A.Age affects both physical and mental health. |
B.Age is not a number but a mental state. |
C.Age does not matter in the medical field. |
D.Age pales by comparison with health. |
3 . Chinese food is well received by the world. Who doesn’t long for a favorite Chinese dish? But there is one interesting concept concerning Chinese food which is almost unheard of in the West, and which is becoming increasingly ignored by the youth of the East — the ancient custom of “tonic (滋补) food”.
Tonic food is food which is consumed to improve one’s well-being or avoid sickness. For instance, it was once the custom for new mothers to eat a sesame oil (麻油) hot pot every day for the first month after giving birth. It was believed that this dish would benefit the muscles, reduce pain, improve circulation, stimulate sweating, and warm the body. Some foods, such as goat meat and spinach, are seen as “hot”, while others, such as Chinese cabbage and radishes, are seen as “cold”. One should be careful not to eat too much of either “hot” or “cold” food. However, how much “hot” or “cold” food one should eat depends on the time of the year, how the food is prepared and what it is prepared with, and the individual’s health.
The custom of employing tonic food for a healthier life also influences the catering industry. Chinese herbal medicines, such as wolfberry (枸杞), can be found on many a restaurant menu, either added to fruit tea or as a beneficial addition to a dish. These herbs attract customers, such as overworked office staff, in need of a modest pick-me-up.
So, whether you need to boost your strength with a large helping of chicken soup, or increase your mental powers with a serving of fish soup, you may find that this ancient Chinese custom could be just the tonic you were looking for.
1. What is the present situation of tonic food?A.It is catching less attention. | B.It is enjoyed by many young people. |
C.It is well-known worldwide. | D.It is becoming increasingly popular. |
A.Chinese cabbage. | B.Fruit tea. |
C.Fish soup. | D.Sesame oil hot pot. |
A.Medicine. | B.Restaurant. |
C.Manufacture. | D.Agriculture. |
A.The Charm of Chinese Cuisine |
B.The Popularity of Tonic Food |
C.An Introduction of Chinese Tonic Food |
D.Differences Between Hot Food and Cold Food |
4 . You can study a wide range of topics in an art and design school, from history to sculpting, theater to fashion. Due to the variety, learners remain interested, and a challenging curriculum encourages them to think outside the box. The top art schools in Hong Kong are listed below.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK PolyU)
The school benefits from its location as a link between the East and the West, enabling its students to improve their creative skills while also gaining a distinctively global cultural awareness. Practical skills are thought to be a crucial component of the problem-solving process, which students must practise through practical workshop activities. The workshop facilities give students the chance to become familiar with the techniques needed for perfect making.
The University of Hong Kong (UHK)
Study subjects that interest you and select from a large range of beginner arts courses to learn about new themes. You have the freedom to create a course of study that is ideal for you thanks to the program’s adaptable curriculum and inviting dual (双的) degree choices. You will choose your own combination of courses during your first year from a wide range of basic arts and humanities courses.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
The Faculty (系) of Arts at CUHK has always been essential to the university’s commitment to combining Chinese with Western traditions, with bilingual teaching, and with cutting-edge interdisciplinary (跨学科的) research.
Vocational Training Council (VTC)
The multidisciplinary program here exposes students to a wide range of modern visual arts mediums and actively involves them in the larger cultural sectors. And the program promotes a dynamic climate where interdisciplinary arts projects grow via cooperation and creativity within the arts sector. Graduates are also encouraged to pursue careers as professional artists.
1. Which school can you choose to learn to make things?A.The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. | B.The University of Hong Kong. |
C.The Chinese University of Hong Kong. | D.Vocational Training Council. |
A.Obtain a global cultural awareness. | B.Choose courses suitable for them. |
C.Perform cutting-edge interdisciplinary research. | D.Pursue careers as professional artists. |
A.They all carry out bilingual teaching. |
B.They all offer interdisciplinary courses. |
C.They all aim to develop innovative talents. |
D.They all provide a dynamic learning atmosphere for students. |
5 . Fall is finally here! This is the most glorious time of the year. Leaves are turning yellow, and the weather is cool enough to wear your favorite sweaters. But for some, the changing of the seasons is vexing, and can lead to a sudden dip in energy, making many people wonder why they get more tired in the fall.
Many studies show that some viruses causing the common cold are more active in cooler weather, which may further lead to fall fatigue (疲劳).
However, the cold weather isn’t the only reason you may be feeling run-down this fall. The lack of sunlight can also have a significant impact on how energetic we feel. “There’s a special circuit from your eyeballs that goes directly to your brain that picks up sunlight, and the most important signal is sunlight in the morning. That sunlight in the morning helps wake you up, and also helps keep you awake all day long.” said Dr. Michael Howell, a sleep specialist. So, sleepiness is unavoidable in a season without much sunlight. When people’s exposure to sunlight is increasingly limited, some people may suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. Too often, SAD is treated as a punchline, but for the estimated 10 million Americans who suffer from it, it’s not a joke. SAD is a form of depression that is related to the change in seasons, which makes people feel tired easily. Symptoms can include high pressure, feelings of depression and a heavy feeling in arms and legs, etc. And most people experience them during the fall and winter.
While the fall is a beautiful season, the disorder it can bring to your body and mind is no joke. Be sure to put your health and wellness first as you head into fall. It’s an ideal time to cook soup and stew, clean out your room, take a walk outside, or relax with a good book. Sleep tight, my friends.
1. What does the underlined word “vexing” mean in paragraph 1?A.Annoying | B.Shocking. | C.Enjoyable. | D.Important. |
A.Creating more energy. | B.Keeping people awake. |
C.Helping people sleep tight. | D.Showing the change of seasons. |
A.It depends on temperatures. |
B.It strikes people in sunny seasons. |
C.It is clearly understood by most people. |
D.It has both physical and mental impacts. |
A.How you keep awake in the fall? |
B.Why you are more tired in the fall? |
C.What you should do to stay energetic in the fall? |
D.Who you can turn to for tips on SAD in the fall? |
6 . I love wildlife. So when my friend said that we had a chance to
The trip was a great
Observing bears in their natural habitat (栖息地) was really
A.track | B.feed | C.protect | D.hunt |
A.quit | B.changed | C.cancelled | D.made |
A.deal | B.danger | C.success | D.regret |
A.safe | B.comfortable | C.remote | D.beautiful |
A.recommended | B.explained | C.admitted | D.reported |
A.extracts | B.leftovers | C.photos | D.movements |
A.tidying up | B.throwing on | C.paving for | D.taking off |
A.rapidly | B.cautiously | C.steadily | D.casually |
A.moved | B.wandered | C.paced | D.dashed |
A.disappeared | B.looked | C.broken | D.turned |
A.due to | B.instead of | C.apart from | D.as for |
A.drew | B.held | C.released | D.caught |
A.intention | B.fear | C.bravery | D.distance |
A.disturb | B.train | C.attack | D.feed |
A.exhausting | B.boring | C.fascinating | D.challenging |
7 . A six-year-old longing to keep a unicorn (独角兽) in her backyard figured she’d get the hard part out of the way first.
Last November, Madeline wrote a letter to the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control with a straightforward request. “Dear LA County, I would like your approval if I can have a unicorn in my backyard if I can find one. Please send me a letter in response.”
Director Mayeda replied two weeks later. The department does in fact license unicorns, she said, under certain conditions. Those include polishing the unicorn’s horn at least once a month with a soft cloth, feeding it watermelon at least once a week, covering it with only sparkles and giving it regular access to sunlight, moonbeams and rainbows. And, because unicorns are indeed very rare to find, the department is also giving Madeline a toy unicorn to keep her company during her search, as a token of appreciation.
“It is always rewarding to hear from young people who thoughtfully consider the requirements of providing a loving home for animals,” Mayeda wrote in the letter. “I like your sense of responsible pet ownership to seek permission in advance to keep a unicorn in Los Angeles County.”
Mayeda told the Washington Post that this is the first time the department has received a request for a license for a unicorn or any mythical creature. They were impressed with the first-grader for wanting to ask permission in the first place, and doing her research to work out how to go about that. She and her colleagues deal with a lot of “life-and-death” issues on the job, whether that’s seeing cases of animal abuse or animals hurting people or making decisions about having to put down dangerous or sick animals. So Madeline’s letter has considerably brightened their spirits, and she is due to visit the department this week to discuss her unicorn license application. Safe to say, she’s in for a magical surprise.
1. Why did Madeline write the letter?A.To apply to visit a unicorn. | B.To ask permission to keep a pet. |
C.To learn to provide animal care. | D.To figure out how to find a unicorn. |
A.Her application was disapproved. | B.She was presented with a live unicorn. |
C.Requirements should be met for the license. | D.Guidance was given for her search. |
A.Imaginative. | B.Convincing. | C.Indifferent. | D.Understanding. |
A.Because they are touched with the girl’s deeds. |
B.Because animal protection is a life-and-death issue. |
C.Because they are worn out with their daily work. |
D.Because it is the first application letter for a pet. |
8 . The Australian National University (ANU) and an Australian start-up, Lunaria One, are teaming up to grow plants on the moon together, as early as 2025. Lunari a One’s ALEPH project is an early step toward growing plants for food, medicine and oxygen production. However, the problem is that the moon is like a desert (沙漠). There’s no life there, only dust, rocks and water.
“Space provides a unique opportunity to study how to grow plants in extreme environments,” said ANU Associate Professor Caitlin Byrt. “The extreme conditions that the Earth is facing because of climate change present challenges for how we manage food security in the future. Having controlled environments can create the ability to rapidly grow plants after natural disasters or events caused by climate change. So this project is important. If you can create a system for growing plants on the moon, then you can create a system for growing food in some of the most challenging environments on Earth.”
As to what plants to be grown on the moon researchers are still deciding, but one of the front runners under consideration is Tripogon loliiformis, a kind of Australian native (本土的) grass that can live in extreme conditions and survive for months without water. According to a plant biologist, even after losing more than 95 per cent of its relative water content, the dead-looking grass remains alive and continues to grow when provided with water. Whatever plants are selected, they will be transported to the moon in a dry and sleeping state and will come to life upon watering.
The ship will take off in 2025. Upon arrival, pictures and videos will be sent back to Earth over a 72-hour period and will be publicly accessible (可得到的). “The ALEPH project aims to make the science and engineering behind growing life on the moon open to people. And we hope to get everyone involved (参与的) and listen to their opinions. If you’re interested in the project, you can get all the necessary information from our website,” said Lauren Fell, the director of Lunaria One.
1. What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?A.The methods of growing plants in space. | B.The challenges of growing plants after disasters. |
C.The value of growing plants on the moon. | D.The need to grow food for a growing population. |
A.It can produce young plants fast. | B.It can live with little water. |
C.It is the most common grass in Australia. | D.It can naturally wake up from a sleeping state. |
A.Supportive. | B.Shocked. | C.Negative. | D.Worried. |
A.Plants are on the moon for the first time |
B.How to care for plants in extreme environments? |
C.Why can this Australian native grass grow in space? |
D.A space project aims to grow plants on the moon |
9 . Researchers from University of Southern California (USC) may have found the biggest influencer in the spread of fake news: social platforms’ structure of rewarding users for habitually sharing information. The study involved 2,476 active Facebook users ranging in age from 18 to 89. They were asked to complete a decision-making survey about seven minutes long.
Surprisingly, the researchers found that users’ social media habits are closely related to the amount of fake news they shared. Frequent and habitual users spread six times more fake news than occasional or new users. Just 15% of the most habitual news sharers in the research were responsible for spreading about 30% to 40% of the fake news. Users’ habits were more influential in sharing fake news than other factors, including lack of critical reasoning.
The research team wondered: What motivates these users? As it turns out, much like any video game, social media has a reward system that encourages users to stay on their accounts and keep posting and sharing.
Users who post and share frequently, especially eye-catching information, are likely to attract attention. Due to the reward system of social media, users form habits of sharing information that gets recognition from others automatically, without considering consequences such as spreading misinformation.
Then, the team tested whether social media reward structures could be designed to promote sharing of true over false information. They found that incentives (鼓励) for accuracy rather than popularity doubled the amount of accurate news that users share on social platforms.
“We know from previous research that some people don’t process information critically, which influences their ability to recognize false stories online,” said Gizem Ceylan, who led the team. “However, our new study shows that the reward structure of social media platforms plays a bigger role when it comes to misinformation spread.”
1. What does the USC research mainly focus on concerning social media?A.Its reward system. | B.The users’ age group. |
C.Its attraction to users. | D.The reason fake news spreads on it. |
A.A new user. | B.A heavy user. |
C.An occasional user. | D.An uneducated user. |
A.The popularity of their posts. |
B.The easy access to information. |
C.The encouragement from other users. |
D.The immediate money reward from the platform. |
A.Sharing of misinformation is unavoidable. |
B.People shouldn’t use social media frequently. |
C.Lack of critical reasoning is a common problem. |
D.Social media reward structures should be improved. |
10 . Math and literature are probably two of the subjects that bring students headaches. However, mathematicians choose to join the two together—they wonder whether the beauty of math can be found in literary works.
Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections between Mathematics and Literature, a book published recently by UK mathematician Sarah Hart, presents some interesting thoughts about “three”. She argues that the number has a special hold on Western literature and languages in general.
Many common phrases are in three words, such as “ready, set, go”. Being the first things kids may learn, some nursery rhymes (童谣) have a word repeated three times, such as “row, row, row your boat”. In stories, there are usually three main characters, such as Harry. Ron and Hermione in the Harry Potter series. For a series of novels, there are usually three books rather than four, according to Hart.
Three is the minimum number of points that can define a two-dimensional shape. Three sticks can create a triangle, a stable structure. These characteristics behind the number three give it “a sense of strength and completeness” which balances a story, according to the book.
Similarly, another study connected math and storytelling by mapping out readers’ “emotional experiences”. Researchers at the University of Vermont, US, analyzed more than 1,300 fiction works. As each book was divided into many 10,000-word parts, they rated how “happy” each part made readers feel. The ratings were then grouped into arcs (弧线), which showed how the readers’ emotions changed while reading.
The researchers summarized the arcs in six shapes, which covered almost all novels. The simplest patterns were “rise” and “fall”, showing that the plot was straightforward. Two of the most popular story shapes among readers were “rise-fall” and “fall-rise-fall”. It showed that more twists and turns in the stories are preferred by readers.
So why do researchers analyze the mathematics of literature? As the study’s lead author Andrew Reagan told Scientific American, turning words into data “can teach us more about stories.”
1. What does paragraph 3 focus on in relation to the number “three”?A.Its significance in literary works. |
B.Its various interpretations in literature. |
C.Its occurrences in literature and language. |
D.Its importance in mathematical concepts. |
A.It brings a feeling of power and unity. | B.It carries a special meaning in math. |
C.It can create a strong emotional impact. | D.It indicates the innovation of storytelling. |
A.By recording the use of numbers in fiction works. |
B.By analyzing math knowledge used in different novels. |
C.By comparing the number of characters in some works. |
D.By using shapes to show the readers’ reading experiences. |
A.To improve readers’ mathematical skills. |
B.To gain a deeper understanding of stories. |
C.To explore the role of literature in teaching math. |
D.To uncover hidden mathematical patterns in stories. |