1 . Language is in a constant state of change. British English shows this clearly. Take the word “Cheerio!” for example. It has been a British way to say goodbye for more than a century, but it’s dying out as the English language evolves. These days, many young people simply say “laters”. Or take the word “marvelous”. At one time it was a common British word meaning “wonderful”, but over the last ten years it’s been overtaken by the American word “awesome”.
So how and why do words come into and fall out of fashion? The influence of US culture is only one explanation for why popular words in British English may change or even stop being used over time. “Awesome” is a good example, but also “fortnight”, a term not used in the US, is now falling out of fashion in British English, and in some cases has been replaced by “two weeks”.
New inventions also bring in new words. As old inventions are replaced by new ones, the words which described them also disappear and are replaced. So it’s out with the “Walkman” (a cassette player from the 80s) and in with MP4 players!
Then there’s the influence of social media. Text messages and emails have reduced words for convenience, with something like ICYMI (“in case you missed it”) becoming words in their own right. Where “friend” was once a noun, we now “friend someone on Facebook” and where we used to “love” something, now we’re “loving it”!
1. In what situation do the British use “Cheerio!”?A.When they give thanks. | B.When they ask for help. |
C.When they say goodbye. | D.When they meet new friends. |
A.Returns. | B.Develops. | C.Follows. | D.Falls. |
A.To show its importance. | B.To talk about its history. |
C.To describe how it came into being. | D.To explain how some words are replaced. |
A.It is changing the way that words are used. | B.It is making language difficult to learn. |
C.It is bringing in many long words. | D.It is making meanings clearer. |
2 . Do you think you are too old to do something? Just go online and
He
John loved swimming. He still tried to keep
John was born in Farnborough on 25 July, 1914. And his
“My parents
However, John didn’t start swimming
A.change | B.watch | C.use | D.make |
A.broke | B.held | C.quit | D.put |
A.carefully | B.proudly | C.correctly | D.freely |
A.interesting | B.brief | C.private | D.amazing |
A.safe | B.close | C.fit | D.warm |
A.simply | B.highly | C.openly | D.lightly |
A.position | B.belief | C.start | D.success |
A.humorously | B.angrily | C.finally | D.shortly |
A.guessed | B.discovered | C.hoped | D.repeated |
A.happy | B.curious | C.sad | D.mad |
A.began | B.increased | C.disappeared | D.remained |
A.taught | B.forced | C.advised | D.reminded |
A.competitively | B.dramatically | C.comfortably | D.necessarily |
A.work out | B.take up | C.depend on | D.go through |
A.found | B.answered | C.supported | D.introduced |
3 . Chinatown, lying in Downtown L. A.near the city’s cultural center, is one of L. A.’s most popular tourist destinations. What are you waiting for? Go to explore this amazing place right now!
A MECCA FOR FOODIn Chinatown, a mix of new and old restaurants meets everyone’s needs. Early birds should stop by Philippe The Original, a local restaurant that’s beloved for French Dip sandwiches, but also serves a good classic American breakfast. Night owls will want to head to Full House Seafood on Hill Street, which is open late into the night.
CHINESE AMERICAN MUSEUMFood is far from the only reason to visit Chinatown. People interested in history will want to start their trip at the Chinese American Museum (CAM), lying just outside of Chinatown at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. The museum is housed in the Garnier Building, the oldest surviving Chinese building in a major area of California.
CENTRAL PLAZAA big statue of Bruce Lee has become a must-photograph site in Chinatown’s Central Plaza. The late martial arts star once had a studio in Chinatown at 628 W. College St.
Nearby is Dragon Chasing Pearl, which was originally painted on the wall in 1941 by Tyrus Wong. The artist, who passed away in December 2016 at age 106, was famous for his work in films, particularly as the lead artist on Disney’s Bambi.
FESTIVALSChinatown hosts many party-style events throughout the year, like the music and food truck Chinatown Summer Nights, the yearly Moon Festival and the biggest one, Chinese New Year! It’s really a good place to experience L. A.’s cultural diversity.
1. Of the following places, which one may be popular for its breakfast?A.Garnier Building. | B.Philippe The Original. |
C.Full House Seafood. | D.Chinese American Museum. |
A.A chef. | B.A journalist. | C.A poet. | D.A historian. |
A.Visit Bruce Lee in person. | B.Taste different food for free. |
C.Celebrate the Spring Festival. | D.Protect the oldest Chinese building. |
4 . In 2005, Rachel O’Neill, of Rockwood, Michigan, was working full-time as an assistant in an engineering company. While
She was struck by the heavy work done by girls to
Rachel
So far, more than 10 million dresses have been donated to children in 97 countries, including the United States, though Africa remains a focus. The nonprofit runs a distribution center in Malawi and works
“Nearly half of Malawi’s population is under age 14,” Rachel says, “We are
A.active | B.internal | C.elegant | D.primitive |
A.load | B.preserve | C.support | D.form |
A.interrupted | B.prevented | C.persuaded | D.warned |
A.dresses | B.cakes | C.books | D.trousers |
A.led | B.donated | C.floated | D.leaked |
A.set | B.achieved | C.lost | D.had |
A.flooded | B.froze | C.dived | D.took |
A.experiment | B.exposure | C.evidence | D.experience |
A.simple | B.harmonious | C.royal | D.poor |
A.customs | B.hairstyles | C.clothes | D.possessions |
A.violently | B.directly | C.severely | D.hurriedly |
A.apart from | B.far from | C.absent from | D.tired from |
A.cover | B.charge | C.shelter | D.remove |
A.Urgent | B.Distinct | C.Generous | D.General |
A.trouble | B.danger | C.faith | D.silence |
5 . The Internet’s carbon footprint is as bad as air travel. While it is difficult to measure precisely, estimates place it at over two percent of global greenhouse gas emissions(排放)—the same as the air travel.
Information may appear to spread around the world unseen to our eyes, but it actually passes through enormous data centers placed strategically about the globe, which store, organize and deliver everyone’s data. These centers are extremely energy intensive. In the EU, they consume close to three percent of its total energy usage and also require lots of water to prevent their computers from overheating. In the US, about a fifth of data centers draw water from already stressed water sources.
A typical spam email(垃圾邮件)emits around 0.03g of CO2 emissions, though longer messages read on a laptop can go all the way up to 26g. Now multiply that by 333 billion(roughly the number of emails that get sent every day in 2022). That puts all those work emails into perspective. One study found if every British adult sent one less “thank you” email a day, it would save 16, 433 tons of carbon a year. It even predicted that the ICT industry could account for up to a fifth of the world’s energy consumption by 2025.
However, there are measures that we can take to reduce our digital carbon footprint. For instance, you can unsubscribe from marketing and other spam emails and only subscribe to newsletters that you still regularly read. Have regular data checks where you delete old contact lists and other documents that no longer have any use. Keep a clean inbox and delete emails you no longer need.
1. Why does the author make a comparison in the beginning?A.To present the digital carbon footprint. |
B.To emphasize the importance of air travel. |
C.To advise people not to travel by airplane. |
D.To inform the disadvantages of the Internet. |
A.It enjoys a wide popularity. |
B.It has various kinds of functions. |
C.It causes large energy consumption. |
D.It has quite a complex mode of operation. |
A.To draw the readers’ attention. |
B.To illustrate a certain information. |
C.To highlight the change of CO2 emission. |
D.To stress the importance of reducing CO2 emission. |
A.Neutral. | B.Optimistic. |
C.Unfavorable. | D.Concerned. |
6 . No matter how many times Sandy has rescued an animal, she never gets over the casual cruelty some people display toward unwanted pets. When she lost her own “angel” dog, she started Logan’s Legacy to help other pets in need.
Sandy recently received a phone call about a small dog, possibly a puppy, that had been abandoned on a street. Since she was too far to help on, she called a friend who lives nearby to get there as soon as possible. When her friend Tom arrived, he found a tiny dog curled(蜷缩)in a tight ball with the chain firmly tied to a tree. Someone had left food and water for her, but the puppy was too frightened to eat or drink. Once gathered up in a blanket and placed into the back seat of the car, she began to get weak quickly from dehydration(脱水)and exhaustion.
The moment she got some water and food, the puppy made a rapid recovery, and her lovely and sweet personality could finally shine! “We have named her CiCi,” Sandy added, “She is feeling so much better. She has been observed at my place and she is doing great. This sweet baby girl will never feel fearful again, and won’t ever be abandoned again.” After winning hearts at Sandy’s office, CiCi has been approved for adopting and will soon leave for her new life. Sandy and her fellow rescuers are trying their best to find her the perfect family to love her and treat her with the respect all living creatures deserve!
1. What did Sandy feel it hard to overcome?A.The casual humanity. | B.The cruelty of humanity. |
C.The kind human nature. | D.The weakness of kindness. |
A.She suffered a serious illness. |
B.She had nothing to eat or drink. |
C.She got lost far away from home. |
D.She was scared and in poor health. |
A.She will stop taking medicine. |
B.She will continue further treatment. |
C.She will have a perfect match for home. |
D.She will get on well with Sandy forever. |
A.A Warm Home for CiCi |
B.Dog Saved Heart Fulfilled |
C.A Terrible Experience of CiCi |
D.Saving Dogs Saving Themselves |
7 . The tea that has delighted and fascinated the world for thousands of years has finally received top-level global recognition as a shared cultural treasure of mankind. China’s traditional tea-making was added on Tuesday to the intangible cultural heritage list of UNESCO.
The traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China consist of knowledge, skills and practices concerning the management of tea plantations, picking of tea leaves, manual(手工的)processing, drinking and sharing of tea. Since ancient times, Chinese people have been planting, picking, making and drinking tea. Tea producers have developed six categories of tea: green, yellow, dark, white, oolong and black teas. Together with reprocessed teas, such as flower-scented teas, there are over 2, 000 tea products in China.
Tea-related customs are not only found across the country, but also influence the rest of the world through the ancient Silk Road and trade routes. Tea is ubiquitous in Chinese people’s daily life, as steeped(浸泡)or boiled tea is served in families, workplaces, tea houses, restaurants and temples, etc. It is also an important part of socialization and ceremonies such as weddings and sacrifices. The practice of greeting guests and building relationships within families and among neighbors through tea- related activities is common to multiple ethnic groups, providing a sense of shared identity and continuity for the communities.
In China, 44 registered national-level intangible cultural heritage entries are related to tea. There are over 40 vocational colleges and 80 universities that have set up majors in tea science or tea culture, resulting in over 3,000 graduates specializing in tea production and art every year, according to the ministry.
China now has 43 items on the intangible cultural heritage list, continuing to be the most enlisted country in the world.
1. What can be learnt from the passage?A.Chinese producers developed 44 categories of tea. |
B.Tea is quite popular with people all over the country. |
C.More than 2,000 tea products could be found in China. |
D.There’ re about 300 graduates specializing in tea production every year. |
A.rare | B.common | C.temporary | D.available |
A.By listing figures. | B.By making definitions. |
C.By giving examples. | D.By making comparisons. |
A.A textbook. | B.A travel journal. |
C.A story book. | D.A cultural magazine. |
8 . If you want to fill your shelves with the best books of all time, you’re in the right place.
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (1974)
The imagination of Shel Silverstein is on full display in this classic collection of short stories and poems. The book is truly one of the best poetry books of all time because of its staying power for children. The stories of this American poet, author, singer and folk artist have something for everyone.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1878)
Most critics regard it as one of the most typical literary love stories. The author’s Russian tale of unfortunate lovers is filled with fascinating quotes like, “He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking.” This one belongs on any book collector’s shelf.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1943)
It is a timeless tale of a prince’s journey in search of adventure. What he finds, however, are interactions with adults who leave him so upset. It’s one of the most appealing short books we’ve ever read and also one of the most widely read children’s classics all over the world.
The Shining by Stephen King (1977)
The master of mystery must be included in any list of books you should read in a lifetime. That’s why you will find it here. Horror fans take note: This is one of the scariest and best Stephen King books of all time.
1. In which book can we read about unfortunate lovers?A.Anna Karenina. | B.The Shining. |
C.The Little Prince. | D.Where the Sidewalk Ends. |
A.Shel Silverstein. | B.Stephen King. |
C.Antoine de Saint-Exupery. | D.Leo Tolstoy. |
A.They are both novels. |
B.They are both for children. |
C.They are both about adults. |
D.They were both written in the 1970s. |
9 . One day, 12-year-old Sean Redden surfed the Internet and went to a popular chat room. Just as he was about to be offline, he saw a name he’d never seen there before, Susan. Her brief message was “Would someone help me?”
Sean typed back, “What’s wrong?” A moment later he received this message, “I can’t breathe. Help me! I can’t get out of my chair.”
Oh, man, Sean thought. Pretending to be paralyzed (瘫痪) was a bad joke. Then he wondered what if she really is sick? “Hey. Mom.” he called. “There’s a kid here who’s sick or something.” Sharon looked at the computer screen. “It’s not just some game, is it?” she asked.
The message was not a joke. Susan was actually a 20-year-old student, working late at night at a college library near Helsinki, Finland - almost 7,000 miles away from Sean’s home in Texas. While searching the Internet, she began to feel terrible pain all through her body. The library was silent and empty. The nearest phone was outside in the hallway. She couldn’t move that far. Any movement caused the pain to get worse. Then she realized she might get help on the Internet.
“I don’t think it’s a joke, Mom, “Sean said. And he typed, “Where are you?” After a long while, the letters appeared, “Finland.” Sean and Sharon couldn’t believe it. Not knowing what else to do, Sharon called the local police.
Sharon explained the situation to the officer Amy Schmidt. Schmidt told Sharon to try to get the sick girl’s phone number. Texas police called the international telephone operator and asked to be connected to the proper agency (机构) in Finland. The call was put through to a nearby rescue station. The Texas police gave Susan’s address to the Finnish operator. When Sean heard that, he typed, “Help is on the way.”
In a few minutes, Susan heard people running down the hallway outside the door. Suddenly, the door opened. Emergency workers and three policemen ran in. Susan turned once more to the computer, “They are here. Thanks. Bye-bye.”
Four days later, the police in Texas received a message from officers in Finland: “Thanks to her Internet friend. Susan has received medical treatment she badly needed. She is doing well.”
1. What happened when Sean was about to get offline?A.His computer broke down. |
B.A piece of online news attracted him. |
C.He came across a friend in the chat room. |
D.He noticed an unfamiliar name. |
A.She fell down on the ground. |
B.She was too sick to move |
C.She lost her phone. |
D.She was locked in the library. |
A.They reported to the Texas police. |
B.They called the rescue station in Finland. |
C.They asked for help online |
D.They sent messages to Susan’s friend. |
A.Making Friends Onlines |
B.Police Officer’s Act of Kindnes |
C.Help on the Way |
D.Help on the Internet |
10 . As you grow older, you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions like whether to cut class or try cigarettes (香烟). Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when other people take part in and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder. People who are your age, like your classmates, are called peers (同龄人). When they try to influence how you act, to get you to do something, it’s called peer pressure.
Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system (太阳系). Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone’s reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other.
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them. Your soccer friend might try to convince (使信服) you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball.
It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.
You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely.” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who don’t cut class, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably won’t do these things either, even if other kids do.
If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to deal with, talk to someone you trust. Don’t feel guilty (内疚) if you’ve made a mistake or two.
1. For whom is the passage most probably written?A.Teachers. | B.Parents. | C.Students. | D.Doctors. |
A.by space | B.by time | C.by stories | D.by examples |
A.Taking up more relaxing hobbies. |
B.Helping others who are in trouble. |
C.Spending more time with classmates. |
D.Choosing friends with no bad habits. |
A.Friendship | B.Self-confidence |
C.Peer pressure | D.Making decisions |