1 . China has set new rules limiting the amount of time children can play online games. The rules limit children to just three hours of online game playing a week. That is one hour between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday most weeks.
Li Zhanguo has two children aged 4 and 8. Even though they do not have smartphones, they enjoy playing online games. Like many other parents. Li is happy with new government rules. But experts say it is unclear if such policies can help prevent addiction to online games. Children might just get addicted to social media instead. In the end, experts say, parents should be the ones to set limits and support good practice.
There has been a growing concern in China about gaming addiction among children. Government reports in 2018 found that about one in ten Chinese children were addicted to the Internet. The new rules are part of an effort to prevent young people from spending too much time on unhealthy entertainment. That includes what officials call the “irrational fan culture”
Under the new rules, the responsibility for making sure children play only three hours a day as largely on Chinese gaming companies like Net Ease and Ten cent. Companies have set up real-name registration systems to prevent young users from going past game time limits. They have used facial recognition technology to check their identities. And they have also set up a program that permits people to report what is against the law. It is unclear what punishments gaming companies may face if they do not carry out the policies. And even if such policies are performed, it is also unclear whether they can prevent online addiction.
A specialist treating Internet addiction expects about 20 percent of children will find ways to break the rules by borrowing accounts of their older relatives and find a way around facial recognition. In his opinion, short-video alps such as Douyin and Kuaishou are also very popular in China. They are not under the same restrictions as games.
1. When can children play games according to the new rules?| A．Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Friday. | B．Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Tuesday. |
| C．Between 10 p. m. and 11 p. m. On Saturday. | D．Between 10 p. m. and all p. m. On Thursday. |
| A．the new rules can stop children’s addiction to social media |
| B．companies are more responsible for kids ‘ obeying the rules |
| C．the new rules will help prevent children playing online games |
| D．parents play a greater part in limiting the time of online games |
| A．Design an advanced program. | B．Use facial recognition systems. |
| C．Set up real-name registration systems. | D．Borrow accounts of their older relatives. |
| A．Rules Limiting Short-video alps | B．Rules Limiting Video Game Time |
| C．Rules Banning Irrational Fan Culture | D．Rules Breaking Addition to Social Media |
2 . It is common to see most live streamers (主播) sitting in front of a desk in a well-decorated room. But Zeng Qinghuan, a 30-year-old from Xinhua County in Loudi, Hunan, has turned her whole village into alive streaming set. Her goal is to use e-commerce to help her people live a better life.
Known as “Xiangmei Xinbao” on Douyin, Zeng now has more than 3 million followers. One of her videos about traditional ways of planting and harvesting rice has attracted more than 300,000 followers.
At the beginning, she didn’t make any money. Zeng’s parents didn’t agree with her decision until she could stand on her own feet and help people sell their products. She has now sold local agricultural products worth tens of millions of yuan, like fermented tofu, preserved pork and dried sweet potatoes.
“I’m a daughter of the great mountains. I can also be a contributor to rural development in this new times,” she said.
Zeng hopes her experience can encourage more young people to return to their rural hometowns and start their own businesses. In 2021, after she became a representative of the Loudi Municipal People’s Congress, she put forward a proposal to ensure that “each village has one product and one live streaming host of its own”, she plans to help develop 100 social media influencers from her county within three years, and two villages have taken part in the project. “I believe that the rural areas will become a big stage, and being a farmer will be seen as a respectable job too,” said Zeng.
1. Which aspect does Zeng’s video on Douyin attract people a lot?| A．Fashion trends in her village. | B．The frozen food in her hometown. |
| C．Traditional customs of her village. | D．The typical farming of her hometown. |
| A．Because Zeng had a well-decorated room. |
| B．Because Zeng became well-known on website. |
| C．Because Zeng had many followers and earned much money. |
| D．Because Zeng could make a living by herself and serve the village. |
| A．Responsible and lovely. | B．Down-to-earth and ambitious. |
| C．Caring and fashionable. | D．Gifted and rich. |
| A．Invite more young people to her hometown. |
| B．Expand her business to make more money. |
| C．Train more social media influencers in her county. |
| D．Produce more agricultural products to help the farmers. |
3 . A year back I received a full scholarship to attend the University of San Francisco. All of my hard work had paid off. My mom had spent a lot in my attending a private high school, so I made sure to push myself: I volunteered, joined different clubs, and graduated with honors.
I was so excited to start a new life. I had totally packed two weeks and wanted to go to college at once before it was time to leave.
Soon enough, the big day came, but it wasn’t like what I had thought. The first two weeks were the most difficult days of my entire life. Every night I would cry myself to sleep.
I was so homesick (想家) and I didn’t know how to deal with my broken heart. To distract myself, I threw myself into my studies and I applied for a lot of jobs. In any remaining free time, I started forcing myself to the gym. I wanted to keep every part of my day busy so I wouldn’t think how lonely I felt.
Soon after, I began to limit food, and then I became worse. Finally, I went to see a doctor. When the doctor weighed me, I was crazy about the number of my weight. So I continued to lower my goal, and convinced that controlling this number was the solution to my homesickness. But when I was told that I had no choice but to spend time on my studies. I quickly started recovery in my mind.
How could I do? I told myself that school was what I was best at. I decided to get rid of my homesickness and took exercise actively. My first term of college had passed by at last and I had gotten straight A’s. That’s why I want to share my story—to help other students feel less lonely.
1. How was the author during the two weeks before she left for the college?| A．She was as normal as before. |
| B．She couldn’t wait to leave for the college. |
| C．She was afraid to leave her home. |
| D．She didn’t enjoy her mother’s company. |
| A．Her weight. | B．Her diet. |
| C．Her homesickness. | D．Her bad study habit. |
| A．achieve my dream | B．earn money by myself |
| C．improve my studies | D．take my attention away |
| A．To look back at her past middle school life. |
| B．To help girls to lose weight. |
| C．To help lonely college students. |
| D．To increase her own confidence. |
4 . Ellen Parker was worried about her health. She could not walk very quickly and it was difficult for her to climb stairs. She was soon out of breath. “I suppose I had better go to the doctor,” she thought. She went to the doctor and told him her problem.
“I’m not at all surprised, ” he said. “It’s clear what your problem is.”
He examined her and then gave her some advice.
“If you don’t do what I say, Mrs. Parker,” he said, “you will have a heart attack. It could kill you.” Ellen was very worried as she left the doctor’s. She knew that she had to take his advice but that it would not be easy and it would take time.
The next day she went shopping. The first shop she went into was a butcher’s shop (肉铺).
“I’d like ten pounds of steak (牛排), please,” she said.
“Certainly, madam,” the butcher replied and went into the cold room and found a large piece of steak. He brought the huge piece of meat back into the shop and placed it on the scale (秤).
“That’s just under ten pounds,” he said.
“That’s big enough,” Mrs. Parker said.
The butcher worked out the price. “At ＄4. 99 a pound. That will be ＄49.50, please. Would you like me to cut it up into smaller pieces for you?”
“Oh, I don’t want to buy the meat,” Mrs. Parker said.
“If you don’t want to buy it,” the butcher replied angrily, “why did you ask me to get it for you?”
“My doctor told me that I am overweight and have to lose ten pounds. I wanted to see what ten pounds of flesh looked like.”
1. The reason why Ellen Parker visited the doctor is that________.| A．she had had a heart attack. | B．she had a problem with her health. |
| C．she was unhappy about her weight. | D．she could not sleep well. |
| A．she wanted to buy some for dinner. | B．she wanted to lose weight. |
| C．her doctor had told her to eat steak. | D．she wanted to see what ten pounds of meat looked like. |
| A．She ate too much steak. | B．She weighed too much. |
| C．The doctor did not know. | D．She could not walk very quickly. |
5 . A man named Randy liked to look for big trees and old trees. He made maps to show where these trees were. He did not want to cut them down. He wanted people to take care of them.
Randy was told that there was a very tall tree on Vancouver Island. The tree was said to be 314 feet tall. That would make it the tallest tree in Canada. Randy started to find the tree.
But someone else found it first. It was found by a logger (伐木工). Loggers wanted to cut down Canada’s tallest tree and all the trees around it.
Randy made a path in the forest so people could see the tallest tree. The tree was so big and beautiful that it would bring them enjoyment. More and more people wanted to save that forest. Thanks to these people, that forest is now a park. Canada’s tallest tree is still there.
1. Why did Randy make maps of big trees and old trees?| A．To carry out his duty carefully. | B．To avoid getting lost in forests. |
| C．To show where these trees were. | D．To get information for selling them. |
| A．Take care of it. | B．Cut it down. |
| C．Take pictures of it. | D．Make it famous. |
| A．To help people cut it. | B．To help people see it. |
| C．To help people water it. | D．To help people move it. |
| A．It is now a park. | B．People burned it down. |
| C．It will disappear soon. | D．People lost interest in it. |
6 . Mosquitoes are one of the few unpleasant parts of summer. As the temperature rises, these disease-carrying pests become a common sight, especially around standing water. Thankfully, these tiny annoying creatures don’t follow us into the winter, right? Wrong. According to researchers in Florida, climate change will likely keep mosquitoes active even in the colder months of the year. “In tropical (热带的) areas, mosquitoes are active all year, but that isn’t the case for the rest of the world. Outside of the tropics, winter temperatures cause mosquitoes to go into a kind of hibernation called diapause (滞育). We call these mosquitoes ‘cold bounded’ because their activity is limited by these lower temperatures,” says Brett Scheffers, assistant professor in the wildlife eco logy and conservation department, in a university release.
“However, with climate change, summers are to get longer and winters are to become shorter and warmer. What will that mean for those cold bounded mosquitoes? How will they respond?” To see just how adaptive mosquitoes are already becoming to changing temperatures throughout the year, researchers collected these insects during each season in Gainesville, Florida.
Study authors caught over 28,000 insects from 18 different mosquito species during their experiment. Scientists lured the pests by using a trap that produces carbon dioxide. Mosquitoes seek out this gas, which both humans and animals blow out when they breathe. For these pests, the gas signals that a tasty meal is nearby. The team randomly selected 1,000 of these mosquitoes to test in their lab temperature experiment. They placed each insect in a test tube before putting it in water. From there, researchers continued to change the temperature, from cold to hot. At the same time, the team monitored when each mosquito became inactive—marking their upper or lower temperature thresholds (阈点).
As for what is allowing mosquitoes to make these rapid adjustments to the weather, the answer is still unclear. However, researchers believe evolution could be working at a much faster rate in tinier creatures. Study authors believe their findings will help communities better prepare for insect season as climate change continues to lengthen summer.
1. What does Brett Scheffers think of those cold bounded mosquitoes’ behaviors?| A．Less active. | B．More alarming. | C．More annoying. | D．Less consistent. |
| A．To find out why summer gets longer. |
| B．To see how mosquitoes spread in tropical areas. |
| C．To learn how mosquitoes are adapting to climate change. |
| D．To learn why climate change is related to species evolution. |
| A．Killed. | B．Attracted. | C．Changed. | D．Protected. |
| A．Cold bounded mosquitoes are easily trapped |
| B．Wildlife ecology helps better prepare for insect season |
| C．Mosquitoes will be a year-long problem due to climate change |
| D．The cause of mosquitoes’ rapid adjustments to the weather is clear |
7 . Welcome to Santa Cruz County. It is home to rough coastline and it’s the main destination for many hiking adventurers!
California King Tides Are Coming!
California King Tides are coming back to Santa Cruz County, and this season you have even more opportunities to enjoy these impressive tides! These naturally occurring and predictable events are when the highest and lowest tides hit our shores and create an even more dramatic coastline.
Winter Wildlife Getaway!
This season marks the start of the best wildlife watching on the California coast! Migrating whales and many special birds make December and January the perfect time for a wildlife adventure.
Magic Monarch Butterfly!
In Santa Cruz, we like to celebrate all creatures great and small, especially those of the migrating variety. On one hand, we are attracted by the sight of a whale surfaceing from the depths of the sea and, on the other hand, we delight in the attractive magic of a flying monarch butterfly.
County Shores!
Explore Santa Cruz County shores, and you’ll delight in rock y tide pools full of unique sea creatures. While exploring local tide pools, remember to have respect for your surroundings.
Care & Safety
Never turn your back on the ocean. Sleeper waves are a real phenomenon, and can sweep you away at any time.
We know how wonderful it might be to touch a plant or catch a fish from its waters, but disrupting tide pool life harms its inhabitants. Even if you think you’re saving a fish that appears to be pushed out of water, it’s best to leave it be. The tide will finally return it.
1. What are California King Tides like?| A．Unpredictable. | B．Splendid. | C．Ordinary. | D．Destructive. |
| A．Spring. | B．Summer. | C．Autumn. | D．Winter. |
| A．Handle them gently. | B．Catch them immediately. |
| C．Leave them where they are. | D．Take them back to the ocean. |
8 . Some Strangest Festivals From Around The World
Through the years, people have found many ways to celebrate important occasions in their lives. If you’re looking for an interesting and off-the-beaten-path travel place, here are some most wonderful and unusual festivals from around the world.
Boryeong Annual Mud Festival, Boryeong rock
This festival takes place at the beach, with much mud (泥巴) resource from the sea. At this festival, people take part in a number of activities involving (涉及) mud, which not only brings back happy childhood memories but is good for the skin.
World Body-painting Festival, Pörtschach, Austria
This entire festival is not strange because of the activities that occur (发生) during it, but because of the way people look when it’s over. During this time, artists worldwide flood in and hold live body-painting activities. They are painting creative designs on willing participants (参与者).
Underwater Music Festival, Florida, America
Rather than being held at a typical concert hall, the underwater Music Festival takes place on the seabed. This special custom is unlike any others because it featured musicians playing music below water level. 100 feet deep in clear water, talented musicians wear diving (潜水) equipment, performing free concerts for sea creatures and humans alike.
Battle of the orange, Ivrea, Italy
This Italian town hosts one of the most unusual festivals. Each year in February, a battle (战斗) takes place among thousands of participants who have to throw orange at each other during a 30-minute fight. The aim is to try and knock down other participants by attacking them with oranges so that they cannot stand any longer.
1. What can tourists do at the Boryeong Annual Mud Festival?| A．Experience mud bath. | B．Join in fights with oranges. |
| C．Have their faces painted. | D．Enjoy live music underwater. |
| A．Battle of the oranges. | B．Underwater Music Festival. |
| C．World Body-painting Festival. | D．Boryeong Annual Mud Festival. |
| A．Lions. | B．Dolphins. | C．Elephants. | D．Pandas. |
9 . Several months ago, a tornado fiercely hit our city without any signs before. We hadn’t
Never did I imagine that we would put our regular
I couldn’t
Because of the tornado, I realized that my job as a teacher meant a lot. Behind every well-behaved students are a long line of teachers who have made it their life’s
| A．paid | B．searched | C．accounted | D．prepared |
| A．agency | B．education | C．emergency | D．selection |
| A．suddenly | B．finally | C．secretly | D．immediately |
| A．games | B．trainings | C．languages | D．saving |
| A．mixed up | B．stood out | C．lined up | D．spoken out |
| A．fear | B．anger | C．shame | D．shock |
| A．encounter | B．comfort | C．satisfy | D．praise |
| A．problem | B．result | C．success | D．reason |
| A．hate | B．expect | C．see | D．approach |
| A．simple | B．ideal | C．scary | D．strange |
| A．follow | B．provide | C．repeat | D．change |
| A．fortunate | B．honest | C．confident | D．brave |
| A．trust | B．pride | C．interest | D．growth |
| A．reward | B．power | C．wisdom | D．goal |
| A．chances | B．challenges | C．adventures | D．discussions |
10 . A famous magazine, Amusement Today, does a survey among park lovers every year both in the US and overseas, based on which, “Top 5 List of the Best Amusement Parks in the World” has come out as follows:
Disneyland, California
Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California, the US. More than 515 million guests have traveled to this American landmark from around the world since the park first opened to guests on July 17, 1955. The park consists of many world-famous sections, such as Main Street, Adventure land, New Orleans Square, and so on.
Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida
Magic Kingdom is a theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando opened on October 1, 1971. It is the most famous theme park in Florida. The park’s design and attractions don’t make much difference from Disneyland Park in Anaheim.
EPCOT, Disney World, Florida
EPCOT is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The park opened on October 1, 1982, and was named EPCOT Center from 1982 to 1993. It was the largest Disney theme park in the world until 1998, when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened.
DisneyMGM Studios, Florida
MGM’s streets are the home for some great moviethemed attractions with a history of less than 30 years. With the addition of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coaster, the park is now home to Disney World’s most thrilling rides.
Universal Studios, Florida
Go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and jump right into the action of your favorite movies at Universal Studios, the number one movie and TV theme park in the world.
1. Which of the following theme parks have similar attractions?| A．Disneyland & Magic Kingdom. |
| B．Disneyland & Universal Studios. |
| C．EPCOT & DisneyMGM Studios. |
| D．Magic Kingdom & Universal Studios. |
| A．Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida. |
| B．DisneyMGM Studios, Florida. |
| C．EPCOT, Disney World, Florida. |
| D．Disneyland, California. |
| A．To attract tourists to these theme parks. |
| B．To increase the sales of Amusement Today. |
| C．To introduce world’s best amusement parks. |
| D．To compare attractions in different theme parks. |
