1 . A woman held her phone tightly to her heart the way a church-goer might hold a Bible. She was anxious to take a picture of an impressive bunch of flowers that sat not so far away, but first she had to get through a crowd of others pushing their way to do the same. The cause of this was Bouquets to Art, one of the most popular events at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
Flower sellers were asked to create flower arrangements that respond to pieces of art on display, from ancient carvings to contemporary sculptures. It’s extremely attractive and also memorable, to the point that it has become a problem.
In recent years, the de Young received more than a thousand complaints from people who felt that cell phones had spoiled their experience of the exhibit. Institutions of fine art around the world face similar problems as the desire to take photographs becomes a huge attraction for museums, as well as something that upsets some of their patrons (资助人). So the de Young responded with a kind of compromise:carving out “photo free” hours during the exhibition’s six-day run.
One common complaint about the effect of social media on museum culture is that people seem to be missing out on experiences because they are so busy collecting evidence of them. A study recently published in the journal Psychological Science suggests there is some truth to this. It finds that people who keep taking photos of an exhibit and posting them on social media rather than simply observing it, have a hard time remembering what they see. But the issue is complex for the professionals running museums. Linda Butler, the de Young’s head of marketing and visitor experience, acknowledges that not everyone wants a museum to be“a photo-taking playland”. Yet a lot of people do and she believes that the de Young is in no position to judge one reason for buying a $ 28 ticket to be more valid than another. “If we removed social media and photography,” she says. “We would risk becoming irrelevant.”
1. What was the woman eager to do according to Paragraph 1?| A．To get her phone. | B．To escape the crowd. |
| C．To take a photo. | D．To push ahead. |
| A．By setting periods without photo-taking. |
| B．By making the exhibition free of charge. |
| C．By compromising with the government. |
| D．By extending the free exhibition hours. |
| A．uncover the truth | B．cause irrelevancy |
| C．bring more pleasure | D．play a negative role |
| A．Reducing admission prices. |
| B．Catering to visitors. |
| C．Reserving judgement in public. |
| D．Banning social media and photography. |
2 . Face masks and protective suits can save lives. But what happens after people are done using them? Binish Desai, the founder of Eco-Eclectic Technologies from Western India, saw the impact brought by the rising use and demand for single-use masks and kits due to the coronations pandemic (冠状病毒流行病), so he created Brick 2. 0 to prevent tons of single-use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from being waste and ending up in landfills or water streams.
Although PPE is essential for medical use, it is extremely necessary to assess new alternatives and to raise awareness regarding its proper use and disposal (处理). A study published by the American Chemical Society suggests that 129 billion face masks are used monthly during the coronations pandemic, which causes great environmental pollution. In India alone, over 18, 000 British tons of coronations-related biomedical waste was generated in just four months between June and September. The waste would take hundreds of years break down, according to the magazine Waste Advantage.
Brick 2. 0 is a new version of the brick made from industrial waste, now also including used face masks and protective suits. The process starts with the collection of PPE waste through garbage cans placed in small shops and apartment buildings, with easy access for people to throw away their used items. Once in the factory, the collections are kept for 72 hours for safety reasons. Then they are cleaned and torn into pieces before being mixed with other waste. Finally, the material is shaped, and once dry, each brick is ready to use. It is three times stronger than conventional bricks at twice the size and half the price.
In a complex circumstance like the one we are living in these days, this solution is not only relatively easy to operate, but also very achievable in the short term, which can really help overcome today's global environmental challenges.
1. Why did Desai create Brick 2.0?| A．To recycle the PPE waste. |
| B．To reduce production cost. |
| C．To protect water recourse. |
| D．To prevent serious disease. |
| A．The study lacks sufficient evidence. |
| B．The pandemic is difficult to control. |
| C．The demand for face masks is in decline. |
| D．The environment is facing severe challenges. |
| A．Its function. |
| B．Its advantage. |
| C．Its main characteristic. |
| D．Its production process. |
| A．Innovation never ends |
| B．Environmental issues count |
| C．Transform waste into treasure |
| D．Defend your life with face masks |
3 . 1. Scenic landscapes on stamps: A nine-day tour in the cities of Xuzhou,Suqian and Huai'an in northern Jiangsu province.
This route is associated with local culture, characteristics, and creativity. It offers a taste of the famous canal cities.
2.Life on the Grand Canal: A seven-day Jiangsu tour through the cities of Nanjing, Suqian, Huai'an,Yangzhou and Suzhou.
This route presents the most authentic, economic, cultural and entertainment-focused activities along the canal from both ancient and modern times.I allows visitors to ride in boats and observe local fishermen fishing.
3.Food,culture,leisure and health;Seven-day experience of local life in Zhenjiang Changzhou,Wuxi and Suzhou
To increase tourists’ interest in the traditional culture and crafts of Jiangsu, the route will include pottery,embroidery(刺绣), paper-cutting, cooking and other hands-on experiences. It includes scenic spots along the Beijing-Hangzhou Gran Canal, ancient water towns, historical streets and ancient fishing villages.Visitors can join in the recreational farmhouse experience and pick up both fruits and vegetables
4．A walk into history: Six-day tour in Xuzhou, Suqian,Huai’an,Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, Changzhou and Wuxi
The Beiing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the entire province and has been a part of Jiangsu's culture for thousands of years. Inspired by the canal, the route includes historical cities Xuzhou, Suqian, Huai'an,Yangzhou along with Zheniang Changzhou and Wuxi.
1. Which of the following do the four travel routes share?| A．A time duration of less than a week. |
| B．Ancient towns in southern Jiangsu. |
| C．The Grand Canal. |
| D．The city of Suqian. |
| A．Route 1 | B．Route 2 | C．Route 3 | D．Route 4. |
| A．Rowing a boat. | B．Trying on paper-cutting. |
| C．Growing vegetables. | D．Fishing with local villagers. |
4 . A report revealed that about 85% of the working mothers surveyed felt that their parenthood had affected their career “in a significant way”. Over 30% of them said that they went through a “long period of mental distress” before announcing their pregnancy at work, and 35% said their bosses immediately started looking for their replacements after learning about their pregnancy.
While Chinese women may no longer sacrifice their careers for their husbands, they are still expected to do so for their children. The study found that nearly half of the mothers left the labor force for at least one year after giving birth, among whom roughly 20% ended up becoming stay-at-home moms. When asked about the impact of motherhood on their identities and life goals, nearly 35% said that the most profound change was how they started to balance between family and work.
The adjustment, however, is not always by choice. Responding to a question about the distribution of child¬care labor in their home, almost 40% of the working mothers said that their husbands basically spent no time on parenting.” Moreover, over half of the husbands didn't use up their paternity leave(陪产假), whereas about 21 percent never took it at all.
Another key finding from the survey was that although it's illegal for Chinese companies to ask a woman about family plans, many employers still do. The unlawful yet prevalent practice has been a main factor influencing women's decisions about timing of motherhood. The survey showed that about 40% of the childless respondents delayed parenthood because of “the time it would take,” which they thought would have a negative impact on their promotion opportunities.
In theory, there has never been a better time than now for working mothers in China to shine. Faced with an aging population and shrinking workforce, Chinese officials encourage Chinese women to have babies while working at the same time.
1. What can be concluded from the first paragraph?| A．Some women choose to hide their pregnancy. |
| B．Pregnant working women will be replaced immediately. |
| C．Half of working mothers go through long-term depression. |
| D．Most working mothers are significantly affected by parenthood. |
| A．To help their husbands' career. |
| B．To become stay-at-home moms. |
| C．To sacrifice their careers for their children. |
| D．To be successful both at home and in company. |
| A．common | B．obvious | C．embarrassing | D．potential |
| A．Women have greater pressure than men. |
| B．Pregnancy and motherhood affect working women. |
| C．Balance between work and family is unavailable. |
| D．Working moms have less promotion opportunities. |
5 . For 21-year-old Malhar Kalambe, weekends are not about hanging out with friends. Instead, they have a different mission — cleaning the Datar Beach. Collectively， they have made such a huge difference to the beach that the United Nations has recognized their contributions.
“Actually the idea stemmed from my vacation to Bali, the clean beach leaving a great impression on me. After returning, I found our beaches in shambles. During a conversation with my mother, I was complaining about how bad our beaches are compared to beaches in Bali, and my mother just said, 'Don't complain, if you care, just go and clean. ? and thus 'Beach Please'," Malhar said. “It began on September 10, 2017 and since then cleaning the garbage on the beach has become a weekend routine. Currently, there are 25 odd volunteers spending our weekends cleaning the beach.”
After cleaning the beach for months, Malhar and his friends realized that it was of a little help and there is no end to this. They needed to contain the source which dumps garbage in the ocean. They found that the Mithi River is being used to dump the industrial waste, construction waste and even domestic waste into the ocean and they decided to also clean the river. Now on Saturday, they clean the Mithi River and on Sunday, they focus on the Datar Beach. In order to make a sustainable （可持续的）difference, they must make people understand that they have to stop dumping garbage into any source. “Awareness, recycling and cleaning up are three steps which can bring a change. I hope people realize it's their duty to keep their surroundings as well as the ocean clean,“ Malhar added.
1. What does the underlined phrase “in shambles” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Damp. | B．Messy. | C．Crowded. | D．Abandoned. |
| A．He likes hanging out with his friends. | B．He encourages his mother to join him. |
| C．He volunteers to clean the Datar Beach. | D．He complains his vacation to Bali to his friends. |
| A．Recycling most of domestic waste. |
| B．Calling for people to make a green trip. |
| C．Raising people's awareness of protecting the ocean. |
| D．Seeking for the source of the ocean pollution. |
| A．Sympathetic. | B．Considerate. | C．Outgoing. | D．Responsible. |
6 . Imagine reading a story titled “Pursuing Success.” That would be an inspiring story, wouldn’t it? Maybe—but maybe not. It might well be the story of someone whose never-ending chase for more and more success leaves them unsatisfied and incapable of happiness.
Though it isn’t a conventional medical addiction, for many people success has addictive properties. Obviously, success goes with praise. To a certain extent, praise stimulates the neurotransmitter dopamine, which contributes to all addictive behaviors.
The desire for success may be in humans’ nature, but specialness doesn’t come cheap. Success is tough work, and it requires bearing the cost of losing. In the 1980s, the physician Robert Goldman famously found that more than half of ambitious athletes would be willing to take a drug that would kill them in five years in exchange for winning every competition they entered.
Unfortunately, success is endless. The goal can’t be satisfied; most people never feel “successful enough.” The high only lasts a day or two, and then it’s on to the next goal. Psychologists call this the hedonic treadmill, in which satisfaction wears off almost immediately and we must run on to the next reward to avoid the feeling of falling behind.
People should get off the treadmill. But quitting isn’t easy for addicts. For people hooked on substances, withdrawal can be a painful experience, both physically and psychologically, research finds that depression and anxiety are common among outstanding athletes after their careers end. Olympic athletes, in particular, suffer from the “post-Olympic blues.”
Just like wine, success in and of itself is not a bad thing. Both can bring fun and sweetness to life. But both become bossy when they are a substitute for—instead of a complement to — the relationships and love that should be at the center of our lives.
1. What can be inferred from the first two paragraphs?| A．Success doesn’t always bring positive results. |
| B．A traditional medical addiction leads to success. |
| C．The passion for constant success is rarely praised. |
| D．Success addiction has already drawn wide attention. |
| A．To argue that athletes deserve more rewards. |
| B．To illustrate success is a tough and cruel job. |
| C．To describe the routine training of an ordinary athlete. |
| D．To express his opinion on success: no pains, no gains. |
| A．Satisfaction and a sense of pride | B．Confidence and lifelong happiness |
| C．Anxiety and short-lived happiness | D．Relaxation and endless motivation |
| A．Stop chasing success | B．Give up love and relationships |
| C．Chase success at any cost | D．Reflect on what matters in life. |
7 . How many phone numbers can you remember by heart? It’s probably fewer than you would like. Actually, you are not alone. Out of more than 1,000 Americans who were surveyed, more than half said that they couldn’t recall the phone numbers of their friends and neighbors. In their eyes, there is no point in filling their heads with phone numbers if they are all stored in smart phones that are with them almost all the time.
In fact, most people are suffering from a sort of digital amnesia(健忘). more than 90% of those surveyed agreed that they used the Internet as an online of their brains. Rote memorization(死记硬背) was once an important part of modern education, but we just need a click or slide now. That’s making us worse at remembering things.
Researchers found that when people expected to use the information online, they were less likely to remember actual facts, but more likely to remember how to find them. As a result, we are already becoming ones with our computer tools, growing into interconnected systems that remember less by knowing information than by knowing where the information can be found.
However, some believe it isn’t necessarily a bad thing--maybe it gives them more chances to think through things. We certainly acquire more knowledge now than ever, even if it isn’t all stored in our brains.
Even so, I still believe that there are more risks to this new world of memory beyond losing our ability to recall some information such as who the 15th President was. That kind of information may always be a click away, but the important things are personal ones, like the way your parents smiled at your wedding. It’s harder to recall or find online. If you’re relying on yourself to keep track of those memories, they will be much more meaningful.
1. Paragraph 1 is mainly used to _______.| A．serve as the background | B．introduce the topic |
| C．explain new research | D．show some data to readers |
| A．Dealing with too many things | B．Seldom thinking about questions |
| C．Relying on the internet too much | D．The changes of their memories. |
| A．over 90% people are suffering from digital amnesia |
| B．people can gain knowledge more easily than before |
| C．rote memorization no longer exists in modern life |
| D．People find it hard to remember how to find information |
| A．Worried | B．Optimistic |
| C．Disappointed | D．Confident |
8 . Welcome to the Sydney Opera House
Ticket Info and Guided Tours
Visitors can enjoy the Sydney Opera House foyer for free, but for a more insightful visit, you'll need to book a tour.
There are several different ways to experience the Sydney Opera House, and multiple tours are available including back-stage passes and walking tours.
Tour Type Adult （AUD $ ） Child
Guided Walking Tour $ 42 $ 22
Guided Walking Tour + Dinner $ 73 $ 52
Guided Walking Tour + Tasting Plate $ 82.20 $ 64. 80
Backstage Tour $ 175 $ 175
Opening Hours and the Best Time to Visit
The Sydney Opera House is open year-round with the following opening hours：
● Monday—Saturday ： 9am—8 ： 30pm
●Sunday： 9am—5pm
As for the best time of day, it's recommended to book the earliest Sydney Opera House tour of the day to beat the crowds. To enjoy sunny weather with fewer crowds, try visiting in the shoulder season (October, November, February, or March )
Points of Interest
●The Steps
Before entering the Opera House, take a picture of the building from the steps outside.
●The Sails
Step beneath the sails on a guided tour and enjoy harbor front views.
●The Concert Hall
The Concert Hall is the largest venue with seats for more than 2000 people. It features contemporary live music shows and highly -regarded orchestral (管弦乐的)performances. It is also here that you will find the world's largest mechanical tracker-action pipe organ.
● Opera Bar
After your tour, head to the Opera Bar for a bite to eat or drink in the sun.
● Badu Gili
Badu Gili, which is ‘water light’ in the language of the Gadigal people-takes place most evenings after sunset at 9pm, 9：30pm, and 10pm. The seven-minute display is free to view.
1. How much will a guided walking tour for two adults cost?| A．$ 64. | B．$ 84. | C．$ 128, | D．$ 168. |
| A．9：30 am, a Monday in February. | B．10：00 am, a Sunday in December. |
| C．5：00 pm, a Friday in September. | D．6：00 pm, a Saturday in March. |
| A．A local language. | B．A pipe organ. | C．A light show. | D．A dinning area. |
9 . There is such a group of singers in the western musical circle at present, who enter the business as online celebrities (名人)and then become top idols and giant stars globally. They become popular for their videos online and then they are discovered by talent agents and gradually cause huge storms in the musical circle. Troye Sivan, a singer who is nicknamed “chuoye”, became popular on YouTube from an early age.
As a popular video sharing website, YouTube has given rise to plenty of stars, creating a new celebrity culture. Providing a platform where anyone can post videos, YouTube presents the opportunity for anyone to achieve fame by simply uploading a short video. Sivan has been making YouTube videos since he was 12 to show his singing talent. In the digital age, Sivan has already developed large devoted audience online and his touching video blogs have earned him extreme popularity.
A survey has showed that US teenagers are more attracted to YouTube stars, which is a surprising result. YouTube stars are judged to be more attractive, outstanding and related than traditional stars. Looking at the survey comments and feedback, teens enjoy a close and real experience with YouTube celebrities, who aren't carefully directed by design. Teens also say they appreciate YouTube stars, sense of humor and risk-taking spirit, which are often limited by Hollywood stars. As a result, singers who make their first show in the traditional way no longer have a complete advantage in front of the audience. Online platforms open up a lot of doors for people. They become the best place to be discovered.
1. Why is Troye Sivan mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．To give an example for the topic. |
| B．To uncover the secret of success online. |
| C．To add more background information. |
| D．To introduce the topic of the passage. |
| A．Learning to sing at an early age. |
| B．Developing lots of fans online. |
| C．Sharing his family stories online. |
| D．Starting a different music style. |
| A．They are more firmly connected with teens. |
| B．They are more hardworking than traditional stars. |
| C．They are often carefully designed. |
| D．They are discovered in a traditional way. |
| A．Worried. | B．Regretful. | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
10 . As children, many of us dreamed of being treasure hunters when we grew up. Few of us grow up to do this work, and those who do are often professional archeologists (考古学家). And then there’s Lara Maiklem, an editor, who has taken up the hobby of mudlarking, which is a kind of treasure finding, done along the banks of rivers.
Maiklem’s idea of “treasure” is self-defined. She says she was blessed with a mother who really taught her to look, and to take pleasure in the small things around her. So for her, treasure is anything extraordinary. “Finding dry snakeskin in the long grass, or broken china in the garden bed is like finding treasure to me,” she says.
About 20 years ago, Maiklem moved to London, but having grown up on a farm, she missed the peace of the countryside. Then, one day, she found herself at the top of a set of rickety (摇晃的) wooden steps looking down at the Thames’s foreshore. “The tide (潮) was low and the riverbed was exposed. I went down and started to look about. That day I found a short piece of clay pipe stem and reasoned that there was probably more, so I went back on another low tide and I found some china. Then I found myself going there regularly,” she says.
Maiklem says after she’s photographed and researched what she finds, she often takes objects back to the foreshore of the river. “What I do keep is limited to things I don’t already have, or better examples of things I already have,” she says.
In today’s busy, stressful world, arguably the best thing treasure mudlarkers take home is the relaxation and peace of mind found in the work of mudlarking. “You’ re doing a search, yet not really doing anything so you can let your brain wander. I mudlark for 5-6 hours, which sounds like a long time, but the time flies. By the time I leave the foreshore the river has taken away my problems, and that’s more valuable than treasure,” says Maiklem.
1. What does “treasure” mean to Maiklem?| A．Anything she believes special. |
| B．Anything her mother places around her. |
| C．Anything she and her mother take pleasure in. |
| D．Anything archeologists consider extraordinary. |
| A．The best place for mudlarking. |
| B．The typical way of mudlarking. |
| C．How Maiklem got into mudlarking. |
| D．What mudlarking brought for Maiklem. |
| A．She cleans them carefully. |
| B．She gives them to photographers. |
| C．She classifies them as limited editions. |
| D．She gets them back to their original places. |
| A．Finding special and valuable things. |
| B．Searching for solutions to problems. |
| C．Enjoying the beauty of the foreshore. |
| D．Gaining a peaceful state of mind. |
