1 . America’s youth is turning its back on tobacco. According to a study recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking among US high school students is at an all-time low. One in 5 US high school students in 2016 reported using a tobacco product within the past 30 days, an improvement from 1 in 4 students just one year before.
“These findings show the importance of continuing to implement the evidence-based strategies that we now work to reduce all forms of tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes, among our nation’s youth,” says Brian King, of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health and senior author of the study.
And it’s not just tobacco: Drug use among US teens is down across the board. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has published annual reports on US teens’ drug use since 1996, and the 2016 survey shows the lowest rates of illegal drug and alcohol use. Marijuana (大麻) use remained “mostly steady”. “It is encouraging to see more young people making healthy choices not to use illegal substances,” says former National Drug Control Policy Director Michael Botticelli.
All individual forms of tobacco such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, and smoke-less tobacco saw declines in usage in 2016. Experts are especially encouraged by the decline in cigarettes, the most popular tobacco product among teens. In 2016, 11.3 percent of high school students reported using e-cigarettes, down from 16 percent in 2015.
Dr. King says adaptation is key to the decline of e-cigarettes. “We have over a half-century of science telling students about the harmful effects of tobacco use and what works best to prevent it,” says King. “E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among our nation’s youth, and it’s critical that our proven strategies are modernized to keep pace with the changing tobacco product landscape.”
1. What does the underlined word “implement” in Paragraph 2 mean?A.Delay. | B.Perform. | C.Schedule. | D.Control. |
A.US teens’ drug use has decreased. |
B.There are many forms of tobacco. |
C.E-cigarettes are popular among US teens. |
D.The strategies are put forward by experts. |
A.Disapproving. | B.Suspicious. | C.Favorable. | D.Ambiguous. |
A.US teen tobacco use declines. | B.High percent of teen tobacco use. |
C.The harmful effects of tobacco use. | D.The strategies to reduce tabasco use. |
2 . Like anyone else, I have social media personalities that I like to follow. I watch their Insta stories, YouTube videos and generally keep track of what they are up to by means of social media. These “celebrities (名人)” encourage me to pursue my dreams, and unlike my physical friends, are often more accessible — just a YouTube click away.
So when I found myself telling a story the other day to one of my friends at a cafe and then casually referring to one of these online personalities as “my friend”, I suddenly became aware of the blurred (模糊的) line between my physical and virtual social lives. I was retelling a YouTuber’ s story about how to practice appreciation as if it were my story to tell. The scary part is that it came so naturally that I had to pause and think twice about what had just come out of my mouth. How did I get to the point of referring to someone I had never actually spoken with as a “friend”?
Between trying to make a living and maintaining social relationships, it has become especially easy for millennials (those born between the early 1980s and 1990s) to turn to artificial social closeness to meet their basic human needs for social interactions. So how do we really know who our friends are in a world where the term “friend” seems so blurred? Is it right to call someone a friend who you’ ve never spoken with in real life?
Sometimes I worry that my online friendships are taking away the time I could be spending forming meaningful relationships in real life. In an article in Psychology Today, Alex Pattakos claims that our quest to create more and more friends through popular social media platforms has led to us feeling more disconnected in reality. His research states that we can only maintain around 150 real friendships and the desire to have more connections leads to emotional attachments to online celebrities, referred to as parasocial interactions, and consequently detachment (分离) from our real life connections.
Do you make a distinction between your online and offline “friends” ? If so, how?
1. What does the author think of his real-life friends?A.They are more difficult to reach. |
B.They often cause him much trouble. |
C.They are fond of following “celebrities”. |
D.They mostly lack interest in social media. |
A.The definition of physical friends. |
B.Some phrases used in online language. |
C.The proper way to practice appreciation online. |
D.The distinction between physical and online friends. |
A.They are skillful in AI technology. |
B.They have great difficulty making a living. |
C.They are eager to seek online friendships. |
D.They rarely build firm social relationships. |
A.Casual. | B.Opposed. | C.Supportive. | D.Ambiguous. |
3 . The Public Garden’s world-famous Swan Boats is one of Boston’ s most popular tourist attractions.
The pedal-powered boat takes riders on a leisurely tour around the garden’s lagoon (礁湖), giving a unique glimpse of its 24 acres of blooming flowers and lush lawns.
As well as enjoying nature, passengers are supporting a long-standing family business. Robert Paget launched the first Swan Boats in 1877. It’s said that he was inspired by the Richard Wagner opera Lohengrin, where a knight crosses a river in a boat drawn by a swan. While the design of the fleet of boats has evolved through the decades, the Swan Boats continues to be operated by the Paget family. The newest boat in operation is 25 years old, and the oldest is 109.
Schedule May, 1 - June 25 Open daily 10: 00 am to 4:00 pm June 26 to September 2 (Labor Day) Open daily10:00 am to 5:00 pm The Swan Boats operates on a weather permitting basis for safety. We cannot operate in rain, high winds or extreme heat. | Tickets Tickets are purchased at the Swan Boat dock prior to boarding the boat. No reservations are needed. We accept cash or credit card. The wait for a ride is typically no more than 5-10 minutes. The Swan Boat ride lasts about 12-15 minutes while the driver pedals you around the Public Garden lagoon. Adults: $4.50 Children: $3.00 (aged 5 to 15) Under 5: Free Seniors: $4. 00 |
A.A novel. | B.An opera. | C.A movie. | D.A TV program. |
A.visitors | B.water level | C.weather | D.ticket sales |
A.$9.00. | B.$12.00. | C.$7.50. | D.$12.50. |
4 . Crosstalk, a traditional form of comic storytelling, is making a comeback in China’s tea houses and theaters.
Audiences can laugh the night away every Saturday at the Qianxiangyi Teahouse in Tianjin, entertained by the apprentices(徒弟) of Hou Baolin, Ma Sanli or Yin Shoushan—all leading crosstalk artists of years past—for only 20 yuan.
The success in Tianjin has also caused the rejuvenation(复活)of crosstalk in Beijing and other places.
Although the art form originated in Beijing in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Tianjin became a place where rising stars formed their styles and new pieces were tried out. The city was well-known nationwide for the quality of its crosstalk performances.
Known in Chinese as xiangsheng (literally, “face and voice”), crosstalk was the chief form of comedy throughout most of the 20th century. In the old days in Tianjin and elsewhere, temple fairs and market were the main places for crosstalkers to perform, although they occasionally also appeared in teahouses or theaters.
Crosstalk pieces draw on every aspect of Chinese culture, from history and folk tales to social issues of the time. Although there’re hundreds of traditional pieces, they’re constantly rewritten to suit the times and the audience, while new works are written as well. It’s one of the features that have made crosstalk a public art form throughout its history.
“Crosstalk was in the doldrums(萎靡不振)with competition from other art forms, especially TV,” said Wang Xiaochun, headmaster of the Northern Storytelling Arts School of China (NSAS). “But it has regained its status with crosstalk fans, especially young people, growing aware of its rare qualities.”
“More and more students are coming to NSAS to study crosstalk, including some girl students,” said Wang. “We’re sure that crosstalk will have a strong market.”
1. What does crosstalk mean in Chinese?A.Storytelling. | B.Face and voice. | C.Folk tale. | D.Dialogue. |
A.Crosstalk first arose in Tianjin. |
B.Crosstalk was mainly performed at teahouses in the past. |
C.Crosstalk was the most popular art form in the 20th century. |
D.Crosstalk didn’t appear until the Qing Dynasty. |
A.it is a popular traditional art after all |
B.the pieces contain some famous folk tales |
C.the crosstalkers make it return to teahouses |
D.the pieces are made to suit the times and the audience |
A.Negative. | B.Doubtful. | C.Optimistic. | D.Cautious. |
5 . Hollywood is looking East. And not just for ticket buyers. It is putting more and more Chinese elements into its productions. Chinese elements are playing an important role in Western films. Here, we list just a few of these elements.
The Chinese people
Hollywood has a history of casting Caucasian (白种人) actors for films where the race of the character is anything but white. Now, things are changing bit by bit. Kung fu superstar Bruce Lee was perhaps the first Chinese face Hollywood got familiar with. Action stars Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-fat and Jet Lee followed his footsteps. More and more ethnically Chinese faces were introduced to the silver screen around the world.
Symbols of China
Kung fu seems to be an element immediately associated with China.This also shows in films. The Karate Kid, starring Jackie Chan and actor Will Smiths son Jaden Smith, tells the story of how a boy, who was bullied at school, changed the course of his life after learning martial arts from a car mechanic (played by Chan). The film earned more than 1.6 billion yuan in ticket sales in China.
The Chinese language
Actor Bruce Willis showed his language skills in the film Red, where he said “A few years ago, I lived in Wuhan” in Chinese. This caused quite a stir in the theatres for Chinese audiences. Willis is not the only one who has spoken Chinese on the big screen. In Pearl Harbour, Alec Baldwin taught American soldiers how to say "I am an American " in Chinese. Nicolas Cage also delivered one of his most recognized lines “I prefer to shoot"in Chinese in Lord of War.
1. Why does Hollywood look East ?A.Chinese film industry develops better. |
B.Hollywood intends to attract more ticket buyers. |
C.Hollywood finds it valuable to cooperate with China. |
D.Chinese elements make a big difference to Hollywood. |
A.Chow Yun-fat | B.Jackie Chan | C.Bruce Lee | D.Will Smiths |
A.Bruce Willis | B.Alec Baldwin | C.Nicolas Cage | D.Jaden Smith |
6 . Are you a person with a passion for the food industry?
Everyone has to eat!While touring Florence or visiting Paris does provide plenty of cultural capital to the traveler, neither of these activities involves a biological necessity.The personal interests may differ — some are history while others prefer to shop, or relax by a beach
Perfectly aim at the "new tourist" of the future.
As standardized, industrial foods become more common, the complex,flavorful regional food will become a rare luxury.They will be actively sought out by passionate travelers
A.It can help the city and the country |
B.Build a strong link with local businesses |
C.Food tourism focuses on the "new tourist" |
D.That's why we come in at this special time |
E.Are you interested in tasting the food around the world |
F.But they all have in common the need to eat at some point |
G.Are you thinking about developing your own business in an exciting field |
1. 定期运动的好处;
2. 你的建议。
注意:1. 词数100左右;
2. 可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Benefits of Exercising Regularly
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A.The evening tour. | B.The half-day tour. | C.The full-day tour. |
9 . Vienna Concerts 2021
Every day, one to three dozen Vienna concerts are staged. You can use this checklist to find a fantastic Vienna concert that is worth its money.
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
The Vienna Chamber Orchestra has existed for more than 70 years. The international reputation of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra is documented by worldwide tours. The length is 65 minutes.
Date: 20th June
Location: Minoritenkirehe, Minoritenplatz 1, 1010 Vienna
Tickets: 30 Euros per adult and free admission for children
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
In 2021, famous conductor Gustavo Dudamel will lead the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Expect an amazing show with top quality classical music and fireworks. The concert lasts one and a half hours. You have to arrive at least 20 minutes early to find a place to sit.
Date: 4th and 5th October
Location: Schonbrunn Palace, palace gardens, in front of Naptune fountain, Schonbrunner Schlossstrasse 47, 1130 Vienna.
Tickets: 30 Euros(students, children and senior citizens will receive a 10% discount per ticket)
Mozart Piano Sonatas(奏鸣曲)
On Saturdays and Sundays, the St. Peter’s church opens its basement to a small group of Mozart fans. In simple but elegant surroundings, international pianists perform Mozart piano sonatas on a Steinway piano. The concerts start in the early evening and last 90 minutes.
Date: throughout the year
Location: St. Peter’s basement, Petersplatz 1, 1010 Vienna
Tickets: 29 Euros for adults and 16 Euros for children between 8 and 14(children below 8 can enter for free. )
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
To point out Vivaldi’s connection to Vienna, the Italian violinist lived in the city for some time, and eventually died there. Closer to where he was buried, the church St. Charles Borromeo regularly stages The Four Seasons, Vivaldi’s main work. The concerts start at 8:15 pm on weekends and last 60 minutes. People can arrive and enter anytime during the performance.
Date: throughout the year
Location: Church St. Charles Borromeo(Karlskirche), Kreuzherrengase 1, 1040 Vienna
Tickets: 25 Euros for all ages(free cancellation 24 hours before the event)
1. For a couple with their 10-year-old child, which is the cheapest?A.Mozart Piano Sonatas. | B.Vienna Chamber Orchestra. |
C.Vivaldi: The Four Seasons. | D.Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. |
A.They last one and a half hours. |
B.They are held in closed surroundings. |
C.They offer a discount for students and the aged. |
D.They are suitable for people who prefer pop music. |
A.It forbids people to enter after 8:15 pm. |
B.It describes Vivaldi’s stories related to Vienna. |
C.It allows you to return your ticket for free a day in advance. |
D.It was created by the Church St. Charles Borromeo to memorize Vivaldi. |
10 . Fuerteventura is a great place awaiting your discovery. Here are some reasons.
La Concha beach
Located in the Concha bay, the La Concha beach is one of the most popular beaches, which is dressed in white sand and beautified with calm water. The beach is close to the town, and at sunset, most tourists rush to see the skies turn beautiful colours in just a few short moments. At low tide(海水的低潮), small pools of water form, and these are great for the little members of the family to take a dive in. There are enough parking lots and plenty of restaurants to choose from.
Corralejo Natural Park
If you want to experience the desert beauty of Fuerteventura, Corralejo Natural Park will be the best place. It is a coin with two sides. One is characterized by volcanic scenery, and the other is white sand that has been cleansed by the blue water of the Atlantic Ocean. Getting to the park can be easily done by road, but exploring it demands that you put on your hiking shoes and take a walk through the natural wonderland.
Costa Calma beach
Costa Calma beach is characterized by blue waters and white sand. The beach is not packed, so you will get a chance to be just with your thoughts as you sunbathe on the sand. When the winds are swift, Costa Calma beach turns into a hot spot for surfers, ideal for those wanting to get a surfing course. The road leading to the beach is fenced by green plants meaning the magic starts even before you get there.
Cofete Beach
It's hard to find a fitting description for this wild beach. Its shoreline is great for its golden sand and wild water. Getting to Cofete Beach is not easy: perhaps that's why this place is still in its original state. The road has difficult spots that require expert driving skills. However, if you can tolerate it, you will be treated with some amazing views.
1. Which place is recommended for a family with kids?A.Cofete Beach. |
B.Corralejo Natural Park. |
C.Costa Calma beach. |
D.La Concha beach. |
A.Learn how to surf. |
B.Sunbathe on the golden sand. |
C.Enjoy the changeable colours of the sky. |
D.Experience Fuerteventura's desert beauty. |
A.Cars are forbidden. |
B.It has amazing white sand. |
C.It has stayed untouched. |
D.Approaching it is much easier. |