1 . TikTok, the widely popular social media platform, has taken the world by storm with its short-form videos and addictive content. But did you know that there is also a Chinese version of TikTok?
The Chinese version of TikTok is called Douyin, and it has quickly become one of the most widely used apps in China. Launched in 2016 by Beijing-based tech company ByteDance, Douyin has attracted an enormous user base and reshaped the social media landscape in China.
So, how did Douyin gain such vast popularity in China?
One of the factors contributing to Douyin’s success is the large population of smartphone users in China. With over 1.4 billion people, China has a massive user base for social media platforms. Additionally, the rise in internet penetration and the availability of affordable smartphones have made it easier for people to access and use Douyin.
Douyin takes advantage of China’s culture of sharing and enjoying bite-sized content. In China. there has always been a strong demand for short-form entertainment, including popular formats like variety shows, quick comedy skits, and music videos. Douyin provides a platform for users to easily create and share short videos, allowing them to express their creativity and talent.
Douyin leverages the power of social network effects. Users can follow each other, like and comment on videos, and engage with a large community of like-minded individuals. This sense of belonging and community encourages them to spend more time on the platform.
Moreover. Douyin continuously improves its features and algorithms to enhance user experience and keep users engaged. The app uses advanced AI technology to analyze user preferences and provide personalized recommendations, ensuring that users see content that is relevant and interesting to them.
Overall, the rise of the Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the large smartphone user base, the popularity of short-form entertainment in China, social network effects, and continuous improvements in features and algorithms.
1. How is Douyin different from TikTok?| A．Its algorithms. | B．Its target groups. | C．Its user experience. | D．Its main functions. |
| A．The popularity of long-form videos. |
| B．The low technology requirements to Douyin. |
| C．The large population of smartphone users. |
| D．The availability of different brands of mobile phones. |
| A．brings about | B．believes in | C．makes up for | D．makes full use of |
| A．Opinion — Description — Discussion | B．Topic — Argument — Emphasis |
| C．Introduction — Explanations — Summary | D．Main idea — Supporting examples — Conclusion |
2 . When Bella Lin was 12 years old, she noticed that her guinea pigs (豚鼠) seemed unhappy in their small cage with “prison-like” bars. Determining to find an alternative to traditional cages for her pets, the now 17-year-old from Mountain View, US, began her designs.
Lin experimented with many different designs and used around $2,000 (14,400 yuan) from her savings to start her side business GuineaLoft, on Amazon in November 2022. It sold nearly 11,000 cages and brought in more than $410,000 in 2023, according to CNBC Make It.
Traditional guinea pig cages typically consist of bars, roofs, and either tarp (防水布) or plastic bottoms, making them hard to clean and often smell bad.
At the beginning, Lin’s glass, open-floor cages offered more visibility and mobility (活动性), with a two-layered bottom. This design allows for the easy removal of soiled bedding by pushing it into a removable plastic tray (托盘). However, due to high shipping costs, the glass material was impractical, and the open floor caused problems for her smaller guinea pigs, as their feet would get stuck.
However, Lin and her six-person team didn’t lose confidence. They dedicated late nights to researching and testing products. Her team handled the sourcing, manufacturing, packaging and photographing of the products.
In the end, they chose acrylic (丙烯酸纤维), instead of glass, and used replaceable bottoms using biodegradable (可生物降解的) paper. The bottoms are easy to throw out, which is good for business: Once customers run out of the bottoms, they have to visit Lin's Amazon store again to buy the new bottoms.
“Witnessing the effects of my products through customer reviews and emails is inspiring,” Lin said. “As someone who once placed great emphasis on academic performance, the success of my side business has boosted my confidence in navigating life beyond high school.”
1. What inspired Bella Lin to create a new type of guinea pig cage?| A．Her observations of her pets ’discomfort. |
| B．Her ambition to initiate a side business. |
| C．Her interest in product design studies. |
| D．Her desire to invest her savings wisely. |
| A．Limited entertainment features for pets. | B．High prices and lack of durability. |
| C．Difficulty with cleaning and bad smells. | D．Lack of visual appeal to owners. |
| A．the ease of cleaning the cages | B．the affordability of production |
| C．the practicality of shipping | D．the safety of the guinea pigs |
| A．Strengthened her business drive. | B．Built up her confidence in her future. |
| C．Enhanced her academic performance. | D．Raised her focus on customer feedback. |
3 . During my final year of college, I made two signs that read, “Feeling stressed about exams? Have a free hug!” Then I found a friend and we stood in the campus, held up the signs, and waited. Passersby either quickly looked down at their phones and awkwardly walked by, or their faces lit up as they embraced us. Most people were enthusiastic. Some exclaimed, “You made my day!” or “Thank you. I needed this.”
A study published earlier suggests that, in addition to making us feel connected with others, all those hugs may have prevented us from getting sick. At first, this finding seems incredible, because hugging hundreds of strangers would increase your exposure to germs and therefore the likelihood of falling ill. But the new research adds to evidence for the positive influence of social support on health.
The researchers conducted an interview to find out how often participants experienced conflict with others and how often they received hugs. Then they infected the participants with a common cold virus and, later the researchers found that, regardless of how much conflict they endured, participants with a strong sense of social support developed less severe cold symptoms. Likewise, the more often people hugged, the less likely they were to get sick, even among individuals who frequently had tense interactions. In other words, both social support and hugging prevented against illness.
But their impact is more than a runny nose. On the extreme end, social connectedness seems to play a role in preventing against death. According to a research that examined over 300,000 people around the world, low levels of social support can increase the risk for premature death more than commonly known factors like smoking or alcohol consumption. No surprise that the World Health Organization identifies social networks as a primary determinant of health.
Evidently, just as we prioritize exercise and nutrition, we ought to prioritize quality time with loved ones; just as we avoid unhealthy habits like smoking, we should make effort to avoid isolation and social exclusion. And even if you don’t want to hug hundreds of strangers, don’t underestimate the healing power of touch.
1. What is the function of Paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the topic. | B．To amuse the readers. |
| C．To explain a viewpoint. | D．To quote an instance. |
| A．It helps to relieve social stress. | B．It increases the risk of getting ill. |
| C．It prevents against social exclusion. | D．It promotes the feeling of closeness. |
| A．Death. | B．A virus. | C．A hug. | D．A cold. |
| A．Getting socialized. | B．Doing more exercise. |
| C．Giving up smoking. | D．Valuing your time. |
4 . Hillier Gardens School Holiday Program
The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens are open year-round offering opportunities to view interesting plants and flowers and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Throughout the Easter school holidays, we have various events for children, which are fun and educational and give them interesting ways to interact with nature.
Self-Guided Easter Trail
The Gardens feature a regular trail throughout the year. For the Easter school holidays children will pick up their maps and follow clues left by the Easter Bunny. The family trails are a great way to explore the gardens with a little bit of guidance. Children who finish the trail will also be able to collect a small prize at the end. Trail maps can be picked up from the ticket desk.
Cost: E1.50 per child
All ages
Pond Dipping
The Education Garden ponds at Hillier Gardens are filled with all sorts of interesting creatures you might never think to look at. Keep an eye out for beetles, skimmers and more creatures living in the ponds. All materials are provided and bookings are not required. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: E2 per child
All ages
Outdoor Adventure Holiday Club
The Outdoor Learning Company will be running their popular Outdoor Adventure Holiday Club for four days throughout the Easter break. Children will experience a range of different outdoor skills and activities, including campfire cooking, bush craft tools, and den building. There’s also plenty of time to just enjoy the outdoors running around, tree climbing and exploring. Bookings are essential and can be made on the Outdoor Learning Company website.
Cost: E22
Ages 5-11
Family Bushcraft Cooking
One of the last activities of the holiday period is a campfire cooking session. You’ll make warm fruit puddings and cook other things on the campfire, while also learning essential bushcraft skills for cooking and safe fire handling. The price is for one adult and one child. Tickets can be booked online or by calling 01794369318.
Cost: E12.50
Ages 4-12
1. What good will the holiday events do to children?| A．Enjoying the festive leisure. | B．Improving self-care abilities. |
| C．Bringing them close to nature. | D．Strengthening the family ties. |
| A．Pond Dipping. | B．Self-Guided Easter Trail. |
| C．Family Bushcraft Cooking. | D．Outdoor Adventure Holiday Club. |
| A．Have a self-guided walk. | B．Learn outdoor survival skills. |
| C．Enjoy a family picnic. | D．Take care of small animals. |
5 . Even if you haven’t held a conversation with Siri or Alexa, you’ve likely encountered a chatbot online. They often appear in a chat window that pops up with a friendly greeting: Thank you for visiting our site.How can I help you today? Depending on the site, the chatbot is programmed to respond accordingly and even ask follow-up questions.
Chatbots are a form of conversational AI designed to simplify human interaction with computers. They are programmed to simulate human conversation and exhibit intelligent behavior that is equivalent to that of a human.
Chatbots communicate through speech or text. Both rely on artificial intelligence technologies like machine learning and natural language processing (NLP), which is a branch of artificial intelligence that teaches machines to read, analyze and interpret human language. This technology gives chatbots a baseline for understanding language structure and meaning. NLP, in essence, allows the computer to understand what you are asking and how to appropriately respond.
With developments in deep learning and reinforcement learning, chatbots can interpret more complexities in language and improve the dynamic nature of conversation between human and machine. Essentially, a chatbot tries to match what you’ve asked to an intent that it understands. The more a chatbot communicates with you, the more it understands and the more it learns to communicate like you and others with similar questions. Your positive responses reinforce its answers, and then it uses those answers again.
From customer service chatbots online to personal assistants in our homes,chatbots have started to enter our lives. In almost every industry, companies are using chatbots to help customers easily navigate their websites, answer simple questions and direct people to the relevant points of contact. Personal assistants like Siri and Alexa are designed to respond to a wide range of scenarios and queries, from current weather and news updates to personal calendars, music selections and random questions.
1. Why does the author mention Siri and Alexa in Paragraph 1?| A．To explain how a chatbot works. | B．To show where to find a chatbot. |
| C．To give examples of chatbots. | D．To compare different chatbots. |
| A．Language study. | B．Data transmission. |
| C．Social interaction. | D．Natural language processing. |
| A．Inspire. | B．Strengthen. | C．Organize. | D．Match. |
| A．The future trend of chatbots. | B．The author’s predictions. |
| C．The effects of chatbots. | D．The applications of chatbots. |
6 . Watford and her family have lived in Curtis Bay, Baltimore for generations. Her community has faced environmental injustice. Heavy industries continued to move in her community. As a result, her neighbors have had to live with serious respiratory (呼吸的) problems.
When she knew a plan to build the nation’s largest trash-burning incinerator (焚化炉) less than a mile away from her high school, she realized she had to take action. The incinerator was being sold wrongly as clean, renewable energy equipment but actually it would be a source of brain-damaging chemicals and would release 200 million tons of greenhouse gases per year, both worse than coal burning. Watford felt she had a responsibility to warn her community to work together to shut this plant down.
She co-founded Free Your Voice (FYV), a 10-person student organization devoted to community rights and social justice. Together, they decided to start a campaign to take down Energy Answers, the incinerator’s developer. They went door-to-door talking to neighbors and organizing protests.
When it was discovered that Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) was going to be a customer of Energy Answers, the organization fought with the board and presented their case, urging BCPS to withdraw from the project. BCPS was convinced to cancel their contract, which in turn inspired 22 other customers to do the same. Without any financial gain, Energy Answers had no market to move forward with its plan.
Watford continues to work with Curtis Bay residents toward fair development. They have a vision for the future which includes building a zero-waste movement, a solar farm, and green jobs. She wants the entire human family to join the fight for environmental justice because survival as a species depends on our ability to take action.
1. What caused respiratory problems in Watford’s community?| A．Poor medical care. | B．Terrible environmental conditions. |
| C．Constant bacterial infection. | D．Unbalanced distribution of resources. |
| A．Unfavourable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Unclear. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．BCPS lost financial support. | B．Energy Answers stopped its plan. |
| C．The investors found new market. | D．Many customers revised their contracts. |
| A．A teenage hero against urban pollution |
| B．A teenage hero fighting for an advanced city |
| C．A battle for Baltimore’s sky by a teenage hero |
| D．The social justice challenge for a teenage hero |
7 . Four best scenic paths near London
Goring Gap and the Thames PathLength: 5 miles
Start: Goring & Streatley station
End: Pangbourne
This path is far from boring for a rural walk. The footpath follows the curve of the river as it flows south, winding past wildflower grassland, and the Hartslock Nature Reserve, which is home to red kites and rare orchids.
Post-walk pub: The Swan serves these days. Order a table or keep warm by one of its open fires.
Box HillLength: 6.8 miles
Start and end: Westhumble station
Admire the glorious views and escape the crowds. But first you’ve got to climb 272 steps to the top of Box Hill. The endorphins are definitely pumping—maybe that’s how it got the nickname “Happy Valley”.
Post-walk pub: The spacious Tree on Box Hill has an enticing menu and huge beer garden.
The Kentish CoastLength: 9.8 miles
Start: Ramsgate
End: Margate
Following the path, you’ll pass plenty of former smugglers’ (走私者) caves and there are beachside cafes dotted along the route at regular intervals.
Post-walk pub: Order a pint of beer at Xylo, a pub with wonderful views over Margate Sands.
Chess Valley in the ChilternsLength: 9.9 miles
Start: Chorleywood station
End: Chesham station
It isn’t home to any chess masters, but it did used to produce n lot of watercress, fed by its sparkling chalk stream. This walk follows the river, whose bank is covered with the rolling grass and woods.
Post-walk pub: The George & Dragon is an old coaching inn with a log fire and real beer.
1. Which path is a circular route?| A．Goring Gap and the Thames Path. | B．Box Hill. |
| C．The Kentish Coast. | D．Chess Valley in the Chilterns. |
| A．They serve beer all the time. | B．They include different animals. |
| C．They provide river scenery. | D．They are of the same length. |
| A．Drink coffee at the seaside. | B．Relax yourself in The Swan. |
| C．Learn from famous chess masters. | D．Meet smugglers along the way. |
8 . Fashion designers have a big say in what’s considered beautiful. They pick who’s in their shows and ads, shaping what’s celebrated as beauty. But this power also means responsibility — it can be used to leave people out or lift them up.
When I was young, fashion was my world. I pored over various fashion magazines at my local bookstore, desiring to be tall, thin, and have long, shiny hair to fit the ideal. I wanted to be like those models, so I stopped eating. It was a tough time; my eating disorder consumed me. It took years to break free from its control, allowing me to focus on my true passions.
For so long, the fashion industry has worked hard to set an ideal of beauty that celebrates thin, young, white, and able-bodied models as the ideal. It’s impossible not to be exposed to images of models that have been photoshopped to where there’s not a single spot in sight. This idea is everywhere, and it hurts people. Shockingly, around 91% of women are unhappy with their appearance. It’s sad that teens grow up in a society where they deny themselves.
There’s progress — models and musicians promote body positivity. However, the pressure to meet unrealistic standards remains. Changing these standards involves bravely celebrating diverse beauty. True inclusivity goes beyond appearances. It requires diverse decision-makers, photographers, and casting directors cooperating. Young designers often overlook this crucial aspect. Hiring plus-size or transgender photographers, diverse casting directors, or makeup artists who understand the importance of accommodating to various skin tones, is vital for an overall approach.
We aimed to redefine the “bikini body” standards. However, the goal isn’t for the consumer’s body to change but for clothes to accommodate all sizes. We need more fashion for everyone, no matter their size or where they shop. It’s our responsibility as designers to challenge this narrow beauty definition. My hope is for future teens to escape the pressures I faced, developing a fashion industry celebrating diverse identities.
1. What does the underlined phrase “pored over” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Classified carefully. | B．Read attentively. |
| C．Compared thoroughly. | D．Recommended sincerely. |
| A．Causing self-denial. | B．Generating individuality. |
| C．Focusing on true passions. | D．Contributing to self-confidence. |
| A．It encourages personal effort. | B．It satisfies traditional standards. |
| C．It focuses on physical appearances. | D．It calls for diversity and cooperation. |
| A．Customers will change their body shapes. |
| B．Future teens will redefine fashion standards. |
| C．Fashion should celebrate everyone’s uniqueness. |
| D．“Bikini body” standards should be strengthened. |
9 . It’s happened to all of us: a song comes on the radio, and we are immediately transported back to a time in our past.
There are a few things that connect tunes with our memories. Music is often a necessary element of many important life events, and it is also very effective in arresting our attention.
We often become familiar with a piece of music because we hear it as background music. The more familiar a piece of music is, the more effective it is in bringing back memories.
Tiffany Jenkins, writing for a culture column, has a different opinion:
It’s clear that our memories and music are closely linked — to the point that music is being used to help Alzheimer’s disease sufferers access memories that they thought they had lost.
| A．Familiarity is important. |
| B．Music itself is easy to remember. |
| C．But what makes music so effective in doing this? |
| D．Our musical preference usually forms during our teens. |
| E．This applies to music more than other cultural products. |
| F．Pop music especially can be connected with an important memory. |
| G．Music and these life events are likely to be linked together in our memories. |
10 . Chinese scientists have created a breakthrough fibre that can be woven into warm, lightweight clothing using aerogel, a thermal insulation (热绝缘) material mainly used in the aerospace industry.
Aerogel, notable for their performance and durability, could have various applications. As the world’s lightest solid material, it has long been valued for its thermal insulation properties. Traditional aerogel, made by replacing the liquid in aerogel with air, is extraordinarily light, resembling a solid cloud of smoke. Its high porosity (多孔性) gives it exceptional heat resistance, but this also makes it fragile and challenging to process, limiting its use in civilian applications.
But now, researchers at Zhejiang University have overcome aerogel’s fragility and designed an encapsulated aerogel fibre ( EAF) with similar thermal insulation mechanisms-after being inspired by the structure of polar bear hair.
The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation as well as Nasa have used EAF in Mars rovers, which endure extreme temperatures ranging from thousands of degrees during the Martian landing to -130 degrees Celsius (-202 degrees Fahrenheit) on the planet’s surface.
In an experiment, a volunteer wore textiles (纺织品) made of EAF, down, wool, and cotton in a-20 degree Celsius environment. The surface temperatures of these materials were 3.5 degrees, 3.8 degrees, 7.2 degrees, and 10.8 degrees respectively, indicating the superior insulation of EAF. They showed the practicality of EAF by weaving a jumper and comparing its thermal insulation to common textile materials.
As well as being strong and stretchable, EAF can also be washed and dyed, improving its use in practical applications. Traditional silica aerogel will absorb water and collapse on itself. As a result, it quickly loses its thermal insulation qualities in wet or humid environments. However, EAF maintains its performance even after machine washing.
Professor Zhang Xuetong of the Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlighted the potential of the aerogel fibres in advanced thermal textiles. As well as its potential for civilian use, EAF fibre also holds promise for industries that are already familiar with aerogels. “EAF textiles feature excellent thermal insulation and multifunction and have great potential in areas such as military uniforms and spacesuits in extremely cold environments,” professor Zhang noted in a paper. However, he also noted the gap between existing technology and capacity for mass production. Challenges exist regarding how to develop fast spinning technology and resolve the continuous fabrication that is necessary for mass production.
1. What is the characteristic of traditional aerogel?| A．It can be easily processed. | B．It is resistant to high temperatures. |
| C．It is a solid cloud of smoke. | D．It can effectively insulate electricity. |
| A．Research statistics. | B．Public comments. |
| C．Scientific prediction. | D．Commercial reports. |
| A．advancement is made in thermal textiles |
| B．there exists need for continuous fabrication |
| C．barriers in fast spinning technology are overcome |
| D．aerogel’s strengths and weaknesses get balanced |
| A．The development of aerogel fibre. |
| B．The potential use of biomimetic fibre. |
| C．Great breakthrough in aerospace industry. |
| D．China’s newly-woven clothing made from aerogel. |
