2 . Thirteen-year-old Kaylee has a lot of friends — 532, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.

But is it possible that Kaylee’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.

Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not Words With Friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.

Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platforms (平台).

In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger, “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.

Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual words, we will have little time for our real-world friendships.” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need someone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.

1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To summarize the text.	B．To tell about true friends.
C．To bring up a discussion.	D．To encourage online friendship.

2. What does the underlined part “in the flesh” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．In person.

B．In advance.

C．In any case.

D．In full measure.

3. What is Katie’s attitude towards online communication?

A．Worried.

B．Positive.

C．Confused.

D．Unconcerned.

4. What view does Rosen hold?

A．It’s wise to turn to friends online.

B．It’s easier to develop friendships in reality.

C．Social media help people stay closely connected.

D．Teenagers need focus on real-world friendships.

3 . Emerging economies (新兴经济体) struggled to grow through the 2010s and pessimism clouds them now. People wonder how they will pay debts piling up and grow rapidly. The solution is the fast-spreading digital revolution. The world’s largest emerging market has already demonstrated the enormous effects of digital technology. As China’s old industries have slowed sharply over the past decade, the booming technology industry has kept the economy growing steadily.

Now China’s emerging market peers are getting a push from the same digital engines. Since 2014, more than 10,000 tech firms have been launched in emerging markets. From Bangladesh to Egypt, it is easy to find entrepreneurs (企业家) who worked for Facebook or other US giants before coming home to start their own companies.

How can the emerging market countries adopt common digital technologies faster than the richer countries? In societies filled with stores and services, customers are accustomed to using the providers they have. However, in countries where people have difficulty even finding public facilities, a bank or a hospital, they will jump at the first digital option. Though only 5% of the Kenyans carry credit cards, more than 70% have access to digital banking.

The digital impact on productivity is visible. Many governments are moving services online to make them more transparent (透明的) and less affected by corruption (腐败), perhaps the most feared obstacle to doing business in the emerging world. Since 2010, the cost of starting a business has been steady in developed countries while falling sharply in emerging market countries, from 66% to just 27% of the average annual income. Entrepreneurs can now launch businesses affordably, organizing much of what they need on a smartphone.

The era of rapid digitization has only just begun. This offers many developing economies a revolutionary new path to catching up with the living standards of the developed world.

1. Which is a result of digital technology for China?

A．Stable economic growth.	B．Accumulated debts.
C．Struggling new industries.	D．Booming old industries.

2. Why does the author mention Kenyans in paragraph 3?

A．To present emerging markets’ digital technologies.

B．To show rich nations abandon what they own unwillingly.

C．To present emerging markets accept digital options warmly.

D．To show poor nations have difficulty building public facilities.

3. What plays a key role in the boom of digital businesses in emerging markets?

A．The steady annual income.

B．The low cost of launching businesses.

C．The simplified procedure of setting up a business.

D．The thorough removal of the most feared obstacle.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Emerging Economies Are Seeking Their Fortune

B．The Digital Impact Is Huge on Global Productivity

C．The Era of Rapid Digitization Is Around the Corner

D．Digital Technology Will Save Slow Emerging Markets

4 . Rain beat against the window, matching my mood. I should have known that my new job at the hospital was too good to be true. Throughout the day, rumors (传言) warned that the newest employee from each department would be laid off. I was the newest one in the training department.

My boss appeared. “You probably know we’re cutting back,” he said. “Administration wants us to offer outplacement classes to help those employees find other jobs, showing them how to act in an interview, for example.” “Fine,” I answered unwillingly, not knowing what else to say.

I decided to go home early that day. In the hall, I met the lady who brought us cookies every Friday. She was a little woman with gray hair. Only her head and the top of her green apron (围裙) were visible over the cart (小车) loaded with cleaning supplies. At least she had a job!

At the final meeting, laid-off workers formed a line at the door. A colleague whispered, “I can’t believe our Cookie Lady is being laid off. We’ll miss her as much as we’ll miss her cookies.” When the colleague spoke to her in Spanish, I knew my classes would be useless for her and I realized how much better off I was than this poor woman.

I decided to do something for her. I wrote to a newspaper expressing how I felt about the unselfishness of the Cookie Lady who needed a job. A few days later, my article appeared in the newspaper and the Cookie Lady was allowed to stay in her position. On the same day, I received a letter, which seemed so unlikely that I read it twice. “An editor of a local magazine likes your piece and wants you to call her next time you’re looking for work…”

1. How did the author feel on that rainy day?

A．Nervous.

B．Excited.

C．Embarrassed.

D．Proud.

2. What was the author asked to do?

A．Take care of patients.	B．Leave earlier that day.
C．Help the laid-off workers.	D．Give up the job in the hospital.

3. How did the author help the Cookie Lady?

A．He offered her a high-paid job.	B．He gave her advice on job hunting.
C．He made her story known to others.	D．He taught her how to pass an interview.

4. What does the story tell us?

A．Good deeds have their rewards.

B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C．Little people can make a big difference.

D．Love brings more joy to people than work does.

5 . In the past decade, the use of social media has grown in a way that no one could have guessed. It has turned some teenagers into celebrities and turned the famous into the infamous, overnight.

A key feature of social media, however, is its volatility. Trends come and go, disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared.

Short video apps such as TikTok and its Chinese equivalent (等同物) Douyin, took the world by storm. The Telegraph reported that TikTok was ranked 8th on Apple’s App Store in April. And Douyin had more than 300 million domestic monthly active users in June, CNBC said.

Why are these short videos — which are rarely longer than a few minutes — so popular? Jiang Yige, Singapore-based analyst at FengHe Fund Management, has a theory. “Short videos are just right to fill in the little gaps in our busy schedules,” he told CNBC.

These videos — apart from being very convenient — are important to teenagers because they allow them to express themselves, according to Teen Vogue.

Liza Koshy, a user of the US app Musical, who has over 2 million followers, said, “The sense of community that users of short video apps get is another appealing feature.”

Live streaming (直播) is a feature of our social media life that now seems as natural as sunrise. It’s a pretty neat idea: You can watch anyone, anywhere, live. However, China has taken live streaming to a whole new level. In China, more than 100 million viewers monthly watch a live streaming video. Forbes thought that a number of factors had led to the popularity of the live streaming. Among them is viewers’ ability to interact with unknown names.

However, the quick development of social media may be having side effects too. Fake news is one serious problem it causes. Materials shared on these platforms are often not checked for accuracy. The most basic content can be false and can mislead users one way or another. We use social media all the time, which doesn’t mean that we understand the influence it is having on us. We should be mindful of both the time we spend on it and its impact on our minds.

1. What does the underlined word “volatility” in Paragraph 2 possibly mean?

A．Being changeable.	B．Being steady.
C．Being promising.	D．Being violent.

2. According to Liza Koshy, why are short video apps very popular?

A．They are very convenient.	B．They help people kill time.
C．They provide a sense of community.	D．They allow people to express themselves.

3. What do we know about social media?

A．The information from social media is totally reliable.

B．When it comes to social media, people only know short videos.

C．People can’t communicate with each other without social media.

D．There is still much room for social media to make improvement.

4. What is the author’s attitude to the quick development of social media?

A．Objective.	B．Subjective.
C．Favourable.	D．Disapproving.

6 . A five-­year-­old dog named Kelsey has been praised as a hero for helping to save the life of her owner who slipped in the snow and broke his neck.

The man, Bob, was alone when he left his farmhouse on New Year’s Eve to collect firewood.Expecting a journey of only several meters, Bob was wearing just long johns (衬裤), a shirt and slippers when he went outside, although the temperature was around －4℃.

After the accident, he was unable to move in the snow. Fortunately, Kelsey came to his assistance.

“I was shouting for help, but my nearest neighbor is about 400 meters away, and it was 10:30 p. m.,” Bob explained. “By the next morning, my voice was gone and I couldn’t yell for help, but Kelsey didn’t stop barking.”

Kelsey’s companion kept him warm by lying on top of him. She licked his face and hands to keep him awake. “Kelsey kept barking but never left my side,” Bob recalled. “I knew I couldn’t give up and that it was my choice to stay alive.”

Bob spent 20 hours in the freezing cold. When he finally lost consciousness, his dog kept barking. Finally, hearing the barking, Bob’s neighbor discovered him at 6:30 p. m. on New Year’s Day and called the emergency services at once. When Bob arrived in hospital, his body temperature was below 21℃. However, doctors were surprised to find that he didn’t have any frostbite (冻疮). They believed it was because of Kelsey’s determination to keep him warm. Dr. Chaim Colen, the doctor who treated Bob, said, “His dog really saved him.He was very fortunate.”

Bob said he was very grateful to both Dr. Colen and his Kelsey. “They saved my life. They are truly heroes!”

1. What happened to Bob on New Year’s Eve?

A．He left his dog alone in his farmhouse.

B．He was praised for saving a dog owner.

C．He broke his neck and couldn’t move.

D．He heard his neighbor’s shouting for help.

2. Why did Kelsey keep barking?

A．To keep warm.

B．To stay alive.

C．To keep Bob awake.

D．To seek help from others.

3. How does Dr. Colen feel about Kelsey?

A．Helpful.	B．Fortunate.
C．Grateful.	D．Friendly.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．A Neck­breaking Accident

B．The Magic Night

C．Warmth on a Winter’s Night

D．Determination to Keep Alive

7 . Running is often tiring and a lot of hard work, but nothing beats the feeling you get after finishing a long workout around the track.

But while it’s long been believed that endorphins (内啡肽) —chemicals in the body that cause happiness—are behind the so-called “runner’s high”, a study suggested that there may be more to this phenomenon than we previously knew.

According to a recent study published by a group of scientists from several German universities, a group of chemicals called endocannabinoids (内源性大麻素) may actually be responsible for this familiar great feeling.

To test this theory, the scientists turned to mice. Both mice and humans release high levels of endorphins and endocannabinoids after exercise. After exercising on running wheels, the mice seemed happy and relaxed and displayed no signs of anxiety. But after being given a drug to block their endorphins, the mice’s behavior didn’t seem to change. However, when their endocannabinoids were blocked with a different drug, their runners’ high symptoms seemed to fade.

“The long-held notion of endorphins being responsible for the runner’s high is false. Endorphins are effective pain relievers, but only when it comes to the pain in your body and muscles you feel after working out,” Patrick Lucas Austin wrote on science blog Lifchacker.

Similar studies are yet to be carried out on humans, but it’s already known that exercise is a highly effective way to get rid of stress or anxiety. The UK’s National Health Service even prescribes (开药 方) exercise to patients who are suffering from depression. “Being depressed can leave you feeling low in energy, which might put you off being more active. Regular exercise can improve your mood if you have depression, and its especially useful for people with mild to moderate (中等的) depression,” it wrote on its website.

It seems like nothing can beat that feeling we get after a good workout, even if we don’t fully understand where it comes from. At least if we’re feeling down, we know that all we have to do is to put on our running shoes.

1. What did scientists from German universities recently discover?

A．Working out is a highly effective way to treat depression.

B．The runner’s high could be caused by endocannabinoids.

C．Endorphins may contribute to one’s high spirits after running.

D．The level of endorphins and endocannabinoids could affect one’s mood.

2. Why did the scientists give mice drugs in their experiment?

A．To find what reduces the runner’s high symptoms.

B．To see the specific symptoms of the runner’s high.

C．To identify what is responsible for the runner’s high.

D．To test what influences the level of endocannabinoids released.

3. What does the underlined word “notion” mean?

A．Effect.

B．Goal.

C．Opinion.

D．Question

4. What can we know about regular workouts according to the UK’s National Health Service?

A．They can help ease depression symptoms.

B．They are the best way to treat depression.

C．They only work for those with serious depression.

D．They can help people completely recover from depression.

8 . Have you ever wondered what the real meaning of the saying “A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed” is?     1    . True friendship is the one, in which the individuals do not have to maintain good manners with each other. Sharing true friendship is the situation, when the person you are talking about is regarded as one among your family members, when the relation you share with him/her reaches a stage that even if you don’t correspond for some time, your friendship remains unchanged.

The trust between best friends is such that if one friend falls in trouble. the other will not think twice to help. If the bond between two friends is strong, true friends can tolerate even long distance.     2    . It would not affect their friendship.

    3    . They would face it together and support each other, even if it is against the interests of the other person. Best friends don’t analyze each other and they don’t have to do so.

They accept each other with their positive and negative qualities.     4    . They know each other’s strengths as well as weaknesses. One would not overpower the other. They would respect each other’s individuality. In fact, they would understand the similarities and respect the differences.

True friendship is marked by selflessness. Best friends support each other, even if the whole world opposes them.     5    . If you have even one true friend, consider yourself blessed.

A．True friendship never fades away

B．Nothing is hidden between true friends

C．It is not easy getting true friends for the lifetime

D．For them, geographical separation is just a part of life

E．True friends don’t desert each other when one is facing trouble

F．Remember, all the best friends are friends, but not all friends can be the best friends

G．People talk about the true value of friendship actually without knowing what it stands for

9 . For those of us who attempt to keep up with the fashion world to ensure our cupboard stays fresh, the real skeletons in our cupboards are those pieces we bought and only wore once or twice - mostly from following each season’s new trends.

With “fast fashion” brands like Forever 21, H&M and Zara’ constant output of new trendy clothing at low prices, it’s easy to fall into the trap of buying clothes regardless of whether you really need them. But unnecessary purchasing, and the mass production of clothing, isn’t just hard on our wallets - it’s hard on the environment.

One of the first steps in getting unwanted clothes out of your cupboard is to sell or consign (寄售) them. But because popular resale shops like Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads don’t accept fast fashion brands because they don’t profit enough from them, people often turn to throwing their old clothing in the dustbins.

Many consumers don’t realize that clothing and textiles (织物) are recyclable or how to recycle them. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States generated 16.22 million tons of waste textiles in 2017 and recycled only 2. 62 million tons. Ten and a half million tons of textiles were finally buried under the ground that year.

Vetements, a Parisian fashion brand worn by celebrities like Kanye West and Rihanna aimed to bring awareness to the problem of fast fashion brands and clothing waste with a recent Window display Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. The window contained a giant pile of clothes. The pile, which grew daily, was made up of old clothes donated by Saks employees and out-of-season items from the store.

On Aug.10, the clothing from the display was donated to RewearABLE, a Long Island recycling program that collects old clothes and textiles, and prepares them for resale or repurposes the textiles.

1. What keeps customers coming back to fast fashion chains like Forever 21, H&M and Zara?

A．Good shopping environment.

B．Discounts and promotional activities.

C．Warm and thoughtful service of the salesmen.

D．Low prices and a continuous supply of new looks.

2. Where can you find the data that best supports “fast fashion is hard on the environment” ?

A．In Paragraph 2.	B．In Paragraph 3.
C．In Paragraph 4.	D．In paragraph 5.

3. What can be learned about the window display created by Vetements?

A．It can help the environment.	B．It does good to people’s health.
C．It can help change people’s lives.	D．It will take the lead in the latest fashion.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．How to Stop Buying Unnecessary Clothes

B．Fast Fashion Brands Spread Around the World

C．The Advantages and Disadvantages of Fast Fashion

D．Fast Fashion Can Kill Your Wallet and the Environment