1 . Think of the last time you disagreed with another person. Maybe you argued with a sibling (兄弟;姊妹) over what to watch on TV.
How can you understand both sides of an issue? Often,it’s best to start by asking questions. Questions help us learn about the world around us.
When seeking to understand both sides of an issue, it’s important to know the difference between facts and opinions. Remember, facts are based on true information. Opinions can change from person to person. Paying attention to facts can stop biases (偏见) from taking over in a disagreement.
Maybe you’re wondering why it’s important to understand both sides of an issue, anyway. After all, don’t most people just want to prove that their side is right? Often, that’s true. However, understanding the whole issue can lead to both sides working together.
A.Let’s agree to disagree. |
B.Disagreements may be uncomfortable at first. |
C.In many situations, disagreements are unavoidable. |
D.The ability to ask the right questions reflects good thinking ability. |
E.Or perhaps you tried to convince grown-ups that ice cream makes a better dinner than vegetables. |
F.The right questions can also help us learn about other people. |
G.This can help everyone involved see both sides of the issue. |
2 . We know that China is the largest and fastest-growing consumer market in the world. What is less well understood are the forces that shape consumerism in the world’s most populous country. In my view, there are some social and cultural aspects at play that drive consumer spending.
Consumerism is related to freedom. To have a choice means to have consumer choice. You are what you consume. Consumption is an expression of self. It allows you to explore the world through its products, to experiment with lifestyle choices, and to do so safely and anonymously(匿名). You might never get to France, but you can try French wine. California might be far, but you can go to Shanghai Disneyland. Indeed, the enthusiasm for choice is reflected in the enthusiasm Chinese consumers have for online shopping.
Consumerism is a statement of success. American economist Thorstein Veblen popularized the concept of “conspicuous consumption”. When consumption is no longer driven only by need, it becomes a way of making a statement that you have disposable(可自由支配的)income and you can ---at least in certain respects---enjoy life on your terms. Simple pleasures---a pair of shoes, a smartphone, designer clothing --- become statements of personal identity.
The collective experience is focused. We like participating in group events. FOMO, the Fear of Missing Out, goes beyond cultures. But I suspect this trend is stronger in China than in the West because Confucian culture does not celebrate outsiders as the West’s culture does. Social media reinforce(强化)this collective pattern so that shopping and dining are shared experiences. Opinions are crowd-sourced. And the merchants reinforce this pattern by supporting holiday sales, group buying, and other promotions.
Successful brands in China are able to handle most or all of the above considerations. The consumer must not only be delighted with your product. The journey of the consumer must also respect these socio-cultural aspects.
1. What’s mainly talked about in the passage?A.Chinese are growing wealthier. |
B.China’s fast-growing market economy. |
C.Chinese socio-cultural influences on consumerism. |
D.Chinese consumers’ preference for quality rather than quantity. |
A.Shopping online is a new experience. |
B.Consumption can be a reflection of freedom. |
C.Foreign products can be purchased in China. |
D.Shopping around the world is a favorable choice. |
A.The ability to cover one’s real need in daily life. |
B.Spending money in order to keep up with others. |
C.The purchase of expensive items to display status. |
D.Buying plenty of goods and delivering them to others. |
A.Social media play a bigger role in their lives. |
B.Following the trend is what people like better. |
C.Chinese people have less contact with the strangers. |
D.Confucian culture is less likely to appreciate outsiders. |
Crew members of the Shenzhou XII mission returned to Earth on Friday afternoon,
Nie Haisheng and his crew spent 92 days in space since the Shenzhou XII spacecraft
During
It is a
4 . I used to watch her play basketball and laugh. The boys always tried to stop her but
She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat
The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was seen by a college
Every time she wanted to
A.succeeded | B.defeated | C.passed | D.failed |
A.repeatedly | B.accidentally | C.occasionally | D.naturally |
A.diploma | B.scholarship | C.admission | D.training |
A.Besides | B.Meanwhile | C.However | D.Therefore |
A.only | B.ever | C.merely | D.never |
A.much | B.yet | C.alone | D.already |
A.ache | B.tighten | C.dry | D.itch |
A.correct | B.positive | C.honest | D.wrong |
A.importance | B.power | C.imagination | D.restriction |
A.family | B.skill | C.attitude | D.height |
A.exist | B.stand | C.count | D.debate |
A.running | B.shooting | C.routine | D.ambition |
A.coach | B.manager | C.athlete | D.consultant |
A.indicated | B.attached | C.submitted | D.allocated |
A.heard of | B.dreamed of | C.thought of | D.spoken of |
A.enjoyable | B.respectable | C.thoughtful | D.impressive |
A.last | B.decline | C.quit | D.fight |
A.stick to | B.wake up | C.calm down | D.think over |
A.setting | B.rising | C.moving | D.glowing |
A.failure | B.facts | C.consequence | D.target |
5 . We’ve had waves of panic around technology for decades, whether it is comic books or video games. Now it happens to be social media. And the fact of the matter is that parents and teachers, who are trying to raise their kids in the face of these panics, are being poorly served by the government when it comes to getting meaningful advice.
It's not that social media is good or bad for people. It's that the science of social media and mental health is broken. We need to do research, but we shouldn’t be approaching it from the perspective that the world is ending. We need to be curious and open to the possibility of its effects, positive and negative.
The danger for policymakers or parents is that if you pretend that social media is a problem, without having evidence, and you take steps to regulate it, the intervention (妨碍)could end up being really bad for young people. You might be taking away a lifeline for vulnerable (脆弱的) kids or free them of their human right to play, which is morally reprehensible(受谴责的) at the best of times, let alone during a pandemic.
So that's why I'm not going to tell you that I know social media is bad. It's perfectly reasonable for parents and teachers to be concerned about social media, but it's unavoidable and young people are going to encounter it sooner or later. So what would you rather do: keep them in the dark and leave them ill-equipped to deal with it or let them learn about social media with your help and support? It's a little like learning to ride a bike. Bikes can be huge fun to ride, but you can also hurt yourself on them, which is why you don't just give your kid a bike and a helmet and wish them good luck. You help them learn to ride. Similarly, you're not asking your 14-year-old daughter to choose between telling you someone scary is messaging her or losing her phone. You need to treat it like anything else that can hurt you, but can also connect you.
1. What does this wave of panic refer to now according to the passage ?A.Technology | B.Comic books | C.Video games | D.Social media |
A.Give them some instructions |
B.Ask the experts for help |
C.Go to the special treatment center |
D.Free them of their human right to play |
A.Doubtful | B.Supportive | C.Neutral | D.Indifferent |
A.Parents should let children learn about social media on their own. |
B.The world is ending as a result of the negative effects of social meaia. |
C.Parents should be cautious when regulating children’s using social media. |
D.Parents are advised not to give kids helmets when they learn to ride a bike. |
6 . 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 |
When was the last time you used a phone booth on the street?
Shanghai plans
Shanghai is not the only city
In recent years the country
Maybe in the future phone booths will become city attractions once again, but in a more creative way.
8 . In the mid-1990s, Tom Bissell taught English as a volunteer in Uzbekistan. He left after seven months, physically broken and having lost his mind. A few years later, still attracted to the country, he returned to Uzbekistan to write an article about the disappearance of the Aral Sea.
His visit, however, ended up involving a lot more than that. Hence this book, Chasing the Sea: Lost Among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia, talks about a road trip from Tashkent to Karakalpakstan, where millions of lives have been destroyed by the slow drying up of the sea. It is the story of an American travelling to a strange land, and of the people he meets on his way: Rustam, his translator, a lovely 24-year-old who picked up his colorful English in California, Oleg and Natasha, his hosts in Tashkent, and a string of foreign aid workers.
This is a quick look at life in Uzbekistan, made of friendliness and warmth, but also its darker side of society. In Samarkand, Mr Bissell admires the architectural wonders, while on his way to Bukhara he gets a taste of police methods when suspected of drug dealing. In Ferghana, he attends a mountain funeral(葬礼)followed by a strange drinking party. And in Karakalpakstan, he is saddened by the dust storms, diseases and fishing boats stuck miles from the sea.
Mr Bissell skillfully organizes historical insights and cultural references, making his tale a well-rounded picture of Uzbekistan, seen from Western eyes. His judgment and references are decidedly American, as well as his delicate stomach. As the author explains, this is neither a travel nor a history book, or even a piece of reportage. Whatever it is, the result is a fine and vivid description of the purest of Central Asian traditions.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?A.Bissell was an English teacher. |
B.Bissell left Uzbekistan heartbroken. |
C.Bissell returned to Uzbekistan to find a new job. |
D.Bissell came back due to the attraction of Uzbekistan. |
A.Besides. | B.Instead. |
C.Therefore. | D.Otherwise. |
A.Humorous. | B.Adventurous. |
C.Ambitious. | D.Brave. |
A.A diary. | B.A guide book. |
C.A novel. | D.A magazine. |
Michael Jeffrey Jordan ( born February 17, 1963 ), also
After a three-season career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
10 . Once I took a taxi to a hotel in Palm Springs to give a speech. The
I believe every person deserves
Respect doesn’t mean we have to
Whether it’s on the Internet or in person, when I meet new people,
A.speaker | B.driver | C.customer | D.waiter |
A.sad | B.happy | C.strange | D.curious |
A.Therefore | B.Moreover | C.However | D.Again |
A.train | B.meet | C.change | D.hire |
A.cheered up | B.got up | C.ended up | D.hurried up |
A.painter | B.doctor | C.chemist | D.engineer |
A.success | B.respect | C.praise | D.rest |
A.learn | B.take | C.buy | D.borrow |
A.worries | B.difficulties | C.complaints | D.stories |
A.study | B.explain | C.experience | D.doubt |
A.polite | B.bored | C.angry | D.popular |
A.depend | B.argue | C.admit | D.agree |
A.political | B.serious | C.basic | D.necessary |
A.until | B.unless | C.if | D.though |
A.skillful | B.personal | C.new | D.complex |