1 . The natural world provides humans with essential services. For instance, forests channel water into rivers that irrigate crops while their roots prevent landslides. Over decades, therefore, governments have made promises about preserving the world’s biodiversity.
However, those promises have been broken many times, which has caused the depressing destruction of natural environments. One step towards avoiding yet more disappointment is to emphasize the close link between preserving biodiversity and the widely held goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions. Unfortunately, less known is the link between them.
Given that biodiversity has an important role in meeting these carbon-reduction goals, you might think it would feature highly in the net- emissions plans. Not so. For example, faced with tighter regulation of emissions, many companies are now channeling more time and cash to their firms’ carbon footprints reduction and energy transition, yet the plans have too little to say about biodiversity.
That needs to change. Sale guarding biodiversity is an efficient way to control carbon emissions. Companies and investment firms should pay more attention to the opportunities from preserving ecosystems. By investing in biodiversity—directing capital to projects that repair an ecosystem—companies can offset (抵消) their emissions. By some estimates, projects to manage carbon-rich wetlands and to reforest cleared and could provide more than one-third of the emissions reductions that are needed to prevent more than 2°C of global warming.
Key to managing more capital is better measurement so that the link between investment in natural projects, biodiversity and carbon is made clear. Today some so-called carbon-offset projects that involve firms paying money to are questionable and not supported by evidence. Better guidelines and practice can help and so can new technology. Drones and satellites can improve the measurement of biodiversity and accounting systems can measure how spending on biodiversity compares with pouring cash into other kinds of carbon management.
1. What do we know about biodiversity?| A．Its importance is undervalued. | B．Its link with carbon emissions is clear. |
| C．It is the source of carbon dioxide. | D．I gets promised benefits from governments. |
| A．To clarify a rule. | B．To make a conclusion. |
| C．To explain a plan. | D．To support an opinion. |
| A．Rebuilding wetlands. | B．Redirecting capital. |
| C．Cutting carbon emissions. | D．Transforming energy. |
| A．The natural world deserves more investment. |
| B．The key to managing capital is new regulations. |
| C．It is hard to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. |
| D．It is worthwhile spending money on clean energy. |
People from all over China have crowded into Zibo city in recent months, expecting to have an
Since the Zibo barbecues were in the news
The arrival of tourists has boosted Zibo’s economy,
Chinese fashion’s pursuit for a confident, fresh sense of national identity is creating striking, cross-cultural results. Celebrity culture, image
China’s position as a manufacturing (制造业) force is a given; nearly a quarter of global manufacturing output by value
Why now? The new generations in China have more opportunities
4 . Online shopping has changed retail (零售) forever. Most of us wouldn’t know what to do without it. But the e-commerce revolution seems to have missed an industry—groceries. Why aren’t we making our most important shopping trip easier?
The issue isn’t so much that grocers don’t want to be creative. Until recently, many grocers couldn’t afford the technology to support an e-commerce platform. But times are changing, and stores are adapting to meet increasing customer needs by adopting a unified commerce approach.
Grocery shopping is a tiring process and one that most people prefer to do as quickly as possible. However, the current state of online grocery shopping is not quite user-friendly. Maybe it’s because consumers like to touch and feel the fresh produce they’re purchasing. Maybe it’s because grocery e-commerce lacks features that clothing and other industries’ websites have—such as the ability to identify the closest store, an accurate inventory (库存), and the ability to manage large basket sizes.
E-commerce platforms can be expensive and hard to set up for grocers, but the industry is changing, and grocers need to get ready to stay competitive. The key to any successful shopping experience is a 360-view of the customer. Grocers need to invest in solutions that can gather customer information from multiple sales channels, online and off, and bring it together into one platform. Retailers should be trying their best to make shopping possible on different devices—simplifying the journey to help shoppers find what they need more easily.
Part of the reason that unified grocery commerce hasn’t taken off just yet is the fact that stores are not set up to serve different types of shoppers at once. Who is responsible for handling online orders? Should store associates put in-store shoppers or online ones first? It can get confusing for employees and customers alike. There is also the cost associated with adopting new technology in-store, such as creating apps to scan products, the ability to find the right shelf using the product locator and more.
According to Salesforce, the average retailer uses 39 different systems to manage the customer relationship. The key will be finding a way to combine these systems and analyze customer data to best serve customer needs.
1. What does the author say about grocers?| A．They find it unrealistic to be creative. |
| B．They have no money to get essential technology. |
| C．They have no clear idea of customer needs. |
| D．They are unaware of technological changes. |
| A．Customers can’t buy fresh produce. |
| B．Customers aren’t friendly in many cases. |
| C．Customers can’t have quality experiences. |
| D．Customers aren’t able to buy small-sized items. |
| A．Have a competitive spirit at all times. |
| B．Gather information on customers’ daily journeys. |
| C．Turn multiple sales channels into one simple channel. |
| D．Make their services accessible to people using various devices. |
| A．Not enough space for more shelves. |
| B．Failure to handle orders online and off at the same time. |
| C．Employees’ limited knowledge of new technology. |
| D．Difficulty in putting online shoppers above in-store ones. |
5 . First launched in 2010 by China’s e-commerce giant Jingdong, the 618 shopping event has developed into a major mid-year shopping event that has driven online consumer spending over the decade. However, consumers are becoming more cautious during a pandemic-hit economic downturn and growing tired of more frequent shopping events stimulation over the past decade.
The event was originally created as a competition for the Alibaba-backed Singles’ Day shopping event on November 11. And similar to Singles’ Day, the 618 shopping festival has grown out of its founding platform and become a promotional event across all major Chinese e-commerce platforms. The event is also considered a barometer (指标) for consumer spending capacity and new shopping trends in China.
For those who are taking a close look at the country’s second-largest shopping carnival, this year’s edition of 618 might seem like 2020’s all over again, yet if anything the situation is even more serious.
In both years, China was just coming out of lockdowns which had taken a toll on the country’s economy and led to negative consumer consumption concept. But the timing is different. In 2020, Covid-19 broke out in January and most pandemic-related lockdowns were removed in early April. By the time 618 arrived in June, the state had already stepped in to boost consumption by launching a series of digital subsidy programs over April and May. On top of that, the two-month gap allowed more time for manufacturing and logistics (物流) companies to recover from the lockdowns ahead of the shopping festival.
This year, however, there’s less time for the market—either consumer consumption concept, merchants (商人), or logistics companies—to react since the months-long lockdowns to control new Covid-19 outbreaks in cities like Beijing and Shanghai only ended on June 1, just as many retailers were preparing for the 618 shopping festival with pre-promotion and early deals. Moreover, recent trends make it obvious that Chinese consumers will be even more cautious in 2022 than they were near the start of the pandemic.
1. What was the reason for JD to establish the 618 shopping events?| A．To attract customers to shop in malls. |
| B．To celebrate Jingdong’s establishment. |
| C．To compete with Alibaba for customers. |
| D．To create opportunities for single person. |
| A．Because of its leadership in fashion. |
| B．It is China’s second-largest shopping festival. |
| C．Because of JD company’s popularity. |
| D．It is organized by China’s largest online platform. |
| A．The absent logistics assistance. |
| B．The same tough timing for selling. |
| C．The pandemic-hit economic decline. |
| D．The sales restrictions set by government. |
| A．Lockdowns just ended in early April. |
| B．There is less time for the market to respond. |
| C．Covid-19 outbreaks are more serious in cities. |
| D．Chinese customers are more lacking in money |
| A．measures to close cities | B．limited activities | C．locks to the door | D．downtowns |
6 . In its response to reports that its Kindle business is exiting the Chinese mainland market, Amazon said consumers can still buy Kindle devices through third-party online and offline retailers (零售), while some of its devices have been sold out in the mainland. No one knows whether consumers bought all its products or the company produced too few, but it’s obvious that Kindle has shut down several online sales channels, forcing many in China to put their Kindles up for sale.
The domestic (国内的) digital reading market is growing rapidly. The reason for the industry’s growth even as Kindle declines is the ubiquitous smartphone. Nearly every adult has one smartphone in China. In fact, all electronic devices that specialize in single functions are fading out. Even tablets account for only one-tenth of mobile devices sales because one cannot use one to make a phone call. Besides, Kindle itself has problems. The electronic books that are available are expensive, while Kindle Unlimited, a program that allows customers to read any number of e-books for a monthly subscription fee, seldom includes new titles.
In a word, while electronic reading is a booming market, the market for electronic reading devices is shrinking. That’s why many joke that the only function left for a Kindle device is to act as a cover for a steaming cup of instant noodles.
Many users are saddened and hope Kindle doesn’t disappear for good. Maybe Kindle can find a way to reinvent itself and continue serving its customers.
1. What conclusion can we draw from the first paragraph?| A．Digital reading at home isn’t as popular as before. |
| B．Some Kindle sales routes online have been closed. |
| C．All Kindle devices are sold out in the Chinese market. |
| D．Consumers are able to buy Kindle products on the Internet directly at present. |
| A．High-end. | B．Expensive. | C．Good-looking. | D．Common. |
| A．Objective. | B．Pitiful. | C．Sad. | D．Worried. |
| A．The history of Kindle business. | B．Electronic reading is booming. |
| C．The applications of smartphones. | D．Kindle must reinvent itself to bounce back. |
7 . China’s first group of e-sports major graduates will emerge in the summer of 2021,with data showing that even though this major has been underestimated by the public, the future appears promising as there are hundreds of thousands of related jobs available.
After the Ministry of Education decided that “electronic sports and management” should be listed in colleges’ major departments in September 2016, around 30 Chinese universities kicked off their e-sports major courses in the same year, to meet the needs of the rise of e-sports related industries in the Chinese market.
“The major is designed to meet the demand,”said Zheng Duo,co-founder of Tianjin Hero Sports Management and a visiting professor from the Communication University of China(CUC).
Chinese passion for e-sports is not in doubt, with more than 18,000 e-sports companies registered as of 2021, according to corporate database Qichacha.The number of e-sports users in China reached 500 million in 2021, and the market had a value of more than 145 billion yuan as of 2020, according to Chinese consulting group iResearch. Meanwhile,the industry chain is becoming more complete.
Jobs in areas such as supervision and content production require talent and training. The number of available jobs is estimated at 500,000,and could reach 3.5 million in the next five years, according to China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Well-known universities such as CUC and the Shanghai Theatre Academy have responded to the country’s call and are preparing graduates for the e-sports market.Yet not every major graduate is qualified for the positions available, as the jobs normally require practical experience,which is something a lot of graduates lack.
Industry insiders have indicated that e-sports is an industry with rapid iteration(迭代), and some companies prefer to hire people with experience instead of spending time training recruits.
Roughly half of the graduates will enter the gaming industry, said Xiao Pi, an e-sports major graduate from CUC. “Some of the rest will pursue further studies for their master’s degree.”
“Even though e-sports majors have advantages in finding jobs, students need practical experience to better suit the different positions,” said Gu Liming, president of Perfect World Games.
1. What do the public think of e-sports majors according to the text?| A．They don’t exist in job markets. |
| B．They deserve a promising future. |
| C．They don’t have a wide appeal. |
| D．They replace many other majors. |
| A．They had great passion for electronic sports. |
| B．They wanted to respond to the public’s call. |
| C．They had the potential for e-sports courses. |
| D．They wanted to meet the social demands. |
| A．E-sports have a large database. |
| B．E-sports see a larger-scale market. |
| C．E-sports get advice from iResearch. |
| D．E-sports arise from a complete chain. |
| A．The fierce competition. | B．Familiarity with markets. |
| C．Practical experience. | D．A master’s degree. |
8 . Healthy See, Healthy Do
Visit the grocery store on an empty stomach, and you will probably come home with a few things you did not plan to buy. But hunger is not the only cause of additional purchases.
The checkout area is a particular hotspot for junk food.
Adjoian and her colleagues wondered if such findings would apply to their city’s crowded urban checkout areas, so they selected three Bronx supermarkets for their own study.
Of the more than 2,100 shoppers they observed, just 4 percent bought anything from the checkout area. Among those who did, however, customers in the healthy lines purchased nutritious foods more than twice as often as those in the standard lines.
The potential influence may seem small, but Adjoian believes that changing more checkout lines will open customers’ eyes to nutritious, lower-calorie foods. Health department officials are now exploring ways to expand healthy options at checkout counters throughout New York City.
| A．They bought unhealthy foods 40 percent less often. |
| B．These findings caught the attention of New York City Department of Health. |
| C．They replaced candies and cookies with fruits and nuts near the checkout counter. |
| D．The supermarkets began to offer nutritious, lower-calorie foods. |
| E．These foods give people more energy. |
| F．The location of store displays also influences our shopping choices. |
| G．The products most commonly found there are sugary and salty snacks. |
9 . From various competition gears (用具) that accompanied athletes from Team China winning medals to the huge traffic and exposure brought by Chinese 18-year-old skier star Gu Ailing who wore Anta items in her room on social media, Chinese domestic sports brands have emerged (显露) on one of the world’s largest sporting stages, and Anta has turned out to be the clear winner.
Anta has been the sportswear partner of the Chinese Olympic Committee since 2009. As the official sportswear provider of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Anta used its smart technology to equip 12 event teams of Team China in events including short track speed skating, skeleton and curling. Some of Anta’s Olympic licensed products have also become targets of Chinese social media users to snap up, especially the hats and shoulder bags in the shape of Bing Dwen Dwen, with the strong recommendation from foreign athletes, which sold out quickly on Anta’s online flagship store.
The Chinese sports equipment maker also owns brands such as Fila, Salomon and Descente. According to a ranking by sports new media sportsmoney, Fila and Descente held the first two positions in terms of the number of individual or team medal winners wearing the brand’s clothes when competing and receiving the awards as of February 18.
Phenix, a long established technical Alpine skiwear brand that has been acquired by China Dongxiang Group, enjoyed an outstanding performance as the sponsor of Team Norway uniforms, which won its 16th gold medal of the Beijing Games on Sunday, a record for a single country at a Winter Olympics.
The Winter Olympic Games has promoted many home-grown brands like Anta, Li Ning and Peak to global star brands and they emerge more strongly in competing with foreign sports competitors, industry analysts told the Global Times. With advanced technology and a promising future after the Beijing Winter Olympics, domestic sports brands are set to see huge growth opportunities on global markets with stronger brand awareness, they said.
1. What can we learn about Anta from the passage?| A．Chinese athletes are all fans of the brand. |
| B．Some of its licensed products have been a hit online. |
| C．It owns brands such as Fila, Phenix, and Descente. |
| D．It has sponsored the Chinese Olympic Committee for a decade. |
| A．The foreign sportswear competitors remains competitive. |
| B．The homegrown brands need to grow stronger brand awareness. |
| C．Anta, LiNing and Peak are long established global star brands. |
| D．There will be a great potential for national sports brands to realize. |
| A．National sportswear brand Anta has turned out to be the winner. |
| B．Domestic sports brands gain great popularity home and abroad. |
| C．Winter Olympics pored to have promoted domestic sports bands. |
| D．Winter Olympics witnessed fierce competition between different brands. |
| A．Culture | B．Entertainment | C．Science | D．Business |
Keeping the balance between progress
