1 . As part of Africa’s COVID-19 recovery strategy, it should invest (投资) in its young people and in digital technology resources, which experts’ said would offer a solution for unlocking a new era of intra-African (非洲内部的) trade and growth.

According to the United Nations, Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70 percent of people in sub-Saharan Africa being younger than 30.

The UN recognizes the continent’s young people as critical to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, which took effect at the beginning of last year, and has called for their involvement in policy making and implementation.

The African Export-Import Bank, also known as Afreximbank, likewise called on Tuesday for an increase in intra-African trade and financing, with the continent’s young people and technology resources playing important roles.

Benedict Oramah, president and chairman of Afreximbank, said industrial revolutions seen in other countries were largely owed to a young and capable workforce.

“It is our view that the youth will be the catalytic force of the development of Africa. This asset (资本) in our hands is perhaps the greatest resource, an asset much more valuable than all the oil and mineral resources,” Oramah said in speech at the ongoing 29th Annual Meetings of Afreximbank in Cairo, Egypt.

“The African youth are beginning to make significant contributions to economic transformation across the continent,” he added.

Oramah said Africa should turn to its own resources, driving investment and development by leveraging Africa’s human capital and technological potential, in order to accelerate intra-African trade and commerce.

Young people are ready to make giant progress in a single continental market and could become the drivers of the continent’s integration and intra-African trade, Oramah said.

1. What does the United Nations think of young people in Africa?

A．They need to invest more money in technology.

B．They are too young to shoulder the responsilities.

C．They should get involved in policy making in Africa.

D．Their success should be recognized by the government.

2. What is important to the increase in intra-African trade according to Oramah?

A．Oil and mineral resources.	B．Youth and technology resources.
C．Investment from other countries	D．Better policies of the UN.

3. What does the underlined word “catalytic” in paragraph 6 mean?

A．Last.

B．Traditional.

C．Expensive.

D．Promoting.

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

A．Young People Seen as Key to Africa’s Growth	B．Great Progress Made in African Economy
C．UN’s New Policies on Developing Africa	D．Afreximbank’s Contributions to Africa

2 . 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.

2. Why did universities start to offer e-sports major courses in 2016?

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.

3. What can we infer from Paragraph 4?

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.

4. What do e-sports graduates really need to be better qualified for the positions?

A．The fierce competition.	B．Familiarity with markets.
C．Practical experience.	D．A master’s degree.

3 . Queen Elizabeth II’s face is on every note and coin in the United Kingdom, but still little is known about how much money she has personally, how she gets it and who stands to inherit (继承) it.

What we do know from public records is that the Queen receives at least $20 million in annual income through her private estate, and another 100 million dollars from the UK government each year.

The first thing to understand is that the Queen’s income comes from both public and private possessions. A large amount of it comes from something called the Sovereign Grant. Here’s how that works.

In the 1700s, the monarchy (王室) handed over income from land to the government known as the Crown Estate. Each year the government pays a percentage of the profits made on those possessions back to the monarchy. That annual income is known as the Sovereign Grant. Last year it totaled more than $107 million. And it is used to fund the Queen’s official duties and maintain royal residences like Buckingham Palace.

But even if we can’t identify her exact worth, the royal finances are looking healthy as the Queen celebrates her 70th Queen Ceremony. The Sunday Times Rich List estimated the Queen’s net worth is $466 million, up $6.2 million dollars from last year. And while the Duchy of Lancaster saw UK income drop during the pandemic, according to its financial records, the Queen’s income has been turning upwards over the past decade.

Anyway, the monarchy is a private family, and they are unlikely to share any details of their wealth with the British public, and that probably won’t change anytime soon.

1. How does the Queen get her income?

A．From the Crown Estate.	B．From the Sovereign Grant.
C．From the monarchy and the government.	D．From the government and private possessions.

2. What’s the main idea of Paragraph 4?

A．How the Queen’s income is calculated.

B．How the monarchy cooperates with the government.

C．How the Sovereign Grant works and what the money is used for.

D．How the monarchy gets paid and what the Queen’s official duties are.

3. What can be inferred about the Queen’s income from Paragraph 5?

A．It can be exactly identified.	B．It decreases during the pandemic.
C．It is more than that from last year.	D．It is more than that of the UK government.

4. Which section may the text be taken from?

A．Health.

B．History.

C．Education.

D．Economy.

4 . The China State Council issued a document in early August, suggesting employers across the country make flexible working arrangements and give their workers Friday afternoons off during hot summer days in order to boost tourism and consumption.

Online surveys have shown that most correspondents are in favor of the State Council’s proposal for longer weekends, as two and a half days are enough even for one to plan a short journey. People will have more time to be together with their families.     1    

However, there are doubts as to whether this well-intentioned initiative can be put into practice.     2     While the regular two-day weekend is still a dream for a large number of working people in various industries, a two-and-half-day weekend is really a luxury many people can barely afford.

    3     If staff workers of government departments and public institutions no longer work on Friday afternoons, local residents will have nowhere to go if they have urgent issues to solve through these establishments.

Obviously, the only way out is to implement policies concerning paid annual leave in a realistic manner so that the working people can make arrangements for their days off work. As a result, holidaymakers don’t need to all rush to the same scenic spots during the same period of time, which would be beneficial to the protection and operation of these spots.     4     Thus it serves the initial purpose of boosting economic growth through developing tourism.

    5     The government is supposed to pay more attention to the protection of labor rights and employ all possible means to ensure their holidays as well as the functions of government institutions, instead of just making economically motivated policies.

A．Also, this is an effective way to increase consumer spending.

B．The right of workers to rest and paid annual leave are protected under the law.

C．A larger number of workers, if not all, will benefit from official holiday arrangements.

D．Most people think that they will actually not be able to enjoy the benefits of such a scheme.

E．After rest and relaxation, employees will become more energetic when they come back to work.

F．Another worry is that this measure will finally be exclusively (专有地) enjoyed by a limited number of employees.

G．As long as paid annual leave remains unrealistic in most industrial sectors, the two-and-half-day weekend seems pointless.

5 . Heavy clouds threaten rain, but this doesn’t seem to weaken the spirits of the gardeners who are cheerfully weeding in a community vegetable garden which lies deep inside Manguinhos, previously a rubbish dump.

The Manguinbos garden is part of the Hortas Cariocas project (Carioca Gardens). Launched in 2006 by Julio Cesar Barros, an agriculturist who works for the government, the project now includes 55 gardens that are located either in schools or in ‘vulnerable’ neighbourhoods, such as favelas (棚户区). The gardens produce organic food that is then supplied to feed low-income families around.

Barros explains that the expansion of the largest garden which will benefit five nearby favelas is under way. It will follow the same model as existing gardens. Each of the five favelas will provide a team of local gardeners. Half of the produce must be donated locally, but the team is then free to sell the other half, adding to the salary they receive,

Hortas Cariocas is run and funded by the government, but each garden is tended by a group of locals who receive a small salary for their work. The favela residents involved in the gardens are nevertheless enthusiastic about the project’s other benefits, such as education and bringing people happiness. “I always tell people, ‘Hortas Cariocas’ is the name of the project, but its surname is ‘Saving Lives’,” says Ezequiel Dias Areas, who manages the team of gardeners in Manguinhos. Dias Areas was unemployed for five years before getting involved in 2013. Without the garden “today I might be doing something illegal, I might be dead, I might be in prison”, he says.

Douglas dos Santos, a 30-year-old father-of-four, tells his story. “I feel valued,” he says, explaining how he learned about agriculture via the project. Despite his pride, dos Santos isn’t blind to the project’s shortcomings. He readily admits that juggling a pleasant relationship with the favela’s residents’ association is no easy task.

1. Where may the vegetable gardens be?

A．In some football pitches.	B．In Barros’ neighbourhood.
C．In low-income communities.	D．In local government yards.

2. What can we learn about Hortas Cariocas?

A．Benefits of it are many-sided.	B．Local gardeners work for it for free.
C．The produce is sold by the government.	D．It is financially supported by the locals.

3. What is Santos’ attitude towards the project?

A．Negative

B．Suspicious

C．Objective

D．Not clear

4. Which can be a best title for the text?

A．Organic Farming	B．Life-saving Gardens
C．A Wise Agriculturist	D．Hard-working Gardeners

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

A new phenomenon is taking hold worldwide—“shrinkflation”. This is when companies reduce the size of their products or range of services while     1     (maintain) prices. It is in reaction to the rising prices of raw materials needed in the process of     2     (produce). Another way companies choose is     3     (place) smaller items in larger boxes, making shoppers think they're getting more for their money. In fact,     4     (consumer) become more sensitive to price than quantity or quality. Most shoppers will make a regular purchase, even if it has shrunk (缩小) , as long as     5     price has not risen.

So far, the chocolate maker Cadbury     6       (choose) to shrink the size of one of its products by 10%. A company spokesperson said: “We expect to absorb costs in this difficult environment so we have had to make the decision to     7     (slight) reduce the weight of chocolate bars for the first time since 2012, so that we can keep them surviving in the fierce     8     (compete).” The service industry is also trying to keep from raising prices. The hotel chains Hilton have made it a rule     9     guests must now request daily housekeeping services. Many other free services we have taken for granted are also     10     the decrease.

7 . The concept “China chic”, or guochao, has become popular in recent years. According to relevant data, from January to July 2022, the search volume for “Guochao” as a keyword has increased by 392. 66% year on year. Big Data Report of 2021 Guochao Pride Search from Baidu revealed that the level of interest in guochao has skyrocketed in the past 10 years. Domestic（国内 的）products are in fashion, and domestic consumption has increasingly become an important choice for the new generation of consumers.

China chic mixes unique cultural elements with the latest trends in various industries, which not only satisfies younger consumers' needs for pursuing personality and fashion, but also plays a role in bringing back traditional culture. The rise of China chic is the result of China's rapid economic development and has some cultural motivations behind it. Besides, the continuous improvement of the consumption power of Chinese people is an important reason for the rise of China chic.

Most importantly, cultural confidence is the driving force for the rise of China chic. Five thousand years of Chinese civilization has left us a rich cultural heritage. Guochao is, in many ways, the perfect representative of the new wave of Chinese nationalism. Starting in the fashion industry, this trend shows Chinese consumers' newfound interest in Chinese cultural heritage. The guochao trend is at its strongest among young adults who live in an even more powerful China and thus have a strong feeling of national pride. China's national strength is increasing, and its soft power is also on the rise. Even so, we still have a long way to go to carry forward this China chic. But as it has become a part of people's lives, no doubt there will even be more diverse China chic products showing Chinese charm in the future.

1. Which statement reflects China chie's situation in recent years?

A．It has not often been searched in Baidu.

B．It has gained great popularity among Chinese.

C．It has attracted consumers of older generation.

D．It has been widely accepted in different cultures.

2. What does the underlined word “skyrocketed” in the first paragraph mean?

A．Risen sharply.	B．Dropped obviously.
C．Remained stable.	D．Changed slightly.

3. Which factor for the rise of China chic is NOT mentioned?

A．The rapid economic development of China.

B．Cultural confidence from rich cultural heritage.

C．Government's measures to bring back traditional culture.

D．The continuous improvement of Chinese consumption power.

4. What can be concluded from the last paragraph?

A．The selection of China chic products is limited.

B．China chic has little influence on people's lives.

C．China chic still needs developing and improving.

D．The author is disappointed at the future of China chic.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

2021 was a significant year for China as the Communist Party of China (CPC) celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee     1     (hold) in November. It reviewed the Party’s century-long struggle and called on its overall membership     2     (play) a leading role in the pursuit of a better life for the Chinese people.

2021 marked a great year for humanity, as the     3     (explore) of outer space was extensively carried out and achieved new progress: China’s Mars rover Tianwen-1 landed on the red planet. China’s lunar probe Chang’e-4 continues to reveal     4     lies on the far side of the moon, and the nation’s taikonauts have already been living and working in     5     (it) own Tiangong space station.

2021 also proved extraordinary when     6     fight against COVID-19 remained a worldwide focus. Humans were forced to tackle one virus variant after another, from Alpha to Omicron, all     7     (damage) public health, Against that backdrop, China still achieved steady economic growth, contributing greatly     8     the stability of global supply chains. It     9     (provide) nearly 2 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines to more than 100 countries around the globe up to now.

Peace, cooperation, development, and mutual assistance will be China’s key words in the 12     10     (month) ahead. It’s never too late to change. It’s never too late to heal.

9 . The pink and green buoys（浮标）moved gently over the surface of the water as Catherine Puckett steered（操纵）her boat towards them. Underneath the area, Ms Puckett plants kelp-a type of seaweed-on long ropes that are like washing lines. In a good year she harvests about five tonnes of the stuff.

Seaweed has long been a mainstay(支柱)of Japanese cuisine, but it is now catching on in America. Dieticians(营养师)praise kelp's high nutritional value and its many uses in the kitchen. Restaurants offer kelp salads.

Seaweed also owes its rising popularity to something else. Research has shown that it restores underwater habitats and helps to reduce the effects of climate change.

Seaweed farming is attracting newcomers, especially women, to the seafood industry. GreenWave, a non-profit, has a waiting list of about 8, 000 people for its ocean-farming programme.

People, such as Suzie Flores, are switching careers. Before opening her kelp farm in 2017, she was a manager at a higher-education software company. Bren Smith, founder of GreenWave, says one reason ocean faming attracts newcomers is that starting a seaweed farm is easier than becoming a commercial fisherman, which requires permits that come in limited numbers and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

For kelp farmers, however, getting the required permits can be a process involving numerous state agencies. Ms Flores says that outside of Maine(缅因州), plants to process the seaweed crop are limited. Ms Puckett has to harvest her crop within a five-hour window to get it on a ferry(渡船)before noon(she hopes to build her own processing plant on the island). And farmers sometimes have to deal with people who complain that the farming gear, though mostly underwater, spoils the view from their seafront villas(别墅).

The kelp industry is still young and farming seaweed is not always profitable. But, says Ms Flores, “I find it to be very fulfilling. You are growing food that is healthy for the environment and healthy for people. ”

1. What's Catherine Puckett?

A．A fisherman.

B．A seaweed farmer.

C．A scientist.

D．A dietician.

2. Why does ocean farming attract newcomers?

A．Fishing is no longer permitted.

B．It's not difficult to enter seafood industry.

C．A seaweed farm can be started at no cost.

D．It's more profitable than software industry.

3. What can we conclude from Paragraph 6?

A．Kelp farmers face some difficulties.

B．Kelp farmers complain about the ocean view.

C．Kelp farmers harvest their crop in the afternoon.

D．Kelp farmers process seaweeds in seafront villas.

4. What's Ms Flores' attitude towards the kelp industry?

A．Worried.

B．Doubtful.

C．Positive.

D．Unclear.

10 . People only contact their insurers when things go wrong and they need to make a claim. This generally means losses for the insurer. It also means stress and troubles for the customer. In order to relieve both problems, insurers increasingly offer extra services alongside their traditional policies.

Aviva, a British insurer, for instance, installs sensors on customers’ water pipes to detect very small leaks, so that these can be repaired before causing greater damage. This spares Aviva the cost of a bigger claim, and the customer the misfortune of a flooded basement.

Life insurers have so far been slower to catch on. But this is changing. Often extra services help people to live more healthily. AXA, a French insurer, gives its customers access to check-ups. Union Life, a Chinese one, guarantees customers a place in an old people's home and advises them on activities in retirement.

Last month, Haven Life, an American life-insurance agency, announced it would include a set of extra services for its customers. That makes it a pioneer on its home market as its new policy fits neatly into the global trend. Its extra services centre on health. For instance, customers also get discounts on family-health services at some clinics, and access to a genetic health test. Now more and more American life insurers have joined it. Ladder, a life-insurance startup, offers some help on financial planning through an online tool. State Farm, a large American insurer, gives customers a discount on in-home sensors that monitor old people’s health.

These services are not in short of demand. A survey by Bain & Company finds that American consumers have very similar preferences to other parts of the world on the sorts of services they want from life insurers. But America is not a friendly place for innovative insurers. New policies must be approved by each of its 50 state authorities. Some states’ laws are too inflexible, and do not allow for such extra benefits. Even when an offering suits insurers and their customers, it can still take time to spread.

1. Why do more and more insurers provide customers with extra services?

A．To help with the repair work.	B．To earn a greater reputation.
C．To prevent greater losses.	D．To make customers relaxed.

2. Why does the writer mention “AXA” and “Union Life” in Paragraph 3?

A．To draw people’s attention to keeping healthy.	B．To urge life insurers to provide more services.
C．To explain why life insurers develop slowly.	D．To show the changes in life insurers’ services.

3. What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about concerning American life insurance?

A．The new trend on its market.	B．The new leader of its industry.
C．The quality of its new services.	D．The future of its new policy.

4. What is preventing life insurers’ new policies from spreading in America?

A．Consumers’ preferences.	B．Customers’ demands.
C．Some states’ rigid laws.	D．Extra services’ quality.