BYD (比亚迪) claimed the title of World’s Best-Selling EV maker in
Both companies
How did BYD overtake Tesla before the year-end finish line? Partly it is the price war which
While BYD has high-end types of its own, it also has cheaper ones. A cheaper car, which requires a smaller loan from the bank, can look a lot
| A．1 person. | B．11 people. | C．12 people | D．22 people |
| A．China is the only foreign country that invests in Mozambique. |
| B．The cause of the bus accident in California is already made cleat. |
| C．The death of Isabelle Dinoire was related to the face transplant 11 years ago. |
| D．Isabelle Dinoire was the fist in the world who received partial face transplant. |
| A．China’s strategy to send more people to Mozambique. |
| B．China’s plan to help Mozambique build an industrial zone. |
| C．China’s efforts to increase the number of parks in Mozambique. |
| D．China’s challenges in the development of Mozambique’s economy |
1. What’s the topic of the conversation?
| A．The news media. | B．The food production. | C．The economic situation. |
| A．It sounds funny. | B．It tells the truth. | C．It’s encouraging. |
| A．The prices of certain goods will decline. |
| B．The materials will cost even more. |
| C．The workers will get higher wages. |
Born in 1946 in New York, Claudia Goldin, professor at Harvard University,
Female participation in the labor market follows
“It is obvious that understanding women’s role in the labor market is important for society. Thanks to Goldin’s research, we are now equipped
5 . For want of a chip, the factory was lost. On May 18th Toyota became the latest carmaker forced to cut production in a global shortage of microchips, announcing it would stop work at two of its plants in Japan. Other car makers have also had to send workers home.
The pain is not limited to the car industry, for the shortage spans all sorts of chips, from the expensive, high-tech devices that power smartphones and data-centers to the simple sensors and micro-controllers that have become a vital commodity (商品). This chip drought is the result of the covid-19 pandemic interacting with an industry that is subject to cycles of boom and bust.
“The most important thing”, says Malcolm Penn, who runs a chip-industry consultancy, “is that shortages are a natural part of the industry.” Chipmaking is a good example of a “pork-cycle” business, named for the regular swings between under- and over-supply in pork markets. As with pigs, the supply of chips cannot quickly react to changes in demand. Capacity was tight even before the pandemic, says Mr Penn, pointing out that investment by chipmakers in factory equipment has been below its long-term average for many years.
The pandemic arrived at the worst possible time. After an early crash, demand in several fields boomed. Locked-down consumers bought laptops and other devices. Cloud-computing operators added servers to deal with the wave of home-workers. The car industry was particularly badly hit by a decision to cut orders early in the pandemic-demand for cars has since recovered. But the complexities of the production process mean it takes time to recover. “I can cancel my orders in an afternoon,” says Mr. Penn. “If I want to start them up again, that takes months--and that capacity is now busy serving other customers.”
But the pork cycle is turning once again. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world’s biggest chipmaker, plans to spend $30bn on new capacity this year. Two other giants, have also decided on further investment. That will bring relief to the wider economy, but not immediately. The boss of IBM said he thought the shortages might last for two years. And, says Mr Penn, when the drought eventually ends, chipmakers may find they face a familiar problem on a bigger scale: a capacity investment in response to serious shortages today could well mean a sizeable surplus (过剩) tomorrow.
1. How does the author illustrate the cyclical nature of chipmaking in paragraph 3?| A．By referring to a quotation. | B．By making a comparison. |
| C．By drawing a conclusion. | D．By presenting an argument. |
| A．Improved supply chain stability. | B．Timely assistance to the business. |
| C．Economic growth in related sectors. | D．Possible future oversupply of chips. |
| A．Production capacity would recover soon. |
| B．A combination of reasons led to chip shortage. |
| C．An investment of S30bn was enough for the problem. |
| D．Toyota was the first carmaker to suspend production. |
| A．Loading, please wait | B．Dying, please act |
| C．Calling, please respond | D．Over-supplying, please stop |
6 . In the complicated network of global economics, one figure has emerged at a highly influential level over the past couple years: Taylor Swift. The pop singer’s impact has extended far beyond her award-winning songs and into the international business stage, with what’s been referred to as “swiftonomics”.
Many believe that the start of Swift’s ongoing world tour, named “The Eres Tour,” was the beginning of exceptionally high economic impact across the United States. Ticketing giants like Ticketmaster and Seat Geek saw impressive sales as fans packed stadiums nationwide, earning an amazing $ 554 million. Globally, the tour raked in an estimated $ 1.04 billion in ticket sales-the first tour in history to hit the billion-dollar milestone.
Swiftonomics go beyond just ticket sales. As the singer added more dates in different countries to her tour, hotels, restaurants, and transportation services of each location’s economy experienced a notable rise. So far, Swift has generated $ 4.6 billion in consumer spending in the United States alone, and this number is expected to exceed $ 5 billion overall. With the Asia leg of her tour kicking off yesterday- starting in Japan-experts have predicted that similar economic boosts will ensue. According to Tokyo City University lecturer Mitsumasa Etou, Swift is expected to generate up to 34.1 billion yen. Etou named the tour Japan’s “biggest ever musical event in terms of predicted economic impact.”
For countries like Singapore, swiftonomics present an opportunity to boost more than just their economy; according to Singapore University Associate Professor Lau Kong Cheen. the Eras Tour concerts breathes new life into the country s reputation in terms of tourism. Cheen said the ripple effect of the tour makes them look “modern, open-minded, and vibrant” Experts say the country’s tourism levels are rising, reaching about 80% of pre-pandemic levels.
The level of spending, engagement, viewership and overall impact that Taylor Swift ha generated continues to reach unexplored heights, and it’s clear that many corporations and countries have profited off her global appeal.
1. Why does the author include so many figures in Paragraphs 2- 3?| A．To discuss Taylor Swift’s musical achievements. |
| B．To highlight the global popularity of Taylor Swift. |
| C．To showcase the diversity of Taylor Swift’s fanbase. |
| D．To emphasize the economic impact of Taylor Swift’s tour. |
| A．Part. | B．Performance. | C．Stage. | D．Impact. |
| A．Putting an end to the pandemic. | B．Restoring its tourism reputation. |
| C．Reshaping its entertainment image. | D．Boosting its pre-pandemic economy. |
| A．Taylor Swift: An award-winning Musician |
| B．The Eras Tour: An influential Global Concert . |
| C．Swiftonomics: The Global Impact of Taylor Swift |
| D．Swift Impact: Transforming Singapore’s Tourism Reputation |
1. When does Black Friday date back to?
| A．The 1950s. | B．The 1990s. | C．The 2000s. |
| A．An event within stores. |
| B．An event only for online sales. |
| C．An online and offline shopping festival. |
| A．Small parts. | B．Technology items. | C．Home devices. |
| A．$7.16 billion. | B．$9.4 billion. | C．$38.4 billion. |
8 . Nostalgia (怀旧) is a powerful emotion that can be employed to create a strong emotional connection between a brand and its audience. By tapping into the fond memories and positive associations that people have with a particular brand, marketers can create a sense of familiarity and comfort that resonates (共鸣) with their audience. This emotional connection can then be used to drive engagement and loyalty, ultimately leading to increased sales.
In the case of Barbie movie marketing, nostalgia has been used. By incorporating elements of the classic Barbie brand into the movies, such as the symbolic pink color, the classic Barbie logo, and the inclusion of classic Barbie characters, the movies serve as a way to transport fans back to their childhood and relive their favorite memories.
This emotional connection is further strengthened by the marketing campaigns, which create a sense of community and excitement around the brand. By using social media to build hype (夸张报道) and anticipation for each movie, the brand has managed to create a loyal and engaged fan base that has contributed to its success.
The success of Barbie movie marketing has not been limited to the brand’s existing fan base. In fact, the movies have managed to attract a new generation of fans who may not have been familiar with the classic Barbie brand. By creating movies that are both entertaining and empowering, the brand has managed to appeal to a wider audience, including young girls who may be looking for strong female role models.
The impact of Barbie movie marketing on a new generation can be seen in the way that the brand has developed over the years. Although Barbie was once denounced for promoting unrealistic beauty standards and conventional gender images, the brand has since made significant steps in promoting diversity and inclusivity (包容性). The recent Barbie movies feature diverse actors and storylines that promote self-empowerment and self-acceptance, reflecting the changing attitudes and values of society.
1. Nostalgia is often used in marketing mainly because ______.| A．it enables a new brand to expand its markets quickly |
| B．it has a strong influence on people’s choice of goods |
| C．it brings back the audience’s positive emotions about a brand |
| D．it helps make goods appealing to customers of all age groups |
| A．They highlight the color of pink. | B．They use a different logo. |
| C．They target children as audiences. | D．They are about community stories. |
| A．By simplifying the storylines. |
| B．By removing the classic characters. |
| C．By including more cultural elements. |
| D．By creating new female role models. |
| A．Acknowledged. | B．Criticized. | C．Observed. | D．Respected. |
9 . Americans love their automobiles. So long, it seems, as they don’t run on batteries. A survey published in July by the Pew Research Centre found that less than two-fifths of them would consider buying an electric vehicle (EV). Despite expanding charging networks and more EV models to choose from, that is a slightly lower share than the year before.
The biggest block to EV enthusiasm in America is price. The average EV there sells for $52,000, estimates Cox Automotive, a consultancy. That is not a world away from the $48,000 that Americans typically pay for a petrol vehicle. But total costs of ownership, which combine the sales price and running costs for five years, vary more widely. At $65,000, the typical EV is $9,000 more expensive to own than a petrol car (owing to factors like pricey home chargers, dearer insurance and, compared with Europe and China, inexpensive petrol).
All this leaves America’s car industry circling a roundabout. Consumers’ unwillingness to pay for expensive EVs is forcing carmakers to take action to shift stock (库存). Tesla has cut its prices several times in the past year. Carmakers are offering average discounts of almost 10% on their EVs, more than twice as generous as for petrol cars. But this is making it even harder for the companies to make money from battery power. Continued losses in turn may make car firms lose appetite to invest in a broader electric offering that would appeal to buyers.
American carmakers are still hoping they can escape this vicious (恶性的) circle. They are mostly postponing their American EV investments rather than pulling the plug on them. And from January the EV tax credits (免税) will also be available at the point of sale, making it less burdensome for buyers to take advantage of them. All this could eventually generate profits for car firms. Eventually may, though, come a bit later than hoped.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The lack of diversity of EVs. |
| B．The uncertain prospect of EVs. |
| C．The barrier to the purchase of EVs. |
| D．The urgency of price reduction on EVs. |
| A．Issuing EV tax credits policy. |
| B．Offering better discounts on EVs. |
| C．Cutting down the cost of production. |
| D．Investing in a wider electric offering. |
| A．Dissatisfied. | B．Dismissive. | C．Cautious. | D．Casual. |
| A．Is America’s EV Revolution Suspending? |
| B．Do Electric Vehicles Outweigh Petrol Cars? |
| C．EV Revolution Is Promoting Energy Transition |
| D．EV Is Gradually Dominating America’s Car Industry |
The International Workers’ Day, sometimes
People
A recent report
