1 . The world’s population reached five billion on the day I was born. That was in Indonesia back in 1987, and my parents was shocked that there were so many people on the planet.
The human population has never been bigger, but in some ways the planet seems to begetting unbelievably smaller. In the past, travellers from Europe to Indonesia spent months at sea. Now you just have to sit on a plane for a few hours. When you arrived in another country a hundred years ago, you saw unfamiliar styles of clothing and buildings and discovered a completely different culture. In many places today, clothing and new buildings are very similar, and people enjoy the same things.
Even the languages that we use are becoming more global. There are around seven thousand languages in use today.
| A．But the number is decreasing fast. |
| B．Although we are on different continents, we are starting to live the same lives. |
| C．The planet might be a lot more peaceful if that were the case. |
| D．However, since then the population has continued to increase at an alarming rate. |
| E．A number as big as seven billion is hard to imagine. |
| F．With only one language left, there will be no culture difference in the world. |
2 . It keeps what’s inside a mystery until you open it. There are usually toys in mystery boxes; but now, food has been added to the list.
Recently, the trend of “leftover mystery boxes” has become popular in many Chinese cities such as Beijing, Nanjing and Chengdu. Stores pack boxes full of unsold food or food nearing its expiration date at low prices.
“We make the leftover mystery boxes available to buy at the end of the day,” Wu Tian, a staff member at a convenience chain store in Beijing, told China Daily. The food, such as milk, bread and sandwiches, is sold at about half the original price and is usually sold out quickly. Many bakeries have also joined the “mystery box club”.
Due to their low price, leftover mystery boxes “are very promising as a new business mode” and can attract more consumers, Hong Yong, an expert at the Ministry of Commerce, told China Daily. “In addition, they follow the concept of zero-waste and environmental protection.”
In 2021, the total amount of food waste in China reached 160 million tons, with an average of 93 grams per meal per person, China Food Newspaper reported. Since the passage of China’s Anti-Food Waste Law in April 2021, people’s awareness of food waste reduction has increased. Leftover mystery boxes can be an effective way for people to deal with food waste.
However, some people have raised food security concerns. If consumers buy a food mystery box for their breakfast the next morning, even if the food looks fine at the moment, it may have gone bad overnight. Moreover, food made in the store, such as bread, isn’t labeled with the production date in many cases, according to China Consumer News. If a consumer unpacks a mystery box and discovers that the food tastes bad or has already passed the last date, then it will be difficult for them to protect their rights, such as getting money back.
Only by considering both food safety and consumer rights can mystery blind boxes achieve a win-win situation for both buyers and sellers, commented China Youth Daily.
1. What leads to the rise of the trend of “leftover mystery boxes”?| A．Stores make the leftover mystery boxes available at night. |
| B．People feel like such food as milk and bread more attractive. |
| C．It offers customers lower prices for those unsold food. |
| D．It goes against the concept of zero-waste and environmental protection. |
| A．ending | B．producing | C．purchasing | D．selling |
| A．Because the food has gone bad when it’s bought. |
| B．Because customers’ rights are hard to protect. |
| C．Because the production dates are not clear enough. |
| D．Because customers cannot get a refund in many cases. |
| A．Concerns Over Food Security | B．Mystery Boxes of Leftover |
| C．A Solution to Food Waste | D．A Win-win Situation |
3 .
 The National Gallery The National Gallery displays one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of paintings in the Western European tradition. It includes many famous works, such as Botticelli's Venus and Mars, Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne, Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus and Monet's The Water-Lily Pond. All major traditions of Western European painting are represented from the artists of the late medieval period and Renaissance to the French Impressionists. Become a Member Join today and enjoy free entry to exhibitions, exclusive (专属的) events, special offers,and more. To join, visit national gallery.org.Uk/ membership, call 0207747 2850, or speak to our Visitor Engagement team. Support us If you have enjoyed your visit, please make a donation in our visitor donation boxes, which can be found at all entrances. Donations from visitors make areal difference to the Gallery, helping to preserve and care for this unique collection. Thank you for your support. Free Wi-Fi nationalgallery.org.uk | Visiting information Admission free Opening hours Open daily 10 am-6 pm, Friday Lates 6-9 pm. Closed 1 January, 24-26 December. • Eat, drink and shop The National Dining Rooms Level 1, Sainsbury Wing Entrance Open daily 10 am-5 pm, (8:30 pm Fridays). Waiter service • The National Cafe Level 0, Getty Entrance Monday to Friday 8 am-11 pm, Saturday 10 am-11 pm, Sunday 10 am-6 pm Self-service cafe waiter and service restaurant. • Espresso Bar Level 0, Getty Entrance Open daily 10 am-5:45 pm, (8:45 pm Fridays). Self-service • Shops Open daily 10 am-5:45 pm(8:45 pm Fridays). Shop online at nationalgallery.org. uk Events For information on events and programs, please consult the What's On guide located at the entrances or go to nationalgallery.o rg.uk |
1. Which of the following is the most probable source of this passage?
| A．A guide to the National Gallery. |
| B．A research paper on Western European art. |
| C．A speech script introducing the National Gallery. |
| D．A newspaper article about collections in the National Gallery. |
| A．Free admission and free Wi-Fi. | B．No need to queue at all entrances. |
| C．Free meals inside the National Gallery. | D．Exclusive events and special offers. |
| A．Shops. | B．Espresso Bar. |
| C．The National Cafe. | D．The National Dining Rooms. |
4 . I've just done my first jump since the accident that nearly killed me just a year ago. As I was lying in hospital, thinking that I would never skydive again, I wasn't feeling glad to be alive. Instead, I was wondering how I could possibly live without it.
It all started one evening after another nine-to-five day. I was sitting at home thinking, “There has to be more to life than this,” when an advertisement came on the television, “Try skydiving!”
The next day, I called the nearest skydiving center and booked my first jump. I will never forget my first jump. It was a beautiful, cloudless day and the sun was just going down. As I pushed myself away from the plane at 11,000 feet, my mind went blank.
Words cannot describe the excitement I experienced while I was free-falling. That was the most amazing four minutes of my life.
From the first jump, I was hooked. I started spending every free moment I had skydiving. At work, I sat in front of my computer and imagined ways of making more money so that I could jump more often.
The accident happened on my 1,040th jump. Another skydiver hit my parachute(降落伞) at 80 feet. I fell and hit the ground at about 30 mph, face down. I broke my legs, my right arm and my nose. I lost 6 liters of blood, 19 teeth and 25 pounds of fat. I was lucky to be alive.
People who have never experienced skydiving will find it hard to understand that my only reason to get better was that I could do it again. All I can say is that for me, skydiving is life and life is skydiving.
1. The writer began skydiving because .| A．he wanted to find something more meaningful than just work |
| B．he was persuaded by the local skydiving club to have a try |
| C．he made a promise he would go on with it |
| D．he didn't realize what serious injury it might end in |
| A．The writer planned it for a long time. | B．The writer was too nervous to enjoy it. |
| C．It proved to be fairly successful. | D．It took place a year before the accident. |
| A．I was attracted by skydiving | B．I was shocked by skydiving |
| C．I became familiar with skydiving | D．I became curious about skydiving |
| A．The writer spent almost every nine-to-five day skydiving. |
| B．The writer worked hard to make more money for skydiving. |
| C．The writer imagined himself skydiving while at the hospital. |
| D．The writer expected to recover only to continue skydiving. |
5 . “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”
George R.R. Martin, Author of “A Game of Thrones”
What do these 4 guys share that you don’t?
BILL GATES |
MARK ZUCKERBERG |
JEFF BEZOS |
WARREN BUFFETT |
No, it’s not their shoe size.
They read. At least two books a month, They’re also among the top 10 richest people in the world. And they’re not alone in their love for books, with 1,200 other millionaires, who quote reading as a core part of their self-education
You knew that reading books makes your life better, It’s not even all about money, fame and success. It’s about becoming a more knowledgeable and valuable person. Additionally, reading help; you prevent stress and keep depression at bay, while enhancing your confidence, improving your decision-making, increasing your empathy and overall satisfaction with life.
You know all the benefits of reading, so what’s stopping you from reading more books?
Time!
“I don’t have time to read.”
Have you said those words before?
You say it because...
you have an incredibly demanding college degree to study for…
your loved ones are sitting at home, counting on you to put food on the table...
you are too occupied with work to open a book.
But let’s imagine another reality for a second. What would your life look like if you read just two books every month?
Would you finally...
have what it takes to start that business?
be a better parent?
feel more fulfilled?
Hold on to that vision for a second. If you want to make it a reality, this email course, Time 2 Read, will be your guide for the next 10 days. Its free of charge and specifically designed to help you take time back, start building a daily reading habit and turn wanting to read into actual reading.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
Lesson 1: How to get your attention span back
A simple, yet powerful idea and a fun experiment to help you start giving reading the place in your life that it deserves
Lesson 2: Why no one compares to you
Discover “The Rainbow Principle” & how to take stock of your current situation
Lesson 3: How to show yourself you DO have time to read
Why Charlie Munger doesn’t let himself get away easily with an opinion & what you can learn from the Italian Squad
Lesson 4: How you can make reading effortless
We’ll adapt a technique used by the world’s best mountaineers to help you build your reading habit like a pro would
Lesson 5: How you can trigger yourself to read without having to remember it
“The Bobby Fischer Principle will show you that what you think is a weakness might be your biggest strength
Lesson 6: What “The Nothing Alternative’ can teach you about consistent reading
Why neither inside the box, nor outside the box gets the job done & how Stoics happily trade control for consistency
Lesson 7: How to make reading more fun than ever & why that matters
What you can learn from Pokemon Go about reading & the one thing that’s totally okay for you to steal from Warren Buffett
Enter your email below to make time to read, start learning daily and become more valuable to the world
You’ll be sent 7 lessons via email over the next 10 days, starting right after you sign up here. Each email contains a story, a principle, and an experiment, Get started, and your reading life will never be the same!
1. Where does this passage probably come from?| A．A leaflet publicizing a reading activity | B．A website promoting a reading course. |
| C．A TV program advertising reading skills | D．A handbook providing reading materials |
| A．To express his admiration for them. | B．To indicate the importance of reading. |
| C．To highlight their time management skills | D．To illustrate the success of the course. |
| A．Those who are willing to read more but struggle with time. |
| B．Those who are sick of making excuses to delay their life plans |
| C．Those who are eager to become a millionaire like the four guys |
| D．Those who are determined to be more and more self-disciplined |
How to Be a Better Boss
Workplaces have changed dramatically over the past few years. Teams have become more isolated owing to remote work. Technology has brought great benefits but also constant interruptions, from endless Zoom calls to message flows on Slack. With each shift, the job of the manager has become harder. Many report feeling burnt-out, overloaded and confused.
Yet in real life everyone suffers when management is bad and benefits when it is good Research based on a long-running survey of management techniques has found that well-managed firms tend to be more productive, export more and spend more on research and development.
So the prize for better management is big. But how to obtain it? Read enough management books and you might conclude that managers need to change their personality thoroughly, becoming either Machiavelli’s prince or a Marvel superhero. However, study successful managers, and more practical lessons can be drawn.
One is to be clear about a firm’s processes. Managers should make clear the purpose of a team, what a meeting should achieve and who will take a decision. Meeting agendas at GSK, a British drugs firm, clearly say whether an item is for awareness, to gather participants’ input or intended to make a decision. Such clarity means that everyone knows what they are doing, and why.
Management isn’t all about piling up tasks, meetings or processes. A second lesson is that managers can add value by deleting. Sparing workers from pointless meetings, emails and projects frees them to concentrate on the work that fattens the bottom line. At the start of the year, Shopify, an e-commerce firm, deleted 12,000 repeated meetings from its employees’ calendars. The useful ones were eventually added back. But the firm says that meetings are down by 14% since the mass deletion while productivity has gone up by a similar amount.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . Students’ Journey to Empower Rural Heritage
From Aug. 18 to 22 a team of 15 Tsinghua University students, representing diverse backgrounds from China, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia, set foot on an overseas research exploration focusing on rural revitalization(振兴) in Indonesian villages, particularly within Nusa Tenggara Barat(NTB).
With the diverse cultural heritage, Indonesia is home to over 83,000 villages, each radiating its own charm and character.
The research mission took the students to Sukarara and Sade villages, two of NTB’s tourist destinations.
As the journey came to an end, the students carry with them not only the memories of their experiences there, but also the responsibility to make a positive impact on these remarkable places.
| A．While these villages possess undeniable fascination, many remain underdeveloped. |
| B．This effort includes the knowledge exchange between the students and local villagers |
| C．Both were selected for revitalization efforts led by the Village Revitalization Team. |
| D．In Sukarara, a local tradition requires girls master weaving skills before marriage |
| E．They decide to be a bridge between tradition and progress, united for their growth |
| F．It’s about preserving the cultural heritage and ensuring traditions being passed down |
