1 . TikTok, the widely popular social media platform, has taken the world by storm with its short-form videos and addictive content. But did you know that there is also a Chinese version of TikTok?
The Chinese version of TikTok is called Douyin, and it has quickly become one of the most widely used apps in China. Launched in 2016 by Beijing-based tech company ByteDance, Douyin has attracted an enormous user base and reshaped the social media landscape in China.
So, how did Douyin gain such vast popularity in China?
One of the factors contributing to Douyin’s success is the large population of smartphone users in China. With over 1.4 billion people, China has a massive user base for social media platforms. Additionally, the rise in internet penetration and the availability of affordable smartphones have made it easier for people to access and use Douyin.
Douyin takes advantage of China’s culture of sharing and enjoying bite-sized content. In China. there has always been a strong demand for short-form entertainment, including popular formats like variety shows, quick comedy skits, and music videos. Douyin provides a platform for users to easily create and share short videos, allowing them to express their creativity and talent.
Douyin leverages the power of social network effects. Users can follow each other, like and comment on videos, and engage with a large community of like-minded individuals. This sense of belonging and community encourages them to spend more time on the platform.
Moreover. Douyin continuously improves its features and algorithms to enhance user experience and keep users engaged. The app uses advanced AI technology to analyze user preferences and provide personalized recommendations, ensuring that users see content that is relevant and interesting to them.
Overall, the rise of the Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the large smartphone user base, the popularity of short-form entertainment in China, social network effects, and continuous improvements in features and algorithms.
1. How is Douyin different from TikTok?| A．Its algorithms. | B．Its target groups. | C．Its user experience. | D．Its main functions. |
| A．The popularity of long-form videos. |
| B．The low technology requirements to Douyin. |
| C．The large population of smartphone users. |
| D．The availability of different brands of mobile phones. |
| A．brings about | B．believes in | C．makes up for | D．makes full use of |
| A．Opinion — Description — Discussion | B．Topic — Argument — Emphasis |
| C．Introduction — Explanations — Summary | D．Main idea — Supporting examples — Conclusion |
Longmen Grottoes
Set on the banks of the Yi River, 12km south of the current Luoyang City, the Longmen Grottoes are ranked first of the Four Great Grotioes in China, together with Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Yungang Grottoes in Datong and Mount Maiji Grottoes in Tianshui. They were also listed in the World Cultural Heritages and Relics by UNESCO in 2000.
Longmen Gate also houses
Wandering in the Longmen Grottoes, one is amazed by the delicate carving skills, deep Buddhist culture and great art achievements of Chinese people.
3 . In a Parisian old shoe factory on the city’s outskirts, a new kind of life is taking root. Neoplants, a startup from Paris, has developed a special houseplant that could potentially help improve indoor air quality by removing harmful pollutants.
The plant is a modified variety of one of the most popular and low-maintenance houseplants. Its DNA has been altered to enhance its capacity to absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air we breathe inside our homes. These VOCs include substances like formaldehyde, benzene. toluene. ethylbenzene, and xylene, which are commonly found indoors and can be harmful in large quantities.
The genetic tweaking also allows the plant to convert the absorbed VOCs into substances it can use. such as sugars and carbon dioxide, which then fuel its growth. While Neoplants’concept is quite promising, proving its effectiveness is a challenge.
Plant shops often claim their greenery can purify the air, but much of this belief stems from research conducted by NASA back in 1989. They found that houseplants could indeed absorb certain toxins. However, achieving the same level of toxin removal as simply opening a window would require an impractical number of plants — anywhere from 10 to 1,000 per square meter.
So, does Neoplants’genetically modified houseplant offer a better solution? Field tests haven’t yielded definitive results yet, but there is hope for more conclusive testing in the future with the help of a new lab equipped with unique non-absorbent rooms that mimic real-life conditions . Additionally, the company is exploring potential applications for its gene-editing technology in areas such as carbon capture and phytoremediation, where plants are used to clean up contaminated environments
Neoplants is relying on patience and a bit of faith. It takes time for innovations to mature. “This will be the first time such a product exists.” says the company’s CEO. drawing a parallel to the early days of computers, which were not very powerful initially but still represented a significant breakthrough.
With Neoplants’ vision, the old shoe factory on the edge of Paris isn’t just a place where shoes were made; it’s where a novel approach to cleaning our indoor air is being cultivated — one that could someday make our homes healthier and more environmentally friendly.
1. What does Neoplants’genetically modified houseplant aim to do?| A．maintain its capacity easily | B．absorb VOC’s massively |
| C．alter its DNA completely | D．fuel its growth quickly |
| A．The absorbed VOCs can enhance the growth of the plant. |
| B．Opening a window can remove the same level of toxins as the Neoplants. |
| C．Neoplants will need powerful computers to make a significant breakthrough. |
| D．Conclusive testing needs conducting to achieve definite results. |
| A．The process of using plants to absorb nutrients. | B．The process of using plants to purify the air. |
| C．The process of using plants to explore applications. | D．The process of using plants to edit certain genes. |
| A．Science fiction. | B．A scientific textbook. | C．A news article. | D．An art magazine. |
4 . It is thought that music can make maths more enjoyable, keep students engaged and help case fear or anxiety they have about maths.
To find out more, Turkish researcher Dr Ayca Akin, from the Department of Software Engineering, Antalya Belek University, searched academic databases for research on the topic published between 1975 and 2022. She then combined the results of 55 studies from around the world, involving almost 78,000 young people from kindergarten pupils to university students, to come up with an answer.
Students took maths tests before and after taking part in the intervention and the change in their scores was compared with that of youngsters who didn’t take part in an intervention. The use of music, whether in separate lessons or as part of maths classes, was associated with greater improvement in maths over time. The integrated lessons had the biggest effect, with around 73% of students who had integrated lessons doing significantly better than youngsters who didn’t have any type of musical intervention. Some 69% of students who learned how to play instruments and 58% of students who had normal music lessons improved more than pupils with no musical intervention.
The results also indicate that music helps more with learning arithmetic than other types of maths and has a bigger impact on younger pupils and those learning more basic mathematical concepts. Dr Akin points out that maths and music have much in common, such as the use of symmetry symbols. Both subjects also require abstract thought and quantitative reasoning.
Limitations of the analysis include the relatively small number of studies available for inclusion. This meant it wasn’t possible to look at the effect of factors such as gender, socioeconomic status and length of musical instruction on the results.
Dr Akin adds, “Encouraging mathematics and music teachers to plan lessons together could help ease students’ anxiety about mathematics, while also boosting achievement.”
1. How did Dr Akin conduct her research?| A．By launching a questionnaire online. | B．By creating a data model. |
| C．By analyzing data worldwide. | D．By surveying university students. |
| A．Take maths tests. | B．Develop abstract thought. |
| C．Plan lessons with music teachers. | D．Learn more basic mathematical concepts. |
| A．Overall. | B．Sensitive. | C．Subjective. | D．Imperfect. |
5 . Dragons, a famous imaginary beast born from fantasy, are often present in stories in the west and east. In both cultures, dragons are generally recognized as massive creatures capable of flight. They have great power and are often associated with magical abilities. However, due to their different cultural roots and images, there exist significant differences in the way dragons are regarded in the west and east, particularly in China.
Chinese dragons most resemble snakes, and have four claws and no wings. They often have features of other animals, including carp, tigers, and eagles. In the contrast, Western dragons look like huge lizards with big claws and large bat-like wings, and are often shown with spines or rough scales.
In traditional Chinese culture, a dragon is a symbol of luck, power and high status. They can cause weather changes and bring rainfall to the fields to ensure rich harvests. They are considered divine creatures, which hold an important position as the head of the four spirits. Therefore, to symbolize their power, ancient Chinese emperors decorated their clothes with dragon patterns. These clothes are known as dragon robes. Many Chinese view the dragon as a national symbol, proudly referring to themselves as “descendants of the dragon”. In the west, however, a dragon symbolizes an evil creature that spreads violence and terror throughout the land. They are believed to be transformed by the devil, with the ability to breathe fire or spit poison. Many western tales show dragons being defeated and killed to protect people from danger.
Today, dragons continue to evolve, exceeding traditional boundaries and finding new significance in global culture. They are no longer associated with evil or good, but rather as complex characters with their own unique personalities and motivations. For example, Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon begins as a dangerous dragon but evolves into a misunderstood being with love and compassion. This challenges the idea of dragons as naturally evil, presenting them as complex beings with emotions and motivations.
1. What do western dragons and eastern dragons have in common?| A．They are huge and powerful. | B．They have rough skin. |
| C．They are in the shape of snakes. | D．They have big claws and wings. |
| A．Western dragons are a symbol of authority and violence. |
| B．Dragons are believed to cause chaos in western culture. |
| C．Chinese dragons can control rainfall and breathe fire. |
| D．Dragons in China can protect people from danger. |
| A．They have more diverse feelings and characters. |
| B．They have complicated motivations with born love. |
| C．They are commonly regarded as adventurous creatures. |
| D．They tend to represent human spirits facing challenges. |
| A．The Images of Dragons in Western Traditions. | B．The Origin of Dragons in Chinese History. |
| C．The Magical Animals in Different Countries. | D．The Dragon Elements in Global Culture. |
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Community Management,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sincerely,
Li Hua
One morning in December 2023, my co-worker Al’s email caught my attention: “Found: $20 bill on the floor in the lab at the end of the hall from the main building. See Alan W. to claim.”
Al’s email reminded me of an incident that occurred on Christmas 40 years ago. Before heading out for Christmas shopping that evening, I had withdrawn $400 from the bank, foolishly stuffing eight fifty dollar bills in my front trousers pocket. On my way to Oakbrook Shopping Center, I stopped at SportMart to look at skiing equipment for my son.
Returning to the car, I discovered the bills were gone. This was $400 in 1983—a huge sum of money! Feeling terrible, I turned my pockets inside out, thinking how I could have been so careless! I turned on my car headlights and desperately looked for the bills in the snow covering the parking area, but found nothing. This was the Chicago area. It was said that people in neighborhoods were not in the habit of turning in cash they found. At the thought of this, I was so sad. With low expectations, I returned to SportMart and started telling my awful tale to the store manager.
Hearing I’d lost cash, he interrupted, stating he needed to page(呼叫 ) the store quickly. Someone had earlier reported finding money. The customer wouldn’t say how much or leave the money with the manager, but left his name. The manager was concerned he may have left.
I stopped breathing as the page broadcast. Minutes passed, and I was about to give up hope when a man and a boy approached the manager. The manager pointed them in my direction. He was in his mid-thirties, with dark hair, a winter jacket, and a son about 10 or 12 He smiled, “The manager tells me you lost some money. Can you describe the amount and denominations(面额)?”
注意：1. 续写词数应为 150 左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I told him I’d lost $400, eight fifties.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________They left before I could ask them their names.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________People often get
9 . “I'll be back in three hours, ”Dad said as he hurried out for a meeting that late afternoon. “Three hours, ”I told myself. “You can do this. ”I took a
I
“Mom, you're safe. You're here at home. ”
“Help me!” She grabbed
“I won't
Maybe words weren't the
As the minutes
| A．deep | B．sudden | C．short | D．light |
| A．puzzle | B．unwillingness | C．excitement | D．worry |
| A．carefully | B．safely | C．alone | D．quickly |
| A．forced | B．guided | C．waved | D．encouraged |
| A．warm | B．secure | C．comfortable | D．silent |
| A．rest | B．talk | C．remember | D．smile |
| A．sorrowfully | B．peacefully | C．slowly | D．eagerly |
| A．Wish | B．Dream | C．Care | D．Panic |
| A．gently | B．bravely | C．lovingly | D．tightly |
| A．scare | B．leave | C．judge | D．disappoint |
| A．hope | B．love | C．shake | D．doubt |
| A．answer | B．objective | C．command | D．permission |
| A．calmed | B．surprised | C．touched | D．pleased |
| A．sped by | B．ran out | C．counted down | D．wore on |
| A．weakest | B．loudest | C．sweetest | D．clearest |
10 . David lost his beloved dog Baya before Christmas two years ago. Baya was active and cute. David’s family spent many days
Two years later, a homeless dog
Obviously, Baya is
| A．preparing | B．searching | C．paying | D．begging |
| A．calls | B．honor | C．gifts | D．rescue |
| A．fruitless | B．generous | C．worthwhile | D．different |
| A．advantage | B．challenge | C．decision | D．hope |
| A．continued | B．appeared | C．hid | D．returned |
| A．sent | B．forced | C．followed | D．invited |
| A．refer to | B．rely on | C．track down | D．cheer for |
| A．appreciated | B．impressed | C．recognized | D．contacted |
| A．frightened | B．excited | C．confident | D．curious |
| A．addicted | B．related | C．adapted | D．reduced |
| A．aware | B．uncertain | C．afraid | D．proud |
| A．native | B．self | C．partner | D．owner |
| A．calm | B．average | C．pretty | D．active |
| A．care | B．notice | C．control | D．advantage |
| A．removing | B．identifying | C．recovering | D．reserving |
