1 . Loneliness is a bigger health threat than smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to a new research. Our ancestors likely did not suffer from a lack of companions. Why has loneliness become such a threat? How might it be addressed?
In the distant past, there were few complaints about loneliness. Indeed, every person in a community including children was up to speed on every detail of the lives of everyone else. Instead of suffering from loneliness, our distant ancestors were oppressed (被压迫) by a lack of privacy.
Typically, people move away from family and friends for work opportunities. Yet, cities often function as gatherings of relative strangers rather than functional communities. The many people wandering around in a city are irrelevant if we have no social connection with them. Migrants to cities may establish various meaningful social links.
Virtually, not everyone needs constant companionship. This is not merely a question of how extroverted a person is.
A.Their habits contributed to loneliness. |
B.They require openness, initiative and effort. |
C.Rather, it reflects how someone leads their life. |
D.Outgoing people will live a busy life with social media. |
E.Today, social media bring back the invasions of privacy. |
F.Many turn to social media for companionship with mixed results. |
G.However, associations are often formed through accidental networks. |
2 . When it comes to technology, never before have we been both more dependent, and more cautious. Society is more connected, but also more lonely ; more productive, but also more burnt-out; we have more privacy tools, but arguably less privacy. Would it be wrong to say we are becoming disappointed with it?
There’s no doubt that some tech innovation has been universally great. A new antibiotic that killed a previously deadly superbug was invented by an Al tool. Machines that can suck carbon dioxide out of the air could be a huge help in the fight against climate change. But on the other hand, tech-related scandals (丑闻) dominate headlines. Stories about cyberattacks and horrible online abuse are regularly on the news. “Like everything, tech has a dark side. It is a two-edged sword,” says veteran Silicon Valley watcher, Prof Mike Malone.
“Fundamentally, if there was a problem people would, should, stop using it,” Paolo Pescatore, an analyst, says . But he then goes on to talk about the peer pressure to remain plugged in -from colleagues, friends and family, and even from governments wanting to switch to digital services.
Mr Halgas, a young tech boss with big ambition, tells me that the industry has become a more easily affected place for its staff. “Tech workers were very comfortable in our jobs,” he explains. “People used to say , ‘Google isn’t a job; it’s a retirement plan’. Those days are long gone.” “Tech workers thought they were safe from automation: now we are among the people who might be replaced by code-writing Al tools,” he says.
A recent survey by PR firm Edelman suggested that 52% of people in the UK believed tech innovation was developing too fast, and 70% thought tech bosses should develop new tech slowly.
Realistically, there is practically zero chance of that happening. The money and power that is flooding in, particularly to the AI sector, speaks for itself. “But the outpouring of public debate that also centers around it is healthy”, argues Prof Malone.“ We’re not just blindly embracing new tech anymore and that’s a good thing,” he says.
1. What do Mr Halgas’s words indicate?A.Tech industry is taking a bad turn. | B.Workers in tech industry are comfortable. |
C.Google provides detailed retirement plans. | D.Tech workers may be replaced someday. |
A.New tech is well received currently. | B.New tech can not flood into the Al sector. |
C.New tech is under sensible discussion now. | D.New tech is criticized for developing too slow. |
A.A bolder attitude to developing new tech. | B.An urgent appeal to welcome new tech. |
C.A balanced approach to embracing new tech. | D.A comprehensive plan to advance new tech. |
A.Should the Public Embrace Digital Services? | B.Can Innovative Technology Follow Up? |
C.Is It Good to Slow Tech Innovation Down? | D.Should We Have Faith in Technology? |
3 . I’m in a coffee shop in Manhattan and I’m about to become the most disliked person in the room. First, I’m going to interrupt the man reading quietly near the window and ask for a drink of his latte. Next, I’m going to ask the line of people waiting to pay if I can cut to the front of the queue. This is how I chose to spend my last vacation. Here’s why.
Growing up, all I ever heard about was “EQ.” It was the mid-1990s, and psychologist Daniel Goleman had just popularized the concept of emotional intelligence. Unlike IQ, which tracked conventional measures of intelligence like reasoning and recall, EQ measured the ability to understand other people — to listen, to empathize (共情), and to appreciate.
My mother, an elementary school principal, prized brains and hard work, but she placed a special emphasis on Goleman’s new idea. To her, EQ was the elixir (万能药) that separated the good students from the great after they left school. She was determined to send me into the adult world with as much of this elixir as possible.
But when I finally began my first job, I noticed a second elixir in the pockets of some of my colleagues. It gave their opinions extra weight and their decisions added impact. Strangest of all, it seemed like the anti-EQ: Instead of knowing how to make others feel good, this elixir gave people the courage to do the opposite — to say things others didn’t want to hear.
This was assertiveness (魄力). It boiled down to the command of a single skill: the ability to have uncomfortable conversations. Assertive people — those with high “AQ”— ask for things they want, decline things they don’t, provide constructive feedback, and engage in direct confrontation (对峙) and debate.
A lifetime improving my EQ helped me empathize with others, but it also left me overly sensitive to situations where I had to say or do things that might make others unhappy. While I didn’t avoid conflict, I was always frustrated by my powerlessness when I had to say or do something that could upset someone. This is my problem and I’m working on it.
1. Why did the author act that way in the coffee shop?A.To improve a skill. | B.To test a concept. |
C.To advocate a new idea. | D.To have a unique vacation. |
A.She thought little of IQ. |
B.She popularized Goleman’s idea. |
C.She was a strict mother and principal. |
D.She valued EQ as the key to greatness. |
A.EQ. | B.AQ. | C.Empathy. | D.Courage. |
A.successful leaders | B.people pleasers |
C.terrible complainers | D.pleasure seekers |
1. What instrument did the speaker play when she was young?
A.The piano. | B.The guitar | C.The violin |
A.In London. | B.In Sydney | C.In New York |
A.They’ll meet famous performers. |
B.They’ll have a brighter future. |
C.They’ll get a chance to travel the world. |
A.Three. | B.Four. | C.Seven. |
1. What does the man probably do?
A.He’s a teacher. | B.He’s an author. | C.He’s an astronomer. |
A.In Italy. | B.In Iceland. | C.In Spain. |
A.It has fine food. |
B.It has sandy beaches. |
C.It has telescopes to observe the stars. |
1. How long did the hike take?
A.Three days | B.Eight days | C.Fourteen days. |
A.Mountains. | B.Woodlands | C.Desert. |
A.A lion. | B.A wolf. | C.A snake |
When people think of China, silk is among the first things that pop into their mind. The best place in China
Silk is a natural protein fiber. The protein fiber of silk consists mainly of fibroin,
Chinese legend gives the title Goddess of Silk to Leizu, wife of the mythical Yellow Emperor in about 3000 BC. She
Silk is the symbol of
8 . As I walked to the market this morning, I saw an old man with a dirty scarf covering his face seated in front of a shop. His clothes were
Back to the beggar, I handed over all the
Suddenly I felt so small and admired the non-judgemental
A.ironed | B.wrinkled | C.folded | D.abandoned |
A.picture | B.effort | C.note | D.calculation |
A.work | B.exercise | C.meeting | D.shopping |
A.frustrated | B.frozen | C.drunken | D.exhausted |
A.took notice | B.took control | C.took pains | D.took risks |
A.invested | B.bet | C.fixed | D.wasted |
A.useless | B.loose | C.extra | D.unnecessary |
A.focused on | B.looked into | C.turned to | D.stared at |
A.insisted | B.rejected | C.ignored | D.regretted |
A.charity | B.courage | C.devotion | D.random |
A.collected | B.harvested | C.purchased | D.enjoyed |
A.stay up | B.straighten up | C.bounce up | D.sit up |
A.wandered | B.collapsed | C.begged | D.slipped |
A.responsibility | B.superiority | C.generosity | D.dignity |
A.privileged | B.stable | C.powerful | D.independent |
9 . Electric vehicles (EVs) are due for huge upgrades in driving range and charging times as new battery technologies are introduced. Lithium (Li) -ion (锂离子) batteries could be out of date in a few years as alternatives like Li-sulfur, Li-air and Li-metal enter production. Meanwhile, quantum (量子) battery charging promises to reduce charge times from hours to seconds.
Scientists at the University of Michigan have produced a stable Li-sulfur battery using Kevlar, the material used in body armor, to increase the amount it can be charged and discharged. Fibers in the Kevlar stop certain parts of lithium from growing between the electrodes (电极) and destroying the battery. Research group leader Nicholas Kotov called the design “nearly perfect” in terms of capacity and efficiency. The battery can handle summer heat and winter cold extremes, and in real-world driving conditions, its lifespan should be 1, 000 cycles or ten years.
Sulfur is a great alternative for EVs because it is a tiny amount of the cost of metals like what is used in Li-ion battery electrodes, and there is simply more of it. Mainstream electric cars fitted with its battery could achieve around 900 miles on a single charge. Battery researchers say the Li-sulfur battery’s energy density could theoretically be 10 times higher than the best Li-ion battery, so it will drive further, be safer and more environmentally friendly, for less money.
In Japan, university researchers have teamed up with a telecommunications company to develop a Li-air battery with an energy density (500 Wh/kg) two to five times better than Li-ion.
Newer quantum technologies that will speed up vehicle charging times are added to these breakthroughs in battery materials and energy density. Li-metal, often talked about as solid-state batteries, are long-lasting and capable of rapid charging, especially when they are paired with quantum technologies that connect all the battery cells simultaneously. And once investments in quantum charging and batteries are made, it could revolutionize transport and the way we use energy worldwide.
1. What can we learn about Kevlar?A.It will speed up vehicle charging. | B.It can lengthen battery’s cycle life. |
C.It can boost EV range to 1000 miles. | D.It will break down in extreme weather. |
A.It has been tested in Li-ion battery. |
B.It is less expensive and more accessible. |
C.Li-sulfur battery has been installed in mainstream EVs. |
D.Li-sulfur battery features a higher energy density than Li-metal. |
A.Quantum technologies give rise to Li-metal. |
B.Battery materials determine vehicle charging speed. |
C.Li-metal is more efficient in charging than Li-sulfur. |
D.More investments are needed in quantum technology. |
A.Which Battery Suits Evs Best? |
B.What Is The Future Road Of EVs? |
C.Why Will Li-ion Batteries Be Replaced? |
D.How Will Reformed Lithium Batteries Influence Evs? |
10 . Aviation is a big polluter. Cutting the sector’s impact on global warming is high on the agenda. Although many governments are regulating emissions from cars and trucks, air transportation is technologically rooted in old patterns.
Facing the reality that the sector will keep emitting a lot, ICAO has established an international carbon-trading plan—Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, or CORSIA. This encourages wide use of offsets (抵消) : aviation companies can buy emissions credits or invest in sectors that store carbon, such as forestry, to allow them to carry on as normal. CORSIA aims to keep CO2 emissions at 2019 levels through such purchases for emissions over that year’s baseline. ICAO predicts that increasing demand might reach 1. 7 billion tons by 2035, potentially making aviation the largest offset market in the world.
Yet offsetting faces a fundamental challenge: the size of the offset requires estimating flows of warming pollution that would have occurred if the carbon-removal project hadn’t existed, and comparing them against flows with the project in place. The former — a baseline that is unobservable — is a hotbed for shady accounting.
The vast majority of offsets today and in the expected future come from forest-protection and regrowth projects. The track record of reliable accounting in these industries is poor, because they lack convincing baselines. Even with oversight, forest projects are often troubled by wild assumptions, for example that trees would disappear completely from these areas in the absence of those projects, even when there are other forest protections in place. Such assumptions drive up baselines and flood the market with huge volumes of offsets. They make it easier for accountants to claim a net reduction in emissions even though the atmosphere sees little or no benefit. These problems are essentially unfixable. Evidence is mounting that offsetting as a strategy for reaching net zero is a dead end.
In our view, this approach could prove dangerously narrow. Removing aviation’s impact on global warming means upending the industry. The longer that reality is overlooked, the harder it will be to find effective solutions.
1. What does aviation refer to in the passage?A.A project which needs revising. | B.A resource which needs trading. |
C.A market which needs expanding. | D.An industry which needs reforming. |
A.To support the development of forestry. | B.To earn the largest profit in offset market. |
C.To keep the levels of emission unchanged. | D.To make up for emissions over the baseline. |
A.Too many offsets are filling the market now. |
B.Some projects may cheat to create more offsets. |
C.Offsetting contributes a lot to reducing emissions. |
D.Trees would totally disappear without the projects. |
A.Disapproving. | B.Confused. | C.Favorable. | D.Unconcerned. |