1 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To tell about true friends. | B．To start a discussion. |
| C．To encourage online friendships. | D．To summarize(总结) the text. |
| A．In any case. | B．In public. | C．In person. | D．In advance. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Positive. | C．Worried. | D．Confused. |
| A．Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B．It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
| C．It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
1. What did Jason think of Karen’s food?
| A．Delicious. | B．Unhealthy. | C．Terrible. |
| A．Observe the bees. |
| B．Have some ice cream. |
| C．Study English slang. |
3 . How to Apply China Visa (签证)
How to apply China visa is the most concerned question for international tourists who plan to travel to China. Here you will find the useful information about China visa requirements and instructions.
China Visa Requirements
▶The valid (有效的) passport
Original passport valid for at least 6 months with blank visa pages, and a photocopy of data page (with your photo on it)
▶China visa application form and photo
The applicants must fill in a complete visa application form and attach it with a recent-taken colour passport photo.
So what is the requirement of the photo? The photo you submit must be passport-type (bare-head, full face) and standard with the correct dimension and background colour.
▶Effective proof of legal stay or resident status (it applies to those who do not apply for China visa in their countries of citizenship).
Supporting Application Documents
For C-Visa, a letter of guarantee issued by a foreign transport company or an invitation letter issued by a relevant authority from China side shall be provided.
For D-Visa, the original and a photocopy of foreign permanent residence identification form issued by China’s Ministry of Public Security shall be provided.
For F-Visa, an invitation letter issued by relevant authorities or individuals from China side shall be provided.
For G-Visa, an onward air (train, bus, ship) ticket with confirmed date and seat to the third country or region shall be provided.
For L-Visa, the tour itinerary (行程) and documents with round trip flight tickets and accommodation reservations, or an invitation letter issued by relevant authorities or individuals from Chinese side shall be provided.
For M-Visa, documents of business activity, trade fair invitation letter or other invitation letter issued by trade partners in China shall be provided.
Further reading: click the link China visa knowledge and types.
1. In what situation do people have to prove the legal stay for the application?| A．Not being in his country of nationality. |
| B．Without documents of business activity. |
| C．Without photos that match the requirements. |
| D．Not being invited by trade partners in China. |
| A．C-Visa and M-Visa. | B．L-Visa and D-Visa. |
| C．G-Visa and L-Visa. | D．F-Visa and M-Visa. |
| A．A science magazine. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A hotel poster. | D．A web page. |
1. 保护野生动物的重要性；
2. 提出合理建议(至少两点)；
3. 发出呼吁。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Protecting the Wild Animals
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . Here are some highly recommended books for readers to choose.
Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn $23.92
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn’s first published novel is incredibly relatable for anybody whose family members frequently question their relationship status. In Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? a thirty-something Nigerian woman attempts to find herself a wedding date and learns some valuable lessons about life and love.
Violeta by Isabel Allende $ 25.76
Isabel Allende’s expansive collection of works continues with Violeta — the story of a woman named Violeta Del Valle who gives readers a front-row seat to historic moments of the 20th century, from the Spanish flu to the Great Depression to the women’s rights movement, as she recounts the highs and lows of her 100-year life in a series of letters to her grandson.
The Perfect Escape by Leah Konen $15.64
Loved Leah Konen’s All the Broken People? Prepare yourself for her newest thriller (惊悚小说), The Perfect Escape, which is about a group of friends whose girls’ weekend goes wrong when they land themselves in deep trouble in the Catskills and one of them goes missing.
Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner $24.84
Talk about suspense! Katherine Faulkner’s Greenwich Park, told from three angles, centers on a pregnant woman who meets another mom-to-be who couldn’t be more different from her. As their friendship develops, they realize they may be more connected than they think.
1. What can we know about Lizzie Damilola Blackburn?| A．She is a new rising novelist. |
| B．She has never written a book before. |
| C．She is good at creating romance novels. |
| D．She aims at sharing valuable lessons through writing. |
| A．Violeta. | B．Greenwich Park. |
| C．The Perfect Escape. | D．Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? |
| A．A news report. | B．An advertisement. |
| C．A book review. | D．A reading guidance. |
1. 相关介绍；2. 注意事项。
注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
Dear fellow students,
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Day Mother Cried
Coming home from school that dark winter’s day so long ago, I was filled with anticipation. I had a new issue of my favorite sports magazine under my arm. Dad was at work, my sister was away, and Mother wouldn’t be home from her new job for an hour.
I was shocked into stillness by what I saw . Mother pulled into a tight ball with her face in her hands. She was crying. I had never seen her cry.
I approached cautiously and touched her shoulder. “Mother?” I said. “What’s happened?”
She took a long breath and managed a weak smile. “It’s nothing, really. I’m going to lose this new job. I can’t type fast enough.”
“But you’ve only been there three for days,” I said. “You’ll catch on.” I was repeating a line she had spoken to me a hundred times when I was having trouble learning or doing something important to me. She sobbed in silence .
I felt helpless and out of place. At the age of 16 I still assumed Mother could do anything. To provide enough income for my college two years later, Mother was crazy for ways to save money.
A few months ago, Mother arrived home with an old typewriter. It skipped between certain letters. “That’s all we can afford,” Mother said. “It’s good enough to learn on.” And from that day on, immediately after dinner, Mother would disappear into her sewing room to practice. The slow tap, tap, tap went on some nights until midnight. On Monday, she got a job as a typewriter at a radio station. I was not the least bit surprised but she was excited. But on Tuesday Mother looked drawn. I didn’t care honestly.
My shock and embarrassment at finding Mother in tears on Wednesday showed how little I understood the pressures on her. Sitting beside her on the couch, I began very slowly to understand.
“I guess we all have to fail sometimes,” Mother said quietly. I could sense her pain. I reached out and put my arms around her.
A week later Mother took a job selling dry goods at half the salary the radio station had offered. “It’s a job I can do,” she said simply.
注意：续写词数应为150左右。
But the evening practice routine on the old green typewriter continued.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The old green typewriter sits in my office now, unrepaired.
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1.回忆难忘的时刻；
2.表达美好的祝愿。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Jack,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
Long Chenchen, the mascot for China’s upcoming Dragon Spring Festival Gala,
Along with such verbal
10 . A recent report from the United Nations group UNESCO warns that using technology in classes may not help as much as many people believe. The report suggests that technology should be used less in schools, and that smartphones should be banned from classrooms.
The goal of the new report was to improve how technology is used in education. It says that technology can be helpful, but it shouldn’t be the focus. “Too much attention on technology in education usually comes at a high cost,” the report says.
These days, it’s common for students to use computers or tablets (平板电脑). In many places, it’s normal for students to look up information on the internet rather than using books. UNESCO claims that technology changes so fast that it’s hard to study how it really affects students.
The new report says that many of the studies show that technology helps students come from rich countries. As classes moved online during the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of technology in education grew even more quickly. Many students were forced to study at home, using video calls to communicate with their teachers. But the report points out that around 500 million students were unable to take part in online classes. That’s one example of what UNESCO says is a larger problem — that the advantages of technology aren’t evenly shared. People and countries with less money are often left out.
UNESCO admits that technology can help in many ways. It can allow students to learn in ways that are more interesting; it can also help teachers explain difficult ideas; it can also help students who have special needs. But UNESCO says technology can also be very perturbing. One study showed that when students use phones in class, it can interfere with their learning. Even so, less than 25% of the world’s countries ban phones in schools.
The report suggests that the best way to learn is still to work closely with teachers. Working with other classmates also helps students learn. UNESCO says that most schools should spend more money on things like books, classrooms, and teachers.
1. Why does the report suggest using technology less in schools?| A．It changes too fast for students to adapt. |
| B．Most countries cannot afford to invest in it. |
| C．It makes no difference to improving education. |
| D．It may not be as effective as initially thought. |
| A．The pandemic has affected most countries. |
| B．Fewer students keep discipline in online classes. |
| C．High-tech devices are unevenly distributed. |
| D．Teachers’ training in technology use is not enough. |
| A．Distracting. | B．Confusing. | C．Interesting. | D．Frightening. |
| A．Explore innovative teaching methods. |
| B．Increase the expense on teaching staff. |
| C．Stress the importance of quality education. |
| D．Update technology and digital resources in time. |
