1 . In an increasingly digital world, smartphones have become an essential part of teenage life. A recent Pew Research Center survey of 1,453 U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 and their parents illustrates the complex emotional relationship between teens and their devices.
The survey found that a majority of teens experience positive emotions when separated from their smartphones, with 74% reporting feeling happy and 72% feeling peaceful. However, a significant minority also reported negative feelings, with 44% feeling anxious, 40% feeling upset, and 39% feeling lonely without their phones.
Despite these mixed emotions, most teens believe that smartphones provide more benefits than harm for their age group. Seventy percent of teens said smartphones offer more advantages, while 30% believed the opposite. Younger girls aged 13 to 14 were more likely than older teen girls and boys to say the harms outweigh the benefits.
Teens also recognized the potential of smartphones to facilitate personal growth and academic success. Nearly 70% said smartphones make it easier to pursue hobbies and interest, and 45% believed they help young people perform better in school. However, opinions were divided on the impact of smartphones on social skills and friendships.
The survey also explored the challenges parents face in handling the digital landscape. Half of the parents reported looking though their teen’s phone, and about 40% said they regularly argue with their teen about phone use, Nearly half of the teens said their parents are at least sometimes distracted by their own phones when trying to have a conversation.
As concerns grow about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health, this survey highlights the nuanced (微妙的) relationship between teens and their smartphones. While the devices offer many benefits, they also present emotional and social challenges that both teens and parents must navigate in an increasingly connected world.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．The effect of the survey. | B．The process of the survey. |
| C．The result of the survey. | D．The purpose of the survey. |
| A．By increasing their interest in technology. |
| B．By improving their academic performance. |
| C．By motivating them to realize their dreams. |
| D．By enhancing their social skills and friendships. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Puzzled. | C．Concerned. | D．Pessimistic. |
| A．The Emotional Impact of Smartphones on Teens |
| B．The Challenges of Smartphone Usage Among Teens |
| C．The Advantages and Disadvantages of a Digital World |
| D．The Complicated Relationship Between Teens and Parents |
2 . Polar bears in Canada’s Hudson Bay risk starvation as climate change lengthens periods without Arctic Sea ice, despite the creatures’ willingness to expand their diets.
Polar bears use the ice that stretches across the ocean surface in the Arctic during colder months to help them access their main source of prey—fatty seals. In the warmer months when the sea ice recedes (消退), they would be expected to conserve their energy and even enter a hibernation-like (类似冬眠) state.
But human-caused climate change is extending this ice-free period in parts of the Arctic, which is warming between two and four times faster than the rest of the world, and forcing the polar bears to spend more and more time on land.
New research looking at 20 polar bears in Hudson Bay suggests that without sea ice they still try to find food. “Polar bears are creative and clever, and they will search the landscape for ways to try to survive and find food resources to compensate (补偿) their energy demands if they’re motivated,” said Anthony Pango, a research wildlife biologist with the US Geological Survey and lead author of the study.
The researchers found that of the group, two bears indeed rested and reduced their total energy consumption to levels similar to hibernation, but the 18 others stayed active. The study said these active bears may have been pushed to continue to look for food, with individual animals documented eating a variety of foods including grasses, a gull, a rodent and a seal carcass. Some bears even swam long distances to find food.
But ultimately the researchers found that these foods didn’t give them as much energy as their usual prey. So, 19 out of 20 polar bears lost weight when there was no ice, which made them more likely to starve. That means that the longer polar bears spend on land, the higher their risk for starvation.
“As ice goes, the polar bears go, and there is no other solution other than stopping ice loss. That is the only solution,” Pango said.
1. What directly causes the polar bears to risk starvation?| A．Melting sea ice. | B．The loss of land. |
| C．Human activities. | D．Their increasing population. |
| A．Polar bears are willing to stay on land longer. |
| B．Polar bears can store enough energy more easily. |
| C．Polar bears prefer to starve rather than search for food. |
| D．Polar bears are struggling to find alternative food sources. |
| A．Human actions are to blame. |
| B．Reducing ice loss is an urgency. |
| C．Relocating polar bears is more practical. |
| D．Animals relying on sea ice will be extinct. |
| A．In a science journal. | B．In a travel website. |
| C．In a cooking blog. | D．In a fashion magazine. |
3 . After a decade of negotiations, nearly 200 countries have agreed to a new United Nations treaty(条约)to protect the world’s oceans, the first of its kind in 40 years. The High Seas Treaty aims to protect 30% of the open oceans by 2030, setting a plan in motion to preserve this vast area.
Oceans cover about 71% of the Earth’s surface and are home to countless species of animals and plants. They play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy planet. However, overfishing and pollution from ships and other sources have severely impinged on many marine (海洋的)species and ecosystems.
The last major UN sea treaty in 1982 described the “high seas” — the parts of the oceans that aren’t controlled by any country — but it did not protect them. The high seas, which account for two-thirds of the ocean, currently have only 1.2% of their massive area protected. A marine protected area(MPA)is an area in the sea with strict rules about fishing and other activities. While more and more countries have established MPAs in their waters, most are not connected, limiting their effectiveness for migratory(迁徙的)species.
Last December, over 110 countries committed to protecting 30% of their land and ocean areas by 2030．The High Seas Treaty now enables the extension of this goal to the entire ocean. It aims to make 30% of the high seas become protected areas by 2030 and requires that proposed activities on the high seas undergo assessment for their potential impact on the ocean environment.
Reaching the agreement was challenging due to differing views on ocean protection among countries, such as limits on fishing or pollution. Disagreements also arose over sharing resources between rich and poor nations, with the latter seeking an assurance that resources benefit everyone, not just those in wealthy countries.
The treaty is not yet final and must be officially accepted at a UN meeting. Then it must be approved and signed by enough countries before it takes effect.
1. What is the main objective of the High Seas Treaty?| A．To protect 30% of the open oceans by 2030． |
| B．To allow unrestricted fishing on the high seas. |
| C．To promote international tourism in marine areas. |
| D．To establish new shipping routes on the high seas. |
| A．Exchanged. | B．Assisted. | C．Impacted. | D．Defended. |
| A．Strict rules of a marine protected area. |
| B．Current measures to restrict overfishing. |
| C．The limited number of migratory species. |
| D．The lack of protection for the high seas. |
| A．New Plans to Develop Marine Resources |
| B．A New UN Agreement to Preserve Open Oceans |
| C．The Treaty Officially Accepted at a UN Meeting |
| D．The Cooperation on Sharing Resources Equally |
4 . Recycled, reused and renewable textiles (纺织品) only go so far in solving the fast-fashion crisis, writes Alexandra Carlton. The answer may lie in consumption.
Australia is the world’s second-largest consumer of clothing, generating 800,000 tonnes of textile waste yearly. Individuals consume about 27 kilograms of new clothes annually and cast 23 kilograms of waste. Globally, the situation is even more severe, with an estimated 92million tonnes of clothing waste produced each year. This equates to a truckload of clothes entering landfills every second.
If you want to stop our unwanted clothes from jamming the planet, you’d assume that reusing and recycling would lead the discussion. However, full clothes recycling — breaking clothes down to their base fibres to create new ones — is no simple task. Clothes consist of various fibres, fasteners, and decorations that traditionally require painstaking manual (手工的) separation. Yet, innovation is underway, such as the Swedish large-scale sorting facility Siptex, where textiles can be sorted by color and material using infrared (红外线) technology.
Brands like Adelaide’s Autark focus on minimizing output. “I keep my collections tightly designed and production numbers slim,” says designer Sophia McMahon. Sometimes this means she doesn’t have the exact clothes someone wants in store, but customers are patient while she makes items to order because they understand her brand’s essence.
Startups like AirRobe are giving clothes a second life and could be part of the solution. The clothing resale market is currently worth 49 billion and is expected to reach 103 billion by 2025．AirRobe lets customers add new purchases to their digital wardrobe so they can be resold later without uploading photos or descriptions. “The ‘re-economy’ — the reuse and recycle market sector — will be a real opportunity for us,” says Erica Berchtold, CEO of The Iconic.
Researchers Samantha Sharpe and Taylor Brydges from the University of Technology Sydney advocate a widespread shift among consumers towards buying fewer, higher-quality clothes besides these innovations.
1. Why are the numbers used in Paragraph 2?| A．To encourage factories to produce more clothes. |
| B．To emphasize the severity of the clothing waste. |
| C．To present the amount of clothing consumption. |
| D．To set the stage for discussing how to landfill clothes. |
| A．It is challenging. | B．It is energy-saving. |
| C．It is unworthy of attention. | D．It is time-efficient. |
| A．Consumers should be patient to buy high-quality clothes. |
| B．Clothes specially designed for consumers are the most fit. |
| C．Adelaide’s Autark has enough clothes in store for consumers. |
| D．Slowing the production cycle is essential to reducing output. |
| A．Buying more clothes. | B．Following the fashion trend. |
| C．Changing consuming behavior. | D．Concentrating innovation. |
1. Who is the man?
| A．A teacher. | B．A writer. | C．A student. |
| A．Tuesday. | B．Friday. | C．Sunday. |
| A．Western table manners. | B．Chinese table manners. | C．Chinese daily life. |
| A．Have breakfast. | B．Wash the dishes. | C．Study chopsticks. |
6 . Lanrick Jr. Bennett holds a unique title in Toronto: bicycle mayor. He led a Halloween Kidical Mass ride recently, which I attended with my daughter, son-in-law, their two dogs, and my granddaughter. He is working towards making cycling mainstream and safe for all residents in the city. I did not know that Toronto had a bicycle mayor; I surely would have voted for him in an election.
The bicycle mayor program is run by BYCS, an Amsterdam-based global NGO that believes “bicycles transform cities and cities transform the world”. Standing in the strange but wonderful Bentway, a park built under an elevated expressway, Bennett says, “BYCS has 150 bicycle mayors across the world. And through a few friends putting in some really nice letters of encouragement, BYCS offered me a two-year term as an advocate here in the city of Toronto, becoming the first bicycle mayor of the city.”
Bennett says he is boosting the work being done to make cycling more mainstream in Toronto. “I am giving a bit more exposure to the great work that has allowed me to be able to ride a bike throughout the city. It’s getting better, we’re seeing more infrastructure (基础设施), and we’re seeing more people not wanting to depend on cars as their primary piece. I’m happy that I have been part of a fantastic group thus far,” says Bennett.
Since there’s still a lot of work to do, Lanrick Jr. Bennett has been working hard to improve cycling conditions in Toronto, and his efforts have been recognized by the community. He has been advocating for more bike lanes (车道), better lighting, and other safety measures to make cycling a practical option for commuters (通勤者). It’s great to see people like Lanrick.
Jr. Bennett working towards making cycling safe and accessible for all residents.
1. What can we say about the author?| A．She is fond of varieties of outdoor activities. |
| B．She is supportive of efforts to promote cycling. |
| C．She is planning to participate in the election for mayor. |
| D．She is trying to make cycling the mainstream of the city. |
| A．The way Bennett got his position. | B．Transformation of Toronto city. |
| C．Bennett’s ambition to change the world. | D．Mayor’s deeds throughout the world. |
| A．Upset. | B．Challenged. | C．Curious. | D．Satisfied. |
| A．It is the best in the world due to the presence of BYCS. |
| B．It has already well-developed and does not require improvement. |
| C．It is improving, but further work and development are still needed. |
| D．It is virtually non-existent, making Bennett’s job extremely important. |
Ma Mian Qun, also known as Horse Face Skirt, is a traditional Chinese skirt dating back to the Han Dynasty. It shows
The Horse Face Skirt is not just a piece of clothing
In today’s fashion world, designers frequently draw
8 . Music exists almost every human culture on earth. The oldest discovered musical instruments date back over 40,000 years to the Stone Age.
In prehistoric times, music promoted tighter social bonding between group members. Singing and drumming together released chemicals like dopamine and endorphins, inducing positive emotions that strengthened social connections.
Early music likely aided communication too. Rhythmic drumbeats and calls organized the actions and movements of groups during hunts or battle. Singing while working made labor less boring. Mothers may have sung primitive tunes to children as an early form of emotional communication.
In all these ways, music increased survival chances in human evolution. Natural selection then embedded (嵌入) the capacity for music into our biology. Supporting this, scientists have discovered specific regions of the brain devoted to musical processing. Children have an inborn ability to detect musical patterns and different tonal pitches.
| A．Music also strengthened defenses. |
| B．Music can bring humans a lot of joy. |
| C．Music also helped to win the battle. |
| D．But scientists believe music itself could be much older than that. |
| E．We connect with music now simply because we are born to do so. |
| F．Even patients with severe dementia (痴呆) respond actively to their favorite childhood songs. |
| G．This allowed groups to cooperate better in hunting, children-caring and protection against outside threats. |
9 . Best Movies on Netflix
Parenthood
Year: 1989
Director: Ron Howard
Stars: Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest, Jason Robards, Rick Moranis
Parenthood is a feel-good family dramedy directed by Ron Howard, focusing on the parental anxieties of Gil Buckman (Steve Martin) and his family. The cast includes Dianne Wiest, Keanu Reeves, Joaquin Phoenix, Rick Moranis, and Jason Robards as Gil’s father. The film has terrifying but painfully funny moments.
Beverly Hills Cop
Year: 1984
Director: Martin Brest
Stars: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher, Ronny Cox, Steven Berkoff
Eddie Murphy stars in Beverly Hills Cop, an action-packed comedy. Originally, Mickey Rourke and Sylvester Stallone were considered for the role before it was tailored for Murphy. This film showcases his cocky, wise-cracking persona (人格面具) as Axel Foley, who always remains in control despite being a fish out of water.
Starman
Year: 1984
Director: John Carpenter
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel
John Carpenter’s Starman was initially developed alongside E. T. and envisioned variously as a family drama or sci-fi film. Carpenter focused on dramatic, romantic aspects and the bond between a woman and an alien who looks like her dead husband. Despite similarities to E. T., Carpenter’s unique touch is evident in the film’s horror element s and the transformation of the alien into an adult Jeff Bridges.
Fletch
Year: 1985
Director: Michael Ritchie
Stars: Chevy Chase, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Tim Matheson, Joe Don Baker, Richard Libertini
Michael Ritchie’s Fletch, starring Chevy Chase, is a comedy that draws from film noir (黑色电影). It showcases Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher, an investigative reporter known for ridiculous disguise (伪装). Filled with quotable lines and memorable scenes, this film becomes more enjoyable over time.
1. Who is the character Axel Foley designed for?| A．Steve Martin. | B．Mickey Rourke. | C．Eddie Murphy. | D．Sylvester Stallone. |
| A．He is a reporter known for disguise. | B．He plays a minor role in the movie. |
| C．He is serious about his in-depth report. | D．He is a detective fond of high-tech devices. |
| A．They are considered realistic. | B．They were released in the 80s. |
| C．They are similar in plots and styles. | D．They are directed by the same director. |
As we stepped off the plane in Pucón, the lively atmosphere of the town immediately lifted our spirits after the long flight from New York.
The contrast between the freezing Big Apple and the warmth of Pucón was striking. The climate was delightful, which was a welcome change from the busy New York City.
“Feel that?” my friend said proudly, bathed in the gentle sunshine. “This is what I call a vacation!”
Our guide, Herman, was waiting for us with a broad smile. His English was limited, but his enthusiasm was boundless. He greeted us with heartiness, “Welcome to Pucón! I have everything ready for you.”
We spent our first day settling into the luxurious house he had arranged for us. The unique design of the house deeply attracted us. The house was a combination of modern luxury and traditional charm, neat and tidy, with tall windows framing the greenery outside.
Herman insisted on taking care of our every need. He would not even let us lift a finger in the house, which was above and beyond his duties.
One evening, as we wandered along the beach, the sky transformed into a canvas (画布) of rich colors. We were placed in a world of wonder. My friend turned to me, eyes sparkling, and said,“This is why we travel, isn’t it? Moments like these make everything else fade away.”
As we planned to go to another town to admire the unique architecture, something unexpected happened. I got a fever.
Our explorations were cut short. Lying in bed, I could hear my friend pacing outside my room, worried. And our travel plans were put on hold as there was no choice but to rest in the hope that I would recover soon.
The next morning, my fever worsened. Being new to the area and struggling with the language barrier, we felt helpless.
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。
Just then, Herman appeared.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With Herman’s help, I began to recover.
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