1 . Obese people experience discrimination (歧视) in many parts of their lives, and the workplace is no exception. Studies have long shown that obese workers, defined as those with a body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, earn significantly less than their slimmer co-workers.

Yet the costs of weight discrimination may be even greater than previously thought. “The overwhelming evidence,” wrote the Institute for employment Studies, “is that it is only women living with obesity who experience the obesity wage penalty (薪资损失).” They were expressing a view that is widely aired in academic papers. To test it, The Economist has analyzed data concerning 23,000 workers from the American Time Use Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Our number-processing suggests that, in fact, being obese hurts the earnings of both women and men.

The data we analyzed cover men and women aged between 25 and 54 and in full-time employment. At a general level, it is true that men’s BMIs are unrelated to their wages. But that changes for men with university degrees. For them, obesity is associated with a wage penalty of nearly 8%, even after accounting for the separate effects of age, race, graduate education and marital status.

The conclusion — that well-educated workers in particular are penalized for their weight — holds for both sexes. Moreover, the higher your level of education, the greater the penalty. We found that obese men with a Bachelor’s degree (学士学位) earn 5% less than their thinner colleagues, while those with a Master’s degree earn 14% less. Obese women, it is true, still have it worse: for them, the equivalent figures are 12% and 19%, respectively (分别地).

Your line of work makes a difference, too. When we dealt with the numbers for individual occupations and industries, we found the greatest differences in high-skilled jobs. Obese workers in health care, for example, make 11% less than their slimmer colleagues; those in management roles make roughly 9% less, on average. In sectors such as construction and agriculture, meanwhile, obesity is actually associated with higher wages.

These results suggest that the total costs of wage discrimination borne by overweight workers in America are greater than expected. Now, it’s time for our governments to take it seriously.

1. What does the underlined word “it” refer to in paragraph 2?

A．Obese men earn less salary.

B．Only obese women earn less salary.

C．Both obese men and women earn less salary.

D．Weight discrimination may be greater than previously thought.

2. Who may experience more discrimination compared to their colleagues according to the data?

A．A fat woman office director.

B．An obese construction worker.

C．An obese man with a bachelor’s degree.

D．A heavier female doctor with a Doctor’s degree.

3. What is the writer’s attitude of overweight discrimination?

A．Supportive

B．Objective

C．Subjective

D．indifferent

4. What might the author continue talking about?

A．Overweight discrimination in other countries.

B．The reason of discriminating obese people in their lives.

C．American people’s attitude towards overweight discrimination.

D．Actions taken against overweight discrimination in workplaces.

2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(不多于3个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Many quick service restaurant owners are looking ahead to a future where automation will play an important role. They believe it will be the key to greatly     1    (increase) their thin profits and allow their workers to shine in the tasks no machine can do.

Many people are afraid of being replaced by a robot. But the    2    (smart) and most creative robotic companies are creating intelligent machines that work alongside workers to make efficiency and profits increase     3    (dramatic). Take Flippy, the arm-like robotic kitchen assistant    4     an example. It turns burgers over, cooking them to     5    (perfect), and lets its co-workers know the orders are ready. Not competing for people’s jobs, such robots    6    (design) to be cooperative ones, the cost-effective machines created to work with humans, not against them.

Quick service restaurants with tools like Flippy are the kind of places     7     you keep coming back--you know the staff will always have time to give you    8     answer to your detailed question and you will have your order on time, perfectly cooked.

Automation in restaurants will become even more crucial in the future. Owners then     9    (need) workers to enforce updated safety regulations and interact with dissatisfied guests. With Flippy having their back in the kitchen, they won’t have to worry about     10    (burn) burgers.

3 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Jake Stonehall was gifted. He had a passion for sports.

When he was five, his father took him to see the top two hockey (冰球) teams in the country play each other for a chance to lift the cup of victory. The boy could vividly remember how his heart pumped and how he wished to play there on the hockey ground with the players.

Since then, Jake became a hockey lover. With the company of his father, he spent most Saturdays skating in the ice rink (溜冰场).

When he got old enough, he joined his school’s hockey team. With the guidance of the coach, he progressed rapidly, which made the coach and his father really proud. Jake was soon appointed as captain of the team. He was a great team player and the whole team admired him.

Over time, his passion for hockey deepened. Beyond his own training, he would watch practices of his school’s disabled ice hockey team. These players worked together on specialized sleds (冰车), engaging in matches in an astonishingly incredible manner. Each game and practice became a passionate display of toughness and teamwork, setting off even more curiosity and admiration within him.

One day, he was on his way back home from training when a car crashed into him, throwing him several feet away.

The accident took away his ability to use his legs, which meant he could no longer play hockey. After he was out of hospital, he became a totally different person. Any talk about hockey would make him cry. He avoided seeing the coach and other players in his team. He even threw away the hockey sticks.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.开头已给出。

Jake sank into the world of hopelessness.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jake began to practice hockey on the sled, like a kid learning to walk.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . Vitamin C for a cold? A good dose of Vitamin D on a sunny day? We all know that vitamins are critical for our health, but how did they get their names and when were they discovered in the first place?

American nutrition scientist Elmer McCullum conducted a variety of feed experiments with different animal populations and discovered that an “accessory” substance contained in some fats was essential to growth. That fat-soluble (脂溶的) substance became known as Vitamin “A” for “accessory.”

McCollum and others also conducted further experiments with rice-bran-derived nutrient, naming it Vitamin “B” after beriberi, which can cause heart failure and a loss of sensation in the legs and feet. Eventually, it turned out that the substance known as Vitamin B was a complex of eight water-soluble vitamins, which were each given individual names and numbered in order of discovery.

The custom of naming vitamins alphabetically in order of discovery continued. Today, four fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and nine water-soluble vitamins (Vitamin C and the eight B vitamins) are considered essential to human growth and health. Only one vitamin bucked the oh-so-logical naming system: Vitamin K, discovered by Danish researcher Carl Peter Henrik Dam in 1929. The substance should have been in line to be called Vitamin F given its discovery date. But Dam’s research revealed that the vitamin is essential for blood coagulation (凝固) — known as Koagulation in the German journal that published his research — and his abbreviation for the vitamin somehow stuck.

It’s been decades since the last essential vitamin — Vitamin B12 — was discovered in 1948. It now appears unlikely that scientists will ever discover a new essential vitamin. But even if there’s no Vitamin F or G in our future, that doesn’t mean nutritional discovery has stopped completely. If the golden age of vitamin discovery was an appetizer (开胃菜) of sorts, scientists are devoted to the main course — a rapidly evolving understanding of the ways food shapes our lives, one microscopic substance at a time.

1. What can we learn from paragraph 2 and paragraph 3?

A．Vitamin A is a water-soluble substance.

B．Vitamin B was named after a kind of disease.

C．The eight B vitamins got names from their functions.

D．The subjects of McCullum’s experiments are home.

2. What does the underlined word “bucked” mean in paragraph 4?

A．Created.

B．Destroyed.

C．Broke.

D．Followed.

3. What is the author’s attitude toward nutrition research?

A．Indifferent.

B．Unclear.

C．Doubtful.

D．Confident.

4. Which of the following is the best title of the text?

A．How Do Vitamins Influence Our Health?

B．Who Discovered Various Vitamins for Us?

C．Why Is There a Vitamin K but No Vitamin F?

D．How Many Vitamins Are Still Left to Be Discovered?

5 . It was a warm evening in August in 1995. Robert Blocker was driving to Yale University after being appointed as the university’s Dean (院长) of Music. He didn’t expect to see many people, but a couple of students met him and showed him around.

“When I looked at the history of the university and how people are devoted to the school’s art programs, I was honored by the chance to work there. I could not wait for the next day to start my job. And that excitement never changed because every day was different. My job as dean was not scheduled. I walked around the campus and students talked to me. I went to rehearsals (排演) by the students and teachers and got inspired by them,” he adds.

After nearly three decades as the Dean of Music at Yale, the 77-year-old retired from the position on Aug 31. Also an expert pianist, he remains a professor of piano at the music school, as well as professor of leadership strategies at Yale School of Management. Among his countless contributions as dean, Blocker developed long-term relationships with fellow musicians in China. He once toured cities, including Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou, giving lectures to the youngsters.

“China is a very special place for me. I am very happy to be back after the pandemic (疫情) to meet my friends and colleagues,” Blocker says, adding that he is particularly excited about being with young students.

Yang Suxian, director of the Shenzhen Piano Music Festival, says, “He has been very supportive and has participated in the Shenzhen Piano Music Festival for years, even during the pandemic.”

Blocker’s vision of a more hopeful world is reflected in his belief that music bridges the understanding between people.

“Music brings hope. People may speak different languages and have different ideas but music speaks to each other’s heart, and that’s why we keep this work going on and why the work never ends,” he says, “Our job is to let music heal the world by allowing us to understand and find a common place in our hearts.”

1. How did Robert Blocker feel after being appointed as the university’s Dean?

A．Anxious.

B．Thrilled.

C．Terrified.

D．Challenged.

2. What is included in Robert Blocker’s work at Yale?

A．Teaching leadership skills.	B．Reviving art programs of the school.
C．Giving concerts when touring cities in China.	D．Organizing rehearsals for students and teachers.

3. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Yang Suxian’s words?

A．To advertise the festival in Shenzhen.	B．To stress Robert’s preference for music.
C．To review the hardships during the pandemic.	D．To show Robert’s care about Chinese musicians.

4. What do we know about musicians’ job from the last paragraph?

A．Spreading music to the whole world.

B．Translating music into a common language.

C．Helping people to reach an agreement on music.

D．Guiding people to know themselves better through music.

6 . I had a highly successful career, eventually rising to the position of department head. However, one afternoon last May, I was called into the office and _______ that my services were no longer required. I sat there in _______, overwhelmed by a sense of failure. Despite being _______ in my field, I suddenly felt worthless.

For the subsequent six weeks, I felt lost. I wandered around my house aimlessly, lacking the _______ to do anything. The once-promising future now seemed _______ with doubt and insecurity.

Then, towards the end of June, my youngest son’s soccer team _______ it to the city cup final. Two years ago, I _______ to fulfill my commitment to participate in the competition due to work-related reasons. This time, however, his face _______ with joy when I assured him I would be there. Not only did they win the championship, but witnessing the happiness on my son’s face as I _______ him on brought unspoken joy to my own heart.

From then on, I spent the summer attending game after game, supported my older son at his band performances, and ________ traveled to another city to watch him play. These moments held profound ________ for me. Having dedicated the entirety of my life to my ________, I am profoundly ________ that my sons warmly welcomed me into their world.

Surprisingly, being ________ granted me a newfound sense of purpose—I am someone’s mother! I regained a feeling of being ________. It was a feeling that I had not experienced in along time. Now I feel more positive about my professional experience in my new job and I’m getting on better with my family than I ever have.

1.

A．informed

B．reported

C．introduced

D．reminded

2.

A．awkwardness

B．disbelief

C．trouble

D．regret

3.

A．abandoned

B．touched

C．denied

D．respected

4.

A．control

B．ability

C．drive

D．determination

5.

A．forced

B．clouded

C．sheltered

D．thrown

6.

A．arrived

B．expanded

C．made

D．adjusted

7.

A．promised

B．matched

C．failed

D．attempted

8.

A．lit up

B．took up

C．put up

D．blew up

9.

A．rode

B．pressed

C．urged

D．cheered

10.

A．even

B．still

C．rather

D．eventually

11.

A．feeling

B．meaning

C．consideration

D．improvement

12.

A．patients

B．clients

C．family

D．career

13.

A．guilty

B．concerned

C．grateful

D．positive

14.

A．dismissed

B．dissolved

C．disposed

D．distracted

15.

A．realized

B．valued

C．judged

D．understood

7 . According to Americans for the Arts, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults say that the arts “lift me up beyond everyday experiences.” Still, only 30 percent attended a concert of any type in 2017; 23 percent visited an art museum; six percent attended a literary event. Fewer than half actively created art of any kind.

What has caused this phenomenon is that we do not have time for art — we are weighed down by our day-to-day responsibilities. Maybe you like to play a little background music while you work but most of us rarely, if ever, went to see a live performance, let alone visited a gallery. And reading poetry? Perhaps not since high school.

Too often, we let the realities of life get in the way of the arts, which can feel insignificant by comparison. But this is a mistake. The arts might be the single most in-depth experience you will ever be given to explore the nature and meaning of life. And if you make time to consume and produce art, you will find your life become fuller and happier.

Some philosophers address the problem of life consumed by work and material pursuits. They argue that art provides relief from this routine, expanding our perspective and bringing us closer to true reality.   

Think of a time when you heard a piece of music and wanted to cry. Or recall your fast heartbeats as you stared at a delicate lifelike sculpture. Chances are that it probably stimulated (刺激) a sudden awakening, much like the shock from a lungful of pure oxygen after breathing in smoggy air.

If you are among those who feel that art is “pure pleasure to experience and participate in,” you might see it the same way you see eating out, or skydiving: as a luxury (奢侈品) item in your limited budgets of time and money. As such, it probably gets the same sort of treatment as any minor hobby. Don’t make this error. Treat art more like exercise or sleep: a necessity for a life full of deep satisfaction.

1. What does paragraph 1 focus on?

A．The opinion of U.S. adults about art.

B．The types of art that U.S. adults engage with.

C．The mismatch between value and behaviour as to art.

D．The connection between everyday experiences and art.

2. What is a mistaken idea in the author’s opinion?

A．Art reveals the nature of life.	B．Art gives way to material pursuits.
C．Life without art is meaningless.	D．Background music is a kind of art.

3. What does the author want to convey in paragraph 5?

A．Art awakes people’s talents.	B．Art improves physical health.
C．Art brings us closer to nature.	D．Art makes life fuller and happier.

4. What might be the best title?

A．Art: A Habit, Not a Luxury	B．Art: A Bridge, Not a Barrier
C．Art: A Decoration, Not a Reality	D．Art: A Pleasure, Not a Burden

8 . If you’re feeling tired and stressed because you have too much going on, like lots of after­school activities, you will feel better when you give something up. Sometimes lots of activities—even if they’re all fun—can make you feel stressed by keeping you busy all the time. On the other hand, if problems at home are troubling you, in fact some after­school activities may help you relax and feel better.

There are also relaxing exercises that you can use to keep stress away. The easiest one is to breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Do this two to four times.

You can do breathing exercises anytime. You can even do breathing exercises in class if you’re nervous before a test.

The best way to keep stress away is to have a balanced life. That means making good decisions about how to spend your time. If you’re always busy with schoolwork and have no time to play, you can get stressed. Make sure you keep yourself in mind: sleep, exercise, leisure (something fun), and food.

If you take care of yourself and get enough sleep and food, and if you exercise and leave time for fun, you’ll probably be less stressed out!

1. What may help if you have problems at home according to the passage?

A．Doing a part­time job.	B．Doing some houseworks.
C．Doing some after­school activities.	D．Watching TV.

2. In order to keep stress away, you should ____.

A．do exercise anytime	B．make good decisions about how to spend time
C．get much food to eat	D．do breathing exercises in class

3. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Doing exercise can’t help you keep stress away.

B．Get enough sleep and you will never be stressed out.

C．Being unhealthy makes you tired and stressed.

D．Too many activities can make you feel stressed.

4. The underlined word “exhale” in Paragraph 2 means “________”.

A．breathe in

B．breathe out

C．get on

D．get off

9 . Malaysia is a popular travel destination. Here are some best places to visit in Malaysia 2024.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in Malaysia. Things to do in Kuala Lumpur include a trip to the world famous Petronas Towers, taking a trip to the ancient Hindu temple at the Batu Caves, sampling some of the most amazing street food, visiting markets and much more.

Getting to Kuala Lumpur: Kuala Lumpur has two major airports — KLIA and KLIA2. It is also well connected to the rest of Malaysia by bus and train.

Langkawi

Langkawi is actually an archipelago (群岛) but the main island offers a range of different locations to visit and stay. Pantai Cenang is one of the most popular beach destinations and home to Underwater World.

Getting to Langkawi: The best way to get to Langkawi is to fly.

Penang

There’s a multicultural mix of influences and plenty of beaches, interesting architecture and affordable resort style accommodation. It’s also one of the best places in Malaysia to eat, offering some of the best cheap food.

Penang is home to important and culturally significant temples like Lok Si Temple, as well as the historic George Town.

Getting to Penang: You can get to Penang by train, bus or plane.

Bukit Merah

Located just outside of Taiping, the town is surrounded by a lake. The town is home to another sustainable attraction, the EcoPark — an enclosure home to many native and rare animals.

Getting to Bukit Merah: The best way to get there is to drive from Taiping. There are also buses. It’s also possible to day trip here from Penang.

1. What can you do in Kuala Lumpur?

A．Tour the EcoPark.

B．Visit Petronas Towers.

C．Enjoy Underwater World.

D．Experience life in George Town.

2. What is the best way to Langkawi?

A．By car.

B．By plane.

C．By train.

D．By bus.

3. Where can you see rare animals?

A．In Penang.	B．In Langkawi.
C．In Bukit Merah.	D．In Kuala Lumpur.

10 . Guernsey International Poetry Competition — Poems on the Move

Your poem could be on show in 2024. Winning entries are displayed in two stages: 21 bus poems will be chosen, and the top 9 of these will take part in a second, larger exhibition, first at Guernsey Airport, then all over the island.

How to enter

·Online by completing the online entry form and payment, at www.poemsonthemove.com.

·By email: PotM@guernseyliteraryfestival.com .

·By post: Poems on the Move 2024, Guernsey Literary Festival, PO Box 174, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK,GY1 3LG.

Fees

·Entries are £4 per poem or 3 poems for £10.

·Fees are not refundable.

·Young People’s Poetry: Aged 11-17, entries FREE

Rules

·Entries must be no longer than 14 lines and must be typed and fit on a single A4 page.

·Please do not write your name or age on the same sheet as your poems.

·Enter each poem on a separate page and enclose another separate sheet with your name, address, telephone number, email address, plus the title(s) of your poems.

·Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been published, self-published, published on any public website or broadcast, nor winning or placed in any other competition.

·Closing date for receipt of entries: February15, 2024

The prize is open to anyone except those involved in organizing the competition. Winners will be contacted by March 5, 2024. Winning poems will be shown on Guernsey buses, and 9 of these poems will become part of the Poems on the Move exhibition, for no less than six months.

1. What should entrants do?

A．Show their poems on the bus.	B．Deliver their poems in person.
C．Start entering after February 15, 2024.	D．Have the poems typed as requested.

2. What is expected of the entries?

A．They should be original.

B．They must be over 14 lines.

C．They should be around two pages long.

D．They must be published works on any site.

3. Who is not entitled to the prize?

A．A young man aged 16.	B．A poet involved in the competition.
C．A writer organizing the competition.	D．A teacher writing a poem.