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. |
2 . How to Protect Against Undue Influence Online
The potential for undue influence has become increasingly significant in this era of digital interconnectivity. Undue influence can affect our perceptions and influence our decisions. It may even end anger our autonomy (自主) and mental health.
Understand what undue influence is
The first step to protecting yourself is understanding what undue influence is. Undue influence refers to a situation in which an individual or group employs unreasonable control over another person’s behavior information, thoughts, and emotions.
Develop media literacy skills
In an age of fake news, it is crucial to develop media literacy skills.
Delete as much data as you can about yourself. Be mindful of what information you share online, and always ensure that your online activities are secured through reliable sources. Review all policies on platforms, especially “free” ones. If you aren’t paying, then you are the product, as in many cases, they are selling your data.
By including these steps into your digital life, you can protect yourself from undue influence in the online world, ensuring that you can think and act independently, free from ill control.
| A．Prioritize privacy |
| B．Be mindful of free ones |
| C．It’s vital to have a health y Internet and real-life balance. |
| D．In the digital world, undue influence can take many forms. |
| E．Everyone deserves the right to live free from undue influence. |
| F．They involve analyzing, evaluating, and creating media in various forms. |
| G．Here are some essential strategies for you to protect yourself online from undue influence. |
3 . The Music Educator Award, this year, went to Annie Ray, an orchestra(管弦乐队)director at Annandale High School.She was recognized for her efforts to make music accessible to all students, particularly those with disabilities.Ray got to attend the awards ceremony in Los Angeles and bring home a $10,000 prize.
Ray created the Crescendo Orchestra for students with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as a parent orchestra that teaches nearly 200 caregivers a year to play the same instrument as their child.Ray also works with a local charity to give damaged instruments a second life in her classroom.
The orchestra is about much more than just making music.The most important is to give students a chance to develop their cooperation skills, make mistakes and learn the art of refining something.Ray pushes her students to be brave, go outside their comfort zone and realize they have to learn how to make bad sounds before learning how to make good sounds.And they teach her a lot in return.” They changed my educational philosophy.I understand what it truly means to meet a student where they’re at and apply that elsewhere,” she said.
The warm reception on the ceremony was meaningful.Actually, not many people understand what exactly music educators do or how much their work matters.While her administration is supportive, that lack of understanding is a problem facing the profession in general.Another is resources.She says her school “desperately” needs new instruments.She will use some of her prize money to buy more.
Ray also plans to put some of the money towards an ongoing scholarship for students who want to pursue music when they graduate.She knows of several, those particularly interested in music, and aims to offer financial support needed to realize their musical dreams” It is hard but truly satisfying,” Ray said.“And there’s nothing else like it for them.”
1. What can we learn about Ray from the first two paragraphs?| A．She hosted the award ceremony. | B．She brought music to more people. |
| C．She gave away instruments to the poor. | D．She founded a local charity for children. |
| A．They acquire in-depth musical knowledge. | B．They make friends with the like-minded. |
| C．They gain personal growth from playing music. | D．They improve their connections with educators. |
| A．The reception on the ceremony. | B．Importance of music education. |
| C．Challenges for music educators. | D．Plans to obtain resources. |
| A．Winning a scholarship. | B．Developing interest in music. |
| C．Making musical achievements. | D．Transforming dreams into reality. |
4 . As to psychological well-being, the comfort zone is frequently perceived as a haven, a familiar location where individuals feel calm and peaceful. Pushing beyond this psychological state might have benefits.
The comfort zone can be understood as a behavioral metaphor. Within a comfort zone, an individual takes on a state of minimal anxiety without a perception of risk, responding predictably to deliver a consistent level of performance. These include behaviors that people do commonly, find relaxing, or that take them away from high-stress situations. Engaging in the same manner over time leads to a predictable and familiar zone of comfort. As creatures of habit, we become dependent on these routines that we know we can complete well to feel secure. However, by stepping outside of our comfort zone, we learn about our ability to handle new situations and control risks, leading to greater self-confidence, and lower levels of anxiety.
One study found that individuals who are more secure in stepping out of their comfort zone are more likely to be excited by and look forward to new experiences, feeling greater confidence in their ability to take them on.
One behavior that demonstrates the benefits of stepping out of a comfort zone is learning to play a musical instrument. When we consider actions outside of our comfort zone, we must assess our desire to engage in that activity. By weighing the pros and cons, we evaluate how uncomfortable a situation may seem, and whether the danger of entering such an unknown situation will be worth the risk.
Music offers a safe way to step out of your initial comfort zone because you can begin by practicing in an isolated setting, which offers a casual, safe way to build a new skill set. By picking up and practicing a new instrument, you have proven to yourself that you are capable of meeting an unfamiliar objective, thus decreasing anxiety.
1. What does the underlined word “haven” in Paragraph 1 most probably mean?| A．Habitat. | B．Shelter. | C．Community. | D．Destination. |
| A．We recall the old experience. |
| B．We think whether it is worth the risk. |
| C．We evaluate our thirsty for the activity. |
| D．We weigh the strengths and weaknesses. |
| A．The definition of the comfort zone. |
| B．The importance of psychological well-being. |
| C．The process of learning a new musical instrument. |
| D．The benefits of stepping out of one’s comfort zone. |
| A．How to Identify Comfort Zone |
| B．Staying Inside Comfort Zone is Important |
| C．Stepping Outside Comfort Zone Promotes Learning |
| D．How to Take Yourself Away from High-stress Situations |
5 . Dusting is particularly annoying. Nearly two-thirds of household dust content comes from the outdoors, some of which may contain harmful chemicals. So, keeping your home as dust-free as possible is important to improve overall health.
In general, you should dust your home’s most exposed surfaces on a weekly basis. This means items such as tables, shelves, beds, dressers, counter-tops and windows.
Change your bed sheets weekly, as dust mites (螨) especially love bedding.
Since so much dust comes in from the outdoors, you can cut down on the amount gathering in your home by keeping doors and windows closed as often as possible, and placing carpets on both sides of doors.
Get rid of odds and ends, which can easily attract dust, and be careful how you handle clothes. Since clothes both collects dust and sheds (掉落) fibers, regularly wash any clothes or don’t throw clothing on the ground.
When you’re getting ready to clean a room, always work from the top down.
| A．If you dust from the bottom up |
| B．How can we keep the home dust-free |
| C．Why should we keep the home dust-free |
| D．You can remove your shoes when you come home |
| E．You can buy some new shoes before you return home |
| F．Don’t use feather dusters that simply push the dust around |
| G．Items that don’t collect dust easily can go a month without cleaning |
6 . In the northernmost edge of Colombia sits the coastal town of Acandí. Access to the town is only by water or air; there is no road that leads there. The residents there are faced with the struggles of balancing livelihoods while protecting biodiversity.
In the past, traditional community fishing methods, passed down by the elders, focused on the reasonable fishing and management of resources. However, the introduction of large-scale trawling vessels(拖网渔船) decades ago gradually depleted the area’s fishing resources, leading to damage to marine(海洋的) life seriously.
Jesús Antonio Julio Cuestas, who serves in the region’s conservation and management of marine resources, stresses the bad impact of these developments and calls for new fishing techniques. “Fishing and conservation co-exist as long as we have good management practices and reasonable use of our fishing resources,” says Cuestas. He and other officials actively monitor fishing activities in Acandí. Each morning, they visit the fish markets to gather data on fishery resources—including prices and sizes—to monitor the state of the local fishing industry.
Along with Cuestas, the fishers work to reduce their impact on the marine ecosystem. By changing fishing methods and adopting new practices, they aim for a more balanced approach to fishing. “This year the local fishermen have not used the trawl net s that were causing the death of the leatherback sea turtles,” explains Cuestas proudly. Changes include the efforts of boats to protect the seagrass that serves as feeding grounds for marine life and an end to fishers throwing net s where turtles lay their eggs.
This marine reserve in Acandí, Cuestas believes, is their greatest treasure. He attaches great importance to working together with local residents to improve the quality of life while preserving the marine ecosystem. By doing so, he imagines a picture where individuals from the fishing community can pursue various careers, such as engineers or lawyers, proudly stating that they are the products of the fishing tradition in Acandí.
1. What does the underlined word “depleted” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Reused. | B．Restored. |
| C．Explored. | D．Reduced. |
| A．To cut down on the costs of fishing. |
| B．To improve the income of local residents. |
| C．To promote the well-being of marine wildlife. |
| D．To spread traditional community fishing methods. |
| A．The aim of the changes to fishing methods. |
| B．The efforts to preserve marine ecosystem. |
| C．The results the trawl net s have brought about. |
| D．The impact of fishers on the local environment. |
| A．Confident. | B．Uncaring. |
| C．Concerned. | D．Doubtful. |
7 . Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, yet it is often ignored in our fast- paced society.
Studies have shown that a person with good mental health lives longer and has a higher quality of life. The effects of positive mental health on the body are plenty, including reducing the risk of diseases and improving overall physical well-being.
Our mental state has a significant impact on relationships. People with good mental health are more likely to be kind and understanding.
Mental health is as essential as physical health in maintaining a fulfilling life. If we run into trouble, don’t keep it to yourself.
| A．Turn to friends or families. |
| B．They strongly connect with others. |
| C．Physical health has been a problem. |
| D．So ways to keep positive must be found. |
| E．And a clear mind can help make smart choices. |
| F．The mind actually needs as much care as the body. |
| G．Mental health is vital for keeping emotional balance. |
8 . Help? Teen Line Is Here
·CALL800—852—8336 Nationwide (6:00 p.m.—10:00 p.m.)
·TEXT TEEN to 839863(6:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m.)
·EMAIL US at teenline@org.com
Are you a teen looking for help?
Opening up to someone can be scary. Talking about what you’re dealing with is often hard, but at Teen Line we do everything we can to make it as easy as possible for you. Our only goal is to help you in whatever way we can.
What to expect when you call or text Teen Line?
When you call or text Teen Line, another teen will be there to listen, understand, and answer your questions. Many of our callers are talking to someone about what they’re going through fur the first time. Our teen listeners are aware of that and try to make you as comfortable as possible.
When you call or text Teen Line, we won’t judge you or tell you what to do. We will listen to you and work with you to find a way to improve your situation.
Who is going to answer your call or text?
Our volunteers, who are high school students from Los Angeles, California, will answer your call. Our volunteers —who we call “Listeners”—receive over 100 hours of training from mental health professionals so that they can respond and understand the needs of the teens reaching out.
What topics can you discuss with us?
Listeners are ready to talk about anything you are going through. The most common topics teens reach out about are relationships, anxiety, depression and loneliness.
1. Who is the text written for?| A．Teachers. | B．Parents. | C．Teenagers. | D．Adults. |
| A．They will tell the caller what to do directly. | B．They will work with the caller to solve the problem. |
| C．They will turn to professionals for help. | D．They will only listen to the caller. |
| A．They haven’t received much professional training. | B．They are high school students in New York. |
| C．They only talk about how to deal with relationships. | D．Then can’t answer your call after 10:00 p.m. |
9 . A few days before New Year 1944, Patricia Krueger received a telegram from the U. S. Army. She hoped it would contain a belated birthday greeting from her husband, an army flight engineer, Charles Krueger, whom she had not heard from for 2 weeks. Instead, the message said he wasn’t coming home: His B-29 had been lost and he was later declared MIA (missing in action). Their son, John Krueger from Middleton, Wisconsin, is still in tears when he recounts this story.
Decades later, the military continues to work to bring back the remains of soldiers like Charles Krueger. The job of finding them falls to DPAA (Defense POW/ MIA Accounting Agency), created in 2015 after critics charged that the previous MIA search process was slow, and behind on innovations in science and technology. Between 1973 and 2014, the remains of only 1,849 missing service member s were returned to their families; in 2021, the agency accounted for the remains of 141 MIAs; according to DPAA figures.
To accelerate the work, Congress gave DPAA the authority to develop public-private partnerships with scientists and groups outside the government. “Teaming up with academic scientists introduces new ways of thinking,” says military historian Michael Dolski. “Working with partners allows us to tap into their technologies and capabilities in ways that we just can’t maintain.”
For scientists, the work is more than technically satisfying. “It’s the most rewarding aspect of my career,” says Mires, a scientist working with the agency. “In other archaeology sites I’ve worked on, the history is remote,” he says. “Here, you’re doing something not for a thing, but for a person, and all the people they touched.”
1. What was the telegram about in paragraph 1?| A．A New Year dinner. | B．Krueger’s disappearance. |
| C．A birthday greeting. | D．John Krueger’s memory. |
| A．Because DPAA wants to continue the search. |
| B．Because it took long and lacked creativeness. |
| C．Because the work was stopped by the military. |
| D．Because 141 MIAs’ remains were found in 2021. |
| A．Patient. | B．Critical. | C．Doubtful. | D．Approving. |
| A．A long search for MIAs. | B．Achievements of DPAA. |
| C．Assistance from science. | D．Consequences of wars. |
10 . Common Mistakes New Runners Make
Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. However, many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (妨碍) with training or lead to injury.
·Doing too much too soon
One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is doing too much too soon. Slowly easing into a training program will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue on with your new running routine
·
Beginners might think they need to run every day (or nearly every day) to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running is a high-impact activity which can be really hard on your body. So it’s important to give your body a rest between workouts.
·Not wearing the right equipment
•Running through pain
| A．Not taking rest days |
| B．If you’re just starting out |
| C．Comparing yourself to others |
| D．Running can be uncomfortable at times |
| E．It’s important not to use the same muscles |
| F．While it may be true that you don’t need expensive equipment to take up running |
| G．Experts suggest increasing your running distance by no more than 10% each week |
