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.

2. What does the underlined part “in the flesh” mean in paragraph 3?

A．In any case.

B．In public.

C．In person.

D．In advance.

3. What is Katie’s attitude toward online communication?

A．Unconcerned.

B．Positive.

C．Worried.

D．Confused.

4. Which of the following is the Rosen’s view?

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 Avoid an Internet Addiction

It may seem like everyone surfs the web these days. But if you can’t have interest in other aspects of your life because of the Internet, you may be on your way to an Internet addiction. You might fear you’re the only one who has experienced that feeling.    1     Luckily, there are some ways to avoid living your life in front of the computer.

    2    

More and more people in the world are becoming addicted to the Internet, and you are not the only one with this problem. So do not be embarrassed. Just be brave to admit that you are on your way to an Internet addiction. And then find others with the same problem and help each other beat it.

Set aside limited time for computer use.

Make sure not to turn it on too many times a week. If you have a laptop, make sure to put it somewhere that you can remember but not somewhere that you see every day. Try keeping the lid closed when you are not using it.     3       If you have a desktop PC, try not to go near it or put something over it like a sheet.

Call people instead of sending instant messages or texts.

If you are free on weekends, call friends and ask them to go outside to do something you enjoy, like playing a sport. This will take your mind off the computer.     4    

Use an alarm clock or timer (计时器).

Before using your computer, decide on a time limit such as 30 minutes. Set the clock or timer and make sure that you get away from the computer when the time is up. Alternatively create a shutdown timer on your desktop.     5    

A．Being addicted to it is quite normal.

B．Admit you are at risk of an addiction.

C．The truth, though, is that it’s quite common to be an addict.

D．When the computer is not looking at you, you are less likely to use it.

E．This can be programmed to shut down your computer after the set time.

F．If you have a problem on weekdays, phone your friends or ask for help in person.

G．This will prevent you from using the Internet so often or going on to another page.

3 . Road Trip Apps You Need Before You Leave

Best App for Route Planning

Ever wonder how do livery drivers manage to hit so many different places in a relatively short amount of time? It’s because they’re using an app like Road Warrior to plan their routes to be as efficient as possible. However, while many other route planning apps only take things like traffic into account, Road Warrior includes lots of other time-sucking details. The subscription options start at $10 per month.

Best App for Gas Prices

Gas prices have been something of a catastrophe recently, so travelers are naturally focused on finding the lowest rates whenever possible. GasBuddy is one of the most popular apps for locating affordable gas, especially on long road trips. Simply enter the starting point and destination, and then watch as all of the cheapest gas prices along your route pop up. Like many apps, there is a free version, as well as a premium(额外费用) option with added features.

Best App for Planning Sightseeing

For people who aren’t totally focused on getting from point A to point B in the fastest time possible, the Road Trippers app is an absolute must-have. Users can pan their trip from start to finish with as many as 150 waypoints stops when using the premium version of the app, which costs $29.99 per year. It won’t let you miss the famous scenic spots along the way. It estimates fuel costs allows for RV drivers to customize routes friendly to their particular vehicle and lets the user cooperate with friends who are also on the road.

Best App for Family Games and Entertainment

Sure you could listen to music or watch movies, but sometimes it’s fun to throw it way back with classic travel games. The Plates Family Travel app is a modernized version of the classic license plate game. There also a map feature that shows you exactly where you saw all the license plates on your road trip. This app is available for Apple or Google devices for free.

1. Which app can help you save time?

A．GasBuddy.

B．Road Warrior.

C．RondTrippers.

D．Plates Family Travel.

2. Who is more likely to use GasBuddy?

A．Those who like playing games.	B．Those who need license plates.
C．Those who prefer a unique route.	D．Those who care about gas prices.

3. What is special about the Road Trippers app?

A．It is available free of charge.	B．It provides the shortest route.
C．It recommends tourist attractions.	D．It helps its users to make friends.

4 . Blind people have long desired for brightness, but scientists don’t have the technology. To bring that one step closer to reality, Zhiyong Fan, a materials scientist of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, developed a new artificial eye recently. The device, which is about as sensitive to light and has sharper vision and a faster reaction time than a real eyeball, may outperform human eyes.

The human eye owes its wide field of view and clear eyesight to the retina (视网膜) — an area at the back of the eyeball covered in light-detecting cells. The design for a new artificial eye is based on the structure of the human eye and uses a friendly light-sensitive material. At the back of the eyeball, an artificial retina is lined with Nan scale light sensors (纳米级光感器). Those sensors measure light that passes through the lens (晶状体) at the front of the eye. Wires attached to the back of the retina send signals from those sensors to the processor, similar to the way nerve networks connect the eyeball to the brain.

“In the future, we can use this to replace damaged human eyes,” says the lead designer. In theory, this artificial eye could see more clearly than the human eye, because the artificial retina contains about 460 million light sensors per square centimeter while a real retina has about 10 million light-detecting cells per square centimeter. Besides, the artificial eyeball records changes in lighting faster than human eyes can — within about 30 to 40 milliseconds, rather than 40 to 150 milliseconds. Although its 100-degree field of view isn’t as broad as the150 degrees a human eye can take in, the device can see as well as the human eye in poor light.

Hongrui Jiang, an electrical engineer at the University of Wisconsin, though, thinks engineers need a much more practical and efficient way to produce vast series of tiny wires on the back of the artificial eyeball to give it superhuman sight, which is super hard to achieve.

1. Why does Zhiyong Fan develop the artificial eye?

A．To replace people’s real eyeballs.	B．To gain a sharper vision.
C．To help the blind regain their eyesight.	D．To help normal eyes perform better.

2. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The design of the artificial eye.	B．The structure of the human eye.
C．The advantages of the artificial eye.	D．The material used for the artificial eye.

3. What can we learn about the artificial eye and the human eye?

A．They have the same structure.

B．The artificial eye may see more clearly.

C．The human eye sees better in weak light.

D．The artificial eye takes in a broader view.

4. Which word best describes Hongrui Jiang’s attitude to the artificial eye?

A．Doubtful.

B．Favorable.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Satisfied.

5 . Along with a rising number of space missions by government agencies and private industries, comes a fresh set of problems for Earth: potentially dangerous space junk (太空垃圾).

A recent study published in the scientific journal Nature Astronomy concluded “that current space practices have a 10 percent chance of one or more deaths over a decade”. In other words, according to researchers from the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia, there’s roughly a one-in-ten chance that the next decade will witness falling space junk kill someone.

The space junk orbiting the earth is an unfortunate by-product of our desire to explore and document space. According to 2021 figures from NASA and the Department of Defense’s Space Surveillance Data, the agencies were actively tracking more than 27,000 pieces of space junk, most of which are larger than a softball and that casually orbit the planet. The floating space junk is certainly a problem, but not all the objects must come down, and, in fact, a number of pieces simply burn up in the atmosphere. Sometimes those objects, particularly large ones like used rocket attachments, give in to gravity and fall back down to Earth to be dealt with once again by their human makers. But typically, people don’t die or even get injured by this phenomenon — because many of the falling pieces crash into the ocean.

They also have to deal with the unsettling feeling of knowing that large rocket pieces can just fall from the sky and that it might affect people in certain parts of the world more than others.

This poses an obvious safety risk to people on the ground. “When some large parts of space junk return to Earth, the parts of their mass survive the heat of atmosphere. Many of the surviving pieces are potentially dangerous, giving serious risks on land, at sea, and to people in airplanes,” the study explains.

1. What is the conclusion of the study published in Nature Astronomy?

A．People will see space junk easily in the future.

B．Some people may be hit to death by objects from the space.

C．Government agencies and private industries will develop fast.

D．There will be a 10 percent chance for human to die in 10 years.

2. What can be inferred from the third paragraph?

A．Normally we should not worry about space junk.

B．All the space junk will get burnt in the sky.

C．The large space junk will destroy the ocean.

D．The floating space junk will come down finally.

3. What might be discussed in the following part of the text?

A．How to find space junk.	B．How to deal with space junk.
C．How to check the space junk.	D．How to inform people of the danger.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Space Junk Causes Pollution

B．How to Take Back Space Junk

C．Space Junk Puts People at Risk

D．Exploring Space Takes in Unfortunate Results

7 . A year back I received a full scholarship to attend the University of San Francisco. All of my hard work had paid off. My mom had spent a lot in my attending a private high school, so I made sure to push myself: I volunteered, joined different clubs, and graduated with honors.

I was so excited to start a new life. I had totally packed two weeks and wanted to go to college at once before it was time to leave.

Soon enough, the big day came, but it wasn’t like what I had thought. The first two weeks were the most difficult days of my entire life. Every night I would cry myself to sleep.

I was so homesick (想家) and I didn’t know how to deal with my broken heart. To distract myself, I threw myself into my studies and I applied for a lot of jobs. In any remaining free time, I started forcing myself to the gym. I wanted to keep every part of my day busy so I wouldn’t think how lonely I felt.

Soon after, I began to limit food, and then I became worse. Finally, I went to see a doctor. When the doctor weighed me, I was crazy about the number of my weight. So I continued to lower my goal, and convinced that controlling this number was the solution to my homesickness. But when I was told that I had no choice but to spend time on my studies. I quickly started recovery in my mind.

How could I do? I told myself that school was what I was best at. I decided to get rid of my homesickness and took exercise actively. My first term of college had passed by at last and I had gotten straight A’s. That’s why I want to share my story—to help other students feel less lonely.

1. How was the author during the two weeks before she left for the college?

A．She was as normal as before.

B．She couldn’t wait to leave for the college.

C．She was afraid to leave her home.

D．She didn’t enjoy her mother’s company.

2. What is the author’s problem at the beginning of studying in the university?

A．Her weight.	B．Her diet.
C．Her homesickness.	D．Her bad study habit.

3. Which can best replace the underlined phrase “distract myself” in paragraph 2?

A．achieve my dream	B．earn money by myself
C．improve my studies	D．take my attention away

4. What is the main purpose of the author in writing the text?

A．To look back at her past middle school life.

B．To help girls to lose weight.

C．To help lonely college students.

D．To increase her own confidence.

9 . Smartwatches and fitness trackers (健身追踪器) have gained popularity recently. These tools can record your daily steps, heart rates, etc.     1    . If yes, it might be a sign that you’re addicted to your fitness tracker.

    2    . If you keep setting unrealistic daily goals that involve working out for too long, and if you begin to ignore friends and responsibilities to make time for your workout, then you’re most probably addicted to your fitness tracker.

It’s a struggle to overcome the addiction to fitness trackers.     3    . For example, the number in your smart watch showing how far you’ve come can give you a sense of achievement.

Of course, failing to meet your daily goal can be discouraging. You might focus on your shortcoming rather than your progress. Another problem is that you might find yourself paying too much attention to the step number rather than how your body feels.     4    .

Therefore, if you’re spending too much time looking at your smartwatch, limit your daily step count to a comfortable level.     5    . For example, concentrating on your hobbies or socializing with friends can be a great way to keep your mind on other things.

A．How can you tell whether you’re addicted to your fitness tracker?

B．Actually this addiction to step count can be risky, mentally and physically.

C．Don’t overuse your smartwatch.

D．However, do you find yourself checking your steps and heart rates too often?

E．After all, reaching a daily step count can be so appealing.

F．Besides, you can find other things to do that don’t involve checking your fitness tracker.

G．It doesn’t covey what you’re really feeling.

10 . Discover Our Winter Camps This Season

Spaces Edu
Ages 13-17 Years

Are you looking for an exciting and creative way to develop computer skills? Spaces Edu is the perfect course for students who want to bring their imaginations to life by coding(编码)their own VR projects. In this course, students will learn how to create 3D objects and will also learn how to collect information quickly, as well as how to share their creations online and experience them with VR headsets(头戴式耳机). This is an advanced course so some coding experience is necessary.

Necessary Life Skills
Ages 12-13 Years

This course will offer important real-life skills for students which will prepare them for their university. Students will learn how to create their own detailed résumés(简历)as well as how to prepare for interviews so they are prepared and filled with confidence as they take the next steps in life.

French through Art & Culture
Ages 8-11 Years

Join us this spring as we travel in time through the richness of French music, people and colors. Each day, students will build their understanding of the language through a different way. As students become interested in French art and culture they will develop their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

First Steps
Ages 7-12 Years

In this introductory course for beginners, students will learn the basics of computer in Python. The course will focus on learning Python programming and then using the knowledge and skills to create computer programs. Using an online learning platform(平台), students will be guided through their learning of Python basics. Students should bring their own computers.

1. Which camp is suitable for students who prepare for college life?

A．French through Art & Culture.	B．Necessary Life Skills.
C．Spaces Edu.	D．First Steps.

2. What can students do in French through Art & Culture?

A．Improve their French.	B．Travel in France.
C．Organize an art show.	D．Create a 3D painting.

3. What do Spaces Edu and First Steps have in common?

A．They are perfect for beginners.	B．They are open to students aged 7.
C．Computers will be used.	D．Free headsets will be provided.