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 . China has set new rules limiting the amount of time children can play online games. The rules limit children to just three hours of online game playing a week. That is one hour between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday most weeks.
Li Zhanguo has two children aged 4 and 8. Even though they do not have smartphones, they enjoy playing online games. Like many other parents. Li is happy with new government rules. But experts say it is unclear if such policies can help prevent addiction to online games. Children might just get addicted to social media instead. In the end, experts say, parents should be the ones to set limits and support good practice.
There has been a growing concern in China about gaming addiction among children. Government reports in 2018 found that about one in ten Chinese children were addicted to the Internet. The new rules are part of an effort to prevent young people from spending too much time on unhealthy entertainment. That includes what officials call the “irrational fan culture”
Under the new rules, the responsibility for making sure children play only three hours a day as largely on Chinese gaming companies like Net Ease and Ten cent. Companies have set up real-name registration systems to prevent young users from going past game time limits. They have used facial recognition technology to check their identities. And they have also set up a program that permits people to report what is against the law. It is unclear what punishments gaming companies may face if they do not carry out the policies. And even if such policies are performed, it is also unclear whether they can prevent online addiction.
A specialist treating Internet addiction expects about 20 percent of children will find ways to break the rules by borrowing accounts of their older relatives and find a way around facial recognition. In his opinion, short-video alps such as Douyin and Kuaishou are also very popular in China. They are not under the same restrictions as games.
1. When can children play games according to the new rules?A.Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Friday. | B.Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Tuesday. |
C.Between 10 p. m. and 11 p. m. On Saturday. | D.Between 10 p. m. and all p. m. On Thursday. |
A.the new rules can stop children’s addiction to social media |
B.companies are more responsible for kids ‘ obeying the rules |
C.the new rules will help prevent children playing online games |
D.parents play a greater part in limiting the time of online games |
A.Design an advanced program. | B.Use facial recognition systems. |
C.Set up real-name registration systems. | D.Borrow accounts of their older relatives. |
A.Rules Limiting Short-video alps | B.Rules Limiting Video Game Time |
C.Rules Banning Irrational Fan Culture | D.Rules Breaking Addition to Social Media |
3 . Many people love to listen to music while driving. Thanks to the world’s musical roads, drivers now don’t need to turn the radio on.
A musical road can create music when a car tires go over grooves (凹槽) on the road. To produce beautiful music, drivers must pass over the grooves at a certain speed. Signs often tell drivers the right speed.
In Hungary, there is a musical road in honor of one of the country’s most popular musical performers — Laszlo Bodi. Bodi was the lead singer for the band Republic.
A.Musical roads are also keeping drivers safe. |
B.There is not any music road in Eastern countries. |
C.Musical roads help improve the road safety greatly. |
D.But they can also enjoy music while taking road trips. |
E.Formed in 1990, the group is one of Hungary’s biggest acts and is still active today. |
F.The first musical road was created in Gylling, Denmark, in 1995. |
G.For example, in Japan, there are many musical roads throughout the country. |
4 . Artificial intelligence (AI) plays an important role in the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 and Asian Para Games. These terms might sound familiar, but how smart are they when applied to the 56 Asian Games venues (场地)?
Their smartness can be found in running the venues with less human labor forces. At the Huanglong Sports Center, a system called Smart Stadium Brain is built. A 25 square meter high definition screen lays in the venue’s information center, which guarantees a friendly environment for the athletes and audiences. A small screen on each seat is designed to be at the audience’s service. By finger touching, the audience can control it conveniently to watch and keep contact with the event. What’s more, supported by the 5G technology.
AI also means further protection on environment. At the Fuyang sports Center, although it has been raining for days, the roof of the venue still remains dry. And the secret lies in its attractive sky garden. The garden, is not only eye-catching but also useful. It allows the greening rate of the entire stadium to reach as high as 45%, being energy-saving. Under the cobblestones (鹅卵石), a recovery system is filtering (过滤) and collecting rainwater for the venue’s water system, and irrigation water.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “guarantee” in Para2?A.Adapt to. | B.Take advantage of. | C.Get used to. | D.Make sure of. |
A.Small screen must be supported by the 5 G technology. |
B.The audience can control small screens on their seats easily. |
C.The stadium is environmentally friendly and advanced but costly. |
D.Their smartness of AI will replace workers |
A.By saving energy. | B.By recycling the rainwater. |
C.By collecting rainwater system of the sky garden. | D.By improving the greening rate. |
A.More Connections with Smart Devices. | B.A Sports Center with Smart Stadium Brain. |
C.Asian Games with Artificial Intelligence. | D.Smart Asian Games with High-tech Venues. |
5 . 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. |
6 . It is natural for us teenagers to feel upset.
•Move your body.
•Talk about it.
•Laugh a lot.
Humour can rescue you from an upset moment or make you feel better when you’re in an unpleasant mood. No matter what’s going on, the ability to laugh at yourself and your situation is really important.
•Cry — it’s okay!
Sometimes the only way to get out of your feelings is to cry — so go ahead! Shut yourself in your room and cry your eyes out! No one says you have to be happy all the time.
A.Why not pack up your suitcase and take a trip? |
B.We can’t say enough good things about exercise. |
C.But still we should find ways to manage our feelings. |
D.So smile at whatever is happening and choose to be happy. |
E.And do you know just smiling can help better your mood? |
F.When you are done, you’ll be ready to face the world again. |
G.Don’t hold in all those feelings until you are ready to explode. |
7 . 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. |
8 . Recently we celebrated my grandmother’s 90th birthday. Family members traveled to my hometown to visit her. This was the first time in many years that I had seen so many of them. Though this was an opportunity to see family, many people did not make it. Honestly, living far from hometown, I had missed many family gatherings. But this one made me realize how much I was really missing.
It seemed strange when I was looking at the faces, realizing whom they were and greeting them with open arms. After chatting for a while, we caught up on each other’s news. Several relatives suggested having a family reunion soon if everyone wasn’t so busy. But my grandmother’s generation was much busier, yet still found time to gather. They understood the importance of visiting one another. They knew time is flying and that those you care about most won’t be here forever.
Today, we focus on our careers and raising our kids. Our extended family isn’t the center it once was. Besides, we keep in touch on social media. But what we really miss are the potato salad, the moments of laughter and sudden bursts of excitement when we hug someone we haven’t seen for over 10 years. Although the next get-together is always a year or so away, people aren’t goods and everyone has an expiration (到期) date.
I left my grandmother’s party with a much better sense of who I am and where I come from. I spent valuable time with people who contributed to who I am today. I had forgotten how much I love them and I was reminded how much I am loved.
1. How did the author feel about missing previous family gatherings?A.Indifferent. | B.Sad. | C.Regretful. | D.Annoyed. |
A.They were carefree. | B.They held family dear. |
C.They took time seriously. | D.They seldom visited family. |
A.Family reunions mean no fun. |
B.All goods don’t have an expiration date. |
C.People are always too busy to get together. |
D.We should see loved ones more before it’s too late. |
A.To convince readers to meet friends. |
B.To share an interesting family reunion. |
C.To stress the value of family gatherings. |
D.To compare different generations’ values. |
9 . Most children now chat daily either online or through their mobile phones.
Sometimes the online world, just like the real world, can cause problems, such as bullying (恃强凌弱) or arguments.
A.Going online is great fun. |
B.Computer studies are part of schoolwork now. |
C.The language of chat is strange to many parents, too. |
D.There are some websites that are not suitable for the children. |
E.To keep children safe, your management must cover the family computer. |
F.They are connecting to a huge number of other children all over the world. |
G.Surfing the Internet takes up too much of the time that should be spent on lessons. |
10 . 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. |
A.Her weight. | B.Her diet. |
C.Her homesickness. | D.Her bad study habit. |
A.achieve my dream | B.earn money by myself |
C.improve my studies | D.take my attention away |
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. |