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 . 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.

2. According to experts, _________

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

3. What will children probably do to battle with the new rules?

A．Design an advanced program.	B．Use facial recognition systems.
C．Set up real-name registration systems.	D．Borrow accounts of their older relatives.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

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

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 . My hometown is in a county (县) called Yongtai which is in Fuzhou of southern China.

Several days before the Chinese New Year, every family starts to prepare for the celebration. First of all, we do the spring-cleaning to welcome a new and clean year.     1    . They post the Chinese character Fu which is often attached upside down to show that Fu is arriving.

    2    . We don’t have jiaozi but tangyuan which is a kind of round and white food indicating the family reunion (团圆). We also eat sticky rice balls called niangao.     3    , because fish in Chinese is pronounced the same as Yu, which means surplus and fortune.

    4    , as they get “lucky money” from senior members of the family and they love the fireworks display (表演).

On the first day of the Chinese New Year, fathers will set off fireworks to “wake up the Chinese New Year”; mothers start to prepare a big breakfast.     5    . We cannot knock at other people’s doors to wake them up as it will bring bad luck to them.

On the first day just family members spend time together. From the second day on, every family will start to welcome the visitors and they can enjoy the get-together time, which is really nice.

A．My favourite dishes are niangao and fish

B．Children will stay up late on New Year’s Eve

C．A fish dish is a necessity on the table every year

D．The next step is to prepare food for the New Year’s Eve dinner

E．After the spring-cleaning, every family starts to decorate their house

F．When the evening of New Year’s Eve comes, children will be very excited

G．Everyone should wake up by themselves and appear at the table in their new clothes

6 . “Woman reading book, under a night sky, dreamy atmosphere,” I type into Deep Dream Generator’s Text 2 Dream feature. In less than a minute, an image is returned to me showing what I’ve described.

Welcome to the world of AI image generation, where you can create what on the surface looks like top-rank artwork using just a few text prompts (提示). But closer examination shows oddities. The face of the woman in my image has very odd features, and appears to be holding multiple books. And, while there’s an initial thrill at seeing an image appear, there’s no creative satisfaction.

AI image generation could influence everything from film to graphic novels and more. Children’s illustrators were quick to raise concerns about the technology. They say AI-generated art is the exact opposite of what art is believed to be. Fundamentally, art is all about translating something that you feel internally into something that exists externally. Whatever form it takes, true art is about the creative process much more than it’s about the final piece. And simply pressing a button to generate an image is not a creative process.

Beyond creativity, there are deeper issues. To create images from prompts, AI generators rely on databases of already existing art and text. This could lead to the creation of images that are intentionally meant to imitate the style of other artists, without their agreement. There is an argument that AI generators work no differently to humans when it comes to being influenced by others’ work. However, a human artist is also adding emotion and nuance (细微差别) into the mix. AI doesn’t do the same — it can only copy.

The increasing use of AI will also lead to a devaluing (贬低) of the work of artists. There’s already a negative prejudice towards the creative industry. People will begin to think that their “work” is as excellent as that created by someone who has spent a career making art. It’s nonsense, of course. You can use your mobile phone to take a nice picture of your daughter, but you are no match for professionals.

1. What does the writer think of his image creation?

A．Exciting.	B．Appealing
C．Unsatisfying.	D．Shocking.

2. What do children’s illustrators value most about art?

A．The creating process.	B．The final work.
C．Personal feelings.	D．External forms.

3. What is Paragraph 4 of the text mainly about?

A．The styles of human artworks and AI ones.

B．Human artists’ influence on AI generators.

C．Different means used in human and AI art creation.

D．The drawbacks of drawing from existing art and text.

4. Which of the following best summarizes the last paragraph?

A．Art is the mirror of life.	B．Rome is not built in a day.
C．No man can do two things at once.	D．Don’t judge a book by its cover.

7 . Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said, “The British are the only people who like to be told how bad things are.” This is definitely (绝对地) true of British comedy. Most people think humor is about happy things, but for the British, the opposite is true. We love to use our cruel sense of humor to complain and be negative (消极的).

British comedy, for example, draws a fine line between comedy and tragedy (悲剧). BBC’s The Office is a TV show, famous for its dry humor. The main character, David Brent, is a foolish man, and the show’s comedy comes from his delusions. For example, he often tells himself that he is loved by everyone but the viewer can see that everyone hates him.

Stupid characters for the audience to laugh at are an old tradition in Britain. In Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night, the character Malvolio is an old man whom people play tricks on. The audience will laugh away, although the reality is that this man is a truly tragic individual (个体).

This side of British humor is reflected (反映) in friendships as well. At university, my friends and I would always laugh at one another. I had an American friend who actually found this sarcasm (挖苦) quite upsetting. She didn’t realize that in Britain, the better friends you are with someone, the more you laugh at them.

This approach — laughing at everything — may sound rather depressing (让人郁闷的), but our strange humor played a big part in British history. In World War II, along with a stiff upper lip (坚定沉着), the British got through it by laughing. What else was there to do?

There is a saying in English: “Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and you cry alone.” If you are ever on the receiving end of British sarcasm, you may feel like crying, but it’s best to just laugh it off!

1. How is British comedy different from other types?

A．It is often surprising and boring.

B．It often laughs at human nature.

C．It is often about negative things.

D．It often makes people feel depressed.

2. What does the underlined word “delusions” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．strong abilities	B．fun characters
C．incorrect beliefs	D．deep confidence

3. Why is Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night mentioned in the article?

A．To show one of the best examples of British comedy.

B．To explain how Shakespeare’s comedy is different.

C．To show how difficult it is to make people accept British comedy.

D．To prove Britain has a long tradition of laughing at stupid characters.

4. How does the author advise people to react to British humor?

A．Learn from it.

B．Don’t take it seriously.

C．Reply sarcastically.

D．Be careful not to make stupid mistakes.

5. British people use humor not to explain _______.

A．Negativity

B．complaint

C．Sarcasm

D．anger

8 . While computers are incredibly useful tools, they can also be addictive. Many kids have the problem of spending too much time on the computer. Help your child overcome their own computer addiction by using the following methods.

    1     If you are not at home, you can change the password (密码) daily and send it to your child remotely once you’re ready to give them access (机会).

    2     Limit your child to using the computer for a maximum of two hours per day if they are over two years old. Children under two should not have access to any screen time.

Talk with your child about their excessive computer use. Find out if there are any specific reasons why they spend so much time on the computer.     3     If your child is facing problems that are causing a desire to escape, address those with them through discussions, providing advice, or getting them help when necessary.

Be a good role model.     4     Instead, be present when you are with them and work on spending more time together.

Encourage them to join clubs or organizations. Find out from them what clubs or organizations are offered at their school.     5    

A．Set a time limit on computer use.

B．Encourage your child to read books.

C．Set a password for the computer that only you know.

D．Don’t spend a lot of time using the computer around your child.

E．Sometimes, the computer can function as an escape from reality.

F．Some children may stay up late into the night in order to use the computer.

G．This will provide them with another way of meeting others and developing new hobbies and interests.

10 . I fell in love with rhinos when I worked in a zoo in the 80s, and spent much of the next 20 years as the keeper of the largest captive (圈养的) group of rare black rhinos.

There’s a popular misconception that rhinos are aggressive and stupid, but I found them sensitive and affectionate animals. Weighing over a ton, black rhinos are unexpectedly agile (敏捷的) and have an unpredictable nature — but, given reassurance, they tend to believe people. In the past few decades, their numbers have dropped dramatically. In recent years, I’ve helped look after rhinos being moved to the reserve so they can form new populations in countries that have few left. Last year, I helped on a project to fly five black rhinos from a private reserve in South Africa to the Serengeti National Park. Once there, the animals had to be kept captive for a few weeks to adapt to the new environment, in which time they lived in “bomas” — wooden enclosures with “bedrooms”, designed to create a calm space.

A couple of weeks before their planned release, the sky filled with smoke. Watching the flames rushing through the bush toward the bomas, I froze. Terrified that it would catch fire, my instinct was to release the rhinos, but they hadn’t yet been fitted with transmitters (发信器). If I let them out into a bushfire and they were injured, we’d have great difficulty tracking them down. So I dashed back to the bomas and called the rhinos to the bedrooms. Sensing the fear in my voices, they moved without hesitation and remained astonishingly calm. It was crucial the rhinos didn’t panic — they can easily hurt each other if they do.

That we and the rhinos had escaped safe and sound was a miracle. The teamwork of everybody there played a large part, and the rhinos were very much a part of that team. The relationships we’d built with them had proved crucial — had they or we panicked, all our work would have been in vain.

1. What does the author think of the rhinos?

A．They are trusting animals.	B．They are highly organized.
C．Their habitats are under threat.	D．Their adaptability needs improving.

2. Why were bomas set up?

A．To assist rhinos to settle in.	B．To boost tourism in the reserve.
C．To avoid rhinos’ aggressive behavior.	D．To stop rhinos from fleeing.

3. How did the author rescue the rhinos?

A．By setting them free.	B．By tracking them down.
C．By driving them into bomas.	D．By fitting them with the transmitters.

4. What contributed most to the safety of the rhinos?

A．The keepers’ timely alarm.	B．The inborn nature of rhinos.
C．The faith in the keepers’ heart.	D．The teamwork between the keepers and the rhinos.