1 . While you may be a master of buying Secret Santa gifts or white elephant gifts, shopping for a college student can be quite tricky. Whether you’re shopping for a soon-to-be graduate or a college freshman, our guide has you covered on the best gifts for college students.

For the goal setter: Ban.do 12-month Planner

Gifts for college students that help them achieve their academic targets are always a good idea. This 12-month planner includes year, month and week views to keep classes and extracurriculars organized; while the handwriting on the cover (endless possibilities) provides positive inspiration. There’s also fun artwork, a coloring page and stickers to customize (定制) their planner.

For the tech lover: Apple 10.2-inch iPad

If your college student is glued to their laptop, the addition of an iPad will be a welcome one. It has ten hours of battery life, two cameras and a wide 10.2-inch display that’s perfect for note taking, movie watching and snapping photos. This useful tech gift also pairs with a set of AirPods or an Apple Pencil to help maximize its usage.

For photograph beginners: Fujifilm Instax Mini Link Smartphone Printer

Got a teen who’s always taking photos with their iPhone or camera? Fujifilm Instax Smartphone Printers will definitely delight everyone. It’s one of the greatest gifts for photographers because it allows them to easily print their favorite shots with just the click of a button.

For the coffee lover: Ember Temperature-Controlled Coffee Cup

Future programmers can keep their Joe warm with this app-controlled smart cup. Coffee stays hot for up to 1.5 hours, or all day when paired with the included charging coaster(杯垫). You can even select the exact temperature you prefer. It’s a thoughtful and useful gift for coffee lovers.

Stop hunting for the best products and deals — get our latest information on secret sales and discounts, gift ideas for everyone and can’t-miss products.

1. Who is the most likely intended receiver of a Ban.do 12-month Planner?

A．A soon-to-be graduate with a gift for art.

B．A college freshman good at handwriting.

C．A junior college student who enjoys planning.

D．A senior college student with regular extracurriculars.

2. How will an Apple 10.2-inch iPad function best?

A．When connected to a laptop.

B．When charged for ten hours.

C．When paired with Apple products.

D．When equipped with a 10.2-inch display.

3. What do the last two gifts have in common?

A．They can be charged by cellphones.

B．They can be controlled by cellphones.

C．They meet individuals’ different requirements.

D．They are designed for students with IT-smart brains.

2 . As thrift was introduced into mainstream pop culture, young people started going to thrift stores for cheaper, fashionable finds. Gen Z consumers state that sustainability is an important factor while making buying decisions. Many choose to shop for a second-hand or resale item of eco-friendly products. Thrift shopping may have once been on the to-do list of people in poverty. But now a rise in eco-conscious thinking has caused young people to pop to thrift stores.

However, scientists recently have come to realize such trendy sustainable practices could actually be less rosy than expected.

Actually, the root of this sustainability dilemma is not only assessing what you use in your life, but the overconsumption. “Buying piles of second- hand clothing doesn’t help to build a sustainable future or challenge our addiction to shopping whenever we want them,” says Anna Fitzpatrick, a project coordinator at the Sustainable Fashion’s Centre. In some cases, the very existence of second-hand stores can give us a false sense of guiltlessness. Fitzpatrick adds, “we can clear out our entire wardrobe by leaving what we don’t want at a second-hand store with the hope that it’ll be put into good use. Instead of buying less, we trick ourselves into thinking we can shop our way out of the problem by donating again and again.”

While shopping second-hand may seem like fun, or even an adventurous activity for fashion lovers, it’s absolutely essential for people of limited budget. With thrifting reaching new levels of popularity, a great many people are noticing a rise in prices at their local thrift stores. This can influence those who rely on the used market for everyday wear.

“Actually, they aren’t shopping in second-hand shops to be sustainable or cool—they’re doing it out of necessity,” says Fitzpatrick. So, when you walk into a thrift shop or really any store, it’s important to ask yourself whether it is necessary. While buying second-hand used to be economical and sustainable, it’s now about consumption and staying on trend. Just remember, when it comes to your wardrobe, less is more helpful for society and the planet.

1. Who has become the mainstream thrift store shoppers recently?

A．Fashion followers.	B．Lower-income individuals.
C．Young environmentalists.	D．Green initiative scientists.

2. What view do scientists hold towards thrift shopping?

A．It is a virtue of thrift.	B．It is sustainable action.
C．It challenges addiction to shopping.	D．It comes with worrying effects potentially.

3. Why do second-hand stores make us feel guiltless according to Fitzpatrick?

A．They can cut down our living expenses.	B．They give us good excuses for the waste.
C．They are responsible for the environment.	D．They provide affordable items for the poor.

4. Which is suggested about thrift shopping according to the text?

A．Restrict the desire of overconsumption.	B．Feel free to purchase the things you like.
C．Make contributions to society by donating.	D．Keep away from cheap and fashionable finds.

3 . Here are some things that you can buy as gifts for your friends who are birdwatchers.

A window-mounted bird feeder

One way to guarantee a close-up look at the birds in your garden is to bring them all the way to the house. This bird feeder is solidly built with strong suction (吸) cups that you can tie to your windows, giving you a good view of your winged visitors.

A pair of binoculars

Binoculars are a birdwatcher’s best friend! They work like two small telescopes joined together, allowing you to use both eyes to see distant birds as if they were right in front of you. They’re perfect for spotting feathered friends in the wild, whether the birds are high up in the trees or soaring across the sky. When you peer through them, you get a view that makes every little detail of the birds—their colors, beaks, and even the texture of their feathers.

The Robin: A Biography by Stephen Moss

This beautifully illustrated book draws readers into the mysterious world of Britain’s favourite bird, the red robin—a familiar sight in all winter gardens, but as naturalist Stephen Moss demonstrates, one we hardly know. Combining convincing storytelling with biological fact, Moss guides us through a year in the life of the robin, from the moment it hatches from its egg to its all too timely mortality (死亡) — the robin tends to live a mere 13 months, adding to its precious quality.

A reusable thermal bottle

Every good birding expedition needs a bottle of steaming hot tea. A reusable bottle decorated with lifelike drawings of classic British birds combines a natural aesthetic (美感)with practicality. It can keep not only hot drinks but also cold drinks.

1. What do we know about binoculars?

A．They can attract birds to your house.	B．They show images in black and white.
C．They can provide detailed views of birdwatching.	D．They’re too heavy to carry for birdwatchers.

2. What does The Robin: A Biography tell us about?

A．The birth of a bird.	B．The death of a bird.
C．The quantity of a bird.	D．The lifetime of a bird.

3. Which gift may attract birds to one’s house?

A．A window-mounted bird feeder.	B．A pair of binoculars.
C．The Robin: A Biography.	D．A reusable thermal bottle

4 . Generally speaking, convenience and safety affect how we choose to pay for things. Environmental concerns do, too.

Each time you pull out a credit, use a phone’s wallet app or hand over cash, you take part in a system. Some parts of that system make things, like coins, bills or cards. Other parts move money between buyers, sellers, banks and others. Used cash, cards and equipment will be eventually disposed of (处理), as well. Each part of this system uses materials and energy. And all parts produce waste.

Now researchers are looking more closely at how “green” these payment systems are. They’re finding buyers can help cut some of the environmental costs, no matter how they pay.

To understand the full “cost” to society of money or any other system, researchers can perform what’s called a life-cycle assessment. It looks at all the environmental impacts of a product or process. It starts with mining, growing or making the raw materials. It includes what happens while something is in use. And it considers the final disposal or reuse of things.

Even though raw materials are the first step, in fact there are raw materials added in at every single step along the journey. For money, raw materials go into each step of something that is “made”. Fuels are the raw materials for energy to make products and transport them. More energy goes into using products. Recycling or disposal also requires energy, plus water, soil or other materials.

People don’t realize most of those steps, so they can’t judge if one form of payment is dirtier or more costly. And that’s a problem, researchers say. It’s also what has got some of them to show more about the costs of how we pay for our lifestyles.

A life-cycle assessment doesn’t tell you what to do. However, it gives you an informed basis for making a decision.

1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The ways of paying.	B．The process of payment.
C．The waste produced by payment.	D．The introduction of payment systems.

2. What does the life-cycle assessment of payment systems focus on?

A．The real value of money.	B．The history of the currency.
C．The effect on the environment.	D．The importance of raw material.

3. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 5 refer to?

A．Steps.

B．Products.

C．Materials.

D．Fuels.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．The Payment Patterns are Changing	B．How We Choose to Pay Affects the Environment
C．New Payment Patterns Have Come into Being	D．How We Make Payment Systems “Green”

6 . The essence (本质) of fast fashion is to make clothes inexpensively and quickly, to get new trends and styles into stores and online as soon as possible, and it comes at a high social and environmental cost. Keeping production costs low means they can make their clothes cheap, using cheap labour in unsafe working conditions, and in countries with bad environmental regulations.

Throw-away culture is deeply rooted in our society; three in five of our clothing pieces are thrown out within a year. Fast fashion brands keep the consumers hungry and feeling like they need more by attracting them with newness and convincing the consumers that they need what they’re selling. This only results in increasing textile waste as people no longer want but throw it away.

Criticisms of the fast fashion industry include its negative environmental impact: water pollution, the use of toxic (有毒的) chemicals and increasing levels of textile waste. Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of clean water globally, after agriculture. Fast fashion companies rely on their products being made cheaply and quickly, so they avoid talking when it comes to being aware of their impact on the environment. Greenpeace’s recent Detox Campaign showed that many brands use toxic and dangerous chemicals in their supply chains, and many of the chemicals are either banned or strictly controlled in lots of countries.

In conclusion, the fast fashion industry has a bad effect on our environment through fast fashion brands’ ecological practices and only continues to make the problem last for a long time in the future through extreme consumerist culture. In order for change to happen, the common people need to open their eyes and take measures to prevent the fast fashion from growing.

1. What’s one of the characteristics of fast fashion?

A．Causing a lot of anxiety.	B．Making people buy old clothes.
C．Selling most clothes through stores.	D．Producing clothes quickly.

2. Why are fast fashion clothes cheap?

A．They are mainly sold online.	B．They are made in unsafe countries.
C．They are made by cheap labour.	D．They save the cost of advertising.

3. How does the society think of throwing away clothes according to the author?

A．Natural.

B．Surprising.

C．Absurd.

D．Puzzling.

4. What’s the way to change fast fashion mentioned in the text?

A．Changing fast fashion brands’ working conditions.

B．Changing clothes stores’ sales model.

C．Introducing stricter laws for factories.

D．Raising public awareness of preventing fast fashion.

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

There’s a good reason why macadamia nuts（夏威夷果）are so popular. These yummy nuts     1     (know) for their rich, buttery flavor that makes them great for dessert. However, these    2     (taste) treats are also hard to come by. At $25 per pound, the macadamia nut is also the     3     (expensive) nut in the world.

So why are macadamia nuts so expensive in the first place? It has a lot to do     4     the nuts’ slow harvesting process and costly import prices.

It takes a long time for macadamia trees     5     (bear) fruit. The nuts are covered in a thick shell that protects them but also makes it difficult to tell     6     the fruit is ripe. This means the nuts have to be harvested by hand,     7     (make) the process more work-intensive and costly. The nuts are harvested only five to six times a year.

For now, macadamia nuts are harvested in Australia, Hawaii, South Africa and Latin America. However, they could soon be readily available in countries     8     import them the most. China is reportedly planting macadamia trees so they can grow their own harvests. Reports claim that     9     country could produce half of the global macadamia crop by 2022. Once this     10     (happen), macadamia nuts might no longer be the most costly nuts in the world.

8 . In the modern era, it may come as a surprise that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries, especially when it comes to carbon emissions. However, ever-changing fashion trends persuade consumers into buying new pieces and getting rid of old clothing that’s no longer considered fashionable. With trends moving at breakneck speed, we’re buying more clothes and wearing them for less time.

Sustainable fashion has been on the rise in recent years, but it’s undeniable that sustainable companies like Girfriend Collective, and Organic Basics are out of most people’s price ranges. Instead, fast-fashion companies have the advantage of low prices. So most people tend to choose low prices over sustainability, particularly when they’re not directly dealing with the impacts of clothing pollution. But how can people, buy sustainable clothing when it’s not affordable?

Of course, the best way is not to buy any new clothes. However, saving up to buy higher quality, more sustainable garments and then wearing them for many years are healthier for the environment. A similar resolution is owning some basic garments and a few statement pieces in what’s called a “capsule wardrobe”. We can combine our pieces in different ways to get various new outfits that still feel stylish and don’t generate waste.

Buying secondhand clothing is also a great way to be sustainable at a lower cost. It should be noted that some new websites and apps like Depop and Mercari allow consumers to buy specific items of secondhand clothing. They also offer a wide selection for a price more comparable to physical stores.

There is something else to be concerned with staying stylish and sustainable. With the rise of social media, the pressure to “fit in” has risen, causing people to focus on fashion feeling. But, honestly, wearing what suits us will make us look good, and the earth will acknowledge us, too.

1. Why do consumers tend to buy new clothes?

A．To replace the worn-out ones.	B．To lead a low-carbon life.
C．To keep up with fashion trends.	D．To satisfy their inner needs.

2. What is recommended concerning sustainable clothing?

A．Selecting clothes of lower prices.	B．Purchasing stylish clothes online.
C．Putting cost-effective clothes to best use.	D．Choosing favorable clothes in physical stores.

3. What does the underlined phrase in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．A place for various statement pieces.

B．A variety of essential clothes and stylish items.

C．A cupboard of displaying delicately made garments.

D．A collection of basic clothes and easily matched pieces.

4. What does the author intend to convey in the text?

A．Fashion can keep pace with sustainability.

B．Fashion trends change at an alarming speed.

C．Clothing industry gives rise to carbon emissions.

D．Top priority should be given to secondhand clothing.