1 . Have you heard of the term “tweenager”? It’s a slang(俚语)word used in the UK to describe children between about ten and twelve years old. They are between being a junior and a teenager, you see. Why do the press and media refer to kids in this way?
Well, more and more companies now create products and services for tweenagers. They seem to tell us that tweenagers must have more money, freedom and influence upon their parents than they’ve ever had before.
Most children in the UK today get more pocket money than kids did a decade ago. Despite problems happening fairly often and regularly in the economy, parents generally have more money to give than before, since they are having fewer children on average than in the past. In addition, a higher divorce(离婚)rate in the UK makes parents try to compensate(补偿)by buying presents for their children. It’s a bad habit for both parents and children to get into, but parents are under constant pressure from commercial marketing and the requests of their children.
You may wonder how tweenagers have more freedom than previous generations. Well, UK children today are very media-and computer-literate. They have access to much more information about life and the world. They may have experienced a lot in life as well. With such sophistication(老于世故)at such a young age, it’s no wonder tweenagers are able to influence their parents.
Now UK tweenagers are also very fashion-conscious and concerned about their images. In a world of television programs that promise immediate success and fame at a young age, some people think it’s extremely important to look fashionable.
So what does tweenage fashion look like? It’s lots of brightly colored materials, particularly pink, and usually plain, not patterned. There are plenty of bows, necklaces and bracelets, too.
But can it really be healthy for us to encourage kids to be like adults at a young age? Are we stealing childhoods in return for a bit of profit? Well, the UK government is certainly concerned, and for that reason has strict laws preventing companies from clearly and openly marketing their products and services at children.
1. What is the use of the first paragraph?| A．To explain a concept and bring up the topic. |
| B．To tell the difference between a junior and a teenager. |
| C．To show why people in the UK prefer to use the slang. |
| D．To state how the slang came into being and make a summary. |
| A．He doesn’t give a certain answer. | B．He doesn’t agree with it. |
| C．He doubts about it. | D．He supports it. |
| A．They have learned more about life and the world. |
| B．They can receive more advanced school education. |
| C．Their parents have less time to take good care of them, |
| D．Their parents are under constant pressure from their work. |
| A．They are afraid of being laughed at by others. |
| B．They have less freedom than previous generations. |
| C．They wish to become successful and famous quickly. |
| D．The media often encourage kids to be like adults at a young age. |
2 . You must have heard the predictions from some of the brightest minds about AI’s influence. Tesla and SpaceX’s chief Elon Musk worries that AI is far more dangerous than nuclear weapons. The late scientist Stephen Hawking warned that AI could serve as the “worst event in the history of our civilization” unless humanity is prepared for its possible risks.
But many experts, even those who are aware of such risks, have a more positive attitude, especially in health care and possibly in education. That is one of the results from a new AI study released on Monday by the Pew Research Centre.
Pew investigated the opinions of 979 experts over the summer, a group that included famous technologists, developers, innovators, business and policy leaders. The experts interviewed, some of whom chose to remain anonymous (匿名的), were asked to join in the discussion of a serious and important question: “By 2030, do you think it is most likely that advancing AI and related technology systems will improve human capacities and control them?”
Nearly two-thirds of experts predicted most of us will be mostly better off. But a third thought otherwise, and a majority of the experts expressed at least some concerns over the long-term impact of AI on the “essential elements (要素) of being human”. Among those concerns were data abuse (滥用), loss of jobs and loss of control brought by cybercrime (网络犯罪). Above all, by taking data in and spitting answers out, those “black box” tools make decisions in digital systems. It is the gradual removal of our ability to think for ourselves.
1. Why is Stephen Hawking mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To prove great scientists care much about the future of AI. |
| B．To inform readers that a new AI age has come into view. |
| C．To warn humans to give up AI as soon as possible. |
| D．To introduce the main idea of the text that AI benefits the future |
| A．Most experts are certain that AI will be out of control. |
| B．Pew asked experts from different fields for opinions. |
| C．Pew concludes that humans will suffer from AI. |
| D．33% of experts think AI will have little impact on humans. |
| A．Because they make decisions in digital systems. |
| B．Because they can take data in and spit answers out. |
| C．Because they may weaken our ability to think independently. |
| D．Because they may decrease humans’ welfare in the long term. |
| A．To stop human developing AI. |
| B．To show readers how AI develops. |
| C．To tell readers the result of a study. |
| D．To encourage a public discussion. |
3 . A social phobia (恐惧症) in an anxiety disorder with strong fear in social situations.
Learn to relax. People with a social phobia often have anticipatory (预期的) anxiety.
Imagination can play tricks on us in social situations. In most cases you are afraid of things that have not happened or are not happening.
Be yourself. To some degree, social phobia is caused by the belief that we have to be perfect as others expect.
| A．Look for social situations |
| B．Be imaginative in solving social issues |
| C．Perhaps you have a phobia about flying |
| D．We have to learn to accept and trust ourselves |
| E．In other words, they worry about the situation before it happens |
| F．We have to be worried about what we think others may be thinking of us |
| G．People with social phobia feel fear, as well as nervousness, pain or shyness |
4 . People get first impression in seconds, but what exactly are they looking at when they judge you?
A professor Amy Caddy and her group have been studying first impressions for more than 15 years, and have discovered something in common. In her new book Presence, Cuddy says people quickly answer two questions when they first meet you: Can I trust this person? Can I respect this person?
Psychologists translate these questions as warmth and competence (能力), and usually, we want to be seen as having both. Interestingly, Cuddy says that most people, especially in their workplace, believe that competence is the more important one. After all, they want to prove that they are smart and talented enough to do their job well. But in fact, warmth, or trustworthiness, is the most important one in how people judge you. “From an evolutionary (进化的) point of view,” Cuddy says, “it matters more to our survival to know whether a person deserves our trust.”
While competence is highly valued, Cuddy says it is considered only after trust is set up. And focusing too much on showing your strength can backfire. Cuddy says MBA students often care so much about being seen as smart and competent that it can lead them to avoid social events, not to ask for help, and generally to come off as unfriendly. These overachievers (特优者) invite their trouble when they don’t get the job offer because nobody gets to know and trust them as people.
“If someone you’re trying to influence doesn’t trust you, you’re not going to get very far. In fact, you might even be considered not reliable because you come across as bossy (专横的),” Cuddy says. “A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong gets admiration, but only after you’ve established trust does your strength become a gift rather than a threat.”
1. Why does the author ask the question in paragraph 1?| A．To offer a tip. | B．To present a belief. |
| C．To predict the ending. | D．To introduce the topic. |
| A．Warmth. | B．Selflessness. | C．Smartness. | D．Talent. |
| A．Leave a job. | B．Catch a big fire. | C．Cause bad effects. | D．Shoot bullets from a gun. |
| A．Competence first, warmth second | B．The importance of first impression |
| C．Trust deciding first good impressions | D．The secret to success of MBA students |
5 . The village of Hallstatt in Austria is a collection of old buildings. In summer, the mountains are green and the village is lovely. In winter, it’s like something out of a snow-covered fairy tale. Now it is being overrun with tourists, partly because it looks like the village from the movie Frozen. The town’s mayor is actually hoping that many tourists will stay away.
Hallstatt is small. Fewer than 800 people live there. But the number of visitors who arrive each day is huge — up to 10,000 visitors a day. Hallstatt’s popularity first began when it became a World Heritage Site in 1997. But the number of visitors increased quickly after the release of Disney’s movie Frozen in 2013. Though much of Frozen was based on life in Norway, Hallstatt looks a lot like Arendelle, the main village in the movie. Some people believe that Arendelle was based on Hallstatt.
Much of the tourism is driven by social media. Many of the visitors seem mainly interested in taking photos with the village in the background. Some local people feel stressed about it. With 10,000 visitors a day, that’s over 12 tourists for every person in Hallstatt. One man said his mother had woken up one day to find tourists in her bedroom.
The mayor would prefer to have fewer tourists. He thinks the town would be just fine with about one third fewer visitors each year. Starting from this year, Hallstatt will begin a program to reduce the number of buses bringing visitors to the village.
Before the tourism boomed, local people would leave Hallstatt to find work. Now many people depend upon the tourists for their living. Hotel rooms can cost between $350 and $450. And it costs over one dollar to use the public bathroom in Hallstatt. With 10,000 visitors a day, even toilets can be good business.
1. What do we know about the village of Hallstatt in Austria?| A．It has appeared in many famous movies. |
| B．It is beautiful but crowded with tourists. |
| C．It has a small population for its bad weather. |
| D．It is an old village with poor customer service. |
| A．Visitors were welcome to stay at local homes. |
| B．Local life was badly influenced by visitors. |
| C．Social media brought visitors to his village. |
| D．The locals had a close relationship with visitors. |
| A．Sigh. | B．Drop. | C．Decline. | D．Rocket. |
| A．Hallstatt is having fewer visitors for the high cost. |
| B．Local people are satisfied with their life in Hallstatt. |
| C．Tourism brings both trouble and benefits to local people. |
| D．Local people have difficulty improving the housing service. |
6 . Though the COVID - 19 pandemic has forced museums worldwide to close for some time, Ke Tao, a 26-year-old product manager in Shenzhen, visits a number of these institutions three to four times a week, thanks to digital technology. The digital technology not only helps people continue their “cultural trips” but also revitalizes (使恢复生机) museums in the pandemic.
“Many museums have held livestreamed shows, allowing audiences to appreciate exhibitions by following virtual guides and interacting online with other visitors, which has been a novel experience for me,” said Ke Tao.
According to a report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, museums have been badly affected by the pandemic, with nearly 90 percent of them, more than 85, 000 worldwide, having to close temporarily due to measures taken to combat COVID-19. More than 10 percent of them may never reopen.
But when these museums develop their internet presence to maintain links with the public, they have seen a substantial rise in the number of visitors to their websites during lockdowns. For example, the Louvre Museum in Paris saw visits to its website rise tenfold in the first few days of the lockdown in France. Visitor numbers were later reported to have reached a level three times higher than average, the report said.
Han Bing, chief researcher of culture and entertainment, said going digital is an unavoidable process for the development of museums, even in the post-pandemic era. “Compared with offline museums, virtual institutions are not limited by space, can be more expressive by using technologies, and have a stronger interaction with users,” she said.
“Moreover, virtual museums can experiment with new ideas to offer more flexible, interesting and entertaining forms of education for their audiences.”
Han added that while the pandemic will not totally change people’s habit of visiting museums, it may bring a certain degree of change. “In the post pandemic era, the positioning of offline and virtual museums will be different. Both online and offline models have their advantages and disadvantages with a relatively clear division of functions and features.”
1. What contributes most to Ke Tao’s visit to the museums during the pandemic?| A．An offline museum. | B．A cultural trip. | C．Digital technology. | D．A livestreamed show. |
| A．It is fresh. | B．It is boring. | C．It is fictional. | D．It is worthless. |
| A．They will bring complete change. | B．They will disappear from public view. |
| C．They will have much space for development. | D．They will be attached to traditional museums. |
| A．Seldom can museums reopen again. |
| B．Museums will lose their popularity among people. |
| C．Digital museums will replace traditional museums. |
| D．Digital museums and traditional museums will exist together. |
1. 养宠物的现象；
2. 养宠物的优缺点；
3. 其他……
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear editor,
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
8 . As 17-year-old Norwood drove through St. Petersburg, Florida, last February, the laughter and chatter from the four teenage girls inside her car quickly gave way to sharp cries. A car behind heavily hit them, sending their black car into a tree five meters away. As smoke rose from the other car, a bystander (旁观者) shouted, “It’s about to blow up! Get out!”
Terrified but not hurt, she got out through the window. Along with two of her friends, who’d also managed to free themselves, she ran for her life. But halfway down the street, she realized that her best friend, Simmons, wasn’t with them. Norwood ran back and found Simmons stuck in the back seat. “She wasn’t moving,” Norwood told Inside Edition. She threw open the back door and pulled her friend out, trying to avoid the broken glass.
She dragged Simmons to safety and placed her on the ground. “I put my head against her chest. No sign of life. That’s when I started CPR (心肺复苏术).” Norwood, who longed to have a career in medicine, had passed the national CPR test just the day before.
Looking down at her dying friend, Norwood knew she had only a little time to practice what she’d learned. She started pumping Simmons’s chest and breathing into her friend’s mouth. No response. She tried again and again. Slowly, Simmons began coughing and opening her mouth for air. The CPR worked! Soon, doctors arrived and rushed Simmons to the hospital. And then she heard how her best friend had saved her life. “I wasn’t shocked,” Simmons told CNN. “She will always help any way she can.”
1. What is the best title for the text?| A．Breath of Life | B．A career in medicine |
| C．A Car Accident | D．Practice what one learns |
| A．Their car broke down. |
| B．They sat by a smoking flat. |
| C．Their lives were in danger. |
| D．They blocked the traffic. |
| A．She fell out of the car and struck her head. |
| B．She became unaware of the surroundings. |
| C．She was unable to move in the front seat. |
| D．She got seriously hurt but wide awake. |
| A．Unskilled but practical. | B．Typical but useless. |
| C．Strange but successful. | D．Repeated but effective. |
9 . The Internet plays a big part in human life. We use it for work and pleasure. We use it to learn a new language. We find advice on it. We use it to connect with family and friends. We use it to stay in touch with events we care about.The list goes on and on.
As far as the Internet being a part of our lives, well, that train has left the station. There is no going back to an Internet-free life. But can using the Internet too much be bad for our health? It might be, say researchers. A new study finds that heavy Internet use may be connected to high blood pressure in a young group: teenagers.
The study results show that teens who spend at least 14 hours a week only online may cause high blood pressure, which makes their hearts and blood vessels(血管) work too hard. Over time, this extra pressure increases the risk of a heart attack. High blood pressure can also cause heart and other diseases.
The Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan did the study. 335 young people, from 14 to 17 years old, took part in it. 134 of the teens were described as “heavy Internet users”. And researchers found that out of these 134 teens, 26 had high blood pressure. The researchers said the study was the first to connect heavy Web use with high blood pressure.
The lead researcher is Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow. She says, “Using the Internet is part of our daily life, but it shouldn’t ruin(毁坏) us.” Ms. Cassidy-Bushrow adds that it is important for teens to stop to have a rest regular from their computers or smartphones and do some kind of physical activity. She also suggests that parents shouldn’t let their children use the Internet for more than two hours a day, five days a week.
1. What does the underlined part “that train has left the station”mean in Paragraph 2?| A．The train has changed its course. |
| B．Life without the Internet is nowhere to be found. |
| C．The Internet brings great changes to people’s life. |
| D．The Internet has improved people’s life. |
| A．There was no similar study like it before. |
| B．Most of the young people had high blood pressure. |
| C．Adult people aged above 17 took part in the study. |
| D．Over half of the teens in the study were heavy Internet users. |
| A．That teenagers shouldn’t use the Internet. |
| B．That the Internet will ruin human life in the future. |
| C．That smartphones are more harmful than computers. |
| D．That regular breaks are necessary when using the Internet. |
| A．Heavy Internet users are mostly teenagers. |
| B．Every coin has two sides—so does the Internet. |
| C．Too much Internet use may be bad for teenagers. |
| D．How to prevent teenagers from using the Internet. |
10 . For several months, Cara has been working up the courage to ask her mother about what she saw on the Internet. Not long ago, the 11-year-old found out that her mother had been posting her photos in her blog, without her agreement, for much of her life. "There are pictures I don't like of myself. It would be an embarrassment(令人尴尬的事)if my friends see those photos online," she said. "Now I'm even worried anytime someone has a phone out around me. I'm afraid that my photos could be taken and posted somewhere."
Not all kids feel the same when finding out they've been living a life online. Some are happy. In the fourth grade, Nate searched his name and found that he was in a news report about his making a beautiful kite in his third-grade class. He was really happy with that and he decided to search online every few months, hoping to find other things about himself online.
"I was surprised, really surprised," he said. "It made me feel famous."
He even kept saying, "Oh, I'm in a news report online." Although his friends knew that, many of his friends refused to stay close to him.
Like most other kids, Cara and Nate grew up in a society rich with social media. While many kids may not yet have accounts(账户)themselves, their parents, schools, sports teams, and organizations have been building an online presence for them since their birth. According to a study from the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida, 92 percent of kids under the age of 2 already have their own life online.
"The blog posts are sure to follow the children into adulthood," says the study. "Therefore, we have to be careful about putting the children's personal information online."
1. Why does Cara want to stop her mother putting her pictures online?| A．She is not a very pretty girl. | B．Her friends keep laughing at her. |
| C．She does not like being photographed. | D．Some of the pictures are embarrassing. |
| A．They felt really happy for him. | B．Many of them stayed away from him. |
| C．Many of them did not believe him. | D．They also opened their own accounts. |
| A．parents should keep their kids away from the Internet |
| B．pictures should not be put online without kids' agreement |
| C．kids should not tell their stories of success to their friends |
| D．putting kids' information online might lead to some problems |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By reasoning. |
| C．By following time order. | D．By comparing. |
