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 . 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. |
