Japan said on Tuesday that it had decided to
The
“The Japanese government ignores concerns and strong opposition both at home and abroad. Such an
Greenpeace(绿色和平组织)criticized Japan’s plan and said there are other solutions that should
2 . There is plenty of complaints about how social media — texting in particular — may be harming children’s social and intellectual development. But a new study suggests that constant instant messaging (IM’ing) and texting among teens may also provide benefits, particularly for those who are introverted (内向的).
British researchers studied instant messages exchanged by 231 teens, aged 14 to 18. All of the participants were “regular” or “extensive” IM’ers. In the US, two thirds of teens use instant messaging services regularly, with a full third messaging at least once every day.
The researchers analyzed 150 conversations in the study and reported the results in the journal Computers in Human Behavior. In 100 of these chats, the study participant began IM’ing while in a negative emotional state such as sadness, distress or anger. The rest were conversations begun when the participant was feeling good or neutral. After the chat, participants reported about a 20% reduction in their distress — not enough to completely eliminate it, but enough to leave them feeling better than they had before reaching out.
“Our findings suggest that IM’ing between distressed adolescents and their peers may provide emotional relief and consequently contribute to their well-being,” the authors write, noting that prior research has shown that people assigned to talk to a stranger either in real life or online improved their mood in both settings, but even more with IM. And people who talk with their real-life friends online also report feeling closer to them than those who just communicate face-to-face, implying a strengthening of their bond.
Why would digital communication trump human contact? The reasons are complex, but may have something to do with the fact that users can control expression of sadness and other emotions via IM without revealing emotional elements like tears that some may perceive as embarrassing or sources of discomfort. Studies also show that the anonymity (匿名) of writing on a device blankets the users in a sense of safety that may prompt people to feel more comfortable in sharing and discussing their deepest and most authentic feelings. Prior research has shown that expressive writing itself can “vent” emotions and provide a sense of relief — and doing so knowing that your words are reaching a sympathetic friend may provide even more comfort and potentially be therapeutic. Researchers also found that introverted participants reported more relief from IM conversations when they were distressed than extroverts (外向的人) did. As Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, wrote recently for TIME: Introverts are often brimming over with thoughts and care deeply for their friends, family and colleagues. But even the most socially skilled introverts sometimes long for a free pass from socializing or talking on the phone. This is what the Internet offers: the chance to connect — but in measured doses and from behind a screen.
1. What is the finding of the new study by British researchers?| A．Instant messaging will hinder children’s social and intellectual development. |
| B．Introverted teens may benefit from constant instant messaging. |
| C．Two thirds of American teens use instant messaging every day. |
| D．American teens aged 14 to 18 are extensive instant messaging users. |
| A．Teens are more likely to send instant messages when feeling distressed. |
| B．Instant messaging can help completely remove teens’ negative emotions. |
| C．Chat via instant messaging services makes participants feel good or calm. |
| D．Constant instant messaging can help teens control their negative emotions. |
| A．talking to strangers on the Internet can improve the mood |
| B．face-to-face talk can strengthen the bond between friends |
| C．people often feel closer to real-life friends than to net friends |
| D．teens feeling bad can benefit from talks via instant messaging |
| A．They do not reveal their thoughts to friends, family and colleagues. |
| B．They tend to feel more distressed about IM conversations than extroverts. |
| C．They are more skillful at the art of socializing than extroverts. |
| D．They at times desire to socialize or talk via social media. |
3 . Nicole Salgado and and her family woke up on New Year’s Day to panic knocking at the front door of their home in Avodale, Arizona. Her house was on fire, but she didn’t know it. “We were all
Salgado, a mother of four, ran to
Making sure that everyone was out, they realized the full extent of it. They were just in
“We are so grateful to just be
In the footage (一段镜头), Palisch is seen yelling outside the Salgado family’s door, surrounded by smoke and
| A．sleeping | B．dining | C．playing | D．chatting |
| A．going down | B．going off | C．going about | D．going ahead |
| A．scared | B．embarrassed | C．thrilled | D．discouraged |
| A．turn away | B．pick out | C．take on | D．check on |
| A．cheerfully | B．unconsciously | C．instantly | D．amazingly |
| A．learned | B．benefited | C．escaped | D．recovered |
| A．due to | B．except for | C．regardless of | D．free from |
| A．vain | B．shock | C．line | D．order |
| A．dam | B．tower | C．bridge | D．roof |
| A．Firefighters | B．Nurses | C．Architects | D．Lawyers |
| A．stayed up | B．worked out | C．turned up | D．passed out |
| A．absent | B．alarmed | C．alive | D．annoyed |
| A．viewed | B．applied | C．evaluated | D．blamed |
| A．plants | B．branches | C．papers | D．flames |
| A．pretends | B．agrees | C．continues | D．declines |
4 . UPS deliveryman Ryan Arens was making his rounds near a pond, when he heard a strange sound. It was December, and about 15 feet from the frozen bank was the
Arens, 44, thought he
After breaking the ice using the man’s rock, Arens jumped into the icy water. He surfaced in time to see the dog going under. Arens swam about five feet toward the dog, grabbed hold of her collar, and
The next day, Arens was again making his
| A．speed | B．source | C．cause | D．volume |
| A．scene | B．way | C．road | D．air |
| A．bridged | B．emptied | C．entered | D．crossed |
| A．solution | B．approach | C．path | D．entrance |
| A．deserved | B．took | C．enhanced | D．stood |
| A．why | B．when | C．how | D．whether |
| A．broke in | B．took over | C．brought about | D．drew upon |
| A．threw | B．passed | C．shipped | D．pulled |
| A．dynamic | B．indifferent | C．anxious | D．curious |
| A．Unless | B．Once | C．Since | D．Until |
| A．fled | B．returned | C．survived | D．died |
| A．living | B．rounds | C．trip | D．activities |
| A．over | B．across | C．off | D．about |
| A．directly | B．abruptly | C．casually | D．friendly |
| A．exception | B．caution | C．highlight | D．advance |
5 . Leia was fresh out of college when she began working as a member of a business-development team at a company. Though her skills had earned her the job, she was the youngest person in the team. “Everybody else was pretty much twice my age,” she says. “I exhibited” too much ambition’ in the eyes of my superiors. I heard about comments being made behind my back. There were even a couple of times when my superiors referred to my age right in front of me, saying I was too young: “What does a 23-year-old know about these things?”
Leia tried to change her appearance at work. “I changed the way I dressed. I tried to dress older, more ‘ladylike’. I changed my mannerisms and tried to act older,” she says. “It worked, to an extent.” The comments about her age and inexperience lessened, but Leia says she still felt like her growth potential was limited. She left the company soon after.
What Leia experienced was ageism, traditionally seen as something only older people face. For instance, older workers might be judged based on assumptions that they won’t fit into a progressive office or learn technology quickly. A US study showed that nearly two-thirds of workers aged 45 and older had seen or experienced age discrimination. But younger workers face age discrimination, too. In fact, new research shows it may actually be the youngest team members who are bearing the brunt of workplace ageism right now, potentially impacting their careers.
Leia says removing ageism entirely will ultimately require a fundamental change to corporate culture, which has long tied seniority to skill. “We prize years of experience a little too much, and I don’t think years of experience and skill are necessarily correlated,” she says. “Steve Jobs was 21 when he founded Apple. We don’t know how much younger people actually have to contribute. Hopefully, more employers are realizing it.”
1. What did Leia’s co-workers mainly talk about behind her back?| A．Her appearance. | B．Her younger age. |
| C．Her way of behaving. | D．Her family background. |
| A．She disliked dressing more ladylike. |
| B．She received many negative comments. |
| C．She was under much pressure from her work. |
| D．She needed more room for her career growth. |
| A．They may be quick in learning technology. |
| B．They have trouble adapting to a progressive office. |
| C．They experience more ageism than younger workers. |
| D．A small part of them were faced with age discrimination. |
| A．To share information about Apple Company. |
| B．To tell us Steve Jobs’ major contributions. |
| C．To show that age and experience are not connected. |
| D．To prove that experience matters to young people. |
6 . Many cities around the world today are heavily polluted. Careless methods of production and
A recent study showed that two
Only a few years ago, it was impossible to find green products in supermarkets, but now there are hundreds. Some supermarket products
The
| A．part | B．lack | C．lots | D．varieties |
| A．applied to | B．contributed to | C．exposed to | D．devoted to |
| A．possibility | B．chance | C．result | D．effect |
| A．Therefore | B．Furthermore | C．Similarly | D．However |
| A．After | B．Though | C．Before | D．Unless |
| A．reused | B．safe | C．friendly | D．returned |
| A．of | B．on | C．from | D．out of |
| A．rhyme | B．way | C．section | D．branch |
| A．carry | B．take | C．include | D．make |
| A．advantage | B．technique | C．point | D．attraction |
| A．concern | B．hope | C．care | D．plan |
| A．what | B．how | C．whether | D．when |
| A．saying | B．trust | C．attitude | D．fashion |
| A．pressure | B．pleasure | C．discussion | D．interest |
| A．enlarging | B．sharing | C．cleaning | D．improving |
7 . When given the choice, about 85% of people say they would not want to know about some negative event far in the future. Yet recently millions around the globe have downloaded FaceApp, which allows users to see how they might age in real life.
Many had fun with joking that they love the FaceApp old filter (滤镜). Beneath the humor is a serious subject: How do we learn to relate to our future selves? It’s important that we try to because it could help strengthen the long-term decisions that we make. However, we often fail to make sacrifices for the older versions of ourselves.
More than half of the respondents in a recent survey of 2, 800 Americans said they rarely or never thought about what their lives might be like 30 years from now. This isn’t surprising, since most of us are firmly rooted in the present and thinking about the distant future can seem like a distant priority. My ongoing research might also offer an explanation: We tend to think about our future selves as if they are someone different from who we are today. In an effort to narrow these empathy (共情) gaps, my research workmates and I have tried to humanize (使人性化) people’s future selves in the same way others have tried to humanize charity receivers. Given that a photograph of one hungry child can spark emotional reactions, and cause viewers to donate, we have provided participants with vivid images of their distant selves.
That seems helpful. In a recently completed project in Mexico, we found that exposure to future-self images led more people to add to their pensions (养老金). Despite this research, I’m not sure that the app users will suddenly increase their pension and care about their health. The silly app isn’t paired with an immediate opportunity to change any of these things.
The lesson from FaceApp shouldn’t be that we need to combine hi-tech visuals with savings for retirement. The lesson, then, leads to a question: What more can be done to urge us to think about, care for who we will one day become?
1. What can we learn about FaceApp?| A．It provides future-self images. | B．It is the most downloaded app. |
| C．It helps people make decisions. | D．It makes people age in real life. |
| A．They have known future life from FaceApp. |
| B．They fail to make sacrifices for their future. |
| C．They pay more attention to the present. |
| D．They consider future selves the same as today’s. |
| A．Completing a project in Mexico. |
| B．Offering aging images of participants. |
| C．Raising reflections among viewers. |
| D．Giving a photograph of a hungry child. |
| A．Positive. | B．Objective. |
| C．indifferent. | D．Unfavorable. |
8 . There is a popular saying in the English language: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Well, that is not true. Unkind words, name-calling or even the so-called “the silent treatment” can hurt children as much as being physically hit, sometimes even more so. A recent study of middle school children showed that verbal (言语的) abuse by other children can harm, the development in the brain. The study was a project of researchers at Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts. Researcher Martin Teicher and his team studied young adults, aged 18 to 25. These young men and women had not ever been treated in a cruel or violent way by their parents. The researchers asked the young people to rate their childhood exposure to verbal abuse from both parents and other children. Then the researchers performed imaging tests on the brains of the subjects.
The images showed that the people who reported suffering verbal abuse from peers in middle school had underdeveloped connections between the left and right side of the brain. The two sides of the brain are connected by a large bundle of connecting fibers called the corpus callosum. This was the area that was underdeveloped.
The middle school years are a time when these brain connections are developing. So, unkind, hurtful comments from children or adults during this period have the greatest effect. The researchers tested the mental and emotional condition of all the young people in the study. The tests showed that this same group of people had higher levels of fear, depression, anger and drug abuse than others in the study.
The researchers published their findings online on the American Journal of Psychiatry's website.
Parents cannot control what other people say to their children, but they can prepare their children.
1. Why does the author use the popular saying at the beginning?| A．To show the power of words. |
| B．To introduce an opposite view. |
| C．To prove the author's argument. |
| D．To show ancient people's wisdom. |
| A．They were hurt by unkind words. |
| B．They performed poorly in imaging tests. |
| C．They had their brain slightly damaged. |
| D．They experienced no physical abuse at home. |
| A．Comments on the findings. |
| B．Approaches to further studies. |
| C．Suggestions to parents. |
| D．Different opinions on the matter. |
| A．Unkind words hurt the brain. |
| B．Verbal violence should be stopped. |
| C．The way we speak matters. |
| D．Words are worse than sticks and stones. |
9 . One form of social prejudice (偏见) against older people is the belief that they cannot understand or use modern technology. Activities like playing computer games, going on the Net and downloading MP3s are only for the youngsters. Isn’t it unfair that older people enjoying a computer game should be frowned upon (反对) by their children and grandchildren?
Nowadays older people have more control over their lives and they play a full part in society. Moreover, better health care has let more people in their sixties and seventies feeling fit and active after retirement. Mental activity, as well as physical exercise, can contribute to better health. Playing computer games is a very effective way of exercising the brain. So that’s why grey gamers are often seen now.
When personal computers were first introduced, most older people didn’t believe they would ever get familiar with them. Now computers have been around for a few generations and retired people have gradually become more relaxed about using them for fun. Gamers over 65 prefer playing puzzle games and card games. Kate Stevens, aged 72, says, “I find it very relaxing. It’s not very demanding, but you still need to concentrate.”
Another development that has favored “grey games” is a change in the type of video games available on the market. There’s a greater variety of games to choose from, including more intellectual and complex strategy and simulation (模拟) games. For example, Internet Chess and Train Simulator are among the most popular of these. Train Simulator is based on real — world rail activities. Players can choose from a variety of challengers, such as keeping to a strict timetable and using helper engines during a winter storm.
Some people argue that “grey gamers” simply don’t have the skills required for computer games, and that teenagers are better. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Most computer games require the kind of analytical thinking that improves with practice, which means that the “grey gamers” may well be far better than the young. In games where speed is the main consideration, older people would be at a disadvantage because they may have slower reaction. time. On the other hand, “grey gamers” have a preference for slower — paced, mind challenging games.
1. The second paragraph is intended to___________.| A．show the best way to exercise the brain | B．stress the importance of good health |
| C．explain why grey gamers exist | D．teach how to play video games |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Concerned. | C．Enthusiastic. | D．Supportive. |
| A．offering numbers | B．giving examples | C．making comparisons | D．providing details |
| A．mind challenging games are not suitable for older people |
| B．teenagers should improve their skills with practice |
| C．playing computer games requires analytical thinking |
| D．older people may perform well in computer games |
10 . Young students are often considered “digital natives,” with technology integrated into every aspect of their lives. While this can be an advantage in some situations, research has shown that the impact is not entirely positive—the Internet allows them to quickly find information at the cost of significant distraction in class. Without being attentive, students will be incapable of processing information, which means they’re not going to be able to understand, analyse, criticise and come to some decision about the information.
When students can’t seem to focus, a common idea among teachers is that short is good. Many teachers simply cut lessons into smaller pieces. Some teachers begin classes with mindfulness exercises when students need to concentrate. However, it turns out that any sort of “tech breaks” could counteract the desires to come back to study.
Some teachers also choose to “meet students where they are” on platforms like YouTube. A 2018 study from Pearson found that students tended to stay away from physical books, preferring video as a source of information second only to teachers. By meeting students where they already engage and create, teachers can better catch attention.
However, while some educators are welcoming technology in the classroom, multiple studies have shown more traditional classrooms can be more successful. A 2014 study found taking notes in longhand helped students withhold information better than using a laptop. Researchers also point out switching between short teaching pieces too quickly could take valuable comprehension from the students. Students need time to engage with a topic before moving on.
Even many tech advocates find value in traditional methods and suggest an integrated learning. They agree teachers’ authority remains vital and the face-to-face interaction between students and teachers is still the primary component in the classroom. Technology will be favoured only when it improves a lesson in ways that are impossible offline.
Success is no longer about knowing the most. Instead, it’s the ability to think critically and creatively, the very skills that digital media weakens by lowering attention spans. If you think of people who became successful in the tech world, it wasn’t because they could code; it was because they could think. Digital natives will continue to eagerly adopt new media. Teachers have no choice but to upgrade themselves, not only to ensure students can access and take advantage of new technologies, but to educate students to succeed in a world constantly trying to distract them.
1. What result has technology brought to students?| A．It urges them to process information. |
| B．It prevents them obtaining information. |
| C．It ruins their possible classroom distraction. |
| D．It damages their ability to digest information. |
| A．Maintain. | B．Motivate. | C．Reduce. | D．Replace. |
| A．Direct instruction takes priority in lessons. |
| B．Digital resources will weaken offline learning. |
| C．Small lessons can engage students in learning. |
| D．Laptop noting helps students gain knowledge better. |
| A．Students need to learn to get rid of social media. |
| B．Teachers should progress to educate the young generation. |
| C．The benefits of technology on education outweigh its harm. |
| D．Traditional methods are favoured by both teachers and students. |
