1 . Those of us who shop online may scan customer reviews to get a better sense of products we can't judge for ourselves at a physical store. We may check out online testimonials before booking a haircut or visiting a new restaurant. But what happens if some of those reviews can't be trusted?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced that it was proposing new measures to crack down on fake reviews and other practices used to mislead consumers. The commission published a proposed rule that would prohibit companies from writing or selling fake reviews, buying positive reviews, suppressing negative reviews and more.
“Our proposed rule on fake reviews shows that we're using all available means to attack deceptive advertising in the digital age,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement.
Research shows people overwhelmingly consult online reviews, but humans are also bad at telling which consumer reviews hold water and which are nonsense.
That's potentially worrisome given that nearly one in every three reviews is fake, according to one estimate.
In arguing for the proposal, the FTC cited enforcement actions it had taken against companies that manipulated reviews of their products.In 2022, for example, the commission forced the online retailer Fashion Nova to pay $4.2 million to settle allegations (指控) that it blocked negative reviews from being posted on its website — the first FTC action involving a company's effort to hide negative reviews. For its part, Fashion Nova said in a statement to The New York Times that the FTC's allegations were “inaccurate” and that it only settled the charges to avoid “the distraction and legal fees”.
Comments on the proposed rule have to be received within 60 days of its publication in the Federal Register, after which the FTC will decide whether to issue a revised final version.
1. What is the main purpose of the FTC's proposed rule?| A．To improve the quality of products and services. |
| B．To protect the interests of physical stores. |
| C．To ban negative reviews from online platforms. |
| D．To ensure true reviews are presented to customers. |
| A．Be credible. | B．Be prejudiced. | C．Be official. | D．Be misleading. |
| A．To delete negative reviews of its products. |
| B．To post customer reviews on its website. |
| C．To resolve allegations of deceptive advertising. |
| D．To prevent it from facing further criticism and legal fees. |
| A．It is well-received. | B．It is still under review. |
| C．It has proven to be effective. | D．It has encountered opposition. |
2 . A community canteen at the Zhanongkou Community in Shangcheng, Hangzhou recently launched “happiness blind boxes”, which cost just 6 yuan per box. Sales start at 7 p. m. each evening.
The dishes are packaged in transparent (透明的) containers, but to maintain an element of surprise, stickers are placed over the lid (盖子) of the “main dish” section of each box. The “blind boxes” have become popular since being introduced, and on some nights they sell out by about 8 p. m.
A meal assistance program introduced in Zhanongkou subdistrict ensures the elderly can access meals within a 10-minute walk of their homes or have them delivered within five minutes. The service has also been welcomed by younger people living and working in the area.
Yan Xuyang, a professor at Beijing Union University’s Tourism College, predicts that by 2035, those born from the 1970s to the 2000s will comprise the main group of customers for such canteens. “This generation has a reasonable level of disposable (可自由支配的) income, and many of its members may also lack the willingness to prepare meals for themselves,” Yan said.
The successful operation of community canteens depends on their ability to integrate into the daily lives and culture of local residents. In addition to serving dishes to suit local tastes and fostering a welcoming environment for diners, it is important to widen the functions of these canteens. They have been used for cultural activities and other events, which helps raise awareness and foster a positive perspective on these canteens among local communities.
In the latter part of last year, the Weikang community canteen in Ziyang subdistrict, Hangzhou, experienced a significant transformation from being a canteen for seniors to catering for the whole community. Its services have been broadened beyond regular operations to include services for hospitals and businesses, complete with home delivery options. Some other community canteens have also made efforts to appeal to more residents.
1. What can we know about the “happiness blind boxes” from the passage?| A．They are sold out every night before 8 p. m. |
| B．They are beautifully decorated with stickers. |
| C．They offer a sense of mystery with the unknown main dishes. |
| D．They are only offered to the residents in the Zhanongkou Community. |
| A．Promising. | B．Cautious. | C．Unclear. | D．Objective. |
| A．Reasonable prices. | B．Fast delivery service. | C．Various functions. | D．Unexpected surprises. |
| A．To highlight the popularity of community canteens. |
| B．To emphasize the importance of community canteens. |
| C．To discuss the wide functions of community canteens. |
| D．To show the innovative reform of community canteens. |
3 . Virtual reality is quickly becoming the new technological frontier. Tech companies everywhere seem to be racing to get their foot in the VR door. However, virtual reality has a set of challenges and hurdles that it must overcome in order to work well. It should be noted that VR is heavily dependent on being very fast, very accurate and very good-looking. If it isn’t, the viewer will feel motion sick or disconnected from the world that VR is trying to create.
Now that we can actually build VR headsets that begin to meet these requirements, we are seeing a rising interest in VR. As it rises, so does the interest in creating new media to be experienced in using virtual reality. Journalism is a medium built on relevance. Journalists should always be finding new ways to tell stories and deliver content. It is a goldmine for storytelling. What better ways to tell a story to someone than to put them right in the center of it?
Virtual reality is a powerful tool for journalists. The consumer isn’t just reading or watching something play out; they’re experiencing it. The immersive nature of VR allows for people to connect with the subject matter on a much deeper level than just reading about it. The experience is emotional, speaking more to our instinct than our intellect. The possibilities for storytelling here are legion, and any storyteller wanting to do something more interesting than their peers should surely be considering the sheer power of VR.
The question of virtual reality, though, is not how powerful it is. That is immediately apparent. The question of VR is one of viability and availability. Telling stories must be easy to do, and access to those stories must be readily available. This is the biggest challenge that VR faces. If the tools to tell a story with VR aren’t easy to pick up and learn, VR will fail. If VR technology isn’t both top-of-the-line and affordable, VR will fail.
Accessibility was one concern for Thomas Hallaq, assistant professor of journalism and mass communications, who said that current VR technology, is pretty exclusive right now. Despite that, he said he doesn’t think the exclusivity of this technology will be a problem in the long run.
“I think it’s very promising,” Hallaq said. “We’re seeing more technology become accessible, and more people having access to that technology. Just look at smartphones.” Like radio, TV and the Internet before it, virtual reality will change the way we tell stories.
1. Why is VR considered a powerful tool for journalism?| A．Because it is an exclusively new tool. |
| B．Because it is very powerful and popular. |
| C．Because people can experience the story in person. |
| D．Because it is very fast, accurate and good-looking. |
| A．How powerful and interesting it can be. |
| B．Whether people will have easy access to it. |
| C．Whether qualified VR headsets can be built. |
| D．What new ways people will find to deliver content. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Neutral. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Concerned. |
| A．The Wide Popularity of Virtual Reality |
| B．The Future Development of Virtual Reality |
| C．Challenges and Hurdles of Virtual Reality |
| D．Virtual Reality is the Future of Storytelling |
4 . If you’ve ever had trouble getting your teen up in the morning or you’ve seen your teen fall asleep during the school day, you’re not alone. Many teens have difficulty in waking up early for school, and that’s because they sleep late at night.
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ Adolescent Sleep Working Group reviewed studies about sleep in teens. Researchers studied the harmful effects of not getting enough sleep — anything less than 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep on school nights — could have on young people. They discovered not getting enough sleep may cause poor grades at school. Not getting enough sleep has also been connected to a higher risk of car accidents in teens.
It may seem as though the way to solve the problem would be for teens to just go to sleep earlier. But researchers say that isn’t likely to work. Teens experience physical changes that make falling asleep earlier difficult. Their biological clocks just won’t allow them to fall asleep at 8 p.m., even when they’re tired.
Studies have shown that just delaying (推迟) school by 30 minutes can have a great effect on a teen’s health and performance. So most researchers suggest the school start time be delayed until at least 8:30 a.m. for teenagers.
Some of the benefits could include:
·Teens may be more likely to get the necessary amount of sleep.
·The delayed start time could help teens sleep during their natural sleep.
·Teens may be less likely to depend on coffee to stay awake during the day.
·Enough sleep could help teens study better in class, which could help them do better in exams.
·Sleeping longer could reduce health problems caused by a lack of sleep in the long term.
·Getting home later in the afternoon may reduce the amount of time when some teens are home alone, and could reduce the possibility that teens will take part in unhealthy activities.
But doing that can also cause some problems.
1. What does Paragraph 1 show?| A．Many teens find school too boring. |
| B．Many teens fail to get enough sleep. |
| C．Today’s teens have many difficulties. |
| D．Today’s teens are too lazy to get up early. |
| A．All today’s teens have poor grades at school. |
| B．Teens should get at least 8.5 hours of sleep daily. |
| C．Today’s teens are in danger because of car accidents. |
| D．Teens can be negatively influenced by not getting enough sleep. |
| A．Because their homework is too much. |
| B．Because they love staying up late at night. |
| C．Because their physical changes make it hard. |
| D．Because they are excited. |
| A．The disadvantages of starting school later. |
| B．The benefits of getting enough sleep for students. |
| C．The methods of helping students get enough sleep. |
| D．The advantages of putting off the school start time. |
5 . Some in the Western media are sensationalizing the tepid response of Chinese consumers to new iPhone products, and some previously went so far as to suggest that China was imposing a ban on iPhones.
This doesn’t make sense. As a market economy, Chinese consumers have the right to choose from a competitive phone market.
At an event held on Wednesday, Apple Inc introduced its new series of iPhones, which come with new chips and new titanium shells and a USB-C charging cable. The iPhone 15 series comes after Huawei started selling its Mate 60 series and the Mate X5.
The launch of the two brands’ new phones generated different reactions from Chinese netizens. For example, the iPhone 15’s launch event was not on the most-searched lists of many popular Chinese online platforms such as Sina Weibo. In contrast, Huawei’s Mate 60 series was trending on Chinese social media platforms during its launch in late August.
Some researchers point out that there is absence of groundbreaking technological features in the new iPhone series; instead, they have been relying on brand loyalty to sell its smartphones. They also say that Huawei’s strong comeback gives users more choice, and will force Apple out of its comfort zone to improve its technology, although it has been the most purchased smartphone in China for years. According to market research company Counterpoint, Apple dominated the Chinese smartphone market with a share of 19.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023, followed by Chinese phone brands such as Oppo (18.3 percent), Vivo (17.7 percent), Honor (14.6 percent), Xiaomi(13.6 percent) and Huawei (9.2 percent).
This shows that the market share of Chinese brands is growing quickly. Among China’s more than 1 billion smartphone users, more than half are using middle-range handsets. They already have reasonable expectations for the money they will invest in electronic devices. They also attach great importance to innovative functions of smart phones that can cater to their individual needs. So the fact that a number of Chinese smartphone makers are rapidly catching up and even surpassing iPhone in certain features is really a good news for them. Plus most domestic-brand smartphones are within their reach.
The market share of smartphone brands in China clearly shows that smartphone sales are decided by market factors and not political factors. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry told a news conference on Wednesday that there are no laws, regulations or policy documents prohibiting the purchase and use of mobile phones of foreign brands such as Apple.
China is now the third-largest market for Apple, and has also been a growth engine and manufacturing hub for Apple for years now. It brings in roughly 20 percent of the US tech giant’s total revenue and is a key part of the supply chain for iPhones, MacBooks and other devices.
It’s time the Western media stopped churning out these “ban” stories.
1. Which of the following words is closest in meaning with the underlined word in paragraph 1?| A．tense | B．unenthusiastic | C．passionate | D．indifferent |
| A．China is a major competitor to Apple in the smartphone market, affecting its global operations. |
| B．Huawei’s performance in smartphone market will prompt Apple to focus on expanding its market presence in China. |
| C．Apple may have to prioritize technological innovation in its future smartphone release. |
| D．The Chinese government discourages but does not prohibit the purchase and use of mobile phones of foreign brands. |
| A．Chinese government subsidies (补贴) and support for local smartphone brands. |
| B．The aggressive marketing strategies employed by Chinese smartphone companies. |
| C．The innovative functions and superior technology of Chinese smartphone brands. |
| D．The affordability and tailored features of Chinese smartphone brands. |
| A．Chinese ban on iPhones? Think twice. |
| B．Apple’s iPhone 15 series: facing a ban in China. |
| C．Huawei’s Mate 60 series: outcompeting Apple’s iPhone 15. |
| D．Chinese smartphone market: growing rapidly. |
6 . In the past five years, a revolution (革命) has gathered pace in the transport sector. Electric cars have hit the mainstream.
The latest figures released on 26 April by the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggest almost one-in-five new cars sold worldwide this year will be either a full-battery or plug-in hybrid (插电式混合动力) models. In total, 14 million of these kinds of vehicles are expected to be sold this year, up from around a million in 2017.
This explosive growth is a testament to industry innovation and government interventions (干预). Falling battery costs have delivered longer-range cars, boosting their consumer appeal. Meanwhile, government policies, including upcoming restrictions on the sale of new petrol and diesel (柴油) cars in some countries, have caused people to choose zero-emission driving.
But although electrification of the global vehicle fleet brings climate benefits, there is also cause for concern. SUVs have been growing in popularity in recent years, accounting for 42% of all car sales in 2020. At the same time, electric SUVs have also gained ground, representing roughly 35% of electric passenger car sales in 2022.
Electric SUVs are still greener than their petrol and diesel counterparts, but their size and weight erase some of the climate gains from moving to electric vehicles. Their larger batteries also require more raw minerals, putting extra pressure on already stretched global supplies. “The trend towards larger cars is definitely not desirable at all,” says Christian Brand from the University of Oxford.
Air pollution is another worry. “The benefit of moving to an electric vehicle, from an exhaust (废气) emission point of view is pretty small,” says Frank Kelly from Imperial College London. And since electric vehicles still produce pollution from their tyres, brakes and road wear, air pollution won’t fully go away. “We’re still going to have a pretty big problem in our cities,” says Kelly.
As such, governments must do more to reduce car dependency, particularly in urban areas, says Kelly. “Clean public transport is the solution to our air pollution problem in urban areas.” he says.
1. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?| A．How the car industry transformed. |
| B．Why people turn to electric vehicles. |
| C．A prediction of the car industry’s future. |
| D．A comparison between electric vehicles and traditional ones. |
| A．Met with opposition. | B．Control the market. |
| C．Made significant progress. | D．Gone into gradual decline (下降). |
| A．Use public transport. | B．Share cars with others. |
| C．Stop using petrol vehicles. | D．Choose smaller electric vehicles. |
| A．Electric vehicles are rapidly taking off — but is that a good thing? |
| B．The future of electric vehicles and material resources? |
| C．How green are electric vehicles? Well, that depends. |
| D．Did SUVs just win the electric vehicle market? |
7 . On Dec.26, Gelinne was at home. Suddenly, his daughter cried “Look!” Gelinne looked up just in time to see a small
As the plane disappeared behind the trees, Gelinne, a former
Gelinne
The kayaks’ paddles (桨)proved too weak, so the
With his son nearby, Gelinne focused on keeping the pilot
Soon a police officer arrived and radioed for help. A boat appeared and
The boat had arrived just in time, Gelinne recalled. “I’m 60 years old,” he says. “There was no way I could get him to shore.” Still, he was
| A．spaceship | B．balloon | C．aircraft | D．parachute |
| A．speed | B．height | C．direction | D．balance |
| A．pilot | B．sailor | C．astronaut | D．bodyguard |
| A．Without difficulty | B．With patience | C．Without hesitation | D．With courage |
| A．nose | B．wing | C．engine | D．tail |
| A．icy | B．deep | C．cold | D．rough |
| A．touched | B．kicked | C．tested | D．stroked |
| A．float | B．fleet | C．ride | D．slide |
| A．couple | B．pair | C．pilots | D．sailors |
| A．still | B．quiet | C．calm | D．peaceful |
| A．hang over | B．hang on to | C．hang out | D．hang up |
| A．drifting | B．floating | C．unbroken | D．melting |
| A．broke into | B．broke through | C．broke out | D．broke down |
| A．took up | B．held up | C．picked up | D．saved up |
| A．contented | B．regretful | C．upset | D．excited |
Teenagers sometimes turn to extreme methods to slim down quickly in a society where being thin is often seen
It is normal for teenagers to be slightly overweight and there is no reason
Therefore, it is important to have a healthy
9 . In Europe, nine out of ten students study a foreign language. In the United States, only one in five does. From 1997 to 2008, the number of American middle schools offering foreign languages dropped from 75percent to 58 percent. From 2009 to 2013, one American college closed its foreign language program; from 2013 to 2017, 651 others did the same.
At first glance, these statistics look like a tragedy (悲剧). But I am starting to accept the strange idea that maybe they are not. What is changing my mind is technology.
I was in Belgium not long ago, and I watched various tourists from different nations use speech translation apps to change their own languages into English and French. The newer ones can even reproduce the tone of the speaker’s voice.
I know a foreign language is a window into a new way of understanding the world. But even beyond the fact that this idea has been rather oversold, can we really say the low level of French or Spanish we and our classmates usually picked up in school really gave us a new look into the world and our lives in it? And if our goals are more limited and practical --- for instance, getting directions to the bus station in Rome-technology now makes that possible at the press of a button. With a smart phone and an app, foreign languages will no longer present most people with the challenge they once did. Learning to speak a new language well will be necessary for those who want to engage with (从事) literature or media in the original language, as well as those of us who find pleasure in it just because they are “there”. Strange as that is, it is in its way a kind of progress.
1. What is the author’s opinion about the drop in foreign language learning in the United States?| A．It is a tragedy that needs to be avoided. |
| B．It is an unacceptable situation that harms society. |
| C．It is a challenge that will be overcome in the future. |
| D．It is a positive development due to advanced technology. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Doubtful. | C．Curious. | D．Supportive. |
| A．It makes the process easier and within reach. |
| B．It provides an easy way to understand the world. |
| C．It removes the need for language learning altogether. |
| D．It improves the traditional methods of language learning. |
| A．What challenges do translation apps bring to language learning? |
| B．Why is it still necessary to learn foreign languages in the digital age? |
| C．Will translation apps make learning foreign languages old-fashioned? |
| D．How can technology help us learn foreign languages more efficiently? |
While a healthy diet has always been considered necessary for fitness, many hospitals have failed to notice its powerful potential for curing. In some areas, that’s beginning to change. In Pennsylvania four years ago, St. Luke’s Hospital partnered with Rodale Institute to start an organic produce (有机农产品) farm at the hospital’s campus in Easton. Since its first season, the St. Luke’s farm has become greater in size.
Today, St. Luke’s sends all new mothers home with a basket of organic produce. New moms aren’t the only ones benefiting from the farm’s generous actions. Organic produce is also served to patients. Meanwhile, it is cooked up in cafeterias operated by the hospital’s six-campus network and sold at nearby farmers’ markets.
While some hospitals are getting food from nearby farms, others are turning unused land on their grounds into community (社区) gardens. Even though most hospital farms aren’t growing enough to completely give their workers and patients food needs, providing even a small amount of fresh produce makes educational information about how healthy and delicious a plant-rich diet can be.
While the farm-to-hospital movement continues to gain support, it’s experiencing some challenges along the way. For one, health workers don’t necessarily know how to grow food. This means that most hospitals need to hire a full-time farmer and other farm labor to manage the land, which can be expensive. It takes between 3 and 5 years for most hospital farms to make the cost and income equal. Even so, these hospitals believe that the benefits are worthwhile. As the movement continues to enlarge, you might soon experience a farm-fresh meal at a hospital near you.
1. What does the underlined word “its” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Rodale Institute’s. | B．St. Luke’s farm’s. |
| C．The community’s. | D．St. Luke’s hospital’s. |
| A．It operates a hospital farm alone. |
| B．It sells organic produce to patients. |
| C．It pays much less attention to a healthy diet. |
| D．It offers new moms organic produce for free. |
| A．To get plants from the community. |
| B．To make full use of the green land. |
| C．To offer their workers enough food. |
| D．To educate people on a plant-rich diet. |
| A．Managing hospital farms costs nothing. |
| B．Hospital farms will benefit more people. |
| C．Farm-to-hospital movement is worthless. |
| D．Health workers have to learn to grow food. |
