1 . If you expect to work in the future in the travel industry, you should begin learning Chinese.
That’s because Chinese people spent nearly $258 billion in total on international travel last year. That’s more than twice the combined amount spent on international travel by people from the United States and Germany, the next two biggest-spending nations. The Chinese are relative (相对的) newcomers when it comes to traveling beyond their nation’s borders and only a small percentage of them travel outside of China each year. Given the size of that nation’s population, even that small percentage represents well over 100 million Chinese travelers to foreign destinations.
Yet Chinese citizens flew, on average, just 65milcs last year vs. the 227 miles flown on average by US residents (居民), the 285 miles flown on average by Germans, the 271 miles flown on average by those from the United Kingdom, and the 632 miles flown by the average Canadian last year.
China’s high total spending on international travel and its low average number of miles flown on international travel may show that while only a small percentage of China’s residents actually travel outside their homeland, those who do spend a lot of money don’t go that far. But there are reasons for China’s low average of miles travel on international trips. A small percentage of Chinese now have enough money to travel internationally, while the number of people who do travel outside of China is growing fast every year. Besides, a large percentage of Chinese people traveling abroad stay close to home.
However, as more and more Chinese gain the financial ability to travel internationally and as Chinese become more and more interested in visiting destinations farther and farther away from home, their spending on international travel and the average distances flown will both rise rapidly.
1. Why is it important to learn Chinese for the future work in travel industry?A.Because being good at Chinese is a must for future work. |
B.Because Chinese is most commonly used in travel industry. |
C.Because.travel industry requires employees to learn Chinese. |
D.Because China will probably be a big-spending nation in international travel. |
A.There is indeed great potential in Chinese travel market. |
B.People from different countries have different preferred destinations. |
C.Chinese people are more willing to travel abroad compared with Canadians. |
D.People going on a journey around the world hate taking international planes. |
A.North America. | B.Developing countries. |
C.Southeast Asia. | D.European countries. |
A.Hopeless. | B.Bright. |
C.Confusing. | D.Unclear. |
2 . Mark Bertram lost the tips of two fingers at work in 2018 when his hand became trapped in a fan belt. “It’s life-changing but it’s not life-ending,” he says. “Doing work is harder now. Everything is just a little different.”
After two surgeries and occupational therapy, Bertram decided to make light of his condition by asking Eric Catalano, a tattoo (纹身) artist, to create fingernail (手指甲) tattoos. The idea made everyone in the studio laugh — until they saw the final result. “The mood changed,” Catalano recalls from his Eternal Ink Tattoo Studio in Hecker, Illinois. “Everything turned from ridiculous to wow.”
When Catalano posted a photo of the tattoos, a pair of fingernails looking so real that no one could believe their eyes, he had no idea the image would eventually be viewed by millions of people around the world.
The photo pushed Catalano, 40, further into the world of paramedical tattooing. Now people with life-altering scars come from as far away as Ireland to visit his shop. Using flesh-toned inks and a needle, Catalano transforms his clients’ view of themselves.
Leslie Pollan, 32, a dog breeder in Oxford, Mississippi, was bitten on the face by a puppy in 2014. After undergoing countless surgeries to correct a scar on her lip but in vain, she ultimately turned to Catalano, who covered her lip scar, giving her back a piece of her confidence. Pollan says, “It made me have a different outlook on life.”
“Every time I see that emotion from my customers, I’m 100 percent sure this is something that I can’t stop doing.”
1. At first, what did people think of the idea of creating the first fingernail tattoos?A.Inspiring. | B.Life-changing. | C.Funny. | D.Amazing. |
A.No one believed it was real. |
B.It enjoyed great popularity. |
C.It brought Catalano fame and money overnight. |
D.It discouraged Catalano from furthering on in that field. |
A.To warn people to stay away from puppies. |
B.To prove that plastic surgeries are not so effective. |
C.To show Catalano helps change clients’ view of themselves. |
D.To highlight that tattooing is very important in our daily life. |
A.Magical Tattoos | B.A Tattoo Artist | C.Popularity of Tattoos | D.Development of Tattoos |
3 . Everyone likes to feel that he or she is special. Unfortunately, many of us grow up believing that we’re not special at all. We wish that we could be better at sports or more attractive. We wish we had nicer clothes or more money. Like the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, or the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz, we believe we’re not good enough just as we are. In the movie, the Scarecrow wishes that he had a brain. The Tin Man wishes he had a heart, and the Lion wants courage. In the end, each of them realizes that he already has what he needs.
Most parents want us to be the best we can be. They sometimes try to encourage us to do better by comparing us to others. They mean well, but the message we often get is that we’re not good enough. We begin to believe that the only way we can be special is by being better than someone else, but we are often disappointed. There will always be someone out there who is better than we are at something. There are plenty of people around who may not be as smart as we are but who are better at sports. Or they may not be as good looking, but they have more money. So it is unfeasible for us to be better than everyone else all the time.
Like the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, we all want. what we believe will make us better people. What we don’t realize is that often we already have inside us the very things that we seek. Parents sometimes forget to tell us that we are special, that we are good enough just as we are. Maybe no one told them when they were growing up, or maybe they just forgot. Either way, it’s up to us to remind. them from time to time that each of us, in our own way, is special. What we are is enough.
1. By discussing the characters in The Wizard of Oz, the writer mainly wants to show __________.A.we could be more attractive | B.we want to be the best we can be |
C.we are not good enough just as we are | D.we already have inside us what we want |
A.Important. | B.Impossible. | C.Unlucky. | D.Unhappy. |
A.teacher | B.parent | C.teenager | D.coach |
4 . ①Have you ever thought about what’s more important, looking fashionable or feeling comfortable? You might have noticed many people choosing style over comfort and some even go to extremes(极端)to follow fashion. But we should remember: being fashionable isn’t everything. It’s more important to be healthy.
②Some people believe that they need to be a certain size to look good. So, they start extreme diets(日常饮食) that are not good for their health. They might not eat meals or eat too little, which can make them feel sick. Is it a healthy way to live?
③Also, many girls wear shoes with very high heels. They might think high heels make them look taller. But these shoes can actually hurt their feet and make it hard to walk comfortably, and it can increase risks of falls. Some even wear tight(紧的) clothes that influence blood circulation(循环), making it hard to breathe. Should we put fashion over comfort and physical health?
④Besides, some boys and girls spend a lot of time and money changing their hair color. The material they use is usually harmful to their health. To make their hair straight or curly, they also use tools that are hot enough to burn their hair. But using these tools too often or at very high temperatures can make the hair dry or even burnt. Is it really worth it to risk our health, spending so much time and money?
⑤So, let’s rethink what’s really important. Is it fashion or is it our well-being? Clothes or hairstyles don’t tell us anything about a person’s character. Instead of spending a lot of time choosing clothes, we could use that time to do fun things with friends. And instead of following extreme diets let’s eat properly and exercise regularly. Remember, your worth is not decided by your appearance, but by who you are as a person.
1. Why do some people go on extreme diets according to the passage?A.Because the diets are healthy. | B.Because they just want to look good. |
C.Because they want to save time. | D.Because they want to save money. |
A.To ask for help from readers. | B.To tell how to spend time and money. |
C.To describe the latest fashion. | D.To lead readers to think about the topic. |
A.Growth. | B.Health. | C.Warmth | D.Wealth. |
A. | B. | C. | D. |
5 . Since March, BBC journalists have been visiting schools across the country to teach students how to find out fake news. The visits have included up to 1,000 middle and primary schools. They follow a year-long study by BBC. The study found that nearly half of 12 to 15-year-olds find it difficult to tell fact from fiction on social media.
Fake news refers to news stories that you see on TV or the Internet that are partly or completely false. Some of the stories may have some true facts, but still include some lies. Fake news is sometimes created to get clicks and increase profits. Sometimes it is written to get attention or make people think in a certain way.
For example, a nuclear leak at the Fukushima power plant in Japan in 2011 caused an unexpected reaction in China. Fear buying of salt happened in many countries overnight after false news stories saying that iodized salt can protect against radiation. The stories added that sea salt produced in the future might not be safe to eat, as it could be polluted by the leak.
Fake news has had a bad influence on the media industry and society. It may influence public opinion and cause fear or anger. People may also lose trust in the media and become confused about realistic topic and events, BBC said.
Do you know if it’s false? Here are some tips for finding out fake news.
1. Check the information that comes from. Reliable sources include main stream media like CCTV and authoritative organizations like the United Nations.
2. Be careful about headlines. The headlines of fake news stories are often catchy.
3. Check the data. You can probably trust it if the numbers are from a national or international office report.
1. What have BBC reporters been teaching students in the UK?A.How to conduct surveys. | B.How to broadcast radio programs. |
C.How to tell fake news from real stories. | D.How to write news reports for the BBC. |
A.Fake news contains many true facts. | B.Fake news always contains some lies. |
C.Most of the news on the Internet is fake. | D.Fake news is the news that is completely false. |
A.To make more money. | B.To catch people’s attention. |
C.To get clicks from the readers. | D.To compete in the media industry. |
A.BBC journalists also write fake news. | B.Fake news can cause social problems. |
C.People have no trust in the media now. | D.Nuclear leaks in Japan didn’t influence China. |
6 . Practice doesn’t always make perfect when it comes to becoming the next Mozart, a new study suggests. Researchers compared pairs of identical twins, and found that no matter how hard one twin had practised, the other twin who had practiced much less still had an equal level of ability in certain musical skills. This may be because some aspects of musical talent are built into the genes (基因), the researchers said.
Miriam Mosey, a scientist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and her team looked at the DNA of 1,211 pairs of adult identical twins, who share almost 100 percent of their genes. Identical twins are born from the same single egg and often look very similar in appearance. They also examined the DNA of 1,358 pairs of fraternal twins (异卵双胞胎), who share an average of 50 percent of their genes. Those who played a musical instrument or sang reported how many years they practiced, and for how many hours a week.
Mosey then tested their musical abilities to see if practice had an effect on ability. She looked at how well people could tell differences in pitch (音调).
Like most people, Mosey used to think that those who put in more practice time would earn higher scores on their ability than those who practiced less. But when she compared lifetime practice scores with musical abilities between identical twins. Mosey found no relationship between the amount of practice time and her level of musical ability. Two twins could have an equal level of musical ability, no matter how much more one twin practiced compared with the other.
The researchers concluded that genetics play a larger role than practice in certain aspects of musical talent.
Mosey and her colleagues made another interesting finding :Genes may determine a person’s motivation (动机) to practice. The majority of participants who reported practicing a lot also shared a high percentage of the same genes.
1. What do you know about identical twins?A.They often look different. |
B.They are usually very alike. |
C.They share same interests. |
D.They share almost 100 percent of their genes. |
A.Those who practice more will have higher musical ability. |
B.Fraternal twins have more musical talent than identical twins. |
C.Those who practice more are likely to have similar genes. |
D.Twins may obtain similar musical ability if they practice enough. |
A.education magazine | B.medical report |
C.social report | D.science magazine |
7 . Generation Z is different. As a whole, Americans born between the late 1990s and early 2000s are less likely to have work or look for it: their labour-force-participation rate is 71%, compared with 75% for millennials (born between 1980 and the late 1990s) and 78% for Generation X (born in the decade or so to 1980) when each came of age. As a result, they make up a smaller share of the workforce. With graduation ceremonies behind them, the latest group of diploma-holders are entering the job market. What they want from employers is also not quite the same as in generations past.
Although Gen-Z employees felt more lonely and isolated than their older colleagues at the start of the pandemic, the ability to work remotely has brought new possibilities. The benefits go beyond working in your pyjamas. Many are taking calls from beach chairs and hammocks (吊床) in more comfortable places or fleeing big cities in search for cheaper or larger homes.
This has big implications. Industries with jobs that cannot be done from home are falling out of favour with recent graduates. A study by ManpowerGroup, an employment company, suggests an inverse relationship (反比关系) between talent shortages and flexible working policies. The sectors which are either less able to offer remote work or have been slower to embrace it-including construction, finance and manufacturing-have faced some of the biggest skills gaps for all types of jobs.
That in turn has accelerated a pre-existing trend of young employees trading Wall Street for Silicon Valley. Now technology bosses are more willing than their opposite competitors in finance to let employees work from home (or anywhere else). Annual rankings of employer desirability by Universum, a graduate-staffing consultancy, bear this out. In 2008 the list of best employers graded by American graduates was dominated by big banks and the Big Four consulting firms. By 2021 seven of the ten highest spots were occupied by tech and media giants.
1. What does the underlined word “diploma-holders” in the first paragraph refer to?A.Employees. | B.Students. | C.Graduates. | D.Shareholders. |
A.They can’t afford to live in big cities. |
B.They want to spend their days on the beach. |
C.They want to work in a more flexible way. |
D.They prefer wearing pyjamas while working |
A.All walks of life are facing some of the biggest skills gaps. |
B.Industries with jobs that cannot be done from home are less popular. |
C.Industries with flexible working policies may suffer talent shortages. |
D.Construction, finance and manufacturing can’t offer remote work. |
A.To show that job-hopping among young employees is popular. |
B.To indicate that young people prefer to work in big companies. |
C.To weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of the two industries. |
D.To prove that tech firms are more attractive due to its flexible working ways. |
8 . At noon, the Tongxin Cafeteria near the Jing’an Temple downtown has a queue that exemplifies its multi-generational popularity. The menu, with over 60 dishes rotated daily, is liked by a series of tastes.
“Compared with food ordered for lunch online, this place is much better.” said Chen Luo, an accountant from a nearby office building. Chen, who lives alone, formerly depended heavily on delivered meals ordered online until her parents raised concerns about the nutritional value and what they called “bad food materials.”
Cooking for herself is too time-wasting, she said. “I used to spend two hours cooking and washing dishes, only to eat for 10 minutes,” Chen said. “The nearby community canteen (餐厅) is a perfect solution. These cafeterias, once known as ‘senior canteens’, were originally built to provide healthy meals at affordable prices to older folks who might not be getting enough nutrition at home. From 2019 to 2021, the Shanghai government set a goal of building 200 new community canteens, bringing the total at the end of last year to 1,608.
A basic meal with one meat dish and two vegetables costs less than 20 yuan (US$2.70), far cheaper than prices in mainstream downtown restaurants. And all meals are prepared on site with fresh materials. The government supports these cafeterias—sometimes with rent-free space; sometimes with reduced water and electricity charges.
Li Jiajun, the manager of a local community canteen, said the prices of the dishes are 20 percent lower than popular market rates because of the government assistance. His canteen provides elderly diners from 10:30—11:30 am and 4:30—5:30 pm. Apart from those hours, people of all ages are welcome.
Li said cafeteria managers are required to maintain detailed records, including 48-hour food samples and daily uploads to food safety platforms. This approach ensures the paths of all materials. Some community cafeterias have become so popular that they appear on WeChat and other lifestyle sharing platforms.
1. Why is the menu mentioned in paragraph 1?A.To describe the menu. | B.To introduce the topic. |
C.To arouse readers’ curiosity. | D.To highlight the dishes. |
A.Chen Luo’s parents were too busy to cook nutritional meals for her. |
B.From 2019 to 2021, the Shanghai government built 1,608 new community canteens. |
C.The community canteens needn’t pay for electricity with the government assistance. |
D.The community canteens were once built to provide healthy meals for seniors. |
A.nutrition value | B.fresh materials |
C.government support | D.lower prices |
A.Community canteens growing in popularity |
B.Tongxin canteen liked by multi-generations |
C.Community canteens shared on platforms |
D.More community canteens built for seniors |
9 . In the race to catch up with the changing time, we are forgetting how to live without the support of our phones, laptops, and tablets.
The first thing you need to do to unplug is to turn off your phone notifications. As soon as we hear a notification drop on our phones — whether it is something of importance or not — we are attracted to check it. When you’re not working and are not required to call, text, or return an email, turn off your phone (or put it on silent mode).
I know it’s hard to stay away from your phone when it keeps buzzing with incoming texts, calls, and emails.
One of the best ways that I believe can help you disconnect is being in nature.
A.Keep track of how much time you’re spending on your phone. |
B.This way you won’t be tempted and keep getting distracted. |
C.Take a walk in the park near you or your garden without your phone. |
D.When feeling bored, we often look for our phones to overcome our boredom. |
E.Here are some simple ways you can disconnect and unplug for a more mindful living. |
F.Therefore, setting a boundary on what to reply, and when to reply should be important. |
G.Disconnecting from technology can be very helpful for quality time with your beloved ones. |
10 . Survivor bias (偏见,偏差), occurs when you tend to assess successful outcomes and disregard failures. This sampling bias paints a more promising or even misleading picture of reality.
Survivor bias is a sneaky problem that tends to slip into analyses unnoticed. For starters, it feels natural to emphasize success, whether it’s entrepreneurs, or survivors of a medical condition. We focus on and share these stories more than the failures.
Think about the famous college dropouts who became highly successful, such as Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates. These successful examples might make you think a college degree isn’t beneficial. However, that’s survivor bias at work! These famous individuals are at the forefront of media reports. You hear more about them because they are extraordinary. You’re not considering the millions of other college dropouts that aren’t rich and famous. You need to assess their outcomes as well.
Survivor bias has even occurred in medical studies about severe diseases. Younger, healthier, and more fit patients tend to survive a disease’s initial diagnosis more frequently. Hence, they are more likely to join medical studies. On the contrary, older, weaker patients are less likely to survive long enough to participate in studies. Consequently, these studies overestimate successful disease outcomes because they are less likely to include those who die shortly after diagnosis.
Undeniably, successful cases are usually more visible and easier to contact than unsuccessful cases. However, focusing on the high-performing successes and disregarding other cases introduces survivor bias. After all, you’re leaving out a significant part of the picture as it’s harder to collect data from the less successful members of a population. Incomplete data can affect your decision-making process. Put simply, survivor bias produces an inaccurate sample, causing you to jump to incorrect conclusions.
To minimize the impact of survivor bias, you should find ways to draw a representative sample from the population, not just a few of successful samples. That process might call for more expense and effort, but you’ll get better results.
1. What writing technique is used in Paragraphs 3 and 4?A.Making comparisons. | B.Giving examples. |
C.Describing facts. | D.Analyzing data. |
A.You will take all factors into account before making a final analysis. |
B.You will overestimate the failure rate so you may quit your project. |
C.You will only have partial data and reach an incorrect conclusion. |
D.You will be more likely to survive in unfavorable circumstances. |
A.People tend to lose sight of the overall statistics. |
B.People are unwilling to read unsuccessful stories. |
C.Doctors don’t have enough expense to collect abundant samples. |
D.The media should be responsible for kids’ dropping out of school. |
A.Leave out the famous historic cases. |
B.Collect a wide enough range of samples. |
C.Focus on those most mentioned examples. |
D.Select some successful and inspiring tales. |