1 . More than 1 billion children, teenagers and adults live with obesity (肥胖) around the world, making it the most common form of malnutrition in many countries, according to a study published on Thursday in the journal The Lancet.
“Previous estimates by the World Obesity Federation suggested that there would be 1 billion people living with obesity by 2030, but that number was already overtaken in 2022,” Dr. Majid Ezzati, senior author of the study and professor at Imperial College London, said in a news conference on Thursday. “We hadn’t expected that the things happened so fast.”
The new global study, conducted by more than 1,500 researchers from the Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factor Collaboration and the World Health Organization (WHO), analyzed the height and weight measurements of over 220 million people from more than 190 countries.
The study focused on rates of underweight and obesity, both forms of malnutrition that are harmful to people’s health. Adults were regarded as obese if their body mass index (指数) (BMI) was greater than or equal to 30 and considered as underweight if their BMI was below18.5. Children and teenagers were defined as obese or underweight based on age and sex, according to the study.
“Undernutrition and obesity are two faces of the same problem, which is the lack of access to a healthy diet,” Dr. Francesco Branca, director of the WHO Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, said in the news conference. “Public policy must aim to improve monitoring of food producers and ensure fair access to healthy and nutritious food for everyone. Over 3 billion people in the world still cannot afford a healthy diet.”
France, which saw a steady level in its obesity rates in the study, has carried out a national plan called Programme National Nutrition Santé that sets objectives for nutritional policy at the industry, consumer and research levels. Countries in South America have begun carrying out front-of-package nutritional labelling that includes clear warnings about fat, sugar and salt levels. Mexico has led the way on taxation of sweetened drinks, and in Chile, processed foods cannot be marketed to children.
1. How does Ezzati feel about the number of obese people worldwide in 2022?| A．Disappointed. | B．Astonished. |
| C．Amused. | D．Relieved. |
| A．By asking questions. | B．By analyzing data. |
| C．By making observations. | D．By carrying out experiments. |
| A．33. | B．30. |
| C．20. | D．18. |
| A．The good habits of teenagers in South America. |
| B．The differences in diet among different countries. |
| C．The problems of rising obesity rates faced by France. |
| D．The measures taken by several countries to address obesity. |
2 . LEGO is to begin selling braille (盲文) bricks to help blind and partially sighted children learn to read the touch-based alphabet (全部字母).
After the first announcement of its braille bricks in 2019, LEGO has announced that shoppers would be able to buy the accessible kit for the first time. Up until now, the LEGO Foundation has given out the kits free of charge, as part of a pilot program, to organizations specializing in the education of children with vision impairment (障碍).
While some view braille as old-fashioned, given modern technology that can turn written text into spoken word, blind adults say they like to read with their fingers while listening to other things.
The European Blind Union says knowledge of braille leads to improved spelling, reading and writing, contributing to higher levels of education and better employment opportunities for those who are vision impaired.
Dave Williams, who works for the Royal National Institute of Blind People, which acts for blind and partially sighted people, said, “Who would want a greeting card read to you? And there are things like board games.” And he added learning braille with LEGO helped give those who could not read print independence.
Lisa Taylor, mum to seven-year-old Olivia, said, “Olivia first discovered LEGO braille bricks at school and they had such a big impact on her curiosity about braille. Before then, she found it hard to get started with the symbols but now she’s improving all the time.”
1. What can be inferred from paragraph 2?| A．LEGO is the first firm to put braille into use. |
| B．LEGO began its sell of braille bricks in 2019. |
| C．LEGO integrates old tradition with modern technology. |
| D．LEGO has donated braille bricks to certain organizations. |
| A．Reading with their fingers. | B．Listening to a greeting card. |
| C．Writing with new technology. | D．Learning from past experience. |
| A．By improving their social skills. | B．By bettering their reading ability. |
| C．By helping them develop independence. | D．By awakening their curiosity about braille. |
| A．To express users’ satisfaction. | B．To start a new topic. |
| C．To erase doubts about LEGO. | D．To compare different opinions. |
3 . Do you feel like there are too many things to do in a day, but not enough time to do them? If so, you’re experiencing what researchers call time poverty.
If you want a satisfying social life, buy time for it. You might pay to have a disliked housework done by others, get a direct flight instead of a cheaper one with a stopover, or pay extra to drive the fastest route home.
Another way to get more time is to give it away. In one study, researchers asked people to devote part of their Saturday morning to doing something for themselves that they weren’t already planning to do or doing something for someone else. The people who gave away their time later felt like they had more of it.
If you have too many things to do and not enough time to do them, try to cut back on some things.
| A．Time poverty is a sign of the times |
| B．Helping others expands our sense of time |
| C．Buying time is a good way to free you from the boredom of repeated tasks |
| D．The choices we make with our time greatly affect our happiness and social lives |
| E．Then invest your free time in something socially engaging |
| F．You don’t have to keep up with the pace of the modern world |
| G．Yet, feeling short on time is associated with lower level of happiness and connection |
4 . Ignoring message is frowned upon (皱眉) in this always-on times. And according to most people, dropping out of communication is blamed as “ghosting”, which in the years since the term became widespread, has become a deadly killer of digital communications.
But in these exhausting times, when so many are overburdened with family responsibilities, stress, grief and anxiety, perhaps we should let go of the outdated, demanding requirement to participate in endless back-and-forth conversations. As Daniel Post Senning of the Emily Post Institution said, “You have to be a civil and decent person, but you don’t have to give your time and attention to everyone who asks for it.”
In an era when we understand more and more the importance of rest and time away from screens, triaging (优先选择) can be necessary for our peace of mind and relationships with the people in our lives: When we are on vacation. When it’s after 7 pm. When we are at the dinner table. When we are exercising. If you don’t reply immediately to a message during one of these times, don’t apologize. Just reply when you can. Or don’t.
Is triaging a blanket permission to fall into unexplained silence or become a bottleneck to your colleagues’ work? No. Instead, establish boundaries with your work colleagues frankly so that they don’t panic when they can’t reach you.
It’s also worth asking yourself who is putting the pressure on for immediate response. Perhaps it’s not the message sender, but you.
1. Which statement do most people agree with?| A．Giving full attention to whoever asks for it is a must. |
| B．Dropping out of a conversation equals killing other people. |
| C．It’s considered improper to cut off from an ongoing conversation. |
| D．It’s highly advised to carry on conversations despite heavy burdens. |
| A．By listing figures. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By comparing facts. | D．By stating reasons. |
| A．Barrier. | B．Milestone. | C．Opportunity. | D．Masterpiece. |
| A．Important Emails: Send Them Quickly | B．Urgent Calls: Answer Them Immediately |
| C．Unfriendly People: Avoid Them Carefully | D．Unnecessary Messages: Ignore Them Directly |
1. Where did 13% of the food waste happen?
| A．In the stores. | B．In the restaurants. | C．At homes. |
| A．Food waste is almost the same in all countries. |
| B．Richer countries may waste less food at homes. |
| C．Richer countries are more likely to waste food. |
| A．Poorer countries care less about that. |
| B．Food isn’t good to eat after that. |
| C．That might lead to food waste. |
| A．Clean energy. | B．Garbage sorting. | C．Waste recycling. |
6 . A shocking eruption has ended Iceland’s lengthy volcano warning as a flash of light burst across the evening sky and the lava (岩浆) flowed out quickly in a breathtaking show of the Earth’s power. But the eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 50km southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, wasn’t expected to give out large amounts of ash (灰尘) into the air.
By early Tuesday afternoon, the size of the volcanic eruption continued to diminish. The lava flow, which reached as high as 30m, was also falling and was a quarter of what it was at the time of the eruption.
The November evacuation meant few people were near the site of the eruption and authorities had warned others to stay away. Nonetheless, residents of the evacuated fishing community had mixed emotions as they watched orange flames touch the dark sky. More than a month after the evacuation, many were still living in temporary (临时的) accommodations and did not expect to ever be able to return to live in their homes. “The town might end up under the lava,” said Ael Kermarec, a tourist. “It’s amazing to see, but there’s kind of a bittersweet feeling at the moment.”
University of Bristol Professor Matthew Watson said that the eruption was expected to continue getting weak, but he had no idea how long it could last. “Residents should strictly follow travel advice because new eruptions can quickly put people in harm’s way. This style of eruption is among the most impressive ever seen, and there will be a strong pull for tourists and locals,” Watson said. “It’s just something from a movie.”
Residents were evacuated and a state of emergency was announced in Iceland more than a month ago. However, the uneasy waiting game still continues.
1. Which of the following best explains “diminish” underlined in paragraph 2?| A．Keep growing. | B．Be destroyed. |
| C．Get dangerous. | D．Become smaller. |
| A．He couldn’t see the breathtaking show. | B．He forgot to share the feeling online. |
| C．He was worried about the town. | D．He wasn’t ready for a new life. |
| A．It may draw people to the site. | B．It will threaten wildlife. |
| C．It attracts many movie lovers. | D．It drives tourists to leave. |
| A．Playing games is an approach to killing time. |
| B．It will be a long time before the disaster ends. |
| C．Local residents will return home in one month. |
| D．Authorities should announce a warning early. |
7 . The world’s population is aging: by 2025, people aged 60 or above will represent 20 percent of the global population. The gains in socioeconomic development mean that many people are reaching old age healthier, wealthier and better educated than previous generations.
With significant purchasing power and specific needs, older people in developed and emerging economies are seen as the fastest growing consumer group in the world, offering opportunities for business growth for many major industries. The market for products and services aimed at people aged over 50—known as the “silver economy”—is currently estimated to be worth $ 15 trillion globally and is expected to rise exponentially (以指数方式) as the number of older people continues to grow.
Importantly, the “silver economy” can contribute to a country’s social development alongside the economic gains because when businesses set out to boost their profits by designing solutions to the challenges faced by older people, they can also create social value by improving the quality of life of people as they age.
China has the largest number of older people in the world with 216.8 million of its population aged 65 or above, and that number is set to increase to 400 million by 2050. As a result, China’s “silver economy” is projected to triple in value, from $750 billion in 2020 to $2.1 trillion by 2030, and could reach a value of $4.2 trillion, accounting for 10 percent of China’s GDP by 2035.
The recently published “Opinions on Developing the Silver Economy and Improving the Well-being of Older Person” is China’s first specific policy guideline for the development of China’s “silver economy”, and China’s experience over the next decade can offer important insights for emerging economies into how best to meet the needs of an aging population while also maximizing the economic development opportunities from such a dramatic shift.
1. What does “silver economy” mean?| A．The economy related to silver mine industry. |
| B．The economy concerning aging population. |
| C．The economy dealing with social development. |
| D．The economy connected with next generation. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Pessimistic. | C．Negative. | D．Promising. |
| A．China is not worried about its aging population. |
| B．China will not experience aging population problem. |
| C．China’s silver economy will boom in the near future. |
| D．The aging population doesn’t make sense in China. |
| A．China published its first specific policy guideline. |
| B．China offered precious experience for other countries. |
| C．China made a dramatic shift in economy development. |
| D．China maximized its silver economy development. |
8 . Approximately half of working-age Americans are struggling to pay for health care expenses, according to a new analysis, which also found around 1 in 3 individuals are struggling with some form of health care debt.
Findings released Thursday from the first-ever Health Care Affordability Survey from the Commonwealth Fund show 51% of adults between 19 and 64 years old said it was either very or somewhat difficult for them and their family to afford their health care costs, including 43% of people who reported having employer-based health insurance and 57% who had health insurance through a marketplace or individual plan.
About half of working-age adults with Medicare coverage and 45% of those insured under Medicaid (医疗补助) also reported having difficulty paying health care costs. Notably, 65% of working-age adults also said price inflation for other goods and services in the past year had affected their or their family’s ability to afford health care.
The survey, concerning a nationally representative sample of nearly 7,900 people 19 and older in the U. S., was conducted from mid-April through July of this year. It follows a separate analysis from research organization KFF that showed both health insurance costs for employer-sponsored plans and worker contributions to those plans ticked up in 2023.
The newly published analysis found that 38% of respondents cited affordability as the reason they or a family member skipped or delayed getting needed health care services or filling prescription medication in the past 12 months, including 29% of people with employer-based coverage, 37% who were covered by individual and marketplace health plans, 42% who had Medicare and 39% who were covered by Medicaid.
More than 6 in 10 people who lacked any type of health insurance said they or a family member delayed or skipped care because they couldn’t afford it. And among all those who reported skipping or delaying care, 57% said a health problem got worse as a result.
1. How does the article present Americans’ health care payment situation?| A．By citing data. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By giving reasons. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．Their heavy debt. | B．Unemployment. |
| C．Higher cost of living. | D．Higher health care payment. |
| A．Declined. | B．Climbed up. | C．Remained stable. | D．Kept uncertain. |
| A．They may get worse if they have health problems. |
| B．They are sure to obtain help from the government. |
| C．They may have to skip or delay any health problems. |
| D．They may not get affected with any diseases. |
9 . As the shift from traditional farming to modern farming is progressing, the use of technology such as drones (无人机), robots and machinery has also begun, producing favorable results and increasing efficiency in the industry. A farmer from the Philippines, Rey Kent Dejesica, wanted to help and contribute to the agriculture industry. Through an advertisement, he saw DIAGRAS drones and was interested in the idea of drones being used for farm applications.
In the Philippines, when people think of farmers or agriculture, they usually picture long hours working in the sun. Farming is an onerous process, especially for young people, who like everything instant. “Rice and bananas are the primary sources of income in my city. I want to contribute to the agriculture industry in a way to reduce growers’ expenses and make the usage of pesticides (农药) more precise and efficient because I’ve seen how innovative individuals are and how they always find ways and methods to make tasks easier,” Rey Kent Dejesica said.
“Using drones as a sprayer (喷雾器) also lessens human labor. Besides that, we can obtain a bird’s-eye view of fields and spay crops precisely and effectively with drones,” Rey Kent Dejesica said. Moreover, farmers stated that the use of drones also minimized the Panama disease. “After we switched to drone technology, our field became more beautiful,” they added.
Agriculture is the main source of income for some Asian regions. Parts of Asia are now going through a rapidly aging farmer population and a fear of food shortage. That is why the youth must be part of the trade to ensure food security in the future. Advancements in agricultural technology such as drones can attract the youth back to the farming scene.
Armed with his knowledge of drone technology and having a positive attitude, Rey Kent sets an example for the next generation of farmers. May this be a stepping stone showing that farming is not something to be embarrassed about, but to be accepted through applying new technology.
1. Why was Rey Kent Dejesica interested in using drones for farming?| A．He was influenced by his parents. |
| B．He was doing experiments with drones. |
| C．He wanted farmers to stop using pesticides. |
| D．He aimed to use them to help the agricultural industry. |
| A．Simple. | B．Creative. | C．Heavy. | D．Dangerous. |
| A．Helpful. | B．Harmful. | C．Useless. | D．Funny. |
| A．The aging farmer population in Asia. | B．The importance of food security in the world. |
| C．The youth’s role in high-tech agriculture. | D．The advancements in agricultural technology. |
To boost the city’s post-pandemic economic recovery, the government of Harbin has made special efforts to take advantage of the winter months to attract visitors from the south of the country. During
As such, thanks to the snowball effect of social media, Harbin appears to have become the
Over the past 20 years, Harbin’s population has contracted by about 2 million. Its withering (凋零的) economy is dominated by State-owned companies,
