1 . Today, the world celebrates the United Nations International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) under the theme “Resilience (复原力) of Older Persons in a Changing World”.

The number of older persons worldwide is projected to reach more than 1.5 billion in 2050. All regions will see an increase in the size of the older population between 2022 and 2050. Less developed countries excluding the least developed countries will be home to more than two-thirds of the world’s older population (1.1 billion) in 2050. Yet the fastest increase is projected to take place in the least developed countries, where the number of people aged 65 or over could rise from 37 million in 2019 to 120 million in 2050 (about 225%).

As to the “Silver Generation”, all countries have to bear increased pension (养老金) and healthcare costs as people live longer. But including the elderly in a productive way in the national economy has become a major problem for many countries. Many young families also struggle to care for their elderly parents or give it up altogether. Meanwhile, though older persons continue to meaningfully contribute to their political, economic, social and cultural lives, their contributions and experience are largely ignored.

The 2022 theme of UNIDOP serves as a fillip, something that jogs your memory and makes you think about the significant role older people play in taking up global challenges and contributing to their solutions. UNIDOP 2022 is also a call for action and opportunity to hear older persons’ voices and show their resilience and contributions in society.

Age is just a number and only a state of mind. Indeed, what matters is ageing elegantly, accompanied by good health. It is meaningless to live to 85 or 90 if one is limited to bed, unable to move around. But this could be a thing of the past in the light of rapid medical advances, which will give mobility and a new life to the elderly. I believe there will come a time when one’s actual age doesn’t really matter anymore in both a physical and mental sense.

1. Why are the figures used in paragraph 2?

A．To clarify the gap between rich and poor.

B．To show the growth in the older population.

C．To explain the correctness of the UN statistics.

D．To analyze the reasons for population ageing.

2. What does the author say about the “Silver Generation”?

A．It is a double-edged sword.

B．It is a force to be treated seriously.

C．It is a huge burden to young families.

D．It is a by-product of the economic development.

3. Which word is closest in meaning to “fillip” underlined in paragraph 4?

A．Reference.

B．Guideline.

C．Reminder.

D．Platform.

4. What is the author’s understanding of age?

A．Age affects both physical and mental health.

B．Age is not a number but a mental state.

C．Age does not matter in the medical field.

D．Age pales by comparison with health.

5 . Schools in the US and elsewhere are announcing bans on the recently released AI — powered ChatGPT out of fear that students could use the technology to complete their assignments. However, bans may be practically impossible given how difficult it is to detect when text is composed by ChatGPT. Is it instead time to rethink how students are taught and evaluated?

Educators are starting to question what it means to assess student learning if an AI can write an essay or paper similar to, or even better than, a student would — and the teacher can’t tell the difference. Many teachers believe the time-honored learning tradition will be destroyed from the ground up by Chat GPT. The Los Angeles Unified School District in California first blocked the use of ChatGPT on networks and devices in December 2022.

However, removing technology from the classroom can mean undesirable consequences, such as creating more obstacles for students with disabilities, says Trust. Additionally, restricting the use of ChatGPT on school networks and devices can’t stop students from using ChatGPT at home and in libraries.

It is also unclear if anti-cheating software can reliably detect AI-assisted writing. OpenAI is working to develop a digital watermark that can help teachers and academics spot students who are using ChatGPT to write essays. Open AI’s attempts to watermark AI text, however, hit limits.

Instead of worrying about how ChatGPT could enable cheating, educators should ask what motivates students to cheat in the first place and work on developing relationships of trust, says Jesse Stommel at the University of Denver in Colorado.

“Talk to students really frankly about what ChatGPT’s capable of, what it’s not,” says Stommel. “Have students use it to write an essay about Jane Austen and gender dynamics, and then have them read that essay and peer review it and think about what ChatGPT gets right and wrong.”

1. What does the author suggest schools do?

A．Adjust teaching and assessment.

B．Meet different demands from students.

C．Prohibit the use of ChatGPT in classrooms.

D．Break with the traditional teaching method.

2. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Dark future of ChatGPT.	B．Educators’ worrying concern.
C．Crisis of traditional learning.	D．Difficulty in telling AI’s writing.

3. What is the author’s attitude toward OpenAI’s watermark technology?

A．Amused.

B．Hopeful.

C．Shocked.

D．Doubtful.

4. What can be inferred from Jesse Stommel?

A．AI helps students tell right and wrong.

B．Students should write about famous writers.

C．Educators should guide students to use AI properly.

D．The trust between teachers and students is hard to form.

7 . 上周你班英语课进行了热烈讨论，主题为网络学习（online learning）的利弊。请你写一篇文章，向学校网站英文版投稿。内容要点包括：
1. 网络学习的利和弊（均不少于两条）；
2. 你的观点。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

My Opinions on Online Learning

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8 . 阅读下面短文在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式（每空1.5分计15分）

In the United States alone, over 100 million cell-phones are thrown away each year. Cell-phones are part of a     1     (grow) mountain of electronic wastes like computers and personal digital assistants.     2     electronic waste stream is increasing three times faster than traditional garbage as a whole.

Electronic devices contain valuable metals such as gold and silver. A Swiss study reported that while the weight of electronic goods     3     (represent) by precious metals was relatively small in comparison to total waste, the concentration (含量) of gold and other precious metals was     4     (high) in so-called e-waste than in naturally occurring minerals. Aside     5     that, electronic wastes also contain many poisonous metals. Even when the machines are recycled and the     6     (harm) metals are removed, the recycling process is often carried out in poor countries where many poisonous substances     7     (allow) to escape into the environment, or in practically uncontrolled ways     8     make more wastes generated.

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that most wastes are so dangerous that the tough     9     (restrict) are supposed to be put on the production, distribution, and use of electronic products, aimed     10     (tackle) this problem to the greatest extent.

9 . My granddad often helped me make a tool to catch fish when I was young and we would spend hours along a river. It was lovely for both of us then. Many more of today’s grandparents have a growing sense of adventure. And a trend is catching on: skip-gen travel — grandparents taking fun-filled vacations with grand kids without their parents along.

A survey found that 83% of grandparents put travel with their grand kids as the number one thing when they retire. Skip-gen travel gets popular for good reason. Kids have their lives enriched and learn outside classrooms. This is also a time of talking and sharing ideas.

“How grandparents talk to children is different from how parents talk to them. Actually, I feel on a more equal footing with my grandchildren than I do with my own children,” Annie Collins, a travel architect and also part of the trend, says. “Kids away from their parents are more open to ideas and willing to express themselves. It’s not just kids gaining from traveling. Who gets the most out of this? You might think it’s them but it’s us.” According to a study by the Cleveland Clinic, grandparents who help watch and spend time with grand kids may actually live longer than their peers（同龄人）.

It’s also important to recognize that grandparents often have more time to travel. Unlike their children, who may still be in the pursuit of a personal career that offers limited time off, grandparents are often retired and likely have a different viewpoint on life, prioritizing experiences and family. So knowing the kids are in great hands, moms and dads will have a bit of time to themselves — some much-needed leisure time alone to rest and recharge their batteries.

However, skip-gen travel is not for every grandparent. After all, grandparents are worn out with years and not so energetic. They surely treasure the chance to form close ties with their grandchildren, but it’s wiser to say no when only the youth could enjoy themselves, for the travel should be a win for everyone involved.

1. Why does the author mention fishing experiences with his granddad?

A．To lead in the trend of skip-gen travel.	B．To share the pleasure in going fishing.
C．To stress the importance of family ties.	D．To show the growing interest in adventure.

2. Which of the following may Annie Collins agree?

A．Many parents are too strict with children.

B．Grandparents benefit more from skip-gen travel.

C．Spending time with grandparents is better for kids.

D．Children become mature when away from parents.

3. What do we know about the parents whose kids are on skip-gen travel?

A．They enjoy the moment to relax.	B．They feel less anxious and stressed.
C．They miss their kids very much.	D．They look forward to their own trip.

4. What does the author suggest grandparents do?

A．Get kids involved in travel planning.	B．Strengthen the bond with grandchildren.
C．Reduce skip-gen travel appropriately.	D．Make decisions in both sides’ interests.