1 . Chinese culture values family bonds (纽带) very much. Family members don’t just gather during the holidays, in fact they often live under one roof all year round.
Different cultures have different family values.
In most East Asian cultures, extended families (大家庭) are common.
In many Western countries, most families are nuclear families (小家庭). These are only made up of children and their parents.
Additionally, the duties parents have toward their children can also differ.
In most Western countries, however, kids usually move out of the house after they turn 18.
While the East cares more about close family bonds, the West values privacy and independence.
A.But in the end, home is best — east or west. |
B.Nuclear families are the most common type in China. |
C.Both Easterners and Westerners value quality family time. |
D.Families in the east and west are very different from each other. |
E.These families have three or even four generations living together. |
F.In China, many parents look after their children all the way into adulthood. |
G.Many college students often work part-time in order to pay for tuition and rent. |
2 . Nowadays, children spend less time in the fresh air. Many of them are addicted to a screen either on a computer or a TV— they seem to be living in a virtual world. They have lost touch with nature.
But now 400 organizations in the UK, from playgroups to the National Health Service, are encouraging children to have some “wild time”. They want kids to swap at least 30 minutes of watching TV or playing computer games for time playing outside. Activities such as building dens, climbing trees, rummaging for conkers and playing hide and seek are just some of the things kid can do. Even if they live in a city, they can go on adventures in the garden or the park.
Children often need a helping hand from mum and dad. They need to be shown what to do and where to go. Andy Simpson from National Health Service says, “We want parents to see what this magical wonder product does for their kids’ development, independence and creativity, by giving wild time a go.”
So despite the complicated world that young people grow up in now, it seems that going back to basics and experiencing “nature’s playground” is what modern children need. David Bond from Project Wild Thing says, “We need to make more space for wild time in children’s daily routine, freeing this generation of kids to have the sort of experiences that many of us took for granted.”
This might sound a bit old fashioned to you or maybe, like me, it’s made you think about sticking on your boots, getting outdoors and reliving your childhood. There’s no age limit on enjoying yourself!
1. Children are encouraged to do the following activities except________.A.building dens | B.climbing trees |
C.playing hide and seek | D.watching TV |
A.Adults value outdoor activities. | B.Modern children need wild time. |
C.The present world is complicated. | D.This generation of kids has no freedom |
A.People at any age can enjoy wild time |
B.It is out of date to go outdoors |
C.It is too late for adults to enjoy nature |
D.People like recalling the past |
A.More space for children | B.Benefits of wild time |
C.Wild time for children | D.Adventures of children |
3 . Social media is taking over our lives: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and now, TikTok. These social media platforms have changed from a way to stay connected to an industry where even kids can make money off their posts. While this may seem like another opportunistic innovation, it’s really full of hidden false realities.
The median income (中位收入) recorded in the United States of America was about $63,000 in 2018. TikTokers can make anywhere from $50,000 to $150,000 for a TikTok brand partnership, and TikTokers with over a million followers can make up to $30,000 a month—$360,000 a year. They are making more than the average person trying to feed their family and keep a roof over their heads simply by posting a 15-second video.
This is mad in more ways than one. Not only is it an overpaid “job”, it promotes undeserved admiration from viewers and a false sense of reality. Many of these famous TikTokers are still teens and the effects of fame at such an early stage in life might cause issues later in life, such as mental illness. Teens between the ages of 13 and 17 make up 27% of TikTok viewers, who can be easily influenced by what they are watching. They can put a false sense of self-value into who they look up to and what they represent: money, fame, being considered conventionally attractive.
While TikTok has become a great tool for marketing, it’s important to understand how this content affects young viewers. If we’re constantly consuming content that shows us all we need to do to be successful is be conventionally attractive and post a 15-second video featuring a new dance, it will challenge our knowledge of what really makes someone successful and will in turn affect our individual work ethnics (伦理). What about the people who miss birthdays and family holidays due to their jobs and aren’t getting paid nearly as much as these TikTokers?
Richard Colyer, president and creator of Metaphor, Inc, had his own view on this issue. “It sounds great that kids can make money for doing the latest dance moves in a 15-second video, but we should feed the minds of kids and not just their bank accounts. TikTok can be great if used properly. Money alone is not good; technology alone is not good and connectedness can be bad if it is only online.”
Again, as a fellow consumer of TikTok, I do enjoy the app when I have some time to kill and need a good laugh. I’m not against someone making a living on entertainment, but what does getting famous by posting a 15-second video teach young people?
1. What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 1 refer to?A.Social networking. |
B.A job offered by TikTok. |
C.Making money on social media. |
D.Staying connected to the Internet. |
A.TikTokers can hardly make ends meet. |
B.Social media platforms like TikTok can make people overpaid. |
C.Teens are wise to make a huge amount of money from TikTok. |
D.TikTokers earn such a high income that they can support their family. |
A.They are likely to develop false values. |
B.They tend to live an adult life too soon. |
C.They are forced to pay for certain services. |
D.They may stop believing other social media. |
A.Contents of videos need checking before their release online. |
B.We have a responsibility to supply teens with food for thought. |
C.Young TikTokers should be banned from opening bank accounts. |
D.Money and technology can be good if used properly by TikTokers. |
4 . If someone were to ask me what it is like to be a student in today’s society, I would probably answer them something like this: Being a student in today’s society is not always easy.
Adults often tell us that we don’t know what stress (压力) is. But we as teenage students have our own levels of stress. For example, all school activities require you to uphold your grade point to high standards.
Then, getting your homework turned in on time seems simple, but you still hope to have a life outside of school as well. Many students in their high school years start their first job, so now you have school in the mornings and then you’re off to part-time work. By the time you are done there, you are too tired to finish your school work, but you stay up late to try and return to school feeling sleepy the next day. What good is that?
Let’s not forget about peer (同龄人) pressure. All high school students meet with it at some point in their lives. High school can be a place where students are made fun of and pointed at.
My point is, it is more stressful to be a student in high school than adults believe. Our “stress” may not include paying bills or taking care of a family, but I’m sure if the adults in our lives could go back to school today, they would be surprised at how much it has changed.
I know that the world outside of school is often hard and that the responsibilities are serious. That’s exactly why I know that the focus I give to my future is important in leading me to a career (事业) that will allow me to contribute (贡献) to society.
1. What is the text mainly about?A.The way of dealing with stress of study. |
B.The stressful life of high school students. |
C.The role of students in today’s society. |
D.The differences between teenagers’ and adults’ life. |
A.He is against it. | B.He feels disappointed at it. |
C.He thinks it is worth a try. | D.He shows great interest in it. |
A.Adults are more stressful than students. |
B.Adults should help students to deal with stress. |
C.Adults have undervalued students’ stress. |
D.Adults should go back to school to experience students’ life. |
A.Society. | B.Study. | C.School. | D.Stress. |
5 . LONDON——Global auction(拍卖)sales of Chinese art and antiques fell in 2019 to $ 5.7 billion, a 10 percent drop year-on-year, and the lowest level for the collecting category since 2010. The Global Chinese Art Auction market report, compiled by Artnet and the Chinese Association of Auctioneers, found this was clue to trade tensions between the United States and China, as well as a slowdown of GDP in China.
The report, now in its eighth edition, noted that the value of total auction sales within the Chinese mainland declined by 10 percent in 2019 to $ 3.7 billion, the lowest total since 2010. Outside China, there was also a 9 percent drop in sales of Chinese art and antiques.
“The combination of such slowdowns resulted in a weakening of collectors' confidence and a more cautious attitude among buyers making decisions on investing in art in 2019," said the report.
However, despite the downturn in total sales value for Chinese art and antiques in 2019, the European market showed some positive trends emerging. Significant peaks in lots offered and lots sold in Europe, combined with a strong sell through rate(卖出率)of 61 percent in 2019.
Europe accounted for 29 percent of all Chinese art and antique lots sold overseas in 2019 , according to the report, closing in on(接近)the North American market's share.
The annual report also found strong performances with 20th century and contemporary Chinese art in both the Chinese mainland and overseas, boosted by a younger generation of Chinese collectors.
The average price for the category increased in the Chinese mainland, up by 23 percent year- on-year, and overseas sales saw a nine-year high in 2019. But fine Chinese paintings and calligraphy, the largest collecting category on the Chinese mainland, did not perform as well.
According to the report this category “continued to spiral(螺旋式的)downwards, reaching its lowest point in sales since 2013”. The number of lots dropped by 10 percent year-on-year, almost half of that of 2013 and it also struggled elsewhere, with the overseas total falling to a seven-year low.
1. What is the third paragraph mainly about?A.The result of a weakening of collectors' confidence in buying art. |
B.The advantage of buyers' making decisions on investing in art. |
C.The advantage of the decline of the value of total auction sales. |
D.The result of the decline of the value of total auction sales. |
A.Their standards were not so high. |
B.Their prices were not so satisfying. |
C.They are the largest collecting category. |
D.The average price for the category rose sharply. |
A.Took up. | B.Took off. |
C.Took away. | D.Took on. |
A.A Slowdown of GDP in China in 2019 |
B.A Report on the Global Chinese Art Auction Market |
C.Trade Tensions Between the United States and China |
D.Global Auction Sales of Chinese Antiques and Art Fall to a 10-year Low |
More than twenty American states ban smoking in public.
However,18 months
7 . Women make better drivers than men for many reasons. Why is that, do you suppose? Wouldn’t you think that competing at who has better driving abilities is pointless? If you ask me, I’d like to say, men know that women are better drivers but do not have the courage to admit the truth—women are queens of the road.
Unlike men, women stop for directions when they have no idea as to where they are going. We don’t drive around for hours pointlessly wasting a tank of gas only to find ourselves heading in the wrong direction. Have you ever in a car with a man who is lost? He tells you to shut up when you begin to open your mouth. And every five minutes or so he takes a turn going forty-five miles per hour only to find out he’s made another wrong turn.
Speeding is what men do best on the road. Traffic is not a race. There is a reason why men get more speeding tickets than women. Not because we trick to get out of tickets but only because we don’t get pulled over as frequently. We don’t speed. We have more intelligence than senselessly to put our own lives as well as the lives of others in danger.
My largest issue with male drivers is how a majority of them drive with one hand on the wheel and the other hand doing only God knows what. The seat is backed as far as possible, and they’re totally lost into loud music beyond a necessary level. You don’t ever see women driving like that.
I feel that the above evidence more than proves my points that women are not only better drivers but also safer drivers than men. We women rule the road. Oh, and men, if you want to continue criticizing women for being bad drivers, bring it on. We know you lack confidence, or else you wouldn’t be wasting your valuable time making jokes about the ones you may choose to spend the rest of your days with.
1. If a woman driver feels lost, she will ________.A.stop the car and ask people for help |
B.tell the man next to her to shut up |
C.take the wrong turns at a high speed |
D.drive aimlessly for hours without stopping |
A.women always have more responsibility for lives |
B.women often play tricks on the police in charge |
C.men are more confident and more skillful in driving |
D.men usually have to be pulled over to the roadsides |
A.Making jokes about women. |
B.Not paying full attention. |
C.Not stopping for directions. |
D.Getting more speeding tickets. |
8 . I was wandering around to look for a cafe where I could sit and have something to drink on a cold day. When I saw one, I walked in, sat at a round table and asked for a coffee.
While I was waiting for my
I stood up and walked
I was amazed to find he was
I was
At the moment, I
A.tea | B.friend | C.beer | D.coffee |
A.but | B.or | C.and | D.so |
A.thoughts | B.spirits | C.bodies | D.minds |
A.belonged | B.attended | C.devoted | D.opened |
A.under | B.on | C.across | D.between |
A.quietly | B.finally | C.patiently | D.instantly |
A.free | B.silent | C.busy | D.careful |
A.typing | B.chatting | C.working | D.drinking |
A.playing | B.joining | C.making | D.buying |
A.communicate | B.argue | C.quarrel | D.cooperate |
A.voice | B.notice | C.message | D.word |
A.caught | B.touched | C.reached | D.pushed |
A.proud | B.excited | C.upset | D.lost |
A.explain | B.whisper | C.laugh | D.shout |
A.disappointed | B.ashamed | C.puzzled | D.frightened |
A.rose | B.lowered | C.raised | D.shook |
A.Everybody | B.Nobody | C.Somebody | D.Anybody |
A.imagined | B.expected | C.guessed | D.realized |
A.usually | B.generally | C.particularly | D.without |
A.stopped | B.preferred | C.wasted | D.hated |
Thinking back the group’s first tour in Europe, Camake Valaule, a physical education teacher and the founder of the Taiwu Elementary School Folk Singers, admitted that he felt very nervous. He was worried that the audience would fall asleep since most of the 75-minute performance was a cappella, that is, singing without instrumental sound. Surprisingly, the audience listened with full focus and high spirits. Camake said, “They told me afterward that through our performance, they had a vision of our country, our village, without having to visit it. This experience greatly increased our confidence.”
According to Camake Valaule, singing traditional ballads has helped students and their parents to re-understand their culture. “It used to be that the only ones who could sing these songs were tribal elders aged between 50 and 60. Now with the children performing the pieces, parents are beginning to ask, ‘Why do we not know how to sing these ballads?’ Many times nowadays, it is the children who teach the songs to their parents, putting back the pieces of a blurred memory.
Winning international fame, however, was neither the original intention nor the main reason why Camake founded the group in 2006. The most important thing was to make children understand why they sing these songs and to preserve and pass on their culture. Referring to the relocation of Taiwu Elementary School and Taiwu Village following Typhoon Morakot in August 2009, Camake said, “We could not take the forest or our houses in the mountains with us; but we were able to bring our culture along. As long as the children are willing to sing, I will always be there for them, singing with them and leading them to experience the meaning of the ballads.”
1. Which of the following is true about Taiwu Elementary School Folk Singers?
A.The group was first established in 2009. |
B.The group was founded by a PE teacher. |
C.The singers usually sing popular folk songs. |
D.The singers learn to sing from their parents. |
A.The average age of the audience was between fifty and sixty. |
B.Most of the performance was not accompanied by any instrument. |
C.Nobody could understand the language and the meaning of the songs. |
D.The audience could not visualize the theme sung by the school children. |
A.The fading memories about old tribal people. |
B.The children’s ignorance of their own tradition. |
C.The broken pieces of knowledge taught at school. |
D.The parents’ vague understanding of their own culture. |
A.The significance of the relocation of Taiwu Elementary School. |
B.The need to respect nature to avoid being destroyed by it. |
C.The importance of passing on the traditional culture. |
D.The consequence of building houses in the forest. |