1 . Text message acronyms (缩略词) caused plenty of confusion for the older generations when mobile phones became commonplace — now emojis are making the embarrassment become more serious.
Slack, a workplace messaging service, surveyed 9,400 office workers worldwide including 1,000 in the UK. It found the biggest emoji socially embarrassing action or mistake at work was pictures of lips. Most older workers did not realize the double meaning of the peach emoji, which for younger users means hips. Olivia Grace, a director at Slack, said, “The findings of our research are very clear — be careful when communicating with emojis across generations. Emojis offer a great way to communicate emotion, whether it’s a joke, support or something else, but it’s good to be aware that different meanings may exist to avoid any awkward interpretations.”
The simple smiling face was also a source of misunderstanding — 60 percent of over-40s used it to show happiness or pleasure but a significant number of younger workers used it to convey “deep anger”. An image of someone painting their nails was the most confusing — it meant nothing to the older generation, while the under-25s said they used it to say “there is gossip”, and the 25 to 40-year-olds used it to communicate making themselves more beautiful. However, all ages agreed on the meaning of some emojis, such as a face with tears of laughter and a crying emoji.
Speaking about its reasons for conducting the survey, Slack said, “Are there certain emojis that should restrict your boss from using them? Have your international colleagues ever misunderstood an emoji? And do you usually wait to build a relationship before sending emojis at work?” It added that with thousands of emojis at users’ treatment, “there’s a lot of potential” to communicate by mistake.
Emojis are not technically a form of language, as they lack grammar. The original user of a particular emoji has no copyright on how it is to be understood. The significance of emojis belongs to those who use them, and they have a truly valuable role in written communication.
1. What did Slack find about emojis?A.Acronyms cause more confusion than them. | B.People understand some of them differently. |
C.It’s popular for office workers to use them. | D.They can avoid many awkward situations. |
A.By analyzing causes. | B.By raising questions. |
C.By following time order. | D.By making comparisons. |
A.To help people use emojis properly. | B.To find original emojis. |
C.To prove the convenience of emojis. | D.To explain some special emojis. |
A.Unclear. | B.Dismissive. | C.Doubtful. | D.Approving. |
2 . These days, there’s barely a world leader who doesn’t talk up science. For example, the India’s Prime Minister was the main performer at the annual Indian Science Congress, held in Nagpur, where he encouraged the nation’s researchers to do the science needed to make India self-reliant.
The message to researchers is crystal clear: leaders see science as essential to national prosperity, well-being and, of course, competitiveness. So, is research fit for the challenge of advancing, refining or critiquing these goals? Not exactly. And it won’t be until there is fundamental reform to the gateway to a research career: PhD training.
As Nature and other publications have frequently reported, PhD training worldwide has been in trouble for some time. Students’ stipends (生活津贴) are not enough in most countries, creating a cost-of-living crisis. Early-career researchers constantly report concerns about a constant lack of support and poor-quality supervision, with senior researchers rarely trained in mentorship (指导).
Furthermore, PhD candidates are inadequately prepared for the cross-disciplinary working and large teams that characterize cutting-edge science today. This is especially true for careers outside academic research, where the overwhelming majority of PhD candidates will be heading.
It is not all bad. Universities in a small number of high-income countries have reformed, or are reforming, PhD assessment. But in most places, and especially in low- and middle-income countries, a candidate’s work is still evaluated using a single-authored paper. In many countries, candidates must publish in a journal before they get a PhD, something that critics say could fuel profitable publishing.
The system’s strains have become more obvious because the number of people doing PhD training has been rising sharply. According to the 2022 book Towards a Global Core Value System in Doctoral Education, the number of PhDs awarded in India increased from 17,850 in 2004 to 25,095 in 2016; US figures climbed from 48,500 to 69,525 over the same period. If researchers are to meet society’s expectations, their training and mentoring must escape the nineteenth century.
1. Why is the India’s Prime Minister mentioned in the first paragraph?A.To indicate India’s serious scientific landscape. |
B.To imply more researchers are in great demand in India. |
C.To show leaders’ emphasis on scientific research. |
D.To demonstrate more and more people take an interest in science. |
A.The reforms in science. | B.The significance of mentorship. |
C.The creation of academic culture. | D.The issues early-career researchers face. |
A.Disappointed. | B.Satisfied. | C.Indifferent. | D.Enthusiastic. |
A.PhD education is developing gradually. |
B.The reforms in PhD training admit of no delay. |
C.The number of PhDs awarded has increased in India and the US. |
D.The demand for researchers’ meeting society’s expectations is pressing. |
3 . Like many people, in terms of socializing, I prioritize (优先考虑) making time for my closest friends and family. When it comes to reaching out to people, I don’t know as well I often find myself unwilling to engage. This could be a big mistake, though, according to a new study. Having different types of social interactions seems to be central to our happiness —something many of us may think little of.
In a series of surveys, researchers looked at how having a socially diverse network related to people’s well-being. In one survey, 578 Americans reported on what activities they had been engaged in, with whom and for how long over the past 24 hours, while also saying how happy with life they were. The researchers found that people with more diverse social networks were happier and more satisfied with life than those with less diverse networks — regardless of how much time they had spent socializing overall.
“The more you can broaden your social circle and reach out to people you talk to less frequently —like an acquaintance, a friend, a coworker, or even a stranger —the more it could have positive benefits for your well-being,” said the lead researcher Hanne Collins of Harvard Business School.
To further test this idea, she and her colleagues looked at large data sets from the American Time Use Survey and the World Health Organization’s Study on Global Aging and Adult Health. In both cases, they found that when people had a broader range of social interactions, they experienced greater happiness and well-being.
Then Collins and her colleagues did another analysis, using data from a mobile app that 21,644 French-speaking people used to report on their daily social activities and happiness. There, they found that when someone experienced greater-than-average social diversity one week, they were happier that week and the week after.
Why is that? It could be that being with different people contributes to different kinds of emotions, which may be a driving force in our happiness, says Collins. Alternatively, it could be that having a more diverse network allows you to get various social supports when you need it. Whatever the case, Collins hopes her research will inspire people to expand their social networks when they can.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?A.Reaching out to strangers is a must in people’s life. |
B.It could be a mistake for people to socialize with strangers. |
C.Diverse social interactions contribute little to people’s happiness. |
D.Many people are more willing to interact with the closest friends. |
A.Its results were different from culture to culture. |
B.Its results were against the ones of previous surveys. |
C.The researchers collected large amounts of data from different apps. |
D.It focused on the impact of a more diverse social network on life happiness. |
A.Any stranger or co-worker can bring you happiness. |
B.Broad social circle contributes to more happiness. |
C.Happiness depends on how much time you spend with strangers. |
D.Broad social network leads to a balanced life. |
A.Collins’s social life. | B.Collins’s conclusions. |
C.Collins’s new research. | D.Collins’s specific suggestions. |
Have you ever noticed when ordering takeaway food
This fee is uneasy
Now,
The Shanghai Consumer Protection Commission in Tune
5 . People don’t usually become homeless suddenly. It’s a chutes-and-ladders (阶梯状) process. A large new statewide study takes a closer look at the period just before homelessness, by asking a representative sample of almost 3,200 homeless people from all over the state about the dilemma they fell into, and what would have helped.
Some of the findings were unsurprising: in the state with the nation’s largest homeless population, people are unhoused because they don’t have enough money, or have experienced trauma (创伤). A quarter of all survey participants had experienced family violence, and their lives and health get much worse once homelessness strikes. But some of the report’s data run counter to popular perception: for example, most homeless people are not from out of state, contrary to the common belief that homeless people move to California for the weather and policies.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Margot Kushel, says there’s a “doom loop” of homelessness, where people have jobs that don’t cover living expenses, so they lose their homes, and the resulting instability makes it harder to keep their jobs.
Kushel points to really exciting models of homelessness prevention, where in low-income communities, they’ll have subway and bus posters saying, “Are you at risk of becoming homeless? Call us.” These programs might offer anything from cash to finding landlords or roommates. “What was really striking to us was how little money people thought it would have taken,” says Kushel. Most participants suggested that less than $500 a month, or a onetime payment of $10,000, would have kept them housed. Kushel cautions that the vast majority of mental health issues among the study participants are anxiety and depression. It’s likely that the lack of resources results in those conditions, rather than the illness causing the homelessness. “The driving issue is clearly the deep poverty,” Kushel says.
1. What does the study focus on?A.The homeless’ nationalities. | B.The current situation of the homeless. |
C.Homeless people’s previous experiences. | D.The solution to wiping out homelessness. |
A.Deep poverty gives rise to homelessness. |
B.Most participants have experienced domestic violence. |
C.The majority of homeless people are native Californian. |
D.Homeless people move to California for the weather and policies. |
A.A terrible circle. | B.A different situation. |
C.An improved condition. | D.An unpredictable future. |
A.Anxiety and depression caused homelessness. | B.People expected a very low charge of housing. |
C.Homeless prevention exists in all communities. | D.The program offers accommodation free of charge. |
Teenage life is full of adventures and challenges. Doing voluntary work is popular among some teenagers. And extra-curricular activities
7 . With almost all big employers in the United States now using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in their hiring processes, the public is considering some urgent questions: How can you prevent discrimination in hiring when a machine is keeping the discrimination? What kind of methods might help?
Some 83% of employers, including 99% of Fortune 500 companies, now use some form of automated tools as part of their hiring process, said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s ( EEOC) chair Charlotte Burrows, at a hearing on Tuesday. She said everyone needs to speak up on the debate over these technologies. “The risks are simply too high to leave this topic just to the experts.”
Last year, the EEOC issued some guidance around the use of cutting-edge hiring tools, noting many of their shortcomings. The agency found that resume( 简历) scanners which prioritize keywords and programs which evaluate a candidate’s facial expressions and speech patterns in video interviews can create discrimination. Take, for example, a video interview that analyses an applicant’s speech patterns to determine their ability to solve problems. A person with a speech problem might score low and automatically be screened out. The problem will be for the EEOC to root out discrimination or stop it from taking place.
The EEOC is considering the most appropriate ways to handle the problem. It’s agreed that inspections are necessary to ensure that the software used by companies avoids intentional or unintentional discrimination. But who would conduct those inspections is a more challenging question. Each option presents risks, Burrows pointed out. A third party may turn a blind eye to its clients, while a government-led inspection could potentially stop innovation.
In previous remarks, Burrows has noted the great potential that AI decision making tools have to improve the lives of Americans, but only when used properly. “We must work to ensure that these new technologies do not become a high-tech pathway to discrimination,” she said.
1. What does Burrows suggest people do?A.Make their own voice heard. | B.Follow the experts’ suggestions. |
C.Stop using AI in hiring processes. | D.Watch debates about technologies. |
A.By scanning keywords. | B.By evaluating resumes. |
C.By analyzing personalities. | D.By assessing speech patterns. |
A.High expense. | B.Unfair results. |
C.Age discrimination. | D.Innovation interruption. |
A.Favourable. | B.Disapproving. | C.Cautious. | D.Doubtful. |
8 . The case for and against social media
Is social media harmful to teenagers?
An argument for social media claims it can strengthen social bonds by facilitating relationships with people in different geographical areas. For example, social media has helped old school friends to get back in touch after many years without contact.
Ideally, we should have enough self-control to be able to limit our use of social media, enjoying the benefits it can bring.
A.The disadvantages of social media. |
B.In my opinion, the disadvantages of social media outweigh the benefits. |
C.It is all too easy to become absorbed in this online life rather than communicate in real life. |
D.People secure jobs now through social media or research information for their studies. |
E.This is the question we are going to examine. |
F.We will look at the arguments for and against using social media before answering the question. |
G.We aim to control our use of social media. |
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写上该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错词下划一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:
1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2. 只允许修改10处, 多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Do you often talk with your parents? A recently survey shows that nearly half of the high school students doesn’t like to talk with their parents. 43. 3% of them have trouble communicate with their parents. What was worse, 82. 8% of them don’t want to share their secrets their parents. Actually, it is important for us to communicate with our parents though they are the dearest people in our life, whom care for us all the time. By letting them know that what we think, we can get practical advice from them, which can help us to deal with many problem in life.
In this way, we can feel more confident about us and live happily.
10 . MOOC, an open online course, aims at providing interactive discussion and open access via the web. In addition to
MOOCs
There is a lot of
A.appealing | B.remote | C.traditional | D.random |
A.canteen | B.community | C.dormitory | D.gallery |
A.initially | B.frequently | C.recently | D.last |
A.put up | B.come up | C.show up | D.signed up |
A.shaking | B.revealing | C.envying | D.encouraging |
A.increase | B.decline | C.roll | D.bounce |
A.confirmed | B.ensured | C.imagined | D.sought |
A.flexible | B.disturbing | C.annoying | D.impressive |
A.particular | B.poor | C.inspired | D.fortunate |
A.excitement | B.caution | C.curiosity | D.carefulness |
A.significance | B.recording | C.registration | D.restriction |
A.off | B.out | C.alone | D.behind |
A.wisdom | B.outline | C.model | D.philosophy |
A.comedians | B.professors | C.principals | D.psychologist |
A.Therefore | B.Somewhat | C.Besides | D.After all |
A.blank | B.full | C.attentive | D.core |
A.disagree | B.dislike | C.criticize | D.admire |
A.experts | B.critics | C.witnesses | D.authorities |
A.lack | B.contain | C.develop | D.integrate |
A.plain | B.noble | C.famous | D.autonomous |