1 . Which is more important for parents, making more money to give the kids a better life or spending more time with them? It is a problem for parents and it is not easy to decide. A new study shows that today’s parents are spending more time with their children than parents in the past. According to the study, today’s college-educated mothers spend about 21.2 hours a week taking care of their children. But women with less education spend about 15.9 hours. Before 1995, it was only 12 hours.
Dads are spending more time on ball games. Before 1995, fathers with college educations only spent about 4.5 hours a week playing with their children. Today, it increases to 9.6 hours a week. For fathers with high school education, the time goes up from 3.7 hours to 6.8.
These days, parents don’t care more about the cleaning or the cooking. They are trying their best to spend time with their families. As for the kids, they don’t mind how much time their parents spend with them. They just want to enjoy the time their parents do be with them.
So, take part in the kids’ activities when you are with them, such as helping with homework or playing soccer with them.
1. How long do college-educated mothers spend taking care of their kids a week?| A．About 9.6 hours. | B．About 12 hours. |
| C．About 15.9 hours. | D．About 21.2 hours. |
| A．Women with less education spend about12 hours staying with their kids, |
| B．Mothers in the past spent less time staying with kids than mothers these days. |
| C．Mothers with college education are lazier than those with less education. |
| D．Dads spend more time staying with their kids than mothers do. |
| A．About 4.5 hours. | B．Less than 9 hours. |
| C．About 13.5 hours. | D．About 18 hours. |
| A．They care about how much money their parents can make. |
| B．They care about how much time their parents spend with them. |
| C．They care if their parents are really with them. |
| D．They care if their parents can give them a better life. |
内容包括
1.讨论结果；
2.你的观点。
注意：
1.词数80左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3 . New research from the University of Portsmouth has shown a marked increase in shipping in the North East Atlantic. Scientists now warn that more monitoring is required to help protect sea life.
Researchers at the University of Ponsmouth have discovered that rates (率) of shipping in the North East Atlantic area rose by 34 per cent in a five-year period. The research is the first detailed survey of shipping activity in the North East Atlantic. Researchers used data from over 530 million vessel (船) positions recorded by Automatic Identification System(AIS). They looked at the change in shipping between 2013 and 2017 across ten different vessel types. In total the study area covered 1.1 million km², including waters off Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,Iceland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal. Spain, and the UK.
Lead author, James Robbins said: “This change is likely to put more pressure on the marine (海洋的) environment, and may influence the protection of at-risk species. Renewed monitoring effort is needed to make sure that protective measures are enough to save species under threat in a changing environment.”
Some of the greatest shipping increases were found in areas close to the Spanish coast. The Espacio Marino de la Costa da Morte saw a rise of 413 percent in vessel activity. It is an area used to protect seabirds.
Dr. Sarah Marley, Visiting Researcher at the University of Portsmouth, said: “Shipping is the most widespread human activity in our oceans, carrying a set of threats-from unnoticeable effects like underwater noise pollution to serious results when ships hit whales.”
Professor Alex Ford. from the University’s Institute of Marine Sciences, said: “Given the well-documented effects that shipping can have on the marine environment, it is necessary that this situation continues to be monitored-particularly in areas used to protect vulnerable (脆弱的) species which may already be under pressure.”
1. What can we say about the new research?| A．It started in 2013. | B．It is the first of its kind. |
| C．It was carried out by AIS. | D．It covers the whole Atlantic. |
| A．Rapid population growth. |
| B．Rising global temperatures. |
| C．The huge increase in shipping. |
| D．The disappearance of marine life. |
| A．Shipping plays an important role in the local economy. |
| B．Shipping can be a danger to the marine environment. |
| C．Noise pollution is closely related to human activity. |
| D．Marine areas should be monitored more carefully. |
| A．New waterways across the Atlantic |
| B．The shipping industry in the North East Atlantic |
| C．New research opens windows into life under the water |
| D．Sea life needs better protection from an increase in shipping |
4 . What do you think of being roommates with someone from a totally different generation? Lately, more and more Americans are becoming intergenerational (跨代的)roommates, and they’re changing the way people think they should be living.
Since 1971, there has been a major rise in intergenerational living arrangements in the United States, which refers to people from different generations living together with at least one generation gap. In fact, data show that this number has actually become four times larger since then. In a Pew Research Center article, it shared that by March 2021, there were 59.7 million Americans that had many generations living under one roof.
There are many factors that come into play for these types of arrangements. For some, it’s because of the increase in the average life-expectancy age (寿命), a decreased birth rate, a rise in college educational fees, the ever rising rentals and more. But if anything, many say that one main reason behind the rise is that older people have space to rent out and that having younger people around just makes them happier.
A 25-year-old student Nadia Abdullah and her 64-year-old roommate Judith were content with their present life. Their arrangement was $700 a month from Nadia, plus the promise of her doing some help around the house. This also allowed Nadia to live just 6 miles from her working place. Nadia was matched with Judith through a renting center specifically created to find intergenerational roommates.
Another young renting center reviewer, Kaplan, also gave some opinions on the service, saying, “Through this, I lived with Sarah while attending Harvard. She provided the knowledge you just can’t Google — showing me how to garden, how to cook fish and add French Romanticism to life.”
1. What is the increasing housing trend mentioned in the text?| A．More people are living together as roommates. |
| B．Different generations are living under the same roof. |
| C．Strangers of a generation are living together like a family. |
| D．Family members of different generations are living together. |
| A．The types of the arrangements. | B．The reasons for the arrangements. |
| C．The solutions to the arrangements. | D．The problems with the arrangements. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Doubtful. | C．Negative. | D．Supportive. |
| A．The website is popular with university students. |
| B．The intergenerational roommates should help each other. |
| C．The intergenerational roommate arrangements work well. |
| D．The elderly benefit more than the young from the arrangements. |
5 . “Looking good, feeling good” is a common phrase, but for many middle school students, it brings up the issue of appearance anxiety. In a world where social media often sets unrealistic beauty standards, teenagers can feel pressured to look a certain way. This pressure can lead to a lack of confidence and happiness.
Dressing in a style that reflects personal taste, rather than simply following fashion trends, can be a step towards overcoming this anxiety. Wearing clothes that make one feel comfortable and confident can help boost self-esteem. It’s important for students to understand that fashion is a way to express themselves, not a standard they must meet.
Healthy eating is also crucial. A balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains, helps maintain a healthy body and mind. Sometimes, teens worry too much about their weight, which can lead to unhealthy eating habits. Learning about nutrition and understanding that healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes can help alleviate these concerns.
Physical activity plays a significant role in mental well-being. Regular exercise, like playing a sport or going for a walk, not only keeps the body fit but also releases endorphins, improving mood and reducing stress. It's a natural way to fight the anxiety that comes with appearance concerns.
Finally, it's essential for middle school students to focus on mental health. Engaging in hobbies, spending time with friends, and seeking support when needed can contribute to a more positive self-image. Understanding that everyone's unique and that real beauty comes from within is vital. Feeling good about oneself should come from personal achievements and qualities, not just from outward appearance.
1. What is the main concern addressed in the article regarding middle school students?| A．Choosing the right fashion trends. |
| B．Coping with appearance anxiety. |
| C．Learning about nutrition and exercise. |
| D．Finding comfortable clothing. |
| A．It can lead to unrealistic beauty standards. |
| B．It can help in overcoming appearance anxiety. |
| C．It pressures students to follow fashion trends. |
| D．It results in a lack of interest in fashion. |
| A．It sets beauty standards for students. |
| B．It mainly helps in weight management. |
| C．It improves mood and reduces stress. |
| D．It has no significant impact on mental well-being. |
| A．It helps in achieving academic success. |
| B．It contributes to a more positive self-image. |
| C．It encourages following social media trends. |
| D．It increases interest in fashion and style. |
6 . In the days before the Internet, critical thinking was the most important skill of informed citizens. But in the digital age, according to Anastasia Kozyreva, a psychologist at the Max Planck Institute of Human Development, and her colleagues, an even more important skill is critical ignoring.
As the researchers point out, we live in an attention economy where content producers on the Internet compete for our attention. They attract us with a lot of emotional and eye-catching stories while providing little useful information, so they can expose us to profit-generating advertisements. Therefore,we are no longer customers but products, and each link we click is a sale of our time and attention. Toprotect ourselves from this, Kozyreva advocates for learning the skill of critical ignoring, in which readers intentionally control their information environment to reduce exposure to false and low-quality information.
According to Kozyreva, critical ignoring comprises three strategies. The first is to design ourenvironments, which involves the removal of low-quality yet hard-to-resist information from around. Successful dieters need to keep unhealthy food out of their homes. Likewise, we need to set up a digital environment where attention-grabbing items are kept out of sight. As with dieting, if one tries to bank onwillpower not to click eye-catching “news”, he’ll surely fail. So, it’s better to just keep them out of sightto begin with.
The next is to evaluate the reliability of information, whose purpose is to protect you from false and misleading information. It can be realized by checking the source in the mainstream news agencies which have their reputations for being trustworthy.
The last goes by the phrase “do not feed the trolls.” Trolls are actors who internationally spread false and hurtful information online to cause harm. It may be appealing to respond to them to set the facts straight, but trolls just care about annoying others rather than facts. So, it’s best not to reward their bad behaviour with our attention.
By sharpening our critical ignoring skills in these ways, we can make the most of the Internet while avoiding falling victim to those who try to control our attention, time, and minds.
1. What can we learn about the attention economy from paragraph 2?| A．It offers little information. | B．It features depressing stories. |
| C．It saves time for Internet users. | D．It seeks profits from each click. |
| A．To discuss the quality of information |
| B．To prove the benefits of healthy food. |
| C．To show the importance of environments. |
| D．To explain the effectiveness of willpower. |
| A．Reveal their intention. | B．Turn a deaf ear to them. |
| C．Correct their behaviour. | D．Send hard facts to them. |
| A．Reasons for critical thinking in the attention economy. |
| B．Practising the skill of critical ignoring in the digital age. |
| C．Maximizing the benefits of critical ignoring on the Internet. |
| D．Strategies of abandoning critical thinking for Internet users |
7 . In the 1994 film Forrest Gump, there’s a famous saying, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” The surprise is part of the fun. Now blind box toys are bringing the magic of surprise to online shopping.
A blind box toy is hidden inside similar boxes but invisible from the outside. You don’t know what will be inside, although the toys typically come from pop culture, ranging from movies to comics and cartoons (动漫).
Blind boxes have become popular since they were first introduced from Japan to China in 2014. According to a 2019 Tmall report, the mini-series of Labubu blind box, designed by Hong Kong-born Kasing Lung, was named Champion of Unit Sales with 55,000 sold in just 9 seconds during the Singles Day shopping event. Most customers for blind boxes are young people aged 18 to 35.
According to The Paper, blind box toys are popular in part because of their cute looks. The typically site cartoon figures come in very small sizes, making them suitable for display almost anywhere. Even if blind boxes are not their top choice for decorations, the mystery and uncertainty of the process also attracts people. It’s the main reason why people buy blind boxes one after another.
“Expectíng the unknown is always a part of the box-opening process (过程),” said Miss Cao,24、who lives and works in Shenyang, speaking to Sina Nows. She said: “Until you open all the boxes, you cannot know what it is inside.”
Opening a blind box is a happy little surprise for our boring daily lives, something small but fun to wait for each day, week or month. When people open this simple little box, they may be disappointed, but the uncertainty is part of the fun. People will open more blind boxes and hope for a better result.
When someone remakes Forrest Gump, don’t be surprised if he says, “Life is like a blind box.”
1. What do we know about blind boxes from the text?| A．They are popular only in China. | B．They are visible from the outside. |
| C．They were first designed in 2014. | D．They may bring surprise to our life. |
| A．Because blind boxes are fashionable gifts. | B．Because blind boxes are educational gifts. |
| C．Because people prefer the colorful boxes. | D．Because people enjoy box-opening process. |
| A．Positive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Negative. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．The cultural effects of blind boxes. | B．The origin of blind boxes. |
| C．The popularity of blind boxes. | D．The problems with blind boxes. |
8 . In Europe, nine out of ten students study a foreign language. In the United States, only one in five does. From 1997 to 2008, the number of American middle schools offering foreign languages dropped from 75percent to 58 percent. From 2009 to 2013, one American college closed its foreign language program; from 2013 to 2017, 651 others did the same.
At first glance, these statistics look like a tragedy (悲剧). But I am starting to accept the strange idea that maybe they are not. What is changing my mind is technology.
I was in Belgium not long ago, and I watched various tourists from different nations use speech translation apps to change their own languages into English and French. The newer ones can even reproduce the tone of the speaker’s voice.
I know a foreign language is a window into a new way of understanding the world. But even beyond the fact that this idea has been rather oversold, can we really say the low level of French or Spanish we and our classmates usually picked up in school really gave us a new look into the world and our lives in it? And if our goals are more limited and practical --- for instance, getting directions to the bus station in Rome-technology now makes that possible at the press of a button. With a smart phone and an app, foreign languages will no longer present most people with the challenge they once did. Learning to speak a new language well will be necessary for those who want to engage with (从事) literature or media in the original language, as well as those of us who find pleasure in it just because they are “there”. Strange as that is, it is in its way a kind of progress.
1. What is the author’s opinion about the drop in foreign language learning in the United States?| A．It is a tragedy that needs to be avoided. |
| B．It is an unacceptable situation that harms society. |
| C．It is a challenge that will be overcome in the future. |
| D．It is a positive development due to advanced technology. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Doubtful. | C．Curious. | D．Supportive. |
| A．It makes the process easier and within reach. |
| B．It provides an easy way to understand the world. |
| C．It removes the need for language learning altogether. |
| D．It improves the traditional methods of language learning. |
| A．What challenges do translation apps bring to language learning? |
| B．Why is it still necessary to learn foreign languages in the digital age? |
| C．Will translation apps make learning foreign languages old-fashioned? |
| D．How can technology help us learn foreign languages more efficiently? |
1. Who are the audiences probably?
| A．College students. | B．News reporters. | C．Movie fans. |
| A．Racism. | B．Heightism. | C．Sexism. |
| A．Get more attention. | B．Get more choices. | C．Get more income. |
| A．They can earn high income from it. |
| B．They can get satisfaction from it. |
| C．Nobody cares about their height. |
10 . A 9-year-old boy is called a hero after he rescued his dad when a car fell on him. Brave J.T. Parker’s
“ We were
At that moment, Mason had gone inside the house
He said he
“ I couldn’t move at all,” Parker said. “I was totally
J.T., who weighs about 50 pounds, said he, too, didn’t think he would be able to
It took him
Parker was then sent to the nearest hospital with 13 broken ribs (肋骨). He was
| A．creative | B．quick | C．considerable | D．present |
| A．Fearful | B．Considerate | C．Proud | D．Brave |
| A．event | B．disaster | C．conflict | D．accident |
| A．pushing | B．pulling | C．fixing | D．watching |
| A．easily | B．normally | C．hardly | D．unwillingly |
| A．though | B．until | C．before | D．because |
| A．started | B．suspended (暂停) | C．continued | D．tried |
| A．yelled | B．ran | C．aimed | D．pointed |
| A．put | B．get | C．make | D．find |
| A．buried | B．trapped | C．dead | D．covered |
| A．lift | B．push | C．step | D．blow |
| A．seconds | B．days | C．hours | D．minutes |
| A．gradually | B．eventually | C．absolutely | D．completely |
| A．police | B．neighbor | C．doctor | D．passer-by |
| A．sent | B．recovered | C．energetic | D．persuaded |
