1 . For better or worse, we might be in the Age of the Group Chat. In a recent survey, most people said they felt stressed out by group messages, which can feel like a part-time job.
Connection is wonderful. Grexts, short for group texts, have the feature of imitating (模仿) the casual back-and-forth of a dialogue, and the result can be more dynamic and fun than a two-person thread. Having a chat going also means you have a space to share your updates throughout the day, a reminder that you’re part of something.
Some researchers call this “ambient (周围的) virtual presence”: Even when you’re alone, you’re not alone. One researcher compares this phenomenon to echolocation (回声定位), the process that some animals, such as bats and dolphins, use to locate objects: They produce a continuous sound and use the resulting echo to sense their surroundings. Humans might use technologies such as group chats in a similar way — as a call-and-response, taking in information about their social networks and locating themselves within those webs.
But taking in too many signals can be overwhelming. Professor Bayer argued that group chats can create a “waterfall type of effect”, where messages keep flooding in and adding up. Eventually, you’re underwater. Another researcher suggested that different chat members all bring their own personalities, communication styles, and expectations for group norms. Without a standard etiquette (礼仪), people have varied opinions about what degree of responsiveness is required — which can cause real tension.
Grext anxiety is hard to resolve because it isn’t just about the group-chat or even mobile technology in general; it’s about the tension between being our own person and being responsible to others. Ultimately, most of us do want connection, even if it involves some duties. A general advice is to give up greats that don’t really interest you.
1. What is the feature of Grexts?| A．Being more wonderful than a dialogue. |
| B．Keeping as fun as a two-person thread. |
| C．Sharing your updates throughout the day. |
| D．Imitating the casual back-and-forth of communication. |
| A．By producing a continuous sound. |
| B．By detecting some bats and dolphins. |
| C．By using the resulting echo to sense their surroundings. |
| D．By taking in information about social networks and locating themselves. |
| A．Problems caused by group chats. |
| B．Importance of a standard etiquette. |
| C．Messages keeping flooding in and adding up. |
| D．What degree of responsiveness is required. |
| A．It is a part-time job. |
| B．It is just a way to keep relationship. |
| C．It brings us more fright than pleasure. |
| D．It helps us find true friends. |
2 . When the PISA worldwide educational comparisons came out late in 2023, most countries fell to wondering how to do better. Spain had lost ground since the last time the tests were done in 2018. But students in Catalonia lost even more. Besides, native Spanish-speakers did worse than Catalan-speakers, which soon led to the blame on language policy.
In the 1980s Catalonia began a transition to teaching all subjects in Catalan, except Spanish. Several years ago the region’s top court ruled that at least 25% of classes must be given in Spanish. The regional government, led by separatists, then passed a law allowing individual school heads to raise or lower the level of teaching in Spanish, according to their need.
A new report for the Association for Bilingual Schools in Catalonia (AEB), which campaigns for more Spanish, said that hardly any schools have changed their published policies. And so they requested the European Parliament to investigate whether pupils’ basic rights had been violated. The week before Christmas a delegation made a fact-finding trip. The Catalan education secretary says they came having already made up their minds that the region’s language policy harms pupils’ performance.
In the Escola San Jaume, a primary school in El Prat de Llobregat, a heavily Spanish-speaking town near Barcelona, all signs are in Catalan. Only about 10% of the pupils are native Catalan-speakers, says the director, Arturo Ramírez. Despite the never-ending discussion across Spain, it is one largely achieved in Catalonia, where over 80% of the population speaks and reads Catalan, and everyone, except some immigrants, speaks Spanish too. Watching the happy students on his playground, Mr Ramírez says “There is no problem here. The problem is outside the building.”
1. What caused the blame on language policy?| A．That the native Catalan-speakers did better than Spanish-speakers in PISA. |
| B．That Spain had lost ground. |
| C．That most countries was wondering how to do better. |
| D．That the PISA worldwide educational comparisons came out. |
| A．At least 25% of classes must be given in Spanish. |
| B．All subjects were taught in Catalan. |
| C．Raise or lower the level in teaching according to need. |
| D．The regional government passed a law. |
| A．100%. | B．50%. | C．75%. | D．1%. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Neutral. | C．Confident. | D．Unclear. |
3 . Gather together a couple of good friends and take a leisurely stroll through the streets—this is what many youngsters in China enjoy doing when they visit a new city.
To them, Citywalk means “roaming around the city” on foot. Participants can follow a distinctive urban route, soaking up the atmosphere, exploring old buildings, browsing boutique shops, sipping a cup of coffee, or indulging in authentic (正宗的) local snacks.
In China, the Citywalk trend is spreading from first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai to second and third-tier cities, encouraging more participants and event organizers to get involved. Some organizers invite folk culture researchers and enthusiasts (爱好者) to act as tour guides. A young entrepreneur (主办者) based in Changsha exploring new possibilities in the tourism sector launched six Citywalk routes in different cities on her social media account recently, with the aim of providing experiences for visitors to “walk in open-air museums”.
Some regions, such as Beijing and Shandong, have included Citywalk in their plans to promote cultural tourism and leisure tours. Shanghai has established Citywalk routes using public bus routes to help day-trippers reach more far-flung districts by public transport and continue on foot.
Even though Citywalk is a relatively niche and new phenomenon, industry insiders say that its potential is huge. Zhang Zhi, a tour guide from Beijing said tourists nowadays are paying more attention to personalized travel services. Many tour guides also try to expand their influence online, sharing their experiences in a bid to attract potential customers.
Citywalk is offering a positive change to urban travelers as they can better choose the experiences that align with their interests and needs. At the same time, Citywalk represents an opportunity for tour guides and travel service providers to offer a more tailored, professional service to meet with ever-changing market demands. (CGTN)
1. What is the main concept of Citywalk as described in the text?| A．Exploring cities through virtual reality. | B．Guided tours centred on history. |
| C．Leisurely urban strolls with diverse exploration. | D．A competitive challenge to visit landmarks. |
| A．To free outdoor museums for visitors. | B．To engage more enthusiastic tour guides. |
| C．To promote urban folk culture research. | D．To offer distinctive city exploration experiences. |
| A．Specialized. | B．Pricey. | C．Adventurous. | D．Demanding. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Indifferent. | C．Neutral. | D．Optimistic. |
注意:1.词数80左右; 2.可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Should mobile phones be allowed at school?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . Those of us who shop online may scan customer reviews to get a better sense of products we can't judge for ourselves at a physical store. We may check out online testimonials before booking a haircut or visiting a new restaurant. But what happens if some of those reviews can't be trusted?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced that it was proposing new measures to crack down on fake reviews and other practices used to mislead consumers. The commission published a proposed rule that would prohibit companies from writing or selling fake reviews, buying positive reviews, suppressing negative reviews and more.
“Our proposed rule on fake reviews shows that we're using all available means to attack deceptive advertising in the digital age,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement.
Research shows people overwhelmingly consult online reviews, but humans are also bad at telling which consumer reviews hold water and which are nonsense.
That's potentially worrisome given that nearly one in every three reviews is fake, according to one estimate.
In arguing for the proposal, the FTC cited enforcement actions it had taken against companies that manipulated reviews of their products.In 2022, for example, the commission forced the online retailer Fashion Nova to pay $4.2 million to settle allegations (指控) that it blocked negative reviews from being posted on its website — the first FTC action involving a company's effort to hide negative reviews. For its part, Fashion Nova said in a statement to The New York Times that the FTC's allegations were “inaccurate” and that it only settled the charges to avoid “the distraction and legal fees”.
Comments on the proposed rule have to be received within 60 days of its publication in the Federal Register, after which the FTC will decide whether to issue a revised final version.
1. What is the main purpose of the FTC's proposed rule?| A．To improve the quality of products and services. |
| B．To protect the interests of physical stores. |
| C．To ban negative reviews from online platforms. |
| D．To ensure true reviews are presented to customers. |
| A．Be credible. | B．Be prejudiced. | C．Be official. | D．Be misleading. |
| A．To delete negative reviews of its products. |
| B．To post customer reviews on its website. |
| C．To resolve allegations of deceptive advertising. |
| D．To prevent it from facing further criticism and legal fees. |
| A．It is well-received. | B．It is still under review. |
| C．It has proven to be effective. | D．It has encountered opposition. |
6 . For night owls like Chen Danhong, 28, who works for a technology company in Beijing, the day really just begins after about 8 pm, a psychological hint that she can relax. “When I get home, I’m feeling worn out and tired, but that suddenly turns to excitement and I go on the Internet, read novels or watch movies. I’ll be playing video games and continually saying to myself, ‘OK, this is the last one’ before I eventually realize that it’s 2 o’clock,” says Chen.
Common symptoms (症状) include falling asleep later than 2 am, with the average time taken to fall asleep being more than one hour. Young people in cities are most vulnerable to such symptoms, according to the 2020 Chinese National Healthy Sleep White Paper. Common causes are loneliness, overtime sequelae (后遗症), excessive stress and emotional disorders. On March 21, World Sleep Day, a newspaper, Nanguo Morning News, conducted a survey that attracted 2,000 interviewees.
According to the survey, the reasons for going to bed late vary widely, with overtime work or taking care of a baby accounting for just five percent of the interviewees’ answers on this question. Sixty-four percent said they sleep late because they watch dramas, various shows, read books or play with their mobile phones. Fourteen percent said they do not want to go to bed too early even if they have nothing to do.
Many interviewees said they have had experience of the dangers of going to be late. Twenty-three percent said they have no serious physiological problems, but they can feel weak, are easily fatigued and have a poor complexion. Twenty-one percent said they are forgetful and find it hard to concentrate on work. More worrying is that an unwillingness to sleep can lead to a vicious circle (恶性循环), and15 percent of the respondents said they cannot fall asleep even if they want to.
1. Why does the author mention Chen Danhong’s situation in the first paragraph?| A．To lead in the topic. | B．To present an argument. |
| C．To shock the reader. | D．To raise a question. |
| A．Unwillingness to sleep. | B．The various entertainments. |
| C．Caring for their family. | D．The frequent overtime. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Exhausted. | C．Focused. | D．Sleepy. |
| A．Young people are more strong enough to sleep late. |
| B．Young people can fall asleep anytime they want to. |
| C．Going to bed late affects many people’s health or work. |
| D．Sleeping late occasionally isn’t harmful to our health. |
7 . Attention! We need to put a stop to parents doing harm to youth sports. It has gotten out of hand.
A recent study showed 26 million American children took part in non-school sports. By the age of 13, about 18.2 million quit.
No wonder kids are quitting. Many parents show no sportsmanship. They often shout happily at an injury if the injured player is on the other team. My brother Mario Widdowson got hit in the face during a soccer game. The parents from the other team were shouting gladly at his pain. All of the players were down on one knee waiting for Mario to get up, out of respect and it was the right thing to do. The kids did much better than these parents.
There are different types of parents. In the book “Parenting with Love and Logic” the authors describe two different types of parents. The first is helicopter parents, who don’t allow their kid to succeed or fail on their own. The other type is lawnmower parents, who clear anything in their child’s path to make life as easy as possible.
I have observed helicopter parents. When my brother was playing club soccer, one of his teammate’s parents shouted at their son. “Shoot the ball”. It was from about half field. He did it and the coach stopped him from playing and asked him to leave the field.
The parents are trying to coach their kids. The players on the field follow blindly and many mistakes happen. It’s not good for kids’ confidence. What is the purpose of youth sports anyway?
Problems happen in youth sports all over the United States. Parents need to behave themselves. Then the number of students who quit at the age of 13 will drop greatly.
1. What does the author want to show by using numbers in Paragraph 2?| A．American kids are sports lovers. |
| B．Parents can’t behave themselves. |
| C．Most kids give up sports half-way. |
| D．Non-school sports are popular among teens. |
| A．They lent a helping hand. | B．They cheered at his injury. |
| C．They waited for him to get up. | D．They kept shouting at their kids. |
| A．He made a mistake. |
| B．He missed his goal. |
| C．He turned to the coach again. |
| D．He didn’t want to go on with the sport. |
| A．Parents Should Respect Sports. | B．Non-school Sports Is Popular. |
| C．Encouragement Is Important for Kids. | D．Kids Need to Love Sports. |
| A．In a hospital. | B．In the police office. | C．On the street. |
9 . “I never know what to say around other people. Whenever I am in a group of people, I feel like everyone knows what to say and I have no idea. When I do try to join in or answer a question, I get anxious. My heart starts thumping. This happens at parties or meetings with parent groups, but I feel judged—as if I were being interviewed for a job. I don’t enjoy these experiences, so I routinely avoid them. People think I am a loner. Maybe I am?”
Individuals experiencing this type of social discomfort are often polite and considerate. They do not interrupt others and they say please and thank you when it is appropriate to do so. They often avoid eye contact, because it makes them feel judged. They feel like others can see how uncomfortable they are. Individuals experiencing these symptoms are often very intelligent, but their anxiety prevents them from being able to demonstrate this in front of others.
Fitting into most groups of people requires conformity (从众). You need to be interested in the topics that others in the group are interested in and think and talk about them the way they do. Becoming an essential part of these groups requires that you sacrifice some of your individuality in order to adapt your perspectives, values, and styles to fit in.
Some individuals are chameleon-like in that they naturally pick up the patterns of relating to different groups and change themselves accordingly. They accommodate themselves to the group. They leave their individuality behind. For some people, this is automatic and they don’t even register that they are changing themselves to fit into groups. However, if you are one of those people who feels disconnected in most social group settings, it may be because your personality refuses conformity. You have difficulty liking what other people like and you stop changing the way you think in order to feel part of a group. Perhaps it’s better for you to stay true to yourself. Maybe you are better off?
1. What is the function of paragraph 1?| A．To introduce hard experience of social anxiety. |
| B．To explain why some people avoid eye contact. |
| C．To compare different types of social groups. |
| D．To recommend ways to go for job interviews. |
| A．They are mindful of proper social manners. |
| B．They are eager to stop others judging them. |
| C．They tend to observe what others are doing. |
| D．They try to demonstrate their intelligence. |
| A．By improving the communication skills. |
| B．By sharing interest and adapting to others. |
| C．By showing respect and kindness to others. |
| D．By practicing active listening and speaking |
| A．We should abandon our personality to fit in. |
| B．Not changing ourselves is also a good choice. |
| C．Refusing help will turn you away from friends. |
| D．Following suit is a requirement in the society. |
10 . On July 20, Yu Yifei, a medical student, made his way home in a subway train after his first day’s training. When a downpour struck the city, he
Flood
As water continued to flow into the carriages, passengers’
As more passengers were pulled from the
| A．asked | B．prevented | C．thought | D．saved |
| A．record | B．number | C．point | D．depth |
| A．worked | B．watered | C．crashed | D．pulled |
| A．rising | B．waving | C．building | D．disappearing |
| A．uncertain | B．unfortunate | C．unusual | D．unable |
| A．alarming | B．unique | C．considerate | D．desperate |
| A．disappointment | B．fears | C．feelings | D．thrills |
| A．managed | B．failed | C．intended | D．hesitated |
| A．tried on | B．took on | C．put on | D．carried on |
| A．later | B．further | C．earlier | D．former |
| A．gained | B．lifted | C．sank | D．lowered |
| A．seats | B．hospital | C．boat | D．water |
| A．introduced | B．performed | C．explained | D．taught |
| A．recovering | B．refreshing | C．repeating | D．reporting |
| A．bored | B．heartbroken | C．worried | D．exhausted |
