1 . That artificial food dyes (染料) are unhealthy is not news. Some are known to cause hyperactivity (多动症) in some children, affecting their ability to learn. But regulatory agencies (监管机构) around the world don’t necessarily agree on which food dyes are a problem, or why. That may soon change. A 2021 peer-reviewed report by California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment concluded that artificial food dyes “cause or worsen neurobehavioral (神经行为的) problems in some children” and that the current levels that are regarded safe for consumption by the federal government are too high.

California is now considering requiring warning labels on food products and dietary supplements containing the seven most commonly used artificial dyes. The warning label requirement would put California on par with the European Union, which since 2010 has required food products containing certain artificial food dyes to carry warning labels about their negative effect on activity and attention in children.

Artificial dyes are used in foods for one reason: to make products look prettier. Bright colors make candies appealing, especially to kids. But dyes are also in chocolate cake mixes, salad dressings and other products that don’t seem to cry out for a color boost.

In Europe, it was the 2010 label lawmaking that triggered (引发) companies’ decisions to reformulate. “If you’re a company, you do not want to put a warning label on your product.” says Lefferts, an environmental health consultant. Warning labels are why European Starburst Fruit Chews are now colored with natural products, not the artificial dyes that brighten their North American counterparts (同类商品).

Given that artificial food dyes are used far more than needed, we need to be more cautious. After all, we don’t dye fresh fruits and vegetables, but we do dye candy and sprinkles, points out Joe Schwarcz, a chemistry professor at McGill University in Montreal. “The foods in which you find food dyes are foods that are poor in nutrition,” he says. “If you limit foods that contain food dyes, you automatically make your diet better.”

Yours，

Li Hua

3 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或用括号内单词的正确形式（不超过3个单词）或根据首字母和中文提示填写单词的正确形式。

Parents hold different opinions about students’ studying abroad. Wang Li, the mother of twin girls, believes that there is no need for overseas study. As far as she is     1     (concern), studying abroad is a bad idea because it causes both economic and     2     (academy) pressure.     3     (addition), with many great universities now available in China, young people who choose to study in our homeland also have a great future to look forward     4    .

Contrary to Wang’s opinion, Zhang Yi, the father of a boy, argues that the advantages outweigh the     5     (advantage). He holds the view     6     the experience of studying abroad not only contributes to personal growth, but also increases chances of cultural exchange.     7     (cooperate) with people from diverse cultural backgrounds can help us view the world from different     8     (angle) and have a better understanding of our own culture. He also stresses that, in the long run, studying abroad provides a great opportunity for young people to make     9     (contribute) to the development of our motherland. Though accompanied by many     10     (difficulty), studying abroad is worthwhile.

Chemical pesticides and artificial fertilisers have been     1     widespread use in farming since the middle of the 20th century. When they were first introduced, many farmers welcomed them as a great way to fight crop disease and increase     2     (produce). Overtime, however, what some scientists have found is     3     their long-term use can sometimes harm both the land and people’s health.

As an alternative, some farmers     4     (switch) to organic farming, and many customers have turned to organic food when they shop at the local grocery. Organic farming is simply farming    5     using any chemicals.

Some people would prefer     6     (stop) the use of man-made chemicals in agriculture     7     (entire). What keeps them from doing so is the fact that chemical farming serves the high demand for food around the world. Organic farming is nowhere near able     8     (meet) that need. Therefore, there is still a long way to find a     9     (suit) solution that puts sufficient food on the dinner table while     10     (keep) people and the environment as healthy as possible.

6 . Donnie Wiseman was worn out after work. But his son was _________ on going to a reptile show at Scales and Tails, Utah. So, after a short rest, he _________ his son to the show.

Inside viewing windows was the show’s star attraction, a huge alligator (短吻鳄). It swam around the pool before _________ its head on a two-foot-wide platform. It was feeding time, and the _________ alligator was staring expectantly at its trainer, Lindsay Bull.

For the sake of _________, Bull wanted the alligator off the platform before beginning the show. Entering the enclosure, she held out one arm and shouted “Back!” — a(n) _________ that usually worked. _________, this time the alligator responded by opening the jaw and _________ her into the pool of water.

Outside the enclosure, some _________ if this was part of the show. Not Wiseman. Sensing something was __________, he threw open the glass door and climbed inside. “Jump on its back and push your fists into the top of its nose!” shouted Bull. Wiseman did as he was __________, pressing down with all of his 180-pound body weight. Time seemed to stand __________ for a while. Finally, the alligator eased its __________ and Bull was quickly helped out of the enclosure. Meanwhile, Wiseman __________ a chance to jump off the alligator.

Apart from minor wounds, Wiseman was more __________ than injured. “One mistake and I’ll be a statistic, but still, I’m just glad I was there,” he said.

8 . The idea of low material desire, low consumption and refusing to work, marry and have children, concluded as a “lying down” lifestyle, recently struck a chord with many young Chinese eager to pause to breathe in this fast-paced and highly-competitive society.

Many millennials (千禧一代) and generation Zs complained to the Global Times that burdens, including work stress, family disputes and financial pressures, have pushed them “against the wall”. They said they hate the “involution (内卷),” joking that they would rather give up some of what they have than get trapped in an endless competition against peers.

“Instead of always following the ‘virtues’ of struggle, tolerance and sacrifice to bear the stresses, they prefer a temporary lying down as release and adjustment,” said a scholar. “No wonder that some young people, under the growing pressures from child-raising to paying the mortgage (按揭) today, would try to live in a simple way and leave the worries behind.”

Interestingly, most of them acknowledged that they only accept a temporary lying down as a short rest. It is true that with the great improvement of living conditions, some Chinese youth have partially lost the spirit of hardship and are not willing to bear too much hard work. But actually, lying down is not entirely comfortable. Young people who lie down always feel guilty of their constant loss of morale (士气) far beyond their reach.

“Young people on campus have both ambitions and confusion about their future, but most of us have rejected setting ourselves up in chains to waste opportunities and challenges,” a postgraduate student told the Global Times. “It’s no use running away. I have to ‘stand up’ and face the reality sooner or later.”

10 . The First Rule of Finance is to live within your means by spending no more than 80% of your take-home pay. If you take home $100 per week, spend no more than $80.

But ever look at what people spend their money on? I have relatives and friends deeply in debt, spending $12 for every $10 they earn instead of the $8 you know they should be spending. When I see them, they’re proud of their new whatever. “What do you think of my new truck?” asked one from the driver’s seat. “Do you like my new shoes?” asked another on high heels. “Check out my new big screen.” said a third while holding the remote in his living room. We’ve all heard people fishing for compliments (称赞；赞扬) on their new toys.

Every one of them was proud of what they’d financed. They seem to have bought it for the purpose of being proud, of showing off, of keeping up with the Joneses. “Look at my new...?” is everybody’s favorite phrase, even when the object in question isn’t theirs at all and won’t be new when they’ve finally paid for it if they ever do.

They’re proud of being stupid. They think it’s cool to drive the financed car, wear the financed shoes, and watch the financed TV, but to smart people, whose opinions are the only ones we should respect, these people look dumb as rocks.

The Joneses, nine times out of 10, are financially stupid. That’s why they have all that stuff on borrowed money. Why try to copy them? Worse, why try to impress them? Copy and impress smart people, the ones who own their stuff. If you want to impress smart people, debt is the last way to go about it. Trying to impress a money-smart person by going into debt is like trying to impress Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps by drowning in a pool. Michael Phelps is impressed by good swimming and a money-smart person by good money management.