A: Oh, Nick, what are those on the walls?
B: They are “graffiti (涂鸦). I remember that I borrowed a book from the school library and it is about the history of graffiti (涂鸦). I have learnt about some people who
A: I’m not interested at all. I don’t understand why people try to paint on the walls.
B: Graffiti has become more and more popular in the past few years, especially with young people although it’s not widely
A: I don’t think my likes and dislikes are decided by my
B: I don’t agree with you, grandma. With the
A: You seem to have a point in some ways. But if all walls are painted, I can’t imagine what our city will look like.
B: Don’t worry about it. The painters must get the government’s permission to do so and only certain walls are
A: That’s
2 . China is a great country with the largest population in the world. In order to solve the population problem, our government carried out one﹣child policy (政策)before. When it is carried out for some time, many people not only see its advantages but also disadvantages.
From 2016, two﹣child policy is put into effect. In my opinion, two﹣child policy is good. First of all, two﹣ child policy is the gift for some only child. For some families, maybe the parents are only child and they also can have only child. Besides the loneliness of their child, when their child grows up and they grow older, their child marry an only child girl, the burden(负担)on their child and his wife is too heavy. Their child and his wife have to take care of two couples. Usually, a young couple looking after an old couple is a little difficult. But if their parents have two children, they can share the burden of taking care of their parents. It would be much better. Secondly, two﹣child policy can guarantee (保证) the number of Chinese population.
All in all, one﹣child policy has been out of date. And two﹣child policy is needed and necessary. It can solve the problems of nowadays (现在)and the future.
1. Which country has the largest population in the world?| A．America | B．Britain | C．China | D．Japan. |
| A．携带 | B．取消 | C．禁止 | D．实行 |
| A．solve the population problem |
| B．take care of two old couples |
| C．share the burden of taking care of their pa rents |
| D．argue that two﹣child policy should be put into effect |
| A．One﹣child policy has its advantages and disadvantages. |
| B．It’s easy for a young couple to look after an old couple. |
| C．China is a great country with the largest population in the world. |
| D．For some families，maybe the parents are only child and they also can have |
| A．Two﹣child policy is needed and necessary. |
| B．Our government carried out one﹣child policy. |
| C．Two﹣child policy is the gift for some only child. |
| D．Two﹣child policy can guarantee the number of Chinese population. |
3 . “Snowplow (扫雪机) parenting” is the newest parenting style that can include parents booking their adult children haircuts, calling their college kids to wake them up so that they don’t sleep through a test, and even calling their kids’ employers.
“‘Helicopter (直升机) parenting’ means monitoring their kids’ every activity, which is out of date.” Claire Cain Miller and Jonah Engel Bromwich wrote in The New York Times. “Some rich mothers and fathers now are more like snowplows: clearing any problems in their children’s path to success so that they don’t have to meet failure or lose opportunities.”
There is a mother who started a charity (慈善机构) in her son’s name to try to raise his chances of being accepted to the college. Another parents spent years helping their daughter avoid foods with sauce, which she didn’t like. Once she got to college, she had problems with the food in her school because it was all covered in sauce.
A survey says that three-quarters of parents of children between the ages of 18 and 28 ask for doctor visits or haircuts for their children, and 11% say they would call their kids’ bosses whether their children are having an issue at work.
As reported, wealthy parents try to get their children into top colleges by giving a large amount of money to a school, such as paying for a building. This parenting has become the most popular way to raise children, whatever the income, education, or race is.
Julie, a teacher at Stanford, told the Times that “snowplow parenting” is not a reasonable approach. “The parents should prepare the kid for the road, instead of preparing the road for the kid,” she said.
1. What do we know about “snowplow parenting”?| A．It is out of date. |
| B．Parents help kids deal with most problems. |
| C．It gets kids ready for school life. |
| D．Parents encourage kids to do their own things. |
| A．Parents make kids popular. |
| B．Parents provide little money for kids. |
| C．Parents ask kids to care for themselves. |
| D．Parents watch over kids’ every activity. |
| A．Do as wealthy parents do. |
| B．Do as little as possible. |
| C．Prepare kids for the future. |
| D．Clear the roads for kids. |
| A．Helicopter Parenting | B．The Similarity in Parenting |
| C．A Research on Parenting | D．A New Kind of Parenting |
4 . According to a new study from Oxford Economics, a rise in artificial intelligence will result in an increase in “income inequality” as they estimate that 20 million manufacturing jobs will be lost in the next 11 years. In China alone, there could be 14 million robots taking work currently done by humans by 2030. While in the United States, more than 1.5 million workers would have lost their employment to technology by 2030.
The report predicts the use of robots worldwide has increased to 2.25 million over the past two decades. The researchers said, “As a result of robotisation, tens of millions of jobs will be lost, especially in poorer economies that rely on lower-skilled workers, which will therefore translate into an increase in income inequality.”
However, the researchers noted how “robotisation” has the potential to boost productivity and economic growth. They predicted a 5.3 percent rise in global gross domestic product (GDP) in 2030.The report said, “This means adding an extra $4.9 trillion per year to the global economy by 2030(in today’s prices).”
The report remained positive about the use of automation and urged lawmakers not to sand in the way of robots in the workplace, despite the threat of job losses.
The researchers said, “These findings should not lead policy-makers to seek to prevent the adoption of robot technology. Instead, the challenge should be to distribute the robot profits more evenly by helping workers prepare for and adapt to the big changes it will bring about. Explore all policy options from training, initiatives (新方案) and new welfare programs such as universal basic income.”
1. What is the number of potential job loss in Oxford Economics report based on?| A．Accurate figures. | B．Official statistics. |
| C．Artificial intelligence. | D．Approximate calculation. |
| A．It may enlarge the gap between rich and poor. |
| B．It has helped increase the global income. |
| C．It may increase international competition in lawmaking. |
| D．It has been universally recognized. |
| A．Boosting national economic development. |
| B．Providing citizens with lifelong education. |
| C．Slowing down the spread of robot technology. |
| D．Protecting workers’ interests by making new plans. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Favorable. | C．Conservative. | D．Tolerant. |
5 . In July, in Moss Point, Mississippi, a heroic act unfolded. Three teenage girls found themselves in a(n)
Corion Evans, a 16-year-old who was hanging out with friends nearby, saw what happened and realized he
A police officer named Garry Mercer
All three girls and Officer Mercer were taken to the
| A．complex | B．dangerous | C．embarrassing | D．unusual |
| A．recorded | B．changed | C．followed | D．abandoned |
| A．water | B．car | C．house | D．beach |
| A．promised | B．learned | C．refused | D．needed |
| A．drivers | B．boys | C．girls | D．officers |
| A．carefully | B．finally | C．suddenly | D．immediately |
| A．imagined | B．knew | C．hoped | D．dreamed |
| A．successfully | B．calmly | C．anxiously | D．warmly |
| A．waited | B．arrived | C．fell | D．left |
| A．apologized | B．disappeared | C．panicked | D．agreed |
| A．At the same time | B．After a while | C．From now on | D．In the future |
| A．fight | B．peace | C．action | D．help |
| A．school | B．hospital | C．home | D．river |
| A．strict | B．pleased | C．upset | D．patient |
| A．ending | B．losing | C．endangering | D．saving |
6 . This morning, while tidying up my office, I found an open box of packaged chocolate cookies that I’d bought sometime last year. The use-by date had come and gone more than eight months ago. Curious, I took a small bite. They still tasted pretty good.
Welcome to the world of ultra-processed (超加工) foods. And we’re eating a lot of them. Ultra-processed foods currently make up nearly 60% of what the typical adult eats, and nearly 70% of what kids eat. They include everything from cookies and sodas to packaged breads and frozen meals, even ice creams. You might not realize you’re eating one, but look close and you’ll see many ingredients you wouldn’t find in your kitchen.
And a large and growing amount of evidence has consistently linked overconsumption of ultra-processed foods to poor health outcomes. “Too much of it leads to obesity and type two diabetes (糖尿病) and heart disease and cancer.” says Christopher Gardner, a professor at Stanford University, who has spent decades studying the links between diet and chronic disease (慢性病).
One reason ultra-processed foods likely lead to health issues seems obvious: They tend to be low in fiber and high in calories, salt, added sugar and fat, which are all linked with poor health outcomes when eaten too much.
Eventually, Gardner says the burden of making healthier food choices shouldn’t fall completely on consumers-especially when it comes to setting kids up for better health long term. “It does need the whole society to pay attention to this, to work together, including the food industry and the government, to be able to reduce the amount of ultra-processed food our kids are consuming in their day,” he says.
1. What does the author want to say in the second paragraphs?| A．Ultra-processed foods preserve the flavor long. |
| B．Ultra-processed foods have become a big part of our diet. |
| C．Convenience explains the popularity of ultra-processed foods. |
| D．A lot of health problems result from consumption of ultra-processed foods. |
| A．Overproduction. | B．Overselling. | C．Overstore. | D．Overeating. |
| A．Fewer diseases. | B．Health problems. |
| C．Dietary changes. | D．Market competition. |
| A．Punish the food industry. | B．Reduce kids’ consumption. |
| C．Unite efforts from all sides. | D．Make smarter food choices. |
7 . Anxieties (忧虑) about children and reading are not unusual, but news that fewer than half of those aged between 8 and 18 admit to actually enjoying it — the lowest level since 2005 — should raise a red flag. The survey, conducted by the National Literacy Trust ahead of World Book Day last Thursday, also showed a worrying picture of growing inequality.
10% of 3,000 parents interviewed across the UK said they were too stressed to read to their child because of economic pressures. And the percentage doubled among those who described themselves as struggling with financial problems. However, the sales data for the last year, released by an organization called Nielsen BookScan, showed a 15% increase in the overall number of children’s books sold compared with 2019. If poorer families are spending less of the money invested in children’s reading, it follows that richer families must be investing more.
Therefore, what is to be done? At a time of financial stress, libraries have a key role to play. A positive sign that they are doing so came with borrowing figures for last year. Libraries are where children of all ages go to choose books for themselves, different from bookshops, which is always influenced by parents’ budgets and tastes.
This is why the libraries are such an important part of the reading ecology. However, libraries have long been in the frontline (前线) of cuts to public services, especially libraries in schools. While prisons in the UK have libraries, primary schools are not. The result, according to one survey, is that 14% of kids have no library space at all. This disadvantage is more serious in the north of England, where children’s reading scores are lower.
As Children’s Prize winner in 2021, the author Cressida Cowell wrote an open letter to the prime minister, Boris Johnson, calling for an annual investment of £100 million a year in primary school libraries. Her demand should be taken seriously, as it directly meets the needs of children most badly affected by the cost of living crisis.
1. Which statement does the author probably agree with?| A．Families with financial problems are on the increase. |
| B．Family income influences children’s chance of reading. |
| C．Children are not willing to read because of study pressure. |
| D．Some UK parents can’t afford the time to read books for children. |
| A．They tend to reflect parents’ tastes. |
| B．They exist in every prison and school. |
| C．They have already got enough financial support. |
| D．They promote equality in children’s reading to some extent. |
| A．It satisfies all citizens. | B．It will be taken into account. |
| C．It offers reasonable advice. | D．It will solve the problem of inequality. |
| A．Reading: a Mirror of Economy. | B．Children’s Reading: a Gift for All. |
| C．Libraries: the Key to Reading Ability. | D．An Interview: Poor Families Are in Need. |
8 . 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. |
9 . Today’s amazing newspaper headline!
First family of four to walk to the South Pole wearing Mickey Mouse ears and clown’s shoes.
No, not really. It isn’t true. I invented it. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see it one day soon. It seems that every week someone becomes ”the first” or “the youngest” or “the oldest” or even “the first married couple” to do something that doesn’t seem to be very useful to the rest of humanity.
This year I’ve seen headlines saying “The youngest person to sail the Atlantic alone”, “The youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest”, and “The first people to fly around the world in a hot air balloon”. Why do they do it? Don’t they have better things to do with their time and money? And why should I be interested anyway?
Human beings have already climbed the highest mountains, sailed across the oceans and flown around the world. People have already reached the most remote parts of our planet. Many of these things were done a long, long time ago. There just isn’t anything left to explore nowadays. I suppose there’s still a lot of the universe left, and the bottom of the oceans is still a bit of a mystery, but you need a lot of technology to explore areas like that. So, those people who feel the need for adventure can only do things that have been done before. So they have to try and do it in a new way, or be “the fastest” or “the youngest” or “the oldest” to do something that isn’t really new at all.
What is so great about climbing Mount Everest these days anyway? It’s become a popular tourist trip. People pay thousands of dollars to be taken up the mountain by the local Sherpas, who lead the way and carry the bags. At any one time there are about a thousand people either climbing up or on their way back down. As a result, Everest is covered with rubbish and the Sherpas have to make special trips up the mountain to pick it up. The climbers are often inexperienced and when they get into trouble other people have to risk their lives to bring them down to safety. Helicopter crews have been killed trying to reach people who were stuck on the mountain.
In January 2003 a helicopter carrying two British men crashed into the sea near Antarctica. I’m not quite sure what they were trying to be “the first” or “the youngest” to do. The Chilean navy picked them up after a nine-hour rescue mission that cost tens of thousands of pounds, all paid for by the Chilean and British taxpayers.
Talking of taxpayers, many Australians are getting a bit fed up with record breakers. A lot of people trying to break sailing or rowing records get into trouble in the seas around Australia, so the Australian navy has to send ships to save them. There have been a lot of difficult, time-consuming rescue missions in recent years costing the Australian government millions of dollars. I suppose we can’t just leave them to drown, but personally, I think we should give the bill to the people who are rescued. Perhaps they would think twice about doing it if they had to pay for expensive insurance premiums (保费). Then I wouldn’t have to read about them in the newspapers either.
1. The writer invents the newspaper headline in paragraphs 1 & 2 to ________.| A．persuade readers of a new trend | B．entertain readers with his humor |
| C．get readers interested in the topic | D．remind readers of an important event |
| A．Mount Everest is now covered with a lot of rubbish |
| B．climbing Mount Everest has already lost its true meaning |
| C．it’s impossible to climb up Mountain Everest without help |
| D．people without experience may get in trouble or even danger |
| A．They have to pay for the costs of rescuing the record breakers. |
| B．The Australian navy was not something intended for rescue work. |
| C．The record breakers should pay for their insurance premiums themselves. |
| D．A great number of people try to break records in the seas around Australia. |
| A．It’s All Been Done Before | B．Never Do Something New |
| C．You Are the Next Record Breaker | D．Be Responsible for Your Adventures |
10 . More and more teenagers are becoming unwilling to exercise worldwide. Australia, a nation that prides itself on its outdoor culture, is doing particularly poorly. It is currently ranked (排名) 140th out of 146 countries for teenage exercise levels. The data shows that 85%of girls are physically inactive compared to 78% of boys. In Australia, less than 1 in 10 teenagers aged 12 to 18 are meeting the recommended levels of physical activity.
The current guidelines and evidence show that teenagers should be doing at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. This should include muscle and bone strengthening activities on at least three days per week, meanwhile limiting recreational screen time to a maximum of 2 hours per day.
Not being active can cause a range of health conditions leading to early adulthood and beyond. Adolescents may have decreased bone and cardio-metabolic (心脏代谢的) health which leaves them facing an increased risk of chronic disease (慢性病) in later life, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and decreased fitness. If you’re not moving enough you’re also at an increased risk of being overweight or obese, with data already showing that 29.8% of teenagers (14-17) are classified as overweight or obese.
So how can we get teenagers to exercise more? Firstly, high schools should place more importance on lunchtime and allow 1-hour breaks that increase physical activity. We should also encourage teenagers to be active on their lunch break. Parents and guardians also have an important role to play and should aim to devote 1 hour a day to moving more. This does not need to be 1 full hour and can be broken down into two 30-minute parts. The most important factor is to identify your teenager’s interests and needs surrounding their physical activity.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help in finding a safe and fun exercise program. A qualified exercise physiologist or exercise scientist can help your child find a way to be more active that is suited to their needs, age of development, and interests.
1. How does the writer show teenagers in Australia lack enough exercise in Paragraph 1?| A．By analyzing reasons. | B．By listing data. |
| C．By making comparison. | D．By giving examples. |
| A．A lack of exercise does lasting harm to health. |
| B．Outdoor activities help build positive characters. |
| C．Most chronic diseases come from getting overweight. |
| D．Teenagers tend to take in more calories than they actually need. |
| A．Parents’ full participation in exercising. |
| B．Arranging a balanced diet for them. |
| C．Taking their interests into consideration. |
| D．Improvement in the school PE course. |
| A．To recommend fun exercise programs. |
| B．To encourage physical activity in teenagers. |
| C．To show the way to build a good living habit. |
| D．To explain the reason for teenagers’ poor health. |
