1 . Each food product in the United States must show a “best before” date on its container. The goal is to tell the buyer when the food will be at its freshest. Most people believe it is unsafe to use the food product after that date. But some observers say “best before” labels have nothing to do with safety. They worry that the information will lead consumers to throw away food good to eat.
Some food sellers in Britain recently removed “best before” labels from prepackaged fruit and vegetables. The European Union may soon announce changes to its labeling laws. It may even end the requirement to include a date.In the US, there is no similar effort. Some big food store owners and food companies are pushing for the US Congress to pass new laws on the subject.
Studies have found as much as 35% of available food goes uneaten in the United States.That adds up to a lot of wasted energy. It also means more greenhouse gases coming from landfills. 7% of US food waste comes from people’s misunderstanding of “best before” labels. That percentage is equal to about 3. 6 million tons each year.
Richard Lipsit owns a store called Grocery Outlet in Pleasanton, California. He said we can safely eat canned goods and many other packaged foods for years after their “best before”date. People should look for changes in color, thickness, or feel to learn if foods are all right to eat. “Our bodies are very well equipped to recognize the signs of decay,” Lipsit said. “We’ve lost trust in those senses and we’ve replaced it with trust in these dates.”
If new laws are approved in Congress, food could be donated to food rescue organizations even after its quality date has passed. Food rescue is making efforts to find uses for outdated food. Currently, at least 20 states ban the sale or donation of food after its quality date has passed.
1. What do most people think of the food out of “best before” date?| A．It is a threat to their health. | B．It is still fresh enough. |
| C．It should be donated to food rescue organizations. | D．It should be sold at a lower price. |
| A．To point out the mistake they have made. | B．To show the necessity for US to take similar measures. |
| C．To stop US Congress from passing new laws. | D．To praise their efforts on the subject. |
| A．There is an energy crisis in US nowadays. |
| B．Food industry is polluting the country. |
| C．The misunderstanding of “best before” labels is one cause of waste. |
| D．People know nothing about “best before” labels. |
| A．Food that has gone bad. | B．Food that is out of date. |
| C．Food that is not expensive. | D．Food that has a rare color. |
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3 . Culdesac, which describes itself as “the first car-free neighborhood in the Us”, admitted its first 36 residents in Tempe, Arizona, US, earlier this year. The $170 million neighborhood, with its white buildings and narrow walkways, is expected to hold around 1, 000 people when the full 760 units are completed by 2025. Similar projects in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Houston, Texas, are also underway.
In a country as car-dependent as the US, Culdesac is no lack of foresight (远见). Although some densely populated (人口密集的) coastal Us cities like Boston and New York City are walkable and have ample public transportation options like taxis, buses and light rails, the majority of Americans are entirely dependent on cars to get around.
This dependence on cars doesn’t come cheap, unfortunately. In a 2023 study, the American Automobile Association said that it costs an average of about 89,000 yuan per year to own and maintain a car in the US.
So, what is stopping Americans from abandoning cars and accepting relatively cheaper choices like e-bikes? In a word, unsafe roads that prioritize cars over people. According to a 2018 report by WHO, the US traffic accident death rate is about 50 percent more than similar nations in Western Europe. At the same time, walkers and cyclists in the US are often blamed for being hit by drivers rather than the other way around.
Still, there’s hope. By choosing a new car-free way of living, US projects like Culdesac can provide another way of living that’s both healthier and more affordable and, in turn, influence others to live a better way as well. As Vanessa, a resident of Culdesac, said, “For some, cars equal freedom, but for me, it’s limitation, Freedom is being able to just simply walk out and access places. “
1. What can we learn about Culdesac from the text?| A．It is expected to hold only 1, 000 people, | B．It is the world’s largest car-free neighborhood, |
| C．It will be finished by the end of this year. | D．It is thought to be forward-thinking. |
| A．Enough. | B．Possible. | C．Similar. | D．Special. |
| A．Maintaining a car is cheap. | B．E-bikes are not widely available. |
| C．Road conditions are unsafe. | D．Drivers are respected by others. |
| A．Limiting freedom of movement. | B．Making local residents feel safer. |
| C．Encouraging people to explore their communities. | D．Promoting a cheaper and healthier way of living. |
4 . China’s tea culture has undergone dramatic, changes in recent years. The appearance of new-style teas can be traced back to the cheap roadside milk tea stands of the 1990s. Most of these drinks were made from powdered mixes and contained neither fresh milk nor fresh tea. The base ingredients weren’t updated until the arrival of Taiwan-based brands like CoCo and A Little Tea in the 2000s, leading to innovations such as “cheese tea”. These businesses started the “Milk Tea 2.0” era, transforming the milk tea business from a mixture of small stands into a standardized and fast-moving industry.
But even as the Taiwan-centric “Milk Tea 2.0” revolution was sweeping the world, the seeds of its next evolution were already sprouting (发芽) on the Chinese mainland. In 2012, a 21-year-old man named Nie Yunchen opened a milk tea store in the small southern city of Jiangmen, where he sold milk tea. By 2020, Nie’s HeyTea had 695 stores worldwide; was worth an estimated, 16 billion yuan, and had attracted a large number of imitators.
The new brands made their mark, by offering a more diverse range of tea bases, often with extras like seasonal fruit sparkling water, cream cheese or nuts.
The viability (可行性) of this business model owes much to China’s widespread embrace of high-end consumerism. Jason Yu, general manager of the market research firm Kantar World panel China, told me that “mothers with refined tastes”, urban white-collar workers, and those born after 1990 are the main drivers of Chinas new-style tea market—and, more broadly, the consumer market as a whole. These groups tend to be defined by busywork and home lives, and they see upscale drinks like tea and coffee not only as a way to quench their thirst (解渴), but also as a source of comfort. In this sense, new-style teas are filling a psychological, rather than a physical need. Many tea brands are aware of this and they have sought to associate themselves with healthy and relaxed lifestyle through their marketing campaigns.
Another driver of new-style tea consumption, according to Yu, is the desire among young people to combine consumption with social activity. “The goal of consumption for this generation of consumers is socializing,” Yu, said “You rarely see a person drinking Hey Tea by himself.”
1. How were new-style teas influenced by Taiwan-based brands?| A．These brands gave them a new name. |
| B．These brands changed their ingredients. |
| C．These brands in proved-their marketing. |
| D．These brands made them a healthier drink. |
| A．It can compete with “Milk Tea 2.0”. | B．It is targeted at high-income groups. |
| C．It has a good market at home and abroad. | D．It gradually develops the domestic market. |
| A．By improving the brand image. | B．By stressing their relaxing effect. |
| C．By showing their nutritious value. | D．By comparing them with other products. |
| A．The low price. | B．Their rich variety. |
| C．The chance to socialize. | D．Their desire To show off. |
增加：在缺词处加个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\) 划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，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。
Square dancing is becoming increasingly popular nowadays, that can be easily found in public places like squares and parks. The dancers gather in the large numbers and dance some joyful music happily. Therefore, not everyone is happy with this. Some people complain the music is too noisy that it affects their life serious. But I don’t agree with them. On the one hand, most of the dancers are retire women. By dancing, they can make more friend and enjoy their life after retirement. On the other hand, the places they chose are public, so everyone has the right to enjoy them there.
6 . Chinese consumers have said they will avoid eating Japanese seafood over safety concerns once Japan starts releasing (排放) nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean.
On July 7, the General Administration of Customs released an import (进口) ban on aquatic products from the 10 Japanese cities. It’s indicated that Japan’s plan to release polluted wastewater into the sea was a matter of global concern. The plan caused more Chinese consumers who eat seafood began to worry about their safety, according to the administration.
According to a survey in 2022 by Chinese market consultancy company iiMedia Research, 39.58 percent of participants eat Japanese seafood once every two or three weeks.
“I will not eat seafood imported from Japan anymore,” said a data engineer surnamed Wang in Shanghai. The 42-year-old has been a fan of Japanese food since 2000 and used to eat Japanese food once a month. “If I have other options, I will choose seafood that does not come from the Pacific Ocean,” he added.
Wang Qian, a financial employee in Beijing, said she has been to about 20 Japanese restaurants so far. “Normally, I would not pay attention to where the seafood came from. But now I will try not to choose seafood from Japan,”she said. “Wastewater poses a threat to human health and marine ecology.”
Wang Qian said that Japan should use other methods to solve the problem, rather than releasing nuclear wastewater into the ocean.
An employee of the Japanese restaurant Jiubanwu, in Beijing, who did not want to be named, told China Daily that the restaurant’s fish and shrimp are imported from Russia, France and other countries. “We have not been buying seafood from Japan since April,” she said.
In addition to food safety, some people are worried about using cosmetic (美容的) products made in Japan.
1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?| A．Releasing nuclear wastewater has aroused worldwide concern. |
| B．All the seafood which is imported from Japan will be banned. |
| C．Chinese consumers will be stricter when choosing seafood to eat. |
| D．Japan’s plan to release the wastewater is criticized by Japanese. |
| A．China’s specific methods to dealing with nuclear wastewater. |
| B．The influence of wastewater on Japanese cosmetic products. |
| C．A formal call to Japan for producing safer cosmetic products. |
| D．The world’s reply to Japanese nuclear wastewater releasing. |
| A．Surprised. | B．Doubtful. | C．Unclear. | D．Critical. |
7 . What does it take to become famous? Talent in singing, dancing or acting? Or
Recently, an Tibetan young man named Tashi Dingzhen has gained a lot of online followers. Though his
Everyone is born
| A．completely | B．obviously | C．simply | D．easily |
| A．hair | B．body | C．face | D．figure |
| A．happily | B．far | C．successfully | D．directly |
| A．landmark | B．charity | C．masterpiece | D．rise |
| A．contacted | B．helped | C．linked | D．called |
| A．reminded | B．asked | C．talked | D．wrote |
| A．laughed | B．delighted | C．praised | D．questioned |
| A．Money | B．Health | C．Wealth | D．Fame |
| A．following | B．changing | C．stopping | D．adding |
| A．choice | B．point | C．chance | D．explanation |
| A．weeks | B．hours | C．days | D．years |
| A．exist | B．fade | C．keep | D．stay |
| A．unique | B．smart | C．talented | D．pretty |
| A．boring | B．challenging | C．interesting | D．shocking |
| A．discussion | B．position | C．present | D．offer |
| A．disappearing | B．breaking | C．putting | D．encouraging |
| A．possible | B．amazing | C．strange | D．disappointing |
| A．life | B．heart | C．instruction | D．idea |
| A．in addition to | B．other than | C．regardless of | D．instead of |
| A．hurt | B．inspire | C．lose | D．control |
8 . Like most of us, I try to be mindful of food that goes to waste. The arugula (芝麻菜)was to make a nice green salad, rounding out a roast chicken dinner. But I ended up working late. Then friends called with a dinner invitation. I stuck the chicken in the freezer. But as days passed, the arugula went bad. Even worse, I had unthinkingly bought way too much; I could have made six salads with what I threw out.
In a world where nearly 800 million people a year go hungry, “food waste goes against the moral grain,” as Elizabeth Royte writes in this month’s cover story. It’s jaw-dropping how much perfectly good food is thrown away — from “ugly” (but quite eatable) vegetables rejected by grocers to large amounts of uneaten dishes thrown into restaurant garbage cans.
Producing food that no one eats wastes the water, fuel, and other resources used to grow it. That makes food waste an environmental problem. In fact, Royte writes, “if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world.”
If that’s hard to understand, let’s keep it as simple as the arugula at the back of my refrigerator. Mike Curtin sees my arugula story all the time — but for him, it's more like 12 bones of donated strawberries nearing their last days. Curtin is CEO of DC Central Kitchen in Washington, D.C., which recovers food and turns it into healthy meals. Last year it recovered more than 807,500 pounds of food by taking donations and collecting blemished (有瑕疵的) produce that otherwise would have rotted in fields. And the strawberries? Volunteers will wash, cut, and freeze or dry them for use in meals down the road.
Such methods seem obvious, yet so often we just don’t think. “Everyone can play a part in reducing waste, whether by not purchasing more food than necessary in your weekly shopping or by asking restaurants to not include the side dish you won’t eat,” Curtin says.
1. What does the author want to show by telling the arugula story?| A．We pay little attention to food waste. | B．We waste food unintentionally at times. |
| C．We waste more vegetables than meat. | D．We have good reasons for wasting food. |
| A．Moral decline. | B．Environmental harm. |
| C．Energy shortage. | D．Worldwide starvation. |
| A．It produces kitchen equipment. | B．It turns rotten arugula into clean fuel. |
| C．It helps local farmers grow fruits. | D．It makes meals out of unwanted food. |
| A．Buy only what is needed. | B．Reduce food consumption. |
| C．Go shopping once a week. | D．Eat in restaurants less often. |
9 . “Ni Hao! I am your foreign friend. Just have a bite of our organic apples (有机苹果) and place your orders here!” Erik Nilson, a Swedish traveler, greeted through TikTok livestreams (抖音直播) in a village of Jiangxi Province. His livestreams increased that day’s sales greatly. After experiencing a special day of livestreaming, Erik said jokingly. “I wish I could change my job.”
This village is not alone. Nowadays, China’s e-commerce platforms (电商平台) like TikTok and Taobao have helped open up online markets for Chinese farmers’ produce. This has made livestreaming sales a new way to help poor farmers, with mobile phones becoming “new farm tools”.
“How can you make the audience believe that your products are delicious just through the screen in front of you?” The government in Hainan Province invites experts to teach farmers some necessary skills including how to make short videos and how to increase livestreaming sales. “However, at first, only a few villagers gave it a shot. So we helped them get training in livestreaming, short video marketing, and other courses. It wasn’t fancy, but simple, practical, and effective.”
“Everybody, please take a look. This is the best banana. Taste it.” said Pei Yanqin, 59, speaking with a strong local accent but communicating carefully with audience through her livestreaming software. Just over a year ago, she was one of those villagers with the least interest to get training.
Today, the village has developed eight e-commerce livestreaming courtyards. Some farmers work alone, while others are husband and wife teams. In the next step, the government will train more farmers to conduct the livestreams and develop multi-variety online sales.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To promote the organic apples. | B．To share a travel experience of Erik. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the text. | D．To explain what the livestreams are. |
| A．turned it down. | B．had a try at it. | C．had access to it. | D．argued about it. |
| A．Erik Nilson came to China because he wants a new job. |
| B．Pei Yanqin has no interest in livestreaming sales at all. |
| C．Livestreaming has become the best way to help poor farmers. |
| D．Government is helping farmers become skilled in marketing online. |
| A．Business. | B．Education. | C．Science. | D．History. |
10 . A new study of 8,000 young people in the journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily, it is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression(抑郁). The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.
The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”. According to the study, even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”, this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won’t tell that to their parents.
Dr. Marianm Kaufman, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression. She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family. Parents should watch for signs of depression—eating or mood changes—and if they see signs from their daughters or sons, they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity(成熟) gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.
1. What’s the main idea of the passage?| A．Puppy love may bring young people depression. |
| B．Parents should forbid their children’s love. |
| C．Romance is a two-edged sword for adults . |
| D．Romance is good for young people. |
| A．Young people who have a strong sense of self. |
| B．Young boys whose parents watch for their behavior. |
| C．Young girls who always hide their feelings and opinions. |
| D．Careless parents whose children are deep in love. |
| A．Lacking love can lead young people to grow up more quickly. |
| B．The older a woman is, the less likely she seems to lose herself in romance. |
| C．Parents should help their children to be aware of the signs of depression. |
| D．Early love makes young people keep close to their friends and parents. |
| A．Puzzled. | B．Frightened. |
| C．Unconcerned. | D．Disapproving. |
