1 . No business would welcome being compared to gambling (赌博). Yet that is what is happening to makers of video games. For years parents have complained that their children are “addicted” to their video games and smartphones. Today, however, even more doctors are using the term. On January 1 this year, “gaming disorder” — in which games are played uncontrollably, despite causing harm — gained recognition from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Are games really addictive? Psychologists have different opinions. Those who don’t think so say that this is just another moral panic. Similar warnings have been given about television, rock’n’roll, jazz, comic books, novels and even crossword puzzles, but it turns out that they are not as harmful as expected.
However, supporters argue that game developers have the motivation and the means to design their products to make them extremely attractive. For one thing, the business- model has changed: In the old days, games were bought once and for all. But these days, games are free and money is earned from buying of in-game goods, which ties playtime directly to profit they make. For another, game-makers combine psychological theory and data, which helps them maximize the playtime. Smart phones and modern video game machines use their permanent Internet connections to send gameplay data back to developers. In this way products are constantly adjusted to encourage players’ spending. The biggest spenders are known as “whales”, a term that originated in casinos (赌场).
The gaming industry should realize that, in the real world, it has a problem, and that problem is growing. Now that gaming addiction comes with an official WHO recognition, diagnoses will become more common. Anyway, being put together with gambling in the public mind, fairly or not, will not do the industry any good.
1. What do we know from Paragraph 1?| A．It is not suitable to compare video games to gambling. |
| B．Parents complain about their children’s addiction to gambling. |
| C．Gaming addiction was officially recognized as a disease. |
| D．More doctors are against the use of the term “addicted”. |
| A．Unexpected addiction caused by science and technology. |
| B．Wrong judgment on how harmful something is. |
| C．Trouble caused by someone’s immoral behavior. |
| D．A shocking statement of the unexpected panic. |
| A．They don’t charge players for in-game goods. |
| B．They keep players’ video game machines updated. |
| C．They reward big spenders with a unique title. |
| D．They adjust products based on received data. |
| A．offer a suggestion | B．make a prediction |
| C．give a warning | D．put forward a solution |
2 . Young children are significantly more likely than adults to have their opinions influenced by robots according to a new research. The study, conducted-at the-University of Plymouth, compared how adults and children respond to an identical (相同的) task when in the presence of both their peers (同龄人) and robots.
It showed that while adults regularly have their opinions influenced by peers, something also demonstrated in previous studies, they are largely able to resist being persuaded by robots. However, children aged between seven and nine were more likely to give the same responses as the robots, even if they were obviously incorrect.
The study asks people to look at a screen showing four lines and say which two match in length. When alone, people almost never make a mistake but when doing the experiment with others, they tend to follow what others are saying.
When children were alone in the room in this research, they scored 87%on the test, but when the robots join in their score drops to 75%. And of the wrong answers, 74% matched those of the robot.
Professor Belpaeme said, ”People often follow the opinions of others and we’ve known for a long time that it is hard to resist taking over views and opinions of people around-us. But as robots will soon be found in the home and the workplace, we were wondering if people would follow robots. What our results show is that adults do not follow what the robots are saying. But when we did the experiment with children, they did. It shows children can perhaps have more of an affinity (亲和力)with robots than adults, which does pose the question: What if robots were to suggest, for example, what products to buy or what to think?“?
1. What did the adults do when staying with robots?| A．They generally refused the robots’ effects. |
| B．They totally accepted the robots’ suggestions. |
| C．They tried to persuade robots to resist them. |
| D．They usually compared robots with their children. |
| A．Because children were not as clever as the adults. |
| B．Because robots reflected better than human beings. |
| C．Because robots in the presence made mistakes. |
| D．Because children wanted to affect the robots on purpose. |
| A．He is optimistic about the result. | B．He is worried about the future. |
| C．He doesn’t care about the result. | D．He doubts the result of the research. |
| A．What is the meaning of the research? |
| B．What should adults do to avoid the problem? |
| C．Why are children more likely to be influenced? |
| D．What will be done to solve the problem? |
3 . School uniforms are traditional in Britain. Pupils at about 90 percent of British secondary schools wear uniforms. When every pupil in the school wears the uniform, nobody has to worry about fashion and they feel that they belong to a group. Some people believe that a school uniform can help students pay attention to schoolwork. But some schools in Britain and other countries are starting to drop the traditional uniforms.
An Australian school has decided to drop its traditional school uniform, hoping new sportswear will encourage students to take part in more activities. School headmaster Elisabeth Lenders said the uniform change had been in the works for several years. “We decided that in 2018-2019,” she said. “The importance is clear: to make young people live happy, healthy lives.”
Ms. Lenders said World Health Organization research reported 90 percent of young Australians and New Zealanders were not getting the minimum daily levels of activity they needed in order to lead a healthy life.
As well as the new uniform, she said the school would change timetables to make sure there would be chances for students to take part in physical activity every day.
Ms. Lenders said in the past, a uniform was about all looking the same but in the 21st century it was important for students to be able to choose clothes that they liked.
And this Australian school had made an online survey about the uniform change and had received great support from parents and students. Tara, mother of Ava in Year 7, said it was a great move from the school. “These are the challenges of our time, and we want young people to think about them,” she said. “It is bigger than just throwing out the old uniform. It’s about what the role of education is about. And for me, it’s helping young people to live a happy, healthy and productive life.”
1. What does the underline word “that” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．physical activity | B．uniform change |
| C．happy life | D．students’ health |
| A．helps students to live a healthy life | B．gives students a sense of belonging |
| C．leaches students to dress fashionably | D．helps students to pay attention to study |
| A．Students there may wear different kinds of clothes. |
| B．It’s not clear whether the change is good for students or not. |
| C．Parents have different opinions towards the change of uniform. |
| D．The change receives strong support from students and parents. |
| A．Novel. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A newspaper. | D．A book review. |
4 . Handing your baby a phone or a tablet to play with may seem like a harmless solution when you’re busy, but it could actually affect their development, a new study has found.
Having anywhere from one to four hours of screen time per day at age l is linked with higher risks of developmental delays in communication skills, fine motor skills, personal and social skills,and problem-solving skills by age 2, according to a study of 7,097 children published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. The study measured how many hours children used screens per day at age 1 and how they performed in these developmental domains (领域) at ages 2 and 4. Both measures were according to the mothers’ self-reports.
By age 2, those who had had up to four hours of screen time per day were up to 3 times more likely to experience developmental delays in communication and problem-solving skills. Those who had spent four or more hours with screens were 4.78 times more likely to have underdeveloped communication skills,1.74 times more likely to have poor performances in fine motor skills and two times more likely to have underdeveloped personal and social skills by age2. By age 4, risk remained only in the communication and problem-solving categories.
“One of the areas that is relatively understudied in the whole screen time literature is looking at the impacts of screen exposure on very young kids, especially when screens are introduced to babies,” said Dr. John Hutton, an associate professor of general and community pediatrics (儿科) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. “It’s definitely a global concern, and I think the findings should really be applied to other countries as well.”
“Technology use can take time away from interpersonal relationships that develop social skills since real people are more multidimensional than characters on a screen.” Hutton added. Looking at people’s faces is when our brains turn on to figure out how to interact with them.
1. What does the new study focus on?| A．A baby’s mental health. | B．Children’s developmental skills. |
| C．A kid’s academic performance. | D．Students’ creative abilities. |
| A．Analyzing data. | B．Giving examples. |
| C．Reviewing literature. | D．Doing experiments. |
| A．The impact of screen exposure should be studied. |
| B．The findings should be applied to certain countries. |
| C．Global attention should be paid to kids’ screen hours. |
| D．Screens should be introduced to more and more babies. |
| A．What Faults Can Be Found with Screens |
| B．What Difficulties A Young Kid Will Face |
| C．How Screens Change Developmental Skills |
| D．How Screen Time Influences Kids’ Development |
| A. awkward B. youth C. online D. schedules E. recommend F. debate |
What are teenagers into and what turns them off? A(n)
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a shocking finding about the air we breathe. It has found that almost everyone on Earth breathes unhealthy air. The WHO made
The WHO said its report highlighted the need to move away from fossil fuels. It asked governments to do more
7 . We know it can be hard to put your phone to bed before you sleep. However, if you’re trying to improve your sleep, you really should ditch your phone at least an hour before bedtime. Luckily, our experts can help.
Scientific evidence suggests that the blue light emitted from your phone, tablet, computer, and TV suppresses (抑制) your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone (荷尔蒙) that plays an important role in your sleep cycle. Melatonin release in the evening helps you relax before bedtime. A 2013 study that analyzed technology use and sleep patterns with data from a National Sleep Foundation poll found that using devices like phones was tied to more sleep disruption than electronics that aren’t interactive.
Many of us use the excuse that our mobile devices serve as our wake-up calls, or keep them nearby to use meditation apps. If you want to use your phone as an alarm, consider setting it a couple of hours before you turn in for the night, and then setting the phone itself to bedtime mode for the rest of the evening.
Here’s another groundbreaking idea: You could get a real alarm clock. After reviewing them at Reviewed, we recommend the Sharp Dream Caster. Not only is it easy to set a wake-up time, the clock includes white noises and rain noises to help you sleep, plus a number of volume settings to pick what works best for you.
But an alarm clock won’t help you avoid doom-scrolling through social media. Take things a step further by avoiding using electronic devices. You can try reading a book (one made of paper), taking a bath or drinking a cup of chamomile tea.
Finally, if you want to keep up your meditation practice screen-free, consider the Morphée. It looks like a little music box and comes with a variety of breathing exercises and soundscapes to help you get to sleep.
1. What does the underlined word “ditch” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Set aside. | B．Pick up. | C．Show off. | D．Turn to. |
| A．Relaxing yourself before bedtime. |
| B．Sleeping less than you normally would. |
| C．Adapting to your sleep cycle more easily. |
| D．Reducing the pressure from screen use. |
| A．It is sold at a lower price. | B．It can predict a heavy rain. |
| C．It is controlled by cellphone. | D．It helps put your eyes together. |
| A．Making the best of the eco-friendly products. |
| B．Making a change according to circumstances. |
| C．Establishing a bedtime routine without electronics. |
| D．Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. |
8 . A huge fire broke out on 2 September 1666 in London. The fire, known as the Great Fire of London, was the worst fire in the history of London. It burned down more than three quarters of the old city.
The fire started in the very early hours of Sunday morning in the house of the king’s baker. A strong wind blew the fire from the baker’s house into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the beginning.
At that time, most of the buildings in London were made of wood, so it was easy for the fire to spread quickly. By eight o’clock, three hundred houses were on fire. By Monday, nearly a kilometre of the city was burning along the Thames River. On Tuesday, which was considered the worst day, the fire destroyed many well-known buildings, including the old St Paul’s Cathedral.
The fire burned until finally hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire were destroyed to create a firebreak. The fire then died out eventually with nothing left to burn.
1. Why is the fire of 1666 called the Great Fire of London?| A．The fire broke out in the capital of England. |
| B．The fire was the worst fire in the history of London. |
| C．People in England will never forget the fire. |
| D．The fire spread fast into Thames Street. |
| A．In the house of the king’s baker. |
| B．In Thames Street. |
| C．In the house of the baker’s neighbour. |
| D．In St Paul’s Cathedral. |
| A．It started in a baker’s house. |
| B．It broke out on a Sunday morning. |
| C．A hotel was next to the baker’s house. |
| D．Most of the buildings in London were wooden. |
| A．The old St Paul’s Cathedral. |
| B．Hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire. |
| C．Hundreds of wooden houses. |
| D．All of the above. |
9 . While English is getting more important in our schools, Chinese has become popular among foreign kids. But Chinese can be more difficult to learn. At least 16-year-old Piao Chenglong thinks so. “English is easier for me. Chinese characters (汉字) have too many strokes (笔画),” said Piao. “But I want to learn it. I want to study at Beijing University when I grow up.” Piao is from Korea. He came to China in 2008.
In Korea, there are more than 300, 000 Chinese learners like Piao. Some Korean students begin to learn to write the language on their first day at school. To help students learn Chinese, Korea holds speaking competitions for high school students every year.
Chinese isn’t just popular in Korea. People from all the world want to learn it. The Ministry of Education of China says that nearly 130 million people from 85 countries are learning Chinese. This number will be increasing to 800 million in the coming years.
In America, Chinese is the second most popular foreign language after Spanish. Some American middle schools have Chinese classes. Students learn to make jiaozi and tie Chinese knots (中国结). Some even try to write and draw in the Chinese way!
People want to learn Chinese because China is becoming such an important country. Foreign countries want to understand China better to help them with business. The Chinese government is also helping the world learn Chinese. It has sent more than 200 Chinese teachers to more than 60 countries in the world. Many more Confucius Institutes (孔子学院) will be set up in the world. These institutes will teach Chinese to foreign students.
1. Which of the following is the topic sentence for the text?| A．Chinese has become popular among foreign kids. |
| B．Chinese can be more difficult to learn. |
| C．In America, Chinese is the second most popular foreign language after Spanish. |
| D．Students learn to make jiaozi and tie Chinese knots. |
| A．China. | B．America. | C．Korea. | D．Spain. |
| A．making jiaozi |
| B．writing and drawing in the Chinese way |
| C．tying Chinese knots |
| D．singing Chinese songs |
| A．Because Chinese is getting more important in their schools. |
| B．Because Chinese characters have too many strokes. |
| C．Because the number of people learning Chinese will be 800 million. |
| D．Because China is becoming more and more important in the world. |
10 . The Enrollment of International Students of Xi’an University of Science and Technology (XUST)
Application Procedure
1. Log in to the website (gjjl.xust.edu.cn) to download and fill in the Application Form for International Students;
2. Provide digital photocopies or scans of valid (有效的) regular passport.
Charge List
1. Registration fee ( not refunded) : ￥200 per person (under 3 months), ￥400 per person (over 3 months)
2. Tuition and other charges
| Item | Program | Fee (RMB) | Notes |
| Tuition (学费) | International Cultural Exchange Program | 6,500 per half year 13,000 per year | Less than half a year, tuition will be charged by month |
| Bachelor Degree Program | 16,000 (Science) | ||
| 14,000 (Liberal Art) | |||
| Master Degree Program | 20,000 (Science) | ||
| 18,000 (Liberal Art) | |||
| Ph. D Degree Program | 30,000 | ||
| Accommodation | Single Room | 5,000-6,000 | |
| Double Room | 2,500-3,000 | ||
| Insurance | 800 | One year collected money | |
| Medical examination | 415 | Collected money | |
| Visa | 400 | ￥800 if over a year | |
Medical Insurance
According to the regulations issued by the Chinese Ministry of Education, all international students are required to purchase the Comprehensive Insurance & Protection scheme for Foreigners Staying in China on the registration day. Students who do not have valid medical insurance will not be allowed to register.
Medical insurance fee: ￥800 per person per year
Contact Information
Room B202, Admission Division, International Exchange and Cooperation Office, Xi’ an University of Science and Technology, 58 Yanta Road, Xi’ an, Shaanxi, 710054, China.
Tel: + 86-29-85583033
Fax: + 86-29-85583719
E-mail: luc@xust.edu.cn
Website: www.xust.edu.cn
1. How can an applicant get the Application Form according to the text?| A．Call at + 86-29-85583033. | B．Fax to + 86-29-85583719. |
| C．Visit gjjl.xust.edu.cn. | D．Come to Room B202, XUST. |
| A．Master Degree Program for Science. | B．Bachelor Degree Program for Science. |
| C．Master Degree Program for Liberal Art. | D．Bachelor Degree Program for Liberal Art. |
| A．Tuition. | B．Insurance. | C．Accommodation. | D．Medical examination. |
