1. Why does Sophia apologize to Simon?
| A．For leaving without saying goodbye. |
| B．For breaking the wine glasses. |
| C．For being late for the party. |
| A．He lost his job. |
| B．He had an accident. |
| C．He missed a meeting. |
| A．He agrees with the woman. |
| B．The woman should be polite. |
| C．The woman’s concern is useless. |
3 . One third of adults over 65 in America have never used the Internet, and half don’t even have Internet access at home. In San Francisco, “the center of tech”, 40% of older adults do not have basic digital literacy skills.
This situation is becoming appalling as over 10,000 Americans turn 65 every single day. By 2050,22% of Americans will be 65 or older. Meanwhile, technology is developing very fast. This means that a large number of people will be unable to proficiently use emergent technology.
Many people believe that seniors aren’t required to participate in our tech future because they’ll be retired and relaxed soon. But this is the farthest thing from the truth. Baby boomers are currently experiencing a different boom: With more people getting older than ever before, their life expediencies are also increasing dramatically. With medical advancements, the number of American people projected to live into their 90’s has doubled since 1965.
However, they don’t have strong financial or educational support. This is not a problem; it’s a crisis. More than half of employees over 50 have been laid off in what’s being called ”forced retirement“. And few organizations are actively helping older employees make the transition from full-time jobs to part-time ones. For those fortunate enough to be employed, 3 out of 5 older workers experience prejudice.
The easiest solution is to teach digital literacy. If baby boomers want to survive the forthcoming retirement crisis, they should get enough digital knowledge and skills to operate today’s tools and tomorrow’s platforms. With every crisis comes an opportunity. Tutoring, customer service, editing, research, book-keeping, and other virtual assistance-based work open the doors. But again, digital knowledge is first required to live in our high-tech society and gig economy. So try to get more online and navigate the growing number of sites and apps.
1. What does the underlined word “appalling” probably mean in paragraph2?| A．Confusing. | B．Terrible. | C．Controllable. | D．Inspiring. |
| A．A crisis after retirement. | B．Being knocked out in the future. |
| C．Failing to receive good healthcare. | D．Tending to double their life expediencies. |
| A．The features of high-tech jobs. | B．The way out for baby boomers. |
| C．Potential industries in the future. | D．The importance of developing technology. |
| A．Have a good sense of crisis. | B．Avoid retiring at an early age. |
| C．Look for many part-time jobs. | D．Improve digital literacy actively. |
4 . We’ re searching for women aged 18-34 working to achieve success in their chosen field and make the world better. This is a chance to highlight your work and win a prize pool worth more than $ 100 ,000. Six finalists will be flown to Sydney to attend the Women of the Future event to be held later in the year, and the overall winner will receive:
●A$ 40,000 investment(投资)in a 12 Month Term Account with La Trobe Financial.
●A full-page advertisement in The Australian Women’s Weekly and Marie Claire to promote(促进)her cause.
●Additional exposure and support for her cause in Marie Claire.
To enter, tell us in 250 words or less about yourself and how you would use the prize toachieve your dreams and benefit others. Full terms and conditions are available at https://www. aremedia. com. au/com petitions/.
The nomination(提名)stage begins on June 16, 2023 and closes on July 22, 2023 at 11:59 pm. There are two stages of the awards, nomination stage and winner determined. These awards are only open to female Australian residents between 18 and 34 years of age as of June 16, 2023. Participants(参赛者)must be able to travel to Sydney on the date of the event, October 5, 2023. One entry permitted per person/group. This is a game of skill not :chance. The promoter is Are Media Pty Limited(ABN 18 053 273 546).
1. Who would most probably attend the event?| A．A woman, 23, USA. | B．A woman, 31, China. |
| C．A girl, 18, Australia. | D．A graduate, 22, Japan. |
| A．A $ 140,000 prize. |
| B．An opportunity of promoting her cause. |
| C．Making friends with the last overall winner. |
| D．A chance of being the cover person of Marie Claire. |
| A．The judges of the event. | B．The fields participants can choose. |
| C．The number of the participants. | D．The closing date of nomination. |
5 . This Is the Way Learning Center
The staff, parents and children enrolled (招收) at This Is the Way Learning Center are one big family. We take the health and safety of our family very seriously. This Is the Way Learning Center is committed to maintaining a safe environment for your children. We are following all safety rules. Should you have any questions regarding the processes in place please call our center. We will be happy to answer your questions.
This Is the Way Learning Center cares for and educates children aged 6 weeks and up. We are enrolling for all programs (Preschool and Nursery School) in addition to basic childcare. There will be no enrollment fees and registration fees. We are devoted to the future of your child and creating a lifetime love of learning at every age and stage. What can be more precious or important than the early developmental and learning years of our children?
This Is the Way Learning Center is located across the street from Henry Barnard School at 18 Shaker Road. It is conveniently located just minutes from 91 North and South, in the town of Enfield.
Hours:
• 6:30 am through 5:30 pm
• Monday through Friday
• Closed only on major holidays.
Ages:
• Children through kindergarten
• School age
Features:
• All-day, all-year daycare
• Homelike setting
• Age-appropriate play areas
• Child-friendly curriculum
• Computer education
• Trained and experienced teachers
You may email us at requests@thisisthewaylc.com or call us at 860-253-0010 to ask your questions and request a free brochure.
1. What is This Is the Way Learning Center?| A．It’s a big family. | B．It’s a training center. |
| C．It’s a safety center. | D．It’s a local program. |
| A．Everyone enrolled at it. | B．Age-appropriate coaches. |
| C．Computer education teachers. | D．Trained and experienced teachers. |
| A．Parents. | B．Visitors. | C．Students. | D．Professors. |
6 . Community colleges offer low tuition, job-specific training and other benefits. Whether you’re a high school student unsure of which colleges to apply to or someone considering going back to school, there are plenty of reasons to put community colleges on your list.
Lower Costs
The most frequently cited benefit of community colleges is the relatively low cost of attendance. According to data from the College Board, community colleges cost, on average, about one-third of in-state tuition at four-year public universities.
A Path to a Four-year College
Many four-year universities have transfer agreements with local community colleges. These agreements allow students who complete specific requirements to easily transfer into a four-year program at a nearby university. Transfer students can then earn a bachelor’s degree while only having to pay two years of higher tuition.
Flexibility
Community colleges allow for flexible scheduling, making them a particularly good option for older students who are working professionals or parents. Many community colleges also allow high school students to take college-level courses during evenings or weekends.
Workforce Training
Community colleges tend to offer a wide range of career and technical education programs in fields like nursing or firefighting. The highly applied nature of these programs prepares students for entering the workforce. From culinary (烹饪) arts to automobile mechanics, community colleges offer a broad selection of professionalized coursework that four-year universities often do not.
1. Who are most likely to attend community colleges?| A．High school students facing college choices. |
| B．Adults planning to work at high schools. |
| C．College students anxious to improve themselves. |
| D．Professionals eager for college-level courses. |
| A．Lower Costs. | B．A Path to a Four-year College. |
| C．Flexibility. | D．Workforce Training. |
| A．Interesting. | B．Time-consuming. | C．Practical. | D．Demanding. |
7 . One of the most important ways to learn and master the English language is to read, read, and read. It is said that a good reader is also a good writer and a good speaker. However, in today’s world, reading is something that most children dislike doing.
There are simply so many distractions (分心的事物) that books, magazines, and newspapers are often ignored and they are in favor of video games and movies. And while video games and movies also play a role in helping the child learn the English language, they still can’t quite compare to reading.
And as a result, kids are learning less and less. Take a look at an elementary level text book. You’ll notice that the books for elementary students are filled with pictures and colours. Those pictures and colours in the elementary level text books aren’t there just for the sake (缘由) of design. Colours and pictures make us more engaged in the act of learning grammar. They catch our attention and help us retain (保留) more of what we read. This is especially true for little children who enjoy fun English.
Children are quite easily distracted. When you ask them to sit down and read quietly, their minds will often wander and it won’t take long before you find them doodling (涂鸦) and not doing what you told them to do. But if a book is colourful enough to catch a kid’s attention, then you’ll have a better chance at getting the kid to sit down long enough to learn English.
The same principle holds true for interactivity (互动). Like colours and pictures, interactive reading materials like English songs for kids also get the child engaged in what he or she is learning. Interactive reading materials get the child to focus since using them is almost like playing.
1. Why do children dislike reading?| A．They prefer newspapers. | B．They prefer films. |
| C．They prefer magazines. | D．They prefer books. |
| A．full of pictures | B．explained clearly | C．written clearly | D．not very hard |
| A．do what they prefer | B．have a good time |
| C．fix their attention for a longer time | D．sit still and quietly |
8 . If you picnic in a Texas park, chances are you’ll encounter fire ants — a kind of pest that can deliver painful bites. This invasive (入侵的) species, like many others, is not only annoying but also destructive.
An invasive species is any kind of living thing that isn’t native to an ecosystem and causes harm. Sometimes non-native species are imported by accident, like in the 1930s when ships from South America inadvertently took fire ants to North America. Other times non-native species are imported deliberately. Some types of Asian fish that were originally imported to the U.S. from China to clean fish farms escaped and entered rivers. Green iguanas were brought to China, as pets, but irresponsible owners released them.
Non-native species have even been imported for emotional reasons. A man once released dozens of European starlings (八哥) in New York in an effort to bring all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s writings to America. Today, millions of starlings cause over $800 million in damage to U.S. agriculture every year. Invasive species’ global economic influence is also enormous. The U.S. government assesses that invasive species cost the American economy over $120 billion every year.
Invasive species can damage their host habitats by unbalancing local ecosystems. They often lack natural enemies in their new environment and out-compete native species for food and other resources. They also might feed on local species. Invasive species can also carry diseases for which local species have no immunity (免疫力). This can result in the loss of an entire native species.
Invasive species are among the leading threats to native wildlife. About 42% of threatened or endangered species are at risk due to invasive species. Unless people take serious action, the economic and environmental costs of invasive species will become disastrous.
1. What does the underlined word “inadvertently” mean in paragraph 2?| A．Separately. | B．Regularly. |
| C．Temporarily. | D．Unexpectedly. |
| A．To satisfy his wish. |
| B．To raise them as pets. |
| C．To copy Shakespeare’s behavior. |
| D．To do agricultural experiments. |
| A．Food shortage for native people. |
| B．Serious economic imbalance. |
| C．Economic and environmental problems. |
| D．Dangerous diseases for humans. |
| A．Wildlife Conservation |
| B．Protecting Native Species |
| C．Environmental Protection Measures |
| D．Our Unwelcome Guests |
9 . France is experiencing an unusually mild winter, which has led to low snowfall in ski areas across the country.
One affected ski area is Le Mourtis, in the Pyrenees mountains of southern France. The lack of snow has forced the holiday village to temporarily close its ski runs—at the height of the winter season. Local restaurants and hotels are seeing fewer visitors. People who do come to the area are seeking to do other things besides skiing. Warmer temperatures have made hiking one of the most popular activities. Recent daytime temperatures at Le Mourtis have reached 10 degrees Celsius. Some hikers even removed winter clothing while making their way across mountain areas containing very little snow.
“Skiing? No one today can guarantee it,” said hotel operator Gillaizeau. He has been making money by renting out two-wheeled motorcycles to help visitors in the area have fun. The scooters can be ridden down grassy mountains. They come with equipment made for riding on snow, but Gillaizeau has attached bicycle wheels instead. His ski rental equipment remains untouched. He says he has had to reduce the hours of some workers and expects business losses during the season to drop as much as 15 percent.
Many people in the area believe the latest winter is more than just a bad year. The last time France experienced such a mild December and January was in 1900, French weather officials say. Christelle Robert is an official with Meteo-France, the country’s national weather service. She told Reuters that mild winters and less snow seem to be a clear sign of global warming.
Scientists have predicted a continued rise in world temperatures. People connected to the area’s ski industry are considering a future with much less snow. If such weather continues, ski resorts around 1,600 meters above sea level will be so warm that they will not even be able to use artificial snow because it will melt.
1. Why did some hikers take off their winter clothes while crossing mountains?| A．They were wearing too thick clothes. | B．They had been exercising too much. |
| C．The mountain roads were very rough. | D．The temperature was not cold at all. |
| A．Visitors. | B．Scooters. | C．Bicycle wheels. | D．Grassy mountains. |
| A．The latest mild winter was in 1900. | B．Little snowfall has caused great economic loss. |
| C．No one wants to ski because of the bad weather. | D．There’s something wrong with ski equipment. |
| A．A medical report. | B．A tourist handbook. | C．A weather forecast. | D．An economic journal. |
10 . Coming upon a clear - cut in an old forest is a shocking experience. Tees large and small are collapsed one above the other in pile, and the ground is covered with the tracks of heavy machinery. Such was the scene when forest activist Zack Porter and I hiked a newly built logging (伐木) road in Green Mountain National Forest.
Clear - cutting in the American forests has long been widespread. But now, the Forest Habitat Creation Project represents new reasoning which is hotly debated - that clear - cutting benefits native creatures. The thinking is that clear - cutting done wisely can mimic natural disturbances, for example, from insect invasions or from storms overturning older trees that produce what ecologists call Early Successional Habitats - places where young trees and bushes get the upper hand and animals that depend on such habitat thrive.
The project also states that forests “can only be saved by being destroyed” - by keeping them young. Timber (木材) interests are enthusiastic about the approach because it lets them profit from cutting trees while claiming the significance of conservation. Hunting groups favor it because a younger, less thick forest makes it easier to find the game and birds they're tracking.
Nevertheless, Porter says, “Allowing some of the oldest standing trees in New England to be removed is equal to dereliction of duty on the part of the government, who sees the forests as commodities (商品).” “Forests can produce clean water, clean air, carbon storage, and biodiversity that we need,” he continues as we walk among lovely mixed hardwoods and evergreens that are cut down for logging. “We shouldn't be removing them for short - term gain.”
In this sense, Zack Porter's description of logging for wildlife for short - term gain - the short - term gain of favoring habitat for species people today want to see and hunt - is reasonable.
1. How does the author start the text?| A．By presenting some ideas. | B．By listing some evidence. |
| C．By comparing different views. | D．By stating his own experience. |
| A．Profits can be made from logging. |
| B．Clear - cutting is beneficial to the wildlife. |
| C．The conservation of forest is of significance. |
| D．Clear - cutting can cause natural disturbances. |
| A．Fulfillment. | B．Promise. | C．Misconduct. | D．Exposure. |
| A．A New Approach to Forest Protection |
| B．A Hiking Experience in the Logging Road |
| C．How to Build Early Successional Habitats? |
| D．Is Clear - cutting Forests Good for Wildlife? |
