1 . Jennifer and James Crumbley were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter (过失杀人罪) due to their failure to prevent their son Ethan from carrying out a deadly school shooting in Michigan, US. They were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison on April 9, reported The New York Times. The sentence for them marks the first instance in the US where parents have been held legally accountable for their child’s involvement in a mass shooting.
Prosecutors (检察官) argued that the couple ignored clear signs of their son’s mental health issues and emphasized that they purchased the gun he used in the 2021 attack. Ethan, who was only 15 when he killed four students in the shooting, was sentenced to life. “Opportunity knocked over and over again, louder and louder, and it was ignored,” Judge Cheryl Matthews told the court.
Instances of extreme and violent crimes committed by minors consistently stir shock and controversy globally. Such issues urge widespread societal reflection, leading nations to consider revising laws to lower the age of criminal responsibility. While most countries and regions have maintained a standard minimum age of criminal responsibility at 12 or 14 years for an extended period, there are exceptions. For example, Japan lowered the age from 16 to 14 in 2000, according to Xinhua.
In 2010, Denmark lowered its minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 14 years old. However, researchers found that this change did not reduce crime rates among 14-year-olds. Instead, the punitive measures (惩罚措施) had negative effects. These young individuals often fell behind their peers academically, especially on high school graduation exams, and the rate of reoffenders increased. Consequently, Denmark reversed this policy two years later, restoring the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 15 years old, The Paper reported.
Denmark’s experience showed that the law doesn’t always stop people from committing crimes again. Furthermore, preventing young people from committing crimes poses a complex challenge.
In Germany, imprisonment is considered a last resort, with a focus on educational, rehabilitative (善后的) and disciplinary measures, as noted in a 2018 paper published in the Justice Evaluation Journal. According to the paper, youth imprisonment is applied in only 2 percent of all cases. Additionally, some prisons offer vocational programs for young inmates, including woodworking, metalworking, and farming. Meanwhile, most of these teenage offenders are placed in community programs where social workers help educate and guide them toward a normal life.
1. Why were Jennifer and James sentenced ?A.They were the murders of involuntary manslaughter. |
B.They offered a gun to Ethan who carried out a school shooting. |
C.They didn’t take the parenting responsibility for their son’s problems in growth. |
D.They ignored their son’s mental health problems. |
A.Parents should be the key power to stop young people from committing crime. |
B.Solving the problems of minor’s crime needs joint efforts and diverse measures. |
C.Lowering the age of criminal responsibility can effectively prevent minors from crime. |
D.Increasing the rate of youth imprisonment can effectively prevent minors from crime. |
A.action to take | B.a place to visit |
C.an end to happen | D.a chance to take |
A.to show the severity of youth crime |
B.to show the efforts countries have made to stop youth crime |
C.to show the measures countries have made to stop youth crime |
D.to raise parents’ awareness of regulating and educating responsibility |
2 . A Virginia family whose home was destroyed by a fire last week recently received the gift of some old-fashioned Christmas cheer from “Santa Claus” (圣诞老人).
In the spirit of Christmas, the Ferrum Volunteer Fire Department delivered presents to the family who lost their home and belongings in a house fire on Thursday.
“It was a working structure fire and unfortunately the family lost everything. We as volunteers knew that we couldn’t let this mom and her three kids go through Christmas without anything,” the fire station wrote on Facebook. “Yes, they’re OK but it’s Christmas, right?”
The fire station officials delivered Christmas gifts to the mother and her three children the following day at the local church shelter they were staying at, and in photos posted on the site, the children appeared joyful.
“We brought gifts and more gifts! The kids were overjoyed and very grateful.” the station said on its post.
“They were very happy to see all the gifts and the fire trucks that we brought the gifts in,” the department told USA TODAY. The kids received Barbies, Pokémon, artworks, remote control cars, blankets, clothes and shoes. The mother also received a gift card.
The Facebook post was flooded with what seemed to be comments from community members touched by the generosity. “The best Christmas gifts are the ones you give! Thank you all for your wonderful service and your big hearts!” one user commented.
“So thankful they are alright! We are truly blessed to live in such a giving and helping community, and our fire department and rescue teams are amazing! Great job! So proud!” another user wrote.
1. What can we learn from the text?A.The Fire Department provided the family with shelter. |
B.The volunteers saved some belongings for the family. |
C.The family went through Christmas in sorrow. |
D.Receiving a Christmas gift is a traditional joy. |
A.Ambiguous. | B.Unconcerned. | C.Appreciative. | D.Sympathetic. |
A.By giving examples. | B.By using quotation. |
C.By making comments. | D.By analysing causes. |
A.Firefighters or Santa Claus? | B.Firefighters Safeguarded Us |
C.A Fire Brought Gifts | D.Love Can Cure |
3 . People are flying more than ever. From short trips to traveling around the globe, many are on the move. But finding the way at the airports has never been easy in the US, due to crowding and a lot of tasks like checking in, taking care of baggage, screening and finding your gate. It is often difficult to get to where you are going. If you are in a wheelchair or visually challenged, it’s even harder.
The new terminal (航站楼) at the Kanses City International Airport is designed to fix many of these shortcomings. The new facility features indoor play areas, changing rooms, and a quiet room for people who cannot handle the noise or activity of a busy airport. There is even a pet relief area for people traveling with their furry family members. One innovation is the glass-walled jet bridge for people who are worried about getting on and off planes. And for people who are uncomfortable with the whole airport and flying process, there are simulators (模拟器) that allow travelers to go from boarding to taking off virtually.
Justin Meyer, with the Kansas City Aviation Department, said the new terminal sets a high standard for acceptance that passengers will expect to see in other airports. “The goal isn’t that we’re forever at the head of the line,” Meyer said. “My goal was just to raise the bar, so if someone else wants to build the most accessible airport in the world, they’re going to have to start from where Kansas City stopped. In the end, passengers win.”
While making airports more accessible to people with different abilities may seem to be expensive or difficult, the benefits certainly outweigh the costs. Accessible airports mean that more people and their families will be able to travel and then the skies will be friendly to all.
1. What is the function of paragraph 1?A.To send a warning. | B.To introduce the topic. |
C.To offer practical advice. | D.To advocate improving service quality. |
A.People who take a pet. | B.People who use a wheelchair. |
C.People who travel with family. | D.People who have flight anxiety. |
A.To establish a physical bar for access. | B.To delay the progress of other airports. |
C.To improve the quality of services provided. | D.To increase the number of passengers served. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Favorable. | C.Indifferent. | D.Conservative. |
4 . Some of the most successful people have done their best work in coffee shops. Pablo Picasso, JK Rowling, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Bob Dylan ---whether they’re painters, writers, philosophers, or singer-songwriters, people across nations and centuries have tapped into their creativity working away at a table in a café.
There are many ways coffee shops stimulate our creativity in a way offices and homes don’t. Research shows that the stimuli in these places make them effective environments for work; the combination of noise, visual variety and casualness can give us just the right amount of distraction to help us be at our sharpest and most creative.
Some of us put on our noise-cancelling headphones as soon as we sit down to work in a public setting. But background noise can benefit our creative thinking. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Consumer Research showed that a low-to-moderate level of background noise in a place like a cafeteria can actually increase our creative output. Another study from 2019 had similar findings: the right amount of noise benefits our senses. And while that right level of noise is different for everyone, audio (听觉的) stimuli in the background also help us improve decision-making. So, the jazz music, light conversation and noises from coffee bar workers aren’t vexatious —they could help you come up with your next masterwork.
Also, one thing that can make working from home and the office dull is the unexciting visual environment. “Visual stimulation has an effect on peoples creative thinking process. Coffee shops generally have visual stimuli,” says Sunkee Lee, whose research suggests that visual variety “helps you to think outside the box”. Korydon Smith, who co-wrote a recent article on the benefits of working in coffee shops, says, “People come and go. The daylight changes. The colours of food vary. These activities inspire our brains to work a bit differently than at home”.
And while the typical coffee shop user might be a lone worker, experts say these café settings can also benefit work groups who are brainstorming. “There is an implied formality when gathering on office-based or digital meeting platforms. By contrast, there is an air of informality when meeting up at a bar or café. Agendas are not required to meet someone for coffee, but are inbuilt in a scheduled meeting, virtual or otherwise, which can kill creativity,” says Smith.
1. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 2?A.Add some background knowledge. | B.Summarize the following paragraphs. |
C.Support the first paragraph with examples. | D.Introduce a controversial topic for discussion. |
A.Unexpected. | B.Permanent. | C.Annoying. | D.Original. |
A.Visual variety there encourages creativity. |
B.Audio stimuli there help with decision-making. |
C.A lo ne worker can meet like-minded people there. |
D.Bar workers there always make people feel at home. |
A.Its air of excitement. | B.Its implied formality. |
C.Its casual atmosphere. | D.Its nice food and drink. |
5 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?A.To tell about true friends. | B.To start a discussion. |
C.To encourage online friendships. | D.To summarize(总结) the text. |
A.In any case. | B.In public. | C.In person. | D.In advance. |
A.Unconcerned. | B.Positive. | C.Worried. | D.Confused. |
A.Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B.It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
C.It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D.Social media help people stay closely connected. |
6 . Pity the poor traffic policeman. He’s the last guy you want to see when you’re speeding down the highway. But according to a major research by scientists in Canada and California, that policeman just might be saving your life or the life of someone else.
The researchers have found that a traffic ticket reduces a driver’s chance of being involved in a disastrous accident greatly. The effect doesn’t last long, however. Within months, the lead foot is back on the pedal and the risk of killing yourself or someone else is back up to where it was before that policeman stared you in the eye and wrote out that expensive ticket. It is back to business as usual for most motorists.
Traffic tickets save thousands of lives every year. Yet traffic laws are applied infrequently, almost as if by whim (心血来潮), partly because people just don’t like traffic policemen, and there are lots of other things for the government to spend money on than applying highway safety laws.
Researches looked at the month prior to a disastrous accident, and the number of traffic convictions (定罪), and then the same month in the year before. They found there were fewer tickets in the month before a disastrous accident than there were a year before, which suggests there’s a protective effect of having a ticket.
The scientists also turned up some surprising results. “Most of the crashes did not involve alcohol,” they reported. “The relative risk reduction associated with traffic convictions was remarkably consistent among women and men, regardless of age, prior driving record, and other personal data. Men, however, were involved in far more disastrous accidents than women and the most accident-prone (有倾向的) age was between 30 and 50.”
They also pointed out that most crashes could have been prevented by a small difference in driver behavior. So the next time you see that policeman in your rear-view mirror, give him or her a broad smile.
1. How will the drivers probably behave months after having traffic tickets?A.Drive more attentively than before. | B.Return to where accidents happened. |
C.Escape a spot check for alcohol. | D.Drive as fast as they did before. |
A.They have saved thousands of lives so far. |
B.They are not favored by traffic policemen. |
C.They are carried out consistently and sufficiently. |
D.They are not the priority of the government’s budget. |
A.Traffic tickets can guarantee safe driving. |
B.It is necessary to reduce traffic convictions. |
C.Disastrous accidents will decline with more traffic tickets given. |
D.Tickets’ protective effect can be found before disastrous accidents. |
A.Its results applied to both men and women. |
B.None of the traffic crashes involved alcohol. |
C.Women aged 30 to 50 caused more disastrous accidents. |
D.Drivers were used to looking at the mirrors while driving. |
7 . Why are younger age group so much more willing to post an offensive message on social media? Why aren’t we changing the
So early this year, using my science and technology skills, I
In the end, I was able to get 1,500
Now, the app Rethink has become widely popular. I also currently hold a patent for this
A.value | B.attention | C.behavior | D.interest |
A.complain about | B.think about | C.focus on | D.comment on |
A.arranged | B.refused | C.managed | D.attempted |
A.sacrifice | B.motivate | C.hurt | D.confuse |
A.stubborn | B.willing | C.ashamed | D.warm-hearted |
A.acquired | B.invested | C.approved | D.created |
A.intention | B.strength | C.desire | D.courage |
A.unique | B.academic | C.complicated | D.effective |
A.ignore | B.send | C.receive | D.post |
A.lost | B.changed | C.kept | D.set |
A.challenge | B.adjust | C.betray | D.decrease |
A.ridiculous | B.shallow | C.fantastic | D.conflicting |
A.proven | B.guaranteed | C.assumed | D.known |
A.imagination | B.flash | C.inspiration | D.stimulation |
A.struggle | B.hesitate | C.pause | D.decline |
8 . You might have heard of the expression “a guilty pleasure”—maybe it’s the chocolate bar you buy on the way home from work, or the new clothes that you don’t really need.
Perhaps not. Psychologists have suggested that buying things for yourself can make you feel better as it provides an opportunity to take control of your situation.
Of course, there are also examples of people turning to destructive behaviour when faced with stressful circumstances. People might spend money that they don’t have or turn to dangerous addictions. Psychologist Leon Seltzer considers the difference between self-indulgence and self-nurturing.
A.Exams are vital for students. |
B.Self-indulgence can have negative consequences |
C.The difference becomes evident when students manage exam pressure |
D.They also recommend embracing activities that could dampen your spirits |
E.Besides, you should avoid things that may make you feel worse afterwards |
F.It comes from the idea that when we treat ourselves, it can sometimes leave us feeling guilty |
G.It can give you social contact as well as a confidence boost from changes you make to your self-image |
1. 零用钱花费情况;
2. 指出问题所在;
3. 给予适当建议。
注意:1. 写作词数应为80左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
How senior high school students use their pocket money
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . Poverty has forced most Europeans to skip (跳过) meals during the past three years, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the charity French Secours Populaire, which supports people on low incomes. The survey of 10,000 Europeans in 10 nations asked whether money worries had worsened or improved during the past three years. More than half said their situation had worsened, with 29 percent saying they were so short of money that a single unexpected expense would put them into difficulty. The results, published on Monday in the charity’s European Barometer on Poverty and Precariousness, found 38 percent of Europeans were no longer able to eat three meals a day on a regular basis. And 21 percent of parents had skipped meals so they could feed their children.
The survey quizzed people living in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, and the United Kingdom. The pollsters found the main reason for the poor financial situation in many European families was the fast-rising cost of goods and services, with price inflation (通货膨胀) increasing by three times during 2022 and the cost of housing, water, and fuel rising by 18 percent during the course of a year. At the same time wages remained relatively unchanged.
The survey followed other recent worrying assessments of increasing levels of poverty throughout Europe, with Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics agency reporting 17 percent of the population of the 27-nation group was “at risk of poverty” and that only 15percent of Europeans had enough money not to have financial worries. Another survey, conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in June, found the UK had 5.7 million low-income households that were so lacking in money that they had no adequate access to food.
And another survey, by the Equality Trust, found the great difference between rich and poor in the UK was actually being worsened by the government, which, it concluded, was spending more money than any other European nation on subsidizing (补贴) the rich through structural inequality. Priya Sahni-Nicholas, the co-executive director of the Equality Trust, told The Guardian newspaper the growing chasm between rich and poor was “causing huge damage” to the economy. As a result, she said, “We have shorter healthy working lives, poorer education systems, more crime, and less happy societies.” The survey released this week for French Secours Populaire found money worries among Europe’s population now mean a significant number of people have turned off heaters, avoided treatment for medical problems, and borrowed money or other things as a result. The survey found one person in 12in Italy is in “absolute poverty” and relies on discounted food and food banks. And the situation was even worse in Greece and Moldova, which had more people at risk from poverty than any other European nation.
1. Why is there a poor financial situation in many European families?A.On account of increasing taxes. | B.Because of their pay’s being cut. |
C.Owing to many people’s losing jobs. | D.Due to rising prices of goods and services. |
A.15%. | B.17%. | C.18%. | D.21%. |
A.Misunderstanding. | B.Difference. | C.Conflict. | D.Concern. |
A.Study shows rising poverty in Europe |
B.Wages remain relatively unchanged in Europe |
C.Poor people in Europe rely on discounted food |
D.Survey quizzes people living in rich European countries |