1 . For those of us who grew up watching Star Trek, exploring space has been about discovering strange new worlds. And there are plenty of worlds to explore in time, but we still need major technological advancements to reach planets that are light years away.
What we are doing in space today is providing unbelievable benefits right now, right here on Earth. From space, we can monitor, manage and care for our planet. Satellite-based sensors show us the short- and long-term effects of human activity on our environment. Many companies are using their interest in space to help solve problems here, from using hyperspectral imaging(高光谱成像), which enable us to map vegetation(植被) and rain forests, to microsatellites that provide global connectivity for the network of things.
My company, OneWeb, is focusing on what I believe is one of the world’s most important issues: the need for equal access to the Internet. The Internet has become our economic lifeblood. And yet, nearly half of the world’s population doesn’t have Internet access. Space is playing a key role in bridging this digital divide. OneWeb is launching 1,980 satellites to help bring Internet access to people everywhere, and our first production satellites are already flying in space and have shown very high download speeds.
Fiber and cable Internet access technologies already cover most financially viable(可行的) major cities. Similarly, these regions will also be the first to be served with 5G. Poor communities are the last to get connected, and without connectivity, those communities have no chance to lift themselves from poverty. OneWeb’s satellites will reach every community in the world and enable equal access to the Internet for the world’s less developed places.
Fifty years from the day when man first walked on the moon, we are still only approaching the possible. There will be tens of thousands of new satellites, space stations and factories in the coming years to bring advancements in communications, scientific research, monitoring the earth, exploring space and more. This is exciting, but we must take action carefully.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．Benefits space exploration can bring to us. |
| B．Problems space exploration leads to. |
| C．Steps of space exploration requires. |
| D．Equipment space exploration needs. |
| A．Increase download speeds. |
| B．Narrow the gap in Internet learning. |
| C．Help people set up and maintain a website. |
| D．Enable people to make use of the Internet equally. |
| A．More than six decades ago, man first walked on the moon. |
| B．More than half of the world’s people have no access to the Internet. |
| C．OneWeb’s satellites will make it possible for most people to be served with 5G. |
| D．Without the Internet, poor communities can hardly help themselves out of poverty. |
| A．The risks of furthering space exploration. |
| B．The value of setting up space stations. |
| C．The way we could monitor our earth. |
| D．The features of microsatellites. |
2 . It is challenging to teach children about seasonal foods in a modern-day grocery store (杂货店). Having lots of choices of fresh produce from all around the world means that a sense of the seasons is lost. That’s why I like being part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Every week I receive a share of vegetables that comes from a nearby farm. I do not know ahead of time what I’m getting, nor do I have any say on what comes home; I take whatever was harvested earlier that same day, based on the week’s weather conditions, and use them to the best of my ability.
My kids have had a good knowledge of the supply of certain vegetables throughout the harvesting season. They know what it’s like to eat a lot of asparagus (芦笋) until they’re sick of it, only to move on to dark greens and leafy salads, then eggplants, and tomatoes, and finally the root vegetables that mark the arrival of cold weather.
The funny thing is, when you’ve eaten a ton of something for a few weeks, you’re ready to move on to the next crop (作物) and leave the other behind, but when its time comes the following year, the expectation will return. In this way, a CSA share creates excitement at vegetables that can’t be felt when everything can be bought all the time, as it is in a grocery store.
A farmers’ market can offer similar lessons in seasonality to a CSA, but it differs in that you have more choices about what you buy. A CSA share, however, only offers few kinds of vegetables and sometimes fruits, forcing you to work out ways of using them up. I enjoy this challenge because it tests my cooking skills and introduces my family to new and unusual vegetables. What’s more, it is glad to know I’m supporting local farmers by eating what they want to grow, not just what I’m used to eating.
1. What is special about the vegetables offered by the CSA program?| A．They are free. |
| B．They are cheap. |
| C．They can’t be found in local grocery stores. |
| D．They make the author full of expectations. |
| A．It provides enough supply of vegetables. |
| B．It makes people choose vegetables freely. |
| C．It keeps people’s excitement for vegetables. |
| D．It makes people become sick of eating vegetables. |
| A．It encourages him to support local farmers. |
| B．It helps him learn about the community. |
| C．It gives people more choices of foods. |
| D．It causes local farmers a lot of stress. |
| A．Local food is becoming more popular |
| B．The CSA program is making a difference |
| C．People are encouraged to experience farm life |
| D．Naturally grown food improves people’s health |
3 . Paris is full of cultural significance. Yet, despite its wealth of cultural hotspots and architectural delights, some tourists who explore the City of Light experience “Paris syndrome (巴黎综合征), a psychological condition that often results in nausea (恶心) and increased heart rates. An interesting phenomenon is that Paris syndrome is “most common among Japanese tourists”. Why?
Many Japanese visitors go with a deeply romantic picture of Paris----the beauty of French women, the high culture and art. But when the reality of the modern city of Paris sets in, with its seemingly unfriendly service and confusing public transport, some tourists simply find their hope falling through.
“An encounter with a Parisian waiter who shouts at customers might be laughed off by those from other Western cultures. But for the Japanese —used to a society where politeness is valued and voices are rarely raised in anger-----the experience of their dream city turning into a nightmare (噩梦) can simply be too much,” said Rodanthi Tzanelli, a professor of cultural sociology.
So Paris syndrome should be regarded as an extreme form of culture shock, which is an illness resulting from the loss of meaning when people find themselves in a different symbolic reality, according to Rachel Irwin, a senior researcher. The symptoms (症状) associated with culture shock are similar to those experienced by someone who is feeling anxious. According to the analysis (分析) of Calm Clinic, a mental health resource platform, when someone is experiencing anxiety, signals that are related to the fight or flight response will be sent to the stomach. The signals change the way the body processes food, causing nausea.
Besides, Tzanelli points out that the syndrome is not specific to Paris and nobody can be free of culture shock as long as they go to new places. The syndrome is likely a “general phenomenon”, as younger generations tend to travel to different countries, and are likely to be more aware of what they’ll encounter at a destination. Therefore, they’re unlikely to be bitterly disappointed when they’re there.
1. Why do Japanese tourists experience great discomfort in Paris?| A．Paris lacks real historical and cultural hotspots. |
| B．Paris fails to meet their romantic expectations. |
| C．They find Paris’ public transport less modern. |
| D．They cannot adapt to the local climate. |
| A．How culture influences the behavior of tourists. |
| B．How Japanese tourists react to Paris syndrome. |
| C．Why Paris syndrome particularly strikes the Japanese. |
| D．Why the Japanese value politeness and avoid conflicts. |
| A．People’s inability to adapt to new cultures. |
| B．The methods of overcoming culture shock. |
| C．People’s varied attitudes to different cultures. |
| D．The physical discomfort caused by culture shock. |
| A．To be prepared for new encounters in advance. |
| B．To focus on the positive aspects of a destination. |
| C．To visit new places together with young people. |
| D．To avoid going to unfamiliar destinations. |
When a person is “phubbing” (低头玩手机) , he/she is using his / her phone to surf the Internet, check messages, play games and so on, instead of focusing on the conversation or
Most people would agree that
Science has shown that phubbing is not good for us, but why do we do it? It might be because we are feeling bored,
5 . With the rising cost of living, a growing number of adult children are moving back in with their parents. While lots of parents will enjoy the chance to spend more time with their grown-up children, having them move back in can also cause some problems.
Sit down and talk
While the situation is clearly hard for the parents, Counselling Directory member Octavia Landy advises them to take a step back. “
When things get heated, it can be easy to just storm off and not really hear each other out. But every effort needs to be made, on both sides, to properly listen. “As parents, you need a cool head,” suggests Landy. “Bring the conversation back to the matter at hand, and listen to your kids.”
Set clear boundaries (界限)
“Boundaries and communication lie at the heart of this difficult situation,” says Landy. “At the moment, it feels as if no boundaries will lead to a sense of anger on your part. Consider what your boundaries look like.
Ask yourself what you need to feel happy in your home
Landy suggests parents ask themselves what they need to feel happy and safe in their home—and the answer might be a difficult one to come to terms with. “It might mean that you need to ask your kids to leave,” she says. “
| A．So, what can parents do |
| B．Put everything in good order |
| C．Be prepared to listen patiently |
| D．Are they cheered by the news from home |
| E．You’d better set a proper time for a family meeting |
| F．Work together to set basic rules and a timeline to be reviewed |
| G．If you fear your kids get homeless, then address these fears directly |
6 . The Power of “Like”
Like it or love it, social media is a major part of life. Teens spend more than half of their waking hours online. And most of what they do is read and respond to posts by friends and family. Clicking on a thumbs-up is an easy way to stay in touch.
Clicking “like” on a post can increase the number of people who see it. If other people have liked a post, new viewers will be more likely to like it too.
What’s more, viewing one’s own posts with a lot of likes activates the reward system in their brains. Positive responses to teens’ own photos (in the form of many “likes”) tell them that their friends appreciate the material they’re posting.
Joining social media can give people a sense of being in the know. However, posts may exaggerate (夸张) how well our friends and others are feeling, making them appear much happier than we are.
| A．It can also lower the viewer’s self-control. |
| B．Teens use it to learn how to handle their social world. |
| C．Many social media sites share more of the higher-ranked posts. |
| D．It’s no surprise that responses from peers affect how teens behave. |
| E．Their brains respond to those “likes” by turning on the reward center. |
| F．And that can, inappropriately, make us feel less successful than them. |
| G．But those “likes” can have power that goes beyond a simple connection. |
7 . Greece has criticized the United Kingdom for canceling (取消) a planned meeting between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, apparently so that Sunak could avoid talking about ancient artefacts (历史文物) that Greece says were taken illegally. Mitsotakis and Sunak were set to meet on Tuesday, but Sunak canceled it on Monday, reportedly after learning that Mitsotakis planned to talk about the Parthenon sculptures.
The UK government initially believed Mitsotakis would not talk about the sculptures, which are now in the British Museum. The sculptures were once part of the Parthenon in the Greek capital Athens. The row (纠纷) became more serious after Mitsotakis told the BBC on Sunday the UK’s offer to store some of the sculptures in London and some in Athens was akin to cutting the Mona Lisa in two. He also said the sculptures had been essentially stolen.
Mitsotakis said he was deeply disappointed by the abrupt cancellation of the meeting. “Those who firmly believe in the correctness and justice of their positions are never hesitant to engage in constructive argument and debate,” he was quoted by The Associated Press as saying. The BBC reported that sources in the Greek government were puzzled and annoyed by the meeting cancellation.
Greece has long criticized the way in which the Parthenon sculptures ended up in London, after they were bought by British diplomat Lord Elgin and shipped to the UK between 1801 and 1804. Because the two nations disagree on the legality of the deal and have firm positions, they have tended to avoid talking about the issue during high-level diplomatic meetings.
The UK’s Transport Secretary Mark Harper said on the BBC’s Breakfast program on Tuesday that it was regretful that the prime ministers would not meet during Mitsotakis’UK visit. He said Mitsotakis had been offered the chance to meet instead the UK’s deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, but he had refused the meeting. “The views of Greece on the Parthenon sculptures are well known,” Mitsotakis was quoted by The Guardian as saying. “I had hoped to have the opportunity to discuss them with UK Prime Minister along with other international challenges. ” The UK’s opposition Labour Party criticized Sunak for canceling the meeting and said his behavior appeared disrespectful.
1. Which can replace the underlined phrase “akin to” in paragraph 2?| A．Contrary to. | B．Similar to. | C．Relevant to. | D．Adapted to |
| A．An Englishman purchased them and sent them there. |
| B．Some stole them and sold them to a British diplomat. |
| C．The then Greek government presented them to the UK as a gift. |
| D．The then British army took them by force and transported them there. |
| A．He was too occupied with other affairs. |
| B．He was supposed to meet UK Prime Minister. |
| C．He didn’t approve of his words and behaviors. |
| D．He had arranged for another official to meet him. |
| A．Sunak and Mitsotakis set to meet on Tuesday |
| B．Mitsotakis thinks highly of Greece artefacts stored in UK |
| C．Mitsotakis plans to take back Parthenon sculptures from UK |
| D．Greece’s arguing with UK about artefacts sparks diplomatic row |
8 . According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees over 50 make up more than one-third of the workforce in the United States. And the labor force aged 75 and older is expected to increase by 96.5% by 2030. As the workforce ages and increasing numbers of grandparents care for their grandchildren, what once was intended for new parents is now applied to grandparents. Some workplaces are offering a new paid leave policy (政策) for older workers—grandternity leave.
As the name suggests, one of the most popular use cases for grandternity leave is employees taking time off when they become grandparents to help care for their grandchildren. It also enables employees to take paid leave to deal with medical treatment, spend time with their families, and take time away from work as needed.
In a competitive labor market with more than 10 million open jobs, employers still struggle to retain senior employees. They fall under the Baby Boomer generation and are characterized by their deep love for work and company responsibility. They are prized for their historical knowledge and old-fashioned work ethic (职业道德). Therefore, employers are seeking new, nontraditional benefits for these employees to prevent them from taking another job. Grandternity leave is just one example of personalized benefits suitable for older workers.
A handful of companies are already starting to offer their own form of grandternity leave. For example, Saga has rolled out a five-day paid grandternity leave to its 2,500 employees. Scott Merry, a 57-year-old IT specialist with Saga took grandternity leave to care for his new-born grandson. “It was just wonderful. It’s nice to work in this type of culture which values family time.” he said. Another company that became an early adopter (使用者) is HireVue. “Attracting and employing a various workforce should be top of mind for any organization,” said one of HireVue’s managers. “Offering a variety of benefits like grandternity leave is key to that.”
1. What does paragraph 1 focus on about the policy?| A．Its application. | B．Its influences. | C．Its limitations. | D．Its background. |
| A．Cut down. | B．Kick out. | C．Hold onto. | D．Pay for. |
| A．It is a win-win practice. | B．It has been adopted widely. |
| C．It has a two-sided nature. | D．It is key to business success. |
| A．To introduce a new paid leave. | B．To call for better working conditions. |
| C．To recommend several leading companies. | D．To warn of the effect of population ageing. |
9 . More than half of Americans have felt the influence of extreme heat on health, according to a survey. That percentage is even higher in California, where heat is the top problem, reported by 71% of those surveyed. “California does have low levels of air conditioning in homes, maybe because it has cool wind in many parts, but when an extreme heat event comes and there’s no cool air available, you are in trouble,” said David Eisenman, a health researcher. “So you are seeing this higher number.”
Luz Rivas from Los Angeles grew up in a home without air conditioning. “Families like mine have suffered from heat for years,” said Rivas. On hot days, her mother used to take her to the mall to cool down. “Now that these heat waves are getting longer, methods used in the past aren’t going to work as well,” Rivas added.
The California Environment Protection Agency will create a heat wave ranking system to give public warnings. It’s supposed to help the public, especially those outdoor workers, know the seriousness of the heat wave and then learn what they should do. The idea is backed up widely. Many health researchers point out the health risks of heat are worse for outdoor workers, saying that in summer, there’s an 8% increase in deaths on the hottest days.
Lawmakers of California are also considering making indoor cooling a housing right. It can especially help renters like Minerva Contreras, a mother of two living near Bakersfield. Her neighbourhood has seen many days with temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. “It’s very difficult because it’s like not being able to breathe,” said Contreras. Indoor cooling standards are valued by renters but may face a serious fight, and many house owners think the standards fail to consider the variety of climates in the state. For now, the cost of keeping cool for renters mostly falls on them. Contreras doesn’t hold much hope that California will pass cooling standards, saying, “But I would like it very much.”
1. What can we learn about Californians?| A．They are more affected by hot weather. |
| B．They can be more adapted to hot weather. |
| C．They are more concerned about their health. |
| D．They always have a bigger demand for air conditioning. |
| A．It is a marketing strategy. | B．It is worthy of a try. |
| C．It has gained popularity. | D．It is not as useful as before. |
| A．To have pity on outdoor workers. |
| B．To prove the necessity of the system. |
| C．To tell outdoor workers to work harder. |
| D．To warn people to fight against the heat outside. |
| A．Amusing. | B．Challenging. | C．Shocking. | D．Puzzling. |
10 . ChatGPT, launched in November, 2022, has attracted over 100 million monthly users in just two months, which is considered the fastest-growing consumer app.
ChatGPT can write emails, computer code, even academic papers and poems.
So is ChatGPT a benefit or a trouble?
According to a survey covering more than 100 educators and over 1,000 students, one-third of the educators said they believe ChatGPT should be banned in schools and universities, while the rest supported students having access to it. The attitude of most students sees a distinct difference.
As a result, the observed value and usefulness of ChatGPT seem to outweigh the risks. What we should focus on has shifted to better deal with the chatbot and its development.
| A．The answers varies greatly across the world. |
| B．It is undoubtedly a shocking achievement. |
| C．Also, it has succeeded in passing different kinds of exams. |
| D．By comparison, others regard it as a blessing rather than a curse. |
| E．They admitted having sought help from ChatGPT to complete their homework. |
| F．The worry is that ChatGPT could change the basic training structure of higher education. |
| G．It is widely discussed whether and to what extent AI should be involved in a scientific article. |
