1 . Children may not be putting coins in piggy banks for much longer. With the move towards a cashless society, pocket money is moving digital.
To reflect this trend, many mobile budgeting(预算) apps for children have sprung up worldwide:GoHenry, Osper, and Gimi, to name but a few. These apps offer a simple money management service for children, often for a monthly fee paid by the parents. Parents can add money to children’s accounts, set limits and monitor transactions(交易). Children can choose to save their money or spend it using a prepaid card.
These apps aim to teach young children financial concepts(概念), such as budgeting, interest rates and income. For instance, the Swedish app Gimi—with 1.2 million users globally—has virtual savings jars where children can deposit money. Parents can pay children interest as they save. There is also a chores feature, where parents can pay children for completing household tasks. The account is attached to a prepaid card that is currently available in Sweden only, but is expected to be launched elsewhere in Europe in 2020.
Haglund, CEO of Gimi, believes the app can teach children responsible spending habits. “You don’t become better at money management just because you have a degree in economics. It’s more about the attitude and the relationship you have with parents’ money when you’re 6 to 12 years old,” he says.
But Catherine Winter, managing director of financial capability at The London Institute of Banking and Finance, warns that while digital tools can help there needs to be a more structured approach to financial education. The area should “have regular, dedicated, classroom time and ideally should be taught as a standalone subject,” she said. “Children would then have the right context and foundation to get the most out of both the apps and their money.”
1. What does the underlined part “this trend” in paragraph 2 refer to?A.Pocket money moving digital |
B.Putting coins in piggy banks |
C.Mobile budging apps springing up. |
D.Money management service being offered |
A.It pays children interest as they save. |
B.It can teach children concepts related to money |
C.It has 1. 2 million users all over Sweden. |
D.It is attached to a credit card available in Sweden only. |
A.Digital tools can help a lot with spending habits |
B.A regular classroom-based financial education is needed. |
C.Money management requires financial capability. |
D.Children can get the most out of their money with the apps |
A.The importance of financial education. |
B.The trend towards a cashless society. |
C.The rise of the digital piggy bank. |
D.The popularity of money management apps |
2 . Does the happiness of parents play a role in shaping the overall happiness of their children? Scientific studies have shed light on the far-reaching connection between parental happiness and the positive development of kids. It seems that parental happiness has an important influence on the emotional, social, and cognitive (认知的) development of children.
Another great idea is sharing experiences and creating many memories together. The idea is twofold.
One of the main aspects of being happy parents is feeling comfortable, confident and able to be themselves, despite their new status and huge responsibility. Honestly, when parents prioritize their own happiness, it has positive effects on the overall happiness of the family.
When parents put their own happiness first, they become role models for their kids. They see the importance of self-care, pursuing passions and maintaining healthy relationships.
A.However, part of being responsible is being honest. |
B.They are passing on some major life skills and attitudes. |
C.They may lose a bit of their sense of self when caring for children. |
D.Parents can adopt practical ways to enhance their own happiness. |
E.A joyful and harmonious family environment benefits everyone involved. |
F.This can happen when parents prioritize their own happiness according to Inc. |
G.Firstly, the parents continue to be themselves and do something they love. |
3 . Some people say that city living in the 21st century is stressful and offers no advantages, but I don’t agree with them completely.
With the development of high-tech and the improvement of living qualities, more and more people crowded into the city, which leads to the uncontrollable urbanization(城市化). Because of this, some of the largest cities must be fairly oppressive(压抑的) places in which to live if you are short of money or unemployed. However, for those with much income, a city provides colourful environment which enables people to enjoy their modern life. In that case, I believe the advantages of urban living far outweigh its shortcomings.
Regarding shopping, as for me, rather than click on the Internet to get what I want, I prefer to window-shop. All kinds of shopping malls and supermarkets located in the city centre really content me. What’s more, a large city’s service even covers numbers of the surrounding towns and benefits many people.
In terms of entertainment, city residents are usually spoiled for choice, from amusement park to sport stadium, whoever you are will find exactly what you need. Maybe going to a concert tonight and visiting museums tomorrow. The city always contains various activities and full of energy.
The city also provides better opportunities with so many choices and challenges. Cities with universities offer high-standard education so that graduates from these places always get ideal jobs with considerable salary. Every day in the business district, you can see a fierce competition among those large companies, while there are exactly places that may give birth to talents.
Many people may complain about the traffic jam or pollution in the city, but I think with some useful measures to take, our city will be more habitable rather than stressful.
1. What does the author intend to tell us in the passage?A.City living in the 21st century is stressful. |
B.The city provides more conveniences and pleasures. |
C.City living brings great trouble to the youth. |
D.The city is gradually dying out as a matter of fact. |
A.disposable income and colourful environment |
B.quantities of population and shopping centres |
C.great entertainments and better education |
D.strong measures and fresh air |
A.they have no more choices for amusement | B.they can hardly find what they like to do |
C.there are so many kinds of entertainment | D.they will spend more money in a way |
A.Disappointed. | B.Hopeful. | C.Subjective. | D.Cold-hearted. |
4 . Sending a thumbs-up can be seen as passive aggressive(冒犯的), according to Gen Z (those born between 1995 and 2009) who say they feel attacked whenever it is used. Whether the chat is informal, between friends or at work the symbol appears to have a very different, ‘rude’ meaning for the younger generation.
A 24-year-old on Reddit summed up the Gen Z argument, saying it is best ‘never used in any situation’ as it is ‘hurtful’. “No one of my age in the office does it, but the Gen X (those born between 1966 and 1980) people always do it. Take me a bit to adjust and get it out of my head that it means they’re mad-at me,” he added. Other young people agreed it is bad form, especially at work where it can make the team appear unfriendly and not easygoing.
“My last workplace had a WhatsApp chat for our team to send information to each other on, and most of the people on there just replied with a thumbs up. I don’t know why but it seemed a little bit hostile to me,” one woman said. One Reddit user also said the thumbs up actually means that “I’ve read your message and have nothing to add and I hope and pray...all the people in this group chat have nothing to say on it too.”
Older workers appear confused by the reaction, saying they use the thumbs up in work-related chats to show “I agree” or “I understood and will follow.”
Part of the issue is that young people tend to use the thumbs-up in jokes. Barry Kennedy, 24, he said he only used it to communicate with older people like his parents or older colleagues. A survey of 2, 000 people conducted by Perspectus Global showed that a majority of people between the ages of 16 and 29 believe that you are “officially old” if you use thumbs-up or heart emoji.
1. Which of the following point is not the Gen Z’s understanding of the emoji thumbs-up?A.Being rude. | B.Being agreeable. |
C.Being hurtful. | D.Being unfriendly. |
A.Unfriendly and aggressive. | B.Tough and difficult. |
C.Unwanted and unacceptable. | D.Strange and unusual. |
A.Because of their poor communications kill. |
B.Because of their being old with worse memory. |
C.Because of their less communicating with the young. |
D.Because of their different understanding of the emoji. |
A.The Thumbs-up Emoji: Rejected by the younger generation |
B.The Thumbs-up Emoji: Highly Welcomed by Old People |
C.The Thumbs-up Emoji: A Sign of Generation Gap |
D.The Thumbs-up Emoji: A Sign of Being Aggressive |
5 . A new study shows that the household consumers (家庭消费者) are focusing more on reducing their energy costs by using technologically advanced home appliances. The lighting control held the largest share in the smart home market in 2016. The increase in the adoption (采用) rate of intelligent lighting controls by households worldwide has fuelled the growth of the smart home market. These have the ability to reduce electricity consumption because they adjust (调节) the artificial light according to the surroundings.
Four years ago, I was in a discussion about Nest Thermostat (恒温器), sharing my view that if a house is built properly, it doesn't need a smart thermostat. It probably wouldn't do much good there because with careful placement of high-quality windows, you seldom need to heat or cool it at all. Since then, other studies have shown that in a leaky old house, smart thermostats can be very effective and save energy.
But is smart lighting saving energy? A smart lighting system might turn off or adjust the brightness of a bulb (灯泡), but an LED bulb already uses very little electricity, say 7 watts per bulb. But when you make it smart, it is always connected, consuming a bit of power to talk to the controller or bridge; one guy with a meter tested it at 0.4 watts per hour, or 9.6 watts in a day. It means that if you have a pile of smart bulbs and devices, you are consuming a fair bit of electricity.
Except for smart thermostats in leaky houses, none in the smart market saves energy. Asking Siri, voice control on any of Apple devices, to turn off the lights is fun, but we would be better off in terms of energy and exercise if we got up and reached for a light switch. Rather than saving energy, the smart home is wasting it.
1. What does the underlined word “fuelled” in paragraph 1 probably mean?A.Controlled. |
B.Promoted. |
C.Predicted. |
D.Detected. |
A.They are well-designed. |
B.They are energy-efficient. |
C.They are not very useful. |
D.They are not always automatic. |
A.LED bulbs are very bright. |
B.LED bulbs are of little value. |
C.Smart lighting has developed quickly. |
D.Smart lighting does little to save electricity. |
A.To use Siri for fun. |
B.To improve smart lighting. |
C.To give up smart thermostats completely. |
D.To turn to the traditional way of turning off lights. |
6 . South Korea has the biggest rate of Internet addiction in the world and it is increasingly the country’s children who are spending every waking moment immersing themselves in fantasy role plays or gaming In the remote mountains of South Korea, teenage Internet addicts are turning up for a 12-day boot camp.
Kyle Won’s addiction is out of control. He spends 10 hours a day on the Internet. Now Kyle’s smartphone is taken away. The teachers here do what they can to get them socializing again; for many, the only friends they have had are online. “I have relationships on the Internet and a real distance has gown with my real-life friends and I know it’s not good,” Kyle said. The teachers show them other possibilities and bring back dreams and hopes that have been buried by their addictions. “We teach them methods of managing their desire to use the Internet so that they can continue to use it when they go back home,” Shim Yong-school, a teacher here, said. After just two days Kyle said It was helpful. He’s set a good example to others though he hasn’t reached the goal completely.
Sout Korean psychiatrists (精神病专家) are urging more/action as they are finding evidence that too much screen time is a barrier to the developing minds. Professor Kang Seak Young from Dankook, University said the addiction was damaging critical thinking. “It affects the frontal lobes (额叶) which are important to critical analysis” Professor Kang said. “Reading a book and guessing what happens in the story next show activity in frontal lobes but playing popular computer games for a long time shows no activity.”
South Korea is one of the most wired nations on Earth, but it does have a cost. One in every ten kids is an addict so the country is now learning how to manage its high-tech future to avoid more serious consequences.
1. What do the teachers in the camp teach teenagers to do?A.Self-manage their smartphones. | B.Attain something beyond the Internet. |
C.Make online friends more wisely. | D.Keep away from electronic products. |
A.He faced the most serious addiction. | B.He has succeeded in kicking the addiction. |
C.He’s the representative of the addicts. | D.He participated in the camp actively. |
A.The importance of offline reading. | B.The effects of frontal lobes on thinking. |
C.The popularity of kids’ Internet games. | D.The harm of Internet addiction to brains. |
A.There are two sides to every coin. | B.No pain, no gain. |
C.It’s good to learn at another man’s cost. | D.Prevention is better than cure. |
7 . The artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT can offer everything from answers to basic general knowledge questions, to writing essays and poems. Ask ChatGPT to write about the history of the French Revolution or Battles of Hastings, and it will provide a perfect essay in less than a second. It's such a powerful tool openly accessible to any student for free. However, AI-based plagiarism (抄 袭) or so called “AIgiarism” is fast taking off across student populations internationally, ringing alarm bells in schools and universities around the world
The developers OpenAI have since decided to prevent the misuse of its technology. The company is developing a system, water marks, for identifying those who cheat by submitting essays written by ChatGPT. By using the system which changes certain works into a recognizable pattern, the machine written text could be identified by anyone looking for the signs. These changes would not be noticeable to the reader. The researchers say that by setting up this kind of security system, it could prevent the technology from being misused for whatever reason. Such measures will also prevent an overdependence on the tool, which still has a long way to go before improving its accuracy, due to the fact that it collects the information from all over the internet. The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, said in a statement that it would be a mistake to depend on it for anything important at this stage.
Schools also in turn have tried to take matters into their own hands, with many across Europe and the US updating their policies to warn of punishments for those who are caught using the program improperly.
Other schools have limited internet network access to ChatGPT on campus. Examiners have the sense to identify essays written by ChatGPT by a lack of emotion or personal experiences in them. This ability is a human advantage—AI will struggle to copy.
1. Why does the author mention French Revolution and Battles of Hastings?A.To explain what they are. | B.To introduce the history of France. |
C.To show the power of ChatGPT. | D.To make a comparison between them. |
A.It will make ChatGPT helpless for people. |
B.It will probably prevent an overdependence on ChatGPT. |
C.The readers are worried about the system's future. |
D.It has successfully recognized essays written by ChatGPT. |
A.AI is able to match humans. |
B.AI has no ability. |
C.AI has an advantage over humans. |
D.There is something that AI can't copy from humans. |
A.Actions Against the Misuse of ChatGPT |
B.ChatGPT Is Forbidden |
C.All the Systems of OpenAI |
D.ChatGPT—A Powerful Tool |
8 . The Noted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., challenged our Nation to recognize that our individual liberty relies upon our common equality. In communities ruined by division and injustice, the movements he built from the ground up forced open doors to negotiation. The strength of his leadership was matched only by the power of his words, which still call on us to perfect those scared ideals enshrined in our founding documents.
“We have an opportunity to make America a better nation,” Dr. King said on the eve of his death. “I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.” Though we have made great progress since the turbulent era of Dr. King’s movement, his work and our journey remain unfinished. Only when our children are free to pursue their full measure of success — unaffected by the color of their skin, their gender, the faith in their heart, the people they love, or the fortune of their birth — will we have reached our destination.
Today, we are closer to fulfilling America’s promise of economic and social justice because we stand on the shoulders of giants like Dr. King, yet our future progress will depend on how we prepare our next generation of leaders. We must fortify their ladders of opportunity by correcting social injustice, breaking the cycle of poverty in struggling communities, and reinvesting in our schools. Education can unlock a child’s potential and remains our strongest weapon against injustice and inequality.
Recognizing that our Nation has yet to reach Dr. King’s promised land is not an admission of defeat, but a call to nation. In these challenging times, too many Americans face limited opportunities, but our ability to support each other remains limitless. Today, let us ask ourselves what Dt. King believed to be life’s most urgent and persistent question: “What are you doing for others?”…
1. What does the underlined phrase “our destination” refer to in Para2?A.A country with full equality. | B.An economic powerful nation. |
C.An environment-friendly country. | D.A nation with advanced weapons. |
A.Aggressive. | B.Biased. | C.Anxious. | D.Inspirational. |
A.To take action and support others. |
B.To question the commitment of other people. |
C.To admit that our nation has experienced a big failure. |
D.To recognize that Americans faced limited opportunities. |
A.Paper. | B.Speech. | C.Biography. | D.Fiction. |
9 . Kindness and kids just seem to go hand in hand. But 62% of more than 2, 600 participants in the NBC News State of Kindness Poll believe that today’s kids are less kind than those in the past. Women (66%) feel about this kindness fall more strongly than men (58%). Most of the participants who feel that way (77%) thank parents caused the seeming lack of kindness among today’s children, with a few thinking that society, schools, or friends caused it.
At the same time, Americans say they don’t put kindness first when it comes to teaching kids values. Among all participants, honesty is taught more than kindness as well as other things like courage, leadership and storing work ethic (道德). But the younger generation—those aged 18~24—think highly of kindness rules. They choose kindness by 10% over honesty as the most important quality to teach kids.
The question of whether kindness is learned or taught—or somewhere in between—causes different opinions. According to the study, Americans have different opinions on whether kindness in something one is born with or needs to be learned and nurtured over time. Slightly more than half (52%) of the participants believe that all of us are born with the ability to show kindness, while 48% believe kindness must be developed.
Parenthood (父母身份) makes a difference to your thoughts on the causes of kindness. Those without kids (56%) are more likely to think that people are born to be kind, while 50% of the participants with kids think kindness is developed.
Also, 51% of dads and 54% of men with no kids believe kindness is something time is born with. Slightly more than half of the moms say kindness must be learned, while 48% believe it is what one is born with.
1. What do participants aged 18~24 consider the most important for kids?A.Honesty. | B.Leadership. | C.Kindness. | D.Courage. |
A.kept | B.developed | C.replaced | D.protected |
A.48% | B.51% | C.52% | D.54% |
A.Causes of today’s kids being less kind. |
B.The important qualities of today’s kids. |
C.Different people’s opinion’s on kindness. |
D.Findings of research on today’s kids’ kindness. |
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