1 . While an analysis of the Global Dietary Database for the years 1990, 2005, and 2018 found overall consumption of sweetened drinks increased—by nearly 16% worldwide over the 28-year period studied—regional intake widely varied, researchers say.
Sugary drinks have been widely associated with overweight and heart related diseases, which are among the leading causes of death and years lost to disability globally. Many national guidelines recommend limiting added sugars to less than 5% to 10% of daily calories, and because sodas (汽水) add no nutritional value, some countries tax their consumption to help their residents meet this goal.
The study, published in Nature Communications, is the latest presentation of how adults in 185 countries drink sugar-sweetened beverages (饮料). Intakes varied widely by world region. In 2018, the average person consumed 2.7 servings of sugary drinks per week, but this ranged from 0.7 servings per week in South Asia to 7.8 servings per week in Latin America. And some of the highest sugary drink intakes in the world were among urban, highly educated adults in Sub-Saharan Africa (12.4 servings per week) and in Latin America (8.5 servings per week). “We were struck by the wide variations by world regions in 2018; that Latin America had the largest intakes at all time points despite an overall decrease overtime; and that Sub-Saharan Africa had the greatest increases across all time points,” says Laura Lara-Castor, a PhD candidate at Tufts University.
“These results suggest that more work is needed such as marketing regulations, food labeling, and soda taxes.” Information from the Global Dietary Database, which gathers hundreds of survey results, also revealed a relationship between sugary beverages and socio-economic status. “Sugar-sweetened beverage intake has increased in the past few decades despite efforts to decrease their appeal,” says researchers. “Some populations are especially easily affected, and our findings provide evidence to inform the need and design of national and more targeted policies to reduce their intake worldwide.”
1. What is the main concern about sugary drinks?| A．They are just a barrier to weight loss. | B．They are linked to health issues. |
| C．They are far from nutrition standard. | D．They are a total waste of money. |
| A．To increase income for the government. | B．To promote the sales of healthier drinks. |
| C．To discourage people from drinking sodas. | D．To set a limit to the price of sugary drinks. |
| A．Sugary drink consumption trends. | B．Impact of soda taxes on purchases. |
| C．Regional variations in dietary habits. | D．Global dietary information analysis. |
| A．Sugary drinks have nothing to do with economic status. |
| B．The appeal of sugary drinks cannot be underestimated. |
| C．Some people are very particular about the sugary drinks. |
| D．National policies on sugary drinks are more than enough. |
2 . We’re living in stressful times. Stress, anxiety, and depression are on the rise. Even worse, resilience (适应力) is on a downturn. The dip is especially noted in teens and young adults. Some students are often overwhelmed by fear of failure.
Kids need resilience if they are to live mentally healthy lives. Resilience helps us deal with stress and adversity. It helps us recover from difficulties. Resilience makes us more willing to try new and challenging things. It’s a helpful trait (特性) to have as an adult or a child, with so much stress in the world. Resilient kids recover more easily from setbacks, bouncing back (重整旗鼓) if they fail.
As parents, we want to raise “resilient kids” but how exactly do we do that? Are they just born with it or not? The good news is that resilience is not a “trait” that children do or do not possess. It is shaped by our experiences. But it doesn’t come easy. Kids have to earn it. Nature offers many chances for them to do so.
The effect of nature on the mental well-being of children has been well-documented. In one study, two groups of children were observed: one group attending a nature preschool; the other group attending play-based, non-nature preschools. The study showed that the nature preschool group made significantly greater growth in factors relating to resilience than children in the non-nature preschool group.
As parents, we see nature teaching our kids to be more resilient every day. When you take your children on a long hike, a child may be hungry, tired, and thirsty at times. But a hike is a commitment. Yet there’s a reward waiting at the end, perhaps a view or maybe a chance to cool off in a refreshing waterhole. Even when they are tired, kids have to keep going, putting their needs aside until the hike is over and they can earn the reward. And the reward feels so much more earned. That’s resilience.
1. What does the underlined word “dip” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Decrease in resilience. | B．Influence of depression. |
| C．School stress. | D．Social anxiety. |
| A．How to raise resilient kids. |
| B．How to overcome difficulties. |
| C．The mental health problems of children. |
| D．The importance of resilience on individuals. |
| A．Nature can positively influence resilience. |
| B．Children play harder outdoors than indoors. |
| C．Resilience skills can hardly be learned at a young age. |
| D．Children in play-based schools are more resilient than others. |
| A．To give a definition of resilience. |
| B．To suggest suitable rewards for children. |
| C．To teach parents how to hike with children. |
| D．To explain how children navigate challenges during the hike. |
The Peasants (II)
At noon they hoe up weeds;
Their sweat drips on the soil.
Who knows the rice that feeds
Is the fruit of hard toil!
Food is a necessity for survival. But do you know how much work goes into producing it? The poem The Peasants (II),
The first two lines describe a common scene
Simple as the poem is in its language, it is profound in the theme, reminding people
Next time you want to throw away food, please think twice.
4 . Are you happy with your appearance?
“Almost all the girls with single-fold eyelids (单眼皮) in our class have had double eyelid operations,” Zeng, a Senior 2 student from Chengdu, told Xinhua. Zeng had the same surgery done this summer.
From popular photo-editing apps to plastic surgery (整形手术), it seems that large eyes, pale skin and a skinny body are the only standard for beauty these days. But can following this standard really make us feel good about ourselves?
“Many teenagers are upset about their appearance because they believe in unrealistic standards of beauty,” experts say.
However, trying to live up to strict standards can make us feel anxious. What troubles us is not just our “imperfect” looks, but the fact that we criticize ourselves too much.
| A．Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. |
| B．Body image anxiety is common among teenagers. |
| C．Guys care just as much as girls do about their body image. |
| D．Some teenagers might feel negative about their appearance. |
| E．It’s common for teenagers to feel confident about their appearance. |
| F．She and many of her classmates believe bigger eyes look more beautiful. |
| G．Perfect faces and bodies are everywhere in advertising, TV shows and social media. |
5 . A group of middle-aged dads formed a dance team to perform at their kids’ school but unexpectedly gained popularity on social media, having over 300,000 followers—one of them is famous actor Hugh Jackman. The “Outta” Puff Daddys first came together in 2012 in Brighton for a surprise performance at their children’s annual dance show.
Having never danced professionally before and ranging in age from 42 to 60, the dads were taught by their kids’ street dance teacher for the surprise performance. They received a good reception, so they decided to carry on permanently.
Paul Jukes, 48, said dancing together has enabled the members to get through unemployment and anxiety. “Even though I’m the leader and artistic director of the team, I’m not normally the most confident guy.” said Jukes, whose team name is Jukebox. “If we’re in a party situation, we’re off at the side, but when we’re together those inhibitions (拘束感) are lost, and we just accept life to the fullest.”
The dance team members remember the moment when they surprised their kids at the dance show. “We performed at the Brighton Dome which seats 2,000 people, so for our first live dance performance, it was quite something. We took the roof off,” Jukes said. “The noise was crazy and of course, the kids in the audience were blown away. They were shouting, ”Hang on a second; that’s your dad.“ Most people might think our kids would be embarrassed by us but none of them had that feeling. All our families and kids were really supportive and really loved it. And it has been considered cool by them to have such a large following on Instagram.”
The team has to adapt to its members’ changing bodies as they get older, but that has not stopped them from continuing to dream big. “We take care of and support each other to make sure what we do is achievable,” said Jukes. “One of our members is 60 years old now and he’s just excellent.”
1. What is special about the dance team?| A．Its members are inexperienced. | B．It helps with school dance instruction. |
| C．It regularly posts videos on social media. | D．Its members are guided by famous dancers. |
| A．It has inspired him to take up new hobbies. |
| B．It has improved his health and leadership skills. |
| C．It has strengthened his relationship with his family. |
| D．It has helped him build confidence in a difficult time. |
| A．They were amazed and proud of their dads. |
| B．They were embarrassed but showed understanding. |
| C．They considered following Jukebox on social media. |
| D．They joined their dads to complete the performance together. |
| A．Dancing is beneficial to people of all ages | B．Talented dads celebrate their kids’ interest |
| C．Middle-aged dads prove age is just a number | D．A dance team is winning popularity among adults |
6 . Demographic changes, such as aging populations and declining birth rates, pose challenges as well as offer opportunities for industries and countries. To overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities, especially to achieve long-term economic sustainability, economies need to enhance policies promoting innovations.
Now many countries in East Asia are facing the aging population and declining working-age population problem. Compared with other advanced countries, Japan encountered the population aging problem at a slightly earlier stage, starting in the mid-1990s. As Japan’s percentage of elderly population to the total population increased, it impacted the country’s economy, leading to a contraction in domestic demand and decline in both production and consumption, and restricting the growth of economy.
Some innovative companies have actively increased outward FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), providing cost advantages from inexpensive overseas labor to maintain their cost competitiveness. However, the global economy is facing the challenge of declining trade owing to the protectionism practiced by certain countries. Consequently, the chances of boosting growth through outward FDI may be limited.
Developing artificial intelligence is another solution to the negative impacts of the demographic changes. AI and robotics will play a crucial role in stimulating productivity and innovation by making payment for the decline in the working-age population, and the following increase in productivity will in turn raise the demand for labor by creating new employment opportunities.
AI, robotics and other advanced technologies give rise to new tasks within their fields and across other sectors. Therefore, it is necessary to employ cooperation policies to support corporations that promote innovations by increasing investment in research and development, facilitating the growth of new companies, and building a perfect system to protect intellectual properties. Since AI and robotics may replace certain jobs, it is essential to address the potential challenges they may create in the labor market and work out strategies to ensure a balanced and comprehensive transition.
1. What do we know about demographic changes from the first two paragraphs?| A．There is no need to worry since the changes offer opportunities. |
| B．The changes won’t affect the long-term economic sustainability. |
| C．Japan is the only advanced country facing the changes at present. |
| D．Things should be done to overcome the challenges posed by the changes. |
| A．Push. | B．Decrease. | C．Pause. | D．Change. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Intolerant. | C．Objective. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．Withdrawing investment in research and development. |
| B．Adopting policies that encourage innovation of corporations. |
| C．Establishing new companies to protect intellectual properties. |
| D．Creating potential labor market for more possible employments. |
7 . It’s no secret that reading good news feels a lot better than reading bad news. Like, would you rather bite into a lemon, or sip on a fresh glass of lemonade?
In fact, good news, known as solutions journalism, is becoming more popular, as publishers and news stations discover the benefits of sharing positive stories. Good Good Good is one of them.
“If it bleeds, it leads.” has long been a saying used in the media to describe how news stories about violence, death and destruction draw readers’ attention.
| A．Share good news with people around you. |
| B．It’s just that we don’t hear as much about them. |
| C．But the “bad news” has its place in the world. |
| D．It provides a more balanced view of the world. |
| E．And so, negative news stories are everywhere on news media. |
| F．Heartwarming stories make you cry and feel good. |
| G．The news media company is devoted to providing good news intentionally. |
8 . With almost all big employers in the United States now using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in their hiring processes, the public is considering some urgent questions: How can you prevent discrimination in hiring when a machine is keeping the discrimination? What kind of methods might help?
Some 83% of employers, including 99% of Fortune 500 companies, now use some form of automated tools as part of their hiring process, said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s ( EEOC) chair Charlotte Burrows, at a hearing on Tuesday. She said everyone needs to speak up on the debate over these technologies. “The risks are simply too high to leave this topic just to the experts.”
Last year, the EEOC issued some guidance around the use of cutting-edge hiring tools, noting many of their shortcomings. The agency found that resume( 简历) scanners which prioritize keywords and programs which evaluate a candidate’s facial expressions and speech patterns in video interviews can create discrimination. Take, for example, a video interview that analyses an applicant’s speech patterns to determine their ability to solve problems. A person with a speech problem might score low and automatically be screened out. The problem will be for the EEOC to root out discrimination or stop it from taking place.
The EEOC is considering the most appropriate ways to handle the problem. It’s agreed that inspections are necessary to ensure that the software used by companies avoids intentional or unintentional discrimination. But who would conduct those inspections is a more challenging question. Each option presents risks, Burrows pointed out. A third party may turn a blind eye to its clients, while a government-led inspection could potentially stop innovation.
In previous remarks, Burrows has noted the great potential that AI decision making tools have to improve the lives of Americans, but only when used properly. “We must work to ensure that these new technologies do not become a high-tech pathway to discrimination,” she said.
1. What does Burrows suggest people do?| A．Make their own voice heard. | B．Follow the experts’ suggestions. |
| C．Stop using AI in hiring processes. | D．Watch debates about technologies. |
| A．By scanning keywords. | B．By evaluating resumes. |
| C．By analyzing personalities. | D．By assessing speech patterns. |
| A．High expense. | B．Unfair results. |
| C．Age discrimination. | D．Innovation interruption. |
| A．Favourable. | B．Disapproving. | C．Cautious. | D．Doubtful. |
9 . As environmental concerns continue to increase, many people are left wondering how they can balance the need to travel with the need to protect the planet. One particular dilemma that has received significant attention is air travel.
Air travel is known to be one of the most carbon-intensive forms of travel. According to a report by the European Environment Agency, aviation (航空) is responsible for around 3% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, and that number is expected to grow in the coming years. In addition, aircraft contribute to other types of air pollution, such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.
For environmentalists who advocate for reducing our carbon footprint, this brings up a difficult question: should we avoid flying altogether?
On one hand, it’s easy to see why environmentalists would want to keep away from air travel. By doing so, they could dramatically reduce their carbon footprint and set an example for others. Additionally, some argue that air travel perpetuates (使永久) a culture of over-consumption, which is contradictory to environmental values.
However, there are also arguments in favor of air travel: For one, air travel enables people to experience different cultures, build relationships, and expand their knowledge in ways that might not be possible otherwise. It can also facilitate business trades and contribute to economic growth. Moreover, some experts believe that technological advancements could make air travel more sustainable in the future. For example, some airlines are experimenting with biofuels and electric planes, which could dramatically reduce the emissions associated with air travel.
So what’s the answer? Ultimately, it’s up to each individual to decide whether the benefits of air travel outweigh the environmental costs. However, there are steps that everyone can take to reduce their impact. For example, travelers can choose to fly less frequently, decide on direct flights, and offset (抵消) their emissions through programs like carbon offsetting. In the end, the key is to remain aware of the environmental impact of our choices and to make informed decisions based on our own values and priorities.
1. What’s the function of paragraph 2?| A．To clarify the effect of air travel. | B．To make a comparison. |
| C．To present an argument. | D．To describe various greenhouse gases. |
| A．It helps avoid economic problems. |
| B．It promotes globalization in some sense. |
| C．It will make biofuels popular in the near future. |
| D．It will accelerate the development of electric planes. |
| A．Approving. | B．Doubtful. | C．Objective. | D．Subjective. |
| A．Environmental concerns about air travel. | B．Whether we should travel by air or not. |
| C．How to reduce the pollution air travel causes. | D．The advantages and disadvantages of air travel. |
10 . Halloween candy could be in for a California big change. State lawmakers last month passed the California Food Safety Act, which bans four materials found in popular snacks and packaged foods - including candy corm and other Halloween treats. Set to take effect in 2027, the ban will lead candy and food producers to change their formulas for products sold both in California and elsewhere around the country.
The law bans the production and sale of some materials, which are used in processed foods including kinds of instant potatoes and sodas, as well as candies. The additives (添加剂) have been linked to increased risks of cancer and nervous system problems, according to the Environmental Working Group, which started the act, and are already banned in many other countries.
Food producers and their lobbyists (说客) opposed the law, arguing the conclusion that the four additives are unhealthy should be made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They thought that evaluating the safety of food materials and additives should rely on the scientific accuracy of the FDA. But food safety advocates say the FDA has moved far too slowly in regulating food chemicals. It’s unacceptable that the U.S. is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to food safety.
California’s act made headlines this year as a “Skittles (彩虹糖) ban” that would wipe popular candies off California shelves. But supporters of the act said the intention is simply to require changes in the materials, as has already happened in Europe. Perhaps the most standing-out material on California’s banned list is red dye No. 3. It is allowed only in candied and cocktail cherries in the European Union but more than 3,000 products contain the chemical in the U. S. The list includes items like frosted pretzels and scores of brand-name candies such as Peeps and Pez. It also includes items like fruit cocktail cups, protein drinks, and yogurts.
1. How will Halloween candy in California change?| A．It will change its recipes. | B．It will transform its shapes. |
| C．It will move out of California. | D．It will disappear completely. |
| A．FDA’s conclusion on the materials is wrong. |
| B．Four materials are allowed all over the world. |
| C．The materials’ safety needs to be reassessed. |
| D．FDA moves too fast in regulating food chemicals. |
| A．They demand a complete ban on Skittles. |
| B．They wish the “Skittles ban” to be headlines. |
| C．They want to apply European policies to Skittles. |
| D．They hope more red dye No. 3 is used in Skittles. |
| A．California candy ban. | B．Food safety in California. |
| C．The responsibility of FDA. | D．Change of Halloween Candy. |
