Your Opinions Wanted
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1. 解释字面意思；
2. 阐释道理。
注意:
1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的应位置作答。
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3 . Wholesale prices for gas and electricity are increasing suddenly across Europe,raising the possibility of increases in already-high utility (公共事业）bills and further pain for people who have taken a financial hit fromCOVID-19.
Governments are struggling to find ways to limit costs to consumers as scant natural gas reserves present yet another potential problem, exposing the continent to even more price increases and possible shortages if it’s a cold winter.
In the U.K., many people will see their gas and electricity bills rise next month after the nation’s energy regulator approved a 12% price increase for those without contracts that lock in rates. Officials in Italy have warned that prices will increase by 40% for the quarter that will be billed in October.
There are multiple causes for the price increases, energy analysts say, including tight supplies of natural gas used to generate electricity, higher costs for permits to release carbon dioxide as part of Europe’s fight against climate change, and less supply from wind in some cases.
Analysts at S&P Global Platts say electricity prices have risen due to strong demand from places like data centers and electric cars, but above all because of the rise in the price of natural gas used in generating plants. Utility companies’ exposure to natural gas prices has increased as high-emission coal plants have been retired, while utilities face higher costs for carbon allowances required by the European Union’s emissions trading system, which is aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.
The tight gas market could bite even more sharply if there’s an unusually cold winter. That’s because European distributors did not refill reserves reduced during last winter as they typically had done in summer months. In March 2008, when the freeze named “the beast from the east” hit Europe, industrial users in the U.K got a notice that there was a risk of interruption, although it didn’t come to that.
Could Europe run out of gas? “The short answer is Yes, this is a real risk,” said James Huckstepp, an analyst at S&P Global Platts. “Storage stocks are at record lows and there isn’t currently any spare supply capacity that is exportable anywhere in the world.The longer answer is that it’s hard to predict how it will play out given that Europe has never run out of gas in two decades under the current distribution system.”
1. What does the underlined word “scant” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Total. | B．Additional. | C．Limited. | D．Regular. |
| A．The closure of some coal plants. |
| B．The great demand for electric cars. |
| C．The competition between utility companies. |
| D．The change in the emissions trading system. |
| A．More natural gas will be needed for industrial use. |
| B．European distributors don’t make good preparations. |
| C．It is not easy to fill reserves during the cold weather. |
| D．Utility companies work can be easily interrupted. |
| A．Europe is expected to seek help from other countries. |
| B．It is hard to control the gas price in Europe at present. |
| C．Europe might face a serious shortage of gas in the future. |
| D．There’s something wrong with Europe’s distribution system. |
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5 . Which comes first, happiness or money? Are richer people happier ? And
The study
The researchers(研究者), from University College London and the University of Warwick, say that very depressed(沮丧的) teens, no matter how tall or smart they were, earned 10% less than their peers(同龄人),
Happier teenagers have an easier time
A report in June suggested that professional(职业的) respect(尊重) was more important than
If it is really true that happier kids
| A．if not | B．if so | C．if any | D．if ever |
| A．looked around | B．looked into | C．looked out | D．looked through |
| A．apologised | B．acquired | C．attended | D．tended |
| A．turned | B．grew | C．went | D．got |
| A．powerful | B．confident | C．delighted | D．depressed |
| A．while | B．when | C．as | D．though |
| A．right now | B．up to | C．right away | D．down to |
| A．getting off | B．getting through | C．getting out | D．getting on |
| A．simply | B．just | C．chiefly | D．only |
| A．jobs | B．dollars | C．friends | D．parents |
| A．gene | B．brand | C．character | D．nature |
| A．the best | B．the different | C．the same | D．the most |
| A．come up | B．end up | C．take up | D．turn up |
| A．first of all | B．for all | C．at all | D．after all |
| A．exists in | B．contributes to | C．results from | D．relies on |
| 优点 | 缺点 | 你自己的感想 |
| 1.自信、独立、热情、有志向 2.乐于接受并尝试新事物 3.珍惜友情，善于交流 | 1.自我为中心、依赖性强 2.心理抗挫能力不足 3.缺乏责任感 4.自控力差、沉溺于网络 | (至少两点) |
注意：
1.对所给要点逐一陈述，适当发挥，不要简单翻译。
2.词数150左右。开头已经写好，不计入总词数。
3.参考词汇：挫折frustration
Recently our class has conducted a survey about “The growth of 00's generation”. People’s opinions on it are divided.
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7 . We’ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.
What’s the problem? It’s possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence. It’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s awkward and challenging, or we think it’s annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it’s an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.
Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t
even exist if it weren’t for casual conversation. Small talk is the grease(润滑剂) for social communication, says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. ＂Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk,＂ he explains. ＂The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.＂
In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction(互动) with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. ＂It’s not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband,＂ says Dunn. ＂But interactions with peripheral(边缘的) members of our social network matter for our well-being also.＂
Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. ＂Small talk is the basis of good manners,＂ he says.
1. What phenomenon is described in the first paragraph?| A．Addiction to smartphones. |
| B．Inappropriate behaviours in public places. |
| C．Absence of communication between strangers. |
| D．Impatience with slow service. |
| A．Showing good manners. | B．Relating to other people. |
| C．Focusing on a topic. | D．Making business deals. |
| A．It improves family relationships. | B．It raises people’s confidence. |
| C．It matters as much as a formal talk. | D．It makes people feel good. |
| A．Conversation Counts | B．Ways of Making Small Talk |
| C．Benefits of Small Talk | D．Uncomfortable Silence |
