1 . 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 |
In my first attempt to get control over my technology use, I set my phone to vibrate rather than ring. Soon after, another problem appeared. The act of continually checking the phone became a habit. I knew then that using only tips to permanently reform digital life is difficult. We should go past the notification settings (通知模式) on our devices or apps and consider the more essential topic of why we use so many apps in the first place. What all of us who are struggling with these challenges need is a technology usage philosophy, something that explains from the ground up which digital tools we allow into our lives, why, and under what conditions.
Cal Newport, a professor of computer science, defines Digital Minimalism (极简主义) as a “philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected activities that strongly support the things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else.”
To do so, however, we cannot passively allow the tools and apps provided by the internet age to control how we spend our time or how we feel. Instead, we must take steps to draw the positive aspects of these technologies while sidestepping the negative aspects.
1. What does “its danger” in the first paragraph refer to?| A．Feeling depressed. |
| B．Getting distracted in a discussion. |
| C．Giving up private moments. |
| D．Losing control of your digital life. |
| A．To make a comparison. |
| B．To explain a phenomenon. |
| C．To bring in a better solution. |
| D．To clarify misunderstandings. |
| A．Ignoring the side effect of digital tools. |
| B．Devoting your screen time to valuable things. |
| C．Spending more time selecting information. |
| D．Getting away from entertainment apps. |
| A．Reforms in life. |
| B．Technology challenges. |
| C．Apps and social media sites. |
| D．Technology usage philosophy. |
3 . Throughout history, many species of animals have been threatened with extinction. When Europeans first arrived in North America, more than 60 million buffalo (水牛) lived on the continent. Yet hunting the buffalo was so popular during the 19th century that by 1900 the animal’s population had fallen to about 400 before the government stepped in to protect the species. In some countries today, the elephant faces a similar challenge, as illegal hunters kill the animals for the ivory in their tusks.
Yet not all animals with commercial value face this threat (威胁).The cow, for example, is a valuable source of food, but no one worries that the cow will soon be extinct. Why does the commercial value of ivory threaten the elephant. while the commercial value of beef protects the cow?
The reason is that elephants are a common resource, while cows are private goods. Elephants wander freely without any owners. The hunter has a strong motivation to kill as many elephants as he can find. Because illegal hunters are numerous, each has only a slight motivation to preserve the elephant population. By contrast, cattle live on farms that are privately owned. Each farmer makes great effort to maintain the cattle population on his farm because he harvests the benefit of these efforts.
Governments have tried to solve the elephant’s problem in two ways. Some countries, such as Kenya and Uganda, have made it illegal to kill elephants and sell their ivory. Yet these laws have been hard to put into effect, and elephant populations have continued to dwindle. By contrast, other countries, such as Malawi and Namibia, have made elephants private goods and allowed people to kill elephants, but only those on their own property.
With private ownership and the profit motive now on its side, the African elephant might someday be as safe from extinction as the cow. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle pointed out the problem with common resources: “What is common to many is taken least care of, for all men have greater regard for what is their own than for what they possess in common with others.”
1. Why does the author mention buffalo in paragraph 1?| A．To introduce a similar threat to elephants. |
| B．To provide an example of species extinction. |
| C．To offer an explanation for government policies. |
| D．To present the statistics of the buffalo in America. |
| A．They are under different law protection |
| B．They attract different groups of hunters |
| C．They contain different commercial value |
| D．They represent different ownership types |
| A．Bans on killing elephants for ivory |
| B．Effective laws for elephant protection. |
| C．Methods of making elephants private goods |
| D．Government policies on the elephant’s problem |
| A．People hold little regard for others’ property |
| B．People want to profit from common resources |
| C．People care more about their own possession |
| D．People tend to take what they own for granted |
4 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Zibo city in Shandong province has gone viral on Chinese social media since late February for its local barbecue specialty, and the local government takes the opportunity
On March 31 the Jinan bureau of China Railway
Barbecue is popular in China, but Zibo’s barbecue differs
The barbecue
5 . Is Managing Kids' Screen Time a Good Idea?
Screen time is a big topic of conversation in today's households, particularly during the pandemic when online education hours have multiplied for many students.
If parents believe they can manage a child's screen time through adolescence, they are not only fooling themselves but also inviting relationship trouble with their teens. It is a myth to think that parents can or should manage their kids' screen time through authoritarian restrictions, even during elementary school.
To be clear, this article is not suggesting that families never use apps or trackers, or that there should be no restrictions on screen time.
| A．Of course, there are websites that are unhealthy for kids to access. |
| B．The alternative is to involve children in decisions that govern screen time. |
| C．However, every family needs a family media plan between family members. |
| D．The goal is to see, hear, feel, and understand how children view screen time. |
| E．To manage children's screen time, parents have invested in apps and trackers. |
| F．To get children involved, parents should trust and develop kids' self-awareness. |
| G．What it is suggesting is that parents look at managing screen time in a different way. |
6 . More students than ever before are taking a gap year (间隔年) before going to university. It used to be called the “year off” between school and university. The gap-year phenomenon originated (起源) with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year.
This year, 25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year, according to statistics on university entrance provided by the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS).
That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year. Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education. “Students who take a well-planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with, and complete, their chosen course. Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible.” he said.
But not everyone is happy. Owain James, the president of the National Union of Students (NUS), argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship—young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education. “New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to £ 15,000 in debt. It is not surprising that more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree. NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods,” he said.
1. What do we learn about the gap year from the text?| A．It is flexible in length. | B．It is a time for relaxation. |
| C．It is increasingly popular. | D．It is required by universities. |
| A．are better prepared for college studies |
| B．know a lot more about their future jobs |
| C．are more likely to leave university in debt |
| D．have a better chance to enter top universities |
| A．He’s puzzled. | B．He’s worried. |
| C．He’s surprised. | D．He’s annoyed. |
| A．Attend additional courses. | B．Make plans for the new term. |
| C．Earn money for their education. | D．Prepare for their graduate studies. |
7 . Recently, Facebook has changed its corporate name to Meta. The company said it would better include what it does, as it broadens its reach beyond social media into areas like virtual reality (VR). The CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the existing brand could not possibly represent everything that they’re doing today, let alone in the future. He also revealed the company’s plans to build a “metaverse (元宇宙)” — an online world where people can game, work and communicate in a virtual environment.
The term “metaverse” was invented by author Neal Stephenson in Snow Crash, a science fiction published in 1992. In the work, the metaverse is a sort of 3D virtual world. It’s not simply a virtual reality game but is a persistent and shared virtual world. Or rather, the metaverse is a whole universe of shared virtual spaces seemingly linked together — you could, essentially, teleport (瞬移) between them.
Metaverse combined at the very least five technologies — they are social media, online game, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and cryptocurrency (加密货币). Those technologies will bring users to an interactive world. AR and VR are vital for Metaverse. VR serves to present the virtual world visually and then AR will provide the audio and sensors for people to be able to interact. With Metaverse, Facebook will offer not only a texting service but also a multi-perspective virtual touch that feels like a real thing.
Facebook said that it plans to create 10,000 jobs in Europe over the next five years to work on metaverse-related endeavours (活动). The company also has introduced Oculus-branded virtual-reality headsets, and it joined with Ray-Ban to develop smart sunglasses that went on sale for $299. “Over time, I hope that we are seen as a metaverse company and I want to anchor our work and our identity on what we’re building towards,” Mark Zuckerberg said. “I view this work as critical to our mission because delivering a sense of presence — like you’re right there with another person — that’s the highest goal of online social experiences,” he said.
1. Why has Facebook changed its corporate name?| A．To lead the gaming industry. |
| B．To cover its extended business. |
| C．To improve its corporate image. |
| D．To attract investment for its new plans. |
| A．The introduction to the VR game. |
| B．The future with 3D virtual world. |
| C．The origin of the word “metaverse”. |
| D．The importance of the novel Snow Crash. |
| A．It has a wide range of applications. |
| B．It offers people deeply interactive experiences. |
| C．It enables people to enjoy a free texting service. |
| D．It uses the five technologies to explore the universe. |
| A．There will be fierce competition in the metaverse market. |
| B．Facebook will focus on designing virtual devices. |
| C．Metaverse will be the center of online experience studies. |
| D．Facebook will be devoted to developing the metaverse. |
8 . “Why do people enjoy saying that they are bad at math?” wonders Petra Bonfert, a professor of engineering at Dartmouth College. After seeing too many examples of adults “passing on mathematical anxiety like a virus,” Bonfert has an important message for math-phobic parents and educators: “We are passing on from generation to generation the fear for mathematics.”
Many people hold the view that math is inherently hard, and only people with an inborn mathematical ability can understand it. While well-meaning adults may think they’re encouraging kids by sharing their own math fears, research has shown the opposite. Research has found that the problem is particularly significant for girls, who “are especially affected when a teacher publicly announces math hatred before she picks up the chalk.” Moreover, a study published recently reported that female mathematical achievement was diminished in response to a female teacher’s mathematical anxiety. The effect was correlated: the higher a teacher’s anxiety, the lower the scores.”
Parents’ anxiety about math can have a similar effect on kids’ achievement and their attitude toward the subject. Children who received math homework help from mathematically fearful parents showed weaker math achievements than their peers, which in turn resulted in increased math anxiety for the children themselves. New research on math anxiety confirms that these parents unintentionally teach kids to expect that math will be beyond their capabilities.
Fortunately, Sian Beilock, a cognitive scientist of Barnard College, has found a surprisingly easy way for parents to stop passing on math anxiety and build their children’s math confidence. The most important finding is the importance of normalizing math at home in a way that’s relaxing and playful: from using math-themed books and stories, playing with math games and toys to cooking together. He argues that we need to teach kids that “working on mathematical skills is not unlike practicing a sport. Neither can be learned by watching others perform the activity and both require encouragement and effort. You do not need an inborn mathematical ability in order to solve mathematical problems. Rather, what is required is perseverance, a willingness to take risks and feeling safe to make mistakes.
1. Why do some people share their math fear with kids?| A．To expect kids to learn from their mistake. | B．To prove only geniuses can learn it well. |
| C．To give encouragement to their kids. | D．To stress the importance of genetic factors. |
| A．Decreased. | B．Measured. | C．Improved. | D．Influenced. |
| A．Normalizing maths at home is relaxing and full of fun. |
| B．Having an inborn math ability is essential to children. |
| C．Developing mathematical skills differs from doing a sport. |
| D．Encouragement and efforts help yield math learning success. |
| A．Math-phobic adults are to blame for math failure. |
| B．Math anxiety is nothing to be afraid of at all. |
| C．Parents and teachers pass on math fear to kids. |
| D．Risks and mistakes are what success takes. |
9 . Several days ago Spanish fashion brand Zara sparked a fierce debate after releasing its latest campaign featuring a Chinese model with freckles (雀斑). Actually, there are some different beauty standards between the East and the West.
In East Asia, freckles might be considered a “destructive weakness” for celebrities, especially actors or singers. Although normal people don’t care that much, subconsciously they might prefer a “clean” face. Generally speaking, freckles are more likely to appear if people are out in the sun frequently, and most East Asian women avoid the sun as best they can.
Having freckles, instead, is a trademark for unconventional beauty in the Western world, and some call freckles “angel kisses”. For most westerners, having freckles is no longer just something you have to live with; instead, it is something to be desired. After all, not everyone is lucky enough to have freckles.
When it comes to eye shapes, it seems Western and Chinese beauty standards don’t see eye-to-eye. Many Chinese think girls with big eyes are the most beautiful. If their eyes have a double-fold eyelid, that is considered perfect. However, most foreigners seem to prefer Chinese girls with slanted (斜的) and narrow eyes and eyebrows. Chinese known model Lyv Yan is often considered the country’s most beautiful by foreigners, while quite a few Chinese people think her appearance doesn’t fit with traditional beauty standards.
Young, girly feature or hot and mature feature? Zhao Liying from China, Aragaki Yui from Japan and Lim Yoon-A from South Korea enjoy high popularity in Asia, as they boast bright faces with warm smiles, which win them lots of male fans. The three young celebrities represent Asia’s beauty standards: women with cute, girly features. Most women in Asia try their best to stay young accordingly. Unlike Chinese girls, Western girls think a more mature look shows independence and uniqueness. The superhero Wonder Woman is an ideal type for most.
As ties continue to grow between China and the West, it is unavoidable that these beauty standards develop. But one thing’s for sure-no matter how you look, you are who you are, and that should be satisfaction enough.
1. What do most western people think of having freckles?| A．It is something unbearable. | B．It is a destructive weakness. |
| C．It is something to wish for. | D．It is a symbol of traditional beauty. |
| A．Have the same opinion. | B．Recognize their strengths. |
| C．Misunderstand each other. | D．Argue against one another. |
| A．They think this beauty standard is better. | B．They want to look independent and unique. |
| C．They hope to have high popularity in Asia. | D．They admire Wonder Woman very much. |
| A．What Zara’s beauty standard is. | B．Why Chinese people don’t like freckles. |
| C．What causes the different beauty standards. | D．How easterners and westerners think of beauty. |
10 . Imagine being able to go to your local park and pick some tomatoes, potatoes or even bananas to take home for dinner. Sounds too good to be true, right? For residents of Andernach, a German city, it’s not just a Utopian dream — it’s their reality. In 2010, Andernach began its “edible city” project, planting 101 varieties of tomatoes in public green spaces around the city centre. Its 30,000 residents are free to help themselves to whatever grows, as are any other visitors. Every year a new type of plant is introduced. In 2011, 100 types of beans were planted, while 2012 saw the introduction of 20 onion varieties. The town’s motto (座右铭) is, “Picking is encouraged — help yourself!”
It’s a community effort, as local citizens are encouraged to help plant and maintain the gardens. This offers an opportunity to socialize as well as to learn about planting, cultivating and harvesting food. “I often drop by to pick some herbs that I’m missing at home. Everything is easily accessible. There aren’t any fences. You just take what you need. The only thing is you have to be quick once the fruits are ripe or they’ll all be gone!” said a local historian.
Andernach may be the first, but it isn’t the only edible city. It’s part of the Edible Cities Network, an EU-funded project connecting green urban food initiatives (倡议) around the world. Other edible cities include Carthage in Tunisia, Havana in Cuba and Šempeter-Vrtojba in Slovenia. In February 2022, the first Edible Cities Network Conference took place. Dr. Ina Säumel, Principal Investigator of the Edible Cities Network, called it, “a unique opportunity to invite researchers and practitioners (从业人员) of Edible City Solutions to the same table and unite theory with practice”.
Ultimately, the Edible Cities Network aims to create “greener, more edible and, above all, more livable cities”. It is a response to the pressures of climate change, and a cause for hope.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．The process of Andernach’s growth. |
| B．The green food project in Andernach. |
| C．Methods of planting vegetables in Europe. |
| D．The popularity of Andernach’s city design. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Indifferent. |
| C．Positive. | D．Negative. |
| A．Green urban food has drawn more attention. |
| B．German rural areas will follow the trend too. |
| C．Asia will join the Edible Cities Network soon. |
| D．Edible cities hold meetings on a regular base. |
| A．Start a Green Food Campaign Now |
| B．Gain Easy Access to German Food |
| C．Quick Response to Climate Change |
| D．An Incredible “Edible City” Initiative |
