1 . Voluntourism — a new trend (趋势) of volunteer tourism
Have you ever thought about going abroad to volunteer? Nowadays there’s a trend that more and more people are interested in volunteer tourism.
Making a difference in a country less lucky than your own is seen by most as a really good thing to do. More and more volunteers are seeking meaning and a sense of purpose in life. “They use their skills to help on projects abroad, such as building hospitals, teaching English in schools, looking after children in orphanages (孤儿院), etc.”
However, some people are against this so-called “voluntourism”. Volunteers take away jobs from locals who would have otherwise done that work. Yes, sometimes volunteers have specific knowledge which can benefit communities, such as IT skills or speaking English as a native language. But sometimes they are put to work on construction sites (建筑工地), for example, depriving (使失去) locals of a job on project.
Besides, many young travelers are untrained for the role. This could become a health and safety problem on construction sites or when caring for children. I volunteered myself last year in a library and school in Ghana. I helped to reshelve books, talked to the librarian about the running of the library and played games with the children. However, I’m not an experienced teacher or librarian, and I felt like the locals were far too trusting of my opinions and decisions, just because I come from a more developed country.
Furthermore, volunteer tourism is seen by some as just that-an industry, a way for companies to make money. About $2 billion was spent by volunteers in 2015.Surely it would be better if this money were directly given to places where it is needed the most. Instead, most of the money is going to tourism companies, while local communities only see a very small amount of it. I met some Danish girls who had paid €7,000 each to a company to volunteer at an orphanage, but very little was spent on the orphanage itself.
I think volunteering abroad helps us develop as a person, and is a shining addition to a CV. Volunteer projects are usually very valuable for communities, but often good for those who take part in voluntary work just as much, if not more, as those they are helping.
1. What do we learn about volunteers working abroad?| A．They have no safety problems. |
| B．They may cause the locals out of job. |
| C．They become less willing to be volunteers. |
| D．They would like to work in richer countries. |
| A．Volunteer tourism has become an industry. |
| B．Volunteers spend lots of money helping with the charity work. |
| C．Some volunteer travelers are very experienced and suitable for the role. |
| D．Volunteer tourism provides locals with more and more job opportunities. |
| A．Voluntourism offers volunteers good jobs. |
| B．Volunteering gives a lot to poor countries. |
| C．Voluntourism brings volunteers advantages. |
| D．The quality of volunteering needs improving. |
I：Introduction P：Point Sp：Sub-point (次要点) c：Conclusion
A． | B． | C． | D． |
2 . Sunday evening, October 30, 1938, was peaceful in New York City. Some people were returning home from a trip to the countryside, and others were sitting down to dinner. In those days, televisions were not very common. Most people listened to the radio for news and entertainment.
At eight o’clock that evening, there was a concert of dance music, but Suddenly, the programme was cut off by a news report: a large spaceship had landed in a field and an army of Martians (火星人) was moving towards New York City and then the radio went silent.
People felt worried. Some drove out of the city as quickly as possible, but soon the roads were crowded with cars. Some people put wet towels on their faces because they thought there was a gas attack. In New Jersey, some farmers went out with guns. Although it was dark, they found a large cylinder (圆柱体) standing in a field, and, thinking it was the Martian spaceship, the shot at it many times.
Many people were so frightened that they did not hear the next announcement on the radio: “Ladies and gentlemen, you are listening to a radio play called The War of the Worlds.”
A message was sent to police stations that there was no real Martian attack, and the police Offices soon returned calm to New York City.
Many people were very angry that they had been fooled by the play, and complained to the radio station. But what about the spaceship that the farmers found in the field? The next morning, they found that they had damaged a large water tank (罐)!
1. According to the news report, ___________.| A．a Martian spaceship had landed | B．a spaceship was found at the airport |
| C．there would be a concert that evening | D．there was a gas attack in New York City |
| A．many people wanted to see the Martians |
| B．the Martian army was standing in the way |
| C．people were trying to get home from work |
| D．many people were trying to leave New York City |
| A．Policemen. | B．Firemen. | C．Dancers. | D．Farmers. |
| A．it was fooled by a news reporter. |
| B．It played a joke on the listeners. |
| C．It called the police to catch the Martians. |
| D．It often announced the news about spaceships. |
3 . Like many people, in terms of socializing, I prioritize (优先考虑) making time for my closest friends and family. When it comes to reaching out to people, I don’t know as well I often find myself unwilling to engage. This could be a big mistake, though, according to a new study. Having different types of social interactions seems to be central to our happiness —something many of us may think little of.
In a series of surveys, researchers looked at how having a socially diverse network related to people’s well-being. In one survey, 578 Americans reported on what activities they had been engaged in, with whom and for how long over the past 24 hours, while also saying how happy with life they were. The researchers found that people with more diverse social networks were happier and more satisfied with life than those with less diverse networks — regardless of how much time they had spent socializing overall.
“The more you can broaden your social circle and reach out to people you talk to less frequently —like an acquaintance, a friend, a coworker, or even a stranger —the more it could have positive benefits for your well-being,” said the lead researcher Hanne Collins of Harvard Business School.
To further test this idea, she and her colleagues looked at large data sets from the American Time Use Survey and the World Health Organization’s Study on Global Aging and Adult Health. In both cases, they found that when people had a broader range of social interactions, they experienced greater happiness and well-being.
Then Collins and her colleagues did another analysis, using data from a mobile app that 21,644 French-speaking people used to report on their daily social activities and happiness. There, they found that when someone experienced greater-than-average social diversity one week, they were happier that week and the week after.
Why is that? It could be that being with different people contributes to different kinds of emotions, which may be a driving force in our happiness, says Collins. Alternatively, it could be that having a more diverse network allows you to get various social supports when you need it. Whatever the case, Collins hopes her research will inspire people to expand their social networks when they can.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Reaching out to strangers is a must in people’s life. |
| B．It could be a mistake for people to socialize with strangers. |
| C．Diverse social interactions contribute little to people’s happiness. |
| D．Many people are more willing to interact with the closest friends. |
| A．Its results were different from culture to culture. |
| B．Its results were against the ones of previous surveys. |
| C．The researchers collected large amounts of data from different apps. |
| D．It focused on the impact of a more diverse social network on life happiness. |
| A．Any stranger or co-worker can bring you happiness. |
| B．Broad social circle contributes to more happiness. |
| C．Happiness depends on how much time you spend with strangers. |
| D．Broad social network leads to a balanced life. |
| A．Collins’s social life. | B．Collins’s conclusions. |
| C．Collins’s new research. | D．Collins’s specific suggestions. |
Have you ever noticed when ordering takeaway food
This fee is uneasy
Now,
The Shanghai Consumer Protection Commission in Tune
5 . China’s generation-Z is not “lying flat”, an expression forgiving upon hard work, as is often claimed, and making an effort is still the mainstream of a group who believes success should be achieved by solid effort, Chinese officials said at a press conference on Thursday, in response to a question on how younger generations should achieve balance between a lifestyle of “lying flat” in face of great pressure and “involution,” which refers to severe internal competition that does not lead to productivity gains.
“Most Chinese youth hold an optimistic view on the future, and the saying’ lying flat’ is more of a joke to release pressure and express their feelings,” He Junke, a government official said at a press conference on Thursday.
At the press conference, China released the first nationwide whitepaper on youth development titled “Youth of China in the New Era,” which showcased achievements linked to the country’s youth development in the newer a and reflected the spirit of younger generation. The whitepaper was also released ahead of the 100th anniversary of the founding of CYLC (共青团).
He said China has attached great importance to deeper issues reflected by talk of “lying flat”, which emerged as young generation is subject to increasing pressure across work, study and life amid China’s unique demographic (人口统计学的，人口学的) structure and highly competitive labor market.
“Some in the younger generation feel cofused or lost. In response, authorities have scaled up the amount of support available to help solve their issues in education, employment, marriage and child raising,” He noted, while urging the whole society to support the mental development and psychology of generation-Z.
He pointed out that it is also important for certain young people to realize that it is unrealistic to build a career without taking responsibility and making endeavor. “All happiness is achieved through devoted effort, and making endeavor itself is also a kind of happiness,” He stressed.
1. What is He Junke’s attitude towards “lying flat”?| A．Objective. | B．Subjective. | C．Opposed. | D．Favorable. |
| A．More and more young people choose to lie flat in China, |
| B．Young people face great pressure in their study, work and life. |
| C．China’s population structure affects the supply of labor market. |
| D．The government needs to celebrate the 100th anniversary of CYLC. |
| A．Young people should take responsibility and make efforts to achieve success. |
| B．The whole society should care about young people’s physical and mental health. |
| C．Authorities should help young people and give them support in many aspects of life. |
| D．All of the above. |
| A．To call on a low carbon lifestyle. |
| B．To inform the latest research on the social development. |
| C．To set a goal for the young people who are under pressure on study. |
| D．To address a social problem among young generations in the newer era. |
6 . 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 don’t have enough conversational ability. It’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s embarrassing 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 a valuable social practice that leads to big benefits.
It is easy to consider small talk as unimportant, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t even exist (存在) if there weren’t casual conversations. 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 secret to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.”
In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, professor of psychology at UBC, invited people to a coffee shop. One group was asked to interact with its waiter, the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported obviously 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 is important for our happiness and health.”
Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a greater sense of belonging, a link 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 does the underline word “casual” in paragraph 3mean?| A．Addictive | B．Public | C．Personal | D．Informal |
| A．Showing good manners. | B．Making business deals. |
| C．Focusing on a topic. | D．Keeping in contact with other people. |
| A．It raises people’s confidence. | B．It makes people feel good. |
| C．It improves family relationships. | D．It matters as much as a formal talk. |
| A．Conversation Counts | B．Ways of Making Small Talk |
| C．Importance of Small Talk | D．Uncomfortable Silence |
7 . One minute, Peggy Lewis and her husband, Harris Lee, were watching the trees blow in the wind. The next, they were surrounded by flying pieces of glass from the house’s broken windows. The roof was torn off. The walls caved in (塌陷). After the 152-mph tornado (龙卷风) had passed, it took a team of neighbors to pull the couple from the rubble (碎砖) and take them to the hospital.
When the pair returned to their house three days later, it was clear that what remained of the house would need to be torn down, but before Peggy would let that happen, she wanted one thing first—her family Bible.
Peggy had bought the Bible 35 years earlier, at the start of her marriage. Like many people, she’d used it to hold her family’s history — old photos, and a handkerchief from her great-grandmother.
The Bible was the first thing Peggy looked for when she returned to the house. When two volunteers showed up, Peggy had one task for them.
After an hour of searching, one of the volunteers ran up to her. Peggy had tears running down her face. The young woman had found the book while looking through rubble. Surprisingly, while many other books inside the house had been destroyed beyond recognition, the Bible was still complete, even though it had sat in the rain for days. “I completely broke down,” says Peggy. “I thought it was gone forever.” She was extremely grateful.
Peggy and her family were living at a friend’s house until they got back on their feet. But the book already has its well-deserved place of honor, in Peggy’ borrowed dresser. She knows that while every good book tells stories of disastrous (灾难性的) weather and unlikely survival, this one actually lived it.
1. What happened to the couple during the tornado?| A．They were hurt by glass. | B．They were buried in ruins. |
| C．They were blown to the wall. | D．They were forced to leave their house. |
| A．To help find her Bible. | B．To get her a new dresser. |
| C．To dig out all the buried things. | D．To tear down the dangerous house. |
| A．It’s very expensive. | B．It’s a gift from her husband. |
| C．It marked her marriage. | D．It held important things. |
| A．Excited but surprised. | B．Sad but thankful. |
| C．Excited and thankful. | D．Surprised but sad. |
| A．An important book. | B．All of her books. |
| C．Her house. | D．Some of her relatives. |
8 . When Americans think of the lunch menu at their childhood school dining halls, they probably imagine the shapeless, tasteless meat — plus some brown mush (糊状物) to match. But for children in Japan, school lunches are a rich experience where the students learn about culture and nutrition (营养) of foods.
“Japan’s opinion is that school lunches are a part of education, not a break from it,” Masahiro Oji, a government director of school health education in Japan said. The food offered at schools in Japan is affordable, fresh, and made by the students themselves. And Japanese children don’t just eat the food they prepare; they learn about the nutrition and culture of their meals, too. The food is grown locally and includes a balanced menu of rice, vegetables, fish, and soups. Even better, each meal only costs just $2.50.
“Parents hear their kids talking about what they had for lunch,” Tatsuji Shino, the headmaster at Umejima Elementary School in Tokyo said, “and kids ask them to re-create the meals at home.” Japanese students also learn cooperation (合作) and etiquette skills as they serve and clean up after each other.
Considering the fact that Japan has one of the world’s lowest childhood obesity rates (肥胖), the US probably has a lot to learn from this country’s school lunches. A recent study found that American students who regularly ate the school lunch — where choices include pizza, chicken, and French fries — were 29 percent more likely to be obese than those who brought lunch from home.
For American parents who want to be a little more like the Japanese, try sending your children to school with these great school lunches for kids who hate sandwiches.
1. How does Japan treat school lunches?| A．It considers lunch an important way of keeping fit. |
| B．It takes lunch as time for students to feed themselves up. |
| C．It considers lunch a part of school education. |
| D．It considers lunch a chance to help students relax |
| A．They are cheap. | B．They are cold. |
| C．They are full of meat. | D．They are home-made. |
| A．eat quietly | B．help others | C．make friends | D．work together |
| A．American school lunches are likely to make people fat. |
| B．American school lunches are more popular. |
| C．More people prefer studying at American schools. |
| D．American kids are the fattest in the world. |
| A．Expensive. | B．Unhealthy. | C．Great. | D．Nutritional. |
Teenage life is full of adventures and challenges. Doing voluntary work is popular among some teenagers. And extra-curricular activities
1. How does the woman feel now?
| A．Shocked. | B．Afraid. | C．Angry. |
| A．A doctor. | B．A policeman. | C．The woman’s friend. |
| A．A locker. | B．A letter. | C．Some money. |
