1 . Saodat Sadikova is an English teacher in Jizzakh, Uzbekistan. As a young girl, she dreamed of becoming a flight attendant (空乘人员) and traveling the world, so she learned at least three languages. Although she was not able to become a flight attendant, Sadikova could speak Uzbek, Russian, English and Turkish. Sadikova has never traveled abroad but reports feeling connected to people around the world.
American Trina Bright worked in education for nearly 25 years and she traveled to many countries, including China and South Africa. Bright used stories from her travels to help her students in the U. S. understand their place in the world and see value in their own cultures. But Bright, unlike Sadikova, does not report feeling connected to people around the world.
Bright is not alone. Pew Research Center recently asked people in 24 countries a series of questions about how connected they feel to the world to see how travel experience relates to feelings of connectedness.
The study found that respondents (调查对象) who had traveled to at least one other country feel more connected to people around the world. 99 percent of respondents in the Netherlands reported having visited at least one other country and 77 percent of respondents from the Netherlands said they feel at least somewhat close to people all over the world. But international travel does not always mean a person feels a closeness to people around the world. 99 percent of Swedish respondents said they had visited at least one other country. Yet a much smaller number of Swedish respondents—47 percent—report feeling close to people all over the world.
Sadikova said she felt connected to the world because of media, which makes it quite easy to get to know events and news.
1. Why did Saodat Sadikova learn several languages?| A．To move abroad. | B．To broaden her view. |
| C．To connect to the world. | D．To achieve her flying dream. |
| A．She improved her education. | B．She applied them to her teaching. |
| C．She understood the value of culture. | D．She could speak a foreign language. |
| A．How people get to know the world. | B．How people feel connected to the world. |
| C．Why people enjoy international travel. | D．Why travel influences the connection of people. |
| A．The aim of the research. | B．The process of the research. |
| C．The result of the research. | D．The method of the research. |
2 . In Sweden, many teachers have been putting emphasis (强调) on printed books, quiet reading time and handwriting practice, and devoting less time to tablets, independent online research and keyboarding skills.
The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to experts questioning whether Sweden’s comprehensive (全面的) digitalised approach to education had led to a fall in basic skills.
Sweden’s minister for schools, Lotta Edholm, is one of the biggest critics (批评者) of the comprehensive acceptance of technology. “Sweden’s students need more textbooks,” he said, “Physical books are important for student learning.”
Although Sweden’s students score above the European average for reading ability, an international assessment of fourth-grade reading levels, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), showed a drop among Sweden’s children between 2016 and 2021. In 2021, Swedish fourth graders averaged 544 points, a drop from the 555 average in 2016.
This may suggest a growing number of immigrant (移民) students who don’t speak Swedish as their first language, but overuse of screens during school lessons may cause youngsters to fall behind in subjects, education experts say.
The rapid adoption (采用) of digital learning tools also has drawn concern from UNESCO. In a report published in August, UNESCO issued a call for proper use of technology in education. The report calls countries to speed up Internet connections at schools, but at the same time warns that technology in education should be used in a way that never takes the place of in-person, teacher-led instruction.
In the Swedish capital, Stockholm, Liveon Palmer, a third grader at Djurgardsskolan elementary school, agreed with the idea of spending more school hours offline. “I like writing more in school, like on paper, because it just feels better,” he said.
1. According to many teachers in Sweden, how should technology be used?| A．It should be used less in education. |
| B．Digital devices should be better used. |
| C．Teaching equipment should be updated or replaced. |
| D．More importance of it should be attached to education. |
| A．It’s higher than in the past. |
| B．It’s above the world average. |
| C．It tends to fall in recent years. |
| D．It scores the highest in Europe. |
| A．Avoid online safety risks. |
| B．Improve school networking. |
| C．Focus on face-to-face communication. |
| D．Carry on teacher-centered instruction. |
| A．They demand to spend more time offline independently. |
| B．They would use physical books rather than digital tools. |
| C．They would like to study offline when they are at home. |
| D．They prefer to stay offline to maintain healthy relationships. |
3 . Traditionally, the number of meaningful social relationships one can maintain is around 150. This concept finds its roots in the natural development of the human brain. However, in the digital age, where our social connections extend far beyond the geographical boundaries (界限), we easily create more connections with the help of the rising online platforms. Then, a question arises: Does the digital age rewrite the rules of social connection?
A study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking explored the effect of social media usage on the size of social circles and the closeness of relationships. The researchers found that more time spent on social media made for a larger number of online “friends,” but not a larger number of offline friends. Further, the findings were not linked to feelings of closeness towards online or offline friends.
Another study from the European Journal of Information Systems studied the link between social media usage and “social overload” — the feeling that too much of the energy for socializing is being used up by online relationships. The authors found that social media usage directly contributed to the experience of social overload, related to digital tiredness and dissatisfaction with social media.
With social media platforms rising, one’s ability to connect with people challenges the traditional concept. The brain, used to manage a limited number of relationships, now fights against the difficulties of dealing with a large number of digital connections, leading to a less attention and feeling investment (投入) in a relationship. And the online shallow connections can not develop meaningful, lasting relationships that stand the test of digital distance.
Therefore, in the digital age’s social whirlwind, instead of drowning (淹没) in a sea of weak interaction (互动), choose to engage in meaningful conversations and focus on the handful of relationships that truly fit your heart. Hug the beauty of face-to-face connections, allowing the richness of human interaction to flower beyond the digital world. By doing so, we create digital and physical spaces that truly improve our well-being.
1. Why did the author mention the traditional concept in the first paragraph?| A．To tell a story. | B．To develop the topic. |
| C．To show his sincerity. | D．To give an example. |
| A．Online relationships were closer. |
| B．Spending more time online improved one’s health. |
| C．Social media usage had no effect on one’s social circles. |
| D．The large online social circles didn’t mean the large number of offline friends. |
| A．It resulted in one’s less attention to a relationship. |
| B．It caused the brain to break down and damaged the health. |
| C．It led to expression errors when one socialized with friends. |
| D．It developed shallow connections that stand the test of distance. |
| A．Offline Relationships: The Source of Well-being. |
| B．Social Overload: Do You Have Too Many Friends? |
| C．Social Media: The Bridge of People’s Connections? |
| D．Online Friends: The Cause of Digital Dissatisfaction. |
4 . The big French pet care company AgroBiothers Laboratoire will no longer sell very small containers for raising fish.
The company has a 27 percent share of the French market for products used by people who raise animals at home. But it said it would no longer sell any fishbowls that hold less than 15 liters of water. They will only offer four-sided ones.
The company said it was animal abuse (虐待) to put fish in small bowls without added oxygen and filtration. Filtration is the process of removing small waste from the water with a device.
AgroBiothers chief Matthieu Lambeaux recently used the term “impulse”—meaning a sudden strong desire to do something—to describe why many adults buy goldfish. “People buy a goldfish for their kids on impulse, but if they knew what torture it is, they would not do it. Turning round and round in a small bowl drives fish crazy and kills them quickly,” Lambeaux added.
Goldfish can live up to 30 years and grow to about 25 cm in large aquariums (养鱼缸) or outdoor ponds. But in very small bowls they often die within weeks or months. Lambeaux said goldfish are social animals that need other fish, lots of space and clean water. He added that having an aquarium requires some special equipment and knowledge.
Germany and several other European countries have long banned (禁止) fishbowls, but France has no laws on the problem.
Lambeaux explained the company’s decision further by saying, “We cannot educate all our customers by explaining that keeping fish in a bowl is terrible. We consider that it is our responsibility to no longer give customers that choice.”
“There is demand for fishbowls,” he said, “but the reality is that what we offer children is the possibility of seeing goldfish die slowly.”
1. What makes the French company stop selling certain fishbowls?| A．Their size. | B．Their price. |
| C．Their weight. | D．Their popularity. |
| A．Progress. | B．Pleasure. |
| C．Difficulty. | D．Suffering. |
| A．The age goldfish can reach. | B．Costs of keeping goldfish. |
| C．Proper living conditions for goldfish. | D．The advice on how to choose fishbowls. |
| A．Raise the price of the fishbowls. | B．Remove the chances of harming goldfish. |
| C．Keep goldfish outside in the wild. | D．Educate parents to care for goldfish. |
5 . Twenty years ago, the idea of sharing our lives so openly with the world was unheard of. However, for young people today it is considered completely normal to share pictures of their lives and interact online every day. Fans of social media (媒体) point out that the world has never been so connected as it has allowed people to make friends, learn about the world and celebrate life.
However, many people have concerns about the effects of this new way of living, particularly around the amount and type of information that is shared so openly. Recently researchers have found that too much time on social media may have some negative(消极的) effects. They measured people’s attitudes and feelings before and after watching social media sites. They found that the more time people spent on social media, the more unhappy they became.
There are a number of reasons for this. When watching social media, people often see photographs and stories showing beautiful holidays, fun parties and modern clothes. People seldom post negative stories or bad pictures, so it can be misleading. For those looking at these pictures and comparing them to their own lives, they can end up feeling upset. They might think their lives are worse in comparison. Even for those people who post positive stories and pictures, they too can feel stressed and worried. The number of “likes” and comments on their posts can make them anxious about their popularity. Of course, there is also the problem of cyberbullying where people are bullied online when others make negative or cruel comments about them.
The reality is that social media is part of modern life and it is not going to go away. This research shows us that it is important to find a balance between our online and offline lives. We don’t have to stay away from the Internet to live a happy life, but we should realize that the pictures we see and the stories we read are only part of a bigger picture. If we can do that, we can protect ourselves and enjoy our lives.
1. What effect does social media have according to the recent research?| A．It makes people share their lives openly. |
| B．It enables people to make more friends on the Internet.’ |
| C．It helps people to have a better knowledge of the world. |
| D．It increases unhappiness for people who use it too much. |
| A．They fear others mislead their posts. |
| B．They fear others have happier lives. |
| C．They fear others may cyberbully them. |
| D．They fear others have more interesting stories. |
| A．By giving causes. | B．By listing numbers. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By describing process. |
| A．To persuade people to keep off the Internet. |
| B．To describe the threats caused by social media. |
| C．To advise us to balance online and offline lives. |
| D．To introduce the convenience created by social media. |
1. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
| A．Teacher and parent. | B．Teacher and student. | C．Colleagues. |
| A．The woman’s niece. | B．The man’s student. | C．The man’s niece. |
| A．It does harm to children’s health. |
| B．It is the result of bad study habits. |
| C．It mainly comes from school. |
| A．Help children develop good study habits. |
| B．Put more pressure on children. |
| C．Improve children’s interest in learning. |
7 . Janet, now 37, was playing with her new pet dog, Stitch, who jumped up, grabbed her sleeve, and tore several holes in her sweater with its sharp teeth. Instead of throwing the sweater away, Janet decided to repair it.
She turned to “visible repairing,” an idea of repairing clothes that leaves an obvious fix. She added bright flowers and other small designs to damaged clothes. “Every time you do a repair, it’s like having bought a new piece of clothes,” says Janet.
Actually, repairing is a great opportunity to realize the urgent (迫切的) need to reduce waste. Sadly, we have become used to replacing things instead of repairing them — and the rubbish is piling up. Worldwide, we throw away 92 million tons of cloth every year. Electronic waste is another growing problem: About 50 million tons of it is created each year around the world.
The good news is that fixing things can help deal with the waste problem. There are some solutions. Due to information online, the popular how-to site iFixit.com , a database (数据库) with nearly 100,000 repair brochures for everything from electronics to clothing, has promoted more than 100 million repairs. In addition, since the first Repair Café opened in2009 in Amsterdam, more than 2,700 cafés have been set up to offer in-person fix-it help in various countries. Organizers set up events, and volunteers with repair knowledge bring their tools. They will try to fix whatever people bring in, for free, and teach visitors how to do repairs themselves.
Fixing things is part of a larger change toward a circular economy —the idea that instead of throwing away things once they are broken or out of date, we reuse or repair them, keeping them out of the landfill (垃圾填埋场) for as long as possible. According to a 2023 report from Circle Economy, a Netherlands-based NGO, if the world changed to a circular economy, we could lower the amount of waste by a third.
1. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Janet?| A．To praise her way of protecting pets. |
| B．To introduce special clothing designs. |
| C．To call for attention to repairing things. |
| D．To market the products of fixed clothes. |
| A．The action of replacing things is wise. |
| B．The behaviour of repairing things is popular. |
| C．The need for reducing clothes is urgent. |
| D．The problem of producing waste is serious. |
| A．By teaching volunteers repair knowledge. |
| B．By sharing tips on opening repair cafés. |
| C．By providing information to the repair database. |
| D．By offering online and off line help to encourage repairs. |
| A．Jim threw away a used bike. | B．Jackson mended a torn sofa. |
| C．Sue replaced a worn carpet. | D．Windy removed a broken vase. |
8 . Children seem to care so much about their names. A study shows that most of young people wish their parents had given them a different name.
Some people choose to change their names when they grow up. Many people in show business don’t use the names their parents gave them. Have you ever listened to Joanne? No? The answer could be “yes” if we call her stage name instead! You may never heard of Margaret. But if we tell you her stage name, you might know her as a famous dancer.
In many cultures, there are special ideas about how to choose a name. For example, many people choose a name that has been in their family for many years. It tells the child where he or she comes from.
Choosing a good name isn’t easy. Many parents search books that tell them the meanings of names. They could choose a name that carries a message. For example, Edith means “valuable gift”. Amanda means “love”. And Fara means “joy”.
Names like these tell family and friends how happy they are with their new baby. Other names can say something about the events during the birth of the child. In Africa, a first born son may have the name Mosi and the name Ama means “born on Saturday”.
Is every boy called Curitis polite? And is every girl called Mahira quick and full of energy? No parents can tell what kind of person their child will grow up to be. Just because parents name a boy Fahim, it doesn’t mean he will be clever. All they can do is hope.
1. What can we know about the study?| A．Young kids don’t care about their future. |
| B．Most of young people care about their names. |
| C．Most girls want to change their names. |
| D．Most parents want to rename by themselves. |
| A．To prove some people hope to be renamed. |
| B．To introduce a famous dancer to readers. |
| C．To introduce her true name. |
| D．To tell the benefit of name. |
| A．Kids always want to rename. |
| B．It is hard to change kids’ names. |
| C．Parents aren’t sure if their kids will like the name. |
| D．Parents want to choose a meaningful name. |
| A．Names can never influence our lives | B．Your parents’ wish is behind names |
| C．Love your parents, love your name | D．Methods to choose a suitable name |
9 . Britain is the sixth fattest country: within the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). For more than a decade, the government has declared obesity (肥胖) a national emergency and promised to take action, only to produce disappointing plans that don’t reach what is required.
It should not have taken a disease like COVID-19 to make people fully aware of the awful consequences of the UK’s obesity. Obesity, as well as its associated conditions of diabetes (糖尿病) and high blood pressure, is strongly connected with a higher risk of death from COVID-19 and will have undoubtedly been a factor in the UK having the highest COVID-19 death rate in Europe.
As the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson’s experience of caching the virus and being admitted to ICU has reportedly resulted in a complete change in him, who has previously prided himself on his dislike of an over-controlling state. The government is expected to set out a new strategy this week, aimed at reducing obesity levels both in the next few months — ahead of a possible second wave of infections and the longer term.
This obvious change is welcome, but only if it results in a complete change in the government’s approach, which doesn’t rely on personal responsibility but on much tougher rules, as with tobacco and alcohol.
There is plenty of evidence about what is needed to cut obesity and in recent years, many reports, including from Public Health England and the former chief medical officer, have called for urgent action. Yet these calls were ignored by the government that has seemingly put the food and drink industry’s financial interests over the health of the nation.
1. What has the government done with obesity in the past ten years?| A．It has denied (否认) it is a national emergency. | B．It has made unsatisfying plans to reduce it. |
| C．It has taken effective steps to control it. | D．It has called for immediate action on it. |
| A．Place less stress on financial interests. | B．Set stricter limits on tobacco and alcohol. |
| C．Carry out a new strategy to cut obesity. | D．Take action to reduce COVID-19 death rate. |
| A．the British government should have paid more attention to solving obesity |
| B．the fast-spread disease COVID-19 resulted in the UK’s obesity |
| C．the Prime Minister caught the virus and was admitted to ICU for obesity |
| D．the British government has taken effective action to battle against obesity |
| A．UK Suffering from COVID-19 | B．UK Ready for a Complete Change |
| C．A Cause of Highest COVID-19 Death Rate | D．Obesity: An Urgent Problem in the UK |
10 . We are all unknowingly sitting among heroes, and for the children of Carter Middle School, it was 13-year-old Dillon Reeves who saved their lives.
It was a common afternoon. Dillon was one of 60 children on a school bus when the bus driver
As Dillon
Many, including Dillon’s parents,
| A．suddenly | B．immediately | C．finally | D．naturally |
| A．excuse | B．promise | C．announcement | D．wish |
| A．pull over | B．hang up | C．hold on | D．calm down |
| A．managed | B．regretted | C．remembered | D．intended |
| A．admitted | B．realized | C．protested | D．imagined |
| A．looked | B．climbed | C．pointed | D．rushed |
| A．followed | B．passed | C．hit | D．missed |
| A．importantly | B．briefly | C．properly | D．strangely |
| A．reasonable | B．possible | C．necessary | D．obvious |
| A．pride | B．hope | C．patience | D．pity |
| A．learned | B．wondered | C．explained | D．doubted |
| A．walked | B．ran | C．drove | D．rode |
| A．soldier | B．policeman | C．firefighter | D．spaceman |
| A．determined | B．certain | C．curious | D．surprised |
| A．generosity | B．fortune | C．honor | D．bravery |
