1 . It is an ancient Chinese tradition to cherish grain. In ancient China, farming promoted the development of civilization so people regarded grain as a God. The ancient people firmly believed that “food is the most important thing for the people”. The earth God “She” and the grain God “Ji” were the earliest gods worshipped by our ancestors and the country was called “Sheji”.
Chinese believe in food conservation. Scholars have strongly advocated that “every single grain is fruit of hard work” and nothing should be wasted. Strong daily practices are associated with “respecting” the grain. Families that run out of rice never leave their container completely empty. There is always a little rice left in it. Parts of the poultry (家禽) and livestock that are unsuitable to be the main dishes are always deliciously cooked.
Food also helps bring people together. In Chinese culture, “Ju” (get together) is a very particular word. There are many ways to get together, but the word “Can” is usually added to it in case of festivals, birthday celebrations, moving to new houses, weddings and funeral. “Ju Can” (get together and have dinner) is an important way for Chinese families to bond.
But these ordinarily frugal (节俭的) people often end up wasting food during “Ju Can”. Some reports show that the annual waste of grain in China is close to 6% of the total grain output, of which, the waste rate of a large party is as high as 38%. The food waste is driven by people’s flamboyant nature—they think the plates must be full and taking away packed food from a party is “disgraceful”. The dishes at a dinner party have become a symbol of a person’s wealth and having too many dishes at the menu has become fashionable, thus promoting waste.
Small to a person, a family, big to a country, the whole human race, to survive, to develop, we have to be frugal. Being frugal does not mean being mean, it simply means one is wise enough not to waste food. If the culture of diligence and frugality is more widespread in all countries, it would provide for a stronger foundation for national security and family happiness.
1. Why does the author mention “Sheji” in Paragraph 1?| A．To prove China enjoys a long history. |
| B．To explain Chinese tradition of cherishing food. |
| C．To show farming promoted Chinese civilization. |
| D．To clarify who is the earliest god in China. |
| A．Chinese cuisine is diverse. |
| B．Chinese don’t waste food. |
| C．The ancient Chinese lived a difficult life. |
| D．Chinese are skillful at cooking delicious food. |
| A．The disgraceful behaviour in “Ju Can”. |
| B．The human nature revealed in food waste. |
| C．How much food Chinese people waste in “Ju Can”. |
| D．The food waste in “Ju Can” and the reason behind it. |
| A．Farming is crucial to China’s development. |
| B．Food plays a vital role in bringing people together. |
| C．We should cherish food and form the habit of frugality. |
| D．We mustn’t leave the container completely empty in case of running out of food. |
2 . Over the last 60 years, the size of farm machinery has been increasing. For example, from 1958 to 2020, the typical weight of a fully loaded combine harvester for corn or wheat increased nearly ten times.
In a way, it’s fantastic if you see how much we can harvest in a certain amount of time today and how long it would have taken us 60 years ago. Some wheat harvesters, for example, can clear 30 acres in an hour. That incredible efficiency enables about 5 percent of the world’s population to feed the other 95 percent.
But it is at the soil’s expense. One recent study reported that soil compaction (土壤板结) from heavy machines has reduced yields in some fields by as much as 50 percent. If current trends continue, it may eventually reduce global crop production by as much as 20 percent.
“Healthy soil is alive. A teaspoon of garden soil might hold a billion bacteria and networks of air pockets. Heavy farm machinery squeezes the life out of that rich soil by compacting it at depths of a foot or more, lowering oxygen levels and destroying the life that creates the basis for healthy soil. Once damaged, heavily compacted soil can take decades to recover, if it recovers at all.” says Paul Hallett, a soil physicist at the University of Aberdeen, in Scotland.
Farm machinery makers have tried to limit the impact on the soil by equipping heavy vehicles with fatter tires, which distribute the load more widely and keep the vehicles from sinking too deeply into the soil surface. “But if you have a heavier load, the stress decreases less quickly with depth.” says Paul Hallett. “It is a bit like the way tall chimneys on a power plant spread air pollution far downwind.”
1. What does the author think of the heavy farm vehicles?| A．They are environment-friendly. | B．They will go out of style very quickly. |
| C．They do much harm to the soil. | D．They can help increase crop production. |
| A．Decreased crop production. | B．Soil with abundant air pockets. |
| C．Lack of bacteria in the fields. | D．Lower oxygen levels in the soil. |
| A．It is a very good idea to spread air pollution downwind. |
| B．Vehicles with fatter tires will be less harmful to the soil. |
| C．Heavy farm machines with fatter tires just spread the stress. |
| D．More effective measures have to be adopted to cut pollution. |
| A．We have to strike a balance between efficiency and damage. |
| B．It’s fantastic to use more and more advanced farm machinery. |
| C．It is high time that we let the damaged soil recover slowly. |
| D．We can’t produce enough food to feed the world’s population. |
3 . Swap, Don’t shop!
You keep hearing about recycling, right? But it doesn’t end with bottles, cans, and paper. Clothing takes a huge amount of natural resources to make, and buying loads of new clothing (or throwing out old clothing) is not healthy for the environment. So what to do with all those perfectly-good-but-you’re-maybe-a-little-sick-of-them clothes piled on your bedroom floor?
A successful swap depends on the selection of clothes, the organization of the event, and, obviously, how much fun it has. It’s really easy to do! Here are a few pointers.
●Invite 5—10 people so you have a nice selection.
●Tell everyone to bring clean clothes in good condition.
●Put different types of clothing on different surfaces in the room. Have everyone put their clothes in the right spots.
●Set a starting time. Maybe you say “go”, or turn on a certain song, or whatever.
| A．Less people than that |
| B．Hold a clothing swap |
| C．If two people are competing |
| D．Just keep music playing throughout |
| E．Donate whatever goods are left over |
| F．Place a few mirrors around your room |
| G．They should also prepare plenty of reusable bags to carry their “new” clothes home |
4 . According to The Straits Times, many wild animals have recently skipped onto empty streets in many cities.
In Spain, a wild boar climbed down the hills and wandered around Barcelona. Sika deer nosed their way around the deserted metro stations of Nara in Japan. A stag ran in the capital of the northern state of Uttarakhand in India.
“It is certainly great news for species,” Marcelo Giagnoni, the head of Chile’s agricultural and livestock service, told AFP. “This is the habitat they once had and that we’ve taken away from them.”
Hundreds of years ago, people lived in harmony with wildlife. They shared natural resources from sunlight to water and from forests to land. But as human beings evolved and formed their own civilizations, they jostled with animals for more space and resources. Gradually, human beings came to lose connection with nature. More skyscrapers have been built to meet the needs of the flock of people in the cities, which drove away many wild animals from their habitats.
However, the recent lockdown of cities during the pandemic gives a chance of “freeing a space for other animals” and reflecting on our relationship with nature, according to AFP. Stuck indoors, with their worlds reduced to a few square meters, urban people have suddenly become enthusiastic birdwatchers. British ornithologist(鸟类学者)David Lindo, who is known as the “urban birder”, has been posting and livestreaming birds he spots from the roof of the building in Spain where he has been quarantined(隔离).
“The sky is a great arena, anything can fly past and, at the very least, it will give you peace. My message is simple: keep looking up,” he told CTV News.
Just as AFP noted, right now “the most important phenomenon perhaps is our relationship with nature is changing—with people locked up in their homes realizing how much they miss nature”.
Though the lockdown may be temporary, it’s time for us to reflect upon our relationship with the environment. As AFP put it, “people should always have a need of nature”. By missing nature, humans may come to respect—and live in harmony with—nature once again.
1. What can we infer from Marcelo Giagnoni’s statements?| A．Wild animals have wandered around streets. | B．Humans have to move away from their habitat. |
| C．Wild species were forced to flee their home. | D．It is good for humans to get back their land. |
| A．Push. | B．Struggle. | C．Creat. | D．Discuss. |
| A．Having easy access to free space. | B．Getting a closer look at history. |
| C．Thinking about the bond with nature. | D．Living in harmony with their families. |
| A．Temporary Quarantine | B．The Harmony of Nature | C．Keep Looking up | D．Wildlife Moves in |
5 . For many people, going a few hours without your smartphone can feel like a lifetime. Now, one expert claims that humans are becoming so dependent on technology, that we’re actually merging (融合) into it.
Speaking at the Fast Company European Innovation Festival, Professor Yuval Noah Harari, a historian at the Hebrew University claimed that it’s becoming more and more difficult to tell where humans end and machines begin. He said: “It’s increasingly hard to tell where I end and where the computer begins. In the future, it is likely that the smartphone will not be separated from you at all. It may be embedded in your body or brain, constantly scanning your biometric data and your emotions.”
During his speech, Professor Harari highlighted how humans have affected our environment over time, and suggested that now may be the time to affect ourselves. He said: “Humanity has always remained constant. If we told our ancestors in the Stone Age about our lives today, they would think we are already Gods. But the truth is that even though we have developed more wonderful tools, we are the same animals. We have the same emotions, the same minds. The coming revolution will change that. It will change not just our tools, it will change the human being itself.”
If we do manage to merge with machines, Professor Harari suggests it could open the door to setting up civilizations beyond Earth. He added: “Life will be able to break out of planet Earth and no longer be confined to this flying rock.”
While Professor Harari’s claims may sound farfetched (牵强的), he isn’t alone in his vision of a machine-human world. Back in 2017, Elon Musk claimed that humans should merge with machines, or risk becoming irrelevant. He said: “Over time I think we will probably see a closer merger of biological intelligence and digital intelligence.”
1. Why does the author mention smartphone in Paragraph 1?| A．To collect data for his speech. | B．To catch up with the development of science. |
| C．To say it is harmful to the environment. | D．To have a good lead-in of the topic. |
| A．His opinions gained much support. |
| B．He is the first expert to put forward the idea. |
| C．He thinks technology will change ourselves as well. |
| D．His suggestion of us staying on planet Earth is considerate. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Favourable. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Humans are Near to Combining with Machines |
| B．Call on People to Develop Advanced Machines |
| C．A Speech Caused People’s Concerns on Machines |
| D．Finding New Ways to Break away From Apps is Vital |
6 . It’s normal to long for the taste of potato chips or a cheese-covered pizza. Even though they’re full of calories, eating them occasionally won’t do much harm. However, according to the new numbers, young people are becoming more gluttonous. The BBC’s Good Food Nation Survey showed that on average, 16 to 20-year-olds ate fast food at least twice a day in the UK. So what’s behind this fast food binge (狂热)?
WebMD, an online publisher of news and information of human health and well-being, surveyed nearly 600 teenagers and adults in the United States. They found that the most common reason was our busy lifestyle. More than 92.3 percent of respondents said they were too busy to cook. Many find it challenging to balance work and life, and the convenience of fast food meets their needs. Fast food is readily available in corner stores and vending machines (自动售货机). Remember those instant noodle cups from the supermarket? They’re ready in minutes, and you can store them at home for a long time.
But many people think this trend does no good. Sarah Toule, head of health information at World Cancer Research Fund, told the BBC: “It’s frightening that people, especially younger generations, are eating so much fast food loaded with fat, sugar and salt, but offers little nutritional value.”
She added, “Especially high in calories, fast food leads to unhealthy weight gain-which in turn increases the risk of 11 cancers later in life.”
So what is the right thing to do? Toule suggested that young people should prepare meals in advance and learn to include the different food groups in their diets.
1. What does the underlined phrase “more gluttonous” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Smarter. | B．Healthier. | C．Greedier. | D．Lazier. |
| A．People should make a change to their busy lifestyle. |
| B．Fast food helps people balance their work and life. |
| C．Fast food is becoming popular with teenagers and adults. |
| D．Nowadays people have more challenges both in work and life. |
| A．can’t provide enough nutrition for eaters | B．will lead to 11 cancers |
| C．can help lose weight | D．is easy to prepare ahead of time |
| A．Culture. | B．Education. | C．History. | D．Health. |
7 . The widespread application of Internet technology has made our lives easier but poses a big challenge to senior citizens, who are not always comfortable with smart phones and so many new apps.
In China, only a few senior citizens are able to enjoy the benefits that new technologies offer. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of people aged 60 and above was 254 million in2019, which is 18 percent of China’s population. But only 23 percent of the senior citizens were able to access the Internet. That means more than three-fourths of the elderly are deprived of the digital convenience.
Failure to access the Internet or use smart phones has increased difficulties for them. They cannot even take a taxi easily in this era of app cabs. There have been reports of many shops turning away elders who don’t know how to pay using smart phones, instead of letting them pay in cash. Many elders who can’t use smart phones are facing difficulties during this pandemic, as they cannot access the Internet-based health code required for entry into many public places as part of the epidemic prevention and control measures.
New technologies become popular because they are often of great use in our daily lives. But many senior citizens, especially those living in rural areas or those whose grownup children don’t live with them, cannot access the Internet or smart phones, either because of financial restrictions or because they cannot learn new things beyond a certain point. The digital gap between the elderly and the young is becoming more pronounced.
However, the senior citizens should not become a silent group deprived of digital benefits. It is society’s responsibility to help them bridge the digital gap, and be patient with them when they face difficulties keeping pace with times.
1. What do we learn from the text?| A．Not all the elderly are able to enjoy the smart life services. |
| B．Internet technology has made everyone’s life easier. |
| C．About one-fourth people have easy access to the Internet. |
| D．Smart phones and apps are not designed for the elderly. |
| A．Many elders don’t know how to hire a taxi. |
| B．Many elders always go shopping without their smart phones. |
| C．Many elders have trouble in using the health code. |
| D．Many elders are not allowed to enter public places. |
| A．Predictable. | B．Obvious. |
| C．Unimportant. | D．Narrow. |
| A．Digital gap makes everything harder. |
| B．Grownup children should live with the elderly with digital problems. |
| C．The Internet technology provides easy lives for seniors in all respects. |
| D．The society should be responsible for the elderly’s digital problems. |
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The New Zealand economy is struggling with many challenges, primarily high inflation (通货膨胀) and rising interest rates, according to a report by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.
These challenges add
Despite these challenges, there remain factors supporting the
10 . Some 20 percent of adults are procrastinators (拖延症患者). Everyone might put off a task or two, but long-term procrastinators do it at home, at school, at work and in their relationships.
For years, researchers have focused on the personalities of people who procrastinate. The results suggest procrastinators may be impulsive (冲动), worriers and have trouble regulating their emotions. But procrastinators are not lazy. They’re actually very busy doing other things than what they’re supposed to be doing. Though procrastinators may think they perform better under pressure, studies have reported the opposite. And when deadlines are uncertain, procrastinators tend to delay their work.
When people put off a tough task, they feel good-in the moment. Procrastinating is a way to avoid the negative emotions linked to the task. But the relief it provides is only temporary, and many seek out ways to stop procrastinating.
In fact, most research today suggests procrastination is a behavioral pattern, which means it’s something you can change, regardless of whether you’re impulsive. What works best is still under research. Some scientists have reported success with time management. But the evidence for that is all over the map. That’s because poor time management is a symptom not a cause of procrastination.
For some procrastinators, seemingly obvious tips can work. Researchers advise students to simply put down their smartphones. Silencing notifications or studying in the library rather than at home can regulate distractions and keep people on task. But that won’t be enough for many people. Stubborn procrastinators may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (认知行为疗法). This type of therapy, which involves managing thoughts and emotions and trying to change behavior, seemed to be the most helpful. Still, not many studies have examined treatments, and there’s room for improvement.
1. What does procrastination mean to longtime procrastinators?| A．A personal advantage. | B．A habitual behavior. |
| C．A working motivation. | D．An excuse for laziness. |
| A．They are inactive. | B．They are efficient. |
| C．They are anxious. | D．They are careful. |
| A．Their temporary relief from the stress. |
| B．Their imperfection in personalities. |
| C．Their poor time management at work. |
| D．Their high ability to deal with hard work. |
| A．Avoiding smartphones. | B．Proper studying places. |
| C．Good time management. | D．Cognitive behavioral therapy. |
