1 . Youths in East Asia are now embracing a new philosophy they’ve called “tang ping”, or “lying flat”. The phrase
Talk of “lying flat” has spread rapidly through China as young people fight with intense competition for the most
This type of phenomenon, though, isn’t limited to China. Across East Asia, young people say they’ve become exhausted by the prospect of working hard for seemingly little reward. In the Republic of Korea, young people are giving up on
“Young people
2 . When sorting through the apples at the grocery store, you see an ugly, strange-looking apple. Whether it’s a strange color, has spots, or is a strange shape, you wonder how it made it onto the shelves. Who would buy and eat this? Most people would not buy ugly produce. That is why it is rare to see ugly-shaped fruit or off-colored vegetables. So what happens to this produce?
Data have shown that 20%—40% of fruits and vegetables are rejected even before they reach grocery stores. And even more are rejected on site, because grocery stores and companies have incredibly high standards for what their produce should look like. That includes color, shape, size, weight, and length. And the food that doesn’t meet these standards is thrown away. There are incredibly strict laws about food donation that actually makes it illegal to donate food that doesn’t meet standards that are similar to those of the grocery store as well as laws that restrict this food from being used as animal feed.
Besides, 10% of rich countries greenhouse gas emissions come from food that was grown and never eaten. Food waste not only contributes to climate change, but also food insecurity and extreme poverty. As stated above, in the greatest food wasting countries, there are laws that confine produce from being donated to people in need.
By reducing food waste, a third of the world’s entire food supply could be saved. That’s enough to feed 3 billion people. Also, by reducing food waste, farmers all over the world could sell more of their produce and inspire their rural, agricultural economies. There are many ways to get involved in ending food waste! You can participate in advocacy events hosted nearby like with Feedback Global, who hosts an event called “Feeding the 5000” where they seek to feed 5000 people with food that would have otherwise been wasted. Encourage your local grocer to sell ugly produce. Food is food!
1. Why is ugly-shaped fruit rarely seen at the grocery store?A.It is not tasty or nutritious. | B.Farmers would not plant it. |
C.Most people are not fond of it. | D.Few people choose to purchase it. |
A.They are consumed. | B.They are donated. |
C.They are wasted. | D.They are buried. |
A.Refuse. | B.Restrict. | C.Contact. | D.Protect. |
A.Ugly fruit could lead to a prettier world |
B.Food waste makes 3 billion people in poverty |
C.Feedback Global is seeking to feed 5000 people |
D.More people should get involved in ending food waste |
3 . In an office building of Helsinki, Finland, a social worker is meeting six elderly people for lunch-via tablets propped on their kitchen tables. While many countries with growing elderly populations are building new care homes, Finland is looking after people in their own homes-by means of technology.
The most common reason for a home visit by a social worker is to check that Grandma is taking her medicine. A pill-dispensing (配药的) robot in her home can do that. Each holds a two-week supply of multiple drugs, gives a reminder when it is time to take them and dispenses the right combination. For one in five people who try them the robots don't work, usually because Grandma is reluctant to take lots of pills. But for the rest, they have cut medication-related visits from 30 to just four a month.
The idea of old folk living alone perhaps worries Finnish people less than many others; Finns pride themselves on their rugged self-reliance. A welcome pack for foreign journalists includes a book of cartoons depicting “Finnish nightmares”, such as having to say “hello" to a neighbour. Social isolation, however, is a big problem for the elderly because it leads to faster cognitive and physical decline. To deal with that, Helsinki runs virtual get-togethers for its homebound elderly. These should be regarded as extras, though. A degree of personal interaction, not just the virtual kind, is surely necessary even for Finns.
The biggest challenge for both humans and devices is to spot problems early. Local tech companies, including MariCare Oy and Benete, have developed systems to gather data on things like how often a person visits the bathroom or opens the fridge. Care workers use such data to prioritise whom to visit and what to check for. Not opening the fridge as often, for example, is a hint that memory problems may be getting worse.
The biggest gain from technology may be that it makes it easier to keep old people fit enough to remain in their own homes. This is much cheaper, and usually nicer, too.
1. How does Finland look after its elderly?A.By building more new care homes. |
B.By offering them remote-care services. |
C.By increasing the population of social workers. |
D.By creating more senior-accessible public areas. |
A.It comforts the elderly reluctant to take pills |
B.It reminds nurses to restore an elderly's drug supply. |
C.It ensures the doctors give the right combination of pills. |
D.It saves social workers the trouble of frequent home visits |
A.Make some face-to-face contact. |
B.Stick to their tradition of self-reliance. |
C.Run as many virtual get-togethers as possible. |
D.Keep a safe social distance with their neighbours. |
A.Freeing the homebound elderly from restrictions. |
B.Helping the elderly suffer less from memory loss. |
C.Identifying potential health problems of the elderly. |
D.Developing household systems suitable for the elderly. |
4 . California officials are praising workers for rescuing a 13-year-old boy who fell into a river of sewage(下水道) in Los Angeles. The boy, Jesse Hermandez, spent more than 12 hours in the city’s large underground sewage system. It is filled with liquid refuse and other waste materials, some of them poisonous.
Jesse had been playing at a public park with other children during a family gathering on Sunday. At one point, the children were on pieces of wood that covered an opening leading to the sewer system. One of the wooden planks broke. The boy fell about eight meters down and landed in fast-moving sewage, said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department. The other children quickly told adults what had happened. The adults then called an emergency telephone line for help. Rescuers immediately began searching for Jesse underground. They set cameras on floatation devices, which they put into the sewage system. They finally found Jesse after seeing images of handprints on a pipe. A crew of sanitation(公共卫生) workers hurried to the area and opened a manhole. “The first thing they heard was ‘Help!’” said Adel Hagekhalil, an official in the Los Angeles Sanitation Department.
The crew lowered down a long hose (软管) to Jesse, who was in the pipe about three meters deep. The boy held onto the line while workers pulled him up. He was taken to a hospital for a full physical examination and reunited with his family. In addition to the major rescue effort, Humphrey credited the boy with being able to survive. Not only did he survive being pushed through sewage moving at speeds of 24 kilometers an hour, but also Jesse was able to find a small area of breathable air and wait there until he was found.
“Many would call it a miracle,” Humphrey said about Jesse’s survival. He added that the chances of someone surviving such an event are low.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was among those closely watching the rescue effort. On Twitter, Garcetti praised rescuers and thanked Jesse’s family for their “patience and optimism” during the frightening experience.
1. According to the text, the accident took place__________.A.before Jesse got to the park. |
B.just after Jesse left the park. |
C.right before the rescuers arrived at the park |
D.when Jesse was playing in the park with other children. |
A.Jesse fell 24 meters down into the sewage system. |
B.The park should take some responsibility for Jesse’s accident. |
C.The consequence of falling into the sewage system is disastrous. |
D.Jesse’s being saved was not surprising thanks to the rescuers’ efforts. |
A.Careless. | B.Sensible. |
C.Hesitant. | D.Determined. |
A.They were tolerant of the bad management of the park. |
B.They brought up their son in a right and respectable way. |
C.They stayed calm and hopeful about Jesse’s being saved. |
D.They voluntarily participated in rescuing Jesse together with the rescuers. |
1. What place did the Mary Celeste depart from?
A.Italy. | B.The USA. | C.Greece. |
A.In October, 1872. | B.In November, 1872. | C.In December, 1872. |
A.The ship was sinking. |
B.The ship was badly damaged. |
C.Nobody knows the real reason. |
A.The alcohol. | B.A lifeboat. | C.A survival suit. |
6 . Chinese people spent more time on leisure activities in 2021 compared with the period before the novel coronavirus hit, according to a recent report by the China Tourism Academy. The academy said that urban residents’ leisure time was closely related to their work. They spent more time on leisure activities on weekends in 2021, about 4. 4hours a day, compared with an average of 3.82 hours a day on workdays. It said that urban residents’ leisure time increased both at weekends and during holidays in 2021 when compared with 2019. Daily weekend leisure time increased by 0.91 of an hour and that during holidays by 0.64 of an hour. The time that people in rural areas spent enjoying leisure activities rose nearly 39 percent compared with 2019, increasing to 4.36 hours a day from 3.14 hours before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Shopping at physical stores remained the most popular leisure activity for both urban residents and people in the countryside, followed by activities like facial treatments, hairdressing and manicures(修指甲). “Shopping is my favorite way to give vent to my negative emotions and pressure, also for leisure,” said Li Lingli, a 28-year-old financial analyst in Beijing. She said she had quite a heavy workload on workdays and also on weekends, meaning she didn't have much time to enjoy other leisure activities, especially outdoor ones like camping or hiking.
The report said it will be difficult to increase people’s leisure time in the future due to the large amount of time they spend working and looking after children.
A recent survey by the academy shows that 50 percent of urban residents worked over eight hours a day and 15 percent worked over 10 hours a day. “Heavy workload is truly a big problem,” Li said. “For me, as long as I don’t message or email back my clients, it’s my leisure time. I sometimes go to museums or exhibitions over holidays. It’s also a good form of leisure to appreciate beautiful art pieces.”
Dai Bin, chairman of the academy, said at an online conference that with more rural residents spending time on leisure activities thanks to the nation's rural vitalization(振兴)policy, the tourism market and travel companies will embrace new growth in the future.
1. How many hours did people in rural areas spend a day on leisure activities in 2021?A.3.14. | B.3.82. | C.4. 36. | D.4.4. |
A.Touring around was the most popular leisure activity. |
B.A quarter of urban residents worked more than ten hours a day. |
C.People will find it hard to have more and more leisure time in the future. |
D.Urban residents' leisure time didn't have much to do with their work. |
A.Turn over. | B.Let out. | C.Make for. | D.Figure out. |
A.People spend more time on leisure activities, report says |
B.More people prefer free time after work, report says |
C.People treasure time for leisure activities, report says |
D.More people enjoy themselves during weekends and holidays, report says |
7 . Have you ever been in a queue somewhere-or waiting at the airport gate or doctor's office—where they're playing 24-hour news and you just wished you could turn it off?
Scott Blew, an engineer in Los Angeles, got sick of being flooded with endless bad news and television ads, on public screens, so he decided to create a pair of sunglasses that can block out the screens.
He remembered an article he had read before which was about a special kind of film(薄膜)that could block out LED and LCD light. So he decided to try ordering some of the film and putting it on an ordinary pair of sunglasses—and he was delighted to find that it worked perfectly.
With the help of artist Ivan Cash, the two friends designed the IRL Glasses, which stands for “in real life”.
The sunglasses use a special kind of polarized lens(偏光镜片)that blocks the light. When someone wears the glasses in a sports bar, for instance, and looks around, the TV screens magically seem to go black.
Some cool videos they posted online show how their current prototype(原型)can block out any television, and also most computers.
They created a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to produce them, and in three days it reached its goal of $25,000. The page has raised $11,000—with two more weeks of crowdfunding remaining.
Wearing the glasses in public for a few months has also raised people's interest. Scott gets stopped on the street because he modeled the glasses to look just like those in the 1988 sci-fi movie They Live, about a man who discovers a pair of glasses that can magically block out advertisements.
In an interview with WIRED, Scott says he hopes the product is also a conversation starter about how having news broadcasts everywhere affects our lives and how people want control over their exposure to technology.
Next, we think someone needs to develop technology that can block out only the bad news.
1. Why did Scott Blew want to create a pair of special sunglasses?A.He was trying to start a fashion trend. |
B.Ordinary sunglasses didn't work well. |
C.The bad news and ads on public screens upset him. |
D.He wanted to reduce the harm of screens to people's eyes. |
A.The TV screen will turn black. |
B.They can only watch the good news. |
C.They can watch the programs without ads. |
D.Everything around them will become dark. |
A.They can make people look cool. |
B.They look like the ones in the movie They Live. |
C.They are modeled to be just like those in 1988. |
D.They can block out advertisements on the streets. |
A.Public screens have affected people's life. |
B.A special kind of sunglasses has become popular. |
C.A way to escape from all the bad news on TV has been found. |
D.An engineer has created special sunglasses that block out screens. |
8 . You are in a department store and you see a couple of attractive young women looking at the sweater. You listen to the conversation.
"I can't believe it—a Lorenzo Bertolla! They are almost impossible to find. Isn't it beautiful? And it's a lot cheaper than the one Sara bought in Rome."
They leave and you go over to see this incredible sweater. It's nice and the price is right. You've never heard of Lorenzo Bertolla, but those girls looked really stylish. They must know. So you buy it. You never realize that those young women are employees of an advertising agency. They are actually paid to go from store to store talking loudly about Lorenzo Bertolla clothes.
Every day we notice what people are wearing, driving and eating. If the person looks cool, the product seems cool, too. This is the secret of undercover(暗中影响的)marketing.
Undercover marketing is important because it reaches people that 'don't pay attention to traditional advertising. This is particularly true of the MTV generation consumers between the age of 18 and 34. It is a golden group. They have a lot of money to spend, but they don't trust ads.
So advertising agencies hire young actors "perform" in bars and other places where young adults go. Some people might call this practice deceptive, but marketing executive Jonathan Ressler calls it creative. "Look at the traditional advertising. Its effectiveness is decreasing." However, one might ask what "real" is exactly about if young women pretend to be enthusiastic about a sweater? Advertising executives would say it's no less real than an ad. The difference is that you know an ad is trying to persuade you to buy something. While you don't know when a conversation you overhear is just a performance.
1. In which section of a magazine is this text more likely to appear?A.Fashion and Life. | B.History and Culture. |
C.Marketing Management. | D.Science and Technology. |
A.Because they are potential buyers. | B.Because they are excellent advertisers. |
C.Because they are interested in traditional ads. | D.Because they get better paid than actors. |
A.Opposed. | B.Supportive. | C.Indifferent. | D.Angry. |
A.Young girls are fond of sweaters. |
B.Traditional advertising is already out of date. |
C.Advertising agencies tend to cheat in their ads. |
D.Undercover marketing appeals to young people. |
1. What does the center aim to do?
A.Offer a relaxing place for sick people to recover. |
B.Provide a colorful life for the retired people. |
C.Encourage people to live a healthy life. |
A.Doing exercise after lunchtime. |
B.Exercising as planned. |
C.Trying all kinds of exercise. |
A.By informing the library of demands. |
B.By paying a little more booking fee. |
C.By contacting the people at reception. |
采访内容:
1.你或你身边的人在日常生活中使用移动支付的情况;
2.移动支付带来的好处
3.你的看法。
参考词汇: 微信: Wechat 支付宝: Alipay 二维码: QR code
注意:1.词数120左右;
2.可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯
Dear Jenny,
How is your survey on mobile payment going? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours faithfully
Li Hua