1 . The UK is experiencing a boom in book clubs, according to new data from event listing companies. Book club listings on the ticketing site Eventbrite increased by 350% between 2019 and 2023. Between 2022 and 2023 alone, book club listings on the site rose by 41%. Another event listing site, Meetup, reported a 14% increase in the number of RSVPs to book clubs between January 2023 and January 2024, compared with a 4% increase in RSVPs for all UK-based events.
Victoria Okafor, who co-runs the book club Between2Books, said the heightened interest in reading may be partly the result of a general “shift in hobbies”, as GenZ (the generation around 00s) turned to other ways to spend their free time. Besides, during the global health crisis period, many people were forced to slow down and pick up or reignite hobbies, and online book clubs provided a platform to connect with others.
Social media may be helping with the visibility of book clubs, too, said Okafor. “People may come across your page accidentally, but from there people have the knowledge to attend should they wish. I think this makes a big difference compared to just hearing things from word of mouth.”
Many of the book clubs listed on Eventbrite carry specific themes — Sheffield Feminist Book Club, Bring Your Baby Book Club, and Modern Chinese Literature Online Book Club.
Okafor’s club, Between2Books, focuses on books by writers traditionally excluded (排除) from the classics. She thought she began seeking out such stories “embarrassingly late”. “Reading authors of color brought back a joy to my reading that came from not only seeing elements of myself and culture reflected in novels but also reading stories that could be funny or empowering as opposed to the accounts of struggle that can often surround stories of people of color,” she said. “The variety of books makes reading and discussion so rich and I think that’s what attenders are drawn to.”
1. How is paragraph 1 mainly developed?| A．By giving examples. | B．By listing figures. |
| C．By analyzing causes. | D．By presenting theories. |
| A．Return. | B．Reward. | C．Regain. | D．Reconnect. |
| A．The influence of social media. | B．The recommendation of old generations. |
| C．GenZ having a stronger thirst for knowledge. | D．Some people shifting the focus of their lives. |
| A．The diversity of books. | B．The reputation of writers. |
| C．The humor of the works. | D．The suggestion of the organizer. |
2 . Students’ Journey to Empower Rural Heritage
From Aug 18 to 22 a team of 15 Tsinghua University students, representing diverse backgrounds from China, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia, set foot on an overseas research exploration focusing on rural revitalization (振兴) in Indonesian villages, particularly within Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB).
With the diverse cultural heritage, Indonesia is home to over 83,000 villages, each radiating its own charm and character.
The research mission took the students to Sukarara and Sade villages, two of NTB’s tourist destinations.
| A．In Sukarara, a local tradition requires girls master weaving skills before marriage |
| B．They decided to be a bridge between tradition and progress, united for their growth |
| C．Both were selected for revitalization efforts led by the Village Revitalization Team |
| D．While these villages possess undeniable fascination, many remain underdeveloped |
| E．It’s about preserving the cultural heritage and ensuring traditions being passed down |
| F．As the journey came to an end, all the students regarded it as a rewarding experience |
| G．This effort includes the knowledge exchange between the students and local villagers |
3 . Nowadays, the world is slowly becoming a high-tech society and we are now surrounded by technology. Facebook and Twitter are innovative tools; text messaging is still a somewhat existing phenomenon and even e-mail is only a flashing spot on the screen when compared with our long history of snail mail. Now we adopt these tools to the point of essentialness, and only rarely consider how we are more fundamentally affected by them.
Social media, texting and e-mail all make it much easier to communicate, gather and pass information. But they also present some dangers. By removing any real human engagement, they enable us to develop our abnormal self-love without the risk of disapproval or criticism theatrical metaphor (隐喻), these new forms of communication provide a stage on which we create our own characters, hidden behind a fourth wall of tweets, status updates and texts. This unreal state of unconcern can become addictive as we separate ourselves a safe distance from the cruelty of our fleshly lives, where we are imperfect, powerless and insignificant. In essence, we have been provided not only the means to be more free, but also to become new, to create and protect a more perfect self to the world. As we become more reliant on these tools, they become more a part of our daily routine and so we become more restricted in this fantasy.
So it is that we live in a cold era, where names and faces represent two different levels of closeness, where working relationships occur only through the magic of email and where love can start or end by text message. An environment such as this reduces interpersonal relationships to mere digital exchanges.
Would a celebrity have been so daring to do something dishonorable if he had had to do it in person? Doubtful. It seems he might have been lost in a fantasy world that ultimately convinced himself into believing the digital self could obey different rules and regulations, as if he could continually push the limits of what’s acceptable without facing the consequences of “real life.”
1. The author compares e-mail with snail mail to show ________.| A．the influence of high-tech on our life | B．the history of different types of mails |
| C．the value of traditional communications | D．the rapid development of social media |
| A．Destroying our life totally. | B．Posing more dangers than good. |
| C．Helping us to hide our faults. | D．Replacing traditional letters. |
| A．Sheltering us from virtual life. | B．Removing face-to-face interaction. |
| C．Leading to false mental perception. | D．Making us rely more on hi-tech media. |
| A．Technologies have changed our relationships. |
| B．The digital world is a recipe for pushing limits. |
| C．Love can be better conveyed by text message. |
| D．The digital self need not take responsibility. |
4 . A recent report from a higher education advising organization says nearly 40 percent of American employers avoid offering jobs to recent college graduates.
They said members of Generation Z, or “Gen Z”, the group of Americans born between 1997 and 2012, make a lot of mistakes in job interviews. They say they would rather employ older workers who work harder and are dependable.
The report came out in December and noted that, of 800 directors, managers and executives asked questions, 38 percent said they favor older workers. About 20 percent of employers said young people brought a parent with them to a job interview. Almost 60 percent of those surveyed said recent college graduates are unprepared for work and about half said they had to dismiss, or fire, a recent college graduate. Others said the young workers do not take criticism well.
Because of bad experiences with younger workers, more than half of the business leaders said they are putting policies in place that older workers want. For example, they are offering benefits that are important to older workers, paying higher salaries and permitting older workers to work from home.
One respondent gave an example of a Gen Z job seeker who refused to turn on their camera during a video interview. Michael Connors is a recruiter in the Washington, D. C. area. He said he has not had a job candidate saying they will not use their camera for interviews. However, he has had some candidates choosing noisy places for calls.
Adam Capozzi is the career services director at Syracuse University in New York State. He said while many students are very good about online communication, and data management and have experience with spreadsheets, they need help with the “soft skills”. “You could be in an elevator at a specific office building or at a different establishment and bump into someone and strike up a 30-second conversation and not know who they are associated with and a positive first impression can lead to further conversation.”
1. Which of the following about some American employers’ opinions on Gen Z members is NOT true?| A．They don’t work as diligently as older employees. |
| B．They are less reliable than older employees. |
| C．They are not fully prepared in job interviews. |
| D．They make many errors in the workplace. |
| A．Of 496 directors, managers and executives are in favor of younger workers. |
| B．More than half of the business leaders are implementing policies older workers want. |
| C．Strange behavior of Gen Z job candidates in the interview s has dissatisfied recruiters. |
| D．Michael Connors doesn’t mind whether job seekers turn on their cameras. |
| A．Because there are many occasions where we need to use the skills. |
| B．Because the skills can help workers get promoted quickly. |
| C．Because the skills can establish a good relationship between you and others. |
| D．Because the skills can improve the workers’ experience in the workplace. |
| A．US Businesses Are Concerned about Hiring Young, “Gen Z” Workers. |
| B．“Gen Z” Workers’ Different Personalities in the Workplace. |
| C．Why Old Workers Are More Welcomed than “Gen Z” Workers? |
| D．American “Gen Z” Members Are Facing Unemployment Nowadays. |
5 . Turning around corners, weaving through traffic, every second matters. It is neither a street race nor a 007 chase, but the risky journey of a sushi (寿司) roll.
The streets of China are filled with delivery drivers racing noodles, sandwiches and soups across cities. While the everyday consumer may find these services convenient, most do not realize the true cost of their delivery. How much is that late-night snack really worth?
Strict time limits are the main concern for delivery drivers. The Chinese delivery app Meituan decreased the maximum time allowance from 50 minutes to 30 or even 20. Time literally means money: Surpassing the limit can result in fines, which are paid to the firm rather than to the consumers. Yet, beyond fines, there is often a greater cost. According to Pandaily News, one delivery worker is injured or killed in accidents every 2.5 days in Shanghai and, sadly, companies seldom provide insurance claims when their time limits lead to these consequences. Drivers are pushed to break traffic rules and risk their lives so your sushi is not a minute late.
Furthermore, low wages and extensive working hours exacerbate these issues. Some companies in China take advantage of the economic inequalities between China’s large cities and less developed interior to offer extremely low pay to migrant delivery drivers while demanding long hours. Yet these long hours and low pay are common throughout the global delivery industry. In the United States, advertised earnings of $22 per hour are largely exaggerated while workers complain that food delivery apps rarely give them all their tips.
What is the solution? First, consumers should recognize what is behind their impossibly cheap and fast delivery: exploitation. We should expect more from the delivery app companies and less from their drivers. That is, we should pay more and wait longer while only ordering from companies who offer their drivers fair wages, insurance and a safe working environment. In the end, your sushi is just not worth it.
1. Who will be paid the fines for a delayed delivery?| A．The delivery firm. | B．The delivery worker. |
| C．The sushi restaurant. | D．The ordinary consumer. |
| A．Integrate. | B．Comprise. | C．Worsen. | D．Alleviate. |
| A．To indicate that delivery drivers shouldn’t expect much. |
| B．To emphasize that delivery companies should provide insurance. |
| C．To prove that the pay and working environment are better in the US. |
| D．To show that low pay and overwork are common issues in the industry. |
| A．The Harm of Delivery Services | B．The True Cost of Convenient Deliveries |
| C．The Overrated Popularity of Sushi | D．The Benefits and Problems of Delivery Apps |
6 . Younger generations of Chinese citizens have developed new methods to relieve stress, which include raising unconventional “pets”, hugging trees, watching stress relief videos and so on.
On social media platforms, a new toy called “mango dog” recently emerged.
Tree hugging has also become a new stress relief for young people. “You may think you are hugging the tree, but in fact, the tree is embracing you,” this is a feeling shared by a netizen. Many netizens with such experiences have expressed that their anxiety has been reduced, and they feel a sense of communication with nature.
“I came across the idea online. I tried it and felt truly relaxed,” said a young office worker. “In those brief seconds, it felt like the tree released a lot of pressure and stress from me.”
| A．Various “pets” are made to cater to different people. |
| B．It is claimed to bring a sense of calmness and give a healing effect. |
| C．This is not the first time that young people have raised novel “pets”. |
| D．A young media worker also finds the relief in watching short videos. |
| E．In some cities people have even organized “tree hugging interest groups”. |
| F．Other toys such as squeeze balls have also gained popularity as a way to relieve stress. |
| G．The popularity of these methods reflects an increasing need to release people’s pressure. |
7 . There are some sounds most of us acknowledge are annoying — the chewing of chips, the low noise of air conditioning or a screaming baby. These noises, for many people, act as a mere inconvenience that can distract them from the task at hand. However, there are some amongst us who have a much more severe response to these noises. Has a noise ever made you feel so angry that you could explode with rage? If the answer is yes, you may be suffering from misophonia (恐音症).
The word “misophonia” literally means “a hatred of sound” and is sometimes called Selective Sound Sensitivity Syndrome. There are some experts who doubt the existence of the condition. However, for those who claim to suffer from it, the experience can be painful. Certain sounds could set off intense emotional or psychological responses that may seem over the top compared with a non-sufferer’s complaints.
The sound of people chewing their food could trigger sufferers’ anxiety, or make them feel panic. It may even activate their fight-or-flight response, making them want to run away. In extreme cases, that feeling of panic may result in intense anger and even end up expressing rage physically.
Sadly, there’s no known cure. But tinnitus retraining therapy, cognitive (认知的) behavioural therapy and counselling could help sufferers tolerate noises and manage the condition. According to James Cartreine, a clinical psychiatrist, the condition can lead to separation. Sufferers use coping strategies that include avoiding places with lots of noises, like restaurants, or moving away when they feel like raging against someone due to their breathing.
So, the next time you see someone fly into a rage because of a sound that is driving them crazy, it may be due to a difficult condition they are trying to manage, and not just because they hate a certain sound.
1. What is the purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To lead in the topic of misophonia. |
| B．To introduce different annoying sounds. |
| C．To show ways of preventing a severe disease. |
| D．To present the harm of noises to human health. |
| A．Jane who usually has lunch alone. |
| B．Nancy who often screams at her baby. |
| C．Peter who is always worried about his studies. |
| D．Henry who is annoyed at the sound of book pages turning. |
| A．Control. | B．Cause. | C．Predict. | D．Relieve. |
| A．It happens mostly in restaurants. |
| B．Any sound around can drive sufferers crazy. |
| C．Staying away from noises is a potential solution. |
| D．It may greatly influence sufferers’ cognitive ability. |
8 . In a new study, the researchers examined trends in subjective well-being (幸福) over the course of a lifespan based on 443 samples from a total of 460,902 participants. “We focused on changes in three central components of subjective well-being: life satisfaction, positive emotional states and negative emotional states,” explains Professor Susanne Bücker.
The findings show that life satisfaction decreased between the ages of 9 and 16, then increased slightly until the age of 70, and then decreased once again until the age of 96. Positive emotional states showed a general decline from age 9 to age 94, while negative emotional states fluctuated (波动) slightly between ages 9 and 22, then declined until age 60 and then increased once again. The authors identified greater median changes in positive and negative emotional states than in life satisfaction.
“Overall, the study indicated a positive trend over a wide period of life, if we look at life satisfaction and negative emotional states,” Susanne Bücker concludes. The researchers attribute (把……归因于) the slight decline in life satisfaction between the ages of 9 and 16 to, for example, changes to the body and to the social life that take place during puberty. Satisfaction rose again from young adulthood onwards. Positive feelings tended to decrease from childhood to late adulthood. In very late adulthood, all components of subjective well-being tended to worsen rather than improve. “This could be related to the fact that in very old people, physical performance decreases, health often worsens, and social contacts reduce; not least because their peers pass away,” calculates the researcher.
The study highlights the need to consider and promote subjective well-being with its various components across the life, as the authors of the study conclude. Their findings could provide significant guidance for the development of intervention programmes, especially those aimed at maintaining or improving subjective well-being late in life.
1. What is exactly the subject of the study?| A．Life satisfaction of the elderly. | B．Trends in lifelong subjective well-being. |
| C．Ways to control negative emotional states. | D．Factors affecting positive emotional states. |
| A．During childhood. | B．In late adulthood. | C．At middle age. | D．In young adulthood. |
| A．Teaching to improve physical performance. |
| B．Giving suggestions on the lifetime increase. |
| C．Providing a theoretical basis for healthy growth. |
| D．Guiding to improve the well-being of the elderly. |
| A．When does happiness matter most to us? |
| B．What does subjective well-being consist of? |
| C．Why will we be more positive as we get older? |
| D．How does subjective well-being develop over the lifetime? |
9 . A proposal released in China recently would require all mobile devices, apps and app stores to have a built-in “minor mode” that would restrict daily screen time to two hours a day, depending on the age group. The restrictions, if approved, would mark an expansion of existing measures rolled out in recent years as China aims to limit screen time among kids and reduce their exposure to undesirable information.
Under the draft rules open for public discussion, children and teens using devices in minor mode would automatically see online applications close when respective time limits are up. They would also be offered age-based content.
No one under 18 would be able to access their screens between 10 p. m. and 6 a. m. while using the mode. Children under eight would be able to use their phones for only 40 minutes a day, while those between 8 and 16 would get an hour of screen time. Teenagers over 16 and under 18 would be allowed two hours. All age groups would receive a reminder to rest after using their device for more than 30 minutes. Parents would be able to override time restrictions, and certain educational and emergency services would not be subject to the time limits.
Parents said the proposal can help protect children’s vision as many young kids cannot stop themselves while watching something they like. On the other hand, it’s easier for parents to control their kids’ screen time. Most importantly, the content under the minor mode is more positive and healthier.
The effectiveness of the new proposed measures may depend on parents’ example, according to a father of two in southeastern China’s Zhuhai city, who said children sometimes use their parents’ accounts to play online. “Even we adults need it!” he joked.
1. What is the main purpose of the “minor mode”?| A．To regulate the legality and standard of apps. |
| B．To increase the variety of mobile applications. |
| C．To restrict under-age kids’ screen time and content. |
| D．To improve the convenience of mobile equipment. |
| A．Children under 8 use phones for an hour daily. |
| B．People under 18 can access their screens at 2 a. m. |
| C．10-year-old students get 90 minutes of screen time a day. |
| D．17-year-old teenagers play on phones for 2 hours every day. |
| A．Critical. | B．Doubtful. | C．Supportive. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．Parents’ leading by example. | B．Flexible control of time limits. |
| C．Children’s ability of self-discipline. | D．Diverse outdoor activities after school. |
10 . According to the research published by Ofcom, most people in the UK are dependent on their digital devices and apparently need constant access to the Internet.
The smartphone slowly caught on in the UK in 2008.
People now expect constant Internet access wherever they are, with 64% of adults saying that it is an essential part of their lives. Over the past years, access to the Internet has improved.
So how much time should we spend online?
| A．That’s not a question that can be easily answered |
| B．17 percent of the population owned one by the end of that year |
| C．They mentioned smartphones’ increasing effect on our lives too |
| D．As a result, the way we communicate with each other has changed |
| E．The research has focused on how technology has changed our lives |
| F．However, there are negative effects of being online for many people |
| G．More than half of those questioned talked about some phenomena in life |
