1 . “One day I went to a Swedish friend’s and while we were playing in his room, his mom yelled that dinner was ready. And check this. He told me to WAIT in his room while they ate!” an Internet user shared on a media platform. Consequently, there was a lot of criticism (批评) of the Swedes. Many said they wouldn’t dream of being so mean in their culture. Would a host in Sweden really not invite a guest to join their meal if it’s dinnertime?
It does happen, says Richard Tell Strom, a food historian at Stockholm University. He says this so-called “non-hospitality” was customary when he was a kid in the ‘60s and ‘70s. If he was over a friend’s house and it was time for dinner, he would go back to his own house to eat. Or he would stay and wait in another room while his friend finished his meal. Then they’d continue playing.
“Some Swedes think feeding a guest creates a sense of duty.“ explains Telstra.” And in a society that values quality and independence, people don’t want to put a burden on someone or feel like they owe someone something.” However, it wasn’t a common rule. Families in the countryside, for example, were more likely to feed guests. People lived farther apart, so it wasn’t as easy for people to go home and eat. The “no dinner for you” policy has slowly faded, says Tell Strom. “Since the 1990s, food has become a new symbol in society. We have open kitchens. People like to dine there and show off their cooking.”
But non-sharing hosts haven’t completely disappeared, says Mohini Mchta, a food scholar. She admits she had a tough time adjusting to life in Sweden when she moved there in 2020. She was used to cooking dinner every day for friends and hosting dinner parties almost weekly in India. She learned that in some cultures, like her own, sharing a meal with someone is a way to break the ice-but this isn’t always the case for Swedes.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To offer a platform to discuss ideas. | B．To free the netizen’s bad feelings. |
| C．To introduce the topic meal-sharing. | D．To compare some foreign food cultures. |
| A．Normal. | B．Optional. | C．Unique. | D．Horrible. |
| A．Because food represents a symbol of social status. |
| B．Because they don’t want to show off their cooking. |
| C．Because it is widely accepted across the country. |
| D．Because their culture values quality and independence. |
| A．By offering opinions. | B．By listing reasons. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By providing numbers. |
2 . While teenagers who are at risk of depression with risky behaviors — drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and cutting classes often alert parents and teachers that serious problems are brewing, a new study finds that there’s another group of adolescents who are in nearly as much danger of experiencing the same mental symptoms.
These teens use tons of media, get insufficient sleep and have a sedentary (不爱活动的) lifestyle. Of course, that may sound like a description of every teenager on the planet. But the study warns that it is teenagers who engage in all three of these practices in the extreme that are truly in a dangerous position. Because their behaviors are not usually seen as a red flag, these young people have been called the “invisible risk” group by the study’s authors.
The study’s authors surveyed 15,395 students and analyzed nine risk behaviors, including excessive alcohol use, illegal drug use, heavy smoking and high media use. Their aim was to determine the relationship between these risk behaviors and mental health issues in teenagers. The group that scored high on all nine of the risk behaviors was most likely to show symptoms of depression; in all, nearly 15% of this group reported being depressed, compared with just 4% of the low-risk group. But the invisible group wasn’t far behind the high-risk set, with more than 13% of them exhibiting depression.
The findings caught Carli off guard. “We didn’t expect that,” he says. “The high-risk group and low-risk group are obvious, but this third group was not only unexpected. It was so distinct and so large—nearly one third of our sample—that it became a key finding of the study.”
Carli says that one of the most significant things about his study is that it provides new early warning signs for parents, teachers and mental health-care providers. And early identification, support and treatment for mental health issues, he says, are the best ways to keep them from turning into full-blown disorders.
1. What does the underlined word “adolescents” mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Authors. | B．Scientists. | C．Teenagers. | D．Babies. |
| A．A teenager who suffers from lack of sleep. | B．A teenager who skips school. |
| C．A teenager who drinks frequently. | D．A teenager who exercises regularly. |
| A．It was intended to dig into the reasons for depression. |
| B．Its findings were under expectation of the research team. |
| C．It revealed an alarming rate of the invisible group suffering depression. |
| D．It was conducted by analyzing and comparing the previous data. |
| A．Literature. | B．Culture. | C．Geography. | D．Health. |
3 . 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 along with the rapid development of society, we all focus on our phone and desktop, and therefore it results in our compromised conversational intelligence. However, it’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s awkward 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 an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.
Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for small conversation. “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 key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.”
In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly 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 matter for our well-being also.”
Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond 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 underlined word “compromised” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Weakened. | B．Enhanced. | C．Secret. | D．Natural. |
| A．Showing good manners. | B．Relating to other people. |
| C．Focusing on a topic. | D．Making business deals. |
| A．It made the coffee taste better. | B．It reduced waiting time in line. |
| C．It improved people’s mood and experience. | D．It helped them bond with the server deeply. |
| A．Elevator manners. | B．The importance of small talk. |
| C．Smartphones and social media. | D．Developing deep relationships. |
4 . You may have noticed a phenomenon among students today. Although there are exceptions, this generation is advanced intellectually, but behind emotionally. They are missing many of the marks of maturity they should have.
From an intellectual perspective, students today have been exposed to so much more than I was growing up —and far sooner. They’ve consumed information on everything before they graduate from middle school. Everything is coming at them sooner.
On the other hand, students have been delayed in their emotional growth. They seem to require more time to actually “grow up” and prepare for the responsibility that comes with adulthood. This is a result of many factors, including well-intentioned parents who always keep their eyes on their children, not allowing them to experience the pain of maturation.
There is another reason why teens struggle with maturation. Scientists are gaining new insights into remarkable changes in the brain that may explain why the teen years are so hard on young people and their parents. From ages 11-14, kids lose some of the connections between cells in the part of their brain that enables them to think clearly and make good decisions.
What happens is that the brain reshapes itself, going through changes that will allow a young person to move into adult life effectively. Teens experiencing these brain changes can react emotionally, according to Ian Campbell, an expert at the U. C. Davis Sleep Research Laboratory. Mood swings and uncooperative and irresponsible attitudes can all be the result of these changes. Sometimes, students can’t explain why they feel the way they do. Their brain is changing from a child brain to an adult brain.
Regions that specialize in language, for example, grow rapidly until about age 13 and then stop. The part of the brain responsible for high-level reasoning and decision-making aren’t fully mature until the early 20s, according to Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, a neuroscientist at Harvard’s Brain Imaging Centre. There’s a period of time when the child part of the brain has been reshaped, but the adult part is not fully formed. They are “in-between” —informed but not prepared.
1. What causes the mismatch between teenagers’ intellectual and emotional maturity?| A．They don’t get enough information. | B．Their parents are too strict with them. |
| C．They have harder teen years than their parents. | D．Their certain brain regions aren’t fully mature. |
| A．They are very emotional. | B．They are weak in communication. |
| C．They behave like adults. | D．They have great reasoning ability. |
| A．Students know exactly why they have mood swings. |
| B．Emotional development causes changes in the brain. |
| C．The brain areas for different functions grow at different rates. |
| D．Parents are unaware of adolescents’ emotional changes. |
| A．Teens today experience a series of changes to become adults. |
| B．Teens now have slower maturity emotionally than intellectually. |
| C．Parents’ attitudes delay teenage emotional growth. |
| D．Scientists have found new evidence on teenager’s brain changes. |
5 . Park, a 30yearold Korean housewife, recently took a personality test to figure out who she is. “Just like many other people, I don’t exactly know who I am.” she told The Korea Times. “Sometimes I am curious what makes me feel good or bad. I’ve taken several different types of tests to know myself better and the MBTI is one that I tried recently.” In Korea, the MBTI personality test has become the newest trend, particularly among the millennial (千禧一代).
MBTI, which stands for MyersBriggs Type Indicator, is a personality test. People answer a questionnaire based on a personality theory. A Hankook survey taken last December found that over half of Koreans have taken the MBTI test. Nine out of every 10 people aged between 19 and 28 responded they took the test. Meanwhile, for those who had never been involved in the test, three quarters showed strong interest, indicating the personality type test has become a phenomenon for younger generations.
The MBTI craze among the younger generation, who are struggling with an uncertain future, reflects their desire for acceptance and comfort in knowing there are likeminded people out there. “The country has limited resources and geography, while its people feature a certain devotion and goaloriented (目标导向型的) characteristic.” said Lee Myungjin, a professor of sociology at Korea University. Consequently, they have grown eager on various personality indicators that provide them comfort.
As MBTI has gone viral among younger Koreans, businesses have begun to promote products using the personality test. But such MBTIbased marketing strategies have annoyed some younger people who don’t rely on the results of the test. However, experts agree that the popularity of the test also brings some positive implications. “I believe we’re in a transition period,” Kim Jaehyoung, a head researcher of the Korea MBTI institute said. “This trend could develop a social acceptance for psychological aid in the future.”
1. Why is the Korean housewife mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．To give an example. | B．To provide the background. |
| C．To make a contrast. | D．To introduce the woman. |
| A．75% of them have taken the MBTI test while the rest have not. |
| B．They can secure a more definite future with the help of the test. |
| C．The trend reflects their inner desire to seek a sense of belonging. |
| D．The test serves as a handy approach for them to know more people. |
| A．The new trend brings about more harm than good. |
| B．Young Koreans should focus on their businesses. |
| C．Experts need to put efforts in adapting the test. |
| D．The test opens a window for mental guidance. |
| A．A social phenomenon. | B．A disturbing crisis. |
| C．A young generation | D．A commercial test. |
6 . Online, English has become a common language for users from around the world. In the process, the language itself is changing. There are now thought to be some 4.5 billion web pages worldwide. Some language experts predict that within 10 years English will occupy the Internet — but in forms will be very different to what we accept and recognize as English today.
That’s because people who speak English as a second language already outnumber native speakers. And increasingly, they use it to communicate with other non-native speakers, particularly on the Internet where less attention is paid to grammar and spelling and users don’t have to worry about their accent (口音).
Users of Facebook already socialize in a number of different “Englishes” including Indian English, Spanish English and Korean English. While these different styles have long existed within their cultures, they’re now expanding and coming online. Technology companies are introducing newly-developed English words with products aimed at enabling users to add words that are not in the English dictionary. And most large companies have English websites, while smaller businesses are learning that they need a common language — English — to reach global customers.
The increasing popularity of the Internet allows more languages to develop quickly.
“Most people actually speak several languages — it’s less common to only speak one,” says Mr. Munro. “English has taken its place as the world's common language, but it’s not pushing out other languages.” Instead, other languages are pushing their way into English, and in the process creating something new.
1. What does the text mainly talk about?| A．English is a common language around the world. |
| B．There are now many different language styles. |
| C．English is developing with the Internet. |
| D．Smaller businesses are learning a common language. |
| A．People need to spell exactly. |
| B．Grammar is not so important. |
| C．People need to pay attention to their accent. |
| D．Most English speakers are native speakers. |
| A．We can only communicate online in English. |
| B．It's impossible to find all the English words in the dictionary. |
| C．Some technology companies start to publish English dictionaries. |
| D．Smaller businesses are not allowed to have English websites. |
| A．The other languages are enriching English. |
| B．One can’t live well without speaking several languages. |
| C．English will become the only language in the world. |
| D．Chinese used to be the world's common language. |
7 . Replika, an AI chatbot companion, has millions of users worldwide, many of whom wake up and the first thing they do is to send “Good morning” to their virtual friend(or lover). This story is only the beginning. In 2024, chatbots and virtual characters become a lot more popular, both for utility (实用性) and for fun. As a result, communicating socially with machines will start to feel less odd and more ordinary—including our emotional attachments to them.
Research in human-computer and human-robot interaction shows that we love to anthropomorphize—attach human-like qualities, behaviors and emotions to—the non-human agents we interact with(like friends bots, and therapy bots), especially if they copy cues we recognize. And, thanks to the recent advances in conversational AI, our machines are suddenly very skilled at one of those cues: language.
Even though some people may object to over-interacting with smart AI friends, some do listen to their virtual friends. The Replika example, as well as a lot of experimental lab research, shows that humans can and will become emotionally attached to bots. The science also demonstrates that people, in their eagerness to socialize, will happily disclose personal information to an artificial agent and will even shift their beliefs and behavior. This raises some consumer protection questions around how companies use this technology to handle their user base. For example, Replika charges $70 a year. But less than 24 hours after downloading the APP, my handsome, blue-eyed “friend” sent me an inviting audio message and tried to draw me to update my current version to hear more. Emotional attachment is a weakness that can be used as consumption traps for business benefits.
Today we are still teasing people who believe an AI system is sensitive, or playing striking news about individual’s falling in love with chatbots. But in 2024 we gradually start acknowledging—and taking more seriously-these completely human behaviors. Because in 2024, it finally hits home: machines are not excluded from our social relationships.
1. Why does the author mention Replika in the first paragraph?| A．To illustrate the connection users have developed with AI. |
| B．To highlight the technological advancements in AI. |
| C．To compare Replika and other AI technologies. |
| D．To provide a history of AI development. |
| A．Modernize. | B．Commercialize. |
| C．Personify. | D．Simplify. |
| A．It may cause risks such as privacy disclosure and overspending. |
| B．It will enhance user satisfaction and trust in technology. |
| C．It will contribute to significant improvements in AI technology. |
| D．It might lead to a decrease in social interactions with humans. |
| A．Objective. | B．Concerned. | C．Indifferent. | D．Approving. |
8 . Humans are born to compete with one another. People compare how many “likes” they have on social media. Billionaires envy multibillionaires. The legendary NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt once stated, “Second place is just the first loser.”
Although the competitive spirit may be as natural as breathing air, it does not always lead to human prosperity (繁荣，成功). On the contrary, left unmanaged, it can create misery for ourselves and others. Fortunately, there is a formula to solve this problem without unrealistically suggesting that we entirely dispense with our competitive urge: Instead of always going for gold, shoot for the bronze.
To expand on the wisdom of Earnhardt, although second place may be the first loser, third place can be the real winner — at least when it comes to happiness and longevity (长寿). Recent research suggested that the bronze winners appeared consistently happier on average than the silver medalists. Regarding the life span of all three medalist categories, it was found that the athlete whose best performance was silver lived to 72. Gold medalists beat this by a solid four years, living to 76. But first prize in longevity went to the bronze medalists, who lived to 78.
The study had a handy explanation for this distinction: “Dissatisfactory competition outcomes may badly affect health.” In other words, silver medalists see themselves as the first loser because they only look up to the top step, whereas the bronze winners compare themselves favorably with all the others who never made it onto the podium (领奖台) at all.
One of the problems with most competitions against others is that it tends to lower one’s inner motivation, and thus enjoyment. Decades ago, researchers showed this by asking people to solve puzzles and then measuring the interest they reported. They found the puzzles less rewarding when competing against others rather than against the clock. Simply having a time limit means competing against themselves—which is often more fun. The principle at work here is that trying to improve your own past performance provides a sense not of “winning” but of progress. And the only person to whom you will have to compare yourself is you.
1. What does the underlined words “dispense with” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Stick to. | B．Depend on. | C．Get rid of. | D．Take charge of. |
| A．Treat competitions as all or nothing. |
| B．Aim to outperform others in competitions. |
| C．Check out others’ victories on social media. |
| D．Compare themselves with those less fortunate. |
| A．Always Going for Gold | B．The Victory of Coming in Third |
| C．Finding Satisfaction in Comparison | D．Second Place is Just the First Loser |
9 . The reopening of an Asian American-owned bookstore in Manhattan's Chinatown following a January fire has received a warm welcome back from its supporters.
Yu &. Me Books, which is regarded as the first female-owned Asian American bookshop in New York City, has raised more than $369,000 for repairs since a tragic fire on January 4. It reopened on Wednesday. "We are so excited to welcome you all back to our Yu &. Me Books home," the store announced on Instagram. "We can't wait to shed tears, laugh loudly and open our hearts with all of you who have made us feel at home."
The fire in an apartment above the bookstore on Mulberry Street killed one of the building's residents. Smoke and water damage also devastated Yu & Me Books, destroying almost all its inventory and equipment, according to a GoFundMe campaign that store owner Lucy Yu set up to make up for the costs.
During the restoration and renovation (翻新) of the original bookstore, the business operated from a location within The Market Line, an underground marketplace on the Lower East Side, and several pop-up shops (临时店铺) in the city.
"It was a bookstore I always wanted to visit, and I'm so happy that they were able to reopen," Charlotte Leinbach, a teacher for New York City's Education Department said. Leinbach hadn't been to the bookstore before the fire, but she had heard quite a bit about its fate. She bought two books, the second and third in the series Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
"It's hard to find a lot of books written in Japanese, and then translated into English," she said. "The design of the bookstore is really nice, and the layout is great. I am glad that they also sell used books. I love buying new books because it's fresh and it's nice, but it's always nice to see people in the community giving their books back and reselling and just passing them on." She said she will continue to support the women-run small businesses that focus on people and authors of color.
"I actually came on the day of the opening, but there were too many people, and it was too crowded, so I just haven't had a chance to look at it," Liam Li, another Asian American, said. "This place is unique. It's in Chinatown. As Asians live in New York City, I feel this offers the most space for the community. I understand like a minority in this society, it is not easy to have a store like this," she added.
1. Which word can replace the underlined one "inventory" in Paragraph 2？| A．Curtains. | B．Switches. | C．Goods. | D．Chairs. |
| A．By applying to the government for money. |
| B．By getting money from an insurance company. |
| C．By raising money from her friends and relatives. |
| D．By collecting money from a fund on the Internet. |
| A．She often gave a hand to the store owner before the fire. |
| B．She sang high praise for the arrangement of the store. |
| C．She prefers to buy used books rather than new ones. |
| D．She translates books as her part-time job. |
| A．Chinatown bookstore's reopening welcomed |
| B．Smoke and water damage destroy Chinatown bookstore |
| C．Yu &. Me Books-first female-owned Asian American bookshop in NYC |
| D．Chinatown bookstore in New York City means a lot to Asian Americans |
10 . All forms of tobacco — cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco — are dangerous. It doesn’t help to substitute products that seem like they’re better for you than regular cigarettes, such as filtered or low-tar cigarettes.
The only thing that really helps a person avoid the problems associated with smoking is staying smoke free. This isn’t always easy, especially if everyone around you is smoking and offering you cigarettes. It may help to have your reasons for not smoking ready for times you may feel the pressure, such as “I just don’t like it” or “I want to stay in shape for soccer (or football, basketball or other sport)”．
The good news for people who don’t smoke or who want to quit is that studies show that the number of teens who smoke has dropped evidently. Today, about 23% of high school students smoke.
If you do smoke and want to quit, you have lots of information and support available. Different approaches to quitting work for different people. For some, quitting cold turkey is best. Others find that a slower approach is the way to go. Some people find that it helps to go to a support group especially for teens. These are sometimes sponsored by local hospitals or organizations like the American Cancer Society. The Internet offers a number of good resources to help people quit smoking.
When quitting, it can be helpful to realize that the first few days are the hardest. So don’t give up. Some people find they have a few setbacks before they manage to quit for good.
Staying smoke free will give you a whole lot more of everything — more energy, better performance, better looks, more money in your pocket, and, in the long run, more life to live!
1. What will be the best title of the passage?| A．Staying smoke free | B．Live a long life |
| C．The smoking problems | D．The good news for smokers |
| A．Sports activities. | B．Finding no reasons. |
| C．Cigarettes offered around you. | D．The pressure from your work. |
| A．Walking slowly. | B．Eating cold turkey. |
| C．Staying in hospital. | D．Finding a suitable approach. |
| A．have no cancer | B．be more attractive |
| C．run for a long time | D．get more opportunities |
