1 . Waste not, Want not
Today, I live in Manhattan with my husband, Alex. I’m an IT specialist and Alex is a lawyer. Life’s good, but sometimes I look at the way we live it and think of Ellie, my grandmother. Her favorite saying was “Waste not, want not.”
Such economy seems strange, even ridiculous, in our modern throwaway society, where everything is sold in boxes.
| A．Packaging is not only used to protect goods |
| B．My grandparents threw almost nothing away |
| C．In one week alone, we threw away five old magazines |
| D．We didn’t often go shopping and then cook meals at home |
| E．As young Manhattan professionals, we buy a lot of “convenience food” |
| F．But we pay a high financial and ecological price for our lovely packaging |
| G．If you placed all the cans used in the United States, in one year end to end |
2 . For most of history, people lived in small groups of up to 150 people. Then villages and small towns developed, offering safety and support through the sharing of resources. As time passed, urban living brought additional advantages such as better jobs, schools and healthcare. Larger towns also gave people more chances to meet and interact. This is important.
Today, over half of the world’s population currently lives in towns and cities. But this has resulted in a strange paradox (悖论). Although social opportunities are one reason people choose to live in large cities, research suggests that city life can be lonely.
The development of virtual communities can be traced back to the 1860s. Back then, telegraph operators exchanged messages and gradually formed friendships over long distances.
These days, there are thousands of virtual communities and that number keeps growing. Many people believe they will become more important.
| A．This trend, however, is not likely to continue. |
| B．As Aristotle said, the nature of humans is to be social. |
| C．That may explain why virtual communities are so popular. |
| D．The first popular online communities developed in the 1980s. |
| E．Before cell phones existed, radio was an easy way to communicate. |
| F．Nevertheless, others worry about problems with these communities. |
| G．This is among the earliest examples of virtual community interactions. |
3 . Empathy
Last year, researchers from the University of Michigan reported that empathy, the ability to understand other people, among college students had dropped sharply over the past 10 years.
Jennifer Freed, a co-director of a teen program, has another explanation, Turn on the TV, and you’re showered with news and reality shows full of people fighting, competing, and generally treating one another with no respect, Humans learn by example — and most of the examples on it are anything but empathetic.
There are good reasons not to follow those bad examples, Humans are socially related by nature.
Empathy is also an indication of a good leader. In fact, Freed says, many top companies report that empathy is one of the most important things they look for in new managers.
What’s the best way to up your EQ? For starters, let down your guard and really listen to others.
| A．Everyone is different, and levels of empathy differ from person to person. |
| B．Having relationships with other people is an important part of being human — and having empathy is decisive to those relationships. |
| C．“One doesn’t develop empathy by having a lot of opinions and doing a lot of talking,” Freed says. |
| D．Empathy is a matter of learning how to understand someone else — both what they think and how they feel. |
| E．Good social skills — including empathy — are a kind of "emotional intelligence" that will help you succeed in many areas of life. |
| F．That could be because so many people have replaced face time with screen time, the researchers said. |
4 . At some point, something will have to be done about the stuffed toys (毛绒玩具). I haven’t counted them because, truthfully, I’m not prepared to know how many there are. Lately, our neighborhood’s message boards are filled with posts about parents trying to make space, to clear out the things their kids no longer need. The tone of some of these posts can best be described as “emergency”. “Help!” they sometimes begin. “I have to get this out of my house.”
“The proliferation (激增) of children’s toys is the outcome of a long, gradual cultural change,”says Gary Cross, a professor at Pennsylvania State University. To understand how we got here — drowning (淹没于) in all those stuffed toys and bricks — it helps to look as far back as the late 19th century. “Parents were no longer passing their jobs on to the children,” Cross says. “Instead, they connect across generations through the gifting process. From the early 20th century on, goods became the things that define relationships between family members, and the way of marking success as a family.”
Then, how can parents deal with the proliferation of children’s toys at home? Naeemah Ford Goldson, a professional organizer, is also a mom of two. In her own home, Goldson likes to include her kids in the work of sorting out their toys. They know that the items they don’t need anymore will be given to people who can use them, to families who might not be as fortunate as theirs. “Doing so helps them build those habits of letting go,” she says, “so then they don’t become adults who are too dependent on material things instead of experiences, or people, and the memories we make with people.”
Her idea made sense. She told her 5-year-old they should pick some to give to kids in their community who came from another country and had to leave their toys behind. She immediately took a pink bear from the pile.
1. Why does the author present the posts in paragraph 1?| A．To show the popularity of children’s toys. |
| B．To offer suggestions about choosing children’s toys. |
| C．To praise the role of social media in buying children’s toys. |
| D．To introduce the influence too many children’s toys bring about. |
| A．Children’s demands. | B．The growth of technology. |
| C．The traditions in the 18th century. | D．The practice of gifting among family members. |
| A．Involve her kids in organizing toys. | B．Put away toys for her kids. |
| C．Buy her kids fewer toys. | D．Sell unwanted toys to neighbors. |
| A．The Rise of Toy Stores in Neighborhoods | B．The Importance of Choosing Proper Gifts |
| C．The Challenge of Managing Children’s Toys | D．The Joy of Collecting Children’s Toys |
5 . Would you rather be an impressive employee in an ordinary firm, or land a role at the most well-known company in your industry?
The answer to that question might seem highly personal, based on factors like whether or not you are a competitive person and how much you enjoy a challenge. In fact, there’s another strong factor at play: People from different cultures react very differently to that question. The psychologists from the University of Michigan asked people theoretical questions about the decisions they take. Specifically, the researchers compared people with East Asian backgrounds and European American backgrounds. They found that Americans are much more likely to favor being a big fish in a small pond. East Asians, and specifically Chinese people, are much more likely than Americans to lean towards being a smaller fish in a bigger pond.
Researchers first asked 270 students at a large American university whether they would rather be a “big fish in a small pond” or the opposite. Of the students with East Asian American backgrounds, three quarters said they’d rather be a small fish, compared with just under 60% of students with European American backgrounds who said the same.
The researchers then compared American and Chinese adults. They asked the participants whether they would rather attend a top university but perform below average, and whether they would rather work for a top global company but do less well in comparison to their peers. Over half the Chinese adults chose the famous university, compared with just a third of Americans. In the case of the firms, well over half of people from both groups chose to do better at a less well-known firm, but Chinese people were still more likely to choose being a “small fish” than were Americans.
The final experiment sought to discover how American and Chinese people made judgments about whether they were succeeding. They found that Chinese people were more likely to compare their performance to the performance of people in other groups. Americans, meanwhile, were more likely to compare themselves to people within the same group, to judge whether or not they were doing well.
In East Asian cultures, it’s “not enough that you know you’re doing well in your school,” said Kaidi Wu, a PhD student in psychology who led the research. “It is much more important that other people — an outsider, a family relative, a future employer who has five seconds to glance through your resume — also recognize your academic excellence.”
America is the opposite: “Think about how many times themes like ‘You are your own person’ or ‘Stop worrying about what other people think’ course through song lyrics and self-help books,” Wu said, concluding: “The choices we make are the products of our culture.”
1. The psychologists from the University of Michigan find that ______.| A．Americans tend to achieve success in a big company |
| B．Chinese are likely to perform better in a big company |
| C．Americans prefer to shine in a relatively small company |
| D．Chinese are comfortable with working in a small company |
| A．compare different attitudes towards competition | B．find different views about personal success |
| C．judge performances of different groups | D．confirm which culture is better |
| A．his neighbors | B．his classmates | C．his teachers | D．his parents |
| A．plays a key role in people’s choice making | B．shows who we grow up to be in the future |
| C．is the most important factor behind success | D．determines students’ academic performance |
6 . The easiest and least complicated way to motivate somebody is quite simply to pay them attention. What you say is not important, nor necessarily is how long you spend saying it, as long as it’s something. “Nice weather” or “How are you?” will do.
People just love attention, adults and children. Children love attention so much that they will do anything to get some. In fact, if children are not getting enough attention, they would rather be naughty and get told off than be “good” and be ignored. An interesting time in most households with young children is dinnertime-it’s the end of the day, everybody is tired, the house is in a mess and Johnny doesn’t like carrots and is refusing to eat his food. Again, the easy trap to fall into is to start getting cross with Johnny and getting into a big argument about his food. Again, he’s getting the attention he desires; even if it’s not the best sort of attention, it’s better than nothing. It’s fascinating if you are able to stand back from the situation and instead focus attention and praise on Johnny’s brother who is eating his food-after all, he is one that is doing what you want him to do. After five or ten minutes or so of being ignored, it’s amazing how quickly (usually) Johnny sees sense and obeys. I’ve watched my own children in this situation go from screaming from behind the sofa, saying “Mummy, aren’t I doing good dinner eating?”-all without having one word spoken to them by their parents, who are busily paying attention to their brothers.
This fundamental need for attention, and doing whatever it takes to get it, doesn’t disappear when we turn into adults. Sure, there are people who are “real attention seekers” in a loud and extravert (外向的) way, and there are the shy, retiring types who don’t want attention in such a “sociable” way. But everybody still wants to be recognized and seen worthwhile.
1. What will children probably do to get parents attention?| A．They will get quiet for a long time. | B．They will ignore their parents. |
| C．They will behave naughtily. | D．They will get cross easily. |
| A．A set-up situation parents are likely to go into. |
| B．The household work that parents can not avoid. |
| C．Some tempting food children easily love to eat. |
| D．A bad habit children easily develop. |
| A．scolding them severely | B．teaching them what to do |
| C．giving them total freedom | D．praising their sisters or brothers |
| A．Children s upbringing needs parents’ constant care. |
| B．Children are usually extravert while adults are sociable. |
| C．Both children and adults need to be seen as worthwhile. |
| D．The motivation of children differs greatly from that of adults. |
7 . For many Americans, home is where the heart is. However, some people are forced to leave their homes because of rising costs.
“Hawaii is everything. Of course, it’s very beautiful. The weather is beautiful, but you only get a deeper connection to a place when it’s connected to you,” said Lehua Kalima, who grew up and raised her kids in Hawaii.
Nearly three years ago, Kalima and her husband left the Hawaiian islands for Clark County, Nevada. According to United Van Lines, the US’s largest household goods mover, Clark County has about 20,000 native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. The Kalimas represent some of the 7 million Americans who move to a different state every year.
“You know, we were already working really hard to make ends meet, but with three college tuitions (学费) now to pay, it was almost impossible,” Kalima said.
United Van Lines has long tracked state-to-state migration (移居), as well as the main reasons people move. In 2018, nearly half of the people surveyed said they moved due to changes in employment. Four years later, a third of respondents said employment was the reason they moved. A rising number said they wanted to be close to family, and 8% stated a reason that three years earlier wasn’t even on the survey — the improved cost of living.
“If you have roots in a place, you have a relationship with a place, with a piece of land, only then can you really understand what it’s like to have to go away from it,” Kalima said.
Despite missing her home, Kalima looks at the other side of things.
“The things we do in life don’t necessarily keep us in one place. Sometimes they take us to all kinds of different places, but that’s necessary because, you know, that’ll take us to where we’re eventually supposed to be,” Kalima said.
1. What was the Kalimas’ life like before moving to Nevada?| A．They had nowhere to live. | B．They lived beyond their means. |
| C．Kalima and her husband lost their jobs. | D．Kalima’s children failed to get into college. |
| A．The effects of state-to-state migration. |
| B．The change of American family connections. |
| C．The reasons for people moving to other states. |
| D．The connection between employment and migration. |
| A．Her pain of being away from home. |
| B．Her worries about her life in Nevada. |
| C．Her fear of being misunderstood by others. |
| D．Her dissatisfaction with new social relationships. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Passive. | C．Uninterested. | D．Positive. |
8 . In an era dominated by texting and messaging apps, phone calls seem to become a relic (遗物) of the past among younger generations, Gen Z in particular. A recent survey shows that a quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds refuse to pick up the phone, and over half ignore calls from their parents. Why do we find phone calls so awkward, and is avoiding them damaging our relationships?
The avoidance of phone calls isn’t just a preference; it’s a display of anxiety. Phone conversations can be awkward due to the lack of non-verbal clues. In face-to-face interactions, we rely heavily on gestures, facial expressions, and body language to interpret messages, which are absent in phone conversations. This can lead to misunderstandings and a feeling of disconnect. Additionally, the pressure to respond immediately without enough time to think, as afforded by messaging apps, can increase the anxiety associated with phone calls.
Despite the discomfort they may cause, phone conversations are an important skill. In the professional world, the ability to communicate effectively over the phone remains a critical skill. As I emphasize in my teachings and workshops, clear, confident, and real-life communication can significantly impact personal and professional success. Therefore, it’s crucial for younger generations, including Gen Z, to learn how to communicate well with others over the phone, not just for professional success but also for developing personal relationships.
Relying merely on messaging apps can have harmful effects on Gen Z’s well-being and relationships. The survey indicates a growing discomfort with direct voice communication can lead to a lack of deeper, empathetic (共情的) connections. This can potentially impact their ability to form meaningful relationships and deal with situations where direct communication like phone calls is momentous.
Moreover, as I advocate in my approach to public speaking, including emotional elements into communication enhances memorability (值得记忆) and impact. Phone conversations, with their immediate and personal nature, can develop a deeper emotional connect ion than text-based communication.
1. What can we know from paragraph 2?| A．Why people are making fewer phone calls. |
| B．How young men respond to phone calls. |
| C．What impact can phone calls have. |
| D．How much further phone calls go. |
| A．Future success is mainly based on phone talks. |
| B．It's vital to acquire the art of phone conversation. |
| C．Learning how to communicate is the focus. |
| D．Much remains to be done for better personal skills. |
| A．Obvious. | B．Important. | C．Missing. | D．Temporary. |
| A．An interview. | B．A book review. | C．A lecture. | D．A diary entry. |
9 . 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. |
10 . In recent years, much of my life, as a consumer has shifted to what I like to call background spending. As I’ve subscribed to more apps and streaming platforms, significant sums of my money tend to slip away each month without my ever thinking about it.
Think of it as automated trade. Spending without the trouble of spending. Acquisition without action or thought.
But while this flood of subscriptions was sold to me on the condition that it would make my life more trouble free, there was a certain shock I felt upon discovering how much I was spending without realizing each month ($179.45).
You see, the thing about background spending is that it tends to happen, well, in the background without your full attention. And there lies the point.
“Hand over your credit card details and let us take care of the rest,” these companies promise us. But by agreeing to this trade, we’ve become lazy passive consumers. And this laziness breeds more laziness because most of us can’t be bothered with conducting regular reviews of our subscription spending. We’re too lazy to even notice or cancel!
I know it’s not just me who is suddenly living life as a smooth-brained subscriber. The average consumer spends $273 per month on subscriptions, according to a 2021 study of 2,500 by digital services firm West Monroe. Not a single person surveyed knew what his actual monthly spending was.
It’s understandable why this model is so attractive to businesses. As companies questioned traditional advertising models, subscriptions offered the promise of “selling once and earning forever.” And while subscription services have been around for decades (think Wine of the Month Club), more customers have been willing to sign up thanks to the widespread availability of smartphones and the increasing ease of home delivery.
While these subscriptions promise ease and happiness, not all of us are satisfied. Last year, the Kearney Consumer Institute found 40 percent of consumers believe they have too many subscriptions. Almost half of us also think we pay too much for streaming video-on-demand subscriptions.
1. What can we know about background spending in paragraph 2?| A．Its purpose. | B．Its feature. | C．Its procedure. | D．Its requirement. |
| A．Its attractive price. | B．Some people’s poor habit. |
| C．Its secure service. | D．Some people’s addiction to it. |
| A．It offers good home delivery services. |
| B．It is like traditional advertising models. |
| C．It is popular among smartphone producers. |
| D．It brings repeated profits through a single sale. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Optimistic. | C．Critical. | D．Unclear. |
