1 . 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 |
2 . Situated along a river that winds through the mountains, surrounded by cedar (雪松) and bamboo forests, Nanmoku is about 70 miles northwest of the capital city. Once known for its silk, wood, and konjac root (魔芋根), Nanmoku is now Japan’s most aged village, with two-thirds of its residents over 65. Many buildings are abandoned and the population has dropped from 11,000 in 1955to about 1,500 today, according to town hall figures. At that rate, the village could be empty just over a decade.
Nanmoku is on the front lines of Japan’s rural depopulation, a trend seen in other Asian and European countries. However, some residents are working to change the trend by attracting young people. One such person is 24-year-old Satomi Oigawa, who moved to Nanmoku after graduating from college in Tokyo. She works for the village government, matching abandoned homes with potential new residents. Oigawa is learning about the village’s history as she integrates into the community. “Everything about this house is part of the village’s history,” she says.
Despite efforts to attract new residents, the village faces challenges. There are few jobs for young people, and the nearest hospital is an hour’s drive away. Some residents argue that instead of spending money to attract newcomers, the money should be spent on those already living in the village.
Mayor Saijo Hasegawa aims to keep the village’s population level in 15to 20 years’ time, hoping to maintain it at around 800 people. However, experts like Peter Matan le of the University of Sheffield say that while some villages may boom, they will still experience pushback against the overpowering trend. “Japan is currently losing 600,000 to 700,000 people annually, and that’s going to increase to more than a million by the 2030s,” Matan le says. “Under that situation, how do settlements maintain their populations, let alone increase them?”
1. Which of the following can best describe current Nanmoku?| A．Old and timeless. | B．Undamaged and charming. |
| C．Remote and developing. | D．Historic and declining. |
| A．To get job opportunities. | B．To learn about the history. |
| C．To refresh the village. | D．To experience the rural life. |
| A．They are facing significant challenges. |
| B．They are likely to succeed at the moment. |
| C．They are widely supported by all residents. |
| D．They need more support from the government. |
3 . Economic growth is often considered as a sure way of increasing the well-being of people in low-income countries, and global surveys in recent decades have supported this strategy by showing people in high-income countries tend to report higher levels of life satisfaction than those in low-income countries. This strong connection might suggest that only in rich societies can people be happy. However, a recent study conducted by ICTA-UAB and McGill University in Canada suggests that there may be good reasons to question whether this link is universal.
While most global surveys gather thousands of responses from the citizens of industrial and urban societies, they tend to ignore people in simple-and-tiny societies on the fringe, where social group has a limited number of members and where the exchange of money plays a minimal role in everyday life with natives and local communities depending directly on nature.
The research, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), consisted of a survey of 2,966 people from local communities in 19 globally distributed sites. Only 64% of surveyed households had any cash income. The results show that “surprisingly, many populations with very low incomes report very high average levels of life satisfaction, with scores similar to those in wealthy countries,” says Eric Galbraith, researcher at ICTA-UAB and McGill University and lead author of the study.
The average life satisfaction score across the studied simple-and-tiny societies was 6.8 on a range of 0-10. Although not all societies reported high satisfaction levels, four of the sites reported average scores higher than 8, despite many of these societies having suffered histories of neglect and control. The results are consistent with the opinion that human societies can support very satisfactory lives for their members without necessarily requiring high degrees of material wealth.
“While the reasons behind these findings remain unclear, the study provides valuable insights into how diverse communities achieve satisfying lives. It offers hope that understanding these factors can help others improve their well-being while addressing sustainability concerns.” Galbraith concludes.
1. What does the research focus on according to the passage?| A．The impact of cash income on locals’ well-being. |
| B．Income-satisfaction connection in industrial societies. |
| C．Economic growth’s concerns in low-income countries. |
| D．Relation between wealth and happiness across societies. |
| A．Edge. | B．Surface. | C．Horizon. | D．Scene. |
| A．To indicate the research’s limitations. |
| B．To prove the reliability of the findings. |
| C．To emphasize high satisfaction scores. |
| D．To show the number of people surveyed. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Unclear. | C．Promising. | D．Critical. |
4 . In an increasingly digital world, smartphones have become an essential part of teenage life. A recent Pew Research Center survey of 1,453 U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 and their parents illustrates the complex emotional relationship between teens and their devices.
The survey found that a majority of teens experience positive emotions when separated from their smartphones, with 74% reporting feeling happy and 72% feeling peaceful. However, a significant minority also reported negative feelings, with 44% feeling anxious, 40% feeling upset, and 39% feeling lonely without their phones.
Despite these mixed emotions, most teens believe that smartphones provide more benefits than harm for their age group. Seventy percent of teens said smartphones offer more advantages, while 30% believed the opposite. Younger girls aged 13 to 14 were more likely than older teen girls and boys to say the harms outweigh the benefits.
Teens also recognized the potential of smartphones to facilitate personal growth and academic success. Nearly 70% said smartphones make it easier to pursue hobbies and interest, and 45% believed they help young people perform better in school. However, opinions were divided on the impact of smartphones on social skills and friendships.
The survey also explored the challenges parents face in handling the digital landscape. Half of the parents reported looking though their teen’s phone, and about 40% said they regularly argue with their teen about phone use, Nearly half of the teens said their parents are at least sometimes distracted by their own phones when trying to have a conversation.
As concerns grow about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health, this survey highlights the nuanced (微妙的) relationship between teens and their smartphones. While the devices offer many benefits, they also present emotional and social challenges that both teens and parents must navigate in an increasingly connected world.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．The effect of the survey. | B．The process of the survey. |
| C．The result of the survey. | D．The purpose of the survey. |
| A．By increasing their interest in technology. |
| B．By improving their academic performance. |
| C．By motivating them to realize their dreams. |
| D．By enhancing their social skills and friendships. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Puzzled. | C．Concerned. | D．Pessimistic. |
| A．The Emotional Impact of Smartphones on Teens |
| B．The Challenges of Smartphone Usage Among Teens |
| C．The Advantages and Disadvantages of a Digital World |
| D．The Complicated Relationship Between Teens and Parents |
5 . China has set new rules limiting the amount of time children can play online games. The rules limit children to just three hours of online game playing a week. That is one hour between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday most weeks.
Li Zhanguo has two children aged 4 and 8. Even though they do not have smartphones, they enjoy playing online games. Like many other parents. Li is happy with new government rules. But experts say it is unclear if such policies can help prevent addiction to online games. Children might just get addicted to social media instead. In the end, experts say, parents should be the ones to set limits and support good practice.
There has been a growing concern in China about gaming addiction among children. Government reports in 2018 found that about one in ten Chinese children were addicted to the Internet. The new rules are part of an effort to prevent young people from spending too much time on unhealthy entertainment. That includes what officials call the “irrational fan culture”
Under the new rules, the responsibility for making sure children play only three hours a day as largely on Chinese gaming companies like Net Ease and Ten cent. Companies have set up real-name registration systems to prevent young users from going past game time limits. They have used facial recognition technology to check their identities. And they have also set up a program that permits people to report what is against the law. It is unclear what punishments gaming companies may face if they do not carry out the policies. And even if such policies are performed, it is also unclear whether they can prevent online addiction.
A specialist treating Internet addiction expects about 20 percent of children will find ways to break the rules by borrowing accounts of their older relatives and find a way around facial recognition. In his opinion, short-video alps such as Douyin and Kuaishou are also very popular in China. They are not under the same restrictions as games.
1. When can children play games according to the new rules?| A．Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Friday. | B．Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Tuesday. |
| C．Between 10 p. m. and 11 p. m. On Saturday. | D．Between 10 p. m. and all p. m. On Thursday. |
| A．the new rules can stop children’s addiction to social media |
| B．companies are more responsible for kids ‘ obeying the rules |
| C．the new rules will help prevent children playing online games |
| D．parents play a greater part in limiting the time of online games |
| A．Design an advanced program. | B．Use facial recognition systems. |
| C．Set up real-name registration systems. | D．Borrow accounts of their older relatives. |
| A．Rules Limiting Short-video alps | B．Rules Limiting Video Game Time |
| C．Rules Banning Irrational Fan Culture | D．Rules Breaking Addition to Social Media |
6 . A teenager needs to have a sense of independence in their life to feel secure (安全的). To some teenagers independence means a lot to them, and I think that some parents don’t allow their teenagers enough independence.
Independence has something to do with freedom. Some kids are not allowed to go anywhere alone, and the only thing their schedule includes is going to school, coming home, going to sleep, and repeating the process the next day. Parents tend to be afraid that their kids can get hurt if they go outside into the world. But if parents control their kids too much, they may never learn to live on their own. The best way for a teenager to learn lesson is through experience. I think it is beneficial for teenagers to have freedom.
Teenagers’ lack of freedom can also stop them from having good friendship at school. Some might say this is a good thing, because it helps them focus more on their school work. I argue that this can only discourage them not to do their school work. Some parents do not allow their children to be around their friends outside the school, thinking that this will get them into trouble. But I don’t think so. Instead, isn’t this a good reason for parents to get their children a cellphone? Cellphones allow teenagers to stay in touch with their parents, and communicate with friends.
Privacy is another issue between parents and their teenagers. Teenagers tend to enjoy relaxation by themselves in their own room. This also gives them a sense of independence. It often annoys teenagers when their parents enter their room when they are not home. I know that my mom always goes in my room when I’m not home, and this has brought me to the point where I have asked many times to get a lock on my door.
1. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?| A．Kids know how to live independently. |
| B．Some parents allow their kids no freedom. |
| C．It benefits teenagers to have freedom. |
| D．Kids have a dull routine every day |
| A．parents should make it easy for kids to communicate with their friends |
| B．good friendships between kids harm their school work |
| C．it is unnecessary for a kid to have a cellphone |
| D．kids should focus on the school work |
| A．Disappointed | B．Lucky |
| C．Angry | D．Calm |
| A．keep her father from reading her dairy |
| B．prevent her mother entering her room |
| C．Protect herself from any harm |
| D．Stop thieves from going in |
7 . In various restaurants worldwide, there’s a new sight-child-sized robots. These robots can welcome guests, show them to their tables, deliver food and drinks, and even transport dirty dishes back to the kitchen. Some believe these robot waiters could be a solution to today’s worker shortages in the restaurant industry, with tens of thousands of them now in use.
But other people think that robots can’t replace human workers. Robot waiters can’t take orders, and they struggle with steps, limiting their abilities.
Despite these disadvantages, their use is growing. For example, in Madison Heights, Michigan, Li Zhai faced difficulty finding enough workers for his restaurant, Noodle Topia. To address this, he purchased robots from Pudu Robotics. These robots have been a success, with one leading diners to their seats, another delivering food, and a third transporting dirty dishes.
Zhai found that using these robots reduced his need for employees. Three robots now do the work of what used to require five or six people. In terms of cost, a robot costs around $15 000, while a human can cost $5,000 to $6,000 per month. These robots also have a surprising benefit-they free up human servers to spend more time with customers, resulting in increased tips, Additionally, diners often share videos of the robots on social media, attracting more visitors to the restaurant.
However, not all restaurants have had the same success. For instance, Chili’s (奇利斯餐厅)introduced robot servers in 2020, expanding the test to 61U.S. restaurants before suddenly stopping the program. The robots were criticized (批评) for their slow movement and getting in the way of human servers. A survey showed that 58% of guests believed the robots didn’t improve their overall dining experience.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce a survey about robot waiters. |
| B．To show the success of robot waiters in restaurants. |
| C．To describe the appearance of child-sized robots in restaurants. |
| D．To discuss the challenges of hiring human workers in restaurants. |
| A．Solve. | B．Narrow. | C．Ignore. | D．Control. |
| A．The history of robot waiters in the U.S. |
| B．The challenges of introducing robot servers. |
| C．The effect of social media on the restaurant industry. |
| D．The advantages of using robots in the restaurant industry. |
| A．All restaurants with robot servers are successful. |
| B．The use of robot waiters still has a long way to go. |
| C．Robot waiters are cheaper to employ than human workers. |
| D．The restaurant industry is not affected by worker shortages. |
8 . Social media allow teenagers to create online identities, communicate with others and build social networks. These networks can provide teenagers with valuable support. Teenagers also use social media for entertainment and self-expression. And the platforms can expose teenagers to current events, allow them to communicate across geographic barriers and teach them about different kinds of subjects, including healthy behaviors. However, social media use can also negatively affect teenagers, distracting them, influencing their sleep, and exposing them to bullying (恐吓), rumor (谣言) spreading, untrue views of other people’s lives and peer pressure.
There are steps you can take to encourage responsible use of social media and limit some of its negative effects.
Set reasonable limits. Talk to your teenager about how to avoid letting social media affect his or her activities, sleep, meals or homework. Encourage a bedtime routine that avoids electronic media use, and keep cellphones and iPads out of teenagers’ bedrooms. Set an example by following these rules yourself.
Monitor your teenager’s accounts. Let your teenager know that you’ll be regularly checking his or her social media accounts. You might aim to do so once a week or more. And make sure you follow through.
Explain what’s not OK. Discourage your teenager from gossiping, spreading rumors, bullying or damaging someone’s reputation—online or otherwise. Talk to your teenager about what is appropriate and safe to share on social media.
Encourage face-to-face contact with friends. This is particularly important for teenagers who are vulnerable to social anxiety disorder.
Talk about social media. Talk about your own social media habits. Ask your teenager how he or she is using social media and how it makes him or her feel. Remind your teenager that social media is full of unrealistic images.
If you think your teenager is experiencing signs or symptoms of anxiety or depression related to social media use, talk to your child’s health care provider immediately.
1. How does the author mainly develop the first paragraph?| A．By providing reasons. | B．By making comparison. |
| C．By following the order of importance. | D．By raising questions. |
| A．Powering them off. | B．Putting them in the schoolbag. |
| C．Keeping them out of bedroom. | D．Listening to them instead of watching. |
| A．Warm-hearted. | B．Easily hurt. | C．Deeply moved. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．Teenagers. | B．Officials. | C．Teachers. | D．Parents. |
9 . Leah Brown aged 36 fell several hundred feet from Oregon’s highest mountain right before the eyes of a group of volunteer rescue workers who rushed to her aid and helped save her life.
The woman was coming down a popular path (小路) on Mt. Hood, about 70 miles east of Portland, on Saturday morning, according to the local police. Mt. Hood is the highest in Oregon, standing at around11.240 feet.
The fall was seen by members of Portland Mountain Rescue (PMR), a volunteer organization focused on helping people in mountainous areas. The group called 911 and rushed to the woman, providing medical care. They helped keep the woman warm for seven hours as the police worked to get her off the mountain safely. Finally, the woman was evacuated (转移) to a parking lot at 9:30 pm and taken to a hospital.
The climber, Leah Brown, said she didn’t know what caused her fall. “I can only guess it was either an ice tool or a crampon (冰爪) that didn’t land and stick like it should have, so I became detached from the mountain,” Brown said. “The thing I’d like to most stress is my appreciation for the members of PMR who evacuated me and took good care of me the whole time,” Brown added. “They saved my life. ”
In a statement after the rescue, PMR warned of the dangerous winter conditions at the mountain. “The short days and lower temperatures mean that the snow tends to be very hard and icy, and the conditions tend to be much steeper. Climbing the mountain in icy conditions is much more difficult,” the group said.
1. What happened to Brown on Saturday morning?| A．She lost her way in a forest. | B．She hurt her eye unexpectedly. |
| C．She failed to call her family. | D．She fell down on a downhill path. |
| A．Different. | B．Hidden. | C．Separated. | D．Tired. |
| A．Thankful. | B．Regretful. | C．Surprised. | D．Concerned. |
| A．Climbing requires teamwork. | B．Climbing in winter is too risky. |
| C．We must remain positive in hard times. | D．We can admire the view on sunny days. |
10 . A small town in western France has gone viral for marking a busy crossroads with overlapping (重叠的) white lines in order to confuse motorists and make them slow down.
The town of Bauné, near Angers, is home to only about 1,700 people, but it has to deal with heavy traffic on a daily basis because of its location at the crossroads between two departmental roads — D74 and D82. Some of the roughly 2,300 vehicles that pass through Bauné every day can have speeds of over 100 km/h, even though the town’s crossroads is clearly marked with signs limiting the speed at 30 km/h. In order to get drivers to slow down, local authorities came up with the idea of using confusing road markings in the form of overlapping continuous lines. Interestingly enough, the strategy worked like a charm!
Photos of the odd road markings on the busy crossroads of Bauné went viral on French social media recently and left a lot of people scratching (抓) their heads. Many people have pointed out that a continuous white line is impassable (不可通行的), so having the lines overlap and cover the entire square doesn’t really make a lot of sense. Others simply wondered why the local authorities didn’t use more traditional means of decreasing vehicle speed, like a roundabout (环形交叉路口) or traffic lights.
According to Grégoire Jauneault, deputy mayor of Loire-Authion and the person in charge of local development, the deliberately confusing road markings started working on the day they were completed, with data showing a significant decrease in motorists’ speeds. However, a part of the local community predicted that the result was only temporary and that as soon as motorists figured out the game, they would go right back to their speeding ways.
1. What’s the purpose of marking a busy crossroads with overlapping white lines?| A．To make headlines on social media. |
| B．To reduce traffic jam at the crossroads |
| C．To make drivers slow down their speed. |
| D．To reduce the number of people crossing the crossroads. |
| A．Only 1,7000 people living there. |
| B．The speed limit is 100 km/h at the crossroads. |
| C．Traffic jam happens every day at the crossroads. |
| D．Roughly 2,300 vehicles pass through Bauné every week. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Supportive | C．Opposed | D．Objective |
| A．In a textbook | B．In the newspaper |
| C．In a research paper | D．In a travel magazine |
