1 . The topic of photo copyright has been widely discussed recently. It started with a photographer called Dai Jianfeng receiving an email from the Visual China Group (VCG), saying that he used photos from VCG without permission (许可). However, the photos were taken by the photographer himself. It turned out to be a misunderstanding. Dai’s photos were then removed from the VCG website.
Copyright protects an author’s original works. Works are original when they are independently created by a human author and show creativity.
“In a sense, companies like VCG protect photographers’ rights,” said Shen Ran, a 26-year-old photographer who knows Dai. After signing with photographers, these companies sell the rights to use the images on their platforms. They may keep up to 70 percent of the pictures’ proceeds (收益). Users also need to follow certain rules when using the images.
If companies find out that people are using their copyrighted images without permission, then “they can file lawsuits (诉讼),” Shen said. In this way, the platforms enforce (执行) photographers’ ownership rights. Without the help of these companies, it can be difficult for photographers to know if their pictures are being misused and even harder for them to take legal (法律的) action in response.
Meanwhile, there are many cases of people using photographers’ pictures without permission on online platforms. And the platforms’ attitude sometimes makes it worse. “There used to be a fake (虚假的) account claiming to be me on Douyin,” said Ji Zixuan, a 17-year-old photographer in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. “Because I don’t have an account there, Douyin refused to remove the fake account at first.”
A lack of effective online content moderation (内容审核) means it can be time-consuming for photographers to defend their rights. It leads to many photographers feeling apathetic (无动于衷的) about the copyright of their pictures.
1. What is the purpose of Paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the VCG company. | B．To defend Dai’s photo copyright. |
| C．To lead in the topic of photo copyright. | D．To warn people to use photos legally. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Negative. | C．Doubtful. | D．Subjective. |
| A．The permission of using images. | B．The lawsuits of the platform. |
| C．The function of companies like VCG. | D．The legal actions of photographers. |
| A．By giving explanations. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By showing data. | D．By raising examples. |
2 . Mr. Ma, a famous mental doctor from Beijing once said at an important meeting, “Now many young students can have problems with their minds. Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people around them like their parents and classmates. Parents and teachers should care more about this mental problem.”
Then Mr. Ma gave some examples. One patient, a middle school student from Xi’an was doing badly in his lessons. He thought his teachers and friends often laughed at him, and he became so nervous and worried that one night he left his home without telling his parents. Another student, a14-year-old school girl from Shanghai, was very afraid of exams. While she was reading the exam paper, she couldn’t think of anything to write.
A recent report from Jiefang Daily says about 18% of young students in Shanghai have mental problems. They often feel worried and very unhappy. Unluckily many of them won’t go and ask for help. Some think they will look stupid if they go to see a doctor. Others won’t talk about their secrets.
At the end of the meeting, Mr. Ma offered some good ideas for young people:
• Talk to your parents or teachers often.
• Take part in group activities.
• Try to get on well with the people around you.
• Go to see a doctor if you often feel unhappy.
1. The schoolgirl’s problem happened whenever she _______.| A．studied very hard | B．had exams |
| C．talked with her parents | D．went to school |
| A．They may have no parents. |
| B．They may have poor memories. |
| C．They may have no secrets. |
| D．They may have mental problems. |
| A．difficult things | B．strange mind |
| C．something wrong with mind | D．great thought |
| A．they don’t want to tell their secrets to others |
| B．their parents are too busy to look after them |
| C．doctors can’t help them with the problems |
| D．they don’t have time to ask anyone for help |
| A．It’s good for kids to have more group activities. |
| B．It’s helpful for you to see doctors every day. |
| C．It’s useful for students to keep quiet in class. |
| D．We can only go to the doctor when we are ill. |
3 . Binge-watching (刷剧) is when a person watches more than one episode of a TV show one after another. With developments in the speed and connectivity of the Internet, increases in technology and the rise of on-demand entertainment companies, people can now watch their favorite shows directly on the Internet at their convenience.
This behavior is nothing new. In fact, “binge-watching” has been officially listed in dictionaries since 2015. The entertainment companies recognize this behavior and many take steps to encourage it. Often, instead of releasing each episode on a week-by-week basis, an entire series will become available at the same time. Once the episode finishes, many platforms will display pop-ups with “you might like” suggestions, or will automatically play the next episode.
However, this wonderful gift may in fact be poisonous. Recent research from British media Ofcom suggests that this behavior may have become a hindrance(障碍). Out of the more than half of British adults who watch more than one episode of a show in a row, almost a third have admitted missing sleep or becoming tired as a result; and one quarter have failed to do their household chores. Next we’ll be missing work!
Bingeing has other connections — binge eating, binge drinking and binge smoking. All of which are often associated with compulsive (强迫性的) behavior, a lack of control and a possible route to addiction. Lindsey Fussell, consumer group director at Ofcom, said: “The days of waiting a week for the next episode are largely gone, with people finding it hard to resist watching multiple episodes around the house or on the move.” If people find binge-watching hard to resist, coupled with the fact that it has shown to lead to negligence (疏忽) in many, are we witnessing the birth of a new type of addiction?
The large number of information and entertainment that television and online media can bring us is, many would say, a good thing. It offers us opportunities to better understand the world we live in, educate ourselves and enjoy much needed downtime. However, like any behavior done to an extreme degree, it can become dangerous. And when the activity begins to bleed into other areas, causing us to stop functioning-then it becomes a problem. So, what’s the answer? Neither a tiny amount, nor too much. After all, as the old proverb says, a little of what you fancy does you good.
1. What effects can binge-watching bring about if you have formed the habit?| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Neutral. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Watching too much. | B．Being too careless. |
| C．Too many TV shows. | D．Uncontrollable behavior. |
| A．By educating ourselves. | B．By doing something good. |
| C．By watching neither too less nor too much. | D．By better understanding the world we live in. |
4 . Self-driving technology is expected to have a great effect on public health and reduce the 1.25 million deaths every year on global roads. At the same time, this new technology is a threat to the employment of the millions who are paid to sit behind the wheel — from truck drivers to cab drivers and delivery workers.
Baidu chief scientist Andrew Ng, an expert in the world of artificial intelligence, acknowledges the unemployment concerns, but he sees a way forward that offers society the benefits of autonomous vehicles and blunts the negative (消极的) effects of job losses.
Baidu plans to have commercial self-driving cars on the road in 2018. “I feel a strong moral responsibility to try to make self-driving cars a reality as quickly as possible,” Ng said in a visit to The Washington Post. At Baidu, a Chinese tech company where Ng is developing self-driving technology, the number 3,000 has become a rallying call (号召), representing the number of humans killed every day on roads. For Ng self-driving cars are a good example of the benefits of what he calls the golden age of artificial intelligence.
But for humans who could lose their jobs in this golden age, governments could offer a solution. “We as a society have a responsibility to help those whose jobs are displaced by this value — creating artificial intelligence,” Ng said. “I think everyone in this country has a right to the chance of having a great life.”
He is an advocate for basic income, in which governments pay citizens a nominal (象征性的) amount to guarantee a basic standard of living. Several Northern European countries are planning basic income experiments. Ng also suggests an adjustment to basic income — paying the unemployed to study online and prepare for a new career.
1. Once self-driving cars are available, drivers and delivery workers may ________.| A．lose their jobs | B．eam more money |
| C．work for Baidu | D．get basic income |
| A．Avoids. | B．Increases. | C．Weakens. | D．Causes. |
| A．Offering them self— driving cars. | B．Funding them to learn new living skills |
| C．Ensuring them to have a great life. | D．Providing them with new careers. |
| A．A science magazine. | B．A transport website. |
| C．A government report. | D．A tour guide. |
5 . Environmental groups have long criticized the private jets(喷气式飞机) for being a large contributor to global carbon dioxide emissions, and last week, environmentalists made headlines by interrupting a private jet trade show in Switzerland.
Private jets often cover shorter distances than commercial ones. They are generally less efficient(高效的) and their emissions per passenger are much higher. According to data from European non-profit Transport and Environment, private jets can be 5 to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes, and 50 times more polluting than trains. Research made by Greenpeace showed that private jets in Europe alone emitted 3.39 million metric tons of CO2 in 2022, nearly equal to the emissions from 753,000 gas-powered cars in the US driven for a year.
But experts say the private aviation(航空) industry can still play a role in the global fight against climate change, and some in the industry are looking at creative ways to diminish its environmental impact.
As a member of the International Air Transport Association(IATA), along with other major commercial airlines, Dubai-based private aviation company Jetex launched the 2050 Project: the zero carbon emissions.
“Jetex is always thinking about how to cooperate with everyone to deal with climate change,” said Dr. Suzanne, a professor of aviation at the University of Waterloo. “And now it is working on changing all of its locations into fully green ones in the future. Once it succeeds, it will offer a new approach to the environmental protection.”
Through a partnership with oil company Neste, in 2021 Jetex started offering sustainable aviation fuels(SAF), made from renewable waste, to passengers at its Helsinki Airport. That same year at its Paris Le-Bourget Airport, it began offering SAF produced by French company TotalEnergies, made from used cooking oil. A limited supply of SAF means it isn’t available at every airport, but the company says it wants to make SAF a fuel option to its travelers across all its locations worldwide.
1. What do we know about private jets according to the first two paragraphs?| A．They enjoy great popularity. |
| B．They charge passengers more. |
| C．They give off more carbon dioxide. |
| D．They travel farther than commercial planes. |
| A．Expand. | B．Present. | C．Overlook. | D．Reduce. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Carefree. | C．Tolerant. | D．Supportive. |
| A．Private Jets’ Green Path. | B．The Birth of SAF. |
| C．The Future of Commercial Planes. | D．Jetex’s Cooperation with Others. |
6 . Wolf Warrior II (《战狼II》), a movie that made box office history in China in 2017, tells the story of how the Chinese government successfully rescues overseas Chinese citizens in Africa.
At the end of the film, there is one line that stands out: “When you meet with danger in a foreign land, do not give up! Please remember, at your back stands a strong motherland.”
The movie sends the message that overseas Chinese will always receive timely help from China. But in the future, some headstrong (任性的) citizens will not get this help for free, People’s Daily reported.
On March 26, the Ministry of Foreign Affaires (MFA) worked out a draft for regulations on consular (领事的) protection and assistance, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The draft says that those who insist on travelling to dangerous places without considering warnings given by the MFA will not be able to get free rescue services.
For example, the MFA recently release a travel advisory (安全提醒) saying that Chinese citizens should avoid travelling to Maldives. Chinese who travel there and run into trouble may still ask for aid from the Chinese Embassy. But they will have to cover the cost of their rescue later.
In fact, this is a common international practice, People’s Daily said. Countries like the US, the UK and Canada have similar regulations.
According to the MFA, over 130 million Chinese mainlanders travelled overseas in 2017. The MFA issued over1000 travel advisories to advise Chinese citizens of the risks they may face when travelling.
1. Why does the author quote the underlined sentences from Wolf Warrior II?| A．To stress that China will help every Chinese person |
| B．To describe the feelings after watching the movie. |
| C．To explain what the movie is about. |
| D．To prove how advanced China is. |
| A．People’s Daily | B．The MFA |
| C．Xinhua News Agency | D．Travel agencies. |
| A．Chinese people can’t travel to foreign places |
| B．Free rescue services have come to an end |
| C．People will not get free help if they ignore the MFA’s warnings |
| D．Chinese who travel to Maldives will run into trouble |
| A．China will be the first country in the world to do so |
| B．People may have second thoughts about travelling to dangerous places |
| C．Only rich people will be able to afford to travel overseas |
| D．The MFA issued over1000 travel advisories to suggest Chinese citizens of the risks they may face when travelling. |
7 . Strategies for Getting Kids off Screens
It’s time to keep kids off the screens! Parents should use the winter vacation to remind their children of what it’s like to play freely, offline for hours on end.
Set clear screen time limits
Establish how many minutes or hours you’re OK with them each week, and make it something that can never be changed. For example, you could say they’re allowed to watch for an hour on Sunday morning, or for 15 minutes in the evening while dinner is being made, or none at all for the rest of the winter—and then stick to it.
Get kids cooking
Involve them in meal preparation by assigning recipes that you’d like them to make each day.
There are numerous half- and full-day camp options and lessons that can occupy a child’s time, such as swimming, art classes, tennis, dinosaur camp and sports camp. Look around your community for activities that can get them out of the house for a few hours each day.
Establish a reading routine (习惯)
| A．Sign up for lessons |
| B．Assign household work |
| C．That helps stop arguments of screen time |
| D．Of course, this is easier said than done |
| E．Master some basic tricks, using a homemade tool |
| F．They’ll develop new skills at cutting, cooking and baking |
| G．Go to the library once a week to store up fresh reading material |
8 . The British has obeyed the “keep to the left” rule for long. Have you ever wondered why? There is a historical reason for this: it’s all to do with keeping your sword hand free! In the Middle Ages you never knew who you were going to meet when travelling on horseback. Most people are right-handed, so if a stranger passed by on the right of you, your right hand would be free to use your sword if required.
Indeed the “keep to the left” rule goes back even further in time; archaeologists have discovered evidence suggesting that the Romans drove carts and wagons on the left, and it is known that Roman soldiers always marched on the left. This “rule of the road” was officially sanctioned in 1300 AD when Pope (教皇) Boniface Ⅷ declared that all pilgrims (朝圣者) travelling to Rome should keep to the left.
This continued until the late 1700s when large wagons became popular for transporting goods. These wagons were drawn by several pairs of horses and had no driver’s seat. Instead, in order to control the horses, the driver sat on the horse at the back left, thus keeping his whip hand free. Sitting on the left however made it difficult to judge the traffic coming the other way, as anyone who has driven a left-hand drive car along the winding lanes of Britain will agree!
In Britain there wasn’t much call tor these massive wagons and the smaller British vehicles had seats for the driver to sit on behind the horses. As most people are right-handed, the driver would sit to the right of the seat so his whip hand was free. Traffic congestion in 18th century London led to a law being passed to make all traffic on London Bridge keep to the left in order to reduce collisions. This rule was incorporated (并入) into the Highway Act of 1835 and was adopted throughout the British Empire.
1. What probably happened in the Middle Ages?| A．Passers-by walked on the right. | B．Strangers fought every time they met. |
| C．People would be attacked by strangers. | D．Tourists travelled everywhere without limit. |
| A．Recognized. | B．Designed. | C．Explained. | D．Postponed. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Indifferent. | C．Negative. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．What Is the “Keep to the Left” Rule? | B．Why Do the British Drive on the Left? |
| C．Where Was “Drive on the Left” Carried Out? | D．When Is the “Keep to the Left” Rule Popular? |
9 . Lonely? You’re hardly alone. That’s the finding of a new study. And that appears throughout industrial nations across the globe. The study linked rising loneliness to a greater use of smartphones and the Internet over the same years.
Jean Twenge, a psychologist, took part in the study. Her team has found that since 2012, US teens have been spending less time together face to face.
“Smartphones can help keep us connected with friends,” says Twenge. “But they can also make people feel excluded (隔离).” Girls, especially, may feel this way. One reason may be that they like to post more photos and selfies than boys. Studies have shown that if those images don’t get a lot of “likes”, it can affect a teen’s mental health.
And there’s “phubbing”, a mixture of “phone” and “snubbing (冷落)”. It’s that moment in which a friend or family member takes out a phone and keeps looking at it，paying no attention to everybody else, including you. Phubbing is one way that technology can affect you, even when you’re not the one using it.
The new study pulled its data from a survey. Some 1 million 15-and 16-year-old students from 37 countries took this survey in 2000, 2003, 2012, 2015 and 2018. Its questions mostly dealt with education. But they also included six statements about loneliness, such as “I feel awkward and out of place in my school”. Students could strongly disagree, disagree, agree or strongly agree with each statement.
If technology causes loneliness, should we stop using it? “No, not at all,” argues Twenge. “Everybody of all ages is trying to figure out how we can best use these technologies and stay mentally healthy.” Her advice is to “use your smartphone for what it’s good for. Then put it away.” That includes putting it away overnight—ideally in another room.
1. How do girls differ from boys in smartphone use?| A．They prefer to post pictures with it. | B．They depend on it to keep in touch. |
| C．They use it as a learning tool. | D．They need it to stay in style. |
| A．To introduce a new term of the smartphone. |
| B．To give an example of communication. |
| C．To introduce an embarrassing situation. |
| D．To show the harm of the smartphone. |
| A．Smart phones only do harm to teenagers. |
| B．Parents should buy phones for their kids. |
| C．Boys are in greater need of phones than girls. |
| D．We can use our smartphones to benefit ourselves. |
| A．The Smartphone—the Focus of a Study |
| B．The Smartphone—a Friend of Teenagers |
| C．The Smartphone—a Source of Loneliness |
| D．The Smartphone—a Communication Tool |
10 . For 18 years after her retirement, Deng Xiaolan volunteered to teach music in a rural village in Hebei rovince. Her inspirational teaching and the enthusiasm and talent of her pupils shone in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Deng’s involvement with the rural children can be traced back to an experience of paying homage to the martyrs with them. She wanted to ask children to sing a song in memory of those heroes, but most of the children didn’t know the well-known songs she named and their singing was out of tune as well. So she thought she must do something to teach them to sing.
Deng began to travel between Beijing and the village since 2004 to teach the children music. She collected instruments from her siblings and friends, including a violin, keyboard and accordion, and took them to the village, and also rebuilt the school houses by raising funds and using her own money. As the children had no background in music, she had to teach them basic music theory, such as scales.
Two years later, she established the Malan Band, the first members of which were six children from the village. In 2013, she hosted a children’s music festival in the village, which became a regular event where the children could showcase their singing and instrument skills.
Deng passed away at the age of 79 at the Beijing Tiantan Hospital. “In the last 18 years of her life, my mother devoted most of her time and energy to music education for children in Malan village, which brought her and the children joy and contentment and received widespread praise,” her daughter said.
1. What made Deng want to teach the children to sing?| A．The fact that the children had little knowledge of music. | B．The experience of paying homage to the martyrs. |
| C．That it was her dream from childhood. | D．That she had retired from her work and had time to do it. |
| A．She bought instruments and took them to the village. | B．She repaired the school houses using her pension only. |
| C．She taught the children basic musical knowledge. | D．She gave her own money to the children. |
| A．It is a musical festival that is hosted temporarily. |
| B．It is a festival where people can watch their performances. |
| C．It is a festival that children can show their instruments. |
| D．It is a festival that children can sing and dance. |
| A．She thought it was easy for her mother to achieve. |
| B．She thought it was meaningless to her mother. |
| C．She thought it was demanding but in vain. |
| D．She thought highly of her mother’s effort. |
