1 . Every festival has its own meaning. Labor Day, for example, celebrates the value of hard work. Thanksgiving is about showing thanks to people around you. And Valentines’ Day is a time when you express love to your loved ones. But somehow it now seems that all festivals we just care about one thing — shopping. And that can be a big problem.
“In a way, over-consumption (过度消费) is the mother of all our environmental problems,” Kalle Lasn once told CNN. Lasn is the organizer of Buy Nothing Day, a day set up in Canada in 1992 to fight against unhealthy spending habits, and has now become an international event. It’s held on the day, which is known as Black Friday — a famous shopping day in the US and Canada.
You can see the irony (讽刺) here.
Even though the idea of Buy Nothing Day was brought up 26 years ago, we seem to need it now more than ever. It’s just as Lasn said, all the different kinds of pollution in our lives today — bad air quality, the reduction of forest area, endangered animal species, and plastic bags found in the ocean — seem to be the same cause: over-consumption.
The latest example is the Singles’ Day shopping craze of Nov 11, which saw a new sales record. But as Nie Li, a campaigner at Greenpeace, told Reuters, “Record-setting over-consumption means record-setting waste.” And it was reported that last year the Singles’ Day packages left more than 160,000 tons of waste, including plastic and cardboard. The Collins Dictionary has also just named “single-use” its Word of the Year, pointing out the problem that there’re too many things we tow out after only using them once.
So, Buy Nothing Day might only be here for one day a year, but it’s not just to remind us to the a break from shopping on that day, but to change our lifestyle completely, focusing on fun “with people we care about” rather than wasting money on useless things.
1. What’s the authors purpose of writing the first paragraph?| A．To express the people’s love for all festivals. |
| B．To talk about the meaning of the festivals. |
| C．To appreciate the value of the festivals. |
| D．To bring out the topic of the passage. |
| A．To help people save money. | B．To cut the cost for daily life. |
| C．To prevent over-consumption. | D．To set up a new sales record. |
| A．Opposed (反对的). | B．Supportive. |
| C．Unknown. | D．Neutral (中立的). |
| A．Creating a New Lifestyle | B．Buy Nothing Day |
| C．Festivals Around the World | D．A Change in People’s Life |
2 . Many kids help out around the house with chores such as emptying the dishwasher, putting laundry away, and taking out the trash. In exchange, some kids get allowances or other rewards such as extra computer time.
But some people do not think that kids should get rewards for doing chores. Susie Walton, a parenting educator and family coach, believes that by rewarding kids, parents are sending a message that work isn’t worth doing unless you get something in return. “Running any kind of household is a team effort,” Susie said. “A home is a living space for everyone in the family. It’s important for kids to see that we all have responsibilities in the house, and that families decide together how they want their home to look, and how they are going to keep it looking like everyone wants it to look.”
Other people believe that getting a cash allowance or other rewards motivates kids to do chores, and it also teaches them real world lessons about how we need to work to earn money. There are also new applications that give kids points and digital gifts that can be redeemed (兑取) either online or in the real world. With the Chore Monster app, kids earn digital points by completing chores that they can turn in for real-life rewards such as extra Xbox time or a trip to the mall. “Our goal is to encourage kids to earn rewards.” says Chris Bergman, founder of Chore Monster. “Kids need positive reinforcement to help motivate them.”
What do you think? Should kids be rewarded for doing chores? Or should kids help out around their homes without getting anything in return?
Write a 200-word response. Send it to tfkasks4you@timeforkids. com. Your response may be published in a future issue of Time For Kids. Please include your grade and contact information of your parent or teacher if you want your response to be published. The deadline for responding is 18 February.
1. How does the author start the passage?| A．By stating his own experiences. | B．By presenting some facts. |
| C．By comparing different views. | D．By listing some evidence. |
| A．Kids should be rewarded for doing chores. |
| B．Parents decide what kids can do for the family. |
| C．Kids have the responsibility to share housework. |
| D．Kids can get extra computer time for doing chores. |
| A．Chris Bergman’s opinion on raising kids. |
| B．Main reasons why kids need encouragement |
| C．How to motivate kids to try new applications. |
| D．The advantage of rewarding kids for doing chores. |
| A．To invite readers to express their opinions. | B．To present the author’s viewpoint about parenting. |
| C．To call on readers to reflect on their behavior. | D．To inform readers of two different opinions. |
3 . Dorothy Lee and her husband were driving home from a study group one night when their car suddenly hit something. Mrs. Lee looked at her husband, who was driving, and saw his head move down and up several times and fall. In the next minutes Mrs Lee managed to avoid a serious accident while stopping the car, called 911 on her cellphone and tried to make her husband come back to life before an ambulance arrived. But at the hospital, soon after learning her husband had died of sudden heart trouble, Dorothy’s heart appeared to give out as well. She experienced sudden sharp pains in her chest (胸腔), lost senses and knew nothing.
Doctor’s of that hospital were surprised at finding: There wasn’t any evidence of heart trouble. Finally, doctors thought that Mrs. Lee had suffered from a broken-heart syndrome (伤心综合症). The disease looks like heart trouble, but appears to have little connection with heart trouble. It is caused mainly by stress and other strong feelings. The disease is uncommon, making up for about 1% to 2% of people — and about 6% of women — who are likely to suffer such sudden heart trouble. It can be very dangerous sometimes, but for the most part patients recover quickly, with no lasting damage to their hearts.
If patients are hospitalized with the broken-heart syndrome, their hearts might be beating as little as 20% of what it should work. But within 48 to 72 hours, many recover to the 60% level that is considered healthy. It is uncommon.
Mrs. Lee’s heart was so weakened by her husband’s death that she nearly died. The 63-year-old woman needed a special balloon pump (球囊泵) during the first days in the hospital. But in spite of warnings by her doctors, she attended her husband’s funeral (葬礼) five days later.
1. What can we learn about the accident?| A．The husband died in it. | B．The wife died later in the hospital. |
| C．The husband died because time was wasted. | D．The husband died of heart trouble after it. |
| A．Her bad health. | B．Worry, anxiety and sadness. |
| C．Her seriously damaged heart. | D．The aging of the heart. |
| A．She was calm in case of emergencies. | B．She was unhealthy but strong minded. |
| C．She was easily hurt and moody. | D．She was caring and generous. |
| A．The broken-heart syndrome is less common among women. |
| B．Patients with the broken-heart syndrome can recover by themselves. |
| C．The broken-heart syndrome could come and go both quickly. |
| D．Most people may suffer from the broken-heart syndrome. |
4 . Most college students think that there are only two choices after graduation—finding a job or entering graduate school. An opportunity that is often missed is volunteering with an organized volunteer program.
Volunteering provides a year of intention (计划) in a community where recent graduates can learn about the world they are entering, about themselves as individuals (个体) and about their role in this world. It provides intentional time to understand the purpose that drives one as an individual in life. Taking a year off after graduation to volunteer allows students to slow down and really understand where they want their future to lie. Not only this, but students will also be helping others, getting work experience, living in a community and giving back to society.
Volunteering often leads to a job opportunity. A volunteer might stay and work with the organization, shifting from a volunteer position to a paid position. For example, an individual doing volunteer teaching with an organization might be offered a teaching position at their school. Even if the volunteer position does not lead to a paid position, the volunteer should keep in touch with their organization. One reason is that the organization can write letters of recommendation (推荐) for the volunteer’s job applications. What’s more, volunteer experience on a resume could catch the attention of schoolmates from the organization or program who work at a place of employment (雇用). A shared volunteer experience with the manager might help one find a job!
Volunteers have fun together and like helping others a lot. They share a common mission and vision (使命和愿景), continue personal and professional development, and get new ideas about the world around them. They get to know the community, practice their social responsibility, and build their skill set and network with others. Even if volunteers are not paid, they receive these and many other benefits through their service.
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．Why students should volunteer during college. |
| B．What the value of volunteering after graduation is. |
| C．Whether recent graduates should have a yearly plan. |
| D．How to find a volunteer program that works for you. |
| A．To receive a job offer. | B．To find old schoolmates. |
| C．To apply for a new program. | D．To get support when seeking jobs. |
| A．Sharing your future plans. |
| B．Showing your social responsibility. |
| C．Letting others know more about you. |
| D．Catching the attention of your schoolmates. |
| A．To explain what volunteering is. |
| B．To offer new volunteer opportunities. |
| C．To encourage recent graduates to volunteer. |
| D．To discuss whether to volunteer without pay. |
5 . Twenty years ago, the idea of sharing our lives so openly with the world was unheard of. However, for young people today it is considered completely normal to share pictures of their lives and interact (互动) online every day. Fans of social media point out that the world has never been so connected as it has allowed people to make friends, learn about the world and celebrate life.
However, many people have concerns about the effects of this new way of living, particularly around the amount and type of information that is shared so openly. Recently researchers have found that too much time on social media may have some negative (消极的) effects. They measured people’s attitudes and feelings before and after watching social media sites. They found that the more time people spent on social media, the more unhappy they became.
There are a number of reasons for this. When watching social media, people often see photographs and stories showing beautiful holidays, fun parties and fashionable clothes. People seldom post negative stories or bad pictures, so it can be misleading (误导). For those looking at these pictures and comparing them to their own lives, they can end up feelings ad and depressed. They might think their lives are worse in comparison. Even for those people who post positive stories and pictures, they too can feel stressed and worried. The number of “likes” and comments on their posts can make them anxious about their popularity. Of course, there is also the problem of “cyber bullying” where people become victims (受害者) of bullying online when others make negative or cruel comments about them.
The reality is that social media is a part of modern life and it is not going to go away. This research shows us that it is important to find a balance between our online and offline lives. We don’t have to disconnect from the Internet to live a happy life, but we should realise that the pictures we see and stories we read are only part of a bigger picture. If we can do that, we can protect ourselves and enjoy our lives.
1. What effect does social media have according to the recent research?| A．It enables people to make more friends on the Internet. |
| B．It helps people to have a better knowledge of the world. |
| C．It makes people have much more wonderful lives. |
| D．It increases unhappiness for people using it too much. |
| A．They fear others mislead their posts. |
| B．They think others have happier lives. |
| C．They fear others have no interest in the stories. |
| D．They guess they may be bullied by bad people. |
| A．By listing figures. | B．By analyzing causes. |
| C．By making comparison. | D．By describing process. |
| A．Telling us to balance online and offline lives. |
| B．Introducing the convenience social media creates. |
| C．Describing the threats caused by social media. |
| D．Persuading people to disconnect from the Internet. |
6 . What is the connection between violence and sports? Psychologists(心理学家) say that there are many reasons for violence at sports events. One is alcohol(酒精).
David Sampson, a sports sociologist, agrees. “These are often celebratory riots(暴乱)— a large number of very happy people mixed in with large amounts of alcohol. They don’t often seem dangerous in the beginning, but things get violent quickly. ”
Dave Zarifis, head of public safety at Northern Iowa University says, “Some people don’t even come to celebrate.
Social psychologist Dr Sharon Kennedy says that there are a few things officials can do to prevent violence.
| A．They just follow the crowd. |
| B．Many fans drink a lot at games. |
| C．They want to drink hard and make trouble. |
| D．Another reason for violence at sports events is the crowd itself. |
| E．Making sure that an area is not overcrowded is very important. |
| F．Be careful when you are at a stadium because there are cameras there. |
| G．Never follow blindly no matter how many people are doing the same thing. |
7 . Being stuck behind crowds of slow walkers when you’re in a hurry is one of the most annoying things. But now, Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex, one of the UK’s largest shopping malls, has introduced its very own fast lane (通道) for shoppers in a hurry, aiming to help impatient shoppers avoid slow walkers and the anger that goes with them.
The Lakeside Shopping Center in Essex has introduced a 720foot “fast lane” reserved for fast walkers only, just in time for the Christmas rush. The center's management team said: “the lane will help the shoppers who know where they want to go quickly and don't want to get caught in behind unhurried shoppers at the busiest time of the year.”
The fast lane was introduced after a MasterCard survey found that 80 percent of consumers found slow walkers their biggest annoyance while shopping. The research also found that the average walking speed slowed down by 21 percent during the Christmas shopping period, as most shoppers spent more time window shopping during this period.
Gary Mortimer, an expert from the Queensland University of Technology, said he wasn’t surprised by the promotion about the launch of the fast lane, and thought the concept would appeal to shoppers all over the world. “Crowded parking lots and busy shopping centers tend to be two of the biggest complaints of shoppers over the festive season，” he said. “I think the fast lanes are a new approach. However, I suspect it will be a bit like fast lanes on the highway, so it might end up being more trouble than its worth.”
The MasterCard survey also identified the four most common types of shoppers. They include “Skaters” —the 31 percent of shoppers who try and make their way through crowds politely, “Dodgers”—the 51 percent of customers who move down the paths to avoid slow walkers, “Bulldozers” —the 11 percent who push their way through crowds, and “Tutters”—the 15 percent who express their frustrations to slow walkers.
1. The fast lane is intended for the shoppers who ________.| A．can't move quickly because of physical disabilities |
| B．buy things on their shopping lists quickly |
| C．take their time to do window shopping |
| D．want to leave the mall quickly |
| A．Supportive. | B．Indifferent. |
| C．Critical. | D．Objective. |
| A．Skaters. | B．Dodgers. |
| C．Bulldozers. | D．Tutters. |
| A．Shopping can be annoying sometimes. |
| B．How to avoid “slow walkers” when shopping. |
| C．The problems that shopping centers face during busy holidays. |
| D．The shopping mall creates the fast lane to avoid “slow walkers”． |
8 . Keeping fit often means sharing a busy pathway with cyclists,runners and walkers,but imagine facing the task of doing it all without being able to see or hear.It is a challenge many disabled athletes face,unless someone agrees to be their eyes and ears.
Newly formed group Achilles Brisbane pairs visually and audibly impaired (视觉和听觉受损的) athletes with people who would like to guide them.
Jane Britt,president of Achilles Brisbane,who is—vision and hearing—impaired,said,“When we go out,it’s much less frightening to have someone beside us that has full hearing to listen for us and tell us what’s there.”
Ms.Cullen and Ms.Britt meet up most Saturday mornings to take part in the five-kilometer park run.Their partnership is built on trust,but Ms.Britt said that it took time to develop.
Ms.Britt said it took an unexpected storm for her to trust Ms.Cullen completely.“There was violent rain,my glasses were broken and we were walking together.I suddenly had to tell her I couldn’t see anything,and I was going to have to completely trust her.From that time I knew it was going to work because she was so good about dealing with the special situation we both found ourselves in,” she said.
Isabella Allen and her seeing eye dog Tatum are two new additions to the Achilles Brisbane.Ms.Allen kept active by rowing,running and cycling but found it difficult to keep going as her vision became worse.After nearly giving up completely,she worked up the courage to ask Achilles Brisbane to find someone to share a boat with her.
Ms.Allen said the fear of not finding anyone to row with almost stopped her from reaching out to Achilles Brisbane.“But,they found people and matched me to them,” she said.“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
1. How does Jane Britt feel about going out alone?| A．Relaxed. | B．Excited. | C．Worried. | D．Bored. |
| A．She developed a strong sense of teamwork. |
| B．She led Ms.Cullen forward on the road. |
| C．She began to rely on Ms.Cullen as her guide. |
| D．She fell down on the ground. |
| A．Asking Achilles Brisbane for help. |
| B．Working in Achilles Brisbane. |
| C．Exercising non-stop. |
| D．Meeting Tatum. |
| A．The danger of walking on a busy road. |
| B．The difficulty the disabled athletes face. |
| C．The exercise people do to keep fit. |
| D．The necessity of building roads for the blind. |
9 . Some people say that city living in the 21st century is stressful and offers no advantages, but I don’t agree with them completely.
With the development of high-tech and the improvement of living qualities, more and more people crowded into the city, which leads to the uncontrollable urbanization(城市化). Because of this, some of the largest cities must be fairly oppressive(压抑的) places in which to live if you are short of money or unemployed. However, for those with much income, a city provides colourful environment which enables people to enjoy their modern life. In that case, I believe the advantages of urban living far outweigh its shortcomings.
Regarding shopping, as for me, rather than click on the Internet to get what I want, I prefer to window-shop. All kinds of shopping malls and supermarkets located in the city centre really content me. What’s more, a large city’s service even covers numbers of the surrounding towns and benefits many people.
In terms of entertainment, city residents are usually spoiled for choice, from amusement park to sport stadium, whoever you are will find exactly what you need. Maybe going to a concert tonight and visiting museums tomorrow. The city always contains various activities and full of energy.
The city also provides better opportunities with so many choices and challenges. Cities with universities offer high-standard education so that graduates from these places always get ideal jobs with considerable salary. Every day in the business district, you can see a fierce competition among those large companies, while there are exactly places that may give birth to talents.
Many people may complain about the traffic jam or pollution in the city, but I think with some useful measures to take, our city will be more habitable rather than stressful.
1. What does the author intend to tell us in the passage?| A．City living in the 21st century is stressful. |
| B．The city provides more conveniences and pleasures. |
| C．City living brings great trouble to the youth. |
| D．The city is gradually dying out as a matter of fact. |
| A．disposable income and colourful environment |
| B．quantities of population and shopping centres |
| C．great entertainments and better education |
| D．strong measures and fresh air |
| A．they have no more choices for amusement | B．they can hardly find what they like to do |
| C．there are so many kinds of entertainment | D．they will spend more money in a way |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Hopeful. | C．Subjective. | D．Cold-hearted. |
10 . Who’s in control of your life? Who’s pulling your strings? For the majority of us, it’s other people—society, colleagues, friends, family or our community. We learned this way of operating when we were very young, of course. We were brainwashed. We discovered that feeling important and feeling accepted was a nice experience and so we learned to do everything we could to make other people like us. As Oscar Wilde puts it, “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. ”
So when people tell us how wonderful we are, it makes us feel good. We long for this good feeling like a drug—we are addicted to it and seek it out wherever we can. Therefore, we are so eager for the approval of others that we live unhappy and limited lives, failing to do the things we really want to. Just as drug addicts and alcoholics live worsening lives to keep getting their fix we worsen our own existence to get our own constant fix of approval.
But, just as with any drug, there is a price to pay. The price of the approval drug is freedom—the freedom to be ourselves. The truth is that we cannot control what other people think. People have their own agenda, and they come with their own baggage and, in the end, they’re more interested in themselves than in you. Furthermore, if we try to live by the opinions of others, we will build our life on sinking sand. Everyone has a different way of thinking, and people change their opinions all the time. The person who tries to please everyone will only end up getting tired and probably pleasing no one in the process.
So how can we take back control?I think there’s only one way—make a conscious decision to stop caring what other people think. We should guide ourselves by means of a set of values—not values imposed from the outside by others, but innate values which come from within. If we are driven by these values and not by the changing opinions and value systems of others, we will live a more authentic, effective, purposeful and happy life.
1. It can be concluded from the passage that .| A．it’s better to follow others’ opinions |
| B．it’s important to accept others’ comments |
| C．we shouldn’t change our own decision |
| D．we shouldn’t care too much what others think |
| A．discussing questions | B．making suggestions |
| C．analyzing causes and effects | D．providing examples and facts |
| A．most people have a variety of thoughts |
| B．we have thoughts similar to those of others |
| C．other people’s thoughts are more important |
| D．most people’s thoughts are affected by others |
| A．The price of taking the drug is freedom. |
| B．We may lose ourselves to win the approval of others. |
| C．We need to pay for what we want to get. |
| D．Changing opinions may cost us our freedom. |
