For some people in China, the aim of travel is to create 15-second
The main reason, it seemed, was Hongyadong’s sudden popularity on an app, Douyin,
A subculture of young people who embrace daka as a lifestyle has developed. So-called daka zu--- “daka tribes”---can
The daka craze may have practical origins. China’s young urban professions don’t have so much free time. Sometimes, they need to work overtime. So they have to make
As many as two-thirds of the city’s 21 million residents live in slums. “Most girls are trapped in a terrible cycle of poverty. Many of them are not thinking of education, a plan for the future,” Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin, a computer programmer in Lagos, recalls. But several times a week, girls like Okpoe get a glimpse of another world when they attend GirlsCoding, a free program run by the Pearls Africa Foundation that seeks to educate and excite girls about computer programming. Since 2012, the group has helped more than 400 disadvantaged girls gain the technical skills and confidence they need to transform their lives.
It’s the vision of Ajayi-Akinfolarin, who left a successful career to devote herself to this work. She'd noticed how few women worked in this growing field-a 2013 government survey found that less than 8% of Nigerian women were employed in technology jobs. She wanted to fix the gender gap. “Technology is a space that’s dominated by men. Why should we leave that to guys?” she said. “I believe girls need opportunities.”
Now, dozens of girls aged 10 to 17 get trained in computer programming technology. “I believe you can still find diamonds in these places,” Ajayi-Akinfolarin said. “They need to be shown another life.” One way her program does this is by taking the students to visit tech companies — not only showing them what technology can do, but also helping them visualize themselves joining the industry.
Okpoe, for one, has taken this to heart. She helped create an app called Makoko Fresh that went live this summer, enabling fishermen like her father to sell seafood directly to customers. She even wants to become a software engineer and hopes to study computer science at Harvard. “One thing I want my girls to hold onto is, regardless of where they are coming from, that they can make it,” Ajayi said. “They are coders. They are thinkers. Their future is bright.”
1. What can we learn about GirlsCoding?| A．It encourages girls to land a job in education. |
| B．It offers Nigerian girls in need part-time jobs. |
| C．It helps girls working in Lagos to fight poverty. |
| D．It teaches girls in Makoko computer programming. |
| A．Men could do far better in technology jobs. |
| B．Girls should get equal work opportunities. |
| C．Men normally got paid more than women. |
| D．Girls tended to devote themselves to work. |
| A．Rebuilding the girls’ confidence. |
| B．Training the girls to find diamonds. |
| C．Presenting a different life to the girls. |
| D．Taking the girls to technology companies. |
| A．She got fishermen to benefit from her app. |
| B．She was admitted to Harvard University. |
| C．She took her father’s suggestion to heart. |
| D．She made some changes to computer science. |
This summer I travelled from noisy Beijing to Wuzhen，a
However，
According to a recent survey
While contact between adolescents(between the ages of fifteen and nineteen) and their peers(同龄人) is universal characteristic of all cultures， the nature and the degree of such contact vary a great deal. In American contemporary society adolescents spend much more time with their peers than with younger children or adults.
This pattern of age segregation(隔离) in American society did not become usual until the beginning of the industrialized society. Changes in the workplace separated children from adults， with adults working and children attending school. The dramatic increase of mothers in the workplace has further contributed to the reduction in the amount of time adolescents spend with adults.
School reform efforts during the nineteenth century， which resulted in age-segregated schools and grades， have reduced the amount of time adolescents spend with younger children.
Finally， the changes in population are considered a factor that may have contributed to the emergence of adolescent peer culture. From 1955 to 1975， the adolescent population increased dramatically， from 11 percent to 20 percent. This increase in the number of adolescents might be a contributing factor to the increase in adolescent peer culture in terms of growth in size as well as in terms of its impact on society's other cultures(adults， younger children).
Research supports the view that adolescents spend a great deal of time with their peers. Reed Larson and his colleagues examined adolescents’daily activities and found that they spend more time talking to their friends than engaging in any other activity. In typical week， high school students will spend twice as much time with their peers as with adults. This gradual withdrawal from adults begins in early adolescence. In sixth grade， adults excluding parents account for only 25 percent of adolescent social networks. Another important characteristic of adolescent peer culture is its increasingly autonomous(自治的) function. While childhood peer groups are conducted under the close supervision of parents， adolescent peer groups typically make an effort to escape adult supervision and usually succeed in doing so.
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5 . Philadelphia's Magic Gardens makes up a folk art center, gallery space, and a nonprofit organization showcasing the works of mosaicist（镶嵌设计师）Isaiah Zagar.
Zagar devoted himself to beautifying the South Street neighborhood in the late 1960s, when he moved to the area with his wife Julia. The couple helped the area by purchasing and repairing some old buildings, often adding colorful mosaics on both their private and public walls. The first such project was Julia's still-busy folk art store, the Eyes Gallery at 402 South Street.
Zagar started working on the Magic Gardens in 1994 in the deserted parking lot near his studio. He spent the next fourteen years sculpting multi-layered walls and decorating the 3, 000 square foot space. The installation（装置艺术），primarily consisting of found objects and contributions from the community, finally covers half a city block with countless patterns and colors. It shows Zagar's many artistic influences, as well as the events and experiences of his life.
In 2002，the owner of the once-unused parking lot decided to sell the land in response to rising South Street property values. Unwilling to witness the destruction of Zagar's neighborhood art environment, the community rushed to support the artist. His creation, newly titled Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, turned into a nonprofit organization with the intention of preserving and promoting Zagar's works at the site of the Magic Gardens and throughout the South Street region.
The Magic Gardens is now a permanent art institution that is open to visitors throughout the year. Trained guides are available to lead tours of the Magic Gardens and Zagar's surrounding public wall paintings. In addition, it offers monthly mosaic workshops led by Zagar himself, and regularly hosts concerts, dance performances, and other public events.
1. How did Zagar help the South Street neighborhood?| A．He moved to the area with his family. |
| B．He worked to improve its surroundings. |
| C．He opened a folk art store with his wife. |
| D．He managed to buy all the old buildings. |
| A．Great achievements of Zagar. |
| B．Special skills of installing art. |
| C．Location of the Magic Gardens |
| D．Early history of the Magic Gardens. |
| A．They harm environment. |
| B．They can bring in profits. |
| C．They should be removed. |
| D．They are precious treasures. |
| A．Paint the walls on the spot. |
| B．Put on music performances. |
| C．Enjoy some Zagar's works. |
| D．Attend some dance courses. |
Almost all parents in China hope their son or daughter will have happy future. They are very strict with their children, and so is teachers in schools! Many children are given so much homework which they hardly have any spare time to do sports. The children are forbidding to do anything but study it. It is no wonder that there’re so many children tiring of their lessons. Some even attack their parents or teachers! I strong believe many people had already read this kind of news in newspapers or magazines. Shouldn’t we draw a lesson from the accident? Now our government is carrying on a plan to solve the education problems. Therefore, let’s work together.
7 . The Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa is one of the richest wildlife regions in the African continent. Over 200 species of mammals and 350 different birds can be found in its vast plains, grasslands and forests.
I spoke to Michael Rattray, chairman of the Sabi Sand management committee, about the management policies.“If in a thousand years' time the reserve is still a wonderful habitat for wildlife, then we will have succeeded in our mission. Various measures are being put in place. These include dealing with the problem of erosion（侵蚀）.In 1996 we had abnormally high rainfall. This could have been absolutely destructive. However, we have successfully fought erosion using gabion stretchers, which are wire baskets filled with rocks. We have also used a lot of old aerial photographs, which have helped us return the land to its earlier state. This meant recreating open grassland areas to attract different types of animals, ”he said.
Apart from these measures, the reserve employs a wide range of local workers. Building staff accommodation of any sort would make a big impact on the environment and would go against the aim of keeping the reserve as natural as possible. Instead, transport is provided so employees can live a normal life with their families outside the area, and the human impact is kept to a minimum（最低限度）.
Visitors to the reserve spend about six hours a day in open vehicles, observing wildlife on game drives. They are accompanied by a ranger and a local tracker. I shall never forget the moment on a game drive when a cheetah with her five cubs was pointed out to me. She was lying in a sea of long yellow grass, her markings almost invisible. We got close enough to hear her purr.
The Sabi Sand Game Reserve is a place where animals have no fear of humans. It is impossible to quantify the benefits of spending time in such an environment.
1. What helped solve the problem of erosion?| A．High rainfall. | B．Gabion stretchers. |
| C．Empty baskets. | D．Aerial photographs. |
| A．They can walk to the open fields. |
| B．They must have very good eyesight. |
| C．They cannot go around the reserve alone. |
| D．They have two ways to enter the reserve. |
| A．lucky | B．amazing |
| C．stressful | D．frightening |
| A．An introduction to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve |
| B．The importance of protecting wildlife |
| C．Some advice on visiting the Sabi Sand Game Reserve |
| D．The Sabi Sand Game Reserve—the biggest wildlife region |
8 . How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in the unnatural environment—mostly for entertainment purposes—is fair and respectful?
Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain“collections”of interesting “things”rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.
Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals' natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small space or cages, and most signs only include the species' name, diet, and natural range. The animals' normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don't usually take care of the animals' natural needs.
The animals are kept together in small space, with no privacy and little chance for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusual and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small space or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.
Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding（圈养繁殖）of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven't we seen enough competitions to name baby animals？
Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals' natural habitats.
1. How does the author describe the animals' life in zoos?| A．Dangerous. | B．Unhappy. |
| C．Natural. | D．Easy. |
| A．remain in cages | B．behave strangely |
| C．attack other animals | D．enjoy moving around |
| A．pointing out the faults in what zoos do |
| B．using evidence he has collected in zoos |
| C．questioning the way animals are protected |
| D．discussing the advantages of natural habitats |
| A．zoos have to keep animals in large cages |
| B．most animals in zoos are endangered species |
| C．some endangered animals are reproduced in zoos |
| D．it's acceptable to keep animals away from their habitats |
9 . Nearly 80% of Chinese students who returned home after finishing education abroad thought their job salaries were lower than expected, according to a report by the think tank Center for China and Globalization and the online recruitment platform zhaopin. com.
More than 72 percent of overseas Chinese students have returned to China after finishing education abroad since the late 1970s, according to a report from a government-backed agency.
As for their reasons for studying abroad, 76% said they wanted to “experience the culture and life in other countries”, but few wanted to develop their careers abroad, according to the report.
Among those who returned, 61% chose to go back to their hometowns, 13% to Beijing, 8% to Shanghai, and 7% to Guangdong. The three first-tier cities are still popular choices for returnees due to their rapid economic growth and greater opportunities.
Recruitment websites and software were the top tools returnees used to find jobs, and 95% got jobs within half a year of returning to China.
Foreign languages and cross-cultural communication skills appeared to be the biggest advantage to the returnees’ domestic career development.
The report also showed that most chose to work in the financial industry. However, more than 70% of those surveyed believed their jobs were not highly fit for their academic majors, and over half changed jobs, due to unclear development trends and salary levels. Nearly 70% of students who returned had monthly incomes of more than 6, 000 yuan. At the same time, about 80% believed their income levels were lower than expected.
1. According to the passage, what is the purpose of most students studying abroad?| A．To develop their careers abroad. |
| B．To choose satisfying majors. |
| C．To learn foreign culture and feel foreign life. |
| D．To increase employment opportunities. |
| A．higher income levels and living standards |
| B．rapid economic development and more chances |
| C．different cultural experiences and special charm |
| D．abundant human resources and the financial industry |
| A．employment in the financial industry is easy |
| B．more than half of the returnees’ jobs match their majors |
| C．most returnees are not satisfied with their income levels |
| D．few returnees’ attitude to work is not positive |
| A．To attract more overseas Chinese students to return to China. |
| B．To encourage more students to study abroad. |
| C．To introduce employment situations in China. |
| D．To report work situations of returnees. |
10 . Experts say heavy backpacks are a health risk for kids.
Like little turtles with limbs poking out from their shell, kids shuffle(拖着脚走) to school every day wearing giant backpacks. Even high school students have to bend forward to carry their heavy books to and from school. It's frustrating and looks a little silly, but is it dangerous?
" Yes, " say many experts. " Kids are saying ‘My back hurts, and my neck and my shoulders hurt’, "says Dr. Karen Jacobs, a clinical professor at Boston University. " A heavy backpack can also lead to headaches, slow or sluggish development and other physical problems. "
Jacobs is also a spokesperson for the American Occupational Therapy Association, which sponsors National School Backpack Awareness Day on September 16. She says that too many textbooks and less locker space are making backpacks bigger. "Since at least 1998, we've noticed backpacks getting bigger and heavier, and not in proportion to the kids sizes, "says Jacobs.
A 2010 study from the University of California, San Diego, concluded, "Backpack loads are responsible for a significant amount of back pain in children. " The same study says a full third of kids aged between 11 and 14 report back pain. Other research from 2011 came to a similar conclusion.
"Like the frame of a house, the spine(脊椎)is what keeps bodies strong and upright. Put too much weight on this frame while a young body is still developing, and it could change a child's posture(姿势), compress the spine, and impair children’s growth, " says Rob Danoff, a doctor in Philadelphia's Aria Health. "It also might lead to back problems or injuries when the child's older. "
Experts warn against wearing a heavy backpack, adding something can be done to solve the problem.
1. Which of the following is the best title?| A．Keep Children's Backs Free of All Backpacks |
| B．Less Locker Space Means Bigger Backpacks |
| C．It's Time to Reduce Heavy Homework for Kids |
| D．Bigger Backpacks Equal Bigger Health Problems |
| A．The school. | B．The bookshop owner. |
| C．The parents. | D．The backpack maker. |
| A．strengthen | B．damage |
| C．improve | D．repair |
| A．Some solutions to the problem. |
| B．Some reasons for the problem. |
| C．Some advantages of e-backpacks. |
| D．Some dangers of heavy backpacks. |
