Generation Gap
Nowadays, there is often a lack of understanding between parents and children. Children always complain that their parents are out
So we should not be amazed
2 . Starbucks recently made plans to build nearly 3, 000 new stores in China over the next five years. That almost doubles the number of stores here now. The company just opened its largest stores in Shanghai, China, which often has a long line of people waiting. It is opening a new store in China every 15 hours, and it now has plenty of competition. That marks an important change in the tastes and buying power of the growing market.
It’s no secret there’s a lot of tea in China. But coffee, not tea, is increasingly becoming the choice for China’s rapidly growing middle class.
Starbucks keeps opening hundreds of new stores here mainly because of China’s young people who are accepting coffeehouse culture. “You have a very young population that has got in touch with Western cultures easily,” Dave Seminsky said. He owns Sumerian Coffee in Shanghai.
There’s still a lot of room for the bean business here to grow. The ordinary person in China drinks just 3 cups of coffee every year, while the ordinary person in the U.K. drinks 250 cups and in the U.S., the number is 363. But that need and the influence of climate change on the world’s supply could lead to fewer beans and higher prices.
In the next 30 years, China could be bringing two to three million tons of coffee into the nation and the world’s supply of coffee now is 6.9 million tons. If coffee really does take off here, is there enough supply? Luckily, there’s still all that tea in China.
1. Why are China’s young people fond of drinking coffee?| A．They can afford Western products. |
| B．They want to look more international. |
| C．Their taste gradually changes as they grow up. |
| D．They grow up influenced by Western cultures. |
| A．Competition in the coffee market. | B．Changes in natural conditions. |
| C．More new drinks coming out. | D．Terrible taste of coffee beans. |
| A．The supply of coffee cannot meet people’s needs. |
| B．Tea will be the main drink for the Chinese. |
| C．Coffee beans cannot be grown in China. |
| D．Fewer companies will offer coffee. |
| A．leave the ground and begin to fly | B．become popular |
| C．go away in a hurry | D．remove clothing from the body |
3 . Last week, 55-year-old Donald Lynn Cash of Utah collapsed and died just after reaching the Everest peak. Including Cash, at least 11 people have died on Mount Everest this year.
The deaths come among reports of overcrowding on the popular mountain. The Nepali government granted a total of 381 permits to climb Everest this year, a number that doesn’t include guides who are on the mountain as well. For some climbers, that traffic has meant longer wait times — some told the Himalayan Times the wait has exceeded two hours between the last camp and the peak. Mountaineer Vanessa O’Brien, who has also climbed the seven summits, said when there’s a crowd, being a more experienced climber won’t help you. “It doesn’t matter if you’re the best racecar driver in the world. If you’re stuck in traffic, you’re stuck in traffic,” she said in an interview.
When a climber is stuck in that traffic, “their body is starting to deteriorate.” O’Brien, who set a record as the fastest woman to reach the highest peak on every continent, also said the descent is often harder than the climb.
Climbing expert Alan Arnette said there’s no simple explanation for the string of deaths. He said weather that has led to a shorter climbing season is one factor causing overcrowding. He also said the cost to climb Mount Everest has decreased, which means more people are making the journey. He urged the governments in charge of granting permits to limit how many people can be on the mountain at once.
Still, Christopher was no beginner. His family said he’d been mountain climbing for five decades. His brother mentioned that being a lawyer as a “day job” for Christopher, while Climbing was his passion. “He was an zealous climber of peaks in Colorado, the West and the world over,” Mark Kulish said. “He passed away doing what he loved.”
1. What made longer wait times on Mount Everest?| A．Lacking guides. |
| B．Overcrowding. |
| C．Bad weather. |
| D．Getting government’s permission. |
a. The less cost attracting more climbers.
b. The more climbers worsening the environment.
c. More permits granted by the government.
d. The governments limiting the climber’s number.
e. The weather leading to a shorter climbing season.
| A．a, b, d | B．a, c, e | C．b, c, d | D．b, d, e |
| A．Being a racecar driver can get you out of the traffic jam. |
| B．Being an experienced climber is always helpful. |
| C．Climbers do not need the permits from government. |
| D．When stuck in traffic, the climber’s body will fail to function as usual. |
| A．Experienced. | B．Famous. | C．Excellent. | D．Keen. |
4 . You’ve likely met the humblebrag before —— boasting (吹噓) in a way of a complaint, such as “I’m having such a worrying day. I got two job offers and I don’t know what to do.”
This is a typical example of humblebragging, a term coined by comedic writer Harris Wittels referring to “a specific type of boast that allows the offender to broadcast their achievements without the necessary shame and guilt that should normally accompany such claims.” In simpler terms, it’s a way to disguise a boast with some humility (谦让). Humblebragging comes in two different forms. The first is humility - based, an example being,＂can’t believe I got the highest grade in my class ”. The second type comes mixed with a bit of complaint, for example,＂I can’t believe that shopkeeper asked me for ID. I’m 25!”
People don’t like when others humblebrag because they find they are lacking in sincerity. Sincerity is a critical dimension of social evaluation, which is viewed as fundamental to people’s identity. In fact, people prize sincerity even above competence and warmth in others, according to Dr. Sezer.
If humblebragging doesn’t work, and no one likes it, why do we still do it? We all want to highlight our positive qualities without seeming proud. By speaking in a complaint or an expression of humility, we hope we’ll somehow land on the “sweet spot” of self - presentation: promoting ourselves while also conveying likability. In addition, research suggests that people may experience positive feelings while humblebragging.
Considering that we’re all likely to feel the urge to humblebrag, at least to some extent, the proper response when we hear a friend doing it may be to simply let it go——because ultimately we’re going to do it ourselves, and who really wants to be called out on it?
1. Which of the following remarks is an example of humblebragging| A．How I hate hearing my voice on TV! |
| B．I’m thrilled to be awarded the first prize. |
| C．I’m the only person to get promoted in the firm. |
| D．How I dislike doing the same thing every day! |
| A．Honest | B．Humble. | C．Insincere. | D．Incapable. |
| A．Follow it up | B．Leave it alone. | C．Turn against it | D．Get to the root of it. |
5 . In America, when the eighth graders leave the middle school, they are often worried about moving to the high school. It is a hard time for them, but it can be an exciting one as well. To make it easier, students need to get familiar with their school.
Even though they’ve done this already in the middle school, it’s still important to find where their classrooms are. Most schools take students to the high school for a visit at the end of their eighth-grade year. And, most schools also have a freshman speech for parents and students before the first year begins. Sometimes the main office will give away a map of the school. This can help students and parents to find different places in the school.
One way to know your high school more and make new friends is to join a club or play a sport. Schools often offer chances to join different clubs and sports. Fall activities begin in August before the first day of school. If you are not interested in sports, there are clubs for any interest, such as drama, dance, chess, photography, community service, etc. These clubs allow students from different grades. By joining an activity, students can find new friendships, not to mention improving their chances in future college applications (申请). The school office will have a list of activities offered at the school and information on how to join them.
What’s more, to have a great start to a high school year, students can write down some of their worries, and ask for help from teachers and school workers.
1. According to the text, most students feel ________ when entering the high school.| A．excited | B．nervous | C．lonely | D．disappointed |
| A．Before the eighth-grade year starts. |
| B．Right after the high school year starts. |
| C．At the beginning of the new term in the high school. |
| D．At the end of their eighth-grade year |
| A．There are fewer students from higher grades in the school clubs. |
| B．The school clubs in high school only welcome sports fans. |
| C．Summer activities begin before school starts. |
| D．The school office can help new students join school clubs. |
| A．To tell the new students how to learn in high school |
| B．To introduce new schools. |
| C．To give the teachers some advice. |
| D．To give advice to new high school students. |
1. What is the total number of students at Deep Springs College?
| A．17,000. | B．24. | C．9,000. |
| A．It is located in a college town. |
| B．Its library is often crowded with students. |
| C．Its school buildings are old. |
| A．Take a walk in the desert. | B．Watch TV. | C．Go to the cinema. |
7 . Social networking isn’t only for the under 40s. More than 25 percent of Americans 50 years and older stay connected using sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, according to new research.
“The latest data tells us that more and more social networking is becoming a part of everyday life for Americans 50 plus,” said Kevin Donnellan, the chief communications officer at AARP, which released the report.
Nearly a quarter of older Americans are on Facebook and 73 percent said they use it to stay in touch with relatives, but not just their children and grandchildren. “They are using the Internet to keep up with the world and the people who are important to them,” said Jean Koppen, the author of the report. She added that older adults are also on Facebook to stay connected, not only with their family, but with their friends and those in the same age group. Almost 50 percent of older adults were introduced to the social networking sites by a family member, mainly a child or grandchild. “Just under one-fifth of adults aged 50 and older say they do not use the Internet,” according to the report.
The findings are based on a telephone survey of 1,863 adults. In addition to keeping up on Facebook and Twitter older adults are aware of the latest technology. Eighty-three percent had heard about the Apple iPad and 11 percent intended to buy one.
Despite the popularity of the Internet among the over 50s, they still mostly go to print newspapers and magazines for news. Only one percent said they followed blogs.
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．Social networking isn’t for the under 40s in the U.S.A. |
| B．American old people’s way of life is quite fashionable. |
| C．Social networking is becoming popular among older Americans. |
| D．Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are the most popular websites in the US. |
| A．85% of Americans 50 plus choose the Internet over print media. |
| B．About 460 people in the telephone survey often use Facebook. |
| C．About 20% of adults aged 50 plus have access to the Internet. |
| D．Three quarters of the people surveyed got to know the Internet through their family. |
| A．many older Americans are open-minded about new developments |
| B．Kevin Donnellan supports this change among older Americans |
| C．Young people should introduce their elders to new technology |
| D．In a high tech age it is difficult to avoid social networking |
| A．A novel. | B．A newspaper. |
| C．A technology guide. | D．A student’s research paper |
8 . “Walkability” linked to reduced hospital costs and admissions
Neighborhoods designed to encourage people to walk to and from the shops and public transport will help reduce hospital costs and admissions linked to residents, new Canberra research shows.
The research project, from the University of Canberra’s Health Research Institute, has revealed a relationship between a suburb’s “walkability score” and a reduction in both hospital costs and admissions and added to the growing debate surrounding the role of “social determinants” in health outcomes.
Coauthors Dr. Yan Yu and Vincent Learnihan studied ACT Health data from 30,690 hospital admissions across 88 of the ACT’s suburbs, and then matched them against each suburb’s “walkability score”. That score is a measure of how easy it is to get around a particular suburb, including the number of interconnected streets, footpaths and the presence of shops, public transport stops, restaurants and services within walking distance of each other.
Dr. Yu said the study showed that those suburbs rated as “walkable”—with a walkability score of 20 units or more—were linked to a 12.1 per cent lower hospital cost for those residents and a 12.5 per cent lower rate of hospital admissions.
She said the admissions data they focused on included cancers, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases and diabetes.
But the research also showed that in Canberra, some 80 per cent of all the city’s suburbs were still “car-dependent”, which Mr. Learnihan said showed more needed to be done to help encourage Canberrans to walk, ride and use public transport.
While Mr. Learnihan commended the ACT government’s existing “active travel” programs, he said the study showed that wider and better funded initiatives to improve the “walkability” of new and existing suburbs could help save on health costs and improve Canberrans’ quality of life.
Dr. Yu said such changes could be as simple as improving footpaths and bike paths, increasing public transport access and improving local shops.
1. The suburb’s “walkability score” depends on the following factors within the walking distance of each other EXCEPT ______.| A．the presence of shops | B．the presence of taxi stands |
| C．the number of interconnected streets | D．the number of interconnected footpaths |
| A．praised | B．abandoned |
| C．transformed | D．conducted |
| A．the suburb with a walkability score of 12.5 units can be rated as “walkable” |
| B．a majority of Canberrans walk, ride and use public transport to and from work |
| C．admissions data researchers focused on included different kinds of disease |
| D．footpaths and bike paths in the suburbs of Canberra are far from satisfactory |
| A．There will be fewer cars in Canberra. |
| B．Canberrans will have easier access to public hospitals. |
| C．The word “walkability” will be included in the authoritative dictionary. |
| D．“Walkability” of new and existing suburbs in Canberra will be improved. |
9 . Children are a delight. They are our future. But sadly, hiring someone to take care of them when you're going to work is getting more expensive by the year.
Earlier this month it was reported that the cost of involving an infant or small kid at a childcare centre rose 3 percent in 2012, faster than the general cost of living. There are now large strips of the country where daycare（日托）for an infant costs more than 10%of the average married couples' income.
This is not necessarily a new trend, but it is somewhat puzzling me. The price of professional childcare has been rising since the 1980s. Yet during that time, pay for professional childcare workers has stood still Actually caregivers（护理员）earn less today than they did in 1990. Considering that labor costs are responsible for about 80% of a daycare center's expenses, one would infer that stable wages means stable prices.
So who is to blame for higher child care costs?
Childcare is a carefully regulated industry. States lay down rules about how many children each employee is allowed to watch over, the space care centers need per child, and other details. And the stricter the regulations are, the higher the costs will be. In Massachusetts. where childcare centers must hire one teacher for every three infants, the price of care averaged more than $ 16,000 per year. In Mississippi, where centers must hire one teacher for every five infants, the price of care averaged less than $ 5,000.
Unfortunately, I don't have all the daycare center regulations, but I wouldn't be surprised if as the rules. have become more complicated, prices have risen. The tradeoff （交换）might be worth it in certain cases, after all, the health and safety of children should probably come before cheap service. But certainly, it doesn't seem to be an accident that some of the cheapest daycare available is in the least regulated South.
1. What problem do parents of small kids have to face?| A．The ever-rising child care prices. | B．The budgeting of family expenses |
| C．The balance between work and family. | D．The selection of a good daycare center. |
| A．Why the prices of child care vary greatly from state to state |
| B．Why increased child care prices have not led to better service. |
| C．Why childcare workers' pay has not increased with the rising childcare costs. |
| D．Why there is a severe shortage of childcare professionals in a number of states. |
| A．Steady increase in labor costs. | B．Strict government regulations. |
| C．Lack of support from the state | D．High administrative expenses. |
| A．Caregivers should receive regular professional training. |
| B．Less complicated rules about childcare might lower costs. |
| C．It is vital to strike a balance between quality and costs. |
| D．It is better for different States to learn from each other. |
You're walking in the street and a thought occurs: “I should check my phone.” Then your eyes focus
Most of us do this kind of distracted walking in our daily life,
In fact, walking is not as easy as we think.We must concentrate on many things at the same time
Why do we take
Then how can we control our tech use? Experts recommend exercises in self-control.They say reducing access (得到)to the phone can be
