1 . In the digital age, we rely on technology such as social media in trying to build interesting and varied lives. Social networking sites like Facebook are designed and promoted to make us believe enthusiastically that they are able to open up new experiences for us. There are constant notifications (通知) and updates, urging us to check-in to find out what is new.
But if we do not use the technology wisely, we can end up becoming overly attached and trapped in a cycle of social media FOMO, a sign of deeper unhappiness. FOMO, or fear of missing out, is a fear that exciting or interesting events are happening somewhere else and that we are not able to join.
People who experience high levels of FOMO have been found to be more likely to give in to urges to write and check text messages while driving, as well as to use Facebook more often directly after waking, while going to sleep and during meals.
When it comes to lasting happiness, it is best not to give in to FOMO, but rather to deal with the cycle of desires that fuel it. Hard as it is, we are better off working toward facing the fearful reality that we cannot experience everything we might like than to get caught in a cycle of checking behaviors that only cause anxiety.
If we have become used to using social media as part of our attempts at living interesting lives, we must admit that it is not easy to change our approach. But change is almost always worthwhile in the long run.
The fact that FOMO is so common in our digital age is a sign that there is something wrong with the way we are pursuing happiness and that we are not as happy as we might think we are. It should warn us that, in our eagerness to use digital technology to try to make ourselves happier, we may unintentionally (无意之中) be bringing on exactly the opposite result.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?A.The digital age has arrived. |
B.Sites give netizens useful experiences. |
C.People have fallen into modern technology. |
D.Social media are designed to attract public attention. |
A.Failing to use Facebook. | B.Answering a call during shopping, |
C.Reading text messages on reaching offices. | D.Checking Facebook while driving. |
A.To gain long-time happiness. | B.To speed the cycle of desires. |
C.To work much better. | D.To reduce fearful reality. |
A.Everybody has experienced FOMO. |
B.Digital technology may make us unhappier. |
C.Pursuing happiness is a sign of the digital age. |
D.People may unintentionally get lost in technology. |
The spread of Western eating habits around the world is bad for human health and the environment. These findings come from a new report
David Tilman, a professor of ecology at the University of Minnesota, America,
The Western diet is high in sugar, fat, oil
The Internet is an
4 . To know parents’ influence on students’ learning, researchers studied 438 kids and their parents. Before a school year started, the researchers asked parents to write down how anxious they would feel in different situations connected with math like planning their money spending or checking their house’s size. They also checked their children’s math ability and math anxiety in a school year.
The study found kids whose parents were anxious about math learned less math over the school year. And these kids didn’t perform as well on the tests as those who hadn’t been exposed to math anxiety. Besides, these kids also were more likely to become nervous about math themselves. But these kids only “ caught ” that anxiety if their parents had often tried to help with their homework. This is an example of good intentions having a bad result.
The study’s result appeared in Psychological Science. Erin Maloney led the study. As someone who has personally experienced math anxiety, she says, “ I was always very nervous about math, not only taking tests but also learning the new concepts. So I really tried to balk at math, including finding excuses to miss math tests and not wanting to do math homework. ” It was only after she saw how math could be applied to her passion that she started to enjoy math.
Parents with math anxiety should still support their kids as the kids work on math homework, though. But they should know helping kids with schoolwork requires more than just going over facts and concepts. Parents should help kids look for ways to have fun with math, like playing math-based games. When kids have difficulty in learning, encourage them to bravely face it but don’t make them nervous.
What can students do if they’re already nervous about math? Maloney says, “ My earlier study showed that students who wrote about their fears of math for 7 to 10 minutes before taking a math test performed better on that test. After the writing process,many students said their fears weren’t such a big deal. ”
1. The 438 kids’ parents were asked to present ______ .A.their attitudes to school education | B.their opinions on kids’ math ability |
C.their ways to solve kids’ math anxiety | D.their math anxiety levels in their daily life |
A.Kids are more likely to be afraid of math. |
B.Some parents pay little attention to their kids’ study. |
C.Kids can pick up negative thoughts about math from their parents. |
D.Parents should help with their kids’ homework as little as possible. |
A.Enjoy. | B.Avoid. | C.Learn. | D.Understand. |
A.Working closely with their math teachers. |
B.Seeking help during their learning process. |
C.Sparing some time to go over their notes daily. |
D.Removing math anxiety by admitting it to themselves. |
5 . Zhang Guimei, who has
At 17, she left her hometown Heilongjiang for Yunnan province. While teaching in Huaping county, she saw many girls
In 2007, Zhang
A year later, Zhang’s school was
Due to her selfless work, Zhang was
A.contributed | B.applied | C.belonged | D.responded |
A.lantern | B.firework | C.education | D.midnight |
A.figure out | B.set out | C.carry out | D.drop out |
A.grateful | B.aware | C.concerned | D.curious |
A.addicted | B.shocked | C.likely | D.determined |
A.replaced | B.delivered | C.disguised | D.represent |
A.limited | B.faithful | C.known | D.typical |
A.completed | B.appointed | C.announced | D.confirmed |
A.dropped | B.dived | C.walked | D.jumped |
A.retire | B.perform | C.marry | D.leave |
A.existing | B.increasing | C.individual | D.equal |
A.remove | B.repeat | C.refuse | D.realize |
A.awarded | B.arranged | C.achieved | D.attracted |
A.As well as | B.As soon as | C.As long as | D.As far as |
A.regret | B.ensure | C.forgive | D.imagine |
6 . Charity is simple in theory: A heart warms, a hand reaches out. In practice, though, charity can become a troubled mix of motives (动机) and consequences. Giving can be driven by guilt (负罪感), duty, praise, or perhaps the hope that giving will somehow make up for past cruelty (残酷) or ignorance. Too little charity is far less than valuable. Too much can cause dependence, which makes the receiver continuously ask for more.
Giving from the heart is good. But critics (批评家) have long worried about misdirected charity that does more harm than good. In his 2012 book, Harmful Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Solve the Problem), Robert Lupton, an experienced social worker of 40 years of community work in inner-city Atlanta, argues that charity must not do for the poor what they can do for themselves.
Due to emergencies such as natural disasters, the afterward financial aid is greatly welcome. Mr. Lupton advocates (提倡) it should focus on the development of self-supporting. The task can be carried out via, for instance, offering microloans (小微贷款), hiring local builders and suppliers, and trying to found self-supported, locally owned and operated factories. What seldom works, he argues, are untargeted handouts from far-off providers and the sudden arrival of inexperienced volunteer-tourists hoping to earn personal reputation by digging wells or mending roofs that locals are perfectly able to take care of themselves.
Getting charity right isn’t easy. But from money raising to the rising in volunteering among Millennials (千禧一代), from the increasing worldwide willingness to give to the efforts by charity organizations to become more effective and fruitful, there is strong evidence that human beings’ ability of taking care of others is growing along with their ability to help without harming.
Charity can be as simple as holding the door for a stranger and as complex as a global campaign to get rid of malaria (疟疾). Charity works best when it returns the weak to strength, and helps a small town shaken by an earthquake get back on its feet. A successful charity is one that eventually is no longer needed.
1. What have critics worried about?A.There is much less charity than needed. | B.Charity can be driven by guilt and praise. |
C.Some charity providers are inexperienced. | D.Misdirected charity may cause dependence. |
A.Hiring local workers. | B.Founding factories. | C.Building houses for victims. | D.Giving untargeted handouts. |
A.It’s easy to give charity without harming. | B.Millennials enjoy earning personal reputation. |
C.People’s ability of giving charity is improving. | D.Charity organizations are spreading all over the world. |
A.To appeal for more charity. | B.To advocate getting charity right. |
C.To introduce Robert Lupton’s book. | D.To criticize unjust motives for charity. |
7 . Too much screen time for kids can lead to poor health the American Heart Association (AHA) says. A scientific statement published by the AHA in the medical journal Circulation said screen time from smartphones, tablet computers and other devices can lead kids to a sedentary(惯于久坐不动的) lifestyle ,increasing the possibility that they grow up as overweight or obese(肥胖的).
The AHA is the latest organization urging parents to limit how much time their kids spend in front of screens. It recommends children get one to two hours of screen time each day. Although television viewing among children and teens has dropped, the use of smartphones and tablet computers has surged.
“Although the mechanisms(机制) linking screen time to obesity are not entirely clear, there are real concerns that screens influence eating behaviors, mainly because children don’t notice when they are full when eating in front of a screen,” said Tracie Barnett, a researcher at the INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier Research Centre,in a statement.
Barnett, one of the authors of the statement, also urges parents to keep screens out of kids’bedrooms, raising the fear that too much screen time can affect sleep.
Many studies have warned about the potential (潜在的) negative effects of too much screen time. Last year, a study from researchers at San Diego State University(SDSU) found nearly half of teens who spent five or more hours in front of screens every day experienced long periods of hopelessness or sadness.
Apple, who makes the iOS mobile platform, plans to introduce new tools to devices to help users cut back on screen time. As for iOS 12,iPhones will include a screen time feature where users can control and review how they spend time on their mobile devices. Another company that makes the Android platform will introduce “digital well-being” tools such as screen time limits and a “wind down” option to encourage users to put down their phones before bed.
1. Which can replace the underlined word “surged” in paragraph 2?A.Increased suddenly. | B.Decreased slowly. |
C.Stayed the same. | D.Lost the balance. |
A.By changing the time they eat. | B.By changing their taste for food. |
C.By influencing how fast they eat. | D.By influencing their feeling of fullness. |
A.It affected children’s sleep. | B.It led to children’s obesity. |
C.It resulted in diet problems. | D.It negatively influenced moods. |
A.Reduce its products’ battery life. |
B.Provide a screen time feature. |
C.Introduce “digital well-being” tools. |
D.Add a “wind down” option to its products. |
8 . Studies on the importance of sleep for health and the various effects of not having enough sleep have long been well-known. Being short of sleep can lead to poor memory and daytime sleepiness. It’s also been connected to diseases and weakens immune(免疫的)function. However, more than three-quarters of us fall asleep after 11pm and nearly a third stay up until 1am.
The concept(概念)of sleep procrastination was introduced in a 2014 study by Utrecht University in The Netherlands, which explained that it meant “failing to go to bed at the intended time, while nothing prevents a person from doing so”. If so, it will bring terrible results.
Studies have shown that “bedtime procrastination” is connected with a person’s working life during the day. “They feel out of control in their day life and the night is when they can be free,” says Dr Saliha Afridi. “It is full of things they ‘have to do’ rather than what they ‘want to do’. ” Studies have also found that increased working hours and the reduced leisure time may cause much stress and sleep procrastination. On occasion, people have trouble with feelings, concern and loneliness, so they were controlled by using social media, making them stay up late.
So how to avoid it? People should avoid thinking too much before bedtime and stay away from digital devices. Besides, taking a warm shower before bed and going to bed at the intended time are also important.
1. What’s the effect of not having enough sleep?A.Increasing the risk of injuries. | B.Suffering from much stress. |
C.Feeling sleepy in the daytime. | D.Losing the previous memory. |
A.Staying up. | B.Keeping awake. | C.Getting up late. | D.Falling asleep. |
A.A variety of hobbies. | B.Boring social activities. |
C.Addiction to digital devices. | D.Working too many hours. |
A.Form a good sleep habit. | B.Take regular exercise. |
C.Listen to some soft music. | D.Surf the Internet less. |
9 . Girls should take part in competitive sport to build confidence, and the leaders of a group of girls’ schools will argue this week. Helen Fraser, director of the Girls’ Day School Trust(GDST), will tell the group that sport can help girls deal with failure.
“All girls, not just the sporty ones, should take physical exercise,” Ms. Fraser says. Research that girls are far less active than boys is worrying, she argues. Ms. Fraser will tell the group that she supports “sport for all”. “That’s why I love it when our schools have A, B, C and D teams and beyond,” she says.
The GDST draws on research from the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation which suggests only a quarter of girls in England meet basic levels of activity each week. One in five girls do no activity at all, twice the proportion of boys, the research suggests.
Ms. Fraser says other research suggests that more than 80% of women business leaders played sports while growing up. She uses the examples of former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who once was a skater and tennis player, and the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, who was in the French national swimming team. Ms. Fraser says Olympic medallists like Jessica Ennis and Katherine Grainger are excellent role models for young women but says women’s sport needs more money and more news reports.
Valerie Dunsford, head of Sheffield High School for Girls, part of GDST, said it was important to offer a large number of sports to attract different types of girls. “Not everyone wants to be out playing the hockey.” said Ms. Dunsford.
1. Which of the following ideas would Ms. Fraser agree with?A.Boys are born to be sport lovers. | B.Girls are less confident than boys. |
C.More should be done to make girls do sports. | D.Those taking part in the sport are always successes. |
A.1/10. | B.1/5. | C.1/4. | D.2/5. |
A.hard work will pay off | B.it’s not easy to be great |
C.sport can help girls to succeed | D.it’s necessary to balance work and sport |
A.To explain the key to success. | B.To show the importance of sport. |
C.To introduce more sports to girls. | D.To encourage more girls to do sports. |
10 . “Ni Hao! I am your foreign friend. Just have a bite of our organic apples (有机苹果) and place your orders here!” Erik Nilson, a Swedish traveler, greeted through TikTok livestreams (抖音直播) in a village of Jiangxi Province. His livestreams increased that day’s sales greatly. After experiencing a special day of livestreaming, Erik said jokingly. “I wish I could change my job.”
This village is not alone. Nowadays, China’s e-commerce platforms (电商平台) like TikTok and Taobao have helped open up online markets for Chinese farmers’ produce. This has made livestreaming sales a new way to help poor farmers, with mobile phones becoming “new farm tools”.
“How can you make the audience believe that your products are delicious just through the screen in front of you?” The government in Hainan Province invites experts to teach farmers some necessary skills including how to make short videos and how to increase livestreaming sales. “However, at first, only a few villagers gave it a shot. So we helped them get training in livestreaming, short video marketing, and other courses. It wasn’t fancy, but simple, practical, and effective.”
“Everybody, please take a look. This is the best banana. Taste it.” said Pei Yanqin, 59, speaking with a strong local accent but communicating carefully with audience through her livestreaming software. Just over a year ago, she was one of those villagers with the least interest to get training.
Today, the village has developed eight e-commerce livestreaming courtyards. Some farmers work alone, while others are husband and wife teams. In the next step, the government will train more farmers to conduct the livestreams and develop multi-variety online sales.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?A.To promote the organic apples. | B.To share a travel experience of Erik. |
C.To introduce the topic of the text. | D.To explain what the livestreams are. |
A.turned it down. | B.had a try at it. | C.had access to it. | D.argued about it. |
A.Erik Nilson came to China because he wants a new job. |
B.Pei Yanqin has no interest in livestreaming sales at all. |
C.Livestreaming has become the best way to help poor farmers. |
D.Government is helping farmers become skilled in marketing online. |
A.Business. | B.Education. | C.Science. | D.History. |