1 . The Internet is a global network, which allows digital information to travel around the world. Let’s view some most popular uses of the Internet.
Information search
We search for information every day.
One of the most significant and popular use of the Internet is email. Email is a common thing that a majority of people check after they have logged (登录) on to the Internet.
Online shopping
Education
The Internet plays an important role in effectively shaping today’s school education process. It has the availability and the quality of learning for many students. They can study what they want and whenever they feel the most productive.
We are witnessing the rise of informal education where college graduates have online access and can sharpen their skills and get faster progress in a specific field.
| A．Communication |
| B．Online bill payments |
| C．Our habits of buying things have changed a lot |
| D．They can also attend classes or take exams online at home |
| E．It is done by typing a question for which we seek specific information |
| F．Many other personal businesses create their online shops every day |
| G．The email has enabled easier and faster communication between people |
2 . Text message acronyms (缩略词) caused plenty of confusion for the older generations when mobile phones became commonplace — now emojis are making the embarrassment become more serious.
Slack, a workplace messaging service, surveyed 9,400 office workers worldwide including 1,000 in the UK. It found the biggest emoji socially embarrassing action or mistake at work was pictures of lips. Most older workers did not realize the double meaning of the peach emoji, which for younger users means hips. Olivia Grace, a director at Slack, said, “The findings of our research are very clear — be careful when communicating with emojis across generations. Emojis offer a great way to communicate emotion, whether it’s a joke, support or something else, but it’s good to be aware that different meanings may exist to avoid any awkward interpretations.”
The simple smiling face was also a source of misunderstanding — 60 percent of over-40s used it to show happiness or pleasure but a significant number of younger workers used it to convey “deep anger”. An image of someone painting their nails was the most confusing — it meant nothing to the older generation, while the under-25s said they used it to say “there is gossip”, and the 25 to 40-year-olds used it to communicate making themselves more beautiful. However, all ages agreed on the meaning of some emojis, such as a face with tears of laughter and a crying emoji.
Speaking about its reasons for conducting the survey, Slack said, “Are there certain emojis that should restrict your boss from using them? Have your international colleagues ever misunderstood an emoji? And do you usually wait to build a relationship before sending emojis at work?” It added that with thousands of emojis at users’ treatment, “there’s a lot of potential” to communicate by mistake.
Emojis are not technically a form of language, as they lack grammar. The original user of a particular emoji has no copyright on how it is to be understood. The significance of emojis belongs to those who use them, and they have a truly valuable role in written communication.
1. What did Slack find about emojis?| A．Acronyms cause more confusion than them. | B．People understand some of them differently. |
| C．It’s popular for office workers to use them. | D．They can avoid many awkward situations. |
| A．By analyzing causes. | B．By raising questions. |
| C．By following time order. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．To help people use emojis properly. | B．To find original emojis. |
| C．To prove the convenience of emojis. | D．To explain some special emojis. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Dismissive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Approving. |
3 . As the movie Nomadland revealed to the world, ever since the 2008 financial collapse, people have mowed into vehicles as a way of surviving the high cost of living. The pandemic also fuelled an increase in the nomadic (流浪的) lifestyle.
In 2020, my co-researcher Scott Rankin and I looked at how people who live in vehicles balance work and life. This year, I continued my research to better understand why people live this way.
People of all ages and genders take part in van (面包车) living. The average age of van dwellers (居住者) was 42. After asking respondents to rank the reasons why they chose to live in a vehicle, ranked from top to bottom are: 1) freedom, 2) low cost of living, 3) adventure, 4)connection to nature,5)minimalism,6)avoiding undesirable weather,7)starting a new life, 8)pursuing work in different places, 9)working remotely, 10)to be on their own, 11)to join a partner, 12)to leave a partner.
Above all else, vehicle dwellers sought to be free. Whether they were a re tire n in a $100,000 Mercedes van, or young Canadians working from a $5 ,000 van, respondents wanted to be able to move their home to any place that was best for them. For others, living in a vehicle minimized their costs, allowing them to work less or make the most of their income without paying rent.
As it turns out, van living is not a fad. While many respondents were new to van living, on average, respondents indicated they had been living in a vehicle for an average of 2.5 years. Seventy-eight per cent of respondents permanently lived in a vehicle.
As the housing crisis deepens, we may see more people consider van living as a means of surviving the high cost of living. It will be up to the government to accept this alternative living arrangement, and consider having parking and facilities to support those who choose to live this way.
1. What’s the purpose of the author’s research?| A．To advocate a new lifestyle. | B．To produce a scientific theory. |
| C．To understand a social phenomenon. | D．To improve some people’s living conditions. |
| A．Their top concern is money. | B．They have different motives. |
| C．They value family more than work. | D．They are mainly adventurous people. |
| A．Something that isn’t suitable for all. | B．Something that isn’t likely to last. |
| C．Something that is popular for long. | D．Something that attracts old people. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Tolerant. | C．Approving. | D．Opposed. |
4 . These days, there’s barely a world leader who doesn’t talk up science. For example, the India’s Prime Minister was the main performer at the annual Indian Science Congress, held in Nagpur, where he encouraged the nation’s researchers to do the science needed to make India self-reliant.
The message to researchers is crystal clear: leaders see science as essential to national prosperity, well-being and, of course, competitiveness. So, is research fit for the challenge of advancing, refining or critiquing these goals? Not exactly. And it won’t be until there is fundamental reform to the gateway to a research career: PhD training.
As Nature and other publications have frequently reported, PhD training worldwide has been in trouble for some time. Students’ stipends (生活津贴) are not enough in most countries, creating a cost-of-living crisis. Early-career researchers constantly report concerns about a constant lack of support and poor-quality supervision, with senior researchers rarely trained in mentorship (指导).
Furthermore, PhD candidates are inadequately prepared for the cross-disciplinary working and large teams that characterize cutting-edge science today. This is especially true for careers outside academic research, where the overwhelming majority of PhD candidates will be heading.
It is not all bad. Universities in a small number of high-income countries have reformed, or are reforming, PhD assessment. But in most places, and especially in low- and middle-income countries, a candidate’s work is still evaluated using a single-authored paper. In many countries, candidates must publish in a journal before they get a PhD, something that critics say could fuel profitable publishing.
The system’s strains have become more obvious because the number of people doing PhD training has been rising sharply. According to the 2022 book Towards a Global Core Value System in Doctoral Education, the number of PhDs awarded in India increased from 17,850 in 2004 to 25,095 in 2016; US figures climbed from 48,500 to 69,525 over the same period. If researchers are to meet society’s expectations, their training and mentoring must escape the nineteenth century.
1. Why is the India’s Prime Minister mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To indicate India’s serious scientific landscape. |
| B．To imply more researchers are in great demand in India. |
| C．To show leaders’ emphasis on scientific research. |
| D．To demonstrate more and more people take an interest in science. |
| A．The reforms in science. | B．The significance of mentorship. |
| C．The creation of academic culture. | D．The issues early-career researchers face. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Satisfied. | C．Indifferent. | D．Enthusiastic. |
| A．PhD education is developing gradually. |
| B．The reforms in PhD training admit of no delay. |
| C．The number of PhDs awarded has increased in India and the US. |
| D．The demand for researchers’ meeting society’s expectations is pressing. |
5 . Like many people, in terms of socializing, I prioritize (优先考虑) making time for my closest friends and family. When it comes to reaching out to people, I don’t know as well I often find myself unwilling to engage. This could be a big mistake, though, according to a new study. Having different types of social interactions seems to be central to our happiness —something many of us may think little of.
In a series of surveys, researchers looked at how having a socially diverse network related to people’s well-being. In one survey, 578 Americans reported on what activities they had been engaged in, with whom and for how long over the past 24 hours, while also saying how happy with life they were. The researchers found that people with more diverse social networks were happier and more satisfied with life than those with less diverse networks — regardless of how much time they had spent socializing overall.
“The more you can broaden your social circle and reach out to people you talk to less frequently —like an acquaintance, a friend, a coworker, or even a stranger —the more it could have positive benefits for your well-being,” said the lead researcher Hanne Collins of Harvard Business School.
To further test this idea, she and her colleagues looked at large data sets from the American Time Use Survey and the World Health Organization’s Study on Global Aging and Adult Health. In both cases, they found that when people had a broader range of social interactions, they experienced greater happiness and well-being.
Then Collins and her colleagues did another analysis, using data from a mobile app that 21,644 French-speaking people used to report on their daily social activities and happiness. There, they found that when someone experienced greater-than-average social diversity one week, they were happier that week and the week after.
Why is that? It could be that being with different people contributes to different kinds of emotions, which may be a driving force in our happiness, says Collins. Alternatively, it could be that having a more diverse network allows you to get various social supports when you need it. Whatever the case, Collins hopes her research will inspire people to expand their social networks when they can.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Reaching out to strangers is a must in people’s life. |
| B．It could be a mistake for people to socialize with strangers. |
| C．Diverse social interactions contribute little to people’s happiness. |
| D．Many people are more willing to interact with the closest friends. |
| A．Its results were different from culture to culture. |
| B．Its results were against the ones of previous surveys. |
| C．The researchers collected large amounts of data from different apps. |
| D．It focused on the impact of a more diverse social network on life happiness. |
| A．Any stranger or co-worker can bring you happiness. |
| B．Broad social circle contributes to more happiness. |
| C．Happiness depends on how much time you spend with strangers. |
| D．Broad social network leads to a balanced life. |
| A．Collins’s social life. | B．Collins’s conclusions. |
| C．Collins’s new research. | D．Collins’s specific suggestions. |
6 . In much of the western United States, drought and access to fresh water is a critical issue. However, recently California came up with a novel solution. The state approved regulations that allow agencies to purify wastewater for drinking. This recycled wastewater may be consumed in homes, schools, and businesses.
As the population in California has exploded in recent decades, the state has struggled to meet demands for fresh water. Recycled wastewater will allow the state to increase access to the precious resource.
Recycled wastewater is not new to the state. It has previously been used in ice hockey rinks (冰球场), for crops, and to generate artificial snow. But now, water agencies will have the option to put recycled wastewater back into pipes for drinking. California is only the second state to allow purified wastewater to be consumed. The first was Colorado in 2022.
While the idea of drinking recycled wastewater may be off-putting, regulators spent more than a decade developing rules and regulations to ensure safety. Independent panels of scientists also reviewed the state’s rules around recycled wastewater consumption. All water will be treated for pathogens (病原体) and viruses before being available for consumption.
So far, the state’s plan has been met with approval from large water agencies. Many of them have plans to construct wastewater recycling plans over the next few years. In Southern California, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has set a goal aiming to produce 150 million gallons of direct and indirect recycled water per day. This water will be in the pipes of the 19 million people throughout the six counties that the agency serves.
Officials are aware that a certain amount of public convincing may still be necessary. However, they remain optimistic about the future of the project, reminding consumers that the water is safe, and that recycled water is already in use in California.
1. Why does California pass new regulations about recycled wastewater?| A．To ease the pressure of drought. | B．To increase the supply of fresh water. |
| C．To recycle the wastewater for industry. | D．To reduce the pollution of the wastewater. |
| A．Surprising. | B．Necessary. | C．Funny. | D．Awful. |
| A．The goal of wastewater recycling is hard to achieve. |
| B．The state’s plan will be conducted by water agencies. |
| C．Southern California will reduce its water production. |
| D．People in California tend to prefer recycled water. |
| A．Many people still disapprove of the project. |
| B．The public are optimistic about the project. |
| C．It will never be suitable to use recycled water. |
| D．The project is the only solution to water shortage. |
Military-Style Cotton Coats (军大衣) Have Made a Major Comeback this Winter and Stormed College Campuses
A video of college students in northeastern China
With the price of down jackets (羽绒服) increasing, college students in China have picked up floral cotton-padded jackets and military coats to fend off the winter cold. Thanks
The general thinking among students
One can buy ten cotton coats at the price of one down jacket. The
Down jackets have been
The price of goose down has increased,
8 . Airlines already place common-sense limits on young passengers. For example, on United Airlines, babies younger than seven days old can’t fly. And lately, there’s been a heated discussion about keeping little ones out of business class. Why draw a line there?
No one’s suggesting a ban on babies, or even kids, from flights. That wouldn’t make sense for passengers or airlines. Banning children from flights would be a financial disaster for airlines. That’s because leisure travel accounts for two-thirds of all air travel incomes, and people sometimes take their kids on vacation with them despite their kids’ screams, tantrums (发脾气) and meltdowns.
But maybe it’s time for a little course correction when it comes to children. Maybe there are places we should keep baby-free, such as a section of the plane, or the entire plane. It will benefit passengers because all or some of them will arrive at their destinations well-rested and ready for their vacation or work.
There are some passengers who believe airlines shouldn’t restrict young passengers from flying anywhere. They think people seem to forget that babies and toddlers are people. Restricting children may be an easy solution, but it will have long-term consequences. They’re not going to like the humans they grow up to be.
There’s an equally convincing argument that we should place sensible limits on babies. Some may have physiological challenges that make a flight unbearable. Others may not have the patience to sit in a pressurized aluminum tube for hours. Some of them are just not ready to sit still for a 12-hour flight. But the biggest challenge for babies and toddlers is the pressure changes on the climb to and fall from cruising (平稳行驶的) altitude.
Babies will keep flying anyway. So there are always a few ways of staying calm when you are seated close to a seat-kicking child who raises the noise level on your next flight, for example, asking a flight attendant for help, buying a good pair of noise-canceling headphones or earplugs or avoiding the babies entirely by booking the red-eye flights.
1. What is the common sense about children taking flights?| A．Children tend to lack patience. |
| B．Not all children should be banned from flights. |
| C．Flights shouldn’t ban children from business class. |
| D．Babies should be accompanied by adults on flights. |
| A．Flights have no suitable seats for them. |
| B．Airlines can’t profit as much from them. |
| C．They make their parents lose their minds. |
| D．They are too noisy for other passengers. |
| A．Children’s mental health will be influenced. |
| B．Children tend to lose the appetite for flying. |
| C．Children are likely to be ignored when they grow up. |
| D．Children will have a weak connection with their family. |
| A．A discussion about keeping little children out of flights. |
| B．A benefit of passengers on the flights keeping baby-free. |
| C．A financial disaster for airlines banning children from flights. |
| D．A new measure to make all passengers happy on the flights. |
9 . “In the United States, 40 million Americans are food insecure. They don’t know where their next meal is going to come from,” said Aidan Reilly, who co-founded Farmlink. “Meanwhile, in the United States we’re throwing out over 100 billion pounds of food every year.”
Started during the hard period in spring 2020, Farmlink was initially supposed to help struggling families and food banks. Reilly and his childhood friend James Kanoff were reading and watching news about food shortages, and they learned that local farms were forced to destroy spare produce that they couldn’t sell, especially with restaurants, schools and hotels closed. Reilly, Kanoff and a group of friends worked together over Zoom, text and e-mail to contact farms. They didn’t really set out to start a nonprofit then but just thought it would be great to figure out one way to help starving (饥饿的) people.
With “we’ll come to you” as their catchphrase, the group rented trucks and attempted to do all the food pickup and deliveries themselves. They had a lot of difficulties in the beginning, but they made it work, moving more than one million pounds of produce from farms to food banks within just two months and transforming their project into a massive logistics operation in the process. Word spread, and more and more young people at home during the pandemic reached out to help.
Farmlink has worked with more than 100 farms and 300 communities in the United States, rescuing and moving enough food to distribute (配送) more than 64 million meals. “The bigger Farmlink gets, the bigger our worldview gets. There are everyday Americans who live next to us and don’t know how they’re going to feed their kids. And that’s exactly who we’re doing this for,” Reilly said.
1. What does Aidan Reilly think is the reason for food shortages in the US?| A．The lack of food suppliers. |
| B．High food prices for most Americans. |
| C．Underproduction of food in the world. |
| D．The mismatch between food supply and demand. |
| A．It produced food specifically for them. |
| B．It collected money by selling produce. |
| C．It set up food distribution channels. |
| D．It persuaded the rich to donate food to them. |
| A．All Americans. | B．People in poor countries. |
| C．People living nearby. | D．Parents with starving kids. |
| A．A Project Widening Our Worldview |
| B．A Bridge Between Spare Food and Starvation |
| C．A Nonprofit Organization for Food Production |
| D．A Group of People Fighting Against Food Waste |
10 . Have you ever wondered why most store-bought tomatoes are so tasteless? Does it relate to climate change or soils? The answer has something to do with farmers’ income: Tomato farmers care about output, and the genetic variants (基因变体) associated with output are not associated with tasty tomato flavor, a new study finds.
Is it possible to bring back the rich, sweet flavor of the tomato? To find out, Denise Tieman, research assistant at the University of Florida, explored which genes are associated with tomatoes’ taste.
In an attempt to fix supermarket tomatoes, Florida researchers looked at 398 different types and identified the chemical and genetic makeup of each one. They had participants taste-test 101 varieties, cross-referencing the participants’ favorites with their research findings. They ended up with 13 genetic compositions that are most likely responsible for giving tomatoes their flavor. The researchers then measured the content of the 13 flavor compositions in each of the tomatoes, and identified about250 genetic loci (遗传基因座) that controlled tomato flavor. And the researchers also wanted to explore why supermarket tomatoes have no taste.
It turns out that for industrial growers, it all comes down to priorities (优先性). North American consumers want year-round availability, so farmers started raising their plants for qualities like firmness, shelf life, high output and disease resistance, says Tieman. “Not to discount any of that because it’s all important. We want to have tomatoes in the grocery stores year round and be able to ship them long distances when it’s winter in the north. If they have to be shipped from Florida or Mexico, you need to have all those features.” But as growers planted tomatoes to meet those priorities, the flavor gradually disappeared.
Going back to the old varieties is not an option—at least, not for grocery stores. But the researchers believe that there is hope for a growable tomato that’s both long-lasting and flavorful in about three to five years.
1. What is the main reason for the tasteless store-bought tomatoes?| A．They get little energy from the soil. |
| B．They are affected by climate change. |
| C．Tomato farmers prioritize output over flavor. |
| D．Consumers demand tomatoes with a longer shelf life. |
| A．They conducted a survey on tomato consumers. |
| B．They measured the size and firmness of tomatoes. |
| C．They analyzed the genetics of different tomato varieties. |
| D．They interviewed tomato farmers about their growing methods. |
| A．Reserved. | B．Positive. | C．Objective. | D．Dismissive. |
| A．How Are Tasty Tomatoes Produced? |
| B．New Tomato Varieties to Be Released |
| C．Risks of Too Much Tomato Consumption |
| D．Why Do Store Tomatoes Lose Their Flavor? |
