1 . A person could be forgiven for believing 20 years ago that the Internet would soon revolutionise academic publishing, because it became possible for publishers to spread scholarly work at the click of a button — much cheaper than the traditional subscription-based (订阅) model. Recognising the opportunity, many scholars and librarians started to advocate a new, open access model, in which articles are made freely available online to anyone. The result would be a true online public library of science.
However, more than two decades later, the movement has made little progress, and the traditional subscription-based model remains entrenched.
Fortunately, things are changing. A big shoe dropped when the University of California (UC) Libraries, on of the biggest library systems, declined to renew its contract with Elsevier, a leading scientific publisher. Elsevier wanted the libraries to pay two fees: one for its package of licensed journals and the other for the use of Elsevier’s open access model. UC Libraries wanted the licensed journals fee to cover the open access fee; they also wanted open access to all UC researches published in Elsevier journals. When the two sides couldn’t come to terms, the libraries walked away.
Actually, the open access revolution is more likely to be led by research funding agencies, who can use their purse power to promote open access. A team of funders, Coalition S, insisted that any research they fund should be published in a journal that makes all of its articles freely and immediately available to the public, which is called Plan S.
Now that some librarians and funders are flexing their muscles, what should academics do? The worst response would be to complain that Plan S deprives (剥夺) them of academic freedom. Some thoughtful academics might worry that a shift to open access would affect their promotion. After all, subscription journals are more familiar and more prestigious (有威望的) in the current system. However, if enough academics support open access, the system could reach a tipping point beyond which subscriptions no longer signal prestige. Reaching that point would take considerable time and efforts, but it is possible.
When the journal system started in 1665, it was kind of a form of open access. Journals allowed academics to learn openly from one another. It was only in the 1900s that the journal system became thoroughly commoditized (商品化). Now is the time to bring it back to its roots.
1. What does the underlined word “entrenched” in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?| A．Unpopular. | B．Unfixed. | C．Unchanged. | D．Unknown. |
| A．The number of published researches. |
| B．The charge for open access model. |
| C．The duration of the contract. |
| D．The way of payment. |
| A．Academics think open access model will help them get promoted. |
| B．Publishers are willing to abandon the subscription model gradually. |
| C．Establishing a true online public library of science requires joint efforts. |
| D．Open access model will soon take the place of subscription-based model. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Indifferent. | C．Doubtful. | D．Supportive. |
2 . Would you rather be an impressive employee in an ordinary firm, or land a role at the most well-known company in your industry?
The answer to that question might seem highly personal, based on factors like whether or not you are a competitive person and how much you enjoy a challenge. In fact, there’s another strong factor at play: People from different cultures react very differently to that question. The psychologists from the University of Michigan asked people theoretical questions about the decisions they take. Specifically, the researchers compared people with East Asian backgrounds and European American backgrounds. They found that Americans are much more likely to favor being a big fish in a small pond. East Asians, and specifically Chinese people, are much more likely than Americans to lean towards being a smaller fish in a bigger pond.
Researchers first asked 270 students at a large American university whether they would rather be a “big fish in a small pond” or the opposite. Of the students with East Asian American backgrounds, three quarters said they’d rather be a small fish, compared with just under 60% of students with European American backgrounds who said the same.
The researchers then compared American and Chinese adults. They asked the participants whether they would rather attend a top university but perform below average, and whether they would rather work for a top global company but do less well in comparison to their peers. Over half the Chinese adults chose the famous university, compared with just a third of Americans. In the case of the firms, well over half of people from both groups chose to do better at a less well-known firm, but Chinese people were still more likely to choose being a “small fish” than were Americans.
The final experiment sought to discover how American and Chinese people made judgments about whether they were succeeding. They found that Chinese people were more likely to compare their performance to the performance of people in other groups. Americans, meanwhile, were more likely to compare themselves to people within the same group, to judge whether or not they were doing well.
In East Asian cultures, it’s “not enough that you know you’re doing well in your school,” said Kaidi Wu, a PhD student in psychology who led the research. “It is much more important that other people — an outsider, a family relative, a future employer who has five seconds to glance through your resume — also recognize your academic excellence.”
America is the opposite: “Think about how many times themes like ‘You are your own person’ or ‘Stop worrying about what other people think’ course through song lyrics and self-help books,” Wu said, concluding: “The choices we make are the products of our culture.”
1. The psychologists from the University of Michigan find that ______.| A．Americans tend to achieve success in a big company |
| B．Chinese are likely to perform better in a big company |
| C．Americans prefer to shine in a relatively small company |
| D．Chinese are comfortable with working in a small company |
| A．compare different attitudes towards competition | B．find different views about personal success |
| C．judge performances of different groups | D．confirm which culture is better |
| A．his neighbors | B．his classmates | C．his teachers | D．his parents |
| A．plays a key role in people’s choice making | B．shows who we grow up to be in the future |
| C．is the most important factor behind success | D．determines students’ academic performance |
3 . A video circulated on social media earlier this year, showing a tourist opening the door of a vehicle, reaching out an arm and attempting to stroke a passing lion. The lion shrugged the tourist off, but it could have easily gone horribly wrong.
Reckless behaviour around wildlife risks the safety of both people and animals. People risk being attacked, mauled (撕咬) and possibly killed, while animals can be harmed, removed or even put down, regardless of whether they were only defending themselves. Animal attacks can also cast a destination in a negative light, causing temporary closures or scaring off visitors. All just so someone could boast that they had stroked a lion or captured a moment on a camera phone.
“Tourists are getting more and more reckless around wildlife and the source of the problem is social media.” says wildlife photographer Anette Mosshachers. “People risking their lives or doing stupid things with wildlife are after ‘likes’ and followers, something to show off on social media,” says Mossbacher. “The greater the risk, the more ‘likes’ they get. With some clients, it seems like a sickness or addiction.”
Yet social media is not entirely to blame. People have always taken risks for an experience. Foolish behavior and a tendency to get cocky around dangerous animals must have been around since the dawn of humanity. A hunger for attention online might drive some of the current madness, but some individuals might be trying to recreate a piece of the action they have seen on television. Perhaps the adrenaline (肾上腺激素) rush when close to wild animals causes a disappearance of common sense.
“There’s a worrying lack of awareness that animals several times our size, weight, speed and strength can easily hurt us,” says wildlife photographer David Lloyd. “I don’t think parks are doing enough to raise awareness. Tourists need to know how their presence can affect wildlife. A good example is cheetahs (猎豹) on vehicle rooftops. It may be a thrill for the bystanders, but the consequences if a mother cheetah falls off would be severe. She would no longer be able to hunt, so her cubs could easily starve.”
“People aren’t getting the education about why they need to stay away from wildlife, including avoiding diseases, keeping people secure and letting wildlife be wild,” says Philip Muruthi, vice president of species conservation and science for the African Wildlife Foundation. “We need to educate tourists through signs, pamphlets and frontline drivers. We should stick to guidelines, and there needs to be enforcement through the law.”
1. What can we learn about reckless behaviour around wildlife?| A．It may get animals killed for defending themselves. |
| B．It may bring more profits to a tourist destination. |
| C．It enables tourists to get intimate with animals. |
| D．It harms tourists more than animals. |
| A．sympathetic | B．disapproving | C．indifferent | D．doubtful |
| A．over-sensitive. | B．over-confident | C．over-frightened. | D．over-shocked. |
| A．Punishment rather than education can stop people taking silly risks around wildlife. |
| B．Parks are expected to take more responsibilities for educating tourists. |
| C．More regulation of the tourist industry is the key to raising tourists’ awareness. |
| D．Raising tourists’ awareness means stressing the danger of animals to them. |
Nowadays, there exists a common phenomenon. A man walks along the sidewalk, a smartphone in hand and completely
The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people’s lives. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot
6 . As the latest crop of students pen their undergraduate application form and weigh up their options, it may be worth considering just now the point, purpose and value of a degree has changed and what Generation Z need to consider as they start the third stage of their educational journey.
Millennials were told that if you did well in school, got a decent degree, you would be set up for life. But that promise has been found wanting. As degrees became universal, they became devalued. Education was no longer a secure route of social mobility. Today, 28 percent of graduates in the UK are in non- graduate roles, a percentage which is double the average among OECD countries.
This is not to say that there is no point in getting a degree, but rather stress that a degree is not for everyone, that the switch from classroom to lecture hall is not an inevitable one and that other options are available.
Thankfully, there are signs that this is already happening, with Generation Z seeking to learn from their millennial predecessors (前辈), even if parents and teachers tend to be still set in the degree mindset. Employers have long seen the advantages of hiring school leavers who often prove themselves to be more committed and loyal employees than graduates. Many too are seeing the advantages of cancelling a degree requirement for certain roles.
Regardless, it is unlikely that Generation Z will be done with education at 18 or 21; they will need to be constantly up-skilling throughout their career to stay employable. It has been estimated that this generation, due to the pressures of technology, the wish for personal fulfillment and desire for diversity, will work for 17 different employers over the course of their working life and have five different careers. Education, and not just knowledge gained on campus, will be a core part of Generation Z’s career trajectory (轨道).
Older generations often talk about their degree in the present and personal tense: “I am a geographer” or “I am a classist”. Their sons or daughters would never say such a thing; it’s as if they already know that their degree won’t define them in the same way.
1. The percentage of UK graduates in non-graduate roles reflect __________.| A．the deceasing value of a degree | B．Millennial’s opinions about work |
| C．the desired route of social mobility | D．public dissatisfaction with education |
| A．The employers’ preference for high school leavers. |
| B．A change in parents’ attitudes towards college education. |
| C．A wider variety of choices besides pursuing a degree. |
| D．More emphasis put on lecture hall rather than classroom. |
| A．They will have a limited choice of jobs. |
| B．Education will no longer be a core part in their life. |
| C．They will focus more on personal accomplishment. |
| D．Lifelong learning will determine what they are. |
7 . Adaptations are currently popular in the movie industry.
The most well-known version of a film being adapted to books is via the novelization. Movie novelizations went through a boom period before the internet era. Fans wanted to know more about the fictional worlds and experience the story again in a new way.
Meanwhile, the screen to page process has also opened up the possibility of sequels (续篇). Perhaps there simply wasn’t financial investment to create a follow-up to a film. Maybe a sequel idea simply felt more appropriate for a novel.
But what are the benefits of reading a novel instead of waiting for the big screen version? Well, a novel can take its reader deeper into the mind of the characters that the film had to represent in a more visual way.
Book adaptations of films obviously won’t ever replace cinema, and there’s no need to choose one or the other.
| A．Besides, descriptions can be more detailed too. |
| B．For a time, they were everything for cinema lovers. |
| C．We’re all familiar with film adaptations of books. |
| D．Films being adapted to books has been talked repeatedly. |
| E．Regardless, some terrific films have been expanded upon thanks to this medium. |
| F．But they couldn’t simply google it, or immediately purchase the production on tape. |
| G．Actually, these two mediums are considerably interdependent and complementary. |
Jobs and occupations come and go at an
Over the past several decades, many different benefits of humor
10 . In the modern age, social media platforms have emerged as powerful tools for communication, networking, and self-expression. With billions of active users worldwide, these platforms have profoundly influenced the human interaction. Recent psychological studies have delved into understanding the influence of prolonged (长期的) social media usage on individual self-esteem (自尊) and identity formation.
Context and Prevalence (流行)
Social media platforms, including Weibo, WeChat Moments, Douyin, and Little Red Book, offer ways for individuals to project curated versions of their lives. While this can serve as a medium of affirmation, it also compares one’s daily life against the specially edited highlights of others, which could potentially lead to feelings of failure and unsatisfactory.
Research Findings on Self-Esteem
A study conducted among adolescents aged 13-19 showed that extreme social media use correlates with lower self-esteem scores. Participants who spent over five hours daily on these platforms demonstrated significant tendencies towards self-devaluation (自我贬低) and negative self-perception (自体感受). The study believed that the constant exposure of idealized images and lives leads to an involuntary (不自主的) comparison, often placing the individual on the lesser end of the spectrum.
Implications for Identity Formation
For adolescents, a critical time of identity formation happens during the teenage years. Social media can often blur the lines (模糊界限) between personal identity and digital persona (面貌，形象). A study tracked teenagers for five years and found that heavy social media users often experienced identity confusion. Their digital avatars, formed under societal pressures, sometimes overshadowed their real personalities, leading to internal conflicts and a confusion to real selfhood.
Possible Solutions and Future Research
While the negative influence of social media on mental well-being are evident, it’s also essential to highlight its potential benefits. Platforms can help to add a sense of belonging, provide informational support, and serve as outlets for creative expression. Future research could explore potential interventions (介入，干涉) to reduce the negative effects.
In conclusion, while social media offers a huge number of opportunities and ways for expression, it’s important that teenagers approach it with awareness. The psychological landscape it shapes is hard to understand, and understanding its depths requires continued research, empathy (共鸣), and active measures.
1. What do we know about the study involving adolescents aged 13-19?| A．It took five hours for participants to take part in the study |
| B．It suggested that we should not compare our lives with others |
| C．It caused self-devaluation and negative self-perception to participants. |
| D．It showed that too much social media use resulted in low self-esteem. |
| A．Social media algorithms (算法). | B．Digital marketing tools. |
| C．Online versions of individuals. | D．Digital assistants. |
| A．They cause identity crises (危机) to them. | B．They lead to feelings of unsatisfactory. |
| C．They project version of their lives. | D．They overshadow their personalities. |
| A．Entirely negative. | B．Quite positive. | C．Mixed with caution. | D．Indifferent and neutral. |
