1 . The easiest and least complicated way to motivate somebody is quite simply to pay them attention. What you say is not important, nor necessarily is how long you spend saying it, as long as it’s something. “Nice weather” or “How are you?” will do.
People just love attention, adults and children. Children love attention so much that they will do anything to get some. In fact, if children are not getting enough attention, they would rather be naughty and get told off than be “good” and be ignored. An interesting time in most households with young children is dinnertime-it’s the end of the day, everybody is tired, the house is in a mess and Johnny doesn’t like carrots and is refusing to eat his food. Again, the easy trap to fall into is to start getting cross with Johnny and getting into a big argument about his food. Again, he’s getting the attention he desires; even if it’s not the best sort of attention, it’s better than nothing. It’s fascinating if you are able to stand back from the situation and instead focus attention and praise on Johnny’s brother who is eating his food-after all, he is one that is doing what you want him to do. After five or ten minutes or so of being ignored, it’s amazing how quickly (usually) Johnny sees sense and obeys. I’ve watched my own children in this situation go from screaming from behind the sofa, saying “Mummy, aren’t I doing good dinner eating?”-all without having one word spoken to them by their parents, who are busily paying attention to their brothers.
This fundamental need for attention, and doing whatever it takes to get it, doesn’t disappear when we turn into adults. Sure, there are people who are “real attention seekers” in a loud and extravert (外向的) way, and there are the shy, retiring types who don’t want attention in such a “sociable” way. But everybody still wants to be recognized and seen worthwhile.
1. What will children probably do to get parents attention?| A．They will get quiet for a long time. | B．They will ignore their parents. |
| C．They will behave naughtily. | D．They will get cross easily. |
| A．A set-up situation parents are likely to go into. |
| B．The household work that parents can not avoid. |
| C．Some tempting food children easily love to eat. |
| D．A bad habit children easily develop. |
| A．scolding them severely | B．teaching them what to do |
| C．giving them total freedom | D．praising their sisters or brothers |
| A．Children s upbringing needs parents’ constant care. |
| B．Children are usually extravert while adults are sociable. |
| C．Both children and adults need to be seen as worthwhile. |
| D．The motivation of children differs greatly from that of adults. |
2 . Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, has become a lot more common in recent decades. Some even consider myopia an epidemic (流行病). But what causes myopia and what reduces it?
While having two myopic parents does mean you’re more likely to be nearsighted, there’s no single myopia gene. That means the causes of myopia are more behavioral than genetic.
Scientists have learned a great deal about the progression of myopia by studying visual development in baby chickens. They do so by putting little hats on baby chickens. Lenses (镜片) on the face of the hats cover the chicks’ eyes and are adjusted to affect how much they see.
Just like in humans, if visual input is wrong, a chick’s eyes grow too large, resulting in myopia. And it’s progressive. Blur (模糊) leads to eye growth, which causes more blur, which makes the eye grow even larger, and so on.
Two recent studies featuring extensive surveys of children and their parents provide strong support for the idea that an important driver of the increase in myopia is that people are spending more time focusing on objects immediately in front of our eyes, whether a screen, a book or a drawing pad.
Other research has shown that this unnatural eye growth can be interrupted by sunlight. A 2022 study, for example, found that myopia rates were more than four times greater for children who didn’t spend much time outdoors — say, once or twice a week — compared with those who were outside daily. At the same time, kids who spent more than three hours a day while not at school reading or looking at a screen close-up were four times more likely to have myopia than those who spent an hour or less doing so.
Fortunately, just a few minutes a day with glasses that correct blur stops the progression of myopia, which is why early vision testing and vision correction are important to limit the development of myopia.
1. What can we learn from the study on baby chickens?| A．Myopia in chicks is not progressive. |
| B．Myopia is mainly caused by genetic factors. |
| C．Visual input affects the growth of a chick’s eyes. |
| D．Lenses can prevent chicks from developing myopia. |
| A．Absence of enough sleeping hours. | B．Too much screen time. |
| C．Poor and unbalanced diet. | D．Lack of high-intense activities. |
| A．Outdoor light helps prevent myopia. | B．Reading is the direct cause of myopia. |
| C．Researchers have found a cure for myopia. | D．Children should play outdoors twice a week at least. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Approving. | C．Doubtful. | D．Dismissive. |
3 . New research from the American non-profit organization Consumer Reports finds that plastics have a “widespread” presence in food. The group called on the United States government to examine the safety of food that comes into contact with plastics during production.
In a report released Thursday, Consumer Reports said that 84 out of 85 food products it recently tested contained “plasticizers” called phthalates. Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics last longer. The researchers also said 79 percent of the examined foods contained bisphenol A (BPA), another chemical found in plastics.
In these tests, the researchers checked a wider variety of foods to see how much of the chemicals Americans actually consume. The answer is quite a lot. The tests found that bisphenols and phthalates remain widespread in food, almost in every food we tested. The levels did not depend on packaging type, and no one particular type of food — say, dairy products or prepared meals — was more likely than another to have them. Consumer Reports said all the levels were within limits set by U.S. and European regulators. All the foods tested remained within the limits. However, does that mean it is safe to eat?
Beyond highlighting these concerns, Consumer Reports is actively working on issues related to consumer safety. This includes advocating for the banning of harmful chemicals in food. The widespread presence of plastics in food is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention from both regulators and consumers. While we wait for policy changes, there are steps individuals can take to reduce exposure to these chemicals. Some of these measures include avoiding plastic food storage containers, limiting consumption of fast food. Replacing plastic kitchen tools with those made of wood and stainless steel can also help. Using glass or steel water bottles can further reduce exposure. It’s also important to air your home regularly to reduce exposure to phthalates in household dust.
1. What is the finding of the research?| A．Plastic containers are widely used nowadays. | B．Plastics can pollute food during production. |
| C．Plastics contain many harmful materials. | D．Plastics are related to food safety issue. |
| A．To stress its key role in making plastics. | B．To show it will do harm to our health. |
| C．To offer basic information to consumers. | D．To tell what food products are made up of. |
| A．Bisphenols and phthalates are not used. | B．The set limits may not be suitable at present. |
| C．The regulators don’t perform their duty. | D．The packaging types are still the same. |
| A．By discussing research experiments. | B．By comparing different results. |
| C．By analyzing cause and effect. | D．By presenting problem and solution. |
4 . Have you heard yourself say “it was nothing really” when someone congratulates you on a job well done? Or when you are asked to make a list of what you have achieved, you draw a blank? Maybe you have success amnesia.
Failing to acknowledge your hard work is often a sign of “success amnesia”. People with success amnesia are often successful yet they find it difficult to admit achievements. They are people who others would describe as successful and yet they find it difficult to acknowledge their results.
Success amnesia robs them of the satisfying sense that can help them achieve a goal. And, perhaps more importantly, it robs them of confidence. Confidence does not guarantee success, but it does increases the chances of success. Think of the classic children’s story, The Little Engine That Could. The Little Blue Engine comes to the rescue of a broken-down train, working hard to pull the stranded (搁浅的) goods up and over a mountain. As she moves upwards, she continuously says “I think I can”, and finally she makes it to the mountaintop and begins downwards.
Imagine you will throw a 50th birthday celebration for your partner. If you approach the task with “I think I can” in your mind, then you’re likely to tackle it with energy. You might not have done anything similar before, but you trust yourself to work it out. You hold meetings to gather ideas and work out a plan. Approaching the task with your head full of “I can’t do this”, on the other hand, would likely result in more hesitant steps. It’s difficult to get the work finished when you hold the belief that the task is beyond you.
Confidence fuels success and success fuels confidence. Our achievements provide us with evidence of what we’re capable of, increasing our self-belief and fueling our confidence to do more. Success amnesia reduces confidence. To boost one’s confidence, it is necessary to tackle success amnesia.
1. Which student may have “success amnesia”?| A．One willing to help others. | B．One refusing to admit his mistake. |
| C．One thinking little of his achievements. | D．One speaking highly of his own composition. |
| A．To explain the reason behind success amnesia. |
| B．To praise the perseverance of The Little Blue Engine. |
| C．To give an example that confidence can guarantee success. |
| D．To prove that one is more likely to succeed with confidence. |
| A．By citing a real case. | B．By presenting supporting facts. |
| C．By analyzing contributing factors. | D．By showing comparison and contrast. |
| A．Ways to deal with success amnesia, |
| B．Different opinions on success amnesia. |
| C．Scientific research into success amnesia. |
| D．Possible consequences of success amnesia |
5 . An employee of a tech company, Laura Mae Martin, sent an email to her co-workers: What if for six weeks straight, you spent one night per week without technology gadgets (小装置)?
Start with one simple question. Pay attention to when you have an urge to lift your phone or open social media. When you become aware of it, simply ask yourself, “Do I really need to do this right now?”
Schedule tiny tech breaks.
Make the technology work for you. To develop a healthy relationship with technology, you need to be in control of it and not the other way around.
| A．Focus your attention on the relationships around you. |
| B．Take some features out of your mobile devices. |
| C．Extended vacations from your gadgets may not be possible. |
| D．You’re gaining self-control by becoming aware of the desire. |
| E．Think about your device as a tool that you decide how to use. |
| F．Asking the question may help you resist the desire to check your device. |
| G．Then she was flooded with responses eager for a break from their phones. |
6 . Recent studies suggest four out of 10 persons feel lonely at least one or two days per week, with younger persons (Millennials and Gen Z) exhibiting signs of extreme alienation (疏远) and disconnection more than other generations. Even older people, who are frequently regarded as lonely with few persons to speak to and objectively have lost many family members and friends, report less loneliness than Millennials. Why do Millennials report being the most lonely, and what can be done to address it?
Thirty percent of people between 23 and 38 said they often “feel lonely”. “But wait,” you may say. “Aren’t they connected through technology, social media platforms, and various apps?” Yes, but one of the challenges of extensive smartphone and app use today is that we are being trained to stare at screens rather than meet and have face-to-face conversations with people. Still, at the same time, people who spend more than 8 hours a day on screens per day tend to report other issues: depression, anxiety and other serious challenges to their well-being.
A meeting of minds used to happen via religious gatherings and school. So a possible solution is to create spaces and locations where one (and not just Millennials) can meet folks who share additional common interests. One possibility is through regular exercise outside the home. Going to a YMCA or a gym to a Zumba, yoga, or cycling class presents an opportunity to enjoy physical activity and have brief conversations with them before and after the session.
In addition to the obvious positive physical effects of the exercise, it can be surprising how beneficial a quick conversation can be with someone you may have just met. The boost in mood is palpable and can lead to better workouts due to increased available energy and motivation.
In conclusion, spending a little less time on the phone and a little more time walking in the neighborhood, in a park, or going early and staying late at the gym can work wonders for one’s mood and health.
1. Why do Millennials often feel lonelier than other generations?| A．They refuse to open up their inner world. |
| B．They don’t like to go to religious gatherings. |
| C．They are less connected with others in real life. |
| D．They have fewer opportunities to interact with people. |
| A．Limiting screen time. | B．Going to a nightclub with classmates. |
| C．Joining a group to exercise together. | D．Strengthening the parent-child bond. |
| A．Noticeable. | B．Comfortable. | C．Fortunate. | D．Temporary. |
| A．The ways for millennials to make new friends. |
| B．The importance of face-to-face communication. |
| C．How to make new friends for Millennials and Gen Z. |
| D．Why Millennials feel lonely and solutions to address the problem. |
7 . If you’ve ever discovered unexpected online shopping activity on your accounts- 
worth of See ’n Says, for example-you know the risks of handing your cellphone to a restless preschooler. But children’s impulse (冲动) buys just uncover the surface of potential risks when children and technology meet. With smartphones and the Internet so accessible, children are leaving their digital fingerprints at increasingly early ages, often without guidance on the importance of privacy or security.
For the past eight years, Michigan State University professors Jessica Vitak and Tamara Clegg have talked to parents, teachers and kids about the challenges of surfing the Internet. Their current project, Connecting Contexts, offers a variety of learning opportunities to help kids safely and smartly interact with the ever-progressing technology they encounter. “Having these conversations early,” said Vitak, “will build awareness and habits around privacy they can take into adulthood. ”
“Many of the parents we interviewed didn’t feel they needed to talk about privacy with their kids before middle or high school,” said Vitak. “But if you’re willing to hand your child a smartphone or a tablet, then they are old enough to learn how to use them safely. ”
In December, the Federal Trade Commission proposed massive changes to existing federal rules around how online platforms collect children’s data and make money from it. It grilled (责问) Meta, Discord and other social media companies last month on their efforts to protect children on their platforms. It also carried out six bills before the Congress would tighten online security and safety for kids.
Extending from elementary to middle school, their work offers tested tools and resources for parents, teachers and children-including conversation starters at home, practical tips for building a better password or using social media, choosing learning apps for the classroom and age-appropriate “micro-lessons” that can be integrated into the courses.
1. What does the author describe at the beginning of the text?| A．The typical style of kids’ digital life. | B．The risks of kids’ exposure to technology. |
| C．The convenience of online shopping. | D．The role of smartphones in kids’ growth. |
| A．Parents lack awareness of kids’ online privacy. |
| B．Parents should set age limits for phone use. |
| C．Kids have little self-discipline on the Internet. |
| D．School should be responsible for kids’ online safety: |
| A．It stopped children spending money on social media. |
| B．It made lots of changes to the present rules. |
| C．It collected data from online platforms. |
| D．It introduced several protective bills. |
| A．Kids’ Online Risks and Privacy Education |
| B．Actions Taken to Protect Kids’ Online Privacy |
| C．Kids’ Early Privacy Habits in the Internet Age |
| D．Researchers Create Technology Safety Tools for Kids |
8 . The recent spread of “fake news” may make it seem like misinformation is a relatively modern invention. But falsehoods (假话) and wild claims have been part of human culture for about as long as it’s existed. This is because misinformation originates with, and is spread by, fellow humans.
When you’ve ever had to communicate an important, but complex, issue to a general audience, you may have a sea of the most reliable data, the most elegant PowerPoint slides and the full backing of every famous expert in the relevant field. And yet, you can still be less persuasive than someone whose entire argument is: “A guy I met down the pub told me something different.”
In a perfectly sensible, logical world, someone who is loosely connected with a certain field or industry wouldn’t have the same influence as actual data, or the leading experts in the field. But humans aren’t perfectly sensible, logical creatures and neither is the world we live in.
The ability to think rationally and analytically is a relatively recent addition to our mental abilities (in the evolutionary sense). And it costs our brains a lot of energy and effort, The more established, fundamental systems in our brain, which shape memory and learning, are heavily reliant on emotion. The more emotionally stimulating something is, the easier it is to remember. That’s why we can spend months revising the material for a crucial school exam, but struggle to remember any of it once we’ve passed. Meanwhile, the embarrassing tine we slipped and landed on our backside in the school canteen. that memory will last until our dying day.
The most determined sceptics (无神论者) will often say, “Facts don’t care about your feelings,” which is correct. But feelings don’t necessarily care about facts either. And ultimately, feelings have more of a say in what we think and do. And that’s why your mate down the pub can seem more believable than a pile of published research.
1. What contributes to the spread of “fake news”?| A．People factor. | B．Human culture. |
| C．Modern invention. | D．Information accuracy. |
| A．They prefer making sensible analyses. | B．They ae more likely to be emotional. |
| C．They have more trust in authority. | D．They overestimate themselves. |
| A．By listing figures. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By explaining a concept. | D．By citing experts’ words. |
| A．To reveal secrets. | B．To share emotions. |
| C．To criticize a decision. | D．To describe a phenomenon. |
9 . If you work in a white-collar job in an office, it is likely that you will wear a uniform. Why do you need to wear one?
For employers who require it, there are several arguments in favour of uniforms. They help ensure a level of professionalism in appearance. They project a brand identity, from the red coats of Virgin Atlantic crew to the “Browns” uniform of UPS delivery drivers. They may have useful job-specific features.
A study by Robert Smith of Tilburg University and his colleagues asked people to imagine being on the receiving end of poor service when ordering a pizza. They were then shown pictures of the uniformed or non-uniformed employee. The person without a uniform who had treated them badly was circled. In this sense, if corporate clothing is a symbol of good service, the authors suggest that it may be a good idea not to give it to inexperienced workers, because, to some extent, it’s a representative of a profession.
Uniforms can also affect the psychology of employees. In 2012, Hajo Adam, a professor in Columbia Business School, coined the term “enclothed cognition (认知)” to describe the effect that specific clothes have on the way that people think and feel. Questions have been raised over the validity of enclothed cognition, but a new meta-analysis by Messrs Adam and Galinsky, along with Carl Blaine Horton of Columbia Business School, concludes that the phenomenon is real.
The obvious objection to uniforms, at least from people who do not wear them, is that they limit individuality and autonomy. But employees who do not have to wear a formal uniform often gravitate towards a costume anyway. Some coders (编码人员) seem to be under an unspoken duty to wear T-shirts. The combination of shirt, trousers and Patagonia gilet (马甲) is known as the “midtown uniform” for finance types in New York. Bosses build brands by wearing the same outfit day after day. Therefore, you may not be required to wear a uniform when you head off to work. You may still be in uniform.
1. Why is Virgin Atlantic crew mentioned in Paragraph 2?| A．To emphasize the need for uniforms in all industries. |
| B．To highlight the importance of job-specific features in uniforms. |
| C．To provide an example of how uniforms establish a brand image. |
| D．To discuss the variety of uniform styles across different professions. |
| A．They mean professional. |
| B．They impress customers. |
| C．They guarantee quality service. |
| D．They symbolize the corporate image. |
| A．The variety of the coined term. |
| B．The state of being logical and true. |
| C．The context of questions being raised. |
| D．The complexity of the phenomenon. |
| A．Opposed. | B．Dismissive. | C．Approving. | D．Doubtful. |
1. What do the public pay more attention to according to the recent survey?
| A．News media. | B．Political issues. | C．Living conditions. |
| A．500. | B．1,500. | C．15,000. |
| A．Join in environmental protection campaigns. |
| B．Develop a sense of environmental protection. |
| C．Donate money to the environmental department. |
| A．Driving less. | B．Planting trees. | C．Picking rubbish. |
