1 . “Have a dream. Don’t be afraid to want something.” That’s the advice from Florence Bergeron, associate director of knowledge mobilization (动员) for the Students Commission of Canada. The group organized the country’s annual “Take Our Kids to Work Day” initiative on November 1.
Across Canada, ninth-grade students had the chance to visit the workplace of a parent, relative or friend. Bergeron said over 450,000 people participated this year.
The initiative began in 1994. “The principle was to bring their own children into the workplace so they could see what their parents were doing and prepare for taking on that same role,” Bergeron explained. The purpose of the day has changed over the years, as many kids now follow careers different from their parents’.
According to Dorota Peacock, who is the district coordinator for career education in the Surrey School District in British Columbia, the event is beneficial in various ways. “It’s valuable for exposing students to what people do in the adult workforce that they normally wouldn’t see,” Peacock said. “They get to ask questions and decide what’s interesting.”
Peacock added that students also learned what they were loath to do, which was just as valuable. That was the case for three ninth graders from Ecole Salish Secondary School in Surrey. Mia Kim, Rithi Murugaselvam, and Eljie Salimbagat said that they enjoyed visiting their parents’ workplaces, but realized that they, themselves, would likely follow different paths. Rithi,14, who visited a day care center where her mother worked, said that “much patience is required for working with kids.”
All three students agreed that learning to socialize is essential, no matter what career path you follow. “I learned that for a lot of jobs, you needed to learn how to communicate with others to be successful,” said Mia, 13.
Peacock hoped that the event inspired Canada’s ninth graders to have a deeper appreciation for their parents. “They are smart, productive people, and not just people who come home and help with homework and make meals,” Peacock said. “They’re an actual person in the world doing really cool things.”
1. What was the purpose of the initiative?| A．To expose children to the busy life. | B．To prepare students for their career options. |
| C．To improve parent-child relationships. | D．To educate children on possible changes. |
| A．Unwilling. | B．Nervous. | C．Ready. | D．Eager. |
| A．The ability to adapt. | B．The adventurous spirit. |
| C．The sense of success. | D．The communication skill. |
| A．Family count above all else. | B．Parents’ work is much more meaningful. |
| C．Children should admire their parents. | D．Children lack appreciation for housework. |
2 . Social media can lead to mental exhaustion (疲惫). And when mentally exhausted, you are more likely to be influenced by a high number of likes on posts—even to the point of clicking on ads for products you don't need or want.
As a professor of advertising, I have studied social media behaviors for years. In late 2022, my colleague Eric Haley and I conducted three online studies on Americans aged 18—65 to test how people under various mental loads respond to ads differently.
The control group in each study were given no introductory task—we just had them look at an ad. A second group had to memorize a nine-digit number and then look at the ad. The third group looked through the Internet for 30 seconds and then looked at the ad. Participants randomly saw an ad with a few hundred likes or tens of thousands of likes. After viewing the ad, each participant rated how willing they would be to buy the product, and how much mental effort it took to think about the information.
The group that used the Internet first were the most likely to want to buy the featured product when there were lots of likes or comments, and they also reported using the most mental effort to assess the ad. Researchers refer to this mentally exhausted state as “cognitive (认知的) overload”. Using social media puts them in this state because they are constantly evaluating different types of texts, photos and video posts from so many different people. In the span of several seconds, they can see a text from their husband or wife, a photo from a co-worker, a video from a celebrity and an emoji from their brother. All of this evaluating leaves them feeling frazzled.
Imagine asking your roommate if they want to go get pizza. Under normal conditions, the roommate might consider several factors such as cost, hunger, timing or their schedule. Now imagine asking your roommate the same question while they are on the phone with a sick relative. They no longer have the mental energy to logically consider whether pizza for dinner is a good idea.
By understanding how social media influences them, consumers can be more thoughtful in regulating their use—and hopefully not buy yet another water bottle they don’t need.
1. Why did the author conduct three online studies on Americans aged 18-65?| A．To investigate their online habits. |
| B．To test their reactions to advertisements. |
| C．To research what kind of advertising is effective. |
| D．To discover why people suffer great mental stress. |
| A．Its purpose. | B．Its process. | C．Its finding. | D．Its significance. |
| A．Interested. | B．Depressed. | C．Annoyed. | D．Tired. |
| A．To further explain cognitive overload. |
| B．To stress the importance of. relationships. |
| C．To strongly call on people to eat healthily. |
| D．To remind people not to rely on mobile phones. |
3 . Over the past few decades, technology has profoundly transformed the way we live and work. The digital revolution has brought about
In the realm of employment, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping job markets. Routine tasks that were once carried out by humans are now
The education sector has not been immune to technological advancements either. Online learning platforms and digital resources have
Communication has been revolutionized by technology as well. Social media platforms enable instantaneous global
Healthcare has witnessed the integration of technology through telemedicine and remote monitoring. While these innovations improve access to medical services, they also raise questions about the
In the realm of creativity, technology has opened new avenues for artistic expression. Digital art, virtual reality experiences, and interactive storytelling have
The environment benefits from technology through innovations in renewable energy and resource management. Yet, the
In conclusion, technology’s far-reaching influence touches every aspect of our lives. Its
| A．incremental | B．revolutionary | C．gradual | D．minimal |
| A．profound | B．superficial | C．theoretical | D．casual |
| A．substituted | B．enhanced | C．abandoned | D．detected |
| A．suppressed | B．triggered | C．alleviated | D．sparked |
| A．surpassed | B．preserved | C．substituted | D．revived |
| A．digital | B．analytical | C．cognitive | D．interpersonal |
| A．correspondence | B．connectivity | C．isolation | D．suspension |
| A．solved | B．raised | C．suppressed | D．established |
| A．protection | B．vulnerability | C．anticipation | D．interpretation |
| A．extended | B．imposed | C．enforced | D．dissolved |
| A．preservation | B．authenticity | C．distortion | D．manipulation |
| A．insignificant | B．extensive | C．marginal | D．deliberate |
| A．beneficial | B．detrimental | C．ambiguous | D．prevalent |
| A．implications | B．consequences | C．limitations | D．requirements |
| A．promising | B．potential | C．evident | D．underlying |
4 . Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, have revolutionized the way we think about money and transactions. These digital assets are based on blockchain technology, a decentralized and transparent system that enables secure peer-to-peer transactions without the need for intermediaries like banks.
The potential applications of cryptocurrencies extend beyond simple transactions. Smart contracts, for instance, are self-executing contracts with terms directly written into code. They automatically execute and enforce the terms of an agreement when specific conditions are met. This technology has implications across various industries, from supply chain management to real estate.
However, the rise of cryptocurrencies has also given rise to challenges. One major concern is their volatility. The value of cryptocurrencies can fluctuate dramatically within short periods, making them risky investment options. Additionally, the pseudonymous nature of transactions has led to debates about the potential for illicit activities, such as money laundering and tax evasion.
Governments and regulatory bodies worldwide are grappling with how to classify, regulate, and tax cryptocurrencies. The decentralized nature of these digital assets challenges traditional regulatory frameworks. Some countries have embraced cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, while others have implemented strict regulations or outright bans.
The future of cryptocurrencies is still uncertain. Proponents believe they could reshape the financial system, enabling greater financial inclusion and efficiency. Critics worry about their potential negative impacts and the need for more comprehensive regulations to protect consumers and prevent misuse.
1. How do cryptocurrencies enable secure transactions without intermediaries?| A．They rely on banks to facilitate transactions. |
| B．They are based on blockchain technology. |
| C．They require government oversight for security. |
| D．They use smart contracts for validation. |
| A．A contract executed by banks for digital transactions. |
| B．A contract written in human-readable language. |
| C．A contract enforced by intermediaries. |
| D．A self-executing contract with terms in code |
| A．Their stable and predictable value. |
| B．Their potential to replace traditional currency. |
| C．Their susceptibility to fluctuations. |
| D．Their resistance to technological advancements. |
| A．Most countries have embraced cryptocurrencies without regulations. |
| B．Governments have adopted uniform regulations for cryptocurrencies. |
| C．Governments have struggled to regulate and classify cryptocurrencies. |
| D．All countries have implemented strict bans on cryptocurrencies. |
5 . The concept of universal basic income (UBI) has gained significant attention in recent years as societies grapple with the potential impacts of automation and technological advancements on the job market. UBI is a proposed economic policy in which all citizens or residents of a country receive a regular, unconditional cash payment from the government.
Proponents of UBI argue that it could address issues such as poverty, income inequality, and job displacement caused by automation. By providing a basic income floor, individuals would have financial stability to cover their essential needs, even if traditional employment opportunities diminish. This, in turn, could foster entrepreneurship, creativity, and pursuit of education.
Critics, however, raise several concerns about the feasibility and consequences of UBI. One major concern is the potential cost of implementing such a program. Providing a universal basic income to an entire population would require significant financial resources, which could strain government budgets and lead to increased taxation. Additionally, some worry that UBI might discourage people from actively seeking employment or pursuing career advancement, as they may opt for a guaranteed income without the need for work.
Furthermore, UBI may not fully address the complexities of poverty and inequality. It could overlook the structural factors that contribute to these issues, such as lack of access to quality education and healthcare. Critics argue that a more effective approach would involve targeted social programs that address the root causes of poverty and offer assistance where it is most needed.
As the debate around UBI continues, policymakers and economists grapple with questions about its implementation, impact on work incentives, and potential to reshape social and economic dynamics.
1. What is universal basic income (UBI)?| A．A cash payment for citizens during technological advancements. |
| B．An unconditional cash payment for government employees. |
| C．A policy where all citizens receive regular cash from the government. |
| D．Financial resources for entrepreneurs and creative individuals. |
| A．It could discourage education due to guaranteed income. |
| B．It could increase access to quality education. |
| C．It could lead to more job opportunities |
| D．It could support traditional employment opportunities. |
| A．Lack of access to quality education and healthcare. |
| B．The potential cost and funding of the program. |
| C．UBI’s impact on social and economic dynamics. |
| D．UBI’s focus on entrepreneurship over traditional jobs. |
| A．Providing unconditional cash payments to all citizens. |
| B．Focusing solely on technological advancements. |
| C．Implementing targeted social programs addressing root causes. |
| D．Relying on traditional employment opportunities. |
6 . I believe that we can use social media for a lot of great things and it’s important especially for business owners like me. Ever since I started my calligraphy business two years ago, I’ve never spent a day without going on social media, especially a kind of social app on my phone, on which I promoted my products and services and got in contact with possible customers.
Later I found it got in the way of more important things. I hate to say I was hooked by it, but I was. Every time I turned on my phone, I would dive into it. For a long time, I had been I ignoring other parts of my life, like my family, my friends and my happiness. One day, I was thinking that a break should have happened long before to me.
Then I decided to remove the app off my phone for a month and only use that on my computer to keep track of my business. I wanted a clean break to reflect and plan for the future.
I had believed that if I spent less time on the platform, I would miss out much. Actually, I was so wrong. During this month off, I realized there was much to enjoy in life. I found more time to enjoy my hobbies and contacted my good friends that I had lost touch with, I was refilled with energy in all aspects of my life.
This one month off the app on the phone was healthy for me. If it were not for my business, I would like not to have it on my phone. I downloaded the app again on my phone, but only used it to post my own content. I didn’t intend to paint social media in a negative light, but now I just don’t think the way I was using it was healthy. It’s difficult to find balance, but I’m going to try to do it anyway. I’m going back, but it’s going to be different.
1. What did the author mainly do on social media?| A．He connected with his friends. | B．He worked on business activities. |
| C．He learned calligraphy on his own. | D．He shared advice about keeping fit. |
| A．Opposed to. | B．Injured by. | C．Addicted to. | D．Frightened by. |
| A．It was meaningless to share on social media. |
| B．There was lots of fun away from social media. |
| C．The social app contributed little to his business. |
| D．The social app in the computer was more practical. |
| A．One month away from social media upsets him. |
| B．He wants to seek more hobbies on social media. |
| C．He has confidence in balancing social media and life. |
| D．His friends ask him to communicate on social media. |
7 . A lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Dr Olabode Badiru, has called on the government to pay more attention to food security in the country to solve the rising cost of foods.
According to Dr Badiru, farmers need fertiliser and other agrochemicals like pesticides. Insecticides and others to solve the problem of pests. All of these will cost much money. Besides that, we have the problem of insecurity that farmers are being chased away from the farm.
Dr Badiru also called on the government to address insecurity, saying farmers are afraid of going to farm. He, who gave the advice while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, urged individuals to embrace backyard farming to reduce the spending on some food items. Most of the farm machines and chemicals used by farmers are all imported, he emphasised that these may have effects on what they will produce.
Reducing the rising cost of food requires some efforts from individuals and the government at all levels, he advised, and at the individual level, backyard farming could help to re-duce the need for purchase of food. He advised Nigerians to grow vegetables and other eatable plants, raise small animals like sheep and goats and raise domestic animals in their houses. Beyond the backyards, he also said youths should be encouraged to go into farming despite the challenges involved.
The government at all levels, especially the states, must provide an enabling environment for willing citizens to engage in agriculture. Security is the key. Basic facilities, such as road and electricity, should be improved. We can start by pushing practical research products to the farms for adoption to strengthen farm productivity through a functional agricultural extension system. “Essentially, we must look for innovative ways of bringing the unit cost of agricultural production down, among other measures,” he said.
1. What causes food prices to rise according to Dr Badiru?| A．High cost and insecurity. | B．Cold and heavy snow. |
| C．Strong wind and pests. | D．War and flooding. |
| A．Catch. | B．Emerge. | C．Hold. | D．Accept. |
| A．Dissatisfied . | B．Optimistic. | C．Uninterested. | D．Unclear. |
| A．How to adjust food production | B．Problems caused by rising food prices |
| C．How to solve rising cost of food items | D．Suggestions on improving food production |
8 . Schools in US are huge consumers of energy. According to ENERGY STAR, K- 12 schools spend more than $6 billion every year on energy, far more than the amount spent on other resources, and at least 30 percent of this energy is used inefficiently or needlessly.
Realizing that, some schools are seeking measures to save energy in several ways, from low-cost adjustments, such as turning off lights in unused rooms, to large-scale projects, such as turning to green equipment.
As solar energy is becoming a more financial choice for powering buildings, more schools are making the move toward the renewable energy and using solar panels(太阳能电池板)on their rooftops. According to an online solar marketplace EnergySage, schools have their strong points to use solar energy. They often have the kind of enough space, suitable locations that are perfect for setting up solar panels.
In September 2020, a nonprofit Generation180 released its third edition of a study on solar use in US schools. The findings showed that more than 7, 300, or 55 percent, of K- 12 public and private schools used solar energy, the number has increased by 81 percent since 2014.
They also described how solar schools were saving millions in energy bills, and provided several cases to show the increased savings achieved by solar-powered school districts. For ex- ample, an Arkansas school district used its every year's energy savings of nearly $100, 000 to increase its teachers' salaries.
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council, which tracks the number of K- 12 schools with solar equipment and helps schools go solar, says on its website that schools with solar setups have an opportunity to educate students about clean energy, and show them that they are de- voted to do something for students' and the planet's health and future.
Third-party ownership also makes funding for 79 percent of schools to use solar energy possible, meaning a majority of schools don't have to spend large amounts of money but can get the rewards of solar energy.
1. How does the author lead in the topic of the text in the first paragraph?| A．By raising a problem. |
| B．By giving an example. |
| C．By making a comparison. |
| D．By offering an evidence. |
| A．Free access to using solar energy. |
| B．Enough space to fix solar equipment. |
| C．Financial support from solar marketplace. |
| D．Being the largest consumers of the energy. |
| A．Increasing their operating expense |
| B．Threatening their teachers' income. |
| C．Raising the students' environmental awareness. |
| D．Reducing their total amount of energy consuming. |
| A．Achievable | B．Doubtful. | C．Challenging. | D．Worrying. |
9 . For the past three weeks, students across India’s capital have been attending a new course: happiness. The Delhi government introduced “happiness classes”.
“We have given best-of-the-best talents to the world,” Sisodai said, according to The Washington Post. “
The Washington Post says children came out of their first happiness class with some excitement. “We should work happily,” 11-year-old Aayush Jha, a seventh grader at a public school in Delhi, told the paper. “When you work sadly, your work will not be good.”
Sisodai hopes to deliver these tools to help students live more happily inside and outside of the classroom, whether or not they’re achieving their academic standards. “I don’t know if happiness can be learned, but yes, it can be practised,” he says. “
One in four Indian children aged 13 to 15 struggles with low spirits, the World Health Organization reported last year. As journalist Susan Brink reported, “The government has made changes after noticing that some young people under great stress to do well in school tended to commit suicide (自杀) if they felt they did poorly.” “In South India, they observed higher suicide rates after exam periods among schoolchildren who failed,” Alexandra Fleischmannn, a project coordinator for the WHO’s Preventing Suicide report, told Brink. “
| A．Many Indian students are facing a very tough life |
| B．We have given best-of-the-best professionals to industry |
| C．Then they introduced the possibility of taking the exams again |
| D．It is used to decide whether an Indian student is excellent or not |
| E．Delhi’s Education Minister Manish Sisodai is in charge of making the changes |
| F．Once you start practising living with happiness, then it can become part of your life |
| G．It tried to change the country’s academic focus from student achievement to emotional well-being |
10 . Humanitarian(人道主义的)groups and lawmakers have criticized Italian authorities for preventing migrants who were not considered to be“vulnerable(脆弱的)”from disembarking(登陆)from rescue ships in Sicily on Sunday.
Charities and politicians blamed the selection process as illegal and regarded the actions of the Italian government as inhumane, reported the Associated Press news service, or AP. Italy’s new government is reportedly targeting foreign-flagged rescue ships in a new procedure that is part of a regulation brought about by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.
Italy allowed a rescue ship carrying 179 refugees and migrants to enter a port in Sicily on Sunday and then later begin disembarking children and sick or“vulnerable”people, but 35 men on board were blocked from getting off the ship, reported the Reuters news agency. Later, agencies reported that 144 people had been allowed to disembark the Humanity 1 rescue ship,which sailed under a German flag. In the afternoon,357 people were allowed off the Geo Barents ship operated by Doctors Without Borders, which sails under a Norwegian flag, but 215 people remained blocked on board.
Authorities continued to refuse safe harbor for hundreds of migrants onboard two other ships in nearby waters, said the AP. Humanity 1’s captain refused to leave the port of Catania “until all survivors rescued from great suffering at sea have been disembarked”, said SOS Humanity, the German-run charity that operates the ship. The charity strongly criticized Piantedosi’s decision to only allow vulnerable people to disembark and on Monday said it would launch legal action against the Italian government,claiming Italy’s actions violate European law and the Geneva Refugee Convention.
The BBC noted that Italy is one of the main entry points into Europe, and, according to the United Nations, 85,000 migrants have arrived there on small,overcrowded boats since the start of the year. Italy’s new prime minister,Giorgia Meloni,has promised to take action to stop those making the hazardous journeys across the Mediterranean.
Nongovernmental organizations say coastal nations are responsible by the law of the sea to rescue people who are suffering and that they are responsible to provide a safe port as soon as possible.
Till Rummenhohl，head of operations at SOS Humanity，said people were being “held hostage (人质)”onboard the Humanity 1 vessel.”“We had health authorities onboard who decided who’s weak enough, who is basically in urgent medical case and who’s not,”Rummenhohl told DW News.“The people are not really sure what’s happening to them. They have an uncertain future. They are afraid of being pushed back from Italy, into international waters or even to Libya. That’s their greatest fear,” he said.
1. Why were 35 of the 179 refugees not allowed to leave the ship to enter Italy in the beginning?| A．They were not weak people. | B．They had no certifications. |
| C．The ship was in good condition. | D．The ship sailed under a German flag. |
| A．Comfortable. | B．Thrilling. |
| C．Long. | D．Dangerous. |
| A．Italy’s actions agreed with European law and the Geneva Refugee Convention. |
| B．Illegal migrants should be pushed back into international waters. |
| C．Coastal countries should save people who are suffering at sea. |
| D．Illegal migrants were supposed to be held hostage onboard. |
| A．Italy provides safe shelters for refugees |
| B．Italy prevents migrants from leaving ships |
| C．Humanity 1’s captain refuses to leave the port of Catania |
| D．Many migrants arrive in Italy on small, overcrowded boats |
