1 . As the pandemic continues to influence consumer behavior, the use of non-plastic payment methods is rising. But does this spell the end of the plastic credit card era?
Since the first Diners Club credit card was unveiled in 1950
much has changed. Recent technological developments and in-store consumer preferences could suggest times are changing. For some years now, various founders of financial institutions, as well as industry experts, have foreseen plastic credit cards or any other means of physical payment methods including cash will not be around much longer. They based their predictions on the light-speed growth of digital payment.
At the beginning of the global pandemic, governments took measures to protect their citizens, leading to lockdowns of varying degrees. The fear of contracting the virus through high-traffic ATMs and the refusal of merchants to accept cash can only be seen as a great addition to an already declared war on cash. Meanwhile, the urgency to spend a minimum time period in stores in order to avoid interactions led consumers towards digital solutions.
Furthermore, options like QR codes (二维码), NFC, and PINs have been around for a while but a true market breakthrough seems to only have happened since the beginning of the pandemic. According to Worldpay, without these telecommunication innovations, the shift in people’s payment behavior is out of the question. 86% of contactless adapters built into smart devices have seen themselves proceed with contactless payment. This trend will help to wipe out cash and plastic credit cards.
From a different perspective, countries like France, Italy, and Germany had almost 150 million smartphone users in 2019 alone. And it’s been reported that 80% of the transactions (交易) will be done via Internet-backed devices by 2025. And this figure will keep rising as more and more cheap smartphones are pouring into the global market. It is expected that e-wallets are going to be the most preferred payment method by then.
So, will there be a comeback for our beloved plastic spending power? I would put away my cash and plastic cards, switch on my phone instead of inserting cards, and present QR codes at a self-checkout instead of queuing behind a mass of people. I believe that many people think the same way.
1. What are the predictions in the financial circle about?| A．The Diners Club credit card will make a comeback. |
| B．Consumers’ preferences will be varied around the world. |
| C．The era of traditional payment will come to an end soon. |
| D．New technologies will cause the decline of physical stores. |
| A．The worldwide efforts to fight against the pandemic. |
| B．The economic slowdown caused by the pandemic. |
| C．The impact of the health crisis on ways of payment. |
| D．The public’s tendency to shop online during lockdowns. |
| A．The fast update rate of smart devices. |
| B．The existing digital payment technologies. |
| C．Many physical stores’ excellent online service. |
| D．The acceptance of digital payment among customers. |
| A．E-wallets will achieve increasing global popularity. |
| B．Smartphones will become cheaper and cheaper in the future. |
| C．Developed countries have high rates of Internet popularization. |
| D．The number of global smartphone users will rise by 80% by 2025. |
2 . Nowadays, children spend less time in the fresh air. Many of them are addicted to a screen either on a computer or a TV— they seem to be living in a virtual world. They have lost touch with nature.
But now 400 organizations in the UK, from playgroups to the National Health Service, are encouraging children to have some “wild time”. They want kids to swap at least 30 minutes of watching TV or playing computer games for time playing outside. Activities such as building dens, climbing trees, rummaging for conkers and playing hide and seek are just some of the things kid can do. Even if they live in a city, they can go on adventures in the garden or the park.
Children often need a helping hand from mum and dad. They need to be shown what to do and where to go. Andy Simpson from National Health Service says, “We want parents to see what this magical wonder product does for their kids’ development, independence and creativity, by giving wild time a go.”
So despite the complicated world that young people grow up in now, it seems that going back to basics and experiencing “nature’s playground” is what modern children need. David Bond from Project Wild Thing says, “We need to make more space for wild time in children’s daily routine, freeing this generation of kids to have the sort of experiences that many of us took for granted.”
This might sound a bit old fashioned to you or maybe, like me, it’s made you think about sticking on your boots, getting outdoors and reliving your childhood. There’s no age limit on enjoying yourself!
1. Children are encouraged to do the following activities except________.| A．building dens | B．climbing trees |
| C．playing hide and seek | D．watching TV |
| A．Adults value outdoor activities. | B．Modern children need wild time. |
| C．The present world is complicated. | D．This generation of kids has no freedom |
| A．People at any age can enjoy wild time |
| B．It is out of date to go outdoors |
| C．It is too late for adults to enjoy nature |
| D．People like recalling the past |
| A．More space for children | B．Benefits of wild time |
| C．Wild time for children | D．Adventures of children |
3 . The other day, I was looking at my schedule for the summer. I had a moment of
You might be thinking my response sounds
I know I’m not
I’m not saying working all the time makes us feel OK. Taking a break bring us
Our brains aren’t
| A．panic | B．relief | C．pride | D．envy |
| A．depressing | B．boring | C．exciting | D．astonishing |
| A．refresh | B．practise | C．challenge | D．pick |
| A．cruel | B．relaxed | C．confident | D．anxious |
| A．lost | B．alone | C．ashamed | D．selfish |
| A．advance | B．choose | C．stay | D．hesitate |
| A．indicates | B．admits | C．values | D．doubts |
| A．complained about | B．turned to | C．knocked down | D．came across |
| A．evidence | B．normal | C．plan | D．trick |
| A．losses | B．conditions | C．possibilities | D．benefits |
| A．creative | B．disappointed | C．sensitive | D．wealthy |
| A．refused | B．replaced | C．promoted | D．described |
| A．suffering | B．productivity | C．budget | D．freedom |
| A．forbidden | B．convinced | C．designed | D．invited |
| A．Still | B．However | C．Instead | D．Therefore |
4 . In the recently opened Our Broken Planet exhibition in London’s Natural History Museum, a small piece of dark material covered with faint holes is on show in a display container. The nodule(小块)could easily be mistaken for coal, but its true nature is much more interesting.
The nodule is a combination of metals and oceanographers have discovered trillions of them on Earth’s ocean floors. Each is rich in some of the most important elements for making the electric cars, wind turbines and solar panels that we need to replace the carbon-emitting motors, power plants and factories now damaging our climate.
These nodules could therefore help humanity save itself from the ill effects of global warming, argue mining companies who say their exploitation should be rated an international priority. By mining up chunks(块)from the deep we can slow the burning of our planet’s surface.
“We desperately need substantial amounts of metals contained by these nodules to build electric cars and power plants,” says Hans Smit, chief executive of Florida’s Oceans Minerals, which has announced plans to mine for nodules. “We cannot increase land supplies of these metals without having a significant environmental impact. It’s our only alternative.”
Other researchers disagree, however. They say mining deep-sea nodules would be disastrous for our already stressed, plastic-ridden, overheated oceans. Delicate, long-living residents of the deep—shells, fish, corals and squids—would be erased by mining. At the same time, mud with poisonous metals would be sent upwards to disturb marine food-chains.
“It is hard to imagine how seabed mines could workably operate without destroying the ocean species,” says UK marine biologist Helen Scales, a view shared by David Attenborough, who has called for a pause on all deep-sea mining plans. “In this case it means the destruction of an ecosystem, an issue worth the best attention from every entity(实体)involved.” he says.
For better or worse, these mineral nodules are going to play a critical role in determining our future—either by releasing us from our current ecological headaches or by stimulating even more fatal outcomes.
1. What is the nodule on display?| A．An attractive artificial artwork. |
| B．A difficult-to-tell chunk of coal. |
| C．An oceanic piece rich in metals. |
| D．A container for electric materials. |
| A．Metals for power plants. |
| B．Land supplies of metals. |
| C．Massive production of electric cars. |
| D．Underwater mining for specific metals. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Skeptical. | C．Objective. | D．Conservative. |
| A．They can be used both for good and for bad. |
| B．Their exploitation can bring opposing effects. |
| C．They contain beneficial and harmful elements. |
| D．Their exploiters cannot reach agreement till now. |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Dear friends,
I’m here to call everyone to pay attention to the phenomenon of food waste. Like President Xi advocates, it is supposed to be a new fashion for all Chinese people to practice stricter economy and stop waste. It is also a Chinese traditional virtues. We must bear in mind what food is a precious resource on our planet. Waste food goes against the basic moral principles.
It’s high time that we should take our action now. Firstly, when we have dinner in a restaurant, please remember to order appropriate, and try to eat up. Secondly, it’s recommend to promote food saving actions on social media.
So, don’t hesitate to join us. Small actions made a big difference.
6 . The sky is blue, and the sunshines on the street in Paris, where Mr. Gallais has been selling old classic books to tourists for more than 30 years.
Locals and tourists around the world would come to Mr. Gallai’s shop and 230 other open-air booksellers’ to buy book. However, because of the lockdown regulations to control the COVID-19 pandemic, the booksellers had to face the problem of losing the business and living difficulties these years.
“Sales have decreased by an average of 80 percent this year,” Mr. Gala is said, “which is throwing many booksellers into dangerous situations.” Still, some booksellers want to work. They are eager to keep the tradition that dates back to the l6th century. Many of the booksellers are retired workers living on pensions (养老金). They gather literature books and magazines. A growing number of people in their 30s and 40s have joined their ranks. They want to feel free from working outside an office in rain or shine.
Even before the pandemic, the booksellers were fighting with the cultural changes that people don’t read paper books as much as they used to. If they do read paper books, most readers will often choose Amazon.com to buy ones.
1. How long has Mr. Gallais been selling old classic books along the bank?| A．More than 16 years. | B．More than 19 years. |
| C．More than 23 years. | D．More than 30 years. |
| A．The booksellers’ competition. | B．The lockdown regulations. |
| C．The trend of a new profession. | D．The popularity of E-books. |
| A．They are not willing to accept advances. |
| B．They are eager to live a challenging life. |
| C．They want to feel free from working outside. |
| D．They can earn a large amount of money. |
| A．Mr. Gallais isn’t a bookseller. |
| B．Middle-aged people don’t join the ranks. |
| C．Retired booksellers don’t gather literature books and magazines. |
| D．Booksellers make efforts to keep the bookselling tradition. |
7 . “Shuan Q” is a meme(网络流行语)which can be used as a popular way to say “I’m speechless” with a matching emoji(表情包)at ached behind. No-one can deny the power of the Internet. Some believe it makes language weaker but some see a brighter side, believing it makes online communication easier between strangers.
An elementary school teacher in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, says that the evolution of Internet slang is not all fun and carefree. From his daily observations, he believes the “geographic boundary” between Internet slang and formal language is disappearing. On many occasions, the composition she has received from pupil have been flooded with abbreviated slangs(网络梗).
During last year’s Two Sessions, several representatives put forward proposals such as “regulating online language” and “banning vulgar(粗俗)words”, specifically to address this issue, expressing the need to reduce online language misuse and strengthen the protection of Chinese.
However, many experts and scholars of linguistics and communication including Feng Zhiwei disagree. Feng, believes that Internet language is a natural product of the dynamic development of language, and it is not necessary to ban it.
1. What made the meme “Shuan Q” become popular?| A．The power of internet | B．The protection of Chinese |
| C．Geographic boundary | D．Strangers’s communication |
| A．They are formal. | B．They are funny and carefree. |
| C．They are flooded among pupils. | D．They were supported by all people. |
| A．They are natural. | B．They are misused. |
| C．They should be banned. | D．They are disappearing. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Objective | C．Indifferent | D．Favorable |
8 . The world has faced a food crisis of unprecedented(前所未有的) proportions in 2022—the largest in modern history, as conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate crisis and rising costs have combined to pose great risks for hungry people across the world. As many as 828 million people go to bed hungry every night. The number of those facing acute food insecurity has risen from 135 million to 345 million since 2019. A total of 49 million people in 49 countries are suffering hunger, according to figures from the United Nations’ World Food Programme.
“We are facing an unprecedented global food crisis and all signs suggest we have not yet seen the worst. For the last three years, hunger numbers have repeatedly hit new peaks,” WFP Executive Director David Beasley said. He warned that things can and will get worse unless there is a large-scale and coordinated(协调一致的) effort to address the causes of this crisis.
There are many reasons for prevailing high levels of food insecurity. These reasons include conflicts, climate changes and weather extremes, economic slowdowns and downturns. In addition, these drivers often do not act alone. For instance, conflicts are often accompanied by economic downturns, which affect livelihoods and the ability of people to earn resources, leading to increasing poverty levels and higher prevalence(流行) of food insecurity.
Unfortunately, the main reasons for high levels of food insecurity have not improved this year. People in the Horn of Africa are facing a fifth consecutive(连续的) failed rain season in parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, which will constrain their production, and is likely to push many people deeper into food insecurity.
Moreover, there is uncertainty about the weather. And climatic shock affecting any major producer or exporter will introduce additional uncertainty into production and consequently prices, which in turn impact the ability to purchase food, particularly of the most vulnerable people.
1. How does the author lead in the topic?| A．By making a comparison. | B．By sharing personal experience. |
| C．By giving opinions with evidence. | D．By listing facts and accurate figures. |
| A．This global food crisis won’t last longer. |
| B．It’s certain that the global food crisis will get worse. |
| C．We need to work together to deal with the global food crisis. |
| D．There will be another new peak of hunger numbers in three years. |
| A．Characters. | B．Operators. | C．Factors. | D．Activities. |
| A．The Issue of Food Safety | B．The Unprecedented Food Crisis |
| C．Conflicts Causing Food Shortage | D．Efforts Put into the Study of Food Insecurity |
9 . A good gift is one that is more valuable for the recipient than it is for the giver. But most gifts destroy value rather than create it. Think of the Christmas-tree-shaped cookie jar that cost your aunt 530 but is worth considerably less than zero to you, posing a moral conundrum (难题): Do you throw it right into the trash or wait a couple of months? The economist Joel Waldfogel calls this discrepancy the “deadweight loss” of gifts, and estimates that, on average, it is from 10 percent to a third of a gift’s price.
One explanation for the deadweight loss is a mismatch between desirability and feasibility. Consider n gadget that is useful (high disability) but difficult to set up and time-consuming to use (low feasibility). Scholars have found that givers usually focus on desirability, and receivers are more aware of feasibility. Your friend who bought you a fancy wearable fitness tracker probably thought it was a really cool and helpful gift; to you, it seems like a massive headache to figure out, requires an app download and a monthly fee, and offers data that will either make you feel terrible about yourself or turn into a life-ruining obsession. That’s why it is still sitting in your drawer in its original package.
Another happiness-killing mismatch can occur between the receiver’s initial reaction and their long-term satisfaction. As Anna Goldfarb noted in The Atlantic a few weeks ago, givers tend to look for “reaction-maximizing gifts” (such as the wife’s over-the-top response to the car) as opposed to “satisfaction-maximizing gifts.” Once the giver is not present to see the receiver’s reaction, the receiver might not actually be that excited about socks with her best friend’s face on them.
Someone looking for a big reaction might be tempted to buy a wildly expensive gift, which poses its own emotional problems. In the worst cases, they may even be trying to exert dominance over you, or manipulate you into doing them a favor later. Either way, receiving a gift that’s too nice might make you feel guilty. According to one 2019 survey from CompareCards, 46 percent of respondents felt guilty for being unable to give a gift worth as much as the one they received.
In truth, the biggest benefit to most gift giving is to the giver herself. Generosity is truly a way to buy happiness. As my colleague Michael Norton and his co-authors showed in the journal Science in 2008, although spending money on oneself is weakly related to happiness, spending money on others significantly rises the giver’s well-being. Neuroscientists have shown that charitable giving to others engages the reward system, inducing pleasure in one of the same ways that alcohol and certain drugs do. (Maybe this is the real reason Santa is so jolly.)
1. What does “deadweight loss” of gifts in para.1 refer to?| A．The value the gift creates rather than destroys. |
| B．The money the giver spends on a meaningful gift |
| C．The good-will and thoughtfulness of the gift giver. |
| D．The loss of the gift value in the eyes of the receiver. |
| A．Fashionable and practical. | B．Unfriendly and upsetting. |
| C．Desirable and satisfactory. | D．Expensive and unworthy. |
| A．That the giver is not present to see the receiver’s reaction. |
| B．That the receiver was expecting something wildly expensive. |
| C．Thot the giver is confused about what gift brings satisfaction. |
| D．That the receiver was expecting something he/she truly wants. |
| A．It is in giving that givers receive. |
| B．Gift-giving is in most cases a win-win situation. |
| C．The greatest gift you can give is your time and attention. |
| D．Presents are generally terrible, but they can still bring you joy. |
10 . With climate change continuing to worsen, our situation is beginning to feel increasingly serious.
Techno-optimism is one of the greatest misconceptions when it comes to solutions to ensure our future. It can be defined as a belief that future technologies will solve all of our current problems. This definition reinforces (强化) the idea that there’s no reason to panic or change our current energy-intensive lifestyle. All society needs to do is look to green technology to work its magic.
One of the best examples of this optimistic misconception is the electric car. Despite being highly regarded as an eco-friendly way to get around, electric cars are not the end for the future of transport. Batteries in electric cars use chemical elements which we could be seeing a shortage of by the midcentury.
Techno-optimism puts too much emphasis on technology and not enough on what we can do right this minute. Unfortunately, people seem to like the picture that techno-optimism paints.
| A．So where should we look for answers instead? |
| B．The modern world’s simple solution is technology. |
| C．Moreover, they are more energy intensive to produce. |
| D．Is it a trap that many people have fallen into in recent years? |
| E．Unfortunately, this is an incredibly dangerous opinion to hold. |
| F．Despite any technology, we as a whole are not living sustainably. |
| G．Nevertheless, the truth is, we need a widespread change in our lifestyles. |
