1 . That artificial food dyes (染料) are unhealthy is not news. Some are known to cause hyperactivity (多动症) in some children, affecting their ability to learn. But regulatory agencies (监管机构) around the world don’t necessarily agree on which food dyes are a problem, or why. That may soon change. A 2021 peer-reviewed report by California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment concluded that artificial food dyes “cause or worsen neurobehavioral (神经行为的) problems in some children” and that the current levels that are regarded safe for consumption by the federal government are too high.
California is now considering requiring warning labels on food products and dietary supplements containing the seven most commonly used artificial dyes. The warning label requirement would put California on par with the European Union, which since 2010 has required food products containing certain artificial food dyes to carry warning labels about their negative effect on activity and attention in children.
Artificial dyes are used in foods for one reason: to make products look prettier. Bright colors make candies appealing, especially to kids. But dyes are also in chocolate cake mixes, salad dressings and other products that don’t seem to cry out for a color boost.
In Europe, it was the 2010 label lawmaking that triggered (引发) companies’ decisions to reformulate. “If you’re a company, you do not want to put a warning label on your product.” says Lefferts, an environmental health consultant. Warning labels are why European Starburst Fruit Chews are now colored with natural products, not the artificial dyes that brighten their North American counterparts (同类商品).
Given that artificial food dyes are used far more than needed, we need to be more cautious. After all, we don’t dye fresh fruits and vegetables, but we do dye candy and sprinkles, points out Joe Schwarcz, a chemistry professor at McGill University in Montreal. “The foods in which you find food dyes are foods that are poor in nutrition,” he says. “If you limit foods that contain food dyes, you automatically make your diet better.”
1. What can we learn about artificial food dyes from paragraph 1?| A．A 2021 report confirmed their negative effects. |
| B．The fact that they are harmful is newly revealed. |
| C．Regulatory agencies consider them a serious problem. |
| D．The Federal government thinks their current standard too high. |
| A．In opposition to. | B．In line with. | C．Ahead of. | D．Behind. |
| A．Food companies will stop coloring their products. |
| B．More fresh fruits and vegetables will appear in the market. |
| C．Food companies may replace artificial dyes with natural products. |
| D．It will be hard to find packaged foods without warning labels of dyes. |
| A．Approving. | B．Neutral. | C．Tolerant. | D．Concerned. |
During the May Day holiday, many Chinese people went out for travel,
Aside from traditional popular destinations, county tourism has developed into a new fashion and brought in new vitality (活力) into the tourism market. The tourism growth rate of small counties and towns is higher. Data from Alipay showed that many young
Tourists’ continuous enthusiasm for domestic travel is also proved by other factors, such as the number of short videos
Furthermore, the inbound (入境的) tourism market is further heating up as visa-free policies and easy payment services provide
3 . A new study by a team of researchers shows that searching to evaluate the truthfulness of false news articles actually increases the probability of believing misinformation, not the opposite.
The reason for this outcome may be explained by search-engine outputs in the study. The researchers found that this phenomenon is concentrated among individuals for whom search engines return lower-quality information.
“This points to the danger that ‘data voids’ — areas of the information ecosystem that are dominated by low quality, or even outright false, news and information — may be playing a resulting role in the online search process, leading to low return of credible information or, more alarming, the appearance of non-credible information at the top of search results,” observes lead author Kevin Aslett, an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida.
To study the impact, they recruited participants through both Qualtrics and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk for a series of five experiments and with the aim of measuring the impact of a common behavior: searching online to evaluate news (SOTEN).
The first four studies tested the following aspects of online search behavior and impact:
◎ The effect of SOTEN on belief in both false or misleading and true news directly within two days an article’s publication
◎ Whether the effect of SOTEN can change an individual’s evaluation after they had already assessed the truthfulness of a news story
◎ The effect of SOTEN months after publication
◎ The effect of SOTEN on recent news about a key topic with significant news coverage
A fifth study combined a survey with web-tracking data in order to identify the effect of exposure to both low- and high-quality search-engine results on belief in misinformation.
Across the five studies, the authors found that the act of searching online to evaluate news led to a statistically significant increase in belief in misinformation. This occurred whether it was shortly after the publication of misinformation or months later. This finding suggests that the passage of time does not lessen the impact of SOTEN on increasing the likelihood of believing false news stories to be true. Moreover, the fifth study showed that this phenomenon is concentrated among individuals for whom search engines return lower-quality information.
“The findings highlight the need for media literacy programs to ground recommendations in search engines to invest in solutions to the challenges identified by this research,” concludes Joshua A Tucker, professor of politics.
1. What can we learn from the first three paragraphs?| A．The more you assess the realness of fake news online, the more you’ll believe it. |
| B．There is little low quality, or false news in the areas of the information ecosystem. |
| C．Evaluating online the realness of fake news would prevent you believing it. |
| D．Fake news and information usually can’t be found at the top of search results. |
| A．Knowledge level. | B．Time effect. |
| C．Web-tracking data. | D．News type. |
| A．Rely on. | B．Focus on. | C．Work on. | D．Hold on. |
| A．Economics | B．Entertainment | C．Science | D．Insights |
4 . I came across an image recently of a distance runner with a message that told readers to persevere (坚持) at all costs. It reminded me of a conversation I had. My colleague’s teaching assistant was asking for my advice. He wanted to know when to quit something. He described how he’d been playing an online game with people for some time. It hadn’t been very fun lately, but there was always that small chance of a reward (upgraded equipment, etc).
I inquired further about his relationship with the players and his gains from the game. I then discussed the sunk cost dilemma, a concept I studied in advanced school due to its personal impact. In high school, I applied to five universities, planning to choose the cheapest one. SUU offered the best scholarship, and after paying a $100 commitment fee, I heard back from another school with an even better scholarship. Despite the new offer, I stayed committed to SUU, believing that switching schools, even if it meant acknowledging the “wasted” $ 100, would have been the wiser financial choice.
A rational (理性的) decision maker is not ruled by past investments, but weighs future outcomes. I didn’t focus on future outcomes when weighing colleges. I focused on the money I sunk into SUU. Rather than evaluating future career options, I focused on the fact that I’d already taken elementary education courses.
I’m not the only one that’s fallen prey to this. I wear clothes I dislike simply because I spent money on them (and that money won’t come back). Unhealthy relationships last because of the invested time (leading to more unhappy years). However, time, effort, or money that you’ve invested doesn’t mean you should continue. Society often stresses perseverance — never quit, never give up, don’t waste. However, only you know your right path. Walking away can be the toughest choice. You might realize a path you’re on is no longer the right one or never was.
1. Why does the author introduce a distance runner’s image at first?| A．To make a contrast. | B．To give a definition. |
| C．To draw a conclusion. | D．To illustrate a theory. |
| A．Following suit as most people. | B．Taking elementary education. |
| C．Valuing the development in future. | D．Overlooking past investments. |
| A．Get benefits from. | B．Be harmed by. | C．Be interested in. | D．Get rid of. |
| A．Perseverance is a virtue | B．The chosen path is the toughest |
| C．Cut your losses for your winners | D．Walking away means losing all |
5 . Like so many other ABCs (American-born Chinese) and younger first and second-generation Chinese immigrants (移民), sisters Sarah and Kaitlin Leung reached a point in their adult lives when they started to long for the Chinese food they’d grown up on, but found it really difficult to learn how to prepare it. There was such a “representation gap”, as Sarah puts it, in terms of what kinds of cuisines were noticeably featured in those early days of TV celebrity chefs and the emerging food blogosphere (博客圈).
As it turns out, though, the Leungs were uniquely positioned to do something about it. Bill, the father, had spent years cooking beef at his family’s Chinese American takeout restaurant. Judy, the mom, was born and raised in Shanghai and had deep knowledge about traditional Shanghainese cooking. Meanwhile, the two sisters had grown up in the New Jersey suburbs, eating their parents’ food, but also growing in America’s own food-obsessed culture.
So, in 2013, the Leungs started The Woks of Life. What distinguished their blog from others was that the intergenerational heritage (传承) of knowledge that the Leungs were so eager for was baked right into the concept—The four family members took turns posting recipes, each sharing their own favorites, tapping into their own areas of expert knowledge.
Kaitlin is proud that The Woks of Life follows along line of pioneers-folks like Joyce Chen, Martin Yan and Ming Tsai, who first started to bring Chinese home cooking into the mainstream in the US. “We feel proud that we have made a meaningful mark over the past decade, casting light that there’s a huge demand for these recipes,” she says .“It’s about representation, yes, but there’s also a huge demand. Asian Americans look to reconnect with the food of their heritage.”
Five years ago, you wouldn’t have been able to find a ton of Chinese recipes in the New York Times food section, Kaitlin notes. Now you can.
1. What do the underlined words “representation gap” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．The shortage of Chinese chefs. |
| B．The lack of Chinese food recipes. |
| C．The gap between young and old ABCs. |
| D．The difference between chefs and bloggers. |
| A．To prove how unique the Leung sisters are. |
| B．To show why the Leung sisters prefer Chinese food. |
| C．To point out the Leungs’ advantage to start a food blog. |
| D．To stress the Leung sisters’ love for home cooking food. |
| A．The concept of baking food. |
| B．The large number of followers. |
| C．The bloggers, way of posting recipes. |
| D．The intergenerational heritage of knowledge. |
| A．It strengthens bonds between individuals. |
| B．It marks the popularity of Chinese cuisine. |
| C．It has developed many new Chinese recipes. |
| D．It links Asian Americans with their food tradition. |
6 . Remember Malcolm Gladwell’s famous “10,000-hour rule” from his book Outliers? It proposed that achieving mastery in any field required roughly 10,000 hours of practice, emphasizing the importance of early professionalization and intensive practice for becoming an elite (精英) in a particular field.
This approach, known as deliberate practice, encourages setting goals from a young age, investing time, and specializing in a specific field. On paper, it sounds like the surefire (必定成功的) path to success, but when we deeply study the lives of elite athletes, musicians, and scholars, we find a different story.
In reality, many individuals who have risen to the top of their respective fields took a more diverse and circuitous (曲折的) route. They often explored a wide range of activities, gained a broad skill set, and only specialized at a later stage in life.
Studies have shown that an approach called the “sampling period” is often more effective for achieving success. During this phase, individuals try various activities, gain diverse skills, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and only choose a field to specialize in once they have a clearer understanding of their passions and abilities.
Consider the journey of Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players of all time. At the age of 6, he dabbled (涉足) in rugby, skiing, and wrestling, only returning to tennis later. The trial period benefited him not just because he found his true passion but also because his experiences in various sports enriched his tennis game with a unique set of skills.
Setting strict goals for children from a young age, driven by the deliberate practice model, may not be the ideal path to success. The concept of the “sampling period” offers a more flexible and effective approach. It allows individuals to explore their interests, gain diverse skills, and discover their true passions.
In a world marked by constant change and complexity, the ability to draw from a range of experiences and knowledge is a critical skill for achieving excellence and innovation. So, perhaps it’s time to reconsider the way we nurture the talents and ambitions of the next generation.
1. What is the key to becoming elite in a field according to the book Outliers?| A．The professional instruction. | B．The correct practice method. |
| C．Long and continuous practice. | D．The determination to try different activities. |
| A．They all have strong determination to succeed. |
| B．They all achieved success in their fields at an old age. |
| C．They all tried many things before focusing on their fields. |
| D．They all have been passionate about their careers from an early age. |
| A．To propose a spirit. | B．To make a comparison. |
| C．To provide a suggestion. | D．To serve as an example. |
| A．Experience is more important than success. |
| B．Parents should not set goals for their kids at an early age. |
| C．It is never too late to start following your passion. |
| D．Children should be taught about the complexity of the world. |
7 . In early December, the US broke a terrible new record:38mass shootings in a single year, in which 203 people have died. This beat the previous record of 36 mass shootings, according to The Guardian. But why is there so much gun violence in the US? Although the issue is complicated, there are three big reasons: too many guns, weak gun laws and loopholes (漏洞), and cultural factors.
The US has a lot of guns –120.5guns for every 100 Americans, according to a 2017 survey. In other words, there are more guns than people in the US. This makes it easier for people to get guns.
Although US federal law says certain people can’t buy guns, it’s still fairly easy for Americans to buy them anyway, said Vox. A big part of this is loopholes in gun sales. In the US, when you buy a gun from a licensed shop or at a gun show, they have to check your background. But if you buy from a private seller, they don’t have to do that. Even in those cases where a background check is made, it can only take up to three days at most. If the seller does not receive a clear answer within three days, the seller can still sell the gun, reported CGTN.
The US also has a unique gun culture, influenced by the Second Amendment(第二修正案) of the US Constitution. Some people believe it gives them special rights, making them refuse to give up their guns for the greater good.
Despite these challenges, around 60 percent of Americans think gun violence is a big problem and want stricter gun laws, a 2022 Pew Research Center study said. But it’s unclear if US lawmakers, who listen to powerful gun groups like the National Rifle Association or Gun Owners of America, will make changes.
1. What are the main reasons for increasing gun violence in the US?a. the high ownership of guns b. the weak laws on buying guns
c. the light punishment on gun violence d. the right to have guns in the minds of Americans
| A．abc | B．abd | C．acd | D．bcd |
| A．won’t have any chance to buy guns | B．can purchase guns with a special license |
| C．can purchase guns from private sellers | D．can buy guns by showing their background |
| A．meaningless | B．costly | C．tough | D．possible |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
8 . Tune into any sports coverage on TV, and you will see many athletes proudly raise their arms and heads in victory, while a much larger number hang their shoulders and necks in defeat (失利). Studies have shown why—they are universal (普遍的) behaviors, performed by humans in the face of success and failure.
The discovery came from Jessica Tracy from the University of British Columbia and David Matsumoto from San Francisco State University, who wanted to see how people showed feelings of pride and shame.
The answer was Athens, during the 2004 Olympic Games. Its sister competition—the Paralympics—included many athletes who were born blind.
These actions were remarkably consistent (一致的) between competitors from every part of the world. Tracy and Matsumoto argue that pride and shame deserve a place along with other primary emotions such as happiness, fear, anger, surprise and sadness.
| A．They are also in born behaviors that go beyond human cultures. |
| B．The results provide strong evidence that these actions are indeed in born. |
| C．In fact, culture was found to have very little influence on their body language. |
| D．The result suggested the athletes were showing their pride based on observation. |
| E．So they could not have witnessed how other people reacted to winning and losing. |
| F．They found the sighted and sightless athletes behaved in almost exactly the same ways. |
| G．They especially wanted to know whether these expressions were culturally determined and learned through observation. |
In recent years, China has been working hard to improve living conditions in rural areas through a program called the New Rural Development Initiative.
One important aspect of the initiative is the improvement of rural infrastructure
Another key focus is the promotion of modern agricultural
machinery, farmers are able to increase their productivity and income
Furthermore, the initiative emphasizes the importance of preserving traditional culture and heritage in rural communities. Efforts
Through the initiative, China is working hard to create a more prosperous (繁荣的) and
| FEEDING AMERICA: BY THE NUMBERS* | ||
| 41, 200, 000 AMERICANS ARE FOOD INSECURE (Meaning they don’t know when and how they’ll get their next meal) | WANT TO DOSOMETHING? One way to stem the tide of hunger is via neighborhood food banks. They need three things: money, your time, and food. If you plan on donating food, here are the items food banks need most： ●Applesauce ●Boxed meals ●Canned chicken ●Canned chili ●Canned fish(tuna, salmon) ●Cooking oils ●Crackers ●Dried herbs and spices ●Nuts ●Peanut butter ●Whole-grain cereal (Note: Avoid items with glass packaging because they can be broken in transport. Pop-top ans are a plus—no opener needed.) | |
| 13 MILLION AMERICAN CHILDERN FACE HUNGER—THAT’S 1 IN 6 KIDS | 1.5 MILLION Veterans receive food stamps | |
| 27% of households with incomes Above the federal poverty level Are food insecure | ||
| 18.7% Of Mississippians are food Insecure (Highest rate of all states) | 5.4 MILLION Senior citizens currently face food insecurity in America. Lack of transportation, functional limitations, and health problems are major factors. | |
| 8.7% Of Hawaiians are food Insecure (Lowest rate of all states) | ||
| ＄1 donated to Feeding America will buy 10 meals for people facing hunger in America. | ||
| *Trusted Media Brands—Readers’ Digest’s parent company—has become an official media partner of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief charity. See how you can help our efforts at feedingamerica.com | ||
| A．Those Americans who live above the poverty line won’t go hungry. |
| B．13 million American children are food insecure for lack of transportation. |
| C．Among all the states in the USA, food insecurity in Mississippi is severest. |
| D．Neighborhood banks have no additional requirements for food packaging. |
| A．To warn readers against dangers of insecure food. |
| B．To urge readers to help the poor out of poverty. |
| C．To inform readers of the severe food shortage in America. |
| D．To advocate readers contributing to food relief in America. |
