1 . You can tell a lot about people’s general state of mind based on their social media feeds. Are they always tweeting（发微博）about their biggest annoyances or posting pictures of particularly cute kitties? In a similar fashion, researchers are turning to Twitter for clues about the overall happiness of entire geographic communities.
What they’re finding is that regional variation in the use of common phrases produces predictions that don’t always reflect the local state of well being. But removing from their analyses just three specific terms -- good, love and LOL - greatly improves the accuracy of the methods.
“We’re living in a crazy COVID-19 era. And now more than ever, we’re using social media to adapt to a new normal and reach out to the friends and family that we can’t meet face-to-face.” Kokil Jaidka studies computational linguistics at the National University of Singapore. “But our words aren’t useful just to understand what we, as individuals, think and feel. They’re also useful clues about the community we live in.”
One of the simpler methods that many scientists use to analyze the data involves correlating words with positive or negative emotions. But when those records are compared with phone surveys that assess regional well-being, Jaidka says, they don’t paint an accurate picture of the local zeitgeist（时代精神）.
Being able to get an accurate read on the mood of the population is no laughing matter. “That’s particularly important now, in the time of COVID, where we’re expecting a mental health crisis and we’re already seeing in survey data the largest decrease in subjective well-being in 10 years at least, if not ever.”
To find out why , Jaidka and her team analyzed billions of tweets from around the United States. And they found that among the most frequently used terms on Twitter are LOL, love and good. And they actually throw the analysis off. Why the disconnect?
“Internet language is really a different beast than regular spoken language. We’ve adapted words from the English vocabulary to mean different things in different situations.” says Jaidka. “Take, for example, LOL. I’ve tweeted the word LOL to express irony, annoyance and sometimes just pure surprise. When the methods for measuring LOL as a marker of happiness were created in the 1990s, it still meant laughing out loud.”
“There are plenty of terms that are less misleading,” says Jaidka. “Our models tell us that words like excited, fun, great, opportunity, interesting, fantastic and those are better words for measuring subjective well-being.”
1. The researchers turn to social media feeds to ________.| A．help with the analysis of people’s subjective well-being |
| B．integrate into a mainstreamed lifestyle more quickly |
| C．prove the disconnect between language and emotions |
| D．collect specific terms associated with specific zeitgeist. |
| A．It didn’t reflect the mood of the entire geographic community |
| B．It didn’t match the assessment result of the phone surveys. |
| C．It didn’t consider the features of Internet language. |
| D．It didn’t take the regional variations into account. |
| A．Face-to-face communication is never replaced to ensure happiness. |
| B．Internet use is to blame for the decrease in subjective well-being. |
| C．Internet language should be originally used as a source of scientific analysis. |
| D．Less misleading words should be used in assessing subjective well-being. |
| A．Internet Shock Need A Break | B．Underlying LOL Never Fade Away |
| C．Virtual Mirror Of Era Being | D．Gulf Between Old And New |
2 . Food waste is a growing problem both in America and across the globe. In North America alone about 30-40% of food ends up as rubbish each year. While much ends up as rubbish, over 48 million Americans live in households that do not have enough food! Now, concerned citizens are trying to raise awareness of the issue with some creative ideas.
In New York’s Westchester County, students at 18 schools join in a program called We Future Cycle. Started by Anna and Ashley in 2014, it teaches kids to recycle, compost (堆肥), and most importantly control food waste in an easy and efficient manner.
Lunch areas at those schools are equipped with three clearly marked bins— compost, recycle and share. While the first two are common in schools, the third is rare. This is the bin where kids can put their unwanted drinks, fruits, and even untouched sandwiches. Food there is available for any student that wants them. Whatever remains at the end of the day is given to the local soup kitchen or food bank. Anna says the three bins have helped reduce the number of trash bags produced at the mid-day meal from an average of 22 to just 2!
To ensure kids form similar habits at home, the non-profit has created plans to educate families about the importance of sorting waste into the proper streams of recycling, composting, and food to donate. They also urge parents to have open conversations with their kids about food choices.
Kids are not the only ones that waste food. Adults are equally bad, if not worse! To fight that, Brooklyn-based Josh founded Salvage Super Club in 2014. The randomly organized dinners promise customers a multi-course meal for merely 50 dollars per person. The delicious food is made from perfectly safe ingredients (成分) that are past their prime and, therefore, headed for the compost or trash bin.
1. The underlined word “awareness” in Paragraph 1 probably means__________?| A．understanding | B．hope |
| C．doubt | D．value |
| A．Use dustbins instead of plastic bags for left-over food. |
| B．Put their unwanted food in the bins and learn to share. |
| C．Get the children to educate their parents at home. |
| D．Only get single-course food for 50 dollars when eating out. |
| A．Parents are to blame for the children’s bad habits. |
| B．Parents do not encourage children to save food. |
| C．Parents are as wasteful as children about food. |
| D．Parents have set an example for the children. |
| A．More information about food bank. | B．How to improve food production. |
| C．The importance of saving food. | D．Other creative ways to save food. |
China has once again showed its ability to change the world with its “four great new
China’s new-generation high-speed train, the Fuxing Hao, is now one of the
Bike sharing, for example, is not new itself. But China has made
And back in China, when riding a shared bike, you can stop
As for Alipay, it was designed to serve the online shopping at first,
4 . Since “SQUID GAME” appeared in mid-September, the show has taken the world by storm, producing millions of videos on TikTok. In Paris fights broke out as fans tried to crowd into a shop where visitors could take photos with staff dressed like the characters from the show.
“Squid Game”, which takes its name from a common Korean schoolyard game, follows a group of heavily-indebted losers who are dressed in green sportswear and fight for a nearly $40 million prize.
The global strong interest for the show confused people in South Korea. “Nobody around me understands why it was so popular, and neither do I,” says In-young, a 26-year-old from Seoul who stopped watching after a couple of episodes (集) because it upset her to see her childhood games described as a cruel struggle for survival, though she admitted the show in some way made sense for ordinary South Koreans struggling with unaffordable housing and low-paid jobs.
One Korean critic (评论家) guesses that the mix of violent entertainment with a very popular comments explains the show’s attraction to Western audiences, who are used to such themes from American productions such as “The Hunger Games”.
No doubt the attractive shape of the design, the grand clothing and scenes as well as the translation of different languages also help. The popularity of “Squid Game” is a reflection of South Korea’s outsize cultural power on the global stage. It may also have benefited from “Parasite”, a film about social injustice, which won the Oscar for best picture in 2020. But most of all, it shows that, like love and money, complaints about unfairness have no language.
1. Why does the author mention fights in Paris in paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the topic. |
| B．To emphasize the value of the show. |
| C．To show the popularity of the show. |
| D．To state the cruel situation in Paris. |
| A．Few Korean people like to watch the show. |
| B．In-young misses her childhood games very much. |
| C．In-young’s childhood games are cruel and violent. |
| D．The show reflects the reality of Korean to some degree. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Objective. | D．Doubtful. |
5 . Some people can't wait for the lovely colors, cooler weather, and cozy sweaters of autumn. In fact, fall is Americans' favorite time, but for a minority of others, the transition from summer creates worry, fear and worse. According to Carrie Landin, a psychologist from the University of Colorado Health Integrative Medicine Center, a significant number of people actually experience autumn anxiety.
For some people, stress is triggered (触发) by environmental factors: Decreases in daylight cause chemical changes in the brain. "Less daylight leads to lower levels of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine that control our emotions," says Kimberly Asner-self, associate professor at Touro Colleges` School of Health Sciences. "As these chemicals drop, the body responds by increasing levels of cortisol. the hormone released in situations where we face threat." The result can be an increased anxiety, difficulty sleeping and depression.
But it's not just increasing darkness that can trigger these symptoms. For people who feel this way every year, some of the reaction is mental. "When we know there's the potential for stress ahead we tend to anticipate the problems, feeling anxious before they even happen," Landin says.
The fall features more than its fair share of impending (迫在眉睫) events: back to school at the beginning of the season and family get-togethers toward the end. Mayra Mendez, a psychologist from Providence Saint Johns Health Center, suggests identifying your personal triggers and making a plan to manage them before they feel overwhelming. For instance, if you're concerned about family issues and holiday parties, decide in advance that it's perfectly OK to say no to some of them. If fall's stricter work and school schedules make you anxious, plan regular breaks and vacations to look forward to.
Finally, you should also find ways to embrace the present moment. Remember: while autumn may throw you a few tricks, there are plenty of treats to be found too.
1. What may be the cause of autumn anxiety?| A．Cooler weather. | B．Less daylight. |
| C．Sleep difficulties. | D．Vacation plans. |
| A．potential stress can be predictable | B．stress can be triggered by chemicals |
| C．depression is related to family issues | D．anxiety can be caused by mental factors |
| A．Manageable. | B．Overwhelming. |
| C．Troublesome. | D．Beneficial. |
| A．Seasonal Anxiety | B．Tricks or Treats |
| C．The Autumn Blues | D．Characteristics of Fall |
6 . You’ve likely met the humblebrag before —— boasting (吹噓) in a way of a complaint, such as “I’m having such a worrying day. I got two job offers and I don’t know what to do.”
This is a typical example of humblebragging, a term coined by comedic writer Harris Wittels referring to “a specific type of boast that allows the offender to broadcast their achievements without the necessary shame and guilt that should normally accompany such claims.” In simpler terms, it’s a way to disguise a boast with some humility (谦让). Humblebragging comes in two different forms. The first is humility - based, an example being,＂can’t believe I got the highest grade in my class ”. The second type comes mixed with a bit of complaint, for example,＂I can’t believe that shopkeeper asked me for ID. I’m 25!”
People don’t like when others humblebrag because they find they are lacking in sincerity. Sincerity is a critical dimension of social evaluation, which is viewed as fundamental to people’s identity. In fact, people prize sincerity even above competence and warmth in others, according to Dr. Sezer.
If humblebragging doesn’t work, and no one likes it, why do we still do it? We all want to highlight our positive qualities without seeming proud. By speaking in a complaint or an expression of humility, we hope we’ll somehow land on the “sweet spot” of self - presentation: promoting ourselves while also conveying likability. In addition, research suggests that people may experience positive feelings while humblebragging.
Considering that we’re all likely to feel the urge to humblebrag, at least to some extent, the proper response when we hear a friend doing it may be to simply let it go——because ultimately we’re going to do it ourselves, and who really wants to be called out on it?
1. Which of the following remarks is an example of humblebragging| A．How I hate hearing my voice on TV! |
| B．I’m thrilled to be awarded the first prize. |
| C．I’m the only person to get promoted in the firm. |
| D．How I dislike doing the same thing every day! |
| A．Honest | B．Humble. | C．Insincere. | D．Incapable. |
| A．Follow it up | B．Leave it alone. | C．Turn against it | D．Get to the root of it. |
7 . The robots are coming！
All the efforts you put into studying at university may not have been enough—because robots could be coming for your job. A new study finds that as many as 800 million workers could be replaced by robots by 2030.
The study from the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that “between 400 million and 800 million individuals could be replaced by automation (自动化) or robots and need to find new jobs by 2030 around the world”. It estimates that 30 percent of the hours people spend on working globally could have been automated by that time.
Those most affected will be people who work in “predictable environments” doing tasks such as operating machines and preparing fast food. Those who make a living collecting and processing data also face a high risk of being replaced by robots. But people who work in less predictable environments such as gardeners, plumbers, and childcare staff face a smaller risk, because their roles “are technically difficult to be automated and often command relatively lower wages, which makes automation a less attractive business proposition”.
However, it's not all doom (厄运) for the future of employment. The study notes that automation sometimes allows workers to remain employed in a different position. “Even when some tasks are automated, the employment rate in those occupations may not decline because workers may perform new tasks，” McKinsey & Company wrote in a release on its website.
It noted that China has the largest number of employees who would need to switch occupations, up to 100 million if automation was adopted rapidly, or 12 percent of the 2030 workforce. The numbers are higher in more advanced economies, with up to onethird of the 2030 workforce in America and Germany needing to switch occupations, along with nearly half of the 2030 workforce in Japan. Countries which fail to prepare workers for transition to new jobs will feel the impact of a rise in unemployment and depressed wages, according to the study.
1. Why will lots of people need to find new jobs by 2030 around the world？| A．They don't put efforts into their study at university. |
| B．The world's working population is on the steady increase. |
| C．They will be paid less with the development of technology. |
| D．Robots or automation will take the place of their positions. |
| A．Machine operation. | B．Fast food cooking. |
| C．Childcare in kindergarten. | D．Data collection. |
| A．Optimistic. |
| B．Pessimistic. |
| C．Unconcerned and indifferent. |
| D．Having no personal preference. |
| A．Education. | B．Technology. |
| C．Lifestyle. | D．Business. |
8 . Work less, do more. It's an attractive idea that's becoming reality for a growing number of people in Sweden, where some companies are shortening their workdays from eight hours to six or even fewer. But is it possible to finish the same amount of work in less time?
The answer depends on the person and the type of work, experts say. But plenty of evidence suggests that cutting back on hours can have many benefits, not just because people are usually happier when they work less. If done right, shortening the workday can also improve productivity (生产效率).
The average American works about 47 hours a week, and many people work much more than that, even though many recent studies have connected working long hours with many health problems. People who work too much are more likely to gain weight, suffer workplace injuries and develop stress-related illnesses.
Dealing with those problems can end up costing companies a large amount of money, experts say. One recent study found that stress in the workplace contributes to 120,000 deaths each year and as much as 
of health care costs in the US.
Productivity can also suffer as the day goes on and it takes even more effort to maintain the same pace. A number of studies have found that intense (紧张的) periods of mental effort can impair people's ability to solve puzzles, make decisions and control emotions.
1. Why does the author provide the example of some Sweden companies in the first paragraph?| A．To provide support for his own ideas. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the passage. |
| C．To predict the change of views on workdays. |
| D．To provide a successful case of shorter workdays. |
| A．measure | B．improve | C．repair | D．affect |
| A．Work at Your Peak Efficiency |
| B．Assess Your Pace of Work |
| C．Can a 6-hour Workday Work? |
| D．Are You Shortening Your Workdays? |
We tend to think about success in terms of wealth and accomplishments. That’s a fair measurement, but the problem is that when we addict into the
Time is a factor when it comes to making sacrifices. As Warren Buffett famously
Making the decision isn’t easy, but the good news is
10 . Children’s heavy digital media use is associated with a risk of being overweight later in adolescence. A recent study shows that six hours of leisure-time physical activity per week at the age of 11 reduces the risk of being overweight at 14 years of age associated with heavy use of digital media.
Obesity (肥胖) in children and adolescents is one of the most significant health-related challenges globally. A study carried out by the Folkhalsan Research Center investigated whether a link exists between the digital media use of Finnish school-age children and the risk of being overweight later in adolescence. In addition, the study looked into whether children’s physical activity has an effect on this potential link.
The study involved 4,661 children who reported how much time they spent on sedentary (久坐的) digital media use and physical activity outside school hours. The study indicated that heavy use of digital media at 11 years of age was associated with a heightened risk of being overweight at 14 years of age in children who reported taking part in under six hours per week of physical activity in their leisure time. In children who reported being physically active for six or more hours per week, such a link was not observed.
The study also took into account other factors potentially impacting obesity, such as childhood eating habits and the amount of sleep, as well as the amount of digital media use and physical activity in adolescence. In spite of the confounding (混杂的) factors, the protective role of childhood physical activity in the connection between digital media use in childhood and being overweight later in life was successfully confirmed.
“The effect of physical activity on the association between digital media use and being overweight has not been further investigated in follow-up studies so far,” says Postdoctoral Researcher Elina Engberg. “In this study, the amount of physical activity and use of digital media was reported by the children themselves, and the level of their activity was not surveyed, so there is a need for further studies.”
1. The subjects of the study were ________.| A．surveyed three years later after the first one |
| B．those who kept sitting and used digital media a lot |
| C．4,661 school-aged children suffering from obesity |
| D．lacking in sufficient leisure-time physical activity |
| A．Major | B．Particular. |
| C．Increasing. | D．Slight. |
| A．Different factors contributing to kids’ overweight problem. |
| B．The influence of childhood eating habits on children’s obesity. |
| C．The relationship among kids’ exercise, digital media use and obesity. |
| D．Children’s academic challenges resulting from heavy digital media use. |
| A．Reasons for carrying out further studies. |
| B．Guidelines for children and adolescents. |
| C．Approaches to solving teens’ weight problems. |
| D．Connections between obesity and physical activity. |
