1 . Workers are quitting their jobs. A lot of them. In fact, there are so many people that it seems that we’re still in the middle of the so-called Great Resignation (辞职). In the US, the Labor Department reported that 4.3 million Americans left their jobs in August 2021, making up about 2.9% of the national workforce — the highest number on record. In the UK, the number of open jobs was more than 1 million for the first time ever in August. There are several reasons why workers are walking away — poor working conditions, fears of getting infected with COVID-19 and a better understanding of life during COVID-19.
You may have heard the story that in the golden age of American labor, 20th-century workers stayed in one job for 40 years and retired with a gold watch. But that’s a total myth. The truth is that people in the 1960s and 1970s quit their jobs more often than they have in the past 20 years, and the economy was better off for it. Since the 1980s Americans have quit less, and many held on to valueless jobs for fear that the safety net wouldn’t support them while they looked for a new one. But Americans seem to have put an end to their persistence (坚持). And they’re being rewarded for their lack of patience: Wages for low-income workers are rising at their fastest rate since the Great Recession (大萧条). In fact, the number of the Great Resignation is really great.
Nearly 7 percent of employees in the “accommodations and food services” area left their jobs in August. That means one in 14 hotel clerks, restaurant servers, and barbacks said goodbye in a single month. Thanks to several pandemic-relief checks, a rent moratorium (缓交), and student-loan forgiveness, everybody, particularly if they are young and have a low income, has more freedom to quit the jobs they hate and hope for something else.
1. Which is one of the reasons why lots of workers are quitting their jobs in the US?A.They find their life meaningless. |
B.They want to get more freedom. |
C.They are afraid of picking up COVID-19. |
D.Their living conditions are very terrible. |
A.Workers quit their jobs more frequently in the 1980s than in the 1960s. |
B.Workers working for 40 years were awarded a gold watch in the 19th century. |
C.All the workers’ wages are rising sharply since the Great Recession in the US. |
D.Workers’ quitting their jobs more often contributed to the economic growth in the 1970s. |
A.Legend. | B.Fact. | C.Secret. | D.Experiment. |
A.The golden age of American labor has gone. |
B.Americans are leaving their jobs in groups. |
C.Young workers are fighting for freedom. |
D.America’s economy is getting worse due to COVID-19. |
2 . New parents often spend a long time debating what to call their newborn. Should they name them after a relative, a famous person, or just pick a name at random?
Names usually stay with us for a lifetime, unless we decide to change them. They become part of our identity. Quite often we hear stories of celebrities giving their children unusual names, while other people give their children names which have special meanings, for example,
So, what if you don’t like your given name? A study led by psychologist Jean Twenge found that a person who hates the nickname given to them is more likely to have greater psychological adjustment issues — possibly due to low self-esteem. This is because our title becomes a symbol of our self.
And what if your name is no longer popular? While names like Ethel and Gladys were once in fashion, they now sound a bit out of date, which can be embarrassing.
However, if you choose an unusual name, it’s not all bad news. According to a study conducted by Professor David Zhu, people with uncommon names can develop a sense of uniqueness.
So, when choosing your successor’s name, there are a fair few things to consider — but going for something too common or too old-fashioned may not be a great choice.
A.the name Sarah comes from a Hebrew word meaning “princess”. |
B.They can often become more creative and open-minded. |
C.A person who likes his name will be more self-confident. |
D.For many of us it can be quite the tiring task, |
E.And when it comes to unpopular names which aren’t fashionable, they may even affect our lives. |
F.If we hate our name, our confidence may be affected. |
G.Unpopular names also has many advantages. |
3 . What’s your baby doing right now? I hope he or she is not rolling on the floor. Such behaviour might seem natural and age-appropriate but this laid-back environment could come back to haunt you at a later date.
Eventually you may be forced to reflect upon those wasted opportunities. In allowing your baby to unproductively behave just like, well, a baby, you may be failing to foster his or her personal growth. Are you denying your child the chance to achieve his or her full potential as a well-rounded baby?
You see, some parents are hot-housing their infants as we speak. While your baby’s programme revolves around the traditional routines of sleeping, eating and playing, other people’s offspring are on the fast-track to certain giftedness. And Baby Einstein DVDs, which were all the rage when I was a new mother, are really the least of your problems.
Ever eager to exploit our perceived inadequacies, smart marketers have found something else for parents to feel guilty about. There’s a manufactured fear that we’re squandering those valuable moments when a baby’s brain is said to be like a sponge, ready and willing to soak up new information at an alarming rate.
I’ve never seen the point of deliberately setting up your little one to be more advanced than his or her peers. I like the idea of babies just being babies and children just being children. Anyway, if they can read at the age of three then what will they learn in their first year of school?
One thing’s for sure: for some people parenting has taken on the proportions of a competitive sport. Some children wrestle with after-school activities every day of the week. Others are enrolled in extra tuition — sometimes simply to reach an acceptable standard and other times in order to be top of the class. There are tennis camps, swim academies and dancing schools. Some households even speak English downstairs and French upstairs. What? That’s not how you run your home? Oh dear. I see bilingualism passing your child by, for sure.
1. What does the author imply in paragraph 2?A.The author likes raising baby at home. |
B.Many parents don’t realize their babies’ potentials. |
C.We don’t have enough time or money to raise babies. |
D.Many parents foster their children’s personal growth by any chance. |
A.They were good enough for mothers. |
B.They were effective in teaching babies. |
C.They were cheaper than other products. |
D.They were popular with many mothers. |
A.It’s a good way to build up potentials. |
B.It’s not helpful to baby’s development. |
C.It’s vital to develop baby’s brain. |
D.It’s not so cheap to be invested by all parents. |
A.Give children more sports. |
B.Develop children more. |
C.Let babies grow as they are. |
D.Develop children’s bilingualism. |
4 . Social media has completely taken over everyday life, affecting how society runs and changing individuals in ways that even they can feel. While social media can act as a platform for people to express themselves, it can also be overwhelming, especially for high school teens.
To teenager Bryson Lan, quitting social media helped eliminate (消除) a significant distraction in his routine and keep up with teachers. “I was scrolling through social networking sites so much,” Lan said. “I was also starting to struggle since I entered my high school year. When school started, I was super overwhelmed (不知所措的), and I was just not ready for it.”
Most teenagers fear that by eliminating these apps, they will miss out on connections with their peers and feel a significant loss to their social life. However, Lan found he didn’t miss anything during his time without social media.
Another problem with social media is the amount of “junk content” posted. People are regularly posting and updating on social media, and much of the content has no meaning to other viewers and is ultimately a time suck.
However, social media isn’t all negative. Social media can be a place to develop passions and boost creativity. For example, Lan found his interest in photography blossom after seeing works from other photographers on social media. “Social media is a good place where you can have a portfolio (作品集) or upload your works,” Lan said. “A lot of people have photography accounts or art accounts. In some ways, I think it actually furthers your hobby.” “Thanks to this revolutionary development of social media, we can enjoy a world where everyone is closer than before,” Lan said. “But we also need to have the skills to make good use of social media, and that depends on each person’s efforts.”
1. What did getting rid of social media bring Lan?A.More distractions. | B.Confusion about life. |
C.A smaller social circle. | D.More attention on his studies. |
A.A waste of time. | B.A timetable. | C.A lack of time. | D.A time switch. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Unclear. | C.Objective. | D.Supportive. |
A.Most teenagers’ opinions on social media. | B.The effects social media has on teenagers. |
C.Innovative development of social media. | D.The problems social media brings people. |
5 . A new study shows that U.S. teens see more television commercials (广告) for alcohol than for jeans, sneakers, or other teen products, the New York Times reported Dec. 18.
For the study, the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University studied the 208,909 alcohol commercials on television. They found that nearly 25 percent of the ads were viewed mainly by teenagers, rather than adults.
Furthermore, 12-to-20-year-olds viewed more commercials for beer and other alcoholic drinks than products marketed directly to young people, such as gum, snacks, and juice. “No one is watching what the industry is doing, and the industry is in denial (拒绝承认),” said David A. Kessler, dean of the School of Medicine at Yale and an adviser to CAMY.
The alcohol industry uses voluntary rules to reduce the number of ads seen by those under age 21. The rules say that ads should not air during programs where at least half of the audience is underage (未成年的).
“We do not forgive illegal underage drinking under any circumstances,” said Jeff Becker, president of the Beer Institute. “This industry does not, and never has, targeted our advertising to people who can’t legally buy our products.”
However, the report found that alcohol ads ran during 13 of the 15 most popular shows for teenagers, including “Seventh Heaven,” “Gilmore Girls, ” “Dark Angel,” “That ‘70s Show,” “Friends,” “E.R.,” and sporting events.
Jim O’Hara, executive director of CAMY, said the industry rules are false. He added, “These standards do not protect youth from exposure and overexposure to alcohol advertising and marketing.”
1. What’s the result of the study conducted by CAMY?A.Teenagers like alcohol than jeans and sneakers. |
B.Alduts see more alcohol ads on TV than teenager. |
C.Teenagers see ads for alcohol ads on TV more than adults. |
D.The older teenagers are, the better they like ads for alcohol ads. |
A.The alcohol industry is widely praised. |
B.The alcohol industry is closely watched. |
C.The underage will see less ads for alcoholic drinks in the near future. |
D.Young people can easily buy such products as alcoholic drinks, snacks and juice. |
A.Dark Angel and Seventh Heaven are shows for adults. |
B.The industry rules protect youth from alcohol advertising. |
C.Not all the most popular shows for teenagers air alcohol ads. |
D.Teenagers can drink alcohol with the permission of their parents. |
A.Alcohol commercials on TV. |
B.Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. |
C.Illegal underage drinking is not permitted. |
D.Teenagers see more TV ads for alcohol than other products. |
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内容包括:
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Is Reading a Book Better than Listening to It?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It’s odd — we’re always talking about the healthy work-life balance and know that working long hours can lead to stress, anxiety, and
People believe long hours on the job to be proof of their work ethic (职业道德). And no matter how much we’d like
A study
Clearly, doing overtime
9 . A team of leading environmental experts have warned that the current war on plastic is detracting from the bigger threats to the environment. In an article, they say that while plastic waste is an issue, its prominence in the general public’s concern for the environment is overshadowing greater threats, for example, climate change and biodiversity loss.
The team argue that much of the bad talk about plastic waste is based on data that is not always representative of the environments that have been sampled. The dislike of plastic associated with this could encourage the use of alternative materials with potentially harmful effects.
The authors warn that plastic pollution dominates the public’s concern for the environment and has been exploited politically, after capturing the attention of the world, for example, through the images of wildlife caught in plastic was alarmist headlines. They say small political gestures such as law banning cosmetic microplastics, taxing plastic bags, and financial rewards for using reusable containers, as well as the promotion of products as “green” for containing less plastic than alternatives, make people neglect other environmental problems that are not as noticeable as plastic pollution.
The article also highlights that plastic is not the only type of polluting materials, originating from human activity that pollutes the environment. Other examples include natural textile fibres such as cotton and wool, and brake-wear particles from vehicles — all of which are present in different places. The authors note that these materials are often much more abundant than microplastics and some are associated with “plastic alternatives” that are marketed as solutions to plastic pollution. The impacts of these materials are less well-known than plastic and microplastic pollution, yet they could have huge impacts.
The article states that solutions are likely to come from a greater focus on designing materials and products that can be recycled, that have their end-of-life, and that markets and facilities exist to recycle.
1. What’s the experts’ attitude towards the current war on plastic?A.Indifferent. | B.Favorable. | C.Critical. | D.Objective. |
A.The negative view of plastic. |
B.The use of alternative materials. |
C.The potential harmful effects. |
D.The defense for plastic. |
A.Explain a rule. | B.Make a comparison. |
C.Clarify a point. | D.Offer a suggestion. |
A.A response to plastic pollution. |
B.A schedule to fight against pollution. |
C.An argument against climate change. |
D.A guide to plastic management. |
10 . Movie stars might think their lives are private after leaving the acting location, but they ought to know that they have much power over their audience. The power gives them an ability to change people, events, even history, making them to have the responsibility of being good role models.
With time going on, movie stars become celebrities (名人) and in the process get a large number of fans. Some of them follow their deeds, dress, and act like them. In reality, they want to be like their favorite movie stars. If a movie star engages in acts that the society does not approve, those who look up to them, especially the teens, will do the same. Movie stars should be responsible for what they do and say as following the actions is now simpler because of social media. It is important to behave like a role model even when they think no one is watching.
Nobody is perfect, and movie stars also have had their down moments. They may not have been good role models at the time, but they can change the narrative by doing the right things. They can also turn the past shortcomings into positives by opening up about problems and how they overcame the challenges. And their audience can learn to discuss their problems and seek help.
People starring in movies are the target of companies to promote their products or services for a fee. Their celebrity status is a reason enough to think beyond the payment. A movie star should not recommend something that will influence the way teens live negatively. It would be wrong to promote something like sweetened drinks or foods without health benefits. Movie stars face problems like other people, but because of their influence, they have a responsibility to be role models in the public eye.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?A.Fans often follow their stars’ dress and hobbies. |
B.Celebrities’ actions spread fast on social media. |
C.Movie stars should be responsible for their fans. |
D.Movie stars’ acts have a great impact on their fans. |
A.Lie to fans by making up a story. |
B.Do the right things to overcome the problems. |
C.Cover their problems with good movies. |
D.Post their problems online to seek help. |
A.Don’t tell problems to the public. |
B.Don’t play roles that have a negative impact on teens. |
C.Don’t ask for payment when promoting products. |
D.Don’t recommend unhealthy drinks or foods. |
A.To tell movie stars how to help people in need. |
B.To stress movie stars’ impact on teens. |
C.To call on movie stars to be good role models. |
D.To advise movie stars to open up about their problems. |