1 . To improve road safety and raise awareness among Russia’s notoriously (臭名昭著地) careless drivers, Russian police have tried to get drivers to slow down at zebra (斑马) crossings by having painted horses as zebras walk across on the busiest streets in some of the big cities.
The light grey horses, painted with black stripes (条纹), carried signs on their backs reading: “Careful, children are on their way to school.” The police sent the “zebras” to several different locations in the Russian capital, where officials in orange vests walked them over zebra crossings and handed out leaflets (传单) to passing drivers.
Some held up rainbow-coloured umbrellas over the painted animals to protect them from the rain. Russian roads are notoriously dangerous and drivers still rarely take steps to avoid pedestrians. Nearly half of all traffic accidents in the country’s big cities are caused by cars hitting pedestrians, and a third of those occur on crossings, according to traffic police figures published last month.
In the first six months of this year, 378 people were killed and more than 6, 600 injured on pedestrian crossings in Russia, according to police. In Moscow alone, 43 people were killed, including two children.
Though police officials said that only safe paint would be used on the animals, animal rights activists still disagreed with the idea, accusing the police of “treating animals like garbage”.
“Children understand that paints are bad for animals,” the Interfax news agency quoted president of Vita animal rights group Irina Novozhilova as saying.
Let’s hope this part of the campaign is over and animals are left out of future attempts to raise pedestrians’ awareness.
1. Why do Moscow police have “zebras” walk across on the busiest streets?| A．To make a call on protecting animals. |
| B．To raise drivers’ awareness of road safety. |
| C．To tell people it is dangerous to cross streets. |
| D．To remind people zebras are in danger of extinction. |
| A．The zebras. | B．The policemen. | C．The horses. | D．The drivers. |
| A．Russian drivers seldom give way to pedestrians. |
| B．Russian drivers often ignore traffic lights. |
| C．most Russian drivers have realized the seriousness of the problem. |
| D．the driving skills of Russian drivers are bad. |
| A．Drivers must slow down at pedestrian crossings. |
| B．Road safety should be improved. |
| C．The paints used on the horses are safe. |
| D．These animals are ill-treated by the police. |
2 . It was a quiet morning in the library, and we librarians were enjoying a rather loud chat. Suddenly, a patron (常客) marched up to us, gave us an annoyed “Shush!” and went back to her seat. How strange for a group of librarians to be shushed by a patron! Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
Well, it’s complicated. If you’re like me, a middle-aged woman, you probably remember libraries as places of silent reading. These days, however, libraries are more like active community centers.
In the past, most libraries didn’t focus much on programs for kids whose age made it impossible for them to be quiet on demand. But growing knowledge about the importance of kids and teens learning through hands-on experiences has since caused a sea change in how libraries connect with young readers. Now libraries begin offering interactive programs for kids, including crafts, board games, and story times. These types of programs certainly aren’t designed to be silent.
Along with more programs for ever-younger children, technology today has played a part in the transformation of libraries into places where both kids and adults can use computers, make something on a 3D printer and more. In addition, many libraries now offer programs for adults, who can participate in in book discussion, learn calligraphy, and even take college classes.
Of course, libraries still need peaceful phones. These days, many libraries have glassed-off study rooms or quiet areas. They are also less noisy in the early afternoons, after morning children’s programs and before the after-school kid crowd arrive.
It’s clear to me now that on the day my colleagues and I were shushed by a patron, we should have been using our “library voices” as we talked. Still, it’s unlikely that libraries will ever return to the days when they were places of silence. There’s just too much fun and learning happening.
1. How did the author respond to the patron’s behavior?| A．She approved of it. | B．She was disappointed at it. |
| C．She hesitated about it. | D．She was astonished at it. |
| A．The past and the present of libraries. | B．The reason for the change of libraries. |
| C．The activities for young children in libraries. | D．The connection between libraries and readers. |
| A．They heavily depend on technology. | B．They offer online programs for adults. |
| C．They still provide silent reading places. | D．They care much about time arrangement. |
| A．Libraries Should be Loud | B．Reading Can be Fun in Libraries |
| C．Libraries Make Learning Happen | D．Library Programs Target Children |
3 . What life style trends (趋势) will be hot in 2022? The 2022 Trend Report posted on a photo-sharing website has given its answer. Most of the information and answers were collected from Generation Z (people born between 1995 and 2009). Checkout some of them below.
Shopping Online shopping will still be popular. But it will spread from common shopping websites to social media apps and second-hand shopping apps. ※27% of teenagers and young adults are expecting to shop directly through social media apps and their special in-app services. ※23% of them are expecting to shop through second-hand shopping apps. |
Food Young people are tying difficult recipes (食谱) at home, following social media stars. ※One person in six would like to cook at home. ※More than a quarter of teenagers and young adults are trying something new, like making bread and cakes. |
Wellness Teenagers and young adults care about mental (心理的) health more. ※About one in three of them continues to take part in activities like med tai on (冥想) and exercise regularly. ※About a quarter of them depend on creative activities like drawing or writing music to stay in a good mood. |
| A．Emma, a 32-year-old doctor. | B．Jenny, a 25-year-old teacher. |
| C．Steve, a 42-year-old driver. | D．David, a 10-year-old student. |
| A．photo-sharing website | B．social media apps |
| C．second-hand shopping apps | D．common shopping websites |
| A．A book. | B．A magazine. | C．A website. | D．A newspaper. |
4 . These days, it’s not unusual to see middle-aged men collecting Star Wars action figures, office workers wearing Hello Kitty accessories, or celebrities like David Beckham playing with Lego bricks. It’s becoming more and more common to see adults taking an interest in toys, comic books and the activities that are traditionally associated with children. This phenomenon has given rise to a new word: kidult.
What lies behind the phenomenon? One is about adults’ nostalgia(怀旧之情) for the carefree days of childhood, and this is especially true with today’s fast-paced, stressful lifestyles. Another is about a societal change in recent decades where people are starting families later. As a result, they have more time and money to spend on themselves. Some adults could only window-shop for their dream toys when they were kids, but now they can afford that radio-controlled car or high-priced doll they have always wanted.
Businesses have been quick to exploit the kidult trend, and the number of toy stores that target adults has risen. Companies are repackaging products from past decades and also bringing out new ones for adults. Lego, for example, has brought out an architectural series featuring landmarks from around the world.
Society traditionally disapproves of adults who refuse to put aside childhood interests, viewing the refusal as a sign of social immaturity and irresponsibility. Those who agree with this view sometimes claim that kidults are suffering from the pop-psychology concept known as Peter Pan Syndrome, an anomaly(异常) that people remain emotionally at the level of teenagers. On a grander scale, these kidult opponents argue that such delayed adulthood causes couples to marry later and have fewer children. This in turn can lead to shrinking national economies, for there needs to be a generational replenishment(补充) of the workforce.
From the standpoint of kidults, though, this phenomenon is seen as nothing but harmless fun. Kidults insist that having youthful interests keeps them young, happy and creative, and their refusal to conform to society’s acceptable tastes shows independent thinking. Besides, they argue that being part of the social trend of delayed adulthood is not purely a personal choice. The real causes include expensive housing, increased educational requirements for employment and poor work opportunities.
Whether the kidult phenomenon will continue to grow or prove to be a passing trend is anyone’s guess. As the debate about it continues, remember that there is nothing wrong with being young at heart.
1. What does the kidult phenomenon refer to?| A．Adults act like children. | B．Adults like playing with children. |
| C．Adults go in for collecting toys. | D．Adults have child-like tastes. |
| A．High pressure of modern life. | B．More choices about toys. |
| C．Different living conditions. | D．Good memories of childhood. |
| A．Get used to. | B．Look forward to. |
| C．Make way for. | D．Take advantage of. |
| A．By strongly opposing kidult opponents. |
| B．By refusing to take a stand on the issue. |
| C．By presenting both sides of the argument. |
| D．By convincing readers to accept kidults. |
5 . The term “labor shortage” was Googled more in May. Headline after headline has cited wage rises and bonuses that seem to make it a job hunter’s market.
The concept sounds simple—American companies must be struggling to find the employees they need. Yet some labor economists would argue the picture isn’t complete. Employers are unable to find the workers they want at the wages they’re willing to pay. Failing to appreciate this distinction could lead to policy errors down the road.
The laws of supply and demand should make spotting labor shortages relatively straightforward. When there aren’t enough workers, employers pay more to get them and wages go up.
Yet quickening wage growth isn’t the only mark of a shortage. The sign is seeing this trend alongside stalling (停滞) job growth. Just look at what’s been happening in the leisure and hotel industry, among the most bruised (受挫)by the COVID-19 shutdown. After jobs almost disappeared during the pandemic, we’re starting to see a rebound: In May, the industry created 292, 000 jobs, far outpacing other corners of the economy. Meanwhile, average weekly earnings have been rising faster. In other words, the market is working to resolve a shortage: When employers lift wages, they’re able to attract the employees they need. Yet, the industry wages are only just meeting pre-COVID levels; they are not too high.
To assess a shortage accurately, though, you need to look beyond industries to specific locations and occupations. The taxi queuing model was used to address the debate about a shortage of workers in engineering. Employers and job openings can be thought of as taxis, while workers are a line of waiting passengers. Depending on your location, there may be a long line of taxis (say, at the airport), or on the contrary a long line of passengers (at a hotel). Demand for chemistry engineers in Texas, for example, is different from chemistry engineers in Massachusetts.
The bottom line is that, in the market, shortages are not universal. Simultaneous shortages and surpluses can come to the force across the economy at any given point, which is why broad-brush policies can be counterproductive(事与愿违的).
1. What could lead to policy mistakes in the future?| A．The views of some labor economists. |
| B．Workers who have difficulty in finding jobs. |
| C．Misunderstandings about labor shortage. |
| D．The salaries the employers are willing to pay. |
| A．The leisure and hotel industry is doing a very successful business. |
| B．Rapid wage growth connects with stalling employment growth. |
| C．The economy recovered quickly after the COVID-19. |
| D．Employees are eager to work after the COVID-19. |
| A．To explain an opinion. | B．To clarify a concept. |
| C．To present a fact. | D．To make a prediction. |
| A．Let the market fix labor shortages. |
| B．Job market is expected to be stronger. |
| C．Use broad-brush policies to assess labor shortages. |
| D．Competitors are eager to keep talent. |
6 . Cyberspace (网络空间) is constantly developing and presenting new opportunities, as the desire of businesses to quickly adopt new technologies, such as using the Internet to open new channels and adopting cloud services, provides vast opportunity. But, it also brings unexpected risks and unintended consequences that can have a potentially negative effect.
Hardly a day goes by without news of a new cyber threat. Unfortunately, businesses tend to misjudge how much risk they face from cyber crimes and how quickly this risk can develop. For them, the commercial, reputational and financial risks that go with cyberspace presence are real and growing every day.
So all businesses need to do now is establish cyber security within their organization, right?
Establishing cyber security alone is not enough. Nowadays, it is not very difficult for attackers to break security and stop the overall business system. Preventive measures are not enough to stop them. With the advancement of technology, hackers (黑客) have been changing and developing. So business risk management should include risk resilience (复原力) so that businesses can respond to any damaging cyberspace activity. Cyber resilience helps businesses successfully recover to their pre-attack business processes and business operations.
Building cyber resilience is not easy. A key finding of an authentic cyber-resilience report is that no organization can respond effectively on its own to the threats from cyberspace. Organisations must work together to share intelligence and resources. In this way the quality, usability and authenticity of intelligence will be greatly improved.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To make the development of cyberspace known. |
| B．To show the great contributions from business. |
| C．To make the technologies adopted by businesses attractive. |
| D．To make the topic appealing. |
| A．lacking in awareness of cyber safety | B．financially abundant |
| C．managed successfully | D．developed in judgment |
| A．it can prevent attacks | B．threats are always transforming |
| C．cyber security doesn’t work now | D．it keeps all the hackers off the internet |
| A．Effective resilience can be built by an organization alone. |
| B．Joint efforts are required in the formation of true resilience. |
| C．A great amount of difficulty prevented building resilience. |
| D．The cyberspace threat is nothing when cooperation is used. |
7 . Depending on the topic, people’s opinions can change from moment to moment or last a lifetime. The factors that make one opinion long-lasting and another short-lived, however are not always clear.
Past studies have shown that opinions based on hard facts and data can remain constant over time, but new research published in the journal Psychological Science finds that opinions based on feelings and emotions can also stand the test of time.
As part of their study the researchers asked more than 1000 people to what degree they believed opinions based on feelings or emotional reactions were more stable over time than those based on thinking and reasoned analysis. Only 15% expressed any belief that opinions based on emotion would be more stable over time
To test the role that emotion plays in forming long-lasting opinions, the researchers conducted seven independent studies involving more than 20,000 participants in various real-world situations.
The first survey, which was conducted the day after Christmas, measured feelings about recently received gifts. The participants were given a list of adjectives(形容词) to describe their opinions toward their gifts. Adjectives like “worthwhile” were associated with a practical reaction to the gift, while words like “delightful” were more strongly associated with an emotional reaction. One month later, the participants completed a follow-up survey to test the endurance(持久性) of their opinions. The results showed that the stronger the positive emotional reaction, the more likely that opinion remained fixed one month later.
In the final test, participants read one of two messages about an imaginary sea animal. One message contained broad-ranging facts about the animal (low-emotion condition). The other message was about a swimmer’s underwater interaction with the animal (high-emotion condition). The participants in the high-emotion condition showed significantly less change in their opinions across time.
“Emotionality is a predictor(预测因子) of long-lasting opinions which is unrecognized,” said Andrew Luttrell, a researcher at Ball State University. “These findings are important for understanding why some opinions are so difficult to change as well as how to create opinions that stick.”
1. What did the survey of 1000 people show?| A．Creating long-lasting opinions was a long process. |
| B．Opinions based on hard facts could stand the test of time. |
| C．Only a small percentage of people identified the essential part of emotion. |
| D．Only a small percentage of people dared to express their opinions. |
| A．Riding a safe car. | B．Watching an exciting football match. |
| C．Reading a valuable book. | D．Listening to a boring speech. |
| A．The findings have been concluded from emotional facts |
| B．The long last opinions are predicable |
| C．The findings have something to do with creative opinions |
| D．They help understand the endurance of opinions |
| A．Emotion varies based on different facts. | B．Emotion can help clarify the opinions. |
| C．Opinions can last when based on emotion. | D．Opinions once formed are hard to change. |
8 . Park guards who watch North America’s highest mountain say inexperienced and overconfident climbers are taking more risks and endangering themselves and other climbers. The guards suggest many climbers are trying to move up the mountain too fast after having a year of.
Denali in southern Alaska is 6,190 meters above sea level. So, climbing it requires a high level of skill. Climbers also need to acclimate to high altitudes (海拔), which is not needed for most mountains in the US.
The National Park Service recently made a statement warning that many climbers in the Alaska Range are showing signs of inexperience and overconfidence. After reporting no deaths in 2018 and 2019, at least two people have already died on the mountain in 2021. Two others were seriously injured, officials said.
Earlier this month, a skier from the state of Colorado died after falling into a very deep cut in the ice. A climber from the state of Idaho was killed by a large falling piece of ice.
The guards made their statement after a Canadian climber was seriously injured after falling nearly 305meters. He was not wearing climbing ropes. Other climbers reported the fall. People in a helicopter (直升机) studying mountain ice in the area were able to save the man,park officials said.
The Park Service statement named several reasons for the increase in injuries and deaths. They include extreme tiredness, untested body reactions to high altitudes, quickly changing weather, and not bringing the right equipment.
In recent years,guards said they have seen more climbers try to make Denali’s top by climbing the 2,134 meters from the final base camp to the top in one day. This is nearly impossible to do except for the most experienced climbers.
Experts suggest that climbers take 17 to 2l days to reach the top of Denali. That includes rest days and extra days to wait out bad weather.
1. What does the underlined phrase “acclimate to” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Get used to. | B．Get tired of. |
| C．Take control of. | D．Look forward to. |
| A．They are not so confident. | B．They face higher altitudes. |
| C．Most of them are beginners. | D．Deaths have come up among them. |
| A．He didn’t train himself to climb. | B．He didn’t make sure of his safety. |
| C．He didn’t stay with other climbers. | D．He knew little about the mountain ice. |
| A．Dangers of having little climbing experience. |
| B．Results of climbing mountains in a hurry. |
| C．Causes of the climbing accidents. |
| D．Rules of safe mountain climbing. |
9 . Lin Hanxing is a 30-year-old girl who lives in Beijing. She owns just five shirts, two pairs of pants, four pairs of shoes and a few other things.
But that was before she saw an online challenge in 2014, introduced by Joshua Becker, a blogger in the United States who was promoting a minimalist lifestyle (极简生活方式).He encouraged people to reduce the number of their belongings to fewer than 100. Lin decided to give it a try.
We used to think owning more was the way to lead a rich life. But now many people tend to believe that the opposite is also true - and perhaps truer.
But leading a minimalist lifestyle doesn’t mean spending less. A report by UK market research company Euromonitor found young Chinese people spend less on possessions, but more on short holidays and visits to the movies.
| A．She got rid of 90 percent of her stuff. |
| B．They are looking for a life that is all about culture. |
| C．So perhaps it all comes down to how we define “rich”. |
| D．It was a challenge she took part in five years ago that changed her life. |
| E．Do you know what is rich in life? |
| F．It’s hard to believe that only five years ago, Lin was one of those people who couldn't stop buying stuff. |
| G．People who are educated and well-off are more likely to have a minimalist lifestyle. |
10 . The tons of plastic we’re dumping in the oceans is finding a new home—the stomachs of our beautiful marine animals. Yet another reminder of this fact washed ashore in Eastern Indonesia this week. A large amount of waste, including drinking cups and flipflops, was found in the stomach of a whale that died off the coast near Kapota Island.
The 9.5metre sperm whale (抹香鲸) was found by rescuers from the Wakatobi National Park. “The whale had swallowed 5.9 kilograms of plastic waste containing 115 plastic cups, four plastic bottles, 25 plastic bags, and more than 1,000 other kinds of pieces of plastic,” park chief Heri Santoso told the reporter.
“Although we have not been able to deduce the cause of death, the facts that we see are truly awful,” said Dwi Suprapti, a marine species conservation coordinator at WWF Indonesia. She said it was not possible to determine if the plastic had caused the whale’s death because of the animal’s advanced state of decay (腐烂). But this is only the latest.
Four Asian nations—Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand—account for 50% of the plastic waste in the oceans, according to a report by environmental campaigner Ocean Conservancy and the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment. The Philippines is second to Indonesia when it comes to putting away plastic waste in the oceans, according to a study published in the journal Science in January. Of the 3.2 million mismanaged waste it produces every year, 1.29 million ends up in the ocean. A report released earlier this year stated that the amount of plastic in the ocean is likely to increase.
1. What can we know about the sperm whale?| A．Its stomach is the home of plastic waste. |
| B．It died of swallowing lots of plastic waste. |
| C．It was the first whale to eat plastic waste. |
| D．It had eaten much plastic waste before its death. |
| A．Figure out. | B．State. | C．Approve of. | D．Contain. |
| A．Thailand. | B．Indonesia. | C．Vietnam. | D．Philippines. |
| A．Philippines puts away 1.29 million tons of plastic. |
| B．A sperm whale was found dead near Kapota Island. |
| C．Much dumped plastic waste was found in a dead whale. |
| D．We should take measures to reduce the waste in whales. |
