1 . You might have heard of the expression “a guilty pleasure”—maybe it’s the chocolate bar you buy on the way home from work, or the new clothes that you don’t really need.
Perhaps not. Psychologists have suggested that buying things for yourself can make you feel better as it provides an opportunity to take control of your situation.
Of course, there are also examples of people turning to destructive behaviour when faced with stressful circumstances. People might spend money that they don’t have or turn to dangerous addictions. Psychologist Leon Seltzer considers the difference between self-indulgence and self-nurturing.
| A．Exams are vital for students. |
| B．Self-indulgence can have negative consequences |
| C．The difference becomes evident when students manage exam pressure |
| D．They also recommend embracing activities that could dampen your spirits |
| E．Besides, you should avoid things that may make you feel worse afterwards |
| F．It comes from the idea that when we treat ourselves, it can sometimes leave us feeling guilty |
| G．It can give you social contact as well as a confidence boost from changes you make to your self-image |
2 . A tragic case of Kitty Genovese, who was killed, happened in New York in 1964. However, subsequent investigations concluded that several people saw or heard what was happening, but did nothing to intervene. This has been termed the “bystander effect” — a well-known psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to someone when other people are present. The more people there are, the less likely they are to help.
None of us like to think we’d walk on by when someone needed our help. But sometimes we behave in ways we wouldn’t expect when faced with a situation we are unsure about. While we might like to think we would rush to someone’s assistance, we know from studies that often people hang back. Research from the British Heart Foundation has suggested that a third of people would not give first aid if they saw someone collapse on the street, with some even admitting they wouldn’t call an ambulance.
There are various factors contributing to this effect — people think that others will get involved. Afterwards people often say they did not feel qualified or important enough to be the one to intervene. It is also partly down to “pluralistic ignorance” — since everyone is not reacting to the emergency, they don’t need to either; it’s not serious because no one else is doing anything.
Other studies have shown that once people are aware of the bystander effect, they are less likely to be affected by it. Self-awareness is the best solution to it. When facing an emergency, think to yourself how you would behave if you were on your own. Ignore everyone else and go with your gut (直觉) — If you’d run for help, do it. If that’s how you would have behaved when you were on your own, then that’s probably the right course of action. The worst that can happen is that you’ll look a little foolish at having overreacted. You might also save someone’s life.
1. What is the author’s purpose of telling about the case of Genovese?| A．To show the high frequency of killing. | B．To highlight the indifference of bystanders. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the passage. | D．To lead to the investigations. |
| A．No one would like to admit the truth. | B．People tend to help when no people are present. |
| C．Few people will encounter uncertain situations. | D．Many people will not rush to help in an emergency. |
| A．The consequences of the phenomenon. | B．The reactions to different accidents. |
| C．The seriousness of an emergency. | D．The reasons for not helping. |
| A．Don’t Be A Bystander | B．Life-Saving Response |
| C．Importance of First Aid | D．Reactions in Emergency |
No matter your age, who can resist a tasty, low-priced meal? At noon, Tongxin Cafeteria near Shanghai’s Jing’an Temple downtown has a queue that shows its multi-generational popularity. The menu,
These cafeterias, once known as “senior canteens”, were originally established
Some community cafeterias have become so popular
I attended a birthday party in 1991. My teacher was then 59 years old.
After the party I was told by the fellow teacher that American women have a special saying about
5 . Do you find yourself looking at your Facebook page or watching YouTube videos instead of getting work done? Are you
I am in my second year at college. In almost every
Yes, we live in a digital age where we even use
My
There is no easier solution to this; you must turn off digital devices, or you won’t focus. It just takes some
| A．looking for | B．asking for | C．thinking about | D．talking about |
| A．careful | B．happy | C．right | D．alone |
| A．show | B．lecture | C．direction | D．interview |
| A．letting down | B．setting aside | C．looking at | D．looking after |
| A．natural | B．interesting | C．useless | D．bad |
| A．improve | B．check | C．correct | D．share |
| A．knowing | B．accepting | C．telling | D．finishing |
| A．offering | B．advertising | C．reading | D．writing |
| A．hardly | B．slowly | C．strangely | D．fully |
| A．keys | B．cellphones | C．cameras | D．umbrellas |
| A．shorter | B．better | C．wider | D．deeper |
| A．change | B．question | C．study | D．debate |
| A．avoid | B．need | C．control | D．lose |
| A．comfortable | B．helpful | C．hard | D．necessary |
| A．feel | B．wish | C．mention | D．wonder |
| A．attitude | B．advice | C．information | D．worry |
| A．happens | B．aims | C．prefers | D．dislikes |
| A．because | B．unless | C．though | D．when |
| A．chances | B．ways | C．times | D．places |
| A．courage | B．patience | C．encouragement | D．confidence |
6 . The law of supply and demand determines that an overabundance of anything will lead to a decrease in price. This rule applies not only to goods and services, but also to lifestyle and fashion trends.
In the 19th century, the primitive paintings of Picasso and Matisse shook up the positive image of the French bourgeoisie (中产阶级). In the 1970s, talented musicians with tailored costumes and egos were overshadowed by a band of punk rockers who sang about the harsh realities of ordinary life in poor urban areas.
I predict that this will also happen with beauty standards. The idealized version of life portrayed in fashion magazines will reach a turning point, as people become tired of unattainable perfection.
During my time in Washington D.C. in the 1990s, I had the opportunity to interact with numerous political celebrities. While chatting with former presidents or bumping into TV pundits (名嘴) in elevators, I also assisted former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, who was my boss’s boss. What struck me was how ordinary these people appeared in real life despite their public characters. Like everyone else, they grappled with insecurities and mood swings, even though they were constantly under the spotlight.
Yes, it was great to drop names on the phone to my friends. My father, of course, couldn’t understand why I would ever want to leave. “Because you’re not me and I’m not impressed,” I told him. We do not need to lead a luxurious life or make groundbreaking achievements to be content. Happiness can be found in living out the ordinary moments of an authentic life.
Most of us end up being ordinary people without doing anything that changes the world, but that does not mean our lives are meaningless. In fact, it is precisely this realization that leads to sustainable happiness because, when all is said and done, no one’s lifestyle is essentially better than any other’s.
1. Which of the following phrase can best replace the underline phrase in paragraph 4?| A．struggled with | B．put up with | C．came up with | D．fought with |
| A．supportive | B． indifferent | C．opposed | D．unimpressed |
| A．They are just like ordinary people. |
| B．They lack the ability to lead a normal life. |
| C．They are not as successful as they claim to be. |
| D．They are not as intelligent as they appear on TV. |
| A．People should strive for a better lifestyle. |
| B．No one’s lifestyle is inherently superior to others’. |
| C．People should be content with their own lifestyles. |
| D．People should critically evaluate other people’s lifestyles. |
7 . As you read this, pause to reflect on your recent interactions. As a politician, husband, and father, I encounter various spoken language styles: analytical or chatty, formal or informal, pointed or gentle, cooperative or decisive. Talk is the currency of politics. It is our way of negotiating, debating, and persuading. Talk is also the currency of learning-how we develop our ideas, deepen our thinking and share our feelings.
That’s why I want speaking skills, sometimes called “oracy”, to play an important part in Labor’s plans for a reformed school curriculum (课程).
Employers value speaking skills equally with reading and writing. The ability to speak well and express yourself should be something every child should master. But the curriculum doesn’t allow us to provide this. This is short-sighted. An inability to express your thoughts fluently is a key barrier to getting on and doing well in life.
Oracy is in part about good public speaking and debating skills, but in reality, it’s about teaching young people to make strong arguments, choose wise words, understand their audience, form meaningful social connections, and use facial expressions and body language to convey their message. Above all else it’s about finding your voice. To work out who you are and what you believe. If reading opens up a world of imagination and possibility, then speaking and listening opens up a lifetime of empowerment-a chance for those who feel invisible in their own country to be heard. It is about the confidence to speak out, to call out injustice or harm.
And the other side of speaking is listening, which can also be taught. Listening, truly listening, develops tolerance and understanding. And as parents we can play our part. We’ve all been there, at mealtimes, silent as we all stare at our devices. Our job, all of ours, is to get off our screens and give young people, and adults, the gift of listening.
So, oracy―speaking and listening―needs to be placed firmly at the heart of school life.
1. How does talk help a politician?| A．It deepens his wishful thinking. |
| B．It enhances his analytical skills. |
| C．It strengthens persuasive power. |
| D．It provides emotional support. |
| A．Employers underestimate the value of speaking. |
| B．Academic pressure makes students poor-sighted. |
| C．Spoken language is regarded as least important. |
| D．Oracy should deserve more attention at school. |
| A．By sharing different opinions. |
| B．By clarifying the definition. |
| C．By describing personal experiences. |
| D．By employing the concept. |
| A．Set a good example for their children. |
| B．Balance screen time and mealtime. |
| C．Have oral face-to-face communication. |
| D．Disconnect from the virtual world. |
8 . Recently, a new kind of tourism has sprung (出现) up in China. Called “special forces (特种兵) style tourism”, this new kind of tourism is mainly about visiting many places of interest in a short period, most often on weekends. Most of these visitors are college students.
Yu Yinghua, a college student in Shanghai, is one of them. The 22-year-old started the “special forces style tourism” in March after she was attracted by such experiences of some travel bloggers. “After staying a long time at school, I’m hungry to take trips in my spare time,” said Yu, “Now it’s time! Spring has come and we can go out to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery.”
Most of her trips were inspired by understanding from her daily life, such as a place mentioned in a chat with friends. “But making a plan spot in the city, she was able to find a lot of information and learn more about these sites. That would help her save time when traveling on-site and enjoy the sites better.”
Unlike Yu who traveled in nearby cities, Chen Junjun, a doctoral student in Shanghai likes to travel far to get rid of academic stress. In April, the 24-year-old took a two-day trip to Xi’an, Shaanxi province. During her trip, she visited all the scenic sites in the city. “With many academic responsibilities, such a trip can bring color to my life.” said Chen.
Even so, the 24-year-old added that such tourism is not suitable for everyone. Chen said that it’s labor-consuming (耗费体力的) as visitors have to visit as many sites as possible in a short period. To some degree such trips are not as flexible (灵活的) as days-long trips in which you can change your plan as you like. “Thus, a great deal of energy and a calm mind are needed for this kind of tourism,” said Chen.
1. What do we know about Yu Yinghua?| A．She was hungry in her travel. | B．She only visited one site in a trip. |
| C．She used to serve in special forces. | D．She made a travel plan in advance carefully. |
| A．To use up her energy. | B．To paint some colorful drawings. |
| C．To reduce her study pressure. | D．To take some academic responsibilities. |
| A．Stressful. | B．Time-consuming. |
| C．Frightening. | D．Money-consuming. |
| A．A travel guidebook. | B．A report on special forces. |
| C．A guidebook to a city. | D．An introduction to a travel style. |
9 . Thousands of workers in the UK have a shortened week ahead of them as a large-scale four-day workweek pilot gets underway. Beginning this week, more than 3. 000 workers at 70 companies across diverse industries will get an extra day off every week. The six-month trial organized by 4 Day Week Global, is considered the largest experiment of its kind in the world.
“What is most exciting about the pilot is that we have a wide range of fields of economy participating.” said Joe Ryle, campaign director for the UK arm of 4 Day Week. “We’re hoping it will show that the four-day workweek is possible across the economy in the longer term. ”
Participating employers range from firms in the education sector to banking. IT. marketing, retail and hospitality businesses. The schedule is based on the 100-80-100 rule, which allows workers to earn 100%of their pay for 80%of their time for delivering 100% of output.
Employers have been eager to test programmes that offer workers more flexibility and a better work-life balance after workers quit their jobs at record rates. It has forced companies to find new ways to employ and retain(留住)talent, including bumping up pay and allowing more remote work. Cutting a full day off the workweek is yet another option companies can use to induce job seekers to work for them.
“We’ve seen a growing appetite for reduced work time,” said Joe O’Connor, CEO of 4 Day Week Global. “Employers are drawn to this idea as they see it providing them with a competitive advantage. Because of the pandemic(大流行病)，managers are more open-minded.”
For the workers’ part, expectations have also shifted dramatically since the start of the pandemic. “People’s expectations about what forms a reasonable life-work balance have changed,” O’Connor said.
“The four-day week is generally considered to be a triple-dividend policy-helping employees, companies, and the climate,” said Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College.
1. What is the purpose of the pilot according to Joe Ryle?| A．To test the effectiveness of the four-day workweek. |
| B．To help develop the economy during COVID-19. |
| C．To improve cooperation between different industries. |
| D．To increase employees'productivity within four days. |
| A．Work hard to get a pay raise. | B．Improve their productivity. |
| C．Keep a record of what they do. | D．Spend more time with their family. |
| A．Expect. | B．Force. | C．Allow. | D．Persuade. |
| A．Negative. | B．Unclear. | C．Favourable. | D．Doubtful. |
10 . Recently, the “city walk” has been gaining steam among residents and tourists around China. On social platform Xiaohongshu, data shows that the number of city walk-related topic posts has increased by 700 percent over the past three months, and the total number of interactions has increased by more than 600 percent.
A city walk is a form of urban tourism originating in the UK. Unlike traditional sightseeing, which aims to hit famous attractions and commercial center, usually by vehicles with tense schedules, city walk is about “roaming” around a city on foot, soaking up the atmosphere and finding unusual things that even a resident of the city might not have noticed before. Such walks generally avoid famous scenic spots and shopping centers, and take you to places where you can have real interactions with the local people, eat at small but authentic restaurants, and gain a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the city.
City walkers are a cast of people who possess intense curiosity. They are eager to engage with the city they are visiting or reside in their own way. By “roaming” on foot, city walkers can better feel the texture and listen to the breath of a place. They seek pleasure more through connection than consumption, which indicates a deep cultural curiosity. For example, in Chongqing, if you don’t take a walk, you can hardly experience the unique geographical charm of the mountainous city. Be it the hutong in Beijing or the Chinese parasol tree district in Shanghai; city walks allow people to see the scenery apart from the scene and uncover hidden knowledge.
The appeal of a city walk lies in the young generation’s changing attitude toward life — pursuing quality leisure time while being occupied with demanding workloads and limited time for exploration. While roaming along the road, you can entirely focus on yourself and listen to your inner voice and care for what you feel, which is a way to love yourself and benefit your mental health. Just like Oscar Wilde once said, “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
1. What do the underlined words “gaining steam” in paragraph one probably mean?| A．Raising concerns. | B．Getting outdated. | C．Causing trouble. | D．Receiving popularity. |
| A．It pursues economical tourism. |
| B．It is usually well-organized and scheduled. |
| C．It helps promote the authentic food of the destination. |
| D．It focuses on feeling the local culture by connecting the city. |
| A．They are keen to buy souvenirs. |
| B．They tend to walk as much as possible. |
| C．They have strong curiosity about the local culture. |
| D．They prefer the city landscape to the natural scenery. |
| A．Why city walk changes people’s lifestyle. |
| B．Why the young fall in love with a city walk. |
| C．How popular the city walk is among citizens. |
| D．What young people usually do during a city walk. |
