2 . The disposable culture

The disposable (一次性的) culture started small. In1892 William Painter, founder of the Baltimore Bottle Seal Company, patented the bottle cap. The bottles were returned and refilled, but the bottle caps were ________. They only worked once. Painter’s chief salesman at the time was called Mr Gillette, who went on to apply the same principle to his own invention, the disposable version-cameras, contact lenses, barbecues- but the ________ has been taken a step further. For ________ reasons, most of the electrical equipment that we buy for the home is effectively disposable. This is because it is usually cheaper to ________ them than to mend them. This applies not just to radios and toasters, but also to fridges, televisions and dishwashers. We now live in a disposable culture.

Most people feel ________ this new trend. We know we should be reducing the amount of waste we produce and recycling as much as possible although despite all our efforts, landfill continues to increase. It’s hard to slip a CD player into the bottom of the rubbish these days without feeling ________ especially if you suspect that all it needs is a simple repair. But who ________ that sort of thing these days? And how much would they charge you?

With persistence, one may still ________ someone out there willing to make the necessary repairs to your broken bread-making machine, but even they will feel obliged to inform you that, given the likely price of the ________, you’ d probably be better off throwing away the old one and buying the latest model. To ________ that something should be mended even though that will cost more than a brand-new replacement is weird, to say the least.

This dilemma (困境) occasionally ________ the possibility of fixing the damaged goods yourself. If something is next to ________ anyway, why not take it apart and see if you can figure out what’s wrong? I have had particular luck with cheap, plastic, battery-operated children’s toys, where bad manufacture is usually the cause of the ________ and some strong glue or tape is usually all it needs to put it right. Small children tend to be impressed by this sort of thing, which is probably the only reason I bother. I wouldn’t suggest you attempt to repair your own microwave, although I managed it once. It was one of the most ________ experiences of my life a difficult success to mention in casual conversation, perhaps, but I’m still trying.

While some repairs are certainly beyond the ability of the ordinary consumer, many are unbelievably simple. Finding willing ________ may be almost impossible, but tracking down spare parts has never been easier now that you can look on the Internet. There are also hundreds of sites offering step-by-step instructions for making repairs.

1.

A．turned out

B．thrown away

C．held out

D．kept away

2.

A．invention

B．concept

C．version

D．equipment

3.

A．historic

B．political

C．cultural

D．economic

4.

A．replace

B．produce

C．maintain

D．launch

5.

A．motivated by

B．accustomed to

C．uncomfortable about

D．independent of

6.

A．wise

B．relieved

C．bored

D．guilty

7.

A．removes

B．discovers

C．fixes

D．adjusts

8.

A．tell

B．miss

C．find

D．affect

9.

A．service

B．machine

C．information

D．part

10.

A．doubt

B．insist

C．know

D．recall

11.

A．takes up

B．puts up

C．makes up

D．opens up

12.

A．worthless

B．familiar

C．priceless

D．unavailable

13.

A．fault

B．stage

C．mistake

D．ease

14.

A．popular

B．disappointing

C．accidental

D．satisfying

15.

A．managers

B．salesmen

C．repairmen

D．deliverers

4 . Directions: After reading the passages below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Smart TV channels a sense of frustration

The phenomenon of watching less or not watching TV has mirrored a plunge in traditional TV sales in recent years.

“I haven’t watched TV at home for almost five years.” The same sentiment is a true portrayal of many Gen-Zers today. In the past when entertainment options     1     (limit), TV dominated. Nowadays, computers, mobile phones and tablets, all of     2     offer more content, have overtaken TV in the viewing stakes.

“Watching     3     (much) or not watching TV is the inevitable result of the diversification of entertainment for young people. The programs offered by the major TV stations is increasingly unable to meet the needs of young people, and a few minutes of advertisements are added at every turn,     4     (make) it difficult to compete with mobile phones and tablets,” says Li Dadi at Haige Business Watch, a public WeChat account     5     (dedicate) to business analysis.

The phenomenon mirrors a plunge in traditional TV sales in recent years. A report by All View Cloud, a data analysis company, says that domestic TV sales in 2020 were 44.5 million units, down 9.1 percent year-on-year; and sales revenue was 120.9 billion yuan ($19.1 billion), down 11.7 percent.

However, not watching traditional TV does not mean     6     (not use) the actual set. The current development of smart TV is not just a tool for watching programs on the box. The three major video content providers, Tencent Video, iQiyi and Youku, have all launched TV applications. People     7     also cast the content of their mobile phones onto the TV at any time. Leaning on the sofa and watching a 55-inch big screen is still much more comfortable than lying on the bed with a 6.1-inch mobile phone.

However, compared with the rapid development and profit growth of internet smart TV, complaints about a decline in service experience have come to light.

A woman’s complaint over her newly bought TV set has echoed across Chinese social media recently. In her video, posted on Douyin, she says most people watching TV now are elders, and a TV cannot be turned on     8     two remote controls at least. After she finally turned it on, advertisements popped up and lasted for more than 10 seconds. The various charging apps, all required to be purchased to allow for viewing,     9     (make) the experience worse. Without a VIP membership, there came another 70-second advertisement     10     she could finally watch a proper TV series. “I miss the simple TV set of my childhood,” she said.

6 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．To save time for laws to take effect.

B．To weaken the government’s check.

C．To give himself more power.

D．To change the country’s political system.

2.

A．A category.

B．A measurement.

C．An activity.

D．An airport.

3.

A．The major industrial growth.

B．The number of people at the airport.

C．The side effect of an emergency.

D．The unhealthy level of pollution.

7 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A .address     B. launched     C. charge        D. highlights       E. mentioned     F. blocking          G. involving   H. potential     I. previously     J. fortunately     K. authorities

A fire that broke out in an apartment building in Nanjing on February 23 left 15 people dead and another 44 injured. Local     1     said the fire started on the ground floor of the building where several electric bikes were parked.

In China, it is forbidden (禁止) to park or     2     electric bikes in public areas of high-rise buildings. However, violations (违规行为) are common. The management of such electric vehicles has remained a challenge.

The recent tragedy (悲剧) further     3     the safety risks posed by electric bikes in densely populated communities. Data showed that, by the end of 2022, there were 350million electric bikes in China. This means, on average, one out of every four Chinese people has an electric bike. Meanwhile, the number of fire accidents     4     electric bikes has also increased. In 2023, there were 21,000 cases in total, a year-on-year (同比) increase of 17.4%. Some 80% of those fires occurred during charging, with over half taking place at night. About 90% of the deadly fires began in lobbies (大厅), corridors and stairwells (楼梯井).

“For many communities, builders didn’t take into consideration the infrastructure (基础施) for parking and charging electric bikes. Therefore, they often lack a corresponding (相应的) safety plan,” said Yang Zhimin, a Shenzhen official.

The latest incident in Nanjing isn’t the first electric bike fire that has happened in the community involved. Residents     5     a similar one in 2019. That fire, luckily, did not result in any injuries. In 2022, it was reported that over 180 electric bikes were parked overnight in one building. Many residents have     6     voiced concerns over the safety risks posed by these electric bikes.

Following the tragedy, Nanjing authorities announced a thorough (面) review of safety risks. This covers high-rise buildings, commercial spaces (商业区) and other densely populated areas. They aim to     7     high-risk activities, especially those related to electric bikes. Among them are     8     fire evacuation routes, charging electric bikes indoors, and using unsafe wiring (线路系统) for charging.

Other cities across China have also taken action to remove     9     fire hazards. Shanghai has     10     citywide safety inspections of electric bikes in residential areas. On February 25, Huainan in Anhui province issued a notice stressing stricter electric bike management.

“We will work to ensure that all electric bikes in China are parked outdoors,” said the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM, 应急管理部) on February 26.

8 . We all wish we had our very own libraries at home. They’re a great way to keep what you love reading best organized in one place. Technology has taken over our lives and everything seems to be accessible _______. The sad part about online books is that the realness of holding one in your hands is lost. It may be _______ to those who often travel, but there’s nothing like printed books in libraries that you can leaf through, as opposed to clicking through.

Unlike the Internet, printed books are much more _______ than any other sources. Rarely will you find a list of references mentioned at the end of the article section on the web. Printed books are _______ carefully before they’re published so that the facts mentioned in non-fiction books are all true and necessary. Reference pages at the end of these books are also mentioned in some works that require such a section.

Unlike electronic devices that can have problems such as the loss of _______ it stores, printed books have a way of lasting for years to come if _______ with care. They can be collected as valuable books that you’d like to have in their _______ form, as well as be passed on to others who’d like to read them as well. It’s great when you have something like a book to hold on to (留存) and read, while an online book _______ that close and constant companionship.

_______, you can’t expect kids to hold up an iPad under the sheets late at night. Reading ________ books ensures that kids have access to reading without being spoiled into buying a(n) ________ product that can distract (分心) them from actual reading. Kids love picture books and the images that come with them, which is great for present authors who still ________books that are intended for kids.

Libraries are a great place that dates back to a time when ________ was non-existent and was an unbelievable idea to men back in that period. Today the ________ of libraries still exists, with many people going to them for the love of books. It is important for children to start off by reading the real thing before ________ what other media can offer. Anyway, never forget what first got you started.

1.

A．finally

B．digitally

C．carefully

D．equally

2.

A．harmful

B．unnecessary

C．impossible

D．convenient

3.

A．reliable

B．expensive

C．natural

D．important

4.

A．printed

B．checked

C．kept

D．decorated

5.

A．data

B．story

C．picture

D．cover

6.

A．spread

B．published

C．read

D．stored

7.

A．colorful

B．physical

C．unreal

D．imaginary

8.

A．applies

B．reminds

C．lacks

D．ensures

9.

A．Above all

B．In addition

C．In a word

D．On the contrary

10.

A．helpful

B．recommended

C．attractive

D．printed

11.

A．electronic

B．expensive

C．harmful

D．valuable

12.

A．sell

B．read

C．design

D．recall

13.

A．knowledge

B．technology

C．information

D．printing

14.

A．function

B．appearance

C．location

D．building

15.

A．getting rid of

B．turning down

C．accounting for

D．getting involved in

9 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．Low-income Mexican students who want to be pilots.

B．Low-income Californian students who live in Mexico.

C．Low-income Mexican students who live near the US border.

D．Low-income Californian students who want to attend community colleges.

2.

A．$1,500.

B．$7,200.

C．$8,000.

D．$10,000.

3.

A．Helping Californians become lawmakers in the US.

B．Increasing diversity among workforce in the US.

C．Making it easy for Mexicans to achieve education.

D．Avoiding loss of talent in the United States.