1 . The recent spread of “fake news” may make it seem like misinformation is a relatively modern invention. But falsehoods (假话) and wild claims have been part of human culture for about as long as it’s existed. This is because misinformation originates with, and is spread by, fellow humans.
When you’ve ever had to communicate an important, but complex, issue to a general audience, you may have a sea of the most reliable data, the most elegant PowerPoint slides and the full backing of every famous expert in the relevant field. And yet, you can still be less persuasive than someone whose entire argument is: “A guy I met down the pub told me something different.”
In a perfectly sensible, logical world, someone who is loosely connected with a certain field or industry wouldn’t have the same influence as actual data, or the leading experts in the field. But humans aren’t perfectly sensible, logical creatures and neither is the world we live in.
The ability to think rationally and analytically is a relatively recent addition to our mental abilities (in the evolutionary sense). And it costs our brains a lot of energy and effort, The more established, fundamental systems in our brain, which shape memory and learning, are heavily reliant on emotion. The more emotionally stimulating something is, the easier it is to remember. That’s why we can spend months revising the material for a crucial school exam, but struggle to remember any of it once we’ve passed. Meanwhile, the embarrassing tine we slipped and landed on our backside in the school canteen. that memory will last until our dying day.
The most determined sceptics (无神论者) will often say, “Facts don’t care about your feelings,” which is correct. But feelings don’t necessarily care about facts either. And ultimately, feelings have more of a say in what we think and do. And that’s why your mate down the pub can seem more believable than a pile of published research.
1. What contributes to the spread of “fake news”?| A．People factor. | B．Human culture. |
| C．Modern invention. | D．Information accuracy. |
| A．They prefer making sensible analyses. | B．They ae more likely to be emotional. |
| C．They have more trust in authority. | D．They overestimate themselves. |
| A．By listing figures. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By explaining a concept. | D．By citing experts’ words. |
| A．To reveal secrets. | B．To share emotions. |
| C．To criticize a decision. | D．To describe a phenomenon. |
2 . There are over 15 million restaurants in the world. According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, when combined (合并), food that is produced by these restaurants is more or less enough for the customers. About 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted.
It’s really a pity that billions’ worth of food is wasted.
According to Anthony Myint, the organizer of the initiative, he hopes that restaurants do take the lead, and that they try to do what they can to ease environmental concerns.
Myint hopes at least 200 restaurants sign on for their statewide programme by the end of this year so that the farmers could receive funding that could reach $10 million per year.
| A．The food is very cheap. |
| B．It will be used to promote healthier soil. |
| C．We can really save a lot of money in fact. |
| D．Despite all this, restaurants are trying to change that. |
| E．These billions’ worth of wasted food is also expensive. |
| F．However, it would be too difficult to just keep everything. |
| G．He also shares how he wants to eventually see Restore California signs on restaurants. |
3 . At some point, something will have to be done about the stuffed toys (毛绒玩具). I haven’t counted them because, truthfully, I’m not prepared to know how many there are. Lately, our neighborhood’s message boards are filled with posts about parents trying to make space, to clear out the things their kids no longer need. The tone of some of these posts can best be described as “emergency”. “Help!” they sometimes begin. “I have to get this out of my house.”
“The proliferation (激增) of children’s toys is the outcome of a long, gradual cultural change,”says Gary Cross, a professor at Pennsylvania State University. To understand how we got here — drowning (淹没于) in all those stuffed toys and bricks — it helps to look as far back as the late 19th century. “Parents were no longer passing their jobs on to the children,” Cross says. “Instead, they connect across generations through the gifting process. From the early 20th century on, goods became the things that define relationships between family members, and the way of marking success as a family.”
Then, how can parents deal with the proliferation of children’s toys at home? Naeemah Ford Goldson, a professional organizer, is also a mom of two. In her own home, Goldson likes to include her kids in the work of sorting out their toys. They know that the items they don’t need anymore will be given to people who can use them, to families who might not be as fortunate as theirs. “Doing so helps them build those habits of letting go,” she says, “so then they don’t become adults who are too dependent on material things instead of experiences, or people, and the memories we make with people.”
Her idea made sense. She told her 5-year-old they should pick some to give to kids in their community who came from another country and had to leave their toys behind. She immediately took a pink bear from the pile.
1. Why does the author present the posts in paragraph 1?| A．To show the popularity of children’s toys. |
| B．To offer suggestions about choosing children’s toys. |
| C．To praise the role of social media in buying children’s toys. |
| D．To introduce the influence too many children’s toys bring about. |
| A．Children’s demands. | B．The growth of technology. |
| C．The traditions in the 18th century. | D．The practice of gifting among family members. |
| A．Involve her kids in organizing toys. | B．Put away toys for her kids. |
| C．Buy her kids fewer toys. | D．Sell unwanted toys to neighbors. |
| A．The Rise of Toy Stores in Neighborhoods | B．The Importance of Choosing Proper Gifts |
| C．The Challenge of Managing Children’s Toys | D．The Joy of Collecting Children’s Toys |
4 . The easiest and least complicated way to motivate somebody is quite simply to pay them attention. What you say is not important, nor necessarily is how long you spend saying it, as long as it’s something. “Nice weather” or “How are you?” will do.
People just love attention, adults and children. Children love attention so much that they will do anything to get some. In fact, if children are not getting enough attention, they would rather be naughty and get told off than be “good” and be ignored. An interesting time in most households with young children is dinnertime-it’s the end of the day, everybody is tired, the house is in a mess and Johnny doesn’t like carrots and is refusing to eat his food. Again, the easy trap to fall into is to start getting cross with Johnny and getting into a big argument about his food. Again, he’s getting the attention he desires; even if it’s not the best sort of attention, it’s better than nothing. It’s fascinating if you are able to stand back from the situation and instead focus attention and praise on Johnny’s brother who is eating his food-after all, he is one that is doing what you want him to do. After five or ten minutes or so of being ignored, it’s amazing how quickly (usually) Johnny sees sense and obeys. I’ve watched my own children in this situation go from screaming from behind the sofa, saying “Mummy, aren’t I doing good dinner eating?”-all without having one word spoken to them by their parents, who are busily paying attention to their brothers.
This fundamental need for attention, and doing whatever it takes to get it, doesn’t disappear when we turn into adults. Sure, there are people who are “real attention seekers” in a loud and extravert (外向的) way, and there are the shy, retiring types who don’t want attention in such a “sociable” way. But everybody still wants to be recognized and seen worthwhile.
1. What will children probably do to get parents attention?| A．They will get quiet for a long time. | B．They will ignore their parents. |
| C．They will behave naughtily. | D．They will get cross easily. |
| A．A set-up situation parents are likely to go into. |
| B．The household work that parents can not avoid. |
| C．Some tempting food children easily love to eat. |
| D．A bad habit children easily develop. |
| A．scolding them severely | B．teaching them what to do |
| C．giving them total freedom | D．praising their sisters or brothers |
| A．Children s upbringing needs parents’ constant care. |
| B．Children are usually extravert while adults are sociable. |
| C．Both children and adults need to be seen as worthwhile. |
| D．The motivation of children differs greatly from that of adults. |
5 . Have you heard yourself say “it was nothing really” when someone congratulates you on a job well done? Or when you are asked to make a list of what you have achieved, you draw a blank? Maybe you have success amnesia.
Failing to acknowledge your hard work is often a sign of “success amnesia”. People with success amnesia are often successful yet they find it difficult to admit achievements. They are people who others would describe as successful and yet they find it difficult to acknowledge their results.
Success amnesia robs them of the satisfying sense that can help them achieve a goal. And, perhaps more importantly, it robs them of confidence. Confidence does not guarantee success, but it does increases the chances of success. Think of the classic children’s story, The Little Engine That Could. The Little Blue Engine comes to the rescue of a broken-down train, working hard to pull the stranded (搁浅的) goods up and over a mountain. As she moves upwards, she continuously says “I think I can”, and finally she makes it to the mountaintop and begins downwards.
Imagine you will throw a 50th birthday celebration for your partner. If you approach the task with “I think I can” in your mind, then you’re likely to tackle it with energy. You might not have done anything similar before, but you trust yourself to work it out. You hold meetings to gather ideas and work out a plan. Approaching the task with your head full of “I can’t do this”, on the other hand, would likely result in more hesitant steps. It’s difficult to get the work finished when you hold the belief that the task is beyond you.
Confidence fuels success and success fuels confidence. Our achievements provide us with evidence of what we’re capable of, increasing our self-belief and fueling our confidence to do more. Success amnesia reduces confidence. To boost one’s confidence, it is necessary to tackle success amnesia.
1. Which student may have “success amnesia”?| A．One willing to help others. | B．One refusing to admit his mistake. |
| C．One thinking little of his achievements. | D．One speaking highly of his own composition. |
| A．To explain the reason behind success amnesia. |
| B．To praise the perseverance of The Little Blue Engine. |
| C．To give an example that confidence can guarantee success. |
| D．To prove that one is more likely to succeed with confidence. |
| A．By citing a real case. | B．By presenting supporting facts. |
| C．By analyzing contributing factors. | D．By showing comparison and contrast. |
| A．Ways to deal with success amnesia, |
| B．Different opinions on success amnesia. |
| C．Scientific research into success amnesia. |
| D．Possible consequences of success amnesia |
6 . New research from the American non-profit organization Consumer Reports finds that plastics have a “widespread” presence in food. The group called on the United States government to examine the safety of food that comes into contact with plastics during production.
In a report released Thursday, Consumer Reports said that 84 out of 85 food products it recently tested contained “plasticizers” called phthalates. Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics last longer. The researchers also said 79 percent of the examined foods contained bisphenol A (BPA), another chemical found in plastics.
In these tests, the researchers checked a wider variety of foods to see how much of the chemicals Americans actually consume. The answer is quite a lot. The tests found that bisphenols and phthalates remain widespread in food, almost in every food we tested. The levels did not depend on packaging type, and no one particular type of food — say, dairy products or prepared meals — was more likely than another to have them. Consumer Reports said all the levels were within limits set by U.S. and European regulators. All the foods tested remained within the limits. However, does that mean it is safe to eat?
Beyond highlighting these concerns, Consumer Reports is actively working on issues related to consumer safety. This includes advocating for the banning of harmful chemicals in food. The widespread presence of plastics in food is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention from both regulators and consumers. While we wait for policy changes, there are steps individuals can take to reduce exposure to these chemicals. Some of these measures include avoiding plastic food storage containers, limiting consumption of fast food. Replacing plastic kitchen tools with those made of wood and stainless steel can also help. Using glass or steel water bottles can further reduce exposure. It’s also important to air your home regularly to reduce exposure to phthalates in household dust.
1. What is the finding of the research?| A．Plastic containers are widely used nowadays. | B．Plastics can pollute food during production. |
| C．Plastics contain many harmful materials. | D．Plastics are related to food safety issue. |
| A．To stress its key role in making plastics. | B．To show it will do harm to our health. |
| C．To offer basic information to consumers. | D．To tell what food products are made up of. |
| A．Bisphenols and phthalates are not used. | B．The set limits may not be suitable at present. |
| C．The regulators don’t perform their duty. | D．The packaging types are still the same. |
| A．By discussing research experiments. | B．By comparing different results. |
| C．By analyzing cause and effect. | D．By presenting problem and solution. |
1. How much rubbish have people created in Britain this year?
| A．416 million tons. | B．404 million tons. | C．400 million tons. |
| A．Britain is the most wasteful country in the world. |
| B．People who live on their own create more rubbish. |
| C．The rubbish problem is not so serious as scientists think. |
| A．People don’t like to use rubbish bags. |
| B．The rubbish always gives out a bad smell. |
| C．People’s incorrect behavior makes recycling difficult. |
| A．To criticize rich families for producing so much rubbish. |
| B．To call on people to find ways to deal with the rubbish problem. |
| C．To explain why people pay little attention to the rubbish problem. |
In many urban Chinese offices, a trend (趋势) is gaining popularity among young professionals. The trend
This trend is not just about
The appeal of these fruit-bearing plants is evident on social media platforms, where thousands of these plants
9 . An employee of a tech company, Laura Mae Martin, sent an email to her co-workers: What if for six weeks straight, you spent one night per week without technology gadgets (小装置)?
Start with one simple question. Pay attention to when you have an urge to lift your phone or open social media. When you become aware of it, simply ask yourself, “Do I really need to do this right now?”
Schedule tiny tech breaks.
Make the technology work for you. To develop a healthy relationship with technology, you need to be in control of it and not the other way around.
| A．Focus your attention on the relationships around you. |
| B．Take some features out of your mobile devices. |
| C．Extended vacations from your gadgets may not be possible. |
| D．You’re gaining self-control by becoming aware of the desire. |
| E．Think about your device as a tool that you decide how to use. |
| F．Asking the question may help you resist the desire to check your device. |
| G．Then she was flooded with responses eager for a break from their phones. |
10 . Recent studies suggest four out of 10 persons feel lonely at least one or two days per week, with younger persons (Millennials and Gen Z) exhibiting signs of extreme alienation (疏远) and disconnection more than other generations. Even older people, who are frequently regarded as lonely with few persons to speak to and objectively have lost many family members and friends, report less loneliness than Millennials. Why do Millennials report being the most lonely, and what can be done to address it?
Thirty percent of people between 23 and 38 said they often “feel lonely”. “But wait,” you may say. “Aren’t they connected through technology, social media platforms, and various apps?” Yes, but one of the challenges of extensive smartphone and app use today is that we are being trained to stare at screens rather than meet and have face-to-face conversations with people. Still, at the same time, people who spend more than 8 hours a day on screens per day tend to report other issues: depression, anxiety and other serious challenges to their well-being.
A meeting of minds used to happen via religious gatherings and school. So a possible solution is to create spaces and locations where one (and not just Millennials) can meet folks who share additional common interests. One possibility is through regular exercise outside the home. Going to a YMCA or a gym to a Zumba, yoga, or cycling class presents an opportunity to enjoy physical activity and have brief conversations with them before and after the session.
In addition to the obvious positive physical effects of the exercise, it can be surprising how beneficial a quick conversation can be with someone you may have just met. The boost in mood is palpable and can lead to better workouts due to increased available energy and motivation.
In conclusion, spending a little less time on the phone and a little more time walking in the neighborhood, in a park, or going early and staying late at the gym can work wonders for one’s mood and health.
1. Why do Millennials often feel lonelier than other generations?| A．They refuse to open up their inner world. |
| B．They don’t like to go to religious gatherings. |
| C．They are less connected with others in real life. |
| D．They have fewer opportunities to interact with people. |
| A．Limiting screen time. | B．Going to a nightclub with classmates. |
| C．Joining a group to exercise together. | D．Strengthening the parent-child bond. |
| A．Noticeable. | B．Comfortable. | C．Fortunate. | D．Temporary. |
| A．The ways for millennials to make new friends. |
| B．The importance of face-to-face communication. |
| C．How to make new friends for Millennials and Gen Z. |
| D．Why Millennials feel lonely and solutions to address the problem. |
