1 . Utah’s governor, Spencer Cox, recently signed two bills into law that strictly limit children’s use of social media platforms. Under the law, which takes effect next year, social media companies have to check the ages of all users in the state, and children under age 18 have to get agreement from their parents to have accounts. Parents will also be able to use their kids’ accounts, apps won’t be allowed to show children ads, and accounts for kids won’t be able to be used between 10:30 pm and 6:30 am without parental agreement.
While some people argue age limitation allows tech companies to collect even more data about users, let’s be real: These companies already have much private information about us. To solve this problem, we need a separate data privacy law. But until that happens, this concern shouldn’t stop us from protecting kids.
One of the key parts of the law is allowing parents to use their kids’ accounts. By doing this, the law begins to help address one of the biggest dangers kids face online: harmful content.
One huge challenge the law helps parents get over is the amount of time kids are spending on social media. A 2022 survey found that, on average, children aged 8 to 12 spend 5 hours and 33 minutes per day on social media while those aged 13 to 18 spend 8 hours and 39 minutes daily. It’s warned that lack of sleep is connected with serious harm to children — everything from injuries to depression (抑郁), fatness and diabetes. So, parents need to have a way to ensure their kids aren’t up on social media platforms all night.
Considering the experiences many kids are having on social media, this law will help Utah’s parents protect their kids. Parents in other states need the same support. Now, it’s time for the government to step up and ensure children throughout the country have the same protection as Utah’s kids.
1. Which is allowed according to the new bill?A.Ads can be put on to children. |
B.Children can use social media freely. |
C.Parents can check their kids’ accounts. |
D.Related companies protect users’ accounts. |
A.Because children’s right to surf the Internet is limited. |
B.Because more personal information may be given away. |
C.Because it prevents the data privacy law from taking effect. |
D.Because children may become too dependent on the Internet. |
A.Higher learning efficiency. |
B.Better personal eating habits. |
C.Easier access to healthy media. |
D.Improved physical and mental health. |
A.Supportive. | B.Doubtful. | C.Flexible. | D.Negative. |
A. addressed B. boast C. approach D. sense E. wealthy F. glimpse G. revealed H. pushy I. statistics J. peers K. motivation |
College Rankings Are Something, but Not Everything
I am always confused when reading statements like “Princeton University is the number one college in the United States.” Are those who attend Princeton inherently brighter than their
High-ranking colleges in global education leagues attract greater talent in staff and students, and
I didn’t care about college rankings for years until I recently saw something different. This past October, Shanghai Ranking Consultancy
In my opinion, college rankings can serve as a reference, offering a
I once taught a three-month program to prepare university students for overseas exchange programs in England. But some of them displayed low
3 . Santosh Jadhav, a 28-year-old farmer from Maharashtra’s Sangli district, had never dreamed he would be trending on YouTube tending to his land. But as you watch his videos on Indian Farmer—the channel he runs with his friend, Akash Jadhav, 27—you quickly understand why he is attracting millions of views.
Set up in 2018, Indian Farmer was a result of the two friends’ love of farming, technology and filmmaking. Their videos offer tips, advice and information on various aspects of agriculture, including direct-farming techniques, agriculture-related activities, new farming tools, and agricultural apps. In addition to explaining how agricultural markets function, the channel shares success stories from across the country. A section that draws the most attention features workable solutions to everyday problems and do-it-yourself mechanical quick-fixes.
“We were looking to do something together. Agriculture was something we had in common. Plus, we were young and idealistic—we wanted to do something with a social impact,” says Santosh.
The channel has certainly made a mark, as the numbers show. Since 2018, their channel has built a user base of 21.5 million, thanks to the affordable mobile data revolution and the increasing popularity of smartphones in India. While Akash takes charge of the production side of things, Santosh offers his hands-on knowledge obtained from running his family farm. According to them, the Indian Farmer channel adds an average of 60,000 subscribers and earns between 70,000 and 100,000 in revenue every month.
“Knowledge in this sector is often inter-generational: a farmer is limited to what the others nearby know and do. There was very little by way of books or culture channels that addressed the needs, mistakes and scarcities of farmers. Social media has changed things, enabling cross-sharing of knowledge, all for free,” Akash says.
1. What’s the channel’s most popular section?A.Inspiring stories. | B.Advanced tools. |
C.Practical solutions. | D.Agricultural activities. |
A.Experienced and sociable. | B.Cooperative and devoted. |
C.Conservative and diligent. | D.Courageous and humorous. |
A.To show the economic gains. | B.To imply the cooperation relationship. |
C.To highlight social media engagement. | D.To indicate the success of the channel. |
A.Resources were available to address farmers’ needs. |
B.Farming knowledge relies on books and the Internet. |
C.Agricultural modernization is dependent on technology. |
D.Social media facilitates free knowledge exchange in agriculture. |
4 . How to deal with decision paralysis (瘫痪)
If you’ve ever gone online to order something during a work break-let’s say a new electric toothbrush-expecting it to be fairly easy, but instead you found yourself overwhelmed by the huge number of choices available, you’ve experienced decision paralysis.
You’re shocked that there are so many factors to consider; not only the basics, such as price and delivery time, but there are many other factors like battery duration, warning lights for too much pressure and even fancy apps.
This is just one example of decision paralysis-when the huge number of choices and the difficulty of weighing the supermarket up-leads you to freeze. It used to be thought that increased choice could only be a good thing for consumers and they would welcome it, but actually it can bring the opposite effect and cause people to walk away.
If you’re willing to put in the effort, a practical approach is to reduce the mental complexity involved in a decision by doing a little research.
A.You could always make a random choice. |
B.Make some brief notes about the prior factors to you. |
C.There are various ways to overcome decision paralysis. |
D.You’ll end up with a score showing you the most favourable decision. |
E.The clock is ticking on your break and it’s impossible to make a decision. |
F.This is all that you’ll miss out on once you choose to go down a particular path. |
G.In other life situations, it might be the weight of the decision that bears down on you. |
5 . California has been using recycled wastewater for many years. A team has used it to make ice surfaces for the game of hockey(冰球运动). It has been used to make snow for the sport of skiing. And farmers use it to water their crops. But it has not been used directly for drinking water.
Recently, California officials approved new rules to let water agencies recycle wastewater and put it right back into the pipes that carry drinking water to homes, schools, and businesses. It is a big step for California.
California’s new rules would let—but not require—water agencies to take wastewater, treat it, and then put it right back into the drinking water system. That means proving to people that recycled water is not only safe to drink but also not dirty. California would be just the second US state to permit this, following Colorado. It has taken officials more than 10 years to develop these rules, a process that included several studies by independent groups of scientists.
A project in San Diego is aiming to produce nearly half of the city’s water through recycling wastewater by 2035. And the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California aims to produce up to nearly 570 million liters(升)a day for its 19 million people. Adel Hagekhalil is with Metropolitan Water. He said the new rules will permit new projects that have not yet been considered.
California’s new rules require the wastewater be treated for all bacteria and viruses, even if they are not present in the wastewater. In fact, the treatment is so intense that it removes all of the minerals that make fresh drinking water taste good. That means the minerals need to be added back at the end of the process. Polhemus is a director of the drinking water group for the California Water Resources Control Board. “It’s at the same drinking water quality, and probably better in many instances,” he said, adding that it takes time and money to build these treatment centers. So, they will only be available for bigger cities at first.
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly tell us about the recycled wastewater?A.Its qualities. | B.Its functions. |
C.Its target users. | D.Its disadvantages. |
A.They made some new rules on pollution. |
B.They spent ten years recycling wastewater. |
C.They tried to make wastewater safe to drink. |
D.They requested water agencies to speed up treating water. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Favorable. | C.Pessimistic. | D.Indifferent. |
A.The Process of Recycling Wastewater Is Complicated |
B.California Tries to Reduce the Wastewater Generation |
C.California Permits Turning Wastewater to Drinking Water |
D.New Wastewater Treatment Projects Have Been Approved |
1.社会上的观点;
2.你的观点。
注意:1.写作词数80左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Dear Mack,
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
7 . Do you ever get restless if you haven’t checked your phone for a few minutes? If so, you’re not alone. Studies reveal that people these days check their phones once every four minutes on average! Some of this usage may be related to work. However, much of it is because many apps — particularly social media apps — use “clever techniques” to keep us coming back for more.
One of such techniques is to push notifications. You’re getting on with your work or something else when — ping! — a notification pops up on your screen, informing you that a friend has posted something new or commented on your post. It may seem like a small interruption, but it often is enough to break your concentration and make you go back to your phone again.
Another method is to make a game of the in-app experience by setting up a competitive goal element. Some apps, for example, uses streaks (连续纪录), which count the number of days you have used the app. If you keep a streak going, you might get a medal or some other rewards. Therefore, keeping one’s streak alive becomes a major reason to return to the app again and again.
Once you’ve opened an app, its goal is now to get you continue using it. Messaging apps use a simple but effective trick to keep you engaged even when you’re not writing anything. Have you ever noticed that in some apps, three dots (…) appear to let you know your friend is typing a reply? This trick is designed specifically to create your expectation or curiosity. You wonder what your friend is going to say. Well, you’ll have to keep waiting and see.
While using social media apps is certainly fun, becoming addicted definitely isn’t. Now that you know some tricks used by these apps’ designers, you’ll be better equipped to reduce their influence and keep a healthier relationship with your phone.
1. What does the underlined word “reveal” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?A.Encourage. | B.Predict. | C.Prevent. | D.Show. |
A.Ongoing pings will inform you of new posts. |
B.Competitive games will greatly discourage you. |
C.Everyday use of the app might earn you a medal. |
D.Appearance of three dots might disturb your typing. |
A.two | B.three | C.four | D.five |
A.The Tricks That Keep You Glued to Your Phone. |
B.Can People Break Their Addition to Games? |
C.Could Technology Further Improve Phones? |
D.The Social Media Apps That Waste Your Time. |
8 . 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. |
9 . Pet owners love their dogs more than their cats. Although previous studies have already suggested this finding, scientists from the University of Copenhagen wanted to research more deeply into whether cultural factors affected the results. Their findings are published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
In the survey across Denmark, Austria and the United Kingdom, 844 dog owners, 872 cat owners and 401 people who owned both dogs and cats were asked questions about their pets. Overall, the participants had higher attachment scores for dogs than for cats. Owners were more likely to insure (给……投保) their dogs and paid more to dogs’ treatment. However, the results differed dramatically across countries. For example, the United Kingdom’s results were in favor of dogs, although only slightly. Australia had a very clear preference for dogs. Emotional attachment to dogs was highest in Denmark. The Danes were also less likely to buy insurance for their cats, compared with their dogs.
“While people care more about their dogs than their cats in these countries, the degree of difference varied between countries,” Professor Peter Sandoe of the University of Copenhagen, the study’s first author, said in a press release. “It doesn’t therefore seem to be a universal phenomenon (现象) that people care much less about their cats than their dogs.”
The difference between countries may be due to cultural differences and attitudes toward pets, the study suggested. This may be the result of the country’s history with rural animals and how often they interacted with people. These factors may have influenced societal attitudes toward pets in modern times.
“Our study only looks at three countries in Europe,” professor Clare Palmer of Texas A&M University, a co-author of the paper, said in the press release. “It raises interesting questions regarding what comparative studies of other countries might find,” she went on. “Perhaps there are countries where the level of care for and attachment to cats is, in fact, higher than dogs?”
1. What’s the writer’s main purpose of writing paragraph 1?A.To state a widely acknowledged fact. |
B.To analyze the cause of a phenomenon. |
C.To introduce the topic of a new study. |
D.To compare two different studies. |
A.By asking questions. |
B.By doing an experiment. |
C.By collecting data online. |
D.By keeping track of pet owners’ daily life. |
A.Not all the people in the world prefer dogs to cats. |
B.People in the three surveyed countries prefer dogs to cats. |
C.The levels of care for cats are the same as dogs in the world. |
D.People in the world care less about their cats than their dogs. |
A.Pet owners love their dogs more than their cats. |
B.Culture may influence people’s preference to dogs. |
C.Pet owners should care about their cats as much as their dogs. |
D.People hold different attitudes toward pets in three European countries. |
10 . When people wanted to find their way to a place in the past, they used to have to buy a map. They don’t have to do that any more. Now they can either buy a GPS, or go online and find maps for just about anywhere.
Is this an improvement? Perhaps, but some people think some of the online companies are going too far, because they have been sending out cars with photographic equipment on their roofs, to photograph every street and house in the country.
One of these cars arrived on a Wednesday morning in the quiet English village of Broughton. The camera was on a metre-high pole on top of the car and could see over walls and into people’s gardens. Some of the villagers came and stood around the car, and asked the driver and photographer to go away. Journalists quickly arrived on the scene, and soon the event was news all over the country.
Of course, the online company in question claims that it is simply collecting information that people on the Internet want. But Broughton residents feel differently. “We used to have privacy in this country. Now companies just come and take photographs of our homes without even asking,” said one resident. “It’s not right. We mustn’t let this happen. We mustn’t lose our right to live privately.”
There is, of course, no law to prevent people from taking photographs of houses, so the residents cannot go to court. But many people are asking the question: OK, it’s legal, but is it right? This is a question that won’t go away very quickly.
1. Why did the car with a camera on the car roof come to Broughton?A.To test whether their GPS works in the village. |
B.To investigate for a law case for the country. |
C.To spy on villagers and their life in Broughton. |
D.To collect information for their online maps. |
A.The incident drew people’s attention all over the world. |
B.The incident made online maps popular among the local residents. |
C.The local residents were curious about what these people were doing. |
D.The local residents were upset about their privacy not being respected. |
A.The law should be changed to protect the residents. |
B.The incident will remain a hot topic for people to discuss. |
C.The residents accept what the company was doing in their neighborhood. |
D.The residents can sue (控告) the company for violating their privacy. |
A.A strange car! | B.It’s legal, but is it right? |
C.Say goodbye to paper maps. | D.Privacy gives way to technology. |