1 . The number of universities has grown very fast in recent decades. Higher-education institutions across the world now employ 15 million researchers, up from 4 million in 1980. Governments are also happy to spend on higher education because it is supposed to produce scientific breakthroughs that can be available to all. In theory, therefore, universities should be an excellent source of productivity growth.

In practice, however, the productivity has slowed down during the last decades. In the 1950s and 1960s, workers’ output per hour across the rich world rose by 4% a year. But in the last decade, 1% a year was the norm. Even with the wave of innovation in artificial intelligence (AI), productivity growth remains weak — less than 1% a year, which is bad news for economic growth.

A new paper by Ashish Arora and his team suggests that universities’ rapid growth and the rich world’s slowdown productivity could be two sides of the same coin. The paper suggests that scientific breakthroughs from public institutions “caused little or no response from businesses” over a number of years. A scientist in a university lab might publish brilliant paper after brilliant paper. Often, however, this has no impact on corporations’ own patents, with life sciences being the exception. And this, in turn, points to a small impact on the overall productivity.

Why do companies struggle to use ideas produced by universities?

The paper says that, free from the demands of the market, researchers in university labs focus more on satisfying their curiosity than finding breakthroughs that will change the world or make money. “To some degree, such kind of research is not a bad thing; some breakthrough technologies, such as penicillin, were discovered almost by accident,” it writes, “But if everyone is doing that, the economy suffers.”

Perhaps, with time, universities and the business world will work together more tightly. Tougher competition could force businesses to beef up their internal research. In fact, researchers in companies’ labs, rather than universities, are driving the current AI innovations. At some point, governments will need to ask themselves hard questions. In a world of weak economic growth, huge spending on universities may come to seem an unjustifiable luxury.

1. What are the statistics in paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The weak economy around the globe.	B．Universities’ contribution to employment.
C．Governments’ spending on higher education.	D．The slow productivity growth in the rich world.

2. Which of the following is benefiting from university labs’ breakthroughs?

A．The investors.

B．The workers.

C．Life sciences.

D．Al industries.

3. What does the new paper imply about the researchers in university labs?

A．They are very eager to make more money.	B．They are less concerned about applications.
C．They usually find breakthroughs by accident.	D．They should be left alone to do their research.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A Study Suggests Universities Fail to Increase Productivity

B．Universities and the Business World May Work Together Soon

C．It Is Important for Companies’ Labs to Lead the AI Innovation

D．It Is a Big Waste to Spend So Much Money on Higher Education

2 . Keith Payne realized he was poor for the first time when he was in the fourth grade. The awareness came to him when a new lunch lady in the cafeteria asked him to pay for his lunch.

“Previously, the lunch lady had just waved me on because I’d always been on free lunch,” he says. “But this new lady didn’t know how things worked, and it was the first time that I had been asked to pay for my lunch.”

It was an agonizing moment and all of a sudden, he realized why he got free lunch while many of his classmates were paying for their meals every day.

“It’s not like I was poorer the day after that than I was before. Nothing objective had changed. But because of that subjective awareness, I began constantly comparing myself with my classmates and felt really unhappy,” he says.

Keith Payne is now a social psychologist at the University of North Carolina and shares how the awareness of inequality affects the way that both our minds and our bodies respond.

“As we walk through the world, it is very natural for us to compare our lives with those of others. We think about ourselves in terms of being on a certain ladder (梯子) with some people above us and it can cause serious psychological consequences,” he says.

One is that it makes us more willing to seek out risks and engage in high-risk, high-reward sort of behaviors. It affects us in ways that are similar to physical threats.

“But I think there are wiser and less wise ways to make those social comparisons,” he says. “Upward social comparisons feel terrible, but they can be motivating. Downward social comparisons feel great, and yet they can be demotivating. So one of the things I recommend is that we can be more strategic in making upward and download social comparisons, Neither one is good in itself. It just depends on what your goal is.”

1. Which of the following best explains “agonizing” underlined in paragraph 3?

A．Painful.

B．Brief.

C．Important.

D．Happy.

2. What does the author want to show by telling the story?

A．Poor people should be treated equally.

B．He wants to blame the new lunch lady.

C．There were a lot of poor people in his country.

D．We can be influenced by the awareness of inequality.

3. What does Keith Payne feel about making social comparisons?

A．Unimportant.

B．Acceptable.

C．Annoying.

D．Unnecessary.

4. What will Keith Payne most probably advise us to do if we feel stressed?

A．Talk to psychologists immediately.	B．Hang out with top performers.
C．Compare with less successful persons.	D．Stay alone and enjoy ourselves.

3 . Some of the most successful people have done their best work in coffee shops. Pablo Picasso, JK Rowling, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Bob Dylan ---whether they’re painters, writers, philosophers, or singer-songwriters, people across nations and centuries have tapped into their creativity working away at a table in a café.

There are many ways coffee shops stimulate our creativity in a way offices and homes don’t. Research shows that the stimuli in these places make them effective environments for work; the combination of noise, visual variety and casualness can give us just the right amount of distraction to help us be at our sharpest and most creative.

Some of us put on our noise-cancelling headphones as soon as we sit down to work in a public setting. But background noise can benefit our creative thinking. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Consumer Research showed that a low-to-moderate level of background noise in a place like a cafeteria can actually increase our creative output. Another study from 2019 had similar findings: the right amount of noise benefits our senses. And while that right level of noise is different for everyone, audio (听觉的) stimuli in the background also help us improve decision-making. So, the jazz music, light conversation and noises from coffee bar workers aren’t vexatious —they could help you come up with your next masterwork.

Also, one thing that can make working from home and the office dull is the unexciting visual environment. “Visual stimulation has an effect on peoples creative thinking process. Coffee shops generally have visual stimuli,” says Sunkee Lee, whose research suggests that visual variety “helps you to think outside the box”. Korydon Smith, who co-wrote a recent article on the benefits of working in coffee shops, says, “People come and go. The daylight changes. The colours of food vary. These activities inspire our brains to work a bit differently than at home”.

And while the typical coffee shop user might be a lone worker, experts say these café settings can also benefit work groups who are brainstorming. “There is an implied formality when gathering on office-based or digital meeting platforms. By contrast, there is an air of informality when meeting up at a bar or café. Agendas are not required to meet someone for coffee, but are inbuilt in a scheduled meeting, virtual or otherwise, which can kill creativity,” says Smith.

1. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 2?

A．Add some background knowledge.	B．Summarize the following paragraphs.
C．Support the first paragraph with examples.	D．Introduce a controversial topic for discussion.

2. Which of the following best describes the underlined word “vexatious” in paragraph 3?

A．Unexpected.

B．Permanent.

C．Annoying.

D．Original.

3. What do Lee and Smith both stress about coffee shops?

A．Visual variety there encourages creativity.

B．Audio stimuli there help with decision-making.

C．A lo ne worker can meet like-minded people there.

D．Bar workers there always make people feel at home.

4. What can, benefit group discussions in a coffee shop?

A．Its air of excitement.	B．Its implied formality.
C．Its casual atmosphere.	D．Its nice food and drink.

4 . Every year, some 2.3 million women and men around the world died from work-related accidents or diseases — that’s more than 8, 000 deaths every single day — and at least 402 million people suffer from non-fatal occupational injuries. The number is enormous in terms of personal tragedy and hardship. And it comes with a huge economic loss. It is estimated that occupational accidents and diseases lead to a 5.4 percent loss of annual global GDP.

A safe and healthy working environment is so important that in June 2022 the ILO (International Labor Organization) took a historic step when it added a safe and healthy working environment to its Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

Why does this matter? It matters because occupational safety and health can now no longer be viewed as an optional extra. All of the ILO’s 186 member states are now required to respect, promote and achieve a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work.

This is significant for several reasons. First, it recognizes that every worker has the right to be protected from dangers and risks that can cause injury, illness or death in the workplace.

By making occupational safety and health (OSH) a fundamental right, the ILO is sending a clear message to governments and employers of all countries that they must take responsibility for providing a safe and healthy working environment for all workers.

When workers feel safe and healthy in their workplace, they are likely to be more productive and efficient. This can benefit workers, employers as well as the economy. Conversely, when workers are injured or become ill due to workplace dangers, it can have a significantly negative impact on productivity and economic growth.

A safe and healthy working environment is now a fundamental right for each and every worker. Governments, employers, trade unions as well as companies must work together to make this right a reality.

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．To draw a conclusion.	B．To introduce the topic.
C．To warn us of the danger at work.	D．To call for the need of safety environment.

2. What does a safe and healthy working environment mean to each side?

A．It means a basic right to the ILO.	B．It means life and death to employers.
C．It means a fundamental obligation to workers.	D．It means economic growth to the government.

3. Which word is the closest in meaning to the underlined word in Paragraph 6?

A．Consequently.

B．Contrarily.

C．Conventionally.

D．Commonly.

4. What may be discussed in the following paragraph after the last one?

A．The joint efforts by the four sides.	B．The potential improvements to make.
C．The history of workers’ sufferings.	D．The measures workers take to get protected.

5 . Climate change isn’t just about rising seas and hotter heatwaves; it’s also bringing about a pothole (坑洞) disaster on our roads! In 2023, the UK reported nearly 630,000 pothole complaints—a shocking five-year peak. Across the road, the USA saw a shocking 57% increase in vehicle damages due to potholes compared to 2021. What’s causing this asphalt (沥青) disaster? Climate change is a key factor, damaging our streets with severe weather and rising temperatures.

The science behind this damages is astonishing. Dr. Hassan Davani, an engineering expert, explains that intense heat can soften roads, leading to cracks and potholes. Floods, another climate change mark, wash away road surfaces. Adding to the mess are increased freeze-thaw (冻融) cycles, which create damaged ice lenses under the road. When these melt, they leave behind the terrible potholes.

But fear not! There’s hope on the horizon with cutting-edge innovations. Certain regions are adopting pavements designed to endure broader temperature ranges. Gabe Cimini, a pavement engineering expert, points to California’s use of specialized asphalt mixes that can resist temperatures from58℃ to a freezing -32℃.

And there’s more! Modern Hydrogen, a pioneering climate tech startup backed by Bill Gates, is transforming road repair. By using solid carbon from carbon capture in asphalt, they’re crafting roads that are 250% more solid, enduring higher temperatures and reducing CO₂ emissions. This revolutionary asphalt is already hitting roads in the US and Canada.

Self-healing pavement, or “smart asphalt,” is another game-changer. Imagine roads that can repair themselves! Some newer versions use steel fibres that heat up, melting the mortar (灰浆) to completely mend potholes.

While these innovations promise smoother and more solid roads in our climate-impacted world, widespread adoption might still be a few years away. So prepare for an uncomfortable ride, but remember, smoother streets are on the horizon!

1. How does the author stress the serious pothole disasters?

A．By stating viewpoints.	B．By making comparisons.
C．By making a list of cases.	D．By supposing a situation.

2. What does the author mainly intend to do in paragraph 2?

A．Analyze causes.	B．Describe scenes.
C．Make arguments.	D．Conclude science findings.

3. What did Gabe Cimini do to solve the problem of road damage?

A．Increase the temperature of the asphalt.	B．Use solid carbon to make asphalt stronger.
C．Improve the endurance of asphalt mixture.	D．Get the road to repair itself by smart asphalt.

4. What does the author think of the innovations?

A．None of them are available now.	B．They will be more widely used in the future.
C．They need support from the governments.	D．They are impractical solutions to the current disaster.

6 . Chocolate makers are expected to raise prices this year because of higher costs of cocoa from exporters like Ivory Coast. The West African country is the world’s largest cocoa producer. Hershey is the largest producer of chocolate products in the United States. It said last month it plans to raise prices on all of its products because of the rising cost of ingredients. Ingredients are the things used to make a food or product.

Demand for chocolate in America increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and cocoa producers in places like Ivory Coast are struggling to keep up with that demand. Experts say one reason for that is climate change.

Harvard University researchers estimate that by 2030 parts of West Africa will be too hot and dry to produce much cocoa. The West African countries of Ghana and Ivory Coast together produce 70 percent of worldwide cocoa supply.

Cocoa farmer Raphael Konan Kouassi recently took VOA to his farm. Huge green and yellow cocoa pods hung from trees. He said his trees are producing less because of rising temperatures and less rainfall than usual.

“Almost all of the young plants die in the high season. If you have not been able to get water to them, you have no cocoa,” Kouassi said.

Kouassi receives government assistance in the form of cocoa trees. But he said the government gives out trees at the wrong time of year. Because of this, the young trees have a difficult time surviving.

Christian Bunn is with the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers, a worldwide scientific organization. Bunn said information about how the climate is changing can inform farmers about how to better care for their crops.

“What we’re seeing is that the onset of both dry and wet season can change. It’s less reliable. During the season, there may be breaks in terms of rain during the dry season, or there’s a dry spell during the wet season,” Bunn said.

The data show it may be better for farmers to stop producing cocoa and instead grow a variety of different crops, he said.

But the chief of one Ivorian company that supplies The Hershey Company said higher prices for cocoa could be welcomed by farmers. Olga Yenou said, “My opinion is that these farmers should have better prices, should earn more, because they work hard. Most are poor,” Yenou said.

Her wish appears to be coming true. As climate change continues to have effects on production, prices continue to rise.

1. What is the main reason for the rise in the price of chocolate?

A．Increase in labor costs.	B．Increase in transportation costs.
C．Increase in ingredient costs.	D．Increase in preservation cost.

2. What can we know from the passage?

A．Ivory Coast is the largest cocoa producer around the world.

B．Sales of chocolate in the America declined during the pandemic.

C．The climate in parts of West Africa is very humid.

D．The dry weather is benefit for the cocoa trees to survive.

3. Which word can best describe the feeling of Kouassi when received assistance from government?

A．Excited.

B．Thankful.

C．Surprised.

D．Disappointed.

4. What did Christian Bunn advice farmers to do according to the passage?

A．Planting various crops instead of planting coco trees.

B．Paying attention to the weather forecast every day.

C．Investing more money in coco trees.

D．Seeking help from the government.

7 . Marketers are often very conscious of the ways that their advertisements can backfire or “go wrong” in the eyes of their audiences. However, this rarely happens and there are virtually no cases where advertising has resulted in a decline in sales.

A psychological reason can account for the cause. It has to do with the mere exposure effect, which basically means that the more we’re exposed to something, the more we like it. The mere exposure effect is commonly attributed to Robert Zajonc for the important research that he conducted in the 1960s. His research, and the research of many others, shows that we tend to develop a liking or positive feeling for symbols or items that we see repeatedly.

When we take the mere exposure effect into account, it becomes clear why advertising rarely has a negative impact. Advertising helps to put brand assets (资产), like your logo and color and product and brand characters, in front of people, and the more these assets get in front of people, the more likely people are to develop positive feelings toward these assets and your brand. In fact, the impact of the mere exposure effect has been shown specifically in studies using advertisements, and they have found that students rated a banner ad more favorably when they had previously appeared as a pop up on their computer.

In order to fully take advantage of the mere exposure effect in marketing, marketers should make sure to use recognizable elements within their advertising. In addition, they should make sure that these elements align with what the customer sees when they see the product. This will ensure that your customers will have an easier time noticing the product on the store shelves or on the computer screen and that they will have some familiarity with the brand.

The mere exposure effect is just one of many psychological biases that people use to simplify how they go about the world. Feel free to contact us or sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch with the latest insights in marketing psychology.

1. Which statement will Robert Zajonc probably agree with?

A．A familiar song becomes more appealing.

B．We often follow trends to make daily purchases.

C．People are often drawn to something unfamiliar.

D．Advertising with celebrities can increase product sales.

2. What can be inferred from paragraph 3?

A．Advertisement creates instant brand love.

B．Logos seen often in advertisements are rarely liked.

C．The banner ad has a significant attraction for consumers.

D．Advertisement uses exposure to develop brand appreciation.

3. What does the underlined part in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Contribute to.

B．Correspond to.

C．Differ from.

D．Depend on.

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A business webpage.

B．A news report.

C．A psychology textbook.

D．A marketer’s diary.

9 . When consuming information, we try to acquire more signals and less noise. We feel like the more information we consume the more signals we receive. While this is probably true on an absolute basis, Nassim Taleb argues in the book Antifragile that it is not true on a relative basis. As you consume more data and the ratio (比率) of noise to signals increases, you know less about what’s going on and you are likely to cause more unintentional trouble.

The supply of information to which we are exposed under modernity is transforming humans from a calm person to a neurotic (神经质的) one. For the purpose of our discussion, the first person only reacts to real information, and the second largely to noise. The difference between the two will show us the difference between noise and signals. Noise is what you are supposed to ignore; signals are what you need to heed.

In science, noise is a generalization beyond the actual sound to describe random information that is totally useless for any purpose, and that you need to clean up to make sense of what you are listening to. You can use and take advantage of noise and randomness, but noise and randomness can also use and take advantage of you, particularly with the data you get on the Internet or through other media. The more frequently you look at data, the more noise you are likely to get, and the higher the noise-to-signal ratio is.

Say you look at information on a yearly basis—the changes you see will all be large ones. The ratio of signals to noise is about one to one—this means that about half the changes are real improvements or degradations, and the other half come from randomness. But if you look at the very same data on a daily basis, the composition would change to 95 percent noise and 5 percent signals, and the changes you see daily will certainly be small.

1. What opinion does Nassim Taleb probably hold?

A．It’s hard to know the real truth.	B．The noise-to-signal ratio is changing.
C．The information explosion can be harmful.	D．More information brings more signals.

2. What does the underlined word “heed” probably mean in paragraph 2?

A．Notice.

B．Analyse.

C．Solve.

D．Describe.

3. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．Causes and harms of more noise.	B．The meaning and impact of noise.
C．The relationship between noise and signals.	D．Advantages and disadvantages of noise.

4. How should we handle information according to the author?

A．Check it frequently.	B．Make use of online data.
C．Look at key changes.	D．Focus on all changes in it.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What do the public pay more attention to according to the recent survey?

A．News media.

B．Political issues.

C．Living conditions.

2. How many people responded to the survey?

A．500.

B．1,500.

C．15,000.

3. What did most respondents think everyone should do?

A．Join in environmental protection campaigns.

B．Develop a sense of environmental protection.

C．Donate money to the environmental department.

4. Which one has become the main volunteer activity?

A．Driving less.

B．Planting trees.

C．Picking rubbish.