IS EXPLORING SPACE
A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY?
NASA satellite image of Typhoon Goni
Countries around the globe are spending billions of dollars and lots of time on various space missions, whether to Mars or other planets much further away. Some people argue that we should stop wasting time and money exploring space. Instead, we should feed the world’s poor and find immediate solutions to other problems, such as pollution and fatal diseases. However, others feel this is a shallow view which fails to realise how exploring space helps us.
Firstly, exploring space has already made a difference in the fight against world hunger. It has directly resulted in the many satellites that now orbit Earth. A number of the satellites record data on land and weather patterns. Then the data is transmitted to scientists on Earth. After careful analysis, the scientists can provide useful recommendations and advice for farmers. As a result, space-based science has helped farming in its efforts to grow enough food to feed Earth’s increasing population.
Secondly, space exploration has already promoted technological improvements that benefit us all. High-end products around the world are made to a higher standard now because of advanced technology which was first created to meet the requirements for space exploration. For example, space technologies have helped the research and development of different types of new material. They have also helped companies make better heart monitors and other machines that doctors regularly use. Today, space technologies are widely used in all kinds of industries, and everyday products such as GPS, memory foam pillows, and smartphone cameras are changing our lives.
Finally, sending astronauts into space has helped people to think about the world’s problems and even to find ways to solve them. Seeing pictures of our planet as an island in a black sea made people realise that our planet’s resources are limited. In order to provide for such a rapidly increasing population, scientists are trying to find other planets that could one day be our new home. The greatest attention at present is on Mars because it is closer to Earth. In the future, humans may live on both planets.
In closing, exploring space provides the world with many different benefits. Therefore, it should continue so as to provide new and better solutions to people’s short-term and long-term problems.
| A. Space exploration has already promoted technological improvements that benefit us. B. Sending astronauts into space has helped people to think about the world’s problems and even to find ways to solve them. C. Different opinions about space exploration. D. Exploration space provides the world with many benefits, so it should continue. E. Exploration space has made a difference in the fight against world hunger. |
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2 . Are you happy with your appearance?
“Almost all the girls with single-fold eyelids (单眼皮) in our class have had double eyelid operations,” Zeng, a Senior 2 student from Chengdu, told Xinhua. Zeng had the same surgery done this summer.
From popular photo-editing apps to plastic surgery (整形手术), it seems that large eyes, pale skin and a skinny body are the only standard for beauty these days. But can following this standard really make us feel good about ourselves?
“Many teenagers are upset about their appearance because they believe in unrealistic standards of beauty,” experts say.
However, trying to live up to strict standards can make us feel anxious. What troubles us is not just our “imperfect” looks, but the fact that we criticize ourselves too much.
| A．Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. |
| B．Body image anxiety is common among teenagers. |
| C．Guys care just as much as girls do about their body image. |
| D．Some teenagers might feel negative about their appearance. |
| E．It’s common for teenagers to feel confident about their appearance. |
| F．She and many of her classmates believe bigger eyes look more beautiful. |
| G．Perfect faces and bodies are everywhere in advertising, TV shows and social media. |
3 . You know the feeling — you have left your phone at home and feel anxious, as if you have lost your connection to the world. “Nomophobia” (无手机恐惧症) affects teenagers and adults alike. You can even do an online test to see if you have it. Last week, researchers from Hong Kong warned that nomophobia is infecting everyone. Their study found that people who use their phones to store, share and access personal memories suffer most. When users were asked to describe how they felt about their phones, words such as “hurt” (neck pain was often reported) and “alone” predicted higher levels of nomophobia.
“The findings of our study suggest that users regard smartphones as their extended selves and get attached to the devices,” said Dr Kim Ki Joon. “People experience feelings of anxiety and unpleasantness when separated from their phones.” Meanwhile, an American study shows that smartphone separation can lead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
So can being without your phone really give you separation anxiety? Professor Mark Griffiths, psychologist and director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University, says it is what is on the phone that counts — the social networking that creates Fomo (fear of missing out).
“We are talking about an Internet-connected device that allows people to deal with lots of aspects of their lives,” says Griffiths. “You would have to surgically remove a phone from a teenager because their whole life is ingrained in this device.”
Griffiths thinks attachment theory, where we develop emotional dependency on the phone because it holds details of our lives, is a small part of nomophobia. For “screenagers”, it is Fomo that creates the most separation anxiety. If they can’t see what’s happening on WeChat or Weibo, they become panic-stricken about not knowing what’s going on socially. “But they adapt very quickly if you take them on holiday and there’s no Internet,” says Griffiths.
1. Which of the following may Dr Kim Ki Joon agree with?| A．We waste too much time on phones. |
| B．Phones have become part of some users. |
| C．Addiction to phones makes memories suffer. |
| D．Phones and blood pressure are closely linked. |
| A．We worry we may miss out what our friends are doing |
| B．We fear without phones we will run into a lot of trouble |
| C．We are accustomed to having a phone on us |
| D．We need our phones to help us store information |
| A．Approved of. | B．Relied on. | C．Opposed to. | D．Determined by. |
| A．In a research report. |
| B．In a science textbook. |
| C．In a popular science magazine. |
| D．In a fashion brochure. |
4 . TikTok has pushed a new safety update to its app that allows parents to take more control of their teenager’s accounts, as social media companies come under increasing pressure to make their platforms safer for children.
The company said that its Family Pairing now enables parents to turn off comments on their children’s videos entirely or limit them to friends only. Parents whose accounts are linked to their kids will also be able to set their accounts to private ones, turn off the search function for content or users, and limit who can see which videos their children have liked.
The Family Pairing lets parents see how long their children are spending on TikTok each day and limit the content they can see.
TikTok allows children to register (注册) and create an account if they’re over the age of 13. All they need to do is provide their date of birth. However, because TikTok doesn’t require registrants (注册人) to prove their identities, some children under 13 have registered by lying about their age, according to U.K. regulator Ofcom (英国通信管理局)
Alexandra Evans, head of child safety public policy for TikTok in Europe, told CNBC that Family Pairing has “put itself in parents’ shoes”since it was launched. “If we’re thinking of it as a toolbox, we want to offer more tools,” she said on a video call ahead of the announcement.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．The safety tips from TikTok. |
| B．The limits on Family Pairing. |
| C．New apps explored by TikTok. |
| D．The functions of Family Pairing. |
| A．The low age limit of users. |
| B．The demand for users’ birth dates. |
| C．TikTok’s failure to check identities. |
| D．The difficulty in opening an account. |
| A．Uninterested. | B．Objective. | C．Disappointed. | D．Favorable. |
| A．TikTok’s Safety Update |
| B．New Guidelines for Safety |
| C．Family Pairing under Debate |
| D．Controlling Your Kids Online |
5 . Many people like to explore the Internet. Exploring the Internet is one of the most important activities of the day. The Internet brings the outside world closer to people’s homes. Some people say the world is smaller than before because of the Internet.
What’s going on in other countries? How do people live in faraway places? Is there a good sports game somewhere? What’s life like in the deepest part of the sea? If you want to answer all these questions, just come to the Internet. Of course, people can also learn through reading or listening to the radio. But with the Internet they can learn better and more easily. A lot of information can be collected at a great speed.
Can we go shopping without leaving home? Can we see a doctor without going to the hospital? Can we study without going to school? All these things seemed to be impossible, but now they have become true.
The Internet helps us to open our eyes. The Internet also helps to open our minds. The Internet often gives us new ideas. In a word, it helps us in many ways. Great changes have taken place in our life since the use of the Internet.
1. What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?| A．We can learn only through reading or listening to the radio. |
| B．We can know nothing through the Internet. |
| C．A lot of information can be collected at a great speed through the Internet. |
| D．We can become wise because of the Internet. |
| A．go shopping without leaving home |
| B．see a doctor without going to the hospital |
| C．study without going to school |
| D．draw money without banks |
| A．we cannot think without the Internet |
| B．something is wrong with our minds because of the Internet |
| C．our minds can’t be opened unless we search the Internet |
| D．we can get some new ideas from the Internet |
6 . Use Phones Respectfully
You probably spend more time on your smartphone than any other possessions. You take it everywhere—to school, to meals, and even to the bathroom.
Use “do not disturb” instead of “vibrate (振动)”.
Loud vibrations in your trousers are disturbing. People can hear your phone vibrate or not, depending on how violently it vibrates.
Tell others what you’re doing.
Sometimes, you will be in a situation where you need to use your smartphone.
Respect others’ privacy such as text messages and e-mail senders by not letting what they type appear on the home screen of your phone when you receive a new message. While you’re at it, use a password to make sure the information stays between you.
Ask permission to swipe (滑动).
When people hand you their phone to look at a photo, this doesn’t mean you can look through all of their photo albums.
| A．They probably want you to see the one photo they hand to you, not every photo they have taken. |
| B．Just tell people what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. |
| C．It is difficult to ignore it and it distracts people from what they are doing. |
| D．Don’t use the feature of SMS Preview on your home screen. |
| E．You should use your smartphone secretly. |
| F．Of course, using the smartphone is a great way to keep in touch and share life events. |
| G．So it’s thrilling to look through all their photos. |
From London’s Trafalgar Square to major cities across Britain, tens of thousands of British people have joined Chinese communities
In Manchester there was a Dragon Parade,
Academic Dr. Wu Kegang said, “ The Chinese New Year event in Britain is now
On arrival in Britain 26 years ago from Guangdong, south China,
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8 . Fears over the disruption (干扰) to classrooms from pupils using smartphones have made the government decide to carry out research into the way technology affects behaviour in schools.
Children should not be allowed to use smartphones until they are 16, according to Tom Bennett, the school behaviour expert leading the research. “Children are using smartphones too young,” he said. People ask me, “When should I give my child a smartphone?” and I say “Whenever you’re comfortable with them viewing violence, because their curiosity (好奇心) will take them there.” According to him, teachers should not allow them unless necessary.
Mr. Bennett is already leading another study into how teachers are trained to deal with bad behaviour. He has now been asked to look at the wider challenges of managing modern classrooms. Although technology can improve learning, teachers have reported that the growing number of children bringing smartphones into class is leading to disruption, officials warn.
“We need to make sure the advice we give to schools, and the methods being used are fit for the 21st century when even primary school pupils may be bringing in phones. That is why we have taken the decision to widen Tom Bennett’s research to look at how teachers can deal with bad behaviour,” said Nick Gibb, Minister of State for Schools.
Most schools have some policies about smartphone use. However, the picture is far from uniform (统一的) — from complete bans (禁止) to partial bans. “I think smartphones in a classroom may be a temptation (诱惑) for students, but that isn’t to say that I would ban them. ”said Mr. Bennett. “My personal advice is that schools should think very carefully before allowing them. I think the basic rule should be not to allow them unless teachers invite them in for a certain reason.”
1. Why was the research started?| A．To find out the advantages of technology. |
| B．To learn about children’s behaviour in class. |
| C．To look at how smartphones affect kids at school. |
| D．To prevent children from using smartphones in class. |
| A．To look into students’ behaviour at home. |
| B．To change parents’ attitudes to smartphones. |
| C．To encourage children to attend modern classrooms. |
| D．To make sure that schools use proper methods to teach students. |
| A．Many pupils use smartphones for learning. |
| B．Schools have to try harder to ban smartphone use. |
| C．Students always have a good reason to use smartphones. |
| D．Different schools have different policies about smartphone use. |
| A．It is helpful in teaching. |
| B．Schools should take it seriously. |
| C．It should be banned completely. |
| D．There should be a uniform rule. |
In the family,
On a recent Sunday afternoon, 15 young people lay comfortably on colorful carpets and throw pillows arranged in
Kong Yi sat cross-legged before them, using a special stick to hit lightly metal bowls in front of her, making a sound
After, they were guided into supposing that they
Such spiritual, meditative experiences that can lower stress and worry have become the
