1 . It is challenging to teach children about seasonal foods in a modern-day grocery store (杂货店). Having lots of choices of fresh produce from all around the world means that a sense of the seasons is lost. That’s why I like being part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Every week I receive a share of vegetables that comes from a nearby farm. I do not know ahead of time what I’m getting, nor do I have any say on what comes home; I take whatever was harvested earlier that same day, based on the week’s weather conditions, and use them to the best of my ability.
My kids have had a good knowledge of the supply of certain vegetables throughout the harvesting season. They know what it’s like to eat a lot of asparagus (芦笋) until they’re sick of it, only to move on to dark greens and leafy salads, then eggplants, and tomatoes, and finally the root vegetables that mark the arrival of cold weather.
The funny thing is, when you’ve eaten a ton of something for a few weeks, you’re ready to move on to the next crop (作物) and leave the other behind, but when its time comes the following year, the expectation will return. In this way, a CSA share creates excitement at vegetables that can’t be felt when everything can be bought all the time, as it is in a grocery store.
A farmers’ market can offer similar lessons in seasonality to a CSA, but it differs in that you have more choices about what you buy. A CSA share, however, only offers few kinds of vegetables and sometimes fruits, forcing you to work out ways of using them up. I enjoy this challenge because it tests my cooking skills and introduces my family to new and unusual vegetables. What’s more, it is glad to know I’m supporting local farmers by eating what they want to grow, not just what I’m used to eating.
1. What is special about the vegetables offered by the CSA program?| A．They are free. |
| B．They are cheap. |
| C．They can’t be found in local grocery stores. |
| D．They make the author full of expectations. |
| A．It provides enough supply of vegetables. |
| B．It makes people choose vegetables freely. |
| C．It keeps people’s excitement for vegetables. |
| D．It makes people become sick of eating vegetables. |
| A．It encourages him to support local farmers. |
| B．It helps him learn about the community. |
| C．It gives people more choices of foods. |
| D．It causes local farmers a lot of stress. |
| A．Local food is becoming more popular |
| B．The CSA program is making a difference |
| C．People are encouraged to experience farm life |
| D．Naturally grown food improves people’s health |
2 . Paris is full of cultural significance. Yet, despite its wealth of cultural hotspots and architectural delights, some tourists who explore the City of Light experience “Paris syndrome (巴黎综合征), a psychological condition that often results in nausea (恶心) and increased heart rates. An interesting phenomenon is that Paris syndrome is “most common among Japanese tourists”. Why?
Many Japanese visitors go with a deeply romantic picture of Paris----the beauty of French women, the high culture and art. But when the reality of the modern city of Paris sets in, with its seemingly unfriendly service and confusing public transport, some tourists simply find their hope falling through.
“An encounter with a Parisian waiter who shouts at customers might be laughed off by those from other Western cultures. But for the Japanese —used to a society where politeness is valued and voices are rarely raised in anger-----the experience of their dream city turning into a nightmare (噩梦) can simply be too much,” said Rodanthi Tzanelli, a professor of cultural sociology.
So Paris syndrome should be regarded as an extreme form of culture shock, which is an illness resulting from the loss of meaning when people find themselves in a different symbolic reality, according to Rachel Irwin, a senior researcher. The symptoms (症状) associated with culture shock are similar to those experienced by someone who is feeling anxious. According to the analysis (分析) of Calm Clinic, a mental health resource platform, when someone is experiencing anxiety, signals that are related to the fight or flight response will be sent to the stomach. The signals change the way the body processes food, causing nausea.
Besides, Tzanelli points out that the syndrome is not specific to Paris and nobody can be free of culture shock as long as they go to new places. The syndrome is likely a “general phenomenon”, as younger generations tend to travel to different countries, and are likely to be more aware of what they’ll encounter at a destination. Therefore, they’re unlikely to be bitterly disappointed when they’re there.
1. Why do Japanese tourists experience great discomfort in Paris?| A．Paris lacks real historical and cultural hotspots. |
| B．Paris fails to meet their romantic expectations. |
| C．They find Paris’ public transport less modern. |
| D．They cannot adapt to the local climate. |
| A．How culture influences the behavior of tourists. |
| B．How Japanese tourists react to Paris syndrome. |
| C．Why Paris syndrome particularly strikes the Japanese. |
| D．Why the Japanese value politeness and avoid conflicts. |
| A．People’s inability to adapt to new cultures. |
| B．The methods of overcoming culture shock. |
| C．People’s varied attitudes to different cultures. |
| D．The physical discomfort caused by culture shock. |
| A．To be prepared for new encounters in advance. |
| B．To focus on the positive aspects of a destination. |
| C．To visit new places together with young people. |
| D．To avoid going to unfamiliar destinations. |
When a person is “phubbing” (低头玩手机) , he/she is using his / her phone to surf the Internet, check messages, play games and so on, instead of focusing on the conversation or
Most people would agree that
Science has shown that phubbing is not good for us, but why do we do it? It might be because we are feeling bored,
4 . With the rising cost of living, a growing number of adult children are moving back in with their parents. While lots of parents will enjoy the chance to spend more time with their grown-up children, having them move back in can also cause some problems.
Sit down and talk
While the situation is clearly hard for the parents, Counselling Directory member Octavia Landy advises them to take a step back. “
When things get heated, it can be easy to just storm off and not really hear each other out. But every effort needs to be made, on both sides, to properly listen. “As parents, you need a cool head,” suggests Landy. “Bring the conversation back to the matter at hand, and listen to your kids.”
Set clear boundaries (界限)
“Boundaries and communication lie at the heart of this difficult situation,” says Landy. “At the moment, it feels as if no boundaries will lead to a sense of anger on your part. Consider what your boundaries look like.
Ask yourself what you need to feel happy in your home
Landy suggests parents ask themselves what they need to feel happy and safe in their home—and the answer might be a difficult one to come to terms with. “It might mean that you need to ask your kids to leave,” she says. “
| A．So, what can parents do |
| B．Put everything in good order |
| C．Be prepared to listen patiently |
| D．Are they cheered by the news from home |
| E．You’d better set a proper time for a family meeting |
| F．Work together to set basic rules and a timeline to be reviewed |
| G．If you fear your kids get homeless, then address these fears directly |
SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX
Today marks the last day of the Social Media Detox,
6 . According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees over 50 make up more than one-third of the workforce in the United States. And the labor force aged 75 and older is expected to increase by 96.5% by 2030. As the workforce ages and increasing numbers of grandparents care for their grandchildren, what once was intended for new parents is now applied to grandparents. Some workplaces are offering a new paid leave policy (政策) for older workers—grandternity leave.
As the name suggests, one of the most popular use cases for grandternity leave is employees taking time off when they become grandparents to help care for their grandchildren. It also enables employees to take paid leave to deal with medical treatment, spend time with their families, and take time away from work as needed.
In a competitive labor market with more than 10 million open jobs, employers still struggle to retain senior employees. They fall under the Baby Boomer generation and are characterized by their deep love for work and company responsibility. They are prized for their historical knowledge and old-fashioned work ethic (职业道德). Therefore, employers are seeking new, nontraditional benefits for these employees to prevent them from taking another job. Grandternity leave is just one example of personalized benefits suitable for older workers.
A handful of companies are already starting to offer their own form of grandternity leave. For example, Saga has rolled out a five-day paid grandternity leave to its 2,500 employees. Scott Merry, a 57-year-old IT specialist with Saga took grandternity leave to care for his new-born grandson. “It was just wonderful. It’s nice to work in this type of culture which values family time.” he said. Another company that became an early adopter (使用者) is HireVue. “Attracting and employing a various workforce should be top of mind for any organization,” said one of HireVue’s managers. “Offering a variety of benefits like grandternity leave is key to that.”
1. What does paragraph 1 focus on about the policy?| A．Its application. | B．Its influences. | C．Its limitations. | D．Its background. |
| A．Cut down. | B．Kick out. | C．Hold onto. | D．Pay for. |
| A．It is a win-win practice. | B．It has been adopted widely. |
| C．It has a two-sided nature. | D．It is key to business success. |
| A．To introduce a new paid leave. | B．To call for better working conditions. |
| C．To recommend several leading companies. | D．To warn of the effect of population ageing. |
7 . My phone was an extension of myself. I couldn’t go anywhere
When I was watching TV shows or movies and there was a boring part, I
I have welcomed silence into my life with open arms and am enjoying the increased
As much as having a smartphone was
| A．through | B．without | C．despite | D．upon |
| A．updates | B．instructions | C．assessments | D．decisions |
| A．symbol | B．responsibility | C．reality | D．addiction |
| A．conscious | B．shameful | C．foolish | D．random |
| A．sell | B．pull | C．throw | D．mind |
| A．avoided | B．denied | C．missed | D．allowed |
| A．assist | B．improve | C．associate | D．occupy |
| A．requests | B．thoughts | C．directions | D．comments |
| A．instead of | B．regardless of | C．but for | D．apart from |
| A．creativity | B．productivity | C．knowledge | D．independence |
| A．routine | B．necessity | C．loneliness | D．temptation |
| A．genuine | B．grateful | C．direct | D．desperate |
| A．naturally | B．certainly | C．seemingly | D．gradually |
| A．wonder | B．imagination | C．interest | D．authenticity |
| A．depressive | B．comfortable | C．stressful | D．boring |
8 . Going against the tide of flocking to well-known tourist destinations on vacation, a growing number of holidaymakers in China tend to spend their leisure time at lesser-known attractions. Reverse tourism (逆向旅游) has appeared as a new trend among young holidaymakers in China.
According to data from an online travel agency, the number of rooms booked at hotels in less-traveled cities during the holiday was up 30 percent year-on-year. Bookings for four-star or five-star hotels in less-traveled places all increased ten times at a minimum. Some lesser-known scenic spots posted double-digit (两位数的) growth during the holiday. Baimaiquan Park in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province, received 52,100 visits in the seven days, up to 15.78 percent year-over-year.
Besides crowds, some vacationers chose less-traveled places to save on the cost of trips to popular destinations. In addition, lesser-known attractions are not as “commercial” as developed ones and are able to offer more actual experiences and natural encounters.
Essentially speaking, total relaxation is becoming a real expectation for many people when they travel. Changes in demand may be the fundamental reason for the popularity of reverse tourism. COVID-19 is another key factor fueling reverse tourism. As preventive measures continue, traveling has an unpredictable quality. Travelers have thus become more cautious and tend to choose local attractions or places with fewer tourists.
“The rise of reverse tourism is not a bad thing,” said Zhengzhou Daily. It means that vacationers now have more options, which brings more possibilities to the tourism market. More importantly, it noted, the trend is set to force popular destinations to improve themselves instead of resting on their past honor.
Jiang Han, a senior researcher, said that reverse tourism will become one of the future directions for the market. To give a real boost to the tourism market, Jiang suggested that more efforts be made to tap the potential of underestimated, lesser-known destinations. It is necessary to dig deeper into the local customs and highlight the local characteristics to improve the quality of local tourism.
1. What do the statistics in paragraph 2 tell us?| A．The popularity of travel agency in China. |
| B．The high income of hotels during holidays. |
| C．The contributions of tourism to the economy. |
| D．The increasing trend of reverse tourism in China. |
| A．The impact of COVID-19. |
| B．Holidaymakers’ changing needs for travel. |
| C．The lower cost of heading to less-traveled places. |
| D．The lack of innovative improvements in famous attractions. |
| A．It will drop with the recovery of economy. |
| B．It benefits both tourists and the tourism market. |
| C．It is beneficial to spread local culture to tourists. |
| D．It blocks the development of some popular resorts. |
| A．Upgrading the supporting facilities in tourist areas. |
| B．Improving the management rules of tourist attractions further. |
| C．Exploring the potential and features of lesser-known attractions. |
| D．Promoting the local characteristics of China through online media. |
9 . With visitor numbers around the world increasing towards pre-pandemic levels, the issue of overtourism is once again rearing its head. When locals in the charming Austrian lakeside village of Hallstatt staged a blockade(封锁)of the main access tunnel, asking visitors to “think of the children”, it highlighted what can happen when places start to feel overrun by tourists.
The term “overtourism” is relatively new, having been invented over a decade ago to highlight the increasing numbers of visitors taking a toll on cities, landmarks and landscapes. In essence, it is too many people in one place at any given time. There are the wide-reaching effects, such as climate change. Coral reefs, like the Great Barrier Reef and Maya Bay, Thailand are being degraded from visitors diving and touching the corals. More localized issues are affecting locals, too. Renters are being driven out by landlords in favour of turning properties into holiday lets, and house prices are escalating as a result. As visitors and rental properties outnumber local residents, communities are being lost.
Overcrowding is an issue for both locals and tourists. It can ruin the experience of sightseeing for those trapped in long queues, unable to visit museums, galleries and sites without advance booking, rising costs for basics like food, drink and hotels, and faced with the inability to experience the wonder of a place in relative solitude. Justin Francis, co-founder and CEO of Responsible Travel, a tour operator that focuses on more sustainable travel, says “Social media has concentrated tourism in hotspots and worsened the problem, and tourist numbers globally are increasing while destinations have a finite capacity. Until local people are properly consulted about what they want and don’t want from tourism, we’ll see more protests.”
Of the 800 residents in the UNESCO-listed village of Hallstatt, around 100 turned out in August to show their displeasure and to push for a limit on daily visitors and a curfew(宵禁)on tour coach arrivals. Elsewhere, residents in Venice fought long and hard for a ban on cruise ships, with protest flags often hanging from windows. In Rome, sitting at popular sites, such as the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, has been restricted by the authorities.
There are ways to better manage tourism by promoting more off-season travel, limiting numbers where possible and having greater regulation within the industry. Encouraging more sustainable travel and finding solutions to reduce friction between residents and tourists could also have positive impacts. Promoting alternative, less-visited spots to redirect travelers may also offer some benefits.
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．An introduction to the main topic. | B．A tale to attract readers’ attention. |
| C．The background information of a story. | D．The explanation of the term “overtourism”. |
| A．The environment. | B．The local communities. |
| C．The landowners. | D．The renters. |
| A．Overcrowding merely causes trouble for the locals. |
| B．Social media contributes to overtourism in a sense. |
| C．Scenic spots can receive infinite tourists as long as locals don’t protest. |
| D．Tourists are banned to stay at the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. |
| A．Some wonderful tourist destinations around the world. |
| B．Comparison of tourism before and after the pandemic. |
| C．The harm to locals’ life caused by overcrowding. |
| D．The damage and possible solutions of overtourism. |
1. What did the study in the U.K. find out?
| A．Five people got hurt while doing DIY. |
| B．Half of the people planned to do DIY in the future. |
| C．Many people failed to complete some DIY tasks. |
| A．She was worried. | B．She was annoyed. | C．She was shocked. |
| A．He repaired his shelves. | B．He wasn’t badly hurt. | C．He finished his DIY work. |
| A．Unexpected mistakes. | B．House repairs. | C．DIY troubles. |
