1. What does the news say about big online spenders in the US?
| A．The number of them grows slowly. |
| B．There are more men than women. |
| C．They make up half of all shoppers. |
| A．$453 billion. | B．$990 billion. | C．$1,500 billion. |
| A．An adventure novel. | B．A software package. | C．A note by Mark Twain. |
2 . As new data from Famileo reveals the loneliness issue in the UK, its founder looks at the reality of social isolation in today’s digital age.
A consumer survey conducted by Famileo has revealed that nearly half of British adults feel disconnected from their loved ones nowadays. The past few years have been unquestionably tough. The isolation of the pandemic has led to many of us experiencing prolonged feelings of loneliness and seclusion (隐居), even long after any restrictions were lifted. Pair this with the ongoing cost of living crisis, and people are socializing with others far less than before. The way we interact with others has become dominated by digital channels, social media exactly. While social media have proven an incredibly useful tool, most of Brits believe that our growing reliance on technology to interact has impacted the frequency of in-person social interaction, leading to increased isolation.
Another contributing factor to social isolation is physical distance. Combined with the demands of our increasingly busy lives, the physical distance between family members often prevents us from keeping in contact with our loved ones as often as we would like.
Talking of social isolation, our minds often spring straight to the older generations who regularly find themselves left out, owing to their declining physical capacity and a gap in digital literacy. Interestingly though, despite effortlessly navigating the digital landscape, it is younger generations who report feeling the most isolated, 41 per cent of people aged from 16 to 24 feeling the rise of social media causing increased isolation.
While digital platforms like Facebook serve as a means to send photos and life updates quickly and easily, the majority of Brits still love the tangible (可触摸的、可感知的) experience of receiving personal post. Considered a dying art, it is clear snail mail, still has its place. Whether it be a letter, birthday card, or family newsletter, I have seen how enriching the touchable experience of sending and receiving personal post can be, to people of all ages. Nurturing relationships and fostering a profound sense of being loved and better connected to loved ones, it is a vital tool that we should employ as a means to not only relieve the effects of social isolation, but simply brighten someone else’s day.
1. What does the word “lifted” underlined in the second paragraph refer to?| A．Removed. | B．Placed. | C．Ignored. | D．Raised. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Indifferent. | C．Favorable. | D．Critical. |
| A．Make someone else’s day. | B．Turn to snail mail in the digital age. |
| C．Bridge the gap in digital literacy. | D．Foster a: sense of loving and being loved. |
| A．The Hardship of the Past Few Years | B．Exchanging Touchable Personal Post |
| C．Social Isolation in the Digital Age | D．Older Generations’ Gap in Digital Landscape |
3 . More than 170,000 people in California are unhoused. Even as the state has poured resources into fighting against the problem, the number of people without homes has ticked upward in recent years. On the surface, the state has one key advantage for people without a reliable roof over their heads: relatively consistent and livable weather. So one of my first thoughts when I heard news of a horricane attacking Los Angeles was just “What will happen to the city’s homeless population?”
City agencies quickly took action. As it became clear that the Los Angeles region could experience an extreme downpour and subsequent flooding, outreach teams fanned out across the river bank and dam areas across the city that have become home to a significant unhoused population, offering support to move them into shelters and motels (汽车旅馆).
Despite that, it’s obvious that the effects of climate change will hit the most vulnerable (脆弱的) hardest. We see this globally as extreme weather events hit countries that have contributed the least to the problem.
The most notable connection between climate change and the US housing crisis is the threat extreme weather poses to unhoused people. More unhoused people are affected as climate change drives increasingly unpredictable weather. People without homes know how to respond to expected seasonal events. But events like a near-hurricane in Los Angeles or a wildfire in ‘Maui can catch populations with limited access to information off guard.
Another link worth considering is the way in which climate change creates more homelessness and further stresses on housing systems. Hurricane Katrina, for example, displaced 800, 000 people. Four years later, 12,000 people remained without shelter.
Housing has been — and will continue to be — a key issue in Maui too as it recovers from the wildfire that killed more than 100 people. Maui has already had a housing crisis, the result of a high cost of living driven in large part by the tourism industry. And, now, many more are left looking for places to stay. Ashley Kelly, the chief operating officer at Hawaii’s Family Life Center, said: “Finding housing for any new clients is just not possible right now.”
1. What contributes to the increase of the unhoused population in California?| A．Its mild weather. |
| B．Its inclusive local culture. |
| C．Its limited basic facilities. |
| D．Its relaxed state policies. |
| A．They built dams to prevent flooding. |
| B．They moved homeless people to safe places. |
| C．They sought low-cost housing from city agencies. |
| D．They surrounded the river bank to keep people away. |
| A．Mysterious. | B．Exceptional. | C．Changeable. | D．Difficult. |
| A．Ways of Americans relocating disaster-affected populations. |
| B．The significance of timely weather updates for the homeless. |
| C．The link between climate change and the housing crisis in the US. |
| D．Approaches of homeless Americans to dealing with natural disasters. |
4 . According to Americans for the Arts, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults say that the arts “lift me up beyond everyday experiences.” Still, only 30 percent attended a concert of any type in 2017; 23 percent visited an art museum; six percent attended a literary event. Fewer than half actively created art of any kind.
What has caused this phenomenon is that we do not have time for art — we are weighed down by our day-to-day responsibilities. Maybe you like to play a little background music while you work but most of us rarely, if ever, went to see a live performance, let alone visited a gallery. And reading poetry? Perhaps not since high school.
Too often, we let the realities of life get in the way of the arts, which can feel insignificant by comparison. But this is a mistake. The arts might be the single most in-depth experience you will ever be given to explore the nature and meaning of life. And if you make time to consume and produce art, you will find your life become fuller and happier.
Some philosophers address the problem of life consumed by work and material pursuits. They argue that art provides relief from this routine, expanding our perspective and bringing us closer to true reality.
Think of a time when you heard a piece of music and wanted to cry. Or recall your fast heartbeats as you stared at a delicate lifelike sculpture. Chances are that it probably stimulated (刺激) a sudden awakening, much like the shock from a lungful of pure oxygen after breathing in smoggy air.
If you are among those who feel that art is “pure pleasure to experience and participate in,” you might see it the same way you see eating out, or skydiving: as a luxury (奢侈品) item in your limited budgets of time and money. As such, it probably gets the same sort of treatment as any minor hobby. Don’t make this error. Treat art more like exercise or sleep: a necessity for a life full of deep satisfaction.
1. What does paragraph 1 focus on?| A．The opinion of U.S. adults about art. |
| B．The types of art that U.S. adults engage with. |
| C．The mismatch between value and behaviour as to art. |
| D．The connection between everyday experiences and art. |
| A．Art reveals the nature of life. | B．Art gives way to material pursuits. |
| C．Life without art is meaningless. | D．Background music is a kind of art. |
| A．Art awakes people’s talents. | B．Art improves physical health. |
| C．Art brings us closer to nature. | D．Art makes life fuller and happier. |
| A．Art: A Habit, Not a Luxury | B．Art: A Bridge, Not a Barrier |
| C．Art: A Decoration, Not a Reality | D．Art: A Pleasure, Not a Burden |
要求：
语言准确，行文连贯，层次清晰，书写规范，词数60~80。
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6 . Strings of letters have recently been flooding the Chinese Internet. Netizens have embraced the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) personality test, using its distinctive combinations of letters to define and classify themselves and others, sparking the formation of active online communities. Initially designed as a self-assessment tool to outline personality types and preferences, the MBTI has found enormous popularity in China.
The MBTI categorizes individuals using four pairs of characteristics: introversion (I) (内向) or extroversion (E) (外向), sensing (S) or intuition (N), thinking (T) or feeling (F), and judging (J) or perceiving (P). This leads to distinct four-letter combinations, like “ISTJ” or “INFP.” The values “E” and “I” have especially attracted public interest. Those who exhibit extroversion (E) characteristics are now humorously described as outgoing, talkative, wild, and socially skilled. They are often playfully called “social gangsters” due to their strong social skills. In contrast, those with introversion (I) are shown as quiet, reserved, reflective, and socially anxious.
Among the playful teasing, these eight seemingly simple letters have promoted deeper self-awareness and even developed a sense of friendship on social media platforms. Individuals discover their strengths and humorously acknowledge their odd behavior. This newfound self-awareness not only aids in understanding their fundamental values but also offers a way to deal with the common unease that bothers today’s youth. Many find comfort in thinking, “My ongoing anxiety, over-sensitivity, and self-doubt come from being an INFP. Such characteristics are typical for this personality type; thus, I’m perfectly normal.”
Netizens often humorously note: “In everyday life, during social events, I switch between introversion and extroversion. At work, I initially act extroverted but gradually become more introverted. When I see someone I like, I’m extroverted in my head but in reality, I’m all introverted. Haidilao Hotpot restaurants, known for their fancy birthday celebrations, sometimes make customers feel awkward. Their typical birthday song goes, “Say goodbye to all worries, and embrace all joys.” It’s a show meant for the extra-social. So, if an extrovert is invited to such a celebration, they might humorously exclaim, “I can’t take it! I’ve become introverted in the face of even more extroverted individuals.”
1. What is the original function of the MBTI personality test?| A．To form active online communities. | B．To scientifically classify netizen behaviors. |
| C．To make a definition and classification of people. | D．To evaluate the types of character and preferences. |
| A．A timid person. | B．A shy person. | C．A daring person. | D．A humble person. |
| A．attracted public interest humorously | B．recognize and accept personal characters |
| C．comfort the people with personality shortages | D．know yourself better and correct odd behavior |
| A．To explain why an extrovert is often invited to their celebration. |
| B．To show people’s personalities can change on different occasions. |
| C．To indicate the birthday songs could make customers embarrassed. |
| D．To stress the popularity of birthday parties in Haidilao Hotpot restaurants. |
7 . As you read this, pause to reflect on your recent interactions. As a politician, husband, and father, I encounter various spoken language styles: analytical or chatty, formal or informal, pointed or gentle, cooperative or decisive. Talk is the currency of politics. It is our way of negotiating, debating, and persuading. Talk is also the currency of learning-how we develop our ideas, deepen our thinking and share our feelings.
That’s why I want speaking skills, sometimes called “oracy”, to play an important part in Labor’s plans for a reformed school curriculum (课程).
Employers value speaking skills equally with reading and writing. The ability to speak well and express yourself should be something every child should master. But the curriculum doesn’t allow us to provide this. This is short-sighted. An inability to express your thoughts fluently is a key barrier to getting on and doing well in life.
Oracy is in part about good public speaking and debating skills, but in reality, it’s about teaching young people to make strong arguments, choose wise words, understand their audience, form meaningful social connections, and use facial expressions and body language to convey their message. Above all else it’s about finding your voice. To work out who you are and what you believe. If reading opens up a world of imagination and possibility, then speaking and listening opens up a lifetime of empowerment-a chance for those who feel invisible in their own country to be heard. It is about the confidence to speak out, to call out injustice or harm.
And the other side of speaking is listening, which can also be taught. Listening, truly listening, develops tolerance and understanding. And as parents we can play our part. We’ve all been there, at mealtimes, silent as we all stare at our devices. Our job, all of ours, is to get off our screens and give young people, and adults, the gift of listening.
So, oracy―speaking and listening―needs to be placed firmly at the heart of school life.
1. How does talk help a politician?| A．It deepens his wishful thinking. |
| B．It enhances his analytical skills. |
| C．It strengthens persuasive power. |
| D．It provides emotional support. |
| A．Employers underestimate the value of speaking. |
| B．Academic pressure makes students poor-sighted. |
| C．Spoken language is regarded as least important. |
| D．Oracy should deserve more attention at school. |
| A．By sharing different opinions. |
| B．By clarifying the definition. |
| C．By describing personal experiences. |
| D．By employing the concept. |
| A．Set a good example for their children. |
| B．Balance screen time and mealtime. |
| C．Have oral face-to-face communication. |
| D．Disconnect from the virtual world. |
8 . The most obvious dog fetish (迷恋) today is the longing for cuteness. Almost every day you can see adorable pictures of dogs and other animals that will make you smile and say, “How cute!”
It is a cultural phenomenon that the media scholar James Meese calls the “cute economy” which exists primarily on social media, is user-generated, and is heavily dominated by pictures of animals, especially pets. The goal is to generate a positive response, probably followed by a tap on the screen to “like” and “share”. We can click through image after image of cute animals doing cute things, feeling a little boost of good cheer.
The marketing researchers have identified some of the most common categories of cuteness in online pet content: animals doing silly things; animals of extreme size; animals with unusual looks; and animals behaving in ways that seem human-like. Dogs and other animals in the “cute economy” are often further humanized by being dressed in clothing and accessorized (装饰) with hats, jewellery, nail polish and fur dyed a rainbow of colors. Users who post successfully and with some strategies can make money by doing so. Thus, certain dogs have become cuteness celebrities, with millions of devoted followers and paid content from advertisers.
Unfortunately, the price of the “cute economy” comes at a serious cost. The cutest and most popular breeds tend to be those with the most significant risk of health and behavioral problems. Cuteness is often coupled with their discomfort. People are drawn to the cuteness of dogs with extremely foreshortened skulls and extremely short legs and awkwardly long bodies, such as the French bulldog and the corgi.
Actually, there are well-established health issues. We should treat the “cute economy” with caution, like resisting the commodification (商品化) of appearance by opting out of social media channels promoting the “cute economy”. We can also choose not to “like” or “share” images of dogs whose cuteness is linked with discomfort. Although we are biologically attracted to dogs that are super cute, we should be mindful in our “impulses”.
1. What is the key to the “cute economy” according to the text?| A．Taking photos of different animals. |
| B．Cute animals’ attractive appearance. |
| C．Pets’ owners’ liking adorable pictures. |
| D．Posting cute animals’ pictures on social media. |
| A．A normal-sized dog is eating bones. |
| B．A white cat is quietly lying next to its owner. |
| C．A monkey is attentively taking care of its baby. |
| D．A parrot dressed in a suit is singing and dancing. |
| A．It will change the animals’ nature. |
| B．It may make the animals not so cute. |
| C．It may cause health problems to the animals. |
| D．It will result in a decline in animal population. |
| A．The Cute Economy and Its Price | B．Share Pictures or Not |
| C．Happiness from Pets | D．Marketing Strategy — Cuteness |
9 . Some pals and I were in the midst of a pinball competition at a bar the other night when the machine kept breaking down. We called over a very busy employee who’s responsible for helping keep the place running. He put everything aside to fix our problematic pinball machine twice.
My pinball wizard didn’t stretch out his hand, but how many times have we run across those payment screens that suggest a 20% tip for being handed a sandwich we ordered?
Plus, tipping is good karma (因果报应). It’s always worth it to tip in unexpected situations- ones that don’t necessarily involve a hint on a payment screen.
So next time, there must be no arguments with my friends when times come to tip.
| A．This leads to what’s been called "tipping fatigue (疲劳)” |
| B．So, why am I willing to go against the trend and say yes? |
| C．I suggested we tip him $10 and split the tip among all of us. |
| D．There’s an argument that we should ban tipping altogether. |
| E．Guess what happened next with my pinball-machine fixer at the bar? |
| F．One dollar or two won’t make or break me, but it can possibly help with their rent. |
| G．Should they earn far below the minimum wage, employers must make up the difference. |
10 . Researchers from Arizona State University (ASU) published their latest report. When men expressed their opinions with anger, people considered them more believable. But when women expressed anger, they were viewed as more emotional (情绪化) and, thus, less trustable. In other words, a man could benefit from using anger in power and persuasion. A woman, however, could be ignored or hurt by her group if she expressed anger.
The study was based on the responses of 210 students. They were shown evidence online from a murder (谋杀) trial. A man was said to have murdered his wife. The students were asked to decide if the man was guilty or not. Before making their decisions, the students discussed the case online with five jurors (陪审员). But these jurors were computers responses and comments. Some of the jurors had male identities. Others had female identities.
Some male jurors were angry about the verdict (裁决). When this happened, the students reacted by doubting their own decisions about the case. Confidence in their responses on the verdict dropped. However, when female jurors seemed angry, the students became more confident in their original verdicts.
Jessica Salerno, a psychologist and co-author of the study, said, “Our results provide something important for any woman who is trying to have an influence on a decision in her workplace and everyday life.”
In a political debate, a female candidate might have less influence if she shows anger. In the entertainment world, actor Jennifer Lawrence recently wrote that women and men in Hollywood get the opposite reactions when expressing their opinions angrily. “All I hear and see are men speaking their opinions,” she wrote. “When I give mine in the quite similar manner, you would have thought I said something annoying”.
1. What’s the new finding from the ASU report?| A．Men usually do harm to angry women. |
| B．Women are more likely to become angry. |
| C．People prefer to believe the angry women. |
| D．Angry men appear to gain influence in a group. |
| A．Male jurors agreed with them. |
| B．They became angry with the jurors. |
| C．Angry female jurors didn’t agree with them. |
| D．Angry male jurors showed opposite opinions. |
| A．It helps women avoid losing influence. |
| B．It asks men to get away from angry women. |
| C．It causes men to change their attitude to women. |
| D．It shows men and women should be treated equally. |
| A．By showing differences. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By presenting research findings. | D．By setting down general rules. |
