1 . Fast food chains have tried for years to appeal to customers who care about their health. They have added lighter food to their menus, such as salads and yogurt. Of course, the lighter food goes with the usual burgers, fried chicken and shakes.
Menus have changed over the past three decades. According to a recent study, fast food menus are less healthy than they were 30 years ago. The study suggests the problem is getting worse. The fat, salt content and size of fast food meals are the problem. They are often the reason for the rising obesity (肥胖) rate among adults in the United States. The researchers found that the average main dish weighed more in 2016 than in 1986. It also had more calories and more sodium (钠). One expert said, “The restaurants have not done enough. The big picture is that there have been some positive changes, but they are small. Overall, the changes have gotten worse.”
The average fast food dessert had more calories in 2016. It also weighed more than the average fast food dessert thirty years earlier. Restaurants are counting on bigger sundaes and cookies to increase the amount spent on each order. For example, McDonald’s recently introduced “donut sticks” dusted with sugar. Six sticks have 280 calories. But you can also order 12 sticks for less than the cost of two single orders.
The researchers found that, over the 30 years, there were more calories in items like chips, soup, and French fries. Sodium content rose even though portion(一份) size did not grow much. When consumed together as a single meal, the study found that the average main dish and side order account for nearly 40 percent of a 2000-calory daily diet.
1. Why do fast food chains provide lighter food?| A．To match the fast food. | B．To attract more customers. |
| C．To reduce the cost of each meal. | D．To improve the health of customers. |
| A．They take in more calories from fast food. |
| B．They have little time to exercise regularly. |
| C．They eat much more dessert after every meal. |
| D．They eat fast food more frequently than before. |
| A．Showing the way of restaurants’ making cookies. |
| B．Presenting the popularity of restaurants’ new food. |
| C．Stressing the increase in restaurants’ food varieties. |
| D．Explaining the intention of restaurants’ adding dessert. |
| A．Fast Food Is Still Killing Us | B．Don’t Eat Any Fast Food Now |
| C．Try to Eat More Lighter Food | D．People Are Becoming Fatter and Fatter |
2 . We all love our parents and turn to them when we’re in need, but would you like them to hear the conversations you have with your friends in the school playground or lunch queue? Social networking sites have become virtual extensions of the school hallways, so would you add your parents as “friends” and allow them to view your online activities and conversations with friends?
In the past the generation gap included a technology gap, where children were up to date with the latest technology and parents were left behind, content to continue their day-to-day lives as they always had because they had no need to be tech-savvy. However, more and more parents are beginning to realize just how important social networks are in their lives. This realization has given many parents the motivation to educate themselves about social networking sites.
These days many people are attracted to social networking sites because they can choose who they have around them; there’s also a certain amount of control over privacy that we don’t get in real life. Sometimes we feel that privacy is violated when we must accept a “friend” request from a parent or family member.
It’s a difficult choice whether or not to allow a parent to become a part of our online lives. On the one hand we don’t want to “reject” their request because that might hurt their feelings or make them feel you have something to hide. On the other hand if you do accept, then you could have a sense of being watched and no longer feel free to comment or communicate the way you did before.
A recent survey suggested that parents shouldn’t take it personally if their child ignores their request: “ When a teen ignores a parent’s friend request, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are hiding something, but it could mean that this is one part of their life where they want to exert their independence.”
Perhaps talking with parents and giving explanations would help soften the blow when you do choose not to add them to your friends list.
1. Many parents teach themselves social networks because ________.| A．they are not content with their daily life | B．they regard social networks important |
| C．they are curious to explore new technologies | D．they want to view their children’s online activities |
| A．They can’t choose friends around them. | B．They have nothing to hide. |
| C．They don’t want to teach their parents. | D．Their privacy can not be guaranteed if so. |
| A．teens value their privacy and independence | B．a teen’s rejection means they have something to hide |
| C．a teen’s rejection means nothing special | D．independence is everything teens desire |
| A．How to bridge the generation gap. | B．How to make friends on social networks. |
| C．How to explain to parents about the rejection. | D．How to use the social networking sites. |
3 . A night at the movies is always a good idea. But when you leave the theater and realize you just dropped $45 on a ticket and some snacks, you’ll wish you had been patient enough to wait until the movie came out on Netflix. The average movie ticket price in the United States in 2000 was $5.39; now, a ticket is over $9.
The main reason that movie tickets have gotten so expensive is because of inflation (通货膨胀). It was actually more expensive to go to the movies in the 70s than it is now. A ticket in 1978 cost $2.34. If you plug that into an inflation calculator, the same ticket would cost you $9.46 today. According to the National Association of Theater Owners, the average cost for a ticket today is $9.11.
Another reason you need to spend some of your life savings to see a movie on the big screen is that theaters are competing with streaming services that produce their own films, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. And let’s be honest, sitting at home on your sofa or in your bed is more comfortable than sitting in a cold theater.
Because of streaming technology, theaters have to do something to bring in customers. Attractions—including alcohol, reclining seats (躺椅), surround sound, and 3-D movies are all examples of that. And those upgrades come at a price, leading to more expensive tickets.
“There’s all that extra cost, and it’s really important for theater owners and companies to make that experience as enjoyable as possible,” Patrick Corcoran, vice president of the National Association of Theatre Owners told Marketplace. “Because you’re offering a superb experience—audience expectations are for the latest and greatest technology. Audiences are willing to pay more for a particular experience.”
1. According to the passage, what makes movie tickets so expensive?| A．The viewers are wealthier than before. |
| B．The movie theatres offer popcorns, alcohol for free. |
| C．Inflation has made the ticket price appear higher than before. |
| D．The popular movies with famous stars deserve the high price. |
| A．Netflix is always a better choice for movie viewers than theatres |
| B．with comfortable seats, theatres are more attractive than streaming services |
| C．the viewers actually pay more for the updates of the movie theatres |
| D．the theater owners and companies update the theaters to make the theatres famous |
| A．It’s unwise for viewers to pay so much to watch a movie in the theater. |
| B．The high price of a movie ticket is supposed to agree with a wonderful experience. |
| C．It’s a waste of money to provide the latest technology in the theatre. |
| D．The viewers would prefer to sit at home on the sofas or in the beds. |
| A．Behind the Increasing Price of Movie Tickets |
| B．Technological Improvement on Movie Theatres |
| C．The Competition between Movie Theatre and Streaming Services |
| D．How to Save the Viewers’ Wallets |
It's time to reconsider food. Around the globe, food problems threaten wildlife, wild places and the planet itself. Today, 7. 3 billion people consume 1. 6 times
So how do we produce more food for more people without
In the near- term, food production is enough to provide for all, but it doesn't reach everyone who needs it. About 1. 3 billion tons of food
By improving efficiency and productivity while reducing waste and shifting consumption
Have you seen people who take pictures of food for more than 10 minutes before eating? How about those who beautify their selfie (自拍) so much that they can’t be
Take my friend Chen for example. Every time we went to a restaurant, she would not take a
Many people care too much about others’ opinions and try too hard to
If they really want an elegant life, they should put more
| A．envied | B．admired | C．defeated | D．recognized |
| A．survive | B．exist | C．flood | D．spot |
| A．how | B．what | C．where | D．whom |
| A．bow | B．bite | C．breath | D．break |
| A．offered | B．served | C．ordered | D．prepared |
| A．cooking | B．washing | C．setting | D．collecting |
| A．arranged | B．messy | C．casual | D．correct |
| A．dishes | B．restaurants | C．pictures | D．tables |
| A．choice | B．chance | C．excuse | D．reason |
| A．months | B．years | C．weeks | D．days |
| A．comfort | B．inspire | C．please | D．discourage |
| A．independent | B．generous | C．responsible | D．confident |
| A．secret | B．healthy | C．peaceful | D．real |
| A．rarely | B．hardly | C．exactly | D．nearly |
| A．change | B．difficulty | C．guidance | D．harm |
| A．question | B．dislike | C．follow | D．doubt |
| A．effort | B．ambitions | C．feelings | D．money |
| A．other than | B．more than | C．rather than | D．less than |
| A．identifying | B．amusing | C．persuading | D．accepting |
| A．simplifying | B．ruining | C．beautifying | D．worsening |
6 . Hundreds of children are being treated for sleep problems in Wales every year. In some cases，babies，infants (婴儿)and teenagers have been admitted to hospital in north Wales alone.
The Children’s Sleep Charity said many children were suffering from lack of sleep mainly because of technology use. Public Health Wales said sleep was as important to a child’s health as healthy eating and exercise，and children with poor sleep patterns were more likely to be fat.
Statistics obtained (获得) under the Freedom of Information Act by BBC Wales found at least 408 children have been admitted to hospitals across Wales suffering from sleep disorders since March 2013.
Children aged between 0 and 4 made up the highest number of inpatients (住院病人)，with some newborns being treated for sleep-related problems from the day of birth.
Vicki Dawson，who set up the Children’s Sleep Charity (CSC)，said sleepless nights were putting both children and parents in anxiety. “Their weight and growth may also be affected as well as their mental health，”she said.
Teachers said children showing signs of sleep shortage and tiredness in class were a concern as they couldn’t concentrate for long periods.
Psychologist Amy McClelland，of Sleep Wales，saida common problem was that children were “over excited”before bed and that families should get back to basics. “Think 1950s family home. Dinner as a family，read，chat，a film maybe，lights off and then bed. ”She added.
1. What’s the main reason why children are short of sleep？| A．Less exercise. | B．Eating habits. |
| C．Technology use. | D．Sleep patterns. |
| A．Infants. | B．Teenagers. |
| C．Teachers. | D．Parents. |
| A．Chatting and films make children sleep more. |
| B．It is difficult for children to read before bed. |
| C．Being too excitedis good for sleep habits. |
| D．Relaxation has a bad effect on children. |
| A．Ways to Treat Sleep Problems | B．Sleep Problems of Welsh Children |
| C．Sleep Habits of Welsh Children | D．The Problems of Welsh Children |
7 . People are less willing to rely on their knowledge and say they know something when they have access (接近) to the Internet, suggesting that our connection to the web is affecting how we think.
Professor Evan Risko, of the Department of Psychology at the University of Waterloo, led a recent study where the team asked about 100 participants (参与者) a series of general-knowledge questions, such as naming the capital of France. For half of the study, participants had access to the Internet. They had to look up the answer when they responded that they did not know the answer. In the other half of the study, participants did not have access to the Internet.
The team found that the people who had access to the web were about 5 percent more likely to say that they did not know the answer to the question. Furthermore, in some cases, the people with access to the Internet reported feeling as though they knew less compared to the people without access.
“With the popularity of the Internet, we are almost frequently connected to large amounts of information. And when that data is within reach, people seem less likely to rely on their own knowledge,” said Professor Risko.
Studying the results, the researchers thought that access to the Internet might make it less acceptable to say you know something but are incorrect. It is also possible that participants were more likely to say they didn’t know an answer when they had access to the web because online searching offers an opportunity to confirm their answer, and the process of finding out the answer is rewarding.
“Our results suggest that access to the Internet affects the decisions we make about what we know and don’t know,” said Risko. “We hope this research helps us understand how easy access to large amounts of information can influence our thinking and behaviour.”
1. The study by Professor Risko shows that ________.| A．we are easily cheated by the web |
| B．the web is making our life harder |
| C．we are becoming dependent on the web |
| D．the web helps us make correct decisions |
| A．They were funny. | B．They were simple. |
| C．They were personal. | D．They were difficult. |
| A．made more progress | B．showed less confidence |
| C．gave wrong answers | D．showed more optimism |
| A．Goal. | B．Dream. |
| C．Distance. | D．Information. |
