1 . I remember when Kamala Harris became Joe Biden’s running mate, it seemed funny how many people pronounced her name incorrectly. On one occasion, a news host became upset when being corrected, and purposely called her Kumbaya.
I am no stranger to this issue as many of my students are from Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and sometimes their names are difficult for me to pronounce, even after asking them how to say it. Many students seem unwilling to correct me when I attempt to learn their names correctly. The other thing I’ve seen in growing numbers is students “adopting” an English name. It’s much more common than many think, for people to change their names in order to fit in.
This is especially the case when it comes to seeking jobs. Racial and cultural minorities often attempt to avoid discrimination hiring by hiding racial cues on the resume including changing their name. This is referred to as “resume whitening”. Research shows almost 50 percent of black and Asian job applicants did so.
Xian Zhao from the University of Toronto researches ethnic name pronunciation, saying that many people don’t understand that habitually pronouncing an unfamiliar name inaccurately is a form of indirect discrimination. It sends a message that “you are the minorities” says Zhao. “You are not important in this environment, so why should I take time and my effort to learn it?” On the other end, those with ethnic names frequently don’t correct people, even when their names are pronounced wrong repeatedly, feeling it is better just to keep the peace and not stand out for their names are difficult.
It is important to try to pronounce everyone’s name as they pronounce it. This communicates respect of them as a person and their culture. There is nothing wrong with asking someone to repeat their name so that you can learn to pronounce it properly. This is usually appreciated.
1. How do the author’s Asian students respond when their names are incorrectly pronounced?| A．They attempt to laugh at it. | B．They tend to accept it. |
| C．They offer to correct the author. | D．They agree to change their names. |
| A．A change in work environment. |
| B．A ban on racial discrimination in workplace. |
| C．A practice of using Western names in job seeking. |
| D．A boast about one’s educational background in the resume. |
| A．Ethnics accept their names being mispronounced to save trouble. |
| B．Ethnics fight effectively with the discrimination against their names. |
| C．Many westerners pronounce ethnic names incorrectly on purpose. |
| D．Many westerners make efforts to pronounce ethnic names correctly. |
| A．Critical. | B．Uncaring. | C．Supportive. | D．Ambiguous. |
2 . The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was invented by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers. It is a self-report questionnaire indicating differing psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. The MBTI personality inventory (量表) sorts people into 16 type categories, each of which is represented by four-letter codes such as INFP and ESTJ. Every year, about 1.5 million people have enjoyed discovering their personality type by completing the MBTI. Many companies, as well as hundreds of universities, use it in hiring and training.
Nevertheless, the MBTI has received a noticeable criticism from the academic community. Some research suggests the MBTI is unreliable because the same person can get different results when retaking the test. Other studies have questioned the validity of the MBTI, which is the ability of the test to accurately link the “types” to outcomes in the real world -for example, how well people classified as a certain type will perform in a given job.
Merve Emre, a professor a Oxford University, points out that it would be more scientifically advisable to score the MBTI scales continuously to show people the degree to which they resemble the types. Even when the MBTI’s results don’t quite match your intuition (直觉) about yourself or are just wrong, they can still provide self-insight and insight into differences and similarities between people.
Scoring and interpreting the MBTI the way other personality inventories are scored and interpreted might be less fun than finding. All of the folklore (民间看法) about INFPs, ESTJs, etc. would have to be dismissed. But, in the end the MBTI is sufficiently reliable and valid enough to be useful in a number of real-world contexts.
1. What do we know about the MBTI from the first paragraph?| A．It is a personality-testing tool. | B．It is divided into 16 categories. |
| C．It is a study of personal preference. | D．It is a questionnaire on four-letter codes. |
| A．It performs badly in job interviews | B．Its reliability has been questioned. |
| C．It requires people to retake the test | D．Its advantages are not fully shown. |
| A．It is beyond criticism. | B．It is a more scientific test. |
| C．It is less fun than other tests. | D．It is useful for self-exploration. |
| A．How Can We Use the MBTI? | B．Why do We Criticise the MBTI? |
| C．Is the MBTI Totally Meaningless? | D．Is Scoring the MBTI Really Necessary? |
Lots of foreigners don’t understand why so many Chinese people are sorrowful about Yuan Longping’s passing away.
This reminds me
Western scholars’ prediction of China back then was indeed analyzing China’s problems, but they failed
If they had had any knowledge of Yuan who worked devotedly for our country, they wouldn’t have made such pessimistic evaluations. Why did the Chinese people make
4 . Climate breakdown threatens to cause a global food production crisis. The UN forecasts that by 2050, feeding the world will require a 20% expansion in global water use for agriculture. It is hard to see how agriculture can feed the population of the planet, let alone toward the end of the century and beyond. Agriculture is a major cause of climate breakdown, and both river and air pollution. Industrial fishing is similarly driving ecological collapse in seas around the world.
However, at this critical time, farming (a new kind of food technology) is creating astonishing possibilities to save both people and the planet. Farming will enable the return of vast areas of land and sea to nature, greatly reducing carbon emissions (排放物). It means an end to the employment of animals, a stop to overfishing, and a dramatic reduction in cutting down forests and the use of pesticides (杀虫剂). It is the best hope for stopping the destruction of the planet and, if it is done right, it means cheap and abundant food for everyone.
We are about to welcome one of the biggest economic transformations, of any kind, for 200 years. Arguments continue about plants against meat-based diets; however, new technologies will soon make these arguments irrelevant. Before long, most food will come neither from animals nor plants, but from micro-organisms (微生物).
Not only will food be cheaper, it will also be healthier. Due to the fact that farming creates food products built up from simple components rather than broken down from complex ones, hard fats and other unhealthy components can be screened out. Meat will still be meat, but it will be grown in factories rather than in the bodies of animals. Fats will still be fats, but food is likely to be better, cheaper and much less damaging to the living planet.
1. What is the major cause of sea ecological breakdown?| A．Food production. | B．Global farming. |
| C．Industrial fishing. | D．Climate breakdown. |
| A．Its benefits. | B．Its security. | C．Its research. | D．Its limits. |
| A．Sea animals. | B．Wild plants. | C．Micro-organisms. | D．Farm products. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. | C．Disapproving. | D．Unclear. |
5 . While it may be commonplace, snubbing one’s friends can have serious impacts on relationships, and there are a variety of factors that may drive individuals to ignore their friends in favor of an electronic screen, according to a new University of Georgia study.
The study reveals positive associations between depression and social anxiety and increasing snubbing: depressed people are likely to snub their friends more frequently, and socially anxious people, who prefer online social interactions, might also exhibit more snubbing behavior. These people are really sensitive to their messages. With each buzz or sound, they consciously or unconsciously look at their phones. The device’s various applications are key drivers contributing to this dynamic.
The finding also shows that agreeable individuals have a lower instance of snubbing in the presence of their friends. People who have agreeableness as a personality feature tend to show cooperative, polite and friendly behaviors in their interpersonal relationships and social settings. Though agreeable people may prioritize strong friendships, an exploratory study reveals they are also more likely to turn to phones in the presence of three or more people.
That dynamic may influence the spread of snubbing in the context of a work environment. “It’s ironic that while so many people believe that snubbing behavior is rude, they still do it,” Sun said. “A majority of people snub others, and in a group, it may seem OK, because it’s just me, the speaker doesn’t notice I’m using the phone. The number of people in a group can be one reason.”
Alternately, disabling or turning over a phone can indicate a show of respect for a situation and focus on a person. That, too, is a signal—I am listening to what you are saying and I am focusing on you.
1. What does the underlined word “snubbing” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．ignoring | B．depressing | C．respecting | D．suspecting |
| A．Social requirements. | B．Unhealthy mental condition. |
| C．Frequent social interactions. | D．Limited communication devices. |
| A．They are insensitive to phone messages. |
| B．They are more likely to snub their friends. |
| C．They attach importance to firm friendships. |
| D．They get accustomed to groups with more people. |
| A．The majority are using phones. |
| B．They don’t like the environment. |
| C．The speaker doesn’t care about it. |
| D．They think they will go unnoticed. |
| A．How snubbing behaviors can be avoided |
| B．Why people snub their friends with their phones |
| C．Why people are addicted to phone messages |
| D．How phones influence people’s social interactions |
6 . Less than a quarter of families in Britain sit down for a “screen-free” dinner together every day away from TVs, phones and devices(设备), according to a research. The research was carried out to mark the launch of Vodafone Pro Broadband with Alexa, featuring a unique “Dinnertime” function which allows families to have 30 minutes of digital downtime.
A study of 1,600 parents, with at least one child at home, found six in ten admit getting children to switch off their devices is the biggest cause of disagreements in their household, leading to an average of two quarrels a day. The research also found it takes almost ten minutes for a child to switch off their devices after being asked.
Almost all parents feel having a break from technology is important for family relationships. And 86 percent think dinner time is an important part of the day for spending quality time together. However, despite this, 93 percent of parents believe technology is important for a child’s development, with 98 percent using digital devices to aid their learning.
Dr. Anna Colton, clinical child psychologist, commented, “Technology plays a huge part in all of our lives, and improves our work, learning and leisure.” She added, “However, it is vital to take time away from our screen and connect with family and friends face to face, particularly at mealtimes—both for oursetves and for our relationships with loved ones, to develop relationships.”
Max Taylor, consumer director at Vodafone UK, said, “30 minutes is the proper amount of time for families to reconnect with one another away from screens, because it’s long enough to have meaningful conversations, a meal or play a game—but not so long that it feels worrying or stressful.”
1. Why do children often quarrel with their parents according to the text?| A．They are unwilling to help with housework. | B．They are urged to turn off digital devices. |
| C．They are late for dinner with their parents. | D．They are stressed with too much homework. |
| A．Technology enables families to spend quality time. |
| B．Screen time is of importance to children’s learning. |
| C．Face-to-face communication helps build good relationships. |
| D．30 minutes is a proper time for mealtime communication. |
| A．By providing some data | B．By giving some examples. |
| C．By making a comparison. | D．By analyzing the cause |
| A．A textbook. | B．A science report. | C．A fashion magazine. | D．A travel brochure. |
Soft Skills—Soft or Not?
Rapidly advancing technology and its impact on education have been a subject of much debate. How can schools equip students with the skills to succeed in a changing job market? Since technology is driving many social changes, there is an opinion that governments should keep focusing on STEM subjects. These are often referred to as “hard skills”, which are prioritized in primary schools and right through to university level.
However, research from Harvard University on the global job market has shown that STEM-related careers grew strongly between 1989 and 2000 but have slowed ever since. In contrast, jobs in the creative industries, which are probably most associated with the need for soft skills, are growing rapidly. A study by Deloitte Access Economics predicts that “soft skill-intensive occupations will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030”.
With the rapid evolution of technology, a focus on hard skills leaves people delicate when facing change, as these skills often have a limited shelf life. According to a survey, more than one in four adults reported a mismatch between their skills and those needed for their job role. Fortunately, soft skills can solve the problem, enabling people to adapt to change more easily in their chosen field. Additionally, interpersonal interactions in the modern workplace require some level of soft skills. At a company they might be negotiating to win a new contract or networking for a new job. People use soft skills every day at work and developing them will help things in the job go smoothly.
Many universities have begun to emphasize soft skills such as critical thinking alongside hard skills. But the issue goes much deeper. Soft skills need to be handled across the entire education system so that by the time students reach university level, they are already armed with the qualities needed to further develop these skills.
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The advance of technology in our lives has been kind of stopped in New York City. Up to now, lawmakers
Businesses that break the new regulation could face heavy fines of up to $ 1,500 for each offense (违法行为). Critics of cashless businesses say they discriminate (歧视) against people who are much
9 . Hillary Clinton said, a decade ago, that "The subjugation(压迫) of women is a threat to the common security of our world." Societies that subjugate women are far more likely to be violent and unstable.
There are several possible reasons for this. In many places girls are selectively aborted(流产). This has led to abnormal sex ratios(比例), which mean millions of young men are doomed to remain single. Frustrated young men are more likely to commit violent crimes or join rebel groups.
Societies based on male bonding tend to subjugate women. Fathers choose whom their daughters will marry. Often there is a bride price -- the groom's family pay what are sometimes considerable sums to the bride's family. This encourages fathers to make their daughters marry early. Bride prices are common in half the world's countries. A fifth of the world's young women were married before the age of 18; a twentieth before 15. Child brides are more likely to drop out of school, less able to stand up to abusive husbands and less likely to raise healthy, well-educated children.
Peace talks should include women. Between 1992 and 2019, only 13% of negotiators and 6% of signatories of peace deals were female. Yet peace tends to last longer when women are at the table. This may be because they are more ready to compromise: or perhaps because a room without women implies a conflict between the men with guns without input from non-combatants(非武装人员).
More broadly, governments should mean it when they say they want to liberate half of humanity. Educate girls, many of whom have quit school to work or marry. Enforce bans on child marriage, hard though that is in remote villages. Equalize inheritance rights. Teach boys not to hit women. Introduce public pensions, which weaken the tradition where couples are expected to live with the man's parents. But policymakers who fail to consider the interests of half the population cannot hope to understand the world.
1. Why are young men likely to create social unrest?| A．Because they can't find wives due to gender imbalance. |
| B．Because they are frustrated by high bride prices. |
| C．Because inequality arouses a feeling of rebellion in them. |
| D．Because being single gives them freedom to commit crimes. |
| A．Daughters are often viewed as burden in some nations. |
| B．Female's status is low in male bonding societies |
| C．The majority of women worldwide get married before 18. |
| D．Fathers obey their daughters' wish to marry early and rich. |
| A．Men should not negotiate with women and cater to them. |
| B．Women should not submit to men and compromise with them. |
| C．Men with guns should be excluded in peace talks. |
| D．Women should get involved in peace negotiations. |
| A．Societies that fail women often fail. |
| B．Governments should educate women. |
| C．Peace is never gained without women. |
| D．Gender discrimination hurts policymakers. |
10 . Future history books might record that we were robbed of the use of our eyes. In our hurry to get from one place to another, we fail to see anything on the way. Air travel gives you a bird’s—eye view of the world—— or even less if the wing of the aircraft happens to get in your way. When you travel by car or train, you are moving so quickly that you do not see the countryside clearly. Car drivers are forever thinking about going on and on; they never want to stop. Is it the great motorways, that attract them, or what? And as for sea travel, it hardly deserves mention. It is perfectly summed up in the words of the old song, “I joined the navy to see the world, and what did I see? I saw the sea.” You mention the place names in the world like EI Dorado, Kabul and someone is sure to say “I’ve been there” meaning “I drove through it at 100 miles an hour on the way to somewhere else.”
When you travel at high speed, the present means nothing: you live mainly in the future because you spend most of your time looking forward to arriving at some other places. But actual arrival, when it is achieved, is meaningless. You want to move on again. By traveling like this, you suspend (中止) all experience; the present stops being a reality: you might just as well be dead.
The traveler on foot, on the other hand, lives constantly in the present. For him traveling and arriving are one and the same thing: he arrives somewhere with every step he makes. He experiences the present moment with his eyes, his ears and the whole of his body. At the end of his journey he feels a delicious physical tiredness. Satisfying sleep will be his: the just reward of all true travelers.
1. The underlined words “get in your way” in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by ________| A．prevent you from going out of the plane halfway | B．expand your range of vision |
| C．block your sights | D．make your travel continue |
| A．They fail to see the scenery with their hearts. |
| B．They make full use of their eyes. |
| C．They get a good view of the landscape. |
| D．They are eager to see everything on the way. |
| A．Because we change our aims all the time. |
| B．Because we cannot enjoy the experience we have had. |
| C．Because we are looking forward to the future life. |
| D．Because we are eager to go to another place. |
| A．To go hiking in the mountain. |
| B．To travel at high speed. |
| C．To travel by car or train. |
| D．To go around the world. |
| A．Different Travelers | B．True Traveling |
| C．Ways of Traveling | D．The Use of Eyes |
