1 . Rap music has long been the poster child for negativity in society for a number of decades. It has been criticized (批评) in the media and seen by a good number of people as a bad influence on citizens in general. The lyrics might have something to blame in this regard as they often seemingly celebrate violence as well as drugs and alcohol. The reality is that rap music is greatly misunderstood. In spite of the negativity that often surrounds it, however, rap music can have a positive influence on listeners.

One of these positive effects is that it has been used as a great unifier of diverse populations around the world. It started as a subculture among African American communities in America but it is now a phenomenon of global culture. As a matter of fact, it isn't only limited to African American communities, as non black communities make up seventy five percent of the global rap audience. Its infectious rhythms, catchy beats, and relatable lyrics hold universal attraction that goes beyond cultural and language barriers.

Rap has also been vital in promoting social and political awareness among the youth of today. Rap music educates people from different points of views and raises many social issues. Rap is channel (渠道) for people to speak freely about their view on political or social issues and by doing so, it encourages teenagers to become concerned and aware of these issues. A few of them that rap has created awareness in are racial discrimination (歧视), the importance of education and believing in your dreams.

Rap music is entertainment (娱乐) and should not be treated any differently than any other form of entertainment out there. If critics of rap music still believe that rap only sends negative messages, they should listen closer. The bottom line is that all rap music is not degenerate (堕落的) and consideration should be taken when analysing the message that the music is presenting

1. Why is rap music often connected with negativity?

A．It has long been the poster child for negativity.

B．It has shown a bad influence on citizens in general.

C．It seems to celebrate violence as well as drugs and alcohol.

D．It started as a subculture among African American communities.

2. What helps rap music gain great popularity around the globe?

A．Its positive influence on listeners around the world.

B．Its engaging music elements like rhythms, lyrics and beats.

C．Its continuous promotion of social and political awareness.

D．Its African American culture that fascinates non black communities.

3. How does rap encourage teenagers to become more aware of social issues?

A．By making social issues more entertaining.

B．By providing a platform to voice their opinions

C．By stressing the importance of education and dreams.

D．By drawing teenagers’ attention to racial discrimination.

4. What can be inferred about rap music in the last paragraph?

A．Rap music is now unfairly treated.

B．Rap music is suitable for everyone.

C．Rap music is difficult to understand.

D．Rap music is simply for entertainment.

2 . Over the years, April Fools’ Day has become larger than life. While it may be seen as just a bit of fun, there is more to jokes and humour than may be obvious, begging the question: are the jokes on the 1st of April a good or a bad idea?

Every year, individuals and newspapers present jokes on the 1st of April that may be funny, yet sometimes causing an unexpected upheaval. One radio announcement made in 1949, that a mile-wide swarm of wasps (一群黄蜂) was heading for Auckland, was taken a bit too seriously. The news even came with advice on how to prepare for the incoming insects, resulting in all residents walking outdoors tucking (塞) their trousers into their socks, wearing masks (面罩) as well as setting honey traps outside their doors.

What makes things funny? This is a million-dollar question and one that’s not easily answered. First, it’s influenced by the context, the culture, and personal opinions, meaning that it’s not consistent (一致的) across populations. Besides, if a joke is violating (违反) a norm or rule, it’s more likely to be regarded as funny. Such violations need to be harmless, as they can otherwise be considered unpleasant. In terms of personal experience, serious events may be considered funnier over time, while stubbing (踩) a toe, considered a small violation, would lose its comedic effect over time. Interestingly, people, children, in particular, have been found to be more likely to laugh when they are near others compared to when alone.

Jokes may not seem serious but can actually serve social functions like managing emotions and also be used to deal with matters in work. For example, studies have found that there is a meaningful function of humour in healthcare settings, as it strengthens the connection between medical staffs and patients as well as relieves stressful situations linked to end-of-life care among nursing professionals.

However, it’s suggested that jokes be used cautiously. For example, David Letterman gained reputation (名声) for an interview he had done with Lindsay Lohan in 2013, when the audience had laughed loudly at his repeated questions about her going to receive treatment. However, 8 years later, his comments were seen as offensive (冒犯的). So it’s important to ensure that any violations made are not significant enough to damage your future fame.

1. What does the underlined word “upheaval” probably mean in paragraph 2?

A．Upset.

B．Fun.

C．Annoyance.

D．Popularity.

2. What can we learn about jokes from the passage?

A．People’s opinion of jokes differs.	B．Jokes remain humorous all the time.
C．Jokes can strengthen our connection.	D．Children are more likely to laugh than adults.

3. How does the author mainly share her understanding of jokes with us?

A．By listing figures.	B．By making comparisons.
C．By giving examples.	D．By answering questions.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To tell us the function of jokes.	B．To provide information about jokes.
C．To help make up funny jokes.	D．To propose telling jokes carefully.

4 . The number of states requiring high schoolers to learn about personal money matters continued to increase in 2021, and another —Florida—is ready to join the group shortly. In Florida, the Legislature has passed a law requiring students to take a full term course in personal finance (金融) before graduating.

Financial concerns grew during the pandemic, and rising inflation (通货膨胀) is tightening household budgets. Those factors, combined with worries about burdensome student debt levels, have created a stronger reason for making personal money skills a must for high schoolers.

“The need has never been greater,” said Annamaria Lusardi, the founder and academic director of the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center at George Washington University. “We owe it to this young generation to be well prepared for the future.”

Financial literacy (金融素养) — a working grasp of concepts like saving, credit, interest rates, investing and risk assessment — is generally low among American adults, especially younger adults. Two-thirds of Generation Z adults, for example, couldn’t correctly answer more than half the financial questions in the center’s survey, which compared financial literacy across five generations.

“The pandemic has shown a great need for the average Americans to have these skills,” said Tim Ranzetta, co-founder of Next Gen Personal Finance.

State-level surveys conducted for Next Gen have found strong support for high school personal finance requirements, Mr. Ranzetta said, and dozens of proposals are awaiting action in state legislatures. It’s uncertain how many will become laws, but a requirement in a large state like Florida, he said, may help promote other states’ efforts.

While the progress among states is encouraging, there is more to do. Currently, just nine of the 23 states require personal finance to be taken as a stand-alone course. Others permit the subject to be combined with other classes, like math or social studies, or provide other ways for students to quit the course.

1. Which is NOT the reason for requiring students to take a course in personal finance?

A．The impact of the pandemic.	B．The tight household budgets.
C．An increase in financial cases.	D．Concerns about student debt levels.

2. Which statement would Mr. Ranzetta probably agree with?

A．Dozens of proposals are sure to become laws.

B．Florida’s new law may encourage other states’ efforts.

C．Personal finance is not necessary for the average Americans.

D．The young generation have been well prepared in personal finance.

3. What’s the author’s attitude to states’ efforts in meeting personal finance requirements?

A．Positive.

B．Objective.

C．Indifferent.

D．Doubtful.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．A New Course in Personal Finance

B．A Great Need for Financial Literacy

C．High Schoolers’ Growing Financial Concerns

D．High Schools’ Requirements for Personal Finance

5 . Social media and the Internet are powerful tools that are an important part of our everyday lives. We use them to learn, communicate, work, and more.     1     Here are some great ways to manage social media and Internet use and prioritize your mental health.

Schedule your Internet time

    2     Pick a time in the morning to check emails, news sites, and other things you like to look at on the internet. Give yourself a cutoff to close the Internet and focus on other activities and responsibilities.

    3    

A hobby gives you something to spend time on that’s not the Internet. Take a yoga class, start learning to play an instrument, start gardening, sign up for the gym, or do anything else that interests you. At the beginning, commit to spend just 1 hour a week on the hobby, then gradually ram p up the hours or take up more hobbies. Make sure you turn off your phone or hide your devices while you do your chosen hobby.     4    .

Spend more time with friends offline.

Make it a point to schedule in-person social activities. Go to dinner with friends once a week, get together with a group of people for a weekend hike, or reach out to people you haven’t seen in a while and schedule a catch-up date. If you feel like you don’t have anyone to spend time with, reach out to acquaintances and ask them to join you for lunch or a coffee—you can always make new friends!     5    . For example, look for a local hiking group or a weekly board game club.

A．Cut out Internet use for a set period each week.

B．Do a screen-free hobby for at least an hour a week.

C．Using technology right before bed can negatively affect sleep quality.

D．But, sometimes, using them too much can negatively affect our lives.

E．Create a clear division between Internet time and time for other things.

F．You can also join a club to spend more time on off line social activities.

G．So you don’t get interrupted or distracted by social media and the Internet.

7 . When Senait Lara, a 28-year-old video producer, was questioned by her friends about her lack of communication in their group chat, the blames were as follows: she only caught up every few days; when she did, it was hardly an interaction — Lara spent time “liking” messages instead of responding with words and sometimes she would never respond at all. Lara didn’t deny it. She knew she sometimes preferred to completely avoid her phone rather than deal with a large number of requests. Actually, in person, Lara felt comfortable talking with people, but when communication came down to a text message or an email, she wanted to tap out.

While social media and messaging apps keep us more connected to each other, many younger users are finding themselves tired out from receiving constant notices and carrying on conversations that can last all day. The after-effect? Delayed responses, forgetting to get back to someone entirely, and a need for frequent breaks.

In fact, a 2023 study exploring the effects of information overload and online conversation dynamics (动态) found that “over-exposure to information can suppress the possibility of response by overloading users.”

Smartphones have quickly changed into handheld storage units for our conversations, thoughts, music and everything else. That shift to feeling constantly attached to our phones as if they were a limb relates to the burnout, says psychologist Emily Balcetis.

As the pressure to be online and always available continues to grow in our society, in-person interactions provide far more real communication than digital ones. From body language to eye contact and all the other social clues that exist in real life that aren’t available in a text message, it’s far easier to be present when you’re face-to-face. As Balcetis notes, “At the end of the day, I think what we’re looking for is not more ways to stay connected, but higher quality ways to be connected.”

1. What dissatisfied Senait Lara’s friends?

A．Lara denying her problems.

B．Lara avoiding using her phone.

C．Lara’s preference for digital communication.

D．Lara’s communication style in the group chat.

2. What does paragraph 2 tell us about many young people?

A．They are starting to have memory problems.

B．They refuse to put down their smartphones.

C．They are tired of frequent digital contact.

D．They feel more connected to each other.

3. What does the last paragraph mainly stress?

A．The need to take a break from digital devices.

B．The pressure of always being available online.

C．The importance of face-to-face communication.

D．The ability to understand clues behind text messages.

4. What is the author’s attitude to digital interaction?

A．Negative.	B．Unconcerned.
C．Supportive.	D．Objective.

9 . In 2009, when Qatar (卡塔尔) bid to host the 2022 Football World Cup, it promised a carbon-neutral (碳中和) event. Even back then, the prospect of neutralizing the carbon-dioxide emissions (排放) generated by hosting hundreds of thousands of fans in newly constructed stadiums, in a desert state, seemed fanciful. So it is proving. In their greenhouse-gas accounting report, published last year, FIFA (国际足联) and the Qatari organizers estimated that the World Cup would generate 3.6 million tons of CO2 emissions. Estimating emissions for big sporting events is a relatively new practice and methods can vary, but that figure is higher than any recent World Cup or Olympics.

It is also likely to be a significant underestimate. A report in May 2022 by Carbon Market Watch (CMW), a climate watchdog (监督者), found that the official forecast failed to account accurately for the emissions generated from stadiums. FIFA, which insists its method is “best in practice”, reckons that the majority of the emissions (52%) will come from fans and players travelling to Qatar, while less than 25% are from stadium construction. That is because organizers expect these stadiums to be used for years after the World Cup, spreading their carbon footprint way into the future.

CMW believes such an excuse is far from reasonable. Before the World Cup, Qataris were able to get by with only one stadium, it points out. Consequently, it estimates that the emissions from stadium construction for the World Cup are undercounted by a factor of eight. It puts the real figure at 5 million tons. Though it amounts to less than 0.02% of the world’s annual emissions, sports teams and organizations should have set a positive example in this.

To remove the doubt from outside, Qatar has established the Global Carbon Council (GCC), a dedicated environmental agency. Beyond adjusting for World Cup emissions, the GCC will promote a path to “a low-carbon future”, a great step for a country with the world’s highest emissions per person. Yet the agency is still at its early stage. Only six projects, saving less than 600,000 tons, have been approved so far.

1. What is the main problem Qatar and FIFA are faced with at present?

A．The 2022 World Cup isn’t as successful as it should be.

B．They may fail to keep the promise to hold a green event.

C．The figure they published is higher than that of other events

D．They are unfamiliar with the new practice of the World Cup.

2. How does Qatar and FIFA cut down the carbon footprint of the World Cup?

A．By insisting on its way of environmental protection.

B．By promising to use the new stadiums for more years.

C．By blaming the greenhouse-gas emissions on travelers.

D．By cooperating with Carbon Market Watch for instructions.

3. Why does the CMW refuse to accept the explanation given by Qatar and FIFA?

A．5 million tons accounts for a little of the annual emissions.

B．The stadium construction for the World Cup sets a bad example.

C．The method they employed in estimating the emissions is unscientific.

D．There will be more stadiums than Qatar actually needs after the World Cup.

4. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．The GCC is an agency specially established for the World Cup

B．The Qataris attach great importance to environmental protection.

C．The Qataris need to make more efforts to hold a carbon-neutral event.

D．The GCC has achieved a lot in cutting down greenhouse-gas emissions.