1 . Last weekend I made a journey from New York to London, with my daughter to see my mother. To my relief, the travel was far easier than I expected: the airports were empty, the plane was half-full and the airline staff kindly provided food and wine, which I drank greedily with a straw while wearing the required face mask. What I did not expect was to be hit with a culture shock on arrival in London.
In New York, face masks are now an inseparable part of life. Street signs declare “OUTSIDE WITH NO MASK? FORGET ABOUT IT!” Buildings carry more polite notices warning that anyone without a mask is banned. And even without them, almost everyone I see on the streets in my corner of Manhattan has their face covered. Strangers sometimes shout angrily at people who do not.
Indeed, there is such a strong sense of social pressure that in recent months I have worn a mask even when cycling alone, along Manhattan’s East river. And my daughter has taken to shopping online for “fashion masks”.
But not so in London. A new report issued by the Royal Society and the British Academy shows that, at the end of April, just 25 percent of Brits wore face masks in public places compared with 66 percent of Americans. We saw this for ourselves: in London, we appeared to be almost the only people wearing masks on the streets or in shops; even on public transport some seem to reject them.
Simon Roberts explains powerfully in a timely new book the Power of not Thinking. Habits matter deeply, but we rarely notice them — unless we travel. After a few days in London, I have started to “forget” my mask when I go outside. When I return to New York, I will have to relearn my habits all over again.
1. What does the underlined phrase “culture shock” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?| A．The loss of culture. | B．Confusion and unfamiliarity. |
| C．The face mask. | D．A huge welcome. |
| A．Serious. | B．Disapproving. |
| C．Annoyed. | D．Ambitious |
| A．Londoners think mask wearing is only necessary on public transport. |
| B．None of the Londoners likes the idea of mask wearing. |
| C．New Yorkers should wear masks even if alone. |
| D．New Yorkers would react strongly to people without masks. |
| A．To stress the importance of realizing one’s habits with environmental changes. |
| B．To help people understand that each country has its own unique culture. |
| C．To encourage people to travel and explore the world. |
| D．To explain why there’s a culture shock. |
2 . I've worked as a social media influencer for four years and have experienced the many positive aspects of this industry. My travels inspired an American woman to take her first solo(独自的)trip to the Middle East, which is a valuable experience. But I’ve also seen the more negative aspects, such as the emotional stress that comes from creating content with the goal of getting as many people as possible to double-tap or like our photos.
So when Instagram announced that it is beginning to test removing likes from the platform, my immediate reaction was a positive one.
Similar to the experience of the average Instagram user, viewing likes creates an incredible point of comparison among influencers. It shifts the focus away from providing value to constantly comparing yourself to other creators.The removal of likes pushes influencers to create valuable content and start meaningful conversations with their followers rather than post content only for the purpose of generating likes. It is a shift in a positive direction and an answer to the call for social platforms to take responsibility for the impact their apps have on users' mental health.
If Instagram does away with likes altogether,the way brands will partner with influencers will also likely change. The influencer marketing industry is still fairly new and most brands make quick judgments using only the ratio(比率)of the number of followers to the number of likes without looking at much else. If like counts are no longer visible, brands will need to take a deeper dive into a creators content and into the quality of the conversations they are having with their audience. This is the true test of an influencer's impact and ultimately, of the return on investment a brand can expect. This change will force brands to get smarter.
Instagram's test to explore removing likes reflects a larger cultural call for connection, community and authenticity online. I believe it would be a welcome change that all users could appreciate.
1. What is the example of an American woman used to prove?| A．The advantage of traveling. |
| B．The emotional stress of getting likes. |
| C．The favorable impact of an influencer. |
| D．The widespread use of modern technology. |
| A．Switch to other social platforms. |
| B．Focus on the quality of their content. |
| C．Compare themselves with average users. |
| D．Stop communicating with their followers. |
| A．It's risky. | B．It's confusing. |
| C．It's smart. | D．It's inconvenient. |
| A．Does removing Instagram likes affect our health? |
| B．How can influencers get more Instagram likes? |
| C．Should Instagram get rid of likes for good? |
| D．Why do Instagram infuencers need likes? |
3 . All over the world the need for more laptops and computers increases each year. Networks have been part of our life. Probably everyone with a portable device(移动设备）has once logged on to a public WiFi network without paying for it while they are having a coffee, on a train, in a shopping mall or at a hotel. However, is this kind of public WiFi network safe?
Some networks are better protected than others because encryption(加密) methods are used. Therefore, they are safer than others. But a survey in 2015 showed that more than 950 million records were not protected, including addresses, emails, birth dates, phone numbers, passwords and so on. These open WiFi networks are really not safe, because it is very easy for hackers(黑客)to break into the operating system and get people's private information.
Most smartphones and laptops, by themselves, search and connect to WiFi networks. They usually prefer a network with a connection that has been used before. Hackers' devices are able to record these searches and look like the trusted WiFi networks. When these smartphones and laptops log on to the networks which are not real, hackers can easily steal their private information.
So next time, when we want to use our laptops or our smartphones in public places which offer free WiFi networks, please think twice or take safe measures before using them.
1. Why do people like to log on to a public WiFi network?| A．Because it is free. |
| B．Because it is safe. |
| C．Because it can provide useful information. |
| D．Because the owner of the network is helpful. |
| A．not all the public WiFi networks are safe |
| B．all the public WiFi networks are safe to use |
| C．in 2015 more than 950 million records were protected |
| D．there is no way to protect our private information |
| A．our birth dates | B．our passwords |
| C．our phone numbers | D．our smartphones |
| A．Never Trust Public WiFi Networks |
| B．Why Hackers Break into the Operating System |
| C．Why the Public WiFi Networks a Possible Danger |
| D．The Importance of Protecting Our Private Information |
4 . As you drive the streets of Maine, you will often notice the various unwanted things people place outside, all with one extremely attractive word — FREE! And you will find most of them are serviceable, and often valuable!
So why don’t the state’s people just sell them? The answer is tied in with Maine’s belief in keeping it simple: It’s easier to give something away than to go through the trouble of advertising and then receiving phone calls, followed by the unavoidable bargaining. But there is also the light joy of seeing an item collected by someone who can use it.
What strikes me is the speed with which unwanted goods are taken away. There seems to be an army always ready to collect them at a moment’s notice.
Case in point: For years I had a large piece of old steel near my garage. I finally decided to pull it outside my house. No sooner had I turned my back than a pickup truck appeared. The driver jumped out and asked,“You are getting rid of this?” When I nodded, he lifted it, yelled a sincere “Thanks!” and drove away.
I have a guilty little secret. For me, the word “free” speaks of some deep desire to acquire, and to compete, in case someone else beats me to a free gift. I once carried a picnic table home. My son remarked, “but we already have a picnic table. Why did you get another one?” I replied, “Because it was free!”
As I write this, I am glancing out the window at a Windsor chair my neighbor has put out. The sign says FREE, but the chair is missing one leg. I could either repair it or use it for firewood. Hmm … Too late! While I hesitate, a senior citizen has pulled up. The chair is his, and I have a sense of loss.
1. How do people of Maine look at selling unwanted things?| A．It is a deep-rooted tradition. | B．Selling such things is a real pleasure. |
| C．The process is too complex. | D．It is a good chance to make money. |
| A．Things thrown away will quickly be collected. | B．The driver needed the old steel very much. |
| C．People prefer to collect expensive goods. | D．The old steel was particularly valuable. |
| A．He can’t give more gifts to his son. | B．He shows much interest in free things. |
| C．He has a hobby of collecting tables. | D．He wants to become a strong competitor. |
| A．The chair is of no use. | B．The chair is missing a leg. |
| C．He fails to get the chair. | D．His neighbor rejects the chair. |
5 . Dr. Melissa D. Young is a chemist and Certified Diabetes Educator at the American Association of Diabetes Educators who holds a very personal interest in advocating for annual flu vaccination (预防接种). Twelve years ago, her mother passed away after a flu infection. Young’s mother had a chronic (慢性的) lung condition, but she had refused to get a flu vaccine because she mistakenly thought it would make her suffer from the flu.
It’s a sad, but all too common story. According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of US adults who were hospitalized for flu infection in 2018-2019 with additional information available, 93 percent had at least one medical condition.
In the US, nearly half of all adults aged 45-64 years, and 80 percent of those aged 65 years and older, have multiple chronic health conditions that put them at high risk for flu-related complications, including heart attack, stroke, hospitalization, and even death. To address this public health threat, the medical community is working together to protect the most vulnerable (易受伤害的) patients.
Flu viruses cause a reaction that can last for several weeks following serious infection. This flu-related reaction can make existing chronic conditions worse, including heart disease, lung disease and diabetes. Additionally, adults with diabetes were six times more likely to be hospitalized and three times more likely to die from flu-related complications than people without diabetes.
Yet there remains low awareness of the importance of annual flu vaccination for adults with chronic health conditions. Despite the abundance of public health guidance urging people to get vaccinated each year, increasing flu vaccination rates has proven extremely difficult. Vaccination coverage among adults has increased slightly over the past decade, but remains about 40 percent, leaving more than half of US adults vulnerable each year.
1. Why does the author mention Young’s mother in paragraph 1?| A．To summarize the following paragraphs. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| C．To show the background of the story. |
| D．To provide some advice for readers. |
| A．They influence each other. | B．They exist mainly in America. |
| C．They hardly happen to the young. | D．They are the main reasons for death. |
| A．Positive. | B．Flexible. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．The benefits of flu vaccination |
| B．Flu infection is increasing in the USA |
| C．Flu infection is a threat for American adults |
| D．The difficulty in carrying out flu vaccination |
6 . In the nearly two centuries since German physician Carl Wunderlich established 98.6℉ as the standard“normal” body temperature, it has been used by parents and doctors alike as the measure by which fevers and often the severity of illness have been assessed.
In more recent years, however, lower body temperatures have been widely reported in healthy adults. A 2019study showed that the normal body temperature in Americans is about 97.5℉. A multinational team led by Michael Gurven and Thomas Kraft have found a similar decrease among the Tsimane, a native population in the Bolivian Amazon.
A key question, then, is why body temperatures have declined over time both for Americans and Tsimane. Extensive data available from the team’s long-term research in Bolivia addresses some possibilities.
Declines might be due to the rise of modern healthcare and lower rates of lingering mild infections now as compared to the past. But while health has generally improved over the past two decades, infections are still widespread in rural Bolivia. Therefore the results suggest that reduced infection alone can’t explain the observed body temperature declines.
It could be that people are in better condition, so their bodies might be working less to fight infection. Or greater access to antibiotics(抗生素) and other treatments means the duration of infection is shorter now than in the past.
Another possibility is that our bodies don’t have to work as hard to regulate(调节) internal temperature because of air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter. While Tsimane body temperatures do change with time of year and weather patterns, the Tsimane still do not use any advanced technology for helping to regulate their body temperature. They do, however, have more access to clothes and blankets.
The researchers were initially surprised to find no single “magic bullet” that could explain the decline in body temperature. It’s likely a combination of factors—all pointing to improved conditions.
1. What role has 98.6℉ been playing?| A．It can show an illness is incurable. |
| B．It can help doctors determine a fever. |
| C．It can arouse people’s attention to health. |
| D．It can indicate an abnormal body temperature. |
| A．To arouse readers’ sympathy. | B．To imply other existing factors. |
| C．To call for improved medical access. | D．To discuss methods to reduce infections. |
| A．The growing adaptability. | B．The international policies. |
| C．The improved conditions. | D．The worsening environment. |
| A．Modern life improves the general health. |
| B．Living conditions greatly affect mankind. |
| C．The normal body temperature is declining. |
| D．Various factors influence the body temperature. |
7 . In a normal world, getting on an airplane that circles in the air for a few hours before returning to the same airport would have been considered laughable. However, in the COVID-19 pandemic, when many international travels stopped, “flight to nowhere” or “scenic flights” were increasingly popular.
Taiwan's Taipei Songshan Airport was one of the first to offer this unique service. In June 2020, faced with an over 60 percent drop in passengers, the airport officials decided to offer consumers a virtual flight. People interested in the “pretend to go abroad” experience could sign up for a chance to win one of 90 daily tickets. Winners of the three half-day tours were treated to a full airport experience, including clearing immigration, checking in, and boarding the airplanes. Though the planes never took off, the idea was amazingly popular.
At the same time, Japan's First Airlines also offered travel-hungry tourists an affordable way to visit New York, Rome, and Paris — without leaving the ground. For only $60, passengers in their airline seats could enjoy a life-like virtual reality tour of one of the world-class cities while feasting on a destination-themed meal.
Qantas Airlines’ “flight to nowhere”, which was announced on September 22, 2020, and sold out within 10 minutes took air travellers on a scenic tour of Australia, flying over the Northern Territory, Queensland, and New South Wales. The seven-hour flight, which departed and returned to Sydney on October 10, 2020, cost between $787 to $3, 787 Australian dollars.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) dropped the idea of a “fight to nowhere” on September 29, 2020. Instead, the company held several fun activities that allowed passengers to experience the airline’s world-famous hospitality without leaving the ground.
Strange as the offerings may seem, they were a win-win for both customers who are longing to travel and airlines trying their best to keep afloat during these difficult times.
1. What can tourists do in Taiwan's virtual flight?| A．Have a full airport experience. | B．Have a half-day tour. |
| C．Pretend to check in. | D．Fly a virtual plane. |
| A．It costs the least money. | B．It attracts the most tourists. |
| C．The plane really flies into the air. | D．It offers three half-day tours. |
| A．Adventurous. | B．Successful. | C．Competitive. | D．Environmentally-friendly. |
| A．Win. | B．Explore. | C．Compete. | D．Survive. |
8 . Smile, please. You’re on camera. This is not a joke. It seems that there are now more cameras than human beings in your community. I used to be annoyed when my children came into the toilet when I was using it. Now I worry about them coming in with camera phones. The last time it happened, I shouted, “I hope you’re not filming this for YouTube.” They responded, “Of course not, we have made a better proposal this month.”
Escaping to a pub, I complained about this camera-filled world and many listeners shared their stories.
A Londoner told me about a woman in England who threw a cat in the street. When the surveillance(监视) video went public, she received so many death threats that she needed police protection. It seems that, if you cause an animal some pain, the population rises up to beat you to death.
A man from New York told a story of how a truck had knocked a tree down. A 23-year-old woman was hurt in the accident. However, a surveillance camera revealed that she had thrown herself down on purpose to get money from the driver. “You have to admit, the camera was the hero in that story,” the New Yorker said.
“Of course, there are disadvantages, too”, the Londoner added, explaining that the UK now had about four million surveillance cameras. “I feel like cameras are looking at me all the time.” he said.
However, my attitude really changed after someone suggested: “If you had a large body of filmed work, why not register as an actor?” So I phoned a friend and got to know that all film or video actors with speaking parts could earn at least $782 per day.
Woohoo! Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and do some “stupid dad tricks” at home.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?| A．The author doesn’t like telling a joke on camera. |
| B．The author’s children didn’t film anything for You Tube. |
| C．The author’s children bought camera phones this month. |
| D．The author thinks there are too many cameras in our lives. |
| A．They disturbed people’s everyday life. |
| B．They recorded the behavior of the heroes. |
| C．They helped people out of trouble. |
| D．They reduced traffic accidents. |
| A．He will never throw a cat in the street. |
| B．He is upset about cameras everywhere. |
| C．He will never make threats against people. |
| D．He hates being watched with close attention. |
| A．make videos of himself | B．register his kids as actors |
| C．play tricks on his kids | D．visit his friend |
9 . The prestigious (久负盛名) Peking University and Tsinghua University held graduation ceremonies on the same day this year. The presidents of the two universities delivered excellent speeches at the ceremonies as they used words, phrases or ways of expression that are very popular on the Internet currently. At the same time, graduation speeches by other university presidents were also under the spotlight for the same reason. Their speeches were warmly welcomed by students as they contained many fashionable words today, such as "floating clouds" ( meaning "too small and of little importance to mention") and "gelivable" (meaning " very helpful") . In the speeches , these university presidents recalled campus life together with students and finally moved all the audiences. They were very different from the usual run of lectures.
Many university presidents have changed their regular manner of addressing graduation ceremonies from an advising and preaching (说教) mode to a more fashionable and funny approach. They try to use those words popular among young people in their speeches.
In the past, university presidents' speeches were criticized for being too standard and lacking sentiment. Now , they quote fashionable words in their addresses, reflecting they are starting to adopt more everyday attitudes to students. The use of these new expressions has triggered a heated discussion. It focuses on the question of whether university presidents should speak in an informal way at graduation ceremonies.
Supporters agree with the new approach. They consider it good to build close ties with students by using the youth's own words. Opponents argue the new ways have no practical value or significance for education but are merely to please those leaving university.
1. What would be the best title for this passage?| A．Should University Heads Use Terms of Youth |
| B．Must University Presidents Learn to Please Students |
| C．Must University Presidents Meet Students' Needs |
| D．Should University Heads Use Newly-created Words |
| A．University presidents consider it good to build close ties with students. |
| B．More and more students are eager to make speeches in public. |
| C．The new ways of making speeches are popular with the young. |
| D．University presidents have special opinions about the world. |
| A．Break off | B．Set off | C．Sum up | D．Focus on |
| A．Many people are likely to be influenced by the Internet. |
| B．The writer thinks it necessary for us to follow the traditional customs. |
| C．More and more words are changing with the development of technology. |
| D．People argue about whether to use fashionable words on formal occasions. |
10 . You’ve heard that plastic is polluting the oceans — between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes enter ocean ecosystems every year. But does one plastic straw or cup really make a difference? Artist Benjamin Von Wong wants you to know that it does. He builds massive sculptures out of plastic garbage, forcing viewers to re-examine their relationship to single-use plastic products.
At the beginning of the year, the artist built a piece called “Strawpocalypse,” a pair of 10-foot-tall plastic waves, frozen mid-crash. Made of 168,000 plastic straws collected from several volunteer beach cleanups, the sculpture made its first appearance at the Estella Place shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Just 9% of global plastic waste is recycled. Plastic straws are by no means the biggest source (来源) of plastic pollution, but they’ve recently come under fire because most people don’t need them to drink with and, because of their small size and weight, they cannot be recycled. Every straw that’s part of Von Wong’s artwork likely came from a drink that someone used for only a few minutes. Once the drink is gone, the straw will take centuries to disappear.
In a piece from 2018, Von Wong wanted to illustrate (说明) a specific statistic: Every 60 seconds, a truckload’s worth of plastic enters the ocean. For this work, titled “Truckload of Plastic,” Von Wong and a group of volunteers collected more than 10,000 pieces of plastic, which were then tied together to look like they’d been dumped (倾倒) from a truck all at once.
Von Wong hopes that his work will also help pressure big companies to reduce their plastic footprint.
1. What are Von Wong’s artworks intended for?| A．Beautifying the city he lives in. | B．Introducing eco-friendly products. |
| C．Drawing public attention to plastic waste. | D．Reducing garbage on the beach. |
| A．To show the difficulty of their recycling. |
| B．To explain why they are useful. |
| C．To voice his views on modern art. |
| D．To find a substitute for them. |
| A．Calming. | B．Disturbing. |
| C．Refreshing. | D．Challenging. |
| A．Artists’ Opinions on Plastic Safety |
| B．Media Interest in Contemporary Art |
| C．Responsibility Demanded of Big Companies |
| D．Ocean Plastics Transformed into Sculptures |
