1 . The Internet is an amazing tool, especially for children who want to learn. But it also has dark side. Parents have to ask themselves, “When is the right time to let my child go online?”
This is a much bigger problem than it used to be. Now we live in a time when a family could have more than one computer. It is common for children to have their own computers or laptops. Some also have phones and tablets (平板电脑).
Parents do have difficulty in acting correctly. On the one hand, it would be foolish to keep children from the Internet as they can learn a lot from it. But on the other hand, parents shouldn’t let children do whatever they like on the Internet. The problem is that everybody is busy nowadays, and this is certainly true for parents. How many parents have the time to sit don with their kids when they do their homework online? Some do, but more are just not able to.
So at what age should children be allowed to use the Internet? According to a survey, the average age when parents allow their children to go online independently is about eight years old.
As a nonparent (无子女者)，I do find it hard to agree. I always believe that education is the key to success. However, I think children as young as eight may face a lot of dangers when they use the Internet without parents being around. So I think schools and parents have the responsibility to teach children not only how to use the Internet, but also how to do it safely.
1. What does the author want to tell in paragraph 2?| A．It is very easy for children to use the Internet. |
| B．Parents spend more time online than their kids. |
| C．Computers or laptops aren’t common at home. |
| D．Parents don’t care about their kids going online. |
| A．They have a lot of time to look after their kids. |
| B．They have no trouble in acting in a correct way. |
| C．They are unwilling to help their kids with homework. |
| D．They can’t stay with them when their kids study online. |
| A．parents should keep their kids away from the Internet |
| B．kids will not face dangers when they use the Internet |
| C．it’s unnecessary to cut out harmful information online |
| D．kids should be taught to use the Internet in a proper way |
| A．Reasons for Children to Use the Internet |
| B．The Age for Children to Use the Internet |
| C．The Effects of Children’s Using the Internet |
| D．Ways to Keep Children Away from the Internet |
2 . You’re passed over for a job. Your back aches. Faced with difficulties large and small, you wonder if you’re an unlucky person. We turned to experts to understand why we believe in luck and how we can have that belief to make changes in our attitude towards life.
Richard Wiseman, a psychology professor, doesn’t believe there’s anything magical about luck — it won’t help you or hurt you. “On the other hand, considering yourself lucky or unlucky is a way of seeing yourself, which has an impact on how you behave and how you think, and becomes a self-fulfilling anticipation,” he says. “So, in a sense, it absolutely does exist.”
The sociology lecturer Vik Loveday interviewed academic employees who were on temporary contracts, an uncertain situation that caused anxiety. In general, when one of these academics learned about good news concerning their careers, such as getting a permanent job, they would attribute it to luck. Because they felt they had so little control, a move in a positive direction happened almost by accident, rather than as the result of hard work.
In a 2021 study, Professor Woolley has looked at this idea in children and adulthood. For example, basketball player Michael Jordan would wear his college practice shorts under his National Basketball Association uniform for good luck. “Obviously, it’s that the superstitious (迷信的) custom gives him confidence and then he plays better,” Woolley says.
Is it possible to change your attitude towards luck to get better outcomes? Wiseman believes some steps can improve your luck. He has found “lucky people not only maximize opportunities and know where they’re heading, but often they change course depending on how the wind is going”. Lucky people can also transform bad experiences to good. Specifically, you can shift your focus towards the positive by keeping a “luck diary”. Also don’t be a creature of habit. Watch a different TV program, speak to different people — even small shifts can be effective.
1. What does Wiseman say about luck in paragraph 2?| A．It might be wise to try one’s luck. |
| B．Luck is a magical force to control us. |
| C．The belief in luck influences our behavior. |
| D．People’s well-being is determined by luck. |
| A．Confirming Loveday’s study. |
| B．Showing luck exists in real life. |
| C．Disapproving Woolley’s research. |
| D．Comparing different lucks in sports. |
| A．Getting into a routine. | B．Sticking to a goal firmly. |
| C．Setting down terrible things. | D．Making changes flexibly. |
| A．Less Anxiety, More Luck |
| B．Good or Bad Luck? Up to You |
| C．One Can Stay Lucky Through Life |
| D．Genius — the Mother of Good Luck |
3 . “Shuan Q” is a meme(网络流行语)which can be used as a popular way to say “I’m speechless” with a matching emoji(表情包)at ached behind. No-one can deny the power of the Internet. Some believe it makes language weaker but some see a brighter side, believing it makes online communication easier between strangers.
An elementary school teacher in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, says that the evolution of Internet slang is not all fun and carefree. From his daily observations, he believes the “geographic boundary” between Internet slang and formal language is disappearing. On many occasions, the composition she has received from pupil have been flooded with abbreviated slangs(网络梗).
During last year’s Two Sessions, several representatives put forward proposals such as “regulating online language” and “banning vulgar(粗俗)words”, specifically to address this issue, expressing the need to reduce online language misuse and strengthen the protection of Chinese.
However, many experts and scholars of linguistics and communication including Feng Zhiwei disagree. Feng, believes that Internet language is a natural product of the dynamic development of language, and it is not necessary to ban it.
1. What made the meme “Shuan Q” become popular?| A．The power of internet | B．The protection of Chinese |
| C．Geographic boundary | D．Strangers’s communication |
| A．They are formal. | B．They are funny and carefree. |
| C．They are flooded among pupils. | D．They were supported by all people. |
| A．They are natural. | B．They are misused. |
| C．They should be banned. | D．They are disappearing. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Objective | C．Indifferent | D．Favorable |
4 . Meetings. Answering emails. Ever feel too busy at work to get any actual work done? According to a new report from Microsoft, our workplaces have a serious productivity problem. 64% of 31,000 employees surveyed struggled with having the time and energy to do their job. Subjects said that countless meetings were their number one productivity killer. Other reports also supported Microsoft’s study. A report from EY-Parthenon found American worker productivity decreased by 2.7% in the first quarter this year compared with the same period last year, marking the fifth quarter in a row that worker productivity has dropped.
Unsurprisingly, Microsoft, with its enormous investment in Al tools, says Al is the solution. Never mind that it was Microsoft’s own technology — Teams, Office, Outlook — that promised productivity savings and delivered the opposite. Should we still put faith in Microsoft to solve the problem with new tools that will “rethink workdays” and “protect focus time for creative work”?
So what’s the answer to the productivity puzzle? Big companies need to look no further than small businesses, which have been showing how to be productive. Given that small businesses are still recovering from the pandemic, how are they getting work done when they’ve got fewer employees? The answer is easy. Visit a business with fewer than 100 employees and you will find people there at their desks, behind counters, or in front of machines. There are fewer meetings. There are fewer rules. Employees can make their own choices. Decisions are made without committees. Investments are made with more of a gut (直觉的) feeling. Technology is used when it’s clear that it can save time and make money.
Microsoft would have you believe that buying its Al technology will solve productivity issues. AI will definitely make a difference. But it’s not too little technology that’s the problem.
1. Which contributes most to the productivity problem?| A．Work atmosphere. | B．Colleague relationship. |
| C．Office equipment. | D．Meeting overload. |
| A．Cautious | B．Opposed. | C．Supportive. | D．Ambiguous |
| A．Rules | B．Committees | C．Flexibility. | D．Investment. |
| A．Boosting productivity calls for more than technology. |
| B．The development of Al will solve productivity issues. |
| C．Big companies have a promising future in the Al field. |
| D．Small businesses should make more use of technology. |
5 . Wearing high heels, lipstick and trendy dresses, a group of “chic grandmas” with an average age of 68, can still walk the walk as models. But they are not trained models. They are, in fact, ordinary retirees. They all share a love for fashion, and they come together to add a bit of enjoyment to their lives. These “chic grandmas” share a common goal now but their backgrounds could barely be more different.
Sang Xiuzhu, 77, is one of them. She used to be an automatic control engineer. She initially planned to journey across continents with her husband after retirement, but during a literary event, Sang, 1.7 meters tall, was spotted by a modeling coach. In the beginning, she joined the senior model team and attended events organized by her local community and enterprises. Later, she was invited to participate in Beijing International Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and her new career just grew.
Sang is learning to compose music, form lines and write scripts. She is so occupied that she really has no time to think about the aging issue. As for the future, Sang doesn’t know how to define it, as she really enjoys the present. She suggests that after retirement, people must cope with the transition period, and they should enjoy life.
As long as the heart is not old, life is always sweet. All “chic grandmas” are full of enthusiasm for new things and they live to learn. This kind of enthusiasm that is rooted deeply in their heart fills them with energy.
1. What does the underlined word “chic” in paragraph I mean?| A．Retired. | B．Urban. | C．Stylish. | D．Rigid. |
| A．Become a senior model. | B．Attend literary events. |
| C．Learn to compose music. | D．Tour around the world. |
| A．They have a born talent for modeling. |
| B．They willingly experience new things. |
| C．They come from similar backgrounds. |
| D．They concern much about the aging issue. |
| A．Changes in Fashion Week | B．Never Too Late to Learn |
| C．Beauty Has No Age Limit | D．Interest Is the Best Teacher |
6 . The JD report said Chinese shoppers are also attaching greater importance to health and personal image management, with personal care, beauty, smart-home and healthcare products gaining popularity.
Wang Yun, a researcher at the Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said: “Chinese shoppers are more concerned about safety and health, and they prefer to buy high-quality products, as well as enjoy services that make their life safer and more comfortable. Health-related commodities, including nutrition products, medicine and fitness equipment, have been increasingly favored by consumers.”
With the adoption of continuously enhanced COVID-19 prevention and control measures, China’s consumer market has witnessed a notable recovery, Wang said, adding that she is optimistic that consumption momentum (势头) will be maintained this year, with the growth rate expected to reach more than 6 percent.
Liu Hui, director of JD’ s Consumption and Industry Development Research Institute, said tech-savvy members of Generation Z — people born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s — are emerging as mainstream consumers and the major force driving the growth of new products. Brand owners and manufacturers are increasingly placing greater emphasis on purchasing demand among the post-1995 generation, and are customizing new products especially for this group, Liu said.
This year China will focus on boosting domestic demand by prioritizing the recovery and expansion of consumption. Analysts said the consumption recovery will be the main force boosting the nation’s economic rebound (回升) in 2023.
1. What can we know from Paragraph 1?| A．Shoppers care less about their appearance. |
| B．Products irrelevant to health gain popularity. |
| C．Shoppers prefer to buy products of high quality. |
| D．Shoppers are concerned more about their fitness. |
| A．Remarkable. | B．Available. | C．Flexible. | D．Adaptable. |
| A．China will pay more attention to foreign demand. |
| B．Generation Z includes people born before the 1990s. |
| C．Generation Z had been the major force of consumption. |
| D．New products will be targeted at the post-1995 generation. |
| A．China’s Consumption Witnesses A Steady Recovery |
| B．Industries Emphasize the Demand of Consumers |
| C．Generation Z ls Mainstream Consumers |
| D．Consumers Stress Health and Safety |
7 . A new study shows that the household consumers (家庭消费者) are focusing more on reducing their energy costs by using technologically advanced home appliances. The lighting control held the largest share in the smart home market in 2016. The increase in the adoption (采用) rate of intelligent lighting controls by households worldwide has fuelled the growth of the smart home market. These have the ability to reduce electricity consumption because they adjust (调节) the artificial light according to the surroundings.
Four years ago, I was in a discussion about Nest Thermostat (恒温器), sharing my view that if a house is built properly, it doesn't need a smart thermostat. It probably wouldn't do much good there because with careful placement of high-quality windows, you seldom need to heat or cool it at all. Since then, other studies have shown that in a leaky old house, smart thermostats can be very effective and save energy.
But is smart lighting saving energy? A smart lighting system might turn off or adjust the brightness of a bulb (灯泡), but an LED bulb already uses very little electricity, say 7 watts per bulb. But when you make it smart, it is always connected, consuming a bit of power to talk to the controller or bridge; one guy with a meter tested it at 0.4 watts per hour, or 9.6 watts in a day. It means that if you have a pile of smart bulbs and devices, you are consuming a fair bit of electricity.
Except for smart thermostats in leaky houses, none in the smart market saves energy. Asking Siri, voice control on any of Apple devices, to turn off the lights is fun, but we would be better off in terms of energy and exercise if we got up and reached for a light switch. Rather than saving energy, the smart home is wasting it.
1. What does the underlined word “fuelled” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Controlled. |
| B．Promoted. |
| C．Predicted. |
| D．Detected. |
| A．They are well-designed. |
| B．They are energy-efficient. |
| C．They are not very useful. |
| D．They are not always automatic. |
| A．LED bulbs are very bright. |
| B．LED bulbs are of little value. |
| C．Smart lighting has developed quickly. |
| D．Smart lighting does little to save electricity. |
| A．To use Siri for fun. |
| B．To improve smart lighting. |
| C．To give up smart thermostats completely. |
| D．To turn to the traditional way of turning off lights. |
8 . Antony Aumann, a religious studies and philosophy professor at Northern Michigan University told Insider he had caught his student submitting essays written by the AI chatbot, and Aumann had his student rewrite the essay.
It’s not just his struggling with the rise of AI chatbots like ChatGPT. As a result of these tools becoming accessible to anybody with an Internet connection, education departments across the entire country are adjusting work process and redesigning entire courses, according to the NYT, forcing students to submit handwritten essays or introducing oral exams. The New York City and Seattle public school systems have already banned ChatGPT on their own networks and devices. “I think the consideration behind the ban is reasonable,” Aumann said. “They want to make sure that their students are learning the critical thinking skills that are part of learning how to write.”
But universities aren’t likely to follow the ban. After all, going around these restrictions is quite easy. Even tools designed to assist teachers in catching students secretly making use of AI tools like ChatGPT will probably be of little use, because students can change a few words from what ChatGPT produced, add some grammatical mistakes on purpose, and the detectors no longer think it’s written by a chatbot.
Besides, some professors including Aumann argued that the cat is already out of the bag. Once students are captured by ChatGPT’s convenience and efficiency, it’d be pointless to fight ChatGPT in the classroom.
Instead of absolute prohibition, Aumann suggested encouraging their students to react to ChatGPT in the same way they react to learning source—they will be asked to evaluate its reasons and arguments.
1. Why did the author mention Aumann’s case in paragraph 1?| A．To spread a tool of AI chatbots. | B．To start a discussion on ChatGPT. |
| C．To introduce ChatGPT technology. | D．To share a public concern on college education. |
| A．Teachers can have easy access to ChatGPT. |
| B．Teachers can catch students cheating easily. |
| C．ChatGPT fails to develop learners’ competence. |
| D．ChatGPT blocks the improvement of education systems. |
| A．Students will be caught cheating through ChatGPT. |
| B．It cannot be avoided that ChatGPT attracts students. |
| C．Teachers decide to lake action to address the problem. |
| D．The cat manages to escape from being caught eventually. |
| A．Worried. | B．Subjective. |
| C．Objective. | D．Indifferent. |
9 . For many, the idea of commuting (通勤) daily to a place of work might sound outdated. In the UK, at least, the shape of the working week is changing, and a new hybrid approach is becoming commonplace. This new look seem unavoidable; new technology means tasks traditionally done in the office can be done at home. And there’s the demand for a better work-life balance, too. All of this has been accelerated by the necessary changes brought on by the Covid pandemic.
One obvious change in the UK is that Friday has become the most popular day to work from home. One survey found it’s when just 13% of workers go into the office. It means employees can save on commuting costs and the price of lunches. Generally, employers thought the shift to hybrid working and home working had increased productivity rather than decreased it.
Monday is also becoming a “work from home” day: a recent study of mobile phone activity in the UK suggested a typical week in the office now runs from Tuesday to Thursday. This means companies have to think differently about the workspace they provide. There are going to be fewer people in offices for the longer term. A shorter office week isn’t great news for the city-centre shops, which depend on trade from workers. But suburban and small-town high streets are reporting an increase in footfall (客流量) as people work and shop locally.
There’s also an emerging trend for a shorter working week. Some companies are experimenting with a four-day working week—but with the same full-time pay. They have tried to make work time more efficient by cutting out unnecessary meetings and having shorter breaks, for example. They claim this has made workers more productive. All this makes you wonder if the act of going to work and doing the nine-to-five will become a thing of the past.
1. What is the driver for the changes mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．Covid pandemic | B．More work |
| C．New commuting approach | D．Novel technologies |
| A．City-centre | B．Downtown | C．Out-of-town | D．Metropolitan |
| A．It decreases productivity | B．It helps companies cut staff |
| C．It lowers employees’ wage | D．It promotes work-life balance |
| A．Workers Tired of Workplaces |
| B．Hybrid Working Trend in the UK |
| C．Home Working Makes Bosses Unhappy |
| D．Inefficient Nine-To-Five Working Mode |
10 . More than half of Beijing’s adult single children don’t want to have two kids, even though the national policy allows them to do so.
The country’s family planning policy of the late 1970s restricted(限制)urban families from having more than one child to control population growth. However, a new survey shows 52 percent of those now-grown-up single children, who are allowed to have two children, do not want a second child.
Beijing has about 2 million only-child adults. More than 1,100 people from only-child families, aging 20 to 34, were polled(对……进行民意测验). Only 24 percent of them said they would like to have two children. More than a quarter of them would choose a “DINK”(double income, no kids)lifestyle. Survey figures showed that respondents with a basic education wanted 1.1 children on average, those with a bachelor degree wanted 1.3, and those with masters or higher degrees wanted 1.5 children.
“Beijing has had a super low birth rate—less than 1.3 children in a family on average for nearly 20 years, causing increasing pressure on the country’s aging population,” Hou Yafei, a professor with the institute, said. Hou said that the top four factors that determined people’s desires to have children were “income, child care, housing and policy conditions”. “The government should encourage couples from one-child families to have a second child and should provide better welfare services,” Hou said.
The survey also found that people with higher education backgrounds want to have more children because they are more confident about their future.
To promote a higher population growth rate, some provincial governments have relaxed rules and allowed more people to have more than one child. In Shanghai, the death rate has exceeded the birth rate for more than 10 years, and less than 30 percent of only-child couples have had a second child.
1. What is this passage mainly about?| A．Beijing has kept a super low birth rate for 20 years. |
| B．Most Beijing only-child couples just want one child. |
| C．The country’s family planning policy should be stopped. |
| D．The government allows people to have more than one child. |
| A．About 500,000. | B．About 400,000. |
| C．About 300,000. | D．About 200,000. |
| A．Earnings. | B．Ages. |
| C．Parents care. | D．Schooling policy. |
| A．The birth rate in Shanghai will increase soon. |
| B．The government has taken steps to change the situation. |
| C．The country’s family planning policy aims to help live longer. |
| D．People with lower education backgrounds want to have more kids. |
