1 . On Feb. 21, four students were standing on the side of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu when a driver going 110 miles per hour lost control of his car and it crashed into the parked vehicles.12 people were killed at the scene, including 2 drivers.
This kind of traffic death shouldn’t be called an accident. In Los Angeles, we seem to have accepted constant carnage (屠杀) in our streets in exchange for maximizing driver speed and convenience. The official responses to proven traffic dangers are mere gestures, if even that.
Los Angeles is a uniquely deadly city with a death rate that is four times the national average. Unsurprisingly, it’s also a city that has been designed with one thing in mind: a concept called level of service, which grades streets on how well they serve those in automobiles. To many Angelenos, that makes sense — to design our streets for car traffic, which is the way many get around the city. Unfortunately, we don’t recognize that there’s a trade-off. We can either have streets bettered for free-flowing traffic, or we can design streets for people to move around safely outside of cars.
City leaders consistently choose for the easy but deadly option. In one recent example, a resident asked the city’s Department of Transportation to block drivers from using Cochran Avenue at Venice Boulevard as a cut-through street, as they were speeding through a quiet residential neighbourhood. The department responded by suggesting a “speed awareness campaign” in which neighbours put up yard signs urging drivers to slow down.
People don’t drive based on signage, but they drive on the design of the street. The trunk roads of Los Angeles such as Venice Boulevard all need to be revised so that people are prioritized over cars. This would include narrowing travel lanes (道), building bike lanes, and banning right turns at red lights. These measures would make drivers feel like they’re in a city and not on a highway. A recent John Hopkins study says this would have substantial safety benefits.
With more than 7,500 miles of streets in the city of Los Angeles, they won’t all be rebuilt anytime soon. But with each road construction project, or each crash, we should be revising streets to make them safer for all road users.
The solution to traffic jam isn’t to make more space for cars. It’s to design the streets to be safe enough for alternatives such as biking, walking and mass transit, especially for the 50% of trips daily in Los Angeles that are less than three miles. The solution to protecting people dining outdoors isn’t crash barriers. It’s a street design that forces drivers to go slowly. The problem is carnage in the streets, and we know the solutions.
1. Why should the traffic death in Los Angeles be called “constant carnage”?| A．The traffic accidents happen quite often. |
| B．Too many people are killed in the traffic accidents. |
| C．The drivers’ speeding is to blame for the traffic death. |
| D．City leaders’ consistent choice contributes to the traffic death. |
| A．Balance. | B．Guideline. | C．Conflict. | D．Resolution. |
| A．To widen travel lanes. | B．To add more crosswalks. |
| C．To arrange more traffic police. | D．To punish speeding drivers. |
| A．Drivers first or walkers first? | B．Traffic death or constant carnage? |
| C．More warning signs or safer designs? | D．More narrow lanes or speedy highways? |
2 . In the modern age, social media platforms have emerged as powerful tools for communication, networking, and self-expression. With billions of active users worldwide, these platforms have profoundly influenced the human interaction. Recent psychological studies have delved into understanding the influence of prolonged (长期的) social media usage on individual self-esteem (自尊) and identity formation.
Context and Prevalence (流行)
Social media platforms, including Weibo, WeChat Moments, Douyin, and Little Red Book, offer ways for individuals to project curated versions of their lives. While this can serve as a medium of affirmation, it also compares one’s daily life against the specially edited highlights of others, which could potentially lead to feelings of failure and unsatisfactory.
Research Findings on Self-Esteem
A study conducted among adolescents aged 13-19 showed that extreme social media use correlates with lower self-esteem scores. Participants who spent over five hours daily on these platforms demonstrated significant tendencies towards self-devaluation (自我贬低) and negative self-perception (自体感受). The study believed that the constant exposure of idealized images and lives leads to an involuntary (不自主的) comparison, often placing the individual on the lesser end of the spectrum.
Implications for Identity Formation
For adolescents, a critical time of identity formation happens during the teenage years. Social media can often blur the lines (模糊界限) between personal identity and digital persona (面貌，形象). A study tracked teenagers for five years and found that heavy social media users often experienced identity confusion. Their digital avatars, formed under societal pressures, sometimes overshadowed their real personalities, leading to internal conflicts and a confusion to real selfhood.
Possible Solutions and Future Research
While the negative influence of social media on mental well-being are evident, it’s also essential to highlight its potential benefits. Platforms can help to add a sense of belonging, provide informational support, and serve as outlets for creative expression. Future research could explore potential interventions (介入，干涉) to reduce the negative effects.
In conclusion, while social media offers a huge number of opportunities and ways for expression, it’s important that teenagers approach it with awareness. The psychological landscape it shapes is hard to understand, and understanding its depths requires continued research, empathy (共鸣), and active measures.
1. What do we know about the study involving adolescents aged 13-19?| A．It took five hours for participants to take part in the study |
| B．It suggested that we should not compare our lives with others |
| C．It caused self-devaluation and negative self-perception to participants. |
| D．It showed that too much social media use resulted in low self-esteem. |
| A．Social media algorithms (算法). | B．Digital marketing tools. |
| C．Online versions of individuals. | D．Digital assistants. |
| A．They cause identity crises (危机) to them. | B．They lead to feelings of unsatisfactory. |
| C．They project version of their lives. | D．They overshadow their personalities. |
| A．Entirely negative. | B．Quite positive. | C．Mixed with caution. | D．Indifferent and neutral. |
People from different generations often live and work together. Sometimes they’re happy being together, other times they’re not. One of the reasons for their unhappiness maybe a generation gap. A generation gap is the difference between two or more generations—not the differences between their years but the differences between the generations’ ideas, attitudes, and interests. Of course, people can have differences and still be happy together, but according to the experts, communication between the generations helps everyone get along.
Good communication between the generations starts in the family. These days many families are changing their communication style. They are moving from a “one-way” style to a “two-way” style of communication. To show this change, let’s compare two families:
The Smith family uses the “one-way” style of communication. Mr. and Mrs. Smith show interest in their children, but they don’t discuss problems of feelings. The parents make all the rules and decisions. They don’t ask for their children’s opinions. They explain their decisions to their children, but they don’t discuss them. The explanation is clear and the children understand. The communication goes one way: from the parents to the children.
The Jones family uses the “two-way” style of communication. Mr. and Mrs. Jones show interest in their children and ask for their opinions. They discuss problems and express their feelings. The family makes rules and decisions together after a discussion. The communication goes two ways: from parents to children and from children to parents.
Better communication between generations at home means better communication between generations at work and in the community. When people from different generations understand each other better, they learn from each other more. This helps them form stronger bonds, work together more easily. As a result, people of all ages can team up effectively and come up with new ideas in different parts of life.
1. What is a generation gap?2. Where does good communication between the generations begin?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
If Jack’ parents discuss with him where to spend their summer vacation, they use the “one-way” style of communication.
4. To bridge the generation gaps, what other suggestions would you make besides better communication? (In about 40 words)
Group-Chat Culture Is Out of Control
For better or worse, we might be in the Age of the Group Chat. In a recent survey, most people said they felt stressed out by group messages, which can feel like a part-time job.
Connection is wonderful. Grexts, short for group texts, have the feature of imitating the casual back-and-forth of a dialogue, and the result can be more dynamic and fun than a two-person thread. Having a chat going also means you have a space to share your updates throughout the day, a reminder that you’re part of something.
Some researchers call this “ambient(周围的) virtual presence”: Even when you’re alone, you’re not alone. One researcher compares this phenomenon to echolocation(回声定位), the process that some animals, such as bats and dolphins, use to locate objects: They produce a continuous sound and use the resulting echo to sense their surroundings. Humans might use technologies such as group chats in a similar way—as a call-and-response, taking in information about their social networks and locating themselves within those webs.
But taking in too many signals can be overwhelming. Professor Bayer argued that group chats can create a “waterfall type of effect”, where messages keep flooding in and adding up. Eventually, you’re underwater. Another researcher suggested that different chat members all bring their own personalities, communication styles, and expectations for group norms. Without a standard etiquette (礼仪), people have varied opinions about what degree of responsiveness is required—which can cause real tension.
Grext anxiety is hard to resolve because it isn’t just about the group-chat or even mobile technology in general; it’s about the tension between being our own person and being responsible to others. Ultimately, most of us do want connection, even if it involves some duties.
1. What is the feature of Grexts?2. How might humans use group chats like echolocation?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
▶Without a standard etiquette, people have different ideas about what messages should be answered.
4. Please describe how another mobile technology affects your relationship with others. (In about 40 words)
5 . A new study by scientists at Utrecht University concludes that about half of global wastewater is treated, rather than the previous estimate of 20%. Despite this promising finding, the authors warn that treatment rates in developing countries are still very low.
Humans and factories produce vast quantities of wastewater per day. If not properly collected and treated, wastewater may severely threaten human health and pollute the environment.
The authors use national statistics to estimate volumes of wastewater production, collection, treatment and reuse. “Globally, about 359 billion cubic metres of wastewater is produced each year, equivalent to 144 million Olympic-sized swimming pools,” says Edward Jones, PhD researcher at Utrecht University. “About 48 percent of that water is currently released untreated. This is much lower than the frequently announced figure of 80%.”
While the results show a more optimistic outlook, the authors stress that many challenges still exist. “We see that particularly in the developing world, where most of the future population growth will likely occur, treatment rates are falling behind,” Jones explains. “In these countries, wastewater production is likely to rise at a faster pace than the current development of collection and treatment basic facilities. This poses serious threats to both human health and the environment.”
The main problem, especially in the developing world, is the lack of financial resources to build basic facilities to collect and treat wastewater. This is particularly the case for advanced treatment technologies, which can be extremely expensive. However, the authors highlight potential opportunities for creative reuse of wastewater streams that could help to finance improved wastewater treatment practices.
“The most obvious reuse of treated wastewater is to increase freshwater water supplies,” Jones states. Treated wastewater reuse is already an important source of irrigation water in many dry countries. However, only 11% of the wastewater produced globally is currently being reused, which shows large opportunities for expansion.
“But freshwater increasing is not the only opportunity,” says Jones. “Wastewater also has large potential as a source of nutrients and energy. Recognition of wastewater as a resource, opposed to as ‘waste’, will be the key to driving improved treatment going forward.”
However, the authors stress the importance of proper monitoring of wastewater treatment factories, accompanied by strong legislation (法律) and regulations, to ensure that the reuse of wastewater is safe. The authors also acknowledge public acceptance as another key barrier towards increasing wastewater reuse.
1. According to the author, the meaning of treating wastewater lies in ________.| A．encouraging new scientific findings |
| B．estimating volumes of wastewater production |
| C．ensuring human health and protecting the environment |
| D．measuring how much wastewater is produced globally per day |
| A．equal | B．harmful | C．useful | D．friendly |
| A．treated wastewater can’t be used as irrigation water |
| B．wastewater production in developing countries is falling |
| C．the treatment of wastewater is more serious than estimated |
| D．public recognition plays an important role in wastewater reuse |
Crystal breathed in the sweet January air. It was a cold, sunny day. Sunlight shone between the branches and fell onto the street.
It was so quiet, this neighborhood. Wandering down the road at a leisurely pace, Crystal noticed an open curtain in the window of one neighbor. They were busily typing on their home network. Remote workers, obviously.
Crystal’s glance shifted to a kid who had just come home from school. He looked down to the cell phone in his hand.
“Hey，kid!” Crystal waved.
The boy didn’t raise head, some game keeping his attention.
Crystal sighed and closed her eyes. It took her back to when she was a little girl back in the late 1980s. Neighbors knew each other by name then. Crystal’s best friend Anne was the next door neighbor. They often played for hours using imaginary names for far-off places, pretending to be or do something they hoped someday they could be or do.
Nowadays, to pretend to be somewhere else, you could just click on some random program for a virtual reality video of Italy or Australia, and your wish was instantly satisfied. You could do that alone. And if you needed a person to chat with, you could pick a random person in your interest group online.
“You don’t need neighbors anymore,” Crystal commented to herself.
And yet, there is so much that can be missed for the simpler times. Those who grow up not knowing the invisible person-to-person simplicity of being a good neighbor, have missed an entire piece in their maturity. It’s not about personal space. It’s about being there for another person. How could a metal chip replace a life? Crystal could never understand.
As she turned onto her home sidewalk, she noticed a little girl about 5 years old looking confused and afraid. There was no coat on her thin arms. Must be some neighbor’s girl. Crystal was very concerned. W here were her parents?
“Are you alright, honey?” Crystal asked.
1. Why did the boy give no response to Crystal?2. What did Crystal do with her next door neighbor in her childhood?
3. Decide which part of the following statement is wrong. Underline it and explain why.
▶Crystal believed that technology advanced and the relationship with neighbors mattered less than before.
4. What do you think the relationship between neighbors should be like nowadays?(In about 40 words)
7 . Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO)
We’ve all felt it; that uncomfortable feeling when you look through your social media feed and see photos of friends having a better time than you, or that feeling when you read about a friend’s amazing job that you chose the wrong life path. This feeling is called FOMO, or fear of missing out.
Although people have felt FOMO for hundreds of years, the growth of social media seems to have made the phenomenon (现象) worse. For many, it has now become habit to compare your life with others’ lives — or rather the highlights of their lives; something that previous generations could not do so readily. This skews your sense of normal and brings about feelings like hate, envy and dissatisfaction. What’s more, marketers have made use of FOMO phenomenon as a means to drive sales. Sales that last a limited time and pop-ups that show other people buying all take advantage of our FOMO.
Since the FOMO phenomenon was recognised, it has been increasingly studied by scientists eager to discover its trends and influences. Scientists at Carleton and McGill University discovered that negative FOMO feelings were experienced more often towards the end of the day and at the end of the week and that FOMO was experienced more by people carrying out obligatory (强制性的) work, like jobs and study.
This is not to say that people only experience FOMO when they join in an mundane (单调的) activity. In a follow-up study, researchers found that participants who specifically selected one activity over another experienced FOMO when reminded about the other activity, even if their chosen activity was sociable and enjoyable, and if the other was unsociable. Moreover, they experienced FOMO whether they were reminded about the other activity through social media or in conversation.
Interestingly, although FOMO is widely connected with teenagers and young adults and those who use social media, research has found that people of all ages experience it. Researchers at Washington State University found that it is more closely linked to factors like loneliness and low self-respect. However, for those people, social media can make the problem worse.
Some researchers recognise an upside to FOMO, saying that it can drive you to take action, connect with others and get out of your comfort zone. More often than not, though, FOMO leads to increasing loneliness and even FOJI, fear of joining in, in the belief that your own insights or contributions will not be valued.
A rising counter-culture to FOMO, though, is JOMO — the joy of missing out. This includes the pleasure and satisfaction of a night in, doing what you enjoy best, turning off your phone notifications and living in the moment, focusing not on what you lack but on what you have.
1. What does the underlined word in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Influences. | B．Reflects. | C．Causes. | D．Strengthens. |
| A．results in JOMO and FOJI in the end |
| B．makes people eager to join in sociable activities |
| C．is more often felt by those with low self-respect |
| D．has come into being since the social media appeared |
| A．Offering customers good bargains in the sale. |
| B．Comparing the goods with the ones in other shops. |
| C．Showing an advertisement about the quality of the goods. |
| D．Reminding customers that many people have bought the goods. |
8 . At about 54, the average age of retirement in China is among the lowest in the world. This is a problem. Since standards were set. life expectancy has increased while the number of working adults-those whose labor, in fact, supports retirees--has begun to drop.
But persuading people to work longer is proving hard. In 2008 the government said it was thinking about raising retirement ages, but backed away with a public protest. Now it feels it can wait no longer.
The pressure to act is evident. Current retirement ages were set in the 1950s, when the average person was expected to die before reaching that stage. For most men in China the age is6o, much lower than the average of 64.2 in the OECD, a club mostly of rich countries. Yet life expectancy in China is now just two years short of the OECD average of 79, so Chinese retirees on a state pension (养老金) usually needs several more years of support from government funds than those in rich world.
In 2019 the public-pension system covered almost 1billion adults, more than any other such organization in the world. The country’s main pension fund may run out of money by 2035, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, an official think-tank, has warned.
The government appears not yet to have decided how to reform the system. The current five-year economic plan contains merely a sentence on the topic, calling for adjustment in “small steps”. But its inclusion means that changes are all but certain to begin before the plan ends in 2025. After the plan for older Chinese to work longer was revealed, it became a hot issue. On Weibo, posts tagged with “postpone the retirement age” have launched more than 100, 000 discussions. Many comments have been critical. In 2020 a survey of 96, 000 people found that more than 80% opposed later retirement. They wondered whether they would have the strength to keep working into their 60s.
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?| A．Most people lived longer than 60 in China in the 1950s. |
| B．Current pension fund may not last long with growing retirees. |
| C．Decreasing number of adults alone leads to pension problem. |
| D．Retirees in China get more pension than those in rich countries. |
| A．Some announced goals are hard to achieve. |
| B．Measures are sure to be taken before 2025. |
| C．Ways to change the system have been confirmed. |
| D．Details of adjustment should be mentioned. |
| A．Objective. | B．Doubtful. | C．Supportive. | D．Opposed. |
| A．Problems of aging population in China. |
| B．An expected five-year economic plan. |
| C．A heated debate on longer working time. |
| D．Delayed retirement to be carried out. |
9 . People today are not unfamiliar with term such as "going eco-friendly" and "sustainable lifestyle". However, there exists a group of sceptics（怀疑论者）who believe that going eco-friendly is merely a fad（一时的风尚）. I disagree with this viewpoint, Going eco-friendly is not merely a fad and it does, in fact, change the beliefs and attitudes of people.
The long-term presence of environmental organisations shows the efforts that people have made towards going eco-friendly. Organisations such as World Wildlife Fund advocate people to go eco-friendly. The high involvement of the organisations and the participants is thus a strong indicator that going eco-friendly is not merely a fad but a trend that can last decades.
Another strong indicator is the emergence of sustainable products in many industries, such as organic produce and electric vehicles. The consumer demand, coupled with eco-conscious（环保意识的）businesses, is behind the sharp increase in such products. This shows a shift in the beliefs and attitudes of people towards adopting a sustainable lifestyle. Thus, it seems quite certain that going eco-friendly is not merely a fad.
While some people who broadcast their eco-friendly practices are criticised for just hoping to project an eco-conscious image, there are a number of celebrities who have been practising the zero-waste lifestyle for years. For those who do so for years, and not mere days or months, it is indeed a commitment that can only come with a true change in beliefs and attitudes towards caring for the earth.
The call to save the earth looks set to stay. With the development of technology and the appearance of many platforms advocating going green, people are more willing to change their beliefs and attitudes when they can learn about and appreciate the positive impact of the work of different environmental organisations and individuals. It is hoped that these effects will go a long way in ensuring that our planet will remain a suitable place to live in.
1. Why does the author mention World Wildlife Fund?| A．To appreciate its environmental efforts. |
| B．To encourage people to go eco-friendly. |
| C．To evidence the universal recognition of going green. |
| D．To highlight the difficulty in changing people's attitudes. |
| A．Sudden disappearance. | B．Sharp increase. |
| C．Gradual development. | D．Limited application. |
| A．It may discourage people from sustainable lifestyle. |
| B．It may boost the business of organic produce. |
| C．It will be used to project an eco-conscious image. |
| D．It will promote environmental awareness. |
| A．To prove going eco-friendly a lasting trend. |
| B．To popularize the eco-friendly products. |
| C．To offer strategies to go eco-friendly. |
| D．To advertise for eco-friendly platforms. |
