1 . Nowadays, the world is slowly becoming a high-tech society and we are now surrounded by technology. Facebook and Twitter are innovative tools; text messaging is still a somewhat existing phenomenon and even e-mail is only a flashing spot on the screen when compared with our long history of snail mail. Now we adopt these tools to the point of essentialness, and only rarely consider how we are more fundamentally affected by them.

Social media, texting and e-mail all make it much easier to communicate, gather and pass information, but they also present some dangers. By removing any real human engagement, they enable us to develop our abnormal self-love without the risk of disapproval or criticism. To use a theatrical metaphor (隐喻), these new forms of communication provide a stage on which we can each create our own characters, hidden behind a fourth wall of tweets, status updates and texts. This unreal state of unconcern can become addictive as we separate ourselves a safe distance from the cruelty of our fleshly lives, where we are imperfect, powerless and insignificant. In essence, we have been provided not only the means to be more free, but also to become new, to create and project a more perfect self to the world. As we become more reliant on these tools, they become more a part of our daily routine, and so we become more restricted in this fantasy.

So it is that we live in a cold era, where names and faces represent two different levels of closeness, where working relationships occur only through the magic of email and where love can start or end by text message. An environment such as this reduces interpersonal relationships to mere digital exchanges.

Would a celebrity have been so daring to do something dishonorable if he had had to do it in person? Doubtful. It seems he might have been lost in a fantasy world that ultimately convinced himself into believing the digital self could obey different rules and regulations, as if he could continually push the limits of what’s acceptable without facing the consequences of “real life.”

1. What can we know about new communication tools?

A．Destroying our life totally.	B．Posing more dangers than good.
C．Helping us to hide our faults.	D．Replacing traditional letters.

2. What is the potential threat caused by the novel communication tools?

A．Sheltering us from virtual life.	B．Removing face-to-face interaction.
C．Leading to false mental perception.	D．Making us rely more on hi-tech media.

3. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?

A．Technologies have changed our relationships.

B．The digital world is a recipe for pushing limits.

C．Love can be better conveyed by text message.

D．The digital self need not take responsibility.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Addiction to the Virtual World	B．Cost of Falling into Digital Life
C．Interpersonal Skills on the Net	D．The Future of Social Media

2 . Bullet comments—comments which fly across the screen on certain video platforms—represent a ·modern approach to communication that young people use in cyberspace to express their ideas, emotions and feelings. When looking back, however, they are a good reminder of what was hot or trending in the past year.

On Dec 15,2023, Bilibili, a Chinese video-sharing platform, picked “Ah?” as the Bullet Comment of the Year. In 2023, “Ah?” appeared more than 13.2 million times on Bilibili as a bullet comment, according to Dazhong Daily.

Today, young people in China use “Ah?” to express their surprise and amazement. User Mo Xin filmed himself writing down the ancient Chinese text Hard Is the Road to Shu (《蜀道难》) in one stroke (一笔) and subsequently uploaded the video to Bilibili. This feat (壮举) resulted in the video winning the most “Ah?”bullet comments on the platform.

China’s huge technological advancements have also generated “Ah?” comments from Bilibili users. In August, China made a breakthrough in controllable nuclear fusion (可控核聚变) technology. Its new-generation “artificial sun” Huanliu-3 looks to open new doors in the world of nuclear fusion. Videos announcing this news were inundated (淹没) in “Ah?” comments.

Though simple and easily understandable, “Ah?” provides insights into young people’s interests. Their focus extends beyond mere entertainment, however. They also, use “Ah?” to engage with. commentaries, and scientific discoveries, indicating a deeper, more serious layer of interest. These “Ah?” comments reveal that young people are attentive to the world around them. “Ah?” has become their unique way of responding to contemporary events, using it as a tool to document today’s history.

Every year brings a new bullet comment of the year, but what never changes is how young people want their voices to be heard. Do you still remember which video got you to send an “Ah?” in 2023?

1. What do we know about “Bullet comments” according to the text?

A．They will remind others of your opinions.

B．They are an easy way to interact with others.

C．They enable us to think about the popular events.

D．They are used in young people’s daily communication.

2. Why is Hard Is the Road to Shu mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．To prove the function of “Ah?”.	B．To argue for the benefit of “Ah?”.
C．To explain the popularity of “Ah?”.	D．To clarify the development of “Ah?”.

3. What are the features of “Ah?”?

A．Concrete and modern.	B．Easy and accessible.
C．Abstract but popular.	D．Unique but meaningless.

4. Which of the following is likely to get most “Ah?” on Bilibili according to the text?

A．Huawei made a breakthrough in 5G.

B．Southern little potatoes poured in Harbin.

C．The Moutai-flavoured coffee came into the market.

D．China, Singapore mutual visa-free policies will boost tourism.

3 . As a worrying number of youngsters take up vaping (电子烟), the Government has announced a crackdown on laws to stop kids from becoming addicted to the dangerous habit.

Disposable (一次性的) vapes are now set to be banned in the UK as part of the Prime Minister’s new legislation (立法) to “stop youth vaping in its tracks”. Recent research shows that one in five teens has now tried vaping, despite it being illegal for under-18s, and half of those who vape between 18 and 24 do so despite having no history of smoking.

Last year, figures showed the number of adults using e-cigarettes in the UK had risen to the highest rate on record at roughly 4.3 million Brits. According to the charity Action on Smoking and Health, almost 1,000 serious adverse reactions to vapes were logged, including five deaths linked to e-cigarettes in the last decade.

And it’s not just over-the-count er vapes at the center of the country’s vaping crisis — fake e-cigarettes with deadly chemicals have sparked concerns. An investigation by the Mirror in 2023revealed one man’s fears for his life after he suffered a collapsed lung as a result of a fake, unlicensed pack of vapes purchased from a corner shop in County Durham.

Alex Gittins,31, thought he bagged himself a bargain but ended up in hospital just hours later. He said: “I noticed an awful chemical taste in the back of my throat, then five to 10minutes later I felt what was like a stitch. I’m lying in A&E thinking I was going to die.”

A regular vaper was told he had just a one percent chance of survival after being left in need of a double lung transplant. Jackson Allard, 22, underwent the life-saving operation on January 1, putting an end to a series of serious health issues.

Medical expert Stephanie Hansen has voice d concerns about the unknown long-term effects of e-cigarettes. She said: “Vaping or e-cigarette use is relatively new, so we don’t necessarily know a lot of the long-term effects of vaping and that’s honestly one of the scariest things about it.”

1. What has the recent research found?

A．20 percent of UK teenagers have once vaped.	B．It’s against the law for teens to buy vapes.
C．Vaping is commoner than smoking in the UK.	D．5 people died because of vaping last year.

2. Why are two examples given in Paragraphs 5 and 6?

A．To suggest it’s easy to be addicted to vaping.	B．To state vaping ruins people’s health seriously.
C．To indicate it’s illegal to buy fake e-cigarettes.	D．To show the number of people vaping is on the rise.

3. Which of the following might Stephanie Hansen agree with?

A．It remains to be seen in what way vaping affects people.

B．It will be long before people know the bad effects of vaping.

C．It matters to inform people of the potential danger of vaping.

D．It is difficult to prohibit adults from buying e-cigarettes.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Research into the habits of smokers in Britain.	B．Causes of teens’ addiction to vaping in Britain.
C．British health issues drawing public attention.	D．British government prohibiting disposable vapes.

4 . Historically, only local governments worried about a widespread food crisis, but today, the rapidly rising food prices and the resulting food crisis can quickly be a worldwide phenomenon. Over the next 20 years, the fight to feed the world will be a huge challenge facing the global economy.     1    ?

The first solution lies in the combined effect of money and time.     2    . More than ever, we need the transfer of time and money away from the army and toward creating an international plan to deal with hunger.

    3    . It helps coordinate (使协调) public policies, individual actions, farmer practices and consumer behavior towards common goals. As a result, it is crucial to work on such a strategy.

Another way to solve the crisis is to double food production in developing countries.     4    . Governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, agricultural scientists, private investors and charitable donors, all must partner together to enhance the capacity of the developing world to meet the great need for food.

While we may not be seeing all the symptoms of food shortage, we must be clear-eyed in our current support of food production. It is obvious that we will face a severe problem, but the problem is solvable.     5    , we must do it carefully and consistently.

A．Since you think it beneficial to the whole world

B．What about developing economy to solve the crisis

C．If we are to reach our goal and prevent a global food crisis

D．How can we relieve the current crisis and avoid future risks

E．The goal needs an enormous investment in agriculture from various sources

F．Developing a national strategy to reduce food loss and waste is also useful to handle the crisis

G．Some countries like India have realized this fact and are giving more financial support to agriculture

5 . You might have heard of the expression “a guilty pleasure”—maybe it’s the chocolate bar you buy on the way home from work, or the new clothes that you don’t really need.     1     . Perhaps we don’t feel we deserved it, or we don’t think it was a responsible way to spend our money. But should we feel like this? Do we really have to feel guilty about treating ourselves?

Perhaps not. Psychologists have suggested that buying things for yourself can make you feel better as it provides an opportunity to take control of your situation.    2     . It may be that as well as lifting your mood, when you buy a treat, you might just be looking after yourself.

Of course, there are also examples of people turning to destructive behaviour when faced with stressful circumstances. People might spend money that they don’t have or turn to dangerous addictions. Psychologist Leon Seltzer considers the difference between self-indulgence and self-nurturing.    3     , while self-nurturing is taking responsible decisions to satisfy our needs and take care of ourselves in ways that don’t have a significant impact.

    4    . So, many universities publish guides with advice for coping with exam stress. Reflecting the difference between self-indulgence and self-nurture, they recommend rewarding yourself for your efforts, doing things that you enjoy and are good at so that you can feel accomplishment.    5     . Thus, perhaps, as long as we make responsible decisions, we shouldn’t feel guilty about our guilty pleasures.

A．Exams are vital for students.

B．Self-indulgence can have negative consequences

C．The difference becomes evident when students manage exam pressure

D．They also recommend embracing activities that could dampen your spirits

E．Besides, you should avoid things that may make you feel worse afterwards

F．It comes from the idea that when we treat ourselves, it can sometimes leave us feeling guilty

G．It can give you social contact as well as a confidence boost from changes you make to your self-image

6 . 使用恰当的过渡衔接词连句成篇
①在政府的引导下，街头小摊再次在全国范围内流行起来。②地摊经济的优势如下。③它能促进经济增长。④它还为那些不能使收支相抵的人带来了更多的就业机会，使他们避免负债。⑤人们可以以最低的价格购买一系列的产品。⑥我坚信，只有通过大家的共同努力和严格的监管，街头经济才能成为振兴经济的有效途径。
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7 . 语法填空

Mike often     1     (recall) the violence that broke out in this small African country, which eventually turned into national unrest. There were constant fightings between government     2     (troop) and local armed forces.People there were in hot water.Many of them had     3     (bare) enough money to live on.It was reported that more and more refugees     4     (emerge).A great many countries condemned the     5     (violent) and called for peace.

8 . 在学完B3U5“The value of money”之后，同学们对金钱财富有了一些新的理解，为此学校举行了一次主题为“Does wealth matter more than health?”的征文比赛，请你用英文写一篇80字左右的文章，结合当下实际，简单阐述正反观点及你个人的看法。

Does wealth matter more than health?

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9 . 阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Multiple brands (品牌) have canceled their partnership agreement with Li Yifeng after the     1     (disturb) news of his scandal (丑事) came out. It was reported that he     2     (spot) having improper relations with females and even after the affair was exposed (曝光), he issued an announcement on his Weibo that he didn’t do anything     3     (consider) illegal and refused to make an     4     (apologize) to the public. As a celebrity(名人), there is no doubt that Li Yifeng is a nationawide phenomenon in showbiz (娱乐圈), and so far he     5     (succeess) in winning many awards in more than fifty TV and film festivals, and his tremendous succuess obtains many fans’ appreciation and gains him a     6     (globe) influence around the world.

    7     (measure) should be taken now for the government     8     (recover) public confidence about these public figures. Meanwhile, celebrities also need to maintain their own images by     9     (pursue) their acting careers. Now it’s time to do something     10     can change the current situation and win the fans’ support back.

10 . Americans love their automobiles. So long, it seems, as they don’t run on batteries. A survey published in July by the Pew Research Centre found that less than two-fifths of them would consider buying an electric vehicle (EV). Despite expanding charging networks and more EV models to choose from, that is a slightly lower share than the year before.

The biggest block to EV enthusiasm in America is price. The average EV there sells for $52,000, estimates Cox Automotive, a consultancy. That is not a world away from the $48,000 that Americans typically pay for a petrol vehicle. But total costs of ownership, which combine the sales price and running costs for five years, vary more widely. At $65,000, the typical EV is $9,000 more expensive to own than a petrol car (owing to factors like pricey home chargers, dearer insurance and, compared with Europe and China, inexpensive petrol).

All this leaves America’s car industry circling a roundabout. Consumers’ unwillingness to pay for expensive EVs is forcing carmakers to take action to shift stock (库存). Tesla has cut its prices several times in the past year. Carmakers are offering average discounts of almost 10% on their EVs, more than twice as generous as for petrol cars. But this is making it even harder for the companies to make money from battery power. Continued losses in turn may make car firms lose appetite to invest in a broader electric offering that would appeal to buyers.

American carmakers are still hoping they can escape this vicious (恶性的) circle. They are mostly postponing their American EV investments rather than pulling the plug on them. And from January the EV tax credits (免税) will also be available at the point of sale, making it less burdensome for buyers to take advantage of them. All this could eventually generate profits for car firms. Eventually may, though, come a bit later than hoped.

1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The lack of diversity of EVs.

B．The uncertain prospect of EVs.

C．The barrier to the purchase of EVs.

D．The urgency of price reduction on EVs.

2. How do carmakers deal with the depressed EV industry?

A．Issuing EV tax credits policy.

B．Offering better discounts on EVs.

C．Cutting down the cost of production.

D．Investing in a wider electric offering.

3. What is the carmakers’ attitude towards the future of EV industry?

A．Dissatisfied.

B．Dismissive.

C．Cautious.

D．Casual.

4. What may be the best title of the text?

A．Is America’s EV Revolution Suspending?

B．Do Electric Vehicles Outweigh Petrol Cars?

C．EV Revolution Is Promoting Energy Transition

D．EV Is Gradually Dominating America’s Car Industry