1 . Binge-watching (刷剧) is when a person watches more than one episode of a show in a row. With developments in the speed and connectivity of the Internet, increases in technology and the rise of on-demand entertainment companies, people can now have their favorite shows stream (流播) directly to their television at their convenience.
This behavior is nothing new. In fact, binge-watching has been officially listed in dictionaries since 2015. The entertainment companies recognize this behavior and many take steps to encourage it. Often, instead of releasing each episode on a week-by-week basis, an entire series will become available concurrently. Once the episode finishes, many platforms will display pop-ups with “you might like” suggestions, or will automatically play the next episode.
However, recent research suggests that out of the more than half of British adults who watch more than one episode of a show back-to-back (一集接一集地), almost a third have admitted missing sleep or becoming tired as a result; and 25% have neglected their household chores (家务活). Next we’ll be missing work!
Bingeing has other connections — binge eating, binge drinking and binge smoking. All of them are often associated with a lack of control and a possible route to addiction. Lindsey Fussell, consumer group director, said, “The days of waiting a week for the next episode are largely gone, with people finding it hard to resist (抗拒) watching multiple episodes around the house or on the move.” If people find binge-watching hard to resist, are we witnessing the birth of a new type of addiction?
The countless number of information and entertainment that television and online media can bring us is, many would say, a good thing. However, when the activity begins to bleed into other areas, causing us to stop functioning, then it becomes a problem. So, what’s the answer? Moderation! Neither a tiny amount, nor too much. After all, as the old proverb says, “A little of what you fancy does you good.”
1. How did the writer develop the first paragraph?| A．By giving a definition. | B．By telling a story. |
| C．By listing some examples. | D．By analyzing the cause and effect. |
| A．For convenience. | B．At the same time. |
| C．In detail. | D．Free of charge. |
| A．people can’t control their feelings | B．people can’t resist the temptation of Bingeing |
| C．people have no patience to do work | D．people are addicted to waiting for a new episode |
| A．To keep online media from stopping functioning. |
| B．To enjoy entertainment as much as possible. |
| C．To learn life lessons from the episodes. |
| D．To watch episodes in a moderate way. |
2 . Many kids help out around the house with chores such as emptying the dishwasher, putting laundry away, and taking out the trash. In exchange, some kids get allowances or other rewards such as extra computer time.
But some people do not think that kids should get rewards for doing chores. Susie Walton, a parenting educator and family coach, believes that by rewarding kids, parents are sending a message that work isn’t worth doing unless you get something in return. “Running any kind of household is a team effort,” Susie said. “A home is a living space for everyone in the family. It’s important for kids to see that we all have responsibilities in the house, and that families decide together how they want their home to look, and how they are going to keep it looking like everyone wants it to look.”
Other people believe that getting a cash allowance or other rewards motivates kids to do chores, and it also teaches them real world lessons about how we need to work to earn money. There are also new applications that give kids points and digital gifts that can be redeemed (兑取) either online or in the real world. With the Chore Monster app, kids earn digital points by completing chores that they can turn in for real-life rewards such as extra Xbox time or a trip to the mall. “Our goal is to encourage kids to earn rewards.” says Chris Bergman, founder of Chore Monster. “Kids need positive reinforcement to help motivate them.”
What do you think? Should kids be rewarded for doing chores? Or should kids help out around their homes without getting anything in return?
Write a 200-word response. Send it to tfkasks4you@timeforkids. com. Your response may be published in a future issue of Time For Kids. Please include your grade and contact information of your parent or teacher if you want your response to be published. The deadline for responding is 18 February.
1. How does the author start the passage?| A．By stating his own experiences. | B．By presenting some facts. |
| C．By comparing different views. | D．By listing some evidence. |
| A．Kids should be rewarded for doing chores. |
| B．Parents decide what kids can do for the family. |
| C．Kids have the responsibility to share housework. |
| D．Kids can get extra computer time for doing chores. |
| A．Chris Bergman’s opinion on raising kids. |
| B．Main reasons why kids need encouragement |
| C．How to motivate kids to try new applications. |
| D．The advantage of rewarding kids for doing chores. |
| A．To invite readers to express their opinions. | B．To present the author’s viewpoint about parenting. |
| C．To call on readers to reflect on their behavior. | D．To inform readers of two different opinions. |
3 . A new study suggests that science role-playing may help tighten the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math(STEM)education and careers for women simply by improving their identity as scientists.
Frustrated by the gender gap in STEM, in which some fields employ at least three times more men than women, Cornell graduate student Reut Shachnai wanted to do something about it. Reut said the idea to help foster young girls’ interest in science came to her during a lecture in a class she was taking on Psychology of Imagination.
Reut designed an experiment to test if assuming the role of a successful scientist would improve girls’ persistence in a “sink or float” science game. The game itself was simple yet challenging: a computer screen projected a slide with an object in the center above a pool of water. Kids then had to predict whether the object would sink or float.
She studied 240 four -to -seven -year -olds, because this is around the time kids first develop their sense of identity and capabilities. They were divided into two groups. Children in the “story” group learned about the successes and struggles of a gender -matched scientist before playing the game. Boys heard about Isaac Newton and girls were told about Marie Curie. Children in the “pretend” group were told to assume the identity of the scientist they just learned about.
All kids played at least one round of the game. No matter what group they were in, girls got the answers right just as often as boys -nearly 70% of the time. Boys, however, didn’t really benefit from the stories or make-believe. Besides, girls pretending to be Dr. Marie persisted twice as long at the sink-or-float game, playing just as much as the boys did.
Reut’s teacher Tamar Kushnir said, “Rather than merely hearing about role models, children may benefit from actively performing the type of actions they see role models perform. In other words, taking a few steps in the role model’s shoes, instead of merely observing her walk.”
1. Why did Reut design a “sink or float” science game?| A．To handle the gender gap in STEM. | B．To attach importance to STEM. |
| C．To draw kids’ attention to STEM. | D．To compare boys’ and girls’ persistence. |
| A．Kids enjoyed listening to scientists’ stories. | B．Boys avoided playing make-believe games. |
| C．Girls performed as well as boys in science. | D．Children followed Dr. Marie to explore science. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Indifferent. | D．Negative. |
| A．Girls should get recognition like boys | B．A fine example has boundless power for kids |
| C．Girls can work on more science games | D．Make-believe exercises benefit girls in STEM |
4 . In recent years, China has witnessed the growth of luxury (奢侈品) brands. In this market, Chinese consumers are now the largest spenders. It’s clear that a new generation of young, materialistic people is increasingly relying on luxury brands to improve its self-image. I am a fashionist too, at least in spirit — I love to look at clothes and shoes. But I don’t understand why people spend lots of money on designer labels. When a young woman buys a handbag that costs two months of her salary, that’s a scary thing.
What’s interesting is that scientists have found that having luxury things doesn’t lead to happiness. Study after study has shown that although we want material things, when we get them we don’t suddenly become “happy” people. In fact, a series of studies by Leaf Van Boven at the University of Colorado, US, has shown that individuals who spend money on travel and similar experiences get more pleasure than those who invest it in material things. That’s because experiences are more easily combined with a person’s identity. If I travel to Yunnan, that adventure affects how I think in the future. My memories become a part of me.
Moreover, as Van Boven has observed, young people who pursue happiness through “things” are liked less by their peers. People prefer those who pursue happiness through experiences.
It’s natural to want to express yourself through your appearance. So my advice is: create a look that isn’t tied to a designer label. Convey your own message. Take some lessons from the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. He was always in Levis jeans and a black turtleneck. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, routinely appears in hoodies and sneakers. These people, successful people, have style. You don’t have to break the bank to send a message about who you are. Take a trip. Go out into the world. Then come back and confidently create your own signature look.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．The author enjoys buying luxury brands herself. |
| B．The author agrees to overspend money on material things. |
| C．The author is critical of youths tying their looks to designer labels. |
| D．The author finds it natural for fashionists to follow fashion trends. |
| A．people dislike those who love luxuries |
| B．traveling changes a person’s identity greatly |
| C．luxuries have a negative effect on people’s happiness |
| D．experiences can bring people more happiness than luxuries |
| A．Be selective about designer labels. | B．Create your own personal unique style. |
| C．Choose simple and fashionable styles. | D．Try styles like Mark Zuckerberg’s. |
| A．prove how luxury leads to an unpleasant life |
| B．tell how to express yourself through appearances |
| C．report on a series of studies about luxuries and happiness |
| D．persuade readers to invest in experiences instead of luxuries |
5 . Keeping fit often means sharing a busy pathway with cyclists,runners and walkers,but imagine facing the task of doing it all without being able to see or hear.It is a challenge many disabled athletes face,unless someone agrees to be their eyes and ears.
Newly formed group Achilles Brisbane pairs visually and audibly impaired (视觉和听觉受损的) athletes with people who would like to guide them.
Jane Britt,president of Achilles Brisbane,who is—vision and hearing—impaired,said,“When we go out,it’s much less frightening to have someone beside us that has full hearing to listen for us and tell us what’s there.”
Ms.Cullen and Ms.Britt meet up most Saturday mornings to take part in the five-kilometer park run.Their partnership is built on trust,but Ms.Britt said that it took time to develop.
Ms.Britt said it took an unexpected storm for her to trust Ms.Cullen completely.“There was violent rain,my glasses were broken and we were walking together.I suddenly had to tell her I couldn’t see anything,and I was going to have to completely trust her.From that time I knew it was going to work because she was so good about dealing with the special situation we both found ourselves in,” she said.
Isabella Allen and her seeing eye dog Tatum are two new additions to the Achilles Brisbane.Ms.Allen kept active by rowing,running and cycling but found it difficult to keep going as her vision became worse.After nearly giving up completely,she worked up the courage to ask Achilles Brisbane to find someone to share a boat with her.
Ms.Allen said the fear of not finding anyone to row with almost stopped her from reaching out to Achilles Brisbane.“But,they found people and matched me to them,” she said.“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
1. How does Jane Britt feel about going out alone?| A．Relaxed. | B．Excited. | C．Worried. | D．Bored. |
| A．She developed a strong sense of teamwork. |
| B．She led Ms.Cullen forward on the road. |
| C．She began to rely on Ms.Cullen as her guide. |
| D．She fell down on the ground. |
| A．Asking Achilles Brisbane for help. |
| B．Working in Achilles Brisbane. |
| C．Exercising non-stop. |
| D．Meeting Tatum. |
| A．The danger of walking on a busy road. |
| B．The difficulty the disabled athletes face. |
| C．The exercise people do to keep fit. |
| D．The necessity of building roads for the blind. |
6 . In 1909, Forster published a science fiction short story, The Machine Stops, in which a future civilization falls apart because its technology — much of which sounds a lot like the internet — collapses. Last Friday, after Storm Eunice caused the biggest national power cut on record to more than 55,000 homes across southern and eastern England and South Wales, people begin to think Forster’s imagined machine was really stopping.
It’s not unreasonable to think that Forster’s machine is seizing up when your gas heating doesn’t work because the pump is electric, when you have to go for a drive to charge the mobile phone, when everything in the freezer is going off, when you can’t get on the internet because the WiFi needs mains power, and much of your home technology — from smart doorbells to smart speakers — doesn’t work because, even if it has battery back-up, it still needs Wi-Fi. Millions of landlines will stop working by 2025 because they will use the internet, requiring a broadband connection.
The death of the landline will spell the moment when we are finally full hostages to the electricity supply. As hundreds of thousands of households across northern England lost power because of Storm Arwen last December, people in remote areas without mobile reception were left unable to call for help, as their landlines were phased out in favour of broadband-enabled phones reliant on electricity.
What are we to do to keep our homes working when electricity can no longer be relied on? People have taken to firing up wood burners to keep warm. Those with oil-fired kitchen ranges for cooking,heating and hot water,have been feeling particularly grateful for that reliable appliance.
“A more radical solution is house batteries. However,for society as a whole,it is less likely to be put into action because home batteries are not a neat and wonderfully clean solution”,says Dr Constable,“Lithium-ion batteries are dangerous. They cause fires. That’s why airlines are cautious about them and why you can’t take those little electric scooters on the London.”
1. Why did people begin to believe Forster’s imagination?| A．A smart home was not reliable at all. | B．They saw the biggest national disaster. |
| C．Forster gave a solution to their trouble. | D．What Forster described became a reality. |
| A．By analysing the troubles. | B．By listing a lot of facts. |
| C．By sharing an expert’s idea. | D．By recommending a fiction. |
| A．Substitutes ought to be prepared before they are needed. |
| B．The smarter technology is, the less we need to worry about. |
| C．The more technology we rely on, the more powerless we may be. |
| D．Home batteries are a wonderful choice when there is no electricity. |
| A．Being Left Hostages to Electricity | B．Time to Look for New Energy |
| C．Days at Home without Electricity | D．Collapsing of Future Civilization |
7 . When you were at school, the last thing you probably wanted to do was to spend your weekends going to work. There was homework to do, sports to play and fun to have. But our parents probably persuaded us to find a job to earn some money and get some life experience. When I was a teenager I delivered newspapers to people’s homes. I then progressed to a Saturday job in a supermarket: stacking shelves and working at the checkout.
Today in the UK you are allowed to work from the age of 13, and many children do take up part-time jobs. It’s one of those things that are seen almost as a rite of passage(成人仪式). It’s a taste of independence and sometimes a useful thing to put on your CV(简历). Teenagers agree that it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults and also about managing their money.
Some research has shown that not taking up a Saturday or holiday job could be deleterious to a person later on. A 2015 study by the UK Commission on Employment and Skills found that not participating in part-time work at school age had been blamed by employer’s organizations for young adults being ill-prepared for full-time employment, but despite this, recent statistics have shown that the number of schoolchildren in the UK with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.
So, does this mean that British teenagers are now afraid of hard work? Probably not. Some experts feel that young people feel going out to work will affect their performance at school, and they are under more pressure now to study hard and get good exam results and a good job in the long term. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told BBC News that “Properly regulated part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives.” In reality, it’s all about getting the right balance between doing part-time work and having enough time to study and rest.
1. How did the author feel about doing part-time jobs on weekends when he was a teenager?| A．Delighted. | B．Interested. | C．Unwilling. | D．Angry. |
| A．Learning to be independent. | B．Gaining some life experience. |
| C．Being prepared for future jobs. | D．Spending what they earn as they like. |
| A．Valuable. | B．Harmful. | C．Necessary. | D．Impossible. |
| A．Students should spend all their time on studies. |
| B．Students should have as many part-time jobs as possible. |
| C．Doing part-time jobs must affect students’ school results. |
| D．It’s important for students to balance part-time jobs and studies. |
8 . One form of social prejudice (偏见) against older people is the belief that they cannot understand or use modern technology. Activities like playing computer games, going on the Net and downloading MP3s are only for the youngsters. Isn’t it unfair that older people enjoying a computer game should be frowned upon (反对) by their children and grandchildren?
Nowadays older people have more control over their lives and they play a full part in society. Moreover, better health care has let more people in their sixties and seventies feeling fit and active after retirement. Mental activity, as well as physical exercise, can contribute to better health. Playing computer games is a very effective way of exercising the brain. So that’s why grey gamers are often seen now.
When personal computers were first introduced, most older people didn’t believe they would ever get familiar with them. Now computers have been around for a few generations and retired people have gradually become more relaxed about using them for fun. Gamers over 65 prefer playing puzzle games and card games. Kate Stevens, aged 72, says, “I find it very relaxing. It’s not very demanding, but you still need to concentrate.”
Another development that has favored “grey games” is a change in the type of video games available on the market. There’s a greater variety of games to choose from, including more intellectual and complex strategy and simulation (模拟) games. For example, Internet Chess and Train Simulator are among the most popular of these. Train Simulator is based on real — world rail activities. Players can choose from a variety of challengers, such as keeping to a strict timetable and using helper engines during a winter storm.
Some people argue that “grey gamers” simply don’t have the skills required for computer games, and that teenagers are better. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Most computer games require the kind of analytical thinking that improves with practice, which means that the “grey gamers” may well be far better than the young. In games where speed is the main consideration, older people would be at a disadvantage because they may have slower reaction. time. On the other hand, “grey gamers” have a preference for slower — paced, mind challenging games.
1. The second paragraph is intended to___________.| A．show the best way to exercise the brain | B．stress the importance of good health |
| C．explain why grey gamers exist | D．teach how to play video games |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Concerned. | C．Enthusiastic. | D．Supportive. |
| A．offering numbers | B．giving examples | C．making comparisons | D．providing details |
| A．mind challenging games are not suitable for older people |
| B．teenagers should improve their skills with practice |
| C．playing computer games requires analytical thinking |
| D．older people may perform well in computer games |
9 . Kids are three times more likely to choose to be Internet celebrities (名人) than astronauts, a survey found recently. Many are already on their way - more and more children are now making and sharing videos on social media.
Meanwhile, education experts worry that going after Internet fame won’t be good for children in the long run. Their biggest concern is that kids don’t know how being on the Internet today might affect them in the future. The parts of the brain that people use to make decisions don’t fully mature until around age 25, so children cannot imagine how their future might be affected by what they share now.
What’s worse, some parents, who are crazy about becoming famous on their own, can’t watch out for the best interests of their own children. A young mother, Michelle Hobson, was accused of starving and kicking her children when they didn’t do what she wished for in the videos. She was charged with child abuse and ordered to distance herself from kids.
Keeping famous on the Internet takes much time and patience, too. It can distract students away from homework, sports and other activities. For example, one of the superstars, 14-year-old Emma Garza, dropped out of school to become a Vlogger (video blogger). She said that making videos was so tough that she couldn’t make time for study and even suffered back pain and weakening eyesight.
Although we don’t yet know the effects on a child’s development by constantly performing to entertain others, we can easily imagine that the effort to attract viewers will be less helpful to a kid, compared with spending that time reading a book. For a kid today, becoming an Internet superstar might not only be more popular than being an astronaut. It might also be more dangerous.
1. What problem is discussed in Paragraph 1?| A．Internet affects kids’ growth. | B．Young kids seek Internet fame. |
| C．Social media mislead children. | D．Children watch too many videos. |
| A．Security. | B．Family. | C．Study. | D．Future. |
| A．To highlight her success. | B．To introduce a new career. |
| C．To show the impact on students. | D．To encourage kids to be Vloggers. |
| A．Exciting. | B．Doubtful. | C．Beneficial. | D．Negative. |
10 . The hit movie Notting Hill begins with a famous scene. Hugh Grant bumps into Julia Roberts and spills orange juice all over her. After the collision, Grant repeatedly says, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
His actions in this scene are very British. If Roberts’ character were from the Britain, then she would probably apologize repeatedly as well—even if the crash were not her fault. But this doesn’t happen in the movie, as Roberts is from the US.
A report in The Telegraph once said that three quarters of British people apologize when they bump into someone in the street—regardless of whether they are responsible or not. In fact, Britons use “sorry” in many situations. For example, if they mishear someone, they say “Sorry?” The person they are talking to will also apologize by replying, “No, I am sorry!” This can go on for up to five minutes as they compete over who is the most sorry.
Why are Britons so sorry? Mark Tyrell, a psychology writer in the UK, thinks that their apologetic tendencies are rooted in British class system. “We say sorry because historically the new middle class in Britain had to apologize for not being the working class, but also for really being the upper class.” Another theory is that they apologize to avoid conflicts. For example, if they bump into someone, he might get angry. To avoid this, they instantly say “Sorry!”
True manners are about being considerate, and today’s constant use of apologizing shows that we are perhaps not as thoughtful as we once were. The word “sorry” has lost some of its meaning.
Do you see my point? Sorry, it might just be a British thing.
1. Why does the author mention a scene in the movie Notting Hill at the beginning?| A．To give an example of British modesty. |
| B．To introduce different ways of saying sorry. |
| C．To show what kind of men are considered gentlemen in the UK. |
| D．To draw our attention to when and how British people say sorry. |
| A．People should not apologize if they are not responsible. |
| B．Americans care less about manners than British people do. |
| C．That British people apologize so much is linked to the class system. |
| D．British people care too much about which social class they are from. |
| A．It’s unnecessary for British people to be so polite. |
| B．The overuse of apologizing shows Britons are truly sincere. |
| C．People should not stick to the traditional use of the word “sorry”. |
| D．Using “sorry” more doesn’t necessarily mean people are more polite. |
| A．To show the best way of saying sorry. |
| B．To explain why Britons overuse the word “sorry”. |
| C．To show how saying sorry has changed over time. |
| D．To suggest many British people lack traditional manners. |
