Many teenagers feel lonely as if no one understands them and the changes they are going through.
These feelings are a common part of adolescence the time of life between child and adult. And,
2 . Sending a thumbs-up can be seen as passive aggressive(冒犯的), according to Gen Z (those born between 1995 and 2009) who say they feel attacked whenever it is used. Whether the chat is informal, between friends or at work the symbol appears to have a very different, ‘rude’ meaning for the younger generation.
A 24-year-old on Reddit summed up the Gen Z argument, saying it is best ‘never used in any situation’ as it is ‘hurtful’. “No one of my age in the office does it, but the Gen X (those born between 1966 and 1980) people always do it. Take me a bit to adjust and get it out of my head that it means they’re mad-at me,” he added. Other young people agreed it is bad form, especially at work where it can make the team appear unfriendly and not easygoing.
“My last workplace had a WhatsApp chat for our team to send information to each other on, and most of the people on there just replied with a thumbs up. I don’t know why but it seemed a little bit hostile to me,” one woman said. One Reddit user also said the thumbs up actually means that “I’ve read your message and have nothing to add and I hope and pray...all the people in this group chat have nothing to say on it too.”
Older workers appear confused by the reaction, saying they use the thumbs up in work-related chats to show “I agree” or “I understood and will follow.”
Part of the issue is that young people tend to use the thumbs-up in jokes. Barry Kennedy, 24, he said he only used it to communicate with older people like his parents or older colleagues. A survey of 2, 000 people conducted by Perspectus Global showed that a majority of people between the ages of 16 and 29 believe that you are “officially old” if you use thumbs-up or heart emoji.
1. Which of the following point is not the Gen Z’s understanding of the emoji thumbs-up?| A．Being rude. | B．Being agreeable. |
| C．Being hurtful. | D．Being unfriendly. |
| A．Unfriendly and aggressive. | B．Tough and difficult. |
| C．Unwanted and unacceptable. | D．Strange and unusual. |
| A．Because of their poor communications kill. |
| B．Because of their being old with worse memory. |
| C．Because of their less communicating with the young. |
| D．Because of their different understanding of the emoji. |
| A．The Thumbs-up Emoji: Rejected by the younger generation |
| B．The Thumbs-up Emoji: Highly Welcomed by Old People |
| C．The Thumbs-up Emoji: A Sign of Generation Gap |
| D．The Thumbs-up Emoji: A Sign of Being Aggressive |
3 . Who can be the most dangerous one on the street, the car driver, the cyclist or the pedestrian? Now let’s take a look at some people’s opinions.
William Lang
In my opinion, I believe many cyclists behave dangerously. Many drivers are disrespectful of cyclists. But pedestrians are probably the worst offenders.
People of all ages happily walk along the pavement with eyes and hands glued to the mobile phone, quite unaware of what is going on around them. They may even do the same thing while crossing a road at a pedestrian crossing or elsewhere. The rest of us have to give way to them or just stand still to wait for the unavoidable collision.
The real problem is that some pedestrians seem to be, at least for the moment, in worlds of their own that are, to them, much more important than the welfare of others.
Hemingway
I am afraid nowadays the cyclists seem to think they own the roads.
I was walking across Renmin Road one morning when a cyclist went round me and on being asked what he was doing, he shouted at me.
The government built a cycle lane on the road but it is hardly used.
The police do nothing. What a laugh they are!
The cyclists should all have to be made to use the cycle lanes and wear helmets, fluorescent (发荧光的) jacket and tights at night and in the morning. They should pay some sort of tax and be fined for not wearing them.
Gary
Cyclists jump on and off pavements (which are meant for pedestrians), ride at speed along the pavements, and think they have a special right to go through traffic lights when they are on red.
I was almost knocked down recently by a cyclist riding on the pavement when there was a cycle lane right next to him.
Other road users, including horse riders, manage to obey the rules, so why not cyclists?
It’s about time they had to be registered and insured, so when they do hit a pedestrian or a vehicle, or cause an accident, at least they can be traced and there might be an opportunity to claim.
1. The purpose of the question in paragraph one is to .| A．introduce a topic | B．set an example |
| C．show an attitude | D．draw a conclusion |
| A．some pedestrians are a threat to road safety | B．drivers should be polite to cyclists |
| C．walking while using phones harms one’s eyes | D．road accidents can actually be avoided |
| A．be fined for laughing at policemen | B．be provided with enough roads |
| C．be made to pay less tax for cycling | D．be asked to ride on their own lanes |
4 . Quantum ( 量子 ) computers have been on my mind a lot lately. A friend has been sending me articles on how quantum computers might help solve some of the biggest challenges we face as humans. I’ve also had exchanges with two quantum-computing experts. One is computer scientist Chris Johnson who I see as someone who helps keep the field honest. The other is physicist Philip Taylor.
For decades, quantum computing has been little more than a laboratory curiosity. Now, big tech companies have invested in quantum computing, as have many smaller ones. According to Business Weekly, quantum machines could help us “cure cancer, and even take steps to turn climate change in the opposite direction.” This is the sort of hype ( 炒作 ) that annoys Johnson. He worries that researchers are making promises they can’t keep. “What’s new,” Johnson wrote, “is that millions of dollars are now potentially available to quantum computing researchers.”
As quantum computing attracts more attention and funding, researchers may mislead investors, journalists, the public and, worst of all, themselves about their work’s potential. If researchers can’t keep their promises, excitement might give way to doubt, disappointment and anger, Johnson warns. Lots of other technologies have gone through stages of excitement. But something about quantum computing makes it especially prone to hype, Johnson suggests, perhaps because “‘quantum’ stands for something cool you shouldn’t be able to understand.” And that brings me back to Taylor, who suggested that I read his book Q for Quantum.
After I read the book, Taylor patiently answered my questions about it. He also answered my questions about PyQuantum, the firm he co-founded in 2016. Taylor shares Johnson’s concerns about hype, but he says those concerns do not apply to PyQuantum.
The company, he says, is closer than any other firm “by a very large margin ( 幅度 )” to building a “useful” quantum computer, one that “solves an impactful problem that we would not have been able to solve otherwise.” He adds, “People will naturally discount my opinions, but I have spent a lot of time quantitatively comparing what we are doing with others.”
Could PyQuantum really be leading all the competition “by a wide margin”, as Taylor claims? I don’t know. I’m certainly not going to advise my friend or anyone else to invest in quantum computers. But I trust Taylor, just as I trust Johnson.
1. Regarding Johnson’s concerns, the author feels ________.| A．sympathetic | B．unconcerned | C．doubtful | D．excited |
| A．His dominance in physics. | B．The competition in the field. |
| C．His confidence in PyQuantum. | D．The investment of tech companies. |
| A．Open. | B．Cool. | C．Useful. | D．Resistant. |
| A．Is Johnson More Competent Than Taylor? |
| B．Is Quantum Computing Redefining Technology? |
| C．Will Quantum Computers Ever Come into Being? |
| D．Will Quantum Computing Ever Live Up to Its Hype? |
5 . One of Prague’s most famous sights, the Orloj, the third oldest clock in the world, has been stopped. It is set to undergo months of restoration (修复)that will see the return of several, but not all, of its original parts.
Perhaps no other clock better proves the genius of the early pioneers of time keeping than the Orloj. Marking the minutes and hours is only one of the many measurements it provides.
The 607-year-old astronomical clock tracks Old Bohemian time, when the new day begins with sunset; Babylon time, which tracks the day from sunrise to sunset; Central European time, which is marked with a hand in the shape of the sun; and Star time, measured by the way the stars appear to move because of the earth’s movement.
A calendar dial (刻度盘)notes the days of the week, month and year, and a zodiacal ring (黄道环)shows the path of the sun and the moon through the sky. But, it is the astrolabe (星盘)that is the heart of the clock’s mechanical (机械的) operation. It tracks the position of the sun, the moon and stars, and has been a necessary tool for astronomers.
Over the centuries, the clock has been damaged and repaired, but, always returned to fully working order. Its longevity has inspired a number of sayings. One is that when the clock stops running, the Czech land will be thrown into war and privation (贫困). Another holds that who ever tries to affect the machine will die or go crazy.
Skala, who has been a clock master for 25 years, said he was honored when asked to take care of the Orloj eight years ago. Asked whether he believed the sayings, Skala smiled. “I didn’t believe the stories,” he said, “or else I would never be able to work on the clock.”
1. What is the heart mechanical operation of the Orloj?| A．A calendar dial. | B．A zodiacal ring. |
| C．The astrolabe. | D．The hands. |
| A．Because of the old clock’s longevity. |
| B．Because of the war in Czech. |
| C．Because of the deaths of menders. |
| D．Because of many unbelievable facts. |
| A．To show the Orloj’s long history. |
| B．To praise the Orloj makers’ wisdom. |
| C．To prove Skala didn’t beleve the sayings. |
| D．To encourage people to make better clocks. |
| A．Skala will restore the old Orloj. |
| B．A legend about the old Orloj. |
| C．The old Orloj measures time accurately. |
| D．The Orloj stopped to be restored. |
A 35-year-old Australian mother makes around $58,000 a year by hugging strangers.
Jessica O Neil
Jessica claims that her hugs can help those suffering from loneliness, depression, or low self-confidence. “When I hugged my customers, I could see their tension and
Jessica says the majority of her customers are male, but she has
While many people think she must be crazy to do such work, Jessica is confident
You walk into a museum, stop in front of a masterpiece and wish to observe it up close. Instead of having
Nowadays, the use of smart phones in museums
8 . If you look around your city, you might spot girls wearing hanfu in subways or people wearing T-shirts with Chinese characters on the streets. A new trend is taking hold in China — guochao, or “China-chic”.
It means the rise of China’s native fashion trends. It has expanded the concept of “Made in China”, which has been recognized as the representation of Chinese culture offered by homegrown Chinese brands. China chic came into the spotlight in 2018. During the 2018 New York Fashion Week, Li-Ning introduced its Taoism-inspired Wu Dao collection. The collection not only had a fashionable look, but also included elements of traditional Chinese culture. It immediately obtained attention at home and abroad. As a result, the company recorded 20 percent income growth in 2018, marking the first time the brand had hit the 10-billion-yuan mark since its founding.
Since then, the trend to hug home brands has spread rapidly to various sectors (领域) and products, from food and drinks to clothing, mobile phones and electric vehicles. For example, White Rabbit, whose sweet candy brings back childhood memories for many, launched its milk, cosmetics (化妆品) and so on. “We want White Rabbit to be a brand that young people want to share,” said Shen Qinfeng, the company’s marketing manager.
This March, several Western brands refused to use Xinjiang cotton. To show national pride and cultural confidence, the “I support Xinjiang cotton” campaign spread across the country, Many Chinese turned to Chinese home brands that support Xinjiang cotton, like Li-Ning and Anta. No matter how the guochao trend changes, there’s one thing that won’t change; Behind the story is people’s positive attitude toward the country’s development and their recognition of and growing confidence in national culture.
1. What is China-chic according to the text?| A．Increase in Chinese culture in fashion. |
| B．Young Chinese people’s preference for ancient culture. |
| C．The international popularity of products made in China. |
| D．The growing role of Chinese home brands in developing economy. |
| A．It took the lead in the world market. |
| B．It adopted Western design in its sportswear. |
| C．Its products had a trendy look with Chinese elements. |
| D．Its income hit the 10-billion yuan mark that year. |
| A．It upgraded its packaging. |
| B．It expanded into other fields. |
| C．It increased the variety of its candies. |
| D．I used childhood memories in advertisements. |
| A．Chinese products are better than Western ones. |
| B．Cheap and quality native materials are more popular. |
| C．Chinese home brands are facing a big problem. |
| D．Chinese people’s cultural confidence drives the guochao trend. |
Now another American education icon may be disappearing: the hardbound (精装的) textbook. More and more school districts are replacing traditional textbooks with electronic ones. Electronic textbooks are usually accessed either through an online server or are downloaded to student laptops.
In North Texas, Plano and Irving schools are introducing e-books into a few classrooms, and Lancaster school officials also are considering them. But no local district appears to be going as far as Forney. The district most likely would be the first in the state to use e-books in every classroom for grades five to twelve.
Officials point out several reasons for turning to e-books. For one, they are easier to update. Thus the publishers are able to find ways to do online textbooks and they can go back and change information. Using e-books will better prepare students for college and the workplace.
Rapid district growth is another reason. The number of the students in the district is expected to double within five years. It's difficult to know textbook needs in advance and some students wait months for their books. But e-books can be uploaded onto a“blank” laptop in a few hours.
Cost may eventually be a deciding cause for choosing e-books, but there are no big savings yet. Even if they get it electronically, they still have to pay for the book because they're buying the instructional material. That may change as more and more districts move toward e-books.
Today's students have little trouble adjusting to laptops and e-books, said Connie Cooley, who has taught at the Academy of Irving ISD for five years. But she said it could worry teachers. "It's harder for people who are right around my age and older," said Ms. Cooley, 36. "I'm laptop-savvy, so I was ready for it, but those that aren't area little worrying."
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10 . Children's average daily time spent watching television or using mobile device increased from 53 minutes at age 12 months to more than 150 minutes at 3 years, according to an analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). By age 8, children were more likely to log the highest amount of screen time if they had been in home-based children or were born to first-time mothers.
“Our results indicate that screen habits begin early, ”said Edwina Yeung, an investigator in National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).“This finding suggests that interventions(干涉) to reduce screen time could have a better chance of success if introduced early.”
In the research, mothers of 4, 000 children responded to questions on their kids' media habits when they were 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months of age.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding digital media exposure for children under 18 months of age, introducing children 18 to 24 months of age to screen media slowly, and limiting screen time to an hour a day for children from 2 to 5 years of age. In the current study, researchers found that 87% of the children had screen time exceeding (超过) these recommendations. However, while screen time increased throughout toddlerhood, by age 7 and 8, screen time fell to under 1.5 hours per day. The researchers believe this decrease relates to time consumed by school-related activities.
The study authors classified the children into two groups based on how much their average daily screen time increased from age 1 to age 3. The first group, 73% of the total had the lowest increase, from an average of nearly 51 minutes a day to nearly an hour and 47 minutes a day. The second group, 27% of the total, had the highest increase, from nearly 37 minutes of screen time a day to about 4 hours a day. Higher levels of parental education were associated with lower odds of inclusion in the second group.
1. Who use mobile device longest according to the NIH's analysis?| A．10-year-old born to first-time mothers. | B．3-year-old children in low income families. |
| C．8-year-old children in home-based childcare. | D．1-year-old children with parents poorly educated. |
| A．Parents should stop their children using media. |
| B．Parents should limit the use of digital media themselves. |
| C．Parents should reduce their children's screen time earlier. |
| D．Parents should avoid their children using digital media at infancy (婴儿期). |
| A．They are studying at school. | B．They can control themselves. |
| C．They are tired of using them. | D．They are forbidden to use them. |
| A．Keep Away from Media | B．Screen Habits Begin Early |
| C．Urgency of Parental Education | D．Harm of Home-based Childcare |
