1 . Nearly half of all employees are close to “breaking point” at work due to increased stress levels. A survey of 2,000 professionals found the average working adult feels stressed for almost a third of their working day.
The mounting pressure faced in their job also contributes to five hours of lost sleep per employee every week. Checking work emails after hours, last-minute deadlines, having to do a speech or presentation and an overly demanding manager were named as some of the biggest causes of workplace stress.
It also revealed that in the average week, employees will complain about their boss for 31 minutes and their job in general for another two hours and 45 minutes. Richard Jenkins, psychologist and spokesman for well-being charity CABA, said: “Everyone will experience pressure day-to-day.”
“A level of pressure can actually make us work better, however too much pressure that rises to an unmanageable level leads to stress. The working public needs to know how to manage their pressure to avoid reaching boiling point. Some people cope by blowing off steam through physical activity like the gym or going for a run while for some, things like breathing exercises can help. Everyone will have a strategy that they find works better to help them release the pressure. Unfortunately, in many cases we don’t introduce these decompressing (减压) moments in our lives which can help release the pressure and reduce stress. Finding ways to manage your stress is essential, it is also worth addressing the root causes of your stress to try to manage the source rather than just treat the symptoms.”
The study also found seven in 10 adults have vented about their workplace to a colleague, partner, family member or friend. 46 percent of those who have felt stressed at work didn’t end up doing anything about it, hoping the problem would go away on its own. Of those who do take action, 38 percent have told their manager about it, while 51 percent have gone for a walk to cool down.
1. What is the possible result of pressure faced by workers?| A．Giving a public presentation. | B．His demanding department head. |
| C．Loss of about 5 hours’ sleep weekly. | D．Constantly checking email after work. |
| A．Pressure will not do you any good in your daily life. |
| B．It’s better to turn to medicine when one is faced with great stress. |
| C．Women tend to feel more pressure at work than their male colleagues. |
| D．Almost everybody will adopt his own way to deal with their stress in their lives. |
| A．complained. | B．argued. | C．wandered. | D．asked. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Objective. | C．Positive. | D．Negative. |
2 . The idea of low material desire, low consumption and refusing to work, marry and have children, concluded as a “lying down” lifestyle, recently struck a chord with many young Chinese who are eager to take pause to breathe in this fast-paced and highly-competitive society.
Many millennials (千禧一代) and generation Zs complained to the Global Times that burdens, including work stress, family disputes and financial strains, have pushed them “against the wall”. They said they hate the “involution(内卷),” joking that they would rather give up some of what they have than get trapped in an endless competition against peers.
“Instead of always following the ‘virtues’ of struggle, endure and sacrifice to bear the stresses, they prefer a temporary lying down as catharsis (宣泄) and adjustment,” said a scholar. “It is no wonder that some young people, under the growing pressures from child-raising to paying the mortgage (按揭) today, would try to live in a simple way and leave the worries behind.”
Interestingly, the majority of millennials and Gen Zs reached by the Global Times, who claim to be big fans of the lying down philosophy, acknowledged that they only accept a temporary lying down as a short rest. It is true that with the great improvement of living conditions, some Chinese youth have partially lost the spirit of hardship and are not willing to bear too much hard work. But in fact, lying down is not entirely comfortable. Young people who lie down always feel guilty about their constant loss of morale (士气) far beyond their reach.
“Young people on campus have both aspirations and confusion about their future, but most of us have rejected setting ourselves up in chains to waste opportunities and challenges,” a postgraduate student told the Global Times. “It’s no use running away. I have to ‘stand up’ and face the reality sooner or later.”
1. What does the underlined phrase in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Warned. | B．Punished. | C．Amused. | D．Touched. |
| A．Improvements in living conditions. |
| B．Growing pressure from family and social life. |
| C．Increasing material possessions from families. |
| D．Temporary adjustment to failure in competitions. |
| A．Understanding. | B．Intolerant. | C．Supportive. | D．Unclear. |
| A．They never really drop their responsibilities. |
| B．They really enjoy the “lying down” lifestyle. |
| C．They find their dreams far beyond their reach. |
| D．They would rather escape than take challenges. |
3 . Data shows that Chinese brands are winning increasingly more consumers in recent years, especially among the younger generation. The trend is usually called “guochao”, or “Chinese fashion trend”, which has driven demand for domestic brands and products that often include Chinese traditional culture and style.
Its main followers are millennial born between 1980-1995 and Generation Z born between 19 2010. Unlike the older generations who could have attachment to Western culture and brands, Chinese youth were born and raised when the country’s economy and wealth were taking off. The younger generation tends to have strong and genuine confidence in their national identity and traditional culture.
To woo young customers, these domestic names are making products with high quality and appeal by strengthening research and marketing efforts. An often-cited case is Li-Ning, China’s homegrown sportswear brand that is named after one of the nation’s most famous athletes. The company almost broke up after a failed rebranding in 2011 when it went through three years of losses after losing older customers while failing to attract younger buyers. It was not until the 2018 New York Fashion Week that the brand made its huge comeback. Its trendy look, bold use of color and traditional Chinese culture elements were showcased on the stage so that it immediately grabbed attention at home and abroad.
The trend to embrace domestic brands has spread rapidly to various sectors and products as well, from food and drinks to clothing and electronic vehicles. While many Chinese brands have been gaining significant market share at home in recent years, Others are posting an increasingly stronger global presence. In 2020, China’s tech giant Xiaomi reported its most profitable year on the back of expanded sales and global market share. Revenues (零售) from Haier Smart Home’s overseas business last year also marked an all-time high, ranking top list in global market share for major home appliance. Although some brands still face plenty of challenges ahead to meet the sophisticated needs of customers and regulations in overseas markets, most domestic products are still quite competitive in the international market.
1. What does “guochao” refer to?| A．Domestic brands’ increase. |
| B．Chinese brands’ growing popularity. |
| C．Younger generations’ craze about fashion. |
| D．Fashion trend in Chinese traditional culture. |
| A．Domestic products have a good quality. |
| B．Western products are out of date to the young. |
| C．Older generations influence the young to favor domestic products. |
| D．The economic development strengthens the young’s belief in domestic products. |
| A．To introduce a new topic. |
| B．To advertise a domestic brand. |
| C．To present a convincing example. |
| D．To explain a complicated concept. |
| A．positive | B．concerned | C．indifferent | D．critical |
4 . Summer vacation is over. How many of you have burned the midnight oil to finish your homework over the last few days?
It can be hard to be this responsible. A lot of people often put off difficult or big tasks until they absolutely must be done.
I myself am a bit of a procrastinator. But most of the time, I try to finish my work earlier rather than later. It just makes more sense—if I finish my work now, I’ll have more time to relax or work on other projects later. It can be hard to encourage myself to get started sometimes.
Everyone procrastinates from time to time. It’s a natural thing to do.
| A．But once I do, the work gets done quickly and with little stress. |
| B．One reason we procrastinate is that we are trying to do too many things at once. |
| C．Do you do your homework at the last minute before you need to hand it in? |
| D．However, this is usually not a good thing. |
| E．Most of the tasks we procrastinate on seem difficult or big at first. |
| F．They’re called procrastinators(拖延症患者). |
| G．You don’t have to beat yourself up over it. |
5 . 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 |
6 . We’ve all had such experiences — when lining up at the supermarket checkout counter, the lines next to us always seem to be moving faster than the one we are standing in. Now The New York Times has put together the research of some scientists to give you a clear understanding of the math and psychology of queuing.
Pick someone with a full cart (购物车). US mathematician Dan Meyer believes that a cart full of items (物品) doesn’t tell the whole story. “Every person requires a fixed amount of time to say hello, pay, say goodbye and clear out of the line,” he said. And that amount of time is an average of 41 seconds per person.
Go left. According to Robert Samuel, a US science writer, around 90 percent of people are right-handed, which means they tend to naturally go to the right.
| A．Study the customers. |
| B．So, head to the opposite direction — left. |
| C．Go directly to the next available counter. |
| D．It has also offered tips on picking the fastest line. |
| E．Keep those above in mind and you might save yourself a little time. |
| F．Even if one of the customers is slow, it won’t hold up an entire line. |
| G． Besides, the time that each item takes to be rung up is only 3 seconds. |
7 . Foldable phones are once again facing questions about their durability. The Galaxy Z Flip and the Motorola Razr are now both available to buy in the US — but early reports suggest the screens are easily damaged. The Galaxy Z flip boasts a “flexible glass” display — but tests appear to show it scratching as easily as plastic.
In a statement, Samsung said the display had a protective layer, and had undergone extensive testing. “While the display does bend, it should be handled with care,” it said.
The Z Flip’s “pretty thin glass” is one of Samsung’s primary marketing messages for the new phone. But a durability test made by popular Zack Nelson, a regular buyer, suggested it was no more durable than a soft plastic screen — and could even be dented by a fingernail.
Nelson said Samsung’s screen scratched exactly how a plastic screen would react. “I don’t know what material this is, but Samsung definitely shouldn’t be calling it glass,” he said. He found that the screen of the Motorola Razr scratched as easily but it is not marketed as “glass”.
The Motorola Razr was put on sale 13 days ago in the US, but Raymond Wong, an editor says the flexible screen on his handset has already broken. The upper layer of the Razr’s screen separated from the bottom, creating “a giant horizontal air bubble” for no apparent reason.
1. What attitude do the buyers have to the quality of Galaxy Z Flip and Razr?| A．Worried. | B．Objective. | C．Optimistic. | D．Uncomcerned. |
| A．Low price. | B．Portable style. | C．Protective function. | D．Extremely thin screen. |
| A．He is angry at its post-sale service. | B．He is strict in its screen materials. |
| C．He is unsatisfied with its inexact statement. | D．He is disappointed at its unfair competition. |
| A．Cheat always exists in business | B．Disadvantages of two kinds of phones |
| C．Foldable phones may not be all that great | D．Different brands have their special features |
8 . There you are in your favorite clothing store. You don’t really need to buy anything, but everything is so cheap and fashionable! Before you know it, you leave the store with bags and bags of new clothes.
On the surface this doesn’t seem so bad.
Fashion is one of the least sustainable industries on the planet, commented Michael Stanley-Jones, an officer with the United Nations Environment Program. “We’re our own waste managers, storing fashion waste in our houses,” he noted.
In particular, with its typically lower prices and rare fashion finds, shopping secondhand has become an increasingly popular and eco-friendly choice.
“The only true sustainable way to shop is to not shop at all,” Rachel Kibbc, a brand adviser for ensuring sustainability in fashion, told Insider, “Unless you’re buying clothes that ALREADY exist.”
| A．Research shows the secondhand market is expected to reach $80 billion by 2029. |
| B．Actually, it doesn't just take up space in our houses, though. |
| C．The secondhand market is facing quite a few significant challenges. |
| D．However, thankfully, the fashion trend is changing. |
| E．Fellner added, “Secondhand becomes more socially acceptable and, for some, cool.” |
| F．However, there are a lot of hidden costs behind the low price put forward by fast fashion brands. |
| G．In fact, they’ve developed some marketing strategies to increase sales. |
9 . A University College London study looked at car use to conclude that cities have to become car-free to survive. Simply put, if we don't reduce the number of cars in our cities then they will just completely clog up and stop moving.
The study notes the number of cars is actually increasing faster than that of people. In 2019, 80 million cars were built while the population increased by 78 million. And the mass production of those cars was responsible for 4% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (排放) ,which is bigger than aviation (航空) and that's before you even fuel them up.
The study authors construct a mathematical model, and residents choose driving their car or taking public transport on the basis of the time it takes to do the trip. “All individuals decide their commuting (通勤) mode trying to reduce their costs, but the result is the overall worst-case situation, where the average commuting time is longer and all people decide to use their car.” write the authors of the study.
Besides, policymakers tend to construct even more car infrastructure (基础设施) and invest even more in private cars, which then encourages more private vehicle use and results in even more traffic jams.
Possible solutions have to be actively encouraged, with more travel options, plus local shops and services.
Also, increasing the costs could be achieved by reducing the space devoted to cars, with more public transport lanes, wider sidewalks, and pedestrian roads, for example.
Dr. Humberto, one author of the study said: “If our goal is to have more liveable and developed cities then we must take part of this land and give it to other modes of transportation: walking, cycling and public transport.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined words “clog up”?| A．Turn down. | B．Break down. |
| C．Make troubles. | D．Get stuck. |
| A．The number of cars is larger than population. |
| B．Car production creates more CO2 than aviation. |
| C．CO2 emission is largely affected by car production. |
| D．Global CO2 emission is more serious than expected. |
| A．It is hard for people to keep a balance. |
| B．It takes more time to drive cars to work. |
| C．More cars can be used to save time. |
| D．Driving cars can keep the cost down. |
| A．Building parking lots. | B．Saving land for cars. |
| C．Producing less cars. | D．Riding a bus to work. |
10 . The last year of living in a pandemic (疫情) has put many people under pressure, stretching (拉伸) their handling skills so thin that some of them may soon break down.
Do those people experience less pressure? That's certainly possible. But it's also possible that they have mastered the art of seeing stress as a normal, acceptable and even positive part of life
To understand how that can be the case, consider what happens to the body under stress. The heart races, breathing quickens and the brain goes into high alert. Sense also heightens.
That “good” stress can give you an advantage in not only playing a competitive sport, but also speaking public, interviewing for a job or even adapting to a pandemic quarantine (隔离). Once the immediate threat is handled, your levels of stress hormones return to normal with no long-lasting effects
| A．It is hard to tell whether the stressful situations are harmful to people |
| B．But in fact many people somehow manage to deal with stress just fine |
| C．Experiencing stressful situation doesn't necessarily mean it is damaging |
| D．With that view, experts say, conics the ability to adapt to pressure |
| E．It would be a win-win if we saw it that way |
| F．Colors and sounds become more clear and vivid |
| G．Yet some people got through the pandemic under no pressure |
