1 . China has set new rules limiting the amount of time children can play online games. The rules limit children to just three hours of online game playing a week. That is one hour between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday most weeks.
Li Zhanguo has two children aged 4 and 8. Even though they do not have smartphones, they enjoy playing online games. Like many other parents. Li is happy with new government rules. But experts say it is unclear if such policies can help prevent addiction to online games. Children might just get addicted to social media instead. In the end, experts say, parents should be the ones to set limits and support good practice.
There has been a growing concern in China about gaming addiction among children. Government reports in 2018 found that about one in ten Chinese children were addicted to the Internet. The new rules are part of an effort to prevent young people from spending too much time on unhealthy entertainment. That includes what officials call the “irrational fan culture”
Under the new rules, the responsibility for making sure children play only three hours a day as largely on Chinese gaming companies like Net Ease and Ten cent. Companies have set up real-name registration systems to prevent young users from going past game time limits. They have used facial recognition technology to check their identities. And they have also set up a program that permits people to report what is against the law. It is unclear what punishments gaming companies may face if they do not carry out the policies. And even if such policies are performed, it is also unclear whether they can prevent online addiction.
A specialist treating Internet addiction expects about 20 percent of children will find ways to break the rules by borrowing accounts of their older relatives and find a way around facial recognition. In his opinion, short-video alps such as Douyin and Kuaishou are also very popular in China. They are not under the same restrictions as games.
1. When can children play games according to the new rules?A.Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Friday. | B.Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Tuesday. |
C.Between 10 p. m. and 11 p. m. On Saturday. | D.Between 10 p. m. and all p. m. On Thursday. |
A.the new rules can stop children’s addiction to social media |
B.companies are more responsible for kids ‘ obeying the rules |
C.the new rules will help prevent children playing online games |
D.parents play a greater part in limiting the time of online games |
A.Design an advanced program. | B.Use facial recognition systems. |
C.Set up real-name registration systems. | D.Borrow accounts of their older relatives. |
A.Rules Limiting Short-video alps | B.Rules Limiting Video Game Time |
C.Rules Banning Irrational Fan Culture | D.Rules Breaking Addition to Social Media |
Does wealth matter more than health?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Multiple brands (品牌) have canceled their partnership agreement with Li Yifeng after the
4 . The clock rules our lives. The more we try to save time, the less time we seem to have. In every area of our lives we are doing things faster. And many of us live in towns and cities which are getting noisier and more stressful as each day passes. But now a worldwide movement, whose aim is to slow life down, has started. Its supporters are people who believe that a happier and healthier way of life is possible.
The Slow Food movement was founded the day that an Italian journalist, Carlo Petrini, saw that McDonald’s had opened a restaurant in a beautiful square in Rome. He thought it was sad that many people today live too quickly to sit down for a proper meal and only eat much fast food. He decided that he had to try to do something about it and so he started the Slow Food movement. Slow Food has become a global organization ever since and now has more than 80,000 members in 100 countries.
Slow Food also encourages people to eat local and regional food, to use local shops and markets, to eat out in small family restaurants, and to cook with traditional recipes.
The idea of Slow Cities was inspired by the Slow Food movement. The aim of Slow Cities is to improve people’s quality of life. Towns which want to become a Slow City have to reduce traffic and noise, increase the number of green areas, plant trees, build pedestrian zones, and promote local businesses and traditions. Now it has spread to other countries all over the world, from the UK to Japan and Australia. There are now 135 Slow Cities in 24 countries across the world that have been named since founding of the organization in 1999. Gao Chun County, in east China’s Jiangsu Province, is expected to be named the first “Slow City” in China next year.
“Slow Cities are about having a community life in the town,” said a local resident. “It is not ‘slow’ as in ‘stupid’. It is ‘slow’ as in the opposite of ‘worried’ and ‘stressful’.”
But not everybody is happy. For teenagers, who have to go 25km to Norwich, the nearest city, to buy CDs, living in a Slow City is not very attractive. “It’s all right here for adults,” says Lewis Cook, 16. “But if you want excitement, you have to go to Norwich. We need more things here for young people.”
1. What’s the aim of the Slow Food movement?A.To call on people to eat out. | B.To make people enjoy cooking. |
C.To drive McDonald’s out of Rome | D.To encourage people to slow down. |
A.reducing traffic and noise | B.increasing the number of green areas |
C.building more department stores | D.promoting local businesses and traditions |
A.Slow Food was founded in 1999 | B.there is no Slow City in China now |
C.Slow Cities are mainly in the UK | D.there are about 24 Slow Cities in the world |
A.Satisfied. | B.Excited. | C.Happy. | D.Dissatisfied. |
A.Slow down and you’ll move fast. | B.Time flies never to be recalled. |
C.Eat slowly and you’ll be healthy. | D.Pay attention to the quality of life. |
5 . Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices and schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening.
One advantage of living outside London is that the houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own.
Then, in the country, one can rest from the noise and hurry of the town. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time on trains or buses, one can sleep better at night. Besides, during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes gardens, one can spend one’s free time digging, planting, watering, and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature.
Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night.
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?A.Some people who work in the country prefer to live in the city |
B.Some people who work in the city prefer to live in the country |
C.Those who live in London wake up early and get home late |
D.Those who live in London must travel by train, car or bus every day |
A.a small house with a garden in London |
B.a large house with a garden in the country |
C.a small flat with a garden in the country |
D.a small house with a garden in the country |
A.one can’t sleep so well as in the city | B.one has to spend more time on transport |
C.one has to spend a long time in the garden | D.one is likely to be poorer |
A.spend all of their time in the town | B.feel their life is not worth living |
C.enjoy cinemas, shops and crowds | D.share the secret of Nature |
A.the rest of their time | B.the rest of the people |
C.the rest of the country | D.the rest of the parks and sea |
6 . One of the biggest complaints in modern society is being over-scheduled. Ask people how they are and the answer usually is “super busy,” “crazy busy”.
When people aren’t super busy at work, they are crazy busy exercising, entertaining or parenting. And if there is ever a still moment for thoughts--for example, while waiting
“We had noted that we are so dependent on our mobile phones that people seem to find any
It could be because human beings, as problem solvers and meaning makers, when
But you can’t solve problems
Negative feelings are sometimes hard, but they are part of everyone’s life, especially if you are busy. It is those deep and troubling feelings, and how you
A.Nobody | B.Somebody | C.Everybody | D.Anybody |
A.in order | B.in line | C.in panic | D.in public |
A.far | B.long | C.often | D.much |
A.place | B.reason | C.excuse | D.solution |
A.uncertain | B.unfair | C.unpleasant | D.unwise |
A.left out | B.left off | C.left behind | D.left alone |
A.deleting | B.uploading | C.updating | D.downloading |
A.close | B.healthy | C.difficult | D.harmonious |
A.unless | B.while | C.though | D.if |
A.ignored | B.invited | C.invented | D.interrupted |
A.apart from | B.more than | C.except for | D.rather than |
A.all the way | B.by the way | C.in your way | D.on your way |
A.Holding on | B.Holding out | C.Holding back | D.Holding up |
A.meet with | B.get away with | C.keep pace with | D.deal with |
A.joy | B.relief | C.anxiety | D.sorrow |
7 . Are you happy with your appearance?
“Almost all the girls with single-fold eyelids (单眼皮) in our class have had double eyelid operations,” Zeng, a Senior 2 student from Chengdu, told Xinhua. Zeng had the same surgery done this summer.
From popular photo-editing apps to plastic surgery (整形手术), it seems that large eyes, pale skin and a skinny body are the only standard for beauty these days. But can following this standard really make us feel good about ourselves?
“Many teenagers are upset about their appearance because they believe in unrealistic standards of beauty,” experts say.
However, trying to live up to strict standards can make us feel anxious. What troubles us is not just our “imperfect” looks, but the fact that we criticize ourselves too much.
A.Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. |
B.Body image anxiety is common among teenagers. |
C.Guys care just as much as girls do about their body image. |
D.Some teenagers might feel negative about their appearance. |
E.It’s common for teenagers to feel confident about their appearance. |
F.She and many of her classmates believe bigger eyes look more beautiful. |
G.Perfect faces and bodies are everywhere in advertising, TV shows and social media. |
8 . There is growing interest in East Japan Railway Co. ltd, one of the six companies, created out of the privatized national railway system. In an industry lacking exciting growth
In a plan called “Station Renaissance” that it
The company also plans to introduce
A.perspectives | B.outlooks | C.prospects | D.spectacles |
A.creatively | B.originally | C.authentically | D.initially |
A.displayed | B.demonstrated | C.embarked | D.unveiled |
A.go beyond | B.set out | C.come around | D.spread over |
A.applications | B.enterprises | C.functions | D.performances |
A.districts | B.vicinities | C.resorts | D.locations |
A.acquired | B.purchased | C.presided | D.attained |
A.lodgers | B.tenants | C.dwellers | D.boarders |
A.for | B.in | C.of | D.as |
A.figures | B.exhibits | C.convinces | D.speculates |
A.deprives | B.retrieves | C.spares | D.exempts |
A.conjunction | B.convenience | C.department | D.ornament |
A.delegated | B.designated | C.devoted | D.dedicated |
A.clever | B.smart | C.ingenious | D.intelligent |
A.checking | B.gathering | C.holding | D.accommodating |
A.as | B.for | C.with | D.of |
A.but for | B.as well as | C.instead of | D.more than |
A.unique | B.single | C.unitary | D.only |
A.devices | B.instruments | C.readers | D.examiners |
A.reduce | B.narrow | C.dwarf | D.shrink |
9 . While retiring ahead of time may be easier on the body, a new set of research has found that it may not be so beneficial for the mind. The study, conducted at Binghamton University, finds that an early retirement can speed up the usual rate of cognitive (认知的) decline among the elderly.
The research team analyzed China’s new rural pension system, as well as China’s most recent Retirement Longitudinal Survey, in order to investigate the effects of early retirement and pension benefits on individual cognition among adults over the age of 60. After going over all of the data, the research team noted a clear trend: people receiving pension benefits were experiencing much more rapid mental decline than those still on the workforce. Surprisingly, females seemed to experience even sharper mental decline after retiring early. Overall, the results support the hypothesis (假设) that decreased mental activity accelerates cognitive decline.
Nikolov, the lead researcher, had actually conducted previous studies that found retirement led to a number of positive physical health benefits for retirees, such as improved sleep patterns, less stress, and reduced alcohol consumption. However, retirement is also usually accompanied with a decline in social activities and less overall interaction with people, which has also been linked to cognitive decline.
“For cognition among the elderly, it looks like the negative effect on social connection far outweighed the positive effect of the program on fitness and sleep.” Nikolov says. “Or social connection may simply be the single most powerful factor for cognitive performance in old age.”
The research team are hopeful that their findings will be considered by older adults when thinking about retirement, but perhaps more importantly, they hope that policy makers in developing countries take note while drawing up new pension plans. They recommend building social get-togethers and workshops for recent retirees to help lessen the predicted decline in social interaction and creative thinking that often comes along with retirement.
1. Which of the following best describes retiring ahead of time for the mind?A.Useless. | B.Beneficial. | C.Damaging. | D.Improving. |
A.Men retiring as plans. | B.Women retiring early. |
C.Women over the age of 60. | D.Men retiring ahead of time. |
A.Longer sleeping time. | B.Fewer social activities. |
C.More alcohol consumption. | D.More time with family members. |
A.We should help the retired people |
B.We should not retire in the modern world |
C.Early retirement is not so good for the old |
D.The government should make a new policy |
It’s 5 p.m., and you’ve just realized that report you’ve been putting off is due tomorrow. It’s time to buckle down and open your computer. Actually, you should probably make dinner first. You usually like cooking, though it’s hard to enjoy with this work hanging over your head, and oh—it’s actually pretty late! Maybe you should just try again in the morning. This is the cycle of procrastination, and I promise you, we have all been there.
Procrastination is when we avoid a task we said we would do, for no good reason, despite expecting our behavior to bring negative consequences. Obviously, it’s irrational to do something you expect to harm you. But ironically, procrastination is the result of our bodies trying to protect us, specifically by avoiding a task we see as threatening.
We’re most likely to procrastinate tasks that evoke negative feelings, such as dread, incompetence, and insecurity. Because procrastination is motivated by our negative feelings, some individuals are more susceptible (易受影响的) to it than others. People who have difficulty regulating their emotions and those who struggle with low self-esteem are much more likely to procrastinate. However, it’s a common misconception that all procrastinators are lazy. When you’re feeling lazy, you’re more likely to sit around doing nothing than distract yourself with unimportant tasks. In fact, many people procrastinate because they care too much. Procrastinators often report a high fear of failure, putting things off because they’re afraid their work won’t live up to their high standards.
Whatever the reason for procrastination, the results are often the same. Procrastinators are likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, ongoing feelings of shame and physical ailments (轻病) associated with high stress.
So, how can we break the cycle of procrastination?
Traditionally, people thought procrastinators needed to cultivate discipline and practice strict time management. But today, many researchers feel the exact opposite. Being too hard on yourself can layer additional bad emotions onto a task. What we really need to do is to address and reduce these negative emotions.
1. What is procrastination?2. What kinds of people are more likely to procrastinate?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Ø Procrastinators are affected by negative emotions, are all lazy and are likely to suffer from physical ailments associated with high stress.
4. What strategies can you use to break the cycle of procrastination in your daily life? (In about 40 words)