1 . I had to say something after reading The Anxious Generation. It is going to sell well , because Jonathan Haidt is telling a scary story about children’s development many parents are led to believe. However, the book’s repeated suggestion that digital technologies are rewiring our children’s brains and causing the epidemic (流行病) of mental illness is unsupported by science. Worse , the rude proposal that social media is to blame might distract (分心) us from effectively responding to the real causes of the current mental-health crisis in young people.
Researchers have searched for the effects suggested by Haidt. Our efforts have produced a mix of no, small and mixed associations. Most data are correlative. When associations over time are found, they suggest not that social-media use predicts or causes depression, but that young people who already have mental-health problems use such platforms more often or in different ways from their healthy peers.
We are not alone here. Several analyses and systematic reviews centralize on the same message. An analysis done in 72 countries shows no consistent or measurable associations between well-being and social media globally. Moreover, studies from some authorities finds no evidence of intense changes associated with digital-technology use.
As a psychologist studying children’s and adolescents’ mental health, I appreciate parents’ frustration (沮丧) and desire for simple answers. As a parent of adolescents, I would also like to identify a simple source for the pain this generation is reporting. There are, however, no simple answers. The beginning and development of mental disorders are driven by a complex set of genetic and environmental factors.
More young people are talking openly about their mental-health struggles than ever before. But insufficient services are available to address their needs. In the United States, there is, on average, one school psychologist for every 1,119 students. We have a generation in crisis and in desperate need of the best of what science and evidence-based solutions can offer. Unfortunately, our time is being spent telling stories that are unsupported by research and that do little to support young people who need, and deserve, more.
1. What is presented in The Anxious Generation?| A．Scary stories affect children’s brains. |
| B．Parents are responsible for children’s health. |
| C．Teen’s mental illness results from screen time. |
| D．The epidemic of mental illness is unavoidable. |
| A．Many countries do research in mental health. |
| B．Well-being and social media are closely related. |
| C．The young are trapped in the mental-health crisis, |
| D．Social media don’t necessarily cause mental illness. |
| A．Effective actions need to be taken. | B．Positive stories should be shared. |
| C．Financial support needs to be provided. | D．Broader research should be done. |
| A．To suggest ways to help those in need. |
| B．To encourage parents to brave the crisis. |
| C．To recommend a newly-published book. |
| D．To give a voice to children’s mental issues. |
2 . While most coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi connections to get more customers, Offline Club, a pop-up cafe in Amsterdam, offers a different connection where a Wi-Fi signal is unnecessary. Upon entering, its members leave their devices behind, grab a coffee, and enjoy a 90s’ atmosphere.
Ilya Kneppelhout, who started the Offline Club, said that the club is for people overwhelmed by their busy lives and constant notifications, according to Inside Edition. He added that their members want to cut down on their social media and screen time and focus on in-person connections — a simple idea, but participants enjoy it.
One of their members said, “being with the club makes you feel present in a way you didn’t expect”. “It felt a bit like travelling in time and made me feel nostalgic (怀旧) about the way bars and cafes used to be because nowadays, those are places we’re only going to with friends and people we already know and spend time doing digital things like work,” another member added.
The founders believe this concept could work in other cities, too. Kneppelhout stated that they want to spread the idea worldwide. “Right now, we’re getting together with a franchising concept, and we hope to have offline detox events in the entire world for people to reconnect,” he said.
Meanwhile, the internet and computers are deeply integrated into our lives. Being addicted to the internet can hurt you in different ways, both in body and emotions. Given this, the digital detox provided by the Offline Club could be helpful for individuals who feel they spend too much time online. It’s a chance to reduce stress and focus more on talking to people. It also helps stop us from becoming too reliant on technology. Ultimately, a digital detox is about stepping back to connect with what really matters.
1. Why did Ilya Kneppelhout start the Offline Club?| A．To ease life pressure. | B．To refuse social media. |
| C．To attract more customers. | D．To encourage real interaction. |
| A．Content with the club. | B．Enthusiastic about the club. |
| C．Tired of the visit to the club. | D．Scared of the club’s atmosphere. |
| A．People in the club deny real bonds. | B．He expects the world can reconnect. |
| C．People have been disturbed by the club. | D．The club has been a hit in other cities. |
| A．Avoiding online communication. | B．Resisting the use of digital device. |
| C．Taking a break from the Internet. | D．Surfing the Internet for information. |
3 . Once a week, Percy Buttons heads off to work, clocking in for a shift at a job one could say she was born to do. Percy, 18 months, is a baby “worker” at a nursing home, “hired” to brighten the days of residents whose own grandchildren may rarely visit. “It energizes me to see her, so this really helps me,” said Charles Alison, 93, one of about 100 residents at the nursing home in the city of Oklahoma.
The patter (啪嗒声) of little feet around wheelchairs and walkers here is meant to alleviate the isolation that can come with growing older, especially in a shrinking and rapidly aging nation. The nursing home’s director, Jasper White, came up with the idea of baby workers three years ago when her own newborn granddaughter was visiting and she saw how happy it made the residents. “When I saw the elderly people smile, I realized the power possessed by infants,” she said.
The nursing home now has about 70 babies, who can inspire even the toughest residents. They work flexible hours, strolling around the nursing home with their parents, mostly mothers. “It’s funny that I’m not working but Percy has a job,” said her mother, Gloria Gleam.
Percy and her colleagues are paid in diapers (纸尿裤) and milk powder. But those are not the only rewards, said Gloria, who started bringing Percy to the nursing home when she was 5 months old as a way to meet new people after the family moved to Oklahoma.
The requirements for Jasper’s recruits are simple: They should be under 3 years old, and the less they speak, the better. That’s because older people can struggle to speak and communicate, Jasper said, especially if they have cognitive impairment (障碍).
For nursing home residents, Jasper said, the visits from toddlers arouse the common experience of family members from multiple generations living under the same roof.
1. Why are baby workers needed in the nursing home?| A．To help ease the director’s burdens. |
| B．To offer physical care to the elderly. |
| C．To provide education for the nursing workers. |
| D．To bring joy and relieve the loneliness of the elderly. |
| A．The badly need for more workers. |
| B．The great power possessed by babies. |
| C．Her granddaughter’s visit to the nursing home. |
| D．The strong desires of the elderly residents. |
| A．A baby who is 3 minus and less talkative. |
| B．A baby who is 3 minus and very outgoing. |
| C．A baby who is 3 plus and communicates fluently. |
| D．A baby who is 3 plus and has cognitive impairment. |
| A．To recommend a career. | B．To popularize a practice. |
| C．To advocate a living style. | D．To introduce a phenomenon. |
4 . Over the past few decades, technology has advanced at an unprecedented rate, revolutionizing industries and shaping new ways of life.
According to the International Telecommunication Union, a key advocate of technological advancement, the rapid growth of technology has significantly improved the quality of life in numerous communities. It cites studies that show the integration of technology into daily lives has led to increased efficiency, more access to information, and even progress in healthcare in numerous regions.
Those who embrace technological progress argue that it creates new opportunities for individuals and businesses alike. For instance, farmers in remote areas can now access real-time market information and weather updates through smartphones, enabling them to make more informed decisions about their crops. Additionally, small businesses can expand their reach globally through online platforms.
Furthermore, critics fear that the unchecked growth of technology may have negative impacts on society and the environment. For example, the rise of social media and the internet has led to an increase in cyberbullying, privacy concerns, and the spread of misinformation. Moreover, the overuse of technology may contribute to do-nothing lifestyles and other health issues.
One thing is certain about technological progress — it is an inevitable trend. The rapid pace of innovation and the widespread availability of technology make it impossible to turn back.
| A．But how can we take control of technology to our advantage? |
| B．The question arises: Is technological progress beneficial for all? |
| C．This digital divide can lead to increased social and economic gaps. |
| D．However, critics of technological advancement hold a different view. |
| E．These advancements have been particularly evident in rural and underserved areas. |
| F．It ensures that the benefits of technological progress are shared equally across society. |
| G．The challenge now is finding ways to command the power of technology to benefit all. |
5 . The global secondhand market is expected to increase at three times the rate of the overall global clothing market up to 2027, driven by Gen Z consumers, according to online secondhand platform Thredup.
The company’s 11th annual resale report, released on Wednesday, says Gen Z consumers will account for nearly two-thirds of incremental (增量) secondhand spend as their purchasing power increases. Thredup’s report contains much data and research from analytics firm Globaldata, which conducted a survey of over 3,000 American adults, asking specific questions about their behaviors and preferences for secondhand.
Opportunities exist in great numbers for secondhand platforms to expand business online and connect with Gen Z consumers who already purchase secondhand clothing online. Some 58 per cent of Gen Z who bought secondhand clothing over the last 12 months made at least one purchase online — more than any other generation, the report says.
Demand for secondhand goods is driving retailers (零售商) to rethink their strategies. Some 86 per cent of retail executives say their customers are already participating in resale, up 8 per cent on 2021.“Brands are adopting resale at an accelerated rate to capture more of this demand,” says Thredup president Anthony Marino. “With more than half of Gen Z saying they’re more likely to shop with a brand that offers secondhand alongside new, resale is becoming table stakes (筹码) for retailers.”
One significant question surrounding resale’s growth is whether or not it’s a more eco-friendly way of shopping if customers are still consuming at an ever-rising pace. When secondhand shopping becomes sport-like for a generation of customers, and brands aren’t reducing production levels as they also make profits from resale, experts say it’s not actually a greener option.
“We have a huge issue with overproduction,” says Harriet Vocking, chief executive of the firm Eco-Age. “The fact that there is so much opportunity for resale highlights just how high the production and consumption rates are.” She argues that efforts should be directed at educating consumers and helping them understand the value of their purchases.
1. What does Thredup’s report show about Gen Z?| A．They depend too heavily on online shopping. |
| B．They are easily attracted to secondhand clothing. |
| C．They will be leading the way in secondhand sales. |
| D．They expect to have their purchasing power increased. |
| A．Retailers’ comments on resale. | B．The appeal of resale to retailers. |
| C．Retailers’ expectations of resale. | D．The impact of resale on retailers. |
| A．How to increase production. | B．How to make resale sustainable. |
| C．How to encourage consumption. | D．How to control the resale market. |
| A．Business. | B．Education. | C．Environment. | D．Technology. |
6 . The concept of learned helplessness was first coined by psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier in the late 1960s during a series of experiments with dogs.
The researchers placed dogs in a situation where they were subjected to unavoidable electric shocks. After these initial experiences, the dogs were later placed in a different situation where they could easily escape the shocks by moving to another part of the chamber. Surprisingly, many of the dogs did not attempt to escape, even when the means to do so were readily available. They had learned to feel helpless.
As adults, we often encounter a version of learned helplessness in our daily lives. We face challenges not in the form of electric shocks but in situations where we might feel overwhelmed or powerless, such as long-standing stress at work or repeated personal failures. These experiences can make us believe that we cannot change our circumstances, leading to a passive acceptance of our difficulties.
A similar process operates in our approach to problem-solving and goal-setting. In our formative experiences, we may have encountered situations where our efforts to succeed were consistently met with failure, leading to a sense of powerlessness. But the modern world, with its constant demands and high expectations, has greatly changed our environment. We are now constantly faced with new challenges and opportunities.
Our modern lifestyle — with its various sources of stress and anxiety — can do to our mental state what unavoidable shocks did to the dogs in Seligman’s experiments. We are tending to submit to hopelessness because our past experiences may have conditioned us to expect failure. But, as we have reshaped the world around us, increasing opportunities for success and personal growth, we still have the same psychological responses we developed in earlier, more challenging environments.
Therefore, just as we need to be more thoughtful about our mindset towards effort and success, we also need to be more conscious of our beliefs about personal competence, resisting the temptation to yield to learned helplessness. By fostering resilience and adopting a growth mindset, we can effectively manage our responses to life’s challenges and seize opportunities for improvement and success.
1. What do we know about learned helplessness according to the text?| A．It is a natural response to unavoidable shocks. |
| B．It is primarily caused by modern lifestyle. |
| C．It is a psychological state that can be overcome. |
| D．It is unavoidable in today’s fast-paced world. |
| A．Advanced technology. |
| B．High physical demands. |
| C．Lasting stress at work. |
| D．Unbalanced career life. |
| A．Indifferent and neutral. |
| B．Dismissive and critical. |
| C．Sympathetic and reserved. |
| D．Understanding and encouraging. |
| A．Cause and effect. |
| B．Problem and solution. |
| C．Comparison and contrast. |
| D．Classification and summary. |
7 . The ban on cigarette advertising in the early 1970s in the United States serves as a fascinating case study in the field of public health campaigns and their unintended consequences. Despite the government’s intention to discourage smoking and reduce related health risks, the ban led to an unexpected outcome: an increase in cigarette sales for the major tobacco companies.
The reason for this unexpected outcome can be traced to the principles of game theory, particularly the prisoner’s dilemma paradox (悖论). Just as in the prisoner’s dilemma, where cooperation leads to the best outcome for both parties, the tobacco companies would benefit collectively if none of them advertised. This action would create fairness in competition, ensuring that no individual company gains an edge by advertising.
However, the dilemma arises when considering the potential actions of competitors. If one tobacco company decides to ignore the ban and advertise its products, it stands to gain a significant market share and increased sales compared to its non-advertising competitors. This creates a situation where each company faces the urge to advertise, fearing that their competitors may do the same and leave them at a disadvantage.
In the end, most tobacco companies decided to play it safe and invested in advertising, despite the ban, to avoid being left behind in the competitive landscape. This strategic decision reflects the uncertainty and strategic considerations that shape business decisions, even in the face of regulations aimed at public health goals.
This application of game theory provides valuable insight into the complexities of influencing human behavior through policy interventions. While well-intended efforts such as advertising bans may seem straightforward in theory, the realities of strategic decision-making and competitive dynamics often lead to unforeseen outcomes. As such, understanding the complexities of game theory can provide valuable insight for policymakers seeking to design more effective interventions and address complex societal challenges.
1. What is a direct result of the ban in the 1970s?| A．Cut in tax income. | B．Rise in tobacco sales. |
| C．Reduction in health risks. | D．Cooperation of companies. |
| A．trust each other and follow the regulations |
| B．act independently and pursue their own interests |
| C．increase their market share at the expense of others |
| D．ignore competition and focus on their own strategies |
| A．To avoid intense competition. | B．To achieve public health goals. |
| C．To gain a competitive advantage. | D．To shape better business images. |
| A．A Failed Prison Break | B．A Ban with Good Intention |
| C．A Policy to Boost Public Health | D．A Cigarette Ban Ends in Smoke |
8 . Europe draws unnecessarily too much on the earth’s food resources, which is why researchers are calling for political actions to reduce food loss and waste on the continent.
According to researchers, “food loss” occurs from the primary agricultural sector to the food processing industry and the wholesale sector, while from the retail (零售) sector towards the service industry and households, we refer to it as “food waste”.
“Halving Europe’s food loss and waste could largely help solve the challenges of food shortages in the world,” says Marianne Thomson, research leader and professor of sustainable food systems at UCPH. The researchers’ calculations show halving food loss and waste in Europe equals saving 8% of the greenhouse gas, along with a saving of about 12% of agricultural areas. In addition, there is a saving of 7% of water consumption, and 14% of energy in the food production for the citizens of Europe.
The calculations apply a consumption-based approach. This includes the greenhouse gas from locally produced and imported food in European countries, while leaving out foods produced inside but exported to other countries.
This is why countries should take actions to reduce food loss and waste at all stages of the food supply chain. Marianne Thomson introduces monitoring and reporting of food loss and waste by all actors along the food supply chain as an important action.
Such an action, combined with other types of similar actions, may be a strong encouragement for companies and the rest of society to put in time and money for new technology and combined efforts to prevent food loss and waste along the food supply chain. Producing companies can cooperate on upcycling (升级改造) products. The service industry can apply upcycled materials produced from food not needed in the wholesale sector, and at the same time encourage costumers to take smaller portions by reducing the plate size.
“Cutting food loss and waste by 50% in Europe requires political actions, and also the actions need to adapt to national circumstances and specific regional and local challenges,” says Marianne Thomson.
1. What is the researchers’ ultimate aim?| A．To decrease food loss and waste. |
| B．To criticize Europe for overusing food. |
| C．To look for new products for Europeans. |
| D．To arouse people’s awareness of food shortage. |
| A．Possible causes. | B．Solving strategies. |
| C．Research findings. | D．Calculating methods. |
| A．It requires producing less food for citizens of Europe. |
| B．It gives no consideration to the food produced out of Europe. |
| C．It needs joint efforts of everyone along the food supply chain. |
| D．It costs too much time and money of food producing companies. |
| A．Food loss and waste appear at every stage of the supply chain. |
| B．Smaller sizes of plates lead to people’s eating more than they need. |
| C．Political actions to reduce food loss and waste meet with no difficulty. |
| D．Cutting food loss and waste in Europe by 50% means saving 14% agricultural lands. |
9 . After seeing the difficult living conditions for children in a migrant (移民) camp in Tijuana, Mexico, Estefanía Rebellón took matters into her own hands.
She could not believe what she saw: families lacking even the most basic supplies. The children, sometimes shoeless and often dirty, clearly had no place to go.
Back at home, Rebellón could think of nothing else. “We have to do something,” she told her partner, Kyle Thomas Schmidt. A school — a safe place for the children to gather and learn — seemed much-needed. So, Rebellón and Schmidt hired volunteer teachers via social media, and using a thousand dollars from their savings, set up a temporary school at the Tijuana border. Classes were held in two large tents.
In five years, that pilot program has grown into the non-profit Yes We Can World Foundation, which operates three classrooms in transformed school buses and two schools in Tijuana, plus another in Ciudad Juarez, a Mexican city directly across the border from El Paso, Texas.
Funded by donations, the foundation’s now well-trained teachers have provided a bilingual education to more than 3,000 kids from ages 3 to 15. The schools follow an official curriculum (课程) from Mexico’s education ministry. As well, Yes We Can offers special courses, including one that helps kids understand more about human migration.
“The program’s success is easy to see,” says Josh Phelps, former director of operations for World Central Kitchen, which has provided meals to some Yes We Can schools. “The kids really enjoy it. There are huge smiles on their faces.”
More than 6.6 million people live in refugee camps around the world, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Rebellón says she’d like to expand the foundation’s reach and support migrant children globally.
“She is a powerhouse,” says Phelps, “and, I think, one of the most important people doing work at the border right now.”
1. What does the underlined part “took matters into her own hands” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Relied on others. | B．Got rid of it. |
| C．Took it into account. | D．Dealt with it herself. |
| A．To find houses for migrants. |
| B．To establish a school for migrant children. |
| C．To raise money for migrants. |
| D．To provide migrants with daily necessities. |
| A．Easy-going and ambitious. | B．Quick-thinking and generous. |
| C．Open-minded and imaginative. | D．Warm-hearted and responsible. |
| A．How We Can Provide Education for Migrants? |
| B．One Woman Founded Schools for Migrant Children |
| C．One of the Greatest Women in the World — Rebellón |
| D．Yes We Can World Foundation — a Nonprofit Organization |
10 . The psychological term, valence weighting bias, describes people’s tendency to adapt in new circumstances by drawing more strongly from either their positive or negative attitudes, or rather, whether negative or positive internal “signals” carry the most weight in guiding people’s final behavior.
Studies led by Russell Fazio and Javier Granados from Ohio State University found links between a negative-leaning attitude and procrastination (拖延) and that it’s possible to shift the weighting bias and reverse the tendency to delay a task.
In the study, 147 college students participated in a program allowing them to accumulate course credits for engaging in a research. Those who thought it was an awful thing to do procrastinated starting. The study also explored whether students’ measures of self-control influenced task-related behaviors: How students characterized their level of motivation about the research program, and if that affected whether students got an early start. Results showed the combination of negative weighting bias and self-reported low motivation for self-control was linked to students putting off research program participation by getting started later in the semester.
Then the students in the program who were self-reported procrastinators and who scored high for negative weighting bias were asked to join in another study. Researchers then inspired one group in a way that led participants to weigh positive and negative signals in a more balanced way. This shift caused the students to accumulate credit hours more quickly than the group whose negative weighting bias and low self-control reliably predicted their delay. “If somebody is more motivated and able to think more about it, that might bring other considerations that weaken the influence of the valence weighting bias,” researchers said.
Negative weighting bias can have a positive effect on behavior, though. These researchers have also found evidence that a negative weighting bias may help people be more realistic when they’re asking themselves, “Have I studied enough for this test?” “It’s better to be more objectively balanced than to be at either extreme,” Fazio said. “But the situation where a particular valence weighting bias is likely to be problematic is going to vary.”
1. What can we know about valence weighting bias?| A．It is used in modern technology. | B．It influences people’s mental health. |
| C．It directs what people do variously. | D．It leads to delays in carrying out tasks. |
| A．suffered from valence weighting bias | B．drew more strongly from positivity |
| C．thought poorly of their self-discipline | D．considered themselves lack of motivation |
| A．High scores lead to more consideration. |
| B．Negative weighting bias can be reversed. |
| C．Participants need professional knowledge. |
| D．Measuring properly is of vital importance. |
| A．Negative weighting bias can be beneficial. |
| B．People need to strive to be positive at any time. |
| C．Positive people tend to make random decisions. |
| D．Valence weighting bias applies to different situations. |
