The center of American automobile innovation
In a bid to take production back to Detroit, Michigan lawmakers have introduced legislation that could make their state
“Michigan’s role in auto research and development is under attack from several states and countries which desire to take
If all four bills pass as
Lawmakers in Michigan clearly want to make the state ready for the commercial use of self-driving technology.
2 . In Mexico, first Oaxaca's state legislature (立法机关) passed a ban on selling or giving out high-calorie packaged foods and sugar-sweetened drinks to minors (未成年人) recently. Less than two weeks later, Tabasco state approved a prohibition too. Now at least a dozen other states in Mexico are considering similar legislation.
Two-thirds of those who died from COVID-19 in Mexico had health problems such as obesity and diabetes, according to Health Department officials. That has led to a new urgency to change diets so that the younger generation doesn't suffer those diseases. The country consumes large amounts of sugar-sweetened drinks and processed snacks. One-third of Mexicans aged 6 to 19 are overweight, according to UNICEF. They can suffer many health issues, especially in adulthood.
Assistant Health Secretary Hugo, who has called soda "bottled poison", has been calling on citizens to cut back on junk food. He said the country's overweight health issue is the fault of a nutritional environment that has been developed to favor those junk food products instead of health.
In addition to Tabasco, Chihuahua state is debating a junk food ban. A federal senator from Oaxaca says he wants to make it a national law. A nationwide law would not be easy. There are powerful commercial interests that don't want it to happen. The business owners' association COPARMEX said the lawmaking “will be a barrier to commercial freedom”.
Public health groups applauded the junk food ban for minors as it is another encouraging step toward nutrition. With their effort, in the rural Oaxacan town, citizens have physically blocked chips and soda delivery trucks from entering, saying they don't want outsiders to bring in junk food. Almost all teenagers there know about health problems related to junk food thanks to the non-profit workshops from the health group. “I'd be annoyed at first,” said 16-year-old Wendy, “but I'd adapt. And maybe I'd think twice and buy fruit or something healthy instead.”
1. What is behind the new urgency to change diets?| A．COVID-19 death cases. | B．Pressure from the public. |
| C．The nutritional environment. | D．Wide consumption of packaged foods. |
| A．advocate a healthier lifestyle | B．met healthier food demand |
| C．cut junk food production | D．win support from young people |
| A．They tried to win grocers' support. | B．They funded the research on diseases. |
| C．They stopped the delivery of junk food. | D．They raised citizens' awareness of health issues. |
| A．Action to Fight Against Global Health Problem | B．Ways of Losing Weight by Eating Smart |
| C．Move to Ban Junk Food Sales to Minors | D．Advice on How to Have a Balanced Diet |
3 . For many kids, the Internet is at their fingertips. From computers to smart phones, a web of information is open to them. According to a new report from the Pew Research Center, about three out of four kids aged 12 to 13 connect the Internet using a mobile device (移动设备) from time to time. Many younger kids are online, too.
Julian Zeitlinger, 9, from New Jersey, uses his computer to watch videos and play games. To keep him safe online, his parents monitor (监视) his web use and discuss Internet safety with him. “I ask my parents if something is wrong,” Julian says.
Mobile devices offer more ways than ever to share personal information. The information can be dangerous in the wrong hands. A study found that 62% of children aged 8 to 17 have had an unpleasant online experience.
Have you ever had to enter a parent’s email address when signing up for a website? That safety net is there because of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law says sites for kids under 13 cannot collect personal information, such as a phone number or full name, without a parent’s permission (允许).
This July, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will update (更新) COPPA for the first time since the law was created, in 1198—when there were no smart phones. “The nature of the way kids get online has changed,” FTC lawyer Phyllis Marcus said.
When the changes take effect, COPPA will apply to mobile device (移动设备) and newer forms of adverising. “There is a misunderstanding that if a site is following COPPA, it is totally safe,” says privacy expert Shai Samet. He runs kidSAFE, which checks whether a site meets kidSAFE standards and is safe. “It is important that kids know how useful the Internet is but that is also can be dangerous if you are not careful.” he adds.
1. Julian’s parents check his web use to make sure ________.| A．he doesn’t watch too many videos. |
| B．he doesn’t play computer games. |
| C．he stays safe on the Internet. |
| D．he controls his online time. |
| A．By describing his own experiences. |
| B．By presenting scientific research. |
| C．By showing differences. |
| D．By using examples. |
| A．normal websites are always safe. |
| B．the Internet is becoming safer and safer. |
| C．COPPA can ensure their complete safety. |
| D．daily checks prevent future online problems. |
4 . About 60,000 Pacific Islanders worked as indentured labourers (签订契约的劳工）on Queensland’s sugar cane（甘蔗）fields between 1863 and 1903.They were mainly males, aged 9 to 30, transported to Australia by ship.Some came freely, wanting the new life promised to them, some were tricked, and some were kidnapped（绑架）.
The practice of kidnapping people for labour was called “blackbirding”.“Blackbird” was a term used instead of slave, because slavery was actually illegal.Britain had passed the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833 and as a British colony (殖民地）,Queensland had to follow the Act It is said that a third of Pacific Islanders who worked as indentured labourers were either kidnapped or tricked into coming to Australia.Indentured labour was really just another name for slavery.
Indentured labourers had to work for a required period of time,usually three years,to pay back their passage to Australia and then they could earn money as free labourers.It was hard, dirty work in the Queensland countryside.Most indentured labourers were badly treated, many returning to their homelands as soon as their indentured period was finished.A small number married into local communities and stayed.Free labourers were also badly treated on the cane fields, working for low pay and living in very poor conditions.
Then the Australian Government’s White Australia Policy forced Pacific Islanders to leave Australia.Even people who were born in Australia to Pacific Islander parents were driven out of the country due to their colour.If they didn’t leave voluntarily, they were rounded up and driven away forcibly between 1906 and 1908.This practice destroyed many families.Some of the people had lived in Australia most, if not all, of their lives.Only a few who had married Australians were allowed to stay.A few managed to hide and avoid being driven away.
1. What happened from 1863 to 1903?| A．Australians had a new life. |
| B．Many Australians were kidnapped. |
| C．Australia was in want of labourers. |
| D．Australia’s sugar industry began to slow down. |
| A．It was lawful before 1863. | B．It came to an end in 1833. |
| C．It was introduced by the British. | D．It replaced the word “blackbirding” . |
| A．To escape mistreatment. | B．To get a better-paid job. |
| C．To avoid being kidnapped. | D．To be involved in local communities. |
| A．Slaves for sugar | B．Laws in Australia |
| C．Pacific Islanders’ new home | D．Sugar cane industry's development |
5 . Tens of thousands of drone (无人机)owners will have to register their devices for the first time under regulations designed to safeguard privacy.
Rules introduced yesterday require all drones that are fitted with cameras to be logged with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Anyone who fails to do so faces being taken to court and fined up to £1,000. Drones heavier than 250g already have to be registered with the CAA, which costs £9 and must be renewed annually, but the new measures extend this requirement to all devices, including the lightweight models that are used by hobbyist pilots.
The move comes after sharp rise in the number of drones bought by enthusiasts or those operating them for commercial reasons, such as to inspect infrastructure or for photography and filming.
However, the rise has prompted concerns over privacy, with fears that drones are being used to spy on private residences and other buildings. It has also led to an increase in the number of near-misses between drones and other aircraft, including commercial passenger jets. The latest figures show 531 near-misses involving drones were logged in the past decade, including 125 recorded in 2019.
By law drones are supposed to be operated within an operator's line of sight. They have to remain below an altitude of 400ft to avoid interfering with aircraft and flown at least 164ft away from people and buildings. The government has already toughened up regulations in recent years. This includes requiring all operators to pass an online test before being allowed to fly devices. Other changes to the regulations include allowing drones that weigh up to 25kg to be operated, compared with a previous limit of 20kg.
Devices will also fall into three new categories of risk --high, medium and low -- depending on how they will be flown. Low-risk drones, including those typically used by hobbyists, will have operational limitations but will not need authorisation （授权）for flights. Authorisation is needed for larger medium-risk and high-risk drone flights, which are typically carried out in more complex environments, including those beyond the operator's line of sight, which is banned under normal circumstances.
Christian Struwe, the director of public policy, said of the new regulation: "It simplifies different processes and allows customers to travel from country to country without having to worry about different rules in different foreign locations.”
1. Why must the drone owners register their devices?| A．To protect their rights of flying drones. |
| B．To avoid breaking the new regulations. |
| C．To follow the rules not to invade others’ privacy. |
| D．To make sure their drones meet the weight requirement. |
| A．Updated every day. |
| B．Registered every year. |
| C．Redesigned every year. |
| D．Replaced every month. |
| A．Drones will be used for commercial purposes. |
| B．It is impossible to avoid being spied by drones. |
| C．Operating drones requires higher qualification. |
| D．Drones probably crash into passenger planes while in use. |
| A．Ways of operating drones. |
| B．The requirements on drones. |
| C．Online test on drone operators. |
| D．Methods of making standard drones. |
| A．How to make a standard drone. |
| B．How drones are operated by enthusiasts. |
| C．The negative effect of drones on people. |
| D．The importance of registering the drones. |
6 . Home to 8.2 million people, 36 percent of whom were born outside the United State, New York, known as the Big Apple, is the biggest city in America. Nearly twenty times bigger than the capital, Washington DC, you might expect New York to be twenty times more dangerous, actually, it’s safer. Recent figures show that New York now has fewer crimes per 100,000 people than 193 other US cities. It's also healthier than it used to be. For example, the smoking rate has gone down from 21.5 percent a few years ago, to 16.9 percent today.
New Yorkers should be delighted, shouldn't they? In fact, many feel that New York is losing its identity. It used to be the city that never sleeps. These days it's the city that never smokes, drinks or does anything naughty (at least, not in public). The Big Apple is quickly turning into the Forbidden Apple.
If you decided to have a picnic in Central Park, you'd need to be careful—if you decided to feed the birds with your sandwich, you could be arrested. It's banned. In many countries a mobile phone going off in the cinema is annoying. In New York it's illegal. So is putting your bag on an empty seat in the subway. If you went to a bar for a drink and a cigarette, that would be OK, wouldn't it? Er ... no. You can't smoke in public in New York City. In fact, you can't smoke outdoors on the street or in parks either. The angry editor of Vanity Fair magazine, Gray don Carter, says, “Under New York City law it is acceptable to keep a gun in your place of work, but not an empty ashtray.” He should know. The police came to his office and took away his ashtray.
But not all of New York's citizens are complaining. Marcia Dugarry, seventy-two, said, "The city has changed for the better. If more cities had these laws, America would be a better place to live."
The new laws have helped turn the city into one of the healthiest—and most pleasant places to live in America—very different from its old image of a dirty and dangerous city. Its pavements are almost litter-free, its bars clean and its streets among America's safest. Not putting your bag on subway seats might be a small price to pay.
1. The author writes Paragraph 1 mainly to tell the reader that New York is________.| A．bigger than Washington D.C. | B．the best place in the world |
| C．safer and healthier | D．the most dangerous city |
| A．quite popular | B．not allowed in law | C．very impolite | D．quite common |
| A．Some of New York's new laws are not reasonable. |
| B．A gun is much easier to get than an ashtray. |
| C．The police had no right to take away his ashtray |
| D．there should be a law to keep guns away from people. |
| A．The writer supports them. | B．The writer is against them. |
| C．The writer is not interested in them. | D．The writer's attitude is not clear. |
7 . Smoking in your own home in Thailand may now be considered a crime, if the smoke is considered harmful to other people in the house.
The new law, Family Protection and Development Promotion Act, was initiated (启动) by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and was announced in the Royal Gazette on May 22, 2019. The law aims at limiting smoking at home which might be hazardous for others’ health living under the same roof. In that case, it will be considered as “domestic violence”. The new law came into force on August 20.
According to the center for research and knowledge management for tobacco control, at the Faculty of Medical Science of Mahidol University, there are about 4.9 million households where one or more family members smoke. An average of 10.3 million people have unconsciously become passive smokers because they’ve been breathing in smoke at home. Scientific studies show that passive smokers are at greater risk of being affected by cancer.
Of 75 child patients from houses where smoking is practiced, 76% of them were found to have nicotine traces in their urine (尿液), with 43% of them having nicotine content going beyond permitted levels. Smoking at home also may lead to physical or emotional violence because of aggressiveness (攻击性) when there is a lack of smoking, and might as well ruin relationships between smokers and non-smoker family members.
According to the new law, anyone who thinks they are affected by domestic smoking can report to officials concerned so that inspectors will be sent to investigate and take legal action against the smokers. Once confirmed, the court may order a person to receive treatment to quit smoking in an attempt to protect the person’s family. In February in 2019, Thailand had banned smoking at six of its airports along with a ban in public places.
1. What do we know about the new law in Thailand?| A．It came into effect on May 22. |
| B．It aimed at protecting the health of non-smokers. |
| C．It regarded smoking at home as a kind of domestic violence. |
| D．It clearly claimed that smoking at home is a crime. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Harmful. |
| C．Beneficial. | D．Essential. |
| A．The purpose of initiating the law. |
| B．Responses to the new law. |
| C．Actions to quit smoking. |
| D．Bad consequences of smoking at home. |
| A．Smoking is illegal anywhere in Thailand. |
| B．Passive smokers are not likely to suffer from cancer. |
| C．People tend to be more aggressive when they are smoking. |
| D．Thailand is making efforts to create a smoke-free environment. |
8 . Sociologists indicate that people obey the law because they see it as a legitimate (合法) authority. But McAdams, the Bernard D. Meltzer Professor of Law and Aaron Director Research Scholar, shared his two different theories of how the law works specifically: by allowing people to coordinate (配合) and by signaling new information and beliefs. McAdams explains them in depth in The Expressive Powers of Law: Theories and Limits.
The coordination theory is that law works as a focus to help people avoid conflict or other undesirable situations, “One example is a one-way traffic sign. We could imagine working without sanctions (制裁) or legitimacy, because you would be a fool to ignore it,” McAdams said, “Seeing the one-way sign, you know other people will see it too, and you expect that you’ll have a head-on crash if you go the wrong way. Your reason to follow the one-way lines is independent of sanctions or legitimacy, which is simply to coordinate with people.”
But law also works specifically by signaling information about risk or public attitudes that causes people to update their behavior. “People take the beliefs of others as input into their own beliefs and changing their beliefs can cause them to change their behavior,” McAdams said. For example: A new smoking ban might reveal a rising disapproval of cigarette smoking, and it might also reveal that lawmakers now believe it’s harmful.
Either of these could change behavior. “If I’m a nonsmoker, I might be willing to bear more of a cost to avoid secondhand smoke, and that might include resisting smokers. And if I’m a smoker, and I think that secondhand smoke is more harmful than I used to, then I might expect more resistance if I don’t give in,” McAdams said.
1. What does the author intend to do in the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the topic of the text. | B．To tell readers who are McAdams. |
| C．To offer some advice on obeying laws. | D．To explain what are McAdams’ theories. |
| A．Public attitudes need updating all the time. |
| B．People’s beliefs will decide their behaviors. |
| C．Lawmakers’ beliefs are of importance to public behaviors. |
| D．Others’ beliefs will have a bad effect on people’s own decision. |
| A．Why the law is important. | B．How the law affects the public. |
| C．Why people obey the law. | D．How people learn more about the law. |
9 . Pengci (碰瓷) has been a disgusting matter for a long time. When driving on a road, if you see an old man or woman walking by the road, you may be afraid that he or she will hit your car on purpose, and then ask you for much money. Even worse, it has been reported that a pupil saw an old woman fall onto the ground, so he walked over to help her. But she grabbed him and said she was pushed down by him. Then she tried to extort much money from the pupil’s parents.
What a shame! How to deal with it? Our authorities have taken aim at pengci.
On October 14, three top judicial (司法的) organs issued a guideline to clarify the application of the law in extortion cases involving deliberately fabricated (捏造的) accidents or similar happenings. The guideline was issued by the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate. For the first time, authorities have defined the pengci trick, in which people pretend they have been harmed by another party and then ask that party for money or property as compensation.
The guideline stipulates (规定) punishment for the two main types of pengci-fraud and extortion. Criminals who intentionally or negligently cause harm to others while carrying out pengci tricks may be charged with the crimes of intentional homicide, intentional injury, negligently (疏忽地) causing others’ death or causing serious injury to others, the guideline said.
The guideline also stipulates that whoever deliberately causes a traffic accident and blackmails the victim, which meets the relating provisions (条款) of the Criminal Law, shall be punished as the crime of extortion by blackmail.
According to this guideline, we can avoid being extorted by ill persons and warm-hearted persons can help those who really need help.
1. What does the underlined word“extort”in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Threaten to get something illegally. | B．Earn something by working. |
| C．Ask somebody for something. | D．Give something for free |
| A．To protect old men and women. |
| B．To punish criminals seriously. |
| C．To help students do good deeds. |
| D．To clarify the application of the law in extortion cases. |
| A．All the criminals referred to in this passage shall be charged. |
| B．The guideline stipulates one who causes a traffic accident by chance shall be punished. |
| C．Those who play pengci tricks usually pretend to have been harmed. |
| D．If a man plays pengci tricks, he may be very poor. |
| A．Help cautiously when necessary. | B．Help without hesitation. |
| C．Look on nearby. | D．Call the police quickly. |
10 . Food brings us together and connects us to our families, friends, nature and to foreign cultures. Food is universal. Food waste, on the other hand, has become a universal problem, as it significantly contributes to climate change. Luckily, there are countries that have laws to require supermarkets or other businesses to donate unsold food.
About one third of all food grown for human consumption is thrown out or wasted according to the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO). This creates both environmental and financial problems, since traditional agriculture requires large amounts of resources including land and water. Food production is also a major cause of greenhouse gases and climate change.
Food waste occurs at every step of food production from the field to the store. In fact, fruits, vegetables, and roots have the highest waste. Donating food that is unusually wasted does not mean giving away damaged food. Sometimes it is simply a case of food being mislabeled, a can that has a torn label, or slightly bruised fruit.
To reduce both the financial and environmental pressure, Italy passed a law to encourage businesses and farmers to donate unsold food to charities. Companies that donate their leftovers will pay lower taxes on waste removal.
Waste management is also a very costly thing for governments. In fact, according to Global Citizen, in 2016, Italy spent over $13.3 billion on waste management. The idea behind the law is that when it is economic and convenient, companies will happily follow the law.
France was the first country to pass a food donation law in 2016. It required supermarkets that are at least 4,300 square feet to donate unsold food to charity. Since then, 90 percent of supermarkets began donating food, the number of which was 66 percent before the law.
To increase food donations, Israel passed a law in 2018 to ensure that unused food from restaurants, hotels and other places goes to the people that need it most.
1. What does paragraph 2 focus on?| A．FAO's guidelines. | B．Human eating diets. |
| C．Global climate change. | D．Food waste problems. |
| A．Heavily broken canned food. | B．Unhealthy vegetables. |
| C．Slightly bruised fruit. | D．Damaged food. |
| A．It will sell donated food to make money. | B．It will ask companies to pay higher taxes. |
| C．It will save money on waste management. | D．It will attract more international companies. |
| A．It seems difficult to pass in Israel. | B．It takes effect gradually in France. |
| C．It is just applied in supermarkets. | D．It is an unsuccessful try in France. |
