1 . Utah’s governor, Spencer Cox, recently signed two bills into law that strictly limit children’s use of social media platforms. Under the law, which takes effect next year, social media companies have to check the ages of all users in the state, and children under age 18 have to get agreement from their parents to have accounts. Parents will also be able to use their kids’ accounts, apps won’t be allowed to show children ads, and accounts for kids won’t be able to be used between 10:30 pm and 6:30 am without parental agreement.
While some people argue age limitation allows tech companies to collect even more data about users, let’s be real: These companies already have much private information about us. To solve this problem, we need a separate data privacy law. But until that happens, this concern shouldn’t stop us from protecting kids.
One of the key parts of the law is allowing parents to use their kids’ accounts. By doing this, the law begins to help address one of the biggest dangers kids face online: harmful content.
One huge challenge the law helps parents get over is the amount of time kids are spending on social media. A 2022 survey found that, on average, children aged 8 to 12 spend 5 hours and 33 minutes per day on social media while those aged 13 to 18 spend 8 hours and 39 minutes daily. It’s warned that lack of sleep is connected with serious harm to children — everything from injuries to depression (抑郁), fatness and diabetes. So, parents need to have a way to ensure their kids aren’t up on social media platforms all night.
Considering the experiences many kids are having on social media, this law will help Utah’s parents protect their kids. Parents in other states need the same support. Now, it’s time for the government to step up and ensure children throughout the country have the same protection as Utah’s kids.
1. Which is allowed according to the new bill?| A．Ads can be put on to children. |
| B．Children can use social media freely. |
| C．Parents can check their kids’ accounts. |
| D．Related companies protect users’ accounts. |
| A．Because children’s right to surf the Internet is limited. |
| B．Because more personal information may be given away. |
| C．Because it prevents the data privacy law from taking effect. |
| D．Because children may become too dependent on the Internet. |
| A．Higher learning efficiency. |
| B．Better personal eating habits. |
| C．Easier access to healthy media. |
| D．Improved physical and mental health. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Flexible. | D．Negative. |
2 . Beijing No 4 Intermediate People’s Court said on Thursday that it concluded 77 cases of smuggling (走私) precious animal products from the beginning of 2015 to June this year, with about 40 percent of defendants (被告) given prison terms of three or more years. The products were found to be frequently made of body parts of some endangered wild animals such as elephants, turtles, bears and wolves, Wang Jing, vice-president of the court, told a news conference.
“Most of the defendants were migrant workers, students and tourists coming back to China, “Wang said. “Some aimed to sell the products for profits or send to friends and family members as gifts, while they wanted to use them to help with diseases.”
Wang explained that some of the defendants received heavier penalties (惩罚), such as a long-term imprisonment and a high fine, because the animal parts they smuggled were from animals listed on the national key protection of wildlife or related to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For example, a defendant surnamed Yan was sentenced to 10 years in prison, along with 200,000 yuan ($27, 968) in fines, for smuggling 393 fish bladder products, the court said. Yan was caught while arriving at the Beijing Capital International Airport from Mexico on March 21, 2018, and the suspected products were discovered by the customs staff members in Yan’s luggage. The products were later identified as being made of drum fish in Gulf of California, and the fish is listed on the CITES, the court said, adding that the products were worth of about 2.51 million yuan ($351,000).
To effectively fight the crime, the court has issued a guideline on the smuggling of precious animal products to help judges accurately apply laws and unify (统一) the standards of relevant case hearings.
On Thursday, the court also disclosed four other smuggling cases, showing its determination and effort to protect precious animals by rule of law.
1. What does Wang Jing mainly express in paragraph 2?| A．The diseases that the animal products can be used to cure people of. |
| B．The way the defendants managed to get the animal products abroad. |
| C．The reasons why the defendants brought the animal products from abroad. |
| D．The people who the defendants were supposed to sell the animal products to. |
| A．Yan was sentenced to one decade in prison without any fines. |
| B．Yan was caught when trying to make a deal with someone. |
| C．Yan’s products were made of a kind of endangered fish. |
| D．Yan was a migrant worker, who came from Europe. |
| A．Have some doubts about. | B．Feel a little upset about. |
| C．Try to hide the truth about. | D．Give people information about. |
| A．Beijing court handles 77 cases of smuggling animal products |
| B．Beijing court makes an effort to recognize wild animals products |
| C．Beijing court helps judges apply laws about smuggling animal products |
| D．Beijing court issues guideline on smuggling of precious animal products |
3 . Beijing No 4 Intermediate People’s Court said on Thursday that it concluded 77 cases of smuggling (走私) precious animal products from the beginning of 2015 to June this year, with about 40 percent of defendants (被告) given prison terms of three or more years. The products were found to be frequently made of body parts of some endangered wild animals such as elephants, turtles, bears and wolves, Wang Jing, vice-president of the court, told a news conference.
”Most of the defendants were migrant workers, students and tourists coming back to China,“ Wang said. ”Some aimed to sell the products for profits or send to friends and family members as gifts, while they wanted to use them to help with diseases.“
Wang explained that some of the defendants received heavier penalties (刑罚), such as a long-term imprisonment and a high fine, because the animal parts they smuggled were from animals listed on the national key protection of wildlife or related to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES). For example, a defendant surnamed Yan was sentenced to 10 years in prison, along with 200,000 yuan($27,968)in fines, for smuggling 393 fish bladder products, the court said. Yan was caught while arriving at the Beijing Capital International Airport from Mexico on March 21, 2018, and the suspected products were discovered by the customs staff members in Yan’s luggage, it said. The products were later identified as being made of drum fish in Gulf of California, and the fish is listed on the CITES, it said, adding that the products were worth of about 2.51 million yuan($351,000).
To effectively fight the crime, the court has issued a guideline on the smuggling of precious animal products to help judges accurately apply laws and unify (统一) the standards of relevant case hearings.
On Thursday, the court also disclosed four other smuggling cases, showing its determination and effort to protect precious animals by rule of law.
1. What did Wang Jing tell the news conference in paragraph 1?| A．Who the products would be sold to. | B．Where the wild animals came from. |
| C．What the products were made of. | D．How the wild animals were caught. |
| A．Five years. | B．Seven years. | C．Ten years. | D．Twelve years. |
| A．Have some doubt about. | B．Feel a little upset about. |
| C．Try to discover facts about. | D．Give people information about. |
| A．Beijing court handles 77 cases of smuggling animal products |
| B．Beijing court makes an effort to recognize wild animals products |
| C．Beijing court helps judges apply laws about smuggling animal products |
| D．Beijing court issues guideline on smuggling of precious animal products |
4 . China will accelerate law-making on making up for ecological damage, as the mechanism (机制) continues to prove its role in helping restore damaged environments across the country, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. From 2018 to 2021, authorities across the country handled about 11, 300 such cases, with compensation (补偿) amounting to almost 11.7 billion yuan.
The department showed statistics demonstrating the mechanism as effective in dealing with ecological and environmental damage.
It said that thanks to the compensation, over 36 million cubic meters of contaminated soil and 300 million cubic meters of polluted surface water have been treated. The mechanism has also helped restore over 61 million square meters of forest.
In a case exposed in late 2019, for instance, a paper company named Meili was found to have illegally dumped a large amount of thick, black waste from papermaking in the Tengger Desert. According to the ministry’s investigation, most of the pollutants were dumped from 2003 to 2007, polluted soil and groundwater, and damaging plants. In March 2021, after a third-party agency was brought in to assess the damage, a court in Zhongwei required the polluter to pay more than 198 million yuan in compensation in two stages.
In the first stage, Meili will pay about 44.2 million yuan to cover the cost to investigate andclean up the pollutants. The rest of the compensation will be used in the second stage to carry out compensatory restoration, groundwater monitoring and risk control in the area. In its statement, the department of law, regulation and standards also noted the remarkable progress the country has made in enhancing the institutions for the mechanism.
Bie Tao, director of the department, vowed further efforts to promote law-making for the mechanism. “Aside from striving to include ecological and environmental damage compensationinto the Environmental Protection Law and other relevant laws, we will also make efforts to promote research into a specific law for the mechanism,” he said.
1. What does the underlined word “contaminated” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Dirty. | B．Pure. | C．Tidy. | D．Rich. |
| A．How to make the law. | B．How the mechanism worked. |
| C．How to monitor groundwater. | D．How the environment was polluted. |
| A．Detailed news about global warming. |
| B．Clearly defined law for the mechanism. |
| C．Further research into the paper company. |
| D．Regular process of environmental protection. |
| A．Make polluters pay | B．Keep the earth healthy |
| C．Stop environmental damage | D．Work harmoniously with each other |
5 . Since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in 1973, it has helped hundreds of species avoid extinction in the United States. The strong conservation policy has been used as a model in other countries. But it’s not as successful as it could be, a new study finds.
Researchers have discovered that most species are not being protected until their numbers became so small that their chance of recovery is slim.
In 1993, a study found that few species received protection under the ESA until their populations dwindled to very tiny numbers: on average, just 1,075 individuals for vertebrates (脊椎动物), 999 for invertebrates, and 120 for individuals for plant species.
For the new study, researchers repeated the methods in the earlier research to see if protections have become better since the problem was first noted. They also looked at trends in “wait times” — the amount of time between when a species is identified as potentially needing protection and when it actually receives protection under the ESA.
The researchers found that the population sizes of species when they first became protected under the ESA are not statistically different from those in the 1993 study. The findings showed that the population of vertebrates when listed is 999 individuals, invertebrates is 536, and plants is 192.
They also discovered that there are long wait times between when a species is identified as likely needing protection and when they actually receive them.
There have been several thousand species listed on the ESA over the past nearly five decades, and 99% of the listed species have avoided going extinct. But researchers point out that only 54 species — like the bald eagle and American alligator — have recovered so well that they no longer need protection.
Researchers say that the findings are timely due to the upcoming December meeting of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The members will finalize a plan for conservation efforts globally through 2030.
Polls (民意调查) over the years have demonstrated that most Americans support a strong ESA to protect endangered (濒危的) wildlife. And the ESA has the strong policy, if used correctly, to do that.
1. What does the underlined word “dwindled” in paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Adapted. | B．Reduced. | C．Limited. | D．Returned. |
| A．The problems that were noticed recently. |
| B．The method used in the earlier research. |
| C．The improvement of protective measures. |
| D．The duration animals that were under protection. |
| A．The population of protected species grows larger. |
| B．Many more species are listed as endangered animals. |
| C．The number of vertebrates grows faster than invertebrates. |
| D．Endangered species tend to wait long before getting protected. |
| A．It contributes to a plan. |
| B．It put forward more effective measures. |
| C．It discovered more endangered species. |
| D．It reflected the public’s wishes and dreams. |
6 . A bill to conserve endangered species was passed by the U.S. House in a 231-to-190 vote on Tuesday.
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would create an annual fund of more than $1.3 billion, given to states, and territories for wildlife conservation on the ground. While threatened species have been recognized and protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1973, that law does not provide constant funding to actively maintain their numbers.
The effort comes as scientists and international organizations sound the alarm about accelerating species decline.
“Too many people don’t realize that about one-third of our wildlife is at increased risk of extinction,” said lead House sponsor Debbie Ding-ell, echoing (呼应) a recent study about climate change.
In the United States, there are more than 1,600 endangered or threatened species, but state agencies have identified more than 7 times that number in need of conservation assistance in their wildlife action plans.
“The bottom line is, when we save wildlife we save for ourselves,” said Collin O’ Mara, CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, which supports the bill. He said species loss threatens everything from the insects that pollinate (授粉) plants in the food chain, to sea life that helps to reduce damages to coastlines from storm.
The bill would improve a 1937 law, the Pittman-Robertson Act, which was passed in response to decreasing game and waterfowl species. That law allows states to tax hunting supplies to pay for wildlife and habitat restoration, but that money is not enough to do the same for non-game species.
The act would also invest more in conservation than the existing program for threatened non-game species, called the State Wildlife Grant Program, which awarded states a total of $56 million this year.
1. What do we know about the Endangered Species Act?| A．It does not involve continuous funding. |
| B．It was passed by the House this Tuesday. |
| C．It has proved to be a failed Act. |
| D．It ensured the population of all the species. |
| A．Human behavior causes species to decline. |
| B．People’s efforts matter a lot in conservation. |
| C．People lack awareness of animal protection. |
| D．The decline of species is beyond imagination. |
| A．To indicate they are at risk of dying out. |
| B．To illustrate how to protect them properly. |
| C．To show they’re more important than others. |
| D．To tell man and nature are an organic whole. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．News. | C．Technology. | D．Health. |
7 . Are there any controversial blood sports in your country? In the UK, there’s fox hunting. Officially, it’s illegal but it’s still going on.
The goal of most fox hunts is simple: to track, catch up and, sometimes, kill a fox. A hunt begins when the hounds (猎犬) are “cast”. This is when the dogs are released and start searching in bushes for foxes. When the hounds pick up the smell, they track the fox. If they see it, the chase (追赶) is on and the dogs run after it. The hunt continues until either the fox escapes or is caught and then usually killed by the hounds.
Many people are against fox hunting. Animal rights activists argue that foxes suffer a cruel (残忍的) and violent death. They also say that fox hunting is an activity in which people seem to gain pleasure from cruelty. Others dislike it for being a mostly upper-class sport. Among them was Oscar Wilde, who once described it in 1893 as, “the unspeakable in full chase of the uneatable”.
Supporters of fox hunting say it’s a tradition that’s part of England’s cultural heritage. They also say it plays an important role in country life, and that many jobs depend on fox hunting. Finally, they point out that it’s an important form of pest control that protects the livelihood of farmers, and that the foxes are killed quickly and that it’s much less cruel than using traps or poisons.
But in 2005 everything changed. The Hunting Act came into force, and this effectively banned fox hunting. But it wasn’t easy passing the law. Thousands of people gathered outside the House of Parliament in protest. Now, it is officially illegal, but hunts still take place and more than 1804 hunt groups are still in existence. So, it seems that this England’s tradition just refuses to die.
1. What does the underlined word “controversial” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Large in quantity. | B．Divided in opinion. |
| C．Diverse in form. | D．Similar in nature. |
| A．It could bring a large number of jobs for farmers. |
| B．It was a blood sport where foxes were killed cruelly. |
| C．It could give people greater pleasure than expected. |
| D．It was a meaningless activity the upper class preferred. |
| A．The purpose in passing the law about fox hunting. |
| B．The difficulty in carrying out the ban on fox hunting. |
| C．The change of people’s attitudes towards fox hunting. |
| D．The importance of keeping the tradition of fox hunting. |
8 . School starting times in America vary from an average of 7:48 am in go-getting Mississippi to 8:31 am in late-rising Connecticut. According to a survey, only in two states — Alaska and Connecticut — do schools tend to start after 8.30 am, the earliest recommended by many medical organizations. That may soon change. On October 13th California’s governor signed a law which cuts 2.7 million of the state’s schoolchildren some slack, setting a limit on starting times of half past eight for high-schoolers and eight o'clock for middle schoolers, in the hope that pupils will benefit from the extra time in bed.
There is plenty of reason to think they will. During puberty (发育期), adolescents are more alert in the afternoon and require more sleep in the morning. A research finds that later school starting times are in line with improved attendance, less tardiness (迟延), less falling asleep in class, better grades. It is estimated that moving to a half-past eight start across the country would boost the economy by more than $80 billion within a decade.
In response to the evidence, school districts across the country have begun to move start times back, but California is the first state to take the leap. Parents and unions are often bitterly opposed. The California Teachers Association fiercely resisted the change, citing the financial burden on schools as they adjust to the new hours, as well as the burden on parents who work as laborers or in the service industry. Last year the former governor, Jerry Brown, refused similar legislation (立法), saying the decision should be left to school destricts.
Supporters argue that it is appropriate for the state to set a minimum health-and-welfare standard. Anthony Portanino, who introduced the legislation, believes evidence of the change’s benefits will soon win over opponents in rural areas. “There really is no significant reason not to do this,” he says, “other than an overwhelming resistance to change from adults.” Which is an attitude many teenagers will be wearily familiar with.
1. What is the purpose of the law California’s governor signed On October 13th?| A．To make sure students get enough sleep. |
| B．To reduce the financial burden on schools. |
| C．To ensure that parents go to work on time. |
| D．To relieve traffic pressure during rush hours. |
| A．Many medical organizations recommend school should start before 8:30am. |
| B．Moving start times forward benefits the country greatly in the long run. |
| C．Teachers are optimistic about the change which can relieve their burden. |
| D．Later school starting times make a difference to students’ performance. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Opposed. |
9 . Some places in the world have strange laws. It's important for you to know about them before going there.
Whoever likes to chew gum (口香糖) may have to leave Singapore. The government really wants to keep the city clean and will fine you for chewing gum.
Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates, you'd better make sure you aren’t visiting during Ramadan (斋月). During that time you aren’t allowed to eat or drink in public. Tourists have been fined up to $275 for drinking in public.
In Thailand it's against the law to drive a car or motorcycle without a shirt on, no matter how hot it is. Punishments are different in different areas and can include warnings and tickets costing about $10. No joke--the local police will stop you.
Studies in Denmark have shown that cars with their headlights on are more noticeable by other drivers than those with their headlights off. Drivers there are required to leave their headlights on even during the day, or they may face a fine up to $100.
Make sure you know about these laws before your next trip. Better safe than sorry.
1. What is mainly talked about in the text?| A．How to make your trip around the world safe. |
| B．Why there are strange laws in the world. |
| C．Interesting places you can go to around the world. |
| D．Some strange laws you should know about for your trip. |
| A．you should wear your shirt even though it's hot |
| B．the police will play a joke on you |
| C．the police will give you tickets costing about $10 |
| D．you should always keep your headlights on |
| A．In Thailand it's against the law to drive a car or motorcycle with a shirt on. |
| B．The Singaporean government cares a lot about its environment. |
| C．Tourists in the United Arab Emirates shouldn't eat in public. |
| D．You can turn your headlights off in daytime in Denmark. |
10 . In Chinese cities, food deliverymen are often seen riding at full speed through busy traffic. They rushed from restaurants to different destinations, even under bad weather conditions.
The article The Food Deliverymen Are Trapped in the App pointed out that on food delivery service platforms, Eleme and Meituan, the time limit and the route for each delivery order is calculated by an algorithm（算法）.But the algorithm doesn't consider real-life situations, such as red lights, speed limits and fully occupied elevators.
The time limit for a delivery order within 2 kilometers is 30 minutes, even shorter in recent years. Delay could mean a fine. So deliverymen rev up, often breaking traffic rules, putting their own lives at risk.
Many people asked the platforms to improve the regulations imposed(强加) on the deliverymen. In response to this demand, Eleme announced it would add a button to the app, which allowed customers to extend the time limits for their orders, and encouraged customers to show more respect for deliverymen. But some people felt that the company was staying away from the problem and changing people’s attention. Some held the view that the company was putting the responsibility on the customers rather than solving the problem itself.
As to delivery delays, solutions are far from enough. As a matter of fact, when a delivery delay happens and the company can’t reach an agreement with the customer on the responsibility, the deliveryman is usually the final one responsible for the delay. The Shanghai Customer Council commented that it was unfair for the deliveryman to be the only side responsible for a delay and problems should be solved between the companies and their employees. Besides, market regulatory departments should stop companies from setting tight schedules for their deliverymen and keep them safe on the roads.
1. What does the underlined expression “rev up” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Run away. | B．Speed up. |
| C．Wander around. | D．Slow down. |
| A．The Customer Council. | B．The customer. |
| C．The company. | D．The deliveryman. |
| A．Set tight schedules for more orders. |
| B．Solve the problems of delivery delays with the customers. |
| C．Stop companies from setting tight schedules for their employees. |
| D．Employ more deliverymen for the delivery companies. |
| A．The customers’ rights should be protected. |
| B．Food delivery regulations need improvement. |
| C．Food deliverymen take risks on their way. |
| D．Delivery platforms earn more than before. |
