Bicycles, roller skates and skateboards are dangerous. I still have scars (伤疤) on my knees from my childhood run-ins with various wheeled devices. Admittedly, I was a foolish kid, but I’m glad I didn’t spend my childhood trapped indoors to protect me from any injury.
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” But parents can’t handle it when teenagers put this theory into practice. And now technology has become the new field for the age-old battle between adults and their freedom-seeking kids.
Locked indoors, unable to get on their bicycles and hang out with their friends, teens have turned to social media and their mobile phones to gossip and socialize with their friends. What they do online often mirrors what they might otherwise do if their mobility weren’t so heavily restricted (限制) in the age of helicopter parenting. Social media and smartphones have become so popular in recent years because teens need a place to call their own. They want the freedom to explore their identity and the world around them. Instead of climbing out of windows, they jump online.
As teens have moved online, parents have projected their fears onto the Internet, imagining all the potential dangers that youth might face.
Rather than helping teens develop strategies (策略) to deal with public life and the potential risks of interacting with others, fearful parents have focused on tracking, monitoring and blocking. These approaches don’t help teens develop the skills they need to manage complex social situations. “Protecting” kids may feel like the right thing to do, but it denies teens the chances of learning as they come of age in a technology-soaked world.
The key to helping youth in the modern digital life isn’t more restrictions. It’s freedom — plus communication. Urban theorist Jane Jacobs used to argue that the safest neighborhoods were those where communities collectively took interest in and paid attention to what happened on the streets. Safety didn’t come from surveillance (监视) cameras or keeping everyone indoors but from a collective willingness to watch out for one another and be present as people struggled. The same is true online.
What makes the digital street safe is when teens and adults collectively agree to open their eyes and pay attention, communicate and work together to deal with difficult situations. Teens need the freedom to wander the digital street, but they also need to know that caring adults are behind them and supporting them wherever they go. The first step is to turn off the tracking software. Then ask your kids what they’re doing when they’re online — and why it’s so important to them.When he was a child, the writer ______.
| A．became disabled |
| B．spent much time outdoor |
| C．always stayed at home |
| D．was ignored by his parents |
Teens go online mainly because ______.
| A．online games mirror real life |
| B．they want to fight against their parents |
| C．online experiences make them strong |
| D．they need a space of their own |
By mentioning “helicopter parenting” (Paragraph 3), the writer means parents ______.
| A．remove any hidden dangers their kids may face |
| B．use helicopters to track their kids |
| C．prevent their kids from going to school |
| D．protect their kids too much |
According to the passage, helicopter parents may make kids ______.
| A．lose the chances of learning |
| B．handle complex social situations well |
| C．adapt to the digital world quickly |
| D．develop strategies to deal with public life |
The main idea of the passage is that ______.
| A．kids should be given freedom to deal with online risks |
| B．safe neighborhoods come from joint efforts of all |
| C．the digital street is a threat to kids’ safety |
| D．kids should be warned against potential dangers in society |
Is your family interested in buying a dog? A dog can be a pleasant companion（伙伴） to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog，you will have a lot of troubles.
Families should sit down and thoroughly discuss the possible problems before buying a dog. Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dog, the parents are the ones who are really responsible for seeing that the animal is properly cared for. If you don’t know much about dogs, it is a good idea to go to the library for books about different kinds of dogs, as well as books about how to train a young dog. In reading about the different breeds(种类)you should know that a dog described(描述)as very alert(机敏灵活的)may be too active. When a book describes a dog as an excellent hunting dog, it probably means that the dog won’t be happy living in a small house. Dog breeds vary(变化)in popularity as the years go by. One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd（牧羊犬）. This is because it provides protection as well as companionship（陪伴）. The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may be too powerful for children to control. If space is limited, a toy dog may be a good choice. These dogs are very small and easy to train. They don’t need to be walked daily, since they can exercise in the home.According to the passage, one can get information about different kinds of dogs.
| A．by going to the library |
| B．by asking someone who has enough experience about different kinds of dogs |
| C．by buying a dog and training it |
| D．by reading books about dogs |
The German shepherd is a popular dog.
| A．because it is easy to train |
| B．because it is big and strong |
| C．because it is powerful and friendly |
| D．because it is alert and active |
Which is the best topic of the passage?
| A．The care and proper selection of dogs for families. |
| B．Different breeds of dogs. |
| C．Responsibility for seeing that dogs are properly cared for. |
| D．Different kinds of books about dogs. |
The issue of privacy versus openness is a paradox, particularly when it comes to the American home. “Lots” or “yards” (gardens) can be large and many are not enclosed by the walls, fences or hedges so popular in other cultures. Similarly, “window treatments” frame the window. but the use of European-style net curtains to screen out nosy neighbors is rare. In the same style, first-time visitors to an American home may be proudly given the full tour; even walk-in closets and en suite bathrooms are not considered off-limits. They may also be encouraged to help themselves to a soda from the fridge. All this gives an impression of openness.
Yet Americans do value their personal space and privacy. A Brazilian expatriate (侨民) who dropped in on her usually friendly Connecticut neighbors unannounced got the clear impression she should have called first. Similarly while a typical suburban home features large, shared areas, such as an open-plan kitchen and family room or “den”, ample private space is also allowed in the floor plan. A visit to a family home in the evening would likely find the family members dispersed, each independently watching TV, on the phone, surfing the Internet, or otherwise recharging batteries in the privacy of their own bedroom.
American individualism, expansiveness, and abundance are expressed in lifestyle. Despite the fact that the average household size has declined over the past thirty years from3.1 people to 2.6 people per household, the average size of a new family home increased during the same period from 1,500 to 2,200 square feet.
A common observation is just how outsized everything is. The beds are king-sized, the TVs have giant screens, the burgers are “whoppers (庞然大物),” appliances are “industrial” size. The largest popcorn or soda at the movies can be “supersized.” Closets are “walk in,” and some cars are the size of a military vehicle.The passage suggests that Americans__________.
| A．are rich enough to afford large size houses and luxurious electricity appliances |
| B．are very shy when talking about keeping their privacy and their personal space |
| C．would like to express their lifestyles in public to show them off |
| D．enjoy openness as well as individualism although they seem to contradict each other |
Why can we say that American individualism, expansiveness, and abundance are expressed in their lifestyle?
| A．Because the average size of a new house has increased during the past thirty years. |
| B．Because Americans often use European-style net curtains to screen out nosy neighbors. |
| C．Because many houses are equipped with walk-in closets. |
| D．Because the house size, outsized household furniture and independent living habits have proved it. |
The underlined phrase in the passage means________.
| A．filling a battery with electrical power |
| B．recovering your strength and energy by resting for a while |
| C．changing your batteries again |
| D．obtaining new batteries because old ones are running out |
According to the passage, if you drop in on an American family which is usually friendly to you in the evening, you________.
| A．will be deeply impressed by their family get-together scene |
| B．will be invited to a party which is well-prepared |
| C．will find family members scattered, and enjoying themselves individually |
| D．will be warmly welcomed even if they don’t get informed of your visit earlier |
Many skilled young people are being forced into part-time and unskilled work, the report says. It warns of a "crisis" with more than six million people so disillusioned they have given up looking for work. The ILO(International Labor Organization)wants governments to make job creation a priority. It wants more training schemes, and also tax breaks for employers.
"The youth unemployment crisis can be beaten but only if job creation for young people becomes a key priority in policymaking and private sector investment picks up significantly," said Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, executive director of the ILO's employment sector.
Since 2007, the number of young people without jobs has risen by four million - up from less than 12%, the Global Employment Trends for Youth Report says. Almost 13% of people aged between 15 and 24 - or almost 75 million - have no work, although this is slightly down on its peak in 2009.
In the European Union, one in five young people are looking for work, the report claims. Some 27.9% of youths were unemployed in North Africa last year —a rise of five percentage points on 2010. In the Middle East, the figure stood at 26.5% in the report's regional breakdown. Even in East Asia, perhaps the most economically active region, the unemployment rate was 2.8 times higher for young people than for adults, the report said.
But, the ILO report reveals, the true picture of youth unemployment is even more pessimistic. Many young people are extending their time in higher education because they cannot find jobs. Others are taking part-time unskilled work because they cannot find work in the fields they trained for.
The ILO says that more than six million young people worldwide have given up looking for work and are becomingly increasingly detached from society. By not using their skills they are losing them, the report says, and if there is no improvement in the jobs market soon, they may be not only unemployed, but unemployable.
The ILO suggests offering tax breaks to businesses hiring young people and offering more programmes to help kick-start careers.Which of the following is true according to Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs?
| A．Since 2007, the number of young people out of job has risen to 4 million. |
| B．Nearly 13% of the young people have no work. |
| C．Job creation should be made a key priority in policymaking. |
| D．The youth unemployment rate can never go down. |
The various figures in paragraph 3 and 4 were used to show_______.
| A．The employment situation is serious only in the European Union |
| B．The global youth employment situation is depressing |
| C．East Asia enjoys a high youth employment rate |
| D．Compared with the situation in 2009, the youth employment in 2007 is slightly better |
According to ILO, the following are caused by high youth unemployment rate except_______.
| A．The government calls on young people to take up whatever job is available |
| B．Many young people are making their time in higher education longer |
| C．Some young people are taking part-time unskilled work |
| D．Many young people have given up looking for work |
The ILO offered many solutions to the crisis of youth unemployment, including_______.
a. making job creations a priority b. more training schemes
c. encouraging public investment d. tax breaks for employers
e. offering more entrepreneurship programmes to help start careers
| A．a b c e | B．b c d e | C．a c d e | D．a b d e |
Public caught up in argument over safety of genetically modified or simply GM products, report Zhang Lei and Zhong Nan inBeijing.
More than 300 people gathered to enjoy a bowl of porridge made from genetically modified food on Saturday, an attempt to quell public fears about the safety of the product.
The first China Golden Rice Tasting Event was held at Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, Hubei province, sparking another round in the nationwide debate about the safety of GM crops, often called "Frankenfood" by opponents.
Similar events have been held in more than 28 cities since May, the university said.
Both the pro and anti camps have posted conflicting comments on the Internet, with each providing evidence to back up their beliefs, but the exchanges are becoming increasingly bitter.
Jiang Tao, a senior engineer at the Center for Agricultural Resources Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is in favor of GM foods, was annoyed about what he called "amateurs" spreading rumors.
"Just look at the people who are opposed to GM foods; can you find anyone from a related field in the scientific community?" he asked. Jiang also accused the anti-GM lobby of repeatedly using outdated or inaccurate data to support an "incorrect" stance.
Chen Yunfa, an independent researcher into the Yangtze River Delta economy, recently wrote a commentary on the Internet news portal Eastday in which he criticized the actions of the 61 scientists, saying they had gone "beyond their proper duty". He suggested that large multinational corporations might be behind the letter and similar incidents, prompted by a desire to freeze China's patent hybrid rice technology out of the market.
To support his contentions, Chen said that GM rice, first produced by scientists in the US, still hasn't gained official approval from the US government. However, the US authorities have actually granted licenses to six varieties of GM rice. The commercial planting of two varieties - anti-herbicide (BAR) transgenic rice LL RICE 06 and LL RICE 62 - produced by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis, was approved in 1999 and a license for cultivation for edible use was granted in 2000.
The public outcry for GM labeling and boycotting has hindered the advancement of the technology. Concern about GM foods has been fueled by studies like the one published by French professor Gilles-Eric Séralini in September 2012. Séralini claimed that his research involving rats proved that the GM corn fed to them caused tumor growth. Furthermore, there is growing concern that the pesticides(杀虫剂) used on GMOs(转基因作物)are contributing to the decline of the world’s honey bee population, leading to honey bee deaths by infecting the brains of the insects with toxins. Therefore, some experts recommend the labeling of non-GM foods so that consumers can make that decision without a regulatory burden being placed on GMOs.
However, we should be cautious about anything that may risk humans’ life. Only time will tell.Why did more than 300 people enjoy porridge made from genetically modified food?
| A．To show evidence that GM products are dangerous. |
| B．To support that the first China Golden Rice Tasting is safe. |
| C．To rid public of fears and worries about the safety of GM foods. |
| D．To draw public’s attention to nationwide planting of GM products. |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Those who are for GM products and those who are against keep arguing fiercely by holding conferences. |
| B．People are failing to show evidence to support their pros and cons, although they hold a firm belief of their own. |
| C．Some people think those against GM foods have a good knowledge of GM technology and are spreading rumors. |
| D．GM food may be just a way for some multinational corporations to drive China’s patent hybrid rice out of the market. |
What can we infer from the second paragraph from bottom?
| A．The public advocated that GM products should be labeled clearly. |
| B．Séralini claimed that his research proved the GM corn caused rats to grow faster. |
| C．Many honey bees have died because they were fed with GM corn. |
| D．There should be some restrictions on GM products’ selling. |
What is the writer’s attitude towards GM products?
| A．Supportive. | B．Suspicious. | C．Indifferent. | D．Critical. |
Many years ago in a small German town, a Jewish businessman had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to the moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the businessman’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.
The moneylender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty bag. The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become the moneylender’s wife and he would forgo her father’s debt. If she picked the white pebble, she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.
They were standing on a pebble-strewn path. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. The sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag. No doubt she was caught in a dilemma.
What would you have done if you were the girl? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1.The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2.The girl should know that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3.The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.
The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral (横向的)and logical thinking.
Read on…
The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn pathwhere it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. “Oh, how clumsy of me!” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.” Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.The underlined word “forgo” in paragraph 2 may mean ________.
| A．pay off | B．run out | C．take over | D．give up |
Which of the following indicates lateral thinking?
| A．The girl refused to take a pebble and fled at once. |
| B．The girl exposed the cheat and found another way. |
| C．The girl picked one pebbles and made it disappear. |
| D．The girl picked a black pebble and accepted the result. |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．The girl dropped the pebble onto the path on purpose |
| B．The girl dropped the pebble onto the path by accident |
| C．The girl didn’t know there were two black pebbles in the bag |
| D．The girl replaced a black pebble in the bag |
What lesson can we learn from the story?
| A．Keeping calm when facing a difficult situation. |
| B．Thinking about a complicated problem in another way. |
| C．Thinking twice before making a final choice. |
| D．Coming up with a clever answer is easy. |