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Part 2
Reading Comprehension

Section A Reading in the Context

Read the following passage with ten missing words.Learn to guess the meanings of them from the context and then select one word for each blank from the list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.Each word can be used only once.

Smog issue is trying the limits of Chinese people’s patience.Chinese people have traditionally cherished the virtue of“Eating Bitter”,or the ability to 1 hardships without complaint.As a sign of their tenacity(坚韧)to achieve a worthy goal despite extreme difficulties,the Chinese character for 2 is a knife suspended over a heart.

But breathing smoggy air has upset even the toughest of the tough among them as it is becoming part of their daily life in some areas.The nation that has seen 3 economic prosperity was involved in a collective 4 over the smothering smog,which has caused great damage in Beijing and its neighboring provinces in northern China in recent years.

The smog and filthy air has influenced people’s life in the region and a 5 was launched on private cars.Residents anxiously waited for strong winds to blow away the particulate matter (微粒物质), 6 as they were of doctors’warnings that the suffocating (令人窒息的)smog could cause respiratory (呼吸道的)diseases.With the joint efforts taken by different sectors,such as control of the industry emission,and traffic restriction relating to plate-numbers,the situations have been changed dramatically.In the current luxury of blue skies,people fear smog will strike some time again and are afraid of the nation’s 7 of a coherent and feasible strategy to 8 its visiting.

After Beijing recorded record levels of air pollution in January during last winter and worried that heavy pollution would strike the capital again this winter,the government has ordered the city and its surrounding areas to halt production and reduce outputs to curb (抑制)CO2 9 in severe situations.Meanwhile,a guiding document on the country’s work to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals(碳达峰和碳中和目标)is issued under the new development philosophy.The document outlines five major tasks,including creating a green,low-carbon and circular economy,improving energy efficiency,increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption,lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems.

Although smog continues to cover large parts of the country with even greater 10 ,people support government measures and positively call for more methods to improve the situation.To achieve its carbon peak and neutrality targets,China will release implementation plans for peaking carbon dioxide emissions in key areas and sectors as well as a series of supporting measures,and will put in place a“1+N”policy framework for carbon peak and carbon neutrality.China is confident to defeat the troublesome smog issue soon.

Section B Reading and Matching

Read the following passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.

Secrets to Marriage

[A] For Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne,it’s perseverance.For Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter,it’s maintaining separate work lives.For Doyle and Louise Brunson,having separate bank accounts helps.Each of them has stayed married—to the same person—for a very long time.And each considers his or her marriage to be happy,strong and mutually supportive.

[B]It is often possible to understand why a marriage fails,as so many do.It is much more difficult,though,to figure out why one succeeds.Why do some couples thrive (繁荣),while others fail,despite their best intentions?

[C]Happily married people believe they married their soul mates,and for good reason.Even marrying the right person gets you only part way.Ask the couples themselves,and they’ll likely credit some combination of hard work and sheer blind luck.No one says that every day,or even every year,was rosy.And there are plenty of long marriages that are unhappy.But there are some strategies that happily married couples say work.

[D]To Marlene Critch,a retired hospital director in Tucson,love is all about give-and-take.She met her husband Bill on a blind date in 1959.He took her on a picnic with a thermos of gin and tonics;they married two months later.Flash ahead 50 years.The Critches have raised two daughters in Seattle and weathered his severe heart condition.They swim together each morning,and he reads her children’s books when she has trouble falling asleep at night.

[E] Compromise (妥协),or find the middle ground.they say,got them through the good and bad times.Mr.Critch,75,says he compromised by quitting the Air Force early in their marriage,because it bothered her that he was away from home so much.Ms.Critch,74,says she made her own compromise by agreeing to retire to Arizona,where her husband preferred the climate.(She wanted to stay in Seattle to be close to their daughters.)“If each person can give 75 percent,you’ve got 150 percent,”says Ms.Critch.Her husband agrees.“Many men would call that wussy (懦弱的人),”he says.“But I don’t because I value her more than anything else in the world.”

[F]Similarly,Jan and Len Konkel,who have been married for 62 years,long ago made a contract to never argue over anything that wasn’t very important,saving their battles for things like how to raise their three children.Ms.Konkel,84,thinks everything else is minor and can be settled in a discussion.Her husband agrees well.“I say‘Yes ma’am’and‘No ma’am’a lot,”says Mr.Konkel,88.

[G] Being funny is important to couples.On the night in 1967 that Jackie and Ken Egan met at a dance club in Newton,Mass.,he asked her for a kiss.She declined:“I don’t know you,” she told him.“And my kisses are like Lay’s potato chips—you wouldn’t want just one.”The Egans,who live in Marshfield,Mass.,and have four children,just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on Monday.Ms.Egan says laughter helps them deal with issues that would otherwise drive them nuts—such as Mr.Egan’s fussy eating habits and forgetfulness about putting the toilet seat down.Or Ms.Egan’s inability to let her husband finish a story without interrupting him,or her many knickknacks (小玩意).“You need to learn to find the humor in each other’s annoying habits.It helps you keep the affection,”says Ms.Egan,69.

[H]Keeping(some)secrets is necessary for any relationship.When poker legend (传奇)Doyle Brunson met his wife Louise at a country-and-western club in Texas in 1961,he told her he gambled (赌博)for a living.And she accepted him for who he is.Louise Brunson,78,says love is the most important thing between couples and people have to love their spouse (配偶)more than life itself.

[I]The Brunsons,who live in Las Vegas,have stood by each other through some serious trials in their 47 years of marriage,including the death of a daughter and an armed robbery of their home,during which they were tied up at gunpoint.“You have to go forward,you can’t go back,”says Mr.Brunson,76.Even so,the Brunsons don’t share everything.He does not discuss his business with her.He has won and lost millions of dollars without her knowing,but Ms.Brunson says that’s just fine with her.“I have my own bank account,”she says.

[J]Never,ever give up making effort to save a relationship.This tip is really important,so pay attention.Sharon Osbourne says it is how she stayed with her husband Ozzy for 28 years and counting.And she’s married to the Prince of Darkness.He spent years on drugs and alcohol.Never mind the near-fatal overdoses (过量).This man set fire to his house,passed out on a freeway median (中线),and once tried to strangle (掐死)his wife.Ms.Osbourne,for her part,tried to run him over with a car,smashing his gold records with a hammer and taking out a restraining order.To Ms.Osbourne,57,who is her husband’s manager,their life became like a soap opera.

[K] And yet she stuck by her man.Why?Because she felt he was a good person when sober (清醒)and that he would kick his addictions one day.And she still believes he is her soul mate.(“Twice recently we’ve had the same dream on the same night,” she says.)Ms.Osbourne who has three children with her husband,was stubborn (固执的).When she went into marriage,she thought it was forever.Mr.Osbourne,who had been married once before,finally did sober up“six or seven years”ago.He says he is very glad his wife stuck it out (坚持).“You don’t throw in the towel (认输)at the first sign of trouble,” he says.And so Mr.Osbourne says he has made a point of telling his wife he loved her every single day—no matter where he was in the world,no matter how drunk or high.“She sometimes said‘Drop dead’or‘F—off’,” he says.“But at least if you are arguing,you are talking.If you stop talking,it’s time to call it a day.”

[L]At last,stay alive.My sister,a doctor,told me about one of her patients,a 92-year-old woman who showed up for her appointment with her husband,who is 94.They said they have been married for almost 70 years.My sister,highly impressed,asked the couple the secret to their union’s longevity.And they looked at each other for a long moment.Then the wife spoke:“Eh,neither of us died.”

__________1.To the couple who has been married for 62 years,good communication instead of arguing is the key to happy marital life.

__________2.For the couple who met at a dance club in Newton,being humorous is their secret for successful marriage.

__________3.Happily married couples attribute their happy marriage to efforts they make in handling marriage.

__________4.To the wife who thought she’s married to the Prince of Darkness,being persistent helps maintain her marriage.

__________5.In their 28 year dramatic marital life,the Osbourns did terrible things to hurt each other.

__________6.To the retired hospital director in Tucson,she maintained their marriage successfully by adjusting appropriately for family life.

__________7.The old couple in hospital reveals good health is the secret to happy marriage.

__________8.One secret to happy marriage is to keep the other half from knowing of one’s business.

__________9.A long marriage is not necessarily happy marriage.

__________10.The poker legend’s wife does not care about the money her husband won and lost in gambling.

Section C Reading in Depth

Read the following passages carefully and then choose the best answer for each question below.

PASSAGE 1

1___.,the 2022 Winter Olympic Games kicked off in spectacular fashion with a stunning Opening Ceremony at the Beijing National Stadium in Beijing,China on February 4th .The Beijing National Stadium,or 2___.,became the first venue to host Opening Ceremonies of both the Olympic Winter and Summer Games.

3.____of the Opening Ceremony was represented by the image of a single snowflake and was central to the showpiece from beginning to the end of the Ceremony.The theme was based on an ancient Chinese saying which meant that“a truly wise person sees the whole world as a family”.

World-renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou played master of ceremonies for a second time,becoming the first person to direct two Opening Ceremonies in the same city.Zhang was also the mastermind behind the spectacular Beijing 2008 Opening Ceremony.

4.____brought the showpiece to life through music,song,dance,innovative technology and fireworks,with Chinese citizens from Beijing city and Hebei province—instead of stars,professional singers,dancers or actors—taking part.

In his address,IOC(奥委会)President Thomas Bach praised 5.____that they provided to the world through sport.“You have arrived here after overcoming so many challenges,6._.But now your moment has come:the moment you have been longing for-the moment we all have been longing for.We all are standing with you.We all are supporting you.We all are cheering you on,”he said.

The games run until Sunday,Feb.20.The Winter Paralympics(残奥会)are scheduled to run from March 4 to 13.The pandemic has made the 2022 winter Olympics unlike any other.Some athletes tested positive for COVID-19 and had to 7._.Others missed the Olympics entirely and had to stay home because they had COVID-19.Still others were able to recover and compete.

The athletes are tested every day at the games and audiences are limited for 8._.In fact,the audience members are asked not to cheer in order to reduce the potential possibility of spreading virus(Sometimes,they still can’t help themselves and end up cheering when something exciting happens).

No matter which country you’re rooting for,there are inspirational athletes to cheer on and lots of interesting things that take place off the field of competition.Here are some of the interesting stories that have taken place at the 2022 Olympics so far.

The event is joined by nearly 3,000 athletes from 91 countries and regions,and 32 political dignitaries(政要官员)around the world have attended its opening ceremony and relevant activities.Besides,political dignitaries and the people from many countries have sent their wishes to the Beijing Winter Games.It vividly explains what Guterres has said—9._.

It is the first Winter Games held after 10.___,as well as the first global comprehensive sports event held on schedule after the outbreak of COVID-19.

Choose the suitable letter from A-J to bridge the information gaps given in blank 1-10.

1._________A.living through great uncertainty

2._________B.the Olympic spirit shines as a beacon to human solidarity

3._________C.the notion of“Together”was added to the Olympic motto

4._________D.In spite of the pandemic COVID-19

5._________E.quarantine to avoid spreading the virus

6._________F.The celebrated film director

7._________G.the athletes for their resilience and the inspiration

8._________H.Bird’s Nest as it is affectionately known

9._________I.The“One World,One Family”theme

10._________J.most events to allow for social distancing

PASSAGE 2
Carmakers Have Been Hit Hard by a Global __________

Silicon chips are the lifeblood of the tech-obsessed world we live in,but today they’re in short supply.

Demand for these chips,or semiconductors,soared during the Corona-virus pandemic as people panic-bought games consoles (游戏机),laptops and TVs to help get through lockdowns.Now,many of these products—including certain Chrome-book laptops (谷歌笔记本)and next-generation consoles like the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5—are sold out,or subject to lengthy shipping time.

It’s just one of a number of factors that have driven demand for semiconductors,but as supply struggles to keep up,it’s the chip-reliant car industry that has been hit especially hard.

“We have seen in the short term,the automotive industry has been very adversely affected,”Bryce Johnstone,director of automotive segment marketing at chip designer Imagination Technologies,told CNBC(美国全国广播公司财经频道)via email.“This stems from their just-in-time production methodology and their incredibly complicated supply chains.”

Carmakers use semiconductors in everything from power steering and brake sensors,to entertainment systems and parking cameras.The smarter cars get,the more chips they use.

“If the chip that powers the in-car dials or automatic braking is delayed,then so will the rest of the vehicle,”said Johnstone.

U.S.car giant General Motors announced last Wednesday that it is shutting three plants and slowing production at a fourth due to the semiconductor shortage.The Detroit car manufacturer said it could miss its 2021 targets as a result.

“Despite our mitigation efforts,the semiconductor shortage will impact GM production in 2021,”a company spokesman said in a statement.“Semiconductor supply for the global auto industry remains very changeable,”they added.“Our supply chain organization is working closely with our supply base to find solutions for our suppliers’semiconductor requirements and to mitigate impacts on GM.”

Several other car manufacturers have also put production on hold in recent weeks.Honda U.K.’s main plant in Swindon was shut down for several days last month due to a chip shortage,for example.Elsewhere,Ford and Volkswagen have also shut plants or cut production while they wait for supplies to pick up.Ford said in January that it was shutting a factory in Germany for a month,while Volkswagen said in December it will make 100,000 fewer cars this quarter as a result of the shortage.Speaking about the chip shortage on a Davos panel on Jan.25,VW CEO Herbert Diess said:“We have to make sure that the markets and supply chains remain intact.”

Hermann Hauser,who was essential in the creation of the British chip designer Arm,told CNBC that the automotive industry has been hurt the most because it is“incredibly cost conscious.”“When the chip industry decides should we allocate our capacity to the car industry or the telecoms industry or the server industry,it’s an easy decision,”he said.“Go for the server industry because their gross margins are so much better.That’s why the car industry is in a particularly tight spot.”

Hauser said there isn’t enough competition in the semiconductor manufacturing market,pointing to the fact that it has a very high Herfindahl-Hirschman index(赫芬德尔-赫希曼指数),which measures market concentration in a specific industry.It is calculated by squaring the market share of each company competing in a market and then adding the resulting numbers.For example,chip manufacturers have battled it out to build the smallest chips possible over the years,but only a couple of companies can create the new five nanometer(or 5nm)chips on a commercial level.

“Samsung and TSMC(台积电)are the only two semiconductor companies in the world that have a working 5nm process,”he said.“It’s just too high a concentration.”

One of the reasons there are so few 5nm chip manufacturing plants is because they’re expensive,according to Hauser.Building something so small requires hi-tech equipment that isn’t cheap.

Question 1-5

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Passage 2?

Write TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN before each statement accordingly.

TRUE  if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE   if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN   if there is no information on this

1.____Carmakers could continue to manufacture cars without much influence brought by silicon chips.

2.____Semiconductors are in short supply all over the world.

3.____Very few chip companies produce the smallest chips for less market demand except Samsung and TSMC.

4.____Shutting some plants will mitigate the chip trouble for many carmakers such as GM,Ford,Volkswagen and so on.

5.____Chip manufacturers have trouble making more chips because they have been closed during the Corona-virus pandemic.

Question 6-10

Complete the sentences below.Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

6.A couple of car manufacturers have to put production____recently.

7.The 5nm chip manufacturing requires____equipment.

8.Carmakers have been hit hard by a global___.

9.The semiconductor manufacturing market has a ___for there are only two semiconductor companies.

10.The automotive industry has been____in the short term.

PASSAGE 3

Nomophobia was coined by British research in 2011,which measured the level of anxiety produced by mobile phones in a sample of more than 2,000 people.The results:More than 50% of the sample manifests anxiety when they lose their cell phone.According to the research,nomophobia occurs in a higher percentage in men than in women(58% versus 48%respectively).Qualitatively,the investigation allowed to know that for many subjects the anxiety felt to be without their mobile phones is similar to the day before the wedding itself or the visit to a dentist.Statistics indicate that most users may already have nomophobia without knowing it or be prone to feel its effects.It is worthwhile,then,to know its symptoms and treatments.

A brief list of signs and symptoms can be made that appear in most people who have been interviewed about it.It is already known that it is not possible to conclude from this if it is a phobia,anxiety or an addiction,but it serves to identify the features in common.

In addition to the fear of losing the mobile phone and other associated fears,other clinically significant characteristics are the excessive or impulsive use of the telephone,or its use as protection(of other fears or social anxieties,such as communicating).It can also be used as a contraphobic object for the person who feels the need to have it always in his hand,even if he does not use it,for example,when he sleeps.

The most clear or frequent symptoms,in general lines,are anxiety,respiratory alterations(呼吸紊乱),tremor,perspiration,agitation,disorientation and tachycardia(心动过速)... In the emotional pole,the symptoms would be depression,panic attacks,dependence,low self-esteem and feeling of loneliness,among others.

People who suffer from panic attacks may feel the similar panic as they fail to use mobile phone as a counterofficic object.This happens,for the most part,in places where the use of mobile phones is forbidden,such as in airports,hospitals or work.Other people with nomophobia may also feel high anxiety in these circumstances,even when they do not have panic attacks.They might even try to circumvent the regulations of the place.

Because of the recent description of this condition,there is little conclusive information about what is the most appropriate treatment.As in other phobias,the combination of a pharmacological treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy may be the best option.But there are other alternatives.

Digital detoxification programs already exist in some countries,and are analogous to centers for substance abuse detoxification.In these centers the use of electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers is totally or partially restricted.At the same time,activities are carried out to promote relaxation and self-control.

Some companies also offer extramural activities for their employees,focused on digital detoxification,to help their staff reduce the anxiety that comes from being continuously connected to technology.This is more common in companies or positions that require continuous use of technology.

1.What is the British research about in Paragraph 1?

A.A fatal disease relating to mobile phones.

B.A fear of being with no mobile phones.

C.A phobia caused by using phones.

D.A state of loneliness caused by mobile phones.

2.The symptoms of nomophobia could be the following EXCEPT___.

A.Difficulty in concentrating or falling asleep,sweating,tremor.

B.Depression,panic attacks,dependence,low self-esteem and feeling of loneliness.

C.An intense fear of working through mobile phones.

D.The fear of running out of battery,running out of coverage,no credit.

3.People suffering from panic attacks may___.

A.Have the feeling weaker to general anxiety.

B.Violate the regulations of the place wherever they go.

C.Feel different from people with nomophobia.

D.Take mobile phone as a counter-phobic object.

4.Nomophobic people may find better treatments___.

A.In cognitive behavioral therapy with certain medicine.

B.In centers for digital detoxification.

C.In hospitals.

D.In extramural activities and self-control.

5.What can be inferred from the passage?

A.Men are more likely to be nomophobic.

B.It is difficult and complicated to treat nomophobia.

C.Mobile phones are very important in people’s life.

D.Nomophobia is prevalent due to modern digital life. 73qlrQ90wWOpef3VqhDya5RO+hSyAgnFoKlDCE0ZQPP9wDQPiiCt45KCQ61NxESP

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