“There’s no place like home.” This English saying has much truth in it: the best place to be is surrounded by our treasured possessions and our loved ones and with a roof over our head. And for many young adults, it’s the only affordable place to stay; some place where they can receive first- class service from mum and dad. But this comes at a price!
In some countries, it’s quite traditional for people in their late teens and early 20s to live at home with their parents, but in other places, flying away the nest to start their own independent life is very desirable. But there’s been a growing trend, in the UK at least, for young people to return home to live —or not to leave home at all.
According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, about a quarter of young adults aged 20-34 live at home, and that figure has been growing. A survey by a price comparison website found that 18% of adult children in the UK said they were moving back home because of debt, compared with 8% last year. More young people had lost their jobs, and others couldn't afford their rent compared with the previous year. So, it’s easy to see why they’re increasingly becoming home birds.
The BBC’s Lucy Hooker explains that many returning adult children enjoy home comforts. These include cooked meals, a full fridge and cleaning, as well as their bills being covered by what is commonly called “the hotel of mum and dad”. But for the “hoteliers”, that’s mum and dad, the survey found the average cost to them has gone up sharply, and that they are sacrificing luxuries and holidays to look after their “big kids”. Emma Craig from Moneysupermarket says “they’re trying to look after their children more. If your child comes home and you see them struggling financially, you feel more awkward asking them for rent or lo contribute.
With parents splashing out(花费)around £l,886 on takeaway food, buying new furniture and upgrading their Wi-Fi for the benefit of their children, it’s easy for the returning children to put their feet up and make themselves at home. That's before they learn a home truth that one day it might be their own kids who'll be checking into the hotel of mum and dad!
1.Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
A.The main reason for their moving back home lies in parents' service.
B.Different countries have different traditions.
C.More and more young people live with parents in the UK.
D.Young people desire to live independently in all countries.
2.Why do more young people choose to stay at home?
A.They are struggling financially.
B.They want to keep their parents company.
C.They can't afford to buy their own house.
D.They want to enjoy home comforts
3.What influence does the trend have on parents?
A.They have difficulty making ends meet.
B.They feel happy with their children around.
C.They feel awkward asking their children for rent.
D.They give up their own life to take care of their kids.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.A new trend in the UK.
B.The hotel of mum and dad.
C.There’s no place like home.
D.Everything comes at a price.
Running or walking after dark, backpacking in an unfamiliar city, even taking a taxi alone in the middle of the night, can all be dangerous activities, especially for women. To offer better protection, some technology companies are looking for a way to develop or expand tools that highlight women’s safety.
In Beijing, on Jun 10, China's smart jewelry brand Totwoo launched a kit called Safety, which is expected to prevent attack on women in the country.
If the user feels threatened, pressing the button for four seconds will activate the device that will start recording for 10 seconds. Within 50 seconds, the device will telephone and send text messages to three emergency contacts to inform them, providing a location, first-aid information and audio recordings. Once a contact responds, the device shakes and lights up to inform the user. The user can disable the alarm by pressing the button three times in succession.
Around the diameter of a bottle cap, the waterproof piece of jewelry can be attached to a bag, a key or even worn as a necklace. “In Chinese culture, certain jewelry is sometimes worn as a symbol of safely. Our product brings some truth to that,” says Wang Jieming, who founded Totwoo in 2015. It makes sense that the company decided to model the jewelry in the shape of an apple, the name of which in Chinese is “ping guo”, sharing the same pronounced ping as “ping’ an”, the Chinese word for “safety”.
Cooperating with China Mobile, the small core module uses a remote SIM, by passing the need for a physical SIM card. It has certified wireless-charging technology similar to the system used by Apple. Supporting navigation systems such as GPS, Beidou and GSM base station positioning, it car provide accurate location information.
Xin Yang, head of the International Security Defense College in Beijing, a private security training school established in 2011, says an independent device can enhance women’s safety in an emergency, because “mobile phones are often the first item an attacker will attempt to grab or destroy”.
1.Which of the following is right about the device?
A.The user can make video and audio recordings with the device.
B.The device can be switched on and off within minutes.
C.The user can confirm a contacts response without text messages.
D.The device is technically supported by big companies such as Apple.
2.What is the advantage of a smart jewelry over other devices according to Xin Yang?
A.It’s easy to carry and operate. B.It looks beautiful on women.
C.It symbolizes safety in Chinese culture. D.It avoids being targeted by an attacker.
3.What is the author’s attitude towards the future of the device?
A.Doubtful. B.Favorable. C.Uncertain. D.Objective.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.Women can be fashionable and safe.
B.A smart jewelry promotes women’s safety.
C.Women’s safety raises widespread concern.
D.Technology companies find a new way to save women.
Last year, I went WWOOFing (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) at a beautiful organic farm in the south of La Reunion. With WOOFing, volunteers exchange their time and work for food and board. I slept in a cabin in the woods with hedgehogs (刺猬) digging about in the bushes, all different coloured birds singing in the morning and endless rows of palm trees offering shade from the sun.
For me, one of the best ways to get to know a new place is to work with the land, live with the locals and share meals together. It has got to be one of the best ways to travel. It is a mutually beneficial exchange where everyone involved prioritizes people and our planet above profit. You get the time and space to deepen a connection with local communities and nature.
There is a lot to learn and each farm has its own unique way of doing things, depending on the environment, climate and soil. At the farm in La Reunion we planted palm trees to harvest the core of the trunk which can be eaten in salads. Before staying with the farm I had only eaten heart of palm from cans which were nothing in comparison to the real thing, fresh from the ground. When potting up the very beginnings of the palm trees, I felt grateful to be a part of the start of the trees’ cycle. I was filled with awe that something so small could grow into something so big and strong.
Of course, not everyone is able to travel far afield, due to various restrictions or responsibilities back home. The great thing about the skill-share philosophy behind WWOOFing, which prioritizes people above profit, is that it’s something we can all do from our own backyard. That can be swapping French lessons with a neighbour for babysitting, or cooking a meal in exchange for a yoga class. The focus shifts from money to how we can best support each other in our communities. A fair exchange can make a big difference in the world.
1.The author loves WWOOFing mainly because .
A.he can get to know new places and people
B.it is one of the best ways to travel
C.he can make profits at the beautiful organic farm
D.he can connect with local communities and nature
2.What does the underlined word “prioritizes” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.Take something more seriously.
B.Treat something more carefully.
C.Consider something more important.
D.Take something for granted.
3.Why does the author mention “palm trees ’’again in Paragraph 3?
A.To show that he learns a lot by volunteering on the farm.
B.To introduce the growing process of palm trees.
C.To express his interest in growing plants on the farm.
D.To show his amazement at the growth of palm trees.
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.We should exchange what we have with our neighbors.
B.We can save money by swapping labor with our neighbors.
C.We can benefit each other by exchanging our time and work.
D.We should volunteer to work on a farm to experience nature.
A volunteering or gap year trip
Safe, Supported Volunteering and Gap Year Trips for First-Time Travelers
A volunteering or gap year trip is a great opportunity to explore other countries, to help make a difference, and to further a future career. Frontier aims to provide an authentic volunteering experience in many of the world’s most spectacular countries, while making sure that safety, support and accountability are of primary importance. With more than 20 years’ experience in running and supporting volunteering projects worldwide, and with dedicated teams of staff in the UK and the USA, we are able to provide peace of mind for volunteer and their parents, as well as unforgettable experiences.
How does Frontier support its volunteers and their families? We take the safety and security of our volunteers extremely seriously. With this in mind, here are just a few of the policies we follow:
• All field staff trained in health & safety procedures
• We offer a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, emergency phone line
• Weekly “Situation Report” emails for Frontier group projects, to keep friends and families of volunteers informed of news and developments on our camps.
• Before accepting a volunteer onto a placement, we require them to undergo an interview with one of our travel advisers, to ensure that the volunteer understands the project, and is comfortable with all of the responsibilities required.
Travel Buddies
Volunteers often feel more confident (and their parents more reassured) when travelling with someone from their own county and/ or of their own age. If requested, we will find a placement on which there are volunteers of similar ages and backgrounds. If both parties wish, we can put them in contact with each other so that they can gel lo know each other before leaving, and even arrange to fly out together.
1.What is special about Frontier?
A.It attaches great importance to volunteers’ safety.
B.It has well trained and dedicated staff worldwide.
C.It provides volunteering experience in most countries.
D.It provides peaceful and unforgettable experiences.
2.If parents want to track their children, they can .
A.ask their travel companions
B.make emergency phone calls
C.check “Situation Report” emails
D.contact field staff or travel advisers
3.What type of writing is this text?
A.An announcement. B.An advertisement.
C.An exhibition guide. D.A travel brochure.
假定你是李华,留学生Andy对中国诗词很感兴趣,想找一名共同学习者。请写信向他推荐你的一位同学,内容包括:
1.介绍该同学的基本情况;
2.推荐理由;
3.表达期望
注意:1.词数100左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文,请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误,每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(^),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下划一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2.只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。
I was born as poor boy and grew up in the street without the care, guidance and supervision of your beloved parents. I have been experienced a hard life, being almost naked(赤裸的) with an empty stomach and exist without secure shelter and proper education. Now, as a young man with some sadly experiences of early life, I have a dream. I want to become a great man who have power and authority, like Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill or so on. Yes, I dream to be like these great man. I want to change and developed my beloved country, when people in need can live a happy and peaceful life.