It used to be a matter of fact when Peter Pan – a character from James Matthew Barrie’s 1911 book – said: “All children, except one, grow up.”

But this “fact” doesn’t seem to apply to today’s world anymore.

According to the NPD Group, a US market research company, sales of toys to adults in the UK increased by more than 20 percent in 2016, three times the pace of the children’s toy market itself. These toys ranged from puzzles and Lego building sets to vehicle models and action figures. And more than half of the sales came from millennials – people born between the 1980s and 2000s.

“Adults of the 21st century are channeling (疏导) their inner child, one toy at a time,” commented website Koreaboo. This is also why these adults are sometimes referred to as “kidults”.

According to Frederique Tutt, an analyst at NPD, the motivation of these grown-ups is to escape the stress of today’s fast-paced world. They are driven toward the more immediate pleasures brought by toys than those brought by, say, getting a promotion, which is far less easy to achieve.

“It reminds me of the playful side of life,” Rob Willner, a 25-year-old PhD student in the UK, told The Telegraph when talking about his love for Lego, which he said brings him both comfort and entertainment.

Despite this, some social scientists see the trend as disturbing. To Frank Furendi, a professor at the University of Kent in the UK, the fact that so many adults are pursuing “the thrills (刺激) of youth” is the evidence that “adulthood has got nothing attractive about it anymore”, he told The New York Times.u “That’s actually quite sad.”

But scientists are probably just worrying too much. According to Canadian comic book artist Todd McFarlane, collecting toys could simply be a way for people to express their individuality (个性).

“It’s just pop culture stuff. It’s stuff that says, ‘I like a little of this and I like a little of that’,” he told ABC News. “[It’s] no big deal.”

So now that over 100 years have passed since Peter Pan, perhaps it’s time to introduce a new “fact”, as stated in the tagline (品牌宣传词) of the UK fashion brand KIDULT: “Growing old is mandatory (强制性的), but growing up is optional.”

1.The author mentions Peter Pan in the text mainly to ______.

A. show the influence of the character on millennials

B. explore the similarities Peter Pan and millennials share

C. lead up to the trend of millennials’ love for toys

D. analyze what has made many millennials refuse to grow up

2.Why do many adults feel like collecting toys, according to Frederique Tutt?

A. They find it brings them both comfort and inspiration.

B. They consider it a way to relieve stress.

C. They want to make up for the pleasures they missed during childhood.

D. They usually don’t get along well in their lives and need an emotional outlet.

3.What can we conclude from the article about kidults?

A. They are well-known for their pursuit of independence and freedom.

B. Social scientists feel worried about them because they take nothing seriously.

C. In Todd McFarlane’s eyes, their interest in toys is a way to express their identity.

D. They refuse to make efforts to become promoted at work as they don’t want to grow up.

English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world’s books and three quarters of international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary — perhaps as many as two million words.

However, let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (探讨它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square,  public bathrooms have no baths in them.

And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects (反映) the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible (能看见的); but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

1.Which of the following includes two items which have the similar meaning?

A. Quite a lot and quite a few. B. Overlook and oversee.

C. A wise man and a wise guy. D. Hot as hell and cold as hell.

2.The underlined words “wind up” in the last paragraph probably means “_____”.

A. blow B. roll up

C. get hurt D. finish

3.Through the many paradoxes in the English language, the writer wants to show that human beings are ____.

A. clever B. crazy

C. lazy D. dull

In Britain, many theatres put on shows for children at Christmas and many theatres have a theatre-in-education team working there. This team, made up of actors and teachers, writes plays for children, usually performing them in schools. They do different plays for different age groups and the children often take part in the play in some way.

Pantomime is a special kind of Christmas show for children. It is loved by people and also allows the audience (观众) to join in. “Pantomime” was the name of the Roman actor who performed shows without speaking — this is where the English word “mime” comes from.

A pantomime is always based on a well-known children's story. But there are always certain types of characters in the show and certain situations and events. For example, a pantomime must always include a hero, known as the “principal boy” and this principal boy is always played by a pretty girl wearing a short costume (服装). Then there is the comic older woman, known as the “dame” who is played by a man. There is always a group of men and women who sing and dance and often there is a pantomime horse. The horse is played by two men who form the “front” and “back” ends inside a “horse” costume. It is funny and it usually kicks the dame when she isn't looking.

Members of the audience have to shout a warning to one of the characters and argue with the character (usually the dame) when she does not believe them. When she shouts, “Oh no, it isn't,” the audience always responds with “Oh yes, it is!” The audience also learns and sings a simple song and a few children are sometimes invited to help one of the characters during the show.

1.The theatre-in-education teams _____.

A. are made up of famous local actors

B. write plays for the same age group

C. often give plays in their own theatres

D. usually allow children to join in a play

2.According to the text, a pantomime _____.

A. is designed to make people laugh

B. is made up of three characters

C. is especially popular with grown-ups

D. can be watched all year round in Britain

3.When the dame says, “Yes, it is”, the audience should _____.

A. follow her and sing

B. stand up and dance

C. repeat what she says

D. disagree with her loudly

What are the advantages and disadvantages of eating fast food?

Many people do not have time to eat home-cooked food. 1.There’re more than 13,000 McDonald’s restaurants in the United States itself, and over 8,000 KFCs in 80 countries. In most cities, it is not difficult to find hamburgers and pizza.

Advantages of fast food

2.Eating fast food helps working people and students to get back to work as quickly as possible. Besides, many love the look, smell and taste of it. Perhaps the greatest advantage is the price. 3. If one lives alone, then it is cheaper to buy a meal at the supermarket than cook it at home.

Disadvantages of fast food

The greatest disadvantage of fast food is the bad effect that it has on one’s health. Many people feel that fast food is unhealthy because it contains a lot of artificial ingredients (人造成分). Some even think that it is addictive (上瘾的) because of these ingredients. 4.Fast food may lead to obesity in the American population.

5. I believe that it can be a good thing, as long as people do not eat it too often, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and also do plenty of exercise to keep in shape.

A. Fast food does raise health concerns.

B. It is often cheaper than other kinds of restaurant food.

C. In short, fast food has both advantages and disadvantages.

D. Fast food probably makes people much fatter than before.

E. More and more fruit and vegetables are offered in fast food.

F. The most evident advantage of fast food is that it saves time.

G. Because of our non-stop modern lifestyle, fast food is popular almost everywhere.

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