一、Grammar and Vocabulary, Section A
Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
Shampoo—do we really need to use it?
Buying shampoo can be overwhelming—there are so many brands to choose from, across a huge range of prices. Some brands promise to repair and nourish our hair, 1． others promise to strengthen and add volume. But is any of these claims true? Do we even need shampoo at all?
Since long before shampoo 2． (invent)—some say in India—our bodies have been producing sebum, an oil-like substance. Sebum stops our skin 3． (get) dry, manages the health of our scalp and makes our hair shiny. But it also collects dirt, and, if 4． (leave) untouched for too long, sebum can cause our hair to become greasy. There are no disadvantages from a health perspective to letting our hair be greasy, says Eleanore Richardson, Trichologist at Fulham Scalp and Hair Clinic, but many people choose to wash their hair 5． a regular basis for aesthetic reasons.
And so we reach for the shampoo bottle. Shampoos contain a group of chemicals called surfactants. They grab the dirt and grease from the surface of our hair, meaning when we rinse away the shampoo, we also wash away the grease and dirt. But, 6． Laura Waters, a professor of Pharmaceutical Analysis, points out, "some surfactants work too well" and take the natural oils out of the hair, as well. Though more expensive shampoos may contain 7． (harsh) surfactants, the type of shampoo doesn't really matter. "It's on our hair very briefly and gets washed away". It's the conditioners and styling products that we use after the shampoo that make a bigger difference to the texture and feel of our hair.
Naturally, the more we put onto our hair, the more we need to cleanse it off, 8． (create) a vicious circle. So, yes, it seems we do have a need for shampoo, but we also shouldn't expect it 9． (serve) as a miracle cure. And, finally, next time you're in a shampoo aisle, remember that hair is made up of dead protein cells and that, sadly, not even the most expensive shampoo 10． bring them back to life. See to it that you make better decisions.
二、Grammar and Vocabulary, Section B
Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
| A. accounts B. credibility C. declaring D. filtered E. pays F. particularly G. enduring H. principle I. ignoring J. reputation K. revolutionized |
This week China promised a tax-evasion punishment on social-media influencers, who are paid by brands to promote products online to their followers. Viya, known as the live-streaming queen, has already been fined $210m for not 11． her income. The size of that levy(征 收税) shows the large scale of the industry, which 12． for 12% of online sales in China.
Outside China, influencers are also likely to have a(n) 13． role in e-commerce. For all firms with brands, it is time to realize that influencing is more than just a hobby.
The use of personal endorsements(宣传，代言) used to be about taking advantage of existing celebrity power. For example, Michael Jordan's deal in 1984 with Nike 14． both basketball and branding. Influencers turn the logic on its head: selling things helps make them more famous. Through clipped videos and 15． photos they offer recommendations to consumers, together with glimpses into their daily lives to increase the 16． .
Total spending on influencers by brands could reach $16bn this year. The number of wannabe influencers outside China is in the millions. However, only under 100,000 of them get most profit. Their staying power suggests that they add value in several ways. Influencers' networks reach new audiences, 17． younger shoppers. And influencers are technologically proficient in a way that old-style brand ambassadors never were. They can quickly adapt to and utilize newer platforms like TikTok. Yet one-third of brands do not use influencers. They worry about their 18． .
Despite the risk, 19． influencers is a mistake. Their share of digital advertising budgets is still low at 3%, but it is rising fast. The borderline between entertainment and e-commerce is becoming unclear. The most popular marketing strategy of the 2010s—ads targeted through Google and Facebook—is under threat as new privacy standards make it harder to spy on potential customers.
To make full use of influencers, brands should set a clear strategy. They should expect mo
