Some parents will buy any high-tech toy if they think it will help their child, but researchers said puzzles help children with math-related skills.
Psychologist Susan Levine, an expert on mathematics development in young children at the University of Chicago, found children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 later develop better spatial skills. Puzzle play was found to be a significant predictor of cognition (认知) after controlling for differences in parents’ income, education and the amount of parent talk, Levine said.
The researchers analyzed video recordings of 53 child-parent pairs during everyday activities at home and found children who play with puzzles between 26 and 46 months of age have better spatial skills when assessed at 54 months of age.
“The children who played with puzzles performed better than those who did not, on tasks that assessed their ability to rotate (旋转) and translate shapes,” Levine said in a statement.
The parents were asked to interact with their children as they normally would, and about half of the children in the study played with puzzles at one time. Higher-income parents tended to have children play with puzzles more frequently, and both boys and girls who played with puzzles had better spatial skills. However, boys tended to play with more complex puzzles than girls, and the parents of boys provided more spatial language and were more active during puzzle play than parents of girls.
The findings were published in the journal Developmental Science.
1. In which aspect do children benefit from puzzle play?| A．Building confidence. | B．Developing spatial skills. |
| C．Learning self-control. | D．Gaining high-tech knowledge. |
| A．Parents’ age. | B．Children’s imagination. |
| C．Parents’ education. | D．Child-parent relationship. |
| A．They play with puzzles more often. | B．They tend to talk less during the game. |
| C．They prefer to use more spatial language. | D．They are likely to play with tougher puzzles. |
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【推荐1】Taking a break during the work day is important but how often do we actually make the time to do it? For most, an eight hour workday just doesn’t seem like enough and we end up sacrificing moments of peace to make room for more moments of productivity, but according to a new study, skipping that lunch break could actually be hurting your performance.
Taking time away from work to enjoy a short walk or a few minutes of mindful meditation (冥想) throughout the day can actually have positive effects on your end of day concentration and help you feel less tired after work. Scientists tasked workers in intellectually demanding fields-think education, engineering and finance-with taking a short 15-minute walk or doing 15 minutes of mindful meditation during their lunch breaks every day for two weeks. The participants were asked to report how they were feeling near the end of the day during, before and after the study. They also filled out a short questionnaire every night, asking how much they enjoyed their lunch break, and whether they were able to detach (使分离) from work during it or not.
The results: those who took a break to walk or mindfully relax were significantly less stressed and able to perform better at the end of the work day than those who took no breaks at all. Mindful relaxation in particular helped people feel less anxious at the end of the day. According to the study, walks in nature can lead to “attention return” and mindful relaxation can increase our positive emotions, relieve stress, and improve focus.
So the next time you think you should skip your lunch break, take a breath and consider giving yourself a moment of peace. It might just make you a more productive employee.
1. Why do people skip the lunch break according to the text?| A．They want to get more work done. |
| B．They hope to save time for other activities. |
| C．They decide to reach the goal of losing weight. |
| D．They are bent on earning more money for family. |
| A．Returning to work quickly after lunch. |
| B．Taking a walk of doing relaxation every day. |
| C．Having a short nap after lunch regularly. |
| D．Enjoying a good sleep often without lunch. |
| A．One thing you are not doing that improves your productivity. |
| B．Taking workday break activities makes you more productive. |
| C．Facing workday challenges by taking a walk after lunch break. |
| D．Making your day with mindful relaxation instead of lunch break. |
【推荐2】Science experiments don’t always go as planned, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from them. Recently, Australian scientists learned something unexpected about magpies (喜鹊) when they tried to attach trackers to them to learn more about their habits.
The birds the scientists hoped to study were Australian magpies. They’re medium-sized black and white birds from the same bird “family” as crows and bluejays, live in groups of up to 12 birds and work together to defend the area they live in. The researchers were eager to try a new tracker on the magpies. They hoped to learn more about how far the birds flew and what they did during a normal day.
It’s hard to find trackers that work well with small and medium- sized birds. Either the trackers are too heavy, or don’t last long enough. The new trackers were light and could be recharged without wires while they were still on the birds.
The researchers placed trackers on five magpies. But just ten minutes after setting up the last magpie, they noticed something unusual. “ an adult female magpie was helping another magpie get free from its trackers. In a few hours, none of the birds had trackers anymore. The birds outsmarted us. ” said Dominique Potvin, one of the scientists.
The scientists were disappointed about the trackers, but they realized that the magpies had taught them something else: that magpies are able and willing to help each other out, even if the bird who is helping doesn’t get a reward. This is called “ rescue behavior ” , and this is the first time rescue behavior has been reported for Australian magpies.
The researchers are glad they’ve learned about the rescue behavior of magpies. But now they need to try again to figure out a good way to track these for Australian magpies.
1. Why did the researchers try to put the new trackers on magpies?| A．To preserve magpies’ habitat. | B．To study magpies’ living habits. |
| C．To introduce the migration of magpies. | D．To prove magpies’ biological diversity. |
| A．The problems of the trackers. | B．The process of making trackers. |
| C．The technology of tracking birds. | D．The comparison of old and new trackers. |
| A．Magpies solve problems quickly. | B．Magpies tend to help each other. |
| C．Magpies are smarter than humans. | D．Magpies are curious about trackers. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Tolerant. | C．Satisfied. | D．Disappointed. |
【推荐3】“Come on! All of us are cutting (逃课) maths. Who wants to go to take that quiz? We’re going to take a walk and get lunch instead. Let’s go!” says the coolest kid in your class. Do you do what you know is right and go to maths class, take the quiz and all? Or do you give in and go with him?
People who are at your age, like your classmates, are called peers. When they try to influence how you act and get you to do something, it’s called peer pressure. It’s something everyone has to deal with — even adults.
Peers influence your life, even if you don’t realize it, just by spending time with you. You learn from them, and they learn from you. It’s only human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group.
Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system, or you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone is reading it. Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them.
It’s difficult to say “no” to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and what is wrong can help you know what is the right thing you should do.
It can really help to have at least one other peer, or friend, who is willing to say “no” too. If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle it, talk to someone you trust — a parent, or a teacher. They can help you feel much better and prepare you for the next time you face peer pressure.
1. According to the first paragraph, what is the kid doing?| A．Encouraging other kids to cut class. |
| B．Making an announcement about a dinner party. |
| C．Planning some interesting activities after school. |
| D．Persuading kids to take a quiz with him. |
| A．For kids, peer pressure may do more harm than good. |
| B．Kids today are under greater pressure than before. |
| C．Peer pressure exists among people of all age groups. |
| D．Maths is the most difficult subject for most kids. |
| A．Learning to refuse their friends in a polite way. |
| B．Getting support from someone else if necessary. |
| C．Making more close friends while at school. |
| D．Building closer relations with their parents and teachers. |
| A．The parents. | B．The teachers. |
| C．The friends. | D．The students. |
From this, we can see that women are much more careful while driving. Another very interesting fact that we should point out is that in the past, women preferred to let their husbands be the only driver in the family rather than have a driving license. Somehow they were prevented from making this step in their lives, but nowadays there are many women that want to pass their driving tests from an early age.
However, we have to admit that men are more skillful drivers than women, but this does not mean that a woman cannot become a good driver by accumulating (积累) experience. So more and more teenagers and women around the age of thirty now want to pass their driving tests. While taking their driving lessons, they also have a number of special lessons with their parents or somebody in the family that has a driving license, this is just to improve their driving abilities and help them to pass the tests more easily.
To conclude, we can say that women are not such bad drivers. They just need more experience than men in order to be able to drive well. And on the other hand, there are a number of women that show better driving skills than the men around them.
1. Compared with the past, nowadays many women___.
| A．prefer to have a driving license |
| B．have more accidents while driving |
| C．are somehow prevented from driving |
| D．are the only driver in the family |
| A．They have more skills. |
| B．They are much more careful |
| C．They know more traffic rules |
| D．They have more driving experience |
| A．Teenage girls cannot take driving tests. |
| B．Men didn't allow women to drive in the past. |
| C．With enough experience, women can become good drivers. |
| D．Women can easily pass their tests by taking driving lessons. |
| A．women and their driving ability. |
| B．men and their driving ability. |
| C．why men are better drivers than women. |
| D．why more women like to have a driving license |
【推荐2】You either have it or you don’t — a sense of direction, that is. But why is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map, while others can lose themselves in the next street?
Scientists say we’re all born with a sense of direction, but it is not properly understood how it works. One theory is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it. Research being carried out at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don’t use it, we lose it.
“Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around,” says Jim Martland, Research Director of the project. “However, if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they never develop the skills.”
Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people shou1d be taught certain skills to improve their sense of direction. He makes the following suggestions:
• If you are using a map, turn it so it relates to the way you are facing.
• If you leave your bike in a strange place, put it near something like a big stone or a tree. Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike. When you return, go back along the same route.
• Simplify the way of finding your direction by using lines such as streets in a town, streams, or walls in the countryside to guide you. Count your steps so that you know how far you have gone and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where you are.
Now you need never get lost again!
1. Scientists believe that ________.| A．some babies are born with a sense of direction |
| B．people learn a sense of direction as they grow older |
| C．people never lose their sense of direction |
| D．everybody possesses a sense of direction from birth |
| A．They never have a sense of direction without maps. |
| B．They should never be allowed out alone if they lack a sense of direction. |
| C．They have a sense of direction and can find their way around. |
| D．They can develop a good sense of direction if they are driven around in a car. |
| A．tie it to a tree so as to prevent it from being stolen |
| B．draw a map of the route to help remember where it is |
| C．avoid taking the same route when you come back to it |
| D．remember something easily recognizable on the route |
| A．ask policemen for directions |
| B．use walls, stream, and streets to guide yourself |
| C．remember your route by looking out for steps and stairs |
| D．count the number of landmarks that you see |
【推荐3】Due to climate change and changes in land use, wildfires are predicted to rise by up to 14 percent by 2030, 30 percent by 2050 and 50 percent by the end of this century, and even areas once considered safe from major fires such as the Arctic, will “very likely” experience a major increase in burning, according to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
The report, Spreading like Wildfire: The Rising Threat of Extraordinary Landscape Fires, says that wildfires and climate change are “mutually exacerbating.” Wildfires are made more serious by climate change through increased drought, high air temperatures, low humidity, lightning, and strong winds. Meanwhile, climate change is made worse by wildfires, mostly by ravaging sensitive and carbon-rich ecosystems like rainforests.
Wildfires can threaten people’s health and lives, contaminate water, destroy crops and reduce land available to grow food. Costs of rebuilding after areas are struck by wildfires can be beyond the means of low-income countries. Wildlife, as well as natural habitats, is also rarely spared. All these slow progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
While the situation “is certainly extreme, it not yet hopeless.” The publication calls on governments to adopt a new “Fire Ready Formula,” with two-thirds of spending devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness, and recovery, with one-third left for response. Currently, direct responses to wildfires typically receive over half of related expenditures, while planning and prevention receive less than one percent. “We have to minimize the risk of extreme wildfires by being better prepared: invest more in fire risk reduction and shift from passive response to prevention and preparedness,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director.
Setting up data and science-based monitoring systems, strengthening regional and international cooperation, restoring ecosystems and thinning forests around areas where nature and human living spaces meet are just a few suggested examples of investments into prevention, preparedness and recovery.
1. Why does the author speak of the Arctic?| A．To introduce the climate change of it. | B．To stress the importance of protecting it. |
| C．To warn people of the wildfire damage. | D．To show the rising tendency of wildfires. |
| A．Wildfire control. | B．Rebuilding costs. |
| C．The possible damage. | D．The slowing progress. |
| A．Surrounding busy towns with thick forests. |
| B．Restoring wetlands as well as wildlife species. |
| C．Investing more money in putting out wildfires. |
| D．Fitting cameras to monitor the spread of wildfires. |
| A．Wildfires and climate change worsen each other. |
| B．The researchers are pessimistic about wildfire control. |
| C．Prevention receives half of related spending currently. |
| D．Many governments have adopted “Fire Ready Formula”. |
【推荐1】Genealogy, or researching your family tree, is a hobby that can rapidly develop into an obsession. Before you start looking for your own ancestors, read this advice from genealogist Maria McLeod.
The first question to ask yourself is why you want to research your family tree. Genealogy is not about discovering that you are the lost prince or princess of an unknown kingdom. It’s about finding more about yourself. For most people the important question is “Why am I like I am?” You might not look like other members of your immediate family and you want to know where your green eyes or curly hair come from. You may be curious about why you have such a quick temper. You may even be suffering from a medical condition and want to know if something in your genetic makeup has caused it.
Another common motivation for researching your family tree is that you plan to visit the place that your ancestors came from and you secretly hope that you will find some long lost cousins with whom you can share your memories. There can be few more exciting things than meeting a distant cousin who is living on the other side of the globe and finding that she looks just like your younger sister. But you should also bear in mind that they may not necessarily want to have anything to do with you. Sometimes there are skeletons in the cupboard that you and your branch of the family are unaware of, but which are still fresh in the minds of your more distant relatives.
Once you are clear about your motivations, you need to take a moment to think about just how many ancestors you might have and how far back you intend to go. You have, no doubt, thought about your parents’ parents and your parents’ parents’ parents. But go back ten generations and the picture becomes much more complicated. You can work it out for yourself. You may be descended(遗传) from no fewer than 1,024 people through ten generations. This can mean that you spend hours going through official records, either in person at the records office or on the Internet. Are you prepared for such a huge task?
1. What might be Maria Mcleod’s first piece of advice be?| A．Be prepared to accept your bad temper. |
| B．Don’t expect to find lovely relatives. |
| C．Be prepared to find out your hidden health problems. |
| D．Don’t expect to find out you are a member of a royal family. |
| A．You may bring back bad memories. |
| B．They find it disturbing to entertain you. |
| C．They suspect you of having wrong motives. |
| D．You could remind them of their lost loved ones. |
| A．Who your great grandparents are. |
| B．When you can finish your huge task. |
| C．Why researching a family tree is complex. |
| D．How many people you are descended from. |
| A．Uncovering family secrets: do you dare? |
| B．The science of genealogy: new developments |
| C．Expert opinions on researching your family past |
| D．A step-by-step guide to researching your family tree |
【推荐2】Fallingwater is a house built over a waterfall in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s most famous architect, designed the house in 1935. It instantly became famous, and today it is a National Historic Landmark.
Guided House Tour
This tour features all the major rooms of the house and lasts about one hour. Photography is not permitted during this tour. The Guided House Tour allows children six-year-old and older to enjoy the house with their parents.
Adults — $$ 20.00 with advance purchase
— $$ 23.00 when purchased on site
Youth (ages 6〜12) — $$ 14.00 with advance purchase
— $$ 17.00 when purchased on site
Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, except Wednesday.
In-Depth Tour
The tour is best if you desire a greater understanding of what Wright was seeking to create with his masterwork. The number of visitors on each tour is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children nine years and older may accompany adults on this tour.
$ 65.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)
Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Sunset Tour
As afternoon turns to evening, the changing light allows you to see Fallingwater from an entirely new perspective. The number of visitors is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children under nine-years-old are not permitted on this tour.
$ 110.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)
May, June, & September — Saturdays at 4:30 pm
July & August — Fridays and Saturdays at 4:45 pm
Brunch Tour
The guests join their guide for brunch before they leave. Children nine years and older may accompany adults on this tour. Please allow three hours total for this experience.
$ 115.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)
May through September — Saturdays & Sundays at 9:00 am
1. Today ______ is a National Historic Landmark.| A．Frank Lloyd Wright | B．a house in Southeastern Pennsylvania |
| C．Fallingwater | D．a famous architect |
| A．$ 48 | B．$54 |
| C．$ 63 | D．$ 51 |
| A．Guided House Tour. | B．In-Depth Tour. |
| C．Brunch Tour. | D．Sunset Tour. |
| A．The number of visitors is not limited. | B．It is not accessible in August. |
| C．It is only open for teenagers. | D．The ticket isn’t available on site. |
| A．They encourage advance tickets | B．They offer brunch free of charge |
| C．They forbid visitors taking photos | D．They have the same price of tickets |
【推荐3】Which meal kit service is right for you?
As the simple act of shopping and preparing food for dinner becomes harder to fit in, a way to help meet consumer needs and change the way we shop and eat has grown: meal-delivery plans. Here’s a quick review of some popular options:
1. HelloFresh
HelloFresh provides high-quality ingredients （烹饪原料） and generous portions（分量）, with recipes that are generally easy to prepare. The clear, step-by-step instructions get even the newest home chefs up to speed, and the recipe cards are well-made, so you can refer to your favorite recipes again and again.
There are meals for almost any lifestyle, including vegetarian（素食）options, low- calorie meals and “quick” recipes that get dinner on the table fast.
Cost: $8.75 to $9.99 per serving, with up to 16 servings per week.
2. Freshly
Get fresh, home-cooked food without the trouble of actually cooking. This subscription service delivers comfort foods to your doorstep, and the meals are prepared right before delivery. Never frozen and only requiring minimal reheating, they’re nutritious and cost less than many standard takeout options.
Cost: $7.99 to $11.50 per serving, with up to 12 servings per week.
3. Blue Apron
Blue Apron is full of fresh ingredients, with traditional or vegetarian options. Like many of the plans, the food is delivered in one big box and the recipe card is separate from the meal ingredients. The variety is good and the recipes are generally easy to prepare.
Cost: $7.49 to $9.99 per serving, with up to 16 servings per week.
4. EveryPlate
EveryPlate offers simpler meals for a lower cost. Users can choose between eight recipes each week, so there isn’t a lot of flexibility for different dietary needs, but the recipes are full of flavor and give subscribers generous portions. If you’re looking for an affordable way to get into meal kits, EveryPlate is a good option.
Cost: $4.99 per serving, with up to 12 servings per week.
5. Daily Harvest
Daily Harvest specializes in delicious smoothies. The meals are packed with fruits and vegetables, making nutrition easy and tasty. Smoothies just require the addition of liquid, so feel free to add your favorite type of milk or water to the blend and get your day started.
Cost: $6.99 per serving, with between 9 and 26 servings available.
1. Which meal kit service is right for a vegetarian?| A．Daily Harvest and EveryPlate. |
| B．HelloFresh and Blue Apron. |
| C．EveryPlate and Freshly. |
| D．HelloFresh and Freshly. |
| A．fruits and vegetables |
| B．unlimited servings |
| C．easy preparation |
| D．separate recipes |
| A．living an environmentally friendly life |
| B．cutting down on daily food costs |
| C．adapting to a new lifestyle |
| D．improving cooking skills |
