Some students get so nervous before a test. They do poorly even if they know the material. Sian Beilock, a professor at the University of Chicago in Illinois, has studied these highly anxious test-takers. The students start worrying about the results. And when they worry, it actually uses up attention and memory resources.
Professor Beilock and another researcher, Gerardo Ramirez have developed a possible solution. Just before an exam, highly anxious test-takers spend ten minutes writing about their worries about the test.
The researchers tested the idea on a group of twenty anxious college students. They gave them two short maths tests. After the first one, they asked the students to either sit quietly or write about their feelings about the upcoming second test.
Professor Beilock says those who sat quietly scored an average of 12% worse on the second test. But the students who had written about their fears improved their performance by an average of 5%. Next, the researchers employed younger students in a biology class. They told them before final exams either to write about their feelings or to think about things unrelated to the test. Professor Beilock says highly anxious students who did the writing got an average grade of B+, compared to a B-for those who did not.
“What we showed is that for students who are highly test-anxious, who’d done our writing intervention (干预), all of a sudden there was no relationship between test anxiety and performance. They were performing just as well as their classmates who don’t normally get nervous in these tests.”
But what if students do not have a chance to write about their fears immediately before an exam? Professor Beilock says students can try it themselves at home or in the library and still improve their performance.
1. What may the students start worrying about before an exam?| A．Whether they can pass the exams. | B．What other students do during the test. |
| C．Whether they have remembered the materials. | D．What kind of problems they will meet oa the test paper. |
| A．Asking the students to ignore the test | B．Asking the students to focus on the test. |
| C．Asking the students to sit quietly before the test. | D．Asking the students to write about their worries before the test. |
| A．The negative effect of test anxiety. | B．The solution to better school performance. |
| C．The benefit of feeling-telling before tests. | D．The way to get well prepared for tests. |
| A．Students should use all chances to improve their performance. |
| B．We can only write about our worries right before an exam. |
| C．The best place to write about our worries is in the test room. |
| D．It is beneficial wherever we write about our worries before an exam. |
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【推荐1】BONFIRE NIGHT is just around the corner. While these brightly coloured explosions are fun for us, our pets may suffer. For animals, Bonfire Night can be one of the most stressful times of the year, with big bangs for seemingly no reason.
In fact, Sainsbury's has banned the sale of fireworks in all of its 2, 300 stores. This was not just for animals, but also due to concerns of the controlled explosions being used in inappropriate places, as weapons or affecting those with post-traumatic(创伤后)stress disorder and autism(自闭症). Animal charities have welcomed the ban, as many say Bonfire Night is one of the most distressing times of the year for animals.
Manager at pet supplement manufacturers Lintbells, said: ''Many dog owners are calling for a change around firework laws, with over 60 percent calling for a thorough ban on unlicensed fireworks, according to the study we conducted, with 96 percent believing that the laws around fireworks should be changed. ''
In addition to the recent announcement from supermarket Sainsbury's and its plans to stop selling fireworks in all of its stores, the results of the study have raised further questions on whether fireworks should be further legislated, to protect not only dogs but other animals too.
There are things you can do to prepare your home for Bonfire Night to help your pet feel safe.
1. Create a safe space
Creating a safe place inside your home can be an ideal place for your dog to hide from fireworks. You can also choose to close the curtains, windows to further shelter their pet from the loud noises and bright flashes of lights.
2. Turn up the TV or radio
The booming sound of fireworks can arouse fear in animals, so turning up the TV or playing music loudly can help to drown out the sound. The sound of the TV could help distract your pet from the bangs outside.
…
Lintbells offers a range of natural calming supplements called YuCALM which help to fight against your dog's stress and anxiety. By supporting natural calming pathways in the brain, YuCALM is an effective way to help reduce stress and support your dog to become happier and more playful once again.
1. Why can Bonfire Night be stressful?| A．The government banned the sale of fireworks. |
| B．People have no preference for fireworks. |
| C．It can be stressful for both people and animals. |
| D．Letting off fireworks is inappropriate. |
| A．firework laws is out of fashion |
| B．fireworks should be banned |
| C．measures should be taken to legislate fireworks |
| D．a majority of dog owners showed concerns over firework |
| A．it blocks the noise out | B．it helps to calm their brain |
| C．it offers them safety | D．it distracts your pet |
| A．No Bonfires, no Pains | B．Save Our Pets from Bonfire Night. |
| C．The Most Stressful Time of the Year | D．Fireworks Should be Banned. |
【推荐2】How to eat well
Why do so many Americans eat tons of processed food?
It’s not because fresh ingredients are hard to come by.
Cooking is not a hard -to- learn skill for young people.
Cooking real food with raw ingredients is the best solution.
To those Americans for whom money is a concern, my advice is simple: Buy what you can afford, and cook it yourself. And to save money and still eat well, you don’t need local organic ingredients; all you need is real food.
There is nothing mysterious about cooking the evening meal. Like any skill, cooking gets easier as you do it more. Every time you cook, you advance your level of skills. So for the benefit of health, please cook at home and enjoy yourself.
| A．It is because we are too hurry to cook meals. |
| B．Supermarkets offer more variety than ever. |
| C．Cooking at home is a common thing. |
| D．They may be added tons of salt or sugar. |
| E．Time is the biggest difficulty in cooking for most people. |
| F．Learning to cook simple, easy, everyday meals is not very difficult. |
| G．Cooking benefits people in many ways. |
【推荐3】There’re currently 21.5 million students in America, and many will be funding their college on borrowed money. Given that there’s now over $1.3 trillion in student loans on the books, it’s pretty clear that many students are far from sensible. The average student’s debt upon graduation now approaches $40,000, and as college becomes ever more expensive, calls to make it “free” are multiplying. Even Hillary Clinton says that when it comes to college, “Costs won’t be a barrier.”
But the only way college could be free is if the faculty and staff donated their time, the buildings required no maintenance, and campuses required no utilities. As long as it’s impossible to produce something from nothing, costs are absolutely a barrier.
The actual question we debate is who should pay for people to go to college. If taxpayers are to bear the cost of forgiving student loans, shouldn’t they have a say in how their money is used?
At least taxpayers should be able to decide what students will study on the public dime. If we’re going to force taxpayers to foot the bill for college degrees, students should only study those subjects that’re of greatest benefit to taxpayers. After all, students making their own choices in this respect is what caused the problem in the first place. We simply don’t need more poetry, gender studies, or sociology majors. How do we know which subjects benefit society? Easy.
Average starting salaries give a clear indication of what type of training society needs its new workers to have. Certainly, there’re benefits to a college major beyond the job a student can perform. But if we’re talking about the benefits to society, the only thing that matters is what the major enables the student to produce for society. And the value of what the student can produce is reflected in the wage employers are willing to pay the student to produce it.
A low wage for elementary school teachers, however, doesn’t mean elementary education isn’t important. It simply means there’re too many elementary school teachers already.
Meanwhile, there’re few who’re willing and able to perform jobs requiring a petroleum engineering major, so the value of one more of those people is very high.
So we can have taxpayers pick up students’ tuition in exchange for dictating what those students will study. Or we can allow students both to choose their majors and pay for their education themselves. But in the end, one of two things is true:
Either a college major is worth its cost or it isn’t. If yes, taxpayer financing isn’t needed. If not, taxpayer financing isn’t desirable. Either way, taxpayers have no business paying for students’ college education.
1. In the author’s opinion, free college education is ________.| A．impractical | B．unsustainable | C．a goal to strive for | D．a way to social equality |
| A．Work even harder to repay society. |
| B．Choose their subjects more carefully. |
| C．Choose majors that will serve society’s practical needs. |
| D．Allow taxpayers to participate in college administration. |
| A．It is underestimated by profit-seeking employers. |
| B．It is to be proved by what they can do on the job. |
| C．It is well reflected in their average starting salary. |
| D．It is embodied in how they remove social barriers. |
| A．Students should think carefully whether to go to college. |
| B．Taxpayers should only finance the most gifted students. |
| C．The worth of a college education is open to debate. |
| D．College students should fund their own education. |
【推荐1】Like many writers, I’m a supreme expert at procrastination (拖延症). When I ought to be working on an assignment, with the clock ticking towards my deadline, I’ll sit there watching pointless interviews or cat videos on YouTube.
According to traditional thinking — I, along with my fellow procrastinators, have a time management problem. By this view, I haven’t fully appreciated how long my assignment is going to take and I’m not paying enough attention to how much time I’m currently wasting on videos. With better scheduling, I will stop procrastinating and get on with my work.
Increasingly, however, psychologists are realizing this is wrong. Experts in the UK have proposed that procrastination is an issue with managing our emotions, not our time. The task we’re putting off is making us feel bad — perhaps it’s boring, too difficult or we’re worried about failing — and to make ourselves feel better in the moment, we start doing something else, like watching videos.
One investigation to inspire the emotional view of procrastination was published by researchers at Case Western Reserve University. They first prompted people to feel bad (by asking them to read sad stories) and showed that this increased their tendency to procrastinate by doing puzzles or playing video games instead of preparing for the test they knew was coming. Subsequent studies by the another team also showed low mood only increases procrastination if enjoyable activities are available as a distraction.
This fresh perspective on procrastination is beginning to open up exciting new approaches to reducing the habit. An approach, which is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, seems especially suitable. It argues that prioritizing choices and actions that help you get closer to get things done can keep you away from the unpleasant feelings. So the next time you’re going to procrastinate, make your focus as simple as “What’s the next action?”. Focusing on this one-step question takes your mind off your feelings and onto easily achievable action. “Our research and lived experience show very clearly that once we get started, we’re typically able to keep going. Getting started is everything.”
1. Which is true according to the traditional view of procrastinators?| A．They are usually irresponsible people. |
| B．They have difficulty in concentrating. |
| C．They enjoy watching videos while writing. |
| D．They can get work done with better schedules. |
| A．Procrastination boosts your moods. |
| B．Procrastinators prefer puzzles to sad stories. |
| C．Test-takers can not escape bad emotions. |
| D．Negative emotions promote procrastination. |
| A．It shortens the process. | B．It inspires the wildest imagination. |
| C．It may relieve unpleasant feelings. | D．It can fix time management problem. |
| A．Prioritize Your To-do List | B．New Studies on Work Performance |
| C．Quit Watching Cat Videos | D．Tremendous Damage of Procrastination |
【推荐2】One way to prevent anxiety from getting out of control is to recognize its benefits. It is a mistake to think that we’d make better decisions if only we keep our feelings under control. Instead, a mix of feelings like anxiety and logical thinking leads to sound decision-making. It’s true that there is plenty of research showing that higher levels of anxiety can make us more likely to avoid risks in our decision-making. There is also evidence that anxiety can increase the attention you pay to relevant information.
Recent studies have shown that people who are anxious about their relationship (for example, they fear to be abandoned) tend to be better at recognizing people who tell lies and are more likely to raise the alarm when danger is present.
In the real world though, it’s worth realizing that feeling anxious once in a while is extremely common. It communicates to others that you care, and what’s more, it’s probably a sign that you are intelligent. At least two published studies have identified that people who score higher on measures of anxiety also tend to perform better on intelligence tests. This seems reasonable: if you’re a thinker, you are sure to be always thinking about the future and imagine possible plots, including bad ones.
The important thing, if you are a worrywart，is not to let your fear destroy your dreams. And don’t bury your head in the sand Instead, act on your fears—do the research as well as preparation, so rather than walking blindly into that which you fear, you meet the challenge in full readiness．
When anxiety beats you, or casts a shadow over your life, this is a serious problem. No one is denying that. But like everyday anxiety of this kind that you feel before a presentation or an interview, you needn’t see it as your enemy. Anxiety is an important feeling, developed through evolution. As for people who are fairly anxious by nature, there is reason for cheer, too. Your nerves are a sign of your watchfulness.
Listen to them and act on them.Then you can turn your nervousness you’re your advantage．
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph about anxiety?| A．It can be the only reason for all bad decisions． |
| B．It can make us more willing to take risks． |
| C．It can enable us to be more focused. |
| D．It can stop us from thinking logically． |
| A．Feeling anxious is more likely to put people at risk． |
| B．Anxious people are less sensitive to danger． |
| C．Feeling anxious occasionally is a sign of intelligence． |
| D．Anxious people have difficulty discovering liars． |
| A．Treat it as a minor feeling． | B．Avoid being defeated by it |
| C．Regard it as our enemy. | D．Take action to control it． |
| A．Tips on how to keep a good mood． | B．Effective ways to prevent anxiety． |
| C．Common misunderstandings about anxiety． | D．Unexpected benefits of anxiety |
The biggest killer by far is the dreaded “ comfort zone ” where most people live in their entire life. And the funny thing is that people just can’t wrap their heads around the fact that people who have reached some success get tons of time to just relax, but only because they’ve earned it ! If you haven’t built a successful business, or in some way built a career that allow you so much freee time, then you are stuck in the grinding world of nine-to-five jobs everyone else. So how comfortable is that ?
So what can you do about it ? Well, find a way to make something happen in your life--- build a business around your favourite hobby, write a book and publish it, or take a course in stock trading and become an expert at that, working on making enough money to retire. If you don’t take massive action that puts your way of your comfort zone, you will never be successful at much of anything. I promise--- and I don’t make many promises !
Finding real happiness in life can be a mystery for many. That’s why I wrote The Road to Happiness for those who want real success and happiness in life, including spirituality and all the gifts life has to offer.
Don’t wander aimlessly through life. Get focused on your goals, start helping others in need, and live life to the fullest ! Life is too short to be anything but happy. Visit my website and find what you’ve been missing. Sign up for my newsletter and get seven free ebooks, too ! Read hundreds of articles while you’re there in the article section, which is updated daily.
1. This text must be taken from __________.
| A．a radio program | B．a website |
| C．a newspaper | D．a TV program |
| A．We should think what it really takes to be successful in our chosen field. |
| B．We should focus our full attention on the work in our chosen field. |
| C．We should live out of the “ comfort zone ” all through our life. |
| D．We should work together with other people to reach our goals in time. |
| A．Because they have enough money to do so. |
| B．Because they don’t want to be successful. |
| C．Because they have already earned it through hard work. |
| D．Because they only work nine to five every day. |
| A．do a lot of actual wotk | B．write a book and publish it |
| C．take a course in stock trading | D．make enough money to retire |
【推荐1】We might think of our eye color as one of our defining physical features, as personal to us as the shape of our nose. But, surprisingly, our eye color doesn’t always remain constant throughout our lives.
Evidence suggests whether a baby’s eye color changes or not depends a lot on the color itself. One study led by American researcher Cassie Ludwig tracked 148 babies born at a hospital in California,recording their iris (虹膜) color at birth. Over half of the babies were born with brown eyes, and less than one-third with blue. Two years later, the researchers found of the 40 blue-eyed babies in the study, l1 had brown eyes by the age of two, three had hazel (浅赤褐色的), and two had green. Of the 77 brown-eyed newborns, almost all (73) still had brown eyes at the age of two.
But why do blue eyes change more? The answer may be found in the fact that when the babies’ eyes did change color, they tended to become darker, not lighter. In Ludwig’s study, one-third of the babies’ eyes changed color in their first two years, with the most common change being eyes becoming darker. The trend towards darkening may be due to the build-up of a protective pigment (色素) in the irises — but more on this later.
Such relatively common, healthy color change is mostly limited to early childhood. In another study in the US, which tracked more than 1,300 twins from babyhood to adulthood, eye color usually stopped changing by the age of six. Among non-identical twins, eye color was more likely to change than among identical twins.
Sometimes color changes can be seen in hair in newborns throughout childhood. “Some babies are born with blonde hair, but they’ve got quite dark brown hair when they become older,” says Australian researcher David Mackey. “That’s probably because the pigment in your hair can increase gradually over time. “It may be a similar story for eye color,” he suggests, with greater quantities of pigment — the main pigment in the eyes is melanin (黑色素) — building up in the months or years after birth.
1. What was the finding of Ludwig and her colleagues?| A．Babies’ iris colors are likely to remain unchanged. |
| B．US babies are more likely to be born with blue eyes. |
| C．Brown eyes are likely to become several other colors. |
| D．Blue eyes are more likely to change color than brown eyes. |
| A．The growth of a pigment in the iris. |
| B．Unhealthy diet among two-year-olds. |
| C．The interaction of different colors. |
| D．The exposure of eyes to light. |
| A．To prove twins’ eyes are more likely to change color. |
| B．To show how long eye color change will continue. |
| C．To explain why eye color change is common among babies. |
| D．To stress non-identical twins’ eyes often change color in later life. |
| A．By giving descriptions. | B．By following time order. |
| C．By making a comparison. | D．By offering some examples. |
【推荐2】A hybrid electric vehicle（混合动力车）or HEV is a vehicle driven by the combination of petrol engine and electric motor. Terence has been driving a HEV for five years. He really doesn't understand why more people aren't accepting them. "I probably spend about $ 7 a day on petrol," "the taxi diver told news. com. au. In his previous conventional vehicle Terrence said he was spending up to $ 30 a day an petrol, meaning he saves almost $ 6000 every year.
The Toyota spokesman said this was quite a high saving and official tests estimate（估计）an average driver would only save about 33 percent off their current bill. This means a driver paying $ 30 a day on petrol would see their bill drop to about $ 20 using the hybrid. "A taxi driver that drives in built-up areas and spends little time on highways will notice a higher fuel saving," he said. "Low speeds allow the electric motors to be used more and the petrol engine used less."
While some people are skeptical about how reliable hybrids are, Terrence said he had never run out of power. His Camry cost about $ 34,000 and so after five years, it's nearly paid for itself. "For cab drivers, it's a real advantage because of the cost-effectiveness," he said. Terrence has no complaints about the car. "I love it, the calm and quietness of it, the simplicity of it-you just jump in and go. The maintenance is really low. But the only difficulty is finding someone to service the car as there are not many experienced mechanics.
Terrence said it's "extraordinary" that more drivers aren't buying more hybrid electric vehicles and that governments are not encouraging this more. "I think people have a view that you have to plug it in which is not true. A lack of information about the cars may he stopping people from taking the plunge. It's not promoted at all for the public to understand-it's simplifying the actual owning of a car-you don't have to do so many things to own it and run it, it's just so much simpler. Why wouldn't the government promote such a thing?
1. How much does an average drive save each day by driving a hybrid?| A．$ 30 | B．$ 20 |
| C．$ 10 | D．$ 7 |
| A．speed | B．power |
| C．price | D．service |
| A．The difficulty in servicing the car. |
| B．The restriction of the government. |
| C．The lack of information about HEV. |
| D．The inconvenience with charging the car. |
【推荐3】Edinburgh is the world’s festival city with twelve festivals throughout the year. Here are some of the events you can enjoy.
The Edinburgh International Festival
This is the original Edinburgh festival which began in 1947. Actors, musicians, dancers and opera singers from all over the world perform to huge audiences. You need tickets for most events which take place in theaters around the city.
The Edinburgh Art Festival
This festival is modern and has been celebrated for around ten years. It is a fantastic opportunity to see some of the city’s best visual art in art galleries and museums. Most events are free and include events such as fashion shows and art exhibitions.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
This is the largest arts festival in the world with thousands of shows which take place across the city. Anyone can perform in the festival and over 20,000 artists take part, so there is always a huge variety of acts to choose from. Go to the Royal Mile to watch performers such as magicians and comedians for free. However, it can get very busy as thousands of tourists and local people fill the city streets to enjoy the shows.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival
The largest book festival in the world began in 1983 and takes place every year in Charlotte Square Gardens in the centre of Edinburgh. There are over 700 events for children and adults who love books. You can meet many authors, talk to them, ask them to sign a book or listen to them talk about their stories.
1. Which Festival has the longest history?| A．The Edinburgh Art Festival. |
| B．The Edinburgh Festival Fringe. |
| C．The Edinburgh International Festival. |
| D．The Edinburgh International Book Festival. |
| A．Ask authors to sign books. |
| B．Perform with artists together. |
| C．Go to theaters to watch plays. |
| D．See the best visual art in galleries. |
| A．A story book. | B．A science fiction. |
| C．A news report. | D．A travel magazine. |
