You are out with a few friends after a long day at the office. You are so relieved to be able to speak freely at last, with as much slang (俚语) as you like. Then another friend joins your group, contributing humorless and grammatically perfect sentences to the conversation. Are you at ease?
If you can imagine yourself in this situation, you can understand how a lot of young people feel when they receive a text with a big period (句号).
For the younger generation, using proper punctuation (标点) in an informal context like texting can give an impression of formality that borders on rudeness. The message-ending period establishes a certain distance. The punctuation is polite when you are speaking to someone older than you or above you at work, but unpleasant among friends. To put it simply, including a formality in informal communication makes people uncomfortable.
Think of a mother using her son’s full name when issuing a serious ultimatum (最后通牒). Or of an upset lover speaking to a partner in a cool, professional tone. People gain and express interpersonal comfort through unpolished self-presentation, and acting (or writing) too formally comes off as cold or distant.
It is also worth noting that more of our informal communication is digital now than ever before, so texting etiquette (礼仪) carries at least as much weight as speaking tone. It is generally accepted that many texters, especially young people, see end-of-message periods as unnecessary. It is clear that a message has ended regardless of its punctuation, because each message is in its own bubble. Thus, the message break has become the default (默认) full-stop.
This pressure to get one’s thoughts across increases when they are aware that the people that they are texting know they are typing—as with speech, both parties in the conversation are responsible for maintaining it To avoid keeping their friends waiting anxiously, therefore, texters send out single, often unpunctuated phrases rather than full sentences.
Adapting to this new custom may be difficult for older texters. However, this is not the first time that writers have repurposed standard punctuation. The new customs surrounding the period are just one episode in a centuries-long history of grammatical exploration.
1. The two examples in Paragraph 4 are used to show ______.A.using punctuation is practically rude |
B.formality can create a certain distance |
C.period is proper for elders and lovers to use |
D.informal communication causes discomfort |
A.More informal communication is digital now than before. |
B.The message in its own bubble carries more significance. |
C.They use unpunctuated sentences to keep a conversation going. |
D.They want to escape the pressure of communicating their ideas. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Critical. | C.Opposed. | D.Acceptable. |
A.No more periods when texting. | B.Periods or not, that’s a choice. |
C.Standard punctuation when texting. | D.Texting etiquette among generations. |
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【推荐1】Ever fought with a problem? Picked up a new skill? Encountered a difficult concept? The language of learning is full of references to parts of the body outside the brain. Perhaps that’s because these phrases suggest something deeper. Researchers are detecting that learning is easier, quicker and more long-lasting if it involves the body.
“In the past, people have argued that as we grow, we become more able to think abstractly (抽象地),” says Andrew Manches, a psychologist at the University of Edinburgh in the UK. Conventional (传统的) thinking might suggest that teachers should help prevent children from using body gestures to prepare them for the adult world. But in truth, the physical world never really leaves our thinking. For example, when we process verbs such as lick, kick and pick, medical scanners show that the parts of our brain that control the muscles in our face, legs and hands, respectively, light up with activity.
Science is beginning to back up the idea that actions really might speak louder than words in the classroom. Spencer Kelly, a psychologist at Colgate University in New York, has found that people spend three times as much time gesturing when they think the message they get across is remarkably important, suggesting that even if only at the subconscious (潜意识的) level, we appreciate the communicative value of our body language. Kelly has also found evidence that a teacher is more appealing to students when he or she uses arm and hand movements to stress points.
Also, some studies indicate that young children obtain more if their teacher uses gestures when explaining a concept. Meanwhile, Sunsan Wagner Cook, a psychologist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, has found that children pick up new concepts more effectively, if they are taught to mirror and repeat gestures their teacher uses.
1. How did people in the past understand learning?A.The older a student grows, the less likely he will think abstractly. |
B.Teachers are advised to encourage students to use body gestures. |
C.Body gestures should be removed to promote adult-like thinking. |
D.The physical world never really leaves our thinking. |
A.By presenting different researches. |
B.By explaining some rules. |
C.By making some predictions. |
D.By analyzing the theory. |
A.People use gestures every time they convey the messages. |
B.Body movements can increase a teacher’s popularity. |
C.Young students like to mirror their teacher’s gestures. |
D.Body language is more powerful than spoken language. |
A.The Language of Learning: A Vital Approach |
B.Body Gestures: A Sharp Tool for Fast Learning |
C.Body Language: A Universal Language Signal |
D.Thinking Abstractly: A Symbol of Adult World |
Deeply involved with this new technology is a kind of modern businesspeople who have a growing respect for the economic value of doing business abroad. In modern markets, success overseas often helps support domestic business efforts.
Overseas assignments (指派) are becoming increasingly important to advancement within executive (行政) ranks. The executive stationed in another country no longer need fear being “out of sight and out of mind.” He or she can be sure that the overseas effort is central to the company’s plan for success, and that promotions often follow or accompany an assignment abroad. If an employee can succeed in a difficult assignment overseas, superiors will have greater confidence in his or her ability to manage back in the United States where cross-cultural considerations and foreign language issues are becoming more and more common.
Thanks to a variety of relatively inexpensive communications devices (装置) with business applications, even small businesses in the United States are able to get into international markets.
English is still the international language of business. But there is an ever-growing need for people who can speak another language. A second language isn’t generally required to get a job in business, but having language skills gives a candidate the edge when other qualifications appear to be equal.
The employee posted abroad who speaks the country’s language has an opportunity to fast-forward certain negotiations, and can have the cultural insight (洞察力) to know when it is better to move more slowly. The employee at the home office who can communicate well with foreign customers over the telephone or by fax machine is an obvious asset (有价值的人或物) to the firm.
1. With the increased use of high-tech communications equipment, businesspeople ________.
A.are eager to work overseas |
B.have to get familiar with modern technology |
C.are gaining more economic benefits from domestic operations |
D.are attaching more importance to their overseas business |
A.leaving all care and worry behind |
B.being unable to think properly for lack of insight |
C.being totally out of touch with business at home |
D.missing opportunities for promotion when abroad |
A.Ability to speak the customer’s language. |
B.Connections with businesses overseas. |
C.Technical know-how. |
D.Business experience. |
A.fast-forward their proposals to headquarters |
B.better control the whole negotiation process |
C.easily make friends with businesspeople abroad |
D.easily find new approaches to meet market needs |
【推荐3】Accents are an important part of our identity. An accent gives clues about who we are, and the community we belong to or wish to belong to.
What is the difference between accents and pronunciation?
Accents are about localized ways of speaking a language. A French person may speak English flawlessly (完美无瑕地), just with a French accent.
If you think back historically people were much more localized with generation after generation of families living in the same small villages and few people traveled out of that area during their lifetimes. So over many generations differences in accent emerged and became very distinct to particular areas. Mountainous villages that are not easily accessible often develop very strong and distinctive accents.
How important is it to get an accent right?
If you’re moving to a certain part of a country, you might want to integrate better with your new community.
How to improve your accent?
A.Where do accents and pronunciation emerge? |
B.They’re also important for those learning a new language. |
C.Try to adapt your speech to sound more like the locals’ speech. |
D.The best way is to learn the specific accent of that region. |
E.Where do different types of accents come from? |
F.That’s fine because there is no wrong or right with an accent. |
G.Learners should first think about which sounds don’t exist in your native language. |
【推荐1】The United States is one of the world’s wealthiest countries. Despite this, many Americans are not even getting enough to eat. In fact, around 37 million Americans struggle just to put healthy food, or any food at all, on the table every day.
One might think that a food shortage is happening in America, but this is not the case. There is more than sufficient food for everyone. Unfortunately, 40% of food is wasted every day. There are many different ways food is wasted: farmers only pick the best-looking crops, deliveries aren’t made on time, supermarkets throw out extra products, customers buy more than they need, and so on. The highest level of wastage tends to happen in the richest communities.
Meanwhile, people who live in poor or rural areas often have little or no access to food. These areas are called “food deserts”. They have fewer supermarkets, and the only food options that they can afford are often unhealthy ones. Healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables may be impossible to find. Sadly, 12. 8% of the American population live in food deserts.
What can we do to help those who don’t have enough food? Shirley and Annie Zhu came up with a solution. In 2017, when Hurricane Harvey destroyed over 100,000 homes in their city, Houston, the sisters got involved. While helping to clear water from a flooded supermarket, they saw a huge amount of food being wasted. At the same time, thousands of people in the city didn’t have enough to eat.
The girls were only 15 when they set up Fresh Hub with 10 of their classmates. They created an app which could be used by residents to find out whether fresh food was available. Then they contacted local farmers and supermarkets to ask for their extra food.
At first, they found that people didn't take them seriously because they were so young. They decided to work with Second Servings, a local organization that had been providing food to food deserts around the city. The owner of Second Servings, Barbara Bronstein, was impressed with the twins and introduced them to several food providers. To date, Fresh Hub has delivered more than 15,000 pounds of food to people in need.
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us?A.What causes food shortage. |
B.How much food is wasted every day. |
C.How food is wasted in America. |
D.Where the highest level of wastage happens. |
A.When they were assisting in flood relief. |
B.After they had made a survey about it. |
C.When they were visiting a food desert. |
D.After they had read reports about it. |
A.Crops can’t grow in food deserts. |
B.People in food deserts have no access to fresh water. |
C.Only fruits and vegetables are available in food deserts. |
D.About one in ten Americans live in food deserts. |
A.Its founders are mostly college students. |
B.It has gained support from Second Servings. |
C.It has created a most popular food app. |
D.It is welcomed by local farmers and supermarkets. |
【推荐2】In a video from Visit Iceland, a crew is seen working on making a horse-sized keyboard out of massive blocks of wood. The keyboard is then put outside against the gorgeous scenery for the typing horses to reply to emails. Unsurprisingly, the replies are nonsense, with examples listed as “bpnisi. // hihaihf=. sf”. “OutHorse Your Email” is Iceland’s latest stunt (噱头) to promote tourism. Visitors can choose a trained horse to type responses to their work emails when they are on holiday.
Due to the pandemic, many workers have transitioned to remote working, finding that the lines between their work and personal lives have become blurred. A survey conducted by Visit Iceland revealed that 59% of people globally now feel as if their boss, colleagues, and customers expect them to reply when on holiday and 41% of people check their work emails between one and four times a day when on holiday. That’s why Iceland is assigning emails to its horses, asking them to make replies.
“When visitors travel to Iceland, we want them to fully experience everything our nation has to offer, from breathtaking surroundings to endless landscapes," said the head of Visit Iceland. "Our OutHorse Your Email service lets them do just that. With our world-first service, we hope to appeal to people to disconnect and take a well-deserved, uninterrupted break.”
Since “OutHorse Your Email” service was launched, it has got a lot of attention from the Internet. “Is it a ridiculous tourism stunt? Sure. But it indeed encourages me to enjoy my trip wholeheartedly,” said Thom Dunn, an online user from Canada. Hunter Boyce from the USA also made a comment, “The service sounds interesting, but I don’t want to drive my boss mad or be fired.”
1. What can we know about the typing horses?A.They are trained to reply to emails. |
B.They type meaningful emails. |
C.They reply to emails in famous scenic spots. |
D.They work with a common keyboard. |
A.Unclear. |
B.Unimportant. |
C.Controllable. |
D.Adjustable. |
A.To reduce people’s pressure. |
B.To fight against the pandemic. |
C.To encourage undisturbed trips. |
D.To improve visitors’ work efficiency. |
A.Ambiguous. |
B.Negative. |
C.Favourable. |
D.Indifferent. |
【推荐3】Pricing is managers’ biggest marketing headache. It’s where they feel the most pressure to perform and the least certain that they are doing a good job. All successful pricing efforts share two qualities: The policy combines well with the company’s overall marketing strategy, and the process is well-organized as a whole.
A company’s pricing policy sends a message to the market—it gives customers an important sense of a company’s philosophy. Consider Saturn Corporation (a wholly owned company of General Motors). Saturn wants to let consumers know that it is friendly and easy to do business with. Part of this concept is conveyed through initiatives such as inviting customers to the factory to see where the cars are made and sponsoring evenings at the dealership that combine a social event with training on car maintenance. But Saturn’s pricing policy sends a strong message as well. Can a friendly, trusting relationship be established with customers if a salesperson uses all the negotiating tricks in the book to try to separate them from that last $100? Of course not. Saturn has a “no hassle, no haggle” policy which removes the possibility of conflicts between dealer and potential customer. Customers have an easier time buying a car knowing that the next person in the door won’t negotiate a better deal.
Of course, there are typically many participants in the pricing process: Accounting provides cost estimates; marketing communicates the pricing strategy; sales provides specific customer input; production sets supply boundaries; and finance establishes the requirements for the entire company’s financial health. Input from diverse sources is necessary. However, problems arise when the philosophy of wide participation is carried over to the price-setting process without strong coordinating mechanisms (协调机制). For example, if the marketing department sets list prices, the salespeople negotiate discounts in the field, the legal department adjusts prices if necessary to prevent breaking the laws or contractual agreements, and the people filling orders negotiate price adjustments for delays in shipment, everybody’s best intentions usually end up bringing about less than the best results. In fact, the company may actually lose money on some orders.
1. Why is it essential for a company’s pricing policy to combine with its overall marketing strategy?A.To maximize possible returns and profits. |
B.To maintain consistency in business operations. |
C.To eliminate the need for diverse sales inputs. |
D.To attract customers to social events and trainings. |
A.Saturn trains its dealers to treat customers sincerely. |
B.Saturn offers discounts to some loyal customers. |
C.Saturn cars are at least $100 cheaper than other cars. |
D.Saturn cars are sold at fixed, non-negotiable prices. |
A.Decision making requires gathering comprehensive information. |
B.The coordinating mechanism won’t work without a lot of input. |
C.Potential customers are easily upset at any stage of the process. |
D.The company loses money unless everyone intends for the best. |
A.The art of coordinating pricing processes |
B.The best sales negotiation techniques |
C.Getting one step closer toward better pricing |
D.Maximizing profits through pricing policies |
【推荐1】Plenty of people hate needles simply because they do not want the discomfort of injection. A new invention could help — for those who are needle-shy, how about taking a pill instead?
Two of the most successful covid-19 vaccines, from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, need to be administered via injections because their active ingredients are fragile molecules of mRNA, which would be quickly destroyed by acids in the stomach if administered orally.
Aware of these challenges, Robert Langer and Giovanni Traverso, engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), wondered if it might be possible instead to send mRNA into the stomach inside a protective capsule that is engineered to inject patients from the inside, where they would feel nothing.
The device they invented is the size of a large pill, encased in gelatin (明胶) and shaped like the shell of a tortoise. It carries a needle that is engineered to stick into the lining of the stomach only when the device’s flat section sits level to it. And the needle can then inject its payload painlessly into the stomach wall.
The researchers knew, however, that this trick alone would not be enough for safe passage of the delicate molecules into cells. Naked mRNA is not readily taken up by cells, but needs to be encased inside a protective envelope to gain entry. So, to investigate further, the engineers worked with colleagues at MIT and found three polymers (聚合物) that could carry the mRNA payloads successfully and also support a transfer into living cells.
The engineers loaded these polymer-encased mRNA molecules into their turtle-shell pills, which were then swallowed by six mice. As expected, they subsequently found evidence that the mRNA had transferred successfully into the stomach tissue of all the mice. The researchers then went on to test their technology on pigs, which have stomachs that are very similar to those found in humans. They introduced their turtle-shell pills into three animal sand studied their stomachs a day later. Two showed clear evidence of the mRNA having entered their cells. One did not.
The device shows the potential to get mRNA into the body without the need for an uncomfortable injection in the arm. More work is needed to understand why one trial in the pigs failed to yield results.
1. What are the first two paragraphs mainly about?A.The protest of the injection. | B.The reasons for the research. |
C.The application of the research. | D.The qualities of the vaccines. |
A.The delivery of mRNA. | B.The protection of cells. |
C.The classification of polymers. | D.The transformation of molecules. |
A.Those needle-shy will have injection without fear. |
B.The device will definitely have a promising future. |
C.Further research needs to be conducted on the idea. |
D.The turtle-shell pills can guarantee molecule activity. |
A.A new way to deliver delicate drugs | B.Pills to relieve symptoms of covid-19 |
C.The administration of covid-19 vaccine | D.Researches on molecules of mRNA |
【推荐2】Playing games, singing carols (圣诞颂歌) and getting dressed in your best for Christmas lunch are British festive traditions that need to be saved for future generations, a study has found.
The survey of 2,000 people found the festive pleasure that people believe is most in need of saving is playing games as a family, with 33% of those surveyed giving it the nod. Carol singing is close behind on 31%, with making paper chains to decorate the home on 28%.
Popular pursuits also listed as being in need of saving are making Christmas cake, putting decorations up on Christmas Eve, making home-made pies and writing a letter to Santa. The study also found that 64% of British families celebrate with their own family-specific traditions, such as leaving the tree decoration to the children, and 62% of people said the most important element in having a good Christmas is spending time with family.
Dr. Martin Johns from Swansea University, said: “Wearing your ‘best’ clothes and giving fruit and nuts in stockings both have their origins before the Second World War. However, the pre-war tradition of putting a lucky piece of coal in children’s stockings has disappeared.”
Many Christmas traditions are imports from America, but Christmas cards are one that Britain gave to the world. The first Christmas card is widely claimed to date back to 1843, the same year as A Christmas Carol was published by Dickens, but they were actually on sale by the end of the 1820s. The Victorians saw them as luxurious items and bought them individually, choosing specific designs for each friend and relative. Up until the 1960s, cards were delivered on Christmas morning, adding to the specialness of receiving one.
1. The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refers to “________”.A.playing games | B.festive pleasure |
C.the survey | D.the festival |
A.Festive traditions are the same in different families. |
B.Christmas time is a family time for many people. |
C.Making paper chains is most in need of saving. |
D.People don’t make Christmas cake any more. |
A.is replaced by giving fruit and nuts |
B.appeared during the World War II |
C.should be put on the saving list |
D.is no longer observed today |
A.were received before Christmas |
B.were regarded as special gifts |
C.were brought from America |
D.were invented in 1843 |
【推荐3】The employees at Helwig Carbon Products in Milwaukee have their own company cafeteria on a site, a rarity it seems more and more these days. But if anyone wants to eat a doughnut (甜甜圈), it’s going to cost twice as much as what they might pay for the sweet at the local grocery store. That’s because Helwig Carbon Products has a wellness program, and it is one of many local companies trying to show employees how to eat healthier.
“We’re really trying to persuade people to eat healthier,” said Cheryl Brah, human resources director at Helwig Carbon Products. “A piece of fruit is 25 cents; a doughnut is $1.50 — and we still have people who buy doughnuts. People complain — but we really try to put our efforts toward the middle-of-the-line people who might lean more toward the wellness side, eventually.”
This effort isn’t just happening at Helwig Carbon. There has been a city-wide movement of 44 local companies who added or evolved their health and wellness programs to their company culture, and because of it Milwaukee is now nationally recognized for a large number of businesses with wellness programs.
It all started several years ago, when a program called Well City Milwaukee teamed up with 44 local businesses that collectively represent a workforce of 130,000 employees. Well City Milwaukee provided healthy practices guidelines for businesses. In exchange, it surveyed the employees to find out what their health needs and risks were and what activities they found interesting. Well City then set a very high bar for companies to meet a lot of expectations to be considered a top wellness program.
Companies needed a commitment from the CEO; to form a wellness team; to collect information from the employees in surveys and health assessments; to come up with an operating plan; to create a supportive environment; to self-evaluate their efforts; and finally, to choose their best approaches. That meant coming up with activities, better nutrition education, and motivational programs like getting people to quit smoking, getting people in for medical self-care and working on stress management.
1. What does the passage mainly want to tell us?A.Company cafeterias are rarer and rarer these days. |
B.A healthy diet is especially important to people’s health. |
C.Company culture is gaining priority in a company’s development. |
D.Companies are trying to help their employees think about their health. |
A.drive employees to the local grocery store |
B.show the rich ingredients of the doughnuts |
C.profit more from the wellness program |
D.discourage the purchase of unhealthy food |
A.are neutral about what to eat |
B.are used to cutting in line when buying food |
C.are addicted to sweet food |
D.are middle-aged and have health problems |
A.motivate its employees to cooperate with each other |
B.diagnose and treat its employees’ diseases effectively |
C.initiate related activities based on their employees’ needs |
D.prohibit its CEO from putting any pressure on its employees |