The Oxford English Dictionary defines “awe” as “a feeling of reverential (虔诚的) respect mixed with fear or wonder”. Sometimes taking a moment to stop and appreciate something like the Grand Canyon or a clear, starry night can make you feel like a tiny part of a vast universe swirling around. A research found that feeling of being small might actually make you a kinder, more generous person.
The research was done by teams from the University of California Berkeley and UC Irvine. “Our investigation indicates that awe, though often momentary and hard to describe, serves a vital social function,” said Paul Piff in a statement.
The researchers exposed participants to images of nature. They included video clips from the BBC series Planet Earth. Then Piff and his team asked questions. The researchers measured moral behavior, especially generosity. Those who reported feeling a sense of awe or recalled a time when they felt awe displayed more moral behavior as opposed to someone who felt pride.
Actually, it isn’t only the natural wonders that are awe-inspiring. After all, awe is defined partly by the fear one feels in the face of something larger than themselves. In fact, the same generous behavior was detected in people who were shown scenes of natural disasters, according to Hoffman. Whether it was watching scenes of the Amazonian rainforest or a violent volcanic eruption, participants were more willing to share resources with each other afterwards.
Recent studies suggest that experiencing awe may also boost your immune system. And it could make you feel more creative. It can even make you feel that you have more time to get things done.
1. What do the researchers find in the investigation?| A．Awe often lasts for a long time. |
| B．Awe often makes people less confident. |
| C．Experiencing awe inspires moral behavior. |
| D．Moral behavior can be easily detected in generous people. |
| A．People experience fear in the face of natural wonders. |
| B．People with pride tend to display more moral behavior. |
| C．Scenes of natural disasters can help promote generosity. |
| D．Natural wonders bring a stronger sense of awe than natural disasters. |
| A．A short story. | B．A book review. | C．A geography book. | D．A science magazine. |
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【推荐1】In this age of screens, smartphones, virtual assistants and voice-enabled speakers, we constantly receive visual and auditory (听觉的) suggestions of things to do, products to buy, and media to consume. Yet are all these messages created equal? According to a research, the answer is no.
In the spring of 2018, Mariadassou and Bechler, both graduate students of Business, were sitting in a seminar (研讨会), in which they were studying how different types of messages affect decision-making. They learned that people generally perceive someone as more intelligent when they convey spoken information rather than delivering the same message in writing.
As they chatted after class, Mariadassou recalls, “We wondered, ‘What would happen if you apply this to recommendations?’” They believed there is “a general perception that people act on auditory and visual information the same way” and wanted to explore this assumption.
Mariadassou, who is pursuing her PhD in marketing, with Bechler, now a professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, ran a series of studies where the same information was presented to participants in different forms, including computer-generated audio that sounded like a smart speaker.
The researchers were surprised that auditory recommendations for products like beer were more influential than textual ones. “In theory, this shouldn’t produce any difference in behavior,” Mariadassou writes in an email. “Hearing that you should drink the pale beer or reading that you should drink the pale beer is really one and the same. The fact that it leads to psychologically different experiences that are significant enough to lead to a change in behavior is not something you would expect.”
The effect was small but strong enough to demonstrate a “consistent effect of auditory power”, Mariadassou says. She believes the power of auditory information has to do with its ephemeral nature —“it seems like there’s this sort of fundamental need to act on information that’s going away,” she says. Bechler agrees: “When something disappears, it creates a kind of urgency to respond.”
1. Why did Mariadassou and Bechler conduct the studies?| A．To apply what they learned into real life. |
| B．To find out what people are more intelligent. |
| C．To explore the reasons behind people’s different behaviors. |
| D．To test if different types of messages affect recommendations. |
| A．The findings of the research. |
| B．The theory behind the research. |
| C．The application of the research results. |
| D．The explanation of the research process. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Temporary. | C．Selective. | D．Random. |
| A．Effect of Auditory Power Has Been Long Neglected |
| B．People Act on Auditory and Visual Information Equally |
| C．Effective Recommendations Are Better Heard Than Seen |
| D．Decision-making Has Little to Do With Types of Messages |
Yet certain well-used phrases from science are just plain wrong! Some are obvious, yet we use them anyhow. For example, a person who acutely shakes her head and says “A watched pot never boils” while you are waiting second after tiring second for test results to arrive or job offers to come in knows that if she sat down and watched a pot containing water on a stove over high heat for long enough, the water will eventually boil.
However, a few phrases have less obvious scientific inaccuracies. Here are a few for you to consider.
Once in a blue moon: This poetic phrase refers to something that occurs extremely rarely. A blue moon is the term commonly used for a second full moon that occasionally appears in a single month of our solar-based calendars. The problem with the phrase, however, is that blue moons are not so rare. They happen every few years at least. And can even happen within months of each other when the 29.5-day lunar cycle puts the full moon at the beginning of any month but February. The usage of “blue moon” as the second full moon in a month dates back to a 1937 Marine Farmer’s Almanac. But before that, blue moons meant something slightly different. Typically, 12 full moons occur from winter solstice to the next winter solstice, but occasionally a fourth full moon in a season could be observed . In such a case, one of the four full moons in that season was known as “blue”.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire: The phrase means that if something looks wrong, it likely is wrong. But let’s step back. Do you always have to have fire if you see smoke? Answering that first requires defining ‘fire”, Merriam Webster’s first definition of fire is “the phenomenon of combustion manifested in light, flame and heat”. Combustion is the chemical reaction that occurs when fuel is burned in the presence of oxygen — denying a fire any of these three things will stop the fire; attempting to start a fire without any one of the three things will be impossible. In complete combustion—what occurs when you light a gas stove — the fire produces no smoke. However, when most materials are burned, they have incomplete combustion, which means that the fire isn’t able to completely burn all of the fuel. Smoke, then, can be considered to be a product of pyrolysis (高温分解) rather than of fire itself. You’re probably thinking — so what? To get the smoke, a fire needed to be present at some point, right? Not always.
Diamonds are forever: Thanks to the DeBeers slogan, decorating your honey’s neck, wrists and fingers with diamonds means true and timeless love. Of course, no object that you can hold in your hand can last forever. But diamonds have a special reason for being incapable of timelessness. Without the extreme pressures of the deep Earth where they formed, a diamond will slowly turn back into graphite (石墨), which is why the older a diamond is, the more inclusions it’s likely to have.
What common phrases push your buttons when viewed under the microscope of science? Are you curious about the hidden knowledge of some “big” phrases? Or perhaps you have the ability to uncover the secret of some unscientific phrases? Let us know!
1. According to the passage, the blue moon _________.| A．appears at the beginning of a month |
| B．gains its modern meaning before 1937 |
| C．presents itself quite frequently sometimes |
| D．can never be seen by people in February |
| A．the older a diamond is, the more valuable it’s likely to be. |
| B．Fire is not necessarily causing smoke. |
| C．Smoke is a product of complete combustion. |
| D．the less obvious scientific inaccuracies of some phrases make them more useful. |
| A．impress you a lot | B．frighten you much |
| C．surprise you greatly | D．make you lose your interest |
| A．indifferent | B．objective |
| C．critical | D．favourable |
【推荐3】Unsolved Mysteries About the Planet Earth
♦ Mystery 1: Where did all the water come from?
Water covers 70 percent of Earth’s surface and earns it the nickname “the blue planet”. But where did it come from? The most popular scientific theory states that the H2O came from several violent asteroids (小行星) filled with ice. Another suggests that the water actually has been around since Earth’s formation. However it happened, though, it’s certainly worked out well for Earth’s life forms.
♦ Mystery 2: What about all the oxygen?
Another thing is the planet’s oxygen. Tiny creatures released oxygen as a waste product, filling the atmosphere with it. After that, the level of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere went wildly up and down until it finally calmed down around 540 million years ago. Since then, it’s remained at about the breathable level we experience today. But what caused it to be suddenly steady?
♦ Mystery 3: What caused the Cambrian (寒武纪) Explosion?
The Cambrian Explosion refers to the explosion of complex life forms that occurred on Earth about 540 million years ago. Before then, life had consisted mostly of bacteria. But at the beginning of the Cambrian period, complex creatures began developing at a rate never seen before. Suddenly, life forms had brains, eyes, and bones. Most living creatures today can trace their blood back to the Cambrian period.
♦ Mystery 4: Will we ever be able to predict earthquakes?
We still haven’t been able to come up with a way to accurately predict earthquakes. We can certainly try, but our current technology cannot predict them exactly. We know that earthquakes start when rocks crack underground and send earthquake waves toward the surface, but we haven’t figured out why that happens, or how to predict it.
1. What was created later by creatures on Earth?| A．Oxygen. | B．Water. | C．Bacteria. | D．Ice. |
| A．Earth is called the blue star because of water coverage. |
| B．The level of oxygen has been steady all the time. |
| C．Complex creatures had rapid development in the Cambrian period. |
| D．We know nothing about predicting earthquakes. |
| A．It is the oldest mystery of the four. |
| B．It will be solved in the near future. |
| C．It is the most difficult mystery to solve of the four. |
| D．It is a matter that has extremely practical significance. |
【推荐1】The idea of people taking photographs in front of Van Gogh’s Sun flowers or Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus was once considered so unsatisfactory that galleries banned visitors from using selfie sticks (自拍杆). However, the annoyance at social media platforms such as Instagram has turned into a bit of a love affair—with one gallery creating a period of time to help visitors take better photos and videos to share with their followers.
The Old Royal Naval College, in Greenwich, southeast London, is reducing visitor numbers on Mondays for its Museum of the Moon artwork “for those looking for the perfect Insta shot”. It will sell 400 tickets a session in its Painted Hall rather than the usual 800, so influencers (网红) can show their best sides without the crowds. The college, which is displaying a seven-metre model of the moon, created by the artist Luke Jerram, tells ticket holders, “Posing, influencer photo shoots and selfies are encouraged.” Sarah Codrington, head of marketing at the college, said, “Social Media Mondays” were partly about appealing to influencers but also freeing up the rest of the week for visitors who might be inconvenienced by people dressing themselves up for their Instagram feed.
Jerram, whose Museum of the Moon has been displayed in numerous venues (场馆); said, “I had not been consulted about Social Media Mondays but approved. People sometimes complain that there are so many people there that they weren’t having the best experience. People were lying on the floor and doing selfies. Part of the fun of the artwork is watching others interact with it.” He said he welcomed selfie-takers because they usually put away their cameras after ten minutes and engaged with the work. “People are going to have their close encounter with the moon, not necessarily to see an artwork,” he said.
Brian Sewell, the late art critic, once was disappointed that it was impossible to see paintings “because people are too busy taking photos”. But Jerram said galleries should accept it. “Now everyone is their own media and broadcasting company,” he said. “They are broadcasting their experience of the world.”
1. What is the new measure of the Old Royal Naval College according to the passage?| A．It has set aside a special time for visitors like influencers. |
| B．It has taken severe measures to prohibit using selfie sticks. |
| C．It is appealing to visitors to share photos on their social media. |
| D．It is discouraging visitors from approaching Sun flowers or The Birth of Venus. |
| A．To attract influencers of media. | B．To profit by selling more tickets. |
| C．To exhibit the model of the moon. | D．To satisfy the needs of different visitors. |
| A．It mainly benefits influencers. | B．It advocates dressing up for Instagram. |
| C．It might inconvenience some visitors. | D．It is actually a win-win practice. |
| A．Luke Jerram is a famous influencer. |
| B．Brian Sewell supports taking selfies in galleries. |
| C．Luke Jerram thinks galleries should not reject selfie-takers. |
| D．Brian Sewell is always broadcasting his experience of the world. |
【推荐2】Eating out seems to have been as popular 5, 000 years ago as it is today, with archaeologists in Iraq uncovering an ancient tavern dating back to 2, 700 BC. Researchers working in the ancient city of Lagash discovered the pub. It was hidden just 19 inches below the surface, which was split into (分成) an open-air dining area and a room with benches, an oven, ancient food and even a 5, 000-year-old “fridge”.
They first found themselves in the open courtyard space, an area that was difficult to dig, being “open and exposed to the outdoors,” according to Reed Goodman, an archaeologist from the University of Pennsylvania. After returning to the ancient courtyard a few months later, field director Sara Pizzi from the University of Pisa, widened the trench (沟渠) instead of digging straight down in one spot.
The team discovered the industrial-sized oven, an ancient “fridge” to keep food cool, and dozens of bowls, many containing fish, showing the purpose of the courtyard to be an outdoor dining area.
Previous diggings focused on religious architecture and understanding the elites (上层人士) , but Holly Pittman, director of the Lagash Archaeological Project, concentrated on non-elite areas during these latest diggings to make people have a broader understanding of ancient cities. “Uncovering the pub supports the opinion of Pittman and her team that society was not organized into just elites but included ordinary people, ” Goodman said.
The discovery provides evidence into how people lived in this ancient city-state. It shows that even thousands of years ago, people enjoyed gathering in public places to socialize and enjoy food and drink.
1. What does the underlined word “tavern” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Pub. | B．City. | C．Bench. | D．Container. |
| A．By digging straight down in one spot. |
| B．By broadening the trench in the courtyard. |
| C．By making a hole in the middle of the outdoor space. |
| D．By splitting the open-air dining area into different parts. |
| A．It discovers the earliest settlers in Lagash. | B．It shows the social activities of the elites. |
| C．It reflects the life of the ancient ordinary people. | D．It focuses on studying religious architecture. |
| A．To share a travel experience. | B．To analyze a historical event. |
| C．To show the wisdom of ancient people. | D．To introduce an archaeological discovery. |
【推荐3】Deserts are found where there is little rainfall or where rain for a whole year falls in only a few weeks time. Then inches of rain may be enough for many plants to survive if the rain is spread throughout the year. If it falls within one or two months and the rest of the year is dry, those plants may die and a desert may form.
Sand begins as tiny pieces of rock that get smaller and smaller as wind and weather wear them down. Sand dunes (沙丘) are formed as winds move the sand across the desert. Bit by bit, the dunes grow over the years, always moving with the winds and changing the shape. Most of them are only a few feet tall, but they can grow to be several hundred feet high.
There is, however, much more to a desert than sand. In the deserts of the Southwestern United States, cliffs (悬崖) and deep valleys were formed from thick mud that once lay beneath a sea more than millions of years ago. Over the centuries, the water dried up. Wind, sand, rain, heat and cold all wore away at the remaining rocks. The faces of the desert mountains are always changing — very, very slowly — as these forces of nature continue to work on the rock.
Most deserts have a surprising variety of life. There are plants, animals and insects that have adapted to life in the desert. During the heat of the day, a visitor may see very few signs of living things, but as the air begins to cool in the evening, the desert comes to life. As the sun begins to rise again in the sky, the desert once again becomes quiet and lonely.
1. Many plants may survive in deserts when ________.| A．the rain is spread out in a year |
| B．the rain falls only in a few weeks |
| C．there is little rain in a year |
| D．it is dry all the year round |
| A．sand piles up gradually |
| B．there is plenty of rain in a year |
| C．the sea has dried up over the years |
| D．pieces of rock get smaller |
| A．too much sand |
| B．more sand than before |
| C．nothing except sand |
| D．something else besides sand |
| A．there is no rainfall throughout the year |
| B．life exists in rough conditions |
| C．all sand dunes are a few feet high |
| D．rocks are worn away only by wind and heat |
