For those who don’t decide their own working hours, a trial of four-day workweeks of 35-hour work weekly without a drop in pay among 2500 workers in Iceland has shown the old schedule may truly not be the most productive form of labor (劳动). The report, conducted by the research organization Autonomy and the Association for Sustainability and Democracy, found that negative markers like burnout (过度劳累), stress, necessary overtime, and disconnection with friends and family all went down, as would be expected, but that productivity remained at worst unchanged, and often improved in those working shorter hours.
The trials were such a success that following their conclusion in 2019,Mass renegotiation (重新协商)by labor unions means that 86% of Icelanders are now working non-traditional workweeks which could include 5-to-6-hour working days or four-day working weeks.
“This study shows that the world’s largest-ever trial of a shorter working week was a success,” said Will Stronge, director of Autonomy.
The main argument is that “burnout” depletes the ability of workers to be productive. A lack of production will sometimes result in a demand for overtime, especially by managers, further increasing burnout and decreasing productivity. In those who cannot afford to be less productive, like nurses for example, burnout simply results in negative health outcomes.
Hoping to see if they could replicate (复制)the productivity gains in other countries, the Reykjavid City Council started this trial, mostly at public offices, but also in private firms, to measure performance and worker well-being for four years.
Compared with non-participating firms or offices, productivity remained the same or increased in those participating, but it wasn’t free. Instead, as necessity is the mother of invention, a sort of mass re-imagining of operations was needed to achieve production or service goals with the reduced hours. This involved,as the report details, the shortening or early ending of meetings, and often a total reorganization of work processes to find where problems could be removed.
1. What does Autonomy’s report show?| A．Four-day workweeks are most productive. |
| B．Reducing regular work hours has many benefits. |
| C．Stress has no connection with working hours. |
| D．Workers should be flexible about their working hours. |
| A．They felt sad for most Icelanders. |
| B．They became worried about workers’ productivity. |
| C．They knew it was time for a change. |
| D．They decided to encourage hard work. |
| A．reduces | B．shows | C．loses | D．approves |
| A．it’s not really worth trying for many companies. |
| B．It is necessary to make some changes to ensure productivity. |
| C．It costs a lot to re-imagine operations. |
| D．It is very difficult for most companies to change their routine. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】ESL (English as a Second Language) jobs in China
Dear sir/madam,
Here is a job offer as an English teacher in Nanchang, the capital city of Jiangxi Province, China from Jiangxi Vocational and Technical College of Industry and Trade. We can offer the following benefits:
(1) 6,000 yuan/month;
(2) 2,200 yuan/year of traveling allowance;
(3) Round-way airfares for one year contract;
(4) Free accommodation: An apartment with two bedrooms, two living rooms, one kitchen and one bathroom with things like bedding, a TV set, a computer with Internet access, an airconditioner, a telephone with international dialing, a refrigerator, and a washing machine, etc.;
(5) Overtime pay for overwork (120 yuan/hour).
Your basic work: Teach not more than 18 hours per week (45 minutes per class period). A one-year working contract consists of two semesters, each semester lasting for about 16 weeks. The spring semester usually starts at the end of February, and ends at the end of June. The fall semester starts at the beginning of September and ends at the end of January.
Contact person: Ted; Phone: 07913777910; Fax: 07913777810; Mobile phone: 15083537003. Address: No.699 Jiayan Road Hongjiaozhou District Nanchang City, China. Feel free to let us know if you have any further questions. Look forward to hearing from you and receiving the copies of your resume, passport, degree.
Thank you!
1. How much would an English teacher earn totally in a year not including the overtime pay?| A．36,000 yuan. | B．72,000 yuan. |
| C．74,200 yuan. | D．82,200 yuan. |
| A．satisfactory | B．simple |
| C．poor | D．difficult |
| A．Making a phone call. | B．Sending a fax. |
| C．Writing a letter. | D．Sending an Email. |
【推荐2】Every music therapist has a wealth of stories about that beautiful musical moment when art and science come together to create an awareness. an accomplishment, a breakthrough. I want to share highlights of music therapy, which helped my family find outlets and insights through our “extremely painful journey”.
My father, Joe Altman lived his life with strength and determination. As complications associated with diabetes diminished his physical capabilities, his unbeatable will to fight the disease completely hammered away. A WW II Navy Seal, Joe Altman lived by a simple rule: when you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot (结) and hang on.
When dementia struck hard and violently broke through Dad’s spirit, music therapist Alessandro Ricciarelli entered his life. Armed with six strings attached to a wooden guitar, Alessandro surpassed (超过) the capabilities of the most advanced medical technology.
Each time Alessandro walked through the door, an invisible wall formed around them, creating a comfortable space in which a trusting bond of friendship would quickly form. Alessandro brought with him happiness, encouragement, added a sense of meaning and purpose to Dad’s life, and, in doing so revived (使复原) his spirit. In a most gentle way, Alessandro treated Joe with the greatest dignity and respect.
Alessandro’s action was not limited to actual hospital visits; he took personal time to learn songs that were relevant to Dad and made recordings of their sessions together to be enjoyed at any given time. Alessandro appreciated the power of positive thoughts, and with his kind words, a smile, compassion (同情), and a true desire to make Dad happy, he encouraged Dad’s participation, leaving us with cherished memories of my father having one last chance to express himself through music, smiling and enjoying life.
In a very real sense, Alessandro was that knot at the end of the rope on to which Dad grabbed. I am forever grateful to the Music Therapy Programme at NYU Medical Centre, more specifically, to Mr. Alessandro Ricciarelli.
1. What does the underlined word “diminished” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Improved. | B．Replaced. | C．Weakened. | D．Developed. |
| A．He used to serve in the army. | B．He lived a very easy life. |
| C．He was a superman in physical strength. | D．He was good at music when young. |
| A．Courageous. | B．Strong-willed. | C．Open-minded. | D．Devoted. |
| A．To express gratitude to a music therapist. | B．To call on people to treat patients kindly. |
| C．To discuss ways of improving musical skills. | D．To warn readers against developing illness. |
【推荐3】The world is filled with smart, educated and gifted people. We meet them every day. A few days ago，my car was not running well. I pulled it into a garage and the young mechanic fixed it in just a few minutes. He knew what was wrong by simply listening to the engine sound. I was amazed. The sad truth is that great talent is not enough.
I am constantly shocked at how little talented people earn. I heard the other day that less than 5 percent of Americans earn more than $100,000 a year. A business consultant who specializes in the medical trade told me how many doctors and dentists struggle financially. It was this business consultant (顾问) who gave me the phrase, “They are one skill away from great wealth.”
There is an old saying that goes, “JOB means ‘Just Over Broke (破产)’”. And unfortunately, I would say that the saying applies to millions of people. Because schools do not think financial intelligence is intelligence, most workers “live within their means”. They work and they pay the bills. Instead I recommend that young people seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn.
When I ask the classes I teach, “How many of you can cook a better hamburger than McDonald’s?” almost all the students raise their hands. I then ask, “So if most of you can cook a better hamburger, how come McDonald’s makes more money than you?” The answer is obvious: McDonald’s is excellent at business systems. The world is filled with talented poor people. They focus on perfecting their skills at building a better hamburger rather than the skills of selling and delivering the hamburger.
1. The author mentions the mechanic in the first paragraph to show that .| A．he is just one of the talented people |
| B．he is ready to help others |
| C．he has a sharp sense of hearing |
| D．he knows little about car repairing |
| A．spend more than they can afford |
| B．do in their own way |
| C．live in their own circle |
| D．live within what they earn |
| A．They don’t work hard enough. |
| B．They lack financial intelligence. |
| C．They don’t make full use of their talents. |
| D．They have no specialized skills. |
| A．how young people can find a satisfactory job |
| B．what schools should teach about finance |
| C．why so many talented people are poor |
| D．how McDonald’s makes much money |
【推荐1】A typical school day in the UK starts around 8:30 am. This is often even earlier elsewhere in the world, with students sitting down to their first lesson at 7:30 am in the US. The average teenager ideally needs eight to nine hours’ sleep each night, but in reality a lot of teenagers struggle to get this much. A lot of the problems arise because our sleep patterns are not fixed, and they change as we grow.
So a later school start time could help to solve this problem, by ensuring to get their eight plus hours of sleep and react properly to their body’s natural rhythms (规律). There has been a general shift over the past 25 years to shorten the school day. This is not at the cost of teaching time (which has remained constant) but at the cost of natural breaks, which has led to reduced lunch time and lesson breaks.
Later start times could help teens’ grades and health. This is mainly because it makes the management of children easier. Supervising (监管) hundreds of children “playing” requires effective staffing (人员配备). And there is always the fear that behavior worsens during breaks. So the theory goes that having them in class and strictly supervised must be better.
But this means that students barely have enough time to absorb what they were doing in maths before suddenly they are thrust into ancient history. And teaching staff also transit from one class to another, with hardly a rest or time to refocus.
Clearly rethinking the school day could benefit everyone involved. Anyway, it could also lead to better achievement in teenagers and less of a struggle for parents in the mornings. For teachers, it could also mean a less stressful day all around and what could be better than that?
1. How do schools often shorten the school day?| A．They reduce children’s lunch time and lesson breaks. |
| B．They reduce the teaching time. |
| C．They properly adjust children’ natural rhythms. |
| D．They increase more holidays. |
| A．To supervise children more easily. |
| B．To make children quickly take in what they. Learned. |
| C．To reduce children’s excitement. |
| D．To make children behave better in class. |
| A．It will add to the teacher’s pressure. |
| B．It has always been there for 25 years. |
| C．Parents may support it. |
| D．It benefits the students only. |
| A．The benefits of a less stressful day. |
| B．The benefits of later school start time. |
| C．How to solve teenagers’ sleep problem. |
| D．The reasons why teenagers sleep differently. |
【推荐2】We already know climate change will impact wildlife in a number of ways, from changing the distribution (分布) of some species to transforming the color of others. But it might be surprising to learn about changes in something as basic as the body size.
In ecology, Bergmann’s rule suggests that individuals of a population of warm-blooded animals like birds will be larger in cooler climates and smaller in warmer ones. Obviously, larger individuals have an easier time keeping heat when it’s cold, and smaller animals have an easier time cooling off when it’s hot.
However, in 2019, after examining more than 70,000 bird specimens in the Field Museum collection, scientists found that individuals from 52 bird species shrank (变小) by an average of 2.6 percent between 1978 and 2016. And a growing body of research suggests that global warming is affecting the body sizes of all creatures. Wild animals are facing lots of threats. If they shrink, that could push some species even closer to extinction. And it could also cause problems for ecosystems that humans rely on.
“What’s interesting is that fish and other so-called ectotherms (冷血动物) don’t generate their own heat, so having a smaller body doesn’t help them stay cool. Instead, they might become smaller in response to warming for other reasons,” said Jennifer Sheridan, the lead author of the 2011 perspective. Warm temperatures, for example, hasten the development process of frogs, from eggs to tadpoles (蝌蚪) and so on, but their rate of growth doesn’t keep up. As a result, they’re smaller by the time they arrive at adulthood.
While there are plenty of examples that fit this trend, there are also many exceptions. A 2017 analysis found that “most species had similar sizes regardless of the temperature of their environment.” “There’s even evidence that certain animals are getting larger,” Sheridan said. It’s not totally clear how that happens, but one explanation is that warming holds back winter and lengthens the growing season, allowing animals that eat plants to gain weight.
1. What does Bergmann’s rule focus on?| A．Animals’ ability to sense climate change. |
| B．Animals’ ability to adapt to different climates. |
| C．Changes in animals’ population sizes in different climates. |
| D．Changes in animals’ body sizes in different climates. |
| A．Bird species are becoming fewer and fewer. |
| B．Reduced body sizes can help wild animals survive better. |
| C．Changes in animals’ body sizes will lead to serious problems. |
| D．Scientists are trying to deal with threats faced by wild animals. |
| A．Put off. | B．Hold back. | C．Speed up. | D．Go through. |
| A．They get used to the climate. | B．They have a longer growing season. |
| C．They are following the natural trend. | D．They have more food available to them. |
【推荐3】What is technology doing to language? Many assume the answer is simple: ruining it. Kids can no longer write except in textspeak. Grammar is going to the dogs. The ability to compose thoughts longer than a post is disappearing. Language experts tend to resist it, noting that there is little proof that speech is really degenerating, nor is formal writing falling apart.A study by Cambridge Assessment found almost no evidence for textspeak in students’ writing.
Fortunately, the story of language and the Internet has attracted more serious analysts, too.Now Gretchen McCulloch, a journalist of the generation that grew up with the Internet, joins them with a new book, Because Internet, which focuses on what can be learned about language from the Internet. Biologists grow bacteria in a Petri dish partly because they are born and reproduce so quickly that studies over many generations can be done in a reasonably short period. Studying language online is a bit like that: trends appear and disappear, platforms rise and fall, and these let linguists observe changes that would otherwise take too much time.
For example, why do languages change? A thousand years ago, early English and Icelandic were closely related.English has since developed hugely, and Icelandic far less. Linguists have studied the relative effects of strong and weak ties(friends, family) in such patterns, concluding that small communities would host more stable languages. The Internet combines strong and weak ties—and sure enough, drives more language change.
In the end, Ms McCulloch’s book is about the birth of a new medium rather than a new language.Mass reading has now been joined by mass writing: frequent, errorfilled and quickfading.Little surprise that Internet users have created tools to give their writing the gesture, playfulness and even meaninglessness of chat. Mistaking it for the downfall of “real” writing is a category error. Anything that helps people enjoy each other’s company can only be a good thing.
1. What does the underlined word “degenerating” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Strengthening. | B．Worsening. | C．Changing. | D．Refreshing. |
| A．To explain bacteria have a short lifetime. |
| B．To stress the difficulty of researching language online. |
| C．To reveal the relation between language and the Internet. |
| D．To show online language can be studied in limited time. |
| A．A large Englishspeaking population. | B．The lasting effect of mass media. |
| C．A stable languageusing community. | D．The wide application of the Internet. |
| A．Ambiguous. | B．Positive. | C．Objective. | D．Cautious. |
【推荐1】Youth Art For Healing is a non-profit organization founded by Jan Papirmeister in 2012. As the Executive Director, she makes great efforts to work with schools, hospitals and other healthcare organizations to bring works of art created by the youth into healthcare environments. She wants to provide a sense of comfort, inspiration and healing for patients, their loved ones and healthcare professionals during very challenging times.
As a child, Papirmeister donated her artworks to a volunteer group caring for dying people and a camp for children with cancer. She felt pity for them so she hoped her works could bring a little help. When she grew up, she became a school nurse and showed students how to create drawings to decorate the walls of the health office. Then, as a hospital nurse, she made the time to sit with patients and create art with them. In her job as a nurse, she realized works of art could really help patients feel better.
Her organization Youth Art For Healing is based in Bethesda, MD. It provides opportunities for students to learn about the nature of healing art, the power of art to heal, how to follow guidelines for healing art, and the value of building and strengthening community connections and spirit. As students share their talent with those in need, they come to the realization that they can make a difference.
Papirmeister was awarded a Society for the Arts in Healthcare grant to bring artworks to patients, their families and hospital staff. She also received two SCORE Awards for her efforts to comfort patients and their families. This woman is a shining example of an artist and healer who uses the healing power of art to bring huge benefits to children, patients, their loved ones, healthcare providers, and the community at large.
1. Why did Jan Papirmeister most probably start the organization?| A．To offer people mental support through art. | B．To encourage kids to develop artistic taste. |
| C．To make a fortune out of it. | D．To help improve doctors’ medical skills. |
| A．She often changed her dreams. | B．She was generous and cared about others. |
| C．Her artworks were highly appreciated. | D．The suffering of patients inspired her. |
| A．Free healthcare is important. | B．They can become successful artists. |
| C．Art works are easily accessible. | D．They can be helpful in improving others’ life. |
| A．Papirmeister’s effort has been well recognized. |
| B．Papirmeister praises students for their progress. |
| C．Papirmeister asks people from all walks of life to support her. |
| D．Papirmeister makes a breakthrough in the medical community. |
【推荐2】As US firm launched (发行) a “smart lock” that can let you into your home using a mobile phone and you don’t even need to take the phone out of your pocket to open the door. The August lock costs $249 and can even be set to automatically let in friends or workmen.
August was created by technology entrepreneur (企业家)Jason Johnson and industrial designer Yves Behar, and the product will finally go on sale in Apple Stores this week. It is made of “durable anodized aluminum”and can be started and managed using a mobile app and online. It is connected to the existing door lock and is battery operated.
To open the lock, anyone with a code can approach the door, enable their phones’ Bluetooth and press the relevant (相关的))address from the app. The lock takes a few seconds to scan and confirm the visitors’ identity. Once the identity is confirmed, the circle of red dots on the front of the device turns green and the August lock twists (转动)to open the door.
The makers claim that it takes just 10 minutes to install. To allow keyless access to friends, family and other visitors, the homeowner must send them an invitation. This can be done using existing contacts from the homeowner’s phone’s address book, but other persons must have the August app to receive the unique code of the lock from the homeowner.
When someone enters the house, the homeowner is sent a push notice. Another notice is sent when the person leaves. This means homeowners can keep track of how long cleaners or builders spend in the house and every visitor’s details and visiting information is stored on a Log.
1. Who are not allowed to enter the house with the August lock?| A．Family. | B．Friends. | C．Strangers. | D．Workmen. |
| A．By the August app. | B．By receiving a call. |
| C．By the address book. | D．By asking the entrepreneur. |
| A．One | B．Two | C．Three | D．Four |
| A．How to Invite a Friend. |
| B．How to Unlock a House. |
| C．August-the Best Lock. |
| D．August-a Smart Lock. |
【推荐3】The Roman Colosseum( 罗马圆形大剧场), built around two thousand years ago, survived a 14th century earthquake and most of the 150-some foot high building is still standing. It has seen the rise and fall of enormous structures as well as the Roman Empire. Why could the ancient structure stand the test of time while many modern constructions fall apart after a few decades? Scientists believe the ancient Romans used a specific concrete which may account for its super-long existence.
Previous discoveries have confirmed the components of the Roman concrete: volcanic material, limestone (石灰石) and water. Architects suppose the volcanic material is what makes the building strong—which it does. But this is not enough to explain the architecture’s durability. A team of researchers recently discovered a magical power of the Roman concrete: self-healing. And the key actually lies in the tiny pieces of limestone. Worth mentioning is that researchers had taken them as impurities (杂质) due to the limitation of ancient technology. But it turned out that ancient Romans seemed to have discovered the secret.
When the Romans made the mixture, they heated up the limestone to turn it into quicklime, a very reactive chemical. Quicklime reacted with water and produced heat that set up a chemical foundation to strengthen the building material. Meanwhile, it would “wear” a hard “shell”, forming limestone pieces. It was these pieces that stopped the cracks (裂缝) from becoming bigger. When there was rain, the pieces reacted with water again, quickly filling the cracks.
For material scientist Ainissa Ramirez, this new understanding of ancient Roman concrete is a welcome discovery. “This is one way that the material can be greener,” says Ramirez, “The Romans made the material. We had to kind of figure out how they did it so that we can make better materials—and then, you know, in turn, be better guards of our environment.”
1. Why could Roman Colosseum still exist according to the text?| A．It was rebuilt constantly. | B．It met few natural disasters. |
| C．It contained a special material. | D．Its shape increased the stability. |
| A．To purify the concrete. | B．To react with volcanic material. |
| C．To make the structure water-proof. | D．To enable the building to repair itself. |
| A．The rainwater. | B．The foundation. | C．The quicklime | D．The limestone. |
| A．Architects can get inspiration from ancient structures. |
| B．The Romans’ building method remains a secret till now. |
| C．Romans’ wisdom throws light on eco-friendly architecture. |
| D．Scientists are exploring how to guard the ancient civilization. |
