Why can’t we stop longing for the good old days?
People in many countries are longing for the good old days. But when exactly were the good old days? Podcaster Jason Feifer devoted an episode of his program to this question. The most popular answer seemed to be the 1950s, so Mr. Feifer asked historians whether Americans in that decade thought it was particularly pleasant. Definitely not. In the 1950s, American sociologists worried that rampant individualism was tearing the family apart. There were serious racial and class tensions, and everyone lived under the nuclear threat.
In fact, many in the 1950s thought that the good old days were to be found a generation earlier, in the 1920s. But in the 1920s, child psychologist John Watson warned that because of increasing divorce races, the American family would soon cease to exist. Many people at the time idealized the Victor inn era, when families are strong and children respected their elders.
Why are human beings always so nostalgia for past eras that seemed difficult and dangerous to those who lived through them? One possibility is that we know we survived past dangers, so they seem smaller now. But we can never be certain we will solve the problems we are facing today. Radio didn’t ruin the younger generation, but maybe the smart phone will.
Another reason is that historical nostalgia is often colored by personal nostalgia. When were the good old days? Was it, by chance, the incredibly short period when you happened to be young? A U.S. Poll found that people born in the 1930s and 1940s thought the 1950s was America’s best decade, while those born in the 1960s and 1970s preferred the 1980s.
This kind of nostalgia has neurological roots. Researchers have found that we encode more memories during adolescence and early adult hood than any other period of our lives, and when we think about the past, this is the period we most often return to. Moreover, as we grow more distant from past events, we tend to remember them more positively.
Obviously, some things readily were better in the past. But our instinctive nostalgia for the good old days can easily deceive us, with dangerous consequences. Longing for the past and fear of the future inhibit the experiments and innovations that drive progress.
Vaccination, steam engines, railroads and electricity all met with strong resistance when they were first introduced. The point isn’t to show how silly previous generations were. The same kinds of anxieties have been expressed in our own time about innovations like the internet, video games and stem-cell research.
And not all fears about the future are unbounded. New technologies do result in accidents, they disturb traditional cultures and habits, and they destroy old jobs while creating new ones. But the only way to learn how to make the best use of new technologies and reduce risks is by trial and error. The future won’t be perfect, but neither were the good old days.
1. The word “rampant” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.A.limited | B.reasonable |
C.uncontrolled | D.traditional |
A.when American families still remained strong and children respected their elders |
B.that saw a sharp increase in individualism and divorce rate in American society |
C.that was believed by Americans born in the 1930s and the 1940s to be the best decade |
D.when radical and class tensions became more serious but people no longer lived under the nuclear threat |
A.The current generation is not as silly as the previous generations. |
B.It is unwise to be simply opposed to any new inventions and technologies. |
C.People are constantly deceived by their instinctive nostalgia for the good old days. |
D.The internet, video games and stem-cell research pose great threats to humanity. |
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【推荐1】Catfish effect is the effect that a strong competitor has in causing the weak to better themselves. Actions done to actively apply this effect in an organization are termed catfish management.
In Norway, live sardines are several times more expensive than frozen ones, and are valued for better texture and flavor. It was said that only one ship could bring live sardines home, and the shipmaster kept his method a secret. After he died, people found that there was one catfish in the tank. The catfish keeps swimming, and the sardines try to avoid this predator (捕食者). This increased level of activity keeps the sardines active, thus, increasing their survival rate greatly.
Catfish effect has been one of the hottest topics in human resources management. Therefore, I will keep the explanation short and sweet. When an outsider joins a well-established team as a competitor, he causes the weak to better their performance. This method is meant to motivate each of the teammates to feel the competition in order to keep up the competitiveness level of the whole team.
However, adding a catfish in the team can also bring in the downside in the group’s dynamics.
The team would go back to the storming stage. Under-performers would become more negative about the change that the catfish tried to implement (实施) because they would see it as a threat. The failed attempt of implementation of changing will create under-performance in the team as a whole, which will lead to a greater management challenge.
The key employee or backbone employee will feel demotivated because the opportunity to get a more senior job has decreased. If there are too many catfish in the company, this would generate a stressful work environment. The employee would constantly worry if they are being “preyed” by the catfish. The mental burden would create a harmful corporate culture and increase the distrust between employees.
A high standard is required on the catfish. The catfish would eventually turn into a leading role in the team. Lack in leadership skill from the catfish would lead to a bigger chaos in the workplace. Worst situation would be setting up a bad leadership role model to further an unhealthy competitive environment.
1. What is paragraph 2 of the text mainly about?A.The magic trick of catching sardines. | B.The underlying logic of the effect. |
C.The exact origin of the legend. | D.The great wisdom of a catfish. |
A.Unfair corporate culture. | B.Violent work environment. |
C.Great management challenge. | D.Reduced promotion chance. |
A.Qualifying a catfish for a leading role. | B.Setting up a harmonious relationship. |
C.Creating a less competitive workplace. | D.Stopping a catfish entering a company. |
A.Subjective. | B.Pessimistic. | C.Objective. | D.Doubtful. |
【推荐2】Female scientists with PhDs earn substantially less than their male counterpart (职位相当的人). A survey tracked more than 55,700 people who earned PhDs between 2018 and 2019. Overall, about 35% of all PhD recipients reported having a permanent job lined up at graduation, among which men reported an average annual salary of $95,000. Women reported a salary of $72,500, a gap of $22,500. In a similar survey in 2020, the overall gender gap in salaries was $18,000.
Men were over-represented in relatively high-paying fields such as computer science and engineering, but inequality continued to exist even within fields. Men with permanent jobs in the life sciences, for example, reported an expected median salary of $87,000, compared with $80,000 for women. In mathematics and computer science, men reported an expected median salary of $125,000; for women, that figure was $101,500.
Salaries and career paths can vary greatly from one scientific discipline to another, says Michael Roach, an economist at Cornell University. Roach is looking closely into differences in career outcomes for US PhD holders. Roach says it’s clear that women, on average, earn less than men even when all other factors are taken into account. In industrial research and development, there are differences that can’t be explained by ability or degree or the status of a university.
The root causes of those differences remain unclear, Roach says. One possibility is that men are more willing to negotiate for higher salaries. Roach notes that some women might have to make sacrifices to start families, but it would be a mistake to blame all income gaps on lifestyle decisions. “A lot of men want to spend more time with their families too,” he says.
The report shows that a PhD improves overall career and salary prospects, but the actual value clearly depends on the field of study, the demands of the marketplace and, for reasons that still aren’t clear, the person holding the degree. Researchers are still looking at the factors that might keep women from achieving the same level of success that equally qualified men are able to achieve.
1. Which of the following is NOT a cause of the salary differences?A.Gender. | B.Negotiation skills. |
C.The field of study. | D.Earning a PhD. |
A.A man working in mathematics. |
B.A woman working in computer science. |
C.A man working in the life sciences. |
D.A woman working in the life science. |
A.The income gaps are mainly caused by lifestyle decisions. |
B.Lifestyle decisions may not be the only cause of income gaps. |
C.Men are more likely to spend time with their families than women. |
D.Women are more likely to spend time with their families than men. |
A.To discuss methods to prevent salary differences. |
B.To praise the researchers’ effort. |
C.To raise awareness of gender pay gap. |
D.To stress the importance of educational backgrounds. |
It’s all about personal peace, which means not only an imaginary space around the body, but also the space around all the senses. People feel that their space is being violated (侵犯) when they meet with an unwelcome sound, smell or look. This is probably why a man on a crowded bus shouting into his mobile phone or a woman next to you putting on strong perfume (香水) makes you feel angry.
Whether people have had a stronger wish to protect their personal space in recent times is hard to say. Yet studies of airlines show that people have a strong desire (渴望) to have space to themselves. In a survey (调查) by TripAdvisor, a travel website, people said that if they had to pay more for some extra service, they would rather have larger seats than extra food.
Although people may need their personal space, some hardly realize it. For example, people on a bus who hold newspapers in front of their faces to read in fact keep a distance from strangers.
Go and watch a library table. You will notice that one of the corner seats will usually be taken first, because they are the farthest way. What if someone sits opposite to you? Maybe you will pile up books as if to make a wall.
Preference (偏好) for personal space are different from culture to culture. Scientists have found that Americans generally prefer more personal space than people from other cultures. In Latin (拉丁人的) cultures, however, people are more comfortable standing close to each other.
1. The writer mainly _________ in this article.
A.tells us how to achieve personal space |
B.explains what personal space people need is |
C.introduces some knowledge about personal space |
D.argues for the importance of keeping personal space |
A.A person who has to sit next to a lady putting on strong perfume. |
B.A person who has been watched by a stranger for a long time. |
C.A person who hears strange noises when reading at home. |
D.A Latin boy who is chatting with a friend sitting close to him. |
A.People need a smaller personal space in recent times than before. |
B.People have a strong desire for personal space in recent times. |
C.There are not enough seats on the plane to meet people’s needs. |
D.Food service is better provided than seats on the plane. |
A.The space around the body is more needed than that around all the senses. |
B.If you hold newspapers on the bus, your personal space won’t be violated. |
C.People usually choose the corner seats first in a library for personal space. |
D.Different cultures share the same preferences for personal space. |
【推荐1】Not every architectural landmark is grand in scale, with splendid decorations, or amazing colors. Suzhou Gardens may just be the opposite.
When a group of monks during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) first constructed Lion Grove Garden, they may have just wanted to enjoy a quiet place, hidden away from urban noise, while in the following centuries, this charming garden - most notable for its waterside rockeries resembling the shape of lions—has attracted a constant stream of celebrity guests, who have left a long list of poems, paintings and historical anecdotes (轶事).
In recent years, nine of the best-known classical gardens of Suzhou, including Lion Grove Garden, Humble Administrator’s Garden and Great Wave Pavilion, were registered into the World Heritage List. As UNESCO remarks, “Classical Chinese garden design, which seeks to recreate natural landscapes in miniature (缩略图), is nowhere better illustrated than in the nine gardens, which reflect the profound natural beauty in Chinese culture and inspire people to pursue harmony with the world.”
Nowadays, relevant administrations have been trying to restore the historical landscapes of Suzhou’s classical gardens. Consequently, last year, a new project was launched allowing tourists in small groups to reserve places to enter the garden in the early morning before the regular opening time. Their visit ended with them completing the last step in making a traditional folding fan, adding a poem about the garden on its surface. The experience was also regarded as a way to help people understand the wisdom, elegance and philosophical worldview of the ancient Chinese literati (文人).
The delicate beauty of the gardens still flows via the canals that snake across Suzhou. Hardly felt, their strength in shaping the city’s character seems to last forever.
1. What’s the purpose of building the Lion Grove Garden?A.To share historical anecdotes. |
B.To attract celebrity guests. |
C.To enjoy the beautiful scenery. |
D.To stay far from the madding crowd. |
A.Splendid decorations. |
B.Grand beauty. |
C.Human-nature harmony. |
D.Amazing colors. |
A.It featured traditional Chinese elements. |
B.Small groups without reservation were welcome. |
C.Its main aim was to help people approach poems. |
D.It was launched when the gardens were open to the public. |
A.Suzhou Gardens, a place of national pride. |
B.Suzhou Gardens, a place with natural beauty. |
C.Suzhou Gardens, a place that shows the decorations and colors. |
D.Suzhou Gardens, a place that reflects the philosophy and culture. |
The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”.According to the study,even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”,this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls.Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions.They won’t tell that to their parents.
Dr Marianm Kaufman,an expert on young people problems,says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing.Trying romance often causes the depression.She advises kids not to jump into romance too early.During growing up,it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self.She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends,attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.
Parents should watch for signs of depression—eating or mood changes—and if they see signs from their daughters or sons,they need to give help.The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age.Love will always make us feel young,but only maturity(成熟)gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.
1. What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.Parents should forbid their children’s love. |
B.Puppy love may bring young people depression. |
C.Romance is a two-edged sword for adults. |
D.Romance is good for young people. |
A.Young people who have a strong sense of selfishness. |
B.Young boys whose parents watch for their behavior. |
C.Young girls who always hide their feelings and opinions. |
D.Careless parents whose children are deep in love. |
A.The older a woman is,the less likely she seems to lose herself in romance. |
B.Early love makes young people keep close to their friends and parents. |
C.Parents should help their children to be aware of the signs of depression. |
D.Lacking love can lead young people to grow up more quickly. |
【推荐3】A UK college has started teaching students the Danish concept of hygge — said to make homes nicer and people happier. But what exactly is it?
Sitting by the fire on a cold night, while petting a dog — probably surrounded by candles. That’ s certainly “hygge”. Eating home-made cakes. Watching TV under a warm quilt. Tea served in a china set. Family get-togethers at Christmas. They’re all hygge too.
The Danish word, pronounced “hoo-ga”, is usually translated into English as “cosiness(舒适)”. But it’s much more than that — it is an entire attitude to life that makes Denmark one of the world’s happiest countries.
Morley College, in central London, is teaching students how to achieve hygge as part of its Danish language course. “We have long, cold winters in Denmark,” says lecturer Susanne Nilsson. “That influences things. Hygge doesn’t have to be a winter-only thing, but it isn’t that fine for much of the year.”
With up to 17 hours of darkness per day in winter, and average temperatures staying around 0℃, people spend more time indoors as a result, says Nilsson, meaning there’s greater focus on home entertaining.
The idea is to feel as at-home as possible, forgetting life’s worries. “Hygge works best when there’s not too large an empty space around the person or people,” Nilsson adds.
The recent growth in Scandinavian-themed restaurants, cafes and bars in the UK is helping to export hygge, Nilsson says. Most customers won’t have heard of the term, but they might get a sense of it.
Similarly, in the US, the wallpaper and fabric firm Hygge & West aims to channel the concept through its cheery designs, as does a Los Angeles bakery, called Hygge, which sells traditional Danish cakes and treats.
Hygge is a deep-rooted tradition in Danes’ life. Helen Russell, author of The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World ’ s Happiest Country, says, “Hygge is so important for those who live Danishly that the other day, I saw a camper car parked by the roadside with lit candles in the windows.”
1. Which can be used to explain the concept of hygge?A.It means success. | B.It is a way to relax. |
C.It requires a large room. | D.It is a candle-involved moment. |
A.The country’s climate. | B.The country’s culture. |
C.The country’s economy. | D.The country’s education. |
A.It is ignored by the two countries’ people. | B.It is quite different from that in Denmark. |
C.It is a new trend in the two countries. | D.It is related to several traditions. |
A.To explain the history of hygge. | B.To discuss a UK college course. |
C.To encourage people to live Danishly. | D.To introduce a traditional Danish lifestyle. |