【推荐1】Are you feeling empty? If so, you are not alone. Actually, it’s a common occurrence for many of us to feel empty in various ways. For instance, you might feel empty as something is missing in your life. Or the emptiness might stem from slowly abandoning yourselves, and not listening to your own hopes and desires. Abandoning yourselves can also spark anxiety, depression, guilt and shame.     1     Here are several suggestions to help you out.   

Acknowledge the emptiness. If you’re experiencing emptiness that’s more like a gaping hole, acknowledge it, and be gentle with yourself.     2     If this emptiness is because of a loved one’s passing, don’t get angry with yourself for grieving years later. In that case you learn to live life alongside that hole of missing that person.

Explore your feelings of emptiness. Scientists suggested exploring the below questions. We can do this while keeping a journal, taking a walk or drinking a cup of tea.

＊Do I tell myself positive things?

＊What am I trying to prove or win?

＊    3    

＊Am I blaming myself for things that are out of my control?

    4     Fight the urge to turn to the outside world for fulfillment. Instead of trying to fill the emptiness with drugs, alcohol, TV, computer games or anything else, look within, and spend time with yourself. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but the more you practise devoting time and energy to yourself and caring for yourself, the less present those empty feelings will be.

    5     Whether you are experiencing difficult relationships, losses, or feeling a lack of purpose or meaning, you are worthy of a fulfilling and meaningful life.

A．Control your current feelings.

B．Spend time with yourself every day.

C．How do you handle your emptiness?

D．Don’t beat yourself up for feeling this way.

E．Have I been judging myself or comparing myself to others?

F．It’s important to acknowledge and accept your feelings of emptiness.

G．Do you spend too much time on filling your emptiness?

【推荐3】Taking pressure off sports competitions

Sports are a great way to have fun and stay active. Competitions can make sports more exciting. But because somebody wins and somebody loses competitions can also make kids be under pressure. A little pressure can be OK. But too much pressure is bad news.     1    

What is a competition?

There are different kinds of competition in sports.     2     For example, a swimmer might compete individually, but the person's score may also contribute to a teams score. What all sports competitions have in common is that all of the competitors want to win.     3    

Why do I feel under pressure?

Do you ever have “butterflies” in your stomach? It's that nervous feeling some people get when starting to attend a new school or preparing for a big soccer match. Believe it or not, the best player on your team gets nervous before a big game.     4     Feeling a little excited or nervous is OK, though. This helps your body and mind get ready to compete. But if you're getting so nervous that you aren't having much fun, it's time to figure out why.

How can I deal with pressure?

When you're competing in sports, you need a lot of energy.     5     Be sure to go to bed on time. And don't forget to eat well on game day. Try to attend all of your team's practices. By practicing, you'll improve your playing skills. The more prepared you are, the better you'll feel and the more fun you'll have.

A．Read on to learn more about sport pressure.

B．What if you want to give up?

C．But usually only one person or team does.

D．It takes a lot of work to become skilled at a sport.

E．Even professional players feel nervous sometimes!

F．One secret to having lots of energy is to get plenty of sleep.

G．You may compete by yourself, as part of a team, or both.

【推荐2】The rise of the machines was always going to come at a cost, as each wave of technology destroys what has been put in place. The fast pace of technological development in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and robots is causing massive changes in the finance industry.

The effect is already being felt on Wall Street, where there have been far-reaching and significant changes. Many investment banks and big institutions, in order to cut cost and meanwhile increase the amount of work, use AI to take on financial tasks usually done by humans, such as wealth management, operations, risk management and trading, where robots carry out between 50% to 60% market trades, according to CNN.

The preference for technology over human traders results from the inability of the vast majority of traders to act consistently reasonably when trading. Often, people fail to control themselves, allowing emotions to get in the way of their thoughts and actions.   Machines don’t suffer from these psychological issues when a major trading decision is being made. This is because they remove emotion from short-term trading activity, allowing for a more objective approach to trading.

Artificial intelligence and robotics is fast advancing into the investment sector, where its unbelievable ability to learn and think will eventually make them the most advanced and complex investment systems capable of helping corporations to make more effective choices. Activities such as calculations based on structured data and other repetitive support tasks are well-suited for robots.

While AI is probably the most powerful technology today, its ability to perform complex tasks is limited. Trading machines can only learn historical data and trade patterns. However, stock market behavior changes all the time and computers can be less skilled in the face of unexpected market performance. Humans can easily adjust themselves to these changes. Getting the robots to do the same, however, will require changing their algorithms (算法), which can be too expensive and time-consuming. For this reason, humans will always be a step ahead and remain relevant.

1. Why do many institutions use AI to replace human employees?

A．To show a preference for new techs.	B．To promote working productivity.
C．To expand the application of AL	D．To increase the safety of work.

2. What advantage do machines have over humans?

A．They are hardly disturbed by moods.	B．They can make subjective decisions.
C．They are far more loyal to their jobs.	D．They never do any wrong tradings.

3. What are robots most good at?

A．Investing in stock market.	B．Performing a complex task.
C．Adapting to new surroundings.	D．Handling fixed data and patterns.

4. What will happen in the future according to the last paragraph?

A．There will be an obvious rise in skilled workers.

B．AI can create all-around profits at a little cost.

C．Humans still have a place in the job market.

D．Robots shall substitute man at high speed.

【推荐3】In the workplace, there are many different cultures that coexist — including the company culture, the local culture of the business and the national or regional cultures of employees.

The culture of the workplace starts with the company’s vision, mission and core values and helps the leadership team manage the employees. It affects all major operations, including recruiting and onboarding employees, providing employees with compensation (赔偿金) and benefits and rewarding employees for good behavior. It also informs the way an organization trains and develops its staff, how it promotes employees and any workplace traditions it follows.

The work environment is deeply affected by the culture of the organization. For example, if one of the main elements of the workplace culture is teamwork, employees will know how important it is to help one another. They will be less competitive with each other, and will instead focus on succeeding together. Such a cultural characteristic can enable teams to be highly productive and motivated.

Local culture affects the way people behave in the workplace. For example, if it is a custom in local culture to spend a lot of time enjoying the natural landscape, then many employees will place importance on that activity as well. This may mean that employees spend their evenings and weekends hiking in the woods or swimming at the beach.

Employers can use elements of local culture to connect with and motivate their employees. Using this example of cultural behavior, the workplace can offer outdoor recreational passes as prizes for hitting business targets. In addition, having company functions outside at the beach or at a local park can further engage and inspire employees.

In today’s global economy, it’s common for workplaces to be made up of people from different national and regional cultures. Being culturally sensitive and aware helps employees to communicate effectively with their teammates and work toward shared goals. It’s important for employers to take cultural diversity into account when establishing their workplace policies. Teach employees how to be culturally sensitive to their colleagues and customers who have different cultural backgrounds. This can be done through cultural sensitivity training, and by learning about fellow workers. Consider creating a cross-cultural etiquette PDF and documenting how different cultures behave with regard to specific aspects of work. National and regional cultures can affect the way people communicate with one another, the holidays they celebrate and their relationship to time.

1. Which one does good workplace culture NOT contribute to?

A．The rise of level of performance in the workplace.

B．The promotion of workplace traditions.

C．The building of teamwork.

D．The more competitive working environment.

2. Why should the workplace offer outdoor activities as for achieving business goals if it is a tradition to enjoy the scenery?

A．It matches employees’ hobby.

B．It is a way for the employees to get close to nature to relax themselves.

C．It is a cultural behavior used to effectively motivate the employees.

D．It is a custom to follow.

3. How can an international company make its employees get along with each other?

A．By giving business training.

B．By cultivating cultural awareness.

C．By reading a cross-cultural custom PDF instead of paper.

D．By changing the holidays its employees celebrate and their relationship to time.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Local culture.	B．Nature and outdoor activities.
C．Cultural behavior in the workplace.	D．Cultural diversity.

【推荐1】Why do Chinese people love hot pot so much? As the winter months are coming in, more and more people are sitting around a table enjoying this kind of traditional meal. I find myself wondering what it is about this traditional meal, which has existed for more than 1, 000 years. What makes it a Chinese food favorite? It seems that the answer lies beyond the dish itself.

Hot pot isn’t just designed to keep you warm during the cold months; it’s also a social experience. It’s a “theater” cooked food that turns a meal into an event. There is a lot of fun for everyone to have in adding some foods to the hot pot.

Hot pot is eaten not less than two hours. For this reason, it is often considered an evening’s entertainment, and a time to spend with friends and families. However, many Westerners would be put off by the idea of other people sticking chopsticks in their food. When we come to eat at the table in the UK, we often have our own shares, although the experience is still a social one.

A similar experience to the hot pot can be found in Korean barbecue restaurants, which let you cook your own meat. This allows people to have their meat done however they want.

For most Westerners, the idea of going to a restaurant to cook their own food is very strange. But having a go, I find it’s now one of my favorite meals in Beijing. The steam from the pot left my clothes smelling of food when I got home, but perhaps this was also part of the experience. When the cold wind is blowing outside, I am sitting around with my good friends, eating and drinking. For me it’s like a dinner party where my taste buds (味蕾) and my appetite are equally satisfied in the warm company of friends.

1. What is the main reason why hot pot is popular in China?

A．It has a history of over 1, 000 years.

B．It is a fun social experience.

C．It serves people with many kinds of foods.

D．It keeps people very warm in winter.

2. How long do people spend in enjoying the traditional meal?

A．More than three hours.

B．less than two hours.

C．at least two hours.

D．All the evening.

3. We can conclude from the article that British people generally ________.

A．enjoy cooking their own food in restaurants

B．prefer a Korean barbecue to Chinese hot pot

C．don’t like sharing food with others in restaurants

D．don’t mind the smell of food staying on their clothes

4. What is the author’s attitude to hot pot?

A．Serious.

B．Unconcerned.

C．Humorous.

D．Appreciative.

【推荐3】Does your ideal vacation include going skiing across frozen ice, spying the northern lights, and playing in the snow? Then you’ll want to skate straight to these winter spots.

Fairbanks, Alaska

Alaska is a good choice for a great winter getaway. For winter fun, head to Fairbanks, where you can stay at a new cottage with glass-ceiling domes for aurora (极光) viewing in comfort and then head out ice fishing and snowmobiling. Want even more adventure? Consider a guided adventure that combines northern lights, cross-country skiing, and dog mushing.

Kirkenes, Norway

The Kirkenes Snow hotel here welcomes visitors to its ice-sculpted rooms. Besides, you can jump on a sled (雪橇) pulled by dogs or bring your appetite for a King Crab Safari. First, you’ll be on a sled pulled by a snowmobile across the icy sea. Then crab fishermen drill into the ice to create a hole to pull up the large crabs. Another quick sled trip and you’ve reached a cozy cottage where crab claws as long as your forearm are served up minutes after being pulled from the cold waters, tasting of salt water. A rich reward for braving the cold.

St. Moritz, Switzerland

Skiing down the Alps is obviously a highlight here, but did you know that night skiing in this Swiss town is some of the best in the world? Picture it: Clear sky, full moon, inky quiet, and a sky full of stars. If you need energy for skiing, you can always refuel with pizza from the wood-fired oven at Murtèl middle station. You can keep skiing until the last cable car at 1:40 a. m. Then, check into your room at the Carlton Hotel, where there are a series of daylight activities.

Quebec City, Canada

In the summer months, Quebec City is an excellent destination thanks to its French features and historic old port. But in the winter, don’t miss the Winter Carnival, the Carnaval de Quebec, the largest winter carnival in the world. During 17 days the Carnival offers more than 200 activities and welcomes nearly 500,000 people (upcoming dates are January 26 to February 11, 2018, and February 1 to 17, 2019).

1. What is considered to be the most adventurous activity in Fairbanks, Alaska?

A．Going snowmobiling.

B．Going ice fishing.

C．Appreciating aurora viewing.

D．Conducting a guided adventure.

2. What does the underlined part “a rich reward” refer to?

A．Living in ice-sculpted rooms.

B．Having a sled trip.

C．Tasting the freshly-cooked crabs.

D．Having a taste of salt water.

3. What is the special attraction of St. Moritz, Switzerland?

A．Skiing down the Alps.	B．Night skiing.
C．Watching stars.	D．Tasting pizza.

4. What can we learn about the Carnaval de Québec?

A．It’s second to none in the world.

B．It lasts throughout the winter.

C．Few people show interest in it.

D．It is famous for its French features.

5. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A diary.	B．A novel.
C．A tour brochure.	D．A textbook.