【推荐1】Are you a procrastinator（拖拉者）? It’s a common problem. And it can be harmful, as previous research has shown that people who procrastinate have higher levels of stress and lower well-being, reported the Association for Psychological Science in the US. But a new study has found a way to deal with this problem: Be more connected to your future self.

Psychologists think that each person believes that they are really two people: “Present Me” and “Future Me”. “People act as if they prefer their current selves’ needs and desires to those of their future selves,” wrote psychologists Neil Lewis and Daphna Oyserman.

Oyserman and Lewis decided to try to find a way to make “Present Me” imagine exactly how “Future Me” would feel the night before a big paper was due, though “Present Me” hadn’t started yet. They made “Present Me” think about a far-off event as a number of days away, not months or years.

Thinking about events in this way meant that something like a friend’s wedding seemed 16.3 days sooner when considered in days rather than months and 11.4 months sooner when considered in months rather than years.

The researchers also tried to find out whether people would take action sooner if they were told a certain event was happening in X days rather than years.   For example, participants imagined they had a newborn child, and that the child would need to go to college in either 18 years or 6,570 days. The researchers found those in the “days” condition planned to start saving four times sooner than those in the “years” condition.

So if you think of your life in days instead of years, you may get things done quicker.

1. What did Oyserman and Lewis intend to do through their study?

A．To work on a solution to test if someone is a procrastinator.

B．To find out whether human beings usually have two different characters.

C．To discover procrastinators are more likely to have a lower sense of well-being.

D．To prove it’s helpful to connect our current selves more with future selves.

2. The underlined part “this way” in Paragraph 4 refers to “_________”.

A．setting up tough deadlines

B．following schedules strictly

C．counting in smaller units of time

D．imagining how your future self will feel

3. What helps prevent people from procrastinating?

A．Comparing their future selves with present selves.

B．Considering their current selves’ needs and desires.

C．Thinking about far-off events in days rather than years.

D．Marking important events on a calendar as a reminder.

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．A way to get things done in time.

B．The harmful effects of procrastination.

C．The reason to overlook future needs and desires.

D．The way to reduce stress and improve happiness.

【推荐2】请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意：请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。每个空格只填1个单词。

Most students have had a love-hate experience relationship with procrastination (拖延症). We all come up with magic ways to bring ourselves moments of joy to temporarily relieve our stress and productivity. When deadlines draw near, though, these moments of lost time often become regrettable. Here are five tips to help you reduce this age-old practice.

Set goals

Students often procrastinate because they think that they can put off the work for a while and enjoy their time at the moment. This thought tends to worsen the situation, though, when the deadline becomes one day away and the essay has yet to be started. In order to stay on track, you should constantly set and update goals. It can be vital to mark all deadlines in a planner and think about how much time you need to meet them all.

Reward yourself

In order to keep productivity and mind levels up, set breaks at the end of a period of time or once you finish a section of your work so that you can reward yourself with some deserved, scheduled, and controlled procrastination-like activities: have a coffee with a friend, cook, or watch an episode of a television show. Breaks like these are proven to increase productivity and keep you focused, and they will make the process of studying much more bearable!

Remind yourself of what you’re doing

Sometimes you may begin to think that the reading that you are doing, the assignment that you are writing, or the lab that you are performing does not correspond to what you ultimately want to do. You may consider some work or a class pointless and not useful to your further studies. However, when these thoughts arise and you think that getting a beer is a better idea than getting a good grade, remind yourself what the ultimate goal of your schooling is. Evaluate your priorities in a serious manner and you may understand why you should focus on completing your work and postpone the beer until the weekend.

Turn off the Internet

If you do not need the Internet to do your work, turn it off so that you are not receiving notifications while completing your work. The same goes for your cell phone; you can take a break from being connected to the cyber world in order to do your school work. If you feel the need to check messages and websites often, set times when you will allow yourself to do so rather than constantly staying connected.

Have something to look forward to

Being productive for all hours of every day does not work—you do need breaks. So, in order to balance productivity and amusement, plan times to go out with friends or do something relaxing to complement your school work. Ideally, social and relaxation plans should be made for after a significant portion of work is completed. This way, while you are working, you can keep in mind that once you have finished your work you can go out and not worry about your assignments.

Say Goodbye to Procrastination
Passage outline	Supporting details
Introduction	● Facing procrastination, most students may struggle with a(n)     1     feeling of love and hate. ● Students enjoy having stress and productivity relieved. Nevertheless, with the deadlines     2    , sense of regret grows.
3     to help reduce the practice.	● Avoid the thought that you can put off the work and enjoy time temporarily because it is     4     to make things worse. ● Setting and updating your goals constantly according to your schedule is a     5    .
	● Breaks like having a coffee or enjoying an episode of TV show prove to be of great value to keep you     6     and focused.
	● Pointless and     7     as the present work seems, you should remember the ultimate goal of schooling and make a(n)     8     on your priorities.
	● Never stay     9     to the Internet or cell phones constantly provided your work can be finished without them.
	● Don’t be too hard on yourselves, try to     10     work with amusement and plan on something to relax yourself after work.
Conclusion	You can always have some ways to deal with procrastination, making your school work more effective and efficient.

【推荐3】Ways to increase your reading speed

In a world overflowing with information, the ability to read quickly and effectively is a valuable skill. Increasing your reading speed is a journey that combines technique, practice, and a patient mindset.     1    

Active reading

Active reading involves engaging with the material rather than passively absorbing words. Techniques such as underlining key phrases, taking brief notes and asking questions about the content can significantly enhance your reading speed.     2     That ultimately leading to a quicker reading pace.

Expand your peripheral (周边的) vision

A substantial portion of reading involves the movement of your eyes across lines of text. By expanding your peripheral vision, you can take in more words with each glance.     3     This adjustment can lead to a significant increase in reading speed while maintaining comprehension.

Minimise subvocalisation (默读)

Subvocalisation, or the habit of pronouncing each word in your head as you read, can be a major barrier to reading speed.     4     To break the subvocalisation habit, try reading passages where the content is presented visually, such as in graphs or charts. This exercise encourages your brain to process information without relying on the inner voice, gradually reducing the need for subvocalisation.

    5    

Like any skill, increasing your reading speed requires consistent practice. Set aside devoted time each day for focused reading practice. Gradually increase the complexity and length of the material, challenging your brain to read faster while maintaining comprehension. This intentional and varied practice is key to improving your newfound speed-reading skills.

A．Practice regularly

B．Concentrate on reading

C．By following the strategies, you’ll be looking through texts in no time.

D．These actions force your brain to stay focused and process information more efficiently.

E．Gradually, your eyes will become better at capturing information in a wider field of vision.

F．Despite a natural part of early reading development, it can block progress of reading faster.

G．Practice widening your focus to capture groups of words rather than focusing on one word at a time.

【推荐1】China is one of the world’s ancient civilizations and has the earliest outstanding bronze casting (青铜冶铸) technology. Here we’ve created a list of 4 museums where you can gain an in-depth understanding of Chinese bronze.

Sanxingdui Museum Address: Sanxingdui Ruin Site, 133 Xiangxin Road, Guanghan, Deyang, Sichuan province Hours: Comprehensive Gallery (the first exhibition hall): 8: 30-18: 00;Bronze Gallery (the second exhibition hall): 8: 30-18: 30.(no entry after 17: 00). Closed Mondays Ticket booking: 0838-5651526 General admission: Gallery ticket 80 yuan Note: Children shorter than 1.2m (including 1.2m ) can visit the gallery free of charge. The ticket must be used on the day it is sold.

National Museum of China Address: East side of Tian’ anmen Square, Dongcheng district, Beijing Hours: 8: 30-17: 00(no entry after 16: 30) General admission: Free (passport required for entry). Closed Mondays (except for national holidays) E-mail: webmaster@chnmuseum.cn

Shanghai Museum Address: 201 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu district, Shanghai Hours: 9: 00-17: 00(no entry after 16: 00). Closed on the morning of Chinese New Year’s Eve E-mail: webmaster@shanghai-museum.org General admission: Free(a max of 8,000 admitted daily).

Hunan Museum Address: 50 Dongfeng Road, Changsha, Hunan province Hours: 9: 00-17: 00(no entry after 16: 00). Closed Mondays (except for national holidays) and the eve of Chinese New Year Tel: (+86-731) 84415833,84475933 E-mail: web@hnmuseum.com General admission: Free(passport required for entry).

For more information, click here.
1. Which museum should you choose for your family to visit next Monday?

A．Shanghai Museum.	B．Hunan Museum.
C．Sanxingdui Museum.	D．National Museum of China.

2. What do Hunan Museum and National Museum of China in this passage have in common?

A．They are free to children under 12.	B．They close on national holidays.
C．They can be reserved through e-mail.	D．They need a passport for entry.

3. Where is the text probably come from?

A．A website.

B．A newspaper.

C．A travel journal.

D．A history book.

【推荐2】

Gallery Policies for Visitors to National Gallery of Art, Washington

Visitors must present all carried items for inspection upon entry. After inspection, all bags, backpacks, umbrellas, parcels, and other things as determined by security officers must left at the checkrooms, free of charge, close to each entrance. All over-sized bags, backpacks and luggage must be left at the checkrooms near the 4th Street entrance of either the East or West Building. These items will have to be x-rayed before being accepted. Items of value, such as laptop computers, cameras, and fur coats, may not be left in the checkrooms but may be carried into the galleries.    We regret that we do not have enough space for visitor items larger than 17×26 inches into the Gallery or its checkrooms.    Additional security procedures and checks may be taken according to the decision of the Gallery.

For the safety of the artworks and other visitors, nothing may be carried on a visitor’s back. Soft front baby carriers are allowed, but children may not be carried on shoulders or in a child carrier worn on the back. Pushchairs are available free of charge near each checkroom.    Smoking is prohibited. Food and drink are not permitted outside the food service areas. Unopened bottled water may be carried only in a visitor’s bag. Cell phones may not be used in the galleries.    Animals, other than service animals, are not permitted in the Gallery.    Skateboarding is prohibited.    Picture-taking (including video for personal use is permitted except in special exhibitions and where specifically prohibited. Tripods (三角架) are not allowed.    Please do not touch the works of art.

1. When people come to visit the Gallery, they should ____________.

A．leave all their carried items at the checkrooms

B．have all their carried items x-rayed at the entrance

C．take all their carried items with them without inspection

D．have all their carried items inspected at the entrance

2. What does the Gallery feel sorry for?

A．Visitors have to keep their valuable items in the checkrooms.

B．The size of visitor items allowed into the Gallery is limited.

C．It cannot keep over-sized visitor items due to limited space.

D．Visitor items over 17×26 inches must go through additional checks.

3. Parents with small children visiting the Gallery _____________.

A．can carry their children in soft front child carriers

B．can carry their children on their shoulders

C．can carry their children in child carriers worn on the back

D．ought to pay if they want to use pushchairs for their children

【推荐3】Kings Camps

About Our Camps

Kings Camps is part of the Kings Active Foundation and is devoted to helping young people reach their potential. We provide sports camps and summer camps at over 40 places across the UK for children aged 4-17. We bring together the very best parts of sports and holiday clubs to provide friendship, fun and exciting adventures for young people from the UK and around the world.

Why Choose Kings Camps

※Creative, inspiring camps: We have a strong belief that sport has an important role to play in a happy childhood and our not-for-money state enables us to provide some places and invest in new and creative ways to inspire.

※Learn important life skills: Kings Camps prepare children with important life skills and an understanding that being active is important to health and well-being.

※International students are welcome: We welcome children from outside of the UK who will make friends here by communicating with kids from different backgrounds, but we do require that they at least understand English to make sure of their safety and that of others, and of course their enjoyment.

Comments

Ryan has enjoyed every part. When we’ve asked about his day, he’s said it was “amazing and fantastic”. All the staff are extremely friendly, enthusiastic and have a true belief in what they are doing.

— Tracy Lee

Fantastic & friendly staff! It’s an action-packed week of multiple sports. My sweetheart made new friends, overcame swimming fears & came away more confident too! I cannot recommend it enough!

— Kay Court

1. What does Kings Camps aim to do?

A．Mix sports and holiday clubs.

B．Get kids to play outdoors.

C．Provide adventurous and challenging camps.

D．Encourage kids to develop their potential.

2. What is necessary for international students?

A．Awareness of safety.

B．Love for media.

C．Basic English ability.

D．Good communicating skills.

3. Who probably made the comments?

A．Parents.

B．Teachers.

C．Campers.

D．Staff.

【推荐2】Dear Ms. Smith,

I am writing to apply for the Sales Manager position on the careers page of the King Computers website. Last year King Computers added five new offices, making it the largest computer sales and services company in the state. I understand that one of the company’s aims is to expand outside of the Washington area. I am seeking the opportunity to play an important role in your growing business. As a sales manager with Diamond Computers, I expanded our sales area by 150% in two years. I am confident that my leadership and experience will help King Computers achieve its goals, too.

I have worked in the field of computer sales for over fifteen years. Currently I am a sales manager for Diamond Computers based in Seattle. I am skilled at managing accounts and increasing sales revenue (收益). Last year, my team produced $960,000 in revenue—the highest in the company. Also, I received the Diamond Sales Award for the best sales manager. In addition, I am experienced at planning sales strategies, developing advertising campaigns, and creating sales budgets.

King Computers is well-known for its customer-first philosophy. In my fifteen years in sales, this way of thinking is the most important thing I have learned. A sales strategy should never be just about getting money from customers. I believe it’s important to take the time to listen to each customer—to understand what he or she really needs. Then, we must find the product that best matches those needs. As a sales manager for King Computers, I will be in a great position to do just that.

If you are looking for a skilled sales manager with a history of success, I would be delighted to speak with you.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Paul Reubens

1. According to the writer, what is one of King Computers’ aims?

A．To set new goals.

B．To add five new offices.

C．To make its business bigger.

D．To hire more sales managers.

2. According to Paul Reubens, a good sales manager should________.

A．put customers’ needs first

B．never get money from customers

C．be skilled in designing computers

D．be able to receive awards for the company

3. Paul Reubens wrote this letter in order to________.

A．prove that he is skillful as a sales manager

B．explain why he is interested in selling computers

C．show that he is fit for the job at King Computers

D．describe what he has experienced for over fifteen years