If I could give today’s young people three wishes, they would be: more hugs, more time outside in nature, more belief in their own power to change the world. The third one leaves some people wondering why young people’s belief in their own power is so essential.
Let’s start with the idea that all of us – especially young people – need heroes. Our modern society is terribly confused about the difference between a celebrity and a hero. A celebrity is all about fame – temporary, superficial fame, usually for qualities that are easy to see: a pretty face, a great dance move, etc. A hero, by contrast, is about character- qualities under the surface that aren’t seen until they take action.
Heroes are all around us. They truly hold our world together, through their unselfish devotion to helping others, teaching children, and protecting the environment. They don’t want fame, or glory; they just want to help. In so many ways, these unsung heroes pilot the boat in which all of us sail.
Yet, young people hear a lot more about celebrities than about heroes in the media. The hidden message they get from all this is that their self-worth comes from what they buy – which shoes, which cell phone – not who they are down inside. What gets lost in this? Young people’s sense of their own potential for heroic qualities – their own power to – make a positive difference in the world. Truth is, there is a potential hero, a future difference maker, in every young person.
How do we help young people believe in their own power? The best way is simply to share examples of other young people who have made a difference.
Barbara grew up on a farm in Texas. When she realized that local farmers were pouring their used motor oil into rivers, causing pollution, she organised the creation of a recycling centre for crude oil (原油). Her project has grown to include 18 recycling centres in Texas.
The list could continue. These are but a few examples of young people who have discovered that they can build on their own energy to do something great.
1. What is the author’s purpose in writing Paragraph 2?A.To give examples of celebrities and heroes around us. |
B.To discuss the distinctions between celebrities and heroes. |
C.To illustrate the details about being celebrities and heroes. |
D.To explain the meanings of the words “celebrity” and “hero”. |
A.Heroes only help specific groups of people. |
B.Heroes want to be recognised for their work. |
C.Heroes play a vital role in keeping the world running. |
D.Heroes enjoy piloting boats to reach their destination. |
A.Heroes and celebrities are both valued today. |
B.Society doesn’t support the development of heroes. |
C.The media turns ordinary celebrities into real heroes. |
D.Young people don’t have the belief in their own strength. |
A.By explaining the qualities that make a young person a hero. |
B.By comparing the achievements made by different young people. |
C.By giving examples of young people who show the qualities of a hero. |
D.By providing examples of qualities that have made young people famous. |
A.More heroes are needed in the world. |
B.Celebrities are reported too much in the media. |
C.Adults should become role models for young people. |
D.Young people should believe in their ability to make a difference. |
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【推荐1】My husband, my four-month-old daughter and I set out on a five-day driving journey from California to Washington. We had to stop frequently because our little child needed to stretch from the car seat.
One of our stops, once we crossed the Oregon border, was at a Black Bear Diner. Walking towards the front door we noticed a gentleman standing at one side. He was clearly untidy, without shoes and wearing worn clothing. We passed right by him and opened the restaurant door. Then something told me to go back.
Holding my daughter, I turned around and said to the gentleman, “Sir. Are you hungry?” He said, “Yes.” I then asked, “May we buy you something to eat?” He responded with, “Sure, I can order something myself.”
My husband opened the door and the gentleman went straight to the counter. I told him to order whatever he wanted. The manager of the restaurant came over quite quickly and looked frightened. I spoke before he had an opportunity to say anything. “This gentleman will have lunch with us today,” I said. “Please add his order to our bill.” The manager said with a frown(皱眉), “Okay.” We turned to our table and the gentleman said, loudly and quickly, “Thank You!” We were seated and upon completing our meal we were handed our bill. I asked my husband what the gentleman had ordered. One fresh orange juice, one coffee, one breakfast combination with a side of hash browns.
When we left the restaurant I looked for the gentleman but didn’t see him, but that very small act just made my day. I hope in some small way we were able to add some joy to his life, even if only for a few minutes.
1. From the appearance of the gentleman, we can guess he was probably a(n) _____.A.waiter | B.beggar |
C.actor | D.worker |
A.the man was not friendly |
B.he was afraid the man wasn’t able to pay the food |
C.he had fired the man before |
D.the man had stolen something from the restaurant |
A.was hungry and ate a lot of food | B.felt ashamed and left secretly |
C.was thankful for their kind act | D.was too proud to accept their offer |
A.wasted my money | B.made me feel sorry |
C.made me very happy | D.moved me deeply |
【推荐2】In spite of the title, How to Grow Old, this article will really be on how not to grow old, which, at my time of life, is a much more important subject. My first advice would be to choose your ancestors carefully. Although both my parents died young, I have done well in this respect as regards my other ancestors. My maternal (母亲方面的) grandfather, it is true, died in the flower of his youth at the age of sixty-seven, but my other three grandparents all lived to be over eighty. Of remote ancestors I can only discover one who did not live to a great age, and he died of a disease which is now rare, namely, having his head cut off.
My maternal grandmother, after having nine children who survived, as soon as she became a widow, devoted herself to women’s higher education. She was the co-founders of Girton College. She used to relate how she met in Italy an elderly gentleman who was looking very sad. She inquired the cause of his sorrow and he said that he had just parted from his two grandchildren. “Good gracious,” she exclaimed, “I have seventy-two grandchildren, and if I were sad each time I parted from one of them, I should have a miserable existence!” “Madre snaturale (奇怪的母亲),” he replied.
But as one of the seventy-two, I prefer her recipe. After the age of eighty she found she had some difficulty in getting to sleep, so she habitually spent the hours from midnight to 3 a.m. in reading popular science. I do not believe that she ever had time to notice that she was growing old. This, I think, is the proper recipe for remaining young. If you have wide and keen interests and activities in which you can still be effective, you will have no reason to think about the merely statistical (统计学的) fact of the number of years you have already lived, still less of the probable shortness of your future.
1. What do we know about author’s maternal grandmother?A.She was a strange and cruel mother. |
B.She set up Girton College with others. |
C.Her husband died when he was young. |
D.She had 72 children and grandchildren. |
A.Because she wanted to teach him a lesson. |
B.Because she preferred cooking and talking. |
C.Because she wanted show off her freedom. |
D.Because she wondered why he was so sad. |
A.To maintain wide interests and active participation. |
B.To remember how many years you have lived so far. |
C.To stay up reading from midnight to 3 a. m. every day. |
D.To raise as many children as you can and cherish them. |
A.Romantic. | B.Imaginative. | C.Humorous. | D.Ironic. |
【推荐3】What makes a person a giver or a taker? The idea of "give vs. take" takes shape in all interactions (互动)and relationships of our lives. We're either giving advice, making time for people, or we're on the receiving end. We keep changing between the two based on different situations on a daily basis, if not an hourly one.
According to Adam Grant, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, most people are matchers. They make careful observations on takers and make it a point for them to pay something back. They hate to see people who act so generously towards others not receive any rewards. Actually, most matchers will try hard to improve and support givers so that they can get the good they deserve.
Is there a gender factor (性别因素) that plays a part in this?
A study led by Hannah Riley Bowles, a professor at Harvard University, focused on this question. She asked 200 senior managers to sit down in pairs where one person would act as the boss and the other as an employee to discuss salary rise. Male "employees" asked for an average salary of $146 k while the females asked for only $141 k. But why did they not bargain as hard as the men? Simply because they were more likely to be givers.
As a woman, I do enjoy the act of giving up my time, my knowledge, and my care and attention to others. I expect anything in return, but I do tend to pull myself away when I feel like I'm being taken for granted(被认为当然). I also tend to get upset when I see a loved one's continuous actions of kindness go unnoticed. So, it's safe to say I'm 50% giver, 35% matcher and 15% taker.
I do know someone, however, who is 99% giver. They're continually devoting their time, sharing valuable insights (见解) and going out of their way for everyone who crosses their path. Although they've changed the lives of many people, they hardly see any of it returned. But the universe is slowly repaying them; they're now extremely successful, well known for what they do.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?A.Most people think they are givers. |
B.People are not always givers or takers. |
C.An individual is born to be a giver or a taker. |
D.Few differences exist between givers and takers. |
A.Most people hate takers. |
B.Most people prefer giving to taking. |
C.Most people enjoy relying on themselves. |
D.Most people balance giving and taking. |
A.The role of giving and taking in jobs. |
B.The gender difference in giving and taking. |
C.The role of men and women in society. |
D.The salary difference between women and men. |
A.Giving is the shortest path to success. | B.Sharing is the greatest human quality. |
C.No good deed goes undone. | D.Givers are worth respecting. |
【推荐1】When high temperatures are around the country, some things also go up. Here are four things expected to rise along with our desire to stay indoors and best the heat.
①Sales of goods that keep you cool.
Malls are high on the list of places where people often go for free air conditioning outside home in summer.
②
Pests like stink bugs(椿象) grow fast during summer heat waves, and many agriculture experts are expecting a repeat of last year’s incident that harmed fruit and crops, particularly on the East Coast.
③Energy bills
④Violence
Heat waves may cause violence, right?
Not necessarily, says Richard Larrick, a researcher. He took a unique look at the relationship between violence and heat through baseball. Larrick and his research team examined 57,294 Major League Baseball games taking place between 1952 and 2017 and found that while heat may increase violence, there always has to be a motive. “
A.Air pollution |
B.Pest population |
C.Rising heat is the expected response in any summer |
D.Heat does not directly lend to more violence in general |
E.More and more people are worried about their expenses |
F.As more energy is used, air-quality problems may occur |
G.So it’s not a surprise that some sales jump during heat waves. |
【推荐2】Studies have been done on the connection between humor and genes. The most common ones involved researchers observing the same twins and looking at how genes affect their sense of humor. There was a study with 390 adult twins who were asked to rate 48 cartoons of different humor varieties based on how funny they found them. The conclusion was that environmental influences played a more important role in what the twins found funny than genetics.
However, there is more to be said about this topic. A recent study proved a clear connection between genetics and emotions like laughter. This study tested 336 adults by showing them funny clips from movies and humorous comics. Researchers then examined the gene and positive emotional expressions, which they referred to as laughing and smiling. And even though the research has collected evidence on how there can be a connection between laughing and smiling behaviors and genes, we still need more similar studies before considering the results as a fact.
While genetics play an important role in the formation of many character traits, our sense of humor is too complex to be attributed to one factor. Moreover, your sense of humor can change throughout your whole life, which is why simplifying humor and basing it only on genetics isn’t reliable.
When we’re young, we learn to talk and do regular activities by observing people and things around us. While growing up, you are exposed to jokes that people around you make and find funny. You will pick up behavioral signs and develop your sense of humor based on all of that. It’s not a surprise that your sense of humor is based on the sense of humor of the people you grew up with, rather than on the genes of your ancestors.
Our sense of humor is a subjective field that depends on social factors, such as the influence of your family and friends, social circle, upbringing in a particular country and culture, etc. For that reason, it doesn’t mean that you will be humorous just because your parents or grandparents are funny.
1. What was found in the study about twins?A.Humor wasn’t related to genes. |
B.Environment mattered more than genes in humor. |
C.The twins’ humor was mainly affected by genes. |
D.The twins rated similarly about cartoons. |
A.More research is needed to confirm the recent study result. |
B.There is no connection between genes and positive emotions. |
C.The recent study tested 336 adult twins by showing them funny clips. |
D.The research proved the connection between laughing behaviors and smiling behaviors. |
A.The sense of humor is just decided by one factor. |
B.The sense of humor can’t change once developed. |
C.The sense of humor can be obtained by observing and following others. |
D.The sense of humor is a relatively simple one of people’s all character traits. |
A.Can you be born humorous? | B.Is humor a necessity? |
C.Can you develop your humor? | D.Is being humorous beneficial? |
【推荐3】The debate of having siblings versus being an only child (or a singleton) has merits on either side. I believe that it is better to have siblings than none.
Having at least one sibling is beneficial to a child’s socio-emotional development. Through siblings, the child learns important life skills. The child takes on multiple roles such as playmate, friends and even rival and in the process, learns to share, compromise and resolve conflicts—from parental affection to toys, space or other resources. Thus, siblingship fosters the environment where children pick up invaluable skills that they can apply to workplaces, marriages and other interpersonal relationships in future. More importantly, having siblings is a help when it comes to parental care. Caring for sick elderly parents can be physically, mentally and financially exhausting. Having at least one sibling who can share the responsibilities would certainly go a long way. The only child, on the other hand, would have to shoulder this responsibility alone, or at best with a spouse (配偶) for support, and this can be overwhelming.
While some singletons may enjoy being the attention of parents and even grandparents, they also shoulder a heavier burden of being the only one in the spotlight, having no sibling to share it with. Parents of the singleton tend to hyper-focus all their energies on their one child. The glare are can get intense and discomforting. The singleton may find that being the focus of such excessive attention may be detrimental in the long run. Eventually, this child may lack the confidence and natural instincts to address real-world issues by himself or herself. Besides, there is the perception of the only child being spoilt.
The seeming privileges of being a singleton during childhood pale in comparison to the more substantial advantages of having siblings, especially during adulthood. The network of emotional, mental and material support that a sibling can potentially provide throughout their life is immeasurable.
1. What does the author mainly talk about?A.Benefits of having siblings. | B.Changes of family structure. |
C.Relationships between siblings. | D.Advantages of being a singleton. |
A.Life skills. | B.Emotional support. |
C.Self reliance. | D.Parental care. |
A.Supportive | B.Stressful. |
C.Uncomfortable. | D.Harmful. |
A.By stating reasons. | B.By describing a scene. |
C.By analyzing effects. | D.By providing examples. |
【推荐1】More than a billion people around the world have smart phones, almost all of which come with some kind of navigation(导航) app such as Apple Maps or Amap. This raises the age﹣old question we meet with any technology: What abilities is our brain losing to these apps? But also, importantly: What abilities are we gaining?
Talking with people who are good at finding their way around or good at using paper maps, I often hear a lot of annoyance with digital maps. North/south direction gets messed up, and you can see only a small section at a time. I can really understand that it may be quite disturbing for the already skilled to be limited to a small phone screen.
But consider what digital navigation aids have meant for someone like me. Although being a frequent traveler, I'm so terrible at finding my way that I still use Apple Maps almost every day in the small town where I have lived for many years.
In many developed nations, street names and house numbers can be meaningful, and instructions such as "go north for three blocks and ---then west" make sense to those familiar with these rules. In Istanbul, however, where I grew up none of those hold true. For one thing, the locals seldom use street names. Besides, the city is full of winding and ancient alleys(小巷) that cross with newer streets at many angles.In such places, you'd better turn to the locals. In the American countryside, however, there is often nobody outside to ask, In fact, along came Apple Maps, like a fairy grandmother whispering directions in my ear. Since then, I travel with a lot more confidence, and my world has opened up.
Which brings me back to my original question: While we often lose some skills after depending on new technology, this new equipment may also allow us to gain new abilities. Maybe when technology closes door, we should also look for the doors it opens.
1. Why do people who are skilled at reading paper maps feel upset?A.They like reading paper maps. |
B.They are confused by digital maps direction. |
C.They don't know how to use navigation apps. |
D.They are limited to a single smartphone app. |
A.Asking local people the way. |
B.Following the navigation app. |
C.Getting familiar with the city rules. |
D.Looking for street names and house numbers. |
A.Cautious. |
B.Negative. |
C.Favorable. |
D.Critical. |
A.Benefits of Navigation Apps |
B.Disadvantages of Navigation Apps |
C.My World Opens Up by New Technology |
D.Have Navigation Apps Worsened Our Brain? |
【推荐2】Is there a need to rebuild the Old Summer Palace? In reply to such a proposal from a national lawmaker, the National Cultural Heritage Administration said there was no such need.
The Summer palace on the outskirts of China’s capital is a tranquil park with canals, bridges, pagodas, ginkgo tone ruins, and a few traditional buildings. Despite still covering a large area, the site today represents only a shadow of what stood before.The ruins have long been a potent symbol of China's"humiliation"at the hands of foreign powers.
In 1860, British and French troops looted and burned the Summer Palace in response to the killings of 20 European emissaries during the Second Opium War: Forty years later, it was further damaged by a coalition of foreign nations. Historian Bernard Brizay described these acts of cultural destruction as equivalent to invaders blowing up the Palace of Versaille (凡尔赛宫), looting thousands' of priceless artworks from the Louvre((卢浮宫), and burning France's national library to the ground。
Since rebuilding the Old Summer Palace was first proposed in 1980, there has been an ongoing public debate about whether its ruins should be left to stand as a permanent reminder of China's dark history. The state-run newspaper Guangming Daily called the remains of the Summer Palace "the most realistic teaching materials" for instilling a patriotic education. "Though humiliating, they cause people to think, "an author wrote. “They use a cruei reality to tell all Chinese people: Those who fall behind are struck down, while the strong rise and prosper.”
Those in the rebuild camp want to recapture old glory, but they don't understand the importance of cultural relics. A ruin like Yuan Ming Yuan is a historical record. In this case the history includes its destruction by fire. If you rebuild, you erase the record.
1. What does the underlined word"shadow"mean in paragraph 2?A.The dark shape that the palace made on the ground |
B.The strong and bad influence of the palace |
C.The shame that the palace suffered from its history |
D.The inseparable follower of the palace |
A.To imply that they are also cultural heritage |
B.To contrast Chinese palace with French palace |
C.To report these palaces were destroyed severely |
D.To indicate the damage to the Summer Palace was unbearable |
A.The authorities have made specific comments on the lawmaker's proposal. |
B.The European troops destroyed the palace in revenge for their loss of emissaries. |
C.The palace is a living textbook as a negative example. |
D.The disgrace of what the palace experienced shakes people' love for the country. |
A.Rebuilding palace won't hide scars. |
B.Reproducing the palace history is humiliating. |
C.Bringing back the palace's glory can be expected. |
D.Whether the palace should be rebuilt remains to be seen. |
【推荐3】Many kids help out around the house with chores such as emptying the dishwasher, putting laundry away, and taking out the trash. In exchange, some kids get allowances or other rewards such as extra computer time.
But some people do not think that kids should get rewards for doing chores. Susie Walton, a parenting educator and family coach, believes that by rewarding kids, parents are sending a message that work isn’t worth doing unless you get something in return. ’’Running any kind of household is a team effort, Susie said. "A home is a living space for everyone in the family. It’s important for kids to see that we all have responsibilities in the house, and that families decide together how they want their home to look, and how they are going to keep it looking like everyone wants it to look.”
Other people believe that getting a cash allowance or other rewards motivates kids to do chores, and it also teaches them real world lessons about how we need to work to earn money. There are also new applications that give kids points and digital gifts that can be redeemed (兑取) either online or in the real world. With the ChoreMonster app, kids earn digital points by completing chores that they can turn in for real-life rewards such as extra Xbox time or a trip to the mall. “Our goal is to encourage kids to earn rewards,’’ says Chris Bergman, founder of ChoreMonster. “Kids need positive reinforcement to help motivate them."
What do you think? Should kids be rewarded for doing chores? Or should kids help out around their homes without getting anything in return?
Write a 200-word response. Send it to tfkasks4you@timeforkids.com. Your response may be published in a future issue of Time For Kids. Please include your grade and contact information of your parent or teacher if you want your response to be published. The deadline for responding is February 18.
1. How does the author start the passage?A.By presenting some facts. |
B.By listing some evidence. |
C.By comparing different views. |
D.By stating his own experiences. |
A.kids should be rewarded for doing chores |
B.parents decide what kids can do for the family |
C.kids have the responsibility to share housework |
D.kids can get extra computer time for doing chores |
A.Chris Bergman’s opinion on raising kids |
B.main reasons why kids need encouragement |
C.how to motivate kids to try new applications |
D.the advantage of rewarding kids for doing chores |
A.invite readers to express their opinions |
B.inform readers of two different opinions |
C.call on readers to reflect on their behavior |
D.present the author's viewpoint about parenting |