【推荐1】Do You Laugh Too Little?

When we are kids, we laugh a lot. Children laugh dozens of times a day: they laugh at small things and big things; they laugh at silly jokes and serious things.     1    . Do you laugh too little in your life? Should you remember how you used to laugh as a child?

In fact, laughter has a lot of benefits.     2    . It can reduce your blood pressure. And it contributes to the release of hormones and neurotransmitters, which is good for our health: if we are laughing, it means that all is well.

    3    . It helps us feel more at ease around new people and also connects us with others. Laughing together is great for bonding, no matter what the situation.

A good idea to laugh as carefree as a child is to allow yourself to play. Play is a natural activity that promotes a lot of laughter, whether it’s through video games, outdoor games, or board games.     4    !

Beyond that, you can also cultivate (培养) situations that promote laughter in your life.     5    . Be silly with your friends, make jokes and laugh at jokes. Make a conscious effort to include things, people, and events that make you laugh in your daily life. Try to see your friends more often. Hang out with family members that are nice to be around, with whom you can have fun, laugh, and enjoy yourself.

A．Don’t take yourself so funny

B．In addition to this, laughing has a social function

C．If not, maybe it is the point of worrying about it

D．Discover what you like to play and have fun with it

E．Watch funny films and videos, and read funny articles and books

F．But as we become adults, it is much more difficult to laugh so easily

G．It’s a great way to relax, not just on a purely emotional level, but also physically.

【推荐2】Those who have a go-getter mentality (心态) are seen as the high achievers of this world. Let’s learn ways on how to achieve a go-getter attitude.

    1    

Bite-sized goals are important. They allow you to experience achievement and therefore allow you to reward yourself, finally contributing to the improvement of your motivation and driving you to achieve more.

Have a clear idea and be intentional (有心的)

    2    , having detailed goals in mind, writing them down, and describing them are some of the first steps to be successful. Being intentional is to be willing to try new things and look for solutions. There is no point in doing something if you’re not intentional about what you do.     3    , even a small stone in your path will stop you.

Look at your mistakes as opportunities

It’s also important to look at your mistakes as chances to improve yourself.     4    . If, for example, you work on a project that receives unpleasant comments, use those comments to improve your project and present it again.

Find the courage to push yourself towards goals

Allow yourself to be around by active people who believe in and support you, including those who have pushed through challenges and achieved their goals. Take encouragement from them. Also, you can look back and remind yourself of what you’ve already achieved, and don’t undervalue any of them.     5    .

A．Follow your interests

B．Set up bite-sized goals

C．They prove you can do it

D．Knowing where you want to go

E．If you don’t want to achieve something

F．When you come across people who are successful

G．Learn from them and quickly put the learning into action

【推荐3】How to become a more generous person

We often associate generosity with money. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Generosity is all about giving and you can give your time, attention and love as well as money.     1     Try the following tips and see how they will change your life.

Be generous to yourself.

Before you can become generous to others, you need to learn to be generous to yourself. You need to take good care of yourself and your needs. Be generous at giving yourself time to relax or enjoy a hobby. Don’t hesitate to spend money on your health and well-being.     2    

Start by giving a little (and not giving money).

One of the smallest and cheapest things you can give to others is your smile.     3     Notice how different it will make you fell and how differently people will treat you.

Reflect frequently on what you have in life.

Greed is a desire to acquire more than what one needs or deserves.     4     Generosity will come as a result of the realization that your life is already full and you can make it fuller only by sharing it with others.

    5    .

If you make a donation to a food bank, then imagine happy faces of children who see tasty treats at their table. Think about how happy your kids will be if you give them a full day of your undivided attention and time.

A．Are you ready to become a more generous person?

B．Imagine how your gift will change somebody’s life.

C．Above all, acknowledge your importance in this world.

D．Giving money to charity is a common form of generosity.

E．So start to be generous by smiling at everybody at least for a day.

F．But they feel that their life is more meaningful and they will also help.

G．Make a habit of thinking how much you already have and be grateful for it.

【推荐1】A shopkeeper’s son breaks a window, causing a crowd to gather. They tell the shopkeeper not to be angry: actually, the broken window is a reason to celebrate, since it will create work for the glazier (装玻璃的工人). In the story, written by a 19th-century economist, the crowd envisions the work involved in repairing the window, but not that   involved in everything else on which the shopkeeper could have spent his money — unseen possibilities that would have brought him greater happiness.

If that window were to be broken these days, people might have a different reaction, especially if they were NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) who oppose any local construction that affects their quality of life. Their concern might be with the “embodied carbon”. The production of a piece of glass would carry a sizeable carbon cost. Similarly, the bricks and concrete in a building are relics of past emissions. They are, the logic goes, embodied carbon.

Conserving what already exists, rather than adding to the building stock, will avoid increasing these embodied emissions — or so NIMBYs often suggest. At its worst, this idea is based on a warped logic. Greenhouse gases released by the construction of an existing building will heat the planet whether the building is repaired or knocked down. The emissions have been taken out of the world’s “carbon budget”, so treating them as anew debit means double counting. The right question to ask is whether it is worth using the remaining carbon budget to repair a building or it is better to knock it down.

Choosing between these possibilities requires thinking about the unseen. It used to be said that construction emitted two types of emissions. Besides the embodied sort, there were operational ones from cooling, heating and providing electricity to residents. Around the world, buildings account for 39% of annual emissions, according to the World Green Building Council, of which 28% come from operational carbon.

These two types of emissions might be enough for the architects designing an individual building. But when it comes to broader questions, economists ought also to consider how the placement of buildings affects the manner in which people work, shop and travel. Density (密度) lowers the per-person cost of public transport, and this reduces car use. Research by Green Alliance, a pressure group, suggests that in Britain a policy of “demolish (拆除) and densify” — replacing semi-detached housing near public transport with blocks of flats — would save substantial emissions. Without such demolition, potential residents would typically have to move to the suburbs instead, saving money on rent but consuming more energy.

Targeted subsidies (补贴), especially for research and development into construction materials, could speed up the pace at which the built environment decarbonises. What will never work, however, is allowing the loudest voices to decide how to use land and ignoring the carbon emissions of their would-be neighbours once they are out of sight.

1. The first two paragraphs are written to ________.

A．exemplify an outlook on energy conservation

B．present a new way of relieving energy crisis

C．explain people’s reaction to a broken window

D．introduce an argument on carbon emission

2. What does the underlined word “warped” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Unsound.

B．Complicated.

C．Distinctive.

D．Underlying.

3. What can be learnt from the passage?

A．Operational carbon accounts for a larger share of carbon emission.

B．Repairing old buildings outweighs demolition in energy conservation.

C．Higher residential density near public transport may help reduce emission.

D．Stopping residents from living in new buildings is sensible to energy saving.

4. As for decarbonization of the built environment, which would the author agree with?

A．Interests of NIMBYs are worthy of consideration.

B．A comprehensive insight into emission is essential.

C．Upgrading construction materials should be prioritized.

D．Every resident should do their bit in reducing carbon emission.

【推荐3】The Palace Museum, covering a vast 720,000-square-meter structure, has departed on a remarkable journey towards achieving zero waste. Since the launch of its ‘Zero Waste’ campaign in January 2020, significant strides have been made in reducing waste generation and promoting sustainable practices.

At the forefront of this initiative is the reduction in the number of trash bins across public areas, now totaling only 110 sets compared to the 310 sets in January 2020. This strategic decrease highlights the museum’s commitment to minimizing waste production while preserving the historical integrity of its six-century-old relic.

Moreover, the museum’s dedication to sustainability extends beyond waste reduction to creative recycling endeavors. For example, the “Funiu ci jiu” waste recycling sculptures displayed in the Cining Palace area, made up of 92% recycled waste from the museum, exemplify the transformation of waste into beauty through careful processes such as disinfection, pruning, grinding, and splicing. Notably, over 32,000 plastic bottles have been recycled between June 2021 and October 2023 to craft cultural and creative products. This innovative approach not only reuses waste but also contributes to a reduction in carbon emissions by 931 kilograms, showcasing the environmental impact of such projects.

The Palace Museum’s ‘Zero Waste’ project is characterized by a science-based and meticulous approach to waste management. Through comprehensive training programs for staff, the promotion of ‘zero waste offices,’ and the establishment of a composting (堆肥) pilot, the museum has achieved a remarkable recovery rate within the Palace Museum, reaching 45%.

Proof of the success of this campaign is the participation of approximately 3,000 museum staff members, 40,000 tourist guides, and an amazing 21 million visitors. By promoting waste reduction and eco-friendly practices, the Palace Museum is not only leading by example but also inspiring others to follow suit.

In summary, the Palace Museum’s journey towards zero waste exemplifies a harmonious blend of heritage preservation, environmental protection, and innovative solutions. With its firm dedication and pioneering efforts, the museum sets a model for other cultural sites across the globe, proving that sustainability and cultural preservation can go hand in hand.

1. What is the main reason behind the reduction in the number of trash bins at the Palace Museum?

A．To increase the historical integrity of the museum.

B．To encourage visitors to take their waste with them.

C．To reduce the workload of the museum staff.

D．To minimize waste production and promote sustainability.

2. According to the passage, what is the primary material used to create the “Funiu ci jiu” waste recycling sculptures?

A．Recycled plastic bottles.	B．Ceramic artifacts from the museum.
C．Wooden scraps from renovation projects.	D．Discarded metal parts from old machinery.

3. What can be inferred about the environmental impact of the Palace Museum’s recycling efforts?

A．It has led to a significant increase in carbon emissions.

B．It has resulted in a decrease in overall waste generation.

C．It has primarily focused on recycling paper products.

D．It has had no discernible effect on sustainability practices.

4. What is the main theme of the passage?

A．The history and architecture of the Palace Museum.

B．The environmental impact of tourism in cultural sites.

C．The implementation of sustainable practices at the Palace Museum.

D．The economic benefits of promoting cultural heritage.