【推荐2】Of all the components of a good night’s sleep, dreams seem to be least within our control. In dreams, a window opens into a world where logic is suspended and dead people speak. A century ago, Freud formulated his revolutionary theory that dreams were the disguised shadows of our unconscious desires and fears; by the late 1970s, neurologists had switched to thinking of them as just “mental noise”-the random byproducts of the neural repair work that goes on during sleep. Now researchers suspect that dreams are part of the mind’s emotional thermostat, regulating moods while the brain is “off line.” And one leading authority says that these intensely powerful mental events can be not only harnessed but actually brought under conscious control, to help us sleep and feel better. “It’s your dream,” says Rosalind Cartwright, chair of psychology at Chicago’s Medical Center, “if you don’t like it, change it.”

The link between dreams and emotions shows up among the patients in Cartwright’s clinic. Most people seem to have more bad dreams early in the night, progressing toward happier ones before awakening, suggesting that they are working through negative feelings generated during the day. Because our conscious mind is occupied with daily life we don’t always think about the emotional significance of the day’s events-until, it appears, we begin to dream.

And this process need not be left to the unconscious. Cartwright believes one can exercise conscious control over recurring bad dreams. As soon as you awaken, identify what is upsetting about the dream. Visualize how you would like it to end instead; the next time it occurs, try to wake up just enough to control its course. With much practice people can learn to, literally, do it in their sleep.

At the end of the day, there’s probably little reason to pay attention to our dreams at all unless they keep up from sleeping or “we wake up in panic,” Cartwright says. Terrorism, economic uncertainties and general feelings of insecurity have increased people’s anxiety. Those suffering from persistent nightmares should seek help from a therapist. For the rest of us, the brain has its ways of working through bad feelings. Sleep-or rather dream-on it and you’ll feel better in the morning.

1. By saying that “dreams are part of the mind’s emotional thermostat.” (Para. 1) the researchers mean that ________.

A．we can think logically in the dreams too

B．dreams can be brought under conscious control

C．dreams represent our unconscious desires and fears

D．dreams can help us keep our mood comparatively stable

2. What did Cartwright find in her clinic?

A．Most bad dreams were followed by happier ones.

B．Divorced couples usually have more bad dreams.

C．One’s dreaming process is related to his emotion.

D．People having negative feelings dream more often.

3. That author points out that a person who has constant bad dreams should ________.

A．learn to control his dreams

B．consult a doctor

C．sleep and dream on it

D．get rid of anxiety first

【推荐3】It is war without guns, bombs, or smoke. New coronavirus (新冠肺炎), a deadly disease, breaks out all over the world. More than 2.7 million present confirmed cases are reported recently, WHO says, adding that the cases have resulted in more than 325 thousand deaths. What should you do to keep yourself from this virus?     1    

1. Clean hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.

It is quite necessary to clean your hands with soap and water completely for at least 20 seconds before you have meals and after using the toilet, especially after you return home. If you are not careful enough to contact with animals or deal with animal wastes, you’d better wash your hands with alcohol-based rub.     2     So this is very important.

2.     3    

When it comes to human-to-human transmission (传播) of the viruses, it often happens when someone comes into contact with an infected (受感染的) person’s secretions (分泌物), such as droplets (飞沫) in cough. Therefore, when you cough or sneeze, you should cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or you can cough or sneeze into your sleeve, but avoid covering with your hands directly.

3. Wear masks.

Wearing mask is one of the most effective ways to protect you from getting infected. Make sure to wear it properly by tightening up the nose clip and pulling the bottom of it over your chin.     4     if you are not feeling well or have symptoms of fever.

4. Take exercise regularly.

    5     It can strengthen your heart and ensure the efficient flow of blood throughout the body. Besides, it can also improve your immune system, to some degree making it helpful to get away from the viruses and illnesses Come on! Move your body, and you will become stronger and stronger.

All in all, if you have symptoms of fever and respiratory infection, you must seek immediate medical attention.

A．You should get up early.

B．Taking exercise regularly is one of the most important ways to stay away from the virus.

C．A mask is also needed to prevent you from spreading germs to others.

D．Here are some suggestions you can follow in your daily life.

E．Cover nose and mouth while coughing and sneezing.

F．Animals are very dangerous.

G．Viruses can spread from human contact with animals.

【推荐2】Are you sometimes stressed? Singing is a simple and effective way to reduce stress. It is beneficial mainly in the following three aspects.

Physical Benefits

    1     This is especially recommended for the elders and those who have some form of disability in their voice. However, it is important to find a capable instructor to employ good singing techniques so as not to further damage vocal cords (声带) or lungs.

Singing also helps to improve your posture (姿势). Most people think that singing begins and ends with their mouth.     2     Singing practice will get you used to the proper body position of standing and help you form the good habit of standing straight.

Emotional Benefits

Singing helps in reducing your depression and lowering your stress level. When you sing, your body releases chemicals that make you feel happy, easing the tension and helping you to relax.     3    

Social Benefits

The social benefits of singing are huge.     4     So people who suffer from stage fright are advised to sing in front of family and friends before a live performance.

Singing is also very good for improving your communication skills. It is said that singing to babies helps to prepare their brains for language and may lessen the risk of language problems later in life.     5     The time spent in group singing, whether in a choir or at karaoke, creates a deep and lasting bond of friendship.

A．Try to regain your memory by singing.

B．First, it can help build up your confidence greatly.

C．When you sing, you can give your lungs a workout.

D．Singing helps you to strengthen your immune system.

E．For adults, singing also enlarges your circle of friends.

F．In fact, the position of each body part affects your voice.

G．So, start to sing your favorite song next time you are feeling upset.

【推荐3】       George Gershwin, born in 1898, was one of America’s greatest composers. He published his first song when he was eighteen years old. During the next twenty years he wrote more than five hundred songs.
       Many of Gershwin’s songs were first written for musical plays performed in theatres in New York City. These plays were a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of his songs have remained popular as ever. Over the years they have been sung and played in every possible way — from jazz to country.
       In the 1920s there was a debate in the United States about jazz music. Could jazz, some people asked, be considered serious music? In 1924 jazz musician and orchestra leader Paul Whiteman decided to organize a special concert to show that jazz was serious music. Gershwin agreed to compose something for the concert before he realized he had just a few weeks to do it. And in that short time, he composed a piece for piano and orchestra which he called Rhapsody in Blue. Gershwin himself played the piano at the concert. The audience were thrilled when they heard his music. It made him world-famous and showed that jazz music could be both serious and popular.
       In 1928, Gershwin went to Paris. He applied to study composition (作曲) with the well-known musician Nadia Boulanger, but she rejected him. She was afraid that classical study would ruin his jazz-influenced style. While there, Gershwin wrote An American in Paris. When it was first performed, critics (评论家) were divided over the music. Some called it happy and full of life, to others it was silly and boring. But it quickly became popular in Europe and the United States. It still remains one of his most famous works.
       George Gershwin died in 1937, just days after doctors learned he had brain cancer. He was only thirty-nine years old. Newspapers all over the world reported his death on their front pages. People mourned the loss of the man and all the music he might have still written.
1. Many of Gershwin’s musical works were ________ .

A．composed for Paul Whiteman

B．performed in various ways

C．played mainly in the countryside

D．written about New Yorkers

2. What do we know about the concert organized by Whiteman?

A．It attracted more people to theatres.

B．It made Gershwin leader of the orchestra.

C．It caused a debate among jazz musicians.

D．It proved jazz could be serious music.

3. What did Gershwin do during his stay in Paris?

A．He argued with French critics.

B．He studied with Nadia Boulanger.

C．He changed his music style.

D．He created one of his best works.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Many of Gershwin’s works were lost.

B．Brain cancer research started after Gershwin’s death.

C．A concert was held in memory of Gershwin.

D．The death of Gershwin was widely reported.

5. Which of the following best describes Gershwin?

A．Serious and boring.	B．Talented and productive.
C．Popular and unhappy.	D．Friendly and honest.

【推荐1】Think back to when you were in a classroom, and the teacher set a difficult problem. Which of the two following answers is closer to the way you reacted?

A: Oh no, this is too hard for me. I’m not even going to seriously try.

B: Ah, this is quite difficult but I like to push myself. Even if I don’t get the answer right, maybe I’ll learn something in the attempt.

The psychologist Carol Dweck of Stanford University gave a group of children problems that were slightly too hard. One group reacted positively, said they loved challenge and understood that their abilities could be developed. She says they had a ‘growth mindset’. But another group felt that their intelligence was being judged and they had failed. They had a ‘fixed mindset’ and were unable to imagine improving.

Professor Dweck believes that, for years, children have been praised for their intelligence or talent, but this makes them sensitive to failure. They want to please by getting high grades, without interest in learning. The solution is to praise the process that children, are engaged in: making an effort, using learning methods and improving. This way they will become better and achieve more.

Psychologists have been testing these theories. Students were taught that if they left their comfort zone and learned something new and difficult, they will be more intelligent. These students made faster progress than a control group. In another study, unsuccessful school children were exposed to growth mindset technique for a year. The results were astonishing. They came top in a regional test, beating children from much more privileged background. These children had previously felt that making an effort was a sign of being stupid, but they came to see it as the key to learning.

So, back to our original question, if you answered B, well done - you already have a growth mindset. If A, don’t worry; everyone is capable of becoming better with a little effort and self-awareness.

1. The author mentions the two answers at the beginning to ________.

A．give an example	B．teach how to react
C．draw a conclusion	D．introduce the topic

2. Which aspect should be praised according to Professor Dweck?

A．Talent.	B．High grades.
C．Hard-working.	D．Achievement.

3. What makes the students with fixed mindset fail?

A．Lacking imagination.	B．Negative attitudes.
C．Poor judgment.	D．Low intelligence.

4. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Making an effort.	B．The regional test.
C．The background.	D．The comfort zone.

【推荐3】For the last 10 years, job listing site CareerBuilder has put out a list called “The Most Unbelievable Excuses for Calling in Sick.” For example, an employee said he couldn’t come in because his false teeth flew out the window while he was driving down the highway. The excuses were gathered through a survey that ran among 3,000 workers and 2,000 hiring managers.
The list is entertaining but there is a more serious issue hidden in this story. Federal law does not require private employers to give any paid sick leave, making the US the only one of the world’s wealthiest nations that doesn’tguarantee workers this right. Since 2006, cities and states have been adopting their own paid sick leave laws. California, Washington. DC and 13 cities including New York now require many employers to provide some sort of paid sick leave. But according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 39% of private employees still have no access to paid days off. In the CareerBuilder survey, 38% of respondents said they go to work when they’re sick because they can’t afford to miss a day’s pay. The survey also shows that workers are taking a risk when they come up with far-fetched excuses. Nearly one in five employers says they have fired an employee for calling in sick with a fake excuse. If you’re spending the day at the beach while pretending to be ill, don’t post about it on Facebook. Nearly one in four employers (24%) has caught an employee lying about being sick by checking social media.
The motto of this story: If you really are sick, don’t come to work and spread your bacteria around the office. But if you just want to stay home, go with “I’m running a fever.” rather than one of these ridiculous excuses.
1. The underlined word “far-fetched” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.

A．impossible to find	B．likely to be true
C．difficult to believe	D．easy to believe

2. What problem is exposed in the survey?

A．Many employees have no access to paid sick leave.

B．Private employers make their workers work extra hours.

C．Some employees are not satisfied with their boss.

D．Private employers sometimes break the Federal law.

3. An employee will run the risk of being fired if he ______.

A．asks for sick leave

B．lies about being sick

C．posts his holiday on Facebook

D．spreads bacteria around the office

4. What will the author present following the last paragraph?

A．A list of survey data.

B．A list of serious issues.

C．A list of reasonable facts.

D．A list of ridiculous excuses.