More than half of the 1,000 consumers surveyed by Credit Karma said they have impulsively (冲动地) shopped to deal with feelings of stress, anxiety or depression. Twenty-three percent of respondents said they’ve maxed out (刷爆) a credit card in the past year.
As for age, 68 percent youngsters, responded by saying they have experienced it in the past, compared to 53 percent of the middle-aged and only 26 percent of the old.
In regards to genders, 48 percent of men and 31 percent of women who have stress spent said they had purchased alcohol when stressed. Eighty-two percent of women stress spent on clothing compared to 52 percent of men. Women also lead stress spending for jewellery, 42 percent, compared to 22 percent for men with men stress spending more for electronics 44 percent while 30 percent for women.
In fact, shopping to reduce stress can actually help you live a healthier life by making sure that your blood pressure is lowered. Shopping to relieve stress is also called shopping therapy (疗法) as a form of reducing stress.
The survey found that 82 percent had only positive feelings about their purchases and that the positive mood boost that followed those purchases was long-lasting.
However, the side effect of shopping therapy, for many, can start out as a relatively harmless mood booster but could possibly grow into a financial loss, cause conflict, and therefore add a large amount of stress to a person’s life.
1. How is the passage mainly developed?| A．By giving numbers. | B．By stating arguments. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By giving explanations. |
| A．Women were less likely to buy jewellery when stressed. |
| B．Over half of men had purchased alcohol when stressed. |
| C．More women preferred to buy clothes than men when stressed. |
| D．The favourite goods for men to reduce pressure was electronics. |
| A．Shopping therapy may increase pressure. |
| B．Shopping therapy can totally relieve pressure. |
| C．Shopping therapy’s positive effect can not last long. |
| D．Shopping therapy is not suitable for someone whose blood pressure is low. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Subjective. | C．Indifferent. | D．Objective. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A study has found that a lifetime of regular exercise and activity can slow down the aging process (衰老过程). Researchers say that getting older should not necessarily mean becoming more weak or sick. Their research shows that a devotion to a life of movement and exercise may help us live not only longer, but also healthier.
For their study, the researchers looked at two groups. The first group was made up of 125 non-professional cyclists between the ages of 55 to 79. This group included 84 healthy men and 41 healthy women. We will call this group the “cyclists”.
Researchers then found 130 people to make up a second group. Within this group, 75 people were aged from 57 to 80. The other 55 were between the ages of 20 and 36. The people in this group were also healthy, but they did not exercise regularly. We will call this group the “non-exercisers”. Smokers, heavy drinkers of alcohol and people with other health issues were not included in the study.
Then, researchers gave both groups a series of tests. They tested their muscle mass (肌肉质量), muscular strength, percentage of body fat and the strength of their immune (免疫的) systems. Then the researchers compared the results of the two groups.
Results showed that the cyclists did not experience body changes usually regarded as a normal aging process. For example, they did not lose muscle mass or muscular strength. Also, their body fat did not increase with age.
The researchers also found something they had not expected. The study showed that the immune systems of the cyclists did not age either.
The researchers advise us all to find an exercise that we like in our lives.
1. How did the researchers carry out the study?| A．By comparing. | B．By discussing. |
| C．By imagining. | D．By reasoning. |
| A．The cyclists kept a thin body shape. |
| B．The non-exercisers gained weight easily. |
| C．The cyclists’ muscles remained strong with age. |
| D．The non-exercisers usually had health problems. |
| A．The cyclists had normal aging process. |
| B．The cyclists’ immune systems didn’t age. |
| C．The cyclists lost nearly all their fat. |
| D．Everyone needed an exercise in their lives. |
| A．Healthy People Need More Exercise |
| B．Take an Exercise, the Harder, the Better |
| C．Cycling Is the Best Way to Prevent Aging |
| D．A Lifetime of Exercise Slows Aging Process |
【推荐2】Ten minutes of gentle exercise can immediately change how certain parts of the brain communicate and coordinate (协调) with one another and improve memory function, according to an encouraging new study.
The scientists invited 36 people of different ages to the lab and had them sit quietly on a fixed bicycle for 10 minutes or, on a separate visit, pedal the bicycle at a pace so gentle that it barely raised their heart rates. It also was short, lasting for only 10 minutes. Immediately after each session of the sitting or slow pedaling, the people completed a computerized memory test during which they would see a brief picture of, for instance, a tree, followed by a variety of other images and then a new image of either the same tree or a similar one. The people would press buttons to show whether they thought each image was new or the same as an earlier shot. The test is difficult, since many of the images closely resemble one another. It requires rapid, skillful scanning recent memories to decide whether a picture is new or known. Next, the scientists had each people repeat this process--riding or sitting on the bike for 10 minutes and then completing memory testing--but the testing now took place inside an M. R. I. machine(磁共振成像仪)that scanned the people's brains while they responded to the images.
Then the researchers compared results. The effects of the exercise were clear. The people were better at remembering images after they had ridden the bike, especially when the images most closely resembled one another. In other words, the harder their memories had to do their best, the better they performed after the exercise. The M. R. I. scans showed that memory parts of each people's brain lit up at the same time with parts of the brain associated with learning, indicating that these physically separate parts of the brain were better connected now than when the people had not first exercised.
1. How did the researchers conduct the study?| A．By filling up questionnaires. |
| B．By interviewing many people. |
| C．By comparing experiment data. |
| D．By referring to historical reports. |
| A．The marketers promoting fixed bicycles. |
| B．The young people crazy about body building. |
| C．The white collars doing long-term mental work. |
| D．The blue-collars doing heavy physical labor work. |
| A．The light exercise is only good for young people. |
| B．The more the exercise is, the better the brain works. |
| C．The exercise can coordinate different parts of the body. |
| D．The exercise has more positive effect when the brain works harder. |
| A．Even ten minutes' exercise may be good for the brain |
| B．There is no need for humans doing exercise every day |
| C．Only ten minutes' light exercise benefits the young most |
| D．Exercise can change people's brains and minds in a long time |
【推荐3】Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada have found that humans grew cacao trees and used cacao starting around 5,300 years ago. But the new discovery shows people grew cacao trees about 1,500 years earlier than what was known before. The researchers found evidence of cacao’s use at an old village in the highlands of southeastern Ecuador. Time has had little influence on the village, so they were able to find a lot of evidence of the use of cacao after examining the remains of very old objects at the Santa Ana-La Florida archaeological site.
The researchers found very small pieces from the cacao tree in the remains of containers and other objects. They also found a substance in the cacao tree but not in is wild relatives. This suggests that humans grew the tree for food purposes.
But thousands of years ago, cacao was used to make drinks. The objects on which cacao was found suggest a lot about how people used the substance at that time. They clearly drank it. There is no decided history of indigenous populations in South or Central America using cacao to make chocolate the way people do now. By the time Spanish explorers arrived in Central America in the late 1400s, people were using it to make hot and cold chocolate drinks with spices. By the 1580s, Spain began buying cacao from abroad and spreading it to other European countries. By the 1800s, technology developed in the Netherlands made it possible to turn cacao into a solid chocolate product.
Laiskonis, who teaches chocolate-making classes at the Institute of Culinary Education, introduces his students to the history of chocolate. He tells his students, for example, about a recipe from the 1600s that mixed Mayan and Aztec types of cacao drinks with European influences. Laiskonis said chocolate is “something that’s always been changing.”
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly talk about?| A．Great changes in the village. | B．Remains of the use of cacao. |
| C．Cacao trees about 5,300 years ago. | D．Cacao’s story older than once thought. |
| A．To make containers. | B．To do a research. |
| C．To satisfy the needs of life. | D．To spread cacao abroad. |
| A．Spain spread them to all over the world. |
| B．Europeans made chocolate drinks with spices. |
| C．Native Americans used chocolate as it is today. |
| D．The Netherlands developed the solid chocolate. |
| A．It has been improving. | B．It remains the same style. |
| C．It influences Europe greatly. | D．It interests college students. |
【推荐1】In the past decade, the use of social media has grown in a way that no one could have guessed. It has turned some teenagers into celebrities (名人) and turned the famous into the infamous overnight.
A key feature of social media, however, is its volatility. Trends come and go, disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared. Short video apps such as TikTok took the world by storm. Why are these short videos — which are rarely longer than a few minutes — so popular? Jiang Yige, a Singapore — based analyst, has a theory. Short videos are “just right to fill in the little gaps in our busy schedules”, he told CNBC．These videos — apart from being very convenient — are important to teenagers because they allow them to express themselves, according to CNBC.
The sense of community that users of short video apps get is another appealing feature. Lisa Koshy, a user of TikTok, who has over 2 million followers, said that she was thrilled when anyone said that her video had “inspired” him. “It’s really cool...because I think as short video creators that’s what we all expect.” she added.
Live streaming is another feature of our social media life that now seems as natural as sunrise. It’s a pretty neat idea: You can watch anyone, anywhere, live.
However, the boom in social media may be having side effects too. Fake news is one serious problem it arguably causes. Material shared on these platforms is often not checked for accuracy. The most basic content can be false and can sway users one way or another. We use social media all the time; that doesn’t mean that we understand the influence it is having on us. We should be mindful of both the time we spend on it and its impact on our minds.
1. The underlined word “volatility” in Paragraph 2 possibly means “being ________”．| A．changeable | B．steady | C．promising | D．violent |
| A．Because they are very convenient. |
| B．Because they help people kill time. |
| C．Because they allow people to express themselves. |
| D．Because they provide a sense of community. |
| A．The information from social media is highly reliable. |
| B．Short videos have been replaced by live streaming. |
| C．People can’t communicate with each other without social media. |
| D．There is still much room for social media to make improvement. |
| A．The Key Trends of Social Media | B．Short Videos Taking the World by Storm |
| C．The Influence of Social Media on Teenagers | D．Live Streaming: Tomorrow of Social Media |
【推荐2】Our nation was founded on the principle that anyone who works hard should be able to get ahead in life. People with disabilities should have an equal chance to earn an income, achieve independence, and be included just like anyone else.
Employment is about a lot more than just a paycheck: It provides a way to do something for the community, the chance to develop friendships, and a way to improve our health. As with all of us, the work we do and the career we have often show others our abilities.
People with disabilities who have been welcomed into the workforce at all levels have proven to be born clever and creative. Stephen Hawking unlocked secrets of the universe(宇宙) from a wheelchair. Engineer Ralf Hotchkiss created the Torbellino wheelchair. The voice-activated TV remote control(遥控器) was invented by blind engineer.
According to the University of New Hampshire’s Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, there are millions of working-age people with disabilities living in our nation. Even though most of them would like to find meaningful employment, only about a third have been able to find jobs.
There are also millions of job openings today and millions of people with disabilities ready to work. As bosses face a real shortage of able employees, employing people with disabilities can be a great solution.
There are many solutions that can ensure the success of employees with disabilities. Askian.org. offers employers and job hunters free guidance about how to use technology to ensure inclusion. Tapability.org offers thousands of resumes(简历) of professionals(专业人员) with disabilities in all 50 states. Besides, the National Disability Mentoring Coalition works to guide people with disabilities to start their careers. So if you have a job opening, why not invite people with disabilities for interviews?
Any of the millions of people with disabilities now being refused could be the person who discovers Alzheimer’s(阿尔茨海默氏病) prevention or a new clean energy source. We must imagine a world where we expect more from people with disabilities and enable them to achieve success.
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The nature of work. | B．The meaning of work. |
| C．How much people like to work. | D．How one’s abilities affect work. |
| A．To show they can succeed at a job. |
| B．To prove they are worth respecting. |
| C．To tell us they care little about their income. |
| D．To advise us to create a caring environment. |
| A．To introduce jobs to people with disabilities. |
| B．To help people with disabilities set up in business. |
| C．To get more people with disabilities into working. |
| D．To instruct employers to choose employees carefully. |
【推荐3】Christine Reynolds worked at the public library in Yosemite National Park. When the government issued shutdown orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus(冠状病毒), she loaded the back of her car with donated books and began her own mobile library.“I know this may not be conventional, and yet it has worked and I feel of use,”she said.
Across the United States，volunteers are reporting a jump in little free libraries as readers look to pass the time. Made of wood or brick，and placed in front of parks or in the trunk of a car， the libraries have seen their small spaces filled with books.
Around 1,000 people live in the Yosemite Valley，where entertainment options are limited and some residents say Christine Reynolds' mobile library and her friendly chats offer a needed break.“I live in a rural area，so the Internet is not a guarantee. The time that some people might fill with online services is not an option for me. I turn to books to fill that gap.” said Connor Timpone, who lives east of Yosemite Valley. “Books have been a bright spot for me.”
“The spaces also have transformed into a new purpose. Readers are leaving can goods and other needed items to assists fellow neighbors. The libraries allow neighbors to help one another without getting physically close,” said Greig Metzger, director of the nonprofit Little Free Library.
Since 2009，tens of thousands of little free libraries have sprung up in the United States and more than 100 countries. The small spaces operate by donation and through volunteers. Volunteers check the free libraries weekly, and the Selection is always different from the week before. Though the work Lakes much effort and time, it is rewarding.
1. What do we know about Christine's library?| A．It follows the traditional practice. |
| B．It is placed in the back of her car. |
| C．It mostly consists of her own books. |
| D．It is sponsored by the National Park. |
| A．They meet people’s needs on special occasions. |
| B．They've received a great many donated books. |
| C．They can be easily constructed in many ways. |
| D．They can provide access to online services. |
| A．Supplying varieties of books. |
| B．Guaranteeing a needed break. |
| C．Creating a bond among neighbors. |
| D．Getting neighbors physically close. |
| A．With the support of the local government. |
| B．Through donations and voluntary services. |
| C．By means of the Participation of local residents. |
| D．Under the guidance of non-profit organizations. |
【推荐1】If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the features and apps available on smart phones these days and miss the good old days when mobile phones were simple communication tools, you’ll probably love Light Phone 2, a stylish “ dumb phone” designed to remove time-wasting distractions(使人分心的事物) from your life.
The original Light mobile phone could only be used to make and take phone calls, but its creators recently decided that in order to improve its usefulness while still keeping users safe from smart phone distractions, it needed a few extra features. They recently announced Light Phone 2 is just as tiny and stylish as the original ones, but also features text messaging functions and an alarm clock.
Data from company Flurry shows that people in the US spend around five hours a day on their smart phones, while a study from the firm Asurion found that Americans check their phones an average of 80 times per day. Those are some pretty alarming numbers, and to make matters worse, scientists report that too much screen time has a bad effect on our brains, especially those of children.
Light Phone 2 will never replace your Apple phone, but it can at least help you mitigate the effects of smart phone addiction by allowing you to “go light” every once in a while. You can stay in touch with the important people in your life, but you’ll be free from the apps distracting you from the wonders of the colorful world.
But becoming free of smart phone distractions doesn’t come cheap. The Light Phone 2 is expected to be priced at around $400, which is far more expensive than some smart phones. However, a lot of people seem to think the phone and what it promises to do are worth the price, as evidenced by the success of Light’s latest crowd funding(众筹) campaign. With 24 days left until deadline, the company has already raised $360,000, blowing past its $250,000 goal.
1. Why did the creators of Light Phone 2 decide to add a few extra features to it?
| A．To increase its price. | B．To improve its image. |
| C．To make it more useful. | D．To make it free from distractions. |
| A．Americans heavily depend on the smart phone. |
| B．Americans’ life can’t live without smart phones. |
| C．Americans are enthusiastic about real-life communication. |
| D．American kid’s brains are being greatly damaged by smart phones. |
| A．Overcome. | B．Understand. |
| C．Reduce. | D．Avoid. |
| A．It is too expensive to afford. |
| B．It is sure to be a great success. |
| C．More money is needed to improve it. |
| D．The public hold a positive attitude toward it. |
【推荐2】Bacteria are a type of microscopic organism, or microbe. Each one consists of a single cell. That cell has a simple structure. A bacterium does not contain a command centre. Nor does it contain structures that do specific jobs. That makes bacterial cells prokaryotes(原核生物).
Bacteria live almost everywhere on Earth. Some live on the seafloor. Others make their home in soil. Still other bacteria live inside our bodies. In fact, there are more bacterial cells in the human body than human cells. Some of these bacteria do useful jobs. Bacteria in our guts, for instance, help digest(消化)food. The bacteria and other microbes living inside a person’s body make up that person’s microorganism groups.
Most bacteria are not harmful. But some arc pathogens(病原体)that make people sick. Bacteria cause some mild illnesses. But they can also cause serious diseases. Many bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics(抗生素). These medicines kill the bacteria or stop them from multiplying. Vaccines can also help protect against serious bacterial infections, such as colds.
Bacteria play countless roles in the environment and beyond as well. Some bacteria in soil break down dead plants and animals. This helps recycle nutrients so other organisms can use them. Bacteria at the bottom of the ocean absorb the greenhouse gas methane before it can enter the atmosphere. Many industries also rely on bacteria. Food manufacturers, for instance, use bacteria to convert milk into products like cheese or yogurt. And some drugs are made using bacteria. One day, bacteria may even produce the fuel that powers cars.
The idea of “going with your gut(凭直觉行事)” may be a lot more literal than you think—the bacteria that live inside our bellies can influence our mood, behaviour and more.
1. What can we know about bacteria according to Paragraph 1?| A．Some of them have several cells. | B．Their cell structures are simple. |
| C．They have command centres. | D．Some parts of them can do specific work. |
| A．Bacteria are a kind of microscopic organism. | B．Bacteria are very tiny actually. |
| C．Bacteria exist almost all the places. | D．Bacteria can live in the seafloor. |
| A．Mysterious. | B．Interesting. | C．Surprising. | D．Important. |
| A．Helping us eat more. | B．Making us think more. |
| C．Changing our bad behaviors. | D．Influencing our mood. |
【推荐3】Even if all fossil fuel emissions (排放) ended immediately, greenhouse gasses from the food we eat could drive global temperatures above internationally agreed warming limits, a new study has warned.
The system to feed Earth’s 7.7 billion people accounts for nearly a third of global total greenhouse gas emissions, including from land clearing and deforestation, fertilizer use and livestock.
Researchers in the United States and Britain said the only way to avoid devastating (毁灭性的) levels of warming would be to transform what we eat, how it is produced, and the amount we waste. “Our work shows that food is a much greater contributor to climate change than is widely known,” said co-author Jason Hill, a professor in the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering at the University of Minnesota. “Fortunately, we can fix this problem by using fertilizer more efficiently, by eating less meat and more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts, and by making other important changes to our food system.”
The study in the journal Science forecasts future food system emissions using expected trends in population growth, dietary changes and the additional amount of land thought to be needed to feed the world.
The authors found that, if left untouched, these future food-related emissions would by themselves push Earth above the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit by 2050. By the end of the century, they would lift temperatures to nearly 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels -- the limit set in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?| A．Fossil fuel emissions are mainly to blame for the increasing global temperature. |
| B．Most of the greenhouse gas emission comes from land clearing and deforestation. |
| C．Feeding global population leads to about one third of the greenhouse gas emission. |
| D．The emissions from the food we eat are greater than those from burning fossil fuels. |
| A．It is not known that food is a great contributor to climate change. |
| B．It is impractical to avoid devastating level of warming from food. |
| C．Changes to our food system will be necessary to solve climate change. |
| D．Future food-related emissions will push global temperature above the limit. |
| A．A research paper. | B．A science magazine. | C．A textbook. | D．A guidebook. |
