A serious problem for today’s society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their lives. It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society. I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem.
First, employers should take the responsibility for their retired employees. To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose. But when a company must take life-long responsibility for its employees, it may softer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs.
Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual. This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement. This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years. This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor.
In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly. This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions. Furthermore, some institution should be created for senior citizens, which can help provide a comfortable life for them. Unfortunately, as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer. The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young.
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some working places especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options have advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．The problems faced by the old in society. |
| B．Why we should take responsibility for the old. |
| C．How we can improve the lives of the old. |
| D．Where the old can go to get their pensions. |
| A．Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire. |
| B．Increase savings levels of people during their working years. |
| C．Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old. |
| D．Make available pensions for those who have retired. |
| A．impossible | B．practical |
| C．useful | D．successful |
| A．Taking care of the old is mainly an issue of money. |
| B．Employers should allow their workers to retire at a later age. |
| C．Becoming independent should be the goal of most old people. |
| D．There is no single solution to the problems of the old. |
| A．To point out the need for government supped for old people. |
| B．To make general readers aware of the problems of retired people. |
| C．To discuss some possible solutions to an important social problem. |
| D．To instruct retired people on how they can have a happier life. |
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【推荐1】Francesca Gino, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, explores a range of fascinating subjects in her new book. Gino's new book also highlights the science of gratitude.
In two of the gratitude experiments, Gino worked with Professor Adam Grant of the Wharton School. They first asked 57 students to give feedback to a fictitious (虚构的) student, Eric, regarding his cover letter for a job. Half were emailed a brief confirmation without gratitude. The other half received gratitude: “I received your feedback on my cover letter. I am really grateful.”
When Gino and Grant measured the students' sense of self-worth afterwards, 25 percent of the group that received just an acknowledgement felt higher level of self-worth, compared with 55 percent of the group that received thanks.
In a follow-up experiment, participants received a message from another fictitious student Steven, asking for feedback on his cover letter. Would participants who had received thanks from Eric be more likely to help Steven? Indeed, more than half of the students in the gratitude group (66 percent) helped Steven, compared with just 32 percent of those in the no-gratitude group.
“Receiving expression of gratitude makes us feel a heightened (增强的) sense of self-worth,” Gino said.
Gino built on the research in a field study that looked at 41 fundraisers (募捐人) at a university, all receiving a fixed salary. The director visited half of the fundraisers in person, telling them, “I am very grateful for your hard work.” The second group received no such expression of gratitude. Gino said that “the expression of gratitude increased the number of calls made by that group of fundraisers by more than 50 percent” for the week, while fundraisers who received no thanks made about the same number of calls as the previous week.
By missing chances to express gratitude, organizations and leaders lose relatively cost-free opportunities to motivate their employees, Gino said.
“The work behind my book really makes me think more carefully every time I am the one expressing gratitude to others. I don't want to miss opportunities. I have learned from my own research and now try to say ‘thank you’ much more often”, Gino added.
1. What did the students do in the experiment at first?| A．They gave feedback to Eric regarding his cover letter for a job. |
| B．They helped Eric to improve his cover letter to find a job. |
| C．They expressed their gratitude to Eric for his application. |
| D．They emailed a brief confirmation to Eric without gratitude. |
①People's sense of self-worth can make them work more efficiently.
②People who receive only an acknowledgement tend to feel embarrassed.
③Receiving thanks makes a difference to a person's sense of self-worth.
④The sense of self-worth can encourage people to have other helpful behaviors.
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．It helped the fundraisers work as a team. |
| B．It maintained the fundraisers' good mood. |
| C．It increased the salary of the fundraisers. |
| D．It was an opportunity to motivate the fundraising. |
| A．To analyze what leaders should do to improve work quality. |
| B．To discuss a range of suggestions for organizations. |
| C．To highlight the power and importance of gratitude. |
| D．To introduce some ways to motivate others. |
【推荐2】Lawmakers in Massachusetts have introduced a law that would ban children in the seventh grade or younger from playing tackle football（冲撞式橄榄球）.The Act for No Organized Head Impacts to Schoolchildren, or the NO HITS Act, was introduced last month in an effort to protect children’s heads from blows while at a particularly fragile age.
The bill, which would still allow flag or touch football to be played, would cause fines of up to $2,000 for each time the law is broken. People who frequently break the law, or those whose actions cause physical harm, would face bigger fines.
“It’s all about kids’ health and we have a number of studies that say that repeated contacts（接触） to the head are very bad for you and the younger that starts, the worse it is," said Rep. Paul A. Schmid III （D）,who introduced the bill with House Minority Leader Bradley Jones （R）.
According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers examining 111 brains belonging to former NFL （National Football League） players found the brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, in 110 of them. The disease is associated with repeated head injuries, not just concussions（脑震荡）,and is generally found in athletes, retired soldiers and others with a history of repetitive brain injuries, according to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, a non—profit organization that works to study, treat and prevent future cases of brain injuries among athletes and other at—risk groups.
Similar laws have been considered elsewhere in the country, including California and Illinois last year, though they didn’t secure enough votes to become law. Those against previously proposed（提议的）bans have argued that adequate progress has been achieved to make the sport safer and that the sport offers too many benefits for children to totally avoid it.
Several former NFL players, who have been directly or indirectly affected by CTE, have argued differently, however. “I made the mistake of starting tackle football at 9 years old. Now, CTE has taken my life away.Y outh tackle football is all risk with no reward," Pro Football Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti told CNN last year.
1. Why was the law introduced by lawmakers in Massachusetts?| A．To make tackle football safer for players. |
| B．To ban children from doing sports too young. |
| C．To encourage the popularity of some safe sports. |
| D．To keep young children from suffering brain injuries. |
| A．The reason why the sport is forbidden. |
| B．The consequences of breaking the new law. |
| C．The causes of the new law in Massachusetts. |
| D．The fines of playing tackle football incorrectly. |
| A．Future cases of brain injuries can be reduced. |
| B．NFL players used to pay much attention to CTE. |
| C．Repeated head blows can result in brain diseases. |
| D．Brain injuries can really be prevented with action. |
| A．Tackle football is less dangerous than people think. |
| B．Young children should avoid playing tackle football. |
| C．Tackle football should be made easier to play than before. |
| D．Young children often make mistakes while playing tackle football. |
【推荐3】We know it can be hard to put your phone to bed before you sleep. However, if you’re trying to improve your sleep, you really should ditch your phone at least an hour before bedtime. Luckily, our experts can help.
Scientific evidence suggests that the blue light emitted from your phone, tablet, computer, and TV suppresses (抑制) your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone (荷尔蒙) that plays an important role in your sleep cycle. Melatonin release in the evening helps you relax before bedtime. A 2013 study that analyzed technology use and sleep patterns with data from a National Sleep Foundation poll found that using devices like phones was tied to more sleep disruption than electronics that aren’t interactive.
Many of us use the excuse that our mobile devices serve as our wake-up calls, or keep them nearby to use meditation apps. If you want to use your phone as an alarm, consider setting it a couple of hours before you turn in for the night, and then setting the phone itself to bedtime mode for the rest of the evening.
Here’s another groundbreaking idea: You could get a real alarm clock. After reviewing them at Reviewed, we recommend the Sharp Dream Caster. Not only is it easy to set a wake-up time, the clock includes white noises and rain noises to help you sleep, plus a number of volume settings to pick what works best for you.
But an alarm clock won’t help you avoid doom-scrolling through social media. Take things a step further by avoiding using electronic devices. You can try reading a book (one made of paper), taking a bath or drinking a cup of chamomile tea.
Finally, if you want to keep up your meditation practice screen-free, consider the Morphée. It looks like a little music box and comes with a variety of breathing exercises and soundscapes to help you get to sleep.
1. What does the underlined word “ditch” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Set aside. | B．Pick up. | C．Show off. | D．Turn to. |
| A．Relaxing yourself before bedtime. |
| B．Sleeping less than you normally would. |
| C．Adapting to your sleep cycle more easily. |
| D．Reducing the pressure from screen use. |
| A．It is sold at a lower price. | B．It can predict a heavy rain. |
| C．It is controlled by cellphone. | D．It helps put your eyes together. |
| A．Making the best of the eco-friendly products. |
| B．Making a change according to circumstances. |
| C．Establishing a bedtime routine without electronics. |
| D．Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. |
【推荐1】Francesca Gino, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, explores a range of fascinating subjects in her new book. Gino's new book also highlights the science of gratitude.
In two of the gratitude experiments, Gino worked with Professor Adam Grant of the Wharton School. They first asked 57 students to give feedback to a fictitious (虚构的) student, Eric, regarding his cover letter for a job. Half were emailed a brief confirmation without gratitude. The other half received gratitude: “I received your feedback on my cover letter. I am really grateful.”
When Gino and Grant measured the students' sense of self-worth afterwards, 25 percent of the group that received just an acknowledgement felt higher level of self-worth, compared with 55 percent of the group that received thanks.
In a follow-up experiment, participants received a message from another fictitious student Steven, asking for feedback on his cover letter. Would participants who had received thanks from Eric be more likely to help Steven? Indeed, more than half of the students in the gratitude group (66 percent) helped Steven, compared with just 32 percent of those in the no-gratitude group.
“Receiving expression of gratitude makes us feel a heightened (增强的) sense of self-worth,” Gino said.
Gino built on the research in a field study that looked at 41 fundraisers (募捐人) at a university, all receiving a fixed salary. The director visited half of the fundraisers in person, telling them, “I am very grateful for your hard work.” The second group received no such expression of gratitude. Gino said that “the expression of gratitude increased the number of calls made by that group of fundraisers by more than 50 percent” for the week, while fundraisers who received no thanks made about the same number of calls as the previous week.
By missing chances to express gratitude, organizations and leaders lose relatively cost-free opportunities to motivate their employees, Gino said.
“The work behind my book really makes me think more carefully every time I am the one expressing gratitude to others. I don't want to miss opportunities. I have learned from my own research and now try to say ‘thank you’ much more often”, Gino added.
1. What did the students do in the experiment at first?| A．They gave feedback to Eric regarding his cover letter for a job. |
| B．They helped Eric to improve his cover letter to find a job. |
| C．They expressed their gratitude to Eric for his application. |
| D．They emailed a brief confirmation to Eric without gratitude. |
①People's sense of self-worth can make them work more efficiently.
②People who receive only an acknowledgement tend to feel embarrassed.
③Receiving thanks makes a difference to a person's sense of self-worth.
④The sense of self-worth can encourage people to have other helpful behaviors.
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．It helped the fundraisers work as a team. |
| B．It maintained the fundraisers' good mood. |
| C．It increased the salary of the fundraisers. |
| D．It was an opportunity to motivate the fundraising. |
| A．To analyze what leaders should do to improve work quality. |
| B．To discuss a range of suggestions for organizations. |
| C．To highlight the power and importance of gratitude. |
| D．To introduce some ways to motivate others. |
【推荐2】Festivals around the world
RakshaBandhan
This is a Hindu festival held in August. Sisters give their brothers a rakhi, a bracelet made of thread. In return, the brothers promise to care for their sisters.
Moomba
This takes place each year in Melbourne, Australia. There are boat races in the Yarra River, parades and art shows.
US Independence Day
This is held on 4th July. The US flag is flown from buildings and people hold parties to celebrate the birth of the nation.
Bastille Day
On 14th July, people in France celebrate this occasion with flags and fireworks. It marks the start of the French Revolution.
May Day
The 1st of May is the day when northern Europeans welcome spring. People wear green leaves and dance outdoors.
Carnivalin Riode Janeiro
This is a four-day festival when thousands of people in costume dance the samba through the streets.
Joanof Arc
Joan of Arc, the French girl-soldier, is honoured on the 30th of May. It was the day she was burnt to death by the English in 1431.
1. Which of the following is NOT one of the activities on the Moomba Festival?| A．Boat races. | B．Parades. |
| C．Art shows. | D．Dancing the samba. |
| A．US Independence Day. | B．May Day. |
| C．Bastille Day. | D．Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. |
| A．Moomba. | B．Bastille Day. |
| C．Raksha Bandhan. | D．Joan of Arc. |
【推荐3】When something on your fruit or vegetable looks strange, it isn't unusual to throw it to the side. without any hesitation. But some “unusual" parts of fruits and vegetables actually contain abundant amounts of health benefits or they may offer other little known uses. Those stings in your banana are no different.
Often thrown away with its skin, banana strings, which are scientifically called phloem bundles, are just as nutritious as the rest( inner pat) of the fruit. They are packed full of fibre, vitamin A, and vitamin B6 and other nutritional content, Phloem can be found in all plants, which is responsible for the transport of nutrients.“ Phloem bundles are made up of living cells that send food products and sugar to all the different parts of the plant," says Rebecca Lee, a registered nurse and the founder of remediesforme. com. And that is exactly what those strings do in the banana, transporting necessary nutrients throughout the delicious fruit so that it can grow up properly.
“They are not disgusting, and they just help the banana grow and become delicious," Dr. Elizabeth Trattner A. P. DOM, Doctor of Chinese and Integrative Medicine, told Reader's Digest. “It is fine to eat and although is structure is a little different from the inside.
Those phloem bundles can also be used to determine if your banana is ready to eat. If all of the nutrients haven't been transported completely in a balanced way throughout the fruit yet, then the phloem bundles stay on more tightly, meaning the banana is under ripe. Then the opposite occurs with ripe and over ripe bananas, as the strings can be removed more easily. But if your bananas do end up bring over-ripe. throw them away? Absolutely not!
1. What are the strings of a banana?| A．It’s nutrition producers. | B．It’s transporting cells. |
| C．It’s fleshy inner parts. | D．It’s protective skins. |
| A．The banana is not ripe enough. | B．The phloem's structure is tight. |
| C．The nutrients are distributed fully. | D．The phloem bundles become longer. |
| A．The ways to deal with over -ripe bananas. | B．The reasons for bananas being over -ripe. |
| C．The steps of stopping bananas being ripe. | D．The links between phloem and ripe bananas. |
| A．A biology textbook. | B．A research paper. | C．A medical brochure. | D．A health magazine. |
